The damn forest all looks the same. I could tell where I was if I was on a road. I needed to get to civilization. Okay, that clearing is on the West side of the Olympic National Park so I needed to go farther west to get to people.
The only problem is that I don't know which way is freaking west!
"I am surprised you have figured out this much."
"Sam!"
"Stay where you are. We're two miles south of you. You run fast."
"NO!"
"Serina, I am trying to help you."
"I am not a freaking werewolf!"
"What's wrong with being a werewolf?" came a young voice, which I recognized as Seth's thoughts.
"Honey, there is nothing wrong with being a werewolf. I am clearly in shock. I just need to get away."
"You need to be around your pack," said Sam.
"I don't have a pack. I am a hybrid. You owe me nothing." I said.
"Bitch no!" said Leah. "You mean I am finally not the only girl, and you're going to just abandon us anyway. Come on!"
"Leah, I don't want to be a werewolf."
"Honey," said Embery, "if this pack consisted of people who wanted to be werewolves, this pack would consist of Seth and Quil."
I laughed and climbed up on a rock, and waited for the pack, my pack come and find me. Why they were coming I tried to think of a way to fix this. Soon they started materializing out of the trees. I got off the rock and walked towards them.
"Well, I'll just get Carlisle to bite me tomorrow and then I will be a vampire by this weekend," I said proudly.
"Oh, so we're okay to treat, but God forbid to hang out with us!" screamed Paul.
"No, Paul," I said. "Don't equate me to your dad."
"WHAT?!" screamed Paul. He lunged at me, teeth bared, ready to fight.
I ducked and bit at his chest hard enough to draw blood. He howled at the attack and retreated.
"Damn girl," commented Quil.
"Get him," said Leah.
Suddenly a black wolf, Sam, came up and stood on a fallen log. "Enough! Both of you!"
A fog came over my brain, and all of the fight drained out of me. Through the wolf connection, I felt all of the fight drain out of Paul as well.
"We have accepted that there are no secrets in this pack," said Sam, "now with Serina a part of the pack, that means our sessions will be more accessible. She was being intuitive, Paul. She wasn't trying to make you uncomfortable."
"Sorry," mumbled Paul.
"Please, believe it was an accident," I begged him.
"I believe you," said Paul.
"Serina is one of us now," continued Sam. "A full member. She is going to be treated as such. Serina, we tend to eat, fight, talk, then kill vampires, in that order."
"I'll try to do my part," I said.
"Is it going to bother you to kill vampires?" asked Seth.
I smiled. "No honey. I do not have a great relationship with humans, but I realize that they have a right to life. I will be honored to help protect them. As long as we don't kill Carlisle, I will be fine." I looked at Sam. "We don't kill Carlisle, right?"
Sam breathed deep. "I don't know what you know. But Bella has her heart set on being a vampire. If the Cullens breaks the treaty, they may force my hand."
"And what is expected of me, if they force your hand?"
"You're the hybrid, what do you suggest?"
"The Cullens leave, with Bella in tow, never to return to the region for pain of death."
"But they still bite a human. On principle, I should kill them."
I huffed. "It's better to live a good man, then die on principle. Die for flesh and blood, the treaty is a peace of paper."
"Do you really think we would die?"
"Yes. Even if I helped, many would die."
"Would you help?"
"No," I said. "I am loyal to the pack, but I will not kill over a piece of paper. There has been enough killing."
"How will you fight me if I alpha order you?"
"You are not a true Alpha. There is a way to resist your order. It is painful, and I have no reason to try unless your order is unjust, but you do not have unilateral control over me."
"What?" asked Leah.
"There is a way to resist an alpha order?" asked Jacob.
"Yes. Of course. Hasn't Billy taught you this?"
"No!" They all cried.
"The alpha order was made by the spirits to keep the pack unified under one leader. But, that leader is susceptible to failure, greed, error, stupidity, just like everyone else. And when there is a young pack like this one, I mean Sam, the oldest, is 19, that greed, error, and stupidity intensifies. So there is a failsafe in every alpha order. If our ancestors judge it as best, it can't be broken, but if it is unjust or worst dangerous, the ancestors guide a wolf to break the alpha order, thus freeing the pack from the outcome of the decision."
"So if I make a mistake," asked Sam, "they can override me?"
"Yes."
"Thank God!"
"It is very disrespectful to go against your alpha, and the spirits test your resolve by making the process physically painful and emotional, so no one ever does it unless it the hill they want to die on. But it can be done."
"When was the last time it was done?"
"In this tribe? I think four generations ago."
"Really?" asked Seth.
"What happened?" asked Leah.
"During the formation of the treaty, Ephriam told his pack not to have any contact with the Cullens. Levi broke the rules."
"Why?"
"He and I were in love."