A Pack of Two

by S.H.Walker

Seth imprints on Nessie, so Jacob is still waiting for love to find him. Did it? and will they survive?

10. June 29th

55

June 29th

When I woke up the sun was just over the trees so let the wolf pack sleep in. It was about 7 am when I went to shower. I got into the kitchen about 7:30 and breakfast began. I felt the air crackle about 8am – people were fazing. I went back into the room and shouted, "Leah gets to use the bathroom first. Then the rest of you guys can shower. Breakfast is working."

I got Leah into the bathroom and got her some of my 'Alice' fashion to wear. As I was headed back into the kitchen I said, "I'll start the eggs when you guys are nearly ready. Don't worry Leah, we get our food first." The room was fully of fuzzy boys and all that goes with them. The dirt, dust and fur floating to the floor. I hoped Esme had a really good vacuum cleaner.

I set the table for the pack -– the 4 of them would eat together. Kolohe and I would sit at the breakfast bar. We weren't pack or Quileute so they would eat together at the table. I wanted to get Kolohe alone. I knew that He, Jacob, was there during the night. I didn't see him but I was still sure. I could smell him. I wanted to know if Kolohe said anything to him.

"Good morning," the first words to me. Nope, it's not Kolohe. It was Leah.

"Morning," I said back taking the cornbread out of the oven.

"Leilei, thanks for the clothes. I didn't bring any. I was planning to go back home this morning, but breakfast smells good."

"Thanks," I said proudly. I had most of the things I needed arranged. Hot pads for the hot food and trivets for the cold. It was going to be breakfast burrito Monday. "I don't mean to pry," I started "but you are older than Seth right?"

She nodded.

"Then who fazed first?" I asked.

"We did it at the same time. It was horrible," her voice cracked. "Just terrible." She turned away from me. I headed back into my stolen memories and looked found the reason. Her fathers' death and her new life as a wolf were intertwined.

"I'm sorry for your loss. I didn't know," I apologized. I was luckier than most. I kept forgetting that.

"And you still would like to be able to change into a wolf?" she sputtered at me thru tears.

"Yes," I said confidently. "In the stories of my people, it's always the woman who can faze that becomes the mother of a new tribe. Women are the foundation of who and what my people are. Like I said before, I'm jealous. When I found out that I'd never be able to faze, I cried for a month."

"And she spent the better part of the next 3 months hitting me every time she saw me," Kolohe added. "Because she knew I could and she would never be able to. Start the eggs, the boys will be right out."

I arranged the cut the cornbread on a platter and put the rest of the food on one side of the breakfast bar. Then I scrambled 3 dozen eggs. I waited until Leah had gotten her plate of food before I gave each of the boys and Kolohe a plate to hit the buffet.

"What is this?" Quil asked looking at the spread. Scrambled eggs, black beans, hash browns, bacon and tortillas.

"Do you want me to make you a burrito?" I asked him. He just handed me his plate and I rolled him a one. "With or without cheese?"

"With please," he said. "And more potatoes. Thanks."

"Red or green chili?" I asked Quill.

"Can I have both? Just to see if you really know how to cook," he added smiling.

"Christmas it is."

With the pack at the table eating I was feeling right at home. So something bad just had to happen. Esme walked into the kitchen and smiled, "Good morning everyone! Charlie, they're all in here. It's breakfast time. Who did all the cooking?" she sounded surprised.

"Good morning Esme. Leilei did" Seth answered reaching for another piece of cornbread. "Morning Charlie," Seth finished.

"Good morning everyone." Charlie said smiling. He knew what a pack meeting looked like. And he seemed glad that it wasn't happening at his house. "Kolohe, can I have a word with you please?" His voice lacked the happiness associated with 5 wolves eating up someone else's groceries.

"Of course," Kolohe said as he left his seat with me and went to join Charlie as he walked out of the kitchen.

"What's that about?" I said aloud. He paid the towing fine. We hadn't done anything to cause any trouble that I knew of. Moments later Kolohe came back into the kitchen carrying a picture.

"Leilei, do you recognize this?" He held a picture of a tattoo of a stylized bird talon. I knew it.

"It's Fe'na pack symbol. Phil was Fe'na." Phil was dead after all. I sat back down. At least I knew he wasn't the bear in the back yard.

"I'm so sorry Leilei. They found his body in Seattle. I'll need you to come with me to identify him," Charlie said without emotion.

"I'm coming with," Kolohe said arms crossing over his chest.

I opened my mouth to protest. I closed my mouth. Kolohe wouldn't have it. Why fight a battle that I knew I wasn't going to win.

"I'll finish eating and cleaning up. Then we'll go. Say about an hour?" Then I asked Charlie, "Would you like some breakfast or some coffee?"

Charlie just shook his head no.

Kolohe said, "I'm sorry. I knew you loved Phil. He was a wonderful man and a great pack member. I'm glad to have known him. He will be missed." He kissed me on my head. How did he know just what to say? I sat back down to finish eating.

"I'm sorry too," Seth said quietly.

"Thank you everyone. I appreciate it. Please finish eating. You need to be strong to bring down the animal that did this. I've gone from crying to wanting revenge."

"Charlie, can we stop by my motel and pick up my truck? I'd like to drive myself to Seattle," Kolohe asked. Maybe he was worried about what we'd run into in Seattle. Or he wanted to be sure we'd have backup. Or he wanted to be sure I'd have back up at hand.

"Ok," I said prioritizing what needed to be done. "Eat the rest of the eggs and I'll roll what's left into burritos and I'll leave them in the fridge. That way you'll have something to eat later today."

"Nice," Kolohe sent to me his hand on my back. "I know you know and he'll appreciate that you thought about him without actually doing anything for him."

"Whoa . . . What?" I sent back.

"Him. You know him. I went in the bathroom when I heard voices yesterday."

I cut my eyes at my brother. He was hiding stuff from me. How was he doing that?

I washed the dishes fast and placed them in the dishwasher. Along with the pots and pans. Then I went to get dressed for the trip to Seattle. When I came out of the bathroom, there were boys in the room. But I thought I did just miss seeing someone outside. Someone that was hiding. But I let it go when Charlie asked if I was ready? "As ready as I'll ever be. Let's go." And the 3 of us left.

So Charlie drives us to the motel. Riding in the back seat of the police car was funny. I've never been in one. Charlie said he liked being a chauffer. When we got to the motel, Kolohe got out and headed to his truck. I moved into the front passenger seat.

"What's he doing?" Charlie asked about Kolohe leaning on the left rear bumper of his car pretending to look inside the cab.

"It seems that his truck has been marked, scent marked. Some of our people are here and they left a scent on the car bumper so he would know they were

here."

"Like dogs marking a fire hydrant?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah, but I wouldn't say that to him," I giggled under my breath.

"Your senses are that acute? Really?"

"All prey animals have senses like these. You smell like pound cake to me and Kolohe smells like musk incense."

"And the Cullens?"

"They smell like burnt garlic and bleach. But they would say the same about us." I decided to be polite and not add the bit about the moldy skunk. His daughter was one of them. So was his granddaughter.

Kolohe strode over to Charlie's window and asked, "I'd like to find out who's here. May I?"

"Are they going to be . . . fuzzy?" Charlie asked.

"Nope. It's broad daylight. They might be seen."

"Go ahead then," he finished. He looked at me. His eyes questioning what was going to happen. Then Kolohe got a conch shell out of the truck bed and blew it just once. Maybe he was expecting something really weird.

"It's Uncle Trini!" I was surprised. I didn't expect to see him so early in this but then again I liked him.

"Do you have a lot of relatives?" Charlie wanted to know.

"No, not really but all men about my fathers' age are considered to be my uncles. Their wives are my aunts. Most of the people about my age are considered cousins. It makes things easier since we are all related somehow."

He was just nodding. Thinking about how we probably were all related one way or another. Then I said, "They want me to come out."

"You can hear their thoughts?"

"Nope. That hand signal," I laughed. Seth was doing a lot of talking. There were things that needed to be cleared up soon. "I'll be right back."

