The Submissive

Chapter Three: The Hunting Party

Bella Swan

I was curled up in bed by the time Edward came over, I was already exhausted and wrong for trying to do so much housework when I should have listened to my body and rested. Trying to sleep in the tent had not been the easiest of tasks and all I needed was my own bed, my own pillow, and surroundings to make me finally feel at ease. Edward had understood this of course but had insisted on changing my bandage before I headed to bed.

It was in that moment I had realized I had taken a bath, cleaned the house, did the laundry and cleaned out the fridge without an inkling of pain from my injury. Edward showed great self control around my blood and I was proud of him considering the history of our encounters. He had brought everything he would need for my dressings with him, driven across town to make sure I was alright and that I slept without nightmares.

I went to bed with such ease, since he had returned to Forks, every time my head hit the pillow I knew he'd wake me if there was any hint of a nightmare from me. He did so many things to ensure my happiness, I didn't understand how he could not give in and give me what I wanted now. To be with him forever, to cherish every single day and live the life I was always meant to have, I knew now I was born to be a vampire. Why didn't he?

When I woke up the next morning Edward was gone, he had left a note explaining he was sorry to leave but wanted to return home to check on the others and get an update on Jacob for me. As I got up from the bed I heard Charlie come in downstairs, I listened to him taking off his jacket and gun belt before heading down the hall to the kitchen.

I got up from bed and immediately turned around to make it up behind me. Last night I had worked hard to get my room just right, the least I could do was pretend I was going to keep it clean, at least for the next few days at least.

I headed over to my desk to collect my phone to check in with Edward, I wasn't sure when he had left this morning and I was still early. I hoped by now he would have an update on Jacob like he promised.

"Hello?" Emmett answered Edward's phone.

I immediately ended the call with no thought what so ever.

In all this time Emmett had never answered Edward's phone once, on occasion Alice would and bring the phone right to him, but this was different. I didn't want it to be different, there was zero way to prove that Emmett was even the one who called my house last night.

Why did it have to be him?

I shook my head and ran my hand through my hair, I was being silly, no I was being stupid and reading too much into a look. I immediately called back, quickly trying to clear my throat before it was answered.

"Bella" Edward answered to my relief.

"I'm sorry I lost my signal"

"When?"

"I just called"

"You did?"

"Well, I thought I did"

Emmett hadn't told Edward, there I went again. Stop it.

"Erm, I just wanted to check in, see if there was an update on Jacob"

"Carlisle went over there this morning, he's fine. He should be out of bed within a day or so"

I breathed a sigh of relief and wished I hadn't. My kiss with Jacob was no doubt still fresh in

Edward's mind and would probably remain there for a while. He was a vampire but, he was my boyfriend, the person I wanted to be with forever and I had kissed someone else. Edward could pretend all he wanted but it was going to take time for him to forgive me, I wouldn't blame him if some small part of him never did.

I couldn't imagine how I would feel if he kissed someone else, worse if he felt something for them too.

"Do you want me to pick you up?"

"I was actually going to go into town for Charlie, pick up a few things"

"I can drive you"

"No I can manage, I can call you as soon as I'm done and come over then"

"We have plans to go hunting later tonight"

"Yeah of course, you need your strength."

"Emmett just left, he's going to stay with you while I'm gone"

Edward began to explain it to me.

The entire family was hungry and in need of a hunt but Emmett out of them had insisted to Edward that he stay behind and keep an eye on me. Jacob was still healing and we didn't know where we stood with Aro. Until we did then there was always the risk of danger. But

Emmett had chosen to stay behind...why him?

"Edward, I could just stay home with Charlie"

"You said he was on night shifts all this week, I already arranged it with, Emmett. He's going to pick you up at eight"

"I can make my way there myself. I thought we were done with the dramatics now Victoria was out of the picture"

"Until we know where we stand with the Volturi we have to be careful"

"There is a solution to that problem"

Edward went silent on the other side and I felt a sting of guilt, what I was asking him to do wasn't easy and I understood he wasn't ready for such a task. He needed patience but we were running out of time. Who only knows what Aro has planned for us if we fail in our promise.

"I should get going. I have a lot to do. I love you"

"I love you"

I ended the call and immediately sank down to my bed in sudden exhaustion.

What kind of game was Emmett playing with me?

Emmett Cullen

I lay across Rose and my bed watching her change from out of the black lace teddy she had worn to bed last night and into something new for the hunt. She looked over her shoulder at me and I winked at her, if she was human she'd blush. I enjoyed watching her and she enjoyed it too, she dressed for herself but most of the time she dressed for me. None of our family knew what she wore just for me beneath her clothes.

