A/N: WHAT? TWO chapters in ONE week?! Someone tell the press!

But seriously, I'm just really excited to get to the good parts, and also I wanted to reply to one particular review I got. (If you want some minor spoilers for future chapters, what I say in response to reviews is where it's at...)

Enjoy and review, please!

Chapter 11

Trust Me, I'm a Hybrid

"What to do, what to do..." I asked myself after I showered and redressed. I laid out some outfits I could wear during the… attack on my bed and just stared at them blankly.

Please help us all come out alive after this.

Suddenly I heard heavy thunder from a distance. I looked out to my balcony to see a storm brewing miles away, making its way closer.

"Hmm. Looks like a strong one." I mumbled to myself. Bored and getting antsy, I looked at my phone and decided to call Jasper up to see where I could be of use.

"Ask Edward; he might have something for you." He said kindly.

"You're not with him?"

"He took Bella to the mountains. I think he's still reachable on his cell."

"Alright. Thanks." I said dully.

"Wait." He started, cutting me off my goodbye.

"Yeah?"

"I'm really sorry about what I said about Seth. He's really not so bad." He said quietly as though it were more to himself than to me.

"It's okay. Let's just put it behind us." I said, not wanting to talk about it.

"Yeah. Alright, sorry. Bye." He said hurriedly.

"Bye." I hung up and quickly dialed Edward. "Ed?" I asked when it picked up.

"Hey, Callie. It's Bella. Edward went to get some stuff for the storm, but he should be back soon." She explained.

I nodded even if she couldn't see me and I started pacing. "Um, are you good there? Jasper told me you're hiding out in the mountains."

"Yeah. We are. Why are you calling?" Edward's voice suddenly came on.

"Oh, Edward. Just asking if there's any way I could help." I said with a nervous chuckling, as if I were caught doing something illegal.

"We're fine. Just stay home, where you're safe." He warned.

"But don't you think I could be an asset? I mean, I'm apparently good at combat. I can serve as more protection for Bella." I offered in a sing-song voice. I could practically hear the wheels turning in his head.

"No, you can't come. It's still dangerous here." He reasoned.

"But I'm all alone here, Ed. At least let me do something." I pleaded.

"We're fine here. Jacob's also with us."

"Then what can I do?"

"Sit tight and pray." He snickered.

"Fine. Then, I'll fight on the field." I argued.

"You are not doing that." He said firmly.

"Why not? I'll be helping keeping your girlfriend alive." I said, walking out to my balcony and looking to the mountains in the distance.

"By putting yourself in danger? I don't think so."

"Edward, maybe she could stay with us. She's not safe alone in that house either, you know it." I heard Bella's voice from afar.

"But Bella, we can't put her in even worse danger." Edward tried covering the receiver.

"I'll never be able to live with myself if they attacked her in your house while she was alone. Alice told me my scent is noticeable in your house."

I sniffed. Yup.

Edward sighed. "Okay, fine. Come over. I have another tent where you can stay. Just bring some food for yourself." He instructed before hanging up.

I looked at my phone and stuck my tongue out. "Goodbye to you too, jeez." I said, before grabbing a small duffel from my room, changing to rain-appropriate gear and heading downstairs.

"Let's see what's in the fridge, shall we?" I asked myself as I opened the huge double doors of the appliance. "Raw meats, milk, eggs..." I started counting off.

Finding only a cup of strawberry yogurt in the fridge, I checked the pantries.

"Canned fruit, canned meat, canned... bread? Okay what the heck are these doing here I don't even eat canned fruit." I shook my head, then looked at the expiration dates. "January 17, 1998." I grimaced. "Lovely." I threw the cans in the trash and continued searching the pantry.

"These should do." I announced happily to myself, finding non-expired cans of ready-to-eat mashed potato, ravioli, and corn with carrots and peas.

I stuffed the food in my bag along with a can opener, a mobile gas stove, and a travel spork. Grabbing the keys from the counter and an umbrella, I left the house and locked it, then started my long trek to the mountains.

I managed to track Jacob's scent to their location and luckily for me, I made it there before the rain started to really pour and night began to fall.

"You're sleeping on the other side of the mountain." Edward commanded, tossing me the packed tent.

My mouth hung open. "Why?!"

"In case the newborns track us here. Callie, I'm only looking out for you." He said sincerely.

"Ugh!" I stomped my foot. "Fine, then." I said, taking the pack and marching to the other side.

