The Coven of the Signs

by nashstheory

Summary:

One polygamist snake handling religious community, one scandal in Edward's past, and two angry women

bent on destruction. With all of this can Edward and Bella still find a way to be together? And then the question becomes

-- will murder drive them apart.

Chapter One

BPOV

The day we buried my mother, my father lost his mind. He didn't sleep that night and by the next morning

he'd found God. Nobody noticed. Or, if they did, they didn't know what to say to him so they let it go.
Meanwhile, I was trapped inside the insanity of my father's grief.

Looking back, I think my father turned to religion because he didn't have anything else. My mother, Renee,
was his entire life, they were both only children and his parents had died before I was born, so once the house

cleared out of mourners he just didn't know what to do with himself. The only book in the house that didn't
belong to either her or me, a child of eight, was the dark red pocket Bible that the nondenominational pastor
at the funeral home had given him in consolation for his loss before patting him on the back and walking

away.

He didn't even have anyone to blame but himself and I think it ate at him. He'd come home tired from a double

shift at the station because one of his men was out on vacation and rather than cook, he'd suggested take out
fried chicken instead. That way we could spend time as a family rather than my mother slaving over, first, the
stove and then the dirty dishes in the sink. The problem was, he was so tired he forgot to pick it up and when
he got home my mother had simply offered to go get it herself, calling him a poor dear and shooing him into

the recliner and ESPN. Two blocks away from the house, she swerved to miss a stray dog in the road and
ended up in a ditch. Dr. Gerardy said she was killed instantly.

The morning after the funeral, I was informed that the Lord had spoken to my father and that my mother's
death was the result of our wickedness. Rather than take the chance of losing me as well, he intended to
change our ways so that we were more pleasing to the eyes of God. The very same day, he began looking into

religious communities that shared his new set of beliefs. Every day we went to visit another congregation,
another group, moving farther afield each time as he was once again disappointed. "Weak," Charlie would
mutter, "they're letting their weakness and their egos blind them."

Even at eight years old I questioned my father's new ideas about life. My neighbor Jane had taken me to
church with her a few times and I was almost certain that the sweet, Sunday school teacher, Gianna, didn't
believe that I was wicked. She wouldn't have been so nice to me if I was wicked enough for God to take my

mommy away. Would she?

Two weeks into his search, my father decided that none of the congregations in a three state area were

sufficiently devoted for his tastes and began to cast a wider net. Late at night he would go into the station,
putting me in the empty cell to sleep as he combed the internet and law enforcement databases for sects that
believed the same as he did. The more extreme law enforcement found a church to be, the more my father

became interested in them, certain that their very fanaticism was the key to our salvation.

On day 20 of his search he heard from the Coven of the Blessed Brothers with Signs Proceeding, known to its
members simply as the Coven of the Signs. After a brief email exchange and two nights of marathon phone

sessions, my father turned in his resignation to the police department, put the house up for sale, and prepared
for our cross-country relocation.

One month to the day of my mother's death we arrived in Coventry, West Virginia -- home of the Reverend
Weber and his congregation -- population 350. And we never left again. Now, ten years later, my father is a
member of the Church Brethren -- its ruling counsel -- and we live in a modest home directly across the street
from the Reverend himself. My father and his wives are all pleased with the arrangement. I had been as well

until the Reverend's daughter, my best friend Angela, married the week before. Now, I was just lonely.

"Bella!" Shelly, my father's second wife, screeched from one of the second floor windows. "Quit dawdling

about and finish with the laundry!"

"Yes Mother Shelly," I replied and tried my best to sound obedient as I rolled my eyes at the pile of wet sheets

I was hanging out to dry.

"I want you to come help Emily with dinner. Heaven help us that girl is absolutely useless."

"Right away Mother Shelly," I called out and once the window slammed closed, I snickered. Emily was my
father's third wife and Shelly had never taken to her, feeling threatened by the other woman; especially after

my father had taken Emily's sister Leah as his fourth and her cousin Kim as his fifth wife. Given the weekly
night he had devoted to Sue, his first wife, and the time he spent with his three younger wives, post-
menopausal Shelly was lucky to get one night a month of my father's time.

"Bella!" Seth, my younger brother called out. "Mind you get in there and deal with Emily. After all, she doesn't
know how to turn on the stove!"

"She might try to boil noodles in the ice box," I retorted and both of us snorted with laughter as he came over
to help me hang the rest of the sheets.

"She really is a pain isn't she?" Seth nudged my arm. "How does our father put up with her?"

"I have no clue," I answered. "My question is how does your mother deal with her? And how could she agree to

the other three wives with as horrid as Shelly was?"

"Oh," Seth said with a smile, "that's easy; she thought it would be better to set Shelly loose on someone else

and spare her the hassle. I think Mother knew that Shelly would hate Emily from the minute she arrived and
that gave her someone else to set her sights on and leave Mother in peace."

"You're saying she set Emily up for this?"

"It gives her more power," Seth pointed out and I nodded. He was right. Before Emily's arrival three years ago,
Shelly and Sue would constantly pair off against each other, bickering, until my father was forced to step in

and take charge of the situation. Sue always had a slight edge over Shelly because of her seniority but she had
always been one well-played political maneuver from disaster. Then Emily had arrived and since they were
second cousins, she had been immediately loyal to Sue. A few attacks from Shelly, Sue defended Emily and

she'd had a loyal follower. Leah and Kim had been all too happy to fall into line. Now the four of them worked
together to keep power in our family and Shelly was slowly being edged out. Quite literally in fact -- to make
room for Kim my father had renovated part of the garage and put on an addition to the house. Seth and I were

moved into the addition with the other children and Shelly was consigned to the garage.

"What's so funny?" Seth and I immediately froze as we heard my father call out from across the yard, his boots
crunching ominously on the flagstones.

"Pardon Father?" I tried to keep my voice steady. While Shelly may have fallen out of favor my father would
still punish us for being disrespectful.

"I heard the two of you laughing," he repeated as he came around the laundry line. "I asked what was so
funny."

"Oh nothing," Seth broke in. "I just told Bella about some of Quil's latest antics."

"Right." My father frowned. "He placed the Reverend's favorite snake into a cage with a male. He'll not be able

to use her for a revelation until after she's finished breeding now. I hardly think that's a funny antic."

"He did what?" My eyes widened. Everyone knew that the Reverend Weber was very particular about the

copperheads he used for his sermons. He never allowed them to be bred, preferring instead to capture wild
snakes and tame them to their duties.

"That wasn't what I was talking about Sir." Seth shuffled his feet. "I didn't know about that."

"You better not have," my father snapped. "To think you did and hadn't told me, then you'd be sharing his

punishment."

"His punishment?" I asked weakly. My father was the Sheriff of Coventry and he allowed the Reverend to

administer his own, creative, punishments for lawbreakers. The Reverend's favorite was something called a
repentance casket, a casket that had been modified so that the bottom was taken out and then the remains
nailed to the top of a wire snake cage. All someone in the casket could do was pray that the snakes were either
not particularly hungry or didn't notice the naked, exposed, body available above them.

"He's to be tawsed Sunday before the service." My father replied, his mouth still set in a firm line. "Now get
these sheets up and go help your mothers finish dinner. We'll be taking it over to the Hall."

"The Hall?" Seth said as he picked up another sheet and my father snatched it from him, shoving the wet
length of material into my arms instead.

"There's a new family come to Coventry and the community will be sharing our suppers in the Hall to
welcome them. Now leave your sister to do her chores and you go find something more appropriate to do.

Leave the women's work to those who can do it best."

"Yes Father," Seth agreed solemnly as he stepped away from me. I hung the last of the sheets and nodded to
both of them before picking up my laundry basket.

"Fine then," he nodded stiffly. "See to your chores, both of you."

"Yes Father," we answered in unison.

"New family?" Seth cocked an eyebrow at me. "Maybe they'll have girls?"

"Maybe so." I nodded before stepping around him and making my way to the back door.

"Maybe they'll have boys," he suggested.

"I don't think that's any of my concern," I retorted.

"No, but it will sure be nice to see Mike Newton and Jacob Black growling at someone new rather than each
other all the time."

"And I don't think it's any of your business." I didn't want to dare hope that the new family had male sons of an
eligible age, it would only set me up for heartache and disappointment when my father gave his blessing for
me to either become Jacob Black's first wife or Mike Newton's second.

"Ugh." I shuddered, and Emily looked at me with concern.

"You all right Bella?" she asked from her place at the stove, stirring the spaghetti sauce.

"Fine, I'm fine."

"Excited about meeting the Cullens?"

"Is that the new family's last name?" Kim asked as she turned from peeling the piled up ears of corn at the

kitchen table. She was only a year older than I was and we got along more as sisters than as mother and
daughter.

"According to Becky Weber that's their name. She told me that there was a Dr. Cullen come to town with his
seven wives, his three sons and their four wives."

"Four wives for three sons? Which one of them has already taken a second?"

"It seems that two of them have already taken their second wives," Sue announced as she came into the
kitchen. "The oldest, Emmett, and the middle boy, Jasper, both have two wives. The third son, Edward, is a

widower and has no wives at all."

"How old are they all?" Leah called out from the laundry room.

"Dr. Cullen and his first wife are close in age to Charlie and I," Sue answered. "I don't know about his other
wives, I haven't met them, but according to Esme -- his first wife -- the boys are all in their twenties. They're

moving here from the community at Aro's Creek."

"All the way from Aro's Creek?" I looked over at her. It was common for members of religious communities to

vacation or honeymoon at other communities but it was rare for an entire family to just move, especially to a
community so far away from their own. There were two other communities between Coventry and Aro's
Creek.

"The Reverend thought it would be prudent that we have a doctor here." Sue patted me on the back. "With the
way our community is growing each day, this will prevent harassment by the authorities if someone falls ill.
We no longer have to drive into Draper's Gap to get treated."

"Okay," Kim agreed. "But they just up and moved here?"

"I don't know all the details." Sue shook her head. "But Becky may have mentioned that there was some sort of
scandal with the youngest son that made them willing to move quickly."

"Scandal?" Emily asked quietly. "What kind of scandal?'

"It doesn't do to gossip," Sue reminded her, "but since the whole community will be talking about it anyway I
don't see the harm in telling you first-hand. Apparently young Edward killed his bride on their wedding

night."

"He what?" An ear of corn crashed to the floor as Kim looked at Sue incredulously.

"The county sheriff ruled it an accident," Sue said stiffly. "He was cleaning his gun and it went off. A horrible
mistake. No one is supposed to know about it --"

"So of course everyone already does," Emily cut in.

"Regardless--" Sue gave her the evil eye. "No one is supposed to know, so act like you haven't heard a word. All

we know is the barest amount of facts and it could be exactly like he claimed. The only people who know for
sure anymore are Edward and the poor young woman in her grave. It won't due for us to make any more
assumptions beyond that."

"I just --" I stared at Sue in shock. We were hiding a murderer in our mist? A man who had killed his wife on
their wedding night?

"Bella--" Sue looked over at me. "I'd like you to go to your room and clean up. Put on that pretty blue dress of
yours and do your hair nice. It won't hurt for you to make a good impression on the Cullens."

"But --"

"Bella," Sue warned.

"What about Jacob and Mike?"

"What about them?" Sue replied. "Your father hasn't entered into a formal negotiation with either man and I
can tell you now he has no intention of you becoming a second wife to Jessica Newton so I wouldn't pin my
hopes there."

"Really?" Kim smiled over at me and I sighed in relief. Of my two suitors, Jacob Black repulsed me the least. I
couldn't imagine being married to Mike Newton or being forced to take orders from his twit of a wife.

"Really," Sue replied and smiled as well. I knew she hated the Newtons even more than I did. "When he came
to talk, your father told him in no uncertain terms that you would be a first wife or not at all."

"So that creepy Newton boy is out of our hair?" Emily said.

"Unless he agrees to go to the Reverend and request that Bella become his primary wife. Which you know the
Reverend will not do because his seventh wife is Jessica's sister, plus it'll take time. Your father was quite
adamant -- you'd be legal or nothing."

"He'd have to get a divorce," Leah giggled. "I bet she'd murder him before she allowed that! Just think of it,
Jessica Stanley divorced and demoted down to second wife. It would be like Christmas and your birthday all in
one day."

"More importantly," Kim pointed out, "it would take time. Far more time than your father is willing to wait
when you've got a perfectly good suitor in Jacob Black right here and available."

"Let's not discount the new Cullen boy yet," Sue said and swatted me on the behind. "Now go get cleaned up. If
nothing else, Jacob will appreciate it."

"Yes Mother Sue." I nodded and scurried into the bedroom that I shared with my three half sisters. I quickly
changed my work dress out for the blue one that Mother Sue had requested, brushed my hair, and then

pinched at my cheeks and my lower lip, giving them a little color, before I tied my hair back up again.

"Isabella," my father called out a few moments later as I was tying my boot laces.

"Yes Father?"

"It's time to go."

"One moment Father," I answered as I stood and glanced at myself in the mirror. I thought I looked rather
pretty, all things considering, and even if the wife-killing Cullen son didn't think so, I was sure Jacob would

appreciate my efforts.

Chapter Two

EPOV

I glared around the shabby wooden church annex these people called a Hall and tried my best not to roll my

eyes. My father's various wives were whispering to each other and I could see Emmett's first wife, Rosalie,
wrinkle her nose in disgust.

"It doesn't look that bad," Alice, my brother Jasper's second wife, said hopefully.

"Define bad," Rosalie answered and then looked pointedly at me.

"Well, um," Charlotte, Emmett's second wife, whispered and let her shoulders slump forward. "I'll just set up
the food with the other wives."

"You do that," Rosalie snapped. "I for one have no idea how we're supposed to sit down and eat in a place such
as this. I mean, surely they can't expect us to live in these reduced circumstances."

"Rosie," Emmett gripped her elbow tightly and tried to keep a smile on his face. I knew she was embarrassing
him, emasculating him on purpose and acting like the ball breaking bitch she always was in private. "I'm sure
the people here are wonderful. Let's just try to make the best of our situation."

"Right," Alice agreed helpfully as she wrapped her arm through my brother Jasper's and beamed up at him.
"Let's look at it as a new adventure."

"Don't you have work to do?" Rosalie looked over at where Jasper's first wife, Kachiri was helping the other
wives lay out the food.

"I could ask you the same thing," my father snapped and I didn't have to see his glare to know that it was in
place. The sight of Rosalie wilting and Emmett's flush of embarrassment was enough to tell me that after this

formality was over with, they would be having a long discussion and it wouldn't be pleasant.

I let my shoulders slump as I stood in a tiny knot with my brothers while Rosalie huffed off to the table with
the other wives. I couldn't care less about Rosalie or any of her problems right now. I knew she blamed me for

our quick departure from Aro's Creek but it wasn't as if I'd had any more say in the matter than she had. If you
wanted to look at it honestly, my lack of say in anything was what had led to this in the first place.

"Edward?" My father's stern voice broke me out of my thoughts and I glanced over at him.

"Yes Father?"

"The Reverend Weber has told me that there are quite a few available young women that will be here tonight.
Try to be pleasant."

"Father," I said, shaking my head. "Surely, now is not the time for me to begin looking for a wife?"

"Now is most certainly the time," he hissed, "enough of this silliness on your part. There are suitable women

here and you'll find one of your own or I'll ask the Reverend to assign one to you as he sees fit."

"Father," Jasper broke in. "It has only been three months since Kebi's accident. Perhaps it is too soon still?"

"Nonsense," my father snapped.

"And I can't say I'll be considered too fine of a match," I said. "I'm sure the gossip has preceded us. Very few
people will think I'm suitable for their daughters. Not with my past."

My father scowled at me and then huffed. "You'd be surprised what a family will accept to align themselves
with someone of means."

Someone of means. I shook my head. My father was still under the impression that he was important, worth

something outside the small religious communities he'd forced us to inhabit since I was a child. Carlisle Cullen
was an utter fool and his infernal pride, his desire to be someone of means, someone of importance, rather
than a simple doctor from a second rate Caribbean medical school with a dubiously earned license, was what

had driven us into this life. Oh, he probably had brainwashed himself into believing the clap trap that the
ministers spouted during each day's prayer service but that wasn't why we had originally came. In the
beginning, Carlisle had only paid lip service to the beliefs of these communities so that he could be their

doctor, someone important in the community to be treated like a mixture of a celebrity and a God.

I glanced over at my mother, Esme, and noticed she was trying her hardest not to do more than supervise the

other wives. She was the matriarch of the family, my father's legal wife and the only one to produce children,
and because of that it was her job to supervise, not to actually do. When she looked up and found me staring at
her she smiled encouragingly.

Unlike Carlisle, she had taken to their new beliefs wholeheartedly and I knew she wanted me to find the
happiness here that had evaded me in Aro's Creek. I smiled in return and she turned away, discreetly
reaching into her pocket and I could see her skirts move as she scratched at the juncture of her inner thigh. I

grimaced at the sight of it and watched my father's other wives closely. All of them seemed to move a little
more carefully than usual and I knew that all of them were suffering the same malady.

Why was my father so careless? He hadn't even had a chance to inventory the clinic or meet any of the
townspeople and already he was going to have to dip into the clinic's stores of medication to treat his wives'
rather delicate complaint. He was a doctor for Heaven's sake! Couldn't he at least restrain himself when either

he or one of them had an outbreak? You'd think that once it had sterilized him he'd have taken more

precautions, but no, no, nothing as trivial as an STD would keep Carlisle Cullen from what he wanted. The
bastard.

"Dr. Cullen!" I turned around at the sound of the booming voice and saw a man in a black suit and overly
starched white shirt coming into the Hall, wives in tow.

"Reverend Weber." My father stuck his hand out for the other man to shake. "Thank you for the kind welcome
you've given us. I'm sorry, we were early and I thought it would be all right if my wives began setting up our
dinner."

"Of course, of course," the Reverend replied. "I would have been here sooner but there was a matter of
discipline that needed to be handled and I was simply consulting with our town Sheriff."

"Nothing serious I hope?" Carlisle asked.

"More of a childish prank by one of my younger sons gone wrong," Reverend Weber replied. "It'll be dealt with
later."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Carlisle answered. "These are my sons: Emmett, Jasper and Edward."

"It's a pleasure to meet you all." The Reverend smiled and all of his wives bobbed their heads before he made

a shooing motion, and they all scurried away to meet the women we'd brought with us. I could see Emmett
tense and knew he was worried about whether or not Rosalie could behave. If she didn't, Carlisle would
demand that he punish her and since he considered it a family affair he would require Emmett to administer
it in front of everyone.

The door opened again and all of us turned to look as a gruff looking man with a bushy black mustache came
in, leading a pack of women and children behind him. "Chief Swan!" Reverend Weber waved his hand at the

other man. "Please come meet the Cullens."

"Reverend," the man replied hastily as he shooed his wives away and came to join us with two young men.

"Gentleman."

"Charlie." The Reverend looked at the sheriff, and then motioned with his hand toward us. "This is Carlisle,

Emmett, Jasper and Edward Cullen."

"Pleasure to meet you." He shook each of our hands briefly. "I'm Charlie Swan, Chief of Police for Coventry and

these are my sons Seth and Paul."

"Pleasure," my father said, nodding at the two younger boys as he shook the Chief of Police's hand again. I
noticed that the man was looking at me intently and I swallowed. I should have expected that the local law

enforcement would be interested in someone like me. I had no doubt he'd heard rumors about what had
supposedly taken place at Aro's Creek before we'd ever left for Coventry -- so much for a chance to start over
somewhere with no preconceived judgments against me.

"Edward," my father said sharply and I looked over at him.

"Yes Father?"

"Pay attention boy!" he snapped. "I just said that Chief Swan's daughter Isabella needs help bringing in some

of the chairs. Why don't you go with her brothers to assist her?"

"Are you sure that's --"

"I'll help," Alice broke in sweetly. "There are more than enough hands to deal with the dishes. I can help with
the labor."

"Edward, help your brother's wife," my father replied curtly and motioned for us to go.

I motioned for Alice to go ahead of me and followed her and the two young men out of the Hall and around the

side of the building. We made our way across a small, dirt-packed yard toward a tiny shed.

"I don't know why you're being so stubborn," I heard a nasally voice announce and my back stiffened
immediately.

"Please leave me alone," a softer, feminine voice replied.

"Hey!" Paul called out and I grabbed Alice's arm as both boys rushed forward. "Get your hands off of Bella!"

"Oh dear," Alice muttered as we watched the two boys pull a man with greasy blonde hair away from a

trembling girl with mahogany hair and a dark blue dress.

"I was just talking with her," the man announced as he struggled between the two men. "I've entered

negotiations with your father and there is no reason that I shouldn't pass the time with her."

"My step father rejected your offer, Brother Mike," Seth snapped as he wrapped an arm around the other

man's throat and pulled him further away from the girl.

"He's being stubborn," the man insisted as he struggled against the two boys. Alice slipped out of my grasp
and went over to the girl, still huddled against the shed, embracing her and pulling her past us and back

toward the Hall. "Bella! Tell them that your father is just being stubborn."

"He's been very clear with you, Brother Mike," Seth replied as he released the other man's throat. "Bella is to

be a first wife or none at all. She'll not be second to a Stanley."

"The Reverend has never complained about taking a Stanley for a bride. I'm sure he'll have something entirely

different to say about Charlie Swan's airs."

"We'll see." Seth shrugged as he stepped around the other man and began pulling chairs out of the shed. "But I

suggest you and your wife skip dinner in the Hall tonight or we might have to mention this little debate and
what started it to both my father and the Reverend to see if they can't clear it up for us. And who knows, Jacob
Black might just be at the table as well. His father is a member of the Brethren after all."

"Fine," the man huffed and then turned to glare at me. "I have no idea who you are but I'd thank you kindly to
keep your stares to yourself."

"Of course," I sneered, curling up my nose at him. "I was simply observing. No one told me that Coventry had a
zoo. Or that its animals routinely escaped their cages."

The man huffed again before he stomped away. Paul bumped my shoulder and then handed me a stack of
wooden folding chairs. "Don't mind him. Mike Newton is all talk and nothing else."

"Except for a nuisance," Seth muttered as he picked up his own pile of chairs and walked across the small yard
to set them on the Hall's porch for the women to retrieve and set up inside as we went for another load.

"And the girl?" I asked as we crossed back across the yard. "Who is she?"

"Our sister Bella," Paul answered. "She teaches at the school."

"She's a teacher? I didn't think she was that old."

"She's 18," Seth answered. "And it's not much of a school. The Reverend Weber has procured home schooling
materials and Mrs. Cheney holds lessons for the children in the Hall during the week. She used to be a teacher
before her family found the Coven. Bella and a few other young women help out."

I nodded. "I see." I would have to mention their local school to Esme. She had been a teacher when she met
Carlisle and had given my brothers and I all a thorough education -- something most of the residents of Aro's

Creek had been lacking. "And why is that man bothering her?"

"That man," Seth snorted, "is Mike Newton, a local loser whose father runs the town store. He's been trying to

pay court to Bella for the past two years and father wouldn't allow it since she wasn't of age. He's gotten worse
in the last two months though."

"Because she's turned 18?"

"Precisely," Paul answered. "He met with Father at the police station and asked for permission to court Bella

and make her his second wife."

"And?" I felt my curiosity peak and knew that it shouldn't. Why should I care about some trembling little girl
and her overzealous suitor?

"Our father isn't a fan of Mr. Newton's," Seth cut in. "He told him he wasn't prepared for Bella to be someone's
second wife -- especially to a girl as silly as Jessica Stanley. Father insisted that Bella wouldn't be some twit's

dogsbody and threw Mike out."

"I can't imagine that sat well," I replied as I took another stack of chairs from him.

"It didn't," Seth answered as he took his own stack of chairs and followed me across the yard. "He stood up in
the men's meeting last week and accused our father of being prideful and stubborn when it came to Bella and

suggested that he didn't want her to fulfill her womanly obligation to marry and have sons."

"I can't imagine that went well," I grimaced as I sat down the pile of chairs. "What did the Reverend say?"

"He split the issue." Seth shook his head as he sat down his own pile of chairs and we watched Paul close up
the shed while we leaned against the side of the Hall. "He claimed that Father was a little more protective of
Bella than he should be but that it was understandable that he was concerned -- since Bella was the reason

they came to Coventry in the first place. But he then stated it was entirely Father's right to decide who was
best for Bella to be matched with and since she had another potential suitor who would make her a first wife
that Charlie's demands weren't extreme."

"She has another suitor?"

"A potential suitor," Seth answered. "Jacob Black will not be 21 for another six months. So instead of courting,
Bella and Jacob are getting to know each other as friends."

"Friends?"

"Supervised of course," Seth shrugged. "It wouldn't do otherwise, would it?"

"No --" I shook my head. "It wouldn't. You said your father came to Coventry because of Bella. What did you

mean?"

"Just that." Seth shrugged. "Her mother died in the outside world and Father was afraid its wickedness would

taint her and take her from him as well. So they moved here."

"So you and Bella --"

"We're step siblings. My father, Harry, died of a heart attack about a year after the Swan's arrived and since
Bella needed a mother and Mother needed a husband, an arrangement was made."

"An arrangement?"

"My mother, Sue, married Bella's father, Charlie, and we've all become a family."

"And this suits you?"

"He's a good Father," Seth agreed. "And my mother must find him to be a good husband for his two youngest
wives are her cousins. Surely she wouldn't give them over to a man she didn't think was worthy."

"That is true," I agreed. "And how does your step sister find Coventry? Is she grateful that her father moved
them here?"

"I wouldn't know," Seth shrugged. "She keeps her feelings to herself mainly. But that's probably better in a
town like this. Don't you think?"

"Probably," I agreed as he pushed off the wall and I followed him into the Hall. He had no idea just how right

he was. The last thing anyone here needed to do was express their doubts. I knew first hand what the
consequences of that were.

Chapter Three

BPOV

I looked at the tiny woman towing me back into the Hall and realized she wasn't someone I knew. I tried to tug

my arm away from her but she simply tightened her grip until we had reached the top of the steps. "Sorry
about that," she whispered. "But I thought it was best if we kept hold of each other until we had reached the
Hall or that horrid man was gone. I would hate for him to try to reach you again."

"Mike? He wouldn't dream of trying anything in front of the Hall." I shook my head. "He's too big of a coward."

"Is he your intended?"

"No!" I felt my eyes widen and she looked at me interestedly. "He wanted to be but my father rejected him --
thankfully."

"I take it he wasn't pleased?"

"No, he isn't planning to take no for an answer. Look, I'm sorry, but who are you?"

"Oh right --" She smiled at me, dimples coming out in her cheeks. "How rude of me. I'm Alice Brandon Cullen;

we're new to the community."

"Oh." I smiled at her warmly. She was one of the Cullen clan and since she had given both of her last names, I
took it to mean she was a lower ranking wife. "That man with you was your husband?"

"No." She shook her head. "That was Edward, my brother-in-law. I'm married to Jasper and Kachiri. We have a
beautiful little boy named Hale Whitlock."

"Do you? How old is he?"

"He's four," Alice replied. "He's Kachiri's, but well," she glanced inside cautiously.

"But?" I pulled her around to the side of the building, away from my brothers and the rest of the congregation

coming toward the Hall from the town's main street.

"Kachiri isn't much of the mothering sort," Alice whispered. "That's why Jasper married me. I mean, she's very

sweet and I'd never try to actually take her place as first wife but it is rather awkward between all of us. She
defers to me in Hale's upbringing and simply stares out the window for most of the day. Outside of Coven
functions, you won't see her very regularly."

"And what does your husband say about this?"

"He is very kind to her," Alice assured me. "Very gentlemanly and sweet, he's never mean or angry with her.

He tells me that she is sick and it's best for us to treat her gently so that one day she might get well. But I think
it's not likely."

"Oh, um --" I looked at her wide-eyed, unsure what to do with this piece of idle gossip about her life.

"It could be worse though." She glanced around the corner and, satisfied that no one was looking for us,

smiled. "I could be a second wife under Rosalie. That's a fate I wouldn't wish on anyone and definitely not on
poor Charlotte. She's shy but I know you'll become friends with her as well. I can feel it."

"With Charlotte?"

"Oh yes," Alice agreed. "I mean, the poor thing is going to need friends here very soon because Rosalie's wrath
will be without bounds."

"Her wrath? Why would she be wrathful? She's barely been here a day."

"Not over Coventry!" Alice rolled her eyes. "Although she isn't best pleased to be here. She blames Edward,
and of course I've told her that's ridiculous. No one can blame Edward for Carlisle deciding to move us here
from Aro's Creek, it's not as if he had a say in it. What Rosalie is upset about is that she and Emmett have been

married 5 years and she hasn't managed to get pregnant a single time. Meanwhile, he's only been married to

Charlotte four months and she's already eight weeks gone. And it's a near miracle considering they were
forced to all but lock Rosalie in a room in the clinic so that Charlotte could have her fair share of nights. I

heard she tried everything in the book to prevent them."

"And how long have you and Jasper been together?"

"Three and a half years. I've been pregnant twice but neither of them took well. The first time there was a
tumble down the stairs and the second I caught an illness and the child was lost. I don't blame Kachiri for
either of them," she said hurriedly and I looked at her wide-eyed. Why would she blame her husband's first

wife for her miscarriages? Had the other woman been involved? Who were these people?

I started trying to edge my way back to the Hall, discreetly putting some distance between myself and the

strange young woman standing next to me. "I'm not sure why you're telling me this. But I think we should get
back to the Hall."

"I just want you to be aware of all the family politics before you meet them," Alice shrugged. "It can be
awkward and I don't want there to be anything land mining your introduction to Edward."

"My introduction to Edward?"

"I think the two of you will get along wonderfully," Alice agreed as she looped her arm through mine and

began to drag me back toward the main door. "I have a sixth sense about these sorts of things, you know."

"Alice, I already have a suitor," I stuttered.

"You do?" She narrowed her eyes at me.

"Well, he's going to be as soon as he's of age," I corrected. "We're taking it slow for now."

"But your father hasn't agreed to anything yet?"

"No." I shook my head. "But it's just a matter of time. Billy Black and my father both sit on the Brethren and
they are very close friends. I can't imagine my father would refuse his son's suit when it comes time."

"Well," Alice perked up immediately. "Carlisle will be a member of the Brethren as well and nothing in the
future is set in stone. If there's no formal suit, no one will be upset if you simply make Edward's
acquaintance."

"But --"

"There he is now." Alice pointed to a young man who was talking with my father and some others. "And he's
talking to your father, a perfect time to make introductions, I think."

"Alice!" I gasped as she dragged me further into the Hall and toward the men.

"Jasper!" Alice announced happily as we stopped next to a blonde man who towered over her. "I'd like you to
meet my new friend, Isabella Swan. She's been very welcoming."

"Miss Swan," the man said solemnly. "Thank you for your kindness to my wife."

"It's my pleasure, Mr. Cullen. Alice is very friendly." I kept my eyes demurely cast down, knowing my father
was watching me for any signs of misbehavior.

"Isabella," my father said and I glanced over at him. "Please go help your mothers with the last of the dinner
preparations. I believe the Reverend would like to begin soon. His youngest wife is waiting for her sister's

family to arrive but I don't think he'll stand the disrespect much longer."

"That would be Mr. Newton," the young man from outside said quietly and I glanced over at him in shock.
What would he say? If my father thought I was behaving inappropriately with Mike Newton the punishment

would be severe. What was worse, he could decide that the matter required him to save face and I would be
forced to actually marry the blonde creep.

"Yes." My father turned to face him. "You've met Mr. Newton then already? I thought you'd just come to town."

"We have," the young man I assumed was Edward replied. "But Seth and I saw him outside the Hall and he'd

taken rather unwell. He said to pass on his regrets but they would not be attending supper this evening. I
wasn't sure who I should inform until just now. My apologies."

"I'll let the Reverend know," my father agreed and walked away as Alice began to lead me over to the women.

"This young man is ill," I heard the older blonde man say. "I should go after supper and check on his welfare,

make sure it isn't something serious."

"It didn't appear to be," Edward insisted. "Just a minor case of indigestion he said. Apparently his wife isn't
much of a cook."

"That's too bad," the blonde replied. "That's a necessary thing in a wife, you know. There is never any reason
to accept a woman who can't make dinner for you. That's what they're meant to do after all."

I glanced over at him, grateful, as Alice pulled me away from them. "I told you that you and Edward would get
along beautifully."

"Alice --" I looked at her cautiously. I didn't want to upset my new friend but I had heard the rumors about her
brother-in-law. She couldn't expect me to just fall all over him the minute we met, could she?

"Bella," she said, looking at me sadly. "I can't tell you anything substantial but just let me say this. Not
everything is what the gossip makes it out to be. Please, please just give Edward the chance to show you who

he really is without judging him on something you may have heard. Let him explain it himself when you know
each other later? Please?"

"Of course. I'm sorry, it's not my place to judge."

"I can't blame you," she sighed. "I know what the gossips say. But I promise you; Edward is a good person and
everything you've heard is wrong."

"Bella," Leah called out suddenly. "Who is your new friend?"

I smiled as I walked the last few steps toward the long serving table. "Leah, this is Alice Brandon Cullen. She is
one of the new doctor's daughters-in-law. Alice, this is my fourth mother, Leah."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Leah," Alice smiled. "I'm sure we're all going to be fast friends."

"I hope so." Leah winked. "It looks like all of Dr. Cullen's wives are more of an age to talk with Sue and Shelly.
Poor Emily, Kim, and I will feel left out. Are all of your sister wives close in age?"

"About --" Alice smiled and then waved a slightly larger, dark-haired woman over to her. "This is Kachiri, my
sister wife. Kachiri," she said gently and placed her hand on the other woman's shoulder. "This is our new

friend, Bella, and one of her mothers, Leah."

"Pleased to meet you." The woman looked at me, dazed, and I noticed her eyes could barely focus. They
widened slightly before her face became a blank, friendly mask.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well," Leah replied enthusiastically and when another of the Cullen women
noticed, we began to mingle freely. One of the women that Alice called Esme moved Kachiri into a chair at the

periphery and handed her a ball of yarn and some knitting needles before turning back to the conversation,
looking over at her warily every few moments.

I soon realized that Leah's assumption had been right and the women soon separated by age. Sue and Shelly
provided their common "company's come" united front and were talking with Dr. Cullen's wives while Leah,
Emily, Kim and I made friends with Charlotte and Alice. "It's very pretty here," Charlotte said timidly as we

finished arranging the food, "very green."

"At least until November," Kim smiled. "Then be prepared for a monotonous pallet of white, white, all

accented with a hefty helping of sludgy gray."

"It snows here?" Alice asked excitedly. "Charlotte and I have never seen snow before."

"You'll be sick of it by the second day." Leah shrugged. "We'll need to remember to remind you about
shoveling your roofs."

"Shoveling the roof?" Charlotte looked at us wide eyed.

"It shouldn't be that bad this winter," I said with a smile. "But a few years back when we got a lot of snow it

was necessary. Don't worry; if it gets that bad someone will point it out to you."

"But why would you shovel your roof?" she persisted.

"So it doesn't cave in," Emily explained gently. "Enough snow packed down on the roof, and the whole thing
will come down around your ears. You don't want something like that in a blizzard do you? Imagine your

heating bills!"

"Oh my --" Charlotte was cut off as the Reverend Weber stood from his place at the head of the front table and
cleared his throat. On cue, everyone's heads bowed as he said grace and then welcomed the Cullen family to

the community. I glanced up as Dr. Cullen nodded to the Reverend in thanks and he sat down.

"Bella," Sue said quietly. "Could you please help Leah fix the children's plates please?"

"Of course Mother Sue," I agreed and noticed that Alice had begun filling two plates as well. I watched as Sue
took my father's plate and a drink to him, Sue following behind with Paul and Seth's dinner as well. Emily and

Leah each smiled at me as they took plates for the other children.

"Take the plate and I'll take the glass --" I turned when I heard Alice prompting Kachiri. "And we'll go give

Jasper his dinner. Remember what you're supposed to say?"

"We hope you enjoy your dinner, Jasper, is there anything else we can get you?" Kachiri repeated
mechanically. "Is that right Alice?"

"That's perfect," Alice said comfortingly as she led Kachiri to the main table where the Reverend, my father
and the Cullen men were seated with the rest of the Brethren.

"Bella?" Sue interrupted my spying on Alice and her very strange sister wife. "I think your father could use a
refill on both his plate and his tea."

"What?" I looked at her in shock. Sue had never asked me to deliver food to my father in front of the rest of the
congregation. She wouldn't even allow his other wives to serve him in public. That was strictly her domain.

"My hands will be full with the blackberry cobbler." She winked and I glanced over at the table to see that
both Jacob Black and Edward Cullen were seated there, next to each other and Sue was staring at them
intently.

"But --"

"Bella," she answered sternly.

"Yes Mother Sue." I nodded and took the plate of food and the pitcher of ice tea that Shelly held out to me with

her own matching smirk.

"Don't trip," she whispered encouragingly. "Think light and graceful thoughts."

'Light and graceful thoughts,' I thought, shaking my head. Like that was going to help my poor coordination
any. I shook my head at her and followed Sue toward the head table.

"Mrs. Swan --" the Reverend Weber smiled as Sue approached them with the large blackberry cobbler. "It
seems you have a treat with you."

"Yes, Reverend," Sue replied sweetly. "Although I must admit it's not mine to give. Bella made this today and I
knew it was too good for us not to share it with you."

I stared at Sue and tried to contain my shock but I knew my jaw was hanging open. I had been no where near
that cobbler until she picked it up to bring it over to the table. She had just lied to my Father, the Reverend,
and everyone else at the table. Thankfully, the woman that Alice had pointed out as Rosalie chose that minute

to come over with two plates of food and sit down at the table with the men, giving me the perfect excuse for
my gaping.

"Charlotte can handle the rest of the serving," she announced as she picked up her fork and I saw everyone's
eyes turn to look at her and Dr. Cullen's were bulging, the vein in his head throbbing.

"Father?" I tried to draw his attention away from the other woman and everyone turned to look at me silently

and I swallowed. "Would you care for another plate of food or a refill of tea?"

"Just the tea, thank you," he said gruffly and then, as if realizing how he sounded, smiled at me with a rare,

genuine warmth. "Don't want to fill my stomach up before I get to that cobbler."

"Yes Father," I agreed with my own, tentative smile.

"Could I get a glass of that as well Bella?" Billy Black asked quietly and when my father nodded briskly, I
smiled and poured another glass of tea for both Billy and his son Jacob. "I can't wait to dig into that cobbler."

Turning, Billy looked at Dr. Cullen. "Little Bella here has always been quite a cook. I remember the first day
they arrived and she was in the kitchen trying to bake a chocolate cake to take to the Reverend's wife since

she was the woman of the house. Poor thing had to stand on a chair to reach the counter and I remember she
had to ask Charlie to turn on the stove since she wasn't allowed to touch it yet herself."

I blushed as everyone at the table stared at me and Charlie appeared almost nostalgic. "We were lucky to have

Sue," he replied and reached over to squeeze her hand. "She's taught Bella everything she knows and well, no
one can say that I'm starving by any means." Charlie laughed and then rubbed his protruding belly.

"Isn't that sweet," Rosalie said sarcastically. "You can bake a cake from a box. That's so very special."

"I'm glad I do manual labor all day," Jake laughed nervously, trying to draw attention away from the blonde

woman now locked in a staring contest with Dr. Cullen. "Otherwise I'll be 400 pounds before we've finished
our first year of marriage."

I saw Sue flush and both of us immediately dropped our heads forward to stare at the floor. I noticed her
stepping away from the table and stepped backwards as well. When the Reverend cleared his throat, I glanced
up from under my lashes and saw Billy and Edward Cullen both glaring at a shame-faced Jacob while Charlie

sat silently staring at all of them, biting the inside of his cheek. Billy looked annoyed and Edward Cullen, I
swallowed, he looked almost enraged.

As soon as it was polite, I turned on my heel and fled back to the table where the other women were eating in

shifts and serving the children their food. "I can't believe Rosalie," one of Dr. Cullen's wives hissed and I could
see that Charlotte was bright red with embarrassment, her head down and her eyes focused on her plate.

"It's like she's asking for trouble," another whispered and shook her head. "She wants to shame us in front of
everyone."

"Most likely." Esme shook her head mournfully as I sat down between Alice and Leah, twirling spaghetti
around on my fork. "I'll handle serving Dr. Cullen and the boys for the rest of dinner. I think its better that
way. Let's not give her anymore reason to misbehave."

"It doesn't seem as if she needs it," Shelly said sharply and then glanced down at me. Obviously they had heard
what was said at the Brethren's table. I could see all of the Cullen women's shoulders tense immediately and
kept my eyes focused on my plate.

"Rosalie is just high strung," Dr. Cullen's striking red headed wife, Maggie, explained mournfully.

"I don't know what kind of airs and fancy language they've taken up down at Aro's Creek," Shelly replied
haughtily, "but up here we call it rude and it won't make any of you friends here in Coventry. Perhaps it's
lucky there are so very many of you to keep each other company."

"I'm sure it's just stress over such a momentous move," Sue cut in placatingly and Shelly huffed again before
she fell silent.

"Stress," Esme said weakly. "Yes, this move has been very stressful for all of us since it was so sudden. But that
doesn't excuse Rosalie's manners. She knows better and I will talk to her about it. Please accept my apologies

on her behalf. I'm sure it was just the stress of the move coming out."

"Of course," Sue nodded and then nudged Shelly.

"Of course it was," Shelly agreed sullenly and then looked over at me and smiled. As annoying as the woman
was, she was still family and there was no way she would let anyone treat me badly -- either in public or
private. Rosalie Cullen had just made herself a lifelong enemy in Shelly Cope Swan.

The rest of our dinner continued silently as both Charlotte and I picked at our food. Alice reached over to
squeeze both of our hands and then smiled at me sadly. "Rosalie has always been a bit prideful," she
whispered. "I hope your family won't hold it against the rest of us."

"I don't know," I whispered in return. "I'm sure it will be fine. But why is she behaving so?"

"Because she's horrid," Charlotte hissed and I could see that her eyes were puffy from trying to prevent
herself from crying. "Rosalie is absolutely horrid. She's a minion of Satan. I swear she's really his bride and
not our husband's. I've said it before and I'll say it again. She's possessed by the devil himself."

"Charlotte," Alice shushed her.

"It's true," Charlotte insisted, louder this time and all the rest of the women looked up. "And everyone should
know it. Rosalie McCarty Cullen is an absolutely horrible woman and I'm sure she's given her soul to Satan."

"Charlotte," Dr. Cullen's wife, Irina, admonished. "That will be enough."

Charlotte dropped her head miserably and returned to the small piece of apple pie that in front of her. She

shoveled the pie into her mouth sullenly and I was sympathetic toward her. Suddenly, Alice's words outside
made sense; I wouldn't wish a marriage involving Rosalie Cullen on my worst enemy. Looking over, I noticed
that person – my worst enemy -- just happened to be standing at the Brethren's table now, smiling seductively
at Edward Cullen.

"Who's the tramp?" Alice muttered angrily as she followed my gaze to the head table.

"Lauren Mallory," I muttered. "She's supposed to be engaged to Tyler Crowley. His father is the business
manager for the Coven."

"So where's he at then while she's hanging all over every available man in Hall?"

"He's serving two weeks in the jail at Draper's Gap."

"Jail?" Alice arched an eyebrow at me questioningly.

"I don't know all the details." I purposely kept my voice low.

"Well give me the gossip then?" She giggled.

