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❛ disappearing acts and a deadly sweet tooth. ❜

𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬, 𝐌𝐢𝐚'𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫

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𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬, 𝐌𝐢𝐚'𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫. She had expected Jacob Black to be the next one to shift—but it turned out to be Embry Call who had recently joined the ranks of the Quileute wolves. With her focus split between keeping an eye on Jacob and managing school, Mia hadn't even had the chance to meet the newest member of the pack yet.

Her uncle had been hesitant about letting her stay involved with pack affairs, especially with a newly transformed wolf in the mix. But when the alarming news broke that Bella Swan had gone missing in the woods, he realized there was no stopping his niece. Arguing with her would only escalate things, and the urgency of the situation left no room for hesitation.

As their car made its way toward the Swan residence, a heavy silence filled the space between them. Though Mia wasn't particularly fond of Bella, she understood just how deeply Jacob cared for her. That alone was enough to push her to join the search. The tension in the vehicle was suffocating—each of them quietly stewing over the possibilities of what might have happened to the girl in those dark woods.

Jay finally broke the silence, glancing over at his niece, worry etched deep in his features. "What exactly are you planning to do if you run into Swan and a rogue vampire?" he asked, voice tight with concern. As much as he wanted to keep her safe at home, his loyalty to Chief Swan—and his own stubborn niece—had dragged him out tonight.

"I can fight," Mia shot back, punching his arm lightly, though his muscle didn't budge.

Jay raised a brow. "Where'd you learn to fight?"

Mia grinned. "Ever been to a concert?"

Before he could reply, she was already out of the car and heading toward Jacob and Billy. Someone handed her a flashlight, and as she zipped up her coat, movement in the crowd drew all attention away from the map everyone had been focused on. A man emerged from the trees, carrying an unconscious Bella Swan in his arms.

Sam Uley crossed the distance quickly and passed the limp girl to her father, who accepted her with a tight nod and immediately brought her inside, shielding her from the cold. Mia, despite herself, felt an overwhelming urge to approach the werewolf who had saved Bella. But before she could take a step, Jacob grabbed her arm.

"What are you doing?" he hissed, his voice tense and sharp.

Mia turned toward him, confused, only to see the anger burning in his eyes.

"Sam already took Embry from me," Jacob muttered, his voice thick with jealousy, "and now you're going over there? After that look he gave me?"

Mia blinked. "What look?" she asked, rubbing her hands together against the creeping chill. Normally, she would've pressed her icy fingers against Jacob's bare skin just to mess with him—but something about his tone kept her grounded.

"Like I'm next," Jacob murmured. The seriousness of his words caught Mia off guard. It hadn't occurred to her that Jacob noticed how often Sam seemed to watch him, always waiting, always measuring.

Before she could respond, Jay gently took her by the shoulder and began guiding her away. Sam followed behind, his steps quiet but deliberate. The group parted without another word.

The drive to the Uley house was short, and the second they stepped inside, Mia made a beeline for Emily. She threw her arms around her friend in a warm hug, her excitement bubbling over after weeks apart. Emily laughed in surprise but quickly ushered her into a seat, placing a fresh pastry into her hands. The smell of baked goods filled the room with comfort.

Mia's mood shifted instantly when Sam entered the kitchen and wrapped Emily in his arms, pressing a kiss to her cheek. She let out a dramatic gag, prompting Sam to smack the back of her head with mock irritation before whispering something in Emily's ear that made her giggle. Moments later, he stepped out the back door, following the same path Jay had taken.

Mia, mouth full of pastry, turned to Emily. "Where are the boys?" she asked, bits of crumbs spilling. Emily just smiled, the laughter echoing outside making the answer obvious.

Soon enough, Paul Lahote and Jared Cameron barreled in, shoving each other and grinning wide. Their faces lit up at the sight of Mia.

"Look what the wolf dragged in," Jared teased, already settling into his usual antics.

Paul moved to swipe the last muffin off the plate, but Mia reached for it at the same time. He batted her hand away with a smirk.

Mia narrowed her eyes, then kicked him under the table. But knowing Paul's payback style, she quickly got up from her seat, bracing for retaliation. Before he could pounce, Emily swatted him with a kitchen towel, saving Mia from the tickle assault.

Jared plopped onto the couch and glanced over at Mia. "Where've you been? Just seeing you makes my tail wag."

Mia rolled her eyes. "I've been busy keeping Jacob from exploding. You two just stare at him like he's a steak."

"Almost as bad as the time Jay saw Carlisle shirtless," she added, raising an eyebrow and making Paul laugh so hard he nearly choked.

Emily, still smiling, turned to Mia. "How'd you two end up friends again?"

Mia laughed. "I punched him in the face. He gave me a high five."

Quil found the whole situation to be quite funny, but his shyness held him back from ever striking up a conversation with the girl. And since Embry wasn't around to see what happened, Jacob ended up being the only one who formed a friendship with the brunette. It certainly helped that her uncle was tight with Billy, but Jay was careful not to force a friendship between them, especially since she was already getting close with the wolves she had grown up alongside.

She knew life wouldn't always stay this way—but right now, with the boys bickering, Emily humming in the kitchen, and warmth filling the little house, Mia allowed herself to hope it might last just a little longer.















o. 𝐧𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐧𝐨.

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐞. → embry callWhere stories live. Discover now