Reviewer Guest (5/27/15): I'm glad you found and have enjoyed this story. Regarding your dislike of my habit of using multiple POV's to tell my story...well, to be honest, this is just how I write. I try to pick the best POV to tell a given part of the story. Sometimes we need to be in Bella's head, or Embry's, or Jacob's, or someone else. Other times, we need the omniscient POV of the narrator to give info that none of the characters would really have or be able to share in the right way. I try not to be too jumpy about the shifts, and to make sure that each character's POV is a good length. I hope you can still slog your way through the different POV's since I doubt my writing style is likely to change.

AN: Sorry for being so slow in getting this updated. Some big writer's block, plus no writing time while on vacation, on top of dealing with the aftermath of the car collision I was in (all people involved were okay, my poor car not so much), and a tornado warning. But all is well now on all fronts, and you have this new chapter to enjoy. Fair warning, it's quite a long one and a good many things happen here (though I did end up pushing the couple thousand words of one plot development to the chapter after this one). It might initially seem like too much, but life doesn't always dole out momentous events into a convenient schedule; sometimes things dog-pile on top of each other boom-boom-boom, and this is just such a moment for our characters.

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Narrator POV

As the final days of August slipped into the first days of September, life settled down into something of a routine for the six members of the La Push wolfpack and the imprints that three of them had been blessed with. School and work occupied much of the time that patrolling didn't. The red-headed vampire Victoria was spotted a time or two, but only at a distance, and she always fled too quickly for the pack to be able to catch up to her. It infuriated all of them-Embry most of all. "Damn it, why can't she just stay put and die!" he snarled more than once. Not that his fury was a surprise to any of them, not given the fact that it was his mate who the Cold One was after. Both the wolf and man in Embry vowed to turn the granite threat into a pile of dust and ash. But they had to catch the sneaky bloodsucker first, and that was proving to be the difficulty. Sam kept the pack out and hunting as much as possible; but at the same time, he couldn't ignore the fact that the others were all still just teenagers and could only do so much, their supernatural wolf-spirit-brothers not-withstanding. Sam and Jared did have to get some hours in at work to support their families, and the younger pack members could only miss so much school before it would adversely affect their educations, to say nothing of attracting attention that the pack didn't need. It all combined into a brewing soup of frustration. Things probably weren't helped by the fact that the Cold War atmosphere between Embry and Jake had thawed only a little, Embry not yet being willing to heed some of his mom's words.

(flashback)

"Jacob was your friend for almost all of your lives, Embry. I can't-and won't-try to tell you who you can or can't be friends with, but I want to you to ask yourself a question and really answer it. Are you punishing Jacob now for the things he said and did, or for what his father didn't say or do? Jacob has had no more say in Billy's actions than you have. Billy had two other children besides Jacob when he made the choice to stay in his marriage. I don't think it's fair for Jacob to be scapegoated for that decision."

(end flashback)

Embry stopped snarkily retorting to Jake's peace-seeking overtures-he simply didn't respond to them at all. Pack reports from the others were also listened to without comment. Embry was respectful to Sam, friendly enough to Jared, reconnecting with Quil, and tighter than ever with Paul. But mostly he just wanted to be with Bella. Sam did what he could to keep an eye on Embry's wellbeing-in no way did he want the younger male to internalize everything and self-destruct from the stress of it all. But the Alpha well knew that an imprint could help heal any number of hurts, and the couple needed the chance to become closer anyway, so he left Bella to her healing work.

