Chapter 4

I pouted as I looked around at the barren beach; there wasn't one hot bikini-clad girl in sight which was most probably due to the crappy Forks weather. Angela sat next to me in the van with Jessica on her phone in the car next to us gossiping as usual; thankfully Angela was content to sit in silence and read a book while I watched the boys try and fail to surf on the raging sea. I didn't want to look at them for long seeing as they were wearing skin tight swim suits and showing off their oh so manly non-existent muscles. I took a sip of the coffee Angela brought along in a thermos and closed my eyes, simply enjoying the feel of the wind; I would have enjoyed the smell of the sea if it wasn't for the rank smell of the wolves.

"Hey guys come on we're going to light the bonfire!" Shouted Mike some time later as he gathered some more wood to put on the pile and the others grabbed some big logs for us to sit on. We stood up and grabbed the cooler of drinks from the van before making our way down, Angela went over and snuggled into Ben's side while I sat down on the other side of Ben, there's no way in hell I'm going to leave enough space for Mike or anyone to worm his way in. I didn't bring into account that a log would be pulled over right next to me and Jessica to plonk herself down, I only just held in my huff of irritation.

Everyone talked, thankfully Mike sat next to Jessica causing her to drool all over him and completely forget I was there, I had a nice conversation with Angela and Ben and something was thrown onto the fire to make it turn into a greenish colour which was admittedly pretty cool. I'd brought a few beers and got a few surprised glances but no one said anything, beer was pretty much my equivalent to soda for me now. After about an hour the stench of wolf grew closer and I turned around to see six muscled shifters coming in our direction, I cursed to myself thinking the shifters were just going to stay on their reservation, as they reached the bonfire everyone else noticed them too and turned to look at them.

"Mind if we join in?" One of them said, I realised that it was the Alpha.

"Sure, you may have to bring over a few more logs though." Taylor said.

"That's fine, I'm Sam by the way, and this is Jacob." He pointed to the other wolf who told me about the Cullens. "Paul, Jared, Embry and Quil." Everyone said hello and we all got introduced as well, when they pulled their own seats over I made myself even more unnoticeable, more then happy to sit back with my beer. This lasted all of 10 minutes before one of them, Jacob if I remember correctly came and sat in Jessica's abandoned seat, she probably went off with Mike for a quickie somewhere, ew.

"Hey, how come you're not joining in the conversation?"

"I'm not really the talking type most of the time, I'm happy just listening to everyone else."

"Too bad, do you mind if I join you?" I looked at his young face and saw the hopeful look on it.

"I'm not interested, sorry." With that I decided it was time to go, being surrounded by the shifters wasn't making me feel comfortable in the slightest and I'd run out of beer, as I stood up he grabbed my arm too tightly and instantly rage rose up in me, I snatched my arm back.

"Don't you fucking touch me." I threatened, trying my hardest not to growl.

"Whoa okay, I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you angry." He said in a rush holding his hands up in an innocent gesture and a wide eyed expression on his face, I glared at him for a few more seconds hating the fact I couldn't just punch him in the face before I walked off waving goodbye to Angela and Ben on the way who were looking worried about what just happened. Once I reached Abigail I leaned forward and rested my hands on the seat letting out a long sigh, I thought I was stronger then this, one touch from the shifter's hot hand was all it took to bring back memories. I punched Jessica's car that was next to me in annoyance, not exactly planning the dent that would appear there.

"Oh shit." I laughed and jumped onto the bike and rode away, feeling increasingly better with the distance I was putting between myself and LaPush.

"Hey Bella, was everything alright the other night?" Angela asked as we walked to lunch after Spanish.

"Yeah it's fine don't worry, that Jacob kid was getting a little too close for comfort so I told him where to stick it. I'm sorry I left so early but I wasn't really feeling well anyway." I gave her a small grin to show her I was fine which she seemed to accept, we waited in line and I piled up my plate with a bit of everything as usual before making our way over to our table.

"It was huge and it's going to cost like, hundreds to fix it knowing the bloody mechanics in this area." I heard Jessica whine and I composed myself before sitting down, an expressionless look on my face like I hadn't heard the conversation. "Hey Bella did you see a dent on my car when you left yesterday?" Jessica questioned me.

"No sorry, I didn't look at your car when I left." I lied easily, an innocent look on my face.

"Okay, must have been one of the locals." The dejected look she gave made me look away to hide my smile, I looked up and saw Alice looking at me with a knowing grin on her face, it widened when I looked at her and then she winked, which was incredibly sexy, and then looked back at her table. She must have heard the conversation and knew that I was somehow involved in it by my own grin, damn vampires.

