Everything Is Different Now
Chapter 23
June 26, 2013
LPOV
I woke once again to a muscular arm wrapped tightly around my waist from behind. My wolf man
was feeling antsy and it was manifesting itself in nerve-wracking dreams that had him clutching at
me for solace and comfort. I wiggled and squirmed until I was able to turn to face him. He was still
asleep but tangled in the throes of a disturbing night vision. Placing my hands on either side of his
face I began to kiss him all over trying to calm and wake him at the same time. Eventually he became
aware of my presence and my efforts to put him at ease. I reached up and wiped away some tears
with my fingers as I kissed his lips and told him to stop worrying. He snagged my hand and placed a
sweet and passionate kiss into my palm. Our intimate connection was growing stronger every day
and it seemed to react proportionally to the number of followers who were coming on line mentally
with him daily. The more shifters around the world who allied themselves with him, and pledged
their loyalty and support to Jacob, the stronger he became, physically, emotionally and mentally. If it
were even possible, he packed on more muscle and definition. He reached a point where I thought he
looked better than the statue of David that Michelangelo told the world was the form of the perfect
man. Jacob put David to shame in physique and if I told the truth, in heart and soul too. My
supernatural soldier was perfection. And he was mine. I couldn't ask for anything more in this
world.
His eyes were still closed as a small smile played across his lips. The tears still leaked out from
behind his eyelids and I grew concerned that he was still upset about his dream. Or he was still upset
about something bigger. I pushed his hair away from his face and placed more kisses across his brow
and then to his chin. I nuzzled my face into his neck and drew in a deep draught of his scent, musky
and spicy. I put out just the tip of my tongue to stroke across my mark and listened as Jacob sucked
in a quick breath of his own. He slipped one arm around my waist and reached up with his other
hand and cupped my chin pulling my gaze up to his own. His eyelids lazily lifted, revealing the
glowing golden irises I'd only seen once before when he was phased and agitated. My heart rate sped
up and hearing that encouragement, he dipped down to suckle on his mark at the crook of my
shoulder. My body tensed with the sexual overload he was raining down on me.
"Why were you crying Jacob?"
"I was crying?"
"There were tears, before you awakened."
"I don't know. There is sorrow amongst my supporters. They've not had an easy life. But your
attentions made me forget my problems I guess. I feel like I can conquer the world with you in my
arms."
"And I will always be right here. As long as you want me."
"That will be forever, the same length of time that I will be here with you."
"I'm still unsure how I deserve you. But I'm no longer concerned with my lack of understanding. I'm
keeping you."
"I've accepted this one universal truth Laura. We deserve each other. We are each what the other
needed and that's the best reason I can think of to be here, together."
"Well, okay then."
"I wonder..."
"What Jacob?"
"I wasn't actually dreaming before. I was only partially asleep and I was receiving messages and
information. I'm beginning to get contact anytime I let my guard down. It's slower now, and less
frenetic, and that's a good thing. The headaches were getting unbelievable. Thank you for rubbing
my scalp and temples earlier. But, the energy and power and even knowledge are pouring into me.
And I've discovered I can listen and catalog and even advise and answer questions when I'm only
partially conscious. It's something I've become able to do in the last few days. You realize what this
means?"
"No wha...oh!...wait!...you don't have to be phased to communicate with your...um... army?!"
"No, I don't. I'm hearing them, feeling them, anytime I want. I can return thoughts to them in
human form as well. This is gonna make it so much easier. I can still be here with you while you're
working and I'll be 'working' as well. I don't have to go alone or even worse, drag you out with the
wolf while I communicate long distance. We can stay together more often. That's okay, right?"
"Oh yeah, it's okay! That puts our wolf outings back in the having fun column. I definitely vote for
that."
"Yeah, me too. And you know, right here's the best part. Snuggle up and let me hold you, you get
some more rest, and I'll talk to the ones who are coming through to me right now. And just in case
you're wondering. They can't see my thoughts or physical surroundings unless I allow it. I seem to
have an automatic barrier that I think about that drops rather than trying to push them to the back of
my mind. So...only I get to bask in your lovely skin and curves, and your softness and scent. Umm,
yeah, come here woman."
"That's some of the best news yet. Hmmm, yeah, ooh, right there, ah, wake me when you're done
chatting, I'd like to pursue this particular line with you Alpha."
"I will. Promise."
JPOV
My mate curled into my body, wrapped her legs and arms up with mine and sighed against my chest
as she closed her eyes. I relaxed, inhaling her scent, reveling in her softness, wallowing in her
sweetness and her love. If I didn't have her, this new role that's been thrust upon me and the weight
of the masses of followers I've acquired would just be too much for me to bear. Seven years in an
insane asylum, it was nothing less than that, was nothing compared to the scope of my position now.
