The full moon was high in the sky, shining brightly on Embry's crumb and chocolate covered face. This is how every meeting started. Everybody would stuff their face until my father called us to order to speak about the issue. Normally I would've eaten at least 12 hotdogs and much more s'mores by now and just joke around with Seth about how stupid the problem would be, but not this time. Most of what was given to me I handed off to Embry, any evidence was already sitting in his stomach. Seth sat in the sand, leaning on my knee while Embry chomped down three more hotdogs next to him. Sam and the rest of the pack were sitting on the opposite side of the crackling fire, muttering jokes about me to one another. My attention was focused on a small ant weaving through the sand, disappearing every now and again but popping up someplace different. It seemed like an enjoyable journey until Paul's barefoot crushed it, making it a permanent edition to the sand.
"Seth..you've got a little.." Paul said, making a gesture to his own face. Seth's confused look must have told Paul that he didn't understand so the boy reached out to the younger wolf. "Right here.." he said, wiping the stray crumbs from Seth's cheek with his thumb in one swift movement. If Seth got out more often to get a darker tan no one would've seen the color flush his face.
"Thanks Paul." The blushing boy muttered, his embarrassment turning his cheeks into deep auburn that clashed nicely with his tan skin. Paul nodded in response, sitting next to me on the decaying log. From what I'd gathered and noticed, Seth had developed a small crush on Paul. I confronted him about it three weeks ago when he confessed that he'd had those feelings for months. At first, I was disgusted by the young wolf but eventually accepted him because he was the only one there when half naked guys started popping in my head during pack meetings. Seth told me he might be bisexual and none of the pack found to because he was just really good at controlling his thoughts. The two of us had gotten considerably close but I didn't have the heart to tell Seth he and Paul would never be together, even though he probably knew it himself. Neither Seth nor Paul had imprinted yet and when that happened one, or maybe both, would move on. I hadn't imprinted yet either and I don't want to. Not because I'm like one of those 17 year old who're afraid of commitment but because I was afraid I'd imprint on the wrong gender, if that was even possible. Maybe I'll find out tonight.
"Alright. Settle down. Settle down." Sam's voice pierced the cold night, everyone's attention going not to him, but my father. The paralyzed man gave a nod of thanks and cleared his throat to address us all.
"Some of you don't know why we called the meeting, so Sam will explain the issue." This seemed to take Sam by surprise but he quickly recovered and stood up with confidence.
"Tonight, we'll be discussing an issue that was brought to my attention some weeks ago and it involves..Jacob Black." Everyone glanced over to me and I shuffled in my seat uncomfortably. Sam continued without missing a beat, "All of the pack knows of the ..abnormal thoughts he's been having." My eyes wandered to the fire, watching each flame flicker as Sam's voice droned on and on. I tuned him out so he could lecture the pack on how bad my thoughts were and that I should be banished from La Push. No one would try to defend me, and I'd just accept the punishment given. Then I'd just live out the rest of my days in wolf form, giving in to the instincts and feeding on deer. Maybe even go to a new state. I heard the bucks up north are packed with meat and th-
"Jake!" Paul whispered, nudging me in the side with his elbow. I looked up to see everyone looking at me except my father, who's' gaze was turned towards the sea. "Repeat yourself." I said, staring Sam straight in the eye. He was a little taken back at the command but his voice didn't falter. "I asked if you deny the accusations that you're a homo."
Someone faked a cough but the word 'Fag' was easily made out. A few boys erupted with laughter and I glared at them, which only cause them to laugh louder. Sam's glare was more effective and they shut up in one second, but you could tell Sam was holding back a smile. I don't care what anyone says, even though he's the leader, Sam is just as bad as the rest.
"Yeah I'm gay, so what?" I said with a shrug. My own words surprised me, and the reaction from the rest of the pack was no different. Except for Seth, who was snickering at the look on Sam's face. The leader probably didn't expect me to accept such a thing but, if it was who I am I won't deny it. If anyone should accept you it should yourself, shouldn't it?
Sam cleared his throat and spoke again "So what…this means you cannot be a part of my pack anymore."
"Your pack?" I repeated, standing to my feet.
"Yes my pack. And no one here wants to be afraid that you're taking a peek at their junks when we phase back!" His voice had risen slightly and I tightened my fists in frustration. Another pack member spoke up, "Yeah, if you hit on me expect a quick claw to the face."
