AN: Hi All! If you are new to this series, welcome! For those returning from the prequel and snapshots, welcome back!

Before you start wondering why this chapter really has nothing to do with Bella...her story begins in Chapter Two. Every second chapter will be her POV and the other characters will alternate. So we're starting off with Willie.

Loooong chapters in this one, Folks. Consider yourselves warned!

Chapter One: The Melody of My Heart

Willie's POV

"Don't be nervous, you're gonna do great!" My sister, Isabella, told me as she straightened the lapels on my jacket. I liked to think of my style as formal but trendy.

I was hoping to look my absolute best because it was my first day at a new school. It was the start of my grade eleven year and I was transferring to Forks High School because I could, in theory, be myself there.

At the Tribal School in La Push, I was always having to try to fit in. There was nobody there like me.

Well...nobody willing to admit they were like me.

My sister, Rebecca, had it easier than I did. Nobody seemed quite as bothered if girls were lesbians. It was different for boys. Not that she was even out of the closet yet, but still.

And then, there were my brothers, Seth and George Charles. They couldn't have come out as bisexual even if they wanted to because then they would have to tell the whole truth. Being in a permanent three-way with two boys and a girl was even more frowned upon than being gay. Especially when the people you were dating were your siblings.

Yep, Seth and George Charles, and our sister, Rachel, were an item. A unit. Three peas in a pod. You get the idea.

And don't get me wrong, none of them were bio siblings. Our parents were polyamorous, so we had two dads, Charlie and Billy, and four moms, Sarah, Renéé, Sue, and June.

Seth's biological mom was Sue. His biological dad, Harry, had died when he was little. Rachel's biological dad was Billy. He and her biological mom, Sarah, were monogamously married back then when the twins (Rachel and Rebecca) were conceived.

George Charles, like most of our younger siblings, had never known who his bio dad was, but his bio mom was Renée. We had only found out just last year that he was biologically Charlie's when his class at school did blood-typing.

As for me, my biological dad was Billy. I only knew that because I was conceived the first time he and my bio mom, Renée, were intimate. It's why I was named after him, just like he had been named after his dad.

Basically, here's the short version. Our tribe has a law that our great-grandpa, Ephraim, initiated which allows more than two people to marry. The law used to be a secret, but shortly before my siblings and I were born, our parents found out about it.

Our dads had grown up thinking they were roommates, but really, they were half-brothers. And once they knew about the law, they decided to take advantage of it, because they fell in love with each other's wives, Renée and Sarah, so they decided to share.

And then, a few years later, their best friend, Harry died. And his last wish was for his own two wives to marry his best buddies so they would be happy and well cared for. So they did. That was how we got Sue and June as our moms too. And a whole bunch more siblings, but I'll try to introduce them all gradually.

For now, let's go back to my conversation with my sister, Bella.

"Of course I'm nervous. I know Sam said I can hang out with him and Angela, but what if they're not in any of my classes? Angela is in grade ten like you, so she is a year younger. And I seriously doubt Sam takes Band or French or Art, which are my electives. So I'll at least be on my own for those." I frowned, styling my hair for the fourth time.

Bella sighed and put her hands on my shoulders. "You just need to psych yourself up, Willie. Repeat after me: I am William René Blackswan…"

I scrunched my brows together but I did as I was told. "I am William René Blackswan…"

"I am awesome and people at my new school are going to see that and want to be friends with me…"

I smiled. Bella was good at making me feel better. "I am awesome and people at my new school are going to see that and want to be friends with me…"

She grinned. "And if they don't, my little sister will kick their asses…" She laughed.

I couldn't help but giggle. "You would too," I agreed.

"Yep. So don't worry, Kid. I got yer back!" She beamed. "Now, let's go before you decide you have to fix your hair again!"

The tribal school started a week after Forks did, so my siblings weren't starting today. Only I was. But Bella was coming with Momma Sarah to drop me at school so that she could have a driving lesson on their way back.

Momma Sarah was in a really bad car accident a few years ago and almost died. But instead of letting her fear keep her from driving, she had forced herself to get over it and even took extra lessons to become a better driver. Not that the accident was her fault, but she just felt she needed to be more aware of her surroundings behind the wheel.

And since she had become such an awesome driver, she was the one giving driving lessons as we all got old enough. I didn't want to learn to drive though because I wasn't interested in anything that would take time away from my music.

My main passion in life was the violin. I played at least eight hours a day when I didn't have school and at least four hours a day when I did. I would have played 24/7 if my family allowed it, but they were convinced that I needed some work/life balance as they called it.

That's why the class I was most excited about at my new school was Band. I knew no matter how well I did in my other classes, I would excel at that one thing, at least. I was really happy to have one area where I could truly shine. And who knew, maybe I would make some friends who loved playing music as much as I did. At least, that was the hope.

As we got into the car, I looked back at the house. Most of my siblings were sleeping in because they didn't have to be up for school until next week and it was their last chance to sleep in.

But Seth and Becks had gotten up to see me off and were waving from the window. And all of my moms and dads were standing in the doorway showing their support.

