AN: Okay so I totally forgot to put this on here for the prologue, so to clear all this up, I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT CHARACTERS that are carelessly being manipulated for my own pleasure, but I mean common, what else would anyone do with them? And just to point out, I love Paul. I wish he was in the stories more than he is, so I decided to give him his own story. I have nothing against Rachel (his should be imprint) but she just doesn't work for me. So here we go... on to the story.

~~ Stephanie


Vexation

Prologue

Aunt Karren watched me with speculating eyes, measuring every seemingly insignificant reaction playing on my face. I wanted to tell her to stop, that no matter how hard she looked she wouldn't find whatever it was she was searching for. But I couldn't find the words; which for a fact, was not surprising in any sort of way considering I hadn't spoken in days. Funny that it really was only days since I'd lost it. Lost them. It felt like an eternity already.

Forcing those thoughts away I focused on Karren. My aunt was of Quileute origin, a small Native American tribe in North-West Washington. She inherited the raven hair and dark skin of her people. We were blood relatives but you'd never believe it, her brother was my father and he too possessed black hair and a russet skin tone. My mother was the complete opposite, with flowing golden hair and baby blue eyes as light as the clear sky on a summer day. She was petite and soft, while my father was tall with strong facial features, and they complemented each other so perfectly.

My eyes watered as their smiling faces entered my mind, I squeezed them tightly shut, hoping to force the images bound to follow out of my mind.

"Summer. . ." my head snapped up at my name, a reflex that I wished I had some sort of control over. Aunt Karren took one look at my hazy eyes and stood from the chair across from me, leaning over the small table to embrace me. A shuddering breath escaped me as I too wrapped my arms around her slightly taller frame.

"Sweetie, it'll be okay. I'll take care of you now," Aunt Karren cooed, her voice getting rough with unshed tears. I tightened my arms around her in response; burying my head in her dark hair and breathing in. She smelled like the ocean and the woods all mixed together. She smelled like home.

She embraced me for a while before gently pulling away, holding my shoulders at arm's length and just looked at me.

Taking a hand from my shoulder she lightly brushed a stray tear from her cheek smiling sadly at me. She dropped her gaze to the table in between us, then her eyes snapped back up to mine and I saw determination there.

"We need to have to some fun, take our minds off of everything. How about we go down to the beach?" She asked brightly and I readily agreed. I needed something to do, something to keep me busy or I feared I'd collapse into myself. I had a feeling if that happened I wouldn't be able to get myself back out again.

Parting ways Aunt Karren and I went to our bedrooms and got swimsuits on. My bedroom had light purple walls and hardwood floors. It was small, smaller than the one I'd had in Illinois, but not small enough to be uncomfortable, or it wouldn't be after I unpacked all the boxes currently cluttering the floor and covering my new bed. Finding the right box with my swimsuit in it wasn't all that difficult, considering the large word "SWIMSUITS' written in thick sharpie marker. I pulled out the dark red bikini, wishing for the first time in months that I'd bought something that covered a little more.

Sighing I stripped and put on the bikini, pulling on a pair of jean shorts before looking at my reflection in the full length mirror on the back of my door. My eyes zeroed in on the small scar partially covered by my bikini top on my ribs. It was only two or three inches long but it was an angry red still, jagged and ugly.

Forcing my eyes away from the hated reminder, I examined my body. I was tall and curvy with long legs and a toned stomach. My arms were thin and strong. Light blonde hair tumbled over my shoulders and down to my waist in loose curls. Looking at the face reflected back at me I dissected every feature. My cheek bones were high and dominant with a shorter face and a heart shaped chin, a small top lip with a larger bottom lip. Two rows of small white teeth, thanks to three years of braces, a small nose sat above them, it tilted slightly up at the tip and above that was two large blue and green eyes framed by thick black lashes.

I knew I was attractive to most men, I'd been told on many occasions, and I saw what would be attractive to them, I wasn't insecure about my looks, but I hated that that was all they seemed to see. I hated the skin deep reactions people had to me. They never looked past the pretty face at what was happening underneath the surface. Again I cursed myself out for not bringing a swimsuit that covered more skin. Knowing there was nothing more I could do I left my room, not once looking back at the girl in the mirror.

It wasn't overly warm here, not as warm as I was used to that's for sure, but it was warm enough for laying out on the beach, and even possibly a swim. Aunt Karren and I met back down stairs and filled a basket with sandwiches and drinks before heading out. On my way to the door I caught the time on the stove and sighed. It was already 2. P.m. I'd only been in La Push for eight hours.

