A/N: I have an update but will save it for the end. So, with that, read on. Enjoy!
"Finally, Jacob, you have learned some manners."
"Isabella?"
Turning to look at the elders, I met their frowns with a blank face. Johnny would be proud. "Hello Billy."
"What are you doing here? This is a pack meeting." He looked at Old Quil before continuing. Odd, that. "You should go home. You have no place here."
"I beg to differ, Billy." I moved so that my back was to the pack and I was in front of the elders. Billy and Old Quil wouldn't look at me and Sue just looked sad at the reminder of what she had lost. "I do belong here for many reasons. All of which I will gladly explain. I do have a question for you though."
"What?" Billy all but snapped at me.
"At one point you called me daughter. More having to do with you being best friends with my father than your hope of a relationship for me with Jacob. I thought you would have been worried and yet here I see that you look upon me as if I were a bug that won't go away." I clasped my hands in front of me. "Was all of your affection a lie?"
Billy looked as if he had been slapped and then a mask of indignation closed him off to me. "I cared for the girl that loved her family and always put her family first. Not for the one who was selfish and caused the death of so many, my best friend included."
"At least you are honest, thank you." I refused to show how hurt I was. Truth cuts deeper than a knife, they say. "So, you have no curiosity as to where I have been or why I am back?"
"Since it seems you managed to get Embry to call this meeting for you, I am curious how you did that. What is so important that you, a Hoquat, thought to call a pack meeting with the elders?" Billy spat.
"Ah, now I see where Jacob gets his stunning personality." I snapped back at him, barely holding back my growl. Too soon still. "I've been in Alaska. Denali to be exact."
"Ran to your leeches, I bet." Billy spat in disgust. "I'm rather impressed you are still alive to be honest."
"If your son would have been just a little faster, I wouldn't be." I took a deep breath; I honestly wasn't here to go over past events. "I am not here about that, although you can ask Jacob about that if you don't already know about it. I wouldn't be too surprised if you told him to do it."
"Bella." Embry begged from behind me.
I turned to look at him. "I know, Misun, I know."
Embry smiled at me before bowing his head.
"Now, as to why I was in Denali. It had absolutely nothing to do with the leeches and everything to do with legends and how I was treated after Jacob attacked me before I left." I looked at Jacob and saw that he still sat with his neck bared. I was impressed. "With how I have been treated, it would almost seem like you stopped communicating with Denali."
"How do you know this?"
"Easy, I was told." I smirked as I took in the looks of surprise on their faces. "When I left here, I just drove. I had no destination in mind and yet I seemed to have found myself in Alaska. There was a point where I started to feel pain and it got to the point where I couldn't stand it any longer. This is where I was told what was thought to happen as I don't remember. It seems that I had left my truck at some point and just started walking. I was found in a snow drift and we aren't sure as to exactly how long I was out there. The next thing I remember is waking up, warm, but still in a lot of pain.
"It took a while before I was able to talk, but I learned that I was in Denali. Once I was able to talk we were able to figure out that between the time I left my truck and the time I woke up, roughly two months had been lost. I had been in the snow, unprotected for about a month. We still don't have an answer as to how I survived. I believe one person said the Gods declared that I should live and that is what I did until I was found. I spent the first month there in a coma like state and then I woke to pain. Once I woke up, I learned a lot of things about myself and about legends. Your legends." I paused to look at the elders. "You like to go over the legends at each bonfire for a new pack member, right?"
"You've been there for a few of such bonfires, you know the answer to that."
"Right. And the legends you tell are about the spirit warriors, the third wife and the origination of the pack as we know it. Those are the only ones correct?" I know I was being a pain, but I couldn't help it. This was the only way to get them to see what I was looking for.
"Yes, Bella, those are the legends we retell at new pack bonfires. Nothing has changed since you left us what, four months ago?" Sue responded, definitely being the more adult of the elders.
"Yes, roughly that long." I nodded at her, thanking her while knowing I had caused her the most pain. "There are more legends though that you have stopped telling or never told before. Why do you only tell those legends? Is there a reason why you do not tell the legends about your brother and sister tribes? Or do you want your pack here to think that you and the bears in Denali are the only ones?"
"What other legends? I don't understand what you think we should be told." Sam growled from behind me. "You disappear and then reappear almost out of nowhere and criticize how Billy handles things. I really don't understand why you are here."
Ah, I'm impressed it took him that long to speak up. I had hoped it would be in my defense, but I guess he really is rejecting the imprint. Fisting my hands to keep them at my sides and not rubbing at the ache growing in my chest, I looked at him over my shoulder. "I came back for many reasons, one I have already failed at, but the rest I won't. You wolves aren't the only shifters out there and neither are the Denali bears. Yes, the west coast is the only place you will find shifters, but you aren't the only ones."
"Why would we believe you?" Billy asked, angry at being put on the spot.
"Why would I lie? I have no reason to lie to you."
"Maybe you want to get back at us for your treatment by the pack. It would make sense since you claim my Jacob attacked you."
"Have you seen the scars left behind by your son? These are marks that I will have to live with for the rest of my life, constant reminders of how unwanted I am." I reached up my hand to cover the scars on my neck. "I am not lying to you."
"I refuse to believe you." Billy all but shouted at me.
"Then you will believe me, Chief."
A/N: Alright, a day late on the update I know and with this update will come some sad news. I am going thru a rough patch in RL at the moment, hospitalized uncle and the passing of my heart dog. I am still talking with my muses but it's not an easy flow at the moment. As always, I hope you enjoyed and thank you for reading.
Due have a question…who do you think showed up at the end?
So, let me know what y'all think and I'll get back to my muses…TTFN my lovelies!
Translations: (These will be at the end of each chapter and will contain all words used in this fic)
Aylen means happiness
Nuka means younger sibling
Misun means little brother
Tanis means daughter
Nizhoni means beautiful
Igido means sister
Shilah means brother
Hoquat means white man