Disclaimer: Only the new storyline is mine. The rest is Stephenie Meyers.
This story is my second entry for the "In love at Christmas" contest.
I hope you enjoy it!
Bella lets out a soft sigh as she stares at the Christmas tree in the living room while her thoughts drift back to everything that has happened in the last four years. Bella takes a deep breath to steady herself as she remembers the heartbreak and pain that she went through and closes her eyes as she thinks about how she lost she had been. Bella smiles as she opens her eyes again. No matter how lost she had been, she made it through it, and her wolf was right there by her side, every time she needed someone to lean on. He was her rock, the one constant in her life that Bella couldn't live without. He was the one person she could always depend on, even when he wasn't hers, to begin with.
Bella shakes her head as she thinks back at the time before she met him when she thought she wanted to live an immortal life by Edward's side. God, she was so young and gullible back then. Edward Cullen's grand exit left her cold and broken on the forest floor with her heart shattered into a million pieces, and she will never forgive him for that. Bella lets out a big sigh as she remembers how long it took to heal her broken heart. But she did it, one step at a time, with the help of the pack.
She knew there was something special about Sam, Paul, and Jared the moment they found her deep in the woods behind her father's house, cold and alone. Their warmth enveloped her as they each carried her part of the way back to Charlie's place and she felt strangely comforted by it. It was there that her connection with the pack got formed, but she was too broken to realize it at that moment.
The following months went by in a haze as Bella tried to get her life back on the rails. Christmas came and passed that year without her realizing it. She still felt guilty for how she had made Charlie worry during that time. It wasn't until he threatened to send her back to her mom that she snapped out of whatever state she was in. She went to the reservation to meet up with Jacob, and she was glad she did. Jake, his sunny disposition, and the calm and peace she felt when she was on the rez were exactly what she needed to start living again.
Bella spent more and more time on the rez. If she wasn't with Jake, she walked along First Beach, hoping to bump into the three men that rescued her in the woods. Jake was her best friend, but the three strong Quileute men grounded and calmed her more somehow. She treasured the moments they spent with her more than anything. She just couldn't figure out why.
It wasn't until Laurent found her a few months later and five giant wolves chased him off that she put two and two together. The legend Jake told her when she first came to La Push was true. Werewolves were real. Bella giggles at that thought. Edward couldn't have been more wrong when he told her it would be like they never existed. She was born to live among the supernatural. La Push was where she belonged. She felt it each time she crossed the boundary line. The rez was her home. It was where her wolf lived.
Yes, her wolf. Because with the realization of what they were, also came the epiphany of how she felt for one of them, in particular. She was head over heels in love with him, and she didn't care that he turned into a giant wolf. Bella loved his smile, his calm demeanor, and his strong arms. She loved how he made her feel safe whenever he was near. Bella ran to her truck and sped to Jake's house to wait for their return. She smiled as she saw the five men emerge from the forest in perfect formation, just like a real pack, and she found herself wanting to get to know them better.
They stopped abruptly when they spotted her and looked at her tentatively as if they were waiting for her to run away screaming. Bella just shrugged her shoulders and said that she always wanted a puppy. Sam, Paul, Embry, and Jared just shook their head at her antics as Jake ran over to hug her and spin her around. After that, they went to Sam's house for lunch, and that's where she found out about imprinting. Her already fragile heart broke again when she realized that Sam wasn't hers to love. He had an imprint.
Her love for the rez kept her from running. It would have been a typical Bella move to run away from her problems, but this time she refused. She felt it in her bones; this was where she belonged. She didn't know why, but maybe time would tell. Bella decided to finish high school online, not wanting to return to Forks High, and Charlie didn't oppose. He and Bella grew even closer after Harry Clearwater died of a heart attack when Seth and Leah phased in front of him. Charlie needed her, and that made Bella decide to attend college in Port Angeles in September. Of course, that wasn't the only reason, but Charlie didn't need to know that she just couldn't leave Sam.
