PREVIOUSLY-

So three boy votes and three girl votes. I was interested in seeing which half of the pack was right.


Since we had time to spare, Sam asked me to go on a walk with him down to the beach. I loved our walks on the beach, it was always our thing, just for me and Sam. Unless the rest of the pack were with us, of course.

As we walked, he held my hand warming me from the cold breeze.

"I've been thinking about our wedding." Sam told me as we walked.

"Oh?" I replied curiously. I'd been thinking about it, too.

"I want to get married before the baby comes, but I don't want to do anything until after Big Red is taken care of. I don't want anything to ruin it." He said to me.

"I was thinking the same thing. I want our day to be special, and you having to phase in the middle of it would really put a damper on things. Have you thought about our honeymoon at all?" I questioned, wondering what all he'd been thinking about.

"I know I want that night to be just the two of us. Maybe a night in Port Angeles? I know that's nothing special, but I want a night away from everything, and Jared has already agreed. He wants the day and night to be just for me and you. He suggested taking the whole week, in fact he was pretty adamant about it, saying he and Paul could deal with it for us, but I don't want to do that to them again." Sam told me and I nodded.

"I don't want to do that to them again either. Why do you think he suggested we take the week? You don't think he's regretting his choice, do you?" I worried. I hadn't gotten that vibe from him but I always worried that one of the two of them would come to regret it.

"Definitely not, Bella. He loves you damn near as much as I do, honestly, if not just as much. His bond with you feels more like an imprint now than it ever has, and I've been wondering if it actually is. He wouldn't ever back out, and neither would I. Jared is worried that he's taking too much of your time, taking time that you should be with me. His words, not mine. He tries not to think about it when we run, but I've picked up on it a few times. Mine and Jared's wolves have developed our own bond since he's been with you. It's obviously nothing like yours, but it feels like we're a true family. If it were an imprint that he has with you, that would explain why." Sam told me, completely surprising me.

"Why haven't either of you told me about the bond between you before?" I questioned, wondering why.

"We weren't trying to keep it from you, honey. I guess it just wasn't ever the right time to mention it. We've figured out that it's the reason we know exactly when you need the other. Like when you're with him but he knows you need me, or if you're with me and I know you need him. It's almost intuitive." He told me.

I didn't like the fact that I hadn't known about it before hand, but I was almost relieved that I knew about it now because it explained so many things I'd been curious about.

"Do you feel like I'm spending more time with him then I should?" I asked him quietly. He stopped walking and turned to look at me, pulling my chin up so that I could look at him directly.

"No, honey. I love our time alone together more than anything, but I've never felt like he's taking too much of it. We both take what we need, what you need." He told me adamantly.

We spent a little while longer just sitting on the beach in the sun as we watched the waves roll in. I knew the baby loved the ocean already. I assumed that she was calm when I was calm, and the water always soothed me.

5pm rolled around too slowly, but when it finally got there, Sam was with me at the clinic. Sue didn't know about Jared and me, so as much as I wanted him to come, even he decided it would be best if he didn't. His actions would give him away. I could see the sadness in his eyes when he suggested it, and I wished I could've brought him.

Sue did the scan and asked if we wanted to know right then, but it was Sam's choice to have the results printed off and put in an envelope so that Jared could be there when we found out, which made me tear up.

Sue said that everything looked perfect, then drew the five vials of blood, telling us to put them in the refrigerator so that they'd stay fresh until we needed them.

After arriving back home, everyone was waiting anxiously for us.

"Well?" Jared asked, bouncing on his toes as we came in. I knew he wanted to know badly.

Sam held up the envelope. "We didn't want to know until you were here with us, so Bella's going to do the honors." Jared bit his lip and choked out a thank you to Sam.

Sam handed me the envelope and I opened it as everyone gathered around.

"It's a…" I made everyone wait in suspense as I smiled down at the picture.


A/N- I'm so cruel. You thought you'd get the gender in this chapter, didn't you? HA! AND I didn't post a second chapter last night like I've been doing... which is entirely because I was actually out and having fun for the first time in FOREVER. I WILL be posting the next chapter tonight IF I get enough reviews! I'm sad that my story views and reviews have fallen, and I worry if it's because of the direction I've taken with the story or if it's become too long and people don't feel like reading a whole novel. :( For those of you who've asked, Old Quil will be making an appearance, but not very soon.

Side note about me that's not story related:

Guys, I have 3 kids ranging from 4-9 years old. I'm almost 28. I got married at 17. I haven't actually acted my age in over 10 years. It was nice to have a night out with some of my husband's friends and just let loose (if you call having two mixed drinks letting loose, lol). It seriously never happens to me. I don't have any friends of my own anymore because I haven't been able to work for 2 years and I'm not exactly a social butterfly (stupid anxiety). I did cosplay for a long time and I love that, but ya know... COVID.