When she woke up 8 hours later, the first thing she noticed was James, still there beside her in bed. He must've been watching her sleep, because he notices the exact moment she opens her eyes.

"Looks like you're all healed up." His voice was soft, relieved. She couldn't help but lift up her shirt to see, cutting off the bandages that she forgot were there. She ran her hand over her stomach and then her back, marveling at the perfect skin. It seemed that now that she was healed, her weakness had gone. Her vision and hearing were back to normal, her skin was as hard as diamonds, and she knew that she wouldn't ever be sleeping again. If anything, she felt more like a vampire than before. Maybe accepting her mate had finally completed the change in some way. Being a werewolf would always be a part of her, in her mindset, her identities, her being. But she was a vampire through and through now, with a vampire mate. She felt like she had lost the last bits of who she was, but she couldn't be mad when she had gained so much more.

"So I am," she teases before her tone becomes serious, "Can we talk-"

"Think I need some fresh air, being stuck in here while you were asleep was really fuckin' boring." And with that, he jumped out the window he had originally used to enter. She sat there in shock for a moment, trying to process his hasty departure, when the hurt set in. It was quick to turn to frustration and bitterness, however. So she got dressed in silence before heading downstairs, running into Rosalie in the kitchen. She let the other vampire fuss over her, knowing that she needed to see for herself that Alex was miraculously healed after having a hole through her 8 hours ago. The warmth and casual affection from the normally stoic vampire helped to mellow her mood out, making her feel loved (though that should be her mate's job). The kitchen quickly filled with the rest of the coven and even Jacob, seemingly appearing out of nowhere as if on cue. When she asked Edward about how Bella was, he smiled softly and told her that things were handled with her mom and dad. He was even taking her to prom at some point. Her leg, though not broken, had many stress fractures so she was on a bit of pain medication, but at least she didn't need a cast. Everyone seemed so content and relieved in a way she had never experienced before, and it made her ache for this forever, though she knew it wasn't really her choice.

"Try not to take it personally, men are scared of talking about anything involving emotions," Rosalie comforted her later as she told the woman about what happened that morning, "He's been waiting for you so long that now that he has you, he's expecting it to blow up in his face. Just give him time, he'll initiate the conversation with you when he's ready." The men present were wise to not contradict her stereotype of men, knowing that she had plenty of ammo should they try and prove her wrong.

"Or maybe he's just a sociopath with no emotional depth who is still planning on killing us," Edward couldn't help but snark, bring up his doubts about the vampire that had promised to eat his girlfriend and kill his family.

"I'm sorry, what? He tried to kill you? Was he the one behind all the murders lately?" Jake asked, quickly becoming concerned. And it occurred to her that they hadn't updated him on anything that had happened, making her feel a bit guilty.

"Yeah, when Edward protected Bella and then when I protected the coven, it set him off on a hunt. But he won't kill anyone anymore!" she tries to reassure, though her heart isn't in her words.

"You're rather unsure about that, Alex," Edward notes, reading her mind. At this point, she has become so used to the mind reading and emotion feeling that it doesn't even make her pause.

"I trust him with me, but I can't be certain about what he may do otherwise. He seemed like he was trying last night with the blood bag, but it's never been about feeding for James. That's why his eyes are always so dark, he doesn't hunger for blood as much as he hungers for the hunt. His control is impeccable, he can be around humans for long periods of time while starving and still only be tempted to feed," she explained, wincing at how harsh she made him seem.

"To his credit, there haven't been any more murders since we came back," Carlisle added, always trying to see the best in people.

"So? Couldn't he have just gone elsewhere? And who's to say he hasn't just murdered anyone here and hid the crime?" Edward retorted stubbornly. She couldn't help but feel that it was a reasonable idea, considering who James was.

"Lay off of the dude, he isn't even here to defend himself. Yes, he's a sadistic asshole, but he's now a sadistic asshole with a mate that he wants to please. A mate who doesn't condone murder and torture," Emmett reasoned, and she couldn't help but beam at his support.

"I think we all need to get out of the house for awhile," Alice suggested, "And Jacob, you haven't been home in almost a week."

"That sounds like a great idea, Alice," Esme agreed, smiling brightly, clearly seeing the opportunity to split up the debate before it turned into a fight. They began to split off into groups, determining what to do with the day.

"Alex, want to come to the reservation with me? Think the pack really wants to meet you," Jake offered, saddling up next to her. And she knew what he meant; they wanted to meet her without the presence of the coven.

"Or you can come shopping with Rosalie and I," Alice offered, looking excited.

"You can come explore Forks with me, meet some humans other than Bella," Emmett boomed. She gulped, overwhelmed with her options. Shopping with Alice and Rosalie sounded rather hellish to her. Alex could see it now, the other two vampires shoving her into dresses and skirts.

"I think I'll go meet the wolf pack; after all, I still owe Billy a visit," she decided, giggling at the disappointment radiating off the others, "But I am definitely up for exploring the town when I get back. Maybe we can pick up Bella and have some fun?" Emmett whooped before lifting her up in a bear hug, spinning her around. With that, she left the house with Jake, happy to get out.

"Want a lift?" she asked him, smirking playfully. He acted like he was considering it, but she could see the excitement in his eyes.

"Well, I suppose it would be much faster than just walking over," he conceded, laughing when she hip checked him.

"Okay, I'll need you to hold onto my clothes for me," with that, she stepped behind a tree and began stripping, "Might want to let them know we're coming. And it's possible James may follow, so maybe warn them not to engage?"

"Good idea!" She could hear him dial up his dad and let him know what was going on, telling the other to let Sam know. Smart move, not telling the Alpha himself and risking being turned down. She took care to fold her clothes into a compact little bundle before focusing. This would be her first transformation since her injury, and though she was fully healed, she was hesitant.