She needed to be close to him, and Sam needed to be close to her too. Bella couldn't put one step onto the rez without him coming to see her, and when he was on patrol, one of the boys came to tell her. It was strange how she seemed to fit in with the pack, even though she wasn't an imprint and how no one seemed to question the strange connection she had with their alpha.
Bella loved taking care of her boys, as she called them in her head. Paul and Jared were like big brothers, whereas Quil and Embry were the annoying younger ones. Of course, Jake was still her best friend, even though they saw less of each other since he imprinted on Leah. Bella squealed when Jake told her about the imprint. Jake and Leah were perfect for each other; even a blind man could see that.
And then there was Seth. Seth was special. He was the little brother she always wanted, and she loved to take care of him by helping him with his homework and cooking for him whenever possible. She loved how his face would light up at her attention as he momentarily forgot the loss of his father. Word of her cooking skills spread quickly, and Bella regularly found more than one wolf in her kitchen begging for food. She never turned them down, they were her family, and the pack loved when she made them steaming hot casseroles and fresh pies whenever she came to visit, and it was abundantly clear Emily and Kim didn't.
Bella still remembered the look on their faces the first time Bella walked into Sam's house with a giant homemade lasagna. Their scowl got even bigger when all the boys came over to thank Bella with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. It took the imprints quite some time to warm up to her after that. Hell, who was she kidding? Emily never did, and Bella couldn't blame her because she knew Emily was jealous. After all, Sam cared for Bella, and it was unseen for a wolf to put someone else above their imprint, but he did on numerous occasions. It made the pack question the nature of their imprint more and more, and she hated Bella for it.
Summer passed quickly, and Bella enrolled at Peninsula College in Port Angeles just as she planned. She made up her mind about what she wanted to study weeks ago and was excited to start this new chapter of her life. The only downside was, of course, that Bella couldn't spend as much time on the rez as she did before. Her studies kept her busy, and she resigned herself to one weekly visit to the rez on Sunday. It was the highlight of her week because no matter how hard the past week had been, one smile from him made it all better, and she loved him all the more for it.
Bella smiles as she sits down on the couch next to the Christmas tree and remembers that one specific Sunday, a few weeks before Christmas that first year in college, when she found Sam waiting for her at the boundary line. Her week had been harder than normal, with several papers being due, and the distance from the rez had hit her harder than ever before. Seeing him there at the boundary line made her realize that he had felt it too, and it made butterflies flutter in her stomach like never before. She wanted to berate herself for longing for a man that was already taken, but she couldn't help herself as she relaxed into his arms after he opened her door and pulled her close for a hug, nor did the relieved sigh that escaped from his lips as he breathed her in, escape her notice. A small flicker of hope took root in her heart. Could it be that Sam loved her too?
He made her scoot over so that he could drive, and she put her head on his shoulder as he drove her truck down to Second Beach while one of his hands came to rest on her leg. She closed her eyes as all the stress of the past week vanished like snow before the sun. Only Sam had that effect on her, and she loved him all the more because of it. Bella smiled as the beach came into view and squealed as Sam hoisted her up over his shoulder and carried her down to the beach. Bella loved how Sam laughed as she tried to squirm out of his hold and run. Her heart skipped a beat when he growled lowly while pulling her close and saying that she knew better than to try and run from a wolf, even though he would enjoy the hunt. God, that man was going to be the death of her.
Time passed quickly as they spent the afternoon on Second Beach. Bella wished she could stay there with him forever, that she didn't have to give him back to his imprint. A sadness settled in her heart as a howl sounded in the distance, and Sam let out a big sigh as he reluctantly escorted Bella back to her truck. Bella pushed back the tears as he rested his forehead against hers and said: "This was the best day I had in a long time, Bella. I loved every second of it. Please, don't ever doubt that." Bella nodded as a second howl sounded closer by, and closed her eyes, so she didn't have to watch him walk away from her. When she opened her eyes ten seconds later, he was gone.
