Author's Note: I finished writing this chapter on Tuesday night, so I'm posting it early, instead of the usual Sunday, as I also have a long weekend and have nothing better to do... I enjoyed this chapter, so I hope you all do as well!

Thanks to my wonderful recent reviewers: WriteAndDream23, Vale P and LilGreenearth97! I love and appreciate each of your reviews!

Acceptance

It was Christmas day, a holiday that had sprung up gradually in Texas during my human life, but due to my being forced into slavery I hadn't fully participated in the holy celebrations.

It seemed the Cullens weren't in a terrific Christmas spirit, which had me bemused. They seemed like such a sickly perfect family that wore Christmas sweaters and sent a Christmas card every year. I'd learned, those were the modern celebrations of Christmas. Bella and Edward went through the motions for their hybrid daughter, and celebrated the holiday at Bella's human father's house. Once they'd driven a mile from the house, I smiled perkily in my mind. It was a relief to be rid of Edward for a few hours. It seemed every time I turned around, he was standing there, cloaked in his irritating aura. These past few days hadn't eased my dislike for the copper-haired vampire.

Metaphorically speaking, if he was a grater and my nerves were carrots, all my carrots would be in a shredded pile of nothing.

Also, with Edward out of mental earshot, I was free to think about Seth, and the oddity that he infected my thoughts with. It seemed, ever since I'd heard those echoed, wounded howls, it was difficult for me not to wonder about him. Being a parasitical shape-shifter, he'd managed to weasel into a gap in my mind, and no matter what I did, he would not disappear. I was incapable of comprehending how he was able to do it, but it bothered me to no end. He was just one werewolf of many – with a horrid stench. But, as reluctant as I was to admit, the werewolf stench had worn off on me. I barely noticed it wafting up my nostrils anymore. Then again, having an adopted litter of mutts frolic around indefinitely, it was bound to happen.

Seth hadn't tried to speak to me since my snappy flare in the forest. He was still a regular visitor in the Cullen house, but he hadn't attempted reconciliation, and neither did I. As odd emotions tormented me constantly for hurting the werewolf, I argued against my subconscious. I would hurt him if I allowed any sort of relationship between us, I thought resolutely. I would hurt him, and it would be followed by much drama and irritating spectacle. I was doing it for everyone's benefit.

But, as the hours rolled by, I found my internal arguments flaking and faltering weakly. I was creating a larger spectacle by snapping at Seth on a systematic basis. If I had never obeyed Jasper's pleas, this entire situation would have been avoided. I would be in Texas, ripping apart newborn armies peacefully. I wasn't used to such confrontation. My normal life was so simple – there were no werewolves and no formidable Volturi army coming to kill us. There was no Seth.

I suddenly recoiled, involuntarily. No Seth? It caused an unnatural reaction in me when I imagined never meeting Seth. I grew furious with myself, and abruptly objects flew around the Cullens' lounge room. I hissed, smashing a light bulb. Releasing a violent growl, I flew from the room, and out the window. Instead of my normal routine of plunging deep into the forest, I weaved around to the front of the house, and blurred through the trees, heading towards the small town of Forks with increasing speed. My eyes fluttered peacefully, my long lashes brushing my cheeks softly.

As I reached the outskirts of Forks, the scent of hundreds of humans wafting up my nostrils, making my hunger flare and my throat burn slightly. I swallowed my excessive venom, and headed towards the local gas station on the border of town, and entered quietly, wrinkling my nose at the strong stench of human, processed food. I didn't smell the crispy, chicken-salted fries – I smelled the overwhelming amounts of fat it had previously been soaked in.

The station was mostly empty, excluding the overweight man who gazed at the overly exposed women on the covers of certain magazines on the stand by the doorway. I weaved around the man, wandering aimlessly around the station. It appeared to act as both a gas station and grocery necessities store. I scanned across the shelves, no particular item in mind to purchase.

What did humans enjoy? I squinted thoughtfully. It had been quite a while since I'd been one myself. I hummed quietly, and my eyes widened marginally as I spotted several identical items hanging from hooks at the end of the isle.

"You got a dog, Miss?" I peered over my shoulder in acknowledgement to the gruff voice. It belonged to a greying unshaven man, who smiled friendlily at me.

"Yes," I answered deliberately, "he's very clingy." I smirked inwardly. I gently unhooked the blue leather collar from its hook, and peered at the price tag. With blunt obviousness, my face fell, crestfallen. I sighed in forlorn, and reached back to the hook, hanging it back on the hook. With lousy human speed, the station employee grabbed my hand lightly, stopping me in my movement. I glanced at him, and he smiled at me with genuine kindness and concern.

"It's on me," he informed me with a wink, "every dog deserves a collar." A gracious smile formed on my lips, and I leant up to place a kiss on the man's cheek.

