Meadow walked into her house and was greeted by the sight of her brother sitting next to their dad. She froze as she read the room. She had interrupted something, and she had a sneaky suspicion that they had been talking about her - about her wanting to take the Alpha position. She stared at Jake hard until he stood up. He stopped next to her and opened his mouth to say something. However, he decided against it and left the house without saying a word. When she heard the door shut, she moved to take his spot on the couch. She turned towards her dad and asked him a question.

"How do I get stronger?" she asked. He stared at her far longer than she wanted him to and she huffed in response. She was growing impatient. She knew he would fully support Jake with no questions asked if he wanted to take up the position. It was a big problem on the reservation - the misogyny. Everything on the res was run by men. Women weren't even allowed on the council.

"Jake told me what happened," Billy finally said.

"I'm sure he did," she said tightly. "How do I get stronger?"

"Sam is a fine man. He's been doing this pretty well for someone thrown into it by himself."

"I don't care. Answer my question, please," she said through gritted teeth.

"You're set on doing this, aren't you? Why?"

"You're against me doing this, but if I was Jake you wouldn't be. Why?" she shot back. He sighed and took a moment to think. She watched emotions flit across his face and took the opportunity to ask once more.

"How do I get stronger?" she asked for the last time.

"...The strength of your wolf is tied to the strength of your person. This goes for mentally and physically. The stronger you are, the stronger your wolf is," he answered after some hesitation. Meadow nodded. She knew what she had to do. She stood up but was stopped by her dad.

"If you are serious about this, then you need to keep what I told you a secret," he said.

"Sam doesn't know?" she asked incredulously.

"No. He doesn't."

"Why not?"

"Only the Alpha line is supposed to know. It's a way to keep us as the successors of the gene."

She screwed her face up and said, "Why not tell the entire pack? Everyone would become stronger and would be in less danger."

"It is just how we've done things."

She shook her head in disgust and disappointment before she asked him to clarify something.

"How am I supposed to keep it a secret? They can hear my thoughts and I can hear theirs."

"You can train yourself to block your thoughts. Since you're already a closed-off person, it shouldn't be too hard for you to accomplish."

"How?"

"That is for you to figure out. I don't have all the answers. You will have to figure it out on your own."


Meadow shifted for her turn with patrol. Thankfully, she was on patrol with Jake. Unfortunately, she was also on patrol with Jared. No doubt Sam had already informed him of what had happened. It was only natural. She kept her mind blank and mindlessly went through the motions.

You really shouldn't have done that, Jared said in an irritating tone. You just made it worse for yourself.

Lay off her, Jake said.

You gonna defend her now? Jared asked incredulously.

Whether I defend her or not isn't the point. Stop ragging on my sister, Jake said. Annoyance clouded his tone.

She challenged our Alpha. You really think-

Meadow felt a shimmer, an indicator of someone phasing, and heard Paul join them. She felt two more shimmers before someone howled. An image of Sam running after the redhead appeared in their minds and they immediately scrambled to help him. Even if Meadow was upset about her loss, she wouldn't put it above her duties as a protector.

She ran to his aid with Jacob and Jared on her tail. Jared passed her up and Jake was running beside her in no time. She glanced at him and noticed the hunters in the background.

Mind the hunters, she warned. She spotted Harry Clearwater among them and silently cursed. If anything happened to him, a lot of people were going to be upset.

Focus MeMe, Jake said quietly. She thanked him for bringing her back to the present and focused on running. They caught up to the rest of them in time to see the redhead evade Sam's attack. He cursed and barked at them to get in formation.

Jared, Paul, up front with me. Embry, Jake, take up the right and left flanks. Meadow, take up the rear, he instructed. They did as they were told and Meadow started watching their surroundings. That was what she was good for.

On your right, Paul, she warned him. The redhead was running through the trees to Paul's left, all the while smirking at them. Sam veered to the right and led that pack in her direction. Jared made a move at her and missed her when she used the trees to her advantage. She bounced off the bark and twirled in the air. Suddenly, the redhead stiffened. She drastically changed direction and fled from the scene.

Where is she going? Embry asked irritably. Meadow sniffed the air and realized why she changed directions.

I smell Bella. She must be in the area, she informed them.

What?! Jake exclaimed. He went to leave formation but was yelled at by Sam.

Don't break formation, he ordered. We'll just have to beat her there.