I jumped out of the car and ran to Uncle Trini. It was almost like being home again. He swung me around in the air. Then stopped to look at me. All 6 ft of me. He smiled, "Congratulations. You look beautiful. The height becomes you." He sniffed me when he hugged me again. Then said, "That makes sense. There is a big kane on the hill over there. He's yours huh?"

"He's local pack. Imprinted on Leilei. He's just watching," Kolohe said.

"Good man. Lou and Niki are here too. Watching. So you're in one piece. That's good. Stay safe. Listen to Kolohe, ok? When's the recall?" Uncle Trini being on point with his gathering of facts. Got to love him.

"Tomorrow," I answer.

"Ok, go back to the sheriff. We have stuff to discuss." He gave me one last huge hug and said, "Be well."

I walk back to the car and get in. Charlie is about to bust wanting to ask questions, "So he's a furry too?"

"Yup. Slightly bigger than Seth."

"What are they talking about?"

"Kolohe's just telling them the lay of the land. Telling them not to bother the Cullens or the Quileute and to stay off the rez. Stuff like that."

"What's that about?" Charlie asked as we watched Jacob and Seth walk down from a small hill to Kolohe's truck. At the same time Uncles Lou and Niki walked out of another motel room. It appeared that Kolohe did all of the introductions. Hands were shaken and there was a bit of finger pointing going on.

"Are you going to go out there and see what they're talking about?"

"Nope. All of that has to be pack stuff by all of the hand shaking and pointing. I'm not going out there. You can go. You're Seth's father right?"

"His step father and no. I don't think I'll go over there either." He said with a little laugh. He understood pack stuff somewhat I guessed and he understood as the police he probably didn't want to know what they were talking about until it was all over. "Do you think that Jacob will come over here?" he asked expectantly.

"I don't think so. I'm sure he knows what he has to do for us to get back together. He lied to Billy and told him we'd broken up when we hadn't. We're imprinted on each other," I admitted.

"Oh God. Not that again. 'Bang.' 'Poof.' You two were in love," he said shaking his head. Maybe that's how Bella explained Edward to Charlie.

"Not in 'love' really," I started. "More like deeply in like. Can't live without you. He didn't tell me he was fuzzy and I didn't tell him that I didn't care he was fuzzy." While I was talking, Kolohe walked over to Charlie's window.

"Uncle Trini is coming with me. He's Fe'na. I've informed our people about the locals. The word will spread. We can leave anytime Charlie."

"Do you always talk in code?" Charlie asked me as Kolohe walked back to his truck.

"Well, you are the police. I don't know if your radio is on and I don't know how much you know" I admitted. Charlie started his car and on our way of the parking lot he called Sam to say he'd be gone most of the day, Seattle on the Wind Run case. Sam told him to take care. Then he turned the mic off on his radio.

"I guess you want to talk then. So what do you want to know?"

"Billy is one of my oldest and dearest friends. He only wants the best for all of his kids, especially after what happened. Maybe he's overly concerned about Jacob. In the last few years things have changed a lot. You weren't here but I think you know what I'm talking about. He's worried about his only son."

"I get it. The world isn't as simple as it was. Have you ever seen the Wizard of Oz?" I was going to try something that Kolohe used to explain 'being in the life' to me.

"The kids' movie? Sure. Who hasn't?"

"That's how Kolohe described 'the life' to me. Just like that movie. One day everything is in black and white and you understand most things. Then the next day things are in color. You never really understand what's the other side of that line is like until you cross over. You and Billy live in Kansas. Bella, Edward, Nessie and Seth all live in Oz. Jacob is there too and now I live there because of Jacob."

"Ok," Charlie said as we headed to the interstate. "So when did you go to Oz?"

"On the night of the incident. I got hurt and to save my life Carlisle gave me a blood transfusion from Jacob. I was dying and Jacob would have died if I died so Carlisle did what he needed to do to save me. When I woke up from my coma, I was in Oz."

"Ok, let's back up a bit. So you were born normal. You came here and met Jacob. You two imprinted on each other. You knew Jacob was a fuzzy and you already knew that fuzzies existed?" he said shaking his head.

I decided to confuse the matter even more, "You forgot to add that my father is a fuzzy and so is my brother. I've seen them fuzzy all my life. I thought everyone, all men could do that. Jacob never told me what animal he fuzzed into. I guessed wolf because I saw paw prints in our back yard that were way too big to be natural wolves."

Charlie sat quietly for awhile – just thinking, "All this time you've lived with us and we never knew."

"So did they," I said hoping he'd understood that I meant vampires. "That's the way we wanted it. We exist to protect humans from the vampires. And just for the record my dad is a snow leopard and my brother is a dog. There aren't any wolves in my family that I know of."

He turned to stare at me just for a moment. Then went back to thinking. "So you knew that there were vampires? Real vampires in the world before you met the Cullens," he concluded. "Did you know Carlisle or know about the Cullens before the incident?"

"Nope. Jacob was worried about what Carlisle might say to you or to Billy. And since Billy didn't like me, he decided not to introduce me to anyone. I'd seen the Cullens. They came to the farm stand to gawk at me at one time or another. But they never introduced themselves to me."

"Gawk at you? Isn't that harsh?"

"Not really, I don't think so. I have tattoos and I'm not quite what they expected I guess. So if Rosalie and Alice come to the farm stand and not buy anything but waste my time while they stand, stare, whisper and giggle at me isn't gawking, then I don't know what gawking is."

"So, you're in Oz now. Are you happy there?"

"My parents will be happy. They've been there for a good long while. Kolohe has been in Oz for like 15 years now. And maybe Yutan, my younger sibling, will go to Oz too. If he goes furry in a couple of years then all of my family will be there. We're pretty sure that will happen. He's pretty big for a 10 yr old."

"And you'll be with Jacob. I get it now. This imprinting thing complicates things. I learned that lesson with Bella. Do you know my Bella?"

"We've met," I said curtly.

"You don't like the Cullens much do you?"

"My visit with them hasn't been the best. They thought I knew them, all about them and I didn't know anything. So when I woke up I was terrified and confused and they didn't understand. Jacob wasn't there to explain. They didn't make him come back to be with me either."

"Wait . . . What? I don't understand? He just left you there?"

"Yup," I sniffed back a tear. It still hurt. Damn him.

"Has Carlisle stepped in to get this all cleared up? I mean dragged Jacob there to explain and make up with you?"

"Nope." And I'm sure that Carlisle would do it but he hadn't done it yet. I was sure that Kolohe would take care of that. I'm the little sister and he's my big brother and he doesn't like it when I'm not happy. Kolohe would make Jacob act like a man.

Charlie returned to Oz thing again with, "So, if the boys are born that way how do you explain Leah?"

"Women like Leah happen every once in a great while. They are very, very important. I don't remember when the last woman who could faze was born. My mom would know. We're pretty sure it's a genetic thing. You know like being left handed."

"So you always knew and it never seemed strange to you. I mean never?"

"What's strange? We lived in a house like everyone else. I lived on a farm and was home schooled. Not everyone can be that lucky but ok. The Cullens live here in Forks. They went to school. Seth went to school right? Carlisle works in the hospital. Anything strange about that?"

"Seth says you can do 'things'," he said cautiously.

"Things like Alice and Jasper can. Yes, I know. Why wouldn't the exact opposites be able to do the some of the same things? Why would you think that only the vampires could do 'things'?" Made me wonder what Seth and Leah told Charlie.

"What about the healing, the Mr. Miyagi, thing?" Damn, Seth did like to run his mouth.

"That's just Reiki. You can take a class to learn that in Port Angeles for about $150.00. Ok, I am better at is than most but practice does make you better at things."

We zoomed down the highway in the quiet for a short while. I liked the view out the window. It had been a while since I'd been out. Then the hard questions began, "Why didn't Billy make the move to Oz?"

