Hello to all! It's been a while since I updated, and this is my longest chapter yet!
I just want to get something clear. My story does have a background plot going on. Though none of them know it, something is brewing. But I'm not spoiling what it is…yet. :) This isn't going to be one of those stories where nobody gets anywhere, (Even though I do love those sometimes.) there's going to be an actual antagonist. Poor Gwen and Seth. I couldn't live with myself if I made their lives easy. So even though Gwen knows about imprinting, there is still a whole plot to go. Lots of chapters coming.
Enjoy!
The thunderous noise of pans dropping together woke Guenevere. Emily. Gwen thought to herself, yet she did not open her eyes.
She could see the sunlight through her eyelids, but refused to unseal the doors that kept her close to her dreams. She was comfortable-very comfortable-and had no idea how she got to this point. Hadn't she fallen asleep in the Cullen's truck?
In Seth's arms. She added, and her heart beat a little faster. Careful not to strain her fickle spine, she warily stretched her arms out across the bed, feeling for proof. To her disappointment and fear, Gwen was alone.
"There's no way it was a dream." She whispered. "It was too real." As if to prove she was not sleeping at this very instant, the dark haired girl trailed her fingers across the bed; Her sensitive fingertips feeling for evidence-anything!-that might prove the wonderful night had indeed happened. After she had touched every inch of the mattress- in defeat-Gwen sighed deeply. Every detail was pure joy and happiness to her memory. The feverish heat of his lips, the silkiness of his hair, the scent of autumn leaves on his skin…
An idea popped into her mind. Eagerly, she yanked her white left sleeve to her nose. The way Seth had held her, Gwen must have some of his fragrance on her clothing.
Inhaling deeply, she caught the perfume of laundry detergent, cotton, and a quiet, fading scent: a warm autumn day.
Something like peace soothed her tense muscles; Joy spurted into her veins; Giddiness tickled her stomach. She was not crazy. Guenevere Gordon had indeed spent the night with Seth Clearwater inside a blue truck in a Washington forest.
Assured of her sanity, Gwen's eyelids flickered open. The sun was brighter than she had expected. It lit the tiny bedroom in it's cheerful glow. The curtains were not drawn over the window, and direct rays stun her sensitive eyes. The wood floor reflected the intense brilliance, and the entire room seemed to be on fire.
Wait. Sun.
Gleefully, she edged herself off of the quilted bed. As she swung herself into the wheelchair, (Hadn't that been on the other side of the room?) Gwen noticed pillows stacked where her lower back had been. No wonder she had been so comfortable. Seth thought of everything, including the black suitcase in the corner.
Smiling softly, she brushed her hair with the hairbrush on the dresser, and then wheeled herself where Emily was furiously mixing batter over the sink. She turned when Gwen entered the room.
"The sun is out!" Gwen cried blithely, parking herself at the table.
"It's wonderful, isn't it?" Emily smiled brightly. "Would you like some breakfast?" Before Gwen could answer, a thick pancake bigger than her head was set in front of her.
"Thanks!" She began attacking the flapjack with a spotted fork and knife Emily had handed her. As Gwen devoured her meal, she thought she saw Emily watching her suspiciously from the corners of her eyes, but shrugged the feeling off.
"I have to get outside." Gwen muttered around a mouthful of pancake. "Even if it kills me." She swallowed the thick dough. "Any news about Bella?"
"No. None yet." Emily said sadly.
Gwen lost her appetite.
Emily never seemed to stop moving. While Gwen ate, she cleaned the shining sink, and when was done, took Gwen's empty plate. Feeling uncomfortable at the prospect of being useless, Gwen volunteered to practice her wheeling-capabilities by carrying the cleaning supplies that Emily needed, in Gwen's lap. It wasn't the most exciting job, and Emily was probably only humoring her so she didn't feel left out. Still, it was better than sitting around the house. (Though, Gwen thought with a grin. Technically I'm going to be sitting either way.)
And so, Emily was shadowed by a wheelchair the rest of the morning. There were many times that Gwen ran into a desk or a wall in the small house, but Emily helped Gwen laugh it off. The sun lit up a side of Gwen that had been hidden in the corners of her mind for longer than she could remember.
