Chapter Four- "My Mom was Hot in High School and So Am I."

I hesitate on the porch, but he doesn't stop to see if I'm following. The rest of the boys are waiting to see what I'll do, so I walk through the doorframe hesitantly and get a good look at the place.

The furniture is crammed tight together in the too small space, sort of like my apartment at home. The difference is our furniture isn't older than my mother, while others are new and totally out of place. A fifteen-inch screen sits awkwardly in the center of the room. An oak bookshelf jam-packed with think volumes, children's books, and random paperback novels is to my left and an antique lamp flickers on a cheap, generic stand to my right. Framed photos and washed out crayon cover the peeling wallpaper, and a lumpy beige couch sits under a loud shaggy carpet. The lack of a decent decorator and the smell of fish and pizza leftovers coming from the kitchen tells me this place has been lacking a woman's touch for quite awhile.

"It's…uh…nice. Is this where my mom grew up?" I ask trying to imagine my city-adjusted mother living here.

"Yep," Billy grunts, pulling a photo album off the shelf. Jacob stares down at me, six-foot something and intimidating, and gestures me to sit on the beat-up couch. If we're supposed to be rejoicing in some kind of long-lost-cousin reunion, we decide to pass…Thank God.

Billy wheels over and shows me a collection of photos that look like…well…me, if I decided to be the typical Westridge crowd. From what I can assume is my mother, she is in her mid-teens, with her hair in a wild mess of curls, heavy eyeliner, and dark lipstick. She's wearing super-short denim shorts, black combat boots, and a tied-up-at-the-stomach flannel shirt. A man with piercing dark eyes and a bad boy look (I'm guessing he's my dad) has his arms around my mom and is grinning wickedly at the camera.

Jesus Christ! My mother was a slut!

"This is the…um…the last picture we found of her before she…left," Billy explains, glancing up at me.

Now everybody has crowded around to see it, four teenage boys with wide-eyes and disbelief that I'm related to that.

"Whoa…" Quil murmurs, "What a babe!" The nameless one shots him a I-can't-believe-you-just-said-that-out-loud look and Jacob smacks him in the arm. He doesn't have to though, I know they were all thinking it. Ew.

I slam the photo album shut. "Watch it, dude. That's my mommy you're talkin' about." I snap defensively as my cheeks turn hot. I turn to Billy, whose teeth are clenched together at Quil.

Eventually, Billy sighs and asks, "What are you doing here, Kiley?"

The question takes me aback because, truthfully, I don't know how to answer it. Last night I had this crazy impression that I turned into a giant wolf in my living room and came here to find out if it's based on some random tribe legend my lying, wild-child mother told me. Dream on.

But isn't that why I was here? God, how badly did I screw up? How much trouble am I in? God, I'm such a moron!

"Um…my Mom and I…uh…got in a fight…and….I…ran away. I needed to…blow off some steam." I'm a terrible liar. I'm tripping over my own tongue, and I can't face anyone in room. I hope they misinterpret my bad improvisation for shame.

"And you came here? California's like…what nine hours away?" Paul remarks.

I shrug my shoulders to buy myself time. "I…needed to think. To get away." My stomach starts nagging at me again, and it reminds me of how worn out I am. I'm not thinking straight. I stand up abruptly. "Look, not that I don't have questions, because believe me, I do, but I've got to…to…"

I feel myself sway and someone catching me before I fall.

"Dammit! I knew we should have gotten her to the hospital!"

"A hospital? What are you talking about?"

"We picked her up down at the back road. Quil hit her with his car."

"You ran over my cousin! Quil!"

"I didn't mean to okay! It was an accident."

"Boys, just calm down. Someone just get her to a doctor."

"I'll do it!"

"Fat chance. You're the whole reason we're in this stupid mess. Get her in the back. Gimme your keys."

There was a pause as Quil reluctantly surrenders his keys and scoops me up in his massive arms. I didn't have the strength to open my eyes, but I can feel the vibrations of the backseat as we drive off the Reservation. I pass out about halfway through the trip.

I blink away the sleep from my eyes and stare at the white ceiling. There is a soft, quickly-paced beeping beside me, too fast to be a human's heart monitor. My surroundings aren't too surprising. I'd been in the hospital a few times, and I didn't feel like I'd been asleep for more than an hour. They still managed to dress me in a flimsy hospital gown of course, stupid things. Is it really that difficult to make a dress that doesn't expose my ass? Medical technology has only come so far…

There's a ham sandwich and some milk on a tray at the foot of my bed and I don't hesitate. I can't say it's good exactly, but it's enough to start licking the plate before I realize I've been a vegetarian for the past six months.

There's some really god-awful smell in the air and my nose pinches in disgust. Weren't hospitals supposed to be all sterile and clean?

An unbelievably gorgeous doctor strolls gracefully though the curtain, and I get the doubtful conclusion that I'm dreaming. No one is that hot. Ever. I get a fresh whiff of that horrible smell and my nose starts burning.

The doctor doesn't need a clipboard to know who I am. He begins with a relieved sigh, as if I've been in a lot of trouble but thank-goddess I'm okay, which frankly sums it up pretty well. "Miss Black, I don't think I've ever had the pleasure of meeting you before today. I'm Dr. Cullen."

"I-I'm new. Very new." I choke out.

His smile is too perfect.

"There's need to worry. You we're just suffering from some malnourishment. We injected you with a few supplements to boost you're immunity. Just try to drink plenty of fluids and get the recommended amounts of calories you need."

