A/N: Hey all, so I totally messed up, which is why you all may be confused. This is a new chapter, but the chapters 20 and 21 got a little screwed up. I accidentally forgot to upload 20 in the right spot and chapter 21 took its place (hopefully that makes sense). Please take the time to read it over. I think it might make more sense. Sorry for the error and not updating in so long. I have really been debating with myself when and if i should end it as it is. The review rating is not what i expected and yea. Thanks for all those who did though. Its a really big help and gives me some more push to write and update.
"Bella, congratulations," Letty said walking over to us.
"Thank you," I chirped again. Liam squirmed in my arms, trying to get comfy as he wrapped his arms around my neck and tucked his head on my shoulder.
"How's this guy been?" I wondered to Paul's mom. I hadn't had the chance to see Will as much since Sam came back around. Everything in life had been busy.
"Good, growing like his father," she smiled patting his back.
"Where is everyone?" I wondered.
"Boys are gathering wood and I think the girls are further down the beach getting the food all together?"
"Oh okay," I said starting to go investigate.
"Here, I got these," Letty said taking the pies from the table to carry.
"Thanks," I breathed, finding my self somewhat full handed. I noticed Sue had already made her way over to Charlie and Billy, who were also still near the grassy part of the land, talking amongst each other.
Walking down towards the water, I relaxed in peace and let the sand fill in-between my flip-flops.
"Bella!" Kim squealed, racing over to me.
Laughing, I stuck out my hand and showed her the sparkly ring.
"Oh my god," Sarah said first as she stood next to Kim.
"Pretty huh?" I laughed.
"More like gorgeous," Kim commented.
"That's shiny," Will commented popping his head up to look.
"It is, isn't it?" I smiled to him.
"So how'd it happen?" Andrea asked as we set up.
"You all don't know yet?" I said curiously.
"Boys have been gone all day with patrols and stuff. We only saw everyone for a quick second before they had to go get wood."
"Oh," I said surprised, "well…I don't know, we were standing in the kitchen talking about life and then he proposed."
"Bella, I think Sam could even tell it better than you did just now," Leah said walking towards us.
"Leah!" We all cheered happily. Cole smiled at us, standing right behind her as we attacked our family member with huge hugs.
"Cole, Seth," I smiled, giving each other them a hug with Liam still attached to me.
"Hey little man," Seth said playfully as he tickled the boy's side. Liam gave a giggle and graciously dove into Seth's arms.
"So, let's see it!" Leah said giving me the phrase everyone has been saying since I got here. Sticking out my hand, Cole let out a whistle.
"Now that's nice," Leah commented to her boyfriend.
"Lucky girl," Seth's voice rang, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek as he set Will down to stand on the picnic table of food.
"How was moving in?" I wondered to the three.
"She has a lot of stuff," Seth claimed.
"Do not," Leah fussed. Glancing at Cole, I saw him jokingly nodding to agree with Seth. Leah caught my eyesight and hit her man lightly on the chest while rolling her eyes. As the rest of us sat around talking for a while, I let Liam pick into the fruit tray with his little fingers.
"So really, back to the topic at hand, how did Sam propose?" Leah wondered.
"Umm…well, we were talking about life and how great it was- or I was I guess. But anyways, I said something like 'we were perfect' and he said 'not until I say yes when he asks me to marry him'. I told him of course I would and so he asked me right there. I thought he didn't have a ring but he just pulled one out of his pocket and got down on one knee."
All of the girls melted into a puddle, Leah included, which had me grinning. I knew the girl wanted the fairytale.
"Hey, when did we start picking?" Paul's voice boomed as he walked up to Liam from behind.
"Auntie Elley let me!" he protested as Paul shook his hand through his kid's shaggy hair. Paul raised an eyebrow at me and I shrugged.
"Hey, fruit is made for picking, see," I said sticking my own two fingers in to grab a green grape and popping it in my mouth. Everyone chuckled as I smiled sweetly to Paul and let his child grabbed some more fruit.
"Yea, well congratulations," Paul said coming over to hug me one handedly, since his other arm carried some wood.
"Thank you," I beamed, getting up to hug the daddy wolf.
"Bella!" two voices shouted. Turning my attention to whoever was calling me, I could see Collin and Brady coming back with some wood too.
