Evelyn could just barely hear the scratch of her pencil on her paper over the rumble of voices surrounding her in the dining room of her aunt's restaurant. She had settled into a secluded corner booth for the day with the intention of getting all of her homework done, but unfortunately, her racing thoughts were not cooperating. The movement and noise of the restaurant patrons and workers around her was loud, but it seemed like her mind was louder.

Her pencil doodled aimlessly on the corner of the calculus notebook in front of her as her mind ventured farther and farther away from where she was.

The past few days had been... interesting, to say the least. Evelyn had been avoiding almost everyone in her life since the incident with Laurent. She was avoiding Bella because all she wanted to talk about was the fate of the vampire who had tried to kill them, and the wolves that she now knew were prowling the forests around Forks. Evelyn found it extremely difficult to keep her mouth shut about the wolves' secret, so she thought that it would be best to keep her distance for a while until Bella's obsession faded.

Jacob had been texting her almost nonstop since she saw him in the woods. She could not bring herself to answer him; she was fooling herself into thinking that if she avoided the issue, it would just go away on its own. Evelyn was not ready to face Jacob, or to have to keep even more secrets from the people that she loved. Most of all, though, she did not want more reminders of the day that she had almost died - again. At this point, she was beginning to lose track.

And then there was the fact that she had completely broken down in front of Will. Even the thought of it made her cheeks flush red with embarrassment. What must he think of her now? She had not lost her composure like that in a long time, and she couldn't bear to face him in person after that. At least, not right now. And then there was that strange moment in her bedroom, and she couldn't stop thinking about the way that he had looked at her. She didn't even want to think about what that could mean.

He had been texting her daily to check in, and she was ignoring those, too. She knew that sooner or later his curiosity would get the better of him and he would come to find her. She just needed some more time to mentally prepare herself for it, which is why she had chosen a day to come to the diner when she knew for certain that he would not be working.

Why do things seem to keep getting more and more complicated?

She was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of someone flopping ungracefully into the booth in front of her. She lifted her eyes and met the sharp gaze of Leah Clearwater.

"I need to talk to you," Leah said, crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned back in the seat. "And my break is only fifteen minutes so I'm hoping you answer quickly."

Evelyn frowned, dropping her pencil on the table. "Sure. What do you want to talk about?"

"I want to know why Sam and his pack of idiot puppies keep showing up at my house and asking my mom and dad about you. It's been like four times in the past few days. I didn't know you hung out with them."

Evelyn noticed the bitterness in her friend's voice, so she hurried to try and explain herself. "I don't... not anymore, at least. The only one I ever really knew was Jacob, but I haven't even spoken to him in weeks." She eyed Leah curiously. "Why are they talking about me? What are they saying?"

Leah still seemed suspicious, but she was visibly relaxing from seeing Evelyn's genuine confusion. "I don't know for sure. Mom sends me and Seth out of the house whenever they come around."

"I have a feeling that you don't let that stop you from eavesdropping," Evelyn said, grinning.

Leah grinned back. "You'd be right. I haven't heard much; I can't hang around too close because it's almost like they know I'm still there trying to listen. It's honestly a little creepy."

You have no idea. "That would be a little weird," Evelyn agreed. "What have they said?"

Leah sighed, shaking her head. "Just weird stuff. I've heard something about 'the secret' and stuff about the Cullens, and some guy with dreads." She paused to gauge Evelyn's reaction to her words. "But I can't ever get close enough to hear any details or they all stop talking. Do you have any idea what they're talking about?"

It took everything in her for Evelyn to keep a straight face and look Leah in the eyes. "No clue. I haven't heard from the Cullens in months, and I definitely don't talk to Sam or the others. I'm actually trying to avoid them."

"Why?"

Evelyn sighed, shaking her head. "Jacob was an asshole to Bella. I had to help pick up the pieces so I'm not too fond of him right now." He did save her life, but he didn't see the way Bella looked that day that he cut her off.

"I can't say that I'm surprised," Leah agreed. "He must be getting it from Sam since they all seem to be attached to his hip. I just don't understand--"

The conversation was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell jingling through the dining room. Both girls' eyes flew to the door, and both instantly frowned when they saw Jacob Black and Embry Call enter the building. Jacob's eyes found Evelyn's almost immediately, and the girl felt her stomach sink to the floor when he and Embry started to weave through the room towards her.

