Charlotte || Jacob Black & Paul Lahote

Thirty-Five: Rotisserie

As soon as I woke up the next day, my eyes sore from crying and my face puffy, I grabbed Bella's keys from where they sat in the hallway. I'd gotten changed quickly, scraping my hair into a ponytail and heading for the Cullen house. I used her old truck, which still sat in the driveway to get there. I didn't miss the flash of silver which kept pace as I drove further in the woods. I knew that Paul would be following me, eager to keep me safe even if I hated him right now. 

"You've come to find Jacob," Edward called as I stepped out of the truck. I nodded. He wasn't wrong, but he wasn't getting the full truth either. I was also here to care for Bella. Paul and the wolves cannot attack an imprint. If I put myself in between Bella and the wolves, they can't harm her.

"Thank you," Edward mumbled, leading me into the house, "Jacob's on patrol with Seth and Leah. The pack are trying to get in, so they're not really getting a break. I'm sure he knows you're here though."

I followed behind him, my mind racing. I hated the thought of my wolves fighting, hated the thought of the pack being split apart. But I understood both sides, I understood the fear of the pack, fear of the unknown. I felt it too. But I understood Jake just didn't want to hurt me, and didn't want to kill a human, it went against his morals. 

"You came back," Bella sighed as I entered the room. I couldn't tell whether she was happy or not to see me, but she patted the couch next to her. I took a seat, all too aware of the way that the leeches eyes followed me. I felt so unsafe, on edge.

"I'll set up a room for you, and some clothes," Esme spoke, her motherly tone exuding. They must have some of Bella's clothes here, and we're basically the same size. 

"Wait, are you expecting me to stay here?" I asked.

"It's safer, and Jacob agreed to it. He can watch you whilst you're here. He can't protect you at home whilst he's here," Edward explained. I just nodded. I hated this. I hated being stuck with leeches.

"Can you at least get a bath if you're here? She smells like wet dog," Rosalie barked. Haha. Barked.

"The smell won't go away. She's an imprint, her smell has been rewritten to keep her safe," Edward explained. That's actually really interesting.

"My smell's changed?"

"You used to smell quite good, when we first met you and Bella. Now you do smell like wet dog. All the time," Jasper's southern drawl surprised me. I didn't even know he could talk.

"Guess I must be pretty unappealing to you all then," I grinned. I was maybe a little bit safer, purely due to them thinking I stink. Maybe I should also stop wearing deodorant. Double stink. I was met with murmurs of agreement. 

"Please still wear deodorant," Edward grinned. Get out leech. 

"You like coffee don't you?" Esme asked as she re-emerged. I just nodded.

"Sugary, lots of milk," Edward spoke for me. Get out of my head leech. 

"Sorry," he muttered. 

"You're gonna stay Lots?" Bella asked. She looked worse than she had last time I saw her, and that was only yesterday. She looked skinnier and paler, and her bump was larger. How fast was this thing growing?

"Yeah, I'll stay," I mumbled. Esme handed me a coffee, and I took a sip. The mug tasted new, like it had never been used. I suppose it must've never been used, they don't exactly drink anything.

"I've been thinking of names," Bella muttered. 

"Go on," I sighed. I don't even like babies, and yet here I am stuck with my very pregnant sister.

"For a girl, I was thinking like combining our moms name. Renee and Esme. Renesmee," She explained.

"That's shit. If you name her that, I'm just gonna call her Rotisserie," I giggled. That name was awful.

"Or combining dad's names. Carlisle and Charlie, Carlie," She offered, a weak smile adorning her face.

"Not as bad. I've got a better idea though, Charlotte," I grinned. Maybe I should take this seriously, but making jokes made it easier to deal with.

"No."

"Damn, okay. What if it's a boy?" I asked.

"E.J."

"E.J?"

"Edward Jacob," she explained, looking at me as if it was simple. I looked at Edward, wondering if his wife was insane. What is her obsession with my boyfriend? My imprint?

"Why?" 

"Well, Edward because well it'll be his son. And Jacob will be his uncle," Bella offered.

"Why not just name it Charlie after dad? Or Edward Junior? Why Jake?" I was getting defensive, but her obsession with him is weird.

"Jake means a lot to me, I want to honour him," she pouted. 

"He barely talks to you," I mumbled.

"He's here protecting me," she snapped. Technically, she is right. But he is also only protecting her to keep me happy. So again, it circles back to me. But I let her live in fantasy land. 

Over the next few days, I saw little of Jacob. I'd walk with Esme to drop off food packages and give him a hug, but that's alls I saw of him. Each time he looked more and more exhausted, clinging to me more and more as the days went by. 

The separation from my wolves was making it harder. I struggled to eat, my stomach cramping with every bite. I was dizzy and faint, my head constantly aching. I'd passed out at the top of the stairs this morning, and Esme had tucked me into my own blanket nest on the couch across from Bella. She'd spent the day feeding me tomato soup and litres of water. I liked Esme. She was the only one I actually liked. She fit the motherly role perfectly, and she smelled so floral and comforting. 

My stomach still cramped, but hearing the sound of Bella gagging really made it churn. All day, she had been dry heaving into a metal bowl. She didn't even have anything to throw up. Anything that went into her body, immediately came back up. Not even soup or water was being held down. 

"What if we tried blood?" Edward thought out loud. 

"Blood?" I questioned. 

"The fetu- baby is part vampire. What if it wants blood?" Edward pondered.

"I have some  spare bags of O neg upstairs?" Carlisle suggested, his tone unsure. 

"Bring it," Edward ordered, preparing a white styrofoam cup. Carlisle did as he was told, bringing the blood down and pouring it into the cup. It cleared the room fast, the four siblings making their way to their rooms. All of them were starving, eyes black. They couldn't leave though, due to the pack waiting for them just beyond the horizon. I imagine they were getting desperate and cranky now, waiting for a leech to wander into their clutches. I thought of Paul, anger radiating off of him. I knew that the separation must be killing him and making his temper worse.

Bella accepted the blood cup gratefully. I looked away as she took a sip, gagging at the sight. I could not be a vampire. 

"Her pulse is already strengthening," Carlisle commented. Well, that's a pro I guess. At least she's prepared for the vampire life, already drinking blood.