What we shared was beyond the beasts within us, it was primal, we were always supposed to find each other. I wanted her before we'd even met, she was the one girl who challenged me in every possible way. Her body, her mind, there wasn't a single part of her I wasn't in love with.

Rose began to slide into some black jeans that hugged her hips and I immediately jolt across the room to hold those hips and kiss her neck. Rose tucked her head back to my shoulder and ran her fingers through my hair applying just enough pressure from her nails to make me groan. I loved the smell of her neck, she changed her perfumes often but I never minded, she was perfect.

"You're always so hungry after you hunt"

"You're always so hungry before you hunt"

Rose turned to me bringing her arms around the back of my neck as I brought my lips to hers, I could taste her and past the lipstick she had on. She welcomed my tongue happily but reminded me of her equal power and passion for our sex when she nipped my lower lip with her teeth.

I released her lips and tilted her head to the side before proceeding to kiss her from her ear, along her jawline to her chin and back to her luscious lips.

I was in love and hungry for her.

In that moment Alice called from downstairs that it was almost time for them to leave for the hunt. Rose dropped her hold on her and turned her back before I could make a case out of it. In a blur she was changed, now sporting a black jacket to match her bottoms, reapplied her lipstick, braided her hair, and tucked it under a black wool hat.

"Enjoy babysitting"

"I'd rather enjoy you"

"Me too" Rose kissed me once more before we left the room hand in hand.

We made our way downstairs to the others with Edward following behind us.

"You remember where she lives?"

"Yes"

Alice was the last to join us and came directly to me.

"Ok, I've made a dinner for Bella it's in the oven all she has to do is heat it at three fifty for twenty minutes and it's done"

"She'll have dinner with Charlie" Edward told her putting on his jacket

"And she might not, so I'm looking out for her"

I took a seat on the stairs as the others discussed possible locations and routes for that night, everyone had to feed which meant they'd all be gone at least a few hours especially if they had any trouble finding food.

I stood up when they were heading out the door giving a quick kiss to Rose before watching each of them disappear into the forest.

They'd be miles away in a matter of minutes.

"And then there were two" I said to myself before disappearing back upstairs.

Bella Swan

Turns out Charlie was impressed with all my efforts and really proud to see the house looking ship shape. I had made him some bacon and eggs and refused to make him a cup of coffee despite his pleas. He was fresh off the night shift, what he needed was some food in his belly and then some rest. If I gave him even one or two cups he would have spent the morning watching sports centre before falling asleep in the afternoon and being miserable on shift night.

By the time I got dressed, Charlie was already out of his uniform and in the bathroom brushing his teeth for bed. I heard his bedroom door shut when I made my way down to the kitchen to make up a list of everything we were going to need.

After the cupboards were checked and the list was complete I grabbed my bag and car keys and headed out the door for my truck.

It was a bit cold that morning and I was wondering what Edward was doing with his day. I had been rather insensitive about spending the day by myself, but sometimes that's just what I needed, some time when I got stuff done by myself and could appreciate all my human efforts more because there wasn't someone dashing around me at a hundred miles an hour doing all the heavy lifting for me.

When I got into town I decided to begin with all the household items we needed first, so I bought new light bulbs for the porch and the upstairs hallway, I bought new chrome hooks for the bathroom so Charlie and I could have a place to hang our towels separately, I went into the Pharmacy, and stocked Charlie up on meds, his hay fever was bad so I picked him up something for that, along with vitamins he insisted he didn't need but always took with his morning coffee anyway, I picked up some new bandages for my arm, some tampons for me, and some painkillers to replace our ones that expired last week.

I loaded up the truck and got a sad thrill from seeing a couple of plastic bags. I knew the real reason behind this happiness was making these little efforts for the house meant Charlie didn't have to drag himself into town after a long shift and try to pretend he knew everything we needed.

At the supermarket I loaded us up big time, fresh fruit, cold cuts from the in-store butcher, toilet paper, shampoos, conditioners, razors for Charlie, facial scrub, and scented soaps for me, two whole chickens I would cook and cut up for meals that week, some cans of tuna for sandwiches, some bottles of beer and cans for Sunday football, curry sauces, tinned soups, rice, pasta, bread, and pastries.

My cart was fully stocked and I wasn't even close to done yet.

Yogurt for me, banana was my favourite lately, more bacon and eggs for Charlie's breakfast, some steaks and potatoes for the weekend and the end of Charlie's night-shift week, boxes of cereal, two jugs of milk, and two frozen lasagnes.

All this effort meant for the next two weeks I didn't have to go into town again. I was free to spend time with Edward and not worry there wasn't anything in the fridge for my dad.

