Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Claws

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 17:

Hearing Leah’s question was like a slap in the face for Bella. No matter how tired, or confused she had been lately about herself, Julie’s name aloud filled her with emotion.

A very negative emotion.

“Julie? You stayed away, not a word, because you are concerned, I won’t love you like Julie?”

Leah shrugged her shoulders. “Yeah, its been stuck in my mind. To learn that I am mystically bound to someone is one thing, but to know that this person might never love you…”

“Get out.” Bella told her quietly with an edge to her voice Leah had never heard before.

“Excuse me?”

“I said get out. Yesterday I basically had one of those self-awareness moments that turned into an emotional fuck you. I’m tired, I want to curl up in the dark for a while and forget about everything. Instead I get you, telling me what I am going to feel and if I am ever going to feel it. Where the hell do you get off?”

Leah shook her head. That wasn’t her intent. She certainly didn’t mean to make the girl angry.

“Bella, just hear me out.”

“No,” Bella told her, “You hear me. I don’t know what I am feeling most of the time. I discovered love by accident in a giant secret lab. Outside of that, the only love I knew was from my mother, a woman who tortured me for years for my own good. Since I have been out, I am discovering different kinds of emotions and to be honest I don’t have a clue what to do with them. I do know that you have no right to tell me how I will love, now or in the future. Is there a score card, Leah? Is this some sort of competition between you and my dead girlfriend? How do you know I will never love you or anyone else for that matter! Should I give up? Everyone is telling me I have to fight to live, that there is something in living that is worth fighting for. If I can never love again, the way I loved her and she is dead, is everything I have been told bullshit!? Why keep fighting? Get out. You are right, I need time.”

“I didn’t mean to upset you!” Leah all but shouted. “I was…”

“I need time. I’ll call you when I am ready, if I ever am.” Bella told her coldly and walked to her door, standing aside so Leah would get the message.

Leah herself was not sure what to do. The words she wanted to say escaped her. Her only desire had been to talk to Bella, to maybe get some sort of reassurance, but instead she had set the girl off.

“I’m sorry. You are right, I shouldn’t judge…”

“Get out. I won’t say it again.”

Leah did leave, running down the stairs in tears and slamming the front door on the way out.

Bella stood in her room, shaking from anger. Leah used Julie against her. She used her as a reason to stay away.

The house phone rang. The girl heard Charlie answer it downstairs and recognized the voice he was speaking to, asking for her. Billy, the man she wished she had never talked to about any of this.

Before Charlie could call her from the downstairs, Bella had the phone in her hand. Perhaps the old man had figured out a way to break this curse.

“Billy?”

“Hi Bella. Uh…”

Bella tensed. The worry in the man’s voice was evident and she had a good idea what it was about.

“Billy, what’s going on? Just tell me.”

“One of our boys has shifted. It was like I suspected. A new pack is coming and the first one has turned. I thought we would have more time.”

“Where did he go?” the girl asked, praying he wasn’t chasing his tail in the middle of La Push.

“He freaked, obviously. No one saw him. I was talking to him in his back yard… he had been running a fever and then he just sort of… exploded.”

“Exploded?”

“Yeah, like a shimmer and then there was this giant black wolf. He ran off into the damn woods. Me and some of the elders, some in the know tried tracking him but he moved too fast and we wouldn’t know what to do with him if we did catch him.”

Bella wanted to laugh. “What do you want me to do? I kill supernatural creatures Billy; I don’t talk to them.”

“You talk to the Cullens all the time, right? I heard the female coven master makes you and Charlie breakfast every morning.”

Bella took a deep breath and calmed herself. “Yes, I talk to them but they don’t have anger problems. I’m a different species shifter. I have vampire venom in my veins that he very well could detect. I am a cat and they don’t always get along with dogs. What am I supposed to do? Lure him home with a couple giant steaks?”

“I don’t know Bella.” Billy admitted, sounding defeated. “He would attack the Cullens out of instinct. I can’t ask them. You are the only one I know who is different. You are the only one he has a chance of listening to.”

Bella threw her head back and closed her eyes, fighting off a scream. Of course it would have to be her.

