The Twilight Saga is owned by Stephanie Meyer. I own nothing but a migraine.

A/N Thanks to everyone who sent me such kind messages. There is no hope of recovery for Dad so we can only hope that he does not have to remain in this condition for long. He was such a large active talkative man he would hate being stuck in a bed unable to do things for himself.

Sections of SM's book telling the legends are in this chapter, they are in italics for those that couldnt possible read them again.

Pre read by Jake's biggest fan NiamhG.

Chapter 25

What The Hell? Part II

Bella's POV

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"Okay Swan, spit it out, what the hell was the un-dead freak spluttering about." Lauren glowered angrily at me. Nobody liked been left in the dark especially when it appeared everyone else was in on the secret.

I considered not telling her, it was not my place to inform anyone of the Quileute legends however I decided that it was only fair she knew the full story. I know Paul would be angry that someone else told her instead of him but considering the circumstances he had to accept I really had no choice.

Taking a deep breath I tried to gather my wits about me and filter some of Billy's magic so I could tell her the legends. It was important that I did this correctly so she would understand everything. I don't think just telling her that the boys were wolves would really cut it.

"Okay." I sighed. "I'm gonna tell you it all from the very beginning so please bear with me. This should be told by the chief of the Quileute Nation or at the very least the Alpha of the pack, but you will have to make do with me until he lets you go, or you are saved by the boys." I didn't think there was hope for me but I had to believe that Edward would let her go when his plans were finished. I shook my head attempting to dispel those thoughts, being terrified was not going to be of help to me or Lauren.

I took a deep breath and began the ancient story of the Quileute spirit warriors, before I spoke a word I felt a presence surround me like smoke in the damp musty basement. It made me feel strong, proud and almost regal. My ancestors were helping me explain our legends to an imprint. I sat up straight and began proudly reciting the stories as Billy had told me many times. I didn't realise I knew them verbatim but it appears that the Spirits have given me the gift of perfect recall.

"The Quileute tribe settled in La Push many years ago becoming efficient fishermen and ship builders. As time passed, other peoples coveted their land and moved against them for it. The tribe was small and could not defend themselves, so they took their ships and left the land. At sea, Kaheleha used the magic in their blood to defend it. He was the first Spirit Chief in Quileute history. He and all the men left the ships in spirit only, leaving their bodies behind under the care of the women. Though they could not physically hurt the enemy, the warriors had other ways. They blew fierce winds into enemy camps; they could make great screaming in the wind and could manipulate animals to do their bidding. Animals were the only ones that could see them and help. The invading tribe had packs of thick-furred dogs to pull their sleds in the north, and which were set against them. Bats were brought out of the cliff caverns. As a result, the dogs and bats won and the survivors of the invaders scattered thinking the harbour cursed. The Quileute's released the dogs, who ran wild, and returned to their bodies victorious.

Generations passed and the last of the Great Spirit Chiefs came to be. Taha Aki was a man of peace and was known for his wisdom. However there was one man named Utlapa who believed that they should use their magic to expand their control over the Hohs and the Makahs, building an empire. When the spirit warriors left their bodies their minds were all connected with each other. Taha Aki did not like what Utlapa wanted and banned him from the tribe. Utlapa left and hid in the nearby forest.

Taha Aki was vigilant and protected his people even when there was no danger. Every so often, the Spirit Chief would leave the village to a sacred and secret place in the mountains. He would leave his body behind and searched the surrounding areas for any dangers or threats. One day, Utlapa followed Taha Aki planning to kill him, but as he waited for him to leave his body he hatched another plan. Utlapa left his body, took Taha Aki's body, and killed his own. Taha Aki knew immediately what was happening when Utlapa joined him in the spirit world. He raced back to his sacred place but was too late. He followed his body in his spirit self down to the tribe. For weeks he watched with despair as Utlapa made sure everyone believed he was Taha Aki. Then Utlapa's first edict came: no warrior was to enter the spirit world because he had a vision of danger, but in truth he was afraid of Taha Aki. Utlapa took liberties with the tribe that no one ever dreamed of. He took a second and a third wife, even though Taha Aki's wife still lived. Eventually, Taha Aki brought a great wolf down the mountains to kill Utlapa and free the tribe, but Utlapa only hid from it behind his warriors. The wolf ended up killing a young man, making Taha Aki's grief greater.

