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The Gemini

Chapter 11

"Wolves?" said Harry, his voice high and nasal from holding his nose closed between his thumb and index finger, "What do you mean wolves?"

"Werewolves," growled Rosalie as she crouched in to a defensive position as Harry attempted to move around her.

Harry looked at her incredulously, letting go of his nose, "Werewolves do not smell like this."

Edward cut in, "Not werewolves like you know them. They're more like shapeshifters. They can turn in to wolves whenever they like."

"Well, bully for them. What the hell does that have to do with us?"

Carlisle didn't look away from the window as he spoke, other than a slight rustling in the trees of the forest Harry could see nothing, "They're a part of the Quileute tribe and their transformation is meant to guard their people from the cold ones, their name for vampires. We struck up a treaty with them a long time ago, the first time we lived here."

Harry's eyebrows were near his hairline, these shapeshifters sounded fascinating, "What treaty?"

"We don't hunt humans and they don't bother us," said Emmett, simply.

"And," continued Alice, "we stay off of their lands. Don't you remember, Harry? We mentioned where you weren't allowed to hunt?"

Harry did not remember, maybe he'd been a bit too wrapped up in his own drama, "Oh right, of course I remember," he lied.

Figures could be seen moving out of the trees now. Harry focused on them in interest. He noticed that they were each wearing only a pair of trousers, other than the girl-wolf, who also wore a vest. Harry wondered if the rustling behind the trees had been caused by the wolves transforming back in to humans and hastily getting dressed. Harry snorted slightly, the image made them much less intimidating.

His siblings shot him irritated glares and Harry rolled his eyes. What danger were a bunch of shapeshifters to a coven of vampires, after all?

Edward scowled as he turned to face Harry, "We also are under no circumstances to turn a human. If we break any of these rules then the treaty is forfeit."

"So what?" said Harry, impatient, "They couldn't hurt all of us! And we didn't even break this silly treaty. I haven't hunted humans since I've been here," he paused and cleared his throat, uncomfortable, "And none of you turned me."

Carlisle interrupted whatever Edward's response would have been and said in a firm voice, "Let's go out to meet them. I don't want them too near the house."

"Good idea, we'd never get the smell out," muttered Jasper.

The other Cullens ignored Jasper and moved to the door. Harry moved to follow but Rosalie put out an arm and stopped him in his tracks, "Not you," she snarled.

"What!" exclaimed Harry, "Why not? I can help!"

"We do not have time for arguments," said Carlisle, already at the door, "Harry, stay here. It's safer this way."

Harry scoffed.

"I mean it."

Harry huffed but muttered, "Fine."

Carlisle eyed him for a moment before saying, "Do not leave this house. Don't let them see you."

Harry rolled his eyes again and said something under his breath about overprotective sires.

"Harry."

"Okay, I won't," said Harry, giving in.

Carlisle nodded and Harry's family was gone. Harry didn't wait even a second before his eyes were glued to the window. He crouched down slightly, hoping no one would be able to see him.

Harry watched as his family approached the so-called wolves.

His mind wandered as the Cullens slowly moved forward. He was almost twenty-four, for Merlin's sake. He didn't know why his family insisted on treating him like he was twelve years old and made of bloody glass.

The Cullens and the wolves were a fair distance away and Harry couldn't make out the exchange as well as he would have liked. He wanted to open the window but he was sure someone would notice that.

The two groups were both in defensive positions, looking like they would spring in to battle at any moment. Harry wished he knew what they were saying.

What Harry did hear was the catty tone in Rosalie's voice that caused one of the shapeshifter to lunge forward and suddenly transform. Harry noted with amusement that the creature's trousers were torn to shreds in the act. He'd likely have trouble getting home.

However, what Harry did not find amusing was the absolutely overwhelming size of the wolf.

Holy shit!

That thing was enormous! Harry definitely understood his family's concern now. If there were that many of them and they were all that big…

Harry blinked as a crack formed in the window and then sighed, it wasn't a crack in the glass at all, but a crack in the layer of ice that had formed on it. He looked around and noticed that ice covered half the wall. Harry groaned in exasperation. He needed to get his magic under control, somehow. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to quell his nerves.

