A/N Thanks to my Betas Ash and MsKohl for giving a chick a hand.
Disclaimer: One of my great disappointments in life is that I do not own Twilight or its characters.
Chapter 2 Back at the Ranch
Nahuel followed me rather docilely up to the Cullen house. It was like my second home in the sense that it would never be my real home but I spent an awful lot of time there. I guess that made it more like a job. I went to the back yard where the group was gathered. I could have let Seth represent with Jacob but truth be told, I think Seth's real allegiance was to the Cullens now, particularly Edward and Carlisle. Seth even wanted to be a doctor now. Coincidence? I think not. I was expecting Quil and Embry to be nearby for our Supernatural Summit but again, they didn't count, even before the change Jacob basically owned them, there were like his satellites. I had to go to this meeting because Jake needed me to tell him what to do. All men, according to my mom, needed a woman for that. She had taken on the job of managing Charlie Swan and she expected me to do her proud managing Jacob until Renesmee could take over. At the rate she was maturing that might be next week, a good thing because I now had my Nate and I had an inkling he was going to take a lot of managing.
I looked over at him. He was still shell shocked but I couldn't force myself to be unhappy as long I held his hand. Just looking at him made me happy. He was slightly taller than my own 5' 9" making him 5'11" or so. He was muscled but not bulky or wiry, his physique was neat. Being surrounded by huge monster men made me appreciate his non-intimidating size. If there was one thing that was slightly off putting about the love of my life, it was that he appeared so young. He could pass for 18 easily but 20 would be pushing it and I looked about 25. I would appear to be a Junior Level cougar when he was really the cradle robber with 130 years on my 19. People could stare all they wanted as long I got to kiss his juicy lips again. He was gorgeous and I would be glad to get some alone time with him after his freak out was over.
When we rounded the house, conversation stopped abruptly, assuring me that Nahuel and I were the topic of conversation. Dr. Cullen was immediately a foot from my face studying my eyes intently. I instinctively took a step back. Carlisle was not a threat; as a general rule I loathed vampires but there was no way to maintain that attitude with the gentle doctor and his equally gentle and generous mate Esme. They were good people; I would never admit that aloud, which, considering the company I kept, meant they probably knew.
I permitted Carlisle his examination. He was checking for any adverse effects of the venom. It seemed to me that the only way Nate could be here and Renesmee could be here would be if seminal venom was different from oral venom. I couldn't force those words out in our mixed company even though I knew they all knew I had been doing the supernatural wild thing with Nahuel less than an hour ago.
"But you had oral venom, which, according to legend, should have killed you," Edward Cullen argued with my thoughts. Between him and my pack I no longer considered my thoughts private.
"Leah, how do you feel?" Dr. Cullen was concerned.
"I'm fine, really. I have never felt better," except for my time against the tree, I added silently. It was true though, I felt great.
"I can't detect anything wrong with you but I do want to conduct some tests later, if that's okay with you?" Carlisle asked with concern. I nodded; when word got back to my mother I wanted medical reassurance on my side. My mother had profound respect for Dr. Cullen as a medical colleague. If he said I was fine she would believe it.
Dr. Cullen rounded on Nahuel,"How could you behave so irresponsibly? I appreciate what you have done for us but we asked that you be respectful of our life here. What were you thinking taking advantage of an innocent girl in the forest in such a manner?" He was truly upset. "You endangered Leah's life."
Nahuel looked so ashamed that I immediately sought to protect him. "Leah is a big girl and she knew exactly what she was doing Dr. Cullen." I spoke firmly.
Then he rounded on me, "Did you really consider the danger to your imprint if the legends held to be true and you died from the venom? What do you think would have happened to him?" The guilt bomb found its target. I had not considered that. My pack would have ripped him to shreds, probably with my mother cheering them on.
"Now you on the other hand," his focus switched back to Nahuel," have a lot more life experience. You should have known better." In that moment I missed my own Daddy. If he was here I wouldn't have a vampire standing in. Of course my own Daddy would have ordered the attack on my imprint and given me shoe money to make up for it.
Nahuel seemed to be coming back to himself. "I hardly knew what was happening Carlisle. I smelled her scent as she approached and I was intrigued so I let it lead me to her and there she was in her wolf form, magnificent, like she was yesterday, and the next thing I knew, the most beautiful woman was before me and I couldn't think. I simply acted." Carlisle looked thoughtful at this but didn't say anything further. He simply gestured for us to go forward to the assembled group.
