Chapter 6
The pack was gathered in Sam's living room for movie night. They took one hour shifts to patrol so that way everyone got to attend, but the rez wasn't left defenseless. There had been only the occasional lone bloodsucker that just happened to wander through the wrong territory. The wolves weren't known to the vampire world and they intended to keep it that way by killing any leech that they came across.
Paul was still worried about the red-headed bloodsucker's companion showing up so he insisted Sam always had a set of paws running the border with their nose to the ground. Sam also had the wolves pass by the Clearwaters with each loop through the rez. They were keeping an eye out for Seth Clearwater's signs of the phase after being warned of a high temperature by his father and council member, Harry Clearwater.
Embry was the one currently on duty but it was Jared's turn any minute now. Paul was draped across an oversized armchair like he owned the place. He was wrapped securely around Bella's midsection, occasionally grabbing for the bowl of popcorn in her arms. Every couple was similarly entangled. Emily was under Sam's arm on the loveseat. Quil was stretched out on the couch counting down the minutes until the top of the hour for Embry to be back. Kim and Jared had been snuggled on a beanbag on the floor but they were now kissing goodbye just outside the back door.
Quil was getting impatient, "Holy shit Kim, he might need his tongue for something else in the future. Stop trying to suck it out of his throat!"
She pulled back and shot the newest pup a glare. Quil fit so seamlessly into pack life that it felt like he had just always been around.
"Fine but only because that means Embry will come back and you can remove the stick out of your ass, Quil."
Quil raised his eyebrows and scoffed, "Hey, I'm not the one that had something in his ass today."
"QUIL!" the entire room screamed in unison before throwing whatever was convenient at the jester's head. Quil dodged everything but Emily's heavy wooden drink coaster and gave her an impressed nod.
Sam gave him an admonishing look, "Do you think Embry would appreciate you sharing your umm… personal business with everyone?"
"As long as his personal bits are all mine at the end of the day, I don't care what he says," Embry said, jogging through the back door as soon as Jared left.
Quil pulled his man down onto the couch and wrapped around him like the perfect sized big spoon. Kissing his neck and inhaling that comforting scent of mate, he said, "Honey, you can have my personal bits at the end of the day, in the middle of the day, or right when we wake up. My personal bits. Are. All. Yours." Each word was punctuated by a slow grind of his rapidly growing erection against Embry's delicious ass.
"You two are perverts. No wonder you're perfect together," Emily giggled.
"I actually prefer the non-stop sexual innuendos over the lovey-dovey grossness that the rest of you guys spew. At least they're funny," Jake pointed out.
"See guys, Jake thinks we're funny!" Quil said, "And I don't want to stop making comments about my amazing newfound sex life. It just keeps getting better."
Embry kissed his mate soundly on the lips before suggesting, "You know practice makes perfect, babe. Maybe we should practice some more." He turned to face Quil on the couch, both still horizontal, and wrapped his limbs around him before getting lost in a make out session. The room groaned as a whole except Jake who defended his two best friends.
"As the only non-imprinted wolf in the pack right now, trust me, it's way easier being around this shit all day," he jerked a thumb towards the liplocked couple and kept eating his chips with practiced nonchalance.
Sam wanted to keep his living room rated PG, "No more foreplay on my couches! If you two can't keep it in your pants for one goddamn movie you can watch a movie at home."
That definitely caught Embry's attention and he snapped his head up to stage whisper to Quil who was now underneath him, "Ooh, I like that idea, babe. Let's go! My mom will be at work until at least midnight."
Jake called out over this shoulder, "Yeah, go watch Magic Mike!" The pair were off the couch and running hand in hand so quickly nobody would have been surprised to see two shape shifter sized holes in the wall, Looney Tunes style.
"Maybe we will!" Quil yelled back, already halfway down the driveway.
Paul and Bella took over the couch, leaving the armchair to Kim. Paul was sitting up now with his arm around Bella's waist holding her close. Her legs were curled up and she fit perfectly nestled into his side.
It had been a few weeks since their first encounter on Paul's couch and the lovers had become very familiar with third base. It seemed that anytime they were alone for more than five minutes, someone's hands would be in the other's pants. Usually quickly followed by a hasty undressing and mouths taking over.
The first time Bella had ventured into the vast unknown hiding quite conspicuously in Paul's cutoffs was a moment she hoped he never accidentally remembered in the pack mind.
Paul had seized the opportunity of Charlie working a night shift and climbed in Bella's window on his way home from a patrol shift. She was waiting up for him in bed, reading by the lamplight.
"What's a pretty thing like you doing in a place like this?" he leered from his position leaning against the windowsill, arms and legs crossed.
"Are you insulting my room, Paul Lahote?" Bella snapped her book shut and tossed it onto the nightstand. Her playful smile betrayed her attempt at a harsh tone.
