Mark of the White Wolf
by Wizardtho
Chapter 07:
About an hour later, I woke to a strange scent coming through the open window. My wolf screamed danger; I was out of the bed and phased before Charlie registered the movement. He hurriedly slipped on a pair of pajama pants, with me eliciting a warning growl to him that there was danger nearby.
He followed me out toward the scent, but when he opened the front door for me, my hackles went up in alarm. I crouched low, blocking Charlie's exit from the house, causing him to whisper, “What is it?”
I growled, baring my teeth just as a black car came into the clearing. Charlie let out a breath, then said soothingly while running his fingers through my fur, “It's just Doc Cullen's car, Sweetheart. There's no danger. They hunt like you do, remember?”
The name Cullen pulled at something in my memory, but all I could think about was the alarm going off in my head. My inner wolf was going crazy, screaming at me to kill... to shred and bite and claw at the danger to my mate.
When two males stepped out of the vehicle, their scents confirmed danger, and my wolf's snarl resonated in my mind, “Vampire... bite, rip, kill, burn... protect imprint,” just as my hackles rose straight up.
A menacing growl ripped from my throat, echoing around the clearing, making the sound that much more threatening as the two men started toward us. The bronze-haired male spoke with a familiar voice, “Carlisle, stop... now. Don't. Move. The wolf is a female. Charlie's her imprint... her mate. She's protecting him from us, thinking we're a threat. She doesn't know that we don't mean them harm.”
Carlisle... the name rang a bell, but it was what the blonde male said in return that made things click in my mind. “Edward? A female? I thought it was only the male Quileutes that had the gene. Do you sense Bella? Is she alright?”
Edward... Edward and Carlisle. Shit... I just about took off their heads! Oh, God, I'm so sorry.
I still couldn't get past the feeling of danger, though, so I growled low in warning. That's when Edward slowly stepped in front of the car, dropped to his knees, sat back on his heels, then bared his neck to me with his palms up on his lap.
Seeing what Edward was doing, Carlisle quickly followed suit. The action calmed me slightly, so I turned enough to nudge Charlie further back into the house. He chuckled as he ran his fingers teasingly through the fur on my head, “Alright, Sweetheart. I promise I'll stay inside. Please try not to kill them. They aren't here to hurt us.”
I nudged him again, giving him a serious look, then cautiously made my way down the porch to where Carlisle was kneeling next to Edward. I slowly took in the air around them, forcing myself to think past the burning sensation in my nose, then felt recognition at their scents. I sensed no danger, but a slight bit of worry from Carlisle's scent, along with a twinge of longing from Edward's.
When I backed up enough to look into their eyes, I whispered in my mind, not even knowing if he could hear me, ‘I'm sorry, Edward. I didn't know about any of this until I got here from the hospital.’
Edward's eyes went wide, then I saw loss practically ooze out of him as he whimpered, “Bella? Love, is that really you?”
Happy that he understood me, I dipped my head, then thought, ‘Can you call Charlie out with a blanket, please? I want to explain, but it wouldn't be fair to Carlisle or Charlie to do it through our minds.’
He nodded, then immediately called out, telling Charlie I was asking for a blanket. Charlie got the blanket but didn't move any further outside than his place inside the doorway. I padded toward him, giving him a wolfy grin before yipping.
He chuckled, then came down to me, brushing his fingers along the sides of my face tenderly while kissing the top of my nose, “I told you they wouldn't hurt us. You just needed to remember that on your own. Now shift back, so we can get you wrapped up, Sweetheart. I'm sure there's a lot you want to explain to them.”
I nodded once, then let the tingle rip down my spine, feeling my bones and skin shift to my human form. Carlisle and Edward both gasped, but Charlie was quick to get me wrapped in the blanket. I involuntarily hummed as he smoothed my hair back out of my face, nuzzled my face into his neck for a second, then looked at Carlisle and Edward. “Please come inside. We have a lot to discuss, so we might as well be comfortable doing it. Plus, I'm starving now.”
They both agreed, immediately following Charlie and me into the house. As I walked toward the master bedroom, I called out, “Edward, I have an itch for that mushroom ravioli you like making me. Would you mind?”
He chuckled, “Of course. Do you have everything, or do I need to make a quick trip out?”
I turned enough to grin at him over my shoulder, replying, “Yes, we have everything, but please quadruple the recipe. I have an outrageous metabolism now, and I can feel that Charlie's hungry, too.”
