invisible string | s. uley ✓

4 | valeria alvarez

"Hello," she said back softly. "Do — would you like me to leave so that you can talk to your pack mate?"

"Oh, no," he said, shaking his head. "I've never actually seen any of you veggie vamps up close."

Valeria giggled when he called her a veggie vamp. "I call us bunny munchers, much to Edward's annoyance."

"That's funny," he said, chuckling. Then the wolf brushed up against his side — Sam's way of reminding him to get her name. "I'm Seth Clearwater by the way. Youngest and bestest member of the pack."

"I'm the youngest and bestest too!" She said, grinning brightly. "My name's Valeria Alvarez, but Cullen now."

Seth suddenly surged forward with an excited look on his face. "You made the muffins!"

"Huh?" She tilted her head in confusion, solely focused on Seth. Sam was to the side, repeating her name over and over again in his mind, thinking it was perfect.

"Chief Swan brought some muffins over to the house. He said Valeria Cullen made them. Jared and Embry practically inhaled them, but Mom saved one for me," Seth explained. He sank to the grass, feeling more comfortable around her now that he knew her name. "Those were literally the best blueberry muffins any of us have ever had."

"Well, I'm glad you liked them," Valeria said. "I love to cook but can't eat, obviously. But when I get in a cooking mood, I either drop it off at people's houses or Esme drives me into the city and we donate it to the shelters."

"Wow. That's so sweet," Seth noted. "And you're the one that wanted to make sure he wasn't hurt yesterday too. You must be really nice."

If Valeria could still blush, she would have from the compliment. Then her eyes fell back on the black wolf, who was still watching her intently. "You're all better now, right?"

"Oh, he wasn't hurt. He just—" Sam rammed his head into Seth's shoulder to shut him up. Valeria looked at them oddly as Seth muttered an apology. "Yeah, he's as healthy as a horse."

"Big as one too," Valeria joked. "You're a lot bigger than those other two with you yesterday."

"Well, he's our Alpha, so he's the biggest and strongest," Seth explained.

Valeria was surprised to learn that the Alpha was letting her sit so close to their land — let alone allow Seth to speak to her. But she didn't want to risk making him angry and ask why.

"I know Carlisle has told me your name before," Valeria said, squinting at the wolf. "I was probably only half-paying attention though. Don't tell me, Seth. I'll think of it in a second."

Seth smiled as she tried to recall Sam's name all on her own. "I thought the Elders said vampires have perfect memories."

Valeria looked at her drawing bashfully. Her memory wasn't like that of a human, but it could take time to recall some things if she wasn't fully focused on what had happened. One of the only downsides — in her opinion — of her copied humanity gift. Though, her family would likely make an argument for the clumsiness and the short attention span.

"Yeah. It just takes me a minute sometimes," she said, shrugging. "So, how long have you been a werewolf, Mr. Bestest?"

"Just a few weeks."

"I guess that's our fault," Valeria said, frowning down at her drawing. "Ours and Victoria's. Really, I know Carlisle is fond of Forks, but he shouldn't have moved us here knowing it'd trigger the shifter gene in all of you. I'm sorry you've all had to go through this."

Sam found it interesting that she cared about their being forced to shift. Carlisle certainly hadn't given returning to Forks a second thought, not caring about the life-altering effect it would have on so many young boys — and girls, as they now knew.