Chapter 14 – The Cullen Wolves

Carlisle:

It has been a few days since I disciplined Bella for her meadow trips. Things have been going pretty smoothly for our family and that has me worried! It never goes smoothly in the Cullen Clan. I have been on high alert lately since Bella's punishment. She has been doing very well and shows great restraint when it comes to her thirst. She has been asking when she can see Charlie, but I am still a little leery about that one. It can happen so suddenly and with her newborn strength and speed, we may not be able to intervene in time. I think she needs to wait a little more until seeing him. I have allowed her to talk with him on the phone and that has appeased her. He is anxious to see Bella also, but Sue Clearwater has given him enough explanation that he is content to wait and just talk to her on the phone. Thank goodness for Sue. Bella still has been smarting off to me at times and I have checked her when she has. Mostly with a look or a warning.

One thing that has me concerned is Seth. I just have that feeling something is going on and he is keeping something from us. I can't figure out why he was in the woods the other day when he stopped Bella from attacking those hikers. He claims it was just that he and some of the pack were out goofing off and got too far in the woods and he just came home that way. I hope that is all it is. Seth is the sweetest boy. He just has that wonderful happy disposition that makes you want to be around him. He has such a love for Esme and I and we for him. He has blended in with my family easier and more willing than the others. I just love that boy. He makes me smile just thinking of him.

In a few minutes I have to leave for my shift at the hospital. Leah, Jake and Seth are getting reading for school. I am going to offer the boys a ride this morning. Leah drives herself with the car we purchased for her. I am going to my study and will grab my bag and head downstairs to face my morning brood of teenagers. There is never a dull moment around here.

"Morning darling," Esme greeted me.

"Good morning love," I said planting a kiss on her lips.

"Are you two at it already," Jake said walking in smelling breakfast waiting for him.

"Yes we are, so just turn your head," I told him laughing. "How about I drop you boys by school this morning?" I offered.

"Cool! That would be great, but isn't it out of your way, daddy vamp?" Jake asked.

"Not so much, I'd just like to spend a little time with my wolf boys," I explained.

"Why, who's in trouble," Jake asked a little wary.

"Not me!" Seth said coming in for breakfast.

"Well, me either! Is it Leah?" Jake asked happily.

"Shut up you wolf-brain," Leah said knocking him on the arm as she came in for breakfast. "I'm not in trouble."

"No one is in trouble, I just thought it would be nice to have a little time together, that's all," I explained.

"Time together for what?" Seth asked realizing he missed something.

"Daddy vamp wants to take you and me to school this morning, this sounds fishy," Jake offered again.

"Jacob, your father just wants to spend a little time with you and Seth since he rarely sees you with his work schedule. That's all," Esme offered.

"Dad, you don't have to take us to school, it's out of your way," Seth said.

"Trying to get rid of me, Seth?" I asked smiling at him.

"No, no I-I didn't mean that, it's just…it's out of the way," Seth said to me.

"Nothing is out of the way for me when it comes to spending a little extra time with you," I told him.

Esme had made pancakes and bacon and both Jake and Seth had a hefty stack of them on their plates. They were inhaling them. Leah had a few pancakes on her plate and a glass of juice. She looked at both of them gulping the food down and shook her head in disgust.

"How's nursing school going Leah," Esme asked.

"Fine, I have a lot of clinicals coming up," Leah said.

"If you need any help, just let me know," I offered her.

"Thanks dad, I may take you up on that." Leah said. "Mom, Dad, I-I have something to tell you."

Oh no, now what? My mind quickly changed gears and looking at Leah's face it seemed serious. "What is it, Leah?" I asked wondering what she would say.

"It's nothing bad, I-I met someone at school," Leah announced.

I gave a sigh of relief, but then didn't feel so relieved as this would be a whole new problem! What did I say, never a dull moment in the Cullen Clan!

"Who darling?" Esme asked.

"A guy! He's in my one class and he started talking to me and bought me a coffee. He wants to take me out this Friday night. Can I go?" Leah asked looking at both of us.

