Next Step

6years and 5 months later

"Momma can Embry and I go to the beach?"
"Maybe after lunch Sarah."
"I wanna go now though."
"Embry has to have a clean room before he can go."
She let out a big sigh.
It's been almost six and a half years since Sarah was born. She looks as though she is 12. We are counting down the days until she turns thirteen to see if she phases. Embry seems to be the most worried about whether she will phase and stop growing or not. Don't get me wrong Jacob and worry about it too. I still have hope that if she doesn't phase that she will stop aging like I did. She hunts a lot less than I do but I think some of that is her personal choice.
We wanted to wait and see what happened with Sarah's aging before we decided to have more kids or not but that didn't go as planned. I am currently carrying our second child. Jacob isn't quite as worried this time because it is growing at the normal rate of a human. So me being three months is really three months. Though it does mean that there is a chance that it is completely human.
Jacob and I aren't the only ones with more of a family now though. Levi now has a younger sister named Leila, who is three. Kim and Jared have a son named Hunter. He was the one Kim was pregnant with at the same time as me. Paul and Rachel have a little girl named Courtney. Paul was not happy about the fact that he got a girl and Jared and Sam both have boys. Now she is his little princess though.
Even Leah and Collin are going to have a baby together. Leah is due about three days after I am. I knew all along that they would end up together. True love doesn't have to be an imprint just because you're wolves.
"Embry quit being stupid momma says you have to clean."
"Do not."
"Do too ask her?"
"I don't want to nor do I want to clean."
"Embry, Sarah quit arguing. And Embry you do need to clean your room. I can't tell which of your clothes are supposed to be clean."
Some times the two of them drive me crazy.
"Sarah come help me in the kitchen so Embry can go clean. Daddy will be home with the boys soon."
I busied her in the kitchen washing grapes and fresh berries. Jake had taken some of the younger wolves out for more training because we got a few new ones the other day. Like always I haven't met them yet. We still haven't determined why there are so many wolves. My family is still here but they haven't grown any. We keep gaining wolves though. It's a mystery as to why, there are plenty of wolves to protect the tribe and all of Washington.
"Morning Ness."
"Good morning Kim."
"Emily sent me over with the muffins. She is going to be a little late because Leila is being a pain in the butt."
"She isn't the only one. Do you want the guys to help bring them in?"
"I thought they were all out doing training."
"No there are a few of them around. Brady, Cory can you come down stairs please."
"Is food ready?"
"Almost but Kim needs your help bringing things in from her car. Help Rachel too she just pulled up."
To make things easier over the last few years we all help with meals by making different dishes.
"Can I go play now momma?"
"Yes but don't bother Embry. Go play with Hunter."
I watched her run out of the room.
"Don't bother Embry?"
"They have been fighting this morning and it isn't even 8 AM yet."
I finished filling all of the fruit in large glass bowls. And then helped put the baskets of muffins on the counter. Emily arrived with her kids just as the other girls and I finished setting everything up. It's on rare occasion that we have all of the pack together like this. I used to think that my house was too large but now it's almost too small. When Emily and Sam out grew their little house my parents built them one just as large as mine and Jacob's. Kim and Jared moved into their old house. So now most days the wolves split their time between my house and Emily's. We don't make them split by pack that way they can all hang out with each other.
I couldn't help but smile when I heard the pack greeting call that meant they were home. Before I could even make my way to the door to open it for them it was thrown open. I then found myself being hugged so tight it hurt some. I smiled and hugged him back and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"I missed you so much."
"I missed you too. How is school going?"
"It's alright, but I don't know that I really like what I am studying. Heather loves it though."
"That's good. And you can always switch next semester."
"Cole let go of Ness before you break her. "
"But I missed my mom."
"We'll talk later Cole, go get some breakfast."
He let go of me and I was pulled just as quickly into Jacob's arms. His hold on me wasn't near as tight and felt warmer.
"Sorry babe, I tried to stop him before he came into the house."
"It's alright. He hasn't been home in a few months."
It took Cole a long time to tell Heather about the wolves. It took him even longer to tell her that she is his imprint. When Heather finished high school she wanted to go away to college like she had always planned. Jacob and I had agreed that Cole could go with her. They are only in Seattle but they don't get to come home much because of classes.
"So how many new wolves are there?"
"There are six. Four of them are ours and two are Sam's."
"I don't think I will ever get used to you being gone for training camp."
"How was home while I was gone?"
"Lots of cleaning and arguing."
"Sarah and Embry?"
I nodded in response to him as both of them walked into the room. I placed my hand on his cheek wanting to make our conversation private.
Maybe, you can help me relax later when they go to the beach.
I think we both could use that.
You should get something to eat now though.
You need to eat as well. How about I make a plate for us to share?
That would be nice.
Alright, go find us somewhere to sit. I think Sam and the new wolves are in the living room.
I headed to the living room while Jacob went to make a plate. As I went to sit down on the sofa opposite of Sam one of the other guys in the room growled slightly until Sam glared at him. I changed my mind about where I was going to sit and pulled the side chair from the corner up to the main seating area.
"Hey Ness"
"Hey Sam, how are things."
"Not bad, what about you are you becoming ill at all yet."
"Not ill just tired. I haven't been hunting as much as I was before."
As I said the word hunting another growl escaped from the room.
"Jordan, I don't care if you're in Sam's pack, if you growl at my wife one more time you'll be running the long patrol route until I say you can stop."
I jumped at the tone of Jake's voice.
"Jacob clam down he isn't hurting anything."
I could tell that he was starting to shake a little. I took the plate from his hand and placed it on the coffee table. Then with my hand in the center of his chest I gently pushed him back out of the room into the foyer. He was still staring into the room we had just left.
"Jake, look at me?"
It took him a few minutes but he finally did. I placed my hand on his cheek to talk to him.
Jacob, what's wrong?
He was growling at you.
I know but you have to remember that my scent is hard for some of them to get used to. You are used to it but they can smell the vampire on me.
Still.
Is something else bothering you by chance?
He really doesn't want to be a wolf and he doesn't believe in the imprints. He says true love at first sight is stupider than the wolves. I don't think he will fallow our laws about the imprint.
I mean something other than Jordan.
He scooped me up bridle style and started up the stair.
The pack mind is what's bothering me.
What about it?
You know I can't go long without thinking about you. So, when the new guys seen my thoughts about you they started to ask the others questions. I'm not really sure how to tell you this so I'm just going to say it. Most of the guys in the pack don't see you the way Cole does. Cole sees you as his mom and some of the others do too. But a lot of Sam's pack and even a bunch of mine see you as...as...someone they want to hook up with. So not all of their thoughts about you are appropriate.
He gently sat down on our bed with me.
On of the guys from my pack even asked me if he could have you for a night.
I cuddled closer into his chest.
"You are the only one I belong to."
"I Know but it hurts to see their daydreams and not be able to have you safe in my arms."
"Just relax. Everything is fine."
I looked up into his eyes.
"You look kind of tired, you should rest."
"I haven't slept since I went out. I was afraid that if I fell asleep one of them would sneak away and come after you."
"Oh, baby you worry too much. And my parents were here every night that you were gone. Go ahead and lie down and sleep, I won't leave your arms."
"There's something I have to do before I can sleep."
"I'm sure it can wait a few hours."
"No it can't."
"Then tell me and I'll do it and come back."
"It's this."

He lifted my chin up with his fingers and kissed me. After he kissed me I made he lie down and sleep. I didn't sleep but I laid in his arms with my eyes closes. The door opened once and one of the wolves climb up on the bed and cuddle into my back.