We'd been travelling for two days.
Two days of running, stopping only for an hour or two each day just so Brady and I could sleep, eat and do whatever else we needed to do while we had the opportunity and didn't have a coven of eager, curious vampires on our back. I couldn't blame them, I'd been eager too, but also…terrified.
Another Pack of Shifters?
According to Brady, he'd stumbled upon them by accident but when he stayed with them, realised they were a lot like we used to be. An old community, ancient stories and myths and legends the people truly believed.
"How did they come to be?" I'd asked Brady during our first break.
He'd only smiled, "I'll let Brandon tell you that one."
Brandon. Brandon Cane was the name of the Alpha of the pack. An old man, apparently, he'd been around since the early nineteen hundreds and come across vampires before, had known they could be both savage monsters and sophisticated. I'd wondered if he'd ever come across Carlisle before he…
We were coming up on the town. A small, quiet community just beyond the edge of Arviat, Nunavut somewhere in Canada. Getting there had been a nightmare and freezing, even with my own built-in heating-system but as we rounded a corner of a snowy bank and came across the land, all my worries washed away.
A very small town, similar size to the reservation. Few dozen separate but small homes dotted around the place, each complimenting the others with their cosy, warm appearance. Old wooden buildings, gabled roofs, smoke erupting from every chimney. At the end of the first road, a large house rose above the others. My wolf hearing picked up on a chorus of voices inside, panicked and rushed and getting closer.
"They know we're here." Rosalie commented.
I'd shifted back to human form, dressed now in as many layers as the others could spare. I'd wanted to be prepared for anything but Brady had trusted these people enough to live with them, to phase back upon our approach and I wated to show him and the Cane pack that I had trust in them too.
Figures approached from doorways, approaching hesitantly. From the front door of the main house, an entire crowd emerged onto the porch, bustling with concern. They too were Shifters, I could scent it on them, something familiar. The man who broke through the crowd was obviously the leader, the Alpha, but hadn't been what I'd expected. Brady had said old but that must've only been in actual age, as he didn't look a day over thirty. Tall, broad, built of muscle. He has the same skin tone and characteristics of the others, hinting at their shared heritage.
Next to him stood a woman around his age, with shoulder-length black hair and plump lips. Her eyes widened when she spotted us, who was with us.
"Vampire." She breathed, clutching the man's arm. She reminded so much of Sue.
"Prepare to attack." Snapped another woman, younger than the first. It hit me then. These women were Shifters too. My mind raced back to Leah and our tribes surprise at the first female shifter in our history but apparently it wasn't as rare as we'd believed.
The moment we locked eyes I knew she hated me, but I couldn't help but gawk at her. She was…beautiful. She had to be around my age or looked it at least. The older woman's daughter, I'd have guessed from the similarities in their features and voice. I realised then they were a family.
"Wait." I called, my voice booming across the land.
"Brandon!" Called Brady, rushing forward.
His heavy brows furrowed, narrowing on the coven – Brady and I standing there were probably the only reasons he hadn't shifted yet.
"Brady?" Brandon called in surprise. Then he focused on me. "You…you're Jacob."
He'd seen me through Brady's memories then. "I'm Jacob Black." I declared, "Alpha of the Quileute Shifters. I've come to ask you for help."
After a few minutes of silent arguing between Brendan and his Pack, it was agreed that only he, his Beta and Omega, wife and daughter respectively, would meet with Brady, Rosalie and I. Rosalie had been surprised by the invitation and I'd been too but was honestly glad she'd join us inside. She was more of a leader than I was, she – even a cold one - could convince him for sure.
The inside of the front house was gorgeous. Straight into a spacious stone and wood living room, narrow doors branched off in all directions, each emitting different scents hinting at their contents. I was drawn towards the kitchen but fought against my hunger and followed the others to the leather, fur covered couches.
"My wife, Ketaya," He beckoned to the Sue-like woman who returned to the room a moment later with a wooden tray of what smelt like coffee but mixed with something. She handed me the cup and I thanked her, sipping the absolutely delicious tea.
"And daughter, Paisley." Brandon added.
Paisley shrugged at us, throwing up a hand in a pathetic wave. "Out with it then, we all know why you're here, but you might 'as well spout your story before we kick you out. You made the journey, after all."
Rosalie angled her head at Paisley as if to say 'Excuse me?'
Thankfully, Brandon spoke first. "Paisley." He scolded.
She ignored her father, her alpha. "I can't believe you brought vampires here," She sneered at Brady. He rolled his eyes as if he were disappointed with himself and should have expected such a reaction from her. He'd gotten to know her well in the months he spent here.
"Just hear them out, would you?" He retorted in an equally as annoyed tone. She scowled at him but then her head snapped in my direction, eyes narrowing. My que to speak, I guessed.
"You know who we are then? Our story?"
Ketaya spoke up before Paisley had a chance, "Of course, Brady told us all. We are not…overly fond of your kind-" She forced a smile at Rosalie before continuing, "But we were horrified to hear of the attack on your family, on the child. I'm so sorry for your losses." She really was like Sue, a mother through and through.
