Heart of Ice

Chapter One

Song: Somebody That I Used to Know- Gotye Ft. Kimbra

One Hour Before

My mother had always warned me about the handsome boys with the pretty smiles.

Luckily for me, the boy I used to love-- for nearly my entire life-- turns out to be the boy I hate most as time goes on. Hatred really overpowers his attractiveness.

Sometimes. I can't always fight temptation when he looks... well, hot. Maybe I should listen to mom's advice a little more. But, regardless of how breathtaking his smile is— from what I remember, given that he hasn't genuinely smiled at me in God knows how many years now—  I'll be damned if I ever let him know it. That would do nothing but inflate his already massive ego.

I'm not sure if it's for kicks and giggles, but my dad always makes it a point to pair me with him on missions and duties. If we need to meet with another pack and mom and dad can't attend, Hunter and I are sent. If someone from the pack needs to scope out another pack, I'm not allowed to go alone; Hunter has to tag along for safety. Even something as simple as guarding the house when we need to be on high alert-- I'm always forced to be on Hunter's shift.

The sucky part is, it's been that way my entire life. The only difference, however, is that we haven't always hated each other. There was a point in our lives where he was the best friend I had, and I trusted him with my life. Hunter watched over me from the day I was born, and when I look back on my childhood and teenage years, there isn't a single memory I can picture that doesn't have Hunter in it. He's my protector. That's never changed. But, he used to also be my comfort. I was too young back then to realize it was all a façade, and the Hunter I knew was just a figment of my imagination-- which, ultimately, led to the resentment I have for him now.

"Alaska, aren't you supposed to be guarding the north gates with Hunter?" My mother questions as she walks into the kitchen, the door swinging behind her as she finds me chowing down on Doritos and salsa. I groan as I slowly swallow the last bite of my chip.

"I don't want to be with him," I whine, dipping another chip into the salsa. "Why can't Brett go?"

Brett is Hunter's older brother, as well as the nicer of the two. Not to mention, Brett doesn't hate me the way his brother does. Of course, he's also sixteen years older than me, so Brett is more like the older brother I never had rather than what Hunter once was to me. Just as I mention his name, he and my uncle Tobias enter the kitchen, both of them smirking once they realize what-- more so, who-- I'm complaining about.

"Sorry, Lassie. Your dad has me running some late night errands," Brett ruffles my hair, shoving strands of hair forward so they hang in my eyes as I sit there, mouth hung open with a salsa-filled chip mid air to my mouth. He snickers when he sees my state after his attack, and I roll my eyes.

"Did you really have to nickname her 'Lassie'?" Mom groans, narrowing her eyes at Brett. "It sounds like you're calling a dog."

"Whew, for a second there, I thought you were gonna make another Twilight reference," Uncle Tobias dramatically wipes at his forehead before smirking at me. "Your mom asked your dad about vampire tidbits that almost always related to things she saw in Twilight. When she was pregnant with you, she asked your dad if she'd die because you were going to be born a vampire, even though she wasn't human anymore."

Mom rolls her eyes. "It was a serious concern!"

"Alright, Bella Swan." Mom throws a banana at Uncle Tobias, hitting him square in the chest, and he gasps, groaning as he throws his hand over his eyes and falls to his knees. "I see the light!"