(A/n) I don't know when Sam, Jared and Paul had phased into wolves exactly, Meyer never stated in her books. I only caught from fan sites that is was before the first book. So,if not, oh well. I threw a bunch of OC's in here so it's not exactly canon. :)

Lil raised a hand in goodbye as the old red Chevy turned around on the gravel drive and continued on down the long and winding driveway. The tail lights disappeared around the corner as Bella made her way back to the main road to head home. It was night and the darkness was thick in those woods. She was glad she didn't sense anything aside from the usual drifting, harmless spirits that called the forests their home.

She waited a few moments before she looked to her side, finding the very tall form of her mentor. Silvan was looking as he always did, apathetic. His pale face a shocking contrast to his midnight hair and his long black trench coat blended seamlessly with the shadows about his feet. He kept his black eyes on the long driveway, taking in a breath as he tasted the air and let it loose slowly. "She trusts you." He glanced at her and gave a slight nod. "She is not quite ready to learn the truth of herself but it will happen soon. You will need to be there to show her the way."

Lilith took in a deep breath and carefully set her briefcase and purse on the steps of the front porch. She slowly slipped out of her low heeled shoes and stood barefoot on the crunchy gravel. The little stones pricked every part of her feet and she closed her eyes, allowing the sensation to drown out the overwhelming feeling of weariness that gripped her. She took in a breath and then two before opening her eyes and staring out at the forest. "Of course. That is why I was chosen. That is why you had trained me. For her." She closed her eyes again and hung her head. "Well, at least Alice is happy... It made everything worth it."

Silvan studied his the woman who he saw as his daughter, saw the brief pain that played across her face. Silvan knew she was well aware of her task but living in the mortal realm had brought out more of her emotions. It was in her nature to become attached, she was not meant to be a solitary creature. Her very nature had brought out a caring side to the members of the Guard she was not aware of. So when the Lilith felt an ice cold hand gently brush against her cheek, a soft escaped her parted lips. Her glamour fell away at once and her startled eyes, one milky white from blindness, focused on the ancient vampire beside her. "You were chosen because of the choice you had made for your friend. You sensed the lower plains of the Realm for all of your childhood and saw things that would have made a grown man curl up in fear. Your magic is strong. Your heart is strong. We've taught you all that is but there are some things that cannot be taught." He moved his hand and placed it carefully over her breast, against her slow beating heart. "Love and life. That is something none in the Guard can teach her."

Lilith closed her eyes as her body gently shivered against Silvan's icy hand. "I understand that... A part of me just wishes things were simple." She sighed softly as his hand fell away and she studied him in against the darkness. Yes, they all wished things were simple but the truth of their existence was anything but...

A huffing sound caught their attention and they looked to see the huge, dark shape of Dip, in his true hellhound form, making his way from the trees toward them. He stopped several feet from Lilith, his blazing eyes studying her as embers dripped from his fangs. "The girl made it into town. She'll be home soon but I sensed something odd coming from the direction of the reservation." He glanced back at the trees, his burning yellow eyes blazing with his internal fire. "It smells familiar but it's human?" His gravely voice held a hint of confusion and then it turned into a deep growl as his ears went flat against his head.

The growl was joined by a low hum, the sight of Lilith now bearing her staff made from the branch of a very old yew tree. At the very top of it, a blood red poppy flower stood out starkly against the darkness. It was this staff that aided Lilith in her transition from the higher plains, the lower plains, and the borders of the Realm. With her human body still alive in its basic form, the staff aided in making the journey through the land of the dead less difficult and her magic much easier for her to control. The symbol of death and rebirth while the poppy flower was that of sleep, a brief glimpse of life. It was the perfect tool for one such as the Red Mother.