They hurried to intercept her path. Jake got in her path and blocked her from moving forward. She smirked and ran in another direction and led them to an area populated with hunters. One of them was Harry Clearwater. She grabbed him by the front of his shirt and tossed him against a tree. Meadow's scream echoed the boys' screams. She rushed forward and wrapped her body around him to protect him from any future attacks.

Jake, Embry, find Bella! Sam shouted. Meadow, stay with Harry and get him help! Make sure no one sees you. Paul, Jared, with me. We end this now.

Meadow checked her surroundings before she deemed it safe enough to phase. She threw on a shirt and a pair of shorts before she tried picking Harry up. He groaned in pain and she stopped moving. She bit her lip and tried to decide what to do. He decided for her.

"Leave me," he wheezed out.

"I can't do that," she said unsteadily. "I can't leave you here to die."

"I won't make it," he breathed out. "I'm bleeding too much."

She knew he was; she could smell the intense amount of blood seeping from his body, but she didn't want to face reality.

"What about Leah, Seth, Sue, everyone who counts on you?" she asked.

"Tell Leah to let go of her pain and finally be free. Tell Seth that I-" he coughed out blood before he continued, "that I trust him to watch over the household. And tell Sue that I love her. Tell them all that."

He started gurgling, so Meadow gently turned his body on the side and watched blood flow out of his mouth. She bit her lip at the almost inaudible gasped of pain Harty gave. Tears welled in her eyes and she desperately glanced around to find someone to help. She spotted a man with a gun cautiously walking to her left and called out to him.

"Help! Please help!" she yelled. She caught the man's attention and he ran over to help. After his features came into view, she realized it was Charlie.

"What happened?" Charlie asked frantically.

"I- I don't know," she lied guiltily. "I was walking to the beach when I found him."

"Harry! Harry, can you hear me?" Charlie asked. Harry didn't respond, causing Charlie to panic.

"I'm gonna call this in and get more help. Stay here," he ordered her. She sat beside him and stayed until help arrived. She rode in the truck with him and stayed with him in his room at the small clinic on the reservation. When Leah, Seth, and Sue arrived she excused herself. She could hear them crying and wanted to get away from it.

She was startled by Leah rushing out of the room and Seth hot on her heels. The two of them were shaking vigorously, and Meadow realized what they were about to do. She followed them outside and got through the door in time to see them phase. Meadow shifted in an instant to talk to them. She knew how confusing shifting for the first time was and didn't trust the others or Sam, for that matter, to wean them into it.

What's going on?! Seth yelled. Where are my feet?!

His wolf was jumping around and yipping. Leah was doing the same except her wolf wasn't yipping. It was barking at Seth to be quiet.

Seth stop screaming! she yelled. Just- we have to-.

Everything is okay, Meadow said calmly. Both wolf heads swiveled in her direction and stared at her with apprehension.

Who are you? Seth asked tentatively. Are you the wolf staring at us?

Yes, she answered. I'm Meadow Black.

Billy's daughter? Leah asked cautiously.

Yeah.

What's going on? Leah asked with intensity. Why are we...like this? And why can we hear you?

You shifted like the legends say, Meadow answered plainly. We are warriors - protectors.

That's all you're gonna give us? Leah hissed out.

I'll explain more when you phase back. It's better if we don't attract attention.

Fine. How do we go back to being humans? Leah asked.

Imagine your human self. Imagine how tall you are, the color of your hair, your eyes, your feet. Think of your reflection when you look in the mirror, Meadow coaxed. Slowly but surely, Seth and Leah phased back. Both of them were naked and tried to cover themselves from view. Meadow trotted off and grabbed some clothes with her mouth. She nudged them whe on she got back and waited for them to take the clothes before she phased.

"What was that? Why did I hear Sam's voice in my head?!" Leah asked incredulously. Meadow opened her mouth to answer but was cut off by Sam.

"I'll handle this," Sam said as he eyed Meadow. They stared each other down, making the two newly shifted wolves restless and uneasy.

"How's the Bella situation?" Meadow asked.

"She's with Jacob," he replied tersely.

"And Victoria?"

Sam gritted his teeth before he responded with, "She got away."

Meadow sharply turned her head and stopped their eye contact. Apparently, there were bigger things to worry about. She looked at Seth and Leah and said, "If you're unsure of anything come find me."

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