Rachel

Not again, Rachel thought to herself as her car broke down for not the first, not the second, but the third time that year. "As if returning to this hellhole, wasn't bad enough," she muttered to herself.

She had decided to drive down from DC rather than take a flight, which in hindsight was probably not the best decision given the temperamental nature of her car. She had had enough. The first thing she would do when she reached her fog-ridden, 18th century hometown would be to trade the piece of scrap metal for a prius. She didn't care how embarrassing she would look in it. She lay her forehead on her steering wheel and willed herself to take four deep, long breaths. She had one of two choices. Have her mental breakdown here or wait till she was in the confines of her childhood bedroom, where the deed would at least be more warranted.

Rachel sighed, straightened herself up and took a look out the passenger window. Jackpot!

"Lahote Garage and Tow Service. How can we help you?"

"Hello? Hi, my car just broke down on the I67. I think there's something wrong with the ignition. I think I am going to have it fixed or towed."

"Where on the 167 are you ma'am?

"125 miles from La Push. I was lucky enough to have broken down near a pay phone. I found your number in the yellow pages there. "

"And what is your name, ma'am?"

"Rachel. Rachel Black."

"Black? Say, you're not related to Billy and Jacob Black, are you?"

Five seconds of silence. "er-yes."

"Well, I'll be damned! Rachel, Billy's little daughter! How are you honey?"

"I'm, um, fine. Who is this?"

Oh sugar, it's Kirk Lahote. Kelly Lahote's brother. Paul's uncle. You remember Paul, right? You guys all used to be put up together when the adults would have plans. You, that sister of yours, Jacob, Paul and his little sister, Steph."

Another few seconds of silence. "Yeeaaah, of course…Paul and his sister…how are they?"

"Good, good. Hey, Paul, guess who's in town?" Rachel could hear a disinterested grunt in the background. "It's Rachel Black! You remember her and her sister, don't you?"

Rachel pinched the bridge of her nose. She hadn't even gotten one foot into La Push and already she was getting a migraine.

She heard another disinterested, and this time dismissive, grunt.

"Well, Steph's good anyways." She almost heard Mr. Lahote's shrug through the phone.

"Right. So, anyhow, Mr. Lahote—"

"Kirk—"

"Kirk, do you think you could send someone by sometime soon to help me?" Like maybe in this century? she wanted to add.

"Yeah, of course dear. I'll send Paul right over."

"Thanks."

"Now, you got insurance there, honey?

"Er, well, actually—"

"Not. A. Problem. You're practically family. We'll take a look at it and then see what the damage is. If you don't need any spare parts, we won't need to charge anything."

"You really don't—"

"Now, now, sugar. I don't want to hear it. Paul will be out there in 40 minutes tops. You take care now. Make sure you don't get eated by any wolves before he comes and gets you!"

Wolves? Great, now Rachel had an entirely new irrational fear to add to her already overbrimming list of neuroses.

Paul

"Paul, you gotta make a repair or a tow on the I67. Take your tools but more than likely, the car will probably need an all round check up since there's a faulty ignition involved—are you even listening to me, son?"

Paul looked up from underneath the white Saturn's body where he was checking the brake compression on the tires. He was covered in oil and soot and gave another one of his signature growls that he had suddenly developed a year ago.

"I'm listening," Paul growled.

"Good. So can you get to it?"

"I'm busy, Kirk. I have to meet up with Sam and Jared."

"Look, son. I already told you that I don't understand what is going on with your kids but I try not to make a big deal out of it, but now there's a helpless girl waiting out in the cold, for a bloody tow. And it's not just any girl. It's Rachel Black, your old childhood friend! Have you got no heart, kid?"

Paul winced at that. I have two hearts now, my dear ignorant uncle. And one of them I have no fucking control over, Paul thought to himself.

"I don't remember any Rachel Black, Kirk and if it's Jacob's sister, shouldn't he be the one to go get her?"

"Fine, fine you don't worry a hair on your pretty little head, you little punk! I'll go get the girl, myself."

That was it! Paul had had it. He threw the wrench at the side at the garage wall and ran out into the woods.

"Hey son, geez, I'm sorry!" He could hear his uncle's apology disappearing into the wind as he burst into fur and teeth and claws before he could get his clothes off.

Goddamnit! That was another pair of cutoffs he'd need to purchase.

Hey, aren't you early?

Shut up, Jared. We all had to meet up in ten minutes anyhow.

Jesus, don't need to bite my—

Quiet both you. Jacob and Quil and waiting at Emily's. Head there now.

Yes alpha, both wolves called out.

Wait…I ripped my jeans.

Figured, Jared snickered.

Shut up Jared!

Paul, Sam called out, I keep some extra cutoffs behind the large boulder besides the house. You can use one of them. We all meet up in ten.