"Do you think I could watch you transform?" Jake called out, clearly unsure, "I've noticed that everyone does it differently, and I kinda want an idea what it will be like for me." She thought it over, but could see no reason not to. She had just assumed the boy wouldn't want to see her naked.

"Yeah, sure. Here's my clothes." She stepped out from behind the tree, handing him the bundle. He grew a little red in the face and was staring her in the eyes like his life depended on it. She didn't quite understand why other people were so weird about viewing the body in its natural state but didn't judge. She focused, letting the change take her. From changing forms so often lately in her fights with Emmett, it was quite easy. There was virtually no pain, though it was still as grotesque as always. Alex met Jake's eyes during the whole thing, and there wasn't a hint of disgust anywhere, just awe. Even as she now towered over him, he didn't break eye contact.

"I've never seen anyone turn like that before. It's like the wolf was just inside your skin, waiting to be let out," he murmured, reaching forward to place his hand on her head. She huffed, allowing him to pet her. Alex lied down, jerking her head to indicate for him to climb on. With more grace than she thought him capable of, he climbed on, legs pushing into her sides and hands tangling into her fur, enough to hang on without causing any pain. She stood up slowly and began trotting, allowing him a moment to adjust.

"Is this as fast as you can go?" he goaded her. In response she howled and began to sprint in earnest. Jake startled for a second before hanging on tighter, cackling and howling himself. She didn't remember the path they took from the reservation to the house, so she had to trust her instincts to guide her. She was approaching the territory within no time, the scent of other wolves lingering everywhere.

Like before, she could feel the moment she entered the pack's land, like an electrical current moving through her body. She howled again, this time getting answering ones in return. Moments later there were other wolves at her side, running beside her. Jake howled again from her back, having the time of his life. Soon there was 5 of them, tearing their way through the woods. She was in the lead, the faster of the wolves. Anytime that one of them would try to overtake her, she would just speed up more. Eventually they broke through the woods and into the community; houses, cabins, and trailers spread out ahead of them. She came to a stop in front of Billy's house, panting though not exhausted. She lied down and allowed the pup to climb off. He walked on shaky legs, muscles clearly spasming from being clenched for so long, though he was grinning ear to ear. Billy was smiling at them softly from his wheelchair in front of his home. Alex shot out a paw when Jake stumbled, allowing the other to fall on her instead of the ground. Still face down in her fur, he gave her a thumbs up. She huffed again, resting her head on his back. He grunted and made a show of trying to get free. The other wolves, which were still milling around nearby, scoffed at their show. She finally let the boy up, and it seemed that he had regained his ability to use his legs. She stood and was about to transform back when Billy shook his head, still smiling. He nodded at the other wolves, silently telling her their visit could wait until after she had her fun. She walked towards him and pressed her head into his chest gently, the man chuckling and patting her head in response, before she steeled herself to introduce herself to the others.

Alex made her way over to where the other wolves were playing around, wrestling and fighting. They paused when she joined them, staring at her intensely. She stared back, puffing up slightly as to appear larger, though she was already larger than all of them. These were all young adults, probably new to being werewolves. There was a wariness to them, like they weren't quite settled right into their new skins yet. They were clearly intimidated by her; she was faster, bigger, older, stranger. So she took pity on them and made the first move, dropping into the canine expression of wanting to play. They looked at each other, clearly communicating telepathically, before one of them responded in kind. She barked, lurching forward to headbutt him lightly before dodging away. He seemed shocked for a moment before barking as well, darting after her.

And with that, they began to play tag. The others began to join as more of them were tagged, soon all of them playing. However, she was a different level than them and refused to give them any slack. Thus, she managed to avoid being tagged the entire game, the champion in the end. As the others began to wrestle, tired of tag, she began to head back to Billy's. However, she was stopped when a large, pure black wolf appeared before her. He was larger and older than the others, and from the vibes coming off of him, she could tell this was the Alpha in his wolf form. She bowed her head to show her respect, only moving from the position when he huffed his acknowledgement. There was a tense moment where they just stared at each other before he moved. He came forward, gently placing his forehead against hers. And like that, she was hit with a wave of voices.

"You are now an ally of this pack, outsider. Billy and Jacob have vouched for you. Don't prove them wrong," a deep voice spoke above all the others, and she recognized it as Sam's.

"They are valued friends, I will do my best to never betray their trust," she responded, not intimidated one bit by the male in front of her. They were startled out of their staring contest by Jake, who had appeared at her side with her clothes and a towel. His hair was still slightly wet from a shower, the long strands bleeding water onto his clean shirt. He stood next to her, facing Sam defiantly. The boy wasn't even old enough to be a wolf, yet here he was challenging the Alpha. She could feel it in her bones that one day Jake would be the Alpha of his pack. And Alex would help him every step of the way if he wished. Sam huffed at the display, rolling his eyes and sitting back on his haunches. She wondered if he felt the same way about the pup, if he would fight to the death to keep his position in the pack like her ancestors had. With their staredown settled, she transformed back to her normal form right then and there, for all the pack to see. When she was done, she was standing tall in the place of a wolf, eyes blazing and surrounded by gore. Sam seemed taken aback by the process, eyes trained on hers. She took the clothes from Jake and put them on after wiping most of the blood off with the towel, and in that time, Sam had left them.

"What just happened?" Jake muttered, running a hand through his hair. She chuckled, stepping behind him and carding her hands through his hair. After she had untangled it, she quickly fashioned it into a loose braid, taking the elastic tie Jake offered her to keep it from coming undone. She then dragged him over to a flowerbed, stealing a few flowers and weaving them into his braid.

"Really? Flowers? I have a reputation to maintain around here, you know?" he whined, but he didn't make any move to stop her. If anything, he seemed to relax in her presence.

"Oh really?" she teased, though she was careful not to offend the pup. It mustn't be easy, knowing his fate but not actually fitting in with anyone here. He wasn't normal, but he wasn't a wolf, and she knew how lonely that could be.

