My throat was dry and I was really thirsty, but I was pretty content. I could've laid there for the rest of my life. Holed up in my room with the most gorgeous girl in the world. Holding her close to me.

Sometime throughout the night she must've gotten hot. Because her jeans had been taken off and they were thrown over the lamp that sat on my little bedside table. All that remained was her little black lace panties and her v-neck tee.

I kissed the back of her neck and her shoulders. After last night I didn't know how I was going to ever keep my hands off this girl. But I needed to do it. Because although the pull to be with her was so strong, I still doubted the fact that she was old enough to be able to deal with being with me.

We were spooning, so her whole backside was pressed up against me. I've spent a lot of time studying Claire's beauty. She is very petite. A short 5'1 and slim. But on the other hand... Baby got back. She had some curves on her. Her chest was just the right size. Not too big, but very, very, attractive. And her ass. Oh my god that ass. I've caught many guys staring at it. I've caught many members of the pack staring at it.

But that's just her body. God she has the most gorgeous big green eyes, and a cute little nose, with the prettiest tan skin and adorable pink cheeks. Not to mention her perfect bone structure. Or her long, flowing black hair.

I brought my hand up to brush her hair back. I kissed her shoulder again.

"Mmm, Quil," she moaned, slightly arching her back so her butt pressed into me even more.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"What time is it?"

I glanced at the alarm clock over her head. "It's only seven, honey. Go back to sleep."

She sighed and rolled over, burying her head under my arm. "I can't," she replied groggily.

"Want me to make you some breakfast?" I whispered. "I'll serve you breakfast in my bed." I kissed the top of her head. "How about pancakes and bacon?"

Her nose wrinkled up. "I'm not very hungry." She took a deep breath, "I'm gonna go in the shower real fast if you don't mind."

"Of course, sweetie."

She got up and dragged her bag to the my bathroom before closing the door.

After about half an hour, Claire emerged in Victoria's Secret yoga pants and a hoodie. Her hair was pulled to the side and twisted into a loose braid. I studied her face for a minute, which was slightly pale. She grimaced.

Walking up to me she wrapped her arms around my waist in a tight hug. I had been leaning up against the stove, going through mail that Embry had left on the kitchen table for me.

My arms wrapped around her to return the hug. "What's wrong?" I asked slightly panicked. "Are you sick? Hurt? Upset? Claire?!"

She shifted uncomfortably, and the slight movement sent a wave of the scent of blood up to my nose. Having werewolf senses could be very good but also very awkward. Like now for instance. You can smell when a girl is on her period. Or umm when she is very aroused. And well you catch my drift.

I kissed the top of her head. "Need to go to the store?" I asked gently.

She didn't verbally respond but I felt the movement of her head bob up and down as she shook her head yes.

"Come on, honey."

It's about a ten minute drive to the local La Push Quick Mart. It's pretty small. Basically a Walgreens. If you were to go grocery shopping you'd need to go into Forks, or wait until the local Farmers Market came around every Sunday.

"Do you want me to wait in the car?" I asked. Normally she wouldn't mind, but I didn't want to make her uncomfortable.

"Will you come in with me?" She asked softly.

"Of course."

We walked inside and Claire headed over to the small pharmaceutical section. She picked a box of tampons off the shelf along with another box of something I didn't recognize. I got a bottle of Midol for her.

I bought the stuff for her. I grab the bag for her and just my fucking luck? I turn and who's standing there? None other than Brandy. Fuck fuck fuck my life. Shit.

"Oh, Quil!" She squealed cheerily. "Where were you last night? I missed you so much." Before I could stop her she jumped on me so she could get a hug. I was so surprised that I stumbled back a few steps. "It was so much fun! You would've loved it. So many girls from high school were there and they were asking about you." I still hadn't said anything. Claire was silent by my side. I could tell she was biting her tongue. Literally and metaphorically. Brandy glanced over at Claire. "I think you had a fling with most of them. I know how you love older women."

Remember the wolf senses I mentioned earlier? Claire's heart went into over drive. She looked over at me panicked, but I don't think she knew I noticed.

Brandy laughed without humor, "Quil was quite the little player back in the day. He broke many hearts." She flashed a smile at Claire and then back at me. "So where were you last night?" She asked, still very chipper.

"He was with me," Claire spat. "But don't you worry, I'm sure he'll be able to make it to the next one of your little gatherings." Halfway through her statement the ice in her tone melted away and she just seemed sad. "It was nice seeing you again, Brandy. I'm sure I'll see you around." She smiled sadly and gave her a little wave. "I'll be in the truck, Quil." She threw over her shoulder.

After Claire left Brandy looked at me, "What happened to you, Quil?"

I looked at her in disbelief. "I grew up, Brandy. I matured. We dated in high school. Stop living in the past. You have a son now, so I think it's time you grow up too."

"I'm grown, Quil. I'm grown."

"No, clearly you aren't. Because of that scene you just made. That was the old me. People change. And I changed for the better. Yeah I was a player. But that isn't me anymore. I respect women now."

"Because of her?" She asked.

I sighed, "No one will ever understand the bond that Claire and I have. But she taught me a lot. I'm a better man because of her. So don't bring up my past. Because that's exactly what it is and that's exactly where all that stupid shit that I did will stay." And that's where I left her, astonished standing in the middle of the Quick Mart.

