My New Life Chapter 7: Brothers

Elly's Point of View

I really didn't want to walk through the house of vampires, but I didn't want to stay there any longer either. So I hunched my shoulders forward and hid behind my hair as Brady came to walk at my side. Collin walked behind me, far enough away so that he wouldn't cause me anymore pain than I was already experiencing.

We walked down a set of stairs and to a living room full of vampires. There were three vampire men. Tears leaked down my cheeks as the panic set in once again. I was frozen at the bottom of the stairs, unable to move as everyone looked at me.

"Hey, Elly, come on! My nose hurts. Let's get out of here," Brady called to me, several steps in front of me.

I smiled slightly and the tears stopped, "Selfish," I whispered, knowing full well that he could hear me.

"Am not!" Brady protested.

"Are too," Collin said with a smile.

"Am not!" Brady insisted.

"What are you, two years old?" Someone I didn't know asked.

It wasn't a vampire who had spoken, but rather a werewolf. My eyes flitted over to the man who had spoken. He was just as big as Sam, with the same Quiluete look. This had to be Jacob Black. I remembered what Sam and Brady had told me. Most of what they had told me.

"Ignore Jake," Embry advised and I remembered that Jake was one of Embry's best friends. If my brother trusted him, then I would be fine.

But my abused girl self was screaming at me that just because my brother trusted this stranger didn't mean I could. And the war inside me resumed, louder than ever. Two of the male vampires were watching me, curiously, as I darted to the door and outside, my inability to move forgotten.

I got outside just in time as I exploded into the huge, curly haired wolf. The eyes upon me and my new body made me so mad that I phased.

"Why was she feeling like that?" A vampire voice asked.

"She's at war with herself. Like different parts of her want different things and react differently," Another voice answered. I was panicking before I heard the voices of my pack-mates.

Elly! You're okay. The relieved thought came from Quil.

Of course, moron. Brady already told us that. Jared muttered.

This is so creepy. How can he hear my thoughts?

We can all hear your thoughts. Remember? Paul asked in a cocky voice.

Thanks, Paul. I said, relaxing. It was so much easier when I could concentrate on someone else, rather than myself. But I meant the leech.

Edward can read minds. He can probably hear us all right now because he can hear your thoughts. Hi, Edward! Seth said, being as weird as always.

Hey! I am not weird.

Yeah, because it isn't weird to think a greeting so that a mind reader can hear it in the thoughts of your pack-sister. I said. This method of communication was so much easier for me. I didn't have to speak or draw attention to myself. I just needed to think.

Ew. Think you could turn off your nose? That place stinks. Paul complained.

Think you could turn your brain on? Thinking for you is tiring. I retorted, calmly.

That's it. Paul thought as he started running toward me, bent on a fight. The others followed him, all in wolf form. Seconds later they were there and Paul was leaping at me. I let out a barking laugh as I moved out of his way.

Hey, Paul, think how much trouble you'd be in if I turned into a girl right now. I teased as he snarled and leaped again.

Paul's thoughts flickered briefly to the punishment that he would receive not only from Collin, but also from Sam, Embry, Brady and Emily. I took the chance to push him onto his back and snap at his throat.

Paul froze, knowing that if he moved he would get a serious wound.

Beat by a girl, Paul. Jared thought.

Don't let Leah ever hear you say that. Seth warned.

Get off me, Elly. I thought you were supposed to be a shy little girl.

Do I look human or little to you? I asked as my tail whacked Paul in the face and I went to sit next to Seth.

Not right now. You used to. Paul grumbled to himself as he stood on his feet.

Aren't you supposed to be on patrol? I asked, surprising myself with my talkativeness. Of course, I wasn't actually talking, I was thinking. I did more thinking than talking most of the time.

Wow! She can actually think! Jared thought.

Better than you can. Quil laughed to himself. Especially around Kim.

What about you around Claire? Paul taunted.

So, you don't change at all when you're with Rachel. Seth thought sarcastically.

You are so annoying! Can't you just imprint already?

Brady and Embry haven't imprinted either. Seth pointed out.

I don't know... Embry's been really weird lately. He's always disappearing somewhere. And he won't think about it. Quil thought. Quil and Embry were best friends.

What's wrong with my brother? I asked, before changing that statement. All of these boys were my brothers. I mean Embry.

So Collin is your brother? That's gross. Seth, the ever annoying, said. If he wasn't older than me, I would've said that he acted like the youngest and most irritating kid.
Well, the only time he's where he's supposed to be is when he has patrol, or school, or occasionally a meal at Emily's. Although, it could be... Quil trailed off, being sensitive about my arrival, phasing, and near death. How kind of him. And how unusual.

Me? I don't know. Up until yesterday- I mean when I phased, I had no idea where all of you went off to. Why don't you ask him?

We did. He didn't reply. He just kept thinking about- Jared cut himself off, but I had already seen the memory in his mind.

Embry had been thinking about how weird it was to have a sister. And how difficult it was. I didn't blame him. Having brothers was not an experience that I had expected from this place. My previous brother-like boy had left me when he got adopted. I hadn't seen Kade or dwelt on my memories of him in a long time.

