***
My tongue sticks out of my mouth as I breathed heavily. Paul runs beside me as we run the perimeter of the pack territory, checking for any intruders or odd sightings. It was early in the morning, maybe 3. Once we finished, we emerge from the trees, him in a pair of shorts and myself in a sports bra and some running shorts.
"Are you tired, Swan?" Paul taunts. I cackle as I shove him away from me.
"Tired? That's not even in my vocabulary birdy," I said with a laugh. He laughs we walk up to Sam who sat on some stairs outside his home, holding my bag out for me.
"Thanks," I said.
I'd spent the entire summer with the pack, Jasper, and his family. The pack and I got really close, and we went on runs as a group all the time since Sam said it was good bonding for us. We'd even went cliff diving together. The elders had accepted me in the pack as an unofficial member after I'd told them of my situation, and the fear I had of having to leave.
"Aye get home safe, and tell Bella we said Happy Birthday," Sam said making me chuckle as he kissed my forehead.
"You're sweaty," he said and I rolled my eyes.
"Thanks," I said with a scoff before I waved at the guys and began running back home. My bare feet hit the ground at a rapid pace as I do, jumping the treaty line before I run home.
I climb through the window only to see Jasper there reading a book waiting for me on my bed.
"Hey," I said biting my bottom lip. He smiled at me, standing up and putting his book to the side, coming over to me, giving me a soft kiss on the lips.
"You're sweaty," he says making me roll my eyes again.
"Oh, I didn't know I was supposed to be perfectly fine after running the 30-mile pack perimeter 11 times," I said with a scoff. He just grins, kissing me again.
"Really? You know you usually look like this when we-" he starts but I cut him off.
"Shut up," I said chuckling as I push him a little.
"Okay fine, fine," he says raising his hands up in surrender.
"I'll see you later okay," he says bringing my head forward and kissing me on my forehead.
I nod, as he leaps from the window and his feet plant on the ground. I chuckle, before blowing him a kiss, giggling as he caught it dramatically.
I shower extra thoroughly, which I find I have to do every time now since I joined the pack. I wasn't complaining though, because being a part of the pack was amazing.
I dressed in a pair of black jeans, a bleach-dyed burnt orange hoodie, and my denim jacket before I turn the light on at my desk and begin my homework.
This was now my usual routine. School, work, sleep, be with the pack only 3 days a week, then home. Jasper hated it, despite us spending time at school and whenever I wasn't at work, he feared that I was overworking myself. Little did he know that being with the pack, me being a wolf more than usual, gave me all the energy I could ever need, it fulfilled a hole in me that I hadn't even realized was there.
My phone alarm went off, signaling to me that it was now 7 in the morning. I sighed, turning it off, putting my finished homework away, then made my way downstairs, seeing Charlie sitting in his chair with a cup of coffee.
"Morning Uncle Charlie," I said with a wave as I went to make my morning drink.
"Morning Audre, why are you glowing?" he asked. I look at him with a chuckle before he grins.
"So, you get Bella something for her birthday?" he asked and I nod before I take a sip of my drink.
"Bella doesn't like much, so I got her a bunch of soap," I said with a chuckle. He chuckles and nodded in agreement.
"Come on," he said as he stands up. I chuckle as I follow him, grabbing her gift on the way before we go into her room.
"You think she's up?" he asked and I shrug my shoulders.
"If she isn't she's going to be," I said as I opened the door loudly.
"Happy Birthday Bells," we say. She looks at us with an embarrassed smile.
"Guys, we agreed on no presents," she said as we set the presents on her bed.
"Bells, you should know good and well we don't listen to you," I told her as I touched her shoulder. She grins at me, making me chuckle.
"Audre, I know that I could've easily picked better words, but I was so scared, and I didn't want James to hurt you or Charlie so I had to leave as quickly as possible. I'm so sorry, so sorry, I don't want you to be mad at me anymore, please Audre," Bella pleaded.
