AN: If you read the one-shot, go back and read the first chapter again. I changed it up a bit, so you'll need to know where we are now. I'm not sure how often I'll update on this one, it's a slow one to write.
Disclaimer- I own nothing but the story line. Characters all belong to Stephenie Meyer, and I sure as hell ain't her!
Into the Woods- Chapter 2
Sam squeezed her shoulder as he rose from his seat. Taking a deep breath to try and keep his temper in check, he slowly opened the door to face Charlie Swan. The chief looked startled when he had to look up to little Sam Uley, who was no longer as little as he once had been. What did they feed those kids down here?
Leaning against the door frame in only his ragged cut-offs, Sam crossed his arms and looked down at Charlie, "Morning, Chief."
Charlie's eyes narrowed at his casual greeting, and general lack of apparel. To say that he was unimpressed would be a huge understatement. He spent most of the night going over what he wanted to say to Bella and her secret boyfriend, but now that he was face to face with the fiend, the words all flew out of his head.
They stared each other down, until Sam sighed and stepped back, leaving Charlie to follow him into the room. Bella was nervous, blushing bright red as her heart pounded furiously in her chest. Sam walked straight to her and tucked her under his arm as she curled up into his warm chest. She closed her eyes and breathed deep, calming herself with his comforting scent.
He pressed his nose against her hair at almost the same moment, and their heartbeats quickly matched rhythm with one another. Sam nearly forgot that her father was in the room with them; he was completely focused on the needs of his imprint.
Charlie watched them both with a critical eye. He saw the utter devotion Sam showed his daughter, the tender way he held her and the peace he seemed to give her. He saw the spark of life back in Bella's eyes, something that had been missing for the past six months or so, since she was dating that Cullen boy.
He was no fool, these two were definitely involved, and had been for quite some time by the look of them. What he didn't understand was why Bella was dating Edward if she had someone like Sam Uley who obviously loved her. Something just didn't add up here.
"Bells?" she jumped, startled, at his gruff tone, and looked up at her father. "Want to tell me where you were last night? And where the hell are your clothes? I know the Cullens left town, do they have something to do with this?"
Sam barely held back a growl at the mention of those filthy bloodsuckers. Something in his face must have tipped Charlie off, because the Chief's eyes narrowed as he looked between the pair of them. He knew that the Quileutes didn't like the Cullens- he and Billy had had many fights about that since they first moved to town.
Charlie had been thinking all through the night. The note from Bella was vague, saying she went for a walk in the woods with Edward. But he wondered if maybe it was a ruse and she was going to meet Sam, instead. Did she think he wouldn't approve of their relationship? He'd made no secret of his distaste for Edward, and maybe she thought that would carry over to anyone she dated.
Bella still hadn't answered him, other than a few stutters and several worried glances at Sam, so he decided to test his theory. "I saw your note, but when you weren't home by dark I got worried. I called the hospital and they told me Carlisle left in a hurry, and when I drove by their house it was all closed up and dark. Did you lie about being with Edward so you could meet up with Sam? Huh?"
Sam was shaking slightly, almost vibrating, and Charlie felt a brief flash of fear for his daughter's safety, tucked so closely into the larger man's side. Bella was still looking to him for answers, but when he began to speak, she quickly interrupted him. "Yeah, she came to meet me, what about it? I-"
"No, Sam! Don't lie about this, not to Char- I mean, not to my dad," Bella's voice was shaky, but her eyes were fierce. She turned to Charlie, "Look, Edward took me in the woods and he would have hurt me but Sam found me and brought me home. That's all, and I won't have you interrogating him like a common criminal. He's my ma- boyfriend."
Warmth filled Sam at his mate's staunch defense- no one had ever stood up for him before. It was a bit disorienting to have someone so adamantly on his side, no matter what. This would definitely take some getting used to; his whole perspective on the world had changed.
Charlie's face had gone from dark red to near purple with rage, and Sam couldn't hold back his growl as the police chief stood with his hand on his gun and looked down at his daughter cowering on the couch. In the blink of an eye, Sam was standing as well, having moved quicker and quieter than Charlie could register. He froze in shock.
Looking at Sam's decidedly protective stance, Charlie took a step back in acquiescence. "Ok, ok, not looking for trouble here, Sam. She just caught me off guard, is all." Taking a deep breath, he directed his inquiry to the boy- man- that Billy always spoke so highly of. "Is there anything I need to handle with that Edwin kid?" he asked in a low voice.
