Hello everyone! Here is chapter five; I cut it off sooner than I planned because it was going to be ridiculously long if I kept going. The rest of chapter 5 will become chapter 6 and will be posted soon. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter. Please, I'm begging you, PLEASE REVIEW! Thanks!

The next couple of days were pretty uneventful. My period ended, but Carlisle still couldn't get in touch with Nahuel. I think he was worried about it, but nobody said anything to me. I still had lessons everyday though. I think everyone was trying to make me happy, so the lessons were shorter and more relevant. Thursday night I heard my parents talking as I walked down the stairs of the main house.

"We need to start giving her more freedom," my mom said, "or else she's going to start taking it on herself." My dad didn't say anything, but my mom continued. "The last thing we need is a rebellious teenager who also happens to be a vampire-human hybrid."

My dad chuckled. "You're right love, as always. I'm just not sure how to go about it…" he trailed off.

"I know," she answered. "Maybe her birthday…" I never got to find out exactly what freedoms I was going to get on my birthday because my dad realized I was in hearing distance.

Alice and Esme invited both packs over for dinner on Saturday night. Jake came over early to help get ready, and he joined my dad, my mom, Esme, and I in the kitchen.

"Here," I said, handing him a potato peeler. "Peel these." He looked at it like it was a foreign object. "You've never peeled potatoes before?" I asked him incredulously.

"Hey, don't judge. I'm more of an instantaneous food type of person. I don't have much time for food that requires extensive preparation. Like peeling," he added as he picked up a potato.

My mom laughed. "Peeling does not count as extensive preparation."

Jake just rolled his eyes. "So what are we having, I mean, besides potatoes?" he asked.

"Prime rib," my dad called over his shoulder from the stove. "Emmett's firing up the grill now. It's been marinating since Thursday."

"We're also having salad, homemade bread, green beans, corn, and cheesecake for desert. Oh, and mashed potatoes," said Esme, gesturing towards the half-peeled potato in Jake's hand.

"So what are you doing?" Jake asked as I sat down next to him at the counter.

"You mean, besides supervising?" I laughed as he rolled his eyes. "I have to help you peel potatoes. Apparently, all of you eat like a pack of wolves."

He smirked at my lame joke and bit his lip as he struggled to peel the potato in one long strip. God, he looked so cute like that. I tried to concentrate on the potato I was peeling, but it was hard when he looked so adorable.

"Renesmee, can you take these steaks out to Emmett?" asked my dad.

"Sure, no problem," I said as I grabbed the platter and walked out the door.

…

It was a good thing we had a huge house because it was packed for dinner. Sam and Emily were there, along with Paul and Rachel, Jared and Kim, Colin and Brady. Quil was here, but he didn't bring Claire along this time. Embry was there with his girlfriend Beth. She seemed scared to death; none of us had met her before. Poor girl. I couldn't imagine walking into a house full of this many people for the first time, not to mention a house full of vampires and werewolves. I was shocked that Embry brought someone new, but apparently she was fully informed about who- or rather what- we were. Seth and Leah were there too. With all of my family roaming around being gracious hosts, it was a little claustrophobic.

We ended up setting up tables in the backyard because there was no way we were all going to fit in the dining room. I was sitting at a table with my parents, Alice and Jasper, and Jake when Sam stood up and clinked on his water glass with his fork.

"First of all, I would like to propose a toast to the Cullens. The meal tonight was wonderful, and we thank you for your hospitality." Jake and I clinked our glasses together while my vampire family just nodded their thanks to Sam. "Also, I have an announcement to make." He motioned for Emily to stand up, and she did so, blushing. He grabbed her hand and kissed it. "Emily and I are expecting our first child." He grinned as everyone broke out in applause, and his fellow pack members hooted and howled.

When everyone had calmed down a little, Jake stood up with his glass. "To Sam and Emily," he toasted. "May your new little one fill your life with joy." As he stood there, I experienced one of those rare moments when I saw Jake as something more than just my best friend, or even my crush. I saw him for what he truly was, an Alpha, a leader. His voice rang with underlying authority. We all clinked our glasses together again as Jake sat down.