"So are you going to tell me what was going on between Sam and you or..." he trailed off, looking at her questioningly. And she knew what he was really asking, but she knew he would just have to wait to be fully able to understand the gravity of their actions.

"He brought me into pack communication. But then he made his point that I'm only being considered an ally because Billy and you vouched for me. Thank you for that, by the way."

"No problem. And that's bullshit, you are as much a wolf as the rest of us, you should be an ally whether or not we vouched for you." His face twisted with his righteousness, and she found herself touched by his openness. He was a good kid, she hoped that he stayed that way after his transformation. She had seen it happen before to those in her original pack, personalities changing seemingly overnight after they become a wolf. And while Sam didn't seem like a bad guy, she didn't want Jake to surrender his individuality to the pack.

"But I'm still a vampire at the end of the day. And he associates me with the coven because of how we met, regardless of whether or not I'm actually a member," she explained with a grimace, quickly changing her tone when she sees his face darken, "But you can't blame him. I'm an outsider, and he's the alpha trying to protect this pack."

"An alpha should be a leader, a protector, not a dictator," he muttered, talking to her even though his eyes told her he was lost in his own thoughts.

"Then maybe one day you can change that," Alex told him softly, reaching for his hand and squeezing it gently. He smiled slightly at her, dark mood not completely dissipated, but still squeezed her hand in kind. So they sat there in silence for a bit, holding hands and mulling over their conversation in the flowers. Jake would play with the ones in his hair occasionally, treating them with reverence. She watched in fascination as the sun peaked out from behind the clouds, her marble skin sparkling like crystals. She had been a wolf for so long that she hadn't seen that in awhile.

"Alex, please join me for awhile," Billy called from his porch, startling both of them out of whatever moment they were having, Jake releasing her hand with a slight blush. She got up and stretched, lamenting the moment the sun slipped back behind the clouds again.

"I'll find you and say goodbye before I head back, okay?" she assured Jake, smiling when he nodded, before making her way over to Billy. She settled down in a rocking chair next to him, accepting his offer of tea. They exchanged meaningless pleasantries as they sat there, drinking their herbal teas and watching the bustle of the community. But alas, the tea could only last for so long.

"I see you're part of the telepathic connection now. And that you're guiding my son to be the next Alpha of this pack," Billy states bluntly, smirking when she just hums noncommittally in response, "You're all healed up now. How'd things with your mate work out?"

"To be honest, I wasn't healing at all until I finally accepted him. We're meant for each other, but he's still him and we have so much to talk about and-" There was something about the man that made her want to spill her guts, trust him with her thoughts.

"Calm down, these things will work themselves out, you'll see." She barely holds in the scoff that tries to escape at the generic words of comfort, but she knows he's being sincere.

"But what if he doesn't change?" It comes out as almost a whisper, but Billy hears her anyway.

"Did you go into this thinking he would? That's not fair to him," he says gently, something sad in his tone. And something in her clenches at the idea of disappointing Billy. She hadn't thought this through, and she hated the doubts that had been weighing on her all morning since James just disappeared.

"Well, no, I didn't expect him to change out of choice, I expected love to change him. But it hasn't. I mean, I still want him to be James, but I don't know if I can stay with him if he doesn't." Alex couldn't imagine trying to ignore everything that had happened between them, couldn't picture the future where things just go back to the way they were before.

"I think it's changed him more than you know." There was a glint in his eye that spoke of untold knowledge, and it made her arms breakout in goosebumps. She was about to ask for specifics when one of the young wolves from earlier runs onto the porch, now a teenage male. He's trying to look confident and unaffected, but she can smell the anxiety and slight fear that he's giving off. At first she thinks it's because of her, but then he speaks.

"A vampire has entered our lands. He seems to be making his way here, somehow managing to evade every wolf. Sam wants to speak with you, Alex." She can feel her stomach drop, bitterness flaring up in kind. Sensing her mood, Billy is quick to calm her.

"If he wasn't changed, he'd be hunting down every wolf on this land. Now go, stop them before they start a fight, we can continue this chat later." She chuckles at how accurate his prediction is before getting up and following the messenger over to where Sam is staring into the tree line intensely.

"I was informed by Billy when you were on your way that you may be followed by a vampire, but I had been expecting it to be a coven member that wouldn't dare approach this settlement." He narrows his eyes at her as if she had some hand in this, and her defiance is quick to rear it's head. He is not her Alpha, and she will not tolerate being treated as anything less than an equal.

"He's my mate. If I had to guess, I'd say he's coming to find me after I left the house earlier," she snaps, satisfied at the way he seems to recoil at her tone.

"You have a vampire mate?" the young male from before asks, looking confused and slightly disgusted. She can't really blame him though, to him, vampires smell like corpses.

"It's a recent development. Apparently I imprinted on him before I was ever turned," she explains, the others nodding in understanding. There is nothing that can be done about imprinting, it is something sacred that must be respected. No wolf pack would dare to disrespect or question the bond.

"I thought we weren't playing this game anymore, Alex," James calls out before appearing out of the trees in front of them. He skids to a stop, leaving deep scars in the dirt in his wake. The wolves that were following him appeared as well, forming a line behind him as if to prevent him from leaving. She was just glad that he didn't seem tense in the face being surrounded.

"I didn't run, I'm not hiding. I'm just visiting the pack like I promised I would when they helped me," she explains, hoping that it would calm him down. His face is twisted as his eyes dart from her to all the shirtless men and wolves around her, though he never stops to meet her gaze.

"Are you staying here now? Trading your room with the coven for a place in a pack?" It hurt in a way that she wasn't used to, his words stinging just as he meant them to. But there was no flicker of regret or hesitation on his face despite the way it clearly upset her.

