Chapter 3

Sam Uley

Happy Ending

There was something about the rhythmic sounds that the wood cutter exuded that soothed my mind, sending me spiraling into a tranquil bliss that was, most of the times, extremely difficult to find. I trained my eyes on the fine lines I'd drawn on the wood cuts, making sure that the cutter was perfectly aligned with the markings before I moved it along the piece. This had to be perfect: anything I made for Emily had to be perfect, because she didn't deserve anything less.

The smell of food wafted into the shed I'd built in our back yard a while later, alerting me that it was dinner time in our small household. Clearing up the mess quickly, I made my way into the house: Emily was waiting for me at the table, the same smile on her precious face – an adoring look that never seemed to leave her features, even when it should. I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her to me, peppering her forehead with small kisses. She giggled into my chest, filling my heart with pure, unadulterated joy.

"Sam!" she gasped, her eyes shining brightly. "The food will get cold."

Never one to sacrifice my stomach and its needs, I gave her one final peck and made my way to the table, my hand still clasping hers in mine, leading her behind me. We ate in content silence, enjoying each other's presence. Emily described her day to me, and I informed her of any interesting stuff that happened at work. Conversation flowed easily: everything about us was effortless – that was the beauty of imprinting. We hadn't had an argument in ages; something inside the both us of seemed to steer us away from confrontation, instead opting for some form of peaceful resolve.

Sometimes, a part rooted deep inside of me missed the heated arguments that I'd have with …. I snapped out of my thoughts, blinking them away rapidly. I'd forbidden myself from thinking about her when Emily was around – it was unfair to her, and unfair to our relationship. When I wanted to think about her, to wallow in my self-pity for the small part of me that still craved that which I'd lost, I'd wander to the cliffs or into the woods and pace alone until I'd drain my mind of everything related to her and return back home.

I helped Emily clean up the table and wash the dishes – my wolf liked the ease with which Emily and I were establishing our home, our den so to speak. I could feel him pacing inside me, responding to my imprint's deep desires to solidify our relationship by taking it to the next step: he wanted it, and so did Emily. I could feel it bubbling inside me, like a pot of water left on a stove for too long – it seemed I couldn't contain the happiness within me, like the pores of my skin wanted to explode. After making sure that the entire kitchen was cleaned up, I gave Emily one final hug and wished her goodnight, kissing her firmly on the lips before I set off for patrol.

I was still a bit early, but I liked phasing in first, before my assigned partner, to get my bearings and re-orientate myself with my surroundings. Something within my wolf still had this desire to establish control over every situation – that was the Alpha within me acting, but we were both accepting that two Alphas was not the way to go. I'd been thinking about the unification of both packs under Jacob's leadership… after all, if I wanted to start a family, there was no place for me within the wolf pack. It was like there was an internal struggle within my body: two parts pulling away at each other.

It was more difficult than I'd anticipated to let go of him: sometimes it felt like I was thinking about cutting an arm off – my wolf was, after all, something ingrained into my soul. It was he who had brought me to Emily, I had so much to thank him for…

I started to run at a leisurely pace, enjoying the cool evening breeze – the sun was still taking its last few licks at the horizon before it was to disappear completely and I relished the last few traces of sunlight throughout the forest. I never strayed too far from the tree line, camouflaging myself within the colours of the trees, weaving in and out of bushes and saplings and the larger trees in my path. I passed by Jared's house, picking up the two heartbeats within the house, fluttering whenever they made contact with each other. I pressed on, unwilling to intrude upon their personal, intimate moments, focusing my ears on what was going on in the forest rather than in the tiny house I'd just passed. Everything passed in a blur – I chose not to see everything, focusing only on the patrol trail rather than everything that was found along it.

The silence of the pack mind when I phased in alone was both comforting, and yet simultaneously disconcerting – I suppose it was a sign of what I was to experience when I was going to stop phasing: we were, after all, wolves. We were pack creatures, not made to live singular lives, but at some point, I had to stop – Emily couldn't keep aging whilst I remained frozen in my youth. I couldn't let her slip through my fingers.

