Chapter 31
Bella POV:
Light filtered in through the mesh material of the curtains. I had loved how big the windows in the bedroom were, it had been one of the major selling points for my cottage. Right at this moment, though, I wished that they weren't there at all. Then I could pretend that the world was comprised of only Sam and I and that the outside didn't exist at all.
I'd never felt safer or more secure than I did right then, wrapped up in Sam's arms with the cool cotton sheets tossed over our naked bodies. Unfortunately, that didn't help me sleep at all. My mind was racing.
Sam was blissfully unaware, asleep, and I was watching him. I felt like a creep, but I couldn't help it. He was so handsome and looked so carefree in his slumber. My heart squeezed inside my chest at how much I loved this man. I snuggled in closer and closed my eyes, willing my mind to be quiet long enough for me to fall back asleep. I had no such luck.
After another half hour or so, I gave up. I slowly, quietly, and regretfully removed myself from the soft bed. I padded softly to the bathroom and after brushing my teeth I hopped in the shower. I felt bone tired.
Something had to give here. I'd gone through an exhausting breakup, then I'd been so horribly sick, which I now knew was because of Edward's venom because he's not only a vampire, but an asshoke now too. Then I was potentially attacked by Edward, which I still couldn't remember, he was teaming up with the former enemy to come after me, oh and I have an insanely sexy, wonderful, amazing man as my mate. Also, he's a werewolf, and while he doesn't think he will, he could imprint on someone and ditch me at any time. I needed a break, just some time away from it all.
My chest ached at the thought, so I amended it. I needed some time away from it all, except for Sam. I couldn't imagine too much time away from him anymore. It hurt too much.
I washed my hair and my body, trying to destress, but it really wasn't enough. I shut the water off when I was done and dried myself off. I grabbed my phone when I noticed that it was blinking, to see what notification I'd gotten. There was a missed call from a number I didn't recognize, and they'd left a voicemail.
"Hello, this is Amanda Greene from the Book Port. I'm calling for Bella Swan. The book you ordered came in. We hold onto your order for a week before we put it out, hope to see you soon!" I chewed on my nail as I listened, plans to pick it up already brewing in my mind.
Sam cleared his voice from the doorway, which it looked like he'd been standing there for a while. He made his way over to me and squatted down so that he would be eye level with me from where I was sitting on the edge of the bathtub. He took my face into both of his warm hands and pulled me forward to kiss him after just looking at me for a minute.
"Good morning." His deep voice was husky from not having talked yet this morning.
"Good morning." I nearly whispered.
"Tell me what's wrong, baby. You've been so excited for your book to come in, and now you don't seem excited at all." Sam was so perceptive of me and my haywire emotions.
"I'm ok. I just… I just need a break from it all." I admitted. He stood and straightened up, going stiff. I regretted my choice of words immediately. I jumped up and tripped in the process, falling into Sam. I just took the opportunity, and wrapped my arms around him.
"Not you, mate." I tried to assure him and his wolf. He finally wrapped his arms around me too and I sunk into his warmth further. "I just mean the supernatural in general. I'm only human."
"I know, Bella." He said softly, then kissed the top of my head. He didn't say it out loud, but both of us felt insecure about the lack of an imprint. Almost like we somehow weren't quite official, like we were somehow less than the other pack couples.
"Tell me what I can do to help you." He said, breaking the quiet. I shook my head of the negative train of thought and tried to stay positive. We loved each other, more than anything, and that was enough, no matter what.
"Well, I need to go to Port A and pick up my book. Do you have the phone numbers for the other wolf girls? Maybe they can go with me." I asked.
"The wolf girls, huh?" Sam raised an eyebrow and grinned. I just nodded enthusiastically and pulled away to get dressed for the day.
My phone went off again and when I checked, Sam had just sent me all the contacts. I was suddenly nervous to ask them if they wanted to go, but I pushed through it… Sam was my mate for life, they were the imprints, we would all be in each other's lives for a long time. I shot them a quick text just saying that I needed to pick up a book in Port Angeles and if they would like to go with me to spend the day just being human.
"You know I want to give you whatever you want and need, baby, but you have to take some wolves with you. I know you want a supernatural free day, but Edward could be anywhere." Sam said.
"I invited Leah too! I didn't want to exclude her." I responded.
