Chapter 1

"Good afternoon, Aunt Sue! Smells great here!" I cheerfully greeted as I walked into her kitchen. My name is Jennifer Angevin. This has been my routine for the past week.

My family just got back into La Push. My mother is half Quileute and my father is full. To be clear, my father claims that we are somehow related to the Blacks, not the Clearwaters. Aunt Sue is my godmother. My family and them are just very close friends.

I originally reside from La Push, but my parents relocated us when I was nine. My parents made the move because they were wanting a change. The opportunity presented itself when my mother's brother offered a temporary job. He opened a new liquor store and needed help. I guess after a few phone calls, my mother convinced my father to give it a try. We never meant to leave La Push for so long.

"Hey, Jen! You know, ever since you guys got back, the weather has been so clear. It's bizarre!" Aunt Sue said as I entered. She was right. The summer weather has been clear, bright, and beautiful all week.

After a decade, I've graduated high school. Like Rachel, I'm hoping to study in Washington University. And now that we're back, we've opened our own corner store right here in La Push.

"I blame global warming," I giggled. When Uncle Harry passed away, my father was the only one who was able to fly in and attend Uncle Harry's funeral. Since then, I would overhear my mother talking to Aunt Sue. They were always so hush-hush. I suppose my parents made the right choice waiting until I finished high school to come back because not long after, Seattle suffered a massive missing person reports for a while. My mom told me Aunt Sue said it wasn't a good time to come back. Things weren't great. Eventually, the strange stuff happening near La Push stopped, but I couldn't get over the unsettling feelings that overcame me.

I handed her a large grocery bag my parents sent me to deliver to her. They were setting up the shop for a grand opening next week. I had a strong hunch that I'd find out what the contents of the bag were later. Aunt Sue was currently baking. There was a bonfire being held tonight at the beach. It was a welcome-home occasion for my family. Everyone was going to be there. I spent most of my childhood around the Clearwaters, but I was familiar with everyone.

Apparently, Emily and her fiancé, Sam, were hosting. Billy and Old Quil were going to be there, too. Despite having been away for so long, my parents remained a part of the council. I left Aunt Sue and popped into the living room. The TV was on, indicating someone was there.

"Hey, Leah! How are you?" I asked as I sat on the couch next to her. Some movie was playing on the screen I didn't recognize.

"Hey, Jay," she replies, using the nickname she gave me as a kid. It rhymed and it just stuck all these years between us. Leah is probably one of the coolest people on the planet. She's as beautiful as a model. I almost didn't recognize her when she, Seth, and Aunt Sue came to pick us up at the airport earlier this week. Talk about puberty and a major growth spurt for the both of them. With my petite frame, I felt so small next to them. Not even a minute passed when Seth comes down the stairs.

"Jen! Ready for tonight? Everyone is excited to see you." Seth plops down in between Leah and I on the couch.

"Everyone?" I asked.

"Yeah, the pack," Seth says, as if I should've known.

Leah elbows him. "Oof. right. It's been a while," he laughs, rubbing his ribs. I look at him curiously and try to remember who the pack is.

"What pack?" I asked.

"Uhm, I meant the guys. Haha, the gang. You know Emily and Sam." Seth looks up at nothing in particular and counts off on his fingers, "There's also Jared and Kim. Of course, Paul and Rachel. Quil, Jake, Embry, Collin, Brady, and the Elders."

"We're not that old to be labeled as such, Seth," Aunt Sue chimes in from the kitchen.

I chuckle at her comment. Leah simply rolls her eyes.

"He's right, you know. They've all been so annoying," Leah says.

"I thought it was strange at how quiet it's been all week. La Push isn't very big. My dad finished renovations months ago, and my mom even decorated the whole place before they sprung the news on me," I said.

"That's because most of them have been out of town," said Seth.

"Boys are just as bad with gossip as girls. Besides, you're the most interesting and normal thing that's happened around here," she shrugs.

I laugh at Leah.

"I know you definitely remember Emily, Brady, and Collin, but what about Jake? You guys were pretty close, too, right?" Seth asks.

"Of course, I do! I know Quil and Embry, too. They were my best friends next to you guys. I guess when we moved, connections kind of faded and scattered."

"Yeah, I know. Those parties your parents threw were the best when we were kids! I missed them. The guys actually all hang out pretty often so this'll be great! It's a real reunion having you back," Seth said excitedly.

"Small world," Leah mutters.

