JAKE

I was staring down at the screen of the phone intently watching the tiny figure that represented my girlfriend slowly moving farther away from my current location. I growled, low and deep in frustration. I trusted in my tracking skills and I knew eventually I would find my woman, but knowing she was upset and alone was putting my nerves on edge. My wolf was once again straining at his barrier, silently pleaded with me to set him loose. He knew he could cover ground faster on four legs then I was on two, but I knew that I couldn't just run around the city in my giant canine form without being shot.

Stopping to readjust my position and figure out which way to go I wondered to myself how things had gotten so chaotic so quickly. I had to have done something; somehow I made Lea feel this insecure. I sighed, just wanting terribly to hold my imprint in my arms and tell her that I didn't love or want anyone else. I saw my path more clearly now and started walking again my long strides eating up the ground as I moved. Following Lea hadn't been hard so far, other then one small blip when she had taken the subway from Brooklyn to Manhattan, but I'd quickly realized what she was doing and followed suit. Now she just keep heading more and more uptown and I wondered where her final destination would be.

As I walked I could feel the breeze in the early evening air picking up, it would still be light for a few more hours but it was getting cooler. Lea would be chilly; she was only wearing one thin shirt and jeans. I frowned to myself, not understanding why she had to leave like she did? Why if she was upset she couldn't have just screamed in my face, it would have been better then this emptiness of not knowing what she was thinking. I blinked pausing for a moment when I noticed Lea was heading into Central Park. She talked about that place a lot I guess I shouldn't be that surprised that she would seek solace there. I thought hard trying to remember the one area she always talked about liking to visit; suddenly it came to me Belvedere Castle.

Feeling pretty certain I knew where my imprint was going now I took off into a steady jog. I figured I probably looked a little odd, running down the sidewalk in my work boots paired with my jeans, but this was also one of the largest cities in the world and I didn't garner even a passing glance from most people. I didn't tire easily thanks to my supernatural powers and now speeding along at a quicker pace I started to cover ground much more swiftly.

I reached the edge of the park, watching as Lea's dot had seemed to find a resting place because she hadn't moved in the last ten minutes or so. I scented the air, the trees and greenery made the wolf inside whine for his forest home. Walking inside of the park, starting to follow a few paths, trying to figure out the best way to get to my girlfriend it was easy for me to tell why she enjoyed this place so much. Lea loved the woods; it had actually surprised me as we were getting to know one another how natural she was there. This was probably one of the closest places to a forest one would get in the city, still I could smell the cars and the people it made me miss La Push.

Walking up a path I noticed a gigantic stone building towering ahead. I didn't need to be a genius to guess this must be the castle Lea seemed to like so much. I checked Becky's phone again and my imprint's dot was just a little farther ahead still in the same spot. I began to feel apprehensive. Worried that Lea would still be angry with me and maybe rush away again. I steeled my conviction, my imprint needed me and I couldn't allow my own self doubts to push me away. I climbed up a small hill and walked pass the castle. Above I could see people milling around the building taking pictures and looking at the lake below. It was very pretty. I would have preferred to bring Lea here for more pleasant reasons. I shook my head signing.

I was walking down the gentle incline of a path now; weaving through some twists and turns when I froze. The clear scent of confusion and pain from my imprint hit me with the force of a brick wall. A canine whine of concern left my chest. Turning around a bend I found Lea sitting alone on a park bench looking silently and thoughtfully into the trees beyond. I was surprised; she didn't look angry but more sad. I awkwardly cleared my throat.

"Hey Baby." My voice was soft, non-threatening. I tried to relax my posture my hands in the pockets of my jeans, my expression I assumed concerned. I watched Lea's face turn, first shock written on her features which quickly melted to something akin to guilt. Her eyes downcast as she spoke back to me.

"You shouldn't have come after me Jake." I felt my heart fall until her two dark eyes lifted and the warmth in them for me took a weight off my chest. "And it might make me even more selfish but I'm really glad you did." Emotions surged through me. First and foremost I felt relief that Lea wasn't angry at me, I paced back and forth for a moment before I could no longer stand the distance between my girlfriend and I. Striding across the space between us and slamming myself down on the park bench next to Lea I firmly grasped one of her hands in my own. She looked up at me a little surprised.

