African Sorceress
Jacob's POV
Both Embry and I were in shock. How dare Leah say those things to Maya! I felt like ripping Leah's head off her shoulders, and showing how much Maya was hurting. I noticed now the light bruise on Maya's cheek, how her hand was covering her side. She was doing the thing where she thought of nothing.
Maya! Speak to me! Please? I said, and she looked at me for a second, before quickly lowering her gaze.
I should have stayed in Africa, Leah's right, I'm not wanted. She thought to herself. Oh, how wrong she was.
Maya! I want you, is that not enough? Let me show you how much I want you. I thought, and pulled in the memory of me seeing her, bedraggled and half dead on the beach. How instantly I had known that I couldn't live without her.
See?
Erm… I'm going to get to school now… see ya. Embry thought, and phased back. I could see thoughts weren't working, so I phased as well and pulled her against me.
"Maya, honey, believe me, I love you, I want you, never think differently." I told her. How could she be stupid enough to think she wasn't wanted?
"Leah's right. I did barge in here and claim everything." She said
"No, no, no. We wanted you! Stop thinking that!" I said, and then inspiration came. "Do you remember the day when you first saw the wolves? When we told you that we thought of you like a sister? You are wanted, Leah's just jealous." I said, and kissed her forehead.
"You trust me, don't you?" I asked, and she nodded. "Then trust me on this." I said, and she sighed.
"It's easy to trust you, but no matter what you say, you can't hear everyone's thoughts" She said. I suppose this was true, but you didn't have to have a lie detector to tell. I wrapped my arm around her, lifting her onto my lap.
"Maya. If you don't stop all this silly doubting, I'm going to have to use your weakness." I told her, and one of my hands was subtly placed near her tummy.
"What weakness?" She asked, and I grinned.
"Wrong answer. Prepare for… death by tickling!" I said, and started tickling her stomach. She tried to pull away, but I had her in an iron grip; there was no escape. She was giggling, and trying to push my hand away. Ha! She had no chance.
"Jake… [Giggles] please… stop!" She managed to say, and I did. Stupid imprinting nonsense
"What am I stopping for?" I asked, and she smiled.
"Payback!" She shouted like an army cry, and started tickling me, but when I didn't react the way she wanted, she pouted. I was quick to explain.
"We're supposed to have no weaknesses, so none of the pack is ticklish." I said, and an impish like grin spread across her features, momentarily dazzling me.
"If you have no weaknesses, what am I?" She asked me, and I smiled at her logic.
"I suppose… the exception." I told her, and pulled her further towards me, so that her lips were inches from mine. She closed the gap, igniting the fireworks in my head. They whizzed around me, zooming and flashing, making it impossible to pay attention to anything but this angel in my arms. I could do this forever, because the pull had multiplied by a thousand times; making me the happiest man in the world. Ever. I pulled in closer to her, and she broke away suddenly, gasping for air. I forced my eyes open, and she looked so happy; it made me even happier, if it were possible.
"Maya, please… never doubt yourself again. You're everything I want, and everyone in La Push likes you, with maybe one exception. You will always belong here." I told her, and the smile was wiped clean off her face, but she nodded slowly.
"If I ever annoy someone though, I want to know. I can't be someone who everyone hates because of my ignorance." She said, and I agreed. We lay next to each other, talking about little things, but finally she voiced my silent worry.
"If we miss all of school, I won't be able to go round Quil's afterwards." She told me, and I stood up, pulling her onto my back.
"Okay, let's go!" I said with mock enthusiasm, and started running through the woods towards the looming building of school. Personally, I would be happy just to stay in the woods next to Maya, soaking up her presence like a sponge, but that would be inconsiderate of everyone else.
Quil's POV
I was disappointed, to say the least when Maya didn't turn up for school, but then neither did Jake, so I assumed they were together. Obviously I would have to do homework on my own. I did most things on my own nowadays, because both of my best friends had turned to the dark side (Sam's gang) and I hadn't gone to the trouble of trying to make new friends yet, until Maya. At first I had thought it impossible that she would blank everyone like all Sam's gang, but she didn't, and when she spoke to me in science, I knew that I had to try and make her a friend; I would go mad otherwise. It was awful, not being able to tell anyone things like I would a friend. I told my Mum everything, but somehow it wasn't the same. Because of this, I was so glad when, during third period (art), Maya walked in, claiming that she had been to the dentists.
