Summary: When Bella Swan first shifted, she'd expected to hunt vampires and protect the tribe with her brother, Emmett. But when she finds her mate in the most unlikely of people, everything she knows changes. Can love change prejudice and defeat decades old boundaries?
Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns everything and I own nothing.
Sunlight shined upon the cliff side for the first time in weeks, its warm beams a nice contrast to the typically cool air of Washington. On the edge of the cliffs stood La Push's trusted guardians, their rambunctious laughter filling the air as they taunted each other. They jostled the youngest members of the pack, acting like they would toss them over the edge into the deep waters below, but they never did.
They were a family.
Bella Swan was lying in the grass not too far from the others, a chest wrap the only thing between her and the rays of sunlight on her back. Arms tucked beneath her head and eyes closed, she took in the sounds of her companions. She could hear Jacob's roaring laughter and her brother's light-hearted jeering, but she couldn't bring herself to abandon the comfort of the sun dancing along her spine.
In the grass beside her was Leah, the only other female shifter in the pack and one of Bella's closest friends. They'd grown up together on the Rez, spending their years teasing Leah's little brother Seth and thwarting Emmett's attempted pranks. They'd even joined the pack together, both shifting within a week of the other – Bella first, then Leah.
"Bells!" Emmett called out through the noise of his fellow shifters, nudging Paul out of the way. "C'mon, we're about to start diving. Quil thinks he'll have the best splash but we both know I will."
Bella rolled her eyes and glanced up at the beast she called brother. He was tall and muscular, easily the biggest of the shifters, but noticeably paler than the others. His chocolate gaze held an immature gleam and Bella knew that he was planning something to ensure he won. "I'm perfectly happy right here, Em."
Emmett pouted, his bottom lip stuck out as he stared at the lounging girls. "Bella," he whined.
Shooing him away with a flick of her wrist, she returned her head to her arms. She wasn't about to plunge into that freezing water. Yes, she might have a high body temperature – higher than the other shifters – but that didn't mean anything. Diving into the cold ocean wasn't her idea of a fun time.
A mischievous grin tugged at the corners of Emmett's mouth and he stooped down, gathering a squawking Bella into his arms. He tossed her over his shoulder, completely unfazed by Bella's kicking feet. His boisterous laughter echoed through the trees and he tightened his grip, but Bella didn't give up. She continued to struggle, digging her nails into his bare back. She wasn't going, dammit!
Emmett released a pained hiss, but didn't let go. He braced himself and bolted toward the cliff's edge, the crowd of shifters parting for him as he ran. Jumping over the edge, the Swan siblings plummeted through the air towards the water.
Bella screamed as they crashed into the water, Emmett finally letting her go as they breached the surface. The water wasn't as cold as she'd expected, but it was still colder than she enjoyed. She swam upward until her head was above water, gulping in a lungful of air as she waited for Emmett to resurface. The moment he did, he was met with an angry glare and a mouthful of water.
"Dammit, Emmett!" Bella yelled.
He grinned. "Oh c'mon. That was fun and you know it."
Letting out an exasperated sigh, Bella started towards the shore, splashing Emmett as she passed him. She was not amused. Howls of laughter were heard from the top of the cliff. Obviously they thought what had happened was hilarious.
Assholes, Bella grumbled, flopping onto the beach.
She could hear footsteps coming near her and she tilted her head back, catching sight of Leah with a white cutoff shirt – very similar to the ones Leah herself usually wore - in her hands.
"Here, figured you could use this since…" she gestured at Bella's soaked chest wrap.
Smiling gratefully, Bella sat upright and accepted the article of clothing. Tossing it on, she brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. She rested her chin on her chilled knees and looked up in time to see Seth and Embry falling into the ocean. They popped up seconds later, grinning like wild men.
Emmett wandered onto the beach, droplets of water rolling down his chest and dripping onto the sand. He settled beside Bella and ran a hand through his short hair. "Are you really mad at me?"
Sighing, Bella knocked her shoulder into Emmett's good-naturedly. "No."
"Good," Emmett grinned, ruffling Bella's hair.
Bella growled playfully at Emmett, snapping at his hand. He jerked it back with a yelp, the feeling of her breath on the tips of his fingers startling him. She'd come a lot closer to his hand than either of them had anticipated.
Leaning back on her arms, Bella closed her eyes and pointed her face skyward into the sunlight, a sigh falling from parted lips. It was so rarely sunny in Washington; she was going to enjoy it while it lasted – which probably wasn't going to be very long. If it lasted longer than a day, she'd be surprised.
-X-
Summer nights were Bella's favorite time of the year. A sunny day that bled into a clear, cool night? Perfection at its finest.
Spending all day on the beach with her pack had been a bonding experience that they'd needed but now, hours later, she was on her own patrolling the edge of the Rez, keeping a watchful eye for anything out of the ordinary. There had been a few new scents popping up along the border recently and it concerned both Sam and the Elders.
It wasn't uncommon to smell vampires in the area. Sometimes the Cullens hunted a little closer to the boundary than they meant to and – while it bothered the Quileute tribe – it didn't break any laws, so there was nothing to be done. However, these scents were new and new often meant dangerous. If the Cullens didn't have any new members of their coven, then those smells spelled trouble.
Bella had never seen the Cullens before. Hell, she'd never seen a vampire in general. She'd only been a member of the pack for about three months and nothing had really happened in those three months so this was exciting to her. It shouldn't have been, but the idea of finally flexing her muscles and showing what she could do was a bit exhilarating. She knew some of her pack mates looked down upon the female members of the pack and she hoped that – should it come to a fight – she'd be able to prove them wrong.
She and Leah were just as capable as they were, thank you very much.
