5 Learning Curve

Random fact...

A wolf can run 37mph... yea I'm screwed if I ever meet one. You will find me in a tree calling for my mommy... unless werewolves are real ...

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Bella's POV

I've spent weeks studying. I can read decency. I remember my poppa teaching me. He would help me read books every night. That's how I could make out the signs warning us about the hunt for wolves. A lot is coming back to me. My speech is normal... or mostly normal. I'm progressing steadily. Honestly it's not that hard. Just because I was in wolf form doesn't mean I turned my brain off. Being here I'm becoming more human.

"Bella!" Ruby yells walking into my room.

"Hello Ruby." I greet her.

"You know Hi! Hay! And What's up?! Are accepted greetings as well?" She laughs.

"I could just say greetings from now on." I throw back with sass.

"Oh! Got me! Who would have thought you'd get all sassy?" we both laugh.

"I was still me just in wolf form." I say.

"Soo your wolf wasn't in control?" She asks.

"My wolf?" I don't know what shes talking about!

"Yeeeeaa... you know little voice in your head... constant pain in the neck... primal personality... your wolf!?" She explains.

"Nope, no wolf." I tell her.

"You can't be serious! You mean you spent years in wolf form and she never spoke to you or took control?" She asks amazed.

"Noooo... does that matter? Is their something wrong with me?" I ask.

"Try to talk to her... just like think to her. See if she responds." She tells me without answering my questions. I roll my eyes and try.

"Magical wolf person?" I think.

No response.

"Wolf? Wolf?! Calling wolf! Heeeeelllllooooooo!..."

"Would you shut up!?" I voice cuts me off.

"Hello wolf." I tell her. I hear her sigh.

"Hello human." She responds.

"Why are you just now talking to me?" I ask.

"You were giving me a headache." She growls.

"You were silent for years... Ruby seems amazed by that... why?" I continue my questioning.

"When in wolf form for extended periods typically the wolf part takes over and you become feral... I didn't want that so I stayed in the background. I was there. I just focused on keeping us in my form." She explained.

"You were protecting me?"

"Yes... as I am now. You need to learn how to be human and if I am present I won't be able to control myself around certain people." She tells me.

"Control yourself?! Around who? What are you talking about? Wolf?"

"TTFN Little human..." she says and I feel her presence block me from communicating with her.

"Sooooo?" Ruby asks as I look around the room.

"She didn't want to turn feral so she hid away... she was protecting me." I tell her.

"So shes talking now?" Ruby asks.

"She cut me off after saying she couldn't control herself around "certain people"." I inform her.

"Oh! We need to talk to Alic!" She says overly excited. She takes my hand and drags me out of the room.

"Ruby!? What the crap sis?! We're trying to plan the ceremony!" Alic says as she storms into the office. His face lightens when he sees me pulled along behind his sister.

"Babe, come on! You shouldn't be running around like this in your condition!" Malakai, Alic's Beta and Ruby's husband says.

"Leave me be! It's not even two months yet!" She argues as he pulls her into his arms.

"What did you need Bella?" Alic asks walking over to me. Ruby answers and he turns his attention to her.

"We were wondering how she is so human so easily after being a wolf so long and I think we have our answer!" She grins and its obvious she has both boy's attention. "Her wolf never took over! Her human conciousness stayed in control! She didn't even know she had a wolf!" She explains and Alic's and Malakai's jaws drop.

"No contact?" Alic asks.

"That has to be lonely!" Malakai adds.

"Is she talking now?" Alic continues.

"Tell Alic why you're wolf won't talk to you now." Ruby tells me and Alic turns to look at me.

"Ummm... well she said she wants me to learn to be human and if she were with me she wouldn't be able to control herself around certain people." I mumble. Ruby grins and nudges her brother.

"I wonder who shes talking about." Ruby says to him like she knows some secret.

"What's going on Ruby?" I ask but Alic growls at her and answers.

"Its nothing Bella... you'll understand when you're ready." He says eyeing his sister.

"Why can't you guys just tell me?" I ask.

"We don't want to push you." Alic answers.

"Well I want to know!" I yell.

"Stop please... when you're ready your wolf will tell you." Alic calmly says.

"Tell me now you poop head!" I yell causing Malakai to bust out laughing.

"Poop head?! How old are you?" He laughs.

"Six!" I respond without thinking. He stops laughing.

"You were six when you shifted!" Alic looks at me with wide eyes. The way he does when ever I say or do anything. "You remember! That's great! Do you know how many years you were a wolf?" He asks trying to obtain more information.

"Years?" I ask.

"Cycles of the seasons... fall, winter spring, summer." He explains. I give him a confused look.

"Times it got cold.... how many times has it started to snow since you joined the wolves?" He asks. I think... I had been counting cycles...

"12." I tell him and he smiles at me.

"You're only a year younger than me." He says. "You are 18 years old Bella... every day we learn more about you." His smile makes my face hot. Everything I do amazes him! I look away and he chuckles. "Its a good thing Bella. At this rate we'll be able to figure out where you came from what pack."

