"Well, that was incredibly stupid."

"Preach it, Rose." Emmett smirked as they strode through the forest. From her humiliating position on Emmett's shoulder, Josephine could do little but watch the trees as they passed them, because she was positioned in such a way that she faced the opposite direction to the way they were headed. It infuriated her that she was at her strongest and still as capable as a child. Emmett's method of carrying her did her no favours, either.

"Did you hear that, Dozeyphine?" Emmett prompted.

"Hm?"

"That was idiotic, what you did back there. Stupid, reckless - I could go on." Rosalie's tone was clipped, tight in the way Josie knew by now meant she was worried and disliked feeling that way.

Josephine sighed and propped her chin up by her hand, elbow resting on Emmett's broad back. "M'sorry, Rosalie. I had to tell her."

"And what was it that was so important, by the way?"

"Her mate, her imprint. That was the name I said - Quinn Pemberley - I saw her in my mind."

"... Right." Rose sounded beyond skeptical, interlaced with fond exasperation.

"Now, that sounds like a gift," Emmett intercepted.

"Is this related to your golden rope thing, I wonder..." Rosalie pondered.

"Yuhuh. Definitely. Except the wolves' ties are silver, I think. Leah's was."

"Man, I'd love to be Edward right now. Just to see what the hell you're talking about."

Josie did not dignify Emmett with a response, and merely rolled her eyes at him instead, even if he couldn't see it.

Upon arrival at the house, Josephine was set down at last and turned to find Jasper stood by the open back door, atop the small set of rocky stairs, a single eyebrow raised. He was a blur in his travel down to greet them.

"I've got to hear this." His southern drawl served to strengthen the mocking amusement in his tone. Josephine levelled a punch at his shoulder, and he did not move an inch, simply stepping away and to the side in one fluid motion. "Now, that's just damn impolite."

Emmett's grin was merciless even as he did her the great dishonour of shoving her, throwing an arm around her shoulders. "This one tried to hug a wolf."

"I did not." Josephine protested. "I'll have you know, Jasper, that I was actually trying to change her life."

"And how were you plannin' on doing that?"

"She claims she saw a miraculous vision," Rosalie came forward to join them, "of Leah's imprint."

"Did you really, Josephine?" They were interrupted by Carlisle's presence, and he took the steps one by one as he came down to meet four of his children. "Is that correct?"

"Yes, Carlisle." She smiled with relief, happy to see someone unlikely to mock her. "It is."

"Incredible." A bright smile in response. "Come, tell me everything."

Later, at approximately quarter past six that evening - having spent hours retelling her encounter with Leah to every coven member that asked - Josephine found herself sat in amicable silence with a few scattered members of her coven. The last few rays of gentle evening sun brought parts of their cold skin to glittering life where it hit them. Sat in the front room the way they were was perhaps risky, but this particular time of day was arguably the least dangerous, bar nightfall, for them to lounge so close to the beautiful big windows.

When the doorbell rang she was trying her hand at sudoku, Carlisle sat across from her, and Esme in the kitchen. The others were either out hunting or busying themselves in other parts of the house.

So accustomed to the quiet were they that they didn't move to answer. However Josephine caught but a brief hint of Alice's scent as she sped through the living room to reach the front door.

"You're early." She accused in her chirpy way of speaking.

"My apologies," answered a strange voice.