Twilight: Blood calling

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Nate stopped in front of the familiar wooden lodge, glancing down at Paul, who was fully healed but still unconscious.

"Guys," he called out, knowing they would hear him.

As the sound of other heartbeats filtered out of the house, Nate turned to see Sam stepping out, with Jared and Embry right behind him.

The moment they noticed Nate carrying an unconscious Paul, they ran toward him, worry etched on their faces.

"Paul!" they shouted. Nate approached, carefully lowering Paul onto the gravel ground.

"What happened?" Sam asked, crouching down to assess Paul's body for any injuries. Jared and Embry hovered behind Sam, trying to remain calm, but Nate could hear the accelerated rhythm of their heartbeats. They were suspicious.

Nate sighed, knowing their thoughts. "We encountered a Cold One—or I guess Paul did first. I was lucky enough to hear him chasing it," Nate said, throwing a pointed glance at Jared and Embry, which they didn't miss.

"It was a dreadlocked one. I've never seen him before," he continued, making sure to emphasize his words. Jared and Embry seemed on edge, their wolfish anger likely clouding their judgment. Still, Nate could see they were projecting their frustration onto the wrong person.

"And?" Sam asked, his eyes shifting between Nate, Jared, and Embry. The two boys backed off slightly, realizing it wasn't Nate's fault.

Nate, still annoyed by their initial doubt, frowned and replied curtly, "He got away." His gaze locked with Sam's for a moment, the tension between them thick, until a groan broke the silence.

"Ugh," Paul vocalized as he stirred, sitting up slowly. His gaze traveled over the group—Sam's calm but stern expression, Jared and Embry's simmering anger, and Nate's irritated scowl.

"Who busted your balls?" Paul joked, trying to lighten the mood. No one laughed.

"Paul," Sam said, his voice calm but laced with exasperation as he rubbed his temples. Paul caught the gesture and chuckled wryly.

"How many times do I have to tell you? If you encounter a vampire, you call for us," Sam said, rising to his feet. Nate followed suit, standing tall as Paul, still naked, remained on the gravel.

"I... I thought he was going to get away. I couldn't just let him slip by; I had to do something," Paul defended himself, starting with a stutter but finishing passionately as he stood. He turned to Nate, pointing at him.

"Besides, I wasn't alone! Nate was there, and he took care of that filthy bloodsucker in a second. You should've seen him!" Paul exclaimed, shifting the spotlight to Nate.

Sam shook his head, visibly restraining his frustration, before he sighed heavily. "That's not the point. Yes, Nate was there, but what if he hadn't been? You could've died!" he shouted, his voice echoing in the clearing. All of them flinched—except for Nate, who watched their interaction with a neutral expression.

Paul opened his mouth to retort, but Nate interrupted. "Who was he?" Nate asked, his gaze sharp as it swept over the group. "I thought the red-haired one was our only problem. Where did this one come from?"

Sam exchanged a look with Jared and Embry before answering. "He's been running through our part of the forest for about two weeks. We're not sure, but we think he's working with the redhead."

Nate growled softly at the news. Another danger.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" he demanded, directing his question at Sam. He recalled their conversation three days ago when Sam had the chance to mention it.

Sam sighed again, stepping closer and placing a hand on Nate's shoulder. "We didn't want to scare you off. You were already stressed about the redhead. I thought keeping him on the low would help you focus on her."

Nate frowned, processing Sam's words. "And what would you have done if I'd encountered him alone during my patrols?" he asked pointedly.

Sam hesitated before squeezing Nate's shoulder reassuringly. "Then you would've handled him accordingly. I have that much faith in you," he said, offering a small smile.

Despite himself, Nate's frown softened slightly, and he allowed a faint smile. "Well, next time, a heads-up would be appreciated. Even if you do have 'faith,'" he replied, air-quoting the word with a smirk.

Sam chuckled softly before they both turned to Paul, who was still standing there, grinning despite his nakedness. Their moment was interrupted by a loud scream.

"PAUL!" a furious voice rang out. They all turned to see Emily standing at the lodge entrance, her hands covering her eyes and her face beet-red.