Paul pushed off his perch on the window sill and stalked forward, eyeing his prey. He didn't like how much of her was hidden by her covers. Despite the chill in the air, he ripped the bedspread out of Bella's clutches. He would keep her warm. He raked his eyes over her pale legs, noticing the goosebumps defacing her soft skin. She wore a pair of little black boyshorts and a soft pink, tight fitted tank, her nipples were proudly on display.
He crawled onto the foot of the bed and kissed his way up her body starting at her ankles, up her calves, then the inside of her knees. Her thighs parted for him all on their own, her body begging for the pleasure she knew he could give with that mouth. But she had made the decision for tonight to be about him. Paul was always so generous with the pleasure he gave and ever the gentleman. She wanted to return the favor. To make him feel good.
Her motivations were not all selfless. She was dying of curiosity and excited to experiment a little herself.
"No, Paul," she pulled at his hair urging him to climb up her body and kiss her. Before she could lose her focus in their languid kisses, she pushed against his chest until he backed off. When she kept pushing against his heated bare chest he realized what she wanted and rolled them over.
"What do you want, Princess?" he smirked at her, trying not to get his hopes up of where this might be going. His dick was straining against his gym shorts and the thin material allowed him to feel the heat of her core directly on his aching length.
"It's your turn," she stated, pecking him one more time before scooting back down his body. He was not going to protest. None of that 'oh you don't have to' bullshit. She was a smart woman, fully aware of her decisions and he was not going to discourage her one bit.
He had been jerking his Johnson multiple times a day for the past few weeks since the imprint. He had never had more hand-to-gland combat in his life. Not even when he was like twelve and first discovered what he could do with his disco stick. It was the only thing he could do to keep from pouncing on her before she was ready and he was determined to wait until she was begging him to take her.
Bella dug her dainty fingers into his waistband and while maintaining eye contact, pulled his shorts out and over his member which practically sprang free from where it was laying against his abdomen, all the way across to his hip. The tip was wet with precum and anticipation and he prayed to the spirits that she would lick it. Her eyes drifted back down his form. He knew the second she finally layed eyes on his dick because she sat up straight and whisper yelled, "WHAT THE FUCK, PAUL?"
He had a pretty good idea what freaked her out so bad. She wasn't the first woman to be intimidated by his size but she would be the last.
Her eyes were bugged out of her head and her hands were held up in the air like she was afraid it was going to jump up and bite her. His cock wouldn't, but Paul might. He wasn't going to reassure her or try to bolster her confidence. If Paul had learned anything about her it was that Bella Swan did not need a man to tell her what she could or could not do. So instead of encouraging her, he made it a dare.
"What's the problem, Princess?" he goaded her with a raise of his brows.
Paul settled back against her pillows and crossed his arms behind his head, flexing to make his dick twitch and laughing when it made her jump in surprise. He loved that she was a strong woman and he had the previous men in her life that fucked up to thank for that. But Edward Cullen and Jacob Black were the furthest thing from his mind when Bella squared her shoulders with determination and leaned forward. She licked alllll the way from base to tip before flashing him a mischievous smile.
Paul's mind was quickly brought back to the present in Sam's living room by Bella's featherlight touch on his member. His body must have been reminiscing too because he was sporting a tent big enough to host a party inside his thin gym shorts. The movie was still playing but they couldn't even remember what the pack had been watching.
With a glance around the room to make sure nobody else was watching them, Paul pulled Bella onto his lap sideways so his throbbing erection was pressed between his stomach and her thigh. He had one arm around her back and the other holding her legs against him. He slowly rocked his hips to rub his length against her leg.
His girl was a tease. She knew they'd be at Sam's for movie night and she had worn a skirt. Nothing too tiny, a modest knee-length a-line skirt with a light sweater tucked in. She had on knee high socks that looked amazing barely showing over her tall leather boots that had been left at the door.
She knew how Paul felt about her legs and she had played into the classic school girl image on purpose. During one of their many late night phone calls he had admitted the stereotypical fantasy was definitely a turn on for him. Who cares if it was a cliche?
Bella wrapped a hand behind his back and the other rested on his chest, holding a fistfull of his t-shirt. She leaned forward and licked up his jaw in a very lupine display of affection. She was playing dirty but she was hoping to rile him up. A sexually frustrated Paul made for very fun evenings of inventive ways to get each other off.
Paul's hand across her thigh slipped down, dipping between her knees. This was going exactly where she hoped it would and she smiled into his neck devilishly.
They knew anything whispered would be heard by every supernatural ear in the room so they communicated in facial expressions. Paul brought a finger in front of his lips to remind her to stay quiet before bringing his hand back to her inner thigh, just under the hem of her skirt. Slowly inching up, leaving goosebumps in its wake. She parted her thighs ever so slightly to grant him access. Just the tip of his finger grazed her wet center. Just one swipe.
