The rain of last night freshened the air in the area, even if we didn't need it because of the terrible climate here ... A few drops of water remain on the windows, like diamonds. Sunday is an opportunity to rest with those we love. Jared sent me the following text : "Are you coming to Sam and Emily's house ?" Of course ! It's scary but I think this boy is the other part of me. In my cotton pajamas, I rush down the stairs to find my mother eating breakfast.

- Mom ! I exclaim, as she looks up from her newspaper and coffee.
- Yes ?
- Can I go to a friend's house this afternoon ? I would like to study with classmates from high school. I made this rather unusual request to her.
- Why ? Her face takes a surprised expression.
- Because ... I'd like to see her. And I also want to improve my grades. I respond by playing with my hands, hoping she will agree if I use the "I just want to study" card.
- Where ?
- At Emily Young's house. She knows quite a bit about science. I respond as if she hadn't warned me about this girl, feeling I should lie again.
- Emily ? The one who stole the Clearwater girl's fiancée ? And she is dating this delinquent Sam Uley ...
- Um, I don't know... I pretend not to know, looking down.

The silence keeps for long seconds. Please accept. The psychologist already said that I needed to have fun, to see people my age, to hang out with them.

- Well ... Send me a message when you get there. And be back before six p.m. The adult finishes to answer.
- Great, thank you ! I could introduce you to some of my friends if you want.
- I do not like that. She huffs before I go back up the stairs.

It's a way of allowing myself to go there while still making me feel guilty. Awesome.

I'm trying to be a good girl. I really do.

I went to Emily's house with the intention of doing my homework. So why I find myself kissing Jared with my hands under his t-shirt ? I'm sitting above the other teenager, on top of a beige sofa. It's like a way of reconciling us, a physical way. We are in the living room of Sam and Emily's house. It is a small, modest and warm home, located in a remote part of the reservation, very close to the woods. Here, the pack can be free, cut off from the world. The place is filled with the scent of food and the walls hold within them the promise of a future of love and prosperity. Sam and Emily are gradually making it a real home, despite the economical difficulties. The house is painted with a warm brown and there is still a lot of work to be done, but it is their home and, in its capacity as Alpha, Sam has made this place the headquarters of the entire pack. Me, Jared and Paul come over regularly after school. The whole pack is aware of this story with Katherine and Niklaus, and we have mutually decided to wait before taking action. They mentioned the idea to talk to the older Quileutes but I think they don't want to see me panic. We have two months left before the fateful date. The month of October is slowly ending and dying. Today I was supposed to study for a science test with my boyfriend, since it's one of the few classes where we are together. Sam and Emily are out shopping and Paul is also out, doing a patrol.

- We're back home, get dressed, kids ! Exclaims Emily's voice, who soon bursts out laughing with Sam.
- Find a bedroom ! Added the tall alpha.

Damn, they just got back. Raising my head from the sofa, I see them heading into the kitchen with a bunch of bags. An annoyed noise escapes Jared's mouth. I raise an eyebrow and giggle too.

- Did you grunt ? I ask, fixing my hair, while still on the couch with him.
- When can I have you all for myself, without anyone interrupting us ? He answers my question with another question, decidedly unwilling to get up from the couch. I just kis his forehead.
- I promise we'll find time. Now you have to go, it is your duty. You know that Paul stops as soon as his turn is over. I change the subject with a thought for the angriest member of our group.
- I know, such a lazy guy ...

While I try to convince Jared to get up by showing affection, Sam walks towards us and decides to do it the hard way. Roughly, he grabs Jared by the arm and suddenly pulls him away.

- Come on kid, the sooner you accomplish your duty, the sooner you return to your girlfriend ! And from what I saw in your head, you already had a lot of fun last night.

Sam laughs and opens the door of the house. I always forget that they can read each other's minds in their wolf form. Damn telepathy. The smallest details of last night are running through my head. My towel, his chest, my confession, my sheets, my moans. I blush and hide my face with a pillow. The eldest of the group laughs.

- Don't worry princess, you have nothing to be ashamed of. Jared says and I hear a smile in his voice.
- Go away ! I yell at them, like if I was more comfortable with them since I started to accept my own emotion, like yesterday when I yelled at Jared.
- Sorry Kim ! Sam apologizes with another laugh before slamming the door.

Yes, go away as far as you can. Stupid guys. How is it even possible to look at your male friends in the eyes when you know they see most of your intimate moments with your boyfriend ? That they hear every thought he has about you ? I do not think I'll ever get used to it. Looking at the pile of notebooks, textbooks and pens lying on the table, I shrug my shoulders and decide to delay my homework until tomorrow morning. I get up to join Emily in the kitchen. The young woman has styled her raven black hair in two braids that suit her perfectly and is wearing a clear sweater. This woman exudes a contradictory mix of light and darkness.

- Sit down, I'm going to finish putting everything in its place. I suggest it to her, not liking that she takes charge of everything, to the point of sometimes serving us our plates. A huge part of me is used to being mothered, but Emily is only twenty-one, she deserves to be left alone at least a little bit.
- You're adorable. She thanks me by sitting down in a chair.

Afterwards, we chat for a few minutes. The future decoration of the house, the return of my mom, the weather, my classes ... Noticing the logo of a Forks supermarket on one of the plastic bags, a question wants to escape from my lips but I don't know how to ask it without seeming disrespectful. Am I too curious ? Maybe so, but everyone loves gossip and has an unhealthy curiosity.

