AN: Hi All!
How is everyone doing out there in the world?
Glad to see folks are enjoying this so far. I know it's a big family and it can be confusing. Please PM or review if you have any questions!
Thanks to all who fave, follow, read and review! Special thanks to the reviewers for chapter one! 74rsha, CowgirlKelly, griezz, WPear, catgrl, twi nana, and Tania Game! Y'all rock my socks off!
Ready to get to know Bella Blackswan a bit?
This is another monster chapter. Who knows, maybe they all will be. Most people are at home with nothing to do anyway, right? But let me know if you don't like the longer chapters, I can try to make them shorter if I need to :)
Hugs and Blessings,
Hope everyone is safe!
-BMW
Chapter Two: Time for a Change
Bella's POV
After Momma Sarah and I dropped my brother, Willie, off at school, Momma took me on a driving lesson. She said it was good to learn in inclement weather, because that way, you knew how to navigate the roads during 'undesirable' conditions.
We had a lot of that in Washington. Rain. Having grown up in it my whole life...I loved the rain.
It reminded me of making mud pies with Becks and Leah. Dancing in puddles with Rachel. Helping Jakey and Henry collect worms for fishing. Comforting Suzie and Julia when the thunder used to scare them. Making Seth and George Charles practice karate with me in the yard as the skies burst open to drench us, but we kept practicing anyway.
The sun was something we saw so seldom here that it almost belonged to the land of legends.
Our tribe had a lot of legends. But I knew...I knew they were all true. Leah confided in me once. She told me what she and Sam had seen when they were little. She told me about watching as a vampire killed her father. I would have thought she was making it up, but a) my sister was not a liar and b) it wasn't the only thing I'd noticed.
Let's just say, my dads and uncles spent a lot of time walking around in the woods wearing only shorts. And there was a book in our library, called Quileute Legends and the Truth. I read it. It was...interesting. One of the things it said about the wolves was their temperature. My dads were always hot like they were running a fever.
So yeah, I was pretty sure they were supernatural. Which, if the book was right, meant that my siblings and I, and most of our friends, would have inherited the spirit wolf gene too. This is why I would often discreetly check my siblings' temperatures just to know if one of us was going to burst out into a giant ball of fur one of these days. I mean, that wasn't exactly the type of thing you would want to be caught off guard about.
And of course, I wanted my siblings to be warned too. So I had started leaving the book out when our parents weren't around, in the hopes the other kids would read it.
So far, I'm pretty sure the only one who had done so was George Charles. He was probably the smartest of my siblings and he liked learning anything and everything.
He even had his own company, GC Enterprises, which owned two local businesses. GCBS Café which sold drinks and snacks to the local youth, and GC Landscaping, which provided lawn-mowing and pruning services in the summer, leaf raking in the autumn, snow shoveling in the winter, and even turned over the soil for people's gardens in the spring.
So with a mind that was always striving to learn more and do better, it was no surprise when I noticed him reading it. We hadn't talked about it yet, but I knew he was mulling it over.
"Where shall we go?" Momma Sarah asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.
"Maybe the parking lot at the Tribal Hall?" I suggested. The place was always empty unless they had a meeting and there wasn't one happening until later that afternoon.
"You don't think you're ready for roads yet?" She asked me.
I shook my head. "The roads themselves are fine but it's the turns I want to work on. It's like you always say: 'It isn't as much about how well you drive, as it is about how well you pay attention to other drivers.'. I'm good at making the turns but I need to get better at keeping an eye on every direction instead of just where I am going."
Momma smiled proudly. "That's my Good Girl."
We rode in content silence with the radio playing country music quietly in the background until we came to the Hall.
The whole supernatural thing was still weighing on my mind though. I kinda wanted to bring it up. I mean, I knew, if our parents hadn't told us, they must have had their reasons. But I didn't think I could drive very well if it was still at the forefront of my thoughts. So I decided it was finally time to ask about it.
"Momma...I have a question," I began.
"Of course, Sweetheart. You know you can always ask me anything." She smiled brightly.
"Even if it's about something I'm not supposed to know about?" I confirmed.
She nodded. "Yes. Even then. Now tell me, what's on your mind?"
"Are my dads wolves?"
She froze. "What do you mean?"
"Like…do they turn into giant wolves, as it says in the book?" I asked, waiting to see if she would lie or be honest.
Momma rolled her eyes. "I told Mommy Renée it was a bad idea to keep that book around. But it seems like you have it pretty well figured out, so I suppose it's okay if we talk about it. It's a secret though. The more people know, the harder it becomes to keep the secret. You understand, right?"
"Of course. I won't say anything," I vowed.
"Good. Then yes, they are." She nodded slowly.
"Uncle Josh and Uncle Lucas too?" I extrapolated.
"Yes. And Uncle Harry was before he was killed."
"By a vampire?" I confirmed.
She frowned. "Yes."
"Are all vampires bad?"
She paused. "Our past experiences would say yes, but my heart says no. We haven't met the animal-drinkers yet, but one spoke to your Pa on the telephone. Apparently, he was polite and friendly."
"Wait...what? The ones from the book who made the treaty with Ephraim? They're back?" I asked, my eyes bugging out and my eyebrows shooting up in surprise.
"They are. The elders and the wolves are meeting later today to discuss whether the treaty should stand and whether it is wise to let them stay. Their leader, Dr. Cullen, has been hired by the hospital in Forks. Even though he is a vampire, he works as a doctor apparently," Momma sounded puzzled.
"If there are vampires in the area again, does that mean some of the kids with the gene will be activated?"
"It might. As a mother, I hope not. As a wife, I hope they will," she muttered, confusing me further.
"Come again?"
