He didn't have much to tell me. Her name was Lila Martin, she put me up for adoption, she didn't stick around for long, and they never talked to her again. Charlie and Renee had been unable to conceive, and in a somewhat desperate attempt to try and save their already failing marriage they tried adoption. Lila had shown up at the hospital to hand me over to Charlie and Renee, but when they finished with the official papers to take me home she was nowhere to be found. She hadn't left any contact information behind either, electing to have no further contact with me in the future.

When I looked her up online, aside from my birth certificate, there was very limited information on Lila Martin. Aside from her residency in Virginia, there was no other record to prove she had ever existed. Which was no help to me. Apart from finding out I was adopted, and having no connection to my birth mother whatsoever, it also didn't help that my previous breakthrough on my "ability" was a dead end. Martin must not have been her maiden name, because I couldn't locate any of her relatives. Without a familial connection, I couldn't prove that my ability had anything to do with an empathetic trait passed down through the bloodline.

So I was back at square one. And my relationship with my father was now tense, suffering from news that had pretty much blown my preconceived ideas about my family apart. I wasn't concerned with my parent's love, I knew they had always thought of me as their own, but the lack of care the news had been delivered with had hurt. That he had just assumed my mother told me, and he hadn't been concerned about relaying the news to me gently had been hard for me to recover from. I hadn't seen him in a week, asking for some distance so I could come to grips with the information he had lain at my feet.

But I still don't have any more information than I had before, and I'm not sure where to go from here. I don't have any leads, and I don't have a single idea on where to start again. Keeping hope that I would one day have all the answers I wanted was becoming harder to maintain. I needed to eat. Eating would help me relax.

I run from my room, about to sneak out the door and head to the hospital when Emmett calls my name from the living room.

"Bella, come check this out," he yells.

I change directions reluctantly, and walk in on the entire family standing in front of the wide-screen TV. A news anchor is covering multiple disappearances in the Seattle and Port Angeles area.

"What's going on?" I ask.

"A lot of people have been killed over the past few months in Washington. We noticed disappearances happening before you were turned, and have been following it ever since. But it has picked up significantly in the past month and has centralized in Seattle. None of the victims have been found, but it's assumed they have been murdered and that they're all connected. At least we think so," Carlisle explains.

Well that's not good, but "at least they've stayed away from Forks so far…" I respond, finishing my thought out loud.

Charlie and I might be on the "outs" right now, but I would be devastated if he died. Especially at the hands of a rogue vampire, like my mother and Phil had been.

"So far, anyways. They could easily head south and start picking people up here. We thought you should be aware, and on the lookout for any suspicious activity while you're out," Esme says, obviously concerned for my safety.

"Thanks. I'll make sure to do that," and I smile at her with sincerity, because at least I know she means it.

Without another word, I head out the door intending to make good on my earlier idea to eat. But I can't seem to catch a break, because I run into Paul almost immediately after entering the forest. Like he had been waiting for me. The Cullens and the wolves came to an agreement awhile ago, that the wolves could pass into Forks while I continue my training. It was more of an appeasement strategy on the Cullens part, which I did appreciate since they were trying to keep me alive.

Paul has shifted before I can finish my thought, and I glance down while he pulls clothes from the band on his ankle and throws them on. I don't need to be anymore distracted than I already am.

"What are you doing out here?" I ask, wondering if he had in fact been waiting for me.

"Looking for you actually. I've been having more dreams…and the mark on my back has been particularly bothersome. I was testing out my theory that seeing you would help. And it is," he replies.

Well, doesn't he seem more talkative than normal. But I can't fault him for trying to ease his burden, which I seem to be at fault for.

"Sorry about that. Again. I still don't have any answers for you," I reply, wishing I could say differently.

"I don't think you have any more control over it than I do. And that wasn't the only reason I came to see you," he begins.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, there's this annual pack get-together at Sam's place tonight at eight. I'm hoping us being around each other for an extended period of time will let me get a night's rest, so I wanted to see if you were interested in going," he asks.

How could I possibly say no to that? I've kept the poor man from sleeping. And with how busy I'm sure he is, with two jobs and patrols for the pack, I'm sure he needs it.

"I'd love to. Any way I can help alleviate some of the symptoms for you," I say, eager to help.

"Ok," he responds.

And then we stand in silence, staring at one another and neither of us sure what else to talk about.

"Well…I was just going to get something to eat so…" and I motion in a vague and general direction behind me.

"Oh, right. How is that going, by the way?" He inquires, curious I'm sure since he was there the night my life really went to shit.

"Oh it's uhh…developing I guess. The last time I drank it, I had more memories, and from more than one person too. When Leah saw it happen she said my features kept shifting, and only stuck once I had pulled out of my 'trance,' as she called it."

"Hmmm…so you couldn't control it without the blood, then?" he asks.

"No, I kind of went crazy without it. Even now, I feel like I need it, even though I went out this morning for more," I say, divulging my worries to him.

"Well…I can go with you. Just in case something happens?" And it feels more like an excuse to follow me than anything, but I send him a small smile in gratitude. My desire to be alone from earlier has disappeared with his prolonged presence.

So I shrug, and motion with my head for him to follow me. We run together, him staying in his human form, and I have to slow down slightly so he can keep up.

