This story is for my cat who had to be put to sleep last year.

Tell me what you think! (More bad than good this chapter...)

I know - several months disappearance. No excuses, sorry.

Anyone want to see into Paul's head next chapter?

Life sucks.

I watched as my mother drove away, hoping for work outside Forks. Uncle Jacob had given mom enough money to get a plane to nearly anywhere - if she needed it. There was just no work for her here. I've heard everyone say that she should've gone into publishing. That she should've spread her wings further than La Push. That she shouldn't have married so young. Then they look at me and realise I can hear them. Then they realise I know what they're going to say next; that she shouldn't have given me life! That mom should never have had me and lived her 'dreams' and built a career.

But I know all she ever wanted to be was ha good mother. And she is. She's my mother, the best mom ever!

I try not to care when they say it, when I hear the whispers, when I look into their eyes and know what they're thinking. But I always ended up running away and crying...

It took hours for Sammy and Wolfie to find me the first time I ran away.

Now here I sit, surrounded by people I don't know. Not really. I never got to know Uncle Jacob and his wife Lizzie. Wolfie usually played with me outside, brought me in to eat then brought me home. Little conversation in between. The more I think about it, the more I wonder how many people I don't know that I should.

I know most of the Black's, all of the Clearwater's and most of the wolves.

At least there's always people I know.

My tenth birthday went by like any other day.

I received a card from mom and a small box of sweets and a big hug and a charm for my necklace from Wolfie. Uncle Jacob did try to bake a cake, but he ended up nearly burning the house down. Then we had to go to hospital because Aunt Lizzie burnt her whole arm when Uncle Jacob's attempt at cooking dinner jumped out the pan and hit her...

All in all a rather eventful birthday. But it wasn't the same.

I finished my wolf head carving the day after my birthday. Then it was school for the next five days and everything was calming down.

That is, until Sammy phased at school...

Sammy had grown taller and stronger, appearing to have grown to the size of a teenager over the few weeks he'd had to be taken out of school.

When he came back, he wasn't accepted and called names. Some girls tried to get his attention, but after a rant about them only liking him because of his body, they became hostile.

So it was just me and him.

We now had to be home schooled. There were few others on the reservation that may phase, but, like Uncle Embry, some had unknown fathers, and they were having to be watched carefully. I was being to show signs of anger, mostly because of my parents - or more, lack thereof - and just all things in general. Wolfie had been a great help, but there's not much my big brother could do in these times. He knew who he was, who is parents were, what he was expected to be, and how he could be who he wanted to be. I didn't even, truly, know whether I would be a wolf. I didn't have the anger like Sammy described, I didn't feel the heat or my limbs trembling - trying to change into my inner wolf. I didn't growl or snarl occasionally, but you could say that was just because everyone around me now did so too.

And then there was the pressure from the packs and the vampires.

The Uley (soon to be Lahote) pack had become restless. They wanted the union sooner rather than later, even if is already been imprinted on, and they hated the idea of me being in the Black Pack.

Well too little too late, I say.

Bored from doing easy maths (just some simple algebra) I went outside into the woods.

I taken to wearing simple clothing, just in case I ever did unexpectedly phase. It wasn't suited to walking great distances, but it's have to do.

I found myself crossing the border not long after. Why wasn't a wolf following me? It was disorienting, not being followed, but I decided I loved the freedom. The wind felt softer on my cheeks and my stride had more of a skip. I was free!

... Until I reached Uley Pack territory...

I hadn't gone here intentionally, I just… ended up here. The stench was horrible, like someone pouring bleach down my nose and mouth, but I kept walking.

Now I sensed wolves following me. I didn't know them, but they knew me. Two travelled behind me and soon another two appeared and flanked my sides. To me, they appeared emotionless. They looked like robots - soulless. They guided me and led me to the place I'd never wanted to go.

I snarl left my lips as we left the trees and the vampire house was in my sight. The stench burned my nostrils and nearly made me choke. Idly, I wondered why I hadn't phased. Don't most wolves change at just the faintest trail of vampire?

Maybe I was just used to it, from trips past the border.

"Vanessa!" I swallowed as the booming, angry voice of my father came from behind me.

Turning slowly and watching my feet, I answered quietly. "Yes?" The wolves beside me had taken a more protective stance around me. I wonder why that was.

I push the thought from my mind as quickly as it had come and focused on my father.

"What are you doing here?" I simply shrugged. "Dan? Esperanza?" My father looked at both in turn in question. He stood tall over them in human, something I hadn't noticed, and realised they were young.

I knew Sam and Emily Uley had three children before both died: Dan, Mike and Esperanza.

Dan was black coated, like his father, but wasn't as strong yet, or as terrifying. He didn't appear to have the same hard expression or occasional glare that mother had once told me about.

Esperanza appeared more like her father in her expression, even if she had never met him. Her coat was lighter, however, and I could see little blond patches around her face and legs. Her coat reminded me of an Australian border collie.

They both turned to my father with a growl and indicated to the vampire house.

So I was going to be dinner to the vampires?

The brother and sister turned together and both started guiding, or more pushing, me to the large house. Already there were some vamps visible through the glass wall. The ones I knew to be the Cullen's were standing in the doorway, waiting.

Well, this'll be fun...