Chapter 18:
Weak Blooded

In the blanket of the night, Hunter trudged through the dirt and leaves mindlessly—well, she was thinking. She knew exactly where she was going but she wasn't confident in her decision.

The reservation was not too far from where she was previously but walking at a normal human pace was troubling. She looked like a zombie. Blood covered her still and she moved with a limp that made her wince everytime.

It wasn't her fault that she was like this, it was her mother's words that twisted their way into her head relentlessly. They were sharp and demanding, and that alone angered her to no end.

If Hunter could, she would've ripped her mother's head off, but she was only a ghost, a moving picture inside her mind.

Seeing the reservation's grass made her freeze, she should've gone home and cleaned up a bit. Showing up like the mess she was would only prove to them that she hasn't changed at all.

But it was too late.

She could see the pack from where she stood. They laughed loudly and tossed one another around as usual. It made her feel a bit better to know that they were safe, safer than they were with her around.

But there was only one person she couldn't see, the only person she came to see, Sam. He wasn't with them. The hair at the nape of her neck brushed in the breeze and she shivered.

"What are you doing here?" His voice was low yet soft all at once. He didn't sound angry to find her there and that made Hunter a bit more confident. She turned and faced him, his eyebrows raising at the sight of the blood.

"It's animal blood." She mumbled, rubbing her palms on her jeans. Sam just stared at her with unreadable eyes. He couldn't care less about her actions, he just wanted to understand why she was here.

The saliva she swallowed traveled down her dry throat and she shuffled awkwardly, "I actually came to see you."

Sam huffed, "Why the hell would you do that?"

"I don't want to walk around with this thing on my arm forever." She bit back, finding it hard to contain her frustration.

Owls hooted in the distance and the crickets played their songs loudly close by, but the loudest sound was the silence that laid between them. He towered over her with a glare on his face. For some reason, she was expecting a fight or even an argument.

"There's no getting rid of that." Sam finally spoke. Hunter felt like a fool.

If she could throw up all over again, she would. "What do you mean? You did this, can't you- I don't know, undo it?"

Sam sighed. He had no idea that the scar would stay there. He's never seen anything like it. "I'm sorry Hunter but I can't help you."

He moved to walk around her but her bloody hand slapped against his chest. Low growls escaped his throat but she wasn't afraid. "You haven't even tried."

"There's nothing to try. I haven't seen anything like that before so therefore-" He shoved her hand off his chest, "I. Can't. Help. You."

He tried to leave again but she blocked him once more. Her arms crossed over her chest and he huffed angrily. He knew that she wouldn't give up. "Look, I can't get rid of that but why don't you go shower or something. Emily baked some cookies."

Hunter relaxed. The last time she was in Sam's home, she was dying. Not much has changed clearly. He finally walked past her and she smiled, "I knew you couldn't stay mad at me."

"Shut up."

___

       The aroma of chocolate chip cookies twirled throughout the Uley household and Hunter couldn't find any solace within it. Her leg bounced around underneath Emily's kitchen table and she stared at the dessert longingly.

They looked delicious. She wanted to reach over and take one, two if she was allowed, but cookies weren't appetizing at the moment.

Emily had wished her goodnight a few minutes ago with a warming smile before she disappeared further into the home, something about waking up early to work on her garden. Hunter was thankful that the human woman wouldn't be around to see her become ravenous again.

Only Sam was would see.

He sat on the other side of the table, a shirt finally covering his chest. He ate the cookies. He took one after another and waited for her to speak.

Now she was beginning to regret coming. It was definite that she was stuck with the scar on her arm and now that she knew that, she didn't need to stay.

She sat back in the wooden chair, her hands rubbing against her dirty jeans, "Uh I think I'm gonna-"

"Do you know why I cut you out?" Sam cut her off, ruining what would've been her fast escape. Hunter looked at him, his eyes concentrated on the cookies. She stayed still and let his calm heart beat ease her nerves. The answer to his question was obvious, she had told him multiple times that she was not a follower. Still, his question was unsettling.

Hunter scratched at her jeans lightly, "Because I didn't follow-"

"Because you're weak." Sam interrupted again. He didn't have to glance up to see the offense on her face. He knew he was being rude but it was the truth. "The Cullen's make you weak."

