"What do you remember?" That was the second time I had been asked that question today.

But this time I was surrounded by Sam and the Elders.

My dad sat beside me. He couldn't stop throwing concerned glances my way as I practically wobbled all the way here.

Man, those steps to get up to the house was my kryptonite. It jostled my ribcage which felt like it had been shattered into a million pieces.

Sometimes I was even amazed at this werewolf gene thing if it could heal from that.

"Bella." I was jostled out of my thoughts and back to the meeting at hand. "Did you see it?" Sam asked me. "Did you see the vampire?"

I could feel my brow furrow as I tried to remember. There seemed to be something poking at my memory waiting to resurface.

My face scrunched up as a blinding headache appeared at my effort to relive it. "I remember tracking it. The vampire was hopping from side to side of the treaty line. "

"Yeah," Sam pondered. "I remember, Paul and I were coming up on the other side of you. Between us all we were caging it in but you stopped suddenly. You paused and because of your unique being I couldn't see what stopped you in your tracks. "

I bit my lip. It had been Jasper. He had been there with the vampire who attacked me. But not together. I think.....I think he had been hunting her. Possibly all of the Cullens because Edward had been there. He had carried me back.

Oh gosh. My chest squeezed.  I couldn't tell them that though. Billy would demand their heads just for being there. And though Jasper had warned me when he sensed the other vampire at my back, that's not enough proof.

Because every time he was missing this other vampire was around.  And I didnt know if that meant the Cullens were with the other rogue vampire.

My feelings aside, I didn't know the Cullens. Not well enough. Not yet.

"I don't remember much. I couldn't see who it was that hit me from behind. And all I saw after was the trees in the forest snapping and breaking around me." Again something beckoned at the edge of my memory but I couldn't grasp at it.

Billy grumbled in frustration.

"It's to be expected." Quil added. "You have went through a grave trauma. You did good Bella."

"How so?" I whispered.  I felt like a failure. "The vampire got away." We still didn't even know who it was.

"Because you survived."

"He is right." Sam admitted rubbing his jaw. "We were coming for you. We knew something was wrong. But in the time it took for us to get to you...." He trailed off.

My father tensed all over at the insinuation.

"Anything could have happened to you. And if it had, we would be having a very different conversation right now."

But it hadn't. Because I had protection. It just wasn't the werewolves.

"We can't let this stand.  We must retaliate." Billy declared.

"We still don't know which one it is." Quil said.

Billy whipped around to him. "They are all guilty by association."

My face scrunched up. "Because they are vampires?" I questioned.

Billy's stare went right through me. It felt like I wasn't even there. " You think they haven't done worse than this.  They are all guilty. And we won't let it stand that they have harmed our own."

My dad started grinding his molars.

"But now isn't the time." Quil said.

"I agree." My father admitted.

Billy looked demented and ready to hiss as he paced the room. "You are all fools. You hold on to scared traditions that should have never been. There never should have been a treaty with those animals."

Quil stood. His face was tight with tension. My spine stiffened. I had never seen him angry, never even a flinch on his face to show he was upset. Until now.

"My great grandfather stood toe to toe with the vampires with nothing more than his werewolf brother by his side because he wanted the fighting to stop and peace to live on." Quil stepped right up to Billy. Their noses practically touched.

I could feel my father move beside me ready to intervene.

"I will not spit on their grave or their courage for meeting with the vampires all those years ago by breaking the treaty they built our heritage on until I know which vampire specifically is doing this. War is not the only solution. Peace is the healer not damnation and revenge." Wow,  I didn't know Quil's personal feelings were so similar to my own.

My dad stood.  "You are out voted Billy.  The pack will stand down until we know more. Besides, what would you have them do?" Charlie gestured to where Sam and I stood not breathing a word. "They're just kids. They are outnumbered and now they are down one more because my daughter is still healing after almost being kill......" His voice cracked as the sentence was left hanging.

I looked down at my hands squeezing my thighs to not see the emotion written plainly across my father's face.

"And our numbers are made even worse when you consider Paul." Sam remarked under his breath.

My head whipped to him. "What?" I breathed.  I quickly glanced at my father. He had said everyone was alright when I asked. Had he lied to me? "What happened to him?"

Sam sighed heavily. "He is otherwise preoccupied.  After what happened to you we were all running on fumes of rage but especially Paul and Jared. They still lack control. I told him to go to the beach to cool off and there he met Kim. " Sam looked at me as I listened on in confusion.

"Paul has imprinted. "

If I wasn't already sitting down, my ass would have collapsed.

I could feel shock blast through me like a hurricane.

Sam watching the emotions across my face said, "Yeah, that was pretty much my reaction as well. It's the craziest thing. But it happened and any free time he has, it is spent with her." Sam gave a light laugh. "It's not a bad thing, it's great actually. He's a changed man now."

I frowned. This was so weird. I didn't even believe in imprinting. As if fate was kind enough to attach us to our rightful soul mate. As if it would know. As if we would even be fortunate enough by grace to find them. And yet. It appeared Paul had. "How so?"