"Absolutely not," he heard Carlisle snarl. Harry's head snapped up, was his magic letting him hear their conversation?

"He's done nothing wrong," said Carlisle, in a voice that was as cold as the ice surrounding Harry.

Harry figured that his magic must have done this and mused that maybe it was good for something after all.

"You've all done something wrong!" said one of the wolves, the tallest and oldest looking, sounding furious, "You revealed yourselves to Isabella and threatened her life!"

"Revealed ourselves?" came Rosalie's voice, full of loathing, "She claimed it was one of your books that let her discover what we are! We only threatened her after she threatened to expose us to the humans!"

Another boy spoke now, he looked younger than the first one but just a strong, "Bella said you took a human, a kid, and raised him! And now he's a freakin' vampire and you guys have nothing to do with it? How convenient!"

"We didn't take him," said Edward vehemently, "He was an orphan. We adopted him."

Carlisle's voice was still frigid as he spoke, "We didn't live here at the time of his adoption. It took place in the UK and then we lived in Oregon. He was gone for a long time and he didn't come to live here until just a few months ago, already turned in an attack, not by us. He's not hunted anything but animals in this forest, away from your land, since then. We've not broken the treaty."

The second boy spoke again, insistent and shaking his head, "Bella said he's a killer! That he tried to kill her flat out and that he has red eyes! So-,"

"Bella is a liar," said Alice, her voice surprisingly firm, "She's only told you that to get revenge, to hide her own embarrassment-,"

"It is more than just embarrassment," said the first boy, Harry thought that he must be the leader, "I saw Isabella's fear and the bruises that she bore, she didn't come to us just because she wanted revenge."

"She is lucky that she's only bruised!" said Rosalie, "What does she expect, coming to our nest and provoking us, provoking our youngest, a fledgling, who is still trying to gain control-,"

"Oh! So you admit that he can't control himself?" said the second boy, smirking at his own cleverness.

"I'm doing all right," muttered Harry from the window, though no one could hear him. He scowled at the stupid boy. What did he know, anyway?

The girl-wolf spoke up next, her voice stronger and deeper than Harry would have imagined, "If he's so in control then why is hiding? We can see him through your window, you know."

Harry's eyes widened and he ducked out of the window. The voices were silent and he wondered if his magic had stopped letting him listen. He dared to peek his head up again and when he did he saw many pairs of eyes staring right at him. He gulped.

Harry saw Carlisle narrow his eyes and grimaced.

Carlisle spoke on anyway, turning away and ignoring Harry, "It is not that he is out of control. It simply takes time to learn to live off of animal blood. It isn't easy, that's why he isn't allowed near humans. He stays here, isolated from them, and only leaves the house to hunt with us. Isabella made the mistake of coming to our home, uninvited, when we were unprepared more than once. Anything that has happened to her she has brought on herself."

"That's not good enough!" said the second boy, through clenched teeth, "He should pay for what he did to her! All of you should!"

"There has to be retribution," the first boy agreed.

Rosalie growled and look about ready to leap but Carlisle raised an arm to halt her and spoke, "As long as Isabella leaves us alone there will be no more incidents. If she can manage to stay away from us, then she will be perfectly safe."

"She shouldn't have to worry about that!" shouted the second boy, indignant.

Harry was getting irritated. Should he just go out there? He found himself tired of listening to these self important shapeshifters make their circular arguments and he certainly wouldn't mind a fight.

Before Harry could make a decision, the first boy, the leader crossed his arms and raised his chin. He nodded once, firmly, at Carlisle and said, "Bring him out here and let us size him up. We'll talk to him and decide if he's really a threat."

The reaction from his family was immediate, each raising their lips in snarls and hissing.

Rosalie spoke first, "Do you think we're foolish enough-,"

Carlisle cut her off, "Okay. We'll let you talk to him, but if you attack we will not hold back."

"Carlisle," hissed Edward, eyes wide.

"Enough," said Carlisle calmly, "Harry will be safe with all of us here," he eyed the wolves, "our lives will be much easier if we can all trust one another. I think we'd all like to avoid a fight, if possible."

The wolf leader narrowed his eyes but nodded again.

Carlisle looked towards the window and met Harry's eyes. He inclined his head and Harry assumed that was his cue to join them.

