Disclaimer:

All characters and known situations belong to their respective owners. Everything else came from my own mind. In no way shape or form have I made, nor do I intend to make a profit from this story. All rights still belong to Stephenie Meyer.

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Bella Swan was many things these days: A friend. A home maker. A wife. A mother; all things she swore at 17 she would never want. She said she'd never want to plant roots in the sleepy little corner of Washington where her father resided, but, yet, here she was, at the age of 35 doing just that. She'd made a life for herself and it brought a smile to her lips every time she thought of how blessed she was.

A gentle sigh left her lips as Bella turned her attention to the large window overlooking her back yard where she watched her son and his friends throwing a football. They'd come home from school still wired with too much energy to sit still for more than five minutes and she'd run them out of her home. They'd already run themselves nearly ragged with a game of manhunt through the woods- something she chuckled at when she'd listened to them racing into the trees.

She eyed the giant firs and pines standing as silent sentinels around the reservation and thought back briefly to a time she'd been almost fearful of them. She'd been abandoned, rescued, lost, and found yet again under their reaching branches. Now, she couldn't fathom her life without them. They brought her life, and friendship within the pack, and safety within their borders as an added bonus.

An errant memory of her wedding danced across her mind and she huffed out a laugh while she continued to prepare dinner for the evening. She'd told the pack her goodbyes, had even said goodbye to the one friend she'd never had to fight to keep, and yet, a feeling in her stomach churned within her as she stood in the room with her mother and Alice getting ready. A sense of regret hung heavy over her, and it was Rosalie who finally talked sense into her. A stone-faced Edward Cullen was left to call off the wedding and tell the guests that he himself had changed his mind about the engagement. He'd tried to make Bella see reason later that evening only to be met by three wolves who wanted him gone for good.

She'd run from a life of ice and whole-heartedly embraced the fire and heat in the arms of a wolf none of them ever expected. She'd given herself to him completely and in return, he promised to love her, and even marked her as his forever, showing his alpha and the rest of the pack that he wouldn't be denied what he wanted- her. He'd even married her in a quiet celebration when they learned she was pregnant with his child. Bella had gone to college still, studied hard and found her place in the tribal school teaching fourth grade. Her youngest son was now twelve and it left her both excited and weary of the dreaded pre-teen hormones- for the final time- that would once against run rampant under her roof.

A smile tugged at her lips when she felt a pair of heated muscular arms banding around her waist. She placed the vegetables she'd been cutting down on the cutting board and turned her head to offer her husband a welcome home kiss. She hummed in contentment when he moved closer to her still, so that her back was pressed completely against his front.

"How's my girl?"

Bella rolled her eyes. She wasn't fooled into thinking the question was meant for her. Not at all. She'd talked to him on his break about their daughter's tearful entrance after school and she'd laughed when not just one growl was heard, but three. Before too long, she'd gotten texts from every last member of the pack.

"Her heart is broken. School only just started a month earlier and she's single again. Raelynn swore to me her life was over. "

"Uh huh. Does this mean I can scare him shitless?"

"No, and before you ask, neither can any of the pack- nor can Luca or Little Quil. Everyone knows already. Emily made the calls to everyone while our men were at work." She said with a teasing gleam in her eye. "So, no, Mr. Ateara, you've already been beaten to the punch line."

Quil smirked when he looked down at the woman in his arms. She was still as beautiful to him now as she was the day he'd chosen to mark her as his. She was his wife, the mother of his children, and his whole world- mostly. His daughter held a small piece of his heart as well, and even at 16, still had him wrapped around her little finger. With a chuckle, Quil rested his head on her shoulder and kissed her neck.

"What'd you do?" He watched her deftly chopping vegetables and chuckled when she smacked his searching fingers away from the carrots.

Bella retuned his smirk with one of her own. "Only what any mom would do. I defended my pup."

"Is that all you'll tell me, Mrs. Ateara?" He asked, nuzzling her neck. He inhaled her scent- vanilla and spices- and fell into a temporary stupor.

