The Hybrid (A Twilight Saga Continuation) (Slow Updates)

24: Lesson at Lunch

I woke early the next morning, tired of sleeping, and felt like myself again. I got up and let Jacob sleep knowing that for the past few days he hadn't slept well with everything that was happening to me. After showering and brushing all the tangles out of my hair I stood in the full length mirror on the back of the bathroom door. It was good to see that I was still me.

In the morning quiet, I decided to change. I found the point of cold in my chest that now seemed to be permanent and let in spread. In the blink of an eye I felt strong and invincible but I still looked like me. My eyes were a lighter reddish brown like a brick or Jacob's wolf fur. I could faintly see the flecks in my skin in the dim fluorescent lighting. My throat was dry and I flinched remembering how bad it could get. The cold point in my chest was replaced by a point of heat; my lifeline to my human self.

I let that heat spread learning how to change without the pain or thirst as a motivator. I smiled realizing that it was easy and natural then frowned when human thirst hit me. I turned to get the glass of water from the nightstand and jumped when I saw Jacob staring at me.

"Did I scare you?" His voice was husky from sleep.

"Yes, you're supposed to be asleep. Did I wake you?"

"I could smell the difference when you changed."

I gulped down the water "Was it really bad?" I reached to put down the empty glass.

He caught my wrist and pulled me down on the bed next to him.

"You're laughing at me." I whined.

"You're pouting and its funny." I immediately pursed my lips realizing he was right. "And no you don't smell bad at all just different, sweeter."

He leaned in and kissed me but it only lasted a second before he pulled back and yawned.

"My turn to laugh at you Chief. You need more sleep." I got up and walked to the TV on the dresser at the foot of the bed.

"What are you doing?"

I loaded in a dvd, "I'm watching a movie while you go back to sleep."

I climbed back into bed with my back against the headboard and pressed play on the remote when the menu came up.

"Lord of the Rings?" Jacob asked surprised.

"Yep. It's one of my Dad's favorite movies. One of mine too."

"Me too." He wrapped his arms around my waist and laid his head on my stomach. "Let me know when they get to the caves before they fight the troll." He was asleep before the first lines were spoken.

He woke up on his own at the end of Two Towers mad that I did not wake him when he asked. me too.

"You needed sleep. and you didn't even wake up when I changed the DVD." I said laughing as he threw his temper tantrum.

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"Mom, how tall were you before you first shifted?" Jake and I were having lunch my parents at their hotel near Port Angeles.

"I was 4'8.5" until I was 20. Those extra 3.5 inches were some of the best perks of being a shifter. No idea why I'm so short. My mother was 6'1". She used to call me The Runt. Not sure how tall my father was."

"I like that you're short. I don't think I could handle it if you were superhuman and tall. Don't think I'm man enough for that." Dad said very matter-of-factually then took a sip of his iced tea.

My mother leaned towards him and circled her index finger on his forearm. "You're man enough for anything Baby."

Both Jake and I choked, "Mom!" I yelled between coughs, "That was highly inappropriate." I pat Jacob on the back to help clear his throat.