2nd place in Tricky Raven's Men in Uniform Anon. Labor Day Contest.
Bella stared out the window at the woods. The same woods she was left broken in. A chair scrape behind her caused her to jump. Turning, she found an elder Quileute sitting at the table. He motioned to her chair.
"Please." She sat gingerly in the chair. "Do you know who I am?" She shook her head. "I am Quil Ateara. My wife was your grandfather's sister. She left this world not long after my grandson was born." He handed a picture to her. A white woman was holding a Native baby. A white toddler with brown, curly hair was kissing the baby on the forehead. "That's you, on one of your visits. She called you her granddaughter. Helen wasn't in her right mind then, so Molly said it was her duty. Three months after this picture was taken, she was gone."
"I look like her."
"Yes. You favor Molly greatly." He placed a folder in front of him. "I know of heartache. If I could have left, I would have. Especially after my son died. Though I believe that there is magic here, sometimes it takes distance to heal as well."
Her lip quivered. "They're not coming back, are they?"
"No, granddaughter, they're not." He handed her the folder. "I have taken liberties and filled out an application for you."
"Where to?"
"University of Hawaii. The West Oahu campus. Rebecca Black lives there with her husband and his family. You need a little sunshine and someone who won't smother you."
Her eyes bugged at the tuition cost. "We can't afford this."
"Yes, you can. Work hard the rest of the school year; you've slacked the last two months. Apply for many scholarships. Including any and all Native ones."
"But Charlie and I aren't Native," she said with a frown.
"You're a member of the Quileute tribe of La Push, WA. In the time of my grandfather, a hokwat-"
"Ho-what?"
"No. A hokwat. A white man. He came to our village and fell in love with the sister of Thomas Uley. They married and had a daughter. Tragedy struck and, in his grief, he left us, taking his daughter with him. When I was a teenager, Geoffry Swan brought home a young woman to meet his family. In telling her story, we discovered that her mother was from here. The girl's name was Helen, your grandmother." He sat back, concluding his story.
She stared at him in awe. "Is that true?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "That is what is written in our archives. That is what our council says. Who is to say different?"
-o-O-o-
4 years later
"Why you have to leave us, keiki?"
Bella glanced up at Fatima, Solomon's grandmother. "It's time. I've been approved to teach on the Res."
"There are school's here, mo'opuna. I thought you would choose one of my boys. What do those Washington haole have that my boys don't, eh?"
Bella picked up a picture frame. "Have you ever seen Jake, Becca's brother? That's us when I graduated high school."
"Oh my. He waitin' on you?"
"No. One of his friends is."
-o-O-o-
"You heard?" Embry asked as he leaned back in his chair.
"What?" His hands began to shake. He hadn't spoken to Bella in a few days and he noticed that her scent was leaving the shirt she'd sent.
"The teaching position at LPH has been filled."
"That's nice." Had something happened to her? He would feel it, wouldn't he?
"Leah's renting out a room to her. I wonder if she's single."
"Cool." She said she was coming home right after she walked off the stage. He glanced at the clock. Hawaii was two hours behind. Graduation started at 10am. It was now 1pm. Fuck! Only an hour had gone by.
"Maybe I'll hook up with her when she gets settled."
"Yeah, sure."
"Hey, Jared," Charlie greeted when he came through the door. "Did Embry tell you the good news?"
"There's a new teacher at LPH and she's moving in with Leah."
Charlie glanced at Embry, who was smiling mischievously. "Yeah. That. Did he tell you anything else?"
"That he's thinking off hooking up with her when she gets here."
Taking pity on him, he placed his hand on the young man's shoulder. "It's Bella, Jared. She's the new teacher." Jared's head snapped to his friend and growled. When he stood, Charlie stopped him from advancing. "Not in the station. You can pound on him later."
"Sorry, Chief."
"It's okay, son. She'll be home tonight." He patted the young man on the shoulder and noticed his shaking. "Everything alright?"
"He's going through withdrawals," Embry spoke up. "It's been a couple of days since he talked to Bella."
Just then, his phone beeped with an incoming text. He smiled when he read Bella's name.
This is so f-ing boring. They just finished with the speeches. Who the hell talks for an hour? Don't they realize that people have shit to do?
You could have been half way home by now if you had skipped, he answered.
And have my kupunawahine on my ass? Don't think so. She scares me more than Leah did.
He laughed. Leah made her very nervous when the she-wolf joined the pack. Now they were closer than sisters. I miss you. Nayeli.
Mau Loa.
"Your kids are going to be so confused," Embry remarked, reading the texts over his shoulder. "They're going to switch from Quileute to Hawaiian to English. We're gonna catch only half of what they say."
Charlie's face paled. He pointed a finger at Jared. "No kids for a few more years. Until you turn 21." He stormed off to his office.
