The La Push Pack


Chapter Eight – Mythical Beings


My new and improved mind replayed everything that I had said, everything that Charlie will have heard and was now seeing. The crying. The comments about my new hearing. My new voice. My vampire white skin. My red eyes….

"Char-dad, what are you doing here?"

My throat burned as his eyes scanned my face, taking in all the changes. Probably trying to add up all the differences and make sense of it. I could hear heavy footsteps coming towards the house.
Now Jake shows up.
A little late Jake.

"Bella I… I heard you crying. I-"

I groaned.

"Come on dad, you know I don't like to talk about that." I whined.
With all the crying and the screaming from nightmares, Charlie had learned not to ask. I never wanted to talk about it and he never knew what to say.

I heard the door as it was nearly yanked of its hinges and I could smell Jake before I could see him.

"You sounded so…"

"Charlie!" Jake exclaimed, making Charlie shake off the embarrassment and discomfort of our conversation.

His eyes hardened.

"Are you looking for dad? He's watching the game at Harry's." Jacob said, trying to get Charlie to leave.

"No. I know where he is. That's why I came here. No one would give me a straight answer. I'm not stupid kid." He snapped at Jacob.

His angry eyes leaving Jacob and settling on me.

"You haven't been home for more than a week! You haven't called. You've missed school. I'm not blind, I can see you're different but you seem… well. Healthy. What has happened Bells? What is going on? Are you ok? Is it Sam and his friends?"

"Charlie." I tried to interrupt.

"I thought they'd been helping you."

"Charlie."

"But if I need to get you away just tell me and I'll-"

"DAD!"

He finally stopped talking. What the hell do I do now? Did anyone have a plan about all this. About my life after the change? I definitely couldn't fake my death now. It wouldn't matter what anyone said to Charlie now. He'd never belive it. He'd never give up trying to find me.

Damn. This is just too much to deal with. I only just woke up a few hours ago.

What an eventful first day.

I sighed.

I'll have to get Sam and the elders.

"Dad," I refocused on him.

He looked weird. Dazed. Not angry anymore. Just kind of lost.

"Dad."

He looked at me but almost through me.

"Can you wait in the lounge please?" I asked, a little confused.

"Yes." He said and turned around, walking away down the hall.

That was highly unusual. I looked to Jake and he was trying not to laugh.

"What the hell was that?" I questioned.

He obviously noticed it too.

"It's your scent. It overwhelms the senses. Part vampire lure but something more earthy and well… you. To me it screams sex and candy." He explained, licking his lips.

"To Charlie I'm sure it is a little different but you get the idea."

Hmmm… A lure. That could be useful. Interesting.

"How did I do it? Was he standing to close or something?" I asked.

Jake sniffed the air.

"It's not too strong at the moment. I think you breathed in his face. You sighed."

Oh, well yeah, I basically shoved it down his throat then. At least I'll never have to worry about bad breath again. I giggled.

A cheeky thought crossed my mind. I looked through my lashes at Jake, trying to look sweet and innocent.

"Hey Jake." I called stepping close to him and deliberately fanning my breath over his face.

He instintively breathed. I noticed his body clearly relax and his face go blank like Charlie's had.
Yes! It worked!

"Bella." He moaned, his free hand trailing up the bare skin of my arm.

Oh ok. That's different. Um, how the hell do I wake him back up? I pushed his hand away and snapped at him.

"JACOB BLACK!"

His eyes widened comically then he slumped, his head down, looking ashamed.

"I'm sorry. Here." He said, handing me a bag and quickly making his way down the hallway.

I could hear him muttering under his breath and rolled my eyes.

"Hardly my fault. Half naked, dripping wet and that smell…"

I guess I better be careful who I breathe on. I turned and went the opposite way down the hall. Stepping inside Jake's room, I looked around. It looked strangly unlived in.

He obviously slept here, the bed was still unmade. But it really seemed like that was it.
The desk had dust on it, probably never used for studying. The TV wasn't even plugged in. I suspected, well, it was an educated guess, that the garage was more 'his space' than this room was.

Sighing, I turned around and gasped, jumping back slightly.

At first I thought for sure that someone was standing there looking at me but the fact that the back of the door clearly had a mirror on it told me I was looking at myself.

My eyes were the biggest shock, I'd been expecting red.
All new vampires have them.
I stepped closer.

Mine were different. Somewhere between the dark muddy brown of my human eyes and the light golden eyes of the Cullens.
And yet, they were so much more.

They looked… wilder.
They drew me in.

Slowly, I looked away from my eyes and took in the rest of my body.
I looked fuller.
I had not been eating well since… anyway, I started to fade away. I actually looked healthy again. Strong too. My eyes could make out the muscles under my skin. I looked fit and healthy and – are my…?

I dropped the towel. Wow.

My boobs were a litlle bigger. My hips too. Not too much.
I just looked properly proportioned now.
I had a womans body.

The breeze from the window made my hair move. It tickled my lower back. That had changed too. It was at least two inches longer.

