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Chapter Thirteen: Pack of Gamblers

I didn't know whether to groan or laugh at the scene before me. Dad was chasing Kayne only half dressed; socks, boxers, and dress shirt. Kayne was running around with Dad's tie in hand and laughing as he evaded Dad's attempts to retrieve his tie. I checked my watch, I had to be heading to the cliffs within fifteen minutes and Dad's date is picking him up in ten minutes.

"Boys," I said in a stern voice, Dad and Kayne froze in their tracks.

"Hey Lani," They greeted sheepishly.

"Dad where are your pants?"

"I misplaced them, and then Kayne took my tie and… yeah," Dad mumbled.

"Dad your pants are in the basement on the ironing board, and Kayne give Dad his tie back," I instructed, and they began moving slowly. I checked my watch again, "You have five minutes to get your pants, shoes, and tie on if you want enough time to brush your teeth and brush your hair," I informed Dad. His eyes widened and he cursed under his breath and he ran down the stairs.

I turned to Kayne who had managed to get his clothes dirty again. How he could do this I wasn't sure, but I led him upstairs to his room to get him ready. I began searching for clean pants, shirt, jacket, and socks as Kayne put his dirty clothes in the hamper.

"Sorry Lani," He murmured while he got dressed.

I ruffled his hair, "It's okay, just meet me down stairs when you're ready." Checking my watch again I went looking for Dad in hopes he was almost ready.

He was in the living room fumbling with his tie as the bell rang. I opened the door with a smile, "Hey Ms. Oaks."

Jill's mom was almost the opposite of Jill even though their physical features were one and the same; long wavy auburn hair, shapely, bright smile, freckles, and green eyes. If you hadn't guessed, the Oaks are Irish, even her father.

"Hey Lani, I told you that you could call me Melissa," Melissa chided with a smile.

I smiled in return, "My bad Melissa, so how's the shop?"

"It's doing good, so should I assume your father isn't ready to go?" She asked with a smirk.

"You've got that right," I held open the door for her to wittiness Dad's struggle with that "damned tie". Melissa giggled under her breath and helped Dad tie his tie. Awe, they were so cute, Dad all blush-y and Melissa all giggle-y.

"You guys have fun okay," I said as I urged them out the door.

Dad of course had to stop in his tracks, "Are you sure you're okay with watching Kayne, I mean you're only a senior in high school once and I don't want you to miss out and--," Melissa thankfully covered his mouth with her hand.

She winked at me, "I'll be fine Dad, and I don't mind at all. You have fun, and have the time of your life. You're only old once," I teased and the pair walked out to Melissa's car. Dad being a gentleman opened her door then walked over to sit in the passenger's seat. They waved and I waved back until they were on the road and driving off to Port Angeles.

"Kayne you can come out now," I called and the shy boy emerged from the stairs. "Why were you hiding?"

He shrugged, "I didn't know the pretty lady."

"Next time you can meet her and then you'll know the pretty lady," I said. "So are you ready to go?" I asked as I checked my watch for the zillionth time since I got home.

Kayne smiled, "Yep." Commence buckling the almost five year old into his big-boy seat. We left the house a few minutes earlier than we needed to, but I'd rather be early than late.

"Lani?" Kayne asked as I unbuckled him.

"Yes?"

"You're not going to leave me right?" He asked.

I arched my eyebrow, "Why would I leave you?"

Kayne shrugged his little shoulders, "I could get separated from you and then you'll leave without me."

I helped him down to stand beside me. Crouching down to his eye level I said, "Kayne, we're not going to get separated and even if we do I'll never leave without you."

"Ok," Was all he said, but the relief he felt was evident to anyone.

Kayne and I walked hand in hand as we hiked up the path to where the bonfire is located. Once we emerged in the clearing I was being hugged by Kim, and I feared the results of the lack of oxygen.

"Glad you came," Kim said once she released me. She looked down at Kayne with a grin, "And I'm even happier you came to Kayne." I'm not sure if it was because he's cute or for the further torture being subjected to Paul once he arrives… then again maybe both.

"Is the subject here yet?" I asked Kim and she got that look in her eyes when we talked about the plan.

"Not yet Wolf Girl 3, but he'll be arriving shortly. Until then I want you to meet Jared," Kim led Kayne and me over to a group of Quileute male bodies. "Jared, this is Lani. Lani this is Jared," Kim introduced me to the face I recognized from the snack counter at the movies.

