1 month later
"Oh Bella," Emmett sang. I felt him hover over me, brushing the stray pieces of hair from my face. His breath tickled my nose.
Instead of opening my eyes, I pretended to sleep. It had been a while since I hunted and human food could only do so much, I'd been more tired than normal. Plus it doesn't taste as good.Generally I sleep for about five hours and I'm good to go for a couple of weeks but I'd have to drink blood to keep up that strength. The Cullens hunt every couple of weeks to keep up maintenance but my thirst doesn't get as bad as theirs.
"Bellaaa," he sings. For a big man with a deep voice, he had nice vocals.
"Yes, Emmett?" I moan into my pillow. He stiffened slightly in response then chuckled almost darkly.
"Hunting time." He whispers. It sounds like he's closer-his breath touched my neck this time. The mentioned event did make my throat burn a tiny bit.
"Now?" I groaned. I really didn't mind hunting but egging on this interaction was tempting. A small part of me enjoyed having him this close to me.
"Yes, you haven't hunted in a while and I'm assuming you sleeping is a sign of that." Emmett pauses. "It's funny. Humans' heart rates slow down when they sleep. Yours stays the same." He finishes.
"I'm not human. At least not all the way." I open my eyes. I rolled onto my back meeting the eyes of the man I can't have. He had himself propped up on him elbow, he took up the rest of the already large bed. He wore a black tee that hugged every inch of his upper half leaving hardly much to the imagination-paired with grey sweats.
"That's not even the only special thing about you." He says, my eyes snap to his gold ones. He looked slightly dazed. Did I swoon him? On accident?
"I wouldn't say that." I say already feeling myself blush. I look anywhere but at him feeling the butterflies in my stomach. I see him already beginning to form an argument but I cover his lips with my tiny hand. His eyes already told me more than words could and that scares and excites me.
I joke about needing to change without a large KH ugh surveillance vampire to break the tension. Emmett smiles and let's me know he'll be waiting for me downstairs.
I quickly got ready; wearing simple athletic wear. (Yoga pants and zip up). I slipped on my shoes and stopped at my mirror. I never even thought to look at myself before or even after my change until I met Emmett. Doing this almost everytime I'm going to be around him, I find myself checking to make sure I don't look out of sorts.
"Bellaaa." Emmett sings with a humored tone. A
I race down to him almost colliding with his chest in the process.
1 grizzly later, Emmett and I are working to get back home.
"Are you ever scared, Emmett?" I ask sitting on a large rock. We happened to find a field-more like a meadow hidden in a canopy of large trees and bushes. The intensity of the greenery was strong.
"Me? Scared?" He huffs. He's laying on his back in front of me-on a patch of grass with his arms folded behind his head.
"I'm serious." I say. His eyes stay to the start say. The light of the full moon almost had enough power to make him sparkle.
"Actually…I have a new fear. One that occurred to me not too long ago." He says. His eye moves towards where I am. He doesn't life his head, watches me from his peripheral vision.
"Do you feel comfortable with telling me?" I ask. I slid off the rock. My clothes only slightly less dirty than my last hunt. Not torn, though.
"I'm comfortable telling you anything." Emmett says with nothing but the truth and his truth alone.
"What is your new found fear?" I walk closer to him. He doesn't answer until I'm standing next to him and looking down into his golden orbs.
Em POV
My new found fear.
"Never seeing you again. Losing you." I say. I don't feel nervous. Am I scared? Hell yes. Only because this girl seems to want to run from things that are good for her.
"Why?" She asks. She's standing above me and it's honestly the most beautiful view. Her long, thick hair cascaded down her shoulders and that sides of her face. Her pouty lips were more pouty from her emotional disposition, and her eyes back a glowing gold to brown ombré.
"Because you became more important to me than life itself." I pour. "I can't explain it. I didn't know initially because you were new but I felt something. I assumed it was curiosity. So I followed the bait the universe threw at me. I tried to get to know you, I got to know you. Your laugh and smile make me feel so strongly. It's a distinct difference from how I feel for the others. Your warmth isn't uncomfortable, it makes me remember how good it felt-my heart feels like it beats when I'm around you." She's on her knees and I'm sitting with my arms behind me, leaning backwards but keeping eye contact.
Jasper caught in to my feelings quickly. Initially, Bella was a non-romantic interest. Or so I thought. I was definitely curious but there was always a part of me that found her beautiful. When we started talking more, laughing more, parts of her were shown to me that I wanted to see for the rest of my life. It made me want to see all sides of her beautiful soul.
