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𝑬 𝑽 𝑬 𝑹 𝑮 𝑹 𝑬 𝑬 𝑵
❝ 𝚢𝚘𝚞'𝚟𝚎 𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍, 𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝? 𝚘𝚗 𝚊 𝚌𝚘𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚛? ❞

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ㅤ𝐀𝐒 𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐓 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐃𝐀𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐑 while she explained her case—wanting to amend the treaty—he realized that no one but her can fit the shoes of an alpha better than the way she's presenting herself now. And when the conversation moved towards topic of a vampire army in Seattle, he began to worry.

"Our people are at risk," May explained. "Seattle may be far, but with the information provided by the FBI and supplemented by the information from the pack's patrols, we and the Cullens are the only possible reason why they were made."

"Why us?" Sue wondered, her face pale.

"I don't have exact details, so I made...I made a profile, kind of," she sheepishly replied. "That vampire that the pack killed, Laurent. He knew the red-headed vampire that we've been chasing based on the conversation he had with Bella Swan which the pack overheard before they tore him to pieces. An...eye for an eye kind of situation, where the red-head claims that Bella is the reason her mate was killed.

"I don't know exactly, if our killing of Laurent is considered the trigger, but his involvement is clear enough. I would need to actually ask the vampires for their side of the story to paint a clearer picture. And of course, the vampires—the Cullens themselves—are targets too. Considering they're the only coven close to Seattle that may be considered a threat."

"So you think they're coming here?" Billy asked.

"I can't be certain, but it's a possibility, that's why we need to prepare. I need to talk to the Cullens."

Billy then shared a look with Old Quil, who nodded.

"As the alpha and the White Wolf, it is important for us to understand you and your thoughts about protecting our tribe," Old Quil began, "and it's clear that you're taking your role very seriously, even considering amending the treaty for the betterment of our people. We'll let you do what you think is best."

May couldn't help but beam. "Right. Anyone know Carlisle Cullen's phone number?"

Wearing a simple striped dress shirt and dark gray slacks—both items loose—paired with black Chuck Taylor's, May was the least intimidating person in the field, where the Cullens and the Quileute council decided to meet. It was a field that was almost cut in half by the boundary line, far away from any human.

"Why did you ask us to meet?" Carlisle asked Billy, eyes scanning each member before looking towards Edward, who was unexpectedly frustrated as he stared at a face none of them had ever seen before.

"We're here to talk about Seattle," May spoke up, turning all the curious, golden eyes of the Cullen towards her. Edward still looked frustrated. "My name's May. May Black. The eldest Black. You don't know me, considering I haven't exactly been home. But I'm an FBI agent, and well, the Seattle field office has been keeping this on the down-low, but there have been several murders that lead me and the council, and the pack to think that these murders have all been committed by vampires. The red-eyed kind."

"Why?" The female vampire, who had Carlisle's arms wrapped around her, asked. "I'm Esme, Carlisle's wife."

"Why? Because each of the bodies found were drained, Mrs Cullen," May replied. Her hands gripped her father's wheel chair handles tighter as she fought back the urge to grimace at the smell of the vampires. A sharp smell that made all her senses go haywire.

"How many bodies?" A male asked, one with honey blond hair and arms covered in scars that May could see with her enhanced vision.

"More than twenty, and counting," she told him. There was a sharp intake of breath. "Not only that, these dead bodies are being connected to a series of kidnappings around the area. Including Riley Biers."

"Connected how?" He frowned.

"Well, blondie, every kidnapping led to a body being discovered."

"And you think they're...food?"

"What else would they be?"

"Jasper, do you think it's an army?" Carlisle asked the blond vampire, finally supplying May with a name. "Is it possible?"

"It's not impossible. But the number of victims...the Volturi must know."

"And what is the Volturi?" May curiously asked. Another blonde vampire, this time a female, eyed her distrustfully. Though Rosalie trusted her a bit more than those so-called 'mutts'—mostly due to the fact that she didn't smell like one—there was something about her that made her cautious.

Carlisle sighed. "Our ruling coven. They enforce rules. Make sure our kind is left unknown to humans. They uphold the law by killing those who broke it. Armies, well, they're illegal. One of the most important laws is to never make one."

"Why so many questions?" The blonde finally spoke up, golden eyes narrowing at May who, despite knowing the danger, didn't seem to care. Unlike her father and the others present.

