Burning Star: A Twilight FanFic

Side Story 1.4- The Second Pack

RAVEN'S POV

The packs were silent. I wasn't done talking, though. "My parents had three sons after me. They all have the ability to phase. They've formed their own pack. My role is different. I am here to help all the packs, and so I can communicate with you all, even in your wolf forms. You have all protected the tribe in a time of great danger. The Spirits have chosen to reward you for this. Some of you have already found your rewards- Sam, Jacob, Quil, Jared, Paul, Brady, Shaun, Ryan, Flinn, and now Embry. My job is to arrange things so that the rest of you imprint as well."

"They can all imprint?" Sue Clearwater asked, her eyes quickly darting to her daughter, and then to Casey.

I nodded. "Yes. Imprinting is not an exception. But it's rare for you all to leave tribe lands for long periods of time. Most wolves simply haven't met enough people to find their mates."

I could sense them coming. Koda was practically sprinting through the forest. Casey shot up and spun around, just as he burst through the trees. We all watched them melt as their eyes met. My brother moved at full speed to get to her. That alarmed the pack.

My brothers weren't normal wolves. They had vampire ancestry, and so that gave them some extra advantages. They were stronger and faster than the others were in their human forms. They smelled slightly different. And they healed faster. Alex also had a vampiric gift- he could link his mind with others. He could essentially create something similar to the pack link with anybody.

"Raven," my father spoke in his deep voice. "You scared your mother." His tone was disapproving. I knew his objection wasn't to my coming here, but to the fact that Mom got upset. He knew that I had connections beyond the mortal realm, and did his best not to interfere.

"I'm sorry. I'll apologize to her later. I was just a little excited." I shot a quick smile over my shoulder to Embry. Dad looked at Embry and then back at me, and a moment of sadness touched his face. He'd made some connections.

All my life, I had known that I'd have to leave my parents one day and distance myself as much as possible. Despite my power, I was mortal. I had a human lifespan, and I aged normally. My mom didn't want to accept that. For the past few years, I'd been spending as much time away from home as possible, and being somewhat impersonal when I was there. It frustrated my parents, and I knew that despite their denials, they knew why I was doing it. If I stuck around, they'd have to watch me die, and I knew they couldn't bear it. Now that I had found Embry, I wasn't going to go back to our house. Dad could tell.

"Koda," Dad said. "Why don't you ask your mate to show you around?"

Casey didn't hesitate, taking my brother's hand and leading him away. Dad turned back to the group and spoke with unquestionable authority. Not exactly an alpha command, but definitely an order. "Raven has spoken her part. I'm sure she'll want to mingle with the packs and spend time with her mate. Right now, I need to speak with Sam, Jacob, and the Elders."

"You would be Taha Wi?" Sam asked.

"Yes. Though it would probably be easier if you all called me Mitch. Most people do."

The alphas and the elders went into the house, leaving me with the pack. Alex and Will plopped down next to me in the space where the Elders had been. "You are so dead, Raven," Will smirked.

"Yeah, right," Alex snorted. "She'll just disappear before Mom can do anything."

I rolled my eyes. "Why don't you two introduce yourselves instead of making snarky comments?"

"Yeah, yeah," Will said. He turned to face the circle who were watching us quietly. "I'm Will McCabe."

"And I'm Alex McCabe. We're twins, and Raven's youngest brothers. DaKoda was the one who left with that girl a minute ago. He's in between the three of us."

The pack went around the circle introducing themselves.

Leah had been staring at me for a while deep in thought. "Do you mind if I ask you a question?" Her voice was tentative and everyone looked startled by the hesitancy. I gathered that Leah was usually pretty bold.

"Go ahead. Though I can't guarantee I'll be able to answer," I responded.

"Do you already know who to pair us with?"

I stopped and thought. I had to be careful wording this. "I know for some of you. Others I don't. But more to your point, I know who you're supposed to imprint on. But there's someone I have to talk to to help get things in motion. But all of you, please, don't ask me for more information on this stuff. I can't give you answers."

"Why not?" Seth asked.

"I can't tell you that either. Let's just say that most of the details and the 'whys' are confidential," I explained. Their expressions ranged from confused to irritated to disappointed.

I talked for a while with the pack, getting to know them as best I could. A little less than an hour later, my dad came out of the meeting, with Jacob trailing him.

"Jacob is going to show us back to the Cullens'. Your mom is there waiting," he said, a hint of warning in his voice.

I stood up and turned to Embry. "Come with me?"

"Of course," he replied jumping up.

I turned to Seth Clearwater. Time to set something else in motion. "You should come too," I told him with a slight smile. His eyes lit up and he stood to follow.

Alex went into Koda's head and told him where we were going, and then after Renesmee and I hopped up onto Jacob and Embry's wolf forms, we were off.