Like a Wolf

Disclaimer: I do not in any way, nor will I ever, own Twilight. Just letting you know.

Chapter One

"Jake, stop!" I giggle-shouted and he picked me up and threw me over his shoulder. Damn the fucker was getting huge. I felt the water splash around his ankles as he ran into the water and threw me. My body went under and I floated down until I touched the bottom and pushed up from the sand. When my face broke the surface, I spluttered and fake glared at him. Of course he just stood there grinning like the big idiot he is.

Behind him, Embry and Quil were howling with laughter at my pissed off expression. Paul was just now walking down the hill of the beach towards us and I could see him grinning at the situation.

Placing my hands on my hips and marching up to Jake, I glared up at him because despite our age difference, he still towered over me. I hoped that didn't mean what I thought it did. His smile wavered for a second when he saw my faux anger and then I shoved him so he fell back on his ass. Aha. Take that stupid boy.

A collective "Oooh" came from the guys. It was my turn to look cocky and smirking and then I stuck my hand out to help him up. Of course I shouldn't have done that because instead of me pulling him up, he pulled me down.

Once more I splashed in the water, "Augh, you suck, Jacob Black," He just laughed again and helped me up. Quil tossed us towels and we all went and sat on the tree trunk where Paul had taken residence.

As they all laughed and joked while we sat there, waiting for someone's parent to call us all for dinner, I smiled around at them. These guys were my best friends, my family. Ever since I changed and became a part of this supposedly mythical world of werewolves and vampires, these people had become my family. Sitting around me were two wolves and two humans. Embry had just had his first change last spring/summer and was still getting used to it. Paul had been one of the few first but was still getting the hang of it. Myself, it had been almost a full year since I first became a part of the wolf clan.

At first, no one really knew how exactly I had become a part of the Quileute legend, there had never been a female werewolf before. Paul had been there. I was the only girl in the pack, but I was still welcomed because I was a part of it, the family. They didn't shut any of us out.

It was a month after I changed when I finally broke down and told Charlie of what had happened, confused as hell and looking for answers, I asked. How the fuck did I get Quileute blood in me? And of course it had to be a pack leader's blood otherwise this never would've happened. I got a broken hearted answer from Charlie and I instantly regretted asking.

Charlie and Renée had gotten into a big fight when they were engaged and broken it off for a little bit. Renée had been upset and a little depressed, not knowing what to do and somehow ended up with Billy. One night, that was all it took. She was knocked up and she and Charlie were married and he was none the wiser. Renée knew though, but never told him. That is until the night of my first change. That had been what they were arguing about.

It was interesting because I didn't look like Billy at all. I had all Renée's genes, lucky for her or Charlie would've gotten suspicious.

I did get one thing from Billy. The gene that triggered the wolf inside me when I hit a certain age. Billy thinks it might have never been triggered unless two things happened. One is vampires in the area. The other being something making me highly upset. At the tender age of sixteen, my parents arguing over something had obviously upset me, especially when I felt so responsible for the divorce. The other trigger was easy because there had been three bloodsuckers in the area causing mayhem.

We killed one of them, I think his name was Laurent, and the other two scattered before we could get them too, leaving the one as dead, not even caring. Uncaring and cold. That's what they are.

The good thing that came out of this was that I got a whole new family. Jake was my half-brother and even though it was all sort of awkward at first, no one really knowing how to take the information of Billy and my mom…erm…getting it on, but everyone got over it and it was fine. The pack really is my family. Billy will never really be my dad, it'll always be Charlie. He could never replace him in a million years, though I still love Billy in his own way.

Something bounced off my head and I blinked and looked up at Jake's worried face, "You alright, Bella?" I smiled reassuringly at him, because really, how could I not be? Jake was still human, though we had taken to keeping an eye on him because it was pretty inevitable. He was the son of a chief for fuck's sake. It had me worried and watching him nervously all the time. When a couple vampires had come through last spring, I had been by his side the whole entire time. We had kept a steady eye on them though, but none of them had laid a finger on any of the humans in Forks or La Push and neither Jacob nor Quil became a part of the pack but Embry did. Technically Forks is free game, but since I live there, it's watched as well.