When the two girls were outside-Emily pulling a weed from the cobblestones; Gwen warming her face to the much missed sun-a hooting and hollering grabbed Gwen's attention.
A group of Quileute teenage boys came jogging out of the forest that bordered Emily's back yard. All four were grinning, shirtless, and…tall. Very tall. To Gwen's surprise and discomfort, she recognized one of them. Collin. She had no idea what his reaction might be.
"Hey, Emily!" One of them called out, waving a long arm.
"There they are." She said quietly, pleased. Without another word, she pushed Gwen back up the ramp at the door, into the small house.
"More werewolves?" Gwen asked once they were in the kitchen. The tasteful scent of a baking cake warmed the glowing room.
"Mm-hmm!" Emily withdrew the cake from the oven. After a moment of inspection, she pursed her lips. "Maybe I should have taken it out before they got here…"
With a loud clamor, the boys burst in through the front door, lopsided grins stretched across their mouths. Just by themselves they practically filled the kitchen, all four of them were perfectly at ease. Strangely enough, none of them seemed to notice Gwen.
"Sam's coming soon." The shortest one said, sitting himself in a chair next to Gwen. She awkwardly backed herself out of the kitchen, trying to draw as little attention to herself as possible. To her resentment, she bumped into the doorway.
"Hey, you're not going, are you?" One of the bigger boys asked, his face pulling into an ornery grin. "I know they can be pretty scary." He jabbed his thumb at the others. Gwen smiled and shook her head, resisting the urge to touch her scars self consciously.
"See, now you are scaring her away." Emily shook her head in mock disapproval, setting a giant bag of red produce on the table.
"Apples?" The fleshy boy spoke again indignantly. "Aw, Emily, we need more calories than this!"
"Those have plenty of calories. We're having cake tonight. And don't," Emily slapped at another werewolf's hand, with a laugh. "Sneak some before dinner."
"Humph." He grumbled, reaching for a gigantic apple.
"My name is Quil." The brawny one said around a full mouth. "That's Brady and Collin," He pointed to the younger boys. Gwen avoided Collin's eyes. Sam had probably explained everything to him by now. "And Embry." A quieter, more reserved werewolf smiled at her.
"How is Jake, Seth, and Leah?" Quil asked. All of the werewolves leaned in eagerly. Gwen grimaced.
"Jacob isn't doing too good, with Bella and all. He was always so sad…" Gwen shook it off and continued. "I never met Leah, and Seth is doing just fine. Happy last time I saw him."
The family seemed saddened by the distress of their brothers and sister, but a couple grinned at the mention of Seth. Gwen blushed in embarrassment at the fact indicating that they knew about the imprinting.
Brady seemed to want to say something, but Emily quickly interceded.
"So what's going on with the pack?"
Gwen grabbed this distraction, and made her escape. As surreptitiously as possible, she wheeled herself to the guestroom, shaking her head and chuckling at the warm jokes from the kitchen.
Setting herself in front of the window, she watched Sam jogging to the door. An unexpected sadness drew itself from Guenevere, despite the sun's cheerful disposition. The feeling of wind rushing through one's ears and hair; The freedom of moving without a thought or care. All of it seemed so far away now. For the first time, she truly missed her previous life. She missed having ample legs.
And what of her family? Gwen hadn't been focusing on her past, besides the mystery surrounding her arrival to Forks. Thinking intently, she closed her eyes and tried to remember.
Had there been any tensions? No…well, perhaps between she and Rachel. Rachel was always so serious, so commanding. Being the oldest, Rachel took on the duty of being the star sister. She got along well with the rest of Gwen's siblings, but was almost always on bad terms with her second-to-youngest sister. It wasn't that they envied each other, their personalities just clashed in a rather extreme way.
Gwen recalled a time when Rachel was certain her younger sister was on drugs. It had been a stressful day at school, and Gwen wasn't in any sort of mood to put up with her older sister. To her fury, she found Rachel digging in her closet; the rest of the room a mess. Not only had she invaded Gwen's privacy, but trashed her sanctuary as well.
