Chapter 1

Sage looked over at him again as the teacher droned on. He was glaring fixatedly at the clock on the wall, as so was half of the class. She felt a gaze on her and turned around to see her best friend Storm staring at her, eyebrows raised as if to say to her "Really? This again?"

She just smiled back. It's not like she could say anything, and this is why; because he loved Officer Swan's girl but the stupid girl didn't like him back, she was off with some Cullen… while Sage was in love with him but he barely even knew she existed. And to top it off he was an ass-hole, not the kind of guy she would usually go for, but did that change anything? Nope, everyday the same; loving Jacob Black.

The bell finally rings and everyone leaves in a rush of noise. As they file into the hallway Sage feels a hand grab her elbow. "I saw that!" said Storm as they sat down at the usual table in the cafeteria. Again Sage just smiled. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't really deny it.

"Saw what?" asks Cassie, the gossip girl in her practically taking down notes and Sage hated to disappoint her but that didn't stop her from saying "Nothing!"

"She was staring at him again," blurts out Storm and Sage sighs tiredly. Ryder sits down opposite them and rolls his eyes.

"He spends like half his time in your house anyway, Sage, I don't get why you don't just say something?" he asks and the three girls just stare at him until he eventually realises that what he just said was a bad idea. "Well what then?" he asks exasperated.

"Nothing! I said, didn't I? Just get over it and live my life. Like any normal person." She doesn't want to like Jacob. It just causes problems for her.

Later that day she walks home to find her brother and some of the gang he hangs out with in her front room. Not surprising really since they all seem to take advantage of the fact that she and Adam live alone in a house without parents. But if she could change it so her parents were alive again she would.

"Hey, you guys hungry?" she calls out as she walks into the kitchen, trying not to think about the fact that Jacob wasn't there today.

Then there's a sudden stampede of people all around her and the words "Yes, I'm starving!" could be heard in many different variations around her.

"Okay, well there's bread over there and stuff in the fridge and sweets up there." She doesn't even attempt to reach for it what with her being so small, and she could do without the teasing.

They all grab some food and make their way back into the front room while she cleans up the inevitable mess they leave behind them. She sings as she does so and once it's all been cleared up she goes upstairs. She puts in her iPod, closes her eyes and lies down on her bed. Tears fall from her eyes as she thinks about the life she used to have.

Suddenly Sage feels a hand on her arm. She screams loud enough to wake the dead. "What the hell? Get out! Out!" she scrambles into sitting position, pulling out her headphones and quickly sweeping the tears from her cheeks.

"Whoa, sorry…" says Embry, one of Adam's friends.

She's even not listening because everything has taken on a sort of dream-like quality and she is literally seeing red. "I said out!"

And after those deafening words she feels her whole body change and suddenly she can hear the birds outside and smell the toast downstairs. "Aw shit." He mutters staring at her. She looks down at herself and sees paws. Suddenly the room is vibrating with a piercing howl, and then she realises the sound is coming from her mouth. She looks up for Embry but he's gone.

Downstairs she can hear commotion and next thing she knows Adams in her room. She growls instinctively, shocking herself. And poof! Instead of her brother, there is a huge wolf standing in front of her.

Sage calm down. This is totally normal.

Where were these words coming from?

It's me; we can talk like this when we're wolves.

Adam?

Yeah… look, how did you phase because we kinda have to get you back human.

Was it just her or did he almost sound regretful?

What the hell? What's wrong with us?

We're werewolves and-

Just shut up Adam shut up…. I don't want to hear this.

Sure you do.

I really don't.

Sour wolf

Stop that!

He does.

And suddenly Sage realises something.

Oh my God, you guys are a pack! What the hell? Am I the only one who can see how messed up this is?

That's offensive…

Just, how do I get back to… Me?

Like it or not, this is the new you.

Not 24/7 it's not!

Okay well the first step is to calm down, which you are so not doing right now…So, what pissed you off?

Invasion of personal space!

She looks around her at the five guys and one wolf now standing in her room as if to prove a point.

Well maybe we should get out of here.

Yeah, no shit. God I can't believe I'm related to you…

Okay, down stairs. Now.

Okay, okay I'm going.

Sage walks toward the door and the boys separate to let her out. She doesn't look them in the eye.

Sage walks slowly down the stairs, noting how she's actually taller now as a wolf than she is as a human. When she reaches the kitchen she plops down on her butt in the middle of the room.

What now? She wonders.

Now we try and get you back to a human

Yeah, I figured out that much, Adam.

Look enough of the cheek, Sage. I'm just trying to help.

Right, sorry.

Then Sage hears footsteps coming up behind her. She whips her head around to see a huge black wolf behind her and instinctively stands and retreats a few steps, wondering who it is.

I'm Sam Uley. I'm the Alpha.