I came back out of the bedroom minutes later, wearing a pink with blue trim babydoll tank, pink lace boyshorts, as well as a pair of dark washed flap-pocket shorts with a cuff bottom. I padded barefoot into the kitchen, smiled at Carlisle, then grasped the coffee cup that Charlie was handing me.
I noticed both Edward and Carlisle watching me as I placed a kiss on Charlie's chest over his heart, then sat next to Carlisle while I said, “I know you guys are confused. Frankly, I was, too, when I found all of this out. I promise to be honest with you, though.”
Edward looked at me sadly, but I shook my head, “I know, Edward. I know we aren't mates, but we did care for each other. I can only be thankful for that.”
Carlisle looked between Edward and me, then Charlie and me, finally saying, “Wait... Edward, you said when we first arrived that the wolf was Charlie's mate, and the look they just shared was quite intimate... along with their actions toward each other. How can that be? They're father and daughter.”
I shook my head, patting Carlisle's knee. “It's all part of the story, Carlisle. How about I start at the beginning?”
Everyone nodded as Edward started making the ravioli at vampire speed, so I said, “I was always led to believe that I was born early. Carlisle, you know from my physicals, that I have a birthmark resembling a paw print below my navel. Well, Charlie had hooked up with my mom, not knowing at first that she had just recently had a one night stand with a Quileute. They continued to see each other, with my mom announcing she was pregnant soon after. Being the stand-up guy he is, Charlie married Renee, even though he was starting to have suspicions that the baby -namely me- wasn't his. He said no matter what, he loved and adored me from the moment he first saw me.”
Charlie smiled tenderly as our eyes locked, then he cupped my cheek. After a second, I continued, “One day while I was still an infant, Renee went off with a few of her friends, so Charlie took the chance to go show me off to his Quileute buddies. He took me to Billy Black's house, and old Quil Ateara stopped by while Charlie was changing me. When Quil saw my birthmark, he called out to Billy, instantly alerting Charlie to the fact that his suspicions were right... I was not biologically his. Quil and Billy told him that it was the mark of a blessed Quileute female, then explained to him about the wolves.”
They were still with me, so I explained, “There have only been three females other than me, in the entire Quileute line, to have worn the paw print mark I bear. Each of them turned into a wolf. Charlie was very protective of me, but also wanting to provide for my future needs. Renee finally did fess up that I wasn't his, but refused to give merit to any of the Quileute legends. That was the biggest reason Charlie and Renee split. He wanted to prepare me… ready me for the possibility of my future change so I wouldn't be overwhelmed... while Renee wanted to ignore it, refusing to believe.”
With both Edward and Carlisle giving me an acknowledging nod, I continued. “Charlie was fearful that my change might happen when he wasn't around to help guide me, with the way Renee was acting, so he had the elders place protective magics on me. Edward, I think those very protective magics were what blocked you from reading me, but when James bit me in Phoenix, it broke the protective barrier. Think about it. You couldn't read me at all before... like I wasn't even there... but now you can, at least in wolf form.”
He nodded, “In human form, too, it seems.”
I smiled softly, then said, “It was soon after the elders finished placing the protective magics that Renee left Charlie, taking me with her.”
I continued to tell them everything that Charlie told me, up until the part where my change was imminent, then explained, “He told me he thought it was time, that I should strip and wrap up. There was more he needed to tell me. I did, wrapping the blanket around me before I returned outside, then sat next to him. He told me that he should have stopped me from seeing you, Edward. That it would have been better if he had, because now the Quileute pack has denounced me. My association with you and the entire Cullen family, even though I knew nothing of my destiny, got me labeled as no more than a Cullen pet.”
Edward and Carlisle both growled angrily at that, causing me to grumble in agreement, “Yeah, I know… bunch of bullshit. Anyway, they only promised to help get me through my initial phase, if Charlie needed their help, but then they were washing their hands of me. Charlie said he couldn't find it in himself to stop me, though, because he couldn't stand to see me unhappy, and knew that not seeing you would make me miserable.”
At the scowl on Carlisle's face, I said, “I ranted for a few minutes, pacing like a caged animal, then dashed towards the trees. I felt like everything was closing in on me… like the forest was calling me. I didn't even make it to the treeline before the fire and pain ripped through me, transforming me from human to wolf. Before I knew it, I heard a voice. I tried to turn to see who was talking to me, but I heard the voice again, telling me his name was Sam, that he was talking through the mind link. After him telling me to stay calm and in one place, that he would be here soon, I went off on him. I was so pissed it was unreal… I unloaded it all on him, telling him I didn't need his so-called help, neither did Charlie. After I refused to tell him where we were, I finally gave a solid push through my mind with all my power, growling for him to get the fuck out of my head. His yelp echoed loudly in my mind, then there was silence.”
