3 – Prodigal
"Chief Swan," Charlie said as picked up the receiver.
"Charlie, it's Billy. Sam's back. Strolled right up to Quil's, buck naked."
"Where's he been?" Charlie asked as he pulled a file closer.
"Spirit journey is what we're gonna tell everyone. Write 'lost in the woods' for official purposes." Billy was quiet for a moment. "He's a warrior now."
"I'll be there in twenty." He hung up the phone. As he gathered his jacket, the dispatcher stuck her head in the door.
"Chief, we just got a call from the rangers. A girl was found on the top end of the Res. Her companion is shook up bad. Found the body when returning from a walk."
"I'll check into it. Send Mark and Steve. Sam Uley's returned. I'm gonna take his statement then I'll go to the site. Send the location to my phone."
On his way to La Push, he called his daughter. "Hello?"
"Bells, I'm gonna be tied up for a while. Sam Uley's back and a body was found."
She gasped. "Who was it?"
"I'm not sure, honey. How are you feeling?"
"Okay. I had to take a pain pill when I got in from school."
"Lay on the couch and rest. I'll eat while I'm there. Call for pizza or Chinese. I don't want you up if you don't need to be."
"I'm fine, Dad. Edward's here."
He ground his teeth at that information. "I'll see you in the morning, Bells. Love you."
"'Kay, Dad. Love you, too."
He snapped his phone closed just as he pulled into the Ateara yard. Billy and Harry were waiting on the porch. "I swear, he doesn't let Bella take a piss without someone watching her. If he's not around, his sister is," Charlie bitched as he climbed the steps.
"Cullen at the house again?" Harry asked.
"Yes. I know they're our enemies and all that, but I do like them. It's just Edwin get under my skin. Thinks he knows it all." They shot Charlie a frown. "Let's go in. I'm explaining this once."
They found Quil, or Old Quil as most called him, sitting at the kitchen table, a mug of coffee in his hands. Molly Swan Ateara was placing three more coffee cups down before turning to the stove.
"Hey, Aunt Molls," Charlie greeted, kissing her cheek.
"Hello, sweetheart. Have a seat."
"Tell Quil what you were going on about, Charlie," Harry prompted.
"Okay. Here's how I see it. The Cullens have been here for a year and half with nothing happening. Edwin's the only one to get under my skin, even without him dating Bells."
"What about those murders north of here?" Billy prompted.
"Let him finish," came a deep voice from the hallway. All turned to see a towel-clad Sam enter the kitchen. "I'm sorry, Ms. Molly. The pants didn't fit."
"That's fine, dear. Sit and eat. We have plenty." She set a large bowl of beef stew in front of him.
"Keep going, Charlie."
Charlie shook off his shock. "As I was saying, I actually like most of the Cullens. Uncle Quil, your dad wrote the same thing in his journals. The one he couldn't stand was Edwin. Now, the murders north of here were not them. I think they would have happened if the Cullens were here or not. Carlisle told me what really happened in Phoenix."
Sam looked up. "What happened in Phoenix?"
"Two weeks ago, three nomads came across the Cullens playing baseball with Bella. One went to attack, but they were out numbered. They sent Bella to Phoenix with Alice and Jasper, while the others laid a false trail to capture them. It didn't work. He took off after Bella."
The wolf surged forward, causing his man to stand and lean over the table. "What else?"
"If you sit your ass back down, I'll tell you." Charlie met his glare. He started back up when Sam lowered into the chair. "He lured Bella out to a ballet studio with an old tape of Renee, said he'll kill her if Bella didn't meet him. He broke her leg and threw her into the mirrors, cutting her up pretty bad. He also bit her."
The chair slammed back as the wolf began to pace and growl. "Is she one of them now?"
"No. Edwin sucked the venom out, and the nomad is dead."
"And this Edwin is at your house?"
"Bella's dating him," Harry offered. He glanced at the clock and frowned.
"What's wrong, Harry?" Billy asked over the growling.
"Leah and Emily should be home by now. They were camping at the north part of the Res last night."
Charlie froze and the growling stopped. "Harry, I got a call before coming out here. A body was found out there this morning."
"Let's go." Harry dragged Charlie up and to the cruiser.
Quil watched as Sam began eating again. "You know something."
Sam glanced up, eyes flashing yellow. "What can you tell me about being a wolf?"
"There's this thing called imprinting," Billy began. "The moment you look into a girl's eyes, she becomes your everything. She's your soulmate. She connects you to the earth. She completes you."
"You don't believe this," Quil stated as he met Sam's heated glare.
"I chose my own mate."
"The pack is back, Charlie. You can't tell me that the Cullens had nothing to do with it," Harry said.
"They didn't. The nomads caused the change. They phase in times of danger. Ephraim's pack was already phased when they arrived 80 years ago."
"Except one."
"Even him. I read the journals, too." They pulled up to the trailhead, where police cars and an ambulance waited.
"Chief Swan," Steve Johnson called out. He met them, looking at Harry questioningly.
Charlie gestured toward his friend. "Steve, Harry Clearwater. His daughter and cousin were camping up here last night."
Steve nodded. "The young lady that found the body was the girl's cousin. She's at the ambulance now." Harry took off to the vehicle. His voice dropped. "It was a bear attack. It ate some of her organs."
"Who was attacked?"
"Umm. Emily Young. Leah Clearwater came running to the station, yelling and crying about an attack. It was gruesome, Chief."
Charlie let out a silent sigh of relief. "Everything gathered at the site?"
"Yes, Chief. Some black hair was found. Seems to be a black bear."
He nodded and went to speak to Leah.
Quil tossed and turned for most of the night. Molly found him at the kitchen table, staring at a sheet of paper.
"What are you doing, Quil?"
"Making a list."
"Of?" she prompted.
"The bloodlines. Sam, Jake and Junior are the direct descendants of the old pack. Then we have Jared and Jackson Cameron and Collin and Caleb Littlesea from the Black line, then Paul Lahote and Seth Clearwater from the Uley line."
She glanced over his shoulder. "You forgot that your Aunt Amelia married Edmond Clearwater. Brady and Alex Fuller. Are those their ages?" She pointed to a number.
"Yeah." He ran his hands over his face. Sam's the oldest at 18, followed by Jared, Junior, Jake and Paul at 15. Seth is 14, Brady and Collin 12, Jackson 10, and Alex and Caleb 9."
"They're just babies," she whispered.
"Hopefully it won't happen that young."
The black wolf sat outside the house, listening as an argument ensued. Two brothers were fighting about a video game. The older stormed out of the house after their mother intervened.
Deep in the forest, the boy screamed and fell over. Another wolf was born.