Sam Uley (the girl) POV

I bent down and placed a gentle hand on the soft dirt. I carefully raked my fingertips through the soil and bought it to my nose for a whiff.

It was an old trail.

I frowned as I threw the dirt back. This new wolf was getting on my nerves. It had been through the woods, that was for sure. But it had been way too long ago.

I cracked my neck and glanced at the trees that surrounded my home. Someone was here.

"Come out Jake." I ordered, wiping my dirt smeared hands on my jeans.

Jake walked towards me with a blank expression. I could read his eyes though.

He hated me.

Fine. Like I really cared.

"Want to come inside and wait for the others?" My tone suggested that he had no choice, which he didn't.

Jake followed me silently inside the house and shut the door behind us. Jake was the first one here and I was curious as to why. He usually showed up late to meetings or tried to avoid them all together.

"Thirsty Jake? All that running must have you tired." I offered.

Jake shook his head curtly. "No thanks."

I nodded and folded my hands. "So why are you here so early Jake?"

Jake stared at me, his eyes hardening infinitely. I narrowed my eyes back at him.

"No reason. I just wanted to get this over with." He responded coldly.

I smiled slowly. Maybe I was onto something. "Get what over with? I don't recall telling you what the meeting's about."

Jake rolled his eyes and plopped down on the love seat. "I don't know what you've come up with. Probably more bullshit to keep us busy. I don't really care. I just want to be done with it, Sam."

I walked behind the loveseat and lightly placed my hands on Jake's shoulders. He flinched as if to pull away.

"What if I told you first? About what's going on. Hmm? Do you think you could help me?" I whispered in his ear, lightly messaging his shoulders. He had a woodsy scent, like logs in a warm fire.

Jake brushed me off. I just grinned at the back of his head.

"Don't touch me Sam. Just because you're the Alpha, doesn't mean I have to like you." Jake ground out. He was shaking slightly. I think he wanted to punch me.

I licked my lips and took a seat across from him on the couch. "Agreed. I just thought...."

"You thought wrong." Jake interrupted angrily. Spots of pink were appearing on his cheeks.

I carefully smoothed out any expression from my face.

More were coming.

"Here they come." I said in a monotone.

"I'm not freakin' deaf."

Alix's POV

I had finished my shower faster than I had wanted to. But the fact that people were looking for me, motivated me to hurry up. Jake had left for the 'meeting' and I heard dad escorting mom out of the house.

So I was all alone.

I roughly ran the towel through my hair and threw some jeans and a tee on. I grabbed a jacket and fled quickly downstairs.

Oh wait.

I ran back upstairs to my room. Grabbed my iPod and a book.

Now I was ready.

Quietly I went into the kitchen and searched through the refrigerator. I was not going to starve myself in the basement, that's for sure. Plus, I really didn't think that anyone had a clue who the new wolf was besides my family and Quil. Also, who would get the idea to look here? I mean, the great Jacob Black, hiding secrets? La Push-a!!

I snacked on a granola bar or three and sneaked off to the basement.

I felt like a spy in my own home. It was weird.

"I promise that I'm hiding for all of nothing." I muttered under my breath, gripping my jacket tighter as I went further into the basement.

Oh crap. It was pitch black in here.

I bit my lip to keep from whining and felt around for a light switch.

CLICK!

I winced at the sound.

That wasn't the light switch. It was still pitch black in here.

"Alix."

Oh jeez, who was in here?

I breathed slowly through my nose and fingered my book. It was hardcover. With the right amount of strength, I could probably give this psycho a nosebleed.

"Alix? Come on, I know you're down here." The voice called again from the basement door.

I think I was drawing blood from my lip. No, focus! This creep might try to hurt me....

But how the heck did he know my name?

I wasn't going to ask. I wasn't even going to let the guy think I was down here....Time to be invisible.

"There you are." A hand clapped me on the shoulder and I shrieked like a little girl.

....with a wicked backhand.

I swung the book with all my might and got him square in the face. A sickening, crunching sound satisfied me that I had broken his nose and maybe parts of his face.

"God Alix! What is your problem?!?!" The intruder gasped, sounding a little clogged up now.

Mind you, we're still in the dark.

"Who are you?" I hissed menacingly.

The guy groaned and clicked on the light which was, conveniently, right behind him.

I smacked myself in the head.

Great.

"Aw Quil...."

Quil Sr.'s POV

I yawned as I padded across the room into the kitchen to where my youngest son was currently whining.

"Daddy! Quil..." Elias started.

