Thank you: ChrissiHR, Donum Gemini, Dottyanne, laugh0ften2012, aesir21, Twisted Musalih, Jedi Knight Kat, jharv241, Jalice223 and CleverBlueEagle.

Pictures of the wolves (they are not the same as in the movies) and Bella can be found on my website- the link is on my profile. (Warrior of the Present will be updated soon.)

Chapter 5

"I used to be Snow White, but I drifted." ~Mae West

Bella

Some people joke about hearing voices in their mind; others are serious and claim they are 'told' by these voices to do bad things. I've always thought of myself as a relatively sane person- at least, as sane as a person who dates a vampire can be- but waking up hearing a cacophony of voices made me question my concept of sanity… the fact that said voices were talking about the latest football scores registered moments later.

Fantastic, I thought to myself, of all the voices in the world, I get the sports obsessed ones.

I see you're finally awake.

Sam? I questioned, unsure why I would hear him of all people.

Congratulations Bella, he sounded amused, you've officially gone through your first phase. I must say, your form is not what I expected…

I'm gonna go out on a limb and assume this is the pack mind, I didn't really care about my biting tone… wait, what did he mean about my form?

Well, you do kinda look like a sheepdog, Embry interjected, surprising me.

Wrong colours, though, Jared added, luckily I had moved past shock and into an uneasy acceptance, I've never seen a wolf those colours in fact.

Should I be offended, I inquired, or honoured?

Don't know, Embry replied, somehow pulling off a mental shrug, we've always thought that a wolf's colour was based on their personality, so maybe that has something to do with it, amusement filled the mental link, along with a heavy dose of mischief, that's why Sam's black- because of his black heart. A snap sounded, followed closely by a whimper of pain and I finally opened my eyes, well, more like blearily peeked through my lashes. The bright sunlight caused me to close my eyes and I wondered what time it was.

Around seven-thirty, Sam's voice echoed across my mind, reminding me I was no longer alone in my head. I cautiously reopened my eyes and took in the scene before me; I didn't recognize the clearing we were in but a large- draft horse sized really- black wolf sat directly in front of me, staring down with dark, commanding eyes. Sam. A light grey and ginger wolf was just behind him, contorted to lick at his back leg- Embry. Two other wolves lounged a short distance away, one dark silver and the other brown with a dark mask; I was unsure who they were.

C'mon Bella, the one with the mask whined, don't tell me you've forgotten me already.

Jared, I acknowledged, recognizing the voice, so if we're coloured based on personality, what's with the mask?

It's because-

It's because everyone thinks he's a goody-two-shoes, Embry interrupted Jared, but he's really a prankster. His tone was light-hearted, so I assumed this was part of an inside joke.

Why are we babying the leech-lover? A caustic voice abruptly asked, originating from the silver wolf.

Leech-lover? I questioned, unfamiliar with the term.

You know; fang-banger, vampire-wannabe, blood-junkie? His tone grew darker with each new term, Tell me something- was it the bloodsucker's glittery skin that got you off, or the fact that he was a cold-blooded killer?

Shock froze my thoughts, Wha- what? I mentally stuttered.

Oh c'mon, he snorted derisively, you had to have been fucking him for them to stick around so long, but I guess they finally realized you're worthless and left.

Paul, that's enough, Sam glared at the wolf.

You're the reason we're like this, Paul continued as if Sam hadn't spoken, you poked your nose where it didn't belong and now we're stuck with you- only we don't want you either.

Paul! That's enough! Sam yelled, but the damage was already done. I'd had enough; the rumours at school, the looks my father had given me- Paul's words were the straw that broke the camel's back.

I jumped up from my position on the ground, stumbling slightly as I adjusted to the novelty of four feet, and lunged for the silver wolf. My reaction took him by surprise as he clearly expected me to turn into a sobbing mess as I would have just a day ago. I managed to tackle him, some new part of my mind guiding my body as I growled at the man-turned-wolf. I didn't know if this new confidence and fighting spirit came with my new status as a shifter, but I liked it. I was no longer weak.

