Her scent was muted, she smelled like cinnamon, that's what her mother told her, but she could hardly take Renee seriously. The woman was infuriating, a poor mother and a poor wolf, but maybe her critique was too harsh. Renee had tried, after all, and that meant something.

Bella shifted in her seat, dual-colored eyes staring out the window. She tried to focus on the beautiful sunset rather than the nice smelling people that were trapped on the plane with her. With a sigh she adjusted her earbuds, turning her music up, trying to keep herself distracted. She couldn't stay in Phoenix, and she couldn't stay with her pack, not after that redheaded bitch bit her.

She ran her fingers over the silvery scar on her wrist, the venom should have killed her, but instead, it made her a hybrid. In some ways, it was a gift; it broke her pack link, no longer could they infiltrate her thoughts, but she had been able to read them just as clearly.

It was a strange, a good strange, the Alpha no longer had control of her, and she left at the first opportunity.

A bloodsucker freed her but cursed her just the same. Now she was going to live with her father in Forks, and poor Charlie was none the wiser about her shifting, nor her occasional desire to rob a blood bank. I'm not letting this setback stop me from finishing high school. Her thirst wasn't overwhelming, but it was distracting enough to be noticeable.

Bella held her breath, moving her shoulders up and down, trying to look as though she were still breathing, but fuck is that difficult. She didn't know much about bloodsuckers, just that they ate people, smelled dreadfully sweet, and were practically made of stone. She swallowed the venom that pooled in her cheeks, grateful the plane was touching down.

She waited patiently for everyone to file out before she stood, grabbing her suitcase, and exiting the plane. Her phone vibrated in her pocket, but she couldn't be bothered, she knew it was her mother, demanding to know where she'd gone. If I leave, who will clean your house? Who will baby you, a grown woman? She couldn't have left at a better time, especially since Renee found her imprint.

Bella walked through the airport, still holding her breath, turning her music up in a failed attempt to drown out the loud voices. Another curse, super hearing in her human form. Human form? Not anymore.

She stepped outside, relieved to see the clouds covering up the setting sun. I know bloodsuckers don't burn, but I've only seen them at night, maybe the sun weakens them. That's why she had worn her long sleeve shirt, sweat pants, and a baseball cap. She wore gloves, sunglasses and even appeared at the Phoenix airport under the shade of an umbrella.

She wasn't going to take any chances in the Arizona sun. Forks Washington was densely forested and she planned on exploring the dangers of sunlight in solitude; in an area she could quickly duck beneath the shade of the tall trees if things went to shit.

"Bells!" She perked at the sight of her father, smiling broadly as he waved his hands to get her attention. He had parked by the curb and, jesus, he brought his cruiser?

She chuckled, pulling out her headphones, a mistake on her part. The cacophony of voices and noises slammed into her and caused her to stop abruptly, blinking rapidly as she tried to calm herself. It took a moment to adjust, to collect herself, and when she did she was able to smile again.

Her focus was solely on her father, and the noises began to fade into the background, "Hey, dad." He embraced her, quick and awkward, before pulling away and shifting uncomfortably.

He stared at her owlishly for a moment before shaking his head, "Sorry, you're just...wow. You're beautiful Bells." Ever since she'd been bit, the humans she interacted with almost always faltered when they first saw her, it was strange and uncomfortable and she wasn't a fan. Becoming more beautiful was fine, great, even, but their reactions were unwelcome.

She laughed, "I must get it from you." It had been years since she last saw Charlie. She wished she could say he hadn't changed over the years. His bushy brown mustache remained intact and his messy hair still gave him a disheveled appearance.

But her eyesight was sharper, everything was clearer, and she could see the frown lines and the slight gauntness in his face and the darkening circles beneath his eyes. Goddamit, Charlie, do you take care of yourself?

Bella was beginning to wonder if coming here was a mistake, would she have to baby Charlie just as she did Renee? Did she escape Arizona to come to a place that was more of the same? Or maybe this new eyesight only revealed what she hadn't been able to see before. He is the police chief, exhaustion comes with the territory.

"That's a lot of clothes, you must burn like your old man."

"Phoenix is a hot and unforgiving place." She agreed, evoking a chuckle from him.

"You'll appreciate Forks, then." He said, before looking her up and down, "You've really, uh, gotten tall." She was a few inches taller than he was, "Must be eating well." His eyes bulged and she could hear his heartbeat quicken, "Erm, not that you're fat! You look like you've been working out, I just meant-"

She laughed, endeared by her father's fumbling attempts to connect with her, "You're fine, let's just go home."

His heartbeat slowed and he relaxed his stiff posture, giving her a small smile, "Alright," he glanced at her suitcase, "That's all you brought?"

"Yep, now let's roll, chief, I'm starving." He grinned, taking her suitcase and opening the passenger side door for her. He put her stuff in the trunk and they were off. The ride consisted of awkward conversations and painfully long stretches of silence, but Bella loved every second of it.

Renee had so often ignored her or spoke about nonsensical things, never inquiring about Bella's life and only talking about her own. Her only gripe about Charlie was how slow he drove; as if they were taking a Sunday drive.

