Catherine (J. Black)

Chapter Twenty Eight

Jacob holds Catherine's hand as she looks around the empty inside of the cabin, she smiles.

"It's really perfect" she states, Jacob frowns.

"I'm sensing a but...." he draws out.

"Four days? Really?" she asks, the pack all share a look from where they sit on the floor of the cabin.

"Ah well" Paul starts. "We kind of had help..." he states, Catherine raises an eyebrow and then smiles as Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper walk in, they smile at Catherine.

"It was for a good cause" Jasper states. "All of us, doing this together"

"Yeah" Sam agrees. "Turns out that when the vampires get involved....something like this can actually happen in four days" he teases, Catherine smiles at them all.

"You guys" she whispers.

"Hey" Rosalie states. "You're my baby sister and you get a house too, a better house....built of an alliance of species....Just like Nik and don't worry about the furniture..."

"Yeah" Emmett states wrapping an arm around Rosalie. "Consider it our....baby shower gift to you"

"I didn't have a baby shower" Catherine points out.

"No, exactly" Rosalie teases. "And don't worry everything will be in keeping with the rustic theme...I know you love comfort above design and with a child that is exactly what you'll need"

"Emily's also put together a binder of recipes......." Sam offers. "I know it's not furniture" he teases.

"It's perfect" Catherine tells him. "All of it....this is....it's pretty damn perfect"

"And we know we weren't there for you" Embry starts. "When you were pregnant"

"Granted we didn't know" Jared adds. "Till like the day you gave birth" Catherine smiles.

"But he's part of us" Quil adds, Sam nods.

"He's part of this tribe" Sam states. "Always will be"

"I'm going to cry again" Catherine announces. Jacob kisses her cheek.

"Wanna see the best bit" he whispers. She looks to him and bites her lip.

"There's more?" she asks. He nods and takes her hand, Rosalie and Emmett share a smile as the pack do. Jacob leads Catherine upstairs and to a door with a wooden N on it.

"This is the only room ready, Blondie got a little excited I think" he kisses her cheek and then opens the door, a baby's nursery, woodland themed of course, Catherine smiles and looks around.

"A teepee?" she asks amused, Jacob shrugs.

"For when he's a wolf, like a den" he answers. "It's pretty cool, right?" he asks touching the woodland mobile above the crib. "I mean...she did alright" he mumbles, Catherine smiles.

"It's perfect" she whispers looking over the wall of photos.

"Ah yeah, she asked for some from when I was a kid.." Jacob points out. "There's also some fun ones of the pack..."

"It's great..." She whispers. Jacob mover to her and wraps an arm around her waist. "It's just this is all...."

"I know.." he interrupts her. "He's going to grow out of it at the rate he's growing...but it's okay, we'll adjust as he goes..." Catherine sniffs and turns around.

"What is that smell?" she asks, Jacob sniffs and frowns.

"It smells like Emily's chicken wings" He answers.

"It smells delicious" Catherine states walking out the room, Jacob frowns.

"But...wait, what?" he asks following her.

.................

"Nik" Catherine greets picking up her son, Billy smiles at her. "How was he?" she asks.

"Good as gold" Billy answers. "Actually he wolfed out..then refused to put pants on" Catherine smirks a little.

"Yeah, the wolf thing is new" she answers and then sniffs. "Where is that coming from?" she asks walking away, Billy frowns watching her as Jacob appears at his side.

"She okay?" Billy asks. Jacob sighs.

"It's complicated" Jacob answers. "She's....going through some changes" he offers, Billy raises an eyebrow and Jacob sighs again. "Look when Nik was born...he bit her...and she changed...."

"Changed how?" Billy asks.

"The doc thinks she's.....half wolf, half vampire now, you didn't notice her eyes?" he asks. "They're human now....and she breathes, has a heartbeat...." Jacob then has a light bulb moment. "Has to eat" he scolds himself and looks outside where the pack and Catherine are gathered around the table. "She's half wolf"

"A hybrid" Billy states. "Has she....shifted?" Jacob shakes his head.

"No, I don't think she knows how to" Jacob admits. "We're just...rolling with it all" Jacob offers. "She's already worried she's a freak, I gotta treat her the same....she's still my Cat deep down, even if she's a little different on the outside" Billy smiles.

"She's good for you" Billy tells him. Jacob looks to him. "You've grown up" Jacob smiles a little.

......................

The pack watch as Catherine eats a chicken wing, they just stare at her, she looks to them.

"What?" she asks.

"You're eating" Paul points out, Catherine frowns and looks to the chicken wing.

"I am" she admits. "Oh" she drops the chicken wing. "That's....." Jacob wraps an arm around her waist.

"We should tell them" he tells her softly. Catherine looks to him. He nods and kisses her cheek.

"Okay" she whispers, Jacob turns to the wolves, takes a deep breath and tells them, everything.

........................

The wolves all stare at Catherine who fiddles with the chicken wing, uncomfortable with the attention.

"So....you're one of us now?" Embry asks, Jacob shoots him a look.

"Half" he corrects.

"Yeah, so Little Nikki bit her and she became like him?" Paul asks. "It's that simple?"

"Doc has no idea" Jacob answers. "It's his best guess though" The wolves all share a look before they smile.

"Like it matters" Sam states. "She was an imprint before, already one of us, this just proves there was a reason she was chosen for you" Jacob smiles and pulls Catherine closer.

"I told you" he tells her softly. "They don't think you're a freak"

"Actually" Jared teases. "We do" Jacob shoots him a look as Catherine looks down. "But we're right there with you....cause we're all huge freaks too" Catherine smiles and looks to him.

"You tried shifting yet?" Sam asks, Catherine shakes her head.

"I don't know how" she admits. "I keep thinking that I'll get a feeling or something"

"You're half" he states. "Maybe it needs to be more of a conscious decision" he offers, she cocks her head. "More so than instinct..."

"I see your point" she admits looking to the chicken wing. "A conscious decision" she whispers. "Okay, I want to try" she tells Jacob who nods.

"Okay, if you're sure..."

"I am....I want to be a freak" she tells him, the pack all smile and laugh as Jacob chuckles pulling her closer to kiss her.