A knock came at the door and she walked over opening it to find a tall Native American like her in jean shorts and a black shirt. He was handsome and serious looking.
"Awww Sam, its so nice to see you my big oaf of a cousin." She said pulling him forward into a hug.
As soon as she reached out to him his face softened and they embraced.
"Sam I would like you to meet Lilah, the young woman I wrote to you all about." She said gesturing for me to step forward.
He reached out his hand and as I took it I was shocked at how warm it was. It felt like he had a fever or something but he looked fine and acted fine.
"It's nice to meet you Lilah, we haven't heard anything about her trip other than you. You must be a special girl to capture my cousins heart so completely." He said warmly.
""Thank you." I said blushing at his words.
"Welcome to the family." He said before popping back out and to the truck, grabbing our things and hauling them in.
"See I told you you would fit in." She said nudging me softly.
I smiled and nodded. It was exciting and scary to be here, and I was hoping the rest of her friends and family would feel the same way he did.
It only took a couple minutes before Sam had everything in the house and in the rightful rooms; before he left he invited us to his house for dinner and Natalia accepted.
We made our way up to the rooms and Natalia helped me unpack.
"Don't worry about tonight. You will meet many of the younger boys that are here, ones around your age but I'm sure they will like you. And you will meet my dear friend Emily, Sam's fiancé. I do warn you though her face has a scar across it so don't stare okay?" She said smiling as we put light green sheets and an emerald color comforter on my twin bed.
"Don't worry, I wont. So who are these boys anyways."? I said laughing but feeling nervous.
"Well let me see, there is Paul, and Quil. Embry and Seth and a Jacob, who's Dad is Billy that I was talking about earlier." She said.
I nodded remembering.
"Hey do you mind if I add you to the house, this is going to be your home too now I want to incorporate you in the house?" She said pulling out my photo portfolio.
"Sure, but how?" I asked confused.
"Well I was hoping to put some of your photos up downstairs, especially one or to with the wolves if you don't mind. I have some simple matt frames that we can use." She said smiling at me kindly.
"Yeah, that sounds awesome actually. People wont think I'm weird though will they for the wolf photos?" I asked concerned. I wanted to make a good impression and not be known as the weird wolf girl.
She laughed as if reveling in an inner joke.
"No, no, not at all. Just like me many take the legends very seriously and feel very close to wolves. Most will probably think it's a pretty cool coincidence." She said her eyes sparkling with something I couldn't recognize.
"You don't have to tell them by the way, what happened with your dad if you aren't comfortable." She said putting her hand on my shoulder in comfort.
"No, I don't mind. I just don't want pity. I would rather have understanding you know? I don't want people thinking I'm pitiful." I said quietly.
She nodded understanding.
We finished unpacking and chose three photos for downstairs. Two with wolves and one with an intriguing shot of a tree with moonlight streaming through.
We matted them and put one of the wolf photos in the dining room and one by the entrance and then put out the other photo in the living room. Then she grabbed my favorite photo, a picture of the grey wolf staring at the camera the day Natalia had met me and put it in my room.
Finally finishing she showed me how to work the old shower and told me she would help me with the gauze and cleaning after was done and just to holler.
The water was painful. It was hard to shower for very long as the water stung the wounds that ran across my back. I washed my hair quickly and got out drying myself off before turning in the mirror to look at myself.
I was a simple girl in my opinion, deep brown eyes and long auburn hair that reached my elbows in light waves. I was five foot 3 and my simple curves on my waist and an average sized chest.
I don't really think I'm beautiful, more plain Jane than ugly though.
Taking deep breaths I turned to look at my back not having seen it since it happened.
I let out a light gasp as I caught sight of the long angry welts that lined my back in criss crosses. At least five large ones were visible and smaller ones around it.
My eyes teared up; it seemed now that even if someone liked me this would surely repulse them to no end. I always thought my back was the prettiest thing about me…but not anymore. Now it is hideous and horrid looking. I was lucky that the scars were concentrated below my bra line; at least I wouldn't have to go bra-less and feel even more uncomfortable.
I tore my eyes away from the mirror and quickly got on some underwear, a white bra, and simple dark stained jeans before calling Natalia up.
"This will hurt a bit dear." She said quietly as I sat my back facing her.
She worked in silence putting alcohol on the wounds causing me to wince and then Vaseline and finally clean gauze.
After she was done she turned me around and pulled me into a hug.
"I wish I had done more that night to have kept you from this. Saved you from it." She said somberly as she held me tight.
I shook my head lightly.
"There was nothing more you could have done, calling the police was the thing that saved me." I said reassuringly.
She nodded sniffling slightly.
"Alright well let's put this behind us and have a good time. You don't seem to have many shirts so why don't you borrow one of mine hmm?" She said smiling at me and I nodded.
She brought back a soft lavender long sleeved sweater that was thin enough to keep me warm yet not too warm and clung to my figure in a soft way.
"Perfect, you look lovely." She said, as she changed into light blue jeans and a long sleeved dark green scoop neck shirt.
We made our day out the door and to the car my nerves buckling inside me as we made our way a couple blocks to Sam's house. It wasn't far but I knew that walking too much would just agitate my back and I was thankful I didn't need to say that.