"Well, the gossip is that he got drunk and wrecked his van into someone's parked car. But his father hasn't
said. Some people said he wrecked the van at the high school."

"Why would he be at the high school?" Alice looked curious.

"Because, supposedly, the girls there are friendlier than they are here," I shrugged. "I don't believe it though."

"Really?"

"Nope, you can't get any friendlier than Lauren Mallory. Just look for yourself," I said and nodded toward the
main table where she still stood, pretending to wait silently to serve at her Father's every whim, but instead
trying her hardest to flirt with Edward Cullen. Apparently the fact that he might be a murderer didn't faze

Lauren in the slightest.

"There is no way he'll ever be interested in that," Alice said in disgust. "What a revolting display. Especially if
she's engaged!"

"Welcome to Coventry," I sighed and then stood, picking up my plate to help Emily and Leah collect the rest of
our trash. With the help of the Cullen women, we had thrown away our paper plates and cups and cleaned the

table while the men sat around still talking. Once the serving dishes were cleaned and put away, we sat
around as well, watching Emily and Leah's two younger children playing with the other children in the
community and I smiled as Sue reached over to pat Kim's still flat stomach.

"Hale," Jasper called out as he walked over to Alice and Kachiri, holding out both of his hands toward them.

"Coming Daddy!" the little boy called out and then took hold of my younger sister Claire's hand. "This is
Claire!"

"Well hello Miss Claire." Jasper stuck his hand out formally and Claire giggled before letting go of Hale's hand
and running to her mother, Emily, and hiding her face in Emily's skirt.

"Oh well." Jasper shrugged and then reached down to ruffle Hale's hair. "You win some and you lose some, I

guess. Yours as well, Chief Swan?"

"Currently my youngest," Charlie agreed.

"You have very beautiful daughters as well as beautiful wives," Jasper turned to smile at me as well.

"I've been very lucky," Charlie agreed.

"I wish we all had been as lucky," Dr. Cullen snapped as he came up behind Jasper with the rest of his family in

tow. I noticed that his son Emmett had his hand tightly wrapped around Rosalie's and neither of them looked
happy. "It was a pleasure meeting you tonight Chief Swan, as well as your wives and daughter."

"The pleasure was all ours," Charlie agreed quietly as Dr. Cullen led the rest of his family away.

"Um --" Edward Cullen stood in front of me holding the cobbler dish awkwardly. "Hello, I'm Edward Cullen. I

don't think we've been properly introduced."

"I'm Bella --" I smiled and reached out to take the cobbler dish from him. "Bella Swan."

"It's nice to meet you Bella Swan. Thank you for the cobbler. Your father was correct."

"About?"

"It was delicious. You're a very fine cook."

"Thank you." I smiled and felt my face flush.

"He's right Bells," Jake announced as he wheeled his father forward. "Absolutely fabulous!"

He reached a hand out to touch me and I heard Edward growl quietly in his direction. "Jacob," Billy Black said
sternly and Jacob pulled his hand back quickly. "Best we get on home now."

"Yes Father." Jacob looked at me sheepishly. "Bye Bells."

"Bye Jake," I said quietly and blushed.

"He's your suitor?" Edward asked quietly.

"No," I replied quietly as well. "He's just a friend."

"A friend." Edward nodded curtly.

"Edward!" Dr. Cullen called out from the doorway and both of us cringed.

"Perhaps I'll see you around," Edward said and then walked away from me.

"Perhaps," I agreed and then glanced up to see Alice smiling at me.

"Ready to go?" Sue asked as she came to stand by my elbow.

"Yes." I nodded as I watched the handsome young man with the sparkling green eyes and messy bronze hair

follow his family from the Hall.

"So?" Emily asked my father as we walked the short distance home together. "Did you like Dr. Cullen and his

family?"

"They seem nice enough," he agreed as he led us up the steps and he motioned for Paul and Seth to put the
now sleeping younger children to bed. "I think they might make a nice addition to the community. We'll have

a doctor so we don't have to go into Draper's Gap and the others seem like hard working boys."

"Do you know what they'll be doing here?" Emily asked.

"His son Jasper is taking over as head of PR for the Coven. Edward is taking over doing the books as well."

"What about Russell Crowley? I thought he did the books for the Coven?" Leah sounded as shocked as I felt
about the change. Russell Crowley was not going to like sharing his domain with a stranger.

"He's still going to be managing the business, but Reverend Weber's decided it's best if Tyler doesn't take over
the books for him. Doesn't think the boy's up to the responsibility and I can't say I blame him. Instead, young
Edward's going to take over; seems that he's a properly trained accountant. Dr. Cullen said he's taking the CPA

for West Virginia as soon as the test is offered again. The community's getting big enough that it's time we
have some properly licensed people in here to do the work."

"And what about the oldest one, Emmett?" Shelly asked.

"He's supposed to be my newest deputy," Charlie muttered. "But I haven't decided for sure yet. I'm starting to
think the boy lacks the right type of authority for this sort of work."

"So what are you going to do?"

Charlie shrugged. "I'm going to go ahead and try him out, but he's on probation until I'm sure it's working out.
I think Dr. Cullen knows that after tonight."

"They're an odd family and that's not a secret." Shelly shook her head disapprovingly. "I was sure I didn't
know what to say with all of them acting as they did. And Dr. Cullen's poor first wife, Esme, she just looked
mortified at the way they behaved. The poor thing."

I'll admit they're a bit strange. That boy Emmett's wife just sitting down as she did, and then her behavior was
even worse. I can't imagine any man tolerating that sort of bad behavior from his wife. But what could he do in
the middle of Hall? It doesn't do for a man to argue with his wife in front of others. And then the second boy,

Jasper, I got the impression that his first wife ain't all there."

"She's very sweet though," Shelly protested.

"She's sweet enough," Charlie agreed, "and just as mannerly as they come once she's coaxed, but softer in the
head than a melon left out in the sun for a week."

"What did you think of Edward?" Leah asked.

"Seemed like a nice enough boy. If I hadn't heard about Aro's Creek before I met him I'd never have believed
it. I'm not sure I do believe the gossip actually."

"You don't think what they're saying is true?"

"Well," Charlie answered, "I'm not saying it's not true but from the report Aro's Creek's police chief sent me,
I'd think it probably happened closer to the way that young Edward claimed than not."

"Well that's good." Emily smiled. "And what else did you think about him? He seemed nice enough to me. Very
polite."

"He's polite enough," Charlie agreed as he sat down at the kitchen table and pulled off his boots. "It's Jake
Black's manners I'm more concerned about though. I'm beginning to wonder if he's quite as mature a young

man as I first thought."

"Really?" I felt my eyes widen as I reached out to take my father's boots and placed them next to the heat vent

in the Hall so they would be warm when he put them on in the morning.

"Don't worry though --" Charlie patted my hand soothingly when I returned. "I think we might find you

another suitor soon enough. I expect Dr. Cullen's wife, Esme, may wish to discuss it with your mothers when
she comes with some of the other wives for tea tomorrow. I understand her boys will be walking them over on
their way to the Coven office."

Chapter Four

EPOV

I glanced over at Alice as we followed my father back down the town's main street toward the house that we

were all currently sharing. Carlisle hadn't been pleased when he'd seen our accommodations but the

Reverend Weber had assured him that all of us would be settled into our own homes within two weeks but
that they had simply wanted to assess our needs first. Thankfully he'd agreed that some of us could sleep in
the clinic's unused beds for the time being to ease the congestion.

When we reached the white clapboard home, I saw her shudder and realized that if I could read her mind then
I wouldn't be surprised to find that we were thinking the exact same thing right now. That house was much
too small for all of us to be in and pretend we weren't hearing the fight that was about to commence. There

was no privacy and that meant Carlisle's rage was about to become a family affair.

"Darling," my mother said as she wrapped her arm through his possessively and then shot a warning glance at

all of his other wives, "it's late. And it's been a very long day. Why don't we go upstairs to bed and start fresh
in the morning?"

I watched as his shoulders slumped and then glanced over to see his other wives all let out sighs of relief.
Leave it to Esme to placate him and save us all the embarrassment of being dragged into a fight tonight.
Tomorrow everyone could make their self scarce and he could rage at Emmett all he wanted.

"I have a phone call to make first," Carlisle grumbled and Esme slipped her hand out of his, sliding her arm
around to rub his lower back lovingly.

"It can't wait?"

"It'll only take a few minutes." He leaned down to kiss her on the head. "I think it might be best if everyone

goes to their rooms and sleeps tonight. Tomorrow is sure to be the beginning of a very busy few weeks."

Everyone nodded silently and began to go their separate ways. My father and his wives would take the house

while the rest of us slept inside the clinic. "And Emmett?"

"Yes Father?"

"Please make sure Rosalie is completely packed and ready to leave tomorrow before you leave for your first
meeting with Chief Swan about work," Carlisle said casually. "It shouldn't take her father more than a few

hours to reach us from Marcus's Ridge. I don't imagine he'll want to stay any longer than necessary."

"Father?" Emmett sounded surprised. "Let's talk about this tomorrow when we've all had a chance to sleep

and calm our nerves. We can all take the night to reflect on the matter and then talk in the morning."

"There is nothing to reflect on," Carlisle answered, still deliberately calm. "Have her things packed and ready
for her father when he comes to retrieve her tomorrow. It's better that you do it tonight rather than wait

because you have a 7:30 meeting with Chief Swan and he's likely to keep you for the entire shift, unless he's
decided not to hire you after tonight's shameful display.

"But --" Emmett protested.

"My decision is final," Carlisle snapped before turning on his heel and dragging Esme roughly up the steps

behind him.

"You should be ashamed of yourself," Siobhan hissed as she stomped forward and shoved her finger

underneath Rosalie's nose. "She'll suffer tonight because you had to try to pull a little stunt and make a
spectacle of yourself."

"I --" Rosalie looked stunned at how the evening had ended. "I didn't have any idea that he would overreact
this way!"

"Well if you'd been thinking about anything beside yourself then you would have known it was coming," Alice
snapped as she grabbed Kachiri's hand and then reached out for Charlotte's as well. "Come on Char you can

bunk in our room tonight."

"Are you sure?" Charlotte asked. "I mean, if there's not enough room then I can take one of the extra rooms in
the clinic."

"There's room," Jasper said firmly as he looked over at Emmett and Rosalie and then frowned. We were all in
for a long night of Rosalie's dramatics and we'd all struggle to make a good first impression at our respective

jobs in the morning. "Edward can pull the spare cot in from his room, can't you Edward?"

"Of course," I agreed. "I even have a few extra blankets and pillows in the linen closet if it'll make you more

comfortable."

"Thank you." my brother's tiny, china doll-like younger wife whispered and then smiled at me tentatively. "I

would appreciate that; if it's no trouble."

"Not a bit." I shrugged and began to follow Jasper's family and Charlotte inside the clinic, leaving Rosalie and

Emmett outside in a heated discussion held entirely in whispers.

"Edward," my father called out from the open front door of the house. "Can you come in here for a moment?"

"Yes Father." I smiled sympathetically at Charlotte and then hurried to the house. Whenever Carlisle was done
I'd help Jasper get her a sleeping area arranged.

"Tomorrow I'd like you to escort Esme with you to work."

"To work? With me?"

"Just as far as that dreadful little shack they call a Hall." Carlisle shook his head. "She's been invited to have
tea with a few of the Brethren's wives and tour the school. I suggested she might want to get involved in the

education here in Coventry since all of you boys are grown now."

"I'm sure she's pleased with your decision," I agreed.

"She seems excited." He smiled briefly and I could see why Esme had once found him to be charming, a trait
she said all of his sons had inherited. I didn't see it when I looked in the mirror, personally, though and

assumed it was just her maternal pride. "Though, I don't know if it's because she can see the school or that
there is the potential she might see a suitable young woman for you. I understand Miss Mallory is available
and works as a secretary of some sort, keeps all the paperwork organized, that sort of thing."

"Oh," I swallowed disappointedly. "I'll make sure she arrives then."

"Thank you," Carlisle nodded. "And while you're in the Coven offices tomorrow see if you can't get an idea of

the best property for us to acquire for ourselves. Try to move the housing assignment along if you can."

"I'll try," I agreed. "Good night Father."

"Good night Edward." Carlisle nodded and I turned to slink down the steps, heavy with the thought of facing
Lauren Mallory again tomorrow morning -- before I had the pleasure of informing her former fiancé's father

that I was taking the position he'd been hoarding for his son and that his own position in the business office
was precarious. It was just the perfect way to begin a new life. "Oh, and Edward?"

"Yes?" I turned around when I reached the bottom of the steps and looked at him.

"For what it's worth, I don't know if you're at all interested, but Miss Swan -- the Chief's daughter? The young
woman with the cobbler you had to force yourself to eat two helpings of?"

"Yes Father?"

"She works at the school as well. Apparently she tutors the 1st and 2nd graders and helps the high school
students with their English studies. But, I'm sure if you put some effort in, it will be possible to avoid her
easily enough."

Even in the dark I could tell he was smirking and shook my head. I was not ready to begin seeing another
woman and I highly doubted I was what any girl considered to be a good catch; not with all the rumors being

spread about me. I was not looking to get into a relationship with anyone right now -- especially a girl who
smelled of strawberries and laundry detergent and whose eyes looked like melted chocolate. She deserved
more than a monster like me and with the Chief of Police as a father she would certainly have any number of

more eligible suitors.

The next morning I stumbled out of the clinic exhausted and found Alice and Hale curled up on the porch
swing underneath a blanket. "What are you doing out here?" I rasped out as I rubbed my eyes. "Why aren't

you inside?"

"Rosalie was too much," Alice groaned as she tried to shift under Jasper's version of mini-Me. "When she

started the screeching and the wailing it woke Hale. I thought we were going to be okay but then she started
up with the suicidal stuff and then calling the rest of Marcus's Ridge down on us in some sort of vendetta and -
-"

"It was too much for Kachiri?"

"The minute she said the word 'raid', it was over for Kachiri," Alice shook her head. "Can you blame her
though? Try to look at this from Kachiri's perspective."

I shook my head again. Kachiri's family had been part of the community at Caius's Mill in Louisiana. There was
some sort of incident there when she was a child and it had quickly turned into a siege by federal authorities
and ended in a mass suicide and a hail of gunfire. Kachiri and four others were the only survivors. The rumor
after the fact was that the entire thing was the result of a perceived slight against the families at Marcus's

Ridge by someone at Caius's Mill; bringing us back to the situation at hand and Emmett's decision to marry
the daughter of the preacher at Marcus's Ridge.

"So where are they?"

"Jasper found a couple of tarps and some rope in the SUV and took Kachiri up to the woods to sleep. It's the

only way to really get her calm."

"What about Charlotte?"

"She's sleeping in the SUV. The stress was too much for her and she shouldn't have to put up with it in her
condition. Have you seen Emmett?"

"He looks worse for wear," I answered. "He was trying to pack her clothes up and as fast as he was packing,
she was unpacking and slapping him, she's moved on to personal insults and screaming obscenities."

"What is he saying?"

"He's telling her to go visit her parent's long enough for Carlisle to calm down. He thinks it might be better
that she go away until Carlisle isn't so angry and she's got a better grasp of her own emotions. He said she can
even stay until after Char's baby is born."

Alice shook her head. "I can't imagine she's taking that well."

"She's not, but it's not any of my business so I'm going to get breakfast before I walk to work. You coming?"

"Nah," Alice smiled as she pulled the blankets back up over her and the still sleeping child. "We're going to
sleep in."

"You do that then." I laughed as I made my way off the clinic porch and across the small yard to the house.

I made my way across the yard and up the steps to my father's new home next to the clinic. "Hey." Esme
smiled at me brightly as she hurried outside and pulled the door shut behind her, her shawl trailing out of her
left hand. "Ready to go?"

"I was actually going to eat --"

"I brought you out a biscuit sandwich," Esme answered hurriedly as she shoved a paper towel wrapped parcel

into my hands. "I figured you wouldn't want to be late."

"Mother --"

"It's fine," she said and smiled a little too brightly. "Everything is fine. I just don't want to be --"

The sound of breaking crockery told me that it was anything but fine. A second later, I heard another crash
and saw Esme flinch. She grabbed my arm quickly and tried her best to lead me away.

"Do I want to know?" I asked quietly.

"Last night was Tanya's night," Esme whispered and I noticed she was taking careful steps, favoring her right

leg. I was sure that if I touched her back even lightly she would be in pain. "That means it's her job to cook
breakfast this morning as well."

"And?"

"Your father wasn't pleased when she told him to make himself a bowl of cereal. So I hurried up and made
some canned biscuits and fried some sausage. I had hoped it would diffuse the situation but unfortunately --"

"Tanya couldn't keep her damn mouth shut?"

"Edward!" She glared at me. "Language, young man."

"What? It's the truth," I grumbled stubbornly.

"I took her night," Esme said apologetically.

"You took the beating Father was determined to dish out. She was more than happy to let you take it, don't let

her pretend otherwise. She just wants the attention and the sympathy afterwards."

"I should have spoken to her about it before I just stepped in and took charge."

"Don't --" I shook my head wearily and shoved the still warm paper towel wrapped sandwich into my trouser
pocket; there was no way I could manage to choke it down now. "Just, please, don't defend either of them to
me right now. Don't defend any of this."

"Edward --" Esme was almost in tears beside me and I immediately felt bad. I hated my Father and the life that
we were forced to lead because of him. I hated the existence of his other wives and some of them -- most

especially Tanya -- I hated personally. I hated that no matter how loathsome all of this was, I was stuck here
because when I tried to leave my mother had been devastated and begged me to reconsider. Most of all, I
hated that she suffered worse than any of the rest of us and she was doing it willingly.

"You just asked me to stay Mother," I hissed angrily as we stepped onto the stone path for the Hall, where she
was supposed to meet the other women. On the porch I could see Lauren Mallory eyeing me with what was

supposed to be a seductive smile and rolled my eyes. At the other end of the porch I saw Bella Swan talking
animatedly to another young woman with long black hair, completely oblivious to our arrival.

"I agreed to stay because you and Alice begged," I continued quietly and when I looked down I could see that

she was almost in tears. "I never said I would reconsider my opinions on anything."

"I just don't understand." She reached for my arm and I jerked away from her. She was my mother and I loved

her. I had been born premature and had never been a very healthy child so we'd been closer than most boys
and their mothers tended to be because of circumstance. Rather than develop much of a relationship with
Carlisle, my world had resolved around Esme and because of that I adored her. My adoration for her and my

friendship with Alice and Kebi had been the only reason I'd returned to Aro's Creek after finishing my
education. Now, my love for Esme and Alice were the only things keeping me here.

"Esme?" Both of us turned as Bella Swan made her way down the steps toward us. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine," Esme said hurriedly as she glanced over at me, begging me with her eyes to behave. "My

allergies just aren't used to all the damp grass."

"It does take some adjusting," Bella agreed as she glanced over at me warily. I could tell by looking at her that
she didn't believe Esme's excuse in the slightest. The slight hardness around her mouth told me she knew

Esme wasn't okay and that it was me who had upset her. She reached out to give Esme a brief hug and then
pulled back to smile at her. "Welcome to our little school. We're glad you could take the time to come help out.
Mrs. Cheney and Mrs. Weber aren't here yet but can Angela and I give you a tour?"

"That would be wonderful," Esme said happily and then looked at me imploringly, eager for me to say
something. I, meanwhile, was staring at the tiny girl in front of me, reeling from the smell of strawberries that

clung to her was stronger this morning than it had been the night before in the crowded Hall. The lingering
scent of Bella made my mouth water and for the first time in my life, I had the urge to bite another human
being. I could barely focus, the monster inside my head trying to quickly formulate a plan to get Bella Swan

away from the tiny school; the annoying swarm of students; and my own mother, so that I could pull her dress

off and kiss every inch of her to find out if she tasted anywhere near as delectable as she smelled. "Would you
like to join us Edward?"

"What?" I stared at the two of them blankly. Bella bit her lower lip and I had to stifle a groan. Her teeth were
trespassing over property that should rightfully belong to me and only to me. I would be a much better

caretaker for those lips than anyone else could ever imagine being. Given the chance, I would devote a
significant portion of my life to worshipping them in the way they deserved. The tip of her tiny tongue swept
out to moisten her bottom lip and my knees felt weak. I could willingly build temples in that mouth's honor --
I'd barely been in her presence two minutes and I'd already erected a rather sturdy tent.

"Join us for a tour of the school," Esme insisted.

"I --" I glanced between the two of them. There was no way I could be close to Bella Swan right now and not
make a complete fool of myself. "I need to get to work," I said hurriedly.

"Right," Esme sounded disappointed. "I'll come over to the Coven office once the day is over here. Then you
can take me home when you've finished. I'm sure Bella will give me directions."

"It's the building on the other side of the Meeting House Mother." I shook my head.

"I'll walk you over after," Bella said helpfully and I clenched my hands into fists at my side. She wasn't going to

make getting over my sudden infatuation with her easy now, was she?

"Fine," I snapped and then glared at Bella first and then my beaming mother. "I'll see you this afternoon. Miss
Swan."

"Mr. Cullen." She nodded coldly before wrapping her arm through my mother's and leading her toward the
school. I spun around on my heel and stormed off toward the Coven office. I'd been dreading explaining my

appearance to Russell Crowley but right now he was just the distraction I needed. Reverend Weber was sure
the other man was cheating him and nothing would take my mind off Bella Swan like a good, thorough audit of
the Coven's accounting records. Let someone else sweat for once.

I made it to the office and felt someone staring at the back of my head, making the hairs on the back of my
neck stand up. Turning, I saw Bella Swan looking at me intently as my mother chatted with the other young

woman on the Hall's meager front lawn. The minute my eyes met hers, she jerked her head away and focused
back on the conversation.

Whatever else happened, there were three things I was certain of. One, Bella Swan was somehow wrapped up
in the cult my family had become a part of and I wasn't sure how devout of a believer she was. Two, from the
way she was glaring, I knew she'd heard the rumors about me and after watching my display with Esme had
decided I was the worst sort of monster – the type that would purposely hurt a woman. Three, I was

completely and irrevocably in lust with her. I was almost positive that the combination was going to lead me
straight to the brink of insanity and right over that razor sharp edge.

Chapter five

BPOV

I watched him storm away from the Hall and I could hear Esme's breath hitch slightly as he stomped up the

steps to the Coven office. "My Edward really is a good man," she said quietly.

"I'm sure he is," Angela said reassuringly and patted her on the back. I noticed she winced slightly and glanced
over at Angela. She had noticed as well and we both looked at each other wide-eyed. Someone had taken to

beating Esme Cullen and it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out a very short list of suspects.

Angela and I both shifted uncomfortably and then she focused her attention solely on Esme. "So, Mrs. Cullen,
my mother says you have an interest in helping out with the school. We're so thankful to have another

volunteer."

"Call me Esme please," she answered quietly as Angela looped her arm through Esme's and began pulling her

toward the school. "And I've always loved education. I made sure all of my boys received a solid education and
while it didn't take as much with Emmett, both Jasper and Edward are exceedingly bright."

"Are they?" Angela asked as I glanced over at the Coven Office to see her exceptionally bright monster
standing on the porch, staring at me angrily. I jerked my head away and tried to focus on his mother. What
sort of man would upset a woman like Esme? Argue with her in front of an entire group of people? Who would

shame their mother in that way?

'Someone who was raised to believe it was acceptable,' a tiny voice inside my head rationalized and I shook

my head at the thought as Angela led us up the steps and into the Hall.

"Oh yes --" Esme nodded, smiling, as she began to tell us all about her sons and their education. "All three of
my boys earned their equivalencies and then went to college. Emmett only went as far as the local community

college but Edward and Jasper both went on to university after they finished two years locally."

"Really?" Angela looked at her and I could see that she was as impressed as I was. I didn't know anyone who

had been to an actual university. Some of our young men, like Jake, had gone into the local two year college
but even though WVU was only an hour away, I knew that no one would have ever considered sending their
children there for continuing education.

"Oh yes," Esme agreed. "And then Edward --"

"Bella!" Mrs. Cheney called out. "Oh good, you've found Mrs. Cullen!"

"Hello Mrs. Cheney." I smiled as she opened her arms and gave me a brief hug. "Yes, Esme and I met last night

at dinner."

"That's great," Mrs. Cheney enthused as she released me and then looked Esme over. "According to Becky
Weber you've got a good deal of experience in education."

"I have some," Esme agreed modestly.

"Well," Mrs. Cheney said, "I thought for the first week you would shadow Bella, get a feel for how things work,
where the bathrooms are, that sort of thing. That will also give you a chance to get to know the students since
I was thinking we should split Bella's class and let you take half of them."

"Split her class?" Esme looked over at me alarmed. "I don't want to take anyone's position or --"

"No, no," I reassured her. "I currently have what would be the kindergarteners and the first graders in one
class. We were hoping to get another volunteer eventually so that we could split the class."

"Well --" she looked over at me cautiously. "If you're sure that you don't mind."

"Not at all," I answered honestly. "Let me show you to our little hidey hole and we'll get started for the day."

"Wonderful," Esme agreed as we both waved good-bye to Angela and Mrs. Yorkie and made our way inside the

Hall and toward the back corner that was my temporary classroom.

"This --" I waved to the fold-up walls and the six long tables and the stack of chairs in the corner. "-- is home

sweet home. It doesn't look like much, but we're making do with what we have."

"It's better than nothing," Esme agreed as she took one edge of a table and I took the opposite, lifting it easily
and moving it into place. The other tables were quickly moved and then the chairs organized behind them a

few minutes later.

"Bella?" Esme sounded miserable as I began to unpack my bag and remove the teacher's edition of the

workbooks that my students were using.

"Yes?"

"My Edward really is a good man," she whispered. "I know it doesn't seem that way but --"

"I'm sure he is," I smiled at her reassuringly.

"He's just really suffering right now," Esme sighed. "He's suffering with so many things and it makes him

angry. He doesn't mean to be this way."

"It's not any of my business," I said quietly and thought about the way he'd spoken to her and how I knew
someone had beaten her.

You learned very quickly in a community like Coventry what is and isn't your business. What went on in a
family wasn't the business of anyone outside that family as long as it didn't break the law. At least it wasn't

part of anyone's public business. Meanwhile, this afternoon I would be sure to bring up to Sue about Esme and
I knew she'd go to my father about it tonight. Likewise, Angela would go to her mother in strictest confidence
and Mrs. Weber would go to the Reverend. While neither man would stop Carlisle or even say anything to him,

leaving the man to tend to his wives as he saw fit, they and the rest of the Brethren would be on notice and it
would affect the doctor subtly. Beating women and children was frowned upon in Coventry and it was
generally thought that a man who wasn't wise enough to know how to live in harmony with his own wife

without beating her was a man who wasn't wise enough to be consulted on major decisions affecting the
community. He also wasn't a man who needed anymore wives. After all, if he had to beat the ones he already
had, then surely another would be too much of a burden on him? Either way, Edward Cullen and his messed
up family wasn't my concern.

"It could be," Esme said quietly as our students began filing in and I bit my lower lip. My father had been right
in his assessment. The Cullens had come to Coventry in an attempt to get away from the scandal they were

involved in and find their youngest son a new wife. Given my father's position as Chief of Police and as a high
ranking member of the Brethren, it appeared I was the most politically attractive of all the eligible young
women in Coventry. Meanwhile, the fact that I would be a first, legal, wife to someone in a position with the

potential for advancement made Edward Cullen an attractive suitor for my father. So I would have to tread
carefully so that I didn't overstep any bounds of propriety but still managed to make my father disapprove of
an alliance with the new doctor and his sons.

The rest of the morning passed quickly and I was amazed to see how good Esme really was with children. She
was kind and genuinely interested in their lives, which the children responded to enthusiastically. As she

interacted with them, I saw the sadness leave her and was amazed at the charming, vivacious woman who
blossomed in the tiny school room. When the bell rang at noon, all of the children lined up to hug first me and
then Esme as they made their way outside and toward their mothers.

"When do we have to be back from lunch?" Esme asked suddenly as we watched the children go. "I was hoping
to visit Edward."

"We don't have an afternoon session; the children are done at noon."

"You don't go all day?"

"No," I answered sadly. "Perhaps in a few years we can convince the Reverend that it's a good idea but right
now we're grateful to have what we do."

"I see," she said with a nod. "So how does the schooling situation work in Coventry then?"

"All of the children are encouraged to come to the Hall for school from the age of 5 until they complete their
eighth grade equivalency. Those are the morning sessions. Then, each teacher volunteers two days a week to
help the older students who are self-studying for their high school equivalency. My days are Tuesday and

Thursday. We don't actually teach like we do with the younger students -- we more tutor them. It's not much,
but it's a start in the right direction. Maybe if we can prove how well this is working, we can garner more
support."

"Is that an issue?" Esme looked at me curiously.

"You could say that." I laughed. "This is the first year that Reverend Weber is actually supporting the school

publicly and we've had a huge growth because of it. Until four years ago, we didn't even have a school
program. It was up to the mothers to do their own home school curriculum. Like most places, some parents
were wonderful at it and their children got excellent educations and others were --" I glanced out the Hall

door toward the town's only street and saw Jessica Newton making her way into the tiny grocery. I knew for a
fact she was completely illiterate and Mike wasn't much better. "Lacking."

"I see." Esme nodded as we stepped onto the porch. "Whose idea was it to start the school then?"

"Actually it was Mrs. Cheney and Mrs. Weber's idea."

"Reverend Weber's wife?"

"Yes ma'am," I answered. "When my father brought me to Coventry he needed someone to help him with my

schooling. Since Angela and I were the same age and we lived right across the street, Mrs. Weber offered to
teach me as well as Angela. Mrs. Yorkie is Mrs. Weber's sister and her son, Eric, was just a year older than we
were and so he started studying with us as well. Then the Cheney's came to town and Mrs. Cheney used to be a

teacher so she joined us with her children as well. Pretty soon it became an open door policy for all the
mothers to bring their children and then those of them that had weak educational backgrounds themselves
could get help teaching their children.

As Mrs. Cheney told the Reverend once -- you can't expect a woman without any education herself to give her
children a good one without help. When I was thirteen, Reverend Weber decided there were enough children

involved to allow us to use the Hall. We started an actual program with set hours and uniform home school
curricula the year I began self study."

"And what about you?" Esme asked as she took my arm and began walking with me toward the Coven office.

"I, uh, I need to get --"

"You don't teach this afternoon?" she asked as she continued to pull me the short distance to the office.

"No?" I replied weakly when we reached the bottom step of the office.

"Wonderful," Esme smiled. "You can keep me company while I wait for Edward to be ready for lunch and then
the two of us can escort you home, all nice and proper. It wouldn't do for you to walk home alone."

"Esme? I live across the street from Reverend Weber. My father's home is the white house diagonal from this

one. Walking me home won't be necessary."

"I would feel better about it dear," Esme patted my arm lovingly. "Now please, don't leave me alone with all of

these boring men until Edward can escort me home. Please?"

"Of course not," I smiled at her. "But perhaps you would like to join my mothers and I for tea instead?"

"No." She shook her head sadly. "I promised Edward I would meet him at the office and it wouldn't do for me
to change plans and inconvenience him like that."

"Of course," I muttered weakly as she led me up the stairs and into the waiting room.

"Thomas!" I winced as I heard Russell Crowley yell at the Reverend Weber. "You are not serious about this are
you? You're going to let this little bastard come in here and start wreaking havoc on the books?"

"Russell," I heard the Reverend's baritone. "Why don't we all go into my office and discuss it like gentlemen?"

"Because it's not very gentlemanly of you to bring in some kid who's eying my position in this Coven and
spreading lies about me. I know what he's doing. Everyone knows about what he is and he's just trying to

draw attention to someone else because he thinks people here will forget about what he did to that poor girl."

I heard Esme draw in a sharp breath and when I looked over her eyes were hard. "That son of a --" she trailed

off and then smiled at me weakly. I tried my best to smile in return.

"Edward knew nothing about this before I met with him this morning," the Reverend answered and I strained

my ears listening for the person they were arguing about. "He had believed he was coming to assist you in the
office. Even you agreed how useful it would be to have a fully licensed tax attorney and CPA in our office."

Tax attorney? My father had mentioned that Edward was an accountant but he'd never mentioned the man
was an attorney as well. I glanced over at Esme and could see her pride shining through at the thought of her
son and the education she had given him being useful.

"Until the first thing he did was come in here and demand to see the books!" Russell Crowley answered.

"Well how else is he supposed to get a clear picture of the business end of our congregation unless he sees the

data involved? And it shouldn't be a problem, Russell, unless you're doing something dishonest. Which it
appears you have been with the way you're slinging accusations about."

"I have not! The boy just doesn't have the know-how to understand our ledgers."

Esme bristled at my side again and even I felt wary. Had Edward caught Russell Crowley stealing from the
coven? It wouldn't surprise me but that was a bold accusation to make your very first day in a new

community.

"Actually," I heard his voice break in. "You have been and you haven't even been very clever about it."

"How dare you!"

"Russell, be quiet," Reverend Weber admonished. "Go on Edward, explain this to me and please remember I
have no idea about how the books are run."

"Well," Edward answered. "Basically, he kept writing checks for various things and making them out to cash."

"They were for services to the Coven that could only be paid for in cash. That's why we have cash accounts."

"That's true," Edward replied. "The thing is what you notated the cash settlements for are things you don't
have corresponding receipts for. Or in most cases you have double entries."

"Can you explain this to me a little more clearly?" Reverend Weber broke in.

"Russell would write a check for cash and then notate that it was for a computer. Well, when I looked through

our receipts, I could only find the receipt for a computer that wasn't in the office. What tipped me off was on
that particular receipt he had added the wrong receipt. Instead of putting in the sales receipt, Russell
submitted the returned item receipt where they reimbursed his money. I then went to the Accounts and saw

that the money wasn't reentered into the Journal or the Accounts. My guess is that he's done it with several
things and in just the small amount of digging I've managed to do, I've found several instances of goods being
bought for cash without receipts, and services being rendered by companies that I can't find listed in the
phone book -- either as business or personal lines. Meanwhile, since its all cash, it goes straight into Russell's

pocket."

"Is it true?" Reverend Weber's voice was extremely low now and I winced. I'd only ever heard him use that

tone once before and I knew that either Russell Crowley or Edward was going to come out of this meeting in
bad shape. "Were you stealing money from this community?"

"It was money I deserved," Russell retorted and I felt my stomach drop at the sound of his admission. He'd
stolen from the coven. What would the Reverend do now? What would happen to the Crowley family because
of Russell's dishonesty? "I've slaved away making this town a ton of money and what do I get? Pennies to

support my family on. I make less money working here after 25 years than some kid fresh out of college does
on his first day in the outside world."

"What need did you have of money?" Reverend Weber asked. "This community isn't about profit, it's about a

mutual faith."

"A mutual faith that has us holed up in the hills, praying the authorities will be too busy with other things to

come make trouble and poke their noses around. No one has any protection here."

"And stealing from your friends would do that?" Edward asked. "It would protect you?"

"Yes," Russell answered. "If worse came to worse, I would have money to take my wives and my children to
make a fresh start somewhere else. I'll not be like those fools in Texas, waiting around for the authorities to

come in with trumped up charges so they can take everything from us."

"Russell, you overreact. Texas has nothing to do with us here in West Virginia. The people here don't care that
we even exist for the most part. We live quietly in our town and make no trouble and they leave us be. We

would never end up in that situation."

"That's what they said at Caius's Mill," Russell answered and I felt Esme stiffen. "Lived quietly with the

neighbors and look how it all ended up for them. Why don't you go ask your new golden boy's mute sister-in-
law, huh? If she talked, she could tell you what happened in Caius's Mill when they all kept their peace and
stayed quiet."

"This isn't Caius's Mill, this isn't Marcus's Ridge, this is Coventry," Reverend Weber countered. "And things
like that will not happen here."

"And I put enough aside to make sure that if that ever changed, my own were taken care of," Russell replied.
"Just like the two of you would raid the Coven funds yourself and take care of your own and leave the rest of
them to rot."

"I see," Reverend Weber said quietly and Esme and I both sat in silence watching the door between the
waiting room and the office with rapt attention. "Edward and I have had a long discussion about this situation

Russell, and I must say I can't think of another solution."

"I've prepared you a cash settlement of $30,000," Edward said and I felt my eyes widen.

"In return," Reverend Weber continued. "You are to leave Coventry with your grown sons and never return. If
your wives wish to leave with you, that is your choice. If they wish to stay they can be reassigned with their
children to other husbands. Regardless, you and your sons will be gone by morning. You'll also sign a

nondisclosure agreement that Edward has drawn up and you will leave the area. You will not give interviews,
write a book, or talk to the authorities with slanderous accusations about this community and its lifestyle. If
you do, we will prosecute you in court. In return you can take your money and go."

"Fine," Russell Crowley growled and I curled my toes slightly in fear. "Give me the paper to sign and we'll be
gone by morning."

Esme and I sat, uncomfortable, for a few more minutes as the sounds of business being wound down behind
the door continued. There was no way we could pretend we hadn't heard everything or avoid Russell when he

came out of the office. We had been eavesdropping on the hottest piece of gossip to rock this town since the
older Mallory twins had come up pregnant out of wedlock at the same time and then married the same young
man the next week. This might actually be bigger than that. No one was surprised at the Mallory girls' loose
behavior but I couldn't imagine too many people outside the Council of Brethren suspected Russell Crowley

was stealing from the church.

The door opened a moment later and Russell Crowley stormed out and through the main lobby. "He's been in

town less than two days and already has them panting after his heels," Russell snapped. "I'd have expected
better of you, Bella Swan. I didn't think you'd be the type to chase social standing so easily."

"I --"

"Russell --" Reverend Weber answered wearily and I looked up to see Edward glaring at all of us. He turned to

look at me, his jaw tense and his eyes blazing, so I quickly looked to the floor and felt my face flame.

"Just make sure to stay away when he's cleaning his guns," Russell retorted cruelly. "Apparently he doesn't

have the steadiest of hands."

I felt Esme stiffen and when I looked at Edward I could see he was gripping the long counter bisecting the
room so hard that his knuckles were white and I was sure he would break it if he didn't let go. There was no

mistaking the waves of rage that rolled off him and I couldn't help but cowering further back in my seat. After
seeing this, I no longer had any doubts about the monster inside Edward Cullen or the devastation it could
unleash. Russell Crowley stormed out and a moment later Reverend Weber sighed loudly.

"Edward, I am so sorry your first day here involved such a scene. I have put you in a horrible position and I
must apologize."

"There's no need," Edward said quietly and I could see he'd released the table and was running his fingers
through his already messy hair. "I can understand why you would want a professional audit of the books
before you made a decision and given the circumstances, I felt the package you offered him was exceedingly

generous. The fact that the community is not actively seeking to prosecute is even more so."

"It's best if we don't draw attention to ourselves," Reverend Weber answered. "Besides, it's our duty as a

Coven to forgive others."

"Perhaps," Edward agreed, "but he didn't seem precisely repentant."

"Well," Reverend Weber answered. "That isn't my concern. What concerns me now is whether you feel you
can take on all of the duties involved with running the Coven office on your own of if you'll need assistance."

"I think I can manage," Edward replied. "An administrative assistant might be helpful for a few hours each
day, but if it's not possible then it can be managed without."

"An administrative --"

"A secretary," I supplied helpfully and both men turned to look at me.

"Indeed," Reverend Weber nodded. "I'm not sure who among the married women we could spare --"

"What about Alice?" Esme broke in.

"Alice?" Reverend Weber asked.

"My daughter-in-law Alice," Esme repeated. "Jasper's wife. Charlotte and my sister wives can help care for
Hale during the day and she can come here to work."

"Perhaps he could come and play with Claire everyday?" I suggested.

"If that is a suitable arrangement for Jasper," Reverend Weber agreed, "and she can find adequate child care, I
see no reason not to allow Mrs. Cullen to help you out in a secretarial position. Make whatever arrangements
you feel are necessary."

"Thank you," Edward agreed.

"Miss Swan?" Reverend Weber looked over at me curiously. "Is there something you needed to speak with me

about?"

I blushed again. "Oh, no, Reverend Weber, I was simply keeping Esme company until she could have lunch

with Edward. We're co-teaching this week while she learns the ropes."

"Learn the ropes," Edward muttered angrily and then glared at me.

"Well then, have a nice afternoon and tell your mothers I said hello,"

"I will Reverend."

"Edward?" Esme broke in as Reverend Weber left the office. "I promised Bella we would escort her home since
she was nice enough to sit with me. That won't be a problem will it?"

"Of course not," Edward shook his head. "Just let me lock the office up."

A few minutes later we were standing on the porch staring at each other awkwardly as Esme beamed at us

both. "Miss Swan?" Edward offered his arm and I took it hesitantly. I wasn't sure I wanted to touch him. He
was beautiful to look at but I wasn't sure my arm would return to me whole if he happened to fall into another
rage. "Which way do we go to see you home?"

"I live --" I pointed at the house. "-- right there."

"We're escorting you across the street," he whispered.

"Your mother insisted," I replied and tried to keep my voice even. "I told her it wasn't necessary."

"Of course it isn't," Edward replied and I noticed that Esme remained a few paces to the side and behind us so
that while we were chaperoned, for all to see, we also had some privacy. "Much like your attempts to teach my

mother how to teach are worthless as well."

"Excuse me?"

"You can't seriously believe my mother, a certified teacher, needs tips from some little girl playing make
believe?" Edward didn't bother to keep his voice down as we reached my front lawn.

"Edward --" Esme tried to protest.

"I didn't say I was trying to teach your mother how to teach," I snapped. "I said we were co-teaching until she

could learn the ropes. You know the little things -- where the bathrooms are, what time the day starts, what
time it ends, where the books are stored, the children's names. Those sorts of meaningless little things that
you need to get through the day. Well at least us mere mortals need. Who knows when it comes to one of the

sainted Cullens; I'm sure the necessary facilities aren't something someone as enlightened as you aren't
concerned about."

Esme giggled behind me and I could see Edward flush. "I didn't mean to suggest --"

"That's exactly what you meant to suggest," I supplied. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go inside and help
my mothers. We have guests for dinner tonight."

"The Blacks?" Edward growled.

"Perhaps," I taunted. "And perhaps it's none of your business. I will see you tomorrow morning Esme. Good
day, Edward."

"And a pleasant one to you as well," he replied mockingly as I turned on my heel and stormed across the lawn.

"Edward," I heard Esme hiss as they began to walk away. "What has gotten into you?"

I didn't hear his response as they made their way down the street and I went inside. I didn't care what had
possessed Edward Cullen, as long as it convinced him to stay far away from me. I'd rather have no suitor at all
than be desired by that monster.

Chapter Six

EPOV

"Edward," my mother hissed as we walked down the street and away from the Swan family's home. "What has
gotten into you? I have never heard you speak so poorly to someone before!"

"I don't like the airs she takes with you," I grumbled petulantly and tried to shift again to make the erection I'd
been enduring since seeing Isabella Swan in the Coven Office less noticeable. "Suggesting that she somehow
knows more about teaching than you do."

"She said no such thing," my mother replied. "It was just as she suggested a moment ago. We're co-teaching

her class until I learn the students and get familiar with the curriculum they're using. And for the record, she
was doing the exact opposite of trying to teach me how to teach, she actually tried to learn as much as possible
so that, in her words, she could be a better teacher since she has no training!"

"Oh --" I let my shoulders slump forward. It would be much easier to dislike Isabella Swan if she'd give me
some reason to. Then I could get rid of this sudden fascination I felt toward her.