I felt a little silly with such a cheering section. I'd had many first days of school over the years, but this admittedly felt a whole lot different.

As we pulled away from the house, I closed my eyes to center myself. This was just another day and Forks was just another school and the kids I would be meeting were just regular kids like me and my brothers and sisters.

But if that was true, then why did I feel like everything as I knew it was about to change?

"Remember, if anything happens, we can pick you up early. You can always decide to homeschool if you don't like it there, okay?" Momma smiled as we pulled up in front of the building.

I grabbed my umbrella before getting out of the car. I definitely did not want my violin case to get rained on.

"I know. But I'm sure I'll be fine. Thanks, Momma." I smiled and leaned over to give her a kiss on the cheek.

Bella was at my door with her umbrella out before I had a chance to open it. "Don't want Cecelia getting wet, right?" She beamed.

Cecelia was what Bella had named this violin when I first got it. She said people named their cars and boats and that my violin should get a name too since it was so expensive. I'd bought it as an upgrade when I started having my lessons in Seattle. I had borrowed the money for it from the bank of George Charles. I'd had to work for his café for quite a while to pay it off.

This is why I was one of the few people who officially knew that he and Seth and RaeRae were a thing, though most of the family suspected. Bella knew too because everyone trusted her with their secrets.

"Thanks." I nodded, getting out of the car and putting my own umbrella up. I hugged her tightly before walking away.

"You'll let me know? If I need to beat anybody up?" She confirmed.

"Definitely." I nodded. "But I have a feeling I'll be okay here."

She looked at me and then at the big brick school building, three or four times the size our school on the Rez had been. "Yeah, I think you will too, actually."

After I said goodbye to my mom and sister and got inside, I signed in at the office. The woman behind the desk, Ms. Cope, gave me my info packet for first-time students and I thanked her and headed off to find my locker. Then I followed the map to find my homeroom. Finally, in homeroom, I saw Sam. He waved me over.

"Willie, hey, man, good to see you. Steve, this is Willie, he's new to the school but our dads are best friends so we grew up together." Sam explained, doing the weird handshake thing he always did.

It might have been an overtly masculine gesture from anyone else, but from Sam it just made me feel like I was a part of the inner circle, even if I didn't know who his circle really was yet.

"Dude! Good to meet you. Any friend of Sam's, Man." The boy named Steve smiled. He was undeniably attractive but not really my type. He was blonde and looked like a surfer. Definitely a jock. Not that jocks were bad, they just didn't tend to be big fans of mine.

"Likewise." I nodded and smiled politely.

The homeroom teacher began speaking and soon it was time to leave for our first class.

"I have Math, what do you have?" I asked Sam nervously as we headed out of the room.

"Oh sweet, me too!" He grinned, looking at my timetable. "You'll love Mr. Parsons, he's cool. Last year I had Varner and he was kind of a jerk, but Parsons is really decent, he also teaches Automotives so I had him for that last year," he assured me as we headed to Math.

Well, that was a relief, at least.

We arrived in class and found seats together. We were the first ones and nearly everyone who came in after us seemed to know Sam. That was a good sign.

And the teacher went easy on us for the first day which was good too. Math was my best class, so I wasn't worried, but still, having a nice teacher right out of the gate made me less nervous.

"Sorry I'm late, Teach. I had trouble finding the right class." A voice said partway through the class period. I looked up from the textbook we were supposed to skim through to get an idea of the material.

"Ah yes, you must be Cullen comma Emmett?" Mr. Parsons nodded, motioning him to the last available seat, near the back.

If I had thought Steve from homeroom looked like a jock, this Emmett guy was the epitome of one. Every inch of his physique screamed football player. He was big and burly with a dopey, youthful look about him. And he was so good looking he made Steve look like a guppy fish. But again, in spite of looking like a Calvin Klein ad, he really wasn't my type.

Not that I was looking. I really didn't need any distractions. But I wasn't blind. I still knew eye candy when I saw it. And it was possible to admire without attempting to sample.

Not that any of the guys here would be sampleable anyway. Most of them would be straight or at least presenting themselves that way. So it was the safest thing to just assume they all were until I found out otherwise.

After everyone managed to stop staring at Emmett, and the girls all picked their chins up off the floor, it was back to our textbooks until the bell rang.

Once we gathered our stuff up, Sam grabbed my timetable. "Oh dang." He frowned. "Your next class is Band, I don't have that. Angela takes Band but she's in Junior. Usually, they put everyone in Junior until their Senior year. Your rents must have told them you're a protege."

I didn't bother to tell him I had auditioned for Senior Band online a few days ago. "Great, so I won't know anyone. Oh well, it had to happen eventually." I shrugged, trying not to worry.

"Don't stress, Man. Enough kids have seen you with me by now that you're probably fine," Sam reassured me. And maybe he would be right, I could only hope.

"Okay, well, I'll see you at lunch?" I asked hopefully.

Sam nodded. "Yeah, for sure. Catch ya later!" He agreed, slapping me on the back in another bro-type gesture.