I smiled, "Hey Jared, feeling better?" I said with a wink of which he returned.

"Oh yeah, much better," Was his response.

"So how was the movie?" I asked Kim out of the blue and I saw Jared hide his laughter with a cough.

She looked flabbergasted; "What ever do you mean Lani dearest?"

"Cut the crap Kim, I saw you with you poor sick Jared," I called her out with a smug grin.

Kim rolled her eyes, "Fine I lied, big deal. Not like you wouldn't have done the same."

"That's where you're wrong. I wouldn't have been seen," I corrected making Embry, Quil, and Jared chuckle under their breath.

"Anyway, I've informed the guys, Emily, and Mother Hannah of the plan," Kim changed the subject not so subtly.

"What part of the plan?"

"The part where they make Paul believe Kayne is your son."

"Very nice, so anything else I should know?"

"Act natural because here he comes," Kim whispered as the twinge signaled the approach of a certain werewolf. Then it really clicked… if Paul was a werewolf and Jake, Embry, Quil, Jared, and Sam looked like him then wouldn't that mean they're all werewolves? Hmm, that's pretty nifty.

I turned to greet Paul and Kayne shied behind me, "Hey Paul."

He smiled at me then arched an eyebrow at Kayne, "Hey Lani, who's that?"

"This is Kayne. Kayne this is Paul, say hello?" I suggested to Kayne. He gave Paul a suspicious glare as he said hello. Jeez, even my little brother is over protective; that's just not right.

Paul looked relieved for an instant, then he put the wrong two together. Paul got a slightly pained look as he realized the thing Kim wants him to think. Poor Paul, oh well.

"So do you have any siblings?" He asked, see Paul's not that dumb.

"Yep, his name is Brenden. How about you?" I silently laughed at my sneakiness.

"Nah, but the guys are like my brothers. Annoying like them to," Paul joked.

I laughed, "I know what you mean. I grew up with Jake, Quil, and Embry acting like overprotective brothers every time a boy came near me." Paul didn't seem to mind.

Emily beckoned me over to her and Carter, "I'll talk to you later; I'm being summoned."

"What do you need?" I asked Emily once I was seated beside her and Kayne and Carter were playing in front of us.

She smiled, "I figured this would be a good way for you to seem more motherly than you already do, and also for us to talk."

I grinned, is it just me or do the females here have devious minds? "Pray tell?"

"So Nani already told me you know the legends are true and that you've seen Paul in his all his wolf glory, but Sam doesn't know. It's tradition for Billy Black and the other Elders (including Nani) to tell the legends then for Sam to tell the new comer that they are true. Well Kim and I are bored and feel like we shouldn't pass up this opportunity," Emily was whispering quickly.

"What opportunity?" I asked in my whisper voice.

"That the newcomer (you) know the legends are true, so that when Sam is about to inform you they're true one of us mentions you already know," Emily was fidgeting with excitement.

"I can't wait to see his reaction," I said

"Same here," Kim said as she plopped down next to me. "I so think Lani should inform Sam. He'll get all flabbergasted, it'll be great."

Emily pursed her lips, "How do you think the Elders will react?"

"Wanna make bets?" I asked and the three of us got mischievous grins.

"Heck yes," was Kim's response.

"I think they'll be in complete shock that they won't be able to say anything," Emily said as she pulled out a five from her purse.

"I think they'll question it," Kim said as she also pulled out a five.

"I think they'll laugh," I said as I put a five into the zip lock baggy Emily had on her for some reason. They looked at me as if I was crazy.

"They so won't laugh, I mean come on… they're freaking elders," Kim said aghast.

Emily arched her eyebrow, "I've got to agree with Kim on that one."

I shrugged, "Let's wait and find out."

"Deal, bets are on," We agreed.

Paul's POV

"Why didn't you guys tell me she had a son?" I asked Jared, Quil, and Embry once Lani was on the other side of the fire pit with Emily and Kim.

Embry shrugged, "You never asked."

I pressed my palms to my head, "Fine, but who's the father?" Why does this have to happen to me? It's not bad enough that my family hates me, but now some douche bag has already hitched my imprint with a kid.

"Don't know," Was all Quil said.

I raised my eyebrows, "So he's not around here?"

They shook their heads at me. Enough to say I was elated to hear that he wasn't around, but also sad that Lani was left to raise Kayne on her own… I'm so freaking confused. I don't know what to think anymore.

"How do you think she'll react to Sam telling her we're all werewolves?" I asked even though I knew she didn't seem to mind the fact that I was.