"That's right," my mother snapped, "now you've made me look like an utter fool. I spent all morning trying to
convince Bella what a nice, gentlemanly young man you are and this is how you behave? We'll both be lucky if
she doesn't spit in your face the next time she sees you and you'd deserve it."

"She seems too mannerly to do that," I muttered quietly.

"Too right," Esme nodded sharply. "And more's the pity since you'd deserve it."

"Deserve what?" Alice asked as we rounded the bend toward the house, where she was playing with Hale in
the front yard.

"For Isabella Swan to spit in his face," Esme told her with a glower.

"Were you rude to Bella?"

"I may have been a little short," I conceded.

"A little short? You weren't even civil. If you weren't twice my size, Edward Anthony, I would take a belt to you

right here in the front yard. I might have Emmett hold you down so I can. At least she'd be inclined to forgive
me then!"

"Mother --" I rolled my eyes. "I am a twenty six year old man. I hardly think I'm in need of a spanking like a
small child."

"Then stop acting like one! She would make an absolutely wonderful addition to the family and you're the
only one her father will consider since he's deemed she'll be a first wife only. What makes you think she wants

to belong to a man who acts like a child?" my mother huffed as she stormed through the gate and swung Hale
up onto her hip as she stomped up the stairs. "Grandma needs a cookie, Hale."

"Cookie!" He shrieked happily.

"Yes, there's some gingerbread inside that I made for your Uncle Edward's first day of work but we're going to
go inside and eat it all up and not let him have any because he's been mean."

"Bad Uncle Edward," Hale said solemnly as he looked off my mother's shoulder. "No cookies!"

"Well," I said with a shrug as I looked at Alice, "I guess he told me."

"I guess he did," she laughed. "Why Edward?"

"Why what?"

"Why are you pushing Bella Swan away so hard? She's done nothing but be nice toward you and I could feel
the chemistry between you at dinner last night."

"She has a suitor."

"No she doesn't," Alice shook her head. "He wants to be her suitor but her father hasn't agreed yet. All he is
right now is a man that's interested in a girl he's not yet old enough to pay attention to."

"But --"

"Why are you afraid of her Edward?"

"I'm not afraid of her! I'm just not interested in cultivating a relationship with some close minded, ignorant,
religious fanatic. I'm not you Alice!" She slapped me so hard I actually stumbled from the force of it.

"What the hell Alice?"

"You are not going to talk about your brother that way!" She snarled.

"Why? Because how he treats you is so wonderful? The fact that to the rest of the world you're nothing but his
mistress is okay?"

"What do you think would have happened if we were them?" she shrieked angrily and I could see the tears
streaming down her face. "Do you think he'd have been such a bastard as to leave Kachiri when he met me? Do
you think he'd have had an affair? That she'd have somehow been okay if we lived outside of where we do?"

"I don't --"

"She wouldn't have been, Edward!" Alice insisted as she shook me hard. "Listen to me, Kachiri is sick. She
doesn't mean to be, but she is and it doesn't matter where we could have been -- she'd have still been sick and
she'd still be broken and your brother would be too good of a man to leave her like that. I would still be the

other woman because one of the biggest reasons I love Jasper is that he didn't throw her out like the trash
when she got ill. Do you think anyone in Aro's Creek would have cared that he divorced a loony patient of a
wife? It wasn't that they wouldn't let him divorce her -- Jasper refused. Do you understand me? He refused to
send her away because she was sick!"

"Alice," I stuttered as she shook me again.

"You don't have the market cornered on pain and regret Edward," Alice retorted. "And none of that is Isabella
Swan's fault."

"It doesn't matter Alice." I shook my head. "What you and Jasper have, you may be happy to live like we do,
but I can't be Alice. I can't believe the way we live is right and I'm not interested in forming an attachment to
someone who'll keep me here one minute longer than I have to be, and I won't ask anyone to forsake what
they believe in for me just like I wouldn't for her."

"And what would she be forsaking exactly? Sharing you with another woman? Are you sure that's what she
wants?"

"How could she not? It's what she's been raised to believe is right!"

"Have you asked her?"

"What?"

"Have you asked her if she believes in any of it or if she's just paying lip service like you do?"

"No." I stared at her blankly. "But why wouldn't she? It's what she's been raised with."

"It was what you were raised with as well." Alice shrugged as she turned and walked into the house, leaving
me alone in the front yard with my thoughts.

Maybe Isabella Swan was different from everyone else. Maybe she had a mind of her own and we could have a

good conversation and she was something more than just pretty. Maybe, in some parallel world we could get
married and have babies and live happily ever after. And in another, we could get to the wedding night and it
could fall apart as tragically as it did with Kebi, Bella and Coventry both hiding the dirty little secrets that

Aro's Creek had exacted from its daughters. And if I wanted to think about parallel worlds, then there was a
third where Kebi was still happy and smiling all the time instead of rotting in the red clay soil of a Georgia
cemetery.

"Edward?" my father called out and I jerked out of my daze and spun around to look at him.

"Yes Father?"

"Is everything all right? You seem upset."

"Mother is pushing me to show some interest in Isabella Swan and I may have acted rashly out of annoyance."

"It happens." He shrugged. "You just get so fed up with everyone meddling and something just goes inside,
doesn't it?"

"Yeah, that doesn't make it right though."

"Apologize to your mother and Isabella and it should all be fine. I'm sure she sees what a fine catch you are."

"Father," I sighed. "I don't want Isabella Swan to see me as a fine catch. We're much better off far away from
each other."

"I see." He nodded again, contemplatively. "You've no interest in the girl? She's very pretty after all and quite a
cook."

"Father, there's more to marriage than good looks and a warm dinner."

"There is," he agreed. "And if you don't think Isabella Swan has the other things you need for a good marriage
than that is your decision. I'll speak to your mother about backing off."

"Thank you Sir."

"It's not a problem, Edward." He clapped me on the shoulder. "You'll find the women you're destined to all in
good time. There's no need to rush, especially with a first wife. They set the tone for an entire family."

I grimaced at his comment. I had no intention of taking any wives at all. Not a first wife, nor any additional

ones. The family would have to grow without a contribution on my part because I wasn't going to risk myself

that way again. Not for my father, my mother, their desire for grandchildren and political power, and most
definitely not for Isabella Swan.

"Let's forget about your mother's newest fancy though." He patted me on the back again as he turned to look
at the clinic. "I heard from a few friendly neighbors there was a bit of a stir at the Coven Office."

"It was less than an hour ago." I rolled my eyes.

"And this is a very small community," Carlisle retorted. "I'm surprised it took as long as it did. I understand
you caught Russell Crowley with his hand in the till?"

"He wasn't clever about it." I shrugged. "The Reverend fired him and asked him to leave the community by
tomorrow morning."

"And what does that mean for you?"

"An instant promotion to being the Coven's Business Manager; Reverend Weber said he'll put it to a vote at
the next Brethren meeting. He suggested that I'll be asked to join in about five meetings."

"They'll wait so long?"

"They feel like it's better for you to have a few meetings under your belt before they ask one of your sons to
join as well. You'll officially have seniority over me -- as you should."

"I see." He nodded. "And Jasper?"

"I'm given to understand that he'll be asked to join at the same meeting as I am."

"Two of my sons on the council of Brethren --" Carlisle nodded again. "A good start for us here then, I think.
Has the Reverend mentioned anything that might come along with these honors?"

"The housing situation is being settled as we speak," I grimaced. "Emmett and Charlotte will be taking over
the house of an older member who passed away over the summer. The last of his former wives are being given
in marriage at the next service and the house should be free on Monday. Jasper, Kachiri, and Alice will be

moving into the home that was meant for Tyler Crowley originally, and the Reverend seemed to believe it
would be cleaned and ready by the weekend."

"Wonderful," Carlisle agreed. "And you? I know that without a family of your own, finding you housing is less
of a priority at this point but --"

"The Reverend asked me to consider taking over Russell Crowley's home. He claimed it was part of the

compensation for taking over the man's job. Plus, it's very close to the clinic and your own home so the family
will all be close."

"Russell Crowley's?" Carlisle looked over at me with wide eyes and then glanced across the street at the home
that was identical to his own in size, second only in size to that of the Reverend.

"Yes sir." I swallowed as his face became impassive again.

"Good." He nodded. "It seems Coventry will be just the change of luck we needed in this family. I only have a
few other questions and you may not be able to answer them now, without being more familiar with the
books."

"I did a thorough audit this morning." I shrugged. "I think I know them better than anyone else currently in
Coventry and that includes Russell Crowley. What do you need to know?"

"The clinic --" Carlisle looked over at the tiny white home that made up the Coventry hospital. "It could do
with some repairs and I'd like to make an addition."

"An addition?"

"Like the one in Aro's Creek," he elaborated, "one where your mothers, Kate and Siobhan, can practice with
minimal supervision on my part. I think the women of Coventry would appreciate the privacy as much as the
women of Aro's Creek did."

"Probably --" I shrugged as I thought about the women's clinic in Aro's Creek that two of my father's wives --
certified nurse midwives -- had run. At first I had thought it was simply Carlisle throwing his weight around
but they had been able to show without a doubt that more women went for medical treatment when they
were able to be cared for by other women. More babies had survived because of better prenatal care and the

women's annex had been an overwhelming success. "I'll look into the finances and broach the subject with
Reverend Weber about additional building projects. Do you have all the data you took about the annex at
Aro's Creek?"

"It's in my office."

"If Reverend Weber sounds agreeable, I'll set up an appointment for the two of you to talk specifics. It might
take a few days though."

"Take your time Edward." Carlisle patted me on the shoulder again as he turned the both of us toward the
house. "We don't want to miss an opportunity because we rushed in blind."

"Of course not Father. I'll be cautious about bringing it up."

"Good, now let's get some lunch and then I'll have a discussion with your mother about pushing you into a
relationship the second day you're in town. It would be better if she at least lets you get unpacked first. Who
knows? Isabella Swan may not be the most advantageous match for you. It will take us a few weeks to get our
bearings and decide."

I rolled my eyes as he led me into the house. It was just like I'd suspected. Carlisle wasn't helping me out
because he wanted me to make up my own mind about finding a mate, or in his mind mates, but he wanted to
determine who would make him the best political connections and he wasn't sure the Chief of Police's
daughter was that girl.

My mother walked along beside me quietly the next morning as we made our way toward our respective jobs.
"Breakfast was very good this morning," I said quietly, hoping to draw her into conversation.

"It wasn't much to make oatmeal." She shrugged and then turned her head away from me, staring at the lawns
we were walking past.

"And the weather seems very nice," I suggested again.

"It's lovely," she agreed.

"Mother, what's upset you this morning?" I shoved my hands in my pockets and let my shoulders slump again.
I knew Esme would tell me in her own time what was bothering her, but unlike Rosalie, she had conquered

the art of subtle guilt. So I would learn what I had done to upset her but not until she felt like she'd made me
suffer enough for it.

"It's nothing," Esme sighed. "I'm just not sure how welcome I'll be today at the school."

"Why wouldn't you be welcome Mother?"

"Well, with the way you treated Bella Swan, I can see where she would ask Mrs. Cheney to reassign me to
shadow someone else and since her class is the one with the most need for help, I may be told they don't have
a position for me."

"I can't imagine Bella Swan would be rude enough to refuse to work with you she seems like a very warm,
kind-hearted woman."

"That she is." Esme smiled at me brightly. "And so good with children. She helps her mothers out all the time
with her younger siblings. Did you know she has a little sister, Claire, who's just the same age as Hale?"

"We've met," I said and cursed myself for falling into Esme's trap. She had suggested something bad and I had
stood up for Bella, showing I had some good opinions about her; now my mother knew I wasn't completely
repulsed and could work on getting us together with minimal fuss.

"Oh I know, but I was hoping perhaps one day Bella could bring Claire over to play with Hale. It will be so good
for him to start making friends. Then, perhaps after dinner you could walk them both home and get to know
Miss Swan better."

"Mother, I thought you and Father --"

"Yes dear, your father told me I needed to let you broach the subject of Miss Swan and I did. Now that I know
how interested you are and that you've taken notice --"

"I haven't taken notice! I just said she seemed like a very warm, kind-hearted woman."

"Well you paid enough attention to notice that." Esme smirked as we reached the Hall's front lawn. "And there
she is now. Bella!"

"Hello Mrs. Cullen." Bella smiled brightly as she walked over to my mother. Once in front of us, she glanced at
me warily before fixing her gaze firmly on Esme. "How are you this morning?"

"I'm wonderful darling." Esme reached out to envelope her in a hug and I noticed that Bella hugged her back

as well, carefully avoiding putting too much pressure on her back. Obviously she had noticed it yesterday.
"And what did I tell you about calling me Mrs. Cullen?"

"Not to." Bella smiled. "Of course, how are you this morning Esme?"

"I am perfect," she replied back. "And now, today I would like to properly introduce you to my son Edward. It
seems yesterday a horrid illness overtook him and all his manners fled. Thankfully, after a night's rest,
they've returned and he's much more himself and much less a savage who resembles my son."

Bella smiled weakly and stuck her hand out toward me. It was all I could do not to bring it up and kiss the
back of it before tasting her skin to see if it tasted as good as it smelled. If we weren't surrounded by a dozen
other people, I don't think my resolve would have been nearly as strong as it was.

"Hello Bella." I took her hand gently in my own and caressed it, mesmerized by the way the tiny bones
interacted with each other. "I'm Edward Cullen and I should apologize for how I spoke to you yesterday. It was
terribly rude."

"Yes it was," she said. "So will you?"

"Will I?"

"Apologize?"

"Oh, right --" I was flustered. "I'm sorry, of course. Perhaps I can walk you home this afternoon as an apology?"

"No --" She shook her head. "I teach this afternoon. Thank you anyway."

"I could stay after and escort you home then. I do work a full day in the office."

"That's very kind," she replied sweetly, "but I already have an escort."

"Oh." I drew my hand back slowly and swallowed. "I see. Well Mother, I need to get to work. Have a lovely day
teaching. You too, Miss Swan."

"And you, Mr. Cullen."

I walked dejectedly toward the Coven Office and slumped up the steps. I didn't know why I was so bothered by

Bella Swan's rejection but it nagged at me. Perhaps because no one had ever rejected me before? That was it, I
decided. I was simply disturbed because it was a new sensation for me. Unfortunately, it was a sensation that
continued to grow, gnawing at the pit of my stomach as I watched from my office window when Jacob Black
and her brother Seth escorted her home, laughing the entire way before following her inside. The gnawing

turned to a horrid ache as I watched her walk him to the curb two hours later and smile up at him. The ache
had grown so much that I vomited half the night at the thought of facing her the next morning and every other
day that week. By the service on Sunday, I was so sick at the very thought of her that I no longer even bothered
to eat breakfast before we left for services.

Once inside the tiny meeting house, squished into a small pew, I prayed that someone would get bitten while
handling a snake during an ecstasy and my father would need my help removing them from the sanctuary. A
sick part of me hoped the Reverend Weber didn't believe in defanging his snakes in private like Rosalie's

father had. A sick, demented part of my mind actually liked when the moron waving around a poisonous
snake in his hand and screaming at the top of his lungs got bit. I didn't blame the snake; if you shook me
around and screamed at me I'd bite you too. Plus, someone going into convulsions always stopped the sermon
short – just how I liked them if given a choice.

Two hours later, once he'd yelled himself hoarse from the pulpit, the Reverend Weber reached into the tank

he kept next to his Bible and pulled out a large, lazy looking copperhead and I heard an excited murmur roll
through the crowd. "We shall be like our founding fathers!" he yelled. "We shall follow the Gospel of Mark and
because we are true believers, we shall not be harmed. We shall speak in the language of angels and when we

handle the serpent, we shall be unharmed. When we are surrounded by the flames of his glory, we shall be
unafraid!"

He thrust the snake forward and I watched as it turned its head lazily toward him and flicked out its tongue. It
seemed the Reverend had been careful to pick up either a very lazy or a heavily drugged serpent today. I'd lay

my money on drugged and most likely defanged. The Reverend Weber seemed to be a lot of things but after
working for him a week, an idiot wasn't one of them.

"Hale," I heard Alice whisper and looked over. "Would you like to go play with Claire?"

When the little boy nodded wide eyed, Alice scooted closer toward me and I stood, letting them out of the pew,
and looked around. That was when I noticed Bella, Angela, and her husband -- Ben Cheney -- shepherding the
younger children out the side door of the main room and into what I knew was a tiny annex that housed hand-
me-down toys.

"That's right," the Reverend Weber boomed. "Take the children from this calling. Those who have not yet
been received into the glory that are our founding fathers should not be here to witness. My believers give
over your children and let these fine young people care for them while we give ourselves over to worship!"

I watched as young children were released from their seats and hurried down the aisle toward where Bella

was motioning for them. Watching her closely, I could see she was biting her lip nervously and glancing back
at the Reverend as she hurried the children out. She didn't trust him not to go back on his word and make the
children stay.

"Lord save them!" he yelled and thrust the snake above his head, waving it around, and the animal finally
hissed. "Lord save the fine, young women and our youth minister who will teach of our great fathers, the

Volturi, and how they broke off to find their own path to God. How they took the teachings of the Holy Book
and kept them pure, bringing us to our own patches of Zion to live as we see fit. But we will not fail! We sHall
not fall to ruin like so many others. We shall not fall in despair like Caius's Mill!" I felt Kachiri stiffen beside

me. "We shall not fall into the wickedness of other settlements. We shall remain pure of heart and loyal to our
neighbors. We shall pick up the serpent and be unafraid."

I watched in sick fascination as other men in the congregation stood and began making their way toward the

snake tank. My father had always forbidden us to take part in these parts of the rituals, telling us in no
uncertain terms that prayer did not work as anti-venom and even if it did, the treatment was more painful
than we would wish to endure. Instead, we sat quietly and watched, some of Carlisle's wives swaying and
chanting prayers in time with the other women, caught up in the mass hysteria being invoked.

I glanced back at where Bella Swan had shepherded the children and wished I could be there with her now

instead of here. Instead, I decided to try to learn the lay of the land and the internal politics of Coventry.
Beside the Reverend, there were five other men handling the snakes at the front of the room, all of them
members of the Brethren -- but Charlie Swan wasn't one of them. Glancing toward the front of the meeting

house, I saw him sitting silently, arms crossed over his chest as he observed the same as I did. I saw his look of
disgust and turned to see Jacob Black taking the snake from his father's weak arms and begin to handle it on
his own. Was Charlie Swan upset that Jacob Black was taking away the snake? That Billy Black wasn't

handling it longer? Or did he find the whole display as distasteful as I did? I could only wonder at exactly how
devoted Charlie, and by extension, Bella, might or might not be to the Coven of the Signs and its charismatic
leader.

Chapter Seven

BPOV

I had been trying my hardest not to turn around and stare at the beautiful monster three pews behind me for

the entire service and my lower lip was nearly raw from biting it nervously. What role did he intend to play in
the coven? He had already cultivated a strong presence in the community and it wouldn't take much for him
to become a bastion of power within the coven itself if he were a true believer. My father had already told me
they intended to make him a member of the Council of Brethren.

I didn't get a chance to peek backward at him until after the Reverend Weber pulled back the cloth over his
serpents and began to handle one of them. The minute the cloth had been pulled back, I ushered my younger
siblings out of the pew as Angela and Ben began herding the other children toward the back door of the
meeting house.

"Hale," I heard Alice whisper once I'd gotten Claire and the rest shepherded together quietly, "would you like
to go play with Claire?"

I glanced up and watched the Cullens as Edward stood and quickly helped Alice and Hale from their pew and
silently urged her to leave as well. Hale raced toward my open arms and Alice hurried behind as I bit my lip
and glanced back up at the Reverend. He hadn't given Alice permission to leave with us and could decide that

all of us should stay instead because his orders weren't being followed to the letter. It wouldn't be the first
time the children had been trapped inside hours upon hours of sermons because he felt like his audience
needed a lesson in manners.

I saw Edward glance back at me and my heart raced. He looked annoyed but I didn't understand why. Surely if
the Cullens wanted Hale present for this they wouldn't have allowed Alice to take him from the pew? The

confusing part was that when I looked back at him, it almost seemed as if he were more annoyed that he
couldn't leave with us instead of staying for the madness that was about to commence. Surely that couldn't be
the case, could it?

"He doesn't believe in any of it," Alice whispered once we were out of the meeting house and into the annex
playroom.

"Excuse me?"

"Should we settle the children down for a sermon?" Ben suggested.

"Ben --" Angela rolled her eyes. "They've been through an hour of sermons already, plus they'll have Sunday
school tonight."

"But --"

"Let them be children and play for a bit," Angela said firmly and I watched as the youth minister she had

married wilt under her gaze. "It will do them no harm and may burn off some of their energy so that you
aren't roping in wild children all evening."

"You're right, of course, dear," Ben agreed and nodded at Alice and I before leaving the annex and making his
way back toward the meeting house. Angela sighed and I knew she was disappointed.

"What do you mean?" I turned back to Alice and her earlier, cryptic words. "He doesn't believe in it?"

"Edward doesn't believe in it." Alice shrugged.

"What?" Angela looked scandalized. "What doesn't he believe in?"

"Polygamy," Alice said bluntly. "He only wants to have one wife. He said that one woman is enough for him."

"Really?" Angela's eyes went wide. "You're serious?"

"Very serious," Alice nodded. "It's caused us problems before."

"Problems?" I looked at her curiously. I could see where it would cause problems within political circles but
nothing nearly as bad as the scandal at Aro's Creek had done.

"It's not my story to tell." Alice shrugged.

"Why are you trusting us with this?" Angela asked skeptically. "My father is the Reverend Leader and Bella's

father is on the Council of Brethren. Either of us could destroy Edward with the information you've just given
us."

"You could," Alice said,"but you won't."

"How do you know?" Angela challenged.

"Because you don't believe in it either," Alice answered.

Both of us fell silent and looked at our hands. We would never admit it to outsiders but Alice was right --
neither of us believed in the Signs of the Prophets that our Coven was built around.

"Ben interviewed with a church to take on their youth ministry," Angela said quietly.

"What?" We both looked at her in shock.

"When we were in Branson. There's a nondenominational church that's looking for a new youth minister and
Ben talked with them. He discussed our situation and some of his ideas and they thought there was a real
possibility that they could give him a position."

"How do you feel about it?" Alice asked her gently.

"I'm scared," Angela admitted. "Our trip to Branson was the first time I've ever been any farther away than
Morgantown. We would have no family, no support structure. What would we do if something serious
happened?"

"You'd lean on each other," I consoled her.

"What if that's not enough?" Angela asked and I couldn't help looking over at Alice, at a loss for words. "What
if everything my father's preached is right and just the two of us aren't enough to make it on our own?"

"It will be," Alice told her resolutely and we all fell silent as the children played around us.

"Emmett is afraid of snakes," Alice said suddenly and then giggled.

"What?" Angela and I both replied at the same time.

"He hates them," Alice continued. "Once at Marcus's Ridge, when he was engaged to Rosalie, her father shoved
a snake in his face and he passed out."

"What did her father say?" I laughed in spite of myself.

"Not much," Alice said. "Rosalie thought quick and told her father it must have been the power of the Spirit
taking over and knocking Emmett out of his own body to inhabit it. She said he must be having an ecstatic

vision of some sort. Supposedly it was a vision of the great leader they would bring into the world together -- a
son that would unite the communities as one."

"But Emmett has asked my father's permission to divorce Rosalie because she's barren," Angela replied and
then stopped. "Wait, you mean she lied to her father?"

"That's why she's so threatened by Charlotte. Everyone keeps repeating her own prophecy back to her and
suggesting that perhaps what it really meant was that Emmett would father a great leader with one of his

wives but not necessarily her. Rosalie can't bear the thought that someone else may give birth to the chosen
one, especially a wife she's supposed to have power over."

"So what are they going to do?" Angela asked sadly.

"I don't know," Alice replied. "But what I do know is that I'm going to stay out of Rosalie McCarty's way for as
long as possible."

On that note, we carefully steered the conversation away from the Cullens and toward gossiping about other

members of the congregation -- primarily Lauren Mallory since her engagement had ended rather abruptly
Monday night without any warning.

Four hours later, I walked the short distance home between Seth and Jacob Black as Billy's first wife rolled
him down the street next to my father. "I noticed the Cullens were in the meeting today," Jacob said casually.

"Yes," I agreed. "They were. I had a lovely chat with Alice and Angela when we took the children into the
annex. She's a very nice woman and so is Esme."

"They seem nice enough," Billy's second wife, Clarinda, agreed.

"The men are a little strange though," Jacob insisted.

"I hadn't noticed," I lied and noticed Leah was smirking at me. "What's so strange about them?"

"None of them were moved by the Spirit at all during the service," Jacob announced accusingly.

"Really?" Kim looked over at him and shrugged. "That doesn't seem very odd to me. There's nothing wrong
with being reserved about things. Especially if they weren't moved -- they shouldn't pretend otherwise."

"I just think it's strange that a group of men who are being inducted into the Brethren are so removed from
the proper forms of worship in the Coven."

My father bit his lip and I felt my cheeks flame. He was a member of the Brethren and had never taken part in

the more extreme forms of worship within our Coven and had refused the hand of many women who did -- all
of his wives were equally demure about their faith, at least in comparison to others in the congregation.

"Meanwhile," Jacob continued in a lower voice, "I was touched again today by the Spirit."

"Were you?" I swallowed then, unsure why the idea of Jacob handling a snake made me nervous.

"This is the fourth time in as many meetings. I hope that the Reverend and the rest of the Brethren notice my
devotion and the way the Spirit has touched me."

"Do you?" I asked weakly.

"Being inducted into the Brethren would ensure a good living for me, a promotion of sorts, or even a new
position. A better home for us," Jacob continued. "When it comes time, I want to do my best to provide for
you."

"Oh --" I saw my father's back stiffen. "That's very kind of you Jacob."

"I want to do right by you Bella," he said and I could see red coloring my father's neck as we reached the front
yard.

"Until tonight my friend," Billy said as he shook my father's hand.

"Until tonight," my father agreed before leading us into the house.

"Seth," Sue announced as we reached the door. "You and Bella take the children in to get out of their meeting
clothes and then get them outside to burn off some energy while we make lunch."

"Let Kim help Seth," my father broke in. "I'd like to speak with Bella alone for a few moments."

"Of course," Sue agreed and bowed her head before shooing everyone in different directions.

"Father?" I looked at him curiously once we were alone. "Is something wrong?"

"Not precisely wrong," my father sighed. "Why don't you sit down and we'll talk about this like grown ups?"

"All right," I agreed warily and sat down on the couch while he took a seat in his recliner.

"It's hard for me to do that you know?" he laughed. "Think about talking to you like an adult. It seems like
yesterday we were coming here to Coventry and you were still a little girl. You're grown now though and it's
time that I accept that fact."

"Okay --" I tried to sound encouraging.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is that we're in a bit of a pickle here Bells."

"A pickle?"

"When it comes to finding you a husband," he elaborated.

"A husband? Have the men in Coventry found me to have a horrible failing?"

"No, no, quite the contrary Bells. The problem is not that there isn't anyone suitable who's interested, it's that
you have three suitors who have all shown an interest in your hand."

"Three suitors?"

"I should really say two," Charlie corrected, "there's no way I would even consider Mike Newton -- unless he's
where your heart lies?"

"No!" I reassured him hurriedly.

"I didn't think so." My father smiled. "You always seemed a bit resistant toward him. That leaves us with two
still agreeable suitors."

"I'm sorry Father, but I'm confused. I thought it was your intention that I marry Jacob Black? Where is the
confusion?"

"Well, it was my intention for you to marry Jacob. Billy and I have been friends since we arrived and if
anything were to happen to me, it's in my will that he should take over care of our family. I had thought that
marrying you to Jacob would keep to the spirit of that agreement and I would know you were taken care of
and well treated by the women in your new family once you were wed. But now --"

"Now?"

"I haven't been impressed with Jacob's poor decision making of late," Charlie answered. "He seems intent on
gaining power and prestige within the community and his ambition isn't for work but for glory. I worry that
he's not mature enough to care for you properly and that you'll be mistreated by him."

"Father --" I didn't want to contradict him but I knew Jacob would never intentionally hurt me. "I think Jacob
is too good of a man to ever mistreat me. And Billy is your oldest friend, he would never allow it."

"I don't think he'd do it intentionally," Charlie clarified. "But I'm no longer sure he's the best match. Which
brings us to your newest suitor."

"And that would be?" I glanced over at him and watched as he squirmed.

"It's a bit of an odd situation and I didn't know what to make of it at first," Charlie shrugged, "but Dr. Cullen
has come visiting."

"Dr. Cullen?" I felt my eyes widen in shock. Dr. Cullen wanted to take another wife?

"Not in his own interest of course, well you could say in his interest, peripherally, but not directly."

"I'm not sure I understand."

"It's barely been six months since his youngest son's wife had her accident," Charlie elaborated. "And he's only
been cleared of suspicion for two since then. It wouldn't be appropriate for him to call himself so quickly."

"Edward?"

"Yes," Charlie agreed. "According to Dr. Cullen, he sees quite a bit of you at the school with his mother as a
chaperone."

"It's not like --" I stopped, flustered. "I mean, he doesn't even like me!"

"Yes, Dr. Cullen mentioned that Edward was struggling with his feelings. That he felt a great deal of interest in

you but felt guilty for it. I, personally, understand the boy's dilemma. You'll just have to be patient with him.
Talk to your mother Sue about it, she faced many of the same issues with me when we were first joined."

"So you want me to marry Edward Cullen?"

"I want you to marry the man who will make you happy and provide for you," my father corrected. "Right now
I think Edward Cullen has the best chance of doing that. From what I've seen, he's a smart man, considerate,

diligent in his duties, and exceedingly well behaved. Plus he'll be in a strong position to care for you with the
way he's moving up within the community."

"But what about --"

"I'd rather you with someone who's quiet about his faith and less inclined to the more extreme signs of the
Great Prophets than a fool who handles snakes for attention," Charlie said gruffly. "And I can't bear a grudge
against a man for not doing something I won't take part in out of my own fears."

"Your own fears?"

"There's a reason I don't handle the serpent, Isabella," Charlie chuckled. "They give me the willies."

"You're afraid of snakes?" I giggled.

"Not afraid," he huffed playfully. "The feel of them in my hands just gives me the creeps, it's the dry skin, I
think. It's just --" He shuddered.

"Father, I'm not sure --"

"Nothing's been set in stone or announced to the community," Charlie reassured me. "Just pay him a bit more
attention than you normally would and see if you can't find something to like about him. If you don't, when he
comes to officially ask for privileges to see you, I'll decline him."

"Okay then," I said with a smile.

"Good, now go help your mothers with the meal."

"Yes Father," I agreed and then impulsively leaned over to kiss his cheek.

"You're a good girl, Isabella." He kissed my own cheek and then shooed me into the kitchen with my mothers.

That evening, Jacob walked alongside of me again as we made our way back for the evening service. He was
quiet and I could see that something was on his mind. "When were you going to tell me?" he said suddenly.

"Tell you?"

"That you're dumping me for Edward Cullen."

"I'm not dumping you," I replied.

"Well, then why is Edward Cullen's father inquiring about you?"

"He wanted to see if Charlie was agreeable to the consideration of Edward seeing me. I didn't even know until
this afternoon."

"And what did Charlie say?"

"He said that nothing had been finalized for me yet and agreed to consider it. But you really have nothing to
worry about."

"Don't I?" Jacob laughed bitterly. "Charlie is getting ready to give my fiancée to another man."

"First, Jacob, I'm not your fiancée yet. Our fathers' haven't agreed that we should marry. Second, I'm a person,
not a possession, and I'm not given to anyone. Third, all he's asked is that I get to know Edward better and
form an opinion before he asks to formally see me."

"And?"

"And --" I shook my head. "I won't disobey my father, but having spent a bit of time with Edward Cullen, I can
tell you that his father is mistaken and he has absolutely no interest in me what so ever."

"We'll see about that," Jacob snapped as he stormed away from me and toward his father.

"Problems in Paradise?" I spun around to glare at Edward as soon as I heard his sarcastic comment.

"No," I snapped. "He's understandably upset that I have another man expressing an interest in me."

"Another man?" Edward's eyes narrowed. "It seems you're building quite the collection, Isabella Swan. And I
thought you were a virtuous and dedicated member of the Coven."

"Ugh!" I shook my head and glared at him. How dare he call me out on something that was his own doing,
complaining about his own interest in me? "I assume your wit is not a quality you rely upon."

"Isn't it?" He arched an eyebrow. "Personally, I think it's rather funny that the dog finds himself with some
competition. Even if it is distasteful on your part."

"Distasteful?" I glared at him. "And who caused that, pray tell?"

"I would have no idea." He shrugged.

"Well it's your father who came to talk with mine!"

"What?" His jaw dropped open.

"That's why Jacob's upset," I elaborated. "Your father came to mine to discuss my marital options and my
father has agreed that I shouldn't be formally engaged to anyone until a more informed decision between
suitors can be made. Especially if a more appropriate match can be made."

"My father?" he repeated blankly. "Dr. Carlisle Cullen? That father? My father?"

"Yes, Dr. Carlisle Cullen, husband of your mother, Esme Cullen, and your father. Now, if you're done with the

inappropriate joking about the situation and poor Jacob's feelings, I need to hurry inside. I don't wish to be
late for the women's meeting." With that, I turned on my heel and stalked away from Edward Cullen who was
still standing in the front lawn of the Hall, gaping like a fish.

Chapter Eight

EPOV

I stewed all through the night, tossing and turning on the tiny cot set up inside the clinic. I was supposed to

move into my new home this weekend, but first Charlotte and Emmett had needed our help getting things
moved, since he wouldn't allow her to carry even the lightest of boxes in her condition, and then Alice and
Jasper had needed help as well. Meanwhile, Alice had decided that none of the furnishings in either home

were suitable and Esme had agreed that their house needed some redecoration as well. That had sent them
into a fit of planning over dinner and by the time we were finally ready to open up the Crowley home, it was
late Saturday night -- and the place had been taken apart.

To say that it was a mess was to compare a mild spring shower to Hurricane Katrina. Holes were knocked into

every single wall. Where there weren't holes, obscenities had been spray painted. The lights had not only
been taken, but the wires ripped out and then stripped. The plumbing to the bathroom had been ripped out

with the water still on, causing serious water damage. They had worked through the night to make it
unlivable for anyone who would take it over and I had no doubt that Russell Crowley assumed it would be

someone from my family. It would take weeks, if not months, of work after my job in the Coven office each day
to make it a suitable home. Everyone had offered me a spare bedroom until the work was completed but
thankfully, Carlisle had understood that I might want my privacy and agreed to let me keep my room in the
tiny clinic unless it was needed for a patient -- a highly unlikely situation, all things considered.

So, thankfully, because of the cot inside the clinic, I could stew over the thorny problem of Isabella Swan in

privacy. Maybe that was why my father had suggested it? He knew the spare bedroom wouldn't be empty for
long and didn't want to have me in the same house as his newest wife. Christ, Isabella Swan was going to be
MY MOTHER! How could he? He had made it plain that he knew how I felt about her even when I tried to deny

it to myself! How could he go to Charles Swan -- behind my back -- and ask for permission to marry Isabella?
She was barely 18! I was older than she was and I was his youngest child! The man was 56 years old, what did
he intend to do with a girl 38 years his junior? He was already middle aged by the time she was conceived!

How could Charlie Swan have agreed to allow his daughter to become my father's eighth wife? Everyone said

he had refused to allow anyone call upon her who already had a wife. She was to be a first wife or nothing.
There was no way my father had agreed to divorce Esme for Bella so what did he have to offer Charlie Swan?
Was it money? I couldn't imagine what the Chief of Police would need with more money in a town like
Coventry, he was one of the highest paid members of the Coven. Power of some sort? He was a well respected,

voting member of the Brethren, it would be my father going to him to curry favor not the other way round.
Was there some sort of medical procedure – No, I sighed, no matter how much I hated my father he was a
doctor and I'd never seen him turn a patient away for any reason. If Charlie Swan or someone in his family

were sick, Carlisle would treat them without taking Bella as payment. So why was Charlie Swan going back on
his word and allowing her to marry Carlisle?

I barely slept and when I did, nightmares of Isabella marrying my father haunted me back awake. When the
sun broke over the horizon the next morning, I hurried into the tiny bathroom attached to my room and

cleaned up for work. I didn't bother to shave and just pushed my fingers through my hair as I hurried out of
the clinic, determined to lock myself in my office before anyone else in Coventry was even awake. Once out
the gate, I hurried down the town's main street toward the Coven Office.

"Edward!" I froze as I heard Charlie Swan call out from the other side of the building with the Coven office in it
that housed the town's police station. Eric Yorkie had been in his police uniform yesterday at the meeting, so

he had taken duty yesterday, and Emmett was working today which meant Charlie Swan must be doing the
overnight shift.

"Hello Chief Swan." I stopped walking and nodded politely at him.

"Come on up here and talk to me." He motioned me up the stairs on his side of the porch. "Surely those books
aren't so urgent that you need to be in here at 5 am?"

"I wanted to get an early start." I swallowed the lump in my throat as he motioned me into the green lawn

chair next to his own. "My sister-in-law, Alice, has asked me to take her into Drapers Gap to find some new
furniture and stuff for her house."

"And I imagine you'll need a trip to the hardware store," Charlie answered with a shrug. "With all the damage
Russell Crowley did to his place --"

"You knew about that?"

"Well, not till the Reverend came back from seeing it Saturday. And it was brought up in the Council meeting
last night as well. Your father didn't tell you?"

"I didn't want to bother him, I thought he could use some quiet time alone with his wives."

"That was considerate of you," Charlie nodded. "He says you're staying in the clinic?"

"Just till I have the house livable," I agreed.

"Just let me know what you need help on," Charlie assured me. "Bella has plenty of brothers and I can round
up men enough to help you get it put to rights."

"I appreciate that." I smiled at him.

"Nothing to appreciate," he answered. "I have a feeling we're going to be family soon enough."

His comment hit me like a baseball bat to the balls and it took all I could do not to squirm. Of course he would
want to help out, people would talk if I had to move into the main house for some reason once Bella and

Carlisle were married; the Doctor's pretty young wife and the single son who was seven years older than she.
There would be rumors floating around about an affair before she even got her suitcase unlatched. No, Charlie
-- my future Grandfather -- wanted to help me out to keep the rumors at bay about his little girl.

"Well --" I swallowed the lump in my throat and stood. "I should get to work so that I can finish early and
indulge Alice and my mother in a shopping trip."

"My Bella --" Charlie stopped and cleared his throat gruffly. "My Bella is a good girl. She's got a kind heart and
she'll make a good wife."

"I'm sure she will," I said quietly and felt a searing pain as my heart exploded into tiny pieces. Turning, I
hurried across the porch and away from the Chief of Police before I had a panic attack and quit breathing from

the pain he was causing me. Bella would make a good wife. I didn't doubt that she would be everything a man
could ever ask for. The problem was, I wanted Bella to be my wife; more than I had ever wanted anything else
-- more than I had wanted to make my parents happy; or prevent Kebi from marrying a 60 year old man; more
than I wanted to change how I felt and what I believed so that I wouldn't have hurt her like I did. I didn't

deserve her, but that didn't change the fact that I wanted her so much I could almost taste her whenever she
was close to me.

I did absolutely nothing for the rest of the morning except stare blankly at a computer screen and pull at my
hair as I continued to stew over Bella. I thought about telling my father I wanted her and asking him to give up

his suit but I knew he was too selfish. She seemed to like Jacob Black, so I considered paying him to put
himself in a compromising position with her. He would get the bride he wanted, she would get a man who
adored her, even though he set my teeth on edge, and they would have a nice nest egg to start out on. I had

approximately $150,000 in savings that I could quietly give him if he followed through and if he demanded
more, I knew I could easily divert almost a half million dollars and make it look like Russell Crowley had
stolen it -- the slush account was still a disaster and it would be easy to make the money disappear.

I briefly considered just going to Bella and telling her how I felt before I begged her to reject my father and
give her heart to me instead. I would do anything she asked, be anything she asked and if her father or mine

refused, we could run away together and we would both be free of Coventry and together in the big, wide
world. The problem was, I knew she would never disobey her father and that she was too good to do anything
that would cause a rift between me and my own father either. Talking to Bella wouldn't work. I had resigned

myself to speaking with Jacob Black and Seth about my plan before Wednesday night's service if there were
any signs of my father and Bella's relationship progressing between now and then. I would stop at the bank in
Drapers Gap and start withdrawing funds to pay him with so the money didn't all go missing at once to make

anyone suspect either of us. I didn't think Charlie Swan would appreciate me paying someone to debauch my
future mother to prevent her marriage to my father. He didn't seem to be the understanding type.

"Edward?" Alice stuck her head into the office awhile later. "It's almost noon. Are you ready to go?"

"Yes," I said sullenly. "Reverend Weber agreed last night to let us use the Coven van to drive into town since a
few of the other women want to go along. If you want to gather the others, I'll meet you there in ten minutes?"

"Wonderful," she agreed. "And Edward?"

"Yeah?" I sighed as I looked up at her and could see that she looked worried.

"Whatever it is that's plaguing your mind, you should let it go and just enjoy what life gives you."

"That's easier said than done sometimes Alice," I countered.

"Just try, Edward. Please?"

"I keep trying Alice, all because you and Esme ask. Perhaps one day you'll realize what you're asking and just
leave me in peace instead."

"We can't do that Edward," Alice shook her head.

"Why not?"

"We love you too much," she replied as she turned and walked away from me. I pinched the bridge of my nose
in frustration and then began moving around the office, picking up the few things scattered about and turning

off the computer before I grabbed the van keys and made my way out -- locking up behind me. Once out of my
office, I did a quick look around the front office to make sure nothing was out of place and then left, locking
the Coven Office up tighter than a drum as I went. I wasn't taking any chances with Russell Crowley or his
friends causing more trouble because of an unlocked door.

Once outside, I glanced over at the quiet police station and then let my shoulders slump as I thought about my
morning chat with Chief Swan. It was almost like he wanted me to approve of Isabella. Like he was assuring
me of her good qualities for some reason. But why would he care what I thought when he was giving her to my
father? Nothing here made any sense and I was beginning to include myself in that grouping. I saw the group

of women standing next to the van and immediately stiffened -- Bella Swan was standing between my mother
and Alice, chatting like old friends. I couldn't imagine how awkward it really was between them right now --
Carlisle's first wife making friends with his newest, young conquest. How did Esme feel about the situation

since she'd made no secret that she wanted to see Isabella and I together? Not that Carlisle would have given
her any choice about it.

"Edward!" Alice waved me over to them. "Bella has agreed to come with us!"

"Has she?" I tried to be polite but I knew my voice was clipped and I was surprised to see that she looked hurt.
What had she expected after all? My joyous acceptance of her as my mother? A welcome to the family hug?

"If it's too much of an inconvenience --" She stumbled over her words, wide eyed as she stared at me.

"Course not," I said, letting my voice get softer. "There's plenty of room and if there isn't, someone else can
stay behind."

"Hey!" Lauren Mallory snapped and turned from her conversation with Jessica Newton.

"Yes?" I looked at her and answered sarcastically. Instead of getting offended, she just smiled at me and tried
to look seductive.