My eyes roamed over my body and started to fill with venom tears.
I was beautiful.

But what use is that to me now?
He wasn't here.
He didn't want me.
He never would.

I snifled, shoving the thoughts of him back to the dark corner of my mind.

"Bella?" I heard Jake call softly from the kitchen.

"I'm fine Jake." I called back without thinking.

"What the hell is going on here?" Charlie muttered under his breath.

Oops.

That one was Jake's fault. The scent of Charlie's frustration and the burn of my throat brought me back to the task at hand.

I quickly opened my bag of clothes, spilling them out onto the bed. There was a small note in with the clothes, I picked it up.

[Didn't know what you would want
Just grabbed a few things
My favourites]

Oh god!
I covered my face in my hands.

He'd grabbed a pair of my sexiest underwear. Black and lacy.
I normally just wear plain and cotton.

Oh! Score. No more blushing for me.

That made me smile.

They were a little small now but they'd have to do. I pulled all of my clothes on slowly and carefully. The tight blue jeans fit better than they ever had. I paired that with a black t-shirt, the grey zip up jacket that Emily had given me with an outline of a wolf in rhinestones on the back and simple black flats. I felt good.

Grabbing a hair tie out of the side pocket of the bag, I tied my hair up in a bun and made my way out to Jake. I felt Charlie's eyes on me as I walked over to the kitchen and lent on the wall. Jake's head was in the cupboard.

That boy never stops eating.
Poor Billy.

He pulled back and looked over to me.

"Well? What do you think?" he asked expectantly, eyeing me up and down.

I smiled and rolled my eyes. He is such a dork.
Cautious of Charlie's eavesdropping this time, I shrugged.

"It all looks pretty good."

Jake scoffed obviously unimpressed with my answer. He crossed his arms and his tone became more serious.

"And how are you feeling?" he hedged, nodding towards Charlie.

Yeah, because talking in code won't make Charlie suspicious at all….

My throat was still burning from Charlie's scent but I didn't feel like I was going to lose control. I'd never hurt anyone.

"I'm a bit thirsty but it can wait."

Jake seemed to trust my judgement. He smiled, back to his happy self and threw an apple to me.

"Try this."

I caught it without thought and internally cheered.
Goodbye clumsy human Bella

Suddenly I felt something about the atmosphere change.
I couldn't say what or why exactly but I could feel something weird in the air.
It must be one of those things, like emotions having smells.

My eyes went to Jake leaning casually against the cupboard door.
It was him. There was something iffy about the nonchalant stance he had going on.
I eyed him wirily, trying to work him out.

He was watching me, distinctively trying not to be obvious.

I assume because of the apple, he must be curious although he looked worried. I know it'll be my first time eating but what does he think will go wrong? Was he expecting me to throw up or something?

Trying food as a vampire should be a disaster but being half wolf, my hopes high that it won't taste like dirt.

It will be interesting to find out for sure but that's no reason for Jake to go all weird on me. If anything I'd expect him to be excited about it.

I sighed when it clicked.

Boys and their crazy need to put bets on everything… They are so competitive.

"What have you got your money on Jake?" I asked pointedly, the accusation clear in my tone.

"Yes or No?"

He just smiled and winked at me.

Whatever.

Not wanting to give him the pleasure, I held onto the apple and headed towards the door.

"Call your dad and Harry. I'll get Sam." I said quickly and quietly, making sure Charlie wouldn't hear.

I glanced over to him on the couch as I reached for the handle. He looked ready to jump up and follow me out of the door and not in the slightest bit embarrassed to have been caught watching us like a hawk.

"I just have to step outside for a minute dad. I promise I'll be back in a minute."

He didn't get a chance to argue as I shut the door and strolled across the road, into the forest. I closed my eyes and tried to feel for wolves in my mind.

Bingo!

Jarred and Quil. I listened to their thoughts.

"No Quil. It's impossible!"

Jarred seemed frustrated.

"Why? We exist. How can you be sure?"

I couldn't help but be curious. Jarred stopped running, sat on his hind legs and huffed.

"I'm sure that if there were mermaids and fairies in real life, we would know. Not to mention that if 'dragons' were real, the entire world would know."

Really? That is what they talk about? Honestly.

"Hey guys!"I thought, scaring the shit out of them.

"Holy Shit Bella! Are you trying to kill us?"Quil complained.

"Sorry."Kinda "I just need to call Sam, didn't want to freak you out when I howled."

I took a bite out of the apple and chewed.

"Why, what's up? Is something wrong?"

I swallowed and mentally cheered.

It tasted good.

I quickly ate the rest of the apple, pleased that thanks to the mind connection I could talk and eat at the same time. Useful.

"Just a small issue with my dad but don't you guys worry. You just continue your enthralling discussion on the existence of mythical beings."I teased.

Jarred groaned and took off, trying to put some distance between himself and Quil.

Not that it would help any.

"But wait! What happened with Charlie?! And it's totally possible! Well, maybe not dragons but other things…"

I just rolled my eyes.