Chapter Four

The Winter Storm

Sam's POV

The waitress finally brought out our food, which was very good, but the company from this beautiful woman sitting across from me was so much more appealing. I watched her, trying to be discreet, but it was hard to not just all out stare at her.

I felt the love I had for her growing stronger with each moment we spent together. I just wished we were together all of the time, but it was only understandable that she needed time to adjust until she felt completely comfortable with me. I just hoped that the day would come soon.

"Hey, I need to get some things from the supermarket in Forks. Are you up for spending the rest of the day with me?"

She looked up from her meal and smiled at me and I could tell she was very pleased at the prospect of being together the rest of the day. This made me feel good and I knew it was another step in the right direction.

"Yeah, I'd like that. Besides, I need to pick up a few things too."

When we had finished and I had paid for our food, I escorted Tehya out to my truck and helped her inside, closing the door for her. The sky had grown darker and it looked as though a fresh round of snow would soon be falling which meant it was a good idea to go ahead and get the supplies we needed, not knowing when we'd be able to make it back to Forks.

As I pulled out onto the roadway, I noticed that she was shivering, "Hey, come here and let me get you warm," I said, reaching for her hand.

I saw a blush creep into her cheeks as she unbuckled and moved over to nestle into my side, but as she did, I could feel the tension from the cold began to leave her. My body being so much warmer than hers was helpful at times.

"Thanks. It feels like it's getting colder," she said, and I took her hands in mine as I rubbed them.

"I can't tell you how wonderful it's been having you around the past couple of days. Tell me what's on your mind? Do you have any more questions you'd like to ask?" I said, glancing over at her.

"I've....I've enjoyed being with you too. It seems like we both feel the same way. Questions, hum? Well, let me think. Why don't you tell me more about you and the others, the, um pack? I want to know about them because they are your family," she said, squeezing my hand with hers.

"The pack. Yeah, they are my family," I said pausing for a moment of reflection, then continued, "Well, after I first phased, it was almost a year before anyone else phased and it was Paul who phased next. He is a real hot head, so it was hard to try and help him, but he and I had been friends before, so that made it a little easier. I worked with him in the woods for almost a week trying to get him to calm down and want to change back. He liked his new strength and speed, so I really had to rein him in. It was then that I learned that I was the Alpha, the leader. One day, I was really tired and had been trying to get him to listen to me but he was too stubborn. I finally lost my temper and ordered him to phase. I was speechless, so to speak, when he did and was standing there in front of me, stark naked just looking at me like 'okay now what do I do?'"

"So they have to obey your commands?"

"Yeah, pretty much, when I use that tone with them. I don't like to do it. I never wanted to be the leader, the first one, but that is what was chosen for me before I was born," I said, quietly.

"So who was next?"

"Jared was next and he took it well. It was only a few days for him. Then it was Embry and he's so easy going that I was able to work with him and have him under control in just a few days too. But when it was Jake's turn, it was a whole different story."

"Was Jake hot headed like Paul?"

"Yes and no. You see, Jake and Bella had been very good friends for a long time, but she, well she had made some bad choices in her life that were causing Jake a lot of grief at that time. It was all so crazy. You'll never believe it when I tell you," I said.

"What? What do you mean?" she asked, sitting up straighter on the seat.

"She was seeing a guy from around Forks, someone she went to school with and he was, well he was a vampire."

"What? Not Bella!"

"Yes, Bella. She was and is a very headstrong woman. She had figured out on her own who and what he was, but said it didn't matter to her. She even wanted to become one of them so she could always be with him—with Edward. He and his family were the main reason we all started to change. There was a lot of resentment from the others and even myself for what they had caused."

"So what happened, with Jake, I mean?"

"Well, during the time that Bella was seeing Edward, she and Jake were fairly close, but when Edward up and left Bella, abandoning her one afternoon in the woods and causing us to have to go out searching for her, she and Jake became very close and Jake fell hard for her. She loved him too, but was so devastated by what Edward had done to her that it took her a long time to let Jake into her heart. When she finally did, it was an even longer time before he began to heal her—before she would let him heal her and then something very strange happened. He imprinted on her. It was sort of a delayed reaction, similar to ours," I said, cautiously looking at her from the corner of my eye.

"So when she was healed, you might say, then it happened for them?"

"Yeah, I guess you could say that. They've never been apart since. They were married as soon as Jake graduated. He opened his garage, they built their cabin, and have been acting like newlyweds ever since."

"What about the others?"

"Well, Jared met Kim one day down by the dock. She had come down to try and buy some fresh crabs from us before they went to the market in Seattle. The moment he looked into her eyes, we saw a change in him. He was like a sea gull floating on the salty breeze, but she tethered him here—to this earth. They started dating and got married about six months later."

