I told you I'd be back with chapter 18 asap. And here it is. Still made me cry, so warning: DO NOT READ IN CLASS. I thought I should put warnings on these things now because so many of you told me you went to class sobbing. I don't want to be blamed for you missing classes. But hey, this is a happier chapter. Most authors would have tried waiting for a couple more chapters, but I found I just didn't have that kind of time-frame in the story for it. You'll understand.

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Please Enjoy!

CadenPOV

A couple hours later, Shelby managed to pry herself from her dead mate's side. Her face was blotchy and stained with tears as she'd reached for her son. Leah and Sue had come down with her, helping to support her and each other. Leah came straight for me, and her mother went to Charlie's arms. He'd also been crying.

Jacob's goodbye, other than Shelby's, had been by far the worst to hear. He'd cried, screamed, roared, and cried some more. Nessie had come back down the stairs, arms wrapped around her torso, looking helpless as Jacob finally broke down.

The whole way back, he'd been silent, totally locked down. Finally, he'd let it all out here. Now, he was sitting on the floor, Nessie curled up in his lap. I was sitting at Leah's feet. She and Sue were sitting on each side of Shelby. Shelby had just finished feeding Brayden, who was now snoozing in her arms. Every time she looked at him, her eyes glassed over and she cried into his blanket.

When she'd come down, I'd smelled blood on her. Either she'd hurt herself outside or it was from laying on Seth's body, or something else altogether. Now, I gave Edward a questioning glance. He held up his palm and made a slicing motion over it.

She cut herself? I thought.

He nodded.

In the struggle?

Frowning, he shook his head.

So she'd purposely cut herself. I saw Edward's nod. How odd. Why would she do that?

A whooshing sounded through the house. Many of the wolves were taking turns in the shower. Esme had been kind enough to once again open her home to us. Walker was the one in the shower now. Christa and Haleigh were in the hallway across from the door so that they were there when he came out. Haleigh had been calling them her mommy and daddy all night, not daring to stop touching them. She was old enough to understand that something tragic had happened, that the pack had fought and had lost someone special.

The whooshing sounded again just as Walker opened the bathroom door. I frowned again. The water wasn't running. Maybe it was the drainage system.

Gently moving Nessie from his lap, Jacob stood up and cleared his throat. "Shelby, I'm going to tell the packs to go home for a couple hours, to see their families and get presentable. Is that okay?"

She nodded without seeing the room. Her eyes were unfocused, glassed over, and emotionless. She'd handed Brayden over to Leah.

"I want to know what happened, Jacob. When you come back."

He nodded. "Of course." Giving me a look as he passed, he went for the front door to make his announcement. Everybody in the living room stayed, the people closest to Seth and their loved ones.

I hadn't cried over Seth's loss even though it touched me deeply. Seth had been a good man, a great father, and a selfless warrior.

A moment later, Jacob was back and sat in front of Shelby on the sturdy coffee table. Leaning forward, elbows on his knees, he took Shelby's hands in his.

For a moment, all he could do was swallow hard over and over, beating down the emotions of being near his fallen packmate's wife. Dirt and blood were still caked over his skin, some wounds still seeping blood. But he had refused to shower first. He'd sent the pack first.

"Jacob, just tell me. I'm empty, hurting, paralyzed all at once. And I need to know what happened. We all do. Not just with...him, but all of you."

He nodded. "I know." He had to clear his throat to continue. "We made it up there. It was quiet, nothing moving in the house. Edward, Jasper, and I went inside. Blood was everywhere, furniture overturned, glass broken. A fight." His voice was as emotionless as hers. "While we were in there, Edward heard thoughts, coming toward us, fast. And not friendly. They surrounded us. Lower members of the Volturi's guard. And Nyla was there as well. Edward caught the thought that Alec had sent them, knowing we'd be up there looking for our relatives."

"How did they know that?" Shelby asked, proving that she was indeed paying attention.

"They figured that the prisoners would eventually talk. And Nicolai did," Edward answered her. "Jane had Tristan and the others pulled from the house. When the Denalis arrived home at the wrong time, they'd taken them, too."

"What happened next?" she whispered.

"We fought. We had no choice. They'd been given orders to destroy us. Badly outnumbered, we were losing. They were driving us toward the cliff of the mountain. One of them jumped me, arm around my throat. I couldn't shake him. Another vamp had appeared in front of me, was going for my throat, when...when Seth jumped in front of me. I knew, as soon as h-he hit the ground, I knew. Someone pulled the vamp off my back, but it was too late. Too much blood."

Shelby's eyes closed in pain, tears starting up again. She swallowed hard. "Did...did you kill the bastard?"

"I did. I ripped him apart limb from limb. He felt all of it."

"Good," she whispered.

"How did you get out alive?" Nessie asked softly, stepping up behind her man to rub his shoulders.

Leah's fingers played in my hair and I reached up to grip her fingers and press a kiss to her knuckles. I'd missed her something terrible, had worried for every second that I was gone about her. She looked awful and not just from grief, but from her own worry. She'd lost weight and had dark circles under her eyes. No food or sleep. And now with her brother gone, I'd have to force her to do both.