"Well, the survivors banded together. They're still hunting Ness- Renesmee, they won't stop until they've killed her, and us." I blurted out.
"And you want us to risk our life for your army of vampires and blood-sucking child." Paisley snapped again.
Rage burned through me and they sensed it. I tightened my fist on my jeans.
"Get out, Paisley." Brandon growled. Her eyes widened at her father, but the stern look he gave her was terrifying. Like a petulant child, she stormed from the room. Only when she left and Ketaya refilled my cup of coffee did I let myself relax and sink back into the chair.
"It's true, though." Rosalie spoke up, "We're here to ask for help, to ask you join us and fight the Volturi."
Brandon sucked on his teeth and looked to old photographs on the walls. "My grandfather dealt with the Volturi in the seventeen hundreds." He said, Seventeen hundreds? How old was this guy? "He told us stories of their cruelty; of the dozens of wolves he knew who'd lost their lives in battle against them. I myself met Aro some time ago and almost lost my life to him. So, I understand the terror you're facing. That being said, my people haven't yet had to meet them, and I'd prefer it to stay that way."
"Aro's dead." Rosalie said, "The Volturi's found a new leader in Jane. Equally as annoying as she is insane but with a hell of a lot of firepower. Jane doesn't know when to stop. When she's killed us, she'll kill anyone who dares to challenge her, stand against her. Whether it's now or in ten years' time, Jane will come for you unless we stop her before she gets the chance to rally the numbers she needs."
I pictured it. An army of robed figures descending on the town. A river of blood burning through the snow. The unfamiliar faces of the wolves I'd passed coming indoors turned into those of my brothers, my sister, my family. Something inside me stung.
"I need to pee." They paused, surprised by the sudden change in tone.
"Upstairs. First door." Ketaya instructed. I shot up and hurried from the room, climbing the stairs two at a time. I burst through the door and slammed it shut. I reached the sink in the corner, blasted cold water and dunked my face into it. I unlocked my phone for the simple pleasure of my home screen – Nessie and I pulling goofy faces at the camera – it made me smile…then tear up. She hadn't answered my texts. She was annoyed with me, furious that I had been gone almost an entire month. I'd betrayed her trust but…it would save her life, in the long run. Having the Cane's on our side could turn the tide of this war, could end the Volturi and the threat on her life for good.
Alive and hating me was better than dead and my friend.
"Is that her?" Paisley's voice at my ear sent me bolting forward and she laughed at my skittish response. She stood in the doorway. For a wolf, she was light on her feet and quiet. She jerked her head towards my phone, to the pic she'd seen.
"Nessie," I held the picture up. She hmmed curiously but didn't say anything. Probably for the best, I wouldn't have kept my mouth shut If she'd dared to say a thing about her.
"I still don't know how it's possible. A hybrid." She said.
"A miracle." I commented and again, she hummed in thought.
"You imprinted on her?"
Her tone hinted she was accusing me of something bad but I nodded anyway. "Yeah, first time I saw her. I'd do anything for her."
"Even joining an army of vampires,"
"Who want to keep her safe. What's your problem?"
"Everything alright?"
Ketaya appeared at the top of the stairwell, cautioning his way closer as if she was preparing to see two fully grown wolves scrapping on her landing. Seeing her reminded me I was a guest here in this house, in this town. I forced out a hot breath I'd held in and walked towards the stairwell, "All good, found it, thank you."
I hurried down to meet the others, thankfully for Rosalie's presence for the first time in my life. The conversation didn't stop as I sat down.
"I understand how serious this is for everyone, Shifter and Vampire alike, but you're asking me to ask my family to risk their lives?"
"It's for the safety of not only our family, but yours too." Brady tried to reason with him.
"Please," Rosalie blurted out, surprisingly even me. "Almost everyone we have ever loved is gone. Dead. My father, Carlisle, he never wanted any of this. He didn't want a fight either but he knew why we needed to prepare for one. He-"
"Carlisle." Brendan's voice was loud and full of surprise; he was visibly confused. His thick brows angled low, mouth hanging open. "Carlisle was the leader of your coven?"
Rosalie, equally as surprised, angled her head to look at me but replied. "Yes, you knew him?"
Brandon slowly stood up. He moved across the room to stand by the window, forearm resting against the frame as he angled his head low and examined the wolf pack through the window. He let out a short but shaky breath. "And Carlisle is dead?"
Our silence was answer enough. Ketaya moved to meet him, wrapping her arms around his waist. She said something in a language I didn't recognise.
"What's going on?" Paisley asked, ducking into the room from where she'd been eavesdropping by the archway to the stairwell.
"We do it." Brandon blurted.
At this, I blinked. Brady and Rosalie shot me a surprised look then snapped back to watch as Brandon spun and approached. "We'll do it. The Pack will fight."
Stunned muttering was all I could do. "Th-Thank you."
Something had changed when he'd heard Carlisle's name, something inside him had shifted. I didn't know what but whatever it was, I was thankful for it.
Asher's note:
Hello! Sorry for such a long wait for this next chapter. Hopefully, it being a longer chapter will make up for the time! Hope all are well and hope to hear your thoughts!
~Asher~