Page 67

It's been 2 weeks since Bella and Edward returned home from their honeymoon, and tensions between the family have only risen.

Bella has gotten worse, and everyone else was more on edge.

Pearl and Esme have done their best to keep all confrontations away from Bella, and when each confrontation does take place, they try to maintain the rule of 'inside voices only' as best they can.

A dysfunctional routine had been formed.

On this particular day however, there was a knock on the Cullen's front door. Carlisle was the one to answer it, which allowed Jacob Black to enter the house.

Barging inside, Jacob immediately asked, "Is it true? Bella's 'sick'."

Carlisle replied kindly, "Hello, Jacob, how are you?"

"Listen, just give it to me straight." Jacob spoke, ignoring Carlisle's greeting.

Bella, having heard his voice from the living room, called out to the shifter. "Jake, is that you?"

Facing Carlisle, Jacob said, "She's here."

Having no choice but to answer, Carlisle replied honestly, "They came home two weeks ago."

Jacob quickly rushed inside the house to find Bella, ignoring Carlisle who called out to him.

Jacob was quick to find the room Bella was in, as the whole coven was in it with her.

Entering the doorway, he made brief eye contact with Pearl, who was standing next to Emmet and near Edward. She gave him a cold look.

Looking away from the hybrid, he saw Bella on the couch. Rosalie and Bree were standing in front of the human protectively. Moving to get past them, the girls blocked his path.

"Close enough." Said Rosalie. Bree nodded in agreement and glared at the boy.

Bella's voice called out from behind them in a quiet tone. "Girl's, it's okay."

At Bella's words, Bree moved aside to let him past, but Rose stayed firmly in place.

Using the space Bree had granted him, Jacob sat down in front of Bella and took in her terrible condition. He asks, "Are you gonna tell me what's wrong with you?"

Bella moves to stand up, asking Rosalie and Bree to help her. Once stood up, her pregnancy bump was revealed to the shifter.

His face was unreadable at first, but that soon turned into anger. Approaching Edward in a threatening manner, Jacob exclaims, "You did this."

Before Jacob could reach the mind reader, Pearl stepped out in front of him, and at the same time, Emmet placed his hand on Jacob's shoulder, stopping him from advancing.

Quickly shoving it off, Jacob asks in a hostile tone, "What is it?"

"I'm not sure. Ultra sounds and needles won't penetrate the embryonic sac." Carlisle replies.

Alice steps forward and adds, "I can't see it either... And I can't see Bella's future anymore."

"We've been researching legends, but there isn't much to go on. What we do know is that it's strong and fast-growing." Carlisle explains.

"Well why haven't you done something?! Take it out of her!" Jacob says in frustration.

"That's none of your business, dog!" Rosalie raised her voice.

"Rose!" Esme scolded. "All this fighting isn't good for Bella."

"The foetus isn't good for Bella." Alice said in frustration.

"Baby. It's just a little baby!" Rosalie argued.

"Possibly" Jasper spoke in defence of his wife.

"Well what else could it be Jasper? A blood monkey?" Bree sarcastically responded.

At Bree's response, both Emmet and Pearl turned to look at her questionably. Both silently wondering what a blood monkey is.

Jacob turns to Carlisle pleadingly, "Carlisle you've gotta do something."

"No!" Bella speaks up. "It's not your decision. It's not any of yours." She protested.

Everyone fell silent, unsure of what to say. Edward was the one to break that silence. "Jacob I need to talk to you." He said as he left the room.

Jacob followed him, albeit begrudgingly. Pearl's eyes trailed after them. 'What's he up to?' She silently wondered.

The majority of the family left Bella alone after that. Only Rosalie and Bree remained with the human. Pearl had opted to sit on the front porch of the house so that she could get some fresh air.

Jacob re-entered the house to try and talk Bella out of keeping the baby, after Bree and Rosalie had left the room upon the human's request.

Jacob proved unsuccessful in his goal, and the conversation only served to fuel his anger. Leaving the room in a hurry, he almost ran straight into Pearl while exiting the house.

Unable to stop himself, Jacob shouted at the hybrid. "How could you let this happen?!"