My eyes softened at the sight of her as I brushed her hair from her face. The Cullens stood around the hospital room watching us with small smiles. Bella's parents had gone home to pick up some things for Bella, leaving me to look out for her. Not that they had to ask.
"Bella, you're a fucking maniac," I said with a chuckle before I pulled her into my arms.
Her shoulders shook as she cried, rubbing her back in small circles. I look over and see Edward standing off to the side with a small smile as he stared at Bella.
"I know," she says as she cried.
"But please, if you're going to do something dumb, send a text first or something," I told her.
She laughs as she cries as she hugged me tighter.
"Okay," she mumbled before I pull away from the hug.
"I love you Bells," I told her and she smiles.
"I love you too Audre,"
"At least mines not wrapped," Charlie says as he hands her a digital camera. She smiles.
"Okay, this is actually kind of great. Thanks, Dad," she says with a smile as she fingers the camera.
"Goes with this one from your mom. We coordinated, well she coordinated me," he admits making me chuckle as he hands her a wrapped gift. She opens it to find a scrapbook.
"To put pictures in, record your senior year-- man senior year. How'd you two get old so fast," Charlie said as he pats my shoulder shaking it a bit making me smile.
"Not that old," Bella says.
"I don't know, is that a wrinkle?" I asked as I inched closer to her face. Her eyes widened as she raced over to her mirror to check, which made me quirk an eyebrow.
'Why is she like this?' I chuckled in my head.
'Hell if I know' Adrea laughed.
"I'm just kidding, here," I said as I handed her, her gift.
"Not funny," she says, taking the gift making me chuckle.
"Soap, 7 bottles of soap, and 3 body scrubs" she questioned.
"Hey, 7 different fragranced Dove Liquid Soaps, and Tree Hut scrubs. Who doesn't like soap Bells?" I said with a shrug. She rolled her eyes, pulling me into a side hug, resting her head on mines.
"Thanks," she said as she sets the bag on her vanity.
Later I find myself standing by Jasper, with the Cullens in the parking lot. I sniff the air, turning my head to see Jacob.
"He's going to turn soon," I whisper to Jasper making him look where I was.
"How can you tell?" he asked making me chuckle as I lean into his chest.
"I can smell it," I said. He rolls his eyes as he flicks my nose. I stick my tongue out as I kiss him on the cheek.
"Yo Audre, you coming down today?" Jacob yells across the parking lot making me chuckle.
"Only if Emily keeps her promise," I yell back as I wave him off.
'He's such a goofball, he's so cute' Adrea giggled.
I chuckle as he smiles, waving at me before he walks off. The day drags on and soon I'm sitting at the lunch table with the Cullens, Alice practically bouncing in her seat as she holds Bella's gift. I roll my eyes at her as I point towards the door right as they walk into the cafeteria.
"Your sense of smell is kind of terrifying," Tywin says as Alice leaps toward Bella with a 'Happy Birthday'
"Pretty good for a dog," I said as I stick my tongue out. Jasper rolls his eyes, as he swings his arm over my shoulder.
"Dogs are cute," Jasper says with a shrug. I snort as I push him a bit, making him chuckle.
"You had a vision of my birthday?" Bella asked.
"And about the green dress, you'll be wearing to your party tonight. Great color on you," Alice says.
"My party..." Bella asked as I quickly interject.
"And that is something you do not get to get out of because Alice dragged me around the city looking for that damn dress," I said as I pointed at her.
"Fine," Bella says with a huff.
"Great, see you at seven," Alice says as I throw a smirk towards Jasper.
"Jasper, wait, no fair," Bella says. Jasper just nods apologetically as Jasper and I get up and walk away.
"Didn't you just promise to go to the Rez?" he asked as we sit outside.
"I am, I'm coming afterward, I just have to pick something up, don't worry," I said as I peck him on the lips.
"I'm not, they may not like me, but they love you. And I've seen what you can do," he says with a chuckle.
"16 and a half years of non-stop training will do that to you," I said with a shrug.
"But you're only 17," Jasper says making me laugh.
