Chapter 9
A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews and alerts. Thanks for being patient with me. Life is pretty hectic right now. Hopefully you guys like this chapter. More action will be coming up in the next few chapters. Things are going to get more complicated for these guys. Please enjoy and review. Thanks so much.
CPOV:
The pack left to patrol with Carlos and Nessie tonight so it's just me and Esme alone in the house. I sit on the soft beige sofa in the living room and everything that has happened today just catches up to me. I let the tears go that I have been holding in all day. I know I told Noah that I can accept his past indiscretions but the thought of someone else carrying his child breaks my heart.
Esme walks gracefully into the living room and sits down next to me. She doesn't say a word. She just keeps me company and lets me cry out my frustrations. It's nice because I know my mom would be smothering me right now and daddy would threaten to kick Noah's ass. I wrap the throw blanket on the sofa around me and scoot closer to Esme. I place my head on her shoulder and she strokes my hair lovingly.
"Calla sweetie you can talk to me if you want." She says softly. I take a deep breath and sigh heavily. "He's my soul mate but I just want to hate him but I can't." I say the tears easing up a little. Esme just keeps stroking my hair. "Some other girl is having his baby and she's being so awful to him Esme. She won't let him be apart of his child's life." I cry more for Noah than for myself. His pain is my pain. "It's suppose to be me. I'm his imprint. I've waited so long to have an imprint and when I finally do it has to be so complicated." I huff letting the tears dry up.
"Oh Calla darling yours is not the only difficult imprint. Moxie and Caine couldn't stand each other. Your Uncle Jake and Nessie never really loved each other the way they should have because of the prophecy. Rafe, god rest his soul didn't want Sienna at first. I don't even want to get into the mess that your Uncle Sam and Aunt Leah went through. Sweetie not all imprints are easy like your parents. All they had to deal with was your Uncle Jake's disapproval." Esme says hugging me tenderly.
"I get it. I really do. I just wish things could be more simpler." I sigh feeling slightly better. "It will Calla. You just have to accept that everyone has a past. Carlisle and Nathifa were together for thirty five years before he met me and now she is your brother's imprint. I was married and had a child before Carlisle came into my life. I still love him and he still loves me despite what happened in our past. Things happen for a reason Calla, you just have to have faith." Esme says in her motherly tone. "Thank you." I say softly as she kisses the top of my head softly.
Esme and I head to the kitchen after watching some mindless reality TV for a bit. The pack will be home soon and they will be starving. I season some chicken while Esme puts the finishing touches on six apple pies she's making for dessert. Suddenly the back door flies open and a tiny spiky haired ball of energy comes bounding in. "Alice." I squeal excitedly. She pulls me into her small cold arms and squeezes me tight. "Oh look at you. It's a shame Paul is your daddy. Thank the gods you look just like your mama." She says jokingly. It's no secret my dad had real issues with the Cullens at first but now he's grown to accept them as family, especially since Rocco has been so attached to Esme since he was a baby.
"I'm so happy you guys are here." I say smiling for the first time today. Jasper hugs Esme and hangs back a bit to adjust to my scent. His eyes darken a little and his jaw is clenched tight. Esme and Alice are too busy catching up to notice. Just as fast as his hunger is piqued it is quelled to a manageable level. Jasper's eyes brighten and his stoic face smooths out with a small smile. "Come here darlin' and give this old man a hug." He drawls letting his southern accent come through.
"It's good seeing you Jas." I say softly and wrap my arms around his waist as he pulls me into a soft hug. After we all catch up and I can't but let that foreboding feeling creep up into my heart. "Not that I don't love seeing you guys, but what did you see Alice?" I ask biting my bottom lip nervously. "Right now things are really jumbled. The coven leader Asa is changing his mind too much. I can only get bits and pieces. He seems to be focusing on a pretty Asian girl with blue streaks in her hair and a really tall lanky boy with a sweet face. I wish I could be more help." Alice says with an apologetic look on her tiny face.
"It's more than we got right now so you did good." I say trying to remember all the students I've come into contact with. "You said a girl with blue streaks and a tall boy, right?" I ask feeling like I know what she is talking about and it's at the tip of my tongue. "Do you know anyone like that?" Alice asks her eyes glazing over slightly. "Oh my god!! I know them. Remy and I are in glee club with them. It's a girl named Tina and a boy named Finn." I say jumping up hastily.
"Whoa there mama wolf. Where do you think you are going?" Jasper says halting my escape through the back door. "I have to find the pack. They need to know so they can protect them!" I say irritated at being questioned. Suddenly my urgent feelings are replaced with a soothing calm. I roll my eyes at Jasper knowing he is manipulating my emotions. "Take a seat darlin'. I'll go find the pack. I'm faster than you and I can follow their scent better. You don't need to be out there with all the vampire activity going on." Jasper says sternly.
