The school year passed in a frenzy. Naomi spent the day with her family, sitting through torturous high school classes, where minutes trailed slowly into hours. The rest of the school had gotten used to them, mainly ignoring the Cullen's and the Black's, who, in return, ignored their peers.
The nights sped by all too quickly. Some nights Jasper taught her how to fight, and she tested her skill against all her enthusiastic siblings. She also worked to control and expand her power. She felt pangs of guilt about this, however. She didn't like having that type of supremacy over the people she loved. However, her hard work was paying off. She could command all eleven (Leah had flat out refused to take part) of her family members while they fought her mind control.
Summer was in full swing in Sléibhte, which meant long days and short nights. Thankfully the cloud coverage was still heavy, but there was the odd day of sunshine, which confined the vampires to the indoors. It was on such a day that Alice foresaw an intriguing piece of news.
"Jake, Seth, Leah!" Alice called. Naomi looked up from her painting, a hobby she had taken up since becoming a vampire.
"Don't move." she warned Seth. He obeyed, not shifting in his position on the couch. Sun shone through the window and sparkled off her pale skin. "Seth's busy right now." she called back.
"Then we'll go to him." Alice replied. She hovered outside the door, hands over her eyes. "Is he decent?" Naomi rolled her eyes.
"Alice, you know he is." Alice stepped into the room, scrutinizing the scene before her.
"Love the lighting." Alice commented.
"It's good, isn't it?" Naomi said proudly.
"What's up Alice?" Jake appeared. "Hey Seth." A smile quivered on Jake's face, and Naomi glared at him.
"No teasing!"
Leah sauntered in and raised an eyebrow at Seth. Naomi looked at Seth and shrugged apologetically. She couldn't talk to Leah like she could to Jake.
"Do you want to know what's going on or not?" Alice demanded her sibling's attention. They gave it. "Jason is going to invite you to the reserve. He'll email you the invitation in a couple of days, no more than three."
Naomi frowned. The name Jason tugged at her brain, but she couldn't remember…
"He's the leader of the Quileute pack." Jacob explained, noticing Naomi's confusion. "We try to do this every once and a while. We're the oldest werewolves in the history of the Quileute's." he continued, gesturing to his pack. "We get to tell the others our history."
That night, Seth and Naomi sat out near the cliff, savoring the sweet night air, a welcome change from flat, dead air in the house. They didn't speak, just listened to the sounds of crashing waves and the sound of rustling long grasses swaying in the wind.
"Naomi." Seth broke the silence. She turned her head to face him, brushing her hair from her face. His eyes fixed on hers, and he said, "This gathering… it means a lot to me, to my pack. Sometimes it gets lonely being the only wolves in a household of vampires. I know it would be difficult for you, and for the Quileute pack, but it's a big part of who I am." Seth laughed quietly. "What I'm trying to say is, will you come with me? With us?"
"Of course." Naomi said instantly. She would do anything for him. "Of course." Seth smiled and kissed her.
Two days later, Jacob let out a whoop.
"Never wrong." Alice remarked proudly. Naomi grinned.
"When is it happening, Jake?" Seth asked. Leah poked her head in the room.
"July 29th. Jake replied. "They want us to stay the week." The wolves readily agreed, and Jake began typing their reply. His fingers hovered over the keyboard. "Naomi, are you…?"
"Yes." Naomi said firmly. She squeezed Seth's hand.
"Yes!" came the echoing cry. It was Nessie. Jake and Seth exchanged bemused looks.
"I have to tell them you're a blood sucker." Jacob pointed out to Naomi. "They wouldn't take too kindly to that surprise."
"I would have rather done that in person." Seth muttered. Jake grimaced.
"Me too, man."
"I wonder whether Alice-?" Seth began.
"Sorry, Seth." Alice materialized at the sound of her name. "The whole 'blind-to-werewolves' thing kind of puts a cramp in planning, I know." Seth shrugged.
"Nothing you can do about it. Don't worry."
