Chapter 22! You know, I don't know why I start the note off like that. It's not like you guys can't read or count. But anyway, I kind of really love this chapter. Some serious crap, so lemon, some fluffy goodness. And with our favorite couple. I'm getting back into the groove of focusing on Nessie and Jacob. And don't worry. Our favorite couple won't disappear in the kids' stories. In fact, they'll be in them a lot, so yay! Anywhozzle, on with the show.

*Disclaimer*

Please Enjoy!

RPOV

I was just finishing up the dishes from dinner, Emma and Calahan having just left when the front door opened. Cricket was leaning on Trey heavily. Dropping the plate I'd been scrubbing, I dried my hands and rushed to clear off the couch.

"Thanks," Trey said as he helped Cricket down.

She took in a deep breath and let it out.

Reaching up, I brushed her hair out of her face. "Hey, no more forced visions, okay? You scared me."

Smiling weakly, she pushed herself up against the cushions. "Thanks. I can't make any promises, but I'll try."

I smiled. "Need anything to eat?"

Her skin practically turned green. "Uh, no. I have eaten way too much today. After a forced vision, I usually gorge myself. Thanks, though." She swallowed hard. "Sleep, though. Sleep sounds great."

"Wait. If you still feel this bad, why did Carlisle let you leave?"

They exchanged a look.

Trey shrugged. "She wanted to leave. So we left."

"AMA?" I demanded

Cricket smiled. "Always gotta go out with a flourish. I don't like doctors anyway." Tired, she held her hand out to Trey. "Let's go to bed."

Gently, he pulled her up and draped that arm over his shoulders.

"Do you need help?" I asked, reaching for her other arm.

Trey jerked her away from my grasp. "No. I've got her."

"Ok," I said, surprised. "Uh, just yell if you need anything."

"Thanks."

I felt Jacob come up behind me as they slowly made their way up the stairs. He wrapped his arm around my waist. "Everything ok?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I just think he's been taking care of her too long. He won't let anyone help him."

"That's just how men are, baby."

"I just wanted to help him."

"And we are. We let them stay here. If we didn't, he'd be dragging her into a cold treehouse, or worse, right now." He squeezed my shoulders. "Just let it go."

"Ness?"

I moved for the stairs to look up at Cricket who had paused at the top. "Yeah?"

"You're the one who knows how to avoid war."

I frowned, but before I could ask her what she meant, Trey moved her toward the bedroom. Jake came up behind me again where I stood frozen at the bottom of the stairs.

"What is it?"

I shook my head. "She told me that I'm the one who knows how to avoid war. The thing is, I don't know what she's talking about."

Wrapping his arms around me, he pulled me back. "Look, don't think about it. She knows what she's talking about. If she says you have the golden idea, then I believe her. It'll come to you."

"I have to finish the dishes," I said, trying to shrug away from him. It just bothered me that I was supposed to know, and didn't actually know.

Jacob gripped my shoulders and forced me to face him. Taking the wash rag from me, he said, "You can finish them tomorrow. It's been a long, weird day. Let's just go to bed."

"But-"

"No buts. You need to sleep, so take something to help you sleep."

"What?"

He motioned toward the cabinets. "Take a pill and get some sleep. Don't make me make it an order."

I glared at him. "You'd really order me to take a pill?"

Gently, he cupped my face in his hands. "Ness, it's what's best for you right now. Now that Cricket told you that, you're going to be up all night stewing over it unless you have something to knock you out. And I refuse to hit you. So, if your choices are a pill or insomnia, damn right I'm going to order you to take a pill."

After a moment, I smiled and then laughed. "Damn you. I hate it when you're right."

He watched me as I grabbed a Nyquil gelcap and swallowed it down with some water. Afterward, he kissed me, checking with his tongue that I had swallowed it.

"Good girl," he whispered against my lips. "Now let's get you into bed."

"Hmmm," I murmured. "An encore of this morning?"

"Nope. I'm going to hold you until you go to sleep on my chest."

Pulling back, I frowned at him suspiciously. "Are you feeling ok? Passing up sex?"

He chuckled. "The health of my wife is more important. I can ravish you after you get a good night's sleep."

"Mmm, I like the sound of that."

"Well, tomorrow you're going to have the house to yourself, to stay here and rest all day."

I pulled back. "What?"

"I want you to rest and relax."

He started pulling me toward the stairs that led down to our bedroom. I followed. "But Jake, that's what we did all last week."

He laughed as we got to the bottom of the stairs. "I mean without me. I'm gonna go down to the shop to help Frank out. He's behind what with all the wrecks from the ice and snow. Which, by the way, we're supposed to get more of sometime soon. Anyway, I want you to have some time to yourself. I've been taking up a lot of it. I made a promise to your dad that I'd give you some space to hang out with him or your mom, or anybody that you want to."

My heart softened toward him. As he started to strip me down methodically, I put a hand to his cheek to get him to look at me. "Jake, Dad understands that you are my life. That you're the one I want to spend all my time with."