Sam smirked, looking remarkably like Paul to anyone who knew the two boys, and shook his head firmly. "No, he won't be coming back if I have anything to do with it. He will never touch my Bella again," he said, his last words coming out gravelly, on the edge of a growl.
The two men locked eyes for several moments, neither willing to back down, and both wanting the same end, whether they acknowledged it or not. Charlie finally sighed and looked down at Bella, curled up in Sam's shirt. "Look, Bells, we can talk about this later. Right now you need to come home and get yourself cleaned up."
Sam heard her heart rate spike, and stepped back to reassure her with his touch. She stood fluidly, startling Charlie momentarily with her newfound grace, and wound herself around Sam like a second skin. He tucked her under his arm, while she wrapped hers around his waist and clutched him tightly. "Bells?" Charlie finally questioned.
"Um, well," she looked between her father and the most important man in her life, unsure how to proceed. Taking a deep breath, she decided to go with honesty for once, "Can Sam drive me home? I don't feel comfortable being away from him right now."
Sam's wolf was preening, puffing his chest out with pride, and unintentionally making him look even more imposing in the small room. He was every inch the alpha male, and even someone of Charlie's authority could recognize his quiet power and responded unconsciously.
Ducking his head a bit, he nodded without a thought. "Yeah, I'll just go visit with Billy for a bit; you come when you're ready. Maybe Sam can stay for supper, let us get to know each other a bit more?"
Both men seemed startled by his invitation, but Bella was smiling with hope and joy. She did an uncharacteristic little bounce, and clapped her hands in a movement eerily reminiscent of Alice Cullen, "Oh! That sounds great! You'll come, won't you, Sam? Thanks, Dad!"
She didn't leave her mate's side, but the honest smile she gave her father was enough to melt the last of his worries and frustrations. He still didn't know what to think of Sam Uley, but the man was obviously good for his daughter. Keeping him close would only move him up her graces, and Charlie could observe him more easily if he was nearby.
With a terse nod at the couple, Charlie turned on his heel and walked out the door. He would get some answers out of Billy Black if it was the last thing he did. That man had been his best friend since they were old enough to play Cowboys and Indians in the backyard, and he was sick of getting the runaround when it came to his only daughter.
As soon as the door closed, and Charlie's cruiser started outside, Sam pulled Bella close and tucked his face into her luxurious hair. Remembering how the scent of the leech clung to her last night, he couldn't suppress a shudder and a slight growl.
Bella pulled back enough to meet his eyes, and cupped his cheeks in her soft, pale hands. "What's wrong, Sam? Was that not ok?" Her sudden feelings of insecurity threatened to choke them both, "Oh, god, I'm sorry! I shouldn't have presumed! I'll- I'll just get out of your way."
She struggled in his arms while he tried to catch up to her turbulent thoughts and warring emotions. Not sure what to do, he finally bent over and nipped at the mark on her neck- a mild lupine rebuke that her bond would easily understand and obey.
She stilled instantly, her body went slack, and he bent to scoop her into his supernaturally strong arms. With a purpose now, he carried her straight to bed, where they got their best communicating done. She remained silent as he gently pulled her shirt and boxers off, and deposited them carefully on the floor along with his own ratty shorts.
Her eyes widened when he climbed over her, holding himself up on his forearms as he lowered his forehead to hers. "Now," his voice rumbled quietly, as his body pressed lightly along the length of hers. "What were all those feelings about?"
It took her a moment to remember what she had been feeling, as she was now overwhelmed with the safety and lust that her mate's presence alone could bring her. She shifted her hips a bit, urging him to slide up enough to join their bodies, but he shook his head with an achingly tender smile.
"Uh, I just thought maybe you wanted me to go? I didn't even ask if you would take me home, or if you have a car, or anything! I'm sorry!" she was babbling again, so he dipped his head down and ran his nose slowly from her collarbone to the hollow behind her ear, purring as he took in her scent that now mingled beautifully with his own.
"Mmm, you smell so good. My wolf is pleased that you carry our scent, our mark," her eyes rolled back at the sound of his voice and his close proximity, not even minding the fact that he spoke of himself in the plural. She met his wolf, and knew him well; this gave them a closer bond than the other imprinted couples.
Kim had only seen Jared's wolf once, and she foolishly ran from him in fright. Only an alpha order from Sam himself had kept the wolf from chasing his imprint like the prey she resembled. After that, the brown wolf kept careful distance from his chosen mate, allowing Jared to cultivate their relationship alone.
Paul and Emily had a different story. Sam still felt some guilt for what happened between those two- or three- but he had done his part by stepping aside and trying to push his former fiancée toward her god-given mate. Emily's resistance and Paul's temper combined to bring about a horrific accident.