I made my way to Band class, wondering if Sam's approach to keeping me from getting beat up here was to show everyone they couldn't "catch gayness" by coming into contact with me.

"Oh shit!" I gasped as I walked around a corner, not paying any attention to my surroundings and slammed into a wall. Hard.

At least, I assumed it was a wall since it was cold and hard and unyielding. I quickly realized the wall was a boy, as he caught and steadied me and kept me from falling.

"Hello." He laughed softly, not pulling away in spite of how closely our bodies were pressed together. "I hope I didn't hurt you. I'm new here and still getting my bearings," he winced apologetically.

"No, I'm wonderful, er, I mean, I'm fine, thank you," I muttered, taking a step back to look at him properly.

He was amazing. Bronze hair and tawny eyes. I didn't know eyes could be that color. When he looked at me, it felt like he was looking into my soul. I felt flushed and warm all over.

His crooked smile and raised eyebrow told me he was probably amused that I was staring at him so intently. "Sorry." I cleared my throat and shook my head. "I think I got a little dazed when I ran into you."

More like a little dazed gazing into your eyes but hey, he doesn't need to know that.

He chuckled his eyes creasing at the corners.

"I think I'm a little dazed too. Shall we take a seat for a moment before heading into the band room?" The boy offered, gesturing to a bench in the hallway.

I was about to say yes, but then I paused. "How did you know I have Band?"

He smiled. "We collided right outside the band room and you're holding a violin case. I figured it was a fair assessment," he shrugged, that gorgeous grin of his never faltering.

"Oh, right, yeah, okay." I nodded, making my way to the bench. He followed and sat down beside me so close we were touching.

"May I see?" He asked, gesturing to my violin case.

I bit my lip and nodded, opening the case carefully.

If I were still at my old school, this would be the point where the other boy would say something like "Only a fag like you would play a gay assed instrument like that, Loser." and then he would try to damage my violin.

I could only hope this time would be different.

The boy seemed startled and turned his eyes to me with a concerned look for a split second. I wasn't sure why, but he seemed to be fine a moment later as he looked at Cecelia.

"That's a real beauty. I play the piano, so I have a tremendous appreciation for the strings. They compliment each other really well, don't you think?" As he spoke, his smile seemed genuine. It left me feeling hopeful that maybe it would be different here.

I nodded, still unsure why he was giving me the time of day since people usually either ignored me or bullied me.

"Maybe we could rehearse together sometime? I'm new to this school, so I don't have anyone to practice with," he offered.

"Wow, there are a lot of new kids here." I mused. "I thought I would be the only one, but there was a boy in my Math class who also must have been new. He was late because he couldn't find the room."

The boy grinned. "Was he big and burly? Did he have a dimple when he smiled?"

I nodded, surprised he knew who I meant.

"That's my older brother, Emmett. Our family just moved here this summer. I should have realized you were older than me since this is Senior Band. Normally they wouldn't let a sophomore in but I auditioned for the teacher yesterday and he said he thought I could keep up." The boy shrugged.

"Oh! He's your brother? Maybe there aren't as many new kids as I thought then. How many are you?" I asked as I closed my violin case.

"Five. My other brother, Jasper, and my sister, Alice, are in my grade. My sister, Rose, and my brother, Emmett, are in eleventh." He smiled.

"Three in one grade? Are you triplets or…?" I trailed off because I was in town now. I couldn't exactly say, 'is your family polyamorous like mine?'

"Actually, we're all adopted. Jasper and Rose are biological siblings. The rest of us are cast-offs," he admitted, looking at his feet. "How about you?"

"I...um, it's kind of a long story. I transferred from the school in La Push. My siblings all go there still," I told him as we headed into the band room.

"How many are you?" He asked, returning my question from earlier.

I sighed laughing slightly. "Eleven." I winced, waiting for the usual surprised reaction.

"That must be...challenging." He smiled, not seeming nearly as surprised as most kids are.

I shrugged. "It has its moments. We all basically get along though. Some more than others."

The band teacher walked in, but before he could speak, the boy leaned in close to me and whispered. "I'd love to talk more, would you like to sit with my family at lunch? We don't really know anyone yet."

I nodded and then remembered Sam and Angela. "I would like that, but my friends Sam and Angela said I could sit with them. Would it be okay if we all sat together?"

"Yeah, for sure, if they want to." He nodded.

"Cool, thanks!" I grinned as the teacher began speaking.

"Greetings, aspiring musicians. Today we will begin with a sort of show-and-tell. But first, I want to show you what good music sounds like so we can try to set the bar a little higher this year. Two of our pupils have astronomically more practice hours under their belts than the rest of the class. And they've both studied under accomplished musicians.

"So, I would like them to come forward now and do a duet for us, please. Ironically, you both chose the same piece for your auditions, so I thought you might like to play it together. William, Edward, if you please?"

Mr. Lordes motioned for us to take our places at the front. He already had a chair and music stand in place for me with sheet music on the stand and there was music at the piano as well.

