Author's Note: Thanks for all the great reviews. Sorry this is so late. I had to pack, then drive back to school, then unpack. I then spent the next day running errands and going to three different bookstores just to get all the textbooks I needed. Why they can't all be at one location is beyond me. And at this moment, I am in four layers of clothing and under five blankets. Yesterday while running errands the pipes froze at my house in the middle of the day! And now I have no water or heat. I'm a Florida girl through and through, and the 30 degree weather is killing me with no heat. It's really hard to type when you're fingers feel like ice popsicles. Anyway, my dad is currently driving the 3 hour drive from back home to help me out, or at least to bring the portable space heaters. What I wouldn't give to have a werewolf of my own to warm me up.
Anyway, back to the story. I know most of you wanted Sam, but a few were worried about there being no new material. Some is old, just from Sam's POV, but there is new stuff too, so don't skip over this chapter. Enjoy and I hope you are all warmer than me.
DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer, along with Little, Brown and Company, owns all the rights to the Twilight Saga. I own nothing and profit nothing from this story.
I stood in my wolf form watching Bella get in her truck with the blonde leech. I whined trying to tell her I wanted her to stay, to let me help, to let me be with her. She still left and I ran. I ignored the thoughts of Paul and Jared. I just wanted to go home and pretend today hadn't happened. My worst fears had nearly come true. She knew what I was and she didn't want anything to do with me.
Earlier that day I was trying to not think about Bella being in the bloodsucker's house for her birthday. I was hanging out with the guys and Kim trying to distract myself when I felt the extreme pain in my arm. Immediately I knew my imprint was hurt. Without thinking I jumped up and ran into the woods phasing, ripping my clothes to pieces. Of course Paul and Jared were close behind, wondering what had caused their Alpha to up and leave like I did. I thought going to save her was the right thing to do. It was my instinct to protect her. Leaving the Cullen's, I wasn't so sure. She trusted them, maybe I should have thought it through more before slamming through their front door.
When I reached the woods behind my house I phased and made a quick dash for the back door. I walked to my room and threw on a pair of old cut offs. For a minute I pondered the best thing to do to forget that Bella had seen me as a monster. That she'd walked away from me. I walked into the kitchen to find my refrigerator was empty of beer or any other alcoholic beverage. I threw on a pair of shoes and hopped into my truck. A quick drive and I was in front of the res general store. Checking out, I carried my two twenty-four packs of beer. The cashier told me to enjoy my party with my buddies. I snorted. I guess she didn't realize from the dead look on my face that it was a pity party for one.
Getting home, I opened my first can before even reaching the door. I pulled out six cans and set them on the table, taking the rest to the fridge. I sat down on the couch and started to drink the pain away. Bella walking away hurt like a thousand needles all stuck in my back. The rejection was impossible to handle. A million questions ran through my head. Has she gone back to her leech? Did she really mean it when she said it didn't matter what I was? Did she love me at all? Would I ever get to see her again? Is her arm okay? How is she doing? What is she thinking? I didn't hold much hope of seeing her again or getting any of my answers.
I started thinking back over the memories of us together. That day at Billy's bar-b-que was the best day of my life. Originally I wasn't pleased to her that the leech lover was invited but that all changed with one look into her eyes. I envied Jacob Black as he hugged her, talked to, and stood so close to her. I wanted to go and rip the kid to pieces when he took her to his secluded garage, where I could not longer see her. The only comfort I had was being about to hear her heartbeat. It didn't take long for Billy to give me a knowing smile. I don't know how that man seems to know everything. I was grateful for his intervention to get Charlie to hire me, and then for Bella to cook.
If imprinting was the best day of my life, spending the day doing home repairs with Bella was a close second. I may not have seen what she saw in the bloodsucker, but I knew why he would want her. She was perfect in a non-perfect way. I didn't let the leech showing up ruin my day as a whole. It was sad that I didn't get to spend the following day with my Bella, but the next couple of months were almost heaven. They would have been heaven if I could have been Bella's boyfriend.
I went to the fridge and brought out the rest of the first case. I settled back into my seat again.
But no, Bella didn't need a boyfriend; she, unfortunately, already had one. So I was the best friend I could be, but even then I had to compete with Jacob. I hated having to share my imprint with so many others. Jared didn't see how I could stand it without trying to rip the bloodsucker apart, or at least tell Jacob to shove it. Paul thought I was stupid and whipped. Stupid for imprinting on a leech lover and for not just claiming what was mine. He didn't understand that Bella wasn't a toy to take and piss on for ownership. Whipped for being Bella's little bitch. I did anything and everything she wanted, for the most part, and as Paul would say, I wasn't even 'tapping that'.
