Chapter 17

Sam:

My fingers twitched in anticipation as I stood before the council. I called a meeting with them and my pack to discuss the fact that Bella Swan, an outsider, now had knowledge of the existence of werewolves. Technically, we are shifters and she only knows that I exist, not the whole pack, but nerves have got my mind rambling. I needed to focus on the task at hand.

"Alpha, why have you called this meeting?" Quil Sr. was the first to speak up. His eyes were dark and cold. His face permanently shriveled into a slight frown, and it did not make him look any friendlier than he was. The elder was known for his conservative views and surly attitude. I knew that what I was about to tell him would not go over well, not by him, or the other elders, Billy Black, and Sue and Harry Clearwater, who also had their attention on me.

"I have made a mistake that I need my pack and the council to be aware of." I began. I couldn't honestly care less what the council thought, but I was concerned about the rest of my pack, I couldn't lose credibility with them, it could cause trouble. "Last night Bella Swan and I were together. She fell asleep and I left to phase, to check on Jared who was patrolling at the time." I saw Jared nod from the corner of my eye. I could also see Jake who was looking particularly displeased.

"When I phased back, I realized that Bella had woken at some point and was watching my phase. She now knows about the pack. At least, she knows about me." I told them.

Chaos erupted in the room. Everyone was shouting one way or another. Quil, Embry, Seth, Jake, and Angela seemed excited about this information. Old Quil resembled a tomato in his anger, and Paul was yelling.

"What the fuck man? The fucking leech lover?" He exclaimed. Paul's voice boomed over the others and it quieted down a bit. I growled at Paul. It was in part due to the fact that my wolf viewed him as a challenge, but also the fact that he referred to Bella as a leech lover was beginning to bother me a lot more than it used to.

"Bella has left the Cullen and in any case we talked after she saw me and she has sworn not to tell. I do believe her." I decided to leave out the part where she ran away from me and very well could have just been telling me whatever she thought I needed to hear to let her go. That said, my gut trusted her, and my instinct was rarely, if ever, wrong.

"Quiet!" My voice boomed, the Alpha command was heavy and it made my voice deeper. There was an instant silence as my pack and the council were subject to my control. I didn't like using the Alpha commands often, I didn't like taking away anyone's freewill. Paul had gotten under my skin though and I could feel my wolf bristling with rage from within me.

"We can trust her. I know that she was once affiliated with the leeches. This would raise issues of her loyalty." My throat felt tight at the thought that she may not be as loyal to the pack, to me, as I felt to her, though I have yet to figure out why I feel so loyal. Maybe Emily was right and I should not have gotten so involved with her. I really am not a one night stand kind of man… or friends with benefits as it currently was. I shook my head in an attempt to clear it, so that I could finish what I was saying to my pack. "But, as many of us are aware," I paused to look pointedly at Embry, Jake, Angela, and Quil who have all been friends with Bella at some point or another,"Bella Swan never broke the promise of secrecy I am assuming she made to them as well. She is trustworthy."

"Bullshit! That bitch's loyalty is to the undead! No question about it!" Paul jumped up, yelling. A roar burst from my chest and I could feel the wolf at the surface. My skin was tingling and I know that my body was shaking with the need to phase, with the need to fight, and dominate.

"I AM YOUR ALPHA." There was a command and a threat in my tone. There was no question that Paul was being told to stand down. Silence rang throughout the council hall once more, punctuating the tense moment. I watched as the wolf in Paul tried to submit to me and the man in Paul tried to fight the instinct to roll over.

After what felt like an hour, but was probably only about thirty seconds, Paul tilted his head down, then sat down, submitting to me. The tension of the moment was nearly gone right away, and I could hear a couple quiet whimpers coming from the rest of my pack. They must feel the need to submit as well, even though my anger and challenge was not aimed at them.

