CHAPTER FOURTEEN
At the Ateara residence, they were all invited to sit at the long dining table. Molly and Joy kept dinner simple. They were served spaghetti and meat sauce with salad and garlic bread. They were still waiting on Jared and John.
Bella sat between Paul and Sam. She was surprised that Sam was making an effort to get to know her. He kept up a running conversation and asked a bunch of questions in an attempt to get to know her.
There was a bit of a loud ruckus when the Camerons arrived. Not only were Jared and Joe here, but so were their parents and Jenny.
"We didn't know you'd be coming, Joe," Billy commented.
"When our son shows up at home buck naked and shouting throughout the house that he's transformed into a wolf, we want explanations!" Joe Cameron demanded.
"And why is Jenny here?"
"Because Bella's here. She's my friend."
"I see." Before Billy could say anything else, Emily walked into the house carrying muffins, followed by another older woman.
"And what are the two of you doing here?"
"I don't know. Sam sent me a text saying that it was imperative that I come because Paul was in an incident." She held a large bowl covered with plastic wrap in front of her. "I brought the fruit salad like you asked. What did you need it for?"
Bella, Paul, Jared, and John all turned to Sam, who had a big grin on his face. "Gotcha! I got all four of you good."
And Bella realized how young Sam actually was. If he was Leah's age, he was only two years older than she was. The last time, he'd had a ton of responsibility thrust on his shoulders, exacerbated by the fact that Bella was involved with the Cullens. This time, he was able to behave more like the kid he actually was.
Everyone had a good laugh, then settled around the obscenely long wooden dining table. There weren't enough chairs, but enough folding chairs were brought up from the basement to accommodate the extra guests.
Billy asked for silence, then began with a story Bella was familiar with. "The Quileutes have been a small tribe from the beginning, but we have always had magic in our blood. We were great spirit warriors, shape-shifters who transformed into powerful wolves. These warriors protected our land and our people and kept us safe. One day, the warriors came across a creature that looked like a man but was as cold as ice and hard as stone. The creature fed off our people, draining them of their blood, but our warriors were able to rip it apart using their sharp teeth. Sadly, the creature had a female mate. The woman became angry and took her vengeance out on the tribe. Unfortunately, there were no spirit warriors left except for Taha Aki, as the rest of them, including his own son, were killed by the woman. Taha Aki phased into his wolf form and set out to destroy the woman, but he was quickly overpowered. His third wife saw that her husband was about to die. She had no magical powers, but she had courage. The third wife saved Taha Aki by stabbing herself with a dagger and spilling her own blood. The creature, attracted by the scent of the woman's blood, dropped Taha Aki—giving the warrior the opportunity to destroy her, which he did. It was the third wife's sacrifice that saved the tribe."
The entire room was deadly silent until Jared's mother broke the silence by exclaiming, "Oh my spirits! Are you saying that our youngest son is the reincarnation of Taha Aki?"
"Huh?" Billy asked, confused.
Bella was amused by this assessment, and apparently so was Paul because he turned to her and rolled his eyes. Taking her hand in his, he stroked his thumb over her hand gently. He did that often, and it made her feel all tingly inside. It wasn't forced like it had been with Edward, it was simply nice.
Ahem! Harry Clearwater cleared his throat to get the tribal chief's attention.
"No, no. Jared is not a reincarnation of Taha Aki, but he is a spirit warrior. Let me go over what transpired." Billy gave a thorough explanation of what happened, beginning with the arrival of the Cullens and ending with Sam's initial transformation, which was a surprise to Paul but not to his mother.
"Well, now everything makes sense. I was wondering why you ran away from home, bro," Paul said. "You know you can talk to me, right? I'm here for you."
"I'm here for you, too," Bella offered.
"You're a cool chick, Bella Swan," Sam said with a smile.
"So, the Cullens are really vampires? Because I was just joking earlier."
