It's in Our Blood

The next day was refreshing. The morning was misty from the fall of night rain and husky with the scent of rain draped around the town. I took in a deep breath, propping my arms on the window sill, inhaling the smell of wet flowers from the open window. I reminisced the night before, the concert. It was exhilarating to play music again, in front of an audience. Music was our breathing for our souls and it felt so good to perform.

Nyx was able to vent out all her pent up feelings of anger, sorrow, and regret too. It made the music only sound that much better to everyone in the audience, but it also made many people cry. Then I remembered the hilarious face she made when I declared we were going to the school dance. Her expression will be forever etched into my memory. Nyx grudgingly agreed under the pressure of the crowd but I had to prepare myself for the manipulation tactics she would put to get out of it. It was a great night overall.

Suddenly, I heard hurried heavy footsteps running down the stairs. Nyx was merely a blur when she passed through the kitchen. The front door slammed loudly, quivering even when it was shut and it made me perk up in confusion. I maneuvered my way around the kitchen counter quickly, hurrying myself to catch up with Nyx.

“Nyx!” I cried out after her.

She turned her head, motioning me to hurry up with her hand and continued to race forward. I pushed my legs to go faster and even though my speed had greatly increased since we started training however Nyx was so darn fast that within seconds I could only see the dark silhouette of her body as I chased after her.

The blurs of our surroundings became clear to me. Nyx stopped in front of the La Push border and began to calmly walk into La Push territory. I followed her steps, cautiously moving forward and the sight before startled me.

Jacob and Sam were locked in a heated stare down, each flexing their fingers threateningly. Seth, Leah, Embry, and Quil stood behind Jacob but, the rest of the pack stood behind Sam. The air was thick with animosity and the nerves inside me grew, feeling the heat of anger pouring out of the two typically level headed males.

“And what exactly,” Nyx stepped in causing all heads to spin towards her, “do you two think you’re doing?”

Sam and Jacob did not even bat an eye towards Nyx. Nyx crossed her arms impatiently and when neither party would speak, she snarled her words out so viciously, many different members of the pack winced.

“Well?!”

“Sam’s being an arrogant prick.” said Jacob immaturely.

“And Jacob’s being an irrational idiot.” Sam shot back, “But what else is new?”

Sam gave Jacob a mocking smile in which Jacob responded by growling, taking a step threateningly towards Sam. Sam mimicked Jacob, closing the distance between them. Nyx walked calmly towards them, Seth and Quil backing away from her path to let her mediate the battle. She stood in between the two, giving them each an appraising stare, and crossed her arms like a scolding mother.

“You two act like great little two year olds.” She commented scathingly. The two of them faltered in their glares, a bit of shame welling up within each of them. “Now can we act our age and try this again in a more mature manner?!”

Sam let out a small snarl before he spoke, “Jacob isn’t letting me pass.”

Nyx turned to Jacob, “and why not?”

Jacob shifted his gaze briefly towards Nyx before he returned it to Sam, “Because he plans to kill Bella’s child.”

“You what?!” exclaimed Nyx, her eyes narrowed dangerously.

“That little devil spawn is going to kill us all! One life opposed to millions of lives is nothing in comparison!”

“But it’s still a life!” retaliated Jacob, “Even though it’s that damn leaches spawn, it's still a child!”

“No it’s not! It’s a fucking abomination!”

Jacob let out a roar, taking a lunge at Sam. Nyx forcefully shot her arms out, retaining the space between the two.

“That thing is going to kill us all! Forgive me if I don’t want everyone I love to die just because you’re infatuated with some fucking leach loving bitch!” spat out Sam.

“Bella is not a bitch!” Jacob replied with much venom and contempt held in his voice.

“ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!” shouted Sam furiously.

Nyx struggled to keep Sam’s distance from Jacob with an arm as he continuously shoved and shoved to get closer to bash Jacob’s head and put in some sense.

“SHE’S BEEN HURTING EVERYONE THAT’S TRYING TO PROTECT HER, EVEN YOU!”

“No she hasn’t!”

“ARE YOU KIDDING?!” he repeated, “She has been leading you on and on like you’re some kind of little puppy on a leash and whenever that leach comes along, she’ll cast you away without any other thought! Then all of us get stuck with the tedious job of picking up the pieces while you sit in a fucking corner with your tail stuck between your legs!”

“You-”

“And you know who has to suffer the most?!”

The fire behind Sam’s eyes burned dangerously. Jacob snarled, his face darkening.

“She’s been through this with you over and over! And all you do is hurt her!”

“Don’t you go there Sam,” he threatened, “don’t you go there!”

“Then why don’t you man up and do what you’re suppose to do?! Stop protecting that leach lover before you kill us all!” screamed Sam.

A dark shadow came over Jacob. With a shout of fury, he managed to maneuver around Nyx and shove Sam backwards. Once. Twice. Sam’s footing nearly faltered under the extremity of Jacob’s strength but he didn’t back down. Sam regained his stance, taunting Jacob with his facial expression. The two males stepped closer towards each other, their faces inches away, each shadowed with rage as the alpha male in both of them beat its chest furiously.