Without Laura, I'd be helpless and weak and truly crazy. The strength that flows into me from her,
she has no idea. And I don't think it's the imprint. It's something within Laura herself, something
innate that she has and has shared with me. It almost overpowers me sometimes, the staggering
reality of that strength and love. Maybe that's just what it is. Something no more complicated than
simple, all-consuming love. It goes both ways too I think. Laura has grown lately, literally, though
I'm not certain she's noticed. She's taller, her skin is even more luminous and velvety though I
wouldn't have believed that possible, her hair's longer and if possible, shinier and thicker. Her curves
are even more defined and yet she seems somehow even softer than before.
"Dude, I can't wait to meet her. She sounds like a major fox!"
"Quil! You need to shut that down right now bubba. I know where you live."
"Hee hee. Yes Alpha. It's the same place you used to haunt. Nothing's changed."
"Yeah, I can see that. Especially with you, my man. You're such a slut puppy."
"That's me Pops! Slut Puppies R Us, I mean, um, Slut Puppies R Me."
"Pops? Really Quil? You're older than me last I checked."
"Yeah, maybe, but you added on a few years when you weren't phasing regularly and I was. I'm
still a hot stud of 17, who looks like a 25 year old man of the world dude. You're what now, 23, 24,
and you look about 29? I heard you even got some silver in your hair! Practically an old fart."
"Old fart. Yeah right, and the damn silver came from fighting that fuckin' first imprint! It just
didn't go away when the rest of me healed up. Cut me some slack there, Ace. Hey, where's Embry?
Who else is out?"
"He's having supper with his family. He'll be out here in about an hour."
"Family? You mean he's at his mom's?"
"Oh hell, oops."
"Whaddaya mean oops. What's going on Quil?"
"I'm not supposed to tell you Jake. They wanted to wait and tell you face to face when they get out
there."
"They who? Tell me what?"
"Aww, Jake, no."
"Don't make me do the Alpha thing Quil. It's mostly out of the bag already. Just spill."
"Dammit, me and my big mouth. Okay, whatever, here goes. Embry is having supper at the
Clearwater's house."
"Embry's not related to the Clearwaters, Quil. Go on son. Fill in the blanks."
"Shew! I'm in such deep doo doo. Embry's gonna kick my ass Jake, you know that don't you?"
"QUIL!"
"Embry married Leah about 4 years ago! Charlie is with Sue now and they eat supper together
couple times a week. Charlie, Sue, Seth, Leah, Embry...and Jacob."
"What?"
"Their son."
"Charlie and Sue have a son?!"
"No! Embry and Leah have a son."
"Named Jacob."
"Yep. Now you see why they wanted to tell you in person and why I am gonna die very soon, at the
hands of my own brother and sister."
"..."
"Jake? You there?"
"Huh? Yeah, yeah, I'm here Quil. I can't believe it. Why haven't I seen this in Emb's head? Or
Leah's?"
"They figured out how to block each other Jake. At first they always phased together and each one
blocked the other's thoughts from everyone else. Eventually they learned how to do it when only
one was phased. Leah stopped phasing when she found out she was pregnant, but started back
after little Jeb was born."
"Jeb? Why do they call him Jeb? I thought you said his name was Jacob."
"Shit Jake, you're gonna make me tell you the whole story right now?"
"Yeah Quil, I am. I'll cover for you with them. Don't worry. Just tell me."
"Well, okay, from the beginning then...neither of them ever imprinted. They got together a little
less than two years after you left. A little over a year later, they decided that they loved each other
too much to stand aside waiting on imprints that may never happen, and they got hitched. Couple
years ago, Leah turns up preggers. Freaked all of us out! She was still phasing and NOBODY
expected that! She was 'flagrant' dude! She stopped phasing until after the baby got here."
"Okay, but you still haven't told me why 'Jeb'?"
"We all thought you were dead Jake."
"Yeah, I know that Quil and I'm sorry. But I'm here now. I'm alive. Very much so."
"But when Leah and Embry found out they were having a little boy, we all thought you were
dead...and you were our best friend Jake. They named their son after you, Jacob Ephraim Black
Call. JEBC. So...they call him Jeb. I kinda like it. Don't you?"
"..."
"Jake?"
"Yeah, yeah, Quil, I'm here. I do like it. I bet it suits him. I don't know what to say."
"S'okay Jake. Just don't forget to tell Embry and Leah that you forced me to tell you alright?"
"Forced you to tell him what Quil?"
"Oh shit. Hey Embry!"
"Quil. What'd you tell him?"
