Chapter 19

The Cullen’s hadn’t mentioned making me pack yet, so I just hoped quietly as I waited for a decision or another test. Carlisle had watched me more carefully after the baseball game, appearing to consider it. I didn’t bring it up to Alice, because she wasn’t the Alpha and couldn’t make these decisions.

“I know that normally we’d get ready separately, but I’d love for you to come over so I can fix your hair and do your makeup.” Alice spoke softly, as she sat down next to me in the cafeteria, the first person other than me to make it to the table. Her eyes were pleading and I just stared as I considered that. It seemed strange to have her help me get ready for a date with her, but I didn’t think I could do nearly as good a job as she could, and she loved doing that sort of thing. Wasn’t the point of dating to spend time together and see if the relationship could go anywhere? Did it really matter what we did with that time? I’d already mixed up what we’d do to fit what we were, this was just more of that.

“Sure.” I smiled as she seemed to bounce happily at my answer. “But I don’t want to spend so much time on it we can’t make a movie.” I spoke a little faster, imagining our date becoming nothing more than dress up at her house. I wanted to get her alone, and try and show I could be a good mate, because for her, she had a choice, but I was already imprinted. I wanted her to want me, before I told her about imprinting. I wanted to pretend for just a little while that I could develop a relationship like a human.

…………………………………….

“So class, I’m handing out the directions for our team projects.” The history teacher spoke while handing out small packets. I looked over at Alice, my eyes pleading, because our group project was here and she said she’d think about being my partner.

“Partner.” Alice subwhispered to reassure me and I relaxed and took the handout being given to us and forwarded Alice’s copy. I glanced down at it and frowned as it said Family Tree on the top. Oh shit. The teacher went on about instructions as I felt Alice tense just a little beside me as well.

I didn’t wait for Alice to say anything, knowing she had no idea who her real parents were, and this reminder, even if she couldn’t have used the truth, wasn’t welcome. As soon as the bell went off I stood up and plowed my way through the students, using some of my wolf strength to do it, so that I could stop the teacher from leaving the room. “I’m an orphan.” I said coldly, staring at what had been my favorite teacher. “So is Alice.”

I could smell Alice come to stand behind me, and hear the students still exiting as quickly as possible, since this was the last class of the day. I watched the teacher blanch just a little, as if just realizing his mistake. I was still irritated. “Makes it hard to interview family over the weekend to get started.” I muttered too quietly for him to hear, “unless ghosts are real too.”

“I thought you still had your father.” The teacher stammered, clearly I was making him nervous glaring at him like this. My arms were shaking a little and Alice took a hold of my hand and squeezed it hard as I tried to calm down. His insensitivity could have hurt Alice, and I was mad at him.

“You mean the father that said I wasn’t even allowed back in La Push, nevermind his house?” I spoke coldly. “I think that means dropping by to ask about the family might not go well.” Alice tugged on my hand and her voice interrupted my glaring. I could smell my teacher’s nervousness at my nearness and I tried to calm down. He probably didn’t even know why he was afraid of me.

“I don’t actually know who my parents were.” Alice spoke softly. “So is there an alternative assignment you could give us?”

“Well, yes, yes of course.” He said. I watched him consider ideas quietly, and then look at me. “Without having people to interview you’ll end up having to do more research, regardless of what we do. If you both split the work equally, I’ll let you two work on a single family tree.”

“So we could just work together on Diana’s that way.” Alice spoke and I turned to look at her. “If it’s all research we wouldn’t need your father.” She explained quietly. By the time we’d left the classroom, Alice had talked our teacher into allowing that, and not adding more to the assignment.

“You know, I’ve run into this before.” Alice spoke quietly as we walked through the halls. “I actually have a ‘fake history’ that could have worked for this.”

I blushed, realizing I’d forgotten that she would have to have fake identity stuff. “Sorry.” I muttered.

“It’s okay.” Her voice was more upbeat. “Now I get to delve into the family tree of a werewolf. That sounds interesting to me.” She gave me a teasing smile. Once we stepped outside the car of vampires all standing there waiting for Alice became apparent. “We’ll talk about getting started tomorrow, before our date.” She told me, “I’m really looking forward to our date.” She spoke more quietly, and her smile was so sweet, before dancing off to the Volvo.

I had to work, so I just sighed heavily and started on my way. The store wasn’t far from here.

……………………………………

“Looking for anyone in particular?” Erika seemed to smirk as she pretended to be paying more attention to her spreadsheet than me. I blushed as I looked away from the window. I couldn’t help looking for Alice even though I wasn’t off work yet. Alice said she’d pick me up and we’d get ready for our date at her place.

“I,” I didn’t have anyone else I could talk to about anything really, so I sighed heavily. “I have a date.” I admitted to why I was so jumpy today. I found I couldn’t admit it without smiling.

“That really pretty dark haired girl?” Erika’s smile and her words had me walking closer to her, and taking a moment to remember there were no customers right at the moment. I nodded, a pleased smile on my lips. “Oh sweety, you do have good taste. What are you two doing tonight?”

“Dinner and a movie.” It was the closest approximation to my plan. We were going to hunt, I wanted to see the forest with her, and show her I could even keep up with her. I wanted her to see that even though I was wolf, I had no trouble with her needing blood. I just hoped that Alice liked that idea. I know she’s nervous to hunt near me, but my sixth sense was telling me it would be fine. I trusted that, that and her.

“Well, good for you.” Erika’s encouragement was so different from anything I’d heard from my own pack or family, and part of me felt bad that it couldn’t have been my Mom sending me off on my date. My mom would have understood that I couldn’t fight an imprint, and that I couldn’t even build up the desire to try to. I just nodded and looked away, trying to not let my eyes tear up with that thought.

