𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐍𝐄
— 𝒷𝑒𝒻𝑜𝓇𝑒 𝓌𝑒 𝒻𝑒𝓁𝓁 —

    𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐔𝐏𝐎𝐍 𝐀 time, Serenity Reagan had believed in fairytales; the teenager often found herself staring contently from her window, her chin placed upon the smooth palms of her hands, while feeling as though she was a princess locked away in a tower while awaiting her knight in shining armor. She imagined that one day he would ride in one day upon a noble steed, a drawn sword in his grasp and a smile that would melt her heart as he vowed to save her. But life was not kind to her — it had provided cruelty time and time again, sparing no mercy to the girl with the broken heart, or to her parents that had been taken in an accident that nearly claimed her life. But despite the truths that would have stolen all traces of hope from any other, Serenity offered to the world the very thing that it denied her: kindness.

Although those who never formally met her didn't have the pleasure of learning her heart, one could simply find it within her eyes; the lightness within them would remind anyone of summer, when the fluorescence of the sun would shine down upon the effervescent tendrils of freshly cut grass while gently inviting anyone else to gaze upon the same light. They were a glimmering emerald, the same tone that revived the grass after a cold, unforgiving winter. In the earthy hues of her eyes were her soul, with the kind of beauty that expanded a moment into a personal eternity — a heaven that practically dared anyone to get lost in them.

After the spring that altered the entirety of her life, Serenity was offered a place in her windowed aunt's home at the Quileute Indian Reservation in Washington. The teenager was overjoyed at the opportunity to finally reconnect with the only remainder of her immediate family, including the cousin who she had kept in close contact since his last visit nearly two years before. And although it meant leaving behind her forever home, she refused to admit that she was leaving behind the memories of her parents — she would always carry them with her, no matter the location. And so she relinquished the home that her parents had built in their early years of marriage, all the while promising that one day . . . one day she would return.

It hadn't taken long after her arrival for Serenity to fit into the new atmosphere; although the newfound distance from her home was quite an experience, she found that she rather enjoyed the clouds, and the seemingly never-ending shifts of rainfall. Her room in their home was different than what she had previously been accustomed to — it offered to her a balcony with a beautiful view of the forest that rested just beyond the property. Laythe, her cousin, had ventured into the dense woodland several times with Serenity by his side, and every time she found herself scanning her surroundings as though she was looking for something particular. The girl never quite understood the feeling that she had grown to have after her move to the Reservation. From the very moment her vintage wedges had touched the earth of her new home, she had been searching — perhaps, she thought, the world was giving her a sign, and she had to look closely in order to find it. And nearly a year after her relocation, she still wandered out to the balcony every night before turning out her lights, staring beyond the darkness and to the stars in the night sky.

And some nights, the stars would twinkle as she looked to them — so persistently, in fact, that she almost imagined they were encouraging her to continue searching. One day she would find the very thing she had spent so many months seeking.

Autumn looms now; the outside air is fresh with invigoration and a light breeze gently tugs at the effervescent tendrils of freshly cut grass that litter the damp earth outside. One could easily tell that the season was changing; not only was the temperature dropping at a steady rate, but the leaves on the neighborhood oak trees were beginning to turn vibrant shades of orange and red that would soon fade to pastel as a gift from the overhead sun that rarely chose to appear. Soon enough, they would fall onto the street, as if to decorate for the upcoming holiday that Serenity and Laythe loved. The girl was anything but reluctant to set aflame the wicks of her pumpkin scented candles in her bedroom, and retrieve her favorite burnt orange sweater from the back of her closet. And although her excitement could barely be contained for the upcoming visit to Forks with her cousin and his friends, she was also disappointed — with the changing of the weather, she would no longer be able to take to the tides of La Push when she wanted to swim, or walk along the beach as the sunset rested just beyond the horizon. But Laythe was determined to replace her disappointment.

"Good morning," Serenity greets her family as she enters the dining room, taking her seat at the table with Marina and Laythe. Her aunt stands from her seat, placing a ceramic plate of breakfast in front of the teenager.

"It is, in fact, a good morning," Laythe smiles to her, gesturing to the vast windows behind her, which present a beautiful scene of the nature outside. "I was thinking, and perhaps we could visit Jacob today," he continues, "he called yesterday afternoon to invite us over."

A smile graces Serenity's lips at the mention of her first friend after her arrival. "I've missed him, of course we can visit." It had been nearly two weeks since she had seen the Quileute boy, and the distance wasn't something she was accustomed to — and since their separation, she had been adamant to see him. The two had grown close in the time that they had known one another, and he was considered her own personal ray of sunshine.

Laythe and Jacob were similar in many ways — as well as the often occurrence in which they both disappeared with brief explanations and returned with even more fleeting ones, they bore the same tattoo upon their left bicep and managed to maintain russet skin despite the constant depletion of sunlight on the Reservation. The two practically radiated heat that Serenity would take advantage of in the cold, bitter air that occurred on days, and had strength that she had never truly witnessed before. If the girl had thought about their qualities, she might have found them odd — especially the way Laythe would begin to shake violently during a fit of rage with his mother, only to disappear into the woods and return with a quick apology. Sometimes she wondered where he always ran to, but then remembered that she, too, would frequently journey to a clearing in the forest simply to gaze upon the wildlife that rested there.

