Leah's parents were at the kitchen table, the remains of a half-eaten breakfast congealing on their plates. She poured herself a cup of coffee from the carafe on the counter and sat down. Staring into the cup as if it held the answers, she asked softly "So what does this mean, Dad?" She looked at him, her dark eyes troubled. "I mean...cold ones? Really? In 21st century Washington?"

Harry cleared his throat. "I don't pretend to have all the answers, Leah. Billy and I talked for hours last night, but it's mostly just guesswork. We've been curious about the Cullen family since they arrived in Forks, and this seems to confirm our suspicions. We think there was a treaty of some kind, and Billy is looking into it for the Tribal Council."

"I've never heard of a female Spirit Warrior in the legends," he continued, "but I have complete confidence in your strength of mind, body, and spirit." He placed his hand over hers and squeezed lightly. Harry was a man of few words, and this was a lengthy speech for him.

"Thanks, Dad," Leah breathed. "Will there be other shape-shifters?"

Sue chimed in. "Almost certainly, and soon. We know what to look for now, and that's why Billy went to see Sam. He's showing signs of phasing, and it's scary when you're not prepared." She smiled at her daughter. "As you well know."

Harry took up the thread. "We are aware of how close you and Sam are," he said, and Leah flushed slightly. He smiled. "We weren't born yesterday, Honey. But there are things you need to be aware of, and one of them is imprinting."

Leah frowned. "Like with animals?"

"Pretty much," Harry agreed. "In our history, it sometimes happened with Spirit Warriors. It's not guaranteed, but it's also not uncommon in the Quileute spirit world. It forges a link that's almost impossible to resist."

"Sam and I are completely devoted, Dad," Leah insisted. "I'm not worried about some ancient mumbo jumbo forcing us apart."

Harry simply nodded. Leah had enough to deal with today. So did Sam.

The ebony wolf was roughly the size of a Volkswagen. Its first inclination was to run, run like the wind with no regard to direction. He stopped suddenly, panting, and smacked at his ear with a giant paw. "LeeLee? Is that you? How… What…" The thoughts seemed to be audible to Leah, wherever she was.

"It's okay, Sam. Billy called me." The soothing voice was Leah's, but it was originating in his head, not his ears.

"Wow. This is sort of awesome," Sam breathed. "Where are you?"

"On my way," Leah replied. "I'm a couple of miles out, but it won't take me long to catch up. Stay where you are."

The two wolves ran side by side through the forest. Leah had no trouble keeping up with the larger black wolf. Though she was smaller, she was sleek and fast. Unfamiliar muscles and tendons flexed and stretched as they ate up the miles, running in companionable silence.

Back at Sam's house, Leah talked Sam down until he was able to phase back to his human form. Sam dug up some clothes for Leah and they collapsed on the neatly trimmed grass in his backyard. Leaning on one elbow, Sam bent down and kissed her. "Is it just me, or does this feel like a dream?" His smile was wide and confident.

Leah nodded, but her response was more sober. "Billy says it comes with a big responsibility, Sam. We have this gift so we can protect our tribe. I guess we'll have to set up some kind of patrol schedule when we know how big the pack will be."

He nodded. "Yeah, but this is AMAZING! I've never felt so"...he searched for a word…"alive!"

New wolves were joining the pack almost daily. Sam, as the oldest of the group, seemed to assume the leadership role and no one objected. He called a meeting of the new pack when their numbers reached eight and no one else was showing symptoms. They would build a bonfire on the beach and brainstorm, with Sam and Billy leading the discussion. It was time to take on the responsibility that came with their transformation.

Sam and Leah gathered driftwood until the pile was impressive. Harry and Sue had brought tons of food. Feeding the growing teens had been a chore for their parents for some time, but now they always seemed to be ravenous. Hot dogs, rolls, potato salad, and chips were stacked on tables, and large coolers contained soft drinks. After they ate, the Clearwaters cleaned up while the teens took their places by the fire.

Jacob Black had been the third to phase, quickly followed by his friends. He was nearby to coach when Embry, Quil, and Jared all phased on a Sunday afternoon. Paul and Seth rounded out the pack soon after. Seth was the youngest, and he was completely enchanted with his new double identity. His enthusiasm was contagious.

The young people listened to Billy's familiar recitation with new interest, hanging on every word. He was explaining that the pack would have a leader, an Alpha wolf who would lead the pack, when Sam stood, his dark eyes glistening in the firelight. There were murmurs of approval from the crowd.

Leah shook her head. She thought it might be more appropriate to have the pack vote, though Sam would be the obvious choice. "Wait a minute, Sam." She raised her voice to be heard over the din. "Stop."

Now the only sound was the crackle of the fire. Eyes turned from Leah to Sam, who stood paralyzed, a look of panic in his eyes. Leah's last word, STOP, had crackled like lightning in the darkness with all the weight of an Alpha command. It appeared that the powers that be had already decided on a female Alpha, the first to phase. Her next words were whispered but audible to sensitive wolf ears. "Oh shit."

Having a female wolf in the pack had met with some minor resistance among the overgrown wolf boys. This would almost certainly open a whole new can of worms.