petrichor [rosalie hale]

liv. smashed vases

The sun dipped low in the sky, casting a warm golden glow over the Cullen's house. Kiara sat on the grass, her tanned skin seeming to absorb the remaining light. Her black hair swayed gently in the breeze as she stared off into the distance, deep in thought about Paul wanting to join her pack. 

Kiara couldn't deny the strange mixture of emotions swirling inside her. On one hand, Paul was a fierce and capable wolf, his loyalty unquestionable. On the other hand, she couldn't shake the memory of their countless arguments, their claws nearly tearing each other apart in their never-ending battles of will.

She thought about Rachel. She probably should speak to her sister before making any rash decisions on where to go next. The image of Paul's sunken cheeks made her shiver a little, knowing that she needed to go tell her sister that she couldn't cut Paul out of her life. Even if she didn't want to be with him, Kiara needed Rachel to know that she didn't care if they were friends.

"Hey, Kiara? Mind if I sit with you?" Bree Tanner's soft voice broke through Kiara's thoughts. The young vampire was standing a respectable distance away, her once-red eyes now showing hints of gold – a testament to her adaptation to the vegetarian diet the Cullens insisted upon.

"Of course, Bree. Come, sit." Kiara patted the grass next to her, shifting slightly to make more room for the newborn vampire who took a tentative seat beside her.

"Thanks," Bree murmured, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "How are you doing?"

"Me? Oh, I'm fine," Kiara replied with a slight smile, her sarcasm barely hidden. She knew Bree could sense the turmoil within her but appreciated that the vampire was trying to provide a sense of normalcy for her. It was a welcome distraction from the weight of her own thoughts.

Bree hesitated, clearly picking up on Kiara's underlying tension. "Are you sure?"

"Really, I'm good," Kiara assured her, forcing a genuine smile. "Just... thinking about some pack stuff. Honestly, you don't need to worry about it. Comes with the whole 'alpha' thing..."

"Ah, I see," Bree nodded, understanding that there were certain aspects of pack life that even she, as a vampire, couldn't fully grasp. "Well, if you ever want to talk about it, I'm here."

The golden hues of the setting sun cast a warm glow over Kiara and Bree as they sat side by side, their shadows stretching out across the grass like a bridge between two worlds. The subtle sound of the breeze rustling through the trees seemed to carry with it whispers of untold stories, encouraging Kiara to break the slightly uncomfortable silence that had settled between them.

"Hey, Bree," Kiara began, her voice tinged with a hint of uncertainty, "I just wanted to apologise for not spending more time with you or getting to know you better." 

She glanced sideways at the young vampire, studying the way the sunlight danced in her eyes. 

"I know you're important to Seth, and I should've made more of an effort."

Bree's eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise, but she quickly shook her head, dismissing the need for apologies.

"Don't worry about it, Kiara. We all have our own stuff going on, right? Besides, you've been busy leading your pack."

"True," Kiara admitted, her gaze drifting back to the horizon as she considered just how much her life had changed since becoming a shapeshifter. "But I still could've tried harder, you know?"

"Kiara, it's really not a big deal." Bree's tone was reassuring, as if she were the one trying to comfort Kiara instead of the other way around. "Besides, there's something I've been worried about, too, and wanted to speak to you about it, if you wouldn't mind?"