Hey guys! New chapter of Skulls and Bones for you! Hope you enjoy!
"Honey?"
Regan looked up at her mother, who was standing in her doorway. Tammin took one look at the tears on her daughter's cheeks and sighed, walking over to her and sitting next to her on the bed.
Regan's calendar lay open on her bed, the date of that morning circled in bright red markers and labeled with big happy faces and hearts. Leah's twenty-first birthday. The day they were supposed to go out and Leah was supposed to get raging drunk while Regan accepted her role of the designated driver. They had been planning this for months, years even.
And now Leah wasn't even speaking to her.
"I know you're upset, honey," Tammin whispered softly, drawing her daughter close, "but you're happy with Sam. Remember that."
"I'm so thankful for him," Regan said, wiping underneath her eyes, "but Leah's my best friend. I just miss her."
It had been exactly a month since Leah had spoken to Regan. One month since Regan and Sam had starting dating. The past thirty days with Sam had been some of the best, but Regan felt the familiar emptiness sink into her when she realized for the first time in her entire life, she and Leah weren't going to celebrate each other's birthday together.
"I know, baby," Tammin repeated, rubbing Regan's arm. "But it'll get better. I promise."
Regan wasn't sure she believed her mother at the moment, but in the long run she knew it would get better. She just wished Leah could understand, that she could tell her.
"And remember," Tammin said softly, brushing Regan's hair back, "you're supposed to be happy. Sam makes you happy." Regan nodded and felt Tammin smile. "Good. Now when are you inviting him over so I can meet him properly?"
"Mom, you've met Sam."
"Not as your boyfriend."
"Please don't freak out."
If there were four words she never wanted to hear come out of Paul Lahote's mouth, it were those.
"Why would I be freaking out? What's going on? Is Sam okay?" Regan demanded,clutching the phone to the side of her face. She was already halfway out of her room, prepared to drive over to Sam's house and check any injuries he might have gotten.
"It's not Sam. It's Embry."
Okay. Five words she never wanted to hear from Paul Lahote.
"No," Regan whispered, her hands reaching up to cover her gasp. "No, Paul, he's not Quileute. He's Makah. Tiffany's Makah. It's my mom's step-sister, they're not Quileute."
"Well, obviously his father's someone in La Push because he's phasing right now." Just as Paul finished speaking, Regan heard it. The sound of her cousin screaming in the background. "Look, Regan-"
"I'm coming," Regan demanded, exiting her room and going to grab her car keys.
"Are you fucking kidding? The kid's a time bomb, Regan. You remember the last time you were too close when one of us phased?"
Regan's eyes fell to her arm, to the scars that were covered by the long sleeves of her shirt. They were completely healed and she had been using the ointment they had prescribed, but it only caused them to reduce the redness and pain. They were still prominent on her skin.
"I'm not letting him go through this alone."
"He's not alone. He's got Jared and I. Sam's on his way to grab you." Regan could feel the wheels in her head turning. Jared and Paul. Responsible for her cousin? She didn't think so. Jared was worried about his imprint and Paul was perpetually angry.
Embry didn't need that stress. He needed Sam.
"Are you and Jared really the most stable people to watch him? Jared's worried about Hadley-"
"Who? Oh shit, are we talking about Hadley Cruise? Hadley Cruise is his imprint? God, that kid is damaged."
"So not the point right now, Paul."
"Right. Well, Sam would rather not be apart from you. He asked us to watch the kid." She heard Paul talk to someone, but couldn't understand what they were saying. "He's close, Reg. But maybe you and Sam should stop by his girlfriend's place? She's called like twelve freaking times and it's only aggravating him. His senses are heightened and he really doesn't need an annoying ringtone setting him off."
"Shit." Regan had forgotten about Mackenzie. She was probably bawling her head off, wondering what was wrong with her boyfriend. "Alright, I'll see what I can do. In the meantime, tell Sam to stay with you. Embry needs his alpha."
"Will do."
Regan hung up the call, grabbing her shoes before slipping her feet in and jogging to her car. There was a light layer of rain dribbling down from the sky, but overall it was a pretty nice day. Regan figured if she drove faster than normal to Mackenzie's house it wouldn't be too much of a danger.
That was, until she nearly crashed into the girl, who was pulling out of her driveway at the speed of light.
"Shit!" Mackenzie screamed, and Regan's eyes widened. She wasn't aware Mackenzie was capable of cursing. The worst word Regan had ever heard out of the girl's mouth was stupid. "Regan? What are you doing here?"
"Coming to make sure you don't do anything stupid," Regan yelled out her window. "Embry's super sick, Mackenzie. He's contagious."
"I don't care," Mackenzie replied.
"Can we get out of our cars and talk? It's awkward yelling across to you."