"What's wrong with this dude that he would want to go out with you?" Jake asked laughing.

"Jacob! That was not nice. You apologize to your sister," Esme scolded him.

"Sorry, but who is he and where is he taking you? I don't think you should go with him," Jake said turning protective.

"Shut up, what do you know?" Leah came back.

"I would like to meet him first before we allow you to go out with him. Why don't you invite him here so we can meet him and find out a little about him first." I said to her growing a little concerned.

"What? Why? He's a nice guy and I don't want to scare him off bringing him here to meet everyone at once. He just wants to take me to a movie in Port Angeles." Leah said.

"No! Not in Port Angeles and not before we meet him. You invite him here so we can meet him and you can go in town here for a bite to eat or something," I said to her.

"But Dad, I'm 20! I should be able to date someone and not have to subject him to the Spanish Inquisition!" Leah complained.

"I'm sorry sweetheart, but that is my final say on the matter. I'm not comfortable letting you go to Port Angeles for a movie. He has to come here first and meet your mother and I. Then we can talk about possibly going to Port Angeles for a date later on." I said with a little sternness.

"Da-ad, he even got advance tickets to the movie we want to see and we are supposed to go Friday evening. I can't tell him 'no' now! Dad, please!" Leah pleaded.

"I said no! If you would have told us about him sooner and we had met him already, that would be different. I'm sorry, we need to meet him first," I said again.

"Come on Dad! Mom, how can I say no to him? Friday is tomorrow! Dad, Mom, come on!" Leah begged.

"I'm sorry dear, but I agree with your father. We need to meet him first. We don't even know his name," Esme said.

"His name is David," Leah said.

"David what?" I asked her.

"Uh, I-I'm not sure. I didn't ask him," Leah said.

"Oh yeah, that's going to convince the old man to let you go out with him," Emmett said coming to offer his opinion. "Besides, how much do you know about this gink?"

"He's not a gink," Leah said.

"Old man?" I said giving Emmett the eye.

"Come on Pops, what are you, 375+?" Emmett said grinning.

"I am not over 375 yet, mister," I said frowning at my comedian son.

"Can we get back to my date? Come on Dad, please?" Leah asked again.

"Leah, you don't even know his last name. No young lady, it is too soon to allow you to go to Port Angeles with someone you barely know. You only started your nursing classes in the last 2 weeks, so I'm sorry. You need to have this young man meet us first. Then we will decide. No date on Friday night, young lady and I mean it," I said to her.

"Dad, you're being unreasonable! I'm a wolf you know," Leah countered.

"You're going to be a grounded wolf if you don't let this drop, young lady. I don't want to discuss this any more. You know the conditions. You ask him to come and meet us and let us know the day so we can make sure it works for all of us. Understood?" I said to her.

"I don't think this is fair. I bet you wouldn't say this to Jacob," Leah came back.

"Leah, I'm warning you, watch yourself or you will be sorry, my dear," I said. "And I would make Jacob bring his date here too, so that's a heads up to you, Jake!"

"I'm going to school. Nothing else for me to do but go to class and be miserable. I can't even date now without permission. This is so unfair," Leah said.

Leah got up and grabbed her backpack and hurried out the door slamming it shut. I was going to go after her but Esme stopped me and said to let her go since she was upset. So was I, but I decided to honor Esme's wishes.

"Alright, are you boys finished so we can get going?" I said to my 2 wolf sons.

"You don't have to take us to school, Dad," Seth said.

"Yeah, daddy vamp. We're not 12!" Jake said grinning.

"Get in the car! Can't we have a little bonding time?" I said to each of them.

"Okay, but you're not walking me in and holding my hand," Jake said to me.

"What a great idea!" I said.

I then walked over to Jacob and grabbed him by the hand and started pulling him off the stool. He just looked at me with a shocked looked on his face.

"Come one Jake, let daddy take you to school and meet your teachers!" I said leading him toward the door to the garage.

