Kiara's hands were still vibrating from the jeep's rumble as she slid the key out of the ignition. Her shoes crunched on the gravel drive, and as much as she wished it did, a small feeling in the back of her head told her that it didn't feel the same as the gravel under her feet in La Push. The reservation was her home... whether that was with the pack, she didn't know.

But before she could revel in the conflicting senses of nostalgia, her world tilted sideways - Edward's cold, marble-like form had her pinned against the not-as-cool metal of the jeep, his snarl a mere whisper from her face. Fury flashed in his eyes as he pressed harder, Kiara groaning a little as she felt a second dent be pressed into Emmett's jeep. She knew that the bulky vampire was going to be livid when he noticed both.

"Are you out of your mind, Kiara?" Edward's voice was a venomous hiss, the fury in his topaz eyes mirroring the storm clouds that had began to gather overhead as she had driven back towards the Cullen residence.

"Easy there, Ed," Kiara said, her tone light despite the iron grip holding her. The sarcasm in her words dripped from her mouth like honey, causing the man to flare up with more anger at how nonchalant she seemed. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you missed me."

Rosalie, her golden hair catching the fading sunlight, bolted outside with the rest of the Cullen clan on her heels. The protective glint in her eye softened just a touch when it landed on Kiara. Leah and Seth emerged from the woods, their expressions wary. Tension crackled in the air like static, waiting for a spark to ignite. 

From the corner of her eye, Kiara faintly noticed Beverly place a gentle hand on her sister's arm as the blonde went to angrily move towards her adoptive brother and her mate. Rosalie simply shrugged her off, moving down and latching her own hand on Edward's wrist that was now pressed against Kiara's neck.

"Edward! Let her go, now!" Rosalie's demand sliced through the charged atmosphere, her eyes darker as she gripped tightly on his wrist. Kiara could almost hear the small cracking noises as her grip tightened around him. Edward, paid Rosalie no attention, not even flinching as she attempted to snap his wrist.

"Sam Uley? Really, Kiara?" Edward growled, unmoved by Rosalie's plea. "You've invited him here, to meet Renesmee?"

Rosalie's hand immediately fell from Edward's wrist as her gaze flickered to look at Kiara, betrayal evident in her eyes. Kiara had told her that she had gone to visit Rachel and her father - not sneak off to some secret meeting with the other alpha that had been so keen to kill them days before.

"You did what?" Her voice was ice, her earlier warmth evaporating like mist.

"Look, can we not make a scene?" Kiara suggested, even as she mentally prepared for the inevitable explosion.

"Make a scene?" Bella's voice was incredulous as she joined the fray, her maternal instincts a fiery aura around her. "You want to bring Sam - the same Sam who wanted to destroy my daughter - into this house?"

And there is was - the one person that Kiara had been hoping wouldn't be around as soon as she had felt Edward's hands on her. It wasn't like before when Jacob had called Renesmee Nessie, this was more of a serious issue. She knew that - and she knew it was stupid to have offered without checking first but she'd always loved the principle of ask first, apologise later.

"Okay, yes, when you put it like that, it sounds bad..." Kiara admitted, feeling the weight of their collective stares. Even Carlisle and Esme were looking at her with appalled expressions at the accusation that she wasn't denying.  It was like standing at the centre of a hurricane, the winds of everyone's emotions swirling dangerously close.

"Sounds bad? It is bad!" Bella's anger echoed off the trees, and Kiara felt a pang of guilt for causing her this distress. Then again, Bella had technically been the reason they were even in this predicament in the first place, but Kiara bit her tongue from voicing that as she knew there was a time and a place - and it was certainly not here.

"Guys, I get it. I do," Kiara said, her loyalty to these people - and to her brother's imprint - trying to pierce through the tension. "But there's more to this than you're seeing."

She was actually quite glad that Jacob and Renesmee were currently nowhere in sight, as she was sure Jacob would already be attempting to rip off her head at the thought of her putting his imprint in any form of potential danger.

"Then enlighten us," Rosalie snapped, her gaze flicking between Kiara and Edward, calculating the risk of physically intervening. She felt a drop of water on her cheek, then another, and realised that the dark clouds above had slowly started to pour on them. 

