The tension was thick in the living room. The wolves may have been cool with Lizzie but the rest of her family put them on edge. They honestly couldn't see how she managed to be a Cullen, despite her cold skin she was the warmest of the lot. And add that to how most of her family couldn't stand the wolves, regardless of Lizzie and Jacob's relationship.
"Well, this is awkward," Damon commented.
"Tell me about it," Dean muttered. "I'm so happy to be a part of... whatever this is."
The two boys were ignored as Esme smiled warmly and asked. "Would anyone like some food?"
"Yes, please. That'll probably be the smartest idea ever, Momma," Lizzie sighed.
"Alright, sit."
She gestured for the wolves to make themselves comfortable on the floor and couches. It wasn't until Jacob sat down did they very tentatively follow. Leah was the first with Seth on the carpet by her feet and Damon flopped down beside her with his head in her lap. Jacob pulled Lizzie into his lap too as the two cuddled on the end of the couch.
"You really imprinted on her?" Edward asked his face pulled in disgust.
"It's neither of their faults. It's not exactly something that can be helped," Jared said. Lizzie was surprised, even though she and Jared had come a long way in their friendship from disdain to happy tolerance, she still wasn't used to him defending her.
"So, it's my understanding that Lizzie has been over the treaty line multiple times now?" Carlisle asked. He wasn't so worried about Damon, he helped create the treaty but he wasn't a part of it back then or even now. He wasn't a Cold One.
"Sorry, Daddy," Lizzie apologized, knowing what she did before getting permission was a risk to her family.
"It's alright, Kitty, I understand."
The guilty voice Lizzie used and the soft tone Carlisle used showed the wolves that the vampires weren't really so different from them. Obviously, there were the major things like being a shifter while the other was literally dead. But then there were the smaller things that proved just like the tribe to the wolves, the Cullens were a family above their nature. Brothers and sisters with two parents just like any other. The mother and father worried about their children while the siblings were naturally protective of each other.
"Yes, with my permission," Sam spoke up. He wanted to make things blatantly clear as to not get his friend in trouble. "It'd be practically inhumane to keep an imprint away from their wolf. She tends to stay with the Clearwaters or with my fiance, Emily, when Jacob's out on patrol."
"And Emily?"
"Is also an imprint, not a werewolf. But she knows about everything."
"Well, if Lizzie is allowed over there, I don't see any problem with letting Jacob come over here. It only seems fair," Carlisle proposed. "Leah and Seth too." Damon smiled at that and so did the two Clearwaters.
"What about the rest of your family? You wouldn't want to come over with her?"
"Why would we want to go over and hang out with a bunch of mutts?" Rosalie rolled her eyes, instantly getting nudged by Emmett.
"Rosalie!" Lizzie snapped and glared at her sister. "They're trying to be nice, can't you do the same?"
"It's fine, not like we wanted to be surrounded by a bunch of leeches anyway," Paul shrugged.
"Hey, man!" Jacob growled at his packmate. "You know how she feels about that word."
"Sorry, Lizzie."
"It's okay, I know it's a reflex."
Sam stood up, trying to avoid a fight. "I think maybe we're done here," he said as he and Carlisle shook on the new treaty. Lizzie glanced over her family's faces; Jasper, Carlisle, and Esme were happy for her, even Alice and Emmett. Rosalie and Edward not so much, but they'd get used to it in time. It was Dean's face that made Lizzie frown, he looked sad almost like he wanted something but now couldn't have it. She glanced at Edward for the reason.
"He doesn't agree with Rosalie."
Suddenly, understanding melted on Lizzie's face. She stood up from Jacob's lap and took Dean's hand hauling him to his feet with a smile. "Hey, Sam. Is it okay if Dean comes over from time to time with me and Sammy?"
Sam turned away from Carlisle. "Lizzie, I'm pretty sure your little brother already lives with me." he chuckled, earning a curious look from Dean. No one could understand why, but Sammy spent most of his free time with either Emily or Seth and Leah. Jessica Moore having broken his heart only a month or two ago. "It shouldn't be a problem to have your older brother there too."
"Actually, she's older than me," Dean corrected.
"Yeah, ten years apart. But he's technically one year older than me now if we're going by human years."
"Right." Sam seemed confused but didn't comment. He gave Lizzie a quick hug as the pack all stood up. "Jacob, are you staying?"
Jacob looked at Lizzie and Lizzie looked at her parents for permission. Carlisle and Esme both nodded with smiles.
"Yeah, Sam. I'll be back later tonight for patrols."
"So will we," Leah added for her and Seth.
Sam just nodded. "Okay, we need everyone on high alert with the redhead. Just be careful."
"Got it, Sam."
Lizzie dodged her family after the pack left and instead, took Jacob's hand in hers before leading him upstairs and into her room. He sat down on the bed she never used and pulled her over to him. Lizzie stood between Jacob's legs with her fingers threaded through his short black hair.
"Well, that went well," he joked.
"Better than expected," she agreed, giving him a soft kiss he eagerly returned.