“HEY!” screamed Nyx, her voice cut through the air, struggling to push them apart, “Stop it! Stop it right now!”

After a minute of debate with their inner wolves, the two of them backed down slowly, moving away only inches from their previous spot. They fell in line with Nyx’s command and power. Nyx’s hold on their shirts slackened slightly, loosening her grip, but she didn’t let go. I nervously held the hem of my shirt, bringing my head down and biting it. Nyx took in a deep breath and pushed the two of them away even more. She stepped into the small space left between them, moving her head to look at them.

“I don’t know what you two are thinking,” she whispered with her voice dangerously low, “but you know better than to act in such a way.”

The fire that was fueling their anger died down at Nyx’s words.

“It does not matter what you think, what you feel, you are a pack! So why don’t you act like it?!”

“Jacob-” began Sam, but Nyx whirled around at him, immediately seizing his rebuttal.

“It does not matter.” She repeated slowly, “You both share a family! You will work this out in a calm manner!”

Sam gripped his hands in tight fists, “And what then? What happens then?!”

Nyx’s eyes flashed, “I don’t know. But none of us will ever know if you irrationally fight out this issue. All you two are doing now is hitting sore spots with words that will cut you apart. By fighting irrationally, you’ll do more harm than good.”

Sam stayed silent, knowing what Nyx said was right.

Nyx looked at the two of them again, taking in another deep breathe to mentally prepare her for the upcoming argument.

“Now go over again, from the very beginning, what we’re talking about.”

No one spoke, partially scared of Nyx and partially unsure of how to begin. The pack must have been fighting this for a while now because it almost seems as if they forgot how this entire argument started. They jumped from one point to another and then to another. Every single one of them was hurting and a pang of guilt went through me. I felt guilty for thinking so selfishly like I did before when this entire family was fighting so badly.

“Well?” pressed Nyx.

Jacob stepped up and with much assertiveness in his voice, he spoke.

“Sam plans on killing Bella’s child.” He gestured to the people behind him, “Everyone but us have agreed.”

Sam took his turn next, “That child is too much of a danger to everyone here. We have no idea of how it’s going to turn out.” He wrinkled his nose, “Even from the reservation, I can smell its foul stench. It’s demonic and tainted. If it ends up being born, I have a very bad feeling about it.”

“It’s an innocent child. You don’t know what will happen.” argued Jacob.

Sam was firm in his position, “We’re shape shifters Jake. Instinct never leads us wrong.”

Jacob shook his head defiantly, “No. That’s not right.” He turned to Nyx, “Nyx?”

Nyx did not say a word for the next couple of moments. Sam and Jacob waited for Nyx’s verdict. However, her eyes became slightly blurred. Her throat tightened and a feeling of despair washed over me. Nyx didn’t look at anyone but the side of the road instead.

“Why?” she asked simply.

“Why?” repeated Sam, stunned.

She averted her gaze onto Sam, “Why do you have a bad feeling?”

“Because it’s not done.” He said, “They’re going against nature itself and it’s not right.”

“Are you saying that I’m not right then?”

Her words pierced through the air like a knife, echoing through the still air and stunning everyone, especially Sam. That’s right; Nyx was born a half-breed as well. Bella’s child was like Nyx, her mother Loviise was like Bella, trying to carry on DNA that was dangerous to both her and everyone else. Her father like Jacob, trying to protect the mother and the child, the ones that they love, from harm. Sam, like the Ancients who deemed the unborn child to be a freak of nature and subjected to immediate death.

“Am I a freak of nature too?”

Nyx gripped her hands in tight fists. Sam’s eyes were wide, stunned to see the change of events. She whirled around on him.

“Humans cross-breed a lot nowadays from different human races to messing with animals and plants. There are not subjected to death! So why should Bella’s child be?!”

Almost, as if I could know what Nyx was thinking, I heard the soft whisper of her voice in my head.

Why did I get subjected to death?

“If it was against nature itself, then they would not even be manifested.” Nyx continued, “Every life should be lived because we are given a life for a reason, even if we are considered dead. Who are you to decide who gets to live and who doesn’t?!”

Immense guilt went through Sam. He felt so ashamed because he knew Nyx was right.

I shuffled my feet. I felt so wrong to be here. This entire conversation felt so completely out of place for me and for everyone else. This was Nyx’s private, personal manner that was being questioned and attacked discretely. I took a peak at her face which was more pallid that usual. The most amazing thing of all was she was defending Bella. She was defending the human that has caused so much pain to her and Nyx was being the better person.

Nyx paused, lowering her head. She took in a deep breath and her silence made everyone uneasy. Sam, Jacob and the rest of the pack dared not to speak, both in fear of hurting Nyx anymore and in nerves, uncertain of what to say.

“And if you manage to get your way?” she questioned almost monotonously, “If you manage to win and kill the child? How are you going to do that?”