She celebrated Christmas with Renee and Phil in Jacksonville that year because Charlie had to work. She hated being away from Sam, but Emily's statement a few days prior about how she knew that Sam was going to propose at the Christmas bonfire made Bella's decision a lot easier. Bella didn't even wait for Sam to get back from his patrol. She just told the boys where she was going and that she would be back right before New Year's Eve and left. She never saw the evil smile on Emily's lips as Bella drove her truck out of Sam's driveway.
Celebrating Christmas with her mom made Bella realize how much she wanted a family of her own, and she returned to Washington two days earlier than planned. She just couldn't be away from Sam and La Push any longer. It was her home, even if Sam couldn't love her the way she loved him. Bella was certain she would find her happiness on the rez. She just needed to be patient. Bella gasped for air when she found Jared and Paul waiting for her at the airport's exit. Something was wrong. The boys didn't need to say a word as she ran their way, and they just sighed in relief as she told them to take her to Sam.
She could almost feel their trepidation as they led her deep into the forest behind Sam's house. She didn't question it for one second. She just knew something was wrong with her Sam and sighed in relief when she spotted his large black wolf up ahead. She noticed that Paul and Jared dropped back as she ventured forward and realized they didn't want to anger their alpha. It made her wonder what had happened in her absence.
The black wolf kept staring at the boys behind her as Bella slowly walked closer. She wanted to run to him, but she knew better than to spook a pissed-off wolf. Sam's wolf whimpered as she reached for him, and she smiled as she moved her hands over his fur and felt him relax. Bella watched as Jared and Paul retreated from the forest, but she knew they would stay close just to make sure she was okay. Bella moved to sit down on the forest floor and smiled as Sam lied down beside her, his body wrapped around hers. Bella knew better than to push a wolf into phasing back, so she leaned back into him and told him about her trip to Jacksonville.
Sam relaxed even more as he listened to Bella's words, and Bella smiled as he phased back, even before she finished telling him about her trip. He pulled her close after slipping on his shorts, and his voice was barely a whisper as he told her how much he had missed her. His eyes said so much more, and Bella realized that he had needed her to phase back. For some reason, she calmed him like no other. She leaned her head against his chest as he slowly stroked her hair, knowing that he would tell her what happened when he was ready.
His words shocked her, and she felt his pain as he told her how Emily had angered him by feeding everyone lies about Sam wanting to propose. His imprint didn't show any regret for her actions, and when she told Sam that she was glad she did it because it drove Bella away, Sam's wolf snapped. He phased while standing too close to her, and Emily would be scarred for life because of that. Sam had spent the next five days in the woods, unable to phase back, blaming himself for what happened. He never meant to harm Emily and was horrified by his behavior, but what terrified him, even more, was the possibility that Emily had driven Bella away.
Bella gasped in surprise as Sam tried to take a step away from her, and she threw herself into his arms. She scolded herself for believing Emily's lies so easily. This wouldn't have happened if she had talked to Sam before leaving. She didn't understand why Sam still wanted her in his life. This was all her fault. Bella clung to Sam as he lifted her into his arms. She cried while he carried her back to the rez and reassured her that none of this was her fault. Bella fell asleep from exhaustion before they made it there.
The pack was over the moon that Bella was back, and everything settled back to normal fairly quickly. Classes kept Bella busy during the week, and Sundays were still reserved for visits to the rez. She spoiled the pack with her cooking, seeing Emily wasn't there to cook for them at the moment. Sam told her that it would still be several weeks before Emily would be released from the hospital. Kim wasn't much of a cook, so each Sunday Bella filled the freezer and fridge at Sam's place with tons of food to help them through the week while she went to class.
Their quiet routine ended quickly when Emily returned from the hospital and loudly demanded that the pack throw out all the food Bella cooked for them. When none of the boys complied, she turned to Sam and pulled the imprint card. Sam just shook his head as he told them to do as she asked and left to run patrol. Bella only found out because Paul and Jared turned up at her doorstep in Forks on Saturday next, begging her to feed them. Bella smiled as she made them their favorite dish while both boys told her stories about their youth on the rez. She knew Paul had it hard as a kid, but she was glad to hear that he and Jared had been there for each other since they were little boys. Bella giggled as they both fought over the last piece of lasagna and promised them that she would bring the food to Paul's place instead of Sam's from now on so that Emily wouldn't notice.