Momma sighed. "Well, of course, I want my children to have a nice normal life and never have to face the world of magic which can be dangerous and even deadly at times. But as long as your fathers keep phasing, they don't age. I'm starting to get crow's feet and beginning to feel like a cradle robber.
Your dads still look 25. Thankfully, your moms all have a somewhat youthful appearance, especially Mama June, who married very young. But Dads have said they won't stop phasing until there are new Protectors to replace them. I want my husbands to grow old with me. I don't want to be sixty and have to pretend they are my grandsons.
"Oh wow. I didn't think of that." I frowned.
"Yes. But please, don't say anything. I certainly don't want them to feel pressured," she pleaded.
"Of course not, Momma. Your secret is safe."
"Thank you, Bella. Is there anything else you would like to know?"
I pondered for a few moments. "Can girls become wolves?"
Momma scrunched her eyebrows. "Good question. I don't think any ever have, but in the past, vampires were usually killed before they could get near the women and children. The Cullens being the only exception. But the only Quileute women they ever spent time with were the Imprints of Ephraim's pack. Martha Young, Lucy Fox, and Ellen Longtree. None of them had the gene.
"What? There is a way to tell who has the gene?" I questioned.
"Yes. The tribal archives track all of the descendants of Taha Aki down through their family trees. There are three surviving strains of the gene. The Black gene, the Uley gene, and the Ateara gene. There were other, weaker strands, but those lineages died out," she explained.
"Oh wow. So, Dads have the Black gene?"
"They both have the Black gene, yes. But Charlie also has the Ateara gene. Because his grandma, Dot, married a man from town who was Ateara on his mother's side. The three remaining genes in the tribe are dominant. The recessive ones have all died off. So it doesn't matter how diluted the blood gets, the tribe will always have Protectors."
"Oh, so wouldn't you and Mother Sue have the gene then? She is a Uley. And your grandfather was either Levi or Quil II, right? Maybe women can't be activated." I frowned.
"Well, not necessarily. We were always indoors when there were vampires in the area. It's not like we ever tried hugging one." She laughed.
"Yeah, I guess. Dads would have had more opportunities for exposure," I agreed.
She was silent for a few minutes. "Would you want that? To be a wolf, if you could?" Momma wondered.
"Most definitely. I've thought about it ever since I read the book. To be able to live forever? To protect the tribe and keep people safe? To be powerful and strong and fast and wild and free? Heck yeah, I would!" I beamed.
She smiled softly. "Then I hope you get your wish. Even if it is scary for your moms."
"Thank you. I hope you get your wish to grow old with Dads," I told her.
"I guess time will tell what is in store for all of us," she mused.
I didn't do too badly on the turns. One more practice session was all I needed before I deemed myself ready to take to the roads. I never wanted to be a bad driver or even a mediocre one because I never wanted to be the reason another family went through what ours did when Momma Sarah had her accident. She came through it, but she could just as easily not have.
After my lesson, we went for blueberry cobbler and ice cream in town. We sat in the diner and watched people walking by out the windows. It was one of our favorite pastimes.
"I bet that man is going to his lawyer's office," she would speculate.
"Yeah, his suit looks nice and he's in a hurry." I nodded. "What about that one, with the scowl?"
"Dentist appointment," we decided in unison.
My favorite part of going to the diner with Momma Sarah was the smile on the waitress' face when she got Momma's tip. It never mattered how broke we were. Momma always said 'If you can afford to eat out, you can afford to be generous with your gratuities.'. I really hoped one day I would have a lot of money to do good things with.
I had a plan to eventually start a different charity in honor of each of my parents.
A women's shelter for Mother Sue because she came from an abusive home. A drug rehabilitation center for Mama June because she had some pretty strung out friends in her younger days, some of whom still lived like that. A scholarship fund for Mommy Renée because she believed strongly in the empowerment that came from higher education.
A program for getting homeless people off the streets for Momma Sarah, because she was the one who always took us down to the shelter every month to volunteer. A rec center for troubled youth for Pa because in his police work, he saw a lot of teens who got in trouble just because they had nothing better to do.
And an autobody shop that did free repairs for low-income families for Pops because I know it's what he would do if he could afford not to charge. Of course, I didn't know if I'd ever be in the position to do those things, but that was the dream anyway.
After the diner, we got groceries and then headed home. By then, it was almost dinner time. I wanted to check on Willie and find out how his first day at Forks High went, but he was nowhere to be found.
"Pa, have you seen Willie?" I asked after giving him a hug. He was out back at the grill firing up some trout.
"Hey, Kiddo. Uh, he had a pretty big day, but he made a friend and asked if he could go over to their house for the evening, so I said yes," he informed me.
"He made a friend? Did you find out anything about this kid? Do we know their family?" I frowned. If anything happened to Willie because my parents didn't do their homework, I was gonna be pissed.
Pa chuckled. "Relax, Sweetie. The kind of friend I'm talking about is the kissing kind of friend. Willie won't get into any trouble this time."
"Wait...is this a boyfriend kind of friend? I knew there would be other gay kids in town but I didn't think he's get caught up in anything, at least not right away. How will this affect his music?" I frowned.
"You can ask him the next time you see him. But just remember, this is the first chance Willie has had for something like this. Try not to stress and just be happy for him," he encouraged, rubbing my shoulders.
I sighed. I knew I had a habit of worrying too much about my siblings. But it was hard not to. There were so many of them and for some reason, they all looked to me as a leader.
I didn't really understand why. I wasn't the oldest. I wasn't the smartest. I wasn't the nicest or the strongest or the most capable. I was just me. If I saw a problem, I fixed it. If I saw a need, I filled it. If I saw someone struggling, I helped them. If I saw someone being mean, I made them stop. That's it. That's all there was to it.