Edward looked at Carlisle, stunned, then Carlisle asked, “What next?”
I relayed to them about how I had scented our territory, my hunt, then how I'd searched out the lake because I didn't want to scare Charlie with blood in my fur. I told them about getting out and the breeze shifting, catching a scent on the breeze, as well as it making my head fuzzy with need. I even told them about my less than stellar moment of practically feeling Charlie up with my muzzle. They all laughed at that, then I told them how I freaked out and shifted back, apologizing like mad for how I acted.
Carlisle inhaled slowly, then let his breath out, saying, “Well, you seem to have gotten it all straightened out, from what I can detect, correct?”
I blushed while nodding, “Yeah, um... this morning. We talked a lot last night, after he helped me get a grip on my senses yesterday, then I thought for a long while before I fell asleep.”
An image of me masturbating several times to images of Charlie flashed through my mind unbidden, causing Edward to practically choke before he commented, “Definitely thought a lot, didn't you, Bella?”
I groaned in reply, “Shit, Edward. You weren't supposed to see that. I'm not used to you being able to see my thoughts, so you can't hold that against me.”
Charlie chuckled, then nuzzled my neck as he whispered, “Seeing flashes of your distractions last night, Sweetheart?”
Carlisle and Edward both cracked up as Charlie snickered and kissed my neck. I growled sexily as I turned to pin him against the fridge, “You're one to talk, Chief. You weren't very quiet this morning during your distraction, you know.”
Charlie blushed wildly, then coughed out, “Next topic, please.”
I smirked at him, smacked his ass lightly, then winked at Edward, “Wolf senses. I could detect the changes in his scent... hear every shift of the sheets.”
Edward gave me a wicked grin, then it softened as he cupped my cheek, “I'm happy for you, Love. No matter whether I mixed up my bloodlust, twisting it into thinking we were mates or not, I do care for you. I only want you to be happy. I was just worried when you didn't call, then neither of you showed up at the Forks house. That's the reason that Carlisle and I decided to track your steps from the airport, to see if the two of you were alright. And... voila, lunch is served.”
About an hour later, I woke to a strange scent coming through the open window. My wolf screamed danger; I was out of the bed and phased before Charlie registered the movement. He hurriedly slipped on a pair of pajama pants, with me eliciting a warning growl to him that there was danger nearby.
He followed me out toward the scent, but when he opened the front door for me, my hackles went up in alarm. I crouched low, blocking Charlie's exit from the house, causing him to whisper, “What is it?”
I growled, baring my teeth just as a black car came into the clearing. Charlie let out a breath, then said soothingly while running his fingers through my fur, “It's just Doc Cullen's car, Sweetheart. There's no danger. They hunt like you do, remember?”
The name Cullen pulled at something in my memory, but all I could think about was the alarm going off in my head. My inner wolf was going crazy, screaming at me to kill... to shred and bite and claw at the danger to my mate.
When two males stepped out of the vehicle, their scents confirmed danger, and my wolf's snarl resonated in my mind, “Vampire... bite, rip, kill, burn... protect imprint,” just as my hackles rose straight up.
A menacing growl ripped from my throat, echoing around the clearing, making the sound that much more threatening as the two men started toward us. The bronze-haired male spoke with a familiar voice, “Carlisle, stop... now. Don't. Move. The wolf is a female. Charlie's her imprint... her mate. She's protecting him from us, thinking we're a threat. She doesn't know that we don't mean them harm.”
Carlisle... the name rang a bell, but it was what the blonde male said in return that made things click in my mind. “Edward? A female? I thought it was only the male Quileutes that had the gene. Do you sense Bella? Is she alright?”
Edward... Edward and Carlisle. Shit... I just about took off their heads! Oh, God, I'm so sorry.
I still couldn't get past the feeling of danger, though, so I growled low in warning. That's when Edward slowly stepped in front of the car, dropped to his knees, sat back on his heels, then bared his neck to me with his palms up on his lap.
Seeing what Edward was doing, Carlisle quickly followed suit. The action calmed me slightly, so I turned enough to nudge Charlie further back into the house. He chuckled as he ran his fingers teasingly through the fur on my head, “Alright, Sweetheart. I promise I'll stay inside. Please try not to kill them. They aren't here to hurt us.”
