PREVIOUSLY-
"Hey Em, I could really use another one of those massages right about now." I muttered, rubbing the back of my own neck. I was stressed out.
He looked super happy and walked over, putting his hands on my shoulders. As he worked on my neck and back muscles, I sighed.
"Why does he get to give you a massage and I don't?" Quil pouted, looking at me.
"Because he didn't bring up the most embarrassing thing I said." I muttered as I closed my eyes, relaxing into Embry's touch.
"Well you still didn't answer…" Quil smirked, wiggling his eyebrows. I watched as Embry smacked him in the back of his head. "Ow, what was that for?"
"For embarrassing our imprint. Seriously bro, censor yourself for once." Embry replied before continuing to massage my shoulders and neck.
I heard the guys coming in the doorway. Sam looked over at the three of us immediately. "Definitely a Cullen." He stated before looking down at me. "Bella, I hope you don't mind that I opened some of the windows in your house. The vampire scent is a bit overwhelming in there at the moment and while it won't necessarily set Embry off, it would probably be too much for Quil at the moment."
I already knew that Alice had most likely come like last time, but I just wasn't sure.
"Thank you, Sam. I honestly hadn't even thought about that being an issue. Could you tell which Cullen it was?" I questioned. I was sure Sam noticed my lack of surprise, but he didn't say anything.
"I couldn't distinguish between which Cullen it was, but I know it was definitely a female." He replied and I nodded. "None of you are surprised. I feel like you're not telling me something."
Embry looked down at me and I nodded. He motioned for Sam to follow him and Quil out and I knew they were going to tell him about my time traveling experience. Then they would request that he order them to not think about it while phased.
Emily looked over at me and smiled. "Do you want to borrow a dress of mine for Harry's ceremony tonight or would you prefer to wear something of your own?"
I thought about it for a second then replied. "If I could borrow one of yours that would be great. I don't necessarily think it's the best option for me to go home right now considering everything with the vampire in my house."
"Definitely. Come with me and we'll find you something to wear." She motioned for me to follow her up the stairs.
Emily helped me pick out a simple black dress and by the time we were back downstairs, the three of them had come back inside.
"It seems like you've had an interesting couple of days, Bella." Sam said as we walked down the stairs.
"You can say that again. It's been a bit crazy but I'm just rolling with the punches." I returned.
"I've ordered them both not to think about it while phased so you don't have to worry about that." He reassured me and I let out a breath.
"Thank you, Sam. Maybe one day we can tell the pack but I don't think now is the time, you know?" I told him.
"I agree. I'm glad you felt comfortable enough to have them tell me though. If it's not too much trouble, would you be willing to discuss any future threats there may be? Only that, nothing more. I want the pack to be as prepared as we can be." Sam requested. I'd been thinking about that anyways and I nodded.
"Of course. Why don't we sit down tomorrow, just the four of us, and I'll tell you what I know? I've already changed some major fixed points though so I don't know what all will still happen, but I'll make sure you know what to be prepared for." I replied, happy to help in any way I could.
"Thank you." He told me.
I looked over to Quil and Embry who had noticed the dress in my hands. I'd decided that I needed a shower before I could get ready considering I didn't take one the day before and I felt gross. I just didn't want to take up Emily's shower while I was sure she needed one as well.
"Can we go back over to your house so that I can take a shower and change?" I asked Quil.
He nodded enthusiastically before turning to do his 'bro' handshake with Sam and Embry doing the same.
"The ceremony is at 6. Embry will patrol right after." Sam made sure to tell us as we were walking out the door.
We walked back to Quil's and as soon as we were inside, I asked if I could use his shower. He more than happily escorted me to the upstairs bathroom and gave me a towel to use before leaving me to my own devices.
I took my shower and got ready. It didn't take me long considering I didn't wear any makeup and I didn't have anything to fix my hair. I was thinking about asking Embry if he'd braid it for me. Jake had once told me that all of the tribal kids had learned it when they were young because it was a traditional thing.
I walked back downstairs where both of them had been talking, leaning against the kitchen counter. As soon as I made it into the kitchen, Quil stopped in his tracks and looked at me, breathing in deeply. I could even see his pupils dilate and I wondered what it could possibly be.
"Bro, cut it out, you're making her nervous." Embry told him, smacking him on the chest.
"Yeah well let her walk down here smelling exactly like you and see how well your wolf handles it?" Quil replied to him.
Ah, so I smelled like him and his wolf liked it. Jake had told me that they were very territorial and that scents meant everything. It was part of their animal nature and it would be even stronger with an imprint. Embry had even told me that my scent was important to them.
"So I'm guessing it was your shampoo and soap I used?" I asked Quil before biting my lip.
