Discover Twilight

chapter xxvi

The week goes on and turns out that another leech made its way into my house, leaving his stench in Bella's room and the house. The arrangement the Cullen's and Sam made was that Jake would take Bella like two days a week so the Cullens could hunt and we'd switch off on the perimeter of the house. Saturday came and it was the council meeting. Not only was today the council meeting but the day I had to finish my Valedictorian speech and pass out invitations for Graduation to the Pack and Billy.

"Hey is anybody home?" I yell, putting my keys in the dish by the front door before answering my own question, seeing the entire Pack in the living room.

"Kota! What's up?" Sam asks, giving me a hug.

I handed everyone their invitation, mumbling, "I know it's next week and the Cullens will be there, but it would mean a lot to me if you guys were there."

You have been invited to join:

Dakota Tala Uley Swan

For the commencement of her Graduation!

Sam looks up at me, after seeing I took his last name, nodding, "I wouldn't miss it, Kiddo." Everyone agreed to come including Leah, which I appreciated the most because I know how she feels about being around Sam and Emily. 

"Paul, no picking fights with the Cullens okay. At least wait until after I've received my diploma, got it?" I jest, reminding him that Emmett Cullen would be in attendance for his siblings' graduation. He childishly sticks his tongue out at me and gives me a hug.

I leave to go give Billy his invitation and Jake and Paul follow me out the door. Jacob is going to get Bella whereas Paul simply offered to come with me to keep me company. "So you excited to graduate?" I ask him as we drive over to Billy's.

He scoffs, nodding, "Hell yeah I am. I pulled my shit together after being around your smartass everyday and I'm actually graduating with a B average."

I gasp, laying my hand on his knee, "That's amazing. I'm so proud of you. So you aren't as dumb as you look."

Parking the truck besides Billy's, my laugh resembled a hyena, as Paul pouts at my joke. "Wow, so mean. Anyways how about you, are you nervous for graduation?" 

I nod getting out of the truck. I haven't told anyone that I was Valedictorian and giving this speech is going to be difficult. The only reason my friends knew was because they announced it over the intercom one morning. Paul throws his arm across my shoulder, seeing the ever present gloom that was in my green eyes when thinking about having to speak in front of people, "Oh you'll be fine. The worst thing that could happen is that you trip and fall on your face." 

"Paul, Kota. And to what do I owe this pleasure, you aren't supposed to be over for another hour or so?" Billy asks as we walk into the small Black house.

I laugh as I bend down to give him a hug and hand him my invitation, "I wanted to personally give you the invitation."

He opens it and looks at it, smiling proudly. "I still remember when you and Jake would have those mud fights while Charlie and I would fish. Oh how time has gone by. Of course you can count on my presence."

I do some odd jobs for him around the house while he sends Paul to get the firewood for later. Not long after Paul lugs all the firewood to the pit outside the house the Elders, Sam and most the Pack arrives. Sam lights the fire and starts the food. Paul, Embry, Jared and I have a hot dog eating contest, I won beating them all by 5 hot dogs which was both surprising and disgusting because I don't particularly like hotdogs. They stare at in amazement as everyone else laughs, Sam patting my back in proud brotherly manner. Billy sits at the natural head of the circle, Old Quil, Quil's ancient grandfather, sits on one side of him, and Sue Clearwater on the other. I look at Old Quil longer than I probably should have, which caught Quil's eye because I'd never spoken in the man that I could remember, but something struck a chord of familiarity

When I finally looked away, I noticed a girl about Quil's age that I've never met is definitely giving him the eye. I lean in to his ear singing, "Someone's got an admirer." 

He looks me dead in the face and says, "And so do you. Your point?" We both start laughing hysterically, so does Embry who heard the whole thing, earning looks from everyone else.

Bella and Jake finally arrived when Sam calls everyone over so Billy could start. I sit on the log with Sam on my left and Paul on my right as Billy begins the meeting, "The Quileutes have been a small tribe from the beginning... But we've always had magic in our blood. We were great spirit warriors... Shape shifters, that transform into the powerful wolf. This enabled us to scare off our enemies, and protect our tribe. One day our warriors came across a creature... It looked like a man, but it was hard like stone, and cold as ice and a thirst for human blood... Our warriors' sharp teeth, finally tore it apart... But only fire would completely destroy it. They lived in fear, that the Cold Man was not alone. And they were right. She took her vengeance out on the village. Our elder chief, Taha Aki, was the only spirit warrior left to save the tribe, after his son was killed. Taha Aki's Third Wife could sees that he would lose... The Third Wife was no magical being, no special powers, but one... Courage. The Third Wife's sacrifice distracted the Cold Woman, long enough for Taha Aki to destroy her. She saved the tribe. Over time, our enemies have disappeared. But one remains... The Cold Ones. Our magic awakens when they near. And we sense it now, we feel the threat in our blood. Something terrible is coming. And we must all be ready. All of us."

I take Bella home since she rode with Jake here. For the entire ride it remained silent, neither knowing what to say to the other. She played with the extra invitations I had, flicking the corners of the envelopes, "Ever finish your speech?"

I shake my head no, softly groaning at the reminder as I park and take them from her before coming home to find Charlie sitting at the kitchen table staring at a flyer with a teenage boy's face on it. I come over and give him a side hug, seeing the kid's smiling face and the words: HAVE YOU SEEN ME?

Bella comes into the room dropping her coat and backpack on the kitchen counter, "Hey. Did you eat dinner yet?"

He continues to stare at the flyer, transfixed on his kind childlike face, "Um... no... I haven't. This kid Riley Biers, disappeared over a year ago. And his poor parents been papering Seattle with these things ever since."

"You think they should just give up?" Bella asks her father.

I don't think she gets it because she's never lost anyone the way he and I have, if there is a chance you can get them back you'll do everything in your power to get them. If it were her or Sam or Charlie or the Pack I would spare no expense, no period of time until I found them.

Charlie looks at her pressing his lips in a firm line, "I wouldn't. If it were you or Kods... Not ever." Bella's eyes shine with her guilt, she's about to put him through that. Then he unexpectedly wraps an arm around her waist, pulling her close and holds my hand with the other, "So, one large, extra cheese?"

We laugh nodding. "Hey so you won't be alone at graduation. Billy, Sam, Jake, and some people from the Rez promised to be there," I tell him as he puts the phone to his ear.

At 2 am I jump out my window to take my shift with Paul to watch the house. I Phase and see Emmett and Alice are standing several paces apart, still as statues keeping watch. They hear a sound, both springing at once, turning to see Paul and me here to take over sentry duty. Slowly, Emmett and Alice back away, we watch their every move.

"WELL THIS IS FUN," I think to Paul.