Chapter 3
A/N: So here's the third chapter! Enjoy! Oh! And I've forgotten to do this in my other chapter. I do not own Twilight.
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"Oh my god." I breathed out, staring at my newly brown eyes.
"I'll go get Carlisle." Esme said, running out of the room.
Five minutes late I was sitting in a chair in Carlisle's office while he inspected my eyes.
"So, Carlisle, what's the verdict?" Emmett asked.
"It is normal for a person's eye color to change, but only in the first few weeks or months of life. It's not normal for a person's eyes to change so late in life though. Especially not this fast." He explained. "This is a very strange phenomenon. I have never encountered anything like this."
"Well there must be some logical explanation for this. Change in environment, reaction to the rainy weather, something." Edward said.
"It probably was a cause and effect type of thing. But what set it off is the really question." Alice commented.
"Maybe it's just a family thing. Alpha, did this happen to either of your parents?" Esme asked me.
"Not that I know of." I shrugged.
"Do you have any special heritage or anything like that?" Carlisle asked me.
"Well, I'm half Italian and half Native American." I answered, slightly confused.
"We could search for your family history . . . unless you already know about it."
"I don't know. My parents never really told me about my native American heritage."
"What is your tribe called?" Carlisle asked, walking over to his computer and sitting down.
"I'm not sure. My parents never talked about it. Whenever I would ask about it they would just say that I didn't need to know about it."
"But your family is originally from Georgia, correct?"
"Yeah, Forest, Georgia is where I was born." I supplied.
"Well, since we know where you're originally from we can search it and see what tribes are or were in the area. That way we could maybe find your family and your history." Carlisle explained. "I'll work on it and call you all back in when I think I have something."
We all left and I walked back to my room. I decided to get dressed since it would probably be a long wait.
I grabbed a white tee shirt, black jeans, and a black zip up jacket and got dressed. I didn't bother putting on makeup since Carlisle will probably be inspecting my eyes again.
Just as I finished I heard a knock on my door.
"Come in." I yelled.
"Alpha, Carlisle thinks he might have found something." Alice said, opening up my door.
"'Kay." I followed Alice back to Carlisle's office. Everyone was already there, either standing or sitting.
"What did you find?" Esme asked.
"I didn't find too much on family history. Just the births of children, basic stuff like that. Also, I didn't find any Native American tribes in the vicinity. But, I did find something else interesting. The founder of the town had donated his family mansion and the land as a wildlife preserve. I researched it more and found that the Charday family is basically the owners or the preserve and the fact that a Nakota Charday is currently caretaker." Carlisle told us his findings.
"Alpha do you know if you have any family back in your hometown?" Rosalie asked me.
"No, we moved to New York when I was only a few months old and whenever I asked my parents about family they said that they were both only children and both their parents were dead." I said.
"Well, from the looks of it you do and Nakota is your grandmother on your mother's side." Carlisle said.
"Maybe she would know something about what's happening." Emmett piped up.
"It's a shot in the dark but at least we have some type of lead." Carlisle said.
"How do we get in contact with her?" I asked.
"We fly out there." Alice shrugged.
"But we should probably call first. We don't want to just show up." Esme said.
"I'll see if I can find a phone number." Carlisle turned back to his computer.
"Alpha, have you had any other strange thing happening to you?" Edward asked suddenly.
I hesitated for a moment. Should I tell them about my flashes?
"Alpha, you know you can trust us with anything." Jasper said, seeming to sense my internal battle.
"For a few months now I've been having these . . . flashes. It feels like a headache at first and then I can hear and see everything. Two days ago when Miss. Owens was speaking to Esme over the phone one of my flashes happened. I could hear every word Esme was saying." I said after a minute.
"Have you experienced anything else?" Carlisle asked.
"Yeah. Something . . . strange happened last night. I woke up at about two AM and I felt a strange pull to the forest. I ended up walking through the woods. When I was out there I had another one or my flashes. I could sense everything. It was like the forest itself was alive. While I was out there something in me . . . it just felt like . . . something in me clicked into place. Like I was finally complete. It was so amazing. I've never felt like that before." I tried to explain everything that took place earlier this morning.
"I think whatever happened to your eyes has to do with what happened earlier this morning." Edward spoke.
"Maybe. It's all we have to go on right now. Alpha, make sure you tell someone if something else happens." Esme said.
"'Kay." I agreed.
"I found Nakota Charday's phone number." Carlisle said rising from his computer.
"So what do we do now? I call the grandma I never knew I had?" I asked.
"Yeah, pretty much." Emmett chuckled.
"Seriously? And what do I say? 'Hi! This is your grandchild that you haven't seen since I was a baby. Do you know why my eyes are changing colors and can see and hear everything at random points in time?' Yeah, that'll go over well." I ranted.
"Nooo. You make small talk, chat for a while then casually asked her." Emmett said like it was obvious.
