You Don't Run From The Past

9

Another four months had passed and I had been helping Bella during every phase of her heartbreak. The nightmares finally stopped which worried me more than it relieved me because then came the adrenaline phase.

I walked into the Swan house with a book I was lending Bella and saw Charlie drinking coffee at the table, reading the paper. I smiled as I kissed his cheek which made him smile and pull me into a kiss of his own. We soon heard footsteps coming down the stairs so I pulled away to see Bella walk in with a faint smile. "Morning.." I sent her a warm smile and handed her the book. "Good morning, sweetheart. Here's the book I mentioned.. How are you feeling?" She shrugged and hugged me gently like she started doing a month ago and frowned. "Good, I guess." Charlie cleared his throat and set down the paper. "Okay, I'm sending you to your mom's.." We both looked at him in shock and Bella shook her head. "What? No. You can't make me go-" It was if Charlie snapped. "He's not coming back, Bella! He's gone and you have done nothing to prove you're even happy here." I grasped his arms and frowned at his words towards his daughter. "Char.." He shook his head and Bella huffed with a sad expression on her face. "I know he isn't. But I have been trying so hard, it isn't easy and Venus is helping me.." I nodded in agreement and rubbed his shoulder. "She's doing better Charlie, she even plans on hangout out with Jacob this weekend." She nodded and had a glint of something in her eyes which made me smile. "Yes, I do plan on it and I need to go study, I have a chemistry test tomorrow." She hugged me before going upstairs and I sat in front of Charlie, holding his hand which made him look at me. "It's okay, Charlie. She is getting better, did you notice the look in her eyes?" He shook his head and I smiled once more. "It was hope.. Whether it be hope that she is going to be happy or hope that we trust that she is getting better. Either way, I sense she is getting better.." I kissed his lips before telling him I'd be out on the reservation all day if he needed me.

When I got to the beach, I took off my clothes to reveal my black bathing suit and set everything down before going into the cold water but I wasn't bothered by it. After over an hour in the water, I saw a faintly familiar group arrive and some sat around while others started a game of soccer. I got out of the water, walking to my belongings and gently dried myself off with the black towel but a crow landed on my shoulder which surprised me but I smiled nonetheless. "Hello there.." A voice cleared their throat and the crow flew off my shoulder and onto the small bag in front of me. I turned around to see Sam Uley with his friends watching from a distance. "You're Venus, right?" I nodded and sent him a smile as I took off the towel, throwing on my sweater once I knew my bath I suit was dry enough. "Yes, you're Sam. We met a few months ago.." He nodded and motioned to where his friends were. "Mind joining us?" I shrugged and slipped on my pants before throwing my towel in the bag, grabbing my notebook and clipping back my hair. "Sure." The crow flew once more but this time landed on a log by the boys. We walked over and sat down on the sand which is when the bird moved to my lap and one boy tried to swat it away. "It's alright. She's not hurting me.." They looked at me confused but Sam spoke once he was seated by the woman with facial scars which told me their painful love story right away. "What happened to your back? It was pretty scarred up." I could tell his girlfriend or wife was shocked by his question but I answered nonetheless. "When I was eighteen I was attacked by a wolf, a shifter to be exact.." They were all shocked and I smiled and opened the journal with the sketch of the wolf, words written beside it. "Do you know what the wolf represents?" The boy I recognized as Paul Lahote grinned. "Strong and mischievous." I shook my head and chuckled at him. "No. They are very intelligent with deep connections to their instincts, they have one of the strongest appetites for freedom and they are also one of the most resilient creatures in the world, protective of those they find as family and will go to extreme circumstances to make sure nobody harms their pack. When Harry and Billy first turned, they obviously couldn't tell Charlie nor myself but when we came across them in a field. At that time, I was too naive to think of them as dangerous and was attacked by Harry." The other boy furrowed his brows. "Why wouldn't you think two wolves were dangerous?" I motioned to the crow and shrugged slightly. "Animals were always very fond of me. Since I was a toddler, I befriended any animal big or small and it's been like for decades." Sam couldn't help but chuckle as well. "Explains the crow being attached at your hip.." "Exactly. Did you know that crows are known for being mischievous, their intelligence and called 'keeper of the sacred laws'." Emily was intrigued by what I said and spoke with curiosity. "What are sacred laws?" I noticed that they were all wondering the same thing so I told them. "There are seven sacred laws, all represented by seven animals. First was the buffalo, showing the law of respect. Then the eagle, bringing the law of love. Along came the bear, the law of courage. Next was the sabe, which can be called an Sasquatch, brought the law of honesty. The law of wisdom, given by the beaver. The wolf who brought the law of humility. And lastly, the law of truth was told by the turtle. All of these laws are detrimental to live an all power life.. Those laws guide one to find their own spirit once more. When all hope is lost, you look to the spirits.." The crow flew off into the woods and I smiled. "That tells me it's time for me to go. I enjoyed this talk, I hope to see you all sometime soon, stay safe." They waved at me as I walked off towards my car near the top of the beach and I left to head home.