AN: Pretty much all the vampires and a bit of the wolf-pack belong to SM.
I don't even own Trisha, Ethan, David, Taylor, or any of the other wolf kids, except Jesse. They belong to yay4shanghai. She's just letting me borrow them for a little while because she rocks and doesn't mind sharing!
Sorry it took awhile to update! I spent all day Wednesday in a car, driving 14 hours to Alabama…with my fam…but I promise that this won't disappoint.
Big shout out and Thanks to my very awesome friends yay4shanghai (the best beta in, well, this solar system—which I still contend includes Pluto) and KupKakes09, both of which keep me on task and give me the very best ideas! Don't forget to show them some love!
Also, check out these other authors: She's A Boozer, Call Me Embrys, Zuzak, Augustblack, and NataliaNicolette.
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Chapter 18: "The Prodigal Son Returns"
TRISHA'S POV
"Did I do something wrong?" I asked him. For almost two weeks, since the day after our bed-breaking sex romp, David would barely touch me. He would kiss me and hold me, but anytime my hands drifted below his belt, he pushed them away with a look of pain on his face.
"Huh?" David asked, looking confused. We were sitting on the Uley's couch, I had been curled into his side but with his last rejection, I moved to the opposite end, feeling isolated and alone.
"Is it because you don't want me now…because you think I'm p-pregnant?" I always stuttered on that last word. We still had one week to wait before we could take a test. I was hoping, though, that my period would start next week, and ease all our concerns.
David must have seen the worry in my eyes. He pulled me close to him, letting me nuzzle my head into his neck. "What are you talking about, Dollface?"
I pulled away slightly to look at him, feeling tears well up in my eyes. "Why won't you sleep with me?" I asked.
David chuckled. "I slept with you last night, weirdo." Yeah, we slept in the same bed, but that's not what I meant and he knew it.
"That's not what I'm talking about and you know it!" I was getting frustrated with him. When I wanted to have sex, he just wanted to watch TV. I was beyond pissed and for days, a part of me started to feel as if every bad thing around me was my fault. I just needed him to comfort me, to make me feel better, but the closest thing I could get from him was a hug. Granted, hugs aren't bad, especially David hugs, which always make my whole body tingle, enveloped in his warmth.
I'd had enough of his lousy excuses. Did he not know that I was worried too? I was the one that was going to have to face everyone, to shame my parents and serve as an incubator for a little wolf. "I'm going home," I said, getting off the couch.
"You just got here!" David said, calling after me. It was too late though. I was on the porch, head down, walking straight into a wall of muscle.
"Where you off to, Trisha-bug?" the wall said. I looked into Seth's eyes.
"Home," I snapped at him, trying to get around him and keep him from seeing the tears.
"What happened?" he asked as he grabbed me by the shoulders.
"Nothing, just let me go!" I screamed at him.
"Let her go, Seth," David said from behind me. I turned to face him, twisting my ankle at a funny angle.
"Shit!" I screamed, feeling myself start to fall. David swiftly moved to catch me and cradled me in his arms.
"Trisha, stop before you hurt yourself," he said, kissing me on the forehead.
I was almost sobbing now, as I looked up at him. I could see the same love and admiration that was always there. So why wouldn't he touch me? He pulled me up into a hug and I immediately pushed my head into his chest, crying large tears. I didn't want to say anything, I wanted him to feel my confusion and desperation.
"Why don't you love me anymore? I thought I was your imprint," I said it very softly, not expecting David to hear, but the damn wolf hearing…
"Why would you think I don't love you?" He whispered to me. He leaned down to rest his chin on my head.
"You won't touch me. I try to…" he stopped me.
"There's something I need to tell you," David said. "Ethan phased a couple of weeks ago. We think we know where he is."
David and I hadn't talked about Ethan since the day in the truck on the way to the beach. It was an issue that scared the shit out of both of us. And for the exact same reason. David feared that if Ethan came back I wouldn't and couldn't stay away from him. I feared the same thing. Did I love David? Yes, very much. But the problem lie in that fact that I still also loved Ethan very much. He was my first love and just because he had been gone for six months, didn't mean that those feelings weren't still there, alive and well.
"What's going to happen?" I asked before turning to see the sadness in David's eyes.
"I think you need to go home and talk to your Momma," he said. "I'll take you."
He carried me to the truck, not making eye contact again for the rest of our time together, dropping me off at my house without so much as a goodbye. As excited as I was at the prospect of Ethan returning, of seeing him again, I didn't like the idea of hurting David. I couldn't hurt him. I didn't want to. I should have stopped thinking about Ethan months ago. I still dreamed about it though and a hidden naughty part of my brain still wished for his return. I knew this was deeper than me. This was my heart, this was love, an emotion where all rules are thrown out and all reason gone.