You find anything? Jacob wondered, his voice booming into her mind.
No, Bella replied, shaking her head even though she knew Jacob couldn't see her. He was on the other end of the Rez, keeping watch in case they decided to reappear. Nothing.
Me neither, he sighed.
Glancing around, Bella echoed the sentiment. There wasn't much they could do; they couldn't venture off the Rez to search for the scents and Sam was far too proud to ask the Cullens for anything so they were at a complete standstill. She didn't understand Sam, but he was Alpha, so she didn't question him. One day, if he went too power-hungry, she might challenge him for her rightful place as Alpha, but for now, she was more than happy following his lead.
A rustling in the trees nearby startled Bella and her head snapped around, narrowing in on the sound. It was past the border, so she couldn't investigate but that didn't stop her. No, she'd work around the treaty. Making her way over to the ravine that separated their land from the Cullens', she walked along the edge, picking up speed as the rustling moved. Whatever was running, it was fast – faster than an animal or a lost human.
Bella chased after it, keeping pace with whatever it was. She wasn't going to lose it and she sure as hell wasn't going to let it try and cross over into their territory. The rustling grew louder and a bleating noise rang out before it was abruptly cut off.
Creeping forward, Bella peered over at the clearing across the ravine and froze. There, only a few feet away from her - and from the treaty line - sat a girl, her teeth sunk deep into the neck of a buck. Most of her face was buried against the buck's neck, but Bella's heart still dropped into her stomach. She didn't know why though. She wasn't afraid - this had to be one of the Cullens - yet her heart stayed firmly in the pit of her belly.
She stood there for what felt like hours, simply watching. She couldn't manage to tear her eyes away. There was something mesmerizing about this pixie of a girl. Her inky black hair was wild and spiky, but not unruly or unkempt. She was dressed fashionably, despite the fact she was hunting, and it made Bella want to chuckle.
Who dressed like a runway model to go hunting?
She also didn't smell like Bella had thought she would. She'd heard her pack mates moan and rant about how sickly sweet vampires smelled and how much it made them want to throw up, but this girl didn't stick. In fact, she smelled nice; like the earth and flowers and a little too much perfume. It definitely wasn't bothersome like Jacob had said.
When the Cullen was finished drinking from her prey, she daintily wiped her mouth and looked around. She paused when she noticed Bella, but didn't seem too upset with her presence. She merely rose up from the ground and wiped the dirt from her dark jeans. It wasn't until they locked eyes that everything changed.
In a split second, Bella's entire world shifted on its axis. Everything began and ended with the vampire across from her. All she wanted was to cross that line - break the treaty and step on their land - just to be near her. She'd seen Sam's memories of imprinting on Emily, felt the emotions that had surged within him, and knew within seconds what was happening.
She imprinted.
On a vampire.
On a Cullen.
Bella, are you okay? Jacob's voice seemed so far away. As the silence mounted, he grew more concerned. Bella?
Bella stared, wide-eyed, at the vampire. She didn't know what to do; should she tell Jacob? Should she phase back into her human form and try to talk to the Cullen? Should she run away and never tell a single soul about this? The last one seemed a little dramatic, but dammit, she had no idea what the right course of action was anymore!
The girl on the other side of the ravine tilted her head, studying Bella intently. Her golden eyes were bright and expressive and her shy smile was utterly intoxicating. Bella's heart pounded violently in her ears. God, if her voice was half as lovely as she was, Bella would surely die the first time the vampire spoke. That much was certain.
The thunderous fall of paws against the earth dragged Bella from her thoughts and she peered into the trees behind her. Jake, it's okay. I'm fine.
Her head turned back towards where the vampire was standing, but much to her disappointment, the little pixie was gone. There was no sign she'd ever been there, aside from the deer carcass laying discarded not too far away. She jerked her head about to try and see if she could spot the tiny vampire, but evidently, she was long gone. If it weren't for the dead deer and the faint smell of fresh flowers, Bella probably would've thought it was all a dream – a mirage built from boredom.
Jacob trotted over to Bella and snorted. Ugh, there was a bloodsucker here? Why didn't you say anything?
I'm pretty sure it was just a Cullen.
Jacob shot her a look. Still, you should have said something. Just because they're a Cullen doesn't mean they aren't dangerous. Bloodsuckers are all the same.
Bella rolled her eyes. Jacob could be so prejudice sometimes. She knew he hated vampires, but the Cullens sounded alright from what she'd heard. If all they wanted to do was fit in, why couldn't the tribe find it in their hearts to respect that?
Jacob snorted again and turned away, heading back into the brush. I don't think we're going to find anything tonight. We might as well report back to Sam. He'll want to know that one of those leeches got so close to the Rez.
Huffing, Bella followed after him. Really, Jacob? She didn't do anything wrong.
Her existence is wrong, Bella, Jacob scolded, his tone reminding Bella of a parent chastising their child. It bothered her more than she cared to admit.
They wandered back into La Push in silence. Bella was doing her best not to think about the vampire, knowing that Jacob would lose his mind if he knew the truth. He might be one of her best friends, but their friendship wouldn't curve his hatred. In fact, it might make things worse. It was the worst kept secret in La Push that Jacob had a crush on her. Bella had known about it for years, but they never spoke of it. It was safer that way. If they didn't discuss it, then she wouldn't have to break his heart. She loved him, but she wasn't in love with him and – now – she never would be.
-X-
So, this is the second time I've ever written a Twilight fanfiction and honestly, the first one wasn't my best work so I deleted it. Uh, if you like, you should totally review if you want. I'll keep writing whether there's reviews or not but I do enjoy them. I love hearing people's thoughts and stuff. So, yeah.
But, until next time, peace out!