Amirah Cullen
Morning princess. Juni said in my had. He was my youngest wolf. He had been the first wolf to join the pack after I became alpha. He was only fourteen. He was full of life and excitement and was always the first to volunteer for an extra patrol. I insisted he had to finish school before he could patrol more than ten hours a week, but he was always in his wolf form in his spare time, running and training with the others.
It had been a few weeks since Elijah had died. Axton and I went to Chicago for the funeral and paid our respects and that had definitely been a unique experience in my life. I had never seen death. Not like that. Not a death that affected immortals. I hadn’t really stopped thinking about it. I also hadn’t stopped thinking about mine and Axton’s almost conversation.
So I know I’m early for my patrol but I thought I’d do some running. I’m down to thirteen minutes a lap. I know it’s nothing compared to some of the older wolves but considering- Juni was going off in a tangent of his thoughts.
Shut up kid. She doesn’t care how fast you can run. Elliot interrupted Juni’s account of his fastest lap of the reservation yet.
Sorry. He said immediately.
Elliot. I scolded my beta.
You don’t though. You may be able to selectively share to us what you’re thinking but I know you too well princess.
I’m sorry Juni, I’m a little distracted at the moment. I’m glad you’re training hard but I hope you’re also studying as well. I said taking my attention away from my history with Elliot back to Juni.
I am boss I promise he said but he hadn’t learnt to master his thoughts yet. He immediately thought about the three pending assignments he had due at the end of the week.
Juni, go home. I ordered him.
I need to do my patrol. He argued.
Don’t argue Juni. Your alpha told you to go home. Elliot said before I could.
Damn it. He mumbled in his head and suddenly his mind was gone.
I forgot how annoying the new ones are. Elliot mused.
You need more patience with them. I corrected him.
I think I’m getting too old for this.
Don’t say that. I thought suddenly without really realising. Too much change. So much change.
I’m kidding princess. I’ll be here as long as you are, I promise. Or until I imprint I guess. If that ever happens. We don’t all have the success rate of the Black family tree though. He joked.
I had a sudden idea and decided to head back to my grandparent’s house.
Go patrol, I’ll be back later. I thought and immediately phased back.
“Grandpa?” I asked calling into the house.
“In the garage kiddo,” I heard his voice as he looked around the frame of the kitchen. I followed him as he took the door into the basement that led to the garage. “What’s up princess?” He asked as he walked over to his decades old car and lifted the bonnet. I jumped up onto one of the other cars, sitting cross legged on the hood as he worked.
“Can I ask you a question? A really personal question? Like really personal?” I asked suddenly feeling awkward around my grandfather. I could see him hesitate before he answered.
“It depends on the question.” He said not looking up at me.
“I’ve heard the stories. I know the history between you and grandma, between you and Bella.” I said trying to ease him into my question. His hands were oily now but he stopped and stood up, turning to face me.
“What’s the question Mia?” He asked.
“Bella.” I said still feeling incredibly awkward.
“What about Bella?” He asked with an anger I rarely saw on my grandfather. I realised after a moment he was enjoying making me uncomfortable. I sighed in annoyance. He let out a grin. “Ask away kid. There aren’t any secrets in this family.” He said and his usual joking tone returned.
“Before mom was born, you were in love with her,” I said as a fact. He turned back to his car but I saw him grimace.
“It is widely believed, yes, although I find it hard to remember actually being in love with her,” he said continuing his work.
“But you were willing to be with her right? Without imprinting on her?” I asked. He stopped again and turned to look at me confused. He looked like he was trying to remember something that didn’t happen to him.
“I’m sorry kid, I don’t remember much before your mom. I know I loved Bella but I don’t know what it felt like outside of the love I have for her now.” He said looking a little pained.
“But you were okay with the fact you would have a life with her without imprinting? Did you not feel guilty that one day you might have imprinted and hurt her?” I asked him but I was fairly sure this was a pointless conversation at this point.
“I guess so.” He said with a shrug and turned back to his car once more.
“Mia, come upstairs.” I heard my grandmothers voice in the house. It was quiet enough that I wasn’t sure my grandfather would have heard it.
“Okay, thanks grandpa,” I said jumping off the car and reaching to kiss his cheek.
“No worries princess, sorry I couldn’t answer your question,” he frowned.
“Don’t worry about it. I was just wondering.” I said and headed to leave. “Bye,” I said and he waved at me from under the hood.
I found my grandmother in the sunroom at the very top of the house. They had a spiral staircase leading up to a tower at the end of the house. It was always insanely warm up here because of its glass walls. My grandmother was sitting on the lounger staring out at the sea.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to confuse him. I just wondered about something,” I said, really confused myself. I had never seen my grandfather like that.
