Chapter 1
I pulled up outside a small, red tinted house and sighed as I cut the engine to my 2005 Volkswagen Polo. I guess I finally arrived at Aunt Sue's house, where I would be staying for the duration of a year until I set off for med school. I stared at the steering wheel for a while, attempting to pull myself together, this would be an awkward day to say the least. I haven't spent any long amount of time with my aunt and two cousins since I was 5 years old, fear began to wrap its way around me and I wished that I could just turn around and go back home. But there is no home for me to go back to, not anymore. I turned to look out of the window and at the small house I would be calling home when an extremely tall, extremely muscled, shirtless male opened the front door beaming in my direction before starting towards me. I took a deep breath before opening my door and climbing out of the car. As he got closer, I realised this man was actually no man at all, but my cousin Seth, whom I hadn't set eyes on for three to four years now and he hadn't looked like that the last time I saw him. He pulled me into a bear hug when he reached me and I squealed in protest. Ouch, too tight. He pulled away from me to look at my face, his becoming serious for a while.
"How you doing?" he asked me, worry spreading across his face.
I smiled up at him trying hard to cover the sorrow. "I'm good." I lied.
Sue came hurrying up behind her son and pulled me into a hug next, and a much more comfortable one at that. She pulled away to brush the hair out of my face before saying, "I'm glad you're finally here, I've been so worried about you."
I smiled at her reassuringly. "You really don't need to worry about me Sue, I can survive anything." She gave me an 'I-doubt-that' face but smiled none the less, trying to make me happy, I presume.
I turned back to my car to start pulling out my belongings, only to find it already being attacked by several other shirtless men, all much larger and more muscled than Seth. I felt my jaw drop as I took them in and heard Seth's laughter somewhere far away. Within seconds my car was empty and my bags and boxes being carted into the house. Wow!
I stammered pointing at the gorgeous men stealing my stuff and Seth laughed even more.
"Car's empty." I heard a stunning, husky voice call as my car door got slammed shut. I turned in time to look straight into an exceptionally muscled, bare chest. I snapped my jaw shut and took a few steps back to look up at the face who owned that chest. It was useless though, my jaw dropped even more than before as I stared into his dazzling, almost hazel coloured eyes. The world seemed to disappear; it was like nothing else existed except him. He stared straight back, the shock on his face soon turned into a grin, then a brilliant smile.
Someone cleared their throat next to us making me jump and scream a little. "You were staring," Seth giggled nudging the man in the arm. "Did you just –" He was cut off.
"Shut up." The man glared daggers at him, I'm not going to lie it was a little scary.
"Kyah, this is Jacob Black." (Pronounced KYE-UH) Seth muttered before walking off looking at the floor and grumbling.
"Hi," he smiled that brilliant smile at me again, making me melt. "You remember me?" He asked, his voice making my knees go weak. Oh get a grip woman, I chastised myself.
"Ummm, vaguely." I pulled an apologetic face which just made him laugh a little. God I could listen to that laugh all day long. "I did leave when I was five so you can't be mad at me." I giggled at him like a two year old. Stupid!
"I'll never be mad at you." He said, again my jaw dropped like the fool I am and I just stood staring at him because I didn't know what I was supposed to say to that. Is he flirting with me?! No. Why would a guy that looks like that flirt with me? Mental sigh.
"Are you okay?" He asked me whilst I was kicking myself for being such an idiot. "You look angry."
"What?" I stammered. "Oh, no. I'm fine."
"Okay, why don't we get you inside so you can freshen up?" Sue interrupted us. Oh my god, I had completely forgotten she was there! I nodded at her and let her guide me into the overflowing house.
There was a tiny hallway for coats and shoes a set of stairs and a white already opened door that lead straight into a front room / kitchen / diner all in one. It was decorated cream, with cream carpets and tiles to match, and covered with family photos. It was small, but homey and comfortable. It was also filled with shirtless men, who I was beginning to realise were actually all around my age, some a little older and a couple a little younger (as far as I could tell anyway).
Leah jumped on me, grabbing me into a tight hug. "I'm really sorry I couldn't be at the funeral." She whispered into my hair. "My boss wouldn't give me the time off." She glared over at Sam for a while and turned back to me smiling sadly.
Leah and I got back into contact with each other when Sam and Leah's relationship was called off (to put it nicely), she had come and stayed in New York with me and my parents for a little while after and we had remained close ever since. I looked over to Sam and back again at her slightly confused as to why he was still hanging around. "It's okay." I told her as she let go of me.
"You need to meet everyone, huh?"
"Yeah." I laughed at her. "Trust you guys to have a house full of people for me to meet the second I get here." I was trying to sound light and well you know, okay, but I think it came off in a kind of begrudging way.
"Okay, well over there is Jacob, Quil and Embry." She said pointing to a group of three guys, I vaguely remembered, Jacob still staring at me. "And then there's obviously Seth, and that's Colin and Brady with him." They were the ones I thought seemed younger than the others and they smiled up at me before glancing at Jacob who was glaring at them and immediately turned away from me. "You'll be doing your last year of school with that lot. And then obviously you know Sam, and that's Paul and Jared with him." They waved a little, smiling at me and I recognised them as Sam's friends whom I vaguely met before. "And the girls are Emily, Kim and I guess you remember Rachel." Leah finished pointing to each girl sat with the last group of men Leah had mentioned.
