Chapter 10

As I neared the lake, my anger grew stronger. What Jake had said earlier, something that now meant an entirely different meaning arose in my head.

“I was mad at myself. Well, at first I was. I mean, until I realized why exactly I kissed her. It opened my eyes.”

My mouth was parted slightly in shock as Edward raced to my side.

I saw them up ahead. Renesmee sat daintily upon a rock with a flattened top, while Jacob spoke to her, kneeling on one knee.

I silently screamed, about to end this blasphemy once and for all.

As I tensed to make a run for it, Edward grabbed my shoulders.

“Bella, wait. The best thing to do for right now is to stay here”, he said, calmingly.

“But we have to go! Jake told me earlier-” I started.

“Jacob has this all planned out, Bella. He originally wanted to bring her over to La Push, but it would take a longer amount of time to get to. And he figured if anyone came to take Nessie from him, he’d take her away”, he interrupted, stress showing in his face.

“You mean kidnap her?”, I asked in horror.

“I suppose you could put it that way. All he really wants is to form a permanent bond with Nessie, so he’ll never have to be away from her. Apparently something she told him sparked a sudden…longing in him. She said she wouldn’t know what she would do without him. Jacob is becoming impatient. Along with the fact that she will be fully matured in a little over two years, the effects of his elongated imprinting is driving him mad.”

“Can’t we just go over there and talk to him?”, I asked.

He caught a strand of my hair blowing in the wind, and placed it lovingly behind my ear, then held my face in his arms.

“I’m afraid it’s up to Renesmee now”, he said quietly, giving me a soft kiss.

I was so overwhelmed, I grabbed Edward’s face, tangled my fingers in his wind blown, messy bronze hair, and with a deep sigh, kissed him back passionately, a little too fiercely. My eyes pricked, and Edward held me tighter. We kissed for each other, for our family, and most importantly we shared this worried kiss for our daughter, in hopes that everything would turn out well.