When the sun was swallowed by the stars Bella took her cap and glasses off. They pulled into Charlie's favorite diner and Charlie, ever the gentleman, never let her open her own door. But it was probably for the best, she was still adjusting to even more strength than she had already been accustomed to.

While she had only broken a few things, she didn't want to risk it, at least, not until she had more practice.

Upon entering the diner he looked at her in surprise, "Whoa, Bells, what happened to your eye?"

The bloodsucker bit me, "No clue, just woke up and poof, one brown eye and one gold eye." It had been red when she had first awoken from her pain-induced coma, but after a few days spent in the woods it turned to gold, and she was beyond grateful.

"It looks good on you."

They sat at their booth with little fanfare, she smiled politely at those that greeted them and entertained the usual questions. Excited for school? Do you remember me? You gonna keep your old man in line? Do you have his appetite? Yes. No. Yes. Yes. She ordered two cheeseburgers and Charlie ordered his usual steak and fries.

Bella looked at her father, ignoring the grumbling of her stomach, thank god I can still eat food, "How've you been? What have you been up to?" He had been asking her so many questions she didn't get to ask any of her own.

He seemed surprised by the question, eyebrows raising, "Oh, um, good! Doing real good." He paused, blood rushing to his cheeks, and Bella felt her jaw tighten, and she continued to hold her breath, "I still fish with Harry Clearwater, you remember him? His kids are around your age, well, Leah is, Seth is fifteen, but I think you'd get along well with them."

"Dad, I asked about you, not the Clearwater's." She couldn't keep the amusement out of her voice, but it died when she noticed even more blood rush to his face.

He scratched the back of his neck and cleared his throat, "Right, well, not much is going on with me. It's a small town, not much to do, but that's fine with me. I like a quiet town." He seemed almost embarrassed with his answer.

Bella shrugged, slumping in her seat when she realized just how stiffly she'd been sitting, "Phoenix had too much going on. Everything was too...loud. Forks will be a good change of pace." He smiled at her and they sat in comfortable silence until their good was delivered.

Only when the burgers and fries were put in front of her did she inhale. The smell of freshly cooked burgers helped mute the scents of the other patrons, much to her relief. Her burgers were rare, and she didn't bother with ketchup as she wolfed them down. The taste of blood was enough to soothe the slight burn in the back of her throat.

Charlie looked at her in surprise as she devoured her fries just as quickly. He was only halfway through his steak, and she drank her water in two large gulps. Not full but satisfied, she contemplated asking for more but thought better of it. Charlie looks like he's about to have a heart attack.

She licked her lips, meeting his gaze, "Dad, it's rude to stare. You might make me self conscious."

He blinked, slowly looking down at his food before looking back up at her, "You eat like a bear." It was her turn to be surprised as he began to laugh, "A very sophisticated and ladylike bear, of course."

She pointed at his steak, "Careful, old man, or this bear is coming for your steak next."

"Don't make me get my rifle."

"That's a threat, Swan, I'll call the police." He stared at her, eyes narrowed as he slowly reached into his pocket.

He pulled out his wallet and opened it to her, "I am the police." Bella's eyes widened and a peel of laughter escaped her. Charlie beamed at her, the largest smile she'd seen since he had picked her up, and it made her happy.

The house smelled like Charlie, a hint of pine, leather, and men's deodorant. Overall, she was just glad her father didn't smell appetizing. She had run away to Forks on a whim, thoughtlessly endangering her father, and it was sheer luck that his blood didn't call to her.

Her room remained the same, a sight that made her smile fondly and then wrinkle her nose in disgust. The color walls were the color of dull lavender, her bedspread was hot pink, and her rug was a bright turquoise.

She wished she could punch her younger self in the face. She had last been here when she was twelve and now she wished her father hadn't left the room as it was. Good thing I have zero friends to invite over.

Bella didn't sleep long, maybe two hours tops, and she spent the rest of the night listening to music while attempting to gently pick random objects up. It was difficult, she broke a few things out of frustration, but nothing of value.

At five in the morning, she went downstairs and made eggs and bacon. Can bloodsuckers sleep? Do they sleep during the day? Her thoughts were consumed with the redhead, her old pack, and her mother. She made Charlie's breakfast before making her own, limiting herself to five eggs and three strips of bacon, which did nothing to sate her appetite.

The sun hadn't yet come out and she decided to risk going outside. She slipped into the woods behind her house, maintaining a light jog until she was out of view from the house.

"Okay, bloodsuckers can run fast." She grumbled to herself, releasing a breath as she rocketed forward. The forest whizzed by and a startled laugh escaped her, her old human form could run fast, but never this fast. I wonder if I could beat a bloodsucker in a race.

Bella came to a stop, breathing heavily despite not needing to, and smiling broadly. The sun was beginning to rise and she waited, standing partially beneath a thick pine tree, body rigid as light filtered through the branches. She allowed the rays of the morning to sun to hit her skin and…

"Nothing?" Her skin seemed brighter, like there was a faint glow to it, but it was nothing out of the ordinary, "What bullshit, I don't even sizzle." She sighed, placing her hands on her hips and contemplating what else to try.