"Oh please, Lydia and Thomas had me in boxing gloves before I could speak," I tell him. He chuckles.
Once school is out, I leave the truck to Bella and run down to the rez, getting out and making my way to the packhouse.
"Emily," I say in a singing voice, as I opened the front door.
"Hey Audre," she says.
"Emily, one of these days you'll need to tell these boys to go outside and eat a damn deer," I said throwing my arm over her shoulder. She laughs at me.
"Hey, get your hands off my imprint," I hear Sam says, Paul and Jared right behind him.
"No," I said. He rolls his eyes, as he reached and grabs a piece of chicken off the platter, earning a slap to the hand.
"Hey," Emily says making him chuckle and kiss her on the cheek, him ruffling my head.
"What the hell is with you people and touching my damn hair," I said as I flip my curls over my shoulder. My hair had grown quite a bit in such a short time, thanks to the wolf genes of course. I regret not cutting it, already having spent quite the dollar on hair products.
"You don't like it, that's why we like it," Jared says with a grin. I rolled my eyes again.
"How rapey of you," I said with a grin. Sam chokes on his water bottle as they chuckle. Jared rolled his eyes, as he grumbled.
"So, Emily?" I asked with a grin on my face. She rolls her eyes as uncovered a basket of her blueberry muffins making me let out a shout.
"Emily I love you," I said hugging her tightly as I dived towards the muffins, hugging the basket close to my chest. I set out a muffin for each other them before I place the basket near me.
"Don't ever say I never gave you nothing," I said pointing at them.
"You didn't even make them," Emily said with her arms crossed.
"Okay, no need for specifics," I said making her roll her eyes and laugh at me.
My head snaps to the door, as my ears pick up distant yelling. I look to the other 3 who look back before we quickly exit the house. There a boy stands, clearly angry, as his parents stare at him in bewilderment.
"He's about to shift," I said Sam nods at me, and the others rush over.
'I know this kid, his name is Embry McCall, Jared, explain everything to his parents, they know Billy, they'll understand, we got this' Sam said quickly.
We near the boy cautiously as he stands crouched near us. I think this was the guy who was with Bella when I met the pack at the beach. He'd grown quite a bit since then, his build increased by a lot, and he'd grown a couple of inches.
"Hey, hey," I start making him turn to me with a growl.
"What?!" he shouts.
'Okay motherfucker' Adrea grumbles.
I shake my head at Adrea as I offer the boy my hand.
"Come on, I can help you," I said giving him a kind smile. He stared at me cautiously, as he turns to his parents who stare at Jared for a bit before they nod at their son.
The boy took my hand cautiously, and I squeeze it gently.
"Come on sweetheart," I said as I put my arm around his shoulder, leading him to the treeline. Sam and Paul are right behind me.
'Thanks, Audre' Sam sighs.
'Don't sweat it, everyone knows you don't how to diffuse a situation yet Alpha' I said with a small laugh.
He rolls his eyes at me, shaking his head with a smile. The boy winces with every step, so much so that I almost consider picking him up, but I think that would just freak him out.
'I think it'd freak anyone out to see a 5'3, 167-pound girl picking up any grown-ass man' Paul mocked.
'Shutting the fuck up is still an option' I growled a bit.
Once we're a little ways past the tree line I sit him down.
"You're about to get really hot babe, like warm as hell, but it's not safe for you to be in the house so you need to stay out here," I told him, moving a strand of hair from his face.
"Um, who are you?" he asked through labored breathing.
"I'm Audre, and this is Sam and Paul," I said pointing at them behind me as they wave at him.
"Audre, when do you think he'll..." Sam asked. I shrug as I look him over.
"It's hard to tell, I should be able to sense it though," I said as I touch Embry's forehead and neck. He was really burning up.
"Um, Ms.Audre, what is happening to me?" he asked making me gush.
'Aw, he called us Ms.' Adrea giggled.
"Well Embry, you are undergoing your first shift," I told him.
"Shift into what?" he asked as his breath increased his temperature getting hotter by the second.