I nodded my head tiredly. "Yes yes. Quil is a big butt head; we all know that. I sent him to his room. He's grounded. Happy, Eli?"

Elias pouted but nodded anyway. I sighed, relieved.

"Oh and you should keep him from seeing Alix. He's not good for her." Elias said, matter-of-fact.

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Elias nodded. "Yep. Alix really is only using Quil to get to me. She loves me and can barely stand Quil. We should keep this between ourselves though."

I quickly stuffed my fist into my mouth and turned away from my son. This was what I lived for. See? I knew there was a good side to having kids. It just took me a while to remember.

Elias tugged on my arm, his face confused.

"Dad? What are you doing?"

I shook my head and waved him off. I could barely talk right now and Claire would kill me if I upset Elias. I had already made that mistake with Quil when he was younger. Of course, I still made him mad but that was only because he pissed me off first.

"I'm...I'm going back t-to bed buddy...pfft...OK?" I forced out, biting the insides of my cheeks at the pauses. "And no m-more yelling in...in the house."

Elias made a 'whatever' face a me and went back to...to doing whatever he was doing. I think he was eating applesauce.

I rubbed my forehead and quickly made my way back to my room.

On my way, I passed Quil's room. I knocked lightly on his door.

"Hey, your brother has a crush on your girl. Hope you got a plan. And no, you cannot kill your brother." I called through his door.

Hmph. He didn't grace me with a response. Probably didn't want to give me the satisfaction.

Heh heh.

I slammed open the door anyway with a big grin on my face.

"Didja...."

The room was completely empty.

I groaned and rolled my eyes. Not again. And I knew exactly where he had gone to.

Al....

My ears pricked up as I heard a sound echoing into the open window in Quil's empty room.

A wolf's cry.

I frowned. Was that Sam? The girlie version of him anyway?

My eyes swept over the scene in front of me once again. Quil had left before Samantha had called for the meeting.

He had escaped to Alix's.

"....vampire girl...."

"I'll just ask Alix."

I ran a hand through my graying hair. There were way too many problems for it to be so early in the morning.

I exited his room and glanced at the clock in the hallway.

Ten o'clock on a Saturday morning.

Too early.

RING RING RING!!!

I gritted my teeth. "What now?"

"Quil get that!" Claire shouted from the bedroom.

I stomped over to the phone and picked it up.

"Hello?!" I said a little too aggressively.

"OK, just because your sex life isn't as great as mine doesn't mean you have to take it out on me."

My eyebrows shot up. I glanced at the caller ID quickly.

"Jake, what the hell?"

Jacob laughed from his end. "Man, you sound like you had the worst...something. Look, me and my beautifully pregnant wife are coming over. Bella needs a sitter seeing as the rest of us will be busy. You heard Sam's call right?"

I sighed and rubbed my forehead. "Of course. It was right after the son ran off."

"Quil's gone?" Jacob asked, confused.

I nodded. "Yes Captain Obvious. He's probably at your place. Again."

"What are you talking about?"

I could tell that I was about to bust someone's bubble this morning. I didn't really care right now.

"My son, your daughter's imprint, snuck out last night and came back early this morning. Dawn, I think. Now he's gone again. Now tell me you can put 2 and 2 together." I explained.

Jacob was quiet a second. I could hear Bella in the background asking what was wrong.

"I'm going to kill your boy and lock my daughter in the attic." He finally growled.

I chuckled. "They sort of remind me of us in our younger days. So much drama, man. Let them have their fun Jacob. As long as they don't start any trouble...."

"I'll break his neck next time I see him." Jacob hissed.

I'd like to do the same right about now. I was getting a headache.

"Next time you see him, he might already be in a body cast." I muttered.

We laughed together and continued to talk about arrangements for Bella's stay. Jacob was unsure of how long they'd all be preoccupied with the wolf business. And he was going to keep Alix out of the mess as long as possible.

"I hope your son doesn't screw this up. Alix needs to stay hidden." Jacob warned.

I nodded. "I'll call and tell him. Happy? That phone's practically attached to his ear usually."

We hung up and I finally sunk into my king sized bed next to my wife. I stretched out and wrapped my arms around my....pillow?

I sat up quickly.

"Claire?"

"Oh hey baby." Claire appeared from the bathroom.

"I just figured that you were going to be up a while. So I got dressed. I'll go start brunch, OK?" Claire smiled and headed downstairs away from me.

Grrrrrrr.

Quil's(Jr.) POV

Yow!!!!

