Bella continued to apologize to me after Jacob left, "I didn't mean to get you into trouble with the wolves," she told me.

"It's fine Bella," I told her unconvincingly, "It's fine," yet still I couldn't hide the frown on my face. Then I smelled it, someone was on our land.

Edward came in, "Who is it?" He asked when he heard my thoughts since they were out of his range.

"I'm not sure yet. I'll go check it out," I got up and before I left send a remark back, "Bet you're glad my senses are more heightened now, huh?" I chuckled before running out. I followed the smell and scowled, "You shouldn't be here."

"I'm sorry Cate," Jake apologized, "I didn't mean to make things worse."

I scoffed, "Yes you did! You made sure you told me Paul was gonna be pissed. I know you hate that we're imprints but that gives you no right to-" I froze when I heard footsteps approach from behind us, "Seth?" I asked as he jogged over, "What are you doing here?"

"I left Sam's pack!" He smiled. I looked between the two of them confused, "It's a long story, see Jake-"

"I left the pack when Sam decided they are going to kill Bella. They want to kill the thing before it's born," Jacob explained.

My eyes widened, "That's not gonna happen."

He nodded, "Seth, get out of here. We'll handle this."

"Is that an order? Are you gonna make me bow down too?" He frowned and I knew that was Sam's tactic to get the others to stay with him.

I looked at Jake reluctantly, "Ya know, being an Alpha is hard when you don't have a pack."

"I'm just going off on my own here," he told us.

I sighed, "Jake. You should know better, I'm not going anywhere."

Seth looked so kiddy, "Wow! So Jake's Alpha, Cate, you're his Beta, and I'm the Omega! Wow we really moved up in the ranks!"

"Seth," I frowned at him.

Jake looked at me before turned to him, "If the wolves come after Bella are you really ready to fight your own brothers? Your sister?"

"If it's the right thing to do."

Then he eyed me, "What about you? Think you could fight Paul?"

I scowled, "I'll do what I have to do...no matter how much it hurts. I think I've made it pretty clear that I would do whatever it takes to protect the innocent."

"Fine. We better go give the Cullens a heads up."

Jake and I walked side by side trying to figure out how to break the news while Seth was rambling about how cool it was we had a little trio pack.

When we made it to the house Edward was already waiting outside for us, Jake replayed what happened in his head, "Get ready. They're coming for Bella."

"They're not gonna get near her," I stated.

He nodded, "She's asking for you."

"I'll be there soon," I promised as he walked back inside to let us talk.

"Man I can smell them from all the way out here!" Leah complained as he approached.

Jake and I turned to her suspiciously, "What the hell are you doing here?" He asked.

"I'm not gonna let my little brother get himself killed."

Seth scowled at her, "Go away Leah! I can take care of myself," he muttered.

"That you think so proves you need a babysitter!" She insisted.

"Quiet!" I hissed and the both of them stopped bickering immediately, "Did they send you?" I asked cautiously.

"They don't even know I left," she promised.

In the distance we heard some angry howling, "Looks like they do now," Seth answered.

"I know what his plan is," she told us. Leah looked at me sadly, "Paul wanted to come talk to you but Sam thought it would be unsafe."

I immediately softened at the mention of Paul, "Was he mad?"

"He was just mad you didn't tell him the truth. He's hurt. "

Jacob looked at me sadly, "We better go fill them in," he grabbed my arm softly and the two of us walked to the house together.

"Sam's lost the element of surprise and he doesn't want to take you on outnumbered so he's not going to come at you head on," Jake explained.

I continued, "He has the wolves surrounding the place and he's going to wait for an opportunity to strike."

"He won't get through without a fight," Emmett retorted.

"No fights," Carlisle determined, "We won't be the ones to break the treaty."

"The treaty is void. At least in Sam's mind," Jake announced

"Not in ours," Esme responded

I looked around realizing we were all starving, "We haven't hunted in weeks," I acknowledged my own thirst, Emmett pulled me into his chest for a hug.

"We'll make do," Esme promised, knowing my thirst as a newborn was a lot more painful compared to theirs.

Carlisle looked at Jake, "You've done us a great service, both of you," he kissed my head tenderly, "I know how hard this must be. Thank you."

It was quiet that night, but we knew they were out there. Jake and I stood by the river, looking out in to the darkness, unable to see or hear the enemy. My chest tightened at the thought of Paul being someone I had to defend my family against. Jake looked at me sadly, I put my head on his shoulder. I heard footsteps and saw Leah next to me.

"Do you hate me now?" I asked.

She hesitated, "No," my throat felt like sandpaper, I tried not to look too much in pain as I rubbed my hand against it, "Is it that bad?"

I chuckled, "Like being dehydrated but the only thing around you is salt water," I paused, "Think if I went they'd hurt me? Is my immunity expired now?"

"I know they don't want to hurt you. None of them do," she told me, "Everyone loves you and it would crush Paul is anything happened to you, we've seen that already. But...Sam is blind now."

