Chapter Six
The man stared at her, gobsmacked. She stared back at him, unfazed. The pack stared at them both, patiently waiting for someone to explain what was going on. They were pretty much all in agreement that this was probably the strangest meeting between a wolf and his imprint that had ever occurred in history, ever. The majority of the other wolves were just as stunned as Sam at the turn of events.
First of all, Sam had imprinted. Finally. Everyone would have expected the Alpha to imprint first, especially in light of the theory that imprinting helped a wolf find a mate that would help produce stronger wolves. If the Alpha of a wolf pack was the strongest leader, and imprinting helped him find a mate to produce even stronger offspring, then logic would dictate that the Alpha would imprint first, right? Apparently not. Jared, Jake, Quil, and Embry had all imprinted before Sam.
Second of all, Sam's imprint wasn't Quileute. Hell, she wasn't even American.
Third of all, she could apparently shift into an oversized, supernaturally strong and fast wolf just like them.
And finally, not only had Sam imprinted on a not-Quileute, not-American shape-shifter, but he had imprinted on what appeared to be a witch of all things. A witch. Who knew? Out of all the weird any of them had ever seen, this had to top it all.
In fact, half of them were tempted to think they were going crazy.
Dude, if you're crazy, then we all are, Jacob told Jared, who had voiced the thought for the others to "hear."
So the rest of you saw what she did, too? Embry asked uncertainly. Everybody else saw her wave a stick and clothes appear out of nowhere to cover Sam's butt-naked self?
I wonder if she could teach me how to do that? Quil mused. If Leah had been human, she would have smacked him upside the head for that.
I wonder if she can teach me to fight like that, Collin responded.
Yeah, did you see her? She almost took down Sam! Brady exclaimed, jazzed.
Paul snorted. Yeah, right. Sam totally had her under control.
I don't know, Paul, she seemed pretty fierce. I think she probably hasn't been a wolf very long, Seth disagreed. She's probably just not as used to the wolf's instincts as we are. Plus, she seems pretty desperate to get going. I bet sheer desperation would have made her win if she would have just trusted her instincts and let the wolf fight. Sam's wolf took over, and that's why he won. His wolf knew how to win the fight against another wolf, and hers would have known the same thing if she would have trusted it.
While the wolves were debating amongst themselves the possible other outcomes of the fight, Sam was still facing the small woman who had suddenly become his entire universe – and he still did not know her name.
He was so busy staring at her, that he almost didn't realize she was speaking.
"Are you listening?" she demanded.
"What?" he asked, snapping back to his senses.
She made a noise of impatience and frustration. "Look, I don't know who you are, or why you won't let me go, but I've about had it. I'm not telling you what's going on with my friend because frankly it's none of your business. But the only people who would be able to help her are vampires – to be specific, vampires that wouldn't be tempted by her human blood. Seems there is an entire coven of such vampires right here in Forks, and I am going to see them and you are not going to stop me. If you or your friends try, so help me God I will immobilize the lot of you and go find the Cullens anyway, leaving the lot of you standing here in the middle of the forest, exposed to anyone who might happen to pass by. Should I manage to conclude my business with the Cullens in a timely manner, I might come back to see what's become of you, and if you're all still here, I might return you to your natural forms. Yes, your natural forms. Trust me, conjuring clothes is the least of what I can do. If I have to, I can force a transformation on each and every one of you, leaving you all standing here buck naked. So what's it going to be? Will you let me go?" she demanded, her expression composed. Her stance and her eyes gave her away, however. Despite the outward calmness of her face, her stance was aggressive, and her eyes held a wildness to them, which told Sam that she was prepared to do whatever it took to accomplish her mission.
Sam had by now completely regained his wits. He shoved the imprint to the back of his mind for the time being and confronted the situation like the Alpha he was. Imprint or no, he also had to protect his pack. There was also the fact that letting her go to the Cullens by herself didn't sit well with him at all, even though he knew they were peaceful and even though he knew Jake had imprinted on one of their number, the child recently born to the newest vampire, Bella.
