Learning to Breathe
Disclaimer: None of these characters etc. belong to me. They all belong to the wonderful and amazing Stephanie Meyer. I don't think I could ever be that creative. Lol. Stephanie rules!
Author's Note: Hey everyone! Sorry about the wait. These next few chapters are mainly going to be about Jake and a certain someone we know. Anyways, there aren't very many chapters left… Probably no more than three, and then one last long author's note at the end. I hope you've liked reading my story as much as I have liked writing it. Happy readings!!
A New Arrangement
When Edward and I got home, there were lots of hugs, and 'thank gods'. The whole family scolded us, and then hugged us. I was so glad we had gotten home all right. I wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of eternity with my family, and my Edward. It was the only thing I thought about.
As soon as everyone was assured we were alright, I got up the courage to speak what had been on my mind. If my plan for Jake was going to work, I needed to build a bridge or two first We were inside the main house, and Edward was filling the others in on the details of our little adventure. So it was the perfect time to ask. "Carlisle?" I asked hesitantly.
"Yes?"
"I have something I'd like to ask you." I said. He frowned in confusion.
"Go ahead."
"The whole reason Edward and I got into this mess, was because I was somewhere I shouldn't have been." I said. Carlisle knew what I was talking about instantly.
"Oh, Alex. We warned you…" he said.
"I know. I couldn't help it." I said. I felt oddly like a toddler confessing to getting into the cookie jar. "I was curious. And I befriended one of the wolves." I said. That surprised him.
"Really? Well, I suppose it shouldn't come as much of a surprise. You are very alike in form." He said thoughtfully.
"Yes well, there's something I'd like to do." I said. Carlisle waited. "I'd like to speak to the rest of the pack, and see if there's any way to come to a some sort of a truce. One better than the one we have. The wolves are so prejudiced to what we are, that they don't take the time to learn about who we are. I'd like to fix that."
Carlisle took a very long moment to think, and I could practically see the wheels turning in his mind. Finally, he nodded slowly. "If it can be done, then I support you. I've never liked the boundaries we had to agree to." He grinned. "Don't tell anyone that. I'm supposed to be the reasonable one." He teased. I laughed, and kissed his cheek.
"Your secrets safe with me. I'm going to tell Edward first. I don't make the same mistake twice." I said, darkness creeping into my tone. Carlisle nodded, and I waited patiently for Edward to finish his story. When he did, and the others had gotten over the shock of what I had done, Edward and I went outside for a few moments alone. "Edward?"
"Yes, my love?"
"I'd like to go back to the woods, and work things out with the Quileute tribe." I said in a bit of a rush. Edward tensed.
"Alex, are you sure it can be done?" he asked anxiously.
"I'm sure. I'll just have to charm their pants off." I said, winking. Edward chuckled, then sighed. He touched my face lightly.
"Promise you'll be alright." He asked, his eyes burning into mine. I melted a time added to the countless others at the velvety sound of his voice.
"Of course. I love you." I said, fiercely. Then I kissed him with all the passion I had. My fingers tangled into his hair, and my mouth pressed greedily to his. He responded with a low growl, his arms tightening around me.
After a few moments, Edward chuckled, and pulled away. "I thought you had somewhere to be. If you keep that up, you won't be going anywhere until dark." He said. I raised a brow. It couldn't have been much later than two.
"As tempting as that thought is, I think this is something better handled during the day." I said. Edward frowned, but nodded.
"I love you. Be careful." He said again. I smiled.
"I love you too. And I will." I said. Then I ran to the trees.
I knew exactly where our land ended, and theirs began. I stepped over the line, and waited. I hoped it would be Jacob who found me. It wasn't. Of course life couldn't be that simple. A sandy colored wolf a bit smaller than Jake approached me, and snarled. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at him. I was quite a bit bigger than him in my cat form. I made the change, not bothering to strip. The wolf was more than a bit surprised.
"What are you?" he thought. He sounded awfully young.
"I'm a Felix."
"A what?"
"A Werecat, you nimrod." I said impatiently
"What do you want?"
"I'm friends with Jacob Black. I need to speak with him, and the rest of your pack."
"You smell like a vamp." He said, wrinkling his nose. Obviously Jake hadn't told anyone about me, which made sense.
"Look, I'll explain everything later. Will you take me to them or not?"