Bella didn't see much of Sam in the weeks after Emily's return. She still drove to the rez every Sunday, but she stayed clear of Sam's house. Paul had told Bella how Emily kept trying to poison the pack against her, and she wasn't going to give the witch any more ammunition. The only thing Emily achieved with her self-appointed crusade against Bella was that the pack started to hang out at Paul's more and more. Even Sam started to spend his Sundays at Paul's. Jared told Bella that it was the only day in the week that the pack saw Sam smile. She knew the pack couldn't stop wondering why Sam had imprinted on Emily instead of her, and she couldn't help but ask herself the same question. What if the spirits had been wrong?
The random appearances of red-eyed vampires around town had the whole pack on high alert during the following months. Bella knew Sam worried endlessly about her, so she agreed to have one of the boys with her wherever she wasn't on the rez. It ended up being her salvation when a rogue vampire showed up out of nothing as Bella drove back to Forks after classes had ended for the summer. Paul made it out of the car and phased before the vampire realized what was going on. The vampire was no match for Paul Lahote as he defended the girl who had become so important to his pack ever since he, Sam, and Jared had found her in the woods. Bella was part of the pack. Paul had told her that hundred times already, and now she saw exactly what that meant. He would kill for her if he had to, and she loved him for it.
After that, Sam worried even more about her safety. She was a magnet for danger, like Jacob so eloquently put it. So, to make sure that the boys slept at night instead of patrolling the woods around Charlie's house, and to keep Sam from having a nervous breakdown each time she went home, Bella decided to spend her summer on the rez. She wanted a job though. She didn't want to sit around all summer and do nothing while the pack ran patrols to keep everyone safe.
She talked to Billy, who promptly gave her a job on the rez reorganizing and updating the tribe's archives. After that, he helped her convince Charlie that it would so much easier for Bella to live in the small flat above the community center that hosted the archives than to drive needlessly between Forks and La Push every day. Bella wondered how Billy got Charlie to give in so easily but knowing the old geezer he would never tell. Not that it mattered, she got what she wanted and couldn't stop smiling as Paul and Sam helped her move her stuff to the rez the same day.
The boys loved having Bella on the rez, and Bella often found herself at Paul's place, cooking up a storm to feed the bottomless pits that she called family. She loved every minute of it. Bella couldn't remember a time in which she was ever this happy. Even the job at the archives was better than she imagined. Bella happily emerged herself in the tribe's history as she read the ancient stories before making digital copies of them. She felt more and more connected to the tribe with every day that passed and couldn't imagine living anywhere else.
The summer passed quickly, and Bella was looking forward to the start of her classes, even more now that Paul would be attending classes too. The news had surprised her at first, but when Paul explained that one of them was still going to be with her each time she left the rez, it sounded logical that the wolf would get an education out of it as well. She could see Paul was thrilled about the prospect of going to college, so she didn't make a fuss. It would be nice to have a study buddy nearby.
Paul enrolled in college with Business as his major, while Bella continued her major in Education. She loved the idea of becoming a teacher and secretly wanted to teach at the Rez School from the moment she graduated. That's why she added a minor in Native American Studies to her program. She knew her chances to be accepted would increase significantly if the council saw her love for their heritage, not that Billy didn't already know.
Bella still lived in the small flat on the rez. Sam and Paul made it quite clear that moving back to Forks was out of the question. Vampires were still roaming the area, and the wolves had found one of them stalking her house in Forks. They put in extra patrols around Charlie's house to keep him safe, but they became unnecessary when Charlie started dating Sue. He practically lived on the rez now too. The only time he left was to work at the station, and he always came back straight afterward.