"Paul." He looked up at me. "You are going to run patrol until I tell you to stop. Go." I told him. I didn't use the command this time because he had already given in, there was no use in total control now. I looked at the men and women who are my family, and I was at a loss for words. They looked afraid. Emily was in tears.

"You all know that I don't enjoy Alpha commanding or punishing any of you. I trust that Bella Swan will keep our tribal secrets, and I hope that you all can at the least trust me, if not her."

I told them, wanting nothing more than to just go home and forget that all of this happened.

"Yes, we have put our trust in you Alpha." Sue spoke, and the rest of the council and imprints nodded in agreement. The rest of my pack bowed their heads to me, a more animalistic sign of trust.

"This meeting is adjourned." Billy concluded. Everyone started to shift and excuse themselves from the large room. Emily was still shaking and crying and had yet to move from the spot where she had been sitting next to Paul. I crouched down in front of her, so that my physical size would not intimidate her further. I can't imagine what she is feeling right now. Imprints are connected so I know that she felt the war between man and wolf that Paul experienced, as well as the weight of my command. Not only that, but she was actually here to witness it this time.

"Emily, I'm sorry I've upset you." I spoke softly and calmly, trying to be anything but intimidating. I reached out to her, and held her tiny, cold hands in my huge warm ones. She allowed me to hold them, but her eyes would still not meet mine. "I won't keep him on patrols too long, I will send him home to you soon, I promise." I told her as I gave her hands a small squeeze. She nodded her head and finally made eye contact. She whispered a "thank you" and after double checking to make sure she would get home alright, I made my leave.

I walked back to my house and took my time to feel the earth beneath me and smell the scents of the forest around me. I pulled my phone from my back pocket and sent Quil a quick text telling him to take patrol over from Paul in an hour. I had been hoping to see a message from Bella, since we actually exchanged numbers last time we had seen each other, but no such luck. I tried to send her a text myself, but wussed out, unsure of what to say.

When I finally made it back to my place, I headed straight for the shower. I felt cold for the first time since I've phased, it wasn't sunny, but it wasn't even raining today so even though I was shirtless, I really shouldn't have been cold. I turned the heat all the way up in the shower and waited for it to get hot.

My body relaxed as soon as I was surrounded by the water and I let it wash away the stress of the day. As I lathered up some soap and shampoo I let my mind wander, and it wandered right to Bella of its own accord. My thoughts of her were fairly innocent at first, just about why I feel so drawn to her, and how beautiful she is. I thought of the little freckles on her nose. Then, as swiftly as the water flowed around me, those thoughts became anything but innocent. She was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen, from her little toes to the mahogany waves of her hair, and absolutely everything in between. I thought of her peaches and honey scent and the scent of her arousal and I thought of her little hands wrapped around me. It was as if she was really here.

Her big doe eyes looked up at me and my fingers twisted in her hair as she let me gently thrust forward into her sexy mouth. I moaned and swear that I could hear her moan as well as if sucking me off was pleasuring her just as much.

My hand ventured south and I gripped my dick tight, tugging on it, trying to get off while I had these images of her in my head. In my mind, I lifted her from her knees and pulled her into me for a heated kiss. Her lips were so plump and soft, they drew me in and our tongues slid against each other in a dance instead of battling for dominance. We both already knew who was dominant between us, so there was no need to fight it.

I could almost feel her feather light kisses all over my chest and my neck and then she nibbled a little, then bit down on the crook of my neck. It was all that I could take and I busted out my load into my hand in the shower, alone. Because she was not really here and yet somehow I had nearly believed that she was. I cleaned myself up, then the water ran cold, so I got out and dried off, still trying to figure out why I hadn't imprinted on this woman. If I ever wanted to imprint on someone it would be her.

Author's note:

IT HAS BEEN SO LONG! I am so sorry everyone! Life has a way of picking up and distracting us from our creative pursuits and well writer's block is a very real thing.

Anyways, I hope you forgive me and I hope you all liked the chapter!

I can't wait for your feedback and theories!

~Happy Reading ~

Dahlia