"What are you thinking, like right this second?" Jacob Black's question threw Dallas for a second. It was innocent enough, if not for the heavy undertones of concern in his voice, the way he kept glancing back at her from his computer every few seconds and the way he looked at her when he addressed the blonde. As if she was about to fall apart any second, as if the emotionless exterior she had created was going to split in half and every emotion bubbling in the pits of her stomach and the center of her heart was about to burst, and cause her stoic countenance to crumble.

Truthfully, Dallas felt like she was about to burst at the seams. She didn't want to worry Billy or Jake, but she didn't know how much more she could pretend like it was okay. Because it wasn't. She listened to the sound of the hard rain drops as they made contact with the tin roof above her head, the thunder that rumbled lowly beneath the clouds that were a dark threatening grey, and tried to find an answer that wasn't a complete lie.

She propped herself up against the pillows on Jacob's small bed and glanced out the window at the dark forest that somehow looked even more beautiful with the darkening of the night, and the glow of the moon as it shone down on it, before diverting her attention towards the long haired teen staring at her expectantly.

"I'm not even mad anymore, y'know? It's more of a..." While she struggled to find the words to describe her feeling, Jacob climbed onto the bed beside her and wrapped one of his arms over her shoulder, smiling sadly when her head fell onto it tiredly.

"...betrayal? Humiliation?" Jacob offered, lightly fiddling with the ends of her hair that was a wet and tangled mess after her recent shower.

With a nod, she found her voice again. "I can't even imagine what she was going through, why it all fell apart, how alone she felt. Man, I can see why she did it. I think I'm more embarrassed than anything to be completely honest. And though I appreciate you so much, I miss Embry." Dallas's voice shook, as did her hands with the end of her sentence. She wasn't mad at her mother, she just felt lost and confused.

"And I have a brother now! Sam! Oh god, he must be so mad." The blonde groaned into her friends shoulder, swatting his arm when a deep chuckle vibrated his chest.

"Dude, your brother is a cult member!" Dallas sat up, a look of horror on her face.

She threw one of the throw pillows on the end of his bed at his face, snorting when he curses under his breath. "Jacob, that's so rude! He isn't running a cult, do you really think the council members would allow that?" Jacob rolled his eyes, rubbing the spot where the pillow hit him.

"Ow. I don't know, there's something weird goin' on, thats for damn sure." Dallas didn't believe it was a cult, she wasn't going to sit there and accuse good people of being a part of a totally absurd rumour that people had made up over the past year or so.

Jacob continued, mistaking Dallas's silence as an invitation to continue. "I mean think about it, it's fucking strange that Paul ignored you for so long now all of a sudden he wants to be your friend? Like it's bizarre, -don't give me that look Dallas-, it's honestly weird and you can't sit here and say it hasn't played on your mind at least once. Because that would be a bold faced lie." Dallas froze, her mouth dropping in shock at words her best friend was saying.

She crossed her arms over her chest, moving as far from Jacob that the small bed would allow. "And what exactly are you inferring here, Jacob? Man don't even sit here and spit that shit to me, when Bella did the same damn thing!" Her voice had risen a few octaves as her temper flared tremendously at the absolute hypocrisy that Jacob was spouting.

Jacob sat up as well, his own face darkening in a way that matched Dallas's own expression of anger. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Dallas snorted as she jumped off the small bed, her tiny body trembling slightly in anger.

"You don't get to sit there and tell me that my friendship with Paul's is any different to yours with Bella's! She didn't talk to you for months, until Edward up and abandoned her." Dallas paused, before lowering her voice to imitate said Swan girl. "Oh okay, let's go and abandon all my other friends to hang out with someone who I barley gave the time of day to before."

Dallas felt a mild pang in her heart as she saw Jacob's face crumble slightly, but she needed to get the words she had been thinking over out before they ended up worse. "She's using you, Jacob. And as much as I love her because I do, you can't sit there and tell me that the thought hasn't played on your mind. Because that would be a bold faced lie." The blonde threw back Jacob's words in his face, with little regret before storming out of his room to join Billy on the lounge.