Seriously?

Both Adam and Sam flinch at the images in her head, of all the times she's conflicted with the authority, be it the social services, the elders or the school principle, Sage hated being told what to do.

I don't want to boss you around, and I won't have to unless you do something that you shouldn't.

Sage growls irritably and Sam ignores her.

Right now all we want is for you to phase back so we can talk properly. So you just need to focus on what made you angry and realise why you are no longer angry.

God, you sound like my Yoda…

Whatever Sage, just do it.

Shut up Adam; say Sam and Sage at the same time.

But Sage does it anyway. She concentrates on her privacy, closing her eyes and she thinks about the fact that Embry was only trying to see if she was okay. Sage opens her eyes hopefully, only to be disappointed to look down and see her auburn fur. She puffs out a breath and tries again, this time telling herself that she's not angry. She opens her eyes again to look down at herself and see her naked body.

"Shit!" Sage mutters and she looks up at Sam, who is now a human too, however somehow he is still clothed.

"Adam, get your sister some clothes." He shoots out orders. "Embry, when she's dressed drive her and Adam to mine. Jared, pick up Paul and Jake, Quill come with me to tell Seth and Leah."

They all mutter some sort of affirmative and get going, very politely not looking in Sages direction. Then Adams there with a pile of clothes in his arms. Sage grabs them from him and rushes to put them on and in less than 30 seconds she's fully clothed. "Whoa…" She mutters "That was fast." She laughs.

"Yeah, we get super speed, cool right?" says Adam, smiling.

"Huh, yeah…" Sage wonders what other things she can do now.

Sage, Adam and Embry are in the car on their way to Sam's, Embry is behind the wheel Adam is in shotgun and Sage is in the back. "So, Sam… He just lives alone?" asks Sage.

"Nah, him and his fiancé Emily live together, and speaking of Emily, don't stare at her; it annoys Sam." Answers Embry.

"Right, the bear attack…" She says and then she realises what he's saying and her heart drops. "Aw shit! It wasn't a bear attack was it?"

Embry shakes his head. "No."

"Oh God, was it Sam?"

Embry only nods.

"And that's why I broke up with Sarah." Says Adam.

"No!" Sage says, shocked. "You two were made for each other!"

Adam just nods "Yeah well, I didn't want to hurt her."

Sage buries her face in her hands. "So Emily saw Sam turn into a massive wolf, and attack her but they're still together?" She asks.

"About that… They have what's called an imprint." Embry stops talking to beep his horn and shout out the car window at some girls. After receiving quite an impressive amount of middle fingers in return he continues driving in silence.

"Right, well I guess I didn't need to know what an imprint was anyway." Says Sage her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Oh yeah, I was telling the story." Embry realises, "Uh, its like true love, love at first sight, you know. It's like when Sam looks at her she's the only thing he needs."

"So they're like soul mates? Really?" asks Sage.

Embry nods. "Yup, it's pretty cool, but depends who you're asking. Take Jacob for example-"

"Jacob Black?" asks Sage, unable to stop herself.

"Yeah. He thinks it's unfair to have your choice taken away from you like that but that's just 'cuz he's so in love with Bella."

"The Swan girl?" asks Sage, knowing for sure now that there's no chance in hell that she and Jacob will be anything other than just friends.

"The one and only." Says Embry.

"But Jake's not the only one." Interrupts Adam. "Leah thinks the same."

Embry's eyes meet mine in the rear view mirror and he rolls his eyes. "Yeah well she would." Says Embry.

"What do you mean?" asks Sage.

"Leah and Sam were in love before he turned and fell in love with Emily. Now Leah knows she hasn't got a chance. She's the only girl, you know? It's not easy. Oh, and Sam was the first of us to turn just F.Y.I." he informs her.

"And that's why he's the Alpha?" asks Sage.

"Only at first, then everyone was waiting for Jacob to turn, because his great grandfather was the last Alpha. But when he did turn he didn't even want it. He felt that it wouldn't be what Bella would want for him." Embry says.

"Please." Sage laughs. "That's stupid; Bella has nothing to do with his job in the pack. Someone should tell that bitch what he's missing because of her."

Adam turns around in his seat to stare at her. "Sage! You don't even know her! You can't say something like that!"

"Oh yeah? Well, I just did." She states rudely.

Embry just laughs. "Aw, Sage! Are you jealous?"

Sage, sticks her tongue out. "I have no problem admitting I'm jealous; but my reaction would be the same for anyone."

Adam laughs "Yeah, right."

"It would!" Cries Sage indignantly.

"Hey, quit it with the family fights! Anyway, look, we're here." Embry pulls up at a small white house, quite bare looking. Sage smiles sweetly at Adam and leaves him with this final threat. "This isn't over."