Taha Aki had been away from his body long enough to be in agony. He felt doomed of never being ever to cross the line between life and death. The great wolf followed him through the forest and Taha Aki felt jealous of the animal; at least it had a body and a life. At that moment the Spirit Chief had an idea that changed the future of the Quileutes. He asked the animal if he could share his body with him and the wolf complied. As a single being, the wolf and the man went to the village. The people feared the wolf, shouting for the warriors' help. The warriors came with spears in their hands, but they stopped in surprise of what the wolf was doing: the wolf was retreating from the warriors and trying to yelp the songs of their people. The warriors realized what it was doing and could only think that it was being influenced by a spirit.

An old warrior, Yut, disobeyed the orders of the false chief and left his body. Yut gathered the truth in an instant and welcomed Taha Aki. Almost instantly, Utlapa realized what had happened and raced towards Yut's body with his knife. The other warriors were confused. Yut went back into his body but could not fight Utlapa off before warning the others, as he was too old. Taha Aki watched as Yut's spirit left the world and he returned to the wolf's body feeling a great rage. The wolf shuddered and transformed into a man before the eyes of the warriors. The man did not look like Taha Aki's body, but like his spirit self, which the warriors recognized instantly. Utlapa tried to run but Taha Aki had the strength of the wolf and killed him. Upon realization of what had happened, everything returned to normal. The only change he kept in place was the forbidding of spirit travel. From then on he was known as the Great Wolf or the Spirit Man. He led the tribe for many years because he did not age. He fathered many sons, who in time found that they too could turn into wolves on reaching manhood. However, they were all different because the wolf form reflected the spirit of the man. Some became warriors like Taha Aki and did not age, others did not like to transform, and started to age.

After Taha Aki gave up his spirit self, trouble began in the North with the Makahs. Several young women had disappeared and they believed the neighbouring wolves were to blame. However, all the wolves knew it was none of them because their minds were still connected with each other. Taha Aki did not want a war, especially since he could not lead his people any longer. He gave his eldest son, Taha Wi, the responsibility of finding who was to blame. Taha Wi led five wolves in search through mountains looking for evidence but they only found a strange, sweet scent. They followed it and the journey took them so far north that Taha Wi sent the two younger brothers back to inform the chief. Taha Wi and the other two never returned.

A year later, two Makah maidens were taken from their homes on the same night and the Makahs called upon the wolves. The Quileutes found the same sweet scent and went on the hunt once more. Only one of them returned. Yaha Uta, the eldest son of Taha Aki's third wife, returned carrying strange cold pieces of a corpse. He described what had happened to his brothers. One of them underestimated the strength of the creature and became a victim. Yaha Uta and his other brother were more careful but the creature matched their movements and got his hands on one of them. Yaha Uta found an opening on the creature's throat and began tearing at him desperately trying to save his brother. It was too late but he succeeded in ripping his enemy apart. Yaha Uta laid the remains of the creature on the ground to be examined. Suddenly the corpse began to attach itself together and so the elders set fire to it. They spread the ashes far and wide, except a small bag which Taha Aki wore around his neck to be warned if the creature ever decided to get himself together again. The creature was called the Cold One and Blood Drinker. They feared there were others like it since they only had one wolf protector left. Then came the Cold Woman, its mate. She was the most beautiful creature to be seen, though one small boy claimed the smell hurt his nose. An elder heard this and yelled for them to get away. He was the first to die at the mercy of the woman. She then proceeded to the other people until Yaha Uta arrived, followed by Taha Aki, his third wife, and the elders. When Yaha Uta was defeated, Taha Aki turned into an old Gray wolf with the strength given by his anger alone. He began fighting the Cold Woman, when his third wife came to a conclusion.

