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𝑬 𝑽 𝑬 𝑹 𝑮 𝑹 𝑬 𝑬 𝑵
❝ 𝚠𝚎'𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚞𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚍. 𝚊𝚋𝚜𝚘𝚕𝚞𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚏𝚞𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚍. ❞

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ㅤ𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐑 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐂𝐊, May asked for Jacob to take a walk with her back to their house, which was nearby. But it was 'far' enough that they were given ample time to talk, especially since she knew that it was a conversation that needed to be had.

Jacob knew it was going to about Bella, and he scowled as he followed her out the door. But he couldn't exactly deny her of this talk, even though he absolutely did not want anyone to dictate his actions towards someone he had a crush on, especially knowing that the entire pack will know what they've talked about the second either of them shifted. May, his sister, was the alpha. Though he understood that she wasn't controlling them, it was hard to fully accept the fact that he had to follow her.

There was still some lingering resentment on his end when it came to her leaving him behind. After all, he had only been nine and wasn't even home when she decided to leave their home. Not just their home, but the state of Washington. It was the singular moment that he believes led to his other sisters—the twins Rachel and Rebecca—leaving them too.

Though he and May have gotten close once more, especially after the shift, there was also a part of him that loathes the fact that even though she doesn't live in La Push anymore nor wants to move back, she is still their alpha. She didn't even want it, but she is to be their leader, all while being the legendary White Wolf. It's not like he wants to lead, it's just that he can't believe that she is.

"You seem to be very deep in thought," May commented, breaking the rather awkward silence that befell them the second they headed off.

"You can hear my thoughts loud and clear," he snarked. "Do I need to say it out loud?"

May shrugged. "I don't care what you think of me and the role I have to play. It's my burden, it's the weight I have to carry. The only thing I care about is your involvement with Bella Swan."

Jacob's mind was quickly filled with images of the pale brunette, the corners of his lips quirking a little at the thought of her, but he shook his head. "What about her?"

"Jacob Black, do you understand who you are, who she is?" May asked rhetorically. "I'm not saying stay away from her, but you have to understand how different your paths in life are. This isn't about her being an 'enemy'; I don't even consider the Cullens our enemy, given our current treaty. However, they aren't our friends."

"What's your point?"

"Bella is a part of their family now, even without the name to back it up. She's part of their coven whether you like it or not--"

"But she's human!" He defended. "She's still human, she isn't one of them. She's not a leech."

"Whether she's a vampire or not, whether she'll turn or not, her life is entwined with theirs, not ours. You don't have to stay away from her," she said, seeing his face of anger, his hands shaking; she continuously has to remind herself that he's only sixteen. "You just need to remember your place."

He growled. "Are you ordering me?"

"No, but I am warning you. In a few days, I'll talk to the council to amend the treaty and then have a talk with the Cullens. There are some things that need changing in this place."

"I can't believe you," he accused. "You're basically siding with them--"

"No, I'm merely thinking ahead. I won't have our pack be under any threat because of that family. Do you understand me?"

"No, I don't."

"Then you're too young to understand."

"But I'm a wolf, just like you, Sam, Jared. Paul even."

"Yes, but they don't doubt me like you do. Need I remind you that out of all of us, I'm the only adult," she eyed him. "Every single one of you are teenagers. And as teenagers you run on emotions, hormones. Which are amplified by our magic. Do you seriously think you're making sound decisions by dragging Bella into our world? She's already in their world, Jacob, which coexists with ours. There is no reason for her to be here."

Jacob scoffed, but he couldn't refute her words. Not when she pointed out his age. He's a teenager, a teenager who can shift into a wolf.

"Now that that's over, I hope you think about what you did, what you're doing, and what you'll do," she told him. "Remember, she is an imprint of a vampire, not a shifter. You'll only get hurt if you continue this pursuit that everyone knows will end nowhere."

He couldn't help but blink back tears. He knew how sacred imprints are in their world, and understanding that she was already imprinted on—in a sense—hurt him in a way that he never expected. But he wasn't crying because of the realization, rather it was May's words. The way she spoke the truth. She wasn't harsh, but she wasn't sugarcoating either. Just plain, unadulterated truth.

And as a teenager, that was...rare.

"Not only that, you're putting the rest of the pack in a dangerous position. Think about that, will you? Seriously, don't be an ass."

The next morning, May found herself in the company of Sam and Paul. Jared and Embry were on patrol, while Quil and Jacob were forced to go to school.

The three shifters were on their way to the clearing May had found a while ago, where she'd discovered Remus. According to the pack, the wolf had grown tremendously and would often disappear, blend into the forest so well that none of the shifters found him. Of course, they worried that he'd get hurt, especially with the presence of a red-haired vampire. But every few days, he'd appear near Emily and Sam's place, quelling their anxiety enough not to assume that there's any danger.

Upon reaching the said clearing, Sam and Paul—who was there for the first time—immediately felt that weird magic that made them feel as though it was not a place to be. But May kept on going, prompting the two to follow in her steps.

Remus was already there. May figured that this was the place he considered home, other than her company. Among her baskets, and among the Quileute magic. It was almost as if the wolf was drawn there since the very beginning like she was.

The actual wolf was no longer a pup. Though he was understandably not as big as the supernatural shifters, he was quite large for his kind. His fur thicker, and his teeth sharper. He would've looked terrifying for a normal human, and May knew it. The pup who kept following her around was now a man—kind of. His dark gray fur was longer now, providing him with much needed insulation in the cold of Washington state. Even his claws looked sharper than average, a fact that the female shifter can see with her extremely sharp eyes.

