『 chapter xxviii: KEEPING UP WITH THE QUILEUTE'S ep. 1. 』

TUCKED IN HER BLANKETS JUST LIKE A HUMAN burrito, June Swan was comfortable and ready for bed. Apparently running away for your life from a pack of wolves and a hungry vampire drained a person? Who knew? June tried her best to get comfortable enough that she'd just fall asleep. Her sports bra and loose yoga pants were proof of that. She leaned her head on the pillow and further tucked herself in when she heard it. By it, she meant numerous taps at her window, like someone throwing rocks or the tree branch hitting the glass. With a frustrated groan, she struggled and kicked away her blanket cocoon as she got up, her fluffy socks hitting the hardwood floor. June immediately froze then — Victoria. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Victoria was at her fucking window and ready to pounce at her and rip her face off as soon as she opened it. The little pebbles kept being thrown at her window.

June bit her lip, concentrating, remembering the tricks that were in Melanie's journal. She raised her hand and aimed it with the flower pot she kept by the desk near the window. In seconds, a thick vine sprouted from the pot and slithered its way to the window and wrapped around the lock until the familiar sound of it unlocking was heard. June could've jumped and squealed with joy but she didn't want to wake anyone in the house. Suddenly, a sharp pain rose up her arm and she almost felt lightheaded.

"Ow, ow, ow," June hissed as she grabbed it. "Too much power, dial it back bitch and stop showing off, ow." June went over to the window and lifted it with a strained force, her arm still shooting with pain. She looked around quickly and saw nothing, until she looked down. There stood her ex boyfriend, looking up like he was about to serenade her. "Um, Jacob? It's eleven pm what are doing—"

"Step back," He whisper-yelled, taking a step back himself as if he was gaining a head start to something. "I'm coming up."

"What even—" June mumbles but she follows his words, like always. She holds her arm still as it throbs in pain and waits to hear him struggling up the tree but in seconds is startled by the swift way he agilely enters through the window and lands on his feet gracefully. "Alrighty then."

A wide grin spread slowly across Jacob's face; he seemed extremely pleased with himself, even more so because he's shirtless in all his growth spurt glory, beautiful and breathtaking and he knows it. But It wasn't the grin that June knew and loved — it was a new grin, one that was a bitter mockery of his old sincerity, on the new face that belonged to Sam, to her cousin who had turned a good thing bad, just like his father and her mother had always done. That was a bit much for her to dwell upon. She'd cried herself to sleep over this boy. His harsh rejection had punched a painful new hole in what was left of her chest. He'd left a new nightmare behind him, like an infection in a sore — the insult after the injury. And now he was here in her room, smirking at her appreciatively as she crossed her arms over her sports bra as if none of that had passed.

Worse than that, it reminded June of when Edward used to sneak in through her window at night and bring her a new vinyl for her to play and fall asleep to; and the reminder picked viciously at the unhealed wounds barely scabbing over her.

"Hey." He spoke at last. June narrowed her eyes.

"What are you doing here?" June frowns at him, trying not to meet his eyes. "You'll wake Willie."

"I'll be extra quiet," He promises. She says nothing and he opened his arms out in surrender, going to step closer to her. "Look, I'm sorry–"

June stops him by laying a hand on his bare chest. The warmth gives her more comfort than her burrito blanket had given her. She wants to hug him, "About what exactly? You've been apologizing a lot lately I've lost count."

Jacob gives her a soft look. She drops her hand from his chest because she can't concentrate. "I know I've been terrible to you, June. I told you, I could be terrible sometimes. You have no idea how much I hate myself for it."

June can hear the sincerity in his words, by the way he speaks them as if he's gonna cry any second. "And I told you," She spoke just as soft as he looked at her. "You don't have it in you to be terrible. You were just being an ass."

Jacob gives her a genuine smile. "I'll take that."