She had just seen her son killed and now her husband ran a terrible danger, along with the rest of her sons and tribe. She heard every word the witnesses told the council and heard Yaha Uta's version of events the night the other one was beaten. She knew that his brother's divergence had saved him. She grabbed a knife from one of her sons, ran towards the blood drinker and stabbed herself in the heart. The Cold Woman could not turn away from the fresh blood and gave in to the thirst. Taha Aki bit her throat and finished her off along with two of his sons who felt such rage at seeing their mother dead that they turned into wolves. After that, Taha Aki never returned to his human self, staying to protect his wife's body and leaving to the forest never to return to the tribe.

Taha Aki's descendants no longer turned to wolves when they reached manhood. Only when a cold one was near would they return. The cold ones always came in ones or twos so the pack stayed small with 3 wolves until a bigger coven came.

The leader of the coven spoke to Ephraim Black as if he were a man and promised not to harm the Quileutes. His strange yellow eyes gave proof of this, and a treaty was offered to the tribe even though there was no need—they outnumbered the wolves and could have won easily if they fought. Ephraim accepted and the coven's numbers forced a larger pack than before. Over the years, the coven left and returned to Forks but always kept true to their word and did not harm the tribe..."

"Until Now!"

When I stopped speaking it was like waking up from a dream. I looked at Lauren and her mouth was hanging open.

"Lauren, we don't tell everyone about the existence of the pack for obvious reasons. It's usually only the wolves and their imprints." I wasn't sure if she was still conscious. She hadn't moved.

"What's that?" She asked after around 5 long minutes.

"It is special to wolves, and it is when you find your soul mate." I responded immediately knowing what she needed clarified.

"The wolf will imprint on the person he's bound to the moment he sees her after his Alpha has taken his mate. It is like being pulled toward that person, while a glowing heat fills him; the connection with everything else is severed, and only the imprint is left to matter, leaving the wolf with a deep need to provide the imprint anything she needs or wants." I tried to describe.

"It's not like love at first sight, really. It's more like... gravity moves... suddenly. It's not the earth holding you here anymore, she does... You become whatever she needs you to be, whether that's a protector, or a lover, or a friend. If she is killed, you will never be able to forget or forgive. If the killer happens to be another pack member, there would be no other choice than to fight to the death. Therefore, the most important law among the pack is that no wolf may kill or harm a fellow wolf's imprint. The separation of a wolf from his imprint will cause both of them pain which if it continues may cause you some physical manifestation." I choked thinking how my capture was affecting Jake, he would be insane with anger. God I hoped they found us soon.

"W..w...why are you telling me? Is it because I know what the Cullen's are?" She questioned?

"No Lauren, it's because you are an imprint just like me." I really didn't want to be the one to tell her, this was up to Paul but I was in a rotten position. She needed to know that she was the reason for his existence now and she had to do everything in her power to stay alive and return back to him. They might lose Jake if I died but they couldn't lose Paul as well, this would be the end of the pack.

I never thought I would see the day that Lauren Mallory was lost for words. She sat staring at me as if I was insane. I didn't bother speaking, I know what a shock all this can be, and it must be worse for her learning about this when her wolf was not even here to support her or prove it was true. I know she would ask which wolf once she had her thought processes back on track.

It took her less time than expected to come to a conclusion and surprisingly she showed more astuteness than I expected when she whispered Paul's name.

"Yes." I answered. "He imprinted on you at Christmas when you came to collect Emily."

She nodded. "I always liked him, even though I thought he detested me. One day last year I met him on first beach and I tried to talk to him and he looked at me as if I had an STD."

"Ah that could be because you were always nasty to me." I answered honestly. "Paul was my protector and looked after me for many years keeping me out of harm so when you were evil towards me it made him angry with you. Why did you hate me Lauren? Can you tell me now what I did?"

Lauren seemed to crumble at my words. The snotty nosed look just disappeared and what was left behind was a sad and lonely girl. I knew that look; I saw it in the mirror every day for years, before I made it home.

"There are some things you don't know about me Bella." She sighed and shuffled her position on the cold ground. "My father left my mother a couple of years ago and went to live with some tart he met on a business trip in New York. My mother wasn't too heartbroken, they hated each other for years, so once he left she celebrated by flying down to Las Vegas to celebrate with her sister and when she was down there she won a load of money and found herself a toy boy. She decided city living was more her thing and the gambling was a lot more fun than minding a teenage daughter. I haven't seen my parents in a long time. They visit now and again pretending to care about my life, they send money into my account to pay bills and food when they remember or when mom hasn't blown it on a game of blackjack. Luckily, the house is actually in my name because my grandma left it to me in her will not to mom." She smiled wistfully. "Grandma was always smarter than anyone ever gave her credit for."