"Hello, Remus," she gently greeted, not wanting to startle the wolf. But even before she'd spoken, the animal was already running towards her in greeting, jumping into her arms with such force that she had to brace herself to make sure that she didn't stumble backwards. "I'm guessing you missed me, little wolf."

Remus whined, almost in agreement, before jumping down. He ran back towards the baskets and carefully laid down, sharp eyes trained on her as though he was beckoning her forward. Without hesitation, May followed suit, and sat cross-legged beside the pup.

"What exactly are we doing here?" Paul wondered, eyeing the scene curiously.

"Something about this place always drew me in," she explained. "And this was where I felt most connected to the spirit world. I have a feeling that this place can help me master my abilities. Because if not, I'll be forced to go to Seattle simply as...well, me. And that would be dangerous, if there really were vampires there."

"So you plan on spying on the leeches as a spirit?" Sam asked rhetorically. "That's genius."

"Only if I get the hang of this, Uley. And it's not gonna be easy."

"Well, we're not letting you step foot in Seattle on your own, whether there are vampires or not. It's our job to keep you safe."

"It's our job to keep the rez safe," she corrected. "No matter what, regardless of whether I'm the alpha or not, our commitment is to the tribe. To our people."

Paul crossed his arms. "You're still our alpha, May. And we want you safe. Because without you around, we're sure to act like headless chickens. You are quite literally our single brain cell."

"I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Now, shush."

May then closed her eyes, and let her other senses focus on the forest around her. The sound of birds—and all kinds of animals—infiltrated her senses, along with their individual scents as well as their footsteps. She could feel the ground, the roots of the trees, and how they all connected to each other. She could feel the wind on her skin, and could swear she could feel it in her bones. There was also the smell, the freshness and the earthiness permeating in her nose.

It was a feeling she could never have in the city.

Oddly enough, the way she felt, the things she was experiencing, reminded her so much of Derek Morgan whenever they were together. His warmth, his smell, his entire being...reminded her of home. This home. She supposes it could be the reason she even imprinted on him.

She took a deep breath and centered herself, just like she was taught in all those meditation books. She grounded herself into nature, feeling Remus creeping closer to her before laying his head on her lap. That was when she felt it, the tug towards the spirit world. Slowly, she opened her eyes to see the world with practically no color, with time slowing down. Curiously, Remus seemed to move with her.

"You're not just an ordinary wolf, are you?" She wondered, pressing a kiss to his forehead before getting up, leaving her physical body behind as she began to explore. It was like how she remembered it, really. Like the normal world, just devoid of color and sound. She looked around, and felt her need to visit Seattle rush back into her spirit. The will that she felt triggered an instantaneous response, wherein her spirit began to travel on its own without her full control.

That's where she found herself staring down at the corpse of a Cold One.

His eyes were still blood red, but thy were blank and lifeless. Above him was another male, a male she recognized.

"Riley Biers," she whispered into the wind. Of course, he didn't hear her. "You're turning all these people just to kill them. Why?"

Her question remained unanswered as she finally looked up. Ahead of her seemed like an abandoned building. But it wasn't that, that made her skin raise in goosebumps and her hair to stand up on end in alarm. It was the sight of an army of vampires.

"For fuck's sake," she cursed, before willing herself to travel back. She jumped into her body, which made her body jump in front of Sam, Paul, and Remus.

She blew out a raspberry. "We're fucked. Absolutely fucked."

"You-- you wish to amend the treaty?" Billy Black stuttered as he stared at his daughter, the entire council surrounding them. He gaped, looking at the other members in shock before looking back May. "Whatever for?"

"Bella Swan is clearly the mate of one of the vampires. Edward, if I'm remembering correctly," she said. "Dad, she's his mate, his imprint. Whether he chooses to turn her or not should be their decision—both him and Bella—and not ours. I understand that we value human life, but that human is part of their world, whether we like it or not. She's not just a rando that they might turn, she's family. Their family. I can't have my pack jeopardized, be put into any danger, just because of her decisions."

Old Quil looked at her inquisitively. "How are you sure she's his mate? From what we've all heard, he left her alone."

"Only to return as soon as he heard she was in danger, possibly dead," she countered. "My opinion as both the alpha and a profiler is that he only left her because it's what he thought was best. I've been caught up on everything thanks to Sam. And based on everything, despite the hurt he's inflicted on her and vice versa, they are meant to be. Whether we like it or not."

Sue—who's replaced her husband Harry—hummed in thought. "I mean, for us, imprints are sacred. If she is one, in their own way, they're sacred too. I don't think we should get in the way of their natural bond."

Billy eyed Sue for a second. "If she were to be turned, that will make it even more likely for our wolves to shift younger and younger due to her additional presence. I don't want them in danger."

"She's only one vampire, dad," May sighed. "And honestly? Additional wolves might just be beneficial for us all."

"What do you mean?"

"Let me tell you about Seattle."

author's note: aaaa i have my first day of return service tomorrow (i have to do it bc i have a scholarship; whatever) and i'm not excited for it.

however, i do hope you guys enjoy this. kinda long, kind of a filler, but i think it's still a good chapter that can help move the story. it's kinda rushed bc it's 01:20 lmfao but i just had to finish this bc of all the ideas i have.

next chapter, we'll have two new members, and may's gonna be meeting with our resident vampire coven. will it be all of them? who knows, but may's there to make sure they never figure out that she's the actual alpha; at least, not yet.

ily all !!