"Yeah, just thinking, is all," He reached over ruffled my hair and I grimaced at him.

"Get your head out of the clouds, Bella, one day, it'll get stuck and we'll have to pull you from out of the sky," I quirked an eyebrow at Paul because the boy made zero sense at all. He just shrugged when everyone gave him a weird look.

"Anyway…" He continued, "Emily came down earlier and said dinner would be ready at seven and hey, would look at that, it's seven-ten," At the mention of food, all the guys scrambled to get up and ran up the hill.

I trudged up behind them and eventually reached the small house and could hear all the guys' voices inside and know they're already here. Emily throws the door open with a wide smile and I can't help but smile back, "Hey Bella! Glad you're here. I made more than enough and even saved some from the boys so there would be some for you," There were sounds of protesting that they didn't eat that much from inside and I laughed.

"Thanks, Emily, you thought of everything," I teased, "And you all eat like you've never seen food before and you know it!"

Once the guys had stuffed themselves to the breaking point and Emily and I had eaten what they didn't, we sat all five of us into their living room. Jake and Quil had left with Embry when Embry had suggested they go take a midnight swim. I figured it was a rouse to get them out so we could talk about something important.

I had borrowed some of Emily's clothes when I had gotten here and was currently sitting in a toasty pair of sweats and a t-shirt while my wet clothes were in the dryer. Somehow I had gotten stuck between Paul and Jared and the two were arguing loudly. Even though there were only five of us in here, it certainly felt like more when you were shoved between two large Quileute boys who could burst into a large wolf at any moment.

In fact, Paul was starting to quiver slightly so I gently placed my hand on his shoulder and gave him a meaningful look. He sighed in response and went back to staring at the fire.

Curious, I looked at Jared, "What were you arguing about, anyway?"

Jared grinned, "I told him I could control myself and shift better and faster than he could. You know Paul, he got angry because I was damaging his pride," He snorted and I laughed because that was just so Paul. Even shorter tempered than most wolves.

Sam cleared his throat and we were immediately quiet and looked at Sam. When Sam had news, it usually wasn't good.

Without getting up, Sam addressed all of us, "Okay, so this morning I got a letter. It was addressed to the 'Quileute Wolves'," From the tone of his voice we could tell he thought this title was stupid, "And this letter was from a certain vampire clan," There was a single note of growling from both sides of me and I frowned. Why would they send us a letter?

Sam continued, "It's from the Cullen coven, letting us know that they were coming back to town and that they remembered the treaty we had set up, telling us that they would keep it in mind and not break it."

"When are they coming here?" Paul asked.

"Tomorrow," Sam looks apologetically at me, although it's really not his fault that the freaking bloodsuckers decided to come to Forks on my birthday. It's not his fault that I'm going to have to share classes with the sickly sweet smelling vamps. It's not his fault I'll have to watch my back practically all day long because the treaty only keeps them from stepping foot on La Push.

Everyone is quiet for a few moments as they soak in the information. Then Sam announces that we'll all be taking rounds for the first couple months to keep an eye on them and make sure they don't go back on their word.

A little while later we all get up to leave and Emily is telling me about her plans for my birthday dinner. My birthday. Every year I try to get the guys to not do anything, but despite my pleas, there's always a bonfire or dinner or something.

Jake dropped me off at home when I walked back down to the Black's and I dashed inside when I got home, hoping Charlie wouldn't be too mad that it was past curfew.

Of course he was still awake. Sitting there on the couch with the T.V. on the news. He looked up when the door opened and I kicked off my shoes, "Bella?" He called and I sheepishly walked into the living room.

"Yeah, Dad?"