Various members of the tribal council had been meeting privately-that is, without Billy Black's presence-trying to see a clear path toward his punishment and amends. That they hadn't yet come up with anything was in no small part due to the tangled nature of the situation. On the one hand, Billy had to be credited with staying with his wife and their three children, and being a good husband and father to them all those years. Countering that was the reality that Billy had cheated on his wife and fathered another child who he never openly claimed. The fact that he'd long acted as a surrogate father to Embry Call only made the lack of acknowledgment even worse. Billy had also been a respected and admired chief in the years since his father's sudden death, and a mentor to many younger men including the pack's Alpha. But that respect was hard for many to feel now-especially Sam-when they considered how Billy had planted the idea of future Alpha status in his demonstrably unprepared elder son. The fact that Jacob had almost immediately used that notion to challenge Sam's authority was something that the Alpha still resented. Billy's motives for that remained unknown, as did many other things. Despite the fact that both Embry and Tiffany were going out of their way to avoid him, there were no signs that Billy was trying to reach out to either his son or the young man's mother. The lack of remorse or repentance for his actions was troubling. If Billy felt that he'd done nothing wrong, then was it even possible for him to make amends for any of it? The suggestion was made that Billy should agree-or be compelled to agree-to step down as chief, and even resign from the council itself. If his positions and reputation had mattered and did matter more to him than doing the right thing for his younger son, then was it right for him to keep those positions? Old Quil counseled patience and waiting for the spirits to send guidance before they made any decision. That, however, was becoming harder to do. The more talking that the council members did about the situation, the chances grew that they would slip up and start having those discussions where others could hear them-others who weren't 'in the know' when it came to Embry's true heritage as Quileute and wolf. The first Sam knew of the developing situation was near the end of the second week of September. He was running an errand to the store for Emily. She was waist-deep in plans for an 18th birthday beach party for Bella and had forgotten a few things when she'd gone to the store earlier in the day.

"...can hardly believe it. To think that Billy would do that..."

"But have you really looked at the two of them lately? There's more similarities than differences between Jacob and Embry now."

"All of the boys in that group look like one another," the first voice dismissed.

"And they're all related to one another in some way," countered the second person. "So by your own logic, if Embry looks like them now, then it must be true."

"But Billy cheat on Sarah? He wouldn't do that. Tiffany Call must have gotten her claws into him and led him astray." Sam gritted his teeth. They'd known that if and when word started getting out about what had happened that Tiffany and Embry would be the ones bearing the brunt of the fallout. Billy's continued silence would only encourage people to view things that way.

"It takes two to tango," the other person defended. "Billy wouldn't have been entirely innocent. Nobody knows what happened-if anything happened at all. I don't believe she was that kind of person-if she was, there would have been talk of her and men from the tribe over the years...and there hasn't been any of that."

Sam internally debated what-if anything-he could or should do right now. Making his presence known to the gossipers could quiet them down...or just as likely could simply add more fuel to the fire. Then again, ignoring it could have exactly the same results anyway. Damn you, Billy, he mentally snarled. After another moment's internal debate, Sam stepped around the corner of the store, evoking an immediate wave of silence as soon as the women saw him. All were equally discomfited-the women for being caught gossiping, Sam because of who the women were: Jennie Fox and her twin sister Connie Littlesea-two of Billy's sisters. If Sam had needed proof that Billy still hadn't come clean to his own family about his past actions-which he really didn't-this would have provided it. He wondered if Leah had said anything about this to her roommate yet. She probably hadn't, since they hadn't been visited by an infuriated Rachel Black yet. Sam pushed that aside with a mental reminder to himself to have Sue tell her daughter to get to it soon; if the talk about Embry had reached his still-secret aunts, then it would get to his unrevealed sisters in short order.

"Ladies," Sam greeted them courteously.

Their quiet return salutations revealed that Jennie had been the one defending Billy, while Connie had been the more open-minded speaker.

"Family discussions are best held in private, wouldn't you agree?" The pointed question made both women uncomfortable.

"You mean to say that it's true?" Jennie hissed.

"That is a question that you should ask of your brother, rather than me. If true, it's private family business. If it isn't true, then saying those kinds of things in public could be seen as unwelcome gossip." Sam offered an insincere smile that held a hint of intimidation. It worked even better now than it did on his wolves.

Jennie clearly didn't like the implied rebuke, but beat a hasty retreat just the same. Connie, though, lingered.

"Is it true? Do my children have another cousin?"

"You'll have to ask your brother that question," Sam repeated.

"But why would he not tell us about this?"

"Only he can say why he might feel the need to keep a secret even from his closest family, if that's what has been going on here," said Sam. The look in Connie's eyes didn't bode well for Billy. Family and best friends knew a person better than anyone else. That could be good—as when they offered support without needing to be told why. It could also be bad—as now, Sam could hope. Those closest to a person had ways of scaling or tunneling under any walls that got built—or else they just blasted right through them—and that might be what it would take to get Billy to say the words aloud that Embry was in fact his son. If it wouldn't be immature of him, Sam might well rub his hands together in devilish glee, and sell tickets and popcorn for the show.

