Sunday, September 30, 2012

Advocated! "Gods and Wolves" by @bmitw1

"Gods and Wolves" by bmitw
Ephraim & Bella, Drama, Supernatural, Angst, MA/NC-17, WIP
Summary: What if the Cullens made the treaty and then stayed? What if the wolves kept phasing? And what is Bella walking into?



The very first Fan Fiction that I read had to do with the pairing of Edward and Bella. There are so many stories with that pairing that it tends to sometimes become tiresome. Just like so many others, I eventually stumbled upon the world of non-canon pairings. At first, I found a growing interest in the very delectable Jasper, but I wanted something more, something not so cold and marble like. Then it happened, I discovered the amazing wolf stories in our beloved fandom. Let me just say that I was blown away by so many of them that it was unreal. Sadly, just like with Edward and Bella stories, I grew tired of some of the same pairings over and over again.

Suddenly, I was brought face to face with a story that has blown my mind with such a unique and rare pairing as the main couple. Gods and Wolves by Bmitw was everything that I had been looking for rolled into one.

The story first starts in the year 1936, which is the time frame of the original pack. We are given the privilege of first seeing into the mind of Carlisle, the Cullen Coven leader. You get to see the very first interaction between the current members of the Coven and the first three men to make up the original Quileute wolf pack.

Running towards the herd, each of us found a deer to take down, and we were draining our meals when we were assaulted with the most awful smell I had ever come across. Even after spending three days in a pile of rotting potatoes during my change, I had never smelled anything like it. I turned to my left and towards the source of the odor, and was surprised to find three men standing a few feet away. They were Native American, but there was something about them that was unlike any other tribe that I had encountered since coming to the New World.

One of the men seemed to be larger and more assertive than the others. I thought that he might be the leader, so I spoke to him.

"Good day to you, do you speak English?"

The man looked at us with an expression on his face that showed puzzlement and some hostility. I wondered what he might be thinking.

Edward spoke quickly and in an undertone "He is thinking about Cold Ones. He has noticed that we are pale, and cold, but he has also seen that we have golden eyes and this is something that he has never seen before. He has knowledge of vampires, but the ones that he is thinking about have red eyes".
There are not many stories currently published on any Fan Fiction site that offers such a detailed view into what happens during that first meet. She outlines the packs thoughts about making this particular treaty. It shows that hesitance of Levi Uley, the compromising nature of Quil Ateara, and the overall need to protect the tribe that the pack Alpha Ephraim Black has. She clearly expresses and shows the dynamic between the three members, never letting you forget exactly who is in charge and calling the shots. In just one chapter you get such a detailed look at the inner workings of both the Cullen’s as well as the wolves.

This story is about so much more than just a treaty. She does not rely on flashbacks to tell you this tale, a tale you cannot help but devour. This story was the first that I have read that takes you on a walk through time after the treaty. The best part comes from the fact that she ties in real world events and is very mindful of what was happening elsewhere throughout the time periods she was covering. It is refreshing to see that things such as war and involuntary drafting have not been forgotten in this epic tale that Bmitw is weaving before our very eyes.

Aside from the Treaty and realistic take on the time periods involved, she plays on your emotions so very well. You get the experience of Ephraim falling in love with his first wife, Martha. Their story unfolds before you from the very first time they meet, to the moment it all ends. I was always so entranced by the way she brings them together, you just can’t help but fall in love with them as a couple. There was that bit of romance when he pursued her with the intention of marrying, and that bubbling happiness that came from their first child. With any good story, there are many bumps and turns. The one that was planned for our dear Alpha and his wife was one that leaves you with a gut wrenching pain.
“I’ve tried to save her life. It’s you who played God with it by allowing a nurse to try to deliver twins. Her placenta separated from the uterine wall Ephraim, it caused her to hemorrhage. The twins died because of that - they bled out, they didn’t get enough oxygen, and she is going to die of blood loss too. So hold her and comfort her, and say your goodbyes because there’s nothing left for me to do.”

He went back over to the bed and climbed onto it, curling up behind his wife and holding her to him as her life ebbed away. He turned her head towards him, looked into her eyes, and mouthed words of love to her which would be the last things she would ever hear. I felt like an intruder, so I called the nurse over and we cleaned and wrapped up the babies - twin girls.

