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Chapter Text

“Camping? In October?” Charlie’s brow furrowed so low, Bella worried it might hit his moustache. 

He would look very formidable in his police uniform, were his gunbelt not hanging downstairs, and Bella’s confidence that her father was far more bark than bite. She was a twenty-one-year-old college student, and he still tried to monitor her as if she were sixteen. 

She supposed watching your daughter go catatonic for four months would do that to a parent. But that was years ago, and the only one who wasn’t over her mental breakdown yet was Charlie.

“Yes, Dad. Camping. Apparently, it’s a Halloween tradition, and the guys want me to go.” 

“The guys?” 

“Yeah,” Bella said, shoving an extra hoodie into her duffel bag. “You know. Jake, Quil, Embry, Kim, Emily, Sam, Leah… the guys?” 

“Uh-huh.” 

Real conversationalist, Charlie. How the hell did this man interrogate anyone when he barely put two sentences together? 

Crossing his arms over his chest, he asked, “You know it’s gonna be thirty degrees out tonight, right?”

Bella laughed as she looked down at her jeans and thin flannel shirt. “Are you kidding? When was the last time you touched Jake, Dad? You can fry an omelet on the guy’s head. I’ll probably have to run out of the tent to escape heat stroke.” 

As she shoved her warmest pair of socks into the bag, she heard her father grunt. When she looked up at him, his face was nearly purple. 

Oh, here we go… She rolled her eyes as he began to sputter. 

“Now, j-just why the Hell are you sharing a tent with Jake? Is this a couple's thing? Am I gonna have to worry about you coming home pregnant?” 

Bella giggled, but quickly choked back her laughter as the vein in Charlie’s forehead began to twitch. 

“Ch-Dad? Chill. I don’t know how many times I have to tell you that Jake and I are just friends. Even if we weren’t, I am an adult, and you don’t have to worry about… that. There will be six of us sharing a ten-person tent. I’m not even sure who is sharing tents with whom yet, but I doubt I’ll be comfortable next to anyone but Jake. It will probably end up being me, Jake, Dee, Dumb, Seth, and Leah. Leah would never share a tent with Sam and Emily, Paul would never share one with me, and Jared and Kim usually stick with Paul, Sam, and Emily, no matter what we all do.” 

Charlie’s face was starting to return to a semi-normal shade as he asked, “Dee and Dumb?” 

“Yeah,” Bella said as she zipped up her duffel bag. “You know. Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb? Embry and Quil?”

Charlie sniggered as he nervously ran one hand through his thick curls. “Look, Bells. I know you’re an adult, but…” 

A horn blared outside, saving her from yet another mortifying conversation with her father and his apparent obsession with her nearly nonexistent sex life. 

“Gotta go!” She spat and threw her duffel bag over her shoulder as she ran out of the room and down the stairs. Thank God they'd loaded most of the supplies into the truck this night before, or she and Jake would both have to hear it.

“Where’s the fire?” Charlie hollered, and she giggled as she yanked the front door closed behind her. 

Jake waited for her by the passenger door of his Rabbit and took the duffel bag from her right away. He gently tossed it into the passenger floorboard before wrapping Bella up in one of his warm hugs and swinging her around. 

Embry and Quil sniggered in the back seat, well used to Jacob’s enthusiastic greetings, especially reserved for the one and only Bella Swan. 

He set her on her feet, and Bella didn’t even wobble as she climbed into the car. Time and trying to keep up with a pack of wolves had cured most of her balance issues, so long as she stayed out of the woods at night. The guys rarely had to stop her from falling onto her ass or face anymore. 

After shutting the passenger door for her, Jacob jogged to the driver's side and dropped heavily into the seat. 

Bella teased, “I still don’t understand how you all fit in this clown car. It doesn’t make sense.” 

Embry and Quil seemed to think that was hysterical as Jacob muttered an unintelligible complaint. 

“That can’t be comfortable,” Bella said as she looked back at their awkward positions. Quil’s feet were on Embry’s side of the floorboard while Embry’s legs were on top of Quil’s so that they had enough room. They were sharing the largest bag of popcorn Bella had ever seen, and it looked like a few handfuls of it had exploded in the back seat. One kernel rested in the center crease of Embry's abdomen, and he ruined her appreciation of the view by flicking it at Quil. 

Ignoring her sudden interest in Embry's six-pack, she said, “I can ride in the back with one of you on the way home. I’ve told you guys this before.” 

“Meh,” Embry grunted, shrugging. “Just scoot your seat up a few inches, and it’ll make a ton of difference.” 

Bella did as she was asked, and Quil sighed as he was finally able to adjust his position. 

“Better?” Embry asked before tossing another handful of popcorn in his mouth.

“Loads,” Quil said as they fist bumped. 

Bella and Jacob glanced at each other and rolled their eyes. 

Jacob teased, “Why don’t you two just kiss already?” 

“Boo.” Embry laughed and threw a handful of popcorn at Bella. 

“Hey!” She giggled. 

“You two are cleaning that shit up at the campsite. I mean it. I don’t need a freaking bear trying to break into my car for popcorn.” 

Embry chuckled. “We turn into giant wolves, Jake. The bears will smell us and keep their distance.” 

Quil laughed, then winked at Embry. “He knows. He’s just trying to look tough in front of Bella.”

“Oh, wink. Wink, wink,” Jaoob teased his cousin. “I see you in the rearview mirror, Quil.” He softened his voice and added, “Oh, Embry. Let me flirt with you a little harder.” 

“Oh, shut up!” Laughing, Quil reached into the popcorn bag and threw a handful at the back of Jacob’s head.

Jacob flinched and raised one hand to brush the popcorn from his hair, only making them all laugh harder. “Hey! Hey! No assaulting the driver. Don’t make me turn this car around.” 

“Yes, Daddy,” Quil said in his best fake-orgasm voice. 

“Oh, please, turn the car around, Daddy,” Embry followed. 

Jacob made a face like he was going to be sick, and Bella was afraid she might piss herself laughing before they even reached La Push. 

Between her embarrassing start of the day with Charlie, the pack’s insane hijinks, and going camping for Halloween? It was sure to be a crazy couple of days, and Bella couldn’t wait. 

Chapter Text

After driving down a few dirt roads Bella never knew existed, they finally arrived at the campsite. Sam, Jared, and Paul were already putting up the tents while Emily and Kim huddled near the fire. It looked like Sam had brought enough firewood for the next month, let alone two days. 

The site was once an old homestead. Its dilapidated cabin in the distance looked close to collapsing, but the outhouse was fully functional. Bella even brought an air freshener and dissolving baby wipes, just in case. 

Embry and Quil crawled out of Jacob’s car as fast as their numb legs would let them and immediately set to helping Paul with the second tent. Jacob walked over to help Sam and Jared, while Bella carried her duffel bag over to the fire and sat on one of the nearby logs intended as seats. She removed one of the hoodies and slid into it, finally feeling the bitter chill now that she wasn’t packed into the overheated tin can Jacob called a car. 

“Glad you could make it, Bella,” Emily said from behind a fluffy, pink scarf. 

Bella had long since learned that Emily’s scars became painful in the cold. She knew it wouldn’t be long before Sam was hugging his imprint, letting her press her cold cheek to his overheated chest for relief. 

