Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight!

For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.

William Shakespeare

Romeo & Juliet

Chapter 26 – Just You and Me

June 13, 2026 – June 21, 2026

Nate's POV

I held Meena in my arms as we swayed to the music at our reception. The day had been perfect so far. The weather had cooperated. There hadn't been a breakout of imprinting or fighting—though I'd have to be blind and stupid not to notice how Ryan had been staring at Gabe all day…like he wanted to rip his throat out or something. But Ryan had been behaving so far.

And then there was Meena.

She was so beautiful, she literally took my breath away every time I looked at her. And she was mine now, by law and every other way. The wolf inside me groaned its contentment.

We were going to be leaving for our honeymoon soon, and I was nervous and excited over that. Excited, because for a whole week, it was going to be just Meena and me. No pack duties to worry about. No family drama. Just me and my imprint, basking in each other's presence.

And nervous, because as much as Meena and I had messed around since we'd started dating, we'd never actually done the deed. Hell, we hadn't even seen each other fully naked yet.

The guys had given me all kinds of advice at my bachelor party the night before…

"Take it nice and slow…and don't forget the syrup…" was Emmett's advice.

"One word…blindfold…" Seth had said—not very reassuring.

Quil's input was the following, "Hey, the first time Claire and I had sex, it wasn't great. I hadn't had sex in over fourteen years at that point and I friggin' lost control. But the next time we did it, it was fucking phenomenal—"

At which point I cut him off with, "Ew, please don't talk about my cousin and sex in the same sentence ever again."

But hell, it wasn't like I hadn't spent enough time over the past few years fantasizing about having sex with Meena in every way imaginable. In fact, I had put an almost embarrassing amount of thought into it. So yeah…I was more nervous now than I'd been leading up to my wedding. However, I kept reminding myself that we were imprints. Something was bound to click for us, and all the experimenting we'd done before this day had been amazing.

As I spun Meena around the dance floor, I noticed Gabe sit down next to my sister. Gracie had been putting up a brave front all day, but I could tell she was miserable. For the first time all evening, I saw some of the rigidness leave her shoulders and a natural smile appeared on her face.

Which of course made me internally curse and scan the room for Ryan. I knew he'd stepped out awhile ago with Amber Tanner. She'd been looking ill for most of the day, and the few times I'd overheard them talking, he'd been trying to find out what was wrong with her so he could help. If he walked back in the room now, we'd have World War III on our hands.

Shortly after that thought entered my mind, Gabe and Gracie stood up from their table and walked outside. I brought Meena close to me so she wouldn't see my jaw clench. My eyes ran over the crowd until I saw Devlin. He was watching Gabe and Gracie leave with a frown on his face. Feeling my gaze on him, he glanced over at me. I looked at the door Gracie had just disappeared through and then back at him.

He nodded and whispered something to his imprint Hanna. She smiled at him, causing him to look momentarily dazed before he got up from his table and made his way out the door after Gracie and Gabe. As he left, he passed a table of Meena's relatives. Tanya and Emmett both looked suspiciously at my beta and followed him. Two seconds later, two of my other pack members, Azra and Brady, stood up from their tables simultaneously and went in the direction of the vampires. If something was about to go down, my pack was ready.

"Do you want to go with them?" Meena asked. I jerked my gaze back to her. She was staring at me with a knowing expression.

"No," I replied, kissing her forehead. "Devlin can handle it. He's in charge of the pack until we get back from our honeymoon. Besides, today is about you and me. That's all I'm focusing on."

She lifted an eyebrow as if to say, yeah right. But instead, she said, "If it helps, Gabe promised to be on his best behavior today. He said he wouldn't fight Ryan even if he was asking for it."

"Sure," I replied. Bending down so I could nuzzle Meena's earlobe, I whispered, "Have I told you how beautiful you look?"

I heard her giggle. "Not in the last ten minutes, no."

I nibbled on her ear discreetly before saying huskily, "What about sexy? Have I told you how incredibly sexy you look today?"

I felt her shiver slightly and a satisfied smile appeared on my lips.

"That one you haven't mentioned," she murmured.

My arms tightened around her waist as we continued to dance. "Any idea where we're going for our honeymoon yet?"

"Nope," Meena replied. "Aunt Alice said it was a surprise."

"Should we be afraid?" I asked.

Meena grinned. "Probably. Knowing my dear aunt, we'll probably be on a safari one day and then at a runway show in Milan the next."

"Don't be silly, dear," Alice said as she and Jasper waltzed by us. "That'd be too much traveling. I wouldn't want you to look haggard on your honeymoon."

"Of course not," Meena replied dryly.

Emmett and Brady came back in the building, drawing my attention. Emmett went over to his wife, Rosalie, without a word to Brady. Brady went over to a table where Jacob, Embry, Quil, and Leah's husband, Dylan, were talking. Quil had his daughter, Kayley, cradled against his chest. She was passed out, the evening too late for the little toddler to stay awake any longer. Brady looked like he wanted to rip his imprint out of her father's arms, but instead he sat down next to him, keeping his body angled toward Kayley in case she needed him.

