18. Ratified Treaty & Then Some

The forest became a blur as my main focus had been on the events of the day. Sam's pack may have growled at me in wolf form but when we'd all turned human they were more than cordial, well all but Leah and she was the exception.

The part that really kept flooding my mind was seeing Paul with my sister.

'Jake, Jake,' the three voices echoed in my mind.

I had no destination in particular that I was going. I still needed to talk to Sam about a few things but I wanted to get off his lands. I wanted to be near Bella and my goddaughter, as well as my other niece or nephew as that's what I'd come to consider myself to be for the second one so that he or she wouldn't have to feel jealous of its sister getting all the attention from me. But as much as I wanted to be with them there was too much to deal with so I had to put my own needs aside.

Thankfully on the Cullen's land there was an old clearing we had discovered a week ago with a large boulder. I often wondered what that land may have been used for had the Cullen's remained.

That didn't matter now. Sam had his logger's clearing that had been left behind by them and we had the Pitcher's Mound, at least that's what Seth had been calling it and now the name seemed to stick, with me often taking the head position on top of the boulder and my brothers below me. Often times though I stood right below with them as I hated towering over them the way Sam had done with us but today wasn't one of those times. I needed to be the top dog.

The four of us arrived pretty quickly. I replayed the conversation I'd had with Sam and his pack.

'So what does this mean,' asked Seth, 'Is the feud over?'

'And really,' said Embry, 'Paul and Rachel, how messed up is that?'

'So what are we going to do,' asked Seth.

I could see what Quil wanted. It had only been a few hours since he'd imprinted and had the same desires I did. The only difference was that Quil didn't have my job.

'Seth, go stay with Bella. Let her know what's going on. Embry and Quil, with me. We may have renegotiated the terms of the treaty but I still want to talk to Sam in person and I want the two of you there with me.'

Everyone followed through on my easy orders with Seth heading back toward the house and the three of us showing up fairly quickly at Sam and Emily's.

We phased human shortly prior so it would be less menacing.

"Jacob," Sam said coming out to greet us. "Boys," he said to Quil and Embry with a nod.

"We're here to talk about Bella and the baby," I said to him.

"Among other things," Embry said looking at Quil.

"Paul said you'd be dropping by. Come in."

The three of us took Sam's invitation but with caution, which partially eased when Emily turned to us and smiled. It was difficult to resist her positive energy.

"Long time no see strangers," Emily said to us. "You guys hungry? There's plenty of leftover hotdogs and chips."

Quil and Embry looked at me and I nodded. They graciously went to the table of food. Sam and I also took seats at the table but neither of us reached for anything to eat.

"You talked to Paul," Sam stated.

"I did," I replied, "None of you thought to tell me?"

"We don't tell each other everything anymore, Jacob."

I nodded, "Still it is my sister he imprinted on. I had a right to know."

"What I don't get," said Embry, "Is why all of a sudden our feud is over. I mean it's all supposed to be okay because Paul imprinted on Rachel? You and Jared imprinted before he did and nothing happened then. And then when Jake here imprinted you guys flipped out and weren't as understanding."

"You're right," said Sam, "And that's on us but Paul's imprinting does change things. We usually try not to let it but it does. Paul will marry into Jacob's family someday and he's come to accept Jacob's imprint as part of his family."

I scoffed, "Really because I didn't hear that in his explanation much less an apology."

"Yeah," said Embry, "And he was the biggest ass of you guys when it came to the baby."

Sam shot him a look, "I'll talk to him."

""We're not the only ones you owe an apology to," I said directly to Sam.

He nodded and the look on his face showed genuine remorse for which I was actually glad.

"How are Bella and the baby," Emily said taking a seat next to Sam.

"They're good," I answered in an easy tone. "Bella's pregnancy is normal by all accounts as far a normal human pregnancy goes."

"I think it's starting to annoy her though," said Quil.

"Oh I doubt that," said Emily.

"Well with her size can you blame her," said Embry, "She looks like she's about to pop and she's only gonna get bigger. Thanks to Jake here I have a bunch of images of pregnant women from week to week which I can't get rid of."

"Boys stop being rude," Emily scolded.

"It's okay Emily," I said in a relaxed way. "They're right."

I had been reading up on pregnancy. Everything from week to week images online to those 'What to Expect When You're Expecting' books.

"I guess you didn't know. Bella's having twins."

Sam and Emily's eyes widened much like anyone else's when we told Bella was having two instead of one.

"How is that even possible?" Sam asked.

"How is an of this possible," I asked back.

"Guess when you're un-dead," said Embry, "Everything dies but the seeds," he said as he placed a couple chips in his mouth, "And bam when they get the chance they all race out at once."

I shook my head and tried to hold back a laugh.

"The important thing is she won't be alone. She'll always have someone who is like her. I doubt there are many hybrids like them in this world."