All the wolves and Sam saw how the woman's hand tightened almost imperceptibly on her wand. He glanced at Jake, who was for all intents and purposes either co-Alpha or Beta, depending on the situation, since he still didn't want to claim the title fully but was willing to share responsibility with Sam. Jake, who stood behind the woman, glanced down at her wand and met Sam's eyes again, inclining his head.
He started speaking, hoping to keep her focused on him as Jake began to move silently forward. "We'll let you go to them under two conditions. One, you agree that when you're done speaking with them, you'll meet back with us and explain a few things, as well as letting us explain a few things to you. Two, you let me go with you," he told her resolutely.
She frowned. "I can give you an oath that I'll come back to you, so why on earth do you need to go with me? And before you ask, when I say an oath, I mean a magically binding one that would cause me physical pain and illness to break."
"All the same, I'd rather you let me go with you. For my peace of mind if nothing else," he said.
"And if I refuse?" she challenged.
By now Jake was close enough. With a strike like lightning, he moved.
"We take your stick," Sam replied as Hermione whirled on the wolf that had snuck up on her and snatched her wand from her hand.
"Don't break it!" she shrieked, her hands flying up to her mouth in panic. She lurched wildly towards the wolf, but Sam, who had drawn closer, reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her back to him.
"Let me go with you," he repeated calmly.
Torn, she looked from him to the russet-colored wolf who had retreated back to his place in the circle, her precious wand in his mouth, and back again. Finally, she knew she had no choice. She couldn't Apparate to the Cullens without it. She couldn't even shift without it attached to her person.
Defeated, her shoulders slumped. "Fine. But I swear, if he breaks my wand, I will bring the wrath of angels down on all your heads. I don't care if not having my wand means I can no longer take the wolf form while you lot still can, I will find a way. I can be quite vindictive if I'm pissed off."
He nodded his understanding, then turned his attention to the pack. "Jake, you and Paul come with me. The rest of you go back to the rez. Jared, you gather up the elders and let them know what happened. Leah, I need you and Embry to do the same with the imprints. Make sure they're prepared. The elders will probably call for a bonfire for tomorrow night," he instructed. When he finished, the three wolves in question yipped their agreement, and then Hermione's heart jumped as the clearing was suddenly a flurry of activity as the dozen or so wolves the size of horses took formation and thundered past her, leaving just her, the man, and two of the wolves left.
The man turned back to her. "Now. We'll get to the Cullens quicker if you ride."
"Ride?" she asked, confused.
In answer, he stepped back a few paces, and then his outline blurred and rippled before he seemed to explode into a mass of black. Then he came up beside her and lowered his chest to the ground, forelegs extended, looking almost as if he were asking her to play. "Ride you?" she asked incredulously.
He looked at her impatiently and when she didn't move, he looked back at the other two wolves. The large silver wolf moved forward, and somehow she didn't like the look in his eye. She had a feeling he was going to end up somehow tossing her up onto the black wolf's back, and would probably be rougher than necessary. Aggression showed in every movement he made.
She gasped and turned to clamber gracelessly onto the black wolf's back herself, sending the silver wolf a glare when he snorted at her. It couldn't be clearer that he was amused.
"Well?" she said. "Let's go!"
Sam rolled his eyes, but once he felt the woman grip his fur in her hands securely, he moved forward. Not wanting her to lose her balance, he started at a walk before gradually moving into a trot, then a lope, and then a full-out run, Jake and Paul patiently matching his pace.
As they got closer to the treaty line, he reached his thoughts out to Edward Cullen, hoping the mind-reading vampire was home so he could hear him. Hey, Cullen, we found this lady in the woods who claimed to be looking for your family. It's a long story but I think you need to talk to her. She's pretty insistent. We're bringing her in and we'll be there in a couple of minutes. Jake and Paul are with me.
About three minutes later the house was in view, with the Doctor and Edward waiting on the front porch, along with the little girl, Jake's imprint. It was clear she was waiting for him.