Bella grinned. “Yeah. Me, too. I think Charlie was hoping he could talk me out of it or something, but I got away before the conversation became too embarrassing.” 

“Oh, Gosh.” Emily laughed. She was well aware of Bella and Charlie’s frequently embarrassing conversations. “What did he say this time?” 

Bella sighed. “He freaked out when I suggested I’d likely sleep beside Jacob.”

Kim gasped. “You mean he still doesn’t know?” 

Bella laughed, shaking her head no. Charlie had no idea that Bella and Jacob actually tried to date at one point. As it turned out, most of the attraction each felt was due to their unmet sexual frustrations. As soon as they’d gotten past their curiosity and lust-filled haze, each quickly realized they were better off remaining best friends. 

Neither regretted what happened, but it would never happen again, which was almost a shame. It was a damn good time.

“Seth’s such a lucky little fucker,” Bella mumbled as she watched Seth and Leah climb out of Leah’s Explorer. Seth beamed as he sprinted straight to Jacob and kissed his imprint on the lips. 

Yeah, yeah. It was shocking for everyone else, too: The imprint, not the kiss. They’d been a couple for a while now, and the whole group was privy to their sugar-coated puppy love.

Bella grinned as Jacob cupped Seth’s cheek and pulled him in for another kiss. 

Unlike he’d been with Bella, Jacob was patiently waiting with Seth. He was still adjusting to their changed relationship and was perfectly satisfied with a slow pace. Seventeen, Seth still wasn’t ready for more than kissing. They were such a sickeningly adorable couple that they made Sam and Emily look like Dan and Roseanne Conner. 

It was disgusting. Bella loved it. 

She stretched her legs out in front of her, willing the fire’s heat to conquer the chill in her toes. “You know, between Dee, Dumb, Jake, and Seth, I’m practically a Hag. I’m probably never gonna get laid again.”  

“You know we’re not gay, right?” Quil hollered from where he was conveniently bent over. From their angle, it looked like his head was shoved up Embry’s ass. 

As Kim and Emily laughed, Bella yelled, “Prove it!” 

Quil shot upright as he and Embry exchanged a wicked grin,

Leah plopped down on the log beside Bella and grinned. “You have no clue what you just started, Swan.” 

“Whatever,” Bella said, shrugging off Leah’s warning. She and Jacob truly didn’t mean anything by teasing their friends. It started as payback for the comments and pervy jokes they made about Bella, Jacob, and Seth in the beginning.

Embry yelled, “Please. You’ll probably be snuggled between Seth and Jake tonight. Hag.” 

“At least my toes won’t fall off,” Bella yelled back. 

“You guys do know you don’t have to yell, right?” Sam asked as he walked over to add more wood to the fire. “We can all hear each other just fine.” 

“What’s the fun in that?” Bella grinned. “It’s almost Halloween. There will probably be plenty of yelling at some point.” 

Emily and Kim grinned at each other as Leah rolled her eyes.

Sam laughed. “Well, save it for later. You three are giving me a headache.” He sat between Bella and Emily, draping an arm around both. 

Bella reached up to ruffle his hair. “Aw, I’m sorry, Sammy. I didn’t mean to hurt your wittle wolf ears.” 

“I think I liked her better when she was catatonic,” Paul grumbled, earning a glare from everyone else. He looked up, noticed all eyes on him, and grinned. “What? I’m just kidding. Coherent Swan is way more fun. Much easier to embarrass.” 

“Hmph.” Bella lay her head on Sam’s shoulder as he laughed. 

“Hey, Bells!” 

She lifted her head to find Embry and Quil pulling piles of quilts and blankets from the trunk of the Rabbit. 

Embry said, “Come over to the tent. We need your help!” 

“Oh lord…” she muttered as she stood. “What can I do to help, boys?”

“You can stop calling us Dee and Dumb,” Quil grumbled. 

“Not a chance,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Embry laughed. “Honestly, we don’t even know which one is Dee or Dumb.”

“Well, when you figure it out, I’ll stop calling you that.” 

“Ha. Ha.” Quil frowned. “Think you can crawl that little ass in the tent and make some pallets out of these?” 

Bella looked between them suspiciously. “It’s a ten-person tent… I’m sure you can both fit.”

“Yeah, and we will. But you can help,” Quil said, nudging her toward the tent. 

“Yeah, yeah. I’m going,” she grumbled back at him before ducking down to crawl inside.

After about five minutes of Bella rearranging blankets to make the surface as even as possible for the six of them, she pushed between the boys to escape the tent and retrieved her duffel bag. She carried it back to the tent and removed her extra-warm socks, then slid them over her other socks before putting her shoes back on 

Embry asked, “Are your feet cold, Bells?” 

Jacob guffawed. “Always. And she curls up in a ball if you don't trap her legs under yours. Not only will you get a knee to the nuts, you'll wake up with Bells using you like a mattress with her frozen ass feet tucked anywhere warm that she can get them, including your butt cheeks.” 

She feigned an insulted expression and gasped. “Secrets, Jacob!”

He laughed, “Honey, anyone planning to sleep beside you should be warned.” Raising his voice, he added, “You gotta pin her down or she rotates like a hot dog at the gas station, too. Then you have to literally unroll her from the blanket in the morning so she won't piss herself.”

“Traitor.” Bella glared at her bestie as the others laughed. 

“You can sleep between us instead, Bella.” Quil wagged his eyebrows suggestively, white nudging Embry with his elbow.

Embry smirked cockily as he met and held her gaze. “Yeah. I'm hotter than Jake and Seth, anyway.” He leaned back somewhat, displaying his toned, bare chest and abdomen despite the decreasing temperature. 

For a moment, Bella looked down and ogled his firm, lanky body. While Quil was built more like Jacob (but wider), Embry had the lanky but toned wrestler physique that had attracted her to Edward. He was just a larger version, and honestly? Much more pleasing to the eye. Just thinking about snuggling up with Embry gave her a little twitch in some neglected places. 

He smiled at her like he knew it, too. Quick to turn the tide, Bella said, “Maybe I want to snuggle with Leah tonight, boys.”

Seth shook his head at Bella sympathetically. “Leelee kicks, Bells.”

Paul surprised them all by speaking up. “You could always sleep by me, Swan.” He nodded toward the single tent between the two others. She hadn't even noticed it until now. 

She teased, “Sure, Paul. You'll probably wait for me to fall asleep, then sneak out and let me freeze to death.” 

He shook his head no, but laughed, ignoring a few quiet growls around the circle. 

Paul stuck his thumbs out, indicating the couples on either side of him. “Well, I'm not getting stuck between these pervs. I've been camping with them before. Hope y'all brought earplugs. Kim gets loud.”  

Emily and Jared laughed as a blushing Kim slapped Paul upside the head. 

“What are we doing first, guys?” Sam asked, changing the topic. 

“Eat,” came a chorus of voices. 

Bella headed for the car to grab bags of chips from the trunk as Emily handed out a dozen premade sub sandwiches. As Bella stood upright with her arms full of items, she realized someone had crept behind her.

“Need a hand?” 

Bella smiled as she turned towards Embry. “I think I can manage. Wanna grab that case of Pepsi?”

Embry wagged his eyebrows and reached behind the spare tire for a hidden fifth of Southern Comfort and a fifth of Crown Royal. She laughed.

