Disclaimer: I own nothing but the ideas that deviate from Stephanie Meyers.

A/N: Thank you for giving my story a chance. I enjoy and encourage constructive criticism and all praise. All I ask are no flames. Also, I do not have a Beta so all mistakes are mine. I've tried to go through and catch as much grammatical errors as possible. If there is anything glaring wrong, please let me know. Thanks!

Alpha Female

Chapter 1

"Bella you're finally here," I heard my mom, Renee, before I saw her as I disembarked from the plane. She sounded excited but I wasn't. I would rather be back home, in Washington, with my friends. I hated these two weeks every summer.

"Hi mom," I faked a smile and hugged her back. As soon as I pulled away I was grabbing my cell to turn it on.

"Oh what are you doing?" Renee asked.

"I have to call dad and everyone to let them know I landed safe," I rolled my eyes and kept walking towards the door. I had only brought a carry on since I wouldn't be here very long.

I should back up a bit and tell you who I am and what exactly is going on. My name is Isabella Marie Swan, but I prefer to be called Bella. My parents divorced when I was 10 and my dad fought to keep me with him, which I am eternally grateful for. When mom left, she moved to Phoenix, AZ and started a new life. She was such a flake and was calling my dad all the time to help with bills. Since they had been married just over 10 years and she never worked, my dad had to pay alimony. Granted it was a lesser amount so my mom didn't have to pay child support but that didn't stop my mom taking more from dad any chance she could. My mom couldn't keep a job and I think she purposefully didn't try to find someone new to marry since the alimony would stop then. I felt really bad for my dad.

"Where are you going?" Renee asked. "Don't we have to go to baggage claim?"

"Nope, I have everything right here," I pointed to my carry on and pressed send to call dad.

"Hello," my dad answered on the first ring.

"Hey Dad," I smiled. "I just landed and mom was here waiting."

"Sounds good, baby girl," I could hear the smile in his voice. "You have fun and I'll see you in two weeks."

"K, love you," I was counting the days, hours, minutes, and seconds until I could go home.

"Now who are you calling?" Renee demanded. We had made it to the car as I talked with dad.

"Paul and everyone," I said as if it was obvious.

"Hello."

"Jared?" I was confused. "Why are you answering Paul's phone? Is he ok?" Paul LaHote and Jared Cameron were two of my friends. Leah Clearwater rounded out the ones that were my age. Jacob Black, Embry Call, and Quil Atera also hung out with us but mostly because my dad and Jake's dad are best friends. Those three are a couple years younger than me at 14. I'll be 16 in September, Leah turned 16 in February, Paul turned 16 in May, and Jared will be 16 next month in July. Leah's younger brother Seth is about 4 years younger than us and he hangs out with Brady Fuller and Collin Littlesea.

"He's not feeling well," Jared sounded distracted. "He's burning up but he's shaking like he has chills."

"How long has this been going on?" I demanded. I hated when my friends were sick. Normally, I make them soup and take care of them, but being with my mom right now meant I couldn't take care of him. "Put him on the phone."

"After we dropped you at the airport he was angry and started shaking right before we got home. After Charlie dropped us off, I was helping him in his place and that's when I noticed how hot he was," I could hear Jared moving and assumed he was heading towards Paul.

"Hey B," Paul was on the phone and while I could hear he wasn't feeling well I was relieved to hear his voice. I've had a crush on him since we were little. As we got older we were really close but he was a ladies man and I didn't want to be just one of his girls so I decided to stay friends with him. I figured later in life, when he's a little older and ready to settle, if we are meant to be together I'll be single and waiting.

"Paul, I'm so sorry I'm not there," I started knowing my mom was going to interrogate me later. I could see it in her eyes. She hated when I would talk with my friends. Renee felt it was interrupting her time with me but after I realized she didn't care if I actually enjoyed myself with her different projects I stopped caring if the time I spent with her was quality or not.

"Don't worry Baby B," Paul sighed. I could tell it was a struggle.

"I'm sorry Paul but you'll have to wait until Bella gets home, if she even goes back, to talk to her again," Renee had snatched my phone away before I could stop her. I thought I heard a faint roar come from Paul but she had hung up and shut my phone off before I could do anything. "You won't be talking with that boy or any of the others the entire time you are down here. You also need to start thinking about moving down here. You only have two years of school left and you are turning into a young lady and should be with your mother and not your father."

"Excuse me!" I shrieked. I was pissed. How dare she tell Paul I wasn't going back? He and all the rest of our friends knew I hated coming here.

"You heard me," Renee glanced at me as she drove. I knew we were almost to her place. "I'll call Charlie and let him know you lost your cell privileges for the duration of your stay and he'll have to call you on the house phone."