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Bella POV

"So what is the plan for Bella's 18th birthday?" Jessica was single-minded in her focus to get an answer from someone in the days leading up to my milestone event, and Embry was the top person on her list to get them from.

Embry grinned and had mercy on her. "My friends in La Push are hosting a beach day. Cookout, games, walking, swimming, and surfing. Even building sandcastles if you like that idea. You and Angela are both invited, of course. Ben, you too, if you want to come."

"Sure."

"Absolutely!"

"I can't make it," Ben looked disappointed. "Sorry, Bella."

"That's okay. It is short notice, I know."

When I explained to Charlie about the birthday beach day that the La Push crowd was hosting, my dad graciously agreed to celebrate with me on another day.

"Have fun with all your friends, Bells. I don't mind waiting to do something with you. It'll actually work out great for both of us. Billy has a doctor's appointment in Port Angeles and Jake can't take him-some sort of tribal community service thing that can't be rescheduled," he said. "So Harry and I are going to take him up there."

From the set of Charlie's jaw and shoulders, I was guessing that they were going to use the time where Billy was in a place where he wouldn't have a choice about listening to them in order to have a serious talk. I could tell that my dad wasn't too enthusiastic about confronting one of his best friends, but at the same time I was glad he was going to do it. Whether it was for his own sake or for Embry's benefit, someone needed to give Billy a good hard shake and make him do or say something.

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Something-I wasn't sure what-partially roused me from slumber Saturday morning. I didn't hear anything that meant I should wake all the way up and decided to go back to sleep. Not quite able to manage that, I was drifting in a comfortable dream-like state when my world began to heat up. I sighed and stretched sinuously, relishing the warmth surrounding me.

"Happy birthday," Embry breathed in my ear.

"It is," I agreed, waking up fully and turning over so I could give my wolf a kiss. "What are you doing here at-" I checked the clock- "six in the morning?"

"I wanted to be the first one to wish you a happy 18th birthday today."

"Eighteen."

"Yep, my girl's legal now."

"Not to drink. Not that I plan to do that even when I am legal. Or smoke. I will register to vote, though."

"Good for you."

"If I'm going to become an adult, I better act like it, right?"

"You are all grown up," Embry agreed. His body pushed mine over and draped itself over me. As we kissed, my hands trailed from his shoulders all the way down his back to his ass-his bare ass.

"Did you forget your clothes?" I managed to ask once I got a chance to breathe again.

"Nope."

"Where are they?"

"On the floor."

"Why?"

"So I can make love to you."

"What if I want you to fuck me?" Did turning 18 mean that my verbal filter disappeared? Had I really said that?

A purring growl rumbled through his chest and set all my nerves to tingling. "Oh, I'm gonna do that, too," Embry promised.

"Wait-Charlie!"

"He left. No one's here to hear you scream."

He immediately set about fulfilling both his vows. Embry started at the top of my head, running his fingers gently through my hair, massaging my scalp. Soft strokes along the curves of my ears, feather-light caresses over my eyelids and cheeks. Nuzzling my neck before dipping down to leave faint rosy hickeys along my collarbones. I gasped when Embry's mouth closed over one of my breasts. The sensation was almost too much, yet my hands rose to cradle his head against me. After he paid due attention to my "perfect" breasts, Embry kept moving south. His nose lightly trailed down my midriff and his body settled between my legs that he pushed apart to make room for himself. Before I knew what was happening, his hands were under my butt, lifting me upward and his tongue was on me-in me. I screamed from the sheer sensation that exploded in my body. It was like being on a roller coaster-only the thrill of the weightless plunge never stopped. It just kept going and building until my thighs clamped around Embry's head from the intensity of my orgasm. Embry rose up over me, and his cock nudged against me a couple times before slipping inside. The little aftershocks that were still zipping and popping under my skin only intensified with every shunting movement of his body against and within my own.

"Take it. Take me. My Bella. My love. My imprint. My mate," Embry's words were a broken arousing stream until his mouth claimed mine in a devouring kiss. I couldn't say how many endless fleeting moments it took before my wolf stiffened and I could feel his essence pulsing deep into my core.

