Undisclosed Desires

“Alex?” Jared asked tentatively, reaching out for your shoulder. Paul began to whine softly as he nudged your other hand.

You had frozen.

How could some guy you just met a few days ago honestly be in love with you, and, well, how could he be a werewolf?

“Alex, are you okay?” Jared insisted, shaking your shoulder lightly.

“Uh, uhm, y-yeah, I’m okay… Just…” You took a deep breath and then looked back and forth between Paul and Jared.

“I wouldn’t believe you about this, but I mean, I didn’t believe Paul was a wolf, either, and
I was wrong about that.” You took another deep breath, and looked over at Paul. He was
pretty big. You were sitting as upright as you could get, and even with Paul lying on his
stomach, his head reached your eye level. You ran a hand through his fur and then asked
softly,

“Do you really love me? Are you telling me the truth?”

Paul sat up and nodded eagerly. You nodded back at him and then tried to turn to face
the others.

“Sam?” You asked, looking up at him. “You’re a wolf too, right?” He nodded, and you
asked,

“And so… Emily… you imprinted on Emily?”

He nodded again.

You looked over to Emily, and she smiled.

“I know what you’re going to ask,” She said, kneeling down beside you. “I’m not a wolf.
You don’t have to be for them to imprint on you. It’s just that feeling you get… Even if you
barely know them, you’re drawn to them. You feel safe, warm, loved… You can’t deny how
you truly feel.”

You looked down at the ground, studying your hands.

“You can feel it, can’t you?” Emily asked softly, touching your shoulder lightly.

“I-I feel like I need to be close to him,” you admitted. “But it doesn’t make sense. I
just met him… and when I went home that night after the beach, I felt empty. Like I had gone
there with all of me, and then left with only half…”

Paul shuffled over to you and rested his head on your knee. You smiled down at him
and said softly,

“It’s the imprinting, huh? That’s why I miss you so much… Even when I’m mad at you.”
You said pointedly, shooting a glance at Paul. He rolled onto his side and let his tongue
hang out. You laughed, and Jared said,

“Alex, I know how Paul’s feeling. My girlfriend, Kim… I couldn’t imagine not seeing her
every day. She’s a part of me, and I can’t be without her. Do you think… Maybe you could give
it a try?”

“So, Paul wants me to be his girlfriend?” You asked, giving him a smile. Paul lightly
bumped your arm, and you laughed a little.

“I guess I can give you a shot.”

Paul sprung up from your lap and began to bounce back and forth in front of you. Jacob
helped you up, and you stood awkwardly as Jared tossed Paul a pair of shorts. Paul took off
to the woods.

“Well, I guess it’s official now,” Seth said, walking up to you. He wrapped his arms
around you and said, “Welcome to the pack!” You hugged him back as Quil said,

“Some of us also have our imprintees,” he pointed to Jacob, Jared and himself. “My
girls’ Claire. She’s three right now, but-“

“She’s three?!” You exclaimed, your eyes widening. Quil and the others laughed.

“When our imprintee is young, we don’t see them as mates or anything. Right now, I’m
like Claire’s older brother. I don’t see her that way yet. I just know she’s my girl.” He nodded

over to Jared.

“I already mentioned Kim. She’s pretty amazing,” he said with a grin. As you turned to
Jacob, you saw a nervous glint in his eyes.

“Who’s your imprintee?” You asked, tilting your head slightly.

“Uh… her name’s Nessie.”

“Nessie? That’s a different name.”

“Its short for Renesmee…” He trailed off, beginning to shift uneasily. You had known
Jacob before all of this, even before Bella met him. You knew something was up. You
narrowed your eyes and stared intently at him.

“What are you hiding, Jacob Black?”

“Nothing, Alex… Look you need some sleep…”

“No, actually I’m fine,” you insisted, crossing your arms. It made your side twinge
painfully, but you ignored it. As Jacob began to escape, you saw Paul jogging out of the
woods towards you.

Your heart seemed full again, seeing him coming for you and knowing he loved you.
Knowing he was yours. The empty space in your heart was gone, and you felt alright again.

When he reached you, he wrapped his arms tenderly around you, so as not to hurt you.
You carefully hugged him back, not wanting to upset your side. He pulled back but let his
arm rest over your shoulder. You looked up at him and asked,

“Paul, who’s Renesmee?”

