Burning Bright

“Dude, are you really sure you want to be doing this?” Quill’s voice sounded in my head.

“Yeah, I mean look, she’s cute and all but if Sam finds out he’ll rip one out of you,” Embry put in.

One of the disadvantages of running in wolf form is absolute no privacy. I honestly don’t think there is any secret I have that my pack doesn’t already know about. None the less, I know all theirs too. Sometimes it’s nice knowing that you’re not alone and that someone is always going to be there for you. Other times you just feel like an open book put on display for the whole world. Every thought, every movement, hell, even every secret desire is shared among us. Not that we have a choice. However the fact that we can see where everyone is even if we aren’t near each other is useful, especially when the vampires are coming onto our land. I wouldn’t want to miss the chance of ripping out one of their throats.

“Guys, relax, I got this,” I reassured them. “Just give me a heads up for when Sam is around, okay?”

I took off running toward the direction of Forks. Normally I probably would have taken the Rabbit but it’s late and I didn’t want Charlie to poke his head out and see my car parked near his house, plus it’s a lot faster to run as a wolf.

Finally I reached the familiar house, but before approaching I circled the area a few more times to make sure the filthy leech wasn’t anywhere near by. When I was sure the air was pure I transformed behind a couple of trees and pulled my shorts on. Again another one of the disadvantages of shape shifting but at least I didn’t get cold anymore and I could totally show off my abs. Edward might be made of stone but I could take him.

I walked up to the window in the back of the house of where Crystal was staying in. I peered inside and sure enough there she was asleep on the little bed pushed against the wall. She was tossing and turning but I was sure that she was deep in sleep. Silently I lifted the window up and crawled through. Her room was much smaller than Bella’s and the unpacked luggage didn’t help any but I managed to maneuver around them to her bed.

She didn’t look peaceful sleeping but she still looked cute. Her nose was scrunched up causing a little crease to form on her forehead. A sound like a whimper escaped her mouth and rolled over onto her side facing me. I set the back of my palm on her forehead worried that she still might have a fever. To my relief her temperature felt normal. Not that I would know what normal human skin felt like anymore. Since my transformation my skin was always burning.

I sat down on the edge of Crystal’s bed and stroked her hair. She stirred a little but relaxed back into sleep. A small smile pulled at the edge of my mouth. Every time I gaze at her I feel this warmth inside me. Not like my abnormal body temperature but that warmth you feel during summer when the sun is shinning and you’re lying out by the sea. The warmth just felt right.

Suddenly I just wanted to wake her up and tell her everything. Let her in on my pack’s secret. Tell her how I’ve imprinted on her and I think she’s the most amazing thing ever. Assure her that I care so deeply for her and that I -

My thought was cut short as I heard someone howl in the forest, Sam no doubt. Sighing I leaned over Crystal to kiss her on her forehead and then stood up to leave. I crawled back through her window and shrugged out of my shorts. Another howl pierced that night.

“Yeah, I’m coming, oh great pack leader,” I muttered to myself.

Just before I was about to transform I heard another howl but I didn’t recognize this one. It didn’t sound like anyone in my pack and they sounded like they were in pain.

“Dammit, I was only gone for five minutes. What the hell?”

I quickly transformed and started running as fast as I could toward the reservation. It didn’t take long before someone noticed my presence.

Paul was the first to speak. “Oh man you are so dead.”

His laughter echoed inside my head.

“Enough,” Sam barked. “Jake, someone else has changed. Get down here now.”

I started running faster and in about three minutes I was standing between Sam and Paul. In front of me was what appeared to be a pink wolf.

“What’s going on? What happened to me?” His thoughts were yelling in our heads and he was howling and whining like mad.

“Calm down. You’ve just transformed is all,” Sam stated calmly having dealt with this before.

“What do you mean I’ve transformed? I’m a human damn it!” By now the pink wolf was running around, slamming into trees.

“Yes, but you’re also something more,” I said stepping toward him.

“Stay back!” the pink wolf shouted. “You dirty wolf! Stay back!”

Paul scoffed. “Dirty wolf, huh? Well I guess you’re one too then.” He started growling.

“Shut it, Paul!” Sam ordered.

“What’s your name?” I asked the pink wolf.

“Sc- Scotty,” he whined. “Will someone please tell me what’s happened?”

“Listen Scotty, you remember our tribe legends about our great ancestors? How they started changing into the great wolf protectors when the cold ones came?”

“Yeah but I thought that was just a myth.”

“So did we but look at all of us. We are now the protectors of our people and you are one of us.”

“Will I be able to turn back into a human and go home?” Scotty asked settling down.

“Of course you will,” I said.

“Scotty, you will be able to go home, but you cannot let anyone know of this secret and when the tribe needs you, you must be here,” Sam ordered the power of the Alpha underlying his words. “And you’ll have to dye your hair a more natural color. People might start getting suspicious if they see a pink wolf running around.”

Scotty trembled a bit and his head bowed beyond his will.

“Okay.” Scotty’s voice was just whisper.

I hated when he did that. I know he means well but just the thought of taking away someone’s free will just angered me. That’s part of the reason I just couldn’t be Alpha of the pack.

“Anyways,” Paul finally spoke, “Let’s see if we can’t get you back into your normal form.”

“How do I do that?” Scotty asked.

“Like this.”

In a few seconds Paul changed from wolf to human and back to wolf.

“I don’t think I can do that,” Scotty admitted.

“Don’t worry kid, you’ll get it,” I assured him.

“Jake? Why don’t you go home? Paul and I will get Scotty settled and then Quil is supposed to come check in soon. Go home and get some rest.”

I nodded my head and started heading back towards my house. I figured I would change before I made it to all the houses.

“Oh, and Jake,” Paul started.

I turned back around to see Paul with his tongue hanging out in a goofy wolf way and Sam almost smirking as he spoke.

“I can’t wait to meet Crystal tomorrow.”