Sam turned to Paul. "Yeah, the whole family are vampires, including the doctor. The last time they were in Forks was in the 1930s. The previous pack made a deal with them. They get to live peacefully as long as they do not bite any humans. We won't tell their secret, and they won't tell ours."
"Are you saying that the presence of the Cullens is affecting our youth and making them transform into wolves?" Sergeant Cameron asked. "That's inhumane. Have you told them?"
"I'm not sure if they know, but we don't want to give away their secrets."
Bella raised her hand. "Yes, child?" Old Quil asked.
"Uncle Quil, how old were the wolves in the previous pack that made the deal?"
"They were between the ages of thirteen and fifteen. Why do you ask?"
Bella nodded. "How is it fair that vampires, who are probably centuries old and have a lot more experience, made a deal with minor children? I ask this because when my father took custody of me, there was a lot of paperwork that needed to be done by my parents—not by me. Heck, in Washington and Arizona, we can't even apply for a driving permit without a parent because that's essentially a contract with the state stating you will follow certain driving laws. And because I'm under eighteen, my father had to come with me to the bank to open a custodial account. So, how is it fair that the Cullens manipulated minor children, who probably didn't know any better, into signing a binding contract allowing them to live in Forks? In my eyes, the Quileutes were here first, and the Cullens are infringing on your lives by turning the youth into wolves. I'd say the contract is null and void."
The adults started speaking to each other in hushed tones while Paul whispered. "That was smart thinking," into her ear.
"You are certainly your father's daughter," Harry Clearwater said. You've given us, especially the elders, a great deal to consider.
Bella had an unfair advantage because she had experienced life on the other side. She realized how selfish the Cullens were. They did not need to live in Forks, but they chose to live here because the weather allowed them to go out in public and experience a semblance of normalcy. While she understood their sentiments, the risks were too great. Besides, it wasn't as if they interacted with people anyway.
"So, what exactly are Sam and Jared supposed to do now that they are spirit warriors? And if our youngest is a spirit warrior, are any of our other kids at risk?" Mr Cameron asked.
"To answer your question, this affects adolescents, so if anyone were at risk, it would be Jenny. There are records of only a few female wolves, but they are extremely rare and usually double gene carriers," Old Quil explained. "The female most at risk is Leah Clearwater."
"Really?" Harry asked. "Should we be preparing Leah then?"
"Not right now. The only reason Bella, John, and Paul are aware is because they witnessed Jared's transformation. Jenny just showed up," Billy stared at them disapprovingly, as if it was their fault Jared phased in front of them.
"I'm glad I did come because if there's even the slightest chance of this happening to me, I want to know," Jenny noted.
"So, am I going to become a wolf, too?" Paul asked.
"We aren't sure, Paul. You carry the gene through your great-grandmother, who was a Uley. We're not sure how this affects you, but as of yet, you've shown no signs of imminent change."
Bella thought that was odd, especially when she considered Paul had been the next to phase after Jared. But when did he first phase? It wasn't like she could ask him. He had no idea. The only thing she recalled was Jacob telling her that Paul was the most volatile of wolves and Emily saying that wolves were considered temperamental for their first year. When did she first meet Paul originally?
Bella thought hard about this. It wouldn't be until Easter vacation of her senior year. She was still a junior right now, so Paul had a good deal of time before he phased. She was going to need to create some kind of spreadsheet if she was going to keep track of things, but she really couldn't risk anyone finding anything, so she'd have to stick to mental notes.
She needed to chat with Taha Aki.
"So, what is Jared supposed to do with his newfound status as a spirit warrior? And will there be any changes in his diet?"
"Well, for right now, Sam and Jared will run passes around La Push to make sure there are no vampires roaming the area. Unfortunately, the Cullens residence here will attract other vampires. While the Cullens only feed from animals for their source of nutrition, the majority will feed from humans only. Those vampires can be identified by their blood and red eyes."