"Where were you? It's past twelve," Which of course is my curfew. Not that it's really that strict because if I call before curfew and say I'm going to be late then it's fine with him and what not. It makes me glad they let me tell Charlie about it all, otherwise this would be a very complicated situation.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, Dad, but I just got caught up at Sam and Emily's because Sam had some news for us and I forgot to call," I smiled apologetically, really hoping that he wouldn't be too mad, "I'm really, really sorry."

He sighed and got up from the couch, flicking off the television at the same time, "It's alright, Bells. I just worry about you," When he got over to me, he slung his arm around my shoulder, and we both walked upstairs.

"Yeah, I know," Moving to Forks was probably one of the best decisions I ever made. I love my mom, but she really just needed time with her and Phil. Plus it gave me more time to be with Charlie and get to know the guys in La Push.

We parted at the doors that led to our rooms and he turned and said, "Happy birthday, Bells. 17, what an age," I smiled and walked into the bathroom across the hall to brush my teeth and get ready for bed.

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By the time it was seven I was running out the door with a pop-tart hanging out of my mouth. I nearly fell into a puddle and tripped about ten times trying to get to my truck. It's pathetic how uncoordinated I am but luckily I get to the big red monster I got a year ago without being drenched in water on the ground.

Slow as ever, I finally got to school, stuffing the last of the pop-tart in my mouth and grabbing my bag, I hopped out of the safe warmth that is my big, red truck. I eyed the shiny new car in the parking lot and scoffed. These damn vampires always loved the expensive and the shiny. Made them think of themselves, the selfish bastards. If I was lucky, I wouldn't have any classes with them and wouldn't have to smell their sickly sweet smell. A shudder went through me at the thought of it. Gross.

"Bella, wait up!" I turn around and spotted Angela running over to me, dragging her boyfriend Ben behind her. Angela was cool and one of the only tolerable people around here. I mean, I can't be a complete loner. Jessica Stanley was alright, but a bit too flaky sometimes. Don't even get me started on
Lauren.

I kept my eyes peeled all morning for any pale, red-eyed (although according to Sam they actually have golden eyes because of their diet) leeches. They were nowhere to be seen, but what did I really expect? For them to be hanging out with their prey? Yeah, totally…

And I didn't see them for the whole morning. Every class I kept my eyes peeled for them, but the only thing that let me know they were here was the faint smell that lingered where they had been. That and the large amount of gossiping. In trig with Jessica, she wouldn't stop talking about the 'totally hot new kids'. From her, I learned that there were five of them, and they were all 'adopted' by the 'good doctor'. Yeah, okay. Apparently, Jessica was determined to ask one of them out, despite the fact that she had been swooning all over Mike ever since last year.

It was when I was walking to lunch that Jessica was informing me about every little detail she could scrounge up on the new kids when I entered the cafeteria and the smell really hit me. I tried my best not to growl or scrunch up my nose at the smell but I don't think Jessica even noticed the change in my expression because she kind of squealed and went, "That's them!" and then pointed to the incredibly pale and golden eyed vampires sitting alone at their own table.

They really all were beautiful, but what else did I expect from the parasites? They all seemed to be…together, or something. The big bulky one was with the outrageously gorgeous blonde, and then the tiny one with the other tall blonde. There was an odd number though, and one seemed kind of left out. Of course he was undeniable beautiful with the weird colored hair and what not, but again, that's to be expected. My eyes kept going back to that one. I absorbed as much information as I could to tell the guys later.

"You see the big one? That's Emmett. He's with the model type girl, that's Rosalie. They're both seniors along with the other tall blonde guy, that's Jasper," I realized Jessica was still talking to me so I tuned in to listen, "Yeah, he's with the short spiky haired girl. That's Alice. She's a junior, like us. And then there's Edward," There was a dreamy like quality in her voice and I refrained from snorting when she discreetly pointed at the bronze haired bloodsucker, "He's the only single one. They all moved from Alaska or something."

I frowned, finding a hole in their little story, "Wait, how are they dating if they're related?"

