Warning its a long chapter. Sorry it took so long for me to update.. I got sick and was in no shape to write for afew days.
Chapter 13
It didn't take me long to reach Emily's and Sam's house. I could hear the pack inside informing Emily Bella had been found by the mystery wolf. I took a deep breath unphased and walked up the porch. They heard me on the steps and rushed to the door. Guessing by their looks of complete shock I wasn't who they were expecting. I knew I must be a shock to see anyways. I was covered in mud and leaves. My hair was a tangled mess with twigs, mud, leaves, and died soda. It had started raining again so my hair was wet. I wouldn't let them know how scared I was over this meeting an how uncomfortable I was at being naked in front of them.
"Sam said I could take a shower and that maybe Emily could find me some clothes."
They continued to stare for a few seconds before Emily spoke up, " Of course, come in." She turned to let me walk in when she realized the boys were still staring with varying expressions on their faces. She reached up and smack Embry and Paul across the back of the head with the same hand one right after the other quickly. "Move and let her in, and stop starring she's not a pin up doll." Leah smacked Jared for Emily he was froze in place still while the other two had slipped back inside mumbling apologies a what distantly sounded like "could have fooled me" from Paul.
She lead me through the living room to a door on the other side. It lead into a small bathroom. Decorated with lighthouses and boats. There was a small cabinet above the toilet. The shower had a see through curtain with sail boats decorating it. A small window set high in the wall was open letting in a cool breeze.
" The towels are above the sink. I'll go see if I can find you some clothes and perhaps a hair brush?"
"Thank you." She turned to walk out then stopped and looked back at me.
" Don't worry about the hot water. Sam and boys put in a overly large hot water heater not to long ago. Despite running a temperature of nearly 109 degrees they all still like their hot showers."
I smiled at her and reached to turn on the shower. I stepped in when it was hot. Already steam was filling the small bathroom. The hot water felt great as it ran down my tired body. Sleeping on a rock floor was rough on my muscles even if I was use to sleeping on the ground. Food and more sleep an I'd be good as new. Since they knew about me I might actually be able to find a nice bed of moss to curl up in rather then the cave. I scrubbed myself from head to toe three times before I turned the water off and stepped out to dry off. I wrapped the towel around myself and walked out into the living room. The sudden sound of something crashing to floor had me reacting instantly. I jumped and landed on the couch in the corner of the room a few feet from the bathroom door. I ended up crouched with one foot braced on the arm of the couch and the other on the back, my arms up and braced for an attack. With a quick toss of my head my hair was flipped back behind me out of the way as I scanned the room. They once again all stood starring at me.
" Damn how? How did… how did you move so quickly?" Embry stumbled over his words.
I finished scanning the room Leah was sitting on the couch holding a plate of food with a spoon half way to her lips. Jared and Embry were sitting at the table eating as well. Paul was standing beside the table with a broken plate and scatter food at his feet. Emily was in the kitchen with a mixing bowl in her hands. I gathered quickly Paul dropped the plate and that there was no threat. I stepped down from the couch.
"When there's no one to watch your back you learn a few things."
" Mind putting your towel back on before Paul drowns on his own drool over there?" Leah half snickered.
I looked down and blushed, my towel hadn't made the jump to the couch with me. Quickly picking it up I wrapped it back around my body. Emily set her mixing bowel down an walked towards me. A huge grin across her face.
"Let's go find you something to wear now." She drug me by the hand down a small hallway beside the kitchen and into one of the two doors. It was a bedroom with small bed in one corner. There were several pieces of clothes already laid out on the bed. She started picking them up and holding them against one by one.
" Why was Paul so upset that I was naked?" I questioned her in a small voice.
" Oh dear he wasn't upset. I'd say its safe to say it was more shocked by the sight then anything." She was grinning again.
" Why would he be shocked? He's seen naked girls before." I was thoroughly confused now.
"Oh dear you are clueless aren't you." She sat down on the edge of the bed before continuing, " Paul and judging by Jared and Embry's reactions to, they all find you very attractive."
"Attractive?"
" Yes it means they like how you look physically."
"Oh! Is that a good thing?"
She chuckled as she handed me a dress and motioned for me to put it on.
" Yes most women prefer to be found physically attractive by men especially the ones that look like the boys of the pack."
"I agree! I like how they look with their shirts off. Some guys look gross but the pack has pretty muscles."
" Well don't go telling Paul that. His head will only get bigger."
All of Emily's shorts were to short according to her. So she gave me a dress to wear until she could come up with something better. Although she said it's length wasn't much better. She warned me about making sure my knees were together when I sat down. She helped me to brush my hair she saw my solution for a bad tangle was to just pull it out. Since I wasn't tender headed it took no time to brush my hair smooth.