"I'm not a member of the coven, nor am I a member of this pack. What is wrong with you?" she can't help but yell the last part, frustrated with him. She knew that he hadn't changed, Billy was wrong. James was just as cruel as he used to be, but there was no reason for him to play nice now that he had her in the way he had always wanted. She had fallen for his trap finally, just as he knew she eventually would.

"What's wrong with me? You're my mate, you belong to me. Yet you go out and give yourself to any person that so much as smiles at you. It's pathetic, the lack of dignity."

"It's called making friends, you-" She's cut off before she can start cursing by Sam, who has surely grown impatient with their drama.

"Alex, I want this vampire off pack territory," he orders, disrespecting the other vampire by not even talking to him directly. It's a bad move on his part, pettiness where they needed diplomacy.

"You must be the alpha. Well, I'm not going anywhere." God, it was like she was dealing with a child. An angry, vicious child with sociopathic tendencies, but a child nonetheless.

"James, please. Let's just go-"

"Trying to protect your new friends from the evil vampire, Alex? Maybe I didn't get the message through when I tried to kill the girl and the coven-"

"If you don't leave here of your own free will, you will leave in pieces. Am I clear?" As much as she wants to respect Sam, she's struck at how foolish he is to speak to a vampire in such a manner, especially this vampire. James has killed people for a lot less.

"I'd like you see you try. I've taken out larger packs than this before, ask Alex, her pack was one of them." He wasn't even being arrogant, he was simply stating facts, but it still struck her as cruel. She didn't know what to say to that, but he seemed to clench his jaw in a way that indicated he knew he had gone too far. And she was tempted to walk away, let the men sort this out amongst themselves, but she would never forgive herself if any of these teenagers, especially Jake, got hurt because she didn't take responsibility for her mate.

"If they let you join me, will you leave them alone? I have a conversation that I would like to be able to finish, but it isn't fair of me to send my mate away. Sam, if he agrees to not attack anyone, can he be allowed to stay on the territory temporarily?" she tries to appease both of them, which seems to work if the way James is moving out of his crouch to stand up straight is any indication.

"Your wish is my command, dearest," he sneers, eyes glittering as they finally meet her own, and while it doesn't fill her with confidence, she trusts him to not kill anyone for now.

"I will give my permission this one time, the next time this happens-" he trails off with a snarl, before looking at her directly, "Well, there just better not be a next time." Before either of them can say anything that would instigate Sam further, she dragged James away by the hand towards Billy's.

"I see your mate is a handful, Alex," Billy teases as they approach, a soft smile on his face despite his obvious wariness of James.

"Trust me, she is much more troublesome," James growls, grabbing her abandoned cup of tea before moving to sit on the porch railing. She shoots him a glare for his rudeness before settling back into the same chair from before. She goes to apologize for her abrupt departure earlier and now the uninvited guest, but the elder simply waves off her before she can say anything. They exchange more pleasantries, both of them overly aware of the other vampire that could hear their every word, when they finally starting talking seriously again.

"I'm sorry to admit that I have a favor to ask of you," Billy begins, continuing when she agrees to hear him out, "Jake is going to be experiencing his transformation soon, and I would like for you to look out for him when he does. He's been dreading this for awhile now, and I fear the change to his identity will make him susceptible to the Alpha's will. His closest friends have already underwent their transformation, and his only other support was Bella Swan, so he could use a friend to help support and guide him."

"I am happy help Jake however I can, it's no problem at all. My first transformation was terrifying, and I have never experienced so much pain before. But at least I wasn't alone, and that mattered more than I thought it would," she answers, glancing over to see James watching them out of the corner of his eye before his gaze returns to the pack.

"Consider myself in your debt then," Billy says sincerely, his gratitude warming her heart. It was clear this man cared about his son more than anything, and she would be damned before letting anything happen to Jake.

"How about we just consider it even for you helping me before?" she offers in return, smiling gently.

"You are too kind." After that, they exchange goodbyes, Alex getting ready to go back and keep her word to Emmett.

"James, are you coming with me?" she asks hesitantly, but before the intended can respond, Billy cuts in.

"It's okay, he can stay here for a bit. I believe we need have a conversation of our own," the man claims, tone neutral but something sharp in his eyes. James looks at her as if she has any advice, but she is as dumbfounded as he is.

"I'll be with Emmett and Bella if you need to find me," she tells him before heading off. Maybe it's a bit petty of her, leaving James to face whatever conversation Billy has in store for him, but she doesn't look back once. She makes sure to say goodbye to Jake before she leaves the reservation, giving the other a tight hug and instructions to call for her if he ever needs anything.

By the time she has returned to the house, it's late enough in the morning that normal humans should be awake. Emmett immediately threw her into the Jeep (literally) and gunned it to Bella's.

"Sorry guys, but I have to go to school. Charlie is threatening to take the truck away unless I get my grades back up," the teenager apologizes as she lets them in the house. Alex takes in the house; the faded furniture, old photographs of better times, and the clear signs of this not really being a home. She knows that things with Bella's father have been better lately, but it seems like the teen still hasn't properly integrated herself into this house, made it her new home. She wonders if that was more on the teen or more on her father. In any case, the man isn't here for her to analyze.

"I've never been to high school," she muses aloud, gaining more attention than she thought it would.

"What? What did you do then for 150 years?" Bella asked, clearly naive at how the Olympic coven was an exception in the vampire world by trying to live as humans.

"I went to college and dabbled in a bit of everything, tried to gain knowledge as it was made available. I traveled the world, met every species of werewolf that are still living. Met some other types of shapeshifters, the Japanese foxes with multiple tails that called themselves kitsunes were my favorite. They were very old and very wise, the kitsunes of Japanese lore were based on them, they used to be considered spirits and gods. I found evidence in Egypt that the old gods were also shapeshifters..." she trailed off when she realized that she was gushing. Emmett was looking at her fondly, and Bella just looked confused. She smiled sheepishly, regretting even opening her mouth.

"You've done all that, but you never went to high school?" the human prodded playfully.