"You're so kind, sir," I gushed. "Thank you!" If I had seen a human acting like I was at the moment, I would've cornered her and plunged my teeth into her throat. But the man believed my act easily, and he flushed, flustered.

"No worries."

I sent him another sparkling smile, before gliding out the gas station, the collar gripped in my palm securely.

The Cullens had informed all the newcomer vampires of their treaty with the Quileute werewolves, and requested for us all to hopefully respect it and avoid stepping over the boundary into their land. I was never one for petty treaties with mutts, and I flew onto the native reservation, avoiding contact with the people, as I sniffed out Seth's scent, locating his family home with ease. I slipped inside the empty house, and rummaged around various cupboards and drawers until I located a pen and paper, and I scribbled a note on it.

I went upstairs, and found Seth's bedroom at the end of the hall. It was dark blue, with white carpet, which was embellished with several faded stains. His bedcovers were strewn off the dark timber frame, and articles of clothing were scattered across the floor. Drawers hung open lazily, displaying unfolded clothing. I shrugged to myself, and began zipping around the room, folding clothes in a blur, placing them in appropriate piles. I made his bed, and set the collar and note on his pillow. I exited the room through the window, and dove straight back into the forest, pursuing a path back towards the Cullens' house.

I sniggered softly to myself as I recalled the scribbled note I had left leaning against the leather collar.

To Mutt

From Leech

I sat pleasantly on my familiar branch on the edge of the Cullens' yard. My back was pressed against the trunk as one of my legs hung loosely off the side of the branch whilst the other was hitched up along the rough surface of the branch. I listened to the serenity the forest offered me generously, before my gaze rested on a small young bird. I squinted very slightly, and the bird began to float towards me, its wings suddenly flapping alarmingly as it squawked weakly.

I reached out and wrapped my fingers around its wild wings, releasing my power of it as I studied the tiny creature in my palm.

"I doubt you'll get any more than a granny teacup's worth of blood from that," A voice claimed from beneath my branch. My clamp on the bird loosened, and it flew eagerly away into the depths of the forest. I heaved an irritated sigh as I looked down at Seth, who had his neck craned. He observed me with a small smile upon his lips, and he gave a small chuckle as he held up an object, waving it slightly. It was the collar. My mouth fell into an instant smirk. "I just wanted to thank you for the… gift." He chose his word thoughtfully, amused as he studied the leathery collar.

I shrugged easily. "Apparently all pets deserve a collar."

He rolled his eyes, not affected by my light insult. He gave a small grin, seeping nerves becoming apparent. "I was wondering if you wanted to accompany me to the beach… as a thank you." He twiddled his thumbs anxiously, and I stared at him.

"I don't like water," I informed him.

He shrugged, "you don't have to touch it."

"I don't like sand."

"You don't have to touch that either."

"I don't like the smell," I said, wrinkling my nose theatrically to prove my point.

"Cover your nose," he suggested easily.

"Okay." I found myself complying easily, and it shocked me. I blinked at my own actions, as Seth grinned widely below me, seemingly close to wetting himself in excitement. "On one condition."

He shrugged easily, blissful with my agreement to go with him that he didn't care what my condition happened to be.

"Phase." He blinked, his face scrunching up in confusion. Cocking his head, he opened his mouth to speak, but I shook my head, jumping from my perch and taking the collar from his grasp. "Phase," I repeated, my voice carrying more command.

He hesitated, and decided against hiding and removing his clothing – instead simply stepping back and phasing in front of me, his clothes shredding and falling to the grass. He watched me intently as I thumbed the collar in my hands, and unwound it as I stepped towards Seth with an impish grin on my lips. He bowed his head unsure, and I placed the collar around his neck, threading the loop through and stepping back.

I wrinkled my nose, "You smell worse in wolf form."

He gave a whimper, scowling playfully at me and he shook his large head in a poor attempt to remove the collar. I snickered, and gestured towards the forest.

"Are we going to the beach or not?"

He gave a slobbery, toothy grin and immediately bounded into the forest. Casting another glance behind me unsurely, still confused as to why I was so easily going off with a werewolf, but I pushed my worries away. I wasn't going to cower.

I leaped after Seth, shooting past him and diving through the trees, swinging from the branches. Below, Seth yapped up at me cheerfully, jumping unsuccessfully into the trees. He sprinted on the ground, lunging over logs and boulders. I could smell the difference in natural scents as we crossed into Quileute lands, it was mostly void of vampiric scents. Seth led the way to a spot by the cliffs, where he slowed and hid behind a thick cluster of bushes, and he phased back. He reappeared wearing a pair of dirtied shorts he'd left underneath the bush. He grinned at me.

He steered me towards the cliffs, and I slid onto an oversized rock dangerously close to the edge of the cliff. Seth followed closely behind, but was conscious to leave space between us, unsure of my personal space boundaries. It was quite sweet – he was careful and hopeful to please me. I mentally scolded myself immediately after my small mental note of Seth's behaviour – he was a werewolf and I had absolutely no reason to allow myself to even act kindly towards him. I shouldn't be so lenient with a natural enemy.