I huff a little at take a seat by the island and start chopping some potatoes angrily. Jasper chuckles a little and disappears out the back door. I keep chopping as Alice keeps searching her visions for more clues before the pack comes and disrupts her visions. Esme and I keep cooking while the calm Jasper sent my way slowly leaves me. "I hate when he does that." I huff taking out my frustrations on the vegetables I'm currently chopping.
"He's only trying to keep you safe." Esme says with a gentle smile. "I know."I say quietly just as I hear the unmistakable sound of the pack laughing and joking around as they make their way through the back door and into the kitchen. "Aunt Alice!!" Caine bellows and scoops up the tiny pixie in his large arms. "Aww...snuggle bunny I missed you." Alice coos making Caine blush furiously. She is the only one that can get away with calling Caine that. If anyone else tries to use that nickname for him they're going to get their ass handed to them.
Esme and I finish dinner while Alice and Jasper catch the pack up with her visions and news of home. The night passes quickly and Noah is unusually quite. I don't push him because I know what is bothering him. I've already talked to Esme and she promised to talk with Emmett about helping Noah get custody of his daughter. Like she said not all imprints are easy and you just have to accept what fate hands you.
The next day....
We've been on edge all day at school waiting to see if Asa and his coven would try to make a move. I'm pretty sure those leeches know we're here and are doing their damnedest at alluding the pack. Jasper and Alice decided to patrol around the school while the pack protects Tina and Finn from the inside. The day passes quietly and I relax a little. Today might just be good day after all.
That is until Remy and I head to glee practice after school. We can hear the yelling before we even reach the choir room doors. "You were my friend!! How could you??" Finn yells his face a mask of fury. Noah is standing a few feet away with a crushed look on his face. "I'm sorry." Is all he can say. "Your a sorry son of a bitch." Finn seethes and lunges for Noah. He lands a punch on Noah's cheek giving him a small cut right under his eye.
Noah does nothing as Finn curses shaking his hand then goes to hit him again. Finn stops in his tracks as the small cut under Noah's eye heals before his eyes and the rest of glee club. Noah's jaw is clenched and both of his hands are squeezed tightly into fists at his sides. I can tell he's trying hard not to phase but he wont last much longer. "Remy you have to get Caine. This isn't going to end well." I whisper to him and he nods his head in agreement. Remy takes off with his wolf speed to find the rest of the pack.
"Noah." I say softly trying to get his attention focused on me. In all my life being surrounded by wolves and imprints I've learned that an imprint has the most control over their wolf. "Noah I need you to stay calm." I say walking towards him cautiously. "I'm trying Calla. I really am." Noah says taking deep breaths to try and calm himself down. I've almost got him to stop shaking when I feel Finn grab my arm.
Finn pulls me closer and forces his lips onto mine. I struggle and push him away as hard as I can. Finn releases me and glares at Noah. "How does it feel to see me kiss your girl? Not so fucking great, huh?" Finn spat at Noah. I hear the low growl and I know it's too late to stop him from phasing. The one thing that could drive a wolf over the edge is to mess with their imprint. Finn pretty much signed his own death certificate.
"Everyone back away from him now!!" I yell as Noah shakes violently and the familiar sound of popping and snarling fills the choir room till all that is left is a shower of fabric scraps and a large angry obsidian wolf. The choir room is eerily silent except for the labored breathing coming from Noah. I look around the room at the stunned and shocked faces of the glee club. I slowly step in front of Finn to keep Noah from attacking him.
Noah barks loudly trying to get me to move but I stand my ground because I know beyond a reasonable doubt that he would never risk hurting me. "Noah you need to phase back. We can deal with this better if you change back." I say gently. He growls lowly causing everyone in the room to gasp shrink back towards the wall. Finn clutches my arm tightly, the fear radiating off of him in waves. Noah snarls angrily and I just roll my eyes at him. I may be his imprint but this whole protective thing is really pushing my buttons.
"I swear to god Noah Puckerman that I will find away to break this imprint if you don't do as I say now." I seethe getting tired of dealing with moody wolves. I fix him with my best glare taught to me by my sparkilicious Aunt Rosalie. Noah whimpers slightly and I can see the familiar ripple and shake signaling his phase back. Remy and the Pack rush into the room just in time to help cover a very naked Noah.
"Fuck!!" Caine bellows the alpha baritone making everyone cringe in the room. "What the fuck was that??" Matt one of the glee club members says staring wide eyed at Noah. The rest of glee moves to huddle close together trying to avoid the pack. The revelation of Noah being the father of Quinn's baby has been almost forgotten. I look at Noah and I can still see the anger in his eyes.
"Finn you have to let go of me or Noah is going to finish what he started." I say softly trying to gently remove Finn's death grip on my arm. He nods his head stiffly and releases me. I rub my arm knowing that there will be a bruise forming soon. I look around and I know we are totally screwed. No one outside of our crazy dysfunctional wolf and vamp family know what we are. I have no idea how we are going to fix this.