"High school would've required a certain permanence, and that wasn't really an option," she explained carefully, though not without humor.

"I mean, Emmett is already enrolled so we can just say that you are a new member of the Cullen family, just checking out the school you'll be attending," Bella offered gently, leaving Alex the opportunity to back out if this wasn't something she was interested in doing.

"That sounds great! You guys will have to introduce me to all your friends and-" her excited is cut off by Emmett, who is now smirking at her excitement.

"Wow, slow down for a sec, Alex. You should probably clean up first. First impressions are everything after all." And though his words make sense, especially considering how dirty her current clothes have become after her trip to the reservation, she senses some sort of trap.

"I've got some clothes that Alice gave me that you can have. They aren't my style, so I never wear them," Bella assures, already heading up the stairs to grab the aforementioned clothes.

"Thanks, Bella," she calls up after the girl.

"You won't be thanking me for very long," she hears the girl mutter, and she wonders how bad it could be.

Spoiler: it was bad.

"I look ridiculous. I feel ridiculous." Maybe it was the silver silk top with glitter, maybe it was the skin tight jeans, it could've even been the high heeled boots; but she felt like someone else in these clothes. All that was missing was the face full of makeup and a purse.

"Hey, at least you can pull it off," Bella compliments awkwardly, though it's clear no one but Alice or Roselie could pull this off.

"It just makes you look more like a girl," Emmett teases, spinning her around to get a full look at her outfit. She allows it with a huff, already planning her revenge.

"I don't want to look like a girl, I want to look like me," she sighed once the other had stopped, pulling her hair into a bun since she didn't have a brush.

"Well, you can't exactly go to school as a giant wolf," Emmett teased, earning a sharp look in response from the human.

"Come on, we need to get going before I'm late."

Emmett, insisting that they make an entrance, gave Bella the keys and climbed into the back of the Jeep, helping Alex up with him. While she didn't really care for vehicles when she could run faster, she had to admit that there was some sort of electricity in the air as they tore down city roads, Emmett and her whooping the entire time. She could hear Bella laughing as she pulled into the school parking lot. The Jeep was barely parked when Emmett jumped down, offering her his hand.

"My lady," he said seriously, bowing lightly.

"Why thank you, kind sir," she all but cooed, taking his hand and allowing the other vampire to help her out of the back of the vehicle.

"God, you two are old," Bella groaned, trying to hide a smile.

"No shit, Sherlock," Alex teased back, gaining a snicker from Emmett and a fake affronted look from the human.

"Bella!" She turned to see a girl strutting towards them, a tense smile on her face. She looked moments away from screaming, not that Alex couldn't relate.

"You're driving their cars now, I guess. And who is your new friend?" the girl fired away at Bella before turning her attention to the new vampire on the scene, "Welcome to Forks High School, I'm Jessica Stanley."

"I'm Alex, nice to be here I guess," she offered awkwardly, not sure as to what this girl, Jessica apparently, wanted from her.

"Well Bella, don't be rude. Let's introduce her to everyone!" she cheered, although her tone was brittle and exasperated, leading the way into the school's cafeteria.

"Kill me now," she mutters only loud enough for Emmett to hear.

"If only you were that lucky."

"Hey guys, we're in luck, we have another new kid! This is Alex," Jessica introduced her to a table of what she assumes are Bella's classmates. There's a preppy looking guy, a jock, and a girl who looked almost nervous with being forced into a social interaction.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Eric Yorkie. If you ever have any questions or need any help, here is my phone number and email." She's a bit taken aback when he hands her a business card, but he seems pretty okay despite his oddness.

"I'm Angela Weber, welcome to Forks," the girl almost whispers, her shyness even more apparent by the way she couldn't hold eye contact for very long. Alex almost feels guilty, and is grasping at straws for how to respond to the meekness of the other when she spots her camera.

"That's a sweet camera, what kind of photography do you do?" She makes sure to ask softly and show genuine interest in the art, clearly luring the girl out of her shell.

"Oh, thank you," her face seemed to open up a little bit, not so hesitant when talking about her passion, "I've mainly been doing portraits and candid photos, but I think it would be really cool to do underwater photography."

"Good luck finding a tough enough camera for that around here, there's a great little tech shop in Portland that you should check out sometime though," she recommends, remembering the shop from her travels around the city fondly.

"Oh, thanks, that sounds awesome," Angela responds genuinely, a small but radiant smile on her face.

"I'm Mike Newton," a cute blond boy introduces next, stepping into her personal space more than necessary for a hand shake.

"I can see that, your name is on your varsity jacket," she teases, grabbing his hand and shaking it. He holds it for a little bit too long before letting it go, and she can already see this going down in flames.

"True, but it can't hurt to be polite. Since you are starting so close to the prom and don't really know anyone, I'd be happy to take you." She doesn't get a chance to respond to his forwardness before Eric is chiming in. She glances over at Emmett when she hears him grinding his teeth, but he's just glaring at Mike.

"You definitely have to come, I'm the DJ!" As they descend into their chatter about prom, she goes to retreat but is blocked by the girl from before.

"It seems like you'll fit right in here," Jessica's frail voice grates, though she doesn't seem to be happy about the fact that her crush had asked a stranger to prom over her, "And what's your last name, I didn't catch it before." She freezes at the question, not having prepared for this. She's grateful when Emmett speaks up for her.

"Hale, she's my sister," he proclaims smugly, throwing an arm over her shoulders and pulling her into his side. Everyone within hearing range (AKA: the entire cafeteria) goes completely silent, looking at her like she was a different species. Something warm settles in her chest at being given a last name, at being even more a part of this family. She guesses that Rosalie accepted her first out of the coven so thus she got the same last name as her.

"Oh, another Cullen. Are you new to the family or-" Jessica begins before being cut off by Emmett, though she only seems flustered rather than offended. She can see now that the Cullens seem to be the highest members of the high school hierarchy, wealthy and elite and beautiful in a way the humans can't help but admire and be intimidated by.

