Nora's POV

The familiar and annoying sound of my alarm went off. I reached over to turn it off, and slowly opened my eyes. Sunlight was coming through my window and landing on my cozy bed. I did not want to get out of it.

Lately my life feels a little crazy. I'm thirteen, and my best friend is seventeen. I know. It seems weird to people, except to everyone that I count as my adopted family. For some reason, they think it's completely normal, and don't get me wrong, I love my best friend, maybe more than I should… but I don't think it's weird like the people at school do.

Alright, let me backup. My best friends name is Cole. He is seventeen, like I said before, but he's been my friend for years! Five to be exact. He's always been there and I love him, so that's all that matters, I don't care what other people think. Did I say I loved him again? Because I really do. Like not a healthy amount.

He's so funny and kind to me, like he actually cares. He gets me up when I'm down, and when I'm happy, he genuinely is happy for me too. Not to mention, he's gorgeous. He has brown hair and russet skin, like most of the people around here. He has a defined face, but not too much. His smile is breathtakingly adorable, and he's tall.

Anyway, I have a major crush on my best friend and it's not good, mainly because he only sees me as a little girl.

I rolled out of bed, and stepped onto my fluffy rug, stretching my arms trying to get ready for the day. It was a Saturday, and Cole was going to take me to Port Angeles and we were going to walk around, since it was supposedly the one sunny day in our rainy state.

I walked up to my mirror to take a look at what I was working with today.

I didn't hate my body, not at all. I was developing early, I guess you could say. I ran my hands down my round hips to my thighs. I had pretty long legs, and I was thankful for that. Took after my mom for most things, but when it came to my eyes, it was all my dad. I had bright blue eyes that contrasted well with my copper skin and light brown hair. I didn't think I looked only thirteen, and I was going to be fourteen next month.

After a while of thinking by my mirror, I decided to pick out my outfit, because Cole would be here soon. I walked over to my closet, and decided on a pair of medium wash mom jeans, and a white top that fit snugly around my body. I walked into my bathroom and put on my minimal jewelry, and decided against makeup for the day. I didn't really like wearing makeup, it was fun sometimes, but other times it just felt like a mask. I pulled back my hair and secured some of it with a claw clip, letting other strands hang down in a cute way. I pulled on my chunky dark green cardigan, and grabbed my mini backpack. I looked at the mirror as I pulled on my sneakers, and felt confident. I looked good, certainly not like a child.

I heard a familiar voice coming from down the stairs and started to head down to the kitchen. Walking in, I saw Claire drawing at the kitchen table as my Aunt served her some of her world famous blueberry pancakes. Cole was sitting on a tall stool at the island, scarfing down a huge plate of pancakes, his hair messy but looking adorable as always.

"Morning Nora, how did you sleep?" Emily asked me as she saw me walking into the kitchen. I saw Cole's eyes perk up and look over in my direction.

"I slept well, it looks like it's going to be a beautiful day." I gave Emily a quick hug and walked over to Claire. Cole was still staring at me.

"Good morning Claire, where's Quil this morning?" She looked over at me quickly before looking back down at her drawing. She was amazing at art, and she was so smart for a nine year old. I couldn't believe how jealous I was sometimes of my little sister.

"Oh, he had to work or something, but he's coming later." She replied, going back to focusing fully to her drawing. I could tell I wasn't going to get much out of her, so I moved along.

By this point Cole had finished his entire plate of pancakes, but was still eyeing some more. He looked over at me and said quietly "You look so beautiful today." I blinked back at him, momentarily frozen and didn't know what to say.

Emily started to walk over to get some more pancakes going and suddenly he snapped out of whatever zone he was in a said cheerfully, "Morning Nor, you hungry?" I smiled at the nickname, he was the only one who came up with Nor, and one of the only people who used it barre my aunt and occasionally my sister.

"Yes, extremely." I sat down next to him as my Aunt put down a plate in front of me.

I ate pretty quickly, and passed my leftovers to Cole, who was patiently waiting since there wasn't any more. He inhaled them, as he usually does, and started to stand up.

"Ready to go? We better get going if we want to get to Port Angeles before noon."

"Yeah, lets go" I said as I got up and grabbed his hand, the only way I could get this crazy tall frame anywhere, and started to tug him out the door.

Claire looked up at us, huffed and ran out of the room. She got jealous of us frequently, and until I asked her a couple of weeks ago, I had no idea why. I started to walk up to her room, but Emily waved her hand at us to go and said "You two go ahead, she'll be okay once Quil gets here in a little bit."

I nodded and grabbed Cole's hand, and we walked out the door.

We walked out to his truck, he just bought it a couple of weeks ago and was so excited after saving up all his money.

"What was that about?" He said at we got in and he started to drive.

"Oh nothing, Claire is just a little jealous of us, that's all." I replied as I rolled down the window, letting the breeze hit my face.

"Why would she be jealous?" He had a confused look on his face, he really had no idea.

I hesitated. "Well, she wants to be able to go out with Quil like we go out. She thinks it's unfair because she's known Quil longer than I've known you, and she wants to act older."

"Well she's only nine. And that would be weird if they went out like that." What did he just say?

"Like what?" I said, suddenly looking at him in the eye.

"I don't know, like a date kinda thing." I could tell he had no idea what he just said to me and what that meant to a thirteen year old girl.

