∞EAC: The Journal of Edward A. Cullen∞

Sunday, July 17, 2005

We had scheduled another training session with the wolves late this afternoon when the cloud cover was going to be thickest, without the chance of rain. This makes the fourth one. What was different about it was that Bella came along with the family. She'd asked last time, but I was worried about her seeing us at a more primal level. Some of our skirmishes could get rather…intense.

I'd also wanted young Jacob to be more in control of his inner beast. He alone of the Pack was enjoying our training sessions. The others were still very stiff and formal. It made it easier to toss them around. Bella had agreed to wait until I thought it was safer for her, but she insisted that she would be there at least once, even if she had to get Emmett to carry her there. That had gotten my back up and I'd agreed to her attending at some point.

This morning, Bella had asked again and I'd reluctantly agreed to allow her to accompany us. She'd immediately turned to Esme and asked if she'd like to help make cookies to share with the Pack. Esme had looked sad and pointed out that Sam had thrown their last joint venture into a tree.

A steely light filled my beloved's eyes and she had stated firmly that she was making cookies and they had better be eaten. Emmett laughed and said that if the dogs didn't eat them voluntarily, he'd force a few down some furry throats.

Bella actually looked a little scary as she baked. I've seen that look on Rosalie's face a time or two when she was particularly annoyed. I couldn't wait to see what the Pack made of Bella and her cookies. Esme made a double batch of chocolate chip and Bella made her grandmother's peanut butter cookie recipe. I don't know much about cooking in any way, shape or form, but that recipe was odd and I had questioned her on it.

She'd assured me that it worked as she tripled the amounts: three cups peanut butter, three cups sugar and three eggs. Emmett left the room as she mixed the ingredients with her hands, stating the smell of peanut butter was almost as bad as the stink of the wolves themselves. Bella just laughed and waved her batter-covered hand beneath his nose saying, "Who needs a stake…when you have peanut butter on hand?" Her laughter had followed him out of the house.

After the bake-off ended, Bella and I drove her newly painted truck to the trailhead close to the treaty line. The family had run from the house, but Bella was enjoying the truck even more now that Rosalie had worked on the engine and added a cherry red paint job to the classic body. Even Charlie was impressed at how well it ran now.

Parking and locking the behemoth, Bella had then patted the finish, adjusted the straps of the pack across her shoulders and hopped on my back. This was one of the best parts of the day. Feeling her warm and secure, pressed firmly against my body. She still didn't look around much, but I could feel the exhilaration in the way her breathing ramped up and the giggles that filled my ears.

We arrived at the practice field just after the family. A growl left my throat when I realized that the Pack had grown once again. Instead of just Sam, Paul, Jared and Jacob, there were two new pups leaving the tree line. Quil and Embry, Jacob's best friends, were now wearing their wolf pelts. From their minds, I discerned that they had been in the Pack since the day after our last training session, so about ten days. The spiky edges that I had noticed in Jacob's mind just after he had phased for the first time were no longer in the boys' minds. That gave me some hope that they'd be able to keep control around my Bella. Sam, hearing my growled response, had told me that they were not a danger to her.

Bella, of course, was happy to see Jacob with his friends, although she did glare at the older wolves. I don't think she's forgiven them for ruining her cake some weeks ago.

Jacob had his friends to join him in phasing so that they could greet Bella in their own skins. After a few moments the three of them had met us in the middle of the training field, ratty shorts hanging off of their hips. Alice had tsked at the sight as she wondered if she could find them something better to wear and if she did, would actually wear it. Sam and his original Pack members chose to stay in their fur.

When it appeared that Jacob meant to hug Bella in greeting, another growl had left my throat. He rolled his eyes and stopped several feet away from us. Sam had directed him to introduce Quil and Embry to the family. The two new wolves were a bit subdued, but then almost everyone seemed that way when compared to Jacob. He had certainly embraced his inner wolf and was enjoying the perks: speed, toned body, super human strength and an accelerated rate of healing. He employed his heightened sense of smell, and said to Bella, "You brought a snack!"

My entire family had stood stock still in shock. Those were the exact words that Laurent had uttered before James had tried to kill my beloved.

Bella had laughed, breaking the spell, and said she'd brought cookies. The two other boys inhaled deeply, with Embry saying, "Chocolate chip, my favorite!"

