Ch. 6

As Billy told us the story of the cold ones and the Quileutes I listened for any hint of my wayward pack member. When he finished and I found none I sighed. "I heard tell your people believe you're descended from wolves."

Billy nodded and I smiled. "You've no idea how right you are."

I told them my story, of how I came to be and of my first turn. I told them of my wayward pack members and what I did afterwards to gain control of myself. I told them of the thousand years I spent as a chained dog to amuse the Romanian's.

I went on to tell them of my wondering and my collection of gold and jewels. Of my visions and abilities. Eventually I I told them of how I met Jasper and later Alice. I stopped at where we joined the Cullen coven before telling them of my recent bought with my wolf.

I shared with them all I'd learned of their past and the one that ended up passing down the gene to them. Paul growled and called me a lier but I just roared, making everyone back away slowly. He backed down and ended up on the ground cowering.

I snorted. "I have no need to lie to thin blooded wolves like you. If I wished, I could simply turn a stronger pack than you have. You no nothing of what it means to be wolf. Your people stumbled onto your abilities by luck and nothing else."

No one refuted my words and nearly all of them were afraid. I turned my gaze to Sam and Jacob. "You two need to fight for alpha of your pack or you'll never be in full control. Alpha is more than words it is action when lesser wolves fail to act. It is control and dominance, power and wisdom. Until you have them, you are not alpha. Neither of you are and the longer you hold off, the more likely you are to divide or break the pack."

Sam stood up but I shook my head. "It must be a real challenge and until Jacob decides to accept that part of himself it won't work. It means little to bear the unwilling and everything to best an equal."

I stood up now. "It's time Alice and I left. I'll see you all at the training to fight the newborns. Be there or send one to relay what they see and hear because otherwise you may all be slaughtered. Vampires are never stronger than in their first few months of this life. They are also equally as viscous and bloodthirsty."

We left them to meet up with the rest of the family. We took over watching Charlie while Emmett and Rosalie went to hunt. In the early morning Alice decided she was hungry as well so she jumped on my back and bit my neck fo a meal. After she was satiated I became famished and starving for both blood and meat.

When the wolves showed up to take our place we went to hunt. I took down three deer and a bear before I stopped to collect the bodies and bring them back to the house to cook.

Emmett arrived from the hunt just as I started cooking the meat. He looked at it all and asked. "Where are you going to put it all?"

I snorted. "Like vampires, true werewolves are eternally hungry. I'm actually surprised the shifters haven't picked the forest clean by now. Besides, the more meat I eat, the less I'll need blood as my body will produce its own supply."

I frowned at my words before shrugging. "Must've been a wolf thing. I didn't know that before I said it but it feels true."

Emmett smiled. "Good because I bagged and brought our catches as well thinking you'd need a pick me up. One bear and mountain lion coming up."

I nodded and went outside to clean them. The venom the left inside the animals didn't bother me one bit. After I was done I tossed the pelts in a pile I'd started saving a few months back and dumped the organs and bones in the river not to far away.

Alice brought the meat inside while I dried and prepped the extra pelts so that they could be used by humans as rugs or blankets. By the time I got inside the food was done and waiting for me. Alice had been kind enough to help in that regard.

The only real plus side of fusing with the wolf in my opinion was the taste of food, particularly meat had become far more tolerable. I feasted at a speed that would make Goku jealous as I devoured nearly two hundred pounds of meat.

As I ate my metabolism sped up and my body started giving off steam from the venom and my new blood being made and consumed at a rapid pace. When Alice saw me, she touched my skin and I stopped, instinctively waiting for her to move. She sniffed me before taking her place on my back and kissing my neck before biting down for a meal she couldn't resist.

I grunted as she moaned into my throat as she fed. I continued eating and my body started producing less steam as she was taking the excess blood. When I finished, she stopped and kissed my neck before trying my lips. I chuckled when she shook her head. "Wash your mouth."

I agreed and did so before claiming my reward. The extra blood made her a little on edge and horny so we spent the day at the cabin and didn't come back out till school the next morning. After school we came home in a more relaxed mood. She still had a lot more energy but she'd learned to control and pace herself.

Later that night Bella came over with a sprained wrist from punching Jacob. When she said she punched a werewolf in the face I snorted and Alice giggled. Bella blushed. "I mean shapeshifter or whatever."

Emmett told her. "You're going to make one tough newborn."

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? Tough enough to beat you up?"