"You'll need a second wolf… just in case." He said as he started kissing and licking along my neck, driving me wild already.
"Well who do you suggest?" I asked him, flirtatiously.
"I would go, but I can't. Old Mrs. Thomas has been on my ass to start a new project for her, and rightfully so. I missed quite a bit of work while you were sick." He paused his ministrations to tell me. Then, he switched to the other side of my neck. He moved the hair from where it rested on my shoulder and left kisses and nips anywhere the skin was exposed to him.
"Hm… then who else would go?" I nearly sighed out as his lips travelled further up on my jaw and by my ear.
"Take Embry, he likes to read. Even if he doesn't stay with you girls the whole time, at least Leah will have back up close by." He kissed me lightly on the lips. "I can't let anything happen to you… or the other imprints." His voice rumbled, and I liked that he'd put me in the same group as the imprints even though I really wasn't one. He turned to the dresser and started to get dressed in his bright orange t-shirt, which was covered in dried paint that wouldn't come out, and holey jeans. He grabbed his work boots and sat on the edge of the bed, starting to chuck them on.
"Hey are you just going to leave me hanging here, wanting?" I pouted as I got in his way and straddled him. I turned my neck to the side and bared it to him, which I had learned was wolf-speak for submission. It was also the quickest way to get Sam worked up, no matter what.
He growled deep in his chest and weaved one hand into my hair, pulling it to the side, hard, exposing more of my vulnerable neck to him. He scented up and down the expanse of skin and bit down on multiple parts, roughly, but not hard enough to break the skin.
"As long as you smell like me, and everyone knows just who you belong to, then I can wait until you get home." He smirked evilly. I whined, needing to feel him. I shifted my hips a little to rub on him, where I could feel that he needed me too. "I want you to be this worked up, this needy for me, all day. Then, when you get home… you'd better be ready. Because I'm going to fuck you so hard you won't see straight. You won't be able to walk, and you'll be screaming for me so much, with so much pleasure, that you're going to lose your voice." He promised, making me moan and shiver with anticipation.
"I love you." I told him, as I brought my arms to circled around him once again. I nuzzled into the crook of his neck.
"I love you too." He gently ran his fingers through my hair.
After a moment Sam lifted me up and off of him, though I could tell he didn't want to. he finished putting on his boots, then kissed the top of my head again. "I will see you tonight, Bella."
I sat quietly and still for a moment, my head was spinning and my heart was hammering inside my chest. I couldn't believe he just left me high and dry like that. I unconsciously rubbed my thighs together, trying to find some sort of friction. I sighed in frustration, knowing that I wasn't going to get any relief until Sam got back home tonight.
"Ok. Time to get dressed, Bella." I reminded myself out loud. I checked my phone real quick to see that all the girls had responded, excited to tag along. I'd even invited Jess to meet us there too. The last time we were together Angela had mentioned that we should all get together again soon, so I thought, why not? The rest of us, Embry included, all decided to all meet up at the diner since Leah was finishing up with the breakfast rush.
I'd spent so much time either naked or in lazy clothes since I'd come home from the hospital, so I wanted to dress up just a little.
I picked out my favorite pair of fashionably ripped-up black jeans, and a white v-neck tee. I slipped a pair of fishnets on first so that they would peek out from the tears in the denim. I was excited for Sam to uncover those later tonight.
I fixed my hair so that it laid in soft beachy waves. I pulled back a bit of the hair and twisted it into a mini bun. I quickly applied some black eyeliner and swiped on some of my favorite mauve lipstick.
All I had left to do was chuck on my trusty black flats, and put on an over-sized, maroon colored, knit sweater. I looked in the mirror to double check that everything was in place. I decided to tuck my t-shirt into my jeans, and realized that c this was the first time I'd felt like myself in a while. I grabbed my keys and my wallet from the kitchen table and ran out the door. I miraculously made it to my truck without tripping over anything.
When I'd finally made it to the Diner, everyone was there already except for Jess, who was meeting us at Port Books, and Embry who was running even further behind than I was.
"Hey! I was surprised to hear from you after the last time we saw you." Leah said, coming over to give me a friendly, and certainly unexpected hug.
"Yeah, you didn't say goodbye the other night, I was scared you didn't like us." Kim pouted, also giving me a friendly hug.
