I looked out to the woods, not seeing Seth or Leah, so I figured everything was fine. Leah might have fallen asleep by now and Seth would warn us if anyone was close.

I walked inside with the others, following Rosalie. Esme got up to join us, eager to use the kitchen. In her years of unageing she had become an amazing chef and built a beautiful kitchen, too bad she couldn't use it often. I guided Rosalie to a chair, her legs were wobbly, perhaps a sign of exhaustion and weakness. Esme flitted around the cabinets looking peaceful as she looked for something to cook.

"just no dairy" I muttered looking at Rosalie.

"why?" she asked.

"I couldn't eat dairy as a child... and my mom couldn't eat it during her pregnancy. I remember Eve telling me the worst part was no chocolate."

I smiled lightly as Esme handed Rosalie some soup of sorts. I really hoped this would work, I don't know if I could look Rose in the eyes if the baby died. Of course, we could try again, now that I know we can, but there was no guarantee.

"how about we start with this?" Esme said gently.

I watched silently as Rose ate a spoonful really hoping this didn't go south. Rosalie let out a relieved sigh as she ate the soup.

"better?" I asked quietly a little afraid it wouldn't help, and we would be back at step one.

"better" she smiled "it actually taste good" I could see Rosalie start to perk up a little, grabbing her stomach. She caught my eye "it's okay... I think he likes it"

I breathed out a small laugh placing my hand on her stomach. Rosalie smiled at me "go help them."

I furrowed my brows "Rose- "

"I'm okay, she needs you now more than I do..." there was an unsaid discussion between us, she knew if Bella died, and I did nothing it would tear me up.

"I'll keep an eye on her" Esme added.

I nodded. "okay"

By the time I got to the makeshift hospital bed, Bella had drank a whole cup and Carlisle had just appeared with a new one. The smell was off, a metallic scent that reminded me of the hospital, of all those times I had blood work.

Bella reached out for the blood, absentminded, like she was thinking of something else. With the same distracted expression, she started sucking it down. She really was looking better. She pulled herself forward, being careful of the tubes, and scooted into a sitting position.

Taking deep breaths in between swallows, Bella finished the second cup quickly.

"How do you feel now?" Carlisle asked.

"Not sick. Sort of hungry... only I'm not sure if I'm hungry or thirsty, you know?"

"that's good right?" I looked at Carlisle who nodded.

"Let's give her a little while to see how this affects her, and then maybe we can try some food again. Does anything sound particularly good to you, Bella?"

"Eggs," she said immediately, and then she exchanged a look and a smile with Edward. His smile was brittle, but there was more life on his face than before.

I blinked then, and almost forgot how to open my eyes again.

"Alex" Edward "you really should get some sleep. I promise to find you if anything happens. I'm sure Rosalie would feel better if you slept" As if on cue said woman walked into the room "I would" I nodded lazily walking over to Rose.

We were heading for the room when two howls pierced the still morning air. There was no mistaking the urgency. No misunderstanding this time.

"no" I snarled kissing Roses cheek before throwing myself through the door. I hurled my body off the porch, letting the fire rip me apart midair. There was a sharp tearing sound as my clothes shredded.

'Crap.' That was fine, I could figure it out later. I landed on paws and took off toward the west

'What is it?' I shouted in my head.

'Incoming,' Seth answered. 'At least two.'

'Did they split up?'

'I'm running the line back to Seth at the speed of light,' Leah promised. I could feel the air huffing through her lungs as she pushed herself to an incredible velocity. The forest whipped around her. 'So far, no other point of attack.'

'Seth do not challenge them. Wait for me.'

'They're slowing. Ugh—it's so off not being able to hear them. I think...'

'What?'

'I think they've stopped.'

'Waiting for the rest of the pack?'

'Shh. Feel that?' I absorbed his impressions. The faint, soundless shimmer in the air.

'Someone's phasing?'

'Feels like it,' Seth agreed. Leah flew into the small open space where Seth waited. She raked her claws into the dirt, spinning out like a race car.

'Got your back, bro.'

'They're coming,' Seth said nervously. 'Slow. Walking.'

'Almost there, I told them.' I tried to fly like Leah. It felt horrible being separated from Seth and Leah with potential danger closer to their end than mine. Wrong. I should be with them, between them and whatever was coming.

'Look who's getting all maternal,' Leah thought wryly.

'Two,' Seth decided. Kid had good ears. 'One wolf, one man.'

I made the little clearing then, moving immediately to the point. Seth sighed with relief and then straightened up, already in place at my right shoulder. Leah fell in on my left with a little less enthusiasm.

They came into view a few seconds later, walking, as Seth had thought. Jared in the front, human, hands up. Quil on four legs behind him. There was no aggression in their postures.

Quil hung back his ears down and listening.

But... it was weird. Why would Sam send them? Why would he send his pack into enemy territory without his strongest fighters?

'A diversion?' Leah thought.

Were Sam, Jacob, Embry, and Paul making a move alone? That didn't seem likely.

'Want me to check? I can run the line and be back in two minutes.'

'Should I warn the Cullens?' Seth wondered.

'What if the point was to divide us?' I asked. 'They already know something's up. Emmett and Jasper would be ready'

'only need three,' Seth reminded me. He was right, one wolf could take two vampires, normal ones at least. The three of us only phased because another wolf was around. I phased because of Sam and Leah because of me, Seth because of her. Jacob and Embry phased because of Laurent, Quil because of the newborns, because of Victoria and Riley.

'Sam wouldn't be so stupid...,' Leah whispered, fear jagged in her mind. She was imagining Sam attacking the Cullen's, him going around and doing everything without us being involved.

'No, he wouldn't,' I assured her, though I felt a little sick at the image in her head, too. 'Jacob might though... if he's taken role of Alpha'

All the while, Jared and Quil stared at us, waiting. It was eerie not to hear what he was thinking, to not hear anything with the pack.

Jared cleared his throat, and then he nodded to me. "White flag of truce, Alex. We're here to talk."

'Think it's true?' Seth asked.

'Makes sense, if they wanted to talk this is the group, least likely to cause issue but...' I couldn't help but think why Sam didn't come talk to me himself? Why didn't he extend the arm of truce on his own? Alpha to Alpha.

'Yeah,' Leah agreed. 'But.'