"You wouldn't want to leave us behind, would you?" She batted her eyelashes and I could see Bella's eyes
blazing as she glared at me. What right did she have to be so upset about another woman flirting with me? She
was MARRYING MY FATHER!

"In a heart beat if I had the chance," I said sincerely but Lauren was either too stupid or too egotistical to

realize I wasn't teasing. "Unfortunately there's room and I guess you can come. You have to sit all the way in
the back though."

"Really?" Lauren smirked. "Is there any specific reason you want me all the way in the back seat Eddie?"

"Besides the fact you annoy me so much I want to ram an ice pick in my ear when you talk? No, that's it." I
smirked back challengingly. Normally I wouldn't dare cross Lauren Mallory -- it wasn't gentlemanly to have a

battle of wits against an unarmed opponent -- but today I felt the need to destroy someone's ego and she was
the perfect candidate.

"Well," Esme broke in hurriedly before the conversation could digress, "I think we should get going. Everyone
into the van. We don't want to spend all our time in the parking lot."

Everyone scrambled to follow her orders and once they were settled, I was surprised to see Bella Swan in the
passenger seat next to me, her hands clenched nervously in her lap and her eyes fixed forward. When I

glanced in the rearview mirror at my mother and Alice, they were both smirking deviously. Immediately, I
knew they had something up their sleeves and I had a feeling it wasn't something good. I ran my finger
underneath the collar of my shirt. For some reason, I felt like I imagined a lamb going to the slaughter would.
I'd probably never eat lamb chops again after today.

The short ride to Drapers Gap was filled with excited female chattering in the back of the van and utter silence
in the front two seats as we both fidgeted, unsure of what to say to each other. All I could think was, "will she
want me to call her mom?"

When we pulled onto the main thoroughfare, I quickly found a spot in front of the furniture store and across

the street from the fabric store my mother and Alice had indicated they wanted to go to, and spotted the
hardware store at the end of the street. "I'm going for building supplies." I jerked my thumb at the hardware
store and my mother nodded. The water had been shut off to the house but the first thing on my to-do list was
to fix the plumbing and then the electricity. I hoped to have both done within the week. Then I would at least
be able to live in the house while I was working on it.

"If you buy anything big --" I looked pointedly at Alice. "Either arranged to have it delivered or tell them we'll
come back to pick it up with a truck. We don't have room in the van."

"I'll have it delivered of course." Alice rolled her eyes. "Why would I want to haul furniture when they have
perfectly good movers to do that? And according to Angela Cheney, this store is friendly with the community
and don't mind going there."

"Whatever," I said. "Just don't buy anything we have to take home right away if it's big. Otherwise, I couldn't
care less."

"It'll be fine dear." Esme shook her head and then began to shoo the girls onto the sidewalk. As I walked away,
I noticed Jessica and Lauren had gone across the street to the fabric store and Esme, Alice, and Bella had all
disappeared.

I hurried down to the hardware store and had a quick talk with the owner about the sheer amount of

destruction that had taken place at my new home and he'd helped me figure out exactly what I needed to do
the plumbing and electrical repairs and had even provided me with how-to guides with photographs to
illustrate each of the steps. I was hopeful I wouldn't drown or electrocute myself accidentally. We began

discussing my options and after about an hour, had worked out the best way to renovate my bathrooms since,
as he put it, I might as well get it like I wanted it because it was already destroyed and I was going to have to
sink money into it anyway.

Looking through his catalogs, I tried to think about what Bella would like in a house no matter how ridiculous
it would be. Why should I care what my future mother thought of my house? But surely, another less rational

part of my mind answered, you want it to look nice. I did want it to look nice, even if Bella never set foot inside
of it -- which was likely with my master bathroom -- and used that as the basis for my selections. Two hours
later, the owner of the hardware store had ordered me a sink and vanity for all three bathrooms, new tiles,

three new toilets, a basic bathtub/shower combo for one of the bathrooms and a sunken jacuzzi tub and
separate shower stall for the master. I doubted it would be used but it would be a nice way to fuel my
fantasies about my future mother.

I hurried up the street to the van and put all of my renovation supplies into the back of it before making my
way into the furniture store. Before I could open the door though, Esme and Alice came through it smiling.
"Where's Bella?"

"She didn't go to the hardware store with you?" Alice asked.

"No."What made them think Bella would have gone anywhere with me alone?

"Maybe she went across the street to the fabric store?" Esme suggested.

"Perhaps," I said as I led them across the street and into the Joann's where Jessica and Lauren were oohing
and ahhing over gaudy pieces of expensive material. Bella wasn't with them.

"Is Bella here?" Alice asked.

"Why would she be here?" Lauren rolled her eyes. "Please, Quackers went to the bookstore."

"Quackers?" Alice quirked an eyebrow at them.

"Yeah --" Jessica began to giggle hysterically. "You know, like the Ugly Duckling. Because her last name is Swan
and yet she's so horrible looking?"

"Yeah --" Alice glared at them. "So very, very clever. It's amazing that sparkling personalities like yours aren't
more prized -- astounding really."

"I'm going to go look for Bella," I said firmly. "Stay here and don't leave until we get back."

"But Edward," Esme started to protest.

"Stay here," I said firmly as I hurried out of the fabric store and onto the street. I hurried down to the
hardware store and up to the counter.

"Back again?" The owner called out.

"Not exactly," I replied. "Can you tell me where the bookstore is? I'm supposed to meet someone there."

"Just down the street." He pointed in the opposite direction. At the corner, turn left and at the next block, turn
right and you'll see it on the left."

"Thank you," I called out as I rushed out of the store and back down the street. At the corner, I turned left and
then broke into a jog, the hairs on the back of my neck prickling. I ran down the street and into the tiny
bookstore, I could see every nook and cranny of the store and Bella Swan wasn't in any of them.

"Can I help you?" An older woman asked from behind the counter.

"Did a young woman in a long blue dress come in here? She has --" I motioned to my head. "A long brown
braid."

"You mean Bella Swan?" The woman smiled.

"Yes! Bella Swan! Has she been here today?"

"No." She shook her head. "Bella only comes in on the first Friday of the month when her father comes in for
the county police meeting. She's a very sweet girl."

"She hasn't been here at all?" I repeated.

"No." The woman's eyes widened. "Was she supposed to be?"

"Yes! We came into town today in a group and she was supposed to come here an hour ago. She's missing."

"Where were the rest of you?"

"I was at the hardware store, my mother and the other women were at Levi's Furniture and the Joann's Fabric
Store."

"There's an alley behind the store that has a straight shot onto Main Street," she said hurriedly. "She might
have come that way. I've told her before not to use it but she might have --"

"Thank you," I called out as I ran from the store and around the side of the building. Running at full speed, I

hurried toward the back of the building and stopped short as I saw her in the middle of the alley, three men
surrounding her and cornering her against the wall.

"Come on sweetheart." One of them reached out for her and I saw her flinch away from him. "Why don't you
come make friends with us?"

"Please leave me alone," Bella said softly.

"Now don't be like that." The second man made a grab for her and when she jerked away, the third caught her
from behind.

"Let her go," I said loudly and felt my temper flare.

"Look what we got here," one of them snickered. "What do you think you're going to do exactly, huh? There's
three of us and one of you."

"I think that means I have exceptionally good odds on my side. Now let go of her. NOW."

"Dude," the second guy backed up nervously. "Let's just go man. No need to cause a problem."

"No," the first said as the third guy released Bella. "I don't think so. I think instead, we should teach him a few
manners and then show him how a real man takes care of a woman -- unlike they do at that freak compound
of theirs."

"Man, I'm up for a bit of fun but I'm not going to jail because you wanted to start problems with a witness," the

third replied and turned to walk away. The second man followed and after a backwards glare, the first turned,
pushed Bella hard in the back toward me and hurried after the other two. I had the choice of either grabbing
her before she fell into a bin of garbage or chasing after them. There was absolutely no doubt in my mind
about what to do.

I reached out and scooped up Bella before she could hit the ground and pulled her close to me. "Do you have
any idea what could have happened to you?" I shook her hard as I yelled at her. "You could have been raped or
even killed!"

"I didn't mean --" she stuttered and began to tremble as I shook her. I was too angry that she had taken such a
foolish risk and too relieved that she wasn't hurt that I shook her again before crushing her to my chest and

kissing her hard. She struggled in my arms for a moment and I pulled her closer, swiping my tongue against
her lower lip and I felt it open instinctively as I slipped my tongue inside her mouth, tangling it with hers. Her
arms came up and wrapped around my neck and her hands knotted in my hair while I lifted her off the ground
and pressed her full length against me.

"Don't you ever do that again! Never!" I panted as I pulled away from her.

"I won't," she agreed and then pressed her mouth back against mine earnestly.

"Oh Christ," I muttered. "We shouldn't be doing this."

"Yes we should."

"What?" I let my arms loosen and she slid deliciously down the length of my body before her feet touched the
ground. "You're marrying my father."

"No I'm not." She shook her head.

"He went to talk to your father," I protested.

"To arrange for me to marry you." She smiled and pressed her lips against mine.

"He came to talk to your father for me? Why?"

"Didn't you want him too?" She pulled away then and her face flamed.

"Yes, but I hadn't asked him too! I mean, I meant to come and talk to your father as soon as an appropriate
amount of time had passed." After saying the words, I realized it was true.

"I know," she agreed as she stepped into my arms again and snuggled against my chest. "He said you were
interested but didn't feel it was appropriate to say so publicly yet."

"That's why your father stopped me this morning." I kissed the top of her head and then laughed. "I wondered
why he was reassuring me what a good wife you'd be."

"He what? When?"

"This morning as I was going into the office and before he got off duty. He told me you'd make a wonderful
wife but I'd heard that my father had spoken to yours and I thought it was on his own behalf so I was confused
about why he was reassuring me."

"You really thought I would marry your father?"

"I hadn't thought anyone had asked what you wanted," I said with a shrug. "What about Jacob?"

"I told him yesterday that we were going to start spending time together to see if we might be suitable for
each other."

"And how did he take it?" I asked as I took her hand and laced my fingers through hers.

"Not well," she sighed as I pulled her down the alley way toward where the others were waiting. Once we
reached Main Street, she unlaced her hand from mine and I immediately felt my spirits dampen even though I
understood why she did it.

"There you are!" Alice shrieked as she barreled down the street and flung herself into Bella's arms. "I was so
worried about you!"

"We were," Esme agreed as she hurried up behind Alice.

"Well, let's get home now that we're all back." I tried to keep my composure as I saw how well Alice and Esme

got along with my Bella. She was my Bella now, wasn't she? She had said as much to me in the alley way.
Hadn't she?

"Ready Quackers?" Lauren sneered and I felt Bella stiffen. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my wallet and
grabbed a $5 bill and handed it to Lauren.

"What's this?"

"Enough money to use the phone to call someone to get you and Jessica from Drapers Gap. And some extra left
over so you can buy a soda while you wait for them to get here."

"What?" Her eyes widened. "What do you mean by call someone?"

"Call someone to get yourselves home," I replied. "Because you're not welcome to come with us."

"Edward!" Esme's eyes widened. "We'll not leave them here alone."

"Fine --" I reached out to snatch the $5 away from Lauren before she could pocket it and then glared at her
and Jessica. "But you sit all the way in the back and you're silent as the grave. If not, I'll pull over and leave you
on the side of the road and you can walk the rest of the way back."

"Asshole," Lauren muttered as she and Jessica climbed into the back of the van.

I rolled my eyes and bit my tongue to keep from retorting. You would think someone like Lauren Mallory
wouldn't want to fling mud at others -- there was so much ammunition you could lob back at her.

The drive back was silent and I could see that Bella was blushing and squirming nervously in the passenger
seat. When I glanced back in the rear view mirror, I could see both Alice and Esme smiling happily as they
watched me and Bella.

When we pulled into the parking lot of the Coven Office , the women all piled out and I noticed Bella hanging
back. "I'll see you home," I said nervously and offered her my arm.

"Thank you." She smiled up at me as she slipped her arm through mine and Alice followed along behind us
quietly.

"Will your Father be home this evening?" I asked her quietly.

"He will be."

"Should I come and talk to him then?"

"Wait," she cautioned and I felt my heart sink. She didn't want me to talk with her father yet?

"Wait?"

"It's better if you do it at work tomorrow morning."

"At the jail? You think that's wise?"

"It's that or face an interrogation by all of my mothers at the same time as you talk to my father. They'll all
want to have their say on the matter."

"And you don't think they'll approve?"

"I'm sure they will," she answered, "I just thought you might want to delay the trial by fire until after the
interrogation."

"Whatever you think is best." I smiled as I reached out to run the back of my hand along her soft cheek and
watched as she blushed again. "Just as long as you know I do intend to speak with your father."

"Good." She smiled and I couldn't help smiling in return.

Chapter Nine

BPOV

I was surprised the next morning, as I was helpeding Leah and Kim feed the smaller children breakfast and

Emily was busy frying bacon, when my father came in whistling and winked at me. "Had a visitor at the station
nice and early this morning."

"Was someone hurt?" Sue asked from her spot at the breakfast bar where she was fighting to get Claire's hair
tied back into a neat braid while the little girl squirmed. "Is everything all right?"

"Well--," Charlie smirked. "That depends on Bella."

"Bella?" Leah looked at first my father, then me, and then back at my father. "Why?"

"I think Bella knows why," Charlie chuckled and I couldn't help but blush.

"Um, well, you see, I, uh --"

"What?" Kim put her hands on her hips and glared at my father. "What happened? Tell me or by Heaven,
Charles Alexander Swan, you will sleep on the couch a week for every minute you make us wait!"

"All right, all right.," Hhe held his hands up calmingly as he laughed at her. "Edward Cullen came to see me this
morning."

"Edward Cullen?" Sue repeated.

"Yes, Edward Cullen. His father spoke to me on Saturday about his feelings for Bella but thatsaid he didn't
know if I, or Bella for that matter, would approve of him Edward making his interest known in her since his
wife's death happened so recently. I told Carlisle that I would speak to Bella and it would go from there.
Apparently --," Hhe winked over at me., "Bella and Edward talked after mine and Bella's chat on Sunday

afternoon because he came to see me this morning. Said he'd already told you his feelings and that you shared
them and now he wanted to talk to me and ask my permission to begin seeing you."

"And?" Kim began tapping her foot impatiently.

"And --," Charlie rolled his eyes and then reached out to pull her into his arms, kissing her on the cheek. "I told
him that I trusted Bella's judgment and he seemed like a good, hard working, honest young man so I had no

problems with him seeing Bella if that was what she wished. I also warned him that if he upset or hurt her in
any way I would bury him in the woods and I knew several state patrolmen who would hold the light while I
was digging."

"Dad!" I blushed furiously and my eyes went wide. There was no way Edward Cullen would come around now
that Charlie had threatened him!

"He told me he appreciated my position and that if the time came, he'd pay for a new shovel so I didn't have to
worry about working with a dull edge."

"So?" Shelly piped in suddenly and I was surprised to realize she was even in the room.

"So," Charlie answered, "I guess everything is up to Bella now."

Just then there was a rap at the screen door and everyone fell silent. "Have you told Jacob yet?" Emily hissed
quietly.

"Not, um, officially?" I stuttered.

"Oh boy.," Kim whistled and looked around.

"Well, we can't all just stand here," Leah broke in as she swept out of the kitchen and down the hallway.
"Might as well go see who it is."

"Oh my --," I began twisting my hands together. "What do I tell him? What do I say? He's going to be angry.
Mother Sue, do you think he's going to be horribly angry?"

"Bella --" Sue bit her lower lip and then sighed. "It's really your father's place to --"

"HELLO EDWARD!" Leah announced loudly. "What a surprise to see you!"

"Edward?" I squeaked as Shelly grabbed me quickly and dragged me from the kitchen. "What are you --"

"Take five minutes and make yourself pretty," she whispered. "We'll stall him while you change into a nicer
dress and fix your hair."

"But this is my work --"

"Bella do as I tell you."

"You'll have to do extra laundry if I wear my other church dress!"

"Let me worry about that," Shelly retorted. "Besides, we'll need to make you a few more now, . Bbut leave that
to me and Sue. You just go make yourself extra pretty."

"Would you like some breakfast Edward?" Leah asked and her voice carried.

"No, I um, I just came to walk Bella to school," I heard him mumble.

"Surely you need something son," Charlie protested. "You were at work at 5 this morning and I know you
haven't left since. Sit down and have some breakfast."

"Of course sir," I heard Edward agree as I rushed into my room and unzipped the dress I was wearing. "I don't
want to impose."

"Course not," Emily broke in as I shut the door, cutting off their conversation.

Five minutes later, I was in my favorite dark blue dress and black ballet flats with my hair down around my

shoulders in loose waves, instead of in the severe bun it had been in before. Taking a deep breath, I glanced in
the mirror and immediately blushed. What if Edward didn't think I looked nice? Even worse, what if he knew
I'd been in here primping? I would die of mortification.

Hurrying into the kitchen, I saw him glance up and then stand when he saw me. "Bella you look -- I mean, good
morning. May I please walk with you to the school?"

"That would be lovely," I agreed.

"Please --," he tried to move out of his seat. "Sit and have some breakfast."

"No, really you should finish your's," I protested.

"But --"

"Bella ate already," Sue broke in helpfully. "Then Claire got greasy handprints on her skirt and she had to
change."

"I did --" Sue pulled Claire's hair sharply and the little girl shut up.

"Oh.," Edward nodded and grabbed the last piece of toast on his plate. "I'm ready to leave when you are then."

Emily reached out and took his plate, putting it in the sink before Edward could reach for it. "I'll see you home
for lunch Bella?"

"Of course Mother Emily," I replied. "Then I tutor this afternoon."

"You'll join us for lunch, won't you Edward?" Shelly prompted.

"If it's not too much --"

"Of course not," Leah broke in. "We insist. If you're going to be seeing our Bella, it's important that we all get
to know each other."

"Come on Edward.," I rolled my eyes and then led him out of the kitchen before they could hatch anymore
plans.

"So--," Hhe followed me down the front steps. "Your father talked to you?"

"He did.," I turned to smile at him and suddenly felt his hand wrap around mine. "Edward! What are you
doing?"

"Just holding your hand.," Hhe smiled and laced our fingers together. "It doesn't bother you, does it?"

"No, it's just, well, do you think it's proper, is all? I don't want your mother to think --"

"My mother will turn handsprings when she sees us holding hands. Besides, what's not proper about it? Your
father has given us permission to see each other. It's not as though we're kissing in the public street," he
teased.

"That's completely --"

"Something I would like to try again in a more pleasant setting," Edward cut in smoothly and I felt my face
flame.

"Really?"

"Very much so," he assured me as we stopped in front of the concrete pathway to the Hall from the street. "But
unfortunately I don't think this is the opportune moment. Maybe we can arrange something later?"

"I, um, well that is --"

Edward stopped my stuttering by bringing our linked hands together and kissing the back of mine. "I'll be
here to escort you home for lunch," he said softly.

"Okay.," I nodded, slightly dazed at the way his lips felt moving against my hand as he spoke.

"I love you," he said in the same low tone and I felt my knees get wobbly.

"I love you too.," I could barely utter the words and then his fingers unlaced from mine and he turned and
walked away, leaving me to stare at his back as he hurried the short distance back to the Coven Office. Edward

Cullen had just declared his feelings for me in front of half the women in Coventry. I expected everyone to
know before the hour was out.

Turning around, I noticed a dozen women staring at me open mouthed, including Lauren, as another two
dozen averted their eyes and tried to act as if they weren't staring. I glanced up at the porch and saw Esme

and Angela giggling together while Alice simply bounced up and down in delight. Smiling, I made my way up
the walk and toward Esme and my two best friends.

The rest of the morning rushed by and soon I was walking out the door with Esme to meet Edward and Alice.
"We'll just leave you two --" Esme reached for Alice's hand.

"Don't be silly.," I grabbed for her. "I would really like for you to join us for lunch."

"Are you sure dear? I mean, I would love to eat with you but I don't want to impose."

"No!" I latched onto her and stared imploringly at Alice as well. I knew that if my mothers and Esme got along,

it would make mine and Edward's courtship much easier since the mothers could provide a united front of
sorts.

"Are you sure?"

"I actually do need to stop by," Alice broke in.

"You do?" Esme looked at her questioningly.

"Emily and I were talking about a dress idea that I had and she thought that she had a pattern I could modify
for the bodice. It would save me a lot of trouble if she does have it, instead of drawing up my own pattern."

"All right then.," Esme smiled at all of us and Edward looped my arm through his as we made the short walk to
my home.

"Mother!" I called out as we reached the door, knowing that any of them would respond to it. "I'm home and
I've brought company for lunch."

"Really?" Kim stuck her head out of the kitchen and then smiled whenas she saw Esme. I knew they were
expecting me to invite her as well so they had plenty of food prepared. "Well, hello there Esme, Alice,. hHow
are you today?"

"We're wonderful, and you?" Esme replied and looked around our relatively tiny home.

"Much better now that we have company," Kim replied and waved everyone into the sunflower yellow
kitchen. "We were just going to have tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. I hope that's okay with
everyone?"

"That sounds delicious," Esme agreed and Alice nodded happily as they all sat down at the table and I walked
over to the cabinets to retrieve dishes while Leah flipped sandwiches and my other mothers sat down across
from Edward, Esme and Alice.

"Welcome to our home," Sue nodded said graciously. "I hope, considering Edward and Bella's new
relationship, that we can all become closer friends."

"I hope so as well.," Esme smiled and I could see her eyes twinkling. "I can say, honestly, that we're all very

happy that Bella is willing to give Edward a chance to prove his affection and perhaps grow into feelings of her
own for him. She's honestly better than I expected Edward to do for himself in a first wife."

"She's not the most graceful girl," Sue warned and I felt my cheeks flush. Leah reached over and squeezed my
hand as she gave me a sympathetic glance. It was all part of a ritual before the women sat down to really

negotiate the terms of mine and Edward's relationship. Now that the fathers had approved of our match it
wasould be under the mothers' sphere of influence. Each set would want to bargain from the best position
without appearing to try. Esme would flatter me unendingly and my mothers would flatter Edward. Then our

respective mothers would each downplay our achievements so that they appeared humble. At some point,
Edward would be expected to stand up for me and I would be expected to show my loyalty to him. Once that
was done, the conversation would move on to business.

"That's true," Esme said with a nodded. "But I can honestly say I've never seen someone so graceful under
pressure when it comes to dealing with all those children. She truly has a mothering heart."

"With her head in the clouds and her nose in a book," Shelly warned.

"Better there than fixated with herself in the mirror," Edward broke in and Leah winked at me. "And I like
that Bella is well read. Her intelligence is one of her most appealing qualities."

"You want a smart wife?" Emily asked. "Then you should expect her to have an opinion of her own."

"I want her to have an opinion of her own and when we differ on a subject I want her to hold her ground and

yell and scream. Then, if I'm too stubborn to listen, she can smack me in the head with a frying pan to see
things her way. Surely we'd get bored if we agreed on everything? And as far as a smart wife, -- yes and no."

"Yes and no?" Kim raised her eyebrow at him.

"I want a curious wife," Edward replied. "Smart's fine, but if you don't use your brainit to explore the world
and question it, then it's just wasted isn't it? I want a wife that wants to know something about everything."

"You've made a good choice in Bella then.," Leah patted my hand and then took the plate of sandwiches to set
them on the table. "

"I agree entirely," Esme answered. "We're just lucky she's willing to deal with Edward. He can be moody and
hard to deal with at times. He's very stubborn about things."

"It only seems fair," I answered quietly as I sat down next to Edward at the table. "If he wants me to speak my
mind, he should be willing to speak his as well. Otherwise, what sort of marriage would we have? I'd be the
nagging harpy of a wife and he'd be a henpecked husband."

"I agree.," Sue nodded and Edward glanced over at me and smiled briefly. "It's good for a man to know when to

put his foot down about things. Nobody wants to have her well being and that of her children dependent on a
pushover."

"Speaking of children --," Esme took a dainty bite of her soup and then turned to look at me. "Do you want
many children Bella?"

"I haven't really thought about it," I answered slowly. "I like children, and of course like every other woman in

Coventry, I would like to have an entire house full. But I guess I would be happy with whatever the Lord
provides for me."

"What about you Edward?" Shelly asked and I could see his cheeks flush.

"I love children," he said quietly. "I want to have as many as Bella is willing to give me without risking herself
to do it -- be it one or a dozen."

"So --," Sue looked Esme in the eye. "Charlie has decreed, and I agree, that Bella cannot marry until Edward
has them a suitable home to live in. He doesn't want her sleeping in a cot in the clinic."

"Of course not --," Esme shook her head. "That's unthinkable. I wouldn't ask Bella to consider anything until
Edward's new home is finished."

"I was thinking just before Christmas," Edward announced. "I spoke with Emmett and Jasper last night and
between the three of us, we can have the house ready in the next eight weeks. Christmas is ten weeks away so
that would be perfect timing. The house will be done and it gives Bella and I just a bit more time to get to
know each other before marrying. That is, if Bella agrees? Perhaps you want to be a June bride instead?"

"No, no.", " I shook my head. "Christmas sounds wonderful!"

"You'll be a beautiful Christmas bride,." Emily smiled.

"And we'd like to help with whatever possible," Alice broke in. "Charlotte and I are both good with a sewing
machine and none of us are afraid of hard work."

"That would be wonderful," Sue noddedsaid. "Perhaps we can all begin planning in the afternoons when Bella
and Esme aren't tutoring?"

"Well," Edward broke in. "There are some formalities to take care of first."

"Come by the house around 8:30 tonight," Sue informed him. "I'll fix Charlie's favorite for dinner and make
sure he's got a chance to watch a fair amount of ESPN by then and he'll be putty in your hands."

"Well --"

"I don't want to interrupt," I said cautiously,. "But it's really time that wefor us to leave and get back to our
classroom."

"Come by tomorrow for lunch and we'll start planning?" Sue asked Esme who nodded enthusiastically.

"There's just one other thing," Edward whispered in my ear as he maneuvered me out the front door in front
of everyone else.

"What?"

Edward dropped to his knees in front of me and took my left hand in his. "I know we haven't known each

other very long, Isabella Swan, but my heart races when you're around. I want to do really silly things to make
you happy and I feel like a schoolboy when you smile. I loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you outside
the Hall on our first night."

"I love you too Edward," I replied and felt my breath hitch as I realized that he wasn't just taking my
acceptance as a foregone conclusion. He was actually going to ask me instead.

"Isabella Swan, will you make me the happiest man who has ever lived and become my wife?"

"Yes," I whispered and then bit my lip. Edward leapt to his feet and wrapped his arms around me, spinning me

around in a circle before sitting me gently back on the ground and chastely kissing my cheek. I heard a few
choked sobs and when I looked over could see Esme and Shelly both wiping their eyes with handkerchiefs
while Kim wiped her cheeks quickly.

"I love you Isabella."

"I love you Edward." I smiled then. In ten weeks I would marry Edward Cullen.

Chapter Ten

EPOV

"I can't believe she landed him," I heard Jessica hiss as I made my way back into Hall, which was now

transformed to look like more of a study hall and less like classrooms. She and Jessica were both glaring at me
and I could feel the skin on the back of my neck prickle. Since Esme hadn't been assigned a tutoring session
yet, she, Alice, and Edward had left me at the front of the Hall with a promise from Edward that he would see
me home after my students were finished.

"I can.," Lauren sniffed and didn't bother to lower her voice as I swept past them and went to retrieve the high
school level lesson books I kept for when I was tutoring. Hopefully, a lot of students would be having

difficulties and I would be busy, rather than sitting here alone with the two of them like I had been all of last
week.

"It's understandable really," she continued.

"Really?" Jessica didn't bother to lower her voice this time as she glanced between Lauren and me with wide
eyes.

"Of course," Lauren replied. "A man wants a woman who's good with children, responsible, and capable of
doing the drudgery of running a household with his first wife. Someone mousy and quiet, who he can
introduce around as his legal wife. For someone like the Cullens, a first wife is a business transaction."

"Do you really think it's that way with first wives?" Jessica looked nervous then, apparently just now
remembering that she was not only married, but a first wife as well.

"Not for everyone," Lauren said with a , "Mike married you for love of course. But someone like Bella? He's
certainly not marrying her for passion. Mark my words, he'll take a second wife as soon as she's got a bun in
the oven and he'll never touch her again."

I bit my lower lip and felt my face flame. Was Lauren right? Was Edward marrying me because I was a good
girl who was capable of "managing" a family? Was I the most suitable choice? I mean, we hadn't known each
other very long. Could this just be a business transaction to him?

"Who do you think he'll choose?"

"Well I shouldn't say --," Lauren raised her voice slightly. "But the first night they were here, Edwardhe was
giving me looks in Hall. Now that Tyler's gone, I'm sure he'll be talking to my father by June."

"You're going to be a second wife under Bella?" Jessica giggled.

"Oh please.," Lauren laughed hatefully. "I'll let him take her out in public, cook the meals, balance the

accounts, and clean up after everyone while I keep Edward locked in our room all morning doing deliciously
naughty things to him. By September he'll have forgotten she's anything more than the maid. I'll have him
wrapped so tight around my little finger that it'll tingle from the lack of circulation."

I couldn't stand to hear anymore and slammed the English books I was holding back down on the closet shelf.

I shifted and prepared myself mentally to stalk over there and give Lauren Mallory a very large piece of my
mind when I heard the door creak open and both of the harpies shut up. Spinning around, I saw Mrs. Cheney
looking at all three of us curiously.

"Is everything okay?" She asked cautiously.

"No.," I shook my head. "I've got a horrible headache all of a sudden. Please tell any students that come, I'll
help them on Thursday. I'm much too ill today."

"Of course," Mrs. Cheney replied. "Why don't you lieay down in the annex while I go and retrieve Edward?"

"I don't really --"

"I insist," Mrs. Cheney answered. "I'm sure he'll be worried about you."

"But --"

"Come along dear.," Mrs. Cheney walked over and grabbed my elbow, leading me out of the Hall and toward
the annex.

"Don't let them bother you," she said when we were out of Lauren and Jessica's earshot. "They want to make
you upset."

"Well it's working.," I sniffled.

"Why?"

"Because what if they're right?"

"What about darling?"

"What if Edward is just interested in me as a capable manager for his family? What if he takes a second wife as
soon as he can and then ignores me after?"

"I don't think that will happen," Mrs. Cheney answered. "But, I think it's best you sit down and talk to Edward

about that. You're going to be married after all. Communication is important or it'll be an uphill battle all the
way."

"He wouldn't tell me if he were planning to take a second wife!"

"I imagine he would tell you if he believed in the idea strongly, and he should tell you how it's going to affect
your lives together. That's what any righteous man would do."

"It's just --"

"Go lay down," Mrs. Cheney urged. "I'll run over to the Office and get him so that he can take you home."

"I don't want to bother --"

"Bothering is like communicating -- something you need to do a lot of in a marriage."

"But --"

"Isabella Marie Swan, you lay down and allow me to go get your fianceefiancé already."

"Yes ma'am.," I sighed and lay back on the pile of sleep mats we keep their for the younger children. I took a
few deep breaths and tried to think of the best way to deal with all of my emotions. When did my life become

so complicated? Was it just because I was engaged now or was it because I was engaged to Edward? Would life
be this confusing if I were marrying Jacob, a mechanic at the Coven garage, rather than Edward, Business
Manager and Coven Attorney?

"Bella?" I heard him call out softly as the door to the annex opened. "Are you okay? Mrs. Cheney just came to
tell me you were sick. What's wrong?"

"It's --," I sniffled and suddenly couldn't hold back my tears. I let out a loud sob and two strong arms wrapped
around me, pulling me into a sitting position as Edward cradled me against his chest.

"What Love? What's happened?"

"You're marrying me to get a capable business manager!" I wailed and began to sob harder.

"Huh?" Edward sounded confused and reached down to lift my chin up so we were eye to eye.

"You only want to marry me so you've got someone to run the house while you sleep with Lauren all day!"

"What?" Edward jumped up and backwards, looking at me with wide eyes. "Did she tell you that something
inappropriate took place? Because, I swear to you Bella, I've never touched that woman. I've never even been
alone with her!"

"No," I whimpered. "And if you had, she'd have wasted no time in telling me. What she did tell me was that
she's to be your second wife! Then I'm going to be cooking and cleaning and running the house while you
chase her around the bedroom all day."

"That," Edward said as he sat down heavily beside me and wrapped an arm around me shoulders, "is the
silliest thing I've ever heard. You can't possibly believe her."

"Well --"

"Okay --," Edward sighed. "I guess it's time we sit down and actually talk a little bit. This is going to be hard for
me to say and it may be hard for you to hear, but I need to tell you this Bella."

"Okay?"

"I'"m a monogamist."

"What?"

"I only want one wife. You're it for me Bella, so you shouldn't worry about me suddenly bringing another
woman home. And you never have to worry about Lauren, she makes my stomach turn. I'd rather be celibate
than consider marrying Lauren Mallory."

"I know," I whispered.

"You know?"

"Alice told me," I answered. "I mean, that you weren't a polygamist."

"What else did she tell you?" he asked quietly.

"Nothing, she said it was your story to tell me."

"And I will," Edward replied. "Just not right now. I need some time to get my head straight about everything
and then, I promise, I'll tell you."

"There's no rush Edward."

"No.," Hhe nudged my shoulder with his. "You need to know. What I'm curious about is this. If Alice told you I
was a monogamist, then why did you let Lauren upset you?"

"I knew you'd never bring her home with you," I said with a sigh,ed. "bBut it's just, she sort of hit on a nerve."

"What's that?"

"I'm such a good, dependable girl.," I let my shoulders slump forward. "That's all I've ever heard. 'Oh Bella,
one day you'll make such a good wife. You're such a kind, capable girl. Any man will be lucky to have you
managing his home.' That's all I've ever heard. Even Jake--"

"You are kind," Edward pointed out,. "aAnd capable. Those are two of the things I like about you."

"But --"

"They aren't why I'm marrying you."

"They aren't?"

"Nope.," Edward bumped my shoulder again and I turned to face him. "I'm marrying you because you make
me laugh and my heart races around you because you're so pretty."

"Oh."

"And --," he lowered his voice down to a whisper. "You're the only woman I've ever fantasized about taking
behind a building and pulling all her clothes off so that I could taste every square millimeter of skin."

"You have?"

"The very first day in the school yard --," Hhe smirked and then quickly pecked my lips with his own.

"Oh --," I felt my face blushing. "I just --"

"You just?"

"It's silly."

"Tell me anyway."

"But --"

"Bella, communicate with me. Even if it's silly, I want to know."

"I just hate being called 'good' all the time. There are some days I just want to be bad."

"Bad?" Edward's eyes twinkled.

"Yes, bad!" I repeated.

"Well then, I think that can be arranged. What part of the house do you sleep in?"

"The back room on the first floor. Why?"

"Well --," Edward stood and pulled me up as well. "Can you slip out easily enough at night?"

"Through the screen door," I said with a nodded. "We don't lock it."

"And your father's working nights still? What time do your mothers go to bed?"

"They go to bed around 10 when he's working. Why?"

"Feel like being bad tonight?" Edward asked as he led me out of the annex.

"What did you have in mind?"

"Play sick so that they let you spend the evening in bed sleeping," Edward whispered as we walked across the
street to my house. "Then meet me on your back porch at midnight."

"Edward I don't know if --"

"I promise I'll keep you safe," he whispered again. "In ten weeks I'm going to be your husband. Don't you trust
me?"

"Yes.," I smiled.

"So you'll meet me tonight?"

"I --"

"Please?"

"Yes.," I nodded and Edward smiled as well.

A few minutes later, he had convinced Leah that I was actually very sick and he was afraid I was coming down
with something so she'd put me to bed with orders to rest. Burrowed under the blankets, I closed my eyes and

tried to rest even though my stomach was in knots. I drifted off to fantasies about what Edward could have
planned for tonight.

I faked sleep when Leah put the other girls to bed and then, later, held my breath as I heard each of my
mothers making their way upstairs to their rooms. By 1130, the house was silent except for Seth's snores as I
slipped out of bed and into the bathroom. I pulled the brush through my tangled haystack of hair and then

washed my face. My cheeks were bright red and my eyes were sparkling in anticipation of what Edward had
planned.

By 1145, I'd slipped onto the back porch and saw that he was leaning against a nearby tree, waiting. I hurried
over to him quietly and he wrapped his arms around my body, pulling me in for a long, lingering kiss.

"Much better than a public street," he whispered a few minutes later as he released me and reached down for
a backpack that had been at his feet.

"What's that?"

"Provisions," he muttered,. "oOf a sort."

"Provisions?"

"You'll see," he said quietly as he slipped his hand in mine and began to pull me into the woods behind the
house.

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere you can be bad," Edward replied wickedly and hurried me further into the forest. About a half
mile from the house, we reached a small clearing and Edward stopped. Opening the bag, he pulled out a
blanket and spread it on the ground.

"Um --," I looked from the blanket to him nervously. "I don't know if --"

"Do you trust me?"

"Yes, it's just we've only got ten weeks till the wedding and when I said I wanted to be bad I didn't mean --"

"Bella --," Edward wrapped his arms around me and gave me a tight squeeze. "I didn't bring you out here to
have sex tonight."

"You aren't seducing me?" I blurted out disappointedly.

"Oh, I have every intention of seducing you. It's just that I don't intend to have sex tonight."

"I just know --"

"How's this for a guarantee Bella? I promise you my pants will stay not only on, but zipped as well. I can't
exactly steal your innocence if I'm fully covered."

"I didn't mean to suggest --"

"Besides," Edward continued. "Why steal what's going to be mine legitimately in a few weeks? It doesn't seem
worth the risk to my health if your father finds out or your reputation if someone else does. I mean, ten weeks
isn't that long really."

"So when you said seduce me --"

"Sit down Bella," Edward urged as he dropped onto the blanket. "And then pick a number between 1 and 5."

"Three," I answered as I sat beside him and he wrapped an arm around my shoulder.

"Three it is then," he whispered as he pulled me closer and began to kiss at the sensitive flesh behind my ear.

"What did I choose a number for?"

"That's the number of orgasms I'm going to give you tonight."

"But I thought you said that your pants would be --"

"Mine will," Edward chuckled. "And I said I didn't intend to have sex with you tonight. I promise, -- to use very
technical terms so that we're clear -- that. , I have no intentions of penetrating you in any way until after
Reverend Weber marries us."

"Then how --"

"Just relax," Edward crooned as he lifted me into his lap, turning me to face him and nuzzling at my neck. He
reached for the buttons at the front of my dress and I jerked.

"Trust me," he implored. "I love you."

"Okay," I whispered back and bit my lip before he leaned up to kiss me passionately again. Lost in the feel of
his tongue caressing mine, I didn't realize he'd undone the buttons on my dress all the way down to the waist
until my bra came free and the night air brushed against my exposed breasts.

"Oh," I gasped as he pulled away and promptly pulled back to stare. I moved to wrap my arms self consciously
around my torso but he grabbed my hands and kept them down.

"Don't," he whispered. "I want to look at you. You're so magnificent."

"So are you," I replied softly.

"Lean back," he urged, unwrapping my hands from his hair and putting them behind me on this upper thighs,

supporting my weight. The position shifted my hips forward against the large, rock- hard bulge in his jeans
and my hips wiggled against it for friction instinctively.

"Nice," Edward hissed. "That feels wonderful Love, keep doing that."

"Oh --," I shifted again as his face came forward and he captured my left nipple with his teeth, nibbling at it
gently before he began to lave at it with his tongue, pinching my right nipple at the same time and holding me
against his erection. I couldn't help squirming against him as he licked and sucked on my breasts.

"That's it Love," he urged as I continued to squirm. "Does that feel good?"

"Yes," I groaned as I squirmed against him again and the friction began to send delicious tingles from between

my legs and all throughout my body. Edward moaned in response and pressed his hips against mine as he
began to attend to my breasts more enthusiastically.

It got hard to breathe as he worked my body against his and the friction between us was too much to bear.
"Edward you have to stop. It's too much, I can't stand it!"

"Yes you can.," Hhe flicked my nipple with his tongue and then sucked it into his mouth. "I love you Bella."

"I love you," I whimperedsobbed as I ground against him harder, trying to get closer to him while at the same
time fighting against the electric jolts shooting through me.

"I love you too," he whispered. "Now just let go for me Bella. Please beautiful girl, just relax and enjoy what I'm
doing to you."

"Edward," I cried out as the world got very tight and small and I couldn't stand to be as far away from him as I
was, so I pressed myself against him and sobbed as the world exploded into an intense white heat around me.

"So beautiful," he whispered as he ran his fingers through my now disheveled hair and kissed my neck as I
came down from the euphoric high I'd just been on.

"Was it supposed to be --" I stopped and felt my face flame.

"Supposed to be what?" Edward crooned as he shifted so that I was reclining on the blanket and he was
kneeling between my legs.

"That, that --" I stuttered.

"Was it good?" Edward whispered.

"Yes.," I blushed furiously and bit my lip.

"I wanted it to be," he replied quietly and began to pull up the hem of my skirt.

"What are you doing?" I felt my eyes widen as he rucked my skirt up around my waist and grinned at me
wickedly.

"Working on number two," Edward replied mischieviously as his fingers hooked on the top of my panties and
began to tug on them."

"But I thought you said --"

"All of my clothes are still on Bella," he said comfortingly. "Now just lay back and enjoy this."

"Enjoy what?" I asked naively and then let out a yelp as he nuzzled at the flesh between my legs with his nose.

"I've been dreaming about how you taste," he said as he kissed the top of my sex and then licked me with the
tip of his tongue.

"You mean --" I gaped down at him and then his tongue flicked against my flesh.

"Oh, OH!" I yelped and then fell back heavily on the blanket as Edward chuckled and the vibrations it sent
straight to my center caused me to buck my hips against his chin.

"That's right Bella," Edward coaxed. "Just let go and enjoy it."

"I shouldn't," I whimpered as his tongue began to lap at me and I squirmed against his tongue. "I mean, we
shouldn't. This isn't right. If people saw us behaving like this when we aren't married, and then if they saw
what you're doing! What you think you have to do --"

"Do you want to stop?" Edward asked as he lifted his head away from my flesh.

"No, I mean, we should, but I don't want to and I don't want you to emasculate yourself because you think it
will make me --"

"I don't really care about what we should do Bella," Edward answered seriously as he shifted and lay down
beside me, reaching over to curl me against his side. "I care about what makes you happy and what you want
to do. I thought you wanted to be bad tonight and that's why --"

"Edward, I do and I want to do this but what would people say?"

"I don't care what people say Bella," he answered. "And neither should you. Be bad Bella. Do what makes you
happy and don't care about what anyone else thinks. Okay?"

"Okay," I nodded shakily. "But I don't want you to do something --"

"That emasculates me?" He laughed. "Bella, is that what you really think?"

"Don't you?"

"Do I think that being able to make you scream and cry out in pleasure and lose all self control makes me LESS
of a man?"

"Well it sounds silly when you put it that way," I grumbled.

"So, can I go back to emasculating myself now?" Edward chuckled as he flipped me onto my back and began to
slink predatorily down the length of my body with a wicked grin on his face.

"Edward, I don't want you to feel like --"

"Okay --," he sat up suddenly and scrubbed his face with his hands and then ran them through his hair. "I
guess we need to talk."

My heart plummeted into my stomach as soon as he said it and I couldn't help the tears that formed in my
eyes. "I'm sorry.," I sniffled.

"Are you crying?" Edward looked over at me baffled. "You're crying. Why are you crying?"