Once Alice stepped into the store, Erika told me to go, even though I still had ten minutes left of my shift. I didn’t argue. Alice looked at me like I was amusing as I dropped the books in my hands onto the counter and walked up to her. I tried to stop my puppyish joy and be cool. “Hey.” I smiled at her. She chuckled and threaded her arm through one of mine and waved at my boss before leading us outside.

God, she smelled so good, I thought as I took a deep breath near her.

“I was hoping that tomorrow we could work on the history assignment.” Alice spoke and I was pleased that it showed some optimism about tonight that she wanted to see me tomorrow as well.

As she started to drive us to her house I suddenly thought of something important. “Um, about my family tree.” I really should have argued to not use me, but I’d been too damn distracted. “Well, you know werewolves don’t age if they don’t want to. They can live for quite a while if some vampire doesn’t kill them. We don’t get sick, not that I can tell.” I grimaced and Alice turned wide eyes to me. “If I’ve got one of those in my family tree, can we cover that up?”

“What?” Alice’s voice rose a bit. I found myself paying attention to her and also trying to feel for danger, because she was driving and I’d apparently surprised her. It looks like she didn’t know that.

“My old pack had stories of old werewolves. They could choose not to age, but usually when they found their mate they chose to age along with her.” I could see she was shocked. My voice softened, and I felt a bit nervous. “Some took a while to find their mates and lived a good hundred plus years because of that. After my own change, I believe these stories. Since being a wolf is hereditary there is a chance I have a relative that lived a bit too long.”

“There is so much we don’t know about werewolves.” Alice muttered, shaking her head. “I know Carlisle is just dying to talk to you about all of this.” Alice turned to look at me. “So you could just choose not to age?”

“Hey, there had to be some positives to being forced to play protector, not being able to leave the area, and having to submit to the Alpha’s orders.” I spoke, some of my bitterness in my voice. I stared out the window and sighed heavily. “We didn’t get to choose if we’d become wolf, and other than me, most have to stay home, give up college plans, everything. Things get so complicated when you turn wolf.” I looked over at her. “Don’t get me wrong, there are some really great things about being wolf. It’s just not having a say in it, well, we all struggled with that one. It’s one of the reasons most wolves hate vampires so much, other than the killing people thing.”

We were nearing Alice’s home, but she was slowing. “Why would you, or they, hate vampires for that?” Alice’s question was probably treason to answer. I really doubted the pack wanted me spilling any wolf secrets. I didn’t care.

“In order to change you need to have wolf ancestry and you need to be exposed to vampires in the area.” I told her, remembering being told this myself. “That is how we would have known your family moved back even if we hadn’t heard about it. You are far enough from La Push that it was only last year we started to form a new pack, but I’m a wolf because you moved here.”

This was really not the kind of conversation I expected to have on our first date, but the date hadn’t started, and eventually I’d have to tell her this stuff. Still, she pulled off to the side of the road so quickly I was jerked about in my seat when she slammed on the brakes and turned to fully stare at me.

“Diana,” Alice’s eyes were so wide, and I felt her cool hand move out to rest on mine. “We really didn’t know this. We had no idea our presence would affect your tribe like that.”

“I know, it isn’t like any wolf would have trusted you guys enough to tell you before.” I gave her hand a small squeeze, because she looked a bit horrified. “They can all complain, but I will admit, running through the forest as a wolf, smelling and hearing life like that, that’s a gift. I can’t say I’d go back to being human if I had the choice. And hey, I don’t have to stay in La Push, they took that burden from me.” I gave her a weak smile.

“Carlisle needs to know this.” She told me and I felt a sinking disappointment.

“Tonight?” I asked, thinking of the date I’d been looking forward to. “But we’re,” I stopped talking and she stared at me.

“Maybe not tonight.” She seemed to understand. “I mean I do get to play Barbie with you and we have a date planned. I wouldn’t want to cut into our time.”

When we got to the house, Esme gave us a plate of snacks to take up to Alice’s room for me. It was so thoughtful. Trying to eat the snacks around Alice’s battle to put more controlled curls in my hair and her doing my makeup was a challenge, but I managed.

I loved how she was getting her scent all over me.

Chapter 20

“What movie are we seeing?” Alice asked as we made our way to a main road.

“I thought we could pick when we got there.” I blushed, and spoke more quietly. “I didn’t want to pick something you might not like, but there are a few movies that look good to me. I haven’t seen any of them though, so whatever you like is good.”

“What were you hoping I’d pick?” Alice grinned at me, at least seeming to appreciate that I hadn’t overplanned.

“Corpse Bride.” I spoke and then my eyes widened and my blush took off, making my face red at a record pace, as I spoke more quickly. “I love Helena Bonham Carter and anything Tim Burton is good.” I explained myself, suddenly very worried about her feelings. I didn’t mean she was a corpse, I hope she didn’t think I was saying that.

Alice took one look at my face and laughed. She put a hand over her chest, as if indicating herself. “Vampire, not Zombie.”

I shuddered at the thought, once I realized she was more amused than hurt. “Thank god, I would have a hard time if your arms just fell off while I held your hand at the movies. I might actually scream, and that would ruin my big tough wolf image.”

“Big tough wolf, really?” She teased me. “You’re just a puppy.”

“Keep it up mosquito and I’ll swat you.” I grinned, and when she took my hand to just hold it, I found it hard to think of anything else to say. Alice started a conversation about Disney, and watching some of their shows in black and white when they first came out. I tried to listen to her words, but I just felt the melody of her voice, and it was distracting. There was something more gentle and tender in her voice tonight, a date voice, and she could ask me to do anything with that voice and I think I might do it. I could listen to her read me the phone book and still be fascinated, but I did try to focus on her words

As we pulled into the movie parking lot I spoke up, “We don’t have to see Corpse Bride if there is something you would rather see.”

