I wasn't sure if the day had been dragging on or going by quickly as I had packed my things into the back of a taxi cab "You know it's okay if you don't want to go, right?" Renee asked although we both knew that it wasn't much a choice anymore I stayed longer than I was supposed to in Phoenix and questions would arise. "Bella?"

I turned to face face her with a "hmm" and she merely shook her head "It's fine Renee plus you are traveling with Phil and if I stay there will be questions asked so I'll go stay with Charlie." Renee only kissed me on my head before I got into the cab and I was gone not long was I on a plan to Forks meeting with Charlie, my family wasn't ordinary, well my father's side of the family. My mother got lucky and was completely normal. I on the other hand like Charlie we are far beyond normal because he's related to the shifters on the Res which in turn pasted the gene's from him to me although him and mom were sure I wouldn't be. "Here let me help with that Bells," Charlie grabbed my bags putting them into the back of the cruiser "so the change?"

The change or when I shifted hadn't been easy since I was alone in that aspect back in Phoenix and Renee wasn't a shifter so this was the only thing her motherly instincts didn't know how to deal with. Instead she would spend nights on the phone with Charlie asking questions, writing down notes, things that I should be doing, etc. "It was painful," I watched out the window "I ran through the desert to get the hang of it all but I haven't changed much since then. I didn't want to risk somebody seeing me and try hunting me down."

"Good thinking," Charlie nodded as he kept up with the small talk the last time I had seen him was three years ago but I would talk with him on the phone "well here you trapsized through the forest I do so every once in awhile I know it can feel irritating not shifting every once in awhile. I will warn you though before your instincts go flaring like crazy, there are vampires, but you are to leave them be. The Cullens are peaceful vampires and honestly mean no harm I've been living beside them for a long while so don't be like the wolves on the Res trying to start thing, understood?"

I turned to Charlie it didn't surprise me that he befriended vampires to be honest the thing that surprised me was what he had said about the other shifters. "Understood." The other thing that distincted us from the shifters on the Res we didn't have a stench like theirs which was something I was okay with. I never figured that out and Charlie also wasn't sure why I only know this because he had mention in passing we had a certain scent to other species. Charlie also was an Alpha which could be that although I wonder how it would work having two Alpha's under one roof although I only hold the title I haven't earned it only having shifted not to long ago. Charlie would start me on training when he wasn't working or on call, once I become more in touch with my wolf side, and show that I can handle it is when I would earn being an Alpha.

"We are here," the cruiser died as he had gotten out having gotten everything out of the trunk "let's get everything inside first before I show you, your welcome home gift, and then we can do dinner. Jacob and Billy Black will be stopping by for dinner and the football game later so I hope you don't mind since I told them you were back home they wanted to come visit."

"I don't mind," I had opened the door to the small two story house letting Charlie in first "so why did you say that about the shifters, earlier?"

"They may be family," Charlie grunted as he got everything upstairs and into Bella's old room "but their views are old and the council is run by the elders who have the same views from when the Cullens first came around. The pale faces as they call them, the Cullens never meant harm then, they sure don't mean it now and they are just spreading their wronged views on the younger wolves. I still love the Blacks we just don't agree eye to eye on the Cullen subject so I merely leave it be and live on the Cullens side of the territory since if we lived on that side there would be certain rules. Say for instant when you came back and I'd be living on the Res you'd have to be under Sam I would say Jacob but he hasn't changed yet color me surprise when I heard you shifted way before. Anyway you would have to be under Sam being an Alpha and having another Alpha would also cause trouble so I didn't want that in case you ever shifted because then you'd be fighting Sam then Jacob."

I told you when Charlie knew more about this, he really did, "I'm not even ready," Charlie nodded "so the Cullens is one of the reasons besides me?"

"Yup," Charlie popped the 'P' at the end motioning for Bella to follow him "your training will start tomorrow and you'll be on a bit of a strict schedule." As they descended downstairs and headed through the back door leading to the backyard "Weekdays you are to be home by 10 pm no later, the weekends are fine just check in, training days I will set up a schedule later. For now stay on Cullen territory, Carlisle who's the leader of the coven, already knows about you and has informed his family to keep an eye out for you. When you are in wolf don't go into the Res and they are not allowed on this side besides Jacob Black and Billy Black since the farthest they come is to visit here."

I kept note of all this in my head as Charlie drilled it into me and I'd have to make note of where the boundary ended at which I'm sure he'd show me tomorrow. "Woah," I looked at the old 67 black camaro which use to be Charlie's at one point "wait why are you showing me this?"