There were chairs scattered about in a loose circle like some therapy group meeting. 'Hi, I'm Leah and this Nahuel and um we just realized we are stuck together forever. Does anyone have any advice?' Nah, that wouldn't make a good opener. I quietly took a seat next to Jacob and brought Nahuel down into the chair next to me. Jacob looked at me in concern but he didn't say anything other than, "Are you really okay?" I nodded and that was it. It was pretty cool having Jake as an Alpha.
Carlisle started the meeting. He talked and thanked us profusely and then he thanked us again. He talked some more and then as though we were not there he recapped how the Volturi had no intention of stopping that initial march until the wolves emerged from the woods, so he thanked us again. Notice a pattern?
Edward interrupted, stopping Carlisle before he could get to round four. "The Volturi left yesterday but I don't believe they are going to let it go forever. Aro still wants to acquire, even more so since coming against us yesterday. He is curious about my wife's talent which is manifesting so strongly while she is still a newborn and now he wants my daughter as well." On cue Jacob growled beside me. "Her talent he is most certain will grow. I could have lost my daughter yesterday if you had not supported us." He fell silent. Were they really going to do this? Another round of thank you's, like we were going to stand by and let some stuck up vampires tear a little girl limb from limb.
"Come on Edward, I would do anything to keep Nessie safe, being there wasn't a sacrifice for me, for any of us." Jacob was pretty predictable. I wondered who would be next, Sam or Seth, or would Esme jump in? Ah, it was Sam. Two alpha's have a hard time being around each other because their heads need so much space.
"We protect these lands, there was no burden." Sam was trying to be cool about it but I knew it was Renesmee. Once she touches you she totally owns you. At least that's my theory. Even I thought she was the sweetest little thing in the world. It wasn't that she was the most beautiful little girl I had ever seen, it was the kindness in her soul that reverberated with me. I would have done anything to protect her. Yeah, my attitude about her surprises me too.
I considered tuning out. I didn't know how much longer the love fest would continue and I looked at them, the bright sparkling freaks of nature, just dammit beaming at us like we had performed an especially good trick.
Let the tuning out begin. Being part of the pack mind I can tune out like a fucking pro. I let my mind wander, not far though, just to the seat next to me. I leaned closer to Nahuel filling my nostrils with his scent, contemplating his profile. His face wasn't chiseled; it was formed, smooth even planes of male beauty. His eyebrows so perfectly arched, I wondered if he plucked them, did his eyebrows grow? Does his hair grow? Did that stuff stop after he reached adulthood? Hmmm, got to put that on the question list like what is your last name and other minor details. I reached over to clasp his hand into mine and he smiled at me and gave my hand a squeeze. Looking at his plump lips I couldn't wait to kiss him, maybe if I tugged a little bit he would lean over I could sneak one in.
I could have gone on in this vein until this meeting was over if Nahuel speaking didn't jolt me. "Absolutely not!" His words passionate, his voice cool. Oh shit, what had I missed?
"Leah, will not be leading any patrols."
Jake spoke up, "Leah is my second in command and a natural leader; of course she'll lead when I'm not there. Besides, it's not like she would follow anybody else in my pack."
"I am sorry I was not clear; Leah will not be running around looking for hostile vampires. She will not be subjected to such dangers. Leah will not be patrolling as leader or otherwise." Nahuel relaxed back into his chair, he had spoken.
My eyes closed briefly. I opened them, yep that had really happened. Was he trying to assume authority over me? I saw Sam uncharacteristically cover his smile and duck his head. I think he was glad to not be on the receiving end of what he was expecting to come. No one was speaking, they were obviously expecting me to handle this.
"Nahuel, it's my duty to patrol, to keep my people safe. It's what I'm made for." I wanted to handle this delicately, no need to go bitter harpy on my imprint.
"Leah, do you have any idea how dangerous vampires are?" Oh God, my imprint was a moron, I had my suspicions but my fears were confirmed. My jaw dropped. I gestured to all the vampires surrounding us.
"No, not them, they are civilized exceptions. Your existence here will no longer be secret, there will be other vampires coming, drawn to the challenge of a good fight. They will care nothing about living or dying, just alleviating the boredom of their long lives. Word will spread and they will come."