“I think that one should be cute.” Alice was so nice about it, and I really felt like maybe she wanted to see it too. “And what better movie for a werewolf and a vampire to go see, than a zombie cartoon?” My laugh was too bark-like as she surprised me with that one.

I knew she was laughing at my laugh, but I just loved hearing her laugh too much to care.

The lighting in the parking lot was good, and the crowd outside of the theater wasn’t too thick, especially for a Saturday night. We made our way to the ticket booth, and I had to body bump Alice in order to reach the window first and pay.

“I could have paid.” She pretended to pout as I handed her a ticket.

“I want to.” I spoke quietly. I’d saved that money so I could at least pay for our first date. It wasn’t an expensive night, because luckily she wouldn’t eat at a restaurant, so I could do this. “I can’t give you much, not yet, but I am paying for our first date.” I explained, staring her in her beautiful eyes. “I asked you out.”

Alice caressed my cheek and I blushed. “Next date is on me.” She smiled and then took my hand to lead me into the theater. I blinked and wondered if I’d just been asked out for a second date before the first one even really got going. I found myself smiling as we passed by the snack counter as I caught her slightly disgusted look at the smell of popcorn.

“Okay,” I responded to her comment. “But shopping isn’t really a date.”

“Hey, if I’m dating a girl, I think we need to rethink that.” Alice teased, but then she looked over at me and I sighed.

“Okay shopping can be part of a date, but not the whole date.” Her smile was happy, and I could deal with this if it made her happy. “But just sometimes okay?”

“I think I’m going to like being a lesbian.” Alice moved closer to me and hugged my arm as we passed the bathrooms and turned to our theater.

I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I stared at the theater. “Are you a back of the room sort of girl, or a close to the front sort?” I asked, while eyeing the seats I would normally chose, but they were rather up front, and I found myself being lead up the steps toward the back.

…………………………

I left the theater thinking about how Victor would have been better off with Emily, even if she was some sort of a zombie ghost. Alice seemed to bounce on her feet as she spoke. “So am I the only one that wanted to see him stay with Emily?”

“I know.” I spoke quickly. We discussed the movie on the way to the car and I watched a small moment of indecision on Alice’s face, before she opened the car door for me. It was cute, but then she wasn’t capable of not being cute, sexy, I sighed. I needed to think of something else.

Once she was back in the car I took a deep breath of her scent and smiled. I was a bit nervous about this next part. “Normally it’s dinner and a movie.” I spoke quietly. “I thought we could go hunting.” I watched her body tense up. My words were a bit faster. “I can sense if we’ll have trouble. You won’t hurt me.” I realized that was her concern. She wasn’t even afraid of me.

“You don’t understand.” Alice’s voice lost that musical lilt, and was a bit deeper in her concern. “When we give ourselves over to the hunt, the blood calls to us. We are very careful not to hunt near humans, because it would be hard to resist.”

“I’m not human.” I told her, reminded her.

“You still smell delicious to me.” Alice looked ashamed of herself as she said that. “The others don’t smell it, but I do. I don’t understand why you don’t smell as bad as they say. It would be easier if you did.”

I paused, trying to figure out what to say to a vampire that thought I smelled delicious. It wasn’t quite the same as a lover telling you that, and I couldn’t tell if I should be upset or not about it. “I would KNOW if I was in danger Alice. I have never felt danger when I thought about this.” I watched her jaw tense and could tell she wasn’t completely convinced. “If you’d had a vision that it would be okay, you’d do it wouldn’t you? I’m telling you I sense no problems here. I’ve started to be able to sense if a baseball is going to hit me in the back of the head, I think I’d know if a vampire was about to kill me.”

Alice sighed heavily, and I could tell she scented the air in her car, before giving me a half smile. “I’ve always, for as long as I have memories, had my visions to warn me of problems. Forgive me if I forget I can rely on yours too.” She started the car. “Where did you want to hunt?”

I smiled, “I’ll show you when we get there.” I felt such warmth, knowing she trusted me, trusted my powers. I was going to take her to the woods I first saw her in. She didn’t know it held meaning for us, but it just felt so right that this time I’d hunt beside her there.

Chapter 21

I had Alice park the car where I’d parked my car that night, off to the side of the road, partly hidden by trees. Back then, when I’d first seen her, this wasn’t land I was supposed to patrol. I always had liked walking the woods in wolf form, and I’d had a strange feeling I needed to know these.

My powers led me to find my imprint, and while I may have cursed it at the time, I couldn’t imagine a better mate now. I couldn’t share a lot of myself with a human, I actually pitied my former packmates for being stuck with imprints that could never run with them in the woods. I was really looking forward to sharing this with her.

“I need to change.” I found myself blushing as I said that. I had a pair of shorts and a exercise bra in my bag. “I’m gonna go quarter form.” I told her and got a confused look back that was too adorable. My voice softened. “I’m gonna get hairy so I can keep up with you, but I won’t be wolf so I can talk with you. I’ve been working on it, and I think I can keep up that way.”

“Quarter form?” Alice still looked puzzled, but she smiled at me.

“I think of that large, really TV werewolf form as half way. I’m just gonna be a bit fuzzy.” I smiled back and pulled my clothes out of my bag, holding them up. “I’ll need clothes in that form, because I’m not fuzzy enough, but I’m not risking this outfit.” I glanced at what Alice dressed me in, and it was too good for a hike. “So, I’m just gonna.” I waved to the trees and blushed. Alice leaned against the car hood and nodded.

