I tried to stay up and wait for Charlie to come home, but eventually sleep claimed me while I was on the sofa. So when I then woke up, safely snuggled into my bed, it is safe to say I was a little confused. I stretched out on my bed and blearily blinked my eyes open as I slowly returned to the land of the living. I could hear Charlie downstairs in the kitchen, and the smell of fresh coffee filled the house. I didn't stop to have a shower or change, instead I sped downstairs, eager to hear what had happened the previous night.
I came barrelling into the kitchen and was met with Charlie still in his pj's, sleep in his eyes, and a hot cup of coffee clutched reverently between both hands. I quickly poured myself a cup and leaned against the counter next to Charlie, and waited for him to speak. Except Charlie didn't speak, he just kept quietly sipping his coffee, staring into space tiredly. "So…" I hummed. "How did everything go last night?" I asked lightly.
Charlie sighed and took another sip of his coffee. "We didn't find a nest." He reported sullenly.
"Oh."
"Just what was left of one." Charlie continued despondently.
"What?" I cocked my head to the side in confusion.
Charlie downed the rest of his coffee and quickly refilled his cup. "We managed to track some old scents to an abandoned warehouse near the docks." Charlie glanced at me for a moment and took in my expression, it was like he was trying to decide just how honest he was going to be with me. "There were a few dead bodies, humans drained of blood. And…" Charlie gave me another scrutinising look. I tried not to huff impatiently and demand he just get on with it already. "A funeral pyre." He eventually said, speaking quietly into his mug of coffee.
"A funeral pyre?" I repeated questioningly.
Charlie groaned, a sound that was filled with bone deep weariness, as he moved over and slumped down on one of the old wooden chairs at the dining table. Charlie braced his elbows on the table and buried his face in his hands as he spoke, "It was dreadful, Bella. It's been a very long time since I have seen something that… horrible."
I was suddenly thrust into unknown territory. I had never had to comfort Charlie before, he was always so… strong, so unyielding. I slowly walked over to him and placed a comforting hand in between his shoulder blades, I didn't miss the way he jolted slightly at the unexpected touch. A strange ache settled at the bottom of my rib cage at seeing my father so fragile. "What happened?" I whispered.
Charlie heaved a sigh and scrubbed his hands down his face as he turned to look at me. "Sit," Charlie tried to offer me a smile as he gestured to an empty chair. I sat down silently, and placed my coffee on the table in front of me. "When Jasper and I got there the… stench was unmistakable… for both of us." Charlie looked down into the depths of his coffee as he spoke, but he didn't mumble and instead spoke clearly and plainly. "The scent of almost a dozen vampires, all being burned together is… not something you ever forget."
"Dad…?" I didn't know how to frame my questions. I didn't have the words. Charlie looked haunted by his late night reconnaissance, as if the experiences of the night had caused the ghosts of his past to rise out of their graves simply to plague his present. I could see them, the shimmering spectres of the past filled his eyes, tormenting my father's world weary soul.
Charlie shook his head jerkily, as if he were trying to dislodge the memories in his head. "There was a nest, all fledglings. Less than a year old." Charlie drank the rest of his coffee quickly, in two quick gulps that must have burnt his throat. I stayed silent, unable to offer him anything other than my undivided attention. Charlie's face hardened as he slowly and methodically packed away his emotions like one would an old house. "There was also a familiar scent… Victoria's."
"What?" I hissed as I tensed in my chair, ready to spring into action as if the threat was right there in the room with us.
Charlie reached across and closed his large hand around my wrist, anchoring me to my chair. "We followed her trail, but we lost it at the coast." Charlie squeezed my wrist once before letting go.
"I-I don't understand." I muttered bitterly. "What was she doing? Why… why would she create a bunch of vampires just to-to murder them?"
"Jasper thinks she was creating an army, and I agree with him."
"Okay… but why? And why go to all that trouble if she were just going to off them all?" I huffed out in exasperation. I clearly wasn't seeing the full picture, and it was infuriating.