He gulped and nodded his head, still staring at me and taking deep breaths.
"Hold that thought." Embry said before bounding up the stairs as I watched him curiously.
He walked back downstairs and took hold of my wrist, wrapping something around it. When he was finished, I looked down to see a beautiful black leather braided band tied around my wrist. It was a bracelet that I'd seen him wear several times before when we used to hang out at Jake's before he'd phased.
"Couldn't have you only smelling like this loser. Now you smell like me too." Embry whispered to me before taking a step back.
"Embry this is beautiful. I remember seeing you wear it all the time before you phased. Are you sure it's okay that I wear it?" I asked him quickly, looking more closely at it.
"Definitely. In fact, it's yours now. I can't wear it anymore since I phased anyways." He replied making my eyes widen.
"It's not some type of family heirloom or something is it? I don't want to take something that's super important to you." I questioned and he chuckled.
"No, Bells. I made it when I was younger and first learned how to braid, so I'm more than happy to see you wearing it. I'm serious though, I want you to have it." He told me proudly.
"Thank you. And speaking of braiding, I was, uh, kind of hoping that you'd braid my hair for me? I don't have anything to fix it with and—"
"I'd love to. Quil, go grab me a hair band. Bella, come sit in the chair." He said excitedly. Quil went off to go get what he'd been asked to and I went and sat in the chair in front of Embry as I turned it around so that he was standing behind me.
I felt his fingers running through my hair and I relaxed immediately with my eyes closed as he began to work through it. It was over before I knew it and he'd tied it with whatever Quil had brought him.
I ran my fingers over it and smiled, looking back at him. "Thank you. I have a feeling that I'm going to be asking to wear braids a lot more often. That felt amazing." I told him.
"Next time it's my turn though." Quil said excitedly.
"You guys can take turns all you want. I love my hair being played with." I told them both, watching their expressions lighten at my words. "Now it's time for you guys to get ready."
"I'll go first." Embry said before going upstairs to take a shower and get dressed.
No sooner than the shower had started, I found Quil pull me toward him with his hands on my hips, leaning forward to breathe deeply between my neck and shoulder.
"I don't ever think I'll get enough of that." He murmured into my neck. His breath tickled me and I leaned more into him.
"I take it that's a good thing?" I said back to him.
"Most definitely. My wolf is going ape shit over it. I mean, you already smell amazing but I think it's the fact that we're going somewhere that the others will be and they'll be able to tell you smell like me. I know it sounds a bit possessive—"
"You're a wolf, Quil. Trust me, I understand. The animal side of you has animal instincts and I know that scent is a very important thing. Wolves are very territorial. I'm your imprint and Embry's too. You both have the need to show the others that and this is the simplest way of doing it." I told him, already knowing what was happening.
"You're incredible. Have we told you that already?" He said, still holding me by the waist with his lips ghosting against my neck. The simple act was sending shivers down my spine and making heat pool in my lower regions. He raised his head and was mere centimeters from my lips. I was sure he was going to kiss me.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, he pulled back letting go of me.
"I'm sorry. I'm crossing a line… I know you just accepted the imprints. I don't want to push anything faster than you're comfortable with.
"It's okay, really. I told you both that we'd go with the flow. I'm not against this, being with both of you. I wasn't lying." I reassured him.
"I feel like I'm missing something that just happened?" I heard Embry say as he walked back into the kitchen, now dressed nicely.
"I almost kissed Bella." Quil told him embarrassingly.
"I told him it was okay—" I was cut off by Embry pulling me into him and leaning in, pressing his lips to mine immediately. It was soft and supple but burning at the same time. It felt like everything. Before I knew it, it was over. To say I was surprised would be putting it mildly but I was beaming with happiness either way.
"I imprinted first. I get the first kiss. I could feel that you were okay with it even earlier when we were at Sam's." Embry whispered to me before kissing me on the forehead then letting me go.
"Fair enough. Do I get my turn now though?" Quil asked, pulling me back toward him.
I nodded silently and he leaned forward, letting his lips ghost over mine for a moment before capturing them with his own.
Their kisses were definitely different from each other. Embry's was sensual, soft and sweet. I could feel all kinds of emotions behind his. Quil's was more playful, uninhibited, teasing. The best part was that I completely and totally loved how both of them felt.
A/N- Yay, first kisses!
Sorry I haven't posted in a little while. I had to rewrite a lot from this story from where it hadn't been autosaved. I've been dealing with the after-effects of my Covid vaccine and let me tell you, that's been rough. Especially with the medical conditions I suffer from to begin with. I've had a killer migraine since I got it last Saturday and I even had a 103 fever on Sunday... fun stuff.
Anyways I hope you enjoy this chapter :)
Please review!