Chapter 24
I ran as fast as I could through the mass of trees in the woods. I needed to run from the words that continued to echo in my head over and over. I couldn't believe what I just heard and saw. It was unreal but in realization it explained a lot of what was going on and happening as of late.
Kat was half lycan – a dangerous enemy of my kind. But I just simply couldn't believe it. Kat wasn't a monster. She just couldn't be. From the moment I saw her she was breathtakingly beautiful. She was everything that everyone on the Reservation was saying of it. Her long brown hair and chocolate brown eyes proved that was indeed a Swan, Bella's only same-aged cousin. The first time I met her; my eyes couldn't tear away from what I saw but to my unfortunate shock Seth had imprinted on her weeks before. It sickened me as a wolf that imprinting defined who our soul-mates, our lifetime love was to be. To me it felt like an undying choice that we were to bear and like many before me had to sacrifice a lot. I seen and felt how my brothers were when it came to imprinting. Jacob endured endless torment to Bella's rejection. Sam dealt with the heartbreak of his first love seeing it through her eyes endlessly. In a way I knew exactly how they felt. Although I never dated before I felt like Jacob who wanted everything form Bella but couldn't have her.
Sam had met with Collin and I earlier in the day and told us to stay in La Push. He didn't use his alpha command so after awhile I got tired of the sneaking around and being left out of the meetings and decided to see what was up. Sam had chewed me out earlier along with Jacob about me rude behavior regarding kissing Kat. I have no regrets really. I needed to do it. She needed to see that there was more than being an imprint to a guy who rejected her and didn't want her. Seth didn't understand her, hell he didn't want her.
I was elated when I was asked to accompany Kat on her decoration trip. Being able to finally talk to her made my heart pound hard as if it was going to come out of my chest. I was even more surprised and happy when she told me that she did not mind us being werewolves, which I learned that Seth had told her what he was. Hearing that Kat couldn't answer to Seth's plead he rejected her. It angered me even more. After that I tried to spend as much time as I could with Kat, so much that Sam eventually pulled the reins on my time spent over at Charlie's. He even increased my patrolling after learning of the sudden killings of so many elk and deer in the area; however that didn't stop me from visiting Charlie's late at night to see or hear Kat.
After a couple of weeks Kat suddenly didn't spend time in her room. I figured she was still in her old room. One night while patrolling I caught sight of a figure moving about in Charlie's yard. Getting closer without making it obvious I scoped out the intruder. It turned out to be Seth climbing up to his room. After a few moments he returned out the window with a few items in his arms – t-shirt, pants, and a few other things. After that night Seth continued making his way back. He would stay in his room for several hours to almost dawn. I then realized why. Kat was sleeping in his room! Deep inside me this whole ordeal disgusted me. I couldn't believe Seth would stoop so low as to watch her sleep night after night and even worse was that Kat had no idea. I learned from Paul and Sam that they were aware of this and demanded that I stay out of it.
The sky turned dark grey. Rain began to pour down as I made my way to Fork's main street. I took refugee at Maybell's diner. Walking in there was hardly anyone around. Several people took seating along the counters and a few couple took to the booths. I walked over quietly, not looking at the eyes that followed my sudden appearance. I took seat next to the diner's big windows and looked at the mass of people walking among outside. I wondered to myself if anyone truly knew what was hidden beyond the trees or if they understood the world was more than they imagined filled with reality of their horror stories. I didn't want to become what I was and it annoyed me as much as it did several others. But after meeting Kat everything changed. I fell in love – hard. I wanted to make her see that she could have choices and that I could accept her more regardless now of what I knew her to being half lycan.
A waitress came over and took my order. With no appetite to eat, I simply ordered a drink. I remained in my seat staring outside watching people run through the heavy pouring from the sky seeking out shelter. I laid my head down thinking of what to do next. The moment that I phase back Sam will order me back to La Push and he'll see what I saw. I couldn't take this. I am only just turned 16 yrs old.
"Are you okay dear?" a voice spoke next to me. I raised my head and found myself faced in front of me a tall slender woman with blonde hair and black eyes. Standing next to her was a man equally heightened to her with shoulder length black hair and the same black piercing eyes.
"I'm fine." I murmured. I wondered to myself why she was speaking to me. Did I look like that poor pathetic person that needed some guidance?
"Dear you certainly don't look it." She spoke again and took the seat across from me. The man remained standing next to her.