"And Paul and Rachel, Jake's sister, what about them?"

"Ah yes, Rachel. She had been away to college. She and her twin sister, Rebecca, left as soon as they graduated and went off to college. Their mother had been killed in a car accident, the same one that left Billy in a wheelchair, so it was hard for them to stay here. Rachael had finally come back for a visit, in between jobs though, and came to one of the gatherings we were having. Rachael is a head strong woman, much like her brother, but when she and Paul saw each other that night, I swear there were sparks flying from both of them," I said laughing.

"What do you mean? Sparks don't fly out of people," she said, sounding puzzled.

"Well that night they did. Paul was being his typical smart ass self and was trying to throw his weight around, but the moment his eyes met Rachel's it was like he had run face first into a brick wall. He couldn't talk and all he could do was look at her, so she walked right up to him and planted the biggest kiss on his lips, right there in front of everyone. That's when the sparks started flying. He couldn't keep his hands off of her and we thought Billy was going to start walking again, just so he could kick Paul's butt."

"That must have been a sight. I can see Billy getting all protective of his little girl," she said, laughing softly.

"Yeah and then came Jake. We are all very close, but sometimes Paul can say things, well you know what I mean, that just doesn't settle well with others. Jake was right there, telling him to unhand his sister and then he saw the way they were looking at each other he had the most defeated look on his face. He came over to me and said, 'Well I guess I can't fight with fate,' then told Paul he had better be a gentleman or we would all come after him."

"So they eventually got married too?"

"Well, they actually lived together for a month and when Rachel saw how much it was hurting her dad, she told Paul they had to get married, so they did and they are crazy about each other."

"What about Quil and his girlfriend?"

"He and Sheena have been seeing each other for about six months. He was working at the garage, he, Embry, and Jake own and operates together, when she came in needing repairs on her car. She gained a life time mechanic that day," I said, laughing.

"So are they going to get married too?"

"It looks like it might be soon. I think Quil may ask her in a few months."

"So that just leaves Seth, Leah, and Embry. What will happen with them?"

"Well, we never know when imprinting will take place. With it having happened to the rest of us, we assume it will happen to the others too, as soon as they find that special someone," I said, rubbing Tehya's hand with mine.

She had a thoughtful look on her face and she seemed to be getting emotional. Then she spoke softly, "I'm glad I came here, Sam. Otherwise I would never have known that you were waiting for me, somewhere out there. Now that I've felt this feeling—how you make me feel, I can't imagine my life without you in it. I hope they find their special someone too, soon, very soon."

We were just pulling up into the parking lot of the supermarket, so I parked, killed the truck, and turned to her, putting my arm around her.

"Well, it seems fate has a way of bringing two people together. I mean. You and I are one of the most extraordinary examples thus far. Who would have dreamed that you would have fallen from the sky and landed here in the middle of this—landed right where I needed you to land?"

I placed my hand on her cheek and gently caressed it as I bent down and kissed her and her lips, soft and sweet, left mine tingling with heat and energy that danced along my skin. I would never get enough of that feeling—I never wanted it to end. I hoped that we would always feel this way about each other and that every day we spent together it would be an awakening of how much we loved each other.

"As much as I would love to stay right here, doing this, we better get inside. We need to get back before the weather gets worse," I whispered, against her moist lips.

"Sure. I know," she said with a sigh.

I climbed out of the driver's door and reached inside to help her out. She slid down out of the truck and right into my waiting arms. The feel of her body against mine, made me remember the moments we had shared yesterday and I wondered what might have happened, had we not had unexpected company.

We pulled away from each other as a strong wind blew from the north and hurried inside to start gathering our things. I got a buggy and so did Tehya, but I placed my hand on hers and smiled, "let's just use one."

So she took the buggy I had gotten and began pushing it down the first isle. I placed my hand on the small of her back and walked beside her. When she stopped at the first section of canned goods, I leaned down and kissed her on the temple, breathing in the sweet scent from her soft hair.

"You better help me here. That makes it very difficult to concentrate," she said, displaying a bashful smile.

We began picking out the things we needed and as much as I wanted Tehya to just stay with me, I let her go about her shopping, knowing that she had made her mind up, for now at least, and she wanted to maintain her independent spirit and virtue.

The shopping cart was getting full and we had been in the store for almost a half hour when we decided we had everything we needed. When we got to the check out counter, I started pulling all of the items out of the buggy, but Tehya reached over and touched my hand.

"Sam, I can get my things. You don't have to."