"Are you saying our son is some kind of security guard?" Sergeant Cameron asked, appalled.
"It sure puts a dampener on that spirit warrior thing," Paul commented.
"Hush, Paul!" His mother chastised him.
"He was created by the spirits to protect the reservation," Billy explained.
"He's a child! A teenager—only sixteen years old. I do not give permission for him to run around the forests and protect the reservation. He isn't even allowed to do that now!"
"It is the way of our people!"
"Our people need to keep up with the times. I don't care what kind of spiritual mandate caused this, Jared does not have permission to run around the reservation as some sort of spiritual lackey! Besides, you just said during your tale of Taha Aki's third wife that an out-of-control female vampire destroyed all of the younger spirit warriors. What if Jared gets called? How does he know how to destroy vampires? Is it instinctual? Is there a fighting tactics class for spirit warriors? You tell me how to keep Jared and Sam safe!" Sergeant Cameron's maternal instinct was on full display. Bella wished her mother had shown that kind of love for her.
And then she realized why so many people in La Push had despised her. Her stubborn insistence that she wanted to be with Edward had put their children in danger.
"I agree," Allison stated. "I know my son is grown, but he just graduated from high school in June. His life has been put on hold because of all of this.
"What do you mean?"
"After Sam phased, he had to give up his college football scholarship to protect the reservation."
"Why?" Bella asked.
"Because, according to Billy and Harry, his abilities are now superior to those of a normal human being. He has more strength and speed, even in his human form."
"I am not giving up baseball! No way. No, how!" Jared protested.
"You don't have to listen to these sons of bitches," Joe Cameron said, glaring at the elders. "They aren't going to hinder your ability to be a teenager."
"It's part of the agreement with the Cullens. The wolves who have phased can no longer leave the area."
The parents and kids started arguing with the elders more until Bella stood up on her chair and yelled, "That's a crock of bullshit!"
"Isabella, sit down before you hurt yourself, and don't swear in this house," Aunt Molly chastised.
"I'm sorry for swearing."
Aunt Molly nodded and said, "Tell us why you think it's a crock of bullshit."
"Hey, how come you're allowed to swear?" Bella asked.
"Because I'm old, ornery, and paid my dues enough to do and say what I want. You, on the other hand, are still learning and growing. Now, have your say, child."
"Fair enough. I think both Sam and Jared should be able to continue to do what they want for the simple fact that the Cullens are doing so. If they can mingle in society, then so can the Spirit Warriors. If they can go to school, so can Sam and Jared. Why is it that the Cullens are able to go wherever they want? What if some kid fell and scraped his knee at the store? What if they had a section on blood typing during biology? Will the Cullens be tempted to eat the people? Because I bet the wolves won't want to eat them. I don't think wolves are bloodthirsty, are they? And then there's that creepy Dr Cullen dude. Why is he allowed to work at a hospital? Wouldn't that put the patients at risk? I think you need to get a lawyer to rework the null-and-void contract from the 1930s because no one should have to give up anything for the sake of some supernatural hocus pocus. It would be unjust. Who is the tribal lawyer anyway?"
Joe Cameron stood to speak. "I'm not the tribal attorney, but I am an attorney, which I think would be a stellar career for you, by the way. You've made several excellent points through the course of the evening. I can see why Jenny raves about you."
"Thanks, Mr Cameron."
"Bella is correct on all points. As a tribe, we need to rework the contract. I will do this pro bono, of course, because my son is involved. We can meet with the Cullens in my office in Forks after I consider how to approach this."
Bella raised her hand again. "You should probably point out that society at large is different from the 1930s, and changes need to be taken into consideration. Everyone mixes with each other, and stifling the movements of one party is authoritarian. I learned about that today in social studies." Bella nodded her head.
"You'll intern for me next year during senior internships," Mr Cameron decided. "Again, Bella is correct. You're a very smart girl to come up with all of this."