She rejected him one too many times and his wolf pushed the man aside to force her to submit. When Paul phased too close, she was gravely injured by his razor-sharp claws. Ironically, the injuries brought them closer together, as Paul groveled for her forgiveness and she finally gave in to the pull of the imprint. Now they were bonded closely, but though she made peace with the silver wolf, she still carried a healthy fear of her mate in that form.
"Does he talk to you? Your wolf I mean?" Bella's curiosity overshadowed her insecurity, and she looked up into Sam's eyes- beautiful eyes that were only a shade or two darker than his skin. They flashed yellow for a brief second, as his wolf pushed to the surface, but quickly cooled to his more human shade.
He considered her question seriously, not answering flippantly or dodging the question, and she found that she was grateful for such a simple courtesy. The Cullens really had messed with her head. "It's not that I hear him speak in words, exactly. He is me, but he thinks differently- more black and white, simple needs and simple demands. He chose you, just as I did, and he loves you as well."
Bella smiled at the memories of her large black wolf, caring for her so gently. She knew it would take some time to adjust to idea, but she hoped to learn all sides of her wolf. "So he likes my scent, huh? What about you?" she asked with a mischievous smile on her face.
Sam growled and buried his nose in her neck, bringing on a round of giggles. "I think you smell delicious, and I definitely need a taste!"
She shrieked as he slid down her body to bury his face between her thighs, but the pleasure quickly swept over her and she was lost in the rapturous sensations that his tongue and fingers brought about.
By her second orgasm she was begging for him to fill her, desperately needing that deeper connection with her mate. She wanted to see his face in the daylight as he took his pleasure from her body, and like a good wolf, he quickly complied.
Two hours later she collapsed on his chest, panting heavily after a particularly rough round that could only be described as fucking. He ran his hand through her hair, working the tangles out with his agile fingers as he prepared to bring up a difficult topic.
"Bella," he whispered softly, wanting to be sure she hadn't fallen asleep again when her breathing had evened out.
"Hmm?" she mumbled, completely relaxed in his arms and fully sated for the first time in months.
He chuckled softly at her tone, then quickly sobered as he prepared to speak. "You know how you asked about my wolf earlier?" At her confused nod, he continued, "He wants you to live here. He wants you in his den."
Bella froze at his words and slowly lifted her head to look into his eyes. She considered his words, and realized he specifically said the wolf wanted her here, not that Sam did. What did that mean? Looking down so that he wouldn't see the doubt in her eyes, she quietly asked, "And what do you want, Sam"
It was completely silent for five or six beats of her heart, until Sam's large calloused finger tipped her chin back up to meet his gaze. "I want it all, Bella. I want you in my bed- our bed. I want this house to be our home, I want you to carry my name as well as my mark, and I want you swollen with my child," he smiled as she gasped at that. "That last one may be the wolf pushing a bit, though. I am only twenty."
Bella's eyes were wide as she processed all he said, but she didn't speak a word and Sam began to worry he had pushed too soon. He sat up on the side of the bed, pulling her close on his lap and rocking her gently. He still couldn't believe he had known this girl less than twenty-four hours and she completely owned him, body and soul.
As the minutes passed without answer, his wolf got antsy and he knew he would need to phase before driving her home, hopefully to collect her belongings if everything went well. Who was he kidding, why would she want to live here in his run-down old shack? The council tried to look magnanimous when they gave him a house in the woods, but it wasn't as if anyone else wanted to live here. No one else had the construction experience to even make the place livable, other than him.
Jared still lived with his parents, and Paul's dad was gone most of the time anyway, so Emily just moved into their house with them. Sam's mother kicked him out after he phased, worried that he would hurt her or her house, but secretly he thought she'd been looking for an excuse since he hit puberty and began to look more and more like his absentee father.
He was so caught up in his thoughts that he almost missed her near-silent answer, "Ok."
"Ok? Ok, what? You'll move in? You want to live with me? Marry me?" Sam cut his wolf off before he could push her further again. He only hoped the imprint helped her desire the same things he did. He'd seen it enough in the other wolves' heads, but experiencing it firsthand gave him an entirely different perspective.
She giggled softly at the eager look on Sam's face, and leaned over to press her lips gently to his. "Yes to everything, Sam. Yes, yes, yes!"
His answering smile was blinding and literally took her breath away, and his next words only intensified the effect. "Oh, my Bella. You've made me complete, for the first time since I found my wolf. I love you. I love you so much."