"Thank you Jacob," said Sam. "There is more to this announcement, though. I have decided, after thinking about it extensively, that I want to grow as my family grows, to live life as they live it. That is, I want to step down as Alpha." We all sat in shocked silence as the news sank in.

"Can you do that?" asked Seth, the first one to speak up. "I mean, can an Alpha just step down? Is that allowed?"

"I have spoken to the elders about it and consulted the histories," answered Sam. "According to legend, should an Alpha step down, die, or otherwise be unable to continue, the next in line… well, for the throne, figuratively speaking… should take his place. Jacob," he continued. Jake suddenly jerked his head from where he had been scowling at his plate up to look at Sam. "since, as we all know, I was never intended to be Alpha in the first place, the right reverts to you. The packs will become one." Again, we all sat in silence, unsure of what to do.

"I…I don't know," Jake said as he ran his hand over his face. He suddenly looked much older, haggard. I was beginning to see how much the responsibility of being an Alpha weighed on him. "I just, I don't know if I can handle that," he said. "Can I think on it for a couple of days?" he asked.

Sam nodded. "Of course Jacob. I realize how much of a burden I have placed on you. Please know that I respect whatever decision you make, and that I in no way made my choice lightly."

"God, I wish I could still eat that stuff," Emmett said, breaking the tension as he eyed the prime rib still left on my plate.

I laughed lightly, playing along. "You're welcome to try, but I don't think that it would work out very well for you."

After that, everyone started to filter out little by little. I said goodbye to Sam and Emily as they left, congratulating them. Would I ever know the joy Emily is feeling right now? You could see it in her eyes; she was glowing with it.

After we had picked everything up and placed the dishes in the dishwasher, we all gathered in the living room. I sat next to Jake on the couch. I purposefully let my leg touch his as we sat, but I don't think he even noticed. He was too lost in thought, struggling with his decision.

Carlisle cleared his throat. "As you all know, I have been trying to contact Nahuel this past week with no success. In the past, I could always reach him within a day. I have talked to Zafrina and the Amazons, and they have not heard from him or Huilen for several weeks. This is very concerning to me."

"What are you saying, Carlisle?" my mom asked.

"I'm concerned that something might have happened to them. Perhaps Joham…"

"Or the Volturi," interrupted Jasper.

"Yes, or the Volturi," continued Carlisle, "could have something to do with their disappearance."

"Alice, have you seen anything from the Volturi? Or from Joham?" asked my dad.

"No, but I don't think I would be able to see anything," said Alice, looking frustrated. "If their futures were intertwined with Nahuel's, they would disappear. I haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary, but I don't see very much of anything anymore." She looked slightly ashamed, and Jasper rubbed her shoulders comfortingly.

"Alice," said Esme, "you know it's not your fault. All of our lives are so intertwined with Renesmee, and Jacob's, lives that you couldn't possibly be expected to see our futures all of the time. Don't be so hard on yourself," said Esme with compassion in her tone.

Alice just sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose between her fingers as she concentrated. "No," she said after a couple of seconds. "I haven't seen anything that indicates the Volturi's involvement. As I've never had contact with Joham, I have no idea what his future holds unless it directly affects us in some way. So far, we can assume that his future does not concern us."

"But it could concern Nahuel," said my father, his eyes dark. I think he loathed the vampire Joham almost more than he loathed the Volturi. My mom explained it to me once. Apparently, my dad blamed himself completely for my mom almost dying during pregnancy. The fact that a vampire would purposefully impregnate human females and then leave them to die made him livid. Even now, I could see the fury in his face.

"I think," continued Carlisle, "that our best course of action would be to go to Brazil and try and find them ourselves. They are our friends, and we need to help them in their time of need." I was immediately excited at the thought of going to Brazil. I hadn't seen Zafrina and the rest of the Amazon coven for over a year. Zafrina was like another aunt to me; I adored her as much as Alice and Rosalie.

"Carlisle," my mom asked, "if Nahuel is in danger, shouldn't we be concerned for Renesmee's safety?" Jacob looked at me in alarm.

I shook my head. "That doesn't make sense," I countered. I could see where this conversation was going. "We don't even know if Nahuel is in danger."