A few seconds later, Devlin and Azra walked in, their heads close together as they discussed something in quiet tones. Azra finally shrugged and headed for the bar where my dad was talking to my Grandpa Young and Uncle Ronnie. Devlin looked at me and gave me a half nod, letting me know everything was okay. He went back to his table where Hanna was talking to her twin Hayley and Seth.

Alice came back over to us and said, "It's time for you two to get changed into your traveling clothes. Nate, I had Jacob put your clothes in the men's restroom."

Meena reluctantly pulled away from me and went with her aunt. I was about to head for the bathroom when Gracie came in. My eyes narrowed as I examined her face. This was not the pale version of Gracie I'd been staring at the past couple of months. This was the fiery Gracie I'd grown up with…the one that looked ready to kick the world in the gonads. Only one person could have put that expression on her face. Ryan.

Sighing, I went over to her. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," she said, her eyes bright. "In fact, I'm fucking fantastic."

"Did they fight?" I asked, wondering about Gabe and Ryan.

"Everything's fine, Nathaniel," she said, her mouth going firm. "Don't you have a honeymoon to get to or something?"

She went by me and headed over to where my mom was talking to Leah and Renesmee. Shaking my head, I passed a table of wolf girls. They were talking babies…shocker considering Rebecca Black-Call, Lindsey, and Claire were pregnant.

When I reached the hallway that led to the bathroom, I heard a drunken voice slur, "Wherz da rush? Late for a Miley fan club meetin'?" Followed by several chuckles.

I looked over and saw the very drunken form of my youngest wolf, Jason Pachena. Also at his table were Paul, Jared, and Collin, looking completely angelic.

"You realize that Mac is going to kill you for getting his underage son trashed, right?" I said, mentioning Jason's father and former pack member. "And as Charlie Swan's deputy, he has a legal right to shoot you."

"Ah Natey," Jason said, slouching over. Paul quickly propped him back up. "Don't be such a killjoy. 'Sides, my parents couldn't make it tonight."

Azra had the unfortunate timing of walking over to us right then. As he was the only active member in my pack who was around, I ordered, "Get him out into some fresh air before this gets back to Mac."

Grimacing, Azra said, "Fine, but Collin's coming with me since he's been slipping Jason drinks since the reception began."

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Jason suddenly stated.

"Shit," Collin muttered. "Let's go, kid."

He and Azra grabbed Jason's arms and hauled him out of his seat. They just made it outside when I heard the sound of retching. Thankfully Meena and I weren't going through that exit when we left for our honeymoon. The smell of puke might spoil the mood.

I headed into the bathroom and found some khaki pants, a gray polo short, and some dark brown sandals waiting for me. I took off the formal jacket I'd worn for the wedding and undid my tie. Throwing them on the counter I was about to take off my dress shirt when the door opened and my dad walked in.

"Just thought I'd check to see if you needed any help," he offered.

"Thanks," I said as I placed the shirt on the counter and grabbed the polo.

He nodded and reached for my formalwear. Grabbing a spare hanger, he hung up the dress shirt with care.

With a little laugh, he said, "I'm having trouble reconciling the fact that you're a married man now. It seems like only yesterday, I was teaching you how to ride your bike."

I took off the pants I was wearing and handed them to him before drawing on my khakis. "Everything will be okay when I'm gone, you know. I have complete faith in Devlin. He's a good Beta…smart."

My father grinned. "He gets that from his mother's side. Lord knows he didn't inherit his brains from Paul."

I chuckled as I slipped on my sandals and stood up.

My father's face was sentimental as he said, "I have four favorite days. Can you guess what they are?"

I shook my head and he continued, "The day I married your mom. The days you and your sister were born. And the day you phased and I knew you were going to be the next Alpha. You're the best of all of us, Nate. This is your time. You and Meena…this pack is truly yours now." He grabbed me by the shoulder and brought me in for a hug. "I love you, son."

"Love you, too, Dad," I said as I hugged him back.

We let go of each other, smiling sheepishly at one another. Finally he said, "All right…enough of this bullshit. Your bride's probably waiting for you."

We made our way out to the hallway. Meena was just coming out of the ladies' bathroom with Alice. She was wearing gray slacks and a blue top. Her hair hung in waves and curls down her back. She looked just as beautiful to me now as she did in her wedding dress.

My dad went over to Meena and kissed her cheek. "Welcome to the family."

"Thank you, Mr. Uley," she said, formal as ever.

"I think at this point it's a little awkward to be calling me Mr. Uley. Sam or Dad works."

Meena smiled and nodded in acceptance. Alice said, "No dawdling. You've got a plane to catch."

We went to the main part of the boathouse where the reception had been held, but it was empty. We could hear voices outside and headed that way.

"Aunt Alice, are you going to tell us where we're going yet?" Meena asked as we reached for each other's hands, our palms kissing.

"Nope," Alice said, beaming. "All I can tell you is that your bags are already in the car, and Rosalie and Emmett are going to chauffeur you to the airport. Now, you better hurry."

Meena and I made our way outside to where the wedding guests were waiting. They started cheering and whistling when they saw us. We got into the car, which had "just married" written on the back windshield. It took off with Rosalie behind the wheel and Emmett riding shotgun. We waved goodbye to the crowd as we left. I saw my mom with her head on my dad's shoulder looking proud and teary-eyed. Her arm was around my sister who gave me a thumb's up. I looked over the faces of my friends and family. I didn't see Ryan though and could only hope he wasn't currently fighting Gabe. Just as that thought popped into my head, Tanya and Gabe arrived to wave us off, both looking thoroughly mussed. No guesses needed to know what they had been up to.

