Chapter 1-Going back home.
"Sammy where's Em?" I asked walking into my uncle's kitchen dropping my bags in the doorway, just glad to be La Push, Washington. Finally.
"How come she gets to call you Sammy and I don't?" a guy said walking in the house uninvited, he had to be at least 6'5. He was defiantly a Quileute, with tanned skin and black hair. A plus for me was I could see his muscles through the tight vest he wore. He was probably in his early twenties.
"I get to call him Sammy because he hates it when I call him uncle," I answered rolling my eyes at him, "isn't that right Uncle Sam?" I looked Sam's way and he was staring intently at the guy, he shook his head almost unnoticeably.
"Of course I do. I'm not old enough to be your uncle. Jared this is…"
I rolled my eyes at him again. Sam was eight years older than me, my dad-his brother-was sixteen years older than Sam. Or at least he used to be; he died years ago when I was twelve.
"STORM!" Emily, my aunt ran to me jumping into my arms, practically knocking me over.
"Hey Em," I hugged her back.
Em was a beautiful Quileute except for the large scar that ran across her face and arm. Even with those Emily was such a beautiful person. I'd been visiting Sam every summer for four years, actually the summer my dad died.
"You've grown up," Emily looked slightly excited. Yes I had, that whole year I had grown a staggering ten inches standing at 5'11. My body had finally filled out enough for me get a real bra, my mum had taken me to the doctors she'd been so worried. I was no longer her petite daughter. I was the tall, athlete now, and my mother was not pleased.
"I don't like it," Sam added wrapping his arms around Emily.
"Well I do," I muttered, making Jared laugh. I glared at him. I distinctly remembered Jared being a lot smaller but then that was years ago too.
I sat on the couch, tired from the airplane ride from New York. I would officially be living with Sam and Emily from today on, until I was a non-minor, anyway. I didn't mind, in fact I relished it, Sam and Emily were the only family I had left. My mum had practically begged them to take me in when she got remarried last month. They'd agreed gracefully and here I was. Lord new mum could afford to pay child support; the woman was a walking ATM.
I heard laughing coming from outside and prepared myself for more hunky madness. Who could resist Quileute gorgeousness?
"Is that little Storm?" Paul Lahote asked walking in with three 6 ft something lads. Paul was like a brother to me, much like Sam, we'd spent many times playing video games and pigging out on pizza, soda and ice-cream over the summer.
"She ain't little," the longest haired one said.
Paul hit him on the back of the head. I stifled a laugh with a cough.
"Everyone this is Storm Uley," Sam began and I did a little wave, "Storm this is Jacob Black," the long haired guy, "Embry Call," the one next to him, "and Seth Clearwater," it was obvious he was the youngest of the three at about nineteen and the shortest at 6'3. He still had muscles though and he was fine. A walking god.
My eyes met his warm chocolaty ones, yum. Something fizzed inside of me and I was one-step from melting. He smiled and looked about as happy as possible. If he'd told me to jump off a cliff, I probably would have done it willingly. I sighed and then Sam ruined it by saying or shouting as I later called it, "Seth outside. NOW!"
"Why's Seth going?" I asked disappointed, "where's Seth going?" The guys looked as if they knew something they weren't telling. The funny things is they all acted as if I was part of their large family. I was, I guess, in an extended way.
Seth. Ah Seth. Seth. Seth. Seth. I loved that name.
"Away from here apparently," Jared said sitting next to me and grinning. If I had ever thought he was hot, I thought Seth was a freakin' god.
"Can I come too?" I asked Sammy. The wooden door looked far too small when Sam at 6'5 was standing in front of it.
"NO!" he shoved Seth through the front door outside, towards the forest that surrounded the whole house, leaving the door wide open. Seth didn't seem to care that he'd been shoved; he just continued to stare at me with a silly grin through the window I could see Sam pushing him even more towards the woods.
"See ya Storm," he shouted grinning at me again.
"Bye Seth," I loved the way he said my name.