With an exasperated huff, the blonde plopped herself on the old couch beside the older man. The corners of his mouth were lifted slightly with the hint of a smirk threatening to show. With a hum of approval, he held one hand up and chuckled when Dallas's own met his for a satisfying high five. "Bout time someone put him in his place, he was starting to get too big for his boots." The younger girl laughed lightly as she swung her legs onto the coffee table in front of her.

"He's a stubborn ass. He doesn't get to have an opinion on something, but I cant. I mean, can't he hear his own hypocrisy? Judging Paul and the boys,-" She paused to scoff, rolling her eyes in annoyance as she crossed her thin arms over her chest. "-when Bella is just using him. Ugh!" Billy laughed out loud, patting her knee in a sympathetic way as he glanced towards his son's bedroom.

"He gets like that, doesn't he? Try living with him." Dallas again scoffed, causing another laugh out his mouth. Before she could reply, a sharp knock at the door broke her attention briefly from the conversation, to glance timidly behind her. Billy waved her off when she began to stand, opting to answer it himself.

"No thanks, one can only be arrested for murder so many times." The blonde retorted as Billy began rolling himself to the door.

"I heard that!" Jake shouted from his room, Dallas rolled her eyes at his voice.

"Meant you too!"

"Dals you know I'm always on your side, but can you at least fill me in so I can beat up Jake." Quil's voice added, revealing himself to be the mystery knocker. Dallas smirked to herself at the sounds of heavy footsteps exiting the back room.

Jacob entered the living room, a scowl present on his face as he looked at his two friends. "Why don't you ever take my side in any argument me and her,-" Jacob pointed to the blonde who had now stood beside Quil with a smirk on her face, only causing Jake's scowl to deepen. "-have? Were supposed to be bros! Bros before ho-"

"Don't even finish that sentence!" Billy shouted from somewhere in the house, motivating an eye roll out of his son.

Quil nodded in agreement. "Yeah dude, we respect women here." And with that, he wrapped his arm around Dallas who beamed up at her friend. She taught him well.

Jacob scoffed, moving around the lounge to stand in front of the duo. "Yes I know we do, but you alwaaaaays take her side!" He whined, dragging out the 'a' in a very childlike manner. Dallas glowered at him.

"Maybe cause you're always wrong!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am no-"

"Oh for the love of god, shut up! You two are as bad as siblings." Billy groaned, appearing out of nowhere as he reached around his oaf of a son to answer the shrill ring of the house phone.

The trio simultaneously looked at each other, before loud laughs emitted their mouths. Dallas removed Quil's arm, before walking over to Jake and punching his arm.

Jake rubbed his arm, as if the small punch the blonde did actually hurt. "Ow, bitch." Quil shoved him in a headlock, while Dallas watched with amusement.

"Don't call my best friend a bitch!" He ruffled Jakes hair, as Billy pushed in between them, rolling his dark eyes when the two teenagers grumbled in annoyance.

"It's Bella, she wants to talk to you." Billy said, still scowling at the two boys. Jake instantly perked up, hastily grabbing the phone before wandering off to his room.

"Bells! How ya doin'?" Was the last thing they heard before he closed the door. Billy shook his head, before rolling into the kitchen again.

"You staying for dinner, Quil?" He asked, the sound of plates and cups being moved around was heard through the small house.

Quil glanced over at the much smaller girl, who nodded at him. "Yeah, if thats alright." Billy's response was a hum.

"Where's Audrey tonight?" Billy asked, rolling towards the kitchen.

"She said something about going to the movies, apparently she's got a hot date." Dallas said with a smile.

Billy frowned, "A date? But I thought she was interested in Embry?"

Quill shrugged. "Yeah but cmon Billy, he hasn't spoken to us in months. Can't expect her to wait around forever." Billy had a faraway look in his eyes.

"Well doesn't he feel the same way about her?"

Dallas chuckled. "Didn't know you were so interested in the reservations gossip. But yes he did, but like Quill said, he broke her heart. He spoke to her on Christmas, but he basically told her he didn't have feelings for her and to leave him alone. Dick move."

