Chapter 10

A/N: I don't own twilight.

Thanks so much for all the reviews. I really appreciate it. You guys are always so awesome and amazing. I love hearing the feedback you guys have about this story. The upcoming chapters are really going to tie into Can't Fight The Moonlight. This is kind of a filler chapter but I need it to move into the more dramatic chapter that is coming up next. There's not a lot of Caine in this but he will be a big part of the next chapter. Please read and enjoy.

MPOV:

I'm laying on the floor of my bedroom listening to some music and trying to catch up with the mountains of homework I've happen to accumulate in the past few weeks. Between school and training I feel like I'm going to drop dead at any moment. Edward, Jasper, and Emmett are relentless with the fighting but in the end it will be worth all the bruises, scrapes and broken bones. I just hope we can avoid a fight all together. Everyone has been so on edge with the arrival of the Volturi guards, but so far Felix and Demitri don't suspect anything which is a good thing.

I haven't had much time to spend with Caine lately. He's been keeping his dad company since Rosalie and Jake aren't allowed to see each other till the Volturi leave. The tension surrounding the Rez is at an all time high. Patrols have be amped up and the triplets have been laying low. Everyone is walking on eggshells around here. I just need to take five minutes and just relax. I don't know how much more I can take. I lay my head down on my history book and let my eyes close briefly.

Not five minutes later I'm practically jolted awake by my dad barging into my room. "Get up now Mox!! You need to phase and head to the clearing." He bellows and I barely have time to register what he said as he storms out of the house with my mom close behind him. I strip and toss on a plain yellow sundress. It's the easiest thing to change into when I need to phase quickly. I grab my cord and rush after my parents. The barks and the howling coming from the woods makes my stomach turn in knots.

I rush towards the clearing with Yasmine catching up to me. We both strip quickly and tie our dresses to our ankles. She gives me a small smirk before running a head of me and phasing on the fly. Yasmime is pretty badass as a wolf considering her bookworm personality. It was fucking awesome the other day when she managed to toss Emmett clear across the clearing and into a tree.

I take off and let the familiar flash of fire ripple down my spine and suddenly I'm on all fours. I catch up quickly to Yas as we both head into the clearing. The smell of vamp invades my nostrils and I try to hold back a growl. It's only the Cullens but the smell still triggers my basic instincts. Everyone is accounted for except Rocco. He's in Seattle and wont be back here for at least another three days. Caden barks at all of us signaling for us to phase back. It's become routine now and we manage to phase back rather quickly considering the amount of wolves we have. Eighteen at last count.

"Those Italian leeches took off and are headed back to Voltorea. Apparently my mom is pregnant again and they found out. Aunt Alice is trying to find out what that is going to mean for us." Caleb says while Caden fumes behind him. I've never seen my alpha at a loss for words. I look at Caine and I can see the worry and fear in his eyes for his mom. Caine has always been a mama's boy. I watch as Bella wraps a protective arm around Caine's waist trying to comfort him. He dwarfs her tiny frame easily. She has always been attached to Caine since he was a baby. I guess it has to do with the fact that he's practically a clone of Jacob.

My heart twist and the wolf in me wants to comfort it's mate. I push down my feelings and try to concentrate on Jasper. I'll make time for Caine later. Right now I have to be a wolf in this pack and not a worried imprinter. "Well, as of right now y'all are not ready but Carlisle is contacting some old friends for some extra help. Alice gives us about six weeks before the Volturi arrive. With some intensive training I think we can handle this quite well." Jasper drawls as the civil war soldier comes out in him.

"Jasper's right. Carlisle has contacted my wife and the rest of the Denali clan as well as the Egyptians. Benjamin has told Carlisle that he will be bringing someone that will be able to help out a great deal. Someone with a few powers that can stand up to the Volturi." Emmett booms across the clearing. It's the first time I've ever seen him so grown up. It's listening to Emmett sounding like an adult that makes the severity of our situation all the more real.

