Chapter 7
Gravity Moves
Bella
I wake up the next morning with a pounding headache and curse myself for the bottle I took down after I got home last night. It seems to take more and more liquor these days to give me even the tiniest buzz and it's resulted in my drinking reaching a brand new level. An entire bottle of whiskey gone in a single night, it's a sure fire way to alchol poisoning without a doubt, and I know this isn't something I can keep doing. I don't know what it is, maybe the wolf in me, but I'm definitely going to need to work out a new coping skill, one that doesn't take such a toll on me. Running has been a nice release recently, in my wolf form of course, maybe I need to look more into that. Regardless, I roll myself out of bed and start to get ready for the day, beginning with a steaming hot shower. I dress quickly and head out the door, rather proud of myself that I don't take my customary shots to start the day. The feeling doesn't last long though, as I get closer to the school and my stomach starts to twist I wish I had taken a drink or two, just to get me through the school day. I don't know what it is about school these days but it makes me nervous. Well, that' s a lie, I do know, and the whole reason is a tiny little pixie bloodsucker who I should never have interacted with in the first place. What would Jake say? Maybe I should find out? But is it really that big of a deal if I happen to have a conversation with a vampire? Does it really matter if I hang out with her? It doesn't have to be a huge thing, one little shopping trip for a pair of shoes and then I'm under no obligation to chill with her again. That all seems pretty harmless to me, but I resolve to shoot Jacob a text after school, we can go for a run and I can carefully bring up the tiny little vampire that had been consuming my thoughts so thoroughly. Maybe he'll have some advice, Jacob is quite the ladies man down on the rez, maybe he'll have some insight to all this.
When I pull into my normal spot it takes me a moment to will myself out of the car. I'm nervous, more than I've ever been, and I can't really pinpoint why. I mean in reality all the hard parts of this are over, I've spoken to the pixie and two of her brothers, I even almost got a smile out of her sister. The Cullen's don't seem like a threat, they seem to just want to live peacefully along with everyone else. Does it really matter what they are if they strive to be better than that? I take a deep breath and get out of my truck. Before I even close the door bebind me the smell of bubblegum wraps around me and Alice Cullen pops up at my side.
"Morning Bella! Missed you in gym yesterday, Emmett too, he's excited to see what other sports you excel at so he can convince you to play against him. He's rather competitive." Alice gives a tinkering laugh that makes my heart sing.
"Well I suppose we'll see what kind of magic I can pull off today. I'm quite the magician you know." I try to sound confident but my stomach is still in knots and my heart is beating so loud I'm certain she can hear it.
"Maybe you can show me a trick or two sometime? A non sports trick." Alice has a suggestive grin on her face and my heart tries to escape my chest.
She laughs once more and loops her arm though mine to the shock of myself and the sixty pairs of eyes focused on us around the parking lot. I'm not sure what to make of this tiny pixie but I know that I don't have the willpower to pull my arm away. Her skin is cold, it melds instantly with the heat of my own body and it just feels so god damn right so I tell myself to just go with it. Go with the flow, don't even think about it, and our walk to the building is going perfectly smoothly until I spot Rosalie making her way towards us with what could be described as murder in her eyes.
"Alice what are you doing?" Rosalie hisses as she reaches us.
I attempt to move my arm away from Alice but she instantly locks her hand around my wrist, preventing any escape unless I want to hurt her. My wolf is alive and growling deep inside of me, I can feel the vibrations floating through me and try my best to just remain focused. I can't shift here, it would be disastrous, and it doesn't seem like the blonde is angry with me exactly, her gaze of fire is fixed firmly on Alice. That thought seems to irritate my wolf more though, I feel a strange urge to stand between my tiny new friend and this angry blonde even though I know that would be a bad idea. I hold myself very still, focusing on a point beyond Rosalie's head and try to keep my cool as I listen to their hissed conversation.