"Bella are you busy this Saturday?" I looked up at Mike who was sitting next to me.

"No, why?" I asked knowing the answer anyway.

"Do you want to go out with me? To the cinema or something?" I though he was with Jessica? Maybe they weren't doing what I thought they were yesterday, although the glare Jessica was sending me after Mike's question made it look like she would have loved to have done that.

"Sorry Mike, I'm not interested." I repeated my words that I said to Jacob yesterday, Mike's grin dropped at my answer.

"Why? Whatever's wrong I can try and change, just give me a chance." I burst out laughing at that and he seemed to get even more upset.

"Well then you may have to get a sex change to accomplish that." I replied with a grin on my face waiting to see his expression, he looked confused for a second before his eyes widened in realization and his jaw dropped.

"Oh…" Was his intelligent input, everyone else around the table seemed to have been eavesdropping since they all had mixed responses, the guys had the same expression as Mike and I smelt a tiny bit of arousal emitting from them obviously thinking about me making out with a girl, ughh did they get turned on that easily? Why did all human males think that it's hot? Well okay fair enough, it is hot, but still... Jessica and Lauren had unsurprisingly disgusted looks, Angela and Ben seemed to be the only people to shrug it off as nothing after laughing at Mike's reaction, I knew there was a reason I liked them.

"Hot!" I heard Emmett whoop from the Cullen table followed by a smacking sound, does Rosalie let him say anything without hitting him?

"Haven't you ever tried anything with a guy?" Eric asked bringing me back to my table.

"No, I'm gay, I like girls, why would I want to be with a guy?"

"You never know, you might enjoy it." He said trying to use a seductive tone of voice which really creeped me out.

"The thought of being with a guy makes me want to hurl, so no, I don't think I will enjoy it one bit." Immediately being reminded of the reason I'm in hiding in the first place and wanting to get off this subject before I do something I'll regret. They all concluded in the end that the only reason I'm gay is because I haven't had the pleasures of a man yet.

"Shut the fuck up all of you. I hate big headed little pricks like you who think they can cure homosexuality, because believe me, you can't. I'm only attracted to women, and no hormonal little boy is going to change my fucking mind." With that I stood up bringing a slice of pizza with me, "I'll see you two later," I said to Angela and Ben apologetically who nodded at me before I walked out of the cafeteria leaving a silence in my wake.

I was still in a foul mood when I stomped into art and threw myself into my seat completely ignoring Alice as I continued to sulk.

"What's got you so happy today?" She asked sarcastically, normally I would have responded back in our usual banter but I had too much on my mind.

"I'm not in the mood." I clipped out.

"So I can see, can I ask what the matter is?"

I wanted to tell her to mind her own damn business but seeing her concerned face my anger simmered down enough not to snap at her.

"The fucking hormones all teenage guys seem to have, thinking they can make any girl fall for them with their totally good looks."

"I know the feeling; everyone came onto our family when we first joined and they still do, even though they know Edward and Jasper are gay and are with each other the girls here think they'll magically be the one."

"Especially Jessica I'm guessing, she seems to drool over Edward even though she blatantly likes Mike and she looks like the obsessive, stalkerish type." Alice laughed her bell-chime laugh at that which made me feel a little better.

"Yes, definitely. She somehow got a hold of Edward's number once and wouldn't stop calling him and asking him out, I have a feeling Emmett gave it to her and said Edward thought she was hot as a prank to mess with him but he keeps denying it."

"I can imagine him as a prankster." I smiled slightly.

"Oh he is, I can't count how many objects around the house he's broken doing one of his pranks, I'm surprised Esme hasn't kicked him out."

"Esme?" I questioned trying to get more information about their family, she smiled softly.

"She's the one who adopted all of us because she couldn't have children of her own, she's the sweetest woman I have ever met and she loves all of us with every fibre of her being." Even though they have to make up their stories she spoke of this Esme with love and respect that definitely wasn't made up, they are not a normal vampire coven, the only love I have ever seen between vampires are that of mates or blood family.

"Is she married?"

"Yes she is, Carlisle is everything a dad should be, he supports us all and is there if we have any problems. He works at the local hospital as a doctor, he wanted to move to a small town where they would be in need of his skills." That threw me, a vampire working at a hospital? Is he masochistic? Does he enjoy being around the very thing that will make him lose control and harm the humans? This piece of information made me angry again, they were putting humans in danger and I didn't like it one bit, but what could I do about it without revealing what I am?