"I . . . I don't even know how to react to that." I shook my head.
"Emmett's right though. You shouldn't just outright ask her. For all we know this could have to do with something on your father's side." Alice piped up.
"True, we must be very cautious when approaching the subject." Carlisle agreed.
"So, I guess now all we have to do is call." I said nervously.
"You can do it in your room if you want." Carlisle said, handing me a piece of paper with the number on it.
"No I'd rather do it here." I started dialing the number before I had the chance to back out. It rang for a minute, and then someone picked up.
"Hello?" An older woman's voice answered.
"Hi, is this Nakota Charday?" I asked.
"Yes it is. How can I help you?" She replied.
"Um, yeah. I'm Alpha-May Charday. Your granddaughter."
"Alpha-May? As in Luke Mayfield and Willow Charday?" Nakota asked.
"Yeah, that's me." I laughed nervously.
"Oh my! You sound so grown up! I remember seeing you for the first time in the hospital!" I sighed in relief as she spoke. This was going a lot better than I thought it would. "So, why have you called?"
"What?"
"No one ever calls Gran unless they want something." She chuckled.
"Well actually, I wanted to know more about my Native American heritage." I said.
"You mean your mother never told you?"
"No, they would always say it wasn't important."
"Yes, your mother never truly respected her heritage. Then they put your brother up for adoption and . . ." She sighed.
"Yeah, they did the same with me." I grumbled.
"That girl! Always pushing away her problems!" Nakota sounded slightly angry at that news.
"Wait, what do you mean b -" I was cut off by myself when a wave of extreme pain hit me. I dropped the phone in shock and fell to my knees, clutching my head. Then one of my flashes happened, and I could hear Nakota.
"Alpha-May?" She said frantically.
Carlisle picked up the phone and started speaking to her as everybody else rushed to my side.
"Yes, strange things have been happening to her lately." I must have missed Nakota questioning Carlisle on what happened.
"You fly out here now. It is very important she gets here so I can explain and help her. Come as soon as possible." As she hung up the pain left and I fell to the floor, gasping for breath.
Carlisle spoke after a moment of silence, "Alice, please book us plane tickets. Everyone else, please go and pack."
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"Edward I really don't think this is necessary." Bella – who I had just met this morning – was complaining in the passenger seat of the Volvo. She was insisting she shouldn't go, got roped into it, and now is complaining about the first class plane tickets.
"Well, it was either me staying back with you or you coming along. And since you insisted I should be there for my little sister, it was you coming with." Edward retorted. This argument had started at the beginning of the half hour drive to Port Angeles, where the airport was. We were over half way there now.
I sighed and turned on my iPod so I wouldn't have to listen to them. Edward and Bella were obviously made for each other. Both like classical music, classical novels, and both were very stubborn.
After the remaining fifteen minutes, we parked at the airport. The airport was smaller than other one I've been to before so there were smaller crowds. Lots of people stared as we walked passed. It's not too often when you nine people in one group. Twenty minutes later we boarded or plane and began the long flight to my hometown.
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Two hours later the plane landed. It was about a forty five minute drive to Forest so while we went and got our bags Alice and Jasper rented four cars for us. Carlisle and Esme were in the first, Alice and Jasper in the second, Emmett and Rosalie in the third, and Edward Bella and I in the last. Carlisle had the address so he was leading the group. During the drive I watched the trees and towns pass by while I listened to music.
When I saw the 'Welcome to Forest' sign I turned off my music. There were two or three story houses on either sides of the roads and little kids playing in the front yards. There were parks and couples pushing strollers. Teens were riding bikes and some were hanging out at what looked like an ice cream shop. People waved at each other as they passed by and older couples sat on their porches enjoying the warm overcast weather. You could tell this was the town where everyone knew everyone, where your parents' parents' parents' grew up. I remembered this town vaguely but the memory was fuzzy, like a past dream.
As we passed through town heads turned, watching us. It was like they could tell we were outsiders, probably because of the extremely flashy cars that stood out among the simple homey feel of the town.
We finally stopped in front of the Forest Wildlife Preserve and Animal Sanctuary. The entire thing was surrounded by a stone wall and in front was a wrought iron gate. The gate was wide open and there was a gravel road leading to a small parking lot. No one else was there, except for and older lady who I was guessing was Nakota. By looking at her you wouldn't think she was old enough to have a granddaughter. Her brown braided hair was slightly graying and she had tan skin like mine. She was wearing a long green-turquoise color dress that reached to her ankles and she had lots of bangles on her wrists and beads around her neck.
"Hello. I am guessing you are the Cullens?" Nakota spoke.
"Yes, we are. I am Carlisle, this is my wife Esme. These are our adoptive children, Edward, Alice, Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper, Edwards girlfriend Bella, and the newest addition to our family and you granddaughter, Alpha-May." Carlisle introduced us.
"Ah, Alpha-May. You look so much like your mother." She said, hugging me.
