A/N: I have written and rewritten this chapter because I just feel it's awkward. It worked out better in my head, but I hope I don't lose readers over this because I do find it kind of odd myself, but if you truly think about it does make a BIT of sense what Sophie's doing. Next chapters are way better. Just try and keep an open mind. That's all I ask! Thanks so much for reading!

I couldn't believe I was making this call. I really couldn't believe it. I really believed some crackpot story about werewolves! What the hell was wrong with me? I was completely losing it. It must be the water in this town, because never in a million years would I willingly do what I'm about to do.

"Hello?"

"Mom? Hey it's Sophie."

"Sophie who?" I heard her sharp voice over the crackle of my sidekick and my heart plummeted to my feet. I held the phone away from me looking at it like it was a dead animal before carefully placing it back against my ear.

"Sophie, your daughter, Sophie." I told her weakly and Embry gave me a sharp look while all the rest of the pack looked bewildered.

"Well what the hell are you doing calling me at five in the morning?" I flipped my phone back to look at the time here. It was midnight, oh yeah time zones.

"I'm sorry I forgot the time changes. Listen, mom, we need to talk."

"Now?" My mother thundered out in a murderous voice and I gulped.

"Yes." I hesitated and looked back at all the boys around me. The eldest, named Sam, nodded his head for me to continue. It annoyed me that he thought I could be controlled and bend to his will as much as everyone else, but the truth was in my actions because look what I was doing. I gripped my phone harder. "I don't want to go back to boarding school. Just let me finish. I think it would be best for me if I stay here in the country. The air's good for me you know? I've always wanted to do the national student exchange program." No I hadn't. I'd wanted to study internationally. I wanted to got to France not Washington, but I wasn't going to point that out to my mom.

"How much is this going to cost me? How much am I going to have to pay the host family?" My mom spit out and I could just imagine her jumping out of bed now to put on her moccasin type slippers to walk out of the room and out of earshot from my father.

"I don't know." I tell her seriously and bite my pedicured nail momentarily before ripping it out of my mouth and folding my hand against my stomach.

"Sophronia De Lorme what is wrong with you? You love your boarding school. What's happening? Why are you calling me? Where is your aunt? I want to talk to her."

"Mom," I whined stepping diligently away from the ring of boys around me. I just couldn't talk with them all staring at me. "I'm fine. Nothing's wrong I've just had this inspiring thought, you know? You can understand that, I just feel that I need a year away from everything and everyone. I can collect my bearings and stuff like that. Besides studying nationally looks great on college resumes."

"Is this like a cleansing ritual that Oprah tried or something?" My mother asked me seriously and I bit my lower lip not to laugh.

"Exactly." I reply quickly with sincerity and I could hear her sigh on the other. Wow, she was really thinking about letting me do this. I knew she was busy, but I didn't know she would get rid of me that quickly. I felt a sharp pang and contributed it to the loss of my freedom rather than really search deeper for the meaning.

"Let me talk to your father about this." That roughly translates as 'Ok, we'll do this and tell him after it's all done.'

"Thanks mom. You won't regret this. I really think I'm going to change for the better. I'll be more-"

"I better not regret this." My mom hissed out sharply cutting my off before the line clicked dead. My unfocused eyes swept to the pack of boys as they all looked at me hesitantly.

"Ok mom sure. I love you, bye." I whispered sadly to no one before clicking the end button superfluously. "So I think that's a 'yes'." I tell them not even trying to sound happy about it, but Embry started shivering again from head to foot like he had done yesterday except this time he had a huge grin on his face. "Can you take me back to the Cullens now?" I was almost positive that the wedding was over and that the celebrated couple had left; so it was only a matter of time before my presence was missed.

"Sure thing." Seth said stepping forward, the first person to come near me since I scooted away from Embry an hour earlier. Suddenly an arm shot out catching Seth against his bare chest and I peered around to see Embry looking furious, his jaw muscle clenched against his tan skin.

"I'll take her."

