Ellinor could feel the ache of her swollen eyes before she even opened them, her stomach in a tight knot still after her fitful night of sleep. Normally she didn't remember her dreams, but the ones from last night still haunted her into her wakefulness. She cleared the lump in her throat as she sat up slowly, groaning at the stiffness in her limbs. She stretched languidly, trying to focus on just one thing- that's all she had to do, one thing at a time.

She let out a heavy sigh, standing up from the single bed shoving her feet back into her discarded boots before she exited into the hallway. She could hear noises from the kitchen, and a blush rose to her cheeks quickly as she hurried for a bathroom, finding and disappearing within one seconds before she someone stepped into the narrow hallway. She leaned against the door for a moment to compose herself, pushing off roughly from the door as she stepped toward the sink splashing water over her face.

She stared at herself in the mirror, her golden cat-like eyes swollen and red-rimmed, her brown hair mused from a night of restless sleep. "Pull it together Hayse." she snapped at her reflection, wiping her fingers under her eyes, blue sparks trailing in their wake as the puffiness subsided a bit. She waved her hand behind her head as well, watching as her hair moved on its own in intricate patterns to braid her hair down her back, grateful for once of Magnus's brand of vanity spells.

She flicked her hand down her figure, her sleep wrinkled clothes changing in an instant to fresh ones, and she relished in the feeling of her magic surging through her again, unhindered by anything, the terrible memory of the night before when it was taken away so effortlessly by Bella. She examined her hands, turning them slowly to assure herself. "You're fine." She mumbled, nodding her head as if to convince herself she believed those words. She stared at herself in the mirror again, jumping at the sudden knock on the door.

"Ellie? We've got breakfast when you're ready." Billy's called to her. "Do you need anything?"

She took another steadying breath, staring blankly at the mirror for a long second. Well, she supposed the only way out was through. She turned to the door opening it and giving the man in the chair a tight-lipped smile. "Morning Billy." She said, her voice cracking much to her distaste.

The man looked her over, surprised by her wardrobe change. She waved her fingers at them, sparks raining from them to illustrate her explanation. He chuckled softly at that, rolling down the hallway. "Magical wardrobe change?" He asked teasingly as she followed him out into the kitchen, her eyes scanning the room's occupants. Rachel and Paul again, sans their little ones, and another two men she had met yet with the same tanned skin and cropped dark hair, the same build as Paul and- Jacob- more pack members there. "I'll give you a wardrobe change in the middle of the supermarket if you don't watch yourself, young man." She warned him lightly, earning a laugh from Paul as she claimed a chair at the table. She couldn't decide if she was relieved or not to find Jacob absent, that indecisiveness alone was driving her mad. What did she care where he was, it was of no concern to her.

One of the newcomers scoffed at her jest, eyeing her up and down. "Young man? Just how old are you anyhow?" The boy asked, earning an elbow to his side from his companion.

"Shut it Embry." the boy hissed at him, looking over to Billy apologetically.

Ellinor ignored the outburst, taking the offered coffee gratefully from Rachel, taking a slow sip from the mug. She was more bored by the question than offended, she'd heard it hundreds of times before, and was already anticipating the more predictable ones to follow.

"Oh like you're not thinking it Quil, we all are." He argued, Rachel glaring across the room at him. "First with the leech lover, and now her," He said, jabbing his finger at Ellinor. "You all saw what she did last night, she's some kind of witch, how can she be trusted?"

"Warlock Embry." Rachel said exasperated. "You know she's a Warlock, and show some respect, she's Billy's friend and your Alpha's-" The door burst open then interrupting the woman's chastising as they all looked to the door, all but Ellinor. Every fiber in her wanted to turn toward the door, a sort of aching building in her chest again as if a string was anchored in it, pulling her attention toward the door, which only added fuel to her ever-growing annoyance.

"Watch your tone when you speak to me, I am in no mood for your inane questions, and if any of you-" She said, addressing the room at large again. "Call me a mundane witch again." She raised her eyebrows pointedly, letting the threat hang in the air, open to the imagination as she sipped from her mug.

Jacob walked into her line of sight then, and she had to swallow hard around her mouthful of coffee to keep herself from choking on it. Sniggers broke out and threw the room, and Rachel rubbed her back gently as she tried to recover from her fumble. Her cheeks burned for more than one reason, and she avoided further eye contact with the younger Black less she embarrassed herself further. She supposed she deserved that for her little dramatic episode, though it would have done Magnus proud.

Billy pushed a plate of an egg casserole of colossal proportions in front of her then. "Borders secure boss?" Quil asked Jacob jokingly, trying to break the tension in the room.

Jacob nodded, dishing himself up a heaping plate as he remained at the counters. "Northern and Western, no sign of whatever it was." He said with a shrug. "I just came home for a meal, I'll finish the rest after." He mumbled, shoveling a forkful into his mouth, his eyes diligently on his own plate.

