Disclaimer: i do not own Twilight! i don't even want to!

CHAPTER NINE

"Time stands still
Beauty I know she is
I will be brave
I will not let anything take away
What's standing in front of me
Every breath,
Every hour has come to this."

~Christina Perri

Edward

Dark red human blood.

My mate's blood.

Everywhere.

My mind is blank. I can only process the sight of her creamy thighs covered in the dark stain.

I wasn't sure this was normal for humans.

And she looked to be in a great amount of pain, her knees trying to draw up to her stomach.

Trying to shield herself.

I feel as if gravity holds me down, my insides dropping to my feet.

Did I cause this?

The thought is horrifying. All of my memories of our mating have been exquisite, pleasure filled, rosy blushes dancing across her cheeks as her mouth lets out tiny moans.

Have I been wrong?

Have I been rough? Too earnest?

Did I hurt her?

I try to peek between her thighs where the blood seems to be rapidly seeping from, trying to glimpse the wound I have surely caused.

But Bella screams out in pain again and all I can think about now is finding the Healer.

My body is suddenly too large and imposing, my limbs gargantuan compared to my slip of a mate – stumbles clumsily towards the intercom. Large pale fingers – my own, which now seem too long, too thick – press against the tiny buttons roughly.

"Healer!"

My mate moans painfully from our bed, the loud noise fading into a whimper.

"Healer!"

There is no response and I roar in frustration.

I am the Prince.

He is to respond immediately.

My hand slams against the intercom again, this time hitting the button that would broadcast my voice across the palace. "Healer!"

I could not find it in myself to care that my mate might want this private.

Or that the servants would surely gossip in the morn when news got out about this.

But she is in trouble.

None of that matters right now

I'm not sure it ever should.

I rush towards my mate, my giant hands shaking as I brush her short hair away from her clammy forehead.

She is so pale – the contrast between our skin more dramatic, though I am much lighter than many Leumian's.

Her skin tone brings back memories of her first days.

How foolish I had been.

I had wasted time.

What if I lost her now?

My chest clenches at the thought.

I lean down and press my lips against her cheeks, inhaling her suddenly strong scent before I turn away and bolt out the door.

The Healer is not the only person who can help my mate.

My mother knew of medicinal remedies.

She had always been the one to heal me when I was a child.

I had no doubt that she would help my mate.

My bare feet pound the ground beneath me, a sharp sound in the dark hallway as I approach the rooms in which my parents rested.

I slam my palm against the door.

And then I realize the escalated voices from within the chambers.

My mother's sharp trill, louder than I had ever heard it. "You will leave that poor child alone, Carlisle."

"She will be the downfall of Leumin! The scrolls-"

"You know as well as I do that the scrolls have not been translated!"

"And when they are, we will all know the truth."

"I know that you are not the male that mated me."

Mother's words are cold, but she continues.

I know that I should be rushing, but I need to hear what is being said.

I need to know that someone adores my mate, too.

"I know that the male that mated me would not prey on an innocent girl, no matter her heritage. I do not know the male you have become. I do not want to know him. You will leave your son's mate alone, Carlisle. She has done nothing-"

"Her family has."

"That is her family, not her!"

"Her father has sent her here-"

"Her father, if you can call him that, sold his daughters life for a treaty," Mother spits.

My chest aches for my mate.

She had not known much kindness in her life.

"Her father has a plan," Father argues. "He is sinister, just like his spawn-"

"Spawn?"

The shock in Mother's voice is abundant.

Father does not care.

"She is spawn. Evil."

I growl lowly.

Mother hisses. "The only evil in this palace is you, Carlisle. And I will have none of it." Her tone is final.

I cannot wait any longer.

I must make myself known.

My palm slams harder against the door and I call for Mother.

She would help.

Father answers the door, his face tired and drawn in hard lines.

I push past him.

He does not matter.

"Mother, I need your help."