Jessica laughed at my question, "Oh Bella, that's gross. No the two blondes are twins, the Hales, and then Edward and Alice are twins and Emmett's their brother too. The ones dating aren't related," She giggled again and we started walking again. When we passed their table, the loner vamp was frowning but looking down at his full tray while the pixie chick was blatantly staring at me. I stiffened when I noticed her staring and tried to hold my breath when I went by. I don't think I'll ever get used to that smell.

Plopping down at the table I usually sit at next to Angela, I shuddered and looked over my shoulder once more at the table. If you ask me, the blonde guy looked really nervous and his eyes kept darting from table to table. The little one was still staring and I grimaced at her. A smile graced the corners of her lips and she got up and threw away her still full tray. Ridiculous.

Angela turned to me and noticed my staring, "So I see you met the new kids on the block," I laughed and nodded, turning away and taking a large bite of the pizza in front of me.

"Yeah, pretty, ain't they?" I commented and she nodded.

"Sure are, but kind of makes me wonder what exactly kind of doctor their father is," She was grinning to let me know she was joking, but I still choked on the pizza in my mouth laughing.

"Angela, I don't think people give you the credit you deserve. You are not a quiet little nerd. You are damn funny."

"Well thanks, Bella. I appreciate it," She gave a little bow, "Hey, isn't it your birthday?"

I groaned and Mike turned our way on hearing 'birthday', "No shit, Arizona? Your birthday?"

Another groan came when hearing the nickname he had dubbed me when I moved from Arizona back in seventh grade. Add in the fact that he heard it was my birthday and it just makes it all that much better. I nodded solemnly and he positively radiated sunshine, "Well that's fantastic! You're a whole 'nother year to closer to being an official adult! We've just got to do something for it!"

Great. Michael Newton is now aware that it's my birthday, "Thanks a bunch, Ange," I muttered under my breath and she snorted behind her hand and sent me an apologetic look. At least I have Emily's as an excuse so I turned to Mike, "So sorry, Mike, but Emily's having all the guys in La Push over so I can't. Sorry," He looked so sad about this little piece of news that for a moment I actually did feel bad.

"Well, happy birthday, anyways, Bella," He said as happily as his little sad puppy dog face could. Apparently everyone around him heard and there was a whole well wishing of 'happy birthday, Bella'.

By the time lunch was over, Angela couldn't stop laughing at my expense, even when we parted ways on our way to the next class. Rolling my eyes, I made my way to biology, watching the Cullens disperse throughout campus, but not seeing the one supposedly called Edward. Hoping he wasn't off sucking the blood out of some poor, unsuspecting girl, I ran off to my class.

But surprise, surprise, I found out where the missing vampire went. He went to biology with Mr. Banner. My class. In the only available seat in the room.

I'll give you one try to guess which seat it was.

I froze. He didn't even look up. Mr. Banner didn't look up. No one noticed that there was a vampire sitting next to me. Well, I guess that's a good thing, but fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Okay, I can deal with this. I can.

So as civilized as I could, I went over to my seat, dropped my books on the table between us and sat down rigidly. I didn't look at him. I swept my hair to one side to create a curtain between us and stayed that way the whole entire period, studiously taking notes and avoiding looking at the bloodsucker next to me.

When the bell rang, I couldn't have been any happier. He swept out of the room without a backward glance and I exhaled loudly.

It wasn't until I was on my way home that I realized that Edward's smell was actually…

Really good.

This is going to be a long, long year.

A/N: I'll keep it short. I honestly cannot believe I've been so long w/o writing. I'm sorry times a million, but it's not just this one that's been delayed. I have not touched a word processor in over a month, not because of lack of interest, but just that I've been distracted. That's what I'll keep it to and that I'm sorry this has been delayed.

Thanks to everyone that reviewed the prologue. It's kind of a weird idea, but it's fun to write. Hope y'all are still around to read. :)

hugs&kisses, leave me some love.