“I’m on my way to your house. Who is this wolf I am supposed to bring back into the fold?”

“Sam Uley.”

Of course it is, Bella thought, a massive headache striking her immediately “That’s perfect… just perfect. I’m sure he will love me. See you soon.”

“Oh, there is one more, small, insignificant detail. It may make a bit of a difference in how you approach this situation.”

Bella gritted her teeth and waited.

“When I went to check on him, it was because I heard he had been running a high fever. He was in the backyard agitated and asked if I knew where Leah was. I mentioned that I saw her heading to Forks, probably to see you and… he… kind of exploded.”

Bella felt a low growl rise up in her chest but held it back, noting the look of concern on Charlie as he watched her.

“Fuck you Billy. Be waiting for me at your place. I’ll be there in ten.”

Bella slammed the phone down on the counter.

“So…” Charlie started, not sure what to say. “Vampire, wolf or…”

“Wolf. La Push shapeshifter. Sam Uley turned into a big dog and is on the loose. Billy wants me to put a leash on him, bring him back home.”

Charlie did not like the sound of that. Sam Uley, big wolf… didn’t Leah recently dump Sam Uley? He was pretty certain that was true. Bella hadn’t mentioned it but Esme did.

“Can’t you just shoot him in his legs and drag him back?”

Bella thought about it briefly then shook the thought away. “I won’t tempt myself. This isn’t his fault. I’ve dealt with young girls just getting their claws and incisors before. They freak out and need calm around them. I’m all about calm. I got this.”

So it was 12 minutes later that a black clad Bella entered Billy Black’s house, immediately annoyed to see two other adults there.

“What the hell is this Billy?” she asked.

One of the men, the one who didn’t appear ancient and a second away from dying of old age, looked her up and down.

“This is who can help? A teenage girl who dresses up in latex?”

Bella glared at Billy. “Who the hell is he?” she asked, ignoring speaking to the man.

“Bella these are two members of our tribal council. They know the truth, about everything. Everything involving vampires and spirit warriors. This is Harry Clearwater and the man seated is Old Quil. Gentleman, this is Bella Swan, Charlie’s daughter.”

Bella again looked at Harry, surprised. She had never actually seen the man in person. All she really knew was that he thought she was bad news. If he had any doubts, they were dispelled now.

“Gentleman, introductions can wait later. Point me in the direction of his house Billy. If he hasn’t stopped running, he could be in Canada by now.”

“Hold on a damn minute! Billy what the hell is going on? You said you had someone who could help. What is she doing here? Why the hell does she even know about this?!”

Bella looked towards Billy, not concealing her irritation. “You didn’t mention me?”

To her even greater irritation, the man winked at her.

“Bella is a shifter. Its a long story, we can go over later. Right now she is the only hope we have of getting Sam back to La Push. She knows about our tribal history because she is practically a part of this tribe. Her kind imprint as well and Bella here has imprinted on one of our own.”

Bella, Harry and Old Quil were both staring at Billy now. Harry was confused, Bella was angry and Old Quil… was laughing.

“This is too good.” the old man mumbled in between laughs.

“You told him?” Bella asked in disbelief.

Billy threw his hands up in defense. “I haven’t said a word.”

“And you won’t.” Bella told the man.

“Imprint? I heard you were gay. How did you imprint?” Harry asked.

Bella turned to the man, her eyes turning yellow and incisors dropping.

“Nothing to worry about.” she told him. “Its personal and not the issue. I’m going to track your wayward puppy down and bring him back home.”

“I would say it is something for me to worry about! My daughter has spent a lot of time with you, trying to be your friend since you haven’t made many besides Cullens. Now I find out that you are a shifter and knowingly hang out with vampires and you allow my daughter to be around you! Now you have supposedly imprinted on some boy in this tribe… or is it a girl? Did you imprint on a girl?! Billy how can you believe this. This is not okay!”

“You want your dog back in one piece, old man?!” Bella yelled, nerves shot and claws ripping from her gloves. “I do what I want and so does Leah. Back off before you piss me off and I send your boy Uley back to you in garbage bags!”