Leah scowled as she stood up and brushed off her apron. "Well, it seems like they're tired of waiting around at my house. I'm not sticking around to chat." At the annoyed look on Evelyn's face, Leah shrugged apologetically. "Sorry. Tell me what they say afterward," she added, the last part a sharp whisper.

"I won't," Evelyn argued lamely, cursing her friend for leaving her alone. Now there was nothing to stop Jacob from interrogating her about werewolf stuff that she had no desire to talk about.

"You will," Leah called back over her shoulder as she walked away, pointedly avoiding making eye contact with Jacob and Embry as she brushed past them and towards one of the tables she was serving.

Evelyn sighed glumly as she watched Leah walk away. It was only seconds later that the two boys slid into the booth across from her. She frowned at Jacob and picked up her pencil again, pretending to focus on a math problem in her notebook.

Jacob wasted no time on introductions. "You're not answering my calls, Ev."

"I'm aware of that," she retorted, scowling at the page in front of her. "I didn't realize that I had to be available at your every beck and call."

She could almost hear his eyes roll across from her. "You know that's not what I mean. Come on, Ev, just give me a chance to explain--"

"There is nothing left to explain," Evelyn said, cutting him off. "I know what you guys are now and that it's why you've been so weird and distant lately. But I also know that you hurt my best friend badly because of it, and I had to help Bella pick herself back up again. And honestly I don't really want to know anything else relating to the... other stuff."

Jacob shifted uncomfortably as he felt the girl's sharp green eyes narrowing on him. "I didn't mean to hurt her."

Evelyn sighed, rubbing her hands over her eyes. "Well, Jake, you did, even after promising that you wouldn't." She eyed the two of them carefully. "What I don't understand is why this is such a big deal. I mean, you guys know that she can keep a secret. It's not like she went around telling everyone she knew that the Cullens were... not normal."

"It's complicated," Embry piped up. "Our minds aren't really just ours, anymore. We're bound by Sam's orders - he's our Alpha --"

He was interrupted by Jacob nudging him sharply in the ribs with his elbow. "You don't have to spill all of our secrets, Em."

"I'm not, you idiot! And that hurt," Embry hissed, returning the shove in kind. His kind brown eyes returned to Evelyn. "Basically what I'm saying is that we can't go against what he says even if we wanted to. So no spilling the beans."

"I don't get it," Evelyn frowned. "If that's the case then why are you guys so worried about me? Leah told me that she's heard you talk about it at the Clearwaters' house."

Jacob snorted. "Isn't it obvious? We can't tell, but you can. Sam is worried that you'll eventually slip up and tell Bella. He wanted us to come and make sure you'd promise again not to say anything."

"Oh." She couldn't help but feel a little hurt that they still didn't trust her. But she knew that she couldn't blame them.

Embry sighed dramatically, leaning back in the booth and crossing his arms over his chest. "Not that it matters much. Jacob already almost blew the secret last night with Bella, anyway."

"Embry!"

"What? It's true! You're just trying to get back onto Sam's good side right now." His eyes shifted to Evelyn briefly before returning to Jacob. "Besides, it's not like Bella wouldn't tell her everything, anyway. She's gonna find out what you did eventually."

Eveyln's eyes narrowed on Jacob, who was staring very intently at the table. "So you went to see Bella?"

Jacob shot Embry a dark look, who in turn shrugged innocently, before he met Evelyn's sharp eyes. "I went to see her last night. To apologize for what I did. But I may have also tried to tell her without actually telling her."

"What did you say?"

"Remember the story about the 'cold ones' that I told her last year? I know she probably told it to you, too." When Evelyn nodded, he continued. "Well I also explained how the Quileutes are descended from wolves... but of course she doesn't remember that part."

The pieces had finally clicked into place. Of course it had always been that simple. How had she not been able to see it before? The truth about the wolves was always there in the back of her mind... she knew now why she had gotten a gut feeling that day in the woods with Sam, as if she had somehow always known that it was a possibility.

"What did she say?" Evelyn asked tentatively, worried about what the interaction might have done to Bella's fragile emotional state.

