"Jade? Hijita?" she heard her mom call.
"Yep. Hi mom, where are you?"
"In the kitchen. How was your first day?"
She followed her mom's voice to the kitchen, finding her preparing dinner behind the counter.
"It was great! I made some friends. Practice was good. I really like coach Sanders and a few of my teachers," said as she gave her mother a hug.
"That's great mi amor. I told you would come to love it here. Hey, can you make a salad for me? I'm just finishing up making red chicken curry for dinner."
"Yes!" said Jade. She absolutely loved her mother's red curry. She could make it herself having learned all her cooking skills for her mother and Nana Soli, but there was just something more enjoyable about eating another's food, especially her mother's.
Talia chuckled, shaking her head.
"Here, chop up a bit of this for the salad," she said, handing Jade some cilantro.
Jade grabbed a knife out of the drawer and began to chop the herb.
"Where's Sos, and dad?"
"They went to the store in Forks. Your dad had a craving for ice cream."
"Oh. Well did Sos like his first day?"
"Oh my God, he came home so excited. You know he's a little social mariposa, so he made lots of new friends."
"That's good," said Jade, now cutting up lettuce for the salad.
"How's Jacob? It's really so nice of him to pick you up and drop you off…everyday," she said, raising her eyebrows.
"Yeah, he's really nice."
"Yep, definitely a hottie too."
"Mama!" Jade gasped.
"What? Well he is. Look, I know what I'm talking about, just look at you father," she said.
"Oh my gosh," said Jade, holding her face in her hand.
"Come on Jade, I know you like that boy. Mama knows these things. And he's a really nice boy, so I'm happy with your choice. I see how he looks at you too."
Jade blinked, and turned to face her mother, leaning against the counter with knife still in hand.
"Really? I mean, I think he likes me too," she said smiling.
"Likes' is an understatement. The boy looks at you like he worships the ground you walk on," she chuckled, stirring the food on the stove.
"Mom, now you know I've never even mentioned a boy, and come to think of it, I've never been really interested in one, with the exception of unattainable celebrities. But Jacob…he's just… I don't know, it's like I feel like myself around him, and not myself. I feel shy around him. He's just so amazing. All this in four friggin days! Ughh what's wrong with me!" said Jade, exasperated, and turning around to butcher more lettuce.
Her mom laughed out loud.
"Uh oh, this sounds serious. And you're right, you've never so much as mentioned a boy, minus celebrities. But Jacob seems like he's a very special boy," said Talia, looking at her daughter lovingly.
"Yeah he is, he's—"
"Tengo Hambre! Where's the food at!" said Sosimo, as he burst through the front door, and through the dining room and into the kitchen where he set down groceries on the table.
"Uh. Hi Sos," said Jade, rolling her eyes at her obnoxious brother.
"Hi..weirdo," he said, making a face at her.
"You're such a gremlin."
"Am not!"
"Shutey. Both of you." said Mateo, walking in and kissing his wife on the forehead. "Hey honey. That smells delicious."
"Hi sweetie, how was your day?" he asked, giving Jade a peck as well.
"It was really good. Volleyball practice went great."
"That's what I like to hear. How much longer until its ready hun?"
"About 15 minutes," answered her mother.
"Okay, I'm going to take a quick shower," said Mateo, bounding up the stairs.
Jade sat down at the table, resting her face in her hands as she thought about Jacob. He had left so suddenly and she wondered where he had gone off to. It was as if she could sense his worry, and her stomach felt queasy with uneasiness. Her brow furrowed as her mind drifted, pondering the enigma that was Jacob Black. Why was she so madly in love with him? It was completely crazy, and she didn't have an answer. She needed one though, and soon. Sure he was the most attractive man she'd ever seen, and had an amazing personality, but that didn't explain how she'd lost her heart in a mere four days. Jade's mind was reeling, and she groaned outwardly, rubbing her heading in attempt to stall her brains excursions.
"Jade… are you alright? You look worried," her mother said, stilling in her cooking ministrations.
Jade's gaze snapped upright, as her eyes met her mother's.
"Yes…I'm fine Mama. I was just—I felt—it was nothing. I'm not very hungry. Think I'm going to lie down for a second."
She stood up from the table and made her way towards her room, as Sosimo glanced at Talia, looking puzzled.
Jacob weaved down the winding road at breakneck speed, annoyed that traveling seemed to take much longer in human form. The howl he'd heard minutes ago still reverberated deep in his memory, and shot straight into his core. It was foreign, and Jacob was certain it did not belong to one of the pack members, not unless there'd been a new phase and that just couldn't be.
He arrived in front of Sam's house and hoped off the bike, bounding towards the front door, and nearly breaking the hinge as he pulled it open.
The entire pack was there already, standing in the living room and shifted their eyes towards Jacob.
"Who was that?" he asked Sam, who took in a deep breath.
"That's what we're trying to figure out. There is the possibility that he could have been from another pack or a lone wolf. But the question is... why he is here…and if there's more of them."
"Okay, so if we're certain there's another pack out there, maybe this could be good for us. More wolves to fight the leeches," said Embry.
Sam started, but then stopped, glancing at the other pack members.
"The trouble is that wolves, as you know…can be territorial. We have to figure out whether they're hostile, or not."
"Well, fuck that! They better not come on our land trying to start some shit, we've got enough problems with the blood suckers as it is!" said Paul, growling.
"Relax Paul. We don't know anything yet. But that howl definitely came from an alpha…and where there's an alpha, there's a pack," said Sam.
Jacob was in deep in thought, as he pondered what this new information could mean for his pack. He hoped the new wolves would be an asset, especially if they planned on lingering in the area.
"We have to lay claim to what is ours, so they know who runs these lands. Paul and Embry, you're on patrol tonight. Make sure you're on your toes," said Sam, while the two nodded.
"We'll show them who's boss around here," added Paul with a chuckle.
"I wonder if they have a female wolf," said Leah quietly from the corner of the room, as everyone shifted their gazes to her.
"What?" she asked, her face twisted in annoyance.
"I'll have a talk with the tribal council about this. You all can leave now, but remember what I said," added Sam.
With that everyone dispersed, and Jacob walked out the front door as Seth followed on his heels.
"This is kind of awesome don't you think? More wolves! I wonder what they're like?" he said excitedly.
"I don't know, but like Sam said, they better not start any shit. If they're gonna be in our territory, they better be on our side," said Jacob, walking briskly.
"Right! Hey—where are you headed to now?"
"Uh, I gotta go home and get my homework, then heading over to the Pitomac's."
"To see their daughter Jade? I heard they moved back. What, you like her or something?"
Jacob didn't answer immediately, and sat down on his bike while Seth stared at him, smirking.
"I'm just going to work on some homework with her," he said finally.
"Since when do you partner up with anyone to do homework?" prodded Seth as he grinned.
Jacob turned to look at Seth sternly, but the corners of his mouth fought a smile. He had a soft spot for the kid, and thought of him like a little brother. Along with Quil and Embry, Seth could always make Jacob laugh, and had a knack for making him talk.
"Whatever. See you later pup. And keep your eyes open," he said, giving Seth a push to his chest before speeding off.
Jacob couldn't wait to get back to Jade. He felt a need to protect her…from something, but he didn't know quite what. All he knew was he wanted to be near her right now, and the pull in his heart throbbed out of want for her. His wolf was antsy too, and he urged him to go faster. As he arrived at his house, he nearly threw his bike to the side as it leaned against the garage and flew into the house.
He walked into his room and quickly undressed, tying his a shirt and shorts to his leg as he walked outside stark nude and morphed into wolf form, disappearing into the dense forest.
