Selcouth • J. Hale ✓

lviii.

chapter fifty-eight.

After she had woken up, though it didn't feel like she was sleeping at all, because she was awake but couldn't move. Carlisle told her that it was her body, in a sense, recharging since Karina had literally drained herself using her ability since she hadn't fed in so long.

Karina was currently standing beside Bella as Carlisle was looking over her x-rays of her body. Karina wouldn't voice it, but Bella's odds did not look good at all. She recalled Huilen's story of Pire's birth and noticed the similarities. Her baby was just growing much faster than her body could handle.

"Your rib is cracked. But there are no splinters. You haven't punctured anything." Carlisle explained to her.

Karina stilled at the thought of something happening to Bella and Bella squeezed her hand in reassurance. Karina seemed more nervous for Bella's checkup than Bella herself, and Karina told her that it was just her motherly instincts to protect her loved ones.

"Yet." Edward added in and Karina shot him a look from her spot next to Bella.

"Edward." Carlisle scolded him but he knew that he didn't have hope like Bella did.

"It's breaking her bones now." Edward said and Karina could hear the pain in his voice, "It's crushing you from the inside out. Carlisle, tell her what you told me. Tell her."

Karina and Bella looked over to Carlisle, but the male had yet to say anything. "Carlisle, tell me. It's all right."

Carlisle walked over to them both, "The fetus isn't compatible 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."

Bella looked alarmed at this and tightened her hold on Karina's hand. "Then I'll hold on as long as I can, and then-"

"Bella." Carlisle cut her off, "There are some conditions that even venom can't overcome. You understand? I'm sorry." He sent her an apologetic look and exited the room.

Karina noticed Edward's tense figure and kissed Bella's hand, "You know how to yell." Bella rolled her eyes but smiled at Karina before the girl left her and Edward to talk.

Karina could hear Edward yelling at her and the minute he was out of the room, Karina walked back inside the room and pulled Bella into her arms. Bella broke down in Karina's arms, mumbling apologizes left and right, but Karina only ran her hand through Bella's hair.

"You got this Bella." Karina whispered into her hair. "You're going to be okay."

∞

The next few days had been hell, the blood had run out and there was only three bottles left and Carlisle was saving them for Elijah as his appetite was growing with him each day.

Karina sat on the floor with Leah's head on her lap while Seth was leaning against her. Football was on the TV, but it was mainly playing to try and distract everyone from Bella's current state. Bella then moved to pull down her sweater sleeves, to help gain more warmth.

"Are you cold?" Edward asked her as he noticed her do this.

Bella nodded and Jacob was already moving to sit next to Bella. "I got it." As he got closer to her, Bella smiled at him. "Don't do that." Jacob told her.

"What?" Bella asked, seemingly genuinely confused.

"Smile like I'm your favorite person in the world." He explained to her, and Karina held back a laugh.

"You're one of them." She told him, "Feels complete when you're here, Jake."

Karina raised an eyebrow at that and looked down at Leah, who shook her head with a small laugh. Suddenly, Karina stilled when Bella began to dry-heave into a trash can that Edward moved so it was close to her. Karina relaxed slightly when nothing came up and Bella leaned back.

"We need to find a way to get some food into her system." Esme spoke up worriedly from her spot.

"If I could only see the fetus-" Alice spoke up and Rosalie shot her a look.

"Baby." Rosalie corrected her, knowing that Karina would only start a fight if she spoke.

Alice continued, ignoring Rosalie's comment. "Maybe I could figure out what it wants."

"Have you tried human blood?" Karina spoke up, wondering why it was never mentioned. Carlisle and everyone stilled at this. "I mean that's what I did before I eventually had to switch over."

"I have some O negative laid aside for Bella that we could try." Carlisle spoke up and immediately the room was being cleared.

"Walk with me, Jas." Karina spoke up after nudging Leah to move.

She took Jasper's hand and led him to the bedroom where Elijah was barely waking from his nap. Jasper immediately began to focus on his son and Karina smiled at the two of them interacting with one another, they looked so alike, and she loved that.

She loved this and there was no way that she would let anything happen to them.

∞

The next day, Karina was sitting with Leah on the back porch.

"You've been avoiding my son." Karina voiced after a few minutes of silence.

Leah stiffened at this, "What are you talking about?"

"Leah." Karina shot her a look and Leah sighed.

"I think-" She stopped, shaking her head. "I don't know, I just get this feeling around him and it kind of scares me to be honest." She explained to Karina.

Karina tilted her head softly as she looked at Leah, "Like a bad feeling?"

Leah shook her head, "No. It's something else and I'm honestly just afraid to find out what it is."

Karina nodded her head and wrapped an arm around Leah's shoulder, "Well we can figure it out after this is over. Okay?"

Leah smiled at Karina and rested her head on Karina's shoulder, "What would I do without you?"

"Die." Karina joked and Leah laughed while pushing Karina softly. "No, but probably go insane from all that toxic masculinity."

"Heard that!" Paul, Seth, and Jacob, shouted from wherever they were. Leah and Karina laughed at this and shook their heads softly.

"You were supposed too!" Karina shouted back in response, before leaning against Leah. "I'm scared." Karina spoke up after a moment. "I want to protect everyone but I'm afraid of someone getting hurt."

Leah turned her head to look at Karina, "Nothing's going to happen to any of us. We're going to be fine."

Karina smiled at Leah, "I hope so."