Another whoosh sounded throughout the house. Again, I frowned. Maybe another wolf had snuck in for a shower. Edward's shake of the head registered from the corner of my eyes.

Do you hear it?

He nodded with his own frown. And then his eyes went to the ceiling.

Jacob was talking again, and my concentration shifted.

He'd taken his wife's hand and pulled it around to his chest, her wrist pressed to his lips. "Another pack saved us. The one I told Caden to call. Emma and Calahan with their two hundred and fifty plus wolves. They just came too late. The battle was easily won, and...here we are."

"Where are they?"

"I sent them down to my pack," Walker said from behind the couch. "And speaking of them, I need to get down there. This grieving should be for family anyway." Bending over the couch, he pressed a kiss to Shelby's cheek. "Love you, girl. We'll be back before the two hours is up."

"Absolutely," Christa said, giving her own kiss.

"Thank you," Shelby whispered. "Both of you."

"Bye, Miss Shelby," Haleigh said sadly as she gripped her parents' hands.

"Bye, sweetheart. See you later."

When they were gone, Jacob stood up. "I'm sorry, but I need a shower. I...I need to be clean." He pulled Nessie with him. "You mind?"

She shook her head. "Not at all." But before they went, she reached forward for Shelby's face, cradling her gently between her hands, and kissed her forehead. "I love you so much, honey. If you need to stay at our place, it's open to you."

"Thank you," Shelby choked out. "I love you, too. Both of you. I'm glad you're home safe, Jacob."

It was a challenge and Jacob knew it. He'd, not purposely, disregarded Seth's sacrifice earlier. So he knew to step carefully.

He nodded. "Thank you. I owe Seth my life, and since he's...no longer here, I will give you and Brayden my all. Anything you need."

Shelby started crying, gripping Nessie's hands. "I just need you to take care of my girl, okay? Love her with the time that Seth gave you."

Now Nessie started crying as Shelby let go of her and Jacob pulled her into his body. "I will. I won't take it for granted."

Sitting back against the cushions, Shelby looked utterly exhausted. "Good. That's good."

Without another word, they went for the bathroom, leaving the room quiet. Except for the whooshing sound. Jacob hadn't started the water in the shower yet. I didn't hear it hitting the glass doors. It came again, and this time, a loud thump accompanied it.

What the hell? Nobody else but Edward seemed to be able to hear it, or they were just too caught up in their grief. Looking over to Edward, I saw him jerk his head toward the stairs.

Standing up, I kissed Leah's forehead. "I'll be back, luv. I have my own goodbyes to attend to."

"You want me to come with you?"

I shook my head. "You've gone through enough right now. Save your strength for the pyre and stay with Shelby." Brayden was still asleep in her arms, and in that moment, I wanted more than anything to give her a child. But all this wasn't over yet.

With all my strength, I wrenched away from her to follow Edward up the stairs. Once we were up in the hallway and in front of the closed door that led to Seth's body, he turned to me, speaking softly.

"You asked why Shelby would cut herself. She sliced her palm and then Seth's to mix their blood. She wanted part of her to burn with him."

Another whoosh and thump echoed, but louder. Each time was spread out from the other but it was also a rhythm. Not sporadic at all like I'd originally thought.

"She mingled their blood?"

He nodded.

And then it dawned on me, a memory that I could barely believe surfacing. My eyes widening, I pushed past him and into the room. Seth's body was motionless on the bed, but something seemed off. I'd been one of the men to bring his body up here and I remembered every detail. But what was it that bothered me?

Whoosh. Thump. But much louder, painfully loud.

"What are you thinking?" Edward asked.

"The infection. Shelby's infected."

"But could it do that type of regeneration? His body is dead and has been for a day and half."

Moving into the room, I went to stand over Seth's body. "That's true, but in all the myths and legends I've read and heard, the soul takes three days to leave. It hangs around the body, just in case I guess. Nobody knows why."

He quirked an eyebrow. "And you believe in that?"

I shrugged. "I've seen it, actually."

We were still whispering, hoping that nobody heard us, especially Shelby. That's why I'd told them that I was saying my goodbyes. Maybe they wouldn't eavesdrop.

"What do you mean you've seen it?"

"It was a test. A pack leader had lost his human son. Two days after the death, he decided to try to infect the boy, to see what happened. At first, there was nothing. But at the end of the third day, the heart started pumping seemingly erratically, the blood rushing through the veins in different rhythms. And then the lungs kicked in, spreading oxygen. The boy's wounds started sealing up, chest moving with breaths. It was the weirdest thing I've ever seen."

"If we were to go with that timeline, we wouldn't be seeing or hearing the changes now. It would be another day or so."

I shook my head. "Not necessarily."

"What do you mean?"

"The father and son were not imprints. Shelby is Seth's imprint. And Seth is Shelby's true mate. That could make a huge difference."

The one-two noise echoed in the room again.

Going to a cabinet, Edward took out a stethoscope. Leaning over Seth, he pressed the metal piece to his chest, the earpieces where they needed to be. I stayed as quiet as I could, trying to slow my own heartbeat and breathing.

A couple minutes passed.

Then, whoosh, thump.

Edward's eyes flicked to mine.

