Chapter 4

Unbreakable

It had been a week since I joined the pack. I spent every waking minute learning the basics of pack life. The boys had become brothers, and I confided everything in Leah. I had gotten over the self-consciousness of phasing back to human in front of the boys. They respected my privacy enough to at least turn their backs. At first, I did catch some of them sneak glances at me. I threatened to turn their hair pink, or worse, a few times. They stopped for a little while, but they didn't really take me seriously until I did turn Embry's hair a nice shade of florescent pink. To make matters worse for him, it carried over to his wolf form. A bright pink wolf, no matter how big, is not at all intimidating. It's hysterical.

We had just finished lunch and Leah and I were helping Emily clean up. Embry stuck his head in the door and said, "There's some weird old guy walking out of the woods."

Leah and I walked outside and looked where Embry pointed. I noticed the boys were all tense and alert. The old guy, as Embry put it, was in bright green robes. His long white hair and beard were normal for him. I laughed at the oddness of the color of his robes.

"Calm down, guys," I said, walking toward the man. "Professor Dumbledore, it is nice to see you again."

"Torrance," he greeted, "you have grown up since I last saw you. Are you ready to rejoin our world?"

"I was planning on returning at the end of the school year, so it would seem like I spent a school year studying abroad."

"That is wise. How will you be returning?"

"I'll catch a flight to London and meet someone at King's Cross station. Don't tell anyone I'm coming back. I want it to be a surprise."

"As you wish. It seems that Fawkes is here, so I must depart. See you soon, my dear."

A red phoenix swooped down and burst into flames as Dumbledore grasped its tail. The boys ran up to me.

"What was that?" Seth asked.

"That," I replied, "was the headmaster of my school. I'm on temporary leave. He just wanted to know if and when I was planning on returning to school."

"And you said what?" Leah asked.

"I told him I'd stay here until the end to term in June. After that, I need to go back."

"Well, since you'll be here for a few months," Sam said, "Let's make you an official member of the pack. You, Leah, and Seth all need to get your tattoos."

He turned toward town and explained the tattoos to us. Everyone in the pack gets the one on their upper right arm. For every vampire a pack member had a hand in killing, they got a tattoo of choice. For every injury we received from a vamp, we got a small paw print tattoo on the back of the same shoulder as the pack tattoo.

"What do we get if we get bitten?" I asked.

The entire pack stopped dead in their tracks looking at me like I was from some other planet. I turned and looked at them.

"What?" I asked.

"You don't get bitten by a leech," Paul snapped. "You get bitten, you die."

"Does that include what you get in your human life? Because you have to come up with something for that."

"What do you mean by that?"

I showed them my arm where James bit me. Sam stepped forward and examined my wrist.

"Jacob didn't tell you about it?"

"No. That's what really happened when you 'fell down the stairs' in Phoenix, isn't it?"

"Wow that took you long enough."

"Then, we'll have to come up with something."

The three of us got our pack tattoos, and I got a tattoo in the shape of crescent moon on the back of my shoulder. We went back to Sam's house and went through the don'ts of being in the pack. After running perimeter with Jacob and Leah, Jake and I went back to his house and crashed. He slept on the coach and gave me his bed. I was asleep in seconds.

The next day, I spent hours flipping through my textbooks, looking for spells that could be helpful. Jacob walked in and kicked a book across the room. I glared at him before summoning the book. He sat down on the bed and looked at me.

"What kind of creatures are there in your world?" he asked. "You said there were dragons and giant snakes and whatnot. What else is there?"

"How much do you like reading compared to patience?"

"I'd rather read. Why?"

I picked up red book and tossed it to him. He caught it easily and looked at the title.

"Fantastic Beasts and Were to Find Them by Newt Scamander. That's an interesting name for an author."

"That's one of the more reasonable names. That should give you all the answers you need. Don't be stupid with the information."

He sat back on the bed and began reading. (A/N the book is a lot bigger than the one that is in print) I started opening books to the pages I needed and pulled out my wand to begin working. After a few hours, Jacob sat up and asked, "Why is Norwegian Ridgeback crossed out and baby Norbert written in?"

"Let me see that," I said, taking the book and looking to the page.

It was just like he said. I laughed.

"What did I miss?" Jake asked.

"Norbert was a baby dragon a friend tried to raise. Harry must have done that."

I handed the book back and continued working. We finished at the same time. It was obvious he was done because he closed the book loudly. He dropped the book in my trunk as I stuck out my hand for help. He pulled me to my feet, causing my knees to pop, making him flinch. I flicked my wand, and my books flew into my trunk in alphabetical order. I picked up the stack of clothes and walked out of the house with Jake. When we reached Sam's house, I handed each of the boys a pair of shorts and Leah shorts and a sports bra.

"This was all I was able to charm," I told them. "They shouldn't fall apart when you phase. I'll make some more to leave you before I leave."

Leah and I changed in the bathroom, while the boys changed wherever they were. We both pulled back on our shirts. Leah helped me put on the wand holder I made for my left arm, that wouldn't brake.

"Can you charm other things?" Leah asked.

"Like what?" I replied.

"My dad gave me a necklace before he died. I haven't worn it because I don't want to break it."

"Of course I can. I did the same thing to my locket. I never take it off. Hold on. Accio necklace."

I opened the window as a line of gold flew in. It floated in front of me until I grabbed it. I put all the charms on it that it needed, and clasped it around her neck. She smiled and touched the small black pendant.

"Thank you," she whispered.