A/N: First, thank you to all our readers and reviewers including our guest reviewer, we're glad you are enjoying the story. A small note, 'Mrs. Jones' is female but, 'Me' is all man.

Chapter 8

Emmett POV

My cock lay snuggled in the crack of his ass as I lay on top of him holding myself up on my elbows to keep my weight off of him. His head rested on his folded arms under him as I peppered small kisses to his back and neck. I brushed my nose along his shoulder breathing in deeply when I reached his mating mark. My mate's scent was made just for me. Something about it called to me, pulled me to him, and the small wound I gave him was where it was the strongest. It almost made me dizzy and if we hadn't spent the last several hours gettin' it on, I would fuck him.

I was happy that Paul was now able to get up and around, after mama Sue's okay first, of course. She came by early that morning and he practically leaped out of bed with joy. He immediately went to work on setting up patrols and talking to Jacob about the James situation.

Embry and I talked about letting Paul join us when we heard him moaning in his sleep. The cries were needy. He was suffering needing to mate although, he'd never say it and he would never ask either Embry or I to help him out. I couldn't stand to see him that way and I told Embry that Paul and I hardly went more than a couple of days without release. Surprisingly, Embry was the one who suggested we have Paul join us.

"Do you regret it?" he asked while my lips laid kisses on his shoulders. It was as if he could read my mind, knowing what I was thinking. His voice full of concern.

"No," I said before my tongue licked the mark I gave him and he let out a groan that went directly to my cock. "And stop that, isn't three times enough?" I asked. If he kept up the sexy-as-hell noises, we were going for round four and his ass needed a rest.

"You started it," he chuckled pushing his ass against my slowly stirring cock. "You know what happens when you touch my mark," I did know. It was like an on/off switch for his cock, even after three rounds. I lifted my body off his knowing that his body needed to rest even if he didn't think so. Embry turned on to his side and curled into me with his head on my chest.

"Do you think he will regret it?" he asked after a long pause.

"I don't think he regrets it but, I don't think it will happen again," I explained. "And once he meets his imprint, he won't want anyone except him, right?" Embry nodded. We lay there silently, content to just be in each other's presence. My fingers ran down the length of his arm and back up to his shoulder only to do it all over again. Paul gave us the night off knowing we needed some time together, just the two of us. We had only been together for a week and most of that was spent on the floor next to Paul's bed.

"Do you regret it, Embry?" I asked thinking maybe that's why he was asking me.

"No," he giggled. I put my hand under his chin to lift it. He looked up at me with his warm brown eyes. "You love each other, maybe not the same way we love each other and you have been lovers since," he looked up as if trying to figure out a difficult math problem. "Back when dinosaurs ruled the earth, right?" my mouth opened in shock as he giggled. "But seriously, you don't just walk away from that," he said. "It's not like it was a one night stand with a stranger. He is our alpha and," he looked away briefly. "it was fucking hot."

I laughed. "I agree, it was hot," I pulled him into a kiss before he laid his head back on my chest. The sun came up as we finally drifted to sleep for the first time in our bed.

Love is in the air

Love is in the air everywhere I look around

Love is in the air every sight and every sound

The music blast through the kitchen while I made breakfast for both Embry and Paul. I grew to love it over the years although, I knew Embry was itching to take over. I heard the usual click of the opening disc player that happened every morning and then the snap of the broken cd before he tossed it at my feet. Paul no longer wasted his breath telling me how much he hated what I listened to. What-the-fuck-ever, life was more fun with a soundtrack in the background

We just sat down for breakfast, Embry feeding me while sitting on my lap when we got the call. Paul told me to bring Embry to the treaty line and that Chris would help me with patrols. We talked about this beforehand, Embry wanted to be there when Seth phased if for no other reason than to support his friend. At least I would still have the wolf link with him, I didn't like him so far away. Paul would have to remain a distance away but, within range if anything were to happen, not that anything would. Seth was the most protected submissive in fucking history. Plus, Jacob gave him the mating mark, his wolf no longer able to wait.

