A/N : Just to make sure that nothing was left out, the story of the tribe was taken from Wiki. I do not claim to own any of the words from the article. Please see the full article at this website wiki/Taha_Aki
Chapter 3
Bella and Jake raced down the windy coastal road, heading to the reservation. For Bella, there was nothing more appealing in the world than to be driving a motorcycle, feeling the wind against her face, knowing that she was in complete control over everything. For too long Edward had played as the controller of her life, something that she had allowed to happen. Bella was determined to never let that happen again. It was not uncommon for Bella to just take off for an all-day drive, just to help clear her mind. This tendency had been helpful in getting over Edward, though if Bella were to be honest, she knew it was a toxic trait she had to learn to control. Her flight rather than confront instinct was simply too strong, and she knew that one day, it was going to cause some major issues in her life. For now though nothing but pure bliss filled the mind of young Bella Swan, ready to enjoy a day with her tribal shape shifter friends and hearing a story from their history, and then a night out at the club with her best friend. It was exactly just the type of distraction she needed from her recent dream.
Jacob and Bella both stopped just outside of Jake's place, smiling as they removed their helmets and strapped them across the handlebars of their bikes.
"Bella, you're finally here!" Seth playfully yelled as he bounced towards Bella, happiness reflecting off his dark onyx eyes. He held out a strawberry scone, which Bella readily accepted and began to nibble on.
"Sorry, Seth. We decided not to race this time" Bella smirked and playful ruffled up his hair.
"Hey, hey. Don't mess up the hair! How will I ever find my imprint with screwed up hair!" Seth playfully responded, his hands automatically going to his hair to flatten it out.
"Oh, don't worry, I'm sure it's not your hair that will cause you an issue" Jake playfully retorted, laughing and Seth's pout.
"Oh, shut up, you wouldn't know! You haven't imprinted yet!" Seth retorted, earning a playful smack by Jacob, "But hurry up! We were just getting ready to start a great story about our ancestry. Bella, you gotta hear it!" Seth enthused, taking Bella's hand and walking quickly to the back area where his father Harry and Jake's father, Billy was waiting with the other shapeshifters.
"Ah, well if it isn't the vampire girl" Billy smiled, looking at Bella.
"You got the wrong person, it's just Bella." Bella smiled tightly, not happy to be referred by that nickname but knew it was made out as a joke.
"Well, "just Bella" please sit down. We were just getting ready to begin our story on our heritage. The reason why we are all here today" Billy smiled, motioning for Bella, Jake and Seth to take a seat around the fire and on a nearby fallen tree.
"A very long time ago, there was an unnamed vampire who caught two Makah women, whose tribe blamed the Quileutes because they knew the Quileute could change into wolves. A civil war almost erupted between the two tribes, but luckily the tribe leader of the Quileute managed to convince the Makahs of their non-involvement in the accident, and of the need to find the responsible beast before it struck again.
The Quileute chief sent his six children on the hunt, where they caught a sweet scent that burned their noses, and also faint traces of human blood. Their journey took them so far north that the younger three were sent back to report what had happened to Taha Aki. The elder three brothers never returned. Taha Aki was grief-stricken by his sons' death, and the Makah chief could see that. The two tribes became friendly again. A few year later, two other Makah women disappeared on the same night. The Makah's called on the Quileute wolves at once, and they went on the hunt again. Eventually, they found the creature and his victims. He attacked the cold man head on and was ripped apart like a doll. The two other brothers were wearier, coming at him from both sides. The wolves found out that they had to reach the very limits of their supernatural strength and speed to keep up with the creature - something that had never been tested before. They found out that only their teeth could damage the man that was harder than a granite rock, and began to rip small pieces of the creature apart while it fought them. But the creature learned quickly, and got his hands on one of the wolves. Yaha Uta found an opening in the creature's throat and lunged, tearing his head off. However, even headless, the creature continued to mangle his brother. Yaha Uta ripped him into unrecognizable pieces in a desperate attempt to save the wolf, but in the end he was too late. Yaha Uta carried the cold, stony remains back to the tribe.
When the shredded creature began to reassemble itself, the horrified elders burned the remains, gathered the ashes in a number of bags and dispersed them far away, in case the vampire tried to put himself back together again. One was left in the forest, one underground, one near the beach. The last one was tied around the chief's neck so he would know when the vampire would try to resurrect himself.