"Look Lea, I'm not certain what I did to make you upset, but I didn't mean it I swear. I don't love anyone else but you and I can't picture myself ever even thinking about being with another woman." I felt my face screw up, having trouble trying to properly express what I wanted to say. "I know I can be completely fucking stupid sometimes and more then often a complete shit…" I didn't get to finish my apology. Without warning Lea slide closer to me leaning up to crush her warm mouth against my own.

I didn't know where the sudden mood change had come from but I wasn't going to complain about it. I returned the kiss, my free hand moving up to my imprint's hair, tugging it loose from the pony tail she had it in. I stayed silent as we broke apart, Lea not moving away but looking up into my gaze her guilty expression returning.

"Jake don't ever talk negatively about yourself like that again." Her voice was firm; I felt my eyes narrow in confusion. "You're the most wonderful man and I'm so lucky and so stupid because I almost threw everything we had away and why, because I got insecure and jealous." Lea turned away her head dropped down into her hands; I could hear the self loathing in her voice. "I need to apologize to you for everything I just did, I'm such a jackass."

Her speech stopped as I tilted forward nuzzling her shoulder and neck with my nose, leaning a small portion of my weight against her, resting my head against the top of hers. "I made you jealous?" I knew it was probably an odd thing for me to focus on, but I'd always been the one left feeling inadequate, watching the person I loved with someone else. While I certainly would never wish that pain on Lea, knowing she cared about me enough to feel it at the intensity that she obviously had right now made me feel special.

"Jake I'm already almost ten years older then you and you never age, how long is it going to be before you decide you would prefer someone younger, or thinner or prettier then me." I snapped back from her, I had never in all the time I had known her heard Lea say something in such a self defeated tone. I was almost angry for a moment. Did I really come across as that much of a shallow asshole? Watching my imprint's expression, she just kept staring down at the ground I realized it wasn't really me in the end that she doubted it was herself.

"Fuck that!" My tone came out maybe a little bit harsher then necessary, but it certainly drew Lea's full attention to what I was saying. "You're the most beautiful woman I know. You can be so gentle and caring, but at the same time fierce and unrelenting. My life makes sense when you're around; shit without you to point out things that probably should be obvious to me I would be a clueless moron sometimes. And Baby, you have to know that I love everything about your body. Fuck you know how much I walk around with a hard-on because I'm near you and I can't think of anything else but how much I want to be inside of you."

I scented the change in her mood. The desperation that had been flowing thickly from her started to fade and was replaced by solid relief and arousal from my last declaration. Leaning forward Lea pressed her face against my chest and after a moment I just held her, feeling really for the first time like I was giving her the same kind of support that I always looked for from her. I listened as her heart beat slowed, one of her hands creeping up to run along my side.

"I'm really sorry for running out like I did Jacob. I'm a huge asshole for leaving you standing there alone while I went to mope." Lea's tone was more even and honest; she seemed to have stopped beating herself up at least for the moment.

"I wasn't even mad Baby." I kissed the top of her head. "I just didn't want you to be pissed at me. I don't even really know what just happened at that party, but all I could think of the entire time I was trapped by your partner's daughter was how much I just wanted to get back to you so you could protect me." I felt the air as she laughed suddenly against my chest, her face turning up wards so that now her chin was pressed tightly against my frame.

"Me protect you?" I grinned at the amused disbelief in her tone. Ducking my head I nipped gently at her ear as she attempted to squirm away.

"I think that's kind of in the job description as my girlfriend, to get all territorial when another chick comes sniffing around me." My voice was teasing but I could feel how aware of her scent I was becoming. Living with other people fucking sucked. It had been only twenty four hours since we had last made love and while that may not seem like much time to a lot of people it felt like forever to me. Maybe it was my dual nature or just my natural personality but I craved Lea's touch, especially intimately the same way I needed food or water. My imprint was upset and my usual reaction would be to kiss, fondle and suck every part of her until she could no longer remember what had been wrong in the first place.