"Your family isn't the one at risk here, blondie #2," May retorted. "The pack are also supernatural creatures close enough to Seattle to possibly be put in danger. Additionally, the council's concerned that these vampires might come here, so I'm sorry if I wanna know everything. I am an FBI agent, who might be able to help."

"Rosalie," Carlisle lightly warned, causing the blonde to falter a little. "She's right. She can help the humans more than we can." He turned to May again. "What do you want from us?"

"To help confirm if it's vampires or not, and to see if the red-head's behind it."

"Red-head?" The vampire May knew was Edward, finally spoke up. "Victoria?"

"Don't know her name, don't really care about her name," she snarked. "But she's been here, back and forth since you all left. And the whole thing with the other vampire, Laurent. It's too much of a coincidence to think she doesn't have a role to play in this. So, what do you think?"

Edward frowned thoughtfully, stepping back to let Carlisle step forward as the head of the coven. The eldest of the bunch looked at each of his children, focusing more on Edward and another vampire, a small, pixie looking one.

"Do you see anything, Alice? Victoria, the vampires in Seattle?" Carlisle asked. At May's confused expression, he sighed and decided to ease it by saying, "Alice has the gift of precognition. It's useful, especially in times like this."

Alice's face had already been pulled into a frown the second she arrived here with her family, and the expression hasn't changed. "Nothing. Just...flashes, not enough to see the whole thing. It's like someone's toying with my visions."

"Is that possible?" May asked her.

"The future's subjective, it changes based on decisions," she said, frustration clear in her unnaturally beautiful face. "I only see what others have decided, and it seems like...like I'm being played."

May tilted her head. "Do others know how your abilities work?"

"A few people," she shrugged. "The Volturi know, and some our friends and family. Like the Denalis up in Alaska."

At her words, a sharp inhale was heard. "The Denalis. Laurent was there with them, and he's talked to Victoria. Do you think--?"

"It's not unlikely," Jasper answered.

"Can I ask why this Victoria's mad at all of you?" May inquired. That's when Edward spilled the beans on everything, a move that surprised all of them. But there was something about the eldest Black that made her trustworthy, even though her role was just to be a sort-of liaison. She hummed after learning everything. "I'd suggest you guys visit the idea that the red-head's behind all of this. After all, she's got nothing to lose. And if the Volturi's after you guys too, won't it be beneficial for them if this army takes you out? An enemy of my enemy is my friend."

"She's right," the giant vampire commented, cracking his knuckles obnoxiously.

"We'll have to think about it first, look at the facts before leading to a conclusion," Carlisle shook his head while looking at Alice who looked thoughtful. He then looked at May gratefully. "Thank you for giving us a head's up. It seems the humans are catching on more than we realize."

"Yeah, I'm not doing for you," she scoffed. "But I don't want any more deaths, you understand?"

Carlisle only nodded and went to turn around and leave with his family, but May caught their attention once more when she uttered words they never expected.

"Before you leave, we want to inform you that we're planning on amending the treaty."

Edward was the first to react. "What? What for?"

"Your...imprint, Bella," she explained. "We don't want her to change into one of you, but we don't have the right to get in the way of mates and put ourselves in danger. We just want you all to know that changing her will be her decision at the end of the day, and we don't want to get in the way of that. We don't want the mess," she shrugged carelessly. "Just remember, don't feed here, and we'll be okay."

He and Carlisle exchanged looks before he answered. "Of course."

"Let us know more about the amendment when you can," Carlisle nodded at her, before they basically flashed out of there.

May looked at her father with a raised eyebrow. "Told you we didn't need the whole pack."

Dinner in the pack house was something that May now looked forward to. She'd be there before everyone else, of course, helping Emily cook. Sam was always assigned to keep the rest of the boys in check as they worked.

With Sam out of earshot, May turned to look at Emily. "Can I ask what happened?"

Emily looked up at the older girl, and knew immediately what she was referring to. She gave a nonchalant shrug as she grinned up at her. "I know you have an inkling already, Miss FBI."

"It's agent," May joked back. "And yes. But...what happened, exactly?"

"We had a fight, a stupid one," she said. "He was so mad about something I said that he shifted uncontrollably. I...I hated him for what he did to me. But I eventually realized that he didn't mean to shift. It was quite literally a part of his nature, a part of being a shifter."

