✓ | PRIMAL, jacob black ²

chapter twenty

CHAPTER TWENTY

Emily wasn't home when Aniya arrived, which explained the surprised look on Sam's face when he answered the door. With Emily out, it was just the two of them now, sitting across from each other at the kitchen table. The quiet in the room felt heavy as if the walls themselves were holding their breath, waiting for the conversation to unfold. Aniya set her bag carefully on her lap, trying to steady herself for what she was about to say. Sam's gaze was intense, but patient. He didn't rush her; he just watched her, waiting for her to speak.

Finally, after a long moment, Sam spoke up. "Tell me, what do you know?"

Aniya took a deep breath, feeling the weight of her discoveries pressing down on her chest. "Well, I know that you, the guys, and Leah shift into wolves," she started, her voice steady, though her hands were clenched tightly in her lap. Sam stayed silent, but she could see his eyes narrow just slightly, knowing she had more to say.

"I also found out that I was born here, on the Rez," she continued, her voice quieter now. "My father's name is Tala Ateara, and he's the cousin of Quil's father. Even though Tala was adopted into the family, he was still included in the knowledge of the legends and traditions. It's like... even though he wasn't connected by blood, they sensed something in him. Some part of him had the same genes." She paused, watching Sam's face carefully, hoping he would understand.

Sam's expression softened just a bit, a faint look of acknowledgement crossing his features. "So, you do have a direct connection," he said, his voice low but steady.

Aniya nodded, a slight frown pulling at the corners of her mouth. "I'm not sure if it's truly direct, but I know there's a connection. And I also know that your fathers' generation didn't shift into wolves because the Cold Ones that Ephraim Black made the treaty with had already left Forks by then."

Sam nodded, his jaw tightening slightly. "That's right. My father's generation didn't shift. The last wolves were Ephraim's pack. They were the last to phase."

"Yeah, that makes sense," Aniya muttered, her thoughts swirling around the fragments of information she had pieced together. Then, she hesitated before asking, "So... the Cold Ones. Are there any near? I mean, you guys have started shifting again, and I know from Ephraim's stories that's what triggered the change in the first place."

Sam was silent for a long moment. Aniya could see the tension in his shoulders and the way his hand gripped the edge of the table. He didn't need to answer her—his silence spoke volumes, confirming everything she already suspected.

"I figured as much," Aniya said quietly, her expression hardening as she pulled out the sketchbook she had been working on. She flipped it open to the pages where she had sketched the Cold Ones, the red-eyed figures haunting her mind for the past week. With a deep breath, she slid the sketchbook across the table toward him. "I've been drawing these over the past few days. I didn't know who they were at first, but now... I'm sure. They're the Cold Ones."

Sam's eyes flickered over the pages, his face hardening as he recognized the red-haired figure Aniya had drawn so carefully. His teeth ground together, and a low growl rumbled in his throat. Aniya could tell he recognized the face all too well.

"Aniya," he said, his voice tight as he looked up from the sketches. "I need to call the pack over. You're going to need to explain everything you know. We need to know everything."

Aniya blinked at the sudden urgency in his voice. She had expected him to be more composed, but there was something in his eyes now—a trace of unease, a hint of worry. It made her heart race, though she tried not to show it.

"Sure," she replied, trying to keep her tone casual, though her mind was whirling. "I can do that."

Sam nodded, standing up from the table. "I'll be back soon. Emily should be here any minute, so make yourself comfortable."

"Yeah, sure," Aniya said with a nod, watching as Sam left the room, his footsteps echoing in the silence behind him.

As soon as Sam left, Aniya sat in the stillness of the house, her thoughts racing as she waited for Emily to return. The minutes felt like hours as she stared at the sketches in front of her, wondering just how much more of this she would have to learn. She had so many questions still unanswered—about the wolves, about the Cold Ones, about her own role in all of this—but she knew that now wasn't the time to dwell on them. Soon, everything would come to light.

Finally, the front door opened, and Emily's voice rang out, calling Aniya's name. Aniya barely had time to react before Emily had rushed into the room, her arms wrapping tightly around her in a hug. Emily's words came out in a frantic rush.

"Aniya, where have you been?! Do you have any idea how worried everyone's been? You've missed a whole week of school! The pack and the girls have been asking about you non-stop."

Aniya chuckled, a little sheepish at the sheer intensity of Emily's reaction. "Sorry," she said with a small smile. "I've kind of been a little preoccupied with some... discoveries of my own. Like finding out that I was born here on the Rez, and that I'm technically cousins with Leah and the guys—Quil especially, not by blood, but it still counts... Oh, and also, I found out they all shift into wolves."

Emily froze, blinking at her in stunned silence. It took a moment for the words to register. Her mouth parted in disbelief, but she didn't speak. Instead, she simply stared at Aniya, eyes wide and unblinking.

Aniya let out a small, amused laugh. "Yeah, that happened," she said with a grin, trying to ease the tension. "But I'll tell you more about it when Sam gets back with the pack."

Without another word, Emily pulled Aniya into a tight embrace, relief flooding her features. "Oh thank goodness," she whispered, her voice shaky. "I'm so glad there's nothing I need to hide from you. I hated it. I hated keeping all of this from you."

Aniya returned the hug, her heart heavy with the weight of everything she had learned. She exhaled deeply, knowing that when the pack arrived, there would be a lot to explain, a lot to process. But for now, she simply held on to Emily, knowing that the first part of the journey was over—now, the real revelations were about to begin.