Whale, whale, whale, water we have here?

I am so sorry, but that pun is the kind of person I am. Read on!

An angry man stood before Bella. He snarled, "How did you do this?" The man was nude, but that didn't curb the impressive figure he made. He was tall and ripped. The look on his face made it clear he was not to be messed with. Bella avoided her impulse to make a joke.

"I just told your wolf to calm down. I didn't know it would mess up your pack rule."

"Fix it," he growled. "Fix it right now."

Bella drew herself up to her full height and stepped around the vampires. Bella heard Esme say, "Bella, don't."

Behind her, Bella heard Jasper say, "Wait, just trust her."

Bella stood in front of the lead wolf. She was a few inches taller than him, so when she folded her arms across her chest and flexed, she presented an impressive form. "Excuse me? Who are you?"

He folded his arms as well, glaring at Bella with black eyes. "I am Sam, the alpha of this pack."

"Well Sam, it looks like you're not as Alpha as you thought. I seem to have severed Paul's connection be accident." Paul watched Bella and Sam from a few feet away. He cast his eyes downward when Bella said his name.

Sam growled. "Don't threaten me."

"If you find that a threat, you're really going to hate what I say next." Bella stepped closer, leaving only inches between her and Sam. "If you don't step back, I will take your whole pack from you."

"I'd like to see you try," Sam roared, his arms shaking and his teeth grinding together. Charlie joined Bella, taking a Beta position and growling at Sam. Sam growled back at Charlie, who put a strong hand on Sam's shoulder. Sam shoved her hand off of him and burst into his wolf form. A snarling, massive black wolf stood in front of her, snarling and dripping foaming drool.

Charlie grew beside Bella, swelling in size until he was equally as large as Sam was. "What the hell?" Alice said as she took a step forward.

Bella held up a hand behind her. "Don't Alice, I've got this." Bella dropped her arm and looked at Sam. "This is your last chance. Stop now." Sam took a step forward, and Bella shrugged. "Okay, let's go."

Bella took a defensive stance, her eyes flashing silver. Sam charged. Bella ducked under the leaping wolf. He scrabbled, his claws trying to get purchase. Bella spun around and readied for Sam to charge again. He kept his feet this time, running at her on the ground. Bella leapt over him and grabbed onto his scruff. She slammed the wolf bodily into the ground. Sam's legs worked, trying to catch the dirt and get out from under the goddess. Bella wrapped her arms fully around Sam's neck. Sam rolled over on top of Bella. Bella didn't let him go. The other wolves and Charlie formed a half circle behind Sam. Charlie and the Cullen's formed a half circle behind Bella. Bella tightened her grip, choking Sam.

"Don't kill him!" Paul said from the sidelines. He was still the only wolf in human form.

"I won't," Bella ground out through clenched teeth. Sam's fighting was getting weaker and weaker. Finally, he collapsed. Bella released him. The wolf rolled away, trying to catch his breath. He panted and hacked. "Shift." Bella commanded him.

In the wolf's place there was a beaten man. He remained down on one knee, a hand on his throat as he coughed. Charlie stayed by Bella's side. He returned to his normal size now that the threat had passed. Bella looked at all the wolves around her. "Sit," she commanded, trying out her new power. Charlie and all the wolves dropped to their hind quarters. Sam sat down in the grass. Bella saw the jean shorts on a cord around Sam's ankle. "You can get dressed," she nodded at him. He pulled the shorts on, hate flaring in his eyes as he refused to make eye contact with his new alpha.

Bella turned to look at the Cullen's, whose faces were all identical masks of shock, except for Alice's. Alice looked impressed. "Don't freak out," Bella said.

"I can't imagine anything freaking us out after that," Emmett laughed.

"You'd be surprised," Bella said. She turned around, eyed the wolves, then turned into a giant Molossian Hound. The transition happened so fast that even the vampires couldn't track it. Bella's form had turned into a huge ancient dog. Her muscular form made her stand out compared to the other wolves. Her fur was short, shorn close to her skin. It was a rich golden brown. Her ears were black, and they stood up as she took in the pack around her.

"That is so cool," Emmett stage whispered. Bella walked towards the wolves. She stepped by Sam, noting how he flinched.

What are your names? Bella asked through their mental link. They all recoiled from her mental voice. The ancient power behind her mental voice reverberated through them. Bella swung her head to look at Paul. He quickly shifted, not bothering to take off his shorts. He fell in line with his fellow wolves.