Embry goes ahead of Sage and Adam and opens the front door and screams out to Emily. "Hey, we're here!" Sage hears a laugh from nearby.

"I'm right here, no need to shout." A girl with long black hair comes into the hallway. "Oh, hello." She smiles politely at Sage, her long scars scrunching up as she does so. "Who's this?"

Sage looks at Embry who introduces her, putting his own little twist on things, as he does. "This," he says putting an arm around her shoulders, "is Sage, Adam's little sister. Just phased for the first time, pretty little auburn she-wolf. She has a crush on Jacob, you know…" He says suggestively.

"Well then," says Emily, smirking (probably because of the part about Jacob). "Welcome to our little family. I have some food in the oven, so you'll have to wait a few minutes."

Sage smiles, liking the way she refers to the pack as her own little family.

"Your cooking is worth the wait, Emily." Says Embry, and with his arm still around Sage, leads her into a small kitchen where they sit at a table. They have just sat down when a voice calls out from the hall and Sage realises that it must just be what everyone does here.

"We're here." And Sam strolls into the kitchen followed by a boy Sage recognises from earlier as Quill and a girl who was presumably Leah and her little brother Seth. Leah's eyes immediately search out Sage's and Sage wonders if Leah looks a little disappointed.

"Hi." Says Sage, trying to break the ice a little, while also trying to distract herself from Sam and Emily's very passionate embrace behind her.

"Hey," Says Seth, smiling at her and showing two little dimples on his cheeks.

"Hi." Says Leah rudely, plopping her butt onto the closest chair and glaring at Sage.

A ringing noise sounds and Quill wolf whistles. "Yes!" he cries. "Food!"

Everyone laughs. "You'd think your mother starved you." Emily teases, flashing a quick smile at Quill.

"No comment." Jokes Quill and Emily laughs openly.

Then another voice calls out from the hallway. "It's us!"

Sage's heart leaps, the only person it could be is Jacob. And then into the room walk Jared and presumably Paul, and no Jacob. "Hey little she-wolf! Congrats!" cries out Jared.

"Thanks," Sage says, trying to sound sweetly sarcastic (and failing). "You know what?" she asks, standing up and speaks mocking an award winner. "I'd actually like to make a little speech." She clears her throat. "I'd like to thank my friends, for always being there for me, especially when we all thought I was losing it. I'd also like to thank my parents, for creating me with these fucked up genes. And lastly I'd like to thank my brother Adam," She smiles viciously and her voice turns icy. "For not telling me to be careful when getting angry because while it wasn't likely, it was still extremely possible that I could turn into a massive wolf." She gives a little bow and sits down as the room erupts into an explosion of noise. Some people are laughing and taking it lightly.

Then Jared speaks up. "Hey Sam, Jake will be a little late, he's just dropping Bella home."

Sage feels her stomach tighten with jealousy and out of the corner of her eye she sees Embry look at her meaningfully which she chooses to ignore.

"Well, I think we'll get started without him then." Says Sam. "Okay, Sage. We are werewolves." Someone sniggers but Sam pretends he can't hear it. "We exist for one reason; to kill vampires."

Sage feels her jaw drop open. "What?" Some of the boys laugh at her expression, but she doesn't care. "You're kidding-vampires exist too? Is there anything else I should know about, like I dunno, ghosts or something?"

Sam smiles good-heartedly. "Not that I know of. Anyway, the vampires here today in Forks are a little different; they don't feed on humans."

"Vampires in Forks? Oh my sweet baby Jesus, what is wrong with this place? Wait, I don't know any of them, do I?" Sage asks panicking now.

Adam laughs, "No, you're alright. It's the Cullens."

Again Sage feels shock flash through her. "Holy shit! The one's that Bella Swan's dating?"

"Yup." Says Seth, "But they're really nice for… you know, vampires."

Everyone stares at him until Leah speaks. "Mom used to drop him lots when he was a baby."

Seth rolls his eyes.

"On his head apparently." Jokes Embry.

"He used to chew the crib bars too." Says Leah matter-of-factly.

"Lead paint?" asks Paul.

"You'd think."

"Okay that's enough." Says Seth.

"As I was saying," interrupts Sam. "As werewolves, we have some… extra gifts."

Again someone laughs.

"You've probably noticed some of them already, the speed, strong hearing, smell and strength."

"Extra Strength?" asks Sage, overjoyed. "Yes! Now, there's something I could really use!"

Adam laughs, "Definitely."

Sam goes on as if no one had said anything. "Then there's the quick healing, and the talking to each other as woves… I think that's it." Sam lays back in his chair.

"Oh, and just in case you didn't pick up on it yet, we also turn into massive wolves." Says Jared.

"Well, I wish someone had told me earlier, it explains so much!" Sage jokes.

Then she hears the hall door open and Jacob's voice call out. "It's me!"