POTW chappie 12

I dropped my arms when the doorbell rang. "They are here already?" I wondered as I walked toward my mom's front door. Trying to shake off this news, I opened the door.

And was swept up into a bone crushing hug. Emmett. "Um, hi!" I gasped as the air whooshed out of my lungs. The hugging process continued. I'm glad I don't have to breathe anymore. "Well, come in!" I said, and stepped back, allowing the Cullens into my mom's home. I led them into the living room, and I could see Esme mentally recording ideas for the Cullen house. "This is my mom, Sarah." I said, and gestured to my mom, who was sitting on the couch. Sarah stood up, and shook hands with everyone.

"It is wonderful to meet you all, and to see you again Carlisle." My mom said. Esme looked at Carlisle.

"We met in Volterra while I stayed there." He said almost defensively.

"Whatever," I said, and sat down on the couch. Alice and Rosalie followed suit.

"Do you live up here alone?" Alice asked, examining a pillow.

"No, the Denali clan lives around here somewhere. And I have a few stragglers come in now and then." My mom said casually.

"Stragglers?" Emmett asked, confused.

"Vampires who don't drink animal blood, they look for campers in the woods, and I let them freshen up here once in a while." Sarah explained.

"You let them even though you are a vegetarian?" Carlisle said, shocked.

"I don't let them hunt on my property, I just give them a chance to shower, maybe get some clothes, that sort of thing." My mom said defensively.

"Oh." Carlisle said, and looked away awkwardly. There was a knock on the door.

"I'll bet that's one right now." My mom said, and stood up. She went vampire speed to the door, and cracked it open.

"Hi, I heard you let people take a quick break here…do you mind?" asked a friendly sounding soprano. My mom and her talked as she let her in. As they were walking past the living room, the vampire stopped dead. She was very pretty, with dirty blond ringlets cascading down to her shoulders. But her eyes were blood red. She breathed in.

"What is that…oh." She said, seeing Edward protecting Bella. She closed her eyes and stopped breathing. When she opened her eyes, they were coal black. Edward leapt up, snarling. I stood up too, uncertain. The vampire's hands curled into fists, and she shivered a little, lips pressed together. "Gah." She said softly, trying to control herself. Then, she snapped. With a growl, she slid into a crouch, and headed towards Bella. I jumped in front of her, and changed. With a pop, and some shredding of clothes, I transformed into my white wolf phase.

She stopped dead. "Impossible…" she growled, shaking her head back and forth. I unsheathed my claws. Jacob rounded the corner, fresh out of the shower.

"Haley, what-"

Then he transformed too. Out of sheer anger, or just trying to back me up, I will never know. He stalked up next to me, teeth bared.

"Haley…" my mom warned. The vampire jumped. I jumped too, and slammed her down into the wooden floor, claws digging into her chest. Then I shot to the door, the vampire still tangled in my claws, and ran into the woods. I could hear most of the Cullens following me, and Jacob. I shook her out into a bush as Jacob rounded the corner. In a flash, the vampire stood up and ran away. I curled a paw into a fist, and held out to Jacob. With a wolf laugh, he pounded 'fists' with me. Then we walked back to the house. There were two sets of clothes waiting. Jacob went first, and then I changed back and whipped the clothes on. It was really cold. I walked inside with him, holding hands.

"Sorry about that…" I said. Bella laughed shakily. We spent the rest of the afternoon chatting. To get away, Jacob and I changed into wolves, and ran to a cliff face, nestling into each others fur. Then we changed, and used a blanket to keep warm.

"This was nice, today." He said.

"What, the Cullens coming and you and them meeting my mom, or the vampire nearly killing Bella?" I asked, snuggling into his arm.

"Getting to meet your mom." He said softly. Then he rolled over to look at me. "Haley, I have a question." He said abruptly.

"…ok." I said. He slid out from underneath the blanket, and stood like a statue. Then, he slid down slowly on one knee.