As my thoughts succumbed to the joy that was Emily in my life, my snout picked up a familiar scent, alone, accompanied by a beating heart, each thump more thunderous than the next. I slowed to a stop, letting myself be encased in the scent that'd caught my attention.

It was her. Her lovely aroma was something I could not easily forget, and the part of me that was so intricately attached to Emily fought against the feeling of nostalgia that washed over me. Alone, in the presence of Leah Clearwater, I couldn't push her away. Emily was not here to remind me of what I'd gained from this life.

I sat back on my haunches, masked by the thick underbrush, shielding myself from her view. She'd probably sensed me, but didn't seem to register my presence. She was walking up the road, a couple of grocery bags in each hand – she didn't seem troubled by the weight of them, managing perfectly fine with the added load. Her chin-length hair was pulled back in a small ponytail, several loose strands falling free to beat against her pretty face. She wasn't wearing her usual small shorts and tattered t-shirt – I'd gotten used to seeing her in shit clothes all the time. Seeing her dressed up in something that seemed so normal was refreshing – even if it was just jeans and a sweater. She trudged on, her mind seemingly elsewhere.

I'd seen that look on her face countless times: that faraway gaze, in which her eyes – her beautiful, hazel eyes – glazed over as she let herself be dragged into her deepest desires and dreams. She was thinking, dreaming … She'd dreamed of us, of our life, maybe a family that we'd have together. What was she dreaming of now?

She's not yours.

But I couldn't help it. The wolf spirit had deemed Leah unsuitable for me, had brought me to her cousin, had made me do unspeakable, horrible things to Leah – a once smiling, beautiful girl. I'd turned her into this… this was the shell of the person she had once been. My heart constricted, my breath catching in my throat.

Even holding Emily and rocking her to sleep each night, surrounded in her love and beauty and adoration was not enough to eradicate the guilt that weighed heavy on my heart. What I still felt for Leah could not be love… no, that was only reserved for my Emily… but there was something still there. She remained an unfinished chapter in my life, a loose end that I could not tie down. We both needed the closure somehow – being in each other's heads after the whole disaster had not been healthy for the both of us. But losing her… losing her to Jacob Black and his pack of renegades, had hurt more than having her painful thoughts in my head – the rejection stung, the pain of being discarded for another wolf, stronger, more powerful than my own.

Her face was set in a small scowl, her lips tight and her jaw set. And she was still so beautiful. The sun kissed her head softly, making her glow in the evening light, her strong frame dominating the landscape around her. She still took my breath away, sometimes.

A rumbling car in the distance tore my gaze away from her walking form, and she stopped walking, tilting her head back towards the approaching sound. The sound was unmistakable all over the reservation: Jacob Black's Rabbit.

I watched as Jacob pulled the Rabbit over to the side of the curb, stopping beside her. I could hear the encounter clearly.

"Hey there," he said, as he grinned at her from the window of his car.

She glared back down at him, shifting her weight slightly. "What do you want, Jacob?"

"Just offering a good friend a hand," he explained, getting out of the Rabbit and reaching for the bags in her hands.

"I don't need-"

"Shut up," he growled playfully, tugging at the bags until she let go, crossing her arms over her chest in defiance. I knew Leah – she hated chivalry and being treated like a rag doll. She had these very clear ideas of how men should act around her, and these didn't include being spoiled. But I watched on, as she stared after Jacob's form as he threw the bags in the back of the car, and I could see, even from afar, that her mouth was twitching at the corner, stifling back some sort of smile.

She was smiling?

"Oh, come on Leah, just get in the car already. Sue invited me over for dinner, remember?" He walked back over to her, casually slinging an arm around her shoulder. My eyes widened in surprise of their own accord. I'd never seen this sort of interaction between them. Leah was still stiff, arms crossed defensively, not giving into Jacob's embrace, but Jacob seemed unperturbed by her demeanor, leaning against her until she had to push against him to keep her balance.