Lea inclined back, to allow herself to better gaze up at me, but all it did was accentuate her torso and draw my eyes to her chest. "Jacob." The warmth of the feelings in her voice caused a smile to cross my face, she reached out to trace her fingers along my lips, I think plainly able to see my desire for her. "It's odd, because I do completely trust you I swear." I felt my brows knit wondering how what she was saying related to my past statement. "Sometimes I think my need to nurture you, to never hold you back from achieving whatever you need to do gets in the way of my common sense. That and sometimes I guess I wonder why you would want me."

Lea was always so much more composed and sensible then me. Clearly looking through her emotions and knowing why she was feeling them. I knew she had left because she needed to gather her thoughts I just wished she could learn to do that while she was with me instead of having to run off alone. I took a deep breath, glancing around scenting the wind and not noticing any other people too close to were we where. The small path the bench was on kind of an off shoot and away from the main one most people seemed to be using. Leaning back against the hard wood of the seat I pulled Lea into my lap, her body straddling mine, her breasts pressed tightly against my chest.

"You know it's kind of funny." My imprint had been settling against my warmth, but I watched her eyebrow cock at my words. "You can't figure out sometimes why I want you and daily I think your going to wake the fuck up and realize you could do a shit ton better then a moody werewolf, with so much baggage he could probably fill the bottom of a commercial jet." My expression was honest. Lea really felt like this strong glue that was currently holding a lot of the pieces of my crazy life together. My girlfriend tried to look firm with me, like she was going to start to lecture me for my statement but the expression melted into adoration.

"What a perfect pair we are Mister Black." I sighed as she rested her head against my shoulder, one of my hands lifting up to lie against her ass gently rubbing its fine curve. "Both of us get so concerned with what's best for the other; we seem to forget the obvious. No one's better for us then each other." The truth of her statement hit me like a ton of bricks. Every doubt I'd been fighting with about us these last few weeks was stupid. Sure their probably was men out there that Lea could have an easier life with then me, but I could proudly say not one existed on this Earth that would love her as completely and devotedly as I did.

"Lately, I've been feeling like I've been holding you back. Figuring I was constantly asking too much of you, expecting you to keep me in line. I've been afraid to tell you that, because I was also scared if you saw the truth of this shit that you would finally realize how much I demanded of you and you would run the fuck away. I mean your life had to be so much less complicated when it was you being a cop here, running everything your way." I didn't even comprehend how good the confession would feel until I started telling Lea everything. How much bullshit I really did have bottled up inside of me and how liberating it felt to get it all out in the open.

"I was so lonely." I blinked surprised at the pain in my imprints voice and the scent of misery that flowed from her form. My arms wrapped up and embraced her, trying to protect her from her own emotions. "Daily seeing the absolute worst of people and always having to stay strong because it's what's expected of me. I try to pretend I'm stoic almost unemotional, but the truth is I care so much it's almost overwhelming. A lot of things happened to me Jake, which probably damaged me and made me unable to connect to other people properly. I couldn't get past my own walls I'd built up to allow a man in, to really love someone. Until I met you, it was instantaneous really. Something in you spoke to something in me and for the first time in a long time I really felt like I could depend on someone, like I didn't need to carry the world alone. I love you Jacob Black."

Lea had shifted her position while she was speaking so that she was looking me directly in the eye. The force of everything she was telling me wasn't lost on to me. My heart swelled in my chest realizing for probably the first time just how intensely important I was to this woman who meant so much to me. I knew my imprint loved me. I could clearly feel it through our bond, but it had never dawned on me that I could possible hold her world together as much as she did mine, that my strong, beautiful girlfriend could depend on me as much as I did her. Over whelmed so deeply in love with his woman before me, I wasn't certain what to even say.

I pressed my face into her neck, kissing and lightly nipping the soft skin presented to me there. Feeling her heart beat against my cheek, hoping she would be able to understand my wordless reply to her declaration. A soft whimper left my throat as her own face tucked in against the warmth of my neck, kissing, licking and nuzzling me back. "My wolf." Her words were a whisper, as her right hand drifted up into my hair massaging the back of my head. I realized too how stupid it was of me to think Lea would ever want something other then me and how idiotic it was of her to think I could ever find another woman who would accept everything about me like she did.

