Hi everyone! Here's a chapter full of answers for those of you who have had many questions =)

Hope you enjoy it!!

BPOV

Rafe had woken up and was now playing in the sand box with Claire while the rest of the pack was down by the water playing volleyball, trying their best not to bust the ball. It was really funny seeing Quil and Leah actually sitting together, and getting along. I watched, entranced by Leah's look of sheer love and devotion to my little boy.

I could feel his eyes on me from the water's edge; I knew it was him by the hot jolt of pleasure that shot up my spine and the way my mark throbbed. That reminded me…

"Hey Emily?" She looked up from her seat between Sam's legs, her cheeks flushed. I grinned at the cute couple and instantly felt like I was intruding. Sam's smile put me at ease as he cocked his head in question.

"Hmm?"

"What do you guys know about dreamcatchers and markings?" Emily's face broke out in shock and amazement.

"Did it work?" she looked me up and down like she was trying to find something. That's when her words sunk in and it hit me.

"You knew?!" Emily blushed at my shocked expression.

"You needed a bit of a push," then a grin spread over her beautiful face. "How graphic were they?"

"A little too graphic thanks," I could feel a blush spreading over my cheeks and looked down, hoping that no one else had noticed or heard. Yeah right, super werewolf hearing ring a bell?

"What are you two talking about?" Sam rested his chin on Emily's shoulder and pulled her close to him, sighing when she let herself sink into his warmth. For a second I felt jealous until the mark on my hip began to throb, but not painful, almost like he was running his fingers over it.

I looked up and sure enough Jake was looking at me with such heat in his eyes I nearly ruined my underwear right there. Easy Bella…

"Mm – what? I'm sorry what did you say?" I asked Sam. My face turned a darker shade of red at the shit eating grin spread over his handsome face.

"Now you've really got my interest," he chuckled and Emily smiled, leaning back to kiss his cheek.

"You remember that folklore about the dreamcatchers?"

"Em, I know I'm good, but not good enough to make you forget you're native," he laughed when she blushed and more so when she elbowed him in the stomach.

"Not that you animal,"

"You love it," Sam's smile widened at Emily's sudden blush.

"Samuel!" although she sounded severe I could tell she was having trouble fighting off a smile.

"What I meant was that legend of the lifemate offering dreamcatcher," Sam's smile disappeared as he looked shocked putting together what Emily and I were talking about and Jake's sudden imprinting. While looking at me he whispered something. I frowned at him not hearing a word he was saying.

"Um, human here. I don't have super hearing," I smiled when he blushed. He looked around to see which pack members were around and sighed.

"Ah hell, they're going to hear about this one way or another," he looked at me, and then looked me up and down like he was looking for something. I frowned, and then it hit me.

"Oh! It's here," his eyes nearly bugged out of his head.

"Are you saying it worked?! Seriously"

"What is it exactly?" I asked while I stood up and began unbuttoning my jeans. Sam cleared his throat and looked away.

"It isn't near the goods; you don't need to worry," he smiled with what looked like a slight reddish hue to his cheeks and looked in back of me at something.

Tightening his arms around Emily, Sam looked back at me and explained, "The legend says that a pack member can offer a lifemate of his choosing to his wolf, but for the imprint to happen, the wolf has to accept his pack member's choice to ensure the continuation of a strong bloodline."

"So how does the dreamcatcher fit into all of this?" I brushed my fingers over the mark and shivered at the sudden shock that shot through my body at the slightest touch.

"The way Quil senior had explained it was that seeing as our wolves are in our subconscious and can't actually communicate with our imprints, it only seems logical that Jake's wolf would only be able to communicate with you in your subconscious. In you're sleep," he looked back at Jake with a look of pure astonishment.

"What else did Quil senior say?"

"Well, if the wolf accepts his pack member's choice for an imprintt he would first coax the woman into desiring his pack member beyond anything she'd felt before," he grinned at me, "What is it?"

I looked up at Sam's face and realized I must be blushing and rubbed my palm over my forehead.

"If that's true, than Jake's wolf is a total nymphomaniac," Sam burst out laughing; I heard a few chuckles behind me and realized we had an audience. Quil and Seth who were next to the table of food had big knowing grins on their faces. Oh lord…

"So can we see it?" Emily's voice bubbled with excitement. She leaned forward in Sam's arms and looked down expectantly at my pants that I'd still left unbuttoned.

I slowly pulled down one side of my denim pants, showing them the mark on my hip bone.

"Holy shit – " Sam leaned closer to see it and Emily reached out to touch it but it suddenly throbbed, making me back up a step. I didn't know what to make of it, but guessed that whatever supernatural marking this was, it wasn't meant to be touched by anyone but me and Jake. Just the thought of him running his fingers over it, tracing it with his tongue creating a path from my marking to other lower regions. Just the thought of it had my breathing come in fast burst, my face burning a bright red and knees turn to jelly. That's when I noticed that Sam was talking to me.