Merlin's beard

Harry stood and swallowed once. He ran a hand through his hair, wondering why he was suddenly so nervous, and reached for the doorknob. It was slick and coated in ice. Harry leaned his forehead against the door and closed his eyes tight. He had to get his magic in order, he couldn't let himself hurt one of the wolves or he'd start an all out war.

Harry shook his head firmly and opened the door.

The stench of the wolves was much worse than it was inside and he couldn't help but wrinkle his nose in disgust.

He took a step forward and in the next instant he stood next to Carlisle, who put a hand to his shoulder.

There was a tense pause as the wolves observed him. Harry's siblings were stock still, but he knew they were reading to pounce at any moment. Edward's hands were curled in to claws and Rosalie's teeth were still bared. The only sound was a low snarl that came from Jasper.

"But he has green eyes!" exclaimed one of the younger boys, breaking the tension, "What the heck does that mean?"

"Shut up!" whispered another young wolf, elbowing the other boy, who rubbed his arm and glared.

One of the older wolves turned and gave the boys a stern glance that shushed them.

Harry couldn't restrain an eye roll at that. Clearly these shapeshifters were just stupid children.

The wolves continued to 'size him up' in silence, until Harry finally got sick of it.

"For fuck's sake, what?" he said, causing one of his siblings to hiss his name, he ignored them and continued, "You see me, so what? Are we going to fight now or are you going to leave?"

The leader glared and sneered at Harry, "You should show some respect. You wouldn't like this fight."

Harry laughed without humor, "I think I might."

The leader only glared harder, "You don't know what you are up against," he turned to look at Carlisle, "control your fledgling, Cullen."

Harry bristled, "I can control myself."

The second boy stepped forward and his voice was full of loathing, "You should be scared of what-!"

Harry interrupted him with another laugh, "Oh, I am certainly not afraid of a bunch hopped up shapeshifters who think they matter-,"

The boy suddenly leapt forward and faster than a flash he was a wolf, mid air, huge and about to land his claws in Harry before anyone could move.

But before he landed, he was halted and frozen, unable to move and trapped a breath away from Harry's face.

Harry grinned fiercely as the wolf whimpered. His magic seemed to be doing him a lot of favors today.

"What are you doing?" screamed the girl-wolf, livid, "Let him go!"

Harry looked behind the wolf and smirked wickedly at the girl, "I will," he turned to look at the leader, "so long as you leave and you don't come back here."

The leader's jaw was clenching furiously and the whites of his eyes were visible.

Harry scoffed at him, "I'm not going to hurt any humans. Least of all your precious little Isabella, even if she does deserve it."

The leader flared his nostrils and Harry tapped his foot, impatient. Finally, the leader snapped and acquiesced, "Fine, just let him go and we'll leave."

Harry's smirk grew and his voice was acid, "There now, see how easy things can be when we just listen to one another?"

Harry kept his face gloating and confident as well as he could as he scrambled internally, trying to figure out how to make his magic let go of the wolf.

Shit shit shit shit shit

Let go, he thought, c'mon just drop him, please please please, bloody buggering fucking useless-

Then his magic dropped the wolf with some force. That is, enough force to throw him backwards a good distance and have the wolf skid to a stop on his back and whimper loudly.

The other wolves turned to scowl at Harry viscously.

Oh Merlin

Harry's eyes were wide but he did his best to look casual, "Er…What? I never said I'd do it nicely."

Fucking hell

The injured wolf was on his feet now and he growled and made for Harry again, but the leader stepped in front of him.

"Jacob!" he commanded, "Calm down, it's enough," he turned back to the Cullens and met Carlisle's eyes, "if we hear anything, anything, else about any of you attacking a human we will be back."

The leader gave each Cullen one last glare and made sure to sneer at Harry, who was tempted to stick out his tongue but managed to refrain, before he turned and walked back in to the forest. The wolf, Jacob, Harry supposed, turned his massive head to Harry and growled savagely before departing.

Harry let out a low whistle and turned to his family, wiping his hands together in a gesture of a job well done.

"Well," he said, smiling and trying to sound optimistic, "that worked out pretty all right, yeah?"

The looks on his family's faces indicated that they did not agree.

"Inside," said Carlisle, voice deathly low, "now."