The sudden question threw Sam off balance.

“The only chance you’ll get to kill it is when it’s still in her womb and there is no way that you can do so without harming Bella because there is no way she would ever give her consent to let you kill her unborn baby.”

Sam swallowed the lump in his throat.

“So how would you going to kill it?”

“I-” began Sam, but he broke off. Uncertainty rose within him.

“And if you do, did you think of the repercussions after?”

“Repercussions?”

“The Cullens won’t be happy. They might void the treaty because you entered their land and destroyed something that is precious to them. You might end up breaking the treaty that was set. You might end up starting another battle between the groups and with the war coming up, it’s the last thing you need.”

Nyx finally moved to look at him, removing her line of sight from the emptiness in front and onto his form.

“Is that what you want? A new battle to fight? You might save millions of lives if you kill the child who might be demonic, but you would definitely be sacrificing the lives of your family.”

She took a step towards him.

“With every action comes a reaction. What is it going to be? The price of an unborn baby’s life for the lives of your family? It’s all up to you Sam. You’re the alpha. It’s your choice on what the pack does.”

Suddenly, Jacob stepped up.

“No.”

Nyx swiveled around, “No?”

“No.” Jacob repeated, “It’s not his choice what the pack does because if this pack is going to kill an unborn child, then I’m out. We shift into wolves so we can protect lives and this child… It’s still half human. It’s still a life that’s worth protecting and even though it’s that leech’s spawn, I’m going to protect it.”

He looked at Nyx in an almost affectionate way.

“You have shown me that.”

“Thank you.” Nyx murmured.

Jacob turned to Sam, a fierce determined expression on his face.

“Choose wisely because if you do decide to murder it, I will be there every step of the way to stop you.” declared Jacob, “I’m not letting you or anyone else murder something that hasn’t done a single thing to deserve to die.”

With his words hanging over the air, Jacob broke away from the group. He shifted into his wolf form, calmly walking out. The tips of his gorgeous russet fur tickled my skin, a smile growing on my face from that small contact as he brushed past me. I stared after his form until he changed into a run and disappeared.

“I’m with Jake.”

All heads went to Seth. The young shifter stepped forward, proudly announcing he didn’t believe in killing Bella’s baby and followed. Leah muttered angrily about Seth but she was proud of him for standing up for what he believes in. Then she too, disappeared from our gazes.

“Jake’s our best friend.” said Embry.

“Guess we’re with him.” shrugged Quil, “Sorry Sam.”

The two followed in the Clearwater’s steps and went to find Jacob.

I took a glance at Sam, who stood completely baffled at the sudden events. Paul merely rolled his eyes but there were still many shifters who still stood behind Sam.

“Please Sam.” pleaded Nyx, “Please think over your decision carefully.”

Sam softened at Nyx. His entire stance relaxed as he nodded to her.

“Of course Ashnyx.”

Sam took one more glimpse at the direction of his old pack members before he turned in his place and headed back to the beaches of La Push. Paul grudgingly went. He was disappointed by the turn of events because he wanted a fight, a good fight to release his pent up aggression. Pretty soon, each shifter disappeared from sight.

I walked up behind Nyx, placing my hand on her shoulder.

“Hey,” I whispered, “You did well.”

She let out a small sigh, placing her hand over mine, “but was it good enough?”

I frowned, “Of course it was.”

Tires screeched from behind us. I spun around. Alice jumped out of the car, throwing her small body onto the two of us. She wrapped her arms around us tightly.

“Oh my god!” She shouted, “You two alright?!”

Alice let go and surveyed us up and down.

“I couldn’t see what was happening but I got a really bad feeling.” explained Alice quickly, “So?”

“Nyx just stopped Sam from going to kill Bella’s kid.” I told her.

Alice’s eyes welled up with tears, “Oh Nyx!” she cried, throwing her arms around Nyx again.

“Alice I’m fine.” muttered a slightly embarrassed Nyx.

Alice pulled away from Nyx, holding her out at an arms length, “You are my hero.” She said and took her in for another embrace.

Someone stepped up beside me, casting a small shadow over. I looked up to see Jasper smiling down and he pulled me in for a one sided hug.

“Hey.” He greeted.

“Hi.” I motioned towards Nyx and Alice, “You going to stop your wife from smothering Nyx anytime soon?”

Jasper gave a warm laugh, “Nope. I’d rather not face her wrath from stopping her to do as she pleases.”

I gave him a wary glance. Jasper looked at me curiously, trying to decipher what I though. Finally I rolled my eyes, crossed my arms and smirked.

“Smart move.” I remarked.

Jasper laughed once more, understanding the hidden undertone behind my words. Alice then dragged us into her BMW and as we headed off to who knows where, I suddenly remembered something.

“And you know who has to suffer the most?!”

The fire behind Sam’s eyes burned dangerously. Jacob snarled, his face darkening.

“She’s been through this with you over and over! And all you do is hurt her!”

Who was she?