Sighing, he stripped me down all the way, took my hands in his, and then backed up until he flopped down onto the bed. Stroking my knuckles, he said, "I want to spend all my time with you, too. But that's the problem. We have friends, Ness. Hearing you and Emma talk about having a girls' thing just made me remember all the time I'd spent with Seth, Embry, and Quil all those years ago. We were super close. I just miss the boys, ya know? We need a night to mess around, eat, watch football, and be obnoxious. And you women can...do whatever you do when you get together." I laughed. He smiled. "I just want us to get some space from each other so that we don't lose that passion, that fire. 'Cause let me tell ya, every time I come home to you, not with you, I just like to watch you, especially when you don't know I'm there. I like to remember why I'm thankful to come home, to know that I have someone waiting for me. That I have you waiting for me."

Reaching up, he brushed my hair away from my forehead and then cupped my cheek. I leaned into the touch.

"I understand, Jake."

"And, I'm thinking that, after all this is over, I'll start working full time at the shop. Frank offered to make me his head mechanic. We can try out the normal couple thing. A normal nine to five for me, and you a housewife, taking care of the kidlets. What do you think?"

"The whole pack of kidlets?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Eh," he said nonchalantly. "You can handle 'em."

Leaning into him, I rested my elbows on his shoulders, my breasts rubbing against his bare chest. His hands rested on my bare hips.

"Then I think I could handle a slice of normal. If taking that job is what you want, then I say go for it. It's what you would have wanted if you'd never phased, right?"

He thought about it. "Yeah, I guess you're right. If I'd never met Bella and my life hadn't gone weird, yeah, I'd have wanted to be a mechanic."

I played my fingers through his hair. "Then do it. It's what you want. We'll survive whatever happens in two weeks. After that, if everything goes right, we'll be left alone. Somehow, I'll figure out what I'm supposed to know. We'll have the ability to act normal, to be normal. There won't be anything left to fight. No plans to fret over, no worrying about what will happen next. I'll make sure, somehow, that we're off limits to them after this. I'm done with them, with all of their shit."

Opening his knees, he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me against him. "And then we can finally work at starting that family. We won't leave the bed until you get pregnant."

Laughing as he waggled his eyebrows and kissed my chest, I said, "We'd have to take breaks for the test, Jake."

He shrugged. "Once a week. Other than that, we'll just be animals."

"You are incorrigible."

"Yeah, and?" he asked as I yawned.

He moved so fast that one moment I was standing, leaning against him. The next, I was on my back in bed with his heavy warmth on top of me.

"And," I said, yawning again. "That's a lot of damn sex."

For some reason, probably the medicine working through my system, the bed felt so good. Warm and enveloping, like a cloud. Nice and soft. Reaching up, I gripped the pillow and stretched languidly under Jake. He was hard hidden under his jeans, but didn't make a move toward me. Instead, he moved off me, tucking the sheet around me and went into the bathroom.

I must have zoned out between then and when he came back because when I floated back up for just a moment, he was wrapped around me, without his jeans, and a calm body. He was still awake. I knew that because he wasn't snoring in my ear and his hands were roaming over my body soothingly.

"Go back to sleep, Ness. You're safe. I'm here. Just sleep."

Too tired to fight, I sank back down into the fuzzy darkness.

TriciaPOV

My body was sprawled out on top of Embry's. I hadn't had a say in the matter. I'd sort of collapsed here, breathing hard, body soaked in sweat. Not one bone could I manage to move even if the house was on fire.

We were supposed to be heading up to Mom and Dad's house to pack up my things, but Embry had pulled me back into bed as I'd been trying to get out. Things had gone to hot and heavy from there.

"You jerk," I panted out.

He chuckled under me, the sound vibrating up into my ear, making me shiver.

"You know you wanted it."

"Maybe, but we have stuff to do besides lounge in bed all day."

"True," he said wrapping his arms around me. "But I like this better."

I rolled my eyes. "Uh-huh. I'm sure you do." But then I got serious. "Hey, you know that I have questions about last night, right?"

He brushed my hair behind my ears and breathed in hard. "Yeah, I know."

"I know you've been keeping me on the outskirts of the drama, but I wanna know. If you're in danger or the pack is, I deserve to know. You and Walker both are a part of this."

He sighed. "A lot has been going on. Tristan and his pack were recruited based upon lies about us from Jane. She's a powerful member of the Volturi in that she has a mental-based power. She can cause pain just by looking at you. But it seems that Tristan has taken the lies, and brainwashed, he's gone off the deep end and wants Jacob's head on a platter. Yesterday, Nessie called Aro, the leader of the Volturi and told him that she knows for sure there are traitors in his midst. You see, he thinks Jane is his creature. She's not. Based on her actions, her loyalty leans more toward Caius. Caius has been the one actually going after the werewolves in Europe, not the Cullens as Tristan was led to believe. Jane is somehow hiding Tristan and the Denalis under Aro's nose, so Nessie is trying to draw them out, trying to get him to look for them. Aro can read every thought you've ever had just by touching you, and you can't stop it. So when he gets here, he'll see the truth in Nessie's memories. Hopefully he'll hand everyone over to us on a silver platter." He shrugged under me. "And that's about it, as far as I know."

"So Emma and Calahan?"

"Oh, Caden knew them from his time overseas. They don't like Tristan or Caius any more than we do. So they came to support us with the promise of land and safety."

All I could do was blink and try to process everything. "Oh, well, thank you for telling me."

Leaning up, he kissed my forehead. "All you have to do is ask."

A knock sounded off distantly in the house.

In horror, I quickly rolled off of Embry and reached for his shirt. "Shit! That's Walker and Christa."