"Dinner will be ready in half an hour. Can you round up your brothers and sisters for me, please?" He asked.
"Sure, sure. Thanks, Pa!" I smiled, kissing him on the cheek before heading inside.
Dads always made an effort to each cook one dinner a week, so that it was two nights every week that Moms didn't have to. And we ordered in or picked up take-out one night a week too, so each adult was responsible for exactly one dinner per week, though the kids usually helped too.
Becks was on potato mashing duty when I went through the kitchen.
"Hey, Bella! Taste this for me?" She asked, holding out a spoon of potatoes.
"Needs a bit more garlic and more butter," I suggested.
"Thanks." She beamed. "So, I'm thinking of going to Port Angeles tomorrow to do some back to school shopping. Mama June says I can take her car as long as I take someone with me and we both bring cell phones. You in?"
"Sure, sure. I have a few things I need to get anyway." I nodded. "I gotta go call the troops for dinner now though, so yeah, just lemme know what time you wanna go tomorrow and I'll be ready."
"Great, thanks, Sis!" Becks beamed, smooshing me in a squishy hug before turning back to her mashed potatoes.
I found Jakey and Suzie cuddled up on the couch watching TV with Julia and Quil.
"Oh yeah, it's the 1st today." I nodded to Quil who would have come over initially to pick up his paycheck from George Charles and stayed to hang out with either Jakey or Julia.
It was weird to see them all hanging out together and getting along though. But I kinda put my foot down with them after the last time when Julia made Suzie cry.
Julia was always trying to get Quil alone when he was over, even though Moms were very clear about the fact those two weren't supposed to hang out unsupervised. And Jakey would usually get fed up with her and pick her up and carry her out of the room and lock the door.
And then Julia would bitch that Suzie was allowed to stay in and so why couldn't she. So Suzie would leave the room to keep the peace and so Jakey could hang out with his best friend uninterrupted. But then Julia would whine to Suzie and tell her she should have stuck up for her.
This would usually end in tears because Suzie would start crying and then Julia would feel bad for making Suzie cry so she would cry too and then Jakey would come out and yell at Julia for making Suzie cry. And then Quil would yell at Jakey for yelling at Julia.
So the fact that all four of them were sitting there peacefully watching a movie together was pretty dang impressive. I dunno how Moms did it, but I'd have to remember to congratulate them later for it.
"I hate to interrupt this cozy scene, seriously, but Pa told me to get everyone ready for dinner so can you please go wash your hands now?" I asked them, ruffling Jakey's hair.
He untangled himself from Suzie and helped her up while Julia asked Quil if he was staying for dinner.
"Lemme call my moms and ask if I can," Quil told Julia, heading into the kitchen to use our phone.
Quil's family was poly like ours. His dad (whose name was also Quil) had two wives, Joy and Jane.
Jane was Momma Sarah's sister. So Quil and his little sister, Molly Mae, were our cousins. Though only Molly was biologically because Quil's bio mom was Joy, not Jane.
I left them to get ready for dinner and headed off to find more of my siblings.
The next group I found were Leah and Henry who were helping Mama June with the laundry.
"Ugh, why do you boys all have such stinky feet?" Leah teased, smushing one of Henry's socks in his face.
"You're one to talk!" Mama June smirked. "Have you ever smelled one of your basketball uniforms, LeeLee?"
Mama June was the only one besides Sam who still called Leah that. Sam did it as a lovey-dovey pet name and Mama June did it sometimes when she was feeling nostalgic because that was what Uncle Harry always called her. Which is why Leah let it slide. If the rest of us had tried it, we would have gotten an earful.
"Hey, my stink is a good kind of stink!" Leah laughed.
"Well, when you all are done monkeying around down here, dinner will be ready," I announced.
"Bells! You're back!" Henry grinned, running up and squishing me. Our family is big on hugs if you couldn't tell.
"Yep, how was your day, Buddy?" I replied.
"It was pretty good. We had grilled cheese for lunch and Moms let me put extra ketchup on mine!" He beamed like he'd won an Olympic gold medal or something.
"That's great, Bubs!" I affirmed, kissing the top of his head.
"How was driving?" Leah asked. She knew I was always a little nervous to get behind the wheel.
"No bumps or dents. On us or the car, so I'd say it went well." I joked lightly.
"That's good." Mama June nodded, handing me a basket of warm clothes from the dryer. "And you're just in time to take these."
"Yay!" I cheered. The clothes were mine. Moms didn't mind doing our wash for us but they expected us to fold and put the clothes away.
I liked it when mine were still warm when I got them. Because then I could lay down on my bed and dump them all over me. Being buried in warm laundry was one of the greatest feelings in the world.
"Leah, would you feel like going out to the café to let them know dinner is ready? They're the only ones I haven't called yet," I asked hopefully. If I went now, my laundry would be cold when I got back.
"Bella…" Mama June cautioned. "Who did your Pa ask to do it?"
I sighed. "Me."
"So then whose responsibility is it?"
"Mine." I frowned, looking at my feet.
"Actually, Mama June, I forgot to bring my basketball in earlier. So if it's alright, I could just call them in while I'm out there. They should be closing up right about now anyway." Leah smiled with a wink at me that said I would owe her one.
Mama June nodded. "Alright, fine, but don't make a habit of shirking your responsibilities, Young Lady. It's work before play…"
"...every day." Leah and I finished in unison.
"I won't, I promise," I vowed, kissing her on the cheek and giving Leah a thank-you hug as I ran upstairs with my laundry.
When I got to the room that I shared with Leah and the twins, Mother Sue was inside inspecting for cleanliness.
"Don't worry, I'll clean it up, I said as I crawled onto my bottom bunk and dumped laundry overtop of myself.
