I watch as they enter the house. Not knowing what to do, I decide to stay and wait to see what happens. Bella's pregnant, Edward feels guilty, and Jacob is to convince her to live with him.

You're right Jacob, life sucks.

I watched as some vampires exited the house. That's when I saw him again. Damn, he's a vampire! I tried to think back to the day I first saw him. It was windy that day their scent was blowing away from me. That's probably show I didn't realize they were vampires. I couldn't look at him, but I couldn't look away either. The fur on my knuckles dissolved as I looked at my bare hands on the ground. I could barely breathe. I could sense that they saw me. I crawled back into a thicker shrub behind me hiding my face with my shoulder length curly black hair. I sat for what seemed hours but it was only mere seconds. My fingers trembled as I released the cord holding my clothes to my ankle and got dressed. For some reason, seeing him the third time around was even harder than the first two times. I wonder if it has anything to do with the whole imprint bond.

Just walk away. You can do it. Walk away.

However, like Lot's wife I looked back and it was as if I had been turned into a statue of salt, but it felt so sweet. His eyes were on me and mine were locked with his. Time stopped once again as I felt myself turn into a tub of Jell-o. My breathing hitched even more as I struggled for any air I could get. My throat was beginning to burn from lack of oxygen. I walk forward, slowly and cautiously. I stopped as I noticed that I'm setting myself up for disaster. All the emotions I kept at bay were about to burst forth because of this guy. I wanted him and yearned for him. As I stood there motionless, my eyes still trained on him I realized that none of my sketches did him justice. His lips are moving.

Concentrate, forget that you want to feel those beautiful lips and find out what he's saying.

"What are you doing here She-wolf?"

I look up trying to keep my eyes away from the one that has me under his spell. That's when I notice her walk out of the house with Edward. She's blonde, pale, and yet disturbingly beautiful. She's glaring at me fiercely as she makes her way to my imprint. Oh Shit. Can they all hear my thoughts? I thought it was just Edward. Damn me for not asking any questions and just taking the abridged version of why we're wolves and the pros and cons of both wolves and vampires. They seriously should have a class for this fantasy world...like Supernatural 101: Werewolves vs. Vampires. This is what I get for putting myself out there for Jacob. Wait...is this even an imprint? What did Leah say about it? My mind fumbled to the conversation from a few months ago. All she said was that it only takes seeing them one time for the whole imprinting to happen. So, what it's just love at first sight? That's stupid. I looked back up at him and realized that it didn't seem that stupid. When I looked at him he was the only one I saw and cared for. I wanted to be right next to him. The one to hold, comfort, and love him. If I could ask god anything, which I've never done before, it would be to let me have him. If I could sell my soul to the devil to ensure that I got him forever, I would.

I blinked my head and shook my head slightly. Focus.

I see him look at Edward so I too look at him. I notice that Edward is talking but I can't follow his lips they're moving too fast. He stops and looks at me.

"Sorry?" He says, slow enough so I can follow.

Damn it. If I could hear I wouldn't be scared shitless right now. There are way too many vampires and only one of me. I should have walked away when I had the chance. Although Dr. Cullen seems nice enough my instincts are telling me to be careful, now whether that's my wolf instinct or human instincts I don't know. One of them is yelling for me to run. Memories of when Sam and the pack beat me up flooded my mind. If they were to attack me would it be more or less painful?

I start to back away again keeping my eyes on the trees behind them. Edward motions with his arms to get my attention. I stop and look at him warily.

"We're not going to hurt you." He says as I look at him warily. "I'm the only one that can hear your thoughts." I feel a bit of relief at those words, but not much. I don't like the idea of anyone hearing my thoughts. "We didn't get to introduce ourselves last time. This is Jasper and his wife Alice." I look at the two on his left. I recognized Jasper from when I first came back. He was with Emmett when I almost became road kill. I look back at Edward and he continues slowly. "Over there is Carlisle and his wife Esme." I look toward the far right of the semi circle and they nod their hellos to me. I looked back at Edward who looked at me earnestly as I dreaded this next moment and he knew it too. "That's Emmett...and his wife Rosalie." I gasped as his words hit me. I didn't look at them, but I saw Emmett give a little wave and look at Edward in my peripheral.

My body felt a searing amount of pain, as if hell was right here and I was in the middle of the burning fire. I must have looked like a hellish sight because Edward was right in front of me hiding me away from the rest of his family. I looked up at him with tears stinging my eyes as I tried to breathe, but the ghastly smell didn't help and I started to shake. Edward took a couple steps back as Rosalie bared her teeth at me and the rest took a defensive stance. Carlisle, Esme, and Alice tried to calm the three down as Edward just looked at me. I looked past him and over his shoulder to see Emmett glaring at me coldly.

He hates me.

The pain consumed me as I looked at Edward.

"She's not feeling well. No Carlisle, its okay. I'll help her." Edward says as he looks back down at me. Remorse, tiredness, and agony are in his eyes. "Let's go."

He guides me back into the forest and sets me down on a log. All in less than five minutes I felt joy the joy of seeing Emmett again and the agony of leaving him again. Edward kneeled in front of me.

