Book Two: Kim and the Wolf that Loved Her

Chapter 1: Jared Comforts

"Does that look like a line or a plus sign to you?" Rachel Black asked tilting her head to better examine the white stick in Emily's hand. The three of us stood huddled together in the Black's tiny bathroom with a piece of white plastic that could change Emily's life forever.

"I don't know. Looks kinda like a squiggly line to me," I said, trying not to commit one way or the other because everyone wants to shoot the messenger.

This was the second stick we examined and discussed as a group. It came out of a four pack of EPT, which in my opinion was not a bright idea, any pregnancy test that sold in bulk shouldn't be trusted.

"A squiggly line? This is so not a joke, Kim," Emily said, her hands shaking as she examined the back of the box again comparing her abstract plus sign with the one in the picture. She was pregnant, I knew it, Rachel knew it, hell, even Emily knew it, even though she was pretending she didn't.

"Sorry, I'm not joking," I said, trying to look guilty.

Rachel laid her hand gently on the small of my back and rested her head on my shoulder, with a look that plainly read 'good thing it's not us.' I smiled wide, which made the usually cheery Emily cringe. She huffed throwing the test in the garbage bin and fishing out test number three from the box.

Rachel was our newest wolf-girl, a term invented by the wannabe wolf-girl, Bella Swan. It was a silly and simple nickname but it stuck. There were four of us now, imprinting was not as rare as Jared had made it out to be. Rachel, Paul's imprint, Jake's older sister and a fucking riot! She didn't just fit perfectly with Paul, it was like she was meant to join the already existing trio, which was actually more like a duo before she came because Quil's toddler-imprint Claire, couldn't really join in a pregnancy test party.

"Are you seriously going to take all four?" I asked sitting on the edge of the bathtub.

"Kim can you just—just not today, okay?" Emily said her hands trembling as she tried to open the plastic covering. I had never seen her freak out like this. This was the least comical situation but I was still smiling, when you were madly in love it was hard not to smile.

Emily was the oldest of the wolf-girls, which didn't say much because we ranged in age from three to twenty-three but I knew she wasn't ready for a baby and this was the worst possible time for this to happen. The pack was in an uproar and Sam was a mess right now.

The whole situation was so Days of Our Lives it wasn't even funny, okay no—I lie, it is funny but not in the ha-ha way. Emily's fiancé was currently over run with work and hurting over his ex-fiancée, who just happened to be Emily's cousin, Leah. Sam didn't still love Leah… at least I didn't think it was possible to after the imprint, but her dramatic exit was affecting him.

Leah left the pack four days ago for two main reasons, one she hated the pack (and they weren't terribly fond of her either) and two she was following her brother who left to become a part of Jacob Black's new rogue pack. Why was Jake making a rogue pack, you ask? Naw you didn't ask, you know all drama is because of Bella Swan.

This time the ditz got herself knocked up, so now Jake and the Clearwaters are camped out at the Cullen's house protecting their natural enemies to make sure that Bella and her baby abomination aren't killed, like she probably should be.

I never really understood Bella, but now I was certain I never could or would. She came back from wherever vampires honeymoon, fully pregnant with her sparkly husband's demon seed and no intention of aborting the vamp spawn for the good of humanity.

So Sam and the boys are in a tizzy, freaked out by whatever's growing inside the nit-wit and I don't blame them. Only a fool would be comfortable with whatever Undead Romeo and his fool could produce, especially since the thing was growing rapidly, much too rapidly for the pack's comfort.

And to top it all off, once the rogue trio abandoned the pack a new wolf was called. He was young, not as young as the last two recruits Collin and Brady, but young; just about fifteen. He was tall and pale and I wouldn't admit this to Jared, but gorgeous, like underwear model gorgeous. In fact, other than Jared, I have never seen a man so beautiful in my life. His name was Solace. Solace the mute as Jared and I dubbed him. I had met him three times in the last week since he phased, but I hadn't heard him speak once.

"What are thinking about Kim-Kim?" Rachel asked as Emily gulped cups of water from the running tap.

"The new wolf," I said honestly.

"Oh, yeah the hot boy," Rachel said nodding with a hilarious amount of enthusiasm in her voice.

"You think 'The Mime' is hot?" Emily asked, gasping for air before she chugged another cup of water.

"The Mime?" Rachel and I asked, in unison.

"He doesn't talk. Like at all. Ever! I thought he was deaf. He just points and grunts. Last time he was here he mimed a cup instead of asking for one," Emily elaborated.

Rach and I chuckled as she pushed us out of the bathroom so she could whiz on the last of the sticks.

"Okay, so next time one of us gets pregnant can we just make a pact to buy one test and call it a day."

"Deal," Rachel agreed shaking my hand dramatically.