"Really?" Her eyes were wide with surprise. Her full lips were held open slightly. Oh, how I want to kiss her.
"Bella, I know you'd only just moved into the clan but I feel connected to you. I feel everything so strongly when it comes to you." I say again. I'm not pleading. If she felt like she didn't want me, I would still be here for her.
"Emmett. Any vampire would be lucky to have you in their life." She starts. Her voice is full of emotion. "I'm lucky to have you. I feel the same way, I do. If my heart weren't already racing, it would be every time I saw you. It would kill me if anything happened to you or anyone else in this family. But-" she rambled but I already know.
"You can't. You can't build something only to live in fear of watching it fall." I say. She's still a target and instead of thinking of herself, she's thinking of the welfare of the family. We're stronger than she thinks. I'm definitely stronger than she thinks.
She nods and looks down.
"While I understand, I'm not letting you deal with this alone. We don't have to push anything you aren't ready for. My feelings won't change-they freeze in place once you're a vampire. Just know, we will protect you." I say softening my voice at the end.
I'm tempted to reach my hand out but I felt it wouldn't help how she felt. I did want her to want to stay here with me - but I didn't want to make her feel forced. She may feel the same way as I do but with everything going on, she may not be in the right headspace.
"I know." She sounds defeated as if she heard this before. I bit back a chuckle.
"You have dirt on your cheek," I smile and stand. She glares at me as if to say 'I'm all covered in dirt idiot'. I hold out my hand and she takes it.
I expect her to let it go but she holds on. Her tiny hand barely fit in mine but that made this all the better. Her heat traveled up my arm and to my chest. Phantom beats started in my chest.
"Thank you, Emmett." She says looking at our joint hands.
My free hand caressed her diet covered cheek. This time I can't not touch her.
"Let's go home." I said and led the way.
We held hands the whole run back.
As soon as we made it in and to the living room, Alice wanted to play Barbie Bella- of course Bella objected but Alice claimed she saw that Bella allowed it. I swear, I feel like she lies about small things like that. I was tempted to call her out but she glared at me and said 'you think my visions are inaccurate…do you? I'll show you how accurate it'll be when your game system turns into a fallen solider'. That stopped me quick.
Bella used that moment to rush off to her room. The loss of contact between us almost hurt. I felt cold. I think I may be depressed-or dramatic.
"Definitely being dramatic." Edward teased in a low tone, sitting next to Jasper watching some documentary.
"Shut it." I hissed. I sped past Alice as she continued to glare at me. Jasper watched Alice with humored eyes.
"How was the hunt." Edward asks as I go sit with them on a large beanbag like chair.
"Pretty good. I'm proud of how easily she's been taking down her bears. Got a pretty big grizzly tonight." I say. I really was proud. Despite being almost as small as Alice, the girl could wrestle.
"Good, she's adjusted well to the diet." Jasper says.
"Yeah…" I start to think of our conversation.
"She's still afraid." Edward states, seeing the recent exchange of words.
"Rightfully so." Alice interjected and sat on jaspers lap.
"I think we should start patrolling." I say. "Cover ground." To tell the truth, we can try to avoid thinking about the possible threat our family will be facing.
"Plus with there being a new threat, we're going to have to take to the wolves." Jasper says with disdain. That was something none of us were very fond of doing.
Carlisle and Esme were out so we couldn't call a family meeting to make a full agreement but realistically it's something Carlisle would agree too. Esme would probably agree to it but would also want to run to avoid aggravating the locals.
"Agreed. Alice, do you see anything-or have you?" I ask.
"Not any sign of danger. But even though I see Bella staying, her future does disappear." She says stressfully. She begins to rub her temples.
My heart drops. Sure there's a chance she'll stay but will she? Truly? It's only been a month so if she decided to, we can't act too heartbroken about it. At least that's what I tell myself. To tell the truth, I'd follow her. Love like a nomad and run if I had to. I'd ask the family not to follow obviously. It'd be sad to let them go but for their safety.
"What about your safety?" Edward cut through my thoughts.
"You're not leaving. No one is leaving." Alice stands with her tiny hands balled into fists. Jasper lays a hand on her lower back-possibly to stop her from punching me in the face.
"If things do get bad-she's going to leave. I know shes been with us for a short while but I feel…everything that's good for her." I try not to use the word 'love'. Would that be too soon?
"Emmett, the family wouldn't let you guys go on your own. Bella is family now. We know what she means to you-it's a familiar feeling amongst us all." Jasper says.