"From what I know sometimes it, the ability to faze, skips a generation in some families. You also need to have something to force the change to happen. Like vampire smell in the air to trigger it." I didn't want to say it was Bella hanging out with the Cullens then with Jacob on the rez that did it. I just let him figure that out for himself. "The change happens when you're young. Usually between 14 and 20. Sometimes, rarely later." I was thinking of Sam but didn't want to go there. "A fully grown man doesn't usually start."

"So if you brother stopped fazing for a month. Then he'd be human for the rest of his life."

"Yup. He'd lose his fazing ability and he'd be human again until he died. Although his sons might be able to faze."

"How old is Kolohe? You said he's been fazing for 15 years and if he's been fazing since he was like 15. That would make him about 30. He looks 20."

"Kolohe will be 30 next month. Their aging slows. The vamps stop aging completely because they're dead. But with us it just slows so much you can't really see any change. It's the aging that makes life difficult. If the man's imprint or wife doesn't acquire his aspect, she'll continue to age. Then he has to decide to keep fazing and watch her age and die. Or stop fazing himself and grow old with her."

"Ok, but you're linked to Jacob. You have his aspect so, if he keeps fazing you'll be teenagers forever." He said sounding shocked and surprised.

"So will Bella and Edward. A hundred years from now they will look exactly the same. In about 100 years, I'll probably look 18, not 16 any more if Jacob keeps fazing."

"Do the Quileute know this?" I could almost hear the wheels in his head turning. In 100 years he knew he'd be dead and his daughter would still be vampire perfect but there could be about 20 perpetual teenage boys running loose on the rez.

"That's probably one on a list of things that our council will discuss with the Quileute council when they meet after the funerals."

"Then you and Jacob will have to act like the Cullens and keep moving every 20 or so years."

"Not really. Reservations and native homelands work for us. Isolated spots where the locals don't mind us being there. We keep to ourselves and protect the humans from criminals and trouble. No one notices us too much. My parents are old. They won't say how old but all they have to do is keep up with the technology and everything is fine."

"So it's possible in 100 years Jake and Seth can come back here, to Forks, and there would be Quileute legends about how the wolf boys killed the nomad army of vampires from Seattle."

"And they could be sitting around the council fire with their kids and grandkids and great grandkids listening to that story with the Cullens." Charlie looked like the world has just shifted under his feet. Like he just woke up in Oz and everything was in color.

"You blew up the house to cover up evidence so no one would know. You can't go public. You'd all end up in a zoo," Charlie said with the conviction of knowing the truth.

"Or worse. We'd end up in some lab somewhere with people poking us with needles. Trying to turn the boys into super soldiers. Wanting to know why we live so long? It would ruin everything. So yeah, the house had to be blown up and burnt down. No evidence."

"I think I stay in Kansas after all," Charlie finished as we turned into a parking lot at a state police headquarters morgue. "I'm sorry about this Leilei."

"Thank you for all your help Charlie. I'm glad they found his body." We parked and got out of the car to wait for the Kolohe and Uncle Trini. As we walked in to the building my favorite state policewoman's jaw dropped on the floor when she saw Kolohe. I kinda expected that. I introduced them both to her.

Uncle Trini and I went to the viewing. I was glad not to be alone. I was glad to hear that the coroner said there were defensive knife wounds. Phil went down fighting. Uncle Trini and I both knew we didn't use any knives in fighting. After that I sat with Kolohe while Uncle Trini signed all kinds of paperwork to have the body sent to Forks for the service. The Fe'na would make arrangements to have Phil and Talia buried together back in Tahiti near the rest of their family. As Uncle Trini finished up I went outside. I couldn't take it any longer. I needed to get away. Why them and not me? Charlie came out to get ready for the trip back to Forks.

"Chief Swan, would it be ok with you if I go back to Forks with Kolohe and Uncle Trini?" I figured Charlie maybe needed some time to think. But I wasn't going to push him.

"No problem, Leilei. You guys be safe." He said as they both came out of the building. "Kolohe, Uncle Trini thank you for coming. Please accept my condolences on your loss."

"Thank you for your condolences. I wish you could have met Phil. He was wonderful. And no sir, thank you," Uncle Trini started. "We appreciate all your help and your discretion. And my name is Trinidad Polamalu. Mahalo." They shook hands.

"Where are you all going?"

"Just some shopping and lunch. Thanks again Chief Swan," Kolohe finished. We all piled into his truck and hit the GPS to find a Chinese restaurant. We watched him drive away.

"Ok, Leilei. So, you've been here for like 5 months. Anything fun happen?" Uncle Trini asked from the front seat of the truck. I sat in the back seat behind them as Kolohe drove to the sporting goods store first.

"Not much," I started. "Things were pretty much great until about a week ago. Then hell came to visit."

"Hell will be leaving soon. We're coming. Now, tell me about the Cullens. Vegetarian vampires! What the fuck?" Uncle Trini asked me.

"Grab the popcorn," I giggled. "There's not much to tell. About 100 years ago the patriarch, Carlisle forged a treaty with the Quileute wolf pack. No hunting on the rez. No feeding on anyone in Forks and they wouldn't kill him. Carlisle agreed and he stayed in town for a while then he left. He came back about 10 years ago with a family in tow. He's got a wife, Esme and three sons and they are all married. And now there's a baby."

"What? A baby vampire?"

"Bella, the police chiefs' daughter got pregnant by Edward on her honeymoon." I started on the story that should have begun 'Once upon a time'.

"Charlie's daughter is a vampire? The police chief's daughter. That guy who just left. HIM?"

"Put your eyes back in your head Uncle Trini. HIM. Charlie's daughter is a Cullen. When she gave birth it was killing her so her husband turned her to save her existence, so to speak. Since it was her wish and since Edward didn't feed it didn't violate the treaty. Before all that happened, the Quileute and the Cullens stood together against an attack of vamps from Seattle. Some vamp bitch, Victoria, had a grudge against Bella before she was turned and was coming to take out the town. The packs organized with the Cullens to stop them in the woods just outside town. The Victoria war pitted about 20 vamps against the Cullen 7 and the Quileute packs." All during my story telling Uncle Trini just stared at me. Like it just didn't make any sense for the Quileute to be working with the Cullens for any reason. Maybe he was just in shock. I knew the info about the Volturi would make him feel better. I paused so he could take it all in.

"Ready for more?" I asked.

"Hit him with the Volturi," Kolohe said.

Uncle Trini just gestured for me to carry on. He'd scream when he'd had enough.

"After the baby was born and Bella was turned. The Volturi show up. They are like our council but for the vamps."

"They are not like our council," Uncle Trini snapped back.

"In a way they are. They rule over the collected groups of vamps. They try to get all the talented vamps to work for them. They want Bella, Alice and Edward to join them. And they'll kill the rest of the Cullens to get them to join. They live in Italy and they all came here to see the baby and kill it."

"Damn right. Fucking baby vampire," Uncle Trini spat.

"Seth's imprinted on her," I spat back.

"Oh shit! . . . You're kidding right?"

"No shit Uncle Trini. He's imprinted on her. Her name is Reneesme. So the packs stood as back up when the Volturi got here to kill her. Apparently, since there are other half vamps around, don't go to South America by the way, Reneesme isn't the only half-vamp in the world. They grow like people just faster. They can eat food as well as drink blood and they sleep. The Volturi didn't seem to know about the half vamps at all. It's all really strange but the Volturi didn't do anything but talk this trip. Everyone believes they will be back."

"And there will be a fight next time," Kolohe added. "From what Carlisle told me, I think they were just way surprised by the packs and the number of friends that Carlisle could get together to stand up against them. Next time – it'll be a blood bath. The Volturi won't hesitate."

"The problem is the Cullens will be moving soon and that would be the best time to attack them."

"What? Why move?"

"The Cullens move about every 10 years or so. Carlisle is a doctor and can't stay at the hospital to work for like 20 yrs and not age. It looks weird – so they move. In a couple years Seth will probably move in with them to be with his imprint and then they can go wherever. The problem is if they get far enough away from the rez . . ."

"Then the Volturi can attack them for the people they want without the packs interfering," Kolohe added.