Billy suddenly turned to face the two teenagers. "Wait, did'ya say Christmas? He said he wasn't interested in her on Christmas? That can't be right because he.." the older man stopped himself and smiled. "never mind, this is just confusing. Sit down, dinner should be ready soon."

Quill and Dallas eyed each other, confusion evident on their faces. But before they could question it, a loud cheer came from Jacob's bedroom.

The phone call was short, within seconds Jake was exiting his room, a large boyish grin on his face. "Bella asked me to come to the movies with her, do you wanna come?" He asked Dallas, but it was a mere afterthought. She knew he wanted it to be just the two of them, and she was fine with that. She would rather spend the time with Billy and Quil, than with Bella who hadn't even bothered to check in with her. Truthfully, she was pissed. After Bella's text, she thought their friendship might mend. But it didn't, and she was both hurt and angered that once again she wasn't even an option.

Dallas shook her head, waving him off. "Nah I'm good, you go. Have fun, stay safe y'know all that." Jake didn't look convinced, but before he could press on Quil was practically shoving him out the door.

"Dude, just go -shove-. You only ever talk -shove- about going on a date with her. Just go." Jake sighed, shrugging his jacket on before glancing again at his smaller friend, who was standing in the living room shaking her head at Quil's child-like antics.

"Are we good?" He asked, looking worried at the prospect of leaving his friend mad at him.

Dallas smiled at him, though it didn't reach her eyes. "I'm good always now leave, before I haul your ass in the car. Tell her I said hi. And tell Aud to call me after her date if you see her." Jacob returned the smile, before glaring at Quil.

"Next time you shove me, I'm shaving your hair off in your sleep!"

:::

Later that evening when the storm had finally died down to small zig-zags of lightning, light rainfall and no thunder, Dallas finally checked her phone for the first time in the two days she had left the Clearwater's Christmas lunch and ultimately ran away from her mother. Quil had left over an hour ago, his mother reminding him that he was grounded for putting Nair in his grandfather's shampoo after Old Quil had told him there was a demon in his wardrobe. When Dallas found out he had broken his mother's rules just to see her, she yelled at him about how he would get in even more trouble just to see her. Quil responded with a smirk, before reassuring his friend that making sure she was okay meant more to him than being grounded even longer.

With a groan, she contemplated throwing her phone at the wall but decided against it purely because the diner wasn't open for the next week and she was running low on savings.

'I'm coming to Jakes, FYI. I miss u way too much, and I gotta see if ur okay myself xo.'- Quil

'Hey hon, tried ringing a few times but it's gone to voicemail every time. Please let me know if you need anything, Liam, Jared and I are here for u x.'- April Cameron.

"Dally, I love you oh so much. You know you've got me, if you wanna stay over just come by, if you wanna talk just call. I'm here for you, and I'll never leave." - Audrey

'Heeeey shortstack. Give me a holler if u need to vent.'- Jared Cameron.

'I really hate that this happened to you like this, I mean we always wondered who your dad was and now we know and I can't even support you right now because we aren't talking. I love you forever Dals, you'll always be my best friend.'- Embry Call.

'Hey darling, I know you're mad at her but please let your mom know that you're okay. I know she's keeping tabs on you through Billy, but she would love to hear your voice. I love you, Bee.'- Sue Clearwater.

The next message was from Paul, and to add on the texts was about fifteen other messages informing the girl of the fifteen times he had tried to call. 'I understand you need time, I just gotta know how you are. Please text me back when you can, I hope you're okay.'-Paul Lahote.

The final message she had received was from her mother, and it was the only message that warranted any sort of emotion out of the blonde. 'Hey Dallas.... I know you're probably wondering what the hell even happened, and I want to tell you. You deserve to know, this isn't fair at all and I feel sick to my stomach that you found out the way you did. You're the best thing that ever happened to me, and I'll never let you forget how lucky I am that I had you. I hope we can talk soon, I miss my girl more than anyone could ever imagine. Love, your biggest fan xxx.'- Mom.