"Well, a wolf. I'm sure you've heard the legends of the Rez," I said taking a seat next to him.
"Um, are you on something?" he questioned. My face drops.
Paul laughs loudly as Sam looks down frustrated.
"Well if I was, I'd surely give you some to calm you down," I said shaking my head as I rub my eyes.
He suddenly groans, as my senses spike, with me moving away from him quickly.
"I'm going to warn you now Embry, this is really going to hurt," I tell him.
'Here it comes' I told them.
Paul and Sam brace themselves.
CRACK.
A bone shifts in Embry's body. He let out a bone-chilling scream as he leaned forward. I rub his back soothingly, as I try my hardest to make this as easy as possible for him. The next 30 minutes are filled with screams. I could hardly stand them, Paul even had to walk away for a bit, but Sam stayed strong.
Soon his transformation was complete. It was like he'd never been in pain as his big bright brown, slightly orange wolf moved around frantically, confused, angry as he snarled at everything around him.
"Embry, hey, HEY!" I yelled to get his attention. He turns his attention to me, growling as he stalked towards me. I growl a bit, my eyes glowing pale green. He backs off a bit, making me blink in surprise before I stop the glowing, my eyes going back to their chocolate brown. Sam and I look at each other with knowing eyes.
"Go ahead Alpha," I said patting his shoulder.
I covered my ears, as I looked at Embry, Sam yelling at him in his Alpha voice sending his tail between his legs. I uncover my ears to hear Embry whimpering. I sigh as I walk towards him holding out my hand.
He sniffed it before I scratch his head.
"You want to shift back sweetheart?" I asked. He was pretty big, his head taller than mine as I stand now, but still he nodded his big wolfy head at me.
'Paul go get some clothes' Sam ordered.
'On it boss' Paul said.
I smile at him as I help him picture who he is, and eventually, I get him behind a tree and he shifts back with a pair of clothes close by him. He comes by, looking at me sheepishly.
"I'm sorry about snapping at you like that," he says as he looked down. I just shake my head as I smile.
"It's fine sweetheart, from what I hear your first shift is always the scariest," I said as I reach my hand to touch his forehead.
"Hm, you're still really warm, but that's normal for wolves," I said as I felt his forehead.
"You can be such a mom sometimes," Paul says with a laugh.
"And you can be such an asshole," I say right back.
"Come on newbie, we'll take you the house, we'll feed you because I can hear your stomach growling from here, then we'll explain what's happening to you," Sam said as he walks forward. Embry looks to me and I nod as we walk back to the house, entering.
"Hey, did everything go alright?" asked Emily.
"Eh," Jared says with so-so hands making Sam scoff.
"It went fine, you seem to forget that Paul was much worse," Sam says as he sits on the living room chair.
"Hey?!" Paul says clearly offended.
"Glad I wasn't here for that," I muttered.
"I heard that," he said making me chuckle. I hand Embry a complimentary muffin, which he takes, nodding at me in thanks.
As I go to get one, my body seems to go into a frenzy making me freeze.
'Audre this isn't us, something is wrong with Jasper' Adrea said.
"Are you okay, Audre?" asked Jared as he put a hand on my shoulder.
'Uhm--uh, I've got to go. Um, I'll be back tomorrow though, see you, Embry," I said as I ruffle his hair, grab my back and bolt out of the house.
'Wait, Audre what's wrong?' Sam asked concernedly.
'Something wrong, something wrong with my mate' I snarled a bit.
I pull up my wall, checking my phone to see it was 7:15 PM. Shit, I'm late.
"Fuck!" I yelled as I ran through the trees. I take a breath as my legs fly back and forth, jumping the pack treaty line, and making it to the Cullen's house in record time. Guilt eats me up as I throw open the door. The scene takes my breath away. Jas restrained on the ground as Bella sits on a crashed table, blooding dripping from my arm.
"Jas," I breathed out. His head snaps to me, his black, blood-crazed eyes leaving as he stared at me.
His breath hitches as he looked at me, and as I go to take a step forward, his body flinches backward, as he escaped the holds he's in as he moved away from me.