Jared smirked. "I'll be 21 in four months, Chief," he called out.
"Twenty-five is a good age. Wait till you're 25."
"You really gonna wait till you're 25?" Embry asked, a skeptical look on his face.
"Hell no. I'll give her a year then we're walking down the aisle. She'll be expecting before that."
-o-O-o-
Bella leaned back in her seat with a sigh. She was finally going home. Four long years with sporadic visits in between.
She remembered the first time she actually met Jared. After her talk with Old Quil, she pulled herself out of her depression with the help of her dad and friends. She began hanging out with Jake and his friends, Quil and Embry. She had heard rumors of the La Push gang, led by her "cousin", Sam Uley.
Embry, followed by Jake, stopped coming around. She went to confront Jake and found Sam and his minions. Paul, of course, phased in front of her then Jake did to protect her from the hotheaded wolf. Embry and Jared took her to Sam's house, where she met Emily. She chuckled, remembering the conversation.
"So you're the girl who runs with vampires," Emily said.
"Can't run with vampires. Cause they're fast."
"Yeah? Well, we're faster."
She glanced to the guy that spoke. Dark chocolate. That's what she thought his eyes looked like. She felt a tug in her center, pulling towards him.
"Miss?" A voice brought her out of her reverie. "Can I get you anything to drink?"
"A Coke please." Soon she had her beverage and settled back.
Jake had explained the wolves while Jared and Sam discussed imprinting. When Sam described the pain of separation, she hightailed it to her uncle's house, her wolf right on her heels.
The elder explained that they could survive the separation if they set boundaries. Just be friends, talk every few days, exchange clothing and pillowcases, visit every few months.
Bella lasted six weeks in Hawaii before she called Old Quil, crying that she wanted to transfer to UW. He refused. She begged for Jared to come finish high school in Hawaii. That idea was shot down. He was needed in La Push, especially with two new wolves.
A couple of weeks later, Jared showed up at her door. They spent the weekend talking and holding each other. She returned at Christmas. Thus began their pattern. He would arrive every six to eight weeks and she would go home at Christmas and summer breaks.
After two years, she was so ready to transfer to UW. Uncle Quil had a fit when he saw her papers. It wasn't time for her to return.
Jared and Embry had joined the Forks police department, attending the police academy a few months later. Leah and Sam were now finished with their nursing and construction programs at the community college. Jake, Quil and Paul were also going there, along with Kim, Quil's imprint. Jake and Quil were taking mechanic classes, while Paul was into construction. Kim was going for a business management degree to help with Uley Construction and Spirit Garage.
Bella opened her eyes at the bump. They were landing in Seattle. She began bouncing in her seat, channeling her inner pixie. Her seatmate smiled at her.
"Is this your stop?" She nodded. "Who's picking you up?"
"Either my dad or my boyfriend."
"When was the last time you saw them?"
"My dad at Easter. My boyfriend, a few months ago."
"Who do you want it to be?"
She blushed. "My boyfriend." They conversed into the terminal.
"What does your boyfriend look like?"
"He's about 6'4, with black hair."
"Is he Native?"
She looked over in shock. "Yeah. How'd you know?" She followed the pointing finger to find Jared still in his uniform. She squealed and ran forward. He caught her when she jumped. "Missed you," she said as she peppered his face with kisses.
"Missed you more," he muttered as he caught her lips. The kiss was demanding. They parted for lack of air. "You're never leaving La Push again. I'm tying you to the bed for the whole summer."
"What about work? Dad might get a little upset if you don't show up," she said as she traced his lips.
"Right now, fuck 'em. We need to get out of her before we get arrested for indecent exposure."
"Hmm. That wouldn't be good for one of Forks' finest."
"Do you have any bags?" he asked as he led her to the door.
"Just this. I shipped everything yesterday. Where are we going?"
"Back to La Push. I would stop at a hotel, but again, cops will be called. You're not exactly quiet, honey." She gasped and swatted at his arm.
-o-O-o-
Jared inhaled deeply, taking in her scent in his car. She was home. His mate was back where she belonged. No longer will he have to wait months to see her.
"Nayeli," he muttered.
"Mau Loa," she responded.
He chuckled. "Bry said our kids were gonna be speaking Quileute, Hawaiian and English. That no one will understand them but us."
She laughed. "Becca and Solomon will understand. Their son does it now."
"I'm actually surprised Fatima let you get on the plane."
"She asked me what these Washington haole have that her boys don't. I just showed her a picture of Jake."
"I never understood why you never introduced me to any of them." He was a little hurt by that.
"Because I don't share very well. That was our time together. You'll meet them. Fatima said she's flying up in a few months to make sure you're treating her mo'opuna good. And she's bringing a few of the boys with her."
-o-O-o-
A few hours later, they were pulling up to First Beach.
