Cats and Dogs

“Yes, and you love it!” Brandon said as he stepped inside and wrapped his arms around me. Jake immediately started growling and a normal person would have let me go, but Brandon simply squeezed me tighter.

“No, what I’m going to love is the look on your face when Leah beats you within an inch of your life. That was her pizza.” I said and managed to pry the red head off of me, which calmed Jake down considerably. Though he did squeeze my hand hard enough to bruise; a warning if I’d ever seen one.

“Leah?” asked Brandon and from the look on his face, I knew exactly what he was thinking. “Sounds hot.” I knew it, that’s the only thing the boy ever thinks about.

“Just shut up and tell us what you’re doing here,” hissed Jake and Brandon raised one blonde eye brow in my direction.

“Soul Mate?” he asked and when I nodded he grinned and turned to Jacob.

“So, you’re the one that likes to cause problems?” Brandon took out his cell phone and without asking for permission, took a picture of the dark haired wolf. “You do look like a trouble maker.” He started typing something on the phone and I covered Jake’s mouth with my hand to keep him from saying anything.

Embry was easy to silence, only needing a pointed look to render him speechless.

“Jacob Black; seventeen years old; six foot seven; born to Billy and Sarah Black; two sisters, Rebecca and Rachel; pack beta; blood type A; IQ of 112; and allergic to strawberries.” Brandon Placed his phone back in his pocket and smiled like a cat that had finally caught the canary. Trust me, I know the look.

“How did you know that?” asked Embry since he was the only one without a hand over their mouth.

“He won’t tell you,” I said and removed my hand from Jake’s face. “Now, why don’t we go into the living room so you can meet the others.” I offered. No one said anything and I took that as a “sure Alai, lead the way.”

As I walked down the hallway that connected the foyer to the living room, I couldn’t help but feel the anger and curiosity filled looks that were directed at my back.

“So, you do know that you owe me for letting your friend Embry open the door right?” asked Brandon as he came to walk beside me. A normal person would have questioned him on how he knew Embry’s name even though I had yet to tell him, but this was Brandon we were talking about. The boy literally did know everything.

“Yes, I’ll dye my hair whatever color you want tomorrow,” I sighed and cringed when Jacob yelled out something that sounded much more canine than human.

“What do you mean you’re going to dye your hair?” He asked and I swore to kill Brandon later. It didn’t matter that I had been the one to say something about dying my hair, Brandon was still going to find himself six feet under.

“Back in nineteen eighty-four, Brandon and I made a pact that we would always answer the door for the other. If one of us didn’t; meaning if someone else answered the door of our own residence; or if we just plain refused to, then the person would have to dye their hair any color the other person wanted. This explains why Brandon looks like he got attacked by a red Crayola marker.” I don’t know why we made the pact and I don’t know why we still abide by it, but we do; that’s all that matters.

“But don’t worry,” Brandon told the agitated wolf as he threw his arm around his shoulders. “I won’t choose green, not after the last-“ he suddenly stopped talking as we walked into the living room, causing the three of us that weren’t crazy to stare at him as if he was.

“Finally!” He screamed and threw himself at Leah’s feet. The look on her face was priceless, and I do mean priceless; you couldn’t pay me enough to give up that memory.

“Who the hell are you?” Seth asked as he tried to pry the man away from his sister, only to be stopped when she reached out and pushed him away.

“I’m confused,” said Quil and he looked over at me, Jake, and Embry as if we’d have the answer to this strange happening.

“Don’t ask me,” I said seriously and placed the plates of pizza on the coffee table before jumping onto a high platform as if the fact that my friend was possibly going insane wasn’t a big deal. Well, with me, it really wasn’t.

“Finally I can die!” Brandon screamed and before I could ask him what he meant by that, he stood up and kissed Leah square on the mouth. Now this I expected, this was Brandon after all, but I didn’t expect Leah to kiss him back.

“I’m confused,” I said, echoing Quil’s earlier statement.

“Imprint,” said Brandon and I was forced to throw a pillow at him when he started to climb onto Leah’s lap.

“Hey!” The two yelled as they jumped apart.

“Keep it ‘PG-13’ around the cub,” I said and pointed to Seth who looked about three seconds away from passing out. Not that I blamed him of course, I mean, watching your sister make out with some random person would mess anyone up.

“Yeah, and tell us who you are,” said Sam as he eyed Brandon suspiciously. Believe it or not, people do that a lot around him.