"Jas," I said as I walk towards him. He looks at me with sad eyes.
"Shhh," I say as I bring my hand up and stroke his cheek. He leaned into my touch, as I give him a small smile.
"Come on," I told him as I led him out of the room, and into the backyard to which I let him go.
His anger flares as I see his fist fly towards a tree, breaking it.
"Jas, hey, calm down, it's okay," I told him but he turns to look at me harshly.
"No, it's not okay, I was going to kill her Audre. I wanted to kill her Audre!" he told me.
"I know you did, but you didn't," I told him.
"It took, 5 vampires, one who's centuries-old to hold me down so I couldn't get to her, Audre, what if--" he cuts himself off with silence.
"What if what Jasper?" I asked taking a step forward, frowning as I see him step back.
"What if I hurt you?" he asked making me quirk an eyebrow.
"Jasper you could never hurt me," I said trying to walk towards him, but he continues to back away.
"Yes, I could. When we first met in the forest, that night, I wanted so badly to sink my teeth into you. You have no idea how hard it was not too," he said.
"But you didn't," I remind him, but he scoffs.
"Okay but what about everything else?" he asked.
"What Jasper, what is 'everything else'?" I asked as I continued to try to near him.
"Audre, you and I both know I don't deserve you, not in the slightest. You won't even join the pack, the pack that makes you so happy, because you're afraid that one day you're going to have to leave, with who, with me," he says.
"Audre, the number of times I wanted to kill you hurts, I can't fathom the thought of even trying to hurt you, how could I live with myself?!" he said raising his voice.
"Yes, they make me happy, but you seem to forget that you make me happy too. We've been together for months and you're telling me you don't understand how powerful the mate bond between us is? Jasper, I love you, we love you, me and Adrea fucking love you," I told him as my voice raised too.
"I love you too," he says softly.
My hardened eyes soften as I walk towards him, him not moving. Suddenly he looks up at me with pained eyes as he stalks towards me.
"You're telling me I don't scare you, not even a little?" he questioned. I breathe in as I shake my head.
"No,"
He snarls as he rushes forward, backing me into a tree making me gasp. His fangs neared my throat.
"You wouldn't hurt me Jas,"
Suddenly his fangs pierce my skin. At first, I think he's just trying to scare me, but his fangs sink deeper before he envelopes a gulp of my blood, a small scream of pain leaving my throat before I push him away.
I stare at him with wide eyes as I hold my neck, his black eyes turning back to their beautiful yellowish copper color. He stares at my neck, then at me in horror.
"I-" he said. He took a frightened step back away from me. He covered his eyes, and I swear I saw his eyes tear up. The look in his eyes alone, caused my eyes to tear up as I take a step forward.
"Jas, no," I try but I'm too late as he'd already sped into the forest. I sigh loudly, biting my lips as tears prick my eyes.
'Audre, everything will be alright, don't worry' Adrea tries to reassure me.
'I really hope you're right' I mutter.
I trudge back into the house, Esme gasping at the sight of me. They all stared at me, as I had my hand over my neck. I knew that they knew what had happened.
"Audre?" she says as I walk towards the sink, washing the blood off my hands, as my wound had already healed.
I leaned against the counter shakily as I tried to stop myself from crying.
"I shouldn't have been late. If I wasn't late, none of this would've happened," I say with a demeaning chuckle as I hold my hand up to my face as my shoulders shake.
"You can't blame yourself for this Audre," Rosalie says as she put a hand on my shoulders. Her touch makes my shoulder shake even more as the tears began to flow, my hand moving to my mouth as I tried to stop the sobs.
"I'll see you all later," I said as I picked up my bag off the floor before exiting the house, not bothering to look up at anybody.
I walk home, not having the energy to run home, open the door before going up to my room.
I strip my clothes, throwing them to the floor, tied my hair up before I laid down. This time there was no need to force myself to sleep, the exhaustion of today taking its toll.
I close my eyes, and darkness swallows me whole.