"It's too dangerous," said Rosalie. "We will not put you at risk by taking you to Brazil." Everyone in my family nodded in agreement, and I sank back into the couch with my arms crossed. Figures. Trying to protect me, like always.

My dad looked at me as he heard my thoughts. "Renesmee, I know how much you wanted to see Zafrina, but it's too risky. I won't put your life in danger." I didn't say anything. I mean, it made sense, but that didn't mean I had to like it.

"I think it would be best if we split up," said Carlisle. "Esme, Alice, Jasper, and I can go down to South American and attempt to locate Nahuel. The rest of you will stay here." Everyone nodded in agreement.

"We can just postpone Nessie and my birthday party until after you get back," my mom said, looking slightly relieved.

"Oh no," said Alice. "You're not weaseling yourselves out of this birthday party. We'll have it next Saturday night and leave on Sunday. A week isn't going to make that much difference, will it Carlisle?"

"Well no, I suppose not. I have to give the hospital a little notice anyway," he said as my mom's face fell. "I'll go call Zafrina right away." He left to go to his office, and Esme followed him.

"Do you want to go sit on the porch?" I asked Jake. He nodded, and we walked outside. We sat on the steps, and I asked "are you okay?" He had barely said a word since Sam made his announcement.

He let out a sigh and ran his hand over his face again. "Yeah. It's just a lot to think about, you know?"

"Yeah. But you don't have to decide right away. I mean, Sam said you could think about it for a couple of days, right?"

He sighed again and put his head in his hands. "But I shouldn't have to think about it. I should assume my place as Alpha; it's my duty. I just hate being forced into something that I never wanted in the first place." He looked so broken, so torn. I scooted closer to him and leaned against his side. He put his arm around me, and we sat together, not saying anything. "I have to say yes," he murmured. I nodded wordlessly, not wanting this moment to end. It felt so right to be in Jake's arms. "I should go tell Sam tonight. I'll tell the rest tomorrow." He got up off the steps and pulled me to my feet.

"I knew you would make the right choice, Chief." He chuckled lightly and pulled me into a hug.

"Goodnight," he whispered into my hair. I just waved as he walked to his Rabbit and drove away.

…

Over the next week, Carlisle and the rest prepared for their trip, and Jake told the pack of his decision. I don't think Paul wasn't particularly happy to have Jacob be Alpha. From what I heard from Seth, Paul had no claim to be Alpha, but he didn't like having to be subordinate to someone younger than he was. Sam decided that he was going to step down as Alpha immediately but still be a member of the pack until the baby was born. That way, the transition was a little smoother for everyone. I admired the way Jake accepted his destiny without complaining.

On Saturday, the main house was a flurry of activities, all directed by Alice, of course. My mom and I were banished to the cottage until five o'clock. At that point, we were supposed to walk in and be surprised, or at least, act surprised.

My dad got roped into helping set up for the party, so my mom and I watched a movie together. At noon, he came home with a tray of food for me that Esme had made. Normal families would just eat leftovers after a party last night but for one, we weren't exactly normal, and for two, there were never any leftovers when the wolves were around. Esme instead made me a cheeseburger with a salad. I would have much rather gone hunting, but Alice had forbidden that too.

As I sat in my favorite chair and ate, my mom and dad settled themselves on the couch holding hands. "Renesmee," my dad said, "even though your birthday isn't until next Friday, we wanted to give you your birthday present early." My mom looked at him expectantly as he pulled a small black box out of his pocket. He handed it to me.

"Thanks," I said, putting down my plate. It was too big of a box to hold jewelry. I opened it and saw a silver key.

"Another part of your birthday present is more freedom. That's a key to your new car. We want you to be able to visit Charlie, or La Push whenever you like. Within reason, of course." Wait, they got me a car?

"You got me a car? Like, a real one?"

My dad chuckled. "Yes, a real one. I would take you to see it, but Alice would throw a fit."

"So what kind of car did you get me?"

He pursed his lips and smiled. "Nope. No more details until you see it."

I rolled my eyes. Typical Dad. "Do you know what kind of car it is?" I asked my mom.

"No. I told him that I didn't want any part of choosing a car for you. For one, I know absolutely nothing about cars, and for two, it's impossible for your dad or his family to buy anything moderately priced or reasonable in any way." She glared at my dad, and he smirked at her.