"Damn. Now that's a problem. Everything here is all mixed up. Things are simpler with vampires that just stick to their normal diet. It's hard thinking of them as 'real people'."

"I don't think the Cullens will move too far away. Carlisle is the doctor for the packs," I said.

"They don't have their own Dr? They didn't . . ."

Kolohe nodded and followed up with, "Yup, they let their packs go dormant so they don't have a baseline."

"Our council will mention that to them when they meet with them. Have you met them yet Kolohe?"

"Informally, I've been out to the rez, but at Sam's request. He's the other pack leader."

"Leilei, your young man has a good heart. Don't let Harkoni know he hurt your feelings. Harkoni will cut him into strips and braid them," Uncle Trini chuckled as we pulled into the sporting goods store parking lot.

"If she's happy by the time he gets here all Jacob will have to put up with is, 'The Talk'."

"He will make him sit thru that, won't he? Oh shit," I said. I'd heard about that. All the whining and crying and that would be from the guy listening to it.

"You know it. 'Son, there are things you'll need to know . . ." they started in unison.

"Arrrrgh! Let's go shopping and get this over with or I'll start whining . . ."

20 minutes later we had our GPS locaters and were back in the truck heading to a Chinese restaurant for lunch.

It was Uncle Trini who started in on the Cullens again over lunch, "So outside of how smelly they are, are they treating you ok, princess?" he asked.

I felt my heart jump. No one called me 'princess' except for my father. No one. I wanted to catch Kolohe's eye. I couldn't but he did rest his left foot on my right leg in the booth and said, "Say nothing."

"They're ok," I started when I could talk. I had a mouth full of egg roll. "All of the kids are, were my age when they were turned so it's not so bad. I have my own room. They've bought me new clothes. They are actually ok as parental units." I was measuring my words. I didn't know why he called me that name but he was way out of line and I didn't like it. Neither did Kolohe by the look on his face when he looked at me.

Changing subjects Uncle Trini asked "I hope you asked for permission the hold the inquest from the Quileute?" Just loud enough for fuzzy hearing.

"I did . . . informally." I added quickly between mouthfuls. He seemed eager to get to the rez and that didn't feel right either. Everything seemed to take a left turn after getting out of the sporting goods store. It's like he changed and I didn't like it. If I could have felt cold shivers up my back I would have had them.

"Your little friend, Jacob isn't it? Has he taken you to the rez?" Uncle Trini pushing again.

"No. Not lately. I've been in, being taken care of. Carlisle only lets Kolohe or his family take me out. Just to be safe." What do you want to know? You're supposed to be here to help me feel safe, not scare me.

"What's this?" Kolohe interjected as a waitress brought over a huge take out bag.

"I ordered dinner. I'm not cooking tonight." then I added, "The Cullens don't cook."

"Spoiled rotten brat," Kolohe added taking the bag with him as we got out of the booth.

"Daddy's little princess." Uncle Trini finished. And I tried not to stumble as I got out of the booth.

I yawned as we got back to the car. I got into my seat and then asked, "Would you guys mind if I slept on the way back? It's been a day and a half for me."

Kolohe answered, "No problem. Got to sleep." I hoped he knew I was just going to listen to what was going on. I curled up as best as I could, in the back seat after putting dinner in the cab to listen.

The entire trip back to Forks, Uncle Trini put Kolohe under the knife and asked him just about everything. From how many packs were on the rez really? To how many were in each pack? How old were they? Was he sure the Cullens hadn't bitten me? What was the problem with Jacob and me? Everything. I felt sorry for Kolohe but he answered everything. It wasn't always the truth but there was enough truth in most of it to be ok.

Uncle Trini almost lost it when he thought he caught Kolohe in a lie. "The motel manager said you've been here for a week, what have you dug up?"

"I haven't been here that long. Just 2 days." Kolohe lied. I knew when Kolohe got to Forks. "I got the call from Chaska, went back home to Yellowknife packed up and drove here."

"I'd swear the motel guy said you'd been around for like a week," Uncle Trini pressed.

"He's mistaken. I called and reserved a room with a credit card, but I got here 2 days ago. It doesn't really matter anyway. We're all here for Leilei." Kolohe sounded firm in his story. Maybe that would be enough for Uncle Trini to back off.

"I care for Leilei like my own daughters. Do you know what really happened?"

"Just what I read in the newspaper," Kolohe answered him. They both knew I wasn't supposed to talk about it. Uncle Trini seemed to think Kolohe might know and share something that he didn't know. "I'll call and give you the email links," Kolohe finished.

"Thanks, I'd like that. I've asked a couple people in town and either they didn't know anything or wouldn't talk about it."

"It's summer. They were probably hikers not locals. The mountains here are spectacular."

"Is there anything you want or need me to do?" Uncle Trini still pressing.

"Stand firm. It might get complicated," Kolohe responded. Then he clarified, "Leilei and Jacob have had problems, true. And his father doesn't like her." That was true.

"I see what my job is, to keep Harkoni from killing the man," he said sounding like he was disgusted by the knowledge that someone didn't like me.

"Billy Black, Jacob's father, is in a wheelchair. A car accident some time ago. That means it's a delicate situation. Maybe the Quileute council can ease him into the idea of being an elder and founder of a nation. Jacob is a big boy. He can be the man his people need him to be."

"His council should have been there for him if the accident happened when Jacob was really young."

"Water under the bridge. Leilei won't hurt Jacob, you know that. They will just build their relationship on the foundation that he has. She'll help him in any way she can. Here you go Uncle. Many thanks for all your help," Kolohe said as he pulled up to the motel driveway.

"So, where you kids going now?"

"I'm gonna wake her up and we'll play with our toys for a while. Then come back here to leave my truck. I hope you'll watch it for me. Then back to the Cullens. I promised we'd be back by sundown. If we're late, they'll come looking."

"Hug and kiss the princess for me. See ya later. Mahalo." Uncle Trini got out of the truck and walked back up the driveway to the motel.

"Aloha mui loa," Kolohe said in response as Uncle Trini walked away.

Kolohe drove to the high school parking lot. "Did you hear what he said?"

"Yup. He's really worried. I'm not really sure about what. Maybe it's just the size of the emergency that has him spooked, but I don't like it."

"What don't you like, specifically?" Kolohe asked concerned.

"It's just his overall tone. I just don't like it," I said as I moved from the back seat to the front seat next to Kolohe.

"He was fishing. He's worried about Jacob and the pack. He's worried about the Quileute. I could feel his hatred for the Cullens, he wasn't hiding that. It's like everything here just isn't familiar and so he just hates all of it."

"Or maybe things didn't, haven't worked out the way he wanted," I said with conviction.

"Leilei, what are you saying?" I could hear the fury in his voice. I was just short of accusing our uncle of being a murderer.

"Why would he be worried about when you got here? Shouldn't he just be glad that I'm not alone? Where was he, so that he would be here this quickly? Forks is not the center of the universe. I know I don't know much about the pack structure in emergencies but why waste time checking up on you? It should be really easy to understand that Nona or my dad sent you here to find me."

Kolohe sat in silence, staring at me. There were things, like I knew that the murderers were some of our people, which I knew I couldn't tell him. If I could get him to go there. Lead him there without me telling him, then maybe he would understand. I just couldn't tell him, but Seth could. But I couldn't tell him to tell Kolohe. I had to hope to hell he just figured it out. Maybe Carlisle would tell him. My guardians needed to know the danger I was in. They needed to decide if they wanted the responsibility of taking care of me, that's why the Cullens knew. I didn't think a lone shifter or two would be a problem for the Cullen family.

Kolohe knuckles went from white back to his normal caramel color. He'd finished thinking about whatever and said, "Let's go to that sporting goods store, Newton's, and walk around. So it doesn't look like we just dumped him at the motel."

"Fine with me," and off we went. We walked around Newton's as some of the locals stared at me. I think they knew I was the kid from the Wind Run. I bought a couple of tee shirts and a bikini top.

"Ready?" I nodded to Kolohe. "Ok, let's drop off the car and head back There." He said.

