A Certain Metamorphosis || Rosalie Hale

Chapter 2 - An Unexpected Addition

There was no time to think or reason with the nomads. Faster than the blink of a human eye, they moved to attack the only human remaining in the cabin. Their desire to feed was stronger than their fear of retaliation. It is harder to control their impulses with their recent feeding fueling them and the lingering scent of blood in the air. They made their way across the clearing in a blur. While human blood may have made them stronger, it also affects their ability to think clearly when the beast takes control.

The Cullens sprung into action. They rushed to cut off the attackers by placing themselves in between the attackers and their intended target. It was clear to the other two Cullens that something had changed. Edward, who tended to hesitate more at the thought of violence, seemed poised for the attack.

"A child." Edward was quick and offered no elaboration. He didn't need to. Those two simple words set up exactly what the stakes were.

Emmett's shoulders tensed. He had always had a soft spot for children. He was no longer motivated simply by the thrill of attack. He was now determined to protect which made him all the more dangerous. Carlisle felt the last of his reservations fall away. He may not take any pleasure from fighting his own kind, but he is quick to defend those in need.

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The slamming of the back door echoed through the quaint cabin. Rosalie, having seen the fallout outside, rushed into the rush. Someone needed to get Esme out of danger. Esme was a lot of things, but a skilled fighter wasn't one. She worked to improve, but it never clicked. At this point, they were more likely to be a hindrance than a help. If nothing else, she could protect Esme.

"Esme!" Rosalie called out. She moved quickly through the rooms searching for the coven's matriarch. She was able to find her easily, but Esme raised a hand before she could get any closer. Something was off. Esme was almost slouching making her appear smaller. She watched as Esme crouched down. Moving gracefully and slowly, Esme moved her focus from Rosalie and turned back towards the wall. Her focus was drawn to something that Rosalie couldn't see. She dropped her hand and moved it to cover her lips with one finger, telling the unknown figure to be calm and quiet. Curiosity got the best of her as the blonde vampire moved again. Rosalie slowed herself down as she approached. She freezes as she sees the other human.

"Shit." Her words slipped past her lips before she could stop them. Her eyes widened as she saw the figure of a girl cowering in the corner beside the large window. Rosalie relaxed her demeanor in an attempt to not intimidate the child. It was hard to balance this with the need to be poised for attack as the fighting outside grew louder. Small eyes flickered toward her before flickering around the room. She was clearly looking for an escape.

Esme reached out to the girl. "It's okay. You're going to be fine. Can you come with me? We are just going to go to the back of the house." She fought to keep her voice steady to not let any of the urgency she felt bleed into it.

The girl focused on the woman. She offered no reply and failed to move. Her eyes were wide with fear. Her eyes darted between Esme and Rosalie. She shrunk into herself more. Tears were prickling in the corner of her eyes. She didn't know what to think. She was stuck in survival mode.

Esme tried again. "That's my daughter Rosalie. Can you please come with us?" She was almost pleading with the child.

The girl waited until Esme ceased speaking before evaluating her. It was unclear what she was looking for, but she must have found it. Without giving any warning, the girl moved towards Esme's outstretched arm. Esme was quick to wrap her arms around the girl and walk towards the back of the house at a brisk human pace. Rosalie glanced out of the window to see the fight happening in the front of the house before following them to the back of the cabin. She stood in front of them, placing herself as a barrier between the outside and the human.