She sat quite far away from me in art, so I couldn't speak to her. I settled on looking through the gap of head to look at her painting. It was amazing; she had drawn five, abnormally large wolves in the trees, and you could faintly see the cliffs at La Push. The teacher walked over, and was blown away, saying it was an amazing achievement, but she needed to work on perspective. Personally, I thought she had meant for them to be that size, but she agreed with the teacher, saying they came out larger than she had wanted. After art it was break, and I had planned to talk to her, but Jake walked up she her, took her hand, and they went into the cafeteria, sitting down with the gang. I was quite annoyed, but to my surprise I started shaking a bit, like before. I put it down to the fact I hadn't eaten much today, although I had been eating so much in the last week. My mum said it was because I was growing so much; I had gained an inch in the past week. I got into the line, and to my surprise, Maya got up and stood in the queue behind me.
"Hi," she said, and I turned round.
"Hey, have you got lots of homework for tomorrow?" I asked, and she nodded.
"I've got some for Friday as well, so it might take a while." She told me. All the better, then I would get longer with her. I knew it was silly to have a bit of a crush on her because she was Jake's, but I wouldn't mind if she were a friend either. I think what I really need is a friend like Jake and Embry were; hopefully she would fill the gap.
"Okay, you can have dinner round mine as well if you're gonna be there late." I offered, and she smiled.
"No, I don't want to intrude, I'll go at six, if not before." She said, and then I heard the woman on serving duty ask what I wanted.
"I'll have two Panini's please." I said, and she handed them over. I heard her ask what Maya wanted, and she said only one milkshake. I noticed, not for the first time, that Maya was spectacularly thin, and she hardly ate anything. She definitely needed to eat some food.
"Aren't you hungry?" I asked her, and she shook her head.
"I don't really get very hungry," She replied, and I paid for my Panini's. She paid for her milkshake, and started towards the table with Jake.
"I'll see you at the gate." I said, and she nodded, sitting down next to Jake, when suddenly something hit me from the left. I turned round, and it was a guy with a tray of soup, which was now all down me. I couldn't stop myself, I started the shaking thing again, but this time I couldn't stop. Suddenly a hand was on my shoulder, pulling me away forcefully. I turned and was surprised to see Jacob. He looked… regretful. I felt another hand on my arm, and saw Maya. She was moving her lips, but I couldn't hear what she was saying. I was shaking harder now, and I found myself behind the main building. I couldn't hear properly, everything was confusing, and that made me more angry, and frightened. What was happening? Pain shot up my arm, tearing muscles. I cried out, but I couldn't hear my cries. I was being pulled into the woods, Maya's lips moving all the time, but I couldn't make head or tail of it. The pain was more intense now, searing through my body, making me feel like I was being burnt. Suddenly the pain was intensified by a thousand times, if it were possible; this must be what it feels like to die I thought, and then I could suddenly hear and smell everything. It crashed down on me like a waterfall, I could hear e very animal, every footstep, every small noise, and all the loud ones as well, and there were voices. I almost flipped when I realised they were Jacob, Embry, Maya, Paul, Jared and Sam. All the people in the gang.
Quil, calm down, everything will be okay. Maya said, then I realised it was more like thought.
All the legends are true. You're a werewolf. Came the low tenor of Sam's voice. Why were they suddenly talking to me? And what was all this 'legends are true' nonsense?
They are, if you believe that then this will be easier for you. Paul thought. I looked around myself for the first time, and everything looked sharper, clearer. I saw five giant wolves, and suddenly I was back in art class. They were the wolves from Maya's picture! She had meant for them to be that size, but agreed with the teacher; because there was no way wolves could be that size, but there was me, looking straight at them.
Wolves can't get this size, werewolves can said Jared. I looked down, and was surprised to see two large paws where my feet should have been, and finally I understood.
I'm a werewolf? I thought, and they replied to it. How were they inside my head?
The pack is connected through the mind. We can hear your thoughts, and you can hear ours. Sam thought, and then I heard Maya. I did a double take, and then I understood, at least I thought I did.
Are you a werewolf as well? I asked her, and I heard her giggle.
No! You remember the sorceresses? She asked. Was she a sorceress?
Yep! She thought.
Where are you? I asked, and I heard a sound that sounded like laughter coming from the werewolves.
Behind you. Turn around. She said, and I tried, but now I had four feet, and it was like learning to walk again, but I managed, and saw Maya standing behind me, Jake next to her, crouching protectively. It was weird that I knew who was who, even though I had never seen them as wolves before.
I guess the homework thing is off, huh? I asked, and she laughed.
Yeah. Unless you can hold a pen in your paw. She thought, and the pack laughed.
Can't I just be human again? I thought, and she sighed.
It's hard, and normally everyone's a wolf for a week before you can turn back again. It takes some effort. Jacob thought, and I sighed. Looks like I'm gonna be wolfed up for a while.