Bella grinned and turned in his arms after placing the knife down on the counter. She tilted her head up and gave him another kiss, a teasing smirk on her lips when she pulled away again. "Just know he'll have a fear of dark spaces and mice for a while to come."

Quil only shook his head. Bella was vicious when it came to the well being of the pack and their children, but when it came to her own pups, she was ruthless. He'd always secretly agreed with Jacob- she'd wanted to live, and with him now she had and would.

"I love you. You're so sexy when you're vicious."

She smirked. "Go throw the ball with the pups. Jake and Embry said they'd be over for dinner and to get the boys soon. I'll send them out back when they get here."

"Yes ma'am." He chuckled when she threw a dish towel towards him before slinking out the back door to join the group of boys that consisted of his own sons and those of his two best friends.

A half hour into cooking dinner and her best friend appeared in her kitchen, his contagious grin in place. "Hey Bells, it smells good in here!"

Bella rolled her eyes. "It's almost finished, and yes, you're invited for dinner. Angela will be here soon to eat too. Embry, Noel said to tell you if you have dirt and grease under your nails again you're getting relegated to the couch for a week."

They laughed and made their way out back to join Quil and their boys. Bella could only shake her head in amusement and thank the spirits again for the lifeline sent to her when she'd needed it most. She'd have missed so many blessings if she'd chosen a life of ice.

It took another hour for dinner to finish, and by the time the table was set, Leah, Seth and Jared had shown up for food as well. Bella welcomed them with open arms and even sent auntie Leah to check on Raelynn and coax her to the table. Laughter and teasing were welcome guests for the hour they ate and even Raelynn chuckled once or twice at her brothers' crazy antics.

It was later that night after everyone was gone that her good mood started to leave. She rolled her eyes when she saw the kids bathroom light left on. She'd scoffed at the nasty pile of dirty clothes left on the tile floor, not even half a foot from the hamper. She'd even growled at her middle son when she'd gone to his room to remind him about the bathroom hamper. He'd been about to crawl into his bed with dirty feet- again. Bleaching sheets wasn't fun, and if she refused to let her husband- the overgrown man child that he was- get away with not washing his feet, she'd be damned if she let her son off the hook. She paused at Raelynn's door, reminded her to turn off her lamp before bed (for the thousandth time) and made her way back into the kitchen to finish the dishes- finally.

Cleaning eased her nerves and she prided herself on being able to keep her home tidy when so many guests were in and out of her home every day. She'd just made her way into the living room to straighten the pillows and fold the throw blankets when her youngest son garnered her attention.

"Um, mom?"

Bella frowned at the hesitancy in his voice. "What's wrong sweetie?"

"So… I found a tick on me after I was out of the shower…"

She blinked. "Ok, let me get the tweezers."

"Actually, mom… can I do it on my own?'

Bella's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

With more fidgeting than needed, her son muttered his reply. "It's on my balls, mom."

Bella frowned. "I'm sorry, what?"

"It's on my balls, alright?!" Little Quil snapped before a blush danced over his cheeks. He scowled deeply when his brothers laughter flitted down to them from the top steps.

"Shut up Luca! You're not helping!"

"I can't believe you actually told her!" Luca hollered back.

Little Quil only groaned in equal parts annoyance and embarrassment. "Mom…"

"Right then…" Bella nodded and made her way to her own bathroom, pausing to scowl at her already slumbering husband. She grabbed said tweezers and the bottle of alcohol before returning to her son. "Tweezers, rubbing alcohol… lighter is in the bathroom drawer. Either burn it or drown it. If you can't get it all, your father will be up in a few hours- he'll help. Get to bed soon. I love you baby. Luca if you don't stop laughing at your brother and get your ass into bed, I swear I'll ground you for a month with no video games, no phone and no friends!"

"Aw mom!"

Little Quil blinked and watched his mother make her way up the stairs to her room. He frowned when he heard her asking Taha Aki on the way to spare her any future grey hairs due to the antics of her errant children, and then asking why she had to be a boy mom.

'Huh. Is being a boy mom really that bad?'

He sighed and made his way to the bathroom. He'd think about it later. Right now, he had a problem to handle. Hopefully.