Great White Wolf
Chapter Seven
Please read and review for me.
Sam POV
Charlie and Sue's wedding has been rescheduled, again. We all need some happiness in our lives. Especially after all the losses we have experienced lately. Emily and I want to start our family but we have decided to wait. We've been married for a while now. All I want is to experience the joy of being a dad. The joy of marriage far exceeds anything I ever thought possible. The loss of friends has diminished the bliss Emily and I should be experiencing as newlyweds.
There's no damn way anyone else is going to die, if I can help it. We've all suffered enough. I couldn't bear it if I were to lose Emily. Emily is my imprint, my wife, but she's more than that -she's my soul mate. My other half. My friends have all been affected by the recent deaths, and their pain weighs heavily on my heart.
Leah's having a hard time, too. Just of a different nature. She's not happy about Sue's upcoming nuptials. I respect Sue, and when Harry died, she became an elder-a strong leader. I hate that she and Leah are at odds, especially now.
Leah has always had a hard time dealing with Harry's death, and I think she still blames herself for his passing. Her phasing led to Harry's heart attack, and she carries the guilt with her still. It made her become a different person. Well, Harry's death, and my imprinting on Emily caused the once vibrant, happy Leah to become a cold, bitter harpy. The happy, funny, vibrant woman I once dated has disappeared. I don't think she's gone for good, and I hope she returns soon. I miss her.
She also harbors ill feelings toward the Cullens. For a while, she hated them. Jake has told me that Leah isn't as angry with the Cullens as she once was. Knowing Leah like I do, I'm sure she's having a hard timse reconciling the fact that she's going to be a vampire's stepsister. And not just any vampire, but Bella Swan Cullen.
I know it isn't the Cullens' fault, but still it angers me that their kind are responsible for destroying everyone I know and love. I know the Cullens are different, but sometimes I get so angry about the whole thing. When will this all stop? How many more will be hurt? Thoughts like those are always on my mind.
We just buried Angela's family less than a week ago. Embry's mom, not long before the Webbers. Not to mention, Billy, my friend, mentor, a Quileute elder, was forced into a life as a cold one. It's unfair. All of it. Emily joins me on the couch and rubs my back. Her touch comforts me.
"Sam, you seem lost in your thoughts. Is there anything you want to talk about?" Emily asks me quietly.
"No, Emily. I'm just so angry about everything we have suffered lately." I draw in a rugged breath. "All because of vampires."
I look at her face intently, her eyes dancing with love for me. My wife. My lover. My everything. She understands me so well. She doesn't try to change my feelings or say I'm wrong to be upset.
"Maybe you should go for a run, sweetheart." She smiles sweetly. "Get some of that negative energy out."
I don't want to leave her alone and protest her suggestion. "Um ... Emily, you know I can't leave you here by yourself."
"I won't be alone, Sam, sweetheart. Leah and Seth will be stopping by anytime."
"Really ... what do the Clearwaters want?" I say nervously.
"Sue and Charlie have reset the wedding date. Sue's sending them over to talk to me about some wedding details that have changed due to the date change."
Sue asked Emily to help her with the wedding, since Sue is Em's aunt. My wife offered to help out any way she could, and Emily helped Sue fill and mail out invitations. When Leah and Seth arrive, we talk for a few minutes.
"Anxious, Sam?" Seth, asks good-naturedly.
"Yeah, a little bit. I could use a run, you know, to think about things." I know I sound a little apprehensive, but I can't help it. "You mind staying with Emily?"
They agree to stay, so I can go for a run. I feel relief. She will be well taken care of.
Leah understands the pressure I'm under and agrees a run would do me some good.
"Make sure she isn't left alone," I warn before I leave.
"She'll be fine, man. Go on, get outta here," Seth promises with a chuckle.
Emily kisses me goodbye and sends me on my way. The look of hurt in Leah's eyes when she sees us kiss tears at my heart. I hate the pain she has suffered, still suffers, due to the imprinting bond. Once I phase, I ask Brady and Colin to remain close to the house, too. In case problems arise, I want to be extra cautious, and having extra wolves close by is the best way to do it.
I run as fast as I can, the freedom of the wind blowing my fur makes me happy. To try and drown out my anger, I let the wolf in me take over completely. I needed this run to get rid of my anger, my frustration, and my fear. After I've been running for a while, I can tell some of my anger has faded, but some hasn't.
I hear Billy when I turn around to head home. "How's everyone doing?"
