AN

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Corey's POV

I couldn't believe we'd only been here a week - I felt like I'd known the Res' guys my whole life.

Sitting on some old drift wood in a large circle, I couldn't help but join in laughing as everyone cracked jokes and talked about who came off worse in our play fights during the week. I had to say that it was a pleasure to be experiencing our first La Push beach barbeque (pack style). There was a roaring fire burning in the middle of us and plenty of beer.

Also, for the first time in what felt like forever, I was stuffed. It turned out that someone had a job at a butcher's, so they'd brought all this discounted meat with them. Of course, it didn't last long with our appetites, but it sure was satisfying!

As I watched the bright blue flames, I thought back over the week.

The night we arrived Jake had immediately called his friends the Cullens. We were taken to their house and found it to be the home of vampires. It was an odd adjustment getting used to the smell, but the house was magnificent. We could hardly have turned it down, and Jake's pack seemed familiar with it which reassured us.

We then proceeded to spend the week learning about each other's lives and cultures.

To start with, we found that La Push was a smaller community than Barrow. It was a bit confusing. Everyone was related or linked in some way or another, but we soon got to grips with who was who.

I had to give it to the packs, they knew their stuff. When it came down to fighting, it took us a good few sessions of being battered to finally be any competition. Even Shay, whose strength equaled that of at least two wolves, found it hard to pin them in an open area.

It was interesting to watch Shay fight. One on one, the wolves didn't stand a chance, but they were unbeatable as a group. Shay's technique had always been pure strength - concentrated and deadly. However, they soon figured out that if he caught you it was game over.

Jaden had made us proudest of all though by surprising the packs with his air attacks. They had of course underestimated him to start with, but after lifting several of them straight off the ground they quickly learnt their lesson. The thing was, although he couldn't carry them any distance he was still able to gain height swiftly, and the wolves quickly realised that even with their supernatural powers a drop on that scale would prove fatal. Jaden was smart though because he also fully appreciated this fact and never took them too high for fear of permanent damage.

Cris and I meanwhile, finally got to scrap with other wolves. My size was a disadvantage as I was smaller than most, but I still held my own. Cris on the other hand was fantastic and more than an equal opponent for Sam and Jake.

It turned out that in the end, none of the alphas could really get the advantage on each other. Of course, the rest of us wrestled with them as well, but they could wipe the floor with us if they put their mind to it.

The last techniques we learnt were the best methods to destroy blood suckers. In particular, we learnt about groups and newborns, something we had yet to come across.

Once the fighting was over there was the social aspect to discover. The La Push guys might have been a bit temperamental, but they certainly knew how to have fun. They'd shown me there was a life outside our responsibilities, and I found myself growing more attached to the Reservation daily.

I think the realisation that we didn't have to always be so serious had also struck Cris. I loved my brother, but he could be so uptight sometimes.

I knew that growing up we had never had much money and our parents had struggled. So, to help out, Cris had taken up the responsibility of caring for me from an early age while our parents worked. I can still remember how he used to get me up and dressed and make my breakfast. Even though he was only two years older, it sometimes felt like decades. In some ways this relationship still continued today.

I would never take anything away from my parents; they did the best they could for us and I loved them for it. It wasn't even like we had a sad childhood, or anything. It was just the way things were in Barrow. When it came down to it your folks had to take any work they could get, but I didn't want that life.

When we phased, I wasn't surprised that Cris was alpha; it had always been in his nature to shoulder responsibility, and I certainly didn't envy him. I even understood that his responsibilities were often the cause of him being so vacant, but at the end of the day he chose that path. For this reason, I was unable to sympathise with him.

I have to admit that my brother being alpha did have its advantages, and I was definitely grateful for everything he had done; thanks to him we had never once felt that being skin walkers was a chore. I wasn't sure if the others realised this, but I did … or at least I had felt that way, until now.

