Chapter one
"Seriously?" Jacqueline mutters to herself while picking her books up for the umpteenth time. "What was that Jack?" a rough voice bellows followed by a few snickers from above her position on her knees. "Nothing." She answers softly. "Yeah… I didn't think so." Mike one of her many tormenters says before kicking one of her books further down the hall. She sighs softly but keeps quite otherwise. Over all the years the one thing she has learnt is that speaking up just doesn't work. It has never worked.
She sighs softly and shuffles on her knees after the now bruised and possibly forever emotionally damage book on the floor. She softly picks up the book with its bit bent spine. "You'll live." She murmurs softly dusting the dirt from her beloved friend. "Pathetic…" Well she cant really deny that one, but its not like friends are lining up to at her front door."… her poor dad, stuck with a freak like her." Well that didn't take long. No matter what the situation, her tormenting sessions always seem to either end with her fathers shame being thrown in her face or … "Bye bye Dumbo." Ah.. or her larger than average size. Double whammy today.
She picks up the last of her books and makes her way down the hall and out of the building. If there is one day she wants the most it's the day she walks out of these stupid red doors for the last time, well that, or maybe another day with her mom. Helping her cook in the kitchen, listening to her dad and two older brothers arguing about the TV remote. But alas, those days are long gone, and she still has 2 years of school left. Time is such a strange thing she has always wanted to go forward or go back but never has she wanted to be just where she is.
She looks a lot like her mom, black curls flowing down her back. It used to be a lot shorter but, her mom always liked it long so she doesn't like cutting it anymore. She also has her mother's deep blue eyes, such an unusual thing for the Quiletten people. Her dad always told her mom how much he loved her eyes, by default Jacqueline's eyes where a family favourite, but it's been a while since her dad has looked into her eyes without a bit of pain in his own eyes.
She misses her mom dearly. In a house filled with testosterone her mother was her confidant, her amigo, her friend. She absentmindedly wipes away the tear that escaped from her left eye, traitor. Her mom is the one that got her into the books, most of her collection still has her mother's name scribbled on the first page.
She also unfortunately inherited her mom's love of cooking. She used to be a very normal little girl but since her mom died she has been prone to eat more than her fill. Its not like she is obese, just chubbier than most. Her mother used to be tall and beautiful and thin, but if her dad avoids her this much just because of her eyes, she tries not to be like her mom too much, although that would be wonderful, being like her, she always seemed happy, something Jackie has seemed to have missed the seminar on. Maybe see could pick up a pamphlet or how too for dummies.
She rolls her eyes at her own silliness and shakes off the sad memories that seem to be plaguing her today and continues on her path through town. She has lived on the reservation her whole life, she knows all the people, all the best and beautiful place to see. Well with the chief as a father there's not much she doesn't know. Still old man Billy Black seems to still treat her as the oblivious little girl that used to sit in his lap.
As soon as she hits 18 she's skipping this messed up little hole of a place to go somewhere bigger and better and brighter. Maybe London or New York or… maybe even California, seeing her brothers would be amazing. But then again, maybe they'll be ashamed of her as well, the always seem loving and all when they visit but maybe just maybe they won't want her in California. Nope, that options out.
A deep chuckle catches her attention and as she looks up she sees Jared and Embry walking out of the woods and towards her house, play punching each other. No! I just wanted a peaceful after noon at home with my books. But nooo… her dad seems to have gotten to taking in strays. Want to raise your own child first maybe? "Fuck." She mutters softly, having a peaceful afternoon with all the assholes around in not going to happen. Jared and Embry both look her simultaneously. Shit, shit, shit … okay calm down just keep your head down, stay quite, maybe they won't see me. Yeah idiot they won't see the chubby girl walking down the forest line, at the back of the houses, alone. That's a realistic ide… She suddenly trips over her own feet and falls forward.
Her hands and knees instantly start to sting. As she looks up at the 2 boys they both burst out laughing. "… did you see how see…" Embry screams between bouts of laughter. "… yeah… so… fucking …sad." Jared laughs. She looks back down and starts standing up trying to avoid looking at the blood dripping down her right knee. "Damn Dumbo, aren't people like you supposed to avoid that, shit you could have hurt someone!" Jared snorts. That causes Embry to fall into another fit of laughter.
