Alix's POV

My heart was thumping extra hard as I leaped into Quil's arms. Of course, I shouldn't be surprised, it's his house. But I really was excited to see him again. And up close. Yum.

"So what brings you out here? I thought you were hiding at home." Quil's voice rumbled with concern.

I grinned at him. "Well I wasn't liking that plan so dad bailed me out and let me come with him! Really, I was going crazy in the basement. Plus, how's your wound?"

"What wound?" Quil grinned. OK, so yah I knew that he healed fast, like the rest of us. Stop being smart Quil.

I hit him on the shoulder hard. He actually winced. Oh yah, me being the true leader, I was going to be stronger. Hehee. Sometimes I forgot that part.

"Ouch." Quil whined at me as I turned around.

"Toughen up."

I saw Jake in the den with mom and dad, eating a sandwich. Actually, it was a mountain full of ham and cheese and lettuce. It looked disgusting. Granted, I could eat as much as he could, but I was still a girl. I liked my food to look like food. Yuck.

"Hey Jake." I called.

He mumbled with a mouthful of gunk. I turned away quickly. I did not want to throw up.

"So I'm going to fix myself something since mom's handling the twins. You want anything?" Quil gravitated toward the fridge.

I shook my head. "Nope. I'm not hungry yet."

Quil raised an eyebrow at me. "Dude, we're always hungry."

"Maybe you boys are, but I'm not." I shot back, hands on my hips. Did he forget that we still were completely different species?

He just rolled his eyes and ducked back into the cold storage of food.

I admired his ass for a bit before slumping back into the den with the rest of the peoples.

Seth had two of his kids tied up on his lap with his arms as restraints. Dad and Mom were nuzzling over the baby inside her. Jake was surfing channels on the tube. And Leah was playing with one other twin.

"Where's Haydn?" I asked, leaning against the door frame.

"He went to sleep in the guest room. Always the first one out." Seth answered, tugging on Aina's hair.

"Daddy!" She squealed and wiggled in his arms.

"Oh no. You're not escaping." Seth grinned. Kane just crossed his arms with a huff.

Sorry little man.

I pondered whether I should join them or hang with Quil. The choice was obvious.

I shuffled back to the kitchen, finding Quil playing chef.

"Please don't burn off anything." I teased. Quil frowned at me. He wasn't that horrible at making stuff.

"Oh calm down." I kissed his cheek and leaned against his strong back. Hm, it was comfy over here.

"Gross." Jake casually commented as he strolled in.

"That's right Jake. You only date guys."' Quil shot at him.

Jake rightfully gave him the finger as he opened the cabinets.

I had to stifle a giggle. Jake would kill me for that. It was true that Jake hadn't had a girlfriend since grade school. But that didn't make him gay. Maybe he just wasn't interested right now. Maybe he was a late bloomer. Or he could be looking for his imprint which, except for me, could be pretty hard. Because you can't turn it on or off by will. It just happened because it was meant to happen.

And some never found their soul mates.

It was a complicated yet simple part of being who we were.

Quil nipped at my hands as I stole from his lunch set up. It was a slice of onion. I know, gross right? I just have a weakness for them. I love onions, even if my breath sucks after.

Quil smiled at my weirdness though. Aw, he just made me love him a little bit more.

Jake shook his head at us and left with a box of sugar cookies. Oh come on. He had to snack on the best treat ever?

"You have to pay for those." Quil shouted after him.

"Bite me." Jake said.

"He'd like that, huh?" Quil grinned.

"I heard that!" Jake hollered.

Right. Super hearing.

"Stop picking on my brother." I nudged him.

"Fine. I'm done."

Bella's POV

OK so I was really excited when the baby kicked. As Alix put it, it was alive!

My tummy smarted slightly but it was nothing major. I was just glad that I could feel it. And I know Jake was elated to feel it to.

I wanted the sex to be a surprise so we'd wait. But I couldn't help but wonder what it'd be like to have another boy or girl.

Two girls would be easy. Yes, they complicated things but I knew how to speak the language. A boy would have me running around the mountain way too many times. And if it was more than one baby in there....I'd faint right on the spot.

Of course, Jakey would love having twins. He was good with children and thought the more the merrier.

Ha. That was funny. I loved kids but I did not want a plethora of them like I was living in that shoe. Ugh.

Claire had finally gotten me some food which disappeared with help from Jake. I almost stole Jake's cookies when I remembered that I didn't like sugar cookies. Too much sugar made me squirm, I didn't know why exactly. Just another thing that made me, me.

"Baby, you think this one might come out normal?" Jacob whispered in my ear.

