|2| Broken Beta {Paul Lahote}

X

"The new man did not look like Taha Aki's body. He was far more glorious."

"He was the flesh interpretation of Taha Aki's spirit. The warriors, all of them recognized him at once though, for they had flown with Taha Aki and his spirit."

"Utlapa tried to run, but Taga Aki had the strength of a wolf in his new body. He caught the thief, and, crushed him and his spirit from him, just before he could jump out of the stolen body."

"The people rejoiced when they understood what had happened. Taha Aki quickly set everything right again, working again with his people and he was quick to give the young wives, all back to their families. The only one of the changes that he kept in place, was the end of the spirit travels. He knew that it was too dangerous for now that the idea of stealin' a life was there in a mind. And the spirit warriors were no more."

"From that point on, Taha Aki was more than either wolf or man. They called him Taha Aki the Great Wolf, or Taha Aki the Spirit Man. He led our tribe through for many, many years, for he did not age. When danger was threatened, he would resume his wolf self to fight or frighten the enemy. The people dwelt in peace. Taha Aki, he had fathered many sons, and some of these found that, after they'd reached the age of manhood, they, too, could transform into wolves. The wolves were all different, because they were spirit wolves and truly reflected all of the man that they were inside."

"So that's why Sam is all black," Quil muttered under his breath, grinning a bit, as Juliana chuckled quietly. "Black heart, black fur."

Juliana smirked a bit at his words at the opportune time, and even Paul of all werewolves, smirked a bit.

"And your chocolate fur reflects what?" Sam whispered back to Quil and everyone heard it anyways. "How sweet you are?"

Billy ignored the boys, as Juliana chuckled a bit, before she was focused again, quite relieved to have been distracted by them, even for a just a mere moment or two.

"Some of the sons became warriors with Taha Aki, and they no longer, as he did, aged. Others, those who didn't like the transformation, refused to be joining the pack of wolf-men. These began to age again, and the tribe had discovered, that even the wolf-men of all people, could grow old like anyone else if they gave up their spirit wolves in the place. Taha Aki had already live the span of three old men's lives. He'd married a third wife after the death of the first two, and found in her his true spirit wife. Though, he had loved their others, this was something else. He'd decided to give up his spirit wolf, so it was that he would first when she did."

Billy said and everyone around the circle looked over at Juliana and Paul, then Jared and Kim, finally Sam and a bashful Emily.

"Imprints." Bella's voice was obviously louder then she had intended it to be, as everyone around the circle was chuckling at her.

"That is how the magic came to us, but it is not the end of the story," Billy, had finished his parts of it, and he looks to Old Quil Ateara, who straightened up as best he could, and prepared to tell a story that they all knew the best, the one of the Cold Ones, and the sacrifice of a true hero.

"Clearly not, because we're still here and alive." Juliana muttered and Billy cut her a sharp glance, but she leaned back, and Paul's arm went around her again, as she did.

Sam cut a glance in Juliana's general direction as well, but Juliana was just laughin' quietly at a joke from Quil as the glare, it had gone went completely unnoticed.

Paul was watching Juliana with a smile of his own, as she laughed along with the others, and Old Quil, he would now just be coughing for their attention right now.

Juliana turns back quickly towards the elders and nods quickly, watching them now.