A/N: Chapter Two! Yay, this story is cruising along quite nicely, if I do say so myself. I work ten hour days, sometimes seven days a week, so I've rarely got time to type. Hope you all are enjoying the story, and forgive me for such a short chapter last time, this one will make up for it!
Seth POV
Chapter 2 - Sea Green
It figures that today would be the rainiest, coldest day of the month. I always got the crappiest days when I volunteered to cover someone's patrol. Jacob and Nessie had taken off for their honeymoon last night, and Leah wasn't feeling like patrolling, so being the loving brother I am, I told her I'd do it.
Stupid chivalry.
It's been eight years since I first phased and my dad died of a heart attack. Eight years since I'd become friends with the Cullens. Mentally, I'd aged way beyond what a normal twenty-three year-old man would, but physically, I hadn't changed a bit.
Stuck somewhere in my mid-twenties physically, technically I could age if I so chose, but I felt like I should wait. That if I did age, I would miss out on something critical to my survival. I've always followed my gut instinct and it hadn't led me astray yet.
I'd been roaming the line along the Quileute reservation when I heard Jacob's voice in my head.
Seth, dude, Sam says that you need to book it over to your house pronto. He and Leah found someone out in the woods, and she's refusing to take care of her. Sam still has to be out on patrol.
That piqued my interest. It'd been a while since anything interesting had happened around here. Last piece of action I'd gotten was when a vampire had started feeding of hikers near the rez. That was almost a year and a half ago.
Sure thing Jake. Shouldn't you be enjoying your honeymoon in Alaska, not phasing to check in on the home front? I replied, all ready trotting the familiar path home. It would only be a couple of minutes before I arrived. Leah would survive.
Sure, sure. Trust me, I'm far past enjoying it. Images that Jake could control sharing blared through the mental path of the pack.
DUDE! Phase back before I'm scarred for life. Those are not the type of things I want in my mind of Nessie. She's a great girl and all but…
The mental path went blank, so I knew my complaining had worked. It had been bad enough when I had first phased and every time someone imprinted, it made the boy in my soul gag and the emerging adult curious. Some things a fifteen year-old just shouldn't know.
Luckily, with the Cullens living up in Denali the past few years, no other kids had burst into giant wolves. There were five in Jake's pack - once Embry and Quil decided to cross over to "the dark side" as we jokingly refer to it - and eleven in Sam's. Once none of us continue to age (other than those who imprinted on humans and decide to) it will start to look a little suspicious.
I don't know about anyone else, but I have no intention of becoming a government science project.
I phased as I reached the backyard of my house, throwing on the sweats I had tied around my ankle, and strolled through the kitchen door. I could hear Leah yelling and Sam's hushed agitated responses.
"I don't care if she wakes up! She looks like she's half dead all ready! Where is Seth? I'm not playing babysitter all day for some stupid girl who didn't have enough sense to get out of the rain."
Sometimes my sister can be a downright bitch.
"I'm right here, Leah," I said, walking into the living room and shaking my head to get rid of the rain in my hair. Her only response was to huff at me and storm up the stairs.
"Hey, Seth," Sam greeted me, pulling me in for one of those quick, affectionate man hugs. The kind that say 'Great to see you, but I really don't want to be mistaken in how much affection I actually hold for you.'
I smiled apologetically. I didn't have to say anything. Sam knew me well enough to know that I was sorry for the way Leah treated him. I glance quickly at the figure on the couch. I couldn't see her through all the quilts she was wrapped in, but she looked petite.
"What's the story?" I asked, curious as to how the bundle on the couch had gotten there.
Sam shrugged. "Nothing really. I don't know anything about her. Leah was trying to take a chunk out of Paul for harassing her when we came across her. She was conscious, but barely. I hope she hasn't caught pneumonia or anything. Dr. Gerandy will be here in a few hours to check on her, but I need you to stay here with her and make sure nothing happens out of the ordinary in the meantime."
I nodded. I didn't mind not having to be out in the rain, and - I'll deny it if it's ever said - I'm a softie when it comes to a damsel in distress.
The girl under the pile of blankets coughed violently and the top quilt slipped to the floor, revealing her face.
The ground fell away. I was floating toward outer space with no hope of returning. Then a cable anchored me, followed by a million more. No one and nothing mattered but her. She was the reason my world revolved, the reason the sun rose every morning.
I caught my breath as the reason I'd been waiting opened her lovely sea-green eyes and looked at me.