As we settled at the kitchen table Paul came through the door, followed closely by Jared, who looked miffed. I smiled and he warmed instantly, his face relaxing as he kissed my forehead. Paul sat next to Rachel quietly, putting his head in his hands.

"What happened?"

"Jake imprinted," he whispered just to me.

"What's wrong, Paul?" Rachel asked, examining him.

"Jake imprinted," he said, sadly.

I didn't get the drama. Jake imprinting was supposed to be a good thing. Not only would he get a girl that was destined for him, he'd get over Bella already and come back to the pack, where he belonged. Rachel shared my sentiment.

"So, then, what's with the long faces? Shouldn't we be out celebrating? Where is he? He can't still be hanging round the Cullen's place," she said, standing as if heading out to see him. Paul grabbed her hand and stopped her.

"What is it another toddler fiasco?" Rachel asked. Then an idea so terrible crossed my mind I had to voice it.

"Was it one of the Cullens or their vamp friends?" I said looking up at Jared. Jared and Paul nodded in unison.

"Jake can't imprint on a vamp they can't reproduce. Imprintings are supposed to be about reproduction," Rach said just as Emily came out of the bathroom holding the third pee-stick with shaking hands.

When she saw the boys she put it behind her back and tried to look natural, it didn't work.

"And if they could have babies, Blondie and Psychic Little-bit would have a boat load of baby blood suckers by now," I said trying to distract them. Paul looked at Rachel with a face reminiscent of a vet informing you of the death of your pet.

"No fucking way!" Emily screamed, and we all turned to her in shock. I was rubbing off on her in the most exciting way.

"What's going on? Speak dammit, the whole mute thing is only hot when Solace does it," Rachel said blushing when Paul gave her the 'what-the-hell-did-you-just-say look'.

"You're both right. Jake imprinted on a baby. A baby Cullen. Bella's girl. Her name is Rennie-something. Seth just came by, it's the real deal. Blondie and Daddy-vamp ain't too pleased about it," Jared spilled the beans.

"He imprinted on the Spawn of Satan?" The words were out of my mouth before I could filter them and Rachel glared at me with such vehemence I backed down, curling deeper into Jared's arms.

"She's venomless, so at least she can't kill him," Paul said as if that were some sort of comfort.

"Does that mean Sam has to back down there isn't going to be a great Cullen war after all," Emily asked from the doorway, she was still holding on to her pee-stick, no longer bothering to hide it.

I could see the relief in her eyes, I felt it too, for days the wolf girls, especially Rachel were on edge afraid of what would happen when the thing hit the ground running.

A howl came from the forest and I jumped. Jared who had been standing rigidly at attention gave me quick kiss and followed Paul to the door but Sam bustled in wearing only a pair of cut-offs and a grim expression. Emily ducked in the bathroom and came back out within seconds.

"We got another one, another new wolf," He clarified looking out at us. It wasn't good news to them like I had once suspected it would be. They didn't really want to grow unless absolutely necessary, wolfing was a life sentence.

"His name is Jordan Varn… we think he knows you Kim, Brady saw your brother in his mind. His grandmother just died and he exploded— almost killed his little brother, he's okay though he was lucky," Sam said quickly, answering Emily's gasp. My stomach fell. He couldn't have said Varn. Jordan Varn. He had given me a preamble, he had told me I knew him but I still wanted him to be wrong.

"What did you say?" I asked my voice choking.

Grandma Varn was my savior. With a negligent mother like mine Granny V made sure me and my brother Matty were fed, clothed and safe for years, and she was too young to be dead. It couldn't be her. Jared pulled me close, smoothing on my hair as I started to hyperventilate. Death is funny like second you are joking about hot mute boys and pregnancy test and then it hits you, sharp and final.

"Are you okay, Kimmie?" Emily asked, rushing to my side, Rachel followed, examining me. My wolf-girls, my sisters held on to me as I tried to speak, but my throat was dry and painful.

"I-I—" And I was out. I never actually thought emotional stress could make you faint. I always hated how in classic films old starlets fainted all over the place, it seemed so unrealistic, but there I was.

When I stirred again I didn't want to open my eyes, I stayed completely still, curled into a ball against a warm body that I knew from the scent was Jared. It could have been a dream, I prayed for it to be a dream but I knew it wasn't. I had spent months in complete bliss with Jared and this was the down, because every up has a down right?

"Kim baby, are you okay? Talk to me please," Jared whispered, his warm breath tickling against my ear. I turned to face him, my eyes readjusting to the dim lights in the living room where they had laid me.

"I've got to go see Crystal," I said attempting to sit up, but Jared's steel arm held me to down. Crystal Varn, Jordan's big sister has been my best friend since I was in the second grade. We had drifted in the last couple of months, me not being able to tell her about the wolf aspect of my life- but in this world I didn't have many people I could count on, Crystal was one of the rare few people I trusted fully.

