The closer they got to La Push, the more anxious Helena became. Something was wrong but she didn't know what.

Bella seemed worried but Lena didn't think she felt the same way she was feeling.

As she pulled into the yard of the little red house, her anxiety skyrocketed until it bordered actual, genuine fear.

"Bella, I think we need to leave," she said to the younger girl. "Something's not right."

"I'm already here. Let me at least knock and see if he's here. If not, we can leave."

Helena didn't like that plan at all but before she could argue, Bella had stormed out of the truck and up to the house. Billy answered the door and Helena saw his hesitantation. Bella wasn't listening to whatever the older man was saying. Helena hurried out to the truck to drag her sister back and to apologize for bothering them when Bella pushed past Billy into the house.

Helena furrowed her brows as she reached the doorstep of the Black residence. "I'm so sorry, Billy. I tried to convince her not to but she wasn't listening."

Billy shook his head. "It's okay, that girl is too headstrong and not in a good way. She's gonna get herself hurt."

While she thought the man should keep his nose in his business, Helena couldn't help but agree. Bella was a very 'my way or the highway' person and no one could stop her.

A crack sounded behind the two as a group of boys came out of the woods, including three Helena recognized from the diner. The group was laughing and rough housing. Despite the cold weather, not a single one had a shirt on.

"Billy, do you mind if I go grab Bella and then we'll be on our-"

Bella had a habit of cutting her sister off to be irrational it seemed. Simce before she could finish her sentence, the younger Swan was storming out of the house towards the group before Helena could catch her.

"What did you do? I know you did something to him! He's terrified of you guys!"

Helena wasn't sure what the girl was yelling about but it didn't sound good. "Bella, calm down. You don't need to be so loud."

Bella laughed at her sister. "Didn't you say anger was the next step? Well, I'm angry! They did something to Jacob."

"We both know that's not what I meant. Don't you dare try to turn this on me. You need to get in thr truck so we can leave. You can talk to Jacob another day." Lena was quickly becoming fed up with Bella's attitude.

The boy from the diner, Paul, spoke up. "You should listen to your sister. You've got no idea what you're talking about."

Even though Helena agreed, she turned toward the boy. "Yeah, no. Let me handle this. Butt out. Bella," she said looking back to her sister, "Let's argue at home."

Bella shook her head and went toward the boys again. "No, not until they tell me. What did you do?"

Paul laughed at the girl. "We didn't do anything. You need to tuck your tail and head home. This isn't your business."

Something in his words set Bella off and made her walk up and slap him across the face. The second her hand collided, he began shaking.

Helena grabbed her sister and put her behind her. The rest of the boys were attempting to grab Paul. "Bella. Go to the truck. Now."

Bella tried to argue but Helena gave her a firm look and the younger Swan ran towards the truck. Her swift movement set Paul off and he dived at the pair. He jumped, turning into a wolf as Helena launched herself between her sister and the beast. Before anyone could stop him, he landed on the girl and his claws dug across her arm and chest, sending her to the ground.

From her position, she could see Jacob running out of his house and could hear her sister calling his name before it all went black. As she lost consciousness, she looked at Sam. "No hospital."

●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●

"I still think we should take her to the hospital."

"She said not to. We need to wait until she wakes up."

"She was delirious with blood loss. If she dies, its on me, not you. We need to take her."

Slowly, Helena was waking up and realizing what the two obnoxiously loud voices around her were arguing about.

Without opening her eyes, she added to the hostile conversation. "I vote no hospital."

"Fuck!" one of the voices yelled in shock.

Helena opened her eyes this time and saw Paul and Sam sitting beside the couch she was on. "Sorry. But I can't go to a hospital. Don't ask."

"I'm gonna ask. Why no hospitals?" Paul argued.

"I just can't. Are you really in a position to disagree. One of us lost a lot of blood today and it was not you."

Paul looked remorseful at the mention of his loss of control. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have reacted like that. It was terrible. Please let us take you to the hospital."