"I made him tell me about you and Leah and Jeb, Emb. It's not his fault so leave him be. Why didn't
you tell me Emb?"
"Shit Jake, we didn't know how. We thought you were dead bro and we were so caught off guard
by Leah's pregnancy and we were so damn happy. We all missed you and...well...when we
found out we were having a boy, we talked with Billy about it. It was sort of Leah's idea. Billy said
he thought you would have been pleased. You gotta understand Jake. Finding out that you're the
Ultimate Alpha is amazing, but nothin's gonna top finding out that you're alive. We didn't want to
spring it on you in Boulder, but we couldn't figure out how to tell you that we named our son after
you because we loved you and we thought you were dead and gone and we missed you like crazy.
It's not like we got the chance to ask you if you'd be his godfather you know."
"It's okay Embry. Wow, a son! How old is he Emb?"
"He's 14 months Jake. You oughta see him. Well, duh, I can show you. Here, check this out."
Embry played his thoughts and memories for Jacob. He skipped the birth of his son, but picked up
when he and Leah brought him home. Jacob's heart warmed at the scenes of the La Push Pack's
first pup. He was a beautiful baby, a combination of Leah's exotic loveliness and Embry's warmth,
dark eyes and dark hair and a winsome smile that hinted at a mischievous spirit. The last
memories were Jeb's first birthday party, held on the beach at La Push. Jacob's homesick twinge
surprised him a little.
"I hope you understand Jake. We wanted to honor you. We missed you."
"He's a beautiful boy Embry. You guys must be proud."
"We are Jake, bursting at the seams."
"You must know though Embry, you don't have to feel bad about it. I'm the one who's sorry for all
the years I was gone. Part of the time I didn't know who I was, part of the time I was unconscious
and a lot of the time I was simply held prisoner. But none of that makes up for the fact that I ran. I
turned tail and ran and I'll live with that shame the rest of my days. But I'll spend all of those days
trying to make up for the hurt I caused my family and friends. Nobody deserves to have to deal
with that kind of abandonment. I'm just grateful that anyone wants to see me again. I'm thankful
for the forgiveness that I really have no right to ask."
"Now you listen to me Jacob Black! You have nothing to be forgiven for! You had no choice but to
leave!"
"Quil, I appreciate your defense of me, but I..."
"NO! Nobody would have ever expected you to stay with a coven of vampires, by yourself, so you
could make yourself available to be an eternal protector of an infant that was half vampire herself!
That's more than any spirit wolf could tolerate. And none of us would have expected you to kill all
of them even though we'd liked to have seen that. They killed Bella, Jake! I'm sorry to drag up bad,
hurtful memories but, dammit they should have all been wiped out the minute her heart stopped
beating. Just because she's still hanging out on the earth and walking around and talking doesn't
mean she's not DEAD! Just like they all are! The ONLY one of the bunch who's actually alive is that
kid! And what could she have possibly become except our mortal enemy just as if she'd been a
hundred percent vampire? She's not gonna betray her family and join the human population. And
she's not gonna try to live with us on the Rez. She wouldn't like it and she'd never be accepted!"
"Okay! Hell Quil! Easy! I never knew how strongly you felt about all this shit bro! I'm glad you're
on my side. I'd hate to end up in a disagreement with you about pretty much anything."
"I'm sorry Jake. I thought I was over it but...I cared about Bella too. She was our friend too, just
not as tight as she was with you."
"Yeah Quil, I know. We all lost someone pretty special that day. I just wish we could have found a
way to stop it. But, you're right, those are bad, hurtful memories and best left buried. There's so
much happening right now, that I don't have time or bandwidth to think about anything but the
present. My woman is keeping me sane for the time being, but I'll be glad when you guys come to
visit. I need some advisors and consultants. You'll come soon, won't you Quil? I need your unique
insight too."
"Oh yeah, Jake, I'll be there eventually. I'm training Collin and Brady and Johnny to run the
garage so I can come visit too. All three of 'em are aces with an engine. They're almost as good as
you Jake."
"Oh hell no! There's no way!"
"I don't know Jake. They're pretty sharp. And Claire is growing up to be a math genius. She's
gonna be our in-house accountant someday."
"That's great Quil! She'll be there with you all the time. You'll both love that. And,...I'll allow that
my automotive skills might be a tad rusty, but hey, I'm working on all sorts of machines around
here these days and I'm beginning to get back into the groove."
"How in the wide world of sports do you have time to work on machinery Jake? You've got an
Alpha position to fill that is beyond anything any of us could have ever conceived of and you've got
a kick-ass imprint of a woman who's got to be takin' up the rest of your time. You do still sleep
sometimes don't you?"