"I'm still mad at you," June reminds. "Especially since that time I saw you after all those weeks; when it was raining and I was there all Rachel McAddams kinda beautiful and you were Ryan Gosling but hotter and Native American and we could've had some epic kiss that would've been written down in Quileute history, but noooooo."

Jacob takes a step to her, "I could make up for it right now."

June wants to. He knows she wants to. But her heart is too heavy to kiss him, she might cry. "Not until you tell me what happened to you."

He takes a step away, looking strained. "I wish I could tell you, but I literally can't ... I can't be the one to tell you." He says as if it hurts him to speak. June frowns, watching him look at the dreamcatcher he got her for her birthday hanging on her bed-frame. "Have you ever had a secret, June? One that wasn't yours to share, one you couldn't tell anyone?"

               Oh, yeah, I'm gonna die and I'm sorta in love with you— she froze at her own thoughts. June crossed her arms to numb the pain she was still feeling with the bruise that was forming. "You already know the answer to that, Jay." She tells him softly.

Jacob went over to the pictures she had pinned on her wall. He stayed stuck on the one that June had of him, smiling with long hair and his arms around Embry and Quil. "That's what it's like for me. But worse." He says with a sigh. "You don't have a clue how tight I'm bound."

June doesn't say anything at first. She doesn't even think she should. He shouldn't even be there, with her, standing right in front of her, making everything she ever felt for him since she allowed herself to feel anything come back. The moment she takes a step towards him as he sits down on her bed, she knows it's selfish. She has him around her finger, she can see the adoration on his face, he's never looked at her so tenderly before. Before, it was some puppy love. Now, it's strength of a thousand suns looking at her in the form of toffee irises.

June grabs each side of his face, not missing the way a content breath leaves his lips at the contact between them. She runs her hands through his hair, "It's always us, isn't it? This is why we can't have nice things," She tries to joke but it fails with the sadness in her voice. "I hate how this all turned out."

Jacob says nothing. He only takes her arm softly, he can see the bruise that formed on her forearm. It's the largest one she's had since ... ever. Jacob brushes his fingertips over it and she expects pain but all she feels is warmth. She sees the emotion play over his face and it makes her feel more vulnerable than she already was. Jacob's eyes trail over her exposed body, all he could see from her sports bra clad body. His hands reach up and he places them on her hips. June blushes because if her parents opened her door, they wouldn't exactly like what they see — two shirtless teenagers with their hands on one another. June doesn't push him away though, his warm touch contacting with every bruise she has, and she had a lot more than she thought. He kisses the ones on her arms and she her heart races from the feeling of it.

"Do they hurt?" Jacob asks, his jaw clenching after he's done.

"Not right now," June says truthfully.

Jacob nods, seeing the genuineness in her eyes maybe or the tone of her voice. "You know more than you think, ocean eyes. I wish you didn't ... but I can't stay away." He tells her and her heart soars. "June? Do you remember when you were at La Push that day with your sister ... and we told her ... fuck ... about the ..." His eyes implored her to finish.

"Yeah," June says immediately. "When we told her about the stories, about the tribe and the Cullen's."

"And?" Jacob urged, as if she was close.

June bit her lip, "And?" She echoes. "Just that? My sister finding out that the Cullen's from the stories were the same ones from now."

"Did you two not know?" Jacob asks, frowning then. He stands up and towers down over her. By the look on her face it says it all. "I'm the one who told the both of you?"

"I didn't know at first," June corrected with a soft shake of her head. "Bella ... she's the smart one. I confronted Edward myself, stupid, but I needed to know that my sister wasn't gonna be somebody's lunch."

"To think I had let those bloodsuckers even be within miles of you ..." Jacob says venomously to himself as clenches his fist and takes a self preserving step back, the thoughts of being a danger to his imprint are too strong. "See what I mean about loyalty? I don't blame you, June, you didn't know the risk ... those leeches did."