I’d gotten good at changing clothes in the woods, but I took special care to try and keep my nice new outfit from getting dirty. Alice gave it to me, along with just about all the clothes I still possessed. I was very careful with them, and I’d gotten to be really good at spotting branches as I ran that might hurt them, but I wasn’t risking it more than I needed to.

I put the good clothes in the car and turned to Alice, to see her looking at me. “You are rather muscular; I believe that’s a six pack there?” Alice could see me even in the dark, like I could see her, but I hoped my blush was invisible.

“I didn’t earn it. Being wolf did that.” I closed the car door and shifted, red hair sprouted from my skin.

“It’s still rather sexy.” Alice spoke and the fur hopefully covered a renewed blush, as I felt pleased she found me attractive. Alice’s expression was a bit curious as she stepped closer and held a hand out toward me.

“You can touch.” I offered quietly, feeling almost like a child playing doctor, as Alice inspected my newly furry shoulder and the cool of her touch made me warmer as she slid that hand down my arm and took my hand.

“You look like an alien, a cute furry little alien.” Alice teased as she squeezed my hand. “or maybe a cave girl.”

“Why thank you mosquito, that’s what every girl wants to hear.” I teased back, relieved that she didn’t seem repulsed by the fur. When her hand ran back up my arm, petting me, my heart started to speed up. Alice stopped when she heard it.

“I think we’ll be safer if you chase me, rather than the other way around.” Alice spoke, as if analyzing our run through the woods, but before I could say anything she started to run, and I took off after her.

I could hear her cut through the air and I could tell by the blur to my vision that we were moving fast. I ducked branches and leapt over roots all the while barely taking my eyes off of her. I let out a loud teasing growl to make her run faster and she laughed before doing it.

She was fast, and I had to work hard to keep up, but I was keeping up. She needed to see that. I took in her scent, mixed with trees and bushes, with animals in the distance, and I was sure if I lost sight of her I could still find her.

We hit a clearing and I started to gain on her. She was better at dodging trees, but in the open I laughed as I realized I was just plain faster. I leapt at her and tackled her to the ground, before I even considered the nice clothes she was wearing.

I didn’t think she needed air, but the fall, caused an oof sound to escape Alice’s lips and I stared down at her as I found myself straddling her with my hands holding her arms down in the grass. I smiled as I leaned closer. “Caught you.” I spoke quietly, but then I glanced at her clothes and my smile faded. “Oh, I’m sorry. I hope I didn’t hurt your clothes.”

She smiled back at me. “If you do you have to go shopping with me to get another outfit.” She didn’t sound concerned, so I let myself start to relax. I didn’t want to make her mad at me, and apparently she wasn’t mad.

I let out a gust of air in shock when I found my back being slammed against the ground, and started to growl, just for a second, before I saw Alice leaning over me grinning. “Puppy, your prey isn’t caught if it can get away.” I barely blinked and she was gone. I leapt up and smelled the air, listened to the forest, and her laughter made it easy to tell which way I had to run.

I darted through the forest, senses on alert, as I tried to find with my eyes what my nose could sense. A flash of color was all I saw before I was pushed hard, up against a tree. I heard the tree crack and felt the rough bark even through my light coat of fur.

My legs had splayed, and I found myself looking right into the shorter girl’s eyes. Alice’s eyes were black and intense, but she smiled at me a little too wickedly and I felt no danger, so I relaxed into her hold. Even as her head tilted and I felt her breath against my neck, I just bared my throat, feeling no sense of danger, I just submitted naturally. My heart pounded as a new ache that had nothing to do with the way she’d tossed me into the tree took hold of me. Mate, I wanted to mate.

A nearly silent whimper from her came with the soft huff of her sniffing at my throat. Her whimpering grew in volume and then she pulled back. I kept my throat bared even as she stared at me with wide eyes. “Do you want me to bite you?” She sounded a bit shaky and took a few steps back.

I found my jaw opened twice in surprise before I could get words out. “No.” I blinked and slowly righted my head. What would happen if a vampire bit a werewolf? I bet it had happened before, it had to have. I would also be willing to bet we were immune to whatever it was that made vampires, or there would be stories. “I’m willing to accept you as stronger.” I explained quietly, ignoring how accepting her as that turned me on. I didn’t need to overpower my mate, and she had a respectable position in her own pack. I could submit to her and keep my dignity. “I submit.” I couldn’t believe I had to explain this.

She looked rather stunned, her darkened eyes widened. I took a deep breath, to calm myself before saying more. “I didn’t need to fight you, you stopped.” I told her. “It wasn’t a gamble, I could tell I wasn’t in danger.” I was starting to get a little nervous. She was too afraid of hurting me. I didn’t want her pulling away from me. Maybe I needed to prove to her how hard it would be for her to hurt me. “I’m faster than you, I’m just as strong as you.” I told her firmly. “I still can sense things and you are blind to me. I don’t have to submit to you, I could beat you. I chose to submit so I wouldn’t hurt your outfit.” That wasn’t completely true. I submitted because she was too high in the pack not to, and it felt right.

Her eyes were returning to the golden color that apparently was a hint she wasn’t hungry anymore. I’d need to learn more about that. I smiled and lunged at her, watching her eyes widen in shock as I ignored her pretty outfit to prove to her I wasn’t in danger.

I’d play fought as a wolf with my pack, and I’d gotten good in that form. I used arms to grip Alice’s and as she tried to buck me off in surprise I growled low and struggled with her. Her scent was everywhere and I growled a little louder as an elbow caught my chin, but I wrestled her down.