I knew this was going to be bad. Something felt wrong as Paul was fine when I left. If he got sick, it shouldn't have hit so quickly after I left. I would have noticed something in the days leading up to today if he had been coming down with something.

I know I sound like a mother hen, but in our group that was my role. I'm not the oldest female, that is Leah, but I've always been very maternal. Jared and Leah are like my cool older siblings, they were always looking out for me, especially when it came to guys. They knew my preference of not dating right now and did their best to keep the guys at school away. Jake, Embry, and Quil were like the annoying little brothers that are always following you around but you love them anyways. Seth, Brady, and Collin I knew looked at me as a cross between an older sister and mother. I knew they all had moms, but since everyone in our group except me was Quileute and we all lived on the reservation, their parents, or parent as most only had one, worked long hours, the younger boys looked to me.

I knew money for the people on the reservation was very tight. I've lived on the reservation my entire life since my dad was the chief of police for both the reservation, La Push, and the town nearby, Forks. It didn't hurt that he was best friends with Chief of the Tribe, Billy Black, either. While Dad did his job at a severely reduced pay, I helped in my own way by cooking and looking after the younger kids. I have always felt like I was meant to help care for the people of the reservation.

Once we got home, I took my things to my room and tried to think of away to call any of my friends. I knew Paul was probably pissed and freaking out. While I was either a mom or sister figure for all of our friends, Paul and I had a different relationship. I knew if he would stop dating around we would be together and I think that's the difference for us. He didn't have any good role models as both his parents have abandoned him and he's scared of commitment.

"Mom, please let me call Paul and assure him I'll be home in two weeks," I had finally went downstairs after about an hour and started begging. "I'm sure he's freaking out. Please."

"No, Bella," my mom was firm. This was a new side to her. She's normally very flighty but for some reason she was actually fighting me on this. "Besides I told you, you need to think about staying down here. We can get you signed up for school in the fall and go shopping. I know you'll need new clothes since your's are mostly for cold and rainy Forks and not warm and sunny Phoenix."

I was just letting my mom ramble now. She wasn't going to give in right now so I would have to bide my time. Maybe when she went to bed tonight I could sneak a call into Paul. I had already told her I wanted to call Charlie before I went to bed and she insisted she needed to be in the room to ensure I didn't try to call my friends. I could feel it in my bones that this was the start of something and I just hoped it wasn't the start of me living with my mom full time.

The next day Renee got me up at the crack of dawn. I had barely slept because I was worried about everyone back home. I calmly asked for my phone as if it was something I did everyday but she shot me down and said I couldn't have it for the entire two weeks.

"Today you'll meet my boyfriend," Renee sighed as she started talking about this guy named Ray. Apparently he was a biker and would be around most days. I wasn't thrilled about meeting her boyfriend. I had met a new boyfriend at each visit, sometimes two or three in one visit so I started to tune her out.

"Bella are you listening?" Renee demanded.

"No," I was honest and not apologetic at all.

"Well I said Ray and I are going out tonight so you'll have the house to yourself," she repeated. "This is just a taste of the freedom you'll be able to have when you live with me. And please be nice when you meet Ray. He'll be here shortly."

"Ok," I gave her a small smile. I mentally crossed my fingers hoping to be able to call Paul when she left tonight. I decided to be civil and complacent for today hoping she wouldn't realize what leaving me alone would mean.

"He's here," she squealed when we heard a knock at the door. I just stayed in the kitchen and ate my breakfast. Tonight could not get here fast enough.

"Ray this is my daughter Bella," Renee introduced us. Ray was about 6 inches taller than me and my mom, so about 5'10, overly muscular like a bodybuilder with tattoos all up and down his arms.

"Hi," I smiled and waved. "It's nice to meet you." I kept reminding myself to play nice for now.

Ray nodded and turned towards my mom to ask if she was ready. Of course my mom being flightly just laughed and told Ray to give us a few minutes and we would be ready to go. She then pulled me upstairs and told me to put on jeans and a t-shirt and to pull my hair back. Since it was my standard wear I did just that.

"Bella this is Ray's friend Scott," my mom said when we got outside. Scott looked just like Ray except he was in his early twenties, fortunately, and was sitting on his own bike. I assume the bike next to him was Ray's. "You'll ride with Scott today while we hang out."

"Mom, I've never been on a bike before," I lied. I had been on a bike with Paul multiple times but I really didn't want to ride with Ray's friend Scott. They both looked creepy to me.

"It's easy," Scott piped up. He had been checking me out and now I was really weirded out. I just wanted to go home to Paul and the rest of my family.