Thank god, Paul sighed. It seemed that in mastering Sam, Bella had restored Paul's pack link.

What are your names? Bella repeated, toning back her voice to avoid hurting the wolves.

Names started spilling into the link between them. Paul, Jacob, Leah, Jared, Quil, Embry, and Seth answered Bella's demand.

I am your alpha now, Bella said to them. Charlie is also part of our pack. Charlie's mind touched the pack's mind. He didn't think in cohesive human thoughts, but rather in pictures and emotions. The ancient knowledge of Charlie shocked the wolves as well. The wolves nodded their assent. Bella looked at Sam. She glared at him until he shifted as well. He fell in line, and Bella repeated herself. I am your alpha now. Sam nodded, his head staying lower than Bella's. I want you all to shift back now.

Bella shifted back to her original form. She pet Charlie's head and watched the wolves turn back into people. Paul and Sam looked amazed after they shifted. They still had their shorts on. The other wolves hurried to get dressed.

"How did you do that?" Jacob asked. "Your mind, it's, it's" he stuttered, looking for the right words, "massive. Amazing. I couldn't…" He opened his hands, indicating he didn't know what to say.

"Expansive? Ancient? Undecipherable?" Leah said, trying to help.

"All of those." Seth answered. After meeting them in their wolf form, Bella recognized their human forms. A figure walked up to join Bella on the opposite side that Charlie was on. Bella didn't have to look to know it was Alice. Bella had come to realize that when Alice was near her, she felt more at ease, more complete.

"Bella," Alice said quietly, "I think you might have to tell your secret." Alice whispered quietly enough that only Bella could hear her.

Bella ran her hands over her face. "Malakas."

"Watch your mouth!" Jasper called behind her. Bella spun on her heel to look at him. "What? I have a Ph.D. in Greek history."

Bella filed that under 'things to ask about later.' She nodded, then turned her attention back to the wolves. "Okay, I know everyone has questions, but now isn't the time. Pack, please go home. I will talk to you later. Sam, can you stay? Can we talk?" Sam looked down and away, but he nodded. "Thank you."

Bella turned to the Cullen's. "Guys, we'll talk later. I'll come by and grab my truck." Bella pulled Alice to her and kissed the top of her head. "I'll see you later?" Alice nodded, slightly stunned.

Bella and Sam turned at the edge of the woods and loped away. Charlie spun around, barked, then followed.

The Cullen's were left stunned in her absence. "I told you there was something off about her!" Edward shouted into the void.

Bella sat on the line where the Quileute reservation met Forks. She could instinctively feel the edge of the territory that now called to her. They had all taken their wolf forms, and Bella reveled in the depth of their connection. She could feel all their emotions coursing through them. Sam was angry, but he was dominated by a feeling of failure and confusion. Bella could feel the wolves trying to probe deeper into her mind, and she felt them recoiling at the size of her mind.

The wolves were in a half circle. Bella was closest to the territory line. The rest of the wolves were arranged further and further into their territory. Sam kept looking towards Bella's paws. The rest of the wolves felt like they could at least look at Bella while they spoke to her. She was the biggest of the pack, as the rest of the wolves noticed.

Are you a shifter? Jacob asked.

Well, I did just shift, Bella barked a laugh.

No, I mean, are you like us?

I am not. Bella took notice of the way they flinched, and she tempered her inner voice to be kinder to them. I am much, Bella hesitated, older than your people.

What you are is older? Or you are older? Seth asked, excitement dancing through their link.

I am older. I have been alive since the dawn of time.

How could you shift? Jacob asked.

I have always had a connection with dogs. Hunting dogs specifically. I have always been able to turn other people in other things, whether they be dogs, bulls, anything. As I got older, as I became stronger, I was able to turn that magic on myself.

How could you take our pack? Sam asked in a meek inner voice.

With my connection to dogs and wolves, it seems that the wolf in you could recognize the power in me. When Paul was out of control, I accidentally asserted a very old, very alpha, power over you.

So, what are you? Jacob continued.

Someone ancient. What I am is of no concern to you. It seems, however, that I am your alpha.

This shouldn't be, Jacob continued. We are rooted in blood. Our power comes down through our familial lines. We hunt vampires.

Oh, do you? Bella said. Why is that?