"You do realize I've fought vampires before?" I wasn't the best considering the trouble I had caused trying to take out a newborn on my own.
"I heard something about that last night, the newborns, that hardly counts. You have never fought a vampire who has survived hundreds or sometimes thousands of years accumulating experience. You have never fought a feral vampire full of animalistic survival instincts, viciously seeking a quick kill. They will be coming here and you will not be running out to meet them. I will not allow it." Damn, he was only concerned for my well being and safety but I had to get us started out on equal footing. Besides, the wolf in me was thrilled at the idea of the fights to come.
"It's not up to you to allow me or disallow me, this is what I do. I couldn't allow the creatures you describe to attack the population here. If anything, I am needed more than ever. I will be patrolling."
"If that is your wish," I didn't expect him to concede so readily." I will not stand in your way. We can begin running patrols tonight." Huh, did he say we?
"What?"
"I will be escorting you on your 'patrol duties'. You are my mate; it is my duty to keep you safe. Where I come from it is proper for the male to keep the female safe." There was an accusation in his tone and look that was directed to my brothers.
"You cannot seriously mean to go on patrols, one you can't keep up with me and you're only half vampire. I can't allow you to put yourself in that kind of danger."
"They're going to play that game again," Paul chortled in the background.
Nahuel was giving me a look, head to the side, eyes narrowed, assessing my intelligence. "I am 150 years old, to vampires I smell like food and until yesterday other vampires didn't know of my existence." He paused, waiting for me to catch up. "I have faced many vampires and a hand full of real werewolves. I am still here and NONE of them have lived to tell the tale."
I could see the 'What? Whats?' going around the circle except for Jasper and Alice.
"The Cullens are different and probably associate my scent with something precious but usually, when a normal vampire catches my scent, they don't seem to be able to ignore it. The matter can only end in a fight. I do what I can to avoid detection but once or twice a year a vampire has to be dealt with and there is no compromising." Wet panties, I don't know what it is about knowing a man is lethal that is such a freaking turn on but James Bond is hot and that's a fact of life.
My eyes widened taking in Nate with a new respect. A small smirk played about his lips. He was raised in the packs' estimation. I could see everybody appraising him.
"That's got to be bullshit." Emmett Cullen was the first to break the silence.
Nate just shrugged, confident; he didn't feel a need to prove himself. Swoon. My imprint was a bad ass slayer of vamps; he said it and I had no reason to doubt him.
Jasper spoke up, "If I didn't have certain talents I am not certain Alice and I would have lived to talk to him, but as he said, his unique smell represents Renesmee to us so it was quickly apparent that we were not a threat."
Unspoken but mentally acknowledged in the pack, Jasper was the man when it came to hand-to-hand. When we met them in June for training all of us had been impressed with his skill. We tried not to think about it too much though, not wanting to be vamp-lovers or anything.
"If Leah must patrol, then I will protect her." He draped his arm across the back of my chair my shoulder possessively and I melted into his side. Had he chosen to go caveman and throw me across his shoulder I would have gone docilely.
Jacob looked taken aback, I'm sure he thought I would resolve this differently. Sam looked perplexed; I hadn't taken orders from him in any capacity until he was my alpha and I had no choice.
"We can't allow this," Sam started, only for Jacob to cut him off.
"Leah is of my pack, I'll handle this." Sam looked pissed and, well, relieved at the same time. He didn't want to deal with this. The thing is I knew Sam well, next to Emily he had been my closest friend (I should have seen that coming). Anyway, I knew he was truly glad I had somebody. I bet he was over there fidgeting to tell Emily all about it. In this instance he didn't want to be the one to rain on my parade.
"We can't allow this," he repeated Sam's statement. Really, Jake, really?! That was the best he could do? For the sake of my pack I wanted to make the argument about how unwise it would be for me to run around with my imprint, you know, make my alpha look good. But there was another way.
"Jake, Nahuel has more combat experience than any of us, if what he says is true about the thrill seekers coming our way, we can't afford to not have him on our side." No need to point out he was only on my side. It felt nice though, to have a man go all protective over me. You phase into a gianormous wolf and no one opens doors for you anymore.
Jake, used to listening to me, considered the validity of my point.