I got in the truck, and began the drive home. After a minute of silence I began trying to make small talk, but Claire didn't say a word the entire trip.

When I parked the car she got out silently and walked inside. She greeted Embry who was laying on the couch before she retreated to the bathroom. After a few minutes she came out of my room with a book. And she read all day sitting on the ground in front of Embry. She spoke three words to me the entire day. When I asked her what she wanted for lunch she responded with a simple, "I'm not hungry."

Em kept glancing at her and then back at me, trying to silently ask what was wrong. She only got up a few times during the day to use the bathroom.

I think she had been watching the time, waiting for a somewhat reasonable time to go to bed. Because as soon as the clock struck eight she jumped up and told us she was going to go get some sleep and that she'd see us in the morning.

She closed my bedroom door behind her, and I heard the bathroom door close and the water cut on.

"Bro," Embry turned towards me. "Claire usually doesn't shut up. What the hell happened?"

I gave him a play by play of what the dumb ass Brandy said. "I'm so mad. Like she had to bring up all that stuff from the past. What Claire doesn't understand is that as soon as I met her I was a changed man. No other girl matters to me anymore. No other girl has mattered to me for almost thirteen years now. Claire is my life and I wouldn't want it any other way." I took in a shaky breath. "Shit man, I can't even begin to describe the way I feel about Claire. She's my everything. She's my reason for existence. I live for her. I live to make her happy."

Embry stared at me for a few minutes. "Brandy brought up the fact that you always loved older chicks. Which you did. You loved the chase. After you had them for a little while you were done with them. You were a player and you were a heart breaker. And yeah obviously you've changed. Anybody with eyes can see the love you and Claire have for each other. But Claire didn't know you back then. She's only ever known this Quil. The one that is wrapped around her little fingers. The one that would walk to the ends of the earth for her. The sweet and sensitive and respectful one. So how do you think she must feel after hearing that the man she is in love with, her soulmate, always preferred older women, when she is so much younger than you?" He looked at me with a kind of 'duh' expression on his face. "She probably feels like shit. Because you know if the situation were reversed you would feel like shit too."

I looked at the ground. "Nothing I say is going to make this better, Em."

He shook his head, "Things will get better. Claire will get over it. She's just shocked and hurt I'm sure. It isn't like she's mad at you. She's mad at herself."

I looked at him suspiciously, "Did you talk to her already?"

He at least had the decency to blush a little bit. He scratched the back of his neck, "I might have. While you were talking to Jacob and Ness."

I rolled my eyes at him.

"Quil," he said seriously. "She feels unwanted. She thinks she's holding you back."

"She is very far from unwanted."

"Hey," he said as he stood up as he began walking to his room. "I'm not the one you need to be explaining that too."

"Thank you, Embry."

"Oh and by the way," he said, stopped in the doorway. "Don't let me find her in bed with you in only underwear again unless you are dating."

I threw a pillow at him.

When I entered my room she wasn't curled up in bed like I expected her to be. I knocked on the bathroom door. "Claire, baby. I know you don't want to talk to me right now but please let me in."

"I'm in the bath, Quil."

"Okay, well I'm coming in but I'll keep my eyes closed, alright?"

"Alright," her sweet voice answered back.

Squeezing my eyes shut I pushed the door open. I took two steps in and then turned around so that I was facing the closed door. Opening my eyes again I sat down on the ground and scooted back until my back was against the cool porcelain of the tub.

"I'm assuming Embry told you," she sighed.

I nodded.

"Go to hell, Embry." She said, having spent enough time around werewolves that she knew he would be able to hear it from his bedroom.

"Claire Bear, about what Brandy said, yeah I was a player. I liked older women because I liked the feeling of chasing after them. But none of them ever meant anything to me. But the moment you entered my life my whole world got shaken up. I haven't been the same since that day and I would never in a million years ask for anything different. You make me so fucking happy, baby."

I heard the movement of the water as she pushed herself forward in the tub. Her chin rested against my shoulder. "I just don't understand why you got stuck with me." I heard the trembling in her voice. "I fucking hate myself so much for that." She cried. Not even cried. She began sobbing.

I stood up and grabbed the big white towel off the counter. I turned around keeping eye contact with her the entire time so that she would know I wasn't looking anywhere else. She stood and let me wrap her up in the fluffy towel.

I lifted her up out of the steaming water and set her on the counter. "Don't you ever say that. Do not ever say that. I am not stuck with you. I want to be with you. No other woman has ever made me feel like a man like you have. My heart belongs to you." I realized I was crying too. It hurt me so deeply to see her like this. "Claire, do you understand me? I want you. You aren't just an option to me. You aren't someone that I was just thrown with. You aren't a second choice. You are my only choice. And I thank god every single day of my life that he blessed me with you." I hugged her to me, and I rocked her crying form back and forth gently in my arms. "You are God's gift to me."

Pleeeeeease let me know what you guys think! It's longer than recent chapters. Do you like that? Or do you like short ones better? PS if you want me to reply to your review you have to be signed into. I can't reply to anons xoxo

you're fab

kat386