before。 The creature was hard as stone and cold as ice。 They found that only their teeth could damage it。 They
began to rip small pieces of the creature apart while it fought them。
“But the creature learned quickly； and soon was matching their maneuvers。 It got its hands on Yaha Uta’s
brother。 Yaha Uta found an opening on the creature’s throat； and he lunged。 His teeth tore the head off the
creature； but the hands continued to mangle his brother。
“Yaha Uta ripped the creature into unrecognizable chunks； tearing pieces apart in a desperate attempt to
save his brother。 He was too late； but； in the end； the creature was destroyed。
“Or so they thought。 Yaha Uta laid the reeking remains out to be examined by the elders。 One severed
hand lay beside a piece of the creature’s granite arm。 The two pieces touched when the elders poked them
with sticks； and the hand reached out towards the arm piece； trying to reassemble itself。
“Horrified； the elders set fire to the remains。 A great cloud of choking； vile smoke polluted the air。 When
there was nothing but ashes； they separated the ashes into many small bags and spread them far and wide —
some in the ocean； some in the forest； some in the cliff caverns。 Taha Aki wore one bag around his neck； so
he would be warned if the creature ever tried to put himself together again。”
Old Quil paused and looked at Billy。 Billy pulled out a leather thong from around his neck。 Hanging from
the end was a small bag； blackened with age。 A few people gasped。 I might have been one of them。
“They called it The Cold One； the Blood Drinker； and lived in fear that it was not alone。 They only had
one wolf protector left； young Yaha Uta。
“They did not have long to wait。 The creature had a mate； another blood drinker； who came to the
Quileutes seeking revenge。
“The stories say that the Cold Woman was the most beautiful thing human eyes had ever seen。 She looked
like the goddess of the dawn when she entered the village that morning； the sun was shining for once； and it
glittered off her white skin and lit the golden hair that flowed down to her knees。 Her face was magical in its
beauty； her eyes black in her white face。 Some fell to their knees to worship her。
“She asked something in a high； piercing voice； in a language no one had ever heard。 The people were
dumbfounded； not knowing how to answer her。 There was none of Taha Aki’s blood among the witnesses but
one small boy。 He clung to his mother and screamed that the smell was hurting his nose。 One of the elders； on
his way to council； heard the boy and realized what had come among them。 He yelled for the people to run。
She killed him first。
“There were twenty witnesses to the Cold Woman’s approach。 Two survived； only because she grew
distracted by the blood； and paused to sate her thirst。 They ran to Taha Aki； who sat in counsel with the other
elders； his sons； and his third wife。
“Yaha Uta transformed into his spirit wolf as soon as he heard the news。 He went to destroy the blood
drinker alone。 Taha Aki； his third wife； his sons； and his elders followed behind him。
“At first they could not find the creature； only the evidence of her attack。 Bodies lay broken； a few drained
of blood； strewn across the road where she’d appeared。 Then they heard the screams and hurried to the
harbor。
“A handful of the Quileutes had run to the ships for refuge。 She swam after them like a shark； and broke
the bow of their boat with her incredible strength。 When the ship sank； she caught those trying to swim away
and broke them； too。
“She saw the great wolf on the shore； and she forgot the fleeing swimmers。 She swam so fast she was a
blur and came； dripping and glorious； to stand before Yaha Uta。 She pointed at him with one white finger and
asked another incomprehensible question。 Yaha Uta waited。
“It was a close fight。 She was not the warrior her mate had been。 But Yaha Uta was alone — there was
no one to distract her fury from him。
“When Yaha Uta lost； Taha Aki screamed in defiance。 He limped forward and shifted into an ancient；
white…muzzled wolf。 The wolf was old； but this was Taha Aki the Spirit Man； and his rage made him strong。
The fight began again。
“Taha Aki’s third wife had just seen her son die before her。 Now her husband fought； and she had no
hope that he could win。 She’d heard every word the witnesses to the slaughter had told the council。 She’d
heard the story of Yaha Uta’s first victory； and knew that his brother’s diversion had saved him。
“The third wife grabbed a knife from the belt of one of the sons who stood beside her。 They were all
young sons； not yet men； and she knew they would die when their father failed。
“The third wife ran toward the Cold Woman with the dagger raised high。 The Cold Woman smiled； barely
distracted from her fight with the old wolf。 She had no fear of the weak human woman or the knife that would