"Mom!" I yelled, running into the house. She didn't answer right away. "Mother!" Still nothing. "Rachel Wise!"
"For the love of Jacob Black, what is going on?" Mom said, coming from the kitchen, hands on her hips and flour on her face.
"Did you know Ethan phased?" I looked at her coldly. "Did Dad know?"
I saw that she was trying desperately to find the words to explain to me what had happened, why I hadn't been told sooner. She must not have been able to muster them and all I got was a nod of the head.
I was livid…beyond livid, actually. Why had no one said anything to me? Why wouldn't they tell me he was okay, at least? Did they all know I still loved him? Did they know that deep down I was just a flaky bitch who didn't care who she hurts as long as she got what she wanted in the end? Could the whole fucking wolf-pack see through the semi-façade I had created with David? They must have. They all must know that no matter how much I loved David, no matter how many times we made love, until Ethan completely let me go, I would never be able to choose between them.
I would want them both with all of my heart. It was wrong, so wrong of me but a part of me, even when I was at my happiest with David, still thought about Ethan. Every day even. My thoughts would stray to him even when I tried not to. Now, knowing that he would return to La Push, even though I spent months begging for his homecoming , I couldn't imagine what I would do if I saw him again. I liked to think that if I saw him, I would have the maturity to be okay, but I didn't know if I had the strength for that.
No, Ethan had to let me go. Something that might only happen with an imprint, but then maybe it already had. Maybe he had spent his months away growing and maturing and getting over me. That would be perfect, the ideal situation, but the selfish bitch in me hurt at the very thought of Ethan not loving me the way I love him. Sometimes I prayed that Ethan would imprint while he was away, because, again, I'm a selfish bitch and as long as I can have Ethan, as long as he still feels the same, I will want him.
My mother stood motionless, as the back door opened, and Dad and Jared walked in the kitchen. Their conversation ceased as soon as they saw the anger in my eyes and the look on my Mother's face.
"He's coming back, isn't he?" I asked.
Jared spoke up. "Yeah. Your Mom asked Solace to go find him. He'll bring him back as soon as he does."
I didn't know whether I should hug my Mom and thank her, or if I should curse her. "Why would you do that?" I asked her, whispering. "Why would you do that to me?"
"It's not always about you, Trisha," Kim said, walking in the room and standing next to my Mom. "Is it really fair that you get to stay here and have your happily-ever-after with David, while my son pays for both your sins, off in some South American jungle?"
Kim was my second mother. She had never spoken to me with such aggression. But then I guess that's what happens when someone forces your child to leave you. That's how you treat someone who is the root of all problems and evils going on.
"You told me to let him go!" I tried to throw her words back at her. "I didn't want to, Kim. I loved him! I wanted to be with him but you told me I was going to give in anyway, and it was best to let him go before I hurt him! Maybe I wouldn't have given in if I could have had him, if everyone in my life didn't push me at David. But I let him go because it was good for Ethan, that's what you said Kim!"
"I didn't tell you to send him running off to the middle of fucking nowhere," Kim raised her voice. Neither of my parents did anything about it, both standing still as statues. Kim paced from my mother's side to Jared and back again a few time before taking a deep breath and continuing.
"I know how it is, Trisha. Out-of-sight, out-of-mind, right? You don't see Ethan, you don't have to choose. I know how hard this is, trust me. But I just want my son back. I want him home, sweetheart." Her voice had calmed but her words still stung. She was right. I had allowed myself to push Ethan to the far corner of my mind so I didn't have to choose. But then I hadn't had a choice, I wasn't allowed to be with Ethan. If I had had a choice, knowing what I knew now, what would I do? I still wouldn't choose, because I couldn't.
The anger boiled through me. Who was I angry at? Kim? My mom? Ethan? David… the only person I could be angry with was myself and the thought was too much for me to handle. I could feel my stomach start to lurch, and I did the stupidest thing I could ever have thought of.
"Yeah, well, it doesn't matter now anyway. David and I had sex two weeks ago and I was apparently 'in heat' so I'm probably pregnant! Congratulations!" I grabbed my keys from the table next to the door and ran out to my car, not listening as my Dad yelled for me to come back. I didn't cry, I wasn't going to, not now.
I pushed the key in the ignition, turned it quickly and revved the engine, peeling out of the driveway, headed who knows where. I didn't notice the wolf running beside me, as I made my decision to head to the cliffs. I made the 5 minute drive in under a minute, throwing the car in park and marching off to the edge.