Embry rolled over onto his side and frowned up at me. "You invited them over?"

I gave him a look as I slid into my jeans. "I invited them to come with so that Walker could grab some of his crap and we'd have the truck to drive it all down in." Leaning down, I kissed him. "Mom and Dad are both at work right now. It's the perfect time. There won't be any 'Embry, have you asked my daughter to marry you yet?'"

Chuckling again, he rolled out of bed and slid into some sweats as another knock sounded.

"Coming!" I called.

I buttoned the shirt up as I made my way through the cold house. Embry went for the living room and the fireplace.

Opening the door, Walker almost punched me as he raised his fist to knock again. I flinched a little.

"Sorry," he said before taking in my appearance with a smirk. "Rough morning?"

Rolling my eyes, I went to go get my shoes. "We're coming, we're coming."

He chuckled. "Looks like you both already have."

"Oh, shut up. Where's Christa?"

"They're both in the truck. It's cold out there so I wanted to leave it running. Leather seats suck when they're cold."

"Amen to that," Embry said.

They bumped fists and started talking about trucks. I rolled my eyes again as I hopped into my shoes, slid into my jacket, and grabbed a shirt for Embry. He pulled it over his head as we all made our way to the truck. I locked the door behind us.

"Hi, Aunt Tricia," Haleigh said as soon as I slid into the backseat with Embry.

"Hey, sweetie. You ready to help me pack?"

She nodded.

"Good, 'cause I'll need some help."

Her grin was radiant. She was one perky kid in the morning. Ugh. I hated mornings. But I smiled anyway. Her good mood was just too infectious.

"You got the boxes?" I asked Walker.

He nodded from the driver's seat. "In the back."

"Cool."

Climbing out of Christa's lap, Haleigh crawled into the back to plop down in my lap. Both dolls were clutched in her arms as she snuggled against my shoulder. Grinning, I wrapped my arms around her. Walker's eyes met mine in the rearview mirror and I knew he was smiling.

"So, Embry," Christa asked now free to turn in her seat. "How are things with Sam?"

He grinned. "Pretty awesome. I mean, we've known each other for a long time, but it's different now that we know we're more than pack brothers. He's told me everything he remembers about our dad, which isn't much, and we both know we don't like the guy. It's a different mentality know between us. It's kind of amazing."

She smiled back at him. "Well, you deserve a good family, especially since your mom just left you here. That was terrible."

He shrugged and wrapped his arm around me. "I think I got the great end of the deal though. I have a home that she left me with, a beautiful woman to share it with, and a completely old but new family. I should send her a card and flowers as a thank you. And then demand the house key back."

We all laughed. It was hard to believe that we were all related, maybe not by blood, but my marriage and love. Walker was my brother by adoption. Christa was my sister-in-law. And Haleigh was my niece by adoption. And Embry? He and Walker were brothers-in-law. Right here, in the cab of this truck, was a small family in its own right, laughing and caring for each other.

Again, I caught myself thinking how intricate fate's threads were woven.

RPOV

Stretching out across the bed, I felt for Jacob and came up empty before remembering that he'd said he was going down to the shop today. He must have gotten up early and gone out. Rolling over to his side of the bed, I found that he'd built up the fire before he'd left, which was why I was cozy warm. It was amazing how much I loved that man, and how much my love continued to grow for him.

Since his side was closer to the closet, I rolled out on that side to find a note on the bedside table. It was Jacob telling me to enjoy the house, that Cricket and Trey had gone down to the big house to meet up with Alice to go Christmas shopping.

After reading it, I went into the closet to throw on one of his button downs and slid into a pair of my own sweats. I decided that he was right and I should enjoy the day. Even with the upcoming showdown, I didn't feel stressed or tense like I had the past couple years. Now, I was just ready for it to be over and excited that it soon would be no matter the outcome.

To take my mind off everything, I went upstairs to the third floor where the extra bedrooms were to go down the hall to the small door in the wall. It led to a furnished attic, so technically there were four floors to the cabin. All the Christmas stuff that I had bought with Aunt Alice was stuffed in here, and I decided to use the day to decorate the house. Out with the pumpkin spice scents and in with the peppermint and pine.

The autumnal colors were packed away while I laid out the red, green, and golds. Even though I hated yellow gold, it just wouldn't be Christmas without at least gold decorations. But I also managed to mix in some silver. Most of the afternoon after lunch was spent making the wreath for the front door. Not as easy as the craft store made it look, but I managed. On my way out to hang it up, I grabbed the holiday doormat so that I could put it in the place of our normal one that said, "Wipe Your Paws" with paw prints all over it. I couldn't help myself with that one.

Once the wreath was hung and the at laid out, I stood out on the porch in the chilly air. Lifting my nose to the wind, I could almost smell the snow that was headed for us. Tomorrow was my hunting day, and I was glad for it. Kind of craving the thick, red liquid. My mouth watered just thinking about it.

Out of the corner of my eye, Sadie trotted into view and sat at the bottom step of the porch.

"Hey, Sade. Everything ok?"

She nodded her massive head and huffed.

I laughed. "I'll take that as a yes. Hey, uh, I was going to head down to the shop to ask Jake if he wanted to go tree shopping. That's the last decoration we need. Would you mind?"

That massive head shook back and forth.

"Cool. Thanks. Let me get my stuff."