Dirt and leaves, tossed up by the sudden struggle made the woods smell even more wild and got into her clothes so badly I was going to be shopping, but I ignored it and growled as her bucking and thrusting to try and dislodge me took all my effort to counter. “Won’t hurt you.” I managed between gritted teeth as her knee slammed into my stomach in the confused squirming. “Won’t hurt you.” I repeated, wanting to make sure she wasn’t afraid.

I was surprised by the twist she pulled, and found myself tossed into the air and away from her. She stood, crouched, staring at me. Her eyes were shocked, and before I could see betrayal I explained, even as I stood up slowly to show I wasn’t a threat. “See, I’m not a weak human. I could fight you if I had to.” At least physically, but mentally and emotionally, I couldn’t. I wasn’t telling her that yet. “I ruined your outfit.” My voice rose a bit, as I looked at her messy hair as well. “I’m sorry.”

Alice just blinked as she stared at me. “You really confuse me at times.” I blushed.

“I’m sorry.” I spoke quietly and moved slowly to reach out and pull some leaves out of her hair. My voice became barely a whisper. “I’m,” I was at a loss for words, as I thought of what confused her. “I’m not as human as I used to be.”

I heard her sigh heavily and found her pulling a clump of dirt out of my hair, which was still long because I was only partially shifted. “Me neither, not that I remember being one.” She ran fingers through my hair and sighed. She stopped moving for a moment, and then her normal smile came over her face as she bounced on her feet. “Dirty puppy will need a bath.”

“Mosquito isn’t looking so fresh herself.” I teased back. I glanced out into the darkness of the woods. “So how about I see how big a beast I can catch you and then we go clean up?”

“You want to catch my dinner?” Alice moved to walk beside me as we made our way closer to the creek that ran through these woods.

I grinned. “Better than being it.” I teased and bumped her hard enough to make her fall off the path a moment, just to remind her that she’d have a big fight on her hands if she tried to eat me, it might reassure her.

I found a deer and looked over at Alice, who looked a little too apprehensive. “Dinner is served.” I smiled and ran out into the clearing. I couldn’t hear Alice moving with me, but I watched that deer panic and start to try and run, before I caught up to it.

I usually hunted as full wolf, but I grabbed the deer’s head like I’d seen Alice do that one time I saw her hunt and twisted. The loud crack filled the forest and I turned with a pounding heart and a smile to see Alice watching me. “See, I caught for you.” My voice was bouncy, but I didn’t try to fight my happiness.

Alice came up beside me quickly, and took the deer head in her hands, but she looked at me self consciously.

“You drink blood, and I think it is so amazing that you chose this, when humans are easier to hunt. I respect that.” I told her, taking a step back so that she held the deer herself.

When she leaned in tentatively and I heard the crunch of her teeth cutting through flesh I couldn’t take my eyes off of her, and I couldn’t stop my smile. She accepted my gift, my hunt. I was shaking a little as my heart just soared.

“Thank you.” Alice told me and I watched her looking away from me and making sure she had no blood on her face, before turning around. The look on her face, the look in her eyes, made me feel like she almost expected disgust from me even though I made that kill for her. I moved forward, leaned in and gently kissed her lips, partly to prove I didn’t care she drank blood. Hell, I usually hunted the same animals, I just didn’t drink blood. The other reason I kissed her was because I just had an aching need to. She’d taken my token, she’d accepted my hunt. She didn’t pull away, and I pulled back long before I wanted to.

“You’re welcome.” I spoke softly and took her hand. The scent of her and blood was all over me, and I felt like I’d just accomplished the best date in the world for her.

“Did you need something too?” Alice asked and I looked over at her, happy to see a smile.

“I don’t want to waste tonight smoking it.” I glanced at the carcass. “I could just…”

“My venom’s in that one. Might not be a good idea.” Alice told me and I frowned for just a moment. I nodded and then was startled to feel her weight suddenly on my back. I almost thought we were play fighting, but she just wrapped her arms around my shoulders from behind me, and wrapped her legs around my waist.

“Piggy back?” I asked, amused at her playfulness returning.

“In the 1980’s I saw a comic where elves rode wolves.” Alice leaned into my ear to tell me and I found myself taking a small gasping breath at the feel of her so close to so much of my body.

I grinned and grabbed her thighs with my hands as I raced through the woods towards her car. I did my best to leap and duck and zig zag as much as possible and she laughed so joyfully. I felt completely in love and nothing else existed but us making our way through the woods.

We shook out what dirt and leaves we could, and I shifted back fully, before getting in her car. “You don’t have a shower.” Alice pointed out and I grimaced. “You can use mine.” She smiled at me and pulled out into the road to make it the rest of the way to her house. It took just a moment for her to laugh. “I can’t believe you decided to wrestle with me on our first date. Werewolves are strange.”

“But you don’t worry as much right? I proved I am strong enough.” I spoke with confidence as I leaned back in the car seat and smiled. She’d rode me piggy back, so clearly she wasn’t as afraid of eating me as she’d been.

We pulled into her garage and Alice stepped out of the car with me. I was more than impressed with the collection of cars in the garage. I was actually stunned. I stared at cars I never thought anyone actually owned as we made our way to the door. I followed Alice up the stairs and could smell the scent of vampires getting stronger with every step.

Alice opened another door and was barely out when I heard an angry hiss. “What did that dog do to you?! I’ll kill her!” I jerked my head up to the doorway and stopped walking at the threat in Rosalie’s voice. I pushed my senses out to see if I really was in danger, because even though I hadn’t sensed it before, Rosalie was amazingly pissed. I was shocked at the venom in her voice.