Was it the close proximity of their bodies that irritated me the most?

Or the fact that even as she was pushing him away, they seemed to get impossibly closer and closer…

"Fine. You put the bags in the car, you take the bags out of the car, got it?" she ordered, as she slid out from under his arm and made her way to the passenger side.

Jacob grinned and climbed into the car, the grin not leaving his face even as they drove away from my sight.

-:-

Were they friends?

More than friends?

Should I warn her? Warn him? He was an imprinted wolf. She was Leah – she'd eat him alive. He was no match for her. He was just a boy.

This is what I kept trying to convince myself as I walked towards Old Quil's home, where the Elders and Jacob himself would be waiting for me for the meeting I'd convened. It was also a feeble attempt to soothe my wolf – being in such close proximity to another Alpha made him restless, especially the rightful Alpha.

"Sam," Billy Black nodded as I walked into the room. Sue Clearwater was passing around cups of coffee and tea and Jacob was lounged casually on one of the chairs they'd brought out for him, eyeing me as I sat opposite him.

"Thanks, Sue," I mumbled as I took the cup she'd offered. I could see the slight distaste in her eyes: I had, after all, hurt her daughter. And even before that, no one had been worthy of Leah in Sue's eyes.

Silence engulfed the room as everyone adjusted to the situation.

"Sam, you called this meeting. I take it you want to speak to us about something?" Old Quil's voice rumbled, his eyes trained on my face, making my wolf squirm.

"Yes. The younger wolves have kept up their streak of not phasing, and it's been two months since they've last phased. They still show characteristics of being wolves: their temperature is still abnormally hot and their healing abilities are still supernaturally fast, so we must keep waiting until these change to confirm that the process is complete."

The Elders nodded in approval at my words, whilst Jacob was still staring at me. I could see him, from the corner of my eye: I guess he was trying to stare me down into submission… he had no need for that.

"I am also here because I think it is time to unite the packs."

Sue's mouth tightened, and Billy leaned back into his wheelchair. Sue was not happy: she knew what this meant, and knew that Leah would never agree to being in the same pack as me again.

"Two Alphas within the same reservation does not work and has lead to several rifts and arguments breaking out between our wolves. This has to stop. We are one pack. I am willing to unite the packs… under Jacob's leadership."

If Jacob was surprised at my offer, he did not show it. He held my gaze, his features not betraying his emotions.

Sue shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "What do you think, Jacob? Are you ready to take on the entire pack?"

Jacob looked away from me, and levelled his gaze with each of the Elders slowly before clearing his throat. I was surprised at his reaction and his demeanor. I'd expected him to storm off, angry and moody as always.

"I am willing, but we must tackle this slowly. We should not rush into anything: pack dynamics are very delicate and we don't want to disturb the wolves. We're only just getting back to normal again. Sam can relinquish the pack as he sees fit, but the younger wolves should be kept out of this. Sam, you will remain their Alpha until they stop phasing – changing packs and pack dynamics while they are trying to stop phasing will ruin the progress they've achieved so far."

"I agree," Old Quil announced. "This should have happened a long time ago. There is no space for two Alphas in La Push. Sam, is there a position you wish to take up within the new pack?"

"Actually…," I deliberated for a short while, debating on how to approach this matter. "I feel I have no place in the new pack. My time as a wolf is running out, I have served our people to the best of my abilities, but I feel that it is now time for me to move on. Once the younger wolves stop phasing, I will begin the process myself, and leave the pack, hopefully within the near future. Emily and I wish to start a family."

Sue and Jacob tensed at my words: my stomach rolled as I realized that they were gauging the meaning of my words and their implications, and how this would break Leah. But even they knew that I could not be denied this.

"Very well," Billy stated, reaching a hand out for me to shake. "We thank you, Sam, for the work you've done for the pack. We appreciate the sacrifices you have made and wish you well on your new life."