And Paul's attention went back to the TV. What the hell? Her heart was racing and she could feel her blush reaching practically down to her toes and he just stopped. His hand was still hovering right there but he was watching the movie all of a sudden?
Bella turned back to the screen to watch a bunch of ditzy teenagers hiding in a tool shed, scared shitless. This was some horror movie about a chainsaw wielding psycho trying to kill a group of bimbos.
A chainsaw reved on screen and the hand Paul had behind her back reached up and took a firm grip of Bella's ponytail. The girls in the shed all screamed bloody murder and Paul had been paying close attention for his cue.
He plunged two deliciously large fingers into her heat as deep as he could. His thumb pressed down hard on her clit. The anticipation nearly did it for her but the sudden explosion of sensation flew her over the edge. Bella's gasp was masked by the cries from the movie and Emily and Kim's squeals of surprise.
Jacob was not fooled. He was trying not to notice what was happening on the couch, but anyone with regular fucking eyeballs could see Paul had like his entire fucking hand inside Bella right now. He could see from his peripherals how her back arched and she shuddered her release. Holy fuck, she didn't do that with him. And that made him feel even stupider.
Jacob shifted uncomfortably in the bean bag chair. He was horribly ashamed of his painful erection. It wasn't his fault that he intimately remembered the unique smell of Bella and that she was involved in the only sexual experience he'd ever had outside of his right hand. He wasn't jealous, they were much happier as just friends. Besides, the imprint didn't allow him to feel that way towards her anymore. But the physiological reaction was something that he couldn't help. He had to get out of here. If a breeze caught him the wrong (right) way he would blow his load in his pants.
How was he going to find love? He was in the other guys' heads all the time and they were all so happy. He felt like he was missing something. Not an other half like an imprint. Quil described imprinting with Embry as finally feeling complete, but his wolf didn't feel incomplete. He was missing someone to share this with. An equal. He had this need to dominate the other wolves and he supposed that was the alpha traits raising to the surface, but he didn't want to dominate a mate. Well, not in a pack hierarchy sense at least. He could get on board with some kinky "yes, master" shit. Fuck, he was trying to get rid of an erection, not bust through his zipper. But damn, a girl in a leather corset, on her knees… Jesus H. Christ, pull your mind out of the gutter, Black.
His wolf was clawing at his insides like it was trying to tell him something and he just couldn't figure out what. Can't the damn thing communicate with him somehow? Maybe learn sign language? Wolves are smart animals, it should be able to figure out a way to tell him what he's supposed to do. His wolf might be smart be he felt like a fucking idiot.
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Quil and Embry basked in the sweaty afterglow of their lovemaking. Quil was slumped against Embry's chest, still nestled between his thighs. The evidence of Embry's pleasure was sticky between them but neither of them wanted to move yet.
This was always the hardest part. Peeling themselves off of each other and going to their separate houses at the end of the night. They had wasted no time accepting their imprint after leaving the clearing with Sam and Paul. They only paused to track down some lube after barely making it indoors before Quil had Embry's cutoffs around his ankles.
Now, weeks later, they had found their stride. Everything was so new and kind of scary at first, but they were loving every minute they got to spend figuring it out this new territory together. Only the pack and the council knew about their relationship and the only reason the council knew was because Old Quil couldn't keep his old trap shut. The day the younger Quil phased, Old Quil went digging into the archives to look for any history on homosexual wolves. He hadn't known about the imprint yet and he was still holding out hope that Quil would imprint on a girl and be normal.
The boys were perfectly content with their new normal exactly how it was. A lifelong friendship easily translated into a comfortable relationship within closed doors. They were careful to avoid PDA around anyone but the pack. Their pack family had grown accustomed to their wily ways and joked around with them the same way they joked with the other couples in the pack.
Jake was the biggest offender, always calling out overzealous displays of affection, but they all knew it was friendly. He was just a little jealous that everyone around him was in a relationship and it was an unspoken rule not to acknowledge it, just let him cope how he needed to. When he was phased in, the other guys could feel his concern that he could never find love because he didn't have the spirits to help him out with an imprint.
Embry and Quil thanked the spirits for their imprint every day. Without it they may never have admitted their feelings for each other. Now they had each other forever and they were in their own little bubble of bliss.
Quil had to be gone before Ms. Call got home so they needed to say their goodbyes. They were never apart long, but it was still physically painful to be apart, especially to sleep.
Embry walked Quil to the front porch and kissed him goodbye. It started out innocent enough but they quickly got carried away. Hands grabbed at shoulders and ass cheeks. Blunt nails scraped down backs and through hair. Teeth clicked and tongues wrestled. Moans and 'I love you's escaped between heavy breaths.