“Gonna be a fun night, Bella.”

Sounding a hair more flirtatious than intended, she asked, “Are you and Quil planning to share, Embry?” 

His cocky grin returned as he leaned in closer, his dark, intense eyes meeting her warm ones. “Of course. Quil and I are great at sharing.” 

She grinned, ignoring the little twitch of desire in her lower regions from his husky tone. “Like the lube bottle?” 

He chuckled, leaning even closer. “You keep saying shit like that and you're gonna find out.”

“Uh-huh.” She rolled her eyes as he closed the trunk. Bella turned and carried the bags of chips toward the fire.

Chapter Text

After eating, the group went exploring. Somehow, they branched off in pairs, and Bella ended up on the trail alone. 

It wasn't long before she reached a thin, babbling brook, and she stopped to enjoy the view before heading back the way she came. Bella closed her eyes as she leaned on a boulder, inhaling the sea air and pine that permeated the area, and listened to the water as it trickled past. 

Something about the peaceful space began to fade as the feeling of being watched came over her. Hearing the crunch of foliage behind her, she smiled and turned, expecting to see one of her friends. Dread hit the pit of her stomach like lead when she saw no one nearby. She turned back around and searched through the trees, wondering if she'd misjudged where the noise came from. Still, she saw no one. 

Another crunch made her turn again, but there was nothing. Bella shivered over the distinct feeling of being watched as the hairs on her arms stood up. She looked up into the treetops, praying there wasn't a bloodthirsty vampire overhead. But then there was another heavy footstep near the trail. The urge to run back up the trail was overwhelming, but that would mean running towards the noise. She was sure of it now. 

We're the guys messing with her? They had to be. She was alone in the woods near Halloween. It would be too tempting not to.

An odd sound, almost like a hum, floated past her on the breeze. A cold sweat broke out on her face, her hoodie suddenly felt too hot, and her feet wouldn't move, rooted to the spot. She placed a hand over her racing heart, as though it could somehow muffle the sound as she held her breath. 

And then, a bright red T-shirt caught her eye as Quil stepped into view. 

“There you are.” His smirk looked off, and he stopped, seemingly hesitant to come any closer. “We've been looking for you. Are you okay?” 

They hadn't been messing with her. There would be a chorus of laughter by now if they had. 

“Y-yeah,” she stammered, releasing her breath in a woosh. A huge sense of relief at Quil's presence washed over her, dissolving the fear that had left her frozen a moment ago. Bella’s limbs finally remembered how to move, and she hurried up the trail toward Quil. “I guess I went farther than I thought, eh?”

He snorted. *You sound like Charlie.” 

“Shut up.” She laughed.

“You looked pretty freaked out when I got here. Are you sure you're okay?”

“Yeah, I just… heard some noises and got a little spooked.” 

Quil said, “Well, they say that spot where I found you standing is cursed.” 

“Oh, whatever!” Bella laughed nervously as Quil shook his head. 

“Come on,” he said, turning around. He kneeled, facing away from her. “Climb on, and I'll piggyback your ass. The sun is going to set soon. We should get you back.”

Bella giggled as she climbed onto his back and wrapped her legs around his waist. Quil braced her with his hands under her thighs as he stood, then began walking up the trail. 

“So, Bells, are you gonna tell a story tonight?” 

“Huh?” What story? Would they be listening to the legends again tonight? And why would she tell them? Bella wasn't Quileute. “I don't know what you mean.”

“Campfire stories. Spooky stuff. You know? Ghosts, goblins, cursed mummies… Halloween-type stuff.”

“I'm not exactly a storyteller, Quil.” 

She was starting to relax against his back and lowered her arms to cling to his sides and chest instead of his shoulders. 

He gave her a little bounce to readjust his hands, redistributing her weight. “You're literally a writer, Bella.” 

“That doesn't mean I read my writing aloud. I get stage fright, okay?” 

Quil patted her thigh affectionately before bracing his hand beneath it again. “You've opened up a lot over the last year. Maybe you could tell the story behind that scar on your wrist. Or some other scary vampire moment. You could turn it into a ghost story, ” 

“Hmm,” she moaned drowsily, "They'd have to make me go first, you know, I always fall asleep by the fire. Like… every time.” 

Quil's laughter reverberated through his back to her abdomen, leaving a pleasant sort of tingle behind. 

“That's because you've heard them a million times. Tonight there will be new stories… or different ones, at least." 

His steady gait and body heat had relaxed her further, and Bella feared dozing off and making them both hit the dirt. She sighed, burying her cold nose into the side of his neck. He cringed and laughed as she snuggled her face harder into his neck. 

And then his scent hit her, invading her senses in one delicious, potent punch.

“Oou mell ood,’ she mumbled against his warm skin. 

Quil laughed again as his hands slipped back somewhat, his fingers resting on the crease of her thighs and ass. Her heartbeat spiked from the unexpectedly pleasant sensation as heat radiated down her abdomen to her sex. 

What are you doing? She asked herself. Quil's touch had aroused her without even trying. That had never happened before. Quil was just her friend, wasn't he? Then again, she'd never paid so much attention to Embry's appearance or touch, either. She was almost as comfortable with them as she was with Jacob and Seth. Still, here she was, squeezing her thighs around Quil's hips,  hoping he couldn't sense how his hands under her ass affected her,

Quil inhaled deeply and nearly stumbled as he said, “You smell good, too, Bells. Like lilacs, freesia, and honey. Makes my wolf fucking nuts sometimes.” 

She'd heard that before.  

Changing the subject, she asked, “Were you just fucking with me back there, or is there really a story about a curse?” 

Quil sniggered. “There really is a story. I'll tell you about it tonight. Okay?” 

“Deal!” She reburied her face against his neck and closed her eyes. He carried her in silence after that, occasionally giving her a light squeeze along the way.

Chapter Text

“Where was she? Is she alright?” Sam yelled worriedly, making Bella open her eyes. She realized he must have been the first to spot their arrival and giggled into Quil's neck. 

“Down the trail, near the spring.” 

Someone sucked in a sharp breath, and Sam asked, “Was she conscious?” 

Bella giggled again. 

“She's fine.” Quil chuckled, then whispered, “Very fine.” He patted the edge of her ass with his fingers. 

She squeezed her eyes shut in embarrassment as heat flooded her cheeks. 

Quil whispered, “I can literally feel you blushing, Bells.” 

He finally came to a stop and hollered, “Jake. Come get your hag.” 

“Dick,” she grumbled against his neck, earning a round of laughter from their friends. 

Bella inhaled his scent again deeply as warm hands grabbed her waist. He really did smell good. Like linen drying in the breeze, with hints of fir, cinnamon, and vanilla. It made her mouth water. He smelled like a warm bakery in the middle of the woods: like the Witches' cottage from Hansel and Gretel. 

Something in the back of her mind giggled over that particular red flag, but she still refused to let go. 

“Mmf! No,” she complained as the hands tugged at her limbs, tightening her grip on his waist and chest. 

“Bells? Are you a zombie?” Seth joked to her right as Quil tried to pry her legs from his waist. “Are you trying to eat his neck?” 