JPOV

Numb, paralyzed. Two great words to describe me. The loss of Seth, the man I considered a younger brother, broke my soul, just shattered it. I'd told him no brave, stupid shit, but he hadn't listened. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw those fingers digging into his flesh, ripping his throat, shredding his skin.

"Jacob?" Nessie said, shaking me a little. When I opened my eyes, she said, "You whimpered."

Once we'd gotten in the shower together, I'd completely stopped functioning altogether. She'd been the one to scrub me clean, scrubbing out the wounds. When that vamp had been latched onto me, I'd truly thought I'd never see her again. I'd even said goodbye to her in my head.

"I love you," I choked out.

Her chocolate gaze met mine with tears shimmering. "Oh, Jacob." She wrapped her arms around my waist, ear to my chest over my heart. "I love you, too."

"I meant what I said. I'll love you for every second that Seth gave me. And I will take care of Shelby and Brayden."

She stroked my back. "I know, baby. We both will."

There was a knock on the door.

"Jacob, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I need to speak with you."

If you didn't know him the way I did, you wouldn't have been able to hear the urgency in that otherwise calm voice.

Clearing my throat, I said, "Sure. Give me a sec."

I had to be strong. I was alpha and had already had my tantrum. It was time to grow my balls back. Reaching around her, I turned off the water and grabbed two towels. She'd managed to bring in a clean pair of sweats for me.

Soon enough, we were dressed and meeting Edward in the hallway. He gave us a sad smile. "Hey, sweetheart," he said to Ness.

"Daddy," she said moving into his embrace. "I missed you."

"And I missed you."

"What did you need?"

His gaze met mine. "Actually, I need to speak with Jacob. Alone."

Ness pulled back. "Oh. Ok." She went up on her tiptoes to press a kiss to my lips. "I'll just sit with Shelby."

I nodded. "Sounds like a good idea. Let me know if she needs anything."

"I will."

With one last smile to both of us, she went into the living room.

"What's up, Edward?"

"Upstairs."

Frowning, I followed him up the stairs and into the room that Seth's body was lying in. Looking at him hurt, the wounds on him meant for me.

"What?" I snapped.

Caden was grinning.

"What are you grinning at?"

Edward put his finger to his lips in the universal "shhh" signal.

"Jacob," Caden whispered. "I think Seth has a chance."

"What are you talking about?" I hissed out angrily. If this was a joke-

"It's not, Jacob. Hear him out," Edward interrupted my internal threat.

Caden went around to the far side of the medical bed. "Yes, Seth is gone. No pulse or breath. True. However, I want you to listen. When you hear it, I'll explain."

He went quiet and I was left listening to his breathing and heartbeat. That was it for a good minute.

I shook my head. "Look, I don't know what you're-"

Suddenly, it felt like wind rushing through my ears. And then a loud thump, like something was on the roof. But the roof was another story up.

"What was that?"

Caden and Edward both grinned.

"It's Seth's body," Caden said.

"What are you talking about? How?"

Reaching across Seth's body, Caden flipped over his right hand, palm up. There was a neat slice in the center stained with blood.

"Ok, he was cut. So what?"

"He was sliced. By Shelby. And she sliced herself."

Crossing my arms, I shook my head. "And?"

"She gave him her infection." He said that it explained everything.

It didn't.

"Look, you better start talking in full sentences and explanations or I'm going to rip you apart. You're testing what little patience I still have."

"Shh," he hissed. Apparently, they didn't want anybody else hearing this conversation.

The sound happened again, my head echoing with it. It was freaking loud.

Caden gave Edward a look. "Alright, I'll tell you what I told Edward. Think to all those books you've read about vampires. Three days. It takes three days to create a vampire. It's because of the soul. Once a person dies, the soul stays around for three days. Seth has only been gone a little over a day."

"You're saying his soul is still here?"

"According to legend, yes. Now, before you yell at me about legends, let me again tell you what I told your dear father-in-law. A few years ago, after Alora's death, I witnessed something I never believed could happen. A pack leader resurrected his human son by mingling their blood, thus infecting the boy. I saw this, Jacob. The boy was two days dead. And then his blood started rushing through his veins. The heart followed, one beat every two minutes so, irregular. Next were the lungs. Everything started backwards. Usually, it's the heart, then the blood, then the lungs. Or lungs then blood. I don't know, but the heart is always first. Except for in this instance. It was all backwards. The infection in the blood forced the liquid to start moving what little oxygen was left in it. Once the infected blood reached the heart, it started it back up. Once that happened, the blood pumped and the infection reached the lungs, reviving them. The infection must have a built-in enzyme to keep it alive in the host. I just didn't think it would work with two different werewolves, or two werewolves at all."

"No brain damage?"

Caden shook his head. "The boy was fine. Same as he'd always been."

Ok, the anger in me was subsiding under the weight of all he'd just told me. The sound had happened two more times while he had been talking. And I'd noticed a stethoscope around Edward's neck. Edward wouldn't have backed up Caden unless he'd heard the sounds from Seth's body himself.

Caden showed the palm cut once more. "Don't you get it? Shelby mixed her blood with Seth's. It's starting up his blood, his heart. It's going to repair the worst of the damage. But-"

"But what?" I asked sharply.

His grin died and left him with a sober expression. "But I don't think the cut offered enough blood. That's why his heart is still slow."