Of course, it didn't take Charlie long to find out the truth about Seth, Leah, and the rest of the pack. He stunned them all by reacting in the same way Bella had when she found out. He shrugged his shoulders, said that he always wanted a couple of dogs, and walked inside to watch the game. Charlie promptly put the house in Forks on the market when Sam told him about the threat they were facing, and moved in with Sue. Bella was thrilled that her father had finally found someone to love again after all those years and that he was safe on the rez.
Time passed quickly as Paul and Bella got swamped with assignments, and it was Christmas break before they knew it. They both smiled brightly as they crossed the border to La Push for the much-needed break, and Bella couldn't wait to see Sam. She wanted nothing more than to celebrate Christmas with the pack this year. Emily wouldn't succeed in driving her away this time around.
It quickly became clear that Emily had used a completely different strategy this year. When Paul dropped Bella off at Sue's to see her dad, she immediately noticed something was wrong by the way Seth looked at her. He pulled her to the side and told her how Sue had invited the whole pack over for Christmas, and how Emily had declined the invitation for her and Sam. She had taken him to visit her parents in Neah Bay for the Holidays, even though Sam didn't want to leave the rez. Bella was beyond angry that Emily would take Sam away from his pack, most certainly after the stunt, she pulled last year. Seth saw the anger in Bella's eyes as he pulled her close for a hug and held her while she cried in anger. God, she missed Sam so much.
The absence of their alpha weighed on the pack as they celebrated Christmas as Sue's. The boys did their best to keep up the Holiday cheer, but Bella saw how their smiles never reached their eyes. It just wasn't the same without Sam, but they still managed to devour all the food that Sue and Bella prepared. Seth pulled her aside after dinner and handed her a small present as he led her into his room. Bella gasped for air as she recognized the handwriting on the card as Sam's. She hugged the gift to her chest as Seth gave her a quick kiss on the head before leaving her to open the present in silence. He was the best little brother a girl could possibly wish for.
Bella took a deep breath as she sat down on Seth's bed and carefully opened the present that Sam left for her before he left for the Makah rez in Neah Bay. Her breath hitched as she found the most beautiful leather bracelet she had ever seen with a hand-carved black wolf charm attached to it. The small card in the box said: "I'm always with you, Bella." She couldn't stop her tears from falling as she lifted the bracelet out of the box and put it on her arm. She placed a soft kiss on the wolf charm and smiled through her tears as she made her way back into the living room, knowing that she loved Sam with all her heart and that he felt something for her too. She was sure of that.
Bella just had to figure out why he imprinted on Emily in the first place. There had to be something in the archives, and she was going to figure out what was going on, even if it was the last thing she ever did because she knew for certain that Sam wasn't happy now, and he deserved better than that.
The rest of her Christmas break passed quickly as Bella worked her way through all the ancient stories and legends that somehow related to imprinting. She even asked Paul and Billy to help her because some of the documents were written in Quileute, the tribe's native tongue. Bella found herself intrigued by the beautiful language and was thrilled when Billy offered to teach her during the next summer holidays upon learning that she enrolled for a minor in American Native Studies. While she and Paul dug through the books, the rest of the pack continued their exhausting patrol schedule hoping to catch Victoria. She hadn't shown her face in weeks, and it enerved them all.
The pack howled in relief when Sam and Emily returned to the rez the day after New Year. Paul said he felt it when Sam crossed the border of the rez. Bella smiled as he plopped down in the seat next to her. She could have sworn her heart somehow felt lighter too, and she couldn't wait to see him.
Bella shrieked as Seth and Jared stormed into the archive where she and Paul were finishing up for the day. Bella and Paul listened as Seth told them how Emily had cornered him at the store and raved about how much her parents loved Sam and how strong their bond had become during their stay at the Makah rez. Jared then told them that he saw Sam at Old Quil's and that he looked like shit. Bella growled at that and Paul simply smiled as Bella tore out of the archive like a bat out of hell in search of Sam.