“Yes.” Bella nipped at Quil's neck at the fleshy curve to his shoulder. She cackled wickedly as he squirmed in surprise, but her blush deepened as she felt her left calf press against his junk. 

His semi-hard, definitely bigger than Jacob's junk. Holy shit. 

“Damn,” she whispered in his ear. “Lucky Embry.” 

“I'll get you for that,” he hissed. 

Biting back a laugh, she lightly pecked his neck where she had bitten it, then whispered, “Promises, promises.”

Crap. Bella. Where did that come from?

Embry said, “Zombies are supposed to eat brains, not brawns.”

“Yeah, but Quil doesn't have any,” Leah deadpanned. 

Jacob and Seth managed to pry a giggling Bella off of Quil just as he rushed after Leah, chasing her past the tents and around the cars. Embry hurried to join the chase as Jacob and Seth carried Bella to the fire and sat her upright beside Paul, almost in his lap. 

Wide-eyed, Sam said. “Don't!” But it was too late, 

Laughing, Paul. Bella and Seth all turned to look at Sam in confusion, but he just huffed in exasperation and turned away.

Paul shook his head, laughing at their antics as he stopped her from falling backwards off the log. “Always causing trouble, Swan.” 

*Oh, boy… It's gonna be one hell of a night,” Sam muttered. 

Paul glared after Sam before fixing his hard gaze on Jared. She was unsure what passed between them, but Jared laughed nervously and got up to follow Sam to his truck. 

Bella's teeth chattered as she shoved her hands into the pocket of her hoodie. Paul looked down at her and laughed. 

“Be nice, Paul, or I'll turn you into a human heating pad like I did Quil.” 

Jared guffawed, then yelled, “Threaten him with a good time, why don't ya?”

Bella's face burned as Paul gave Jared the middle-finger salute. When he looked back at Bella, she shivered, and he rolled his eyes. 

“Oh, come here, you big baby.” Surprising the hell out of her, he grinned as he pulled her into his lap. 

The others laughed at her wide-eyed expression as he held her against his chest. He slid one hand into the pocket of her hoodie to hold both of hers, warming her numb fingers. 

Bella shrugged off the complete absurdity of the moment and pressed her face to his neck as she'd done with Quil. Without thought, she inhaled deeply, soaking up his natural scent.

“Crap. You smell good, too,” she grumbled. It was similar to pine, fig, tobacco, and brown sugar. It reminded her of warmth, comfort, and standing on the edge of the cliffs while the bonfire raged below. It was odd how two entirely different scents seemed equally appealing. 

He turned his face to whisper against her ear. “You smell pretty good, too, these days. Death, bleach, and burned sugar free.” He leaned back to laugh as she scowled up into his dark hazel eyes. 

“I might not run with vampires anymore, Paul, but I do bite!” Her words came out a little more flirtatious than threatening, despite the glare on her face. 

Paul chuckled as he squeezed her hand, warming hers inside her hoodie. “Put your claws away, kitten. I'm just playing.” 

Bella heard the quiet, awkward laughter behind her and suddenly remembered they weren't alone. For a moment, everything else had fallen away. The same had happened when Quil carried her. 

First, she was paranoid. Now she was hungry, horny, tired, irritated, and much more content than she ever thought possible in Paul's lap. Even if he was annoying. 

“Crap,” she muttered again, sinking back against his chest and wiggling closer. 

He snorted. “What?!” 

“Someone as asinine as you shouldn't be so damn comfortable.”

He barked out a laugh and playfully whispered, “Your pickup lines need work, Swan.”

The smell of charcoal burning filled the air, drawing her attention from her friends’ raucous laughter, and Bella sighed as she released Paul's hand and stood. 

His eyebrow raised suspiciously. “Where are you going?”

“Outhouse break,” she said, stumbling past him. 

Bella headed to the car to grab the supplies she brought, then laughed as Emily followed, grabbing toilet paper, a broom, and bug spray from Sam's truck. 

“I might share my house with wolves, but I draw the line at pissing with spiders.” 

“Amen, “ Bella laughed, gesturing for Emily to lead the way. 

“Embry!” Sam hollered, “Go help the girls, will ya? Knock down the cobwebs and make sure Bella doesn't fall in.” 

“Very funny, Sam.” Under her breath, she added, “These fuckers keep it up, and I'm gonna bite every wolf that pisses me off.” 

“Oh, Bella,” Emily sighed. “You're… different today.” 

“Yeah.” She nodded. “I realized that a few minutes ago, too. I'm not sure what the hell that's about, but I'm enjoying giving them all a little hell.” 

“Clearly, they are too… even Paul is being… nice.” 

“It's weird, right?”

Emily laughed. ”Well, it is almost Halloween.” Lowering her voice conspiratorially, she said, “Maybe it's the curse.” 

“Oh, not you too,” Bella groaned. “Quil said he'd tell the story about it tonight.” 

“Well, I won't ruin it for you, then.” Emily winked. “This story isn't like our legends, though. It was a local rumor, but we had no facts to support it. Qld Quil told us that story last year, but he was drunk on moonshine, and Billy told him to shut up.” 

“Quil will probably embellish the hell out of it, huh?”

“Of course.” Emily reached the outhouse first and pushed the door open with her foot. 

“Gimme that,” Embry said from behind them, making both girls squeal in fright. Neither had heard nor felt him approaching. He laughed as he took the broom from Emily's hand, patted Bella at the small of her back, and then went to work, chasing every insect, spider, and cobweb away.

Chapter Text

After stuffing themselves on burgers, brats, and hot dogs. and several premade sides, everyone settled around the fire in the dark. 

Emily had brought styrofoam cups and heated a pot of apple cider on the smouldering grill. Once situated with warm drinks, the alcohol emerged, and the campfire stories began.

Sam went first, telling an eerie story about the time he stopped to pick up a hitchhiker and the guy disappeared in thin air. Jared, Kim. Jacob and Seth followed him with spooky and unexplainable tales of their own. 

For once, Bella wasn't falling asleep. 

Perhaps it was her imagination, but it seemed like everyone went silent as Quil cleared his throat before beginning his tale. All eyes were now on him as Bella leaned against Embry, trying to absorb as much of his body heat as she could. She still wasn't sure how she'd ended up sitting between them and suspected the others were helping them work against her since she'd challenged them, 

The relentless teasing had kept everyone in stitches all evening.

“So, my grandfather told a few of us a legend about this place.” Quit’s smooth, deep voice filled the air, bringing an unexpected rush of heat through her limbs and flushed cheeks, and sending a shiver down her spine.

Embry's arms slipped around her as he pulled her into his lap and chuckled. “You good?”

Mmm. Embry smelled good, too. Burying her face against his shoulder, she inhaled deeply, and his campfire, caramel, and bourbon scent nearly made her mouth water. How had she never noticed it before? She wondered how he tasted, and was glad to use his warm skin to hide her flushed cheeks.

“I'm great,” she answered a bit louder than intended as she relaxed against his chest. 

She glanced around at the others at the sound of their quiet laughter and caught Paul's intense gaze. Bella crossed her eyes and stuck her tongue out at him, and he responded with a cocky grin. The firelight danced in the reflection of his eyes as he looked away, brightening the gold flecks of his hazel irises. For a moment, he appeared every bit the supernatural creature that he was. Bella half expected the clouds to part so the moon could shine down on him and awaken the monster inside. 