Jacob sighed loudly, mirroring Embry as he leaned back against the seat. "She said she would try to remember, at least. I don't know if it will actually work though. Maybe she doesn't even care enough to try."

"She will," Evelyn assured him, surprising both boys in front of her. "She's smarter than you give her credit for. She'll remember. But Jacob," she said, eyes hard. "When she does, do not ever cut her off the way that you did again. You of all people know what she's been through so you should know how badly that you hurt her."

"I promise that I won't. Never again," he said, the resolve clear in his expression.

"Your promises basically mean shit, Jacob. You've shown that you can't keep them." She paused, raising her eyebrows. "Instead of just saying meaningless words, how about you actually try proving yourself through actions. You're the one who has to make it up to her. No one else can do that."

Jacob nodded solemnly. "I'll try, Ev. I never meant for things to get this far."

She offered him a small smile. "I know. But they did. And all we can do now is move forward."

***

Later that day, Evelyn found herself lounging on the couch in her living room, aimlessly flipping through the channels on the television in an attempt to distract herself from her thoughts. Though she often enjoyed being home alone, she could feel herself slowly becoming consumed by the anxieties fluttering around her mind. She was in desperate need of a distraction.

A few moments later, the sudden chime of her cell phone seemed to bring her just that. She quickly replaced the remote in her hands with her phone, frowning when she did not recognize the number. Though upon reading the messages, it was clear who it was from. Her eyebrows raised further up her forehead as each text came in seconds after the one before:

Evelyn it's Embry. We have a BIG problem

Bella just saw Jacob and Paul shift. She knows now.

Can you come meet us at Sam and Emily's? Bella is freaking out and I have no clue what to do with her

Please please please come Ev I am so lost

Jared is not helping

I'm sending you the address and you better come

With a sigh Evelyn was quick to slip on her sneakers and find her keys, and in moments she was in her Jeep and pulling out of Marie's driveway towards the highway.

The drive to La Push was shorter than usual since there was no traffic in the middle of the day. It had not even been a half hour since Embry's text when Evelyn was pulling into the dirt driveway of Emily Young's house. She parked next to Bella's truck, and when she didn't see anyone outside waiting for her she knew that everyone must already be inside.

When she got to the door, Evelyn took a deep and steadying breath before knocking gently on the worn wood. A woman's voice called for her to come in, and mentally preparing herself for the round of questions sure to come, she stepped over the threshold and into the quaint little house. Bella is going to be so pissed that I didn't tell her.

The brunette was met with the loud greetings of Embry and Jared, who, she noticed, were sitting at the dining table stuffing their faces with muffins. She couldn't help but smile and shake her head at the sight.

"Ev! You made it!" Embry called, talking around a mouthful of food.

"I did," She said, her eyes shifting to Bella, who was standing off to the side of the large room. "I thought you said she was freaking out?"

Bella frowned, her eyes going to Embry accusingly. "Since when was I freaking out? I've been fine this whole time."

"I may have exaggerated a little bit," Embry admitted. "But look at the bright side; now you both know and you don't have to be all sneaky and secretive anymore. Win win, if you ask me."

"About that," Bella said, rounding on Evelyn. "How long have you known? And how come you always know stuff before I do?"

Eveyln shrugged apologetucally, taking the seat next to Jared. "Only a couple of weeks, and it wasn't on purpose. I guess I was in the wrong place at the wrong time." She briefly thought back to that day in the woods with Sam and Will. Even though she knew it was wrong, she still could not bring herself to tell her friend about Forks' new local vampire. For some reason, she felt the need to keep him all to herself, at least for now.

Movement from the corner of her eye pulled her attention from Bella to Emily, who had just entered the room. When she caught sight of Evelyn, she immediately erupted into a beautiful smile. "And now the other vampire girl has joined us. How are you, Evelyn?"

Evelyn did not know Emily well, but she had spoken to her a handful of times while at gatherings with the Clearwater family and Marie. "I'm great, Emily. How are you?"

"Perfectly fine. Just trying to keep up with feeding these boys." When she glanced at Jared trying to sneak another muffin, she immediately swatted his hand away. "Save some for your brothers! And did you even ask if Evelyn wanted one?"

Jared rolled his eyes, but it was clear there was affection in his gaze. "Well, she has two hands of her own, Emily."