Paul managed to wriggled his way out from beneath me and pull himself to all fours. He stood, hackles raised and teeth bared, but I refused to back down. I lowered my body, gathering myself and suddenly realizing how much smaller than him- and the other wolves- I really was. I jumped, going for his throat, only to be caught in the side of the head by his paw. I was flung through the air and I tumbled over twice before I was able to get my feet back under me. I shook myself to clear the brief dizziness before whipping back around. I immediately went for him again, this time catching his chest with my shoulder and winding him. His head twisted and he snapped at me, managing to get a hold on one of my ears with his strong jaws. Reacting without thinking, I ripped the appendage from him, causing his teeth to rake through the skin and fur on both sides, and I yelped in pain.

Pulling back, I revaluated. I could feel the blood seeping through the fur- and what a strange sensation- on my neck and forehead. Paul was scraping his tongue against his teeth and spitting fur out. While he was distracted, I lunged up and caught his flank with my front claws, watching in satisfaction as small rivulets of blood fell from the cuts, staining his leg and the ground beneath him. Unfortunately, the pain angered him and he growled as he lashed back at me, using his size and weight against me. Our earlier positions had been reversed, and he now had me at his mercy. I scrabbled at his stomach, trying in vain to dislodge him, but he just seemed amused by my efforts. He bowed his head, his jaws mere inches from my throat when something slammed into him and threw him off me. The sudden motion caused me to roll over onto my belly and I stared dazedly up at my saviour- an enormous russet wolf.

You alright? A familiar voice asked and I gasped in surprise.

Jake?

The one and only, came his reply and he turned to nudged me back into a standing position, still keeping his eyes on Paul's figure, so… are you alright?

I snorted, the sound coming out odd in this new shape, I'm fine- what about you? Are you doing okay?

Sure, sure, Jake bumped my shoulder but continued watching Paul as the silver wolf stood and stalked past us, intentionally ramming Jake as he went by. Jake growled and glared at the wolf until he had passed the treeline, only then did Jake turn back to me and begin to lick at my injured ear. I leaned into him, the feeling of his rough tongue cleaning my wounds and fur comforting me. When he finally deemed the area clear, he rested his head on top of my own as he had done when we were both human. I nuzzled into his shoulder and took in his familiar scent, letting it relax me even more so than the partial bath, the cinnamon and ginger with a hint of car grease reassuring me and enveloping me in a smell that was purely Jake. His new form had added new tones to it- pine and something earthy I couldn't recognize now complimenting his old scent.

I was really worried about you, I commented.

Jake's body rumbled with a barking laugh, You're one to talk- I think you nearly gave your dad a heart attack. A memory, not mine, flashed across my mind and I watched Charlie as he looked at something worriedly, Billy holding him back with a firm grip on his wrist.

When was that? I questioned.

This morning, Jake pulled his head back and turned to look at me, Bella, I-

Jake

I froze and stared into Bella's eyes, the brown having changed to absolutely beautiful amber. She looked at me in confusion and yet through her mind I felt an echo of my own emotions. When Sam had talked to me he had mentioned imprinting and I had felt and seen it within his memories, but nothing could have prepared me for the sensation overtaking me as I lost myself in Bella's eyes. It seemed as if my world had suddenly shifted on its axis and everything had moved. All of a sudden, the girl-turned-wolf in front of me was the most important thing to me- worries about my own life faded to the back of my mind, and I knew that nothing else was more crucial to me than that she was happy and safe.

What- what was that? She gasped out, unsure how to react to these new feelings.

Sam called it imprinting, at least, I think that's what happened, I replied promptly.

Her voice was still shaking when she responded, What does it mean?

It means that you two are soul mates. Sam's voice startled us both, though Bella seemed more shocked by his word's meaning than his re-entrance to the discussion.

The girl laid down- well actually, more fell down- and ran Sam's words over several times, Soul mates? She asked, as if she was convinced she had heard Sam wrong.

Sam sighed and sat, According to the records, imprinting is rare, but it means that the wolf has found their other half, or as Jacob put it; their soul mate. I myself have imprinted, an image of Emily appeared along with a mixture of absolute adoration and regret, but two wolves imprinting on each other… this is unprecedented, which makes sense as Bella is the first female wolf.

