Penelope - A Sham of a Wedding

"They're only getting married so they can have sex."

I smacked my forehead hard enough that it actually hurt a little bit.

"What?" Brady asked. "That's just word on the street."

"And what street do you live on?" Leah drawled. "Sesame Street?"

Collin snickered.

"You're just mad because you aren't getting any." Brady was scowling.

My mouth dropped, and I let out a shocked laugh.

"Brady!" Emily shrieked, storming into the room and grabbing the young wolf by his ear. "That was so inappropriate."

Brady groaned as he was dragged away by Emily and her surprising show of superhuman strength.

I met Leah's eyes, and she rolled hers.

"Don't be like him," she warned Collin. "You'll never get a girlfriend. Or friends."

Collin nodded and then went to the kitchen to find something to eat.

I settled back into the couch in the living room, and I turned to Leah.

"Speaking of dating…"

Leah snorted. "I can't even go there right now."

"Single?"

"To mingle."

"Ah, I see," I said. The corners of her mouth lifted into a smile.

"You know there's still hope, though, right?" I asked. "To imprint?"

She shrugged. "I don't know if that's what I want."

"What do you want, then?"

Leah leaned back into the couch and sighed.

"I don't know what I want."


Jacob - Anger

I don't get why shit like this has to happen to me.

"Why are you doing this?" I demanded.

Bella averted her eyes. "I love him."

I felt like she had punched me in the stomach, and it actually hurt. "You love me, too."

She looked at me pityingly, and it infuriated me. "It's not the same."

I was shaking with anger; the leech chose that moment to appear.

"Ten minutes is up, Dog."

If anyone else said that, I would have laughed. Instead of saying anything, though, I let the anger and hurt and fury I felt fight to the front of my mind and smugness settled in when I saw him wince.

"How does it feel?" I asked.

"Painful," he snarled.

"Good," I replied.

Bella looked frightened, and as she stepped forward to intervene, I disappeared into the forest, phasing as I went.

I ended up going to the only place that seemed right at a time like this: the cliffs.


"Maybe this is a good thing," Penny said and flopped on her back. She moved her arms to make an angel in the sand. "I don't know her, but she seems kind of…indecisive."

"She has a thing for guys with extreme body temperatures," Embry explained. "I think before she was deciding whether she was into hot guys or cold guys."

"Ah," Penny said. "So she's one of those girls."

I couldn't help but crack a smile.

"Can't make up her mind," Embry said, shaking his head.

Embry sat in the sand near Penny and their hands found each other. Neither one of them seemed to notice, but I did. I longed for that sort of simplicity.

"Why do I do this to myself?" I groaned.

"You're…a watchamacallit," Penny said pensively.

"A delicious chocolate treat?" Embry guessed.

Penny rolled her eyes. "No. A masochist."

"Ooh," Embry said, grinning. "I like that. So…specific. I'm glad I got myself such an intelligent catch."

"And I'm glad you're so…" Penny looked thoughtful for a moment. "I'll get back to you on that."

Embry pretended to look wounded. "I'm hurt."

"Awh," Penny giggled, "A werewolf giving the puppy-dog look. Aren't you just a stereotype."

"You guys aren't helping," I said, but it was somewhat a lie. They fed off of each other, and if they were trying to distract me with their banter, it was working.

"We were supposed to be helping?" Penny asked.

"You already vented," Embry pointed out.

I rolled my eyes and, noticing this, Penny said, "Forget you."

"Sure, sure."


Penny - Alert the Authorities

"It doesn't seem very legit," I said as Embry and I walked to his house. "He's like five hundred years old, and she's like ten. Isn't that illegal?"

"I don't think that's how it works," Embry said, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

"I think we should alert the authorities," I said.

Embry laughed. "That would go over well."

For a moment, I worried about Jacob's mental health instead of my own dwindling state of mind.

"Is he going to be okay?" I asked.

Embry shrugged. "He doesn't have much of a choice."

"Ain't that the truth."