Emily shook her head, gently sliding the plate towards Evelyn. "Please take one if you want one. Once the rest of them get here I don't think I'll be able to convince them to share."

"Thank you," Evelyn said politely, taking a muffin and offering Emily a kind smile. "You're very kind... even though we are the vampire girls."

Emily waved her hand dismissively. "Of course. It'll be nice to have a couple more girls around." She glanced at Bella, who was thoughtfully picking at her muffin. "Speaking of which, I'm surprised Jacob found a way around Sam's gag orders."

Bella immediately shook her head. "He actually didn't say anything to me. I know he couldn't."

"Yeah, that's a wolf thing," Embry said. "Alpha's orders get obeyed whether we want them to or not. Oh, and check it out -- we can hear each other's thoughts!"

Jared smacked Embry's chest with the back of his hand. "Dude, would you shut up? These are trade secrets! Damn it, these chicks run with vampires!"

"Who still says 'chicks,' Jared?" Evelyn teased, grinning as she took a bite of her muffin. Jared merely shrugged in response, but he was grinning back.

"You can't really run with vampires," Bella spoke up. "'Cause they're fast."

Jared straightened, while Evelyn noticed Emily giggling behind him as she organized the counter. "Yeah? Well, we're faster," Jared responded, an air of confidence around him. He raised his eyebrows at Bella. "Freaked out, yet?"

Bella and Evelyn shared a knowing look before she responded. "No. You're not the first monsters we've met."

They were interrupted by the sound of heavy footsteps and the front door opening. "Jake's right," Sam said, all of them turning to face him as he entered. "You're good with weird."

Sam immediately moved to embrace Emily, while Jacob and Paul nearly tumbled in behind him from pushing and shoving each other so much. Paul stumbled into the house and slid into the remaining seat at the table next to Evelyn. He offered her a cocky smirk before he turned to Bella.

"Sorry," he said, though he didn't really sound too apologetic about whatever had happened earlier. He turned his attention to the muffins as Embry and Jared began to pester him about what had happened after they had left.

Evelyn's attention turned to Jacob, who was lingering in the doorway watching his friends. He nodded his head to Bella, and after giving her muffin to Jared, who ate it within two bites, she followed Jacob outside and out of sight of the house.

"So much for our little chit chat today, huh, Ev?" Embry said, pulling her attention from the door.

Evelyn shrugged, picking at her muffin. "I guess. But you know I wouldn't have said anything. I know it's not my secret to tell." He eyes flickered to Sam, who was looking at her intently.

"We know," Sam said, offering her a small smile. "If I didn't trust you I wouldn't have shown myself to you that day in the woods. Your bloodsucker friend, on the other hand..."

"He's harmless," Evelyn assured. "He's hunting Victoria, one of the vampire's that tried to kill us last year."

Sam's eyes grew hard. "Redhead?"

Evelyn nodded, eyes wide. "Yeah, that's the one. How did you know?"

"We've seen her a few times on the outskirts of our land. She's quick -- she likes to dip in and out, like she's testing us. I've never seen anything like it." He pulled up an extra chair to the table and sat down. "What else do you know about her?"

Evelyn gulped, fear fluttering in her stomach. She hated the fact that Victoria was so near to her and her family, even if she had a vampire and a pack of werewolves that could protect her. "She was working with Laurent, the one from the meadow the other day. She sent him to scout the area for her, I guess."

"What is she after, anyway? It's not normal for them to stick around in one area for so long," Paul said beside her, a mouthful of muffin muffling his voice.

"Me," Evelyn breathed, meeting Sam's brown eyes. "Us, I mean. Me and Bella. She wanted revenge for the Cullens killing her mate, James, last year." No matter how many time she said it out loud, it never got any easier. She clenched her fist under the table to keep her hand from shaking.

Embry nodded thoughtfully. "So she's looking for a way in? Smart, I guess. But she hasn't met us yet." The boys around her grinned and laughed in anticipation. "This should be fun."

"Just please be careful," Evelyn begged the group. "She's unpredictable and hard to catch. I don't want any of you to get hurt."