So I made two separate stacks and bit my tongue because I wanted to start taking care of her. She was going to be the most important part of my life and I wanted to share in everything with her, but I didn't say anything and let her pay for her items.

The snow had really started falling when we went back outside so we quickly got everything loaded into the truck and Tehya got inside, while I pushed the buggy back to the front of the store. The truck had already gotten cold, but I had the heater going full force and it warmed up in no time.

Tehya sat next to me, without me having to ask, and wrapped her hand around mine as it rested on my thigh. On the way back to La Push, she wanted to know more about me.

"Sam, tell me about your family. I'd like to know about your mom and dad," she said.

"Well, they were married for several years before they had me. Things weren't always that great when I was growing up. I remember them fighting some. My mom was a strong woman so she tried to hold things together, but there were things she didn't know about him."

"What do you mean?"

"When I was about ten, the rumors started floating around school that Embry was his son. His mother was from the Mekah Reservation, but had come down here to stay with her grandmother for a while, who was Quileute. The time frame fit, my dad had started staying out a lot at night when she was here, and after she left, he was back home most of the time."

"Sam, I'm so sorry," she said, rubbing up and down my arm.

"It was for the best. My mom told him to leave and they eventually got a divorce."

"So, is Embry your brother?"

"Yes he's my brother, whether or not we are blood related is to be seen, but as far as I"m concerned he's my brother—all of the pack is like that. We are family, like I said before."

"I thought your dad and Myla's dad used to fish together?"

"They did, before he left."

We continued chatting the remainder of the way home and stopped at Tehya's house to unload her things first. I grabbed the bags, carrying them in right behind her as she opened the door. She put the things that needed to go into the refrigerator away and I started putting the other items in the cabinet. When we had finished, we left and went back to my place.

"You know what sounds good for dinner tonight?" I asked, and was in shock when we both said, in unison, "Stew."

"That's crazy. So you were thinking the same thing?" I asked, giving her a squeeze with my arm that was wrapped around her.

"I was paying attention to the things you picked up," she said playfully.

"Well, stew it is then."

So when we got back to the cabin, we gathered the things up that I had bought and hurried inside. Tehya started putting things away, while I put some wood in the fireplace. She had already started working on things for the stew when I came into the kitchen.

"You know you look amazing in here?"

"Sam, what are you saying?" she asked blushing profusely.

I came up behind her and wrapped my arms around her mid section, pressing myself close to her back, "I mean that you are beautiful and you look right at home here in this kitchen," and I pressed my lips to the side of her neck as I moved her hair aside.

"But I have a home, Sam. It's not much, but....."

"I know. But you can't blame a man for trying. Can you?" I teased.

After washing up, I got out the pot and lid, rinsed off the stew meat and began browning it in a small amount of oil, while she chopped carrots, onion, potatoes, and opened cans of tomato sauce. She started putting the things into the pot, while I got the mixed vegetables from the freezer. Once we had everything in the pot and it had started to cook, she went through my supply of seasonings. And I saw her shaking her head.

"What?"

"We have to get you a few more spices. No kitchen is complete without ample seasonings."

We both laughed, but she was able to make due with what I had and before long the stew was simmering nicely. I couldn't help but feel complete, watching her cook, enjoying her company, and knowing we were safe and warm from the world outside.

The rest of the day was spent talking and just spending time with each other. Later that evening, we ate dinner together and then cleaned up the kitchen.

"The stew was wonderful," I said, taking the last bowl from her hands as she rinsed it.

"I guess we make a pretty good team in the kitchen. Huh?"

"Honey, I think we make a pretty good team in everything we do and everything we're going to do," I said, smiling coyly.

"And I suppose on that little note, I better be getting home. I've got to get ready for work tomorrow."

"Tehya, I don't want you to go," I replied, all playfulness aside.

She moved closer to me and took my hands in hers as she held them between our chests. I leaned down and rested my head against hers.

"I know, Sam. But I have to."

"Okay, but I'm driving you back," I said, trying to push my disappointment aside and only let my concern show.

"But how will you get back?"

"I have other means of transportation," I reminded her.

So while she gathered her things, I went out and started her car. We waited about fifteen minutes, before leaving. The trip to her house was slow, the roads had started getting bad and the heavy snowfall made it difficult to see, well it would have been for her anyway.

We made it inside and I checked to make sure everything was secure, then turned her heat up some before turning to her, "Do you want me to stay here?"

"Sam. I'll be okay. I've been staying here for over a week now, and everything has been fine."

She was a determined woman, but she had to remember, I was an equally determined man, I thought as I kissed her goodbye and blended into the night. I phased and stayed outside until I heard her get out of the shower. She took an extra long one and I was wishing I could.......

