Sam walked to the rocks and phased into his human form before walking over to Layla.
"Do you want to try to phase back? Maybe if you can do that, you can phase back into your wolf in front of me and maybe it'll give me the chance to claim my right as your Alpha." Sam suggested.
Layla looked at him and whined softly.
"If you're whining that I'm naked then that's too bad." Sam said, he saw Layla roll her eyes and fix him with a look. "Do you wanna know how long it took me to phase back when it first happened to me? 2 weeks. I hid in this forest for 2 weeks, all alone, terrified that I was a monster. I finally got so weak and tired that I phased back without realizing it. Old Quil and Billy found me and explained to me what happened."
Layla whined softly and moved to lick his face. She pressed her face against Sam's, forehead to forehead. That was quickly becoming their way of showing affection and support.
"I want you to lay down. Close your eyes and listen only to my voice." Sam commanded, Layla last beside him, closing her eyes. She heard Sam start singing, songs of their ancestors. His deep voice lulled her into a state of relaxation. She felt herself drifting to sleep.
"Layla, I want you to phase for me. Can you do that for me?" Sam whispered, gently stroking her fur. "I know you can do it. You took down Stefan and you protected Marsaili. You even protected me. You can do anything." he whispered.
Layla tried hard, picturing herself as a human, wrapping her arms around Embry. After nearly half an hour, Sam scratched behind her ears.
"Let's stop for the night. I know you've been trying so hard to change, to be able to talk to me in here." Sam said, tapping her head. "I'm going to phase back into my wolf and then we're going to go to sleep."
Sam stood and phased, nudging Layla to come to their sleeping spot. Layla laid on her stomach and Sam took his spot laying on top of her, his head resting on hers.
Sue came over to Emily's for a late night dinner with the pack.
"I took the basket up to where Sam and Layla were sleeping and I got the sweetest picture of them." Sue said, pulling out her phone. The pack and Emily gathered closer, passing the phone around.
""Laid out on her back like she hasn't a care in the world." Leah said, laughing.
"Looks like Sam is trying to make her into his pillow." Jake said.
Embry held the phone the longest between him and Emily, staring at his beautiful wolf sleeping. He'd give anything to be in Sam's place in that picture. He missed having her in his arms, her voice in his ear.
"You wanna give her phone back? You're squeezing it a bit tight there, bro." Quil said.
Embry reluctantly handed her phone back to her, running his fingers through his short hair and pulling.
"I'm going back to bed." Embry decided, getting up from the table and heading for the living room.
"He's not himself without Layla, is he?" Emily asked, sighing sadly. "I miss Sam, but I don't have that wolf drive behind it to make it that much more intense."
"It's hell, being away from your Imprint. It claws at you and your wolf is demanding you go find them and never let them more than 2 inches away from you ever again." Jake said looking over at Leah.
"I hope for Embry's sake that Sam and Layla can establish their Alpha relationship quickly." Emily whispered.
…
The next morning found Layla sprawled out asleep, Sam flopped on top of her. Sue snapped another picture before taking the empty basket, setting the full one down. Sam awoke when he heard twigs snapping. He licked Layla's face until she woke up, glaring at him for waking her up so early. She stood and stretched, digging her claws into the dirt. Sam brought the basket over and sorted through, pulling out their portions for breakfast. He only had to growl twice at Layla before she remembered that he controlled her food because he was her Alpha. This morning, Sam allowed her to eat pancakes, bacon, sausage, and muffins. He baked at her, indicating that she should follow him. Together they sniffed the ground, letting Layla discover a whole new world. They scented out deer and rabbit, even squirrels. Layla sniffed the ground, smelling something metal and rusty. She looked up and saw Sam stalking close to the ground, trying to sneak up on a rabbit. She looked around him and saw that he was getting ready to walk into an old, rusted metal bear trap. She barked, running for him to knock him out of the way since she couldn't link with him telepathically. She reached Sam and rammed her head into his side as hard as she could, knocking him a few feet out of the way. The trap went off, digging it's old, rusty teeth into her leg and thigh before jerking hard, dislocating her leg and thigh before pulling her up, fifteen feet in the air, upside down.
'Sam!' Layla screamed. 'Sam, it hurts!'
Sam, dazed momentarily, looked around.
'Sam I need you! Please! SAM!' she cried out.
Sam heard Layla screaming for him and he looked up, his heart dropping.
'SAM I NEED YOU I NEED MY ALPHA!' Layla screamed in her head.
Sam heard her request clearly, but phased back into his human form. He climbed up the tree and untied the rope that held the bear claw trap and gently lowered it and Layla. He jumped down and saw that the metal teeth were embedded deep in several points, and that her leg was at a wrong angel.
"I heard you, Layla, I heard you in my head." Sam whispered, trying to comfort her. "Can you change back for me, baby girl? Can you phase?"
Layla whined softly.
"I said PHASE NOW!" Sam commanded, using his Alpha double timbre, praying it would work.
Layla closed her eyes, feeling her wolf obeying the command of her Alpha. She cried out when she felt her body shifting back into her human form. She screamed as the pain shifted and renewed itself, making her cry.
"Sammy it hurts." Layla's cried.
"I know, baby girl. I'm sorry." Sam said, picking her up, uncaring they were both completely naked. "I have to take you back down the mountain so we can get you to a doctor."
Layla held tightly to Sam as he picked her up, crying out as her leg was jostled in the process.
"I'm sorry, baby girl. I'm sorry. Stay with me, yeah? Don't go to sleep." Sam said, noticing her leg was pouring blood.
Sam started going down the mountain as fast as he could without causing Layla more injury. He nearly ran over to his house, kicking down the door.
"Emily! She's hurt!" Sam called out.
Emily waddled out of the kitchen, Embry right behind her. He saw his Imprint, naked in Sam's arms, a huge bear trap clamped down on her leg and thigh. Blood was dripping down the both of them.
"Emily, she needs to be covered. No one else needs to see her privately." Sam said.
Emily went to the closet and pulled out one of her longer shirts and helped Sam slip it over her head and arms. Embry growled and tried to pull his female into his arms, only to have Sam growl.
"Sam, you need to give her to Embry, okay? He's her Imprint." Emily said softly. "I have some shorts for you."
"I'm her Alpha!" Sam growled.
"I'm her mate!" Embry growled back. "She is mine!"
"Sam, you need to let her go so we can get her to a doctor." Emily said.
Sam finally relinquished Layla to Embry's arms. Embry took her to the back of Sam's truck and held her gently.
"Layla, my baby." Embry whispered.
Layla's looked up at him. "Em." she whispered. "I missed you."
Sam ran out a few seconds later, now wearing shorts.
"Emily, I need you to call everyone and let them know what happened. Tell them to meet us at the hospital." Sam said, looking at his pregnant female. He bent his head and kissed her deeply, rubbing his hands over her belly, feeling his son kicking excitedly.
"Go. Take care of our girl. I'll get a ride with Billy and Sue." Emily said, pressing another kiss to his lips.
...
A/N: everyone, go thank Tan for leaving the 2 comments to get this chapter posted! I'm going to need 2 more for another chapter :D
Omg poor Layla! Poor Sam!