"We've got a bit of a drive ahead of us before we reach Port Angeles so we have time to go over some ground rules," Emmett said, turning in his seat to face us. "Meena, I expect a full report when you two get back from your honeymoon. If Nate doesn't perform up to expectations, you have to tell me, because I plan on using it against him for the rest of eternity."

"Pay no attention to him," Rosalie replied before she gave her husband a dirty look. "See, this is why we don't allow you out very often."

"Aww babe, don't you remember our third honeymoon? I'm telling you the earth shook."

"Of course it shook," Rosalie remarked sardonically. "We were in the middle of an earthquake."

"Better than the spin cycle."

"Ugh," Meena cried. She took my hands and covered her ears with them.

"Sheesh, you two are about as much fun as Edward and Bella," Emmett complained. "Speaking of…Meena, did I ever tell you about the time your dear old granddad broke a headboard whilst in the throes of passion with your grandma."

"Emmett!" Rosalie yelled. "You keep this up and I'm going to break a board over your head."

"Promise?" Emmett said, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"I'm so sorry you married into this family," Meena whispered to me. I replied by kissing her lightly on the lips.

"That hurts, Meena," Emmett said. "You're gonna give Nate the wrong impression about me."

"Wrong impression, my ass," Meena muttered under her breath and I snorted.

Rosalie immediately changed the subject to the latest movie that had just come out. Emmett tried several times to return to the topic of sex during the drive, but Rosalie relentlessly continued on her quest for safe subjects. We finally reached Port Angeles and went straight to the airport. Grabbing our suitcases, we headed inside the building and checked them in. At this point, Meena was starting to yawn.

"You have a stopover in Seattle, but you can sleep when you get on your second flight," Rosalie said, reaching inside her purse and handing us two tickets.

"Where are we goi—" Meena started to ask but stopped as she looked at the tickets in surprise. "No way!"

"Your body temperature is a couple degrees lighter than Nate's so the heat shouldn't bother you," Rosalie responded. "And we've installed air conditioning in case it gets too hot."

"Seriously?" Meena remarked excitedly. She turned to me and said, "We're going to our family island, Isle Esme. It's off the coast of Rio de Janeiro." Turning back to her aunt and uncle, she hugged them both. "Thank you! And tell the family thank you for us as well."

"Your passports are in your carry-on and Alice packed an appropriate wardrobe," Rosalie explained. "Everything should be taken care of on the island so you two shouldn't have any problems. We'll be here to pick you up when you get back."

"You will?" I responded in surprise.

"Yes, Carlisle and Esme have some business in town," she explained before looking at me. "Don't worry. We're not planning on going near La Push."

I slowly nodded. We grabbed our carry-ons and made our way to the security check point. Emmett pointed to his eye with his index finger before pointing at me. I knew what he was saying…he was going to keep an eye on the situation. If Meena and I came back from our honeymoon looking unhappy, he was going to relish it. The fucker.

After we went through security, we headed to our terminal. At this point it was almost midnight. We sat in some chairs and Meena yawned again, resting her head against my shoulder.

I kissed her hair. "You tired?"

"Mmhmm," she replied. "It was a long day…but completely fantastic."

"Very true, but we have a week to relax."

"We're going to paradise, Nate," she said, grinning at me tiredly. "It's completely secluded…the perfect getaway."

"With nothing but us," I replied with a sly grin. "That definitely sounds like paradise to me."

She laughed even as a blush appeared on her face. Snuggling closer to me, she said, "I was thinking…when we get back, I'd like to plan a party for the pack."

My mind drifted to the little dingy apartment we were planning on living in when we came home. It was only a temporary place while we attended school, but it was going to be snug for the two of us let alone the entire pack.

"We could have it at Grandpa Charlie and Grandma Sue's house in Forks," Meena suggested. "I bet they wouldn't mind."

"I'm sure the pack would love that," I said against her hair, breathing in her fresh wildflower scent.

"I hope I can live up to your mother," she murmured.

"You don't have to worry about that," I assured her. "The pack already adores you. Just continue to be you."

She looked at me and leaned forward, kissing my jaw. "I love you."

I moved my mouth so I could kiss her lips. Pulling back slightly, I said, "Love you, too."

Our flight was announced and we boarded our plane. The flight from Port Angeles to Seattle was short. After a brief stopover, we were soon on a 747 headed for Brazil. The Cullens had spared no expense. We were given first class seating and there was plenty of room for us. Meena kept nodding off and I lifted the armrest between our seats.

"Stand up for a sec," I told her and she did as I instructed. I moved so my back was against the plane wall. With one leg across our seats, I placed my other leg on the floor. Once I was situated, Meena laid against me, using my chest for a pillow. She sighed happily as I wrapped my arms around her.

"Would you like a pillow?" the flight attendant asked.

"Yeah, thanks," I replied. Seconds later, she handed me two. I was going to offer one to Meena, but she was already fast asleep. Moving carefully so I wouldn't disturb my imprint, I placed both pillows behind my head and was asleep in seconds. We didn't wake up until hours later when the flight attendants were serving breakfast.