"GET OUT!" Gwen had screamed. Rachel was surprised, but didn't look the least bit guilty.
"I know what you've been up to." She hissed, shoving a box into Gwen's hands. "I know what's in there. If I just had the key…"
Angrily, Gwen brushed underneath her older sister's arm, (Rachel always had been very tall.) and began tossing things out of her underwear drawer. When her fingers grabbed the cold little key, she unlocked the wooden box, and showed her sister the contents coldly.
"Yeah, Rachel. I'm so bad for getting Fiona a present. I thought you would know that she likes to collect rocks."
"B-b-but, it smelled just like pot," Rachel stammered.
"Maybe you need your nose checked." Gwen shoved her sister out of her bedroom, slamming the door in her face.
Gwen sighed from the memory, regretting every moment of anger and bitter feeling. How she missed her family now!
"Gwen." Emily appeared in the doorway, startling the younger girl. She held a phone in hand.
"Phone is for you." Instead of waiting for Emily to come to her, Gwen wheeled herself in excitement. Maybe news about Bella? Emily handed her the landline in slight hesitation.
"I'm not going anywhere." Gwen said with a sheepish smile, then: "Hello?"
"Hey, Gwen!" Seth's chirped over the line, then yawned.
"Seth!" She crowed happily. "You disappeared last night." She accused, then froze, glancing in Emily's direction. Luckily, she was gone.
"Sorry. I was close to falling asleep. Needed to be there when Jake needed me. Wow, you were out, Gwen!" He chuckled.
"How is Bella?" She asked, suddenly serious.
"Really good, actually."
" The baby?" She challenged.
"She is doing great."
"A girl? I thought it was a boy!"
"Nah, Bella was only guessing the gender. Little Renesmee." It sounded like Seth was smiling.
"Can I visit Bella?"
"I dunno, Gwen…"
"Please?" Gwen pleaded.
"Nope. Not risking it."
"Risk what? Why wont you let me see her? Ugh, Seth! I thought we were over the stupid pretenses."
"Hey, hey! Don't you go getting all mad at me again." Seth said defensively. "Look, Carlisle wants to check up on you tonight."
"Mmph."
"I'm sorry, Gwen. Really, I am. I know it sucks." He sounded like he truly meant it. "I'm gonna pick you up later, okay? Don't move!"
"Not going anywhere." She smiled.
"Bye, Gwen." He whispered.
"Bye. Hey, you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." Seth said quietly, a sad note to his usually care-free voice. "See ya', Gwen."
Gwen's line disconnected.
Seth took a deep breath, and gave the sleek cell phone back to Edward.
"You don't have to wait, you know. Gwen would not mind." Edward said quietly, slipping the phone into his breast pocket.
"I know." Seth shifted his weight from one foot to the other, casting a glance to the window. "I just was gone a long time last night. I don't want to keep Jake waiting…"
"The threat is gone, Seth. Keep that in mind. Excuse me," Edward breezed up the stairs, and to his wife.
Seth sighed, and sat down by the wall, rubbing his temples. He hated being useless, but he didn't want to push his longing onto his sister and friend. He longed to heal the wounds that Gwen could not see; He longed to tell her the truths that she craved so; He longed to be with her, to stand by her side. It was easier to comfort her, now that she didn't cringe from his touch. Probably the only person she didn't cringe from…
Sighing once more, Seth stood, and rolled his shoulders; checking to see if all was healed. He could probably phase now without hurting anything. After all, things had probably healed while he was sleeping. Assured, Seth sprinted out of the house; Tearing off a borrowed shirt as he ran.
Hey, little brother. Leah greeted as he phased in.
Hi. He said reluctantly, shaking his fur.
Is Jake still with…the kid…thing? Leah was glad to be spared from years of Jacob's unhappiness, but wasn't comfortable with speaking of Bella's child in any form, except "the thing" .
Yep. Seth answered, lapsing into an uncharacteristic silence. He chewed over the conversation with Guenevere.
Ugh. Leah grumbled. Would you get out of here, already? If you want to leave so bad, just go. And PLEASE take you're thoughts with you.