"Bloodsuckers can jump high too...so if I just..." She jumped as high as she could, "Shit!" She was practically flying, her head peeking up over the trees and earning her a face full of sun. On her way down everything looked as though it were in slow motion.

"Holy shit," she breathed, feet lightly touching the ground, "Alright, maybe bloodsuckers are cool, but only a little." She conceded, stripping off her clothes and tucking them between the enlarged tree roots. She was eager to run through a seemingly endless forest. The shift no longer caused pain, it was seamless, as easy as breathing.

Bella burst from her skin, and the first thing she noticed was how red her fur had become. It was a dark red like her right eye had been before it changed to gold. Her fur used to be a more russet color, but that was no longer the case.

I look good in red, she decided, bounding forward into the woods, running faster than she ever had. The world was no longer a blur, her vision was sharper, clearer, and it was beyond thrilling. It was hard to view herself as an abomination.

Her heart thundered in her chest, another gift, the ability to maintain her beating heart. It was slower now but it was still there. If anything she was now the perfect hunter, and if what Renee said was true, she no longer smelled like a wolf. Bloodsuckers wouldn't know what hit them.

But did she want to continue hunting them? She leaped over a fallen tree, digging her claws deep into the earth and running faster, I should. It's what I was born to do, and I'm stronger now. She was seventeen now, seventeen forever, she had nothing but time to train.

She could smell the elk before she saw it, he had been wounded, she could smell the blood coming from his neck and she couldn't stop herself from charging in his direction. The blood smelled amazing, and she couldn't wait to sink her sharp teeth into his tender flesh.

When she was bitten she had been to die in the forest, and when she awoke she had the most painful burn in her throat. Her wolf had gone wild, hunting excessively, drinking the blood from the corpses and then eating the carcasses. At first, she had been disgusted, but it made the burn subside, and humans didn't smell as good after a good hunt.

She came across the elk, he bleated when he saw her and began running, but he was so slow in comparison that, had she not been so hungry, she would have felt sorry for him. She raced towards him, snarling as she pounced, teeth sinking into the back of his neck and claws digging into his shoulders.

He bleated again when she brought them to the ground, teeth latching onto his neck and blood flowing into her mouth. His cries quickly quieted, the burn in her throat vanished, and she ate until she was full.

By the time she returned home, it was seven, and in true Forks fashion, the clouds had covered the sun. She took a long shower, turning the water as hot as it could go, do bloodsuckers shower? They have to, right?

Bella didn't have many clothes, her departure from Phoenix had been rushed, but at least she had the comfort of her favorite blue jeans and a black tank top. Maybe I'll go to Port Angeles later, I need more t-shirts.

She checked herself in the mirror once more, I look fucking pale enough to be a bloodsucker. But she could admit, whatever was in their venom made her face look better than any skincare technique she could use.

She looked regal, beautiful in a way she could never attain when she was just a wolf. All blemishes were gone, save for the deep scar that ran over the corner of her mouth. Another gift from the redhead. She grunted, fixing her dark brown hair slightly before slipping out of her room.

Bella could hear Charlie digging into his eggs and she grinned, jumping from the top of the stairs and landing at the bottom with a loud thud, "Jesus, Bells!"

She laughed, gliding into the kitchen with an easy smile, "Just keeping you on your toes, chief!"

"Just giving me a heart attack," he grumbled, sipping from his coffee mug, "Thanks for the food. How early were you up? These were cold by the time I woke up."

"Five. But I slept like a rock last night so that's probably why." I drank, I don't know how much elk blood, and I feel amazing. She felt energized, as though she had two pots of coffee, and she wondered if all bloodsuckers felt the same after they fed.

If animal blood does this, imagine what human blood could do. She didn't entertain the thought, or at least, she tried not to.

"Well, at least one of us is a morning person." The sound of a car coming into the driveway made her frown.

She looked at the door, nose wrinkling at the smell of wet dog. More shifters? For a moment she panicked, and she wondered if it was her Alpha. But the hysteria was short-lived, their scents were different. This shifter was still an Alpha, but one who had yet to shift.

The smell intensified and her jaw tightened as she fought back a hiss, have we always smelled that bad? Charlie jumped to his feet when knuckles rapped against the door.

"I have a surprise for you!" He enthused, grabbing her hand. She allowed him to drag her to the door, throwing it open and heartily greeting Billy and Jacob Black. She didn't remember them well, just bits and pieces, but she greeted them warmly just the same.

Billy grasped her hands, smiling widely at her, "Bella, it's so great to see you."

"You too, Billy."

"You've gotten tall. Didn't get that from your short father, that's for sure."

"Easy, Black, I'd hate to have to teach you a lesson in front of your son." Charlie put his fists up, smiling as Billy did the same.

"I could kick your butt even in my wheelchair, Swan."

Bella rolled her eyes fondly as the two play fought before she turned her attention to Jake. He had grown like a weed, and he stood a head taller than her. His long black hair went to the middle of his back and his skin was the color of copper.

