"Dude, you need to relax." Quil clapped Jake on the shoulder. They were currently standing on Second Beach. The sun was a couple hours away from setting, and there were a few rows of lawn chairs facing them as they stood under a hand-woven arch made of sticks and vines. Jake was wearing dark jeans and a white dress shirt with the top two buttons undone. The rest of the pack was dressed similarly; Jake's groomsmen, Embry, Quil, and little Nicky were wearing blue dress shirts. All the guys were thrilled Erin didn't make them wear tuxes or ties.
Embry was currently showing people to their seats, holding a now-four-year-old Nick in one arm. Nick was loving all the attention he was getting, eating all the compliments up.
It had taken some begging for Jake to convince his dad not to make a big spectacle of the wedding. After all, with him being next in line to be Chief, most of the tribe would want to come to the wedding just to get a good look at the woman who would be the wife of their next leader. But Erin wanted a small wedding, with just their close family and friends, and Jake wholeheartedly agreed.
So far the crowd consisted of pack, council members, and some relatives. Sam was holding his 6 month old son Levi on his lap since Emily, a bridesmaid, was with Erin, Rachel, and Maya getting ready. Sam had stepped down as Alpha officially around the time his son was born, and Jake had taken his rightful place in his pack.
Nine year old Claire was sitting next to her Uncle Sam in a pink, frilly dress that she'd been twirling for Quil about ten minutes ago when they arrived. Brady was sitting with Collin, who was sitting next to his parents, Jake's Aunt Connie and Uncle Kevin. Jake's other aunts, Emmie, Jennie, and Nora, were also sitting in the same row so Billy's sisters could all catch up. Old Quil was sitting with Charlie Swan and Sue Clearwater. Seth was sitting next to his mom, Leah sitting with Grayson next to her brother. Rebecca and Solomon were sitting in the same row, switching between conversation with Leah and Aunt Nora. Billy was sitting in his wheel chair next to Charlie's row talking with them for a minute before he got to his spot next to Jake to officiate the wedding. Finally, Jared was helping Kim into her seat next to Paul near the back, her tiny, three month baby bump not really visible under the flowing dress she was wearing.
With all the guests seated, Embry came over with Nick still in one arm.
"Maya just texted me. They're on their way." he told them, moving to stand between Jake and Quil.
Jake instantly shifted on his feet, taking a deep breath to try and calm down.
"Dude, seriously." Quil laughed at him, "What do you think's going to happen? She'll see you up here and run the other way?"
Jake turned and glared at his so-called best friend. "Shut up, that's not it."
"Nervous about your wedding night?" Embry asked, failing to suppress his mischievous smirk as he looked over at Jake from the corner of his eyes.
Jake glared at him, too. "That's one thing I'm not nervous about."
Embry and Quil both smirked.
Then, Jake's ears picked up the sound of a car approaching. Looking up, he saw a familiar blue van, Sue's van that she let the girls borrow, driving toward the beach parking lot. He instantly stood up straight, his eyes fixed unwaveringly on the van as it pulled into a parking spot so all they could see was one side of it. Billy rolled himself over to his spot under the arch with his son.
Nothing happened for a minute, then music started playing from a small wireless radio nearby. Then, Emily appeared from around the other side of the van and started walking down the beach toward him. She was wearing a simple dress that went to her knees and was the same color of blue that Jake's groomsmen were wearing, and in her hands was a small, colorful bouquet of wildflowers that had been picked nearby. He gave her a small grin, which she returned, before she took her place opposite Quil. Once she was in her place, Maya appeared from behind the van in the same dress and holding the same bouquet and started walking down the isle, too. Jake chanced a glance at Embry and saw that he was beaming at his imprint, which made him smirk. Embry had asked him about a month back if he could propose to Maya at their reception. It wouldn't be a big spectacle, he'd pull her aside sometime and ask her quietly. Of course, Jake said yes, but they were keeping it between the two of them for the time being.
Jake smiled at Maya as she took her own spot next to Emily before his eyes went back to the van. Rachel had just rounded the van, also with the same dress and flowers as the other two, and was walking down the beach toward them. She had a beaming smile on her face, and it widened slightly when her eyes met Jake's. She looked away from her brother only to look at Paul when she neared his row before she focused on walking. She gave Jake a wink when she reached him before taking her place next to the other girls.
The music changed and Jake's attention moved intently back to the van, waiting for his soon-to-be-wife to come into sight. Finally, she stepped around the van and slowly began to walk down the beach. Jake's breath caught in his throat.
She was wearing a simple, white dress that stopped just around her ankles. It was a v-neck that showed just the perfect amount of cleavage for the event, and the dress somehow emphasized the curve of her waist, flaring out from her hips and down. Her dirty blonde hair was in loose curls down to the middle of her back, the strands around her face pinned back. In her hands was a slightly bigger bouquet than her bridesmaids', but mostly the same.