I watched as the boy from the hallway whose name I had just learned was Edward took his place at the piano. It was a shame to have to outshine someone so perfect, but I had never met anyone my age who could outplay me, so I knew it was inevitable.

I smiled apologetically as I took my seat and removed my instrument from its case.

After we were set up, Mr. Lordes began to conduct us and we started to play. The piece was La Vie En Rose, one of my favorites. The violin definitely had the lead with this piece and I was surprised he had used it for his piano audition.

But as we played, it became clear to me pretty quickly why. He was attempting to downplay his ability. I watched him as I played because I knew the notes and tempo by heart so I didn't need to watch the music or the conducting. The way his fingers ran over the keys, it was clear they were longing to add flourishes. He was practically vibrating with the need to play something more complex.

I knew I had chosen an easier piece in my selection, but as a new kid coming in, I didn't want to show off too much. He must've felt the same. But it left me longing to see what he could really do. When the piece was over, everyone clapped and asked us for an encore. The teacher nodded, so I decided to suggest a piece a lot more challenging.

"Sure, let's try Dvořák's Romance in F Minor Opus 11." I smiled. It wasn't exactly Flight of the Bumblebee, so if he knew the piece at least a little he could probably keep up, at least with the tempo which was slower.

I probably shouldn't have assumed that either Edward or Mr. Lordes had the sheet music for the piece though since it wasn't something likely to be assigned to high school kids.

I realized I was right when Mr. Lordes eyes bugged out of his head. "I um, I don't have that."

"It's okay, I know it." Edward smiled with a wink in my direction.

"That is a twelve-minute piece. You just...know it?" The teacher laughed, shaking his head. "You know what, fine, I'd love to see the two of you try and perform Romance, so sure, why not?"

I thought Edward would back out when Mr. Lordes said 'perform Romance' but instead he just looked at me with a wink and began to play the notes from memory. I had the piece memorized too but only because it was one of my absolute favorites and I played it ad nauseum. The fact that he had even played it, let alone played it enough to memorize it was astounding to me.

And as he played, it was clear he really did know every note by heart. His fingers expertly stroked the keys with skill and nuance I rarely saw from an amateur musician. He was...otherworldly.

Marry me. My subconscious mind sighed happily, as I watched him play. He looked back at me with his eyebrow raised in what seemed like a challenge and continued to play without faltering.

And so, I closed my eyes and continued to play until we reached the end of the piece. When I opened them, some of the kids in the class (probably the ones with the strongest sense of appreciation for classical music) had tears in their eyes and so did the teacher.

From that moment, as I looked at him, I knew. There was no one in the world like Edward. There never would be. This was it. He was one of a kind and he was made for me.

I felt it in my very bones.

I'd been pretty quiet for the rest of Band class as the other kids tried to follow our duet. I mean, what did you possibly say to someone you were pretty sure was your soul mate?

Then after Band, we didn't have any more classes together in the morning. So I wasn't sure if his offer to eat with his family still stood or not.

But when I got to the cafeteria and saw that Sam and Angela's table was already full to overflowing, I decided to chance it and hope he was being genuine. I ordered a half-size salmon salad and a berry smoothie and paid for it. Then I walked slowly toward Edward's table so I could gauge his reaction. He beamed radiantly and motioned me over.

I smiled and took the available seat between him and Emmett who I had already had Math class with, so at least, I knew him to see him.

"Willie, this is my family. That's Jasper and Alice and Rose, and I think Emmett already made an impression when he was late for class." Edward smiled, gesturing to each of his siblings.

Emmett pouted. "There are a lot of hallways here. It's not my fault this place is built like a maze."

"Yeah, but you'd probably be more punctual if you didn't spend as much time making out with Rosalie," Alice muttered quietly, but I heard it clear as day.

I looked back and forth between the giant and the blonde. Emmett put his hands up in a 'you caught me' gesture. "Guilty as charged. Though I still think the layout is dumb here."

"Wait, you're…?" My eyes lit up. "Wow."

"Is there a problem?" Rosalie frowned, probably feeling scrutinized.

I quickly spoke to reassure her. "No, definitely not. It's just that...I too come from a family where not everyone is related and some of my siblings are...coupled." I admitted, finally feeling like less of an outcast for once in my life.

"Holy shit, really?" Rosalie smiled looking a little less tense. "Everywhere we go, we're usually ostracized for that." She frowned.

"Yeah, I have two sets of siblings who are sort of together. Not openly, but yeah." I shrugged trying to play it like it was no big deal.

Then I realized, maybe I could tell them our other secret. I mean, being poly is less taboo than being incesty, right?

They seemed curious and Edward seemed downright amused, which from what I knew of him so far, I took as a good sign. So I decided to elaborate.

"Yeah, my brothers, Seth and George Charles, and my sister, Rachel, are like a threeway, I guess. I'm not really sure what you call that. And then my brother, Jakey, and my sister, Suzie, are sort of a thing, but not too much of a thing, because they're young yet," I attempted to explain.