The people lived in fear that The Cold One was not alone. They only had one wolf protector left, young Yaha Uta. Time passed by, until another vampire came into the tribe. Her incredible beauty caused some to fall to their knees in worship, thinking she was a god. She asked something in a language no one had ever heard. The people were dumbfounded. When a small boy screamed that her smell was burning his nose, one of the Elders near the scene realized what had come among them. He screamed for them to run. She killed him first. Out of the twenty witnesses to the Cold Woman's approach, only two got away because the woman paused to sate her thirst. The survivors immediately went to the council, and, hearing what was in the village, Yaha Uta went to face the Cold Woman.
It was a close fight. The woman was not the warrior that her mate had been. But Yaha Uta was alone, and there was no one to distract her fury from him. Yaha Uta lost, and Taha Aki screamed in defiance, transforming into an ancient, white-muzzled wolf. The fight began again.
Taha Aki's third wife had just seen her son die before her. Now her husband fought, and she had no hope he could win. She'd heard every word the witnesses to the slaughter told the council. She'd heard the story of Yaha Uta's first victory, and knew that his brother's diversion had saved him.
The third wife grabbed a knife from the belt of one of her young sons beside her, who she knew would all die when their father failed. She ran toward the Cold woman with the dagger held high. The Cold Woman smiled, barely distracted from the fight. She was about to deliver the death blow to Taha Aki, when the third wife fell to her knees at the vampire's feet and plunged the knife into her own heart." Billy paused as he heard the sharp intake of breath from Bella.
"Blood spurted from her body, and, unable to resist fresh blood flowing from the dying woman, the vampire turned her attention away from the fight long enough for Taha Aki to close his mouth around her neck. This was not the end of the fight, but watching their mother die in front of them, some of Taha Aki's children phased and aided him in destroying her. Taha Aki never rejoined the tribe. He laid mourning beside his dead wife for a day, growling whenever someone tried to touch her. After this, he went into the forest and never returned." Billy finished as he locked his dark eyes with Bella's, who quickly looked at the ground.
"While it is true that we now hold a treaty with those vampires who had been in the nearby areas, The Cullens, there is a great amount of bad blood that remains between our kind and their own. Truth be told though; I am hopeful that one day we can find amends and find a way to overcome the hatred for one another. I believe it is only then that the curse of the phasing will end." Billy replied, shooting a look at Harry who nodded in agreement.
Bella squirmed uneasy in her seat, clearing her throat.
' the cold ones, they were vampires…' Bella thought to herself with a sigh knowing that she was associated to them. The ones that had caused the phasing to happen with Jake and his family. The reason why all those tribal members had died. Yet she knew, at least in the back of her mind, that forced to make a decision she would ultimately choose the Cullens again, regardless of everything that happened, not that anyone would ever know of such feelings.
"Thanks for sharing that history with us, especially with Bella. I'm sure it will help her to understand our position with those leeches" Jake smiled, oblivious to Bella's uncomfortableness with the whole situation.
" My pleasure, I am always happy to share. Especially with someone who is becoming so engrained into our tribe" Billy smiled eyeing Bella as she stood up and faced Jake.
"It's getting late. Maybe we should head out to the club now ." Bella murmured, already heading over to her bike. For the first time, Bella did not feel comfortable being around the tribe.
"Yeah, sure. Let's go. See you later! "Jake smiled and said goodbye to his tribe.
On the ride back to town, Bella couldn't help but think about the story that Billy had just shared. The women he had described, Bella was sure she had seen in her dreams. But why? What was the reason behind it all? Bella tried not to think about it, which of course made her think about it more.
Suddenly, the light from the club came into view and Bella was more than happy to park and walk right in, ready for the music and ready for the alcohol. Sure, she was underage but that never was an issue here. Bella ordered her double shot of tequila.
"Keep the tab open please, Elijah" Bella smiled to the bartender as she picked up the cold hard glass.
"You got it, Bells." Elijah smiled lightly.
Bella smiled back and then focused on her shot. Bella felt the texture of the glass and couldn't help but think about how it reminded me of the Cullens. Hard, cold, smooth. Thoughts floated up of Alice, and how she wished she could feel Alice's skin. Bella shook her head trying to rid her mind of the thought.