On the short walk to the beach Aunt Karren and I chatted back and forth about simple things like boys and school work and what not. Pretty much anything that wasn't too deep, wasn't too easily upsetting. I told her about my more than nonexistent boy knowledge and my nearly perfect grades, which I'm sure, will take a definite hit with me transferring schools.

"There a lot of boys on the Reservation that I'm sure would just love you," Aunt Karren said enthusiastically, tugging a piece of my long blond hair as if that was proof. Looking at my Aunt I wondered idly why she wasn't taken herself. She was a few inches taller than my 5'6" frame and she had a stronger body in general but she had long raven hair and a beautiful face, it seemed odd to me that she wasn't married.

"I'm not really good with guys," I laughed, trying to get the matchmaking thoughts right out her head. I didn't need a boyfriend right now.

"I doubt that highly, a pretty thing like you, I'm sure the boys fall all over you," I ignored her, just shaking my head with a smile on my face. I couldn't help but notice the slight expectant smirk that turned the corner of her lips up.

We reached the beach in record time and I sighed, breathing in the scent of the ocean and the comfort the white sand gave me as it squished in between my toes, covering my feet until all left to see was the neon pink of my nail polish.

"Speaking of boys. . ." Aunt Karren trailed off suggestively, drawing my attention away from my feet. We were barely on the beach and already I could see a group of boys, seemingly around my age goofing off in the distance. They were so loud that I didn't understand how I could have missed them before.

There were about seven of them that I could see, some a bit younger than the others but they all looked like they could be brothers. All seven of them had dark russet skin and cobalt black hair, custom of the Quileute tribe. On each of their right arms there was an intricate tattoo, which was easily visible considering none of them were wearing anything above the waist.

They were casually throwing around a football and laughing. They reminded me of a group of jocks at my old school and I was immediately intimidated.

"Let's go say hi," Aunt Karren suggested smiling wildly at my scared expression, I tried to say no but she just dragged me along anyway.

"I don't think that's a good idea. . ." I trailed off eyeing the boys, who still hadn't noticed our presence on the beach. They just continued tackling each other and I couldn't help the queasiness from spreading in my stomach. I hated meeting new people.

"It's a great idea," she dismissed me easily, still dragging me by my wrist over to the group of large Quileute boys.

"Hey boys!" She called loudly, successfully drawing their full attention. As if they recognized her voice all of the guys turned to her with wide smiles, not faltering in the least when their eyes fell on me. It seemed like even some of the younger boys' smiles got larger while they took me in. I carefully looked away from them, feeling the blush slowly creep up my neck.

"Karren!" They responded in earnest, all seemingly happy to see her. She released my arm when we were mere feet away from them and continued to embrace each of them in full, laughing as they passed her from man to man. I realized that they really weren't boys, they were men, all standing tall and intimidating at least a foot taller than me.

The first to really notice my presence seemed to be the oldest out of the group, which he appeared to be about twenty-five. He came up to me with a smile. His eyes were dark, almost black and I found myself intimidated even more by him, even despite his smile.

"Hey, I'm Sam. You must be Karren's niece." He held out his hand to me and I stared at It wide eyed, forcing myself to react and shake his hand. My own small pale hand came up to his much larger tan one and it appeared to be almost consumed. His hands felt like they were on fire and I instantly recoiled. Pulling my hand behind my back I looking apologetically back at the over grown man before me.

"Summer." I said quietly, not meeting his eyes. It took me a moment to realize that the group of men were no longer laughing. Glancing up I caught Aunt Karren's eyes. Her dark eyes seemed concerned, probably now understanding what I meant when I said I wasn't good with guys.

Taking things in stride Sam turned his still large smile to his friends. "Guys , this is Summer, Karren's niece." He told them, but I felt like I was missing something, given the knowing tone of his voice and the matching knowing expressions on the faces of the men, well all except one.

One of the guys in Sam's group stood slightly apart from them with his arms crossed over his broad chest and a sneer on his face. And he was glaring right at me. My eyes widened fractionally as I met this angry man's gaze. The honey color of his eyes was lighter than his skin, but not by much. It looked like it had green flecks around the pupil if I concentrated enough. I had the overwhelming urge to be close to him, a reaction alien to me.

The expression on his face morphed as he looked into my eyes, the sneer fell from his lips into a look of awe, this look only lasted a second and then he shook his head and began to tremble, his jaw clenched and his teeth bared as he stared holes into my soul.

"Shit." I faintly heard someone curse before the man I felt so compelled to turned on his heal and sprinted from the beach and through the trees near the ocean. I sucked in a lungful of air and felt like I'd been punched in the gut.

Before I could collapse to my knees in pain, two large russet arms came around my waist, holding me up before I blacked out.

As darkness invaded my vision, faintly in the distance I heard an agonized howl.


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