"Bella are you okay? You haven't said anything in a while."

"Uhh, yeah I'm fine, I'm glad you had such a wonderful family adopt you."

"So am I, what about your family?"

"My parents died a long time ago and I have no siblings." I decided to give the truth but not the whole truth, like just how long ago it actually was.

"I'm sorry to here that, do you remember anything about them?" She asked sad about my lack of parental love.

"Not really, I was five years old when they had a car crash." Which wasn't true at all, they got tortured and killed by vampires when I was 10, which fuelled my hatred for them causing me to hunt down and kill any vampire I found, I also got involved in all the vampire wars, but that hate has died down over the years, so much so that I can apparently converse with one now.

"Who looked after you afterwards?" She asked full attention on me and looking genuinely interested in my story, how strange.

"My aunt. She was nice enough I suppose but not what you'd call a loving family, I moved out of the house when I was 16 and found my own place to live in using the money I got from my jobs."

"And you've been alone since?" I cringed slightly at her words, I've been more alone then I care to think, since my parents died I haven't allowed myself get close to anyone except the girls I would meet at clubs and even then I leave the next morning. I travelled all around the world many times over never staying in one place for too long making human acquaintances every now and then that I would never meet again and killing vampires who got in my way, I've killed the occasional shifter but only those that were stupid enough to attack me first.

After no luck in finding my one true mate I started to ask myself, what's the point in being immortal if you have no one to spend your forever with? I slowly sank into a state of depression until I thought I'd finally found someone who I could be myself around some years later, tell all my problems to, a best friend to spend a happy life with even if I didn't find my mate, because he was just like me. That turned out to be a massive mistake, I'd let my guard down for the first time in my long life and I paid the price.

"Yes." I simply replied and turned to listen to the teacher showing Alice that the conversation was over.

Another week went by at hell, after my revelation to the school. I got more looks then usual, mostly arousal from the boys and disgust from the girls, please, I wouldn't get with a high schooler. I mostly talked to Angela and Ben as usual seeing as they seemed to be the only normal people in the entire school while Jessica and Lauren gossiped about me behind my back. Alice didn't seem to mind my sexuality and acted as if nothing had changed which I was grateful for, I was starting to really enjoy the time we spent together, which I wasn't sure was a bad thing or not.

It was snowing today which I thought was a beautiful sight, everything covered in a white powder looked so magical. I was careful riding my bike on the slippery road but with my exceptional skills I didn't have any slips, I arrived at the car park a lot earlier then I anticipated so I took out my earphones putting on some Linkin Park and leaned against my bike unable to resist head banging a little along to the music which obviously got me some strange looks, fuck it I was having fun.

When Angela arrived I took out my earphones and went over to chat to her before lessons.

"Hey Ange." I said resting my arm on her truck while she got her bag out.

"Hey Bella, did you get here alright on your bike? I don't want you to fall off that death trap." She said glaring at my bike, I smiled at her concern.

"Thanks for worrying but I was fine, Abigail and I have an amazing connection, she won't let me get hurt."

"Abigail?"

"Oh haven't I mentioned it before? My beauty over there is called Abigail." Angela giggled and patted the side of her old red truck.

"I'm glad I'm not the only one who names their vehicles, Abigail meet Clifford, Clifford meet Abigail."

"Please don't tell me you named it after Clifford the Big Red Dog." I laughed out, knowing the name from my love of cartoons. Angela coughed and slung her backpack over her shoulder.

"Of course not." She said and then walked off leaving me still laughing and I ran to catch up to her.

I walked into Biology with a frown on my face and I slumped into my place not surprised that Edward wasn't there, it seemed like all the Cullens were away today hence my mood, I haven't gotten my Alice fix. I wondered why they were away, Ben told me that they usually went camping when it was sunny, which was a lie obviously but it wasn't sunny today. While I wondered the class had filled up and Mr Banner started talking.

"Okay class we are going to do blood typing today, so on your desks are…" I blocked him out after that, blood typing? Shit that explains why they're not here but how did they know? Do they have so little control that they can't stand to be around little drops of blood?

As much as I admired them trying to be human it angered me how much danger they're still putting the humans in, what if someone tripped and grazed themselves? I found myself wanting human flesh when I transformed which freaked me to all holy hell and I dedicated myself to training my control straight away and ate animals instead, just like the Cullens, but apparently unlike them human blood doesn't affect me at all now which is why I trust myself being around humans, I wouldn't have risked it otherwise.