Despite the happy, talkative nature that I'd witnessed of Seth's, he didn't attempt conversation, and we simply sat in companionship, watching the landscape as it was manipulated and warped by the sunset. Rolling beams of orange skies tumbled across the distant waves of the ocean, and soothed the shoreline with a soft lullaby.

As the weary sun succumbed to the moon, I glanced at Seth, who stared outwards, his mind visibly elsewhere. Mentally, I smirked. With a glint in my eyes, my hands found the muscular back of Seth, and I pushed him off the side of the cliff. He gave a surprised yelp and he flailed in mid-air, falling with increasing speed. I stood on the large rock, peeking over the edge and giving the smallest giggle as he created a loud splash in the water.

Unexpectedly, several growled rumbled from behind me, and I swivelled around with narrowed eyes. I naturally fell into a defensive stance, immediately recognising their wolfish scents. I resisted the urge to gag. Unlike Seth's scent, which was somehow comforting and warm, these werewolves were strangers, and their scents sent me waves of unease.

Although he wasn't the tallest, he was certainly the most muscular, and he stepped closer with menace. He didn't appear to be the alpha, but he was the substitute in his alpha's absence.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" He snarled, his eyes narrowed in slits.

I hissed, "I could ask you the same thing."

The mutt growled, stepping closer again until another mutt gave him a warning bark. "You don't belong on this land, bloodsucker." Ignoring his companion's caution, he came closer.

His clenched fists were trembling violently, and he swiped his arm out suddenly in attempt to wipe me off the large rock I was still standing upon. I jumped, easily dodging his attack.

From our right, a blur lunged between the mutt and I, shoving the dog backwards. Seth.

For a young wolf and considerably smaller compared to his opposition, he appeared intimidation, and growled thunderously down at the mutt. He backed towards me, his arm spread in means of protecting me. His face still dripped with salty water, but his alarming body heat had dried most of the water from his skin. For a small moment, as I caught the gaze in his dark rich chocolate irises, I found my mind stuttering breathlessly.

His entire stance was electric with protectiveness and fierceness. My curled fingers loosened momentarily and my jaw slackened. I could've sworn his eyes flickered with such intense love it left me winded.

In the aggressively protected cage around my frozen, cold heart, I could almost physically feel one of my thick secure walls crumbling and flaking. I made a strangled sound, which caught Seth's attention. He looked back at me with deep concern. My stance deflated, and I stared back in his dark orbs before I sprung over the heads of all the wolves, plunging into the forest and tearing through the dense trees. I growled angrily at myself, ripping down a healthy tree with ferocity.

What was I thinking? Allowing a werewolf to become so close?

The Cullens' mansion soon appeared between the trees, and I leapt straight onto the roof, slipping into the empty attic. Alistair must've been hunting. I sat down, my form rigid and stiff. Deep in my chest, snarls grumbled restlessly. My clenched fist slammed on the chessboard, shattering it easily. Chess pieces dispersed across the floor whimsically.

Cardboard boxes were flattened by my furious fists, their contents beyond recognition, and articles of clothing were torn and shredded.

Scattered knocks fell upon the door, and my head snapped up, my crimson eyes still fiery. I blew out a agitated breath, attempting calmness. I approached the door, opening it roughly and nearly tearing it from its hinges and frame.

With wide and slightly anxious eyes, Jacob the mutt stood down several steps of the staircase, as if worried I would tear all his limbs off and shove their down his throat. My expression hardened as I glared down at him, seething.

He gulped, chewing his lip as he thrust out his arms, in which was held a box with a messy bow. My eyes narrowed suspiciously, and I took it from Jacob's grasp. He sagged in relief, scampering down the step.

"Why the bloody hell do I get assigned to be mail man for the witchy leech?" I heard him mutter to himself as he left my eyesight. I rolled my eyes, peering down at the box with a creased forehead.

I sat it on the window sill, as the table had been destroyed during my rampage.

I tore off the ribbon bow, and pried open the cardboard box. I blinked, frowning at the contents. It was a blood bag. B+ to be precise. I stared at it wearily, unsure what kind of joke this was. I gingerly lifted the blood bag, and found a folded note beneath it. I grabbed it and unfolded it, reading the messy scribble.

Dear Ruby,

Merry Christmas!

From Seth

P.S stop eating people

Author's Note: What did you think? Is Ruby going to cave in soon? Or harden up and put poor Seth through more hell? Haha, what did you think of their Christmas presents to each other? I'm trying to weave in some humour throughout the intense parts of the story because I wouldn't like it at all if it didn't contain humour. Anyway, thank you for reading and please tell me what you think in a review! The next chapter should be up by next Sunday, possibly earlier as I'm ahead of schedule!

Thanks!