Billy cleared his throat. ‘Please Bella. I didn’t have a lot of time to fill them in. If you could bring him back, human and in one piece, we would all be in your debt.”

Bella walked out, brushing Harry shoulder, sending him three steps back into the wall. She was irritated that it was still daylight. Tracking would be much easier in the dark. She couldn’t very well walk in public, dressed as she was.

No matter, Bella was in the treetops and found the path easily enough. She had no need for superior scent and eyesight, nor hearing. The trail the man left looked like a tornado had run roughshod over the land, tearing trees out of the ground as it plowed through.

To her great relief, the trail stayed in the heavily forested areas off the main hiking trails. He was obviously in a panic, not used to running on four legs, something Bella doubted she could ever get used to either. His turns were wide and only necessary when there were very large trees or rock formations in his way. She had heard of other pure blooded shifters doing the same but never encountered one.

After forty miles of dense forest, Bella finally came to the trails end. She stayed in a tree high above, looking down on a huge black wolf, unnaturally large even for a human. She supposed Billy was right in his belief in magic because a human, even a large one should not have been able to gain that much mass in seconds to become as large an animal as this one was.

Sam Uley was lying down, resting but very alert. His eyes were darting everywhere, his teeth bare and body shaking.

Slowly climbing down the tree, Bella hoped she could introduce herself without surprising the wolf.

“Hey there big guy.”

Sam Uley was on all fours, growling, hackles raised. Bella paused on her climb down, stuck to the bark and deciding the best way to approach this.

Calm. Mother had always remained calm with Bella, even when the girl was her most feral. Soft voice, soft movements.

“Sam, right?” Bella asked, stepping quietly on the ground with her hands up. “I know you are freaking out right now. This has to be a big surprise. I know you remember me. Bella Swan, remember? I’m Charlie’s daughter…”

Bella stopped and took half a step back at the massive growl from the wolf.

“Not one of my biggest fans. I get that but I’m your best friend at the moment. I’m like you. Not like you but I’m different. I suppose you saw me just climb down a tree trunk with the claws on my hands so that gave you a clue. Or I’m stupid enough to be out here alone with a giant wolf. But I get what you are going through. I had my whole life to prepare and it wasn’t easy for me. If you listen to me, I think we can get you back on two legs and walk home, okay? Don’t you want to be human right now?”

Bella stepped closer to the great beast. Sam never took his large eyes off of her but didn’t attack. She gently places her hand on the side of his snout.

“Okay, now think relaxing thoughts. Think about things you love as a human, walking, eating with utensils. That was a big motivation for me. Think about a loved one… wait…”

Sam Lifted a paw immediately, swatting Bella back into a massive trunk.

He slowly approached her.

“This is what happens when you send a cat after a dog. Look dude, I don’t know what you heard or what rumors are going around but I didn’t steal your ex. Yeah we are friends, and yeah we have been spending a lot of time together but that doesn’t mean I am… just because I want to… why can’t I shut up?”

Sam rammed forward again, this time Bella using his skull to flip over him, letting him hit the tree. He turned and found her quickly. This time Sam noted a difference. Her teeth, her eyes, her hands and feet, all were different. Not human at all.

“There are two ways this can go asshole. You can calm down and we can work on getting you to change back painlessly or I can beat you until you give up. What’s it going to be?

Sam’s growls shook the trees. Bella winked at him.

“I was hoping you would say that.”

The next few minutes were a blur for Sam Uley. Every time he moved to attack, she was no longer there, hitting him underneath, clawing into his back and striking the back of his skull.

He found her close and bit, only for Bella to fall back onto her arms, plant the claws from her feet into his ears and use her legs to flip him into the ground, followed by several hits to the back of his skull that rocked him.

He stood up once more, seeking her out. Before he could move towards her, he saw a flash of yellow eyes and a tiny fist strike the middle of his forehead, sending him into darkness.

Sam Uley woke later, not sure where he was. It was night, he was surrounded by trees and he was… naked.

The crackle of a fire caught his attention. He rolled towards it and saw a small campfire, Bella Swan sitting on a log next to it.