Shortly afterwards, she sighed and drew her last breath. Ephraim clutched her to him with all the strength he had and wailed, making a keening sound that I had never heard from a man.
With so few words, it is easy to paint a picture in your mind of what is happening. As if that brutal pain was not enough, she further tugs on your heartstrings with the way that he reacts to such a loss.
"Running... running... paws pounding into the forest floor... wind whistling past my ears... tears running down my snout.

Past La Push, past Forks, past Hoquiam and Olympia. Out of the peninsula, north towards Tacoma, Seattle and Canada.

Running, running, running. Because running was better than thinking. Because thinking reminded me of all that I had lost. Because I had lost almost everything."
Again, there is so much more to this particular story that I sometimes wonder how she does it. Not only the very talented author conquered the aforementioned elements, she also takes the time to introduce Jasper and Alice. So many stories with any sort of past reflections seem to skip over this little event and I’ve always been curious about seeing it done. In this story, that curiosity of mine is finally engaged. I can only imagine that it was a very hard thing to do but I firmly believe that the way she has done it is very realistic. It could very well be what happened in my mind. Though, it was interesting to get a glimpse of how the Cullen’s reacted to the first appearance of these two vampires.
Edward was more than happy to tell me all about the intruders. "This insane leprechaun here insists that she has visions, and that these visions have drawn her here and that it's her destiny to live with this monster in my bedroom. Apparently they like the view. So they turned up here while I was out hunting, and tossed my possessions into the garage. I think it's her destiny to leave this place as soon as possible; you know that our friends in La Push won't stand for this."

I looked the two of them over; more closely this time. The male was truly frightening; even with his shirt on I could see that he was covered in hundreds of scars, and the only way you got those was by fighting other vampires and winning. We were peace-loving vampires; if he wanted to enforce his will, I had no doubt that he could and would take us on. And he seemed to have some strange power over the others; I'd half expected to arrive home and find him or his mate being restrained by my children, but they seemed powerless to move against him.

He stood firm under my scrutiny; raising one eyebrow in a mocking kind of gesture, but not moving from where he stood. After a minute or two he spoke. "My name is Jasper Whitlock, sir, and this is my mate Alice Brandon. She does indeed have the ability to see the future; and her visions have drawn us here. We would like to adopt your lifestyle and live as animal drinkers."
Some of the other elements of this story include a very devious plot put in motion by the newcomer Jasper, who enlists the help of Edward. Right from the start of their plotting you can just see that they are up to absolutely no good. When Jasper begins to read through Carlisle’s medical books you cannot help but realize that whatever it is he thinking is going to have some very serious consequences. Unfortunately for them, it is a very perceptive Ephraim that begins to realize something is very off with some of the women in town.
I parked the truck and made my way into the garage. After I collected and paid for the parts, I headed back towards my truck. And then I smelled something I'd never have believed was possible. One of the women who walked past me carried the scent of vampire within her. It was much fainter than if she'd been a Cold One herself, or had touched one, but it was most definitely there.

What was the meaning of this? True, these women weren't my responsibility but if Carlisle was experimenting upon the women of Forks I was going to have something to say about it. And it had to be him, if it was anyone else he'd have acted by now. Surely he could smell them too.

I got in the truck, started it, and headed for the hospital. The day would not end until I had some answers.
As of yet, there has only been the mention of Bella and Ephraim once. That happened early in the story, chapter three, but she has not returned to that time frame as of yet. Since the male antagonist of this story was mentioned only once in the books, there is not much known about him. It makes it so much more important to take in his back-story and to learn about who he is as a man.

This fic is still in the works, but you can’t help but be left with so many lingering questions the biggest and most prominent being... When will we be brought back to the future to see what is happening with Bella and Ephraim? All we can do is stay tuned and patiently await each new update.

Overall, this story is not one that will leave you disappointed in the least. However, it will definitely leaving you longing for more.

2 comments:

  1. This is a story that reached out and grabbed me right away. I had never read an Ephriam and Bella story before and I was immediately drawn to it because of that. As I began reading I was sucked into the authors writing style, and absolutely hooked. The way that she weaves her story is incredible and definitely leaves you wanting to read more. I have to agree with everything that Mmsimpy09 said! If you want something that is not the norm, something that does not need lemony goodness to be a fantastic read, then by all means join BMITW as she continues her journey through time with Ephraim. I for one will be following the story until the very end, even then I am sure that I will be left wanting more.

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  2. Thanks for the wonderful review! I'm blown away by it; hopefully the rest of the story (lemons included) will live up to expectations. :D

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