“Your grandfather is human, well mostly. His mind is human, and he’s lived a very long time. He doesn’t always remember everything. Whilst he’s heard the stories as you have, he doesn’t have the memories to go with them anymore.” She explained but didn’t turn to look at me, she just opened her arm so I could sit next to her on the chair. I climbed on and her arm fell around me as I hugged her waist. We both stared out at the sea, but my eyes were drawn to the sun again. I watched the flares bounce and dance across the surface.
“Why were you asking him about how he felt about Bella?” She asked, it was a curious question. There was no emotion behind it.
“I’ve been thinking about letting Axton go. The weight of the imprint is pressing on me. I feel cruel. I didn’t expect us to still be together after forty years. After Elijah dying, it suddenly made me realise how pointless our relationship is. As much as I love him, as much as I want us to last forever. We won’t. Because one day I’m going to imprint.”
“Your relationship is not pointless,” she said rather angrily. “That man has been your saving grace, he has held your hand and been your safe haven. He has been everything to you and that is not pointless. He’s saved your life and loved you despite the fact he knows you might belong to someone else. Not many men are strong enough to do that,” she said, and I turned to look at her.
“I just don’t want to hurt him anymore.” I said and she turned to look at me too.
“Why did you ask about Bella specifically?” She asked.
“Because he was going to put Bella through that. If Bella had chosen Jacob instead of Edward, Bella may have spent her life with Jacob with the shadow of an imprint. Never knowing if one day he wouldn’t be hers.”
“Maybe you’re asking the wrong person that experienced it.” She said with a raise of her eyebrow.
“Bella is in Chicago. I just wanted to hear Jacobs side, since I’m the wolf that might imprint one day. I wanted to know why he still fought so hard for her if he thought one day he’d lose her anyway.” I explained.
“Because he’s a man and he was selfish, that’s why.” She explained looking back out at the water.
“Selfish?” I asked suddenly shocked I was hearing this from Renesmee about Jacob.
“He was stupid and selfish. He knew how much my mother loved my father and still wanted her anyway. I love him, more than my own life but I won’t hide his faults. You’re right, they would have spent their human years, maybe fifty or sixty together but always unsure of whether they were meant to be together or not. Imprinting was rare back then, but it wasn’t as rare as it used to be. My mother and Jacob probably wouldn’t have lasted in a happy marriage.” She explained.
“This isn’t helping me grandma,” I laughed awkwardly.
“Sorry darling. You’re not selfish for keeping hold of Axton. But if you feel like you’re ready to move on from him, you should tell him.” She said softer. I looked back out at the sun and at how the plasma was being pulled and pushed by the gravity of the core. I noticed how it didn’t really have the freedom it thought it had.
“Thanks grandma,” I said in a whisper and I felt her lips at my forehead as she kissed me.
It was only a few moments as I lay there snuggled into my grandmother before I heard a howl. A howl I hadn’t heard in years. I shot up. My grandmother did too, she knew that sound. I immediately closed my eyes and focused. I connected my mind to the pack telepathy instantly.
It had been something I had mastered years ago. I don’t know whether it was my unique nature as a tribrid or the fact I was related to a powerful lineage of telepaths, but I could choose to be in the pack mind when I wasn’t in my wolf form if I wished. I rarely used it, and this would be the first time since being alpha.
What’s going on? A chorus of thoughts flooded the pack mind. I homed in on the wolves on duty. Elliot and Emori. They were staring at three people before them. Two were stepped back from the third who stood in the centre staring into the eyes of Emori who was struggling to hold back her snarls.
Phase so I can talk to them through you. I thought to Elliot and I could feel his reluctance to phase into a more vulnerable form. Before he could question me though, four other wolves arrived to flank Emori. He was now protected by a wall of wolves. They outnumbered the strangers who clearly weren’t vampires, but they were definitely not just humans that had lost their way in the woods. The way they stared at the wolves was like they were expecting this meeting, like they had purposely found their way here and expected to meet giant wolves in their path.
Elliot phased and I remained connected to his mind in human form. This was harder for me to pull off, but Elliot had been in my life for long enough that the connection I had with him was strong. Stronger than with any of the other wolves.
“Mia is everything okay?” My grandmother whispered from my side. I reached to squeeze her hand, but I didn’t say anything. I was too busy focused on what was going on. I was aware of my grandfather entering the room and the two began to talk but I tried to ignore them.
Who are you and what are you doing here? I asked through Elliot. He voiced my question to the strangers.
“It is an honour.” The man said with a thick Spanish accent and a bow of his head.