Bella didn't have to walk far to find him. He came walking out of the forest as Bella rounded the corner of the community center, and Bella gasped for air as she saw the dark lines under his eyes. Jared was right. Sam looked like he hadn't slept for days on end. Bella ran toward him as fast as she could and threw herself into his waiting arms. Sam sighed in relief as he sank to the floor with Bella clutched to his chest and whispered: "I missed you so much, Bella."
She gently traced the dark lines under his eyes with her fingers as Sam leaned back to look at her. God, he looked too tired. She continued her gentle touches as Sam closed his eyes, and he sighed happily as Bella whispered how she missed him too. The evening passed slowly after Bella led Sam back to her flat. He fell asleep on her couch as she made him dinner, and Bella couldn't find it in her heart to wake him. He looked so at peace as he hugged her favorite blanket to his chest. God, she loved him so much. Bella got even more determined to find out the truth after that night, and it frustrated her to no end that none of the documents she read thus far had given her any clue to what was wrong with Sam's imprint.
Classes started again, and before she and Paul knew it assignments came flying their way once again. Bella spent every free second she had on reading and digitalizing the old tribal documents. Even if Paul found her behavior borderline obsessive, he never commented on it. Bella would find out later that he wanted to find the answer just as much as she did. Paul didn't have many people he considered family, but Sam definitely was one of them. Paul wanted Sam to be happy, and he knew that Sam being happy somehow included Bella.
As Spring break drew closer, Bella was on the verge of giving up. She had read every document there was on imprinting and had found no clues whatsoever. Still, something was telling her that she was missing something. She just couldn't figure out what that was. Paul still helped her as much as he could. But with the amounts of vampires that were stalking the la Push border, Bella often found herself alone in the archives. Not that she minded the silence, but she had somehow grown accustomed to Paul's sarcasm and honest opinion.
Bella shook her head as she glanced at the clock. A howl to the North had made Paul storm out of the archives only thirty minutes ago, but it felt like hours. Bella couldn't help but worry each time Sam and the boys went out to fight yet another vampire. She couldn't bear the thought of one of them getting hurt. She let out a big sigh as she picked up the stack of books that Paul had brought with him, and her eyes lit up as she spotted one that she hadn't seen before. Time passed quickly after that as Bella got lost in the prophecy of the true alpha. She read it over and over again and sighed in relief. She had finally found what she was looking for.
Bella didn't even notice when Sam entered the archives hours later. He shook his head as he sat down next to her and chuckled as Bella jumped in surprise when he touched her hand to get her attention. Sam watched as Bella slowly raised her hand to trail his cheek, and she saw that he grew worried as he noticed the tears forming in her eyes. She smiled through her tears as he gently cupped her face with both hands and asked her what was wrong. And that's when she told him about the prophecy.
A time will come in which the true alpha will rise as he is needed to lead his pack just and well through dangerous times. However, the alpha can only fully commit to this task when he finds the woman that complements both man and wolf. He will break a woman's heart as a man, and he will choose the wrong woman as a wolf. Only if he can find the woman that completes every side of him, will he be the true protector and alpha that the tribe so desperately needs. If not, a great loss will come to him and his pack.
Bella bit her lip in suspense as Sam processed everything she just said, and couldn't believe it when Sam started mumbling something about it being time to step down and let Jake take over as true alpha. She shot up out of her chair and slammed the book on the table angrily as she moved in front of Sam and said: "Now, you listen very carefully, Samuel Uley. This prophecy isn't about Jake! He never broke a woman's heart as a man! You did! He never chose the wrong woman as a wolf! You did! And I believe you found the woman that can complete every side of you… you just need to acknowledge it. I'm one hundred percent certain the prophecy is about you, Sam. Please… I love you."
They both looked up as they heard someone clapping in the doorway. Bella gasped in surprise as she saw Emily standing there with a gun in her hands. The hatred was clearly visible in her eyes as she said: "The paleface thinks she's got it all figured out. But you're wrong. Sam is mine, not yours. He will never be yours. That prophecy proves nothing. Sam's wolf loves me, and therefore the man will never leave me. He can't deny the imprint, and I won't let him. And if you're gone, he won't want to either."