"Hey guys," I smiled, each giving them the same type of hug I did Paul.
"Heard you got a rock on your hand," Jared said coming over to us now too before I could further a conversation with the twins.
"Hey Jared," I laughed, hugging him too as the two youngest boys hung around me.
"How was gathering wood?" I asked all of them in general. Jared gave me a nod while moving over towards Kim.
"Not bad," Collin shrugged.
"I swear you boys have enough wood to have a bon fire for days," Charlie commented with Billy rolling up beside him while Sue followed them.
"Sam did well," Sue commented taking another look at my ring.
"Thank you," a deep voice boomed.
"Hey," I said, my face brightening watts. Sam stalked over to me, arms dropping the woods onto the sand so his warm limbs could hold me. Letting out a giggle, I moved away from our family and snaked my arms around his neck. Leaning down, he gave me a small peck to the lips, which seemed to brighten my expressions even more.
"Dum dum dum dum, " Quil sang with the tune of the wedding march. Rolling my eyes, I tore myself away from Sam and said a quick hello to Quil and Embry, who was behind him with wood too.
"And the love birds have finally made their way to each other," my best friend Jake cheered.
"Hey Jake," I smiled.
"Welcome to your engagement party…slash bonfire," Jake added. Both Sam and I looked at each other surprised, and then to everyone else.
"Congratulations," they all said together. I flushed pink, making everyone laugh (along with my fiancé) and buried my head in Sam's neck.
"When did you plan this?" Sam wondered to his brother.
"Since this morning when you were beaming. As you were off with Collin and Brady for patrol, I talked with my dad and had him help me make the bon fire more special."
"How is it more special if I may ask?" I spoke up, lifting my head from Sam.
"Well, the fire is a lot bigger, hence all the wood. And my dad will give some ceremony thing. It's just for good luck, a seal of our blessing and loyalty to the both of you. Nothing big, but I thought it would mean a lot to you guys, especially since Sam is alpha and all."
Feeling so lucky to have a friend like my Jake, I slid away from Sam and hugged the man. "Thank Jakey, it means a lot," I smiled, laughing at myself for letting his silly nickname slip.
"Course Bells," he smiled kissing my nose and squeezing my waist.
"Thanks Jake," Sam said patting my best friend on the back, "but don't ever kiss my girl that close to her lips again," he warned with a hard squeeze to the wolf's shoulder. The Pack let out a laugh, while Jake and I just rolled our eyes.
"So how did you get Sam to not ask questions about the wood?" I wondered as I watched my fiancé went to go grab the logs he dropped a little while ago.
"Easy, I just told him my dad wanted to stock up and I never really had the time, Sam bought it pretty easily," Jake smiled cheekily. Giving him another thank you, he shrugged it off by chalking it up to being a friend duty. He kissed Sarah quickly and then left to go put the wood down.
As Collin and Brady went to go join his Pack mates, Brady stopped dead in his tracks and stared straight ahead.
"What?" Collin asked looking over to the group of others who were a ways down the beach.
"Do you see her?" Brady said dazed. Going over to look in the line of sight he was, I saw a little girl, who was maybe 5?
"Oh man," I said.
"He didn't," Collin started, stopping himself from furthering the sentence.
"yup," I breathed.
"Did I just- on a five year old?" Brady wondered, dropping his wood where he was standing.
"Think so," I said slightly worried of how he was taking it all.
"A five year old?" he repeated.
"Yup," Collin said watching the little girl who was a ways away from us. She seemed to be with her father, who looked young himself.
"Single parent?" I was wondering aloud.
"Looks like it," Collin commented to me.
"I'm screwed," Brady announced.
"Quil!" I yelled. Quil stopped what he was doing as he glanced at us and came trotting over.
"What happened?" he wondered.
"The five year old," I told the Pack brother.
"Oh," was all he could say. "Well congrats man, join the kiddy boat," Quil said clapping a hand on his back.
"Fuck," Brady swore.
"Hey, watch it," I warned. "Go on, go meet her," Collin encouraged.
"And what am I supposed to say? 'Oh hi, little girl. And hi father of the girl who is five years old'. I'm Brady and you're going to be my mate."
"We wouldn't really say that," Collin said glancing at me. Brady shot his brother a dirty look.