It was a long flight. We entertained ourselves by watching the in-flight movies or listening to music, but as we got closer to our destination, tension began to spring between us. It was there in every brush of our hands…in every glance we exchanged.

We wanted each other. Badly.

When we finally landed hours later, we hurried through the airport, our movements almost clumsy. Once we were outside in the balmy heat, we hailed a cab and headed for the marina.

"You sure don't want to just stay here for the day?" I asked as we passed a hotel.

I heard her snicker. "Trust me…it'll be better if we're on the island." Her voice took on a sensual tone as she whispered, "It'll be just you and me then."

"Just you and me," I repeated, picking up her hand and kissing each finger before letting her go.

We arrived at the marina and I grabbed our luggage as Meena headed down a dock. She stopped in front of a racing boat and hopped in.

"This is what we're taking?" I asked in awe.

"You know my family. They love anything fast…fast cars, fast boats," she said as she reached for her carry-on. Searching through the side pocket, she pulled out some keys and held them up with a triumphant expression.

"You want me to drive?" I offered.

Her eyes narrowed as she gripped the steering wheel tightly. Like her relatives, I knew Meena wanted the thrill of driving something so powerful. There was no freaking way she'd give up the chance. The Cullens were adrenaline junkies and Meena was no different.

"Just sit down and buckle up," she ordered.

Chuckling, I sat on the seat and watched my wife start the engine. An excited expression lit her face and I felt my smile widen. Meena was usually such a reserved person. It pleasured me to no end to see her looking so carefree.

We headed out into open water and drove until I couldn't see any land. Meena was in complete control over the boat, and I sprawled my arms across the seat, enjoying the view of my imprint's backside. After awhile, I saw an island in the distance with palm trees swaying lightly in the breeze. Meena pulled into a dock and I hopped out to secure the vessel.

Collecting our luggage, we made our way down a nearby path. We finally arrived at a house with a wide porch. Meena twisted the handle on the front door and it swung open. As I entered the home, I was reminded of the Cullens' white house in Forks. The rooms were in the same light color, the area spacious. I also felt ice-cold air smack against my skin.

"They weren't kidding about the air conditioning, huh?"

Meena laughed. "No." Her face turned nervous as she said, "So…umm…the bedrooms are that way."

She pointed down a hall and headed in that direction. I followed her, my stomach suddenly in knots. We entered a white bedroom. One side of the room was made up of mostly windows, offering a beautiful view of the palm trees and ocean outside. There was also a large canopy bed that was hard to ignore. It had a white bedspread on it and white mosquito netting. I noticed Meena's focus was also on the bed. She stared at it for a moment before taking a quick step backwards. She ran right into me and swiveled around with a little squeak.

"Meena," I said with a choked laugh. "We don't have to do anything right now."

She nodded in relief and reached for her suitcase. "There's a bathroom over there if you want to take a shower."

She nodded towards a door across the room and my hope shot through the roof until she added, "I'm going to go in the blue room and take a shower in there."

"Right…sure," I said, watching her leave. I felt my forehead scrunch up. With all the advice the guys had offered me during my bachelor party, not one had told me how I was supposed to initiate sex.

My instinct was to just grab Meena, throw her over my shoulder, and go all caveman on her, but she was so jittery, I knew that probably wouldn't be the best idea. Maybe I should just schedule a time for us to do it…like making a dentist appointment.

Realizing that I had just compared making love to my imprint with a dental exam, I went into the bathroom and took a shower, washing away the grime from traveling. When I was through, I grabbed some fresh shorts and a wifebeater and threw them on. I could hear Meena's shower running in the room next door, so I went into the bedroom and went out the room's French doors. It opened up onto the beach and I headed toward the water.

I thrust my hands into my shorts and stared out at the ocean, listening to the waves lap against the shore. I knew it had to be close to dinnertime by now, but the sun hadn't started to set yet. I raised my face to the warm heat of the sun's rays. Never in all my life had I ever felt it so powerful. Even during the sunniest days in La Push, the golden orb in the sky was never this bright. It felt foreign and wonderful.

"What are you thinking about?" Meena asked from behind me.

"The sun…it's so bright here," I replied, opening my eyes. I turned around to look at her and was struck dumb. Meena's reddish brown hair was flowing down her back and looked like coppery fire in the late afternoon light. She was wearing a long, white halter top dress that clung to her in all the right places. But what really caught my attention was her skin. It was shimmering, giving her a slight glow.

"What?" she asked self-consciously.

"Your skin…" I said, staring at it, transfixed. "Are you glowing or are you just happy to see me?"

"Oh…" she replied with a giggle. "A little bit of both actually."

I reached for her hand and picked it up so I could inspect her soft flesh closer. "How?" I finally asked.

Meena shrugged. "My vampire trait…it's getting stronger. My grandparents can't even go out in the sun without it being obvious what they were. They sparkle like diamonds were shoved under their skin. My mom has always had incandescent skin in the sun, but nothing too noticeable. I never had any issues. This is the first time my skin has reacted this way."

She folded her arms over her chest as if to hide herself from me. I frowned and took a step toward her.