"Because you want to talk and that means you're dumping me because I didn't do what you wanted and --"

"Dumping you?" Edward looked over at me wide- eyed. "What makes you think that? I just want to talk, Bella."

"Doesn't that mean you don't want me anymore?"

"No.," Hhe wrapped his arms around me and held me close. "I'll never not want you. What I want to talk about
is our views on things, especially on things like this. I think everything you've been brought up to think is
messing with your head right now and we just need to talk so we can get things straight."

"What do you mean?"

"Okay --," Edward reached over and pulled the top of my dress closed. "That's better. I can't think straight
when those are out and I can see them. Now, be honest with me. Do you believe in polygamy?."

"It's not about what I believe," I stammered.

"Just --," Edward sighed. "Just tell me what you believe."

"No.," I shook my head. "I mean, my father is happy that way, he claims, but I think he's just trying to replace

my real mother and when Sue didn't fit exactly, he added Shelly and thought that would help. But it still didn't
work and he just kept adding wives and hoping that they'd fill in all the empty spots. I mean, he loves them,
but I don't think he's in love with them."

"I don't believe in it either," Edward said staunchly. "And wWhat about the teachings of the Brothers? The
Ecstasy?"

"I don't think it's all like they make it out to be," I whispered. "What about you?"

"It's bullshit," he said bluntly and I grimaced. "If I had my way, we'd get married and then we'd leave. I've

made contacts in Pittsburgh and in Morgantown. We could leave and I could get work there. You could go to
University and we could have a good life together."

"You want to leave?" I looked at him horrified. "You're going to take us away from Coventry?"

"No.," Edward sighed. "You want to be close to your father don't you?"

"Yes --," I swallowed. "He's all I have left."

"I know, plus Esme and Alice have begged me not to go. I intended to once before and both of them made me
feel so guilty that I decided to stay instead. I promised them I would stay for as long as I could."

"But you don't believe in any of it?" I asked quietly.

"No.," Hhe looked over at me nervously. "I'm sorry, I just don't."

I swallowed and tried to work up my courage. "I don't believe in it either," I said nervously and my voice
wavered.

"You don't have to say it just --"

"No --," I looked around instinctively, trying to see if anyone could hear us even though I knew we were
completely alone. "I don't believe in it. I never have."

"But you want to stay?"

"Yes --," I nodded. "I don't believe in what they do, but he's my father, Edward, and I love him. Aand my
mothers, and my brothers, and sisters. I know it's wrong but --"

"They're the only family you have."

"Besides you now.," I leaned my head on his shoulder.

"There is that.," Hhe kissed the top of my head. "I think though, that the best thing we can try to do is
assimilate as much as possible in public. Try to appear like everyone else. There are going to be some
awkward moments and sometimes we're going to have to say things that make us both sick, but I think we

should both know up front what we mean to each other. You are all I'm ever going to want Bella, and all I ever
want to do is make you happy. Can you remember that?"

"Yes," I noddedsaid,. "bBut I don't understand what you mean when you say we're going to have to do things --
"

"Let's not think about it," Edward answered. "It may never happen that I have to lie to the Council of the
Brethren or even to my own family, but if it does, I want you to know that it's a lie and my feelings about you
will never change. Okay?"

"Okay," I agreed shakily.

"Now --," he turned to me with a wicked grin. "Lay down."

"What?"

"Lie down.," Edward shifted to press me back onto the blanket, kneeling between my legs.

"Why?"

"Because I need to get back to what I was doing."

"But --"

"Bella --," Edward's voice was stern and I felt an immediate shiver of anticipation shoot through me. "I'm
going to be your husband soon."

"Yes?"

"And there's one thing you need to know about me before that happens."

"What's that?" I gasped as he rucked my skirt up and kissed the top of my now exposed sex.

"When I tell you something is going to happen, I mean it. I told you that you were going to orgasm three times
tonight, didn't I?"

"Yes," I said shakily as his tongue began to tease at my heated flesh.

"And how many times have you orgasmed?."

"On --, on --, once," I whimpered.

"And you're a teacher, Bella. How many times more do you have left?"

"Twice more Edward," I groaned as his mouth began to do things that caused my world to get very, very warm
all of a sudden.

"You've been a very bad girl and snuck out of the house," Edward said as he kissed my inner thigh. "But you're
going to show me what a good, willing wife you want to be, aren't you?"

"Ye --, ye --, yes?"

"Then lie back, relax, and let me make you scream in pleasure."

"Yes Edward," I groaned as he began to work his mouth against my wet flesh enthusiastically and my world
quickly spun out of control underneath his eager hands and mouth. Within minutes, I was screaming out my
pleasure just as he'd asked.

Chapter Eleven

EPOV

I watched my beautiful Bella slip back inside her parents' back door unnoticed just before the sun came up

the next morning. The night I'd spent with her had been glorious and just thinking about how beautiful she'd
been, lost in her own passion, made my already hard cock ache agonizingly. The night had been wonderful,
she'd been beautiful, and I was now suffering the worst case of blue balls imaginable because of it. I was
almost hobbling as I made my way through the trees toward my own bed at the clinic.

"Fuck," I hissed once I'd made it inside and locked the main door behind me. Rushing to the tiny room in the
back, I hurriedly pushed the door closed and began fumbling with the button and zipper on my jeans. Finally

freeing them, I almost moaned as the fabric brushed across my overly sensitive skin. Kicking off my boxers, I
let my shoulders rest against the closed door and took myself in hand, stroking urgently. By the end of my
first pass, precum was leaking from my tip and my knees were trembling. I clamped my eyes shut and

pictured Bella's flushed skin, the way she'd felt writhing above me, the smell of her neck, the taste of her - My
orgasm was so intense that my knees gave out and I collapsed heavily onto the floor, panting.

"Edward?" My father called out from the main room and I scrambled hurriedly to my feet.

"Shit," I muttered. "Shit, shit, shit."

"Is everything all right in there?"

"Yes Father," I called out hurriedly. "Just fell out of bed."

"Really?"

"Yes, it's a really small cot and when I realized I was running late, I got tangled in the blankets and fell."

"I guess it is rather small," he answered and I could tell he was right outside the door. "Although I don't know
why you're worried about being late - it's barely 6 am. Surely there's not enough work that you need to go in
this early?"

"The earlier I go in, the earlier I can leave. I want to get started on the house."

"Yes -" Carlisle was still outside the door. "Esme mentioned that. It seems that she and the Swan wives have
agreed that if the house is done, you can marry Bella just before Christmas."

"Yes Sir."

"And Charles Swan has approved this?"

"I went over last night to speak with him."

"Does Bella know?"

"Yes." I smiled as I thought about how happy she'd been this morning when I told her that her father had given

his blessing to our marriage. I felt my cock twitch and had to stifle my groan of frustration into a pillow so my
father wouldn't hear. Why couldn't the damn thing just stay down for once? I was going to develop calluses if
this didn't stop soon.

"We'll want to arrange for her to have an exam rather soon then," my father announced. "I don't want any
situations like before. Better we let Kate or Siobhan give her a full physical, claim it's just good reproductive
health, and find out for sure before you take that next step."

"Father," I growled. "That's not necessary."

"Better to be safe than sorry," he replied. "Just because she's the Chief of Police's daughter -"

"I need to take a shower now," I cut in angrily and stomped to the bathroom.

I should have expected Carlisle to be this insensitive. After all he'd been just this cruel after Kebi's death.
'Better to be a murderer then a cuckold to a suicidal maniac, Edward,' he'd warned.

Kebi. I banged my forehead against the front wall of the shower stall. I was going to have to tell Bella about
Kebi. I had to be honest with her and I needed to do it soon. This wasn't something that could be kept secret. It

should have never been kept secret. But for the life of me, I couldn't figure out how to explain to her that I'd

driven my closest childhood friend to commit suicide. That instead of being gentle and understanding with
her, I'd flown into a rage - not at her, God, never at her - and instead of holding her, I'd stormed off to be with
my own thoughts.

The water turned cold and I quickly soaped up and got out. Running my fingers through my hair, I quickly
dried off and then shaved. Hopefully I could get into work early enough to be at the point of taking a break
when it came time to escort Bella to school. I had only left her the hour before, but I was anxious to see her
again.

"Invite Bella to dinner this evening." My father's tone was clipped when I stepped out of my room, still
buttoning the cuffs of my shirt. "Your mothers all need to meet her."

"They've already met her," I replied.

"Well, not all of them are on board with bringing her into the family. Dinner tonight will either sway them or
we'll need to come up with some way to postpone or cancel the engagement all together."

"I'm not postponing my marriage to Bella."

"But if your mothers -"

"Esme has already approved of her."

"But your other mothers haven't had a say into whether or not we should bring her into the family."

"It's not really any of their business, father," I snapped. "She'll be my wife, not yours, and therefore my family
and not any of your other wives' concern. So, I suggest you tell them to mind their own business if they know
what's good for them."

"I'm your father, Edward, and I am head of this family."

"And I no longer live under your roof or your protection, father. Charles Swan told me last night that my
admission into the Council of Brethren was put to a vote at a meeting and I've already been asked to join."

"Vote? I wasn't present for a vote."

"Charlie said they didn't want you there on a vote related to your own son."

"But was that all they talked about? Edward, I wasn't even told there was a meeting. There are protocols to be
followed and I should have been informed of the meeting and why I was being asked not to attend."

"That's your problem, Father." I shrugged. "I am a member of the Council in my own right, with my own job,
my own Coven-given home, and soon my own wife. I will invite Bella to dinner tonight to meet my family
because it's appropriate, but I suggest you tell your wives to keep a civil tongue in their heads."

"And if I don't respond to your childish threats?"

"That's your choice; just as it's mine whether or not to free up the building funds for the clinic from the
discretionary budget or not. Since Reverend Weber and the Council have left the decision in my hands."

"So you're blackmailing me?"

"No, I'm telling you that if one of your wives steps out of line tonight - especially that harridan, Tanya - I will
personally guarantee that you will have to account for every penny you spend and I'll put you on such a tight
budget, it'll squeak every time you write a check. Blackmail suggests I'm offering you a bribe in return. All I'm
saying is I might entertain the idea of giving you building funds. Might. Not will. Might."

"I can't believe you'd stoop to such a thing, Edward." My father curled his nose in disgust.

"And I can't believe that not only did you keep the bitch, but you routinely stick your cock inside of her. Aren't
you afraid it'll fall off afterward? Oh wait, that's why you're in here early this morning raiding the pharmacy
stores. Somebody have another flare up?"

"How did I raise such an ungrateful son?" Carlisle muttered as I strode to the door.

"It was the loving maternal influences that filled our home."

I stalked out of the clinic, my hands shaking and hurried toward the Coven office. I needed to get my head on
straight before I saw Bella. She needed to know everything, and soon, because I didn't trust Tanya not to bring
it all up at the dinner table like polite social chit chat but I also didn't want to burden her with it before work
today.

"Edward!" Alice called out as she hurried up the street behind me. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I replied as she caught up with me.

"Edward?"

"Carlisle -" I lowered my voice and slid her arm through mine. "He wants me to invite Bella to dinner."

"You expected that."

"So that his other wives can decide whether or not I can marry Bella."

"I don't think so," Alice scowled.

"He said some of them have concerns."

"Did he say who?"

"No, but I think we can all guess."

"I'll deal with it," Alice said determinedly. "I'll talk to Esme today and we'll nip this in the bud at lunch. I'm not
going to let her ruin things, Edward."

"I'm going to have to tell Bella."

"Yes," Alice agreed. "But not right now. She doesn't need to deal with that and with Lauren Mallory today.

After what you told me happened yesterday, and then Jessica Newton told me and Charlotte all about it when
she warned us how badly Bella had taken the news that you apparently proposed to Lauren just an hour after
you proposed to Bella and that you're going to marry her in June, you can't lay this on her now."

"What an utter crock of rancid yak shit. Like I'd ever agree to touch Lauren Mallory! " I sighed. "I can't put any
of this on Bella right now though but I've got to tell her before Tanya starts twisting it around. "

"She doesn't teach this afternoon," Alice said helpfully.

"I need to work on the house."

"Let Emmett and Jasper deal with the house," Alice insisted. "Besides, you'll be too nervous to do it properly
and you could get hurt. Talk to Bella after school and tell her everything."

"But what about -"

"Leave that bitch to me," Alice replied.

The rest of the morning past fitfully; Alice and I had taken a break to escort Bella to school and she'd been
able to tell that my mood had soured since we'd parted a few hours earlier. "Edward?" She rushed out of the
house and gave me a brief, chaste squeeze. "What's wrong?"

"Noth -" I stopped myself. I wasn't going to lie to her. "Can we talk about it this afternoon please?"

"Did I do something wrong? Was it last night?" she whispered.

"No, no!" I shook my head and tried to keep my voice low as well. I knew Alice didn't care if I'd snuck out to
see Bella, but I didn't want to embarrass Bella by having her find out either. "Last night was amazing. Bella, I
love you so much. I just need to talk to you about my past. I need to be honest with you and it's making me
nervous."

"Oh, I see," she said pensively and then squeezed my hand in her tiny one. "Edward, no matter what you tell
me, I'll still love you."

"You might change your mind about that," I said with a sigh.

"I won't."

"You might."

"Edward, no matter what you tell me, I'll love you."

"Okay," I agreed bleakly when we stopped in front of the hall. Leaning down, I gave her a brief peck on the
cheek and avoided her eyes.

"We'll talk after lunch," she said quietly.

"I love you," I whispered.

"I love you too." She squeezed my hand again and then released it while I watched her walk away, my heart
breaking as I wondered if this was the last time I'd see her walking away when she'd still be mine.

Now I was standing on the Hall's porch, leaning against the railing and waiting for her to be done hugging her
students. Part of me was impatient to get it over with and end the nagging uncertainty, but the other part of
me wanted her to linger with her students for as long as possible, avoiding the conversation to come.

"Edward?" Bella took my hand in her own and I glanced up, startled at the sight of her.

"Hi," I muttered weakly.

"Why don't we go to my house?"

"Your house?"

"We'll take a blanket out and sit underneath the tree in the backyard to talk. It's private and no one will
bother us there."

"Are you sure your mothers will approve without a chaperone?"

"They'll be able to see us from the kitchen window." She shrugged as she pulled me along beside her down the
street and up her front steps.

"Everyone," Bella called out as we came in through the front door. "I'm home and Edward is with me."

"Hello Edward." Sue smiled as we came into the kitchen. "It's nice to see you."

"It's nice to see you as well," I replied weakly.

"We're going outside to spend some time together," Bella announced as she let go of my hand and left the
kitchen for a moment.

"Where are you going?" Sue asked.

"We're going to sit under the tree in the backyard and talk," Bella answered as she came back into the kitchen

with a large blanket folded under her arm. I reached out and took it from her, tucking it under my own as she
took my hand.

"Do you want to take some sandwiches with you for lunch?"

"I'm not very hungry, Mrs. Swan," I said weakly. "I ate at the office before I met up with Bella."

"Bella?"

"Edward's invited me for dinner so I want to make sure I have an appetite. Esme has warned me that she
cooks for an army."

"Okay then -" Sue nodded. "Enjoy your chat then."

We fell silent as we stepped out of house and into the backyard, Bella leading me back to the tree I'd met her
at the night before. "It seems like we were just here," she whispered.

"Yes it does." I smiled down at her and then spread out the blanket. "I wish this was still last night."

"Me too," Bella said. "But we need to talk about this Edward."

"I know." I nodded and then flopped back onto the blanket, laying down and covering my eyes with my
forearm. Where should I start?

"Bella? I know things are different here than they are in Aro's Creek."

"Yes?" she agreed. "I think it's that way with all the communities. Everyone does things just slightly different."

"Has anyone ever suggested that you need to be trained in how to be a proper wife?"

"Well, yes," she answered and I stiffened. "I mean, Sue and Shelly have been teaching me to cook and sew since

I was little. I've babysat my brothers and sisters enough that I can take care of a baby. I know how to balance
the checkbook and plan a menu. Those are the things that mothers teach their daughters, Edward. I don't
think anyone ever formally named it though."

"That's not what I meant." I relaxed slightly. "I mean, has your father ever talked about teaching you how to do
your properly wifely duties?"

"My father? What would he teach me to do? He can't boil water."

"Has your father or anyone else on the Council of Brethren ever molested you Bella?" I blurted it out and then

immediately cringed. Of all the ways I could have brought up this conversation, I'm pretty sure I'd just chosen
the worst.

"What? What are you suggesting? No! No, my father would never have done something, allowed something -
How dare you!"

"I didn't think he did," I said quickly and then glanced up to see her gaping at me, her mouth working but no
sound coming out. "But I had to be sure."

"Be sure? Where would you ever get such a disgusting idea?"

"Because that's what happened to Kebi, and on our wedding night, after I'd found out, she killed herself."

"What?"

"She committed suicide," I said quietly.

"Where were you?"

"I'd gone for a walk to clear my head," I whispered guiltily. "I was just so angry and so confused, I couldn't
breathe and I just had to get out of there. When I got home -" I felt my stomach tighten and quickly scrambled
off the blanket and into the woods to hurl up the remains of the small breakfast Alice had insisted I eat.

"I think you should start at the beginning," Bella whispered when I came back.

"Right." I nodded morosely. "I guess I should start with the fact that I was never in love with Kebi. I mean, she
was my best friend and I loved her, but I was never in love with her."

"Then why would you marry her?"

"We ran away together." I shrugged. "My father was pushing for me to take a bride, I think he was worried
that if he didn't have something tying me to him and the Coven that I'd leave and he'd lose the power he could
wield through me. Then Kebi came to me one night, terrified. Her father had announced that he intended to

marry her to another, older man in the church. So instead, we ran away together. We went two counties over
and filed for a marriage license and then camped out in a hotel for the next three days until the license was
valid."

"You stayed in a hotel together before you were married?"

"We slept in separate beds. The idea was that just the fact we'd been alone together overnight would keep the
other man from wanting her, but she still didn't want to share a bed until we were married. I should have
known something was up, but I just wanted to respect her boundaries."

"Okay -" She nodded encouragingly.

"So we hid for three days and then we let the Justice of the Peace marry us. We didn't even wait to celebrate
the marriage. Instead, we just rushed back to the Coven and shoved our marriage license under the
Brethren's nose. At that point they had no choice but to give us a quick blessing and send us home together.
They weren't happy about it, but we'd left them little choice."

"So?"

"So -" how much should I tell her? What did she want to know? "I don't know how to say this Bella."

"Just say it however you need to so you can get it out there."

"I found out that night when we went to bed together, that my blushing bride wasn't a virgin. I got upset that

she'd never told me about being with someone else and then she got upset because I was upset and I wasn't
really that upset, but more surprised because she was my best friend and I should have known something like
that, right?"

"Yes?" Bella sounded unsure.

"And then she tells me that it had been Brother Denali who had performed her 'wife counseling', and I was
just dumbfounded.

"Brother Denali? The head of the Coven business office in Aro's Creek?"

"And my father's father-in-law."

"It seems they had planned on my marriage to Kebi for a while, but Tanya had gone to her father and told him
that Kebi was too impetuous and free spirited to make a good wife. So they decided to teach her how to be a
good wife."

"But you said she was going to be married to another man."

"After she'd let her father molest Kebi, Tanya had him tell my father that Kebi wasn't a good wife for me and
then gave her to another man."

"Why? Why would she do such a thing?"

"Tanya has a younger sister, Tamara, who had taken a shine to me. Plus, by having her sister married to me, it
would've given her more power in the household. She and Rosalie are cousins and she thought between the
three of them, they could band together to call the shots. The problem was I couldn't stand Tamara."

"You couldn't?"

"I can't stand Tanya and Tamara is just a dumber carbon copy."

"But she did all these things just to have the chance to be your father's favorite? I don't understand."

"She's a power hungry, ruthless bitch." I sighed. "That isn't what caused Kebi's death though - that's my fault."

"Your fault?"

"I was just so stunned when she told me; so sick and disgusted with myself that I hadn't known and I hadn't
protected her. And I was angry with her because she should have told me. She should have told me the minute

it started and we could have just gone somewhere. We could have run away and we could have hidden. I
would have protected her! I should have -"

Bella wrapped her arms around my shaking shoulders and began to run her fingers through my hair. "It's
okay Edward. You couldn't have known. I mean, who would have ever suspected something like that?"

"I should have known," I replied forcefully. "But I was just so stunned and sick and the room felt so close and I
just needed some air."

"It's okay Edward," Bella soothed.

"And then I heard the gun go off and -"

"Shh -" Bella hummed. "Just hush Edward. Everything's all right, my love."

"But Bella," I stuttered. "It just went off and then I was inside and there was so much blood and I didn't know
what to do, so I called my father and he came over and he's the one who came up with the cover story."

"Why? Why not tell the truth and let people know what he was doing to her?"

"Who were they going to believe?" I laughed incredulously. "A man who had stolen another man's intended
and eloped with her, or the man who controlled everyone's income? Besides, do you think my father wanted
the world to know that his own wife acted as a pimp to force young girls into bed with her father so she could
gain some political advantages at home? It would have destroyed his reputation."

"But -"

"Nothing matters more to him than his reputation," I insisted. "So instead, he came up with a story to tell the
police chief and then gave me a shot in the arm to make me sleep; told me it would help with the shock."

"And what did the police say when they questioned you?"

"I don't remember." I sighed. "I don't even know if they did. My father stabbed me in the arm while I wasn't
looking and then the next thing I knew, I woke up four days later, branded a murderer and my family was
making preparations to leave Aro's Creek for good."

"Edward that's -" I grimaced as I waited to hear her tell me what a monster I was. "That's the most tragic thing
I've ever heard. I'm so sorry!"

"I understand." I stood up and began brushing off my jeans. "No one will blame you. I mean, your father can
just let everyone know that he's refusing my suit."

"What are you talking about?"

"The reason you won't marry me. I know I don't deserve to ask any favors of you, but could you please keep
this between us?"

"Edward, what are you going on about?"

"I just don't want the entire town to know all my business, it would -"

"Edward, who said I was breaking off our engagement?"

"I just assumed because of what I did -"

"Edward!"

"What?"

"I love you."

"But -"

"And, if you'll still have me, I intend to marry you in ten weeks."

"You do?"

"Yes."

"But I just told you -"

"That something very tragic happened and your closest childhood friend was brutally victimized."

"And it's my fault."

"No, it's not Edward. You didn't rape her and -"

"I should have known."

"She didn't want you to," Bella insisted.

"I was her best friend."

"And she didn't want to hurt you. I can't say I understand everything, but I do know it's not your fault and I'm
not going to let you ruin what we have over your own sense of misplaced guilt. If you want to be angry at
someone, be angry at the people who hurt her. Be angry at Tanya for doing it and your father for covering it
up."

"I am." I sighed. "I hate both of them. And now she's beginning to make noise about trying to prevent me from
marrying you, and Bella, I just got so worried that she'd try to do the same thing to you that she did to Kebi."

"My father would never stand for it," Bella insisted. "And the Reverened Weber is a good man. I know you

don't agree with his teachings, but you have to know, Edward, he would never, ever, do such a horrible thing.
The last person they caught messing with a child -" Bella swallowed nervously.

"What?"

"They burned him out," Bella whispered. "No one will say so, they claim it was a problem with the gas lines,
but everyone knows that wasn't what happened. They burnt the house down around his head while his wives
and children were staying with his mother so he could have a night to reflect in prayer."

"They killed him?"

"By all accounts, Reverend Weber threw the first torch in through the window. No matter what Tanya tries,
nothing like that will happen to me."

"I'm not going to let her keep us apart and no matter what she tells you, I have no intention of ever being near
enough to her sister again to scream across a crowded room at her, much less make her one of my wives;
especially since you will be taking the only available position."

"Good."

"I'm just worried." I sighed and then lay down next to her, letting her comb her fingers through my hair.

"Why?"

"Because she'll do everything in her power to rip us apart tonight."

"Good," Bella said quietly.

"Good?"

"That gives me something else to hate her for. And this is something I can fight against."

"Really?"

"She hurt you Edward. No one is allowed to hurt you ever again."

"But -"

"Would you be willing to fight for me if the roles were reversed?"

"Of course I would," I protested.

"Well then," she answered quietly. "Why shouldn't I be allowed to fight for you?"

I didn't have an answer for that, so instead I stayed silent and drifted off to sleep with Bella still stroking my
hair. It was the first time I'd slept easy without drugs since Kebi came to me and told me that Brother Denali
intended for her to marry another man.

Chapter twelve

Bpov

I bit my lip nervously as Edward led me into his parent's house with Alice following behind me, most likely to
prevent one of us from bolting. "Bella!" Esme called out excitedly. "I'm so happy to see you!"

"Hello Esme." I smiled and wrapped my arms around her as she embraced me. "It's been such a long time," I
teased.

"Oh hush," she admonished. "I barely got a chance to talk with you this afternoon during lunch. I mean, it's
good that you're spending time with Edward but eventually he's going to have to let the rest of us have you so
that we can plan this wedding."

"Strange," another woman said sharply. "What wedding's being planned?"

"Edward and Bella's wedding is being planned," Esme said in a tone of mock patience.

"Edward and Bella? That's funny," the woman snapped. "I don't remember being consulted about whether or
not our son should marry Bella."

"That's because I'm not your son, Irina," Edward snapped back and I couldn't help but flinch. "In case you've
forgotten, you've been nothing but a shame and an embarrassment to this family by being barren."

"That doesn't change the fact I'm your father's wife," she said hotly.

"And that says something about his poor character judgment but not about your relationship to me. You and I
both know that you're nothing more than another whore he's brought home for convenience, so don't act like
you have any say in my life."

"Edward!" I hissed as the other woman stood up and stalked out of the room.

"Sorry," he said, shaking his head and then reaching out to hug Alice. "I'm not making a statement about
polygamy -"

"You're making a statement about Irina," Alice finished for him.

"Yes."

"Don't let her get to you." Esme patted me on the shoulder consolingly. "She doesn't feel that I consult enough
with the other wives regarding the boys' upbringing. She's probably right -"

"The Hell she is," Edward retorted.

"She's probably right," Esme continued, "that I should consult them. But I find it very hard to ask permission
from other women about my sons."

"You're not asking permission for me at all," Edward snapped. "I'm a grown man and I don't need your
permission to marry the woman of my dreams."

"Edward," Alice insisted. "We all know this is the way things are done! I know Irina upset you but you need to
learn how to cool your temper. Why make waves?"

"Because someone needs too," he said. "And it's not the way things are done. It's the way things are done
here."

"And what if your father revokes his permission after this stunt, huh?" Esme rolled her eyes at him and then
smiled sympathetically at me. "What will you do then?"

"We'll marry without his permission."

"You know the Reverend Weber will never allow that," Alice protested.

"Then we'll leave," Edward answered. "We don't need the Reverend Weber to perform the ceremony for us to
be married. And everyone here knows it. Or do I need to go about reminding you?"

"You'd leave again?" Alice looked at him sharply and I took a deep breath. I loved Edward and if it came down
to a choice of living without him or leaving, I knew what I would do without a second thought.

"Bella?" Esme looked at me worriedly. "Surely you don't agree with him? You wouldn't leave the community
would you?"

"If it were the only way I could be with Edward, yes." I answered with conviction and I could see that all three
of them were staring at me in shock. "He's going to be my husband and I love him."

"Well," I heard a dry voice announce from the doorway. "I see my opinions count for little here. People have
already made up their minds in this matter."

"Father -" I saw Edward incline his head slightly toward Carlisle Cullen. "I made my position clear this
morning, didn't I?"

"You did indeed," he answered and I glanced between them. Position?

"Well, then I trust from now on you'll keep your other wives in line. Irina upset both Esme and Bella with her
little tantrum. Perhaps you could try keeping her on a shorter leash?"

"I'll talk with her about it," he admitted grudgingly. "But I think perhaps you should consider apologizing as
well. Your reaction to her simple statement was a little overdramatic, don't you think?"

"When has the truth ever been melodramatic Father?"

"When it leads to personal insults perhaps?" Carlisle glared at Edward first and then me and I couldn't help
but cringe. He wouldn't let this incident go lightly.

"I'll consider it," Edward said with a shrug.

"Fine -" Carlisle focused on Esme. "Siobhan said that dinner is ready to be placed on the table if you'll join us."

"After you." Edward put his hand on my back and began leading me out of the living room and into the large
white dining room.

I followed Esme and tried to make myself appear as small as possible. I hadn't expected Edward to be quite so
forceful with his father's wives and I hoped that the animosity between them wouldn't taint all of dinner. I
didn't like Tanya but I hoped my first dinner with the family wouldn't be marred by disagreement. Besides, I
could handle her in my own time.

"Bella -" Jasper smiled at me as he sat down across the table from me and Alice smiled at me from her place
next to them. "How are you today?"

"I'm wonderful Jasper." I smiled in return. "How are you? How do you like your new job?"

"It's good." Jasper nodded. "Rather slow right now but I can't complain."

"Bella," Charlotte said as she smiled at me happily and I noticed that Emmett was smiling as well when he
took her hand.

"Charlotte -" I nodded toward her. "Emmett."

"So Bella," Tanya said from her place further down the table from Emmett, "how much do you think you're
going to get out of marrying Edward?"

"Excuse me?" I coughed and could see that Edward and Esme were wearing identical looks of enraged shock.

"Oh come on -" Tanya rolled her eyes. "Surely you realize that we're much better off than you socially?"

"I don't think that's really rel-" Alice started.

"Really?" I said with a mock wide-eyed innocence. "That's news to me."

"Is it?" she asked sweetly.

"Well, you see the Reverend Leader was my baptismal sponsor and I was his daughter's maid-of-honor. My
father and my godfather are both members of the Council of Brethren. Add to that my father's position as the

Chief of Police and your son Emmett's boss and I think you'll find that very few people in Coventry would
think that I'm beneath you socially. In fact, you might find that many people here will see it as the other way
around."

"Oh really?" Carlisle's wife Kate snapped. "Better than the community doctor?"

"Have you seen any patients yet?" I asked Carlisle bravely.

"Hmph," he snorted.

"I think you'll find that this isn't Aro's Creek and very few people are worried about 'social standing' if you
will."

"Rosalie called last night," Emmett announced abruptly and I stared at him wide-eyed. I appreciated that he
was trying to change the subject for me but I was amazed that he would choose Rosalie to do it.

"Did she?" Carlisle asked.

"She wants to apologize to you Father, and then return home," Emmett agreed and I could see Charlotte wince.

"Absolutely not," Carlisle snapped.

"But perhaps it would be better for us politically," Emmett suggested as he began scooping up mashed
potatoes.

"I said no," Carlisle retorted. "And I have nothing else to say about it. You will be divorcing her, unless you've
suddenly decided to follow your brother into rebelliousness?"

"No Father." Emmett ducked his head and I felt sorry for him. He was completely cowed by his father.

"So Bella -" Maggie swallowed a bite of green beans and I looked at her warily. "How do you like teaching?"

"I love it." I smiled at her and she smiled back.

"So do you think you'll keep teaching after you marry?" Kate asked. "I know most teachers are married
women and I think it's positively scandalous. Even the Reverend's daughter? I mean, does no one really follow
the Covenant of the Brotherhood's teachings?"

"Kate," Esme snapped. "That's enough. I'll thank you to leave this table immediately."

"Really?" The other woman laughed. "You're sending me to my room? Are you my sister wife or my mother?"

"Well perhaps if she'd have raised you better instead of being the bicycle of Marcus's Ridge, I wouldn't have to
say something about your atrocious manners now!"

"Esme!" Carlisle looked at her angrily. "Enough! Are you really quite determined to embarrass me tonight?"

"I'm embarrassing you?" Esme tossed her fork down on the table and everyone quit eating. "I'm embarrassing
you? What do you call the juvenile display of the floozies you brought into our home?"

"Mother -" Edward reached over me to touch her arm.

"No." Esme jerked away from him. "I'll not sit here and let these three ruin your chances at happiness,
Edward! I'll not lose my son because they're trying to prove some sort of point."

"Esme!" Carlisle roared as he stood up and pushed his chair back from the table.

"Father!" Edward stood as well and his two brothers followed him.

"If you want my approval you'll -"

"I couldn't care one wit for your approval," Edward announced. "And I think you should remember that if you
want to keep that clinic of yours and you don't want the entire town to know about how you're stealing
medicine to treat your wives since you married a filthy diseased bitch who couldn't keep her legs closed -"

"That's not true!" Tanya stood up and hurled her plate at Edward. "I've said again and again, I got HPV from a
dirty toilet seat!"

"Sure you did," Alice snickered.

"Shut up you little pixie bitch!" Irina snapped.

"Don't you speak to my wife that way," Jasper announced. "Or so help me woman, I will knock your teeth
down your throat."

"How dare you!" Carlisle yelled.

"How dare you allow her to talk to Alice that way?"

"How can you justify talking to one of your mothers this way?" Kate broke in. "You should be ashamed of
yourself."

"Don't talk to my husband that way," Kachiri roared and then picked up a handful of mashed potatoes and
flung them across the table at Kate, smacking her in the face with them. "Inbred."

"What?" Kate's face turned so red I thought she was going to have a stroke as she wiped the potatoes off of it.
"What did you call me?"

Everyone else sat silently staring at Kachiri as she resumed eating. "I think -" Alice smiled brightly. "That she
brought up the fact that your mother and your father were actually 1/2 brother and sister."

"They were not!" Kate screeched. "That's just a horrid rumor!"

"Oh and the fact that the only one of your maternal grandfather's wives that got pregnant was the one that
was originally engaged to your paternal grandfather and that she married him once her husband died, leaving
her a widow at 30. You know, since there was 50 years age difference between them?"

"Let's get out of here," Edward whispered as he took my arm and led me out of the dining room.

"Edward?" I looked over at the dining room where the rest of the family was still fighting with each other.

"They won't even notice we're gone," he answered as he wrapped my arm through his and walked us back
toward my father's house.

"Poor Esme," I sighed.

"I know," Edward replied. "But she's made her bed and she's quite determined to lie in it."

"It still must be so hard for her."

"It is," he answered. "But I can't stop it, so it's best if we don't think about it. Can I see you tonight?"

"You're already seeing me," I giggled. "We're walking down the street together."

"I meant -" he nudged my shoulder. "After everyone else is asleep."

"My father is home tonight. Eric is taking the night shift so Emmett can be off."

"Damn," Edward muttered. "Emmett is working tomorrow night isn't he?"

"Yes." I nodded. "He and Eric will rotate over the next two weeks since they both have young wives."

"Do you think your parents will let you spend the night with Alice and Charlotte tomorrow night?"

"Huh?"

"Emmett works tomorrow night and Jasper is having family night with just Kachiri and Hale so Alice will stay
over with Charlotte."

"Jasper has family nights that don't include Alice?" I asked sadly.

"Only once in a while," he soothed. "He tries to give Kachiri some private time and the doctors suggested that
giving her exposure to Hale as his mother without someone stepping in to help her might actually improve
her condition. Alice really is in support of it."

"Really?"

"She desperately wants Kachiri to get better. She really does care about her. She cares about Charlotte too,
that's why she's staying with her since she's afraid to be alone at night."

"Oh." I nodded.

"So if Alice were to ask, do you think your parents would allow you to stay with them? I will, of course, be
sleeping in the clinic."

"I'm sure they will, but can I ask why you want me to stay with your sisters-in-law?"

"One, I would like for you to get along with my brothers' wives and two, I know Charlotte falls asleep early and
Alice can be blissfully unaware."

"Blissfully unaware?"

"If you were to slip out of the house," Edward suggested.

"And where would I go?" I teased.

"Perhaps you'd allow me to give you a private tour of your future home? The wiring and plumbing are both

working now and I'm hoping that you'll begin ordering furniture to decorate it soon. So, I thought you might
like to see what you're working with?"

"Okay," I agreed. "I mean, if you need me to order furniture, then I guess I don't have a choice. It's not like you
would want to do anything inappropriate would you?"

"No." Edward smirked. "Not at all. I wouldn't dream of doing anything inappropriate before we're married.
What sort of man do you take me for?"

"One that I love?" I asked as we reached the walk in front of my house.

"Well there is that." He smiled as he leaned down to brush his lips lightly against mine. "And I must say that
after dinner this evening, I'm relieved that you still do."

"Edward, I love you and nothing will change that. Not even your insane family."

"Thank you Bella," he sighed and kissed me gently again. "I love you too."

~*~

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Bpov

"Here comes Bella," Lauren sneered to Jessica the next morning as I made my way up the steps to the hall.
Esme was "sick" and so I didn't have anyone with me after Edward dropped me off at the front walk. "Look at
the airs she's giving herself now that she thinks she's one of the great and powerful Cullens."

"Yeah-" Jessica snorted. "The great and powerful Cullens."

"Just ignore them," Angela said sternly as she took my elbow and led me away from them. "Lauren's just
jealous that Edward Cullen turned down her father's inquiries."

"Inquiries?" I looked at her with wide eyes. "What inquiries?"

"Last night at the Brethren meeting," Angela answered.

"Of course-" I nodded absently. "Edward's a member of the Council of Brethren now."

"Right, so apparently Mr. Mallory stopped Edward last night after the meeting and began making inquiries."

"About?"

"Whether or not Edward would be interested in taking a second wife. I mean, he's got the room; Russell
Crowley had five wives and their children when he lived there."

"Edward is -" I swallowed.

"No-" Angela shook her head vehemently. "Did you miss the first part of what I said? Lauren's father went to
Edward to try to get him to look into taking Lauren as a wife but Edward refused. He said that he wanted at
least a year alone for the two of you to get settled into a routine before he even thought about taking a second
wife. But even then he didn't know if he would because you had captured his heart so completely."

"It's not like it will matter," Lauren huffed as she stomped past us then. "I wouldn't get too uppity with me
Bella Swan. I'll be a tyrant of a mother-in-law no matter what but piss me off and I'll make sure you get the
strap every day of your miserable life."

"Mother-in-law?" I laughed.

"That's right," she sneered. "When Edward made his foolish declaration and essentially ended his good
standing in the community, his father cut in and told my father what a beautiful young woman I was and how

he'd love to get to know me better and give me a position as one of his wives. You may get the youngest son
but I'll have Dr. Cullen himself."

"That is true." I smiled at Angela. "I shall have to be ever so careful Lauren. But it's you I'm worried about.
Esme has such a tight rein; you'll have to pick off the weaker ones to even get any attention. You'll be nothing
more than a scullery maid if you don't fight dirty."

"Really?" Lauren bit her lower lip nervously. "No, you're just saying that to scare me."

"No, no-" Angela shook her head hurriedly. "She's not. I mean, this is a secret so you can't tell anyone I told

you. Especially the Cullens - I mean, it could make Dr. Cullen very upset if he knew that you knew and he might
break off things -"

"I won't breathe a word," Lauren said hurriedly and glanced around, no doubt looking for Jessica because she
couldn't keep a secret to save her life.

"Well, one of Dr. Cullen's wives - what was her name Bella?"

"Tanya."

"Right, well Tanya came to my mother asking her to step in with Esme because she makes the other wives so
miserable. She barely gets any time with Dr. Cullen and she thinks Esme may be doing something to keep
them from getting pregnant since she's the only one to give Dr. Cullen children."

"Really?" Lauren's eyes were wide. "So the rest of them are really weak?"

"Oh yeah," I agreed, "especially Tanya and Irina. If you can get them out of the way, take their nights even, and
show you can get pregnant quickly, you'll be lording it over everyone else. I mean, now that Esme is past her
prime she won't be bringing anymore children into the family."

"So-" Lauren looked at us speculatively. "What should I do?"

"I think-" Angela bounced her head back and forth for a moment. "You should be aggressive when you court

Dr. Cullen. Make it very clear you're interested and you're going to want him in your bed. Men need to feel
wanted and desirable. With you being so much younger it will be even better."

"And don't take any crap from his wives. The only one you should defer to is Esme," I pointed out. "Don't show
any weakness, show them who's boss."

"Really?"

"Oh absolutely," Angela agreed just as the bell rang. "See you later Lauren."

"Later!" She skipped off happily and Angela and I could barely contain ourselves as we scurried back toward
our tiny areas.

"She's -" Angela gasped through her laughs.

"Going to be eaten alive," I finished for her.

"Of course you'll be there for dinner right?"

"I am going to try my absolute best," I promised her. "I'm staying with Alice and Charlotte tonight so I'll clue
them in and I'll clue Edward in as well. I'm sure between all of us we can nudge her along to total ruin."

"We should be ashamed of ourselves," Angela pointed out.

"No we shouldn't." I shook my head. "Imagine if she did become Dr. Cullen's next wife. Can you imagine how
full of herself she'd be? She'd be literally unbearable and then Edward and I would have to move away."

"Bella!" Angela gasped. "Would you really?"

"If Lauren were my mother-in-law? You better believe it."

"I would too," Angela admitted. "Let's just hope her stupidity overrides her self-preservation instinct."

"We have nothing to worry about," I assured her.

Later that afternoon I walked silently home beside Edward. "Um Bella?" He sounded nervous.

"Yes?" I tried to keep my tone innocent. I wondered if he was going to tell me what happened at the meeting
the night before or if he was going to try to hide it from me. I had determined not to ask but to wait instead.

"Um, there was a Council meeting last night and I know I should have told you this before but -"

"I knew there was a Council meeting. My father went. He said you spoke for a bit about the house and he gave

permission for me to stay with Alice and Charlotte tonight and then for all of us to go to town with a
chaperone tomorrow to pick out furniture and paint."

"Right, well, Lauren Mallory's father spoke with me." Edward sounded as if he were strangling.

"About?"

"Me taking Lauren Mallory as a second wife."

"And what did you say?"

"I told him that I wasn't interested in taking another wife until you and I had plenty of time together and that I
didn't feel like it would be prudent now because of how overwhelming my feelings for you were. Surely
another woman would feel shortchanged in our relationship until it simmers down emotionally."

"Now?"

"Well now, as in, all of our time together on Earth. I can't speak for a future when we've died."

"You have a very long perception of now."

"It's not a clearly defined time frame. I take it, in this case, to mean our mortal lives."

"Oh, okay. So what did Mr. Mallory say?"

"He sort of huffed and said he'd come back when I was ready for another wife."

"And what did you say?"

"I told him not to bother. I didn't find Lauren in the slightest bit agreeable and I had no interest in taking her
for a wife - ever."

"Oh."

"But to make amends, my father has entered tentative talks to align her with Emmett as his second wife."

"Emmett?"

"The divorce from Rosalie should be completed within the month and he wants to marry Charlotte legally
before the baby comes. My father thought that if Emmett married Lauren shortly after the baby was born, she
could help Charlotte out as well as distract Emmett at night while Charlotte recuperates."

"Your father intends for Lauren to be a second wife to Emmett?" I liked Edward's brother but I knew he was
by far the least desirable catch among the Cullen men. Lauren was going to be very disappointed.

"Who else would he place her with?"

"She was telling everyone today that she was going to marry your father!" I giggled.

"You already knew about this?" Edward stared at me. "Why didn't you say something?"

"I wanted to see if you brought it up or if you'd hide it from me."

"Oh." He shrugged. "Well, I don't want to hide things from you but I didn't have the chance to tell you in
private before work this morning. Wait, Lauren thinks she's marrying my father?"

"Yes." I laughed harder. "And Angela and I convinced her that she should try to pick off your father's 'weaker
wives' by being overly aggressive with him and treating all of them except Esme badly. We even suggested she
steal nights from them - especially Tanya."