Who's Kade?

Who's who? I asked, trying on innocence for size.

Kade. The boy you were just thinking about.

Innocence didn't fit.

The name being thought by Seth brought memories rushing to the surface. Kade's caramel hair flopping into his face as he stood in front of me, protecting me from the slaps of the drunk "caretaker". Kade's strong hands telling me a story. Kade's patience as he taught me how to use American Sign Language.

Who is he?

A friend. I replied and gave Seth a look that challenged him to argue with me. He didn't.

I had a feeling that, what with my two blood brothers, my best friend, and Collin ready to protect me, Seth didn't want to send me back into a coma.

I breathed deeply through my nose, then winced at the mistake. The place reeked of the sickly, cloyingly sweet smell that vampires gave off. Ugh.

Told you it stinks. Paul said, cocky as usual.

Worse than you. Jared barked, grinning.

Paul leaped at Jared and I watched them tumble and fight, playing more than trying to harm each other. Maybe having this many brothers wouldn't be so bad.

Welcome to the family. Seth said in one of his few non-aggrivating moments.

Of boys. Jared added, mischief twinkling in his eyes.

I'm a girl. I said as I deliberately stepped on Jared's tail.

Yeah, but we're boys. Get used to it.

We'd hate to make you uncomfortable. Paul muttered as he picked himself up and shook himself off.

But I knew that I wasn't going to be the only one to whom me being a girl among all the boys would be uncomfortable. Especially with the mind reading and shifting stuff.

"Elly!" That was Sam, waiting with Collin, Embry, Brady, and Emily outside of the Cullen's house.

Abruptly, I became aware of the presence of everyone else- everyone whose thoughts were not running through my mind- nearby.

I turned to look at him and cocked my head to signal that I was listening. Turning back into a human would be a bad idea since I didn't have any clothes.

Brady's Point of View

Elly froze at the bottom of the stairs, tears falling down her face. She looked like she was having another panic attack- probably because Jasper, Emmett, and Edward were watching T.V. nearby.

"Hey, Elly, come on! My nose hurts. Let's get out of here," I said, already several feet ahead of her.

"Selfish," Elly whispered as the tears stopped flowing and she smiled the tiniest bit.

"Am not!"

"Are too," Collin, my supposed best friend, said.

"Am not!"

"What are you, two years old?" Jake asked.

"Ignore Jake," Embry said, but Elly was looking around the room, desperate.

In a blur of movement she raced to the door and I heard the sounds of exploding cloth and the heavy footfalls of a wolf. Elly had phased.

We followed Elly out, and watched her tail wag as Paul appeared out of the trees, leaping for her. Elly dodged him and he leaped at her again. Paul hesitated, though, and Elly won the fight. Collin looked ready to phase and protect her but I stopped him.

"Collin, look at her tail. It's wagging. She's having fun."

Collin nodded and we waited a few more minutes for Elly.

"Elly!" Sam called when he was done being patient. Elly turned and he told her that it was time to go home. Elly nodded and started off with the others, in wolf form, to go back to either Embry's or Sam's. She didn't have any clothes to change into if she phased back here.

I followed her, ducking into the trees before taking off my shorts and phasing. Collin didn't follow me, though. I found out why when I phased.

Elly's thoughts were in my mind and I could hear the battle that was raging inside of her. She both loved and was scared of Collin- her wolf-girl and abused-girl halves of her arguing fiercely about what she should be feeling and thinking.

Elly's Point of View

Sam told me to go back to Embry's so I could get some clothes and then go to Emily's for lunch. Everyone in the pack was going to be there, so I had to be there as well. I followed Paul, Jared, Quil, and Seth into the forest and Brady joined us a second later.

Race you. Paul challenged me.

Nuh-huh. Race Seth or someone. Brady said, Elly needs to take it easy. Doctors orders.

I stuck my tongue out at Brady, who was racing to catch up with us. Paul picked up the speed, moving faster over the ground and jumping right over a stream. I followed him, getting out of the way of the dirt that Seth was kicking up into my face. Quil bumped into me, on purpose, and I bumped into Jared, who bumped into Paul, who turned on Jared.

Thanks, Quil.

Having brothers obviously had its cons.

Who's waiting at Emily's? Brady asked.

Emily-

Duh. Paul interrupted.

Kim, Rachel, and Claire.

Immediately Jared's, Paul's, and Quil's minds were filled with thoughts of their imprints. It wasn't too bad with Quil, because he thought of Claire like a sister. But with Paul and Jared...

I never wanted thoughts like that about another girl in my head.

The disgust overpowered me and I phased back into a girl, without meaning to.

Instantly, all my pack-brothers turned to look at me, out of reflex. Once they saw me they quickly looked away, embarrasment adorning their features.

"Oops," I whispered, trying to remember how to phase back. I was not walking all the way back to Emily's naked.

Brady yipped gently, his eyes still fixed determinedly on the ground.

This was so uncomfortable. And I was soaked now, the rain making me feel like I was in the shower.