Bella

We sat there, mulling over his words when I realized how quiet it had become, I sent the others home- school starts in a little bit. Don't worry, Sam stated, no doubt sensing the panic in my mind, I spoke with Charlie and Billy while you were having your… moment. I'm sure if we were human, Sam would have been smirking and I would have been blushing scarlet, They've called you both in sick… again. By the way Bella, we're going to need to talk about your school situation.

What do you mean? I questioned, feeling nervous.

You're gonna need to switch schools. He didn't even let me argue, I don't want any of the Pack alone in such an emotional place like high school. If somebody were to say the wrong thing and piss you off, we won't be able to help you in time if you stay at Forks High. The principal in La Push knows about us, so you shouldn't have any problems enrolling. Now, I'm going to run patrol; Jake, I want you to take Bella to Emily- tell her to take you to Jimmy. She'll know what I mean. Your parents left your clothes at the treeline- Jake, you know how to get back. Jake nodded and started pushing me into the trees.

I glanced around, still not recognizing where we were, We're a couple of miles east of your house. Jared carried you here- it's a good thing you're so tiny. I grumbled under my breath… well, mentally anyway. Jake pushed my shoulder with his nose, Hey, I'll race ya' back.

I gave him my best incredulous look, hard to do in wolf form, You're joking.

Trust me. He looked at me and I was momentarily distracted by his dark gold eyes. He gave a light bark, then took off, leaving me to shake my head to clear it. I sighed, then slowly followed the wolf, timidly picking up the pace as I gradually grew more confident in my movements. Soon I was flying through the trees, my paws barely touching the ground. I could see Jake ahead of me, leading the way back to the house.

Suddenly, he stopped and I was forced to scramble not to run into him. I managed, barely, but the ground suffered as it now had several gouges from my claws stretching out behind me. I growled at him and he gave me a wolfish grin, Sorry, he said insincerely, we're here.

Already? I yelped, both mentally and aloud.

We have to be able to keep up with the vamps, of course we're fast. Now, we need to phase back. First, I want you to-

Wait! I interrupted him, I want to know what I look like, I admitted sheepishly- huh, a sheep in wolf's clothing… or fur as the case may be.

Sure, he said and pushed and image into my mind.

Wow, I remarked, I really do look like a sheepdog. From what Jake was showing me, I more similar to a coyote- comparatively speaking- and build. My coat was disturbingly long, it was a miracle I hadn't killed myself tripping over fur, and was mostly a rusty red, accented by cream on my jaw, chest, belly, legs, the top of my tail and the edge of my ears- one still stained from the earlier bleeding.

The length of your fur is a reflection of your hair length- at least, that's how Sam put it, Jake shrugged, Anyway, we need to change back and get you to Emily. He sat down and looked me in the eye, First, you need to let go of any negative emotions you're feeling. I slowly followed his direction, Good, now focus on being human- skin, opposable thumbs, five toes, no tail- you get the point? I nodded and closed my eyes to help me think. I focused on the things Jake told me to, but didn't really feel anything different.

I don't think it worked, I finally admitted defeat, Jake? I questioned, not getting a response, Jacob?

Eventually opening my eyes, I saw Jake- still in wolf form- openly gaping at me… well, my body at least. A breeze went by and I shivered- realization overtook me and I jerked my head down, "Jacob Black!" I exclaimed, crossing my arms and legs to shield myself. The wolf shook himself and dashed to a nearby log, pulling what I recognized be a pair of my sweatpants and an oversized shirt from beneath it. Closing his eyes, he stepped back towards me and dropped the clothes from his mouth before turning around and sitting down with his back to me. I reached out one arm and pulled the clothing towards myself, still keeping the other arm over my chest and watching Jake warily. I quickly pulled the pants and shirt on, wincing slightly when the shirt hugged my bust tightly and the sweats- which had previously dragged across the floor- now hit me mid-shin and stretched across my hips, "I'm done." I announced, and Jake rotated to look at me, eyes widening a bit when he saw the tautness of my shirt, "Hey, my eyes are up here." I had never been what others would call busty, in fact, I was previously a stick figure, and so it was nice to have someone appreciate my new shape.