More surprising than anything else was the rush of arousal that followed as his gaze snapped back to hers. Paul licked his lips as he glanced down at Embry’s hand on her thigh and back.

For a second, she felt like prey, and the reckless masochist inside her almost purred. Simultaneously, Embry caught Paul's hungry expression and chuckled in her ear before discreetly inhaling her scent. 

“Well. That's an interesting development,” he whispered just low enough that only she could hear. Bella blinked in confusion, instinctively held Embry tighter, and fixed her attention back on Quil. 

“When this land was still purely forest, before there was a settlement here, there was a deep, freshwater spring. It was thought to be sacred, and people would visit it to drink or bathe, asking nature for blessings during troubling times.”

Sam cautiously interrupted. “Are you sure you want to tell this story?”

“I promised Bella that I would.” Quil looked at Bella and winked. “She might as well hear it. It’s not like anyone believes it, anyway…” 

“Well, I do,” Sam grumbled. “We’ve had too many legends proved to be true to dismiss it.” 

“I’m sure it’s fine, Sam,” Jared said quietly. “If this one has never been proven true, then what will it hurt?” 

Sam sighed heavily in resignation. “Fine. Quil, continue. Just… don’t say I didn’t warn you.” 

At the sound of her nervous giggle, Quil leaned over to grab Bella by the waist and pulled her out of Embry’s lap and into his own. 

“Hey!” She squealed in surprise. 

“Come here.” Quil wrapped his arms around her, holding her close the way Embry had done. 

“Rude.” Embry pouted as he took a long swig from the nearly empty bottle of Southern Comfort before pulling Bella’s legs up onto his lap. 

“So, anyway… Where was I?” Quit laughed. 

“The spring,” Bella whispered, laying her head on Quil’s shoulder. She looked toward Jacob and grinned, but his returning smile was less exuberant than usual. Cautious. It made her nervous, and she was unsure why. 

“Yes. Anyway, people would travel to the spring to ask for blessings during times of need.” 

Quil’s left hand dropped to her hip and absently stroked it with his fingertips. She tried to control her breathing as her pulse quickened.

“A young maiden lived among the tribe who was not of our blood. Her mother had married a tribesman after her husband was killed, and brought her young daughter with her. The girl grew up to be beautiful and kind, but her heart was horribly broken by an outsider whose family refused to allow them to wed.”

Holy crow! Quil's voice was sexy. Heat radiated from her apex, and her breasts ached as she listened to him talk. His full palm now stroked her hip and thigh, and she was desperately trying to stay still. 

What the hell was happening to her? Every little touch felt amplified, as if her nerves were all standing on end, her skin tingled, and her core wept. She tried to ignore it as she held Quil tighter. The sound of his voice reverberated from his chest, and his feverish skin made her want to crawl inside him and stay there. 

She glanced toward Embry as he inhaled deeply, and his eyes flashed in the firelight.

“It was her friendship with another member of the tribe that helped her heal, and she threw herself into life among them. While she was still viewed as an outsider by some, most had grown to know and love her.’

Bella frowned, both suspicious and sympathetic for the young woman who sounded far too much like herself; Rejected by the man she loved? Feeling like an outsider in Forks and La Push? 

Welcome home. Bella Swan.

“Nomadic vampires came to the area, causing three of the young men to phase. Among them was the young girl’s closest friend.”

Bullshit. He has to be telling it this way on purpose…

“There were no risks of being captured and studied like now, and so everyone among the tribe knew what these men had become, and they celebrated their new warriors. 

At the celebration, the young girl was introduced to her friend’s new pack, and one of them imprinted on her right away. His family, however, was among those who had not openly welcomed the non-native girl, and he rejected his new mate on the spot, loudly and cruelly, for several witnesses to hear. 

His outrage and disgust hurt and angered her, bringing back all of the rejection and heartache she’d worked so hard to overcome. Distraught, she wandered off into the woods to think and be alone.”

Yep. That was something Bella Swan would indeed do. 

As if sensing her thoughts, Jacob snorted. 

“Shut it, Jake,” she grumbled without even looking at him. The others laughed as Sam got up and went to fetch a few more pieces of firewood.

Quil continued. “The girl wandered much farther than she’d realized and soon came upon the spring. Crying, she knelt by the water to beg nature to take her pain away. Her tears fell into the flowing spring, and with them her heartache and shame saturated the earth as she cursed the two men who had so coldly rejected her. 

The young woman swore that if a wolf should ever reject his mate again, the rejected girl would not be left forsaken. One night, when the veil was thinnest and the moon eclipsed by blood, a rejected maiden who happened upon the spring would unleash the desire of an unimprinted wolf. 

Those who wished to claim her would feel that instinct consuming them. A temporary madness would take hold, driving their most basic instincts to the surface, and they would fight each other if necessary to claim her as their mate, bonding them for life. Only upon claiming her, or sunrise, would the madness fade.” 

Frowning, Seth asked. “Why have I never heard this one before?” 

“Most of us haven't,” Paul said, glaring menacingly at Sam and Jared. Each glanced at the other nervously, ignoring Emily's worried expression. 

They clearly knew something the others didn't, and Paul had figured it out. Before she could ask what the issue was, Quil resumed his tale. 

“The rejected young woman at the spring never had time to contemplate the implications of what she'd asked for. A vampire crossed her scent and followed her trail to the spring. She had no chance to escape the attack, and the leech left her body propped against a boulder, entirely drained of blood. It was long gone by the time the celebration ended in town, and people began to notice her absence. 

The wolf who rejected her began to feel sick. First, over the grief the imprint caused them, and later, because of her fear and despair as she died. 

He found her body first, as the imprint led his wolf directly to her. Despite the human’s rejection of his mate, the wolf was overcome, and he wrapped his large form around her cold body. They were found together the following morning, both lifeless with his wolf still wrapped around her, and they were buried side-by-side under the massive oak on the opposite side of the spring. 

Over time, the spring shrank, becoming the small stream you came across today… but the legend remains.”

Chapter Text

“That's… insane.” Bella sighed at the end of Quil’s tale.

Paul scoffed. “Is that why you drag me all out here every Halloween, Sam? Are you hoping some poor chick will show up and collar my ass?” 

“Of course not,” Sam groused as the others laughed. “Until Bella, we've never brought anyone here who wasn't a wolf or imprint.” 

Leah teased, “And it's not a collar. It's a bite.”

“Think about it, though,” Jared said quietly. “The girl from the legend sounds a lot like Bella.” Turning to Bella, he added, “No offense.”

“None taken.” She couldn't meet anyone's eyes at the admission, averting her gaze to the fire.

“And, she was technically rejected by a wolf. She and Jake dated.”

“That breakup was mutual,” Jacob grumbled. 

Glaring at Jacob defensively, Leah spat, “Yeah. Well, that didn't mean it didn't hurt.”

Their commentary was uncannily similar to her thoughts. Was this how it felt to be in the pack mind? Get out of my head!

As Jacob went to reply, Quit interrupted. “Could you guys knock it off? Bella's getting freaked the fuck out.”

Bella squeezed Quil tight in appreciation, unsure how he knew, but grateful he did. She didn't like what they were all implying, or that they were discussing her like she wasn't even there. Heart racing, she stood, and the same sense of dread again washed over her. 

