Chapter 24 – Old Friends
Edward and I went to my house to find that Dr. Perry hadn't moved an inch. "Bella, we'll talk to him later. We have to get back to the house." Nodding, I just compelled Dr. Perry to forget this night and be ready for when I would need to speak to him again. At the house, EJ clung to me for the rest of the night. "Where is your daughter?" Esme was concerned for their child. "She is with our coven. They move from place to place, so the wolves can't catch up with them. There's only three of them." Esme gasped in horror. She looked at Carlisle and he nodded, "Tell them to come here." Emmett and Rosalie gawked at them, but Esme glared back, "I'm thinking about their little girl." Rosalie sighed and she hugged Emma to her chest. Serena smiled, "Thank you. You don't have to do this." Esme was always a gracious hostess. She opened her home to all those who needed it. She can be too kind sometimes. I think it's a bad idea having them here. Looking at Edward, I nodded in agreement. Having Darius' children here was a very bad idea. He is going to try to recruit us to fight in his war. A war none of us want to be a part of. Serena was on the phone, chatting quickly, "Yes Amy. Bring her. We found another coven. There's eight of them and four children. No, only one pureblood." I scoffed at her term for me. Darien looked at me, "It's what you are." I looked at him with an exasperated expression. "You are a true descendant."
EJ tugged at the hem of my skirt. I opened my arms to him and he leapt into them. He pressed his palm to my neck, showing that he wanted to hunt. "Not now, sweetheart. It's not completely safe." His eyes widened and I scoffed, "That looks not going to work right now." He nuzzled his head into my neck and I almost crumbled, "Just like Edward." He chuckled as we went to our bedroom. EJ jumped on the bed, while Edward took my hand and had me sit in his lap while he sat in the armchair. "Serena truly sees herself as your sister." I looked down, "Please," I scoffed, "She's only a distant relative." Serena, Darien and Darius were talking with Carlisle in his office. I didn't like having them here. They were the first Daywalkers I've encountered and I wanted them to leave. Having them in the house was so uncomfortable. There were so many of us already, having them here could only draw more attention. The way Darius would look at me, you'd think I was a prize he was trying to win. A few days later, Serena's coven arrived with her daughter. There were three woman; Amy, Raye and Luna. All of them had dark hair, but Raye's hair fell down to her knees. In Luna's arms, was a small girl, no bigger than Emma. She had golden hair, but her face was similar to Darien's. She had large blue eyes and they beamed, "Momma!"
Serena opened her arms, "Lita!" Darien wrapped his arms around both of them and he kissed the small girl's forehead. Edward and I were on the couch, watching the family's embrace. He hugged my shoulder and EJ looked up from the book he was reading to me. Darius smiled, "Hello, little one." Lita jumped into his lap and nuzzled her head into his chest. Darius hugged the child, but his eyes fell on me again, only for a brief moment. Looking away, trying to push away my frustration, I decided to take EJ hunting. "Bella?" I shook my head, We're going hunting. I'm tired of him staring at me. It's been two weeks since Viktor got away, so I felt safe enough to go hunting on my own. Besides, I needed to get my frustration on something. I was tired and annoyed of Darius. He's asked me to go with him when he goes to Volterra. "No thank you. I am not leaving Edward and EJ." He patted my shoulder, "They are welcome to come with us." I look at his hand on my shoulder, "I'm sorry, no."
Folding my arms and leaning on a tree, I thought about that encounter over and over. EJ was nearby, taking down a prey for himself. We were further west, deeper in the mountains, so he was really able to use all of his abilities. I heard his silent laughter as he finished off a stag. I took down one of my own, not interested in hunting big game. Even though I was glad to be out of the house, away from Darius' eyes, I hated being away from Edward. Feeling a tremor in my spine, I knew something was wrong. "EJ," I knew he was in trouble. I dashed off, pushing myself to find him. When reaching him, I picked up a foul scent. It was a werewolf. I found EJ half hidden behind the body of his prey, "Mommy!" I dashed into the open field and took him up in my arms. The wind shifted and I caught the scent again. Just as foul, but oddly familiar. I heard the beating of the large heart and the coming and going of its breath. There was a snarl and the breaking of dead twigs underneath its paws. Looking to the west, to the trees, I saw the glowing of the beast's eyes. The eyes were fixed on me. Even in the dark, I saw the sheer size of the wolf. It was a tall russet wolf and it was stepping out of the trees. Its body was as tall as me, and its muzzle was pulled back over its sharp teeth. My eyes widened and I took a defensive stance. The wolf snapped, lowering its head. I took a step toward it, pushing EJ behind me. He whimpered and hugged my leg. The wolf stepped closer and the moonlight broke out of the clouds. The wolf let out a low whimper, almost speculative and tilted its massive head to the side. Looking into its black eyes, they were more human than animal. "Jacob?" The wolf's eyes widened as he stared at me.