- Why don't you shop at the Clearwater grocery store ? It is easier than driving to Forks. I ask her seemingly innocent. Emily seems surprised by my question but maintains her smile.
- You mean, why I do not talk to my family who live on the reservation anymore ? She responds, going straight to the point, making me bite my bottom lip.
- Yes, sorry if it's indiscreet. I mumble while looking away, filling the freezer with different products.
- Do not worry. You know I come from the Makah area ... It's a tribe that has always had bonds with the Quileutes. I grew up not too far from here, with my parents and my siblings. I often came to see my cousins, Leah and Seth. I envied their house, their reservation, their life. I was very close to Leah. She was my cousin but I considered her like my sister. Until this summer which changed everything.

Listening to her tirade, my eyes focus on Emily. She no longer speaks but her eyes seem to want to tell so many things. This summer, a few months ago. The summer she came to visit. The summer Sam imprinted on her. The summer before her face was half-disfigured for the rest of her life. She was so beautiful before ... She still is, of course, this kind of beauty can not disappear but you never fully recover from this.

- It's because Sam imprinted on you, isn't it ? Leah was dating Sam, until he saw you. I pronounce, hesitant to say more.
- Partly, yes. They were very much in love. I had already met Sam several times and we liked each other but this summer, Leah explained to me that he was getting strange, that he had disappeared, that he acted distant. Leah knew that he had problems.
- That's when he started to get a bad reputation. I comment while thinking of the rumors that are going around about him.
- Exact. Obviously, she didn't know that he phased, he had no right to reveal this secret to her. Then, I saw Sam again and ... It happened. He rushed to leave Leah and I buried my feelings as deep as I could. I promise you, Kim, you have to believe me. I tried to resist, I tried to be the good guy, I begged him to stay with Leah but ... Emily stammered, as if she was afraid of the idea that I would judge her. I sit down next to my friend and take her hands in mine.
- Emily, I'm not judging you. You fell in love. You both were imprints and you were honest. Leah will get over it and meet someone wonderful too. It can't stop you from seeing your family ... You are not going to be able to avoid them forever while you live in the same place. I try to convince her to reconnect with them, hoping that they won't reject her.
- It's not just about my relationship with Sam. Emily says without looking at me in the eyes.
- So, what else ?
- Seth and Leah's mother ... Sue Clearwater. She's my biological mother. Emily reveals, her gaze looking up to meet mine.

She says this quietly, while no one is listening to us. I almost scream and put my hand on my mouth. Was Emily adopted ? Sue Clearwater, the sweet wife of Harry Clearwater and the perfect mother of two children of the tribe, had another child ? I am speechless.

- I discovered everything this summer. That period was crazy, if only you knew, and again this is just a summary of everything that happened ... Sue revealed to me that she gave birth to me two years before getting married to another man. At the time she didn't know what to do, my biological father was going to marry someone else so she gave me to a cousin who already had children. Emily explains the foggy circumstances of her birth, painfully.
- She wanted the best for you ... Maybe she was not ready to be a mother. I whisper, feeling a small part of all the pain she can experience.
- You know what ? That's exactly what she said, but I was so angry. What's the point of abandoning one child only to have another one right after ? Two years is nothing. She could have kept me, be honest ... No, instead she made me believe that I was her favorite niece by inviting me every summer to play with her children. I mean, my parents are the ones who raised me, I love them so much but I feel betrayed. Besides Sam, the pack and you, no one knows. It's a secret. Declares the young woman, looking at the wooden table, so much anger in her eyes.
- I promise I'll never tell anyone about this. Never. This secret belongs to you. Sorry again if this is indiscreet but ... Do you know who your father is ?
- Of course. He still lives here even if Sue kept my existence as a secret. It's Sheriff Swan. Charlie Swann. Reveals the young Native American woman as I almost choke again. The sheriff ? Her father isn't a quileute ?
- What ?! Wow ... But did you go see him ? You want to meet him ? It means that ... You have a sister ? Despite myself, I asked many questions to Emily who must feel overwhelmed.
- I met him. He is a good person, he told me right away that he would be there for me and that he wanted to make a place for me in his life. He introduced me to Bella. He also said he was willing to welcome me so I could live with them, but ...
- You did not want to ?
- It was too much. I preferred to say that I was going to think about it, I told Sue that I didn't want to speak to her anymore until our death and ... I took refuge here, in our bubble, with Sam. That's what I need for the moment. Emily concludes by getting up from her chair and letting go of my hands.

The smell of cherry pie filled the house. At the end of the afternoon, we all gathered in the living room. Emily and Sam are curled up in an armchair, Paul is slumped on the carpet, and me and Jared have made the sofa our territory. If only things could freeze like this, in a joyful and eternal carefreeness.

- What are we doing, you guys want to watch a movie ? Or we can play a board game ? Proposes Jared, very playful, always wanting to win. This reminds me that we made a bet the other day ... A bet that I won. He owes me a favor.
- Okay for a movie, but the board games are hidden. Emily replies, giving Paul a look.
- Are you implying it's my fault ? He protests, falsely.
- I don't know, should I ? She says ironically.
- I don't know why you target me.
- Because you're a very bad player. So competitive. But you're not the only one, you are annoying but Jared cheats. Sam replies, before Paul answers that Sam always wants to decide everything and suggests going out to sort this out.

Emily starts telling me about the times they played Monopoly or any other game. Paul always ended up throwing the game away, yelling at the winner. I look at her in a new way. I am proud to count Emily Young among my friends. No matter what rumors are out there about her, the truth is that she is a wonderful young woman.

Beneath her appearance as a mother of the pack and simple girlfriend of the alpha, Emily is full of secrets.

NOTES : Now, you know Emily's secret ! What do you think about it ? In a few months you will be able to read Emily and Sam story. Maybe I will publish a bonus story about how Bella discovered that Emily is her half sister.