I had never felt more scared in life then I did now, this lady had every right to tell me I could never see my daughter again. Guess I wouldn't blame her if that was the case, my little one would be so much better off with a family that could love her the right way. Not some temper mental wolf with no idea how to be a father.
I followed the social worker down the hall to a small office. She smiled at me as we sat down, the smile didn't make me feel much better, if anything it made me feel like worse.
"So tell me Mr. Lahote, do you have any idea who the mother of this child is? From what I am hearing there may be a few possibilities?" She asked me sternly, gone was the smile she had when she introduced herself. I should have known she would bring up my playboy days, besides finding the mother of my child I didn't really see how they should matter. Just because i slept around a little bit did not mean I was going to be a bad dad.
"I had a one night stand with a girl I met in the bar, I think she is the mother but I don't even have a name. There was a bunch of us partying that night and we were drunk."
"But somehow this girl knew who you were, even went so far as to find out where you lived?"
"Somehow she did, all I know is what happened today. I came home to find this tiny little baby shivering and blue on my doorstep. I just couldn't believe someone would really leave my daughter like that."
"So you believe the note, saying you are the father of the baby."
'I believe it, I can't explain it but when I looked at that little girl and I knew she was mine. I know that does not make any sense but it does to me."
"So if the DNA comes back that she is yours, you will be willing to take her in."
"Yes, I could never leave my kid." I know it was a question that she needed to ask me, but to me it seemed the most obvious thing in the world. I knew a lot of people in my situation would turn tale and run, but I couldn't do that, I needed to know my baby girl was going to be all right and loved.
"I'm glad to hear that, I was a little worried about you being the father after I read the history you and your family have with C.P.S."
"I'm not my parents; anything that happened involving me was because my parents were drunks that liked to hit me and leave me for weeks on end. I would never do that to my kid mostly because I know how it feels to feel like no one cares weather you live or die." My wolf was on edge with my anger, he never understood my anger. Whenever he felt it he felt like there was a threat to us so that meant phase. There was no way in hell I could do that, I knew then I would lose all chances of ever knowing my child.
"Okay Mr. Lahote, I need a cheek swab from you and we will overnight it to the lab. Hopefully we will know by tomorrow if you are the father or not."
"Can I stay with my little one in the meantime? I wouldn't feel right about leaving her here alone."
"That's will be fine, but you are not allowed to leave her room with her for now." I nodded a she handed me the cheek swab. I wish they were not making me do this, I already knew that little baby was mine. Putting the swab in the bag I handed it back to the woman who had the potential to make my life a living hell.
"I will contact you tomorrow with the results, if she is yours I will need to do a home inspection first to make sure the baby will be in a safe environment."
"That's fine, may I go see my daughter now?" The social worker glared at me for saying that, I didn't care what she thought that little girl is my daughter no matter what anyone said.
I left the room as quickly as possible, Sam and Emily were still waiting with me by the elevator.
"How did it go?" Sam asked
"Fine, we are waiting on the DNA test."
"Which we already know the results, your wolf wouldn't of had that reaction otherwise."
"I know Sam." I looked over at my imprint, I didn't even know her name or how old she was. But I did know she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.
"Hi I'm Paul." She smiled at me as I held out my hand to her.
"Skylar" My imprint smiled at me as she shook her head. i'm not really sure how I should take that reaction.
"It's very nice to meet you." I looked over at Sam wondering just how much she knew about the wolfs.
"How much do you want me to tell her Paul, I know you have a lot to deal with right now?" I knew how confused we were making the poor girl but at the moment it couldn't be helped. "Only about the wolf that's all."
"What wolf?" Skylar asked with the confused look still on her face.
"I'll explain everything latter honey." I smiled as I walked off in the direction of the nurses' station. The case worker I had just met with was already there talking to one of the nurses.
I wanted to growl when I heard the words watch him like a hawk. Did they really think I was stupid enough to run off with my own kid whom probably had hypothermia?
"Don't worry I don't plan on doing anything that would hurt my child, and taking her out of this hospital would be hurting her." I growled crossing my arms over my chest. I wasn't going to let these people talk shit about me. I had done nothing wrong, there was no way I going to sit around and let myself be punished for what my daughter's mother had done.
"I will talk to you tomorrow Mr. Lahote." I growled at the caseworker as she walked past me.
I looked back at the nurse, arms still crossed over my chest. "Can I see my daughter now?"
She nodded with a smile as she motioned for me to follow her down the hall. I was glad I could no longer hear my daughters little cry's all the way down the hall.
"She just fell asleep." The nurse said as we walked into a nursery.
I smiled down at the little girl fast asleep in the hospital crib. "I can't believe this little girl is mine, I never thought I would be a father someday." I couldn't keep the smile of my face as I reached down and gently stroked her tiny hand.
"I'll leave you two alone to get to know each other then." I nodded looking down at the baby girl again. I knew she had just fallen asleep but I had to hold her. I had seen Emily and Sam holding their son enough times so I had an idea how to hold her. It still felt strange as I lifted the tiny baby into my arms. I hadn't been told yet how old she was, but I could guess by her size that she was only a few days old.
She opened her eyes just a little bit as I settled down in a chair next to her crib. She looked up at me for a moment then closed her eyes and fell back to sleep. I could feel my wolf close to the surface as I sat there. He was content now that we were the only one's around our pup. I sat there in the quietness just thinking. I thought by now my wolf would have fully settled down, he slowly became just as restless as before. I sat there for at least an hour just thinking how everything had changed so quickly. If someone had told me this would happen when I woke up I would have laughed in there face.
"Knock-knock" I looked up as Skylar walked into the room.
"Awe she's so cute, what's her name?" Crap that's right I needed to think of a name for my baby girl, she couldn't always be called the baby. That would probably get old quick once she learned the meaning of the word.
'I haven't really got that far yet."
'Poor child still nameless, I just wanted to come check on you. Emily said you were kind of in shock about the whole baby thing." That was one way to put it.
"Yeah I don't know what to think." She smiled at me as she pulled up a chair next to me.
"Sam told me about you and the pack." I looked at her then, she didn't look too shook up so I wondered just how much she really believed.
"I thought he was just messing with me at first till he showed me." Ah so she did know the truth.
"Are you okay with us being different?"
'That's a fun way to put it, but yeah I was kind of weirded out a first but now I think I am going to be okay with it."
"That's good." She smiled at me as she scooted a closer to the baby.
"Sam said I should talk to you, he said you had more to tell me."
"Yeah but I don't know if now is the right time."
"I can understand that, can I hold her." I nodded handing my daughter over to my imprint. I was happy to see the woman who would be my wife caring enough to want to hold my daughter. No matter what my daughter would always come first even before the imprint.
'She's beautiful Paul; she looks a lot like you."
"Thanks."
"Oh by the way I kind of lied to get in here, I told them I was your girlfriend because they wouldn't let me in other wise. I hope there isn't a real girlfriend that going to come in and kick my ass for saying that." I loved her smile; she glowed when she smiled, it made me feel wonderful to know that smile was for me.
"No there's no girlfriend, what are you applying for the position?" I asked hopefully.
"What are you taking applications or something?
"Only if you are wanting to put in an application."
"Well see, but so far I like what I see." We both looked up as a nurse walked into the room.
"Mr. Lahote I am going to have to ask you and your girlfriend to leave now. I am not permitted to allow anyone but a legal guardians to stay overnight with the baby. She will be well taken care of. I nodded as Skylar handed me back my nameless daughter. I sied gently kissing her on the head. I didn't want to leave her but I knew the hospital had its own rules it had to follow.
Handing the baby back to the nurse I smiled at Skylar as we left the room together. I didn't know what to do now, I knew I should be getting ready for my daughter to come home. But to tell the truth I really didn't know what she would need. It wasn't too late now to do some baby shoping and I knew of a twenty four hour Wal-Mart not far away. I looked over at my imprint wondering
how hard it will be to get my imprint to want to spend some more time with me.
'Do you have anywhere important to be right now?" I asked hopefully, damn I hope I didn't look like too much of a fool stumbling over my words.
"Sure don't, why what's up?"
'I was just wondering if maybe you would like to go to Wal-Mart with me. I have no idea what I need to buy for the baby. I'm just taking a wild guess that you will have a better idea then me, of what I need to buy."
'Sure, that's no problem what's so ever, I hope it doesn't scare you off if I said it would give me an excuse to get to know you better." With those words I felt like doing a victory dance. She wanted to get to know me better, those words alone could make my day.
"Do you have a vehicle here or do you want me to drive." She asked as we made it to the parking lot.
'I came with the baby in the ambulance, so if you want to drive it would be great."
"Sure" I followed her threw the parking lot I would be lying if I said there wasn't other things I was staring at walking behind her, good thing she didn't notice. I looked up as I about walked into ass end of a truck parked a little to far out. She looked back at me smiled, grate she had noticed me.
"Careful studly don't want hurting yourself now, but hey we are already at the hospital so if you decide to it will save us a trip." My imprint was such a smart ass and I loved it. She was perfect for me; I don't think I could handle living with someone for the rest of my life that was too serious. Luckily the spirits seemed to have blessed me on that aspect.
The ride to the store was mostly quiet, again another thing I seemed to have scored with. I had a hard time standing girls that couldn't keep their mouths shut for more than two seconds, don't get me wrong I'm not the type of guy who thinks woman should be seen and not herd. I just don't always feel like talking and right now was kind of one of those moment's. So many things had happened today my head felt like it was spinning. Come on give a guy a brake I mean I found out I had a daughter and an imprint all in one day. Something like that could send a guy for a loop.
"Are you okay." Skylar asked as she looked over at me.
"Yeah it just been a long and strange day, I just can't keep everything that has happened from re playing in my head."
"Don't blame you one bit, don't worry too much everything will work out for the best. I just have that feeling with you."
'Thanks I'm glad someone does, I don't know if I am really going to be a good father to that little girl."
'I think you will, but you know the first thing any good father should do?"
"I sure you are going to tell me?" I said with a smile, god I hope I didn't offend her with my sense of humor. I smiled when she smirked back at me, thank the spirits.
"A good father should give his daughter a name?" A name there was another thing I had on my mind. I needed to pick something that meant something, this poor little girl would be stuck with the name I picked all her life, or at least till she was old enough to change it. But I wanted to pick out one that she would grow to love.
"There's so many to choose from, how do I know what is the right one." I asked leaning my head back against the seat.
'you will know what's right for her, just start thinking of some idea then the next time you see her you can look at that little girl and decide if the names you picked out are right for her."
'I really wish it was that easy."
"I know it sound hard right now, but you don't need to decide anything tonight."
"Thanks for not looking at me like I'm crazy for all this."
'Why in the hell would I think you are crazy? I just see you as a man who is going through quite a lot at the moment."
I smiled at her as we pulled into the parking lot, I was so glad I had decided to ask her to go with me. I knew right about now I would be freaking out afraid to go into the baby section alone. I know that seemed like quite a stupid thing but it was true.
Over the next hour Skylar helped me fill two carts with everything a baby could ever want or need. I was going to be spending a hell of a lot of time in the next few days putting together all the baby's stuff, the crib didn't really look too hard but who the hell was I kidding. I had never done anything like that before. Guess it was time for this papa wolf to learn.
I felt my self growing more and more depressed as we neared La Push, I staired out the window afraid of letting Skylar in on everything that was going on. I had just met this girl. How in the hell was I going to tell her about the imprint without freaking her out.
I looked over at her suddenly as I felt her reach out and grab my hand. I felt slightly better as she squeezed my hand gently.
I sied as we pulled in my driveway. As soon a Skylar let go of my hand the feeling of dread slowly but surely began to creep into me again.
"I'm worried about you Paul, you look really down."
"I know, I just have a lot of things on my mind. I have no idea how the hell I am going to deal with it all on my own."
'you are not alone, no matter how it may seem you always have the pack behind you, and if you want I'll be here to help you as much as you will let me." That brought a smile my face, I knew she must be feeling the imprint but part of me wanted her to want to be here with me on her own.
"Do you think you could stay for a while and hang out with me, If you have somewere to be that fine."
'No like I said earlier I really want to get to know you Paul, besides Sam and Emily were really pushing me to spend time with you, not that I mind in the least. I can't understand it but it really feels like I have known you forever instead of hours, that probably sounds crazy right?"
"No you would probably be surprised just how much sense that actually makes to me?"
"Is it a wolf thing or something?"
"Sure is sweet heart."
"That's all I need to know for now then."
"Thanks for understanding sweetheart." I felt better now about being home, Skylar wanted to get to know me. Maybe I did have a chance with my imprint after all.
Skylar helped carry in the bags, my wolf was happy having our imprint in our house.
"Do you want me to help you out with putting stuff away?"
"Sure that would be great, but I need to carry out a few boxes in my spare room first."
'Okay where are we putting them?" How in the hell had I strike the imprint jack pot, an imprint not afraid to get her hands dirty.
"Boxes will go out in the shed." I smiled as she followed me into what would be the baby's room. I hadn't been in this room much since I had redone the house. My mom and dad had both passed away when I was seventeen I was so grateful that the insurance money had helped me redo the house. Now I felt good about bringing my daughter and imprint to live with me.
"So Skylar how old are you?" Defiantly a good thing to know before I began to get serious with her.
'Eighteen, 'I'll be nineteen in two months though. That made me feel better, okay one more thing I was hoping would not freak her out. I sure hoped she would be okay that I am almost eight years older than her.
"Do I get to know how old you are?" She asked with that smile that made me want to melt.
"Twenty six"
"Wow your kind of an old man." I smiled as she laughed.
There was about twenty boxes all together that we needed to move. Most of it had been my parents stuff. Things that I had never bothered to go through. Simply because I didn't feel like reliveiing my old nightmares.
With box in hand Skylar followed me out to the shed. I turned to her as she sat the box down on a shelf. We were so close standing in the shed that if either of us moved we would be tuching, but I loved it. I loved feeling like I could wrap my arms around my imprint if I wanted to, That was the end of my restraint I reached out gently pulling her into my arms.
'Thanks for being here, for everything you've done for me tonight." My wolf was groaning with content as she wrapped her tiny arms around me.
'You're welcome Paul; I don't mind helping you out one bit handsome."
"You have no idea how having you here as calmed my wolf, my beautiful imprint." She pulled away looking me a little confused.
"Is that another wolf thing, because that's what Sam calls Emily." Crap I hadn't meant to say that much, guess the wolfs out of the bag now.