"Jacob?" I wondered out loud as his sprinting eventually slowed down to a jog.
"Huh?"
"I was just thinking . . . "
" 'Bout what?" He asked. I was surprised how even his voice sounded considering he had already been carrying me for a few miles. No sign of exhaustion.
"Do you think I could ever see you phase? I mean, I've never even seen you in your wolf form."
I could feel him shrugging underneath me. "Maybe some day. With all those bloodsuckers around, I'm sure the opportunity will come up soon enough."
Bloodsuckers. I was about to reprimand him for insulting my family but then I remembered how often I had heard the Cullens refer to the werewolves in some derogatory manner or another. So I just shook my head to myself instead. Will the bad blood between them ever end?
"Here we are!" Jacob announced, carefully slinging me off his back in one swift move.
I smiled to myself when I saw the old and familiar, red house. Yet another sight that I thought I would never see again. It made me feel warm inside, despite it being a cool night.
"Are you sure I'll be back in time?" I asked Jacob, biting my lower lip with worry. "You don't think they'll notice that I've been gone?"
On the way over, Jake had promised me that he would take me back over to my spot by the river where hd had found me. My family knew I went there often when I wanted to be alone, but I would never stay any longer than an hour or two at the most. Which, according to Jacob, was plenty of time to visit the rez and go back.
"What difference would it make anyways?" He returned in a tone that showed me he didn't care either way. "What are they gonna do? Ground you from a life you don't have?"
"Um ... I don't know, actually." I said, thinking out loud. "We've never discussed what the punishments are in their house. Not that we've ever had a reason to . . . up until now, that is."
"Don't worry about it. They're a bunch of wusses. They wont do anything."
I gulped. "I hope you're right."
"Hey, Bells!" He called to my cousin as she came out of the house to meet us.
"Wow, Lane. I'm surprised Carlisle let you come out here. I know how protective they all are of you. I was barely able to convince Edward to let me." She said, shaking her head and rolling her eyes.
I chuckled nervously and looked to Jake for answers. He smirked.
Bella opened her mouth in realization and then pursed her lips together and looked at me with warning. "Lanie . . ."
"What?" I asked, shrugging and thowing my hands up. "I was going brain dead with boredom being cooped up in that house. Besides, I'll be back before they ever find out I've left."
Bella looked at me skeptically. "You better hope you do."
I could see Uncle Billy and a few of the other members of the Quileute tribe sitting around a campfire a little ways down the hill. I was happy to see them all, but also a little worried about what they might think of me. Would they think of me as being 'one of them', a part-vampire, if that's even what I am? Do they consider me to be their enemy? Would they be angry that I was here?
"Jacob," I started, tenatively, pausing where I stood. "Maybe I should stay inside. Just because you still want to be around me doesn't mean anybody else does."
He chuckled. "Don't be stupid, Lane. To us, you're still a Kent and everyone still thinks of you as an honorary member of the tribe and practically family. They know that what happened to you wan't your fault. They told me to invited you. " He put his hand on my back and pushed me forward towards the group.
"Are you sure this is OK?" Bella asked. "I really hate to be a party crasher."
"Technically, you're a council meeting crasher." Jacob corrected, glancing up at her. "See, the council leaders. . . Dad, Quil's grandpa and Sue Clearwater. She took over for Harry when he died."
"OK, I should not be here." Bella stopped walking and looked at Jacob hesitantly.
"You're OK." He assured her. "I thought . . . They thought it would be good for both of you to hear the histories."
"The histories? The tribe's histories? Aren't they secret?"
"We all got a role to play." Jacob shot a glance at me. Apparently I was included in the 'all'. "You're a part of this. And it's the first time Seth, Leah and Quil will hear them too." We started walking again. "But you ARE the first outsiders."
"Ever?" I asked in disbelief.
"Ever." He confirmed, turning around.
"If I had known that, I would have like, I don't know . . . dressed better?" Bella said. Jake and I laughed at her uncertainty. Although, I couldn't help but feel the same way.
"Jake!" A boy, whom I did not recognize, called out and ran up to meet us.
"Hey." Jacob responded to him.
"It's about time you got here. Paul's been hovering the grub, but I saved you some burgers." The boy said. He was smiling and I couldn't help but notice how good-looking he was.
"Nice lookin' out, bro." Jake told him. And then, as if suddenly remembering that Bella and I were there, he turned to introduce us. "Lanie, Bella, this is Seth Clearwater. . . Leah's brother. Newest member of the pack."
