A few days later during lunch I heard Bella's friends talking about going to the beach. I got a little excited cause I hadn't been to the beach yet since I moved there. It's not like there were a lot of sunny days in Forks anyway. On the sunny days, we didn't even go to school....for obvious reasons. I could still go but I didn't want to be the only one who showed up while the rest of my siblings were "on a camping trip".

I looked over and saw Bella at the salad station and Edward went over to talk to her. I stood up and went over to talk to Angela, who was probably one of the few people I actually liked in that little group.

"Hey Angela! What's up?" I asked ignoring the shocked and confused looks of the others. None of the other Cullens really socialize.

Angela however smiled brightly at me, scooting over and letting me sit next to her, "Nothing much, we're all planning a beach trip tomorrow. You want to come?"

The others looked astonished that I was actually there, and they were even more amazed that I accepted, "Sure! I'd love to! Which beach are we going to?"

"La Push! It's down at the Quileute reservation," Eric told me excited.

I nodded, didn't seem like a bad idea, "I'm down. Just gotta ask my parents."

"Cool! A Cullen actually hanging out with us common-folk," Tyler joked while I rolled my eyes playfully.

"Cate," I saw Edward walking up with Bella, "We gotta go," he nodded to our table where the others were waiting for us. I huffed and walked out, "Carlisle isn't going to let you go," He told me when we were outside.

"What are you talking about," I asked confused.

"The beach trip your friends are taking."

"Why?" He didn't answer me as we skipped the second half of our day. I walked into the house dropping my bag on the sofa before going to Carlisle's office, "Carlisle I got invited to go to the beach tomorrow with some of my classmates but Edward said you weren't going to let me go," I said in a single breath.

Emmett chuckled from the living room, "Snitch!"

"Shut it fang-face!" I snapped back.

Carlisle gave a light chuckle as Esme walked in to see what all the commotion was about, "I'm sure he's just being overprotective. Which beach is it? I'm sure you can go."

"She can't," Edward spoke behind me, I turned and saw him smirking as he leaned up against the doorframe.

"Why not?" I insisted, "La Push is like twenty minutes away-"

Esme froze, "They're going to La Push?"

I noticed her change, "Yeah...? Is something wrong?"

"No," Carlisle quickly told me, "Remember when you went out hunting that one day and you were told not to go outside our territory?" I nodded, "Well the Quileute reservation is outside our territory. We're not allowed on their land."

I looked around confused, "Why not?"

The two of them looked at each other for a moment before turning back to me, "They know what we are. We have had a treaty with the Quileute people for a long time now. We don't go on their land, we don't hunt humans. If we break the treaty it will wage a war between our family and their people."

I was really confused, "Why would there be a war? It's just a bunch of humans?"

"They're different," Edward continued as he walked up to me, "You're a part of our family, but they don't know that you're not one of us so the treaty applies to you too. You can't go on their land. It's for your protection, they're dangerous."

My mind was swimming with thoughts. What was so dangerous about the Quileute people? What made them different? It had to be something big if my family refused to go into their land. I sighed, I didn't want to worry anyone. I knew that they were only trying to protect me. They didn't want me to end up like the rest of my tribe.

Finally I nodded, "Okay. I won't go," I paused, "But for the record, my kind are easily able to take down yours. I can handle myself."

Esme smiled when I said I wouldn't go, "I know you can my little warrior," her cold hand rubbed where my tribal tattoo was.

Emmett jogged in, "Now that that's out of the way, Lassie you wanna go out for some huntin'?" He wiggled his eyebrows.

I chuckled, classic Emmett, "You bet," I ran out of Esme's embrace and jumped to the backyard phasing as I did so. The guys and I were having fun, I would take down birds and elk which was a fun chase. But when I wasn't running I was a little upset. Don't get me wrong I loved my family; they took me in and we had fun together. But I was still part human, and I'd like to hang out with the humans in school. Jasper stopped laughing when he felt my emotions, as did Edward when he heard my thoughts. I felt the sadness melt away and gave Jasper a look. Let me feel what I want to feel damnit! He stopped and they took it as a cue to head back home.

When I got changed into a tank top and shorts Alice was waiting for me outside my door, "You still want to go surfing?" She smiled.

Immediately I felt myself beam at her, "Alice I love you!" I hugged her tightly.

