5 – Additions
April
The black wolf watched dispassionately as the silver wolf growled and snarled. The dark brown wolf stood at his right shoulder.
Are you finished? Sam asked.
Fuck you, Paul snarled.
You're not my type, sunshine. There're things to do. If you're finished bitching and moaning, we can get to them then get you to shift back.
Aren't you hungry? Jared asked. They heard his stomach rumble. We'll run the perimeter then phase back and you can get some of Molly Swan's food. Then you can go see your dad and grandma.
They know? That sent the wolf into another snarling rant. They couldn't fucking tell me?
They just found out a week ago, Sam clarified. Let's run and I'll tell you everything you need to know.
He watched from the tree line. The elders never found a connection through the sisters, so it had to be his father. If it was Joshua, like Thomas thought, he was going to hunt him down and rip his spleen out and let the vultures feast on him. He was not going to sully his wolf with that man's flesh.
The quiet teen exploded in temper at his mother. Cursing and yelling about nothing but going to the movies with Jacob and Quil and he hadn't cleaned his room. He stormed out of the house with his mother still fussing behind him.
Sam followed silently behind him as he tore through the forest. A hundred feet in, he fell to the ground, screaming. The older boy removed his shorts before phasing. With a snap and a pop, a gray wolf with black spots stood in the other boy's spot.
Confusion and fear were prominent in his mind.
Don't run, Sam ordered.
Who's that? The wolf turned in circles. It shrank back when the black wolf stepped forward. Holy shit! There's a big, fucking wolf in front of me. Fucker's massive.
That's me, Embry. It's Sam.
Sam. Dude, what the fuck is going on?
"How many?" Carlisle asked in shock.
"Four. In just two month's time," Edward answered. They sat high in a tree on their side of the treaty line. "I don't think it's going to stop anytime soon, Carlisle. There will be at least two more. Neither the Black or Ateara heir has phased. That will put the pack at six. The way that it's going now, they'll phase next month. The fever's set in."
Carlisle pinched the bridge of his nose. "Do they know if any others have it?"
"They're too young. Only one other that is the same age." He paused for a moment. "I need to keep Bella away from them, off the reservation."
"You can't, Edward. Not only is are Charlie Swan and Billy Black best friends, they're also cousins. Also, his aunt is married to Elder Ateara."
"They'll kill her, Carlisle! A young girl went missing this morning!"
"They're her family, Edward. When school lets out, we're going on vacation. All of us. We'll be gone for two months."
"Carlisle!"
"We'll be over run by wolves if we stay. Let the fever settle."
"So what is this imprint bullshit?" Paul asked as he threw twigs on the fire.
"An imprint is the person who calms the wolf. Your head and thoughts are chaotic from the wolf, right?" Sam asked. Embry and Paul nodded. "When you meet your imprint, everything is quiet. The wolf can focus on the most important things. Such as protecting the tribe and finding his mate."
"So an imprint and a mate are not the same thing?" Embry queried.
"God, no."
"How can you tell the difference?"
"You crave your imprint. You want to possess every inch of her then devour her. A mate, you want to fuck six ways to Sunday. Make sure she is satisfied in every way. That she's sheltered, well fed, happy. She is made just for you."
Paul snorted. "Sounds like more bullshit to me."
"Have you found your mate?" Embry ignored his brother wolf.
"I might have. I was interested in someone before I phased, but I haven't seen her since." Sam looked toward the cabin, where sounds of sex were prevalent.
Embry was quiet for a moment. "Why do we have to devour our imprint? I don't really understand that."
Sam thought for a moment, trying to put wolfen feelings into human words. "Our wolves feel that things are missing from its life, like a mate. But until our imprint is found, it's not safe to mark a mate. The wolf is still too disordered. When we consume our imprint, we will always have that calm within us."
"And the full moon?"
He smiled. "We need to eat. Didn't you finally feel full after the full moon?"
"But we're protectors."
"Of our tribe, yes. They were not of our tribe."
"Kim is."
"Imprints are forgiven. Even Taha Aki ate his imprint."
Paul snickered. "And not in a good way either."