Chapter 4
"What's going on?" was the greeting we got as we walked up to a modest yellow two story house.
"I'll explain everything when we get inside, but first let's get her fed. She just ran a good five miles with no food or water."
The group turned to look at me. Some of them ad confused looks while others were just angry. There was one in particular that stood out from the rest. He had a rich russet skin tone, full pink lips and chin length black hair, but what struck me was the expression held within his dark brown eyes. There was pain for sure, but there was also confusion and relief mixed in too. I couldn't help but stare as I watched these emotions color his features. Then we locked eyes. It was like… I don't know how to describe it accurately, but it felt like the world around me faded to nothing until all that was left was me and him. I watched as his eyes went from a hard brown, almost black, to a soft gentle brown like melted chocolate. My heart skipped a beat then went into overdrive. It beat so fast I could feel the pounding against my chest. Then all I could see was someone's back. I blinked and shook my head.
"No!" I heard Seth growl. I put a hand on his back to calm him down while leaning over to see past him.
"Dude! Seth chill. You know we have no control over when it happens or who it happens with!" The brown eyed boy pleaded as he backed up trying to find an escape.
"Paul! Jared! Get the girl inside!" the man who greeted us ordered. "Jacob! Quil! Embry! Get Seth into the forest now!"
I felt arms wrap around my waist and pull me away from Seth while two others grabbed a hold of Seth and drug him into the forest. I kicked, punched, and screamed trying to break free in order to go help Seth, but it didn't work. I was carried into the house and thrown into a chair which I immediately got up from and snaked passed the first guy only to be stopped by the second. The door frame was only about one person wide and with his height and build, he covered almost all of it.
"Sit" the guy said.
I glared at him, "Bite me!" I spat as I kicked him square in the balls. He dropped to his knees. I took the opportunity to jump up and grab the edge the of the door frame so I could jump over him and out the door but as soon as I was up on the frame the first guy came from behind and pulled me down—causing me to fall on top of the guy I kicked.
"What's going on?" a female voice asked, walking into the kitchen. I was pushed off of the guy underneath me which just so happened to put me on the porch.
I ran and yelled, "Seth!" looking out at the forest trying to find any kind of sign of where they might have taken him. A few moments later the guy with the brown eyes came out from the mass of trees across the street. Just as I was about to run to him a pair of arms wrapped around my chest blocking the use of my arms. "Let go of me!" I yelled as I stomped on his foot then elbowed his gut which only loosened his hold a tiny fraction of the way, but it was enough that I was able to drop to my knees and slide right out of his grip. I then jumped up and ran towards the street only to be stopped by Brown Eyes who grabbed me, wrapped his arms and legs around me and dropped us to the ground. Hitting the ground knocked the wind out of me.
"Well that's one way to hold her down I guess." One guy said.
"Feisty little shit ain't she?" The guy I kicked said, coming to stand in front of us.
"Jacob! Oh my god! Let the poor girl go!" The woman from earlier yelled out.
"Tell her to stop fighting," the other two commented. I stuck my tongue out sassily causing the guy holding me—Jacob—to laugh.
"Where are the others?" she asked.
"Still in the forest," Jacob huffed, "We heard her yelling—Sam sent me out here—see what was happening—so Seth could calm down—he's still pissed at me."
"Seth? Why?" she asked and then after a few moments of silence, "OOOOHHHH!"
"Could somebody PLEASE tell me what's goin' on! Where the hell is Seth?!" I demanded my accent very prominent in my words.
"Awwww!" I heard the girl squeal. I went red in the face and buried my head between me and Jacob to hide my embarrassment.
"Hey Jake! We said check on her not kidnap her!" We heard someone say.
"Not my fault. I came upon her getting tackled by Jared then she did something and slid out from under his grip and came after me so I just grabbed her and dropped to the ground."
"Asshole." I replied.
"Even her insults are adorable," the woman gushed. I just blushed even more.
"Okay Jacob let her go. Seth is right here." I perked up at the name and looked around to see him walking up to me. The moment I was free I jumped up to run to Seth, but my legs gave out as soon as I stood up causing me to fall down on my ass.
"I'm okay," Seth said, "Did you eat yet?"
