Chapter 20:
Searching for Something

The search began instantly. Hunter piled in Edward's car along with Bella, Jacob, and Renesmee, and they started up to the closest relatives up north in Alaska. Hunter didn't know much about the Denali coven, only that the women were fierce.

The car ride was silent. Renesmee fell asleep quickly and Hunter couldn't find it in her to say a word to anyone. The four adults in the car were the closest yet they had been involved with one another in the worst and best ways.

Jacob held Renesmee close to him, her oddly warm body lay still under his arm apart from her breathing. That's what was keeping him sane. Finally, Bella sat behind Edward. Her eyes stay glued to the window, a thick bile swimming in her throat.

She felt ashamed yet tired. She missed talking to Hunter, she even missed the feel of her skin. But mostly she missed Edward. She missed the ring that wrapped around her slender finger and sparkled in the light. Now all he was, was the father of her child and her best friend's lover. A hard and cold truth that she struggled to accept.

The snow that covered the earth made the day much brighter than the sun. The cold air clung to the car windows and seeped through the doors. It bothered none of them but they would rather feel warmth.

It wasn't long until they reached their destination. Hunter pulled the sleeves of her hoodie down past her wrists and shuffled in her seat. These people would smell her and Jacob first.

Edward casted her an assuring glance before he unbuckled his seatbelt and slipped out of the car. Three women and a tall man emerged from the large wooden home. "Edward, is everything alright?" One of the women ask, "Why didn't you tell us you were coming?"

Now Hunter was cold. She felt goosebumps rise on her skin and she held back the urge to shiver. "Is it Irina?" One of the blonde girls asked, "Have you heard from her?"

"Not directly." Edward replied as he walked closer to them. Even he was anxious. He was afraid of people turning them away. The less people they get help from, the higher the chances are of all of them dying, including his daughter.

"Why is your bride waiting in the car?" The man asked.

"And why is are there wolves with you? I can smell them from here."

Suspicion. Hunter shuffled again. Edward shrugged off their questions, "My family's in danger and I need your help."

"What's happened?" The brunette woman asked.

"It's hard to explain but I need you to be open-minded. Can you do that?" Edward pleaded. His nose turned red from the frosty air and his eyebrows curved downwards in a frown.

"Of course."

Hunter let out a shaky breath. She had nothing to worry about apart from being scolded or hated. She was half vampire, half werewolf, a shame to both sides. These people had no idea who she was but she still felt insecure.

"Okay, time to meet some new people." Bella told Renesmee who had woken up from her slumber. Her hair had managed to stay nice and neat, something that Hunter envied but found adorable.

Renesmee frowned, "What if they don't like me?"

"They'll love you." Jacob assured her.

Hunter turned in her seat and nodded, "They will. It's impossible not to." Renesmee let a smile work onto her face at their words.

"They just haven't met anyone like you before." Jacob finished. Bella pulled her daughter in a tight hug and pressed a soft kiss against the side of her head. She was worried, they all were. What if they didn't like her? What if they grew angry or afraid?

There was multiple outcomes to this situation but they were all ready for anything. Bella sighed, "Okay, come on."

Renesmee held onto her mother's hand tightly and followed her out of the car. Jacob plopped his hand down on Hunter's shoulder and squeezed. She could see his reassuring smile in the rear view mirror but it didn't help one bit.

She released a deep breath and exited the car with him. The cold air hit her and she shivered. It was a lot colder in Alaska than Forks. She pushed her hair out of her face and met Bella's side at the front of the car.

The three women gasp loudly, shock covering their faces at the sight of Renesmee. Bella's hand clamped onto Hunter's out of fear. The worst thing that could happen was the rest of the Denali coven running to the Volturi, but Hunter wouldn't let them get far. None of them would.

"The Volturi will come for us all."

"You get that thing out of here."

Edward shook his head, "She's not what she looks like." His voice was nearly a whisper, fright covering every letter he pronounced. Their reactions felt colder than the wind.

"This is a crime!" A blonde woman yelled before she flashed forward and shoved Edward. A scowl took form on Hunter's face and she clenched her fists. Edward shoved the woman aside effortlessly only to be approached by the other blonde.

Her hands held electricity. They shimmered brightly and clamped onto Edward's arm. He struggled against it, the shock waves spreading searing pain around his body. Hunter let go of Bella's hand and ran forward to help.

Her hand grabbed onto the woman's and she groaned at strength of the electricity. She was still weak, she hasn't fed off anything yet. Hunter forced her left hand up and grabbed onto the woman, but before she could do anything more, Bella jumped in and shoved the electric woman away.

Hunter inhaled deeply and shuffled backwards into Bella's arms. The two woman jumped up again, "Stay back!" Bella yelled, a threatening glare in her eyes.

"She has blood in her veins." Edward spoke hurriedly, "You can feel her warmth."

The brunette woman nodded, "I can feel it."

Hunter gathered herself and stood up on her own, casting a thankful smile to Bella. She needed to get her strength back before the Volturi arrive.

"I'm her biological father. Bella's her mother."

"Impossible."

Bella sighed, "It's true. She was born when I was still human."

"I've never heard of such a thing." The man spoke.