"Nah, Alex has been with us for awhile now. She was off at some fancy school in Europe before she decided she missed her favorite brother too much," Emmett lies effortlessly.

"Yeah, it just broke my heart to be apart from Jasper like that," she says sweetly, Emmett faking a look of betrayal in response.

"Ouch," Bella chuckles from next to her, dodging away when Emmett pretends to try to smack her. While the cafeteria is no longer silent and clearly listening into their conversation, the group still looks shell shocked and wary of her.

"Alex!" a familiar voice chimes before there's a petite body hanging off her back, "These clothes look fabulous on you, you totally should've come with Rosalie and I on our shopping trip!" She's not surprised, having heard and smelt the entrance of the others, but the casual show of affection still serves to make her smile.

"Like I said earlier, maybe another time. I'm still settling into Forks after my stay in Europe," she explains, hoping that the others catch her drift.

"We're just happy to have you back," Jasper intones before the weight of Alice on her back disappears. Someone puts a jacket around her shoulders, which she is quick to put on, covering up the glittery monstrosity she was wearing. From the length and smell, she guesses that it's Edward's. Bless his ability to read her mind, as she felt much more comfortable and a lot less exposed now.

"Yeah, as a Hale, you were too good for that fancy English school anyway," Edward adds, clarifying her background for the others. He settles next to Bella, their hands brushing but not holding. It's sickening adorable.

"Enough chattering, Alex still needs to get her pass from the office and classes start in, like, 10 minutes," Rosalie cuts in, appearing next to her and linking their arms together.

"It was nice meeting you all! See you in class," she gets out before being tugged along out of the cafeteria, the others filing out behind them.

"Thanks for saving me back there," she sighs the moment they are in private.

"Don't thank me yet, I have no idea how we're going to get you enrolled here without having the papers made up first," Rosalie stresses, though she still looks pleased at Alex's presence here.

"It's fine, we can just say she's here to observe and get a feel for the school before she enrolls next semester," Jasper reasons, the others agreeing quickly. It's simple to charm the woman in the attendance office with polite words and sparkling smiles for a visitor's pass. There's nearly a war when the time comes to decide who she should go to class with.

"I mean, I came to hang out with Bella and get an idea of what exactly high school means to a human. Besides, Edward will be in some of the classes too!" Although there's some grumbling and pouting, the other's eventually leave them, heading towards their respective classes.

"You're gonna make the others jealous," Bella teases, to which she just laughs. They arrive to their first class on time, some sort of science class if the layout of the room was any indication. The teacher barely even takes a look at her pass before telling her to just sit wherever there's an opening. Everyone in the room is sitting in pairs, the only empty seat being next to the jock from before, Mike.

"Anyone sitting here?" she asks before taking the seat, just to be polite.

"Nope! My partner is sick today, so feel free." The teacher hands out instructions for the lab they would be completing today, and they are quick to split up who is responsible for doing what. It seemed like pretty standard stuff, most of their success just hinging on their ability to measure correctly.

"So you never answered me earlier about prom? If you're going and need a date?" She caught Edward turning his head their way every now and then, clearly listening in and finding her predicament hilarious. She makes sure to mumble swears quiet enough that no one but him could hear them, only serving to amuse him more.

"I'd love to, but I don't think my boyfriend would be very pleased," she turned him down ruthlessly but honestly.

"You have a boyfriend? Is he another Cullen?"

"No!" she can't help but laugh, imaging how James would react to that.

"Does he go here? Or is he back in Europe?" Mike continued, seeming genuinely curious rather than trying to determine if she was tell the truth.

"We did meet abroad, yes, but he moved back here with me. He's graduated from school now though," she explained, trying to keep as close to the truth as possible. She could see Edward's shoulders shaking with silent laughter, Bella elbowing him in the side trying to get him to tell her what's so funny.

"Well, he must be something to have snagged a girl like you," the boy says unexpectedly, a small smile on his face. And she hadn't been prepared for that at all, making her pause in the face of his sincerity. She had misjudged him, and that was on her.

"He really it," she agreed softly, before continuing optimistically, "Hopefully I can convince him to come to prom so everyone can get to meet him."

"Yeah, that'd be sweet! All of us could hang out together," Mike cheered, making her chuckle at his antics. The rest of the lab passed by quickly, with them making small talk until the bell rang. He even offered to make her his permanent lab partner if she decided to come back.

"You looked a little overwhelmed there, do I need to go and break his arm?" Edward asked lowly when Mike left for his next class, clearly referring to when she had tensed up.

"No!" she laughed, lightly punching him in the arm, "He just said something I wasn't expecting a jock to say."

The next few classes pass in a daze, Alex lost in her thoughts most of the time. She had thought that there would be more social interactions, but it was limited to the 10 minutes between classes. She managed to run into all her 'siblings', each of them quick to interrogate her about how she was liking high school. And as much as she appreciated the sentiment, she couldn't see herself actually attending high school.

"Do you guys even pretend to eat like normal humans at lunch?" she asked as she settled on top of the table the group had seemed to claim as their's. They stood out even more, sitting at an empty table while the rest of the students ate. It only served to alienate them more. Alex wondered why they bothered with pretending to be high schoolers when they clearly didn't interact with any of the humans.

"No, we just say that we had a big breakfast or that we aren't hungry if anyone asks," Jasper answered, though it was clear that not many people had ever questioned them about their feeding habits.

"You want anything?" Bella offered, holding up something from her tray that resembled a sandwich.

"Not really? I don't think anything here is actually fit for consumption." And how Emmett managed to turn that into a tuberculosis joke, she wasn't sure, but it had the table cracking up. It felt safe, sitting here with them, pretending to be humans. But in her heart, this wasn't who Alex was. She was meant to be a wolf originally, and the feeling of being separate from humans had never faded. She felt like an outsider looking in, a wolf in sheep's clothing.