I stepped closer to him, but EJ tugged at my leg tighter, "No, Mommy!" I looked back and kneeled down, taking a huge risk. If this wasn't Jacob. The wolf could, and possibly, would charge me. I was faster than the wolf and I was stronger, but EJ would still be at risk. "Stay here. When I tell you to, you run to your dad." Leaving EJ, I walked over the wolf. Getting closer, his eyes followed me. Almost 3 feet from him, he inhaled his foul scent. "Jake?" Getting closer, he lowered his massive head and I patted by behind his ear, "Jacob." Despite the scent, I was happy to see him. I threw my arms around his neck. He gagged and I pulled my arms back, "Oops." He looked at me and, from knowing each other so well; I could almost hear his thoughts. "What am I doing here?" I guessed, then scoffed, "What are you doing here?" His eyes fell on EJ and I followed his gaze, "That's my son." His head turned to look back at me so quickly. "Don't give me that look. His name is…" he wasn't going to be happy about this, "Edward." His mouth fell open, revealing the rows of sharp teeth, "Jr." He shook his head, in disbelief and snorted. "I know, Jake. But there's something I need to tell you." He sat on his haunches and he was a head taller than me, "I found the Cullens here and Edward and I got married. This is our son, biologically." I gestured for EJ to come, but he hesitated, "Sweetheart, its ok. He's a friend of mine."
EJ walked over to us at a slow pace. He scrutinized the wolf as he climbed up my back, half-hiding underneath my hair. Jacob sniffed at EJ and quietly snarled. "Jacob, he is my son. Look, there are other things I need to tell you." He laid his massive head down on his front paws. Shaking my head, I sat on the ground, with EJ still hanging on to me. I told him about my change, what I really was and the history I learned behind it. I told him about the wedding, Renee knowing everything from the beginning and the recent attack from Viktor. He shook his head, suddenly stood up and ran into the trees. While he ran, I could hear the snapping of bones. He was phasing to his human self. Soon, Jacob, as a human, walked out of the trees. Jacob was almost a foot taller since the last time I saw him. "A Daywalker. We've never heard of those." I shrugged. Jacob looked down at me with the same dark eyes. "How come I couldn't tell?" "I don't know. You just couldn't." Having him standing before me, I realize how much I really missed my friend.
My arms were rising, preparing to hug him, but he stepped away from me, "I'm sorry, Bella. But this is too weird." Smiling, I showed how much I changed. Moving before he could blink, I wrapped my arms around his body and my ear was against my chest, listening to his quickened heartbeat. He gasped and his hands slammed down on my shoulders, ready to push me off. His body tensed in my arms and his breathing was very quick. Soon, he relaxed and his arms fell around me too. We were in each other's embrace for a long moment. "I can't believe I'm hugging a vampire." I heard his quiet laugh from inside his chest and I smiled. I did miss this. Jacob wasn't Edward. He could never be Edward, but he was someone very important to me. It was painful to cut him from my life, but in this moment, I felt whole again. For this brief moment, I had my best friend back. But would he let me back in his life completely? It was by his choice and his choice alone. Sitting in the field, we were Bella and Jacob again. No vampires or werewolves, just two friends. "Actually, that's part of the reason of why I came. Emily and Sam wanted you to know that they had a daughter." I smiled, "Really?" Jacob's dark eyes fell on EJ. He was resting his head on my chest, looking up at the sky. I followed his gaze, "Do you hate me?" He looked at me and all I saw the boy that was my friend. The boy that was reckless and stupid with me. "No. I'm happy you have a family, Bella." I could hear a note of envy in his voice.
He told me what was going on in Forks and La Push. Of course, there wasn't much. Jared and Paul imprinted. I laughed at that fact. Paul was going to be Jacob's brother in more than one way. "He imprinted on your sister. When's the wedding?" He snorted, like he always did before. Someone was coming up behind me and they were coming fast. I looked back and got to my feet in the blink of an eye, "What is it?" I looked at Jacob, "Someone's coming." He looked behind me, "I don't hear anything." I smiled; my hearing was stronger than his. "Wait, you'll pick it up." He tilted his head in the direction I was looking. It was silent for a long moment, at least in the field, "Oh, there it is." I smiled, "You poor boy, your senses are so dull." He scoffed, "Please, Bella, don't get cocky. To be honest, the only reason I can stand to be around you because you don't smell like a vampire. You still smell like you." A giggle escaped my lips, "Well, you smell awful to me." The runner was nearing the field and I picked up his scent, "Oh no, not him." Jacob's heart rate picked up, "What?" I stood, keeping EJ tight in my arms. I didn't want them free, because I knew I may do something rash. Jacob stood up beside me as Darius entered the field. He looked at me, then his eyes fell on Jacob. Behind Darius, Edward entered the field, most likely looking for me and EJ.
Darius wrinkled his nose in disgust. Jacob sneered, "This is your ancestor?" I nodded. Edward came to my side, "You were gone too long." He looked over my head, "Jacob? What are you doing here?" My arm wound around Edward, "He was looking for me." Darius stood away from us, almost circling, "What is he, your pet?" Jacob turned his eyes on Darius and a guttural snarl escaped his lips, "Watch it, old man!" Darius sneered, "Huh? A young one and inferior. He's nothing like Viktor. He's not even a werewolf." The heat vibrated off of Jacob's body, "What the hell are you talking about?" My arm clamped down on his wrist, restraining him. Edward looked at Darius, "A shape shifter? Interesting." Jacob and I looked at Edward as his read Darius' mind.
