Chapter 9
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, New Moon, or Eclipse. I just like having fun with the characters and world the wonderful Stephenie Meyer created.
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Edward POV:
I've been on this planet for over 100 years. I've seen many, many things. It takes a lot to shock me, but somehow Bella has managed to do it numerous times. She is such a strong-minded young woman, and her quirks as a human were a perpetual source of amusement and adoration for me.
Bella's quirks as a vampire were clearly going to cause me to lose my mind! She's repulsed by the smell of humans, not interested in the scent of predatory animals, and only attracted to prey. She'll also only kill to cull the herd. She is still thinking more of others than of herself - she's so loving.
I was shocked by her need to have Jacob or Mystic with her during her Change. I thought that cold packs or cold hands were needed, but she needed both. It mystified me, and mystified Carlisle, but I just lived with it - I would never want to do anything other than make her happy.
The newest shock of seeing her transform from my loving vampire girlfriend into a werewolf was the last straw. I was starting to think I was hallucinating, but as I looked at Emmett and Jacob, I realized I wasn't the only one seeing this.
Jacob POV:
I was so worried about seeing Bella after she had Changed. I hadn't wanted to leave her when her Change was almost over, but I did need to eat, and (loathe though I am to admit it) Dr. Cullen was probably right that I shouldn't be there when she got thirsty. I spent the hours before Edward called eating, trying to get some sleep, and thinking.
Mostly, though, I spent my time worrying: Would she remember me? Would Edward and his family have to hold her back so she wouldn't try to drain me? Would her beautiful scent be changed into something sickly sweet? Would I still love her?
That last question was the hardest. I was so certain I had imprinted on Bella, but knowing she loved Edward was heartbreaking. I knew she loved me too, but she said it was in a different way. Maybe if Edward hadn't returned things would be different. I'm trying to be grateful that she is even partially alive.
The phone rang, awakening me from a light sleep filled with worries. Edward was calling me - they were at the meadow. I took a quick shower, found some clean clothes, and loped as quickly as I could in human form over to the meadow. Seeing Bella running with Edward, Emmett, and her dog Mystic filled me with joy - it looked like she was still Bella, even after the transformation. I watched her from the shadows of the tree for a moment, enjoying her smile, her new curves, and her confidence and coordination - though I knew I would miss catching her when she fell.
Watching Bella run to me and hug me was like a miracle. Her skin felt so cool to the touch, but her smile and her exuberance hadn't changed. I wrapped my arms around her in a hug she returned enthusiastically (I forgot vampire strength!). But a moment later she pulled away, moaning and groaning. She dropped to her hands and knees and transformed into a beautiful chocolate-brown wolf.
I was stunned. I had dreamed of Bella running with me in wolf form, but never thought it would happen. I thought at first I was hallucinating, but then I looked at Edward and Emmett, whose faces both radiated shock. Mystic, however, came bounding over, licking Bella in greeting.
Bella POV:
If you need to be brought out of shock, I highly recommend a dog licking you joyfully. It's much better than a bucket of water over the head!
After Mystic greeted me, I looked up at Edward, Emmett, and Jacob. What's going on? I thought.
"You can talk to me?" I heard, in stereo - from all three of them.
"Jinx! You owe me a Coke!" Emmett shouted, but the glare from Edward shut him up.
I guess I can talk to you like this. What the heck happened? Why am I in wolf form? I thought we knew that my power that I am repulsed by human blood? I didn't know vampires could transform. I thought all this, along with a jumble of feelings that would have had Jasper tied in knots.
"I've never seen a vampire transform into a wolf before. Never." replied Edward.
"I've never heard of it either. Except in bad movies." was Emmett's helpful contribution. Emmett and Edward looked over at Jacob.
"I have no idea. I've listened to all my dad's stories about the spirit warriors and the cold ones, but I've never heard of this either." Jacob replied, his eyes still showing his shock.
OK, we've established that I'm a freak yet again. How do I change back? The three guys just looked at me. You're all so helpful. Can't even one of you three come up with a good idea?
"Well, I know how I change back, maybe that will help?" Jacob answered.
"Hey, the puppy has a good idea!" Emmett explained. I bared my teeth at him and growled, but he laughed anyway.
"So, what I was taught to do is to hold your human, er vampire, image in your mind's eye. Then you kinda push your body back into that shape..." Jacob's voice trailed off. "It didn't make sense to me until someone showed me. Do you want me to do that?"
Yes, please! I said, nodding my fool wolf head up and down.
Jacob turned to Edward. "I need to get naked for this. Just so you know. If I don't strip first, my clothes will end up like Bella's." Edward nodded at him. That's when I looked around me and saw that my clothes - new clothes from Alice were in shreds on the ground.
Dammit! So when I change back into my two-legged form, I'm going to be naked? I need some clothes! I looked sharply at Emmett. Go get me clothes! And Carlisle. But GO AWAY!
Edward laughed, but agreed with me. "I think this will be embarrassing enough without you here to tease her about it for eternity. Could you run back to the house and get her some clothes? Carlisle should also come here. If Sam and Billy could get here too, that would also be helpful." As Emmett ran off, Edward turned to Jacob.