Leah laughed. “So you numbnuts actually think Bella is tied to this legend?”

“No. No,” Jacob said. “It's just a coincidence. That's all.  And, the woman from the legend was heartbroken. Bella hasn’t been heartbroken in a long time. Besides, Bella would never let someone claim her like that.” 

Seth laughed. “Claiming is basically biting. Right? Well, problem solved. She already bit Quil today.” 

“She didn’t break skin. It doesn’t count,” Kim blurted. As everyone turned to glare at her, she shrugged. “What?”

Turning toward Bella and Quil, Leah rolled her eyes. “Listen, Bella. I've been rejected by a wolf, too, and I fucking danced in that spring last year to prove a point. Nothing happened.” 

“You're not an outsider,” Sam reminded her. “Nor were you rejected by an outsider.”

Jacob argued, “Bella isn't an outsider, either, though. She was practically raised here.”

“So was the woman from the legend,” Embry said. “Both are only outsiders by blood.”

“Whatever,” Paul grumbled just loud enough for everyone to hear. “Let's just say, hypothetically, that this shit is as true as every other legend from our tribe. What are the chances it will affect all of the non-imprinted wolves, or that an alpha command can stop us from attacking one another?” 

“I don't have a fucking clue,” Saim said, rubbing his palms into his eyes in aggravation. 

Bella sighed as she tightened her grip on Quil’s shoulder, then looked up at the sky. The clouds partially blocking the moon had a pale pink hue, like drops of blood in a saucer of milk. Was that what the legend meant by the moon being eclipsed by blood? She tried to swallow back the panic that threatened to surface. The clouds moved, and the pink hue disappeared as fast as it came, though no one else seemed to notice. It sent a shiver down her spine as the same feelings of being watched from the woods returned. 

“Bells?” Jacob asked, looking up from where he'd begun absently stroking Seth's hair in his lap. “You okay, Honey?”

She couldn't help but glance around at the others and shrug. She'd rather write off the legend as another urban legend, like the woman in white, or the couple murdered while parking by a man with a hook for a hand.  Unfortunately, the rest of these local legends had proven all too real for her to dismiss them so easily. 

Bella shifted her weight and sighed. “I just needed to get up for a minute,” she lied. “Quil put my ass to sleep.” 

She was glad for their laughter at her comment, breaking some of the tension among them, 

Get a grip. Bella. Don't go borrowing trouble. It's just a story. Nothing more. 

“I'm getting a little tired,” Emily said, meeting Bella's gaze across the fire. 

Nodding in agreement, Jacob yawned.

“Outhouse trip?” Kim asked, perking up as she pulled away from Jared. 

“Let's go.” Bella shivered from the loss of Quil’s body heat as she stepped away. 

With flashlights in hand, Leah led the way as Emily. Kim and Bella began the walk to the old outhouse, leaving the guys to bicker amongst themselves. 

As they reached the outhouse, Kim rushed inside first, apparently having held her bladder for a while. Emily chuckled as she held the flashlight for Kim to see what she was doing, keeping her eyes trained on Leah and Bella instead. 

Over the sound of Kim's emptying bladder. Leah said. “Don't worry about that dumb legend, Bella.”

“I'm not,” she nearly whispered. 

Leah crossed her arms over her chest, frowning. “You're lying, but whatever. Like I said, I basically danced in that stupid spring last year and nothing happened.” 

“You're also a wolf,” Emily reminded her. “Maybe that's why it didn't work on you.”

Bella scoffed. “With my luck, the curse will just turn me into a wolf somehow, too.” 

Leah snorted. “Don't threaten me with a good time. I need another chick to back me up in this pack. Be glad you don't see inside their heads. Bella. The way the fucking tweedles think about you? I'm half surprised I'm not lusting after your ass by now, too.”

Bella couldn't help but laugh at that. “Sorry. Lee.” Sarcastically, she added, “I guess if the curse is real, I'll find out for myself.” 

She entered the outhouse as Kim exited, missing the wary glances the other three shared. To her relief, they let her pee in silence. 

Chapter Text

It wasn't long after the outhouse break that most of them went to bed. Bella wound up between Jacob and Leah, toasty warm despite the lack of a top blanket. Regardless, sleep did not come easily. 

At some point, her eyes opened to the sound of the door flap zipper opening, allowing the cool night air to follow and briskly kiss her exposed skin.

“Bells,” Quil whispered. “Are you awake?”

She sat up carefully, checking to be sure Leah, Jacob, and Seth were asleep. Noticing Embry’s absence, she assumed he was likely within sight of Quil, somewhere near the still-burning fire. Bella crawled toward Quil and yawned. 

“What’s up?” she whispered. 

“You, clearly.” His dark eyes shone with mischief as he turned to look behind him, toward the fire. Like earlier, Quil’s dark eyes flashed with gold from the firelight. They seemed to retain some of their golden hue as he turned back to her and smiled. “Wanna go play?” 

Bella bit back a laugh as she reached for her hoodie and shoes to pull them on. “Might as well, since I can’t sleep anyway.”

The temperature outside the tent was a stark contrast to the inside. As Quil took her hand, she realized they were alone. 

“Where’s Embry?” she asked curiously. “He’s not in the tent.”

“He’s already waiting,” Quil said as he tugged at her hand and quickly led her toward the trail. 

“What are we doing?” Bella scoffed as she tripped over a root in the dark. 

Quil spun to keep her upright and chuckled darkly. It was a laugh she knew well, one that implied he had something rather mischievous in mind. When she nearly tripped again, Quil seemed to think better of leading her through the dark woods and swept her up over his shoulder. 

Bella squealed at the sudden movement, then winced as her lower ribs dug into his shoulder. A playful slap to her ass made her hiss as he picked up his pace.

“Quil!” 

“Hmm?” 

His hand rested on the swell of her ass cheek and gave it a light squeeze. He raised the side of her hoodie, pressed his face into her skin above her hip, and inhaled her scent. His hand on her ass tightened, and she was unsure if she should feel turned on, laugh, or allow a little of both. Quil had never taken such liberties before, and she was starting to forget why she should care. 

A growl escaped him and vibrated through his chest against her thighs. Between his scent, heat, and the sheer power of his massive form, Bella couldn’t help the wet heat that surged between her legs as a nervous giggle escaped her lips. 

“W-where are we going?” She stuttered. 

Quil delivered another slap to her ass, and she nearly moaned in response. “You’ll understand when we get there, Bells. Of course, if you keep it up, we might not make it there.” 

“Keep up what?” She asked while trying and failing to right herself over his shoulder. 

“You know what I mean,” he grumbled before taking another whiff of her, burrowing his nose between his shoulder and her hip for a moment. 

As she realized that he could literally smell her arousal, she groaned. It was odd enough that she'd reacted like this with not only him, but Paul and Embry as well. Knowing they had smelled it on her was mortifying. 

Quil growled. “We’re almost there. Now, stop asking questions.” 

Trying to turn the tide a bit, she teased, “Why Quil… whatever would Embry think?” 

“I already told you, he’s waiting. You shouldn’t have challenged us, Bells.” 

Oh. God. Leah's warning from the prior afternoon came rushing back. 