Not needing another prompting, Seth tore out of the forest, and toward Sam's house…before remembering that he needed to phase back.
Gwen plaited her wet hair, grateful that the tricky showering business was over for the night.
"Thanks, Emily." She said appreciatively.
"No trouble, at all."
Gwen burst out laughing at this, knowing that the entire ordeal had been very much trouble. Emily joined in after a moment. Gwen thanked her lucky stars that Sam's strength was not needed. The thought was utterly mortifying.
"Seth is here." Sam called from the kitchen. Emily wheeled Gwen out of the tiny living room, and to the kitchen. To her surprise, excitement and an unfamiliar feeling were building inside of her at the thought of seeing Seth again.
From the window, she caught a glimpse of the werewolf as he was bounding up the steps. A strange look was imprinted on his face, as if he had been poisoned, and the cure laid inside Emily and Sam's small home.
"Hey, Seth!" Gwen called as Sam held the door open for him. For a moment, Seth searched the room as if looking for something, and then smiled when his eyes locked onto her form; The desperate expression gone from his face. The familiar, rapturous look replaced the pained one.
"Hey!" He bounded over to grip her handlebars. To her surprise, Gwen caught herself flinching away. Stupefied, she wondered if she always had this reaction. Pushing the discomfort away like she had the previous night, Gwen beamed at the boy above her.
"Did you see your brothers on the way?" Emily asked, as she cleaned up the mess the werewolf pack had left behind. Sam thumped Seth's back as he walked out of the room.
"Yeah, I did. It was good to see them. I'll have Gwen back by the morning, 'kay?"
"All right. Bye, Seth! See you in the morning, Gwen!" Emily smiled to them both warmly. After Sam's low farewell, Seth left with Gwen. To her curiosity, the truck was replaced with a sleek, black car she had no name for.
"What if you get caught by a cop?" She questioned.
"I'm aiming not to." He grinned as they drove, causing Gwen's heart to pick up it's beat. "There is something you should know, though." Seth gripped the steering wheel nervously.
"Yeah?" Gwen prompted after a long pause.
"Never mind. It's about Bella," He said quickly, seeing her irritated expression. "And you'll find out soon. I swear."
"Seth," She whispered. She watched the reaction this had on Seth's physical posture. "I know about what you are, and I know that the Cullens aren't exactly…normal, but I still have no idea why I'm here."
"There isn't exactly a reason why, unless you want to argue the corny 'true love' thing." Her heart thudded once loudly, and Seth gave a short lived smile. "It's more of a how." Gwen pitied the wheel, now. He was gripping it as if it were his life line.
"You can't hide it from me forever." She said quietly. From the pained look that flashed over Seth's look, she knew he would do just that, if he could help it.
"I want to. It hurts you now, Gwen, and you don't even remember. I thank everything I got that you cant remember a thing." It was strange how quickly Seth could go from a blithe, happy boy; to a struggling, angry man. "I know, Emily told you. I will do anything that makes you happy. But this is keeping you happy. It's better, trust me. Ignorance really is bliss."
They had pulled up to the Cullen's house, now. Seth was watching her with a gaze that caused her hands to shake, and stomach to quiver. The deep discomfort trembled in her throat, but Gwen latched on to what she was going to do next.
"If you want to make me happy," She said, surprised at her boldness. "…will you kiss me again?" A slightly less concerned part of her hoped the Cullens weren't watching, but at the moment, she realized she could really care less.
The lovely grin returned to Seth's face, and he leaned forward slowly. Gwen bit her tongue once, trying to calm her racing heart. It was thudding madly in her chest.
Suddenly, Seth froze.
"What's wrong?" She asked. He was close enough that she could feel his warm breath over her face.
"I don't want your heart calling any attention." Seth said grimly, returning to his original position and pulling the keys out of the ignition. Disappointment replaced the happiness that had stolen away the fear. Gwen folded her hands and looked away.
In a moment's time, Seth's face was very close to hers again.
"Hey. Later, okay?" He rubbed his thumb across Gwen's cheek once. Then, opened his door and ran around to retrieve her.