His smile was radiant and endearing, almost infectious, "Bella, I'm glad you're back!" Jake was a sweet kid but a ticking time bomb. His smell was so pungent that she had to stop herself from recoiling when he embraced her. His skin was hot, feverish, even, and it made her grimace. He could turn any day now.

If there was one thing she was certain of, it was that she had no interest in associating with his pack. But luck had never been on her side.

"It's good to be back."

The surprise was a red rusted truck. It was old, that much she could tell; she had never been good with cars, but she was grateful to have any form of transportation. After Jake and Billy departed, and after she reluctantly gave Jake her phone number, she drove to school as fast as her old truck would allow. Seventy was pushing it, the truck made odd noises, it was loud and chaotic and she loved it.

She kept her headphones in, forcing herself to walk at a normal pace, and she kept her gaze fixed on her schedule. Much to her relief, the smells of the blood-filled human body didn't cause her throat to burn, but she encountered another overwhelming scent that made her freeze.

Bloodsuckers. She ripped out her headphones, listening closely for any signs of an attack. The sickly sweet smell was just as bothersome as the scent of the shifters, another curse she could blame the redheaded bitch for.

She heard nothing that would indicate the slaughter of the student populace, but there were so many scents that it made her head swim and her body shudder. Bloodsuckers and shifters, of fucking course.

"Hey! You're Isabella, right? Chief Swan's daughter?" She blinked, looking down at a short black-haired boy that held a camera. He came up to her chest, and she was surprised he didn't break his neck looking up at her, seeing as he was far too close for comfort.

She took a step back, "Just Bella is fine." He stared at her for a moment, as though starstruck, before he composed himself.

"Well, just Bella, I'm Eric," fuck off, "I was hoping to get your picture for the school paper-"

"No!" Can bloodsuckers show up in photographs? I can see my reflection but is it the same for photos? "I don't give you permission to take any photos of me. Nothing personal, I just hate cameras."

Eric's eyebrows raised, "Oh, alright, sorry." He smiled sheepishly, "Can I at least walk you to your next class? Being the new kid sucks, it couldn't hurt to have a friend." She regarded him suspiciously for a moment before deeming his intentions to be pure.

"Sure, let's go, bestie. I need to be in calculus." He laughed, leading her to the calculus room.

Eric chatted idly as they walked the halls, and while Bella appreciated his now laid back behavior, she was still on alert for any bloodsuckers that were in the building. She had picked up on four different scents, and while the venom made her stronger she doubted she could take on four of them.

They came to a stop outside the calculus room, "Hey, since we're besties now, does that mean you're eating at my lunch table?"

She grinned, "You bet your sweet ass I am. Thanks for walking me, I'll see you at lunch." She decided she liked Eric, she didn't know him well but he seemed nice enough. Based on the lewd conversations she'd been hearing from her peers, she was really hoping Eric was one of the good ones.

Calculus rolled by slowly but she met a nice girl named Angela who, lucky her, was also friends with Eric. In English, she met Mike, a tall basketball player that smelled like sweat and pined after her like a lovesick puppy. When it was finally time for lunch she was delighted, and while she wasn't hungry, she could go for a light snack.

It's noon, time to eat, and the world's worst bloodsuckers haven't managed to eat one student in this school. She grabbed her trey that consisted of an overcooked cheeseburger, two small bags of chips, two apples, and three cookies, before following Eric to his lunch table.

If she remembered correctly there was Jessica, Mike, Angela, a guy with a name that started with the letter T, and...Lonnie? Lorelei? Laurel? It's Laurel, she looks like a Laurel. Laurel was currently staring at her with narrowed eyes, sizing her up and then wrinkling her nose at her trey.

"You eat a lot." You don't know the half of it.

"I'm a growing girl, I need my food." Mike, as though he were asked, nodded approvingly. This caught Jessica's attention who was now distraught and staring at her trey. Yikes, not getting into that trainwreck.

"And, Bella obviously works out. Check out those guns!" Eric gestured to her arms, and while they were well-muscled, they weren't nearly as impressive as some of the other girls in her old pack.

"I hope you're a licensed gun owner." Angela laughed awkwardly and Bella stared at her.

"Angela."

"I'm sorry."

Jessica, no longer staring mournfully at her modest amount of food, was now looking at Bella with newfound interest, "So, I don't mean to be rude but, did you actually move from Arizona? You're really pale."

"I'm white, Jessica, why the fuck would I be dancing in the sun all day?" She was startled for a moment before laughing along with their group, she seemed a little embarrassed so Bella was quick to say, "I burn really easily, the sun and I are mortal enemies."

Laurel cut in, "What's wrong with your eyes?"

"It's called heterochromia, Laurel, it's when your eyes are two different colors." Whatever she said clearly affronted the girl. Her cheeks were red and a scowl twisted upon her lips.

"My name is Lauren." She all but hissed, and Bella huffed out a laugh.

"Whoops, my bad. I guess I misheard you." She snorted but didn't respond, instead, she angrily stabbed one of her peas with her fork, she eats peas with a fork, like a serial killer, and popped it into her mouth. I hope you bite your tongue.

