Alix's POV

I tried not to be smug when the quartet finally shut up. And it was all thanks to me.

Leah was grinning wide at me and Seth looked at peace....sort of. Dad was just trying to hold in all of his laughter. I was too. I mean, I can get the obnoxious ones to hush but their father can't? They must think I was going to do something to them, which I totally wasn't. I think.

I leaned back in my seat and closed my eyes. Aaah...

"So..." My dad had to ruin it.

Seth frowned and leaned forward. "Jake, please. I just want to hear myself think for once. No talking until we get there."

Dad chuckled. "Ah, my poor little stressed friend. The thing is, we're here."

I pressed my nose to the window as we pulled up into the driveway. I'd get to see mama and Quil again! That whole hideout crap was not working for me at all.

"Oh no..." Seth moaned, his head in his hands.

I smiled wryly at him. Then I poked him in the shoulder.

"Hey, I'll take the clones. How about you get your mind right in here for a sec? It'll be quiet and everything." What? I felt sorry for the guy. "I promise not to hurt them."

Seth nodded into his hands slowly and I took that as my cue to be mama bird.

"Alright. Boys get out on Leah's side. Aina, you come with me." I heard Leah scoff as she helped her nephews out. Hey, I never said I was fair.

Aina lifted her big, curious eyes up to mine as I helped her out of the car. Aw, she was getting to me. But I knew that was a trap. I used it on my dad all the time. It always worked. I had practically patented the big eyed innocent look. She was not going to get me today.

"OK, Aina. How about I race you? See whoever reaches the house first? Oh, and falling is illegal. You fall, you loose." I smiled at her as her eyes took on a competitive sparkle.

"Alright. You're on!" She giggled.

Don't let that sweetness fool you. It was one heck of a race.

As soon as I took off, I could hear Aina puffing and huffing as she fought to get ahead of me. And of course the boys wanted to join the race. Soon, it was just the clones racing and tripping against each other. I was the referee, keeping them honest. Haydn had lost. He'd fallen near the beginning. Aina looked like she was worn out while the others, Blaise and Kane, were having the time of their lives.

Oh to be young and free.

I smirked as Kane fell and Blaise and Aina tied. Girl power!

We finally reached the front door and all hands pounded on it sounding like the Apocalypse.

Hahaha. You should have seen Claire's face. You are lucky not to have seen mom's.

"Honey, I'm home!" Blaise shouted while Kane just rolled his eyes. Haydn and Aina giggled together. Weirdos.

Claire shook her head while mommy retreated back into the dark recesses of her cave. Haha.

"Yes, I see that hon. You all come in and behave and you just might get some cookies out of me." Claire winked.

And that was their cue to all scream.

Claire put her hands on her hips.

"Didn't I say to behave?" She crooked a brow.

Aina gasped while her brothers didn't say another peep. I wanted to laugh in their faces. They were so whipped when it came to experienced adults and sugar. Lots and lots of sugar. Mmmm.

Claire looked at the rest of us and turned around, the little clones following her like puppies.

Seth was covering his mouth, shoulders shaking. He seemed to be glad to rid his hands of his precious children for a moment.

The rest of the gang and I slipped inside after them. Mommy was watching TV with a blank expression when daddy went over and sat next to her. They didn't speak from where I could see. They just held hands and cuddled. Mom didn't look like she wanted to bite anyone's head of, per say. She just looked a little annoyed right now.

I knew those kids were bad luck.

I glanced at the kitchen. They were laughing and having a good time while baking and whipping up cookies.

Yum. I wanted one that was untouched by the brats though. Who knows where they put their hands?

Leah's eyes twinkled as she watched them a minute. Then, as I expected, she turned to me with a serious/excited look on her face.

"OK, are we ready to begin?" She asked me right away.

I nodded as I led us to some comfy chairs in the living room.

"Yeah."

"So, are there any questions you want to ask me about being a wolf?"

"Uh, sure. I mean, I've got most of it down, Jacob being my dad and all. I just wonder...about boyfriends. Will I be able to have one? Or will I have to find another wolf boy?"

Which I already have. Ahem.

Leah smirked. "Oh, I don't think you'll have to worry about that so much. Just make sure that when you get mad at them, which you will, you keep it down to a bare minimum. Seriously, it might feel good then but later you'll regret ripping them apart. Just a little. And then there's that whole problem with the law."

I laughed. "Yeah. That can be a little annoying."

Leah sobered up and looked back at me. "But I just want to go over a few important things. One, no human knows about us. Two, that you don't kill any human. Three, vampires are the enemy no matter what the hell they do or say. And yes, you will encounter a vampire sometime in your life. Really, I don't see how you can avoid it. It's like we're magnets sometimes."