Everything came back to him. The fear, the anger, the confusion… and Bella Swan with her weird yellow eyes, and incredibly strong body.

“Bella?”

The brunette looked up from moving the fire around with a stick and smiled at him.

“Sam. You doing okay? Nothing broken, right?”

The man shook his head and sat up, taking stock of his body. His head felt like hell as did his lower back and abs but only soreness for the most part.

“I’m good… and naked.”

“I’m gay. No need for humility. Besides I didn’t have time to bring you clothes and I doubt my suit will fit you. We are going to work on shifting out here. I hear some deer not far away. I’ll kill one and we can eat. Then we spend the next couple days working on your new skills. Once we have it some what in control we can head back to civilization. Your temper is going to be hair trigger for the next month or so, so staying calm is going to be key to taking control of yourself. If you lose your temper, I will not hesitate to knock you out again. We understand each other?”

The man nodded his head slightly. “What are you? What am I?”

“We will go over that. For now find some leaves to put over your junk if you want to and have a seat by the fire while I get food. Your body heat is high like mine but the fire still feels nice. You like venison? There is a small river nearby I can grab a trout from if you prefer fish?”

Sam shook his head. “Venison sounds great, I guess. We would need something to skin it and field dress it…”

Sam stopped talking when Bella’s black clad body faded into the darkness. He heard a roar that gave him shivers and a screech of pain.

A minute later and Bella was back with a deer carcass. She dumped it on the ground and began skinning it with her claws. Sam watched with wide eyes. once she was done, she walked once more into the woods and came back with large sticks to make a grill.

The two ate in silence, Sam trying not to look at Bella’s fangs as they tore into the meat.

“So… you’re like really strong.” he commented. “I was a big wolf, right?”

Bella nodded.

“And I attacked you. You knocked me out.”

Bella shrugged her shoulders. “You were good. With a little work you are going to be great. I’ve been doing this for years and have the advantage of being quicker, more agile. It’s sometimes easier to fight larger opponents. I’m going to find a spot high enough to get service, tell my team where I am so we won’t be disturbed, then we can begin. What do you want to start with? What you are or what I am?”

Three days later, Sam and Bella walked into his backyard. The two hardly slept the past three days, working constantly. Sam now could shift, track, run effectively and fight to a degree, enough that for now he would stand a chance against a vampire. Bella took it easy on him compared to what she had grown up with but was hard at times. Pushing his temper, forcing him to calm, to restrain himself and turn back without being knocked out.

“Thank you, Bella.” Sam told her when they entered his house. “Thank you for everything. I would still be on four legs in the wilderness if you hadn’t knocked me out.”

Bella laughed a bit, exhausted but proud of the work the two did. “Us shifters have to stick together, right? Just remember, the Cullens didn’t start this. They will stay off your land but others may shift because of that vampire that killed your great grandfather. You may have more wolves and they are going to have the same problems. If you need me, I will be here if I can.”

Sam offered his hand and the two shook as Billy walked inside without an invitation.

“Sam, Bella, good to have you back and both in one piece.”

Bella rolled her eyes. “Your welcome Billy. I need to get home and take an actual shower and sleep on an actual bed. You boys do whatever it is you do. Later.”

Bella thought about stopping by Leah’s, not to see her but to be close, to ease the ache she had almost gotten used to. Being as far away for as long as she was with Sam worsened the ache but her focus on training Sam helped her stay sharp and ignore it for the most part.

Forgoing Leah’s house and another possible run in with Councilman Clearwater, who Bell was fairly certain she hated, she was greeted by Charlie and grilled fish. She hugged the man, not having seen him in days and caught up on the comings and goings. Connolly and his team were still in Washington with Edward and Jasper, chasing leads, Esme was in Alaska making headway with building foundations while Emmet, Alice and Rose stayed behind to back up Bella.

“I don’t know if its my place to say this, but I’m real proud of you.” Charlie told her while they washed dishes. “You didn’t have to help him. You weren’t under any obligation. You could have knocked him out and carried him back either way. Staying there, helping him, that was impressive.”