Alice and Jasper walk causally into the choir room like nothing strange just happened. I wish I could be so cool and laid back as they are right now. I'm a bundle of nervous energy and Jasper immediately releases a wave of calm over the whole room. I can see the effect he has on everyone. Their shoulders relax and the frighten shocked looks smooth away into a calm serene mask. "Thanks Uncle Jazz." Caine says his voice smooth like molten caramel.
"No problem son. It was getting a little to overwhelming in here for me." Jasper drawls softly. "What is going on? How...uhh...why?" Rachel says slurring her words slightly. Her voice is thick and her eyes glassy as if she were being drugged. I glance towards Jasper and he just shrugs his shoulders. "I guess I sent too much calm their way darlin'." Jasper says with a smallest hint of a smirk on his usually stoic face. I roll my eyes playfully at him.
I turn to Alice and she beams her knowing smile at me. "I've already seen what you plan on doing so I sent for Nessie and Carlos and had Esme contact Carlisle." Alice says her bright golden eyes dancing with excitement. "You think this will work?" I ask still unsure how things are going to play out. "I can't see too much with the pack, Nessie, and Carlos being involved but what I do see is very promising." Alice assures me. "OK let's do it then." I say trying to muster up as much confidence I can.
"Do what Calla?" Tristan asks as he eyes the "humans" suspiciously. Tristan is kind of like a conspiracy nut. His biggest fear is being turned into a guinea pig for the government. I don't blame him. It's kind of scary to me too. "Well it seems that the glee club is going to be headed for a musical retreat in Forks Washington." I say matter of factually. Alice beams at me and Jasper quirks his golden brow up at me. The glee club members just sag against the wall feeling the full effects of Jasper's power.
"What are you suggesting mama wolf?" Caine says going into alpha mode. "Look, it'll be for the best. If Asa and his coven want Tina and Finn badly enough they will follow us to Forks. There we have home field advantage not to mention the rest of the pack and Cullens. Alice already saw it and she says it looks promising so far. We just have to make sure to keep them safe and what safer place is there besides La Push and Forks?" I say passionately. I just know that this plan can work if everything falls into place the way it should.
"I don't know Calla." Caine says as he starts to pace around the room. His is a heavy burden to bear. The lives of the pack and now the glee club rests squarely on his shoulders. "It could work Caine. I'll contact Garrett and Edward. We can go over some strategies. It'll work." Jasper says sounding so much like the civil war soldier he is. "Jasper's right man. He fought in the leech wars in the south. I know I wasn't there for the last fight with the Volturi but from what I heard our family is badass. We can take them." Nico says confidently.
"I hope your right." Caine sighs heavily. "Don't worry too much snuggle bunny. We got this." I say trying not to laugh at his nickname that Alice gave to him when he was a baby. He glares at me and growls lowly. I can't help but laugh and so does the rest of the pack. The tension is easing a little. The glee clubbers are still feeling sedated and sluggish courtesy of Jasper.
"Alright. We'll do this but everything has to be done according to the plan exactly. We can't afford one mistake. I'm not going to let another member of this family be taken away." Caine says his face a hard blank mask but his eyes stormy and sad. My mind goes instantly to Rafe and the thought of losing Noah causes my stomach to turn. I couldn't bear losing another member of my family. The loss of Rafe broke our family in a way we could hardly handle. To lose someone else would damage us irrevocably.
Four years may have passed but the sting of his death still effects us. I look at the solemn expressions on all of their faces and I know they are thinking of Rafe too. "Good. It's settled then. Nessie and Carlos will be here soon. We need to get these kids back to the house so we can talk to them and straighten things out." Alice says taking control of the situation at hand. The pack agrees to phase and run back to the house with Jasper while Nessie, Carlos, and Alice drives me and the rest of glee there.
Jasper sends another burst of calming sedation their way so that it will be easier to move them with out a fight. Once everyone is situated in the cars we take off towards the large house in the woods. I relax into the passenger side seat of Nessie's suburban. The next couple of days are going to be chaos. For once I would like to have a normal life without mythical monsters lurking in the shadows but I guess I just wasn't meant to be ordinary. A kind of bitter sweetness fills me knowing that in a few short moments these regular teens lives are going to be changed indefinitely.
Their innocents so to speak is going to be stripped from them and they will be thrust into a world where the monsters in your closet are real and things really do go bump in the night. I envied their ignorance because I grew up always knowing that those things truly existed. I never had a so called "normal life". Now I don't envy them at all. I feel for them and hope that they come out unscathed on the other side when all this craziness is all said and done.
"Calla, sweetie it's time." Nessie says softly bringing me from my thoughts. I didn't even notice we pulled up the house already. "Your right Ness. It is R time." I say feeling the weight of my words. It's R time to step up in this world and do what it is that we were born to do. The torch has finally passed from our parents' generation to ours. They will not be helping in this fight. Not this time. This is all on us.
I step out of Nessie's SUV and turn towards the woods. I watch as the pack emerges and I can see the set look of pure determination on their faces. Yup it is definitely R time.
A/N: Please Review. Next up the glee club heads to Forks and the pack prepares for war.