"I'll try Sam first on my cell phone, but if he doesn't answer, he'll hear me in wolf form. I don't know if I can get Billy out here easily. Let's see what Sam and Carlisle say first." Jacob opened his phone and called Sam. "Hey Sam ... Yeah, I'm with them ... Something, um, different happened out here, and we need you to come ASAP. ... I know you're busy, but this is important ... I'd rather tell you in person ... Trust me on this, Sam ... I'll look for you in a few minutes ... Don't forget to bring clothes." Jake snapped his phone shut and turned to me and Edward. "He'll be here in a few minutes. Edward, why don't you take off your shirt - Bella could put that on if she is able to change before Emmett gets here."
Edward nodded and took off his button-down shirt, folding it over his arm. "That sounds smart. Now let's see if this works." I could hear some sorrow in Edward's voice. It was probably because he needed Jake's help, and he didn't like that. I didn't know if I could send a thought just to Edward, so I walked over to him and snuggled against him, licking his hand. He smiled at me, and sat down so he'd be at the same level with me. "We'll figure this out, love," he whispered into my fur, and hugged me to him.
Jacob took off his shirt and cut-off sweatpants, and I saw his gorgeous body ripple as he transformed into a wolf. It was beautiful to watch, in a somewhat scary way.
Can you hear me, Bella? Jake asked.
Yes. I could also hear some of his other thoughts about me, but I tried to ignore those, and focused just on transforming back into a human.
OK, now watch me with your eyes and mind. I saw him pull within himself, and he stood up, his body rippling back into human form. He pulled on his shorts quickly. If I had been in a human form, I would have blushed watching him.
I'm going to try now. I told them, and stepped away from Edward and Mystic for a moment. I closed my eyes and tried to do what Jake had done, pull myself back into human form. I could feel my body rippling and changing as I stood up. I opened my eyes and looked down at my body, "It worked!" I shouted, then grabbed Edward's shirt from his arm as he and Jake gawked at my body. "Turn around, boys!" They turned around, rather unwillingly. I buttoned the shirt, then grabbed the picnic blanket, and sat down, wrapping my lower half in the blanket. "OK, you can turn around again now."
"That was amazing," Edward said, his eyes still showing shock. "You made a beautiful wolf!"
"Thank you!" I smiled at him. "Do I smell different now?"
Edward bent over to kiss my head, "Nope. You still smell like Bella."
"You did a great job, Bella! It usually takes newbies more than once to get it right." Jake grinned at me, and also leaned over to kiss the top of my head. "You still smell the same to me, too."
"Sit down, guys. We still need to wait for Sam and Carlisle. I'm not standing up until I get more clothes." I tried to glare at them, but I don't think it came across right, because they both grinned at me and sat one on each side. That was when I realized I was bracketed by two hot guys who were half-naked. My mind started to turn to Jello... and then I realized something, something that would have made me blush red if I was human. "Can you hear my thoughts now that I'm not a wolf any more?"
Thankfully, they both shook their heads. "You're back to being closed off from me, Bella." Edward replied.
"I can only hear the pack when we're in wolf form, so it makes sense to me that we could only hear you when you were a wolf. But none of the pack can send thoughts to humans. Or other pack members in human shape. Edward can read my mind in wolf form, though." Jake said.
We sat in a companionable silence for a little while, and then I heard noises in the forest coming from two different directions. Emmett and Carlisle burst out of the forest on one side, carrying a bag of clothes, while Sam came through the other side wearing only a pair of shorts.
"I hope I can get some answers now!" I mumbled, as everyone sat down, forming a circle.
"So, Jake, what is it you needed me for?" Sam asked. Carlisle also looked confused, so I guessed that Emmett had just asked for clean clothes and grabbed Carlisle without bothering to explain anything.
"I needed you, Sam. And I need you, Carlisle. Something strange happened." I paused, and they both kept their eyes steady on me. I took a deep breath. "I was excited to see Jake when he came to the meadow, so I ran up and hugged him. When I felt the heat from his body, my body started to cramp, and I dropped down to the ground. And then I changed into a wolf."
"A beautiful wolf," added Edward.
"Chocolate brown," smiled Jacob
"Jacob taught me how to change back, thankfully. But I want to know why this happened. Will it happen again? What is going on?" I finished in a bit of a panic. I thought my body would be more normal once I was a vampire. Clearly I was wrong.
Carlisle simply looked at me. "Well, I don't know of anything like this happening before."
Sam looked at him, then at me, and at Jacob. "I understand why you called me, Jake, but I don't know of anything like this happening either."
"We knew you were different when you needed heat in addition to cold as you were Changing..." Carlisle paused, then realized all of us were staring at him. "Hang on, I need to think for a few minutes." He stood up and started to pace as the rest of us watched him.
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A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers! I was focused on writing this chapter and didn't get a chance to respond to reviews. I'm sorry, I rarely remember to respond to blog comments, too. Anyhow, I hope you liked this nice, long chapter - In chapter 10 we'll find out WHY this happened. Or, at least we should The characters are getting away from my outline a bit, and the word count mounts up pretty quickly!