We walked out of the bedroom and rejoined the others. They had finished eating and were sitting in front of a television. Emily directed me to the table and quickly put a plate of food in front of me. No one was speaking and I'd have bet money I didn't have that no one was actually watching TV. Emily seemed to be on the only one not watching me. She was busy mixing something an starring out the kitchen window. I was half through with; what had turned out to be pancakes, eggs and bacon; when Emily was running to the door. I knew who she was running to I had heard them coming a few seconds before. It took all my courage and pride to stay in my spot and flee through the back door into the woods.
I was nervous and scared. I would be facing Jacob again and finally official meeting the pack. Thoughts raced through my head at lighting speed. Would they accept me? Would they guess my connection to Jacob? Would Sam recognize the alpha in me? Was I really ready to join the pack if Sam offered? Is Sam mad about the beach? Is Jacob mad about the Beach?
I had just decided I wasn't ready to faced them and was standing up when they walked into the house. Sam was carrying Emily Bridal style followed by a grinning Jacob. I froze in place at the sight of that grin. I wanted nothing more in that moment then to figure out how to keep it there on his perfectly tanned beautiful face. I didn't realize I was still half standing when Sam spoke. Apparently my stance resembled a defensive crouch over my plate of food and the stupid grin on my face some form of snarl.
" Easily there", He chuckled, " No one's going to take your food I'm sure Emily has made enough for everyone."
"Don't I always? Now put me down so I can heat some up for you and Jake." She slapped his arm half heartedly. He dropped her legs first so she ended up sliding down his front and he kissed her before she could duck away to the kitchen.
After he spoke to me I quickly dropped back into my chair and hoped the blush I felt on my face was missed by everyone. I did notice that while everyone's attention had shifted to Sam and Jacob entrance Leah's had remained focused on the TV and she was doing a damn good job of pretending Sam and Emily didn't exist for the moment. I could honestly say I didn't feel pity for like the others did. I had knew of the Sam , Leah , and Emily triangle of from the pack's mind though they all tried hard not to think about. I felt bad for her but part of me was happy to have someone to relate to slightly that the one I was suppose to be with was in love with another even though I didn't know what love was or even if I wanted it yet.
Sam pulled me from my thoughts when he sat down across from me with a plate of food and reached to move the decorative basket of fruit out of the way. I could tell by the way he was looking at me I was about to be interrogated. I had explaining to do before I would be trusted and asked to join the pack. His stare stirred my blood in a way that made me want to growl and stand up, challenge him, prove he had to right to look at me like that. I suppressed the growl before it could escape or be heard. I realized that I might just have a harder time keeping the alpha thing to myself. Sam didn't have a clue he was attempting assert dominance over a pack member who by the grace of our ancestors had every right and ability to take his pack away from him if I wanted to. I starred back at him as the thought of taking over the pack and leading it by myself until Jacob was ready to stand up and take his place to crossed my mind. Then I realized I was no more ready to lead them then Jacob was. I needed to learn about them, learn about myself before that say came. Just before Sam started to react to my lack of submission I lowered my eyes quickly back to my plate and wait. I heard him let out a breath he had been holding. He may not know I have the right to challenge him but he had been excepting one since I was an unknown. He was smart. He didn't want to fight me any more then I wanted to fight him. I'd have to tell him soon privately that he'd have to be careful of his demands of me. I'd summit to him as long it was in the best interest of everyone.
" Its nice to finally meet you. Welcome to La Push and my home." He spoke calmly. You could hear a pin drop in the room. Everyone had been aware of what had just happened it seemed.
" Thank you." If he wanted answers he'd have to ask for them. He wasn't going to have all the control here.
" I understand you have no name. Is that true?" He questioned cautiously. Paul and Jared shifted on the couch but his gazed never left me.
" Not one I can remember."
"Why is that?"
" Don't know. Something happened when I young. The earliest memory I have of myself is sometime after my 11th birthday. The date of my birth happens to be the only fact I know for sure about myself."
" You don't call yourself anything?"
" When there's no one to talk to but yourself there's no need to give yourself a name." I met his gaze then. I knew I had to share this but it was still a sore spot.
" You've been alone since you were 11?" His face twisted into one of shock.
" Yes. I lived on the streets until I changed and then I lived in the wilderness. At that point being around people was to….dangerous."
"The beach was proof enough of.." I cut him off before he could finish
"Don't! I'm not one of your newly changed emotionally unstable pups. I don't need a lecture on controlling my emotions Sam. I have been phasing for long then you and never before have I lost control like that before." I paused for a second before continuing, " Yes, If Jacob hadn't spoke to me I'd have killed that girl. And I am deeply ashamed of that. But you should know my wolf reached to her as a threat to the pack. Which is part of what we need to discuss here, but even with the wolf in control at that moment I wasn't about to phase. The pack's secret would still have been safe. When you live as I have for the past 4 years relying on the wolf to keep you alive then you can judge and lecture me on her actions but not a day before then."