"So, your siblings are poly?" Edward asked. "Our parents used to be poly. Our mom had another husband but he died a long time ago. She still misses him."

"Yeah, and I used to be with both Alice and Emmett," Rose admitted with a shrug.

"Yeah, but we're both really high maintenance, so I'm sure you can imagine how well that worked out." Alice giggled. "Now I just go for really chill girls who don't mind that I'm generally a handful."

"Oh wow, you're gay?" I stuttered, shocked. "So am I," I said quietly, hoping they would be as accepting of that as they were of everything else.

Alice laughed, "Yeah, uh, we know. To hear Edward talk, the two of you are practically married already!"

"Alice!" Edward hissed through gritted teeth.

She put her hands up in defense. "Hey, you just told me you met a boy, you didn't tell me you hadn't told him that yet."

"Wait, you...like me, like me?" I asked Edward trying not to sound as excited as I felt but my heart was racing. "I thought it was just me."

Edward smiled softly. "No, it wasn't just you. Anyone who can play the violin as you do certainly deserves to be noticed. Not to mention you're really beautiful," he said, whispering the last part in my ear.

I'm sure I turned crimson from head to toe as I looked down at my feet.

"Not as beautiful as you are," I quietly replied.

I couldn't help but instinctively lean closer to him. "Wow, you're really cold. Did your last class not have the heat on?" I worried.

He felt my forehead. "Actually, I think you might be running a fever...you said you're from La Push, right?" Edward paused, looking worried.

"Can I drive you home? If you're sick you should rest." He glanced at my time table. "It looks like you have either Rose or Em in all your afternoon classes, so they can take notes for you. Come on, let's go."

"Is it really that bad?" I worried. I had been feeling a little toasty since music but I assumed it was just my crush on Edward.

"It's pretty bad, yeah. Our dad is a doctor. But we should get you out of here, like now." He frowned as I started shaking.

"See? You have the chills, too." He took my hand and pulled me up to standing. "Guys, I'm gonna take Willie home now. If I'm not back in time for my first afternoon class, Alice can you let Mr. Banner know why?" And with that, he ushered me outside as quickly as possible.

"What about my things from my locker? Don't I have to sign out?" I frowned as he pulled me toward the tree line.

"No time, we have to get you out of sight of the humans," he said worriedly.

I was about to tell him he was talking nonsense, but the moment we were far enough into the trees that I couldn't see the school anymore, I felt my body ripple and it felt like I was being torn apart and put back together. When the pain subsided, I stood trying to clear my head.

Edward was in my peripheral and he seemed...shorter somehow. I looked down at where my feet should have been but I saw paws instead!

What is happening to me? I frowned and even my mouth felt different.

"You just became a wolf for the first time. It's called phasing. You probably heard the Quileute legends as a child? Well, they're all true," he explained gently.

I turned to face him, about to ask how he could possibly know anything about our legends but then our eyes met.

I felt the wind get knocked out of me and my brain seemed to entirely reconfigure itself. I never thought there could be anything that would matter to me more than music, more than my family, more than my tribe, or even my own identity. But this boy, standing in front of me, looking like a chiseled Greek statue with his alabaster skin and his mop of bronze hair, he was my everything from that moment forward.

"I know because I am a vampire," he told me softly, keeping his distance. He looked unsure of what I would do. "One of the Cold Ones," he clarified.

But, I don't understand...the legends say the Cold Ones are the bad guys. And I've overheard Leah talking about vampires to our moms. She seems to think they killed her dad, Harry…? I began slowly, feeling puzzled.

"There are plenty of bad vampires, yes. Ones who do kill humans and hurt people. But my family is not like that. We drink animal blood. We don't kill anyone. That's why your people made a treaty with us," Edward explained slowly.

The treaty! I heard Pa on the phone a few days ago, talking to a doctor about a treaty, which made no sense to me. But the legends also told about a family of Cold Ones who were different from the rest and who came to this area in peace and made a treaty with us.

So, your family are descendants of the ones who made the treaty…? I confirmed.

Edward winced. "Actually, my family and I are the ones who made the treaty."

I paused, thinking for a moment. How old are you?

"I'm seventeen, physically. But I'll always be seventeen. Forever." He sighed, waiting for my reaction.

What year were you born? I asked. It didn't matter, really, but I was admittedly very curious.

"1901," he stated matter-of-factly.

Wow.

"Yeah, wow." He smiled.

It was then that I realized he had been responding to my thoughts this entire time. Vampires can read minds?

"Not usually. That's just me. Some have a special ability, but every ability is different. Alice sees the future. Jasper can feel and affect other people's emotions," he clarified.

Oh wow. Okay, so...everything I've thought about you in my mind, you've...seen?

"Yes. I'm sorry. I know it's an invasion of privacy. I'd shut it off if I could," he winced apologetically.

No, it isn't that. I'm just impressed that you saw inside my mind and somehow didn't run away yet.

"Your mind isn't exactly a scary place, Willie." Edward smiled, taking a tentative step closer.