June doesn't even care about defending them at the moment, she's not Bella. "They're gone now," She assure him and that seems to calm him. She frowns. "Is there a way you can, I don't know? Just like, break free from Sam and them?"

"No," Jacob says immediately. "I'm in it for life. A life sentence, maybe longer ..." We both are, he thinks silently.

"Not if you leave." June implores. She take a step to him. He sits down again and she straddles him, his eyes widened a bit as she settles herself. "Not if we get out of here, just us, only us. You wanted that remember? I can give that to you."

"You'd do that?" Jacob murmurs, his voice husky.

June brushes her lips over his, "Jacob," her voice drips with devotion, the one that'd make him melt. "I'd do anything for you. I can make you happy. I really could."

Jacob looks choked up, he holds her close to him, his hands squeezing her thigh as he says, "I can't run away from this, ocean eyes. Not right now. Not when there's so much I still can't—" He hisses as if he can't even get the word out and she waits for him to finish. "But I'd run away with you."

"Then lets go." June didn't have an idea where they could go, it would be a big scandal about two sixteen year olds running away together but it'd blow over.

Jacob looks like he wants nothing more in the world to leave with her, for it to be just them. "Eventually."

June deflates. "Eventually."

"One day we can leave." Jacob promises. "Just us. Anywhere you want."

"Just not now." June finds herself teary eyed.

"Don't cry, angel," Jacob kisses her then. He says something tenderly in Quileute to her throughout the kiss that has June sobbing in between, her hands in his hair as she pushes him back to lay on the bed. After they were breathless, looking at each other, Jacob wipes the tears from her cheeks, looking near tears himself. "God, I keep breaking my promise to you; you don't deserve—"

"Don't tell me what I deserve," June says as they pull away. She gets up and sniffles, sitting on the bed.

Jacob sits beside her. He rubs his large hand over her back. There's a wolfs howl in the distance, she looks up, terrified. "I gotta go." He says at the same moment.

"No," June shakes her head and holds him to her. "Stay the night, crash here. No ones gonna know."

"As tempting as that is," Jacob smiles a little smile that makes him look boyish. He frowns then. "I had to sneak out — I'm not supposed to see you ... but I needed see my girl, that's one order I can't follow." His lips curve and she blushes. "They're gonna be wondering where I am, I guess I should let them know."

"You don't have to tell them anything," She hissed.

"All the same, I will."

"I hate them."

Jacob looked at bet with wide eyes, surprised. "No, beautiful, don't hate the guys. It's not Sam's or any of the others' faults. I told you before — it's me. Sam is actually... well, incredibly cool, I see why you're cousins." That part makes her scowl and he kisses her nose. "Jared and Paul are great, too, though Paul is kind of well, Paul. And Embry's always been my best friend. Nothing's changed there — the only thing that hasn't changed. I feel really bad about the things I used to think about Sam."

"Oh yeah, he's the man of the year," June mumbled sarcastically. Her eyes narrowed at one part he said earlier. "And why the hell aren't you supposed to see me? Did Sam tell you to stay away from me?"

"He only said to be careful, it's not safe," Jacob muttered icily looking at his hands.

"It's not safe ..." June echoes with a mumble. Her eyes meet his and she shakes his head. "Don't listen to anything my cousin says, okay?"

"I'll try." He gives her an ironic laugh as if there's a joke she doesn't know. He takes her hand and squeezes softly. "Try to remember. You're the smartest girl I know, June, you have to know this. You already do, you just need to think really hard. When you do, come tell me as soon as you figure it out." Something occurred to him just then, something that made his hands shake. "If you, well, if you even want to."

"Why wouldn't I want to see you?" June looks offended at the insinuation. "I legit just attacked you with kisses."

His face turned hard and bitter, one hundred percent the face that belonged to Sam. "Oh, I can think of a reason," he said in a bitter tone. He stood and headed for the window.