"She's done nothing but fight us since you left."
"What am I going to do with you?" Seth asked me while helping up.
"So who won the fight?" one guy asked as we walked inside which earned him a slap to the back of the head. We all sat down around the kitchen table while the woman started setting the food out. The boys immediately started digging in. I just sat back and watched the chaos. There was nothing but crumbs left by the time everyone sat back down. Sweet Jesus! And I thought Seth was bad!
"Boys!" the woman yelled, "Be courteous! We have a guest!" She turned to me, "Would you like something to eat Sweetheart?"
"I'll be 'ight. I'll just steal his plate," I said pointing to Seth who was sitting beside me then proceeded to steal a French fry off his plate.
"Hey!" Seth complained. I just smiled.
"What's your name?" one guy asked.
"How old are you?" Another one asked.
"Are you single?" came another.
"Why do you smell like leech?"
I leaned over to whisper in Seth's ear, "I smell like bleach?" which caused him and Jacob who happened to be sitting on my other side to laugh.
"Boys," chastised the oldest looking one of the group, "Eat first then we'll talk." With that everyone stopped talking and ate their food—Seth and Jacob sharing with me. After everyone finished eating and the table was cleared he spoke again, "Okay, so here's the deal. We'll start by letting Seth and…"
"Wynter." I responded.
He gave a nod before continuing," Seth and Wynter tell us what's going on on their end then we'll discuss what to do next. Seth?"
"Well Wynter's story goes back a little further than mine does, but it all started that day Sam sent me to go check in with the Cullens. You know make sure they hadn't done anything? And as I was talking with Edward I caught an unfamiliar scent. So I asked him about it which is when he called out for Wynter. She came out of her room and down the stairs. At first I thought she was one of them, but as she got closer I realized she wasn't. So I was really confused then Edward told me that she was his daughter."
There was a look of mass confusion. "But… how?" Jacob asked.
"I'll leave that for her to explain. But anyway he asked me if I would help her with her transition to a new place and everything. So I agreed and started going over there every couple of days because she had no one else to hang out with. She didn't know anybody and the Cullens were constantly coming and going so she just sat at home all day. So we became friends and I gave her my number so that way if she needed someone to talk to or anything she could get a hold of me. Fast forward to today. I was on my way over here when my phone rang. Wynter called saying she ran away from home and was lost and I knew that would be disastrous if she wasn't found and soon. So she told me she was out at the cliffs at First Beach so I headed that way as fast as I could, which is when Quil and Embry caught me and followed me to First Beach. Once we got there I looked around and found her on the top cliffs by the road. So we went over and got her then I called Edward to let him know she was okay—" I growled at the comment. Seth continued, "Then I decided to go ahead and bring her here so she could eat and you guys could meet her so I wouldn't have to hide about where I was anymore."
"Is that why you've been skipping out on patrol?" the eldest asked.
"Yes,"
He nodded, "Wynter?"
I looked at him.
"How much do you know about the Cullens?"
"How much do YOU know about the Cullens?" I replied back, leary about giving out too much information.
"We know what they are."
"I know every story of how they came to be."
"How much do you know about us?"
"Ya mean besides the fact that ya'll make me feel short and can run a buffet out of food in ten minutes flat?" I asked sitting back in my chair.
Some of the guys started to laugh. "Yes," Sam answered.
"No clue what you're talkin' 'bout."
"Okay. So tell us. How is it that you are Edward Cullen's daughter?"
"ADOPTED daughter," I corrected.
I sighed and put the edge of my palm against my forehead as sadness washed over me.
"You don't have to go into details," Seth promised, "Just tell them what you're comfortable with them knowing."
I took a deep breath, "I lost my last living relative back in January and he had it stipulated in his will that I was to be adopted into the Cullen family if he passed on before I graduated high school."
"Why the Cullens?" someone asked.
"I don't know. Let's have a séance and you can ask him," I popped off.
"Okay," the eldest interrupted, "You've answered our questions. Do you have any for us?"
"Yeah. You hinted at the fact that you aren't human. So what are you?"
"We are what the human race call Werewolf."
A huge grin made its way to my lips and my eyes lit up with excitement, "Show me."