The rain heightened to a gentle patter against the leaves as Kiara's gaze held each of her family members in turn, the wetness on her cheeks indistinguishable from the droplets that clung to her skin. She could see the doubt etched into their faces, the protective fire in their eyes. The air was thick with the scent of pine and damp earth, a grounding presence amidst the turmoil.

"Listen," Kiara began, her voice steady despite the tempest around them, "we're playing a dangerous game with Renesmee's life whether we like it or not. You know the Volturi - you said it yourself, Carlisle, they'll have to come soon to make sure that Bella is a vampire, and when they do, what do you think they'll make of Nessie?"

She noticed Bella tense a little at the nickname, but she chose to ignore it. Kiara had to paint a bigger picture and Bella being upset over the name was the absolute bottom of her priorities right now.

"We've kept her safe this long," Rosalie countered, her tone as cold as the marble of her skin. Edward was still pressed against Kiara, but his hold had loosened a little as Rosalie had removed her arm from his own. "We don't need help from those who once hunted her."

"Rose, babe," Kiara implored, knowing that if she wasn't being restrained by Edward then she would be restraining herself to stop from reaching out to brush a rain-soaked strand of hair from Rosalie's face. "You have to be realistic. The Volturi are another beast entirely... We need numbers, strategy... unity. We don't know how mortal Renesmee really is - and I think we'd all feel a lot safer if we knew we didn't have to be worried about pissed off wolves at our every turn."

"Unity?" Edward's voice cut through the tension, his dark eyes pained as he looked at Kiara. "Why would you endanger Renesmee by bringing Sam here? He—"

"Because, Edward," Kiara interjected, her hands balling into fists at her sides, "if the packs stand together, we're stronger. There's power in unity."

Leah, who had been leaning against one of the trees with arms crossed, let out a snort, her expression twisting into a scowl. She's been rather impassive to the whole conversation, knowing that Sam wouldn't try to hurt Renesmee due to their imprint law. Sure, she was the last person that wanted to see the alpha, but if it got him to back off then she was all for it.

"Oh, so now we're all about kumbaya with the pack that left me high and dry? I didn't claw my way up to be shoved back under Sam's thumb," Leah snapped, rolling her eyes. They had literally just discussed the day prior that Kiara and Leah didn't want to go back to Sam's pack, yet here she was claiming that her and Sam had had a discussion about reuniting the packs.

"Leah, now is not the time," Kiara barked back, not having the energy to explain yet that Leah wouldn't need to answer Sam if she decided to take up his offer. Leah wouldn't need to ever answer to Sam again.

Kiara's pulse jittered like a drumbeat gone rogue beneath her skin as Edward's grip slackened, the iron clasp of his fingers easing from her arms. The coolness of his touch lingered, an ethereal brand against her fevered flesh. The forest around them held its breath, the tension palpable in the charged air.

Everyone looked at them in confusion as Edward took a deep breath, staring at her with a flicker of surprise. Kiara scowled, realising that the vampire had been flickering through her thoughts as she tried to calm down Leah, and had seen the segments of her and Sam's conversation that she hadn't been prepared to talk about yet.

"Edward, what..." Bella's voice tapered off, her eyes a vortex of confusion and concern. She had been the only one still watching Edward, noticing that a look of realisation had dawned on her husband's face, how his marble features had softened from a snarl to a look of bewilderment. The golden hue of his had irises flickered, sifting through the unspoken words that tumbled through Kiara's mind. Bella had seen him do that before - just never on herself.

 Kiara huffed as she realised that everyone was now looking to her for an answer as to why they would trust Sam, and as to why Edward was looking so confused at her.

"Sam offered me to be the alpha," Kiara blurted out, the words tumbling forth like stones in an avalanche, rough-edged and unstoppable. Her declaration rippled through the gathered family, a pebble tossed into still waters.

"What?" Leah breathed, her eyes wide as the comment took her by surprise.

"Alpha? Sam?" Rosalie echoed, her usually impeccable brow furrowing with disbelief.

"Wait, you mean Sam Uley wants to step down for you?" Emmett interjected, his voice tinged with incredulity as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, the protective glint in his eye never wavering from Kiara's direction. 

A leaf fluttered down from an overhanging branch, its descent slow, deliberate—a dance with gravity. Kiara watched it land gently on the mossy earth before turning back to face the array of shocked expressions before her.

