I do not own Twilight
CHAPTER ll TWENTY EIGHT
"So what you're saying is that these two other tribes are not people but animals?" Jacob asked, cocking his head to the side and frowning. His father had not mentioned this part of the arrangement and Jacob was sure, that had Billy had knowledge of such things, he would have informed them.
"Yes" Jonah nodded, the crease in his brow looking more defined as he continued to explain. "When Adrena is in the skin of the bear, she will be able to command the Mahali and the Suswani. As you know wild animals cannot be kept under control for long, so the amount of time you have to use them is imperative. Swift and strict orders must be given.
The Mahali with their keen eyesight and swift movements can be used as look outs, but they are not made for fighting as such. Their wings will take them high above enemy lines and they will alert you when danger is near.
The Suswani are the much... deadlier tribe. The form of the snow leopard gives them ample disguise amongst the snow, however, if you plan to take them with you back to Forks, they will not have the advantage. It is suggested you draw away the enemy, towards the snow. The Suswani will fight and can be placed amongst the battle lines, but be warned, wolves and leopards will not see eye to eye for an extended period of time, much like the problem of cats and dogs. Werewolves and vampires. In a sense you are each other's mortal enemy and Adrena will not be able to calm them for long."
"How do you know so much about the bears Alpha?" Seth piped up, his fingers fidgeting and dancing along the back of the couch.
"Ahh... I like you, your curious mind is a given for such a young man." Nodding, Jonah moved his cane for it to rest against his thigh. "My great great grandfather, chief Running Bear was Adrena's brother. He only lived long enough for his wife to give birth to my ancestor, his son, Wahini, meaning 'o great light' before the vampires killed him and locked the rest of the tribe in the depths of the cave using one of our own witch doctor's spells.
The story has been documented and stored away, all the way for my own father to tell me the story. I have waited so long for the Charee to finally wake. I never thought the day would come, that I would see them with my own eyes." He grinned, a slither of pride moving through his eyes.
"Anyone for smoke eel sandwiches and ice tea?" Sage grinned, stepping into the living room and setting the tray down.
"You wouldn't happen to have any peanut butter for Will? He's a little – sensitive – to some foods" Leah asked as politely as possible, watching as William face turned into disgust smelling the food.
"Oh honey, of course. Come, come" She ushered both Leah and William into the kitchen, knowing that her husband needed to talk more privately with the Quileute Alpha.
Leah smiled picking up William in her arms and carrying him toward the kitchen following Sage. She could feel Jonah's eyes boring into her head as she walked past him. Shooting a quick glance to Jacob, she nodded and disappeared out of the room, leaving the men to chat.
"So Jacob Black, tell me, do you think your son is the 'one'?" Jonah asked bending forward to grasp a cool glass of tea. "Please boys, don't let me stop you" He motioned to Seth and Embry, who hurriedly sat near the coffee table and began to inhale some of the smoked sandwiches.
"To be honest sir, I am not sure. But I don't know if it is because he is my son or because I am Alpha" Jacob sighed, eyeing the old man as he took a sip of his drink.
"Please explain it to me" Jonah nodded, signalling him to continue.
"My wolf senses something in him, some kind of special quality, however my instinct as a father wants me to pick him up and run away with him, take my family far away from here. He is my only son and I am not sure if I am comfortable putting him in a situation filled with so much danger. If your son was the 'one' would you trust yourself to be able to protect him from anything. Supposed he did have the power to control these packs, he is merely a child. At 18 years old I became Alpha and still I had a hard time of slotting into the role. I want my son happy, but I am not sure what that will entail, once he does this."
Jonah nodded in understanding as Jacob spoke again. "We have also had word of his fate. A vision has been seen of William's death and I am not sure, if I would want to survive if my child dies. You see Jonah, the future is made up of many decisions and I am not sure which ones will lead to this snippet and which ones do not. As the 'true' Alpha, I have an obligation to my people which entails waking the Charee, but my obligation as a father, far out weighs this."
Seth stalked after William playfully as Embry, Jake and Leah pulled small backpacks from the car. Inside already loaded was food supplies, rope and anything else usually used for hiking. Leah had been extremely quiet after Jonah had mentioned some of the 'tasks' that needed to be completed as they made their way deeper into the caves. He didn't like the way his sister looked so lost in thought, because he'd seen that look before. He'd seen it before she left with Hunter and he'd seen it the day Sam imprinted on their cousin. Leah was planning something and Seth knew, like a constant knot in his stomach, that once Leah had a plan, it was only going to end one of two ways. She was going to do something extremely stupid or she was going to be a martyr.
"Uncle Seth! Stop!" William giggled as he squirmed away from his uncle who had pinned him to the grass and was tickling his sides. The boy managed to wriggle free and bolt off in the opposite direction, stepping only a few meter's before he ran smack bang into the legs of a tall woman.
Her green eyes looked down at William, squatting to pick him up by the arm and dusting him off. "You okay there?" She asked in a honey sweet voice, making Will blush. She was a really pretty lady, nothing like his mummy, but still really really pretty. She had long brown hair that was neatly braided down her back and she was wearing a yellow t-shirt, black jeans and old hiking boots similar to the kind Aunt Alice had gotten his mother.