It was now my turn to be totally gobsmacked. "How long have you been on your own?"

"Since I was sixteen, not many people actually know. They didn't really socialise within Forks and Dad worked long hours so nobody really noticed, except for Jessica and Angela. They always make sure that I'm invited over to their house at least once a week." She smiled talking about our friends. "One time Angela stole a box of candles from her Dad's church because I had no money to pay electricity, I had already stayed in each of their houses a few times that week so I couldn't stay again. So Jess and Angela stayed with me and we melted marshmallows with all the candles for dinner."

"You are perfect for Paul, I didn't think you were but I was wrong." I smiled.

"Jeez, who would have thought a crazy bloodsucker would have made the two of us friends." She laughed.

"True." I laughed. "But honestly Lauren, that still doesn't explain your dislike of me."

"Well as you have guessed I knew Edward well. I fell for him hard the first moment I saw him. I was obsessed. He was like a drug to me, my own personal brand of heroine. I'll be honest when I say I pursued him, for six weeks I followed him everywhere. Drove him and his family nuts, I think his sister called me his skanky stalker for ages. Eventually he relented and we went for a date. I don't know why he changed his mind, I was too happy to care the reason. We were seeing each other secretly. He said he was worried that his parents would stop him dating if they found out about us. The original reason was because it was important he do well in his exams, complete bullshit. Once I knew what he was the reason for secrecy changed, now he was supposedly concerned that they would move as they would fear he would bite me. I went from being on my own, to having someone who looked out for me, cared for me. He would come visit me at night and keep me company so that I wasn't always on my own. I was happy for the first time since my parents split. Until..."

"Until...?" I question.

"Until...you walked into Biology that fateful day and the love of my life just sat staring at you as if he wanted to lick you like a lollipop." She smiled thoughtfully. "I was confused at first, he ignored me completely, then he just disappeared, I decided I needed to know what happened and went to his house, they looked down their noses at me and told me he had gone to visit relatives. I waited every morning in the carpark hoping he would come back to me, but it never happened. I knew it was something about you that had caused him to run. I'm sorry Bella, none of it was your fault but I was just so devastated that I took it out on you. I'm really sorry for being such a bitch to you."

"Well to be honest, I forgave you all nastiness when you punched Emily, I have wanted to do that for the longest time." I smiled.

"Yeah she is pretty annoying, she was much nicer when I met her before when we were younger." She confirmed. "I think it may have something to do with her boyfriend."

"Boyfriend? I didn't know she had one." I was surprised by the way she acted around Sam.

"Yeah, apparently he is older than her and her parents disapproved, that's why she is here, they kicked her out because she dropped out of college to be with him." She informed me thoughtfully. "Although the way she acts around your friend Sam confuses me, if she loved her boyfriend so much why does she flirt so much with her cousins man?"

"Is this boyfriend in the Makah rez?" I wondered

"I have no idea, I never met him, she talks about him a lot but says nothing of importance. She did ask me not to talk about him in front of you though, but yeah after today I have no loyalty to her." She shrugged.

Something was odd, strange, wrong...all of the above, it was very curious. "Do you know his name?"

"Yeah she mentioned it once by accident...let me think, Ben?...Brendan?... No its Bryan.. yeah that's it, Bryan was his name." She nodded firmly.

"Shit, we didn't see that coming." I whispered in shock "That was the guy who kidnapped us. He is Embry's father and the reason why Jake lost his mother and Quil has no father. Hell, with him in cahoots with Edward makes this situation even worse than I thought."

Both of our heads whipped around from the loud clapping noise that was coming from the top of the stairs. Standing tall and proud was a man who looked like a tall healthy Billy except for the crazy sneer on his face.

For those that dont remember Bryan check out chapter 6 and 7 (the one regarding Embry's parentage)