I took a step toward him as well. And then I remembered I was still a wolf.

How do I change back? This isn't permanent, right?

"No, it isn't permanent. Try to think of something you want to do that you can't do in wolf form, like playing the violin or something. That might help," he suggested.

I'd rather just think of kissing you but...oh shit! You can hear me still!

Edward laughed lightly. "That works too." He nodded slowly. "You'd certainly have to change back to do that."

And at the thought of getting a chance to kiss Edward, I felt my body shiver and phase back into the familiar human form I had always had. The only problem? That form was now stark naked.

"Oh my. I forgot you would be so…" He trailed off staring shamelessly.

"So naked?" I laughed, feeling embarrassed but also somewhat aroused by the way he was looking at me.

He chuckled. "I was going to say scrumptious but yes, I suppose naked works too."

I beamed. And then my brow furrowed slightly. "Should I be concerned if a vampire calls me scrumptious?"

He laughed heartily, stepping closer. "No. As a wolf, your blood does not call to us the way a human's would. Though you don't smell as...potent as the wolves I have met before. In fact, you smell very nice."

I giggled. "Are you saying the wolves you have met before were stinky?"

"Well, I don't mean it to be rude. But Ephraim and his friends certainly had a very...pungent odor. At least, to most of us. Our mother always said that Ephraim smelled different than the others. I think that was because she loved him," he informed me.

"Ephraim? You mean...your mother was in love with my great-grandfather? Wait, when you said earlier that your mother had another husband who died a long time ago?"

He nodded, confirming my theory. "Yes, they were wed. That was why he needed to make the Tribal Law in order to marry his Imprint, Martha. Because he was already married to Esme. Mind you, Esme was declared dead after her transformation into a vampire, just as we all were. So, if you want to get technical, neither of her marriages were really legal. But still, for him it was the principal, I think."

"Oh wow, that's...surreal. But so is the whole turning into a giant wolf thing, I guess. What am I supposed to do about that?" I frowned.

"Hmm...did you happen to hear any voices in your head while you were a wolf?" he asked me.

"Voices? No, should I have?" I puzzled.

Edward looked at his watch. "No, the other wolves are likely still in their meeting. They were supposed to meet with the elders today to discuss our family's return to Forks. We wanted to be present for the meeting, but they said no."

My eyes bugged out. Other wolves? How many are there?

"There are four, not counting you."

And you say I will hear them in my head? I ask, just thinking my thoughts to him now since the whole thing has me pretty speechless anyway.

He nodded. "Yes, you should. The Alpha will probably help you get adjusted. I was there when my dad spoke to him on the phone. He seemed like a nice man. He's the chief of your tribe so you probably know him. Charlie Blackswan?"

What the hell?! Pa is the Alpha? Pa is a wolf?!

"Pa? Your father is the Alpha? Oh my. I'm not certain if that will be a good thing or a bad thing for us." He frowned.

"Sorry, I'm still stuck on the whole my-dad-turns-into-a-giant-wolf thing." My whole world was turning upside down in the span of a single day, in so many ways it was making me dizzy!

"Oh, Love, I am so sorry! I did not mean to drop such a huge bombshell on you," he apologized, wrapping his arms around me. I was barely aware of the fact I was still naked as I hugged him back.

I wanted to get lost in his embrace. I wanted him to shelter me from the big bad scary world where kids got beat up for being gay and dads turned into giant wolves in secret. I wanted to feel safe.

And so he held me and soon I was crying. All of the fears and worries I had been holding inside about coming to a new school and whether I would be accepted or not, and all of the new fears that were forming about being a supernatural creature and all that entailed swirled around my brain and I just cried and cried and cried.

"Shh, it's okay, Love, I've got you," he murmured softly, holding me close in his strong arms. We collapsed together on the forest floor and before I knew it, I was kissing him, needing to feel that sense of closeness and comfort.

His lips were cold but in a good way. It felt like a soothing balm for my tired heart. When we paused to look into each other's eyes, I knew my smile reached my ears.

"So, how do you think you're dad is gonna take all this?" he ventured softly.

"Yeah, I guess we have to tell him, right?" I sighed.

Edward furrowed his brow. "He'd know even if we didn't. In wolf form, the wolves can all see one another's minds. It was why I asked you if there were other voices in your head."

"Oh, shoot. So…he will see all of this? And do you know who the other wolves are?" I wondered.

"Just their first names. Billy, Joshua, and Lucas." He frowned.

I nearly started hyperventilating. "So wait...you're telling me both of my dads and two of my uncles are wolves?" I asked, playing images of them all in my mind for him to see.

"I guess I am, yes. I'm so sorry, Willie." He sighed, holding me.

"It's not your fault. And I understand why they didn't tell us. With eleven kids in our family and four in Uncle Josh and Uncle Lucas' it would be impossible that no one would spill the secret, even accidentally," I reasoned.

My parents were very honest about most things, I had to believe that if they didn't tell us, it was because they couldn't.

"That makes sense." Edward nodded slowly. "So, can I take you back to my house to get you some clothes and then we can go speak to your father?"