"See honey, you'll be fine," Renee laughed and climbed on behind Ray. Scott grabbed me and pulled me behind him. I automatically wrapped my arms around him wishing it was Paul sitting in front of me.

I thought back to the last time Paul and I went for a ride. It was the last day of school and we knew it would be the last time until after my visit with Renee. Since Charlie worked such long hours it was easy for us to get his bike right after school and go for a ride. We had to make sure Charlie didn't see me on the bike so we knew we'd only have about an hour before he came to do his shift on the reservation. He grabbed my hand and took off at a jog so we could get to his place faster. I laughed and tossed my bag to Jared as I knew he would drop it off at my place so if my dad did stop by the house he would assume I had been there and was just with one of the gang.

Once Paul and I got to his place he made sure I had a helmet and a leather jacket on before starting the bike. He was always making sure I was protected and I knew the safest place for me was with Paul. He took me to our spot, a little clearing in the woods right on the edge of the reservation. If we left the clearing we would be leaving the reservation. All we would do is sit and talk. Sometimes we wouldn't talk but just sit there next to each other. In those moments I felt like we could truly make something between us work, but I knew once we left the clearing it wouldn't last, not yet.

As we rode around to different places I kept thinking of how I sat cuddled with Paul in the clearing a few days ago. It was the only way for me to not vomit whenever Scott would touch my hands or arms. When we would stop and walk around at some of the outdoor markets he would put his arm around my shoulders or waist. I kept finding something else to look at that would cause me to walk away from him.

"Did you leave any hot water for me?" Renee demanded. I had jumped straight into the shower when we got home to wash off Scott and the day.

"I'm sure I did mom," I sighed. "I'm just going to get into some comfy clothes to watch TV in tonight while you go out."

"Scott offered to keep you company tonight," my mom said before I walked away.

"Oh, no, that's ok," I declined. "I just want to relax after being out all day. I'll probably crash early."

"Well if you're sure," my mom was getting in the shower and not even paying attention to the conversation anymore so I ran to my room and pulled on my pajama pants and one of Paul's t-shirts I had stolen before coming down here. This one I had just recently taken, but most of the shirts I sleep in are Paul's. He knew and always gave me his shirts when they started getting too small for him.

I went and turned on the TV and was watching some random show when Renee walked down ready to go out. I figured if I showed her how I was just being lazy she wouldn't suggest Scott staying again.

"Bella, Ray's here and we are heading out," my mom called from the doorway.

"Ok mom, have fun," I called back but made no move to get up.

I waited until I heard the motorcycle leave and then counted to sixty before getting up to lock the door. I glanced out the window and saw no one there. I then high tailed it to the kitchen where I saw my mom put my phone.

Once it was powered on I saw my voicemail was full and I had over 30 text messages. I figured I listen to them all later and called Paul.

"Hello," a deep voice said. I didn't recognize it as anyone I knew.

"Is Paul there?" I really didn't care who this guy was, I just wanted Paul.

"I'm sorry he's not available," the guy sounded exasperated.

"Please, tell him it's Bella, I know he'll want to talk to me," I begged.

"Baby B?" Paul was finally on the phone. The other guy hadn't said anything so I'm not sure how Paul knew it was me but I didn't care either way.

"Paul!" I shouted and couldn't help the sigh of relief that escaped me. "Oh Paul I want to come home. Renee is delusional. She wants me to move down here. She gave me some bullshit reason about a girl needing to be closer to her mom as she gets older. She has some creepy biker boyfriend and made me ride with the guy's friend all day. It was weird because her boyfriend's friend kept trying to casually touch me. Please come take me home!" I was crying and didn't know if he could even understand a word I was saying but I knew Paul would always be there for me.

"Don't worry Baby B," Paul soothed. "I'll be there as soon as I can. I promise to bring you home. I won't let the bitch keep you. We need you here. I need you here." The last part was said so softly I wasn't sure if I had heard it or imagined it.

"Paul, I don't know if I'll be able to call you again," I had calmed a little but was still hiccuping from crying. "Renee has my phone locked up and the only reason I was able to use it is she went out tonight. If she realizes it she'll never leave me alone again."

"Paul you can't go," I heard the guy who answered say.

"Paul, please," I was begging again. I didn't know who the guy was I just knew I needed Paul.

"I'll be there Baby B," Paul said and I could tell he was trying to soothe me while putting his foot down with the other guy. "I gotta go so I can get to you. I want you to relax and get some sleep. Make sure you put your phone back where your mom had it so she doesn't know you called me."

"I will," I promised. "Be safe." I hung up before he could say anything else. I quickly turned my phone off and put it back where Renee had it. I looked at the time and realized I had been on the phone with Paul for a couple hours. I went to sleep feeling oddly calmer now.