"How many times do I have to tell you? PUT ON SOME PANTS!" she bellowed, her voice demonically resonant. Paul yelped and bolted toward the trees where spare clothes were kept, the other boys laughing at his expense.

Nate chuckled faintly but couldn't shake the bitter thoughts still lingering in his mind.

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After Paul went to get his pants, Nate and the others entered the house, where Emily had prepared some fat, steaming blueberry muffins.

Nate, who was sitting alone by the kitchen counter, was lost in thought, holding the hot muffin in both hands, his gaze distant as if staring a thousand miles away.

While this was happening, Jared and Embry were whispering to each other, occasionally glancing in Nate's direction. They seemed to be arguing about something until Jared kicked Embry in the leg, abruptly standing up and surprising both Sam and Paul. Paul, now wearing pants, was sitting at the other end of the table, too busy talking and eating his muffin to notice.

Embry approached Nate slowly, glancing behind him to see Jared giving him a thumbs-up in encouragement. Nate, too preoccupied with his thoughts, didn't notice any of this.

"Nate," Embry said, snapping Nate out of his thoughts. Nate looked up, startled, to see Embry standing in front of him, shifting uncomfortably like a kid about to confess to breaking a rule.

Nate, confused, scanned Embry up and down before nodding for him to speak.

Embry cleared his throat and locked eyes with Nate. "I... I'm sorry," he said, lowering his head while Nate raised an eyebrow. "I... we didn't mean to suspect you when you brought Paul," Embry added, pointing back at Jared, who waved awkwardly at Nate.

"And because of that, we're sorry," he finished. Nate stared at him for a moment, saying nothing, before placing a hand on Embry's shoulder and giving it a light squeeze.

"You're good. I'm not mad about that," Nate said simply before returning to his thoughts. Embry stood there, confused, before glancing back at Jared, who looked equally puzzled.

"Wait, you weren't angry? But I thought..." Embry trailed off, looking back at Nate.

"I wasn't angry... maybe a little annoyed, but I understand your feelings," Nate replied. "Your pack member was brought to you unconscious by someone you're still learning to trust... so I get it, even if it was a little annoying." He smiled faintly, and Embry let out an audible sigh of relief.

"Good, because I was ready to pounce on you if—" Embry suddenly stopped mid-sentence, realizing what he'd just said. He looked back at Jared, who was facepalming and shaking his head, before turning back to find Nate's amused expression.

"Uh... I didn't mean that," Embry muttered hastily.

Nate shook his head in amusement. "Why don't you go sit down and eat your muffin, Embry?" he suggested with a smile.

"Yes, sir!" Embry saluted before turning and walking back to where Jared was sitting. He made sure to swat Jared as he sat down, earning an annoyed glare.

Nate watched them, shaking his head with a small smile before his thoughts turned inward once again. There were too many things to keep track of; everything was becoming more complicated by the day.

The biggest question mark in his mind was his father.

But there were other things to worry about, like his cousin's immediate safety. She was reckless enough to get herself tangled in something she didn't understand, and it was up to Nate to ensure her survival—without her finding out his secret, of course.

Another source of irritation was the vampires Bella surrounded herself with. How could they expose a normal human to such a dangerous world and then leave her to figure things out on her own? It didn't make any sense.

God, if I ever get my hands on them... Nate thought, his scowl deepening.

He took some solace in remembering how easily he'd dispatched the dreadlocked one earlier. He had expected the Cold Ones to be fierce and strong—at least, that's what his father had implied in the old videotapes. But the reality was far from it. For a moment, when Nate had pinned the dreadlocked man to the ground, it felt as though the vampire's skin might break if he applied just a little more pressure.

Unfortunately, his test was cut short when he got distracted, earning him a kick strong enough to send him flying. He had to give the Cold Ones some credit: they were fast. Not as fast as him and certainly not as strong, but fast enough to momentarily elude his echolocation before he reactivated it.

"How long before he shifts?" Nate's thoughts were interrupted by the conversation the pack was having at the table.

"I'm not sure, but it'll be real soon," Sam said in a thoughtful tone. Jared and Embry seemed excited at the prospect, more so than Paul, who looked hesitant.