The conversation flowed easily within their group, and Bella was having a good time until a strong scent hit her.

It smelled like roses and it made her toes curl, never had someone smelled that good to her. Bella wanted to wrap herself in it. She blinked, body stiffening when the scent blended together with the overbearing sweet smells of the bloodsuckers.

Then they walked in, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. There were five of them, which was odd and unnerving, she had never seen more than three together at a time.

The first girl was small with short, spiky brown hair and, what the hell? Bella squinted, surprised to see gold eyes instead of red. Can bloodsuckers wear contacts? But why gold? Bella wondered if it was something to do with animal blood, but that couldn't be right, bloodsuckers drink from humans, they always have.

She was petite and Bella wondered if she had once been a ballerina. Her eyebrows were thin, looking as delicate as she did, and her eyes were large. She was beautiful, every bloodsucker is beautiful, that much she could admit. The girl resembled a pixie, gracefully dancing into the cafeteria, stopping only to grab the hand of one of the males.

The sight of him nearly made her snarl. He wore a white button-up shirt with his sleeves rolled up to expose his forearms. She could see the crisscross of bloodsucker bite marks, resembling her own scar. He's been in more fights than me, her eyes traveled to the thick bite on his neck and on his jaw, and he's never lost. As if noticing her discomfort, from across the room, he looked at her. He stared at her curiously and she stared back, shoulders hunched defensively until he finally looked away.

His eyes were gold too, and she couldn't understand why. His hair was the color of honey and his skin looked like marble. He was lean, on edge, and Bella wondered if she could risk fighting him one on one. She had killed her fair share of bloodsuckers, but none with the battle scars he had.

"Oh, you spotted the Cullens." Lauren sounded bitter, Bella didn't enjoy the sound of her voice. Where Angela was soft-spoken and Eric's voice had a playful tilt, Lauren's grated on her ears.

"I guess I have."

The girl leaned towards her, pointing them out as they filed in, "The small one is Alice, she's a freak, and the one who's holding her hand is Jasper, who is also a freak. But at least Alice is just like, weird, you know? Jasper gives me serial killer vibes."

Bella nearly laughed, "Why is that?"

"He looks like he's in pain all the time. Like he can't stand being around other people." Is it a bloodlust problem? Why the fuck are bloodsuckers even enrolled at a high school?

"Noted."

"All the Cullens are adopted by Esme and Carlise Cullen," fuck me, two more, "They can't have kids. But it's even weirder because Alice and Jasper are dating and they're practically related."

Angela was quick to intervene, "Jasper is a Hale, so is Rosalie. Alice and Jasper aren't related by blood so it really doesn't matter."

Jessica tossed in her two cents, "Yeah but they live together, it's still kinda weird. Not straight up, like, incest, or anything. Just different."

Bella could care less, "I guess."

Lauren pointed at the giant one, "The black-haired one is Emmett, some rumors are going around that he's dating his adopted sister, Rosalie, but that has yet to be confirmed, which is a genuine shame." Emmett was smirking at her description of him and turned to Jasper as they sat at their table.

"Hear that, Jaspy? It's a genuine shame that the girls don't know if I'm available." He boasted, and Jasper rolled his eyes.

"Lauren is still more interested in Edward." He had a southern accent and had it not been for his very existence she would have found it to be charming.

"You just suck the fun out of everything." Emmett grumbled, "Pun intended."

Emmett looked like a professional weightlifter. He had short, black hair that was slightly curly. His shoulders and biceps were massive and, had she not seen Jasper, she would have believed Emmet to be the most threatening. He was the tallest bloodsucker, she found him to be very handsome, especially with his wide smile and dimples.

Bella turned her attention to the next Cullen, "That's Edward, single and beautiful, but apparently no one around here is good enough for him."

Edward was beautiful, but she hated his hair. It was the color of bronze and tousled haphazardly. It wasn't a cute disheveled, it was just a mess. He was tall, not as tall as Emmett or Jasper, but taller than she was by a few inches. He was more on the thin and lanky side but he still had a somewhat muscular build.

Edward was looking at Jasper, his brow furrowed and then he looked at her. More gold, and no one thinks that's weird? Bella held his gaze, challenged it. He looked away with a frown, appearing frustrated, and she couldn't wipe her smug smile from her lips.

Lauren misunderstood her stare as a look of infatuation, "He doesn't date, don't waste your time."

Bella snorted, "Don't worry, he's definitely not my type. Emmett is way more attractive."

"Jasper, Edward, tell me you heard that! The new girl has great taste." She wanted to laugh.

Lauren looked at her in surprise, "Really? Emmett's your type?"

"I didn't say that I just said he was more attractive."

"Whatever." She pointed out the last one, "And that's Rosalie Hale. A total bitch, she hates everyone." Lauren informed her, and Bella suddenly couldn't breathe.

