Bella parked her Jeep in front of Billy's house. Jacob jumped out of the back, which he had insisted in riding in standing up, and Leah slid out of the hole where the passenger door should have been. Bella had taken off the doors and roof of the Jeep. The wolves weren't cold, even though the temperature was barely pushing forty-five degrees. Jacob loved the wind whipping through his short hair. He truly was a big dog.
Brady and Collin jumped up from where they were on the porch with Billy. He was telling them stories. Collin came running to the Jeep. He jumped on Bella, who caught him and swung him around. "Hello, little one. Guess what!"
"You told her!" Collin looked at Bella, eyes shining.
"No, I did not tell her." His face fell. "But I kissed her!"
"Ew, that's great!" He yelled as he made a face. He squirmed until she put him down. "Bella kissed her imprint! Bella's super gross!" He seemed unsure if he was happy or disgusted, so he chose both.
Billy looked at Bella. Bella shrugged. "That's good news for you, Bella." He seemed conflicted. "I worry that the pack is too close with the coven. It's unnatural." Leah rolled her eyes and Jacob shrugged. "We were never meant to consort with them. We were meant to be wary of them."
Collin and Brady looked between the older wolves and Billy. Bella folded her arms over her chest. She tried not to let this make her angry. "I didn't choose this life," Bella said quietly. "I didn't choose Rosalie. But if fate makes these decisions, as I know you believe they do, then it seems the pack was destined to join forces with them."
Billy nodded, but he still looked bothered. "I would imagine our ancestors are rolling in their graves."
"No offense, Billy, but they're not my ancestors."
Billy furrowed his brow. "In a way though, they are." He looked awkward. "Have you told Charlie?"
"About what?"
"The vampires."
"I have not."
"Don't you think you should?"
"I don't know that I can. That's not my secret to tell. This," she indicated all the wolves around her, "is my secret."
Billy sighed heavily. "I'm sure I seem like a stuffy old man." Bella shrugged. "I just, I've been raised a certain way. Imprints are predetermined, but there are some things that I struggle with. Our legends didn't prepare us for this." Bella looked at Billy. He didn't seem to have malicious intentions. "When you dated the Cullen boy, I was worried for your safety. Now, I know that you can handle yourself, but the whole pack is around them all the time. What if you forget that they're dangerous? What if you forget what you're supposed to be doing?"
Jacob stepped in. "Dad, we'll never forget what we're here for. We protect our people. Bella knows that. The boys know that."
Billy seemed unsure, but he kept any other reservations to himself. "I'm sorry Bella, I know she's your mate." He ran a hand through his long black hair. "Sam wanted to see you guys as soon as you got here. He's at home with Emily." Jacob jumped onto his porch and hugged his dad before they all set off on foot.
"That was awkward," Bella said.
"He means well." Jacob shrugged before continuing. "Dad's believed in some archaic ideas for a long time. If I had been raised the same way, I probably would too. Actually, let's be real, I hated the Cullen's until you imprinted on the Ice Queen." Bella punched him. "Ow, dude! I'm just saying!"
"I never had any problem with them," Leah shrugged. "You're just...speciesist."
"That's not a word!" Brady called from up the road as he and Collin raced ahead.
Jake pushed Leah and ran. "I'm probably gonna kill him later," Leah said to Bella. "When he least expects it." She punched her fist into her open hand. "I can't wait."
The wolves showed up at Sam's house. Emily had a plate of cookies on the table, and the wolves were already tearing them up. "Wolf girl!" Bella called.
"Vampire girl!" Emily yelled back. Bella pulled her into a tight hug. "Welcome to family dinner."
"Embry, Quil, help Emily take the food outside." Emily handed over container after container of food. "Take it to the backyard, and don't start without us!" Emily smiled at Sam, love written all over her face. "I know it's a bit early for dinner, but I didn't think my wolves would mind."
"If I'd known we were coming for dinner, I'd have shown up earlier!" Jake yelled as he shoved another cookie into his face.
Dinner with the wolves was a boisterous affair. Leah regaled the group with the story of gym class. "This poor human boy tries to ask the Ice Queen out on a date, and Bella jumps from the volleyball court, leaps up the bleachers, and punches this poor kid right in the jaw! He never saw it coming!" The wolves howled with laughter. "Bella about shifted right there!"
Sam clearly disapproved. "Bella," he warned.
"Okay Sam, imagine that a man came up to Emily and asked her out right in front of you."
Sam looked down at Emily, who was leaning against him. She raised an eyebrow and smiled at him. "Okay, fair point."
"So," Leah continues, "Smart Barbie grabs Bella and drags her into the hall. Tyler is mad, Coach is freaking out and shouting up a storm. So Little Cullen hurries out to go get Bella, and you know what they're doing out there?" Leah pauses for effect, "They're fucking making out!"