"You were going to pit Lauren against Tanya?" Edward tried to hold off his smile.

"Then I was going to get you, Alice, and Charlotte involved so we could keep her riled up and see what
happened."

"I can tell you what will happen." Edward chuckled. "Tanya will kill her."

"Just think about it though. If we tell her that your father is trying to decide whether or not to take her or give
her to Emmett and we egg her on -"

"She'll cause total chaos." Edward's eyes widened in excitement. "And then we reveal to her that she's actually
marrying Emmett and the women she upset are going to be her mother-in-laws -"

"She'll blow a gasket," I confirmed.

"And that gets the wives off your back and gives them a new target." He wrapped his arm around my shoulder.
"You, my love, are a brilliant woman."

"I do try," I said, ducking my head.

"Well-" Edward lowered his head so that his mouth was next to my ear. "Try to get away from Alice and
Charlotte tonight. I'll leave the side door between my house and Emmett's open."

"Edward," I hissed quietly.

"Don't be bad Bella," he chided in a quiet whisper. "I'll have to punish you like the other night. Or even worse."

"Worse?"

"I'll be a proper gentleman," Edward warned. "And I won't touch you at all."

"Bella!" I heard my father call out from the front door as he stepped outside. "Hello Edward."

"Hello Chief Swan." Edward nodded politely and stuck out his hand.

"What did I tell you about that last night? We're both on the Council and in a few weeks you'll be my son-in-
law," Charlie said as he shook Edward's hand.

"Of course, Charlie, my apologies; I was just seeing Bella home."

"That's fine. You'll be coming round to collect her after dinner?"

"With my sister-in-law Alice," Edward agreed. "Then I'll see them both to Emmett's house. I'll be at my own

house, of course, but if the women need anything, I'll be next door and Jasper is across the street along with
my father."

"Of course." Charlie nodded. "We talked about all this last night, Edward, and I told you I trusted you. I know
you'll do right by my girl."

I blushed and tried very hard not to look at Edward. I was sure my father would not think our activities from a
few nights before were a sign of how Edward would "do me right."

"Thank you Charlie." Edward squeezed my hand. "I'll be going now. I'll see you later tonight Bella."

"Goodbye Edward."

"I'll turn my back." Charlie made an exaggerated show of turning his back and covering his ears. "I can't see or

hear you if you kiss each other on the cheek," he said loudly. "So please hurry up and let's keep my looking
like an idiot to a minimum."

I quickly pecked Edward's cheek with my lips and he did the same before we squeezed hands again and
stepped away from each other. I tapped my father on the shoulder and he turned around, smiling before he
ushered me inside.

"You know," he said once the door was closed. "He's growing on me."

"Good-" I smiled. "He's growing on me as well."

"Um, Bella?" My father moved to sit on the couch. "There's something I need to speak with you about."

"What?"

"Edward made his formal declaration last night at the Council meeting and I agreed to your betrothal."

"Yes?"

"Well, before hand I talked to Billy as well."

"Oh." I felt my spirits dampen. Billy Black was like a second father to me and I would hate for him to be upset
about my impending marriage.

"He knew it was coming." Charlie shrugged. "He's disappointed that you won't be his new daughter-in-law but

he agrees with me that Jake's not ready to marry and you'd both suffer because of it. We both think you and
Edward are a better match and he's given his blessing."

"Really? That's wonderful."

"It is," Charlie agreed. "Billy's a good man. The thing is, well, Jake's a bit headstrong and even though Billy
warned him this was coming he didn't think Jake would take it well."

"Well? What do you mean, well? Do you think he'll hurt Edward or Billy?"

"No, no, but I just want you to be careful. I wouldn't put it past the boy to do something rash to force our
hands. Just be cautious around him, okay?"

"Do you really think Jake would try to ruin my reputation so that I couldn't marry Edward?" It sounded
implausible to me.

"It seems extreme but I don't want to take any chances. Dr. Cullen is being very adamant. He wants you
checked out by one of his wives, who is a nurse, so that she can see you're healthy and that well -"

"What?"

"Has Edward told you what happened with Kebi?"

"Yes, but what have you heard?"

"That he found out on their wedding night she'd been with someone else and he was so upset he started
cleaning the gun to calm down and it went off. The thing is, Dr. Cullen wasn't the county medical examiner and
that report says Kebi Cullen died of a self inflicted gun shot wound through the chin and there is no way that

Edward Cullen could have shot her from that angle if he was cleaning the gun. He also didn't have gunpowder
residue on his hands, so he didn't fire the gun that killed her. Plus, the State police had a witness to Edward
Cullen outside the house, obviously upset, when the gunshot went off. I know what the report says and I know

what Dr. Cullen claimed and I know they don't match up. All that matters though, is that Dr. Cullen does not
want a repeat and that means he wants one of his wives to do an exam -"

"To check to make sure I'm still a virgin. And you think if Jake hears he might try something to make me not
one anymore?"

"I don't want to cast aspersions but-" Charlie twisted his hands. "I just want you to be careful Bells."

"I will be Father." I nodded and then patted his hands. "And there's nothing to worry about. I'm willing to go
let them poke and prod me right this minute if it makes them happy. I have nothing to be ashamed of."

"I know that," Charlie agreed. "But I'm going to make Dr. Cullen stew awhile so I can 'think it over'. It was a

horribly insulting request anyway. Lucky for Edward, it came from that arrogant prick of a father of his and he
looked like he wanted to die of embarrassment; tried to tell me it wasn't necessary and he had no doubts."

I felt my cheeks flush at the thought of Edward defending me - especially after our level of impropriety the
night before. "And?"

"Dr. Cullen just steamrolled over him. Edward didn't look best pleased. I think once you've gotten established
as a family, Dr. Cullen is in for a rude awakening. That boy of his has earned a lot of respect in a very short
amount of time and he's on the precipice of gaining a lot of power if he just keeps his nose clean."

"And Dr. Cullen?"

"Let's just say he'd be less welcome than he already is if we didn't have need of a doctor in Coventry."

"Oh," I said quietly.

"I think it's best if you treat him with respect since he'll be your father-in-law, but I must say, after the
marriage is final, I don't think it's necessary for you to take orders from anyone besides Edward's own
mother. I like Esme Cullen quite a bit but the others I've met haven't impressed me overly much."

"Siobhan and Maggie are nice," I offered.

"That's what your mothers said," he agreed. "And those sisters-in-law of his are good girls as well. That's why I

have no concerns about you staying with them. Especially since Charlotte is such a shy little thing, blushes

every time she comes to bring Emmett his meals. Nervous though. Not that I blame her after dealing with
Rosalie McCarty's father. Did you know he's the Reverend Leader at Caius's Ridge?"

"No-" I shook my head, "no, I didn't."

"Apparently the Cullens tried for a political union and it hasn't worked out to their advantage. Mr. McCarty

seemed to think that the favors should flow to him from the doctor and not the other way round. Now that
Emmett's filed for divorce though, they've gotten downright mean - called to make all sorts of wild
accusations against the Cullens. Claimed Emmett's been up to harass Rosalie when I've been on duty with him
and suggested Dr. Cullen was messing with the young girls in their community when they went down to Aro's
Creek. Just horrible things."

"Father-" I bit my lower lip nervously. I didn't want to tell him Edward's secrets but, at the same time, I hated
the idea of another young girl suffering like Edward's friend Kebi had.

"Yes?"

"The last one may not be too far off," I said quietly.

"What are you saying Isabella Marie? Did Dr. Cullen touch you?"

"No-" I shook my head. "But when Edward told me what happened with Kebi, he told me why she committed
suicide."

"And?"

"Edward's mother, Tanya, is the daughter of the Reverend Leader in Aro's Creek, and when she realized that
Kebi and Edward were likely to be matched together, she had her father sabotage them by molesting Kebi and
then telling Dr. Cullen about it."

"So you're saying that Dr. Cullen knew the Reverend Leader of Aro's Creek was molesting young girls? And
then he covered it up?"

"I don't know anything for certain, but that's what Edward told me and I believe him."

"I have to say that I do as well." Charlie nodded thoughtfully. "But believing him and having evidence of it are
two different things. I'll be looking into it though, and you know that I love you, don't you Bella?"

"Yes Father."

"And that you can come to me about anything. I know you may not be comfortable talking about certain
things, and I'm not real comfortable with it either, to be honest, but if you need me, I will always listen."

"I know father."

"If what Edward says happened in Aro's Creek is right, what happened to those girls isn't their fault and no
one here would allow that sort of behavior."

"I know that Father," I agreed. "And I promise you that Dr. Cullen has never touched me improperly. Neither
has anyone else and if they do, I'll tell you first thing."

"Good girl." He patted me on the back. "Now why don't you go help your mothers with supper?"

"Yes Father." I nodded and made my way into the kitchen. The rest of the evening was its usual quiet chaos.
The younger children played as they ate and everyone chatted quietly, the mothers all on edge and I was sure
they'd overheard our conversation earlier.

"I don't," Sue announced as we were clearing the plates and Leah was putting the younger children to bed.

"You don't what?" Charlie asked from his place at the table.

"I don't think its right that they want to poke and prod at Bella," she continued. "We can make her a good
match with someone else. I don't think there's any reason for them to trot her around as if they suspect she's
damaged goods."

"I agree," Shelly said forcefully from her place at the sink.

"It's not Edward," I said quietly.

"And Esme was mortified when you brought it up with her at lunch," Emily pointed out.

"Esme was here for lunch?" I asked.

"She stopped by for just a few moments." Sue nodded sympathetically. "She wasn't feeling well but she'd had
an idea for the wedding and wanted to discuss it with us."

"Oh."

"It's Dr. Cullen throwing his weight around." Charlie shrugged. "Bella has nothing to worry about, does she?"

"No," all of us snapped at him at the exact same time.

"Well then-" He chuckled. "What's the big deal? Besides, I think the event will be so distressing to Edward that
he's going to put some distance between himself and his father, which I think will be a good thing for Bella.
She doesn't need to be under his thumb, and he'll try to put her there if he has the chance."

"Hmph." Sue snorted. "I don't think Bella's dignity should suffer for politics."

"You were going to take her to the doctor before she married anyway for a checkup," Charlie pointed out.

"True," Shelly sighed.

"This one is right here in town so you won't have to drive and it will give Bella some domestic security. Take
the positives and be at peace with the parts you can't change."

"Yes Charlie," Sue agreed just as there was a knock on the door. "But I don't want it done without one of us
present to supervise. Edward and Esme are the only two amongst them I trust."

"And Alice," Emily chimed in.

"And Alice," Sue conceded.

"Hello Ed -" I said as I pulled open the door and stopped. "Jake?"

"Bella-" He grabbed for my hand. "I need to speak with you!"

"Jake, I don't think that's such a good idea." I tried to pull my hand out of his iron grip but couldn't.

"Bella, they intend for you to marry Edward Cullen! I have one of the cars from the shop, get your things and
let's go."

"Jake, I know about the engagement to Edward. I agreed to it."

"What? Why Bella? You know we're meant to be together!"

"No Jake-" I stepped away from him. "We're not. I'm meant to be with Edward."

"No you're not," Jake persisted as he stepped toward me.

"Jake stop," I said loudly and stepped away from him.

"Jake?" My father came out from the kitchen and looked between us warily. "What are you doing here son?"

"I'm trying to make Bella see sense!"

"Seems to me she has seen sense. Found herself a nice boy in that Edward Cullen. He's responsible, courteous
and he's got a fine mind. They're a very well suited match."

"But we belong together!" Jake insisted.

"That's for me to decide Jake," Charlie answered. "And I don't think that you do. I think Bella would be better
off with Edward Cullen and that's why I accepted his suit."

"I'll prove it to you," Jake said angrily as he grabbed me around the waist and pulled me toward him, clamping

his lips down over mine and trying to shove his tongue into my mouth. I struggled against him for a second
and then went limp, opening my mouth just enough for his tongue to slip inside before I bit down hard on it.

"Fuck!" Jake yelped and pulled away from me, putting his hand up to his now bleeding mouth. "You bit me."

"You deserved it!" I shouted as I pulled back my fist and hit him solidly in the jaw, the bones in my hand
cracking loudly at the impact and blossoming with pain.

"Bella!" Edward called out and I heard loud footsteps on the porch before Jacob was shoved away and Edward
was leading me to sit on the steps.

"It's time you leave Jake," Charlie said quietly and I watched as he grabbed Jake by the collar and marched
him out of the house.

"Bella, sweetheart," Edward cooed softly. "Are you all right?"

"My hand hurts," I whispered and he began to touch it softly, causing me to wince.

"Oh darling," he muttered as Sue came to stand over the top of him. "I think it might be broken. If I had a
choice I'd take you anywhere else but I think right now my father might be the best bet."

"I'll get my coat," Sue announced.

"It's really not necessary if it's just a break," Edward said. "I'll take her so that my father can set it and then
we'll be done."

"Might as well get this horrid exam your father requested done at the same time," Sue snapped.

"Oh." Edward looked down at the ground in embarrassment. "That's not really necessary. I mean, my father
obviously wasn't thinking clearly -"

"He meant it, he's an ass, and you feel sorry about it because you're a good boy," Sue said bluntly.

"Well yeah." Edward shrugged.

"And you love Bella," Sue continued.

"With all my heart."

"And she loves you," Sue answered. "That's why I'm agreeing to this, not because of some illustrious
connection they think we're forging, but because this is the only way your father will let you and Bella marry
and I won't keep you two kids apart."

"Oh," Edward mumbled.

"But you owe me the most beautiful, most intelligent grandchildren this community has ever seen."

"Um, well -"

"And no dilly dallying around either. Charlie and I aren't getting any younger!"

~*~

Chapter fourteen

EPOV

It took all I could to keep myself from carrying her down the street in my arms. I had to keep reminding
myself that she'd fractured her hand and not her legs, but that didn't stop the desire I had to hold her close to
my body and keep her protected from harm.

I swallowed back bile as I thought about what I'd seen just a few minutes earlier when Alice and I had arrived

at the Swan household. Jacob Black had my Bella pinned against him and was attacking her mouth as she
struggled to get away. I had been ready to kill him but before I could reach the top of the stairs, my tiny
fiancée had kneed him in the groin and then punched him in the face. I didn't know what had shocked me
more - that Jacob Black had been stupid enough to try to molest the Chief of Police's daughter or the fact that
she'd beaten up a man twice her size.

"We're almost there sweetheart," I murmured as we rounded the last bend to my father's clinic, one of my
arms wrapped around Bella's shoulders and the other helping to keep her fractured hand stabilized.

"I know, I'm clumsy enough that I've had to go to the doctor more than once. It's better now that we don't have
to go all the way to Drapers Gap to set a bone - the potholes are murder between here and there."

"I can imagine." I winced at the thought of having to take her to Drapers Gap for medical treatment. My father

wasn't the world's best doctor but he had enough basic knowledge to set a bone or two and take care of most
common ailments.

"Edward?" Siobhan called out as she rushed onto the clinic porch. "What happened?"

"Bella fractured her hand."

"Your father's busy making rounds but come inside and I'll see if I can set it." She opened the door and
ushered us inside. "Hello Bella, Mrs. Swan."

"Mrs. Cullen." Sue nodded curtly and I could see Siobhan duck her head nervously. Out of all my father's
additional wives, I liked Siobhan and Maggie the best. They were a pair of Irish drifter's twins that had been

dumped near the community at Aro's Creek by their parents and were genuinely nice women who wanted
nothing more than to get by in the world. I had gotten the impression they had both married my father for the
security he could provide them with and neither of them had ever tried to remove my mother from her place
as his first wife.

"Bella-" Siobhan motioned down the hallway to one of the exam rooms. "If you'll just come in here, we'll see
about fixing up your hand."

"Okay," she agreed and looked over at me worriedly.

"I'll go in with you as long as its okay with your mother."

"Better than you driving me nuts pacing in the hallway." Sue shook her head. "But you won't be staying for the
other."

"Of course not." I swallowed. There was no way in hell I was going to stay in that room while Siobhan poked
and prodded Bella's intimate parts. Why would I want to?

"Other part?" Siobhan looked up from where she was helping Bella sit down on the cot and rest her hand on a
wheeled table top for Siobhan to examine. "What other part?"

"Best get your husband's rude demands out of the way." Sue glared at Siobhan hard and I could see my
father's wife blush.

"You mean Carlisle actually asked -"

"Yes-" I cut in curtly and she glanced over at me anxiously. "He did."

"Oh my." Siobhan glanced over at Bella nervously. "And you want me to perform this exam?"

"You can do that, right?" Sue asked sharply. "We were told that Dr. Cullen himself wouldn't do the exam, that
one of his wives would perform it. Can you do it or do we need to send for someone else?"

"No, no," Siobhan said quickly. "I know how to do it, I'm a licensed nurse midwife, I just hadn't expected to be

working on something like this quite so soon here in Coventry. We'll perform a gynecological exam after the
hand is set."

"Fine." Sue nodded again and sat down in the room's only other chair. Since there were no other seats
available, I sat down on the cot next to Bella but out of Siobhan's light while she prodded Bella's hand and
examined it.

"Well," she said a few minutes later. "I don't think you've actually broken the hand. Instead, it seems you've
cracked the knuckles on your middle and ring finger and from what I feel there are hairline fractures in each
of those fingers between the first and second knuckle. We'll bind them together in a splint and you'll be fine.

The cast should be off just in time for the wedding. The problem is, you've got a nasty gash across your hand
as well and it will need to be cleaned out. Any idea how you did that?"

"I think I cut it on his teeth," Bella mumbled.

"His teeth," Siobhan repeated slowly. "That's what I thought. Unfortunately, Bella, that means you're going to
need a tetanus shot. The human mouth really is a disgusting place and I'd hate for any of that bacteria to cause
an infection."

"A shot?" Bella looked first at me and then Siobhan with wide eyes. "Are you sure that's really necessary?"

"Bella," Siobhan answered as she stood and went to get the medicine kit from the counter, "The human mouth

has more bacteria in it than a toilet does. Now, you've just cut your hand on someone's teeth and a good bit of
bacteria from their dirty mouth went straight into your blood stream."

"Really?" Sue looked up at Siobhan curiously. "The human mouth really has more -"

"Yep," Siobhan agreed.

"Give her the shot," Sue answered shortly.

"But Sue-" Bella looked over at her. "You know I hate -"

"You'll get over it. Give her the shot."

"Bella's an adult, so I can't just force her -" Siobhan looked at me.

"Bella," I crooned as I wrapped an arm around her waist. "Could you please do this for me?"

"I hate needles Edward," she said quietly. "I really, really hate needles."

"I know sweetheart," I replied as I turned her face toward me and tightened my grip on her shoulder. Siobhan
saw her opening and swiped an alcohol wipe across Bella's arm just before jabbing her with the needle and
Bella's eyes went wide.

"Ouch!"

"I'm sorry love," I whispered as I bent down to kiss her cheek. "It's over now though and Siobhan's even got
your fingers splinted. It's all handled now, my brave little warrior."

"Okay," Siobhan announced from over next to the medicine kit. "Now I need to go into the next room and get
the other kit and Edward is going out to the main waiting room, aren't you Edward?"

"Will you be okay Bella?"

"I'll be fine," she whispered but her eyes were large and I knew she was scared about what Siobhan intended
to do to her. I kissed the tip of her nose and pulled away.

"I love you," I whispered back. "And as soon as this is over, everything will be in place for us to get married
and start our life together."

"I love you too."

"Well," Siobhan interrupted. "The love is nice but, Edward, you need to leave and while I'm getting the kit, I
need Bella to remove all her clothing and climb under the sheet."

"All of my -"

"It really is better if you just go ahead and get completely undressed," Siobhan said.

"Okay." Bella nodded and I hurriedly stood up and made my way out of the examination room and back to the
main area where Alice and now Charlotte were sitting.

"Is she okay?" Alice asked.

"She's fine, she broke two fingers and Siobhan had to give her a tetanus shot, but other than that there's no
damage. They're doing the exam that Father wanted now."

"Really?" Charlotte looked mortified. "Poor Bella!"

"It'll be okay," Alice said as she reached for my hand and pulled me into the chair next to hers. "It's not
pleasant, but no woman has ever died from having an exam done. Besides, it's Siobhan and not Kate so it will
be quick and relatively painless."

"She is good," Charlotte said, rubbing her stomach. "She's done all of my examinations with the baby and she's
very gentle. I hope she's the one who does the delivery."

"I'm sure she will no matter what, if you ask her too." Alice patted her hand.

"I don't want to upset Kate though," Charlotte whispered. "She'll make my life a living hell if she gets insulted
that I asked Siobhan to deliver the baby and not her."

"I'll deal with Kate." Alice narrowed her eyes. "Besides, I think by the time my nephew arrives, we'll find that
Kate and Tanya will no longer be causing us problems."

"Why is that?" Charlotte asked.

"Just a feeling I have," Alice answered cryptically and all of us jerked our eyes toward the exam room door
when we heard it open and Siobhan came out.

"She's perfectly fine." Siobhan rolled her eyes at us. "I didn't traumatize her. She's getting dressed."

"And?" I looked at her anxiously.

"Do you think you have anything to worry about?" Siobhan glanced at me pointedly.

"No!"

"Well then, it's not my place to give you any details about your fiancée anyway. She'll be dressed and out in a
few minutes. I'm going home to help your other mothers with dinner preparations. Lock up behind you."

With that, Siobhan swept out of the clinic without a backward glance and I watched her make her way across
the yard. My father was just coming through the gate as she reached him and I watched as they conversed
briefly before he followed her into the house.

"So," Sue announced as she followed Bella out of the exam room. "You still feel up to staying with Alice and
Charlotte tonight?"

"Yes," Bella said, moving to join my two sisters-in-law.

"I'll see you in the morning then," she agreed and gave Bella a brief squeeze. Turning, she looked at me
sternly. "Remember what I told you Edward. You owe me and you will pay up."

"Yes ma'am, Mrs. Swan," I agreed and couldn't help but smile. Sue Swan's request for grandbabies was one I
would happily start working toward the very first moment they allowed me to.

"Edward?" Bella looked at me nervously and I reached out to pull her gently into my arms.

"I'm so sorry love," I murmured into her neck.

"It's fine," she whispered. "My hand just really hurts right now. Siobhan said you were to get me some Tylenol
Three's with codeine?"

"Of course," I agreed.

"You might want to try regular Tylenol first Bella," Alice piped up. "The others will make you really sleepy. It

might be better to take the regular extra strength and then eat something small before bed to take them
with."

"I won't be much fun tonight," Bella frowned.

"You'll be perfectly fine." Alice rolled her eyes. "It's not like Charlotte and I have very much excitement
planned, just popcorn and a movie."

"Are you sure?" Bella sounded worried still.

"Positive," Alice answered and Charlotte nodded eagerly as well. "But first, I think Edward wanted to show
you the house."

"Only if you're up for it," I answered quickly as I retrieved some of the pills from the dispensary. I knew Alice

was worried about Bella's drug tolerance but I didn't want her to be in any pain either so I went ahead and got
the Tylenol Threes she'd requested.

"I'm up for it," Bella agreed almost as fast and then took the pills and water I handed her. She swallowed them
down without a second glance and then drank the entire cup of water before reaching for my hand.

"Great," Alice agreed. "Why don't you two go ahead and then Charlotte and I will meet up with you in just a
few moments?"

"Are you sure?" Charlotte asked. "I mean, shouldn't one of us act as a -"

"I'm sure they'll be fine alone for a few moments," Alice cut in authoritatively. "Especially with how poorly

Bella's feeling. Between a broken hand and a physical exam, she'll hardly be in any state for Edward to force
himself on her. And he should be enough of a gentleman not to. Aren't you Edward?"

"Don't be an idiot," I snapped at Alice and then rolled my eyes. "I'm not going to maul Bella."

"See -" Alice glanced at Charlotte. "They'll be fine." With that, she led the other girl away while I wrapped my
arms around Bella's waist and pulled her in for a chaste kiss on the forehead.

"I am so sorry about everything," I whispered.

"Its fine," Bella answered quietly. "Sue would have taken me to Drapers Gap to see a doctor anyway."

"That would be for a routine physical though. This was my father being a jerk Bella."

"It was." She shrugged. "But it still needed to be done and Siobhan was very nice."

"Good." I pulled her close to me again.

"She, um -" Bella bit her lower lip and I looked at her curiously.

"She what?"

"It's entirely up to you and I didn't want to presume or make a decision or -"

"What did Siobhan do?"

"She offered me birth control pills," Bella whispered as if she was confessing my father's wife had offered her
heroin.

"Oh." I blinked and tried to come up with what would be the best thing to say. I had just assumed that we
would start trying to have a baby right after the wedding. Did Bella not want to get pregnant right away? She
had said she wanted children but did she mean later? "Um, what did you say?"

"Nothing," she said quickly. "I didn't know if you thought I should -"

"If you think you should -" I stuttered. "I mean if that's what you want -"

"It's not what I want but if it's what you want, I don't want you to feel like we're in a rush to -"

"Bella -" I grabbed her hands before it could get anymore uncomfortable. "Let me show you the house. Okay?"

"Okay," she agreed and I could see that her face was strawberry red in embarrassment. Hopefully the house
would answer any lingering doubts she had about my feelings toward her and our future together.

Wrapping my hand around her uninjured one, I led her out of the clinic and across the short yard to our new

home. Everything still needed a fresh coat of paint but I had fixed the creaky front steps the night before and
the house would be ready to paint by Sunday afternoon. I had already talked to Ben Cheney and he had agreed
to get some of the younger adults in the community along with my family and Bella's together to paint the new
house between services.

"I need to put a new front door on," I told her apologetically. "Russell Crowley took the only keys so I can't

lock it and rather than get a new lock, I was planning on just getting a more weatherproof door to go along
with it. Besides, if he decides to come back and make trouble its better we have something a little more
sturdy."

"Do you think he will?" Bella asked as I led her into the front room.

"No." I shook my head. "I think Russell Crowley is all talk and no action but I don't want to take any chances
either. This is the main living room," I pointed out and then led her to the kitchen.

"Oh!" She blushed happily again when she took in the rough layout I already had.

"When we go into town tomorrow you'll need to pick out the counter tops you want so that they can install
them next week along with the new cabinet fronts and the appliances."

"Edward, it's too much," she protested.

"Nonsense," I answered. "This is your kitchen and I want you to love it. Pick whatever will make this your
dream kitchen and the installation guys will be here next Wednesday."

"Oh thank you!" She threw her arms around my neck and squeezed.

"You're welcome," I chuckled as I led her into the large family dining room and from there past the first floor
bathroom and the family room.

"What's back there?" Bella asked as I led her past the back hallway and into the living room again.

"It was bedrooms," I answered. "But I thought, eventually I would turn one into an office and if you wanted

another one as an office or a sewing room, or I don't know, just your own space, you could have it. I thought
we would worry about renovating it later though."

"But won't you want to keep it as bedrooms?"

"Bella -" I pulled her close again and kissed her nose. Her eyes looked slightly glazed and I wondered if Alice
was right about how the pain medication would affect Bella. "There are thirteen bedrooms in this house.
Seven of them are on the second and third floor. If, at some point, we need an eighth bedroom, then I think we
can renovate one of the other four and leave our offices in tact."

"Oh." She blushed.

"Unless you're planning on having more than ten children, each in their own bedrooms?"

"Oh!" She looked at me wide-eyed. "I, um, well, do you want that many children?"

"I'll take however many you give me," I replied honestly as I pulled her up the stairs. "But I must say, ten years
of you either pregnant or recuperating doesn't sound like paradise to me so I thought we might space them
out a bit, take Siobhan up on her suggestion."

"So you want me to start taking birth control?" Bella whispered and I could hear the disappointment in her
voice.

"Not yet," I replied as I pushed open the second door from the end of the hallway. "Because I've already
jumped the gun and painted this room."

"This -" Bella stepped into the tiny nursery that was attached to the master suite and stopped, her jaw
working but no sound coming out.

"My mother said it was bad luck to furnish it already but I couldn't help it. I saw the furniture at the shop next
to the hardware store and -"

"It's perfect." Bella threw her arms around my neck and kissed me passionately.

"I thought with it being yellow, we wouldn't have to change it between babies -" I stuttered when she released
me.

"I love it," Bella said forcefully. "It's absolutely perfect. What's through there then?"

"That's the master suite," I said and pulled her away from the locked door and back into the hallway. "But you
can't see it yet."

"Why not?"

"It's your wedding gift."

"My wedding gift?"

"And that means you can't see it until the night of December 19th."

"December 19th?" Bella drew back slightly. "The Reverend has set a date?"

"He did," I smiled at her. "Unless you wanted to wait?"

"No!" Bella shook her head hurriedly as I led her back downstairs. "The 19th is perfect. But why didn't you tell
me this morning?"

"The Reverend stopped by my office today and told Charlie and I both that he'd decided on the 19th as the
most suitable day. He said that would give us almost a full week before Christmas to honeymoon privately and
the Reverend has agreed to let me delay in closing out the year's books so I won't have to be back until
January 3rd. He thought that would give us time to get 'acclimated' to each other."

"Really? And the school won't open back up until the 11th -" Bella stopped. "Unless you want me to go ahead
and give Mrs. Cheney my notice that I won't be back next term?"

"Do you want to go back?"

"Yes," she agreed.

"Go back then," I said as I nuzzled her neck and let my hands slip around to her front and stroked her still flat
stomach. "When the time comes, you can let Esme take over your teaching duties."

"Are you sure?" Bella yawned and buried her head in my chest.

"Will it make you happy?"

"Yes." She nodded and then yawned again, her eyelids drooping.

"Then I want you to do it," I agreed as I led her to the cot I had moved into the living room to sleep on until the
furniture arrived. Pulling back the blankets, I tucked her in and then moved to sit on the floor next to her,
stroking her hair.

"Thank you," she whispered and then snored softly.

"I love you Isabella Swan," I replied to the comatose girl sleeping in my bed. I could honestly say this wasn't
what I expected when I planned on getting Bella into my bed tonight. Damn Jacob Black. If Bella hadn't busted
his jaw I was going to have to do it myself. He was causing serious complications in my plans to
romance my beautiful fiancée.

~*~

Chapter Fifteen

BPOV

"Bella?" Shelly held up a bolt of ivory silk and looked between it and me appraisingly. "What do you think?"

"It's lovely." I shrugged and began to flip through the pattern book in front of me again.

"It needs to be more cream colored," Sue said. "With Bella's coloring she'll look yellow in something that
white. She needs something that looks good with her skin tone, not something that makes her look sickly."

"It's a wedding gown," Shelly said. "It's supposed to be white. There's symbolism to it."

"How about this?" Emily held up a bolt of satin the color of fresh cream in one arm and another of lace in the
other. "The cream will play to Bella's complexion and it will give the lace overlay a nice background so that it
stands out. If we do white on white the lace pattern will be lost. If we do the cream though -" She let her voice
trail off.

"It will be just enough of a color difference that the details in the lace will show up," Sue said.

"And I guess it's still close enough to white that no one will think it looks too strange," Shelly said and then
threw her hands up. "Fine, fine, she'll look absolutely lovely no matter what shade we choose."

"Which one do you prefer Bella?" Kim asked as she popped around another aisle holding a length of seed
pearls and some netting.

"They're both nice," I said and smiled at all of them quickly. I honestly didn't care about which shade of white
they chose for my wedding gown. I didn't even really care about my wedding gown, or my flowers, or anything

else other than the fact that it was the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and I would be marrying Edward
Cullen in a little less than a month.

"Alice!" Leah cried out from the front of the store and all the rest of my mothers froze like scared rabbits.
"Edward!"

"Hide the material." Sue grabbed all of the bolts of cloth and then piled them together as Kim raced for
another of black cotton to drape over the top of the pile. "It's bad luck!"

"Isn't that if he sees the dre-"

"Let's not risk it," Emily said.

"Bella!" Alice came running down the aisle of the fabric store and threw herself into my arms. "I didn't know
you were coming material shopping!"

"Neither did I," I said. "My mothers had it planned after I finished teaching for the day. When I stopped by the
Coven office to ask if you wanted to go, you weren't there."

"Edward and I had to come to town," Alice said.

"Oh?"

"Your furniture came in," she whispered and I looked up as he came down the aisle and stared indulgently at
his sister-in-law.

"I thought I told you it was supposed to be a surprise?" He shook his head at her in exasperation. "What part
of, 'Alice don't tell Bella because I want to surprise her tomorrow at Thanksgiving dinner with a tour of our
new home,' didn't you get?"

"The part where you expected me to actually be around Bella and not tell her?" Alice rolled her eyes. "You
should have known I was never going to manage that."

"A man can hope, can't he? But now that you've ruined the surprise, Bella darling, our new furniture's arrived.
Would you like to see it this evening?"

"I thought you were coming to our house for dinner?" Sue asked.

"I am, but perhaps afterwards -" Edward came over to the chair I was sitting in and placed a soft kiss on the
top of my hair.

"No." I shook my head. "I'd much rather it be a surprise like you intended. But I thought you were having the
furniture delivered. Why did you come to town?"

"They did deliver the big stuff," Alice said. "It was the little things like sheets, towels, pillows, dishes, those
sorts of things that we came in to buy."

"Oh." I glanced down at my hands. I had a hope chest that my mothers had been helping me fill but I should
have expected Edward would want something nicer - he was the Coven's business manager and attorney.

"I wasn't buying much," Edward said, "just a few things to hold me over until the wedding. I don't want to take
from my father's home if I can help it, and I won't ask you to let me use your things until we're properly
married."

"That's very considerate of you Edward," Sue said with a nod and then smiled at Alice. "And I hate to cut short
our conversation, but if you want to finish your shopping and let us finish ours in time to have dinner before
midnight, we'll need to go our separate ways."

"Oh." Edward looked at me puzzled. "I didn't mean to disturb."

"You're not." I smiled up at him. "We're just buying the materials to start my wedding dress this weekend."

"Oh!" Alice began bouncing on her toes. "What pattern are you using? Are you modifying it? What type of
bodice did you have in mind? You must let me help! Oh Edward, I'll go home with Bella and -"

"That's all right Alice," Leah said. "We have it handled."

"But I love to plan outfits and weddings and -"

"And it's traditional for the bride's family to handle such details," Kim said. "Now why don't you go with
Edward and leave us to it?"

"Fine." Alice's shoulders slumped. "I'll see you tomorrow at dinner Bella."

"Bye Alice." I smiled at her weakly as Edward led her away.

"That was awkward." Emily shook her head mournfully. "I like Alice but she's just so, so -"

"Pushy?" Leah asked.

"She's got her own vision of things," Kim said. "And she doesn't know when to back off and let people make
their own decisions. She's nice, but if we let her in, before we know it, the whole wedding will be a three ring
circus."

"Alice is nice," I said. "I feel bad that she's not getting to help more."

"Bella -" Sue sat down beside me. "I like Alice too but the thing is, this is your day and we want it to be special."

"I'm sure Alice wants it to be special as well."

"But Alice's version of special is grandiose and over the top." Sue patted my hand. "You, meanwhile, can't

stand crowds. How would that work? Are you going to be miserable on the most important day of your life to
make Alice happy?"

"I'm sure she'd tone it down if she knew how I felt."

"Would she?" Sue patted my hand again. "Do you really think she would give your wants a second thought if
they didn't mesh with her plans?"

I bit my lower lip and sighed. Sue was right. I liked Alice a lot but she had a tendency to make decisions for you
and then seem surprised that you weren't ecstatic when she did. Alice would get wrapped up in the details of

her "dream wedding" and there would be no way to bring her back to what I really wanted - a nice, low key
ceremony that would leave me married to Edward for all eternity afterwards.

"I think the cream is the best choice," Emily said as she changed the subject back to the matter at hand. "We've
already chosen a pattern, and with the material Kim found for the veil, I think this is all we need. Leah do we
have the notions?"

"Have we decided on buttons or on a zipper?" Leah asked.

"I think we should do fakes," Kim said.

"I agree." Sue smiled mischievously. "Let Edward think he's got his work cut out for him when he sees all the
buttons but then have the zipper hidden behind."

"You're terrible." Emily laughed.

"Maybe," Sue said, "but tell me you won't be laughing right alongside me."

"You have a point," Emily said.

"Bella?" Shelly held me back as the others made their way to the cutting table. "Can I talk to you for a
moment?"

"Sure, Mother Shelly. What is it?"

"I know you and Sue have had a little talk about what you can expect on your wedding night." Shelly looked at
me uncomfortably and I squirmed in my seat. The morning after my exam with Siobhan, Sue had sat me down

for a very brief talk about the birds and the bees and what exactly I could expect to happen on my wedding
night.

"Yes?"

"Well, I know Sue is very clinical but I just wanted to reassure you that it's not a very horrible thing."

"A very horrible -" I thought about all the things Edward had done to me on the nights I had snuck out to see
him at our new home. Everything he'd done had been gentle and loving and at the end, I was almost aching
from the bliss I felt from being close to him.

"The first time will be agony," she said, "but after that, it isn't nearly as bad. More like being pinched."

"Pinched?"

"The best thing you can do is try to lie very still and not make a sound," Shelly said as she squeezed my hand

reassuringly. "Most men won't want to do that very often so hopefully he won't make himself too much of a
nuisance and you'll not have to worry about him overly much. And if he does, that's when you encourage him
to take another wife. Leave the burden on someone else."

"Oh." I bit my lower lip. The last thing I wanted was for Edward to take another wife, and I knew he didn't

want to take one either, so even if it was as bad as Shelly made it out to be, I would need to be willing to
endure it frequently. What confused me though was why all the things that happened before it seemed to feel
so good, but apparently the act of coupling itself would be dreadful. Maybe that was why the other things felt
so good? Otherwise no one would want to take part in it?

"We should join the others." Shelly patted my hand again. "They'll be wondering what we're up to."

I followed her silently up to the front register where my other mothers were checking out, and then out to the

car. I was silent all the way home, thinking about what Shelly had told me. My mother had no reason to lie
about coupling with her husband but I couldn't imagine Edward would want to do something I didn't like.
Every other time I had snuck out to be with him, he'd been determined that I enjoy what he was doing.

"Bella?" Kim came into the living room where I was thumbing through a paperback novel. "Is something
bothering you?"

"No," I said and tried to keep my attention on the book. "I'm fine."

"Is it Edward?"

"No."

"Your wedding dress? Did you not like something we picked out today?"

"No, it's all beautiful."

"Then what is it? And don't tell me nothing, I know better."

"Mother Shelly held me back today to talk about what's going to happen after my wedding."

"What's going to happen then? You'll move in with Edward and we'll still see you all the time."

"No, I meant on my wedding night."

"Oh." Kim nodded. "And what did she tell you?"

"That the first time will be miserable and it will get better after that. But if I'm lucky Edward won't make me
endure it often. She also said I should lie very still and not make a sound so I don't distract him."

"Oh Jesus." Kim rolled her eyes. "She's such a prude. Don't believe anything she tells you."

"What?"

"Oh believe the first part," Kim said. "The first time is uncomfortable and it will get better after that. Just
ignore everything else."

"Ignore it?"

"Shelly doesn't know what she's talking about. You'll love sex and Edward will be addicted to it as well. Let me

tell you a secret though - don't be quiet when you have sex. Let Edward know exactly how much he's pleasing
you."

"Really?"

"Your father loves it," Kim said and I grimaced.

"Too much information." I curled up my nose at her in disgust.

"Sorry, but it's true. Men like to know they're pleasing you. It strokes their egos."

"Oh."

"Anything else worrying you?"

"No."

"Good, then dinner will be ready in the hour. You should go get cleaned up before Edward arrives."

I stood up and hurried into my bedroom to change my dress, thinking about what Shelly and Kim had both
said. Which one of them was right? Would sex be something I had to endure that Edward would want me to lay
silent and still for so that he could finish quickly? Or would it be something I craved like Kim had suggested?
Would Edward want me to actually tell him - I blushed at the idea of being so vocal in my desires.

I continued to brood on the question as I cleaned up and even after Edward arrived, I couldn't get it out of my

mind enough to fully focus on him during dinner. "Come see me tonight?" he whispered as he leaned down to
kiss my cheek in the doorway.

"Of course," I whispered back as I kissed his in return.

"I'll come for you at midnight," he said and then hurried out into the night.

I continued to ponder what Kim and Shelly had said for the rest of the evening and didn't even catch a catnap
before it was time to meet Edward. Once I had slipped out the backdoor, he stepped out of the shadows and
wrapped his arms around me.

"Once we're married, I'll have to let your father know about that door latch," Edward said and then lowered
his head to kiss me. "But I think I'll wait until it's no longer convenient for me."

"Edward!"

"What?"

"My father will kill you if he thinks you behaved inappropriately before the wedding. If he thinks you've
compromised my virtue -"

"Your virtue is firmly in tact; just ask my mothers, one of them performed the exam to check. Although,
perhaps it would be better if I have a little peak and make sure everything's all right?"

"Edward!"

"Just a little one," he said teasingly as he led me through the closest set of trees parallel to the street and then
up the stairs of our new home. Once we were inside, he began to kiss his way down my neck, nibbling as he

went. Instead of relaxing into his arms as I normally did, I could feel myself tensing up. What would he want
from me? Should I be as still as possible for him or should I be encouraging like Kim suggested?

"Bella?" Edward pulled away from me worriedly. "Is there something wrong?"

"Wrong? No, no there's nothing wrong. Are you not enjoying yourself?"

"I am." Edward pulled back from me slightly and I could see the confusion on his face so I tried to smile
encouragingly. "But I worry that you're not."

"I am, I am," I said and wrapped my arms back around his waist. "I just want to make sure that I'm doing what
makes you happiest."

"Oh." Edward nodded. "Well, tonight what do you say if we switch things up a bit?"

"Switch things up?"

"Why don't you call the shots tonight instead of me?"

"Me call the shots? You mean, I should decide what we do to each other? I should touch you?"

"My body is your own personal amusement park," Edward said and then held his arms out wide.

"You want me to touch you?"

"If that's what you want," Edward said. "Or I can touch you. You just have to tell me what to do."

"I couldn't do that." I felt myself blushing at the mere idea of telling Edward the things I wanted him to do to
me.

"Okay then -" Edward pursed his lips. "How's this? Instead, why don't you touch me and I'll tell you what I

like? Would you prefer that? You can get comfortable experimenting with my body and then we'll go from
there."

"Okay."

"The only thing is -" Edward paused. "You see, I promised you I would keep my trousers on."

"But what if I asked you to take them off?"

"Well, I also promised to give you anything and everything you ever needed."

"I need you to take your trousers off," I said. "And I think what I need is more important than another promise
that you made me."

"I agree," Edward said as he undid the button and zipper before pushing his trousers down off his hips and
letting them pool around his feet.

"And your shirt." I pointed to it nervously. Edward had given me so much pleasure in the last few weeks, there
was no way that I wouldn't return all of it willingly if he asked.

Edward undid the buttons of his white cotton shirt and then pushed it from his shoulders. "Anything else?"

"Your underwear," I said and heard my voice waver. "Then lay down on the cot. Wait, why do you still have the
cot after all of our furniture arrived? Why aren't you sleeping in the bed?"

"I'm not going to sleep in our bed until you're here to sleep in it with me. It's our marriage bed and I never
want to spend a night in it without you."

"Oh." I bit my lower lip and then motioned at him with my hand. "What are you waiting for?"

"Nothing," Edward replied and then pushed his boxers off of his hips. I couldn't help but gasp as the rest of his

body was revealed to me. I had felt Edward press his erection up against me before but I'd never realized how
big it was. There was no way that it would ever fit inside of me.