"What about Sienna and Rafe?" I ask the worry for my best friend pulling at my heart. "Nessie and Carlos are bringing them back here. They should be arriving in the morning." Bella says while giving Caine a reassuring squeeze. Jasper and Edward go over some strategies for the next few weeks and things seem to be settling down. The meeting comes to a close and every one heads to the Cullen mansion for dinner. Only Emily and Esme could cook enough food to feed three packs of ravenous wolves.

Two weeks later....

So far my days have consisted of being home schooled and training to fight power hungry, blood thirsty monsters. Not exactly how I thought I would be spending the time before my sweet sixteen birthday. I thought for sure I would be shopping and spending time with Remy who was suppose to be my first boyfriend. But of course the crazy bitch FATE had other plans for me.

Caine and I haven't had time to talk about anything that does not concern the upcoming fight. We still haven't talked about the kiss but we both know we have to at some point in time. It just seems really silly to worry about our dating issues when we are dealing with a life and death situation. Sienna and Rafe on the other hand are completely all over each other now. I guess Isle Esme is like some kind of freaky love inducing island. You go there and your immediately humping like some kind of animal in heat.

"Moxie....earth to Moxie." Calla says with a large smile as she waves her tiny hand in my face. "Oh shit...I'm sorry. I didn't even know I was zoning out." I say distractedly. "It's ok. Esme just wanted me to see if you are hungry." Calla says her honey colored eyes shining brightly in the moonlight. "Of course I am. I'm starving actually." I say and get up from the grass that I was sprawled on.

I leap up and follow Calla into the Cullen mansion. We've been practically living here with all the training and strategies being worked out. "You know Nathifa's going to be telling us her story tonight. I can't wait to hear it." Calla practically squeals. "That's cool." I say not really caring at the moment. Nathifa just plain freaks me out. She's the original vampire and she doesn't look a day older than me.

She's not like the other vamps, which is really creepy. She has green eyes and her skin is soft to the touch. She looks like she stepped out of some history book about ancient Egyptian queens. And I don't even want to get into the weird way her and Carlisle look at each other. Oh they have definitely seen each other naked and I cringe a little at that thought. Edward smirks at me when I walk into the kitchen. "Oh Miss Call you have no idea. Miss Malthoma" He says with a little gentlemanly bow then passes by me and Calla with a crooked grin. I can't help but smile back. I just adore when Edward busts out his old fashioned manners. Makes a girl feel special.

Of course Jasper can't be out done so he always lays on the southern charm when the wolf girls are around. Calla just eats it up. Jasper Whitlock is now her number one crush. I flop down at the table between Elijah and Zev. My baby cousin smiles at me as best he can with a mouth full of food. "Pigs...all of you." I grumble before serving myself a large helping of mashed red potatoes and a juicy steak. Sienna is across from me laughing and rolling her eyes at Rafe. For a moment it feels like old times. Just my large crazy family having dinner and joking around. For a moment the threat of war is pushed aside.

"Hey Rocco so how's papa Billy doing?" Sienna says as Rocco comes in through the back door. "He's good they just wanted to run some routine test because of his diabetes. He should be able to come home tomorrow." Rocco says snatching a potato from her plate. "Hey get your own food mutt!!" Sienna say jokingly and I laugh at the kicked puppy dog face Rocco makes at her. How he can manage to get his blue eyes even larger is a puzzle to me.

"Fine...I see how you are cuz." He says and makes his way over to his Esme. Rocco scoops her up in his large arms and hugs her tightly. She gushes over him when he sets her back down. Esme has always babied him way too much. He takes a seat at the table and she places a large plate of food in front of him that she saved just for him. Esme ruffles his black hair as he digs in greedily. It's his eyes, it has to be the blue eyes that have Esme so attached to him. I think I heard her mention it once to Sienna a few years ago.