"Oh no you don't! You're not doing that to me!" Jake said trying to pull his hand out of mine.

"Ha ha ha ha ha! Hey Pops! He needs one of those old-fashioned beanie hats with the propeller on top! Ha ha ha!" Emmett laughed.

"Shut up Emmett! Mind your own business," Jake yelled to him. Seth was laughing so hard he was almost falling off the chair. "Yeah, don't laugh Seth, you're coming in the car with us!" Jake reminded him. Seth then looked toward me with a pleading look.

"That's right Seth, come on son, join daddy and Jakey!" I said to him holding my hand out.

Seth got up and skipped over to us. He had a big grin on his face as he grabbed my other hand. "Okay daddy, let's go!" Seth said pulling us into the garage. We could hear Esme and Emmett laughing in the kitchen as we got in the car. It was nice to leave on a happier note but my thoughts then went back to my upset wolf daughter, Leah. We got in the car with Jake complaining the whole time.

"Don't think you're getting out of the car at the rez school daddy vamp, or I'm jumping out the window," Jake threatened.

"You will not jump out the window of my car, young man," I said to him. "If you do, you know what will happen and I'll do it right at the school in front of everyone!" I warned him.

"Yeah, you would too! Just let us out like normal, please daddy vamp! This day has already started off wrong," Jake said disgusted.

"I won't embarrass you son, just a little time to have together for a change. So how is school going?" I asked both of them.

"Are you kidding? It's school, we hate it!" Jake stated simply enough.

"How about you Seth?" I asked hoping for a better answer.

"It's there and we have to go, unless you let us drop out?" Seth said smiling.

"Dream on, Seth, no way would daddy and momma vamp allow that!" Jake said.

"That's right and don't you forget it!" I said warningly to Seth. He got a strange look on his face when I said that. I wonder what is going on with that boy lately. He seems like he is hiding something. Just makes me wonder. I was lost in my thoughts trying to come up with what Seth could be up to when Jake brought me back to reality.

"Uh, daddy vamp! We go to the high school on the rez, not Forks High School like the other folks!" Jake said laughing.

I looked up and realized I had driven right to Forks High School. Force of habit I guess. I then looked at them and we laughed. I backed the car up and turned around and headed in the right direction and made the day for my two wolf sons who were laughing and relentlessly teasing me now.

"Wow, that 300 years creeping up on you, dad?" Seth said laughing.

"I thought you vampires were always on the ball. I didn't think dementia affected your kind," Jake said poking more fun.

"Laugh all you want now, but you won't when we get to the school and I get out and kiss you each goodbye!" I teased them.

"Oh, now that's just sick! Just stop the car here and we'll run the rest of the way." Jake said.

"No, you'll be late then. I'll get you there, just cool your heels!" I said to them. They laughed at that analogy.

Pulling up to the Rez high school I asked where to drop them off. All of the Quiluetes looked as they saw my black Mercedes pull up and come to a stop. Jake and Seth got out and I could see their discomfort. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. I don't want to embarrass them. Then I heard the others come up and comment about the cool car and how they wished they could be brought to school like that. They were all laughing and slapping each other on the back. No harm seems to have been done. I watched as my 2 wolf sons walked to their respective classes. I noticed some of the boys in the pack and Seth go their separate ways. I still have an uneasy feeling about something. I will have to keep an eye on my youngest cub.

My shift at the hospital went quickly as we had many small emergencies to take care of today. Later in the afternoon, things had quieted down. My colleague came on board and suggested I take this advantage and get home early today. I couldn't agree more. I thanked him and said goodbye to the staff and made my way back to my home. I arrived about an hour and a half early and saw my beautiful wife out in her garden. I parked my car and walked over to her. She saw me and gave me that beautiful smile that tugged at my heart.

"Carlisle! What brings you home so early?" Esme asked.

"You do, my love! Things got slow and my colleague suggested I take advantage and come home and spend more time with the family. Where is everyone?" I asked.

