Sorry for the delay in this update but I have just moved house and have currently been renovating for the last month. Joy!

Thank you to all those that reviewed and kept me motivated to get another chapter up.

Trying to get back to writing after not updating for a while was a pain in the butt.

Happy reading.

Chapter 10

Bella smiled as she took in the quiet man in front of her, it had been a while since she had last spoken to him. They were friends but had not been in close contact for about twenty odd years. It had been through Amanda that she had first met Lucas and the three of them had spent time together as a group for several years.

"Isabella Swan, this is a surprise" he said ignoring the looks from Leah and Jacob as he grinned sheepishly at her.

Jacob had noticed that Lucas had called her by her real name rather than MacLeod which was how they had been introducing her to the others at the party apart from the pack.

"It's good to see you Lucas. Last I heard you were still in London." She had missed his quiet intensity and dry humour.

"I've been in the States for a while now; here in Washington for the last few years, I like the climate" he shrugged haphazardly.

"Yeah I can see the similarity with British weather."

Their small talk was interrupted by Leah clearing her throat bringing their attention to her.

"You two know each other then?" she asked aiming her question at her boyfriend who was starting to look a little uncomfortable at the glare being aimed his way.

Bella could see Lucas trying to figure out if Jacob and Leah knew what they were and what a safe answer to her question would be. Lucas had always been very careful in who he told regarding his immortality as most immortals were. It was rare that immortals would tell a human even if they were in a relationship and as far as Bella knew Lucas was no different. Looking between Lucas and Leah the question would now be had Leah mentioned her werewolf status?

Watching as their attention was away from them Bella flicked a look at Jacob to get his attention as she mouthed 'Does he know about the pack?"

Jacob just shook his head minutely as they both took in the blossoming argument ahead of them. Lucas was not Leah's imprint and because of this Jacob had not given permission for Leah to tell him about the pack when she had started dating him. Keeping such a large secret from her boyfriend had been awkward and irritating for the female wolf but she could not go against her alphas orders.

"Okay just what the hell is going on Lucas?" Leah yelled as her temper started to fray. It seemed as if everyone but her knew what was going on and she didn't like it.

Noticing that Leah's temper was escalating as Lucas kept trying to divert her questions with inane answers Bella interrupted the heated debate.

"Look both of you has a big, dark secret, Lucas can't die and Leah turns into a big hairy dog. The End."

This statement was met with stunned silence as both Leah and Lucas spun toward her mouths agape as both their secrets were thrown into the open.

Bella just stared at them both with innocent doe eyes "What?"

Jacob just stared at the lot of them before breaking into gales of laughter as he hugged Bella to his side.

"Damn Bells, that's one way to get them to shut up,"

"Jake she just outed our entire pack to an outsider and you're laughing." Leah yelled in disbelief.

"Leah did you not catch the first part of Bella's statement. He's got just a big a secret as us. I don't think he's going to go blabbing to anyone."

"What the hell are they all talking about? You turn into a dog?" Lucas asked in confusion to Leah.

Huffing in disgust Leah replied "We do not turn into dogs" shooting a stink eye at Bella for that little dig, "We phase into wolves, large horse size wolves"

"Yeah because that titbit of information makes all the difference," he answered sarcastically.

"Oh don't get your panties in a twist Lucas, it's not as if you were all open and out with your secrets" Bella said rolling her eyes.

"I take it you knew about them then?"

"Not until recently, I only found out a few days ago" she responded. "Jacob and I have known each other since we were kids but we thought the other was normal, so it was a bit of a surprise to see each other after 50 years looking the same, I can tell you."

"Well like you said we all have secrets. I guess as long as it's kept between us all I can live with it."

"Are you saying you're the same as Bella?" Leah asked taking in Lucas calm façade.

"I am, although she is quite a bit younger then myself" he said smiling at his felt on a more even footing with both their secrets exposed and Leah seemed alot less tense aswell.

Raising an eyebrow in curiosity Leah asked "So how old are you exactly?"

Lucas grinned "I was born in Ireland in 1842 and I died there during the potato famine when I was 26. I got gutted for the clothes on my back."

"Yikes and I thought I was robbing the cradle whilst I was dating you." Leah laughed. "So how did you and Bella meet?"

This caused the two of them to glance at each other sheepishly.

"Oh it wasn't anything interesting" Bella waved off the question as Lucas continued on "Yeah, boring really, not worth mentioning."

Jacob and Leah just stared at the fidgeting duo who were looking anywhere but at each other.

Suddenly Leah burst out "Oh My God! You didn't date each other did you?"

This was answered by a twin "Ewww!" as both Lucas and Bella wrinkled their noses in disgust.

"Definitely not! Let's just say we both have the same taste in women and leave it at that." Lucas winced in remembrance.

Bella had to agree with Lucas that that story was not for public consumption and she was certainly glad that he wasn't going to explain any further. Their gazes met as they made a silent mutual pact never to mention that story to anyone else, it still sent shudders down her spine in horror as she thought about it.