'Where had that even come from?'
Being unsuccessful, Bella simply brought the shot glass to her soft lips, and swallowed the tequila which she downed like water. Bella smirked lightly, feeling the familiar burn hit her throat and the pit of her stomach. Sure, drinking wasn't the best coping mechanism but it had definitely helped over the past few months. Jake had brought her into the world of alcohol, one of the many ways Jake had more likely than not been not the best of influences. Jake walked up behind Bella, and ordered his whiskey, which he also had no issue slamming. Bella ordered another double shot, and downed it with a slight grimace this time. She could already could feel the warm sensation of alcohol running through her veins but for whatever reason the alcohol was not helping her to forget everything the way it normally did.
"You're such a light weight!" Jake laughed over the music, to which Bella rolled her eyes.
Bella ordered another shot, and decided to hang out near the bar. Jake relaxed by her, and did the same. Both happy to relax and be away from everything else in their lives. Bella was borderline shitfaced by this point. How many shots had she done, she couldn't remember, but she knew that she had definitely overdone it.
"You're going a little hard, Bells. Maybe you ought to close it out for tonight. You got a ride home? If not, I got you." Elijah frowned lightly. It had been a while since he had seen Bella in this state.
"Yeah, you're probably right. Good call. And I'm good, thanks for the offer." Bella slurred as she closed her tab with bar, and covered the remaining amount, making sure to leave a generous tip. Maybe tonight was a mistake, she was only feeling worse, but this time with much less control.
Suddenly, Bella smelt a scent she had never smelled before. A very faint sweet smell, perhaps just slightly too sweet but very intoxicating. It was the best smell Bella had ever experienced in her life, and she stood up, determined to locate the source.
"Bella, where do you think you're going? We have more shots to do, just on my tab." Jacob smiled and slightly too roughly placed Bella back on the barstool. Elijah looked up from the bar to Jake with a raised eyebrow and a slight frown.
"Geez Jake, lighten up. You're killing my buzz. Some chick has some amazing perfume on and I want to see who it is, and ask where she got it" Bella smirked as she rolled her eyes, and went to stand back up.
"No, you are staying right here." Jake snapped, forcing her to sit back down.
"Jake, what the fuck is your problem?" Bella snapped back, feeling a twinge of anger cut through her drunken state.
"Look we are out together; your focus should be on me. No one else" Jake hissed, putting a tight grasp around Bella's arm as she stood up.
" Hey man, you better cool it. I won't have anyone talking like to Bella here." Elijah warned, earning a thankful smile from Bella.
"You know what, screw off. We aren't a thing. You're a friend. A best friend perhaps, but a friend. That's all, and quite honestly, you're not being a very good one right now so let me go" Bella snapped back, pulling her arm away from Jake, who had wide eyes. When did she get so strong?
"Bella, I'm not asking, sit back down!" Jake roared over the sound of the sick guitar solo happening in the background.
"No, I'm going." Bella murmured and pushed past Jake and heading outside into the brisk night air, Jake trailing behind.
"Bella, please. I want you. Stay" Jake pleaded. Jake grabbed Bella's wrist and spun her around. Before Bella had a chance to react, Jake suddenly put his mouth possessively against Bella's, shoving his tongue in her mouth.
Bella froze, unable to respond.
'This can't be happening' Bella's hands formed into fists, waiting for it to just be over. When Bella did not return the kiss, Jake pulled back, his dark eyes searching for any hope within Bella's.
"Well? Don't you feel anything?"
"Jake… I'm sorry. I don't. I want… I don't want you like that" Bella murmured, closing her eyes and shaking her head.
" How can you say that? I've been there through everything Bella. No one else would have put up with your shit. You owe me! "Jake shouted back, anger and jealously radiating off his eyes.
"… I just… I want to keep my options open… You never know, they may come back…" Bella responded back, her hand shooting up to her lips in shock over what she had just said.
Jake let go of her hand, his eyes side and mouth open. After everything that had happened, she still wanted them? Jake had no time to process this information. He looked up and Bella was nowhere in sight.