"Newest, bestest, brightest." Seth joked and shook Bella's hand. I just stood behind Jake and stared down at the ground, feeling unusually shy. Which was really weird. . . for me.
"And slowest." Jacob teased, which started a playful wrestling match between the two. It was cut short by someone by the fire whistling at us to come over.
"Come on, your dad's about to start." Seth said, running towards the fire. Jacob, Bella and I followed him.
When he got to the fire, instead of sitting down on one of the logs, Seth waited for us to catch up. Once we had, Jacob and Bella immediately left me and went and found a seat together. I stood there, sorta looking around trying to figure out where to go, when I heard Seth speak to me.
"So, can I get you something to drink? We've got cokes and . . . ?" He stopped mid-sentence and after a moment I looked up at him to see what was wrong.
I was confused when I saw that absolutely nothing was wrong. He was just staring at me with his mouth open like he was surprised at what he saw or like he was in shock.
It was then that I realized that the entire group had gone silent and were all gaping at Seth and myself. Some with curiosity and others with familiarity. I heard low exclamations going throughout the gathering.
"Woah."
"'Bout time, Seth."
"Really!?"
"Her?"
"Another one?"
"So soon?"
"What?" I asked, starting to feel kinda awkward. about the way he continued to gawk at me. No one responded. I looked over to Jacob for answers and was even more confused then ever when I saw he had a wide grin spread across his face.
"Can I help you with anything, darling?" Carlisle asked his wife, coming down into the garage where he found her folding laundry. A rare sight in the Cullen household.
Esme smiled at her husband's thoughtfulness. "It's been such a big change lately with Lanie here. Much more than I though it would be." She scoffed lightly and nodded at the hill of clothing in front of her. "Like all the laundry . . ."
"And the shopping."
"The cleaning."
"The laughter."
"The cooking."
"The noise."
"The chatter."
"The noise." Carlisle repeated. They both laughed.
"I didn't think it would feel this good. I didn't realize there was such a difference."
"Difference in what?" Carlisle raised his eyebrows in question.
"In being wanted and being needed."
"We all need you."
"Not like she does."
Carlisle smiled and noded in agreement.
"This new life Lanie has with us, it's been so difficult for her. Will she ever get used to it?" Esme asked in concern. "Have we been too hard on her?"
"Perhaps." Carlisle admitted. "But the consequences of being too hard on her is better than the alternative. I have no doubt she will eventually adjust to her new life. . . . however long it may take." He added with a chuckle.
"Hopefully sooner rather than later." Rosalie joined them. "I'm tired of seeing her sitting around this house moping all day. It's exhausting."
"Poor baby. I know she's been itching to get out and go somewhere, but I'm too concerned about what if we go out. No one is entirely sure yet what she's capable of." Esme said.
"I know that Volturi guy mentioned something about her needing blood occasionally and maybe having abilities she doesn't know about yet, but honestly, what could she do? She's just a little human." Emmett said.
Carlisle drew his eyebrows together. "We'll wait a little while and see if she exhibits any signs of possibly possessing a special ability or any type of obvious differences. If she seems 'normal' after a given amount of time, I will allow her to go out."
"Exhibit any signs? What exactly should we be looking for?" Emmett asked.
"I don't know." Carlisle said, shaking his head. "But I suppose we'll know them when or if we see them."
"But this time it isn't about that. It's the danger she would be in going with those dogs." Rosalie said in agitation. "It's about those mongrels tearing people apart, even their own, at the drop of a hat!"
"That does have me worried. I wish should could spend time with her friends, but just thinking about anyone hurting her is more than I can bear." Esme said.
"Speaking of our baby sis, where did she run off to?" Emmett pushing himself up to sit on the counter.
"She's probably in that little clearing by the river. I could smell her scent there a few days ago." Rosalie answered.
"It's getting dark." Esme commented. "She should probably be getting back by now."
"Rosie and I will go get her!" Emmett volunteered, jumping off the counter.
Less than five minutes later found Rosalie and Emmett by the river where they were both certain they would find their newest sister. They had followed her scent to that exact location and was surprised to find that that is where scent stopped, until they found another scent. The scent of a werewolf.
So, what do you think Lanie's punishment should be? Some type of chores, grounding, a spanking?
As always, be sure to leave a review! They mean so much to us writers!