"Well I am!" I snapped. The woman didn't seem taken back by my abrupt behavior. She just simply smiled. Looking more closely at her she looked slightly familiar.
"What's your name child?" She asked me. I debated whether or not to get up and walk out but I was unable to move. She kept her eyes on me without a blink.
"Brady." I answered.
The woman smiled again. "My name is Cheryl and this is Michael." She said to me. The man gave me a short nodded and the woman extended her hand. I was hesitating to take it but I reached out taking her hand into mine and was surprised of the temperature I felt from her. Kat's touch felt warm but Cheryl's felt the same as mine. I looked back up to her while my hand remained in hers. She gave me a cold smile. Suddenly I knew who she was.
"You, you are Kat's mom." I stated stuttering at my words. Her smile grew.
"Well aren't you a smart one. You must know my daughter Kat who is living in La Push with her Uncle."
I nodded once more. "I am from there myself." Not sure why I told her that but I haven't heard anything bad about Cheryl.
"Really? Well that is interesting to know. I was actually coming from there but could not find my daughter. Would you happen to know where she is at?" She asked me with a questionable look in her eyes.
"Probably with that loser right now." I mumbled to myself but apparently it was over heard.
"Who?" Michael asked.
I looked at him. I simply couldn't trust him enough to tell him about Seth.
"She is seeing a guy that she met on the reservation shortly after she moved in with Charlie." I answered caution
"Oh? Do you know this guy?" Michael asked.
"Sadly." I responded.
"What's the matter dear? You sound bitter about her being with this guy." Cheryl asked extending her hand to me.
I sighed. It would be nice to get it all out to someone who could possibly understand.
"I cannot hate him, he is sort of my brother but he doesn't love her. He acts like he does. I can understand Kat more than he can and yet she wants him."
"Oh and my dear daughter won't accept you?"
"No. She loves the guy but I can treat her better but she refuses to leave him." I said with a sigh.
I wanted Kat even more. Much more like I needed air to breathe and she was the oxygen for me.
"Well my dear it sounds like Kat is slipping up again." Cheryl said. I looked at her confused.
"She used to make all kinds of reckless decisions, especially about the boys she dated. She has no clue who is good for her and who isn't and it sounds like this boy isn't good for her. But I like you. You'd be perfect for her." Cheryl said with a glam in her eyes. She smiled at her words. "In fact she just needs to hear you confess what you are feeling and I'm certain that she will accept you fully."
Cheryl's words sunk in. She was right. Kat needed to listen to me. I was quick and foolish before but that was because I was scared and nervous but if I can explain to her how much I truly feel for her, perhaps she will realize that there is more to love than imprinting and I can give her that choice.
Michael cleared his throat breaking me out of my thoughts. I shook my head to clear the many thoughts I was having at that moment. The idea of getting Kat alone to out pour my feelings and the best part was her own mother would help me!
Cheryl gave out a short giggle and caught my attention once more. What was more eerie was I couldn't tear my eyes away from her. Her eyes felt like they bore into me intensively, like an animal caged but the more strange feeling of it all was I enjoyed her doing that to me and funny thing was I couldn't explain why.
Her smile held me captive longer. I hardly noticed the man Michael standing beside her. My view remained glued to her features upon her face, the color of her eyes, the sultry edge of her voice. Nothing at that moment mattered except what she had to say.
"I can help you get Kat. I can help you make her see that her true love is before me. I can make her understand there is no one else but the one who loves her more. You have to trust me dear. Can you do that?" Cheryl asked reaching her hand out once more to my own.
I sat there for a brief moment analyzing in my head the offer she laid before me. How could I simply pass up such an ingenious offer? I knew for that moment I needed time to think about this.
"I think I can but I need some time to think about this." I told her slowly removing my hand from hers.
Cheryl nodded at me and handed me a cell phone. "When you decide what you want give me a call." She said smiling. I nodded at her and stood up. Once I did I got an eye full of Michael's appearance. He wore black clothes; button down shirt and jeans. Typical I thought to myself. He was also built heavy to his upper body. There was no doubt that in a quick motion that he could easily tear me down. I shudder at that thought and walked out of the diner. The clouds above were still grey from earlier but the rain had finally stopped. I debated whether I should phase or simply walk back like the way I was. I opted for the walking home choice. The last thing I needed was to have everyone in my head recounting my meeting with Kat's mother.