“Brandon Carson,” said the red head as he tilted his head back, a sign of respect that didn’t go unnoticed by the alpha wolf. “Imprint expert and resident know-it-all.” Recognition shone in the eyes of all the wolves, now they remembered him.

“And you’re here why?” asked Paul as he looked up at me with a very unhappy look on his face. I didn’t know what I did to him, hello, this was my house. I could invite anyone I want inside.

“Had a really bad dream that I had to tell blondie,” Brandon explained and he made himself comfortable on the platform next to Leah. “But I don’t want to keep you from your meal,” he motioned toward the food Jake was holding and the plates on the table and the wolves grabbed their pizza before sitting back down.

“Are you going to stand all night?” asked Embry when he noticed that Jacob was simply standing in the middle of the room and openly glaring at Brandon. His skin was slowly losing color and even from fifteen feet in the air, I could tell he wasn’t feeling well.

I could have done something to help him, but then I’d just be enabling his crazy, jealous-but not jealous behavior.

“No, I think I’m just going to go home. I’m pretty tired.” I didn’t try to stop him as he walked out and I didn’t answer the questioning looks that were directed my way either.

“So, what was your dream about?” I asked Brandon and before he could answer Jared stood and stared up at me in a way that sent shivers down my spine.

“Jake just left, meaning he’s going to be in a lot of pain and the only thing you’re worried about what this idiot dreamt about?” Well, he just nailed it on the head. Why the hell is he asking me, apparently he already knows the answer.

“Jared, calm your ass down,” said Brandon and I nodded in agreement. “Jacob’s not stupid, he’ll be back, but my dream really was important.” I saw the looks that the guys gave my friend and answered them before they even asked the question.

“He’s not going to tell you,” I said and nodded toward Brandon so he knew to continue speaking.

“Anyway, in this dream you were surrounded by vampires. I don’t know what was being said but I knew you were scared and at the end of it, you weren't yourself. You became someone different. Your soul died, I don't know whether it's permanent or not but I thought you should know either way.” Unlike Alice’s visions, Brandon’s dreams always come true, he can’t hear anything, but can feel the emotions being felt by each person.

“You came all the way here just to tell her a dream you had, you could have called.” Said Sam, maybe I’m wrong, but he didn’t seem to like Brandon.

“Um… why don’t you guys talk amongst yourselves? Brandon, can I speak with you please?” I jumped off the platform and landed on my feet before grabbing Brandon-who really didn’t want to leave- by the collar and dragging him up the stairs to my room.

“Alai we can’t do this, I have an imprint and you have a soul mate.” Brandon said as I closed the door and turned to him. “It was fun while it lasted, but that’s all it was, fun.” I wasn’t amused.

“Why are you here?” Sam had a made a point downstairs, as much as I hate to admit it, Brandon could have called, there was no reason for him to leave his own pack just to come see me.

“Is it possible that I just miss you?” He asked with a smile. “You’re my best friend.” The boy placed a hand over his heart and I just continued to stare at him. “Fine,” he sighed after several minutes of my creepy look that always managed to get me what I wanted. “I hate it when you do that.”

“You and every other person I’ve ever met, now tell me why you’re here. Because you’re not making this any easier, my mate just ran away, my friends are suspicious of you, and quite frankly you’re annoying as hell.” My middle name is honesty; did I forget to mention that?

“Well, I can’t help the annoying thing, it’s in my blood, you’re friends would be suspicious of me even if I didn’t barge in and kiss one of them, and your mate’s an idiot.” Brandon bit the inside of his cheek when he noticed that I hadn’t laughed at his attempt at a joke and slid the bag off his shoulder before reaching inside and taking out a black, leather bound book that I hadn’t seen in years.

“I came to give you this; Jamie found it in the attic three days ago. I thought you’d want to have it.” Brandon held the book out and it took everything I had to keep my hand from shaking as I reached across the space between us to take the book from him.

“Why was this in your attic?” I asked as I stared down at the black cover of the book.

“Hell if I know,” said Brandon. “You’re brothers were always coming over to my house and leaving random things behind. Plus I haven’t cleaned in three centuries, there was bound to be something hidden under a box up there.” I continued to stare down at the book in my hands and when I lifted the cover to see the first page, I couldn’t control the sob that ripped itself from my chest.

“I’m going to go back downstairs, take your time,” if he said anything more before he left, then I didn’t hear him.

I ran my fingers over the words written on that first, yellowed page and I swear I could still feel the hand that wrote them.