"Bella, that you?" My father called out and I saw him standing just outside the back door.

"Be there in a second!" I yelled back and watched Jake as he disappeared behind a tree, remerging moments later in a pair of shorts, I blinked in shock, "You cut your hair?"

He ran his fingers through his cropped hair, "Yeah, well, it's pretty much a requirement. That's why we're going to Emily- time for you to get a trim." He made a cutting motion with his fingers, smirking.

I shook my head wearily and sighed, starting towards the house, "Let's go Mr Scissorhands." He laughed then quickly caught up, "Do you know who Jimmy is?" I asked abruptly.

"Nope." Jake responded, popping the 'p', "But remember, I haven't been a wolf much longer than you."

"Yeah, about that," I began, "I hear I have you to thank for this."

Jake looked at his feet, "Bella, I am so sorry… If I had known, I swear, I never would have-"

"Jake," I cut him off, "…it's alright, really." I laughed, "I was starting to get tired of weak, innocent Bella anyway. This gives me the opportunity to let go of the past. I need to move on… Ed-Edward," I said the name determinedly, "… and the other Cullens aren't coming back. So, thank you, for giving me a second chance." Giving him my sweetest smile when he wrenched his head back up to look at me, I put a hand on his shoulder and guided him down to my face. I stared into his eyes and slowly stretched the remaining distance, placing a chaste kiss on his lips.

"Really?" He asked and I raised an eyebrow. He rolled his eyes before putting a hand on the back of my head and pulling me into a heated kiss. I had just thrown my arms over his shoulders and pushed myself tight to his body when somebody cleared their throat.

We broke apart and looked around in embarrassment. Charlie was standing on the other side of the closed screen door with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face, "Am I interrupting something?" He asked in a lightly sarcastic tone. Jake and I jumped apart and began straightening ourselves, "C'mon you two, I need to get to work and Sam told us you had stuff you needed to do."

I tilted my head, unconsciously imitating an animal-like expression of confusion, "How? Sam said he talked to you, too, but there's no way he could have run from the clearing to here and back in such a small amount of time."

Charlie laughed, "Bells, you may be unfamiliar with them because you never really use one, but other people do use cell phones." I gave him a look, but didn't comment further.

I followed Jake through the back door, thanking him quietly when he held it open for me. I walked down the hallway, staring in amazement from the new viewpoint, and as I passed the mirror hanging on the wall, I saw myself for the first time since waking up that morning and I didn't recognize myself for a minute. Somehow, sometime between the last-time I had seen myself and this moment, I had become a new person. I had already noticed and accepted the changes to my height and physique, but the woman looking back at me… she was some exotic beauty who belonged in on a sunny beach or in the pages of a fashion magazine. My face had lost the hollowness and deep shadows it had acquired during the last few months, and my hair framed it in soft waves- several shades darker. Formerly a plain, light brunette, now my hair was a deep brown, shimmering with red and gold even under the artificial lights. And my skin, which I wasn't able to see the colour of in the dappled forest lighting, had darkened as well; no longer a sickly white, now a warm bronze. My eyes had gone from milky brown to rich amber with flecks of black and gold, and were surrounded by voluminous lashes. And my lips, once a simple pink now stood out in a dusky rose, still slightly swollen from the kisses.

I noticed Jake standing behind me, and I was struck by how well we compared- it was nice to know I wouldn't stand out amongst the other pack members. I would finally fit in.

"You're beautiful." Jake remarked, sounding almost worshipful.

I smiled slightly, looking at his reflection in the mirror, "I don't look like Bella anymore."

"You're still you." He tried to reassure me, but I just shook my head.

I looked my reflection in the eyes, "I meant what I said- I want to remake myself. I don't want to be mousey and broken Bella anymore… In fact, I don't want to be Bella at all."

He gave me a look of confusion, "You want to change your name?"

"Just what people call me." I finally turned around to physically face him.

I took his hand and wove our fingers together, "To what, exactly?" His tone was light and playful.

"Do you remember what Grandma Marie used to call me?"

"You mean her Quileute name for you- her 'little berry'?" He questioned.

I laughed, "Yeah, Kit'sa… from now on I'm Kit."