At the moment, she had just sensed that something had crashed against the barrier that surrounded her land, something supernatural. It was pacing back and forth, occasionally crashing into the barrier again in an attempt to cross. It was causing a sharp pain against the base of skull with each attempt and she was not happy. Ignoring her comrades, she took off without a sound, slipping into the shadows that surrounded her like an old friend. She could hear the thumping of Dip's paws behind her and she could sense that Silvan was traveling within the shadows with her. They followed her lead, knowing she had the pinpoint location of the creature that was trying to break through.

It didn't take long to reach the barrier and she could see that a silver wolf, one larger than what a normal wolf should be, was repeatedly crashing against the force field. With each crash, a crackle of red energy gave off from the contact point before sizzling down, the smell of singed fur permeating the air. It was growling, revealing a sharp row of teeth as it backed up and crashed into the force field again. It was this time that the large wolf was met, not with a barrier, but with a crushing darkness that wrapped around its trembling form. It let out a yelp as the shadows snaked about its legs and torso before slamming it down to the wet undergrowth. It struggled for a time, its anger quite clear but the shadows merely tightened around it.

"I wouldn't do that, you're just going to piss her off," Dip had emerged from the shadows of the trees, now in his clothed human form, though his eyes were still blazing yellow. He was looking at the silver wolf as he passed the barrier with ease. His bare feet hissed as it came in contact with the wet, dead leaves that littered the ground, the glowing smile on his caramel face was feral. The wolf was eying Dip, his growling never ceasing and his trembling form struggled against the shadows that bound him.

Dip walked around the wolf, studying its form, before he lowered himself down on the balls of his feet to look the creature in the eye. He sniffed once and a look of surprise touched his face. "I can't believe it," he said before a throaty chuckle could be heard.

"What is he?" Lilith had emerged from the shadows then and passed the barrier, her symbols flaring with blood red light in recognition. She moved to stop beside the hellhound and lowered herself in the same position as Dip, sniffing the scent of the creature. Her dark brows went up in surprise and she glanced at Dip. "I smell human but there's some hound magic within him."

"There are two more of them," said Dip, lowering his face close to the silver wolf's. It let out a fierce growl and attempted to snap at him. The hellhound didn't react as he concentrated on the scents of its pack members. He looked up and around, studying the dark forest. "Their territory is here... Your barrier actually overlaps with their line for several acres." He looked back at the silver wolf and smirked. "He's not happy. He can't run his patrol on his Alpha's order since he can't cross." At this, the growling ceased and the wolf was now looking between Dip and Lilith, surprise now apparent in its eyes.

"Is that why he kept crashing against it?" She frowned down at the wolf and hummed, the shadows tightening just a bit. It whined in pain and growled at Lilith in turn. "Growl all you want pup, thanks to you I'll have a headache for the rest of the night. Deal with it." She glanced at Dip beside her, her frown now aimed his way. "Tell me Dip, why are there shapeshifters running around here? I thought vampires and spirits were enough..."

Dip chuckled at this as he cocked his head, looking as if he were listening for something. His blazing eyes focused on her and his smile grew smug. "We're lustful creatures Red. The sight of innocent, young females tend to draw us in like nothing else..."

"Don't tell me," she said, her gaze focusing on the silver wolf. "He's one of your pups?"

"Hell's fire, no!" Dip replied, his smile now fully gone. "I'm not that reckless!" He pointed a thumb at the silver wolf. "This is the product of one of the locals from ages back. I recognized the scent. That particular hound would bed anything that was female, be it wolf or human. His pack wasn't a part of the Guard but they helped to keep the number of creatures that crossed the borders to a minimum." A thoughtful look cross his rugged features and he glanced down at the wolf. "This pup kinda has his coloring actually. I guess he decided to stay with a human..."

He shook his head and straightened out of his position, his grin returning full force as he looked at Lilith. "He's all yours Red. Don't be too hard on him, he's got a bit of a temper. Comes with the blood." He took a step back and folded his arms. "His packmates are coming by the way, they share a mental link with one another and I could catch a few thoughts bouncing between them. They don't take kindly to vampires but you should be fine since you still have a heartbeat." Lilith knew this was said for Silvan's behalf, he had yet to emerge from the shadows but had been listening the entire time.