I smiled, and shook the hands of each of the Elders, before turning to Jacob. He was still sitting there, arms crossed defensively over his chest. Was he worried that I was going to hurt his she-wolf? Was he scared that this added responsibility was going to tear him down? Could he take it?

I looked at him, really looked at him for the first time in a long while. Jacob was now taller than me, taller than anyone on the reservation, and had acquired an air about him that commanded respect and loyalty. He was, after all, Billy Black's son. His face was far beyond his actual years – the light stubble on his chin making him seem even older. But it was his eyes – his steely, determined eyes – that convinced me. Jacob was a stubborn boy – he'd achieve anything he set his mind to, and if his mind was set on uniting the packs, then unite them he would.

He was no longer the scared, hormonal kid who chased after Bella Swan – somewhere along the line, he'd crossed the line from boyhood into manhood and was shaping himself into a leader. My wolf whimpered as I held my hand out, a sign of my submission to Jacob, and as he clutched my hand in his palm, I could feel the ties I held to my pack members slowly slipping away.

-:-

The two lone figures on the beach caught my attention as I was making my way back home after the meeting. Jacob had left before I had, and I'd stayed behind to chat with Billy and Old Quil – Sue had left too, visibly worried by my announcement. Could her daughter take this news?

If they'd sensed me, they didn't show it, as they kept talking as they had been before I passed. Jacob and Leah were sitting side by side on the sand, a reasonable distance still set between them. Both were staring out at the ocean, watching the waves as they licked at their bare toes.

It only seemed logical that the Alpha would take Leah and comfort her at this news: she wouldn't like it, and would obviously need support to get through it. And yet, I couldn't get over the slight jealousy that coursed through my veins as I watched him comfort her with his words.

"It's going to be okay, Leah."

"No, it's not," she whispered. The sadness in her voice was painful to listen to, and the way her breath was catching her throat told me that she was on the verge of crying, and was fully restraining herself. But what I thought was sadness soon turned into… happiness? She turned to face him and, against the light of the moon, her face was graced with a beautiful smile.

Had she ever looked so gorgeous?

"Jacob, I get to let them go. This is it. This is my closure. It's not going to be easy, but it needed to be done."

A tentative smile played about Jacob's lips, before he slung an arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his side. At first, she resisted, but she eventually gave in, succumbing to the comforts that only her Alpha could provide.

I walked away then, towards my home, towards my beloved Emily. I'd been worried about how Leah would take it: would she be mad that I was living the life I'd planned with her, without her? As I walked home, I realized that all my worries had been for nothing: Leah would be well cared for this time: Sue, Seth, Jacob… she was in good hands.

-:-

I stood at the lip of the woods just behind my house. Emily stood by my side, her hand resting softly on my forearm in support.

This was it. It had been four months since the younger wolves had phased, and they'd finally lost their high temperature. One of them cut himself last week by accident, and for the first time in a while, had to get stitches.

When I'd told the Elders, they'd accepted that the younger ones were no longer wolves. And with their acceptance came my opportunity to leave this life behind me. It was now time to say goodbye – I was no longer Alpha – no more wolves were tied to me, and Jacob Black had proven himself in uniting the packs. I was no longer needed: Sam Uley was free to leave.

Emily stepped away, giving me the space I needed to phase. I felt the usual tremors rip through my body, transforming me for one final time. I landed on four paws, and took off in a sprint, weaving through the trees that I'd come to call home. This was the last time I'd get to protect my reservation, and the other wolves had agreed to let me patrol alone, in silence, to reminisce. I'd come a long way … I'd grown and matured as I'd learned to care these wolves that I called my brothers. We'd laughed, and loved, and fought, and protected each other over these years. There was a beauty in this that I could never forget.

I thought of each of my pack brothers, and then I thought of Leah, of how this life had changed us – the spirits had given me my happy ending – a far better one than I actually deserved – and, as I ran back towards my home to phase back and leave this life behind me forever, I hoped that they would give Leah her own happiness as well.