Mother's face is still tight with anger, her hardened eyes softening when I speak.

"What is it, dear one?"

I swallow.

I do not want Father to hear, but it must be said, otherwise Mother might hesitate more.

I could not afford to lose any more time.

"It is Bella," I begin, only to be cut off by Father.

His voice is smug.

Like my mother, I do not know who this male is.

The father that raised me was firm, but kind and gentle.

Reasonable.

Trustworthy.

He was nothing like the male standing before me, his mouth pulled into a sneer, his eyes seeming to mock me.

I snarl at him.

Mother touches my arm.

"I will come with you," she says gently, glaring at my Father who has the decency to look down, shamed.

He should be shamed.

He is shameful.

I nod and hurry Mother out of the room.

I fill her in on the details of my mate's condition on the way.

The blood.

The pain.

The pale skin.

The absent Healer – which might have had something to do with Father, now that I think of it.

No Leumian on the planet would defy the King's order.

But that did not make his absence right.

I made a note to find a replacement that is loyal to me and my mate.

Because of my age, Father will be forced to give the kingdom to me in a year.

Soon, he would have no power.

And though I didn't necessarily want to rule, I would.

It would be another way to protect my Bella.

Mother does not know what to make of my mate's symptoms.

I feel my lips pulling into a frown around my half-mast fangs.

My mate's hybrid status made this much more complicated.

The door to my chambers slide open quickly and I am by my mate's side in a flash, my eyes flicking between the deep red stains and her fluttering eyes.

"Oh, dear."

I look up to Mother, her hand pressed against her cheek.

"What is it?"

I cannot hide the panic in my voice.

There must be something dire about this situation.

Much more serious than I thought.

Just as I begin falling into a state of uncontrollable anxiety, Mother speaks.

"You couldn't have known," she murmurs, smiling slightly at me.

I frown at her.

I knew many things.

There were few things I did not know.

"Couldn't have known? What?"

Mother steps forward, pulling the sheets over my mate's body and tucking them around her tiny frame.

"You have never been around a female in heat, Edward."

My mind is blank for a moment.

And then it blurs into action.

Mother was right – I had never been near a female in heat.

It was forbidden for un-mated males and females to be near each other during the female heat.

It was better that way.

Safer for the female.

There were, unfortunately, awful occurrences early on in my Grandfather's rule – times when un-mated females were harmed by rogue males during their heat.

Now, un-mated females were relocated during their heat time for safety measures.

"This is normal?" I blurt, glancing at my mate with wide eyes.

It did not seem normal.

But, I would not know.

Mother pats my cheek. "As normal as it can be. I imagine the transition must be more painful for a hybrid."

Painful?

"She is in pain?"

Mother nods slowly. "My son, this is her first heat. Her body is preparing to carry a child by shedding excess to make room for a fetus. The enzymes in your blood should make it easier for her, but I cannot guarantee it."

Preparing to carry a child.

Our child.

A tiny female, perhaps, with eyes like mine and dark hair like my mate.

Or a small Prince with my skin and hair and my mate's eyes.

I inhale sharply at the images present in my mind.

And as I inhale, I detect a stronger change in Bella's scent.

When I had left the room for Mother, it had been much more subtle.

Yesterday, it had been barely detectable.

But now, it was overwhelming.

I fought against the urge to claim my slumbering mate in the moment.

It would not be proper – because she is sleeping and my mother is still gazing at me in concern.

I have not responded to her explanation.

So I nod, distracted by the scent swirling in the room.

"She will be okay?"

Mother smiles. "Of course."

I see the tightness behind her smile though.

And I think back to my childhood, the strict guidelines I was raised by – lessons in government, culture, war, languages and history.

Lessons with weapons.

And hunting.

And the secret lessons Mother provided me with – the music she taught me to play on several instruments.

The songs she had taught me that I would soon show my mate.

But all through that, I had never seen this tense smile.