It was nearly midnight so they didn't expect anyone to be driving by and they certainly weren't paying attention even if they did. They continued their battle of tongues and lips until they heard tires screech in front of the house.
"You will stop that right now, boy! Get in the damn car right this instant," Old Quil bellowed from the rolled down driver's window.
Fuck.
The short drive home was silent and not a word was spoken as Quil followed his grandfather into the house, moving at a surprising clip for a man with a cane. Old Quil burst in the front door and was already screaming for Joy to get up.
She came shuffling out of the hallway into the living room pulling a fuzzy robe over her pajamas and demanded to know what had the old coot all worked up. When she saw Quil shuffle in the door behind him looking dejected, she had a pretty good idea where this was going.
"I come home from bingo and I see my own grandson pawing all over that Call boy. I knew this one was a disgrace, but to corrupt another fine young man on my Reservation? It's unbelievable!"
Quil was finally able to speak up for himself, "Embry is my imprint, Grandpa. It was blessed by the spirits!" He hoped the imprint would convince this old bigot that his views were outdated and didn't belong to the Quileute tribe, just the white settlers that had tried to indoctrinate the tribe in their Christian beliefs.
Joy would defend her son until her last breath, "They love each other, you old bastard." Quil had told his mother all about Embry. He was so proud of his imprint and absolutely overflowing with love. He was happy to tell anyone who would listen.
"But it's unnatural!" Old Quil bellowed, refusing to listen to his daughter-in-law.
"But it really isn't, I saw a documentary! It was on the discovery channel and everything! Plenty of animals in real life practice homosexual behavior. But that's besides the point. This is about my boy who is an honored protector. Are you really saying the spirits made a mistake with the imprint? You're denying their wisdom?" Joy demanded. She hated that her son was being prosecuted. She didn't understand it, but she sure as hell was going to support him no matter what.
"The imprint is a farce. They are lying to cover their sins and bringing down the image of the protectors in the process. It's unforgivable, Joy. How can you stand for this?" Old Quil would not be swayed.
Quil sat on the front porch in tears, listening to the argument continue inside. Old Quil had given them an ultimatum: Either Quil give up Embry or he move out. There would not be a disgrace living in the Ateara household. Joy Ateara née Rivers was from the Makah reservation originally and without her husband, it was within the council's right to demand that she leave. Usually having a Quileute child would be enough to allow her to stay but Old Quil was determined to kick him out too.
Quil had no desire to stay where he was unwanted. He stormed back inside and Old Quil flinched. He may be a stubborn old bigot, but he was terrified of his grandson who now towered over him at 6'2" with a massive bulk of muscle. Quil had always been a sturdy guy, but now he was downright intimidating. Quil thought that perhaps his grandfather was jealous that the wolf gene skipped his generation, but he didn't care to speculate on the hateful man's motivations and linger in this house any longer. It was no longer a home.
"I'm leaving, you don't need to kick me out. I will never deny Embry, my imprint," Quil's voice was bold and unwavering. "Mom, go back to Makah. Stay with family that actually cares for you."
"But who will mind the store?" Old Quil gasped.
Joy was incredulous and had to stop herself from laughing in the old man's face.
"You think I would do you any favors after the way you are treating my son? Your grandson? You already stripped me of the Ateara name even though I loved your son with all of my heart. My Quil would have been ashamed of you, old man."
"There are always people in need of work on the rez, just ask the council who could use a job. We certainly need nothing from you," Quil spit out before pushing past his grandfather and throwing what he needed in a few bags. Like everyone on the rez, they didn't exactly live in opulence, so his belongings consisted of just clothes and a few things for school.
The last thing he grabbed was a shoebox of small valueless items that meant the world to Quil. His favorites were a pocket knife his dad had given him the Christmas before his boating accident, a collection of notes from Embry passed between desks throughout their years of school, a chocolate colored wolf Embry had carved him, and his dad's lighter that had Quil IV carved haphazardly on the bottom by hand. He made sure his mother had grabbed the photo album that had all of the pictures from before his dad died and Quil took any family pictures off of the wall.
Quil grabbed the bags him and his mother had packed and they stepped back out onto the porch without a look back.
"Junior, I can't leave you here. Come with me," Joy insisted.
"You know I can't leave the pack, Mom, I'll be fine." He tried to keep his voice steady.
"Where will you go?" Joy pleaded.
"I have a whole pack of brothers. You know how our community is, we take care of our own. And I'll get my own place soon enough. Maybe Embry can live with me," Quil smiled a watery smile before pulling his mother into a near bone-crushing hug.
"Young man, you will not live with your partner before you are married. That's not how I raised you!" Joy couldn't help but mother him even in a moment like this.
Even if he was being chastised, he didn't mind one bit. It at least felt like something was still normal. He put their things in the back of his truck that used to belong to his father. Joy had kept it all these years so her son could drive it one day too.
