(2) Wild Horses (E. Cullen)

Chapter Five

Edward was right. About the pack. About them finding out that Bambi is part vampire. It is probably best to just get it out there. Get it over and done with. So she asked Jacob to pass on the message. To meet her at a diner for lunch. All of them. Somewhere public is somewhere safe. They are not going to react badly if they are in public. Not if they can help it. She chews on her thumbnail as she glances around the diner. She just wants to get this over with. But she has to do this alone. They both knew that Edward being here with her would only make it worse. So she has to sit and wait and let her nerves get the better of her all alone. All of them come. Sam. Paul. Jared. Jacob. Caleb. Embry and Quil. Even Leah and Seth. Bambi clenches her hands in her lap, her eyes scanning over each of them as they move towards her.

"Thanks for this" Sam tells her and then notices her look. Sees how on the verge of upset she already is. "What's going on? Has he hurt you?"

"No" She whispers and shakes her head. Paul and Jared share a look. "I didn't want to tell you, not really, but Edward persuaded me that I should...." She draws her finger around the rim of her glass. "So before all the wolf stuff, I was.....weird" Jacob and Caleb both snort in agreement. "I just...." She shakes her head. "Carlisle, the doc....he and Edward started doing some research into me....and well, it turns out that I'm adopted"

"Well, we kind of guessed" Paul comments. "Seen as Bella isn't a wolf"

"Right" Bambi whispers and pulls her hands into her lap.

"Nadine" Sam pushes a little. "It's okay, we're your pack, you can tell us anything" Bambi lets out a breath.

"It turns out my dad, my biological one....is a vampire" She blurts out. The wolves all stare at her. "So I am...part vampire" She adds quieter as they all try to process what they've just been told.

"Is that possible?" Jared asks Sam who shrugs a little. Before today, he would have said no, but Bambi is sat in front of him. And yes he even questioned things about her, because they weren't...wolf. But he put it down to her being the first female wolf. This makes a little more sense. That she's not a full wolf.

"You didn't want to tell us this" Sam realises, she nods. "Because you thought we'd abandon you"

"Well, you were about ready to when I told you I was imprinted on a vampire, let alone that I kind of am one" She points out. Sam nods a little.

"Give us a minute," Sam tells the rest of the pack who slip out of the booth. Jacob and Caleb lingering a little before following orders. Sam leans on the table as Bambi keeps her eyes down and concentrates on her hands in her lap. "Nadine" He starts trying to get her to look at him. "We're family" He assures her. "No matter what else is in there, there is wolf, and that's all that matters to me" She looks at him now. "I know things have been difficult, but as a pack, we are trying to adjust to everything that's happening. You are breaking all the rules" He teases with a smile. "And we don't know what to do. I was told everything, that it happened a certain way, that there were certain expectations and then here you come...proving that it's all wrong" He gives her a small smile and nods. She hums a little and then pulls a face. "What?" He asks her.

"That's not all" She answers, he cocks his head with a frown. "Well, I'm part vampire and part wolf but...I'm also part....fairy, apparently" Sam raises an eyebrow at her, she shrugs. She honestly hasn't thought it all through. She doesn't want to. It's weird enough to think that there are three different species trapped inside her DNA without going into the mechanics of it.

"Are you okay with all of that?" He asks her, she snorts and gives him a look.

"I don't have a choice" She argues. "It's what I am...I can't change that" She shrugs a little. "This is my life. Anything that I had hoped for in my future....won't happen. No music school. No London. I have to accept that my life will be trapped in this town" She stands from the booth. "Thank you for understanding, for not...lashing out"

"Of course," He tells her softly and then follows her to her feet. "Nadine"

"Bambi" She argues and looks at him. "I think it's about time you call me Bambi" He smiles a little and nods.

"Bambi" He starts. "I was actually thinking that maybe I can have lunch with you and Edward" She raises an eyebrow at him. "It would just be me...I need to get to know him better, I think it will help me get my head around it all. If that's okay?" He asks her. "You can say no, and he can say no, but...he's important to this pack now...I think it's time we got to know one another...." Bambi nods a little in agreement. At least he is trying. He is attempting to mend bridges, to accept what happened.

"I'll talk to him" She assures him. "But right now, I need to phase, my skin is...crawling"

"Yeah, it's been a while for you" Sam agrees. "Would you like some company?" He asks, she hums and looks at him.

"Sure" She answers and gives him a small smile.