I dashed back in to get my sneakers and coat. By the time I made it back out, four wolves were sitting at the steps.

I smiled at them. "Thanks, guys."

With my entourage around me, I felt pretty safe as we headed off to see our pack leader.

JPOV

Rounding the counter, I wiped off my hands and logged onto the computer.

"Okay, so tell me what was going on with it before it completely died. Try to remember everything," I said to the man in front of me. He owned one of the diners on the rez.

As he talked, I typed everything he said. I'd just had to go tow his truck down here from Forks.

"Alright," I said when he finished. "I think I know what might be wrong with it. I'll try to get it in today, but I can't make any promises."

"I really need it for the weekend."

"I understand that. But we're short staffed right now. I can promise you that if I don't have it done before the weekend that I will pay for the rental, however long you need it. Is that alright?"

He smiled. "Thank you. I appreciate that."

"It's the least I could do."

"You're a good man, Jacob Black."

"Thank you. I do what I can."

"You'd make a great chief."

At that, I had nothing to say so I just smiled and nodded. The bell over the door jingled as he handed me the key to the truck and left, the bell jingling again.

"Be with you in a sec," I said as I tagged the key and finished up on the computer. Then I turned back to the person at the counter. "Alright, how can I-"

Marcia was standing there, leaning on the counter. Her low cut shirt showed all the assets she was trying to sell to me.

"Hi, Marcia," I said, trying to be nice even though I knew what she was here for and it wasn't to fix the car she didn't have. "Did you need something?"

"Just stopping by to say hi. Someone told me you were here alone so I thought you could use some company."

Yeah, right. "Actually, I'm kind of busy. The shop is behind."

"Oh, well I could talk to you while you work."

"Really, Marcia, it's ok. I think I'll be alright."

I was really not wanting to be rude, but she was trying my patience. She knew I was married and mated. Calahan had told her. He'd also told her not to approach me again. Looks like she didn't take orders well.

"But nobody should work alone." She grabbed my arm as I turned away from the counter.

There went the rest of my patience.

Growling, I ripped my arm away from her. "Marcia, I am a very happily married man. You need to stay away from me. My answer is no."

She pouted and came around the counter. "But a lot of pack leaders have multiple females."

"This one doesn't," I growled down at her as she came to stand in front of me. "I am in love with Nessie and nobody will ever change that."

"But she doesn't have this body."

My growl turned to a snarl. "She is everything I need. Her body is beyond perfect and I am beyond done with this topic. You need to leave."

She didn't like being dismissed. That fake smile left her anger bubbling on the surface. Apparently, she wasn't used to men saying no. Clearly she'd never gone after Calahan. He'd have shot her down, too.

Before I could stop it, she reached up to push our faces together, her lips on mine. I grimaced and gripped her arms, trying to pry her off me.

The bell above the door jingled.

"What. The. Hell."

Aw, shit.

RPOV

Oh. Hell. No.

The wolf who had hit on Jake last night was all over him, her lips included. Fury washed through me, setting my blood on fire. Jacob was mine. Every part of him belonged to me. No other woman was allowed to have him.

Red colored over my vision.

"What the hell is going on?" I demanded, my voice low and dangerous.

Jacob took advantage of her surprise and pushed her off of him, scowling as he swiped a hand over his mouth. She stumbled back.

"Ness, I didn't-"

I held up a hand. "I know it wasn't you," I said glaring at the woman, at Marcia.

A smug smirk twisted her lips. "He does taste as good as he looks."

Growling, I stepped toward her. "You little-"

"Uh, uh, uh, no name calling."

"That's the least of your worries," I snarled. "He said no. Where I'm from that means no, not 'come at me harder and I might give in'."

She wasn't fazed in the least. With one hand on her hip, she examined the nails of the other. One shoulder shrugged up. "He would have begged for it eventually."

I got all up in her personal space, backing her into the wall. "You stupid little slut," I spat in her surprised face. "I know Calahan told you my husband was off limits. So I know that you know that here, Jacob is a one woman type of man. And I am his only woman. So step off, bitch."

Without my seeing it, her hand came out of nowhere and landed hard across my cheek. My head snapped to the side, hair covering my face. I stumbled away from her and she moved away from the wall, no doubt trying to get room to fight.

"Ness!"

I held my hand up to him again.

And slowly, so slowly, growling, I turned back to her. The predator in me was unleashed, had been the moment I'd seen her all over my husband. But now? Now she was pissed.

The hair fell from my face and I knew my expression was cold, animal, the humanity folding away from me. Pulling my fist back, my arm snapped forward and connected her jaw. The blow knocked her off her feet and into the wall.

Stalking toward her, I crouched down and grabbed her hair. It was either lose her hair or stand up. She stood up.

"Stay away from Jacob."

Dragging her to the door, I threw her out by her hair. "Derek, Adam, see that she gets down to her pack safely. Tell them that if they have any questions, they can call me. No doubt she won't tell the truth."

Both men helped her to her feet, but without their usual warm smiles. Instead, they glared at her as she forced them to drag her away by struggling to get back to me.

Once they were gone, I went back inside to where Jacob was cleaning up the papers that had been tacked to the wall. He was quiet, avoiding looking at me.

"Jake, I know it wasn't you."

He straightened, some papers in his hands. "You heard her last night."

I nodded. "Yeah."