"Kiara," Carlisle said, his tone holding a new measure of respect, "you would take on that much responsibility?"

Kiara looked back up as Jacob walked outside, Renesmee on his hip. His expression was hardened and she was sure that her brother had heard the entire conversation. The little girl in his arms (who was looking older every day) was the only one smiling as they stood outside the house.

"I'd turn the moon into a frisbee if it meant keeping that girl safe," Kiara's gaze flicked toward where Renesmee was, the very picture of serenity amidst the chaos. Jacob stared back at her, making no movement towards his sister. Renesmee giggled in his arms, reaching her arms out in the direction of Kiara. "Plus, I've been told I have a knack for wrangling unruly pups."

"Hey!" Seth protested, but there was laughter in his voice, a bright note amid the discord.

"Look," Kiara said as she moved away from where she had been pressed into the jeep's metal. "I never said yes to that, but I did offer Sam to meet Renesmee. If we get Sam to see her for what she really is, the way she got all of us to see that - then the rest of the pack will follow. We can worry about two packs becoming one later down the line - right now, Renesmee's safety is all that matters."

Kiara turned her head to look at Seth who was standing beside Bree.

"Besides, it would make us being able to go home a lot easier," Kiara told them all, Seth and Leah nodding in understanding. "We've loved being here, but we have families that miss us too."

As everyone began to make small noises of consideration, Kiara leaned back against the jeep, feeling the solid metal against her spine, and allowed herself a small smile. In the distance, the horizon blushed with the first kiss of dawn. It was a new day, and with it came new alliances, new challenges.

Her next challenges? Apologising to Emmett for the state of his jeep, convincing Leah to not attack Sam on sight and making sure that Rosalie knew she was her top priority - not the wolf packs.

_____

"You could have told me you were going to see him," Rosalie muttered, her back turned to Kiara as the shapeshifter leaned against the headboard of the bed in their shared cabin. 

Kiara looked up from the book she had been half-reading as Rosalie finally addressed her, having been giving her the silent treatment for the rest of the afternoon. She sighed, running a hand through her hair. 

"I didn't know I was going to see him until the moment presented itself," she admitted, the weight of her words hanging in the air between them. "Besides, you'd have told me it was too dangerous."

"It was dangerous!" Rosalie snapped, turning around and smashing the glass vase that she had been holding in her hands. Kiara moved slightly at the noise, surprised that Rosalie was that angry about her seeing Sam, but knowing that it was just her being protective over her.

Kiara sighed, closing her book and setting it aside. She understood Rosalie's frustration; after all, she hadn't exactly been forthcoming about her plan to meet with Sam. But Kiara also knew that Rosalie had a tendency to be territorial and protective, especially when it came to the safety of their family.

"Rosalie, I'm sorry I didn't tell you beforehand," Kiara began, her voice gentle. 

"You think I don't care about Renesmee's safety? That I wouldn't do everything in my power to protect her?"

"No, that's not what I meant," Kiara replied quickly, trying to defuse the tension. She moved closer to Rosalie, reaching out to touch her arm. "I know how much you love Renesmee, Rosalie. We don't need to ever debate who loves her more: we know that's always going to be you. And it's one of the reasons I love you, Rose."

Rosalie's expression softened slightly at the sincerity in Kiara's voice. 

"I just... I worry about what Sam might do. He's never exactly liked us."

"But he's always tried to be fair," Kiara murmured back as she wrapped her arms around the blonde vampire. Rosalie relaxed under her mate's touch as Kiara pulled her to gently sit on the edge of the bed beside her. "He didn't understand before, but he knows it's different now. Once he meets her, and the little brat no doubt shows him that god awful memory of me being sick..."

Rosalie laughed at that.

"... then he'll be fully on board. The others will follow Sam's lead, besides, I think a few of them would have joined us already if they knew it was an option."

"But you have to understand that when you don't communicate with me about important decisions like this, it makes me feel excluded." 

Kiara nodded, acknowledging the validity of Rosalie's feelings. She hadn't meant to shut her out or make her feel left behind—it was just her instinct to protect those she loved at any cost. But she also knew that communication was crucial in their relationship.

