A/N: I know it's been horrifically long since I've updated again and I am truly sorry. The peskiness of real life just seems to keep getting in the way. Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who has read, followed, and favorited, and a super huge thanks to those that have reviewed. You are all awesome and I love hearing from you guys. I apologize that I haven't replied to some of you. I will try to do that over the long weekend between all my travelling. Thanks again, now on with the show…
Disclaimer: Sadly, still not mine…
"That might be a little difficult Bells, they live here in Forks…"
Bella's eyes bugged out, and Sam's "Oh shit," was the only warning she had before he was pushing a growling Noah out the back door. She followed them a moment later and flipped on the light by the back door, just in time to see Noah explode into a giant black and gray wolf. Sam muttered a curse and exploded next to him into a solid black wolf. Noah was obviously freaked out; he spun around in a few circles chasing his tail before plopping onto his belly and giving a low whine. Sam nudged him with his nose and nodded his head toward the woods, obviously trying to urge him out of the open and into the cover of the trees. Noah picked himself up and started to the trees with Sam following right beside him.
A couple minutes later Bella heard Sam's voice from the woods, "I'm sorry Bells, I'll explain later, but you know the legends. I'm gonna run with him for a little while and try to coax him to phase back. He might have to stay with me for a couple days until he can get his phasing under control. We'll talk more tomorrow ok."
Bella nodded dumbly from the back door before finding her voice, "Ok. I'll try to come down to the Rez a little early tomorrow so we can talk before the bon fire."
"I'm not sure if he'll be able to come tomorrow, it depends if I can get him to phase back, but one of the other guys can watch him so we can talk. Try not to worry, he'll be fine."
"Ok Sam, I'll see you guys tomorrow. Just keep him safe." A short bark and a whine was all she heard before everything was quiet again. Just before she turned to go back into the house she heard two howls in the distance, which was shortly answered by two more that sounded even farther away.
She slowly made her way back inside and saw a slightly disheveled Charlie at the top of the stairs, "Is everything ok Bells? I thought I heard voices and howling outside."
"Yeah dad, it's fine. It was just Sam and Noah."
He looked a little shocked for a minute and Bella realized that he must have known what she meant. "You know, don't you?"
He scratched the back of his neck before making his way down the stairs. He grabbed a beer out of the new fridge and sat at the previously vacated table. "Yeah, Billy warned me before you both moved in that it might happen since he's a gene carrier."
Her face scrunched in confusion, "What do you mean a gene carrier?"
He rubbed a hand over his face and took a long swig of his beer, "Sam and Billy will be able to explain this to you a lot better than I can, but it just means that he carries the wolf gene since he's a descendant of one of the original shifters."
Bella nodded her head and was quiet for a moment. "Who else… who else carries the gene?"
"Well, obviously the Uley's, but any descendant of the Black, Clearwater, or Atera bloodlines," Charlie sighed .
"So basically Jake, Seth, and Quil could phase at any time?"
"They haven't yet, but I guess so. I know Sam and the boys have been keeping an eye on them since they started going through this growth spurt."
Bella looked up, "The boys? Sam said something like that earlier before he left. Who else carries the gene?"
Charlie looked slightly uncomfortable, "Jared and Paul for sure since they already shifted, but I know there are a few more of the younger boys on the Rez who carry the gene too. You'd have to ask Billy or Sam."
Bella nodded her head, "That's right; I forgot Paul's grandma was a Clearwater. Guess it's a good thing we brought him back to the Rez then huh?"
Charlie chuckled, "Yeah, I suppose so. Anyway, I'm gonna head back up to bed kiddo. I assume Noah's going to crash at Sam's tonight?"
Bella nodded her head, "Yeah, Sam said something about trying to get him to phase back and learn to control it, so he might not be back for a few days."
He just nodded as he headed for the stairs, "Alright, I have be at work at six in the morning, so I'll see you at the bon fire tomorrow night kiddo." He gave her a hug and kissed her forehead before returning to his room and leaving Bella to a restless night in her own bed.