Rosalie was heartbreakingly beautiful, even for a bloodsucker. Her figure resembled that of a model, tall and statuesque. Her hair was the color of gold, falling to the middle of her back. She had high cheekbones, full lips, and a sharp jawline. Everything about her was flawless, and she was the one that smelled like roses. Finally, a bloodsucker that doesn't stink.

She sat with her family, and gold eyes looked up to meet Bella's dual-colored ones. The world stopped, it was like Bella could only see Rosalie, like she was her world. Her eyes widened and her heart thundered in her chest. Oh fuck. Rosalie was staring at her with the same startled expression.

I have to protect her, I have to love her and cherish her and- Rosalie stood up abruptly, shooting her an icy glare before storming out of the cafeteria. Bella blinked, shaking her head vigorously in an attempt to clear her mind.

Did I just...on a fucking bloodsucker? She wanted to follow her, make sure she was alright and dude can you shut the fuck up?

"So Emmett isn't your type and neither is Edward, what is your type?" Jessica asked, casting a nervous glance at Mike as he perked up in interest.

Bella stared at the cafeteria doors, shrugging as she said, "I've always been partial to blondes."

She was the first person in her biology class and she took a seat in the middle row, "Score, window seat." She plopped down, putting her bookbag in the seat next to her, hoping it would provide a deterrent for anyone interested in sitting next to her.

She pulled out her notebook, doodling thoughtlessly while thinking of gold hair and gold eyes. Bella Hale, Rosalie Swan, dude what the fuck. Bella ripped the page out, crumpling it and tossing it into the trash bin from her seat.

My imprint can't be a bloodsucker, it must be a mistake. Students filed into the classroom, and the sickly sweet scent of a bloodsucker washed over her. Edward walked in and she pushed herself closer to the window, wishing she could leave as quickly as possible.

Bella put a hand over her nose, keeping her head down as he walked over to her, "Excuse me, do you mind if I sit by you?" His voice was smooth, and if he didn't smell so terrible she might have found it calming.

She glanced around the classroom, to see all the seats were filled. The universe just loves to fuck me. She moved her bag and he sat next to her, her body tensed and she tried to ignore him as he turned and smiled politely at her.

"I should introduce myself, I'm Edward Cullen." And I'm going to be sick, "You must be Isabella."

Bella removed her hand from her face, giving him a brisk nod, "Bella."

"Bella. That's a lovely name."

She faced straight ahead, trying to pay attention to the lecture, "Thanks." She held back a growl that threatened to spill from her lips as he continued to stare at her, "Do I have something on my face or do you have a staring problem?" From her peripheral, she could see his eyes widened.

"My apologies, your eyes are just very...different. Why is one gold? That's an unusual color."

She looked at him in disbelief, "You and your unrelated siblings all have gold eyes, and it's my single gold eye that's unusual?"

He seemed unnerved by her observation, "I didn't mean to be rude, I was only curious...you're just very difficult to read." Fuck does that mean?

"Whatever you say, bud."

He tilted his head, looking at her curiously, "Do I make you uncomfortable? You're very stiff."

For the love of god, "Thanks for the narration, and no, cats make me uncomfortable, you're just you."

"You fear cats?"

"No, they just make me uncomfortable."

"Why?"

"Mr. Cullen and Ms. Swan, is my teaching interrupting your conversation?"

Can bloodsuckers blush? I don't think I can anymore, "No sir, sorry." She grumbled, and Edward uttered an apology as well. Why does he ask so many questions? Why haven't the bloodsuckers in this school gone nuts and eaten everyone?

When class ended she stood quickly and practically raced out of the room. Holding her breath until Edward's overpowering stench faded. Alright, now I have PE and then I can go home. When she neared the locker room the smell returned but it was less potent, and there were two of them now and fuck me.

"Bella!" A small body crashed into her, almost causing her to panic. It was one of the bloodsuckers, her skin was cold as ice but it didn't bring the same discomfort Bella had once felt when touching them.

It was the strong arms around her torso that made her stiffen. Bones snapping, loud whimpers, red eyes, red mouth, red hair. She was almost trembling, and if the bloodsucker noticed the way her heartbeat sped up she didn't say anything, instead she pulled away quickly.

"I'm Alice Cullen, and we're going to be best friends!" She declared, smiling up widely at her, "We're going to go shopping together and have sleepovers and paint each other's nails and talk about boys and-"

"Easy there, shortie, you're talking way too fast." Bella couldn't help but find the tiniest bloodsucker to be somewhat endearing, she seemed the most human out of all of them.

Alice beamed, "You already have a nickname for me! Perfect! I'll call you...Belly Bells."

"Wait-"

"We have PE together! My brother Emmett has it with us too, let's go get changed!" She grabbed Bella's arm and with a yelp, she was yanked into the girl's locker room.

"Who's your new victim, Alice?"

That made Bella tense, which didn't go unnoticed by either of the bloodsuckers, "You know who she is, don't play dumb."

Emmett sighed, shrugging his broad shoulders, "I just wanted to sound clever," he then smiled at her, "You're Bella, I'm Emmett, and I hope you're good at sports because you're on my team for volleyball!"