"So he needs more infected blood. Why don't you give it to him?"

He shook his head. "It needs to be Shelby."

"Why?"

"She's his imprint. Her blood in him would make the biggest impact. And having his family close. Nobody realizes the energy they give off. But when we're hurt, we're sensitive to it. We know who's around us."

"What do you think, Edward?"

His gaze was very direct. "I think Shelby's the type of woman who would try anything to bring her son's father back to him."

I nodded. "Ok. Let's get Carlisle up here and I'll get Shelby."

Immediately, Carlisle was in the room as I was walking out. Going down the stairs, I wondered how I'd get her back in that room. Guess I'd find out.

When I got down there, I had a moment of panic when I didn't see Nessie. But then she raised her head from Shelby's lap and my heart started beating again. Going up behind the couch, I touched Shelby's shoulder so I wouldn't scare her and bent down to her ear. Hopefully the others would get the hint and not try to listen in.

"Caden, Edward, and I need you upstairs in the room," I breathed.

She pulled away from me to stare at me through a frown. "What?"

I leaned in again. "I know you've said your goodbyes and are trying to let go, but I'm begging you. I wouldn't ask this of you if I didn't think it was important. Please, Shelby."

Her frown lessened as she studied me. And then she nodded. "Ok. Can Ness come?"

"Of course."

Both women stood up and excused themselves. Everybody watched as I followed them up the stairs. Once we were all in the room, Caden went through his listening/explanation routine once more. Shelby had clapped a hand over her mouth to prevent the sob from being heard downstairs. She was sitting in the chair beside the bed. Her tears had started back up at the sight of him. She'd stroked Seth's hair as Caden talked.

"And you think this will work?" she whispered.

"I think it's worth a shot, luv. The process has already started. That much we've established. You just heard it yourself. And the timeline is good. Shelby, darling, look at his coloring. His skin is no longer pallid, lips no longer pale. But we don't have much time."

She looked back to me where I was standing behind her chair then to the other men. Eventually, she picked up Seth's lifeless, but no longer pale, hand to kiss his knuckles.

"Let's do it. Let's try."

In moments, she was repositioned and set up for a direct transfusion. She never once let go of Seth's hand. Nessie grabbed a seat and held her other one. Carlisle attached clips and such to Seth. The flatline of the heart monitor had been like rubbing salt in the deep hole inside me. It must have been worse for Shelby.

Until that first thump registered.

She teared up again and Nessie gripped her hand hard. I sat on the floor beside the girls' chairs, forearms on my knees and waited.

And prayed. Not sure to who, but I prayed to whatever god was out there that this worked, that a newborn son would not lose his father this early.

The Next Morning

ShelbyPOV

Quite a few hours and a sour stomach later, I was jolted out of light sleep by a constant beeping of the heart monitor and dawn seeping through the curtains. Edward and Carlisle were no longer in the room. They'd taken out the transfusion tube while I'd been out apparently because it wasn't there anymore. Nessie and Jacob were curled up in what had started off as Nessie's chair, her hand still wrapped around mine. Caden was curled up in the corner.

Groggily, I sat up. When I'd passed out, the monitor hadn't been going that fast, hadn't sounded normal. Swallowing hard, not daring to hope, I looked over at Seth.

And nearly sobbed in joy.

His eyes were moving under his eyelids. Reaching up, I stroked his warm forehead.

Wait. Warm?

Clutching at his hand, I realized mine was sweating in his palm.

"Oh, my god," I whispered. I squeezed Nessie's hand, shaking it. "Wake up. Nessie! Wake up!"

She jolted in Jacob's lap, which then woke him up.

"Shelbs?"

"His skin is warm," I breathed.

Now they both sat up. "What?" Jacob asked.

The tears I'd tried to hold back fell over the edge. "His skin is warm. Eyes moving under his lids. And listen? His heart rate. It sounds normal." I didn't know how to read the brain activity monitor, so through my tears, I managed to yell, "Carlisle! Edward!"

They rushed in quickly and shut the door. Carlisle came over to read the monitors. Caden had woken up and come to stand next to us.

"I don't believe it," Carlisle breathed. He looked at Edward in amazement. "It worked. It actually worked."

I sagged and sobbed in joy. Though he wasn't awake, his heart was beating once more.

Carlisle put a finger just under his nose. "And he's breathing on his own." He looked to Caden. "Did it work this fast before?"

"Once the heart started beating, yes. But they'd used more blood at first. I think it would have worked faster this time had it been transferred through more than a cut. However, I don't think it would have worked by just a cut with the father and son. I think it worked this time because of the imprint."

In silence, we all stared at Seth. His beautiful chest was moving up and down of its own accord, eyes roaming beneath his lids. And before my eyes, the deepest of the wounds, the worst of them, began to knit up. It was like watching a flower bloom. You actually didn't see it, but every time you looked back it was just a little more flared out. In this case, the wounds were just a little more closed every time.

Standing up, I leaned as far over him as I could, and put my lips to his ear. "That's it, baby. Heal. Take your time, just don't let your heart stop. I can't say goodbye again." I kissed his cheek, warm tears landing on his skin, and turned to everybody. "I need to tell Leah and Sue. They have to know. And Brayden...Seth needs him close."