They could all see and hear the fear in her eyes and voice. Embry leaned forward, offering her a kind smile. "Don't worry so much, Ev. We'll take care of her just like we took care of that other bloodsucker. It'll be almost too easy for us. You'll see."

Evelyn offered him a grim smile. "I really hope you're right, Embry."

***

The events of the day made Evelyn yawn with exhaustion every few minutes on her way home. She knew Marie would not be back yet, and she was looking forward to getting a nap in before she had to help her aunt cook dinner and finally do the calculus homework that had been neglected the whole day. Who the hell invented calculus, anyway?

She had stayed at Emily's for a couple more hours talking potential strategies with the wolves and telling them all that she knew about Victoria before deciding to finally come home. She had to admit, it was nice knowing about the wolves and that they were doing their best to protect her and Bella. On the other hand, she now had more people to worry about and more people that Victoria could use to hurt her. She hoped that they were right, and that they could kill her soon.

She yawned again as she pulled into the driveway, but all thoughts of sleep immediately disappeared when she saw who was waiting for her on her front steps. My calculus homework is never going to get done.

She took a deep breath before exiting her car, and made her way carefully over to where Will was now standing on her front porch. He smiled, the dazzling white of his teeth making her breath catch just slightly, and she offered him a small one in return as she fumbled with her car keys in her fingers.

"You've been avoiding me," he said when she reached him, though his gentle voice was teasing. "I thought you might have finally decided that I wasn't good enough for your company."

She grinned, stepping forward into his arms when he extending them into his chilly embrace. "Mmm, not quite yet, I'm afraid."

"Glad to hear that I've got some time left," he said, resting his chin on her head and taking a deep breath. He immediately regretted it; the smell of a wet dog burned his nostrils as it emanated from every part of her.

At the odd choking sound he made, Evelyn frowned and stepped back, crossing her arms over her chest. "What? What's wrong?"

Will's nose scrunched up in disgust as he looked her up and down, suddenly making her feel self conscious. "Evelyn, where the hell have you been? You smell worse than a whole park full of wet dogs."

At his words, she laughed out loud, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "Oh, that. Um... I was on the reservation pretty much all day today... I guess the wolves is where the smell comes from."

Will's eyebrows rose in surprise. "You were there all day? Is there a particular reason for that?" He stepped aside to let her unlock the front door, and followed her inside once it was open.

"What? Are you jealous that I wasn't hanging out with you?" Evelyn asked, grinning as she threw her keys on the entry table and shrugged off her coat.

Will smiled back, leaning casually against the living room doorframe. "Maybe. You can't blame me, though. May I remind you that you've been practically neglecting our friendship for days." Evelyn knew he was joking, but she could have sworn she heard just the slightest twinge of jealousy in his voice.

"I know, and I am sorry, but Bella found out about the wolves today and I went over there to make sure she was --" She stopped talking when she saw the vampire's face scrunch up in disgust once again. "What?"

"I'm sorry, I just can't take you seriously when you smell like a wet dog. It's literally burning my nostrils."

Evelyn scoffed. "It can't be that bad. You're being a baby."

"It is that bad. What? Don't look at me like that, you know I would never lie to you."

The girl sighed, shooting Will a sharp look before she began to ascend the stairs. "Fine. I'll go shower and then we can talk. I actually have something important to tell you."

"It is much appreciated," he called after her, and she merely turned and made a very rude hand gesture before rounding the corner of the landing and disappearing into her bathroom. She couldn't help but smile to herself as she heard his melodic laugh echo up the stairs.

She was showered and dried within a few minutes, and she pulled on fresh sweatpants and a crewneck sweater before taking her hair out of the towel it was in and letting the damp tresses hang down her back. She didn't bother combing it, instead picking up her "smelly" clothes and taking them to her room.

Evelyn was not surprised to see Will lounging on her bed with her copy of Gatsby hanging lazily in his hands. She tossed the clothes into her closet before rounding on him, clearing her throat expectantly.

"Better?" She asked, her tone signaling her annoyance.

Will made a big show of sitting up and closing his eyes, dramatically taking a deep breath through his nose. When he opened them again, his face lit up in a smile. "Much better. You smell like you now."

"That's a good smell, I hope," she said, sitting down next to him and folding her legs underneath her. She had been afraid to see him earlier today, but she found herself more and more glad that he had come. She had definitely missed him these past few days.