"Not at all… Sam and I had some heavy stuff to talk about. Emily and Paul got engaged, congratulations by the way, and I didn't want to bring the mood down." I explained. "May I see your ring?" I asked to be polite.
"Sure! Pretty isn't it?" Emily showed off her ring, which was a simple band with an emerald stone and little diamonds surrounding it. It was really pretty, and I told her so.
"Hey ladies, we ready to get this show on the road?" Embry called out, jogging up to us.
"We've been waiting on your late ass!" We all laughed at Leah's comment.
"Want to pile in the old van?" Angela asked. We all decided it was best to use her rusted, old minivan since it could cart us all in one vehicle.
"Shotgun!" Leah yelled, running up to the passenger side and hopping in without waiting. Embry just groaned and held the slider door open for the rest of us. Emily climbed in first, and went to the very back row, Kim followed her. Embry and I took our seats in the middle row.
"So where all are you guys dragging me to today?" Embry asked. He sighed, but I could tell he wasn't really all that bothered by the task.
"The bookstore." Angela and I answered at the same time, we laughed a little at being insync.
"Ew, boring. How about we go to the mall?" Kim suggested. Leah, Embry, and I all groaned this time, while Angela and Emily squealed with excitement.
"Well I definitely need to go to the bookstore because I have an order to pick up, but I guess if you guys want to go to the mall after that we can." I caved, wanting to make a day out of my 'human' trip to Port Angeles. The mall seemed like an alright way to do that. I did need some new clothes since a majority of my wardrobe was still made of over-girly stuff Alice had picked out and forced me to wear. I could admit that, even if shopping really wasn't my thing. I'd rather my clothes just magically appear… that wasn't too much to expect, right?
"Deal." Kim agreed and the rest of the girls nodded.
"I will probably just hang out at the bookstore, myself. Just let me know if you guys need anything." Embry directed at Leah.
We spent the rest of the car ride listening to music and chatting. I really got to know everyone a bit better, which was nice.
When we finally parked we all filed out of the van and into the bookstore. Predictably, it was cloudy and a little windy, which made it chilly. It was drizzling too, which didn't help it to feel any warmer out.
Everyone dispersed to peruse the shelves and I walked right up to the counter to get my book. I was really excited to read it, but also a little sad since it was the last installment of the series that I'd really gotten into. Amanda, the store clerk, saw me walking up towards her and she waked. I waved back, then she ducked into the backroom to grab my order.
When she came back out, she was holding a package. Amanda was a tall girl. She was very pretty too, with wild, but short red hair and pale skin. She had bright green eyes that shone through her stylish glasses, and a contagious smile. As she cut open the package and handed me the book, I had the distinct feeling that we could be friends again, the way I had when I'd been here a few days ago.
We were talking quietly when the bell above the door opened, announcing that someone had come in. I heard Angela talking excitedly, and figured that it had to be Jess that had come in. I excused myself from my conversation with Amanda and went to say hello.
"Cute outfit, Bella!" Jess said upon taking me in.
"Thanks!" I gave her a quick hug, then added, " you ought to be excited, Jess, we are going to the mall after this. I need new clothes, and what better time to get them, than when I am with a whole pack of girls." Angela snorted a little in her attempt not to laugh at me calling us a pack of girls.
"Oh heck yeah, I'm excited!" Jess replied, all giddy, not noticing the inside joke. It was that moment that Emily and Kim rushed up to us.
"Oh, hey guys, this is our friend, Jess. Jess, this is Emily and Kim." Angela introduced all the girls.
"Nice to meet you." Emily said, trying to be polite, but still distracted by something. Kim seemed distracted too, as she only smiled in Jess's direction.
"Looks like someone is hitting it off." Leah came up to the group, and I realized what had been distracting the other girls. Embry was leaning over the counter, hitting up Amanda. He was looking at her like she was his whole world, even though as far as I knew, he'd never met her before now. That's when it hit me, Embry had imprinted.
Author's Note:
Bella really needed some human time, I hope ya'll don't mind too much.
Just in case you didn't already know, my fics are all titled after songs and the plots are at the very least, loosely inspired by the songs. That said, I really want to flex my creative writing muscle, so if there are any songs you'd really like a oneshot to be inspired by, you should leave a review with the song title in it. I'll check it out and see if I can come up with something good!
Happy Reading!
~Dahlia~