When Erin's blue-gray eyes met Jake's, she smiled widely at him and he couldn't help returning it. He couldn't believe this moment was finally happening. When she finally reached him, he took her hand and lead her to stand in front of him. She had to turn slightly to hand her flowers to Rachel, but when she turned back to face him, Jake had to physically restrain himself from kissing her.
His dad's voice was more of a low hum in his ears as he spoke, and Jake almost forgot he had to repeat a couple lines, which made the audience chuckle.
When Erin repeated her own vows, she had Jake's undivided attention. He was mesmerized, hearing her declare her unending love and devotion. He couldn't help thinking she made the same words he'd just spoken to her sound so much more powerful and emotional. Her voice shook with conviction and her eyes glistened with tears. It took all he had to keep the tears in his own eyes from spilling down his cheeks.
Finally, finally, his dad instructed them both to say, "I do," and gave Jake permission to "Kiss the bride."
Jake snaked his arm around Erin's waist, pulled her close, and planted a firm kiss on her lips, his other hand threading through her hair. Their friends and family erupted in applause and wolf whistles. Erin giggled against his lips, her hand cupping his jaw and the feeling of her engagement and wedding rings cool against his cheek.
When Erin finally pulled away, because Jake would've happily continued, audience be damned, she ran her nose against his, an elated smile lighting up her face.
"I love you, Erin Black." Jake whispered, his lips brushing hers as he spoke.
"I love you, too, Jacob Black." she whispered back, looking up at him with bright eyes.
It took about fifteen minutes, but soon everyone was under a big, white canopy tent with round tables, a long table covered in food, and a small space that was the makeshift dance floor.
"So," Jake spoke quietly as he slowly lead Erin around the dance floor, "feel any different?"
"Hm. Not quite. I don't think it's hit me yet." she admitted. "I mean…I'm officially Erin Black. Mrs. Black. I don't know."
Jake grinned, his hand on her lower back pulling her closer. "I like it. I've been wanting to call you that for years."
"Hm. Are you sure Nick will be fine with everyone for a week?" Erin asked doubtfully.
"Of course he will. Do you have any idea how many people are going to be babysitting him while we're gone? He'll be sleeping at Emily's, and Embry, Kim, Rachel, Emily and Sam, and my dad will be taking turns watching for short periods. It's nothing too out of the ordinary."
Erin sighed, resting her head on Jake's shoulder. "I know. I just worry."
"It's a motherly quality." Jake assured her, making her laugh. "I can just imagine how worked up you'll be when he starts kindergarten next year."
"Don't remind me." she muttered, lazy smile on her face as they slowly turned themselves on the dance floor. "So, are you going to tell me where we're going after the wedding?"
Jake grinned. "Nope. That'd spoil the surprise."
"At least tell me you didn't spend a bunch of money on some fancy honeymoon." Erin insisted. "We can't afford that. If we desperately need a honeymoon we can go to a hotel in Port Angeles or something for a weekend."
Jake chuckled. "And have the rooms around us hear what we do at night? I don't think so." he contradicted, making Erin blush. "Don't worry, it's wasn't too expensive. It's a bit of a honeymoon-type thing, and a wedding present, and it's for us and Nick. You'll love it, I hope."
Erin smiled more at the hint of uncertainty in his voice near the end. "If it's from you, I'm sure I'll love it." she assured him, running her fingers down the back of his neck soothingly.
After dancing a few songs, and several of their guests joining them on the dance floor, Erin and Jake moved off the floor and began making their rounds to socialize with everyone around the different tables.
"I don't suppose you know about this surprise that Jake has for me, do you?" Erin asked Embry hopefully, both of them also watching Nick dancing with Claire nearby.
Embry smirked down at her. "I might know a little something. But you're not getting any answers out of me, so you may as well drop it."
Erin scowled playfully at him. "Dang you."
Across the beach, standing in the dark parking lot between two cars, was a lone figure. Dark eyes fixed on the bride laughing with her guests.
"You got a lotta nerve, showing up here. Especially tonight," a deep, tense voice spoke up from behind her, making her look over her shoulder.
Jacob Black hadn't changed much in the few years since she left. He looked more mature, but that was mostly in his eyes and how he held himself, not so much his looks.
Deborah Jones, Erin's mother, hadn't really change much either, in Jake's opinion. She looked like she put on a couple pounds, her hips a bit wider, and she'd cut her hair to chin-length. She still smelled slightly of alcohol, which made Jake wrinkle his nose with even more disgust at the sight of her.
"I heard you two were getting married. Needed to see if the rumors were true." Deborah explained.
"Why? Why does that even concern you?" Jake growled, taking a step closer to her. "You hurt her. You never loved her or took care of her. Why show up on her wedding day? Trying to see if you can ruin that, too?"
"If I wanted to crash the party, I'd walk right in there." Deborah retorted. "But I didn't. I'm back here, hiding in the shadows like a creep."
"Yeah, well, if the shoe fits." Jake remarked.
Instead of commenting, Deborah looked back over her shoulder at the wedding reception on the beach. The guests and goings-on under the tent lit up by fairy lights strung around the area.
"Why do you love her so much?" Deborah asked quietly, turning back to Jake.