“Rose, no, I’m fine. We just went on a hunt.” Alice explained with a soft tone, a gentleness, that told me something really was going on here I didn’t know about. I didn’t make any further move toward the door and stood on the third step down from it, waiting for an all clear signal.

“You never get dirty on a hunt Alice. You don’t need to protect her.” Rosalie sounded concerned and I got what she was accusing me of then. I also felt more respect for Rosalie because of it. I would hope that if anyone hurt Alice someone would hunt them down, but I didn’t hurt her.

“I just wrestled her.” I spoke up quietly. “We were just playing.” I also didn’t want to embarrass Alice by admitting Alice was worried she’d kill me. I took the last three steps and rested my hand on Alice’s back, as Alice was still standing in the doorway, holding the door opened.

“Ah man, there was werewolf wrestling and I missed it!” Emmett’s loud complaint drew my attention from a suspicious glaring blonde vampire. “Who won?”

“I did.” I spoke

“Me.” Alice answered with a grin and when she noticed I had answered too she smirked at me. “You know I won that.”

“I’m willing to call it a draw, but that’s it. I did not lose.” I grinned as I stared into Alice’s playful expression. Her eyes seemed to sparkle as she started to pout and I groaned. “Okay, she beat me silly.” I whined as I looked away from Alice, giving her what she was aiming for.

Alice laughed, and Emmett’s laugh was a booming noise. “Man you are already so whipped it’s got to be a record.” He teased.

“She might be able to beat me.” Alice admitted, before grabbing my rather dirty hand. “We quit too soon to tell.” And I was pulled toward the stairs. “We need to clean up.”

“Any chance you’ll mud wrestle again?” Emmett teased and I heard a thud that had me turning to see Emmett had been hit by Rose.

I grinned at him. “I’m not the only whipped one am I?” I teased him back as Rosalie glared at him. Rosalie didn’t look too friendly when she looked at me either.

Alice set me up in her shower, but she wasn’t thrilled with waiting, so she told me she was going to shower in another bathroom.

I felt self conscious in her bathroom, so I worked to shower as quickly as I could. Getting the dirt out of my hair was the hardest part, but I did like Alice’s shampoo and body wash.

I froze as I heard the bathroom door open quietly, and the scent of vampire, not my vampire, but a stinky one, filled the room. I had been just about done, so I blinked and tried to think of what I should do. I didn’t feel all that safe, but there was no warning from my sixth sense so I tried to relax. “I wouldn’t hurt her like that.” I spoke softly to Rosalie. “I can’t, I mean I actually can’t.” I kept my voice down and heard Rosalie come closer to the shower. I put on a light fur coat on my body, shifting partially, in case she opened the glass. I could barely see her through the smoky glass.

“If you did I would kill you.” She hissed.

“I hope that you would.” I finally submitted, “If I were that evil, hurt someone that sweet, in any way, I hope you would, but I won’t do that.”

“Oh I would.” I watched the shape that was Rosalie through that glass retreat. “I would” I could hear and smell that she left and I turned the water off. I didn’t like that she apparently thought I was a wild animal in many different ways. I found that even though I didn’t like Rosalie, that hurt. I took a deep breath and dried off, putting on the clothes Alice laid out for me.

When I picked them up I sighed heavily, recognizing pajamas when I saw them. I slipped them on, because it was that or a towel, but I wasn’t sure about staying the night. I was the only one sleeping, that was awkward. And I wanted in Alice’s bed as a lover, but this was clearly a friend invitation, or she’d have asked while kissing me passionately.

I couldn’t help imagining those kisses, wishing for them. Alice was sexy, sweet, strong, so many things I found attractive. Well, maybe I could at least find a way to cuddle, I thought as I slipped out of the bathroom to find Alice, her hair adorably wet and combed back, laying on her bed studying a few potential DVD’s for the night.

“You look really different with your hair like that.” I spoke softly, fully aware that my own hair was rather straight right now and dripping just a bit on the pajamas. Alice grimaced as she ran her hand through her hair.

“It doesn’t grow. I usually have to work hard to make it look like anything.”

“No, it is cute.” I told her, moving to sit on the bed with her. “A little butch, but very cute.” I smiled and her eyes widened, before narrowing at me in fake irritation.

“Carlisle works tonight, but we should really have a meeting when he gets back.” Alice reminded me of that, and I sighed heavily as I remembered I’d have to have a conversation with the coven again. All at once like they do, is a bit intimidating. “So you should really just stay the night.”

Maybe if I had a real home I would have argued more, but I just helped Alice pick a movie for us, and enjoyed being able to cuddle up to her a little and watch, before falling asleep on her bed.

Chapter 22

I watched as Alice used a blow dryer, flat iron, and at least two perhaps three different types of hair products with skill I doubted hair stylists possessed. I felt like I could watch her openly, since she was staring into the mirror at herself.

I had already been exposed to her tools, as she insisted on doing my hair today as well once I woke up. Her scent was all over me again, and I wondered if I’d even remember how to do my own hair if I kept letting her do this.

She smiled with satisfaction, after creating the look only she could carry that well.

“Esme is almost done with your breakfast.” Alice spoke and turned to look at me, or towards me. Her eyes didn’t seem too focused. “I’m able to see her, even with you in the house. It’s not easy, but I think that bubble around you I can’t see through is shrinking.”

“Uh, okay.” I grimaced, not really knowing what to say.

“Oops, she was heading for the stairs and I lost her.” Alice sighed and then her eyes appeared to actually see me. “I wish I knew why I can’t see you, or anything too close to you.”