"Okay, so far, so good, I guess. I just needed some time to myself. I've been so pissed about all the deaths that happened recently, and Emily told me I should get out alone for a while."
In the corner of my eye, I see him. A vampire. I react instinctively and go for the kill. The desire to kill this vampire is overwhelming. His death won't make things right again, but I'll feel ten times better once he's dead.
"Sam, we will be right there!"
I jump toward him and snap down on his shoulder, taking him down to the ground. He rolls away from me, trying to escape, and I clamp down around his left leg to stop him. I take him down once more. He's really fast though and is back up in a flash. He swipes his arm at me and makes contact. I hear my bones crunching, and I go flying through the air. My shoulder is throbbing and most likely fractured or broken. I land on my back, but I flip up and charge toward him again. We continue fighting, the advantage going back and forth from me to him, then him to me.
We do this for just a couple of minutes before he manages to grab me around the waist, and I feel my bones breaking. The vampire's crushing me. I know I'm going to die, and I say goodbye to Emily. I had let my anger take control and didn't pay enough attention to my surroundings. Now I'd pay the ultimate price for my blindness.
Billy and Jake arrive, and I see Billy running toward me and the vampire at full speed. The vampire throws me aside in order to face this new threat. I hear Billy's teeth tear into the vampire's hard, granite body. I struggle to stay awake, but I'm losing the fight quickly. I lay in a crumpled heap on the ground fighting for my life worrying about how much Emily will be hurt if I die. Leah's face crosses my mind, too. My death will hurt her, but at the same time, it may help her to move past her pain. That thought brings a smile to my face and also an ache to my heart.
Jake POV
When we arrive at the scene, we see the vampire's arms wrapped around Sam. Crushing him. I hear his bones crack and break- memories of the day I was so badly injured rush through my head. Billy lunges for the leech with a vengeance. Sam's predicament alone made my dad brutal, but my memories fuel Dad's thirst for blood even more. My father and I tear the vampire from limb to limb. Dad snaps the vamp's neck from his body with his massive jaws, ending the fight. My father was a savage beast when he wanted to be.
I phase and go to Sam's side to check his injuries. During the fight he phased back into his human form. His injuries are worse then mine had been during the newborn war.
"Dad, we need Carlisle now! He's hurt really bad!" I shout.
My father turns instantly to run back to the Cullens to get help. Any of the other wolves that are phased will know where to come to since Dad has the ability to speak to all of us. I kneel beside my friend, once my Alpha, and cradle his broken body. Sam's breathing is labored, and he's struggling for every breath.
"Sam, hang on. Help is on the way."
I know it's not been too long, but it feels like hours have passed since the fight. Edward and Carlisle arrive soon, and Leah's close behind them.
"Leah, what are you doing here?" I ask.
According to Sam's earlier thoughts, I know she is supposed to be with Emily.
"Emily's worried about Sam. She sent me out to find him, and Seth stayed with her." Leah's tone is defensive. I can tell she's scared for Sam.
Billy must have told her everything that took place when he went to get the Cullens.
Leah's crying and almost to the point of hysteria now. Brady and Collin show up a few minutes later. Leah changes into her human form and squats down beside Sam, begging him to wake up. When Sam opens his eyes and sees her, I see a flicker of emotion cross his face.
Sam moans, "Jake, go to the house now. Emily is there with just Seth for protection."
"She'll be fine, Sam. Seth's not gonna let her get hurt. Let Carlisle take care of you," I plead.
"Please, Jake."
Carlisle promises me he will take care of Sam, so I phase and begin to run as fast as I can to Emily and Sam's house.
I smell them as I approach the house vampires are here. I see Emily when I enter the living room; she's laying in a crumpled heap on the floor. My stomach drops because I know, without a doubt, she's dead.
"Seth, man, where are you?"
"Jake, over here."
I see him now. I can see Seth has been badly hurt. His body's covered in bruises and there's blood everywhere. Standing around him in a circle are three vampires getting ready to finish him off. I go into attack mode. I'm not sure if I'll be able to kill all three of them alone, but I don't give a damn. The odds are stacked against me, but all I can see is Emily's dead body in my mind's eye. Another person lost to this war that's been waged against us.
"Jake."
I hear Embry and Billy, just moments later, as they burst into the house. We kill all of the vampires without a second thought. Once the vampires are dead, I run over to Seth. The kid must have fought hard, because he's injured badly. Maybe gravely. I'm not sure if he's going to make it.
