Collision || A Twilight Fanfic

Chapter 22

A moment can feel like an eternity when the soul isn't at ease. Time seems to reverse and turn over on itself, holding the body hostage to its grapples. It twists the mind, numbs all reason, and feeds doubt. Time can sometimes be scarier than death itself.

Spencer could have sworn the entire day had passed before the pack finally walked through the doors. But the light coming from the outside told her it was still early. They walked in as though nothing had happened, and they hadn't just torn a vampire to shreds. The boys laughed and patted each other on the backs, celebrating as though their lives had not been in peril.

As soon as they came into view, the girl ran to her brother and wrapped her arms tightly around him. She wrapped them around his neck as his own caught her by the waist. Once she felt him with her own hands, she finally let out a strangled breath, allowing all the anxiousness to roll off her body.

"Oh, thank the spirits you're okay," she breathed shakingly. "I thought something happened to you."

"You need to give me more credit here, bean," he chuckled. "We take this job seriously."

"I was scared."

"Come on, he was outnumbered," Sam shrugged. "There was no way we were going to let him go. He was easy meat."

"So, none of you got hurt? You're all okay?"

"Of course we are," Paul interjected. "That guy had nothing on us."

"I told you they would be okay," Emily said, carrying a plate of fresh biscuits that the boys dug into as quickly as it reached them. "The boys always come home. Especially when they know that there's food on the table."

"I knew I could smell chicken," Jared grinned. "I'm starving, man."

"When are you not?" Embry teased as he walked past him.

"Oh, the young kid has some bark in him," Jared chuckled. "You're finally one of us."

Laughing, Embry, Jacob, and Paul walked right past Spencer and to the dining table. Jacob was about to do the same but stopped next to her. "Bella's okay," she said. "She got home a while ago. She's still a bit shaken up, mostly because of the giant wolves she saw."

"Okay," he said as he let out a breath of relief. "Thanks."

"She's tougher than she looks, Jake," Spencer smiled. "She's also smart, and she has a lot of questions."

"I know," Jake sighed. "I don't know what I'm gonna do."

"Forcing the imprint bond hasn't worked out?" the girl teased. "I thought it would."

"Not funny, Spence," he pouted. "But no. I guess everyone was right. It's just... she deserves so much better."

"Don't we all, Jake? Don't we all," she said as she patted him comfortingly on the shoulder. "Now, go eat. You gotta refuel."

"Yeah. I'll see you around, Spencer."

"Bye, Jake."

As the boy left her by herself, her gaze found her brother. He was sitting on a bench in the backyard, his shoulders slumped and a hand over his eyes. Sam was tired, that much she could tell. But it wasn't because of the vampire. No. It was a fatigue she knew very well.

"Hey," she said softly as she sat next to him. "How're you doing?"

"I told you we're all good, Bean," Sam smiled weakly.

"That's not what I mean, Sam. How are you?"

"I'm fine," he breathed. "Just... tired. I was worried before that. We caught the leech's scent first, and we were ready for a fight—finally finish up who's been killing all those hikers. But then your scent was mixed up in it and I got so stressed that I wouldn't get to you in time. I've been worried that a bloodsucker would take you away from me, but I never thought it could've happened this way."