Repeat it. I ordered Elliot.
“I need to know why you’re here,” Elliot repeated.
“I have information for the tribrid,” the stranger responded.
“The tribrid is speaking through me,” Elliot responded. “What is your information?”
“I will only speak to her in person.”
“You are not the one with the power here.”
“I come unarmed without hostile intent. I promise, your alpha needs to hear what I have to say. It involves her future and the future of our world,” he said his hands holding up as if to show he meant no harm.
“Then why can’t you just say what you need to say?” Elliot asked, this wasn’t me this time.
“Because I promised my leader I would only talk directly with the tribrid and should she deny me I am to go to the Volturi instead, but I promise you, she will want to hear this before I take it to the authorities,” the stranger insisted. Something about him made me believe him, but I knew how dangerous this could be.
There is a public library in Old Forks, Seattle. Tell him to meet me there at noon tomorrow.
No princess. Elliot responded and he didn’t repeat my words to the stranger.
Elliot don’t make me alpha order you. I am curious about what he has to say to me. I promise I’ll let you come with me, Axton too.
“Old Forks, Seattle, tomorrow at noon. She will meet you in the public library there.” Elliot repeated reluctantly to the stranger.
“Thank you. I will bring the evidence behind my claims.” He said with a bow of his head.
“You can leave now, and do not enter these lands again without permission,” Elliot said to the three before they thanked them again and left.
Emori and Christophe I want you to follow them. I’ll check up on you every now and then to see where they are. I placed into the group mind. They agreed instantly and took off running taking the visitors scents as they travelled.
Everyone else go home. I ordered them before I dropped out of the group mind and opened my eyes to see my concerned grandparents waiting for an explanation.
“False alarm, it was just some humans that had lost their way in the forest. They stepped over the border unknowingly.” I informed them with a convincing smile. My grandmother visibly relaxed and nodded as if this was enough to settle her panic.
“You should have someone follow them just in case they saw something,” my grandfather instructed me.
“Already did it grandpa, don’t worry. I learnt from the best,” I grinned at him and stood from the lounger I was sitting on with my grandmother. “Thanks for the cuddles and the chat grandma. I should get home,” I said with a hug to both of them.
We said our goodbyes and I left my grandparents to head straight to my house.
“Ax?” I asked and he appeared out of the study with a smile.
“You’re home early,” he said but I don’t know if it was something on my face or he just knew me too well, but his smile immediately dropped. “What is it?”
“Some strangers crossed the border, they wanted to talk to me privately. To tell me something important. They said if I didn’t meet them, they were going to go straight to the Volturi and tell them first. They wanted to give me a warning before they did. I’ve agreed to meet them tomorrow.” I explained quickly. A few emotions flashed over Axton’s face before he spoke.
“Okay I’ll get Alena here,” he said with a nod. He knew better than to try persuade me not to go.
“No, I need to go alone. You will come with me of course but remain out of sight. Elliot too. I need his connection to the pack in case something happens.” I said and he frowned.
“I’m not letting you into a room with a stranger,” he said with a frown.
“Yes, you are. I’m a big girl now. He was only human. He has no power just information,” I told him and I know it took him a moment but he agreed eventually to my conditions.
“You promise you won’t go without me?” he asked and I nodded.
“Promise. I wanted to come tell you before I went for some baby time,” I smiled. “Wanna come with?” I asked and he paused, I knew he was going to say no.
“Sure, why not?” He asked and I stared at him.
“Really?” I asked.
“Yeah,” he said and grabbed his shoes to follow me out. He took my hand as we walked down the road to my aunt Isobel’s house. She had recently had a baby, a girl called Zosia, only three months ago. I never really spent time with kids growing up. I grew up without cousins or siblings and the only friends I had were the wolves. I would get to play with the wolves’ kids but I often outgrew them. I wasn’t a maternal type, definitely not like my grandmother but I appreciated getting to watch my cousin grow up. It was fascinating to me. Axton tended to stay away from the baby. He had met her after her birth then avoided going with me most of the time to see her. I didn’t ask why but I figured he knew he couldn’t give me children, nor could we have that life together. Even if we spent our relationship happy with just each other, it was natural to imagine what it would be like differently. Our baby would be one hell of a kid. I wouldn’t deny I had thought about it too. What would it have been exactly?
We spent the day with my aunt and baby cousin. At first Axton didn’t want to hold her but he took to it naturally, and even though he insisted he was bad with children she was her happiest in his arms. My aunt was exhausted and appreciated the break we gave her that afternoon and looking back, I’m glad my last normal day consisted of just Axton and I taking care of a baby in the simplicity of a human life.
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