"Jasper told me of how vampire armies operate in the south. The leader will create a single fledgling and train them for a year… a lieutenant of sorts. And then they would create a number of new vampires all at once, letting the older one wrangle them into submission." As Charlie spoke, it all began to make sense.
"Riley… he was the first to go missing… almost a year ago." I murmured. "He was her lieutenant."
Charlie nodded grimly. "When you killed him it became a lot harder for her to control the nest, it was easier to just destroy them."
"Victoria was building an army…. For what? For revenge?" I shook my head disbelievingly. "That's nuts."
"Yes, it is. But when vampires lose their mate, it can often lead to insanity," Charlie mused, it sounded like he had some experience with the subject.
"So… what did you do then? After you lost her scent?" I probed.
"We went back to the warehouse, removed any evidence of the supernatural and called the appropriate authorities… anonymously." Charlie slowly stood up and stretched languidly, as if the simple act of sharing his burden had eased his own internal torment.
"I thought you were the authorities." I teased lightly.
Charlie smirked at my poor attempt at a joke. "Yes well, could you imagine having to explain that? How and why the Chief of Police from Forks had discovered the mangled corpses of three people in an abandoned warehouse?"
"Good point." I relented and joined my dad near the sink and rinsed out my cup. "You are okay, though… right?" My eyebrows were furrowed in concern as I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Yeah, Bells… of course." Charlie assured me. "It's just… been a while since I've seen something like that, I think it just caught me off guard."
"Okay." I said doubtfully. Charlie just smiled at me and said he was heading up for a quick shower before work. I watched my father leave the small kitchen, silently wondering what the hell we were going to do about Victoria.
XxXx
"Did Jasper tell you what happened last night?" I asked the moment Edward appeared at my front door to take me to school.
"Good morning, Bella. I'm fine, how are you?" Edward teased, a lighthearted smile curved his lips.
"Sorry," I blushed as I followed him outside and got into his car. "But did he?" I prodded as Edward joined me in the car.
"Yes, he did." Edward confirmed, his voice was tight with carefully controlled anger. "I'm sorry." He murmured.
"Sorry? What for?" I asked confusedly.
"She got away – Again." Edward muttered bitterly.
I sighed and shook my head, "That's hardly your fault."
"I know… I just wish that she wasn't a problem anymore. That we didn't have this sword hanging over us." Edward bemoaned as he pulled the car into the parking lot.
"I know," I reached over and took Edward's hand. "I feel the same way." I gave his hand a comforting squeeze to try and drive my point home.
Edward brought my hand up and placed a kiss on my knuckles. "Whatever happens," Edward vowed, "We will face it together."
"Together." I echoed and then turned to look through the windshield at the school building. "Just gotta survive high school, first." I grumbled.
The rest of the week passed by without incident, and dragged along at a glacial pace. These last few weeks of senior year felt like the last leg of a marathon – I could see the finish line just up ahead, but it still felt so far away.
I was grateful when Saturday finally rolled around, even more so that the full moon was rising tonight. While I had finally mastered the art of ignoring the pull of the full moon, I had no plans to. Shifting with the moon was different, and now that I had plenty of experience with shifting out of Phase the contrast was palpable.
Growing up I never put much stock into Charlie's stories about our origins and the Moon Goddess who supposedly watched over our kind, but now… now I couldn't help but wonder if there was some truth to it. Because shifting with the moon felt akin to a religious experience. When the full moon's light cast itself across my skin, it no longer felt like it was forcing something monstrous to break free. Rather, it felt as if it were imbuing me with power and strength that was beyond my understanding. Now that I had control of my transformation, I could feel the full moon for what it truly was – a gift. The reason it had forced a transformation before was because it made my wolf that much stronger, so much so that my human form simply could no longer contain it, forcing it to break free. Now that I had a choice in the matter, that I had become one with both sides of my nature, I could appreciate the difference.
When the full moon rose, when I became over washed with that ethereal glow, I could choose to keep the wolf inside – but by the goddess, why would I want to? The surge of supernatural power that would pulse through my veins was better than any drug imaginable. The monthly ritual I had once dreaded with every fibre of my being, soon became my favourite time of the month. I felt sorry for Charlie, having to work during the full moon and having to miss out on the fun.
