Here's another chapter for you. Thanks to everyone who is reading and reviewing. I love you all! As always, I don't own...

Kira POV

I woke up slowly, vaguely aware of my surroundings, except for the warm, furry wolf body lying next to me. It felt good to sleep next to an fellow shifter. That's one thing I never got to do, considering my family. I never got to sleep next to someone who was warm...or, for that matter, actually slept.

I was amazingly comfortable around Seth. I had been from the beginning. At first I had believed this was due to some natural instinct we had as shapeshifters, but I was beginning to think otherwise. I certainly didn't feel this comfortable with Jacob. I just laid there, contemplating this idea as I allowed myself to slowly return to the land of the living.

I instantly perked up when I started to hear voices around me. Carlisle and Jacob were standing in the entrance way.

"It looks clear. I ran all the way to the mountains with the only scents coming from the local wildlife. It should be safe enough." Jacob said.

Carlisle sighed and nodded his head. "Thank you, Jacob. We'll split up and hunt in small groups so Bella won't be left unprotected. I hate to leave at all, but it's been days since any of us have hunted. Bella is close to having her baby and it would be better if we are all well fed beforehand. Edward, Rose and Emmett will stay here, while Esme, Jasper, Alice and myself go out."

I grumbled in my tiger voice, getting up from my comfortable position and turning back to human. Seth didn't even stir. Poor kid was still dead to the world. "I'll go with you." I stated, stifling a yawn. "I can help keep a look out while you're all hunt focused." I joined Carlisle and Jacob at the door, stretching the sleep out of my body.

"Are you sure you don't want to sleep some more?" Esme asked, coming out of the kitchen to stand next to Carlisle. "You've only been out for about 5 hours."

"I'll be fine. It'd be nice to spend some time with my parents and grandparents. With all this running around, I barely see any of you anymore." As I was saying this, Jasper and Alice came downstairs.

My dad threw an arm around my shoulders, hugging me gently.

"Well then, I guess we'll be off." Carlisle announced, giving Edward, Rose and Emmett worried looks. "We'll all have our cell phones with us. If anything happens..."

Edward held up a hand and gave his father a small, but sincere smile. "You'll be the first one to know if something happens. I'm sure we'll all be fine."

Carlisle took a deep breath, placing a hand on Edward's shoulder. "I know." He looked over at the sleeping Bella. "She's very close. It won't be long now. We'll be as quick as we can."

Edward nodded, giving Carlisle as much of a reassuring look as he could manage. I had a feeling Carlisle was telling Edward more than he was saying aloud. With a final look, Carlisle walked out the door, followed close by Esme, and Alice. Jasper patted Edward on the back, sending calming waves in the general direction of the living room. Edward have his brother an appreciative nod as we left the house. My father and uncle Eddie's relationship had been strained since Bella had been brought into the Cullen fold. I could only hope they could repair the bonds once Bella was turned and her blood was not longer a temptation to Jasper.

I smiled at my uncle, then followed my father out the door. Once we joined the others in the backyard, I turned tiger and we were off. I could feel how appreciative Carlisle was to Jacob for taking the time to clear the way for the family to hunt. I don't think Jake wanted to admit it, but he was starting to bond with my family. He was beginning to see that these vampires weren't the blood thirsty monsters he had grown up believing they were. It gave me a nice warm fuzzy feeling.

Jasper looked over at me questioningly while I was thinking this. Obviously my emotions were a bit confusing at the moment, considering the situation. After a few minutes, I could smell a herd of elk. I slowed my run until I was several yards back from my family. Even though I knew they would never hurt me intentionally, I understood how they hunted, so I always stayed a good distance away from my family while they fed. I didn't want one of them to be so engrossed in feeding that they accidentally mistake me an an entree. I shifted to human and sat quietly on a fallen tree, listening as my family decimate the elk herd. I allowed my mind to wander and of course it went back to the thoughts of Seth I had been focusing on earlier. Lost in my thoughts, I was only mildly aware of my father returning. He took a seat next to me on the tree.

"Those are some interesting emotions you got there. I'm feeling mild attraction." He gave me a half smile, nudging me with his shoulder. "Who is it you find so alluring? Could it be one of our furry friends back at the house? One who you were sleeping next to for most of the day?"

"Don't start, dad, please." I sighed, rubbing the bridge of my nose gently. I was starting to get a headache from all this emotion.

"Start what?" Jasper asked innocently, crossing his arm over his chest. "Forgive me for being optimistic. For the first time in almost a century you actually have legitimate feelings of attraction for someone. Feelings, I might add, that are not laced with a sidebar of Lust. You could almost say these were the beginnings of love."

I jumped up from my seat and began pacing in front of my father. "I really don't want to have this conversation with you." Love? How in the hell did this evolve into a talk about love?

Jasper just sat quietly on the tree, boring a hole in me with his eyes. I growled in frustration.

Jasper got up and placed his hands on my shoulders, turning me so I had no choice but to look at him. "I just want you to be happy. You've never taken a mate before. I know you've had your experiences with men..."

I rolled my eyes. I so didn't want to have a conversation about my sex life with my father. He continued, unfazed.

"...but you've never actually fallen for someone."

"And you think falling for a underage werewolf is a good idea?" I replied, pulling away from his grasp. "Sam told me about imprinting. What happens if he imprints someday? I honestly don't want to set myself up for heartbreak. Not like that. And what about poor Seth? He'd be torn apart if he committed himself to me, but imprinted on another. It's all just a bad idea." The last part I whispered to myself, even though I knew my father could hear me.

"Darlin', you are an immortal among mortals. You can't give your heart to someone without future heartbreak. Sure, Seth may imprint someday, but isn't it better to love someone for a short time, than to never love at all? To have someone to love who loves you back, even if it's just for a fleeting moment?" Jasper gave me a tight hug. I froze for a moment, but I eventually returned the embrace, resting my head on his shoulder. I couldn't stop the single tear which traveled down my cheek. "You deserve this, Kira. Just think about it."

Our little moment was broken up by feelings of urgency and fear. We both looked in the direction of our family as Carlisle, Esme and Alice appeared. Carlisle was holding his phone.

"Rose just called. The baby just broke Bella's back and broke the connection it has with her. The baby must be delivered now or we'll lose both of them! I told Edward what he must do, but..." Carlisle let the sentence drop off. We all knew that it was up to Edward to save his wife and his child, but could he control his bloodlust long enough to do it.

I shifted and we all sprinted towards home, hoping we didn't get there too late...

To be continued.

I'm gonna skip ahead just a tad in the next chapter to help get things moving. Hope you like...let me know.