"Sorry, Cals." Bella apologized.

I sighed. "Meh." I started to ramble on about how being a hybrid sucks while I tried to set the tent up in the light rain.

"I swear to God, the next time something like this happens I'm gonna-"

"-gonna what?" Seth suddenly appeared behind me, scaring me out of my wits that I jumped a foot high.

I hit him on the arm.

"Ow!" He yelped, rubbing the part where I hit him.

I gasped upon realizing whom I was talking with. "S-sorry. You surprised me." I said apologetically.

"Remind me never to throw you a surprise party." He said, inspecting the half-done tent.

"Wouldn't work. I can read minds, remember? And, I have exceptional hearing."

"Then why didn't you hear me just now?" He laughed.

"I was too busy ranting." I frowned.

He nodded, smiling. "It's going to start raining hard soon." He pointed out, looking up at the sky and the dark clouds that loomed over us.

"Well, no shit, Sherlock." I rolled my eyes. "Be helpful?" I said, handing him some metal rods. He gladly took it and began to work on the tent with me.

"Why are you here? I thought you had orders from Sam." I asked confusedly.

"I said I'd come back to you as soon as possible. All Sam wanted was for me to get some rest." He shrugged. "Your brother Jasper also requested I be by your side."

"But... how did you find me?" I asked.

"I could hear you shouting at Edward. Best hearing of the pack, Callie." He said proudly, and got the tent to finally stand.

I blushed. "I wasn't shouting, exactly..." I said, tossing my duffel inside the tent. "Just pissed."

"Mhmm. If you say so." He nodded with raised eyebrows.

I rolled my eyes. "Wanna come in?" I asked, removing my sneakers and bringing them with me into the tent.

He looked around. "Um, no, I'm good."

I frowned. The thunder roared, then I looked back at him.

"Oh, really now?" I questioned with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. I entered the tent, but then was surprised he didn't follow after a moment. I peeked my head back outside, to find Seth seated a few feet away. He was hugging his legs as he sat on the ground. He'd be drenched if not for his raincoat.

I sighed. "Seth, just get in."

He looked at me. "I'm fine. I'll be a better watch from out here. You know, to keep you safe."

"From what? The storm? Seth, the army's coming tomorrow. Just get through tonight with this storm and get in the tent, then just... wake up early or something." I told him. "You won't be much help tomorrow if you get sick."

"I don't get sick, Callie." He pointed out.

"Well, you won't be much help if you use up your energy staying up, either."

He looked away and sighed. "Ok, fine, you're right." He caved and followed me into the tent.

We settled into spots that were on opposite sides of the little manmade cave. The rain began to pour outside, and the thunder followed the lightning in split seconds.

I was a little scared, but he seemed very uncomfortable with something else — I sensed it. He also looked around, everywhere but at me. The only sounds present were the thousand tiny tent drums and the thunder outside.

"This tent is surprisingly very waterproof." I finally spoke up, looking directly at him.

"Yeah." He replied meekly, still looking around.

"Ok, what's your deal? See a ghost? Or like, an actual werewolf? What?" I asked, frustrated.

He shook his head. "No, nothing like that."

"Then what?"

He sighed, looking through the small plastic window of the tent.

"I don't get it. Why don't you just read my mind to find out?" He finally looked at me.

"Because. I don't want to invade your privacy." I said. "Plus, it kinda wears me out."

He nodded slowly. I neared him, reaching my hand out but he scooted away.

"What did I do?" I asked gently, sounding more defeated than I thought.

He frowned at me in assurance. "You didn't do anything. It's me. I might do something." He hugged his legs to his chest defensively.

I cocked an eyebrow. "Do what?"

He sighed again. "Callie, I talked with the other guys about this whole thing, and… they found it hard to… well…"

"Out with it already, dude." I dropped my shoulders in defeat.

"Well, they found it difficult to be alone with their imprints in an enclosed space." He slowly looked up at me. "Which I realized myself not six hours ago, too."

I narrowed my eyes. "Does my scent still repulse you or-"

"No, nothing like that. The opposite, actually." He cut me off. "Basically, you're hard to resist."

I looked away and bit my lip to suppress a smile, but my body failed me as blood rushed to my cheeks. "What a wonderful compliment." I commented awkwardly.

"I might hurt you, though."

I gave him a look. "Don't flatter yourself, Seth, you're not the only one with supernatural powers." I chuckled.

