"Bella," Seth burst out as soon as they stepped out of the house. "This is not a good idea."

"Why?" She shook her head as he gestured at her stomach. "I'm pregnant, Seth, not dying."

"I don't like it," he grumbled. Bella bit back a laugh. When she'd left, almost a year ago, Seth Clearwater had been an awkward gangly teenager; sweet but uncertain of how he fit in his own skin. That awkwardness was all but gone now. His face darkened and he folded his arms, "Jacob wouldn't like it either."

Embry, Quil, and Leah all exchanged a quick look. "You don't have to like it," Leah said tightly. "You just have to do as your told."

"Who died and left you beta?"

"Take the rear, Seth," she snapped. He scowled at his sister, but he slunk back, keeping an eye on them from behind while Leah took the lead. The air was thick with the promise of rain. "Hurry up, before we all get soaked," she called, glaring at Quil and Embry.

"There's no official beta," Embry explained. He and Quil stayed close, flanking her. "Although Leah likes to make tough and boss us all around."

"We let her think she's in charge." Quil winked. "It's just easier not to get in her way, you know?"

Bella opened her mouth to reply, but a sharp pain in her stomach made her suck in a breath. Embry and Quil stiffened, their worried expressions almost comical. "Just a cramp." She rolled her eyes, and rubbed at her aching side. "I'm fine."

They exchanged another nervous look, before Embry cleared his throat. "You could just ride on one of us," he offered. Quil snorted, trying to hide it as a cough, but Embry elbowed him sharply. "It would be faster."

"I'd rather walk."

"Rejected, bro."

Embry shoved Quil again, shooting Bella a bright smile. "Try not to trip, Swan."

Bella rolled her eyes and pressed ahead, ignoring the growing twinges of discomfort in her back. Her mind wandered, anxiety building in her stomach. She didn't know if she was ready to see them again, to see him again, but there was no other way out of this hell. She'd wanted to blame the Cullens for everything before. For a while, she had. Sue had patiently listened to her yell and rage and scream, tears choking her words.

"No one chooses your life's path for you, unless you let them," Sue had said. Her words had almost knocked the breath out of Bella.

"So this is all my fault?" Bella had nearly screamed. "He left me, Sue, after everything. He left me again. I made one stupid mistake, and then he's gone, like I'm nothing. I was going to die for him. I gave him everything! I could have given it all to Jacob. God, I should've given it to Jake. He wanted it. He wanted me, just as I am. He saw me and loved me and I broke him. Now I have nothing."

"All choices have consequences." Sue had said. She'd been like a rock, standing firm against the storm of Bella's regret and anger. "The only choices you control are your own."

Edward had made his choice, and left again. It had taken time, and Bella understood now why he needed to go. She didn't blame him anymore. But why was he back?

A low growl pulled Bella from her thoughts. They'd finally reached the clearing, where she could see two figures standing unnaturally still in the misty gloom at the treaty line. A wind blew across the field and Bella caught a hint of cloyingly sweet ammonia. She shuddered, almost gagging. Embry and Quil shifted in a crunch of bone and tearing of skin, their wolves growling, low and menacing. For once, Bella envied them, her heart racing in a new odd panic. She was safe, and yet she felt more exposed than ever. The statuesque figures turned. Edward and—

"Alice?"

Alice smiled brightly. She wrinkled her nose as Bella approached. "You smell worse."

"So do you." Bella said ignoring the echoes of grief, denial, and anger. Alice had been her friend. But she'd left too. "Why are you here?"

"Edward insisted." Alice said cheerfully. "And I want to see your baby when its born, even if it is a little mutt."

The wolves let out a chorus a threatening growls, teeth bared. Bella laid a hand on Embry's side and glanced at Edward. "Edward?"

"I wished to speak with you," he said, raising his eyes. He looked the same as she remembered. But different. "My leaving was," he frowned, "wrong. You are still my heart and I cannot ignore it."