Paul’s eyes widened, and he looked at Jacob.

“How much have you-“

“Nothing. At all. Let’s go eat…” Jacob insisted. You pulled away from Paul and limped
over to Jacob.

“Listen here, Jake. I know you’re hiding something. And I want to know what. I
deserve to know. Please, Jake?”

He sighed and looked at Paul.

“It’s your call,” he said, shrugging. Paul looked at you, and then up to Jacob.

“Have you told them-“

“They know everything up to last night. I was planning on heading over tonight... We
promised her we’d tell her. So, lets show instead of tell.”

Paul came up behind you and hugged you.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Whatever it is, I want to know.”

“Alright, then come with us,” he said, easily lifting you into his arms. He sat you in the
back seat of Jacob’s rabbit, and slid in beside you. Jacob got behind the wheel, leaving the
passenger seat open.

“Who else wants to go?” Jacob asked, leaning out. Seth immediately ran forward and
dove into the seat, cutting off Quil.

“My turn!” He sing-songed, shutting the door. Quil rolled his eyes and gave you a
thumbs up as he walked away.

“One last thing,” Paul said, tearing off a strip of cloth from his shorts. He tied it around
your eyes.

“Why?” You asked, turning towards him. He wrapped his arm over your shoulder and
said,

“It’s a surprise. Just wait.”

The car roared to life, and you were soon speeding away from the little house. The car
twisted and turned for what seemed like ages.

“Alright, Alex… they probably know you’re coming by now,” Jacob said, turning onto a dirt
road. “Just… well, stay by Paul. And understand, things can change, and everything isn’t as it
seems.”

“What do you mean, Jake? Is everything-“

“We’re here!” Seth announced, throwing open the door. You heard him jump out and run
off to somewhere. Paul helped you out, and led you over towards where Seth had
disappeared. Jacob appeared beside you.

Almost instantly, you heard the squeal of a little girl, and someone cry,

“My Jacob’s back!” You heard small, delicate footsteps running towards you, and you
heard Jacob laugh and say,

“Hi Nessie, I missed you!” Paul stopped you, and turned you towards the voices.

“Nessie, this is an old friend of your mom and dad, Alex.” You smiled at what you
thought was the little girl.

“No, not yet, Nes. She needs to meet your mom and dad on her own.” You tilted your
head to the side, confused, as Paul led you away. Your leg didn’t hurt as much now, and it
felt good to walk, even though it was more of a limp.

“Stairs,” Paul said, lifting you up and putting you at the top. You heard a door open, and
then you were led into a cool, quiet room. Paul led you across the room, and he helped you sit down. He sat next to you, and said,

“Are you ready Alex?”

You nodded, too nervous to speak.

You heard several people entering the room, and Paul reached back to take off your
blindfold. The light was too bright at first, and you had to blink to adjust to it. When you could
see, you looked up, and gasped.

“Edward?” You asked, genuinely shocked.

Edward Cullen walked forward and held out his hand. You took it, already used to his icy
cold skin. You’d been friends with him for a while, after all. Your heart choked up, and you
wrapped your arms around him.

“Alex,” he said, his voice as cool and melodic as you remembered. “I’ve missed you a lot.”
As you pulled away, you looked around and smiled.

“Hey, Alice, Jasper, Rose, Emmet,” you said, looking at them all. Carlisle and Esme came in
from outside, and you grinned at them.

“I’ve missed you guys so much,” you admitted quietly. And suddenly, something clicked in
your head. You scanned the faces again, and didn’t see the one you were looking for. You
turned around, in a complete circle twice, looking for her.

“Edward,” you asked, turned back to him. He had a humorous glint in his eyes. “Where…
Where’s Bella? Is she here?” Edward took your hand and led you to the bottom of the
staircase. You looked around, and then looked up.

A beautiful woman, just as gorgeous as the rest of the Cullens, was standing half way up,
beaming down at you. Her flawless, porcelain skin was a pale white, and her gorgeous, soft
brown hair rolled down her back. She walked gracefully down the stairs towards you, one at
a time. Something about her was so familiar, but you couldn’t put your finger on it.

As she reached the bottom, she was only a foot away from you. Her eyes, a bright crimson,
were full of happiness.