The cashier rang me up, and I got everything into the truck without breaking a sweat, well maybe a little sweat. Especially given how late in the day it had suddenly become.

Why was I so nervous at the thought of spending the night alone at the Cullen's house with Emmett? There was no reason, zero in fact. I had read too much into it and that's all there was to it. Emmett wasn't attracted to me, he would never look at any girl but Rosalie. The two of them were so intense with each other, they had a level of intimacy I craved with Edward, just the way they looked at each other, as if they would break through walls just to kiss the other.

I mean I couldn't compare to a girl like that and I wouldn't want too either. I didn't wake up this morning and imagine my life away or my love for Edward.

The satisfaction I felt on the way home stayed with me all the way to the front door and even as I unpacked the groceries. Charlie would be so pleased he didn't have shopping in the back of his mind now when he finished work tomorrow morning. I had gotten us re-stocked!

Wanting to keep this good day going I cooked Charlie a steak dinner, fried it up to medium-rare the way he liked it, made some mashed potatoes with butter and double cream, and cooked some peas with garlic.

I would say he wolfed it down but I couldn't say that anymore it was too much of a hidden joke now, even in my own head.

I made him a snack for his break time, some sandwiches with gammon cold cuts, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and a dash of mayo. I made him a flask of hot coffee to go with it and an energy bar just in case it was a long shift. I knew he'd probably drink all the coffee and go into the first store he could to get a red bull, he forgot I was the one who cleaned out his cruiser. I'd seen the empties, but I'd rather it be that then his beer cans.

As I cleaned up the dinner plates I also say goodbye to Charlie and went around the house to put on some lights. Charlie always insisted that we could handle the bill but not a burglary. The house always had to look like someone was home all the time, knowing I did this put him at ease, so did pepper spray but that was a whole other can of worms.

I checked the clock by the TV in the sitting room, I had less than two hours before Emmett was suppose to pick me up.

Why was I still so nervous? I should have been over this by now but it lingered, just like that look he had given me.

I shook it off and headed upstairs to grab a shower and get ready to leave.

Emmett Cullen

I checked my watch for the time and returned my attention back to the game, I was sitting alone in one of our larger sitting rooms and the one we always seem to land up in together. Alice had turned on the heating for Bella's arrival and lit a few candles to make our house feel homey and less show room. The house didn't have any personality, besides the clothes we could move out tomorrow and sell it as is.

I sunk further back into the chair and placed my feet onto the glass coffee table, I didn't have money on the game but it at least had some of my focus. I tossed the remote across to another cushion and brought my hands down to my lap, stroking my inner thigh.

I'd have to go pick her up eventually, I'd take the Mercedes, I doubted Carlisle would mind given the reason.

Everyone had come to accept Bella, everyone but Rose and I understood why. She loved her immortality with me but she felt robbed of her human life and goals. We'd never talked about that, we didn't have to, I heard it in her tone every single time she attempted to help Bella see sense about becoming a vampire.

I didn't want to picture her as a vampire, I didn't want to picture her at all but I had been thinking about her lately. Sometimes we'd all be in the one room together and I'd smell her across the room, sometimes it was just the scent of fabric softener or something but it was enough to gain my attention and bring it off of Rose.

I controlled my thoughts around Edward, if he knew I was attracted to her then, we wouldn't be a family much longer.

But when I was alone, like today on my hunt I could think about her.

She was the type of girl I would have gone after in my human years, she wasn't at all like Rose and I got a thrill out of that.

Bella didn't see the way the guys at school had looked at her, they made her feel awkward, they were just stupid kids but they were looking for a reason. It was all in the eyes, I wanted to meet those eyes and I had yesterday on the battle field. In my mind I just kept thinking Volturi, Volturi, Volturi it just Edward out of my head. If he heard my focus then he wouldn't look toward me, he wouldn't see me looking at his girl.

I wasn't going to cheat on Rose and go after my brother's girl. But it didn't mean I couldn't tap into my attraction every once in a while.

I brought my hand up to my belt then.

This morning I had intentionally answered Edward's phone in an effort to see if my gaze had some level of affect on her, when she ended the call a smirk had formed across my lips. The same smirk I had when I stole her number off Alice's cell and called the previous night, masking my number and teasing her.

She might not have felt the attraction I had for her, but something was lingering under the surface, something new.

An hour later I had showered and finally changed out of my hunting clothes. I had put a little product in my hair and changed into a black t-shirt that hugged around my chest and torso along with jeans with a large black belt, I grabbed my leather jacket from the coat stand by the front door and made my way to the garages out front.

It was time to pick up Bella.