Chris and I patrolled the south line of our property looking for any hint that James was still in the area. There were old trails but nothing new, which was good. I wasn't focused on my task. My mind was watching as my mate neared Seth and Jacob, who growled lowly at him. My wolf winced and my hackles rose.

"Calm down, Emmett," Paul said. "It's only a warning growl. He's fine. Jacob knows who he is, it's his wolf who needs to adjust."

"Just," I whimpered. "Just be ready, Paul."

"I am," he responded. Chris rubbed against me not knowing what was being said but, knowing what was going on through the eyes of his pack. His ceremony would be pushed back due to Seth's phasing.

The white wolf looked small compared to his mate who was curled around him. They were deep in the forest surrounded by many shifters spread out keeping a watchful eye. But the pup didn't seem to notice. He watched as his friend neared with his head low and his eyes to the ground. Embry bared his neck but didn't roll to his back in full submission, that was only for his own alpha and dominant. Jacob growled again when Embry was only inches away. Seth's pink tongue peeked out and licked his mate's snout as if to tell him to back off.

Seth's tongue lolled out and his tail began to wag seeing his friend in wolf form. He let out a small yelp and nodded his head.

"Oh my god!" Embrey whispered. "He can hear me!"

"What do you mean? You aren't part of Jacob's pack!" I panicked. How could this be? He was my mate! He gave up his duty to Jacob and his pack.

"No, Emmett. It's his gift," Embry explained. "He can hear submissives from any pack and he can talk to me."

Seth licked the nose of my mate and almost seemed to be smiling. He stood suddenly causing both Jacob and Embry to stand in reaction. Again, my wolf winced. But, Seth seemed to want to play. Jacob nudged Seth's shoulder trying to get his attention. It was obvious that Jake's wolf wasn't ready for its mate to leave him, even for only a few feet. Seth yelped again and pushed him back. Seth looked up at his alpha and whimpered. The strong, tall, fierce, potential alpha of alphas looked down at his mate and his eyes went soft. He couldn't deny his imprint anything. Seth rubbed against his massive body and licked his face before pouncing on Embry like a puppy. All of us were a bit like that the first few weeks, wanting to try out our new wolf bodies. They play wrestled and chased each other while we watched. Jacob never once sat down as he tried to keep his wolf at bay. My heart melted seeing the innocence of the two friends. For the most part, they hadn't seen the hate and cruelty of a world filled with alphas like James. The only real reason they could have this moment was because of the protective ring around them. I was beginning to understand why Jacob kept Seth so shielded. He wanted his pup to have a life that was made up of these moments, not one where it was a rarity.

I only heard Embry's side of the conversation and it was filled with banter and 'your mamma' jokes, nothing important but, I knew it was what made life bearable at times. It was the reason I didn't care what people thought of my spiderman underwear or my unhealthy obsession with cotton candy. I am proud to say that I still built forts under the dining room table and wish upon the first night star. One day, I would find Paul's guilty pleasure song because, everyone has one.

"Fuck off, Emmett and get back to patrolling," Paul commanded. I hated it when he used his alpha voice. He didn't do it often and it was usually when he was annoyed with me, which pleased me to no end. "I'll send Embry back to the house when he's done."

It was more than an hour later when I met Embry back at the house. He reeked of Jacob's pack and my wolf growled. Paul said he and Chris would finish patrolling that afternoon so that I could cleanse my mate but, we'd be pulling double duty that night and the next morning. We both phased and ran to our bedroom for a little 'Afternoon Delight'.

Two days after Seth phased, we had Chris' ceremony bringing him into our pack officially. It was much the same as Embry's but, not as many personal questions. Jacob didn't know the young dominant like he did Embry. It felt weird that an alpha wouldn't know all of his pack (or pack to be) better but, his was a very large group so different from Paul's. I hoped Paul didn't want to create a large pack, so large we didn't know the names of each one of our pack brothers.

Jacob brought his imprint to the ceremony but, he stayed near the back with several wolves surrounding him. Paul explained that Jacob gave Seth the mating mark but, without truly mating with him. He still needed to wait until Seth was of mating age. It was one of the reasons he was so overprotective. Seth still smelled of Jacob's pack and a bit more like his submissive but, not in the same way that Embry carried my scent. No other dominant would want him, he was now tied to Jacob but, Jacob's wolf would be itching to get his imprint claimed.

