"EIGHT"
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It seems the kids got bored of all the serious conversation. Elijah came running in to pull me outside. He wanted to play and we had explained the majority of our story, Nico or Giusy could take it from here if the Cullens wanted to learn more. I walked outside with Elijah and Charlotte. Followed by my brothers, Alessio, Maggie and Matteo. Alessio ended up wrestling over in the corner of the yard with Iñaki. While Maggie, Elijah and Michele played a game similar to tag. I sat on the swing set with Charlotte watching everything.
"This is weird." She commented looking over at me.
"Definitely." A male voice agreed causing me to whip my head around.
"Do you need something Emmett?" I asked as he leaned against the pole holding the swing set up.
"Nothing in particular. I just wanted to talk to someone beside my family." He said flashing me a giant smirk.
"Fair enough." I chuckled, turning my attention back to Charlotte "Do you need me to push you?"
"I can pump." She stated as a focused expression graced her features. Charlotte was not very good at pumping, but it didn't stop her from trying every single time.
"It would be easier if I pushed you though, right?" I suggested.
"But then you can't swing." She countered. For a nine-year-old she was smart. She could easily counter anything I said.
"I can push you, that way Lucy doesn't have to get off the swing." Emmett suggested looking awkward as he shoved him hands into his jean's pockets "If you're both okay with that I mean..."
"Sure! But please don't push too hard. I don't want to fall off." Charlotte agreed giving him a stern look.
"I wouldn't dare." He responded giving the young girl a wink before glancing towards me for permission, loosing his previous awkwardness. He seemed harmless. Sure he was a giant guy, but he hadn't done anything to warrant dislike from us. He didn't even seem fazed by the humans, so why would he hurt my niece. His presence brought this overwhelming feeling that everything would be okay no matter what happened as long as he was there.
I nodded giving him a tight lipped smile. Watching him carefully as he moved over and gave Charlotte a light push. He continued the pace until she was flying in the air. Her giggles filling the space around us.
After observing him for a few minutes to make absolutely sure he wasn't about to crush her, I lightly pushed off the ground with my heels, making the swing move back and forth slightly.
"Auntie Lucy I'm going so high!" She squealed looking over at me.
"You really are Charlie! It's even higher than Uncle Alessio can get you." I said knowing my cousin could hear me from across the yard.
"Luz there is not reason for you to be rude and judge my pushing skills!" He yelled back causing Charlotte to giggle even more and earning a deep chuckle from Emmett.
"Is this too high?" He asked glancing at me a little worried.
"No. I think she's fine. I'll catch her if she falls so there is no need to worry." I assured him.
"Okay good. I don't want to accidentally hurt her." He said smiling at me sheepishly.
It was really sweet watching him interact with Charlotte. It was obvious he had little experience talking with kids because he lost every debate with her and she never gave him a word in edgewise. He seemed so focused on the situation in front of him. It was a nice scene to watch until I heard a growl echo from the woods across the yard. Emmett's ears seemed to perk up at the noise. In a flash he was standing in front of Charlotte, who was now off the swing, ready to crush whatever was hiding in the wood.
What the hell was that? Michele practically screeched through the the link.
Tone the high pitchedness down please, Giusy complained, but yeah, what was that?
I think the wolves are here... Edward commented zooming outside to stand in the middle of the yard.
The wolves?! As in the werewolves?! Nico asked frantically. This sent the rest of my family into disarray. Everyone started talking using the link. It gave me a splitting headache. I almost fell off my swing.
"Are you okay?" Emmett asked quickly glancing over his shoulder.
"Yeah, fine. My head just hurts from my family using the mind link. It feels like they're all screaming at each other." I complained rubbing my temples "Is it really the wolves?"
"Yeah. I think so. I can smell them, can't you?"
"Sort of. I guess the smell in the area changed, but it just smells more woodsy to me."
"Aunt Lucy what's going on?" Charlotte asked coming to hug me. She looked me dead in the eye with a serious look on her face.
"It's no big deal Char. The werewolves I told you about are here to visit. They probably want to figure out why we are here. We just need to have a little chat." I explained smiling at her "How about you go find your mom."
"What about Eli?" She asked glancing towards the other side of the yard where Alessio, Iñaki and Matteo were standing between Maggie, Eli and the wolves.