"Yeah, I still sleep Emb. But you know, Laura sleeps the same time I do usually and
well...sometimes... we don't sleep. There I said it. I know Quil's happy."
"Whoo hoo! I fuckin' knew it! Our Alpha has found a woman who can make him howl at the
moon!"
'Ah, hell, Quil. If you can't control that shit, I'll never let you close to Laura."
"Oh COME ON Jake! You can't be serious! I have to meet the woman that's brought the mighty
Jacob Ephraim Black to heel. It's unheard of dude! Never in a million years...! There can't be
another woman that could come close!"
"Well, Quilly old buddy, I'll tell ya this much. You're right about that part."
"Hey Jake?"
"Yeah Embry?"
"I don't mean to be nosy, but why can't we see where you are? I mean,...I can't see what you're
seeing like always before."
"Yeah, I've got my eyes closed."
"Okay...are you just lounging on the ground? Damn Jake, you're just chillaxin' aren't ya?"
"No Quil, actually, I'm in bed."
"S'cuse me? You've got a wolfy/doggie bed? That's sooo cool!"
"No Quil. I'm in the house, in bed, and my eyes are closed because Laura is asleep in my arms and
I'm just enjoying the moment."
"Wait a minute. You're not phased?"
"Nope. You're catchin' on Emb."
"You're human, in the house, in your bedroom, with your woman asleep in your arms and your
eyes are closed?"
"There ya go."
"You can talk to us in human form?"
"I can now."
"Now?"
"Yeah, it's something that's come to me recently. I can communicate with anyone while I'm still
human, I just have to concentrate, pay attention."
"Damn Jake! So you can conduct business with us or any of the others, and be with your mate at
the same time? Sah-weet!"
"Well, not exactly Quil. Like I said, I have to concentrate. I can be human but I have to relax and
pay attention. I can hold Laura in my arms, but activity would probably be a tad distracting, don't
ya think?"
"Whoa! I guess so! Go Jakey boy! Ooh, but, with your eyes closed, we can't see the little woman."
"Nothin' gets by you does it Quil?"
"Ah Jake, come on. You're no fun. You're gonna rob us of a once in a lifetime opportunity?"
"Quil, I won't say this but once. I'm not robbing you of anything. I'm keeping you from robbing
me of something that is exclusively mine. And I'm lots of fun. Just ask my mate."
"Aw Jake. What a spoilsport! You know I can't ask her until I get the chance to visit. Just a little
glimpse? Pretty please?"
"'Pretty please'? Really Quil? You've been hanging out with 9 year old little girls entirely too long.
Embry, help him, will ya? He needs guidance, badly."
"Jake, I've tried, you know how I've tried. It's a hopeless cause. We just have to take him as he is."
"Yeah, I know. You're right. We'd be bored without him like this. Our very own poster child."
"Hey, hey! Not nice! I'm a stand up guy!"
"Of course you are Quil. Just sometimes you're standing up, on your head. Hey listen guys. I'm
gonna let you get to your patrollin' and stuff and shut down for a while and chill with my girl.
Embry, I guess we'll see you all on Saturday and Quil, we'll make plans for you and Claire to come
out too, okay?"
"Absolutely Jake! We can't wait to see you and your girl. Take care bud. I gotta get home. Embry,
later dude, I'm out."
"Yeah Quil, later on. Jake, try to get some rest okay? I'm worried that you're stretchin' yourself a
little thin. And we'll all see you on Saturday. Everyone's pretty excited J. Especially your dad."
"I'm excited too, Emb. And almost a nervous wreck about seeing Dad. I hope he's forgiven me too."
"You know he has Jake. You're his only son. He thought you were gone and now he's got you back.
That's all he needs. He's happy."
"Thanks Embry. I'll try to keep that in mind. I like your viewpoint bubba. Take care okay? Give
my best to Leah and...my godson?"
"I will Jake. And...if you want to be his godfather, it's a done deal. We'd much rather have an
actual godfather for him than just a bonfire story. We've all really missed you Jake. But we're
better now... now that we know you're still with us."
"I missed all of you too, Embry. You just don't know how much. And I never wanted to be
anybody's bonfire story, so that's all done now. And godfather? I couldn't be more proud and
honored."
"Alright then. See ya soon Jake."
"Later, Emb."
Yeah, I miss the old crowd sometimes,
And the wild, wild nights of running.
You know a starving soul can't live like that for long.
You go around in circles that just keep getting smaller,
You wake up one morning and half your life is gone.
I got so tired of that, and I got so lonely,
I dropped down and I called out to heaven
Send me someone to love.
Heaven shot back, you get the love that you allow,
And everything is different now...
Everything Is Different Now
Words and music by Don Henley, Timothy Drury and Scott Crago