"I'm sorry, Ness. For not telling you."

Going to him, I took the papers out of his hands and set them on the counter. "Baby, it's okay. You thought she was leashed. I understand."

Finally he looked at me. His expression said he was waiting for me to get angry, and then was surprised that I didn't. He reached out to cup my cheek where she'd smacked me. "Are you ok?"

I winced a little but said, "I think I'm better off than she is." Raising my fist, I found that I'd split the skin over my middle knuckle. "Stings, but I'll be ok."

Chuckling a little, he said, "That was really hot, how you handled her."

I laughed. "I didn't mean for it to happen like that. But she really pissed me off. Putting her hands on you like that, her damn lips."

He grimaced. "Yeah, I can still taste her."

I growled. "We'll just have to fix that."

The look he got was one I knew well. It was his "I need you right fucking now" look.

"There's a couch back in the office, my office. And no cameras."

"Mmm, sex in a public place. That's one still on our list."

Smirking, he went to lock up the door and flashed the closed sign. Sadie and Blake took up their posts at the door as Jacob took my hand and led me down the hall to the back office that already had his name on the door. He locked us in and turned to me. I could already feel the heat in my eyes.

Jacob looked damned sexy in his white tank and grease smeared skin. He glanced at the couch.

"Screw the couch," he growled, picking me up by the waist and slamming my back against the wall. My legs wrapped around his waist.

This time wasn't slow. We were frenzied, teeth scraping teeth, knicking lips, tasting blood as he undid my pants and jerked them down around my thighs. Next, I heard the zipper of his right before he slammed into me. We both yelled as he invaded me.

Pinning me between his body and the wall, his freed hands reached up and pulled apart the shirt far enough down that his tongue could reach my breasts. Buttons went flying. With each thrust he growled, pounding me back into the wall. I had no leverage, and left him in charge.

Not wanting to set my nails into him where customers could see, I reached between us and lifted his tank to reveal his rock hard, undulating abs. Just watching them took me higher as they tensed and relaxed with each of his thrusts. And then he buried his face in my chest and my view was cut off, but not my roaming hands. This was going to be a fast and explosive orgasm, and I was getting really high, really fast.

"Jake," I whispered in his ear.

He growled against my skin.

One push higher. My nails sank into his skin.

His growl got deeper, louder.

And I exploded.

Screaming, I ripped my nails through his skin. That must have been his breaking point because he thrust up hard into me and froze, his body tense, jaw clenched as he jetted into me.

No multiples for him either. One orgasm was enough for both of us this time around. I held onto him as he sank against me. Stumbling backward, he took us to the couch with me sitting on top of him.

"I think she'll smell the sex on us. Don't you?"

He laughed, still inside me. The sensation made me shiver.

"God, that was intense."

"Yeah, it was. And pretty fricking amazing."

"I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"Absolutely not."

"Good."

"Where's the bathroom?"

He nodded toward the door. "Across the hall."

I stroked his chest and kissed him. His lips was bleeding, so I licked the blood off. "I'll go clean up. You get your strength back."

On wobbly legs, I managed to make it to the bathroom. Cleaning myself up, I saw blood, but not too much. We'd been rough this time and I was a week or so away from my period so it was expected.

Looking in the mirror, I realized the shirt was a lost cause. Jacob had ripped the buttons off down to my cleavage, a little further down than what I normally would show off, but right now, in the afterglow, I didn't give a shit. Instead, I just perked those girls right up, not that they needed it, and fluffed up my hair. My lips were red and puffy.

As I came out of the bathroom, I ran into Jake who was just getting off the phone.

"That was Calahan. He said he'd like to see us."

"Don't you need to stay here?"

He shook his head. "I'll just put the sign on 'be back in a couple hours'."

I shrugged into my jacket. "Okay."

Thirty minutes later, we walked hand in hand into Calahan's camp. As we headed for his tent, the wolves we passed seemed to shrink in on themselves. Of course, I knew what this was about. Marcia must have had one hell of a shiner. And no doubt Adam or Derek had told him what had happened.

We reached the tent. But before we went in, Calahan and Emma stepped out, both pissed off. Behind them, another wolf escorted Marcia out, keeping Adam and Derek away from her. She looked smug even with a bruise spreading over the lower half of her face.

"Your wolves have told us what happened, but we need the explanation from you," Calahan said. It was unclear whether he was pissed with us or with her. I hoped it was her.

Jacob went on to explain what happened. That he'd been at work when she'd come to "visit" him and approached him sexually. When he'd told her no and that she needed to leave, she'd force a kiss on him. And then I'd come in and done my bit. He also explained how remorseless she'd been and still obviously was.

In a rage, Calahan spun, his hand snapping out and backhanded her. "You disobeyed a direct order."

"You believe them?" she demanded incredulously, holding her cheek.

"I do. Not word he spoke was a lie. And you hit our hosting alpha female? How dare you be so careless! Do you have any idea what you could have caused? The danger you could have put us all in had Jacob and Nessie been a different alpha couple?"

"You disobeyed our orders," Emma snarled. Moving into her, Emma gripped her chin with sharp nails. "You stupid girl. Jacob and Nessie have been kind to us, giving us safety and a good home to bed down in, willing to fight for us and this is how you repay them?" Disgustedly, she threw the girl away from her. "Nessie is well within her rights to have you punished the way she sees fit, including death."