Bella marched through the nearby ally, clearly unable to drive. Bella knew she was an idiot but not that big of one. Even if she was sober, she knew she was in no state mentally to be driving. Bella stormed past the crowds of people, earning a large amount of disapproving looks and grunts as she pushed past people left and right. With the light drizzle, Bella should have been cold but she felt warm. Very warm. Bella shed off her jacket and draped it over her shoulder, never feeling so happy to finally reach the solitude of the woods. Sure, it was probably not the safest thing to walk alone through the woods at night, but then again at least she only had to worry about wild animals, and not people.
Bella walked fast, taking deep breaths trying to collect herself and understand what had just happened. Jake had kissed her, and she had felt nothing, and she knew she should have. Bella kept replaying the thoughts of his hurt expression over and over in her mind, but no matter how guilty she felt, she could not force for there to be something that wasn't. So engrossed in her thinking, she didn't even hear the gruff laughing coming down from the nearby open meadow area, the meadow. Where Edward had left her. Where they all had.
"Hey there sweetheart, are you lost?" A sickly sweet voice rang out, causing Bella to shoot a hard look at the man who had spoken up. There was a group of them, five to be exact and they all towered over her in stature and in sheer size.
"No, I'm good, thanks" Bella responded briskly attempting to walk fast by them, hoping that they would just drop the subject. She had left her normal firearm at home as she knew she was going to be drinking.
" Hey, I know who you are. You're the absolute doll who caught a friend of ours and fined him over a grand for what you called illegal poaching cause he aint a native" One of the other men spoke up, cracking his fat knuckles and walking towards Bella, the others following suit.
"Yeah, well. You'll have to give more information to help me narrow it down. I do that a lot. It's my job" Bella responded. Slowly backing up. She was in no state to fight, she was having a hard time to even see straight.
"You think you're so smart huh? I think a little payback is in order" grinned one of the men, laughing roughly as they grabbed onto Bella tightly.
"You are making a big mistake, trust me. Let me go" Bella hissed through clenched teeth.
"It's just you and us out here, doll. Aint no one coming to save you" the man continued to smirk as he removed his belt, walking over to Bella and quickly undoing the top button of Bella's pants.
Bella's head was swimming. Tonight was simply not her night, and for the millionth time, she couldn't help but think the same phrase she had been thinking over and over, 'this can't be happening' .
Bella heard this hiss of her zipper, and the sickening feel of his lips and hot breath against her neck.
' Fuck, stop! 'Bella screamed in her head, suddenly feeling downright hot to the touch. She felt something inside, something ready to burst, and something that was clawing and fighting to escape. Bella opened her mouth to scream, but was silenced as she felt the man suddenly fly away, his lips removed swiftly from her skin. Bella felt the hands of the men holding her back loosen, and Bella fell to the soft forest ground, hearing nothing but her heart pounding in her head and the sickening crack of bones shattering. Bella was slow to look up, her reflexes still sluggish.
Bella gasped audibly, as standing in front of her was the small stature of a familiar figure. A woman, with dark as night short pixie hair, standing in front of Bella with her back to her. The woman had her pale colored fists clenched, shaking with sheer force.
"You have 10 seconds to get out of my sight before I break more than just a hand" Her voice hissed. The men scrambled backwards running from the meadow and into the forest, out of sight and out of mind.
Bella slowly stood up, unable to comprehend what she was seeing. There was no way that this was reality, surely it was just another dream.
"Alice…" Bella finally got out, after rebuttoning her now torn pants, and picking up her leather jacket.
Alice turned around, and briskly grabbed Bella and escorted her to the nearby bright yellow Porsche. Bella sat down on the cool leather seat and put her seatbelt on. It had been a long time, but she knew all too well how the Cullens drove. Alice walked over to the driver's side and sat down. Bella noted that she was wearing aviators and rolled her eyes slightly, only Alice would wear sunglasses at night just to make sure she coordinated with her outfit perfectly. Alice started the Porsche, and as soon as the purr of the engine calmed down, Alice punched it, neatly doing a jackknife turn and heading down the road back towards Bella's home.