She handed me a board and we started walking to the Jeep, "I found a beach close by that's gonna be fairly empty. But it won't matter because we'll be on our side of the treaty line," she told me.

"You're the best Alice."

"I know."

As Alice drove to the beach I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, I looked down and saw it was a text from Bella;

Hey, are you going to meet us at the beach?

I gave a small frown before saying something came up and I wasn't going after-all. She sent me a sad face but didn't say anything else. Surfing was fun, something I hadn't done in a very long time. But it felt...different. I didn't say anything to Alice because I knew she was just trying to help, but I knew that I would've had more fun if I was with the others.

~

The following week it was beautiful outside. It was bright, and sunny, and warm. I loved it, but it meant we weren't going to school. For the past few months whenever we got a day like that I usually went in the woods and had some alone time. It was nice, peaceful. I even ran up the mountain. It was nice being away from all the silence, living with vampires meant there was a lot of quiet moments and I hated silence. It was days like those I missed my pack, the loud ruckus, hoots and howls of my brothers. I knew that my going away on certain days made Esme upset, but she understood I needed my time. And besides I was never gone for the whole day.

When I got back home Edward was waiting for me, "Wanna go for a ride?"

I shrugged, not even answering as I grabbed a jacket and headed to the garage where the Volvo was waiting for us.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Port Angeles."

"Why? You need a companion on your stalking trips now?"

He rolled his eyes, "You know you can be really annoying sometimes."

I snorted, "Tell me something I don't know."

The little expedition was uneventful. We were following from a distance, Edward was keeping tabs on Jessica and Angela's thoughts since he couldn't hear Bella's. He got mad at me when I made him take me to Wendy's for food. He muttered something about "gluttonous mutt," but I rolled my eyes and ate my fries.

When we drove back to the dress shop Edward's hands gripped the steering wheel harder, "What's wrong?" I asked.

"She's not with them anymore," He peeled away and we started driving all round Port Angeles trying to find anyone who might've seen her.

"Let me out, I can try and track her scent," I groaned shoving the last of my burger into my mouth.

He looked at me, "Think you can?"

I popped out my contacts and smiled, my eyes didn't feel itchy anymore, "Yeah."

He laughed, "Why would you take your contacts out if you're tracking a smell?"

"Because, I need to be able to see clearly as well as smell, smart-ass," I snapped.

"Fine," he sighed, "Just...make sure no one looks at you."

I nodded and exited the car without another word. I walked around, trying to catch a familiar scent when nothing came. A part of me was wary when I started walking through the sketchy part of town. I passed by this little bookshop. It looked tribal, it intrigued me. As I approached I smelled lilac and I knew Bella had been there. I walked in and the man behind the counter looked at me surprised, I quickly averted my eyes as I walked around and made it look like I was browsing.

"I sold it already," the man said.

Confused I looked up, "What?"

He smiled looking right at my eyes, "The book you're looking for. I sold it to a young girl with brown hair-"

I stopped him, "Did you see which way she went?" I asked and he pointed in the directed Bella walked off in.

"Maybe you can catch her, you should really give it a read," he told me.

I had no idea what the guy was talking about, I didn't come for some stupid book. But besides the point, I bolted out of the shop and followed the scent. I knew if I found her and Edward was close-by that he'd be able to get the both of us.

I followed the scent through an alley, then it stopped behind a building. I paused, listening before moving. I could hear Bella over the sounds of a bunch of guys.

"Don't touch me," she kept repeating.

"Oh hell no."

I started screaming in my head for Edward to get his ass over here as I ran up to them and pulled Bella away from the guys, "Walk away. Now." I threatened not even caring I didn't have my contacts on. It seemed to be an advantage 'cause at first all the guys saw was another girl, but when they saw my bright eyes they got scared. I could smell their fear. One guy seemed to get over it and took a step toward me, "Big mistake," I muttered as I grabbed him and kicked him away from us. I had forgotten I had an audience but felt better when I heard the Volvo engine roaring to a halt. The other guys flinched away from me when they saw their friend groaning in pain on the floor ten feet away.

"Get in the car," Edward ordered, I could hear Bella scramble into the passenger seat, he came next to me and gave the thugs a dark, ominous look. They were shaking where they stood. I gave a low growl and felt myself start shaking, Edward grabbed my arm, "Get in the car Cate," he told me.