"What are we doing her?" Bella asked.
"I can't just hand you over right now," Jared said. "How does a late night picnic sound? Maybe a swim?"
"I don't have my suit with me."
"What a coincidence. Neither do I." He leaned over and captured her lips. "I guess we'll just have to go naked."
She gasped in mock dismay. "Skinny dipping? Jared Cameron, that is quite shocking for an officer of the law to say or do!"
"Come on, smart ass." He pulled the picnic basket and a blanket out of the trunk before locking his gun belt up. Grabbing her hand, he led her down to the water.
Once the blanket was spread, Jared toed off his shoes and socks. He watched as Bella slowly pulled her shirt over her head, leaving her in her bra and shorts. Soon she had all of her clothing in a pile.
"Are you going to join me, officer?" she asked coyly before turning to run into the surf.
Slowly he unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his sculpted physique. His clothing joined hers. He pursued her into the water. She bit her lip as his eyes took on a yellowish glow. His wolf was coming to the surface.
He dragged her into his overheated embrace. She wrapped her legs around his hips. His erection rubbed against her folds in the most. . .delicious. . .way as he walked them deeper into the water.
"My mate." His chest rumbled with the growled words.
"Yes." He shifted her until he was poised at her entrance. She gradually sank onto his shaft. "Oh God. Jared," she pleaded.
With a growl, he plunged into her depths and rotated his hips with each thrust. Little moans of pleasure left her lips. Licks and nips covered her from jaw to shoulder. He tilted her hips forward slightly. She cried out, making him growl.
"Cum for me, Bella." He reached between them, his thumb her clit. Her inner muscles clamped down on him. His rhythm faltered when she bit his collarbone in ecstasy. He roared out his completion.
Jared opened his eyes to find his teeth embedded at the nape of Bella's neck. He licked the wound closed before finding her eyes.
"I marked you," he said softly. He fingered the brand.
"Yes, you did."
The night sky was suddenly lit up with rotating blue lights and a spotlight was turned on them. The whoop of a siren was followed by a deep voice.
"Hey! You two in the water. Don't you know this is a public beach?" Then there was irrational laughter.
"I'm gonna kill them," he snarled as he strode to the beach. When he reached the sand, he shifted into his wolf. "Damn it, Jared!", "It was a joke!" and "Son of a bitch!" could be heard along with yips and howls.
"Idiots, all of them."
Bella looked over at the trees. Leah, Emily, Kim, Jessica, Rachel and Angela appeared and began stripping.
"What are you wahine lolo doing?"
Kim paused in removing her jeans. "You seriously need to get the island out of your speech. It's wisatsu'pat. Say it with me now. Wisatsu'pat."
Bella laughed then her eyes widened. "Holy shit!"
Baring down on her were nine horse-size wolves. Each made splashes around her. One by one, young men popped up.
"Bells!"
She turned to find Seth swimming towards her. She held a hand out. "I'll give you a hug when we're both clothed, Seth."
"No problem. Hey. Did Jared tell you that they're throwing a huge bonfire for all the graduates?"
"I doubt Jared had told her much, considering what they were doing when we got here," Embry smirked.
They played and splashed around until the lights went out.
"Embry Call! Get your ass out of the water right now!"
"Oh shit," Bella muttered. "It's my dad."
"Hey, Chief," Embry called out as he exited the surf, one hand preserving his modesty.
"I thought all of them were proportionate," Angela whispered, hiding behind Jake.
"The water's cold," Collin complained.
"Yeah. Keep telling yourself that," Leah scoffed.
"Hush," Sam ordered.
"Can you tell me why your light are on and there's bits of clothing all around here?" Charlie questioned. "Your uniform better not be in little pieces. Do you know how hard it is to get uniforms to fit you boys?"
"Nah, Chief. I just used the car. Jared chased us in wolf form. We kinda phased on the fly."
"Whose out there?"
"The pack."
"Boys, get out of the water. Now!"
"Now that's picture worthy," Jessica giggled. Nine asses faced them.
"Think they'll let us play Quarters off them later?" Rachel asked. Paul glanced back with his lip lifted in a snarl.
"Who has clothes?" Charlie asked.
"I do," Jared spoke up. "I also have several shorts in my trunk."
"Me too, Chief," Embry said.
"There's also several in the woods," Sam added.
"You three go get 'em. Girls, come out and get dressed. Eyes front, Ateara! You can perv on your girl later."
Once dressed, Bella skirted the boys and walked toward her father.
"Hey, dad."
He sighed. "Isabella Marie. Really? Skinny dippin'?"
-o-O-o-
Translations: keiki – child, mo'opuna – grandchild, haole – foreigner/Caucasian, kupunawahine – grandmother, Nayeli – I love you, Mao Loa – forever, wahine lolo – crazy woman, wisatsu'pat – woman