"What is this about leaving?" Rosalie asks. She thunders into the living room. She gripped a Motorsport magazine in her hand.
"No one is leaving." Alice says getting more aggravated. She can probably see me going back and forth.
"Well that's what it sounds like to me. Can we please just think for a second how we're willing to die for a girl that isn't really a part of this coven? Why'd her life worth that much? If she wants to run on her own-let her." The ice queen hisses. "We don't need to get the wolves involved. We all know that as soon as we mention other vampires, not to mention bring in two vampires that have a human only doet." Roget voice get higher.
"She's family Rosalie. I plan to be there for her. I know how she feels out of all of us." Jasper says becoming equally upset.
"This family isn't being sacrificed for her." Rosalie exclaims.
A rapid heartbeat approaches.
Bella slowly comes in behind Rosalie. Her eyes stuck to the ground. I know it's not the time but she was so beautiful. Her hair was a wet dark, in the form of perfect ringlets that cascaded down her shoulders and around her heart shaped face.
"My hearing may not be as good as yours but I can still hear you all," her voice shakes. I run to stand beside her and instinctively put my hand on her shoulder. She doesn't pull away but she's tense.
"Bella-" Jasper starts. He knew more than all of us what she was feeling.
"No." She looks up and continues; "I do appreciate being accepted by most of you. I don't think I've had such kindness shown to me like that in a really long time but I'm not having anyone fight for me. No one is leaving this family if or when I make my decision." She looks at me pointedly. So she heard. The whole time we spoke in hushed tones thinking she couldn't-at least not that well.
"Bella-" Alice started. But Bella wasn't having it.
"You aren't going to call your friends or interfere with the wolves lives either. I mean given the fact that they don't seem fond of you, how do you think they would feel about me? I'm sure they'd be happy for me to go." Her freckled nose scrunches as she look around at everyone.
"Bella, you're right. These are things we didn't consider. But we aren't going to let you run alone. How long will you go on? They could catch up immediately. You're rare and Maria makes sure she gets her way. You and I both know that. So does Peter and Char. They can help." Jasper argues.
"I'll deal with it." She says. She's trying be strong but she's shaking. She scared.
"Alone? You don't deserve that," I say heatedly. "Bella, you're so selflessly selfish. Let. Us. Help. You. We're more equipped than most covens. We have friends all over the world that could come if we need extra aide." At this point I have her turned towards me with both hands on her shoulders. You'd think I was going to shake some sense into her.
"How do you think other covens would react to her being a hybrid? What if they want her too? She a walking drug for our kind. I'm shocked Jasper hasn't tried to take a sample." Rosalie says harshly.
"Rose-" Edward says teaching her and attempting to calm her down.
The room was silent after. Her taking a jab at jaspers control was low considering where he came from and went through to get here.
"How dare you!" Alice yelled. She was in front of Rosalie in a flash followed by an unfazed Jasper.
"I didn't- Jasper, I'm sorry. That was out of pocket. This is just unsafe for the family." Rose says. Sure, she tries to mean well but her words are the epitome of cruel.
"No, if you have problems about Bella being here-suck it up! Jasper is probably the only hope this girl has alone with us with the exception of you. Don't think you have to be around for her defense because you'll be the last one we turn to-dont worry." Alice is fuming at this point and Jasper is practically growling at the pair opposite of him, leeching off of Alice's rage.
"My control is fine-thank you. I'd never harm a hair on Bella or any humans head. I e come too far for that." Jasper says through clenched teeth.
"You're right, Jasper. I'm sorry. Alice-" rose pauses. She looked empathetic for half a second then turned cold again. She departed in the blink of an eye likely going to the separate cottage built years ago. We usually go there for alone time.
Edward stood in the same spot. His hands at his sides.
"I'm sorry, Bella. Rose means well. It's just-" he starts.
"Why don't I get to have a say? You're arguing over me and I don't think it should be that personal." Bella sounded tired. Defeated. She pulled out of my touch and left to go back to her room.
I wanted to follow her but I knew when to given women their space.
"Let's properly talk this through tomorrow morning. Carlisle and esme may be home soon. They can get caught up." Jasper says in a more normal tone-putting a leash on his anger. Alice on the other hand look like she were going to cry.
How the hell did the night turn into this?
Ok, guys! I appreciate the feedback. I've been trying to do lil hearts in the stories but there's only a '3' so pretend the '3' is a heart lol. I hope y'all enjoyed. I felt like adding some melodrama to the chapter. I hope it wasn't too long.
What do you think will happen next?