The Cullens were not telling Ellis anything. They were uneasy, pacing around the house. Bella was now staying over, constantly surrounded by at lest two vampires. Edward sticking to her side like glue unless he needed to feed. Ellis knew what this meant. Obviously, Alice had seen when Victoria would attack. And it would be soon, within the next few days at lest. And he was excited.

Currently, Alice was holding Ellis captive in her room. Upstairs, Bella was sleeping, guarded by Edward and Emmet. Jasper was standing outside Alice's bedroom door. He seemed faintly amused by his mates struggle.

"How about this deep red shirt?" Alice asked hopefully, holding up the item of clothing. The shirt was a soft cotton and a deep blazing red, almost crimson. Ellis groaned in a very teenager like fashion, mainly for fun rather than actual displeasure, and allowed Alice to slip the material over his bare chest. This was the third outfit she had made him try and he was getting bored. He took a sip from a blood bag as Alice buttoned it up.

With Victoria's attack looming, the Cullens had no time to teach Ellis how to hunt animals. Instead, Carlisle kept him on blood bags. It had only been two days since Ellis had joined them and he was slowly warming up to the family. Although, Alice had not really given him an option. She had just grabbed him by the back of the shirt, declaring that she could not stand seeing him in such horrible clothes any longer, and jokingly dragged him down to her room. She had made him take a shower and had hidden his old clothes in the process. Ellis kept his bracelet though, refusing to take it off.

The shower had removed the dirt from his skin. The knots, leaves and sticks were combed out of his hair and it was pinned out of his face by a few hair clips. Alice seemed to have fun with those, taking delight in his long hair. With now clean skin, the bite scars were more noticeable. They decorated his arms and legs. Not as many as Jasper, but still more than the other Cullen's.

"That looks nice", Alice hummed, tapping her chin with one porcelain finger. They had been at this for an hour, Ellis being used as a doll. He didn't really mind. Already, Alice was treating him like a younger brother and it made him feel unusually warm.

Alice was right. The red did suit him. It contrasted nicely with his long caramel curls and pale skin. It matched his blood red eyes and young face. The pair of black skinny jeans that she had also forced on him, hugged his legs. The form fitting clothing emphasised his slim wiry frame, skinny as it was on the edge of adulthood. He looked good.

"Red is good on you", she noted to herself. "But purple may work too". She unbuttoned the shirt and tugged it off. Flitting into her wardrobe, which was practically a room in itself, she returned with a deep royal purple turtle neck tshirt. Ellis made no fuss as she pulled it over his head. The static caused his curls to frizz up slightly and he ran his fingers through them.

Alice clapped her hands. "I like that. We are sticking with that one". Ellis found himself agreeing. Whilst he had liked the red, the purple made him almost seem regal and not just a fifteen year old boy. It went well with the shade of his jeans and hugged his figure in all the right places. Alice produced a pair of shiny black boots, just his size, and he obediently laced them up.

It was a weird feeling, wearing shoes again. Ellis had spent all of his undead life barefoot. The boots were new and shiny. They gave him a little bit more height, making him about two inches taller than Alice.

"Oh, let me go downstairs first", Alice exclaimed excitedly. She beat him to the door. Ellis sighed and followed Alice and Jasper downstairs, sipping on his blood bag. Alice's antics were amusing and Ellis wanted to humour her.

All eyes were on him when he entered the living room. Emmet and Rosalie were sat side by side on the couch watching the tv. Carlisle was talking to Sam whilst Seth and Jacob were sitting on the porch outside, their shadowy figures noticeable through the glass. Esme was in the doorway to the kitchen, watching her family with a fond smile.

"You clean up nice", Emmet boomed with a chuckle. "Now that all the forest in your hair is gone".

"Emmet", Esme chided motherly. She smiled warmly at Ellis, crossing to him and taking his hands. He was about her height. "You look very nice Ellis". She gave his palms a squeeze before releasing them.

"You look more human", Rosalie stated with a small smile. She may seem colder than the others, but she appeared to be slowly warming up to Ellis. "Your hair looks definitely better".

Ellis laughed and tugged at one of his curls. They gleamed golden brown in the light of the lamps and he smiled. He felt warm, fuzzy. He couldn't recall feeling this way before. His human memories were fragmented and blurry. Was this how it felt to have a family? He didn't know.

Carlisle smiled at Ellis reassuringly before continuing his conversation with Sam. Ellis didn't bother to listen and headed to the door. He loved the smell of the outdoors, preceding it to the scent inside. Especially since Bella's human smell was a constant, he preferred to be outside rather than test his control.

Seth looked up as the front door closed behind him. His face was bathed in the light coming from inside, wide eyed and suspiciously red. Both him and Jacob were shirtless. Clothed only in denim shorts but they ran hot so the cold night air did not affect them. Ellis raised an eyebrow coolly at him before sitting on the edge of the porch and swinging his legs over the side. Jacob, who was watching Seth, had a hand over his mouth as he snorted with laughter. Seth kicked him.

"You um look nice", Seth stuttered. Ellis hummed.

"I blame Alice. I think she burned my other clothes", he muttered. He tucked his curls behind his ears, watching as a bat flew overhead. His eyes followed the small mammal through the dark with ease.

"Purple suits you", Seth complimented.

Ellis flashed him a small smile. "Thanks".

"God this is awkward", Jacob muttered not quite under his breath. Seth turned on his wolf brother and growled. Jacob growled back before grinning. "What Seth is really trying to say is that you look fuckin hot", he shouted at Ellis, ducking under Seth's punch.

"Thanks. As I said yesterday, I put the hot in psychotic", Ellis pretended to preen, flicking his hair. Jacob and Seth laughed. Seth's laugh was breathy and bright. Ellis liked it.

"I like you. You're probably my favourite corpse", Jacob grinned.

Ellis mimicked his expression. "Thank you. That is definitely my top aim in life. Being Jacob's favourite dead body. Excellent". He was definitely not being sarcastic.

Seth snorted another laugh. He raked his eyes up and down Ellis' figure again. "Well, you're certainly my favourite vampire", he spoke softly.

Ellis blinked in surprise at the sudden sincerity. If he still had a beating heart, he would be blushing. "Um, Thanks".

Next to them, Jacob made vomiting noises. Seth just flashed him the middle finger.

"So, wolves", Ellis began lamely. "Why do you turn into wolves? Are you werewolves?"

Seth looked absolutely delighted that Ellis was asking. He shifted closer to the vampire until they were sitting side by side. "Well," he began. Ellis watched as Seth talked. His eyes savoured the way the tanned boy swallowed, moved. The way the blood rose to his face and how his big honey brown eyes lit up in enthusiasm.

Ellis could feel himself become attached. Back with Victoria, he had not let himself open up. The walls around him were kept high and sturdy because if you became attached then they, or you would die. But this young wolf boy was different. He smiled. Maybe becoming attached might not be so bad.