I got home after my family. Though my mom couldn't work at the hospital she does still give some recommendations or help but she couldn't be in the room. Eve still watched her closely, while my mom's shoulder was almost healed and her concussion was gone, she still had a skull fracture.

I hoped to get to my room before they could see me, it didn't work out that way. I was caught the moment I stepped through the door trying to get to the stairs.

"what the hell happened to your face?" Eve asked nearly dropping the bowl of salad in her hands.

"nothing"

My mom sighed... she was debating on whether or not to ask. "it wasn't nothing"

She walked over to me her hand gripping my chin to look at the lines running down my face and torso. They were nowhere near as bad as the ones on my shoulder.

"Jacob and I had an issue"

"Jacob did this to you?" my mom asked her eyes wide and filled with tears.

I nodded "we had an issue but it's okay, see. I'm already healing"

"well, dinner's ready. Unless you want to shower." Eve replied giving me an out. I looked down at myself, I had trails of blood flowing down my arms and face. The pink lines were still present and would be until tomorrow, but the least I could do was clean up.

"You guys start, I'll only be a minute"

They nodded as I ran up the stairs. I sat in the shower for a few minutes scrubbing my body meticulously. This was th only time I took off my totem. When I was done I pulled on some shorts and a tank top, making sure to replace my totem. The wolf bringing a sense of calm, the antler and claw adding to a sense of pride.

At dinner I relaxed.

Everything was okay, they were okay, and we were safe. With the Cullens we had more resources to defeat Victoria. Things were looking up. And it felt good to smile and laugh at my aunts antics, to listen to the subtle bickering.

"So, Val. You and Charlie... do you think you'll ever..." Eve trailed off. My mom glanced at me.

"I don't know..."

"do you want too?" I asked. I wanted my mom to be happy in every way possible. I could see the conflict on her face, she was afraid to say anything because of me. "It's okay, you know. Dad would want you to be happy, and if that's what makes you happy you should"

"what about you?" she asked gently.

I smiled "I want you to be happy. If Charlie's what makes you happy then go for it. I will support anything you choose to do. I promise."

My mom squeezed my hand a teary smile on her lips "When did you grow up? It seemed like only yesterday you were crawling."

"no stop that. You're going to make us cry" Eve added a smile on her lips.

"you're right... no crying" my mom said wiping the tears from her eyes. "do you think you'll be able to stay for a family movie night?"

I smiled brightly "yeah. I can do that; I'd like that actually."

"really, Sam won't be upset?" Eve asked.

"no, I earned a break."

The relief they felt was tangible as we sat down for a movie. It was something stupid, but it did its job of making everyone laugh. I fell asleep easily that night. And I had a dream. I couldn't remember much of it when I woke up, but I remember seeing my dad and Hector and Korinna, my grandmother.

They were happy for me and proud. I knew it was just a dream, but it felt nice to see it.

A knock rang out again and I realized the reason behind my sudden awakening. The reason my dream ended. I crawled out of bed when the door opened to reveal my mother.

"there's some... guest for you downstairs" she spoke slowly and carefully. I furrowed my brows. "Dr. Cullen and some of his family"

"oh, um okay. I'll be right down."

She nodded "I'm going to be at the hospital with Eve, if you need anything"

Again, I nodded, and she left. I heard her tell the family of vampires that I would be down soon before leaving, though it wasn't necessary they could hear my response.

I knew I had to get semi-dressed, but another pressing matter occurred to me. If I went pee, they would hear it. And I really do not want to deal with that. I mean it was a natural bodily function, but I don't want anyone hearing me pee...

This was more awkward than my first time... the one-night stand after Paul and I went out in Port Angeles. I had no clue what to do or how to react the next morning.

I was so scared and awkward that in my attempt to sneak out I woke her up. That conversation did not go great, well it wasn't bad she expected me to leave, and I was trying to, unsuccessfully.

She laughed at me but at least she thought I was cute and not a dumbass.

With a shake of my head, I got up and grabbed some clothes. I figured the running water and the sound of me brushing my teeth would outweigh any other sound.

Once that was done, I padded downstairs in a pair of joggers and a tee shirt, my hair messily flowing in short waves because I was too lazy to brush it. I didn't need to really I never got tangles, even in Canada where I had less than idea cleaning conditions, my hair remained normal... a little after a while but it was normal all the same.

I got downstairs and was met with the entirety of the Cullen clan, with the exception of Edward. Carlisle and Esme were standing near the island bar, Lucia and Emmett were in the living room, Emmett's eyes were glued to the bear rug in front of the fireplace. Jasper was off to the side, his eyes fleeting back and forth nervously. Rosalie was near the patio her eyes focused on the forest surrounding my home.

Carlisle and Esme were as they've always been, calm and reassuring. Emmett looked the most relaxed, joyful even. He reminded me of Toby.

There was also a scent in the air, sweet like all vampires and each of them had their own smell, a mixture of fresh linen, cinnamon, leather, spearmint, teak and citrus but most glaringly obvious was the scent of wild berries. It was perhaps the most amazing thing I have smelled, almost intoxicating. But unlike the other vampires, these ones smelled natural. There was no hint of the chemical make-up.