Sam growled as Emily pointed the gun at Bella and quickly pulled her behind him. The sudden movement startled Emily, and a shot was fired. The bullet missed Sam's head by a hair, and Bella screamed as the bullet hit the wall behind them. Emily fumbled with the gun as she tried to reload it, but Sam snatched it from her hands right as Paul and Jared came rushing into the community center alerted by the shot that was fired.
Bella watched as Sam immediately ordered Paul to take Emily to the police station. Paul growled as he dragged Emily outside, kicking and screaming, while Jared followed them with the gun in his hands. Bella sighed in relief as Sam pulled her into his arms and softly kissed her hair. Sam couldn't believe that Emily had just tried to kill his Bella. Spirits, his wolf really fucked up when he imprinted on Emily. Bella was right. The prophecy wasn't about Jake at all. It was about him and his incapability to see what was right in front of him. He had tried to deny his feelings for Bella for so long, ever since the day they had found her in the forest, but she was what both man and wolf wanted. Bella was everything they would ever need, and Emily had tried to take her away from them. Bella smiled as he pulled her closer, and she fell even more in love with him as he whispered: "Spirits, I love you so much, Bella. I have since the day I found you."
Bella pouted as Sam leaned back to put some distance between them. He shook his head as he saw her face, and Bella snickered as he told her that she would have him jumping through hoops in no time. Her heartbeat quickened as he carefully brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear and leaned down ever so slowly to kiss her. He gave her all the time in the world to stop him, but she didn't. There was nothing she wanted more than to kiss her Sam. The kiss was all she imagined it would be and more. It confirmed what she had known for quite a while now: she was Sam's... mind, body, and soul.
They reluctantly pulled apart as Jake rushed into the community center with Seth hot on his heels. Their alone time was over for now. Jake told them that Charlie wanted them to make it down to the station to give their statements immediately.
When they arrived at the police station, they were surprised to see not only the pack and Charlie but also Billy and Old Quil. Sam bowed his head as the tribe's shaman made his way toward him and shared a few words with Sam in Quileute. Bella gasped inaudibly as Old Quil closed his eyes to sing an incantation in Quileute. She recognized the words 'imprint', 'wolf', and 'free', but that was about it. The pack watched in rapture as Old Quil finished the incantation before tapping their chest with their fist twice in acknowledgment of whatever Old Quil had said. Sam gently squeezed her hand as he saw her worried face and mouthed 'later'. Nobody else looked worried, so Bella nodded in agreement as Sam led her inside the station to give their statements.
On their way back to Bella's flat, Sam told her how Old Quil had asked how both he and his wolf felt about the imprint on Emily and how he had said that his wolf had been wrong when he imprinted on Emily. Old Quil had then told him that it was unheard of to break the sacred bond between a wolf and his imprint and that Sam should seek guidance from the Spirits to solve this mess he found himself in. Sam took his leave as they reached her flat because he needed to run back home to prepare for his Spirit walk later tonight. Bella watched as he walked into the forest behind the community center and sighed. She missed him already.
The next days passed slowly, even though the pack did everything to distract Bella. She loved them for trying but nothing they said or did, stopped her from thinking about Sam, and they knew it. With every hour that passed, Bella got more worried, even though she knew from all her research that a Spirit walk could take up to a week to complete. It was Paul that finally got sick and tired of her pacing and staring at the clock, and dragged her outside for a walk on the beach.
Bella inhaled deeply as they reached the beach and forced a smile as Paul rambled about some girl he met to distract her, knowing he meant well. A low growl from Paul pulled her attention back to the beach, and she gasped in horror as Victoria rose from the sea a few hundred meters in front of them with an evil smirk on her face. A shiver ran down Bella's spine as Victoria's voice rang across the beach as she tried to taunt Paul into attacking. Paul stayed surprisingly calm as he kept a close eye on Victoria's every move while trying to move Bella safely behind him. There was no way in hell he was going to let that red-haired bitch harm Bella.
