28. The weddings- La push

Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer or Charlaine Harris - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their Gods.

AN: I just realised that I have left off the thanks to my beta and pre-readers… bad, bad girl… I cut and pasted it from Apologies and that hot mess was all mine.

Thanks to BanSidhe [ruadh sidhe] and Feebes86 for betaing and prereading.


Leah managed to find an airline that would take her with a letter from her doctor to assure them that she was not going to give birth tomorrow; that she really was under thirty five weeks pregnant, that it was twins and that was why she was so big. Airlines didn't like having to land somewhere because one of their passengers had gone into labour so they just didn't let you on the plane. It also helped that she was not travelling alone. So she and Alcide flew back to La Push and had a simple time-honoured blanket ceremony on the beach performed by Billy as their chief. Charlie gave her away and was ecstatic to do so.

Sue Clearwater found the traditional Quileute bridal veil that she had worn on her wedding day. It was repaired and restored to perfection. The traditional symbols hung from a headband: a shell for fertility, a coin for wealth, a thimble to show she was a good provider for her family, and a bell to show her vigilance and care for her family. Jake carved a small wolf out of driftwood for her and that was attached as well. The driftwood had faded to a lightish grey colour, very much like her wolf colouring. She asked him to carve another wolf for Alcide. That one was made from a pale creamy coloured wood to reflect his wolf colouring too. They balanced each other hanging on the outer sides of the veil.

Alcide wore a black shirt and black trousers. Neither felt the cold and she assured him that it was not really a suit occasion. Although she was certain he had one in his suitcase, just in case. He made her laugh like that.

Neither wore shoes.

They stood on a special woven mat that later would be given to an elder. All Leah's direct relatives were gone. Sue had been a Uley before she got married to Harry Clearwater. So her mother would get it as Leah's eldest living relative. The food in baskets and hand made pots was spread around the edges of the mat.

The gifts for Leah were handmade items like baskets and beadwork. She would treasure them all and find places for them in her new home. Leah noticed that they were not quite sure what to give Alcide. Normally he would have had mannish presents like fishing rods, guns and knives. She guessed that they thought he didn't need anything like that so they had gone the hardware route and got him hammers and tools. He actually looked pleased with that.

She had explained the ceremony to him weeks ago. The theory was that at your birth you were wrapped in a blanket and at your death you had a blanket shroud. The tribe viewed marriage as another life step, and believed that you should be wrapped in a blanket for that stage too.

They stood a distance apart facing each other and each wrapped in a blue blanket. As Billy said the words of the ceremony, the blue blankets were removed by Sue and Emily, standing in for Alcide's mother. Leah wanted her involved somehow and the ceremony didn't really have bridesmaids. Alcide was happy that Leah was happy and he knew that Sam would not be any trouble; he had smacked him down so comprehensively at the pack meeting. And then they were wrapped as one in a white blanket. They cuddled together under the white blanket. Alcide kissed her to make it official, his hands as always, reaching for her stomach and their babies.

They already had their rings from the earlier Shreveport ceremony.

Alcide whispered to her. "You look amazing… you look like you stepped out of a book or something…"

"Thank you. You look pretty amazing yourself."

Traditionally, if they divorced the white blanket would be torn in half. In the meantime it was meant to be hung in their home, as a reminder of their commitment to each other. Leah wasn't really sure it was appropriate for Shreveport but she would find somewhere to put it. Maybe across the foot of their bed.

Sue carefully put away her headdress for the next family wedding. Hopefully it would be Seth's.

The reception was held in the tribal meeting hall. They hadn't sent out invitations and people just came or not; it was very casual.

Seth hugged her hard. He had had a great time in Shreveport, and was the subject of much interest from the unattached females in Alcide's pack and a few who were attached. It was a side of her brother that she knew existed but had never really witnessed before. He was so nice; so happy and utterly charming that the females liked him instantly. Alcide laughed that the number of women interested in coming to Washington to 'train' with the Quileute pack had increased dramatically.

Even Jannalynn had given him a second look.

"It's only been a week and I swear you have got bigger!" Seth exclaimed. "What are they doing in there?"

"Growing… and pummelling each other, I think."

Seth grinned at her. "Cool. Just like us."

She rolled her eyes.

Rachel Black as an old friend of Leah's made sure she was there for the wedding. Not that she could stand being away from Paul for very long. They had imprinted a while ago just before the Volturi arrived.