"Don't be a show off, yes, you're hot stuff and fit but you'll break your leg. Use the front door." June says as she gestures to her bedroom door. "My parents are asleep and Willie's a heavy sleeper, and Bella won't snitch."

He hesitated as he passed her, staring at her with an expression like something was stabbing him. He held one hand out, pleading. "I won't stay away from you ever again, I'll see you soon," He says then his smirk returns. "By the way, you're always my responsibility, June."

Then he climbs out her window, June following right behind him. Horrified, she thinks he's gonna break every bone in his body as he jumps from the window but he lands easily, like it was nothing. From a two story home. June watches in wonder as he jogs into the night.

•—•—•—•

AFTER A LONG NIGHT OF HAVING NIGHTMARES and being scared out of her fucking mind, June came to the conclusion she was crazy. Her nightmares were back and filled with those massive wolves and June screaming bloody murder as she got bruises that covered every inch of her body and made her look like some beaten eggplant. June woke up sweaty and scared and went to draw on a blank canvas — she drew the forest and wolves and a intricate marking on the side of a tree trunk that was eerily similar to the crest of the tribe. Rummaging through Melanie's journals the words Spirit Warriors and protectors stuck out in her mind for the first time. She cursed herself, thinking the worse as she came to one conclusion: her cousin was trying to make some secret cult like the one that Melanie had tried to get away from.

June was in Bella's truck and on her way to the Rez in an instant, sick to her stomach. She pulled in and didn't even realize she was at Jacob's house until she saw the familiar red paint of the home. Practically jumping out of the truck and pulling the keys out of the ignition, she knocked on the door multiple times.

Billy answered, looking up at June with the same look that Old Quil had given her. "June, it's been a while."

"I need to see him." She blurted out.

"He's sleeping," Billy knew who she meant.

"He can sleep later, sorry, I have to see him—" She said and went around him, Billy making no move to stop her.

June makes a break through the familiar hallway and gets to Jacob's door. She opens the it widely, stopping in her tracks by the scene before her. She lets a soft sigh of content leave her lips, looking at Jacob and his peaceful face. He's sleeping, dreaming and away from whatever bad awaited him when he awoke. June felt a gunshot of emotion hit her chest and it was strong enough to make her want to drop to her knees. June looked at the windowsill and saw a pot of bellflowers, wilted away, sitting on it. Reaching over, she touched the flowers and the once dull and dead plant came to life with purples and pinks and blues alike. June looked back down at Jacob, hearing the soft breathing and taking in the musky scent that was all around his room. She'd missed the smell, she almost forgot what it was like to breathe in the mix of cinnamon and applewood. The thought had her heart aching, the company of the memories Jacob and she had burning a hole in her chest. Wiping her wet cheek, she took in a breath and shut her eyes for a seconds opening them to hear a round of hollers in the distance. 

            June focused her eyes on the view through the window; her cousin and his disciples. Again, emotion whipped through her but this time it wasn't tender and nostalgic — it was rage, all she saw was red.

"June, you should head on home—" Billy's voice broke her focus.

          "I need answers, Billy," June replied deftly. "And I'm gonna them right now." She didn't say anything else as she started rushing out the door and into the backyard.

Sam noticed her immediately and even from the distance they were, she saw the horror hit his face. June thought it was good he was scared, he should be. She hated her cousin, she wanted him to hurt as much as he had been hurting her and how he hurt Leah and anyone else with exclusivity. Sam and his company reached her in no time and June could barely think clearly anymore, she was so betrayed and angry, she just wanted a reaction.

        June yelled out, "WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM!?"

Sam and Jared and Paul were all there, Embry the most concerned looking one of all. Sam met her eyes and stiffened, "June, go home—"

                 "No. Not until you tell me what you did to him, Samuel," June is near tears, angry tears because she wants nothing more to be some force to be reckoned with. Because her cousin, her blood, had taken away the one person who made June want to stay alive. When they're silent she yells, "He never wanted this! Tell me what you did, he was good and you changed him!" She pushed Sam's chest but he barley moved an inch. "Just like everything you touch, you ruined everything! You ruined him!"

