Title: Bloodlines of Fire and Fog
Chapter Seven: Sparks and Secrets

The fire cracked louder as the night deepened, laughter fading into embers and wind. Most of the Forks High kids had drifted toward the water or back to their trucks, leaving only a loose circle near the flames.

Bella sat perched on a driftwood log, arms crossed over her knees, staring into the fire. Faye lounged beside her, chin up, expression unreadable—classic Faye mode when something was off.

And something was off.

Bella felt it like pressure in the air. A heat on the back of her neck that wasn't from the flames.

Then she heard a voice.

"Hey, Swan."

She turned—and there he was.

Jacob Black.

Taller than before. Stronger. T-shirt clinging to his chest like he was sculpted out of warmth and familiarity. His smile was easy, but there was something else in his eyes. A weight. A pull.

"Jake," Bella said, standing up. "Wow… You got huge."

He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Blame the gym—or, you know… tribal genes."

Behind him stood another guy, Muscular. Intense. Arms crossed. Eyes locked on her.

"Bella, this is Paul Lahote," Jacob said. "He's one of the guys in my crew. Paul, this is Bella Swan. We used to build mud forts and fight over crayons."

Paul gave a short nod. "Nice to meet you."

"Hi," Bella said politely. But something about the way he looked at her made her skin prickle. Not danger exactly—more like recognition.

Jacob's gaze slid to Faye. "And this is…?"

Faye stood slowly, raising an eyebrow. "Faye. Faye Chamberlain. Bella's cousin."

Jacob's lips twitched, and for a moment, it looked like he forgot how to breathe.

Paul glanced at him sharply, then back at Faye. "You're… not from here."

"Neither is Bella," Faye replied, chin lifted.

And then—

Bella?

Faye's voice rang through Bella's mind—sharp and clear, like a whispered thought.

Are you feeling what I'm feeling?

Bella kept her smile still, her voice casual as she spoke aloud to Jacob. But mentally, she answered.

Something's wrong. The Quileutes never just walk up to strangers like this. Especially not… guys like them.*

Faye: I felt it the moment they stepped into the circle. Power. Old and rooted. Not ours—but connected.

Bella: Wolves. Charlie warned us. But why approach us like this?

Faye: Because we're not just strangers. We're... something else. And I think they know, even if they don't know why.

Jacob broke the silence with a shy grin. "So, you guys like Forks so far?"

"It's… interesting," Bella said, still keeping her tone light.

Paul's gaze lingered. "You're different."

"Excuse me?" Faye asked, lips curving into a dangerous smile.

Paul held up his hands. "Didn't mean anything by it. Just… new energy."

Bella, Faye whispered in her head, he's locked in. The way he's looking at you? That's not normal. That's bond-level stuff.

Same with Jacob, Bella replied. This feels bigger than a coincidence.

And as the flames crackled between them, two wolves stood silently in front of the girls they'd imprinted on—unable to say what they were, and completely unaware that their so-called "human" imprints could talk to each other through magic.

Two secrets.
Four hearts.
And a fire that wasn't just on the beach, but now deep, burning in the bloodlines.