Bella didn't know how she knew but something told her to follow the scent. The scent of aftershave, pine, and bark. It was just another strange adjustment she was getting used too. Her sense of smell, sight, and hearing had gotten heightened within a few hours.

As she walked, she felt her shoulders slump. She had just wanted to be free of her vampire fiancée and repair her friendship with her werewolf bestie. She had been on a great start too, repairing things with her father, getting a new job and training for a marathon but now that all seemed to change. Would she ever get her routine back?

"Sometimes the things we desire most are what drives us." A voice said

Bella looked up to see old quill leaning against a tree looking pensive.

"did I ever tell you how I became an elder Bella?"

Bella sat across from him and shook her head no.

"well, let me tell you."

…..

Kim Mooney looked over the balcony as the Florida sun rose and rubbed her chest. The pain that was normally their had gone from overbearing to almost never there. Every now and then she would feel something like an ant bite or bee sting over her chest but that was it.

Had something happened to Jared? Was he hurt? Had he even thought about her? She wondered if the imprint pull would drive him to visit her all the way out here.

That would be romantic. His tan arms…

Kim quickly shook her head. She couldn't let those thoughts get to her. It was over between her and Jared. She had rejected the imprint. told him it was over. Besides she had Raymond now. He was much better than Jared. A bad boy, with blue eyes and red hair

However, she wasn't going to lie and say she didn't miss her werewolf. She missed the power, the pull the control.

Here in Florida she had no control.

Her mind traveled back to the first day she saw Jared. His grey eyes speed reading over the odyssey and not giving her a passing glance. Every day for years she sat in back of him, until suddenly she dropped her pencil, he picked it and up and then bam. He was hers. She became apart of the pack, the bets imprint. Emily confided in her; Claire adored her. She had it all. So why did she leave it all for this dry and crowded state?

Oh, that's right because she had gotten tired of the reservation. Tired of Jared only being available after he patrolled, Tired of the pack meetings and the fear of vampires. At least in Florida she knew they couldn't and wouldn't bother her.

Maybe she could convince her parents to take a trip back down to la push. They had only been gone for a few months, maybe she could see Jared.

The sound of a horn sounded, and Kim look down to see ray waiting for her but then again...Jared didn't have a motorcycle.

….

Bella looked at old quill in shock as he told her about his time in the army.

"you were a paratrooper!"

"yep, I had actually gotten hurt on impact ...it's how I meet your great aunt, molly swan. She was a nurse at the time. helping out in the war, any way she could. Its why I was so surprised the spirits chose you. There has never been a female peacekeeper before. I mean, I wasn't even chosen for that job. In a way I think I got my job and status because I was around when the original pack was. But you, you got a full package. Elder, imprint, chosen mate, peacekeeper, friends with vampires and werewolves. What a job. Were going to be meeting a lot you know, there's much you have to learn. So, tell me, how do you feel about all this?"

Bella looked up at the night sky and sighed.

"overwhelmed. Really, really, really overwhelmed. I mean literally not too long ago; I was trying to figure out how to break up with my vampire fiancée and here I am some...peacekeeper and guardian to supernatural beings. It's a lot to take in. and with my dad getting hurt…its just all so much."

Old quill put a comforting hand on Bella's knee and said "I can understand some of your point of view. The new responsibilities are overwhelming. Take tomorrow off, to gather your bearings and you and I will meet at my house. I- "

Bella quickly shushed old quill. Someone…or something was coming towards them. The bushes rustled and out popped three huge wolves. Jacob, Sam and quill. Of course.

"help an old man up would you Bella?" old quill asked

Bella stood and helped old quill do the same. By the time they stood, Sam, quill and Jacob had put on their cutoffs.

"Grandpa What the heck! You had everyone worried!" quill jr reprimanded his grandfather.

Old quill shrugged his shoulders and yawned saying "sorry Jr. The spirits had other ideas. "He then turned back Bella and said, "alright Bella, my house the day after tomorrow 5am."