I nudged him again, giving him a serious look, then cautiously made my way down the porch to where Carlisle was kneeling next to Edward. I slowly took in the air around them, forcing myself to think past the burning sensation in my nose, then felt recognition at their scents. I sensed no danger, but a slight bit of worry from Carlisle's scent, along with a twinge of longing from Edward's.
When I backed up enough to look into their eyes, I whispered in my mind, not even knowing if he could hear me, ‘I'm sorry, Edward. I didn't know about any of this until I got here from the hospital.’
Edward's eyes went wide, then I saw loss practically ooze out of him as he whimpered, “Bella? Love, is that really you?”
Happy that he understood me, I dipped my head, then thought, ‘Can you call Charlie out with a blanket, please? I want to explain, but it wouldn't be fair to Carlisle or Charlie to do it through our minds.’
He nodded, then immediately called out, telling Charlie I was asking for a blanket. Charlie got the blanket but didn't move any further outside than his place inside the doorway. I padded toward him, giving him a wolfy grin before yipping.
He chuckled, then came down to me, brushing his fingers along the sides of my face tenderly while kissing the top of my nose, “I told you they wouldn't hurt us. You just needed to remember that on your own. Now shift back, so we can get you wrapped up, Sweetheart. I'm sure there's a lot you want to explain to them.”
I nodded once, then let the tingle rip down my spine, feeling my bones and skin shift to my human form. Carlisle and Edward both gasped, but Charlie was quick to get me wrapped in the blanket. I involuntarily hummed as he smoothed my hair back out of my face, nuzzled my face into his neck for a second, then looked at Carlisle and Edward. “Please come inside. We have a lot to discuss, so we might as well be comfortable doing it. Plus, I'm starving now.”
They both agreed, immediately following Charlie and me into the house. As I walked toward the master bedroom, I called out, “Edward, I have an itch for that mushroom ravioli you like making me. Would you mind?”
He chuckled, “Of course. Do you have everything, or do I need to make a quick trip out?”
I turned enough to grin at him over my shoulder, replying, “Yes, we have everything, but please quadruple the recipe. I have an outrageous metabolism now, and I can feel that Charlie's hungry, too.”
I came back out of the bedroom minutes later, wearing a pink with blue trim babydoll tank, pink lace boyshorts, as well as a pair of dark washed flap-pocket shorts with a cuff bottom. I padded barefoot into the kitchen, smiled at Carlisle, then grasped the coffee cup that Charlie was handing me.
I noticed both Edward and Carlisle watching me as I placed a kiss on Charlie's chest over his heart, then sat next to Carlisle while I said, “I know you guys are confused. Frankly, I was, too, when I found all of this out. I promise to be honest with you, though.”
Edward looked at me sadly, but I shook my head, “I know, Edward. I know we aren't mates, but we did care for each other. I can only be thankful for that.”
Carlisle looked between Edward and me, then Charlie and me, finally saying, “Wait... Edward, you said when we first arrived that the wolf was Charlie's mate, and the look they just shared was quite intimate... along with their actions toward each other. How can that be? They're father and daughter.”
I shook my head, patting Carlisle's knee. “It's all part of the story, Carlisle. How about I start at the beginning?”
Everyone nodded as Edward started making the ravioli at vampire speed, so I said, “I was always led to believe that I was born early. Carlisle, you know from my physicals, that I have a birthmark resembling a paw print below my navel. Well, Charlie had hooked up with my mom, not knowing at first that she had just recently had a one night stand with a Quileute. They continued to see each other, with my mom announcing she was pregnant soon after. Being the stand-up guy he is, Charlie married Renee, even though he was starting to have suspicions that the baby -namely me- wasn't his. He said no matter what, he loved and adored me from the moment he first saw me.”
Charlie smiled tenderly as our eyes locked, then he cupped my cheek. After a second, I continued, “One day while I was still an infant, Renee went off with a few of her friends, so Charlie took the chance to go show me off to his Quileute buddies. He took me to Billy Black's house, and old Quil Ateara stopped by while Charlie was changing me. When Quil saw my birthmark, he called out to Billy, instantly alerting Charlie to the fact that his suspicions were right... I was not biologically his. Quil and Billy told him that it was the mark of a blessed Quileute female, then explained to him about the wolves.”
They were still with me, so I explained, “There have only been three females other than me, in the entire Quileute line, to have worn the paw print mark I bear. Each of them turned into a wolf. Charlie was very protective of me, but also wanting to provide for my future needs. Renee finally did fess up that I wasn't his, but refused to give merit to any of the Quileute legends. That was the biggest reason Charlie and Renee split. He wanted to prepare me… ready me for the possibility of my future change so I wouldn't be overwhelmed... while Renee wanted to ignore it, refusing to believe.”