“Besides, we’re here. You can see for yourself.” Quil carefully grabbed her sides and, slowly dragging her down the front of his body so their bare abdomens grazed, placed her on her feet. The sensation was dizzying as she closed her eyes and tried to stay upright while tugging the bottom of her shirt and hoodie back into place. 

The slight sound of trickling water caught her attention, and she turned to find the small spring, maybe a dozen yards away, only visible with the slight moonlight. She froze, leaning back into Quil’s chest. 

“W-why?...” 

Her question was interrupted by Quil’s large hands as he spun her to face him. His lips crashed into hers with bruising strength, and she gasped in surprise. He took advantage of her parted lips to slip his tongue inside. 

After a few seconds of stunned silence, her body responded. Her mind was caught in a state of hazy disbelief as she slid her hands up his shirt and over his warm chest. Her senses came alive one by one as her eyes closed. Her limbs tingled, and her heartbeat sounded like a drum in her ears.

He tasted like heaven.

He moaned into her mouth as his hands slid down to cup her ass, crushing her against him. She could feel him hardening against her as one hand roamed under the back of her shirt, leaving a trail of heat on her skin. 

For a few minutes, she forgot they were in the woods, that they were waiting for Embry, and that the whole pack was within earshot. She wanted this, somehow… Whatever it was. 

Quil squeezed her ass cheek, his long fingers curling around her, toward her sex. With a confidence usually foreign to her, her tongue twisted around his, then she sucked at the tip, mimicking an entirely different act.  

He chuckled as he pulled his lips from hers, but ground his erection against her. Her face felt aflame as she tried to catch her breath. 

“Oh, girl,” he crooned huskily. “You're gonna make this so much fun.” 

He sighed as he stepped back and looked up. Panting and trembling, Bella followed his gaze, seeing the red and pink hues of the clouds as they crept past the pale, waning moon. 

“We could've done this the easy way,” Quil said, turning her around and pulling her back against his chest. “I could have claimed you yesterday, right here on the trail, especially after you challenged us. And then biting my neck like that? You were just begging for trouble, Bells… but that’s just not fair to Embry. You did challenge him, too.” 

The sound of rustling and crunching foliage made her look to the right, spotting Embry as he stepped from his hidden position and into the moonlight. A cocky smirk graced his full lips, and his eyes were eerily bright: hungry, like Paul's had been beside the fire. 

A similar noise made her look to her left, spotting Paul as he, too, came into view, looking every bit as intimidating as he had earlier. Paul was undoubtedly the best looking of the three, although each was attractive in his own way. His build was somewhere between Embry's and Quil's, though he was taller than both, and his complexion was somewhere in between theirs as well. But it was his fierce, glaring eyes and physical intensity that set him apart. And it was his asinine behavior that kept her from giving him a second thought before yesterday. 

None of her rambling thoughts explained what he was doing here now, although Quil's hand roaming up her abdomen certainly did. 

“Quit?” She squeaked.

“Paul wasn’t originally part of the plan, but he just… couldn’t… help… himself…” Quil placed light kisses against her neck between the last few words, then gently nipped her flesh with his sharp teeth. 

Bella took a deep breath, hoping to calm her racing heart as Paul and Embry began creeping closer, removing clothing between slow steps in her direction. Time seemed to slow down as she felt Quil removing his t-shirt behind her. 

It seemed to grow darker as more clouds covered the moon, leaving an eerie red crescent shape behind. Glancing from Paul to Embry, Bella gasped over the illuminated golden hue of their eyes. Not knowing what to expect, fear and an odd anticipation vibrated through her limbs. She was torn between leaning into Quil for comfort and pushing him away. 

Bella turned to look over her shoulder and up, into Quil’s familiar face. Instead, she found the same golden, shining eyes and a hungry expression so primal, so intense, that she jerked out of his grasp and stepped back. 

Quil followed, gripping her hip with one hand as his other cupped her face. He leaned down to press another kiss to her lips before releasing her and taking several steps back. 

A glance at Embry and then Paul brought a flood of heat to her face and chest as she noted they were both completely naked now. Shaking, panting, and trapped in overwhelming disbelief, Bella watched as Quil kicked off his sneakers and reached for the button on his shorts. His whole body began to vibrate as she heard the familiar sounds of tearing flesh and snapping bones on either side of her. 

“Bella…” Quil whispered as he dropped his jeans and stepped out of them. “Run.” 

Something inside her snapped into place, surging through her limbs like wildfire. Anticipation, adrenaline, and an aching yearning battled her common sense and the intuitive impulse to flee. 

The clouds parted again, illuminating the trail as if lighting the way. A howl rang out from the opposite direction, followed by a shrill scream.

“It’s starting.” Quil gowled behind her. “Run!”

Chapter Text

She heard him phase as Embry and Paul each crouched defensively, and her sense of self-preservation finally reared its head. She ran down the path, miraculously not falling despite the improvement in her physical agility. She took a flying leap over the spring and landed on her hands and feet on the opposite side just as she heard the fighting behind her. Bella gaped in surprise as the three wolves fought each other, each trying to force the other two to back down. 

“Nooo!” She didn’t want them hurt; not any of them. Quil had asked her to play, but the blood she could see flying with each attack was very real. 

She pushed her hair back from her face as she stood, nearly poking herself in the eye with her shaking hand, hoping Sam or Jacob could make whatever was happening stop. Glancing down at the stream, the legend Quil told came back to her in vivid detail. She shook her head in disbelief, refusing to admit this was truly happening. 

Her common sense told her this was all part of Quil’s game, that they were attempting the ultimate prank - even going so far as hurting each other since they all knew they would heal. The other part of Bella, the part that knew how very real the supernatural world was, screamed at her that it was the curse. Her newfound lust for the three of them, Paul’s flirtatious behavior, Embry’s cockiness, and Quil’s… everything.

She needed more proof. 

It was hard to turn away from the fight. Everything from her waist down ached with a desire she couldn't shake, begging for friction as she climbed through the woods. 

The woman and her wolf were buried over here, right? 

She spotted a massive oak tree, its tall trunk partially stripped of bark from wildlife, and a mass of orange and brown leaves littering the forest floor around it. Bella rushed to the oak and began kicking away wet, rotted leaves, hoping to unveil a grave marker or headstone - anything to prove she wasn't losing her god-damned mind. 

Recalling Quil’s words again, she stopped in her tracks. “Shit. Opposite side!” 

She ran to the opposite side of the tree and froze before falling to her knees. Against the tree was a tall, antique mirror, filthy and corroded with time and exposure. Bits of silver had crumbled away, leaving black empty spots dotting parts of the reflection. And in that reflection, Bella was not on her knees like she was now. She stood tall and frail, with fewer curves and translucent skin. Her lips were fuller, cheekbones higher, and her eyes were the color of old blood. 

The Bella in the reflection was a vampire. 

“No!” She cried as tears welled in her eyes. She had to be dreaming. This couldn't be real. 

“None of this is real,” she hissed, attempting to pinch her inner arm to wake up. 

“We are not a dream…”

The voice was like bells, high and musical, snagging her full attention as it whipped around her on the breeze. 

“Is this not what you seek?” The reflection asked as Bella shakily stood and stepped back. 