Alix had a wicked backhand. She whupped me right across the face and actually managed to break my nose. With a book. Was that by freakin' J.K. Rowling?

"Aw Quil." Alix groaned as I flipped on the light switch.

I winced as she lightly touched my nose.

"Yeah. It's me. Glad to see you too." I groaned.

Alix's face turned red and she faced away from me.

"I'm really sorry Quil. I thought...that you were someone else. I don't know." Alix mumbled.

I frowned and wrapped my arms around her from behind. "Why are you down here anyway?"

Alix twisted a little in my arms and finally relaxed.

"I'm suppose to be hiding from um, the pack. They're having a meeting now and Jake's there. Dad says I can't join. Not yet."

I was still confused. Alix was plenty strong enough to join the pack. Stronger than me even. Why was Black being so weird?

"Hey, aren't you suppose to be there too?" Alix whispered, her hands playing with my fingers.

I half smiled. "I really had no idea about the meeting even though I did hear Sam's call. I had to escape home and I missed you." I kissed her cheek.

Alix giggled softly and pulled away from me.

"OK, well you've seen me. I think you should go get cleaned up and get to the meeting. They might come looking for you too." Alix said reasonably.

But I didn't want to leave. I had just gotten here.

"I don't have to leave just yet." I reached out and grabbed Alix's hand. I pulled her closer and she bounced into my chest.

"Ooof! Quil, you're all bloody! Don't you want to check that out?" Alix said worriedly, looking up at my face with concern.

"We heal quickly, remember?" I whispered.

I wiped the ridiculous amount of blood off my face and grinned. Alix's eyes grew wider and I held her tight.

"Oh no you don't....!" Alix wriggled even more.

I laughed lightly and leaned down to give her a peck on the lips.

I pulled away to find her with a dazed expression on her face.

"You still want to get away from me?"

Alix tilted her head and pushed at me playfully.

"Oh quit it Romeo. You need to go now." She reminded me with a swipe at my now healing nose.

I grabbed her wrist and kissed that too.

"Maybe I don't want to go. Besides, we can come as late as we want just as long as we show up."

Alix rolled her eyes and bent down. What a lovely view...

She stood back up with her hardcover book. It's all green cover was now sprinkled with speckles of red. It sort of looked festive to me in a twisted way.

"I want a new copy when you get back, agreed?" Alix put her hands on her hips, no nonsense.

I nodded, helpless to do otherwise.

Alix stepped closer to me and dragged one lone finger across my cheek.

"I missed you too. You wouldn't believe the trouble I almost got in this morning though, thanks to you." Alix whispered with a smirk across those lovely lips.

"Is it something I want to hear?"

"Probably not. You might want to stay away from Jake though. Hint hint."

BZZZ BZZZZ BZZZZ

I smiled sheepishly at Alix as I pulled my cell from my pants.

"It's pops." I groaned and flipped open the phone.

"Hey man...."

"Quil!! You're at Alix's, aren't you? Hopefully she explained that she must be hidden until the meeting is over. She's a secret Quil. Understand?" My father yelled into my ear.

"Yup. Got it."

"And when you get back from your rendezvous and meeting, you're so dead."

"Pop, think about what you're saying."

"Oh, I am. And I'm enjoying it. Oh, and Jacob wants to shoot you too."

My eyes were wide at this point. It was one thing for my dad to be mad at me. But when the father of my girlfriend wanted to kill me...yeah, that didn't go over well. I was in deep doo doo. I was screwed. I...

"Quil!"

Was in trouble.

"Yeah. I got it. Try to convince Uncle Jake that I'm worth keeping alive. I'll keep Allie a secret when I go to the meeting, OK?" I forced out of my mouth. I was scared of my 'Uncle'. He had been strong enough to pull away from Sam (the guy) and turn into the other Alpha back in his day. I had good reason to want to pee in my pants at this moment even though my girl was staring at me.

"Can't make any promises boy. I'm starting to forget why I keep you around myself." My dad told me seriously.

I rolled my eyes. "Later, dad."

I hung up my phone and smiled weakly at Alix.

"I really got to go. Thanks for the cracked nose and the kiss. My ass will be next if I don't get."

Alix giggled and kissed me lightly, careful of my still tender nose.

"Bye babe. See ya later." She sighed.

I nodded. "And I'll replace that book when I get back. Love you."

I headed back up the stairs and opened the door and let myself out.

"You, too." Alix whispered and sank down onto the cold carpet of the basement.

"I'll be back fast as I can." I promised her as I exited the house and took off full speed towards Sam Uley's.