PREVIOUSLY-

"I'm going to sit here with you until you sober up enough to tell me exactly what happened." He went to open his mouth but I put my finger against it. "I don't want you to speak until you can fully make sense again. I need to be able to understand you. When we're done talking, you're going to rescind the alpha order you put on the boys. I can promise you, Sam, I am not happy about that."

He let his head hang again, this time in shame. I sat next to him in silence for about fifteen minutes before he held his head and started groaning. Apparently, wolves could get hangovers, too, which meant he was probably sobered up enough to talk. I stood up, holding my hand out for him to take, the same as I did the first day.

He took my hand and lifted himself off the floor, this time needing a bit more help than he did before.

I made him follow me into the bedroom and motioned for him to sit on the bed. I sat, too, facing him directly so that I could hear his story.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I never meant for you to see—"

"I know, trust me, I figured that one out when I realized you had alpha ordered our wolves not to say anything to me. I have been worried to death about you all day. My chest has been aching so bad, and then when you didn't call and wouldn't answer your phone, I nearly drove myself here. Then Paul shows up at my window, freaking out, not able to say anything to me?" I said to him, the hurt showing in my eyes.

"You're mad." He said as a statement.

"Of course I'm mad, Sam. I am your imprint, your mate. I ended up riding on Paul's back all the way here, just to show up and find you like that?! I'm not mad that you got drunk. I'm mad that you had to, and that you didn't tell me." I explained, not missing the growl that accompanied my statement about riding on Paul's back.

He took a deep breath and ran his hands over his face.

"Today is the anniversary of my mom's death." He began with. I reached over to hold his hand. Even if I was terribly mad at him, I still wanted to show my support. He squeezed my fingers before continuing.

"My father… he- he killed her. He'd left when I was still a boy, right after Embry had been born, like I told you before. But he came back just once, two years ago. He'd asked my mom for money, but she wouldn't give him any. He pushed her hard and she fell, hitting the side of her head against the corner of the coffee table. He killed her. I hadn't told you before because I was so ashamed. I knew today would be hard for me, but it felt 100 times harder without you here. I knew you had exams and I couldn't let my problems distract you…" He told me. I took a moment to process what he'd said.

"Paul mentioned you were in pain. Did he mean because of that or was it something else?" I asked.

"I might have been…exaggerating when I told you the proximity thing wasn't as difficult anymore. I-I've been in wolf form since Sunday night, only phasing back when it was time to call you. I stayed in the forest next to your house so that you wouldn't feel it as bad. Today I stayed here, and it hurt so bad between the imprint and my mom that I had to get drunk, but even that didn't help. Paul and Jared both threatened to tell you twice before I ordered them not to say anything. I guess it was all a bit pointless seeing as you're here now anyways." He rubbed his temples, clearly feeling the after-effects of the alcohol.

I toyed with the idea of letting him suffer through the hangover stage, but ultimately decided against it. I held out my finger signaling I would be one minute, and walked into the bathroom, grabbing two aspirin and another glass of water. I brought them out to him and he looked at them for a second, raising his eyebrows at me, before taking the offered medicine and drinking the water.

"I understand that talking about your mom is a painful subject for you, Sam, that this day is painful too, but I am supposed to be here for you. I'm supposed to be here to help with anything that pains you, anything you think you can't handle. We agreed no secrets, and you know every single one of mine. My opinion of you never would have changed if you'd told me. I already knew you had a terrible father. You are NOT him, and you never will be." I told him, holding his cheek as I sat in front of him.

"Now, as far as you being in pain from me not being with you… are you an idiot, Sam Uley?" I scolded him. "I would have never knowingly stayed there this whole time if I knew what it was doing to you."

"That's why I didn't say anything… I wanted you to have that time with your dad before I stole you away from him." He told me.

"He only lives 20 minutes away, Sam. I'll be able to visit. Now, I'm going to have one of the guys take a note to leave for Charlie so that he doesn't freak out in the morning when I'm not there. Then tomorrow when I get out of school and he gets off work, we're both going to have dinner with him. You better sober up because you're driving me to school in the morning. My truck is still at Charlie's." I explained to him.

"Wait, you said you rode on Paul's back all the way here?" He asked suddenly.

"It was the fastest option." I told him, point blank with my arms crossed. He growled. "And don't you dare blame Paul. I want both of them apologized to and the alpha command rescinded."

He took in a deep breath and nodded, knowing I was right. "I'm sorry, Bella." He uttered, leaning forward to place his head on my shoulder. "Please forgive me."

I reached up and ran my fingers through his hair as I held him against me. "You're forgiven. Just promise me you'll never, ever do something like this behind my back again?"

He looked up at me and held his hand to my cheek, rubbing his thumb up and down. "I promise."

I leaned forward and kissed him, before pulling away. "Come on, you need a shower and mouthwash." I said, standing up and pulling him with me to the bathroom.

I washed him in the shower and then I got dressed while waiting on him to come out. I ended up wearing one of his old t-shirts. It was long enough to nearly be a dress on me. He came out a few minutes later completely sobered up and refreshed.

"Now call the guys back. I sent them out to patrol while we talked. Sam, you don't know how worried they were about you." I told him. He didn't even bother putting clothes on, he just nodded and walked out the door.

About five minutes later, Sam and the two boys came back inside. Both Paul and Jared walked up to me and hugged me tightly.

"I'm sorry, B. I didn't mean to freak you out like that, I just didn't know what else to do." Paul said as we all sat down in the living room.

"I'm glad you did. Can I ask a favor of you though?" I said to Paul.

"Anything, B. Whatcha got?" He asked, ready for a task.

"Can you take this and put it on my dad's kitchen counter? I don't want him to freak when he wakes up and I'm not there. I already wrote it all out. I'm going to stay here tonight, and Sam is going to drive me to school in the morning." I responded.

"Sure thing. Can we have a movie night when I get back?" Paul asked as he got up, taking the note from me.

"Of course, we can." I told him.

A/N- I'm sorry it took me so long to update! I haven't been very well lately. I hope you enjoy this newest update. Please review.