"Don't," I whispered as I reached up to touch her cheek with my thumb. "It's not really noticeable. In fact, I doubt others would even see a difference if they weren't as attuned to you as I am. It's kind of a shame actually that others might not see you like this because you're absolutely gorgeous."

I bent down to kiss her lips. She met me halfway. The kiss was light at first and then things quickly turned heated. I hauled her against me and lifted her up so her face was level with mine. Her hands flew to my neck and her legs wrapped around my waist. I turned and carried her back to the house, going through the French doors and laying her on the bed. I went to lay down on top of her and she scooted back to make room.

Her head yanked back and she murmured a quiet "ouch."

I instantly froze. "What?"

"Sorry…my hair," she replied. She sat up a little and grabbed her reddish-brown locks. Lying back down, she sprawled them so that her hair was above her head like a molten river against the mattress. I groaned with longing and took off my shirt before kissing her again. I reached blindly for Meena's dress, but frowned in frustration when I couldn't figure out how to get it off.

"Just rip the dammed thing," she demanded.

Needing no further encouragement, I tore the halter strap apart and slowly drew the dress down, revealing Meena's naked breasts. They were small and perfect, the dusky pink nipples standing out proudly. I took a moment to marvel at her creamy flesh before I placed my mouth on her. Meena's fingers laced through my hair as I suckled her.

Switching my attention to the other breast, I massaged it with my mouth as I ripped the rest of Meena's dress off of her. Following my instincts, I moved my hand to the apex of her thighs. I muttered my satisfaction when I realized Meena wasn't wearing any underwear. I could feel her wetness and knew she was already ready for me.

Suddenly the Alpha wolf inside me made its presence known. A growl erupted from me and I pulled away, shoving my shorts down and kicking them off. I needed to mate with my woman…now!

"Meena, I can't wait," I pleaded with her to understand. She responded by spreading her legs wide for me. I groaned as I placed myself at her entrance and pressed in. She instantly stiffened, her nails digging into my neck and back. I hated to say it, but even that was a turn on—the feel of her marking me—and I felt myself grow even larger. Meena whimpered in pain.

"I'm sorry…so sorry," I murmured as I leaned down to kiss her jaw, her neck, anywhere I could. I stayed as still as possible, hoping she'd adjust. When her body finally started to relax, I looked her in the eye. There were a couple of tears trickling down her face and I licked them away.

"You okay?" I asked, while my body screamed to get going. I was seriously going to lose it at any moment. To my relief, she nodded and I slowly began to move.

The problem was…being inside Meena was like being caressed by warm silk. It was incredible and way too much for my overtaxed libido. I was horrifyingly sure I didn't last more than fifteen seconds before I felt my body tighten and I exploded. My back arched and I let out a little shout before collapsing on my imprint, shuddering from both pleasure and embarrassment. She lay motionless underneath me and I was filled with shame. I was the Alpha, the great pack leader—and I couldn't even satisfy my imprint.

Pulling myself up so I could rest on my elbows and take my weight off her, I didn't meet her eyes as I awkwardly said, "So…"

"So…" she replied, equally awkward.

I slowly pulled out of her and she stiffened again. I could smell blood and I quickly got off the bed and went into the bathroom. Wetting a washcloth down, I went back into the bedroom. Meena was still in the same position. With only slight hesitancy, I wiped the area between her thigh and she winced.

"I'm sorry," I said again. "I wanted it to be good for you."

"It was…good," she said, but I knew she was trying to spare my feelings. I threw the washcloth back in the bathroom and sat on the edge of the bed, my shoulders slumped in defeat.

She sat up gingerly and rested her head against my back. "Some girls have luck their first time. And others…well, things go better the second time around."

When I didn't say anything, she turned my chin with her hand so I was forced to look at her.

"I liked seeing you lose control like that," Meena stated quietly. "It…you make me feel so desired and loved."

"I do love you…so much."

"Then don't over think it," she said, kissing my neck. I felt her tongue lick the puncture wounds caused by her nails. "I'm sorry I hurt you."

"I kind of liked it, to be honest," I replied, remembering how good it felt to be marked by her.

"Kinky," she said with quirked lips. Brushing her lips against my shoulder, Meena said, "It's probably time we ate some dinner, don't you think?"

"I'll get it started," I responded, getting up from the bed and pulling on my shorts.

"You cook?" she asked in surprise.

"Just some basic stuff I learned from my mom. Nothing too fancy."

I went into the kitchen and made up a couple of steaks and a salad. When Meena came in about ten minutes later, her hair was up in a loose knot on top of her head and she was wearing a silk robe. I tried not to think about what was underneath that robe. I knew she must be sore so I wasn't going to try anything. And I wasn't overly eager to embarrass myself again.

After dinner was through, she got up from the table and glanced at the bedroom then at me, her eyes seductive. I suggested a movie instead. She looked at me in confusion before she shrugged and sat down. We watched some romantic comedy, but I had no clue what I saw—my mind was firmly fixated on the woman next to me.

I wanted her.

And given the sidelong glances she was giving me, she wanted me too. But I kept thinking about how she had stiffened up in pain while I was inside her. I was large…it was the blessing and curse of being a wolf. I couldn't bear to hurt her until I knew she was completely healed. Even given her rapid ability to recover, I figured it'd be best to wait a few days. Plus, maybe a few jerk-off sessions in the shower while under the same roof as Meena would help me learn some self-control.