"Oh yeah. I forgot. There." I giggled as I got back into the truck. We dropped of the truck at the motel. Packed up our stuff and waved to Uncle Trini's room and headed back to the Cullens. Up the drive way and back past the garage the now familiar smell hit me. I was 'home' again. I sat on the steps to check my shoes for dirt and then we entered my room again.

"Do you think that Carlisle will call us back upstairs for another, 'So what happened today kids chat?'?" Kolohe asked me.

"Nope. I think Charlie probably told them everything I told him."

"Like what did you tell Charlie?" Kolohe asked as we headed into the kitchen to put the food away.

"Like you need a distemper shot and a muzzle," I said feeling better now that Kolohe seemed like his old self. "So what are we going to do tonight? I vote for addition."

"You are truly evil," he said. Finally his normal smile had returned. "Good evening Esme and Carlisle," he finished turning toward the open dining room as they entered the kitchen.

"Leilei, Kolohe, can you please come with us?" Carlisle asked. He had a smile on his face too. Esme was beaming.

"Of course," Kolohe said.

"What's up NOW?" I asked after I found Kolohe's hand.

"No clue," was the response.

This time we walked into the living room. And there he was.

Carlisle started, "I believe you two are acquainted."

He was there, looking a bit tired. But wonderful in blue hoodie, black board shorts and flip flops. He was unsure about what was going to happen. But he was in the same room as me and wasn't hiding. He inhaled like it was the hardest thing he'd ever done in this life. Then I heard him say, "Thank you Carlisle." Jacob then turned to me and said, "Leilei Honshiro, I'd like to formally introduce to you my friends, Dr. Carlisle and his wife Esme Cullen. I know you understand who and what they are but they are also great friends of the Quileute wolf packs and me personally. I owe them everything. They saved your life."

"They helped you save my life," I said choking back tears. God, this is the man that I wanted. Finally. "Thank you Jacob Black" I said smiling at him. "It's my pleasure to meet your friends, the Cullens. My family will be very grateful to them for my safety and my life as well. My family will want to meet you and your family too, Jacob." I hadn't practiced anything like this. I didn't think this would happen so I wasn't ready. Damn Kolohe. He's sneakier than I thought. I looked at my brother and he was grinning like the cat that swallowed the bird. My turn now.

"Dr. and Mrs. Cullen, Jacob Black this is my brother Kolohe Honshiro of the Hoku Ao Kai Nation." Kolohe bowed.

Jacob and I stood looking at each other all confused but happy. Carlisle interrupted our staring contest with, "Esme and I will leave Kolohe in charge of you two. He's acting as your counselor if I understand your customs correctly. Please make yourself at home in our house." Esme walked over to me and gave me a hug. She was ecstatic that it seemed to have worked it self out. She was almost skipping as she and Carlisle left the three of us in the living room.

"Um . . . Leilei . . ." Jacob started looking like this was his first trip to the dentist.

"Jacob," Kolohe interrupted. "Take Leilei out somewhere for a talk. That would be best. Make it someplace safe."

"Ok, Leilei?" Jacob asked.

I took one last hard look at my brother. He was so full of himself for setting this up. How did he do that without me knowing? "Ok," I said as I headed to the front door. Then I paused just for a second and punched Kolohe in his still sore ribs. I winced from the pain. I'd hurt my hand but I wasn't going to show him that I did. How dare he set this up without me knowing anything about it?

Kolohe laughed at my punch and said, "Jacob will be out in a minute, bitch."

I shook my hand when I was outside walking to the garage. Emmett was waiting outside. He was smiling too. "So it looks like it will end up ok then?"

So everyone knows? "Yeah. Kolohe's a sneaky pain in the ass. But . . ."

"Kolohe loves you and wants you happy so he fixed it so you and Jake are back together again. And by the way -– all boys are stupid especially when they are in love so don't hurt Jake too much telling him how stupid he was OK? He knows that already." Emmett smiled again and walked into the back yard.

Jacob got into his car with me beside him just like always. But it was different this time. There weren't as many secrets as there were before but I was still angry. He could have just stayed with me. He should have.

"I'm an idiot," Jacob thought he thought to himself as he drove down the drive way. To the road. To the highway.

"Why yes. You are an idiot," I answered aloud.

"What just happened?" he said aloud.

"I said I agreed with you. YOU, are an idiot."

"Leilei, can you read my mind?" he thought clearly to himself as he began to test this new thing.

"No, I can't read your mind but I can talk with you. But I'm not talking to you. Why would I? You leave me like a pile of dirty laundry on the Cullens' doorstep. Why would I talk to you?" I answered.

"I am an idiot . . . is there anything I can say Leilei?" he asked aloud.

"NO!" I answered way too loud.

Then there was quiet.

Then there wasn't.

"Would you like to know where we're going?" he asked.

"No," I sent. Not too loudly this time.

"How can you do that? Talk to me without saying a word like you're in my pack?"

"I'm connected to you. The blood transfusion, the one that saved my life, connects me to you. I'm your personal pack. We are a pack of 2."

"You're connected to me beside the imprint?"

"I imprinted on you and you on me. And on top of that there is my having your aspect. We're pretty much the same person in 2 bodies." I admitted finally.

"We're the same soul in 2 bodies," he thought he said to himself. I decided not to let on that I heard that. I knew it was true. But I needed to still stay angry. But that was getting harder by the minute. I kinda knew where he was driving us. Back there.

"I couldn't leave the Cullen property. You alpha'd me there." I said still focusing on what made me angry.

"I saw you with Charlie in town," he said sounding surprised.

"You what? . . . Whatever! Carlisle had to bring me. I can't walk across the boundary line. I can be driven, carried or dragged . . . UH!"

"Protecting you . . . sorry."

"Leaving me in a house full of vampires . . . don't tell me anything when you leave . . ."

"The Cullens aren't," he started. "The Cullens aren't vampires, they're Cullens."

"I get that now. When I woke up and you weren't there. I thought they . . ."

"God, I'm an idiot."

"No argument here." We drove the rest of the way to La Push in actual silence. He figured out how not to 'I'm an idiot' to me to death. He was taking me back there. That's not fair. First Beach. The beach still had a few people still on it. The sun was setting. The west was burnt orange and beautiful. A few people nodded at him as we walked. I walked beside him. No holding hands -– no looking happy. We went to that part of the beach where we bonded three months earlier.

"Leilei," he said aloud. "I'd like to say . . ." he started. He was trying to stop shaking. He was so upset. He was so hurt. I knew he hated loss and he's lost me. He hated himself for that.

"I've got one thing to say, and then I'm done," I interrupted. "You didn't lose Bella," I started. "She didn't drop out of your pocket. You can't lose what isn't yours. She made a choice. She decided that Edward was her lover and you were her friend. It's not easy for me to say but that's the way it is. Maybe they imprinted on each other, I don't know. Our people believe that anyone can imprint on anyone, look at Seth and Nessie. But Bella made the choice to be with Edward. That doesn't mean it didn't hurt. It doesn't mean it still doesn't hurt now. But, no matter what you do, you can't change that now." I hated to say what I felt was true but my honesty was all I had for him.

"You didn't choose me either," I continued. "I know that. I'm not what you expected. But I recognize that we are supposed to be together. We have to figure out how to make this work. I don't know how I can do that when you measure me against Bella and I'm not enough for you." There, I'd finally said it out loud.

"So why are we here?" I finished.

"I wanted to come here because this was the last place I was really happy." Jacob's voice was low. Almost too quiet against the sound of the waves breaking on the shore. More than hearing him, I felt him pull that memory of us back then to us now. Standing here on the same beach as before.

Damn. Yeah I remember that. I was happy then too. Our first touch, his left hand to mine. He pulled me over to a piece of driftwood on the beach. I was more than a head shorter than him then. If he tried to kiss me while we were standing face to face, it would have been awkward.