"Trisha?" A voice said from behind me. "Baby girl, please talk to me."
"Just go away, Dad, please." I didn't want to do or be anything at that moment. I didn't want to listen to another speech, have another person hate me or worse, worry about me. I heard a car pull up and a door shut.
"Trisha Sarah Wise, you look at me this instance," my Mom's voice was harsh and cold and I saw her throw a pair of shorts to my Dad.
"What do you want?" I spat at her as I turned around.
"Do you really think you're pregnant?" She asked me. This was Rachel Wise at her most impatient, waiting for my answer and tapping her foot on the soft soil.
"I don't know!" I yelled at her.
"Did you and David have sex?" Mom asked me walking closer to me and grabbing onto my shoulders.
"What if we did? What if I told you he fucked me so hard that we broke his bed? I fucked Ethan, too! Did you know that?! That's right, you raised a whore!" I screamed at her, getting closer to her face. Mom pulled her hand off my shoulder, reared it back, and slapped me hard on my cheek. It stung, but the hand imprint on my cheek was superficial in comparison to the pain I felt in my heart. Neither of my parents had ever hit or slapped me. As angry as my Dad was, he never brought himself to resort to violence on my behalf. What was worse was that I knew I deserved it. I knew I was being disrespectful and rude, but I didn't care.
I let out a breath and ran, all the way to Grandpa Billy's house. He was waiting for me on the porch, sitting in his wheelchair and tapping his fingers on the armrest.
"Your mother called. Everything okay?" He asked me. I was pissed that she knew where I was going, that she knew me better than I knew myself sometimes.
"Nope. And I don't want to talk about it," I said to him, looking down at him from my standing position. I started to walk off.
"Do you know what the punishment is for sleeping with another wolf's imprint?" he asked me.
I shook my head at him, stopping in my tracks. "When Ethan comes back, David has every right to challenge him to a fight and he probably will."
"So what? The wolves fight all the time," I scoffed at him.
"When a brother wolf has sex with another wolf's imprint, the fight is to the death, Trisha," Billy said, with more seriousness in his voice than I had ever heard. "David can kill Ethan. No questions asked. Don't you think it's taking a lot for those boys to face up to this?"
I didn't want to think about it. Mostly, I think, I didn't want to admit that anyone was right, especially my Grandfather, with whom I now knew, knew that I had had sex. "Grandpa Billy, can I please just go to bed?" I asked him, hanging my head.
I heard him sigh. I obviously hadn't given him the answer he expected. Oh, well, I could add it to the list of disappointments I had managed to exhibit today.
"Sleep in Uncle Jake's room," he said, and I nodded entering the house and heading up the stairs.
I kicked my shoes off and climbed under the covers, burying my head in Uncle Jake's pillow, a pillow that still held his scent, even though it had been months, maybe years since he had used it. I breathed the smell in and felt the drama of the day quell up in my throat as I finally let the tears break free from eyes, not even noticing when I drifted off.
I woke up the next morning feeling dampness between my legs and cramps coming from my abdomen. I ran to the bathroom and my suspicion was correct. I had never been so happy to see the color red in my life. I picked up my cell phone and dialed David's number.
"Yo," He said.
I tried to think about how to say this, though, in my mind I was sure it wouldn't matter. I just need to get it out there.
"Yeah, just wanted to tell you, you didn't knock me up, so…" I didn't know what else to say. That was the bulk of it right there in one sentence.
"What'd ya say? I just woke up, and you're kinda yelling at me," David said. I could hear the sleep in his voice.
"I got my period. I'm not pregnant. Have a nice day," and I hung up the phone.
Next on the list were Mom and Dad. It rang three times before the answering machine picked up. We had the most absurd answering machine message, a combination of Mom and Dad's voices.
You've reached the Wise house. Leave a message if you want or don't.—Dad
Paul, you can't say that. We actually want people to leave a message.—Mom
What if I don't want them to? What if I don't want to talk to them? Huh?—Dad
Paul! Now look the times almost up to record the thingy.—Mom
Goddamn, Son of a Bitch—Dad
BEEP…After they recorded the ridiculous banter, neither one could figure out how to erase it and record a legitimate salutation.
"Hey, it's me. I'm not pregnant. I'll call later," and I hung up. I walked downstairs, still in my clothes from yesterday.
"Your mother brought this over for you. Said you might want clothes to change into," Grandpa Billy said.
Mom had packed a huge duffle bag with enough clothes for a month. And on top were a box of tampons. Damn her! She knew I wasn't pregnant because like I said before, she knows me better than I know myself.
"The Elders are coming over to discuss some stuff. You're welcome to stick around, if you want," he said.