He smiled. "Yeah, I guess so."

"See? So come on, if anything gets too weird, I think I can manage to kick you out." I said, reaching my hand out to him.

He slowly reached out as well, and I pulled him to me with vampiric force.

"Ok, yeah, you are pretty strong." He chuckled, sitting cross-legged before me.

"Of course." I shrugged, turning the electric lamp on.

He took my hand in his warm, big ones and traced the lines with his calloused fingertips.

I squirmed. "I'm also extremely ticklish."

"Aha." He gave me a mischievous look.

"Don't you dare." I warned, already laughing as I felt the tickling sensation in my mind.

"I won't. Promise." He continued his ministrations on my palm. "For now."

I rolled my eyes, looking down at our hands. "What are your orders for tomorrow?" I asked, looking at him.

He thought. "Well, since Brady and Collin should manage patrols on our land, and everyone else will be on the battlefield, Sam told me to stay with you, Bella, and Edward."

"Why? I mean, not that I don't want you here because I mean, it is safer… but, why not on the field?"

"I told you I have the best hearing of the pack, so I can help you guys know what's coming if Edward can't read minds from so far away."

I nodded in understanding. "Alright. Makes sense."

He nodded as well.

We stayed there in silence just enjoying the other's company as the rain teemed down and our tent was blanketed in darkness.

"Aren't you feeling cold?" I asked Seth curiously, who was sitting wearing a sleeveless hooded shirt while I was hugging myself as I curled up underneath sheets of blankets.

He smiled down at me. "I never feel cold any more."

"Right, right." My teeth chattered.

"Here." He said kindly, moving to lie down beside me and opening his arms.

"Are you sure about this?" I asked, remembering what he said earlier.

"I think I can control myself. After all, I now live to serve you." He smirked.

I gave him a look. "Seth…"

"Hey, relax. I can't let you get hypothermia or something." He reasoned, taking me into his arms.

I instantly felt his heat as well as my own spread through my body like wildfire.

I moaned in delight. "Seth, you're so hot." I joked with a coquettish smile.

He laughed. "Not the first time I've heard that."

I hit his chest.

"Kidding, kidding. Callie, cool it with the hitting me alright? I'm not a piñata." He chuckled.

"Fine." I said, inching closer to him.

He placed his head atop mine and hugged me tighter, but still careful not to crush me. I nuzzled my head into the crook of his neck, and wrapped my leg around one of his.

I could hear his heart beating faster, and he tensed.

"Just relax, Seth. I trust you."

"I don't trust myself."

"I can use Jasper's power if you want." I looked at him.

"Yeah, I think you should." He admitted.

I nodded, and kicked his emotions down a notch. I sighed unsatisfactorily.

He visibly relaxed.

"I wanna promise you something." I said, looking up at him.

He looked back at me, confused. "And what would that be?"

"That I never use my powers on you. Like, ever. I feel like I'm cheating or something. I mean, if we're really soulmates doesn't that mean that we're supposed to be good for each other?"

He nodded, considering this. "So, does that mean that you want me to lose control?"

I made to hit him, but thought against it. "No." I sat up. "I'm just saying, I don't want to control you."

"And you're not. You're just… helping me adjust." He shrugged.

I gave him a look. "That's not good enough."

"Then, what do you suggest we do? Now, I mean." He asked.

I sighed. "Well, I don't want to freeze to death, that's for sure."

"Exactly. So let's just make this an exception, alright?" He said, taking me into his arms again. "Besides, I like holding you like this. Other than keeping you warm, I feel I'm keeping you safe."

I smiled. "You can't keep me safe from everything."

"Likewise." He nodded. "This is our world, and we have to live through it. And I'm glad I have you, though."

"Likewise." I grinned, inching closer to him. "This relationship's gonna be more difficult than we anticipated, huh?"

He chuckled. "No one ever said it'll be easy."

"No one ever said it'll be this hard." I countered.

He sighed. "Like I said, we'll just live through it, Callie. And for now? We should go to sleep."

I nodded in agreement. "Alright, fine. Goodnight." I said, and reached up to kiss his cheek.

I wasn't sure if it was a wolf-thing, but I think his heartbeat sped up to match mine.

Responses to reviews:

minniebow14 - THAT IS MY FAVORITE REVIEW EVER HAHAHA OMG THANKS SO MUCH! Just for you I wrote that little ending! much looooveeee x

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