Lilith straightened as well, gripping her staff in preparation while the silver wolf continued to growl since he could do little else. She could sense them coming now, the heated magic that coursed through their veins. It was similar to Dip's but in a much more diluted form, more human than hellhound. One was coming from the west and the other was rounding from the border of the reservation. She didn't have long to wait, they emerged from the thick of the trees on either side of her. One was nearly as black as Dip. Though not as large, he was still the size of a horse. The other was a medium brown in shade and roughly the same size as the silver one. They were both quiet as they took in the scene of their packmate bound by shadows before their gaze focused on the lone woman still dressed in her beige slacks and white blouse from work.

They wouldn't have thought much of her if it weren't for the fact that there were shadows dancing about her feet. The jagged scar across her left eye brought attention to the milky orb and they could smell the scent of earth and pine saturated with ancient magic. She was human and then she was not. They growled at her, unsure of what to make of her.

"Calm yourself," said Lilith, her gaze focused on the black wolf. She sensed authority in him, the designated Alpha of this pack. "I will release your brother but I must speak with you first. As one human to another."

The black wolf ceased in his growling before he looked at his packmate, who had been inching closer to the silver wolf. He paused in his movements the moment all eyes focused on him and he looked at his Alpha. Whatever was said between their mental link, the medium brown wolf remained where he was, though hesitantly. The Alpha had backed away into the shadows of the trees and a moment later reemerged as his human self. His russet skin tone was common for the people of these parts, his short black hair barely touched his brow. He was nearly as tall as Dip and his body was physically fit, thanks to the magic that coursed through his blood. He wore a pair of cut off shorts and he stopped at the side of the silver wolf. ""How do you know what we are? What are you? You say one human to another but you are no mere human..." His voice was very deep but he was young, no more than in his early twenties at best.

Lilith smiled at this, surprised to see that the Alpha was nothing more than a pup himself. She lifted her staff in her left hand and made a sweeping gesture with it. At once, the shadows fell away from the silver wolf and moved to join the others that danced about her bare feet, softly touching her cool skin with affection. The silver wolf immediately rose up and surged forward, aiming to attack Lilith in his temper. Before the Alpha could respond, Lilith ducked to her left side, her right hand shooting out to grab the wolf by his throat. A pulse of red energy emerged from her hand and the silver wolf trembled once before abruptly phasing back to his human form. He gasped at the tight hold on his throat before he was released, falling down to his knees in his naked skin.

"Control your packmate or he will receive something worse than singed fur." Lilith stared at the Alpha, a low hum in her throat beginning to sound. The shadows immediately grew still, waiting for a command. Dip chuckled at this, feeling a strange sense of pride at the sight of her. He and Silvan had trained her well though he wouldn't have admitted as such to her. He wouldn't dare voice his brotherly affection to the human female but he wasn't aware that his actions always spoke louder than his words. He had moved to stand beside Lilith, his blazing yellow eyes studying the human form of the silver wolf. The hot tempered youth was getting to his feet now and stumbled away from them, his temper having cooled down considerably since being forced to phase to his human self.

The brown wolf had moved to his packmate's side, his eyes studying the woman with awe and slight fear. The Alpha frowned at his brother before looking at Lilith with something close to an apology in his eyes. He could sense that she indeed was human, she had a beating heart, although slow, and the blood that coursed through her veins bore a scent that was nothing he had ever smelled before. "You have to understand. This is our land and to find... a being such as yourself on our land is a bit surprising. We know not if you are an enemy and we would rather take no chances."

Lilith's frown grew as she studied the young male. "So you attack first and ask questions later? From my understanding, I own the land beyond that barrier line. It was your packmate who could not understand that he was not welcome."

