Prologue
‘WELCOME TO FORKS’
That was the sign that greeted Junior and I as we drove to the small town. I looked to the rear-view mirror to see my son looking out his window curiously. So smart for just an infant...
“Welcome to Forks, baby,” I told him, Junior cooing in response with a toothless smile. I giggled at his cuteness just as I located the hotel we were to stay in for the time being.
I hopped out of my Lamborghini car that was sure to gain many onlookers, grabbing Junior from the back seat. When I shut the door I looked around cautiously, subtly taking an inhale of breath. My shoulders sagged in defeat when I realised the scent I tracked was very faded as if I was too late. No, I thought to myself. There’s still hope.
I entered the small hotel, the bell attached to the door ringing. I looked ahead of me to see a young girl at the counter, playing mindlessly on her phone. I raised an eyebrow at the sight, looking down at my son. “You better not be like this when you’re older,” I warned him. I approached the counter, clearing my throat loudly. The girl jumped with a squeak, looking to me with wide eyes that seemed to get larger when she took me in. I sighed in exasperation, cursing the charms of vampires internally. I really just want to have a human sleep for now, and of course, my looks get in the way and distract the humans. I’m not even being self-centred here, I wish this wouldn’t happen all the time, you know.
“I made a booking here,” I notified the stumped girl. “It’s under the name of Melanie Taylor.”
“R-Right,” she stuttered, slowly taking her eyes off of me to work on the computer in front of her. She listed the price of the stay, easily handing her the money and before I knew it, I was given a key and I was able to leave her presence. But not before I heard her rush to her phone, telling her friends about the “New beautiful girl that’s in town”.
After settling Junior down on the bed with a bottle of some animal blood, I looked to the folders that were off to the side. I scowled at them. Tomorrow I was to start high school at Forks High as a Senior. I’ll have to drop Junior off the shifters so they could look after him. I smile when I remember the first time I came across the Quileute tribe.
I grabbed my phone that I barely use, going onto my contacts to call an old friend. He picked up immediately with a small grumble. “Billy Black speaking,” his gruff voice answered.
“Hello, Billy Black,” I answered pleasantly.
“Oh, Melanie!” his voice clearly lightened up. “What a surprise! Are you in town?”
“Yep, and unfortunately I will be attending Forks High tomorrow so I kind of need one of you to look after Junior for me,” I explained to him. He laughed lightly in response.
“Of course we’ll look after him! Sue and Emily will be pleased to hear this.”
“Thank you, Billy,” I said gratefully.
“Anything for you, Melanie.”
***
Many years ago...
I walked aimlessly around in the Forest of Forks, listening to the nature around me. For once, I was feeling at peace, just enjoying the sound of nature. I wasn’t running crazy as a vampire prefers, instead, I took a normal human pace walk, just cherishing the moment. My senses heightened when I suddenly heard what seemed to be a howl of pain from the distance. Curious, I followed after the sound by jumping from tree to tree.
I landed on a tree when the noise was heard clearer, peering down to see something that startled me. It was another of my kind, seeming to fight a gigantic wolf. Clearly, the wolf was going to lose, I could tell. I frowned at the sight.
The wolf looked intelligent and showed emotions clearly like a human. He was in pain, but angry and tried to take the vampire down. The vampire merely hissed, trying to wrap his arms around the animal’s neck to snap. My head looked to the side sharply when I heard someone cackle. It was another vampire.
“Come on, Morrice!” the vampire called to the one attacking the wolf. “Hurry up and finish him off! Serves him right from letting our food get away.” I looked to the wolf curiously; it protected a human from getting eaten? “Hurry before the pack arrives!”
The vampire that was fighting the wolf snarled, blood red eyes gleaming with disgust and hate. With a large swoop of his arm, he backhanded the wolf to a tree, sending the poor animal whimpering and unable to get back up. My dead heart broke at the sight. I couldn’t let them get away with this; he was merely protecting the humans from us, we must be trespassing in his land. Making my mind, I jumped over the two smug vampires, landing a distance in front of the whimpering wolf. All three were surprised to see me.
“Hello, men,” I greeted coolly, “what seems to be the problem here, men?”
“What the?” I heard one of the men say. “How is she –”
“Is she one of us?”
“I don’t know, man –”
“Is there a reason why you are harming an innocent animal?” I cut in their conversation. Their bewildered looks were replaced with disgust and anger.
“This mutt stole away our food!” Morrice snarled.
“And so you act childish and try to kill him?” I raised an eyebrow.
“He attacked me first!”
“Maybe because you tried to kill a human in its land?”
“You’re making no sense!” the other vampire sneered. “Leave us alone with the mutt or else you’re joining it!”
“I’ll have to refuse, men,” I sighed, getting into a crouch with the two following. “Last chance to back away.”
“Two against one?” he scoffed. “Yeah, nice try you freak.” The both of them jumped at me, easily dodging their attacks and kicking them away from the wolf and I. I glanced behind me to the animal to see him looking at me curiously, though still in evident pain.
“Just stay here for a bit,” I told the animal before I went to the two immature vampires, easily killing them off. By the time I finished getting rid of them, I went to give aid to the wolf only to be tackled from the side by another wolf. I grunted in surprise, easily escaping their grasp and jumping to a tree away from them. More wolves came, sniping at me and trying to get at me from the ground.
Suddenly the wolf from earlier jumped in front of them, growling at them warningly. They seemed to have a conversation for a while, in the end looking up at me curiously. I easily held eye contact with them. Slowly, they all backed away, giving their heads a small bow in acknowledgement. I returned the bow. One of the wolves disappeared behind a tree, shortly coming back as a human. I sat up straighter on the tree branch.
“I thank you for protecting one of my brothers,” the American-Indian told me gratefully. “We are in debt to you.”
“It’s okay,” I told them all, “he was just protecting an innocent human, I didn’t see that as a reason to hurt him. The two vampires deserved it.”
“But aren’t you one of them?”
“It’s a long story,” I sighed. He held a hand out in reply.
“Come,” he said, “we have much to talk about.”
By the end of the day, I became good friends with the group known as the Quillette pack, having a truce amongst each other. From time to time I visited, meeting their children and then grandchildren, helping protect the innocent humans from the rogue.
