𝐍𝐎𝐒𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐔━︎━︎ C. Cullen ✓︎

𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:
A DEATH IN THE FAMILY

HER HEART STOPPED. SHE felt the blood stop pumping through her veins and she felt her organs shutting down. She had died, again. Sam, who had been hunting Victoria along side his pack, stopped when he saw the limp body of his childhood best friend on the forest floor. He let out a growl, ordering the rest to continue after the redheaded vampire while he stayed with Echo. He went behind a tree, turning back and quickly throwing on a pair of shorts that he always kept hidden within the woods.

He ran over to Echo, quickly falling to his knees as he checked for any sign of life. He turned the girl onto her back and looked at her with desperation for her to wake up when he noticed the teeth marks that were placed on her neck as well as the purple bruises that circled her throat like a necklace. He picked the girl up bridal style before slowly making his way back to the reservation.

Bella had called him earlier, wondering if he had seen Echo to which he said he hadn't. As he made his way back, the only thing on his mind was: How was he going to tell Bella? Sam quickly entered Emily's house, making his way to the bedroom to lay the girl down. He didn't know how to feel. Was he really going to sit there and watch his best friend turn into one of those blood sucking leeches? Emily gave him a worried look.

"Don't let anyone else in." Sam requested. Emily nodded her head before walking over to the door and locking it, not that that would do any good seeing as the others could easily break down the door. Sam took the phone in his hands and quickly called Bella. After two rings, the Swan sibling picked up.

"Sam?" She answered.

"Bella, we found her." Sam looked at the dead girl through the bedroom door before going back to the conversation. "Bella, Echo's dead."

꧁꧂

Bella froze. The words that fell from Sam's mouth echoed through her mind. She couldn't speak, she couldn't breathe, the shock was taking over her body. The Cullen's had all heard the conversation and were in shock themselves. Carlisle had never been so panicked before and the sight of Bella's face only made that worse. If he could cry, he would be doing that at that moment.

It was like everything happened in slow motion. The shock left Bella's body and realization kicked in. The phone fell from her hand before she fell to her knees on the ground, Edward quickly beside of her. She had never cried so hard in her entire life. They all st in silence before Edward picked up the phone, Sam still on the other end.

"Where is she now?" Edward asked.

"Why do you care, leech?" Sam viciously growled.

"I have my reasons." The male calmly answered back. Sam sighed.

"I brought her back to the reservation." Sam finally answered.

"We'll be there soon."

꧁꧂

As much as Sam didn't want to allow the Cullen's onto the land, he knew that Edward wouldn't leave Bella. And if Carlisle came, maybe he could check on her and find some sort of life within her. Whether it be venom from that wretched redhead vampire, or it be her own blood pumping through her veins.

The other members at the reservation had tried to ask what was wrong, but Sam refused to tell them. He had already told them not to attack the Cullen's when they appeared, which only made them upset and more curious. When they arrived, it was only Bella, Edward, and Carlisle. Sam allowed them in and Bella quickly ran to the room where Echo's body was. Tears started to resurface, but she was trying hard not to let them fall.

Bella kneeled down on the floor beside of her bed, looking at Echo who―︎even though she was dead―︎looked like she was full of life. Bella took her hand into Echo's, surprised to find it still full of warmth.

"Hey, E." Bella sniffled. "I'm sorry, about our fight. I'm so so sorry." Bella let out a teary laugh as false hope fueled her next words. "But, I need you to come back to me, okay? I just. . . I just got you back Echo, I don't want to lose you again."

When Bella felt the slightest movement, her head immediately shot up. She looked over at the two vampires as she said, "Did you see that? She moved."

Edward and Carlisle exchanged a look before Carlisle quickly walked over to the bed, checking Echo's pulse. Nothing. He furrowed his eyebrows. He would assume that she was changing, but the warmth of her skin and the life that was still placed within her body told him other wise. He then looked at her neck where the bite was supposed to be, only to see that it was gone.

"I don't understand," He mumbled. Bella stood up, her hand never leaving Echo's.

"What? What is it?"

"The bite, Sam you said it was on the right side of her neck, correct?" Carlisle asked, looking at the werewolf who nodded his head. "Well, that's odd."

"Carlisle, what is it?" Bella sternly asked. Carlisle looked at Bella, then to Sam and Edward before going back to Echo.

"Her bite, it's gone. It's completely healed up."

"So are the bruises." Sam informed.

"What do you mean? I thought when you got bit it left a scar?" Bella asked, looking between the two vampires. There was another squeeze on Bella's hand causing her to look down at her hand that was held in her sister's. This time, Carlisle noticed and checked her pulse. Still nothing. And then he felt it, a singular heartbeat. Edward took Bella's free hand and pulled her back toward him while Carlisle took a step back. Echo's eyes flew open and she shot up as she inhaled a gasp of air.

She looked around the room, her eyes trailing from Sam's, to Edward's, to Bella's, then to Carlisle's. A hand flew up to her neck, remembering the pain she had felt. When she felt no scar, she knew it had happened again.

"Dammit."

1,042 words
Authors note: This chapter, I don't know how to feel about it.

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

@HAHA_LIFEISTOUGH