"Watch yourself there, Mender," Paul sneers, already in quick defense of Sam.

"Easy, don't be stupid, Paul," Sam growls out, a hand on his friends chest to pull him back, and June furrows her brows at his next words. "She belongs to Jacob. You know what he'd do if you laid a hand on her, and she's pack, you couldn't hurt her—"

                    Paul still fumes and shoots his gaze to June again, asking, "Why don't you ask what he did? What'd little lover boy tell you?" He interrogates, disregarding Sam's warning with a dark voice.

             "She has a right to know, that's not the issue." Sam interjects sternly at Paul and looks between them. "So both of you, calm the hell down."

     "Nothing! He won't tell me anything because of you all. Because you all have this cult-like claim on him!" June shouted back, disregarding Sam's words and holding her ground against Paul. "Because you've threatened him or something!"

Paul and Jared laughed out that that. June didn't think it was funny in the least bit. She snaps her gaze to his amused one and feels such a rage burn inside her and before she knew it, she pulls back her fist before she lands a heavy hit right on Paul's nose, causing him to stagger back and make a sound as if the wind was knocked out of him. He shakes off the hit, blood dripping down from his nostrils, looking back at her with a murderous glare in his dark eyes. June is smart enough to know when she's fucked and moves a few steps back. June's eyes widened and she looked at her hands, they were glowing faintly. June shook her head, terrified, but Paul shot up and started shaking violently.

"Too late now," Jared winces but has a smile on his face. "Get ready, Junior, don't freak out and watch it Pauly, we just got a Mender— there isn't a whole bunch going around ..."

June couldn't focus on what Jared called her, but by the tension she knew it meant something but she was too focused on how Paul was reacting.

"Don't run, June," Embry tells her, his face contorted in worry and frequently looking past her as if he was waiting for someone. "Oh, man. Paul, bro, you're dead meat once Jake gets here—"

              June didn't get to ask what the fuck was going on because all she could focus on was the scene in front of her, the one of a sudden burst of hotheadedness from Paul Lahote. Sam gestures for Embry to pull June back, Embry does so and rushed to June's side while she's holding onto him for support at what she's looking at.

"Paul, calm down!" Sam yells loudly, alert and giving the boy who was angry beyond belief a deep command. "She doesn't know what she's doing, how strong she is—PAUL, CALM DOWN! EMBRY, KEEP HER BACK!"

June can only stare in front of her, watching Paul rage until he looks like he's having convulsions. June moves back as Paul hunches over, a loud growl erupting from him until out of nowhere, his body is not of a man any longer — but a massive wolf. The same kind she saw in the woods the other time, the ones after Laurent ... she was sure they were killed by him. Tears form in her eyes as the massive grey colored wolf growls loudly, his paws kicking dirt, all the whole Sam's yells directed towards it to stand down. June realizes what she's seeing way before her emotions do, but she knows the beast growling at her is Paul Lahote, in wolf form, June can only marvel at the creature and hates the breath of awe and fear leave her lips.

"JUNE!" She hears someone call her.

But it's not Sam.

Miraculously, June is able to pull her gaze from Paul long enough — from the wolf — and turns her head back to see Jacob, her Jacob, jumping over his porch and rushing to them. The terror is old as life itself and she shakes her head, pulling herself from Embry's grip as she runs to meet Jacob halfway.

"JACOB! NO!" June sobs in fright of what could happen, what's running through her mind.