Bella brushed it off. “When you are young, things happen. Claws appear, incisors appear, eyesight strengthens. Everyone of them hurts and its difficult to control. Even puberty sucks. But there are always older girls looking out for younger girls. I was looked out for as much as possible. Some things we had to learn by ourself but others we were allowed help. I was helped and I helped before I was activated for battle. People like us, it’s… difficult. So yeah, I’m going to help. Besides he might help me one day. It’s a win win. Now as much as I would love baseball tonight, I am exhausted so I will have to pass. Night dad.”

Bella passed out from exhaustion almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Two hours later her phone dinged with a text message. It was Leah, asking if they could please talk.

Bella told her tomorrow, not sure what she should say but figuring she couldn’t put it off forever.

At 8 AM Bella’s phone rang once again. Deciding it was Leah she answered, half asleep.

“Hello.”

“Bella.” the voice of the head trainer at the Base answered. Rick Hanover had been in charge of field ops and mission training since Bella was a little girl. While Mother was the queen, he was defintely her top general.

“Yes sir.” Bella answered, waking immediately, all sleepiness from her voice gone.

“Matanza Protocol active. No support teams this time. They will be told after you have left the ground. Be at airport in two hours, no word to anyone. Everyone is coming in .You will be briefed on arrival at the Base.”

“How long will my cover need to explain my absence?” she asked, fighting off shivers wanting to rack her body.

“A team of 20 girls was slaughtered along with support team. A dozen Devil Dogs and two teams were slaughtered next. New species, unknown origin, unknown powers. We are activating all field agents, 17 year old teams, 16 year old teams and those 15 year old’s who are ready. We are going to war. You are leading them all. The reason for your absences is the least of your concerns. Two hours, suited up, weapons ready.”

“Yes sir.”

Bella hung up the phone and began dressing. She pulled out her black weapons box and double checked her ammo. She could strap the box onto the back of her bike. The weapons she had given Charlie could be passed off as weapons her support team trained with.

Charlie was at work; Connolly was off playing detective. They would find out after she had left. If she told them now, someone, especially the Cullens would want to come. She knew the three Cullens still in Forks would be in school as well as Ty and Hawk. It would be a couple hours before they realized she was gone and not just skipping the first few periods.

Adjusting and loading her bike, she made the one stop in Forks that had to be made.

Vivian opened the door before Bella could knock.

“Not surprised you knew where I lived. I would say its good to meet you in person but I know why you are here. I’ve been watching their chatter.”

“Then you know I have to go. It’s too soon to make a move against the Organization. The Cullens, Connolly, they still have work to do. I don’t have a choice.”

“Massacre protocol? Sounds like you don’t have a chance. They have never pulled all the shifters in at once. Your all going to Siberia. This is going to be a war and you are going to be at the front.”

“I know. You know I am right. I can’t tell them. They have to keep working and if I die, they have to get Charlie somewhere hidden. The Cullens might want to change residences too.”

“There are clear out plans to relocate them all to Alaska to a hidden safe house. They will be safe. You sure you don’t want to run? They aren’t even sure what these things are but they are deadly as hell and no one is sure how many there are.”

Bella nodded her head, expecting as much. The Matanza Protocol was rarely used and when it had been in the past, it meant all active teams’ coverage on one area where an infestation was present. For all the teams, agents and younger classes to be activated, it must have been very bad. It was called massacre for a reason. Either one had happened or one was about to.

“You know I have to. I need you to activate the chip in my head. Place the kill command back in. I am going to be checked out before being placed in the field and if I return, afterward, there can be no suspicions.”

“And when they see that you have an increased amount of venom in your blood, that you are getting stronger, faster? They may keep you.”

Belle knew this. She reached into her back pocket and brought out four envelopes. One was for Leah, one for Charlie, one for her support team and one for the Cullens.

“If you see me die, if my chip goes down or I just don’t make it back… give these to them, okay?”

Vivian nodded. “I promise kid.”

Bella turned and walked out quickly. She had a mission, work to do and could not focus on what she was leaving behind. She couldn’t afford to be human now. She had to be the weapon she was made into if she hoped to have any chance at survival.