With Bella and Edward away on their honeymoon, Ellis was enjoying spending time with the rest of his new adopted family. The Cullen's and the wolves had developed a routine. Since Seth was still apart of the pack he was required to spend the late afternoons and evenings patrolling and hanging out with his wolf brothers and sister. Ellis normally accompanied him to Emily's and Sam's house, the stern pack leader greeting him with a nod and a careful eye, where he would then hang out with the pack as they ate dinner before they went on patrol. Then, during the nights when Seth was sleeping and doing pack business, Ellis would spend time with his new family.

This was what they were doing now. Seth and Ellis were crossing the forest at a leisurely pace after spending most of the day, and very early morning, binge watching the lord of the rings. "If I lived on middle earth, I'd be a skin-changer like Beorn", Seth exclaimed as they crossed the border into pack lands. "You'd be like an elf or something".

"An elf?" Ellis raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying I'm beautiful?" He teased, enjoying the way Seth's ears tinted red. The wolf boy grumbled and huffed in protest as Ellis laughed. Since the wedding, Ellis had discovered that he really enjoyed watching Seth blush. The human reaction was so different and precious once you had lost the ability to use it. His cheeks darkened into a deep red and he stumbled over his words slightly which made Ellis think he was adorable.

"Shut up", Seth muttered. "Of course you're beautiful. You're a vampire, aren't you supposed to be beautiful!"

Ellis was caught off guard by how much the blindly spoken words stung. The sudden harsh exclamation struck surprisingly deep, nailing hidden insecurities that Ellis didn't even realise he had. It almost implied that Ellis was only liked because of what he was. The more he thought about it, it did make sense. The only reason the Cullen's kept him alive in the first place was because of his information and ability. Now that Victoria was gone, how much longer were they going to keep him around to play cute little brother? I couldn't be easy to be around such a young vampire, a teenager too. Seth himself had only imprinted on him after he was turned. Without his position as Seth's imprint Ellis would have already been killed by the wolf pack.mWould they have developed any connection if Ellis was human? Would he even have met Seth if they were human? Blinking in surprise at his own thoughts Ellis quickly put a smile back on his face.

"Of course I am", He replied with a gentle shove of Seth's shoulder, his grin slightly too wide. "Biologically made beautiful to draw in unsuspecting human prey. Nom nom". He jokingly mimed munching something causing Seth to frown, but the tanned boy did not say anything. An awkward silence descended only broken by the light tred of their footsteps on the forest floor and Ellis Let his joke fall flat.

This lasted continued for about five minutes, during which Seth glanced at Ellis every few seconds, face becoming more and more unreadable. "What?" Ellis asked as they drew closer to Emily's house. Already Ellis could see the distant lights of her windows through the trees and smell the scent of cooking.

"Nothing. Just wondering what you were thinking", Seth said. "You looked a little weird for a second".

"You noticed?" Ellis asked. His though his mood change had gone unnoticed.

"Yeah", Seth shrugged matter of factly. "You're my imprint. I'm supposed to notice everything about you. It's not like I can help it, it's like my senses are tuned to you or something".

"That must be annoying. You shouldn't have to be concerned about me. I can turn invisible, it's fine", Ellis replied blandly, picking up the pace. "Last one to Emily's house loses!" He called before sprinting ahead. Seth groaned behind him but Ellis was already at the door and tapping on the wood.

"Ellis!" Embry greeted as he opened the door. Instantly the smell of frying chicken filled the air along with the aroma of spices and rice. "Ellis, come in. Come on Seth! You're missing dinner!" Behind them, Seth quickened his stride. As Ellis entered the cheery, lively house, the wolves greeted him in a mixture of ways. Sam and a few of the older wolves acknowledged him with nods whilst the more excitable characters offered high fives and huge grins. They were playing cards at the table, shuffling around plates as Emily and Sam stood at the stove. The couple cooked in a duet, exchanging easy touches and looks as they reached around each other to grab implements.

"Deal me a hand?" Ellis asked as he took a seat at the crowded table. Paul obediently dropped ten cards in front of him.

"What are we playing?" Seth asked as he also took a seat between Ellis and Quil. They silently dealt him a set. Ellis ignored the silent look Seth gave him and pretended to shuffle through his cards.