Mackenzie debated it for a moment before she sighed, rolling up her window and turning the engine off. Regan followed suit, getting out of her car and meeting Mackenzie in the middle. Regan noticed that she was still in her pajamas, hair messy and eyes tired.
"He's not answering my calls and I was worried," Mackenzie said, running a hand through her hair. "Tiffany said he wasn't home."
"He's not. Paul and Jared took him to the doctor."
Mackenzie's eyes went wide. "No," she whispered. "No, no he can't be with Jared and Paul. He can't be in Sam's little cult. He hates them."
"Mack-"
"No! You don't get to come here and try and act sorry for me. Tell me you're lying. Tell me Embry's not with them."
When Regan didn't reply, Mackenzie scoffed.
"You know, I used to look up to you. But you just handed your cousin off to people who force them to be away from the ones they love. And you betrayed your best friend. I don't think I look up to you anymore," Mackenzie stated, and Regan could see the beginning tears start to form in her eyes. "When Embry's back to normal, and he will be because he hates them, tell him to call me. And then stay away."
As Mackenzie walked back to her front porch and went inside her house with a slam of the front door, Regan sighed.
"Guess there's a club," she muttered. Her best friend and Mackenzie were running it.
Regan,
I know I've been a bit unfair to you. You have to understand. Leah's my daughter, the light of my life. She's my first child and my baby girl. I care about her so much - too much, apparently.
I have never once fought with your mother. Not in our nearly forty years of friendship. And it made me ashamed to realize that the one fight we've had was because of my childish actions. But I ask you to look at it from my point of view: my daughter had her heart broken by the two people she trusted the most. I wanted to make sure she knew where I stood. By doing so, however, I realize I have pushed you and your family away, and that is something I never intended to do.
Harry explained to that Sam imprinted on you. I've grown up with our legends. I've heard tales of how powerful an imprint can be. I understand now why you couldn't stand to not be with Sam. And I hope you'll consider forgiving me for being so clueless before.
You'll always be like a daughter to me.
- Sue.
"What're you reading?" Sam asked, plopping down on the couch next to Regan. They were at his house for a change, since his father had gone on a trip indefinitely. It made Regan sad to know that his father hadn't changed like hers had, but Sam insisted he was used to it.
"Sue dropped this letter off at my house the other day," Regan replied, handing it to him. His eyes skimmed over the words before he set it on the coffee table, pulling her close. She sighed contentedly. She had completely given up the idea of staying away from him and was instead choosing to let the imprint take course. It was just the easier, happier route in the end.
"You okay?" he asked, gesturing to the letter. Regan nodded.
"I appreciate her writing it, but it doesn't really change anything, you know? We're still going to be separated from now on. Our families." It made her sad to know her mother had been staying away from the Clearwater house, but Tammin insisted she was okay with it. She had been spending more and more time at the Black household instead.
"I'm sorry." His voice was full of guilt.
She lifted her head from his chest, quickly pressing a kiss to his jaw. "Not your fault. Apparently we're meant to be."
Sam let out a laugh before pulling her in for another kiss. The television was a low hum in the background as Regan moved her lips against his, letting out small laughs every time his hand brushed over her stomach and tickled her.
"Is that so?" he asked when they broke apart.
"Unfortunately."
He gave her a grin so wide she wondered if it hurt his cheeks. Her heart soared from the sight of it.
"I hope our kids have your smile," she mentioned absentmindedly.
He paused, the smile dropping off his face. "You've thought about our kids?"
She rolled her eyes. "It's not a big deal, Sam. I figure since this imprint means I'm stuck with you for the rest of my life, better consider kids and marriage and the whole package."
He frowned. "I don't like the sound of that. I don't want you to be forced to have a future with me. I don't want you to feel like you're stuck."
"Idiot. I told you I'm all in this. I don't mind being stuck."
He gently lifted up her scarred arm and pressed a hesitant kiss to the puckered skin. She still caught him staring at it sometimes, could see the hatred swimming in his eyes. She always reminded him that she still loved him. This time, however, there was less anger in his eyes. Maybe he was finally coming to accept that she wasn't angry with him for it anymore.
"In that case, I hope our kids have your eyes."
"Have we seriously become that couple?"
"Looks like it."
Regan leaned against him again, her eyes focused on the television. "Good."
Okay they're giving me a toothache. So Jared's imprint's name is revealed! How many of you knew it wasn't going to be Kim?
Also, I write/post this book on Wattpad as well and I know it's a taboo thing to have "sexual" chapters sometimes, so I'm asking both sites if they would be opposed to it. I don't want to make anyone uncomfortable! Just let me know if that's something you don't want to see. It might come up in later chapters.
Apart from that, I hope you enjoy!