I was a guy and I just turned twenty-one, so of course I thought of sex. Though, I certainly wasn't having it, at least not since I broke up with Leah. It really didn't help when I could see Jared sleeping with Kim and Paul with whatever girl would let him. I hated thinking that Bella could be fucking the leech. I didn't think she was, but just the thought alone freaked me out.
I started thinking back to a few days before, Sunday. The day I celebrated Bella's birthday with her. I couldn't have wished for a better day. It was perfect, she was perfect. I took her cliff diving, something that I wouldn't have ever imagined doing with my imprint, if it had turned out to be anyone else. But Bella wanted so badly to go, and it was one thing I could give her that her bloodsucker couldn't and never would let her do. The only way I knew that I could allow her to jump off a cliff, was if she was in my arms securely. Paul was right, I was whipped. The moment I looked into Bella's eyes, I turned into a freaking pussy.
The boys saw it, Kim loved pointing it out. My tough exterior wall I put up was torn down by a petite girl standing at only five feet four inches. I would often catch myself thinking like some middle school girl in braids, instead of a grown man who is Alpha of a freaking pack of werewolves. Like sitting in my house, drinking my miseries away. That wasn't me. That wasn't the type of guy I was. If Leah and I ever fought, even with the mini-break ups, I would always brush them off. I'd go hang out with a few of my buddies or do something. But not with my Bella. Bella had the ability to turn a man into a crying little girl, taking my balls with her.
I wanted to hate her for doing this to me, but I couldn't, not even for a second. She was my imprint, my soul mate, and I'd wait for her forever, because I couldn't live without her. Her leech may be able to offer her a lot in the world, but I could provide her with things the bloodsucker never could. I could give her a family, children, and being able to keep her friends and family. She could keep her soul and mortality. There was an endless list of things we could do together that she couldn't do with Cullen. He couldn't step one foot into the sunlight with witnesses around. No sunny beach days or trips to theme parks, or even something as simple as a bar-b-que. The leech could provide her any material thing in the darkness of night or shade of clouds, but I would be waiting in the sunlight for Bella to realize I could give her the truest things. Life, love, and family.
But then I started to think back to why I was currently on my second case of beer. Waiting would be useless, pointless. She probably wouldn't want to see me again. She saw me at my worst. I ripped her freaking boyfriend's arm off. I knew he would be fine, but she wouldn't see it that way.
I was pretty lost in my thoughts when I heard a knock at the door. I glanced at the clock and saw it was nearing five o'clock. An entire day had passed and I hadn't even realized it. I looked over the door pondering if I really wanted to get up. I was pretty comfortable, and after a full night of drinking and no sleep, the few steps to the door seemed pretty far away. Finally I got up to make sure it wasn't any tribal business. I was depressed, but I still had duties to the tribe. I couldn't wallow in self-pity forever. I opened the door and held on to the door frame for support. I knew I had to be dreaming. I must have passed out without realizing it. There was no other explanation for Bella to be at my door.
"Sam? What happened?" she asked taking in my appearance. I knew I had to look rough.
"Bella," I breathed out, still not sure if I was dreaming.
"Are you okay, Sam?"
"I am now." Dream or not, I was okay if she was with me.
"What?"
"I didn't think I would see you again. I assumed you would hate me."
"Why would I hate you, Sam?" Was she kidding me?
"Well, I lied to you for the past couple of months first off."
"You had a personal secret that you didn't feel I deserved to know, that's your business and your decision. I have no right to be made at you for that. Look, can I come in so we can talk?"
I shook my head feeling stupid, "Of course, sorry. I didn't mean to make you stand in the drizzle."
"It's okay." She walked inside taking a look at my disaster of a living room. Her eyes seemed to be focused on the stack of beer cans. Shit.
"Oh, I'm sorry, again. I was trying to drown my sorrows in beer, and well, it takes an awful lot to get me drunk." There was no need to try and even lie, I knew it was impossible.
"You really thought I would push you out of my life," she asked incredulously.
"Yeah, I did," I said picking up the cans and taking them to the kitchen. She followed me in there.
"Sam, I already told you that I don't care about what mythical creatures people are. It doesn't matter to me. You are all people to me based on who you are, rather than what you are."
"You're too understanding, Bella. Did you not see me rip his arm off? I wanted him dead." She didn't say anything as she walked over to me quickly. Looking over me for injuries she spoke.
"I did see, and I've seen it reattached, so no harm done. But what about you? Are you okay? There was a lot of blood yesterday."
"I'm fine, I heal fast."
"Part of the werewolf thing?" I nodded. "Okay, so now that you know that I know, can you explain it to me a little better? I'm a little fuzzy on the details."
"Sure, I'll tell you anything. Where do you want me to begin?"
"Oh, I don't know, how about the beginning?" I gave her a small smile.
"Okay, but from the beginning is a long story." I warned her.