Our first kiss. He was scared. He thought he was rushing it. He was. But he calmed down when he saw I didn't go running away. His second kiss was better, warm and gentle but it didn't last long enough. I wanted it to last forever. I remember how he smelled with the sea spray in the air. I remember that day on the beach. I'd never forget that day on the beach. Nothing is forever but I knew I'd remember that day forever. And now here we are again. So I gave in. I walked over to him. Took him by the hand and I stood on the same piece of driftwood. I stood on it and looked him in those eyes – big chocolate brown eyes. I put my head back on his shoulder, my arms around his neck and I inhaled. He smelled better with my new senses. I felt myself melt into him. We were one person in so many ways. I finally felt right again. Like it was in the best place for me. I felt him shake, he wasn't going to faze. He was just relieved. We were ok.

We were there . . . together for not enough time. We laughed when we heard a wolf howl.

"Who is that? You guys patrol the beach?" I asked.

"Maybe somebody saw my car. They came to look. It's Paul – I think." He caught the scent on the breeze. "Yup – it's Paul. Don't worry – I've got you," he thought he said to himself.

"Yeah I know you have me. Now and forever," I thought back to him.

"You heard me. How do I stop you from hearing everything? I didn't mean . . . I meant . . . I don't mean . . "

"I know what you mean, Jacob. It will take time for you to learn how to control it. It's like fazing. Kolohe and I had to learn how not to talk to each other too. It's harder to control when we're touching but I'm not giving up touching you just yet."

"We have to go back, you know," he said

"I know." Why couldn't that part be over already?

"What do we tell them?"

"The truth. We tell them we're ok. Kolohe won't press you about anything. If we walk in the house holding hands. He'll know everything is ok. You'll have to tell your pack. I'll probably pop up in your mind from time to time."

"They've seen you in my mind already. That's why Seth was always so worried."

"He's a good second. You're lucky to have him."

"Don't I know it. Aren't you ever going to speak to me again?"

"I like thinking that the quiet beach is ours alone. If I talk, I'll ruin the memory."

With that, he stopped talking and brought me back into his arms. He just held me until all I could hear was his heartbeat again. The sound of the waves crash and the quiet in between which was ours.

"Ready to go now?" He sent.

"Let's get this over with."

So back in his car. Back to the road. Back to the Cullen house. I felt like I'd been caught by my mom doing something wrong. We walked up the stairs to the front door. It was the same door we'd walked out of earlier but everything was different now.

"Ready?" He asked again.

"Nope, not yet. Esme will kill me if I track sand in her house."

"You're stalling," He countered.

"Am not," I sent to him stalling at the closed door still holding his hand. "Ok – I'm ready now . . ."

Then Jacob opened the front door. By the time the door closed Kolohe was peeking from the dining room to see who opened the door.

"No worries Kolohe. We know the sound of Jacobs' car and his, their smell." It was Emmett talking from the family room where he was watching TV.

"You guys ok?" My big brother asked worrying about me. He glanced at me but looked at Jacob.

"No problems," Jacob said staring back at him.

"Great," Kolohe said. "Then it's lo mein for dinner when the rest of your pack gets here."

"Lo Mein?" Jacob asked.

"Chinese noodles and shrimp. We also have egg rolls and fried rice. Probably enough for your whole pack. Are they all coming for dinner?" I asked looking between Kolohe and Jacob for confirmation.

"Yup. Leah, Quil and Embry should be here soon. Shrimp and noodles sound good," Jacob answered.

"Then I'll get to work on dinner. I know Kolohe's hungry, he was born that way. Do all you have tapeworms or is that just Kolohe?" I asked walking back to the kitchen still holding hands. I knew to leave Kolohe with Jacob. They had boy stuff to discuss and I wanted to hear but didn't want to look like I wanted to know what they were talking about.

"You were born to this. You know we all eat like the house is on fire. Jacob with me. Let the little woman get to cooking."

I shot Kolohe a look that would have wilted lesser men. But he was my brother and I'd get him back for the 'little woman' crack later. I just started keeping score again.

As I got to the fridge Esme came into the kitchen. "Leilei, am I bothering you?"

"Oh no, Esme. I'm just heating up some food. Jacob says his pack will be by for dinner tonight. If I'd known, I'd bought more food. There's probably enough here for me and two of Kolohe but not 4. I know there is some more rice here and there is some cold beef that I can mix in for dinner. It'll be enough." Then I started to think, "Did Kolohe forget ask if they could all eat here?"

"No, it's not that. Kolohe asked permission. I was getting used to cooking for Jake and Seth. They know they are welcome to eat here at any time. I wanted to ask about something else. Your 'yukata' for the funeral. How important is it that you have one?"

"Esme, don't worry. My mom is like any other mother in the world she'll bring extra clothes just incase someone didn't bring enough. She'll know I won't have any clothes and she'll bring something for me to wear. Don't worry. I won't be naked at the funeral."

"You didn't answer my question. What does a yukata look like? I'd like to understand what it is."

"Oh. Ok. A yukata is just a cotton kimono, not actually a judo jacket. That's called a ji." I stood staring into space and thinking for just a moment then said, "Well we might as well test it now. Last year I went to a wedding, my cousin Hali. I was in her bridal party and I wore a yukata, as part of my bridesmaid outfit. Her family crest has roses on it. This is what it looked like." I held out my hand to her. "It's just like with Nessie."

Her ice cold hand met my overly hot one. She smiled as she closed her eyes. Then she saw what I saw, myself in the mirror wearing a pale pink kimono with duchess length sleeves bound with a red ribbon binding. It was worn open without the obi like a dressing gown. Trailing down its back were embroidered clusters of roses. Underneath it I was wearing white silk sleeveless pantsuit with a Chinese collar that we called a yukata. The shirt fell to just above my knee. It was the wrap style of the funeral yukata our women wore. The right side closing over left for women. The entire pantsuit was embroidered with clusters of 3 roses outlined in pink. I wish I still had that yukata. It, like most of my things I liked, burned in the fire. Then again it wouldn't fit me now anyway.

I let go of Esme's hand, "I've never been to a funeral before. But what I know is the funeral jacket is the same as that white jacket but it's cut to the hip not to the knee like there. The women's version fastens right side over left at the hip. The men's version the other way around. The 'jacket' so to speak is sleeveless, if the weather is warm enough. It is always worn over pants. Both white. I don't like the stark white, that color doesn't look right with my skin color but cream or ivory. A funeral isn't the place to show off."

"I see. What did the bride wear?" She asked fascinated by the clothing I guess.

"This is Hali as we got her dressed. She looked gorgeous." I took hold of Esme's hand again and went back in my memory. She saw the layers of clothing and she gasped at what she saw. I narrated, "Hali is about 6'4" tall barefoot. I was 5'6" tall then. She didn't have any sisters but wanted women in her wedding, so she asked me and two other friends of hers to be bridesmaids. Her pantsuit was plum in color without sleeves. It was fastened at her left hip with a silver pin. The pantsuit was embroidered with clusters of roses in silver and plum thread. Her kimono worn without the sash was dark blue on the interior and white on the outside embroidered with her new husbands pack symbol. Dhani was Fe'na and so there were stylized bird talons mixed with roses on the white exterior. Her kimono was princess length, the sleeves fell to her knees when she held her arms folded. It was over 12 ft long measured from the collar to so it followed her as her train. When she finally got down the aisle it was part of our jobs as bridesmaids to make sure it was arranged correctly for the ceremony and the picture taking."

"You'll be just as beautiful a bride," Esme said. "I wish I could be there to see it. You and Jacob will make a very handsome couple."

"You'll be there. You have to be." I informed Esme as I got back to cooking. "As my provisional guardians, you'll have to be there. Being my guardian means that you are taking responsibility for me and my safety, like being adoptive parents. You'll have to be there. So will all of the families that I lived with in my training."

"Really?" Then she didn't miss a beat, "When do you think you 2 will get married?"

"I don't think my parents will want me to get married for at least 4 or 5 years. My dad wants me to go to college first."

"Will your father allow you and Jacob to be together in the interim?"

"My parents are imprinted, well my dad is imprinted on my mom, and my mom is imprinted on someone else entirely. You know the story, so they know what we're going thru. When the inquest is over, my parents, you and Carlisle and Jacob since he's over 17, will come up with something. I just hope that you allow Kolohe to have some input since he's acting as our counselor."