Caden nodded. "I think that's a good idea, luv. And it should be you."

I started for the door, but then remembered something and turned around. "Carlisle, before I go, what about the brain waves? I mean, I don't want to give them false hope."

He just smiled at me. "Healthier by the second. His body just needs time to heal itself. Maybe another transfusion in a couple days."

My chest loosened just a little more as I raced down the stairs, a smile threatening to break my face. When I hit the bottom floor, jumping a few steps, everybody turned to look at me. And then they gave me concerned looks like they thought I'd lost my mind. I kind of had with joy.

"Shelby?" Sue said, getting up from the couch. "Honey, are you okay?"

"I'm perfect," I said, taking Brayden from Alice and spinning him in the air.

"What?" Leah asked sharing a confused look with her mother.

"I'm perfect...because Seth is alive."

All eyes widened and snapped to me.

"What did you just say?" Leah demanded, getting to her feet.

"Seth is alive, Leah. Listen. Just listen for the monitors."

Everybody froze as they listened. How they hadn't heard it before baffled me.

After a long moment, Leah looked at me once more. "Those are on Seth?"

I nodded, holding out one of my hands. "I swear it. My infected blood saved him. Come on. I'll show you. Sue, you, too."

It took a second, but then both women hustled up the stairs with me, Leah's hand in mine. Brayden was awake and gurgling in my arms. As one unit, we busted through the door. Nessie, Jacob, and the others were standing to the side proving that all the monitors were indeed on Seth. Someone had elevated Seth's upper body so he was reclining.

All the monitors were chirping happily, none of them giving off the shrill alarms that being attached to a dead person would cause. Leah and her mother shared a look before they clasped hands and slowly started forward. One took one side of the bed while the other went around to the opposite side. They both did their own inspections, placing their palms over Seth's heart, taking his pulse, feeling him breathe the way Carlisle had.

Tears flowing down her face, Sue looked to Carlisle. "How?" she asked simply.

Calmly and slowly, he went through the same explanation that Caden had with me while I cradled my son. He was grinning up at me, gripping some of my hair in his little hand. He looked so much like Seth that my heart constricted with both joy and relief.

Feeling that someone was standing in front of me, I looked up to find both Sue and Leah standing before me, tears freely flowing.

"You did this," Sue whispered. "You brought my son back to me." She crushed my free side to her hard. "Thank you. God, thank you so much."

Once she let me go, Leah stepped up. "Mom, take Brayden."

Frowning, I let Sue hold her grandson.

As soon as he safely away from me, Leah wrapped her arms around me and lifted me up, twirling me around, her face buried in my shoulder.

"You have no idea how much you've saved this family. How much you mean to us. Thank you. My baby brother means the world to me even though I don't show it enough. You've given me a second chance to be a better sister."

When she put me down, I held my hands on her shoulders. "Leah, you've always been a good sister. But thank you. Once Caden told me about this, I knew I had to try."

"Thank God you did," Sue said, cradling Brayden. "Now this precious boy will have his father back."

She handed him back to me and I went for the bed. Holding Brayden up, he gripped my neck and looked down at Seth.

"Who is that?" I asked him, playfully. "Is that daddy?"

He grinned and giggled.

Sitting down, I sat Brayden on the bed beside his father, leaning him back against Seth's side between his arm and body. Remarkably enough, that skin was smooth and unmarred. As Seth's hand touched his son, his fingers jerked. I looked up to Carlisle to see if he saw it, too.

He nodded with a grin. "Having Brayden here will help him. And you. In just the past few minutes, his vitals have improved significantly." Looking at Edward, he said, "There's nothing more we can do right now except wait. Why don't we give the family some privacy."

Edward nodded and they all started to troop out. Jacob stepped up to the other side of the bed and smoothed Seth's hair back.

"You heal up, buddy. You have a family to take care of, a son to raise. I'm here. You saved my life and I'm still here. Thank you." Jacob gently pressed his lips to Seth's forehead. "You're the best brother I've ever had."

As Jacob pulled away, Seth's eyelids fluttered, but didn't open.

"Shelbs, you call me if you need anything, okay? We won't be far."

I nodded. "Thank you, Jacob. For everything."

Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to my forehead. "I love you, Shelby."

"I love you, too, Jake."

Nessie and Jake said their goodbyes to everyone else before heading out. Caden ducked out as well even though I told him to stay with Leah like he wanted.

The three of us sat around the bed, each of us touching Seth, stroking his skin, murmuring to him. Brayden kept reaching forward to grip Seth's forefinger. Every time he did, the other fingers twitched.

He knew his son was here, and he was fighting to come back to us.

RPOV

Complete and utter shock. So much was happening so fast. They'd come back with nothing but Seth's lifeless body, and now, just mere hours later, that same lifeless body was inflated with animation once more.

Jacob and I walked slowly up to the house hand in hand in the dull dawn light. We hadn't gotten much sleep in that chair, and Jacob was exhausted. There was no way he could protect anyone until he got some sleep. Shelby and the others were being watched over by the others. They'd be okay long enough.