I know it is Father's fault.

"Father will not be okay," I claim quietly.

I suppress the need to inhale deeply.

Mother needs my attention now.

"He is struggling," Mother admits.

I hiss lowly.

Struggling is a word for it.

"He will acclimate," Mother assures me with a certain glint in her eyes. "I know your mate is not a danger. How could she be? She is just an innocent pawn in political games. The King will realize this."

My mother leaves the room then.

Leaves me alone with my innocent, alluring mate.

The thoughts that fill my mind are not as innocent.

And the scent that threatens to unravel me.

Arousal creeps into my blood, my fangs grazing the skin of my lips – and I turn away, rushing into the washroom and starting a bath.

I wanted my mate to relax.

Because, if I had my way, she would not be relaxing for some time.

I pour several different healing salts into the steaming water.

They had no scent, which is perfectly fine for me.

I would not want any other scent to distract me from Bella's.

Sweet.

And spicy.

She even smelled soft.

Delicious.

When the water seems to be the right temperature, I depart from the washroom and approach my mate, who is still sleeping.

But her slumber seems light.

I am sure she would not mind being moved.

So, I pick her up, careful to keep my hands on un-arousing parts of her body.

I could not let her tempt me until she was relaxed.

This was our first heat.

My mate might be pregnant with my child by this time next week.

I am entranced by the thought.

Holding her in my arms, I walk us into the bathroom.

Kissing her cheek with an open mouth, I gently place her in the water.

Bella rouses slightly, her dark lashes fluttering against her pale cheeks.

She is exquisite.

And mine.

I want her.

Now.

But she must be relaxed.

Gently, I place my lips upon hers, tasting her sweet lips until she wakes, slightly confused at her location.

"Edward?"

I smile down at her, kneeling beside her bath.

"I was bleeding," she states monotonously, looking down into the clear water.

"You were," I nod, allowing my fingers to trail down her elegant neck. My fangs beg to sink into the tender flesh. "But it is normal."

Bella's eyes widen. "Oh."

"You are in heat," I tell her, joy filtering into my voice.

I watch, fascinated, as my mates blood rises underneath her skin.

Her pink is so pretty.

"Oh."

I kiss her again, inhaling her scent once more, before I turn and leave the washroom.

The sheets are pulled off the bed and tossed into a rounded corner of our chambers.

I replace them with the softest hunting furs I have won.

The furs that I cut and cured myself in the hopes that they would one day be the furs my mate would rest on during our mating.

It was tradition.

These would be the furs we would use during every heat.

I run my hand across the softness, imagining my mate's milky skin against the golden furs.

I feel my fangs click down, poking against my lips.

I hear the shifting of water as my mate moves in her bath.

I inhale her scent, growing stronger every passing second.

And I move to secure the locks on my chamber doors.

My inner beast is unleashing himself.

I am becoming more primal.

Losing myself to her scent.

I can't regret it.

I want her.

Need her.

She's mine.

I am in the washroom in time for her next breath.

She is not startled but she stares up at me with wide eyes.

I imagine that my eyes are dark and my fangs are drawn long.

I reach for her.

Dry her quickly so she does not catch a chill.

Kiss her, my tongue roving through her mouth.

Tasting her.

Giving her a preview of what I planned to do to her soon.

So soon.

She gasps into my mouth as I pull her tight against my body.

My hands low on her hips.

Ghosting over her bottom.

Grinding her flat stomach against my ready arousal.

I lead her into the open bedroom.

Onto the bed.

My lips at her jaw, her neck and small, round breasts.

Sucking.

Licking.

Nipping at her with my fangs.

Drawing out tiny gasps and moans.

My fingers gliding over her smooth skin.

And slick center.

She is not bleeding any more.

Just as I am about to plunge my fingers into her waiting heat, the beast takes pause.

What if she did not want to be pregnant?

It would surely happen unless I prevented it.