A scoff flew from her lips. If she could, she would flip the table and storm out. She found it amusing that Sam, of all people, would say something as ridiculous as that. The Cullen's did not make her weak. "You're wrong." Was all she could respond with.

Sam looked away from the cookies and huffed, "You chose their side easily when you had a pack. You had family, a real family."

"You were going to kill my best friend. You knew I would protected her." Hunter leaned forward, "And you aren't my family. None of you are."

Sam shrugged, "We're more family than you are to them. We share the same blood. All of us. The Cullen's are just empty bodies, ghosts even. How can you choose them over us?"

Hunter gnawed at the inside of her cheek lightly. He was right in that sense, they were more related than she wanted to believe. But they never did anything for her accept egg her into the pack, force the normal rule on her.

The Cullen's weren't her family, but they made her feel safe. They helped save Bella more than once and they helped her protect Winston, they didn't make her feel like she was destined for one thing and one thing only. She always had a choice.

"No one is picking sides, I'm just looking out for me and Bella-"

Sam slammed his hands on the table abruptly and she jumped back. "We trusted you! I let you into my home, I let you into the pack, I made you and you betrayed us for vampires. You abandoned your father's beliefs to become your mother."

The scowl burned onto her face instantly. She came here to fix things, to tie up loose ends and patch up any holes, but Sam wanted to bring out the worst in her.

"Don't act like you didn't want me in the pack." She hissed, "You practically forced it on me, made me feel like what I was doing was good. Only for you to put me in a position where I had no choice but to listen to you when you knew, I would never hurt Bella!"

She could feel hot tears streaming down her blotchy red cheeks. Her hands gripped the table and she glared holes into his brown, angry eyes. "I betrayed you for her and the baby."

"And how'd that turn out for you? How'd that turn out for Bella?" Sam spit.

In a flash, Hunter got up from her seat and tossed the table across the room. Sam got onto his feet and they stood toe to toe. Their chests heaved in and out with air, both of them daring the other to make a move.

"I could kill you right now." Hunter threatened, her mouth watering just at the sound of his hammering heart beat. But she wouldn't, she couldn't. She would just be proving that she was her mother.

Sam didn't flinch. He stood straight and glared hard. Hunter was perfectly capable of ending his life, he believed that. But he would be damned if he begged for his life instead of proving how strong he was.

"Likewise." He replied.

Hunter's hands formed fists and she inhaled, "You were never my alpha. I never take orders from anyone."

"Why'd you join the pack then?" He bit back.

It was evident that Sam believed he was right. His shoulders were back, chin high, chest puffed out, he was full of himself. Hunter hated that. "You persuaded me, remember? You sat me down and made me believe that it was what my father wanted when really, it was what you wanted."

He stayed still. "You wanted all the power so you manipulated me. Hell, it worked."

"You're wrong." Sam hissed.

"Am I?" Hunter asked.

His eyes were narrowed, rigid, cold, and hard. She knew her words had gotten to him and pushed him until he was on the ground. That's what she was counting on.

Her hand was around his neck and in seconds, she slammed him up against a wall, the frames of art on the walls shaking. Sam gripped her arm tightly and thrashed under the pressure of her palm on his throat. She wasn't as strong as she was a few weeks ago but it was enough to hold down Sam.

"We've been through this before, Sam." Hunter grumbled, "You call me weak, I do something crazy to prove I'm not, and we're back at square one."

Sam gagged and continued to struggle under her grasp. He was angry, his skin was boiling, but she was used to the heat. "Do I have to remind you time and time again that I am more than you could ever be? But that's why you tried to get me in the pack right? Because you're afraid."

"You- are weak." Sam gagged out, "Weak because of him."

She didn't have to think twice to know who he was referring to. The golden eyes that made her knees weak and her stomach queasy, that could easily destroy her if they wanted to. Yet they failed to do their job, instead it made her angrier.

Her hand tightened around his throat, "Edward doesn't make me weak. None of them do. They treat me like I matter, like I'm more than some prop."

Sam chuckled, "I wasn't- talking about- Edward."

Realization dawned on her and she growled before tossing him onto the floor. Sam reached for his throat and gasped for air frantically.