I looked up at him. I knew that he blamed himself for Alix and Jake's werewolf inheritance. He didn't want them to become part of this life. I always knew that there was a possibility for all of our children. I didn't blame him for it. It made them, them.

"Jacob, stop that. This baby will be perfect either way. I would never change that. Besides, I think being a wolf is cool and that more irresistible."

He nuzzled his nose against mine and I smiled. There. He had to stop talking nonsense. Nothing was his fault. It's just how things turned out to be. Nothing wrong with that.

"My dear boy or girl, you're going to be just fine, you know." I started baby talk with my stomach. Jacob smiled at me adoringly.

"Momsie and Popsie will take extra special care. Popsie won't squash you like he did Jakey."

"It was an accident!"

"Or drop you...."

"He was slippery!"

"Or throw you across the room."

"Same reason..."

I glared at Jacob. Luckily, Jake was resilient in all unfortunate situations. Believe it or not, Jake grew closer to Jacob every time. Huh.

"I'm keeping an eye on you." I pointed my finger at Jacob threateningly.

"Fine." Jacob raised his hands.

I rubbed my tummy calmly.

Hmm. I'd have to get to painting the nursery soon. I didn't like waiting.

Blue sounded nice.

Jake's POV

Ok, so I was getting sick of watching mom and dad cuddle. It was sickening.

And I was pissed that Quil was calling me gay. It was not true at all. Was it a crime to be single? I don't think it is.

So I'm trying to escape when a little booger attacks my legs. I'm upstairs in the hallway and this kinda freaks me out.

"AIEEEEEEE-EEEEE!!!!!!!!!!" I shout.

I hear a giggle down below and realize it was Haydn, awake from his 'nap'. I bet he was just faking so he could get a TV to himself.

Little monsters.

"Haydn, don't do that." My heart was still pumping extra blood into my head. I was getting dizzy.

"OK!" Haydn laughed. He was so plotting to scare more people.

I shuffled to a room and plopped on the bed. The pounding in my head was getting annoying.

"Ugh..." I was horrible in these situations. Jeez. And I had seen scarier things before and it took nothing out of me.

I was becoming a sissy. Eh.

I looked around as Haydn ran out. Well well, I was in Quil's bedroom.

Time for sabotage.

First I checked that it wasn't booby trapped. I did not want to set off Quil's anger. Then I scrounged around.

It was basically a teenage boy's room. Rotting food under the bed, Playboy mags under the pillow, and a whole lot of mess spread throughout the room. Couldn't wait to tattle to Alix that he had Playboy in his room. She'd jump on him in a second. I wouldn't pass up that opportunity. Even if Quil found that the rat was me. Worth it.

I narrowed my eyes as something shiny caught my attention.

Yep. It was what I was aiming for.

A journal of his guarded secrets.

Jackpot.

Jacob's POV

I was torn with emotions. I was happy that I was having a baby. I just wanted this one to turn out normal. The pressure of a wolf was unfair for a kid to deal with. We'd be looking after them like a ticking bomb. And then there would be so many questions to answer again and again.

They might even hate what they've become, like I used to.

They might hate me.

I couldn't bear the thought of that ever happening. So I prayed that maybe this ones life would be spared of the gene. Maybe take up Bella's side of the family. It might be clumsy, but at least it wouldn't have claws.

That's what I kept telling myself anyway.

Bella wanted me to stop thinking so negatively. She was right I guess. I couldn't help what I was or what I passed on. But I could hope.

Plus, we'd be eaten out of home with four wolves. Poor Bella....we were famous for that.

And then there were attitudes. Luckily, I had learned to control my temper for the most part. The kids didn't get too mad too easily, so that was good. But babies were temperamental, especially special ones.

Argh, this was making my head spin.

So I quit.

I wasn't going to think about the possibilities now. There were too many. I couldn't count.

I contented myself with patting Bella's tummy. My hyperactive ears could hear something in there. It was cool. Even if it was the third time around.

"I'll protect you always." I whispered to my baby(ies). My heart was alive with love and joy. It was almost overwhelming to me, but familiar. I still felt this way about Bella, especially now that she's pregnant.

I really love her so much.

And I loved what she was doing for me. Even though it hurt like hell for her.

And that she hated me while in the progress.

"I promise you Bella, no more babies." I whispered to her.

Bella giggled as my breath hit her stomach. "Oh really? From what I remember, each and every one of the kids have been accidents."

I grinned. "Ok ok. No more boo-boos."

Bella cuddled my head in a cocoon of warmth.

"OK." She whispered.