Once we reached the house, Jacob shut the door behind us, fiddled with the alarm system and went straight for the stairs that led to the bedroom. No lights were turned on as he took my hand, pulling me with him. Cricket and Trey weren't anywhere around. More than likely they were with Aunt Alice.

At the bottom of the stairs, he stripped out of his sweats and then proceeded to strip me down to my underwear.

"I can't process any more until I get some sleep. I can barely handle this right now."

We crawled into bed, and my body sighed, somehow knowing it was home. Jacob's body popped and creaked as he settled down into the pillows and plush mattress cover. As soon as he landed, he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me into his body. In just two days, I had forgotten how very big he was. His huge body cradled mine, warming me to my bones.

"The moment I saw all those vampires, I thought I'd never get this again. I thought we were all dead."

I stroked his chest. Some of the deeper wounds were still healing. At least they'd healed enough to scab over. "Shh, don't think about that anymore. You're home. Seth is miraculously breathing again. Brayden has his father. Haleigh has hers. And I am here in your arms."

Reaching up, I unclasped the chain to release his ring. The moment it was free, he held his left hand up so I could slide it on his ring finger.

He sighed. "God, I missed that thing."

Now that we were alone and reunited in private, I let my tears for him fall.

"Hey, Ness, don't cry, baby. Please, don't cry. You know it kills me."

"I know," I sobbed. "But I just can't help it. I was so worried, and when I saw the group carrying Seth, I thought it was you at first. For that split-second, my entire world died, just exploded." My sobs increased because I felt like the worst person ever. "When I saw you, I was so thankful. And I feel terrible about that."

His big, warm hands stroked my back. I'd missed this so much. "Baby, don't feel terrible. It's natural to be relieved about something like that. And to feel guilty. That doesn't make you a bad person."

"Just let me cry. I need to cry and not talk."

He let out a chuckle. "Ok, sweetie. Cry your heart out. I'm right here."

And cry I did. Not sure how long, but I knew my face was splotchy and red, his skin was dripping, and the sheets under us were soaked. Talk about a headache when I woke up.

But I'd take waking up with a headache from crying over Jacob being alive than the alternative any day.

TriciaPOV

Embry had insisted on going back down to his house. We'd walked with Walker and Christa part of the way even though we didn't talk much with the new family. Walker was more interested in his adoptive daughter and new wife, though he had talked with Embry a bit about taking care of me. Of course, Embry had agreed.

We'd laid in bed the rest of the night, just curled around each other. Dawn had come and gone, birds chirping out in the woods. Everything was quiet except for Embry's heartbeat in my ear.

Happy Birthday to me! I thought sarcastically. I sighed heavily with a snort tagging along on the end.

Embry's hand stroked up my arm. "You ok?"

"Yeah."

"Liar."

"And?"

Chuckling, I felt him put his lips to my ear. "And happy birthday."

Going up on my elbow, I stared at him. "You remembered?"

He frowned. "Of course I did. It's all I could really think about. Even fighting." I thought he was finished but then he whispered, "For a few minutes, I thought I'd have to miss it."

The sadness in his voice clenched my heart like a vice. "Well, you didn't. That's all that matters."

Just then my phone rang. Mom.

Sighing, I rolled over to the bedside table on my side to grab my phone.

"Hey, Mom."

"Happy Birthday, sweetie."

I smiled at her infectious joy. "Thanks."

"Are you coming home?"

I looked up at Embry. "Um, something happened, Mom. He didn't get in until late, and he wanted to spend some alone time with me today."

Her joy deflated slightly. "Oh, well, um…"

"I'll be home later tonight. I promise. But I can't promise to stay the night. Embry was hurt on his trip. We'll definitely be over tomorrow though. Christa and Walker as well. It'll be a family thing."

Joy reinflation successful. "Ok, dear. That sounds wonderful. I'll tell your father to play nice."

That made me laugh. "Yeah, right. And pigs fly. It'll be like any other family get-together with in-laws."

A choking sound came over the phone and I realized my slip while Embry's eyes widened.

"In-laws?" Mom asked. "Is there something I need to know?"

I tried to laugh it off. "It's a figure of speech, Mom."

"Oh, ok," she said cheerfully. "Well, we'll be looking for you tonight, honey. Have fun with Embry. Tell him I hope he feels better."

Either I pulled it off or she was a better liar than I was.

"Ok, I will. I'll tell him. Thanks, Mom. Love you."

"Love you, too, sweetie."

Hanging up, I put the phone back and then looked at Embry. "You hear that?"

He nodded. "She's sweet."

"Yeah, she is. I'd ask you to come tonight, but I bet you're tired."

"I will be."

I cocked an eyebrow as he reached for me. Gripping my hips, he swung me up so that I was straddling his.

Reaching up, he laced our fingers together. "Sorry I didn't get you anything for your birthday."

Laughing I shook my head. "You home and safe is the best gift ever. I stayed here the whole time, you know."

His eyebrows met his hairline. "Really?"

I nodded. "There was no way I could sit there with a fake smile with all the other women."

His hands suddenly let go of mine, and I was forced to fall forward. Reaching out, I grabbed the iron bars of the headboard.

"What was that for? If we'd butted heads, I would have been in a coma."

He chuckled but reached up to the first button on the shirt of his I was wearing. Once he popped that one, he moved to the next. And then the next, revealing the first inch of cleavage.