Ahh, heaven!
"You are an odd duck, Darling. And I mean that in the best way." She chuckled, ruffling my head. "You girls have done pretty well in here this week, actually. But you forgot to change the garbage. It smells like old banana peels."
"Oh, crud!" I laughed. "Is that what that was? I thought George Charles tried to buy perfume for Rachel again!"
Mother Sue laughed heartily. "That boy might have a head for business but he certainly does not have a head for fragrance. I don't care how much that stuff cost, it smelled like citrus stove cleaner!"
"At least it was better than when Henry tried to buy Mama June a necklace and it turned her skin green!" I reminisced.
"You are right, Bella Girl. I think we just need to face the fact the boys in this family are not very good shoppers." She nodded.
"Well, Willie is a great shopper. And Seth can sure shop when he wants to," I had to admit.
"True, true, I shouldn't generalize. And your fathers have gotten pretty good at buying gifts over the years. Although, I never will forget that time that your Pa bought me a rake for my birthday because I told him I wished I had a better system for getting the yard cleaned up." She chuckled.
"Oh my gosh, I remember that! You were trying so hard to be polite but I could tell you wanted to tell him where he could shove his rake!" I snickered just as Pa popped his head into the room.
"Yeah, yeah, if you two hyenas are done having a laugh at my expense, I was just coming by to let you know that dinner is ready. I already told Bella, but it seems like she forgot." He grumbled.
"Oh, Pa!" I gasped, shedding the blanket of laundry and rushing to hug him. "I'm sorry if it seemed like we were being disrespectful! And I didn't actually forget about dinner, I was gonna head right out once the laundry cooled, I swear," I assured, kissing him on the cheek.
He sighed. "Yeah, I know, Kiddo. I heard the whole thing. I just have some other stuff on my mind. Pay no attention to your Old Man. I'm just grumpy." He frowned.
"Oh, well, in that case, wanna lie in some warm laundry? It might make you feel better!" I offered with a laugh.
"Thanks but no thanks. I don't think even warm laundry will cure the fact that you kids are growing up right before my eyes. Do you know Mommy Renée just told me she's taking Julia bra shopping tomorrow? She's only thirteen for crying out loud." Pa harrumphed. "And don't even get me started on Willie."
"Yeah, when is he coming home from his new boyfriend's house?" I asked. "Do they live far away?"
"The Cullens have a house in the middle of the woods a ways from town." He shrugged. "I assume he'll phone when he's heading home."
I just stared at Pa. "The Cullens?! What on earth is Willie doing at the Cullens? We should go get him, don't you think?" I panicked.
Pa looked at me funny like he was looking right through me. "Isabella Helen Blackswan, what exactly do you know?"
Oh shit! I realized in hindsight I shouldn't even know that name, let alone be worried about it.
I sighed, knowing I couldn't lie to him when he asked me outright.
"Everything, Pa. I know everything. Now please, we have to go get him! What if one of them tries to take a chomp out of him?" I frowned.
"So you do know. Yeah, I thought so. Well, Bella...that won't happen. Because Willie phased. Today. For the first time. And one of those Cullen kids...is his Imprint."
My jaw literally hit the floor.
"That can happen?" I puzzled, wondering if I even heard him right.
"Apparently so." He shrugged.
"Huh. Well, I'll be." I laughed slightly. "And you're sure he's okay over there?" I confirmed cautiously.
"Yeah, Kiddo. If I thought there was even an ounce of danger, I'd be storming the gates right now. I know it's scary. But we just have to trust them. For Willie's sake, okay?" He insisted.
"Fine." I sighed. "But I will feel a lot better once he is safe at home."
"Me too, Bells. Me too." He frowned.
"And Pa...if this wolf thing is gonna start happening to some of the other kids, I think they deserve to know," I reasoned.
"Yeah, you're probably right about that. But to tell them about Willie, I also have to tell them about the Cullens. And that isn't really my secret to tell. Lemme try to arrange a meeting with the Doc vamp in the next few days sometime and I'll ask him if he minds the other kids knowing his family's secret.
"We would need to meet anyway now to make some revisions to the treaty. A wolf's most sacred law is to protect the Imprints. Edward being Willie's Imprint means he comes under our protection. It's a little hard to protect someone who is not allowed on our land. Therefore, the treaty as it stands now is in clear violation of Pack Law. So it will have to be rewritten," Pa explained.
"But if we let the vamps on tribal land, won't all the kids with the gene phase eventually?"
"The boys at least, yeah." Pa nodded.
I frowned. "But no girls with the gene have ever been in the direct vicinity of a vampire. So what makes you think we won't change too?"
"Well...Leah was exposed to one. But she was just little when it happened. So...maybe you will, who knows?" Pa said, scrubbing his face with his hands.
"There's nothing for it, though. We still have to change the treaty. So I guess we just need to be prepared that it might happen." He shrugged.
"But seriously. Dinner is probably cold by now. So come on, let's go, chop chop."
It felt like hours before Willie finally made it home. The first thing I did is check him over for injuries. I didn't find any but he certainly looked different.
And I don't just mean because of the massive growth spurt, or the fact that Esme had apparently given him a haircut (so his fur would come in shorter that way).
No, the major difference I noticed in my brother was that he had confidence. Willie had never been a confident person before. Even when he felt good about himself and his abilities and his choices, there was always a shadow of doubt. Like he was waiting to be told some part of himself was wrong.
But not this night. This night, he looked like he finally saw what the rest of us saw. That he was practically perfect in every way. This night, he looked like there was nothing anyone could say to take away his happiness. And I was so proud.
I hugged him and told him, "I'm glad you're okay!"