"Did you eat breakfast?" I asked him. He didn't answer, which in Billy Black language means no. I sliced up a few apples, scooped out some peanut butter and we ate our breakfast. It wasn't much, but it would hold us over.
"I want you to stay here for a while, Trisha, until things get sorted out," Grandpa Billy said. "Plus, I'll need your help with the Elders meetings. It's important for me to have you here."
I couldn't deny Grandpa Billy anything, especially my help. "Of course."
I saw him take a deep breath. "Solace has gone to get Ethan. They should be back next week. I need you to talk to David and find out what's going on in his head."
I nodded to him. "David wouldn't hurt Ethan. It would kill him to inflict any kind of pain on him."
Grandpa shook his head. "All bets are off with imprints, sweetie. Sam says he won't try anything, and that he'll step in if that's the case, but I need you to find out exactly what's going on. David'll talk to you like he won't talk to anyone else.
"I won't spy on him, Gramps," I sputtered out.
"I don't expect you to. You should care enough about the Wahallas to want to know the answer for yourself," he sighed. "I need you to answer me this question… I need to know if you genuinely love David?"
I thought for a millisecond. "Yes. Very much," I felt my tears start.
"Do you love Ethan still?"
"Yes. Very much," I sighed out.
He rubbed his neck. "I guess we just have to wait." I turned to walk away. "I need you to do me a favor though, Trisha."
I turned back around. "Anything, Gramps." I smiled at him.
"Come sit down. This is kinda serious and I'll do better if I can look you in the eyes."
I complied, walking over to the couch and sitting down, as he wheeled over to me. He held my hands in my lap.
"Trisha, I know what David's going to say. He's gonna say he's fine with Ethan coming back. Maybe even happy about it, but be on the lookout, make sure it's not just an act. I don't want anyone to get hurt, okay?"
"How will I know that?" I asked, my heart crushing at the thought of one of my loves killing the other.
"You'll know," he said. "I know the pack is strong, Trisha. But they can't survive another catastrophe. Remember what happened with Embry and Solace? If David and Ethan actually fought, this would be about a hundred times worse."
The Embry-Leticia-Solace love triangle had been a dark time for the pack, it split it literally in two. I shuddered to think I could possibly contribute to that kind of fiasco. I agreed to help in whatever I could. I wouldn't be the downfall of the pack.
I stayed a recluse in Billy's house for a week, not seeing or talking to anyone. Then one afternoon there was a knock on the door, and against my better judgment, I answered it. My stomach knotting as I pulled the door back slowly.
"David," I said. Immediately I noticed the pain on his face, he looked like a lost little kid at the mall walking around screaming for their parents.
"Can we talk?" He asked me. "I just wanna talk. I just need to hear your voice."
I couldn't look at him. His agony was so obvious and the only thing he was requesting was to hear the sound of my voice. I was hurting him… again.
"I'm sorry, Dollface. I should've told you as soon as I found out. But we had so much going on, with worrying about you being pregnant, and…" He trailed off.
I lifted his chin to look at me. "I understand why you didn't tell me. For the same reason we haven't talked about him in months."
He smiled at me. "I just love you so much, and I'm scared, Trisha."
David Uley, the boy whom I had never seen fear anything, was afraid of Ethan's return. Did he know too? Did he know I was never completely his? Would that knowledge be enough for him to kill over?
"David, think about Kim and Jared. They're like family to us, right? They miss their son. It's not fair to them to have to be without him," I said, still looking in his eyes.
"I guess," he sighed. "So, we should probably talk about this whole you not being pregnant thing."
I laughed. "What's there really to talk about? We had a little scare but it turned out to be nothing."
David's face became very serious and he cupped my cheek in his hand. "I want you to know, Dollface, there is no one in the world I want to have puppies with but you. I don't care if it's tomorrow, next week, or five years from now. I want to have my family with you."
I closed my eyes and leaned into his hand. It felt nice. It felt right, so warm and gentle. Please, please let me be strong. Let David be strong.
"I have to ask you something," he kept his hand on my cheek as I spoke to him. "I know what happens when one wolf has sex with another's imprint. I have to ask if you're going to go through with the fight-to-the-death thing."
He shook his head. "He was my best friend, Trisha. I couldn't hurt him. As long as I have you, I won't try nothin'. But if I see him so much as look at you in a way he would look at anyone other than his sister, so help me, I won't be able to control myself, Dollface."
There was my answer. I had to be strong enough to resist the feelings I have Ethan, for his own good. But then I knew that was easier said than done. I knew that was going to be beyond difficult. Seeing him at bonfires and family barbeques. Prancing around with David as if nothing had happened.