"Um I'm sorry, what?" Both Emily and Sam were grinning widely at my trouble, obviously knowing where my trail of thoughts had gone.

"Jake's right, you do smell nice when you're turned on," I jumped at Paul's words as he spoke them from directly behind me, his voice low and sensual. Realizing I'd been caught in a wet dream; and that's exactly what it was since my underwear had been rendered completely useless, I looked down at my shoes, finding them incredibly interesting for the moment. That is until my mortified blush died down. Stupid werewolves and their heightened sense of smell.

"What I said what that Jake's wolf accepted you. According to Quil Sr, It's said that if a pack member's wolf accepts the offering, you, he will brand the woman, indicating you as belong to him and his pack member," he looked at my mark and in back at something that I still couldn't see when I looked.

"You know, the wolf sitting and howling at the moon in that exact dark reddish brown color. That's the Black family emblem,"

I looked around trying to find Jacob and ask him if what Sam said was true. I looked all around, out back where Sam kept glancing, knowing something was up. I looked back at Emily who was grinning again.

"Wha-" I yelped when a pair of big strong arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me back against a very warm hard chest. I heard Jake's distinct chuckle and looked back with every intention of scolding him but all words died in my throat at the blinding smile he offered and look of utter devotion and pure love shining in his eyes. I gasped when his bold hands reached down and pulled the pieces of denim together, buttoning them and pulling the zipper up, his fingers lingering a little longer than necessary.

"Mine," he smiled and kissed the side of my neck, making me shiver.

He sat down next to Sam in front of the fire and pulled me down to sit between his outstretched legs. I was grateful for his warmth as the night's chill began to settle in, and I didn't even have to ask, it was like he knew what I wanted right away and offered it in a heartbeat.

I looked around, not use to public displays of affection,

"Bells, relax," he rubbed his hands up and down my cool arms warming them up instantly and brushed another kiss on my shoulder.

I closed my eyes and reveled in the attention, nearly falling asleep, I was that comfortable. That is until I heard a very distinct female voice say from across the fire,

"It's about time," Leah's graceful form sat down across the fire from us.

"That's what I keep hearing," I smiled at her, she smiled back but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "It's okay Leah, I'm not mad, honest," I saw her shoulders slump in relief. "In fact I'm relieved,"

Her head shot up, a look of pure confusion written all over her face.

"Relieved?" even Jacob sounded baffled.

"Yes relieved. It's hard raising a child by yourself and I'm always afraid that I going to mess up in some way. That maybe he could be missing something that I can't give him," I looked from Leah to Sam, to the rest of the Pack acting like complete clowns down by the beach, to Jacob, whom I'm still thanking my lucky stars hadn't given up on me.

"What are you talking about, you're a great mother," Emily laid her hand on mine. "What could Rafe possibly be missing?"

"All this, the Pack, the loyalty you all have for each other, the way Sam is with you," I smiled when she smiled up at me.

"Don't forget the way Jacob is with you, you keep forgetting you're an imprint," I smiled and giggled when Jake pulled me closer still and growled low in his throat, his teeth playfully nipping at the sensitive skin of my neck.

"All of this," I said once Jacob had stopped tickling me, "I couldn't have asked for a better environment for my son. And now he has something even better, something that most children never get to have. He has you," I saw Leah's eyes water, I really didn't mean to bring up such a string of emotions but I had to get this out. I needed her to believe me. Yes she'd only imprinted today, but she'd tiptoed the issue like she half expected me to run after her with one of Charlie's shot guns.

"He has someone he can depend and fall back on for the rest of his life. I know I won't always be able to be there for him, just like I know there are things he won't want to talk to me about. But he'll confide in you, and because of the imprint I know that you'll always have his best interest at heart,"

A smile slowly spread across Leah's beautiful face as tears of happiness and relief rolled down her cheeks.

"Thank you," she whispered so low I'd barely heard it. I smiled back in return and settled back against Jacob, sighing in contentment when he tightened his arms around me. That's when it hit me, Leah was here, then where was-

"Rafe!" I bolted upright but Jake pulled me back down chuckling. I frowned still trying to get up to tend to my son but he wouldn't have it.

"Easy Bells, you're not goin' anywhere," he kissed the shell of my ear, sending a jolt of pleasure down my body. I realized I hadn't really let someone else take the reins in so long it was a little unnerving to do so now. Even if it was Jacob and I knew there was nothing to worry about.

"Sue and Charlie left with Rafe almost an hour ago. They said something about you needing to loosen up and have fun," Leah grinned at the last part knowing exactly what they had meant.

I felt my cheeks burn with what must be a furious blush, and slapped Jake's hand when he playfully ran his hand down my waist and onto my thighs. He may be comfortable with his brothers, but I was certainly pushing my level of comfort with all the public displays of affection.

