Waxing Gibbous

Selfish (B)

Edward took advantage of the fact that I was momentarily stumped, continuing in a suspiciously smooth and soothing voice.

"I got a fascinating look into the pack's mind last night. It was better than a soap opera. I had no idea how complex the dynamic is with such a large pack. The pull of the individual against the plural psyche . . . Absolutely fascinating."

He was obviously trying to distract me. I glared at him.

"They've been keeping a lot of secrets," he said with a grin. "Though I don't suspect Rosalie cares much about that, I think the new knowledge makes it easier actually."

I didn't answer, I just kept glaring, holding on to my argument and waiting for an opening.

"For instance, did you note the light grey wolf last night. The one who was tall and lanky?"

I nodded one stiff nod.

He chuckled. "They take all of their legends so seriously. It turns out there are things that none of their stories prepared them for."

I sighed. "Okay, I'll bite. What are you talking about?"

"They always accepted without question that it was only the direct grandsons of the original wolf who had the power to transform."

"So, someone changed who wasn't a direct descendant?"

"No. She's a direct descendant, all right."

I blinked, and my eyes widened. "She?" then I remembered Alex's words last night. 'I mean you heard Billy and Old Quil. Taha Aki's sons... I'm a descendant of them too. They think only men can be in the pack'

"another female wolf?" I asked trying to think of who it could be.

"Leah Clearwater"

"Leah's a wolf!?" I shrieked but when I thought about it, it made sense. Leah being at the bonfire, her spending all her time with Alex. "how come Alex didn't say anything?"

"There are things she wasn't allowed to share - their numbers, for instance. Like I said before, when Sam gives an order, the pack simply isn't able to ignore it. Alex has an easier time; I can't read her mind. Of course, after last night that's all out the window."

"I can't believe it. Leah Clearwater!" Suddenly, I remembered Jacob speaking of Leah and Sam, and the way he acted as if he'd said too much - after he'd said something about Sam having to look in Leah's eyes every day and know that he'd broken all his promises... Leah on the cliff, a tear glistening on her cheek when Old Quil had spoken of the burden and sacrifice the Quileute sons shared... And Billy, spending time with Sue because she was having trouble with her kids...and here the trouble actually was that both of them were wolves now!

And now Leah was part of Sam's pack, hearing his thoughts . . . and unable to hide her own. Alex mentioned her having 'emotional' moments and having to cover it because the pack thought it was a burden. I wondered how much of that was about Leah.

"Poor Leah," I whispered.

Edward snorted. "She's making life exceedingly unpleasant for the rest of them, with the exception of Alex. I'm not sure she deserves your sympathy."

"What do you mean?"

"It's hard enough for them, having to share all their thoughts. Most of them try to cooperate, make it easier. When even one member is deliberately malicious, it's painful for everyone."

"She has reason enough," I mumbled, still on her side.

"Oh, I know," he said. "The imprinting compulsion is one of the strangest things I've ever witnessed in my life, and I've seen some strange things." He shook his head wonderingly. "The way Sam is tied to his Emily is impossible to describe - or I should say her Sam. Sam really had no choice. It reminds me of A Midsummer Night's Dream with all the chaos caused by the fairies' love spells . . . like magic." He smiled. "It's very nearly as strong as the way I feel about you."

"Poor Leah," I said again. "But what do you mean, malicious?"

"She's constantly bringing up things they'd rather not think of, granted she's gotten better more in control of her emotions and thoughts but sometimes she can't help herself." he explained. "For example, Embry."

"What's with Embry?" I asked, surprised.

"His mother moved down from the Makah reservation eighteen years ago, when she was pregnant with him. She's not Quileute. Everyone assumed she'd left his father behind with the Makah's. But then he joined the pack."

"So?"

"So, the prime candidates for his father are Quil Ateara Sr., Joshua Uley, Billy Black, or Demetri Uley all of them married at that point, with children or pregnant wives. Well almost all."

"No!" I gasped. Edward was right - this was exactly like a soap opera.

"Now Sam, Jacob, Quil and Alex all wonder which of them has a half-brother. Most of them like to think it's Sam, since his father was never much of a father, and Sam was nearly 5 at the time. But there are a few who think it could have been Demetri. I mean Embry is older than Alex, Val went to college in Seattle, meaning there was plenty of time Demetri could have gone to the tribe. There is also the fact that he and Val moved shortly after Embry was born. But no one can really ask."

I couldn't believe it. It does sound like Embry was Alex's half-brother, but in the end I only felt bad because someone kept reminding her that her dead father could have cheated on her mom. It didn't make sense though.

"who thinks it's Demetri?" I asked. Edward smiled slightly, but I could see the distaste hidden. Almost as if he didn't want to say who or if he really didn't want to believe that Alex's father did such a thing.

"Jacob is the main contender. Seems he enjoys throwing it back at Alex when Leah brings it up. Poor Alex has been led to believe it so much that she tries to avoid him, she doesn't mention her dad anymore. Though I wonder if fur color is any indication of relationship."

"what do you mean?"

"take the Uley line for instance – Sam, Alex, Paul all three of them have a variation of black or grey fur."

"Leah's grey too" I added.

"yes, but Leah and Seth have three lines in their tree. Uley, Ateara and the Bayak. Now look at the Black line – Jacob. He has a reddish-brown color. Then the Ateara line; Quil and Jared, brown or chocolate fur"

"okay, where does Embry fit?"

"well, Embry has grey fur with brown flecks"

"you think he's in the Uley line?" I asked, he sure was implying it.

"it would seem so, though perhaps it's just a fluke. Alex could have the fur color due to other reasons"

"How did you get so much in one night?"

"The pack mind is mesmerizing. All thinking together and then separately at the same time. There's so much to read! Of course, only one of them can keep secrets. Alex is still a tough one to crack, perhaps for the best. It means she can keep her interaction with Rosalie a secret. I don't think she wants them to know everything." He sounded faintly regretful, like someone who'd had to put down a good book just before the climax. I laughed.

"The pack is fascinating," I agreed. "Almost as fascinating as you are when you're trying to distract me."

His expression became polite again - a perfect poker face.

"I have to be in that clearing, Edward."

"No," he said in a very final tone.