"Go fish", Leah answered with a snort from her place against the counter. She smirked as she took a sip from her drink. "It's getting serious here. It's already the third round".

"Shhhush", Jared held up a hand. "I'm concentrating". Leah rolled her eyes as he gazed around the table intently. "Seeeth", he cried victoriously. "Got any twos?"

With a groan of despair, Seth wordlessly held out three twos. Jared crowed as he slapped down the first complete set onto the table. Everyone chuckled at his over dramatic display as all eyes turned to Embry next to him. "Ellis! Got any queens?"

Ellis smirked with sick satisfaction. "Go fish", he drawled. Embry sighed and obediently picked up a card from the stack in the middle. The game continued like this for about twenty minutes more. By the time Emily and Sam notified them that dinner was ready, Ellis had four stacks in front of him, Jared and Seth had two whilst the rest had nothing.

"Aha! I win!" Ellis cheered as Paul tidied the cards. No one heard him as the rest of the pack were too busy inhaling the food to notice. The next ten minutes was silent except for the sounds of chewing and the occasional half mumbled praise for the meal. Ellis wasted the time by reading sheet music on his new Iphone (another gift from the Cullens).

"We should be going", Sam spoke up as everyone finished. His tone was commanding, fully becoming the pack leader. "Quil, Embry, you take the south. Go and make Jacob go with you. Paul and Leah will patrol the boarder between us and the Cullen territory, whilst Jared and I will take the north". All the wolves nodded in unison and began packing away the dishes into the dishwasher.

Emily patted Sam on the shoulder and relaxed into her chair. "I'm glad I have you boys", she remarked. "The kitchen would never be clean otherwise".

"Then you can just make Sam clean up. He's whipped", Quil quipped, ducking under a soapy dish cloth.

"Not like you wouldn't do anything for Claire", Embry teased.

"She's freaking adorable. You can't deny, besides that's different", Quil complained. They dissolved into bickering, playfully jostling as they tried to wash up the pans.

Emily sighed as Sam gave her an affectionate, "Too true". As the pack laughed. Ellis giggled at their familiarity.

"Alright, lets go", Sam stated once the kitchen was spotless. He bent down to give Emily and kiss, affectionately rubbing their noses together in parting as the boys raced each other outside followed by and exasperated Leah. Ellis followed them outside, giving Sam and Emily a moment. Besides, he wasn't allowed alone with a human whilst in La push territory. It was just one of the rules Sam had imposed when he had agreed to Ellis' access on to pack land.

Seth paused at the edge of the woods to place a hand on Ellis' cheek, his thumb stroking a path under his eye. Ahead, the sounds of movement could be heard as the pack shifted one by one. "See you tomorrow", he smiled. Ellis forced a smile back, insecurities from earlier still bubbling in his gut. Seth caught the fakery and frowned but let himself follow the others into the dark. Ellis stayed waiting in the light from the house as Sam came up behind him.

"I don't trust you vampire", he spoke truthfully, eyes fixed on the trees.

Ellis nodded, "understandably".

"But, I trust you a lot more than others of your kind", Sam continued. "You make Seth happy. We may be fine tuned to our imprints but we can't read their minds. If you make Seth unhappy then you will find out what happens to vampires I really do not trust".

"Shouldn't I be getting this kind of talk from Leah, or Jacob?" Ellis asked.

"Jacob is wallowing in sadness. And Leah let me do it. She said if you hurt her brother, she will burn you alive".

Ellis winced. "I don't doubt it".

Sam sighed, a deep release of breath. "We understand that, unlike the Cullens, you didn't choose to become a vampire. That you are young for you're kind both physically and age wise. But we stick to our tribe and our history, protecting us. For what it's worth, I'm sure a few of us would mourn you if we were ever positioned as enemies".

"You should mourn me", Ellis muttered bitterly. "I died years ago. And for what it's worth", he looked up to meet the taller man's gaze. "If I was ever your enemy, I would kill me as well". Sam nodded as walked out into the trees to join his pack, leaving Ellis alone on the path. He waited there for a minute or two, enjoying the night breeze, before turning and allowing the forest to swallow him.