              But Jacob doesn't listen, he keep running until he's leaping over her, June capturing the moment where Jacob too, turns from man to beast, landing agilely right in front of her as another large but russet furred wolf. June sinks to the ground, paralyzed with what her brain is struggling to comprehend. Jacob — the wolf — hunches before her protectively, his massive body shielding her from the dangerous growls of Paul's wolf. June doesn't know who goes first but both begin charging at each other with their sharp canines snapping like bear traps and growls roaring in the air. They circle around each other, still trying to bite one another, jaws clamping the air as they both missed each time. They were at each other continuously until disappearing into the woods as their snarls faded with them but their quarrel remained. June stayed on the ground, struggling to catch her breath as she looked at the forest in front of her, trying to keep her sanity — wondering if she really did get out of bed this morning and she wasn't just dreaming and overthinking what she fell asleep thinking about. She was pulled out of her thoughts and lifted her head up when she heard Sam's voice.

    Sam's arms pulled her up, his large hands holding her face, "You okay?"

June could barely breathe, "No." She answered honestly. "Oh my god ... no, I'm not okay. I'm gonna throw up, fuck–Sam what the hell ...?"

Her cousin looked over her, satisfied with no physical injury and nodded, kissing her forehead before he turned back to Jared and Embry, "Take her to Emily's, she'll be able to calm to down and explain a little. I'll be there soon," Sam said and then gave his little cousin one last fleeting look before he patted his brothers on the back and rushed into the thick brush where the fighting wolves disappeared off into.

                  June turned without a word, handing Jared the keys to the truck. Thankfully, they didn't hammer her with a comment or anything. June got into the passenger seat while Embry went in the back and Jared drove. The whole car ride to Emily's, June shut her eyes and steadied her breathing. She wondered if there was anything such as normal anymore — she lived in a world where vampires existed and evil was beyond any human murderer and men phased into massive wolfs and prophesied dying girls have the power to stand their ground against all of them.

•—•—•

THE TRUCK STOPPED AND JUNE STILL FELT AS if she was gonna throw up. Fuck fuck fuck. Spirit Warriors? She was so stupid. She was here thinking her boyfriend had been initiated into some cult they worshipped the wolf warrior or the spirit of the wolf, when really, he was the wolf itself. June glanced up to see that they got to Emily's cottage already. Jared took the keys out of the ignition, and both he and Embry got out of the car. They made their usual hollering sound to signal their arrival to Emily.  

         June rolled down the window, "Shouldn't you two have gone to see if Jacob's okay?"

"That's what Sam's there for," Jared replies. "We wouldn't be much help, anyway. Besides, if Paul sinks his teeth into your man it serves him right."

           June scowls but thankfully Embry replies, "No way, Jacob didn't break A.O. he's a natural, you saw him phase on the fly?" Embry shoves Jared. "Got five that says Paul doesn't touch him." He looks back to June and smiles. "Come on, Emily's here. You know we don't bite, June."

Jared glances at June as she gets out from the car and winks appreciatively. "Um, speak for yourself—"

"Shut up, or Star's gonna knock your ass into the dirt, too," Embry smacks him on the back of the head as they head into Emily's.

             June follows in and sees Emily rounding the corner of the room and her face lights up but before she can say anything, Jared says as he takes a seat on the kitchen counter, "Hey, Em! Look who's here—"

Emily falters a bit when she sees June, who tries her hardest not to crumble at the expression her cousins fiancé gives her. Emily widens her arms and June rushes in, "Oh, pretty one," Emily says as she hugs her tightly, June breathing in the calming scent of lilac that always roams her. "It's gonna be alright. You don't know how badly I wanted to tell you ... but Sam wanted to wait until the right time."

         June pulls away after a moment, nodding as she wipes her cheeks from the silent tears that fall. "I think I'm crazy or something." She says softly, meeting Emily's tender eyes. "My boyfriend just turned into a wolf."

Emily chuckles a bit, "My fiancé does, too." She runs her hands through June's soft hair.

"Oh, yeah, and me." Jared chimes.

                  June looks to Embry, who nods. "Same. Welcome to club, junior."