"Hold on. We and your parents and Jacob will decide where you'll live and with whom. Don't you get a say?"

"Not really. I'm still a minor. I have to trust that you'll all decide what's best. But since it's only for 1 year, I can handle that. I'll be 17 next year. That's when I'm recognized as an adult." I walked over to finish dicing some venison for my fried rice while she pondered what I just said.

"Thank you," she finished. She gave me a hug and floated away.

Kolohe walked back into the kitchen, "Is everything ok in here? I heard you and Esme talking so I stayed away."

"Everything is ok as far as I'm concerned," I said. "But I don't know how they think, so I'm not sure. She wanted to know what a funeral yukata looked like. I think she's back in mother mode again," I sent handing him a platter for the fried rice.

"Fine then. The rest of the pack will be here in like 10 minutes -– so get to cooking woman."

I handed him plates and silverware. Kolohe made himself busy with setting the table. Jacob came into the kitchen with Seth. Seth just stood nearby and giggled while he watched Jake hesitate in touching me. So I hip checked Jacob to get him to smile.

"You guys sit at the table. Kolohe and I will be over here. What do you want to drink? I've got tea or lemonade?"

"Both," said Quil and Embry as they entered the kitchen.

"Oh, Leilei?" Seth asked.

"Yup! What do you need?" I said handing him a glass and pointing to the lemonade.

"Leah will need some clothes, if that isn't too much trouble. She didn't bring any."

"No problem. Maybe this will be my chance to show her how to tie a sarong." I said as I wandered back into my room to see if I could help Leah.

"Leah? Oh hi! There you are." I said facing the only female shifter I'd ever met again. There was anger in her eyes. I wasn't quite sure why. I knew from Jacob's memory about her and Sam. But why be angry with me? "Do you want clothes or would you like me to show you how to tie a sarong? That way you could carry a piece of cloth with you so you'll have something to wear." She fazed in front of me, looking me up and down as I got into the drawer to get some of the Alice fashion. She was smaller than me so the Alice fashion fit her better. I didn't like my clothes tight.

"Clothes," she said at first. Then, "Is this sarong thing hard to tie."

"Nope. It's like this." I took a piece of cloth I'd bought when Kolohe took me out shopping and held it up behind me, holding the corners of the longer side in each hand. "All you need to do is wrap the right across your body then up around your neck. Then do the left. Then tie them behind your head. If the ends are long enough you can roll them down and tie them in front. It's kind of form fitting. But we wear them at home all the time. If you decide to wear it all you'll need is just a big piece of cloth." She watched me tie and untie it a few times in different styles while she put on the Alice fashion. So, ok, not this time.

"It's Chinese for dinner. I hope that's ok," I called to her as I left her in the room to finish dressing.

"So, how'd it go in Seattle?" Jacob asked.

"Uncle Trini took care of the arrangements after he and Leilei identified Phil's body," Kolohe answered him.

"With your names being so . . . strange how did 'Phil' just get to be Phil?" Seth asked. Leah smacked him in the head as she passed him heading to the breakfast bar.

"Phil wasn't his name. He was Ululani. He was a PhD candidate in Phil - osophy, so we called him Phil. Talia was his wife. They had 1 child, Koni, who was with his grandmother in Tahiti. He'll be here for the funeral I'm sure." I said knowing Koni was probably too young to understand what just happened. But he was still with family. That would help. "Sit and I'll get the food. Leah, do you want me to fix you a plate?"

"Why are you always so worried about me?" she said.

I paused. I didn't understand how we could go from being almost friendly to bitch so quickly. "You seem to be unsure of where you fit in. I feel the need to make sure you understand how important and special you really are. If you are offended by my intentions, then I'm sorry. Like I said when I came to the council, I'm jealous." I turned the plate for her that I was making into my plate and took my seat at the breakfast bar with Kolohe.

"Sorry," Jacob sent to me.

"Why? Two women in the same pack. There is bound to be trouble of one kind or another. Don't worry. I know she can take me apart like a rag doll. I'll be careful."

Jacob shot me a look of pure fear. I felt it grip him. He realized how vulnerable I was when I was with them. Then he turned to stare Leah down.

"Let it go. We'll get this sorted out. Don't interfere. You are the pack leader but you can't control the personal drama that happens between your pack members. You rely on her for your life and safety and I'm your imprint. Both of us are important to you. "

"But . . ." he sent turning toward me in shock.

"No but. If you kick her out of your pack, where will she go? You're better than that. I know you are. It'll be fine. Give us some time. Usually it's the alpha's imprint or wife is the #1 female of the pack. You're special, your pack has 2 females. It'll just take some time for us to figure this out."

"Jacob," Kolohe repeated quietly.

"Sorry, Kolohe. What were you saying?" I apologized aloud cutting Jacob off. We'd been sending while they'd been talking to us. That was rude.

"Sorry," Jacob said still concerned about me.

"I was just asking what you guys did today after we left for Seattle." Kolohe asked patiently.

"Nothing much," Seth started since Jacob was still preoccupied with what we had been sending about. "Your uncles, Niki and Lou came back out with some cousin, Leoni. We talked for a bit about the woods and stuff. Nothing important."

"Uncle Trini didn't mention Leoni was here. He's the best tracker."

"So the council thinks it will be a bug hunt after all," I said.

"Maybe Trini thinks there will be a hunt," Kolohe said shaking his head.

"What's the problem, Kolohe?" Jacob now joining in the discussion. He heard something he didn't like in Kolohe's voice.

"When we were in Seattle, Uncle Trini was calling Leilei by the name only her father uses for her. I didn't like it. I don't know why he did it. It just hit me as being a little weird. Leilei, did he say or do anything strange while you were in Seattle?"

"Nope. Nothing that I remember. We weren't alone, so he didn't try anything. I made a point of not touching him."

"Jacob, are you having a pack meeting tonight? I'd like to talk to you and your pack if you will allow it."

"Sure. No problem especially if it's about what happening right now."

"It will be." Kolohe grinned at me. That silly grin from our childhood. "See Leilei, you are the princess in the bedtime story after all."

I love my brother but he's usually right, so I hate him when he's right. I grew up listening to my mother tell me bedtime stories that were about chiefs' daughters being rescued from vampires by coyotes or dogs all my life. Those stories were ok but the stories that I really liked were the ones about the chiefs' daughter when she fazed and led her pack to take out the nest of vampires or kill the rogue pack leader. Now, in my own story, I was the princess in the tower waiting to be rescued. Son of a bitch! Why couldn't I be Leah and be strong enough to save myself. I didn't have anything handy to hit Kolohe with so I just made another mark on the list that I started keeping.

"Quil, Embry, Leah did you see any signs of Mr. Bird in the woods? I haven't been back out there since I came here." Kolohe was still digging for information.

"No signs at all. He bugged out without leaving a trail," Quil answered.

"Impossible. That means he climbed a tree and made his way somewhere after he stopped bleeding."

"How do you know that?" Quil asked.

"Ok, then you explain it. He couldn't fly, he's lost an arm. Anyone see a small plane with only 1 wing? There wasn't a blood trail on the ground to follow. You said so yourself."

"So, how do you think like that? What kind of mental process has you think like that?" Embry questioned. I liked him. He spent most of the time just watching, listening and seeing if things made sense.

"About a thousand years of being hunted my vampires will do that to you."

"Ok. Really, how many of your people, shifters are coming?" Seth asked for Carlisle I guessed.

"Ok. There are 7 packs in our council. Each pack has between 100 and 200 pack members. About half will probably try to come here. Then there are the boys in the runs, our training houses, they won't show. Then there are the retired pack members who may show. Then there are other packs that we are friends with, or the allied peoples. I don't know if they will come. Who knows really?"

"What? 1400 of you! Really?" Jacob sounded excited and astounded.

"Really!" I chimed in as the pack sat staring at each other across the dinner table.