Bodies pressed tightly together, emotions bared so open I became keenly aware of a different yearning building renewed strength within me, the blood flowing to my groin, my cock growing hard, pressed up and against the warm heat emanating from between the legs of the woman straddling my lap, rubbing painfully against the fabric of my jeans. I stood, grabbing Lea and swinging her up into my arms. She made a surprised noise, but as soon as she saw my expression it turned into a teasing smile. I glanced around the area we were in before easily hopping a low fence and pushing my way into the underbrush of the trees surrounding where we had been sitting.

"You know we're not exactly in La Push right now Jake?" I saw the doubt on her face from my plan, I just shook my head.

"I'll be able to smell or hear anyone before they would even get close to us Baby. Anyway you've always loved fucking in the woods at home." I watched her brow rise at my comment. She would probably never admit it to anyone but I could tell the excited thrill Lea always got when we made love outside. This thanks to the poor winter weather we hadn't been able to do at all recently. My imprint didn't argue with me, which was as good as her admitting I was right.

I quickly jogged through the dense tree cover. Impressed by the random amounts of forest this park seemed to posses, stopping when I reached an open area just large enough to have a soft cover of grass. Scenting the small region I only smelled squirrels and raccoons and few other animals. No humans had been here in quite sometime. I carefully placed Lea back on her feet, only to be accosted by her slipping up on tip toe to crush her soft lips into mine.

Her desire hung plainly in the air surrounding her, making me feel heady my member straining for release from the confines of my clothes into the tight body of the woman I adored. I wrapped Lea firmly in my arms pulling her firmly against me deepening the kiss, my tongue lightly touching hers. My wolf had stayed fairly silent while allowing me to mend things with our mate, now he was completely at attention again. Vying with me for control, I actually found I was growing use to the ripple of my skin as I growled forcefully against the mouth of the woman I was kissing.

Lea pulled away and I groaned, displeased, reaching out to pull her back until I realized her intentions. Her eyes already heavy with lust she fell to her knees in front of me, scooting forward to tug on the button and zipper of my strained pants. My cock literally leapt from the confines of its prison, ram rod straight, veins pulsing as the warm breath of my imprint's mouth teased me against the backdrop of the cool spring air, the head engorged and shiny from a thin drizzle of precum wetting the tip.

Lea leaned forward and her satiny lips surrounded the crown of my member, a long, pleased whine echoing through the trees surrounding us. "Fuck, yes." I groaned, my hips thrusting slightly against the warm cavern of my imprint's mouth. Lea knew my body, she knew every place to touch and tease to get the full spectrum of pleasure for me; same as I did her. One of her hands lifted and Lea started to stroke the base of my cock in time with her firm suction on the tip. My world became lost to sensation and grabbing my imprint's hair I twisted it around my fingers pulling her roughly against my hips.

I felt the tightening in my balls as I came, a growling roar of release leaving my mouth. My seed shooting down the throat of the woman kneeling before me, my breath coming in staggered bursts, I watched Lea licking her lips, looking up at me through intense eyes, I could smell her damp arousal from between her thighs and inside my wolf cried to touch her. Reaching down I pulled my tee shirt up and over my head, grinning as my imprint's eyes gazed over my fit frame approval for me glowing from there depths. I couldn't even count how often Lea had seen me naked by now, but it always inflated my ego that she found me as undeniable attractive as she obviously did.

I spread my shirt onto the grass, giving Lea something to lie back on so that she wasn't simply in the dirt. My imprint was already pulling off her own top and I growled, falling to the ground next to her forcefully grabbing her hands wishing to remove her cloths myself. I tore her shirt from her body, her bra quickly following suit. Using my larger frame to push her towards my tee, I pressed her down onto the Earth my mouth first gently kissing one of her pert nipples before taking it between my teeth and softly biting and licking at Lea's body.