"You mean, we're going on a date?"

"Oh, well no, I guess I don't mean that. But you're older than she is." He shook his head suddenly, as if he finally understood what he was saying and replayed our conversation in his head.

"Oh." I tried to hide my disappointment. He still noticed.

"Nora, I love hanging out with you. But you are my best friend." He grabbed my hand, like he was really trying to get me to understand something.

"Yeah, I get it." I still looked out the window for the rest of the drive.

We finally got there, and started to walk around. We walked through town, passing different restaurants, boutiques and bookstores. We past one of the cutest bookstores in town, and I dragged Cole in and bought a new book for Claire.

We walked around for a while more, and finally ended up at the docks. Cole suddenly looked so nervous, more nervous than I have ever seen him.

"Nor, there is something I need to tell you."

"Yeah? What is it?"

"Well, I have been wanting to tell you since pretty much the day I met you, but I've been so scared."

I hesitated for a moment, not sure of what to say. "Listen, whatever it is, there is nothing that you can say that will push me away from you." I assured him and held onto his hand.

He scratched the back of his neck and cleared his throat. "Alright, do you remember the old tales of our ancestors, that whenever we have the bonfires, Billy always tells us the same ones about the Cold Ones and, the shapeshifters?"

"Yeah, I've heard those since I was a little kid." I laughed softly at the memory of Claire and I snuggling up and listening to the stories. "What about them?"

"Well, they're real. The shapeshifters exist, only to destroy the cold ones."

"What are you talking about? If you are just messing with me…" He cut me off "No, no I'm not. I'm a shapeshifter. You would probably call it a werewolf." I stared at him, just blinking my eyes trying to see if he was lying. He didn't look like he was.

"Listen, I wanted to tell you sooner, but I was so nervous. And there are others too, Quil, Embry, Jake, Leah, Paul and even your Uncle Sam. He's the alpha. I phased for the first time a couple years ago. When I was 12. Like I said, I wanted to tell you.." He was rambling.

"Shh shh. You're really not joking about this?"

"No. I've never been more serious about something in my life. And I wouldn't lie to you."

I knew he wouldn't lie to me. It actually started to make sense now. These guys had been around me basically my whole life. 'Working' with Sam, and they always called themselves a 'pack' when they thought I wasn't listening. "This actually makes a little sense, is this why you call yourselves a pack all the time?"

"You knew about that? I thought we tried to avoid saying that around you and Claire."

"Well, we hear a lot more than you give us credit for. Oh my gosh, Claire. Does she know?" My mind was suddenly full of thoughts about my little sister.

He shook his head and looked down, "No, Quil is going to tell her when she was old enough."

"Wait, why does Quil get to tell her? And why did you tell me? Why not Sam?" I wondered.

"That's the second part of this whole thing. Do you remember the story of the third wife?"

"Sort of but not really, it was never the exciting part of the story…" I admitted.

He chuckled and looked at the water as he spoke, "Well, there is another thing that wolves do. We imprint. It's when you find your soulmate and you are somehow linked, I guess. I don't really know how to explain it. Some wolves think of it as finding a mate, that will make the pack better in the future. I, don't really think that. I think of it as finding your true love, but just finding them early."

"So what does this have to do with Claire and I…" I questioned, pretty sure of the next answer.

"Well, I imprinted on you when you were eight. And Quil imprinted on Claire when she was three."

So many thoughts came flushing into my head. I will always be with Cole. Believe me, I love him and I want to be with him forever anyways, but now it felt like I didn't have the choice. Like I was forced into an arranged marriage. I definitely did not want to think like that. And did he love me like that when I was eight? Did Quil love Claire like that when she was three?

He must have seen me thinking, because he said comfortingly, "Nora, when the imprint is formed so early, like with our circumstances, it's like I just want to be your brother, your friend. Then as you get older, I want to be your best friend. It will change for the both of us when we both decide what we each want from each other. The one thing that never changes is that I will always want to be around you."

I thought everything over. I took a deep breath before asking my next question. "And what do you want from me now?"

He hesitated for a minute before looking me in the eyes.

"I have always loved you, but lately… it feels like something more. I feel like I shouldn't, cause you are still young, and it's not all there yet, I still feel like you're my best friend." He looked so ashamed.

"Cole, I've felt that way about you since I was eleven, and when I'm twenty and you are twenty-four, will four years be such a difference?"

He looked shocked about what I had just said. He thought hard for a second.

"Cole, I feel things for you. I know it just seems like an innocent crush and I know that I am not grown up. I still have a lot to experience in my life and I understand that if you think we shouldn't do anything until I'm older, I get it."

He blinked at me. "You seem so mature. I honestly don't get how I still have four years on you." We both laughed a little. "This actually went a lot better than I thought it would."

"Well, I told you, you can't get me away that easily." He looked at me and gave me the rare smile that I always loved. I looked out at the sun setting on the water with a feeling of peace.

He surprised me by wrapping his warm arms around me into a tight hug, and kissing me on the forehead. I immediately wrapped my arms around his waist.

"Ready to go home?"

Hey guys! So I really wanted to write some from Nora's perspective, because from the beginning I knew I wanted to include Claire's sister, and Nora's POV is so fun to write. Do you guys like it? I think I have one more chapter of Nora to write before I go back to Quil and Claire's POV, but let me know what you think.

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