I just nodded because no, I didn't remember Rachel but she was smiling at me as if I should.
"Is this a bit overwhelming for you sweetie?" Sue whisper yelled over to me.
"What?" I had been looking at Jacob again. Damn it! "Oh. No. I'm okay. Just a lot of names." I smiled at her again but she can see straight through me.
"Well, why doesn't Leah show you to her old room?" Sue asked.
"I'll do it!" Someone rushed, I turn towards that gorgeous husky voice again and that brilliant beaming smile of Jacob Black and mentally melted right on the spot.
"Is that okay with you Kyah?" Sue questioned, worry spreading across her face.
"Ummm, yeah if I'm allowed boys in my room it is." I glanced at her.
She looked over to Jacob with a look on her face that I didn't recognise and then turned back to me. "You're allowed Jake in your room." She said, as if there was a difference. Well I guess he is more man then boy, I thought checking him out and then realising they were all staring at me. I felt my cheeks redden a little.
"Okaaayy." I said awkwardly which just made his smile bigger and me feel like I should be a puddle on the floor by now. "I guess I'll just follow you then." I mumbled to him looking at the floor in embarrassment.
He flashed me those brilliant white teeth once more before turning and walking through the door I had just come through and up the small staircase. My room was the last down the narrow hallway. Jacob opened my door and marched straight in, holding it open for me before closing it behind us.
The room had the same fluffy carpets as downstairs and same cream walls. The wall straight in front of us had a double bed backed up against it and two windows – one either side of the bed, the wall to the left had a built in wardrobe and the wall to the right had a small desk and chair in front as well as another door. It was small and cosy and actually kind of perfect.
"So you think you'll adjust okay to reservation life instead of living in a big city?" Jacob asked me making small talk as he sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Yeah I don't see why not, I only have to get through a year really." I told him. His face dropped, sadness filling it.
"What? Why?" He almost stammered.
"College." Isn't that kind of obvious? "You don't plan on going, do you?" My voice changed almost sounding condescending. He shook his head. "Why not?"
"I'm needed here." He told me, his voice darkening a little. I gave him a questioning look but he didn't say anything. I moved to sit down next to him on the bed and he shuffled closer to me. "Are you really okay?" he asked me worry dominant in his tone. I just nodded afraid my voice would give me away. "Why are you lying to everyone?" I didn't say anything. Does he ever give up? He sighed, his face saddening. My heart reached out to him, and I felt myself saddening with him, for him. "I know what it's like to lose a parent… I know it's not the same, but if you need to talk about it with someone, I'm here for you…". He looked me in the eyes, "Always." He mumbled.
"Thanks but I don't need to or want to talk about it." I muttered wishing I could sound stronger than that.
I stood up and grabbed one of the suitcases full of clothes, placing it on the bed where I had just been sitting. I unzipped it loudly and riffled through until I found some clothes that I would look much more presentable in. I headed for the door. "Where are you going?" He asked me, confusion clouding his eyes.
"Bathroom."
He pointed to the other door in the room. "You have your own." He smiled as I passed him and rushed through the door.
The bathroom was tiny but it had the necessities, shower, toilet and sink. I pulled on a newer pair of light jeans and a cream jersey top before instantly wishing I had chosen something different and more flattering. I groaned to myself and I looked in the mirror.
"Are you okay?" I heard Jacob's now way too familiar husky voice ask through the door.
"Mhmmm, I'll be one second." I called back.
I tried to tidy my dark wavy hair a little but without any luck. It hung loose and free down below my shoulders and pretty much had a life of its own. I looked at my tan Native American skin wishing I didn't look so empty these days. Stupid car crash, I mumble-thought as I headed back out the door, leaving my discarded clothes on the floor behind me.
Jacob beamed at me as I walked back into the room, looking me up and down for a while. His eyebrows crinkled together as I moved the suitcase back to the floor to take back my position next to him. "Sue said you were in the car too?" It was a question, not a statement. I nodded to him once and watched as anger flitted across his face. His body started to shake a little and he balled his hands into fists. I placed my hand on top of one of his and felt my eyes go wide at his body temperature. Man he's toasty. I could get used to that. Wait. WHAT? He seemed to calm down at my touch. "You look okay." He mumbled.
I stood up in front of him and lifted up my shirt to expose my stomach. His face hardened and anger filled it as he observed the new three inch scar running down the right hand side of my stomach. The anger on his face soon turned to fear and sorrow as his hand gingerly reached out to touch it. He ran his fingertips over the newly healed, pink skin, leaving warm tingly trails in their absence. It felt like electricity was shooting through my body from where he touched me and the surprise on his face told me he felt it too.
He slowly pulled his hand back which I instantly regretted and stood up. "We should probably get you back down stairs." His husky voice almost whispered.
I looked up into his beautiful brown eyes and for a while forgot about the world. I sighed out loud, "There's something about you Jacob Black." I mumbled and then realised I had said that out loud too.
"Yeah?" He asked me a cocky grin growing on his face.
I just nodded once before following him back down the stairs.