Later that night, I meet Paul at the treaty line and he drives me to Sam's on his motorcycle. The feel of him between my legs and pushed up against the entirety of my front, the bike beneath us roaring with power, has heat pulsing through my body. My hands grip onto his leather jacket even tighter in a simultaneous effort to keep from crushing him, and soothe the ache building in my abdomen. I'm suddenly hit by an overwhelming need to bite into his neck. My chest constricts, and my legs clench tighter around the outside of his thighs. I think I might be hurting him because he hisses through his teeth, and his hands clench down on the handle bars. And then my left shoulder is on fire, and I'm begging him pull the bike over. I throw myself into the forest lining the main road, trying to get away from him. My thoughts are going hazy, the urge to drink from him the only thought clear in my mind. I want to throw him on his back and pin his hands above his head, slowly sliding my center down his hardened abs and further until he's growling beneath me. I need to pull his head back, my fingers sliding through his soft hair, and lick down his neck to feel the throbbing of his pulse beneath my tongue. His back arching as my teeth slide in, his blood pouring down my throat and chin, catching in the dip of his collarbone. And the muscles in my back tighten as the mark on my shoulder burns like fire. I yell out into the trees, needing it all to stop.

I can feel him behind me, his presence always on my radar. I can feel his eyes watching me, the intensity of his stare burning almost as hot as the need coursing through my veins. I spin around, my teeth bared to warn him off. If he comes too close I might attack him. I can't hurt him. I just can't.

We stand there for, what feels like, forever. I'm not sure of the cause behind my outburst, but he seems to be feeling the same way. There's heat in his eyes and his hands are clenched at his sides; the muscles in his forearms standing out and drawing my attention. He's so strong; I'm sure he'd easily be able to lift me up and throw me against any tree nearby…No. I shake my head, trying to clear the thought before it overtakes me. I groan out loud, and I watch at his eyes narrow and nostrils flare. Oh, God.

"Don't," I spit.

But he bares his teeth at me in return, and advances a step in my direction. I snarl out, but it doesn't deter him.

"I'll bite you. Don't!" I yell at him desperately.

I want him to leave, but I'm equally as desperate for his nearness. My eyes zero in on his neck, the beat of his heart loud in my ears.

"Who says I'm opposed?" he replies quietly, a smirk sliding over his face.

I growl loudly, infuriated he would place himself in this situation. He steps closer, into my space, and I've had enough. If he wants it, he can have it.

I shove a hand into his chest, throwing him bodily backwards. His back slams into a tree, the force with which I threw him causing bark to splinter. I'm in front of him in the next second, sliding my hand up the hot and smooth skin of his neck and then through his hair. I don't take much time to revel at the softness, softer than I'd imagined, before I pull his head back viciously. But he only snarls in response, so I lean forward and let my tongue glide over the muscles in his neck. He tastes like heaven: male, and sweat and darkness. My teeth sink in and a loud moan pulls from my throat as blood pours into my mouth. One of his hands tangles in my hair, pulling me closer, and the other winds around my back to keep me from moving away. One of his thighs slides between mine, and I grind down in need. My eyes roll into my head, and his hand tightens in my hair as a deep growl rolls like thunder from his mouth.

Claws, or what I'd imagine them to be, dig into the marble-like skin of my back, but I pay it little attention since the rest of him has managed to stay human. He moves both hands to my hips and rolls them forward into him, and I feel like electricity has shot through my entire body. When a whimper slips from my mouth, I'm suddenly aware of where I am and what I'm doing. With a gasp I fly back until I'm a good distance from his body. We are staring at each other again and both of our chests are heaving; only his out of necessity.

The heat slowly drains from me, and my eyes widen as I realize what I've done.

With a hand partially covering my mouth in horror, I ask, "Are you ok? Can a vampire bite hurt a werewolf?"

He takes a minute before responding, still working himself down from the intensity of our previous actions,

"No. I'm fine."

"What the hell just happened?! What WAS that?" because I'm hoping he knows more than me.

"No idea. But I haven't felt this good in months," and he doesn't seem to hold any regret over what just went down.

"What?" I sputter. Surely he can't be ok with being controlled by supernatural desires and emotions? I couldn't control myself back there!

"I haven't slept well in weeks, yet I feel completely rested, the burning on my back has finally subsided, and I feel like I could run to Canada and back without breaking a sweat. And you?" he asks, a new energy lighting up his eyes.

And I can't say anything because I know exactly what he means. Despite the unresolved tension, I feel like I could take on the world. The stress and anxiety from the past few months melted from my shoulders while drinking his blood, the overwhelming need to feed that rides me constantly has disappeared…I feel good. And the burning on my shoulder, that I've only felt for the first time tonight, stopped the second I bit into his neck.

"But why?" I decide to ask, reminding him we now have more unanswered questions than we did before, despite how great we feel.

"Honestly, asking at this point is just a waste of time. We might never know, and we sure as hell won't be figuring it all out tonight," he replies, sliding his hands into his jean pockets.

And I get it. Always asking questions and being weighed down by the idea that I might never have the answers…it's exhausting. Who cares, why?

"Let's just go, and enjoy the respite while we have it," he says, breaking through my introspection.

"But what about everything that just happened? I was basically humping you back there," and I would have been shy before about saying something so brazen, but I feel empowered now. And somewhat careless; but like nothing in the world could stop me.

"You needed to feed, and I needed an energy boost. We took it the only way we could. Let's stick with that for right now," he answers, shrugging his broad shoulders.

"Yeah…ok," I say, because I actually feel ok with letting it be for now. Incredibly relaxed.

"You still want to go? To Sam's?" he asks me.

"Oh, right…sure, why not?" and I follow him back to his bike, where he had basically tossed it on the side of the road in his haste to follow me earlier.

The whole time neither of us pay any mind to the moonlight shining over us from above. The rays caressing our skin, urging us forward, and acting as audience to our actions in the woods that night.