Dallas wiped the tears that had fallen onto her cheeks with a sigh. A sob was threatening to come up, but she swallowed thickly. Her hands were shaking as she replied to every message, making sure to reassure Paul as much as she could before she typed out a response to the person she loved most in this world.

'Hey mom... I am okay, just processing all of this. I want to talk to you, I'm just figuring out how I can without saying something I may regret. I know you try, that's all you've ever done. I love you, forever and I couldn't hate you even if I tried.'- Dallas.

A loud 'slam' from outside broke her attention from her phone, and towards the front door which was visible due to Jacob's bedroom door being opened. Dallas jumped up, quickly grabbing her jacket from the worn out chair in front of his computer before racing to the front of the house. The small girl was still shrugging on her jacket, when Jacob began pacing around the front yard.

She was just about to run over to him, when three large men suddenly appeared in her peripheral vision. Dallas turned her head to the left to see Sam, Jared and Paul running towards Jacob. "Don't go near him, Dallas!" Paul yelled, waving his arms frantically while Sam and Jared began helping Jake towards the backyard.

Before they could even move off the front lawn however, Dallas was already jumping over the railing towards her friend. Sam shot her a look, which the blonde chose to ignore. Her attention was solely on the boy who was crying in pain. The sound of Billy's disapproving voice caught her attention, and she whipped her head towards the front door.

Billy frowned at Dallas from his spot at the front door, his arms crossed as he sighed. He didn't want her to see this, but she was a part of the pack via imprinting anyway. And Paul still hadn't confessed the truth. A tiny part of the older man was relieved, that two of the most important people in his world would finally know the truth that was so desperately concealed from the world.

"...Embry can you take Dallas home please, she doesn't need to see this." Paul's stressed voice broke Dallas's attention away from her intense stare off with Billy, to shake her head defiantly at the Lahote man.

"Nuh-uh, no way. Jake needs me, I'm staying. It's what you do for your friends, you don't abandon them when they need you." Embry scoffed at her words, before turning harshly towards Paul.

"This is all your fault, Lahote! If you had just come clean with her fucking months ago, she would still be my best friend!" He shouted, roughly shoving the hothead who was trying to help Jake out of the car.

Sam -who was had an arm around Jacob's waist while Jared held his other side-, raised his spare hand in frustration. "Is this really necessary right now? I need you two out the back, now!" At the use of his alpha tone, the two betas begrudgingly broke apart. Dallas, staring at the group in complete confusion. 'How was it Paul's fault, that Embry isn't my friend anymore?' She thought, her mind racing as she hastily followed the pack towards Jacob's backyard.

Embry immediately joined her side, as the three other men lowered the in pain teen onto the grass near the treeline. "You really don't want to see this, but in a way I'm glad if you do. No more secrets." He whispered to the shorter girl beside him, the latter tilting her head in confusion as she turned away from Jacob to look up at Embry.

"What are you talk-" Her words were cut short by a terrifying scream, a scream so full of pain, anguish and despair the blonde nearly fell to her knees if not for the strong grip on her arm. Embry felt his own eyes water as he clutched onto Dallas, he didn't want this life for anyone. It was fucking awful, phasing for the first time.

Jacob was on his knees, tears running down his cheeks as Sam stood beside him trying to help him with the shift. Dallas went to lunge forward, but another arm had pulled her back. In her daze, she barely registered Jared's concerned face staring down at her as Paul and Sam continued shouting at Jacob.

"Trust me Dals, you're safer here." Jared's voice came out in a soft whisper, but even she heard the warning beneath the soft tones.

Embry nodded from the other side of the small girl, his arm still firmly wrapped around her own. "We got you, you'll be fine." He agreed, sharing a knowing look with his pack member before the two wolves glanced down at the girl who was clutching onto them.

"But what about Jacob!?" She all but shrieked, her eyes widening in horror as said boy's body started convulsing.

Embry dropped her arm, instead choosing to wrap his arms around her body. Jared following suit. Dallas was currently sandwiched between two giants, the two boys wanting to protect her as much as they could when Jacob finally embraced the magic in his