Rising Waters//Book Two

Chapter 6:

The Pack

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I hopped out of the tailgate as we pulled to a stop outside a large house.

Bella tried saying that we should go back for Jacob and the boys laughed at that, and instead started placing bets.

"Come on Bella. Get out," I said to her as I pulled her door open. These were still the boys she's been hanging out with all year and I don't know why she acted like the way they were acting was unfamiliar. 

Literally, all they did was antagonize each other. 

"Come on Bella. We won't bite," I glared at Embry before switching it to Quil. 

"Speak for yourself."

Bella rolled her eyes, finally getting out. Walking up to the door I became very aware of all the knives hidden in my boots and wondered if the wolf boys could tell like other types of creatures could.

"Oh, hey. About Emily, Sam's fiance, don't stare. It bugs Sam." Embry told us before we entered the house.

I could immediately smell food.

"You guys hungry? Like I have to ask", I heard someone say before laughing as the boys sat down at the roundtable.

The woman turned around and saw us, at the same time we saw her. She looked familiar.

"Who's this?" she asked the boys as I came to stand beside Bella, who had stopped and leaned on the door frame. I continued forward, unperturbed.

"Bella Swan, who else? And that's- ", Quil was cut off by the women.

"Lily Jackson."

She smiled with familiarity. 

"You have definitely grown from the little kid with braids Jacob used to run around with. Do you remember that time you and Jacob tried to steal my bike? Probably would have gotten away with it too, if you both didn't try to ride it at the same time."

And then I remembered. "Emily?" This is the teenage girl that had to babysit us while the adults were out? I thought she would be off at college or something.

"Oh good, you remembered. You want a muffin, sweety?"

I greedily nodded, sitting down next to Embry, and looking around the house.

"So, you're the vampire girl, mhm?" Emily said to Bella as she turned back towards the counter.

"So you're... the wolf girl", Bella answered back.

"I guess so... well, an engaged one." Emily confirmed with a smirk as she brought the muffins over to the table. 

The boys quickly went for the muffins while I got mine not so much like a teenage wolf boy, therefore saving myself from being scolded like the other two.

"Leave it to Jacob to find a way around Sam's gag order," Emily said as Bella came over, grabbing a muffin. Wait, gag order?

"Um, he didn't say anything to me." Bella quickly jumped to his defense. 

You're right, Bella. He just snuck into your room against orders and made you even more suspicious. 

"Wait, Sam's the alpha?" I quickly regretted speaking as everyone looked at me with confusion. I shrugged and went back to my muffin.

"Yeah, it's a wolf thing," Embry explained. 

"Alpha's orders. He had to obey, whether he wanted to or not. Oh, and check it out. We can hear each other's thoughts."

I was right. Knew it!

"Would you shut up?!" Okay, Quil is getting on my nerves. 

"These are trade secrets. Damn it. These chicks run with vampires".

I quickly raised up the hand not holding my precious muffin.

"I object to that statement. I don't run with vampires, I just follow her." I pointed my thumb backward at Bella behind me.

"You can't run with vampires." Everyone went weirdly silent at her joke.

"Cause they're fast." Bella elaborated. 

"Well we're faster," Quil replied with a smirk. "Freaked out yet?"

"Not in the slightest." I smirked at him, finishing my muffin.

"You're not the first monsters we've met", Bella said, shaking her head. 

In reality, Bella hasn't met any real monsters yet. She's just met some whacked-out creatures. 

"Jake's right. You two are good with weird." Sam came walking through the door behind us before making a beeline for Emily.

By the gods were they cute. 

Then I saw Jacob and Paul coming to the door, playfully shoving each other. 

They really are just children still, aren't they? 

Paul came and sat down as Bella honed in on Jake near the door.

Embry grabbed his bet money from Quil.

I saw Bella walk away with Jake and realized I'd have to wait here to get my answers instead of just talking to Jake about it. Damn, my Jella shipping heart.

"So..." I started, sitting up in my chair. I had to play this carefully, they probably think they're real werewolves, so let's go with that. 

"Werewolves huh? Well, I'll take you guys over the chalk faces any day."

They might be immature idiots, but for me, that works in my favor.

"So how does it work?"

"It's in our genes", Sam said, sitting down in the last available seat as Emily continued with... whatever she was making. "When any vampires move into the area, the gene is triggered. Fever sets in as the body changes." 

So it's hereditary. Maybe they're long-lost descendants of Lycaon.

"So, what are you chasing?" 

My question definitely caught them off guard this time. 

"Sorry, it's just that if you weren't trying to find something, I doubt you would have been sighted as much as you have been. And the disappearances aren't just a coincidence."

They all looked at each other for a minute before nodding, after which Sam spoke up.

"Well, until recently, we've been dealing with these two bloodsuckers, and we don't know what they want--"

"Yeah, we took out some dude with dreads pretty easy in the woods the other day. Bella was there, he was probably gonna suck her dry if it weren't for us." Quil boasted as I came to terms with what he had just said.

"Wait, you guys killed that asshole. And Bella was with him?" 

What other shit hasn't she told me? 

And then I realized something. If Laurent was in town, so was the other vampire Victoria. 

"What does the other vamp look like?" They were all confused again.

"I don't see why you should worry yourself--" I cut Paul off.

"Red hair, does she have red curly hair?" 

They all looked around at each other, which was answer enough for me, before Sam nodded.

This is not good.

I stood up from the table and addressed them. "I know what she wants." 

Rubbing my face with exasperation, I couldn't help but sigh. 

One year, I just want one normal year and soon. Without anyone or anything trying to kill me or my family. Chiron is so gonna get it for convincing Mom to send me here.