"Embry, you're not allowed on Cullen land. Only I am." Seth pointed out diplomatically and I was so confused. Why couldn't I go with Embry? Wait, why do I care who brings me back?

Embry let out a sharp breathe before yanking his shirt over his head pressing it into Seth's chest. "Fine, but put this on; touch her once and I'll know." Seth just chuckled at his comment before tugging on Embry's shirt, scooping me up bridal style, and running away. I watched the figures disappear into the night, particularly Embry. His face was a mask of sorrow and I couldn't help but feel bad for him. He looked like a puppy that lost its mother. Then again, maybe I could compare myself to that for I had just entrusted my future for the next year in his hands. I faced forward squinting to make out the contours of Seth's face. I hadn't noticed before, but he does look quite a bit younger than the rest; his features were still rounded with youth. I don't know how I didn't see it before, maybe I just couldn't get past his height or thick muscles, but he couldn't be that much older than me whereas the others looked maybe twenty.

"You ok?" He says evenly and it's then that I realize he's not even breathing that hard. Well, I'm not fat or anything, but I mean he is running with me.

"Are you ok?"

"You do that a lot."

"Do what?" I demand

"Flip questions back around." He tells me and his cheerful smile appears again. A smile of innocence. How did I not see it before? Could this boy really be a monster like the others back there? He couldn't, he just couldn't because he was so…well, cheerful.

"Only to you because you need a taste of your own medicine. You ask a lot of questions."

"Wow, Embry's going to like you. I always said he had a thing for blondes." Seth chuckles as my head bumps with every step he takes.

"I thought he loved me already." I try to contradict him thinking about this imprint idea or whatever the hell, but he just shakes his head. I get the feeling that if his arms weren't currently occupied he'd do that little wave, like he's waving away silly ideas.

"He does, but he's not going to freak you out with it or anything. He'll come on slow. It's a bit overwhelming and I think it'll take all of his strength to break you anyway."

"I don't know what you mean, but I'm not here to be broken." I sniff and cross my arms in a childish way over my chest as Seth rolls his eyes at my comment. He stays quiet for the rest of the trip, probably trying to let me collect my thoughts. I have to admit, it is a lot to take in. I really never would have believed if I hadn't seen. I think back to when they finished telling me everything. Absolutely everything, that their werewolves, that I'm Embry's imprint or whatever, that he needs to be close to me to protect me, but these fools were not leading me any further until I had proof. Which they showed me. Well, I was almost speechless, almost. I did just see a beast jump out a man's body. That's quite frightening.

"So let me get this straight, you all are werewolves?" I state in confusion and look up to Embry as he nods once slowly, encouraging me to go on. "And that you're sorta my soul mate?"

"Sorta." He says as he cracks a grin at me. I'm not amused. This is complete bogus.

"So, if you have to be with me what do you want me to do, move here?" I ask to the general area and they all shift uneasily, every last man in this pack.

"That's up to you and Embry." Sam deems reasonably and I look to him.

"Just give me one year." Embry pleads and wipes his face with his hand. My first instinct was to tell him no, in fact it was right there, right on the tip of my tongue. Just say it Sophie, god just say it, but then I see his face as it reemerges. His dark eyes send my heart into rough palpitations. They were so intense, so dead serious that I just couldn't doubt him. There was no way he was lying to me. He could take care of me and he did have deep-rooted feelings for me, just at first glance. It freaked me out a little, but the thing was… I just couldn't break his heart. I couldn't be the one to put sorrow in his eyes. I know it's so strange, it was the most unselfish thing I'd ever done in my life, but I was not going to be the one to cause this strange man agony. Besides Chella and Anthony, my two best friends at boarding school, had already started school in France for the year. The place that I wanted to go. But they were the ones studying abroad, so why couldn't I? I hated being the one left out, but I didn't want to copy them. Ugh, no way. So it wasn't like I had a bright future ahead of me for the next year at school without them. Once they came back, I would come back.