"Children?" I blurt out, moving my hand to rest on her stomach.

I'm aware that my question doesn't make any sense.

I am only thinking of the two children I envisioned today.

Would I be able to accept it if my mate did not want children?

Yes. It would make me incredibly sad, but I would cope with it.

My mate came first.

Always.

If she did not want children, we would not have them.

Bella looks up at me with a calm expression.

I cannot even guess her thoughts.

"I want children," she murmurs, reaching up to touch my face.

Relief.

Lust.

I lean down to kiss her, probing her mouth again as I gently prompt her to roll onto her stomach.

The beast grins at her bare backside, my hands roving over the smooth surface.

Possessively, I kiss her neck, marking her with a scrape of my fangs.

I rub myself against the small of her back, my hands reaching under her body to grope her breasts.

Then, my hands move again as my lips begin to suck a wet line down her spine.

My fingers caress her center, spreading the slickness around.

I had never felt her so aroused.

The heat was aiding me, not that we really needed it.

But she would be pregnant.

I could feel it in my bones.

My hands pull her hips up until she is on her knees and supported by her hands.

I spread her legs and adjust my stance behind her.

I push in.

Tight.

Wet.

Home.

Mine.

I hold my breath as she adjusts to the angle.

I am so deep.

We shudder at the sensation together.

And then the beast - the part of me that wants to dominate my mate, impregnate her, claim her – prompts me to move.

So, I do.

I thrust deeper into her, my hips flat against her bottom.

Pull out slowly.

Thrust in quickly.

Faster.

Harder.

She moans.

"Edward…Oh!"

Her fingers dig into the furs underneath us.

Her back arches.

My mate comes once, then a second time after that.

I continue thrusting, pushing her back down so her chest is pressed against the warm furs.

"Mine," I growl.

The angle is tighter.

I pant, rotating my hips after every thrust.

Nipping at her neck.

I feel myself tightening as my mate clenches around me.

A third time and I can't hold off any more.

I thrust violently, uncontrolled, as I come to completion with my mate underneath me.

My fangs sink into her neck and I take a deep mouthful of her sweet blood.

Ecstasy.

I feel my seed release into her womb, my hips tight against her bottom as I roar out her name.

My barbs jut out inside of her, hooking into the delicate clenching flesh that surrounds me.

Keeping my body connected to hers, I run my palms over her back, soothing her tired body.

I cannot pull out of her yet.

My barbs would damage her.

But I am content to listen to her quieting breathing.

By the time my barbs retract and I slowly pull out of my mate, she is relaxed, a slow smile spreading across her face.

I kiss her lips gently.

I caress the smooth skin on her lower stomach.

Her scent would change again soon and the frenzy I felt to claim her would calm.

But she would be round with my child.

I take her three more times in the same fashion and by the middle morning of the next day, she is exhausted, sated and sleeping.

We lay beside each other after I have fed her the mid-day meal.

"Do you want children?" Bella asks, her fingers running up and down my chest, her head resting on my shoulder.

I touch her short hair and let my hand stroke the soft skin of her back to her taut stomach. "I want many children," I grin, flashing my half-mast fangs at her.

"How will we know I'm pregnant?"

I stare at the ceiling.

The only pregnant female I had ever seen was my mother when Rosalie was growing inside her body.

The Leumian pregnancy was similar to that of humans.

Leumian females only carried for three months – 11 moon cycles.

Still, I knew some things about the process.

"First, there will be a change in your scent."

"That happens a lot," she remarks with a smile.

I nod.

It did happen a lot.

"We will be able to see a bump, small but noticeable, in a few days," I tell her with excitement.

"That's very fast."

I kiss her flushing cheek.

"You will be needing my blood more frequently as well."

"Why?"

"The baby requires certain enzymes that are only present in male Leumian's. If you were a full-bred Leumian female, you would still need to take my blood."

Bella nods, yawning into my sun-toned skin.