“I don’t know.” I answered a little helplessly. I’d love to give her answers, but this was just weird. I could smell Esme outside the door before she knocked.

“Alice, Diana, I have Diana’s breakfast ready. I thought she could eat before we all sit down and talk.” Esme’s kindness made me smile, even though I wasn’t overly eager to be the center of all attention again.

“Thank you Esme. I’ll be right down.” I told her while watching Alice apply some lipstick. I took her hand and started to tug her toward the door.

“You’re already perfect, stop primping, I’m hungry.” I teased.

We were moving down the stairs and I could see Emmett playing video games in the living room. Alice rested a hand on my arm and I really liked how she often touched, she was a very touchy woman. Breakfast was clearly enough for a werewolf, as I stared at bacon, pancakes, and eggs piled high. Esme was watching dishes and humming happily and I had to shake my head at the way she actually enjoyed cooking when she didn’t need to cook.

“It smells disgusting.” Alice spoke as I started to bring eggs to my mouth to eat and I took a deeper sniff to make sure they were okay. The eggs smelled fine.

“It’s good.” I spoke, glancing at a clearly watching Esme, and took a bite. Once I swallowed I grinned, realizing Alice was teasing me. “And I didn’t think your dinner last night smelled all that pleasant.”

“But you caught it for me anyhow?” Alice’s smile was a power all on its own and I basked in it.

“You caught an animal for Alice?” Esme sounded stunned.

I felt the urge to say I’d caught Alice a jogger, but resisted the urge, thinking it might not be a joke they’d appreciate. “Yep.” I muttered and filled my mouth with pancakes. Such good pancakes.

“Why?” Esme asked even as I was chewing and Alice gave me a small smile before turning to the brunette.

“Diana wanted to show me that she doesn’t care I drink blood, that she respects that we eat animals.” Alice made me blush with the way she said that, as if so proud of me. Esme smiled at us, and turned to work on dishes, but I had no idea what she was really thinking. I focused on eating quickly, without wolfing it down. I could feel eyes on me, and could almost sense the impatience around the house. In fact I could sense it so much I stopped for a moment and frowned.

“Let her eat in peace.” Alice hollered out, and I no longer felt the need to race through my meal. “Jasper doesn’t always notice he’s projecting.” Alice spoke more softly and nodded toward my plate. “You take as long as you need.”

“Thanks.” I hated that I could feel a goofy grin on my face after she’d stood up to her pack for me, especially that pack member.

I still ate with an eye on the clock, and found myself in the living room with seven vampires sooner than I’d prefer, but if we got this over with Alice and I could start on our homework. And maybe after that we’d have time to do something else before I had to leave. Normally I hated Sundays, since it was the only day I had to spend all my time in the shack or woods, without anyone to talk with. This Sunday already beat my typical Sundays, and a small interrogation wouldn’t ruin it.

“Carlisle,” Alice spoke, her voice unusually slow. I turned in the seat so I could watch her. “Our presence here causes the Quileutes to become werewolves.”

Carlisle’s eyes stared into me, his jaw dropped slightly. “What do you mean?” Alice explained what I’d told her. Carlisle looked pretty concerned and Esme didn’t seem too happy with it either.

The apologies from Carlisle were embarrassing, and I found myself impatient to stop him apologizing for something he couldn’t have known.

“I actually LIKE being wolf. If you want to apologize, bother the pack, because they are the only ones not happy with this.” I growled out, glaring at him. He stopped talking, which was my goal. I took a deep breath, and tried to control my irritation. After I’d managed I spoke more softly. “I wasn’t really all that normal before this. Being a wolf doesn’t really change my weirdness factor that much.” I didn’t like that Rosalie was here, or Jasper really, but this was Alice’s coven and I just had to deal with this. I smiled just a little, to try and calm the tension in the air.

“Right, your powers.” Carlisle spoke softly and I sighed and nodded. “Alice has told us a bit about them.” I liked how he gave Alice a small smile. “She is so happy to know another psychic.” His smile faded a little as he looked at me. “I didn’t know humans could have powers, and you were human at the time it appeared weren’t you?”

I considered his words and spoke slowly. “I’m not so sure I really was ever human.” I had struggled with Alice’s question about why she couldn’t see me, wanting to give her answers, and in that I had started to think about what I really was. The rustling and fast whispered sounds of surprise told me to look up, and I had everyone’s attention. “The wolf was always inside of me, it just took vampires to bring it out. There was no ‘bite’ that did this to me, it was already in me. I don’t think I can be used at an example of what humans can do.”

“That might explain why I can’t see you.” Alice spoke slowly at first, but her words started to run together faster. “If I can see humans, and vampires then maybe it’s because I’ve been both, but if you never have been either, or maybe you being a wolf, makes it harder for me to see. “ Alice stared off into space, almost looking like she wanted a vision. “I’d need to test it out with your tribe, or another werewolf, to know for sure, but maybe wolves are just invisible to me.”

I was a bit confused, because my powers didn’t have visions, and I could sense what vampires and humans would do, as well as really anything that could affect them. Hell, I sensed that my dog was going to disappear for a while when I was a kid, and I had no idea if it was the people who she ended up with or her own actions that prompted my need to mark her so we could find her. I lacked visions, but I had a good range, I guessed as I tried to comprehend how Alice’s works. “You think so?” I asked, not really able to come up with something more important to say.

“Could be.” Alice seemed a bit energized by a theory she could test. I gave her a small smile and reached out to touch her hand, happy when she just held mine in return.