"I'll take you to the Makah rez, Mom. It's the least I can do for getting you kicked out of your home for my disgusting ways," Quil chucked trying to force some brevity into the shitty situation.
"I have one more thing I need to do before we go, Junior, " she said, climbing into the passenger side of the cab of the truck. "Take me to the Call's house."
Quil was nervous about what she was going to do but the drive was short so he didn't have too long to dwell on it. He was instructed to stay in the car before she walked up to knock on the front door. Quil of course could still hear every word if he rolled the windows down and he shamelessly eavesdropped.
Joy nodded at Embry's mother before stepping passed her into the home to embrace Embry as tight as she could. Even on her tip toes the tiny woman reached his lover's sternum. Stepping further into the house, Tiffany Call closed the door behind Joy so now Quil could only listen.
His mother told Embry how she was leaving and it was his job now to look after her "sweet little pumpkin". Quil blushed in the car and wished he could see the heart-stopping smile that was surely on Embry's face right now.
Quil's heart overflowed with love for his mother as his eyes overflowed with tears at her next words.
"I give you two my whole hearted blessing. I wish nothing but the best for you both. I'm so sorry that you will have to overcome hurdle after hurdle in such a small minded community, but you have my full support."
Quil could hear Embry's muffled "thank you, Mrs. Ateara." He was probably speaking into her shoulder as he hugged her again. His Embry was a hugger.
Joy continued, "I'll be back so keep my boy safe, you hear?"
"Of course, I will. With my life," Embry insisted, "But when will you be back? Quil is going to miss you like crazy."
"Old Quil won't live forever, you know." Quil could just picture the raise of her brow.
"That's fucking dark, Mrs. Ateara," Embry chuckled.
"Watch your language, young man. You'll be my son-in-law someday so you better start earning some brownie points." Quil could hear goodbyes and well wishes and he rolled the windows back up so he wouldn't hear anything else unless he really tried.
Quil was nearly sobbing in the truck now, forehead on the steering wheel. Even if his grandfather was a bastard, his mother loved him enough for the both of them.
He could see his mother walking back to the truck but he could still hear Embry's voice from the house. He looked up and saw him standing in the doorway.
"I know you can hear me, babe. I love you and we'll take care of you. I'll take care of you. Always. Go and I'll be here for you when you get home."
Embry blew him a small kiss and went back inside, knowing Quil was crying too hard to say anything back. Home. Home was where Embry was.
Joy was at the driver side door with a weak smile, "Scoot on over, Junior. You're in no state to drive."
Quil was overcome with love and appreciation for this tiny woman. He didn't have it in him to say anything so he just slid over the bench seat to make room. He finally started to catch his breath, just the occasional hiccup. His mom pulled the truck back onto the road and said one last thing, making Quil cry harder than he had even at the funeral.
"Your father would be so proud of you, sweetheart."
Embry sat at the kitchen table with his mother in silence. A word hadn't been spoken since Joy Ateara had left nearly an hour ago. It was approaching two in the morning, but neither of them would be sleeping any time soon. He watched every emotion possible come over his mother's face while they sat here, but he was going to wait for her to say her piece.
Tiffany Call was a busy woman and unfortunately had grown distant from her son these past few years. She worked two jobs to support them and was rarely home at the same time he was. She knew about the wolves and knew Embry was busy patrolling. She was proud of her son for the sacrifices he made to keep the rez safe, even if he wouldn't have chosen this life for himself. He took it all in stride.
Tiffany Call knew her son was a shape-shifting werewolf that fought vampires, but it took Joy Ateara bursting into her living room to find out her son was gay. She didn't have a problem that he liked boys, but she had a problem with finding out the way she did. She didn't want to be mad, she just wanted to know why he hadn't trusted her with this part of his life. Did he think she wouldn't approve? Was he afraid to receive the rejection Quil apparently had gotten from his grandfather? She would always love her son, no matter who he loved.
Maybe he would have gotten around to telling her. It's his choice how he comes out. She knew that. She didn't even suspect he liked boys. Maybe he just liked Quil and hasn't been attracted to others before? He didn't have to come out, she mentally shrugged. It's not like she would have expected him to sit her down and tell her if he liked girls?
There were a million questions flying around her head, but she knew one thing. Quil was family. He was before, as her son's best friend and he certainly was now as her son's soulmate.
Soulmate. Embry had a soulmate. Someone to make him happy. Her son was going to be happy and the spirits had blessed him with an imprint to push the boys in the right direction. They were made for each other and Tiffany was thrilled she never had to worry about her precious boy getting his heart broken.
But now Quil was in trouble. She wanted to do whatever she could to help Embry help his soulmate. Mate? Boyfriend? Life partner? Semantics, they'd figure that part out later. They would help Quil. She looked up from her mug of tea and met Embry's eyes across the table where they had been sitting in silence since Joy left. Embry looked tortured, waiting for his mother's reaction.