I seriously sat in the dirt trying to envision myself 'roughing it' with these people in La Push. I picture myself gardening in a little cabin, Embry coming home to me, I'm giving everyone in town advice about fashion. It wasn't so bad when I looked at it from that angle. It wasn't bad at all. It was something new, exciting. If I could conquer this fear of small towns, then I could do almost anything.

"When do I move in?" I ask in a small voice and Embry's face nearly splits in half with happiness at my decision. I'm disgusted with myself. Looking back, how in the hell could I have chosen my own unhappiness. I truly hated this town. I feel Seth's arms drop me and I slam back into the present time. We were finally here and I'd have to tell my Aunt Renee how I wasn't going to go back with her.

"Good luck." Seth whispers into the darkness and I glare at him before resigning my face to a neutral look. It wasn't his fault I was moving.

"Thanks." I whisper back.

888888888

It turns out that it wasn't as bad as I'd imagined. I think Aunt Renee was still a little drunk on happiness over Bella's wedding. She simply replied, "What is it with you teenage girls and this town?" She agreed with my mother to stay for a while longer to help with my living arrangements. My mom wanted to stay out of this ridiculous 'cleansing ritual' as much as possible, but she did call my boarding school for me and they thought it was a brilliant idea for me to 'study within the states up close and personal'. In my opinion, I think everyone thought that I would fail. That I would be coming home soon and I wanted to prove them all wrong so badly. I could do this; I'm not a sissy, sort of. I really didn't like how tiny these towns were.

A complication I didn't foresee was the Cullens. They were extremely wary about letting me move to La Push, they even offered me lodgings with them. Now, I would have readily agreed, their house was huge and they'd probably never know I was there to begin with, but when I passed this information along to the pack via Seth, who strangely enough was the only one to ever come over in the past week, they flat out refused without reason. I didn't understand. I was so hurt because the Cullens were basically my family… through marriage or something like that, but still! So I sent Seth back with a nasty little message of my own asking them exactly where was I going to stay? Who was going to be my host/guardian? He came back with a simple reply. Emily.

I had no idea who or where that was, but I suppose it was my only option. It took forever though. The pack didn't send for me for a long time and I had no idea why. It was only much later that I learned the high school in La Push didn't really go for the 'studying within the states up close and personal' like my boarding school did. They didn't really want a person not from the tribe there at all. They had to call a council and the elders decided that it was in the best interest for the tribe, because it was in the best interest for the pack, because Embry wouldn't be able to rest if I wasn't near him. Thus the council ordered I be let in. Just like that, the school had to listen.

Aunt Renee had become restless by this time. She missed Uncle Phil and wanted to return to Florida. The Cullens assured her that I would reach my destination safely and if they felt uncomfortable then they would remove me immediately. Mrs. Cullen even talked to my mother for me and she assured her over and over that La Push was the perfect place for a cleansing ritual and that she heard Oprah herself say Washington was just the place for that kind of stuff. I had no idea why Mrs. Cullen was lying for me, but she promised my mom that she knew the people from La Push personally and that they were people to be trusted. It would be a worldly experience for me to actually live within the culture of the Indian tribe. My mom loved the sound of that one. So Aunt Renee skipped off into the sunset, or to the airport I should say, then to Florida on an airplane and then into the sunset. Leaving me in other's hands.

Seth came to collect me from the Cullens that Sunday and I was off straight to La Push or hell. Whatever name you prefer.

"We're saying that Emily applied to be a host family because she needs help with keeping up her cabin after her attack." Seth gave me a once over from the driver's seat. Then looked quickly back to the road. He'd already confessed to me he didn't have a license. Splendid, I know. "Besides everyone will believe the story because Emily's a kind person anyway. If anyone would take in a teenager, it would be her. Just stick with the story and don't elaborate. Oh and don't stare at Emily when you get in there." Seth told me as we pulled into the driveway of a small cabin flourishing with different color flowers.

"Why?"

"Hanging around werewolves has a downside."

"Really, I had no idea." I tell him sarcastically pushing my door open and Seth grabbed my huge suitcase from the back. I'd have to get the rest of my clothes later. I just packed that suitcase for two days.