"He has lost his rage and it has been replaced by calmness and control. If Paul was the Hulk than Kim is his Betty Ross. She brings him back down to the man he is behind the werewolf.  She took that part well too. The whole werewolf thing."

My eyes widened. How had I missed so much?

"Regardless, I need to get back out there. Jared is running solo and I don't like leaving him like that for too long after what happened. Besides, he is none too thrilled about Paul's imprint because now he is the only one with control issues." Sam laughed as he got up. He nodded to the Elders.

I stood too ready to follow him out. He turned seeing my movement and my father's eyes narrow at me. Suddenly I was being pushed back down to my sitting position.

"Not you Bella. You need time to heal. Mentally and physically. The pack and I have this covered. Paul is going to take a rotation later. " He bent to look me in the eye. "Take all the time you need. We are here for you when you are ready."

Feeling embarrassed by the tears that came to my eyes at his kindness, I bit the inside of my cheek hard until they dissipated .

When I was sure my eyes had dried, I looked up and saw that Sam was gone and Billy had stormed out.

My father's lips had thinned. Apparently while Sam and I were talking, they had been arguing.

"I'll go talk to him and calm him down." Charlie walked past me to head outside after Billy.

Quil surprised me when he came to sit beside me. "How are you feeling?"

"I've been better. " My voice was still brittle but sounded marginally better than this morning.

Quil's lips tried to fight a smile. "I mean your  wellbeing.  Mentally how are you doing? I am sure you are upset, scared, angry even about what happened? Some things not even the werewolf gene can heal." He said as he tapped my temple.

"I'm dealing." He gave me a doubtful look. I tried again. "I will eventually. Things feel like they are in fast forward after I woke up. I haven't had any time to just think about anything."

"That's understandable. How has it been going to school with with Cullens? I hope it hasn't been too torturous for you."

I blushed. Torturous wasn't the word I would have used to describe it.

Quil noticing my flushed cheeks gave me a knowing look.

"Did you hear about Paul?" He asked.

"Yeah, and out of everything that has happened, that has got to be the weirdest.  I didn't even believe in imprinting just like I didn't believe in our ancestors being werewolves and here are all these legends making me look like a fool as they come true around me."

"You found out the werewolf legend was real. Why did that not convince you the others may be as well." He questioned.

I was unprepared to feel my lips start trembling and tears to fill my eyes again. "Because I didn't want them to be." I admitted in a hushed whisper as I wrapped my arms around myself. I looked at Quil then to see his face softened at the sight of my tears. "I didn't want any of this."

He stared at me a long time before nodding and looking away.

"I know you didn't. But life is unexpected. And dwelling over things in the past that we cannot change will only hinder your future. Besides, maybe good things are to come. " He said knowingly. "Not all the legends have to be a curse. Look at Paul. He has found unyielding love. That is hope that there is more to life than killing and war."

"Yeah, maybe." I said doubtfully. "Imprinting never crossed my mind when I first turned. I couldn't even accept what I had become, I can't imagine falling in love and hoping that they could. "

"Imprinting is just another word for finding your soul mate. They wouldn't have to accept any part of you Bella because they would love every piece that made up who you are."

"How do you know so much about this?" I asked hopeful.

"My great grandfather was the first to imprint and he documented everything in those books you don't believe in. Besides, Paul can't stop talking about it. I'm sure he will tell you when you see him. Though I doubt you will see much of him for awhile until he gets accustomed to the intensity of the bond. You see it's painful to be apart of your imprint. Your soul feels like it is dying to be separated from the other half that makes it whole. It hurts and weakens you. Which is why Paul will need time with Kim until he can bear the pain long enough to leave for a short while."

Wait, what? My breath started coming faster. Quil went on as if I wasn't even there, almost speaking to himself. "But once reconnected with your imprint you are made whole again like a balloon expanding in your chest, filling you till you might burst." My eyes felt as wide as saucers. "A thousand butterflies or grasshoppers will erupt inside making you feel weightless and alive. Without your soul mate you feel like you will float to the heavens but they tether you there, grounding you, completing you."

I thought of the butterflies, the outburst in class that first day with Edward where I thought I would explode. The pain when I would pull away from him or leave.

I was panting now.  It couldn't be. It just couldn't. Enemies to lovers was a fairytale.

Kind of like werewolves I thought sarcastically.

The pack would have my head if this was true. And bitterly, I thought, they would have Edward's too.

I couldn't let that happen. I didn't know what I was feeling. Well I did, but I didn't want to admit it. And definitely not for Edward's sake.

My chest ached fierce now but not from my injuries.

Quil watched silently beside me. "Something you wish to add dear." He replied knowingly.

My shoulders hunched as I looked on bewildered

Did he.....know?

He got up and went to the coffee table in front of us. There laid the Legends book that seemed to always being taunting me.

"It may be hard to accept but this is all real." He said tapping on the book.  "It all exists and everything that has happened to you, to the pack and to this land has been foretold many, many years ago. It will all come to fruition. And sweet girl, you best start believing in it because I believe you are going to to be at the center of it. And if that is the case, you will be our only chance to save us all." And I knew from the wounded expression on his face, that he wasn't just referencing the Reservation and the werewolves .

But the humans and the vampires too.