                She takes a seat, shutting her eyes for a moment. Emily sets a glass of fruit punch in front of her and June takes it, drinking it to calm herself down. She looks at Jared and Embry, who stare at her with interest. "Yes, this is what a breakdown looks like."

Jared snickers, "No, you're holding up pretty good."

"Plus, you're kind of a big deal." Embry adds.

June blinks. "Me?" She stiffens, feeling the need to hide any visible bruises that they might see on her arms.

"Oh yeah," Jared smirks. "Sam said he'll tell ya all about it."

"Yay." She says dully.

Emily comes up again, setting some drinks for the boys down, "Well, I think this is long overdue, Sam's waited long enough." She winks at June and she can't help but feel a pit at her stomach, wondering how exactly did Emily get those claw marks on her face.

"Does Star know you're a furball?" June asks Jared suddenly, since clearly Emily knows.

"Not yet," Jared smiles confidently. "It's all about good timing, princess."

June looks to Embry again. "Lyanna?"

Embry sighs as he shakes his head, "I'm courting her, still." He jokes, then smiles a bit. "The girls a major pain but, I mean, she's my major pain."

June gives a soft, fond smile. Before she knows it, there's a strawberry pop tart in front of her, wrapping in a napkin with Emily smiling down at her, "There's more where that came from," she says, then playfully glares at the boys. "Gotta have a full pantry for these guys, they burn off more than they eat. And they eat."

"I believe you," June says, thanking Emily for the pop tart with a hand squeeze to her hand that Jared and Embry smile at. An idea pops in her head, "Hey, can Bella know about ... all this?"

Jared frowns, "Is that your leech loving sister?"

"Yeah," June confirms, eyed narrowed.

"Dunno, junior." Embry shrugs. "It's Sam's call, he's the Alpha, you can ask him when he gets back."

June isn't surprised at the revelation. Sam was the first out of all of them to start changing. Months before Bella came, Sam was her best friend. Her cousin, her protector, her big brother. She had been so wrong in thinking the worst of him for leaving Leah. She thought he'd gone off the deep end, but in reality, it was truly protecting the tribe as he said — from vampires, the mortal enemy of what he was, what Jacob was, werewolves.

"So, who'd you like better?" Jared asks, amusement twinkling in his eyes. "Us or the vampires you ran with?"

"They're fast, you can't run with them."

"Yeah? Well we're faster. Freaked out more?"

June sighs, "To be honest, I'm all out of freaking out. They were nice but ... let's just say a lot of problems have been because of them." She finishes.

They all hardened their glares but not on her, they just seem more tense and offended on June's behalf. Emily sets a plate of muffins on the table and Jared and Embry reach to grab one, "Leave it to Jacob to find a way around Sam's gag order," She says affectionately.

Realizing it could be trouble for Jacob with Sam, she shakes her head. "Jake didn't tell me anything. I made him, I tried but..."

"That's a wolf thing," Embry tells her. "Alphas orders get obeyed whether we want them to or not. Oh, and check this, and the pack can hear each other's thoughts."

Like Edward, June muses. Only he could hear everything's and everyone's thoughts. Not just people he turned into furry beats with,

"Would you shut up?" Jared snaps. "Sam said he'd tell her on his own, we weren't to freak her out!"

"It's already past that, brother." Embry rolled his eyes.

Just then, Sam's massive form comes in through the doors. "Emily," He says before anything, and so much love saturated his voice that June suddenly felt embarrassed, intrusive as she watched her cousin cross the room in one stride and take her face in his wide hands.

He leaned down and kissed the dark scars on Emily's right cheek before he kissed her lips. June looked back to Sam and Emily—it was better than any romantic movie; they was so real that it sang out loud with joy and life and true love. June had seen it all before, except the girl Sam was kissing had been Leah. Leah. June put get muffin down and swallowed the lump in her throat. She stared at the flowers, trying to ignore the utter peace of their moment, and the longing she felt for a boy who was somehow as different as she was.