"So everyone knows she got attacked by a werewolf?" I asked trying to get the story straight.

"No, they think she got attacked by a bear." Fantastic. Lies upon lies.

I march stiffly through the door and my eyes find the marred face of the woman who must be Emily. My automatic response was to yell 'WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR FACE?', but I figure that wouldn't go over to well with everyone. I just can't stop looking at the red scars pulling one side of her mouth down.

"Hello, I'm Emily." She says stepping forward and I shake my head trying to unglue my eyes from focusing on her, to focus on her outstretched hand. "You must be Sophie. My you're a pretty little thing aren't you?" She smiles a lopsided smile and places a hand gently on top my golden hair. "Wow." She breathes and then immediately snaps back to the present. "Sorry, I'm so sorry. It's just no one around here has natural blonde hair. Especially that color." I give her a tight smile.

"It's ok, I understand." And I did. I was staring at her face; she was goggling at my hair. This would work out nicely.

"Seth you can put her stuff in the back room. That's where you'll be staying." Emily gave me a brief tour around the house after Seth bowed out saying he was tired. He sprawled his gangly form right there on the couch and within a few minutes I heard light snores coming from the living room. Emily had taken me into the kitchen to prepare for dinner. I was not that thrilled. What was it with these people and work?

"Have you ever cooked before, sweetie?" Emily asked me gently holding a spatula loosely in her right hand as she flipped through what looked like a cook book.

"Never."

"Well, everyone has to learn sometime." Wrong, she was so wrong. I'd never have had to learn if I hadn't have come here. My mother certainly would never have taken the time out to teach me and if she had then I would have pitched a fit because I didn't want to learn anyway. Yet, I stayed quiet and listened every time Emily told me to do something. I didn't think it was right to complain when she was letting me stay in her house. Besides I should play the part. I was sent here to 'help' her. Emily talked about how she was Sam's imprint and what it felt like to be adored. She said it took some getting use to, but was impossible to resist. Ha, they've never met Sophie De Lorme. It felt like I slaved over that hot stove for hours. I was sweating and bored by the time we were done; Emily threw me a grateful glance.

"I'm so glad you're here to help. It's a tedious job cooking for everyone." She told me still stirring the large pot of beef stew.

"That's why you applied for me." I joked

"I did." She agreed humorously.

Then suddenly she lifted her head cocking her ear closer towards the open window above the sink. "Oh, they're here." She laughed and at that instant the front door slammed open.

"I'm starved." Someone yelled, followed by a loud thunk.

"Use your inside voice." That was Sam. That had to be, because Emily's face lit up at the sound and she threw off her apron in her hurry out the room to meet him. I stood frozen by the counter hearing the impending footsteps of multiple pairs of feet. I couldn't catch my breath again, here was that phobia making its presence known. Never in my life have I been scared meeting people, I loved meeting new people. I had no idea what was wrong with me, not even a clue.

"We have a guest so remember your manners boys." I hear Emily's voice floating in from the other room.

"Who?"

"Go find out." Then came the huge bodies, all ducking under the door frame to enter the kitchen. All of them stopped to smile or laugh at me and I was almost to the point of hyperventilating. What was wrong with me?

Then there was Embry. He entered right after Emily and Sam, practically skipping over to me. He grabbed me around the waist picking me up easily and twirling me as my legs flung in all directions. "Sophie!" He cried joyously and he set me back on the ground.

The second my feet hit the floor I stumbled away from him, tripping over a chair before landing flat on my butt. "Oh" I squealed. The entire room burst out in laughter, at my expense I should add. My face burned, turning red with anger, and then Embry pulled me to my feet grinning. My anger simmered, just below the surface still, but there was no point to it. They laughed at me in good humor and it was to hard not to be happy when I looked at Embry's shining face.

"You ok?" It felt like I was forever being asked if I was all right. Yes, I'm fine, could you please stop asking? That's what I wanted to tell him, but instead I settled for a nod.