Alice scoffed, grabbing Bella's arm and pulling her close, "No, Bella is my best friend. She's on my team!" What the fuck is going on? Unless they were putting on an act, these bloodsuckers weren't anything like the ones she's hunted and this entire situation was unnerving.

"You're wrong but..." Emmett looked at Bella's arm, "Whoa! You have a tattoo." Before she could say anything he grabbed her wrist and examined it, "Are those supposed to be claw marks?"

Bella shrugged, awkwardly pulling away from him and running her thumb over her pack tattoo, "Yeah, an impulse buy, I guess."

"Well, I like it! It has character!" Alice said and Emmett nodded.

"It looks pretty badass."

Everyone was silenced by the sharp whistle of coach Cleppe, "Get on the court and get ready to play! Same teams as last time." She looked at Bella, "Swan, you're with Cullen."

"Yes!" Emmett fist pumped and Alice stared at him drolly.

"We're both Cullens." She reminded him and he paused, smiling sheepishly.

"Right."

"You're with Emmett Cullen." The coach corrected and Emmett let out a whoop, slinging his arm around her shoulders. Bella forced herself to relax, if the bloodsuckers wanted to eat people they would have done it already. But she'd continue to keep her guard up.

Alice pouted, crossing her arms over her chest and jutting out her bottom lip, and Bella couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped her, "Maybe next time, Alice."

Emmett snorted, leading Bella to his side of the court, "More like, maybe never. You don't have to be so nice to her, she always gets what she wants. She and Eddie have our dad wrapped around their fingers." Eddie? I like it.

From across the room, she could hear Lauren sneer, "Emmett isn't her type? Yeah right," to Jessica who seemed just as confused as Bella felt.

"Emmett put his arm around her-"

"And the bitch is enjoying every second of it." Emmett shot a glare in her direction while Bella huffed in amusement.

He looked at her in confusion before pulling away, "You're tall, so you can guard the net with me." Oh fuck, that requires jumping. The last time she did that she nearly hit a cloud, I haven't controlled it yet, I might end up hitting the ceiling.

"Actually, I make a better back row."

He shrugged, "Whatever you say. Just know, I'm counting on you!"

She snorted, "You're blocking, I'm counting on you."

Emmett laughed before going to the net, "Fair enough!"

Their team beat Alice's, 25-15. Controlling her movements had been difficult, making sure she didn't react in a way that was inhumanly possible had been difficult. She let a few balls drop on purpose, but her competitive spirit got the better of her, and after Alice's team reached fifteen points she never let a ball touch the floor.

After their victory, Emmett cheered, high fiving the humans before encircling Bella in a large bear hug, "We're the champions, baby! Suck it, Alice!" Bella bristled, squirming uncomfortably in the hug until Emmett put her down. He gave her a strange look and she forced a smile before patting his bicep awkwardly.

"Good hits, Emmett."

He ducked his head, "I'm sorry, are you not a hugger?"

Her eyebrows raised and she was taken back by how genuine he seemed, "Erm, not really, but…" he looked like a kicked puppy, like he actually felt bad, goddammit, "I guess...if I'm around you and Alice a lot, I'll get used to it." Can bloodsuckers feel remorse?

Emmett beamed at her, his smile reminded her of Jake's, bright and inviting, "I'll try to restrain myself and not hug you as much!"

Bella found herself giving him a genuine smile, "Thanks." Oh no, what is this feeling? Her chest felt warm and her smile remained. Affection? For a bloodsucker? Disgusting. Her Alpha would- no, he's not my Alpha, not anymore.

A sulking Alice approached them, arms crossed and pout still in place, "Hello, traitor."

She let out a disbelieving laugh, "Traitor? Coach Cleppe put me with-"

"Save it! I won't listen to your excuses!" She cried, turning away from her dramatically, "There's only one way you can make your treachery up to me."

Alice: Bella! I texted you thirty minutes ago, RESPOND!

Emmett: We're gonna plan a game night so I can kick your ass in Halo

Bella sighed, tossing her phone onto her bed and opening her window. How did I let it get this bad? Giving the bloodsuckers her phone number hadn't been the plan, but they're...not so bad. And it said something that she had blocked her old pack's numbers but texted bloodsuckers, it says something, something I don't want to hear.

She found Alice and Emmett to be charming. Jasper still gave her the creeps and Edward was a weirdo and Rosalie was an ice queen apparently, one I'd give my soul to marry- dude. Shut. Up. But she couldn't help it, it was like her soul yearned to be with her. She wanted to at least see her, she was certain she could stare at Rosalie for hours.

She felt restless and angry. A fucking bloodsucker, my life is truly a joke.

The familiar scent of Edward washed over her and she bristled, slamming her window shut and closing the blinds, what the hell is he doing here. Charlie wasn't home yet, which was a relief. What if this was all a ruse and now they're hunting me?

"Edward." That voice. The smell of roses overpowered Edward's strong scent, and Bella felt herself relax.

"Why are you here, Rosalie?" He didn't sound as tranquil as he had earlier that day. Instead, he sounded agitated. They spoke too quiet for human ears, and she had to refrain from opening her blinds. I just want to see her.