May face contorted uncontrollably at the way the younger girl described it. She knew it wasn't the case, but the words she'd used reminded her much of domestic abuse victims who'd excuse their abuser's behaviors.

She schooled her expression upon seeing Emily's face fall. "Oh no, no, no. I'm sorry, for my...my face," she rushed to explain herself. "I just-- FBI agent, y'know. Um, I just want to know...why? Why you accepted it? The imprint, I mean."

Emily shrugged. "I...I know I don't feel it as intensely as you guys do. It's not...it's not life changingly sudden. It took me a while to adjust to it and to adjust to the life, but I accepted it because of how it made me feel. Sam's...Sam's my everything. He makes me feel safe, and loved, and wanted, and needed. He brings me comfort and understands me in a way that nobody else can. It quite literally feels like he was meant for me, and I was meant for him."

May nodded slowly, digesting Emily's explanation, before the girl spoke up again just as she was chopping vegetables: "You've imprinted, right? On a coworker?"

"Yes."

"What's he like?"

"He's...he's beautiful," she admitted. "Derek's one of the best in the bureau. He's smart, he's funny, and he knows how to do his job. He's very strong, physically and mentally. Calm, patient, steadfast."

"Everything that you need, right? Because you're made to be together, fit together like puzzle pieces. He completes you."

"...yeah, I guess he does."

"Then why are you afraid?"

"So many things can go wrong," she admitted. "Other than...the possibility of physically harming him, it just feels...I don't know, it feels unfair that he's forced to be a part of this world. Not only that, I can't imagine how I should even begin to tell him everything. He's not just this regular guy...he's FBI, you know?"

Emily still smiled at her warmly. "No matter what, he was made for you, and you for him. You may fight, you may not get along at times. He might not even believe you, believe in our world. But no matter what, you'll be drawn to each other. Whether he accepts it immediately or not, nothing will get in the way of the imprint. So trust it."

"I will."

Soon after dinner, a strange feeling came upon May as she sat in her chair. She was once again seated at the head of the table—something she didn't choose; the boys forced her into the chair—and had just devoured her meal, laughing along with something random that Jared was telling them all. But this sudden feeling had her skin raising in goosebumps.

She let out a breath, unable to stop herself from fidgeting on her chair. Her sudden mood change caught the attention of Sam first.

"What is it? Is something wrong?" He asked.

"No, no..." She trailed off. "I think...I think someone's about to shift."

And soon as she uttered the last word, a howl ripped through the forest's natural sound, disrupting the animals and causing a few birds to jump and fly away. Each of the members exchanged looks, before getting up from their chairs.

May calmly waved a hand, though she was still mildly uncomfortable with the feeling that the newly shifted member gave her. It was almost like she was dreading it, like there was something about it.

"There's something different," she muttered. Then another howl reached their ears, a different tone.

"Two wolves?" Paul asked, almost rhetorically as he looked at May.

"Let's go."

Everyone but May shifted into their wolf forms. Quil was asked to stay behind to keep Emily safe, and they all went running towards the source. Upon reaching the Clearwaters' home, they first saw the smaller of the two.

"Seth," May breathed out, and the boy in question quickly turned to her. His panicked behavior quickly calmed upon meeting her gaze. The rest of the pack then showed themselves to him, accepting him into the fold and showing him that he wasn't alone. "Leah shifted too, didn't she?"

Seth let out a surprising 'yip!' and turned his large head towards the house.

"She's still inside, huh?" May didn't wait for a response. "Boys, look after him." Then she was off. She rushed into the house and saw a destroyed couch. And right above it, was Leah Clearwater. "Leah?"

The she-wolf turned to her and growled. She was screaming in her head, something that all the pack members can hear.

"Calm down first," May instructed, using the alpha voice to make sure Leah wouldn't destroy any other piece of furniture. Or worse, their entire house. "Calm down, and we'll explain everything."

And as she led her outside, May couldn't help but think that there's something in the air. Something bad, something dangerous. And she knew that it had something to do with the vampires in Seattle.

author's note: lmao i promise there's gonna be bau cameo in the next chapter, i just need to flesh out the pack properly and get the wheels turning which will lead the the newborn army thingy.

also if i don't make sense in this note, know that it's because my boyfriend is distracting me hellppppppp. 

anyway yeah bau babies in the next chapter !!! a call from this and that, a talk about this and that, yknow what im sayin.

ily all !!