New Dawn

S l e e p o v e r

Fire had always been my favorite element. The colors dancing and blending together – always changing and evolving as it destroyed everything in its reach. The heat it released, filled me with such comfort and sparked memories of Jacob – my Jacob. Smiling at the thought, I pulled myself back into reality. I was seated beside Leah and Seth as Jacob stood before the group and spoke.

I loved watching him talk in front of the whole pack and their imprints. Whenever he was around the group, he went into his Alpha mode. The change was subtle and I didn't think anyone but me could see the difference but there was a change. Alpha Jacob was guarded and knew exactly what he wanted, while my Jacob was nervous and shy at times but still just as strong. No matter what mode he was in, he was the greatest man I knew. He was so confident and powerful as he finished telling the legend of the third wife – a story I had heard many times before.

Jacob continued with another legend, "This past month the elders traveled with Carlisle and Edward to a tribe up north in order to hear their legends. My father told me about this tribe that lived up in Canada. Their chief was a horrible man – he saw war as a game and took pleasure in others' deaths. The chief is long gone now but his spirit still lingers.

"One day, the chief discovered a cold one. It had ripped apart a quarter of the tribe, sucking the life from their bodies. Instead of angering the chief, this thrilled him. He thought of it as a challenge and a way to prove his greatness.

"The chief sought out his three sons, alike in every way. He gave them the mission to find the monster and bring him back in one piece. The brothers were scared but none of them dared deny their father. For many years, they hunted the monster. During their search, their father grew very old and eventually died. The sons came back empty handed but had become men in their journey and had grown sturdy and strong.

"After the boys had become almost thirty the cold one returned, only this time there were more. There were two, both men. They came but didn't take anyone's life. They took the three son's away, taking only a single bite from their necks. The sons transformed into the disgusting leaches. . ." Jake looked over to me and, with his eyes, apologized for his choice of words.

The small crowd was roaring with laughter. I smiled and shook off his comment. The names never really bothered me too much.

Jacob started up again, after the pack had calmed down, "And they were cursed with special abilities. Their thirst for power was almost as strong as their thirst for blood. Together, they ripped apart their own tribe."

The crowd fell completely silent.

I interrupted the stillness. "What are their names and what are their abilities?" Maybe, I had heard of them from my family.

Jacob gave me a sharp glance; full of anger but not toward me. "The chief was Epanow and the sons are Egan, Fife, and Chanco. They're triplets. But the legend doesn't tell of their gifts," he said the last word with anger and annoyance.

"I see." A rush of guilt stung my thoughts but I couldn't explain why.

Jacob must have caught on to my mood because he quickly changed the subject. "One returned home. After many years, the survivors built their tribe back up and one day Chanco came back. At first the tribe ran in terror. But a small girl, who had never heard the stories of her ancestors, went to him. He smiled and picked her up in his arms. Her mother came and kicked and punched Chanco as hard as she could but it only hurt her. He eventually gained the trust of his tribe again and found love with one of the girls. Once she died, Chanco lost it and rejoined his brothers. They now roam the world together in evil." Jacob's story came to an end. Our gazes met, and his smile brightened, "Alright. Enough listening to me. The night is now yours. Be safe," he dismissed the pack.