"At least," Kolohe said proudly. "The area where we live is huge. The Pacific Rim is from Russia and China in the west to here. That's why we consider you to be long lost cousins."

"How do you maintain your numbers?" Jacob wanted to know.

"We don't let our packs go dormant."

"Dormant?" Embry again.

"There was a time when there weren't any active shifters/fazers here, right? No one was running your woods to protect your people. We can't afford that." Kolohe started on his explanation.

"But . . ."

"Ok, think. It took what, a good 6 months between when there was a lot of Cullen scent in town and when you guys and Leah began to faze the first time, correct? So what chance would say 400 people in 3 villages on an island have against say 2 or 3 vampires? Usually the weapons we carried were spears and war clubs. How long would those villages be there if it takes 6 months for the first person to change?"

"You wouldn't stand a chance," Quil proving he was paying attention.

"That's why we never let our packs go dormant. We keep part of our kills to help us identify the boys or the rare female who might join us in time."

"So you operate the runs to train the next pack members. You keep the boys away from everyone while they are dangerous . . ." Jacob added.

"And teach them what they need to know about themselves. Imprinting and diet. How to act, like not showing off in front of the humans." I finished his thought.

"An important point to remember is, we are always dangerous. That is our purpose -– to be dangerous to the vampires. We keep the boys, please excuse the term Leah, you are very special. We keep the boys isolated until they understand why they are the way they are. At 17, the boy makes the decision whether to stop fazing entirely and return to being human or to be pack, to join a pack. And defend us from them."

"That seems wrong. Just way wrong . . ." Quil said shaking his head.

"Wrong how? At 17 you get to decide how you'll spend you life, human or as a pack member. You can always stop fazing and become human again, start aging and just be 'normal' again. But you'll need to know that your sons might turn fuzzy when they get of age. You need to know that the council will be watching your sons and you. We don't want you running your mouth about what you are."

"And you learned all of this when you were in training," Leah finally saying something.

"Yup. My fathers' father, my grandfather was Keoke. A great teacher and pack member. His son, my father is Akini. He isn't pack and wasn't pack. He never could faze. He hated his father for spending time away from him with pack activities. Keoke was killed in a storm off of Palau saving people caught in a riptide. Akini blamed his death on him being pack. I was the 3rd child Nona had with Akini. Nona, our mother, was Akini's second wife. He had 4 kids with his first wife. I was the only child he sired that seemed like I could/would go pack. So at 10, our mother took me to find a run, a place for me to live and be trained. Akini didn't like the fact that my mom was all excited that I was Kai, that I was going to go all fuzzy some day. When we got to Japan where Leilei's father lives – that's when the shit hit the fan. Harkoni imprinted on Nona. She was imprinted on Akini. And yes, the seer women can imprint. Our mother is a seer, like Leilei. She, they have powers. So both councils had to be called in to figure out what to do. Harkoni said all he wanted from Nona, since he was sure she wanted to return to her husband, was a child with her to have as his own. He said he wouldn't interfere with her marriage with my father but he did want a child, a part of his imprint to have forever."

"Our mothers' happiness was so important to Harkoni that he was willing to give her up so she could be happy with her husband. I don't know if I could do that," I said looking at Jacob, glad we didn't have to make that kind of choice.

"So along comes Leilei when I'm like 14. That's when Akini thought he'd get his wife back, almost 4 years later. Well, Leilei was like our mother. She had to be raised by her mother to be sure she was trained properly. So Leilei couldn't be just left with Harkoni as agreed. If Akini didn't want his own son who had fuzzy potential, he surely didn't want Harkoni's telepathic daughter in his house, so our mother decided to stay with Harkoni in Japan. She waited until after I fazed the first time to ask me if I could give up fazing forever, my little baby sister and her to go and live with my father as a human forever or stay with her and Leilei and Harkoni as a family. I chose to stay with my new family. So at 17 I went to see Akini and told him I'd made the decision to be pack. He told me he would never see me again until I gave up being pack. We said goodbye. I haven't seen him about 12 years."

"You haven't seen your father in 12 years?" pain and sorrow in Seth's voice even hurt me. It touched too close to his heart.

"I think of Leilei's father as my own. Akini made me who I am, Harkoni shaped the man I am. To be one of us is to embrace loss."

"Loss . . ." I felt Jacobs' pain at the word. He shuttered to his core.

"I've lost all of Akini's other children, my siblings. All of the other family members from Akini's side of my family. I haven't seen them since I was 17. The kids I went to school with. As you know we age very very slowly. They have aged. I haven't." Kolohe paused to let what he said sink in. "But I wouldn't be here with you now if I wasn't pack."

Everyone was very quiet. They were in mourning about their lives, the things they would miss that they hadn't even lost it yet. They weren't looking toward the things that would come they hadn't even thought of yet.

"Life is hard. Take happiness when it presents itself to you," Kolohe said looking at Jacob.

"You're life wouldn't have been nearly as much fun without me," I said laughing, trying to change the mood in the room. "We went sledding in Greenland when I was a kid. The husky that pulled my sled was the fastest in the whole country. We even built an igloo and slept in it."

"And I got my butt bitten by a polar bear too!" Kolohe added grabbing his right cheek.

"I'm sorry I don't have desert. I promise to bake something sweet for tomorrow night," I said as I gathered the cleaned plates. "Pack meeting time unless you're all volunteering to help me clean up?" Everyone moved from the table, just like I thought they would. Jacob hung back for just long enough to give me a little squeeze.

"Happiness," Jacob sent

"Happiness," I answered him.

I washed the dishes and placed them in the dishwasher. Then checked the cookbooks for desert ideas, looked in the fridge for breakfast ideas. Planning pancakes for breakfast and something chocolate for desert. Then Jacob came back into the kitchen.

"Meeting over so soon? What? Kolohe didn't put you guys thru the ringer?"

"He answered all of our questions. We'll think of more questions later." His eyes shifting from corner to corner in the kitchen.

"Why are you so nervous?"

"I'm not nervous," he answered nervously.

"Lie to someone else. What is it? Did Kolohe say something?" I started.

"No," he answered sheepishly cocking his head, looking all confused.

"What is it?" I sent. I was just confused.

"Kolohe said we could sleep together tonight?" He shrugged his shoulders, "That just sounds strange to me."

"Is that all? Of course we can sleep together," I answered calmly. I put the dish towel down and walked over to him.

"I might hurt you," he said in the softest whisper ever.

"No you won't. You couldn't hurt me. You know that." I peeked over his shoulder. No one there, so this little cuddle during pack time would probably be ok. I put myself into his arms. I touched his cheek with my forehead and smiled up into those eyes again, "You'll faze and curl up to sleep. I'll sleep with my head next to yours on your front paws with your tail over me. That way you can keep track of your pack while you're resting. You'll know I'm safe because you'll know exactly where I'll be. I'll be wearing these pants and your tee shirt. Ok?"

"But . . ." he started. But I wasn't having it.

"Are you going on patrol tonight?"

"Yeah, I'll do my part. Kolohe's our backup in case of trouble. You are my imprint after all."

"Great. So when you're on patrol, I'll be in the middle of the bed sleeping without you. When you're on backup – I'll be with you."

I went to the bathroom to change and when I came back out, Seth and Quil had fazed and were heading to the tree line. Leah had fazed and was on the porch at the top of the stairs. Embry was watching the game with Emmett and Jasper. Kolohe was curled up in the open French doorway with his nose to the forest. That left Jacob and me. He fazed outside on the porch, vaulted over Kolohe to curl up at the foot of the bed. I stopped him to look into his eyes. He was petrified. "You saved me. Your heart saved me. We're supposed to be together. RELAX."

He resumed circling - still terrified. He settled, still nervous. I was tired, more that I thought. He smelled wonderful. I decided to try not to smell his fear of sleeping together. He was all twitchy about my head next to his so I curled up outside his left paw instead of inside like with Kolohe. He covered me with his tail. He was so nervous, I almost couldn't sleep. But I was tired and he smelled great and he was so warm. I started to count his heartbeats and just fell asleep.