"No. Who bandaged this anyway? Have they not checked on it yet?"

"It was my fiancée, Emily. She was about to, after I got Paul out of here. Its across your chest and we had to cut open your shirt, so you're in one of her button ups so we could get to the wounds," Sam replied, finally speaking up.

"Well, I'm going to have to thank her and buy her a new shirt." Helena sat up and began undoing the buttons on the top.

"Woah! Hold on!" Both boys protested as dhe sat up but she just looked at the two.

She peeled a part of the bandage off to show the already healing scratches.

"Oh, shit. Are you a werewolf too?" Paul asked.

"No, I'm not. Wait, werewolves? I thought you were spirit shifters?"

The two boys looked at each other. "What's the difference?" Sam asked.

"Werewolves forcibly shift during lunar events such as eclipses and full moons while spirit shifters can shit whenever. Werewolves are also much more aggressive and rarely remember their actions while shifters keep their consciousness."

"Oh. The rest of the boys will be disappointed. We're spirit shifters, not werewolves. How do you know so much?" Sam questioned.

"I learned about you from my family's grimoire. I can look and see if there's anymore information, if you'd like."

"Can we go back to the part where your bones aren't showing anymore?" Paul interjected.

"You cut all the way to my bones?" Helena asked, seeming impressed.

"You are way to calm while asking about that. That's not normal."

Helena shrugged. " Probably not. Where's my sister?"

"She's with Jacob. He was explaining everything to her last I checked. So no comment on your species? We're just gonna avoid that?" Paul asked while looking between his alpha and the strange girl on the couch.

Helena buttoned her shirt back up and walked out of the room.

Sam looked to Paul. "I think that's your answer."

Helena walked into a kitchen where a woman was cooking and humming to a song playing on a nearby radio.

"Hi, are you Emily?"

Emily spun around to reveal her face. She was a pretty girl, even the three slashes, much like the ones on Helena's chest, couldn't cover that. "Hi! You're awake. Yes, I'm Emily. How are you standing?"

"I'm a fast healer. I'm Helena, but you can call me Lena. I just wanted to thank you for the shirt and the bandages. I'll get you a new shirt."

"Well, Lena, don't worry about it. The shirt was too small on me anyway. Why don't you sit down and eat? I think your sister and the rest of the boys will be back soon so if you don't eat now, those pigs will eat it all."

Paul and Sam walked out of the other room, Paul disagreeing with Emily's pig comment. "We are growing boys. We need our food, Em."

Emiky laughed. It was a pretty sound and made Helena feel warm inside. "Growing boys don't go through a dozen eggs and a gallon of milk on one day."

"If you ever want help cooking, I wouldn't mind. I prefer baking but I won't burn the house down if I help make a meal," Helena offered.

"I might have to take you up on that. These boys eat me out of house and home. I wouldn't have it any other way, though." Emily smiled, obviously happy with her nurturing role.

Before anyone else could respond, two more boys rushed into the home. They both stop in their tracks at the sight of Helena sitting at the bar, unbothered.

"Should she really be up after that hit? Blood was everywhere," the taller of the two pointed out. Helena hadn't met this boy yet.

Sam answered him. "She heals fast. Don't ask why, she won't answer."

The boy looked at Lena who shook her head at his unasked question. "Who are you, though? I've never seen you at the diner. Oh shit, I've got a shift at the diner. Where's the truck and can one of you get Bella back?"

"The truck is out front but should you really be working? You just got tackled by a wolf less than three hours ago," Paul, ever so nicely pointed out.

"Yes, I'm sure. Just get me to my house and I'll be able to go to work. Don't ask," she added, seeing Sam's face.

"At least let one of us drive you back and then Jacob can bring Bella home," Sam said instead.

She paused. It would be better to heal a bit more so her spell would have less work to do. "Fine. I can drop whoever back off on the way but don't expect answers. Who's driving?"

All of the boys looked at Paul. "Aw, what did I do?" the boy groaned before he thought about it. "Actually, don't answer that."