Charlie turned to me with the biggest smile "I know how much you use to like it when I would take you out for rides as a kid and I've been maintaining it for the longest but I don't use it seeing as I have the cruiser. So you can have it, your welcome home present, just take care of it Bells and I don't want to know that you are doing stupid shit in this vehicle, understood?"

I tackled him in a hug the good thing was he caught me and was as stiff as a brick wall so we didn't fall over "Thanks Ch-Dad." I looked it over this car, Eleanor, was his baby and it still looked like it had when I was 7 almost as the car hadn't aged a day "So school?"

"You'll start tomorrow and training will be afterwards," Charlie nodded "also will you do me a favor?"

"Groceries?" Charlie nodded and I only gave a soft laugh having known "Alright I'll go get groceries before they get here and then get ready for tomorrow. As I got into the car and sped off I only wondered what it was going to be like once the wolves on the Res found out about me since I was sure Charlie hadn't informed them. As I got the the grocery store I grabbed everything from cereal to making lasagna and was sure we'd be stocked on food once I was done I headed back. "Bella!" As I came to stop a stop I gave a sideways glance before I realized who it was "Jacob?"

"Yeah! Want some help with all that?"

"Sure," I took in his scent and no kidding even though he hadn't shifted yet the stench was like wet dog it made me wonder how my scent smelt "thank I didn't think the two of you would be here already I was hoping to cook something up."

"I think Charlie ordered pizza but if you there is another time that you decide to invite me over for your dinner I am all up for it. How was phoenix?"

I was glad that Jacob didn't make it awkward and he sure as hell kept the conversation going as we talked about when we were kids and what happened in between when I left I didn't inform him about shifting due to Charlie not wanting to inform them just yet. I wonder if he knew what was going to happen to him soon, how he would feel knowing I was one of them yet different, or if that would hurt his ego knowing I shifted before he did? "Jake," Billy and Charlie had gotten up from where they had been seated in the living room room coming toward the kitchen "time to go you can hang out with Bella another time." Billy although seemed like he knew but wasn't saying a word to Jacob or anyone on the council was all that due to CHarlie?

"Okay," Jake turned back toward me "guess another time?"

"Yeah," I looked at Billy "later Billy, Bye jake."

Once they were gone I turned toward Charlie "Billy?" He only nodded "I'm turning in for the night." Usually I would have gone on a midnight run but with having been on a plane and car rides I decided it was better to get some rest for tomorrow than show up looking worse than hell. "Night Bells!" Charlie's voice boomed through the house with only a small whisper in return from me as I got changed and into bed. It wasn't long before sleep took over me.

"Bells wake up or you'll be late!" I could hear Charlie which got me up and going not even deciding what I'd be wearing for my first day of school "Here, there's breakfast and money for lunch I'll see you after school and remember what I said about the Cullens." With that I was out the door and like a bat out of hell heading toward Forks High school which was already getting packed. I parked the old camaro close to the school and then there it was as soon as I had stepped out the sweet scent that invaded my nose making me look toward the accuser "Cullens." I whispered inhumanly low there was six of them and I was ignoring my instincts as best as I could. Taking a deep breath I remember what Charlie told me then headed toward the buildings spotting one that said FRONT OFFICE heading straight for it once I was inside the first thing I noticed was that it was brightly lit. "May I help you?"

The lady in front of me only wore a purple t-shirt and jeans it made me feel a bit overdressed looking down on myself I was wearing a white see through shirt, with a blouse underneath, some slightly tight dark blue jeans, and my converse. I coughed awkwardly "I'm Isabella Swan," her eyes lit up leading me to believe that it must have gotten around town before I had even arrived "I was just going to pick up my schedule and be on my way if you don't mind."

"Of course," she scuffled through the many papers before she must have come to mine "here you are this is a map of the school and your schedule also don't be surprised if everyone knows that you're the Chief's daughter. Now go ahead and go before you are late to your first class also before I forget take this slip and have each of your teachers sign it then bring it back here at the end of the day."

I only nodded making my way out it really was a small town when everyone already knew who you were especially if you are the Chief's daughter I'd get more attention than I would want because of that. I made it to my first class that was around the cafeteria it was small for a classroom everyone was putting up their coats on hooks although I decided to keep my own things with me. I took the slip up to the teacher, a tall, balding man who desk had a nameplate identifying him as Mr. Mason. His face looked a bit surprised when he saw my name which wasn't all that encouraging at least he had sent me to an empty desk without introducing me which was good. I wanted to lay low for as long as possible although I knew either way that it wouldn't last the good thing was they were already going over material that I had already done back in Phoenix. Your basic shakespeare stuff.

