Places| A Twilight Fan Fiction|

Chapter 17

Marley

The Denali women were...intriguing at best and catty at worst. I had thought Emmett to be exaggerating due to his dislike of them, but in truth I found Tanya and Irina to be just as insufferable as he described. Kate and Carmen, at least, were palatable. The latter was engaged in a lengthy conversation with Bella about poetry, her rich skin glowing as the stark white snow reflected through the wide bay window. She had sat comfortably on the pretty leather sofa, not nearly as rigid as her Mate Eleazar, who chatted passionately with Edward in tones so quiet I couldn't decipher their words.

Eleazar's assertion that I would be a gifted immortal had been turning in my mind for the last few hours. I wondered what I could possibly be capable of given that I had not shown an affinity for any talent or power in my human life, set aside painting, which could hardly manifest itself as a vampire gift anyway.

Rose sat beside me on the plush cream-colored loveseat while Emmett sat on the floor between us, head resting between our thighs. I ran my fingers through his thick, dark brown hair. The baby kicked away near my right side beneath Rose's outstretched palm. The miracle of being so loved by them kept washing over me in waves; it was baffling that this was my life now, the fantastic, immortal world of the Cullens.

"Marley?" Edward's voice jerked me from my thoughts. I glanced over at him. "You're looking pale. Are you okay?" My eyes had indeed started to drift shut a little as the fatigue began settling in. Carlisle hypothesized that, due to the baby's rapid growth, my body was ill-equipped to handle the drain of energy. Rosalie tilted my chin up so she could study my complexion.
"You need to rest," she decided, pressing her cool lips to my nose. "We should head back home." The Denalis looked at me then, and Tanya wore a smug expression that I longed to wipe from her face. Usually, I wasn't prone to violence, but my hormones were clearly raging.

"Being pregnant with a halfbreed must do a number on you. You're only human, after all." Something about the way she said halfbreed sounded like a slur. I bristled.

"I suggest you be careful, Tanya." My words were lower than a whisper. The woman brushed a strand of hair from her shoulder, the color of spun straw, and gave me an impish smirk.

"It's not an insult, darling." Her nails were painted a glossy lilac purple; she held them out to examine them. "Really, I'm sure your Mates don't mind that you're weak." No more than ten milliseconds could have passed. I sensed the vibrating hiss in Rosalie's chest, the sudden stiffness of both my Mates, but was powerless to stop them from reacting; Rose was standing, striding towards Tanya with purpose.

"Call her that one more time," she snarled. "I dare you."

"Rose..." I murmured hesitantly. On the one hand, I didn't want to control her actions. On the other, I could sense Esme and Carlisle's growing discomfort and the mounting tension from everyone in the room. "It's alright."

"Listen to her, Rosie," Tanya taunted. "Run back to your pet." It shouldn't have hurt me, the unoriginal and clearly goading insult, but the flash of pain and embarrassment rippled through me regardless. It had been a thought I had tormented myself with before, the fact that I was not good enough, that they were keeping me around out of pity, to use for their pleasure. A novelty that they were now saddled with because of the baby.

"Tanya." To my immense surprise, Jasper had risen to his feet, likely feeling the sudden stabbing hurt that had surfaced in my body. He was truly an intimidating specimen, darker than the other Cullens. The faint bite marks on his exposed skin glimmered faintly as he crossed the room to stand beside Rosalie. "I will not tolerate your disrespect towards my family."

His family. It was then that I realized just how much I loved him, and all of the Cullens; they were my best friends and, yes, my family too. Joining their coven officially couldn't come fast enough.