"What you idiots laughing about?" a deep voice asks from behind them. No, no, no! Come on! I don't deserve this, I thought he had Mono. Why the hell is he here! He's the worst of them all. He picks on her more than anyone. "Shit" she breaths. A white toothed smile spreads over Pauls face as he looks in her direction. "Ah… I get it now" he says as he and both Jared and Embry starts toward her. "This shits always funny."
"What's up jack? You miss me?" she just keeps her head down and waits, eventually they'll get bored. Short attention spans and all. "You should have seen her take a fall! Was like an earthquake." Jared explains. "Ah! Is that what I felt! I was wondering." Paul laughs. "What Jack, you just going to be all submissive today?" Paul asks. She sighs deeply and looks up at him, few more inches that usual she realizes and fights the urge to take a few steps back. She gathers all her strength and looks deep into his brown eyes. Huh, she's never done this shit before, feels fantastic. "Are you done?" she asks in the most intimidating voice she can muster, even though it comes out sounding kind of pathetic.
Paul sexy grin instantly disappears. His eyes go from taunting to utter and complete shock and his mouth drops open for a second before it snaps shut again. His eyes look softer for a moment then change once again. They look almost fiery. The muscle in his jaw then tenses. Ah hell, he's going to beat the shit out of me. With wide frightened eyes Jackie takes a small step backward. Her eyes are still locked with Pauls, almost as if like losing eye contact would give him the opportunity to attack. In her peripheral vision she sees Jared and Embry staring at Paul as well.
He stares a moment longer and then his eyes slowly leave hers, they slowly start raking down her body. Her lips. Her neck. Her shoulders. Her chest, which he seems to do a double take on, which in turn makes her even more uncomfortable. Is he looking for the place that will hurt the most or something? His eyes skim over her hips and run down her legs. His eyes stop and focus on her leg. What the fuck? Going to kick me in the shin?
A deep guttural growl suddenly escapes his throat. His shoulders start to shake and both Embry and Jared take a step towards her, eyes never leaving Paul's shaking form. She looks down at her legs and realize that Paul is staring at her right knee, her bleeding right knee to be specific. "Calm down Paul" Embry says in a low voice. "Just a scratch."
Paul flat out ignores him and just keeps staring and shaking. Shaking and staring. She instinctually takes another step back. As she does that both Jared and Embry turn and reach for her, thus coming between her and Paul. Paul's growl suddenly turns into more of a roar. His back hunches and his skin starts to rip with an awful sounding tear. But instead of blood, shiny silver fur spills out. Jared, being closer then leaps forward and knocks her backwards, causing her to fall flat on her ass.
And there where she stood a second ago, a giant silver wolf now stood. Embry stood in front of Paul and Jared was crouched down in front of Jackie. The wolf was growling at Jared. "Paul… Calm down, you don't want to hurt her." The wolf snapped its jaws towards Jared again. "… Okay. Maybe it's me you want to hurt but might I suggest getting her out of the way first. You're too close." Jared then says. The wolf's head then turns to her and Paul's eyes meet hers once again. A soft whine escapes his muzzle. And he takes a step back.
Jared turns and offers her a hand. Please, you have knocked me over hundreds of times now you want to help! She ignores him and gets up on her own. When standing she once again puts a few steps between herself and the 3…. Men? Monsters more a like it, and that's got nothing to do with the wolfiness of the situation. "Jacqueline, we can explain… " The wolf once again whines.
Embry takes a step towards her this time. "Don't" she says, surprized at how normal her voice sounded. She looks up at the wolf once again. "And you! What the hell is wrong with you! Phasing in the middle of town!" Okay maybe not the middle of town but it was open enough. "Are you trying to become a science experiment?" 3 pairs of shocked eyes look at her. "You idiots really think I'm that dumb? Do you know how many times I've heard the fucking legends! My dad's the chief for goodness sake! Give me some credit. Mono my fucking ass!" still nothing, just shocked staring. She then throws up her hand in expiration and turns to stomp away. "Jacqueline wait." "No! You want to kill me, get it over with already, otherwise get his ass phased back or get him out of sight! Leave me out of this shit."
Wow… that sounded so fucking cool! She has never spoken more than 10 words to one of those guys and here she was giving them orders. Huh, this shit rocks.
She opens the front door steps and walk into the house, her dad is sitting in the living room with Sam Uley. "Hi Honey" he says from his old recliner "Hi dad." She says before going up the stair to her room. She hasn't gotten a how was your day in months. She closes her door behind her and leans back against it with a deep sigh.
She leaves her book bag at the door and walks over to her bead. She simply collapses down onto it and buries her head into her pillow.