"I apologise for not including you in my decision-making process," Kiara murmured gently, nothing but sincerity in her voice.

Rosalie sighed gently for a moment before leaning forward and lightly pressing a kiss to the alpha's lips. Kiara smiled gently as she kissed her back, her warm hand coming up to rest against the coldness of Rosalie's cheek.

As their lips parted, Rosalie's eyes softened, and the tension in the room seemed to dissipate. She leaned her forehead against Kiara's, her voice filled with a mix of vulnerability and love.

"I mean... I can think of a few ways you can make it up to me," Rosalie huskily replied, the mood of the room instantly shifting as she looked through her lashes at Kiara. The youngest Black wolf smiled back, a slight blush forming on her cheeks at the way that her imprint was staring at her suggestively. 

Kiara chuckled softly, the tension from earlier melting away as desire sparked in her eyes. She leaned in closer to Rosalie, her breath mingling with the vampire's cool exhales.

"Oh, really?" Kiara purred, her voice dripping with playful seduction. "And what might those ways be?"

Rosalie smirked, her hand sliding up Kiara's arm and resting on her shoulder. The touch sent a shiver down Kiara's spine, electrifying the air between them. Rosalie's eyes sparkled mischievously as she leaned in closer, her breath warm against Kiara's skin. 

"I bet you hope those ideas involve getting us both out of these clothes," Rosalie continued, her voice sending shivers down Kiara's spine. Kiara's heart raced as she nodded, her fingers trailing lightly along the curve of Rosalie's waist. 

"Absolutely," she replied, her voice filled with anticipation. "But first, let me show you just how sorry I am."

With a swift movement, she surged forward, capturing Rosalie's lips in a passionate kiss. Their lips moved together in a fervent dance, tongues intertwining as the intensity between them grew. Kiara felt herself being guided backward until her back hit the soft mattress. Rosalie hovered above her, a hunger burning in her eyes.

Her hands roamed Kiara's body, tracing the contours with a delicate touch that sent waves of pleasure coursing through Kiara's veins. The familiar scent of roses and vanilla filled the air as Rosalie leaned in to kiss a trail down Kiara's neck, her soft lips leaving a trail of fire in their wake.

Kiara's fingers tangled in Rosalie's golden locks, pulling her closer as their bodies melded together in a perfect harmony. Every touch ignited a flame that burned with an undeniable passion, casting aside any lingering doubts or reservations. 

Rosalie's touch was tender yet possessive, igniting a primal hunger within Kiara that demanded to be sated. Kiara's hands roamed freely over Rosalie's body, memorising every curve and dip, as if committing them to memory. Soon enough, they were almost free of all clothing as Rosalie sat up, unbuttoning Kiara's jeans and slowly beginning to drag them down her tanned legs.

As Kiara's jeans were almost fully off, Rosalie gently traced her fingers over the smooth skin of her thighs, leaving goosebumps in their wake. A soft moan escaped Kiara's lips as Rosalie's touch sent a jolt of desire through her entire body. With a playful grin, Rosalie continued the task, her lips hovering mere inches from Kiara's eagerly anticipated destination.

Just as Rosalie tugged the jeans over her ankles, Kiara flinched ever so slightly. 

The action caused Rosalie to immediately stop in her movements, sitting up from where she had been leaning over Kiara as she looked down at the alpha in confusion.

"What was that?" Rosalie asked, her voice no longer trying to seduce her as she looked concerned. Kiara flushed red with embarrassment, not having even thought about the fact her ankle still hadn't fully healed from her encounter with Paul. She had been able to walk on it fine, but Rosalie touching the wound by accident had caused a burst of pain to shoot up through her.

"Rose..."

"Kiara, what the hell is that?" Rosalie asked as she stood up from straddling the girl, her hands lightly clasping her lower leg and turning it so the deep gashes were clearly visible in the dim light.

"I didn't just see my dad, Rach and Sam... I ran into Paul too," Kiara muttered, knowing there was no use in lying to Rosalie. "Breaking news: we didn't manage to hug and make-up from our fight."

Rosalie sighed heavily, her hand still lightly holding Kiara's leg. She knew that Paul was a touchy subject for her mate, but she couldn't help feeling a pang of anger towards the wolf for causing any more pain to a body that had already been through too much.