"Do I have your word you won't harm me or my pack?"
"Yes." I waited, as he considered his options in his mind.
"Alright. Let's go." He turned around, and led me away from the clearing where I'd first met Jacob. "How do you know what I'm thinking?" the pup asked suddenly. I glanced at him.
"I'm the alpha of my pride. I can hear their thoughts as well. I suppose since our forms are similar, I share that link with you as well." I said. The pup nodded thoughtfully. "What is your name?" I asked. He hesitated, but only for a moment.
"Seth."
"Alex. I'll wait to say it's nice to meet you until after I know you better." I said teasingly. He chuckled a little. I could sense he was still hesitant to warm up to me.
After a while, we were in yet another clearing, deep inside the woods. Seth tilted his head back, and let out one long howl. He quirked an ear. "They'll be here soon." He said. I nodded. I could hear the answering calls from his pack. I noticed that Seth kept his mind curiously blank. It was a skill all those with a mind reader in the family learned. I guess that meant that he wanted to keep me a surprise. Oh goody.
One by one, wolves entered the clearing. They came in snarling, scenting me long before they were in our sight. Seth stepped in front of me, saying nothing but that they had to wait until everyone was there. The wolves were slightly miffed, but did as he said out of curiosity. Jake was the last to arrive, and when he did, his mind went blank in shock. It stayed that way while the biggest wolf I'd seen – besides Jake, who was pretty much the same size – walked forward. His fur was as black as night, his eyes dark.
"Who are you?" he asked in the voice of an alpha. Surprise, surprise.
"My name is Alex."
"What are you?" he asked, diving right in there.
"Ask Jake." The alpha whipped around to face Jacob.
"Gee, thanks." Jake muttered. I grinned.
"Sorry. I'll do all the talking later." I said. Jake rolled his eyes. I saw the playback of our meeting in the clearing go through his head as he showed the alpha – Sam, I caught in the thoughts around me – what I was, and what I wanted.
Everyone was quiet for a long time. Their reactions varied from shock, to disgust. Sam was the hardest to get a read on. He was thinking. Playing back the scene, over and over, trying to decide whether or not it was worth it to hear me out. He was a good leader, and only wanted what was best for his pack. But he also felt some sort of loyalty to Jake. When I nudged around a bit, I saw why. I gasped. Jake was the true leader; the true Alpha.
"Well, I'll be god damned." I muttered. Jake grinned ruefully.
"You're not the only one with secrets." He said. I rolled my eyes. Sam finally spoke.
"Alright. I've decided to hear what you have to say." He said. I sighed in relief.
"Okay. Thank you. I want you to know first, that no matter what you decide here today, I will continue to be friends with Jake." I said. A few snarled quietly, but stopped with one look from Sam. "Anyways, I would like to know why you are all so… hateful of me and my kind." I said.
"You mean vampires?" one sneered. I yowled sharply, and the wolf cowered.
"Yes, vampires. We don't harm humans. And we harm animals only when is absolutely necessary. Can't you see how similar we are to you? We try and protect the humans to the best of our abilities. You saw Jake's memory. You saw me fight the red-eyed vampire." I said. Sam nodded.
"Yes, I saw it. You were brave." He murmured. Not really as a compliment, more as a statement of fact.
"Perhaps. But the point is that all you do is push away, because we are different, and strong, and you feel threatened. But me and my family have done nothing to harm any human since we set foot on this land. Would you disagree?" I demanded.
"No." I nodded.
"Then why the treaty?"
"Because it was put down by our forefathers, to protect our people." He said.
"I respect that. God knows I know what it's like to want to protect what's yours." I said, thinking of Montana, and the horrors we had faced there. "So I propose a new treaty." I said. Several growled, but were again silence by Sam. I turned and faced the only three that were still harboring negative thoughts. I brought the Queen forward. "What right have you to judge me?" I demanded. They shrank back a bit, but held their ground.
"You are unnatural, and against the laws of nature. You should not be. We were created to fight against you." One said.
"Against me? Are you blind to what is before your very eyes. Look at me! What do you see?" I demanded.
"An overgrown cat." One spat. I roared, and crouched low.
"A panther. A creature of the woods, of nature. Now that I am also a vampire, I am simply more, not less." I said.
"Why would you choose one of them, over your own kind?" A voice asked from across the clearing. There was no anger in this voice. Only confusion.