Bella sucked in another sharp breath, and tangled her hand deeper into Embry's fur. Why was he saying these things when he knew nothing was the same anymore?

"Isabella?"

Bella blinked. The two inhumanly perfect faces cut through to her heart. This was hard, harder than she expected. "Edward." She was different now; more herself than she'd ever been. So she smiled at him and meant it. "You have to leave."

"Leave?" Alice looked mildly puzzled. "But the baby isn't here yet. We have to stay for that, at least."

"No." Bella shook her head. "I'm asking you both to go, and not to come back to La Push."

"Isabella,"

"Edward," she interrupted gently. "I hurt you, and I'm sorry."

"Carlisle thinks you can still be turned." He took a step closer, ignoring the guttural snarls of the wolves surrounding Bella. "Once the pup comes, it might be possible, without it inside you. We can still have forever. We can put all this behind us and be happy."

"Put what behind us?"

"This." He gestured to her belly, then the wolves. "Them."

But they both knew he meant Jacob again. Bella closed her eyes. It always came back to this. She felt pulled into two parts of herself. There had been a part of her that loved Edward, that wanted him and everything he offered. Sometimes she was afraid there still was, but—

Jake.

His face, and his wolf, were easy to imagine. For nine months she'd tried to forget, or pretend to forget, how happy she'd always been with him, how stupidly easy it was to love him and be loved by him. He was her spring and her sun. Her best friend.

Jake.

"Consider it." Alice's voice was gentle. "We love you, Bella." Bella's eyes fluttered open. "After the baby's born, you'll have a choice again. All we're doing is offering you that choice." She reached out her hand, but pulled it back just as Leah leaped forward with a vicious snap.

Bella could feel the tension roiling through the pack, like a buzzing pressure in her mind, coming in waves of snarls and growls that were almost like words.

don't listen to him!

filthy bloodsuckers

Bella shook her head, trying to clear it. She hadn't expected Edward's offer, and she didn't even know what to say. She could feel Embry's muscles coil, as if he were about to spring, treaty or no treaty. To end this for her.

"No!"

The wolves froze. She took a sharp shallow breath, her stomach clenching hard. With that breath, everything seemed to break at once. More howls and growls erupted from the woods, thunder crashed overhead, followed by a torrent of rain as the skies finally opened. Bella was soaked to the skin within seconds. She almost didn't feel the rush of warm water that spilled down her legs.

"Oh no," Bella started shaking, and she clutched Embry's fur tighter. He whined, nudging at her. He could smell it. "Embry, my water broke."

Then a strong hand covered hers, and she stared through the rain into Sam Uley's face. His pack had followed them. Had he heard what the Cullens offered her? Had he seen her hesitate? Then Sue was on her other side, her face stern and determined.

"We need shelter, Sam." Sue shouted over the thunder. "Now."

"Sarah's cabin," he called back and pointed. "It's closest."

Jake.

And then Bella was being lifted onto Leah's back. "Hold on tight, Bella," Sam commanded. "Run, Lee Lee. Run hard." There was no Alpha's echo in his voice, but Leah obeyed. Rain tore into them as Leah raced through the woods towards Sarah Black's abandoned cabin. Back to the beginning. Bella moaned into Leah's fur as another, sharper wave of pressure and pain rushed over her. Leah burst through the underbrush, easing down onto her belly. Bella fell onto the ground.

"Breathe, little mother." Sue Clearwater jumped from Seth's back, crouched, and laid a hand on Bella's shoulder. "Can you stand?"

"Yes." She trembled all over. She needed dark, and quiet, and safety. And Jacob.

Jake!

...Bells!

Sue slipped her strong arm around her, and helped her stand. They shuffled across the slippery clearing and up the three stairs. Leah had already forced the cabin door open, and was busy making a fire.

"Sam will bring Emily to help," Sue murmured. She guided Bella to the bed, speaking firm and low, "Don't be afraid." She knelt and slipped off Bella's shoes. Then she began to braid Bella's hair, her hands firm and gentle. "You've come home for this."