Sam had barked to get their attention and I'd translated. He wanted to get the training over with so that they could then bathe the smell of vampire off of themselves and get home to their families. Bella had assured the boys that the cookies would be waiting when they finished. They'd grinned and run back into the trees to phase.

Remembering the way that Bella had gotten between Alice and Emmett at the ball game, I made her promise to stay out of the middle of anything. Esme had asked if she'd like a bird's eye view of the session, and when Bella agreed, she'd swept her up and leaped into the top of a sturdy tree. Bella's laughter at the maneuver caught everyone's attention as the two women settled onto a branch. Esme had called down to me that she'd keep Bella safe. And Jacob had told me to tell Bella to keep the cookies safe. That's when I realized that I was rolling my own eyes at the situation. Bella was certainly rubbing off on me.

The training session went well. Sam only had to call Paul to order once, which was better than it had been during some of the other gatherings. He was ready to take a vampire apart and was wishing that he could just do it already.

He might have an opportunity sooner than he thought. Alice had seen a vision of a nomad heading in our direction. She'd lost sight of him when he had neared Port Angeles. She thought it might be because the wolves got involved. Carlisle told Sam about the vision. When Jared and Paul wanted to rush to meet the vampire, Carlisle had said that it was one thing to defend against harm, but another thing to look for someone to kill.

Sam had agreed and the two of them had come up with a plan of sweeps that would keep our area and the Reservation protected. The wolves were hoping that they would have the opportunity to use their innate skills against the bad guys. I was pleased that most of them didn't think we were the bad ones.

I was also sure that I wouldn't be letting Bella out of my sight until that particular danger was past. Surely she'd let me stay with her 24/7 until the nomad was gone on his way or destroyed.

When the session was over, Esme leaped lightly to the ground with a laughing Bella in her arms. Bella immediately took the bags of cookies out of her pack and called to the boys. Paul turned up his nose and started to trot away. He stopped when Bella herself growled!

"I made these cookies and I expect them to be eaten! It's not like I'm going to poison you! If I wanted to do thatm I'd invite you over for Charlie's cooking…now, eat some cookies." Another growl left her throat and, after a stunned moment, laughter from most of those there had broken out.

Sam and Paul then politely declined and headed home after Sam had given the others instructions on when to run their sweeps.

The rest of the wolves had phased and enjoyed the cookies, thanking both Bella and Esme profusely. Jacob then asked when he was going to be allowed back at her house for a real meal. She'd told him that he could come anytime, but he had to be prepared to intercept his dad's attempts to out me by making me eat.

That eased the tension that had filled me when he'd asked. She was going to have me there when he was. Although I trusted him to a small degree, I knew I'd be on edge if he were in the house and I wasn't. My Bella had known this and wasn't going to let me worry.

After making plans to have the Blacks over for dinner later in the week, Bella had slipped into my arms and kissed me on the nose. This time it was the wolves rolling their eyes, but I didn't care. Having her close to me was always a win. Even if she did still smell like peanut butter.

A/N...HUGE thanks to LJ Summers and u2shay for helping me delete a PILE of "hads"...gah...that is one overused word in THIS fic. All remaining mistakes are MINE.

BTW...that's a real recipe from MY grandmother: 1 cup sugar, 1 cup peanut butter, 1 egg...mix well, form into balls, squish with a cup or fork, bake at 375 for about 9 minutes (give or take a couple of minutes)...you can mix mini chocolate chips in if you'd like. My twitter friends call it the ONE TWEET recipe:

1 c sugar, 1 c PB, 1 egg, Mix, Smash, Bake 375 for 9 minutes

LOL...

So...vampire games, were they fun?

I'm not too worried about the nomad, there's plenty of protection around Bella, and wolves getting anxious to put their training to use. I think Paul still wants to rip a Cullen apart, but that's just HIM.

Everyone waiting for updates on my other fics, I'm sorry! THIS one just keeps nagging me in the middle of the night...it will surely be COMPLETE soon, and then I can focus on my others. Oh, and I was going to post the rest of HUNTERS OF THE NIGHT on the 10th, but have been directed to wait until the 14th. So look for it then.

Thanks, again, for all of your lovely support! I'm trying to get caught up on my reviews! Do keep your PM's ALLOWED if you want to hear back from me.

Kathie