Billy is sitting with Emily's dead body while Embry goes back for help. Paul and Rachel go, too. They received the SOS and alerted Quil and Jared and headed here to help. Quil and Jared will be here soon to wait for the others to arrive.
Carlisle and Edward show up few minutes later with Sam. Billy's moved her to another room. I don't want to tell Sam about Emily, yet. He's unconscious and so is Seth, thank God. Carlisle and Edward, both continue to work on them. They are trying to save their lives, and I can tell it will be an uphill battle.
We put the injured men in the two bedrooms and notify Charlie about Emily. He tells us to have someone bring Sueover and he'll be here soon to take an official report. Once more, he will be forced to lie to cover up our secrets.
By now, the entire pack is aware of the situation. They start showing up, and I order them to patrol the area. Jared and Paul head out with the pack to scout the area and locate any other vampires that may be around. The other Cullen family members have also been alerted to the situation, too, and Bella sends Emmett over to join us. Jasper and Alice go to get Sue. None of us are going to take any chances.
I pace the floors, worry eating away at my insides. Finally, the doc comes down with an update.
"I don't know if either one of them will make it. They both have received serious injuries. I've given them some morphine for the pain, but their bodies burn it off really quickly. I need to return home and get some more supplies, but I'll be back in a hour to check on them," Carlisle tells me.
He's concerned. I can see it in his face.
"I'm going to stay here, Jake, if that's okay with you, while Carlisle retrieves some more medical equipment and medicine."
"Sure. Fine. Thanks, Edward."
The next few days pass in a blur. I decide to stay in La Push. Since I'm Alpha, it's my job to watch over Seth and Sam, and no one argues with me about Billy staying, too. I need my father's support right now. Carlisle checks on them often and brings them pain meds. He keeps them sedated to give me time to make the decision on how to tell Sam about Emily, and to allow them to heal. I'm afraid if Sam finds out Emily's dead, it will affect his recovery. Maybe even finish killing him.
Esme, Tanya, and Bella bring us food everyday. I ask Bella to keep Ness at home. She has already seen too much in her life, and I want to protect her from this. At least, for as long as I can. She loves Seth dearly and if she sees him like this, it will break her heart. Edward agrees with me, thankfully.
Leah's wracked with guilt because she's scared her brother and former lover will die. Though she and Emily have not been as close, at least not since the imprinting, she is broken up over Emily's death. Emily's death is hard for her to accept. Once upon a time, Leah considered Emily her best friend. She blames herself for leaving Emily here, with only Seth as protection, to find Sam.
I tell her not to blame herself for what happened to her brother and cousin-it isn't her fault. She refuses to believe that though and tells me I'm wrong. Leah doesn't sleep much. She just watches over Sam and Seth. Sue has been here ever since she found out that her son was attacked. I try to get Leah to lie down and sleep,but she refuses to leave Sam's side. I leave her alone so she can keep her vigil. It's been over a week since the attack, and we have postponed Em's funeral, at least until Sam wakes up.
Sam comes to, finally. Carlisle has weaned him off the sedatives slowly. He's healing fine, physically, but now comes the hard part-emotionally. He'll be destroyed. I walk in his room when I hear him moving around and talking-he's looking for Emily. I see Leah, sitting in a chair beside the bed, frozen in a state of fear.
Sam's trying to get her to answer him. "Leah, where's Emily?" Sam pleads. His voice is hoarse and dry, but Leah never utters a sound-tears are running down her face.
Sam notices me standing in the doorway. When his eyes meet mine, he realizes the truth. He knows without me saying a single word.
"She's dead, isn't she?" he cries.
I nod my head, and Sam breaks down-Leah flees the room in horror. Sam's pain and torment is too much for her to handle.
Tears cascade freely down his face, and he cries for his lost love, his imprint, his soul mate. I just stand there quietly. Because really, what can I say. Sam, it's okay. Well it's not okay, it freakin' sucks.
Sue comes in and sits down beside him, and she holds him while he sobs. She wipes the tears from his face, and tells him that he'll be okay. She comforts him when I can't. Sue feels his loss because she has lost someone before—Harry.
"Shh ... Shh ... you need to to cry. Cry for Emily, her loss, her life," Sue coaxes him gently.
Leah returns and the scene in front of her breaks down all the walls she has built up during the last few years. She worked so hard to construct them. She holds all her feelings inside-has-ever since the Sam/Emily imprinting situation. Then she does something I've never seen her do, not even when her dad died and she cries. I hold her as she releases all the pain that has been buried in her heart for so long.