The room was silent during my speech. I realized I had stood up during it, I slowly took my seat again waiting on Sam's reaction. I tried not fidget while I waited what seemed like an hour but was probably no more then a minute.
" Your right. Your not one I can lecture on behavior. I'll probably never have that right even if you join us. You've had a….different life then the rest of us. And more importantly you've protected yourself and the secret all alone with no one to tell you why you should. It was instinctive and habit for me to attempt to remind you of such things. I apologize." He had a small smile on his face when he finished. I could respect for me in his eyes and face that wasn't there before.
" I wasn't totally alone. One of our ancestors has guided me some what. I don't remember all of the legends or know all that I probably should, but I can honestly say I know something that you and the pack don't." I grinned with half my mouth at that.
I looked around at the rest of the pack. They hadn't said a word the entire time. Jacob had taken a spot on one of the couches between Leah and Embry. He had a look of confusion on his face like I was a math problem he couldn't figure out.
"Sam, my story is long, incomplete and not the easiest to hear. But I can't even begin to tell you what I need to until you've heard it. I don't like the idea of having to repeat it so I suggest it wait until all the appropriate people are present because I'm sure some of the elders should be present when I inform the pack that myself and Leah are not the first female wolves in our history."
" Really talking ancestors and contradicting information to our legends. Your right the elders should be here. I can honestly say I won't sleep until I hear this story are you okay with staying up and telling it if I call them?"
"I've been with out sleep a lot long but you should ask everyone else. This involves them to and I won't tell it if even one of the pack is missing."
He nodded and turned to the pack, " Well how tired is everyone?" He looked at each one in turn for answers.
Paul - " I'm in."
Jared - just nodded
Embry - " I wouldn't be sleeping anyways mom's going to be on my case about not being home all night. I sure wished we could tell her already."
Sam sighed "Soon Embry" Looked to Jacob
Jacob - " I'll go get dad."
Leah - " Whatever Let's just get it over with." Her eyes gave away that she was anxious to here what I had to say despite the indifference of her reply.
"Very well I'll make the calls. Emily I suggest coffee and probably a few more pancakes."
"Of course and why don't the rest of you take turns running through the shower before they elders get here." Her voice was full of loving motherly fussing.
Sam turned to Embry, " I'll tell Sue to call your mom and smooth some feathers for you."
"Thanks man that would be great. She loves Sue." Embry was almost jumping in his seat at the thought of getting out of trouble with his mother.
I went back to eating my breakfast as the pack began to disperse for various reason. I heard Leah mumbled to Sam she'd go tell her Dad and Mom about the meeting and shower there before she left shutting the door slightly harder then necessary. It was going to be a long morning but it was time they all knew. I felt that now. Emily came to sit down beside me when Sam left for the what could only be the master bedroom to make calls and clean up himself.
"Sweetheart, how's your breakfast?"
"It's good. I can't remember ever having homemade pancakes and bacon before." I felt shy around her for some reason.
" I'm glad you like."
"Thank you for the ham the other day."
" It was no problem. If you ever need anything all you have to do is ask. I have a feeling I'm going to be more in debt to you over the next few years then food can ever make up for."
"Wha-What do you mean?"
" I don't know just yet. Its just a feeling."
" Oh ok."
" I know you said you'd never given yourself a name but I think it would be best if we come up with something to call you. Wolf isn't going to be a good choice from now on." She smiled.
" I wouldn't know what to pick."
" I noticed your tattoo its very pretty what about Lilly?"
"NO! That was… ugh it might have.. Just No. Not Lilly ok."
" Ok then. Well we'll keep thinking. Ok?"
"Ok. I'm sorry about that. Lilly its special. The voice in my head said I'd get my memory back soon. But she's also pretty cryptic at times. Soon could be still a year away. I should probably pick something until I do remember."
She nodded and stood up to walk back to the kitchen. She placed a hand on my shoulder before she walked away, " If you would like to talk about why Lilly is special…. I'll be here anytime to listen. Even if you decide not to join the pack you don't have to be alone anymore. Me and Sam… We decide a few nights ago that when you decided to come talk that we'd left you that you'd no matter your decision. We'll never turn you away. You are show how Quileute which means your family and we think pretty highly of family around here." With that she turned and walked into the kitchen to make more breakfast and coffee for the up coming meeting.
Authors Note : I'm getting ready to move. I dont know if the next chapter will be ready before my internet is shut off and the computer is packed but I'll try my hardest to get one more up before It is. I promise I will not forget my story and I will continue it may just take a week before the next chapter is up. Bare with me I promise Not to leave you hanging for to long. And I'd really like some more reviews. I'd also like to point out Im doing my best not to in put my southern accent into the story but if it slips through forgive me. Jasper's dialogue will be a piece of cake on a up note when the Cullen's return...