The Snow-Wolf

Chapter 29: The Christmas Party

Chapter 29: The Christmas Party

My eyes shot to the calendar on the wall as I cleaned the dishes from dinner. December 22nd. It had been a whole week since I was brought to the cabin by Edward. A whole week since I had seen my family.

As I rinsed another plate, I let out a heavy sigh. I hated not being with them. I hated not knowing what was going on.

The whole week had passed with some days better than others. But I was surprised, when on Wednesday, Sam ended up being my company for the day. There was an awkward air between us to begin with. Sam watched TV, while I sketched out my family in the new sketchbook I had brought with me. As we sat on opposite ends of the room, I noticed Sam glance my way a few times. When I would feel his eyes on me, I would look up and he would glance back at the TV.

After doing it one more time, he finally spoke to me. "Hannah... I've actually been wanting to talk to you."

I lowered my sketchbook to give him my attention. I was surprised he was wanting to converse with me. He turned the TV off, and then moved in his chair so he could face me. His dark eyes met my amber with guilt.

"I feel the need to apologize to you," he spoke softly. "For every ill thought I've had of you... This morning when I helped you catch a deer for blood, I could see the look in your eyes when I killed it... Seth and Jacob were right. You are not evil or a monster. You are blameless. An innocent girl who suffered because her pack family let her down. You became what you are because I did not take the warnings seriously about Victoria coming for you." He frowned deeply. "I let you down, and I never gave you a chance. I'm sorry for hurting you so much in the past."

His words sunk inside me. I was certain my mouth was open a tad from shock. My heart was loud in my chest. Sam was apologizing...? I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

I dropped my gaze from him. "I never wanted to be your enemy, Sam... At the beginning of all of this, I didn't want to hate you. But I blamed you for a lot of my hurt when the pack started to form the beginning of this year, because you always seemed in the center. After I realized what was happening, I wanted to open my heart to you for Emily's sake... and when I became a werewolf, I hoped you would at least take me under your pack even if you couldn't accept my other form. The moment you told me I was banished from La Push though, and threatened to hurt me if I tried to come home, I wasn't mad at you... I was scared of you... and heartbroken that you were always thinking of me as a threat to everyone."

I took in a deep breath.

"But I can sense your sincerity, and I do accept your apology... I just hope you can continue to see me for who I am and not what I am."

He nodded. "I'm starting to."

It felt good to finally break the tension between Sam and I. Perhaps he also felt there was a possibility our time was short, and he wanted to get some regrets out of his system before the enemy came to kill us. Whatever the reason, I was glad he was finally accepting me as more than just a vampire.

Apart from Sam, I had multiple visitors throughout my time at the cabin. Seth was there almost every evening, and would leave in the morning to go back home for school. Sometimes Embry and Quil would come over too after school. But Monday through Friday I was pretty much with Jared, Paul, Leah, or Sam. I had no issues with the company- I was glad not to be alone- but I missed the Cullens, Jacob, and Renesmee the longer I was away.

Putting the last dish in the drying rack, I headed into the living room where I heard Seth waiting. He had come to have dinner with Sam and I. Emily had made us a lasagna, and it was definitely delicious. Seth had offered to help me clean, as Sam drove back home to return to Emily (Sam usually ran here but he didn't know how to balance food on his wolf back. I laughed when he said this). I smacked Seth as he reached for a dish, and told him to go relax since he had been at school all day.