I apologize for taking so long to get to the next chapter. I've been bouncing back & forth between this one and another story that for whatever reason suddenly entered my mind and I couldn't stop writing it. Anyway, thanks for your patience! :)

Chapter 55

Leah and Esme exchanged a look. They all searched their air for a familiar scent; either that of one of their family members, one of the wolves or even a human. There was nothing. It was like a blank canvas.

"Could they have knocked and ran?" Leah whispered to Esme.

As she was about to respond, there was another knock at the door. Esme held onto Caleb and kept Nicole close at her side. Renesme took Cassandra under her wing as Leah was the first to approach the door.

"Who is it?" she asked, looking back toward the rest of them.

There was no answer. Another loud knock made Leah jump back at first. Esme took a step forward, though immediately maintained her ground once Leah's face turned from startled to angry. A scowl lingered on her face and Esme feared that she might phase. The thought left quickly left her mind as she saw Leah easily regain her composure.

The doorknob turned part way once and all of the looked around at each other. Leah suddenly wished that they'd put in some kind of peep hole in the door. She was kicking herself, thinking of how many times Masen had suggested it.

Before anyone could make another move, the door was forced open, snapping the steal lock that held it in place like a toothpick. The move wasn't violent or loud, though whoever it was the was about to making himself known had comparable strength to there rest of them.

Nicole gasped and took a step back behind Esme. She recognized the man from her visions as he entered into the kitchen where they all stood, smiling and politely closing the door behind him.

"Hello," he said to everyone. His voice was cheery and kind, though everyone knew it did not match his true intentions. He closed his eyes for a single second of concentration before seeming more at ease.

"Jake!" Renesme shouted aloud, wrapping an arm around Cassandra who was attached to her hip.

The man laughed, "Jake? He can't hear you."

Renesme felt her stomach drop and she called out for him again.

"It's what makes me so valuable, my dear." He flashed an arrogant smile.

"Valuable?" Leah asked, positioning herself between the stranger and her daughter.

He snickered, "That's right."

They waited for him to continue or elaborate, but when he failed to do so, Esme hesitantly asked him, "Valuable to who?"

His eyes met hers and Esme suddenly felt like she'd looked into the soul of the devil, "You know how Bella is able to put a shield over all of you?"

She shuddered and made eye contact with Renesme first and then Leah, who was now holding onto Cassandra's arm firmly.

No one answered, "Well I have a similar gift. I've placed a sort of force field around us. No one can hear anything that's outside of it," he grinned and took a step in their direction. Leah let a low growl escape her throat.

"There are three of us here who can take you down," she told the man, who was yet to reveal his name.

He laughed, "Correction. What I see are protective mothers. You'll have to at some point choose either to fight me off, or defend your children. Immortal children are not permitted, you know. And as far as I know, neither are hybrids."

"There aren't immortal children here," Esme told the man, "You've been misinformed."

"I don't think so," he laughed.

"What's your name?" she asked him.

He sneered.

"Coward," Leah said under her breath. This seemed to trigger a reaction in the stranger.

"Aaron." He glared at Leah who glared equally as hard back. "I'm here to do a service and prove my worth."

"Who's in Alaska?" Nicole blurted out.

"The other half of your family," Aaron said with a smirk, "Lucky for me, I have this territory all to myself."

"The pack and our family members have your scent," Renesme told him, "They'll know."

He shook his head, "Did I forget to mention I don't carry a scent. Much like the beloved daughter of Aro."

Aro, Esme shook her head. She had suspected he was behind the attacks regardless of his ability to convince Carlisle and Edward otherwise.

"As I've stated, I'm quite a valuable individual. I don't know any others like myself who have not one, but two special talents. It was quite easy to make it here unnoticed." He seemed at ease and took in a deep breath, "Your scents, however, were very distinct and easy to seek out. I saw your husbands all leave. Now, I'm going to do the job that was asked of me."

Esme and Leah had the same thoughts. They didn't know where to send the children so they'd be safe. A back room? Away with Nessy? Were there more attackers that had similar skills that could sneak in a window and take the children away.

There was one thing Esme knew for certain. She couldn't let Caleb into the hands of Aro, and equally so, she couldn't let him into the hands of this man.

Aaron waltzed in their direction and Leah gave her female counterparts a look. They all knew what was going to happen next. Esme took Cassandra and placed her behind her and motioned for Renesme to get back. Nicole had already gotten the hint and was in the doorway by the hall.

Without warning, Leah began to snarl and growl before the kitchen table was knocked fiercely to the ground. A small lighting fixture swayed, clanking once against the ceiling. Everything in the vicinity was ferociously tossed out of place as Leah phased into a massive predator that towered over the rest of them.

Aaron continued to smirk and crouched as he was now face to face with Leah's warrior form. The two of them glared at each other, each ready for the other to make a move before Leah charged.