Pulling up to Billy Black's house Rosalie was unsurprised to find him waiting on the porch. As soon as they crossed the town line she was sure someone had called him.Getting out of the car she hurried to get Bella's door and as she held out her hand to help Bella out of the car she noticed Billy giving her a look of approval.
"Well I guess the wolves like me." She mutter low enough for only Bella to hear.
Bella gave her a confused look."What?"
Rosalie shut the car door behind Bella." Don't worry about it.I'll tell you later."
Before Bella could enquire further Billy's voice greeted them." White tiger it's an honor to have you here. Is this just a friendly visit or is there something you wish to discuss?"
Bella walked up the steps and shook Billy's hand. "It's a little of both. I would like to have a meeting with the elders and your alpha first. We have a bit of business that I would like your input on."
"Of course come inside,the others are already on their way. We were told of your arrival and they are very excited to see you." Billy told them as he motioned for them to take a seat on the couch in the living room.
Rosalie sat on the worn out sofa and looked around the room. Like the kitchen the living room was run down and desperately needed an update. The couch they sat on had seen better days and if she wasn't a vampire,Rosalie would have been bothered by the spring she could feel going through the cushion.
The rest of the room consisted of an older model tv on a beat up tv stand, a love seat and two recliners. There were various pictures hanging on the walls of what Rosalie guessed was Billy's family and tribe members.Before she got a chance to ask, Sue Clearwater, Quil Ateara and Sam Uley walked into the living room.
"White tiger, it's a pleasure seeing you again." Quil said shaking Bella's hand.
"The pleasure is mine." Bella told him before shaking Sam's hand also.
Sue ignored the hand altogether and pulled Bella down for a hug." Welcome back white tiger. Hello Rosalie."
"Hello Sue." Rosalie replied with a smile.
Taking a seat in one of the recliners Sam looked to Bella and Rosalie. "I have a feeling that there is much you need to discuss with us white tiger."
From her seat between Rosalie and Sue on the couch Bella spoke." Myself and my mate are being hunted by one of her coven members. It's his belief that if he kills Rosalie he can gain control of me and use me to overthrow the vampire governing body known as the Volturi."
Sue gasped." He wishes to kill your imprint?"
"You have our support in protecting your imprint white tiger. What do you need from us?" Quil asked.
Rosalie was taken aback. Without even explaining the full danger the wolves had volunteered to help protect her. Even though she didn't need it,she was touched to know they would come to her defense should the need arise. Even the Denalis who she considered family didn't offer such blind trust. She was Bella's imprint and because of that fact the wolves would do whatever it took to keep her safe. Her,a vampire, their mortal enemy,they would lay their lives down to keep her alive for Bella.
Bella grabbed Rosalie's hand and gave it a supportive squeeze. "I appreciate your concern for Rosalie but it isn't the reason we came today. I hope the fight won't come to you but we felt the need to warn you of the danger."
"What exactly are you facing white tiger?" Billy asked.
"Edward, my coven mate has decided to make an army of newborn vampires and other allies he can find to help him capture Bella. "Rosalie said.
"Why would this Edward want to kill your imprint and capture you? What's his purpose for all this?" Sam asked.
"Edward has the ability to read minds. He couldn't read Bella's and became determined to find out why and then kill her when we thought she was still human. When we found out that she was actually a shifter he turned his focus from killing her into an obsession of wanting to capture her." Rosalie explained. "He wasn't subtle about his plans either. He would rant for hours about all the ways having Bella by his side would help him finally have the power to become the great coven leader he always thought he should be. We thought they where just the ramblings of a madman."
"My father told me of the vampire that could read minds. It always seemed like a tall tale. Do all vampires have powers?" Billy asked.
"Not all. Two other members of my coven have them. Alice can see the future but not when shifters are involved. Jasper can alter emotions. There is also a vampire named Victoria that is visiting who has the power to sense danger and when to fight or flee. None of the intrusive powers work on Bella or me anymore. Victoria told me that she feels the constant need to run away when Bella or myself is close. Other vampires have abilities but it quite rare." Rosalie told them.
"And you said this Edward person is creating an army to kill Rosalie and capture you?" Sue asked.
"Yes he has been meeting with nomads. One of them, Victoria came to me for protection. Her sire has agreed to help Edward by creating an army of newborn vampires. He is apparently very sadistic and she fears him enough that she has never felt safe enough trying to leave him. He is some kind of hunter. As for the others Edward is meeting with we don't know who they are." Bella said.
Sam looked around the room to the tribe elders and after receiving nods he spoke. "We offer the help of our pack to you and your imprint white tiger. I know you said you didn't need us but it would be a great honor to help."
Bella smiled. "I had a feeling you would say that.That's why I worked it out with the vampires to have you come and watch them train. Even if you don't have to fight with me this time it would be advantageous to you and your tribe to learn the fighting styles of vampires. "
"We would very much like to have the opportunity. When do you want us to start?" Sam asked.
"We planned on spending some time here today with the tribe. I was wondering if you and some of the wolves would like to go hunting with me?"
"I know all the of pack would love to go hunting with you white tiger. I'll get them rounded up and we can meet up in the woods." Sam told her.
Bella turned to Rosalie." Do you want to come with us?"
"Rosalie can stay here if she wishes. The rest of the tribe would like a chance to speak with her." Sue said.
"I'll stay here. I'm sure it will be fine. Go have fun with the wolves and I'll be here when you get back." Rosalie reassured Bella.
Bella gave Rosalie a kiss."Ok, call me if you need me."