"You need to relax for a little bit and I'll drive you over, okay?" He bargained, his warm body settling next to me.

"Jared," I sighed, grabbing a handful of his shirt and pulling him close. He smelled fresh and woody with a hint of lemon; the most delicious, perfect smell in my world.

"Jelly-bean, do you need anything?" He asked sweetly, his huge arms circling me, it felt so nice.

"Jared, we need to get Matty. Michael's going to need him if Jordan is off with the pack," I whispered into his neck which carried his scent like a sponge.

Matty and Crystal's brother were a trio of sorts. At first they had been forced together by me taking Matty over so that I could have as much time with Crystal as possible but now they were bonded. Jordan and Michael mourned almost as much as I did when Matty went to live with his aunt in Port Townsend, after my mother graduated from alcohol to meth addiction last year.

"I'll pick him up, I can go now if you want," he offered, his hand tracing circles on the small of my back.

"I wanna call him first," I said sniffling as the tears I had been holding back started to escape. "He's going to be really upset," I sobbed.

I couldn't say how badly it hurt me, it was one of those pains that were too difficult to own, it was there but incomprehensible. How can I explain the loss of my surrogate mother when I had yet to deal with the loss of my biological mother, who had been gone now for 4 months?

I had to be strong again. For the last few months I had been able to be soft and gentle, but now my friends and family needed me. I washed my face, tied my hair in a tight ponytail and got to business.

"Jordan, you're going to have to turn back your family needs you," I urged, rubbing his furry brown neck.

The funeral was in two hours and he needed to phase back now. I needed him to shower and dress, which was going to be difficult since he hadn't come out of wolf form in three days. Crystal who had been incapacitated since the death was a lot easier to deal with. She was catatonic yes, but she didn't fight me as I threw her in the shower or as I dressed her.

He rolled over, his huge baby wolf paws leaving a dusty print on the hem of the little black dress Rachel had borrowed me for the ceremony. Rachel and a now confirmed pregnant Emily, took very good care of me during the last 40 or so hours. Cooking, driving and getting everything in order, I would never be able to thank them enough, they were a family I never expected to join, but they were perfect.

"Look, I understand you're upset but if you fuck up this dress, I'm going to have to fuck you up, kid!" I whined, pushing his paw away from me. His big brown eyes examined me, thoughtful and sad.

"I can't imagine how you feel, Jordan, but Michael needs you right now. You're his biggest hero and he hasn't seen you in three days. He needs you to be there with him, you don't have to be strong you just have to be there." He nuzzled his big head in my lap, I was kneeling and in this position, I had free range to smooth out his long thick fur. I held his head like if he were a beloved family pet, although it was a bit matted, his fur was long and untamed.

"We're going to have to wash this fur of yours, at least," I half joked.

I was determined to get him to the funeral. If it meant I would stand in the forest looking on with Jordan in wolf form so be it. I found my path and he followed, his big paws making loud crunching noises as we approached Jared's house.

Jared's mother was inside, her long hair swaying as she danced in the kitchen cooking for tonight's service. She had also been supportive, although I always knew she would be there for me in any crisis. She helped with the funeral arrangements, picking and planning, even putting in her own money to get the best. I never knew the extent of her kindness till then.

"Oh honey, you scared me," she cried turning to me and then down at the massive wolf that stood in her doorway.

"He's not phasing back. He needs a bath and a haircut which would be easier in human form but he's being an ass—" Jordan barked, his tail twitching once as he looked up at me.

"Oh Jordan honey she doesn't mean it," Cindy said leaning down to get a better look at the large brown wolf.

"I'm going to just have to have Jared hold him down while I hose him off," I threatened, looking down at the new wolf, who put his tail between his legs and plopped down.

"Honey, I'm sure there's an easier way. How about this? I find some nice clean clothes and we can let him try to relax under the warm water in the master bath. He should just about fit," she suggested kneeling down further so she could look in his eyes.

He leaned into her hand as she patted his head and then he was Jordan, naked and crying on the kitchen floor. Cindy ran to Jared's room returning with a pair of sweats, a towel and an undershirt, he didn't budge.

"Come on Jordan," I whispered, kneeling down at his side. He was sobbing so hard his shoulders shook straight out of my hands. I pulled at him, and he rolled on his side covering himself.

"Jordan, love, let's get you into the shower. I bet it'll make you feel better," Mrs. Cameron said, lifting him by his shoulders and leading him buck naked to the bathroom.

