Trust

I laughed lightly telling him to come closer with my finger he did tensing up as I whispered in his ear “Suteki-yo” (I think you’re attractive) I smirked at the confused look on his face “I can also say that in two other languages”
“Mommy I got juice” Asher exclaimed hopping into Jacob lap I smiled down at him
“That’s great honey” I said “what time does the bonfire begin”
“What did you tell him” Quil asked
“Suteki-yo” I said
“What does that mean” Jake asked I smirked changing the subject
“So what do you guys usually do at these bonfires” I asked everyone
“Normal stuff barbeque, visit with friends, play football” Quil answered
“We also tell stories” Jake added
“What kind of stories” Asher asked he loves storytelling I used to read to him practically every night
“Stories of our ancestors” he answered “how we descended from wolves and what not”
“You came from wolves” I asked in a ‘yeah right’ tone
“Really” Asher asked wide eyed
“Shouldn’t you guys be on four legs then” I asked amused
They laughed three people entered the room a plain looking girl whose hand were entwined with a tall russet skinned male and Sam Uley
“Hey Sam have you met…” Embry started
“Arianna Rodriguez and Asher Rodriguez” he finished for him I looked back and smiled at him “nice to see you two again”
“Likewise Mr. Uley”
“Just call me Sam” he requested “
“Hi I’m Jared” the guy behind him introduced himself and his girlfriend whose name was Kim
“We should get going” he announced everyone gathered their things and headed out the door Asher stayed with Jacob I walked in the back keeping up of course
“Everything okay” someone asked from beside me it was Embry I smiled
“Yeah I’m okay” sighing “I just didn’t expect people here to be so accepting”
“Of”
“My situation”
“you have a kid it happens we aren’t going to judge you right away when we don’t even know you” he said he has to be one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met “Don’t get me wrong though there are some people here that judge first and ask questions later”
We made it to the beach just in time a lot of people were there laughing and having a good time I spotted my mom and headed over to her she saw me and smiled
“Hi honey” she laughed “you remember Billy” I smiled at the man in the wheelchair
“Are you ready for the stories of your ancestors” she said placing an arm around my shoulder
“Yep the fact that we are descended from wolves interest me” she looked at me surprised “I was told the gist of it earlier”
“ah where is Asher” I looked around and spotted him playing with a small dog a little girl and Quil “there he is” she nodded looking in the same direction
“I guess we should get started then huh” she said looking at her friends they nodded heading for the lit fire pit people gathered around couples coupled up friends sat together I sat on an empty log which gave me a good view of the ocean swallowing the sun.
“beautiful isn’t it” a familiar voice asked from beside me
“yeah it is” I looked over at Embry with a smile “I was
“you know you’ve gotten a lot of attention since you got here right” he said looking past me I followed his gaze to a group of guys that smiled when I looked at them
“That was not my intention” I said looking back at the moon
“I know but you’re so…” he trailed off I glanced at him from the side and grinned
“Im what Embry”
“Interesting” he finished
“Ah interesting…..is that it” I asked cocking my head slightly making my hair fall over my shoulder he chuckled at the playful look in my eyes. Someone cleared their throat getting everyone’s attention There Old Quil stood before the everyone beside Billy black
“Tonight we will tell the tale of our past all of our pasts” Billy started off “but before we begin we should welcome back an old friend and native Madison Waters aka Mad Maddie” he chuckled at the last part I quirked an eyebrow as my mom playfully hit him on the arm I looked around the bonfire and noticed that some of the women who were my mom’s age actually looked their age whereas my mom still looked to be in her late twenties or early thirties. They all clapped along with everyone else I smiled laughing to myself at how jealous females could still get at that age.
“hi everyone I see some new faces and not so new ones” she said with her genuinely sweet disposition “I’m glad to be back home” taking a deep breath she continued “I didn’t come home alone though I wanted my daughter to learn about her heritage” she said looking over at me pushing a strand of hair behind my ear I waved awkwardly “my daughter Arianna and” she hesitated I nodded giving her permission “and my grandson Asher” upon hearing his name Asher hopped out of Jakes lap bowed and hopped back into Jakes lap some laughed some stared at mom and I “and we are all happy to be here” she finished taking her seat again
“we’re glad to have you back Maddie” Sue said from beside her she smiled at her best friend, a few mumbled the same thing
“alright lets begin” Old Quil said taking a seat he cleared his throat "The legend goes one of our ancient chiefs spirit-traveled one day, a hating man watched as the chief spirit-traveled and did the same thing. He ended up stealing the chief's body and killing his own so he could be chief. Then he banned spirit-traveling so no one could find out his dark secret. But one warrior disobeyed him and spirit-traveled anyway. By this time, the real chief had shared a body with a great majestic wolf. He entered the spirit world to talk to the warrior, and the warrior greeted him gratefully. When the fake chief found out, he killed the warrior soon after he returned to his body. The real chief was outraged, but his rage was the rage of a man, and he transformed back into a man. He was more glorious than before, but the other Quileute’s knew it was him and killed off the fake chief.
Billy spoke now "Many years later, that same chief, still young for he did not age, met a woman like no other. His first two wives had deceased. He and the woman got married, and he agreed to stop transforming into a wolf so he would age as she did. That year, a horrible epidemic broke out. Many young maidens were going missing. The chief's sons went to investigate. They found a foul stench in the forest. A few days later, they found a pale man standing over two girls-one dead already, one in his arms. His mouth was inches away from her neck. He drank her blood quickly and tossed the bloodless corpse aside. They fought-he was hard to fight, he felt stone hard and very cold-and the wolf-men won. They had to burn the pieces of the man. They called this creature the Cold One, or Blood Drinker.
Old Quil spoke as is voice became rougher "A year later, on that same day, girls started going missing again. The wolf-men went out again, and the stench came back. This time, however, there were traces of blood along the forest. The chief was an old man now, but he wanted to help his people. Then one day, the most remarkable thing happened. A beautiful woman appeared on the beach. The sun was shining for once, and the sunlight glittered off her pale skin. Her blond hair came down to her knees and her eyes shone red. The only setback was how she smelled. It was sickly sweet and icy-the stench of the Cold One.
Billy spoke now as they really got into the story Jake stood placing a sleeping Asher in my arms and walked off along with Embry and Seth, "Many of the wolf-men tried fighting her off, but she killed all of them. The chief's youngest son charged toward the Cold Woman. Though he'd not reached age yet, he transformed into a wolf. The chief didn't want to see his youngest die, and his rage transformed him into an old wolf. He fought for his son and his third wife.
My mom’s voice was heard this time "But the wife was scared for her husband and son. She pulled a dagger from the belt of a warrior and charged toward the Cold Woman. But then she did the unexpected. She knelt at the Cold Woman's feet and plunged the dagger into her own heart. Blood splashed onto the Cold Woman, and the thirst became unbearable. The chief and son finished her off. The chief stayed in his wolf form, guarding the corpse for a day, then went into the forest and never returned.” She finished in a whisper
“And ever since then, the Quileute men have carried on the gene all except for one….." Old Quil said everyone was quiet the couples snuggled together, and others thought about the story some broke off into separate conversations.
I thought about that story and how the wife sacrificed herself in order to save her family
“Penny for your thoughts” someone sad from behind me I looked back at Jacob who straddled the log I was sitting on. I laughed lightly shifting Asher up a little “so what did the legend”
I nodded “interesting”