The Alpha's bore a look of surprise as he watched Lilith. "Your land? What land do you speak of?"

Lilith sighed and turned to point at the barrier line she had created her first night here in Forks. "The Haverton cabins that rest in the middle of nearly ten acres of land. I bought the land from an old couple who have been trying to sell it for years now. I have a good understanding of where my land begins and where it ends."

"You're the one who bought the land?" The Alpha looked surprised at this. "But how can that be? It was a brother and sister, normal humans, who purchased the land..."

"That would be us," said Dip as a feral smile touched his rugged face. "A bit of a shock I'm sure but not everyone is as they seem. I'm sure you can grasp that simple fact." The Alpha caught sight of Dip then and a growl emerged from his throat before he could stop it. Dip laughed at this as he folded his arms across his chest. "Oh yes, I would be quite a threat to your position of power, pup. Believe me when I say I have no interest of leading your little pack."

The Alpha grew silent at this, his look thoughtful before he turned his gaze back to Lilith. "He is not human."

"I never said he was," said Lilith, a light smile dancing across her full lips. "He is sort of a cousin to your ancestors, goodness knows he's old enough." The growl she got in response caused her to giggle and she lightly nudged her brother for all intents and purposes. "He is all wolf despite his abilities to change forms." She caught the chuckle that escaped from Dip in acknowledgment before looking back at the Alpha. "My name is Lilith and his name is Liam, for the sake of your human ears."

"I am Sam," said the Alpha in turn, nodding slightly in greeting. "These are my packmates, Jared and Paul. Paul you've already met." Sam glanced at the one named Paul, who had taken the time to pull on some shorts that had been tied to his thigh. He frowned at his Alpha before turning to glare at Lilith. Sam looked at the female, noting the jagged scar that ran across her left eye. She was human but she was more... "Tell us, are you some kind of witch? We've never come across anything like that barrier you have around your lands. And those shadows..." His gaze focused on them, where they had been dancing about her feet the entire time.

"I suppose though I've never thought of myself as one," said Lilith, the laughter could be heard in her husky voice. Her southern Mississippi accent could be heard coming through now, she was becoming more relaxed as their conversation went on. "My talents tend to focus on things beyond this life."

"You're the Red Mother."

They all looked in surprise to the new human that joined their little group. It was the one known as Jared who spoke. He was focused on Lilith, his eyes studying her with keen interest. "One of the Elders can speak with the spirits of this land. She spoke of a spirit that wasn't dead, one who walked the borders between this world and the next. She would enact revenge for those who were wronged in the worst possible way... She knew the old cabin was home to a very angry spirit before you came. That land is peaceful now."

Lilith studied the young man named Jared, a look of surprise on her face. She gave a nod in response, her milky white eye focusing on the magic that coursed through his veins. "That is a name I am known by. I am surprised that your Elder would know of me..."

Jared took a step forward, casting a wary glance at Dip before focusing on Lilith. "You help to bring peace to those spirits who can't pass beyond this life. Revenge to those who had committed the worse of crimes imaginable, you make them feel the guilt and the shame... Sue speaks highly of you and the moment you came to Forks, the spirits of this land became restless." He was looking excited as well, as if the fact that he was speaking with a person who was a possible connection to his own ancestors...

Lilith took an immediate liking to Jared and her smile to him was open and honest. "I suppose after what had happened with Celia, they would speak of me..."

"That was the woman who had completed her suicide in your home?" Sam was intrigued, the fact that this woman was capable of speaking with those who had passed death's door. It made him wonder if she could reach anyone if asked...

"Yes, Celia had lived a very difficult life." She sighed and gave a nod. "She had decided it was time for her to return to her son. I helped her to find her way at her consent. Last I saw of her, she was blissfully happy with her son in their afterlife and I hope she is at peace."

"C'mon you guys! Are we just gonna stand here or are we gonna do something?" Paul had spoken, his temper, though cooled, did not completely fade. He was glaring at Lilith with intense dislike though she didn't pay much attention to him. Her eyes were focused on Sam at the moment, as Alpha of the pack.