"All we can do let them know." said Jake. "After that, the ball's in their court." Jake tapped away at the keyboard, explaining the situation in the most positive, non- threatening way possible. The Quileute pack had met the Cullen's, briefly. The pack was amiable, considering they existed solely to protect humans from the very creatures that stood before them. Of course they met Nessie, who had belonged to Jake- and vice versa- since before they were born. They accepted her more easily than they had the other Cullen's because she was only half- vampire. And she was under the protection of the oldest living pack leader. But no one could predict how they would react to a full vampire joining their celebration. All siblings could do was wait for a response. With each day that passed, the anxious feelings grew, and Naomi felt horribly guilty that she may have caused a rift between the two packs. Seth adamantly told her otherwise, and that made her feel slightly better.
The response came days later, and Seth, Leah, Naomi and Nessie huddled around Jake to read over his shoulder. Naomi held her breath, partially out of nerves, and partially because the smell of wet dog was very strong.
The pack was hesitant, but willing to host a vampire for a week, even if Jason did use the term 'blood- sucker'. They appreciated the warning, as some of the wolves were struggling with control as it is. Seth, Jake and Leah shared a laugh, recalling their own difficulties with control when they were younger.
"Oh man." Jake sniggered. "When I first brought Bella to the reserve me and Paul went at it pretty bad. I won, no permanent damage, but man, it scared the crap out of Bella."
"Did not!" Bella's indignant voice wafted through the floorboards.
"It so did." Jake whispered.
The last of the sun's rays were sliding out of sight as Naomi, Nessie, Jake, Leah and Seth approached the Quileute borders on foot. The wolves walked barefoot, and Jake and Seth had forgone shirts.
The scent of werewolves grew stronger. She couldn't identify who it belonged to, though she could tell it wasn't any of the wolves she knew. Through the trees she could see the figures of five strapping men, skin the color of copper, hair as black as ink. Like Seth and Jake, the five boys were also shirtless. Their expressions were impassive as they took in their visitors. Seth and Jake slipped surreptitiously in front of Naomi, prepared to defend her in case of an attack. They halted short of the treaty line.
Jason spoke first. As alpha, he was slightly larger than his pack members, in the same way that Jake was bulkier than Seth. "Jacob, Leah, Seth, welcome. Renesmee, it's good to see you again." Nessie nodded in reply. "And you're Namoi." he said, turning his dark eyes to Naomi. There was a growl from the Quileute pack, and they shifted, murmuring under their breath. Naomi could see Jake and Seth's muscles tense.
"Yes, I'm Naomi." she replied. Her voice sounded overly melodious compared to the flat voices of the wolves.
"Welcome." Jason said. "We don't let Cullen's cross the treaty line very often, but we are willing to make an exception for Seth, and therefore, for you."
"I appreciate it." Naomi acknowledged. There was a snort from the group.
"Ty." Jason said sharply. Naomi's gaze flickered to the boy whose hands trembled uncontrollably.
"She shouldn't be here." he said harshly. Naomi glanced nervously at Seth, who was focused intently on Ty. Suddenly the wind shifted, blowing Naomi's vampire scent towards the werewolves. Jason flinched, and she saw the wolves stiffen. There was a ripping sound, and before her eyes, Ty transformed into a wolf, violent snarls erupting through barred teeth. Leah yanked Naomi back, and Seth phased, now a hulking wolf with sandy fur. Naomi resisted the urge to drop into a defensive crouch. She raised her hands, trying to show she meant no harm.
"Control yourself, Ty." Jason ordered. The other two boys stepped in front of the wolf, speaking rapidly. Ty crouched, eyes locked on Naomi. Seth snarled warningly, and the sound reverberated in Naomi's chest.
"Ty, I'm not going to hurt you." Naomi spoke clearly above the mêlée. "I'm not going to harm anyone." He looked at her uncertainly, and confusion passed over his eyes. He straightened, shaking his head side to side. There was a pause, and he was human again standing naked and shoeless on the forest floor. Nessie breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
"I'm sorry Naomi." Ty said remorsefully. "It's hard to control my emotions sometimes. I'm sorry to you too, Seth." Seth phased back instantly and grinned at the other boy.
"Don't worry about it. It happens to the best of us." The boys shook hands warmly.
"Not to break this up or anything, but could you put some pants on? This is getting awkward." Nessie stated blatantly. Jake snorted with laughter.
"We have other clothes back at the reserve." Jason said. Ty and Seth phased back into wolves. Seth touched his forehead to Naomi's and she ran her hand through his soft fur. She followed the Quileute werewolves and stepped over the treaty line.