"Jake!" she cried happily. She flew off the porch and reached Jake just as he finished slowing to a stop. She tackled him and he obligingly rolled to the ground and let her rough him up a little before he gently dislodged her; when she was on her feet on solid ground, he stood and vanished into some bushes nearby where he kept a stash of clothes for when he came to visit in wolf form.
Hermione watched all this from the black wolf's back, and blinked in mild surprise when another copper-skinned man emerged from the bushes, this one a little younger-looking than her copper-skinned man – and where had that thought come from? Her copper-skinned man? Merlin, she was losing her mind.
Her attention was diverted when a voice sounded from the direction of the house. "Sam, Jake, Paul, good to see you again. And I assume this is the lady you mentioned?"
She turned her attention to the house and her eyes found two men on the front porch. One look at their golden eyes told her she'd found what she'd been looking for. Without further ado, she slid hastily from the black wolf's back and rushed up to the porch.
"Welcome, Miss…?" the blonde man said, his voice trailing off as he realized her hurry.
"You are the Cullens?" she asked in a rush.
"Yes," the blonde said carefully. "My name is Carlisle, and this is Edward." He indicated his bronze-haired companion, who still hadn't spoken. He was looking at Hermione with a frown of consternation.
"Edward Cullen, oh, thank God!" she exclaimed. "Look, I need your help. My friend was raped by a vampire about three weeks ago, and now she's pregnant, and she doesn't want to abort it but I'm afraid it's going to kill her, and even if it doesn't I don't know if it will be a threat to society and another vampire told me he knew of somebody who knew of a half-vampire child who was born without killing its mother and I found that vampire and he told me where to find you so I brought Luna to Port Angeles but I don't know how much time she has for us to do something! Please, you've got to help me!" She said all this very fast, seemingly all in one breath. When they didn't respond except to stare at her, mouths agape, she groaned in frustration.
"Didn't you hear what I said?" she cried, nearing hysterics.
Before either of them could respond, she felt another presence appear.
She looked to see the little girl from earlier at her side. Tears sprang to her eyes as she looked at the girl and read the faint signs that revealed her to be more than human. The child was absolutely beautiful, with a face that looked almost too perfect to be real and skin that possessed an almost unearthly luminosity to it. Hermione's enhanced sense of hearing, an apparently permanent effect of the transformation into wolf form, picked up a tiny, rapid flutter that she soon realized was the girl's heartbeat, much faster than a human's. And she could feel the heat radiating from the little girl's skin, heat that matched that of the copper-skinned man, whose skin was unnaturally hot.
"What's wrong?" The little girl's melodious voice reached her ears in question.
Hermione smiled brilliantly in relief. "Nothing at all," she sighed. She turned her full attention to the miracle at her side. "Tell me, sweetheart. Is your mother here? I would very much like to meet her."
Before the little girl could answer, however, a pair of hands gently pulled her away from Hermione as she was shielded by someone's body.
"Not until you explain yourself," the hard voice of the bronze-haired vampire told her.
"I told you," she replied, struggling to keep her voice even but not succeeding very well. The note of desperation was starting to creep back in. "My friend was raped by a vampire and is pregnant with his child. I need to find help for her and another vampire told me where to find you. Please, please let me come in so I can tell you, all of you, the whole story. I promise I would never harm anyone, least of all your wife and daughter. I couldn't even if I wanted to. He stole my wand, so I'm fairly certain I am, in fact, the most defenseless person here," she finished, pointing at the copper-skinned man who'd replaced the russet wolf. He still held her wand in his hand.
Neither of the vampires responded for a moment. They exchanged looks with each other first, and then the bronze-haired one, Edward, looked back at her with a look of intense concentration.
"What?" she asked uncertainly. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Instead of answering her, he turned his attention back to the blonde. "I can't hear anything from her. Only instead of silence like with Bella, I'm getting static."