"I'm okay" Will muttered, stepping back a little from the woman once she stood at her full height.
"Hey you okay Will?" Seth asked, grasping his little shoulder and spinning him around to check for any injuries. " - Oh hey" Seth grinned looking up at the stunning woman, who had help Will up when he'd ran in her legs. "Seth Clearwater" The shifter grinned, extending an open palm out to the woman.
"Millie, Jonah is my grandfather and it seems I will be you're tour guide." She smiled softly, taking Seth's hand and shaking it.
"Cool" Seth said nodding and waiving her over to meet the group.
"Uncle Seth" William whispered as he rode on the shifter's back, intently watching Millie. "She smells like flowers" He stated, making Seth chuckle though covering it with a cough.
"Yeah buddy, she does" He whispered back, noticing Millie was glancing at them using her peripheral vision.
Leah perked up when she saw Seth carrying Will on his back and the tall lady next to them both. She was very beautiful, and automatically her eyes drifted to Jacob. She knew she was being unreasonable but she constantly carried around the fear that Jacob was going to do, what she had done to him. She considered every beautiful woman a threat and in the darkness of each night, wished that Jacob wouldn't imprint. Even though Jonah's words of the Alpha not imprinting because of her, she still doubted much of it all. If the Alpha didn't imprint because of a female, then why would she imprint? It didn't make sense to her, though not much did anymore. Everything was becoming a little more strange... a little more un-nerving.
Jacob was bent on one knee tying his shoes when he caught the strange scent of flowers. It tickled his nose at first, making him reach up and swat at it. It wasn't a sickly sweet smell like the vampires but it was still sweet. Like sticking your nose in a bouquet of flowers. Inching his head up he noticed Seth coming towards the group with a woman in tow. He concluded that Old Jonah must have already contacted the guide and she was it. He was actually surprised that the guide was a woman, though when he thought about it, a woman did make sense. Women are more in touch with nature, they hear and smell things that males barely notice, they are more than good trackers and even better hunter gather's. Women seemed to have a hold on the earth, maybe because mother earth and all her bearing's was like a woman. The earth provide shelter, food, comfort and essentials much like a woman does. It bears the fruit of new, it sings beautiful love songs on it's winds and it is always breath taking. Much like his Leah.
His eyes moved to the woman who had long brown hair, pouty lips and long dark eyelashes. But it was her eyes that caught him of guard... they where the greenest of green, and he was falling right into them.
"Oh fuck" Embry muttered, as Jacob straightened his back and his eyes became wide. His eyes automatically flicked to Leah's face, who was already looking at Jacob. This wasn't good and he knew it.
"Hey guys, this is Millie. Millie this is my sister Leah, her finacee Jacob and my buddy Embry." Seth smiled, looking over the group. His face dropped when his eyes took in Jacob's stance. His body was tense and his knuckles were turning white and his clenched his fist tightly. Seth could tell Jacob was taking deep breaths and trying to calm himself, his nostrils were flared and his jaw locked. Moving his eyes from Jacob to Leah, he understood. Leah had a lost, blurry kind of look about her, like she was a lost child in the middle of a shopping centre, looking at the people around her and calling out her father's name. Her eyes were already leaking tears drop by drop but she didn't make a sound. Her lips were pressed tightly together and she just stood there, her shoulder slumped and her hair blowing softly in the wind.
"Hey guys" Millie said, smiling at the group and offering her hand to Leah, who merely gave her a look of disgust and turned on her heel.
Jacob turned at the same time, only now realizing Leah had tear stains on her cheeks. "Lee..." He said trying to catch up to her and reaching out to grab her arm. Not sooner had he touched her, she turned quickly and slapped him across the face, ripping her hand out of his grasp at the same time.
"Don't you dare touch me" She said hoarsely, choking back a sob. "Don't come near me Jacob!" She screamed as he continued to step forward.
"Mumma?" William's voice trembled as he dropped from his uncle's back and watched as his mother fell to her knees, letting out the loudest scream he'd ever heard. Will's eyes were building with tears as he looked back at his uncle Seth and Embry, silently asking them what was happening.
"You know I didn't want this Leah" Jacob spoke softly, dropping down to her level as she beat the ground with her fist. "You know I love you. I would nor could ever leave you" He whispered, grasping her wrists and raising her bleeding knuckles to his lips to kiss them softly.
"Don't lie to me..." She whimpered as he kissed her swollen flesh, his lips warming her body which had suddenly turned ice cold. "Please don't lie to me" She cried, ripping her hands from his and getting to her feet.
"Mumma?" Will said again, his body lip trembling as he looked between both his parents. As soon as his mother's eyes locked with his, he barreled straight for her, crashing into her open arms. He hug her tightly, his tears staining her shirt and neck.
"It's okay baby. Shhh... no more crying" Leah whispered, letting go of some of her own tears and hugging her son close. Slowly she got to her feet, walking to the car and strapping William in.
