Before the Storm

"H-h-hi," Althea's eyes grew wide as she took in the three boys and two girls standing around what she presumed to their parents. They were simply and utterly the most beautiful creatures she had ever laid eyes on. The girls couldn't have been more different; one was tall, blond and statuesque. She easily could have won the worlds' most beautiful woman contest. The girl next to her was short and pixie like with more pointed features. She could have easily been a ballerina or dancer. The boys were also gorgeous but in different ways: one was big and muscular, the other tall and lean with a mop of honey colored hair, but the last was the most intriguing. He was tall and well muscled with wild bronze hair. They all had the same pale, translucent skin, with those piercing golden eyes.

"Please come on in, I wouldn't want you to get cold," the doctor's wife offered Althea her arm. She took in and was instantly shocked by how cold her arm was. Maybe she should stay inside....or at least try a sweater, Althea thought to herself. She looked around the immaculate house and thought it wouldn't be too bad to live there...as long as they still let her go to La Push.

"Thank you. Your home is...beautiful,"

"Oh please, it's your home now too," the woman smiled warmly at Althea, but something seemed different about these people, "I'm Esme. These are our children. Rosalie, Alice, Emmett, Jasper, and Edward. And my husband, Carlisle, of course."

"Thank you so much for taking me in. I'm seventeen, but I'll be eighteen soon, so I'll be out of your hair soon enough. I'm just glad that I didn't have to stay with my father," she laughed weakly and could feel the stares of the family on her.

"Why would you say that?" The pixie like girl, Alice, she remembered her name was stepped forward.

"My father abandoned me and my mother just after I was born. I'd never heard from him or anything until my mother died. And, after seventeen years, I'm not too concerned with getting all familyish with him,"

"Oh- I'm sorry...I didn't -"

"Know. I understand,"

"Let me show you to your room," Alice grabbed her arm, and the biggest son, Emmett, grabbed her bag.

As they were walking up the stairs, Althea could swear she heard the blond girl say, "her? Why is she staying with us? She's not like us."

So, I'm not rich or beautiful like you blondie, it doesn't mean I'm a bad person, she rolled her eyes and followed Alice into a large and open room. Two of its walls were glass, the other a book shelf, and the last was taken by a bed. It was so open and light, and Althea loved it.

"This is beautiful," she sighed as she looked out the window and into the thick forest.

"It is rather nice, isn't it? We all have views like this," Alice smiled as she laid her bag on the bed, "well, I'll leave you to get settled. If you need anything, just say our names and we'll be there."

"Thank you,"

Alice and Emmett walked back downstairs and saw that Rosalie was in a deep argument with Carlisle.

"She's going to find out what we are. How long can we hide it from here? Then she'll tell all those mutts back at the reservation," she hissed in a low voice.

"What makes you think she'll take it the wrong way and then tell everyone? She seems like a nice girl,"

"She's a human, Carlisle!"

"Rose, calm down," Emmett stepped in and put his arm around her waist, "give her a chance and see where it goes. Maybe she's different."

"Humph," she sighed and walked out of the kitchen. Emmett rolled his eyes and followed her.

"This will work," Esme said hopefully as she looked over at Carlisle for reassurance. He nodded and kissed the top of her head.

_____

"Guys!" Paul ran into the living room of Sam and Emily's house. He had just gotten down talking to the cab driver that had taken Althea away, "you'll never believe what I just found out!"

"Calm down man," Jacob rolled his eyes as the rest of the pack laughed at him. Ever since they had found out that Paul had imprinted on Althea, all the guys were busting his chops.

"Shut the hell up, Jake. Guess where they took Thea!"

"Where?"

"The Cullens!"

As soon as the boys had heard the name 'Cullen', they had all but jumped up and started shouting. The Cullens were their mortal enemies. The vampires hated the werewolves and vice versa. And now they had Althea!

"Those stupid vamps? Like the one that killed Thea's mom?" Quil's voice was higher than normal as he thought about having to face the vampires.

"Yes. Those vampires,"

"-Well not exactly those vampires,"

"But I thought a vampire-"

"Yes, it was a vampire that killed her mom, but it wasn't a Cullen. And as long as they respect their end of the treaty, we'll respect ours," Sam sighed as he tried to calm them all down. They got so hotheaded sometimes, it was hard to control a pack of werewolves.

"We've got to get her back,"

"How? Just walk in and grab her? 'Oh hey Thea, you're living with a bunch of vamps and you're coming home with us?' I don't think that will work too well," Embry rolled his eyes at Paul's eagerness.

"Have you got a better idea?"

"No-"

"Then shut up until you think of a plan!"

"Why don't you make me?" Embry was in front of Paul's face and they were both getting angrier by the second.

"Maybe I should teach you a lesson then, pup-"

"Paul! Embry! Both of you, calm down and shut up," Sam cast his meaningful glare at both the boys.

"Then what are we supposed to do?!"

"We don't do anything," he sighed as the members of his pack glared at him, "we wait and see what happens."