Sam glanced at his brother before looking at Lilith and releasing a soft sigh. "We must know what your intentions are. You are in our world but we don't know why, what brought you here?"

A low growl had emerged from Dip but he was silenced with a slight look from Lilith. She turned her gaze to Sam and nodded, it was the least she could do. This land had belonged to his people long before this country formed. "There is a child of an ancient bloodline who lives in Forks. She was placed in my charge. She is an untapped child of ancient magic and she needs guidance. I am here to make sure that she is trained well once she discovers her abilities."

"Who is this girl?" Sam asked but the deep frown on Lilith's face kept him from asking anything more. She thumped her staff down against the ground, the shadows scattered before converging about her feet once again. She stared straight into Sam's eyes. He returned her gaze, feeling no fear but a deep sense of respect.

"We can reach an agreement I'm sure." She nodded toward the line that separated her land from theirs, the barrier that kept the wolves from crossing. "This land is my own. I have no interest in whatever your business is patrolling your land. I ask that you simply respect the boundaries I have set."

The growl that emanated from Paul was cut short from one look from Sam and he looked at Lilith. "We do our patrols simply because of the leeches er- vampires- that dare to cross into our land. We cannot trust their kind, even if we have a treaty with a clan of them that live in Forks."

The Cullens were the only family of vampires she could think of and she kept her face blank, despite the protective emotion that tightened around her heart. "I am sure they can be trusted to keep to the treaty they made with your ancestors. Again, I have no interest in your affairs and I would request the same courtesy. As far as your pack, and any vampire is concerned, my land is off limits."

"The leeches have no way of crossing that barrier?"

"No," said Lilith. "Not unless I welcome them. The same goes for you and your pack. My home is a neutral party and will remain so."

The growl that emerged from Paul was again cut short from a direct order from Sam. The Alpha merely gave a nod in response to her statement. "Very well, we cannot ask one such as yourself to choose a side. To you, death is death." Lilith didn't respond to this as Sam continued. "We'll keep our patrol along your barrier but if any leech is found upon your land, you will be responsible."

The frown appeared on her face once again and the shadows stilled for a moment. "I understand but do not think you have any say over what goes on." She smiled then, her smile resembling the feral smile of Dip. "After all, everything comes to an end in this world. Where do you think they all cross once this life ends?"

Sam did not respond to that, he simply beckoned his brothers to him and they all turned, disappearing into the trees. The moment she sensed them return to the reservation she sighed heavily and glanced over at Dip. "That went well enough."

"I could care less. I'm missing my game." Dip reached out to ruffle Lilith's dark curls before turning and running back to the cabin. Lilith remained where she was, watching the darkness of the forest that surrounded her. The spirits that wandered this place could not cross her barrier but they liked to drift along it, the warmth of the magic bringing them a sense of peace. She felt Silvan beside her once again but she didn't look at him. She simply allowed her staff to fade back into the shadows and folded her arms beneath her breasts...

…

The following day brought with it a surprising amount of junior students who were suddenly looking pale and nauseous. Apparently, Mr. Banner, the Biology teacher, was having the students testing themselves for their blood type. At least those who obtained their parents' permission. Those that came to the nurse's office were quite green around the gills, so to speak.

It was after lunch that brought a familiar face and Lilith found herself bearing witness to Edward Cullen carrying a very pale and sickly looking Bella into the office. He made his way to the patients' room and set her down on one of the small cots. Lilith knew it had to have been the blood, she wasn't the first one today. However, Bella was a very special case. The moment Lilith appeared with a bottle of water in her left hand, Edward did not miss the flash of red light that erupted.

"She's just a little faint," said Edward, watching the nurse with a light frown on his face. Whatever it was she had done to the bottle, he didn't approve. "They're blood typing in Biology."