"Hungry?" He continued, shuffling me to take a seat next to him in the overly crowded kitchen. I was so close to him. Heat was rolling of his broad shoulders as he fixed me a plate of food not even bothering to listen to my answer, which was a 'no'.

I pushed the plate away. "I'm not hungry."

"What? Surely the Cullens didn't feed you earlier?" Someone joked and the entire pack sniggered even Emily. I didn't get it. Maybe this is where Seth gets it from. I must have looked confused because Embry covered his large hand over my own. Ok, I'd barely had a conversation alone with this kid. Yes, I trusted him, no, I wasn't freaked out that he became some form of dog every once in a while, but he wasn't going to touch me just yet. I consciously pulled my small hand from his. Shock flitted across his face before he cleared his throat and turned away. What did he want from me? I've already given him my life for now.

"Embry." Emily said sternly followed by a loud noise under the table, then a groan.

"Ouch!" Embry cried reaching down to gingerly rub his left knee. "That hurt."

"Then maybe my advice won't slip your mind next time around." Emily set him in her steely gaze. Embry opened his mouth to retort, but Sam sent him a glare and with a sharp snap his mouth closed again. All the boys tried to hold in their laughter around us. It proved to be too much for them. For the third time that night the group fell into a round of hysterics.

"Shut up." Embry griped and hurled his fork at one of his brothers' head, which he easily avoided. And that's when I decided my exit was imminent.

"Well, I think I'm going to go get ready for bed." I announced shyly to everyone before trying to slip away, but Embry jumped up running his hand nervously through his sheared locks.

"Ok, well I'll, um, see you tomorrow then?" He said and shifted from foot to foot shooting a glance at Emily to see what to do, but she was only giggling.

"Tomorrow?" I pondered.

"Yeah, you know school's tomorrow." My stomach plummeted to the ground. I'd totally forgotten that I still had to do that. Oh crap. I scuttled out the room, waving good bye without turning around. I didn't want to see any of their faces right now.

I took a hot shower and lay in bed trying to think about why I was so clammed up. I think I was repressing all my feelings. In fact, I was almost sure I was. I mean why wasn't I whacking out that I was supposed to be in love with an over-grown dog? Why couldn't I talk to anyone? I've never had a problem before. I groaned and rolled over so I could cover my eyes from the shadows of the branches. They were casting some freaky images on the floor, so I tried to curl closer to the wall, wrapping myself in the comforter. I couldn't go to sleep for hours and I was so exhausted. School had to be better; it just had to, because I wasn't sure how much more I could take. Pretty soon I would need sleep and I certainly wouldn't remember how to use my voice if I never talk again.

A/N: So two things. 1) I'm trying to vaguely stick with the first chapter of Breaking Dawn. It's not 100 true to it obviously, but the whole Seth thing is. It's why he had to kidnap her and bring her to pack territory and why he had to bring Sophie back. Pack can't cross into Cullen turf. 2) Yes, as one reviewer pointed out (thank you so much for bringing it to my attention to! And thanks for the review) the story is moving kind of fast. I'm almost positive after this chapter you still think the same thing and maybe even that Sophie's on crack, but if someone showed you proof of being a werewolf, yes you will be frightened, but you still have to admit to yourself that they are in fact telling you some form of the truth. Maybe you're even frightened so much that you do what you're asked. Besides Sophie's been by herself all her life. She's impulsive. Moving to Washington won't be different and the Cullens are semi-family so it's not like she's wandering off with strangers. They'll be watching for her;) If you don't really understand what Sophie's doing, there is a program where you can go to a different school for a year inside of the United States which is the National student exchange program. Then there's the program where you can study abroad outside the United States (which is what Chella and Anthony are doing in France). Sorry if it's not so clear, but Sophie had to find some excuse to stay. You might be asking yourself, who would do this? And my reply to that is yeah I know it's weird, but some girl at my school did. She said it was innovative and cleansing to the soul. Ha. Thanks to all my reviewers and readers! I love comments and criticisms! Just bare with me the next chapters get better.