"So we know Bella's having at least one girl," said Emily, "Do you know what the second baby is?"

"No, the ultrasound won't penetrate the amniotic sac so whether she's with a brother or sister in there, we're unsure."

"But you know which twin you're connected to?" Sam asked.

"I do. It's like you guys I guess. You just know. Who knew it went as deep as utero though? And there's a slight difference. She and her sibling have a certain smell. We're guessing it comes from their vampire heritage but unlike regular vampires the twins smell doesn't burn."

"So what exactly are you to her?" asked Emily. "Are you an older brother the way Quil seems to be with Claire?"

"No not yet. With Edward gone I feel more like a godfather right now. And even though I'm not directly connected to the second twin I feel like an uncle to him or her, I guess so that baby doesn't feel left out some how."

"What about Seth," said Sam. "Is he all right? Leah thinks about him a lot."

I looked at Sam for a moment. Despite the pain he had put Leah through he still cared for her. I felt bad for Leah. Staying in his pack must have been difficult. To see him all the time and be reminded that he had chosen Emily instead, granted it wasn't really a choice but he could have walked away and at a time he almost did when Emily told him to but still. And in the end nothing could break them not even the love I'm sure Leah still had for him.

"The kids' doing great. He misses Leah and his mom but other than that he likes being on his own. I think he likes being a wolf too much. He likes living away from home. It's easier for him at least that's what he thinks. He doesn't have to be so close to his dad's accident and everything else."

"Glad it's working out for him then."

We stayed a while and by then it was starting to get late so we said our goodbyes.

We had gotten near the edge of the woods of our house, Seth and Bella were on the porch waiting but before I could go to them we heard some paws behind us.

'So this is the new hang out,' Leah asked.

We turned to her. Embry and Quil whined.

'Thought it would be…colder,' said Leah, 'Since you guys are leech lovers now.'

'What are you doing here Leah,' I asked harshly, 'Spying for Sam?'

'Did you not listen to him?' she replied, 'The feud is over.'

'Then what are you doing here?'

We caught a flicker of it in her thoughts. Sam's distain for her being in the pack and his desire of wanting her to leave but at the same time wanting the numbers like we'd originally thought.

Leah also shot back the painful memories she had of him- of Sam walking out on her and then of her finding out he was into Emily.

'There you happy now,' asked Leah, 'Look I heard what you said about my brother having it easier by being away from home. If you were in my position wouldn't you want to break the connection too?'

'You stayed in Sam's pack for two months,' said Embry.

'And I was wrong to stay that long,' Leah conceded.

'So why now,' I asked, 'You don't even like vampires.'

'You didn't either. And other than what you've just seen I'm tired of following Sam's orders. It's bad enough that he's my ex-boyfriend but to follow him until this whole wolf thing is over, I don't want that to be my fate. I have to belong somewhere and to someone and here seems like the better option and my brother is here too so that gives me another reason to stay. Please Jacob, don't make me go back to Sam. I'll do anything except that.'

We could feel Leah's pain. Knowing what it felt like we could only imagine the way Sam had felt and not only these feelings but the hatred Leah directed at him as well as the betrayal and anger.

I could hear the guys complaining a little. They didn't want to feel anything toward Leah not even sympathy but they were starting to. Ultimately it was up to me. There may have been a time when I didn't want Leah here but that time was long gone. The person I was six months ago before Bella came to me had faded away- maybe I'd never really been that guy, maybe he was just a place holder for the man I was meant to be.

'Come on,' I said to her, 'Let's change. I'm sure we can find a room in the house for you.'

Leah grinned. I had never seen her smile in wolf form before.

Once back in human form Leah and I walked to the house. Embry had gone on a run and Quil had left to say goodnight to Claire.

I took the lead and Leah lagged behind.

As I reached the porch Seth helped Bella to her feet, who had been sitting on the wooden bench on the porch.

Bella smiled, "Hey I was wondering when you'd come back."

"Sorry. I'm here now," I said smiling too and placing a hand on her belly. "How is she?"

"Better now that you're here," said Bella. "She's been kicking up a storm all day."

Bella jolted back and placed a hand elsewhere on her stomach.

"Woah, that's a new one," she said.

"Is it her," I asked.

"No it's her sister. She just got real active all of a sudden."

Bella placed her hand on the spot again and a smile crossed her face, "She's really energetic."

"Guys," Seth said breaking us out of the moment. "I don't think the other twin in there is a girl."

I turned to see Leah walking up to the porch toward us. Her eyes were filled with the same wonder that had filled mine when I'd first seen Bella pregnant. It was the same look as had been on Sam, Jared and Quil's faces. I didn't have to be inside Leah's head to know what was going on.

"It's a boy," Bella said out loud the word we were all thinking.