I didn't know how he could stand it, fuck me. I remember the way my wolf felt before and during my claiming of Embry. I wasn't even in control of my body at times, the scent of him so overwhelming. If Seth popped wood (as teenage boys tend to do) I wouldn't want to be in Jacob's shoes.

We moved Chris into our home, at least for the time being. He couldn't live on the reservation and there wasn't anywhere else for him to go. He graduated from high school with Embry the spring before and was able to get a job in Forks in a garage. We told him that we could give him anything he needed but, he insisted that he contribute to the household. He hoped that one day he would have a family of his own and needed to provide for them. It got me thinking of the next time Embry went into heat. Would we be ready to start our family? He was still young and may want to for another year or two. The idea of having 'mini-me's' running around made my heart soar but, I would put it off if that wasn't something he was ready for. I'd waited this long, I could wait another couple of years.

It was at the next bonfire that we finally met the infamous Brady. It wasn't a pack meeting, just a bunch of us from Forks and the reservation. There were several pickups and cars blasting music from the parking lot at the edge of the beach. Coolers of beer were scattered around the beach. Embry and I were talking to Jacob and Seth. He seemed to be more chilled out now but, kept Seth glued to his side. Seth didn't seem to mind though. He was shy except around Jake or Embry but, always seemed to wear a grin. I needed to get us all together for a play date. I was thinking maybe water balloons and sling-shots. Or maybe a catapult.

"Emmett!" Embry said squeezing my hand.

"Sorry, yeah," I said. He smiled at me and shook his head.

"This is Brady," he put his hand on the shoulder of the boy who stood between himself and Seth. He looked up at me and gave a small smile. I held out my fist and he bumped it chuckling to himself.

"Emmett," I said to him. Embry shook his head again and laughed. "What?"

"Yeah, I told him that already," he said. "You weren't listening. You're planning something aren't you?"

My mouth fell open like I was offended. "I would never," I said with a faked hurt voice. Embry's eyes narrowed as if he was trying to read me. Brady and Seth chuckled. Even in the short time we knew each other, Embry could tell when I was up to something. I hadn't really formed a plan but, water gun warfare would be a part of it. I smiled at my mate and placed a chaste kiss to his lips. I wasn't giving away anything.

When I looked up, I saw Paul standing frozen, a few feet away from us, staring. He knew who was with us, even if he didn't know his name. I let go of Embry's hand and started to walk closer to him when he took off, running into the forest. I looked back at my mate who was still staring at the spot Paul left and then I looked at Jacob.

"I'll have Chris bring Embry home, go," Jacob offered. "Don't leave him alone out there," I nodded thanks and ran after my alpha. I couldn't phase until I hit the tree line, not everyone at the bonfire was a pack member. My clothes were in shreds floating through the air somewhere behind me as I followed the scent. I found him in a small clearing, pacing.

"Oh my god, Emmett," he started. "He smells so fucking good."

"He's you imprint, Paul," I told him. "He was born to be your mate," Paul shook his large grey head.

"I decide who I want to mate with, no one else," he insisted.

"You can't help who you fall in love with, Paul," I told him.

"I know."

"So, how is an imprint any different?" I asked. He huffed and phased. I shifted as well and stood directly in front of him. We stood there naked to each other. There were never any secrets between us, no reason to cover ourselves. We were as open with each other as any two people could be.

After a long silence, I pulled him by the neck into a hug and held him tightly. "Why fight it, Paul? Isn't this what we've been waiting for? Isn't this what we wanted? Thirty years, Paul!" he nodded his head against my shoulder. I pulled back to look in his eyes. "I'm here for you if you need me, I will always be here for you. But," I dipped my head to see into his downcast eyes. "You have an imprint who will be more for you than I could ever hope to be."

Once again, we stood in silence. Finally, Paul looked up at me searching my eyes. "What's his name?" he asked. I smiled at him and placed a small kiss on his lips.

"Brady."