"I am. I am better than okay, Bella. I met a boy!" He whispered enthusiastically.
"I know. I can't wait to meet him. He must be awesome. You seem...different." I smiled.
"He is awesome! His whole family is. And I am different. Pa said you knew everything?" He asked, coming to sit on my bed with me while I finished folding my laundry.
"Yeah. I told him I thought he needed to tell the other kids too, but he said he needed to talk to your in-laws first," I teased.
"Bella! They're not my in-laws yet! Edward and I are barely even dating. All we've done is kiss. And he warned me, he's pretty old-fashioned. He isn't even out of the closet. His family knows but not because he's ever outright told them. We're gonna take it slow," Willie explained.
"But he's your Imprint. Things will probably move faster than you think they will. You guys can't fight the magic." I frowned.
"I dunno, Bella. I had a mini Pack meeting with Dads when I got home. And Pops told me a wolf will be whatever his Imprint needs him to be. So if Edward needs me to take things slowly, then that's what we'll do," Willie told me.
"Sure, sure. I get it. We'll see if he still wants to take things slowly after the first time he sees you in swim trunks," I teased.
"Umm, actually...he sort of...already saw me naked." Willie gulped.
"Wait...what?! I thought you said all you did was kiss?" I laughed.
"Well yeah, but when I first phased, I shredded my clothes and he was there, so when I changed back to human, he saw...everything. And I was upset after finding out about the magic and everything and he comforted me. So not only has he seen me naked, but he technically held me while I was naked," Willie explained.
"Huh, is it wrong that I find that really sexy?" I smirked.
"No. But now you see what I mean about taking it slow. I was naked in his arms and we still didn't have sex. Besides...wolves can live forever if they keep phasing. So do vampires. So it's not like we have to rush. We have all the time in the world," he reminded me.
"True enough, I guess. But speaking of that...you know who doesn't have all the time in the world? Moms. They are getting older and they want Dads to stop phasing. Which is why our generation needs to be prepared to take over. The sooner the better.
"I'm sure Pa told you he's going to arrange a meeting with the doctor to change the treaty. Edward as your Imprint comes under Pack protection. So he needs to be allowed on our land. Which is going to cause everyone young with the gene to phase. Well, at least the boys. We still aren't sure about the girls yet," I explained.
"So wait...you mean you could end up being a wolf like me?" He asked hopefully.
"If the spirits of our ancestors decide that is my path then yes, I might." I shrugged trying not to get my hopes up even though I wanted this so much.
"Well...I hope it happens for you." He smiled hugging me. "But I should let you get back to your laundry. I still have to do my evening chores before bed."
"For sure. Oh, and Becks and I are going back-to-school shopping tomorrow in PA. So lemme know if there is anything you need us to pick up for you while we are there," I offered with a smile.
"Cool, I'll think on it. Thanks, Bells." He beamed.
"Anytime, Big Brother. I'm here for you."
The next morning, I got up early again to go with Momma Sarah to take Willie to school. I was nervous because he was gonna let me meet the Cullens. But while we were on the drive, Willie got a text.
"Edward says it's gonna be sunny in town so they can't come to school today."
The Cold Ones sparkle in the sunlight so they can't be around humans when that happens.
"Dang. I guess I can meet them tomorrow?" I hoped.
"Sure, sure. As long as the weather cooperates." He smiled. When we dropped him off, Sam and Angela were there and he barely waved to Momma and me before running off to join him.
"Don't worry, Momma, he's just excited, that's all. I'll remind him tonight that even wolf boys need to be polite to their Mommas." I smiled as we drove to the Tribal Hall to practice.
"Last parking lot lesson, right?" Momma confirmed.
"Yep. After this, I'll be ready for residential roads." I nodded.
"Good stuff. I think your ready already, Sweetheart, but I understand your desire to be overly qualified." She smiled, kissing my forehead before we got out to switch seats.
"Oh, by the way, I won't have time to go for cobbler after this. Becks wants me home early so we can leave for Port Angeles," I informed her.
"Okay, then let's get started," she agreed.
My lesson went well and Momma had me home by 10 am. Becks was already chomping at the bit though, so as soon as she saw me fly through the front door, she was grabbing Mama June's keys and kissing her goodbye.
"We have our cell phones. We'll be home before dark. Love you, Moms!" She called, grabbing me by the arm and rushing me out the door.
"Slow down, Sis, where is the fire?" I laughed as we piled into Mama June's Volkswagen beetle and headed down the driveway to start our adventure.
"Bella, you know very well that I take my shopping very seriously. I like to make a day of it. Starting this late means that by the time we get there, it will already be nearly lunchtime. Which means we will only have a few hours to shop!" She fretted.
Shopping with Becks was...a test of my patience. I had never in all my years on this planet met anyone who cared more about shopping than Becks. Usually, it was Willie or RaeRae she dragged with her, but sometimes I was the one who had the honor.
Leah liked shopping even less than I did, so Becks usually only made her go as a last resort.
Whereas I might not have liked shopping as an activity, but I liked having a chance to bond with my sister. And other than basketball, shopping was Becks' favorite way to bond.
"I'm sorry I made us late," I apologized as we headed out onto the 110. The 110 was the highway from La Push to Forks. To get to Port Angeles you had to take the 110 to the 101.
Where the 110 meets the 101 is where Momma Sarah had her accident. Every time we would turn right at that intersection to drive to town or turn left to drive to Port Angeles, we would always take a moment to reflect.
We came so close to losing our momma that day. I couldn't imagine what that would be like, but I did know that it would have changed everything for our family and not in a good way.
"It's okay. But do you mind if we skip lunch?" Becks asked after we had passed that fateful spot. "That would give us an extra hour."