They were having a quiet chat during the reception. Rachel had finished college and was tossing up her future options; limited now by her being Paul's imprint. Sometimes Leah suspected the imprints were just as trapped as the wolves. She and Emily had talked about it in their phone conversations and they had caught up when she had been back to the rez on her own. She had avoided Sam, and Emily hadn't pushed it. Emily admitted she and Sam had been working at their relationship. The problems conceiving hadn't helped. The imprint just seemed to overwrite feelings and she understood now that he still loved Leah as much as he ever did. It was just plastered over. His attempt to keep them both had almost caused him to lose them both. That, and the fact that Leah had clearly moved on, had given Sam quite a shock. Enough that he had pulled his head in and was behaving himself. Not being the alpha had reduced a lot of stress for him as well. He still phased; that was hard to let go. But being away from each other had helped a lot too, Jake had been right about that.

Leah got the impression that Paul wasn't doing much of anything besides fucking Rachel and driving Billy and Jake nuts hanging around the house and eating all their food. He ate a lot, even for a wolf. Leah needed to get her feet up and Alcide and Embry were off chatting together close to the speakers where she couldn't hear them. She gave Embry a suspicious glance but he was looking blissfully innocent. She wondered if he was planning some vampire hunting expedition for Alcide. He had expressed a wish to tear one apart with impunity.

"Man, I feel like crap. All achy and cranky," Rachel complained.

"You're not sick?" None of the wolves got sick but it didn't stop their imprints from falling ill and their wolf partners making everyone nuts in the process. She knew if Rachel was ill, her babies would be fine but she still worried about everything that could affect them.

"No… I don't know… I just feel weird. And I don't know where Paul has got to."

Leah had an awful thought. She needed to talk to Paul. She made an excuse. "I need to see what mischief my husband and Embry are getting up to. Those two are just getting too friendly." She pushed herself upright. She was getting so big. Alcide saw her movement and he watched her approach. He looked like he was resisting the urge to carry her across the room.

She had actually forgotten to worry about whatever those two were up to. "Em have you seen Paul?"

"He's around. Why?"

"Rachel said she feels weird. I just wanted to ask him some stuff."

"What's up?" Alcide asked. He could tell she was worried about something.

"I don't know… I just want to see if Rachel has been really cranky lately…"

"Oh, I can answer that one," Embry stated. "Paul is in constant trouble with her at the minute. It's no wonder he's left her alone. She's making him crazy and she's his imprint and he is trying to hide from her. That's how bad she is."

"Oh no." Leah looked horrified.

"Leah?" Alcide asked.

She clutched at his arm. "I didn't know," she half wailed.

"What? What didn't you know?" Alcide looked concerned.

"If any other female was going to phase it'd be one of the Black girls. They've got the same heritage as me."

"What do you mean?" Embry checked.

"I left. And Rebecca is in Hawaii. There's only Rachel left. And she has my symptoms."

Alcide guessed. "What if the pack was always meant to have a female, Embry?"

"Jesus," Embry swore as he put it all together. "Shit! It would go for the next available one with the right genes."

They all looked at Rachel across the room. She had found Paul or maybe he had found her, but she did not look happy. He had his hands held up in a surrender gesture but she was barking something at him and jabbing him in the chest with a finger.

"She's vibrating," Embry noted. "I'd better get over there." He put down his drink and jogged across the room. Alcide grabbed Leah's arm when she looked as if she would follow. "No," he simply said staring at her intently.

"I can help…"

But he wouldn't release her arm. "You can't go near her if she is going to phase, Leah."

"She's my friend."

"The boys will look after her… Paul is there… he loves her…"

"It's my fault… I need to help my friend."

"She hurts you and she won't be your friend," he stated.

She stopped. If Rachel hurt her, Alcide would tear her apart. Especially if she hurt the babies. He wouldn't be able to stop himself.

They watched as Embry whispered something in Paul's ear and then they each grabbed an arm and hoisted Rachel towards an external door. She was making quite a scene now demanding that they let her go and explain what the fuck was going on. Jake entered the back door of the hall. Renesmee had wanted to watch the ceremony. The other Cullens had stayed away and Leah actually appreciated that. Jake must have just got back from taking his imprint home.

His head lifted, sensing trouble. He glanced at Leah and she mouthed, "Rachel" at him and jerked her head after the departing trio. Jake jogged after them.

"This is all my fault," she whispered.

"Leah, this is not your fault. It was probably always meant to happen." Alcide sighed. He let go of her arm and put his arm around her shoulders. He knew she wasn't going to try to help now. "In a way, maybe it should have happened earlier and then at least you wouldn't have been alone. You might have had another female."

"I think you might be right. They only need one female." She put her hand over her rounded belly. "And if it was me, then I wouldn't have this. Or you."