As soon as the bell rang I headed straight for the door except the mission wasn't accomplished when I was stopped "You're Isabella Swan, aren't you?"

"Just Bella," I corrected him.

"Where's your next class?" He asked.

I had memorized my schedule which wasn't hard at all "Um, Government, with Jefferson, in building six."

This guy was making it awkward and it was hard because there was nowhere to look unless I was wanting to meet with curious eyes.

"I'm heading toward building four, I could show you the way…" he was being a bit to overhelpful "I'm Eric," he then added.

I gave him a somewhat sideways smile "Thanks."

He grabbed his coat and we headed out back into the pouring rain, which had picked up more since this morning. I could have sworn there was a bunch of people behind us and close enough to eavesdrop. I hope I wasn't getting paranoid because of the large coven or for the fact of being a newbie.

"So this has to be very different from Phoenix, huh?" He asked.

"Very."

"It doesn't rain much there, does it?"

"Three or four times a year."

"Wow, what must that be like?" he wondered.

"Sunny," I told him.

"You don't look very tan."

"My mother is partially albino."

He studied my face like he was researching for a project and I sighed, It looked like clouds and a sense of humor didn't mix. A few months of this and I'd forget how to use sarcasm.

We walked back around the cafeteria, to the south buildings by the gym, though it was clearly marked.

"Well, good luck," he said as I touched the handle. "Maybe we'll have some other classes together." He sounded hopeful.

I smiled vaguely without a response and went inside. The rest of the morning passed by quickly which was amazing I thought it was going to dragged and after three classes I started to recognize several faces in each class. There was always someone brave enough than everyone else who would introduce themselves and ask me questions about home or if I was liking Forks. One girl sat next to me in both Trig and Spanish, and she walked with me to the cafeteria for lunch. I couldn't remember her name or didn't much care to so all I did was smile and nodded as she prattled about teachers and classes. I didn't try to keep up.

We sat in a round table with a bunch of her friends who she introduce me to and gave me their names but I forgot them as soon as she spoke they also seemed impressed with how brave she was being. That was when I saw them in the lunchroom, trying to make conversation with seven curious strangers, I saw them the second time again today which wasn't to bad that I had kept my distance without trying.

They were sitting in a corner of their own, as far away from where I was currently seated as possible in the long room. There was six of them like I had counted earlier in the morning. They weren't talking, and they weren't eating, though they each had a tray of untouched food right in their faces but they were vampires so they weren't going to eat only trying to keep up a facade. Of the three boys, one was big-muscled like a serious weight lifter, with dark, curly hair. Another was taller, leaner, but still muscular, and honey blond. The last one was lanky, less bulky, with untidy, bronze-colored hair. He was more boyish than the others, who looked like they could be in college, or even teachers here rather than students but they must have done this enough to be playing it safe. The girls were opposites. The tall one was statuesque. She had a beautiful figure, the kind you saw on the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, the kind that made every girl around her take a hit on her self esteem just by being in the same room. Her hair was golden, gently waving to the middle of her back. The short girl was pixie like, thin in the extreme, with small features. Her hair was a deep black, cropped short and pointing in every direction. The next female had long wavy hair, the color was a brilliant orange almost red, a bit taller than the pixie although short than the blonde.

And yet, they were all exactly alike. Every one of them was chalky pale, the palest of all the students living in this sunless town. Paler than me, the albino. They all had very dark eyes despite the range in hair tones. They also had dark shadows under those eyes-purplish, bruise like shadows. As if they were all suffering from a sleepless night, or almost done recording from a broken nose.

Though their noses, all their features, were straight, perfect, angular. It was how you knew they were vampires or immortal because everything for me when I had shifted became perfect like an extra puberty boost. It was hard to decide who was the most beautiful-maybe the e perfect blonde girl, or pixie. As I watched the pixie haired girl rose with her tray-unopened soda, unbitten apple- and walked away with a quick, graceful lope that belonged on a runway. I watch, amazed at her lithe dancer's step, till she dumped her tray and glided through the back door, faster than I would have thought possible. My eyes darted back to the other, who sat unchanging.

"I see you've noticed the Cullens," As she looked toward them already, probably, from my tone, suddenly she looked at her, the beautiful figure, the one that looked like she should be the front cover of a swimsuit magazine. She looked at my neighbor for just a millisecond, and then her eyes met mine.