Lea writhed beneath me, straining against the pleasurable feelings flowing through her like electricity. I unbuttoned and unzipped her jeans, pulled away and easily tugged both them and her panties off. Huffing lightly, drowning for a moment in the scent of her sex. My wolf snapped inside to dominate the beautiful woman laying below me, my cock twitching and started to fill with blood again. Nothing on Earth had ever driven me as crazy as my woman did. The desire to fill her with me, to posses her, I felt the ripple of the wolf over my skin once again.

"You know I still do own you one thing." Lea was panting lightly and turned to look at me mildly baffled. I stood to finally pull my own pants off; my eyebrow cocked waiting to see what my imprint would say.

"What are you talking about Jake?" Naked now, I knelt down, pushing apart my woman's legs breathing deeply and groaning, kissing along her inner thighs.

"You were very bad leaving me all alone today." My voice was firm but teasing, Lea's eyes had closed from my attention, but I saw them open again looking at me with annoyance.

"I said I was sorry Jake and I am really, but why are you mentioning this now?" Her hips raised ever so slightly, a demanding look on my imprint's face, she didn't want me to talk, she wanted me to make her scream. I sat back, smirking feeling very in control at this moment, teasingly scratching at my shoulder, schooling my expression to appear serious.

"Somehow I don't think simple words are enough of a punishment." My cock was full again and hard, I licked my lips almost able to taste the scent of my woman's arousal in the air. The look in Lea's eyes stirred a new fury in my wolf. Challenging, angry, she looked about ready to slug me for being an asshole and taunting her like I was. It just made me want to do it even more.

"Jake are you purposely trying to drive me crazy?" The condescending tone, I bared my teeth at her as I let out a throaty laugh.

"I'm trying to show you, that you shouldn't run away from me anymore. Whatever happens we're supposed to handle it together isn't that what you always tell me?" Lea's lips pursed at my comment and I had the feeling another smartass remark was about to leave her mouth. I never gave it the chance, leaping forward I grabbed my imprint. Growling playfully as I twisted her body around so she was lying on her stomach instead. Lea let out a surprised rush of air, but before she could react I lifted one of my hands and swiftly smacked her right ass cheek; leaving a lovely, large hand mark.

"Jacob!" Shock thick in Lea's tone, laughing I leaning down to plant hard kisses all over the area I had just hit. Quickly sitting back up I smacked her ass smartly again. This time she had been expecting it and my action was met by a groan from the woman below me and a greater intensity to her scent. My eyes narrowed, inside my wolf snapped at me for playing around for too long. I could feel my mouth watering and finally I couldn't deny myself the ability to taste her any longer.

I dropped to my own back, slithering forward and easily lifting her hips above my head. Lea cried out softly as my lips and teeth found her small pleasure nub, enflamed with her arousal and begging for my attention. I lapped down from her sheath up to the small mound of flesh were all of her intense desires were centered. She ground her hips down and into my face. Tasting her sweet nectar, I couldn't help myself as I smacked her ass again above me as I continued my assault on her body with my tongue. My imprint already so stimulated came hard, crying out for me as I could hear her hands raking through the grass surrounding us. Licking up her juices almost purring at the pleasure of the taste shooting straight down into my groin I pulled myself back up into a kneeling position behind my woman.

Lea was panting but managed to turn herself back over, flushed, momentarily sated by me her dark eyes lifted to lock with mine. "I can't promise Jake, but I'll genuinely try to never leave you like that again, because I know how it makes you feel and it isn't fair." Honesty in her expression and understanding, lust being washed over by love, I just couldn't stop touching my imprint as I stared down at her.

Leaning down cuddling close, first kissing her lightly, licking at her lips, before nuzzling between her breasts and once again against her neck, I sat back up, wanting to see her face, her expression the adoration for me that was so often in her eyes. "I know you like to be in control of your emotions Baby, but you at the very least need to tell me you need to leave and where you're going. Not that I mind hunting all over the city for you, fuck I would search the whole country for you if I needed to; but sometimes it's just nice to know you're not pissed off at me!"