I think the best part of it was that I had plans. I had a pack with which to share the night with.
I stood in the shadow of Cullen house as the last rays of sunshine flickered over the horizon, and when I felt the familiar pull of the full moon, I relished in it. All at once every bone in my body snapped and shifted into position as my skin fell from my body in bloody sheets. The transformation was quick, lightening fast, and although there was still pain it didn't last as I unburdened myself of my human form. I shook out my fur and quickly disposed of the evidence of my transformation before I trotted around to the back of the house. As I moved I howled loudly, announcing my presence to my pack and bathing the moon in my loud exaltation with a single sound.
As the Cullens came into view, Emmett greeted me with a poor mimicry of my howl. He threw his head back and offered the moon his own praise, as poorly executed as it was. I sped up and with a wrinkle of my snout and a scoffing snort, I pushed my large head against Emmett's larger chest, putting an effective stop to his display.
Emmett's howl turned into a booming laugh. "What? Not good enough?" He teased as he ruffled the fur between my ears. I twisted my head and snapped my jaws at his hand playfully – we both knew that if I truly wanted to bite him I would have.
"Emmett, behave." Esme admonished lovingly as she tied her long hair up into a high pony-tail, getting it out of her way and ready for the hunt.
The others were making similar preparations, sleeves were being rolled up and shoes removed as we prepared to hunt as a pack.
"Hmm, that looks good." Edward murmured, his eyes closed and mind fully focused on the vision Alice was experiencing.
Alice's eyes cleared, the fog dissipating as she returned to the present. "There's a large herd of elk, north east of here." Alice declared confidently.
"Lead the way." Carlisle smiled fondly as he gestured to the forest that bordered the property.
Alice turned to face the woods, dug her small feet into the ground and then took off like a bat outta hell. The other Cullens quickly followed suit and I wasted no time joining them, my large paws pounded against the neatly trimmed lawn of the Cullen's backyard.
We ran together as a group – as a pack – Alice in the lead with Jasper right by her side. Carlisle and Esme followed close behind with Edward and me in the middle, Rosalie and Emmett brought up the rear of our troupe. We closed in on the broad river and I watched as the vampires in front of me gracefully launched themselves over the watery expanse. I picked up my speed and followed them. While they landed with lithe footfalls, I reached the opposite bank with a heavy thump. I didn't let it slow me down, and I continued to race through the woods with building excitement.
The terrain shifted, growing steeper and rockier as we ran. The full moon filled me with additional agility and strength, and I found myself having to pull myself back so I wouldn't over take Alice as she led us towards our prey. Soon we slowed to a gentle jog, before coming to a halt at the edge of a rocky precipice that overlooked a grassy plateau. There in the long grasses and ferns I could see the herd, some dozing others still awake but resting as nightfall fell over them.
With hungry eyes I looked over the selection of prey before me. Alice was right, it was a large herd. It looked like there were about fifty or so elk, a nice mix of cows and bulls of varying sizes and weights. My bright eyes zeroed in on a large bull near the opposite side of the plateau, clearly the largest on offer, easily five-hundred pounds of glorious meat.
Mine.
I let my intentions ripple out of my body, and they fell through the air before landing on each of the vampires around me. Communicating in this way was still very new to most of the Cullen's, and each of them reacted differently when they were hit with my message. Sharp possessiveness that was centred on the bull, mixed with a ravenous hunger wound its way through their bodies. I could tell it unsettled them – they hadn't experienced hunger in centuries, but at least my message was clear.
"You sure you can handle it, Bella?" Emmett whispered mockingly, "It's bigger than you are."
I huffed out an annoyed breath at the insinuation. Also, it wasn't that much bigger than I was, the past year my wolf form had grown considerably – thank you very much.
In silent synchronisation we moved back through the woods and down onto the plateau. We circled around the dozing herd, spacing ourselves out so we wouldn't get in each other's way as we hunted. Not a single word was spoken, and yet there was a quiet but confident understanding between us as we moved in harmony – eight pieces of the same whole. I could taste everyone's excitement and anticipation as the vampires crouched down, hands curved into claws and lips twitched as snarls snaked their way through the air. The noise was a low rumbling, and it alerted the elk to our presence, not that any of us minded – we wanted the thrill of the chase.
