AN: If you were on Tricky Raven, this was my story from there. It's got about 16 chapter so far, but they are shorter chapters- 500-word drabble length. I'll update fairly regularly until I catch up where I stopped writing. Hopefully that will give me a nudge to finish up. Thanks for your patience!

Just a note- I didn't designate a single couple for this, but I'm not saying there won't be one. It might be poly, it might not be...

*~*Claim*~*

Chapter 1- Scary Stories

Bella was actually enjoying her chat with Jacob when Lauren's snide voice interrupted her rudely. "It's too bad the Cullens couldn't come today—right, Bella?"

The tall, older boy spoke before she could think of a response. His eyes seemed to bore right through her as he laid out the statement that was more edict than observation. "The Cullens don't come here."

She shivered as she heard his voice—the deep tone spoke to something deep inside her, almost compelling her to obey. She couldn't make herself look away until he broke eye contact and gazed at the waves behind her.

A movement to his right brought her attention to a slightly shorter boy with dark, wavy hair. His eyes were kinder, and they sparkled with his friendly smile. She found herself smiling back before he too looked away.

It was clear she would get nothing further from those two, but she had another source of information sitting eagerly to her right. "Hey, Jake? You want to go for a walk?" she asked, trying her best to sound flirtatious, much to the amusement of the wolves with superior hearing.

The younger boy bounced up happily and led her down the beach for what they thought would be a private conversation. Bella was nervous as she tried to ask the right questions. "So, who was that older boy?"

Jacob's face took on a hard edge—he really didn't like the La Push gang. "That's Sam Uley. He's nineteen. The other one was his lap dog, Jared."

Bella nodded. "What was he saying about the Cullens?"

He looked out across the waves toward James Island. "They aren't allowed to come on the reservation." He stopped and bit his lip, glancing back at her. "Sorry, I'm not supposed to talk about that."

With a few more awkward flirting attempts, Bella coaxed the story out of him. She found herself mesmerized by the legends he told, and began to wonder if there was truth to them after all. She knew there was something different about the Cullens—Edward in particular—but it was hard to accept the whole werewolf/vampire concept.

In the trees behind them, a silver wolf paced anxiously, wanting to see the girl for himself, but unable to calm himself enough to phase back in order to do so. His low growl grew loud enough to carry across the sand, and the couple on the beach glanced back at him, curious.

Jared phased in as Paul was pondering the delicious flavor of Bella Swan's scent as it floated toward him on the damp ocean breeze. Paul was startled when his normally mild-mannered friend jumped toward him with a snarl. Stop it! She's mine!

Paul turned on his friend and brother with his fury-driven prowess. My wolf likes her. He wants to get closer.

Jared stopped, surprised, and lost all his fight. Paul had fucked a lot of girls since his change, but his wolf never liked how they smelled. Still, My wolf likes her too. He thinks she's his. It was hard for the men to put words to the wolf's feelings, but they understood each other more in this form. Jared's attraction was tempered by protective adoration, while Paul was pure mating instinct and a desire to possess.

They turned their heads toward the girl as Ephraim's heir explained the pack in a way he did not yet understand. When she left to go back to Forks, Sam followed her—unwilling to leave her unguarded for a moment.