Sue motioned for Rosalie to follow her out the front door. "We can go to the meeting hall if you'd like. I know they had some activities planned for the children."
"That would be nice but are you sure your people would feel comfortable around me?" Rosalie asked.
Sue laid a hand on Rosalie's arm. "You are the great white tiger's imprint. That means you are just as revered as the white tiger herself as you are her greatest strength. Your position is no less respected as you are considered the heart of our savior."
Rosalie found herself speechless. Sue spoke her words with such conviction there was no way she didn't mean every single one of them. It was a strange feeling having a group of people look at her the same way they did Bella. In her life she was always tossed aside or despised for who she was. As a vampire she was considered bitchy and as Emmett and Alice liked to call her an ice queen who was no fun.
Amongst these shifters she was highly respected because of her relationship with Bella. She hated to admit it but Emmett was right,she was cool by association. That didn't mean she wouldn't do all she could to earn their respect on her own and if that meant spending some time with the tribe, building relationships with their people she would happily do it, she thought as Sue led her into a large building that seemed to act as the community meeting place.
A familiar small girl ran to Rosalie. "Is the white tiger here?"
"Clare is that the proper way to greet Rosalie?" Emily asked as she hurried over to the child." Hi,Rosalie."
"Hello, Emily." Rosalie said as she gave the Clare a smile. "Yes, Bella is here but she is with the pack right now in the woods. I promise she will come and say hello before we leave."
"Can we go play with them?" Clare asked Emily.
"No sweetheart, not right now." Emily told her."Why don't we show Rosalie what we have been working on?"
Rosalie couldn't hide her look of surprise as Clare grabbed her hand and led her to a long table covered in newspaper and pumpkins in various stages of carving and decoration surrounded by a bunch of children and some slightly stressed out adults helping them.
"We are decorating pumpkins and some of the older kids are carving them." Emily explained.
Upon noticing Rosalie in the room she became surrounded by most of the younger children all excited to see her. After reassuring them all that Bella would came and see them, the children calmed down a bit.
"Rosalie come see my pumpkin." A little boy called to her.
Rosalie looked to Sue and Emily and after receiving encouraging smiles made her way over to the child." What are you making?"
"I'm making a white tiger." He told her proudly showing her his pumpkin that had a crudely painted white tiger on it.
"That's amazing." She gushed." I know that Bella would love to see this when she comes to see you guys."
The boy gave her a big grin and went back to his pumpkin. Other children called her to them and she spent the next hour walking around looking at each of the pumpkins oohing and awwing and offering praise to each child. Not having heard from Bella she decided to check in.
Finding a quiet corner she reached out with her mind."Sweetheart are you there?"
"I'm here Rose, what are you guys up to?" Bella asked
"I'm helping the children decorate pumpkins for Halloween."Rosalie told her.
"That sounds like fun."Bella said."I want to try something."
"What"Rosalie asked her.
"Well it seems I can speak with Sam through the mind link. I think it is because he is the alpha as I'm not able to talk to the other wolves."Bella explained."Sam would please reach out to Rosalie."
"Of course white tiger. Rosalie this is Sam."Sam's voice rang clear in Rosalie's mind.
"I can hear you Sam."Rosalie told him.
Sam's voice was full of awe."Amazing."
"It truly is. Thank you Rose. Do you mind if I stay out for a little while longer?"Bella asked.
Rosalie chuckled. "Of course Bella go have fun with your friends. I'll be here."
"Thank you and as always let me know if you need me."Bella said.
"I love you."Rosalie told her.
"I love you too."Bella promised cutting off the link.
As Rosalie made her way back to the table Sue asked. "Are you alright? You looked lost in thought over there."
"Oh, no I'm fine. I was talking to Bella." At seeing Sue's confused look Rosalie explained. "I can speak to her through the mind link when she is in tiger form. Actually it seems that she and I can also speak to Sam through the mind link."
"Amazing." Emily said as the group of adults who heard voiced their agreement. "Have you always been able to speak to Bella through the link?"
Rosalie shook her head. "No, only after our bond was accepted by both of us. Since then I have been able to."
"What's it like?" An older woman Rosalie remembered seeing speaking to Bella at the bonfire asked.
Rosalie thought about how to explain it." It's like having a regular conversation but all in your head. Almost like speaking on the phone to a person. I hear Bella very clearly and hears me just as well. I can also tap into her thoughts when she isn't directly trying to talk to me. We worked out a way to allow us to close the connection so it isn't always happening. That is nice because it's hard to concentrate when you have not only your thoughts but someone else's in your mind."
"I always thought it would be nice to be able to talk to my son while he was in wolf form but I'm not so sure. I don't like the idea that he would be able to read my thoughts and there is no way I want to know what my 15 yr old son is thinking." The same woman said making the adults laugh.
"Did Bella say when they would be back?" Sue asked.
"They will be out for a while longer. It sounds like they are having fun." Rosalie told her.
"Well we still have a bunch of pumpkins to carve would you like to give it a try?" Emily asked.
"You know I've never carved a pumpkin before." Rosalie said.
"Not even when you were human?" Sue asked surprised.
"I was born in 1915 and turned into a vampire in 1933. It wasn't really a thing my family did and then I just never thought about it after that as we never got trick or treaters at any of our houses." Rosalie told her.
Sue pushed Rosalie towards the pile of pumpkins on the floor." Then you definitely have to carve a pumpkin now."
Rosalie gave her a big smile." You know what? I think I would love to."