Before we moved, my parents hosted a parties at our house nearly every weekend. We never sold the house but kept it vacant and maintained. Occasionally, my father called to check up on it. When Uncle Harry passed, it was the final push we needed to come back to La Push. My house was the hotspot back in the days. It also helped that we lived within walking distance to the beach. We celebrated holidays, birthdays, everything. It was how I spent my childhood. It was how most of us spent our time together.

Emily spoiled me the most as a kid. She always had that gentle, motherly nature. She chased me around and spoon fed me when I didn't want to eat. My mom claimed Emily was the only one whose hand I didn't refuse, next to Leah. Leah would try to keep me out of trouble and occasionally sneak me candy. If I wasn't running around with Seth, Collin, and Brady causing mischief and mayhem, I was usually with Rachel and Rebecca playing with dolls. As for Jacob, Quil, and Embry... There's a picture in one of our albums of Quil's face marked up in green. I attempted to draw him as a cat with marker. And Jacob, I vaguely remember making mud pies with him and Bella Swan on occasion when our dads hung out. Charlie was also a good friend of my father. I feel like with all the connections my parents had, we could've formed our own mafia.

"Embry used to carry me on his back from time to time. He always ended up tossing me into the ocean, though," I said quietly, as I fidgeted with my fingers in my lap, a small smile playing on my lips.

"Awe, how cute. Maybe it'll happen again tonight," Leah teased. I look up from my hands to see Seth and Leah both smirking at me.

"What? Why do you say that?" I asked them hesitantly.

"Nothing," Seth says as he breaks into a full smile and shrugs. "It's just that seeing your first boyfriend, and all again, must be a little nerve-racking."

I feel my cheeks flush red. I grab a cushion pillow and smack Seth in the arm with it. "Oh my gosh! Shut up! Of all things, he told you that?!"

Seth bursts out laughing and Leah smiles, turning her attention back to the TV.

"I can't believe this. How embarrassing," I mutter into the pillow on my lap that I buried my face in. I turn my face to the side and ask Seth, "How did I come up anyways? I was like, eight. We didn't know any better, okay?"

Billy and my dad were fishing somewhere nearby while my mom was frying the catches of the day. There was a TV program on in the living room one late afternoon at my house. One of the adults probably forgot to shut off the TV. It was a small gathering compared to one of our infamous parties. Normally, I would've just changed the channel to cartoons, but I thought the woman on TV was so pretty. The twins were nowhere in sight, so I kept watching. The lady mentioned the word "boyfriend" a couple of times. The next thing I remember was seeing Embry in front of the screen. He turns off the TV and then Jacob appears next to me.

Instead of protesting, I asked with my head tilted, "What's a boyfwiend?"

Jacob replies with, "Ew. That's grown-up stuff. Come on. Let's go swimming Rachel and Rebecca are already out there with Dad. Your mom said Quil might be here later," and then runs out the back door. Embry lowers his back to me so he could carry me out to the beach.

"Let's go," he said.

I ask again as he lifts me up, "What's a boy-fwiend?" He follows Jacob out the same door.

"Grown-up stuff," he answers.

"Oh. That'll be forever," I said disappointed. "The lady was pwetty."

"Hey, when we grow up, you'll be pretty and I'll be your boyfriend, okay? Then you'll find out," Embry says as he tried to cheer me up.

"Okay!" I respond.

"Come on slowpokes! I'm gonna win!" Jacob was halfway to the beach already and started running again when he saw us catchin up.

"Hold on tight, Jen. We're coming!" Embry called back to Jacob.

We meet Jacob in the water, and he splashes us. It was a little chilly, but the sun was warm enough. Embry gently spins still carrying me, kicking up water towards Jacob. I squeal, and the next thing I knew, Embry drops me.

Seth manages to say in between his laughter, "We were on patrol and when I mentioned you, he had flashback."

"Patrol?" Seth was using some slang I really needed to catch up on.

This time, Leah smacks him in the arm and answers, "They bumped into each other when they were jogging."

Seth is rubbing the spot where his sister hit him and smiles sheepishly. Before I can ask what flashback Embry had, Aunt Sue called out.

"Alright, kids! Let's start bringing this stuff out to the beach. I'm in charge of set-up," she says as she pops her head into the living room.

"Yes, ma'am!" I said, still smiling at the thought of Embry as I got up and followed Seth and Leah into the kitchen. His back was always warm.