Rosalie had had enough and went outside on the balcony. I sighed and grabbed Alice's hand before she shivered and spoke up. "Jane made her decision, they know and they're doing nothing. They're going to let the newborns attack to weaken us. She's doing it out of spite though so I can't tell if she's doing it to get us."

I squeezed her hand before saying. "I've seen the battlefield, the numbers are beyond even what I expected. A hundred and seventy newborns in total. I think Victoria warned her pet about me because he's upped the number since she last ran through."

I showed Edward the vision I'd had on the way in. He frowned. "I recognize him. He's a local, Riley Biers, he went missing a year ago."

I nodded. "He's the one that snuck into Bella's room."

Edward frowned and I showed him the smell and senses that came with the vision before he nodded. "That's him."

Carlisle looked really worried. "Can we take on that number?"

I grinned as I made the plan and Alice got the vision. She looked at me before smiling. "Easily. They don't have Victoria's gift and they come through the forested area. Zach will take most of them out himself. We'll be left with a little over twenty."

Carlisle looked at me proudly before saying. "We'll still need the wolves to act. Twenty newborns is more than we can safely handle on our own."

I agreed. "Alice and I are teaching the class in the morning. Everyone will need to be there."

Emmett asked. "How do you know how to fight newborns?"

I shrugged. "I saw the fate of an old friend if I didn't act. His life would have been difficult and he would have had the experience. His is the only fate I'd ever seen beside my own to such an extent."

Alice rubbed my back as she'd seen the same temporarily. Even she knew how to train a newborn army from those same visions. I thank the gods every day she doesn't blame me for changing his fate.

While they knew they were missing something they didn't pry. I sighed. "Anyway, Alice and I will be teaching together. The wolves will come though I don't know if they join us or watch from a distance."

Bella had gotten her talk with Rosalie while we'd told the rest of the dangers and new information. When they came inside I turned to Bella. "I have the makings of a plan, but it involves you bleeding for the cause."

Edward growled and raised my hands in surrender. "An armies coming and we need all the edge we can get. Relax, it won't hurt her unless she's afraid of needles."

Bella smiled. "Sure what's the plan?"

I turned to Carlisle. "Take several pints of her blood over the course of the next few days. We know the battle grounds so on the eve of battle I'll spread her blood making a trail they'll be forced to follow, straight to us."

Bella turned to Carlisle and he smiled. "That sounds more than possible, it's downright doable. As long as your on with it Bella."

Bella nodded. "Sounds easy enough. I'm game if you are."

Edward spoke up. "Bella you don't-"

She stopped him. "Yes I do Edward. They're coming for me and since I can't fight, I can at least make sure no one else gets dragged into the fight by accident. It's not up for debate, I'm helping in any way I can."

I sighed. "In that case, I have the last of the plan."

Alice saw it as it formed and Edward scowled as he saw it to. "That's-"

I grunted. "The only way. I'd do it but I don't smell like wet dog like they do. It's unique to them and he's the one that'll insist on doing it."

Edward still didn't like it but Bella agreed as soon as he told her. She was determined to ensure as many of us survived as possible. With the battle plan set we held the newborn fighting class the next morning in the clearing by the trees where it happened in the movies.

The class was a little different as I moved and acted like a newborn would, with the same strength and speed. After I nailed Emmett for the twentieth time the wolves showed up to watch.

Sam even went so far as to shift into his human form and greet us. "They'll stay as wolves and participate against you when needed for practice. I wanted to thank you for your advice and guidance from before. You have my word they'll be on their best behavior or they'll face me in a fight."

I chuckled. "You're not quite there but I can see the potential for the makings of an alpha in you. Next time lay down the law. An alpha is a leader but he's also the packs elder in a way. They must trust you completely to be a proper alpha. That was the problem with my pack. They saw me as the child monster that turned them into monsters. They fled before either of us could get to know each other. So take your time, settle disputes and be a wise leader, not just a hard one."

He thanked me for my words and went to shift and watch as Alice did her best Jasper impression. When she finished talking, she kicked everyone's as in single combat, even mine as I acted purely like a newborn. I did however get that kiss I wanted when she dropped out of the tree hugging me.

When she hopped down I took over. Things got serious then as I told them each time that they were dead. When it was the wolves turn while my family went to pair off and practice, Sam went first. I told him straightforward like I did all of my family members. "Don't hold back, you need to experience what it's like so I won't either."

He charged and I flipped over him and tackled him, giving a light squeeze to his ribs and tossing him away. "Dead, again!"