"Ple-Please, let me talk to Sam," Leah blubbers. "Alone."
Sue and I leave the room. We want to give Leah and Sam time to grieve in peace and together. I go to check on Seth and see Edward standing in the corner, and he looks as if he's in pain. I know he cares about Seth a lot. They forged a bond during the newborn war, and it's only gotten stronger since then. Seth's injuries upset him greatly. Edward told me once that Seth's like a brother to him. I replay those words in my head, while I watch the scene in front of me-vampire and wolf. Brothers.
He looks up at me and says honestly, "He's my brother, Jake. Just as you're my brother, Jasper is, Emmett is."
"Thanks. Edward." I start to say, brother, ha, that's funny. You're gonna be my father-in-law. Edward glowers for a minute and I give him a sheepish grin and shrug my shoulders.
I change my train of thought back to Seth. "How is he?"
"No change."
I know he already knew about Sam but I tell him anyways. We talk for a few minutes before I leave and go back downstairs with a heavy heart. Some of the pack have arrived to check on Seth and Sam while I was busy and I update them on the guys. All of them have been on high alert since this last attack on us. They leave to patrol and I slump down in a big old easy chair. Once more, we had been ambushed and suffered a crushing loss from our unknown enemy. We will have to bury one more of our loved ones soon. I can't help but wonder, how many more will we lose in this war?
None of us know if Sam can survive the loss of his imprint, or how it will affect him. I don't think I could live without Nessie. Embry and Quil remained with me earlier and I ask Embry to join me in sweeping the perimeter. I leave Quil to stand guard.
I instruct him to remain phased as long as I am gone. Edward agrees to stay too. At least until I return. The rest of the pack are on patrol, and I make sure all of them know they are to stay in groups of two or more. I don't want anyone to be alone, as Sam was, when he was attacked. Angie's at the Cullens at the moment, so she is safe.
We have been running for a while when I hear something. I listen to see if I hear it again. Someone's crying in the woods. The cries startle me at first. It sounds like a small child's cries. We're on the outskirts of Forks, and no babies should be out here.
"Embry, you hear that?"
"Yeah. I do."
I recgonize the scent. It's one, I feel like I know well. Really well. It is a mixture of human and vampire.
"I think we've found a bloodsucker, Jake. Smells like he has a human with him."
"That sound. It sounds familiar to me, Embry."
"Yeah, sounds like a kid to me."
"Let's follow it."
The scent is really bothering me, tugging at me like I should know it. Like I did know it.
I smell the vampire, too, but I think I smell something else familiar. So be careful."
As we close in on the sound, the scent becomes stronger. I know this smell. It's more than vampire stink, Nessie has the same scent. That's when I see them in my peripheral vision. We haven't found a vampire and a victim, we have found a hybrid and a vampire. Lying about 200 yards in the tree line are two infants—two hybrids. He must have thrown them down when he heard us coming. We growl at the vampire and charge toward them.
"Why in the hell does he have two hybrid children?"
"What do we do, Jake?"
"We can't endanger the children. They are part human, and fall under our protection."
"Fine. What about him?"
"Kill the bloodsucker, Embry. Protect the children. I'll have Quil tell Edward to meet us back at the Cullens' house."
Paul and Jared are close by and join the fight. The vampire tries to flee, but we make sure he doesn't make it. He is no match for the four of us.
In only a matter of minutes, the leech is shredded, courtesy of our razor teeth and claws. Embry and I phase to human form and gather the children up. One is male and I know he is venomous, or at least I think he is, and the other is a girl. I carry the little boy and give the girl to Embry. Nahuel told us that he has venom but his sister's do not, so I'm assuming the same will hold true with this boy bybrid.
I send Paul and Jared back to Sam's to stay with Quil, Leah and Sue. Embry and I head over to the Cullens' house on foot.
"Okay, little guy, I'm sure you can understand me. Please don't bite me. We're gonna take you to a friend's house to be checked out."
The little boy doesn't say anything to me, he just gazes at me and Embry. I wonder if Edward will know who the vampire was? He'll see mine and Embry's memories and hopefully can tell us something about the vampire. Regardless of who he was, the more important question is why did he have two hybird children with him? And what the hell was he doing in Forks with them?
Maybe we should have dismembered him and brought him to Edward to read his mind. Oh well, lesson learned. I'll make sure to remember that next time I'm faced with any bloodsuckers. Kill all but one, making sure to save him or her for the mindreader. If there's only one, dismember, question, then kill.
