Selcouth • J. Hale ✓

lxxi.

chapter seventy-one.

For the next two days, Karina hadn't spoken a word to anyone.

Jasper had talked to her regardless of her not answering him, he told her how Nahuel and Huilen told him about her stay with them and how he wasn't angry with her for not telling him. He was just glad that she had help and that she wasn't alone.

Elijah regularly went upstairs to talk to his mom, he wasn't hurt by her silence but instead talked to her about Renesmee or the things that he and Leah do when Jasper was out hunting. Sometimes, he would even draw as she wrote away in her journal for hours on end.

Edward had other words though, he had yelled at Jasper to let him talk to Karina for not telling him or Bella that they had nothing to be worried about. He called her selfish and a lot of other nasty names that rewarded him with Jasper, once again, kicking his ass.

Jasper fighting with Edward was something everyone saw coming, Edward was pushing him limits constantly and the family couldn't defend him for his own actions and words that led up to that moment. They simply watched as Jasper broke Edward's arm off and sent it flying into the woods, resulting in Bella having to help her husband find it after she herself gave him an earful.

As the vampires left and went back to their lives, Karina spent her time on the third floor of her home surrounded by all the books that were in the small room. It was meant to be an attic but instead Karina changed it into a small library. The walls were already stacked with books, and it was where Karina felt most at peace.

"You know, I would feel offended that you haven't spoken to me." Nahuel spoke up and Karina's head snapped up towards the door. "I mean, after I came all this way and all."

Karina laughed, something she hadn't done since before the battle. "From what I hear, you've taken a liking to Renesmee."

Bella had even tried to talk to Karina but when she figured out the hard way that Karina wasn't going to speak to her or anyone, Bella just talked to her about how Nahuel seemed to take a liking to Renesmee and how Edward liked the idea of there being some sort of competition for Jacob when it came to their daughter.

Nahuel shrugged as Karina walked over to give him a hug, "She intrigues me." He told her while hugging her.

"She's imprinted with a wolf." Karina reminds him and Nahuel shrugged.

"Imprint or not, he's human and she's immortal. Wouldn't I be a better fit?" He asked her and Karina couldn't help but scoff playfully.

"Two hybrids together? Cause for disaster." She joked with him and Nahuel laughed.

"Huilen is downstairs and was ready to drag you from this room." He told her after their laughter died down. "We have to leave soon, and she wants to see you."

Karina sighed and felt guilty for hiding away, she just couldn't face them all. Whenever she dared to look at Paul or Javier, all she could see was them dying. It was even worse with Jasper, the vision plagued her every thought, and nothing was helping to rid her of those images.

"Alright, let's go." Karina motioned for him to move, and he did just that.

Walking downstairs, Karina was relieved to find that Jasper wasn't there. He was probably saying goodbye to Peter and Charlotte, the two stayed to catch up with him and Karina could hear how happy he was when he was around Peter.

"I was ready to tear your house apart." Huilen's accent rang through Karina's ears as soon as Huilen spotted her. "You don't eat, you lock the room off, and it takes Nahuel for you to come out? I'm offended."