“Alex,” she said softly, looking at you. Her voice was just as beautiful and enchanting as
Edwards. And yet, something underneath the angelic tone stood out to you. You knew
her, but you didn’t. She was strikingly beautiful, so much it almost hurt to look at her. You
tilted your head to the side, and said quietly,

“I know you… You’re so familiar… but…”

Gently, the girl reached forward, and took your wrist. Her hand was just as cold as Edwards.
She turned your wrist over, and examined your bracelet. Ever so delicately, she ran her finger
across the half of a heart. She examined the word ‘friend’ on it, and then took a step back.
She retreated up the stairs as gracefully as she had come down, and moments later she
was returning to you. She stopped in front of you again, and extended her hand. She opened
her palm, and you looked down.

There, resting in her small, pale hand, rested a charm bracelet with half of a heart. ‘Best’
was inscribed on it. You felt the tears welling up, and you lifted your wrist, pressing the two
halves of the heart together. They matched.

“Bella?” You asked, staring at the girl. Her face lit up as you spoke, and she nodded.

“Hey, Alex.”

“Oh Bella!” You cried, throwing your arms around her. She wrapped her arms slowly around
you, and you looked up.

“You feel just like… like Edward,” you said, pulling away. Bella let her hands drop, and she
stared longingly at you.

“Alex, are you afraid of me?” her voice was choked, and she looked after you desperately.

You turned to Edward, then to Paul, and back to Edward.

“Why is she cold? Why does she feel… lifeless?” Edward glanced back to Jacob, then to
Paul, who nodded. He took a step forward, and you took a step back.

“Alex… Bella is… different now.” He said, staring intently at you.

“Why are her eyes red? Why is she so pale, so cold, so… so…” you glared at Edward, and
then took a step forward.

“What did you do to Bella?”

“I didn-t”

“What the hell happened to my best friend?”

Edward reached out to touch you, and you took another step back. You turned desperately to
Bella, and asked,

“Are you really Bella? Are you really Isabella Swan?”

Bella took a step forward and said,

“Yes, Alex, it’s me.”

“Prove it.”

“The bracelet-“

“You could have stolen it from Bella! Prove it!”

She gave you a soft smile and said,

“When I came to visit you for your eighth birthday, we didn’t like the color of the frosting. We
used paint to change it, and your dad nearly passed out.”

You stared at her, speechless.

“The summer before we started high school, remember? That was-“

“The last summer you came to visit,” you finished looking at her. She nodded and said,

“We promised to be best friends forever. We went to town and bought our charms with the
money we got for babysitting the Welch twins. And then we snuck into Return of the Living
Dead, and had a sleepover because we were so scared afterwards.”

You felt tears begin to flow down your cheeks. Bella took another step forward.

“Tell me something…” you began, and cleared your throat. “Tell me something only the real
Bella would know.”

Bella took your hand and led you to the couch. You sat down beside Paul, and she sat down
on your other side, still holding onto you.

“December 3rd, 2000. You called me at three fifty six in the morning, and asked me to come
up and see you. I flew up that night, and got to the hospital. Your mom had passed away. I
remember sitting in the emergency room with you, letting you cry on my shoulder. You cried
for hours. We finally left and you went home.” And then Bella got quieter, and looked at you.
You knew what was coming next.

“Nikki called me that night. She couldn’t get ahold of your dad. She said you were on your
bed and bleeding. You wouldn’t wake up,” Bella’s voice faltered, and she grabbed your
wrists. “You tried to kill yourself. You were only seven, and you had slit your wrists with your
dads pocket knife because you wanted to see your mom.”

She turned your arms over and let her hand slide across the faded scars.

Everyone was eerily silent, and you looked at Bella.

“I missed you so much, Bells,” you choked out. She held out her arms and you fell into them,
ignoring how lifeless she felt. This was Bella. Your best friend. Your other half (besides
Paul). She was here hugging you, after almost a year of thinking she had run away, or
worse.

“You never called.. you never told me you were okay… You just left me, Bells. You left me
alone, and I never knew what happened.”

“I’m so sorry Alex. I would have told you if I could… but… I couldn’t…”

“Why? Why couldn’t you pick up the phone for five minutes? Even just one minute… Just so I
could know you’re okay….” You pulled away from her and slumped back into the couch. Paul
slid his arms around you, and nodded up at Edward. He kneeled down in front of you, and
rested a hand on your knee.