My brothers hovered around me, unsure whether they should continue or wait. Brady seemed to be trying to decide whether he should shift again or not.

I could feel, in my body, that I had the energy to phase back, but I couldn't find the necessary anger. Brady let out a small bark that seemed to be questioning. Because I was just as much a wolf as them, though admittedly not in wolf form, I understood what he was trying to say. Brady wanted to know how he could help.

"Make me angry," I whispered.

Brady looked up at me, too startled to care that I was naked. He shook his large furry head, but it wasn't necessary for him to upset me because just his eyes on me reminded me that my body had changed and that made me angry.

I can't- Brady was thinking when I phased into the beautiful black wolf.

Thanks.

I didn't do anything. Brady sounded surprised and guilty.

You looked at me. I reminded him.

In the minds of my brothers, I caught flashes of my naked form. I didn't look at all fragile or abused.

What happened to you? Seth asked, obliviously.

They were thinking about Rachel and Kim. I said with a shudder.

So? Seth asked. He had shared the pack mind long enough so that he had grown, well, used to seeing the disgusting memories and thoughts of the others.

I'm a girl. And I'm not a lesbian.

Oh. Seth thought, dragging the 'o' sound out.

Didn't your sister ever get disgusted? I asked, not wanting to continue talking about it, lest I really remember it and find myself turning back into a human.

I dunno.

Boys. Couldn't they pay attention to anything other than the latest car or brawl? There was something messed up about the Y chromosome.

Hey! All my pack-brothers yelled at me.

Oops.

Without men, you wouldn't exist!

So you're telling me that my father is a good man? I challenged, knowing perfectly well that my dad had fathered two children with someone other than his wife and then left the mothers to deal with the problem themselves. And left me to the orphanage when my mom had died.

That wasn't the point. Some of us are good people.

My favorite brother was a good person. And he didn't give a darn about cars or fighting or anything like that.

Which of us is your favorite brother? Seth asked eagerly.

Not any of you. Kade. I said and emotions coursed through me. If Kade was here, he could help me make sense of all this. He could do so much for me, because he had known me when I was in the orphanage, and he knew exactly what I went through. I needed my brother.

We'll find him for you, Elly. Brady promised impulsively.

We will? Jared asked in disbelief.

Not now. First we have to get to Emily's before Sam gets impatient enough to kill us. Quil oh-so helpfully put in.

My brothers stopped, waiting for me to keep running. They were going to phase back, once I was out of sight. One incident was enough in one day.

I broke through the trees into the clearing in which Emily's house was built. It occurred to me to wonder why everyone called it Emily's house when it was Sam's too.

"Elly?" Collin asked, walking up to me with an armful of clothes. He set them down in front of me, but didn't get closer than a foot away from me.

I moved forward, cautiously, my nose gently touching Collin's face. Collin was tall, way over six feet, but he wasn't anywhere near as big as my wolf form.

Then I backed up and grabbed my clothes in my mouth.

The clothes didn't fit anymore, but I forced myself into them anyway. They were a size or two too small and I was insanely grateful for the sweatshirt that, when I had bought it, had been too big, but now fit perfectly.

Brady grinned at me when I walked back in, "Aren't you too warm under all those layers?"

"She cooled down on the way here," Seth joked.

"I'm fine," I answered Brady.

"Don't look at me!" Quil said, "I wasn't at fault."

"No," I agreed, "that was Paul and Jared."

Both of them turned bright red and I laughed along with Seth, Brady, and Quil. The laughter eased the tension and embarrassment of the memory.

"Sorry that we made you uncomfortable," Paul repeated his earlier words with a sneer.

"Not uncomfortable," Brady said, making a face, "Disgusted. Repulsed."

Paul shrugged as if to say 'your point?'

"Wonder what it will be like..." Brady trailed off.

"What?" Seth asked.

"When the situation is reversed."

I giggled. Leave it to Brady to wonder about something that would make everyone so uncomfortable.

"Eww," Seth said, "No offense."

"Would someone mind telling us what happened?" Embry asked.

We all fell silent. Paul and Jared looked at their imprints, who they were holding tight. We exchanged glances. Paul and Jared both looked like they didn't want to talk about it in front of Kim and Rachel. Quil shook his head, he wasn't telling the story. Seth just grinned, leaving it to Brady and me.

"You want me to tell it?" Brady asked.

"Shy again," Paul muttered.

"Being shy around you is now impossible," I muttered, "and impractical."

Brady smiled slightly, "We were running back when Paul and Jared, umm, lost control of their thoughts," his eyes flicked to Kim and Rachel.

"Hey, what about Quil?" Paul asked, being his usual insensitive self.

"Claire is four. That's different."

Realization flashed over Rachel's face and Kim turned bright red.

"I guess that was a little weird for Elly because-"

I gave Brady a scathing glare.

"Fine. A lot weird," Brady rolled his eyes, "'cause she phased back. It went downhill from there."

Embry and Sam both looked angry, and Collin looked... well, glad. I tried to stifle the immediate hurt that I felt at that.

"So," Brady said, acting as if nothing was happening, "what did you cook, Emily?"

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