He reached over and brushed a stray lock of wet hair off her her shoulder so it flowed down her back. "The best smell, I assure you."

Evelyn frowned, swatting his hand away. "I don't know if I like hearing you say that."

Will rolled his eyes, resting his weight on his hands behind him. "Oh, relax, if I was going to eat you I would have done it, already." His eyes focused on hers again, more serious this time. "What was it that you wanted to tell me?"

Evelyn sighed, chewing her lip for a moment before she spoke. "I talked to Sam today. The one from when we were in the woods. He told me that they've seen Victoria in the area recently, as close as the borders of the reservation."

She was expecting him to look surprised or get angry, but instead he averted his golden eyes from her green ones. When she saw this, Evelyn nudged his side gently. "You knew?" She said softly, searching his gaze.

Will sighed heavily, but nodded. "I've known for a couple of days, now. But she's staying over the treaty line, and I promised Sam that I wouldn't cross it. She's out of my reach, for now." She could tell by the way he spoke that he was not particularly fond of being unable to track her down.

"Maybe you and Sam could come up with an agreement," Evelyn suggested, leaning in closer. "I'm sure if you spoke to him they would let you help."

The vampire shook his head, his face grim. "I don't think that would help. They hate my kind, and even though I don't hurt humans, they don't know me. They don't trust me." At the look on her face, he smiled, although it looked half-hearted. "Hey, don't be upset. It's a good idea, but unfortunately our two species are natural enemies. It's hard to move past that."

Evelyn nodded, but she couldn't help the thoughts going through her mind. Will studied her carefully, noting the way she worriedly chewed her bottom lip when she was thinking too much about something and the way she wrung her hands together when she was anxious. He reached over and gently encircled her wrists with his slender fingers, making her clear green eyes meet his.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked gently, his thumbs tracing soft circles on the backs of her hands. "And don't say nothing, because I can tell when you're worrying. And you're worrying," he added, making her crack a small smile.

She relaxed her hands, opening them and allowing Will to fully take them in his cold grasp. "I don't know," she admitted, searching his face. "Sometimes I think that I'm not worth all of this trouble. There's so many people putting themselves in danger for me... sometimes I think it might be easier to just let Victoria have me and then it would be all over with."

Will played with her fingers for a moment before he answered, but when he did, she could see the determination in his eyes. "Evelyn," he said, willing her to listen. "Never feel bad because people genuinely want to help you. You don't deserve to die because of that woman. It's not fair that you were thrown into this mess, but never think that things would be better off without you. The people protecting you care about you. I care about you. And I won't let her hurt you or your family. I can promise you that."

She was blinking back tears by the time he had finished. The way he had spoken was so raw and honest, and she knew that he would keep his word. She couldn't think of the words to say to properly express her gratitude for him, so she said the only thing that she could without breaking down crying in front of him... again.

"I'm really glad that you're here with me, Will." Her voice only cracked slightly, but she meant every word.

And there was that look again -- the same one that he had given her the other night in that very same room. His face had softened, and his golden eyes were searching yet tender at the same time. She was suddenly very aware of how close they were, and the feeling of her hands in his.

Looking into his eyes was like taking a step back through time, and she could barely keep the past and the present seperate as the air grew thicker between them. Her heart was fluttering in her chest, and she was sure that he could hear it. Warmth had begun to creep its way up her neck and onto her cheeks.

Will's lips parted as if to say something, but then he was interrupted by the sound of a car door slamming outside. The spell was broken; the pair pulled apart and Will cleared his throat awkwardly as he stood and made his way to the window. Evelyn folded her hands in her lap; she didn't want him to see that they were shaking. Strangely, a pit of what almost seemed like guilt was settling deep in her stomach.

"Marie is here," Will said quietly, turning to face her again. "I should go. I feel like she wouldn't like to find me in your room."

Evelyn nodded. "Okay." Her head was still spinning, and the feeling of shame was getting worse.

He paused for a moment by the window, before qucikly bounding back over to the bed. Slowly, carefully, he leaned over the human girl and planted a soft kiss on her head."

"Don't be afraid, Ev," he said. "Everything will work out. You'll see."

And with one last crooked smile, Will disappeared without a trace through the window.