My breath caught. "What are you doing?" I gasped out.

He sat up without any help from his hands and bit the side of my neck, not hard. Just a nibble, but it was enough.

"You're eighteen, now," he said against my skin, fingers still working the buttons. "And you belong to me. That means I get to take you, to mark you."

My head fell back, loose on my neck. "Yes, please."

Lips back on my skin, he moved them up and down my throat, not kissing, but skimming ever so lightly. And then down, down to the opening of the shirt. At my breasts, he nuzzled the fabric aside and grazed his teeth over the side of my breast. Hands sliding from his shoulders to the base of his skull, I pushed his head closer to me, his mouth harder on my flesh. He took the hint and actually nipped at my breast.

As he nipped and licked my skin, I felt him wriggled underneath me. A moment later, the sound of something hitting floor, something like clothes. He'd taken off his sweats. The thought that the barest hint of a blanket and my soaked panties separated my core from his hard length had me groaning, the panties soaking through even more.

Growling against me, his fingers slid up my back until they hit the clasp of the bra. It was a strapless because I'd been wearing a tank yesterday. I got hot when I grocery shopped. So the moment he unhooked it, it fell from my body to land across my thighs. He growled again and dove back under the shirt, this time, his teeth taking in more of me. My nails dug into his back.

Eventually, his hands came up to slide along my collar bones and pushed the shirt off my shoulders. I shrugged the rest of the way out if it when his hands started down toward my breasts. Didn't want him distracted.

"Yes, Embry. Please."

His thumbs rolled over my pearled nipples and I moaned, that hot touch igniting my own fire. Reaching down between us, I burrowed under the blanket for his hard length.

When I brushed it with the back of my hand, he reared back and groaned. I took the opportunity to bite that full lower lip as I grasped him. With a growl, he mashed our lips together, both of us fighting for dominance as I used my knees to get the blanket out from between us.

The whole time, I continued to stroke that hot length. No idea what I was doing, if I was doing it right, but he wasn't complaining, so I kept it up. His big hands continued to knead and tease my breasts, tugging, pulling, and smoothing over.

My panties were totally in the way of me taking him, but I didn't want to let him go long enough to get them off.

"My panties," I gasped out. "Get rid of them."

He paused.

"I did my laundry the other day. I have more. Get these off, Embry. Now."

This time he snarled, hand fisting the material at my hip and ripped. My body jerked but I never lost my rhythm on his shaft. He was thick and silky smooth. So hot that I felt cold.

Finally. Moving myself closer to him, I wanted his inside me as soon as possible.

But his awareness floated to the surface first. "Wait. Foreplay first."

I shook my head. "No. I want this just as we are."

He pulled back enough to give me clear eyes. I didn't want him to have clear eyes so I fisted his shaft.

He groaned. "Not fair." Swallowing hard, he looked at me with less clear eyes. "Tricia, I'm not small and this is your first time."

"I know that. I can feel that," I said squeezing him again.

He gasped. "What about the pain?"

"It'll be the best pain of my life."

"No," he managed forcefully. "I won't hurt you, no matter what."

Frustrated, I used my other hand to grip his and, pressing his palm to my bare flesh, we both groaned.

"I'm wet enough, Embry."

"Yes, but," he said, his fingers playing over the sensitive flesh before he slid a finger inside me. "You're too tight."

The pressure was deliciously tight, my body sucking on that piece inside me. My nails sliced his back as my head went loose on my neck again.

"Fuck," I shouted.

"See? One finger is too tight. Let's go for two."

Sliding out the first, he went back in with two.

I cursed again, but this time, I rode those fingers, hips swinging over them for friction. Once, twice, three times he thrusted into me with those fingers. And then it was no longer tight. He did the whole process over again, only adding a third finger.

"How about three?" he growled.

My body jerked. The pressure was nearly painful, pressing against that inner wall that needed breaking. I knew that men could break it with their fingers because it wasn't that deep in. Which meant that Embry wasn't thrusting those fingers as deep as he needed to in order to break that barrier.

Lifting myself up, I was about to sit down hard so that his fingers would go deep, but on my downswing, he pressed his thumb to the top of my core and I screamed. The pleasure was so good, so intense that I just couldn't help myself. Bringing up his other hand, he swallowed the end of the scream with his mouth when he pushed my face to his.

Now that my mouth was otherwise occupied, he thrust the three fingers deep inside, obliterated that wall, and paused. Breaking from his mouth, I gasped, body absolutely still. The pain wasn't that bad. It was the discomfort that made me want to squirm.

"See?" he whispered. "Just let me stretch you a moment longer. Then I'm all yours."

To hurry the process, I moved my hips over his hand once more. Tight, yes. Pain, no.

"I'm good."

"You sure?"

I nodded. "Yes. I want you."

Eyes glued to mine, no doubt watching for any flinching, he put his hands under my thighs and lifted me. I gripped him once more (at some point I'd released him) and positioned the head of his erection at my entrance. Slowly, so slowly, he lowered my body down onto his.

The pressure was tighter than the three fingers because he was wider than three fingers. But I didn't flinch, didn't give him the satisfaction. In fact, I savored every inch of him that slid into me, committing it all to memory.

