Chapter 1

The pack was quiet as they sat around Sam's table. As ravenous as they usually were, no one ate much. Emily and Kim would occasionally wipe away a stray tear.

"Collin, Brady," Sam said. "Dish duty. Pack meeting outside."

Everyone cleared the table. The girls stationed themselves in the living room while the pack filed outside. Sam remained standing as the rest lounged on the ground.

"How's Bella?"

Jake let out a harsh breath. "You remember Zombie Bella?" They nodded. They had seen Bella's zombie phase after the Cullens left through Jake's memories. "This is worse, Sam. Way worse. She's nearly comatose. She hasn't left the bed since we put her there two days ago. She didn't acknowledge Renee and Phil when they got in yesterday." He hung his head. "I'm scared to leave her alone."

"What do we do?" Seth asked.

"Suggestions?" Sam asked. "Remember we have patrols and jobs. Some of you have summer school."

"You won't like this," Jared said. "Get the Cullens to come back."

"What the fuck!" Paul exclaimed. He jumped to his feet and began to pace.

"Hear me out first. I've been reading the journals from the last pack. Quil II got friendly with the big one. He was told of how a leech can hypnotize someone with a look and their smell. I think that's what happened to Bella last year. Dude hypnotized her and then left without undoing it."

"And it took her jumping off the cliff to wake her up," Embry guessed.

"Along with Dad's death," Seth added.

"I agree," Sam said. "But we don't want them back. No more kids need to grow up too fast."

"The redhead is still out there," Quil reminded. "We can't take care of Bella and everything else and her. Call them in to take care of the bitch. It's their fault she still around."

"No," Jake said, his voice hinting at the Alpha tenor. "Get our parents involved as much as possible. Even the ones that don't know the secrets. I've spoken to Mrs. Weber, the minister's wife. She's getting a few townies to help. A townie and a Quileute will be with her until she come out of it."

"And how long will that be?" Leah snapped. "She's not the only one to loose a dad." Her voice cracked.

"Yeah, but you didn't have a leech mindfuck you," Jared spoke up. "She spent what, eight months with him nearly every day and being hypnotized the whole time. We all met her before they started 'dating'. She was strong-willed and opinionated. She was getting back to that."

"And she wasn't there yet," Embry continued. "Emotionally she was still cracked. Now she's shattered."

"Okay," Sam began, running his hands over his face. "Emily will make a schedule tomorrow with Renee. One wolf will be there during the day, as well as a parent, and one at night. Renee leaves in two weeks. Funeral is tomorrow, bonfire the next night. We'll discuss more later."

"Sam," Jake called out as everyone stood. "I need to talk to you." They waited until only Emily was left inside. "I've got a couple of journals."

"Okay. And?"

"It's from the pack of our great-grandfathers' great-grandfathers. From the 1880s. I started reading the wolf's journal. A white woman was found, beaten and raped. The chief took her into his home. She didn't move for many months. Sounding familiar?"

"Yeah. You finished it?"

"That's as far as I got. She had been there for five months so far. Quil's ancestor, who was also the medicine man, said that she has to put her spirit back together. The pack and their women would often touch or hug her."

"Holy shit. That's a freaky parallel. Whose journal?"

"Levi's great-grandfather. Dude, I think this is gonna shake up the pack. Majorly."

"Keep reading then read the other one. Don't mention it to anyone. Where'd you get them?"

"Old Quil handed them to me Friday. The day before the accident."

Billy's heart broke as he watched his best friend's daughter. She was sitting on a log beside the fire, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. An untouched plate of food rested on the ground. Collin and Brady leaned against her legs. Emily and Kim sat next to her. Every few minutes one of the pack would pass behind her, running their hand across her shoulders or down her hair.

"Thank you for doing this, Billy. Charlie would have loved it," Renee said then took a sip of beer. "Ugh. How the hell do you drink this?"

He chuckled. "Pop the top and drink it down. Good ol' Vitamin R." He sobered. "He was a friend and brother to us. Yesterday was for the townies to remember their Chief. Tonight is for us. Look around; only you, Phil and Bella are white."

"Man you grow them big on the Rez," she said, watching the pack. She bit her bottom lip, much like her daughter does. "Will this help her?"

"This? Probably not. At least not right now."

"I'm leaving tomorrow," Renee said. She was sitting around the kitchen table with Billy, Sue and Virginia Weber. They were writing 'Thank You' cards for the visitors and sympathy cards. "Maybe I should take Bella home with me."

Sue and Billy glanced at each other before turning to Renee. "I don't think that would be a good idea, Ren."

"Look at her, Sue. We force her to get out of bed and into the shower. Once she's in one spot, she doesn't move. It's like taking care of a baby all over again. I can't leave her here for all of you to take care of." She began to cry.

"Renee," Virginia placed a hand on her shoulder. "I think Sue is right. I was discussing Bella the other day with . . . Quil? The older gentleman with the braids?" She looked to the Quileutes for confirmation.

Billy nodded. "He's our medicine man."

"Right. Well, we were talking about everything that's happened in the past year. The Cullen boy fractured her heart and soul. Charlie's death shattered it."

"All the more reason to take her with me," Renee sobbed.

"No. In Jacksonville, she has just you and sometimes Phil. Here she has two towns that love her. Besides, I always found Forks and La Push to magical."

"That they are," Billy said.

"Oh." Sue dropped the card in her hand. All eyes turned to her. She had gone pale. "This is a beautiful card." She placed it and the letter back in the envelope. Placing it and the two underneath off to the side. "I bet it would really sparkle in the sun with the glitter."

Billy inhaled deeply then continued the conversation. "We'll take care of her, Renee. She's family."