"Just go talk to her, you can do it," I said. "maybe try warming up to the father first. Wonder if he is Quileute? maybe he already knows," I shrugged trying to bring some positivity to the situation.
"Right," Brady snapped sarcastically.
"No need to get grumpy, just go find out the little girl's name. You're a kid yourself, you can do this," I said.
Letting out a huff, he backboned himself and walked off to meet the girl of his dreams. I glanced around, wondering who knew yet and saw Seth shaking slightly.
"Come here," I called for my little brother, waiting for him to jog over to me. Collin gave me a quick squeeze to the hand as he left me so I could have my time with Seth. Hesitant at first, Seth soon came over to my arms and sighed.
"Love you," I said kissing his naked chest.
"love you too," he sighed again.
"Don't sound like you mean it or anything," I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes as I tried to put a smile on his face. He gave me a lopsided grin before thinking over what just happened again. I watched his happy expression fade and laid my head against him.
"It will be your time, just you wait. You'll meet the girl," I said.
"Thanks Bells," Seth sulked. Letting him take time to think everything over a bit more, I watched as everyone slowly drifted back into a flowing conversation. Sam glanced over at me, some jealousy in his eyes, but Collin was standing right there, telling him what just went on. The hostility and jealousy in my fiancé's eyes simmered but didn't dissipate. He gave me more of an understanding nod of the head and silently told me to find him when I was done.
"Is it sad to say I'm jealous of Brady, even though his imprint is a five year old? And he will probably have to deal with that father?" Seth wondered aloud making me turn my gaze away from Sam.
I giggled a bit at the thought of poor Brady and the father of his imprint but quickly set my mind back on track to the serious situation. "I think you have a right to be jealous, but I don't think you are going to want to wish through what Brady will have to deal with."
"True," Seth said, short with words.
"You gunna be okay with this?" I wondered to him as he went silent.
"Time would help, but I doubt that will happen," Seth grumbled, "Now I have to deal with another person's thoughts," he muttered.
"I'll have Sam take you off patrol for a while," I pitched.
"No we are already down Leah," he sighed.
"Well then I'll make sure he sets you up with Jared… or maybe Collin. That way you don't have to see or hear as much. Okay?"
"That's okay Bells," he objected.
"I'm doing it," I said hitting his chest lightly, "so no whining."
Leaning over, he gave me head a kiss and murmured the quietest thank you I have ever heard. When Seth was as cheered up as he could be, I left to go find Sam, who was talking with Paul by the water.
"Hey boys," I mumbled, going straight for the comfort of my man.
"Not good huh?" Paul said looking at my sullen face as we all thought about the male Clearwater.
"he's having a hard time dealing with it," I spoke.
"He'll be okay baby, he'll find someone," Sam said rubbing my back as I snuggled in his bare chest.
"I have to go find my son, I'll catch you guys later," Paul said giving us a smile as he took off.
"So, a good surprise?" Sam asked me trying to take my worried thoughts away.
"One of the best, how about you?" I wondered.
"It got me. I thought by now the boys could never surprise me because they would never get anything past me," he admitted, "but I guess I was wrong."
"Well, technically they didn't. I guess Collin and Brady weren't informed till they got to stay human, and Jared can keep some thoughts shielded. He was on your second patrol right?" Sam nodded, "so I guess the only one who really got passed you was your Beta. All the rest of the guys took the easy way out and didn't phase when you were around," I spoke, glancing up at him.
"Makes me feel a little better I guess," he murmured. Letting out a laugh, I rolled my eyes and nuzzled against him. "Will you pair up Seth and Collin on patrols for a while? I just-"
"Yea baby, don't worry about it," he said hugging me, "I'll help Seth any way I can."
"Thank you," I told him closing my eyes for a few seconds.
"Bella!" A voice shouted. Looking up, I found Brady running back towards us with a grin on his face.
"She's awesome!" he said showing me her number written on his hand. "her name is Joey, Josephine really, but her father hates the long name. She's five, which is kinda of bad, but he said he approved of me. And you're right, he is Quileute. He saw the look on my face and immediately knew."
"Who's the father?" Sam asked.
"His name is Scott," Brady answered.
"So everything went well?" I wondered.
