CHAPTER FORTY-ONE:
THE TREATY'S VOID

ECHO'S JAW CLENCHED WHEN Jacob appeared at the Cullen house, telling the vampires that the wolves were coming for Bella.

"I might actually kill my friend." Echo mumbled as she ran her hands through her hair. The rest of the Cullen's were all placed in the living room where Bella was laying.

"Sam's lost the element of surprise and he doesn't wanna take you on outnumbered. So he's not gonna come at you head on. He's got the place surrounded and he'll wait for his opportunity." Jacob informed. Carlisle glanced over at Echo who looked stressed. He placed an arm securely around the older Swan's waist, causing her to look up at him with worry.

"He won't get through without a fight." Emmett stated.

"No fights. We won't be the ones to break the treaty." Carlisle shook his head.

"The treaty is void, at least in Sam's mind."

"Not in ours." Echo said.

"Carlisle, no one's hunted for weeks." Emmett tried.

"We'll make do." Carlisle told him before looking over at the wolf. "You've done us a great service, Jacob. Thank you."

The wolf nodded his head before walking out of the home. Echo had to admit, her hunger was starting to grow worse and worse, due to the fact that she was still a newborn and she was still getting used to the vegetarian diet. She tried not to think about it, knowing that it would affect Jasper as much as it would her and she really wasn't comfortable with the thought of her sister becoming a snack.

At the thought of Bella, Echo's jaw clenched. She could hear her heartbeat and the blood running through her veins. She had to force herself to step outside of the house as she felt her eyes darken. She was just starting to get the gold to appear in her eyes, she really didn't want them to change back to red just when she got them to change to gold. Carlisle walked outside and looked at the girl, she shook her head.

"I can't do it. Carlisle, I have to feed. If I don't I'm going to end up killing my little sister and I really don't want to do that." Echo told him. "I won't be gone long, but I need to lower my hunger before it becomes too much."

"With the wolves out there, E, I don't want you getting hurt." Carlisle told her.

"I won't get hurt. I'll be fine." Echo promised. She looked Carlisle in the eye and before he could protest any further, Echo was gone. Rosalie stepped out onto the porch and placed a hand on her adoptive father's shoulder.

"She'll be alright, Carlisle. If anyone of us could go hunting without being attacked by the wolves, it would be Echo."

Carlisle looked over at his daughter who sent him a nod as well as a small smile. He let out a sigh before nodding his head. Rosalie walked back into the home and after Carlisle looked in the direction Echo had run off in, he had joined her, quickly doing some x-rays on Bella to slightly distract himself from the worry that was creeping inside of him.

Echo ran through the woods. She just needed to attack one or two deer and then she would be fine. She found the first one, quickly pouncing on it and killing it. She smiled in delight when she felt the hunger start to go down. She got up and listened before running toward the direction of another deer. It was a buck and it put up a fight before Echo finally broke it's neck and drained it dry. When the sound of a growl appeared behind her, Echo wiped her mouth and slowly stood up.

She turned around to see a large wolf standing there. She looked into the wolves eyes and let out a sigh when she noticed that it was Paul. She put her hand up, showing the wolf that she wasn't going to hurt him. He showed his teeth, growling dangerously at her. Echo slowly took a step back before quickly turning around and running away from him. The wolf started to chase her, but she kept ahead. He stopped only when she was in front of the Cullen household once more. The wolf growled at her before slowly backing up and turning away to go back into the woods.

Echo entered the Cullen house once more, gaining the attention of Carlisle. She simply nodded her head, telling him that she was alright before she walked over to her sister. Bella sent Echo a weak smile and Echo responded with taking her sisters hand into her own and giving her a kiss on the top of the head.

"Her rib has cracked, but there are no splinters. It hasn't punctured anything." Carlisle said, looking at the x-rays.

"Yet." Edward muttered.

"Edward." Both Carlisle and Echo warned.

"It's breaking her bones now." Edward argued with the two adults. Edward turned to his wife before saying, "It's crushing you from the inside out. Carlisle, tell her what you told me. Tell her."

Echo looked at Carlisle expectantly, while he looked at both Swan siblings hesitantly. "Carlisle, tell me. It's alright." Bella assured.

"The fetus is incompatible with your body. It's too strong, it won't allow you to get the nutrition you need. It's starving you by the hour, I can't stop it and I can't slow it down. At this rate your heart will give out before you can deliver." Carlisle informed. Remembering the cracked ribs, Echo turned towards her sister and slowly started to heal the ribs.

"Then I'll hold on as long as I can and..." Bella started. Echo tensed from her spot.

"Bella, there are some conditions that even venom can't overcome. You understand? I'm sorry." Carlisle explained.

"Edward, I'm sorry." Bella stated, looking up to her husband and silently telling him that she wasn't going to just give up her child.

"I can't live without you." Edward argued. The Cullen's all left the room to give the two privacy except for Echo who stayed there mainly because she was focusing on healing her sister.

"You won't. You're gonna have a part of me. He'll need you." Bella told him.

"Do you honestly think that I could love it? Or even tolerate it, if it killed you?"

"It's not his fault. You have to accept what is." Bella argued.

"Because you've given me no choice! Bella, we're supposed to be partners, remember? But you decided this on your own, you've decided to leave me."

"Don't see it that way!" Bella shouted.

"Well, I have no other way to see it. Cause it's me who'll lose you, and I don't choose that. I don't choose that." Edward snapped before turning and leaving the room. Echo looked up at her sister, watching as she closed her eyes tightly to keep from letting the tears flow. Echo squeezed her hand in reassurance.

"It'll be alright, Bells." Echo softly told her, though her own eye were glossed over. She was glad that she couldn't cry anymore. "It'll be over soon."

"Thank you, E. For doing this." Bella told her sister. Echo smiled at her.

"Of course, Isa. You're my little sister, I'll always be here for you no matter what. Even if I disagree with what you're doing, I understand that I can't control your life and your choices, so the best thing I can do is stick by you as you make them."

"I love you, E." Bella mumbled, her eyes slowly starting to close as sleep nagged at her. Echo removed her hand and stood up. She fixed the blanket on Bella and then gave her a kiss on the top of the head.

"I love you too, Isa."

1,305 words

Authors note: My head hurts. Also, Carlisle worrying for Echo's well being has my heart🥺

I hope you all enjoyed! Stay safe! Until next time, bye my loves!♥️

@HAHA_LIFEISTOUGH