The song that was used for inspiration for this chapter was Get Me Through December by Allison Krauss.

Chapter 14 - Get Me Through December

Exactly two weeks later, everyone in the pack watched as Kiley, Briar, Kim, Seth, Collin and Brady graduated. After the graduation happened, everyone met on the beach as the graduates through their caps and gowns in the bonfire. Kiley and Paul walked along the beach as they talked about her starting her job in four weeks. Paul wrapped his arms around her waist as he pulled her into his side, "I'm so proud of you Ki. I can't believe you actually made it to graduation." Kiley smiled as she looked up and he kissed her lips sweetly. "Thank you...I couldn't have made it this far without you. You have to know everything just seemed to come together easier for me with you by my side." Paul smiled softly, "Anytime Beautiful." He kissed her lips softly as he pulled her to stand in front of him.

Kiley watched as Paul slowly got down on one knee in front of her, she knew what he was going to say as she blinked and tears slowly slid down her cheeks. Paul took her left hand as he removed the ring from her left middle finger, "Kiley, will you marry me?" Kiley's bottom lip trembled as she nodded, she couldn't speak through the tears, as she watched him slide the ring onto her left ring finger. Paul stood up and gathered her into his arms. As she cried against his chest, he whispered soothing words to her, as his warm hand slowly rubbed circles against the small of her back. When she finally calmed down, he kissed her lips and then placed about a thousand feather light kisses all over her face listening to her watered down giggles. He wrapped his arms around her securely as he swung her around in circles and listened to her squeals of surprise.

Briar stood in front of Jake and looked at him like he'd grown 3 heads, "Are you out of your mind Jacob Black?" Jake nodded, "Of course I am. But I don't really give a shit. Briar I want to marry you...When you're ready. Until then I want us to live together." Briar shook her head, "No...No...Absolutely not! Jacob Black my dad would skin you alive if he found out we even...ya know...So I can ONLY imagine what he'd do if I told him his 17 year old daughter was moving in with a 23 year old man...I'm saving you from being maimed."

Briar started to walk away when Jake grabbed her hand and pulled her back to him, "Bri Just listen to reason for a minute will you." Briar scowled, "Don't call me Bri...Not when I'm trying to let myself think you're crazy damn it." Jake chuckled and then chuckled harder when she slapped his chest several times for laughing at her. Jake grabbed both of her hands and placed them against his chest. Jake held both her hands with one of his, as his free hand lifted her chin so she'd look him in the eye, "Briar Marie, stop being stubborn for more than two seconds...Please." Briar's eyes connected with Jake's and his simple plea didn't fall on deaf ears. Briar couldn't say anything she just nodded to let Jake know to continue.

Jake pecked her lips softly, "Now, as old fashion as I am...with some things. Don't you think that I would ask your dad first? I'm not trying to do anything behind his back or without his permission. Sam, Embry and I explained to him that your my imprint. So he knows that someday were going to get married, when were both ready. I had to explain to him how strong my love is for you so he'd understand just exactly what my intentions are. It took some convincing on my part, but now he understands how my love for his daughter is never going to fade or get old and it's never going away. Briar I love you. And not even death could stop me from loving you for eternity."

Briar looked down she couldn't look at Jake anymore. Briar sniffled a little, "I'm going to kick your ass Jacob Black." Jake frowned, "Why?" Briar looked up and big tears trickled down her cheeks, "For saying such sweet words and making me cry. I love you too Jake." Jake smiled as he brushed her tears away with his soft lips as he chuckled, "So does this mean you'll move in with me?" Briar could only nod as Jake kissed her lips.

A couple of hours later, everyone was sitting around the bonfire just enjoying the evening. Leah jumped to her feet, Sam quirked an eyebrow at her, "Leah? What is it?" "Does anyone else smell that?" Leah spit out through clenched teeth. Suddenly the others started growling, a couple were shaking. Sam jumped up, "Everyone phase and be sure to protect your imprints. Seth, Brady run back to the house and get a vehicle and come back and get the imprints and say with them until we get there." Seth and Brady nodded as they took off as fast as they could, phasing in mid-run knowing they could run faster in their wolf forms.