I also understood that Cris also had other worries, like the weight of my scars. I saw it in his mind. To him, he had spent so long caring for me that it was unforgivable causing me harm. He couldn't see that I really didn't care about the marks. They made me unique, and it was fun to chat up girls with my wild stories.

I looked across the fire and was pleased to see Cris sitting with Sam and Jacob. I hoped meeting people with the same responsibilities would help him to relax.

For starters there was Sam who, I was extremely surprised to learn, was the person responsible for the jagged scars that marred Emily's face. However, they alone were proof that life went on. They were building a family together and looked extremely happy. Jacob, on the other hand, had proven to be a great bloke after we got past his moods. In fact, we even found out that when he wasn't pining for his girlfriend he was a happy and determined leader.

These packs made everything seem so much more possible!

The only thing missing was Lee and the twins; they should have been here with us. Cris and I talked with them regularly, but it wasn't the same.

In the end, Dylan and Alex had agreed to come down in a few weeks, swapping places with Shay and Jaden. Lee would join us a while after. For now, Lee had some family things to deal with. His cousin had run away, so he couldn't leave just yet.

I heard laughter and looked up to see Paul and Shay wrestling again. I chuckled because ever since we'd forced them to build a new table for Emily they were actually getting along. It hadn't turned out quite as beautiful as the original, but it was a fine piece of work all the same.

I listened in to Jaden and Seth talking next to me, their voices excited about some camping they had planned. Everyone else was drinking beer and planning the party back at the Cullen's house. The group coming back was larger than we had anticipated. Unbeknownst to us, the packs had chosen tonight to introduce their girlfriends and to tell us about the phenomenon of imprinting.

Granted, it helped. We were able to start to understand the relationship the packs had with each other and the Cullen's. It explained Jake's sorrow and it opened up a whole new world to us. I admit it was an extreme concept, but I quite liked the idea - Cris didn't.

"Come on then everyone! Let's go back! Play some tunes! And drink some beer!" Jacob hollered. He was in a good mood tonight, considering he hadn't spoken to his imprint all day.

As a group, we all started to gather up our belongings and made our way off the beach. We reached the car park and several people piled into cars, shouting they'd meet us back at the house.

I was looking forward to tonight. Like I said, the house wasn't so bad once we got over the smell and the instinct to phase. It was huge, like a mansion compared to our shack back home and we had a room each! There were other bonuses too, like the massive kitchen and surrounding forest. The woods outside were so thick that they provided perfect cover, and without the fear of discovery it was so easy to enjoy our week.

Eyeing me for a race, Cris and I decided to run back. We got to the trees and rushed to get our clothes off. It didn't matter how often I practiced, he was already phased and sprinting ahead before I was even able to get my shorts off. I finally tied everything around my leg and transformed. It felt fantastic, and I broke into a gallop. Cris of course, was nowhere to be seen. I never really had a chance, but I was still enjoying the speed. I ran past tree after tree, and the forest flashed by.

I saw the river coming and prepared to spring. My jump cleared it with room to spare, but as soon as I landed I felt uneasy. The hackles on my back automatically rose, but I didn't know why.

I focused my senses - the forest was silent and the night air was clean, but the wolf in me still wasn't happy. Suddenly, I thought I saw a flash of movement to my left, and I turned growling, but there was nothing to be seen. It was then that I heard a branch creak above me.

"What's up White Fang?" Jaden entered my mind.

I looked up and cursed the dumb owl! I'd never get used to him here - he was in his element with all these trees around.

"Nothing, just out of my comfort zone I guess. I'm so used to Alaska." I relaxed.

"Aw, you getting homesick? Come on, stop being so soppy! There's some beer with your name on it at the house!" I could feel Jaden's excitement.

I didn't blame him. The packs had decided a house party was a great way to celebrate our first week together, and without the vamps around they could really let loose. I was totally up for it.

I took off running again towards our temporary home to start what we hoped was going to be a great night.