The two rode in complete silence. Bella was not able look at Alice, she could feel how upset Alice was. It was similar to the night Edward had saved her down by the port, but somehow more intense. Bella had sworn that she had felt more than just anger in Alice's energy back in the meadow, but couldn't figure what it was. As fast as Alice was driving, it seemed to be taking forever. The tension was just too thick. Finally, Alice pulled up the front of the house, and stopped. Bella quickly grabbed her key to the front door and got out, running as fast as possible to the front door. She unlocked the door, and let herself in, turning on lights and the heater off. She was still way too hot. Bella began walking upstairs and heard the door close loudly. She knew that Alice was in the house and following, and that she was pissed.
' What the fuck am I supposed to do… to say?' Bella furiously thought, her insides shaking with anxiety.
Bella only had time to walk into her bedroom, and hang up her jacket before she heard Alice clear her throat behind her.
"Do you mind telling me what the hell you were thinking tonight?" Alice finally asked, her tone laced with frustration.
"It's not like I planned this to happen." Bella retorted, her back to Alice.
"Well, you certainly did not act in a way to help prevent this from happening! Do you have any idea what they wanted, what your future looked like if I wouldn't have intervened? Honestly, how much have you had to drink? " Alice retorted in exasperation.
With this Bella finally turned around, anger reflected off her dark brown eyes.
"A lot, who knows? And excuse me, but before we continue with this lecture, can you please explain to me why the fuck you even care? You left, Alice. You all left. No warning. You no longer have the right to worry about me, or my decisions. I'm thankful that you saved my life and whatever but you can go now. That is what you are best at!" Bella retorted, her eyes blazing.
" Bella, I know you are upset and you have every right to be but you don't know anything. You are wrong!" Alice shouted back, shaking her head. This was not how she had planned for their reunion to occur.
" Don't tell me that I'm wrong. I lived it, Alice! I lived without you. Without any of you, for months! I had to go through the process of healing, I had to deal with all of my demons, I had to move on with my life and face every issue, alone. You were not there, none of you were. You promised Alice, you promised!" Bella shouted, holding up her wrist to show the bracelet that Alice had given Bella so many moons ago.
"You still are wearing that? I thought you got rid of everything from us…" Alice questioned, suddenly her tone becoming softer.
"How did you know about that… I… Damnit, Alice… I… Take off your damn glasses, I want to look you directly in the eye" Bella stammered, shifting weight between her feet nervously.
"Fine, I mean it's going to make my outfit incomplete, but whatever. If that's what it's going to take for us to be able to have this conversation" Alice sighed, and removed her aviators.
"Thank you, now I…" Bella stopped as her eyes clashed deep with Alice's honey orbs. Bella could not finish her thought. She couldn't form any words. She couldn't even remember how to speak. Had she ever known how to properly speak? Bella could swear that everything else disappeared around her, came out of focus. There was some type of gravitational pull, pulling Bella towards Alice. A warm feeling of peace and happiness spread out in Bella more so than any shot of alcohol had. Thoughts of Edward, the other Cullens, Jake, school, everything fell away. Everything that had happened no longer was of significance. The only thing that mattered was standing before her.
"Bella?" Alice whispered, intrigued by Bella's sudden change of demeanor. Alice swore that she saw a hint of affection, maybe even longing in her eyes. But as soon as she had thought she had seen it, it was gone. Bella blinked once, then twice. This feeling was simply too much.
"Oh, fuck" Bella murmured, suddenly watching her world turn upside down. She felt herself falling, landing in a cool embrace. Not cold. Not hot. Just slightly cool. At this moment, perfect. She saw a concerned gaze of honey orbs look into her own, and a gentle hand brush her bangs from her face. Alice could feel the heat radiating off of Bella, and began to worry she was getting sick.
"It's okay, you need rest. Please, go to sleep, and don't worry. I will still be here in the morning" a soft voice cooed, and Bella relaxed, allowing herself to be surrounded by darkness.
Alice carried Bella in her arms, and laid her down gently on the bed. She removed Bella's shoes, and then laid down next to Bella on her back. Bella instinctively rolled over and spooned up to Alice, nuzzling her head against Alice's chest. Alice smiled softly down at Bella, and pulled the blanket over Bella and herself.
' Oh Edward, how could you ever give something like this up' Alice mused as she gently played with Bella's hair, careful not to wake her.
She had no idea had just happened, and what it all meant, but she was sure that she was right where she needed to be, next to her one true mate.