"They seem happier since you've come home, the Cullens I mean," Angela points out from the desk next to her's in history, the last class of the day. She had opted for sitting in the back, growing tired of pretending to care.

"Really?" she mused, not really believing it. She hadn't known this coven all that long, definitely not enough to make any sort of impact on their lives.

"Definitely! I haven't seen them laugh like that ever," Angela assured warmly, "I think Rosalie even smiled?"

"Must be the end of the world," she jested in return, just before the class started. She tried to focus, she really did, but the other girl's words stuck in her head. Alex was a nomad, a traveler who left no traces and no footprints. She was there and then gone, someone that was only ever known in passing. The idea that she had touched their lives in some permanent way was foreign and frightening to her after all this time. This isn't what she had intended, becoming something more than someone passing through. But James and her had collided again, fate taking hold in some strange way. She barely even noticed when the bell rang again, thoughtless following the motions of getting up and moving to the hallway. She was surprised when suddenly the rest were there, Emmett's arm thrown around her as they guided her outside and towards the Jeep.

"Race you home?" Emmett challenged, an almost feral smile on his face. And while she ached to answer the challenge, she needed a break. She needed some time to herself.

"I think I'm gonna go explore the town a bit more, on my own. I'll catch up with you guys later," Alex decided, gently removing Emmett's arm from her person. She didn't know why she needed to get away so badly, all she knew was that there was a pressure building in her chest that she couldn't control.

"Take your time, not that there's much to see," Jasper answered before anyone else could try and tag along, clearly sensing her need to clear her head after being stuck in the school all day. No one dared to contradict him, seeming to understand that she had her reasons.

And so, from the high school, she walked to the town square, which wasn't far. She stopped in a diner that at first glance seemed rather rundown, but the maternal waitress who served her quickly grew on her, as did the endless coffee. There was a small grocery store that she perused, a hole-in-the-wall book store that she spent hours in, and a park that she decided to chill out in. She found herself a nook under a pine tree that overlooked the town, allowing her to people watch in peace. This is where James found her. He didn't say anything, merely took a seat next to her, an ever present scowl on his face. She wanted to pry about his conversation with Billy, but she decided she'd wait for him to tell her about it himself one day.

"It's odd to think that I could've been one of these people. That if I had just been a normal wolf, I would've eventually started aging like a normal human after I decided to stop shifting. I could've been the waitress at the diner, or the old man who runs the book store," she shared her thoughts, something like melancholy settling over her.

"Is that what you want?" he asked, no emotion behind his question. She couldn't read him like this, but right now she didn't need to.

"No, not really. I would've never stopped shifting. I probably would've died in battle as a wolf, fighting another pack or vampires. And I long ago accepted what it means to be a vampire, even what it means to love being one."

"Then why did you spend all day pretending to be a human?" This question was more pointed, something like an accusation hidden between his words. But she didn't react to the subtext, taking the question as it was.

"Because I never really got the chance before. I can see why they take pleasure from their short lives, I can see why they love and want and crave the things and people they do," she began, picking up some passion as she continued before smiling sadly, "But it's not me, and I know that." James didn't seem to know what to do with her honesty, awkward in the face of her emotions.

"You smell like the pretty boy vampire," he eventually brought up, though there wasn't as much heat as she had been expecting.

"His name is Edward," she scolded lightly, "And yeah, this is his jacket. This outfit wasn't exactly my style, so I borrowed it to cover up." With a huff, he quickly took off his own jacket and tossed it at her, clearly telling her to put it on instead. With a smirk at his resigned jealousy, she switched jackets, burying her face into the popped collar when he raised an eyebrow at the flash of glitter. She melted into the warm jacket, breathing in his scent on it. She scooted over slightly, pressing herself against his side and resting her head on his shoulder. James tensed at the contact, clearly unsure of what she was doing or why, but he eventually relaxed when she didn't move away. She wondered what he was thinking as they continued to observe the humans living their lives, always in a rush to get nowhere. There was a garden not too far away from them, organized and almost a parody of nature.

"I've always loved the flowers," she mused, "These are nothing like the wildflowers I grew up with though, remember them?" James only hummed, acknowledging that he had heard her. She didn't push him, letting him choose his words in his own time.

"I didn't know you liked flowers," he admitted, "You used to scorn everything girly, so I just figured that flowers fell under that category." She had forgotten that, the way she had fought against the Western stereotype of what a girl should be like. James had tried giving her flowers before, only for her to reject them viciously. And Alex wished that she could go back, accept those professional arrangements and treat them properly.

"It depends on the flower. I wasn't a fan of the common rose, definitely," she reasoned, but it felt hollow even to her. They both knew that she had only hated flowers because he had tried to use them to woo her.

"Follow me," James suddenly ordered, standing up and dragging her with him. She was startled, but she followed him regardlessly. He kept ahold of her hand as he ran ahead of her, guiding her through the woods carefully.

"Where are we going?" she shouted, concerned but trusting him for now.

"You'll see," he said, something like determination in his voice. They didn't go too far through the woods before he suddenly stopped, making her run into him. She yelped, startled at the contact but not actually hurt. He chuckled quietly, and she tried not to let herself bristle.

"Okay, we're almost there," he explained, "Close your eyes." And although she was wary, he didn't push her. He waited for her to decide to listen, and when she did, he then proceeded to sweep her up bridal style, carrying her the rest of the way. She had no idea where they were, but something about being somewhere so quiet calmed her.

"Okay, open your eyes," he whispered, something like excitement and nervousness in his voice. Alex found herself excited too, and opened her eyes to find a meadow, full of flowers. Wildflowers and lilacs, lavender and buttercups; it was beautiful. She couldn't help the gasp that she let out, or the beaming smile when she walked through the flowers to the center of the meadow, where a boulder perfect for laying out was situated. Everything was wet with rain, and the sun was hidden away behind thick clouds, but this was still so perfect to her.