Rachel not so discreetly elbowed Paul in the ribs, having to give the man a pointed look and a jerk of her head for the door before the message sunk in. "Nah, you rest man, Embry, Quil, and I can finish the sweep for you." He said, standing up from the table, pressing a kiss to Rachel's forehead. "See you at home?" He said to her, squeezing her shoulder before he turned for the back door, the two other large men following behind him.

"Nice to meet you Ellinor," Quil said to her as he passed, a tone of apology in his voice. She ignored him for the most part, giving only a slight nod of her head as Rachel stood to clear the dishes, loading them into the sink.

"Well, I better get the boys from Paul's Mom, she can only handle them for so long," she said trailing off, grabbing her coat and purse from her chair. She gave her father a kiss on the cheek, patting Jacob on the chest before she turned to Ellinor. "Sorry about the morning chaos, I swear they're usually more well behaved." Jacob and Billy both scoffed at that, and Rachel sighed, giving Ellinor a meek smile before she left.

Billy let out a low chuckle, moving to the sink to add his dish to the growing pile. "And with that kiddos, I'll make my exit as well." amusement very evident in his tone, smirking at Ellinor's distasteful frown. "Yeah yeah I know, ancient Warlock who a mere mortal like myself should not dare cross." He said amused, rolling himself to the front door. "Eat the frog, Jake." He called out before letting the door slam behind him.

She took another stab at the egg bake, forcing another forkful into her mouth as she felt the last occupant in the room eyes on her. "It-it's just a weird phrase of his, we don't actually each frog." He joked lightly.

She swallowed mechanically, pushing her plate aside, not raising her head to meet his eyes. "They're not horrible, mostly taste like chicken," she mumbled. "Fishy chicken." she winced at her own awkward remark, yelling at herself to just shut up. " I am aware of the phrase, and its meaning is not lost on me. So, what is the frog you'll be eating?"

He let out an amused huff, setting his plate down on the counter behind him. "Ellie, look at me, please." He was not demanding, his low voice gentle, pleading.

She hazarded an upward glance at him, regretting it the instant she locked eyes with him, trapped in the intensity of his gaze. "Are you okay?" The question made her chest ache, her tightly wound defenses being tugged at effortlessly by the simple question. "Sorry, that was a dumb question." He mumbled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I know you're not- I just-" His voice trailed off, trying to convey with his eyes what his words were failing to do.

A knock at the front door made both of them jump. Jacob glared toward the door, grumbling under his breath as he went to answer it. His body relaxed then, moving aside as the young girl who had returned with Seth entered the home. "Nessie, what are you doing here?" He asked confused, watching as the girl walked into the kitchen, giving Ellinor a tentative smile.

"To talk." She said simply, she walked over to Ellinor, raising her hand up to hover above Ellinor's cheek, the same gesture she'd done with her Mother the previous night. "May I?" She asked Ellinor, who paused for only a moment, her curiosity getting the best of her despite everything as she nodded her head.

"I cannot promise to be-" She was cut off then by Nessie's gentle hand cupping her cheek, a flood of visions rushing across her mind as this girl explained nearly her entire life first hand. From her birth to her childhood being raised with the Cullens, highlighting her tender memories with Carlisle who dotted on her just as much as the rest of them. It felt like an eternity before the girl pulled her hand away, leaving Ellinor gasping in shock.

"I don't want you to be afraid of Grandpa." She explained out loud, stepping back as she gave Ellinor room to breathe.

"Renesmee you can't just do that to people, you have to warn them." Jacob chastised the girl, moving to Ellinor's side. "It's a way she communicates, showing people her memories or thoughts." He explained.

Ellinor would find the gift extraordinary under any other circumstances, but now, she only distrusted it. "Tell your Grandfather the only one who should be afraid is him," she said in an unwavering voice.

The girl did not flinch at her vague threat, her brows only furrowing. "Why? He won't say why you were so upset with him...and whatever it is, well I'm not sure he remembers it all clearly, but he knows he's sorry- he said he did know that you were his biggest regret in life."

Ellinor bristled at that, scoffing at the girl's little speech. "How convenient for him to have forgotten the finer details of our acquaintance." She sneered, sarcasm dripping from her voice. "Tell your Grandfather he can keep his Trojan horse."

"I am not a Trojan horse." Nessie objected, frowning in return. "No one knows I came here, except for Seth...for now." This made Jacob groan in frustration, running his hands over his face in exasperation. "He wants to make things right with you, I know he does, but he wouldn't dare reach out to you without your permission. He doesn't want to upset you anymore."

Ellinor laughed. "If you or he thinks I'm coming anywhere near him, or your Mother again for that matter, you're quite mistaken," she said standing, moving to the sink abruptly to toss her plate into the pile. "He can take his apology and shove it, the only thing I want from him is to leave me the hell alone."

Nessie opened her mouth to speak again, but a gentle shuddering took over the entire house, silencing them all. Ellinor let out a sigh of relief and headed for the back door, Jacob on her heel. She only spared him a backward glance before stepping outside, walking toward the tree line as she began to look around.

"El!" A voice called out toward the west, and she turned toward it, feeling herself relax instantly when she saw the two men approach.