"Sure, sure. I had a lot at breakfast," I agreed.
"Cool. Thanks, Bella." She smiled, turning up the music.
We spent the drive listening to 90s Country because that shit right there is my jam. We all grew up on 90s Country, among other things.
"Ooh, turn it up, I love me some Pam Tillis!" I cheered as 'Mi Vida Loca' came on.
"If you're coming with me you need
nerves of steel
'Cause I take corners on two wheels
It's a never-ending circus ride
The faint of heart need not apply
Mi vida loca over and over
Destiny turns on a dime
I go where the wind blows
You can't tame a wild rose
Welcome to my crazy life
Sweetheart before this night is through
I could fall in love with you
Come dancing on the edge with me
Let my passion set you free
Mi vida loca over and over
Destiny turns on a dime
I go where the wind blows
You can't tame a wild rose
Welcome to my crazy life
Here in the firelight, I see your tattoo
Mi vida loco, so you're crazy too
We'll go where the wind blows
And I'll be a wild rose
Welcome to my crazy life"
I sang along with the music straight through until the song ended.
"You have such a pretty voice," Becks complimented.
"Aww, thanks, Sis." I smiled happily.
We worked our way through a lot of my favorites after that.
Mary Chapin Carpenter 'I Feel Lucky'; Patti Loveless 'I Try to Think About Elvis'; Reba McEntire 'Fancy'; Martina McBride 'Independence Day'; Michelle Wright 'Take it Like a Man'; Trisha Yearwood 'Walkaway Joe'; Shania Twain 'Any Man of Mine', Jo Dee Messina 'Bye Bye'. Of course, I realized pretty quickly there were no male singers on this playlist.
Becks was all about girl power. And I absolutely adored all the songs she picked. I knew she was more into eighties punk and pop herself so I was super thrilled to realize that Becks must have made a special playlist for the drive of things I would like.
It wasn't until we were almost in Port Angeles that she actually started singing along with one. "Aww yeahhh, Lorrie Morgan, now we're talking! That girl is smokin' hot." Becks grinned as 'Watch Me Walk Away' came on. "There is something about a woman with short, spiky hair that drives me wild. I dunno what it is." She sighed.
"I thought you preferred brunettes over blondes though?" I challenged.
"Well yeah. But I mean, it isn't like a petite sexy brunette with short spiky hair is just gonna fall from the sky into my lap, Bella. Oh, and while we are at it, maybe she is athletic and loves shopping too!" She giggled.
"Okay, okay, fair point!" I chuckled, throwing my hands up in defeat. "Maybe not, but if that's what you're looking for, I don't think you should settle either." I reasoned.
I, for one, was someone who very much knew what I wanted and wasn't gonna stop until I found it. I was looking for someone wild. Someone strong. Someone loyal. Someone fierce. Someone who wouldn't back down from a challenge. Someone who knew how to smile in the middle of a catastrophe. Someone smart. Someone worthy. Someone who knew how to use his heart as well as his head. Those were the things I longed for in a partner.
"Yeah, I guess. But girls who like girls aren't that easy to come by. And I'd rather find someone than be alone, even if that someone isn't exactly my dream girl." Becks shrugged.
It made me sad to hear her say that. Because I would rather be alone than be with someone who couldn't make me truly happy.
I think the reason I felt that way was because of Mama June. Mama June was not like Momma Sarah, or Mother Sue, or Mommy Renée. The three of them were exactly where they wanted to be in life and if they had the chance to change anything, they wouldn't.
Mama June, on the other hand, was happy, but only just. She was content but she had lost her one great love. She kept on living for her kids and for Moms and Dads, but if it had just been her on her own, I think she would have followed Uncle Harry into the afterlife.
And don't get me wrong, she loved Dads. I knew she did. But she could never love them as much as she loved Harry. She knew what it was like to have everything you ever dreamed of and she knew what it was like to have that taken away. And I knew if Mama June had a choice between a few short years with Uncle Harry or a lifetime with Dads what she would pick.
That was the kind of love I wanted. An epic love that would break you if you ever lost it. A love that made everything else feel slightly less exciting by comparison. A love that tethered you to another person. Like an Imprint. That was what I wanted.
"Well, who knows? Maybe your perfect match will be sitting there waiting for you in the very first store we walk into. Maybe your destiny will find you and you won't have to settle," I reasoned as we walked into the first store on Becks' list. A boutique called Moxie. The shop owner called from the back that she'd be out in a moment. No one else was in the store.
Becks made a dramatic point of looking around. "Hello? Psst, any pixie-haired lesbians, looking for a sassy b-ball playing life partner who loves to shop? Come out, come out, wherever you are!" She joked.
"Okay, okay, you made your point. I get it, it's not that easy. But...that doesn't mean you shouldn't be open to it. If you close yourself off to the possibility of true happiness you'll never find it. Whereas, if you keep an open mind, anything is possible. Just look at Willie. I bet he never thought his soul mate would be a...oh hey, look at those sweaters! I really love the grey one, don't you, Becks?" I said, drawing her attention to the clothing hoping she wouldn't notice my slip up.
"Nice try, Bells. I know when you're changing the subject. Now spill it...what's this about Willie's soul mate?"
Just then, the door of the shop chimed and a girl walked in. She looked like someone out of a celebrity magazine.
"Excuse me please, do either of you lovely ladies work here? I am looking for something in particular and I was hoping you could help me out," when she spoke she sounded like tinkling bells. Her words made it seem like she was addressing us both, but her eyes never left Becks'.
"I take it all back, Bella," Becks muttered to me, not looking away from the girl who just so happened to be a pixie-haired brunette.
Huh, maybe she really did just fall from the sky.