They shrugged, these guys are just full of information aren't they? "Guess we'll have to wait and find out."

I rolled my eyes and walked off to talk to Lani. Her, Emily, and Kim were putting money into a baggy and discussing something. I figured I'd wait until they were done before approaching them, no need to be overly nosy.

Third Person

Embry, Quil, and Jared waited until Paul was talking with Sam before getting to business.

"Ok, how do you think Lani will react to Paul telling her he imprinted on her?" Quil asked in a low whisper.

"Ten bucks she accepts it like Kim did," Jared said and pulled out his wallet, referring to when Kim asked a ton of questions without freaking out all that much.

"Fifteen bucks she'll deny it and try to avoid him," Quil said and felt bad for Paul.

"Jeez, how depressing," Embry began. "Anyway, I bet twenty bucks she'll lose her cool for once and freak out, but be convinced before next Saturday."

"Embry, you always over bet. You sure you don't want to rethink?" Jared asked. Embry was known for his high bets that he usually lost.

"No way, I think mine has a better chance of happening than your guys' bets." Embry's guess was closer to being true than Jared's, but they didn't know that.

"Why do you think she'll try to avoid him?" Jared asked Quil.

Quil shrugged, "I just know Lani."

Embry huffed, "I know Lani too, and she is so not going to avoid Paul."

"I've got to agree with Embry, Quil. Lani must feel the pull of the imprint, and she won't be able to deny it," Jared said.

"I never said she was going to deny it forever, but at first she's going to try as hard as she can to stay away from him."

"I feel bad for Paul already if that's true," Jared said.

"Don't worry Jared, I'll win the bet and they'll live happily ever after before the week is over," Embry said with confidence.

"I sure hope so," Jared said.

"I never thought I'd say this, but I want you to win this bet Embry," Quil said.

"How do you think Lani will react to being told the legends are true?" Sam asked the Elders which were Billy Black and Old Quil Ateara.

"Five bucks she already knows," Billy Black said as he put his money in the can.

Ateara Sr. scoffed, "As if Billy, the girl may be quick like her mother and Mother Hannah, but she's been back for a week. How could she know already?"

"She's going to high school with the whole pack, how could she not know?" Billy protested.

"Chill out you two. Quil, what's your bet?" Sam intervened in the epic old man battle.

Old Quil furrowed his brow, "Ten bucks she swoons or feints."

Billy rolled his eyes, "Lani Oaks does not swoon or feint in any manner."

"How should you know old man?" Old Quil protested.

"I helped raised the little heathen along with Jake, Quil, and Embry. And who're you calling and old man, at least my hair still has some color left." Some would think the older a person got the less they would fight… definitely not the case with these two old geezers.

"Guys, we'll find out so place your money in the can Quil," Sam again interjected. "Now, I propose that Lani will question it, but accept it before the night is over."

"I still think her feinting is better," Old Quil mumbled.

"We'll find out soon enough on who's right," Billy said with a cocky grin.

"Bets on for which old nit wit wins their bet," Nani, also known as Mother Hannah due to her seniority, announced to her circle of wise women. Those being, herself, Sue Clearwater, and Emily. Even if Harry Clearwater died, Sue would always be apart of the wise women.

"Sam," Sue said as she placed eleven dollars into a zip lock baggy.

"Old Quil," Emily said as she also placed eleven dollars into the baggy.

"Billy Black," Nani said as she put her eleven dollars in.

"They obviously will have bet on Lani's reaction to being told the legends are true so we'll keep an eye on them around that time," Nani said.

"What do you think the boys bet on?" Sue asked.

The three glanced at their huddled forms, "When Lani finds out Paul imprinted on her," Emily said.

"What did you wolf girls bet on?" Nani asked.

"The Elders reaction to Lani already knowing the legends are real," Emily said absently.

"Shoot," Sue 'swore.'

"What?" the other two women asked.

"I have a feeling I lost this bet."

"You got that honey," Nani said before the three dispersed.

Jeez, who knew that the pack was just a bunch of gamblers? Anywho, don't worry, the next chapter will be a continuance of the bonfire. SO.... Love it, hate it, wanna bang it, what? I need feedback or I will come to an untimely demise! You don't want me to die do you? If not [ which I dearly hope you dont' want me to die] send reviews to tell me your thoughts, comments, and such. I love to improve! =]

Happy reading, writing, living, reviewing....

Terra.