"Just because I'm gay doesn't mean I like every guy that I see! And frankly Jared, you aren't my type." I retorted, receiving a louder laugh from Seth and Paul.
"Enough of this mindless bickering." my father said, silencing every other voice so only his was echoing into the night. He stared right at me before speaking, "Jacob. You need to change your ways. Not for you, but for this pack. This pack is our protection from the cold ones and I will not have you messing it up because you're confused with yourself."
Some laughed at me, the way someone laughed when they were being scolded by the teacher in first grade. Except this time, it was my father and this was the real world.
"I can't 'change my ways' Dad. I'm just me, I don't know how to change me and I don't want to change me. Why can't you just accept that?"
And for that, he was silent so I continued speaking "Just because I'm..gay doesn't make me any different from any of you. I eat the same food; I watch the same shows, hell the only thing different is that I'm completely honest with myself."
"Jacob. That's enough." My father said firmly.
"No Dad, it's not enough. And apparently I'm not enough because you're ashamed to bring your queer son to meetings!" I growled, and Seth looked at me as if to say 'Don't say anything you'll regret.'
"Jacob! Either you return to normal or you're.."
"I'm what? Banished from the pack? You can't banish me from my own pack Dad." I yelled. Sam looked flustered at my words. Probably because he knew I was right and I could take the pack from him at any given moment.
"Then leave." My father said quietly, his wheelchair wheels squealing as it resisted the sand that made him immobile.
"..What?" I said, hearing what he said completely fine but wasn't exactly sure on what he was implying.
"Leave. And don't come back until you've imprinted. By then you'll be fixed."
We held eye contact for a few minutes before I turned around and started to walk away. Seth grabbed my arm. I stopped, thinking he was trying to come with me. "Let me come with you." He muttered.
"No Seth. Stay here. You belong here..And I don't." I wiggled my arm out of his grasp and trotted for the woods, phasing the second my feet touched a dead leaf.
Surprisingly my mind was empty as I ran, with only my own thoughts in my head. And even with the clear thoughts I had no idea where to go. I didn't have anywhere to go. Maybe to Bella's house. Charlie likes me a lot so he probably wouldn't mind me staying a few nights. The only bad side was having to listen to Bella's relentless chattering about school, leeches, death, bloodsuckers and other stuff I was too zoned out to hear. The only other option was the leeches…Bella's talking suddenly didn't seem that bad.
I made a quick U-turn and headed straight for Bella's house, arriving in 7 minutes. Charlie's car wasn't out front; he must've been out doing some errands. Trotting to the backyard I realized I had no clothes to wear if I phased back. It was a stroke of luck that Bella was outside, laying on the ground fast asleep. I took a few steps closer to her, crunching the grass obnoxiously loud. Her hair was jostled and flung everywhere, blades of grass sticking to random strands. Someone like Edward would probably think she looked beautiful, maybe even elegant. But to me she looked like an average teenage-girl, no appeal at all. Bella wasn't ugly; then again she wasn't attractive either. Her needy personality became irritating after some time and at one point I couldn't even stand to look at her. Even while she drifted in dreamland all I could see was her hideous personality, seeping out the cracks of her physical beauty.
The girl jostled in here sleep, muttering the one name I didn't feel like hearing right now.
"Edward…Edward." She whispered to herself over and over. I inwardly sighed and trotted away, disappearing back into the forest. Bella's house was out and so was the leech's cave. There was nowhere I could go but the woods. And that would suit me for however long it needed to.
I gave into instincts after a while a fed on a passing deer, wiping the blood off my snout and paws on the grass. It wasn't until after a few more hours of running aimlessly around and seeing the sun creep up on the morning sky that I realized how tired I was. It wouldn't smart to sleep in the words in human form so I plopped down a on a bed of leaved and rested my head on tree, flicking my ears against it every now and again. My nose picked up the scent but I was too fatigued to react, even though it might cost me my life. The air reeked of bleach but none the less, sleep overcame me in a matter of seconds.
A/N Hey guys! Thanks for all the nice reviews. To be honest I didn't expect that many or anything like that. I've gotten tons of Story Alert stuff in my inbox and I can't thank you enough =) This was just supposed to be a one-shot but I really feel like continuing it so if you have any ideas of what you'd like to happen just leave it in a review, it may happen! Or it may not..because toying with people's feelings is just what I do..