Our sweaty skin stuck together when Embry lowered his body to press me deeper into my mattress. I didn't mind the stickiness or his weight. I just savored being so viscerally connected to my mate and fruitlessly wished that we could always be like this.

"I love you," I whispered.

"I love you, too," he replied, "and I'm going to prove it now by fucking you like you asked me to."

"Now?" my questioning squeak segued into a moan when I felt- I felt-him harden inside me again. My next moan was one of disappointment when he pulled completely out of my body. Before I could protest verbally, I was lifted, spun, and deposited back on my bed on my belly.

"Hands and knees," Embry growled.

I tried to comply, but only managed it with his help. My wolf draped his body over my back, tucking his groin against my rear. My shoulders were pushed downward until my weight was supported on my forearms and my forehead was pressed into my pillow.

"Watch!" was Embry's next command. I slit my eyelids open just a fraction-enough to watch the tip of my mate's cock appear and sink into the cleft of my legs. After a testing stroke along the front of my womb, Embry's arms bracketed my shoulders and his hips began jackhammering against my backside. Oh, yes, he was definitely doing what I'd asked him to.

"Keep watching!"

I tried-I really did. But the responsiveness of my nerve endings to every movement of Embry's length within me, to the caresses of the hand he lifted to travel between my breasts and my clit...all of it had my eyes rolling back in their sockets. I was lifted upward again. When Embry began 'walking' his knees forward, his cock still anchored within me shifted and twitched, pulling choked cries, moans, and screams from my raw throat.

"Hands on the headboard," Embry put actions to words and lifted them one at a time to where he wanted them. His hands bracketed my hips now, pushing me almost all the way off his cock before slamming me back down again. One...two...three...and I shattered, convulsing with the force of an electric shock, pulling Embry over the edge with me with a roar. Utterly and completely boneless in the aftermath of the succession of orgasms, I paid little mind to Embry pulling out of me and moving me to lie flat on the bed. He must have gone to the bathroom for a wet rag, which he then proceeded to run over my skin to clean and cool me.

"Happy birthday," he told me again, sliding up next to me.

I tried to say, "Thank you," but only managed a mumble, already drifting back to sleep.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was with the greatest reluctance that Embry left me a few hours later so that we could both get ready for my birthday gathering.

"Are you giving your friends a ride down to La Push?" he asked.

"Angela said that she'd follow me down in her car. That way she and Jess have a way to get home if I end up staying later than they can."

I got ready with extra care-at least, as much as possible given that practically the entire day would be spent at the beach, in the water. I'd just set my bag down near the front door when I heard a rapping sound from the direction of the back door.

"Jacob?" I was surprised, to say the least, to see him standing on the little patio slab. The last time Jake had been there, Quil had been hauling him toward the forest to get him away from me before he phased.

"Happy birthday, Bells."

"Thanks."

I watched Jake take a deep breath and almost freeze. His eyes darted to me and I fought the instinct to blush-clearly all my efforts in the bathroom hadn't completely obliterated Embry's and my earlier activities. Jake inhaled and exhaled again before offering me an echo of his usually big grin.

"Looking forward to the beach day?"

"Yeah. And I'm well stocked on sunscreen."

"Good. Hope you have a good time."

"Aren't you going to come?"

"No. I offered to run patrol to let everyone else be there."

"That's not fair to you though, is it?"

"I probably don't deserve 'fair', do I, Bells? After everything I pulled?" There was that smile attempt again. "Embry ought to be able to have a good time celebrating your birthday with you. We both know that won't happen if I'm there."

"Probably not," I admitted.

"I don't blame him," Jake assured me. "I said and did some really shitty things to him-and to you, too. I'm sorry about all of it. Really sorry."

"I believe you." I did believe him now. Jake had spent the past few weeks really trying to prove to everyone that he'd turned over the proverbial new leaf and I had no reason to doubt his sincerity.

"Thanks. I appreciate that," and Jake gave me a full-wattage grin this time. But it quickly faded away to a serious expression. "And I'm sorry about Dad, too. You know, back when I was a little kid-before Mom died-I used to beg her and Dad for a brother. But they just told me that they were happy with the twins and me, and did I really want to risk getting another sister? Then they'd either send me out to play with Quil and Embry or else invite them over to our house."

