Chapter 5

Callie's head shot up, she eyed Isabella's face intently and frowned. "I thought I smelled blood."

Hmm.

"She's healed." Lee pointed out the obvious. "So fast, it was like magic."

Three pairs of eyes fell on Isabella. She felt exposed. She stared at her hands moving the noodles back and forth in the bowl, her cheeks burning.

Mom tilted her head to the side. Her silk blondes fell gently into each other. "Hmm."

"Maybe it's the fact that she's about to have her birthday."

Isabella looked up at her sister. Surely Callie didn't believe that. Maybe she knew the truth: that Isabella had found her mate.

"You don't get abilities until you find your mate," Lee insisted.

"Interesting," Mom's blue eyes remained fixed on Isabella, then she stood up, set her dishes on the sink, and left.

"Aar, I got it." Lee clapped his hands together as if a light bulb had just gone off in his head. "You're made up."

"Lee," Callie said dismissively. "She never wears makeup." She stood up and poured herself a cup of coffee. "I heard he was spotted near your school."

Isabella held her breath, suddenly losing her appetite. Did Callie know what she was doing to Isabella? As if Isabella needed another reason to think about those beautiful green eyes, his prominent jaw, and his husky voice ...

She gasped. The heat in her belly rose tothe back of her neck. Isabella was sure she was a rosy color, even her ears were burning.

Lee smiled, always ready to gossip. "Old Xylem down at Yellowstone Lake said he saw the creature, plunged an oil-coated dagger into its chest, got it good and beat it to death."

Xylem is the oldest member of the tribe. Isabella had to smile. Isabella didn't doubt his fighting abilities, but she'd bet her life that he'd never seen a Wendigo. Few had seen one and lived to tell about it. But she wasn't going to tell, because he might be the reason she'd managed to survive Peter's scent unchallenged.

"Ooh, that's good." Her pale blue eyes widened with arousal, her naturally ironed blondes running down her lower back following her every command. Of course she was perfect. She always had been. "Did he say what the creature looked like?"

Lee smiled and settled into the story. He cleared his throat. "He couldn't really see it at first, he said. The creature ran away as soon as he saw he was in danger." His voice darkened. "Old Xylem went after him."

"No," Callie's eyes widened in horror. Her excitement matched that of a child. "Then what happened?"

"Stop interrupting."

"I'm sorry." She sat down in her perfect seat.

"Xylem snapped a few trees and threw them at the beast."

Isabella laughed. She couldn't help herself. Werewolves are strong, but not strong enough to tear out over four thousand old trees. Even a few hundred is almost impossible.

"Shh," Callie hissed, her brows drawing together.

"He cut through the forest to get to the beast, gave it a good side kick, and broke its left leg. The creature fell over." Okay, Isabella had to hand it to the old man - he looks seventy, but is over a thousand years old, according to legend - he was a good storyteller. She shuddered as she thought of those muscular, strong legs of iron steel, those massive feet. Xylem wouldn't stand a chance.

"Wow, Xylem is a fighter. He's a real hero. I bet he..."

"Interrupt me again, if you dare." Lee managed to look fearsome.

"Oops." She giggled.

"Stabbed him, he said, and dragged the beast back to his liar. And now his ashen body is lying in his basement."

"So he took a good look."

"Accepted." As he continued, he stared strangely at Isabella. "The eyes are the size of saucers, have fat, blood-stained lips, smell of rotting flesh, have fist-like hands, a head shaped like a rugby ball, rough skin, and are skeletal in structure."

Peter is anything but: intelligent green eyes, intoxicating smell.

"Xylem saved the pack. Who knows how many bodies would be scattered across the forest now." She shuddered at the thought.

Lee shrugged, "Yeah."

"What a hideous creature. I should take a look at it. I'm sure the werewolves around the world who're in hiding would love to see it." Her face lit up in anticipation and awe. "History is being made here."

"The alpha already bought him a car."

"Wow."

Callie could say that again.

Lee shifted his gaze to Isabella. "You're strangely quiet, Isabella."

Isabella shrugged and stood up. I better go before Lee comes down on me like Sherlock Holmes.

"That's weird. You always butt right in when it comes to Wendigos."

Isabella opened the refrigerator and took out the last piece of cake that was left. She licked her lips, delicious.

"Would you pour me a glass of water?"

She snorted. At least he'd changed the subject.

"Let me hold that for you," and like a fool, she gave it to him. When she turned to give him his water, he'd already devoured the whole piece. her lips quivered. That was the last piece of carrot cake. Carrot cake!

"I'll tell you," her voice was deliberately low, dangerous.

"Oh, I'm scared." His fingers wiggled like ten tapeworms. "Go ahead, tell Mom."

His cheerleader? Isabella couldn't believe it.

She pouted, "Daddy?"

"Isabella, I promise never to call you Bella again. I'll do your homework. I'll never make fun of you again, never take your food away from you again, never-"

"Daddy," she stamped her feet. She felt so childish.

Her brother's eyes widened, he raised his hands in surrender.

"Here take mine," Callie said.

Isabella smiled in thanks. She was still telling the story.

Callie did well to avoid foods she didn't think were good for her hourglass figure, and she was her eager trash can.

She closed her eyes and was about to take a big bite, but Lee snatched it away from her, kissed her on the cheek, winked at her, popped the piece in his mouth, and ran off like his life depended on it. Well, it did, if she could get her hands on it ...

"Arrr," he'd the audacity to wink at me. Kill Isabella now.

"Gee, Bells, what's the matter?" said Dad, coming in and scanning the room for signs of trouble.

"Lee," she said.

Dad sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Is it ever anything else? You kids are slowly driving me to an early death."