Hunter folded her arms, recalling the first time she experienced Renesemee's gift. She cringed at the memory. The sight of Bella succumbing to her death shortly after seeing Renesemee alive and well. She never wanted to relive those emotions again. "She can show you if you let her."

Edward and Bella nodded shakily, and Jacob was already on his way with Renesemee. Hunter glared at them, "We're on a death sentence because your sister didn't give us the chance to explain. You owe us."

They remained silent yet skeptical. Jacob approached them with Renesemee in his arms, she wore a shy and small smile but was ready nonetheless. "Don't be afraid." Bella breathed, "this is how she communicates."

The blonde woman, Tanya, was scared. Her eyes were wide and her breaths were shaky. Hunter couldn't blame her, they wanted to stay alive. But so did she.

Renesemee held the palm of her hand onto Tanya's cheek and showed her the memories of her birth. It only took seconds before Renesemee's hand slipped away and Tanya was left breathless. She glanced at them all before turning to her family, "It's true. She's not immortal."

Just like that, they gained four witnesses. Friends who were willing to help them. But Hunter knew they would always face this struggle, the disbelief and fear. The fear for the Volturi.

She was afraid too.

___

They returned home faster than they left the next day, Carlisle claiming that he had more friends who were interested in helping out.

"Still starving yourself?"

Hunter slammed Edward's car door shut and shoved her hands in the pockets of her hoodie. She was praying that she wouldn't hear or see her mother anymore but that was unrealistic, especially while she was starving.

Edward glanced at her, "Is she here?" Hunter refrained from screaming. Her hands were fists beneath the cloth of her pockets and the heels of her shoes slammed into the dirt. She was angry and in turn, hungry.

She couldn't try with animal blood like Carlisle egged her to, it was difficult and worthless. But she couldn't go back to human blood either, she would become irritable and ravenous all over again.

"Tell him how badly you want to sink your teeth into his daughter's neck." Willow hissed in Hunter's ear. The hybrid flinched and stumbled away from the sound of her voice.

Edward held onto her shoulders and glanced around at everyone else, their attention on greeting the friends Carlisle brought. "Hunter, push her out."

"You don't think I've tried?" She spit at him. Her face was hard and her nails dug into her palms harshly. "I can't do much of anything anymore."

Her eyes were pitch black and they poured into Edward's golden one's before she caught a glimpse of someone moving from behind him. She frowned and walked around him, though no one was there.

The problem with her hallucinations were their unpredictability. She had no idea if whatever she saw was real or fake, all she knew was that she was losing her mind.

"Hunter."

She twirled in her spot at the sound of the sweet voice. The way he said her name always felt like how honey tasted. It was golden and filled with love.

Everyone was gone. She was alone with who was in front of her, the reason for her weakness. Winston held her face in his hands and she nearly cried. His skin was soft and warm, similar to his deep brown irises. It felt like she was floating.

"You need to feed." He told her.

She nodded robotically, not listening to his words but only the way he talked. She wanted to stay here and talk with him, to apologize endlessly for how he met his doom.

He slid his hands away from her and she gasped. It felt real. Winston took two steps away from her and reached behind his back. The nature surrounding them sounded louder than usual, the birds chirping and the wind howling. Even the sky grew dark. But her eyes never left his and she didn't question it.

The sound of steel sliding made her flinch. In his hand was a knife, a sharp one. His eyes grew empty and he held the blade up to his arm, "You need to feed."

"No!" She yelled. She jumped forward but it was too late. His arm was sliced and bright blood slipped out of the wound with ease. It dripped onto the floor and down his skin. The smell hit her nose and she wanted to collapse.

It almost felt like the world was spinning out of control and she wanted to sit down. But the sweet smell of warm blood had other plans for her.

"Drink it. It's what you did to me."

She snapped her head to the left, seeing the decaying body of Bethany, the woman she murdered without reason. Her blonde hair was sopping wet along with her ripped clothes, and her skin was rough looking, covered in wrinkles. Her eyes were the worst, they were bright grey surrouded by red veins, the eyes of death.

"It's what you did to us too." To the right was a group of men, bloodied and boney. The group of cave explorers she drained and crushed before Bella's death.

She wanted to scream but her mouth was clamped shut. None of this was real and she had to accept that. But Winston's blood held her hostage, Willow held her hostage.

"Just a taste." Willow whispered. Her cold, slender hands brushed hair behind Hunter's ear and smirked at the single drop of sweat that dripped down the side of her face. She was tempted.
"No one has to know."

Except they would. Everyone would know what she did. Her eyes would be red again and she wouldn't stop after Winston. She'll keep hunting down helpless people and killing them off one by one.

Then the Volturi would find out what she's doing and hunt her down, they woud kill her. But Willow knew that. She knew that.

Hunter shoved her mother away and snatched the knife from Winston's grasp. "Go to hell mother." She growled before she sliced her own arm. She winced and watched the fake world shimmer away from her sight.

She was back in front of the Cullen home and she found everyone's eyes on her. Her arm was bleeding profusely but she couldn't feel the pain of it. All she wanted was an escape from her mother and it worked.

"Your arm." Bella breathed.

"Don't ask." Hunter grumbled. She pursed her lips and ignored the studying eyes. She knew she'd gain questions from almost everyone but she wasn't sure if she would have an answer.

All she wanted was to sleep.