"I don't work here, but maybe I can help you anyway. What is it you're looking for?" Becks asked.
The girl smiled from ear to ear. "So, the other day, I was talking to my ex-girlfriend and she told me I don't have enough red in my wardrobe. She said I should find a little red mini dress that shows off my legs if I want to find a new girlfriend before the Winter Formal. Could you help me find one?"
"A n-new girlfriend?" Becks stuttered practically drooling.
The girl laughed with tinkling laughter. "No, Silly, I meant a red mini dress. Of course, if you know where I could find a new girlfriend, that would be great too!" She winked.
"Oh, umm, I think the d-dresses are in the b-back." Becks stuttered. I had never seen Rebecca this flustered before.
"Hey, Becks, why don't you go show her? I wanna see if I can get some cowboy boots anywhere in town," I offered. "Wanna meet back up in an hour at the Alley Cat boutique? That was next on your list, right?" I confirmed.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, sure, we can do that. Sounds good, yep." She nodded, barely paying attention to me anymore.
"Okay great, so Alley Cat in an hour, so at 11:45, I'll see you there." I chuckled.
I left the store and walked through town until I found a shoe store. It was called Family Shoe Store and they had some boots that were close to what I wanted, but not exactly. I spoke to the employee though and she said they could do special orders, so I described what I was looking for and she said they would get some in and phone me.
And that's when I ran into someone I knew.
"Aunt Jennie?" I beamed running over to hug my Aunt. "Hey! What are you guys doing here?"
Aunt Jennie is Pa and Pops' sister. But her husband, Uncle Carl, is a Lutheran pastor in Forks so they live in town, not on the Rez.
Also, their daughter, Angela, and my sister, Leah, have been in love with the same boy, Sam, for like a million years. They used to clash over him, but now they just have a schedule and it works pretty well.
"Hey, Bella! I'm just here picking up gym shoes for the boys. Listen, I was texting with Angela during her free period and she said Willie was at school today, but he left partway through. She said the same thing happened yesterday too, is he okay?" She asked me worriedly.
Shit, Bella, think fast! He probably had to leave because he was having issues controlling his phasing, but of course, I couldn't tell Aunt Jennie that.
"Oh, yeah, yesterday he went home cuz he wasn't feeling well, but Moms assumed it was just nerves. You know, a new school and all that. So if he went home again it probably just means he actually did catch a bug but I'm sure he's fine. They would have called us if it was anything serious." I said, waving my phone.
"Oh gosh, does he have a fever, by chance? Angela said Sam was out today with a fever too." Aunt Jennie, who was also a nurse frowned.
"Wait...Sam has a fever?" I inquired trying not to seem concerned. I wonder if he had any classes with the Cullens.
"Yes, there must be something going around." She nodded sounding slightly worried.
"Probably. Listen, Aunt Jennie, it was great to see you. I gotta go meet up with Becks though. We came here together." I gave her another hug and waved "Bye, Aunt Jennie!" before heading out of the store at a brisk pace.
As I was walking toward Alley Cat Boutique, I heard a weird whimper coming from the actual alley. Then I heard the tinkling voice of the girl I left Becks with.
"Oh geez! Why didn't I see this?" She squeaked sounding panicked. "You need to change back Rebecca, please, can you try? Sweetie, no one can see you like this!"
I ran around the corner and saw exactly what I had feared I would see. A large caramel-colored wolf standing where my sister should be.
"Becks, look at me. It's Bella. You're fine. Run to the treeline and wait for us just out of sight in the woods. I'm gonna call Pa. He can help you change back." I told her in my most stern voice "Go! We'll be right there."
She scampered off as she was told and I turned to the girl. Black eyes. Pale skin. How did I not notice? I would wager anything she was cold, too. I touched her hand with mine. Yep.
"Are you a Cullen?" I asked her.
She nodded. "Alice Cullen. You know about us?"
I sighed. "Willie is our brother. I'm the only one of my siblings who knows he's a wolf now. And that's only because there is a book of Quileute legends that I have read so I pieced it together.
"My Pa is supposed to be talking to your dad sometime this week to revisit the treaty. Now that my brother Imprinted on your brother, we have to change it so your family is allowed on our land. Because Imprints are automatically under Pack protection.
"And that means others will phase. Probably all of us since we now know that girls can phase too. So we're gonna need your family's permission to inform the kids who have the gene. It's not fair for them to find out the way that Becks just did," I insisted, pulling out my phone to call Pa.
"Okay, yes, I agree with you. But I am pretty sure your sister is my mate, and she is freaking out right now, so I need to go to her. Please call your dad and then come meet us in the forest," she requested taking off at vamp speed for the trees.
I dialed Pa.
"Bella? Everything alright?" He worried.
"No, Becks phased, Pa! Can you please help her change back or tell me how? She's in the woods right now freaking out."
"Shit, okay, thanks Kiddo, I'm on it." He said, hanging up.
I remembered then what Willie said about being naked when he phased back. So I picked up the shopping bags Becks and Alice had dropped and I sprinted to the forest.
When I got there, Becks was already in human form. "Dang, Pa works fast," I said, taking out a sundress from one of the bags.
"That's Alice's dress" Becks corrected. "Yeah, he gave me what he said was an Alpha command "
Alice took the sundress from me and helped Becks put it on. When Becks looked puzzled Alice simply said, "then it will smell like you," and then they kissed.
"I'm not sure how we're gonna get home. What if Becks phases behind the wheel? And I can't drive the car by myself, I don't have my license yet." I frowned.
"I can drive you and Becks home in the bug and then come back for my car later?" Alice offered.
"Would you? That would be great!" I nodded.
"I can if you don't mind being in close quarters with me knowing what it will probably lead to?" She reminded me.