"yea," the 17-year-old kid shrugged. "He wasn't too happy about it but he knew I had to be around. Joey's mother left them a few months ago- died of cancer," he said sadly, "so anyways, Scott came back here to try and put things back together. It was their first full day here," Brady beamed.
"That's great Brady," I smiled, happy for the younger pup.
"Yea, but I think I'm going to be put to work," Brady said with furrowed brows. Sam and I both chuckled and stared back at him curious. "Scott said something like 'great to have an extra pair of hands around'? then he patted me on the back and told me he'd see me tomorrow," Brady said picking back up with the happiness. Sam and I laughed against each other. Brady thought he was getting it easy.
"Well Brady, enjoy the time you have before you are overworked," I joked.
The kid's eyebrows furrowed and Sam shook beside me in laughter. "Remember, you have patrol tonight and tomorrow morning- no skipping on that."
"Yes sir," Brady said rolling his eyes before running off with to see his mates.
"Oh, I can't wait to see how this unravels," I laughed with Sam as we looked at each other. There was going to be so much in store with Brady. I'm sure that man Scott would put him to work and make sure he was nothing but gentle and kind to his child (but of course, Brady is nothing less than a sweet kid). Sam rumbled with laughter again and kissed my forehead. "Come on, let's go back and join our party."
Our hands swung in between us, and a light breeze swept over the late afternoon.
"Alright, time for food," I said picking up Liam as he tugged on my shirt, silently telling me he wanted up.
"Hey mommy? Can I see that sparkly thing?" Will asked pointing down to my hands. Furrowing my eyebrows for a second, I realized he was talking about my ring. Shifting him in my arms, I showed him my left hand and let him observe my engagement ring.
"Pretty huh?" I asked him.
"It's more beautiful on the girl wearing it," Sam said coming by to kiss my temple. Blushing a tad, I let out a chuckle as he went to go grab his plate of food.
"Come on buddy, lets get you some food," I said, turning back for a second to realize Claire just arrived, squealing for Quil.
"After dinner, can we go play? Maybe build a castle?" Liam asked me.
"Sure buddy, but remember we have a big bon fire remember? And this one is going to be really big."
"Cause of you and Sam," Will said more of statement than a questioning tone.
"Yes," I answered with a smile.
"I don't like it," he complained in a small voice. My happiness dropped and I immediately became worried. "Why buddy?"
"You're my Auntie Elley," he said "and he will take you away."
"No ones taking me away," I said trying to get the tiny man to look at me. Instead, he played with my necklace.
"Liam, I'm not going anywhere. I'm always going to be here, as you're mommy remember? Just because Sam and I are getting married doesn't mean I love you any less or forget about you. I'm too in love with you to do that," I smirked. He blushed a bit, but hid it as he buried his head in my neck.
"Don't disappear Elley, I don't like it when daddy said I couldn't see you. He said you were busy with Sam."
"I may be busy with Sam at times, but I will always find my way back to you, okay?" I asked rubbing his back. When did Liam want to come over and Paul said no? and why wasn't I informed of this? I felt Liam's head move in a nod and before I could say or think about it anymore, Claire came running for my legs, attacking me with a hug.
"Hey pretty girl," I chirped looking down at her as best as I could.
"Isabelley!" she squealed.
"Did you want to get some food with Liam and I?" I asked.
"Yea!" she said nodding her head vigorously.
"Don't get any ideas," I murmured to Sam as I passed him on our way to the food table. He had on that observant futuristic bliss look. No kids, not yet anyways. I still wanted to get married and enjoy that couple months of newlywed bliss before any bun came in my oven.
"You look good with kids around you Bella," Kim commented as she put out some more food.
"Not you too," I groaned, helping Claire fill her plate while grabbing my own for Will and I to share.
"Just saying," she smirked with a shrug.
"Are you going to say it too?" I wondered to Embry as he grabbed some more food. "That you already look like you're in mother mode? Not if you don't want me to, but I think the looks suit you," he shrugged, trying to go away unscathed, shooting him a death glare, I jumped as Quil came up I behind us.
"Ladies, and Matt," Quil said giving Liam's head a ruffle, "can I help you with something?"
"Did you want to finish with Claire's plate? And get her a drink," I said.
"Of course," Quil said, giving me a kiss on the cheek while taking his imprint over to the coolers.