Before The Storm | J. Hale & A. Cullen

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A knock on the door broke Michael out of his trance. He looked up from the worn copy of Pride and Prejudice he held in his hands as the bedroom door opened. He saved his page and set down the book on the bedside table as Bella stepped into the room. He got up as she came over and let out a small gasp of surprise as she grabbed his hand and immediately started to drag him out of the room. He quickened his pace to match hers so she didn’t rip his arm out of its socket as she pulled him along. He opened his mouth to speak but immediately closed it again when he caught sight of a little girl sitting in the living room between two men he had never seen before.

She smelled faintly like Isabella and the man who sat to her left. She smelled like caramel apples if he actually thought about it. The second Isabella let go of Michael’s hand, he went over to the couch and crouched down in front of the girl so he wasn’t towering over her. When he spoke, his voice was in a much gentler tone than Bella had ever heard the man use as he took the girl’s hand in his own, ignoring the growl that came from the man who sat to the right of her.

“Hey there little lady, you must be the lovely Renesmee I’ve heard so much about. I’m Mykie, I’m one of your Mother’s friends. I’m going to be staying here for a little bit, so if you need anything, don’t be afraid to come and ask me, alright?”

Renesmee nodded her head with a small smile and a blush before using her other hand to touch the brunet’s cheek to show him the same thing she had shown her mother the first time her mother had held her. As she finally pulled her hand back, Mykie’s expression had turned from wonder to curiosity. Before he could say anything, Rosalie came into the room and Renesmee got up and went with her. Michael stood back up, wanting to follow after her but Bella gripped tightly onto his forearm to prevent him from leaving. He looked at her with a look of confusion on his face as she led him back to the room, coming back to a stop once they reached the remaining people that sat on the couch.

“Michael, this is Edward Cullen, my husband, and Renesmee’s biological father,” She gestured to the one that had the apple scent before gesturing to the man that had sat on Renesmee's right. “And this is Jacob Black. He is the Alpha of one of the two wolf packs that are in this area; he is also Renesmee’s imprintee. You’ll see two of his packmates around here often, Leah and Seth Clearwater. Embry and Quil don't come over very often. You can probably eat around the same times they do because only the wolves and Renesmee eat here so you can join them whenever you're hungry.”

Michael shook both Edward and Jacob’s hands as he introduced himself. He admittedly already liked Jacob better than he liked Edward, but he didn’t know either of them well enough to really have a say about anything. He sat down on the other couch, Bella joining him there as Edward started to speak.

“Most of us are leaving today to start gathering witnesses. You’re the first one to get here as Bella told you before we fully decided to gather witnesses. Our cousins don’t live too far from here, up north a way. Jacob and Renesmee are coming with Bella and me. She has insisted that you come with us, and I’m sure Renesmee would enjoy your company as she already seems to like you. The choice is yours, but if you decide to join us, we are leaving in an hour.”

Mykie nodded his head in agreement before heading back up to the bedroom, planning on staying there until the time to leave had arrived.

•••••••

Mykie lightly squeezed Renesmee’s hand as they waited in the car until Bella told them to come out. When Bella nodded her head, he got out of the car and went around to the other side as Jacob got out with Renesmee, staying close to his side as Jacob picked her up. He heard the Denali Coven let out gasps and hisses of surprise and fear. He stepped protectively in front of the Alpha and his imprint as his sky-blue eyes darkened to black.

After Edward explained the warmth that could be felt from the little girl, Mykie reluctantly stepped out of the way as Jacob carried the girl over to the coven. He stuck close to his side and his hands twitched in anticipation, closing them tightly into fists as Renesmee held her hand out to touch Tanya’s face.

“It’s true,” Tanya said in a shocked whisper. “She’s not immortal.”

Both Carmen and Eleazar stepped forward, filled with wonder as Edward started to fill them in. Mykie didn’t let his gaze drift off of Kate, his eyes remaining black as the images of electricity along her palms danced in his mind. His posture was rigid and his gaze was cold. As Jacob and Renesmee retreated back to the car, Michael was tempted to go with them but he didn’t leave Bella and Edward’s side. He stayed standing there for a moment longer as they too retreated back to the car. Ignoring the look of curiosity and confusion on Eleazar and Carmen’s faces as they looked at him, he turned back and got in his seat next to Renesmee. He gazed out the window as they started to drive back to Forks, his hands still opening and closing into tight fists as he breathed in deeply through his nose.

His hands suddenly became still as a tiny hand slid into his own. He didn’t remove his gaze from out the window, but he let Renesmee hold his hand as his breathing began to even out. As he watched the snowfall through the window, the black of his iris slowly retreated until they were once again filled with a bright sky-blue.