"That's more than fine. I was hoping I would be the first kid to phase, not the fourth." I pouted.
"Fourth? Who is there besides me and Willie?" Becks wondered.
"I ran into Aunt Jennie at the shoe store while I was looking for cowboy boots. She said Sam was out sick with a fever today. I doubt it's a coincidence since I think he probably had classes with some of the Cullens," I shrugged as we headed to the car.
"Yeah, I think Em and Rose had some classes with him. Hey, you were looking for cowboy boots?" Alice asked. "I scoured Port Angeles for cowboys boots over the weekend for my brother and didn't find any."
My brow furrowed. "Edward wears cowboy boots?"
Alice shook her head. "Different brother."
"Ahh, gotcha." I nodded as we piled into the car.
As Alice started the key in the ignition, she turned back to us. "I'm gonna be driving really fast to get you girls back home before anyone goes all wolfy in here. Willie told us about Sarah's accident, so I imagine that might be a bit triggering. But I promise you don't have to worry, I have superhuman reflexes," Alice vowed.
"That is...surprisingly considerate," I told her, impressed.
"Why is it surprising that I would be considerate, Bella?" Alice asked.
"Let's just say the legends don't paint the Cold Ones in a very good light." I shrugged. "I'm trying to make up my own mind about your family though."
"Yes, I understand how that would be confusing. A lot of vampires give in to their darker impulses and become evil.
"Willie told us your uncle was killed by a vampire. He played the images of it from the Pack mindlink for Edward last night. Edward recognized the vampire who killed Harry. It was Demetri of the Volturi. And the two vampires your Pa killed were Jane and Alec. This means, your family inadvertently took out three of the worst of our kind.
"Which is both good and bad. Good for obvious reasons and also because...if the Volturi do try to come here to settle the score, they will not have the twins' powers to fall back on or Demetri's tracking ability. But also bad because...the Volturi will have to come here. There is no way they would let the loss of three of their key players go unpunished.
"I'm fairly certain the only reason they haven't sent anyone else yet is that they don't know what is killing them. They are probably calling those with the strongest powers who are their allies back to Italy to amass an army.
"Likely, the only reason Edward, Jasper, and I have not been called is because they know that Carlisle is a pacifist and wouldn't send us. Carlisle considers Aro a friend because he lived with the Volturi for a while, several centuries ago. He never agreed with their ways though, so he left.
"But he writes them a letter every few years from wherever we are living and they stay in touch. He was going to write them one after we were settled in Washington, but Jasper advised against it once we found out about the deaths of Jane, Alec, and Demetri. The longer it takes them to realize we are here, the better," Alice concluded.
"Agreed. So, when do we get to meet the rest of your family?" I asked her just as I noticed out the window we were already back to where the 110 meets the 101. She wasn't kidding about driving fast.
She waited a moment before speaking. It seemed deliberate like she must have known from Willie that it was our custom to have a moment of silence as we passed the place.
"Soon, but first, we have to get you home before you phase, Bella. You've had a growth spurt during this drive, which means you probably have the fever now too," she told me.
I looked in the mirror and realized she was right.
"About time!" I laughed. "But you should pull over and let me out then. If I wreck Mama June's car she will not be happy."
Alice nodded and pulled off to the side of the road in a cluster of trees. I had exactly enough time to get the door open and get out before I felt a shiver and fizz and everything hurt as my body changed.
Bella? I heard in my head.
Pops?
Yeah, hey Bells. Pa said it was Becks who phased?
Rebecca must have joined me in wolf form because I heard her in my head next.
I did, Pops. But I couldn't drive us home and risk phasing in the car, so Alice was driving.
Becks played back her memories of meeting Alice and then apparently getting pretty frisky with her in the Alley, and then phasing and evidently Imprinting on her, and then everything that happened after I met up with them.
You were right about Sam, Bella. He phased this morning. His dads have been teaching him all the wolf stuff in town. You would be able to hear them too but they took an early dinner break and phased back, so I'm the only one on patrol right now.
He explained.
Dammit, so I was the fourth kid to phase then? That sucks.
I thought four was your lucky number. Becks laughed.
It is, but I wanted to be first. I wanted to be Alpha. I grumbled.
Oh! No, Bella. That isn't how the Alpha is chosen. Pops corrected. It's not a first come first served type of thing.
I frowned, puzzled. It isn't?
No. The Alpha is always a descendant of the last Alpha. I don't know how it works if two generations are phasing at once though. I don't think that has ever happened before.
If it's supposed to be a descendant of the last Alpha who died, then it would be all of Ephraim's descendants who are eligible. But if it is a descendant of the current Alpha, when there is one, then it would only be Charlie's biological kids who would be eligible and we'd have to start doing paternity tests, I guess. Pops frowned.
Well, let's check if there is something in the book about it. I don't think I read the section on Alphas. I suggested.
Yeah, what is this book everyone keeps talking about? I'd like to see it. Becks asked.
Okay, come back to the house and bring Alice with you. The Pack met with the Doc today and we amended the treaty to allow the Cullens and any other vampire allies of the tribe on our lands. Pops explained.
Oh good! Okay, we'll tell her. See you soon! I smiled.
Yeah, thanks, Pops! Becks beamed eagerly phasing back to human form and running up to Alice. It took me a minute to figure out how to change back, but I did it. By then, Becks had filled Alice in.
"I'll drive the car back then and you two can run. It will be good for you to stretch your legs," Alice suggested, so Becks and I headed for the trees.
AN: For those who didn't read Poly World: Family Album, there is a list at the end of it (at the bottom of the Epilogue chapter) that lists all of the faceclaims for these characters. Feel free to refer to that if you want a better idea of what they look like!
As always, I love to hear from you!