She had finally fallen asleep around 3 in the morning, when she heard her cell phone ringing a little after 6. She scrambled to get it off the night stand and saw it was Sam, "Hello? Sam? Is Noah ok? Did something else happen? Could you not get him to phase back? Well, answer me!"
Sam chuckled on the other end of the line, "Damn Bella, I'd be happy to answer the questions if you took a breath between them to let me talk."
She took a deep breath and raked her hand back through her hair, "Sorry, it's been a long night; I'm just worried about him."
He laughed, "I figured you probably were. That's why I called as soon as we got back. He's fine, we had to run for a little while to tire him out and let his anger dissipate, but after a couple hours he phased back fine. Of course as soon as I tried to start telling him about our patrol routes and our treaty with the Cullens, he got angry and phased again, so that took another hour."
Bella giggled, "But he's ok now right? I mean he changed back human again?"
"Yeah, he's in the shower now and when he gets out, Emily has a plate of food ready for him. I'll let him sleep for a few hours and then try to work with him some more on controlling the phase so that he doesn't try to phase every time something ticks him off."
"Ok, thanks Sam, for looking after him. Do you think he'll be able to come to the bon fire tonight?"
"He's my brother too Bells, I'll always look out for him. As for the bon fire, it will really depend on how well he does this afternoon. I won't risk having him phase in front of everyone when Billy starts telling the legends. Someone could get hurt and I don't want him to have to deal with that guilt."
"Yeah, sorry Sammy, I didn't even think about that."
He chuckled, "Don't worry about it Bells. Feel free to stop by before the bonfire if you want. I'm sure Emily wouldn't mind the company while she and Kim cook up a storm."
"I'll try to come by a little early, but Embry and Angela are supposed to be coming over around 9. I would just bring Angela along, but if she doesn't know about wolves than it might not be such a good idea."
"Good point, I didn't think about that. How bout this, I'll have Noah call you this afternoon and let you know the verdict himself, that way if he can't go, then you know to get here a little early so you can come see him before hand."
Bella nodded her head before remembering Sam couldn't see her, "Ok, sounds good. Thanks again Sam."
She heaved a sigh and looked at the time on her phone before throwing the covers off and getting out of bed. It was almost 7, so Embry and Angela would be there in about 2 hours. She might as well get up, take a shower, and get dressed. By 8 she was down stairs and pulling out all of the baking pans, bowls, measuring spoons and cups that they would need. She had just set the 10 pound bags of flour and sugar on the counter when the doorbell rang. She pulled the door open to see Embry on the other side wearing a sheepish look and a tall girl with black hair and glasses behind him.
"Hey Bells, I'm sorry, I know we're early, but Angela's mom was trying to make us eat breakfast, and she shouldn't be allowed within 10 feet of a kitchen, the muffins she makes are like hockey pucks…"
His girlfriend chose then to elbow him as she stepped in front of him and held her hand out to Bella, "Hi, I'm Angela. I really hope we're not intruding, being here so early, but doofus here wouldn't shut up about your pancakes and how he was sure you wouldn't mind making him some."
Bella laughed as she shook her hand and invited them into the house. "It's fine, I'm used to it. I was just pulling out all the baking supplies, and I am hungry, so I guess some pancakes couldn't hurt."
Embry picked her up in a big bear hug and twirled her around, "Thanks B, you're the best."
She laughed as he put her back on her feet and shared a wink with Angela, "Em, I'm afraid you're gonna have to eat last though for forgetting your manners, and Angela will get to decide how many you get."
He gave her a puppy dog pout, then turned to his girlfriend, "Come on Ange, you're not gonna make me starve right."
Both girls shook their heads and laughed, "Don't worry Em, you may have hit a growth spurt lately, but you're far from starving," Angela teased.
Bella's eyebrows furrowed for a minute and she looked back at Embry, "When did you start shooting up like a weed?"
