Marie sighed as she was finally able to sit down. She had finally confessed her love to Sam, he however had not been able to respond because he had been swept away by the tribal elders. They were dragging him all over the place. She couldn't help but laugh as he face filled with dread as the older ladies asked him about marrying their granddaughters. It was sight to see.
She was glad for the separation though; it gave her time to think. Time to think over the decisions she had made over the past few months.
She boldly left her former family and to her surprise…found a new one. Sam, Ephraim and the shadow...they were her family now. it only made her next decision clearer. She need to protect her newborn children. She needed to protect Sam.
Marie slowly stood and made her way to the dark woods, not far enough to be in danger but just farther away to have some privacy.
…
Joshua followed his son's chosen mate. Where was she going? and why in the forest?
He was going to stop her but then he heard the dial of a phone.
"yes…this is...this is Isabella Cullen. I need to speak to J. Jenks."
There was a moment of silence and then a man with a heavy southern accent came on the line.
"ISABELLA! ARE YOU CRAZY! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOUR LITTLE REBLION HAS CAUSED!"
Joshua eyes went wide. Cullen. Cullen! He knew that name! they had bought all the businesses on the east coast and were slowly taking over any other business that didn't have a chance. Every year they invited big and small business worldwide to their annual charity function. But the intention behind it was to find the weakest link and take over what they had. It was like sharks hunting their prey.
Marie…was a Cullen?! Isabella Cullen for that matter.
Joshua continued to listen in on her conversation. He could dig for details later.
"Are you done?" she asked softly
The man named jenks sighed
"yes. I am done. But what I really want to know is…are you safe? Are you happy? And have you covered your tracks?"
"I'm nowhere near the east coast if that's what you mean and I'm actually living in a small town and J, you won't believe it…but-"
She stopped herself.
"I'm sorry. If I could I'd tell you all about it but..."
"but deep down you don't trust me." the man finished for her. "don't be ashamed Isabella. You're a smart girl and I don't blame you. If the Cullen's found out…yeah, I don't blame you. But something tells me the real reason you called me is to divorce Edward. Are you sure you want to do this Bells? Because once you file those papers, he will know your alive and god forbid but if you one day run into him…it won't be pretty. He loves you …"
"STOP MAKING EXCUSES FOR HIM!" she said cutting him off.
Joshua notice her shoulders starting to tremble now.
"just...stop it please. I know what I'm doing and don't act like they probably haven't found him a new wife already. You know how the Cullen's work and as my stepfather I'm asking you to do this one thing for me. Please. Help me, like you helped my mom."
"she misses you know."
"don't tell her I called. She only has a few months to go and then shell be free. Take her far away jenks. And make her forget. Make her forget what her life was like before."
"…I will. I promise and I'm assuming your filing a no-fault divorce?" he questioned
"yes. It wasn't anyone's fault. Just…say…unreconcilable differences."
"alright. Goodbye Isabella."
"goodbye jenks and as of today…is Marie."
With that said there was the sound of a dial tone.
Joshua watched her fall to her knees and sob. Thousand of things blazing through his mind.
One, His son's mate was a Cullen. Two, she was married and supposedly getting a divorce. Three, she was a pregnant with not only a black but now the possibility of a Cullen rang through his ears.
Joshua didn't not like this at all.
…
Marie wiped her eyes and picked herself up.
"no more crying. Itys over." She said aloud
"I wouldn't believe that if I were you." An angry voice hissed
Marie jumped as she turned to face the voice.
Even though it was dark out, she could still see his face.
"oh..M-Mr uley? I didn't see you there."
"of course you didn't. So why don't you tell me what's going on Isabella Cullen."
His words were laced with Malice and frustration.
Marie however felt her own frustration rising up.
"Don't. Ever. Call. Me. That. Name!"
Sam's father sneered down at her and stepped closer. His eyes taking on feline shape and glowing red all the while. One thing she noticed was that each member of the shadow had a different color glow about their eyes. Sam's was green and it was obvious his fathers was red. Green, it stood for growth, harmony, safety. But red, red stood for war, power and most of all danger.
They were complete opposites. Red and green, safety and danger.
Marie didn't know how but a sense of boldness came upon her. She didn't know whether it was because she was pregnant or the face that she was finally free of Edward and his family. but one thing she did know was no one was going to push her around again.
"BACK OFF!" she hissed
Sam's father cocked his head to the side. As if he was hearing something.
He then hissed but proceeded to step away from her. five seconds later, Paul stepped out of the dark and approached her.
His eyes were glowing yellow. Yellow stood for happiness, positivity, loyalty and yet cowardice.
"Sam wants to see you." He told Sam's father.
Joshua hissed and retreated back to the bonfire.
Paul then turned to her. eyes going from yellow to his normal color.
"Are you hungry?"
Marie nodded. She was hungry.