"Are you sure, Carlisle?" Seth asked nervously, carrying her in. He looked around the mansion as if it were full of prowling monsters, not a pale family. For all she knew, they could be monsters-Gwen realized with a jolt.
"They are too far away to catch the scent." Carlisle said calmly, taking Gwen gently from Seth's warm grip. The change in temperature was startling. "I also warned them that Gwen would be coming."
"Look, just because I know about Seth, doesn't mean I don't get annoyed with all the allusions." Gwen said irritably.
"I know, Gwen. I know." Said Carlisle soothingly, and she guiltily lowered her gaze. "And I do have a couple more answers for you." He carried her up the long staircase.
"Answers would be helpful." She said brightly, eyes on Seth as he followed closely behind.
"Excuse me Seth, but I would like to check up on Gwen, if you don't mind." Seth caught Carlisle's hint, but still chewed over his lip.
"Whatever you say, Carlisle. Okay." Regretfully, he closed the door behind patient and doctor when they entered the familiar room.
"Any major pain or discomfort recently?" He asked, carefully easing off Gwen's pants.
"Nope, I don't think so. Uh, Carlisle? What's going on with my legs?" She wiggled her toes as if to emphasize their capability.
"I was just thinking about something." He placed his icy hands under her calves. Goosebumps vibrated up her body, and Gwen was grateful that Emily had decided to shave her legs. Suddenly, she wondered what sort of shape her hair was in. Back in Georgia, she would have been a nervous wreck. How much had things changed, had she changed…?
"I am fairly certain that you will be walking before the end of the month." Carlisle said finally. An astonished smile bloomed over Gwen's face.
"With proper braces, of course." He pulled Gwen's shirt up to examine the back brace. "And to prevent pain, it would only be for a couple hours a day."
"So what is it you were wanting to tell me?" She asked as his cold fingers prodded her back.
"I'm going to take an x ray." He said offhandedly, pulling her shirt back down. "Patience, Guenevere, patience." He smiled at her.
"You are looking a lot better." Gwen mentioned, and it was true. She had never seen him without what seemed like a thousand years exhaustion.
"Bella is doing so well. It is having a positive affect on all of us." Carlisle looked at her and positively beamed.
"Will I be able to see her…soon?" Gwen asked carefully.
"If all goes well, very, very, soon."
A low growl erupted from the other side of the door, and it was hard to believe it came from happy-go-lucky Seth. Carlisle sighed and smiled softly.
"Don't worry, Seth. We will not rush things."
Later -Long enough that the results of the x ray were on display for Carlisle to see- Gwen sighed on the bed. Things were too familiar for her taste. The stiffness of the sheets was uncomfortable to her sensitive skin, and the antiseptic smell made her want to sneeze. It had felt like days and days since she had been in this position.
"Good news. After running some tests on your spine," Carlisle began, placing a cold hand on her propped knee. "I've decided that you do not have to wear the brace much longer. For now, only from when you wake to- oh, say, three o-clock. Be sure to wear it at least six hours a day."
"Cool!" Gwen grinned ear-to-ear. "So, I can take it off…now?"
"Sure." He instructed her on how to remove the uncomfortable metal rings. "You will probably experience some sensitivity and mild discomfort at first…"
"It's all right. I think I can handle it. Thanks, Doctor Carlisle."
"You will also need someone to help you take them on and off." Carlisle said mildly, removing the brace and placing it in a white case. "And, you're welcome. Now, it is time for you to learn about us."
Gwen's ear's perked as she listened attentively.
"For Seth's sanity and your safety, I will not reveal everything."
"Figured as much." Gwen grumbled, then yawned hugely.
"Oh. It is late. Perhaps tomorrow, Guenevere. You did not get enough sleep, last night." Carlisle chuckled softly. Gwen stiffened, mortified. Who had told him?
"No! Oh please, Carlisle. Ugh, not fair!" She practically shouted when Seth entered and scooped her up with renewed gentleness. "Why not now? Am I missing something?"
"Change of plans, Gwen." Seth said edgily. "'Night, Carlisle!"
"Let me help you with the chair and box. You have your hands full, Seth."