"I should have seen this coming," she murmured, her voice low and full of disappointment. "I should have made sure you were okay before we... you know..."

Kiara raised an eyebrow, the reference to the previous playful actions causing a blush to spread across her cheeks. Rosalie's grin widened, her eyes filled with mischievous humor.

"Maybe that's your way of making it up to me?" Rosalie suggested, her fingers lightly brushing over Kiara's ankle. "If you had let me tend to your wound earlier, we mightn't have had an interruption now."

Kiara couldn't help but laugh at the joke, the tension between them lifting as they shared a moment of laughter.

"Fine," she conceded, her voice heavy with the confirmation that maybe she should have been more careful. "But don't think that means you're off the hook for taking me out of my clothes."

Rosalie shook her head, a soft laugh escaping her lips as she leaned in to press a kiss to Kiara's forehead. The alpha sighed gently, her hand gently gripping Rosalie's wrist as she closed her eyes.

"I love you," Kiara whispered, feeling a wave of gratitude wash over her as she looked into Rosalie's warm eyes. Rosalie's smile grew tender as she gently pulled Kiara's leg away from her lap, her fingers brushing softly against the wound. She knew that Kiara would make a full recovery, but the concern in her eyes was real.

"And I love you," Rosalie murmured, her voice filled with the same sincerity that Kiara had shown. She leaned in and kissed the alpha's lips, their tongues intertwining in a passionate embrace that was more tender and comforting than the one before.

And just like that, Kiara's wound was forgotten about as they fell back into the sheets of the bed with nothing but love filling the atmosphere.

____

"So, how does this all play out?" Kiara asked Alice as they stood slightly off from the others, watching as Jacob paced anxiously while Bella and Edward played with Renesmee in the clearing. She knew Jasper and Beverly were in the trees somewhere around them - an element of surprise incase Sam brought the pack and tried to double cross them.

Kiara knew he wouldn't, but if it gave the others peace of mind then so be it. Carlisle stood next to Edward, a smile on his lips as Renesmee held up a leaf for him to see. 

"Very funny," Alice muttered, rolling her eyes as she looked at Kiara. "You know I can't see past all of you dogs."

"Ouch," Kiara replied, although the grin on her face told Alice that she didn't take offence to the comment at all. "Would it kill you to be kinder to us?"

"Not when you block my vision," Alice muttered, but she too had a small smile on her face. "Now how am I supposed to keep tabs on when you or Rosalie decide to propose if I can't see past your stupid mind block."

"Well, I can tell you this - he's near," Kiara replied, her body tensing up slightly as she turned to look at the trees in the distance. Everyone's heads snapped to look at her, confused as to how she was able to tell that when the others hadn't scented or heard the alpha near them. "Just him, Jared and... Paul?"

She was glad Rosalie wasn't there - or the blonde vampire would have been seething with anger as soon as the final wolf's name was mentioned. She had wanted to come, but Kiara had said it was probably best if she didn't. Besides, Emmett had asked her if she would help him fix the jeep, declaring it was the least she could do as Kiara had been the one to wreck and dent it... twice.

 Thankfully, the others weren't aware of her previous fight with Paul and her wound had healed overnight - although the way Edward turned to look at her informed her that he had just made the discovery from the sound of her own thoughts.

Edward looked at her with an expression that she couldn't quite place, before the three men emerged into the clearing. Kiara was slightly surprised that they were in their human forms and had even taken the time to throw on a t-shirt along with their shorts and shoes. 

Sam approached them with a cautious look, his eyes darting between Kiara and the rest of the family. He noticed the way Jacob had positioned himself in front of Bella who was holding Renesmee, understanding what Kiara had meant when she had told him that things made a bit more sense knowing that Jacob had imprinted on Renesmee and not Bella. He knew the tension that always lingered between the wolves and the vampires, but he had hoped that this would be different. That they could set aside their differences for the sake of unity. 

"Hey," Sam said, his voice filled with a mix of relief and uncertainty. "We're here like you asked. No funny business, just a peaceful conversation."

Kiara nodded, her gaze steady as she looked at Paul standing slightly behind Jared. The air around them crackled with unresolved emotions as he stared back, and Kiara could feel the weight of their shared history weighing heavily on her shoulders. She knew that for this alliance to work, they needed to find a way to move past their past grievances. She wasn't sure if she was ready for that yet.