He shrugged his shoulders, "Um, a couple months ago I guess, about the same time Jake and Quil did. Must be something in the water cause Sam, Paul and Jared have all grown over the last 6 months too and Seth and his cousin Brady, and Jake's cousin Collin have all hit a growth spurt here in the last week or two too." Bella's eyebrows shot up, and Embry gave her a concerned look. "Why, what's the matter Bells?"
"Huh, what? Oh, I was just thinking that if there's such a growth spurt going on, I might not be making enough food for everyone."
"Not to worry," he laughed. "Emily and Kim are making some food and so are Leah and Quil's moms."
"Oh, good. Well, let's get started on these pancakes then so that we can get to work. And Em, don't think you're gonna duck out after breakfast either. You're gonna stay and help until at least lunch time."
He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Does this mean I'll get lunch too?"
Angela rolled her eyes and Bella laughed, "Yes, I'll order some Chinese for lunch, but until then, I only have one electric mixing bowl, so you're gonna be the best bowl stirrer there ever was."
"Do I get samples?"
Bella narrowed her eyes at him, "You can try one of each, and don't you dare try to sneak more because Angela and I will know, and you won't like the consequences."
He looked between the two girls, Angela with her hands on her hips, Bella with her arms crossed, and both giving him stern looks. He gave a nervous laugh, "Sure,sure. Whatever you say. I know better than to mess with the two prettiest ladies in town."
The girls just laughed and rolled their eyes, "Come on Romeo, the kitchen's this way," Bella called over her shoulder.
By 4 o'clock, every surface in the house was covered in Tupperware and baking tins full of cookies, brownies, and pies. Angela and Bella surveyed their work before collapsing into chairs at the dining room table.
"Do you do this often?" Angela asked, "Cause I don't think I've ever baked this much in my life."
Bella laughed, "I don't think I have either, but I've never baked for the whole tribe before either."
Angela giggled, "I've helped my grandma cook for tribal pot latches before, but everyone brings one or two dishes. Can you imagine what it would be like to cook a whole meal for the entire tribe?"
"God no," Bella huffed, "that would take days. This is where I draw the line. When Embry gets here we'll get him to help us load everything in the back of the truck, then I'm gonna go take another shower, and I suggest you have Em take you home to shower and change too. We're both covered in flour, and I'm pretty sure I might even have some egg in my hair, and I'm not even sure how it got there."
Both girls dissolved in giggles as the front door opened and Embry walked in. His eyes bulged out of his head and he gave a low whistle, "Damn, you two have been busy since I left."
"Damn right we have. Now we're gonna sit here and rest, while you go load all that into the truck. Just put everything in the back except for the pies. Put the pies in the back seat, and don't even think about trying to sneak any more samples. Angela and I counted every single batch, and we will know, and there will be retribution if you do."
Embry hopped to attention and gave them a mock salute, "Yes ma'am!"
Bella was just jumping in the shower when her phone went off. She quickly hopped back out and almost face planted on the floor in her scramble to get it. "Hello?"
Noah chuckled on the other end, "Hey Bells, you ok? You sound out of breath, did ya just run a marathon or something?"
"No, you ass hat, I almost slipped and hit me head in the bathroom cause the floor was wet and I was trying to jump out of the shower to get the phone." She could hear him laughing now, "I was worried about you, but I take it you're obviously fine."
He could tell he had made her mad, "I'm sorry Bells, but yeah, I'm good. Sam gave me the all clear to go to the bonfire tonight. He wanted me to invite you and dad to come to his house for a bar-b-que tomorrow night."
"Sure, sounds good. Dad's meeting us at the bon fire. I'm just gonna finish my shower and then I'll head over there, Embry already loaded the truck for me before he and Angela left."
"You mean you're gonna drive over by yourself? I don't think that's such a good idea. I'll tell Sam and one of us will run over and ride with you."
Bella rolled her eyes, "Fine, I'm getting back in the shower now before all the hot water is gone. I'll see you in a little bit."