"You guys need to get a room," Paul joked, I leaned over and hit him on the back of the head.
"Ow that hurt," he rubbed his head, making his black hair spike up.
"Then don't make dirty jokes," I retorted, "it's gross. I'm sixteen."
"You're rather prude," Jared commented with a grin.
"You mean…you've never…" Embry paused, "you've never done IT?"
How a man of probably twenty couldn't say sex was beyond me? I still blushed though; talking about sex was not on my agenda for moving to La Push, at least not with a bunch of abnormally tall guys.
"I should hope so," Paul nodded as if he was righteous; I'd met his girlfriends some of them could be classified on the C list. I had three lists, an A list the best nothing wrong with them, B list annoying habits and rude manner, and C list whores, crazy bitches and the stalkers.
"Leave the poor girl alone," Emily said saving me from having to answer. First day in La Push and I'd already embarrassed myself, way to go Storm-otherwise known as moron I thought.
"Muffins are done," Em added with a smile.
Emily took out the muffins, putting them on a metal rack to cool. The whole house always smelled like some type of food from Lasagna to muffins, to everything in between. All the guys stood and started for the kitchen.
"Oh, no you don't," Emily stopped them before they could get in the kitchen, how she managed to command three giants was beyond me? Maybe I could learn how to do that?
"Storm, how about a muffin?" Emily made her way around them and handed me a large, choc chip muffin.
"Um…thanks Em." I took a tiny bite it was still warm. It tasted fantastic, but then when did Emily's food taste not good?
I wondered what I looked like, how had I let anyone see me like this? God, I thought, you've just got off a long flight. It doesn't matter that your hairs probably a mess, that you're wearing sweats that are disheveled and you smell like a plane.
"We've heard tons about you," Embry said taking the lone chair across form the small tele that flickered with some cartoon.
I wondered where Seth and Sam had gone. And I hated to admit it when Seth would be back.
Sam and Em's house was tiny and I liked it that way. I'd grown up in mansions and the summers were the reason I lived for. I wasn't leaving anything behind, except a house full of maids, butlers and a swimming pool. It was the coziest place and I even had my own room, okay it was barely big enough to be called a room but I would never complain about that. Coz I didn't care.
"That's interesting, I've heard absolutely nothing about you," I answered honestly. I tend not filter what I think. In the past that's gotten me into heaps of trouble.
They all laughed not taking offense at all. I looked around nothing had changed since the last time I'd been here a year before. There were still paintings of wolves hanging on the walls and the yellow wooded kitchen still looked too old for words, it could still be seen from the open breakfast bar where I sat on the couch. It was home. Granted it was tiny and the wood the house was built out of creaked with every movement but I loved it here. It felt even more like home when the sound of rain started pelting down on the tin roof. That was Washington for you, the rainiest place on earth. Literally.
It took all of two minutes for the "pack" (I was told to call them that from Sam) to eat the goods Emily had provided.
"You guys are pigs," I wrinkled my nose in disgust, I was still hungry and could out eat them all but I had to play the part of a disgusted girl. Right?
"You should see us have a pie eating contest," Jacob said, "It's legendary."
"I'll bet," I mumbled shifting myself off the couch. I bet Jake, I thought, I could kick your ass in a food contest. It had become a talent.
I began picking up all my bags up, when Sam came into the room-sopping wet, clothes dripping and hair flat from the rain.
"What're you guys just sitting there? Help her," Sam said in a no nonsense tone heading for his and Emily's room across from mine.
"I'm fine," seven of my nine bags were already in my room, I had no clue where I'd put them but they were my clothes. I picked up the two last bags before any of the guys could.
"Let me take that," Paul took it with ease, "whoa how can you carry this it's pretty heavy?" he looked at me suspiciously. Lie quick, I thought to myself, don't let them find out you're a werewolf. Yes, I'm a werewolf, you heard me right. I turn into a big wolf when I feel like it or not. Sometimes it just happens, like when I'm drunk-just kidding-no it mostly happens when I'm angry. Don't ask me why I'm a werewolf? I have absolutely no clue it just happened.