I sighed as the bell went an hour later and walked through the car park towards my bike.

"Bella wait a minute!" I heard someone shout behind me, I groaned when I realised it was Mike, doesn't the dude understand I don't want to talk to him? I'm not in the mood for him right now, or any other time in the future "I was wondering if, um, you w-wanted to go to the prom with me?" He asked shyly, I looked at him in surprise, are you kidding me?

"No." With that I carried on walking but he followed me like a damn puppy.

"Has someone already asked you?"

"I'm not going, and even if I was, I wouldn't go with you."

"Aww don't be like that."

"I will be how I like thank you very much. Now leave me alone Mike before I actually hurt you."

He got the hint and stopped following me slinking off to his car, I sighed at my rudeness, it's not his fault that my nature drew humans to me but I can't deal with him right now. I carried on walking until I remembered I borrowed a book off Angela at lunch, I walked over to her truck and put in my earphones again, deciding to wait until she got out of lesson. I heard a car screech into the car park and looked over to see a beautiful yellow Porsche 911, everyone else stopped to gawk at it too and I was surprised to see Alice practically fall out of it and scan the car park frantically for something.

I was too preoccupied with seeing her in an absolutely stunning car to notice the truck that had lost control on the ice and was making its way towards me, Alice heard it and then noticed me, her face getting a horrified look suddenly.

"Bella move!" Alice screamed blurring towards me in a panic completely uncaring that it was a non-human speed, I cocked my head and then looked over to see the side of the truck practically in my face, quick as lightning I ducked down and braced myself feeling the truck collide with my arms and causing it to dent in and tip over slightly before landing still. I slid to the floor and army crawled out from in between the wreckages around the back before anyone could find out I was in the middle of it and came out unharmed.

"NO!" I heard Alice scream before I heard sobbing and glass moving around as she tried to find me, her sobbing caused my heart to clench something fierce and I felt like crying myself.

"Alice." I said shakily trying to control my own tears and making my way around the crash to show her I was okay, she looked over at me her eyes wide in disbelief and full of unshed tears before she ran to me gathering me into her arms and squeezing me, she made little noises like an animal in pain into my shoulder and I put my arms around her too and rubbed her back comforting her the best way I could. Even though she was sad I couldn't help but enjoy being in her arms and the amazing sensation that occurred where our bodies touched, it felt right.

"I though I lost you, oh god that scared me so much, but you're alright, you're alright." She whispered, comforting herself with her words, surprising me with how much she obviously cared about me.

"Yes, I'm alright, I managed to jump just in time thanks to your warnings." I lied. I was still angry about her control issues but something about her just made me not care in her presence, and at that moment all I wanted to do was make her feel better. Although this made me think, how did she know that truck was going to hit me?

I was at home blasting some Pendulum from my new stereo and doing some odd jobs around the house like the dishes and shoving my clothes in the washer until I couldn't find anything else to distract me with, I turned off the music and walked out the back deciding to hunt.

I shifted into my cat form instantly felt free as the wind ruffled my fur, I started running, staying out of the shifters and vampires territory as usual trying to catch wind of some dinner. I caught the scene of some sort of big cat straight ahead, I followed the scent curiously until I came to a clearing where I saw a cougar drinking from a river. Her brown coat looked beautiful in the star light, she turned her green eyes in my direction and spotted me in the bushes, she didn't run away like I thought she would but her back arched and she bared her teeth. I realised the reason for the reaction when two little cubs came out of the brush behind her and jumped into the river chasing each other around unaware of my presence. I couldn't bring myself to harm them; I've never been able to hunt felines feeling related to them in some way.

I lowered my head in submission to the female and walked off in the opposite direction showing her I meant them no harm. I found a better meal in the form of a bear some time later, I toyed with him a little, making him chase me in circles and smacking his backside lightly before getting bored and biting his neck, I didn't waste a single bit of meat.

I shifted back and sat down on a boulder after cleaning myself up and suddenly wanted to get drunk just for a night without any worries, I've gone almost 3 weeks without going to club which is almost a record for me, I sighed and then heard a deep rumbling from behind me which sounded like a chuckle.

"Well, well Izzy, you seem to be in an unhappy mood this evening." A familiar guttural voice said from behind me, my eyes widened instantly and my heart felt like it was trying to push out of my chest. I looked around slowly to see the creature that has haunted my thoughts for the past 3 weeks; a large lion was standing about 5 metres from me, proudly puffing out his chest displaying his superiority and his large sharp teeth on display in a terrifying grin.

"James…" I whispered in horror.