She stood up, kissed his cheek and ran a hand through his short hair like she did when he was little. She couldn't describe the love she felt for her son. She wished she could help carry his burdens. She would do what little she could.
She stood over him in his chair at the dining table with her hand on his cheek and she was still barely taller. She met his eye as a tear slipped down his face. Wiping it away with her thumb she finally spoke in a low scratchy voice.
"He's not sleeping in your room, obviously, but he's welcome here as long as it's needed."
The smile that stretched across Embry's face was enough to keep her heart happy for the rest of her days.
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Paul's new favorite color was the dusty rose pink hue of Bella's nipples. If one of the guys heard him think that, they would probably call him gay but all he'd have to do to disuade them is remember the sight before him now. And how fucking hard it made him.
They were in his bed on the silver grey sheets that matched his fur. A clever gift from Bella for Valentine's Day a few weeks back. And wow, were they amazing. He thought it was weird at first because sheets are sheets, right? But women are brilliant and these sheets were so soft. He never wanted to get out of bed again, especially if this vixen was there with him. He was sitting up against the headboard and Bella was straddling his lap. They found themselves in this position quite frequently because they both loved the tempting friction Bella could achieve with the slightest motion.
Paul was surprised he was okay (more than okay) with being under her like this. With any other woman, he would never have taken a submissive stance by letting them be above him. But the wolf loved having his mate in charge and Paul had no complaints.
They were both undressed from the waist up. They had an unspoken rule to never get completely naked with each other. Or at least only one at a time. Paul was waiting for Bella to be the one to initiate that last step. For them, sex wasn't just sex. It was a lifelong, soul-altering commitment. He was going to let her take her time. Besides, they had the rest of their lives to have sex. Paul never wanted to push her into something she wasn't ready for, so he chose to think of it as weeks and weeks of foreplay. With a build-up like that, it was going to be worth the wait in his mind.
He kissed down her neck, paying closer attention to the spot he'd like to mark someday. He continued his trail of kisses down past her collarbone and down the valley between her breasts. His hands were massaging her flesh sensually and she was practically purring. Paul squished her tits together and blew a raspberry back and forth, motorboating her perfect breasts.
She laughed the most beautiful, genuine laugh that made Paul soul-deep happy.
"Ya know, I've always wanted to do that," he smiled up at her. She had the faintest mist of happy tears sticking to her eyelashes when her laughter finally died down.
"You think that's funny, Princess?" he asked around a mouthful of nipple. The other was getting pinched and played with and she moaned. One hand's fingers were latched onto the only hair long enough to hold onto on the top of his crew cut. The other was cupping the back of his neck trying to keep him right there.
Every suck of her perfect pink peak was followed by a squirm and a moan. Someday he'd try to make her cum with just nipple play, but they didn't have time today because he had patrol soon. He gently pulled on her nipple with his teeth this time and she burst back into laughter.
"That part wasn't supposed to be funny, did that tickle?" he asked with a raise of his eyebrow.
"No, no, I loved it. Definitely do that again," she still chuckled, now covering her breasts with her hands. "It just reminded me of when Jake nearly bit my nipple off and I thought it was really funny."
He muttered under his breath something that sounded like, "Dumb boy with donkey teeth," before speaking up so she could hear. "I thought it was your rule to not talk about best friends in bed. You can't talk about the Baby Chief or my not-so-baby chief will go flaccid and I was reeeeally hoping you'd suck my cock."
"Wow, Paul, that's rather forward. Being quite presumptuous, don't you think?" she bit her bottom lip trying to hide a smile.
"I'd believe you if I didn't hear your heart rate skyrocket," he crooned, pulling her lip from her teeth with his thumb. "You love the idea of sucking my cock." He pushed his thumb between her lips, mimicking what he desperately hoped she would do to a different appendage.
She licked the tip of his thumb slowly before pulling it from her mouth with a *pop*.
She raked her nails down his chest, leaned in to brush her lips just over his and whispered, "Not as much as you love the idea of me sucking your cock. Just think about my lips wrapped around your massive, rock hard -"
He cut her off with a forceful kiss, holding her to him with a hand on the back of her neck, the other still on her breast. Her hands were frantically trying to free him from his pants. With one last pinch to her perfect dusty rose-pink nipple, he broke the kiss allowing her to duck her head and take him into her mouth as far as she could.
"Gahhh your mouth is perfect, Princess," was the last coherent sentence either of them said for a while.
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Jake and Quil were running the borders, nose to the ground, sniffing out any trace of trouble when they felt two shimmers of the next shift phasing in for patrol. They ran to a clearing by the residential part of the rez and were met by a wolfy Embry and Paul.
Jesus Paul, did you bathe in her? Couldn't you take a shower before phasing? Jake complained.