She wasn't really perceptive. She was just feeding them advice on how to deal with the Cullens as inconspicuously as possible. She couldn't very well tell them that she had been considering these things for nigh on two years.
"Very well. Since some very good points have been made, Jared and Sam will not have to patrol the forest around the reservation. "Sam, have you detected anything suspicious?" Billy asked.
"No, not at all, but then again, I have no idea what I'm doing."
"And that should be reason enough to take you off patrol," Old Quil determined. "It's my belief that these kids should not have to be put at risk. For now, Sam's only duty is to teach Jared how to control his temper. You don't want to phase in public."
Billy cleared his throat. "Moving on, we'd like to discuss a phenomenon called imprinting, which is what happens when a wolf meets his mate. We cannot predict when or how it will happen, and we do not know much about it. There's little information recorded in the archives regarding imprint.
"What we do know is imprinting bonds the wolf to his mate. Sam here imprinted on Emily, which unfortunately left Leah Clearwater very hurt because he had no choice but to break up with her. We recommend that any teen who has even a remote chance of becoming a wolf does not become involved in any romantic entanglements." Billy's stare bore down on Paul, who kept his hand entwined with Bella's
And this got Bella thinking. What if Paul phased and then imprinted? Should she involve herself further with Paul or keep it casual? It didn't seem fair to either of them to become exclusive if there was a chance of Paul imprinting after he phased.
"Excuse me? Have you told Leah what happened between Sam and Emily yet?" Allison Lahote asked.
"Of course not. The existence of the pack is confidential," Harry said.
"Well, it doesn't seem fair to keep her in the dark. You're just hurting her more. She's going to be psychologically scarred because of something none of the parties involved had any control over."
"I agree with Allison," Old Quil said. "Eventually, she'll have to be told because if she has kids, they will be gene carriers. Why not tell her now? Honesty makes life easier."
There was a lot of back and forth and many excuses made as to why Leah shouldn't be told, especially by Harry and Billy, both of whom insisted that the existence of the pack was on a need-to-know basis. He swore everyone in the room to secrecy. Bella reluctantly agreed when she really wanted to tell her father.
XOXO
Bella ended up having to spend the night at the Ateara house because her father had to work until well past midnight. That night, she opened up the makeup compact she always carried with her.
"Mirror, Mirror, hello, Mr Aki."
"Good evening, child." Taha Aki wore a Star Trek uniform today. He was standing in a replica of the Starship Enterprise.
"Good evening. How was your day?"
"Well, it was enlightening. I've been binge watching Star Trek and realized that I missed out by not having television in my time. On the other hand, knowing my character, I probably would not have accomplished one thing. Still, it would be fascinating to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before."
Bella chuckled. "I'm proud to say that among my accomplishments, I have created a new Trekkie."
"That you have. Now, how can I help you?".
"Mr Taha Aki, were you watching today?"
"Of course, I was watching. I'm always with you, Isabella."
Bella's shoulders slumped. "Today, I realized how horrible a person I am. The last time I was in Forks, due to my selfishness in insisting I wanted to be with Edward, I put everyone in danger. The wolves went out and fought in a war with Victoria for me after she created an army of newborn vampires. They risked their lives for me and the Cullens, and yet the stupid coven are stifling the pack's movements by keeping them contained in the area. It's wrong. How come the Cullens have the freedom to move about and live wherever they want and not the wolves? They tricked those boys who were between the ages of thirteen and fifteen into signing a contract.
"Meanwhile, stupid me here jumbled things up even more by becoming involved with Edward. I ruined countless lives, destroyed families, and…"
"Stop. Stop your self-loathing right now, Bella," Taha Aki ordered.
"But…"
"But what? You've learned from your mistakes, and the spirits have given you a second chance to fix your errors. This chance, a complete re-do, is rarely granted. Only a handful of people have ever been given this opportunity," Taha Aki explained.
"But why me?"