"That would be great." He looked more uptight than she had ever seen him.
"Hey, what's wrong?" She tried to ask, but he covered it with a jumpy: "Everything's fine. Nothin' to worry about." Seth paused peculiarly in front of the door, muttering "Winds going west. It'll catch her scent." Before taking her out to the car. While they were leaving, Gwen caught site of two pale, brown-eyed watching her from a doorway. Hastily, someone swept the little face away, and Gwen was carried from view. She did not bother asking.
"It's funny." He said after a long while, blinking blearily as they drove. "You didn't doubt that I was a werewolf, not once. You never even saw me phase."
"You never flat out lied to me, so I have no reason to doubt that. I just can't trust your promises." Gwen pointed out. When Seth flinched, she regretted the words.
"What's after me?" She whispered after a minute. He did a double take as he saw her frightened expression. "Why are you guys so worried about my heart beat?"
"No, no! It's not really you. It's what you are."
"Gee, thanks." Gwen said sarcastically.
"I mean, that you're human. That's all."
"This town is kind of creepy. All kinds of fairy tale creatures…Hey, do you have any unicorns around? I used to love those."
Seth laughed. "Not that I know of." He said brightly, in a better mood now. "Would be awesome though."
"What about fairies?"
"Nope!"
More cackles and questions followed. Both enjoyed the sound of the other's laughter, so they continued blithely along the road, trying to coax each other into humor.
"It's late. I've got to get you to bed." Seth said, parking slightly out of view of the Uley house. "Oh, and by the way," He opened his door and made his way to Gwen's side. A mischievous smile stretched her mouth as she realized what he was doing. Her heart picked up it's once steady beat.
With a grin of his own, Seth Clearwater unbuckled Gwen, and turned her body to face his across the leather seat. She shook her head, smiling again.
"Not good enough."
"Jeez, fine." He lifted her out, feigning annoyance, ever so cautious that he did not irritate her back. Then, he leaned her against the trunk of a tree she had no name for. Slowly,-too slowly for Gwen's taste,- he leveled himself to her, placing a hand under her jaw.
With a bewitching sigh, he pressed the heat that was his lips to hers. Beyond happiness, she placed a hand on his neck, and moved it to the back of his head, twisting her fingers into his hair. He was so warm, inside and out. Gwen felt as if she could never get enough of the heat that made up his body and spirit. As they clung beneath the tree, she realized just how much of a difference he had made to these dark days. Emotions that she could not verbalize curled on her tongue, and filled her heart. Feeling unable to speak the unspoken words deep in the pit of her being, she hastened her moving lips, trying to express the indescribable emotions. Each gasp from him was the answer to an unuttered question. Carefully, he moved his hand to her waist.
Close face.
Pressing face.
Foul breath.
TOO CLOSE!
The moment melted-no, burned; The pleasant warmth combusted into an unbearable coldness that froze over every lovely thing. It shook inside of her and nausea built.
Shoulders tense, she pulled away from his confining face, breathing quickly and heavily through her nose. Her fingernails dug into her palms, as if bleeding the skin would heal the wound deep inside of her.
Seth, feeling her body stiffen like a corpse, pulled back as if she had an electric charge. Eyes shut tight and teeth clenched together, Gwen felt the whoosh of cold night air as Seth quickly moved away. Involuntary goose bumps pimpled her skin.
"Gwen?" He asked fearfully, his voice farther away.
"Give me a sec." She said through her teeth. "I'm trying really hard not to freak out." Too late for that. Her mind whispered.
A panic attack was on it's way, she could feel it. Counting down from thirty by threes, she focused on the idea of nothing. The idea of a peaceful serenity of yellows and reds. The color of roses, the wide open fields of her Uncle's home in Kentucky…
No danger, no danger. She repeated to herself. Just a kind boy who would never hurt me. I'm safe, I'm safe.
Muscles relaxing like ice melting to water, she exhaled through her mouth. Gwen covered her face in shame and frustration.
"I'm sorry." She whispered, removing her clammy hands to look at his face. The worry and fear and…anger was too much.
