Falling for Autumn | Jacob Black

Chapter 40 [edited]

"Where is she?" I asked as soon as my feet hit the driveway, Carlisle standing on the porch as he waited for us. His face appeared to be exhausted, momentarily human-like as he held the door open.

"In the living room." Carlisle glanced from me to Jacob and back again. "Just... go see for yourselves."

Just as we crossed the threshold, I could hear voices carrying from the living room. Bella's voice grew in volume as I slowly took the stairs one at a time, preparing myself for what I was about to find.

"I'm not keeping secrets from Autumn, and that means no secrets from Jacob either." She said to someone, her tone hard despite her condition. Jacob raised an eyebrow at me when I abruptly stopped on the stairs.

"Jake, before we enter that room... you need to know that Bella wanted to tell you herself. She needs you to know the truth, so you can help bring the pack around."

"Okay?" Jacob wrinkled his face in confusion.

"Just... come on."

The last time Jacob had been in the living room, it had been decorated for a party; now, the room was bright and pale, much like its occupants scattered inside. They surrounded the white sofa near the middle of the room, none of them moving when we walked in. Jacob stopped in his tracks as his eyes landed on Edward, his body going rigid as soon as he realized that the expression on Edward's face was beyond agony.

Eyes half-crazed, Edward didn't look up from the spot on the couch beside him. One look at Jacob and I could tell he was thinking the same thing: Edward looked like someone had set him on fire, his hands rigid at his sides. Jacob followed his gaze downward; I knew the moment Jacob saw her, when a broken gasp escaped from his throat as the scent of her warm, clean human blood filled his nostrils.

Half-hidden by the arm of the sofa that Edward was perched on, Bella was curled into a fetal position with a gray blanket draped over her lap, despite the heavy cardigan wrapped around her body. Her eyes were encircled with dark bags that popped out against her hauntingly pale skin. She was thinner, her skin appearing tight - like her cheekbones might break through any second. Most of her hair was pulled into a bun, a few strands stuck to her forehead and neck due to the slight sweat coating her body.

Bella did look sick, and it was terrifying to see her like that.

"Autumn..." Bella said softly, her eyes shining. "You came."

"Of course, I did." I moved towards her, Jacob frozen in place.

Rosalie hovered near her, bent over Bella in a protective manner; Jacob's face twisted into confusion again as he tried to figure out what was going on. He knew as well as anyone that Rosalie and Bella weren't friends; yet, there they were, sharing secretive smiles and knowing glances. It bugged Jacob that he didn't know what everyone else already knew.

"Rose, would you mind helping me up?" Bella looked up at her before nodding to me. "Autumn?"

"No, Bella... don't get up." Jacob said weakly, dropping to his knees.

"I'm answering the question in your eyes." Bella snapped at him, sounding a little bit like her old self.

Jacob pressed his lips together, his gaze shifting to me; giving a slight nod, he waited as Rosalie and I moved to help Bella to her feet. Edward sat like a statue on the floor, his eyes unmoving as we steadied Bella on her feet, the blanket falling off of her into a heap on the ground. Jacob's eyes widened in shocked horror as he looked at her.

Bella's body was swollen around her torso, straining against the t-shirt under the cardigan in an unnatural way. The rest of her body was thinner, her arms and shoulders barely holding her clothes upright. Realization dawned on Jacob as he studied Bella leaning on my shoulder, Rosalie hovering behind her.