“Alex… You know we’re different. The Cullens.”

You nodded, and stared at him accusingly.

“Alex, do you know how old I am?” he asked, staring back at you.

“About nineteen now, I think,” you said, trying to remember his birthday. He shook his head,
and said,

“I’m a hundred and nine this year.”

You rolled your eyes.

“Okay, apparently everyone thinks I’m stupid. Have fun ruining someone else’s life,” you
snapped, trying to get up. Paul held you down.

“He isn’t lying, Alex. Remember what I told you, about vampires?”

You stared at him incredulously for a moment, and then cried,

“You’re telling me my best friends are vampires?”

“I’m a werewolf,” Paul reminded you. “Isn’t it possible for you to believe that they’re
vampires?”

“Vampires have fangs, they drink blood and they cant be out during the day,” you said, trying
once more to get up.

“We do drink blood,” Edward said, giving you a sly smile. “Animal blood. We’re not ruthless.”

“You don’t have fangs. And you don’t look a hundred.”

“I’m not a hundred,” he said, smiling again. “I’m a hundred and nine. Do I look a hundred
and nine to you?”

“You know what I meant Edward,” you sighed, rolling your eyes again.

“We’re strong, fast, and indestructible, well for the most part,” Bella said, leaning forward to
look at you. “And some of us have special powers.”

You stared at her skeptically.

“Like…?”

“I have a mental shield and a physical shield,” she explained. “Remember how calm Jasper
makes you, or how Alice always seems to know whats going to happen? That’s their powers
at work. And Edward, he can read minds.”

“Oh, honestly, Bella. I’m not stupid!”

“If Edward can read your mind, will you believe us?” She asked, staring intently at you. You
glanced at Paul, who nodded eagerly. You turned back to Bella, and shrugged.

“Okay. If Edward reads my mind, I’ll… well I guess I’ll believe you’re vampires.”

“Think something,” Edward instructed, smiling down at you.

Alright, Eddiepoo, I’ll-

“You know I hate that nickname,” he complained, frowning at you. You gasped in surprise,
and stared wide eyed up at him. You quickly regained composure and asked,

“W-what nickname?”

“Eddiepoo. You used to call me that all the time. I can’t stand it.”

You were officially speechless.

“That was… a lucky guess,” you defended, looking away. No way could the Cullens be
vampires. No freakin way.

I’ve got a lovely bunch of coconuts, see-

“Them all standing in a row,” Edward finished, rolling his eyes. “You know that gets stuck in
my head.”

“W-what? How did you know-“

“I read your mind, Alex,” he said softly.

“I’m going to pick a number between one and a million,” you said, staring intently at him. “If
you get this… I’ll believe you.”

“Go for it,” he challenged, giving you a half smile.

Alright Eddiepoo, you thought, ignoring the way Edward frowned as you thought that.
The number is 546,293. Also, show me your strength, and speed. Okay?

“546,293,” he said grinning as your jaw dropped. And then he wasn’t there anymore. He was
all the way outside, standing next to Jacob’s car.

“How did he…”

“Super speed,” Bella reminded you, smiling after Edward. Just then, Edward reached down
and put his hands under Jacob’s car.

“Hey! Bad vampire!” Jacob shouted, looking anxiously at his car.

“No way.” You said simply, shaking your head.

Edward lifted the car above his head like it was a piece of paper.

“What.. the..” you mumbled, staring awe-struck at your best friend. Your best vampire
friend. You turned to Bella, and said,

“You’re a vampire too?”

“Yes. I changed when I gave birth to our daughter,” She said smiling over at Jacob. For the
first time, you noticed the beautiful little girl sitting on his lap. She had a beautiful, pale face
and gorgeous chocolate brown eyes, just like Bella’s used to be. She had beautiful bronze-
brown curls and a huge smile on her face.

“Wait… Renesmee is your daughter?

“Yes.. her name is-“

“Renee and Esme put together…” you said, smiling back at the beautiful little girl. “Is she…”

“She’s half vampire, half human. I got pregnant with her when I was human, and I almost
died giving birth to her. Edward bit me and changed me to a vampire to save my life.”

You shook your head in disbelief. Your boyfriend was a werewolf, and your best friend was a
vampire. What a day this turned out to be.