"Can I -" I reached out for it with my hand tentatively and then saw the lust flame in Edward's eyes.

"Please," he said quietly as he took a step toward me, his monstrous erection bobbing slightly with the
motion. He reached out for my hand and instead of placing it on his swollen flesh he laced his fingers through
mine and then led me to the cot. He lay down and then patted the empty bit of mattress beside him.

"What should I do?" I whispered, and his whole body shook as he unlaced our fingers and smiled at me.

"Anything you want," he said. "My body is yours to explore."

I reached one finger out hesitantly and ran it up the length of his silky length, amazed at how something so
hard could feel so soft at the same time.

"What can I do to make you feel as good as you do for me?"

"Wrap you hand around me," Edward said coaxingly, wrapping my fingers around him and then wrapping his
hand around mine, moving both of them up and down his hard length. "And then move it just like this."

"Does that feel good?"

"Yes." Edward moaned as he released his hand from around me to clutch at the edge of the mattress. "Please
don't stop Bella."

"Just like this?"

"Just like that," Edward said as his hips moved in tandem with my hand.

"And what if I would like to do like you do? What if I wanted to put my mouth on you?"

"You don't have to do that Bella," Edward managed to say through gritted teeth.

"Would you like it?"

"I would love it. God, I would love for you to take me in your mouth."

"You'll have to guide me," I said as I slipped onto the floor next to the cot and brought myself to eye level with
his erection.

"Just open your mouth," Edward said, his voice breathy as I kissed his tip and then slipped it into my mouth.
"Now suck."

I felt Edward curl his fingers into my hair gently and soon he was gently guiding the movements of my head,
helping me to bob up and down along his length as he vocalized his pleasure for me.

"I'm going to cum, oh fuck Bella you should -"

His erection jerked inside of my mouth and then my mouth was filled with a sticky substance that I
instinctively swallowed. "Blech -" I curled up my nose.

"Sorry," Edward said, "I tried to warn you but you were just too good and I couldn't control myself. Come
here."

I swallowed down the rest of the residue and then clambered onto the cot beside him. "Did you like that?"

"Yes." Edward smiled at me and then kissed my nose.

"I thought you might have."

"Did you like pleasing me?"

"Yes."

"And did you like hearing how much you were pleasing me while you were doing it?"

"Very much so."

"Remember that from now on then," Edward said as he rolled us over and began to sink down the length of my
body, still naked. "I never want you to feel anything but pleasure in any bed we share and I enjoy hearing you
as much as you enjoyed hearing me."

"What are you doing?" I asked as he draped my legs over his shoulders and lifted my skirt.

"Returning the favor," Edward said and then buried his face in between my thighs. I was glad that Edward
seemed to share Kim's views of sex because if the rest of him worked as beautifully on my body as his tongue
did, there was no way I'd ever be able to stay quiet. As it was, I'd screamed myself hoarse before the sun rose
Thanksgiving morning.

~*~

Chapter sixteen

EPOV

I scrubbed my face with a towel after shaving and looked longingly at the king size, wrought iron bed in the
middle of the room. The mattress on it was gloriously soft and felt like lying on a cloud, but, instead of
enjoying it, I had consigned myself to a rusty, moth-eaten Army cot in the front parlor.

"It'll be worth it," I mumbled as I walked over to the closet and removed a blue dress shirt, slipping it on over

my shoulders and hurriedly doing up the buttons before tucking it into my trousers. I had promised to escort
Bella and her family to church with my own family this morning and it wouldn't do for us to be late. Reverend
Weber was announcing the date of our wedding today and it was important that we be seen together by the

entire congregation so that they could see there was no discord between our families and that we were
presenting a united front together as Bella and I began our journey into matrimony.

"Edward!" I heard the door open and Esme called out as she came in from the wide front porch. "Are you
ready?"

"One minute!" I said loudly as I grabbed a pre-tied necktie, slipped it over my head and tightened it quickly. "I
just need to tie my shoes."

"Hurry up! We're going to be late and then what will people say?"

"We won't be late!"

"We better not be! Charlie Swan can still call off this wedding!"

"Don't even joke about such a thing Mother," I said and then hurriedly kissed her on the cheek as I rushed
down the stairs and into the foyer.

"Well then learn not to be late," she snapped.

Taking her elbow, I led her outside to where the rest of my family was gathering together to make their way to
the Swans. "We're not late, see? Emmett and Charlotte haven't even arrived yet."

"Sorry, sorry," Emmett called out as he led a waddling Charlotte across the street. "We'd have been here five
minutes ago, but Char couldn't get bent over enough to tie her shoes."

"See?" Esme glared at me. "Even a pregnant woman who can't tie her own shoes is more punctual than you
are."

"Yeah Edward," Alice reached up to smack me across the back of the head and I couldn't help frowning at her.
Who had died and made Alice queen of the universe? Especially when it came to Bella? She hadn't been happy

to be excluded from their plans the day before and I had heard about it all the way home and she'd been in a
surly mood ever since. Meanwhile, I thought Bella's mothers probably had the right idea - Alice would turn
this wedding into a three ring circus if they gave her half a chance.

I rubbed the back of my head and then glared at Jasper. "If your wife is done abusing me, then perhaps do you
think we can go?"

"After you." He motioned at me with the arm not holding Hale and then wrapped it comfortingly around

Kachiri's shoulders before smiling at Alice. "Darling, let's leave some part of Edward unbruised for Bella. She
may want to hit him a few times and what would she say if she saw that you already had him all beat up?"

"Thanks," I said and then walked away from them, opening the front gate and leading my family down the
main street in town toward Chief Swan's home and the church beyond. Once we reached the house, I left my

family standing in the street where most the neighbors - except for the Blacks - had gathered and walked
slowly up the front steps to knock on the door.

"Edward." Charlie nodded curtly at me as he opened the door.

"Good morning Chief Swan." I nodded in return. "I've come to ask Bella to church with me."

"Have you now?"

"Yes," I said and then swallowed nervously. "I've brought my family as chaperones and to attest to my good
character."

"I trust in your good character," Charlie said and slapped me on the back reassuringly. "But just so, my family
and I will go along with your family to worship this fine day of Thanksgiving."

"Thank you sir," I said gratefully as he stepped aside to show me Bella and then reached out to take her hand,
placing it in mine.

"Be sure to mind the bottom step," he said quietly. "It's a bit loose."

I barely noticed the loose step or the curious stares of the neighbors as I led Bella and our families on the
short walk to the church, where Reverend Weber was waiting for us. "I see that you've escorted Isabella Swan
to worship today, Edward."

"I have, Reverend."

"And both of your fathers approve I trust?" The Reverend looked between the two of us and then down at our
fathers.

"My son could find no better match than Isabella Swan for his first wife," Carlisle said quickly.

"And my daughter would find no other match if we searched the wide world itself," Charlie said a moment
after. I could see Bella beaming next to me and couldn't help smiling myself.

"Well then -" Reverend Weber nodded again. "On December the 19th, I shall make you man and wife for all the
community to see. Between now and then both of you should pray together and alone for guidance from God
and the Holy Brothers of the Signs so that they will bless and guide you in your life together."

"Yes, Reverend Leader," Bella mumbled and lowered her head.

"Yes, Reverend Leader," I said a moment after and tried to appear humble and devout as well.

"Come," Reverend Weber said loudly and opened the doors to the church. "We have much to be thankful for
today."

I'd like to say that the service was enlightening and inspiring and that I came away from it with my faith in the

Coven, the Brothers, and the Signs of the Coming miraculously restored, but I didn't. Instead, I barely focused
enough to mumble the rote answers expected of the congregation as I sat clutching Bella's tiny hand in my
own and reveling in her presence. Since it wasn't a day of worship, the service was instead meant as a

Thanksgiving blessing, it was relatively short and there were no snakes or any of the other Signs of the
Coming present. Three hours later we were back out on the street and making our way back toward the
Swan's home.

"Edward," Charlie said solemnly as he shook my hand. "See her home safely tonight?"

"Of course Sir," I nodded. "Bella and her safety is always my first concern."

"Please," Lauren snorted from her place next to Tanya, and I saw three of my father's wives and Charlotte turn
to glare at her. Alice, meanwhile, began smiling widely. Bella's plan to destroy Lauren was set to go off without
a hitch.

"Come Bella." I took her hand in mine and lead her away from her father's house and back to my family - our
family.

"Yes Edward," she replied obediently, her head still lowered modestly as I lead her back to the group of
people on the street and we fell into step behind my father and Esme.

"Excuse me," Lauren snapped and pushed her way in between Siobhan and my father, taking the other
woman's place at his right elbow while Esme was standing on his left in her traditional place as first wife.

"Pardon?" Siobhan looked at her wide-eyed as she stepped aside and then glanced around at everyone else.

"So" - Lauren dropped her voice low, trying to be seductive - "what's it like being the town's doctor, Carlisle? It
must be ever so interesting to be so very important."

"It very much is," Carlisle said dryly. "And I could never do it without the love, support, and hard work of my
wives and the rest of my family."

"Oh, I'm sure their support is very comforting, but surely you can't think they've made you what you've
become? Isn't it the other way around? Your greatness has given them the ability to do better than they would
have otherwise?"

"Perhaps." Carlisle looked between Lauren and Esme before glancing back at Emmett. "But I think it would be
better if you remembered that it isn't for a woman to seek power or to counsel men, but rather to remain

silent and obedient instead. Emmett, why don't you come and take your new intended to speak with Charlotte
about what she can expect her duties and roles to be once you bring her into your house to help Charlotte
with my newest grandson."

"What?" Lauren asked, her voice flat.

"Emmett?" Carlisle raised his eyebrows meaningfully.

"Of course, Father." Emmett nodded and stepped forward to take Lauren by the elbow, drawing her away
from Carlisle, and slowing down so that he, Lauren, and Charlotte straggled behind everyone else by a few
steps.

"I think she scared your father," Bella chuckled quietly.

"Me too." I couldn't help laughing and I saw Carlisle's shoulder tighten before Esme turned to shoot me a
knowing look, which was only ruined by the wink and the smile she gave both me and Bella before turning
back around and resuming her quiet conversation with Carlisle about the sermon and his thoughts on it.

"So, how long until she dumps Emmett?"

"She can't," I whispered back. "Her father has already signed the papers. Since it's a celestial marriage, not a
legal one, they're going to have a quick blessing in the church on New Years Day and that will be it."

"They aren't having a wedding? Usually the Reverend performs a brief wedding even if it isn't legally binding."

"Carlisle expected that as well, but Mr. Mallory didn't seem to feel as if it was necessary. He took the bride

price Carlisle gave him, signed the contract, and was willing to move Lauren in the very next day. He seemed a
bit put out that Carlisle wanted to wait until after our wedding to host another for Emmett as well."

"Is he really waiting until after our wedding? I didn't know your father would even think of such a thing."

"He wouldn't," I replied. "But Emmett's divorce won't be finalized until the 22nd and the Reverend is legally
marrying Emmett and Charlotte at Christmas so he'll have to wait a few weeks before he can take Lauren as a
wife as well. Not that he's in any hurry."

"He doesn't want to marry Lauren?"

"Would you?"

"God no!"

"Well Emmett may not be the brightest apple in the bunch, but he isn't an idiot," I replied as we reached the

front gate to my parent's house and I lead her inside. "He's marrying Lauren Mallory because my father told
him to and the only reason Carlisle agreed to it, is her father works for the county and thinks he might be a
useful ally to have."

"But he works in the Property Assessor's - Oh!"

"You never know when it will come in handy to have a piece of property's market value suddenly take a nose

dive right before you buy it; especially if it's being looked at for a planned housing community. The
developers would pay well to keep a full parcel of attractive land together."

"So you're saying that the only reason your brother is marrying Lauren is because she may help your father in
some real estate investment?"

"And she'll be a help with Charlotte's baby."

"That's horrible!"

"No, that's Carlisle. Rosalie was a political bride; Kachiri actually came with a large trust fund; Alice was a
necessary addition because of how Kachiri is - Hale needed a mother and Alice was a trained nurse's aid to
take care of Kachiri as well - and Charlotte's father was actually Carlisle's partner at Aro's Creek."

"What about me? What use do I have?"

"You are the love of my life," I said as I wrapped my arms around her. "And my father likes being in good with
the town's Sheriff. The important part though is that I can't imagine living without you. Your father could be a
drunkard with no job and I'd still marry you. No matter what Carlisle said about it."

"Really?"

"Yes." I kissed the top of her head lovingly. "I love and adore you for who you are, Isabella Swan, and I can't
imagine my life without you."

"I can't imagine my life without you either," Bella whispered into my chest.

"Bella," - Alice came into the front parlor, where I had hidden away with Bella - "we need to finish preparing
the meal."

"Bella's still a guest," I protested.

"It's fine Edward. I'll be part of the family in just a few weeks anyway," she said as she swatted me playfully on
the chest.

"And, she'll miss out on bossing around Lauren Mallory with the rest of us if she stays out here with you." Alice
pointed out.

"Well Heaven forbid she should miss that," I snorted and rolled my eyes at Alice.

"Exactly," Alice said as she grabbed Bella's hand and pulled her out of the parlor, both of them giggling like
little girls. I couldn't believe that in just a few short weeks, Isabella Swan was going to be my bride.

~*~

Chapter seventeen

Bpov

"Bella!" Leah screamed from the attic and I scurried from the kitchen to the pull-down stairs in the upstairs
hallway to see what the problem was.

"What?"

"Grab this box and support it while I climb down."

"Fine," I huffed as I grabbed onto the oversized box and grunted as she released all of its weight into my arms.
"What's in this anyway?"

"Part of the fine china that my mother gave me when I married your father," Leah said as she came down the

ladder and wiped her dusty hands on her skirt. "I've gotten mine, Shelly's, Sue's, and Emily's down, but I can't
get to Kim's china and her hope chest. It will have to wait until your father and Seth get home so that they can
move the boxes around and retrieve it for us."

"Why are you getting all of your china out though?"

"It will need washed before we take it over to the new house for your reception." Leah rolled her eyes at me.
"I'm sure it's gotten dusty in those boxes, but between our china and what the Cullen's have, there should be

enough to serve everyone from it. Then you can save your new china until after the wedding and use it for the
first Sunday dinner that you and Edward host for both families."

"What china Leah?" I nudged her shoulder and smiled, teasing. Every girl in Coventry received a china
collection of some sort from her family when she married. Better off families bought their daughters a new set
but many girls simply received hand me downs from one generation to the next.

"Don't sass me Isabella." She pretended to scowl but her eyes were twinkling. "You're not married off yet and I

can still tan your bottom until the Reverend Leader says the final blessings over you tomorrow. Besides, when
you see what Sue pulled off for you, you'll be too dumbfounded to even think about doing anything but
hugging all of us till we can't breathe."

"What did Sue -"

"You'll find out tomorrow," Leah said curtly. "Now kindly help me lug this box downstairs and get to washing

the dishes while the rest of us finish with the cleaning. Sue will be back from Edward's in less than an hour
and I'd rather have it all done than have her come home and start bossing us around."

"Yes, Mother Leah," I replied with a grin and carefully lugged the box of china dishes downstairs so that I
could unpack them and wash them for the reception tomorrow. The past three weeks had been so busy, I had
barely seen Edward except for when he walked me to school - which had ended for the term last week - and

during church services. Other than that, we had only had two short dinners together - one with my family and
another with his - since Thanksgiving because I had been so busy with the details of our wedding
preparations. We hadn't managed to be alone since the night before Thanksgiving and I felt my stomach

twitch in anticipation. Tomorrow night I would be Mrs. Edward Cullen and all of the things we had been doing
with - and to - each other secretly would no longer be shameful and dirty, they would be foreplay to what the
Coven deemed the essential aspect of any marriage. To say I was actually more excited about my wedding

night than I was about my wedding would be totally inappropriate for a well bred, devout young woman of the
faith, but it didn't change the fact that it was true.

"Excited about tomorrow?" Kim asked as she came into the kitchen and gave me a squeeze.

"Yeah." I couldn't help but blush at the idea that tomorrow I would be Edward's wife in every sense of the
word.

"I bet you can't wait to get through the wedding and the reception so you two can finally get to the good stuff,
huh?"

"Mother Kim!"

"What? I remember when I married your father. All I could think about was why couldn't the Reverend Leader

hurry it up so that we could get on with it. Then it was the reception, and I just kept thinking, 'chew faster
people, I have somewhere else to be!'. I was so antsy that by the time we were finally alone, I almost tore the
zipper in my dress trying to get it off."

"Ew." I couldn't help wrinkling my nose at the idea of Kim and my father having a wedding night, even though
I knew that they had. It was just the sex and my father and my father having sex that really creeped me out.

"I know, I know, too much information, but I'm just trying to tell you that it's normal to be excited about your
wedding night. And curious. There's nothing to be ashamed of because of it."

"There isn't?"

"No." Kim patted my shoulder reassuringly. "You're meant to enjoy sex, that's why it feels good. It's only
natural that you should be excited to do something that feels good and that you'll enjoy."

"Oh."

"Now, why don't you go ahead and let me finish these dishes and you go relax for a bit. I imagine that on some

level, tomorrow is going to be hard for you and your father both. It wouldn't hurt for the two of you to have
some quality time when he gets home. I'll keep everyone else out of your hair."

"Really?"

"Yeah." Kim smiled and shouldered me out from in front of the sink before waving me to the front door. "And
Bella?"

"Yeah?"

"I didn't ever get to meet your mother and, well, your father doesn't talk about her much, but I can't help but
think she'd be very proud of the young woman you've become. I know I'm not your mother in the traditional

sense, but I just wanted you to know that all of us are more proud of you than you'll ever realize, and I know
your mother has to feel the same when she looks down from Heaven at you."

"Thank you," I said quietly and then sniffled. Kim sniffled as well before she opened her arms and I rushed
into them with a loud sob.

"What on Earth?" Sue asked a few moments later when she came in through the kitchen door and found Kim
and I sobbing on each other's shoulders as if our best friend in the world had died suddenly.

"Nothing." Kim pulled back and wiped her eyes. "It's nothing."

"Sure don't look like nothing," Sue said and glanced between us again. "You all right?"

"We're fine," I reassured her. "They're happy tears. I'm just a little emotional right now."

"We all are," Kim agreed.

"You look a bit tired as well," Sue said appraisingly. "Why don't you go lie down for a bit before dinner and
take a nap? I imagine you'll need all the rest you can get before tomorrow."

"You're sure it won't be an issue? I don't want to leave anyone in a lurch."

"Go lie down." Sue ushered me out of the kitchen and I hurried off to the barren little room that as of
tomorrow would no longer be my home. All of my things had already been taken to Edward's and now all that
was left of mine in the room were the things I would need for the wedding tomorrow and my essential
toiletries. Washing the grime off my hands and face, I ran a brush through my hair quickly and tied it in a low

ponytail to keep it from getting knotted up during my nap before I pushed off my shoes and slipped into bed
still fully dressed. I dozed off while fantasizing about Edward and slept completely through the night, not
moving until Leah came in to wake me at 5 am.

"I thought you were going to wake me for dinner." I looked at her wide-eyed and then followed her into the
kitchen to eat before we began preparing me for the wedding ceremony.

"We tried. You whimpered for Edward and curled up tighter around your pillow so we let you go."

"Oh." I blushed.

"Yeah, oh." Leah smirked in return. "Now hurry up and eat your breakfast. We've only got six hours until
you're supposed to be at the church and we have a lot to do."

"Leah, it's five in the morning."

"And this house only has one bathroom so if you want a nice, leisurely, hot, bubble bath while your hair sets,
we need to get started now."

"Good point," I mumbled as I sat down and began shoveling down a piece of dry toast and a cup of weak tea.

"Oh good," Sue said a few moments later as she hurried into the kitchen. "You're finally up. Kim, start setting

Bella's hair and then she can get a bath while you finish setting everyone else's. Then Leah, you'll do Bella's
nails while Shelly, Emily, and I shower. Then Emily will do Bella's makeup while I run over to the church to
make sure everything is in place and Shelly goes to the Cullen's to make sure everything's ready for the
reception like they said it would be. Once all that's done, we'll be ready to get Bella into her dress and do any

last minute touch ups before the Reverend Leader arrives to perform the bridal blessing and escort the family
to the church.

My mothers all snapped into action and before I had finished my toast, Kim was back with a hair brush and
rollers with Leah right behind her, carrying the makeup case with the nail polish in it as well. I heard the

bathtub faucet turn on and then Emily came into the kitchen to grab the dish liquid to add bubbles to my bath.
Kim quickly rolled my hair into large rollers so that my hair would have thick, bouncy waves that would look
romantic in the loose French twist that Kim had been practicing in my hair for the last week.

"There." She patted the nape of my neck and then reached down to take my plate and cup over to the sink.
"Who's next?"

"I am." Sue sat down heavily in my seat. "I'll need to have it done before I go over to the church. I'm not going
to have the Reverend Leader see me with my hair in rollers."

"Like I want the Cullens to see me that way," Shelly snorted.

"Well you can go next then," Sue snapped and my second mother sat down in the seat next to Sue's in a huff.

"Bella," Emily said and I looked over at her. "Bath tub. Now."

"Yes ma'am." I said as I scurried into the bathroom and stripped off my dirty dress before sinking into the
steaming hot water and allowing my muscles to relax. Today was my wedding day and in just a few short
hours I would be Mrs. Edward Cullen. The only Mrs. Edward Cullen there will be, in fact. I let my eyes slip
closed and dozed until Leah pounding on the door, waking me abruptly.

"Bella! Hurry up! We've got a lot to do and not much time!"

"It's only" - I stared up at the clock in our tiny shared bathroom and yawned - "six thirty. We still have four
and a half hours before Reverend Weber arrives and five hours before we have to be at the church."

"And we have a day's worth of work to do," Leah said as she threw open the door and held out a towel for me.
"Now come on and quit arguing! You don't want to be late for your own wedding after all!"

Once I was out of the tub the flurry of activity began all around me again. Soon Kim was pulling at my hair
while Leah worked on my toe nails and Emily sorted through our limited supply of makeup to find just the

perfect colors to paint my face with. The rest of the morning flew by and before I realized it, my mothers were
slipping me into my dress and smoothing the last stray bits of hair while my father welcomed Reverend
Weber and the rest of the Council of the Brethren - minus Edward, of course - into the front room to
administer the blessing.

"Isabella." The Reverend nodded to me as I came into the room, nervously clinging to my mothers and
clutching my bouquet.

"Reverend Leader." I tried to smile back at him.

"Do you know what we're here to do today?"

"I'm to be married to Edward Cullen, Reverend Leader."

"And will you affirm for me that you are of the legal age to enter into this marriage?"

"I am, Reverend Leader."

"And that you're marrying Edward today by your own free will and are not under the coercion of any other
party?"

"It is my choice to marry Edward, Reverend Leader. I have prayed to God and to the Holy Brothers and they
have shown me that he is the man I'm meant for."

"So no one is forcing you to marry?"

"No, Reverend Leader, I am marrying by my own free choice."

"And you are competent of mind to know what that means? The duties involved in your role?"

"I am to be my husband's help mate, his weaker partner, the nurturer to his provider, his comfort and his

confidant. I am expected to care for his home, his person, and to bear him many fine sons. They aren't just my
duties, but a privilege that I have been granted by his taking me for his own."

"Good." Reverend Weber smiled then and held out his hand over my head, which I quickly bowed. "Dear Lord,
we call upon you and your most noble servants, the Holy Brothers, to look down on Isabella Marie Swan as she

completes the journey you have laid out for her since childhood. Today she leaves her father's house a maid
and will go into church to be made a wife and then enter into her husband's home. Bless her with a gentle
tongue, a sweet disposition, a meek spirit, deaf ears, and a strong womb so that she may be a good and godly
wife. Amen."

"Amen," I whispered quietly as the voices of my mothers and the Brethren resounded in my ears.

"Charlie?" Reverend Weber looked pointedly at my father who came forward to take my hand and place it on
top of Reverend Weber's.

"My daughter, I give you into the care of the Reverend Leader so that he may guide and council you as you go
forth on your journey to become a wife. Be you always a godly woman who honors not only your husband but
your family as well."

"Come Isabella," the Reverend urged as we stepped out of the front room and through the front door.

"We'll see you at the Cullen's," Sue whispered as I stepped past her and out onto the porch. Reverend Weber
led me out onto the street and toward the church where Edward was waiting for us. In just under an hour, I
would be Mrs. Edward Cullen and I had never been more excited - or more terrified - in my entire life.

~*~

Chapter eighteen

bpov

"Are you ready Isabella?" Reverend Weber asked me kindly as we stopped outside the church where Edward

and his family were waiting. Glancing backwards quickly, I saw my parents and my siblings standing in their
front yard watching along with the rest of the town that had lined up on the street and in the yard of the
church to see us after the wedding ceremony was completed.

"Yes Reverend Leader." I nodded and he smiled at me. "Just a little nervous."

"That's normal I'm afraid," he said. "I was terrified before I married each of my wives because it was such a
big decision. I actually threw up in the bushes before I married Angela's mother I was so scared."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. If you weren't nervous of the future then I would think that you didn't have a clear view of life and

the journey you're about to undertake with Edward. Why don't you take a few deep breaths and then Esme
will be out to retrieve you in just a moment?"

"Okay." I smiled shakily as the Reverend Weber leaned down to kiss me on the cheek.

"And might I say," he continued, "that Edward Cullen is a very lucky man to have found you for his first, and if
he has his way, only wife."

"Thank you Reverend Leader," I replied with a smile and let go of his arm so that he could go inside the
church. Once he was inside I resisted the urge to look at all the people standing around staring at me, and

took a deep breath in through my nose and then out through my mouth, fervently praying I wouldn't pass out
or start crying in the next few minutes from the sheer nervousness I was feeling.

Less than five minutes later the door to the sanctuary opened and I saw Esme smiling at me from inside the
church and holding out her left hand to me. "Come, my newest daughter," she said loud enough for the people
in the churchyard to here.

"Yes mother," I said quietly and took her hand, letting her lead me into the entryway before she closed the
door.

"You are a fitting bride for my youngest son." Esme smiled and her eyes twinkled as she said her formal part
of the ceremony and then kissed both of my cheeks before lowering my veil over my face.

"I endeavor to be a good and obedient wife to Edward and a credit to you as a daughter," I replied with the
scripted words of the Coven's wedding ceremony and I could see the tears glistening in the corners of her
eyes.

"Thank you." She nodded and then leaned in to kiss both of my cheeks again.

"And Bella?" she whispered quietly.

"Yes?"

"I'm so excited!" she whispered into my ear and then squeezed my hands in hers before leading me into the
church.

"Me too," I agreed as we stepped into the church and I saw Edward waiting for me at the altar. Esme took my
elbow and led me up the aisle to where Edward, Carlisle, and Reverend Weber were waiting.

"My son, I have examined and found your bride to be suitable. Your father and I approve and will take her as
one of our own and treat her as a daughter to the family."

"Thank you Mother," Edward replied and took my hand to lead me to face him in front of the altar.

"Friends," Reverend Weber began, "we come here today to welcome a new member into your family. Edward

has chosen and you have agreed to make Isabella Marie Swan his wife, his helpmate, his solace, and an
additional shoulder to carry his burdens. She will bear him children and nurture them from her own body.
For all her days she will wear his ring as a token of his affection for her and as first wife, shall bear his name.

As his first wife, Isabella will run his household, be the extension of his authority within the home, and act as

the final arbiter in the affairs of his children and his other wives. The law shall recognize her as one of your
own and when she is called to God, He will look upon her as the wife that sits upon Edward's left side and shall

rejoice in her goodness. She will be an example to all, not only within Edward's family but to all of the world of
the goodness and righteousness of this family and this community. Isabella, are you prepared to do all these
things?"

"I am, Reverend Leader," I said and then smiled at Edward who was clasping my hands tightly and I could see
that he was as nervous as I was.

"Carlisle, as the Cullen patriarch, do you accept Isabella into your home?"

"I do, Reverend Leader," Carlisle nodded sternly.

"And as matriarch, Esme, do you accept Isabella into your home? Do you promise to love her, guide her, and
console her as if she were your own child of the womb?"

"I do, Reverend Leader," Esme said and I could hear that she was fighting back tears.

"Edward, do you accept Isabella's vows to you?"

"With all my heart, I do, Reverend Leader," Edward said and I could see the beginnings of a smile on his face.

"Edward, Isabella is to become your wife. It is your duty as the patriarch of your home to guide her, council
her, discipline her if she falls astray, care for her, protect her, provide for her, love her and fill her womb with
sons. As she is your first wife, you must remember to take her counsel and to be wise enough to allow her the
running of your household. A man's place is to work and provide for the family that he has made; a woman's

place is to bear sons and care for the home so that the man finds it a pleasant respite from the cares of the
outer world. As your first wife, the home shall be Isabella's domain. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Reverend Leader."

"And you agree to the roles and tasks laid out for you?"

"Yes, Reverend Leader."

"Isabella, do you believe Edward to be trustworthy and honest?"

"I do, Reverend Leader," I agreed.

"And do you accept his vow to you?"

"I do, Reverend Leader."

"Then, by the power vested in me, by the State of West Virginia and as the Reverend Leader of this community,
I declare you to be married. Return to me in the morning and I shall bestow the blessings of the Brethren
upon you as a mated couple and pray for you to become with child without delay. Edward and Isabella, as
Reverend Leader of this community, I see and recognize you as man and wife."

"Thank you, Reverend Leader," Edward said quietly.

"Thank me later," Reverend Weber chuckled. "Kiss her now."

"With pleasure, Reverend Leader." Edward replied before wrapping his arms around me and giving me a kiss
that wasn't quite as chaste as it should have been for inside the sanctuary.

"If you're through?" I could see that Reverend Weber was trying his best not to laugh. When Edward nodded
the Reverend stepped around us and then led the family down the aisle and out of the church.

Once we reached the front steps he stopped and stood directly in front of us while the rest of the Cullen's
fanned out along the front porch. Glancing around his shoulder, I could see my parents standing directly in

front of us with the rest of the congregation. "The Brothers have performed a great miracle today! They have
brought together two souls and made them one. I have witnessed and attested to this miracle! A new daughter
has come to the Cullens! Now join me in welcoming them to our community. I give you Edward and Isabella
Cullen."

With that, Reverend Weber stepped out of the way and presented us to the community. I could see all of my

mothers crying and hugging each other with joy. Billy Black walked forward and shook my father's hand and
then they gave each other an emotional, but still manly hug. Glancing over at where his family was standing, I
wasn't surprised to see that Jacob wasn't with them.

"My family has been blessed today!" Carlisle announced. "Isabella has been given to us as a daughter and we

will cherish her as our own. Now, please celebrate with us this miracle as we welcome Isabella into our
homes, our hearts and our lives. All of you are welcome in our home with us this day and we would take it as a
mark of honor if you would join us."

"We will follow your family, my brother in the faith," Reverend Weber agreed and clasped Carlisle on the
shoulder before he stepped back and allowed Carlisle to go forward and shake Charlie's hand.

"Thank you for your part in this miracle."

"Thank you for raising a son worthy of receiving it," Charlie answered.

Once we had reached the bottom step, Edward shook Charlie's hand as well before stepping back to allow my
father to embrace me. "Your mother would be so proud of you," he whispered.

"I love you daddy," I said quietly and began to choke up from the emotion of the moment.

"I love you too, Isabella," he whispered and then pulled back to wipe my cheeks. "Now, now then. Happy is the
bride that the sun shines on and so we'll have no tears today."

"Yes Father," I agreed and then stepped out of his embrace so that Edward could take my hand.

"Come Bella," Edward motioned me forward. "We have guests to welcome."

"Yes Edward." I nodded obediently and following him and the rest of his family down the street toward their
home.

"Besides," he whispered, "I very much want to get this lunch over with so that we can conclude our wedding."

"Edward!" I blushed a furious red. I was as excited as Edward was about our wedding night, and more than a
little nervous, but I was still mortified about the idea of what was to come tomorrow - when the Reverend

Leader asked Edward, in front of the congregation, if he had performed the last sacred act of the marriage
ceremony and "taken me as his bride". Then he would pray over us and lay hands on my stomach to bless it to
carry Edward's sons. If I wasn't nervous enough about my wedding night, the idea of the entire congregation

knowing what we had done the night before and that Edward had taken my virginity would do it. How was I
supposed to stand in front of my father tomorrow and let the Reverend Weber pray over my womb with him
sitting in the congregation and watching?

"Bella?" Edward asked as we stopped in front of his house and I turned to look at him. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, fine,"- I swallowed - "just fine."

"I'm not real comfortable discussing our sex life in front of the rest of the congregation either but at least you
won't have much of a questioning about it afterward."

"Questioning?" Oh God, I had forgotten that there would be a questioning about what had taken place and
Carlisle could request that Edward show him our bed sheet. I was almost positive Carlisle would request to

see our bed sheet. Thankfully though, I would be expected to bathe and make myself ready again to enter the
church and wouldn't be expected to be present.

"You did know there would be a questioning tomorrow morning didn't you?"

"Yes, I mean, I just forgot about it but I knew it would take place."

"I'll be as delicate as possible about it," Edward assured me hurriedly. "I mean, your father is part of the
Council of Brethren and I don't really want to go into too many details with him sitting across from me. After
all, he carries a gun and our offices are only about 20 feet apart."

"Oh God," I muttered weakly.

"It'll be okay." Edward kissed my hair lovingly and led me into the parlor of his parents' home - a quiet spot

away from the tents where people were sitting down to eat. I had been surprised that Esme had wanted to use
the dining tents instead of the traditional route of using the Hall, but after seeing that the sides dropped down
to prevent wind and that with the space heaters it could be kept warm, I was pleasantly surprised at the
effect. "Just take a few deep breaths."

"I'm okay." I nodded a few moments later. "We can go outside and greet our guests now."

"Are you sure? If not, we can stay here as long as you like. Or we could just sneak over to our home and let
them go on without us."

"Edward!"

"What?"

"Those are our wedding guests. Besides, they'll know exactly what we're doing if they find out we've snuck off
to our new home."

"And I'm sure we won't be the first couple it's happened too."

"No." I blushed. Leah and my father had actually been caught consummating their wedding in her brother's
tree house and I knew of two other couples who had snuck away as well. "But that doesn't mean I want the
whole town to think that we're doing something!"

"Isabella." Edward laughed loudly and bent forward from the waist gasping for air.

"What?"

"It's our wedding night. They all know we're going to be doing something!"

"Shut up," I said dryly and couldn't help but smile. "Smart aleck."

"My wife less than an hour and you're already abusing me," Edward said and shook his head before taking my

arm and leading me back out to where the rest of the community was prepared to celebrate our wedding and
to wish us an early night.

~*~

Chapter nineteen

bpov

"A toast to Edward and Bella!" Emmett called out and lifted his glass of ice tea high in the air, everyone else
following suit. Edward just smiled, shook his head, and leaned over to kiss me - for the forty-third time - and

then nodded graciously at his brother before taking a sip of his own tea. Everyone else just chuckled. We'd
barely made it through the meal with the way Emmett and Jasper had been toasting us and now that it was
moving into late afternoon and the party was winding down, Emmett had taken it upon himself to keep the
toasts going to delay our departure from what the Cullen family called the 'Big House' and retire to our own.

"Bella?" Edward leaned over and whispered in my ear. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes," I said, "it's just that everyone is still here and -"

"They won't leave until we do," Edward pointed out and I sighed. He was right - of course - no one would leave
until after we did and so I'd have to endure the stares of all of Coventry as we walked from the Big House to
Edward's - our - home.

"Okay," I said.

"Okay," he said and stood up decisively. "Everyone! Thank you for coming this afternoon to help us celebrate
the miracle that allowed Isabella to become my wife. While I don't wish to seem discourteous, it would be

rude of me to not inform you that there is only 30 minutes until the community's evening prayers. I wouldn't
want anyone to be rushed to arrive on time."

"A very good point Edward," Reverend Weber said from the end of the table. "Let me be the first to wish both
of you a good evening and a happy life together before I lead the rest of the flock to the church for worship.

We shall keep both of you in our prayers and will see you bright and early tomorrow morning to confer the
final blessing of the church on you."

"Thank you Reverend Leader," Edward said and then wrapped an arm around my waist to help me stand.
"And a good evening to you. If you'll excuse us, my wife is tired and we'll be retiring now."

"Not too tired I hope!" Emmett said loudly before Siobhan reached out and slapped him upside the back of the
head.

"Come with me, wife," Edward said quietly and didn't bother to look at his rowdy older brother. I tried not to
blush knowing that Emmett's teasing was all meant to be good fun but was still embarrassed.

"Good night dear," Esme said as she came over and kissed both of my cheeks and then smiled at Edward. I
could see that her eyes were wet when she reached out and hugged him to her tightly. "I told you it would all
work out," she whispered to him and I could barely hear her.

"Mother," Edward tried not to sound upset.

"I told you the Brothers would intercede for your happiness. You just needed to believe strongly enough and
they brought you that with Isabella."

I could see pain flash across Edward's face, he'd told me that his mother's continued devotion to the Coven of
the Signs hurt him because she refused to see that he was unhappy and truly believed that if he just accepted
everything with an open heart it would make him happy. For Edward, after what happened to Kebi, that
would never be possible though; no matter how kind and trustworthy Reverend Leader Weber was, the
hierarchy of the church was still what led to Kebi's death and he'd never be able to reconcile himself to that.

"Yes mother," he whispered and then kissed her cheek before reaching up to untangle her arms from around
his neck. "But you need to get to work if you're going to have this cleaned up and still make it to worship on
time."

"You're right of course." She patted his cheek, smiled at me once, and then scurried away. Edward shook his
head at her retreating back sadly and then led me across the backyard to the gate in the fence that separated

our backyard from the Big House's. Once there, we slowly walked across the grass and up the wooden steps to
the back porch and the kitchen door that Edward had left unlocked.

"I don't imagine you're hungry" - Edward motioned toward the kitchen - "but I had my mother stock the house
with food so we wouldn't have to go out if you didn't want to."

"Oh, okay," I agreed. "I didn't really want to ... go out, I mean. I just thought -"

"No, no," Edward assured me, "I don't want to go out either, I'd really rather spend our time getting to know
one another better. I mean, we know each other pretty well, but, I mean, it's only been a few months and now
we're married but I'm not complaining and -"

Instead of answering, I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him passionately, sliding my tongue
into his surprised, open mouth. Edward groaned and wrapped his arms around my waist, crushing me against
his chest before deepening the kiss. When we broke apart his green eyes were almost black with desire.

"We should go upstairs," he panted before grabbing my hand and pulling me through the kitchen, across the

living room, and up the front stairs. Once we'd reached the second floor landing, he swooped in, lifting me into
his arms with a dramatic flourish before stalking to the locked door that had tantalized me since the moment
he told me what it was and that he intended to keep it a secret until this moment.

"Edward! Put me down!"

"I don't think I shall, wife," he smirked and then somehow managed to manipulate the door open without
letting go of me. He then stepped into the most beautiful bedroom I had ever seen. From the white walls to the

soft, gold and blue pattern rug to the wrought iron bed with its gold filigree roses intertwined, it was
everything I'd never fantasized about in a bedroom but found myself madly in love with now.

"Kneel on the bed for me," Edward practically growled as he lowered me onto my knees on the mattress
facing away from him and then swept my hair over my shoulder to bare my back.

"Edward?" I turned to look at him questioningly.

"That's the only way I can reach all of these buttons," he answered and I couldn't help giggling.

"They're fakes."

"What?"

"There's a zipper behind them. The buttons aren't actually fastenings, they're just there for show."

"Oh." Edward sounded relieved and I suddenly felt cool air hit my back as he began unzipping my dress. "That
makes this so much easier."

I felt the zipper stop at the small of my back and then Edward's arm wrapped tightly around my waist, lifting

me as he pulled me free from my enormous confection of a wedding dress and tossed it across the room. Once
he had me free, he turned me in his arms and let go of me, letting me bounce onto the bed before he grabbed
my parted knees and pulled, using the fact that I was off balance to ensure I landed on my back with my legs
spread on what might be the softest mattress known to man.

"So beautiful," he said, his eyes raking over me hungrily as he undid the ribbons on my petticoat slip and
pulled it off when I raised my hips. "Like a beautiful, precious, fallen angel," he continued. "I can't believe that
you're mine."

"Only yours," I whispered as he let his fingers trail up the length of my stockings and over my lace covered hip
bones. He took his hands away long enough to remove his tie, undo the buttons at his collar, and then rolled
up his sleeves before turning his attention back to me and licking his lips seductively.

"My wife," Edward growled as he reached behind me and lifted me up slightly to undo the hook on my bra to
pull it off of me, tossing it across the room to land on top of my discarded wedding dress. Once my breasts
were free, he brought his hands forward to massage across the top of them and then down across my stomach,
making circles into the skin and just barely grazing my nipples with each pass. After a few languid circles, he

flicked the tip of my right nipple with his index finger and it hardened instantly as I arched my back upwards.
Edward just smiled and on the next sweep of his hands repeated the movement on the other side. Two passes
of his hands later, he pinched and I moaned loudly, squirming desperately to get closer to him somehow. A

few passes later he decided to follow the trail his hands were making with his mouth and I could feel myself
shaking from the sheer anticipation of the pleasure he was bringing me.

"So eager," Edward whispered softly as his fingers found the hooks on my garters and undid my stockings and
the garter belt, which were all quickly tossed to the side before his fingers slipped into the band of my lace
panties and tugged them down my legs, exposing me to him completely.

Edward let his lips trail down my body until they were directly above the place I urgently wanted them to be
before dropping a light kiss on my swollen nub. "You're already so wet for me," he purred and I was
immediately squirming just from the sexy tone he was using.

"I want you," I whimpered, knowing that Edward had gotten aroused by the fact that I sounded vulnerable
when we had been intimate before.

"I want you too, love," he replied before lowering himself to his knees and looking up at me from between my
spread legs. "But let's take our time. I don't want you to hurt anymore than possible."

"But -"

"Just relax and let me love you, Bella," Edward said as he lowered his head and began to circle his tongue
around in my folds, causing the world to start feeling very, very small and very hot once again. Within minutes
I was shrieking in ecstasy, and desperately hoping that my mothers-in-law had already left for worship and

hadn't heard me. Watching Edward peel off his shirt, I found myself praying to God and the Brothers that they
were gone because the look in his eyes told me there was no way I was going to stay quiet through this.

"How do you rip band aids off?" Edward asked suddenly as he undid the button and zipper of his suit pants.

"Excuse me?" my voice faltered slightly. We were getting ready to be joined as man and wife and he wanted to
know about band aids?

"There are two types of people in the world," Edward answered. "Those who like to ease their band aids off
because they think it hurts less and those who rip them off to get it over with. How do you take your band aids
off?"

"I rip them off. I mean, it hurts the same amount so why prolong it? Obviously not with an open wound where
it would just tear the scab off, but once it's completely healed, then yeah, I just rip it off."

"Okay then," Edward agreed as he stepped the rest of the way out of his pants and underwear and I couldn't
help staring at his hard length jutting out toward me. He reached out and opened my knees wider and then

shifted me so I lay properly in the bed before climbing into the bed in between my legs and teased at the
entrance of my vagina with the tip of his cock. He rubbed it along the length of my private areas before
inserting just the tip gently and taking his hand away. Grasping my hip, he braced himself on his other
forearm and then leaned in to kiss me passionately as he thrust his hips forward and I had to fight not to

scream as Edward Cullen - my husband - tried to rip me in half from the inside out. At the worst of it, I moaned
and felt him still.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly and kissed the tip of my nose. "Just one tiny bit more of pain and then it will
all feel better."