"We're friends now Rose, just like I told you would happen." Alice has an air of triumph about her while I try to decode the whole "told you so" aspect.
"The entire school is staring Alice, do you know how much attention this is drawing?"
"I think we'd have attention whether I spoke to Bella or not."
"This is a dangerous game you're playing Alice, I mean come on now she's a new wolf! Her self control can't be all that great, look at her she's shaking like a leaf. She's probably ready to rip your head off right at this very moment!"
"I wouldn't hurt Alice." They seem surprised to hear me speak. "You either."
Rosalie just rolls her eyes and stalks off the the English building as Alice giggles beside her.
"Sorry Bella, my sister can be...a bit much sometimes." Alice smiles lightly.
"Well I would imagine, looking like she does, it's all part of the game. The gorgeous ones are always destined to be bitchy I suppose." I say slowly, my eyes still on Rosalie's retreating back.
I look back down at Alice to see a small frown tugging at the corners of her lips.
"What's wrong?" I ask quickly, wondering which part of my statement she didn't like.
"Well I'm not all that bitchy but I thought I was pretty good looking, does that mean I'm not?"
I study her face and try to decide if she's serious or just messing with me. *God I wish I'd had a drink this morning.*
"Obviously you're gorgeous, I suppose you got lucky and the bitch gene skipped you." I shoot out in a bit of a rush.
Alice laughs and wraps her arms around me, a brief hug that sends my already pounding heart skyrocketing. It's quick and I wasn't expecting it and when she twirls away and skips off to the other side of the campus I'm left standing there with my mouth hang open once again. I stand there for a few moments and try to decide what I'm going to do. Heading to Math with a pissed of vampire doesn't seem like something I can deal with this early, but I know I can't just skip. A solution slips into my mind and with a determined set to my face I take off to the nurses office. When I walk in it's empty other than me and I put on my best sick face.
"Oh hello, Miss Swan is it?" The nurse gives me a warm smile that I attempt to return.
"Yes ma'am, I'm just not feeling too well, I think I might have some kind of stomach bug.
She frowns at me and stands up, placing her hand on my forehead. Her eyes widen and I try my hardest not to smirk. This wolf heat comes in awfully handy.
"Well it definitely feels like you've got a fever. Did you drive yourself dear? I think you should get home and rest, better safe than sorry."
For a moment I feel bad for deceiving her, she's just a little old lady trying to keep all us asshole kids alive, but the moment passes as my wolf all but begs to leave this place. I can still smell Rosalie and Alice, both their scents seem to be stuck in my nostrils and it's a bit unnerving.
"I'll just need to call your parent or guardian first, policy and all that." The women gives me a soft smile. "Your uncle takes care of you, correct?"
I give a brief nod and take a seat as she turns to a large metal cabinet to locate my file. She pulls out a manila folder that I can see has Isabella Swan printed across it. She shuffles the papers around a bit until she comes across what she's looking for and as she types the number into the phone she gives me another brief smile.
"Hello yes I'm Mrs. Dawson, the nurse at the high school. I have a Bella Swan here saying she doesn't feel well and judging by her skin she's got a fever. I'm going to send her home if that's fine with you? Yes? Wonderful. Of course." She pulls the phone from her ear and passes it to me. "He says he'd like to speak with you for a moment."
I force a smile and take the phone from her.
"Hey Uncle Billy, sorry for the bother I'm just really not feeling great, that problem I've been dealing with might be getting worse." I try to keep my tone light while praying he picks up on my double meaning.
"Not a problem Bella, as a matter of fact Jacob seems to have come down with something himself. He's home for the day, why don't you head our way, you two can recover together." Billy's tone is also light but there's an underlying tension to it that I can't place.
"Sounds like a plan, I'll be there in 20." I don't wait for a response before handing back the phone. "Thank you for your help Mrs. Dawson, I appreciate it."
"Of course of course, now on your way you go. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids and try to get some sleep, rest is the best medicine." She says with a small laugh.