"Um . . . Thanks." I awkwardly patted her back. I'm definitely not a touchy-feely type of person.
"Miss. Charday, you said that you could answer some of our questions on what is happening to Alpha?" Carlisle said.
"Oh! Yes, yes, we shall talk in the manors library." She said, letting go of me and gesturing for us to follow.
We walked towards the large manor that looked exactly as it did on the website. The inside was dark, the only light coming from the partly closed windows and the glowing fireplace. From what I could see of the house, it was very fancy. It looked like it should be in a vampire movie or something like that. We walked up the large spiral staircase to the third level of the building and down a long hall and stopped in front of two double doors. Nakota opened them to reveal a very big library. The room was rounded with bookshelves flush against the wall and a balcony with a desk and computer. The ceiling was dome shaped with a planet mobile hanging from the center. I looked at the planets but they all looked strange. They definitely not the ones I had learned about in school.
We all sat down on the chairs and couches surrounding a large round clear glass coffee table.
"So, you have questions?" Nakota spoke.
"Yes, Miss. Charday-"
"Please, call me Gran, everybody does." Nak – Gran cut Carlisle off.
"Well, Gran, some strange things have been happening to Alpha-May. Her eyes changed color, sometimes she can hear and see much better than humanly possible – she calls them flashes - and something strange happened to her yesterday night."
"What happened?" Gran asked me.
"I woke up at two AM and felt this weird pull that was coming from the woods. Almost like something was calling me. When I was walking I had one of my flashes and I could feel the forest. Almost like it was alive. While it was out there something in me clicked into place. It was the weirdest thing I have ever experienced." I explained.
"Ah, so it is happening."
"What? What's happening?" I asked.
"It is part of your heritage, Alpha-May. Like many other tribes, we have our own legends and stories." Gran got up and walked over to one of the bookcases, retrieving a large leather bound book. After placing it on the table she flipped through the well-worn pages. "Here, in this book, is where everyone was recorded for future generations to read and add their own."
"But all the pages are blank." Emmett spoke up.
"You may not be able to see them now, but eventually they will uncover themselves, though only to people who are allowed to see." Gran said.
"What? How?" Carlisle asked, obviously intrigued.
"You see, our people are much like the ones called the Quileutes."
"Quileutes?" I questioned.
"Yes, they are another native American tribe near Forks. They have many legends like own. Stories of shape shifters, which turn into grand animals to protect our land." As Gran spoke words began to appear on the pages. They were in a strange language that I had never seen before, though I was able to read them perfectly.
I gasped in surprise and grabbed the book from the table. "I can see the writing!"
"Yes, I thought so. Your brother could too when he came here after the same exact things that you have been experiencing happened to him." She smiled.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"You see, you and your brother Audin are the protectors our legends speak off. By the time your sixteenth birthday comes to pas you will be able to fully shift into your animal forms." Gran explained.
"Wait, you said forms, as in more than one."
"Okay, so out of all that, you question the fact that you can shape shift into more than one animal?" Edward questioned. I just shrugged my shoulders at his questions and turned my attention back to Gran.
"Yes, you will be able to shift into more than one animal. You can shift into any animal that has walked this earth during one time or another." She continued, ignoring our little exchange.
"Cool." I said looking back down at the words writing themselves across the pages.
"All you need to know is in this book. Take it with you and learn from it, it will make everything easier." Gran finished, taking the book from me and closing it. She rose from her seat to grab a large bag and put the book in it, and then handed it to me. "Good luck my dear."
"So, Audin is a shape shifter like me too?" I asked.
"Yes, and he will know that you know now, and will probably search for you to help you through your first shift." She said.
"One last question, why did my parents give Audin and I up?" I asked quietly.
"Like I said over the phone, your mother never really believed the legends and when you brother then you showed the signs, she put you up for adoption, so they wouldn't have to deal with it." Gran sighed, obviously disappointed in her daughter.
"So . . . it wasn't that they didn't want us, they just didn't want to deal with us being shifters?"
"Yes." Gran clarified.
"Well, my parents are asses." I grumbled, making everybody laugh and breaking the tension in the room.
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"I'm sorry we couldn't stay any longer." Carlisle apologized as we loaded back up in the rental cars.
"Oh, no no, I understand. You are a doctor and you have patients to attend to. I just hope I answered all of your questions. If not Alpha-May can consult the book." Gran reassured him.
"Of course. We will come to visit again though." Carlisle said, then got in his car and closed the door.
I turned to Gran and thanked her for telling me about what I am, got in the car and drove off towards the airport.
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A/N: So tell me what you think. Sorry it was a long time since I updated last. I got a new idea for a story so I started writing it down. But here it is! Chapter 3! Now . . . REVIEW! (P.S. Alpha-May will be finding out the Cullens are vampires in the next chapter and Paull will come in in either the next chapter or the one after that.)
XOXO
JJV