"Okay." I nodded slowly and took a deep breath before giving him a weak smile. Edward smiled back and then

pressed himself all the way in, causing a flash of pain to shoot through me as my maidenhead gave under his
onslaught and he was finally all the way inside of me. Edward stilled and let the pain subside before I shifted
my hips slightly and he began to retreat, ever so slowly, from my body again before repeating the process, this
time without the additional pain of the first round. The second thrust hurt, the third stung like new skin that
you poke right after the scab comes off, and by the fourth it began to feel good.

I started lifting my hips in time with his thrusts and soon little jolts of electricity were racing through my
veins, prodding me to meet his thrusts more forcefully, to encourage him more as the room began to spin and
my chest got very tight before everything contracted into a single point of light and exploded into a haze of

pleasure that left me gasping and panting Edward's name as I shook underneath him from the force of my
orgasm.

"I can't," he moaned against my neck. "I can't go slow any longer, Bella."

Instead of answering, I lifted my hips to meet his and Edward growled again and I felt the pillow move as he
gripped it tightly on each side my head and began to thrust forcefully into me before moaning and calling out

my name. His hips stilled and his arms gave out, leaving him lying on my chest, his copper hair damp from
exertion and a blissful smile on his face.

"Edward?" I whispered.

"Mmhmm?"

"Are you okay?"

"I am so much more than okay, Bella."

"You are?"

"Oh yes. I have to say that was perhaps the single most powerful, beautiful, defining moment of my life so far."

"Really?"

"Yes." Edward nodded against my chest and then kissed me softly between my breasts before slipping out of
me and collapsing beside me on the bed, pulling me into his side with my head resting on his chest. "And as
soon as I can feel my legs, I think I might want to try it again. What do you say?"

"I think that would be wonderful," I whispered. "I love you."

"I love you too, my Bella. But first things first, before power naps, second rounds of lovemaking, or anything
else, there's something we need to do."

"What's that?"

"I am going to pour my beautiful new wife a hot bubble bath so that she can soak. After all, I don't want you to
get sore."

"Edward!" I giggled as he lifted me into his arms and carried me through the door and into the most lavish
bathroom I'd ever seen.

"What?" He laughed as he deposited me into the enormous Jacuzzi tub and turned on the taps so hot water
poured into it as he poured in bubble bath. "I can't have you getting sore, after all. Then you won't let me do
that again."

"And you want to do that again?" I teased.

"More than you can ever imagine." Edward grinned and then stood up to step into the tub behind me, a leg on
each side, and wrapped his arms around me so that I reclined back against his chest. "But first, I think a nice

hot soak is in order. Just ignore any groping I might do, I promise it's all in the name of cleanliness. I would
hate to miss a single speck of dirt on my beloved's body."

And he didn't. But I had come to a conclusion. Either my husband had a fascination with touching my breasts
or they were absolutely filthy and I just hadn't realized it.

~*~

Chapter twenty

EPOV

I lay staring at my wife as the sun came up. My wife. Bella was my wife. How had I gotten so lucky? Whatever
else had happened in my life, whatever mistakes I had made in the past, somehow I had persuaded Isabella
Marie Swan to become my wife.

I leaned down to nuzzle her tiny ear with my nose so I could rouse her to snuggle and perhaps more before we
would need to dress and have breakfast before we left for the church. I would face questioning by the rest of
the Council of the Brethren and Bella would be questioned by a group of women to make sure we had
consummated our marriage - apparently there was a fear that because no one talked about sex in Coven
communities our youth wouldn't be able to figure it out on our own.

"Edward!"

Jerking back from Bella's ear, I glanced at the door, momentarily panicked about us being caught alone
together until I remembered that Bella was my wife and this was the morning after my wedding. So what the
hell was Emmett doing pounding on the kitchen door and screaming for me at 5:30 in the morning? "Edward!
Wake up now!"

"Edward!" Jasper screamed as well and Bella shifted and rubbed her eyes slowly as I rolled hurriedly out of
bed and grabbed my suit pants from the night before.

"Wha?" Bella mumbled

"It's my dumb brothers," I growled as I zipped my pants and grabbed a shirt, pulling it on over my head. "Go
back to sleep for a bit."

"Okay." She nodded blearily and collapsed back against the pillows.

I rushed down the stairs and into the kitchen, jerking the door open on my half dressed brothers. Half dressed
brothers? Something wasn't right.

"Are Kachiri and Charlotte here?" Jasper asked.

"What?"

"Are they here?" Emmett, more nervous now.

"No." I shook my head. "Bella and I were asleep. Why would Charlotte and Kachiri be here?"

"They're both missing," Jasper answered.

"What? How?"

"Charlotte couldn't sleep so she got up to make herself a snack," Emmett shrugged. "I didn't realize she hadn't
come back to bed until I woke up this morning and couldn't find her. She gets up a lot at night now because of
the baby but she never leaves the house."

"And Kachiri?"

"It was Alice's night." Jasper shrugged. "I kissed Kachiri good night and didn't expect to see her again until this
morning."

"You don't think -" I looked at him worriedly. No one wanted to suggest that Kachiri wasn't stable but it
seemed a little strange that Alice had "accidents" every time she'd gotten pregnant and that Kachiri had
always been right there.

"No, God!" Jasper turned pale and then looked at Emmett. "She wouldn't. I know she wouldn't. I talked to her

new therapist about concerns, Emmett, I swear her therapist and I talked about it and she was sure that
Kachiri didn't need to be hospitalized during Charlotte's last trimester."

"I hope you're right," Emmett said. "I think you are. I don't think Kachiri could have gotten Charlotte out of the
house without me waking up and hearing them."

"I think we should go for Chief Swan," I said decisively. "Let me get my shoes and we'll go over to the Swan's. It
may be nothing but if Char and Kachiri are missing we need to get people out looking for them as soon as
possible. If they've gotten lost in the woods somehow, we need to track them while the trail's fresh."

"Right," Jasper agreed as both of my brothers shifted nervously from foot to foot.

I pointed at Jasper. "Go get Dad," I said, then turned to Emmett. "Emmett, instead of going to Chief Swan's why
don't you run and get him and we'll all meet here. I'll ask Bella to cook us some breakfast."

"You got it bro," Emmett agreed as he hurried out the back door and ran for Chief Swan. I bounded up the
stairs and into our bedroom to find Bella zipping the back of her good church dress.

"What are you doing up?"

She shrugged. "I couldn't sleep without you, why?"

"I hate to ask you this, love," I said sadly and leaned in to kiss her cheek. "But there's been a bit of a problem."

"A problem? What sort of problem?"

"It seems Kachiri and Charlotte are missing," I answered. "I sent Jasper to get my dad and Emmett to get your
father so we can figure this out and possibly start a search but I thought it would be for the best if they
coordinated things here. If something has happened, no one should be traipsing through Emmett or Jasper's -"

"No, they could be crime scenes," Bella interjected. "Have Jasper go get Alice and Hale when he gets back and
I'll start making breakfast."

"Are you sure?"

The phone rang and I stepped over to the nightstand and grabbed the receiver. "Hello?"

"Edward?" Emmett's voice sounded strange.

"Yeah?"

"You need to get Jasper and Dad and meet me at the Chief's."

"Huh? I thought he was meeting us here?"

"No, no," Emmett sounded even more strange now, his voice having become funnily pitched.

"Is there something wrong? Emmett?"

"Um, well we probably shouldn't talk about it now so why don't you get Dad and Jasper and get over here?
Now, please."

"Okay."

"And don't tell Bella that something's wrong. Okay?"

"Huh?"

"Just don't tell Bella anything's up."

"Okay." I said and then hung up.

"Is everything okay?" Bella asked curiously as she reached for her brush and began to work at the tangles in
her hair.

"Yeah, your dad just wants us to meet him at his house and then go over to the station so it's all official."

"Okay." Bella shrugged. "Will you be home in time for church?"

"I'm not sure, love. If something has happened, I think it will probably be delayed."

"Call if you need anything?"

"Of course," I leaned in to kiss her cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too."

I hurried down the front stairs and into the living room just as Jasper opened the front door with my father
behind him. "Edward?" My father looked at me concerned.

"Emmett wants us to meet him at Chief Swan's." I rolled my eyes upward at the bedroom and motioned with
my head.

"Okay," Jasper agreed as we hurried out of the house and up the street toward Bella's former home.

Two minutes later we were in front of the Swan's staring at Emmett who was standing on the porch, covered
in blood. "What the -"

"There's something wrong in there." Emmett motioned back toward the house, his face white and sweaty and
his voice wavering.

"Emmett?" My father stepped forward and grabbed my brother's shoulders. "What's wrong?"

"They're, um, there's a lot of blood. And nobody's moving and -"

My dad opened the door and we pushed past Emmett and into the house. My mother-in–law, Emily, was
splayed out on the floor, her head at an unnatural angle and blood smearing the walls. Carlisle bent down to

check her pulse and then shook his head. I knew with certainty that something was terribly, horribly wrong
and a quick scan of the house proved me right.

Someone had killed the entire Swan family and whoever they were, they had taken Charlotte and Kachiri as
well. Even worse, I had left Bella at home alone with a mass murderer on the loose.

~*~

Chapter twenty-one

bpov

I tried my hardest not to pace after Edward left. Something had to be seriously wrong if Kachiri and Charlotte
were both missing. I couldn't, wouldn't believe that Kachiri had done something to Charlotte. Alice had

confided in me that Kachiri's therapy was going well and that she and Jasper hoped to start trying again soon
to have a child of their own. She had never actually said that Kachiri had caused her miscarriages but she
hadn't said otherwise either. Regardless, I couldn't believe that someone as sweet as Kachiri would purposely
hurt Charlotte. It wasn't as if Charlotte was competition to her in some way like she thought Alice was.

"Stop speculating, Bella," I said sternly to my reflection and then finished tying back my hair before forcing
myself out of the bedroom and down the stairs. Hopefully Edward would be back soon to tell me that Kachiri
and Charlotte had been found and it had all been a misunderstanding and he would want breakfast before we
leave for church to receive our final blessing. If it wasn't a misunderstanding then he would be back to tell me

they were starting a search and would want something quick to eat so that he had a full stomach to help the
other men search. Either way, I wanted to have it waiting for him when he got back. I'd also survey the pantry
to see if there were things stocked in case I needed to make more food for the searchers throughout the day.

"Well hello there," A strange, gruff voice announced as I stepped into the kitchen, and I stopped, stunned,

staring at the blonde man sitting at my kitchen table and drinking a cup of coffee. Whoever this man was, he
wasn't from Coventry. Could he have been an out of town wedding guest that was staying with the Cullens? But
wouldn't I have remembered him? And Edward didn't say he was leaving anyone at the house with me.

"Hello," I said cautiously. "Are you one of the wedding guest? I'm sorry, yesterday was so busy and I've just –"

"Nope." He smiled and I immediately shivered at the sight. "But I did have a front row seat for the
consummation. That nursery he had laid out is surprisingly convenient."

"Excuse me?"

"I said, I was in the house last night and I watched you consummate your wedding."

"How dare you!"

"Oh that's easy. You see, I wanted to see the merchandise in action before I bothered to steal it."

"Bothered to steal – Merchan –"

"You're confused." He shrugged as he stepped closer and grabbed my upper arm, hard, and began dragging

me through the kitchen, into the mud room, and then out through the house's side door. "That's
understandable really."

"But –"

"Pay attention little bird because you're going to learn that I only say things once. The Cullens have insulted
my family and caused trouble for us one too many times. First, Jasper got in the way with the retard he
married before we could fold her and all that property she inherited right into the family funds; then Edward

had to go implicating cousin Tanya and her family into that mess with Kebi. Why he couldn't just let the little
slut go to the old man she was supposed to and take the cunt we'd handpicked to manage him, I'll never know,

but he had to go and fuck things up there. Then let's not forget Emmett. I enjoyed making that bastard suffer.
Had a bit of fun with it as well."

"Emmett? What did Emmett do to you and what does that have to do with me?"

"Emmett humiliated my sister when he sent her back. Especially after he'd knocked up that bit of trash he had
the nerve to bring into my sister's house."

"Rosalie? You're Rosalie's brother?"

"The resemblance didn't give me away?" the man snickered cruelly. "You must be incredibly stupid or really
unobservant. But to answer your question, yes, Rosalie is my baby sister."

"And what does any of that have to do with me? I only met Rosalie once and I never met Kebi at all."

"You, little dodo bird, are what we like to call 'an eye for an eye'."

"I don't understand."

"You're revenge," he said as he shoved me into a beat up, white, Chevy Impala and slid into the driver's seat
next to me. "The Cullens keep ruining our women so we're going to take one of theirs in return."

I reached for the door handle, planning to throw myself out of the car and then try to run for it, but when I
grabbed I found that there wasn't a door handle on the passenger side. I jammed my shoulder against the
door as he hit the accelerator and we roared out of Coventry and into the countryside.

"That door doesn't open," he said, laughing as I continued to pound on it feebly. "I suggest you sit still and be
quiet so I don't have to pull over and beat you before we make it to Aro's Ridge."

"Aro's Ridge? Don't you think they're going to look for me there?"

"I'm sure they will eventually." He shrugged. "But by then my father will have married us and performed the

final blessing so there's not much they can do. Unless they get the police involved, and even then they have to
prove what I did. And, well, maybe they can because I did leave a bit of a mess, but I'm not in the system
anywhere so they're going to accuse a man who doesn't even exist of murder? I don't think they'll get very
far."

"Murder?"

"Yeah, that was by far the best part of my plan. A bit of free thinking, if you will. See, the original plan was to
kill that bitch Charlotte and grab you, but then the retard got in the way, and well, I couldn't have her talking
now, could I?"

"You," - I swallowed - "you killed Charlotte and Kachiri?"

"Mmhmm." He nodded. "Strangled them both and then tossed them into the ravine about a mile back from
Coventry. But that's not the brilliant part. I knew they'd come get Edward to help them search, but that meant

I would have to grab you when someone wasn't looking and in all likelihood your house would be full of
people and that just made things harder for me. So I decided, instead, to make Edward want to leave you alone
while the rest of them were in town."

"And how did you do that?"

"Oh that was the easy part." He shrugged and then turned to smile viciously at me. "I snuck into your family's
house last night and killed them all."

"Excuse me?" I stuttered, unable to believe that this person could be sitting here, calmly discussing something
like this. Even as a joke it was sick.

"I said, I killed your family; butchered them all. Killed your father, his wives and all the little brats as well. The

tall boy put up a fight." The man reached up to touch a dark bruise on his cheek and grimaced. "But once I
grabbed the littlest girl he shut up quick enough. Too bad for him; it still didn't go his way."

"Oh God," I moaned quietly as tears slipped down my cheeks and I rested my head against the window. My
family was dead and the man who'd killed them had taken me hostage. Even if Edward found me, there would
be no way he would be able to rescue me from a monster like this. "What sort of monster are you?"

"I already told you. I'm Rosalie's brother James, and very soon I'm going to be your husband. It will take a few

days but eventually Victoria will agree and I doubt Brianna will put up much of a fight, she's become a very
agreeable girl in the past two years."

"Victoria? Brianna?"

"Your future sister wives."

~*~

Chapter twenty-two

bpov

I tried not to vomit when Bree let me out of the dank basement that they had been keeping me in so that I
could be taken to the outhouse James kept behind his house for his wives to use. I was being "walked" like the
family dog, complete with a dog collar around my neck and Bree holding onto the leash.

"Are you okay?" she whispered quietly.

"No," I couldn't help but moan as my stomach clenched and I leaned against the side of the dirty, wooden
outhouse and vomited clear, bitter tasting bile. "I want to go home."

"I know," Bree said soothingly and patted my shoulder. "I do too but it doesn't do you any good to fight him.
He just gets his way in the end."

"I won't be his wife," I said pitifully and retched again at the thought of it. "I'm married to Edward."

"You haven't had your final blessing yet," Bree said and then tugged lightly on the collar. "Come on, let's get
you back inside and cleaned up for the day. Victoria is going out with Rosalie and James is out doing Coven
business so we'll be able to use the bathroom and both get clean today."

"Lucky us," I muttered.

"Don't do it for him," Bree whispered. "Do it for you-know-who. You know Edward would want you to take
care of yourself and him."

"We're not sure –"

"My former sister wife Chloe smuggled me a pregnancy test from the clinic her new husband runs. We'll be
able to test you today. Just think about it – if you're pregnant then James won't be able to marry you until after
you're done breeding. It's against the Covenants."

"And you think he'll care?"

"He won't have a choice," Bree said bitterly. "His father won't break the Covenants with the rest of the Coven
watching. It would be a bad example."

"What are you two doing out there?" Rosalie McCarty screeched from the back porch of James's ramshackle
home.

"I'm just taking her to the necessary facilities," Bree said hurriedly and cast her eyes down before leading me
back toward the house and Edward's crazy former sister-in-law standing on the porch.

"Let her shit in the field," Rosalie sneered. "She's just a brood mare anyway. I don't know why my brother
keeps either one of you in the house. He should keep you in the barn and bring you in when he wants to
degrade himself by fucking you. Not like he'd have to take Little Miss Cry Baby out that often.

"Yes, Sister Rosalie," Bree said quietly and tried to maneuver us around her.

"Where do you think you're going?" Rosalie laughed cruelly. "I told you that the two of you didn't deserve to
live inside my brother's home. That means your stench won't be fouling it anymore."

"What are you squawking about?" Victoria, James's first wife said coldly as she stepped out onto the porch and
adjusted her purse on her shoulder.

"I was telling my brother's whores that they aren't decent enough to share a home with you. He should keep
them in the barn with the other animals."

"Don't I know it," Victoria nodded. "If he were going to take celestial wives he could at least have the decency
not to pick up any old piece of common trash that takes a hankering to eat his cock."

I fight as hard as I can not to grimace at the image of what she's suggesting. I've been a prisoner at Aro's Ridge

for two weeks and each and every day Victoria has blamed me for my own imprisonment. James keeps me
locked in the basement and every night comes in and tries to have his way with me, holding me down, but I've
found that he has difficulties getting aroused without making his partner perform some sort of perversion on

him. He needs to be coaxed and cajoled to become and stay erect, and according to Bree has to be lavished
with praise about his abilities of a lover the entire duration of the act or he can't finish. The other thing that
apparently turns him on is screams of pain and those are the only tears that appeal to him. I have refused to

do either. He's shoved his penis into my mouth almost every day and I simply allow it to lay there on my
tongue, neither licking nor sucking it as he jerks his hips futilely in my mouth before going soft and pulling
out of my mouth in disgust. That's when he slaps me and punches me in the face, threatening me with knives
and once even a gun. So far I have refused to cry out or beg him like he wants and that is the only thing that

has protected my body and preserved its sanctity for Edward. It doesn't matter to her that I don't want to be
here, to be a prisoner in their home and treated like a dog, anymore than she wants me here.

Bree had been kidnapped three years earlier and, even though she resisted for a year, finally broke and now
James abuses her at least once a day. She's gotten pregnant twice resulting in Victoria beating her till she
miscarried both times.

"I say we put them where they belong for the day," Rosalie suggested cruelly and snatched my leash away
from Bree.

"I think that's a perfect idea," Victoria agreed viciously as she grabbed Bree by the arm and began pulling her
along behind us.

Rosalie jerked open the warped barn door and dragged me inside, looping the handle of my leash over a post
in front of what had once been a horse's stall but was now simply a hiding place for mice and other woodland

scavengers. It was high enough to the ground that I wouldn't be able to sit without choking the air out of me
and I wouldn't be able to unloop it on my own. "This will teach you you're not so high and mighty," she

snapped. "Chief Swan's spoiled little bitch of a daughter. You're the perfect mate for Edward. A total hypocrite,
looking down on me and acting like the rest of the community should be honored to be in your presence when

you're nothing more than a little whore who kept running off to open your legs for Edward long before you
were married. But the Cullens take you into their homes like your some precious jewel, a darling princess to
be adored, instead of another slut ruining a godly man. Me, meanwhile, all I wanted was for Emmett to be

great; to be a prophet. To accept the more advanced teachings of the coven and the brothers. But no, no, all
the Cullens wanted from me was to be a baby making factory instead of the Queen that I deserve. And when I
wouldn't debase myself for them, they brought in that simpering little harlot."

"We aren't raised to be Queens," I muttered quietly. "The greatest role a woman can enjoy is that of a wife and
mother."

"Oh shut up," Victoria snorted as she pulled Bree into the barn and then sat down on top of what looked to be

a work bench and hiked up her skirts. "Your job is to obey everything I say. I am the first wife in this house,
little Miss Dodo Bird, not you, and that means you'll do as I say."

She opened her legs and I could see that she wasn't wearing underwear before I quickly turned my face away
from her. Bree whimpered and I glanced at her, seeing that her face was deathly pale. "Little Bree," Victoria
crooned hatefully.

"No." The tiny brunette shook her head and tried to back away before Rosalie grabbed her and shoved her
forward.

"You do what I command," Victoria told her angrily as Rosalie shoved Bree onto her knees in the dirt and then
pushed her face between Victoria's thighs.

I gritted my teeth and clenched my eyes shut so that I wouldn't say anything or have to watch but it didn't
matter because I could hear them debasing and abusing Bree anyway. After 20 minutes of abuse and insults,
Rosalie and Victoria left the barn and closed the door behind them.

"Bella?" Bree asked quietly and I could hear the scrape of something before I opened my eyes and saw that
she was hobbling as she dragged a chair over to stand on so that she could release me. "Are you okay?"

"Oh Bree!" I cried, letting my tears finally cut loose as I sobbed brokenly. Instead of pulling my leash off the
post she simply released the latch from my collar and wrapped her arms around me, crying as well.

"Shh, shh, it will be all right," she crooned.

"How can you say that? After what they just did to you?"

I saw Bree grimace and then grimace again at the pain from the movement on her swelling right eye. "We're
alive and for the moment we're safe," Bree answered. "That's the best we can hope for right now."

"But –"

"One day it will be better."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I can't." Bree shrugged as she let me wrap my arm around her in support as we hobbled back to the house
and into the filthy bathroom. "But I can hope and I can plan and I can hope that my plans all turn out right."

"What do you have planned?" I asked curiously. This was the first time they had left Bree and I completely
alone and I was curious if she knew of some way to get me out of here. Most likely not, since she was a
prisoner here as well.

"That's not important," she said briskly as she turned on the hot water in the bath and then began pulling at
the zipper of my dirty dress. Get in the bathtub and get cleaned up. I've got the washing machine already
agitating so we can put our clothes in to wash while we're getting clean.

"Really? You mean we'll have clean clothes? Do we have time for that? If Rosalie and Victoria come back –"

"Rosalie's father has taken them into town for the afternoon as a reward."

"A reward?"

"For being his most faithful daughters." Bree wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"You mean Rosalie's father is having –"

"Do you think the fact that one of them is his daughter and the other is married to his son keeps the Reverend
Leader from fucking the spirit of the Covenants into them?"

"That's sick," I couldn't help but shiver even though the bath water I had just stepped into was scalding hot.

"I know," Bree agreed, "but what it means for us is that they'll be gone until late tonight and James will be out
of town until tomorrow afternoon on Coven business so we have plenty of time."

"You mean we're alone? Bree we should call Edward! He'll come and get us. He's got to be looking for me and I
know your family is looking for you!"

"Get clean and I'll wash your dress." Bree smiled. "You don't want your husband seeing you in a filthy rag.
Especially if you've got good news to tell him."

"You're going to call Edward for me?" I asked happily.

"No,"- Bree shook her head and my heart sank - "but I do have Reverend Leader Weber's number so I thought
I might call him. He should be able to get in touch with your Edward quicker than I could on my own."

"Oh Bree!" I cried out and jumped from the tub, naked, to hug her joyfully. "You are so wonderful and I love
you so much. You're the only good thing out of this whole mess."

"That's good to know." She smiled at me warmly before gently guiding me back to the tub and handing me a
washcloth and soap. "Now start cleaning yourself."

I hurriedly began scrubbing as she scurried out of the room and I could hear her working the washing

machine and then the click of her picking up the old fashioned rotary telephone that James kept in the
kitchen. I couldn't hear anything but mumbles through the closed door as I scoured my filthy hair and then
refilled the tub to clean my dirt-caked skin. Once that was done I rushed out of the tub and dried myself off
before spying the daunting white box she had left on the counter. With shaking hands I opened it and took out
the stick before sitting down on the toilet and peeing on it – trying desperately not to get any on my hands.

I wrapped a towel around myself and set the tester on the counter and waited for Bree to come back into the
bathroom. A few moments later she was back and smiling. "The Reverend took my call," she whispered.

"And?"

"He's going to contact the State Patrol team that's looking for you and Edward both. He thinks they'll be here
as soon as they can arrange something with the local law enforcement. If we're lucky they may even raid the
compound before Victoria and Rosalie return."

"Oh Bree," I sighed as I hugged her to me tightly. "That's such a relief."

"I'd say it is." She laughed as she reached out and took the tester off the bathroom counter. "Because you're
going to be a mother."

~*~

Chapter twenty-three

Epov

It's been two weeks. Two weeks since my Bella disappeared without a trace into the West Virginia wilderness.
As soon as I had seen her family's destruction I rushed home to her, knowing that whoever had done this

would harm her as well, but I had found the side door open, a coffee cup on the kitchen table, and my Bella
missing.

Once the state police arrived, we formed a search party and found Kachiri and Charlotte within two hours,
both of them strangled and tossed like garbage into a ravine near the coven. By the time we'd returned, the

investigation unit was finishing their search of the Swan home and had removed all of the bodies. Whoever
had broken into their home had shot every member of the family point blank and potato flakes had been
found in all of the wounds except for Charlie's, which had flakes of green plastic from a destroyed Mountain
Dew bottle left outside. Whoever killed them had used homemade silencers made from a soda bottle and from

potatoes. They were smart but not terribly sophisticated in their methods. They had been effective and in the
end that was all that had mattered.

Meanwhile, the search was still on for my wife and we'd caught an early break when someone from Draper's
Gap called the state police to claim they'd seen her fighting a man in a beat up white car with Kentucky plates.

From the description, all of us knew it was James, Rosalie's brother. The finger print found on the soda bottle
couldn't be linked to him because his prints weren't in the system, but DNA he'd been depraved enough to
leave in the nursery meant for my children with Bella had been a familial match to a strand of hair taken from

a brush Rosalie had left behind. It couldn't tell us precisely that it was James who had murdered Kachiri,
Charlotte, and the Swans before kidnapping Bella, but it could tell us that one of Rosalie's male siblings - or
cousins with the amount of inbreeding that takes place at Aro's Ridge – had, and, as far as we knew, James was
the only one who met that criteria. Plus, he was crazy enough to do it and not think twice about it.

"Mr. Cullen." The state police deputy who had taken Charlie Swan's place as Chief of Police for Coventry
nodded at me as I walked miserably up the steps to my office.

"Officer Patterson." I nodded in return.

"Can I speak with you for a moment?"

"Of course, is there a new lead? We can have men at the ready within an hour if that's the case."

"No," - he shook his head - "why don't you sit down for me, Mr. Cullen?"

"Okay." I looked at him warily and then sat in the rocking chair on the porch next to his.

"Mr. Cullen," Officer Patterson started again, "I know you're hoping that we find your wife safe and sound.
That somehow we get a tip and can drive right over and get her, but it's been 17 days now and I have to
caution you to be realistic."

"Realistic?"

"If this James McCarty killed all of her family and then kidnapped her, it's very likely that he's killed her as
well."

"But we'd have found a body! If he was just going to kill her, why not shoot her there in the house and leave
the body behind?"

"Perhaps," - Officer Patterson nodded - "but the thing is, you've got to be prepared for the worst. We tell
people that the first 24 hours are critical. If we don't find someone within that amount of time the probability
that we'll -"

"I know that the probability of finding Bella alive decreases every day," I said hurriedly, "but I refuse to
believe that she's dead until someone shows me the body, or tells me where she's buried. I can't believe the
worst unless I know for sure."

"Okay then," - he nodded - "but I want you to be prepared if we do find her alive."

"Prepared?"

"This person has had your wife for 17 days and from what you've explained to me in confidence about this
Aro's Ridge, I can't imagine that he wouldn't have -"

"Oh God." I felt my stomach turn over at the thought of Rosalie McCarty's brother raping my darling Bella.

"I'm not saying that it's happened," Patterson reassured me quickly. "I'm just saying you should be prepared
that it might have."

"It doesn't matter," I said staunchly. "She's my wife and nothing that monster does to her would make me love
her any less."

"Good, if we find her - when we find her - I'll give you the name of the counselors we use at the police station.

They're good in working with post traumatic stress and they'll be able to help her. But I don't want you to get
your hopes up that we'll -"

"I know," I said wearily and stood up, sticking out my hand to him. "The chances of finding her now are slim.
Thank you for looking anyway."

"It's my job to look," he told me seriously. "And I don't intend to stop until we find her - one way or another."

"Then today is your lucky day!" Reverend Weber shrieked as he rushed out of his home and sprinted across
the street toward us.

"What?" we said simultaneously and Patterson stood up quickly.

"We've found her!" Reverend Weber screamed and people poured out of their homes at the commotion he
was making.

"What?" I repeated.

"James McCarty has her at Aro's Ridge. His second wife Bree just called me to confirm it."

"It could be a hoax Reverend," Patterson warned.

"I know Bree," Reverend Weber said sternly. "I saw her baptized as a child and her mother is my third wife's
sister so I was there the day her parents were buried. I grieved and prayed for her when she came up missing
and was distraught when she appeared at Aro's Ridge as James's wife but there was nothing I could do. Bree
would not lie to me. She says Bella is with them and I come to you with certainty that Bella is there."

"Then why wait so long?" Patterson asked.

"McCarty wouldn't let her near a phone," I said quickly. It made perfect sense, someone had to know where
Bella was and if they hadn't called, if she hadn't called, it was because there was no way for my brave girl to
call.

"That's what she told me," Reverend Weber nodded.

"Then how did she call -"

"James left his first wife in charge while he took care of Coven business off the compound and won't be back
until tomorrow. When the first wife, Victoria, left with James's sister, Rosalie, Bree took her chance and called
me."

"What did she say about Bella? Is she hurt?"

"According to Bree she's fine. A little battered and bruised but no serious harm has come to her. She said" -
Reverend Weber swallowed as he realized the entire town was watching us now - "she's not been touched."

"Did you speak to her?"

"No," Reverend Weber replied. "Bree had her in a hot bath getting clean. She was afraid that Bella wouldn't be
able to control her emotions and she didn't want to get her hopes up if there's nothing we can do."

"Like Hell there's nothing we can do," Patterson growled. "That son of a bitch took her across state lines. Bitch
brought the wrath of the Feds down on top of him and I'm going to do everything in my power to ride along
and watch them throw every one of those deviants in jail and then I'm going to call a few of my buddies on the
inside to let them know just what sort of sick fuck that bastard is."

"Is that legal?" I asked as I followed him inside to get his holster and radio.

"Nope, but I'm sure as shit going to be pleased when he ends his prison term in a laundry barrel."

"Me too," I muttered as he hurriedly called in to the state patrol dispatch to explain the situation we were

currently facing. We were going to get my Bella back safe and alive, and when we were done with Aro's Creek,
it would be in shambles for what they had done. The only thing now was to sit back and wait for law
enforcement to get everything in order. That was the part that was going to kill me.

~*~

Chapter twenty-four

Epov

It had taken the FBI less time than I had expected to get their act together. By the time Reverend Weber, my
family, and I had reached Kentucky, they had already contacted Reverend McCarty and requested he produce

one Isabella Marie Swan Cullen who was believed to be inside the compound. He claimed Bella wasn't there
and refused to comply. The FBI had established a perimeter around Aro's Ridge and refused to allow people
to enter or leave.

We arrived at the Palmer's Mill Kentucky State Patrol Hub, where the FBI had set up operations, just as

Rosalie and Victoria were being brought in. "Emmett," Rosalie cried out as she saw us coming through the
doors. She was handcuffed to a seat at a metal desk where an officer was filling out paperwork. "Thank God
and the Brothers that you're here! Tell them I didn't have anything to do with what they're suggesting!"

"Officer Cullen." The state trooper looked at Emmett and nodded. "Is this Rosalie McCarty, your former wife?"

"It is," he said grimly. "May I speak with you for a moment about her?"

"Of course." The officer shrugged and walked over to us, motioning toward an empty room where he and
Emmett could speak in private.

"I want to arrange for her the best defense possible," Emmett said and glanced over at Rosalie with a
reassuring smile. "I'm sure my wife had nothing to do with this."

"What the –"

"Let's go outside Edward." Alice grabbed my arm so that she and Jasper could drag me outside.

"What the hell is he doing?" I fumed. "He knows she was involved in it! How can you two be so calm?"

"Because we already discussed it in the car with him." Jasper shrugged and let his shoulders slump down

again. My middle brother had dark circles under his eyes and lines of sorrow chiseled into his normally happy
face. His relationship with Kachiri had been political and hard after she had gotten sick, but he had still loved
her and her loss was hitting him hard. Alice was only holding on marginally better and when I'd asked her

about it after the funeral, she told me that someone had to keep a brave face for Hale's sake. I was astounded
at her strength. The rest of us had been devastated by our losses but Alice had kept us together throughout it
all, consoling us when she could and bullying us into believing it would all work out and Bella would return to
us when she didn't have the time or patience to do otherwise.

"So you all agree that we should bring –"

Alice reached up and smacked me sharply upside the back of my head and I shut up immediately at the fierce
look on her face. "It's a trap moron."

"What?"

"Emmett is trapping her."

"But anything she tells him isn't admissible in court because they're – They're no longer married are they?
The divorce has been finalized."

"Yep, he got the papers the day after Charlotte's funeral. Ironic isn't it?" Jasper said darkly. "She let her
brother kill her rival and in the end she was still divorced anyway."

"But if Emmett already divorced her –"

"What do you want to bet that Rosalie Hale doesn't get her own mail at Aro's Ridge?" Alice's eyes twinkled.
"Do you think she knows that her divorce is final? She never once appeared at a hearing, the papers were sent

back with that crazy response of her father's where he claimed that the laws of West Virginia didn't apply to
her because she was born in Kentucky, and that even if they did, due to her being a part of a religious
community, the laws of man were no longer relevant for her Coven ordained marriage."

"And you think it's going to work?" I asked. "I mean, he's already divorced her, what makes you think she'll
fall for it?"

"Because," Jasper cut in, "every time she came to Coventry to plead with Emmett not to disgrace her, she
blamed Carlisle for their divorce. It was all Carlisle's idea, and well –"

"Emmett was still in love enough to agree with her," I finished. "And what makes you think he doesn't still love
her and won't protect her?"

"She killed Charlotte and his child," Jasper said. "The minute we found the Swans he knew it was the McCartys.
He knew Rosalie had a part in all those deaths and then think about how he acted when we found Charlotte –"

"Let's hope it works," I said grimly and turned to go back inside. Inside we found the state patrol officer sitting
at his desk, filing papers, and Emmett was no where in sight.

"Excuse me?" Alice said authoritatively.

"Which one of you is Mr. Cullen?"

"We're both Mr. Cullen," Jasper answered. "I'm Jasper Cullen and this is Edward Cullen. This is my son's
nanny, Alice Brandon."

"Nanny?" The state trooper rolled his eyes. "Uh huh, as far as the state's concerned that's what we'll call her
then. Miss Alice Brandon the nanny."

I could feel Jasper bristle at the man's attitude and placed my hand on his shoulder to keep him calm. The last
thing we needed was for the State Patrol in Kentucky to get in the way of Bella's rescue because of their
problems with my family and our religious practices.

"What can you tell us about the situation so far?" I asked, trying to keep my voice neutral while Jasper led
Alice over to a bench to sit down.

"Your brother's in there with his former wife trying to persuade her to confirm for us that your wife is inside
the compound and hopefully tell us who was in charge of the massacre at Coventry where she was taken. I
highly doubt it's going to work, but he asked to try and we're not getting anything out of them so the FBI said
to let him try."

"So what are we doing in the meantime?"

"We wait," the officer said. "We don't have a reasonable suspicion to raid the compound. They say your wife
isn't there and we have no proof beyond one phone call to a third party. We're hoping to get something more
substantial from your former sister-in-law and the other woman we arrested. We also have orders to stop a

blonde man in a white sedan who's in his mid-twenties and matches the description forwarded to us of a man
known as James McCarty, but who doesn't show up in any national or state databases. We have no proof that
he even exists."

"And?"

"And other than that, we wait," the officer said before turning back to his desk and resumed filing his papers. I
slunk over to where Alice and Jasper sat and waited. Then paced. Then waited some more. At some point an

FBI agent with blonde hair introduced herself and told me, in a much kinder fashion, the same thing the state
patrol officer who had been more concerned about his files had. We waited some more. Took turns pacing.
Alice slept. Someone handed Jasper and I both coffee and we drank it. My mothers came to get Alice and my

father took her place. We all paced. Sandwiches were brought and we ate them while we paced. All of us dozed
in short intervals, sitting upright, and still my brother didn't come out of the room he was in with Rosalie and
the FBI could tell us nothing.

Nine hours later, Emmett came out of the meeting room, disheveled but smiling. "Um, I'm going to need to see
Reverend Weber at some point." He blushed.

"Why?" My father glared at him.

"Persuading Rosalie to give up the details took a bit more than I'd expected." He brandished a piece of paper
at the FBI agent who snatched it from him eagerly. "But once I'd convinced her that I loved her, adored her,
and still considered her my wife, she was more eager to cooperate."

"You fucked her?" I asked disgustedly.

"It wasn't pleasant for me either," - he shuddered - "but after that she was convinced I was on her side and
that if I told her the police wouldn't press charges, I meant it, and she was going to be coming back to Coventry
as my first - and only - wife."

"Officer Cullen –" The FBI agent looked nervous.

"She's my ex-wife, the divorce is final; I'm not an officer of the law in the state of Kentucky, and last I checked I
was allowed to lie to suspects to get them to tell me what I need to know to keep someone safe. Add to that, I
didn't tell her she was immune from prosecution, merely that I'd 'handle it', and I think we're in the clear."

"Barely," the FBI agent snorted. "And only if you're slippery as an eel."

"Do you have what you need?" Emmett prompted.

"I've already called it in. We're simply waiting for the warrant before we go knocking on the front gate. I think
everyone here can agree that when you're dealing with religious communities, it's best to have all your
paperwork in place."

"You mean fringe, extremist cults?" Emmett chuckled.

"I never –"

"No," he answered her with a smile, "but I did. And let me tell you that's exactly what Aro's Ridge is. I know
from experience that if you aren't careful this could make Waco and Ruby Ridge look like minor
disagreements between kissing cousins."

"You think they could be armed?"

"I know they're armed," he answered. "Now I'm sure you have some sort of layout of the compound, but I
think we should sit down and let me tell you exactly what you need to know."

"Thank you," she agreed. "I think that would be very handy."

"I want to go," I announced.

"Not a chance," Emmett and the FBI agent said at the same time.

"But Bella's my wife!"

"It's not safe," Emmett argued, "and besides, I'll look out for her."

"Who said you were going?" The FBI agent looked at him wide-eyed.

"How else are you going to find your way around?"

"Fine," - she shook her head - "I'll talk to my supervisor, but I have to say that even if it's necessary, I think this
is an exceedingly bad idea."

"Noted blondie." Emmett patted her on the shoulder. "Doesn't change anything."

That led to round two of pacing. And waiting. And more pacing. I couldn't help watching Emmett as he held

whispered conferences with the FBI and the State Patrol and my heart lurched when they left, my brother
only briefly squeezing my shoulder in reassurance as he passed by.

We paced for another half hour before the phone rang. As far as thrilling rescues, it was about as interesting
as watching paint dry. "Mr. Cullen?" a young, female state patrolman called out as she hurried over.

"Yes?"

"Could you come with me Sir?"

"What? Why?"

"I'm taking you to the hospital now, Sir," she replied reassuringly.

"The hospital? Why? Why are we going to the hospital?"

"It's fine, Sir." She patted my shoulder as she hurried me out to her own squad car, my father and Jasper
following behind. "We just need to be there when Mrs. Cullen arrives."

"Bella's going to the hospital? Why is Bella going to the hospital? Is she hurt? What happened?"

"She's fine, Mr. Cullen." The trooper smiled at me as she opened the passenger door to the car and shoved me
in. "Everything went fine, they're just taking her to the hospital for assessment."

"She's fine?"

"Yes sir," - she smiled even broader - "she's perfectly all right."

~*~

Chapter Twenty-Five

BPOV

The first thing I noticed when I woke up was that everything hurt. It hadn't hurt when I'd been hiding in
James's house with Bree, worried because Edward hadn't come to rescue me. Victoria and Rosalie still hadn't

come home, and then to make matters worse, Reverend McCarty had arrived, screaming about infiltrators
and heretics, damning the Cullens and all of Coventry for their meddlesome behavior before putting an armed
guard in front of the house and leaving with a warning of dire consequences should we misbehave.

I must have drifted off, sometime in the night, because the sound of Bree shrieking and then gunshots woke
me as the sun came up.

"Bella?" I jerked at the sound of his voice. Edward! Edward was here, with me, and I was pretty sure he might
be responsible for the warm weight holding down my hand.

"Edward?" I whispered.

"It's okay sweetheart," he crooned as he leaned down to kiss my forehead. "Everything is going to be okay."

"But James –"

"They arrested him a few hours ago."

"And Vic—"

"They've got all of them, Bella. They arrested everyone."

"And Bree? Please tell me they haven't arrested Bree, she did nothing but help me. She's as much a victim as I
was."

"They have her." He patted my hand. "They're calling her family now."

"But –"

"She's got an Aunt that doesn't worship with the Covens in Tallahassee," he assured me. "She filed the missing
persons report on her but they could never find anything. She's coming here now."

"Good." I felt my eyes getting heavy with exhaustion. "Edward?"

"Yes darling?"

"He didn't touch us," I whispered to him. "I wouldn't let them perform the blessing and so he couldn't touch
us."

"I know sweetheart. I know he didn't touch you."

"We're perfectly fine," I continued. "I'm just a little sleepy right now."

"Yes sweetheart." He patted my hand again. "You and I are perfectly fine. When this is over we'll go back to
Coventry and pack our bags and go away. Wherever you want to go, that's where we'll go."

"I'd like to go home," I whispered again and couldn't help but smile as I remembered what Washington was
like before my mother died. The smell of her suntan oil in the summer when she tried to get a tan, the sound
of the ocean at Port Angeles, the green that grew everywhere."

"You want to go back to Coventry?" He sounded skeptical.

"Washington," I corrected softly. "I want to go home to Washington."

"Washington State? Is that where you were originally from?"

"Yes." I nodded softly and began to drift. "We used to live in Forks, Washington. I think it would be a
wonderful place to raise the baby."

"Baby?" His voice had gotten funny in pitch and I tried to giggle but was too tired.

"Yep."

"Bella? What baby?"

"Our baby."

"Our baby?"

"I'm pregnant," I said and then smiled once more at his shocked face and gaping mouth before drifting back

off to sleep, one hand holding onto my husband and the other covering my unborn baby. For the first time
since my mother died, everything was finally going to be all right. For once I was going to get what I wanted –
happily ever after.

~THE END~