(Well, sorry for the long wait. It's school- what can I say? Darned High School and Scholastic Open Winter Guard… It consumes my life… Now on to more important matters, if you have been reading closely, you will have noticed that it is winter, spring, and summer all at once in this story. The Conclusion- it's fall, November to be exact….)

Seth was the first to speak. Or try to at least.

What… Well…. You…

Sucks, Leah said, and even that is a serious understatement. I mean, I thought my life was horrid, but yours just seems… Worse.

Seth was still beyond words, but his large brown eyes, combined with his tangled emotions, told me all I needed to know.

Thanks. It just helps to know that I have people who care now, I told him. Then my eyes flicked to the dimming sky. The day had gone by faster than I imagined.

Oh! Seth exclaimed. We forgot to tell you about-

Abruptly, a mind merged with ours. Come, Jacob commanded, and left just as soon as he came.

Leah's nose touched my flank. Let's run, little sister. See how fast you are…

But… Why? And, Seth, the thing you forgot-

We'll explain later; we are needed now, Leah interjected, nipping at my tail. Run, Michi, run!

Where?! I cried, trying desperately to avoid trees. Not even a second later, a light gray blur went past me.

Too slow! Leah laughed.

Oh yeah! That's what you think! I replied, eager for the challenge. I increased my speed, using my sensing powers to find the damp wood in front of me, and easily caught up to Leah, leaving poor Seth farther and farther behind. Males, I snored. Good for strength, not speed.

Leah barked out a laugh. So true, so true!

I'm still here you know, Seth complained.

The exhilaration of running made me too overjoyed to speak. His small self-pity went away as he absorbed my expanding mood- even Leah seemed to perk up as well. So it seemed our emotions were bonded as well. I would never feel pain again.

That thought boosted my speed, putting me in front of Leah, running toward- the Cullen's House!?

Whoa, now, I said, slowing down, why are we going there? I'm not on particularly good terms with them right now… But I continued running in the same direction until Leah overtook me, thankfully following in the shadow of the bigger she-wolf.

You only snapped at them because you were scared last night- You had no idea what was going on, Seth encouraged. Besides as a part of this pack, we participate in various activities with the Cullen's.

Which means I need to properly meet the vamps, huh? I replied sourly.

Yes. Here we are Michi. See ya soon Seth, Leah answered.

What do you mean by- I began to ask as Leah's mind connection suddenly disappeared. I immediately blocked Seth from my mind- no matter if he were Leah's brother, being a part of the Hunt gave me great modesty for both me and other women.

This was my first good look at my new family. Like the memory of phasing, Leah's skin was unnaturally tan in this sunless place, no doubt because of her Indian blood. She kept her dark hair cropped close, but in the cute-girl kind of way. I caught a flash of her eyes as she turned around to face me- the same shade of black as her hair. She placed her small hand on my nose.

"Come on Michi, let's get into some decent clothes."

I rolled my eyes at her while I changed, feeling insignificant to Leah's natural beauty. Leah turned away before I finished changing, kicking the ground before finding and unearthing a plastic bag from the confines of a young sapling.

"What's in there?" I inquired when she shoved her hand inside,

"Leftovers. Here," she replied as she tossed me two dark objects. Clothes, I realized, smelling faintly of bleach.

"They provide simple things for us- clothes, food, showers- but I haven't been to their house in ages," Leah explained as I pulled my new black cami over my head, "But they still keep stuff here, just in case." Then her black eyes seemed to look at me for the first time.

"Hey, what happened to that silver stuff you were wearing last night?"

I faltered for a second, teetering on one foot as I put on the charcoal shorts. There was no use lying, I decided.

"Magic," I whispered.

A broad smile crossed her face, and a mocking tone entered Leah's voice. "'Magic', she says. Just like the last cookie in the cookie jar always disappears 'magically'. Whatever, I'll find out. I always do. Well then, you ready?"

After a brief hesitation, I nodded. "Great, let's go," and Leah began to lead us out of the overcrowded forest.

I prepared my metal barriers as soon as the woods in front of me lighted. There was no way in Hades that what's-his-name was going to get into my mind; it was too darned unnatural for him to steal my thoughts. It wasn't until right before the trees ended that I felt his presence over my mind.

Unlike the rope-bonds I felt when I was connected with the pack, the vamp's presence felt like a thundercloud above the shields of my mind- eager, boiling, waiting for just the right chance to strike at my thoughts. Just wait, bloodsucker, just wait.

Upon entering the clearing, there was a beautiful white house in front of Leah and me- with a boy sitting on the lowest step with a silver pack over his shoulder.

"You forgot your bag- again," Seth teased as I ran to him. He barely managed to keep from laughing as I tackle-hugged him. "It's terrifying, you know, to have such a manly man, like me, to carry that around for you," Seth continued.

Laughing at his comments, I hugged him fiercely. "Thank you, thank you! That thing is my life- Thank you soooo much!" I exclaimed- and winced as the vamp took a stab at my mind.

Staring at the broad white door, I peeled off a layer of my shield, sending one thought through. You better stop or, so help me, I will send you to Hades!

Musical laughed filled the house- Fun, I could hear though walls now.

"What did you think," Seth teased, "to get Edward to laugh like that?"

"I told him I would kill him," I promptly replied as Seth stood up and opened the front door, revealing a bright interior. My nose wrinkled against the smell. He held out his hand, waiting. I stared at it. "Are you kidding me?"

"Oh, come on," Seth said as he grasped my hand and started to drag me into the house.

Trying desperately to get a grip on the door frame, I attempted to stall, yelling, "But what about Leah?!?"