"Good Morning, Alex" Carlisle, the patriarch of the clan, spoke first, drawing me out of my mind.

I nodded in greeting "Hello Carlisle" I then turned to look at Alice who was barely restraining herself. "I'm sorry that I was rude when we spoke last, there were a serious of unfortunate events and I wasn't in the right state of mind, and for that I apologize"

Alice shook her head then bound up to me giving me a tight hug. "you weren't rude, you were honest"

The others flinched like they expected it would hurt me, I merely wrapped my arm around her tiny frame. Secretly I was glad to have her back, I missed the eternally happy girl. With all the bad that has happened recently I needed a ball of sunshine.

Other than Eve.

"told you guys, she's fine. And she doesn't stink like the others" she laughed before returning to Jasper. The others nodded in agreement.

"but is she just as strong?" Emmett asked a smirk on his face. Esme scolded him.

"I'm a lot stronger than I look."

"strong enough to kill a bear?" Emmett goaded, gesturing to the rug.

I shrugged "yeah, that one's from Yukon. Nahanni Valley. But that's another conversation. I'm assuming you're here because of the treaty. I stand by what I said, I'll only act if needed to protect my family. My mother and Eve."

"Of course," Esme spoke up looking at Carlisle for a brief moment. "we couldn't expect anything else"

"Thank you, and as I told Edward. As of right now the same rules apply. I know what the plan is for Bella" the other eyes widened "right now that isn't an option without repercussions. But I don't want to go to war over that. It's not worth it, if it is truly her wish and I suspect her intense reaction to being told it can't happen, that it is, there may be an exception."

"you're different than the other wolfs" Emmett snorted. "I figured you'd try to kill us the moment we stepped in the house"

"Emmett, Alex isn't like that. She has great control" Alice replied. "Though I can't see your future and Edward can't read your mind..."

"and I can't control your emotions" Jasper admitted.

"You are an enigma to us; I don't think we've ever been able to even smell your blood" Carlisle.

"except once" Alice mumbled looking towards Rosalie. They all looked at the said vampire, she didn't turn to respond but remained looking out the window. It made sense now, if they couldn't smell me and then all of a sudden, they or she could. Well, that would cause some issues.

I looked back at Carlisle "I am different than my cousins, but it's not all their fault. The scent of a vampire is painful, and it practically demands they do something."

"but not you?" Esme asked.

"No, there is the undeniable vampiric scent just as humans have their own unique scent. I can tell there is a vampire but it's not a painful sweet smell, there are other scents that each one has that differentiates them from the others."

"that sounds almost like a vampire explaining how we smell" Jasper added his eyes narrowed "I would say you smell the same as us but the only thing I can smell is shampoo"

This brought on confusion, and it made me wonder why. "Hector said it was a part of our natural mechanisms. It kept us safe from Niju.... He didn't know why, he said Aniu, and Nava made it so we wouldn't have to worry about Niju capturing us too"

"who's that?" Emmett asked.

"um, Hector was from my tribe, Aniu and Nava were the creators. Niju was just the spirit of anything evil. Everyone has a little bit of Niju in them, just as everyone can be bad, but Niju is in control of those who are truly terrible."

"Vampires" Rosalie spoke, it was the first time I heard her speak in all the years she has lived here. It was melodic and beautiful just like her.

"sometimes. The red eyes have more of Niju in them, but it's only those who are consumed by it. Killing without care, it puts us in danger just as much as it does other vampires. Korinna said that it's up to the individual wolf to determine what is acceptable and what isn't. One human death here and there is generally okay as humans die every day from, well anything. They believed Vampires were there to help maintain the population of humans. They had to kill to survive just as we killed the Caribou, but there is a balance that needs to be met, when the balance is tipped. That's when we're supposed to act, to restore what was."

They nodded but didn't say anything else. They seemed to be a little unsure how to react but that was okay. At some point the Cullens began leaving, first Jasper, Emmett and Lucia who needed to hunt. Carlisle and Esme left next, Carlisle had to go to the hospital and Esme didn't want to overstay her welcome.

That left Alice and Rosalie. And that intoxicating scent.

"Alex? What happened to your mom?" Alice asked.

I grabbed some juice and sighed.

"Victoria... she was looking for me. She must have remembered where the house was. But I wasn't here... She did the same thing James did to me with one exception." I ran my fingers along my bite mark.

"she attacked Val?"

I nodded "I stopped her, but my mom was already hurt. I didn't know what to do, but I managed to get her to the hospital. The pack helped me cover it up, everyone thought she swerved to avoid the giant bear or wolf depending on who was talking. The only time rumors of giant wolves helped us. It's better to let them think there's mutant wolves than vampires."

"people know about the wolves?" Rosalie asked, the scent of wild berries begins engulfing me as I gazed into her butterscotch eyes.

It was like tunnel vision; all I could see was her. Like I was a puzzle missing one piece and she was it.

It was like I wandering through a dark mine, alone and then she appeared. It was still lost but I wasn't alone, and it wasn't dark because she had the flashlights. And even though we were lost, it was okay because we could find the light together.

And then the light was gone, and so was Rosalie.