Bella groaned "Five...?"

"Early bird get the worm, girl. Be there and on time. now Junior take me home. Oh and Sam the Bella ban from la push has been lifted. She's an imprint. "

Before old quill could walk away, he glanced at Bella as she scratched her neck and at the same time her shirt tugged down.

A gasp was heard that had all eyes on him but old quill however was looking at Bella.

"Bella swan…What is that on your collar bone?"

Bella didn't get a chance to answer her because Sam stepped In to her personal space. He was now looking at her collar bone.

"it's a Bite mark! A big one! Did Jared do this! Did he bite you! Mark you? WITHOUT THE COUNCILS PERMISSION!"

Hearing Sam it with such anger and disgust had Bella Extremely upset, so she let out a feral growl of her own.

"Watch your tone Samuel uley! He was saving my life!"

"I don't understand. Why would Jared bite you, how does that save your life?" Jacob asked in complete confusion.

"When a wolf bites a female, it means he's marking her. As his mate! But that's against the laws of the pack. It's a sacred ceremony that has to be blessed by the chief and the council! Jared did neither!" Sam growled. He had just found about marking recently and his wolf was angry.

"Mate! Bella what the heck is going on?" Jacob asked. His temper flaring.

Bella however wasn't listening to Jacob. She was looking at sam.

With her head cocked to the side, Bella lifted her vampire bitten hand and placed it right on Sam's chest. Her eyes went wide.

"oh Sam…" she said in a sad and yet amused voice. "Samuel Uley I Bella swan, Am not a threat. Not to you, not your mate, not to your tribe. And especially not your pack. No matter what I will choose this tribe every time. You have to learn to trust me. Now, Jared was against marking me. He didn't want to do it without my permission however...there was still some dormant venom in my wrist, that Edward Cullen could activate with just his words. It was making me crazy. That day I went comatose in the hospital, that was why Jared marked me to save my life and maybe for his own selfish reason as well."

Sam looked at Bella with dilated pupils. She was telling the truth.

"you smell different." He told her.

Bella stepped closer to sam. "yes, I do."

She had both hands on his bare chest, now.

"I know there are many things you and your wolf don't understand. I know it's difficult, but you need to breathe sam. Your so stressed out, so wound up and so ready for the next attack that you're not thinking straight."

Old quill watched in amazement as Sam uley tense muscles instantly relaxed. Bella was right, Sam had been on edge recently. With Jacob, leaving then Kim, then Jared and then Jacob returning again. It was too much going on at once.

"Leah…She imprinted…" Sam found himself saying. He couldn't talk to Emily about this. She'd get too emotional and the rest of the pack was too on edge. Not that he would confide in them anyway, and the Elders wouldn't understand.

"oh Sam. You have to talk to her. Not as her alpha or a member of the pack...but as you. You need closure...so that you can let her go. And I know, it's not right, it's not fair, yes, she was yours first and I'm sorry, I am so sorry. I know everyone has told you to move on and let it go but you need closure not just for her but for you too."

Sam put a warm hand over Bella's and simply held it as he closed his eyes. What was this? Why had he confided in her all of sudden?

After a while Bella removed her hand. Gasping as she realized she could feel what Sam had been thinking. Like his deepest thoughts and feelings had been laid open for her like a book.

"well, I think that's enough surprises for tonight, Jacob why don't you escort Bella home." Old quill said as quill jr, helped him into the forest. Sam followed them.

That left Jacob and Bella to stand under the tree.

"hey jake." She said in a whisper.

"hey bells." He said just as quiet.

Before Bella knew it, she heard a hard-sobbing sound. It took her a minute to realize that it was her.

"Let it all out bells. I'm here…I'm here." Jacob whispered to her as he held her against his chest.

He was here…always had been.

"I broke your heart." She sobbed.

"sssh. Yeah. Yeah you did…and ill get over it. We will get over it. I promise. Were still best friends."

Yes, yes they were.