Have Eli walk over here. Him and Char can go inside together with Maggie. I don't think the wolves will want to hurt any of the kids or humans. They just need to figure out whether we are a threat or not. I suggested to Alessio and Matteo. They both nudged Eli and Maggie to walk towards where I was standing. I walked towards them with Charlotte right behind me. Surprisingly Emmett followed beside us, not taking his eyes off of the wolves hiding in the edge of the woods. We met Maggie and Eli near the porch and I pushed them towards the house right as all the supernatural beings inside the house, minus Oliver, exited to stand on the deck.
With all the beings who could not easily protect themswlves back in the house, Aki, Teuvo and myself approached our new visitors.
"Hello. My name is Aki. Could one of you shift back so we can have a conversation? We mean you no harm." Aki said slowly as we stopped in front of a large black wolf. I could feel how apprehensive everyone behind us was.
"We just want to talk. We understand how we may look like a threat, but we truly do not want to hurt anyone, but we cannot explain that without being able to communicate with you." I stated, hoping it would urge them to shift.
They do not trust you. Edward stated causing me to look over my shoulder at him. I forgot he could read minds.
"If you do not want to change back, then can we at least use Edward as a translator?" I questioned eyeing their reaction to see how the relationship between the Cullens and the vampires was. The wolves bristled at the mention of Edward.
"Okay. We will not use Edward, but if we have no way to communicate, then what do you expect to accomplish by being here? We are not going to let you get close to anyone inside." Teuvo stated glancing back to see Oliver and Elijah peeking through the windows.
They are confused. They expected you all to attack if they showed up here so they could either run you out of town or kill you. Edward explained making Nico and Alessio huff.
Can one of you try to get Myra to compel them to shift? I suggested trying to come up with anything.
She has the gift of compulsion? Edward questioned.
Yes, and she is very good at using it. If she goes over towards Lucy and the others will the wolves get antsy? Michele questioned a worried look plastered on his face.
Probably. I think it would be safer for her to try from here. Edward suggested and after a couple of minutes of a stare down between myself, Aki, Teuvo and the wolves went back into the woods. They came back with jean cutoffs.
"Hello. My name is Luciana." I greeted again sticking my hand out for him to shake, not expecting him to accept the polite greeting. However, much to my surprise he shook my hand and I exchanged nods with the others.
"My name is Sam Uley, I am the leader of this pack." He stated as his eyes wandered behind me to the congregation of vampires standing about thirty feet behind me "This is Jared Cameron and Paul Lahote."
"This is Teuvo and this is Aki. My third and fourth in command." I stated, using my 'leader' voice and speech as Iñaki calls it.
"Your third and fourth in command? What are you?" Jared asked looking at me suspiciously.
"How about we take a breath and we can have a conversation. We will answer all your questions. We just went over most of this with the Cullens. They were just as wary as all of you. We have plenty of food, we can bring it outside." I suggested. When they did not react, I turned around and started walking back to my family.
Go get the food. Walk. Do not speed. I ordered. Alessio, Matteo and Michele listened and slowly, and calmly walked inside. By the time myself, Teuvo and Aki stopped in front of my family they were walking back out onto the porch with their arms filled with food. The three wolves slowly approached.
I need to get Bella out of here. She isn't allowed to be here and see them. See you all later. Edward said before nodding to the wolves and walking back inside before leaving. Everyone he left behind was extremely awkward and tense. We sat down, ate and talked about the exact same things we covered with the Cullens about thirty minutes earlier.
"Edward is related to you?" Paul asked looking at us like we grew a second head.
"Yeah... someone was sleeping around a little too much." Giusy stated looking directly at Michele and Alessio. Jared chuckled a bit at our squabble until Sam sent him a look.
"Are we okay? Is there some sort of agreement that we can come to? We do not want to affect your life, we mean no harm to anyone." Nico questioned looking at Sam.
"You can be a part of the treaty along with the Cullens. No vampires can cross the treaty line and none of us will come into your territory in return." Sam stated looking at Nico, then Giusy, then myself.
"And the Hybrids?" I questioned locking eyes with the man in front of me.
"Until we speak with the elders, we ask that you all stay in Forks as well." He responded looking between the rest of the vampires before he eyed me again.
"Okay, we can work with that." I agreed sticking my hand out to seal our current agreement. Iñaki looked mad at this agreement, but he couldn't say anything about it.
"Wonderful. We will be back in touch with you Luciana once we speak with our elders." Sam nodded before he, Jared and Paul turned and walked back into the woods before shifting.
"That was the most civil conversation I have ever seen between vampires and werewolves." Jasper pointed out beside me chuckling. I offered him a small smile, amused by his statement.
"We try to make friends."