I have tired her out.

The thought makes me grin wickedly.

I would be more than happy to continue to do so.

"What happens after the birth? Wait!" My mate sits up and turns to me, eyes wide. "Do Leumian's give birth?"

I laugh at the shock in her voice.

What did she think Leumian's were?

"I am a mammal, too," I tell her. "After the birth, the child will be very fragile. We will go away for a few months until he is no longer in danger."

"Danger."

I nod. "Our child will be royal. He will be a target for many who wish to harm the family. And baby Leumian's easily become ill, much like human children, I believe."

Many Leumian children had died from sickness.

Rosalie was almost one of them.

A virus had plagued her after birth but she had survived.

And our child would survive, too.

I stroke my mate's stomach as she settles herself against me again.

I press my large palm against her skin.

Could our baby be growing right now?

I had no way of telling if she was pregnant yet.

It was too early.

But I wanted it so badly.

And I think my mate did, too.

Two days later, my mate's heat scent was fading from her skin and the air of my chambers.

And it was replaced by another one.

More sweet.

More like me.

I had woken up before Bella, her snores rousing me though they were entertaining to listen to.

Immediately, my nose had pressed into her lower stomach.

And I roared with triumph.

There was no mistaking this new scent.

Or the barely detectable bump adorning her once-flat stomach.

"Hello, baby," I murmur against her stomach, kissing all the skin I could find.

My body was practically vibrating with happiness.

Our child.

My mate was giving me our child.

A bout of fierce protectiveness overtook me when I heard the slight grumbling of my mate's hunger.

Without hesitation, I pressed the intercom and ordered for food to be brought up to our chambers.

And then, I woke my mate with an orgasm, my tongue buried in her folds as her eyes opened and her back arched.

And then, I told her of the happy news.

My mate cried.

She insisted they were tears of joy.

"I never thought I would be a mother," she confesses, warm in our furs and my arms, her stomach and body sated.

"You are now," I whisper, caressing her lips with my own.

"Thank you."

A/N: i know! it took forever! and for that, i'm sorry. but i came back. i always come back. i won't ever leave any of you hanging with an unfinished story! cross my heart and all that jazz! as many of you know, i started my new semester two weeks ago and let's just say, it's been quite the headache. and on Valentine's Day, i rescued a puppy from the middle of the road and he's been a bit time consuming (because my dog doesn't like him). and then, my computer crashed and i forgot to save my progress so i had to go re-write the entire chapter.

but, moving on! hello to all you new readers! i'm so honored that anyone is reading this story so, i'm giving everyone virtual high-fives.

Nissa-Cullen - calm down! Carlisle was wrong! :D

JLS0823 - right now, i don't think Aro is going to make it into the story, so Carlisle is taking his place lol

james3142 - your reviews always put a smile on my face. you're super awesome!

looking4inspiration - in this story, psychic is defined as any ability above the norm. it could be said, with that premise, that Emmett in the original series was a psychic, too, because of his extra strength, or that Jasper and Edward could be considered psychics too. i'm using the term very loosely but it all applies.

sheeiur22 - i do think that this chapter answered all of your questions!

sassygirl156 - i completely agree with you and you're not wrong about Charlie or Carlisle

YesMyRealNameIsBella - . you keep guessing my plot lol

shout out to the first reviewer of the last chapter - Twilight Rocker 12, you are so, so hairy ;) your challenge letter this time is...Q! lol

also, shoutouts to the very cool DurtyNelly (read what this writer writes! seriously! it's an order). you actually helped me through this chapter and i just think it's super cool that your so down to earth even though you write such mind-blowing things! and to the lovely telaviv, who constantly points out things that i seem to skim over. i thank you because you make me round out the story more than i would do originally. you keep me in check!

alright, ladies and gents, i have nothing more to say. i need a really long nap and to study for my Advanced Government class...

as always, be brutally honest. i can take it!
~cupcakeriot