Jacob just laughed "Come on you can't just leave us hanging with that" shooting her the puppy pout to make her cave.

Not even that look from her old friend would dissuade her "Jacob...!" throwing on her most stubborn look.

Throwing his hands up as he chuckled "Okay Bells no need for the glare but I bet its one hell of a story" Lucas just groaned in response and changed the subject.

"I take it Bella has told you about our kind and how we survive" he asked.

Nodding solemnly Jacob agreed "Yeah she mentioned 'The Game' and everything associated with it. We decided to give limited details to the others and just said that Bella was a friend of the pack so only the wolves will know what she and you are."

"That makes things easier for me" Lucas sighed. Turning to Leah he continued "I think we need to speak privately to discuss more of the specifics between us."

Leah took a step forward and embraced him gently as she buried her face into his shoulder letting the tension ease from her body at no longer having to lie about what she was.

"That's a great idea. You both have a lot to discuss and I need to head home soon, I have date to arrange" Bella said enthusiastically.

Keeping his arms wrapped around his girlfriend Lucas turned his gaze to Bella "Really and who is the lucky lady?" as he waggled his eyebrows.

"Just an old friend" she answered vaguely

"You're not dating Amanda again are you?" he uttered running his hand through his shaggy hair in disbelief.

Rolling her eyes upward "No I'm not dating Amanda again, you know fine well we just decided to stay friends after what happened."

"Hey you never know with her, she could talk a nun into an orgy" he kidded.

"True and thank you for that lovely imagery, Not"

"So who are you going on a date with?" Jacob asked.

Bella knew neither wolf would take the next piece of information well and tried to ignore the question. "Wow look at the time, I need to leave" as she glanced at an invisible watch.

"Bella…" Jacob drawled suspiciously.

"Fine! I'm dating Alice" she mumbled quietly, keeping her eyes averted.

This comment was followed by a twin yelp of "WHAT!" from both wolves.

"Are you out of your ever loving mind Bella? What about what those leeches did to you?" he yelled as he couldn't believe she was allowing herself to get sucked back into their grasp.

Keeping her tone mellow she explained "Jacob, I'm dating Alice not her family, she explained what happened in the past and given her reasons and apologised for the pain she caused me. I decided to forgive her as I forgave you for your choices back then."

"I can't believe you're dating the midget leech" Leah grimaced in disgust.

Lucas just listened in confusion to the conversation before interrupting "Am I missing something? I take it you guys don't like this Alice person. Is she dangerous?"

"No" "Yes" Bella and Jacob replied in sync.

Glaring at the tall Indian in front of her Bella continued on "Alice is not dangerous, she wouldn't harm a human and she has never broken your treaty. I know your kind and hers are mortal enemies but can you at least be civil?"

"Okay time out" Lucas said to Bella "Does someone want to explain. Is Alice one of us? They make it sound like she isn't human"

This comment was followed by a dark chuckle from Jacob "Yeah Bella why don't you tell him what Alice is."

"You Jacob Ephraim Black are getting on my last nerve." Bella snarled in an arctic tone as her hand reached under her coat subconciously to rest on hilt of her blade.

Seeing where her hand was resting Lucas thought he better intervene before Bella lost all restraint on her temper. It was rare that she lost it fully but when she did it was a down right scary sight.

"Bella, do you want to explain before you try to slice and dice your friend?"

Taking a large calming breath her hand eased out from under her jacket but her eyes still flashed with ire as she turned her attention to Lucas nodding her head in thanks as she realised he had diverted the aim of her anger.

"Alice is a vampire and it's a minor understatement to say wolves and vampires do not get along as you can probably tell" she explained gesturing towards the two vibrating wolves next to them.

Lucas's response was to snort in disbelief "Vampires, as in bloodsucking creatures of the night."

Bella got the feeling that he had most likely reached the limit of his supernatural tolerance, she really hoped he wasn't going to have mental breakdown by the end of this conversation.

"You're surrounded by immortals and werewolves and you're sceptical about the existence of vampires?"

"I've never met any and no other immortals have mentioned them, what do you expect?" he parried still trying to decide if she was winding him up.

"They pretty much keep their presence quiet to the mortals and their leaders will do anything to keep it that way. Actually very few vampires even know of our existence"

"Then how do you know about them?"

"Let's just say I have friends in high places" she smirked.

"Alright I'm going to believe that your girlfriend is a vampire, how does that even work. Do you just go out at night?" he asked quizzically.

This caused Bella to burst into laughter and Jacob to snort derisively. Hollywood had a lot to answer for.

"The movies pretty much got most of the vampire myths wrong but I'm sure Leah can update you on Vampire 101 when she explains about the pack and being a werewolf." Leah just scowled at that comment.

At that moment Bella felt her phone vibrate, checking the message she saw it was from Alice stating she was waiting for her at her house. Deciding it was time to leave before another argument broke out she gave a quick wave to the group, gave her number to Lucas and made her way to her car

Smiling in anticipation she climbed into her truck to make her way home, she had a girl to meet.

Chapter 10

Next chapter -some Alice/Bella