I smile back and make my way out of the room and to my truck. I know I'm probably walking into a shit show, Billy will want to know why I keep missing so much school, but I'm kind of glad they I can have my conversation with Jake sooner rather than later. The ride to the reservation doesn't take long and as I park in front of the house Jacob comes looping outside with a grin on his face.
"Long time no see Bells."
"Yeah things have been a little crazy." I give him a brief grin. "But I'm here now and, honestly, you don't look all that sick to me."
He gives a booming laugh that I can't help but to join in on. Everything's always so easy with Jacob, he's like the brother I never had, I'm not sure why I waited so long to get back down here. Well, I do know, because I've been so preoccupied with the Cullen family Jake has fallen to the wayside a bit but I resolve to not let that happen again.
"Do you want to go for a run?" He asks and I hesitate a moment before answering.
Do I want to go for a run? Because once we shift Jacob will see my mind, he'll see the littlest bloodsucker taking up 98% of my thoughts and then what will he think? But it would probably be easier to just let him see than to explain the mess that is my mind recently. Besides, we're family, I don't think he'll be thrilled with my choice in new friends but I don't think he would abandon me over it. He might try to talk some sense into me but there isn't anything he could say that I haven't already told myself.
"Sure, let's go."
We take off at a brisk walk, opting to change once we reach the forest. Jacob fills me in on what he's been up to and I try my best to pay attention even though my mind keeps drifting back to Alice. Why was Rosalie so angry at her earlier? I mean obviously vampires and wolves don't get along but if we don't mean eachother any harm then what's the risk? I know she mentioned me being a new shifter and dangerous but I haven't really had those issues yet, not like everyone describes. I've been relatively level headed, I haven't force shifted once since the first time. I'm in control, at least I feel like I am, so why does it seem like the Cullen's don't feel the same? I glance over at Jacob as he finishes a story about his friends Quil and Embry force shifting in the middle of someone's kitchen because of a fight over who was getting the last burger.
"So they spent maybe a week having to clean everything up. They even had to buy Emily a new table. Sam was furious, he's still got them running the night shift by themselves." He gives a quick laugh. "But that's enough about me, what have you been up to Bells? Why'd you leave early, are the leeches giving you any trouble?"
I pause for a moment before I answer him, thinking the question through. Maybe I should start to brooch the topic now and then finish it when we shift. Give him some warning of the storm inside my brain, soften the blow a little.
"Not all that much to be honest. They haven't given me any trouble though a couple of them seem to show some kind of interest in me. There's a tiny one, she seems to think we're meant to be friends." I say carefully.
"Friends? With bloodsuckers? Now that's a good one." Jacob let's out another booming laugh that briefly reminds me of Emmett, if circumstances were different the two of them would probably get along well.
"They aren't too bad." I say softly. "I've only spoken to three of them but they seem harmless enough."
Jake let's out a soft growl and I start to lose my resolve, maybe I should keep this all too myself.
"They aren't harmless Bella. They're monsters. Murderers even. They suck people's blood for christ sake." His voice is harsh and I feel the light flames of anger begin to burst in my belly.
"The Cullen's hunt animal's Jacob, they don't bother humans."
He scofts and stops walking. We've reached an open clearing, deep enough into the forest for the only sounds around to be the gentle sighs of the wind through the trees.
"This spot is pretty good." Jacob says as he turns to me. "I'll look this way, you can change over there. Just stuff your clothes under one of these bushes."
I nod to him and turn to the edge of the clearing. I slowly begin to strip as my stomach churns. I have a feeling this isn't going to end nearly as well as I hoped. Maybe being disowned really is in my future. I let out a light sigh and stuff my bundle of clothing under a rather scraggly bush. I hear Jacob shuffling around behind me and moments later I hear the change in his footsteps as he shifts. With a deep breath I do the same.
The effect is instant, as my paws hit the earth Jacob's thoughts desende into my brain and it's only moments before I see him recoil from me.