"Well, it's a good thing it's Friday night and I don't have a curfew any longer, what with being eighteen and all."
I went into the beginning, how I changed and was missing. Coming back, the boys phasing, imprinting, Leah, and then her, my Bella.
"…Then I went over to Billy's house for a bar-b-que. And my life forever changed."
"Mine, too," she said softly, "but how so for you?"
"I met you, Bella."
"I'm not that special, Sam. Meeting me is not a life altering event." She couldn't have been more wrong. I shook my head.
"It was for me."
"Why?" This was it, the big moment. I was scared to death that she'd get up and leave. I took a deep breath.
"Because I imprinted." Her eyebrows pulled together and her lips made a straight line.
"Oh, that's nice," she said looking away. I didn't understand her reaction. "Who is she?" Is she serious? Did she not notice that I didn't take my eyes off her that day? And if I imprinted on someone else, why would I spend all my free time with her?
"Bella, you're joking, right?" She was a smart girl, there was no way she couldn't know it was her. She still wouldn't look at me.
"You're right, I don't want to know. I guess Edward had nothing to worry about." What?
"What does that mean?"
"He was worried that since we broke up that I would start dating you. I guess he never read in your mind that you already have a girlfriend, a soul mate." She broke up with the leech. That was the greatest thing I'd ever heard. Now I just had to set her straight.
"I don't have a girlfriend, Bella."
"Why not? How could she not want you?"
"Until recently she was interested in someone else."
"She's stupid then." I couldn't help but laugh. She had absolutely no clue she was talking about herself. How could Bella not see how much I loved her?
"No, she's not stupid, she just- well, honestly I don't know what that pretty little head of hers was thinking."
"You said recently, so she's single now, right? So are you going to make your move now?"
"Should I?"
"Sure, why not? I mean, if she doesn't see what's in front of her, then maybe she doesn't really deserve you." The whole conversation she spent looking out the window. I pulled her face toward me gently with one hand. She closed her eyes as her head turned. I could see the tears spill out and roll down her cheeks. I wiped them away with my other hand. I held her face in between my hands and she kept her eyes closed. I leaned down and lightly brushed my lips against hers. I felt a small shock, and she gasped at the touch. She opened her eyes wide looking at me with questions. I leaned back down and captured her lips with more force. She instantly kissed me back with fervor. I pulled her closer to me, tasting her sweet flavor of strawberries and vanilla. I was getting lost in the kiss. Just as I traced her lower lip with my tongue she pulled away sharply.
"Stop," she panted. "We can't, you can't."
"Yes, we can," I said trying to pull her back to me. I wasn't done tasting her, exploring her.
"No. What about your imprint?" Bella truly amazed me sometimes and other times she left me flabbergasted. I laughed a bit but stopped at the glare she was shooting me.
"Bella, don't you see, there's no other girl."
"What?" she asked confused. "You said you imprinted."
"I did. I imprinted at Billy's bar-b-que, where the only girl there that I'd never seen since phasing, was you."
"What?" she said in a small voice.
"Bella, I imprinted on you. You're my soul mate. You're the only one I want. You're the one I'd wait until my dying breath for."
"What?" I was beginning to wonder if she was on repeat.
"Bella, say something else, please."
"Me?" I sighed, it was a start.
"Yes, you."
"Oh my," she said looking back out the window. After a minute she quickly looked back at me. "Really, I mean, me? I'm nothing special. I've seen Leah, she's gorgeous, why would you want me over her?"
"You really don't see yourself correctly. You are the most beautiful person I've ever seen. And Leah was great, I admit that, but there were certain things that never really clicked with us. I click completely with you. I want you. No, that's not right. I need you, Bella."
"So I'm the stupid girl?" I smiled at my Bella.
"I already told you that she wasn't stupid. You were just indecisive. I mean you still spent all that time with. I'm sure that the leech wasn't happy about it and you still did."
"He hated it, but he knew I wouldn't give up my friendship with you, so he put up with it." I nodded, oddly knowing how he felt. She looked at me for a few minutes like she was trying to figure out who I was. The silence was beginning to make me feel jittery, especially under her attentive eye.
"So…what are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking I don't feel so awful for always thinking about you when I was with Edward. It wasn't really my fault, and I wasn't such a bad girlfriend after all. I was just the girlfriend of the wrong guy."
"So you're okay with this, with me imprinting on you?"
"Yes, I more than okay with it. I'm relieved. I don't have to give you up. And I don't have to give my life up to be happy."
"No, you don't. I would never ask you to something like that. You can have a complete life, with anything you want to happen. If I'm able, I'll give you anything you want. Just ask."
"There is one thing…" she said smiling.
"What's that, Bella?"
"Kiss me," she breathed out. I smiled broadly.
"Happily."