Rising Moon - A Twilight Fan Fiction

Chapter Thirteen - Brown Eyes

Chapter Thirteen: Brown Eyes

They just stared; a dozen pairs of eyes searching my skin, studying me down to the very last zipper.

The fact that they were wolves was undeniable. They had the same deep brown eyes framed by thick lashes and varying amounts of facial hair, and none of them could take their gaze from me. I recognized the same trademarks from Jacob's pack, though the tattoos peeking out from the t-shirt sleeves seemed to have a different design. The hair, the worn clothes, the radiating heat; they were a family like the one we had back home. The only difference was, this pack didn't have its Alpha missing.

"Daddy!"

Bess came barreling passed me, braids bouncing like kite tails as she threw herself into the center pair of arms. The man grinned and swooped her into the air, cuddling her into his chest with coos of fatherly love. The others petted the girl as well, but none of them moved from the doorway.

In came the lady who'd brought me breakfast, and she quietly removed Bess from what I assumed was her father.

"She's awake," she smiled kindly, tilting her head in my direction. This time, I could tell the smile glimmered in her eyes as her husband secured a hand on her hip. She turned around, and the attention was promptly brough back to me. "Boys, this is Mrs Black, bride of our favorite runaway."

"Renesmee. Nessie, is fine," I said with a short nod.

"Welcome, Renesmee," her husband said with a curt nod. The men around him were still tensed, but they followed him farther into the room as he entered. He sat down on the couch, and they all seemed to retire to assigned seats, leaving me as the only one standing. They flung themselves over ottomans and rocking chairs, and Bess ran between them before returning to her father's lap. She giggled as he pulled on her braid.

The Alpha studied me in my dusty clothes and tangled hair. I was outnumbered with no place to run, and I had the stench of a blood sucker wreaking off my skin. Still, none of them seemed ready to attack. In fact, they were strangely calm.

Finally, I said, "Where's Jacob?"

The man nearest me smirked. "He went for a joy run. Something about being cooped up too long."

I frowned at him. "He's talking to our pack isn't he?"

All of them shrugged in unison. The Alpha nodded.

"You are quite missed, Renesmee," he said.

His wife, coming to my side now, added, "You two have become pretty famous as far as the wolf packs are concerned. They've been hunting you for three days now."

I stared in confusion. Hunting us? That meant that our pack was out searching, as well as the Volturi and my family. That also meant we were doing a damn good job of hiding.

The woman held a hand out for Bess and the little girl came to her mother without question. "Let's leave them to their man talk for a while. Bess, would you like to show Mrs Black the yard?"

Bess took off with a smile, and we strolled after her. I was led to a tree swing where Bess immediately sat down, waiting for us to board and swing with her. She sat on the end, her mother between us.

"I'm Hannah, by the way. Hannah Rivers," she said, eyes trained on her house. As my gaze followed hers, I swore I saw a curtain twitch back into place, as if someone was keeping watch.

"Thank you, Hannah. I'm sure it took some convincing from Jacob to let us stay," I said, hands folded in my lap.

She laughed quietly. "A lot of it, actually. Benny still isn't okay with it. The boys, on the other hand, would do anything for Jacob. He's practically a legend around here."

"I can imagine," I answered. "He never told me about this place."

Looking around, it was a beautiful forest, similar to the one Jacob's house was on back home. It was obvious we were on some kind of reserve, like most packs were, but this one had a homey feel to it. I almost expected Seth or Leah to come bounding out from behind a tree, and then I remembered we were not anywhere near home.

"No, he wouldn't have," she said. "It was his hiding place before you were born. When your parents married, he ran here. I suppose it's become his favorite escape."

Bess laughed for us to swing faster, and Hannah readily obliged. The girl's feet swung loosely in the air beneath her and I couldn't help smiling at her.

"Why haven't you turned us in? I'm sure my family is offering some reward," I questioned. Knowing them, it was probably a dollar amount with more than a few zeros. Not to say the house wasn't cozy, but I'm sure that would've helped with the food bills and the little repairs every home needs. A better driveway, some new furniture; they definitely could've used that check.

Hannah laughed. "Jacob is family to us here, and you are protected under his imprint. Why would we turn you in and betray that?"

"Thank you," I said, nodding in understanding. The wolves were as much as family as my own.

She nodded. "I just hope you two know what you're getting yourselves into. Those vampires are nothing to play around with."

"I am one of them, you know," I reminded her, giving her a slight glare. This prejudice existed everywhere, it seemed.

"You are an exception," she corrected. "A bloodsucking, imprinted exception."

A smirk played on her lips and I could tell she was only teasing about the last part. I relaxed again, sitting back against the swing's seat. Bess curled into her mother's side and began babbling about the kittens in the barn and how fast her new "Uncle Jakey" could run.

We sat out there for a long time, swinging and talking about mundane things. Hannah told me about the last few days, and how Jacob's father had been contacting many of the packs to see if we had run to any of them. He'd called here first before we'd even arrived, but she was expecting another one soon; she felt so bad about planning to lie.

Bess was in the middle of a riveting story about a pond frog she'd rescued when, from the bushes to our right, a wolf came bounding out of the trees. Hannah's arms went around her daughter, and I almost wished they went around me. Bess screeched at the top of her lungs, and the large dog turned its head towards us.

Every single one of the men came rushing out of the house. As soon as Benny, the Alpha, saw a stranger in his yard, he shifted into his wolf form and his pack followed suit. They rushed in front of us, creating a furry, growling wall. I saw Benny nod his head towards the door, and Hannah instantly obeyed, picking up Bess and moving in silence back inside the house. I, on the other hand, did not budge from the swing.

The wolf bared it's teeth in a growl, and I knew they were communicating with the telepathy wolves used. A few of the wolves shot looks at me, but Benny did not seem to mind. He knew I was not trained to run and hide; I was taught to fight, though I was very rarely ever allowed to.

Their eyes shifted to the tree line once again as another wolf was heard approaching, and a new dog came flying out of the branches. I recognized this one, and a sigh of relief left my lips.

Jake was back.

He ran between the pack and the new wolf and I frowned, watching them all baring teeth and growling as they communicated. With no hesitation, I wove my way between the wolves and went to Jake's side. Again, all the attention turned to me, though, it was short live, because, as soon as I touched Jake's temple, the strange wolf lunged at his throat