Bella what have you done?
The voice in my head sounds pained and I try my best to expel the lingering thoughts of Alice from my brain.
That won't work. Don't you understand?
Clearly I don't Jacob.
I'm getting annoyed and it's difficult to pinpoint exactly what his issue is. I search his mind, trying to understand the racing stream that are his thoughts.
A vampire. It's impossible. It's never happened before. Though neither has a girl wolf before Leah. The Cullen's. Bloodsuckers. Imprinted on a leech. How is this even possible?
Imprinted?
I'm not sure of the word but it rings a faint bell in the back of my head. Imprint. I know he hears my question, but he doesn't even look at me, just continues the train of thoughts in his head.
This is bad. Real bad. I need to talk to Sam. He needs to know. He needs to tell the elders. I need to tell my dad. Someone will fix this, someone will know how this is possible.
Jacob.
I send his name forcefully, hoping to get through to him. When he looks up at me there's such distress in his eyes I take a brief step back.
What's going on Jacob?
You imprinted Bella. You imprinted on that tiny leech.
My stomach churns with rough anger at the disgust he puts into the word leech.
You don't need to call her that. She has a name. And I don't understand. What's imprinting?
Jacob let's out a frustrated growl and plops himself down in the dirt. It seems our run has been canceled but I'm more concerned with getting an answer to my questions.
It's a wolf thing Bella. Kinda like humans and the concept of soulmates except it's so much more. When a wolf imprints that's it, they're bound to that person for the rest of their lives at whatever capacity the imprint allows. You could be their friend, their protector, their lover, however they'll have you. It's like gravity changes and it's not the earth holding you here anymore, it's them. It's neverending devotion to them, you'll never meet another soul on this earth you love more than them. It's what happened with Sam and Emily, it's why he had to leave Leah. Once you imprint there's no going back, the pull is too strong. You're forever-
Stop.
I shoot the word at him firmly as I feel my body shaking. I can't hear anymore of this, it can't be true. Neverending devotion? Love? Forever? This isn't how I expected this conversation to go, there's no way this is true.
There must be a mistake.
It's no mistake Bella, I can see it in your mind. A wolf knows when another in their pack has imprinted, our most important law is that the pack may never harm the object of another wolves imprint. It would destroy them.
I stay still for another moment before I turn tail and take off into the forest. This is too much. I can't handle all this. Imprinted. Imprinted on Alice Cullen, a vampire. The female thing doesn't bother me so much, I'd always felt more drawn to girls in the romantic sense so that isn't really a surpires but really, a soul mate bond connection with someone I've only spoken to once? This is insane. I run as fast as my legs will allow, like I think I can outrun my own mind. Jacob is crashing through the woods behind me, calling for me to stop but I can't. I have no destination, I just know I need to run. At some point I stop and collapse to the ground panting, Jacob lands beside me and for a long moment we say nothing.
I know this is crazy Bella, trust me I'm blown away too, but it isn't something you can run from.
I let out a low growl almost as if to say, watch me. But I don't get up, I stay on the ground and try to clear my head. I push all thoughts of Alice and her family to the back of my mind. I banish it all to the dark and throw away the key. I refuse to accept this, it's insane.
We need to go back Bella, Sam needs to be made aware of this. He'll need to tell the elders. This might change everything.
The last thought echoes so quietly in his mind I wonder if he meant for me to hear it. I don't have much time to think on it when a deep howl sounds through the quiet air. Jacob is on his feet in a second, ear cocked forward and body stiff. I push myself up beside him and watch him, waiting to see what's happening.
That's Sam, there's vampires on our land. We need to get over there.
Without another word Jacob takes off running and I follow close behind. It's not long before we pick up a scent, a harsh sickly sweet scent that sends the fur along my spine prickling.
That's it, it's not too old of a scent, let's follow.