He charged and tried different tactics over and over again as I declared him dead. Finally he managed to bite into my shoulder and slam me to the ground when I went for his feint. He let go of me in a huff and Edward smiled from the side. "He says, dead!"

I chuckled as I healed and stood up. "Alright, next one."

They each took the hint and started using feints and going for the less easy kills. They still got told they were dead a few times apiece but for the most part they learned quickly. When they were almost done, a wolf I recognized tried going at me for real.

When he didn't let go of my shoulder and tried to go for the kill I roared and shifted, busting his jaw and slamming him into a tree, taking it down with him. My body healed quickly as pure rage consumed my mind. I roared and charged his fallen form.

I was almost upon him when another wolf tackled me from the side I threw him off and roared at him before turning to his fallen friend who'd shifted back when he passed out coughing up blood. I was going to kill him when I felt a familiar presence jump on me.

She whispered for me to calm down and promised many things I'd kill anyone admitting to hearing. I let out a huff and shifted back she planted a kiss on me while Carlisle tended to the fallen form of Paul.

I turned to Sam and told them. "Carlisle will heal him but he's not fit for battle. If he'd tried that while I was in the middle of fighting, I'd have ripped him in two. Don't bring him before me again or I can't promise I still won't do so."

Sam shifted right there, throwing modesty to the wind. "I'm sorry he did that, but I'm not sorry for defending him. We'll take him home. I think we've learned enough for today anyway."

I smiled. "More and more like an alpha you become. For future reference never apologize. An alpha must be decisive and stern to all outsiders. Pack comes first, it must or you have no ground to stand on."

He nodded before carrying Paul away. The wolves left one by one and I sighed. "I'm going to have to invest in more shirts if this keeps up."

Alice laughed a musical chime to my ears. "You could always go shirtless, but then Jacob would be less weird."

The last wolf to leave snorted. He didn't appreciate the comment. I shook my head. "Sorry darlin, no such luck. He's staying weird. I'll just have to take you shopping so you can pick out what you like on me more often."

She growled cutely in her throat before kissing me. "You do know how to please a girl best."

I returned the kiss before setting her down. "Carlisle is gone and so are the wolves, it's time we head out as well. We still have to pick up our cap and gowns."

We left, stopping by the school before heading home. The next morning we went to the graduation ceremony then to the party Alice planned for afterwards at our place. The pool and hot tub was open to those that wanted while the surround sound system played music through the main house and pool house.

To top it all off I'd hired some humans to set a fireworks display towards the end of the night. During the party though Alice had another vision. We gathered everyone as the battle was planned for four days from now. The wolves knew their part and Jacob agreed for his part in it all as well.

With those four days we fed and stocked up on blood for the distraction. The day before it all went down Edward set up camp in the mountains at our back and Jacob carried Bella to it. I spread her bagged blood across the woods leading to the battlefield and along where she'd touched everything separate of Jacob the same day before she left.

With the battlefield set I delivered the extra pelt blankets and lined their tent with them inside and out. It was like a sauna inside by the time I was done strapping the last of it down. When Edward asked why I did it all I smacked him upside the head. "Human, mountain, north, mountain valley where it gets coldest. Am I talking slow enough for you? There's going to be a snowstorm up here tonight and this'll keep her warm without needing extra fur coats if you catch my drift."

He frowned then thanked me before I bid him good luck and left. The next morning everyone was ready and in place when Alice spoke. "They're coming."

I nodded and went to the far back of the battlefield where I could focus and shift in safety. I started using my nature abilities to bend the forest to my will. The trees hardened and caught the newborns as they ran through by surprise as the branches tore them apart.

Every tree in the forest acted like an nightmare forest as several were killed instantly. The excess blood drove them onwards without care for safety and got more and more killed. By the time I'd killed the first hundred a dozen had come out followed closely by another dozen.

I managed to close my tree net of nightmares and finished the rest off while the others fought their battle. The wolves did their part while I cleaned up the forest and pushed all the body parts to the battlefield.

With that done I helped pick the rest of the field clean and killed the one that managed to crush Jacob's rib cage. I tossed them all into the mountainous pile I'd created and Carlisle set it ablaze. Alice had a vision of the Volturi coming and I turned to see the small girl Esme and Carlisle spared.

I grunted. "Follow my lead if you want to continue living."

I turned to Alice and she nodded, grabbing my arm as we waited. The wolves left with Jacob and Edward arrived with Bella as we stood united like a family. I pulled the new girl beside me and Alice.

