.

Chapter 54

Brothers and Sister

Bella

The next two days passed quickly.

Alice and Esmé were totally engrossed in the preparations and were on the phone with my mom almost every hour to get her opinion on everything. Emmett and I were completely left out of it. Alice organized the divorce papers from Emmett and Rosalie's last wedding ten years ago. She gave them to Emmett to sign and that was the only thing we got involved in.

We lay outside in the garden in the sun, which was shining for once.

I watched the light on his perfectly defined muscles and couldn't resist touching him.

I still couldn't believe that this perfect being wanted to be with me forever. He looked at me with the exact same look. Like he was the one who couldn't believe who he was with. Crazy.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you too," I replied, and we looked into each other's eyes.

It was quiet and the sun warmed our cold bodies.

Suddenly I smelled something deep in the forest.

Emmett was already standing, peering through the trees beyond the river.

It definitely smelled like wolves, and I heard their paws gently touching the forest floor.

When they stopped and I heard them phase, I jumped across the river with Emmett and ran further into the forest, in the direction where the dog smell came from.

Suddenly I was surrounded by hot arms and naked torsos.

"Bella! How could you keep this from us, you stupid bloodsucker!", said Embry with a huge grin on his lips, who had been the first to hug me and was now standing a few steps away again.

Emmett growled softly at the insult, but I knew he meant no harm. I couldn't answer because the others were still hugging and pressing me. I really didn't expect such a reaction, especially since they hadn't seen me after my transformation.

I heard Jake and Paul go up to Emmett and congratulate him, but then they threatened him.

If he ever hurt me, he would know what would happen.

"Guys!", I said warningly to them. "I can hear your whispers very well."

"Sorry, Bells. We just wanted to make sure he hadn't forgotten," Paul said with a shrug.

"Forgotten?"

Had they threatened him like this before? And what did that mean, that he knew what would happen?

"Oh nothing ..." said Embry, congratulating Emmett.

"Engaged? Wow ... I can't believe it. Our little sis is going to marry a bloodsucker," Jared said.

Quil boxed him in the shoulder.

"In case you haven't noticed, our little sis is a bloodsucker herself," he said.

"Could you please stop calling me that, you stinking mutts!", I said.

I looked around and could finally see who was all there.

Jake, Quil, Embry, Jared, Paul, Seth, and even Leah. She looked a little reserved, but nowhere near as angry as the last time I had seen her.

"Guys, I really didn't expect you all to come. I thought you were going to hate me," I said.

They laughed.

"Why should we hate you, little sis? Because you've become our natural mortal enemy or because you're marrying one of them? Come on, Belly, we love you. Do you think one of us would have let you die? We saw it all in Jake's mind," Embry said.

If I were still human, the tears would have just flowed from my eyes. I felt so happy and warm inside.

"Guys, you are the best brothers anyone could ask for," I said, laughing happily.

My eyes flew over Paul and Jared.

Weren't they actually part of Sam's group?

"Did Sam just let you come here like that?" I asked, turning to them.

I knew Sam couldn't order Jake and his group to do anything, but the others still had to obey his command.

"Well, Sam is still mad at Jake, but even he's glad you're not dead. He even decided to apologize for his behavior. But then he heard about the wedding and switched back to stubborn. Me and Paul said we'd go to Jake's group if he didn't let us come."

The two grinned.

Emmett took my hand and addressed the wolves.

"I really thank you from the bottom of my heart for still loving Bella as much as you do. You don't know how much she worried before the transformation," he said to them.

Leah's eyes met mine and I was about to look away when she stood in front of me and held my arm.

"Bella, could I talk to you alone for a minute?", she asked.

I wondered what she wanted and walked with her further into the woods until she was sure the boys wouldn't hear her.

"Bells, I wanted to apologize. I just freaked out last time. It wasn't your fault that I became what I am," she said, full of guilt.

I could not be angry with her. How could I, when they all accepted my transformation so easily.

"It's okay."

"Honestly, I'm glad you're a bloo ... I mean ... a vampire."

I looked at her questioningly.

I had not expected anything like this.

"Well, not about that directly, more about Jake being a lead wolf now. I told you how it kills me to hear Sam's thoughts every day. And now - with the two groups - that's finally gone!" she said, laughing happily at me.

"Does that mean you can't hear each other's thoughts?" I asked, puzzled.

She shook her head with a smile.

"No, only Sam and Jake can talk together," she said.

Leah seemed really happy about that.

I could imagine what it must be like for them. I also don't want to be with Edward and Rose all the time and hear their thoughts.

She hugged me and we went back to the others.

Emmett chatted with the boys.

I went to him and hugged him happily.

I was glad that they still got along so well and that they accepted me. I was glad that Leah was reasonably happy again. And I was glad that I never had to let go of Emmett again.

Then suddenly we heard a growl behind us, and we all turned around.

"THE DIVORCE? YOU WANT THE DIVORCE?!" Rosalie shouted, beside herself, waving a hand full of papers around.

She looked beautiful as ever and her black eyes were fixed on me and Emmett.