"Thank you for coming," Carlisle replied, his voice calm but determined. "We do hope that once you've had the chance to hear us out, you will reconsider instating our previous treaty."

Jared and Paul stayed close to Sam, clearly aware of the tense atmosphere surrounding them. They hadn't been delighted when Sam had told the pack about Kiara's visit and the outcome, but they both knew that they'd rather be here than leave their alpha to face the Cullens alone.

"Hey, Kiara," Jared greeted as they moved closer, his voice laced with tension. "Jake."

Jacob ignored him. Kiara, however, sent him a small smile. Sure, they'd had a pretty intense scrap during the fight, but it was clear that Jared was willing to put his tail between his legs and allow it to be put behind them. Kiara hated the idea of him submitting to her because of the alpha vibes that radiated off her, but she wasn't wanting to hold grudges either.

Paul remained silent, his expression guarded as he watched her. Kiara knew there was still anger simmering beneath the surface for both of them. 

"Renesmee," Bella murmured, her red eyes gentle as she lifted her daughter up from the ground and looked towards Sam. "We have someone we want you to meet. They're friends of Auntie Kie."

Sam raised an eyebrow at the nickname, surprised that Kiara had been so quick to take up such an important role in the life of the little baby. Then again, he thought, Jacob had imprinted and Kiara was his twin... he really should have seen that coming.

Edward chuckled a little at his thoughts, surprised to see that Sam wasn't holding as much resentment for Renesmee as he had previously expected. His eyes flickered to where Jacob was now flanking Bella, tense as he walking alongside them towards the other alpha that was also edging forward slightly.

"Hi Renesmee," Sam murmured as Bella stopped in front of him, the child giggling at the attention she was getting. Kiara almost rolled her eyes, knowing that she definitely was Edward and Bella's child for loving the attention. "What an... interesting name you have."

Paul snorted, causing Jared to elbow him in the ribs. Despite the tension between them, Kiara almost giggled a little at his reaction, knowing that it wasn't far off her own reaction when she had first been told the name. They locked eyes for a moment, smiles still on their faces. Paul's dropped a little as he was reminded of how she used to look at him. He broke the gaze, guilt settling in his chest.

Kiara stared at him for a moment longer. It had only been a day since she saw him last, but he looked... well, he looked like shit. There were dark circles under his eyes and she could see that he was paler than usual. His hands were a little shaky at his sides but it wasn't because he was holding off a shift - he looked... sick. It reminded her of... oh.

Rachel wasn't speaking to him. She understood it then, that he was punishing himself. Just like Kiara had done for her father and the elders.

"I heard she has a gift?" Sam said, interrupting her thoughts. Carlisle looked over at Kiara who nodded in return, giving him the go ahead to allow them to show Sam the gift that Renesmee possessed. Sam was good with weird - he'd probably find it cool.

Renesmee raised her hand to Sam's cheek, the two wolves behind him tensing as the hybrid touched their alpha. Sam's eyes almost glazed over for a moment as Renesmee showed him something - hopefully the 'Bella and Renesmee Greatest Hits Remix' as Seth referred to it, rather than something disgusting like when she showed Kiara her own C-Section previously.

Sam grinned as he felt her pull away, his vision returning to normal as he looked between the vampires and Jacob with a smile on his lips. His eyes flickered across to Kiara who had walked forward, standing alongside them as Renesmee lost interest in Sam and begged Bella to hand her over to Jacob instead. As Jacob lifted her, he walked a few steps away and towards Alice who was purposefully keeping back from the others. 

"What was that?" Jared asked, confused as to what had just happened.

"She can project her own thoughts and memories into your head, like a TV show," Bella explained, a proud smile on her face as she looked at Sam's expression and knew instantly that Kiara was right - he'd never be able to hurt her after this. "What did she show you?"

"She showed me Kiara," Sam said, and the look on his face instantly made Kiara grimace as she knew where this was going. "Being sick."

"No way, I want a turn," Jared barked out in fits of laughter, Jacob smiling as he walked back over with Renesmee, even Paul moving forward and allowing the girl to place her hands on both of their cheeks at the same time.

That fucking brat.

__

enjoy this double update!