"Yeah, let's do that," I agreed, knowing I couldn't go back to school today even if I wanted to.

Edward and I ran through the trees until we reached his house. I didn't change into my wolf form because I didn't want to risk my dads or uncles finding out before I had a chance to tell them in person.

When we arrived, the only person there was Esme. She made herself scarce while we went upstairs to Edward's room so I could change. Most of his clothes were a little more casual than I usually wore. I chose something smart and sassy from the more formal end of his wardrobe.

"Nice choice." He nodded approvingly, as I got dressed in the clothes.

I expected them to be loose because Edward was muscular even though he was thin, but evidently, wolfdom came with an enhanced physique and I found them surprisingly tight. Edward didn't seem to mind.

"You look so good I want to keep you all to myself. But I guess I should be polite and take you to meet Esme. Also, please know this will be somewhat emotional for her," he cautioned apologetically.

It took me a moment to remember why. Oh, because of Ephraim? When you tell her who I am, it will make her miss him?

I confirmed in my mind. He nodded, taking my hand in his as we moved to go back downstairs. "Yes. But it will be alright." He smiled.

When we got downstairs, she was making food which confused me.

"Do vampires eat people food?" I whispered.

"No, she's making that for you."

Oh! She doesn't have to! I'm not...I was about to inform him I wasn't hungry. But then I realized I was ravenous and as if on cue, my stomach growled.

"Yeah, now that you are a wolf, your appetite will be through the roof." He chuckled.

"Wait, really? Shit! That's not good, Edward. My family doesn't have a lot of money." I frowned. I always tried to eat very little because I liked to be thin anyway and raising eleven children was not cheap.

"Well, you can eat here anytime you like. As vampires, we've all lived long enough to accumulate vast amounts of wealth. And we have to keep food in the house in case humans ever drop by so that it looks like we eat. But Esme loves to cook and other than making meals for local shelters, she doesn't get a lot of opportunities," he insisted.

"She makes meals for local shelters? Wow, so do my moms." I beamed. "And we all volunteer at the one in town once a month. And then at Christmas, we always go to the hospital to entertain the sick kids who can't go home. Two of my moms are nurses. They work at the tribal clinic, not at the hospital. But two of my aunts work at the hospital as nurses."

"Seriously? That is amazing. My siblings and I usually put on a little Christmas concert for the hospital patients because our dad is a doctor. This will be our first time doing it in Forks though, maybe we could coordinate our efforts?" He offered.

"Yeah, that would be perfect!" I smiled radiantly as Esme sat a bowl of broccoli and cheese soup, a large submarine sandwich and a chef salad on the kitchen island.

"Hello, Willie. Edward hasn't told me very much about you personally, but I do know wolves love to eat. If these items are not to your liking, please don't be shy, I can make something else." She smiled.

"No, this looks great, thank you! I doubt I'll be able to finish it, but I can take the rest home if you don't mind," I said.

I took a moment to quietly say grace and then began eating. It was weird to have people watching me eat but Edward explained that they liked to live vicariously through humans when it came to food because foods they used to love as humans made them sick now. That seemed unfair, but I guessed that the benefits must have outweighed the drawbacks.

"So Willie, are you related to any of the other wolves?" Esme asked curiously.

I chewed and swallowed before speaking. "Yeah, all of them. My dads are Charlie and Billy Blackswan. Joshua and Lucas Uley are my uncles."

"Oh my." Esme smiled somewhat sadly. "I thought you must be. You have your great grandfather's eyes."

"Yes, Edward told me you were married to Ephraim. I'm very sorry for your loss. I know it was a long time ago, but still. I can't imagine," I empathized.

She smiled softly. "Thank you, Willie. You're right, it was a long time ago. But as vampires, we have perfect recall. So it still feels like yesterday."

I nodded, totally understanding. Mama June was always saying when January rolled around how losing Uncle Harry felt like yesterday to her, even though it happened almost fifteen years ago. It wasn't quite the same for Mother Sue, she seemed to bounce back more every year. I didn't know why. Maybe Mama June had perfect recall.

"Well, it looks like you managed to get through it all," Edward smirked, gesturing to the plate and bowls of food I had just wolfed down. I winced, kicking myself for that thought because I truly hated puns. "Let's go talk to your fathers and then maybe you'd like to come back here for dinner? I'd like you to meet my dad."

I nodded. "Sure, let's go rip the bandaid off then. Thank you, Esme. That was a lovely lunch. I am sorry I ate like a pig," I apologized.

"Don't worry, Dear. It was nice to have a wolf around to feed for a change. I miss all the cooking I used to do for Ephraim and the boys. Those three could each eat twice the amount I gave you." She laughed caught up in a memory.

Edward gave her a hug and thanked her and she walked us to the front door.

"You have a beautiful home by the way. Sorry I didn't say so before." I smiled.

"Thank you, Sweetheart. I hope your visit with your fathers goes well."

"Yeah...me too."

"Okay, so what's the plan here?" I asked Edward as we drove in his car to the Tribal Hall where my dads should be.

