I woke up to the feeling of a cold cloth across my face. My eyes opened to see Rosalie wiping my forehead.

"Rose? What happened?"

"you fainted" she replied quietly.

I sat up to see I was in her room It was just the two of us now and I was able to get a better look at Rosalie, she was indeed glowing, beautiful still, but I could see the bags under her eyes, the black starting to form around her pupils, the hallowed cheeks, she looked like she lost some weight.

"are you upset?" she asked shyly, glancing down at her hands.

"no... why would I be upset?" my hand gripped hers and she met my eyes.

"because of..." she trailed off her hand placed on her stomach. I placed my hand overs her, but she moved it so that I could have full contact with her stomach. It felt normal, pliable, just as it had been a few days ago, but I felt something else. Movement and a steady thrum of an electrical impulse. It throbbed periodically and it took me a moment to realize this was a heartbeat.

My baby's heartbeat.

I let out a small laugh before looking back up at Rosalie, I knew she wouldn't want to hear this, but she needed too "what if... what if it turns out like one of the immortal children? I don't know if I could..."

I trailed off; she knew what I was saying. I don't think I could kill it if it was like that.

"I have to know" she whispered. I knew she wouldn't let anything happen; she would try to keep this baby alive no matter what. And I would do what ever made her happy. This was her dream and if I could make it happen I will.

I looked at her noticing the black around her eyes "you need to hunt"

She nodded "I went hunting and everything was fine, but I felt a pain and disgust shortly after... I didn't think anything of it because I got a call from Bella. She figured out she was pregnant and wanted to keep the baby, I was afraid to leave because if I did then Edward or someone would make her get rid of him and I..."

I kissed her forehead "it's okay... are you okay?"

She smiled "tired, but I'm okay. Carlisle thinks the 'venom' is moving through my body keeping the baby safe and making sure I can deliver him. And I think he's helping."

I nodded "I guess I now know why I bit you" I cringed; it was embarrassing to talk about this sort of thing knowing other people are around. "but you still need to eat, he needs it too"

"I'm okay right now. I went the other day. Emmett and Lucia have been keeping me okay..."

Rosalie ran her fingers through my hair. I looked up at her "I will stand by any choice you make... just promise you won't leave me."

Rosalie smiled "I won't..."

I leaned my forehead against Rosalies "I want you to go feed as soon as you can, okay. With someone, not alone. I'll even go with you."

I felt Rosalie nod but tensed when she smelled something, I took a moment and realized what it was. It was something that shouldn't be here.

Jacob.

A growl ripped through my lips "stay up here okay"

Rosalie nodded and I opened the door to allow Esme into the room. She was waiting outside, worry for her adoptive daughter filling her being. She gave me a small smile and squeezed my hand before sending me downstairs.

Rushing down I found Jacob. He had made his way past everyone and was standing in front of Bella, her stomach on full display, Lucia by her side. Jacob turned his gaze on Edward and stalked towards him menacingly only to get stopped by Emmett.

"You did this"

"I didn't know it was even possible." Carlisle said calmly.

Jacob turned to look at Carlisle, but his eyes settled on me, my gaze flickered to Bella who looked so much worse the second time I saw her.

"What is it?" Jacob replied.

"I'm not sure. Ultrasounds and needles wont penetrate the embryonic sac"

"I can't see it, either." Alice replied concern lacing her voice.

"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 added.

I felt terrible, Rosalie was upstairs pregnant with my child, and we had something to go on but Bella – we didn't have anything, and she was dying, fast.

There had to be something we could do.

But I wouldn't try and force her to abort it... no matter the costs. I couldn't, I couldn't force Bella to do anything. Not only did it go against everything I said but it would go against everything Rosalie fought for.

"why haven't you done anything! Take it out of her!" Jacob practically growled approaching Carlisle. I stepped up.

"calm down Jacob, arguing and acting rash won't help anything"

"seriously, can't you see it's killing her" he yelled glaring right at me.

"there are more things to consider here, we don't know anything about this. There are no guarantees that removing it will help Bella. We don't know what it's doing..." I trialed off, shaking my head I continued.

"no, stop! It's not your decision. Any of yours. It's mine and I'm keeping it" Bella responded looking at everyone in the room. I could see Edward look away in pain, but he didn't say anything.

Jacob shook his head looking between everyone in the room. His eyes landed on Edward a fierce glare on his face, before turning towards Bella. His face morphed into one of pain. "I know how this ends and I'm not sticking around to watch"

He took off out of the house leaving all of us to stand around. I could hear him get angry and take off phasing. Edward tensed then looked at me the moment we heard the howls.

"Alex! Go!"

I nodded and ran out of the house phasing without a second thought and following after. I ran through the woods hearing everyone's thoughts, their concern, confusion, and Jacobs anger.

I met them ten miles out of La Push, in a clearing left by the loggers. It was out of the way, wedged between two spurs of the mountain, where no one would see us.

'Is it true, Jacob?' Embry started followed by the overlapping voices of the pack.

'What will it be?' that was Seth.

'It's growing fast.' Leah added worry floating through her voice.

'It's unnatural.'

'Dangerous.'

