655POST-EPILOGUE
"Mom, does the name Cullen mean anything to you?"
I looked at my daughter with a dumbfounded expression before looking back over at Seth.
"Cullen?" I wanted to make sure that I'd heard her right.
"Here, look." Mia handed me a piece of paper with beautiful script writing on it.
Mrs. Isabella Clearwater,
I hope this message finds you well. Carlisle heard word of a volatile group of nomads headed toward the Olympic Peninsula and wished to alert the new pack. There are five in number. Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, and I would offer our assistance with taking care of this new complication if you so wish. Please contact me if you decide that our presence will assist you in any way. If not, please know that your family is always in our minds, and we wish you the best.
Rosalie Hale Cullen
I read the letter and reread it a few more times, trying to take in its context.
"Who is Rosalie Cullen?" Mia asked me worriedly.
"Go grab Sammy." I told her immediately.
She gave me a confused and worried expression before running back off into the woods. Seth, who was still holding Nina, reached over and grabbed the letter, reading it over before handing it to Sam.
"What are we going to do?" I asked Seth, having not had to deal with the Cullens for over 20 years.
"I don't know, starshine. Sam?" Seth and I both looked over at Sam, who had since passed the letter over to Jared.
Sam ran his hand down his face and sighed.
"There's only six in the new pack and one of them is literally brand new. If there are five 'volatile' nomads headed in our direction, they're going to need extra help. Whether that means the rest of us phasing again for the first time in 20 years or the unwanted assistance of the Cullen's. It'll be up to Sammy and Mia after they have all the facts." Sam replied.
"You guys phasing again?" I questioned.
"We know we can now after I phased to help Sammy in the beginning. We might be older, but it felt great to run again. I'm confident that we could still help the younger pack if we needed to." He answered.
My mind was running through all the possibilities of things happening. Either the Cullen's would walk back into our lives after so long of having peace with them gone, or the original pack would have to phase again. I had always been grateful of the money the Cullen's had gifted us, but I worried about what would happen if they returned. Would Lena phase? Mia had, so we knew that she had the potential.
My thoughts were interrupted by Mia returning with the rest of the pack, other than River and Six.
"Riv is showing Six the ropes, but I figured we'd all need to hear this. We'll fill them both in later." Mia told me as she took a seat next to me, asking Seth for Nina. "Josiah is almost back with Sophie."
I nodded to her and watched as my son-in-law approached with my oldest granddaughter, who came running in my direction.
"Mimi! Paw! Look at my shells!" Sophie yelled as she jumped into my lap, holding her hand out with several tiny shells for us to look at.
"Those are so beautiful, sweetie! Maybe Paw can make you a bracelet with them?" I smiled at her as her eyes lit up excitedly, then I looked up at Seth, who was beaming back at us.
"You know Paw makes the best bracelets, don't you baby wolf?" Seth asked her before she jumped out of my lap and directly onto him with a tiny growl like she was a wolf. He played along with her and fell backward into the sand, pretending that she'd gotten him.
"Nona! Pop! Lookie!" She showed Kim and Jared her shells while still laying on Seth's chest.
"I love them and I'm sure your Paw will make you a beautiful bracelet." Kim told her with a warm smile.
"Almost as pretty as you, little one." Jared winked at her, and she giggled loudly.
Emily walked back up to us with Levi holding her hand. "I can take Soph with me and Levi while you guys explain things." I smiled at her gratefully and Seth lifted Sophie back up to a standing position.
"NimNim!" She squealed excitedly before running toward Emily. 'NimNim' was Sophie's way of trying to call her M&M, like she'd heard half the pack say, but Emily loved it either way and I thought it was adorable.
After they walked off out of hearing range, we all went into business mode.
"Who are these 'Cullens'?" Sammy asked me after re-reading the note.
I took a deep breath and Seth rubbed my back before I began.
"I had hoped that we'd never have to have this conversation because the Cullens left before Mia was born, but I guess it's time." I started. "The Cullen's are a family of vegetarian vampires. They only drink from animals. They're what caused the last pack to phase."
I told them the whole story, beginning to end, trying not to leave anything out so that they had all the facts. Sam explained about the previous treaty and why it was broken as well.
I only hoped that my children and the others wouldn't think badly of me afterwards.
"I don't like it." Sammy said after I finished my tale. "I don't want to have to ask help from vampires, not even 'vegetarian' ones. Aren't there any other options?"
I didn't blame him. I looked up at Sam and nodded.
"There is another option. My pack can phase in with you to help." Sam told him.
Sammy's eyebrow raised at his father and Mia looked at Seth in surprise.
"The whole pack?" Sammy questioned.
"Daddy?" Mia asked Seth.
Mia had inquired about what Seth's wolf looked like several times, so I knew that she was curious to see her father as a wolf.
Sam looked around to the rest of his original pack members, although Quil was still absent, and each one of them nodded to him.
"We're all in if you want our help, son." Sam answered him.
Sammy looked over at Mia and nodded. "We think that sounds like a much better option if all of you are sure you're up for it."
"You calling us old, boy?" Paul asked him teasingly.
Seth laughed out. "I'm the only one still in my 30's."
"Only for another week, honey." I reminded him.
"Still counts, starshine." He winked at me.
"So does this mean I get to stretch my legs again?" Jared asked Sam excitedly.
"We all do, bro." Paul told him proudly.
I could feel Seth's excitement over the prospect as well and I reached over, placing my hand on his knee with a fond smile.
"I say no time like the present. I can feel my wolf itching under my skin already. Mia baby, hand Nina to your mama and let's go." Seth told her, standing up and stretching.
"I'm not a baby anymore, Daddy." Mia told him with a huff as she handed Nina to me.
"You'll always be my first baby. Now come on." Seth leaned down and kissed me before motioning for Mia to follow. "You too, son. Let's go." He motioned for Harry to join.
Sam stood up, as did the rest of them. "Might as well." Him and Sammy ran to catch up.
"Hell yes! Wolf time, baby!" Paul kissed Rachel enthusiastically before taking off after Seth and Sam. "Let's run Kai. Let your dad show you who's boss."
Josiah looked over at me and down to Nina.
"Go on, Josiah. Nina will be fine." I told him and he smiled at me.
"You heard her, 'Si, let's go!" Jared yelled to him already halfway in the woods.
Jake was already taking his shirt off before he looked over at Leah. "You gonna phase, babe?"
"I think you guys will be just fine without me. I'm good without ever having a whole pack of wolves in my brain again." Leah responded to him.
Jake nodded and ran off with them.
Once I heard a whole pack of howls and knew they were out of hearing range, I looked over at Leah.
"I guess you haven't told him yet?" I asked her, knowing why she wasn't going to phase.
"Yeah, like this would be the perfect time. 'Sorry I can't phase again because you knocked me up while I'm forty-fucking-three years old.' I somehow don't think that would go over well…" Leah laughed.
"What?!" Kim asked, swirling around to stare at Leah in shock.
"I just found out yesterday." Leah told her.
"Jake is going to flip!" Kim responded with laughter.
"Thanks for the words of encouragement." Leah rolled her eyes.
I wondered what the future would bring once more, but I knew in my heart that both packs could handle any threats that came their way.
A/N- For those of you who wanted more after my little cliffhanger. Love you all!