"What are you doing Leah?" Jacob asked, walking a foot behind her and trailing her around the car. "Lee... talk to me" He said softly, unable to stop his eyes as they glanced over at the confused yet almost smug Millie.
"Leah stop" He snarled, closing the driver's side she was so desperately trying to get into to flee from him. Using his body, he pushed her up against the car to pin her from escaping. "Look at me baby" He breathed, running his fingers down her cheek, her head turned and her eyes planted on the side mirror of the car.
"No" She answered through clenched teeth, her eyes trembling and her breathing heavy.
"Please Leah... just look at me. Look into my eyes and see that your still the woman I want, the one I need. Please honey, don't go" He pleaded, cupping her cheeks and pulling her face to his. Her eyes were closed and her hands flew to his wrists, holding firmly onto him as if he'd slip away. "Kiss me Leah... kiss me and know, nothing has changed, nothing could ever change. Not ever" He breathed, waiting for her to open her eyes. Not even his shifter ears could pick up what she mumbled, but he knew when she opened her eyes, nothing would ever be the same.
"I hate you" She seethed, pushing his hands away and running towards the forest.
"Lee... LEAH!" Jacob called, only to have her pick up speed as she ran faster.
"Mumma!"
"Sis!"
"Goddammit Leah"
"Don't Jacob. Let me. Stay with your son!" Seth said, quickly running after her while shooting Jacob a pity glance before bounding off in to the dense forest.
Embry looked to Millie only to find her grinning widely as she watched Jacob's despair cross his face. He had a bad feeling about this woman, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Her green eyes snapped in his direction, making him quickly look away and take a deep breath. That's when he smelt it.
"Do you smell that Jacob?" Embry whispered towards his Alpha, grasping his arm and pulling him away.
"Smell what?" Jacob said, trying to hold back any emotions and sniff the air. "Fuck" He muttered, turning his head around the area to look for any signs of the smell.
"Vampire" Embry stated, clenching his fists and stepping closer towards the car door that had Will tucked safely behind it.
"No..." Jacob growled, his eyes turning black, as he braced himself, ready for the attack. His spine was crawling and his sense buzzing out of control. The anger inside of him was mounting and he knew he was about to burst right out of his skin. "Not vampire... Hybrid!" He snarled.
Sage hurried out to the porch, watching the commotion as he husband trailed closely behind her. Sage gave a sorrowful look in Jonah's direction, crossing her arms and watching Leah sprint off into the forest.
"Lover's quarrel perhaps?" Jonah offered as he slipped a hand around his wife's waist, while the other clutched the wooden cane.
"I don't know... hmmm... that's strange, I thought you told Mary to send Millie?" His wife asked, looking over at the tall woman standing in the driveway with the wolf shifter's.
"Maybe Millie was out?" He replied, watching as the young woman turned to them and waved.
Slowly raising her hand and waiving back, Sage frowned. "I'm not sure why Mary would send her - I've never seen the girl before"
"Maybe she's just taking them to see Millie, perhaps our grand daughter is already trekking?"
"Hmm" Sage remarked, raising an eyebrow. "Perhaps I'll give Mary a call and ask her what is happening. I distinctly remember her saying that Millie would be available to pick them up"
Patting her husband's hand, she trotted inside. Mary would have told her if someone new was coming to pick up the guests. She would have just laughed off her worry, but this was something imperative. This wasn't just a simple trekking expedition, this was possibly to moment that the Charee would awaken. A moment the whole Chalani tribe was anticipating. Since the phone call from Billy Black, Chief of the Quileute Tribe, the whole place had been buzzing with excitement, a light with the expectations of finally seeing something they not only believed existed but believed in.
Sage gasped when she rounded the corner to find a handsome brunette man, standing near the telephone, swirling the cord in his hands. His posture was one that came with power and his clothes signified he was in fact a leader of some sort. She watched as his fingers danced on the cord, before suddenly ripping it from the wall and turning to look at her.
"Can I- can I help you - young man?" Sage stuttered, reaching her hands behind her to find something to use as a weapon against his probable attack.
"No, no you can't" He seethed, his brown wispy hair falling in front of his eyes, as his hands trembled. "Do not move an inch, scream and I'll kill you, your husband and all your kin" He spat, watching as she was about to move her foot to try and escape the room. Slowly his head rose and he looked over the woman, taking in her fear and grinning widely at her. "Tell me Sage, the story of the 'Charee', tell it to me, exactly the way you told Leah"
Before Sage could blink, he'd rushed forward like a hurricane and grasped her tightly around the neck. His fingers were digging into the skin of her throat, and any small inch of pressure could have easily crushed her wind pipe. "Tell me" He snarled, lifting his top lip for her to truly see who he was.
"Vampire" She gasped, clawing at his hands and blinking rapidly.
"No..." He smiled brightly, inching closer towards his ear. "The name is was born with was - Hunter, but the name I will die with is 'King'" He whispered dangerously, dipping his head to smell her neck.
"You will not succeed" Sage choked out, feeling his fingers begin to crush her neck.
"And you will not live" He hissed, before the only sound in the room was a loud snap.
