The La Push Pack

Chapter One – Poking the wolf

It was nearing the end of spring break. We'd all be heading back to school soon.
Those of us that are still young enough to be attending school that is.

Sam was still working of course, Emily too. Oh and Paul. Everyone always forgot that he was older. Being the big idiot that he is you have trouble imagining him doing something as serious as work. In fact, I'd never seen him work... Did I even know what his job was? I wrecked my brain trying to remember if I'd ever been told before. I got this strange feeling that he tended a bar but couldn't place why I thought that. Hmmm...

"Here they come!" Sam beamed.
"Come on Leah! You got this!" Emily and I cheered.

Neither of us could see anyone yet. Sam had either seen or heard something with his keen wolfy senses that us human girls couldn't pick up.

The three of us were sitting outside Sam and Emily's little cottage in the woods of La Push, which just happened to be our finish line today. Often our wolf pack had races. Emily and I would always be found watching from the sidelines cheering on Leah.
Leah not only was the fastest wolf but she was also the sole female in the pack. Emily and I might not actually be wolves but we consider ourselves wolf girls too, and us wolf girls need to stick together.

"YES! GO LEAH!" Em and I cheered as the silver wolf sped past followed closely by Jake's reddish-brown wolf, with the rest not far behind. They moved so fast that they were just a blur of colours. The thunderous sounds of the wolf stampede always made me shiver. It was so amazing. I wonder if it will ever stop feeling like... magic.

Sam begrudgingly placed a twenty dollar note in my hand as all the guys came walking up to the house, having shifted and redressed.

"I don't know why you ever bother to bet against me Sam." Leah laughed.

Sam watched Leah with a frown as she moved over to stand next to me, hand on her hip flicking her shoulder length hair back dramatically.

"You're just throwing your money away."

"One day it'll happen." He promised her.

Emily consoled a now sulking Sam as the boys started grabbing the supplies for the camp fire.

"Just out of curiosity, who did our wise ol' pack leader think stood a chance against my fine arse?" Leah questioned with her usual sass as she linked arms with me and led us after the guys towards the beach, leaving Sam and Emily behind.

I giggled.
"The fluffier than ever, little grey pup over there." I teased in Paul's direction.

We had really been laying it on thick lately, pun intended. Paul had lost a bet a few weeks back which resulted in him having to grow his hair long. A look that he'd managed to swing in his favour with the ladies. His wolf however, not so flattering. He was starting to look rather fluffy. The length of the man's hair directly impacted the length of the wolf's fur. It was rather amazing. This is why all the guys keep their hair short.

"Keep poking the wolf Bella, one day soon he's going to snap back.
Wouldn't want you to lose any of those precious little fingers now." Paul threatened.

He was joking. Mostly.

"Aww... you think I'm precious, how sweet." I teased back.

Paul and I, we had this love-hate relationship. For some reason we both just got on each other's nerves. But he was family, I know he'd never hurt me. In the past his threat would have terrified me. Now I just give it back and try to annoy him as much as I can.

Over the past eight months I've changed a lot. I feel stronger now.
I've picked up a few bad habits from the boys.
I'm louder now, more adventurous. I have a bit of a smart mouth now, so Charlie says.
I get into trouble far too often and my language is more colourful too.
I'm not the weak little girl who wasn't good enough anymore.

That's what I wanted everyone to believe anyway.

She was still there though, hiding. So was the pain.
If anyone looked close enough they'd see. I stared in the mirror every day. I saw it.
The emptiness of my eyes. The forced smile. The scars.
I shivered at the thought.

"Don't you worry about him my lady,
I shall not allow this wild beast touch a hair on your pretty little head." Jake proclaimed mockingly, bringing me back to focus.

I laughed and exaggerated a curtsy to Jake, while Leah just rolled her eyes and pulled me away. The boys had run ahead to the already roaring camp fire in the distance and lure of tonight's dinner starting to cook, leaving Leah and I to chat as we followed at a little slower, more human pace. The painful mood my thoughts had taken earlier drifted away as I enjoyed the evening spent with my friends. More than that, my family. My pack.