"I followed the birds." I tell him.

"The birds?" He questions.

"When the cold comes the birds leave... I followed the birds." I explain.

"Malak get your dad." He says and Malakai runs off.

"Did I say something wrong?" I ask.

"No... it's just... Aaron should be here." He says.

"What's going on My King." A man says as he enters. It's the same older one from when I first got here.

"She came from the north. She shifted 12 years ago. She was 6 when she shifted... Aaron... is she?" Alic stops as Aaron digs through a box in the office. He pulls out a fraim and hands it to me.

"Do you recognize this man?" Aaron asks.

It is a picture of a slightly younger Aaron with his arm around...

"That's Poppa!" I squeal hugging the picture. "You know my poppa! You can take me to him! Where is he?!"

"This is Brayden Michael Sanders. Alpha of the moon lake pack. 12 years ago his pack was attacked they killed nearly everyone... they were trying to abduct his only child. A female Alpha. A little girl who was six years old. Her name was Isabella Marie Sanders. Everyone called her..."

"Bella." I cut him off.

Flashback

"Give us the girl and we'll  let you live!" The bad man yelled.

"Never!" Poppa roared punching the man.

"Run Bella!" He tells me.

"No!" I sob. "Poppa come on! Let's go!"

The bad man tackles poppa and Beta Eric joins the fight hitting the man. Poppa jumps up as his Beta fights the man. He grabs my arms and pulls me outside.

"RUN BELLA! RUN UNTIL YOU'RE SAFE!" Poppa commands me. I want to stay but he is the Alpha and I can't disobey the command.

I start to run when I'm tackled. My face hits the ground dislodging three teeth.

"Go!" Miss Tessa yells fighting the man.

As I run I scream feeling pain all over my body. The pain increases as my teeth fall out. As soon as that is done by body breaks bone by bone. Next thing I know I'm running again.

RUN!

That's all I can think. My paws move without me even trying. The voice just keeps ringing in my ears "RUN!" the command moves me. "RUN UNTILL YOU'RE SAFE!" That's all I know I need to run!

I look around and see no one I slow a little. Where is safe? Where should I go? I whine to myself. I don't know what to do!

Out of the corner of my eye I see movement. I try to run again when teeth snatch me up by my scruff. I feel my tale go between my legs as I dangle from the mouth of a grey wolf.

Present

I find myself sitting on the floor of the office shaking and rocking back and forth with someone holding me.

"Poppa's dead." I mumble. A shushing sound comes from the person holding me. "He told me to run." I turn and begin to cry into Alic's shirt as he rocks my body back and forth shushing me sweetly and telling me I'm okay. "I couldn't stop! He said I had to run until I was safe!" I sob.

"Your poppa was like a son to me Isabella... I'm so happy you're alive." Aaron says crouching in front of me.

"Momma!" I yell at him. "Where's momma!?" He looks away silently answering my question.

"You called Alpha?" A man says as he enters. I look up teary eyed.

"Beta!" I yell jumping up to hug him. He is stiff in shock.

"Ummm... Alpha?" He asks then inhales catchingmy scent. "No!" He says in awe. "It can't be!" He looks to Aaron who nods. "Little Bella?!"

"Beta!" I cry holding on to him as he finally returns the hug. "Poppa! Momma!"

"I know little wolf." He says tears in his eyes. "I can't believe you're here!... how?... Alpha how is this possible!? I heard her screams!"

"She shifted." He answers.

"Isabella... it's so great to see you... you look just like your mother... but those eyes scream Brayden." He says with his hands on my face.

"Thank you Beta." I say stepping away. I feel Alic wrap his arms around me to comfort me.

"Its just Eric now... I'm a warrior in Midnight Moon... or soon to be the Royal pack... Alpha King." He ends with a nod to Alic who nods back. "Is she your..."

"It's complicated Eric." Alic says cutting him off.

"Yes sir." Eric nods. "Thank you for letting me see her Alpha." He says to Aaron.

"You needed this Eric." He responds.

"I'd love to see you again little wolf... if that's alright with you My King." He says looking to Alic.

"It is her decision... supervised of course." Alic responds.

"Of course... thank you." Eric says as he leaves.

"Why did he ask you Alic?" I ask.

"I'm the King." He answers but I feel like theirs more to it. "Look we've been through alot today... mostly you Bella... how about we just put the ceremony planning aside for the night and watch a movie?"

"I think that's a good idea." Aaron says.

"I'll make the popcorn!" Ruby yells.

"Not by yourself!" Malak calls chasing after her.

"Come Bella." Alic says taking my hand.

We go to the living room and sit down. I know who I am... I think I preferred not knowing... I'm more alone than ever. My family is dead. All of them.

"Popcorn?" Alic asks looking down at me where I sit next to him. I nod putting on a smile.

Alone... surrounded by people I am Alone.