"To bring you home and to remind you to get your head out of your ass." Her voice was like ice and Bella was close to swooning, "You can't spy on humans just to sate your annoying curiosity."

She heard Edward scoff, "It's not just curiosity. I can't hear her thoughts and Alice can't see her." Wait wait wait, what? Edward could read minds? Can all bloodsuckers do that? What does he mean, Alice can't see me?

"So the human is defective, why do you care?" She sounded bitter.

"I...I think she could be my mate."

Bella laughed loudly, "Bullshit!" Both of them froze, immediately they stopped talking and she realized her mistake, "God, Emmett is so full of it." She laughed again, pulling out her phone and firing a quick text back to both the Cullens before shuffling around in her room. She tried to act busy, tried to act as though she couldn't hear a word those two uttered.

Is that why Alice and Emmett have taken an interest in me? Because Eddie thinks I'm his mate?

A hiss escaped one of them, she was guessing Rosalie, "Great, not only are you and Alice eager to get a new pet, but Emmett seems taken with her as well." Bella groaned, collapsing onto her bed, does she hate me already? We haven't said a word to each other!

Edward sounded perturbed, "She likes them, but I seem to agitate her."

"Does no one in this godforsaken family listen to me!" Rosalie snapped, "We can't get close to a human, the Volturi will have our heads!" Volturi?

"They won't do anything, she could be my mate. She'd be perfect for me, I can't read her and-"

"She's not your mate." Rosalie all but snarled, and Bella's eyes widened.

Edward sounded irritable, "And how would you know that, Rose? Since you're so knowledgeable about mating?" His sarcasm didn't escape her, and Rosalie said nothing, instead, she scoffed and Bella could hear her footsteps walking away.

"You have five minutes to get your shit together and come home." Rosalie left, and after five minutes, she had been watching the clock, Edward left as well. My imprint might hate me, but she saved me from my stalker. She would have to do some serious damage control with Edward, maybe avoid the Cullens altogether.

"You can't fight the imprint." Bella wanted to at least try, but she had seen the repercussions that came with trying to reject an imprint, and it was terrifying.

Maybe I can just be friends with her until the day we both die, which will never happen. She groaned, smushing a pillow over her face and forcing herself to sleep.

That night she dreamt of fiery red hair and eyes the color of blood. The bloodsucker was chasing her, toying with her. No matter how fast Bella ran the bloodsucker was always right on her heels.

"I'm coming for you, little wolf." She purred, "You belong to me."

Her nightmare rattled her, made her wonder if the redhead was hunting her. She was determined enough to separate me from the pack, what if she finds me here? Her phone vibrated and she blinked, coming back to reality, chill out, Swan, you're in Forks. She's not chasing you. Right now you're with Charlie making breakfast, now check your phone.

Jake: Bonfire this weekend, you in?

"You should go." Charlie said, using his spatula to flip the bacon, "He's a good boy, and you could stand to make some friends."

Bella sighed, "Gee, thanks for the encouragement, Dad." She checked the pancakes, not brown enough, "And I'll have you know, I made a lot of friends."

He raised a bushy brow, "Is that right?"

She nodded, "Yep. Emmett and Alice and Jessica and Angela and Eric-"

He waved her off and chuckled, "I get it, you're better at socializing than your old man." Charlie slid the bacon onto a plate before adding more, "Emmett and Alice, those are Dr. Cullen's kids, right?" Dr. Cullen? A bloodsucker is a fucking doctor?

"Uh, yeah."

"That's nice. The Cullens are good people."

"Seems so." It was almost ridiculous that she was eating again; after she ate two deers, but she had a sweet tooth, and blood and raw meat couldn't satisfy it.

"New friends aside, you should still spend some time with Jake. Billy invited me to the bonfire too, I was actually going to see if you wanted to, uh, tag along." Charlie grumbled, "But, I wasn't sure if that was pushing it or-"

"Dad." He looked up from the bacon, "I'd love to go with you." She gave him an easy smile, "But only if you help me with dinner tonight. I found a new recipe for stir fry I wanted to try."

He nodded, smiling slightly, "Sure, Bells."

Bella: My dad invited me, so I'll see you there

Jake: Sweet, I'll save you a seat

So much for not associating with the wolves, Bella flipped the pancakes, playing with puppies and bloodsuckers, what could possibly go wrong?

AN: Yeah, I know, another story, I'm working slowly but surely on my other ones but I love Rosella and can barely find any stories for it so I wrote my own. The hybrid stuff just seemed fun to write.

ALSO, I see a lot of Jessica Stanley slander in fics and I will NOT tolerate it! My bitch was played by Anna Kendrick in the movies and ya'll still give her a hard time. And she wasn't even a bad friend in the books (if I remember correctly) so I need the fandom to collectively give my bitch the respect she deserves.

And, this isn't an anti-Edward story. I have my own gripes with him but I don't hate him. I might stan Victoria...so I'm working through some things. But to be completely fair, she raised an entire vampire army to kill one human, if that isn't fucking Azula energy then I don't know what is.