Nate, having been too distracted to catch most of the conversation, tuned in just enough to grow curious.

"What are you talking about?" he asked evenly, drawing the boys' attention.

"Jacob," Paul said dismissively, leaning on one arm while reaching with the other for the plate of muffins in the center of the table.

Nate, who heard the name, tilted his head before standing up and approaching the table. He took a seat and asked, "What about Jacob?" as he looked between the boys. Paul was now eating his third muffin.

"He's been close to shifting," Sam said, turning to Nate. Nate looked confused for a moment before alarms went off in his head.

"Wait, like you guys?!" he asked, glancing between the boys.

Sam nodded, and Jared and Embry both echoed a quick "yes."

"Huh," Nate murmured in thought, tilting his head before turning back to Sam. "I never asked, but how does it even work—the shifting, I mean. Do you guys have to bite someone or...?" His question made Jared and Embry chuckle audibly.

"No," Sam answered shortly, slightly amused by the biting comment, before elaborating. "It's in our blood," he said, then continued. "Or, I guess, in our genes. Not everyone in the tribe has it, the gene, but those who do have the potential to shift if their bodies or blood sense danger."

Nate nodded thoughtfully before saying, "And Cold Ones count as danger." His tone was matter-of-fact, and Sam nodded in agreement.

"Yeah. I shifted shortly after the Cullens moved back into town, and since then, we've been shifting like clockwork," Sam explained. He pointed to Paul first. "After me, it was Paul, then Embry and Jared joined a little while back," he said, gesturing to the boys one at a time.

"The elders explained that the greater the danger, the more people will shift. That's why we started shifting when a vampire coven moved so close to us," Sam added. Nate considered this for a moment before speaking.

"If that's the case, then why is Jacob shifting?" he asked, looking between the boys before continuing. "The Cullens have moved away, right?" Sam nodded, and Paul interjected with, "And good riddance to them," before Nate pressed on.

"So then why is he shifting? You guys should be more than enough to handle those other vampires. So, as you said, his body or blood shouldn't feel any danger," Nate reasoned, trying to make sense of it all using the information he'd been given.

Sam, hearing Nate's question, sighed before answering. "That's the exact question I asked the elders when Jacob started showing signs of shifting. At the time, I didn't have an answer... but now, I do." He paused, locking eyes with Nate, who began to realize what Sam was implying.

"Me?" Nate asked. "You think I'm triggering his shift?" he continued, watching Sam nod slowly.

"I was unsure at first, but yes, now I'm positive it's you," Sam said, the other boys glancing between Sam and Nate, waiting to see how Nate would react.

Nate quieted down for a moment, digesting the information. He looked back at Sam and was about to speak when Emily's voice interrupted from behind the kitchen counter. She had been quietly cleaning the whole time.

"It doesn't matter, really, does it?" she said. Everyone turned to look at her as she stood there, a wet towel draped over her shoulder. She was leaning against the other side of the counter where Nate had been sitting earlier.

"Nate's on our side now, so whether he's the reason for Jacob's shifting or not doesn't matter. If anything, he's just bulking up the protection by indirectly adding Jacob to the equation," she said with a casual shrug before turning to Sam and tilting her head. "Right, babe?"

A brief silence fell over the room before Paul, Embry, and Jared burst into uncontrollable laughter.

"She's right, you know," Sam said, addressing Nate, who was now watching the laughing boys with a bemused expression.

"It really doesn't matter why Jacob's shifting—just that he is, and we need to keep an eye on him, especially now that we've got two vampires running around in the forest," Sam continued, shutting the boys up by slamming his hand on the table.

Nate, feeling somewhat conflicted about being the reason for a teenager's life changing forever, shook off the negative thoughts. He looked back at the group and said, "About that, I think it's time I started patrolling the nights. Don't you think?"

"Yeah, we could use the help," Embry chimed in, only to shrink back sheepishly when Sam gave him a look. "Sorry," he muttered.

"As Embry so kindly said, we could use the help," Sam said to Nate, who nodded in agreement.