"You would think you'd be used to having unlimited amounts of money by now. It's been over five years," he said playfully.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to it, even if I have all of eternity."

My dad laughed and kissed her lightly. "I have to go back and help with the party prep. I'll be back later to change." He kissed my mom goodbye, kissed the top of my head, and left.

My mom and I finished watching our movie (she cried at the ending) after my dad left. As I was putting the DVD back into the case, the front door swung open and Alice skipped into the room with several garment bags, multiple shoe boxes, a makeup case and several other bags from her favorite boutiques all precariously perched in her hands.

My mom looked horrified. "Good Lord, Alice. We already have closets full of clothes, most of which we've never worn."

Alice glared at her. "That is not something to be proud of. We can either do this the easy way or the hard way."

My mom tried to stifle a grin. "What's the hard way?" Alice just glared at her murderously. "Fine. Renesmee, you'd better go shower." I laughed and walked off to my room.

…

When I got out of the shower, I put on the lace underwear and strapless bra Alice had laid on the counter and threw a silk robe that I had never seen before on over them. God forbid I not wear brand new underwear to my birthday party.

"We're in your parents' bathroom!" yelled Alice when she heard me moving in my room. When I walked in, I stopped and stared. Alice had two stools in front of the counter. My mom was already there, looking uncomfortable. The counter was covered with beauty products (all for me, I assume), and garment bags hung everywhere. Alice was in the process of drying my mom's hair. "Sit down; you're next," she said over the noise of the dryer. I sat down as Rosalie knocked on the door.

"Sorry I'm late."

"It's fine," said Alice. "You can start curling Bella's hair. Is everything ready at the house?"

"Yes," said Rosalie as she wrapped a section of my mom's hair around a large-barreled curling iron. "Everything except the food, and Esme and Edward are busy getting that ready."

"Good," she said as she dried my hair. When it was dry, she pursed her lips. "How opposed are you to having a few inches cut off?"

"Of my hair?" I asked incredulously. I've never had my hair cut.

"No, of your legs." She rolled her eyes. Gosh, she got snippy when she was in makeover mode.

"Sure, I guess." I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"Okay, turn around."

"What?" I asked, confused.

"Turn around. I don't want you to see until you're completely perfect. You too," she said, pointing to my mom. My mom rolled her eyes as we both complied.

Two hours later, I felt like a piece of furniture that had been sanded, primed, and painted. Alice handed me a deep green dress. "Try this one," she said, "but be careful of your hair!" I slipped the dress over my head and turned around so my mom could zip me up.

"Alice, I know I don't have your eye for fashion, but I think this is the one," my mom said as she turned me around.

"I think you're right. You're officially perfect." She spun me towards the mirror, and I gasped. My hair was several inches shorter than it had been. Alice had tamed my curls and pulled them into a side ponytail that was elegantly curled.

My deep emerald dress brought out the red in my hair. It was tight fitting at the top and flared out from my waist. It was sophisticated, but still fun.

"Here, put these on," she said, handing me a pair of black, peep-toe sling-back pumps with ridiculously high heels.

"How am I supposed to walk?" I asked.

"Carefully," she ordered as she turned to my mom. "You, put this on. " My mom slipped a black dress over her head. My mouth dropped open as Rosalie zipped her up.

"Mom, you look…"

"Stunning," said my dad from the doorway. He was right. She was wearing a fitted black dress. It was solid black with a sweetheart neckline, but it had a high neck and long sleeves made of black lace. Alice put her in the same shoes as me, only my mom's were bright red. Her hair was loose about her shoulders in long waves. My dad walked over and kissed her passionately while I looked away awkwardly.

Alice cleared her throat, saving me from further embarrassment. "Well, I have to go get changed. You need to be at the house at five thirty on the dot." She hugged my mom and I and left.

Rosalie hugged me and said "you look so beautiful." She smiled and hugged my mom. "See you in a little bit."

I left so my dad could get changed. My parents walked out hand in hand. My dad was in all black: black shoes, black pants, a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a black tie. "Shall we?" he asked, offering me his arm.

"We shall," I said with a laugh as we left our quiet cottage behind us.

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