The herd was awake and agitated, closing ranks and nervously looking around, desperately trying to locate the threat that they couldn't see but their instincts told them was there. I don't know how - maybe we were all so intuitively in tune with each other – but we all revealed ourselves as one to our prey. We ascended from the shadows, demonic growls and hisses filled the air as we lunged towards our victims. The herd scattered, trying to flee from our assault, but there was no use. I immediately headed towards my chosen buck, but I let it get a good distance away from me before I began to pursue it in earnest.
Like a cat toying with a mouse, allowing it to flee only to end it's life a moment later.
As the herd scattered I could feel Jasper's chosen quarry coming up on my left flank, trying desperately to reach the cover of the trees to shake loose the predator on it's tail. I shifted slightly, turning just enough to block the creature's retreat, forcing it to flee back towards the centre of the plateau. I felt a wave of gratitude at the same time I heard an appreciative growl from behind me as Jasper continued his hunt.
None of us were moving as fast as we could, if we did it would all be over much too quickly. We chose to relish in the hunt, we took pleasure in indulging our more savage instincts. The thrill of the chase filled us, consumed us, the stench of our victims' fear and adrenaline filled the night air as we circled the herd, corralling it into a tight writhing ball of warm flesh and pumping blood. Eight ravenous predators circled, we weaved around the trembling herd in a macabre dance, each of us instinctively knowing the steps. We deliberately allowed a few of the beasts to flee, and they dashed off into the woods, leaving their kin to the whims of our savage desires.
Finally, it was time.
The sounds of our growling snarls reached a crescendo as we pounced. The shrill cries of the elk in the midst of their death throes filled the cool night air.
And then silence.
Death came to that beautiful plateau in the form of seven vampires and a single werewolf.
The Cullen's quickly finished their meals, silent and deadly, they drank their fill of the elk in the field. But soon the eerie silence of the night was broken by the sounds of me devouring my meal.
I quickly slashed open the buck's chest, and then I ravenously searched for the still warm heart of the beast and devoured it in a few quick snaps of my jaw. I refused to hold back, growling and snarling my way through my meal as I tugged and pulled at sinewy flesh and all but rolled around in the bloody carcass of my kill. By the time I was finished and came up for air, Edward was the only one still there. The others had left to find more game to hunt.
"Enjoying yourself?" Edward asked, a fond smile tugged at his lips and made the skin around his eyes crinkle.
I panted happily and nodded my head as I trotted over to him. Edward had managed to stay relatively clean during his hunt, a fact that I could not stand. I approached him and began to rub my bloody fur over his clean shirt, smearing it with blood and other fluids from my kill, along with my own scent.
"Bella!" Edward chided with a startled chuckle, and attempted to push me away with a light hand. I snorted and shook my head before I pressed my fluffy chest against his and craned my neck so I could rest my lumbering head on his shoulder. Edward's chuckle turned into a pleased purr as his arms came around my muscular neck, his fingers began to expertly stroke my fur. I released a satisfied huff of air as I nuzzled the side of my neck against Edward's coating him in my scent, and in turn bathing myself in his.
The night was young, and I was consumed by the overwhelming power of the moon and my mate's presence. I felt strong, unstoppable, and I never wanted that feeling to go away.
A/N: Hey everyone! I am not sure when I will be able to update this, or any of my other stories. I am in the middle of the big Australian floods. I had over 5ft of water inside my house and we had to evacuate, I managed to grab my laptop and I have hooked into the evacuation centre's wi-fi, and this chapter was like 90% finished so I just cleaned it up with the help from my Beta. Once the waters go down I will be super busy trying to clean out my home and dealing with the fact I have legit lost everything other than my laptop and phone. It will probably be up to a month or so until I begin posting again, but none of my stories are abandoned, and I will be back! As always, thanks for reading, and I hope you all enjoyed it!