"Love. I fell in love. Love is blind to everything. But not to a monster. The man I love, my husband, is not a monster. When we first fell in love he told me that he thought otherwise. In my eyes, seeing what he was, and every action he made being the opposite of what he was made to do, and still thinking he is a monster, is what makes him just the opposite. And I did not choose him. You cannot choose who you love. But I know that if I could choose, I would choose someone as selfless, and honestly good as Edward is." I said. Many softened, thinking of their own significant others, and the three that had held out before hesitated.
"What are the terms of your new treaty?" one of them asked. I smiled.
"That we strip the boundaries, but keep the consequences. If one of my family, and my family alone, hurts anyone on your lands, you are free to do as you see fit." I said. "But if a stray vampire comes along, with no connection to my family, that you will not hold us responsible."
"That seems fair. Is that all?" Sam asked.
"No. I'd like to at least try and get along." I said quietly.
Seth was the first to approach me after a long silence. He nuzzled my cheek with his, and then sat beside me. One by one, each of the other wolves did the same. Sam was last.
"You have a strength, a bravery, and a giving heart, that is most admired, and respected by me, and all of my pack. I welcome you, Alexandra, Queen of the Night, as a friend, and if you wish, as a pack mate." He said. I blinked, stunned. I hadn't been in a pack of any kind for over a hundred years, since our numbers got so small it was hard to find only one other of my kind.
"Friends; and pack mates." I agreed. I walked forward, and knelt before him, and great sign of respect to my kind. He did the same in return. I laughed. "I wonder what my sisters will think of this." I said. Jake grinned, and nudged my shoulder with his nose.
"Call them and find out." He said. I considered.
"Perhaps just Tasha for now." I said. "I think Nikki might be a bit skittish around so many overgrown lapdogs." I teased him. Jake snorted.
"Lapdog my ass, housecat." He shot back. I laughed, and my new pack joined in.
I opened the mind link between Tasha and me. "Tasha?"
"Yes? Are you okay?" she asked anxiously.
"Yes, I'm fine. Tell the others that there's a new and improved treaty." I said. I heard her mental sigh.
"Thank god." She muttered. I laughed.
"And Tasha?"
"Hmm?"
"I think you should come down here. Alone, though."
"Why?"
"I think it'd be a good idea for you to meet our new pack." I said, gently.
"Pack?" she asked shakily.
"Yes."
"Oh, Alex! I'm so happy!" I cried. I laughed again.
"So hurry up!" I teased. She laughed, too.
"Alright. I'll be there as soon as I can." She said.
"Okay." I replied. Then I closed the link. "She's coming." I said.
While we were waiting for Tasha, I got to know the pack a little bit. Jake introduced me to his best friends, Quil and Embry, the only girl there, Leah, and a couple others. Then I heard Tasha's mind. "She's close." I said.
JPOV
I was so glad that everything had gone okay with Alex and the pack. I'd been so worried. Alex was a good friend, and from the way she spoke of her family, I had a feeling I'd get along with them just fine; even if they were vampires. Alex really opened up our eyes to a lot of things that we'd been blind to before. Like how stupid we were being, for example. But Alex took the win humbly, and graciously, like a good leader always did. She laughed, and mingled with the rest of the pack, still in her cat form. I wondered if her sisters look like she did.
Alex suddenly stilled, and listened to something the rest of us couldn't hear. "She's close." She said, relaxing. I felt a bit anxious, but I couldn't place why. We all heard the approaching cat; the soft, almost silent falling of paws on the ground; the scent in the air. But I wasn't nearly ready for what came out of the trees.
A magnificent golden lion came out of the trees, her coat gleaming, even though the sun was hidden behind clouds. Her eyes were a greenish gold, like her sister's, but that could've been from being in cat form. She was tall, and sleek, and the most beautiful thing I'd ever laid eyes on. Suddenly everything seemed very unimportant. My family, my friends, my pack, everything I cared about fell into the background. They weren't any less important to me. She was simply more important. She was suddenly everything to me and more…
Ending Note: Hey guys! It couldn't have been much of a surprise, but hey, I tried. Tasha and Jacob, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G. Lol. I couldn't help it. Anyways, I hope you liked this chapter! Keep reading and reviewing! Peace!! ~~~~~~~~:D~~~~~~~~ (I love those little squiggly things! :D)