Quil and Embry were too busy licking each other's muzzles to join in on the banter.
Paul tried with everything to not imagine what a shower with Bella would be like. That definitely needed to happen soon. Instead, he thought of the angelic sound of her laugh from earlier.
Jake picked up on something from the older wolf's mind. What the hell, Paul? Why are you imagining me with fucking beaver teeth?
Do you really want to know? Paul let slip an image of Bella laughing with her hands over her breasts and Jake instantly knew what she had told Paul.
Jake tried to defend himself, it was an accident. I didn't mean to bite down like that, I swear.
Yeah, whatever helps you sleep at night. Maybe you can practice on Bella again sometime.
Really? Jake perked up at the idea, his ears flicking up in excitement.
Fuck no, Squarepants. If you thought I was serious for one second, you're dumber than I thought.
Quil and Embry were rolling on the forest floor laughing in the pack mind at their best friend.
Dude, you need to get laid, Embry suggested and Quil agreed.
Yeah dude, it's great. 10/10 would recommend. I see what all the hype was about.
Gross, I don't want details, Jake had spent the last few hours being subjected to slips of metal images of what Quil thought was so great.
Embry crooned at his imprint, Don't worry what he thinks, babe. it's not gross, it's beautiful.
Paul wanted to shut this down before he had to witness another colorful glimpse of Quil's imagination regarding all the things he liked to do to Embry's ass.
Quil, go home. We've got borders to run. You two can fuck each other senseless when we're done.
This is exactly why Embry and Quil weren't allowed to patrol together anymore after what happened last time...
QUIL MOTHERFUCKING ATEARA! Jake bellowed into everyone's head. I do not need a reminder of what happened last time. PHASE OUT.
Quil phased out with a *pop* echoing across the radio silent static of the stunned pack mind. Paul finally was able to form everyone's thoughts into a coherent question.
Was that an Alpha command, Baby Chief?
They knew Jake was well and truly freaked when he didn't even bristle at Paul's nickname for him.
I...I don't know. Yes? I can't be ready. I'm not ready.
But his wolf was.
The next couple of hours were uneventful. There had been no new scents or trails of leeches passing through. Jake had run home without another word and Paul didn't want to dwell the Alpha command incident. Not his problem. Embry and Paul were on opposite sides of the rez following the same loop of the borders. The two wolves were doing their best to ignore the other's thoughts and just enjoy the feeling of flying through the trees on four paws.
The speed was probably the best part of being a wolf. Sure, super senses and the fast healing were cool, but the feeling of the wind in your fur and the test of agility of dodging trees was unbelievable. The boys liked to run along the highway in the trees and see how slow the cars were going. It really puts the speed into perspective when you easily overtake a car going 70 miles per hour.
It was nearly noon now and Paul was thinking about how the pack dynamics would change if Jake took over as Alpha. Sam had suggested that Paul would make a good second. Would he? He had never taken on any sort of leadership responsibilities before. Did he really want to be in charge of a pack of puppies?
He scoffed to himself. What else was he going to do? He didn't have much of a career going for him. Just the occasional days doing manual labor for Jared's Dad's construction company. He couldn't do that forever. He actually had someone else to live for now. Maybe taking on some responsibility within the pack would be a good stepping stone towards adulting. Building a life with Bella was his purpose now.
But he needed help. She was a problem solver, he'd ask Bella. They could come up with some job options. She's the kind of person that would like...make a pros and cons list or something.
LEECH, PAUL. I'VE GOT A LEECH.
It came out as a howl that echoed across the reservation to alert the rest of the pack.
Paul could see where Embry was running up from the southern side of the rez. They caught glimpses here and there of dark hair zigzagging through the trees. The leech was headed west towards the coast where the houses were. Embry was coming in from the south and Paul from the north, gaining ground with each step. The wolves could see each other in their peripheral now and more voices entered the pack mind. Sam was zeroing in behind Embry. Jake had been closest from where he was on the beach, but he couldn't run across town as a wolf so he had to make it into the trees before he could phase.
The bloodsucker was leaping amongst the trees less than half a mile from the first row of homes. The wolves could see the edges of back yards from here. They couldn't let him get to the people on the rez.
The wolves had converged under the tree where the leech was perched. He was dark skinned just like the vamp Bella described. Dreadlocks swung in the breeze, the ceramic beads clinking with each movement.
Laurent just laughed down at the snarling wolves before jumping from tree to tree, getting closer to the houses with each leap. Quil and Jared still weren't even close.
Embry pointed out the obvious. We can't climb trees with paws, Sam. How do we get him?
Sam phased back and jumped for a branch.
"Mon dieu," the leech drawled in a heavy French accent, "what a fun party trick."
Sam jumped up from the branch and made a grab for his ankle, but Laurent jumped to another tree at the last second.
