Turn Scars to Stars [2]

Wolves

Mel hummed one of her favorite Avenged Sevenfold songs into the peaceful night air as she attempted to twist rows of tiny braids into her shortened hair.

The youngest Cullen loved that she could see the stars better in La Push than in Forks. There were very few lights to pollute the sky and hide the stars when she was sitting on the back step of Emily's house.

It was calming to find familiar constellations glowing in the dark night. A light breeze blew her hair as she tried to braid it and tugged at the hood on her elephant-patterned sweatshirt.

A piercing howl ripped through the quiet air. Mel jumped in fright. She scanned the tree line of the backyard but didn't see any sign of movement.

The door behind her opened and two pack members stumbled down the steps. Paul, Embry, and Sam were out patrolling while Jared napped on the couch at Emily's. Jacob had slept on the floor.

Jacob and Jared peeled off layers of clothes as they made their way towards the woods.

"You should go inside, baby Cullen," Jacob called over his broad shoulder. "There's a hunt tonight." His frame melted into the shadows of the forest. Jared soon disappeared to phase as well.

But Melaina was equally curious and afraid. Had the Volturi found her?

~*~

Seth entered the woods through a path between the trees and phased a few feet from the others. He didn't think to check his surroundings at midnight in the middle of the forest.

Mel accidently gasped at the large sandy wolf in front of her. He was the size of a bear but had the fluffy fur of a golden retriever.

Melaina really didn't know the logistics of being a wolf shifter. Were they controlled by an alternate mind like Professor Lupin? Sam had harmed Emily, the love of his life, in wolf form.

The wolf's head snapped up at her gasp. His deep chocolate eyes met Melaina's pair of grey-green ones.

The intensity of the human emotion in his wolf gaze took Melaina's breath away. With his soft-looking fur and graceful structure, Mel was in awe of the creature before her.

"Seth?" Mel asked nervously, licking her lips, then felt stupid for waiting for a verbal response.

Instead, Seth wagged his tail and bowed his head in a nod, which was like a bucket of relief washing over her.

He could understand her. He was still himself inside a different body. He was still happy-go-lucky Seth.

When Seth started to back away, maybe to phase in privacy, Mel broke from the trance and came crashing into the reality of the situation.

Ah shit.

Mel bit her lip and shrunk back into a moss-covered oak with a slap to her forehead. She wasn't supposed to wander beyond the Uley's yard at night.

Now the whole pack would know through Seth's thoughts that she had disobeyed Sam.

Again.

~*~

Trusting Jacob and the others to keep the trespassing nomad situation under control, Sam phased back to human form to deal with the teenager who was currently under his protection.

After reading Seth's thoughts of spending his forever with Melaina Cullen, it gave Sam and the pack even more reason to protect the young human girl. Mel was an imprint; Sam had been correct.

The leader of the pack quickly pulled on a pair of jean shorts that were hidden under a bush and appeared behind the girl, "Melaina, what are you doing?"