"Because you saw the error in your ways and were willing to work to fix it. Here's the thing: no one is perfect. I sure as hell made a ton of mistakes while I was in your world. I became lazy and complacent when I was the tribal chief. I didn't train my sons how to fight. When the first vampire came, I thought it was an isolated incident, and my sons were able to dispatch him, so despite everyone insisting that there might be a second vampire, I ignored them. I stubbornly insisted that as the tribal chief, I knew best, and they were not to contradict me. Well, you know what happened next. The second vampire arrived and killed all of my sons, my nephews, and my brothers. I was the only spirit warrior left, but my laziness came to the forefront once again. I was weak and out-of-shape, and my wife sacrificed herself for me, knowing that I was the only one who could repopulate our tribe with spirit warriors. She did it—not for me, but for the good of the tribe."
"That must have been so gut-wrenching, Mr Taha Aki."
"It was a hard way to learn from my mistakes. I truly loved my third wife. The fourth and fifth ones were absolute terrors."
"I meant to ask you. Did you have three wives at once? Is that why she's called your third wife."
"Dingaling. Back then, there was a high risk of death due to childbirth for women. I had a total of eleven wives before I was for the spirit world."
"Eleven?"
"I had to repopulate La Push."
"Wait a second! Are you saying you spent your time after the vampire wars spreading your pollen all over the flora of La Push?"
Taha Aki let out a full belly laugh. "Well, yes, that's exactly what I did. La Push needed spirit warriors because I was a lazy tribal chief. So, I had to put in sweat equity—literally. I thought we were on good footing when I finally departed the earthly realm. I just didn't expect the pack in the 1930s to be stupid enough to make a deal with vampires."
He paused, then said, "Let's get back to your situation. You were chosen because you realized your mistakes and repented them. You are also in a unique position to understand both pack dynamics and vampire mindset. You understand that the Cullens are selfish, and today, you were able to communicate it to the people who matter."
"I see, but I still feel guilty about how I behaved during the first timeline."
"You've been given a clean slate, Bella. Let the past go. You have the rare opportunity to fix things. And keep in mind you are not responsible for everyone and everything. Everyone played a part in the debacle that was your previous stay in Forks, but you are ideally suited to fix matters."
"But I'm not sure if I did the right thing today. I tried to feed the elders advice on how best to deal with the Cullens. I wish I could tell them that Edward can read minds and Alice can see the future, but I can't without intimating a familiarity with the Cullens."
"No, you can't, but what you did today was inform the right people about how to handle the Cullens. I don't mean Billy Black and Harry Clearwater either. I mean Joe Cameron, specifically, and Allison Lahote because she'll tell Lieutenant Lahote everything.
"The truth of the matter is we need new leadership. I'm not worried about the Ateara Line continuing; they've adapted to change admirably, but it's time for Billy Black and Harry Clearwater to step down. Now, that's not your responsibility at all. I believe things will work out if you stay the course."
"But my Great Uncle Quil was so grumpy the first time around."
"He was grumpy because Billy and Harry, who profess to be great friends of your father, overruled him when it came to warning your father about the Cullens. You could have been protected from the get-go."
"Anyway, child, you are performing admirably under the circumstances, so stop worrying and go to sleep."
Bella nodded. "Mr. Taha Aki, can I ask one more thing?"
"You can ask me anything."
"What about Paul? Should I keep seeing him? Because once he changes into a wolf, he'll have a chance of imprinting. I can't remember if he did so during the last timeline."
"Bella, live life. You can and should continue to see Paul. As for imprinting, you will see that many factors affect who a wolf's mate will be. Like with everything else, there will be many changes."
"But I don't want either of us to get hurt," Bella said.
"It's almost Christmas, Bella. Have faith, and remember, things are only impossible until they're not." With that odd statement, Taha Aki disappeared.
Bella closed her compact and put it back in her purse. She closed her eyes and fell asleep immediately. She'd had a long, exhausting day.