I saw the brief flash of shame in my imprint's eyes and she studied the thick chords of my chest for a few moments before gazing back up at my face. "I guess even I still have some stuff to learn. I really am sorry Jake and thank you for coming after me." An understanding shared between us. It brought a soft smile to my face, my eyes dropping to look at the sight of my cock ram rod straight again, lying against the creamy shade of Lea's stomach.

I growled, my gaze finding the woman's below me and her face became a playful smirk. "I certainly hope we aren't done yet Wolf?" She dropped one hand, her fingers teasing along the swollen head of my member.

"Not a fucking chance!" I grabbed her legs, lifting her hips and positioning myself so that the crown of my cock was pressing against the entrance of her sheath. Lea's was looking up at me her gaze smoldering, begging me to take her. The ripple of my wolf, he wanted to feel the inside of his mate as badly as I did. With one low pleasurable hiss, I started to slide into my woman, inch by inch, her body, like a tight hot vice gripping my large size and attempting to pull me in deeper.

I groaned out loud buried to the hilt inside my imprint, her emotions and mine syncing so that the intensity of our love was momentarily almost overwhelming. Looking down I leaned forward my arms braced on each side of the woman below me. Slowly, steadily starting to thrust into Lea, Catching her mouth in a hard kiss as her first pleasure noises started to leave her throat.

We were lost within the waves of our desires and emotions. I pressed my face firmly against the side of hers, my breaths coming in short bursts as my rutting started to gain speed. For a few moments I lost sense of everything except her soft body pressed against mine and the hot grip of her sheath around my member. She wrapped her legs up and around me, as I thrust into her harder, her smaller frame rocking against the force of my movement. I heard Lea cry out, her body shuddering and clamping down on mine, a shiver of divine pleasure running through me at the added pressure of her orgasm.

Lea gasped for a few moments trying to regain her breath, before her hips joined mine in the movement again. My speed increasing more, I could feel the tightness growing in my balls as I knew I was nearing my completion. I bit Lea's shoulder hard, she gasped shocked as I shot load after load of hot cum inside her shaking body. My movement stilled, but my imprint and I continued to lie together, touching trying to come down from the natural high our bodies were currently soaring on. Finally I flopped over to the side, landing on my back staring up into the nearly cloudless sky. I briefly wondered how much time had passed as Lea curled her frame up and against me.

"Jake." I turned and held her tightly, keeping my imprint warm and listening to her heart slowly stop pounding. I kissed her forehead, my mind filled with about one hundred romantic things I wanted to say when something caught my attention. At some point during our lovemaking the direction of the breeze had changed. I hadn't noticed, my attention having been consumed by the scent of my woman, but now I could clearly smell the odor of another wolf. I snapped up, growling, but calmed a little when I realized that the canine stink was older and that it wasn't anywhere near were we were at the moment. Still I couldn't ignore what could be an important clue.

"What's wrong?" Lea could easily tell something had happened from my expression and posture. I sat up continuing to keep her form close to mine; it gave me a feeling of security.

"I smell an old wolf odor. It might be from the shape shifter. I should go look." I glanced down at my imprint with concern, knowing to go and investigate I would have to leave her here alone. Lea could tell why I looked worried and reaching up she touched my cheek.

"Go look. I'll be fine here and if by any chance something did happen, I'll just scream for you." Even with how certain she sounded still I hesitated. Finally she smacked my arm pushing against it lightly. "Now Jake, I can certainly watch out for myself for the few minutes you'll be gone." She was giving me a critical look and I knew she was right. Nodded, letting out a long sigh I pulled myself away from my woman with hesitation.

"Stay right here so I know where you are." I moved stretching the muscles in my torso before exploding into my shift. I now saw Lea through the eyes of my wolf form, her smell, her body enticing and mine. I pressed my cool nose against her hip, as she reached across to lovingly scratch behind one of my ears.

"I'll get dressed while you're gone." I let out a low whine of acknowledgment, watching for a moment as Lea started to gather her clothes. Finally the wolf scent hit me again and I turned trotting to the tree line but not running away quite yet. Lifting my leg I pissed on the largest tree surrounding the spot I was leaving Lea in clearly marking it and her as mine.