Marcia's eyes widened in fear, like it was finally sinking in how much trouble she was in.

"No," I said quickly. "No death."

Her wary eyes met mine.

"I've dealt out my own punishment. No more violence." Moving in front of her, I gave her a cold expression. "No death. Some people can't fight their natures. But let me tell you something, Marcia. Jacob is mine. Period. No means no, and you cannot have him. Are we clear?"

Swallowing hard, she nodded.

"Good. That goes for any other male in our pack. If they say no, you back off. But, maybe some are into having a third, and that's up to them. But if you cross that line again, I'll let Calahan and Emma have their way with you, whatever they decide. Nobody steals from someone else. Not here."

"I understand," she said softly. Her eyes met mine. "I'm sorry."

Turning around, I looked to Emma. "She's been punished enough on my and Jacob's behalf. She's your wolf and disobeyed your orders, so whatever punishment comes next is because of that."

They both exchanged a look and nodded.

"We apologize for her forward actions. If you wish, we wouldn't mind someone of your pack sitting down with her and others to explain your world. Many of these wolves haven't lived among humans in a very long time. Your pack has more human values than we're used to."

Jacob nodded, pulling me in against his body. "I'm sure we can arrange something."

" I just want to make one thing clear, if I may." When Calahan nodded, I continued, "Here, we don't rule on fear. We rule out of respect for each other. There's no reason to be nasty and mean. If you're kind to us, we'll be kind to you. Just remember that. We're not out to hurt you, any of you. If you need something, ask us. We won't beat you down for needing something from us. That goes for our entire pack."

Emma stepped up to me. "Nessie, I know you do not understand our ways, and we do not understand yours, but if Marcia had done this to another pack leader of our kind of wolf and his mate didn't share, Marcia would be dead. We do not view that type of action as some silly little game that high schoolers play. It is serious. If the pack leader declares his relationship to be monogamous, then no other female should ever approach him sexually."

I just stared at her. "You're right. I don't understand."

"In the wild, living nomadically, the pack leader has to know he can completely rely on his alpha female. If she just stands by while another female makes moves on her mate, it's seen as she doesn't really care. That she's only alpha female in name. A true alpha female would never tolerate it. And usually if there are multiple females in the bed, it's because the alpha female wants it, not the pack leader." She smiled. "Though I'm sure he's eager to support his female."

We both laughed, which seemed wrong with Marcia looking so scared

Emma turned to look at her as well. "Pola, please escort Marcia to the healing tent. Make sure she is tended to." She gave Marcia a look. "We will have a feminine discussion later."

Marcia dropped her head. "Yes, Emma." Then she looked at me before moving off with a rather severe looking woman with grey hair.

"I think she finally understands the severity of what she's done," Emma muttered. "Although, if my nose in correct, she's close to her cycle." She traded and look with Calahan.

"Cycle?" I asked.

"She's going into heat," Calahan clarified. "Our kinds of wolves go through that. Not always, but when stress is high, like integrating with another pack, it can happen. Especially with all the new males around. She's already been with all the available males of our pack. It's only a matter of time before she's with Walker's wolves."

"Is that normal?" Jake asked.

Emma nodded. "Oh yes. Very. Sometimes, it's how females pick their mates. Marcia doesn't mind sharing, and some of the males in the lower ranks of the pack like to have multiple females."

Jake and I shared a look before shaking our heads.

"Your world sounds super complicated," Jacob said.

Calahan laughed, putting his arm around his mate. "It can be. It took a long time before I understood enough to start climbing ranks."

"Well, I don't envy that. Although, I suppose we need to start learning as well."

Calahan clapped a hand on Jacob's shoulder. "We'll be more than happy to help."

Jacob held out his hand. "Well, this has been...awesome, but I need to get back to work, or at least to close up the shop. I'm sure Ness came by for a reason."

He looked at me questioningly.

I nodded.

"Again," Calahan said, shaking Jake's hand, "we apologize for her behavior."

Twenty minutes later, we were back at the shop. Frank was there, and told Jake pointedly to have a nice day. When Jake argued, he practically shoved my husband out the door.

"So," he said wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "What should we do? Go home and finish our little...play time?"

I laughed against his chest. "As much as I would love that, we need to buy a tree. And you need a shower first. I mean, if you want to."

Leaning back, he looked at me. "A Christmas tree?"

I nodded. "I thought we could get a real one for our first Christmas. And I wanted us both to pick it out, as a family."

Grinning, hugged me tight and kissed my hair. "Absolutely. Sounds like a plan." Letting me go so we could continue walking, he said, "Let's go home to get me a shower and we'll go to the lot. We can stop at the Cullen place to pick up the other truck."

Swinging our laced hands, I said, "I love you, Mr. Black."

"I love you, too, Mrs. Black."

An hour later, we were parking next to the tree lot in Forks. With the daylight savings time, darkness swept in with the late afternoon hour and the lot was sparkling with Christmas lights. The weather was perfect as well. Cold and crisp. This was what made this time of year magical to me. Jacob and I were both dressed for the winter weather. I in my coat, knit hat, and gloves. Jacob in his beat up leather jacket.

I eyed the jacket as an idea formed. "Hey, Jake?"

"Yeah?"

"You ever think about getting a new jacket? That one's falling apart."