The boys all hoop and holler while Emily yells, "Language!" and slaps Leah's knee.
"Can you believe it? Bella's out there about to shift, and she gets tamed by a vampire!"
"Sounds hot!" Embry called. Bella threw her empty plate at him. He caught it and threw it back. She caught it and set it down.
"Wolves! Unless you're going to buy me more new plates, no throwing things!" A chorus of 'Sorry, Emily,' echoed from all the wolves. Emily looked like a proud mom.
After dinner, Bella's phone rang. It lit up and told her 'Aphrodite' was calling. "Hello, hi, are you calling me to order another makeout?" The boys whooped in the background.
"Are you showing off for your friends?" Rosalie asked cooly.
Bella cleared her throat. "Yes, sorry. What's up?"
"Can you come over?" Rosalie's voice sounded strained.
"Is everything okay?"
"Yeah. Everything is fine. Could you come over?" Rosalie sounded unsure as she repeated herself, like she thought Bella might say no.
"Of course. I have to help do the dishes first." Emily looked at Bella and mouthed, 'Is that her?' Bella nodded, and Emily shooed her. "Oh, just kidding. I guess I don't have to do dishes. I'll be there soon."
"Okay," Rosalie said warmly. "I'll see you soon."
Rosalie met Bella out front. She hopped out of her Jeep and landed right in front of Rosalie. "May I kiss you?" Bella asked politely.
"You may," Rosalie said through a smile.
Bella gave Rosalie a quick peck. "So to what do I owe this pleasure?"
Instead of answering, Rosalie took Bella by the hand and led her through the living room. The vampires waved at Bella as she walked through. Once they were outside alone on the balcony, Bella and Rosalie considered each other. "I want to tell you something," Rosalie said while looking away from Bella.
"Okay, what's up?"
Rosalie turned around and leaned on the railing. The sun was setting behind the clouds, and Rosalie gazed in that direction. Bella's heart pounded in her chest. She was afraid Rosalie was going to tell her they weren't working out. "Do you know anything about my background?"
"What do you mean?"
"How I was turned."
"No, I don't. I thought it was your story to tell." Rosalie nodded. She still hadn't looked at Bella. "Rosalie," Bella touched Rose's hand gently. "I know this is something you need to tell me, but you don't have to do it now."
"No, I, I want to." Rosalie turned her hand and laced her fingers through Bella's. "I've been alone for a long time. I used to prefer it that way." Bella offered Rosalie a small smile. She continued, "I was born in 1915, in Rochester New York. I loved it there." Her face lit up. "In 1933, I was eighteen, and I knew I was beautiful. My parents, my friends, they told me all the time. 'Rosalie Lillian Hale, you are the most beautiful person I've ever seen.' I was so vain. The Great Depression was in full swing, but I didn't know it. There were poor people everywhere, of course. My father worked in a bank. We weren't rich, but we were surrounded by people who were. It was magical."
Rosalie paused and looked down into the yard. Bella waited for her to continue. Rosalie rubbed her cool thumb along the back of Bella's hand.
"The world was simpler then. Women didn't really work outside the home. Women didn't work on cars, and education wasn't the focus. We all wanted a few simple things: A good man, a wedding, a nice house, and kids. I was just like every other girl. My parents saw my beauty as a step up into the next level of society. My father didn't want to rub elbows with the rich, he wanted to join them. He introduced me to Royce King."
Bella remembered that name. "You said he taught you the most about life."
Rosalie met Bella's eyes. Bella saw the pain in them. "I did." Rosalie looked away. "I was so foolish. A friend of mine had a child at seventeen, and that was all I wanted. I wanted to be seen as beautiful and to be a mother. When Royce King met me, he was immediately taken. Every night a bouquet of roses would arrive at my house. This man, this rich, older man with slick black hair and bright blue eyes wanted me. My parents were addicted to him. They were intoxicated by his money, his status. Courting was different then. We were never alone; that just didn't happen. Royce would take me out dancing and to fancy dinners. He would send me beautiful new dresses tailored to fit me perfectly. I loved it. I loved the attention, his wealth, and the envy of every woman in the city. After six weeks, he proposed."
Rosalie removed her hand from Bella's and gripped the railing tightly.
"I was over the moon with happiness. We began planning immediately. The King's were going to throw the most extravagant, over the top wedding. We were featured on the front page of the paper. It was to be the social event of the season. I was so taken with his money, with his status, I didn't see anything but that." Rosalie sighed. "One night I went calling at a friend's house. She had the most beautiful child, and I adored him. I stayed later than I should have. I thought it would be fine. Soon I would have children of my own, and I wouldn't need to visit as often. Her husband asked if he should escort me home, but their baby began to cry, and I told them not to worry. I'd be fine, just fine."