I nodded, "So I guess I'm stuck eating sandwiches for now."

"And I'm guessing that is painful when you can't drink anything?"

Jake interrupted our conversation, clearly not trusting Leah, "You know you can't stay here."

"But I don't have-"

"I can't trust you with the Cullens. You hate them too much. You may not hate Cate, but you don't even like me."

Leah frowned, "I don't have to. I just have to follow you."

"Look, Seth doesn't want you here. And neither do I," he was clearly trying to make her feel bad so she'd leave.

But Leah isn't one to give up so easily, "Being unwanted isn't exactly a new thing for me," she reminded him, "Look, I'll stay out of your way. I'll do whatever you want except go back to Sam's pack and be the pathetic ex-girlfriend he can't get away from," she and I looked at Jake pleading, I knew she needed this, "You don't know how many times I wish I could imprint on someone. How I was even jealous of you and Paul," she admitted.

"Just to sever the connection," Jake nodded. I cautiously walked over to her and wrapped my arms around her, she was never big on physical contact but she accepted my hug gratefully, "Alright," he finally agreed, "I'm gonna do a perimeter run, you got my flank?"

She nodded enthusiastically, "I'm going to head back inside," I told them, "Maybe catch me a rabbit or something?" I joked earning a small chuckle from Leah as they left and I walked back to the house.

~

A few more painful days passed. Jake and I stationed inside the house while Seth and Leah patrolled outside. Emmett was pacing by the window, he froze for a second before glancing at me sadly. I looked at him confused walking over and immediately turning away when I saw the familiar tuft of silver fur.

"I'm starving," I muttered trying to change the subject.

Emmett looked at me, "Preaching to the choir." I caught a glance of myself in the mirror, the hungrier I got the more red my eyes became. I looked like the newborns we'd fought, crazed, all I could think about was quenching my thirst. In the back of my head there was another thought and it wasn't about Bella.

As more time passed I became more and more irritable. The more hungry I got the more easily annoyed I would become. I did my best to hide my emotions around Bella, she felt guilty enough already. But the rest of my family watched me with sad relatable eyes. They knew what I was going through.

I tried to distract myself between research and spending time with the new pack Jacob formed. The images of immortal children was something straight out of a horror movie, I couldn't read much without needing a break. Esme was a sweetheart, insisting on giving us sandwiches to keep us fed. Seth and Jacob accepted gratefully. Leah still didn't trust her though. She reluctantly gave up on trying to feed me, knowing I was more thirsty than ever. It was hard having the appetite of a wolf but the thirst was only getting worse, I couldn't keep it down, much like Bella who would barely eat. At least starting wasn't something I could die from. But everyone saw that I was taking this a lot worse than them. My eyes became more vibrant, my growing need becoming visible on my very face.

When Leah refused Esme's food I saw the pain on her face, which she quickly hid to offer Jacob the same sandwich. He gave her an apologetic smile and accepted her food. Esme kissed my head gently before turning to leave, I pointed to Leah's sandwich and she smiled, thinking I was regaining my appetite. She walked back home smiling while I scowled and thrust the sandwich at Leah.

"You ever make my mom feel bad for trying to be nice to you again I'll rip your throat out."

~

Bella insisted I stay with her when Carlisle gave her a checkup, I couldn't stand being in that room but kept it together for her sake. We'd changed the room where I lay into a makeshift hospital room for Bella. She was hopeful that things were getting better. She was wrong.

"Your rib is cracked," Carlisle announced looking at the x-rays, "But there are no splinters," he turned to look at her, "And you haven't punctured anything."

"Yet," oh Edward, always the pessimist. I shot him a look while Carlisle reprimanded him, "It's breaking her bones now. It's crushing you from the inside out," he was just full of guilt but I could tell he was angry at her for going through with this, "Carlisle, tell her what you told me. Tell her."

I looked at my father concerned, what was wrong now? "Carlisle tell me, it's alright," she promised.

He walked over to her and told her, "The fetus isn't compatible with your body. It's too strong. It won't allow you to get the nutrition you need. It's starving you by the hour. I can't stop it and I can't slow it down. At this rate your heart will give out before you can deliver."

We knew it was bad but I didn't know it had gotten to such a point, Bella, of course had to be the optimist, "Then I'll hold on for as long as I can, and then..."

"Bella," he stopped her, "There are some conditions that even venom can't overcome. Do you understand?" He asked, "I'm sorry," he grabbed my hand lightly, making me leave with him so the two of them could talk. At this point it wasn't about if Bella died; it was about when.

There was yelling and Edward left soon after. I grabbed Rosalie to get Bella while I got a bath started for her.

"I could get the water running," she offered.

I shook my head, "No, my skin is still warmer than yours. Don't want the water to be too hot for her," I insisted. When in reality I was feeling terrible, If I got the water done in time I could get out of there before Bella came in. I knew what her body looked like now, and I couldn't stand to see it if I didn't have to.