"Hey, none of that," Jared complained. "I'm eating."

"Then shut up and eat," Sam suggested, kissing Emily's ruined mouth again. "I don't complain when you're thinking about Star all day long."

"Ugh," Embry groaned. "Don't get him started."

Jared grins nevertheless, "Oh yeah, cause you're definitely not all man what's Lyanna doing today? Where's Lyanna? and why's Lyanna so tough? Kissy-face kissy-face Lyanna—"

"Shut up," Embry throws a muffin at him.

Sam waits for a moment before June stands up from her chair. She stares at his sympathetic face before she feels her own face crumble with tears once again. She rushes over to Sam, letting him pull her close. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" June sobs in his hold. "You don't have to forgive me for everything I've said, but I'm sorry times a million!"

"June," Sam chuckles softly as he puts her down from the tight embrace. "You're fine. It's okay."

His cousin shakes her head, "It's not okay. I was the worst."

"You didn't know," Sam frowns. "That's on me."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner? I mean gosh, Sam, my sister dated a vampire!" She says with a shake of her head. "Did you think I couldn't handle it?"

"I know you're capable of it," Sam looks to Emily and his pack brothers before looking to her again. "I've got a lot to explain, the Elders and I gotta call a meeting and I will, but first, I know someone wants to talk to you ..."

June could've cried as she saw Jacob. Paul and he came through the door, and her brows furrowed when she saw that they were laughing. While she watched, Paul punched Jacob on the shoulder and Jacob went for a kidney jab in return. They laughed again. They both appeared to be in one piece. Lucky for Paul.

"Oh, man!" Jared wailed, interrupting her thoughts.

She looked up, and he and Embry were examining a fading pink line on Paul's forearm. Embry was grinning, exultant. "Fifteen dollars," Embry chimed.

He doesn't finish because he gives Paul a look and the guy in question turns to see her as he sits down and softens immediately, "Forgive me, junior." He says cockily, winking at her before grabbing a muffin.

"Forgiven." June mused.

"Sorry for wolfing out on you." Paul winces.

"Sorry for knocking you down." June smirks.

Paul laughed, not the cruel, mocking laugh from earlier, but a genuinely amused and partly surprised laugh. June has tunnel vision when her eyes turn to Jacob who walks in shortly after. Sam goes over to Emily and peppers kisses all over her face, confirming what June feared. But she isn't as scared as she should be. Jacob leans on the door way, his eyes landing on her and softening greatly. She stares at him. He was a werewolf. A giant beast. June knows that she might not know everything still but she's still determined to find out.

           June feels Jacob brush against her, warmth touching ever inch of her, "Did you do that?" She whispered to Jacob, nodding to Paul.

"I barely touched him. He'll be perfect by sundown."

"By sundown?" She looked at the line on Paul's arm.

"Wolf thing," Jacob whispered.

She nodded, turning fully to him. Her eyes swept him for any visibly injuries or anything, but he looked unharmed. "You okay?" June asked him then, her voice soft.

"Not a scratch on me." His expression was smug.

June punched his shoulder, he feigned hurt. "Good. Pull something like that again and I'm the one you have to worry about," She says, then hears giggles and sees that the guys and Sam and Emily are all looking at the two knowingly. On this episode of Keeping Up with the Quileute's...She rolls her eyes at them. "Come on, wolfman." June outstretched her hand towards Jacob. "Lets take a walk."

Jacob's large hand envelopes hers.

note: 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤 I love crying     (̂ ˃̥̥̥ ˑ̫ ˂̥̥̥ )̂ chelsea and i came up with the keeping up with the Quileute's thing when we were planning our crossover and it stuck so if you see it on hers too it's connected obvs but yes, june knows now,,,,finally,,,,as for her not staying mad at jacob it had to do with the imprint bc it's hard to deny that adoration and feeling that person has for the other, it's impossible trying to deny it