Bella shook her head angrily. “No. Not anymore.” She only wanted immortality if she could have it with Edward, but he never came back. A whimpering cry came from where the wolves still fought, renewing the dread in her stomach and the needy ache that seemed to radiate everywhere else.

“How do I fix this?!” She demanded from the reflection between ragged, almost hysterical breaths. 

“You must choose.” The voice made her shiver as it floated around her, riding the breeze.

Bella shouted, “Choose what? To stay human? Yes, fine! I choose that.” 

“You must choose a wolf,” the voice said, the final word whipping at her face on the breeze like a slap. 

To do what? To claim her, like the legend? To trap one of her pack in a lifetime mated with her? “What of the others? What if I can't choose?”

“They'll kill each other if they cannot hold on until sunrise, or the one who survives can claim his prize.”

Bella turned back toward the freaky reflection of herself and hissed, “I am no one's prize!” 

Her reflection smiled, revealing razor-sharp teeth that made Bella shudder. 

“If you do not wish to be a prize, you must choose.” 

“By condemning the others to death?” The thought was horrifying. She'd give her life for any of the wolves. The world needed them in it far more than her. 

“That is not what we said.”

“Who the fuck is we?” Bella snapped. “I only see you.”

“I am you,” the reflection said. “I am you if you refuse to choose and let your mate die.” 

“Which one is it?!” Bella tugged her own hair in exasperation. The wolves' sounds were wearing down, sounding more painful than angry. 

“Only you can decide that.” 

Bella screamed at the sky in frustration. She was tempted to heave a rock at the mirror just to shut it up, but she didn't need any more bad luck. 

Mirror Bella said she had to choose, or they'd kill each other long before dawn. How was she supposed to decide which of her friends got to live? Which one must be stuck with her until his last breath? How was that love? It was cruel! 

Unless… a surge of hope washed over her as she began the descent towards the spring. She jumped over it again, landing easier this time, and ran headlong up the trail toward three bloody, snarling, and tiring wolves. 

“Stop! Stop!” She shrieked. 

All three wolves, torn and filthy, practically foaming at the mouth, stopped brawling as they turned to face her. Paul bared his teeth at her and licked his lips a second before Embry and Quit did the same. They appeared crazed. Feral and rabid, so unlike the so-called monsters she knew. 

“I can't choose between you,” she cried, hoping they were mentally coherent enough to understand. “I can't let you kill each other. I don't want to lose any of you.” 

Bella took a deep breath and kneeled. She shivered as she slowly removed her hoodie and shirt, the cold air instantly puckering her nipples under his bra so tight they hurt. 

“You can all claim me or kill me. Whatever keeps you all alive.” Bella closed her eyes and tilted her head, baring her neck as she tried to accept whatever came next. 

The smell of blood filled her senses, and while unpleasant, it didn’t overpower their individual scents. Her heartbeat began to slow, her breathing evening out as she heard the sound of reforming flesh and popping bones. 

She flinched as a feverish, wet hand encircled her waist, painting her skin with warm blood. She opened her eyes to find Paul at her side, staring down at her with a tenderness foreign to his handsome face. A large gash over his chest was rapidly knitting back together. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, and his warm, sweet breath brought a burst of heat to her skin that spread from her cheeks to her chest. Paul’s kiss was tender, hesitant. She parted her lips for him and moaned as his tongue just barely slipped inside, languidly sliding against hers, tasting her. She reached for his neck, deepening the kiss as his other, thankfully blood-free hand cupped her jaw. His hesitation disappeared as he began kissing her with enthusiasm, moaning into her mouth.

She hummed around his tongue in pleasure. Paul was a good kisser, albeit much less intense than she would have guessed. 

As someone else touched her back, Bella instinctively recognized the long, rough fingers. She leaned back against Quil's chest, pulling her mouth away from Paul’s, and turned her head to meet Quil’s lips. He eagerly attacked her mouth, dipping his sweet tongue inside. She raised her hand from Paul’s neck, raising it behind her to cup Quil’s instead.

Paul shifted beside her, leaving a thin streak of blood behind as he dragged his fingertips down, between her breasts. She didn’t even know whose blood it was, and to be fair, Paul likely didn’t either.

This stupid curse is some potent stuff. 

Under normal circumstances, Bella would be passed out or vomiting right now. Instead, she’d moaned as he painted a trail between her breasts. 

She pulled away from Quil's lips to look down, and was almost relieved to see the cocky smile she knew well on Paul’s face. And then, he popped the front clasp on her bra, and she gasped. He lowered his head and began trailing kisses across her stomach. She moaned as Quil’s lips moved to her neck, and the mix of sensations made her lightheaded.

Bella turned to reach for Embry, holding her hand out to him, beckoning him closer. He slowly kneeled at her side, observing his pack mates' hands and lips on her skin with wild eyes. Quil pushed her bra straps down, and she lowered her arms to let it fall between them, completely baring her upper half. Her heart pounded as Paul began kissing up her ribs toward her breast while Quil eagerly cupped the other in his feverish palm. 

“Embry…” Her voice was a breathy plea as she fought the urge to close her eyes. She’d never felt so much sensation at once, and it was overwhelming. 

Bella raised her hand to cup his dirty cheek and gently traced her thumb over a small split in his top lip. He held her gaze as he kissed her thumb, taking her hand in his. Embry lightly kissed her palm, then the inside of her wrist, working up her arm. Bella clenched her thighs over the rush of wet heat between them as Paul’s mouth closed around her nipple, but she couldn’t take her eyes off Embry. 

There was a knot forming in her abdomen as her limbs trembled. The cold air was almost a relief to her flushed skin, even though she could see her breath and the steam rising from their bare skin. 

Holy crow. She just remembered she was the only one still wearing pants.

Quil moved to the other side of her neck as if instinctively accommodating his friend when Embry’s lips reached her shoulder. And then finally, Embry leaned in to press his lips to hers. Bella felt Quil’s rough fingers slide around her waist and into the front of her jeans, and that was all it took for the knot to unravel inside her. She yelled into Embry’s mouth as she came, clutching Embry and Paul’s shoulders so hard she drew blood. 

And then her shoulders and right hip erupted in pain as each of them sank their teeth into her skin. A shrill scream escaped her, oddly echoing the one she’d heard earlier, just before a chorus of howls filled the air, and everything went black. 

Bella groaned as she stirred, feeling stiff from her position despite being surrounded by warmth. She slowly sat up and rubbed her face before opening her eyes. She gasped as she finally looked around, finding herself back in the tent, tucked snuggly between Leah and Jacob. 

“It was a dream?” She rubbed her face again and shook her head, disbelieving her surroundings. It felt so real! It couldn’t have been a dream… She reached for her shoulders, checking for the burning teeth marks that should be there, but found none. 

And then, she sighed in relief so intense it almost brought tears to her eyes. What an insane dream! Stupid legends…

The sound of the door flap zipper opening ripped through the silence, and the burst of cold air made her shiver. 

An all-too-familiar voice whispered, “Bells! Are you awake?” 

Her pulse quickened as Bella turned to watch a golden-eyed Quil glance back at the fire, and then peek inside. Her stomach instantly dropped, and she swallowed hard, nearly choking over the intense sensation of dread. 

And desire.

Meeting her gaze, Quil grinned wickedly. “Wanna go play?”


FIN