Jane and the three others arrived right on schedule. "Incredible. I've never seen a coven escape an assault of this magnitude intact."

Carlisle responded. "We were lucky."

Jane didn't even blink. "I doubt that."

Alec spoke. "It appears we missed an entertaining fight."

Jane replied. "Yes, it's not often we're rendered unnecessary."

Edward spoke up. "If you'd arrived a half hour ago you would have fulfilled your purpose."

Jane turned to the newborn next to me. "You missed one."

I chuckled. "No, we didn't. This is our newest family member. I changed her last week when I went to spy on the growing army in Seattle. I figured she could slip into their ranks unnoticed and give us a heads up on the fight. She did her work splendidly and didn't even have to kill anyone to do it."

Jane raised an eyebrow. "Really? We'll see about that-"

A root sprouted from the ground and held her by the throat. "Harm my daughter, Jane and I'll see it as a declaration of war from the Volturi. Perhaps you should go ask permission from your masters before you pick that fight."

The root raised her off the ground cracking her throat in the process. It released her and went back into the dirt like it was never there. "Decision's decisions. Run along before I see you as hostile."

She scowled and stood up from where she landed on her ass. "You'll pay for that!"

I snickered. "Not today, and certainly not by you."

A dozen roots came out of the ground between us and they backed down. I chuckled. "Tell Aro that Bella is right on schedule. As for whatever game this is, tell him whatever you wish, I care not. He knows where to find me if he has questions of his own, for now my family is tired of fighting so we'll be taking our leave."

She scowled once more before leaving with her group. I held up a finger to my lips so the new girl would keep quiet. Alice pulled her by the arm saying. "Come on daughter, we have so much fun to get up to."

Alice slipped off and Carlisle asked. "Was that wise?"

I sighed. "They've seen the bodies and Aro's smart enough to know I'm responsible for most of them. I just gave them a small show of force to let the know we won't be intimidated by them. I'm not yet sure how they'll react but I know they won't attack without just cause and they don't have that without admitting their own wrongs, which they can't do."

He seemed relieved. "Then we give them no reason to act. We should be safe then."

I shrugged. "Hopefully, because I can't stop that many gifted and it would only take two to wipe you all out. Your minds aren't as reinforced as mine is so after a bit of effort Jane could break in and Alec would finish you all off."

He looked even more worried now but I continued. "That's not even their full guard either. Who knows what all abilities Aro has collected since you last saw them, assuming you met them all then. He could very well be holding more trump cards up his sleeves."

I left them with that chilling thought and followed Alice as she talked Bree's ear off. She'd introduced herself but now that I claimed her, I couldn't ignore her name in favor of new girl any longer. She wouldn't really be my daughter as she was simply too young to pass as it.

Esme would certainly claim her though and we'd gain a new sibling. We left the battlefield as the last of the vampires burnt away. I told Edward I expected my fur blankets back or at least to be put to good use. He brought them home later that evening with the tent.

I asked if it had worked and he nodded. "She was warm and comfortable the whole night. Jacob did come inside and talk with me though if only to push me for answers. Thanks."

I shrugged. "That's what family's for little bro."

I left him to see what Alice was up to. Turns out she was giving Bree our room and promising shopping trips for clothes that would fit her better. I chuckled when I saw her trying to give the poor kid a makeover. Esme was with her talking all motherly.

I smiled and leaned in the doorway to watch for a while. When I figured she'd suffered enough Alice snorted and turned to me scowling playfully. "Going and having a kid without me, the shame."

I sighed. "What can I say, it was perfect timing. So, it's time you give the poor girl a break. She needs to feed and I need to teach her our ways before she munches on a poor passerby. Bella does come over after all."

Bree stood up immediately and ran over with desperate hope in her eyes that I'd save her from the crazy female vampires. I chuckled. "Let's go little one."

I turned to Alice. "Join me?"

She sighed and gave up. "Always."

We took Bree on her first official hunt with us and told her the rules and how to hunt without harming humans in the process. She choked down a mountain lion as her first meal.

When she finished I took the corpse and Alice told her while jumping on my back. "That's not how you do it, this is how."

She bit me and drained a little blood before stopping and kissing my neck then lips. I snorted when she hopped down. "Don't give her any ideas love. You're the only one that could possibly get away with that and survive the consequences."

She swayed in front of me teasingly before telling Bree. "He's right, you did good though. It's almost like-"

I grinned. "She has Jasper's talent for empathy. I'm surprised she could actually keep down the blood."