We sit around the table laughing and eating. Just enjoying each others company. It almost feels normal but of course my family doesn't do normal. Suddenly the table erupts in chaos. Uncle Paul is swearing and dragging Rocco out the back door. Nathifa is clinging to Carlisle sobbing while Esme rushes out the back door and hovers on the porch with worried eyes. Yup...definitely not normal.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me? Rare my ass." I say to a stunned Elijah. He just looks at me with wide gray eyes. "Come on Mox. Let's check on Rocco." Rafe says getting up and heading out the door as the rest of the pack follows. I guess it's time to welcome a new member to the imprint club. I get up and see the panicked expression on Sienna's face. She's always been protective of her cousins. "Don't worry everything will be ok." I say to her and pull her into a tight hug. I flash her a reassuring smile before heading out the door with the rest of the pack.

I pass by Esme on the way out and if a vamp could shed tears she would be doing it right now. She looks like a proud mama as Paul gives Rocco some fatherly advice. "I'm just so happy he's finally found his soul mate." Esme says sweetly with just a touch of sadness. "Me too." I say softly and she gives me a sweet smile. This night just keeps getting better and better I think to myself.

After about twenty minutes of calming Rocco down, Uncle Paul hugs his son and congratulates him on having a beautiful imprint. Nathifa's beautiful alright. She's like an Egyptian goddess with ink black hair plaited around her shoulders and striking green eyes. She out dazzles the Cullens which is pretty hard to do in my opinion.

Everyone decides to give Nathifa and Rocco some time to get to know each other so we all end up hanging outside. Several of the pack have phased and are trying to teach Zev a few knew tricks. Jasper and Edward spar with a few of the older wolves and my mom decides to give me and Yas some pointers. All the wolf girls and Esme sit on the wrap around porch and watch us while they gossip about the newest member to become an imprint.

Nights like these are what make my family amazing. I look around and see both vampire and wolf spending time together laughing, talking and joking around. It amazes me that there was a time before I was born that they hated each other. All us kids heard the stories growing up. How Uncle Jake was in love with Bella and that he and Edward we're going to kill each other. It's weird to think that at one point Jasper couldn't even be in a room with a human without wanting to drain them dry. I just can't picture not being able to spend a lazy summer day listening to Jasper tell me stories about what the world was like during the civil war or going shopping with Alice and Nessie for a new wardrobe.

My life would be pretty drab if Rosalie wasn't around to show us girls how to make a man fall to their knees with just one look and still be able to kick some ass. Rocco and the pack would just die of starvation if Esme wasn't around to help Emily feed them. I have so many memories of the Cullens growing up and being in my life. Emmett alone has gotten us kids into so much trouble doing the most off the wall shit but it was fun as hell having the big teddy bear around. Even Dr. Sparkles has been like a grandfather to all of us, patiently answering our questions about gross medical stuff and putting band aids on our scraps and cuts.

It didn't matter what Remy and the rest of the Rez thought of us. This was my family and we are a real family and not a bunch of freaks. Strip away all the mythical crap and right at the core is a loving albeit at times crazy family that would do anything to protect it's members. This is what we are fighting for and I will gladly fight to keep us safe. I finally understand what being a wolf really means. It's not just having the new abilities and power, it's about protecting whats most valuable our home and family.

I lay down on the cool damp grass and stare up at the nighttime sky. I can fell that tell tale tugging that I always get when Caine is near. "Penny for you thoughts." Caine says and lays down next to me. "Just thinking about our family." I say softly not taking my eyes off the moon. "Yeah....me too." Caine says and takes my hand in his. I don't move away. I just enjoy the feeling of his hand in mine. We don't say anything else. We just lay here holding hands lost in our thoughts. The silence is comfortable and it feels good not having to fill up the quite with forced small talk. I like having someone that understands that you don't have to always talk to know how the other person feels. You just have to be there and Caine is here.

A/N: Please Review. Next up the Volturi are coming and the tragedy I told you about will definitely be in this next chapter. For those of you that have already read Can't Fight The Moonlight you already know what is going to happen but you will get to see it from Moxie's pov.