"Do you think your mom knew the truth?"

"I don't know, but I don't think so. I think she would have made sure Embry was included more-maybe even insisted that we be told the truth. And I guess I can't imagine she would have kept it bottled up and not had any fights with Dad about it. I mean, I was just a kid, so I might not have noticed it if there were problems, but..."

"Kids notice," I countered before he could continue. "They might not always understand what's going on or why, but they definitely know that something is going on or is wrong. Trust me."

"I do. I'm sorry I haven't always acted like it. And I'm especially sorry for trying to make you feel bad about dating Embry. He's a great guy, Bella-I've always known that. You're both lucky to have each other."

"I'm never going to forget that," I promised. "If there was one good thing to come out of my relationship with Edward, it's that I have such a deep appreciation for what grew between Embry and me. We fell in love on our own, before the imprint. But with what happened to me before...I won't lie and say that I don't like the certainty that the imprint brings. Edward really did a number of my self-confidence when he dumped me the way he did—and right after he'd sworn not to leave unless I asked him to. It was almost impossible not the feel that it was my fault somehow. I hate that he could make me doubt myself so much, but he did. Embry fixed all of that—made me believe I wasn't responsible, and that I deserve the world."

"I'm glad you believe that, and that you have Embry now. I'm thankful that Embry has you, too. He needs you with all this crap floating around."

"Crap? What else is going on?"

I listened with a sinking feeling as Jake related his concern that word about Embry's true paternity was starting to spread beyond the council's closed ranks.

"My aunt Connie showed up at the house a while ago, looking for Dad. He wasn't there, but I was."

(flashback)

Jacob POV

"Jacob, where's your father?"

"Charlie and Harry took Dad to Port Angeles. He's got an appointment, and they'll probably make a day of it before coming back. Did you need him for something?"

"I just wanted to ask him…" she sighed. "I saw Samuel Uley at the Cameron's store a little while ago. He interrupted a discussion—an argument—that Jennie and I were having outside." She looked up—way up—at me. "Do you know…is it true? Is Embry Call…is he Billy's son?"

Damn, I didn't want to get into this topic with my aunt.

"Jacob?"

"Dad—"

"—should be the one to say something, I know that. But he's not here. If he were…"

"He probably still wouldn't say anything," my reply was bitter. Bad enough that Dad had kept the secret all these years when only he and Tiffany and Quil IV had known the truth. But to still be stubbornly trying to continue the vow of silence when so many people—Embry most of all—now knew the truth? What was the point of that? Short answer—there was no point. Just an old man who refused to man up and do the right thing for his son. And I decided here and now that I wasn't going to help him cover up anything. Besides, if anyone else had a right to know about Embry, our family did.

I locked eyes with her. "Yes, Aunt Connie, Embry is my brother."

She closed her eyes and pressed a hand hard against her mouth. When her eyelids lifted, the brown eyes behind them were wet. "Why didn't he tell us?" Did he not know—"

"—he knew," I interrupted. "Tiffany Call came here looking for him after she found out she was pregnant. Dad knew the baby was his, and never said a word to anyone."

"Why didn't he tell us?" she asked again.

"I don't know. Why does anybody do or not do anything? It usually seems to come down to either selfishness or selflessness—and I don't think it was Embry's interests Dad's been most concerned with."

"Who else knows?"

"Just our group and the council—I think. Clearly it's starting to spread beyond that if you heard something that made you come here with questions."

"So Nora and Emmie don't know, either? And what about Rebecca and Rachel?" Aunt Connie questioned me about her two other sisters, and about my sisters, too.

I shook my head. "They'd all be here along with you if they knew, wouldn't they?"

"Then it's time that they do find out," my aunt squared her shoulders in resolve.

(end flashback)

Bella POV

"I'm sorry that you had to step up on this because your dad wouldn't."

"So am I. I mean, it's one thing to not cry it out from the top of Ak-a-lat, but to not even be willing to tell his own sisters about their nephew? Not tell my sisters? Embry's sisters?That's just…wrong." His mouth twisted and Jake sighed deeply. "I almost feel like a bit of a coward for letting Aunt Connie be the one to tell my other aunts, and my sisters, too. But she said that I shouldn't have to do it—and that Leah shouldn't have to be the one to tell Rachel, either."