I shook my head but he pushed me in anyway. I couldn't stop shaking, but I could smell how terrified Bella was in front of me and started taking deep breaths trying to calm down. Edward got back in the car and zoomed away like a madman. I could see Bella looking between my brother and me with a frantic look in her eye. But I didn't care, I was trying to calm myself down.

"I should go back there and rip those guys' heads off," Edward snapped.

I started rubbing my templed to help with the headache that I'd gotten, "You could've let me do it."

Bella shook her head, "No, neither of you should."

"You don't know the vile, repulsive things they were thinking," Edward responded.

"And you do?"

I hid a growl with a groan, "Please," I snapped, "It's obvious."

"Can someone talk about something else?" I could see his knuckles flexing as he gripped the steering wheel, "Distract me so I won't turn around."

"Cate your eyes!" Bella gasped when I finally looked up.

Edward and I both laughed, "Fantastic observation!" I rolled my eyes at her before shoving on a pair of sunglasses. I didn't have any more contacts on me, so sunglasses would have to work until I got home.

Edward drove her to the restaurant where Bella had planned to meet her friends. I waited in the car for them to say their goodbyes but then felt blindsided when I saw them start to walk in together while Angela and Jessica left.

"Um...Hello?"

Edward paused, I could hear him sigh before coming back to talk to me, "Think you can head home?" He asked.

I groaned, "Are you serious right now? I go with you on your little tracking errand and now she gets to eat and I'm sent home?"

"I'll bring you food just go!" He hissed, "I need to talk to her alone."

I shook my head disappointed, "Just my damn luck. Fine. Once you guys go inside I'll leave."

"Thanks baby sister," he smiled.

I flipped him off as he walked away, I knew he saw what I did. The second they were inside I left the car and moaned, I could smell the food from where I was standing.

"You better get me a chicken parm or we're going to have PROBLEMS!"

I yelled in my head before taking off towards home. A few minutes later I was back in Forks, I was about to walk right past the police station when I saw Carlisle's car parked in one of the spots. Confused, I walked in only to be bombarded by police officers trying to force me out. I had to kinda force my body to move when they moved me, if not they're probably be shocked that I wouldn't even budge.

"It's alright, she's my daughter," Carlisle spoke when he saw me, the officers automatically let me go, "What are you doing here?"

"I was on my way home when I saw all the lights and your car in a spot. What happened?"

He looked down before looking at me again, "Animal attack by the docks," he told me with a tone that I could tell was more than it seemed, "I'm just about to examine the body."

My eyes widened. It was a vampire, "I'm gonna head out."

Charlie looked up from his desk sadly, "One of the deputies can give you a ride home, it's not safe for a young lady out at night."

I politely declined, "Thank you for worrying Chief Swan but I'll be fine," I gave Carlisle a serious look, "I'll see you back at home."

Charlie looked weary letting a "poor defenseless" girl out alone at night but when Carlisle let me go he said nothing. I quickly left the station and ran into the woods, where none of the officers would see me. Once I was deep enough I phased and started scouting the area, trying to find a scent.

What shocked me when I got to the docks wasn't one scent. It was three, and definitely vampires. Once I caught the sweet scent it was obvious and these weren't vegetarians. I circled the docks trying to find the direction they went it but it was no use. At least now we had a number, I ran back into the woods and made my way home where the others were waiting for me.

"What did you find?" Carlisle asked while the others waited for my response.

"Not much, but there's three of them. Two men and one woman, by the time I'd got there the scent was old," I reported.

Esme wrapped her arm around Carlisle, who's arms were crossed over his chest, "At least we have a slightly better idea of who's responsible."

"Better than nothing," Emmett agreed.

I sighed, "Well, it can't get any worse now can it?"

Yes. Yes it can.

The very next day at school I stepped out of the car and the first thing I saw; even with the dozens of teenagers walking around, was Bella watching my siblings and I with a knowing look. I looked at Edward and wanted nothing more than to punch him....and me, since I contributed to it.

"Whatever you do. Please don't tell her about me."

I begged, and he nodded. Bella walked right past him and into the woods, he followed and I was so annoyed that I couldn't follow. Rosalie grabbed me and walked me inside.

"I know. I'm pissed too," she growled as she walked me to my first period.

And there I was thinking my life would have calmed down a little bit. The universe loves to prove me wrong.