Sam couldn't stay silent for long. "The Quileute people have forgotten nothing. Everything has been passed on. We do not require his assistance on patrols."
Sam asked for it. "Sam, we have the legends old men heard from their grandfather's. That is not exactly a strategy guide, none of them have ever fought a vampire. Their information has been valuable but the circle was broken. Back when our great-grandfathers were fighting so was Nahuel." My imprint was creepy old but he looked good with it.
Jake asserted himself, "I agree with Leah, his help may prove valuable."
"Oh, how progressive, the wolves are integrating." Rosalie's sneer was sarcastic, anybody with a brain could hear that, anybody but my brother that is, who sprang out of his chair.
"Sweet! Edward you can be my patrol partner!" Delusional fangirl Seth, I was so embarrassed for him. Lord knows he didn't have enough sense to be embarrassed on his own.
I settled into Nahuel's side. He wasn't at ease but I had to sit through this clusterfuck so I had every intention of keeping him at my side. He picked up my hand and intertwined our fingers. They talked and talked, the Cullens took breaks to thank and thank. Nahuel looked down at our hands and raised them to his lips for a kiss. I resisted the urge to purr. He kissed my hand slowly, his lips and tongue lingering. Seth cleared his throat. I took the hint and straightened up, Nate didn't. He let my hand go and smoothly wrapped his arm around me instead and used his free hand to hold mine again. Nahuel was staking a claim, I didn't know how I felt about that. He was my imprint and sure I wanted to be with him but I think I rather wanted to own him not the other way around.
Finally, before I lost my mind everything was wrapped up. The Cullens would not be doing patrols, they played the Alice card, a pretty good move. The two packs would be doing inner perimeter and outer perimeter patrols and we would be keeping our guard up at all times. Nahuel's words made an impression, challengers would be coming.
When the group was standing and the wolves were preparing to leave, Nate took the moment to drag me into his lap, whispering as quietly as possible into my ear, "Can we talk in private?" His lips brushed my ear while his hand massaged my thigh. The nudge on my bottom gave me a promising preview of the conversation I could expect.
"Yeah, we can talk." I could hardly wait to talk. If they didn't clear out soon for our polite departure the conversation might start right here. I giggled in anticipation and Nate stood quickly. Freaky strong and superbly graceful, there was no awkwardness when he stood with me in his arms. Sam used to try for macho motions like this but I have never been what could be called a lightweight, and until Sam became a werewolf, which took our relationship to awful places, he wasn't exactly exceptionally strong.
"Not so fast young lady!" I whipped my head at the intrusion and there I was nose to nose with Carlisle. I didn't know how much of the Vampire Daddy routine I could take in one day.
"Put Leah down. I want her to come in the house for a full examination." Carlisle reminded Nate in a more gentle tone. The reminder that I wanted a thorough exam to back me up before I had to talk to my mother was a total buzz kill.
"Hey Guys," I yelled at the retreating Quileutes "Please, nobody say anything to my Mom." Sam and Seth both stopped in their tracks. I glared at Seth which should cover him pretty good but Sam was a different matter. He and my mom were both elders and don't ask me how she got Dad's position, she wasn't even Quileute, she was Makah. I mean, if we lost Mom instead, would Dad have taken over her job at the hospital? I think not.
"Sam, I think this is something that she should hear from me." He had a responsibility that he would stand by so I had to work in a bit of the plea with overtones of guilt. "Please, for me." I was laying it on thick, hoping it would work. The last thing I needed was my Mom arriving hopping mad, not that Mom hopped she was more of a Clint Eastwood contract into cold anger type.
Before he spoke I knew he had caved, "Okay Leah, you get your exam and come to the reservation to explain to your mom, but do understand this, he is not allowed on the res. It has to be that way."
I had not really thought about it, there was loads of stuff I had not thought about yet and truth be told, I was in no rush to either. I wanted to argue for the sake of being difficult but did I really know Nahuel could be trusted to not attack a person now that he had me, his unchosen soulmate? I needed him to give up human blood, the one thing that drove his kind, for the sake of being with me, Leah Clearwater, nineteen year old part-time cashier and full time werewolf. Hell, I wouldn't buy that one.
"Okay, understood." I bowed my head to follow Carlisle up the house. Nate trailed along, his silence heavy.