"I think you should wait until the council members and your uncles leave before we talk to them. They should be just finished their meeting. But Charlie is the chief, right? So it makes sense that he would be the last to leave." Edward advised.

"Yeah, that's true. He always locks up. Okay, so we park nearby and wait until theirs is the only vehicle?" I confirmed.

"Sounds good." Edward nodded, parking half a block down from the Hall as we arrived.

"So...do you think Esme is okay? I hope seeing me wasn't too much for her." I fretted while we watched people piling into their cars.

Edward smiled and kissed me softly on the lips. "I love that you care. She'll be okay. She is resilient," he assured me as the last car other than Pa's drove away.

"Looks like it's go time." I sighed reluctantly.

"I think you should walk over there and explain before I join you," Edward whispered. "They might freak if they see their son with a vampire before they know the situation. They think you're still human."

Oh, dang. Yeah, I guess I don't want them thinking you're here to eat me. I laughed quietly. I'll come get you after I talk to them.

I kissed him and exited the car. I jogged quickly over and my dads looked up when they saw me coming.

"Willie? Hi. Why aren't you in school? Did one of those kids do something?" Pa growled looking ready to hurt someone if they messed with me.

Pops seemed to notice my appearance though. "I don't think that's why he is here, Charlie, look at the boy."

Pa looked me over and his eyes got big. "Damn those Cullens." He muttered under his breath but I heard that.

"Pa, no! There is nothing wrong with them. They're perfect," I insisted.

"Can I...can I just...phase or whatever it's called and show you what happened?" I suggested since they probably wouldn't listen any other way.

"Sure, but not here. Let's go into the trees." They agreed and we jogged far enough into the woods that we wouldn't be seen from the road.

I undressed before phasing, not wanting to wreck Edward's clothes.

Once we were all three in wolf form, I took a brief moment to marvel in awe at how majestic and strong my dads looked as wolves. They seemed proud to see me as one too.

Then I began to replay my day for them from start to finish, so they could see exactly what happened.

When I got to the part where I first looked at Edward in wolf form, when everything shifted, they both gasped.

I didn't know that was possible! Pa frowned.

Guess it must be. Pops thought.

I guess it makes sense. Usually, the Imprint is based on creating stronger offspring, but in this case, that's a non-issue. And we already knew a wolf could fall for a vampire, because of Ephraim and the doctor's wife. Pa reasoned.

There is that word again. Imprint. Edward said it too. What does it mean? I asked them.

Then, both my dads showed me the moments it happened to them. Pa had imprinted on Momma Sarah and Pops on Mommy Renée.

They also showed me Uncle Harry's memories of imprinting on Mama June. It was surreal seeing Uncle Harry in their memories, having only ever seen him in home movies before.

Imprinting is the greatest bond there is, Son. It basically means that somehow, even though Edward and his family are vampires, he is your soulmate. Pa explained.

Wow. No wonder I feel different.

I paused for a moment to think. Can I...can we wait a bit to tell everyone? Like, Moms and Uncles? I just wanna get my head around all this before I have to face everyone. It's weird enough being a wolf now and it will be weirder once people know.

Pops nodded. Yeah, of course. We won't tell them until you are ready, Son.

In fact, Pa added, Edward invited you over there for supper? I think you should take him up on it. That way you won't be sitting around trying to pretend it's just a regular day.

Really? Do you mean it? I wasn't sure if you would let me, once you knew they were vampires. I admitted.

We might not have if it weren't for the imprint. Pops conceded. The magic doesn't lie. This means we can trust the Cullens. We had hoped so, but we weren't sure. Ephraim had a good relationship with them, but the only vampires we've ever met have been the bad kind.

They couldn't help the images that came into their minds of the vampires they had destroyed and the one who killed Uncle Harry.

Oh wow. No wonder you were leery of them. All the Cullens I have met seem really nice though.

I'm sure they are, Willie. So yes, you can tell that boyfriend of yours that you have permission to visit their home again tonight. I think we would like more time to digest all this before we meet him though. So you go on and we'll explain to Moms that you had an intense first day but you made friends and so we said you could go to a friend's house, okay? Pa offered.

Okay, thanks, Dads! I beamed a big, goofy, wolf grin at them.

We all phased back to human form and I quickly redressed, giving each of my dads a hug before I headed off through the trees back to Edward's car.

"Did you hear all that?" I asked him.

"Yep. I'm glad it went well. Now let's go. I'm excited for you to meet my dad." Edward grinned, kissing me.

"Me too!" I smiled, feeling downright giddy after getting my dads' approval.

I had never been this happy in my life. I felt like everything was changing for the better. I only hoped this happiness would last.

AN: Well...lemme know what you think.

I hope some of you understand what I mean now about this being the real story. The prequel and snapshot series was kind of half-assed because honestly, I was dragging myself through them to get to this. So now, we will have a real story with real adventures and real romances and hopefully, loveable characters!

As always, I love to hear your feedback!

Blessings,

-BMW