Laythe leans back into his seat, proud of his ability to make Serenity happy — she deserved constant happiness, and found it within the smallest of things. The girl raises an eyebrow, "What, exactly, has he been up to these past couple of weeks?"

"Some—" Laythe coughs, covering his mouth as he glances to his mother for assistance.

"He came down with a fever, and Billy was unable to break it for a while," Marina responds, sending her niece a glance of assurance. "He insisted on the two of you keeping your distance for a while in case he was contagious."

Jacob has the tendency to get sick a lot, according to Marina, so Serenity held no shock for the news that Jacob was, once again, ill. But even though he couldn't see her, that didn't stop her friend from calling the girl every night to ask about the simplest of things — and she loved the part of Jacob's personality that urged him to do the smallest things that made her smile. He was a caring boy who had opened his heart to her as soon as they had met, and Serenity did the same. He and Laythe had much more in common than just looks. But she didn't know that they were keeping secrets from her.

If Serenity had been introduced into the world of supernatural creatures upon her move, she would have known that her family was lying. Jacob had been patrolling the woods around the Reservation in shifts, desperately, with his fellow pack members to hunt down the red-haired vampire that seeked revenge upon the girl he had fallen in love with. Although Laythe wanted to attribute, Sam had relayed to him that he was helping — protecting his family during such a critical time was important. And, if the boy had to admit, he worried that, had the vampire known of Serenity's existence and lack of supernatural qualities, she might pay a visit as a means to send him into a chaotic and dangerous frenzy that would only result in mistakes that he would regret. And although his mother had been a shapeshifter a time ago, he felt relaxed knowing that he could protect his loved ones.

The petite blonde nods in understanding, "It must be the drastic weather changes. I'm glad that he's better now, his lack of company is a bit different than what I'm used to." She bites into her toast, watching as Laythe hums to himself.

"Not being able to take you to La Push is different than what I'm used to," he comments, laughing softly. "But, of course, that's not going to stop me from cliff-jumping this weekend."

"I've never truly understood your preference in locations to achieve hypothermia," his mother rolls her eyes. "Why not choose a more obvious route? Stand in the rain tonight for a while, I'm sure it's a quicker and equally effective choice."

Serenity giggles, "Only if I can stand in the rain too, while wearing the brooding facial expression that Laythe sports anytime he's trying to skim through a book from my collection."

"That is not what I do — I certainly don't skim, either. I'm clearly just not as interested in the book as you," he fakes a glare, standing as he retrieves the car keys tucked away in the pocket of his cargo shorts. "Because of that comment, you can eat your toast in the car, Ren."

"I withdrawal my previous comment," Marina laughs, gesturing to her son's exposed legs. "If you're wearing those and spending the day outside, in the cold, you're sure to achieve your goal."

As Serenity continues to giggle, Laythe wastes no time as he lifts her into his arms and carries her over to the coat rack for a hoodie. "That's enough bullying for today. We'll be home later, but don't bother waiting for us — I'll be too busy getting hypothermia." He easily exited the house, not missing his mother's final words to stay safe before placing Serenity in the passenger seat of his black pickup truck.

She proceeds to buckle her seatbelt, closing the door and protecting herself from the bitter wind by slipping her arms through Laythe's oversized hoodie. As he slips into his own seat and starts the ignition, he glances to his bundled-up cousin. "Are you excited to see Jacob?"

"Of course," she replies, lacing her fingers together. "It's been an eternity, at least it feels as though it has."

"There's a bonfire soon," he tells her in return, "and you should come. The rest of my friends will be there — close friends — and I'm sure they'll love you. Besides, your limitations to company are far too simple, and meeting a few new people will be good for you."

Serenity had to admit that the mere thought of meeting Laythe's other friends excited her beyond belief; if they were as lovely as Jacob, she would easily form just as strong of a bond. And, if she was being honest, she wanted to be more social, because she could never have too many friends. "I would absolutely love to," her smile grows and her eyes light with joy.

"Fortunately for you, a few of them will be at Jacob's," Laythe nudges her, his eyes focused on the winding road ahead. "And if you're wondering, yes — they're just as friendly and welcoming as Jacob. Besides, I'd never introduce you to someone I don't trust."

And she knew that he spoke the truth; Laythe was a kind and genuine soul, who brightened any room he walked into. His laugh was contagious, and his charming personality was similar to that of his mother's. His future held the potential for greatness, and she believed that he deserved all the happiness in the world. Since she had moved to the Reservation, he made the constant effort to make her feel involved and loved, and even now his hospitality didn't falter. Serenity had been graced with an amazing family full of selfless and dedicated people with hearts crafted from pure gold. In fact, as she retrieved her luggage from the trunk of Marina's car, she had caught sight of Laythe planting flowers in his mother's garden as a surprise for her return home. And after catching the girl's gaze, he had wiped the sweat from his forehead and raced over to embrace the cousin that he had missed so dearly. And had anyone asked, in any given moment of any given day, he would have told them that Serenity was the sister he never had.

He was, quite simply, her protector; as Serenity chose to venture into the woods, he considered her safety his responsibility. And though he watched over her time and time again, he wondered why she was so persistent on exploring the forest — but perhaps he was only overthinking, and she wanted nothing more than to bask in the beauty that nature offered so kindly to her.

Or perhaps he was right . . . perhaps she was searching for something all along.

❝ it's been a minute since i've updated,
but only because i had to finish
on another book. now that it's finished,
this book is my focus :) let me know
what you think of this chapter! ❞