When she came back in the kitchen, Jared arrived totting Matty. He looked older. He was older, but now I could see it in his eyes. I had been with him non-stop for the last twenty-four hours but I hadn't noticed it till now. Both he and Jared were dressed in black, and we stood in silence waiting for Jordan to reenter. When he did he was dressed in sweats. His eyes red and puffy. Matty grabbed him and Jordan didn't object. The two of them although farther apart in age had always been closer, Jordan looked like a giant now but it didn't stop Matty, he just held on to him even tighter.

"Jordan, you'll be alright man," Matty said gently brushing Jordan's long hair out of his face.

"I'm a fucking wolf, Matt," the first words out of his mouth. I would have laughed, if the timing wasn't so fucked; I always appreciated a good outburst of swearing.

"Yeah, I heard about that," Matty said sitting Jordan down. We had to tell him when he arrived since Michael and Crystal now knew.

"How you feeling? Your body?" Jared asked sweetly. He was perfect, the softest most caring man in the world.

"I hurt like hell and I'm burning with a fever," he said dryly, stretching his arm out with a grimace.

"Yeah, well focus on the physical pain cuz we have to get to that funeral, Jordan," I said, passing him the duffle bag of clothes I had gotten from Crystal a few hours ago.

"I can't," he said simply, his big hands waving the bag away from him.

"You can and you will," I said, forcefully pushing the bags in his hands.

"Why are you being such a bitch?" Matty asked, patting Jordan's back.

Matty liked him, as more than a friend. I had always suspected it, but now it was confirmed. I could tell he did by the way he watched him and how his eyes got increasingly pained.

"Because he has a responsibility to his family and to the woman who raised him." I shot back.

He had someone, someone so beautiful and perfect and loving in his life and he was disrespecting her memory. He grabbed the bag with a blazing look and walked back in the bathroom, emerging stuffed in a black button up and slacks that were on the verge of burst with his new wolf girth.

It was the second week of September, and the night air was cool and smelled like fresh pine. I focused on that during the ceremony, inhaling deeply to keep myself in one piece while they lowered her in the ground. The last parental figure in my life, gone forever.

Numbness would have been appreciated, but it wasn't happening, the burning pain in my torso eating away at the rest of my body did not leave me. It was like a really bad movie, watching my best friend as she walked like a zombie through the crowds. Crystal's blank eyes scanned the room but didn't seem to take anything in.

The La Push pack all came by, piling in to give their condolences. I stayed for the entire service, eating bland casseroles from god knows who at Jared's demands and crying. Crying so hard I thought my lungs would explode from the heaving sobs. And Jared was there, like a romance novel hero, he was perfect and warm and comforting.

Matty didn't cry, I watched him hard faced and strong as he patted Michael's back or hugged Jordan. He didn't erupt until the car ride home, in the darkness of the backseat he wept so hard it made my stomach churn.

I put Matty to bed in Jared's family guest room when we returned. Cindy making us both hot cocoa before I made my way to Jared's room.

I hadn't slept in his room for a long time. Jared had been staying in my apartment, returning here for clothes and occasionally food for over six months.

When I finally opened the door to his room, now free of pin-up posters he was there, warming the bed we would share. I hadn't slept a day without him for almost six months, I don't even remember what it was like not to have his smell, his warmth surrounding me, lulling me softly to sleep. I didn't want to know.

"Jared," I whispered pulling his warm arm around me.

"Yes, baby?" he sighed, breathing warm puffs of air on my neck.

"I was thinking about that apartment your dad just left. Do you think Quil's mom would give it to us for cheap? It's perfect and it has a room for Matty." I said timidly, it was still hard to believe I had a man who wanted to commit to me forever, who had no intention of ever leaving me.

"Matty?"

"Yeah. Um, for when he comes to visit," I said looking into his excited eyes.

"I'll call her right now," he said almost flying out of bed.

"How 'bout we wait till morning," I chuckled, pulling him back to me.

"Are you serious about this?" He asked, his bright smile lighting the room.

"Yea, I want room for Matty to come next summer and I want to share a place that's ours."

"You're amazing. I love you so much."

"I love you too, Jared," I sighed snuggling into his chest.

"Just when I think that I love you more than any one person can love anything or anyone, you make me love you more," he sighed, trailing one single hot line of kisses from my forehead to my nose.

"Can you say that at our wedding?" I sobbed. After all this time I still did this, sometimes I couldn't help but cry when he said these thing, they were always just so perfect; exactly what I always wanted to hear. Exactly what every girl ever wanted to hear.

"And when will that be taking place?" he asked rolling me over so that my face was nestled in his neck.

"After Sam and Emily… which will probably be sooner than later, with her being knocked up and all."

"What?" He gasped choking on air. I wasn't sure if it was the baby announcement of the fact that I had set a date, but he was definitely shocked.

"Yup. We got the first batch of super babies on its way."

"Wow," he sighed looking at me.

"Yeah... wow."