"I don't think its cowardice. You've handled so many things for your dad over the years; there's nothing wrong with letting others in your family help out once in a while. And your aunt is right—it's not your responsibility to make Billy's confessions for him."

"Thanks, Bells. Well, I ought to go. I want to have a chance to eat something before I start patrol, and you'll probably want to leave soon anyway. Oh, this is for you. Happy birthday," Jake held out the small wrapped item he'd been holding since he arrived. I took it automatically and carefully unwrapped the paper.

"Oh," I looked down at a small woven dream-catcher. Clearly, it was handmade, and something that must have taken Jake a good amount of his limited free time to finish in the few weeks he'd had since starting to turn things around. "Thank you."

"I know it's not much, but-"

"It looks really nice. Thanks."

"You're welcome. I'm guessing you probably don't have bad dreams anymore, but this will make sure none slip through if Embry isn't around to help you some night."

There really wasn't anything I wanted to say in reply to that. If he was fishing for information, I wasn't going to give it. And even if he knew for certain where Embry spent many nights, it wasn't something I planned on discussing with Jacob Black. I simply offered a small smile and watched as Jake turned away and was quickly swallowed up by the forest.

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Embry and Quil were waiting when Angela and I pulled our cars into the beachside parking lot. I got out as fast as I could and threw myself into Embry's arms.

"Damn, someone's had a good birthday, haven't they?" Quil leered.

"Asshole," snorted Embry.

"Hey! I was including you in that."

"Someone?"

"Well, 'someones' isn't a word, is it? Or would it be 'sometwos'?"

"Dropped on his head as a baby," Embry said to the sky.

"I was not! Anyway, whatever. Bella, happy birthday. Angela, Jessica-glad you could make it. Come on! A kick-ass beach birthday-fest awaits us."

We walked down to the beach, to where Emily and Kim already had the prep well in hand.

"Don't even think about it, Bella," Emily warned me when we got close. "You aren't going to lift a finger working on your own birthday party. Embry, make sure she doesn't."

"I'm on it," he assured her. 'On me' would have been more accurate, though. He swept me over to a nearby driftwood log and initiated a makeout session, regardless of our audience. Any thought about that or about helping—any thought at all, actually—fled from my brain.

Embry let me up to breathe just in time for us to watch Sam vault backward off the edge of the tall cliff, flip himself in mid-air, and make a perfect diving entry into the water. A minute later, Paul followed him, making a series of twists and rolls on the way down that would have done an Olympic diver proud. They exited the water together, Paul shaking himself off theatrically, deliberately showering Sam in the process. The Alpha caught him in a headlock and wrestled Paul across the beach.

"I give up, okay?" Paul stopped fighting and relaxed in a sign of submission.

Sam smirked, "About time. Come on, the food smells like its ready."

"Let me at it," Paul immediately turned in our direction. He didn't get very far before jerking to a halt with the same force as if he'd crashed headlong into a brick wall. Sam likewise stopped dead in his tracks; for that matter, everyone in the pack was instantly focused on Paul. Paul…was staring at Jessica. Staring. Like she was the only thing in the world that he could see. Near me, Jess gasped softly, and I shifted to see her better. She was just as frozen as Paul was.

"Fuck," Embry breathed softly into my ear. "He imprinted."

It was a good thing that no one was paying attention to me, or my shock at that announcement would have been obvious.

"Are you going to eat the food, or worship it?" Quil interjected himself into the tableau—in a much more successful fashion than he'd managed with Jake the day Embry had imprinted on me.

"Both," replied Paul, without a glance in Quil's direction. It was only because I was paying very close attention that I caught the extremely subtle snorts of the pack members at Paul's deliberate double entendre.

"Ladies first for the food," Embry suggested. "Or would you prefer beachside delivery?" he asked me.

"Table to blanket service?" I pondered. "How can a girl resist that kind of offer?"

Embry stood and carried me over to one of the blankets spread on the sand, took my order, and headed to fill up a plate for me. Sam and Jared did the same for their imprints, and Paul walked up to Jessica.

"Paul Lahote," he introduced himself.

Jess gave him and up-and-down appraisal, taking her time at it. Eventually, "Yes, you are."