When the end credits began to roll, Meena made a move like she was going to kiss me. I jumped up from the couch and did a big, dramatic yawn.

"Sorry…" I said, yawning again for effect. "So tired."

"I guess we should go to bed then," she responded, her voice confused.

"Yeah, okay," I replied. We got ready for bed in separate bathrooms. I took that time to relieve myself from the sexual yearning I was feeling. I walked into the bedroom later and found Meena already in bed, the sheets folded to her waist. She was weary a pink teddy with tiny black polka dots on it. There was even a tantalizing little pink bow between her breasts…sweet baby Jesus. Closing my eyes, I got into bed and leaned over, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Good night," I said before turning away from her and lying on my side.

"Good night," she said weakly. I felt guilty at the pain in her voice, but I knew it was for the best.

The next morning I woke up to Meena kissing my chest, her hands moving in sensual circles on my stomach. I was about to turn and take her in my arms when I remembered my vow from last night. I quickly jumped out of bed and suggested we get some breakfast. Meena went from being hurt to pissed in the matter of seconds. We hiked around the island and went to visit the Cullens' bird sanctuary, but there was tension between us.

Strangely though, it didn't last long, because as the day wore on, Meena went from being pissed to amused. Sometime after lunch, she began to flirt with me…heavily. And the more I tried to ignore it, the more amused and determined she became.

We were walking on the beach, holding hands but not doing anything else when Meena said, "Hey, I know what we can do. Do you want to swim to an underwater cave?"

"Sure," I said. We went back to the house and changed into our swimsuits. Meena came out of the bathroom wearing an incredibly sexy black bikini. Her breasts were pushed up in a way that made me want to cup them in my hands. The strings holding up the bottom part were all but begging me to untie them. Then she walked in front of me, and I had to hold back my groan as I saw she was wearing a thong.

Fuck…I was so completely screwed.

"Let's go," she said, looking over her shoulder at me.

We went outside and she hurried into the water. I watched as she dove underneath the surface and came back up. Her skin was glowing under the sunlight, her head back tilted with her eyes closed. She ran her hands over her hair, the water glistening down her face and chest—

Vampires…think of stinking, smelly vampires…

Meena cracked her eyes open and said, "Are you coming in?"

I nodded dumbly and took a step forward as she started to float on her back, her breasts bobbing just above the water.

Vampires attacking La Push…Emmett, for fuck's sake…think of Emmett…

It didn't help. I ran into the ocean before she could see my body's reaction.

Why are you fighting this? a sinister voice argued. She wants it…you sure as hell want it…grab your imprint and mate!

The wolf inside groaned its approval at that line of thinking, and I forced myself to remember Meena's pain.

Just a couple more days…just a couple more days and she'll be ready for me…I'll be ready for her…

"The cave's this way," she said, doing the backstroke which gave me a peek at her taut stomach and bikini bottom. We swam until we were alongside a rocky cliff surface.

"Take a deep breath and follow me," Meena instructed.

She dove underwater, and after taking a breath, I followed. I didn't have vampire capabilities—wolves weren't naturals in the water like they were, but I could feel the connection to my imprint and I allowed it to lead me in her direction. I opened my eyes, letting the salt burn for a minute until my sight adjusted. Everything was blurry and blue as we headed for a tiny opening against the rocks. We went through it and then traveled down a short tunnel. Meena surged upwards and I continued to follow her. Seconds later, my head broke through the water and I inhaled fresh air gratefully.

"Are you all right?" Meena asked. I blinked a few times and saw that she was standing on a ledge. I wiped the water out of my eyes and swam over to her.

"I'm fine," I said, hauling myself out. I looked around and saw that we were in a large cavern big enough for at least twenty people to stand in comfortably. The light from outside the tunnel bounced around the cave, giving it a soothing blue glow. There seemed to be some stairs and a higher ledge in the distance, which overlooked the rest of the cavern. Meena headed over to it and climbed up.

"You want to see the world's best swan dive?" she asked.

I looked from her to the water. I could see large sharp rocks underneath where she was planning on diving.

"No!" I shouted, but it was too late. Meena did a perfect dive and disappeared under the water. I saw her get close to a rock and then she went still. With my heart in my mouth, I jumped in after her. The salt blinded me for a second, but I swam in her direction, swimming underneath the surface, my hands searching everywhere for her.

When I didn't feel anything, I panicked. I resurfaced and yelled, "Meena!"

"What are you doing?"

I looked over and saw her staring at me from the ledge I had just vacated.

"I thought…" I started to say, taking a shaken breath before I moved over to her. She sat down, her feet dangling in the water. There was a large rock right next to the ledge and I stood on it and wrapped my arms around Meena's waist, burying my face against her stomach. "I thought you hit your head."

"Oh Nate," she murmured, her fingernails raking my scalp and I shuddered. "I've been diving in this cave since I was a little girl. I know where to jump."

I moved my head so I could look at her and realized I was eye level with her breasts. Her nipples were standing out against the black material of her bikini.

"I…"

"Touch me, Nate," Meena whispered, her voice turning seductive. "Touch me like we both want."

"I don't want to disappoint you again."