Starting from this moment on, Lizzie Cullen and Jacob Black were no longer a secret well kept. They were out in the open now and it was just a waiting game to see how it turned out.
✦✦✦
"So you told them, huh?"
Lizzie was rounding the corner to Bella's room so they could finish getting ready for school. She had stopped by extra early, all so she could avoid being with her family any longer than necessary. After last night, things were not only tense but awkward in the Cullen house. Jacob, Leah, and Seth stayed for dinner. When they left, Lizzie and Damon were bombarded with questions. Damon got out of it by speeding away but Lizzie wasn't so lucky, she tried to but Edward caught her arm as Emmett and Rosalie pinned her down.
"Hmmm, well it was that or watch Emmett become a wolf's chew toy. I didn't really see... " Lizzie trailed off as she took in a breath. "Someone's been in here."
"What?" Bella whipped around.
"I can smell something... different." She glanced around. "A scent and it's not ours or Charlie's." Lizzie went over to Bella's bed, leaning a knee down as she touched the dreamcatcher on the headboard. She remembered Jake giving it to Bella for her birthday last year, but that's not where the smell was coming from.
"Where's my sweater?" Bella muttered to herself. "I could've sworn I put it on the chair. I was gonna wear it to school today."
Lizzie raced to the closet at vampire speed, she chucked Bella a random sweater before grabbing her cousin by the wrist. "We need to go."
"What? Why?"
"Sammy! Sammy, where are you?"
Sam came running into the living room after hearing his sister's panicked voice. "What's wrong?" he asked as Lizzie grabbed him in a hug. She then looked over his shoulder at Bella.
"Call the school and tell them you and Sam are sick. Tell them you both came down with the flu or something."
"Lizzie just... what's wrong?" Bella stared at her cousin.
"Just do it, Bells."
Lizzie hurried them out of the house and into her car. She started the engine and texted her siblings on what was happening before trying to get hold of Carlisle, he was working a shift at the hospital.
"Dad, hey. There's a problem... no, not a boy problem... a serious problem. Ten minutes away, okay, see you soon."
✦✦✦
"Who was it? Someone we know?" Carlisle asked as everyone met up at the house. Emmett and Jasper were surprisingly the last to get in.
"Just a stranger," Edward said. "I went back to the house, didn't recognize his scent."
"A nomad passing through?" Esme suggested.
"A passer-by wouldn't have left Bella's father alive or Sam for that matter," Rosalie said, dismissing the idea.
"His scent disappeared about five miles south of Bella's house." Jasper stepped into the room.
"Someone's orchestrating this."
"Victoria?" Bella asked.
Alice shook her head, not having had a vision in two days. "I would have seen her decide."
"It has to be the Volturi then, right?" Dean said as he held onto Sammy's shoulder tighter. It felt like he hadn't had any time with his brother since becoming a vampire and already someone was threatening his family.
"I don't think it's the Volturi either. I've been watching Aro's decisions too."
"So we keep looking," Emmett declared.
"We also take shifts, guarding Bella and Sam at the house," Carlisle ordered.
"Another protection detail?" Rosalie asked, staring Bella down. She didn't mind doing it for Sam and everyone knew it.
"Rosalie... "
"No, she's right," Bella reluctantly agreed. "You can't protect me and Sam, watch my dad, and search for the intruder."
"And for Victoria," Rosalie added.
"And keep yourselves fed."
"I'm not leaving you defenseless," Edward refused.
None of the Cullens were sure how to proceed. Damon shared a look with Lizzie, both of them silently proposing an idea. Edward nodded to his sister as he read Lizzie's mind. They only had to have one. Jacob came over to Bella's house to pick up the intruder's scent. Only Jake was needed, with the mind-link the wolves shared they would be able to pick up on the scent if Jacob shared it with them.
"I don't like this," Edward muttered.
"You don't have to," Lizzie assured her brother. "You just have to put up with it."
They watched as Bella came out of the house with Jacob trailing behind her as they met up in the yard. "Whoever it was, he left his stink behind. It'll be hard to miss when we cross it again. We'll handle it from here."
Edward frowned, not liking the commanding tone Jacob took on. "We don't need you to handle anything. Or anyone. It was to warn you out of courtesy."
"I could care less what you need."
"Alright, we're done here."
"No, you're done here."
"Stop it!" Lizzie stood between them. "What the hell is with your male egos today? Quit it, okay. Jake, Edward's my brother, so cool it. And Eddie, you need to accept what you can't control already. Brother, boyfriend, got it? Or else I'm not talking to either of you."
Edward hated the idea, but it wasn't about rivalry anymore. It was about Bella, Sam, and Charlie's safety. In the days that followed, Lizzie got them to at least try to work together. The wolves took over so the Cullens could hunt. It wasn't exactly the most smooth alliance but with Lizzie there they managed. She avoided shifts with Jake and instead took ones with Paul or Embry. The imprint bond was too sensitive, if the intruder came back Jacob would be looking out for Lizzie instead of protecting Bella and Sam.