I grinned, eyes closed in order to use the rest of my senses. "So good," I whispered. "So tight."

Embry's erratic breathing caused his chest to rub against mine, my pearled nipples abrading his skin. Now that he was inside me, my body was a thousand times more sensitive, everything causing tingles to run through me.

"Make love to me, Embry. Give me the best birthday present ever."

He moved so fast, I didn't have time to register it before my back hit the footboard of his bed. There was nothing hesitant or gentle about his first thrust. Just almost all the way out and shoving back in. My body arched into his, and I reached up and over to grip the edge of the footboard.

Staying on his knees, Embry gripped my hips and thrust into me over and over. From this angle it wasn't too deep, giving me the ability to adjust to his size and the motions.

In this moment, I was glad that I had saved my virginity. Giving it to this man, with this kind of pleasure, just upped the jackpot for me. Everything was perfect.

Apparently, he wanted deeper, though, because he backed us up so that my back bounced into the mattress. And then he was sprawled on top of me, the head of his thick shaft pushing into my hot sheath once more. He growled, and I opened my eyes to watch him.

His body was taut, muscles straining, bunching. Resting his forearms next to my head, he leaned on them and slammed his hips home. My body bowed off the mattress, his lips connecting with my throat. As he pounded into me, hips swinging freely, his mouth explored my chest. When his tongue flicked over my nipple, I screamed again. The sensitivity I felt was bordering on pain, but I liked it. the bite mixing with the pleasure.

Though my legs were wrapped around his thighs, he reached down with one hand, fingers tracing my thigh until he reached the back of my knee. In one quick movement, he hitched that leg up over his hip and simultaneously thrust deeper inside me, hitting the end of me hard. My nails shredded his biceps.

He still gripped my leg, but I brought the other up to mirror the one he held, ankles locking at his lower back.

"That's it," he growled. "Let me in all the way."

My upper body arched once more, head digging into the mattress. "Yes, yes, so good. So perfect."

Moving his hand, he fisted my hair, forcing me to look at him.

"Tell me I'm yours. I need to hear it."

Digging my nails once more, no doubt bleeding him, I said as forcefully as I could, "You're mine. You belong to me. Every part of you has my name on it. No other woman can touch you. I'm your devil. And you're my angel."

"Devil," he grunted.

"That's right."

"So close, Devil. You have to come with me."

Hands leaving his arms, I stroked his face, those cheekbones. "I will. I need harder, faster. Give me everything."

My stomach was getting tight, shocks running through me. My brain was starting to short from the pleasure riding my body. I sensed that I was close, too.

With a sense of urgency, he reached between us. My breathing was becoming labored, body jerky, and then he pressed his thumb to the top of my core. I exploded, my body lighting up like a lightning storm. Pulse of electricity shot through me, and I screamed, my body breaking apart but staying in one piece.

I managed to open my eyes enough to see his satisfied grin. "Yes," he whispered.

And then he exploded, his rhythm turning erratic and harder, forcing me higher on the mattress.

Above me, he roared as his pleasure emptied into me, my body milking him, locking him inside me. Another spark of pleasure rushed through me but much gentler this time. This time I was able to ride it out and watch him at the same time.

Embry was absolutely exquisite as he orgasmed. Sweat glistening on his brow and temples. Body straining. Veins bulging. Muscles locking tight. He was a vision of raw maleness, raw power, beautifully molded into the man giving me the best moment of my life so far. And he was mine. All mine.

Suddenly, he let out a breath as if he'd been holding it, and fell to the side, slipping out of me. His arm slid over my stomach, leg lingering over my thighs. We laid like that for a while, just staring at each other, his fingers playing over my skin. My fingers in his hair since he was using that arm as a pillow.

He looked like he was contemplating something.

"What?" I asked softly.

"No condom," he whispered, eyes barely meeting mine.

A moment of panic fluttered inside me, but I was too sated to follow through. Besides, Embry had already told me he couldn't use a condom because of his body heat. And I wasn't willing to force him to use one and hurt himself.

So I shrugged. "And? You'd take care of me and a baby, right?"

He gave me a look.

Laughing, I rolled over onto my side and snuggled into his chest. "I will take that as a 'duh'. Stop worrying about that. I don't care what anybody thinks."

Smiling softly, he pressed a kiss between my eyes. "Good. I love you."

I chuckled. "Do all couples say that after sex?"

Pausing, he seemed to think about it. And then shrugged. "Only the ones that actually do love each other, I guess."

Tapping his lips with my finger, I said, "Well, then, I love you, too. And Embry?"

"Yeah?"

"Best moment of my life...so far. Of course, that would be replaced with the day you ask me to marry you. Which, by the way, will be a yes."

His turn to chuckle. "I'll remember that. Maybe I should just ask you now and make this the best day of your life."

"Uh, that wouldn't work. Kids, Embry. We're going to have kids. And I'm pretty sure they'll make the top of the list."

His warm lips pressed to my skin once more. "Absolutely. But for now, this is the best day. And I think I can live with that."

I patted his chest. "Me, too, angel. Me, too."

I really loved this chapter. No need to say more. Please review? Pretty please? They make me happy. C: Love you, guys! xoxoxoxoxo