not even scratch her skin； and she was about to deliver the death blow to Taha Aki。
“And then the third wife did something the Cold Woman did not expect。 She fell to her knees at the blood
drinker’s feet and plunged the knife into her own heart。
“Blood spurted through the third wife’s fingers and splashed against the Cold Woman。 The blood drinker
could not resist the lure of the fresh blood leaving the third wife’s body。 Instinctively； she turned to the dying
woman； for one second entirely consumed by thirst。
“Taha Aki’s teeth closed around her neck。
“That was not the end of the fight； but Taha Aki was not alone now。 Watching their mother die； two young
sons felt such rage that they sprang forth as their spirit wolves； though they were not yet men。 With their father；
they finished the creature。
“Taha Aki never rejoined the tribe。 He never changed back to a man again。 He lay for one day beside the
body of the third wife； growling whenever anyone tried to touch her； and then he went into the forest and
never returned。
“Trouble with the cold ones was rare from that time on。 Taha Aki’s sons guarded the tribe until their sons
were old enough to take their places。 There were never more than three wolves at a time。 It was enough。
Occasionally a blood drinker would come through these lands； but they were taken by surprise； not expecting
the wolves。 Sometimes a wolf would die； but never were they decimated again like that first time。 They’d
learned how to fight the cold ones； and they passed the knowledge on； wolf mind to wolf mind； spirit to spirit；
father to son。
“Time passed； and the descendants of Taha Aki no longer became wolves when they reached manhood。
Only in a great while； if a cold one was near； would the wolves return。 The cold ones always came in ones and
twos； and the pack stayed small。
“A bigger coven came； and your own great…grandfathers prepared to fight them off。 But the leader spoke
to Ephraim Black as if he were a man； and promised not to harm the Quileutes。 His strange yellow eyes gave
some proof to his claim that they were not the same as other blood drinkers。 The wolves were outnumbered；
there was no need for the cold ones to offer a treaty when they could have won the fight。 Ephraim accepted。
They’ve stayed true to their side； though their presence does tend to draw in others。
“And their numbers have forced a larger pack than the tribe has ever seen；” Old Quil said； and for one
moment his black eyes； all but buried in the wrinkles of skin folded around them； seemed to rest on me。
“Except； of course； in Taha Aki’s time；” he said； and then he sighed。 “And so the sons of our tribe again carry
the burden and share the sacrifice their fathers endured before them。”
All was silent for a long moment。 The living descendants of magic and legend stared at one another across
the fire with sadness in their eyes。 All but one。
“Burden；” he scoffed in a low voice。 “I think it’s cool。” Quil’s full lower lip pouted out a little bit。
Across the dying fire； Seth Clearwater — his eyes wide with adulation for the fraternity of tribal protectors
— nodded his agreement。
Billy chuckled； low and long； and the magic seemed to fade into the glowing embers。 Suddenly； it was just
a circle of friends again。 Jared flicked a small stone at Quil； and everyone laughed when it made him jump。
Low conversations murmured around us； teasing and casual。
Leah Clearwater’s eyes did not open。 I thought I saw something sparkling on her cheek like a tear； but
when I looked back a moment later it was gone。
Neither Jacob nor I spoke。 He was so still beside me； his breath so deep and even； that I thought he might
be close to sleep。
My mind was a thousand years away。 I was not thinking of Yaha Uta or the other wolves； or the beautiful
Cold Woman — I could picture her only too easily。 No； I was thinking of someone outside the magic
altogether。 I was trying to imagine the face of the unnamed woman who had saved the entire tribe； the third
wife。
Just a human woman； with no special gifts or powers。 Physically weaker and slower than any of the
monsters in the story。 But she had been the key； the solution。 She’d saved her husband； her young sons； her
tribe。
I wish they’d remembered her name。 。 。 。
Something shook my arm。
“C’mon； Bells；” Jacob said in my ear。 “We’re here。”
I blinked； confused because the fire seemed to have disappeared。 I glared into the unexpected darkness；
trying to make sense of my surroundings。 It took me a minute to realize that I was no longer on the cliff。 Jacob
and I were alone。 I was still under his arm； but I wasn’t on the ground anymore。
How did I get in Jacob’s car？
“Oh； crap！” I gasped as I realized that I had fallen asleep。 “How late is it？ Dang it； where’s that stupid
phone？” I patted my pockets； frantic and coming up empty。
“Easy。 It’s not even midnight yet。 And I already called him for you。 Look — he’s waiting there。”
“Midnight？” I repeated stupidly