He smiled at her and pulled her as close as she could get with her big belly. "Love you," he said.

They heard a wolf howl and Leah tensed in his arms.

"Guess that's her," he said.

"Yep," she agreed. She didn't recognise the howl. "Fuck!"


He booked their room at the hotel in Port Angeles… just for old time's sake.

"This is your fault," she told the room when she walked in the door. She turned and looked at Alcide behind her. He had already brought their bags up and then gone back down the stairs and collected her. "Did you book the rooms on either side too?"

"Of course," he stated.

She just looked at him. How could she have been so lucky? She adored him. "You're my everything," she suddenly said.

He looked almost concerned. He frowned at her. She loved that little M frown between his brows.

Maybe it was the pregnancy and the wedding and the whole day but she was suddenly overly emotional. It was out of character for her. She bottled stuff up so well; she tried to deal with things on her own but he had just derailed her from the moment she had met him. Knocked her clear off her rails.

"You're my mate… my man… my wolf… my husband… my… everything…" she told him.

"Oh chere," he murmured and then she was in his arms and he was kissing away her tears. "Is it this room?" he asked mischievously.

"Humph," she grunted at him. "Are you ruining my romantic moment?"

"No. I was just thinking the same thing. Now you're mine in every way too. And I like it," he growled out. He started peeling her out of her dress. Pressing his lips against her skin. "And these are mine…" as he held her stomach. "And these…" as he kissed her lips. "And these…" as he brushed his thumbs across her aching nipples. "And this…" as he slid his hand between her legs. "Mine," he growled.

"Yes," she breathed at him. "All yours." Her fingers were busy with the buttons on his shirt. Her hands sliding along the skin of his chest and pushing the shirt out of the way. She moaned in anticipation.

He lay her on the mattress on her left side. He had read somewhere that pregnant woman should lie on that side to ease the strain on their heart and blood vessels. She laughed at him always rolling her over. He held her top leg up and buried his face in her. She grabbed at his head with her hand and ground herself onto his face. In the later months of her pregnancy she was so horny. But for once, she was determined to wear him out.

He still wasn't good with her in a dominant position, but he wanted to see her face as he fucked her so he sat on the edge of the bed and held her on his lap. She leant backwards at an angle to give her stomach some room and he held her at the shoulders and pulled her onto him. Then they tried spooning, from behind with her on her hands and knees, and lying almost in a T position.

The second time he turned the air conditioning down she laughed at him. "Too much for you, huh?"

He pounced on her. "I am not admitting defeat!" he growled. They showered together, tried to order middle of the night pizzas but it was too late so they ate the mini bar instead and went back to bed.

In the end she cried 'uncle' and he was triumphant.

"I'll get you one day," she mumbled almost incoherently at him. "I'm just not at the top of my game right now." She snuggled down to go to sleep. "Oh fuck…" she groaned.

"What?"

"You'll be awake at fucking dawn, too… won't you?"

He grinned at her and wrapped her up in his arms. He kissed the side of her head.

"Love you."

"Muvh… y…" she fell asleep.


He let her sleep in. He said it was her wedding present. Truth was he was lying there watching her sleep and watching every shift and twitch and loving her more. They ordered pizzas for a very late breakfast instead.

They were lying in bed together naked and talking after sex as they always did. "You know chere, there's something I have always meant to ask you," Alcide said.

"Yeah?"

"Why do you have a vagina tattooed on your arm?"

"It's the traditional pack tattoo and it is not a vagina."

"Really? Looks like one to me."

"Well I guess you've seen a few," she chuckled. "And pretty close up."

"You want a mirror?" he asked with a grin. "It's even got a clitoris."

"Oh rubbish," she grunted at him. "It's two wolves around… a…" She was trying to look at her own tattoo upside down. "See they have teeth and paws… held up around a … round… thingy…"

"Vagina," he prompted.

She pushed herself off the bed and waddled into the bathroom. He heard a scream. "Oh my god! It is a vagina. Oh for fuck's sake!"

It was all she could say for the next fifteen minutes until he suggested laser removal, pointing out that she wasn't part of that pack anymore anyway and she didn't need to keep it.

"Traditional design, my ass," she grunted. "It's a wonder Paul didn't recognise it." She grumbled for a while. "Do you know what I went through to get this tattoo? A fast healing Were? It was fucking agony. It will have to stay."

"You know what I will be thinking of every time I see it…" Alcide suggested wickedly.

"Pfft," she said. "That's all you think about anyway."

FF_2154210_ - 10/09/2011 01:49:00 PM