"Good," Nate said, just as his phone began to buzz.

Seeing who was calling, Nate glanced at the caller ID: Isabella.

"Sorry, guys, I need to take this," he said to the others before getting up and answering the phone as he made his way to the porch.

"Bella?" he answered.

"Hello? Nate, where are you?" Bella asked, though Nate could hear muffled voices in the background.

"I'm out with some friends. Why?" he replied, confused. He was sure he wasn't supposed to pick her up from school since she'd taken her car that morning.

"Oh, cool. Hey, I was just calling to confirm if you're still going to join us later today?" she asked meekly. Nate's eyes widened—everything going on had completely pushed the plans from his mind.

"The movie?" he asked, his tone giving away that he'd forgotten.

"Yeah... Did you forget about it?" Bella said. The background voices grew louder, making it hard for Nate to focus.

"No, no, I didn't forget," he said quickly. "What time was it starting again?" He checked the time on his phone, shocked at how fast it had flown by.

"It starts around 6 PM, but we were planning to meet up before that. Just wanted to check if you're still down," Bella replied, shushing someone on her end.

"Yeah, of course. I'll start heading home now. I'm guessing school's almost out?" he asked.

"Yeah, I've got one more period left, and then I'll head straight to the rez to pick up Jacob. Do you want me to come and get you too?" she asked. Nate frowned at the idea of Bella and Jacob—who was close to shifting—being alone together in an enclosed car. That was a recipe for disaster.

"How about you pick me up first, and then we'll go get Jacob? Or better yet, we can just take my car," he suggested, making sure to prioritize safety. He wasn't sure when or how Jacob's shift might happen, but he wasn't willing to risk it happening while Bella was driving.

"Yeah, that sounds good, actually. I'll see you at home then, alright?" she said.

"Alright. See you soon," Nate said, ending the call after saying goodbye.

Turning around to head back inside, Nate found only Sam and Emily in the house—sitting closer than he liked. He cleared his throat into his hand.

"Oh, Nate," they both said awkwardly, shifting slightly as he looked between them before asking, "Where'd the boys go?" He glanced around a little, even trying to catch their scents, but they were nowhere nearby.

"They left a minute ago," Sam said. "Paul didn't finish his patrol because of the incident, and I don't trust him to go back out there alone after this morning's encounter. So, Jared and Embry went with him."

Emily, sitting quietly on Sam's lap, observed their interaction while Sam explained.

Nate nodded, holding up his phone. "I have to be on my way. I promised my cousin I'd go out with her and her friends to see a movie," he said.

Sam nodded. "Alright, text me when you start the patrol tonight. I'll join you," he said, surprising Nate.

"I thought the whole point was for you guys not to have to do nights anymore," Nate said, raising an eyebrow.

"True," Sam admitted. "But I can't leave you out there alone for your first night. Even if you are a nocturnal animal," he added with a smirk.

Nate chuckled. "Alright, I'll text you then." He turned to leave, but Emily suddenly jumped up from Sam's lap.

"Wait, before you go," she said, practically running into the kitchen. She returned with a basket covered by a towel.

Nate immediately knew what was inside and gave her a grateful look. "You didn't have to," he said as she handed it over to him.

"True, but I wanted to. Make sure the sheriff eats his fill, alright? Bella too," she said warmly. Nate glanced down at the basket of muffins and then back at Emily, nodding in appreciation.

"I'll see you guys," he said over his shoulder as Emily and Sam waved him off.

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Hey everyone, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

This one leans more toward providing information than action. Sometimes, it's nice to slow down the pace, and I really hope you enjoy this chapter because, from here on out, it's going to be action-packed—one event after another! So, please be patient and enjoy the journey with me.

As always, I'd love to hear your constructive criticism, and if you have any ideas or suggestions for future developments, feel free to share them. Your input is invaluable and helps me shape the story into something even better.

Lastly, I want to thank you all for the incredible support. I started this fanfiction to improve my craft and writing skills. While I'm still far from where I want to be, it means the world to me to see so many of you enjoying the story. Your encouragement keeps me going, and I truly appreciate it.

Thank you so much!