She found herself slowly waking up for the second time today, but she was glad it wasn't quite so bright this time.
"She's awake," she heard someone say. Stupid supernatural hearing undoubtedly gave her away.
"Bella?" Jake spoke softly, "You okay here?"
She blinked her eyes open to see him standing over her. A little look around caused her to be more alert. She wasn't sure where she was. On a couch. Under a soft blanket. That was about all she could identify with Jake hovering over her.
"Where is here?"
"This is my house," she heard that voice and knew Sam was somewhere in the room too.
She sat up and looked around until she saw him sitting across the room. She wondered why he was so far away. Then she wondered why she even thought that. She didn't know him.
"Why am I here?" Bella asked, keeping her gaze on Sam.
"You needed to rest," he told her. Of course that didn't explain...
"But why here?" she asked him.
"Why not?" he threw back with a grin. "It's hella comfy."
She couldn't hold back her laugh. He was being silly on purpose. She was sure of it, but it made her smile and she was grateful.
"Bella?" Jake prompted, stepping to block Sam from her sight.
She didn't like that. She looked up at him with a very grumpy face.
"What Jake?" she asked, quickly becoming agitated for some reason.
"Are you okay here? I didn't want to leave until I was sure you wanted to be here," he explained.
Oh. She thought for a moment. Did she want Jake to leave her here?
"Yes. I'm okay here," she finally managed to answer him.
He rolled his eyes, but nodded and turned to leave. "I'll bring the truck down here later," he told her before glancing at Sam and leaving.
"You stayed," Sam said softly, moving to sit by her on the couch.
She nodded and smiled. "Can I...?" she started to ask, pointing towards his chest.
He smiled, lifting his arm for her to cuddle in close.
"You are so warm," she told him as she put her head against his chest and cuddled closer.
They were both quiet for a moment, each just soaking up the others' presence. It was a companionable silence.
"Thank you for saving me," she whispered, finally breaking the silence.
His arms tightened slightly and he dropped a kiss on top of her head. "I will always save you, Bella," he whispered into her hair.
She shivered. It felt so good to be warm, to be safe. She was grateful for this man, even if he was a wolf sometimes. He'd already saved her more than once and now he promised he always would. She didn't understand why she felt this way, but here in his arms, she felt like home. She thought she might even have a guess about what had changed now.
"Are you my mate?" she asked Sam, feeling brave all of the sudden.
She felt him go still. He was quiet for a moment before he finally spoke.
"I will be whatever you need me to be. If you want me as a mate, then that is what I will be most happy to be," he told her, his voice filled with hope. "All in good time."
She lifted her head to look up at his beautiful face and smiled. She was happy. She was warm. She was home. She was so grateful that the cold could no longer touch her.
Sam looked towards the door for a moment before Bella heard her old truck pull up outside. He loosened his hold but didn't completely let her go, making it clear that she was free to leave and also welcome to stay.
Jake walked back into the house and froze when he saw them cuddled close together. For once she didn't feel embarrassed or bashful. She stared at him, silently challenging him to dare say a word. He nodded, dropped her keys on the table, and left again.
Bella didn't realize she was tense until her body relaxed again into Sam's arms. He was smiling at her and she loved it.
"I don't want to go," she confessed.
"I don't want you to go," he told her.
"Eventually, I'll have to go back to Charlie's."
"Shh...eventually but not yet."
"No, not yet," she conceded. "He wanted me to thank you for finding me."
He shrugged. "I will always find you, Bella."
She was smiling so much her face was starting to hurt. It was the second declaration he'd made now.
"Thank you," she told him softly before shifting up onto her knees so she could reach his face. She placed a hand on either side, slowly leaned in, and kissed him. It was soft and quick, an innocent kiss that promised more.
He took a deep breath and leaned his forehead against hers.
"Do you understand what is happening with us, Bella?"
"Yes and no," she admitted. "I know you're it for me. I don't know why or how. I don't know why this," she gestured between him and herself, "makes me feel safe instead of freaking me out."
"It's called imprinting," he explained. "The legends say when a wolf meets his perfect match, one look into her eyes locks him to her. Gravity shifts. Instead of being connected to the earth, he is connected to her. To be whatever she needs. To make her happy. It's what happened when I looked at you today."
She thought about his explanation for a few moments. "Why me?"
He squeezed her tight. "Because you're my perfect match."
That's all there was to it. She was home and truly safe for the first time since she moved to Washington. With Sam by her side, she could see a future once more. She leaned up again and pressed her lips to his. Grateful for her new happily ever after.