The Turning of Cecily Stewart

The Dogs

Cecily wrinkled her nose, the smell of the fast approaching guests arriving before they did. It had been about seven months since she was turned, so Carlisle felt it was time that she met more of the neighboring shapeshifters. Well, outside of Jacob. He still was wary of her, though seemed less aggressive the last time he was around. He had stood in the corner, watching while she and the Cullens had played a board game with Renesmee. He had glared at her a couple times fewer than the time before, which she would take as a win.

"They're almost here," Carlisle said, glancing down at Cecily.

"I can tell," she said, thinking about the stench.

"They aren't all like Jacob," Alice said.

"You mean they have a personality?" Cecily griped. Alice chuckled.

"He's not so bad," she said. "Just... give him some time."

"He still thinks I'm going to eat Nessie," Cecily replied. "Obviously I'm not."

"Hello, Sam!" Carlisle shouted, interrupting Alice and Cecily's conversation.

Cecily looked over, seeing a small group of men stepping out from the trees. They were dressed in nothing but shorts with their feet bare. She assumed the one in front must be this Sam – he had an air of authority around him and the other two stayed just behind him as they made their way to the house.

Carlisle walked up to him and shook his hand, though Sam kept staring at Cecily.

"I'm glad you could come," Carlisle said. He turned and motioned for Cecily to come over. "This is the newest member of our family – Cecily."

She mustered up a smile and held her hand out, wondering if he was going to be as cold as Jacob. Sam stared at her a moment before accepting it and shaking her hand. She decided that was a point in his favor.

"Nice to meet you," she said genuinely. As much as she was starting to like the Cullens, she was a bit desperate for new faces. Sam nodded, but didn't say anything.

"And these are Paul and Jared," Carlisle continued. "They are the beta and third-in-command of Sam's pack."

Cecily nodded towards them as Paul grinned and Jared offered a half-smile and small wave.

"Nice to meet you guys too," she said.

"So, you're the reporter that the police were searching for?" Sam asked.

"Yea, I guess so..." she said, unsure about his response.

"Any idea who ran you off the road?" Sam then asked.

"I don't know who they were specifically, but I think it might have been connected to the story that I was working on," Cecily admitted.

"We've been keeping an eye out. They haven't come back," Carlisle said. "We're sure that they think she's dead."

"Good, we'd like to keep it that way," Sam said, fixing Cecily in a stern frown. "We don't want them snooping around here anymore."

"Trust me, I don't want them around here as much as you do," she stated. "They did try to kill me."

"And the story?" Sam asked.

"Can't really investigate when I can't be around humans," Cecily said with a disappointed sigh.

"That's another thing-"

"I swear, I haven't been around them at all," she said quickly. "I stick to the Cullens' lands and won't go near people until I've gotten myself under control."

"Have you tested it?" Sam asked, looking at Carlisle.

"She's been spending time around Renesmee," Carlisle said.