The wolves who didn't have imprints started patrolling immediately.

Paul looked down at Kiley, "Don't worry I'm going to let anything happen...Let me phase and I'll be right here." Kiley nodded as she watched Paul step back making sure he was clear of her or someone else's imprint as he phased. Paul was immediately by her side. He had noticed she sat back down in the sand and pulled her knees into her chest, Paul walked over and made sure he had her sitting between his front legs, he felt her softly touching his huge paws. His big head leaned down and licked her neck. He coughed out a chuckled when she squealed. His eyes swiped a path back and forth.

Suddenly out of nowhere a flash came running through the pack as they all yelped out when bloody scratches appeared on the sides and then slowly disappeared thanks to their ability to heal quickly. Kiley backed herself up and ended up laying on her side under Paul's massive wolf body. Paul wouldn't move if his life depended on it. Paul looked down to check on Kiley, suddenly a horn beeped as Seth came pulling up. Paul nudge Kiley with his snout as she slowly got to her feet, Seth ran over and grabbed her hand as he looked at Paul, "Brady and I are staying with all the imprints. Nothing will happen Paul we promise." Paul nodded in understanding as he turned to take off with his pack brothers.

"PAUL WATCH OUT!" Kiley screamed.

Kiley watched in horror as a vampire came barreling at top speeds out of the trees and right into Paul. She watched as the vampire punched through Paul's ribcage braking every one of his ribs, as they punctured several holes into his lungs. Paul yelped out in pain. He continued to whimper as the vampire dropped his bloody body on the ground with a sickening thud. His yelp brought the whole pack back within seconds as they all jumped on the vampire and tore him to pieces. Sam had sent Leah to get Dr. Cullen. He was a vegetarian vampire, which mean he drank animal blood and not human. Granted he was still a vampire, but he was a doctor first who'd helped them a few times in the past.

Kiley ran over to Paul's wolf form and suddenly he shifted back into his human form laying on his side. Kiley put her hands over the opened bloody hole, but blood kept seeping out of it. Paul coughed and he had blood seeping out of his nose and mouth. Paul looked up into her eyes as she pleaded, "Please don't leave me Please...You can make it I know you can. You have to heal please Paul Please." Tears streamed down her cheeks as Paul weakly lifted his hand and cupped her cheek, "I love you Kiley. I always have and I always will."

She tried to apply more pressure to the gaping would in the middle of his chest as he coughed as more blood came out of his mouth. "No! NO! Don't talk to me like your dying, because you're going to make it. You have to make it. We have to get married and have babies. I love you so much Paul...Please don't leave me. I don't know what to do without you." She watched as he closed his eyes and never opened again. Kiley sobbed against Paul until his once warm body grew cold.

The day of Paul's funeral, the weather was fitting for the sadness in the air. The rain poured down around the church and then also down around the cemetery. Kiley watched as everyone said their goodbyes to Paul, when it was her turn, she walked up and took her engagement ring off and placed it on top of the casket. She leaned over and kissed the top of the casket. And just like so many times in the last 72 hour, tears slid down her cheeks once again.

Kiley sat by the grave site long after they lowered the casket into the ground and covered it up. She sat in the metal fold up chair as they rain continued to soak her. She had stopped crying but the pain wouldn't stop. It was close to December and she couldn't believe he was going to miss Christmas and her birthday. She couldn't believe he was gone.

Kiley felt a warm hand on hers as her sad eyes turned and saw Seth sitting next to her, he had been on patrol and saw her still sitting there staring at his grave. Kiley frowned, "You know what the worst part is? I expected him to come climbing into my window last night and I waited up all night for him, but he never showed up. I've been waiting for him for 3 nights. And he still hasn't shown up. Please tell me this isn't real Seth. He's been in my life since I was 10 and now he's suddenly gone. I feel so lost without him."

Seth didn't know what to say to Kiley. He stood up and scooped her up into his arms and took her the only place he could think of...home.