"I've been working out," I shrugged carrying the other bag to the room, which was now crowded with my stuff.
There was the usual a single cot with heavy blankets on it that I knew I'd never use. I had a running temperature of 106°F (41°C). The room was barely big enough for the large dark wood closet and small oak desk but somehow they'd made it work. All my clothes wouldn't be able to fit in that closet I didn't care.
Paul put down the suitcase.
"Thanks Paul," I smiled and he grinned back.
"It's good to have you back lil' Storm," he walked away. One thing I'd learned about Paul was, he was a hotheaded pig with an attitude. And that was true but he was also kind to those who were like family to him.
I looked for the two suitcases that were packed full of stuff for Em and Sam.
I finally found them and dragged two of the smaller suitcases out into the hallway; I knocked on Sam's door. "Come in," Sam said. I opened the door.
"I bear presents," I plonked the suitcases down next to the wall.
"That's all for us?" Sam had a doubtful look on his face.
"Well some are for Paul too," I added, "but they're in my other bags. These two are for you and Em."
There was a silence, "we can't accept all this," he hadn't moved from the queen sized bed that was obviously too small for his size, where he'd been sitting putting a shirt on. Em and Sam's room was still the same, pretty flowery curtains hung and a dressing table stood by the window. It smelled of the forest and muffins. I smiled.
"Why not? You and Em are taking me in selflessly," I fiddled around with my silver wolf pendent that hung on a leather strap. Emily had gotten me for my birthday two years ago. I haven't taken it off once "you're loving me without me asking too," I whispered, totally and completely ashamed that I'd said it I turned around ready to leave.
"How can we not love you?" Sam looked at me sadly, he knew what it was like his dad-my grandpa-had abandoned Sam when he was four years old.
"Please just take the gifts, I want you guys to know that I totally appreciate you letting me stay here. Plus it took me hours to pick all these things, it would be a waste of my time not for you to accept them," I smiled as he reluctantly agreed.
"Love you Sammy," I mumbled edging out the room into the hallway.
I couldn't get Seth Clearwater out of my mind. I knew I'd imprinted on him. Not a good idea. He could never know about my curse. I'd learned abit from what to expect from being a werewolf, since dad had told me about the legends. When I phased into a wolf for the first at the age of fifteen and half, eleven months ago. Imprinting was love at first sight and it was terrible. I hated how I needed to make him happy, and soon. I would literally go crazy if I didn't make him happy. I started unpacking, putting my little ornaments on the shelves that had recently been put up for my benefit. All the ornaments I owned were of wolves, black ones, sandy ones, white ones and my favorite brown red ones. I was that color when I changed, a deep brown with red highlights. I wondered briefly what color Seth would be if he were a werewolf. I decided I didn't want to think about that, I'd never ever wish being a werewolf on anybody else, especially not Seth.
A knock on the door brought me back into the real world.
"It's me," Em opened the door slightly.
"Come in," I reached up and placed another statue on the top shelf.
"Wow, what's with the wolf obsession?" she asked looking at every single one of them.
"I just like wolves," I answered trying to act nonchalant. I wished I could've told Emily the truth, I hated lying to her and Sam but if I told them, they'd think I was bonkers. I didn't like the thought of going to a loony bin, would you? I think not.
"Sam told me about the gifts," Emily seemed a bit uncomfortable, I'd never seen her like this and I hated to think that I'd caused it. Emily was like the sister I never had.
"Thank you," she whispered smiling, "I've always wanted a Louis Vuitton. Plus I've never owned so many clothes."
"I'm glad you like them."
She turned to leave, "is Paul still here?"
"No, just Seth and Collin." SETH! My heart sped up; Seth was in the next room. I could actual hear him breathe if I concentrated real hard.
"Ah, when will Paul be back? I got him some things that I wanted to give him," I tried concentrating on anything but the fact that Seth was so close.
