AN: What can I say....I'm getting distracted. Besides, this has been in my head for a good week or so now...It's speaking to me!!!


-Leah POV-

"No!"

My voice carried throughout Emily's house, causing the boys to wince and cover their ears. A few of them snickered and muttered something about 'the harpy's cry.' I'd deal with that later.

"What? It's time off isn't it?" Sam asked, leaning forward in curiousity, his chocolate eyes boring into my own. My heart gave a slight flutter, then dulled, sending pain through me. Though Sam didn't intend it, he was putting me in even more pain, taunting me with his now untouchable looks.

"Yeah," I began, shaking off the pain, "But babysitting duty? Are you serious?"

"It's not really babysitting, sis." Seth pointed out after swallowing a rather large bite of eggs. "You're more like a bodyguard for some type of royal or something."

"Hey Seth, shut it." I growled, turning back to Sam, who was now smirking.

"He's right though." he told me, chuckling. "She's very important over in England. The Alpha's daughter..."

"Soooo.... if Rachel or Rebecca were to phase, they would be too. We don't bow to them, now do we?" I pointed out, jabbing my fork in his direction.

"Well...one of us does." Quil muttered, casting a glance at Paul. He seemed to be far too busy with stuffing his face to notice that we had, once again, made a joke on his whipped status.

Sam rolled his eyes and ignored the rest of us, his eyes locked on mine.

"That aside, it's either that or staying phased with the rest of these idiots." He gestured to everyone else. "Take your pick."

I glared at him, furious, but then took a breath, calming myself. Emily and Sam may put up with me and my bitchy moods, but the way saw it, destroying their kitchen because I phased into a horse sized wolf would probably stop that.

"Fine." I finally muttered. "I'll do it."

Collin snorted a bit from the other side of the room, a smirk on his face. I could see that he was starting to come up with some sort of taunt. For some reason, after He found that we weren't the only type of wolf out there, he'd been deadset against them. None of us knew why, since we hadn't met them.

"By the way Collin..." Sam began, interrupting him. "The Exchange goes both ways."

Collin paled and his eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean?" He growled.

"You're going too." Sam smirked. "Learn some respect."


-Naomi POV-

I had to admit, I was feeling pretty nervous as I made my way to my fathers sitting room. He rarely called me there during the day and never did when we had guests. So why now, of all times, would he call me when we both knew that there was a huge meeting with all of the packs. It was the biggest meeting of the year.

God....please tell me that he hasn't promised me to one of those mindless pack leaders. I thought to myself as I let myself into the sitting room. He, along with my three brothers, was waiting there, his dark eyes looking at me approvingly. I was abruptly glad that I'd chosen to dress up for this instead of using my usual clothes.

"Naomi." He adressed me with a brisk nod of his head. My other brothers nodded as well, except for my twin, Nicolas, who waved emphatically. I started to wave back, but stopped as my father smacked his hand down and looked at him, the unspoken threats within his eyes. Out of all of us, Nicolas was the one who was punished the most. He was the youngest son my father never wanted and would have gotten rid of, if it weren't for the fact that he'd been hiding in my shadow. I had no doubts that he would have gotten rid of us both if he hadn't needed me so badly.

The first female werewolf... I thought to myself, quoting the title I was often adressed with. If only I could have been born better equiped.

I couldn't help but laugh at the thought that went through my head, which drew my fathers death glare toward me. Nicolas looked at me gratefully, even though I hadn't intended to take the heat.

"What's so funny, Naomi." He spat my name out as if it were some sort of curse.

A curse until I can breed with one of the other leaders and tie our packs with theirs, right?

I barely held my composure as I shook my head.

"Just a joke." I told him, bowing my head. "I heard it earlier and just thought of it."

"Well, keep your head out of the clouds." He cleared his throat and his gaze softened to only falcon fury. This was a good sign.

"Now, I have some important news to discuss with you, Naomi."

I gulped, wondering if this was the news that I had been dreading. Had my father finally found a 'suitable' mate for me? Would I be shipped off to him like a mail-order bride.

"We recently recieved a letter from La Push, Washington. It turns out that there is another type of wolf out there, no doubt a mutated descendent from one of our tribes. At first I thought that they would pose as a threat to us and made several offers of a peace treaty. However, they have no mind of attacking us and offered, as a means of a movement of peace, to send one of their wolves over in exchange for one of ours." He looked at me. "Which is where you, daughter of peace, comes in."

Daughter of peace. Lovely, another title to add to my ever growing repetoire.

"You will go to La Push, as part of the exchange."