We sat together for awhile, him holding me on Grandpa Billy's front porch. Watching as it started to drizzle lightly. Then the wolf's howl filled the air and we knew he was here. Ethan was back.
ETHAN'S POV
"Ah, the prodigal son returns!" Mark said, greeting Solace and I at the baggage claim at the SeaTac Airport. He looked older, much more serious than he had been. He was accompanied by my not-so-little brother, Taylor, who held onto him bouncing like an impatient child.
"Good to see you, man," I said, hugging Mark and turning to Taylor. Taylor looked as if he might come out of his skin any minute with excitement. He smiled at me and as soon as I was close enough he practically tackled me with a hug.
"I missed you, too, little bro." I sighed, giving into the hug. It felt nice.
The drive to La Push was quick and every sight and smell reminded me just how much I missed it. I sat in the front, Solace taking the wheel allowing Taylor and Mark to sit behind us. I watched them in the rearview mirror, they were sitting close silently looking at each other occasionally nodding and mouthing things. They were having a silent conversation I obviously was not supposed to be a part of.
I turned away looking out the window as we drew closer. Everything looked and felt so much like home. Pulling into the driveway, I could already see Mom and Dad waiting on the lawn, Amber twirling around, and trying to get little Annabelle to join in.
"How long do I have before the meeting with the Elders?" I asked Taylor.
"Embry's said he wanted to give you a chance to see the fam before the 'great council.'" Taylor said, adding a bit of dramatization on the end. "So, I'm guessing about fifteen minutes."
"Thanks," I scoffed and started getting out of the car. Mom and Dad ran to meet us, both with tears in their eyes.
"Holy shit, Ethan! Don't you ever do that to me again, do you hear me?" Mom said, pulling me into a hug with more strength than a newborn vamp.
I couldn't help but chuckle at her enthusiasm. "Geez, Mom, are you trying to break me in half?"
She laughed and loosened her grip on me, looking into my face with anxious eyes. "I want to hear all about your little vacation when you get back from your 'meeting' with the Elders."
"Sure thing, Mom," I said, noticing Dad hovering not too far away.
"Dad," I said, nodding to him, still holding on to Mom. He moved to me and gave me a crushing hug, enveloping me and Mom in his large warm arms.
"I missed you, son," Dad said with tears in his eyes. "I'm so sorry, I…"
I stopped him, putting my hand up. "Doesn't matter now, Dad. All that matters is that I'm home."
I looked to see Embry come out of the house. "Guess I should get this over with sooner rather than later," I said to him.
"I'm coming with you, son," Dad said, patting me on the back. "You'll need someone else in your corner."
"I'll be there, too, though I wouldn't count on the Elders giving my opinion much weight," Solace said coming into the circle. He had been standing in the background trying not to interrupt my family reunion.
Mom walked towards Solace and hugged him. "Thank you for bringing him home," I heard her say, burying her head in Solace's chest.
"No prob. Besides, you should really thank, Rach. She's the one that practically threw herself at me. I told her there was no need for sexual favors but you know how Rachel is. How could you blame her though, being married to Paul and all," Solace said, his words dripping in sarcasm. I laughed, Embry didn't. The tension between them was still palpable. I wondered if it would be like that with me and David, if we would never be able to look at each other the same way again.
"So, where's this going down at?" I asked, wondering where the council would be meeting, hoping it was on some sort of neutral ground. The Uley house was clearly not a good choice, though I didn't doubt that Sam would protect me, even if the wolf he was protecting me from was his own son. Maybe Sue's house?
"Billy Black's," Embry said. It wasn't ideal but who was I to ask for a change of venue? And Billy was usually pretty impartial, except when it involved his precious granddaughter, just the thought of whom made me warm up inside. God, I loved her still, I tried not to. I knew from Solace she was David's Trisha now.
"We should probably go," I sighed.
"Be strong, baby," Mom said, kissing me on the cheek. "Don't take any shit from anyone, you hear me?"
I smiled at her. "Sure thing."
Dad opened the minivan door, which quickly filled with wolves, including Taylor, Mark, Solace, Embry, Dad, and me. It wasn't the most comfortable ride. But then again, any ride where one is going to face their fate is hardly a walk in the park.
Within minutes, we pulled up to the familiar small, wood framed house. Billy Black and Sue sat on the front porch waiting for us. Sam walked out the front door and I shuddered to think what was set to happen. My life was up for debate.
I turned to Solace, trying to look courageous. "Here goes nothing."
*NEXT CHAPTER: "Lace Up Your Shoes"
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Second AN: One chapter left, then the epilogue! I already have the prologue written for the sequel. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!