"Bella and Edward are out for a hunt. Rosalie, Em, Jasper and Alice went in town for a movie. Leah is still at class and so are the boys." Esme said.

"Did you hear anything from Leah today?" I asked Esme.

"No, I certainly hope she comes home in a better mood. She should have asked sooner. I feel bad saying no to her, but she needs to follow our rules." Esme said. "I really am uncomfortable letting her date someone we know nothing about."

"Exactly why we said no. She will have to deal with it and next time maybe she will act quicker. I am going in to my study to drop my bag and change clothes." I told Esme. She was in the middle of planting more flowers.

Walking into the house, I heard noise upstairs. As I got to my study, I heard music coming from Seth's room. Why was he home? I walked down the hall and didn't hear anything from Jake's room. I went down to his room and listened at the door. Yes, Seth was in there. I knocked on the door and immediately heard the music turn down and rustling coming from the room.

"Seth, may I come in?" I asked waiting for a reply.

"Uh, yeah dad, just a minute," Seth called. I waited and then the door opened. Seth looked at me startled.

"Why are you home son? Shouldn't you still be in school?" I asked him.

"Um, we got out early today for teachers meeting or something," Seth said looking a little wary.

"You didn't mention that this morning," I said to him.

"Uh, you didn't ask," Seth said nervously laughing.

I gave him a hard stare. I then walked into his room to look at his books. I went over and started looking through them. I then turned to him and asked about his homework.

"Do you have your homework done?" I asked him.

"No, haven't started it yet," Seth offered.

"Why weren't we told you would get out early today?" I asked him.

"Uh, I guess we forgot to mention it," Seth said.

"Seth, is there anything you need to tell me?" I asked.

"No dad, why?" Seth replied.

"You seem a little nervous. Are you sure there is nothing you need to tell me or talk about?" I asked again.

"No dad, nothing. I-I better get cracking on this homework," Seth said turning toward his desk.

"Alright, get to it," I said walking out and heading toward my study. As I was almost to the study, I heard the door open and large footsteps trudging up the stairs. It was Jacob. Oh good, just who I wanted to see.

"Hey daddy vamp! How was your day at the medicine pit?" Jake asked.

"Fine, Jake. Your day?" I asked him.

"Lousy, I was at school. I told you I hate it," Jake said laughing.

"Hey Jake, did you get out early today for something?" I asked waiting anxiously for his reply.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention it this morning. They had some teacher meeting or whatever they do. Yeah, we got out early today," he admitted.

"Okay, just asking. Seth was here and I was just checking since no one mentioned it. Get to your homework, young man," I said to Jake.

"Man, always a slave driver!" Jake said laughing again.

"Always! Get to it, mister," I said smiling back at him. Walking back to my study, I began working on some paperwork for the hospital.

Jacob:

Wonder why daddy vamp asked about being let out early. I hope Seth isn't up to something. I'm going to go check on him and see what I can get out of him. I hadn't noticed him doing anything different. One thing is for sure, daddy vamp has his radar on and it's directed at Seth.

"Hey Seth, can I come in," I asked pounding on his door and just entering.

"Hey, you're supposed to wait until I say come in," Seth said grinning.

"What are you up to?" I asked not giving him a chance to balk.

"Nothing, why?" Seth said.

"Cause daddy vamp asked me why we were out early and he seems to have his "dad radar" aimed in your direction. If you're doing anything, you better come clean. Because if he finds out anything, your ass belongs to him and you won't be able to use it for a long time," I warned him.

"I'm not up to anything. Don't worry about me," Seth said a little nervously.

I just looked at him and then turned to leave. "Okay, it's your funeral. Just watch yourself, that's all I'm saying," I warned. I left and went back to my room. He's on his own, because whatever he is up to, I want no part of it. Good luck! Man, I can't wait till Leah gets home. I bet she is going to be in trouble again. She wasn't in a good mood this morning and I'm sure she didn't get any better all day. Fireworks may be shot off tonight. This may be good…

To Be Continued…What could Seth be up to?

Please give reviews…