Chapter 2 - Muzzle Of The Wolf
Within seconds the three guys who answered the door had shoved between Sam and Jacob and burst into their wolf forms and started circling Cassie. Somehow they'd backed her down the steps of the porch and into the middle of the yard. Sam and Jacob were standing outside of the circle the other three had basically made.
Jacob stepped up, "Who gave you this letter?" Cassie was trembling from head to toe, "My sister Bella Cullen." Jacob's scowl deepened, "You smell like a vampire...You know what we do to vampires right?" It was Cassie's turn to frown, "Says the man who used to be in love with my sister." The wolves surrounding Cassie all started coughing. Cassie knew it meant they were laughing. Jacob growled, "SHUT UP." As he kicked dirt at the three wolves. Cassie jumped at his roaring voice, "I'm not a vampire. I smell like one because I've lived with the Cullen's since I was 17. They are my foster family. Do I look like a damn vampire?"
"NO!" A female voice drew everyone's attention, especially Sam's as he turned to the small woman, "Emily, get back in the house." Emily scowled at Sam, "Sam Uley! I know you're not letting these boys intimidate someone who should be treated as a guest in our home!" Cassie stifled a giggle when Sam physically cringed when the lady known as Emily verbally chastised him. Sam looked down at the petite woman standing next to him, 3 claw marks marring the right side of her face, "Emily she smells like a vampire, she was living with vampires...How do you know she's not one?"
Emily shook her head, "Look at her eyes. She's got blue eyes you morons. Even contacts couldn't cover up the Cullen's gold eyes or regular vampire's blood red eyes. What did the letter say?" Sam growled a little more as he handed over the letter. Emily smiled as she took the letter and read it, "So the Cullen's are asking you guys to protect her, until they can send for her...Did you ever think of asking what she needs protection from?" Sam sighed heavily as he looked down at her, "I hate it when you're the voice of reason." Emily threw her hands in the air, "Clearly someone has to be. You know before you let the boys tear apart a human."
Emily walked over and stood next to Cassie, "Oh yea she looks like she's gonna eat me for breakfast Sam. What is she a 100 pounds...maybe. Cassandra, that's your name right sweetie?" Cassie nodded, "Cassie for short or Sandra." Emily nodded curtly, "Why don't you come into the house and have something to eat and you can explain what's going on. I'm sure you're tired from your trip." Cassie smiled softly for the first time since she'd left her family, "Thank you Emily." Emily nodded as she wrapped her arm around Cassie's shoulders and then looked back at the wolves, "Get yourselves phased and dressed and relax in the living room because we're having a discussion tonight about how to improve our manners with strangers. You too Jacob and Sam."
The three wolves whimpered as Sam made a face, "You know why they reacted the way they did Em." Emily glared at Sam, "I don't care...She's a human for God sake...What if they had overreacted and hurt her when they phased? Would you be able to live with yourself for letting it happen?" Sam frowned as he looked at the ground knowing he'd done it to Emily and had to live with looking at her scars for the rest of his life. Suddenly feeling bad for letting the guys phase that close to Cassandra. Emily tightened her arm around Cassie, "I didn't think so."
Once Emily had Cassie situated at the kitchen table with a plate of spaghetti and French bread, Cassie ate a couple of bites and suddenly noticed there were a couple more guys in the kitchen including the three who had gone all wolfie on her. Plus a couple of girls that Emily introduced as Claire and Kim, who both looked like they were no older than 16 or 17. Emily sat down next to Cassie, "Okay sweetie what's going on."
Cassie put her fork down as she exhaled shaky, "My parents were murdered when I was 17, the Cullen's had been lifelong friends with my mom and dad for as long as I could remember. The authorities in Canada decided that since Carlisle and Esme wanted me to live with them so I wouldn't have to go into foster care, they allowed them to adopt me. My parents and I knew what they were. But we also knew the morals they had established as a vampire family living among humans. They have a strict set of rules that they live by and they never falter from them. When I turned 19 I started dating a guy named Neil, everything between us was extremely fast and volatile. Within the first few dates we'd had, I knew Neil was no good for me. And it got even worse when I took him home to meet my family and he went all wolf on my family and tried to kill all of them. Neil had figured out I was a human, and could smell their scent on me and knew what my family was. My family survived without killing Neil, and relocated so many times. But there's only so many places you can hide in Canada. The last time Neil got a hold of me to try and get to my family, Carlisle asked Bella to write a letter about asking you to protect me until they could permanently relocate somewhere where he can't get to me ever again."
Sam's eyebrows shot up, "This Neil guy is a werewolf?" Cassie nodded, "He's from the Huron Indian Tribe of Canada, they have been called, 'Muzzle of the wolf' tribe." Sam scowled, "When's the last time you physically saw him?" Cassie sniffled a little as her shaky hands came up and slowly pulled the scarf from around her neck, "Two days ago." A few gasps were heard in the room as all eyes fell on her brilliantly purple bruises around her throat and neck.