I heard Lea let out a stifled laugh behind me. I know amused at my inner wolfish need to claim things. Turning I gave her one last firm look, a command that she better listen before I leapt out into the trees. It had been a few days since I had last been in my canine form and it felt fantastic, my muscles pumping, the wind whipping through my scruff. I tore across the ground, easily being able to follow the stink of the other wolf. Slowing to a trot I ended at an enclosed area, surrounded my branches and vines, giving me the impression this had been a make shift den.

I paced around the area, smelling everything. I'd been correct. The other wolf had not been here in probably a few weeks. If Lea and I hadn't ventured into the trees like we had, I more then likely would not even have ever noticed the scent. I huffed, scarping a bit of dirt away with my front paws, seeing that the old occupant of den had left small bones from rabbits and other game. It seemed like humans were not the only thing on his menu. I was certain it was the shifter. The stink of the creature was similar to that of my own and my pack, mostly canine but with hints of the musk of a man.

Knowing I had learned everything I could on my own I turned, but before I headed back to my imprint I once again lifted my leg against one of the larger trees surrounding the den and pissed. If by some chance the other shifter did return I wanted to leave a clear message that he was not alone and I was not going to tolerate his bullshit.

The path back to where I'd left Lea took me next to no time to cover. Trotting back into the clearing my imprint was sitting on my shirt still, fully dressed now pulling her boots onto her feet. I whined softly and she turned at the noise a wide smile crossing her face. "I'm assuming you found what you were looking for?" I nodded my canine head sharply answering Lea's question.

Walking closer I didn't shift back just yet instead pressing my giant head against the small woman before me. Lea embraced me without hesitation, burying her face in my neck scruff, her right hand rubbing my massive chest. With a contented sigh I flopped over onto my side. Lea fell with me laughing, scooting around to curl up against my furry belly.

"I miss this." I licked Lea's neck and face, not even able to express how happy it made me that she loved wolf Jake as much as she did. I can still remember my own revulsion at myself when I first shifted, seeing my form through Lea's eyes had made me actually love my wolf half as much as my human.

I knew I should shift back, if for no other reason then I needed to get back to the apartment to tell Embry what I'd found. I would bring him back here tomorrow morning and see if he made anything more out of this new information then I had. Yet right now I couldn't move. I sheltered Lea's body with my large bushy tail, my wolf heat keeping her warm. It was twilight now, not that I would have any trouble seeing even in the dark to get us out of here and back home. Lea was laying on me playing with my ear closer to her, kissing my muzzle and laughing when I would turn my head to lick again at her face. It was easy and natural. Something I have to admit I never thought I would have with someone while in my wolf shape.

Finally with a groan I showed Lea we needed to rise. She pouted but understood and pulled herself up. Once on my feet I shifted back into my human form. Lea just smiled softly at me and going up on tip toe lightly kissed my lips. "You should probably put your clothes on Jake before we just start all over again." She smirked at me and I made a thoughtful face like I was trying to decide if that was a bad thing.

Lea threw my pants at me now laughing. I grabbed the item tossed at me and started to pull them on. "So was it the shifter?" Now that we were getting ready to head back Lea became focused more on the case again.

"It certainly seemed that way to me." I shrugged. "I'll bring Em back tomorrow so he can take a sniff himself and see what he thinks." My imprint looked thoughtful, before letting out a long sigh. I could see her expression become concerned.

"Don't worry Baby." I pulled my imprint to me kissing the side of her mouth. "We have his scent now, this just puts us one step closer to catching the bastard and we will. You can count on that." Lea nodded, sharing in the determination in my voice.

"When you say it like that Jake, how could I doubt it for a moment?"


AN: I'm sorry this chapter has taken me a little bit longer then normal to get posted here. Work has been a bit crazy lately so I've been having trouble finding time to actually sit in front of my computer and get things done. I was really glad everyone enjoyed the growth of Embry and Becky's romance and hope you enjoy the progression of Lea and Jake's relationship here. I will try my hardest to get the next chapter up quicker!

Thank you so much to sthrnpanther06, Beaches of La Push, DragonBby and Princess Aria Romanov for their reviews last chapter! And thank you kindly to everyone who sent me New Years wishes too!