I rolled my eyes. "Great. As if I don't have enough on my freakin' plate."

Leah sighed. "Yeah, I know. But don't become bitter. Really, it's not going to help you at all. I know. I just turned everyone against me. It was not fun."

Like I'd become bitter over having special powers. So what, there were certain rules I'd have to abide to. I expected that. I wasn't going to just get a free ride out of all of this.

She nodded at me, pretty much satisfied. "Good. I know you're smart and I don't have to baby you. Just do me a favor and don't pull a Samantha? She became a bitch after she was made leader. God."

I giggled as I thought about it. It wasn't really funny because most people wanted to smack Sam, including me. It was just....the thought of me doing such a thing. I'd rather...grow fur and fangs then turn into a real...Sam.

"Alix! C'mere!" Dad yelled for me a bit.

I smiled at Leah and left to go see what was up.

"Yeah dad?"

Dad was beaming, his hand on mom's stomach. OK....was it what I thought it was?

"Baby kicked." Mom said quietly with awe.

Oh great. It was alive!!!!

"That's cool. I feel sorry for you mom." I smiled simpathetically.

"Oh, it doesn't hurt yet. Later on, when it's bigger...well, if I start shouting...you know." Mom winked at me.

I opened my mouth when all of a sudden a crash came from the kitchen followed by giggling monsters.

"What happened?" I demanded as I charged into the kitchen.

An assortment of pots and pans were all over the floor, clanging as they banged into each other. There was cookie dough on the floor as well and adorned on the twins faces. Claire looked like her hands were full. I decided it was time for wolf girl to come in and save the day.

"Rwoar!!! Grrrrr!!! Rrrrr! Mmm, I'm hungry!!! I think I might want some CHILDREN for my lunch!!!!" I roared and growled at them.

They shrieked and tried to escape.

Hah. Yeah, right.

"NO!!! NO ONE ESCAPES ME!!!" Bwahahahaha!

Aina giggled and tried to go between my legs. I caught her there and held her tight while she shrieked and squirmed. Hadyn was looking back and trying to see if he could rescue his twin. I dare ya, slugger. Heehee.

"COME AND GET HER AND YOU'RE LUNCHMEAT!!!" I taunted him.

Oh yeah. I could see it in his eyes. He was coming after her.

"Hold on Aina! Here I come!" Haydn shouted out.

His brothers were standing by, watching him make a fool outta himself.

I bent down so I was level with Aina.

"Psst. I'm gonna need your help here. When he lunges, you jump out at his knees. I've got his arms." I whispered to her.

"OK." Aina whisper-giggled to me. She was good.

Haydn worked up his own lion cub roar and charged.

And--BAMM! Aina grabbed his legs and I got his arms. He was immobilized and couldn't move. He wasn't going to kick because he'd hit Aina. Kind of against the whole plan thing. Kane and Blaise were grabbing their sides, tears of mirth in their eyes.

I looked both at Aina and Haydn. They smiled and nodded.

"Now!"

Kane and Blaise were pinned on the floor quickly. It was pretty easy with the other two helping out.

"Har har har! I always win! My treats love me so!" I laughed out in my fake deep voice.

"NOW!!!" A bunch of kid voice screamed at me.

Oh no.

"Whoa!!" I shouted as I fell all the way back, almost cracking my head on the tile.

They dog piled me!!! Those little...smart little peoples. Jeez.

"Seth! I think I know a couple of kids who need a spanking!!! HELP ME!!!!" I screeched before four little pairs of hands covered my mouth, effectively gagging me.

Just when I thought that my legs were going numb, Seth's face appeared at above me.

MMMmmMM! Get me outta here!

Seth started to pull the spidermonkeys off but they kept coming back, jumping on me relentlessly.

Oh no.

Finally, Seth raised his hands and threw out the big guns.

"Kane, Blaise, Hadyn, Aina, if you four don't get off of Alix right now, your little butts will be red all over when I'm through."

"Eeek!" Aina screeched and hopped off of me. I didn't even feel it.

"Aw, dad." Blaise whined.

Haydn looked nervously at Kane, then quietly got off.

Kane was staring his dad down.

"You're bluffing!" Kane called out.

"Uh huh. Yeah, I'll give you ten seconds before I..." Seth started, steely voiced.

"OK OK!"

I sniggered as my body felt ten times lighter. Of course, I could have thrown them off but...where's the fun in that?

"You're pretty good with kids, Al." A voice suddenly said.

I jerked and glanced up.

"Quil!"

"Hey stranger."

I grinned up at him.