"Thanks," I reply, trying to ignore the stench wafting through my room. Dear Lord. …

"You are feel to spend the night if you'd prefer. We don't have your parents on any record here in the hospital, so we haven't been able to contact them, but Billy has agreed to sign you out once you feel well enough."

I weigh down the options to an extent. I don't know what medical insurance I have, and this overnight visit is sure to be pricey. On the other hand there's no doubt Billy will insist I call my mom if I let him sign me out. The wrath of my mother seems to cancel out any potential trouble I may have screwed myself over with. At least I'll have time to think about my next move.

I lean against the pillows and happily agree with myself. I've had a fun-filled day of hallucinations, car accidents, and newly discovered family members. I deserve eight hours of peace. Maybe while I'm at this bad girl streak, I'll jump out the bathroom window and skip town tomorrow.

"I think I'll sleep awhile. If you don't mind."

"Of course not. Would you like us to call your parents for you?"

"No…no thanks. I'll do it," I stammer. There was no way that was ever happening.

He smiles at me again and eyes the door. "Excuse me while I talk to your uncle for a moment."

He disappears around the curtain and note that I can still hear his footsteps echoing against the tile floor. My heightened senses are still there. Between all the worry that's been racking through my brain, I never thought about using them to my advantage. I focus on the doctor's footsteps with ease.

He stops.

"How's Kiley? Is she alright?" Billy's gruff voice asks the doctor, stiff and cold. Someone must have drove him into town.

"She seems…quite healthy. I'm sure she'll recover quickly," Dr. Cullen explains with difficulty behind his soothing voice. "Do you mind if we talk in my office…privately. All of you."

A series of footsteps head further down the hall, and I have no problem keeping up. I don't know if it's the shock of being ran over or what but I don't stop listening, despite the fact that I should be in complete freak-out-mode.

I hear a door close softly and Billy's demanding voice. "What is it, Cullen?"

"I don't know exactly how to put this, Billy, but I'm hoping you'll have some sort of theory."

"What's wrong with Kiley? I thought you said she was fine." one of the boys claims.

"I don't believe she's sick or injured," Cullen clarifies.

Then what's wrong with me? Why could I hear him admitting this across the building? A pit forms in the bottom of my stomach. Bad news is coming.

"What's the problem then?" Quil asks, frustrated.

"I ran her temperature….it read…113 degrees."

There's a silence in the room and I touch my forehead with my ice-cold hands. I feel normal, but that can't be right. I'm supposed to be dead. This better not be some kind of out-of-body experience. How am I supposed to get those stupid logarithms done!

"That's…not possible," nameless boy whispers.

"You did say she was hit by a car. I found no traces of an accident, or a head injury for that matter. This could very much be exactly what it looks like."

"That doesn't make any sense! That would mean…"

"I ran some tests," the doctor informs them. Blood, heart rate, everything. She fainted from malnourishment because she was burning off a massive amount of energy with nothing to fuel it."

"But she's a girl! She…is a girl…right?"

Yes!

"According to my analysis she seems to be a perfectly healthy natural-born female."

"I'll contact the elders," Billy tell them before I hear the door shut again.

"What do you think, Doc?" Quil asks, sounding very tired.

"I think these are more than just pre-transformation symptoms. Her body seems well adjusted. If this is what it looks like…I believe she may have already…shifted…at least once. Sorry, but I have to tend to another patient now. She's in room 512 if you'd like to discuss this with her. I bet she's feeling very confused."

Well no duh I'm confused! What's wrong with me! What are they keeping from me!

My hands start shaking and I remember what Cullen said. "…shifted…at least once." My shaking stops, and my heart sinks to the bottom of my chest. The wolf in my living room. It wasn't a dream, and they somehow know what's going on. So maybe the legend is true! Maybe-

I eye the heart monitor next to me, and realize that the too-fast heartbeat is connected to my pulse.

I was so lost in my inner thoughts, I don't realize Quil and the nameless one peek into my room.

"Come in," I say, sounding nauseated. I feel like I'm about to hurl. I eye the trashcan across the room with the doubt that I might need it.

"Hey. you feeling better?" Quil asks nervously. He can't seem to look at me, while his friend is staring straight at me.

Not at all. "Yeah, thanks for asking," I reply, a hint of sarcasm making it's way through my voice.

There's another long pause and when I don't think there going to say anything, I speak without thinking.

"Look. I don't know what's going on here, and frankly, I'm not okay with that. Now I know one of you knows something. I walk away from a car accident without a dent, my temperature says I'm not supposed to be alive, and there's a giant claw mark in my living room that I have no explanation for. Tell me that's not sketchy. What's. Going. On?"

"Okay…so maybe the doctor was on to something here…" Quil says more to himself than to me.

"Really?" the nameless one barks at him.

Quil sighs and pulls out a cell phone that looks way to small in his giant hands. "Yo, Sam…uh, yeah, that's a good question. Embry and I are at the hospital…I uh…well don't get mad okay…I got into a little accident…that's not why I'm calling…she's fine…well sort of not fine…well um…It's not my fault! She was just standing there!…okay, I'm an idiot. We already figured that out. That's not why I'm calling okay…we need to meet you right away…because it's important….no, Sam, it can't wait until tomorrow…it's big…No, just the guys…okay…meet you there in twenty…okay…bye."

"Get dressed. Billy's gonna sign you out," Embry orders, picks up my clothes from a chair across the room, and tosses them to me. I nod and they just stand there…

"Uh…do you mind?"

They seem to understand at the same time and close the door behind them, flushing. I roll my eyes, in the face of all the craziness going on around me. Boys.