Hermione gaped at them. "What are you talking about? I'm right here! Don't tell me there's such a thing as a deaf vampire!" She heard the surprised burst of laughter coming from behind her, and glanced back to see that all three of the wolves had shifted back to their human forms and were all fully dressed. She forced herself to turn back to the two vampires instead of getting distracted.
The one called Carlisle chuckled. "No, that's not what Edward means. Edward has a particular gift that allows him to read most people's minds. His wife Bella was, until now, the only exception."
"Oh," she replied. "Well, I don't think he'll be able to read my mind unless I let him. I learned a branch of magic that allows me to block my thoughts from anyone who might try to read them, and now it takes conscious effort for me to let someone in."
"I see," Carlisle replied. "In that case, I suppose we had better let you in so you can explain." He looked beyond her. "Sam, Jake, Paul, you are more than welcome to come in as well."
Hermione looked behind her at the three large young men. The youngest of the three, the one who still held her wand in his hand, grinned and agreed, which made the little girl smile brilliantly in return. The oldest, her black wolf, nodded his agreement as well, though his face remained somber. The third, however, shook his head. "I'm gonna patrol. One of us should stay wolfed out."
The two vampires nodded and turned to lead the way into the house.
Before she followed them, however, she turned back to the two copper-skinned young men. "My wand, please," she requested, her voice polite but possessing an underlying tone of steel.
Jake raised an eyebrow at her, and she said, "Look at it this way: would you want to go in there if you didn't have your ability to shape-shift?"
He had to concede the point, and held her wand out to her. She accepted it with a nod of thanks and turned to follow the two vampires.
She was followed closely by the Man Who Was the Black Wolf, and he was followed in turn by Jake and the little girl, whose tiny hand was tucked into the giant one of her companion.
Hermione was a bit disconcerted to realize how closely the Man Who Was the Black Wolf stayed to her, and even more so to realize how it seemed like every movement she made he followed, either by his own movements or by his eyes. She was also disconcerted to see, upon following Carlisle and Edward into the living room, that it appeared the rest of the coven was waiting for them.
A woman with soft waves of shoulder-length hair that reminded Hermione of Muggle black-and-white silent films stood at the entryway between the foyer where they had just come into the house and the living room. A blonde woman stood beside the fireplace on the far side of the room while a blonde male stood looking out the window near the fireplace. A very large – though not as large as the copper-skinned men behind her – dark-haired male lounged on the sofa facing an enormous flat-screen television. A third female, also with dark hair, though hers was quite a bit longer, and what Hermione realized with some trepidation was a pair of crimson eyes stood unobtrusively in a corner of the room, watching everything warily. And a fourth, smaller dark-haired female, this one with much shorter hair, pranced in from another room off the living room, caring a vase of flowers which she placed on the coffee table before going to stand beside the blonde male by the window.
At the entry of the newcomers, all the vampires in the living room looked up, and as their eyes found the face of the only person that was yet a stranger to them, Hermione fought back a flinch at finding herself suddenly the center of attention. She tightened her grip on her wand.
"Please, let's all sit," Carlisle entreated. Only about half the people in the room did so. Hermione hesitated, but finally decided to be gracious and accept the hospitality that was on offer. She sat in a single armchair, after a glance at her copper-skinned man that she did not realize was a silent entreaty for him to stay close. He came up and stood beside her armchair.
She felt herself calm at his presence and tried not to ponder too much the implications of that. She missed the look of interest on the faces of the blonde male by the window, who'd remained standing, and Edward, who had elected to sit down with the woman with long dark hair and red eyes. She sat carefully, neither rigid nor relaxed, her position perfectly composed but for the still-tight grip she had on her wand which was the only giveaway to her tension.
"Tell us, my dear," Carlisle requested. "What brings you all the way here to us? I can tell from your accent alone that you are not from here."
She shook her head. "No. I'm from Britain. My name is Hermione," she told them. She glanced at the wolf-men again, this time apologetically. "I'm sorry I never introduced myself before. I'm afraid I've botched things up a bit." She took a deep breath, knowing that what she was about to say would be difficult for them to believe. "My name is Hermione, and I am a witch."