Bella tried to peak from behind Paul's back as she heard Victoria growl, and Bella screamed in horror as Paul crouched down to take the brunt of her attack as Victoria rushed their way. She never made it. Sam's wolf came out of nowhere as he tackled Victoria to the ground and ripped her head clear off. Paul whistled impressed as he ran toward the body and lit it on fire. Bella didn't even notice the purple smoke as it made its way up into the evening sky. Sam phased back, and she immediately ran toward him and threw her arms around his neck. He somehow seemed even larger than before.
Sam snickered as he hugged her tightly, and she smiled as she pulled back to look at him. Nothing could have prepared her for what happened next. It was as if the world stopped turning, and the planets all realigned themselves as she felt a bond form between her and Sam, and she gasped for air as she realized what had just happened. She was now truly Sam's; he had imprinted on her. Sam stared at her in reverence as he slowly traced her cheek with his fingers and said: "It never felt this way before. The Spirits were right. You are everything to me."
It was then that the rest of the pack came rushing onto the beach. Bella sighed as they all started talking at the same time and wondered when she would have an uninterrupted romantic moment with Sam. Sam simply rolled his eyes at his pack as he leaned down to kiss her.
After Sam returned from his Spirit walk, nobody questioned his place as true alpha, not even Billy, who always had believed that Jake would one day step up and take that place. They all were glad to see how happy their alpha was now that he imprinted on Bella. They all helped when Sam decided to renovate and rebuild parts of his house, and it surprised no one when Bella moved in a few weeks later. Everything was finally like it was supposed to be.
It didn't take Sam long to propose to Bella, and it took Bella even less time to organize her perfect wedding. They got married on a sunny summer day on the same spot on First Beach where Sam imprinted on her. Sam and the boys wore shorts and t-shirts, while Bella wore a white summer dress and flowers in her braided hair. Everyone that mattered to them was there: the pack, Charlie, Sue, Renee, Phil, Billy, and Old Quil. After the ceremony, they held a bonfire on the beach and danced the night away underneath the stars. Bella couldn't help but feel as if she was the luckiest woman alive as Sam led her back to their house for their wedding night.
Even now, months later on Christmas eve, she still feels the same way. She is the luckiest woman alive because of Sam. He has given her everything she ever wanted, a man that loves her more than anything in this world, a wonderful home and a place within the pack as the alpha's mate, and most importantly the gift of motherhood. Bella smiles as she takes another look at the pregnancy test on the coffee table and turns to look at the clock. She can't wait to tell Sam.
Bella takes a deep breath as she hears the front door open and moves to stand in front of the Christmas tree. She sighs happily as Sam walks up behind her and hugs her tightly as he says: "I missed you so much today. Where's everybody? I thought we were celebrating Christmas eve here this year?"
Bella nods as she turns to look at Sam and says: "I asked them to come an hour later. There's something I want to tell you first." Sam raises his brow questioningly at her words, and Bella smiles as she says: "It's a good thing, Sam. At least, I think it is. I was worried you would find out before I was able to get it confirmed, and even if you did and you didn't tell me, just act surprised." Sam snickers at her rambling and places his fingers on her lips as he says: "Breath, honey. Now, tell me about the surprise."
Bella takes another deep breath as she leans down to pick up the test and says: "You're going to be a father, Sam. I'm pregnant." The look on Sam's face is one of love and total devotion as he drops down on his knees and places his ear against her tummy. The smile that forms on his face is so bright it could have lit a room as he looks up to her and says: "I can hear the heartbeat of our baby, Bells. It's the most amazing sound ever. You're the most amazing woman ever. Spirits, I love you so much. This is the best Christmas present ever."
Bella sighs as Paul and Jared choose that moment to walk into her living room and say: "What's the best Christmas present ever?" Another special moment interrupted… It's a good thing she loves them all so much.
The end!
Merry Christmas!
I wrote this story for the "In love at Christmas" contest. Please check the other entries on the forum or my Facebook page. Just search for VeldanTwilight!
I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I loved writing it.
Please review!