She placed her hands on my face and forced my gaze up to her. "You could never disappoint me. Even yesterday…I told you, nothing gave me more pleasure than seeing you lose control. I want this to happen."

She reached for my hand and moved it underneath the strap of her bikini and together we slowly pulled it down. My other hand automatically went to the other strap and repeated the same action.

"Are you sure you're okay to do this? You're not too sore?"

"No," she replied softly. "I woke up wanting this. Now stop thinking."

"Yes ma'am," I said with a shaky grin. Reaching around her, I fumbled with the clasp holding her bathing suit top together. Muttering in frustration, I finally got the dammed thing off and threw it to the side. Placing my palms under her breasts, I moved my thumbs in circles around her nipples. She moaned and started to squirm.

"I used to fantasize about you," I revealed, pulling one of her pebbled points. Meena arched her back in response. "From the moment I met you, I used to spend hours daydreaming about a moment like this."

Meena's breath was becoming ragged. "What did you fantasize?"

"Of placing my mouth against you like this." I brushed her nipple with my tongue. "I used to imagine using my teeth on you like this." I placed my mouth over her other breast and pulled lightly on her turgid tip with my teeth. Her hands clasped me to her, demanding more.

I wanted to comply, but after yesterday's poor performance, I was going to take this slow. Moving back, I whispered. "I used to spend so much time in the bathroom getting off to my dreams about you, I'm sure my parents probably thought there was something wrong with me."

I met her eyes, hoping I hadn't offended her. Instead, Meena's eyes were burning with desire. Hell, I could smell her need for me.

"Did you ever fantasize about me?" I rasped. My body at this point was aching to be inside her. When Meena slowly nodded, I grew even harder for her. Because I was a glutton, I asked, "What? What did you fantasize?"

She swallowed before she said lowly, "I used to dream of you touching me here like you just did." She pointed to her breasts.

"What else?" I questioned, my voice strained.

She bit her lip before her hand moved to her sex. "And of you touching me here."

"Show me," I demanded.

With only slight hesitation, she cupped herself, her long fingers moving back and forth over her slit.

"Did you always do it over the surface of your clothes?" I wondered, sounding almost clinical. In a matter of speaking, I was trying to learn something from this little exercise into foreplay. I was learning by example how to pleasure my wife. "When I thought of you, there was nothing between me and my skin."

"N-No," Meena confessed. "I didn't always wear something."

My hands went to the strings holding her bikini bottom together. I undid one and kissed her hip bone that was exposed, and then I did the same thing to the other string. Pulling the suit away from her and placing it next to the bikini top, I eyed Meena from her head to the juncture between her thighs. Her skin had a faint blush over it, her body ripe for the taking.

"You are so fucking beautiful," I muttered. I moved so that I could kiss her inner thigh. Her legs went wide, silently begging my mouth on her most sensitive area. I shook my head and lifted my eyebrow at her.

"Show me," I said again, grabbing her hand and placing it against her center. I watched in fascination as Meena took over from there, touching herself with rapt skill. Before my eyes, I saw my imprint bring herself to orgasm. When she was through, she collapsed back against the rocky floor of the cave, her body trembling.

I took that as my cue. I parted her even further and placed my mouth right against her honeyed sex. She jerked in surprise before her hands flew to her breasts, squeezing them as I consumed her. I moaned my approval which made her pant in reaction.

After what I had just witnessed, I knew exactly what areas to hit to get a reaction from Meena, and I worshipped her accordingly. And within a matter of minutes, I brought her over the edge for a second time. I leaned back, feeling pretty dammed proud of myself.

I was therefore taken by complete surprise when Meena placed her hands under my armpits and pulled me right out of the water. Bless her inhuman strength! She rolled us so that she was on top of me. Moving her fingers to my pecs, she dug her nails into my skin hard. I hissed in pleasurable pain.

"Meena," I said in a desperate tone, shedding my swim trunks. "I need to be inside you…now."

To my disappointment, she swung away from me. I thought she was going to dive into the water, but instead she moved her feet on either side of my thighs and sat down so she was on my lap facing away from me. Both of our legs were now dangling in the water. Reaching behind her, she grasped my erection in her hand.

"Be inside me," she said over her shoulder, giving me a little squeeze before letting go.

I grabbed her hips and lifted her up, bringing her back down right on top of my stiffened need. I proceeded slowly, but didn't meet the resistance I had the day before. I pushed forward until I couldn't go any further. We stayed like that for a few precious seconds—joined completely together as we were always meant to be—and then Meena started to move.

We began a sensual rhythm, the sounds of our lovemaking echoing around us. I leaned back on one hand for support as we moved, my other hand going to her hip to guide our pace. Our movements soon changed, becoming frantic. When Meena gasped and her head flew back, I knew she was getting close.

My hand moved from her hip to the heated core between her thighs. I played with the protruding nub that awaited me there. Meena reacted by gripping my knees tight. I was most likely going to have bruises there by the time we were through.

"Nate!" she screamed seconds later and I felt her insides spasm around me. The feel of her squeezing my erection sent me rocketing into another universe and I pulsated inside her.

Minutes—or it could have been hours later—Meena whispered shakily, "I think we can put to rest your fear that you can't pleasure me…goddamn."