Jake saw the flaws of Sam's plan. He didn't have any better ideas, but he knew his brother's strengths and weaknesses. Billy had once told him that a great leader doesn't have all the best skills, he knows how to utilize the man with the best skills. And Jake knew who their best strategist was.
Paul, what do we do?
Sam was still jumping from branches trying to get a hold of the leech. Paul had a plan.
We're not going to get it this way. We outnumber him so we can maneuver him away from the houses if we put ourselves between him and the rez. Circle around.
But Sam was still human and didn't hear Paul's instruction. They were still jumping between trees, but even with his increased speed and agility, a human Sam was no match for a vampire.
Before the wolves could execute Paul's idea, Laurent had jumped down into the backyard belonging to none other than Harry and Sue Clearwater.
The pack froze. It had all happened so fast. Sam stood just outside of the trees, naked as the day he was born. Jake, Paul, and Embry were flanking him. Jared and Quil weren't even phased in yet. They could have missed the warning call all together or would be on their way soon.
All of the wolves hoped for the latter.
Laurent had an evil smile cracking his face in half. Menacing yellowed teeth, blood red eyes, and a slight glisten to his skin from what little sunlight broke through the cloud cover.
"You killed my Victoria."
It wasn't a question.
"I was hoping to find her before she did something idiotic like get turned to ashes. She came to avenge her James and you killed her. If I got to her first, I could have... convinced… her to forget James, forget the gullible brunette, and run away with me."
Paul growled at the reference to Bella. We have to get him moving again. Away from innocent people. We are exposed right now. I don't give a shit what he has to say. Jake phase back and talk to him. Maybe if we piss him off he'll come to us.
Jake stepped out next to Sam. He remembered what Bella had told them about this leech.
"Weren't you supposed to be in Alaska draining bears instead of humans?" Jake prodded.
"I was waiting for those imbecilic Cullens to leave. Mon Victoire wasn't supposed to return for the girl alone but she was impatient, ma chérie."
Jake stepped forward into a crouch, "You will meet the same fate, bloodsucker!"
Laurent was calm. Terrifyingly calm. Even as Jake and Sam phased back into their towering russet and ebony forms and stepped toward the leech. The others inched out of the trees.
"Stop," he said, holding up a hand, "You do not want to do that. You will let me go unharmed to return another day to complete my lost companion's charge. The girl will die. Goodbye you mutts."
The leech casually walked back through the wolves like it was a stroll through a garden of statues. As soon as he was past the last wolf, he was gone in the blink of an eye.
Nobody moved.
The pack mind was eerily quiet. A low hum replaced the usual chatter of thoughts. The wolves' panting breaths were the only sound or movement coming from the four wolves in the Clearwater's backyard.
The silence was broken by two more voices entering the pack mind.
Quil's apology echoed through their daze. Sorry guys, I just got back from dropping my Mom off at the Makah rez and I woke this lazy asshole up on the way here.
Jared still sounded sleepy even in his thoughts. Sorry, Sam, I was dead on my feet after patrol. I didn't even hear it.
Quil reached the pack first, skidding to a halt as his chocolate brown wolf. What are we doing here, did Seth phase?
Nah we would have heard him. What's going on guys? Why's it so quiet? Jared came running up behind Quil and walked right up to Sam, bumping him with his shoulder in a lupine greeting.
The touch snapped him out of his stupor and Sam recalled what just happened with the leech. Jake, Paul, and Embry came to as well as if someone hit "play" on a cosmic television remote. They showed Quil and Jared the whole encounter with the leech but nobody had any explanations of how he got away.
Jared was incredulous. You let him just WALK AWAY? Paul he is after your imprint, how did you just let him go?
Paul had never felt more unsure in his entire life. I don't know, I have no idea what happened. He said we'd let him live and we just...did.
A loud crash came from the Clearwater's home. Broken glass, the sound of drywall cracking, furniture being scraped across the floor. Finally an agonized scream that ended in a howl.
Sam jumped into action. Sounds like we've got a new brother. Jake, Paul, and Jared take off after the leech. Maybe we can follow a scent and catch up. We'll figure out what happened later.
Jake bristled at the order but followed his brothers into the woods before Sam continued giving out directions.
Quil and Embry, you'll stay here with me and we'll get Seth through this. I'm gonna need the help if he takes off running. Especially with a leech roaming around.
They could all hear and feel Seth's panic from where he was crouched in his living room trying to make himself as small as possible. Every movement was breaking more of his parents' things. His thoughts were just an endless no, no, no, no, no, no, no….
Both Harry and Sue Clearwater were on the council so Seth must have known about the legends because being a wolf wasn't what scared him. Instead he was whimpering because he was watching his sister going through the same thing. The wolves all faltered in their step when yet another howl echoed across the rez…
Leah Clearwater.
Revised 9/30/2020