I felt a sense of irritation, hurt, and a little anger and I frowned, looking over at Jasper. He sighed and the feeling went away. That made it very clear he knew what he’d lost, but I was now a little concerned that he’d be a problem. So far he’d only been a little snippy with me, and avoided me. I watched him, took in his body and considered his powers. I had little information about him, but he was lean and toned, he was scarred a bit too, and I wondered how he’d been bit so many times. The humans at school couldn’t see it, or I would have heard rumors, but my eyes caught the white marks of teeth.

“That’s an interesting theory.” Carlisle spoke up and I turned my attention back to the Alpha. In these meetings it was clearer than other times who the leader was. He shifted in his seat. “Do other werewolves have powers?”

“No.” I frowned just a little. “At least not that I’ve seen. I’m not part of the pack bond anymore.”

“How are you doing with having lost that dear?” Esme asked and I just stared at her a moment, surprised by the question. Her expression was gentle and concerned and I just stared for a moment more, trying to figure out what to tell her.

“It’s a little hard, I mean I don’t miss the threats I got, but I don’t think wolves were meant to be alone.” I spoke quietly. The solitude for so much of my week was hard to deal with, but it wasn’t just that. I gave Esme a weak smile, “But hey, I had time to learn more about the wolf than the others. I don’t think they even know some of what I can do now is possible.”

“Threats?” Esme, of course, focused on that and she sounded concerned as her voice rose a little.

Carlisle moved to rest a hand on Esme’s knee and leaned towards me just a little. “What kind of threats?”

I took a deep breath as I thought of the comments I’d heard. “Nothing I can’t handle.” I muttered, and Carlisle gave me a frown, his eyes not leaving me. I stared him down for a moment, but then my eyes fell to the floor.

“death threats, rape threats, the normal.” I muttered quietly. The treaty and fear of the consequences of breaking it protected the vampires some, Sam had no intention of letting any wolf destroy what our ancestors did, but I frowned a little more. “Some also make threats against you guys, but you would have to break the treaty first. Sam is pretty clear on that rule. However, if you break it even a little bit they will be vicious.”

I heard a cracking noise and looked up to see that Rosalie had broken the arm on her chair, her jaw clenched. I blinked a bit in surprise. “I don’t think my issues with them made it any worse for you guys really, because they hated you so much already.”

“They sent these threats right to your mind?” Esme asked, and I looked over at her to see she was watching Rosalie and me carefully.

I gave a small humorless smile. “I told you I learned to block the bond because I had to. Paul liked to stay up late at night thinking of how he’d, well, you know.”

“Damn dogs!” Emmett spoke and my eyes widened at the anger in his voice. “They even so much as think of trying something like that and I’ll rip their dicks right off.”

The cracking sound got worse and then I watched as Rosalie ran out the door so fast it was a blur. My jaw dropped as I watched her do that, and then watched Emmett run out after her. I turned to give Carlisle a confused look.

He sighed, and looked down himself for a moment. “I found Rosalie after she’d been raped and left for dead. That’s when I turned her.” He looked back up at me. “She is very sensitive about it. She and Emmett take threats like that very seriously.” I felt bad for even admitting the threats now; I didn’t want to hurt Rosalie like that, to make her think of that. While I ached to know more, to understand this, I didn’t ask a single question about that situation. “How serious do you think those threats were?”

My hand was squeezed rather hard and I looked over at Alice, who had no hint of a smile as she watched me. My eyes traveled over an overly sympathetic Esme, to a coldly glaring Edward that for just a moment made me feel threatened, until I realized he wasn’t glaring at anyone in the room. I ignored Jasper and sighed. “I am strong and I am fast. I can sense danger.” My voice went quieter. “He’s angry, but I don’t think he was really thinking of doing it, I think he was ‘fantasizing’ to bother me. If that changes, I am a better fighter and he won’t be able to get the entire pack involved, it would just be him and I.”

“You wouldn’t be alone in that.” Carlisle told me and I turned to stare at him, unsure of what he was offering. Rosalie came back into the room, followed by Emmett, but she didn’t look at me, she just sat down and gave off an aura of anger that I for once actually felt somewhat pleased with. She was angry on my behalf, at least partly.

With Rosalie back I wanted to make sure to steer the conversation away from attacks. I could tell she was staring at me rather intensely when I wasn’t looking, because I could feel her eyes on me, but we talked about my control over how wolf I was, and how it was my boredom that lead to the discovery I had that control.

“There is something I wanted to hear more about.” Edward spoke up and I cringed internally, hoping the word imprint hadn’t been overheard by the mind reader at some point. “Alice told me that werewolves don’t age if they don’t want to?”

Alice must have been unable to not let it slip, I could understand that. The pack bond had been insidious, and Edward’s lack of control wasn’t unlike that. I smiled a little, pleased that Edward was focused on this instead of something more damning.

“How does that work?” Carlisle asked and I wished I knew more details I could give him about werewolves, but it isn’t like we wolfs know more than the stories we’ve been told.

“We just don’t age if we don’t want to. If we stop shifting to wolf at all we’ll start aging again. So you have to give up the wolf to age.” I glanced down at the floor. “I guess if your mate was aging it would make sense, but giving up the wolf would be so hard.” It was something else I was spared. I would never need to make myself age to be with someone else. I was constantly surprised by the benefits of imprinting on a vampire as I realized them.

“So that’s why you’re hanging around my sister?” Rosalie’s voice was harsh, as it normally was with me. “You don’t want to give up your wolf and get old so you thought you’d just pick a girl that doesn’t age?”

My heart sank as I tried to grasp how we’d gone from a nice safe topic to this. To refuse to answer would make me seem guilty of something, but I wanted Alice to have a choice. I wanted to know she decided to be with me for some reason other than pity. I just stared at Rosalie, my mouth partly open, as I struggled with a reply.