in a petulant way。 Of course； I already knew that Renesmee wasn"t venomous。 I was the first person she"d bitten。 I didn"t make this observation aloud； as I was feigning memory loss on those recent events。 〃Well； Seth；〃 Carlisle said； straightening up and stepping away from us。 〃I think that"s as much as I can do。 Try to not move for； oh； a few hours； I guess。〃 Carlisle chuckled。 〃I wish treating humans were this instantaneously gratifying。〃 He rested his hand for a moment on Seth"s black hair。 〃Stay still；〃 he ordered； and then he disappeared upstairs。 I heard his office door close； and I wondered if they"d already removed the evidence of my time there。 〃I can probably manage sitting still for a while；〃 Seth agreed after Carlisle was already gone； and then he yawned hugely。 Carefully； making sure not to tweak his shoulder； Seth leaned his head against the sofa"s back and closed his eyes。 Seconds later； his mouth fell slack。 I frowned at his peaceful face for another minute。 Like Jacob； Seth seemed to have the gift of falling asleep at will。 Knowing I wouldn"t be able to apologize again for a while； I got up； the motion didn"t jostle the couch in the slightest。 Everything physical was so easy。 But the rest。。。 Edward followed me to the back windows and took my hand。 Leah was pacing along the river； stopping every now and then to look at the house。 It was easy to tell when she was looking for her brother and when she was looking for me。 She alternated between anxious glances and murderous glares。 I could hear Jacob and Rosalie outside on the front steps bickering quietly over whose turn it was to feed Renesmee。 Their relationship was as antagonistic as ever； the only thing they agreed on now was Page 268 Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； ：。processtext。abclit。html that I should be kept away from my baby until I was one hundred percent recovered from my temper tantrum。 Edward had disputed their verdict； but I"d let it go。 I wanted to be sure； too。 I was worried； though； that my one hundred percent sure and their one hundred percent sure might be very different things。 Other than their squabbling； Seth"s slow breathing； and Leah"s annoyed panting； it was very quiet。 Emmett； Alice； and Esme were hunting。 Jasper had stayed behind to watch me。 He stood unobtrusively behind the newel post now； trying not to be obnoxious about it。 I took advantage of the calm to think of all the things Edward and Seth had told me while Carlisle splinted Seth"s arm。 I"d missed a whole lot while I was burning； and this was the first real chance to catch up。 The main thing was the end of the feud with Sam"s pack—which was why the others felt safe to e and go as they pleased again。 The truce was stronger than ever。 Or more binding； depending on your viewpoint； I imagined。 Binding； because the most absolute of all the pack"s laws was that no wolf ever kill the object of another wolfs imprinting。 The pain of such a thing would be intolerable for the whole pack。 The fault； whether intended or accidental； could not be forgiven； the wolves involved would fight to the death—there was no other option。 It had happened long ago； Seth told me； but only accidentally。 No wolf would ever intentionally destroy a brother that way。 So Renesmee was untouchable because of the way Jacob now felt about her。 I tried to concentrate on the relief of this fact rather than the chagrin； but it wasn"t easy。 My mind had enough room to feel both emotions intensely at the same time。 And Sam couldn"t get mad about my transformation； either； because Jacob—speaking as the rightful Alpha—had allowed it。 It rankled to realize over and over again how much I owed Jacob when I just wanted to be mad at him。 I deliberately redirected my thoughts in order to control my emotions。 I considered another interesting phenomenon； though the silence between the separate packs continued； Jacob and Sam had discovered that Alphas could speak to each other while in their wolf form。 It wasn"t the same as before； they couldn"t hear every thought the way they had prior to the split。 It was more like speaking aloud； Seth had said。 Sam could only hear the thoughts Jacob wanted to share； and vice versa。 They found they could municate over distance； too； now that they were talking to each other again。 They hadn"t found all this out until Jacob had gone alone—over Seth"s and Leah"s objections—to explain to Sam about Renesmee； it was the only time he"d left Renesmee since first laying eyes on her。 Once Sam had understood how absolutely everything had changed； he"d e back with Jacob to talk to Carlisle。 They"d spoken in human form （Edward had refused to leave my side to translate）； and the treaty had been renewed。 The friendly feeling of the relationship； however； might never be the same。 One big worry down。 But there was another that； though not as physically dangerous as an angry wolf pack； still seemed more urgent to me。 Page 269 Generatedby ABC Amber LIT Converter； ：。processtext。abclit。html Charlie。 He"d spoken to Esme earlier this morning； but that hadn"t kept him from calling again； twice； just a few minutes ago while Carlisle treated Seth。 Carlisle and Edward had let the phone ring。 What would be the right thing to tell him？ Were the Cullens right？ Was telling him that I"d died the best； the kindest way？ Would I be able to lie still in a coffin while he and my mother cried over me？ tt didn"t seem right to me。 But putting Charlie or Renee in danger of the Volturi"s obsession with secrecy was clearly out of the question。 There was still my idea—let Charlie see me； when I was ready for that； and let him make his own wrong assumptions。 Technically； the vampire rules would remain unbroken。 Wouldn"t it be better for Charlie if he knew that I was alive—sort of—and happy？ Even if I was strange and different and probably frighteningtohim？ My eyes； in particular； were much too frightening right now。 How long before my selfcontrol and my eye color were ready for Charlie？