𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗖𝗘-ᵗʷⁱˡⁱᵍʰᵗ¹

twenty-six

Bonfire night meant that Sage was excited the entire day, practically bouncing off the walls. Kosumi would be there, acting as though he couldn't speak and his wise eyes would be flipping between the boys with knowing expressions. Sage knew the man had probably shifted at some point in his life, he was, after all, the oldest person on the reservation.

"Sage if you don't calm down i swear, i'll lock you inside tonight. The girl glared at her older brother as Paul wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I like hearing the stories, mainly how Kosumi acts all knowing." Embry snorted lightly from his spot on the couch, Adler beside him as she watched a show.

"Kosumi is all knowing." Sage looked at the curly haired boy, her brows raised in amusement. Embry just made a face before nodding in agreement.

"We got the two Makah kids infiltrating the fire tonight!" Emily smiled and high-fived the boy.

"I always forget you guys are the odd ones out, how sad for you." Sage looked at the two with a pout before scrambling out of Paul's arms and rushing towards Adler, who'd be experiencing the bonfire for the first time.

Sage was sitting on a log as the boys cooked their hotdogs on the fire, She kept glancing towards Bella's pale out of place figure and Paul kept pulling her mind back to him as he'd hand her a hotdog every so often. She watched as Jacob leaned against the girl's knees, a barely noticeable glare on her face as Paul watched Jacob toast the last hotdog, his hands not leaving from around the girls waist.

"Are you gonna eat that hotdog." Sage smiled lightly as Paul continued staring at Jacob expectantly. She leaned further into his chest, causing the burly teen to glance at her with a smile before looking back at Jacob.

"I guess," Jacobs words where slow, causing Sage to snort knowing he was toying with the boy. "I'm so full I'm about to puke, but I think I can force it down. I wont enjoy it at all, though."

Jacob pouted and Sage smirked as she looked at the boy. "Jacob, Im absolutely famished. I'd be so honored to take it off your hands."

Paul look between the two betrayed as Jacob immediately gave it to the girl. Sage took a bite as Paul stared at her with a pout, only for his face to brighten when she held it back for him. "You're the best woman in the world."

The boy quickly kissed Sage's cheek before taking the hotdog. The girl watched the flames dance against the night sky, listening as the wood crackled and owls began chirping. The girls face fully relaxed for the first time in years, and for once she looked completely at peace. She listened as her friends spoke, as watched with the elders as youth overcame the next generation.

Her eyes locked with Kosumi who was watching her with a soft smile. she sent him a questioning look, the old man just glanced towards Paul and nodded at the girl.  Sage looked at Kim, and the girl tapped her should and was immediately shown pictures of wedding dress ideas. The young Uley groaned and glared at Emily, knowing she'd set Kim up to this.

"Emily, We are not planning our wedding today, gosh. I get you're super excited to take my last name but its a free night." Sage saw Bella look between the two with wide eyes as the pack just laughed.

"Sage, our big day has to be absolutely perfect. We dont want Sam thinking he can object."

"You're actually so right, he's the villain in our love story." Sam rolled his eyes at his younger sister words and pulled Emily closer to him, causing the two girls to laugh as Sage leaned her head back, allowing Paul to gently kiss her. Sage noticed Bella's eyes lingering on the couple out of the corner of her eye, causing her face to harden as she turned her eyes back to a hungry flames.

Paul leaned his mouth to her ear and she fought back a shiver when she heard his soft whisper. "You ready for your favorite part?"

A smile graced her face, causing her eyes to brighten as she turned towards the Russet skinned boy, their lips oh so close. "Always."

Her voice was equally as soft and it seemed to disappear in the wind. The two were quickly distracted by Jacob throwing a stick at Paul. "Down boy, I'll sick Sam on you."

Sage laughed loudly as she turned to look at her brother, taking in his narrowed eyes as he watched the young couple interact. "Sam wouldn't do anything until we get back to his house. I'd murder him for ruining the stories."

The older Uley just rolled his eyes and turned towards the elders, catching Sage's raised middle fingers out of the corner of his eye. Billy sent the girl a playfully stern look as he glanced between the two kids. As the atmosphere transformed, the girl perked up, causing Paul to do the same, she watched the elders eagerly. She saw Emily pull out a notebook and laughed, making a mental note to tease her later.

As Billy's mouth opened she smiled lightly, listening as he somehow sounded wiser than before. Every time the man told the stories it felt like the first time, his voice had a way of drawing you in, making the old sound new. As the man mentioned the Makahs, Sage smirked towards Emily and Embry before turning her attention straight back to the elders. She made a disgusted face as he spoke of Utlapa and his ideas to enslave the Hohs and Makah people, to build an empire.

In her opinion Utlapa was an ancestor who had been unfortunately colonized. A shiver ran down her spine as he told them what Utlapa had done. The story was nothing but a warning, a reminder that being a spirit warrior was not easy but it was also their beginning.

The girl held back a laugh as Quil muttered about Sam having a black heart, and reached her hand out to high five the boy. "your fur color reflects how disgustingly sweet you are."

Sam snorted from his spot, and Billy elected to ignore the three. The man finished the story that told tale of the shifters beginning causing Sage to excitedly bump her shoulder against Pauls. The female Uley's eyes moved to Emily and she decided that the scarred woman was going to have wrist issues by the end of the night from how quickly her pen danced against the paper.

Her eyes flickered towards Bella as Old Quil approached the topic of the cold ones, silently judging the girl for how she foolishly trusted creatures who lived off blood, how she wanted to become one of those creatures. Sage had made it known from the beginning she didn't want Bella at the fire, yet Jacob had insisted and Sam sided with him. Her heart ached as Quil's grandfather spoke of Taha Aki's stolen sons.

Paul tightened his grip on the girl as she leaned forward, keeping her from falling as she listened to the elderly man speak. A smirk graced her face as Billy lifted up his necklace, the pendant being a bag that held remains of a cold one. Her eyes closed as She envisioned the scene of the third wife stabbing herself, woman really do save the day.

Once a clan Sage could only expect to be the Cullens was mentioned, she found herself staring into the side of Bella's head.

As the trance of the story was broken, Sage found herself looking at the pack members excitedly, taking in each and every one of their expressions. She giggled as Jared tossed a small stone at Quil, watching as the third newest member jumped. "Scaredy cat."

Quil turned to the girl with a hurt expression and gently pushed her, causing her upper body to sway lightly. Eventually everyone disbanded, Jacob guiding a distracted Bella to his car, as Sage, Paul, Sam, and Emily rushed back to the cottage eager to shower and immediately fall asleep.