I felt a satisfied smirk appear on my face as I pulled her back against my chest. Nibbling on her ear, I whispered, "Thank you for seducing me."

"Moi?" she responded innocently.

"Please. You can't tell me you didn't have this in mind when you brought me here."

She giggled. "I remembered something my grandma Bella said shortly after we became engaged. She said, 'Meena, men in this family have a tendency to overreact if they think they hurt you in the bedroom. You might have to convince him otherwise.'" Laughing again, she said, "It's the one time I've ever willingly listened to a relative give me sex advice."

I chuckled at that, even as my body awakened inside her. I had a feeling that the rest of our honeymoon was going to surpass every fantasy I'd ever had about my imprint. And it did.

When we landed back home a week later, Emmett was there waiting for us, looking at our faces expectantly.

"Aww dammit," he muttered as he saw our satisfied expressions.

"Sorry to disappoint," I said, not sorry at all.

"Yeah, yeah," he complained. "Let's just get your bags so I can get you home."

I stopped walking. "You can't take us to the apartment. It's too close to La Push."

"Don't worry about it," Emmett replied. "We have it all arranged with the pack and your dad."

"My dad approved this?" I questioned in an astonished tone. "Did something happen while we were away?"

"Of course not. Jeez, are you always this paranoid?" He went over to the baggage area and pulled our suitcases off the conveyor, muttering something about it smelling like "wet dog." He was out the door before I could stop him.

"I don't think this is a good idea," I murmured to Meena.

She looked at me with a frown. "Well…if your dad approved it, it has to be okay, right?" she asked, her voice hesitant.

I pulled out my phone and turned it on for the first time since we left. Checking my messages, I found that there was only one…from Devlin.

Emmett's going to pick you up. Go with him. Everything's fine.

Deleting the message, I muttered, "I feel like I'm missing something here."

Emmett popped his head back in the door. "We going or what?"

"Fine," I said.

We got into the car and Emmett put it into drive. As we headed out of town, I noticed we missed our exit.

"We need to go west out of Port Angeles," I said.

"We're taking the scenic route," Emmett replied, taking the car south.

Pretty soon there was nothing but trees on either side of us as we got closer to the Olympic National Forest. Twenty minutes later, he pulled onto a dirt road.

"Uncle Emmett, you aren't by any chance kidnapping us, are you?" Meena said in an exasperated tone.

"Meena, it hurts that you think so little of me," he responded in a pained tone.

Meena rolled her eyes, but rested her head on my shoulder. I pressed my lips to her silky hair, enjoying the feel of it against my face. A short time later, we pulled onto a second road. The trees cleared away on one side revealing a large field. In the distance, there was a two story house made of large stones and logs. I could see a crowd of people outside…the entire Cullen coven, along with my parents, Gracie, Meena's parents, and most of my pack, Devlin, Jason, Azra, Seth, and Brady. Ryan was noticeably absent.

"What is this?" Meena asked.

Emmett pulled to a stop next to the house and put the car into park. Turning back to us, he said, "Welcome to your new home."

"What?" Meena and I responded at the same time.

The door opened and Esme peeked her head in. "I couldn't bear the idea of you two living in that cesspool of an apartment Nate picked out. We started looking for a different place for you right after the engagement was announced."

"We can't accept this," I said, looking at the house in awe.

"You're family now," Carlisle said as he came over to us. "Think of it this way, houses are always good investments for us. And at this location, we're far enough away from La Push that we can visit you without triggering any phasing in your pack."

My father and mom walked towards us, both beaming. My dad said, "This is a lot roomier for you both, and it'll be a good spot to have pack meetings. The wolves will be able to get in and out of here easier than they would have at the apartment. We worked together on this," my father added, looking at the wolves and then the Cullens.

I looked from my pack to my new vampire family. They were looking so expectantly, all Meena and I could do was nod. A cheer broke out and the vampires and wolves started mingling, most heading towards their parked cars. They were obviously leaving to give us newlyweds some privacy.

I stared at the sight before me and shook my head in amazement. What couldn't be achieved from our ancient treaty was finally achieved through my marriage to Meena. Peace between the Cullen coven and the Quileute wolves.

"So…how was the honeymoon?" Seth asked.

"It's not over yet," I replied. Picking Meena up bridal style, I carried her up the three steps leading to the porch. Smiling at her, I said, "Welcome home, Mrs. Uley."

And carrying my wife over the threshold, we walked through the front doorway, letting the door close firmly behind us.

Just a couple of quick notes. Thank you to those who nominated Apologetic Imprint: Paul's POV and The Deal We Made for the Single Shot Awards! If you want to check out the different stories nominated (there are some amazing wolf pack stories nominated), or if you want to vote, the link to the awards is on my profile.

Also, just a quick reminder…I have a lot of information about my stories on my blog such as a family chart, which includes the names of all the kids and who has imprinted on whom. The blog also has pictures of the girls' wedding dresses, the different characters, outtakes, and background information regarding my Imprint Saga. I'll also be putting Meena and Nate's house on there soon. I hope you'll check it out if you haven't already. Again, the link is on my profile page.

And thank you for all your comments on the previous chapter. I wasn't able to answer all my reviews, but please know I appreciated everything you had to say.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter!