I apologise, once again, for the long wait. I work in a shop and as you can guess, the xmas period is crazy. Anyway, hope you enjoy. i'm thinking only one more chapter after this and then maybe a one shot about their wedding. Maybe. After the new year.
The song in this chapter belongs to Leonard Cohen but i listened to the jeff buckley version while writing as it is the best.
Please read and review.
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"Do we have to go? Can't we just stay here and… y'know?"
Abby groaned loudly as I pressed myself against her, further trapping her between my body and the hallway wall. Her legs, clad in thin fishnet stockings, were wrapped tightly around my waist while one of her hands was wrapped in my hair and the other was currently digging the nails into my shoulder. I lowered my head to her collarbone and bit lightly, soothing the sting with my tongue and listening to the noises she made. A soft moan and a slight gasp as my tongue flicked against her skin. A light, husky growl as my hand slipped further up her half covered thigh.
"Paul, stop… please. You have to stop."
Her voice was soft and breathy, sending shivers down my spine. I crushed my lips to hers, swallowing her sighs as I stroked the soft skin on her thigh. There was nothing in the world that could compare to this; to having Abby in my arms and being able to kiss and caress her as much as I wanted. I could have spent the rest of my life like this but unfortunately fate had other plans and just as I was debating on ripping Abby's silky black dress down the middle the doorbell rang shrilly.
"Damn damn damn damn." Abby groaned, tightening her grip on my neck and waist.
"Dude, hurry the fuck up." Embry's voice boomed from outside the door. He sounded pissed off again. He had been perpetually pissed off since he found out the girl he imprinted on was practically married to another guy and wasn't interested in him beyond friendship. Not that I could blame him of course. I looked down at Abby and wondered what I would have done if she had been seriously involved with someone. Pain seared across my chest and I tightened my grip momentarily on her hips before sliding her down the wall slowly, listening to her ridiculously high heels clicking against the floor as she placed her feet back on the ground and sighed.
"Always getting interrupted these days. I think God's conspiring against us."
I nodded with a chuckle and pulled away slightly, looking around for the shirt she had thrown across the room after I picked her up. It was Sam and Emily's anniversary party and rather than have a bonfire like they usually did, they were holding a party in Joe's. Embry banged his fist on the door and I growled as I pulled it open, letting it slam into the wall as I glared at him. He stared stonily back at me, his arms crossed and his foot tapping lightly.
"What is your problem?" I hissed, taking a step closer. First he interrupted and now he was being an asshole.
"Paul, don't." Abby placed her cool hand on my arm and I turned back to her, taking in her flushed face and swollen lips. There was a slight mark on her collarbone and I smiled, reaching a finger towards it.
"Whoops."
She looked down and frowned before her face flooded with colour and she rushed to a mirror.
"You're an animal." She commented with a chuckle, reaching into her make up bag and patting her collarbone with some sort of translucent powder. It worked and the bite mark was barely noticeable.
"Alright boys, let's go." She slipped her leather jacket on and took my hand, leading me out while staying between Embry and me.
"Give him a break." She muttered to me when he had climbed into the front seat of the car and slammed the door loudly, making Abby jump and me growl in response. I didn't respond well to people scaring her and had gotten into two fights because of it, once with Jacob and once with Seth.
I pulled her against my side as we sat in the back seat of the car and she rested her head against my shoulder, smiling up at me from under her eyelashes. It was a seductive look and if we hadn't been sitting, a look that could drive me to my knees before her. Her eyes were soft in the fading light and her lips looked soft and inviting. I wished we were back at home, holed up in our bedroom. I could almost picture her beneath me, her hair sticking to the sweat on her neck as she arched her body against mine, driving me insane with need as I forced myself to slow down for her sake, so that I could prolong her pleasure.
I shut my eyes against the image and tightened my grip on her body, forcing myself to take deep, calming breaths. She giggled knowingly, her hand resting lightly on my thigh.
"God, can't keep their hands off each other for more than five freaking seconds." Embry's voice was too low for Abby to hear but I heard it perfectly and turned to him with a warning growl. He was not going to make me feel bad about wanting my imprint just because his didn't want him.
"What's wrong?" Abby asked me quietly, picking up on my sudden down turn in mood.
"Embry's being an asshole." I replied darkly, still glaring at the back of his head.
"Hey, asshole, did anyone ever tell you that you collect more flies with honey rather than vinegar?" She raised her voice and glared at Embry when he glanced at her in the rear view mirror.
"What the hell does that mean?" He snapped and my responding growl was louder.
"It means that if you act like a spoilt, bitter child around Alicia she certainly won't be tempted to leave that boyfriend of hers for you."
He was silent as he contemplated her words, his eyes thoughtful as he drove.
"I can't help it." He finally sighed. "It's just… it's tearing me apart. The thought of him near her… touching her; I can't help but want to tear him apart."
"Okay, I get that. Kinda. But you have to put that aside and become the charming, charismatic guy that I know you can be. Show her why she should chose you over him. Oh thank God, we're here. Now Embry listen to me. No brooding, no stalking, no snapping at people in front of her, no glaring, no…"
"Okay, I get the point." For the first time in over a week, there was a smile on Embry's face and his eyes were lit up again.
"Good. Now stick to those rules and maybe, maybe, she'll give you a shot. But don't badmouth her boyfriend. That's a big rule." Abby pointed her finger in Embry's face and I bit back a laugh as he nodded his head earnestly. She gave him a final nod before climbing out of the car.
I followed closely behind her, keeping her small hand encased in my own as we walked in to the bar. Sam and Emily had the place packed out; there was the pack and their imprints along with half the La Push reservation and friends and family had come down from the Makah rez.
"Oh my God, there's Leah and Joseph. I'm going to say hi!" Abby kissed me quickly on the cheek and rushed off to where Leah and her imprint stood beside Alicia. I watched with a smile as she hugged the two girls and stuck her hand out to greet Joseph.
"Hey man, where'd Abby go?"
Embry followed me towards the bar, his eyes shifting to where Abby stood with Alicia every few seconds. I ordered us both a drink and then pulled myself on to a stool and joined him in his staring.
"You know." I said after a few minutes of drinking silently. "I think this might be what Abby meant about stalking."
Embry scowled at me but turned away, pretending to concentrate on Emily and a tall, dark haired girl who looked like her. I saw his eyes dart across the room to Alicia and was suddenly very glad that Abby was mine and I could stalk her without the fear of her calling me a weird freak and banning me from coming near her.
She must have felt my gaze on her because she turned to me with a small smile that I knew was just for me. I felt my skin warm as her gaze slid over me. She licked her lips and suddenly there was too much distance between us. I needed to be closer to her; right next to her; touching her.
I sat my glass on the bar and, ignoring Embry's annoyed "hey, man!" made my way towards Abby. She turned to me as I reached her, her hands sliding up my shirt, cool and soft against my skin. She leant against me, smiling up at me from under her lashes again.
"Come on, let's go see Kim and Jared." I whispered to her. She waved goodbye to Alicia and Leah and followed me across the room.
"When are you singing?" Kim asked as soon as we sat down at their table. Abby shrugged, accepting the drink that Jared pushed towards her.
"Soon, I guess. Mark said he'd drop by with the guitar and we could do a couple of unplugged numbers so I guess I'm waiting on him. Why, you want to get up and sing with me?"
"What me? No! Nuh uh. No chance."
I chuckled as Kim's face turned bright red and she shook her head fiercely. Abby grinned and took another sip of beer as her eyes scanned the small bar.
It was over an hour later before I lifted her onto the stage. She winked at me in thanks and accepted the mic that Mark held out for her, sitting on the stool that Sam had placed onstage for her earlier in the night. Emily had asked her to sing a few weeks ago and Abby had said no, at first, out of loyalty to Leah but, in a surprising turn, Leah had pushed her to agree. It had stunned the entire pack and Leah snapped at anyone who brought it up but it was her who had convinced Abby to do it.
I took my seat at the table again, glaring at an older guy who was commenting on Abby's legs from where she stood behind me. Mark began playing and I relaxed as Abby sang, her familiar voice soothing my nerves. She sat perfectly still, more still than I had ever seen her before, and she kept her eyes on the back of the bar.
(Yeah but) Baby I've been here before
I've seen this room and I've walked this floor, (You know)
I used to live alone before I knew ya
And I've seen your flag on the marble arch
And love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
Well there was a time when you let me know
What's really going on below
But now you never show that to me do ya
But remember when I moved in you
And the holy dove was moving too
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
Well maybe there's a God above,
But all I've ever learned from love
Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew ya
And it's not a cry that you hear at night
It's not somebody whose seen the light
It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
Her voice was perfect, hitting every single note without hesitation. It was almost heartbreaking and I could see Emily's mother had tears in her eyes as she listened. Emily had picked a pretty depressing soundtrack for the evening, Abby had told me with a grimace, but they were some of her favourite songs and Abby hadn't wanted to argue with her. I glanced across the room to see Sam and Emily sitting with each other, her head tucked under his chin as she sang along softly and his hand softly stroking her hair. Leah stood a few feet away, oblivious to what was happening around her as she stared up at Joseph. All around me the pack was settling down, I realised with a smile. Sure, it would be a long time before any of us were ready to stop phasing and give up the wolf sides of our personality but most of had found our mates; we were moving in together, getting read to settle down for the rest of our lives. It as a comforting thought. I no longer thought of myself as an angry freak who was likely to lash out and hurt someone for saying one wrong word to me. I had a purpose in life now… I had my own life now. Abby was the centre of my universe and looking after her was the only thing I was interested in doing from here on out.
I watched intently as she sang song after song, never once slowing down or pausing for longer than a few seconds. Unlike her gigs, there were no short introductions from her between songs, whether it was because Emily didn't want her to say anything or because Abby didn't want to, I didn't know. When she was finally finished, she stood and smiled at the room before turning to say a few words to Mark. Scattered applause broke out as people realised there was no more and the, far inferior, DJ began playing again. Abby climbed off the stage and wandered towards me, stopping briefly to hug Emily and Sam.
"Can we go home now? I'm tired." She whispered against my cheek as I wrapped my arms around her. I nodded and tightened my grip, leading her towards the door.