Dusk had fallen by the time I returned home. My Mother of course was waiting for my return and yelled at me that I was grounded. I just simply shrugged. She knew very little of my new life. She simply didn't want to hear it but never objected to it since my Father was a protector until he couldn't deal with it anymore and left.
I lay silently in bed staring at my ceiling in my bedroom. I thought over the events that I experienced today. Finding out the truth of Kat, meeting her Mother, and now being offered the one chance to actually be able to win Kat over. I contemplated each and every scenario in my head since Kat's mom told me that she could help me win Kat over.
Another part of me inside was worried. I really didn't know how strong imprinting was since I only saw it in my pack's head. I knew they felt the emotions of their imprintees and was in tune with them all the time no matter where they were. But Seth had it so much better when it came to Kat. She was never going to grow old, which was something I read in the history books the elders kept at the meeting lodge. She could heal really fast physically, and read minds! Wow, learning that blew my mind but I could only imagine now what Kat would be saying silently to Seth. That thought filled me more with rage. He probably tells her lies.
I finally gave up on the solitude of my room and decided to see what the others were doing. Walking quietly and keeping my mind blank as possible I crept to the Cullen's place.
Peeking through one of the massive windows out of sight I caught glimpse of everyone in the living room. Sam was there in human form standing nearby the back windows. Carlisle and Edward were bowed in front of Kat trying to relax her from the looks of it. Bella and Seth sat beside her on each side. Jared and Paul remained at the front door looking in. Jacob stood by the open back window where I can clearly see Leah standing nearby. She actually looked sympathetic to Kat. Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, and Alice were sitting in any open chair looking on.
I looked more closely at Kat. She looked a bit of a mess. I then realized it was a full moon. She seemed dazed and a bit confused. The young vampire, Renesmee was hanging on Bella's back looking on. Finally after a few minutes Kat seemed to pull through and regain a bit of herself. After assuring the others she was okay her and Seth got up and made their way into the kitchen. I moved till I was facing the window to the kitchen. Seth walked over to the steel pitch that sat on the counter and poured Kat a glass of blood. I gagged for a split second then I remembered according to the elder's book the Lycan taught her offspring to devour animal flesh and animal blood so her cravings were under control and didn't attract to humans. I also read Vampires had a repulsive scent that drove Lycans mad, kind of the burning sensation we feel around Vampires. The pain is usually unbearable but we deal with it although we were never given any choice. But watching Kat around the Cullen's made me see that the scent didn't driver her mad. I figured her human half suppressed that part of her.
I sat in silence, remembering to not thinking of anything to alert Edward or Kat as I watched Seth and Kat interact. Each movement he made; made me feel envy of his touch on her delicate skin. The brush of her hair of her shoulders; the slight glide of his hand on her cheek to her shoulder; the crease of her jaw line bringer her face closer to his; the soft whisper of love into her ear. Anger built more and more inside me. The last straw that made me snap was the intense kiss they shared.
I choked back a howl and ran out of there as fast as I could. Suddenly Cheryl's offer was becoming the best idea ever to me and I was now determined and bound to make it happen. I ran until I heard the sounds of flesh tearing. Slowly walking to the opening I spotted 4 gigantic figures in the dark. One turned until his yellow eyes reflected on me. I took a few steps back until I felt a presence behind me. I turned and once again came to another dark figure except this one was a bit shorter. Once again taking a few steps back the figure then shifted and standing before me was Cheryl in the flesh. Her body didn't show any signs of blood on her. I looked around me and saw 3 bodies on the ground floor. I gasped and looked back at Cheryl who smiled at me. I couldn't take my eyes of her body. If anything, Kat definitely matched her mother's body figure when I saw Kat get out of the shower one morning.
Cheryl took another step to me but I didn't move. She reached her hand out to my cheek and gave it a slow, light touch. I instantly melted into her hand, glazing lazily back at her. It was a touch that I constantly envisioned Kat giving me.
"Well?" Cheryl asked. I looked at her again taking my eyes away from her body and looking into her eyes.
A mellow voice which I realized was my own answered, "Let's do the plan."
Cheryl's smile radiated wider and her eyes glistened. She looked behind her but I never turned to look.
"Excellent." She murmured.
I smiled. I felt the anticipation build in me. I could wait to set out the plan.