I watch as Edward turns and look at what he's looking at. The others are spread in the forest but Jake just left the house and bolted toward the Rez.

Go back to her.

Edward looks at me unsure of what he should do, but I push him back and he nods getting up to go back to Bella. I slump off the log and lay on the ground, letting the tears flow freely. I let myself give into the agony. My body writhes and coils into the fetal position. I cried like I haven't done since I was a child. I slammed my hands into the ground in front of my face letting the dirt fly on me. I kneeled forward letting the dirt soil me as I cried. I grabbed fistfuls of dirt and drenched myself in it as I looked toward the path of his house. The house I wish I could curse, the man I wish I could hate. I lay back down on the ground and wait for this pain to kill me because nothing has ever hurt me more than this.

I felt the ground rumble and realize that it's nightfall. I could smell Seth and Jacob in the air. What an adventurous day this has been? I strip down before they see me and shift. I watch as they head back to the Cullen house. I sit still wondering if I should follow or go back to the Rez. Somehow I can't shake the feel of worry...as if something bad was stirring in the air. If that was the case my paws knew where they had to take me. It was hard as I stumbled countless times on my way there; nothing was registering. I hesitated as I saw Edward standing between Emmett and Jasper. Alice was at Jasper's side. I went to Jacob's left side standing in front of Emmett, but not looking at him. They all look at me.

"They want to know what happened to you?" Edward says with eyes of sorrow.

Edward waited for a thought any thought, but there weren't any. I had become an empty shell.

"No, she didn't meet Sam's pack." I saw Edward mouth to Jacob.

"He more or less knows why you're here." Edward says giving the swiftest look at Emmett. "He wants to make sure you're okay with this seeing as how you never wanted to join the pack." Edward waited but nothing came to mind. "She is on your side."

"Jacob, would you mind switching forms?" Alice asked. "I want to know what's going on."

Jacob shook his head at the same time Edward answered.

"He needs to stay linked to Seth."

"Well, then would you be so kind as to tell me what's happening?"

"The pack thinks Bella's become a problem. They foresee potential danger from the... from what she's carrying. They feel it's their duty to remove that danger. Jacob and Seth disbanded from the pack to warn us. Lani is here to help. The rest are planning to attack tonight."

"How do we know we can trust her if she hasn't disbanded from Sam's pack?" Emmett sad coldly as he looked at me. I felt like ice when he looked at me and stepped a few paces back. Edward stands in front of him.

"She never joined; she's her own free spirit." Edward says giving me a little smile. For some reason I feel a little grateful for Edward right now, maybe he's not that annoying. Edward gives me a little smirk at that thought.

Then again maybe he is; Edward loses the smirk.

Jacob turned and looked at Alice. Her teeth were bared as she leaned away from Jacob. Emmett and Jasper exchanged a glance, their eyes ranged across the trees.

Seth and Jacob start running and I look at Edward. "Perimeter."

"Carlisle and Esme are on their way," Emmett said. "Twenty minutes, tops."

"We should take up a defensive position," Jasper said.

Edward nodded. "Let's get inside."

I sat erect on the porch as the rest of the Cullen's backed into the house, their eyes flickering everywhere. I realized that Leah was very much mistaken. Although I can't be commanded by Sam I also can't help protect anything I wish to protect. Sitting here, unable to hear anything, just proves Paul right. I am a liability.

I smell a awful smell and looked to my right to see Carlisle and Esme approaching the house. They slowed down their speed when they saw me. Edward was by my side in a flash, which scared me a bit. I'm amazed by how fast they are and a even more unsettled as Paul's words keep echoing in my mind.

I saw Edward wince a bit at the memory of that day. "It's okay, she's good." Edward told them. I watch as Carlisle and Esme pass me to get in the house.

I was starting to feel restless as I sat out there. I felt a cold hand gently tap my shoulder. I sprang to my feet and bared my teeth at Esme. I didn't mean to, but I couldn't distinguish one rotten smell from the next. The only one that didn't smell of decay and death was Emmett. I had found that out when I wore his clothes. Emmett and Jasper were at her side in two seconds flat.

"I just wanted to see if you wanted me to fix you something to eat." She looked earnest as she looked at me.

I relaxed and kept my eyes solely on her. I shook my head and started sniffing around to make sure all was good. I walked toward them and nudged her to get back inside. Once they were back inside I took my place on the porch and sat. I looked through a window and could see Jasper, Esme, and Emmett looking at me. I hung my head when I saw Emmett and slowly turned to look back ahead. At one Edward told me that Jacob wanted me and Seth to rest up. However, I remained there on the porch, alert and awake. Even if this was the only way in which I could help, I would do it till we are sure everyone's safe. I became numb once again. No thoughts entering my mind. At some points I wondered how Jacob, and Seth for that matter, were able to disband from the rest of the pack, especially with Sam 's Alpha voice.

At dawn, The door behind me opened and I saw Carlisle. He glanced at me giving me a tired smile and looked up. I turned to see Jacob approaching. I moved so Jacob could get through. However, he stopped in front of me.