"No, please don't be sorry. I don't think I can take you being sorry. I'm sorry. I should have been more careful or something. Gosh, I'm sorry, Gwen."
Gwen laughed once bitterly- almost hysterically- wiping her face. "I didn't lose it, though. Not like last time. That's got to count for something, right?"
"Yeah, I guess it does." His eyebrows came together, and an uncharacteristic frown pulled the corners of his mouth down. "I wont touch you again, I promise."
"No!" She cried, jerking her head up. "Please, don't do that, Seth! I want you to touch me!"
"Okay, okay, it's not like I wont ever make physical contact. I just wont ,you know, touch you, touch you.
" But I like it when you do. It's the only way I can show you how I'm feeling." She confessed, dropping her eyes.
Seth shook his head, cropped hair quavering. "Ah, Gwen." He sighed, and then his hand was under her chin, making her look him in the eyes. "Look, I love you, okay? See, not that hard to say."
For a moment, Gwen's heart stopped. Then it began it's drumming faster than ever. A debate erupted in her mind.
Seth smiled and bit his lip once. "I can hear your heart, you know." Gwen tried to smile back at him, but a cool breeze chilled her arms, and she shivered. The two voices in her head raged on.
Hesitating to be certain he would not make her uncomfortable, Seth picked her up gently, letting her warm herself against his body. A yawn worked it's way across her face, and he struggled to contain his own.
"Whoops, time for bed." He chuckled, and carried her back to the car. He set her down on the seat as he went back for the chair. In the few moments that he fetched her wheels, she deliberated. Thoughts argued on, back and forth, back and forth.
"Maybe it's not such a bad idea." She sighed. "Love not lust, right?"
Seth turned around and raised his eyebrows. An embarrassed laugh bubbled from Gwen.
"It's something my dad says. Stupid." She shrugged, flushing from jaw to scalp. Seth burst out laughing. After a moment a silence, she joined him. It was very natural, and the former happiness returned. While lanky Seth's voice was lowering, his laugh was still high in pitch. Gwen knew the joke wasn't very funny, it was just an excuse to smooth over the moment.
Quiet now, she found herself looking for his face, and finding his eyes already locked on hers.
Too fast, too fast! One voice growled. You would be going against everything your family taught you.
You're family would have never expected this. The other reasoned. Besides, this isn't the average case. Your…She paused. "Boyfriend" just didn't sounded right. She skipped over the word entirely. He is a werewolf. He imprinted on you. He loves you. Again, the thought tickled her heart.
Feeling slightly insane, Gwen shook her head and tried to clear her thoughts.
"Is Sam home?" She asked tentatively, suspecting Seth would be able to…smell him?
"Hmm, let me check." He cocked an ear. "Nope. Not home. Come on, lets go inside." He lowered her into the wheel chair.
When they entered the kitchen, Emily popped in excitedly. She reminded Gwen of liquid gold-so bright and warm…
"Jacob was here. You just missed him."
"Why?" Seth asked, excitement lifting his face into a familiar smile, automatically assuming it went well.
"He wanted to settle things with Sam. The tension is over." Seth's grin matched Emily's.
"Awesome!" Seth practically was bouncing with joy. It was contagious. As usual, Gwen found it impossible to ignore. It bounced off of her like she was his moon.
"Sam's going to be gone for a while." As hard she tried to hide it, Gwen saw distress wrinkle her face.
"Oh." His smile faded. "How long?"
"Well, he's spending time up north. He'll be back no later than noon."
Seth flashed a sympathetic glance out the window.
Miles away, a cold body stood still. As far away as he was, the tiny house was slightly hazy. Just a little closer, and all would be clear. What he was looking for might be there.
Silently, he breezed through the trees, jumping from trunk to trunk. The foliage was excellent. It would assist in hiding his scent. Finding a spot where the neighborhood would be in clearer sight, he paused, shifting his weight just so. It didn't make a difference to his comfort, just to the direction the wind was carrying.
A feral snarl broke the quiet. His ears were alert to every tear of the plant-life.
The cold man cursed, taking off again. Indeed, the werewolves had caught his scent, but he would find what he was looking for. This was his mission, his time. He refused to give up the chase.