"I know," said Lilith in reply, not missing the suspicious tone in the boy's voice. "She's not the first one today."

When Bella immediately tried to sit up with a shaky but welcome smile it did not go past Edward. He tried to ignore the stabbing jealousy that pierced his undead heart as the nurse advised Bella to drink the water. She did so without hesitation, the trust in her brown eyes for the nurse was something that Edward wished to see himself. He wanted to see it directed at him...

Immediately, the color returned to her pale skin and she looked at the nurse. "I feel so much better, thank you Lily."

"No problem Bella," said Lilith as she pulled a notepad from the pocket of her white coat and a pen. She scribbled across it before ripping it off and handing it to the younger woman. "Here, I'm excusing you for the rest of the day. Go get some fresh air and get something in your stomach. It'll help with the dizziness." At this she glanced at Edward, there was a minute shift in the air about her face that he barely caught.

Next time you decide to sit at lunch with her, do not let her go without eating. She has a very adverse reaction to the smell of blood. Something you should understand well.

The thought had been so quick he had almost missed it and whatever the nurse did to keep her mind shielded was put back in place. Edward eyed the nurse wearily, the suspicious look on his face showing quite clearly on his face. Lilith didn't look at him as she folded her arms, waiting for Bella to get to her feet.

"Thanks Lily, you're a lifesaver," she said, taking the note in one hand and stuffing in her pocket. "Sorry for barging in like this but the smell of blood really gets to me."

"Don't blame you. That salty, rusty smell doesn't sit well with me either but you learn to block it out in time." Lilith laughed softly at this, as if she knew some private joke.

Bella looked surprised for a moment before her smile returned. "That's exactly what I smell but no one seems to believe me. Nice to know I'm not the only one. Although I don't think I'll get into nursing like you did in order to get used to it."

"Trust me, you aren't alone." Lilith smiled at her young friend. "Are we still up for Seattle next weekend?"

"Wouldn't miss it for anything," said Bella in reply. She looked at Edward then, the smile directed his way seemed to have erased the frown from his face. "Did Alice say she was still coming with us?"

"Um... yes," said Edward. "She can't stop talking about it actually." Or thinking about it. He had never seen his sister so excited in so many years. She'd literally been bouncing off the walls the moment they had gotten home from school yesterday. Jasper was smiling the entire time having taken in all of that energy along with her. Her happiness was so infectious that even Rosalie was smiling.

At that moment, Mike Newton's voice could be heard calling into the office for the nurse. Lilith glanced out the doorway as she dropped her arms. "Sounds like another one. You might want to hold your breath while you walk out of here Bella and don't look anywhere but straight ahead if the sight of Blood gets to you."

Bella didn't need telling twice as she followed behind the nurse to her office and she quickly skirted passed Newton, who was carrying a very pale looking boy from her class. Edward was not too far behind her. As Lilith helped the boy, named Lee Stephens, into the patients' room, she didn't ignore the glare she had received from Edward just before he left. Apparently, he didn't like the fact that she was so friendly with Bella.

Oh well, he would just have to deal with it...

…

Friday came and went and there was little to tell. The day went a little more peacefully since blood was not being drawn and students weren't fainting.

Bella had told Lily that she was heading for La Push to First Beach on Saturday and Charlie was heading to the reservation to go fishing with his best friend for that weekend. There was talk of perhaps getting together for dinner Saturday night...

Edward Cullen was no where in sight and neither was his bigger brother, Emmett Cullen. Bella didn't look too happy at that but she kept the smile on her face for all to see.

Saturday arrived with a beautiful morning to show for it and for the first time in a long time, Lilith saw the sun. She had emerged from her cabin and stood in the gravel drive in her bare feet. She lifted her face to the feel of the life giving warmth and she felt her heart give a strong thump. Her life had been forever caught in shadows... to feel the sun was rare moment for her...

Perhaps, things would be simple... maybe...