Jacob and I take off again, our noses presses close to the ground to follow the scent of the rouge vampires. I know it's not the Cullen's, this scent is different from there's, more wild more dangerous. We run for a long time and at some point Leah's white pelt comes crashing towards us and, with a brief nod, she joins our hunt. We follow the trail until we reach a deadend, at the top of a cliff high above the crashing ocean the scent disappears.
Must have jumped, Jacob growls. Come on, let's report back to Sam.
We head back with a brief stop to grab our clothing in our teeth. Jacob says we can shift back when we get closer, there's no time to waste her. When we get back to the reservation things seem much more chaotic than they did when we'd left. People seem frantic, worried about this threat that seems to have come from nowhere and vanished just as quickly. We shift in the treeline and make out way towards a group of guys standing in a loose circle talking to Billy and a man I recognize as Leah's father, Harry Clearwater. Out if the corner of my eye I see Leah head off towards her house where Seth stands outside watching anxiously.
"Jacob, Bella." Sam greets us as Harry and Billy both nod in our direction. "Did you find anything?"
"We followed the scent until it dropped off the cliffs, hopefully they'll keep going North and stay away from here. Do we know who they are?" Jacob gives his report so formly I forgot for the moment that he's only 16.
"No," Sam shakes his head. "They're rogues as far as we can tell, they aren't Cullen's, the scent is differnt. These are human hunters."
"There's been a few disappearances recently in the area, we think it's connected." Harry says gravely.
"I have a meeting planned with the leader of the Cullen's, we'll see if they know these leeches." Sam says with a hard glint in his eyes.
Jacob glances over at me but I keep my eyes on the ground. I know what's about to come and I will him to leave it for now but the gods don't seem to want to give me a break.
"Theres something important I think we should discuss quickly while I have you all here." Jacob begins. "It's about Bella."
Four sets of eyes fall on me and I hope Jacob can see in my eyes that I'm not all that happy with him but he just gives me a grimace and pushes on.
"She imprinted."
"On who?" Billy asks surprised.
"A Cullen. The small one." Jacob says slowly.
My face burns as eveyone's eyes widen. I glance across the way to see evem Leah and Seth staring in shock. My stomach rolls and I curse Jacob's name to the sky.
"A Cullen? She imprinted on a bloodsucker?" Harry's voice sounds strained.
"This has never happened before." Billy sounds nervous, which in turn makes me more nervous than I already was. "Bella when did this happen?"
"The first day they came to the school." i respond softly. "I saw her in the cafeteria and then...then all of the sudden I couldn't forget her." My voice falls to a whisper at the end.
Everyone is quiet for a moment and then Billy clears his throat.
"Well this may change things, but only if the Cullen's step out of line. We can't hurt someone that's been imprinted upon by one of our people. You may not be offically in the pack but we still consider you one of us, no one will be able to harm her. The only way thia becomes an issue is if she harms a human, so I think we should...let it be for the time being. We need to focus on the intruders."
I give Billy a grateful look and he smiles back at me. Sam doesn't look as convinced but he just shakes his head and looks back to Jacob.
"I want you to join a patrol, Paul and Quil are down in the forest, go find them." He says briefly before turning to me. "Bella we won't make you run shifts down here but if you could keep an eye out in town that would be ideal."
"Of course." I nod. "I'm going to head back home, keep me updated."
"You do the same, stay safe Bella." Sam gives me a brief smile before taking off.
"Keep in touch Bells, I'm always around if you need me." Jacob gives me a quick hug and takes off towards the woods after a quick nod to Billy and Harry.
I say my goodbyes and head towards the treeline. Once I'm out of sight I strip and shift, grabbing my clothing in my teeth and racing home. I'm worried even though I didn't voice my concerns to everyone else. I don't really like the idea of this imprint thing, I mean do I really get no choice in the matter? And a vampire for christsake? Could the universe have pulled a bigger joke on me? When I finally make it to my backyard I drop my clothing bundle on my back porch and start my run. I won't rest easy until I know the people around me are safe.