He looked down at it. "It is kind of beat to hell, isn't it?" He shrugged. "I don't know. I guess it's sentimental to me. Lot of memories. Plus it's already broken in. But I guess you're right. A nice one would be good for public consumption, especially if we're going to be going out a lot after our mess is over."

I smiled up at him. "Rugged and sexy. Sleek and sexy. I can handle both."

He laughed.

"Hi! Welcome to our family tree lot!"

We looked over to see a very familiar girl. It took me a moment to place her. But then I remembered that she's sat beside me in freshman English.

"Natasha, right?" I asked, just to be sure.

At first she frowned at me as if she were trying to place me. And then those eyes widened. "Nessie?"

"Yeah," I said with a laugh.

She reached forward to give me a little hug. "Oh my goodness. It's so good to see you. We all thought you'd run off."

"Oh, no. I just went home school. I got sick."

A sympathetic look she gave me. "Wow, that sucks. But you're better now?"

I nodded and wrapped an arm around Jacob's waist, smiling. "Much. Thank you for asking." I motioned to Jacob. "This is my husband, Jacob. Jacob, this is Natasha. We were English buddies in school."

"Married, huh?" she asked, shaking his hand.

I smiled sheepishly. "Yeah."

"Well, I must say you did a pretty fabulous job." And then she frowned. "Wait a second, is this the guy that picked you up all the time? The one you swore that nothing was happening with?"

Nodding, I grinned. "Yep. One and the same."

"Ooooo, girl! I always knew something was going on, or at least going to." She winked at Jacob. "I saw the way you looked at her."

He laughed. "If you were me, would you be able to help yourself? Look at her, she's gorgeous."

"That she is, my friend, that she is."

She joined in the laughter.

"Well, I hope you find what you're looking for. If you find a tree you like, come find me. I'll make sure you get a discount."

"You don't have to do-"

"Oh, shut up. Consider it payback for helping me through Romeo & Juliet. The only reason I passed was because of you. Dad won't mind anyway. He's too nice."

I bit my lip. "Well, okay. If you insist."

"I do insist. Now get shopping," she said, patting my arm before she walked away to help a new couple.

"She was sweet," Jacob said as he led me down the first aisle.

Smiling, I brushed my hands over the branches as we walked. "Yeah, she is."

Taking in a deep breath, I inhaled the pine scent, mixed with the crisp of the weather. Strands of Christmas lights made a roof overhead. It was perfect, except for the lack of snow, but that was well on its way. Many of the trees were smaller but busy. However, we had high ceilings in the cabin, and I wanted a taller, full tree.

"Help me find a tall one," I told Jacob.

"How tall?" he asked, eyes already roaming.

"One that you can still reach the top of. We're starting a tradition, dammit."

He laughed. "What kind of tradition?"

Walking up to him, I wrapped my arms around his waist under his jacket. "The one where you put the star on the tree every year while me and the kidlets decorate the rest."

His arms snaked around me. "Hmmm, I think I like it."

"Really?"

The wind had blown some hair into my face and he reached up to tuck the strands behind me ears. "Yeah, really. I always watched Billy put the star up when I was a kid. When he got sick and was put in the wheelchair, I would hold him up so he could do it."

"Well, then I think it should be passed down from father to son." I frowned. "But who's going to help him now?"

He chuckled and chucked me under the chin. "He stopped putting up the tree. Now he always goes up to Charlie's. If Sue had her way, he'd be living up there with them, but the old man is stubborn."

"Gee, sounds like someone else I know," I muttered.

In retaliation he pressed his thumbs over my hip bones, making me do that awkward jerk away movement that made me seem like I had a full body twitch.

Gripping his arms and laughing, I tried to move away from him. "Stop," I gritted out.

"What did you say?"

"You hear me," I said, pulling away from him.

He followed me, chasing after me playfully, as I turned down another aisle of trees. At this time, most people were still at work, so the lot wasn't busy. We pretty much had the place to ourselves.

Looking back over my shoulder, I didn't see Jacob so I slowed. He'd completely disappeared.

"Gotcha!"

I squealed as he lifted me off my feet from behind and swung me around. When he stopped, I gasped.

"What? Did I hurt you? Are you ok?"

"No," I distractedly. And then shook my head. "I mean, yeah, I'm ok. Jake, look. That tree. It's gorgeous."

He'd stopped swinging me just in front of easily the tallest, fullest, greenest tree in the lot. It was absolutely perfect, and I wanted it.

"That one?" another voice asked.

Jacob set me on my feet and we both turned to find an older gentleman. His nametag read "Gerald". Probably Natasha's dad. Sure enough, she walked up behind him.

"What's wrong with it?" I asked, looking back at it.

"Well, nothin'," he said, pushing his glasses up his round nose. "It's just that we get one of those trees every year and they don't sell."

"Why not?"

He shrugged. "Because they're so big. Most folks around here don't have a house to fit around it."

I looked up at Jacob with my best puppy dog eyes.

He cleared his throat. "Well, we do. And my wife really wants to take it home."

I grinned up at him and wrapped my arms around his waist.

"You two must live in the woods, like the Cullens. I know their house can fit a tree like that."

Jacob chuckled. "Her maiden name is Cullen."

Gerald's eyebrows rose. "Ahh, well that explains it."

"Explains what?"

"How beautiful your wife is, son."