'Monstrosity.'

'An abomination.'

'On our land.'

'We can't allow it.' a flurry of voices overlapped.

The babble in my head was total chaos. Everyone shouting at once. Sam's hackles were sticking straight up, and he was growling in an unbroken stream as he paced back and forth around the top of the ring. Paul and Jared moved like shadows behind him, their ears flat against the sides of their head. The whole circle was agitated, on their feet and snarling in low bursts.

'it has to die' Jacob growled.

'We have to protect the tribe. What they've bred won't be able to control its thirst. Every human will be in danger.' Sam's voice echoed.

'we're ready' Jared said.

'no time to waste' Jacob growled imagining himself ripping Edward apart. My whole body tensed as I saw each and every thought, nearly all of them were thinking of killing the Cullen's. I even saw one of Rosalie, courtesy of Jacob.

'Now?' I asked.

'we must destroy it before it's born' Sam replied looking at me.

'Sam, we don't know anything for sure'

'kill Bella and Rosalie' Seth asked standing next to me.

'her choice affects us all' Sam replied.

'no Sam, Bella's still human we protect her. The treaty's still intact'

'the treaty doesn't cover this' Jacob growled attacking me.

That did it. I leaped out of the way, then toward Jacob with my teeth bared. I was about to catch his left hind leg when I felt Sam's teeth cut into my flank, dragging me back. I howled in pain and fury and turned on him. Sam snarled.

'We have real enemies to fight tonight.'

I looked around 'No, Sam that's my mate's family.'

'she is a threat' Jacob added growling.

'tonight?' Seth asked. I looked around the group. Leah was off to the side not sure what to do, she looked between the two of us.

'We can't afford your tolerance for the Cullens now. There is no time for debate.' Sam turned from Seth to look at me 'You will fight with us, Alex' Sam approached Seth and I, his growl getting harsher and his alpha voice taking effect.

Seth's front knees folded, and his head fell forward under the weight of the Alpha's command.

'We need the whole pack for this. Alex, you are our strongest fighter. You will fight with us tonight. I understand that this is hard for you, so you will concentrate on their fighters—Emmett and Jasper. You don't have to be involved with the... other part. Paul and Embry will fight with you.'

My knees trembled; I struggled to hold myself upright while the voice of the Alpha lashed at my will.

'Jared, Jacob, and I will take on Edward and Lucia. I think, from the information Jacob has brought us, they will be the ones guarding Bella. Carlisle and Alice will also be close, possibly Esme. Leah and Seth will handle Esme and Carlisle. Whoever has a clear line on—'we all heard him mentally stutter over Bella's name'—the creature will take it. Destroying the creature is our first priority. Rosalie is to be left alone, unless she fights'

I whimpered, watching as the thought of killing my mate filled me. Then someone had to remind me that she ran away at first, I couldn't help but fill the void. Remembering everything that has happened between then and now. Every moment with Rose, our first conversation, our intimate nights, me getting hurt, Rose's pregnancy and finally I remembered the journal I found. When my father confirmed that he wasn't the father of Embry. Rose and I talked about it and that too joined the voices.

I heard Embry let out a sound of confusion and soon Sam had to recontrol the group. Jacob tried to launch himself at me a second time, but Sam stopped him. I was already bowing down there wasn't anything I could do.

'we will discuss this at a later date' Sam's angry voice filtered through his snarl aimed at me. 'both creatures must be destroyed'

I felt the pain leaking through me, the idea of the others killing my mate ripped me apart. I knew Seth felt it as Sam bared down on us. Sam paced stared down at me planning everything in his mind. Only Seth and I were still, the eye in the center of a storm of bared teeth and flattened ears. Seth's nose was almost touching the ground, bowed under Sam's commands.

I felt his pain at the coming disloyalty. For him this was a betrayal— during that one day of alliance, fighting beside Edward, Seth had truly become the vampire's friend. Edward had become my friend... the whole Cullen family had. I remembered Esme's concern, her motherly tone, Carlisle's fatherly reactions, Emmett and Lucia's playful demeanor, Alice's bubbly self that reminded me of Eve, Jasper the calm reserved soul who knew far more than he said.

There was no resistance in Seth, however. He would obey no matter how much it hurt him. He had no other choice. And what choice did I have? When the Alpha spoke, the pack followed. Sam had never pushed his authority this far before. He wouldn't force this if he didn't believe that he had no other choice. He couldn't lie to us when we were linked mind to mind like this. He really believed it was our duty to destroy all four of them. He really believed we had no time to waste. He believed it enough to die for it.

I saw that he would allow Jacob to face Edward himself; Edward's ability to read our thoughts made him the greatest threat in Sam's mind. But Jacob was so rearing to go it seemed almost like his right to take on Edward. Sam would take Lucia, her ability to predict the enemies movement made her high on his list.

He saw Jasper as the third-greatest opponent, which is why he'd picked him for me. He'd left the easiest targets for the younger wolves and Leah. Alice was no danger without her future vision to guide her, and we knew from our time of alliance that Esme was not a fighter. Carlisle would be more of a challenge, but his hatred of violence would hinder him.