The sun has set by time I start my rounds so it's easy enough to navigate my way through town unnoticed, though I mainly stick to the shadows of the trees anyway. I find no trace of the rouges but I keep on running, I don't feel calm enough to just go home and sleep. As I trot through a particularly desolt area of the forest a scent reaches my nose that makes me freeze in place; Alice. I take off before my mind has even caught up with my nose and it's not long before the rough scent of deer blood hits me. I come out into a clearing to see my latest obsession with her mouth to the neck of a young buck, his body still warm juding by the steam rising into the air around them. I watch silently, fasinated by the display. I know in reality I should be disgusted but dear god the way the moonlight falls on her, it's like she's a goddess straight from heaven. A goddess I will gladly spend eternity following.
It's not long before she finishes and heads off in the opposite direction of me. I stand there for a long while, just gazing off in the direction sbe took off. I don't agree with this whole imprint thing but I also don't think I can deny it. There's just something special about the tiniest Cullen and I'd be insane not to pursue her, but at the same time I can't shake off the feeling that it isn't right. That Jacob and the rest of the pack won't agree, that people might think differently of me if they find out what I really desire. But at the end of the day all that really matters is that I'm happy, or at least that's what Charlie used to tell me when I was upset. It only matters that I'm happy.
The next day I'm exhausted but I still drag myself to school. I can't keep pulling the disappearing act or I'm gonna end up in trouble for truancy, which is something I definitely don't have time for. I sleep through most of my morning classes, though I can't avoid the death glares Rosalie shoots me in first period and the massive highfive Emmett gives me in third. At lunch I have a run and by time biology rolls around I'm slightly more awake.
"Trouble sleeping partner?" There's some concerm in Edwards voice as he gazes at me when I take my seat.
"Late night." I say briefly, not sure if I should spread the business of the wolves.
We don't speak again and when the beml rings he just gives me a brief nod before leaving the room.
I take my seat in English and try to prepare myself but none of it matters when Alice walks into the room. There's no preparing for something like this, she's just too much. She smiles at me and my heart leaps into unstant overdrive as she takes the seat next to mine.
"Nice to see you today Bella." She says with an easy grin.
I can't help but smile back.
"You look tired, are you alright?"
My stomach clenches at the concern in her eyes. God why is this perfect creature worried about me for? I force a smile as my heart beats into overdrive and I pray to the gods above that she can't hear it.
"Oh yeah just a late night." I stumble the words out and hope she doesn't notice how nervous I am.
"Oh I see okay...well I was wondering if we were still down for our shopping date this weekend?" She gives me a grin so wide it's a wonder it doesn't split her face right open. "I was thinking maybe tomorrow? I could pick you up in the morning."
I stare at her for a long moment trying to piece together some semblance of a sentence while she just keeps on smiling at me. Fuck who could possibly say no to that smile?
"I uh yeah...yeah that works yeah morning yeah." I feel the blush creep up my cheeks as I stutter out the words.
"Great! I'll be by at 9!"
Before I can answer the teacher walks in and calls the class to attention. I stare up at the front of the room but my mind is completely somewhere else. Date she said. Shopping date. Date. I can't keep the stupid grin off my face as the class drags on. The bell finally rings and I follow Alice to last period as she chats on about the next day. I try my best to listen but all I can really focus on is her lips and how soft I bet they'd be under my own. I float through gym class without letting my attention fall from Alice which results in a couple dodgeballs to the face and Alice and Emmett laughing at me. It doesn't bother me though, she laughs like music, I could listen all day, and even when I get sent to the nurse with a nosebleed after a ball nails me in the face I'm still smiling. How could I not? She said date.
*
A/N: I don't really like this chapter but I feel terrible for not updating sooner so here we are. Slowburn, sorry, life is hectic, think it'll be am Alice POV chapter next, love you all, be easy.