"Charlie's right, you really do need to loosen up, it's just us Bells," Embry chuckled and sat next to me and Jake.

"Just let it go Bells," the deep timber of Jake's voice combined with the heat of his body and love radiating from the way he held me, and cared for me was actually really soothing. Plus there was this constant pull towards him that just begged me to just let myself be taken care of by this wonderful man that I was having a lot of trouble fighting. Ever since the –

"Oh so that's what the imprint does," I didn't realize I'd spoken it out loud until I noticed a few raised eyebrows all around us coupled with giggles from both Kim and Emily. I guess Jared had been filling Kim in with what had been going on. Kim came and sat next to Leah still laughing at whatever expression I had on my face.

"You look like you just figured out the meaning of life or something," she smiled then sighed happily when Jared came and sat next to her, then pulled her onto his lap.

"Well I've been finding it really odd, the mark I found on my a few days ago, the dreams, oh lord," I slapped my hand over my mouth realizing I'd said a little too much. Quil, Embry, Seth, Paul and Jared burst out laughing at my outburst. I heard Jacob chuckle behind me.

"What can I say? I'm just that good,"

"Oh geez… that's all that wolf needs, another swollen head," the guys broke out in another fit of laughter at Leah's comment. I frowned not understanding until Paul chimed in,

"You think your dreams were graphic? Shit the stuff that Jake's been dreaming about, holy fuck, he's been giving us all a horrible case of blue balls," Leah huffed. "Except for Leah, she's was a real bitch… in heat," he added the last part before running for the forest, laughing like a hyena before phasing once he reached the trees.

"Oh yeah, you better run you sorry sack of –" Leah ran after Paul her words cut off as her body literally exploded into that of a giant grey wolf, her paws tearing up the dirt as she ran after him.

"That bad huh?" I looked back at Jake and grinned at the blush that colored his cheeks.

"Bad doesn't even begin to cover it," Kim smiled knowing at Jared who just hid his face in her neck. "Jared's been randy since Jake first snuck that dreamcatcher into your bedroom,"

I thought about it for a second and couldn't help but laugh. I tried to stifle it but I couldn't help it.

"You're having trouble loosening up with us but you think blue balls is funny? Not cool," Quil's comment was coupled with a smile, so I knew not to take it seriously but I still couldn't help where my train of thoughts was going.

"No it's not that,"

"Then what the hell are you laughing about?" Seth asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest, an eyebrow raised almost challenging me to spill it. Ah hell, they want me to loosen up, fine.

"What can I say? I'm just that good," I parroted Jacob's words and burst out laughing at the groans coming from the guys, and yelped, trying to avoid the slaps from Emily and Kim. I heard yipping coming from the forest that sounded a lot like laughter, spurring me into deeper fits of laughter.

"You guys walked right into that one. You have to admit, that was good,"

"You know what else is good?" Jake's voice had a playful growl to it as his hands tightened around my waist.

"What," I couldn't keep the smile off my face, I was having way too much fun now.

"Having you to myself all night,"

"Oh yeah, you're pretty cocky to think I'm going to let y-" I yelped as he suddenly lifted me and spun me around until I was facing him then threw me over his shoulder in a fireman's hold.

"Who said you had a choice," he chuckled as he got up and waved goodnight to everyone. "Your father said you need to loosen up and have fun. What I have planned is loads of fun," I saw the guys chuckled and gasped then blushed furiously when Jared winked at me. I'm sure my face was beat red with my blush and hanging upside down. "Who am I to disregard your father's orders?"

"Jacob Black you put me down this instant!" I tried to push away but his steps were so long it had my upper body swaying as I hung unceremoniously upside down on over his back.

"Ooh Bells, didn't know you where that kinky. I was thinking more of somewhere private for what I had in mind," Leah and Paul came back out of the forest, both wearing huge grins as they waved at me.

"What the hell?! Can someone get me off this big lug?"

"Nope!" came a chorus of answers from the entire pack around the fire.

"Trust me, you both need this," Emily winked and shrieked as Sam picked her up in his arms and made his way back to their house. She giggled excitedly and gave me a thumbs up before taking hold of Sam's face and kissing him passionately in front of everyone.

I smiled at the how affectionate they were with each other, no matter where they were and suddenly wished it were like that with Jake and me. It already is dumbass, you just need to let go. I smiled and decided that if I really wanted what Sam and Emily and Jared and Kim had I had to give myself up to Jake, body and soul. I looked down at the outline of his amazing ass encased in his jeans hanging low on those mouth watering hips and decided it was worth it. Oh yeah, totally worth it.

Reviews are always greatly appreciated, the greatest motivation a girl can ask for.

thank you to all of you who voted on my poll for "The Path to Realization". The poll is still open for those of you who wish to vote.