The duo headed to the food table that had been replenished
Marie filled her plate with everything her hormones craved for. There was chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers, potato salad, apple pie, cheesecake and ice cream.
A quiet chuckle had her looking up in embarrassment.
"Sorry. I'm never this greedy."
"are you kidding me? have you seen the shadows eat? Come on think back to Sunday…our plates were overflowing. That plate is nothing compared to us…but its close."
Paul and Marie stared at each other before they let out a tear-filled laugh.
"Paul?" Marie called
"hmm?"
"how'd you know I was in the forest?"
Paul looked down bashfully and said "well…the shadows…. we...we could hear your conversation. Chief uley can hear our thoughts…when he wants to, and he saw elder uley's thoughts. He sent me since he couldn't get away."
Marie didn't get to ask another question because a small body collided unto pauls.
"bubba! You missing!"
Paul smiled gently and picked the little boy.
"hey tommy. I'm sorry. I had some stuff to take care of. did you eat?"
"no...I huwgary!" the little boy began to cry
Marie jumped slightly went Paul let out a low hiss.
"did your parents not feed you? I swear. I feel like the parent around here."
"uh Paul...why don't I take tommy for you while you get his plate?" she suggested.
Paul hesitated but then handed the small boy over to her.
"Tommy...this is Marie... uh...Sam's wife. Tommy's my little brother."
Marie gasped and went to ask Paul why he said that, but he had disappeared.
"you swams wife?" tommy asked her as he made himself comfortable in her arms.
Marie didn't know how to answer that, so she simply smiled.
"Hi, tommy."
"heweoo. you have big tummy." Tommy giggled.
Marie smiled.
"yes. Yes I do."
"and you have a flat one!" Marie cheered as she tickled his belly.
Tommy let a out a cheerful squeal.
Marie had to admit the kid was pretty cute. Would her own kids be like this? Happy and giggling?
Or would they cry because she wouldn't be a good mother.
"there you are." a warm voice greeted.
Marie felt a warm presence behind her and to her joy, it was sam.
He looked exhausted and happy, yet behind those yes of his, she could see the lingering anger.
"SWAM!" tommy squealed
"hey cub." Sam greeted as he took tommy from Marie and gently rubbed his cheek against the three-year old's.
Tommy's body instantly relaxed into Sam's touch. The toddler curled up on his chest.
Cradling Tommy gently, Sam took a seat next to her at the picnic table.
"I'm sorry about my father, you didn't deserve that."
"its ok. I'm ok now. are you hungry?" she asked him. she could help but stare as the three-year-old was curled up against him. it was…beautiful to see.
"I am but I don't want you to have to burden yourself."
"oh, please sam. You are never a burden." She lightly scolded him
"and neither are you."
Marie swallowed hard as she went to make him a plate.
She wasn't a burden to him.
She wasn't a waste of space or in the way.
He cherished her. He loved her and she loved him.
She loved him.
Why was it that every time that realization came to her it was like waking up?
Maybe because she hadn't loved Edward?
No, she loved him...but...she hadn't been ...in love with him.
There was obviously a difference.
Loving and being in love.
Marie full of knew discovery quickly made her way back to sam. However, her footsteps became hesitant when she discovered their once empty table full of overgrown teenagers.
But what really bothered her was the tanned skin women with her cleavage dangling in front of Sam's face.
She also wasn't oblivious to the tense faces of the shadow. Something was wrong.
"well? What you say Sam? You? Me? my bed...?"
Marie watched as Sam lightly trembled and in turn the shadow did too. This woman was obviously making him upset. And Marie knew he could handle himself, but she knew he was tired. She could see it. Running a business, being the leader of a bunch of teenagers and now being chief to a whole darn tribe. That was more than enough to make anyone break.
So with a new revelation coursing through her, Marie intervened.
"actually…he will be sleeping in my bed. Thank you very much. Besides, why would you degrade yourself so much that you would make a proposition like that to your new chief. Are that desperate that you don't know your self-worth? And the fact that you would think he was that kind of man. Do you understand the insult you just threw at him?"
The young women was so shocked by Marie statement and her very presence that she didn't know what to say. It didn't make it any better that Marie was pregnant. Who knows what kind of things the girl was thinking?
"w-who who are you!?" the girl finally managed to ask
"Marie uley black. But that doesn't matter. Apologize to your chief and leave."
The girl did as so but didn't hesitate to give Marie a killer glance.
Once the girl was gone, Marie bashfully turned to give Sam his plate.
She jumped when she felt his hot skin hover over her hips.
"Marie…can… can...i...can I touch you?" he asked his eyes glowing green.
Marie simply nodded. Confused by his intentions.
AS soon as his hands touched her hips, Sam's body relaxed and alongside him, the shadows did as well.
He motioned her to sit down and when she did, he quietly whispered in her ear "…Thank you."