"Hey, what are you doing out tonight?" Jake's thoughts became known.

"I was making sure Tehya was okay before going home. I hate this house of hers. I can hear the wind blowing through it almost. I wanted her to stay with me again tonight."

"So are things going better? I wanted check in, but I knew you two needed some time to sort things out, especially after we interrupted things yesterday."

"Yeah, things are much better now, but she still needs time. I can't blame her. I would be freaked out too if I had been in her shoes."

"Well, I'm about to make a round or two. You want to join me? Things have been quite ever since last night."

"Sure, let's run north and I can swing back by here and check on here on my way home," I said.

So Jake and I ran and soon Embry joined in with us. They told me to go on home after we had been patrolling for about thirty minutes, so I ran by Tehya's and checked on her. She was sound asleep in her bed so I headed home to do the same.

After I took a shower, I lay awake thinking about Tehya—worrying about her actually, wondering if she was warm enough and safe. I had just started dozing off, when I noticed everything became very still. I sat up and looked at the clock on my night stand and realized that it was running on battery power and that the electricity had gone off.

I got up and started getting dressed. I knew that if the power was out here it was probably off at Tehya's too and she had no other method of heating her house. She would freeze if I didn't get to her. I threw a few fresh logs on the fire, grabbed a coat and ran out to my truck.

The snow was still falling and it looked like we had gotten several inches already. The road would have been really hard to see now, if it hadn't been for my keen eyesight. But the drive to Teyha's was still much longer than usual, due to the weather.

I left my truck running, so it would be warm, when I got to her house. I ran up the steps and knocked on the door. I heard her footsteps as she approached then I heard a thud, like she fell over something.

"Tehya, it's me. Let me in. It's Sam," I shouted.

I heard her fumbling with the latch on the other side of the door and was tempted to just break it down, but I didn't want to frighten her. In a few minutes, she finally got the door open and I could tell she was already getting cold.

"Sam, wh....a.....t are you d.....o.....i....n.....g here?" she asked, through chattering teeth and sleepy eyes.

I wrapped my arms around her and tried to warm her up a little bit. It had only been a few hours since I had seen her, but it felt so good to be holding her again.

"In case you haven't noticed, the power is out and I didn't want you to freeze tonight. I've got a fire going at home and I'll move the couch up closer to the fireplace. Now, get some clothes on and grab what you'll need in the morning. You're spending the night at my place after all."

I held the flashlight for her to find her way around and promised not to peek when she went to the bedroom to change clothes. I held the light behind my back and whistled the whole time, even though I wanted nothing more than to watch her getting dressed. Did I feel bad about that? No. It was only natural to want to see the woman that I loved in every way and besides, I was one hundred and ten percent male and a werewolf in love on top of that.

"Okay. I'm dressed," she said, so I turned around to find her making up the bed.

"What are you doing?" I asked, perplexed.

"Well, I didn't want to go off and leave it unmade."

I just shook my head as I watched her hurry around the room, throwing what she needed into a bag. When she had everything together, she bundled up and we went to my truck. It was very warm when we got inside and I only hoped that her changing climates in the middle of the night didn't make her get sick.

We made it back to the cabin and I helped her inside. I moved the coffee table out of the way and pushed the couch up closer to the fire.

"I'm going to go change into some sweats. Do you want to get back into your pajamas?"

"Yeah. I'll be right back," she said, taking the flashlight with her to the bathroom.

I was already back by the couch, spreading out blankets, when she came back in. She was shivering, so I opened one of the blankets up and motioned for her to come to me. I wrapped it around her, we settled down on the couch, and I wrapped her in my arms as I covered us both with the extra blankets.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you had something to do with the power going out," she said, as she snuggled up as close to me as she could.

"Now why on earth would I want the power to go out in the middle of winter?" I asked, going along with her remark.

"So you could get me back here, with you, alone, in the dark," she whispered, as she placed the softest kiss on my chest where her face was now resting and I'm sure I shivered as the touch of her bare skin on mine caused me to tingle.

"I have to admit, the idea is very appealing, but I would never want you to be cold," I said, kissing the top of her head and smoothing her hair down with my hand.

"I know. And as long as I have you, I'll never be cold," she said, stifling back a yawn.

"It's just another sign that we were meant to be together."

"Mmm hum," was the only sound she made, then she was breathing deeply as she drifted back to sleep in my arms.

Now, I too could rest, knowing she was safe and warm with me. But I just lay there, enjoying having her close for a while as I listened to her heart beat in time with mine and the sound of the fire crackling in the background and I knew the night couldn't be long enough.