Alice turned to the poor girl before saying. "It's weaker than his would've been, though that may be a good thing in the long run."

I nodded and Bree asked about Jasper. We told her and added his unique power. She tried it out and when she felt our emotions she seemed shocked. I chuckled and told her to find another animal to hunt. As a newborn she needed more blood and the practice would help.

She caught a deer and fed and only got choked up afterwards. I collected it as well before Alice took her off to play again while I cleaned and ate the animals. It wasn't enough to create a noticeable physical reaction but I did feel my need for blood dissipate some.

When Bella decided to announce their eventual nuptials Alice told her it would be perfect. I already had the wedding images in my mind so it would be easy enough for me to arrange one evening after they sent the invitations out. A week passed by before they did just that.

I arranged the back of the house while everyone else was out hunting to make it a surprise. Alice already knew what I was up to but she didn't tell. The logs were easy enough to find and carve while the blooming delphiniums, viburnums, white lilacs, ranunculus, and sweet pea plants were even easier to arrange with a mere thought and instinct taking over.

By the time they arrived I'd finished the arch and was growing moss for the walkway. Alice practically tackled me when she arrived. She had a wide smile saying. "It's perfect, just like I saw."

I kissed her deeply before pulling back with the taste of deer blood on my tongue. My eyes went black then green as the hunger set in and the need to hunt hit me. Emmett chuckled and tossed down a couple bears and deer he'd been dragging behind him.

Carlisle did the same to a mountain lion and a very large buck. "We brought food since Alice warned us you'd be hungry."

I let out a growl as I was currently beyond speech at the moment. I hadn't eaten since I'd taken Bree on her first hunt. Emmett took over taking her as he thought it would be fun to see what she went after. I had been busy doing some stock market and business exchanges to keep up with the times.

The wedding was still a week away so I figured I'd have the time eventually but it seems if I go to long without actually hunting a week is the limit of what I can last going off only meat. My stomach rumbles and venom dripped off my teeth as I opened my mouth.

Alice stood stock still before telling them to cook it quickly. My clever mate figured it out all on her own. She made sure she was the center of my attention before she darted away at a very fast speed. My mind caught up and I chased her. She led me to a herd of wild boar which I promptly drained all off. None could get away as they squealed and died.

When I recovered I kissed her before starting to carry them all back. She helped as she was getting another meal out of it anyway. We added the six boars to the stack before I started helping with the skinning and cleaning.

I stored nearly a thousand pounds of raw meat in the deep freezers I'd bought during the past week. They sat in the garage with our extra cars every collects. I cooked another three hundred pounds before eating it.

When my body started steaming Bree looked at me curiously. "Is that natural? Will my body do that if I eat meat?"

I stopped and stared at her for a minute before offering a slice of roasted pig. Alice laughed and stopped her from taking it saying. "No, that's just Zach. He's special like that. If he eats lots of meat his body produces more blood than his venom can handle at once. The steam is from his metabolism going turbo speed to process it all."

Alice walked over while I continued to eat and she laid her arm on me before hugging me from behind. When I finished eating I rinsed my mouth out and off thoroughly before turning to greet her.

She kissed me before wrapping her arms around my neck. I picked her up and sat her on the counter before releasing her lips and turning my head sideways, revealing my jugular vein. At first she teased with kisses and licks before she nipped me, causing a shiver and a low growl to build in my throat.

She ignored it and bit me, taking her fill. When I felt she'd be hyper enough I grunted and she released me before pouting. I was resistant. "Sorry love, you've more than enough to last until after the wedding and that's more than the rest can say. I need it for now. But if you want to-"

She licked the blood as it came out of my neck before losing the healed skin. My neck was covered in her faint bite marks from her constant hunger for it.

I heard a cough and looked over to a lightly smiling Carlisle. He told us. "I think it best you not confuse your new sister."

I turned to an envious faced Bree. "Sorry sis, Alice is the only one taking a bite out of me. As for the blood, if you need some we can hunt. I'd like to fill the freezers I bought anyway."

She nodded and Alice took her for a hunt while I talked to Carlisle about storing up a deep freezer sized cooler full of human blood in for Bella and Bree in case of emergencies. I'd bought it already and he agreed to hold a blood drive at the hospital under one of our fake company names.

I went ahead and added a passcode lock to it and vacuum seal release mechanism. Not even a vampire could tell what's inside once it's closed and locked. Over the next week we all hunted to fill the coolers and stomachs.