Rosalie's face was tense, and a pit of dread settled in Bella's stomach.
"About a block from my friends' home I realized that it was far too late to be out alone. The street lamps had come on and no one was on the streets. I passed a boisterous group of men. They were carrying on loudly. I pulled my coat tighter around me and walked faster. I was two blocks from home. I wasn't worried. Then he called my name. It was Royce, and I breathed a sigh of relief. They weren't strangers. It was my fiancé."
"Royce was drunk. He and his friends were all three sheets to the wind. I hadn't thought that Royce was a big drinker. I had been wrong. He introduced me to his friend. 'Look, John' he had yelled too loudly in my ear, 'isn't my future wife the most beautiful woman you've ever seen!' He planted a sloppy kiss on my cheek, and I started to worry. Royce said, 'let me show you!' and he started to rip off my clothes."
Bella reached for Rosalie's hand again. "No, Bella, let me get through this."
Bella withdrew and waited. "That night, they took everything from me. They beat me. They took me, made me theirs. I was left bleeding, cold, and alone right there in the street. I waited for death. I welcomed it. Then Carlisle found me. He turned me. He thought he was doing me a favor." Rosalie sneered as she said that. "When the change was complete, Carlisle had to defend himself to Edward. 'Rosalie Hale? You think people won't notice? You think they won't look for her?' I hated the way he said it. He acted like I was a disease, a curse. I carried that with me for a long time. I turned Emmett hoping he was my mate, but he never was." Rosalie paused. "I got my revenge on those men, of course. I have never tasted human blood. Not once. I have killed, however. The four men? They didn't live much longer." Bella nodded. She understood.
Rosalie smirked. She reached for Bella's hand again. "You know, I couldn't stand you in the beginning. There were a few reasons, but mostly it was because you were human. You could have kids. You could age. You could die. I thought you were going to give up all of that willingly. I hated that." Rosalie finally turned around and leaned against the railing. She looked at Bella. "But also, Edward chose you. He wanted you. I never wanted him, don't get me wrong. But he treated me like a leper. He seemed to wish I had died. But you were good enough for him. I know now, of course," she smiled, "that you were too good for him." The smile disappeared. "But, I think you're too good for me too."
Bella opened her arms, a cautious invitation. Rosalie stepped into Bella's space, allowing the wolves warm arms to envelop her. "I was definitely too good for Edward. But I'm not too good for you. I'm just right. I think you're just right." Rosalie buried her face in Bella's shoulder. "Rose, what happened to you? It's not you. It's not your fault. No matter what you think, or what happened, you are not to blame for that."
"Are you sure?" Rosalie murmured into Bella's shoulder. "I should have left earlier. I should have called my father. I could have-"
Rosalie was airing out old hurts. "Listen to me, Aphrodite. I am sure. Bad people will be bad. You can't always stop them, and you sure as hell didn't invite that on yourself." Rosalie's shoulders shook with silent sobs. "Nothing will ever change your worth. You are not a leper. I am so thankful you didn't choose Edward, and I didn't either." Bella felt Rosalie smile into her shoulder. "I'm so glad we chose each other."
Rosalie leaned back. "Did we?" She looked away from Bella. "Bella, vampires mate for life. Once we find our mate we don't want anyone else ever again. There has been no one for me in almost a hundred years. And now you're here."
"I am," Bella smirked, wondering where Rosalie was going with this.
Rose ran a hand up Bella's arm, making sure the wolf was real. A line of goosebumps ran up Bella's arm. "I am sure you are my mate. Without a doubt, I know you're who I was waiting for." Bella smiled. "But, what if I'm not yours?"
"Rosalie, you are, without a doubt, my mate." The hope that lit up Rosalie's face struck Bella right to the core. "I imprinted on you the first day at school. You looked into the woods, and I saw you, and I knew. I didn't want that, originally, I thought you were mean," Rosalie laughed. "But I am here now. I will never want anyone else ever again." Rosalie's eyes shined. She leaned in and kissed Bella, then wrapped her arms back around the wolf.
"I guess," Rosalie sighed, "that sometimes the universe does know what it's doing."
"I guess so."
A desperate voice came from within the house. "Alice, Alice what are you seeing?" Rosalie and Bella looked into the living room. Alice had her hands wrapped tightly around Jasper's wrist. They could hear his arm splintering. Alice looked at the tv, but she wasn't seeing it. Every vampire in the house appeared in the living room.
Alice snapped back to attention. "I know what's happening. They're coming."
"Who's coming?" Carlisle demanded.
"Newborns. They're all coming."
"Fucking universe," Bella growled.