invisible string | s. uley ✓

16 | out a window

Rosalie then decided to speak up, putting them all on edge as she did. She didn't even bother to hide the venom in her tone. "So, what? You think you own her now because of some stupid wolf connection?"

"Rosalie," Carlisle said sharply.

"No," Sam said, waiving Carlisle off. He didn't need his help. "It's nothing like that. She's not mine to claim or own, and she's free to make her own choices, and I would respect those choices. But I am bound to her. Everything will always come second to her, and I'm not going anywhere just because none of you particularly like me."

Valeria brushed her thumb across his knuckles, happy that he had stood up for himself and his feelings without getting angry at her family.

Rosalie accepted his answer but didn't let up on her glare. From beside her, Emmett smiled easily. "That's a good enough answer in my book," he told Sam.

"Look at that," Valeria commented, checking her watch. "Two minutes in and nothing's been broken. We're already off to a better start than Edward when he brought Bella over."

"Most of us still don't like him," Edward said, not caring that Sam could hear.

"Right, cause I completely forgot about how Rose and Bella go shopping and get mani-pedis every weekend," Valeria shot back, scoffing.

Rosalie rolled her eyes and a barely noticeable smirk grew on her lips. "At least Bella doesn't stink."

Edward sighed, hearing the thought that immediately entered Valeria's mind. "No, we aren't getting a dog to train us to get used to it."

"You're no fun," Valeria grumbled. Then she smiled up at Sam, forgetting all about the dog argument just as quickly as she had thought of it. "C'mon. I'll show you how to make an empanadilla."

Esme was thrilled as Valeria and Sam took over in the kitchen. Carlisle wrapped an arm around her waist, and they watched with loving smiles on their faces as their youngest listed off ingredients and showed Sam how to pinch the dough to make pleats.

Edward was doing his best to make Sam feel welcome, finally having come to terms with their relationship after Sam's sacrifice. So he and Bella would team up to distract Valeria long enough for Sam to swipe handfuls of food and shove them in his mouth. She caught him each time of course, and would jokingly scold him.

"Wow, I wasn't aware Jared Cameron was in the kitchen," she'd say each time he'd look at her with his mouth full.

Rosalie didn't speak anymore but she at least remained in the room, glued to Emmett's side with an uninterested look on her face. It was no surprise that Alice would have little to nothing in common with Sam, but occasionally, she'd comment on something he had said or ask questions.

Emmett was the one to get to know him the most. They talked about sports and video games. Valeria knew that Jasper had many things in common with Sam too, but the stubborn vampire had remained quiet, not uttering a word to Sam.

An odd and uncomfortable tension remained in the air, but for the most part, Sam settled into the new environment. The vampires truly did act like siblings, especially Edward who bickered like a child with Valeria, and Emmett who loved to tell embarrassing stories.

Even after Sam and Bella ate, there ended up being enough empanadillas to take back to the pack, who would devour them in minutes. And then Sam offered to dry the dishes as Esme washed them — he was really pushing to please the mother figure of the family.

As Alice was recounting a story from when Valeria was still human — she and the other girls on her volleyball team had stolen the rival team's mascot costume and took turns wearing it around school the next day — Bella received a call.