Paul's lips quirked in a slow, sly smile. "See anything you like? To eat?" he added as Jess choked.

"Are you for real?"

"What you see is what you get," was his cocky reply. When she didn't respond, Paul's confident aura took on a note of uncertainty.

Embry stepped in. "Paul likes to stir things up sometimes. He doesn't mean anything bad by it," my boyfriend assured our classmate. "I'll vouch for him, Jess. He became a good friend of mine over the summer. You just have to give back as good as he deals out, and you'll be fine."

To Paul's relief, Embry's endorsement of him seemed to help, and Jess now seemed willing to let him get her some food. There were some secret grins from his fellow packmates when Paul was pleased to be able to bring Jess the hamburger—"ketchup only, thank you", BBQ chips, potato salad, and water that Jess had requested. The guys weren't going after Paul like they probably wanted to—couldn't yet, since Jess didn't know about the imprint.

I'd probably have to take some time to think about this, but maybe it could be a good thing all around. After dealing with the likes of Mike Newton for so long, Jess deserved a good boyfriend who'd do anything for her; Paul would. I did wonder how they'd deal with Jess' no-sex moratorium, especially since Paul's advice to Embry during our relationship indicated he had experience himself. Paul deserved someone who could keep him on his toes and stand up to him; feisty Jess could do that easily. And what I knew of the imprinting business said that Paul would do and be what Jess needed, so he'd have to figure something out. So, overall, I could be happy for both my friends here. For myself, I would admit that it might end up being nice now, not being the only white imprint. But some people could—and likely will, I reflected—question why a second member of the wolf pack would imprint on a non-native girl. "Aren't there enough good native girls here, or even in other tribes?" they'd ask.

"How many people are in the tribe?" I asked, of no one in particular.

Sam answered me, "A little over 700 members enrolled in the tribe. There are more out there who have Quileute blood, but we're one of the stricter tribes when it comes to getting official membership—and the benefits that come along with it. Only people who are half-Quileute by blood can gain tribal status. Other tribes will allow those of quarter-blood, or even less, but we don't. Only about half the official tribal members live here at La Push, though."

So Embry could ask for and be entitled to get tribal status. And the low numbers in the tribe could explain why only one of the four current pack imprints was Quileute. With their numbers and strict membership rules, it was likely that all the current tribal families were related to each other in some way. And I remembered from my advanced science classes in Phoenix that inbreeding could cause some pretty nasty consequences for small population groups. So maybe the spirits were helping out their wolf protectors by finding them mates that they weren't closely related to, for the sake of future generations. I watched Sam snag his son's foot when Levi tried to crawl off the blanket, and saw Jared cradling Kim's bump. They all deserved healthy children.

After the food stock had been dented, the pack members started tossing and kicking a soccer ball around on the beach, while I started the process of helping Jess get to know Emily and Kim.

"How are you feeling?" I asked Kim.

"Better. I've finally been able to help my mom with some of the wedding planning."

"You're getting married?" Jess was surprised. "But, you're our age, aren't you?"

"Jared and I are both nineteen now. We graduated at the end of last year. And," she patted her stomach, "we're kind of on a deadline now. But we're determined to make this work."

"Good luck."

The conversation turned to lighter topics after that. I shifted on the log, trying to find a more comfortable spot. I soon had one—courtesy of Embry, who'd followed Paul over to our little female group, and now offered up his lap as my cushion.

"Done playing?" I asked, snuggling up against his chest.

"Depends on what kind of play you mean?" Embry teased me quietly. Then, louder, "Yeah. Decided I wanted to be here instead."

"Emily! The ice is all melted. Drinks will start getting warm," Paul pouted.

"Then you can run back to our place and get more ice from the freezer. And grab that extra tray of brownies I made while you're there."

Paul objected, "But I've only got two hands! Can I get some help?"

"I'll do it," Jess offered.

Paul's obvious grin of delight had everyone else hiding their own grins, or smothering laughter. The newly imprinted pair left on their errand, the game continued, and Emily and Kim kept talking. I half paid attention, but mostly just enjoyed snuggling with my wolf.

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"Sam, do you hear that?" Jared stood still, head cocked to one side, clearly listening to something with focused intent.

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AN: So, any guesses on what Jared has heard? Correct guesses get oodles of wolf cuddles.