With both Edward and Carlisle giving me an acknowledging nod, I continued. “Charlie was fearful that my change might happen when he wasn't around to help guide me, with the way Renee was acting, so he had the elders place protective magics on me. Edward, I think those very protective magics were what blocked you from reading me, but when James bit me in Phoenix, it broke the protective barrier. Think about it. You couldn't read me at all before... like I wasn't even there... but now you can, at least in wolf form.”
He nodded, “In human form, too, it seems.”
I smiled softly, then said, “It was soon after the elders finished placing the protective magics that Renee left Charlie, taking me with her.”
I continued to tell them everything that Charlie told me, up until the part where my change was imminent, then explained, “He told me he thought it was time, that I should strip and wrap up. There was more he needed to tell me. I did, wrapping the blanket around me before I returned outside, then sat next to him. He told me that he should have stopped me from seeing you, Edward. That it would have been better if he had, because now the Quileute pack has denounced me. My association with you and the entire Cullen family, even though I knew nothing of my destiny, got me labeled as no more than a Cullen pet.”
Edward and Carlisle both growled angrily at that, causing me to grumble in agreement, “Yeah, I know… bunch of bullshit. Anyway, they only promised to help get me through my initial phase, if Charlie needed their help, but then they were washing their hands of me. Charlie said he couldn't find it in himself to stop me, though, because he couldn't stand to see me unhappy, and knew that not seeing you would make me miserable.”
At the scowl on Carlisle's face, I said, “I ranted for a few minutes, pacing like a caged animal, then dashed towards the trees. I felt like everything was closing in on me… like the forest was calling me. I didn't even make it to the treeline before the fire and pain ripped through me, transforming me from human to wolf. Before I knew it, I heard a voice. I tried to turn to see who was talking to me, but I heard the voice again, telling me his name was Sam, that he was talking through the mind link. After him telling me to stay calm and in one place, that he would be here soon, I went off on him. I was so pissed it was unreal… I unloaded it all on him, telling him I didn't need his so-called help, neither did Charlie. After I refused to tell him where we were, I finally gave a solid push through my mind with all my power, growling for him to get the fuck out of my head. His yelp echoed loudly in my mind, then there was silence.”
Edward looked at Carlisle, stunned, then Carlisle asked, “What next?”
I relayed to them about how I had scented our territory, my hunt, then how I'd searched out the lake because I didn't want to scare Charlie with blood in my fur. I told them about getting out and the breeze shifting, catching a scent on the breeze, as well as it making my head fuzzy with need. I even told them about my less than stellar moment of practically feeling Charlie up with my muzzle. They all laughed at that, then I told them how I freaked out and shifted back, apologizing like mad for how I acted.
Carlisle inhaled slowly, then let his breath out, saying, “Well, you seem to have gotten it all straightened out, from what I can detect, correct?”
I blushed while nodding, “Yeah, um... this morning. We talked a lot last night, after he helped me get a grip on my senses yesterday, then I thought for a long while before I fell asleep.”
An image of me masturbating several times to images of Charlie flashed through my mind unbidden, causing Edward to practically choke before he commented, “Definitely thought a lot, didn't you, Bella?”
I groaned in reply, “Shit, Edward. You weren't supposed to see that. I'm not used to you being able to see my thoughts, so you can't hold that against me.”
Charlie chuckled, then nuzzled my neck as he whispered, “Seeing flashes of your distractions last night, Sweetheart?”
Carlisle and Edward both cracked up as Charlie snickered and kissed my neck. I growled sexily as I turned to pin him against the fridge, “You're one to talk, Chief. You weren't very quiet this morning during your distraction, you know.”
Charlie blushed wildly, then coughed out, “Next topic, please.”
I smirked at him, smacked his ass lightly, then winked at Edward, “Wolf senses. I could detect the changes in his scent... hear every shift of the sheets.”
Edward gave me a wicked grin, then it softened as he cupped my cheek, “I'm happy for you, Love. No matter whether I mixed up my bloodlust, twisting it into thinking we were mates or not, I do care for you. I only want you to be happy. I was just worried when you didn't call, then neither of you showed up at the Forks house. That's the reason that Carlisle and I decided to track your steps from the airport, to see if the two of you were alright. And... voila, lunch is served.”