They're a threat to human populations. We protect our people. We protect Forks. Sam said, trying to assert himself. We will kill them as we always have.

Well that will be quite difficult, considering I am your alpha. Bella looked at Sam, who looked down again. I do not appreciate you hunting my creation. Bella felt the surprise through her connection. Charlie shifted his position, uncomfortable at the wolves' emotion. I told you, I am old. Where does this hatred come from?

Vampires attacked our village, long ago. Jacob allowed memories of the Quileute origin story to flood the pack link. Bella saw images of a cruel, faceless vampire hunting the Quileute's. She saw sacrifice, determination, and a faceless chief bursting into a wolf form. Bella nodded as she realized the depth of the tradition that she had broken.

I am sorry for what has happened here. Bella nodded her wolf head towards Paul. I have no intention of keeping your pack, or of being your alpha. I respect tradition. I respect family. I wish to return your power to you. Sam sat up. When someone earns it.

How? Jacob asked.

If I have to tell you, you haven't earned it. Go home, wolves. I'll be in touch.

"So, you're saying that Bella just turned into a wolf and took control of the pack?"

"It was crazy!" Emmett shouted, gesticulating wildly. "Sam lunged and Bella was just like," Emmett dove and wrestled an imaginary enemy. Rosalie watched him with a bemused smile on her face. Edward and Jasper sat on the stairs, listening to the retelling of the fight. Alice sat on the balcony ledge, looking out at the trees in the night. There were several deer picking their way carefully through the woods, painfully oblivious to the family of predators a hundred yards away from them. Alice was still thinking about the way Bella had kissed her head before leaving. An electric shock had jolted through her like nothing she'd ever seen or felt before. "Then," Emmett popped up off the floor and continued, "She just turned into a huge dog and left with all the wolves."

"And we have no idea how she did that?" Carlisle asked. He looked at Edward. "Did you hear anything?"

Edward shook his head. He was watching Alice. "I could hear the collective pack mind, but where Bella was concerned," Edward shook his head, the confusion plain on his face, "there was something I couldn't comprehend. The wolves, even they recoiled from it. It's like there was too much in her mind. I don't know."

"Alice, you've spent some time with her." Carlisle drew his daughter's attention. "Do you have any idea what she could be?"

Alice had prepared for this question, so she used the forefront of her mind to trace the geography of Austin, Texas. "No, I don't know."

"You two seem close," Edward said knowingly. "She seems to care for you a lot. I bet you could find out."

Esme watched her daughter, a smug smile on her face. She could see what was happening here. Alice looked at her mother. They stared each other down.

"Alice?" Edward asked.

Alice snapped back to attention. "I don't know. I'll see." She shrugged. "If she has a huge secret though, there might be a reason for that." The whole family scrutinized Alice. "What? We keep secrets, don't we? For good reason, too."

"Fair point," Carlisle said slowly, "but if this could be dangerous for us, we need to know. If you find out she's dangerous, you'll let us know, right?"

"Of course. I want nothing more than to protect our family."

Bella sighed as she parked her truck in the school parking lot. Angela and Jessica had apparently been waiting for her. The two of them rushed over as soon as her door opened.

"Okay, tell me now, who are they?" Jessica demanded. Angela held her books tight to her chest. She adjusted her glasses and waited patiently.

"Pray tell me, who do you mean, dear Stanley?" Bella hoisted her backpack onto her shoulder. It was heavy with the schoolwork she'd finally sat down to complete.

"Hot boys from the res. You know them?" Jessica looked excited.

"Aren't you hung up on Newton?" Bella asked, trying not to laugh.

"Who was that girl?" Angela asked. Bella raised an eyebrow. "What? Who are they? All of them?"

"Yeah, yeah. Alright Weber. The two biggest guys were Paul and Jacob. The smaller guys were Seth and Jared." Angela kept waiting, and Bella cocked her head to the side. "And the built girl is Leah."

"Why do they get first names?" Jessica asked.

"Well, Stanley, if I don't know their last names, they don't get last names. I'll figure it out."

"Dibs on the angry one." Jess smiled.

"You want dibs on someone, Weber?" Angela shrugged noncommittally. The bell rang. "Alright, sure. Let's go you two, we gotta get to class." As they entered the school, Bella said, "And Stanley, you know Newton is a jealous guy, right?"

Jess flipped her hair over her shoulder. "I know." She laughed as they split off to go their separate ways.

I hope that was satisfying.