"How did you find this place?" she asked, taking a seat on top of the boulder. He joined her, unsure about what she was thinking.

"I found it when I was wandering around this morning," he explained nonchalantly, leaving out the part about how he had been avoiding her hardcore if this was how far in the forest he had ventured.

"Thank you," she said anyway, willing to overlook how he had hurt her feelings in light of how he was clearly trying to make it up to her.

"Man, if this is all it takes to woo you, I would've planted a field of flowers ages ago," he teases, to which she just huffed out a laugh in response.

"You still could. Imagine it, a field of daylilies, poppies, and milkweed," she mused, the image so clear in her head.

"I'll have to find somewhere to plant them all." And while he was clearly just letting her run with her fantasy, Alex found herself seriously thinking it over.

"Why not here?" she asked, her seriousness taking him aback momentarily.

"Do you want to stay here?" he finally asked, something hesitant in his question as if he didn't really want to know the answer.

"I don't think I'm done traveling yet, but I think I want to make it a point to visit the wolf pack and the coven, wherever they move after this." Her answer seemed to satisfy her mate, and they allowed the conversation to drop. They sat there in silence until sunset, just admiring the meadow, both lost in their thoughts. She had missed this James, the one who tried to earn her affection rather than trying to take it or make sure there was no one else she could give it to. But still she couldn't find herself able to relax yet, just waiting for the moment when he would change, when he would push her. It was instinct almost, as much as she wished that she could trust him.

"The one man from the reservation, he told me more about what it means to imprint for a wolf," he blurted out suddenly, drawing her attention away from her dark thoughts. She was surprised, she hadn't expected him to talk about his conversation with Billy so soon, much less in the same day. But James didn't seem to be done surprising her as he continued.

"I pretty much fucked us up right from the start. I'm not sorry for killing your pack, your family, but I'm sorry that it hurt you. And I'm not sorry for turning you either, but I'm sorry that I didn't give you a choice." Even while apologizing he was stubborn, but she would take what she could get. This was the most James had ever taken responsibility for, rather than blaming her for running as he had previously. It meant more to her than she cared to admit that he was really apologizing for not respecting her and her boundaries, but she understood why he turned her.

"I forgave you a long time ago," Alex admitted, only having realized it was true herself today, "It's hard to stay angry when I don't really remember them anymore. And like I said, I've come to love being a vampire. And if you hadn't, I would've died a long time ago, from either childbirth or in battle."

"Did you want kids?" he asked weakly, strained as if it had never occurred to him before. And given how James thought, that was definitely the case.

"No, I've never wanted kids. And in the pack, I would've been forced to get married and pop out baby after baby," she responds bitterly before returning the question, "Did you ever want kids?"

"No. I wouldn't have wanted to subject any child to how I grew up. And when I was human, I would've never been selfless enough to care for a child." It's more thought out than she expected of him, but she understands completely. He had never liked talking about how he grew up, but he had answered every question she had ever thrown at him honestly.

"I mean, you managed to keep me alive," she reasoned, gently hitting his side with her elbow to show she had no ill meanings behind her words.

"Barely," he joked in return, before continuing possessively, "Not that I would've ever let you die."

"I'm aware," Alex confirmed lightly, something warm in her at knowing that he would alway protect her, at least from everything other than himself.

"Do you think that we could start over?" he asked, so hopeful and ernst that it made her pause and think over her answer.

"No, I don't think we could," she answered honestly, before the disappointment on his face spurred her onward, "You are my past, present, and future. To start over would be to forget all the memories we share, both the good and the bad."

"I just wish this was easy," he growled, running a hand through his hair in frustration. He ripped out his ponytail, his shoulder length hair falling into his face.

"If it was easy, it wouldn't be us," she soothed, gently running her fingers through his tangles, just as she had done with Jake earlier. Again, he tensed immediately at her contact, but quickly relaxed as she just continued to soothe his scalp. And if she managed to sneak a few flowers into his hair in the process, he was none the wiser.

"I missed you when we were apart," he broke the silence sometime later, before continuing with his explanation, "There's always a void when you leave, one that not even a coven could fill. You're the only person I have and will ever need." This was the most open he had ever been with her, the most vulnerable he had ever allowed himself to be. And while she had known that he cared for her on some level, she hadn't expected him to feel so strongly. It drowned out her doubts about him then and there, knowing that he wasn't just trying to manipulate her.

"If you asked me to give this all up, I would. Leave the coven and the pack behind, just you and me against the world," she whispered like a penance, knowing that he heard every word anyway. But still he didn't meet her eyes, head still in his hands, face hidden behind a veil of his hair.

"I can't do that again to you," he decided sharply before continuing much quieter and weaker, "I can't take you away from all that you love, try and temper your resentment, you'd never forgive me."

"You could burn this world to the ground, and I'd still love you," she admitted, but he didn't really seem to believe her. He seemed to be in denial, chuckling darkly as he considered his response.

"But then I wouldn't be someone who deserves your love. Hell, I may never be," he asserted, something like self-loathing behind his words. And she had never seen him like this, he had never shown her this side of him. It hurt her to hear him talk like that, even though a week ago she would have agreed with him.

"Love is something given, a choice to put someone above yourself. You don't get to be the judge of if you deserve it," she whispered, grabbing his face and turning it towards her own to get her message across. And he seemed awed by her words, by her affection, and she knew in her heart that they would be okay. They still had years of issues to get through, from both of them, but Alex was confident that this is where she belonged. The bond between them seemed to finally be cementing in place, connecting them for the rest of their immortal lives. And while she had known that James would always have a level of control over her, she hadn't expected to have just as much of an influence over him. They leaned forward until their foreheads were pressed together, just sharing this intimate moment that had been so long in the making.