He was referring to Winston. His death had made her weak and he was right. But she would never tell him that.

"It's over Sam. I choose them. I choose what's best for me and Bella, and now her baby. If that makes me weak, then so be it. At least I'm free and out of your control." Hunter told him, watching him gather his breaths.

She walked back over to him and held out her hand. He stared at it for a moment, heavy breaths escaping him, before he grabbed on. Hunter gripped his hand and twisted his arm around and behind his back. Sam grunted angrily and squirmed on the floor. His chest and cheek flushed onto the cold tiles but that was the least of his worries. "What the hell!" He yelled.

Hunter leaned forward, "Don't you ever compare me to my mother again." Sam jolted around, the feel of her lips brushing against his ear threateningly rattling his bones.

Before he could say anything else, her grip was gone and so was she. The brisk wind from outside blew into the kitchen and Sam jumped onto his feet just in time to see her wolf figure disappearing into the forest.

___

Just by the way the wind breezed in, Hunter knew it was noon and she somehow slept in her own bed last night. She had no memory of anything after Sam's house and given her past, that was a bad thing.

She had another dream-less night yet she was drenched in sweat. A cold palm was pressed against her cheek and she jolted. But instead of seeing who the culprit was, she watched Bella laying, bleeding and dying. She looked like a skeleton.

"Beautiful." Bella mumbled before the memory faded and Hunter was back in reality. Her eyes widen at who was before her. A rather big Renesmee was propped on her bed beside her, an innocent giggle escaping her.

This was the first time in a while she was seeing her. It had only been a month or so since she was born but she looked older than that. Hunter sat up and awkwardly laughed back. She had no experience with children.

   "How did you get in here?" Hunter mumbled to herself before gently lifting Renesmee into her arms and escaping into the hallway. She could hear Bella conversing with Edward in the living room, it made her blood run cold and the guilt return.

Holding Renesmee felt natural yet foreign. It felt wrong as she neared the living room however. The baby's smile never slipped away and her hands casually played with Hunter's strands of hair.

   "I don't think I could ever forgive you." Bella breathed, "But I am willing to be civil. For Renesmee."

Hunter cringed as she walked down the seemingly long stairs. Her feet moved slowly and quietly, afraid to intrude when the conversation had surely been about her a few minutes ago. But Renesmee giggled louder this time and her position was compromised.

   "You hate me." Hunter mumbled to the child before turning the corner and entering the living room. The former couple directed their attention to her and she pursed her lips awkwardly, "Sorry to intrude but uh, someone crawled into bed with me."

Edward smiled, "She likes you already."

Bella, on the other hand, looked sad. Her arms were crossed in front of her stomach and she sighed. It felt weird to not have Edward love her anymore and seeing Hunter with her child felt even worse.

Hunter crossed the room to Bella, "Here."

The newborn vampire smiled falsely and accepted her baby, "Thanks."

Without another word, she slipped past Hunter and left the room. It hurt but it was a process to heal and forgive.

"It's okay." She said, already knowing that Edward was about to say something. "I know she'll come around."

He reached her side and pulled her into a hug. He accepted her warmth and leaned his chin on the top of her head, "Wanna talk about last night?"

Hunter frowned, "What happened last night?" The block in her memory was torturous and she wished it wasn't there.

"You don't remember?" He asked, pulling out of the hug slowly. Hunter's frown grew and she shook her head. Edward sighed, "Jacob found you in the cemetery. You were naked and crying hysterically, covered in dirt too."

Hunter swallowed her saliva nervously. She remembered transitioning into a wolf after Sam's, a result of her anger and a reason why she was naked. "Why was I in the cemetery?"

She was almost terrified of the answer. Edward shoved his hands in the pocket of his jeans and he drifted his eyes from his shoes to her's, "He said you were at Winston's grave. Clawing at the dirt like you were trying to dig his body out."

Hunter lifted her palm to her forehead and felt tears already lining her eyes. She would never do that willingly. "Said you kept screaming that some woman was gonna kill Winston." Edward finished.

Willow. Her mother was the reason behind this. She had gotten into her head once again. Hunter bit her fingernail anxiously and all she could think about was how right Sam was.

She was weak.