"Lani, what happened? I mean I know I hate the fact of having to share thoughts with the pack, but I can't see anything from you. I know that Sam said you couldn't hear, but how is it that we can't see things from you?" He sighed knowing I wouldn't be able to answer even if I wanted to since I was in wolf form. "If you didn't meet up with the pack why are you...you look...messy." I huffed and stuck my nose up at him. "Leah is running the perimeter with Seth right now. She's a bit rough but she's on our side." Jacob said to Carlisle and I.

I understood her wanting to leave the pack. She needed to get away from her now unrequited love; whereas I felt the urge to protect mine.

"She stayed like that all night." Carlisle said as he looked at me. I remained seated there on the defense. They remained on the porch steps with me, but I couldn't follow their whole conversation. Something about chromosomes and the baby.

Edward came out followed by Rosalie. My heart throbbed as I saw the goddess that had the perfect god. Edward looked at me with sorrowful eyes at my thought. I turned away and sat even more erect. I tried to follow the conversation, but gave up. I sighed causing everyone to look at me, except Edward.

I'm going to bed, let them know. Please, don't tell about...

"It's better if you sleep here." Edward said, but gave a swift nod to me about the latter part.

"I can't imagine how tired you must be. Thank you for sitting guard the whole night. We have room; you're welcomed to stay inside." Carlisle added.

I started to hang my head down as only Edward would know why I was hesitating about staying inside, too close for comfort.

"Sam might attack you if you go back. We're the enemies now." Jacob said, then smiled a bit. "Although in his eyes you were never part of the group."

Story of my life.

Edward looked at me from the corner of his eyes. I walked tiredly into the woods and changed. When I reappeared they gasped at all the dirt on me. I looked at the dirt remembering the pain. Edward winced, as he saw that and looked like he needed some air.

Don't tell.

Edward tipped his head in acknowledgment as I followed them inside. I hesitated to walk past the front door. It was a bit freaky how everything looked so clean. I don't think I will ever get over that. Edward stopped and looked back at me.

"It's okay."

I followed them inside, dirt trailing behind me, to see who I assumed to be Bella lying on a narrow hospital bed in the center of the open space. Also, like a hospital, there were monitors strapped to her body and tubes stuck into her skin. The lights on the monitors flashed, but there was no sound. Esme was by our sides in an instant.

"Let me show you around." She said as she held out her hand. I glared at it, but when I looked at her I faltered. I looked at Jacob.

"She's not a real people person."

"Oh." Esme said putting her hand down.

I cocked my eyebrow at Jacob and a small smirk played on my lips.

"What?"

"She was thinking of how you referred to us as people instead of...something else" Edward replied in my stead.

"Are we going to do this or not?" Jacob asked giving me a quick glare.

I stood there awkwardly with Esme, as the others busied themselves around Bella. Carlisle came back with a pack of blood and that was enough for me to lose interest.

"Well, you ready for the tour?" She said with a cautious smile. I tried really hard not to dash this woman's hope. I nodded and gave her a small smile.

She showed me the kitchen and told me I could help myself to anything that I found in there. She probably would regret saying that since she had a lot of food and I was really hungry, but then again better I eat it than it go bad. We went upstairs and she pointed out everyone's room. I tried not to dwell too much on which one was Emmett's because that meant it was also Rosalie's. A numb feeling started to take over as tears pricked at my eyes. Esme stopped walking when she saw I wasn't moving. Jasper walked into the hallway cautiously followed by Emmett and Alice. I looked away and tried to focus on my breathing. I looked back and nodded at Esme telling her I was fine. As we finished, I noticed that Jasper stayed close by with a look of confusion as he watched me.

"Would you like to clean up? Here's a towel and you know where the washroom is. Or would you like to eat? I can make you something...or not. If you want to cook you can, I just thought that it's the least I could do since you waited on us." She looked at me and smiled nervously. She must really want to cook. I took out the notepad and pen in my coat.

Lani:
Both sound great.

"So, you don't mind if I cook for you?" She asked surprised and happily. "What would you like? I have a bunch of recipes and Emeril is coming on soon, do you like the stuff he cooks? Do you want Italian, Latin, Asian..." I held my hands up and she stopped.

Lani:
If you talk too fast it's harder for me to understand. Food's food; cook whatever you feel like.

She gave me a huge smile as she read the note and nodded. "I'll try to remember to talk slower."

I gave her an awkward smile and turned to the go to the washroom. I look at my reflection in the mirror and am shocked at what I see. It looks like I've lost a lot of weight since yesterday. My cheeks are swollen in and there's dirt all over me. Huge black bags encircle my eyes as my lips look dry and chapped. I hang my head realizing that Emmett saw me like this and how horrible I must look to him. The thought of Rosalie in all her vampire glory ached in my chest. As if my heart couldn't pound any louder from the pain, it did. So loud that I thought all of Seattle could hear the beating of my aching heart. I shake my head and look back at the mirror. So what? He's a vampire and I'm a wolf, it obviously wouldn't have worked out anyway. Plus, it's not like I know him,. He could be a real jerk for all I know. However, no matter how hard I tried to deny my imprint I couldn't.