"Tomorrow after his shift," Emily looked mildly worried.
"What does he do?" I'd always been able to tell if she was lying.
"Family business. I better go I've got dinner on the stove," she turned to leave she was trying to avoid answering any of those type of questions. I never had figured out what Sam did, he always answered the same way family business. My dad had been a lawyer; I very much doubted that Sam was a lawyer.
"Wait, Em,"
I rummaged through my backpack that held all my personal belongings. I came out with two black jewelry boxes.
"This is for you and Sam," I gave her the one on the left.
"Oh my… it's beautiful,"
It was a silver charm bracelet every charm had a meaning. A wolf being that I was a wolf, even if she didn't know what it meant. Sam written on a heart. A cupcake 'coz she was the best baker ever. A feather for the traditions of Quileute. A diamond star and the last one a small girly figure because she was like a sister.
"It has sentimental value. Every charm has a meaning,"
Emily hugged me again and I relished the feeling. Mum had never hugged me; she'd barely talked to me never mind about actual contact.
"I love it. I really do have to check on the food before it burns," she skipped away.
I looked in the small mirror that I'd hung up; it had iron veins hanging around it. My black straight hair hung to my shoulders, I'd wanted to grow it long but being a werewolf had prevented me from doing that. Do you know how hard it is to have hip length hair and turn into a four-legged creature with hair dragging along? Not fun.
The only thing I had inherited from my mother was the same color eye. My blue green eyes-yes you heard me right, I was probably like the only Quileute with non-brown eyes-looked to big for my face. Not in a weird way but enough so that the first thing you noticed about me were my eyes. My skin was like every other Quileute, a dark tan, I was slightly lighter than most since my mum was Caucasian French. What my father ever saw in her I would never know?
I'd changed into a Dior red short summer dress and leather sandals from Jimmy Choo. I only had designer clothes, my mother had not allowed me to wear normal clothes and most times it got annoying. I still wore them though since they were the only clothes I had. I knew I wouldn't need a jacket but I took one (Gucci) anyway just in case Em or Sam said anything.
I didn't wear make-up, even when mother had insisted on it. I'd taken them but knew I'd never use them. It was hard to explain to her, I would never ever tell her I was a werewolf. I just didn't trust her enough. You could call me a terrible daughter but she was honest to god an awful mother.
"Where're you going?" Em asked me as she stirred some sauce on the stove. I couldn't cook to save my life. I burn water.
"I need to buy a car," I shrugged my shoulders; I had access to my own credit card. I couldn't rely on Sam and Em to drive me everywhere.
"You can just buy a car?" the kid who was 6' ft asked. Collin. He was probably like fifteen. Not mature at all.
"Yup, I have a credit card," I put down my Louis Vuitton and rummage through my purse. I put the box down.
"Hey Em if Sam comes home before I'm back, give him this please."
I'd gotten Sam a gold and silver ring with a wolf engraved on it.
"Sure thing," I was happy to see that she had put on her charm bracelet.
"You need a ride?" Em asked, "you can take the car to Port Angles, they've probably got more variety there."
"How far is Port Angeles?" I asked curious to see if maybe I could run there.
"About an hour,"
So it could take me an hour going at a speed of eighty miles per hour to get there if I ran in wolf form. Sounded like fun, then I could drive back in the car I wanted or maybe they do deliver. That would be fun to run there and back.
"I don't know the way," I said.
"I'll take you," Seth offered, his hair sticking up like a raccoon, he'd run his hands through his hair too much.
"Really?" my heart sped up at the thought of spending that much time with Seth. I heard his heart beat rise too, I giggled.
"What are you laughing at?" Seth asked looking a bit timid.
"Nothing of importance. Let's go,"
"I'm coming too," Collin said, and I wanted to beat the living crap outta him for suggesting such a thing.
"Drive safe," Em called as we got in Seth's pick up truck. Apparently since I was a girl I wasn't allowed to sit up front. I hated Collin.