Jacob rubbed his hand up and down my arm. "She is, sir. She really is," he agreed, looking down at me.

"Well," the man grinned, "she's all yours. Free of charge." At first I thought he was talking about me, but then I realized he'd been looking at the tree as he spoke.

"What?" I asked, sure I'd heard him wrong.

He walked over to the tree and caressed the branches gently. "Finally, one of these girls gets to go to a home, to be decorated and loved, forever remembered in pictures. That, to me, is worth more than your money. These trees are everything to us. We won't go out of business. Besides, I'll just say we didn't sell her. They'll send another next year."

"And if they continue to look like this one, we'll buy them every year," I said. "Are you sure you won't charge us?"

He shook his head, taking my hand in his. "Darlin', it's yours. That kind of love for a Christmas tree means you're a kind heart. Is this your first Christmas as a married couple?"

Jake and I both nodded.

"Then, consider it a wedding gift."

Jacob studied the man as if he'd done something interesting. "But you don't know when we got married."

The man shook his head. "Don't need to. It was sometime this year by your answer. That's all I need to know." He made a dramatic flourish. "Congratulations. Enjoy your gift." Turning away from us, he said over his shoulder, "I'll go get my son to help you get it to your car."

"Thank you," I called, and then looked up at Jake.

He nodded, pulling his wallet out. He handed Natasha a fifty. At first she refused.

"Take it. Buy him something awesome from us. Please. It's the least we can do."

She teared up as she took it. "He loves these trees. You know, he owns the lot where they're grown, so he picks what kind of trees comes here. Every year he picks one of those, hoping that somebody will take an interest. So thank you. It means a lot."

"It's just...so beautiful."

She nodded. "They really are."

A guy about a year or so older than us came to stand beside her.

"Oh, hey, Matt. Can you help them get their tree to their car?"

"Sure." He shook hands with Jacob before they both went for the tree.

It took some maneuvering, but they managed to get the tree packed away into the bed of the truck. I didn't know how, and I didn't ask. We both waved as we drove away. The scent of pine invaded the cab and it was heavenly. When we pulled up to the cabin, there were two cars parked to the side, but nobody was in them. One of them was Grampa's.

Going inside, we found Jacob's whole family, Grampa, and Sue.

"What is going on in my house?" Jacob asked as he shrugged out of his jacket.

Billy rolled up to us. "Well, son, I called Alice to see where you were and when she told me you were tree shopping for the cabin, I knew it was time to give you this."

Reaching under the blanket that covered his lap, he pulled out the most beautiful tree topper I had ever seen. It wasn't a traditional star, but it was definitely unique. It was white, in the shape of a diamond like the kind you'd find on a playing card but 3-D, and it had silhouettes of mountains and wolves. There was bulb inside and a cord that plugged into the rest of the lights.

Jacob just stared at it, swallowing hard. "But that's...I remember that. That's the topper we used when Mom was still…" He couldn't finish and I gripped his hand.

Billy nodded. "It is. And she'd want you to have it."

"But-" He looked up at his sisters. "You gave me Mom's ring for Nessie. I can't take this. One of them should."

"Jake," Rebecca said, Henry asleep in her arms. "Rach and I already took what we wanted of Mom's things. You should have this. It belongs with the head of household with the last name of Black. That's not us or our husbands. It's you, baby brother. I agree with Dad. Mom would have wanted you to have it."

Rachel stepped forward with a soft smile. "You and Nessie deserve this, a tradition that's been in the family before. Something to pass down to your kids. I don't know if you remember, but you always used to watch Dad in awe as he put the topper on, more so than the two of us. It's yours."

He swallowed hard again as he leaned forward to take it from Billy. He held it like he held me sometimes. Like it was the most fragile of glass.

"Thank you," he managed to choke out.

"But," Rachel said, punching him in the arm. "You can't put it on without us here. We wanna watch a tradition be reborn." She looked to me. "So call us when you're ready to put it on."

Swallowing through the lump in my throat, I said, "I will. I promise."

She grinned. "Good. Now let's get that tree inside. It's starting to freeze out there."

Paul, Tom, and Jacob went outside while me, Rachel, and Rebecca cleared a spot next to the fireplace. I ran to my box of Christmas stuff to get out the tree stand. Positioning it well away from the flames, I felt a pulse of excitement as the guys carried it into the house. Once they got it in the stand, I went to my belly on the floor and tightened the fastenings. Wriggling back out, I went to stand with the rest of them to stare at it.

"Man, you guys did good." Rebecca.

"Uh, that was all Ness. She fell in love with it." Jacob.

"So she imprinted on it." Rachel.

"Guys! I'm right here."

A flash brightened the room. I looked over at Rachel who was holding her phone up.

"What?" she asked. "It's another Black tradition. Take a picture of the tree before, and then after." She shrugged. "Just something Mom liked to do."

"Well, then, I will, too."

Jacob grinned down at me. "Thank you," he whispered into my hair.

Grinning, I rested my head on his chest and just looked at our first tree.

D'awwww. Geez, these two kill me with their happily ever after crap. Why can't we get a little of that? Pfft. Anyway! Let me know what you think. Reviews or PMs are awesome! And would make awesome holiday gifts. *wink wink* Oh and since I may not post again before the holiday, Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Happy Whatever You Celebrate! Or if you don't celebrate anything, just have a damn good day! Love you! xoxoxoxoxo