Completely taken aback by the question, Jake stared at her for a moment. "Why do you care?" he finally asked.
"Just answer the question." Deborah rolled her eyes impatiently.
"She's strong." Jake started. "After everything you put her through, and all the crap the whole rez put her through, she still fought. She's funny. Beautiful. She's kind and devoted and loyal. She puts others needs before her own. She's everything I needed in a mate. And I've been looking forward to this day for years."
Deborah nodded slowly. "And how's she been doing lately?"
Jake narrowed his eyes at her. "Not that it's any of your business, but she's going to college for a psychology degree. She's always really busy, but she's happy and loved. She has a family she can rely on, now."
Deborah ignored the dig. "And the boy?"
Jake narrowed his eyes, taking a moment to realize who she meant. "You mean the baby you abandoned? He's four and he'll be starting kindergarten in a year."
Deborah looked over her shoulder again, her eyes easily finding the little dark-haired boy running around peoples' legs. She turned back to Jacob and stared at him for a moment.
"I wasn't meant to be a mother." she told him. Before he could question the comment or make a retort, she swept on. "I never wanted to be a mother. My own parents were less than stellar, and I just didn't want to have kids relying on me. I was young. I was partying every weekend and loving my life. Then, I found out I got knocked up. In my thoughts, my life was over. But after Erin was born, I figured it didn't have to change anything. I could still go out and have a good time. Why should I have to stay at home with a baby like every other mother? But I resented Erin. She represented everything I didn't want, everything that ruined my life. I made myself feel better by tearing her down and making her feel like crap. I sometimes felt bad, but I didn't care enough to take any of it back or talk to her. And then I got pregnant a second time, and I was just so glad to be rid of that kid, I was willing to do anything for Erin to stick to her word and take the kid off my hands. I couldn't go through raising another kid. And I didn't want to even look at that kid, so I packed up my things and moved out as soon as I could. And…I guess," she added hesitantly, "that I didn't want to watch Erin become the woman I did everything I could to stop her from being."
She turned and looked back at the reception again as Jake pondered her words. He wasn't sure what the point to this conversation was. He didn't really care about her reasoning. She'd emotionally and physically abused his imprint. He didn't care about why she did it.
"Why are you telling me this?" Jake asked suspiciously.
Deborah turned back to look up at him.
"I suppose…I just want to thank you for taking care of her." Jake's eyebrows shot up into his hairline. "Even when she was little, I saw some potential in her. And I did everything to squash that out of her. But you, and your little gang, pulled her out of the depression I put her in and made her into the person she was meant to be. As corny as that sounds. So just,…thank you for taking care of her."
Jake looked down at the older woman in shocked confusion. He couldn't understand what was happening. "Okay." he finally responded slowly.
Deborah nodded once, sticking her hands in her jean pockets and looking at her feet. "Well, that's all I really wanted to say, so I'm going to get going now. Congratulations on your marriage. I really hope everything works out for you two."
And with that, Deborah walked past Jake and disappeared into the darkness.
Shaking his head at the weirdness of it all, Jake walked back down to the beach. He easily found Erin standing with Rachel and Emily, his wife and sister cooing over Emily's baby. He stepped up behind Erin and wrapped his arms around her stomach, pulling her back into his chest and resting his chin on her shoulder. Erin smiled up at him over her shoulder.
"Hey. I was wondering where you disappeared to." she commented.
"Yeah, I was just around." Jake answered carefully, deciding he didn't want to mention to his imprint that her mother had been at the wedding. At least not tonight, maybe down the road some time.
They spent the next couple hours socializing. Billy, Rachel, and Embry gave speeches and the guests toasted to the happy couple.
When it was dark in the world outside of the tent, Jake looked around for his wife. He found her rather quickly, holding a sleeping baby Levi on her lap. Emily, Rachel, and Kim were all sitting at the table with her. Rachel was drinking a glass of punch, Emily was holding a sleepy Nick on her lap, and Kim was subconsciously rubbing a hand over her baby bump and sipping from a glass of water.
Jake approached them and sat in the only empty seat next to Erin. "Hey. How're you girls doing?"
"Pretty good. At least Nick finally settled down." Erin said with a grin directed at her little brother.
"Rachel probably wore him out." Kim laughed. Rachel had spun Nick around the dance floor for a good ten minutes, which most likely was what finally wore him out.
"Well, it is getting late. I came over here to ask if you were ready to get going." he told Erin.
"I suppose." she commented, glancing around at all the other guests. The party was winding down and it was clear some people were considering leaving soon. "Yeah, I'm ready whenever you are." she finally decided, turning back to him.
Jake grinned, leaning over to kiss her cheek. "Great. I'll let the guys know."
It took about twenty minutes for Jake and Erin to say all their goodbyes, making sure to give Nick a pair of big hugs before they left him with Sam and Emily.
Their friends and family saw them off by throwing flower petals and leaves as Jake and Erin got into Jake's blue Explorer. They waved goodbye as Jake pulled out of the parking lot and began driving down the main road.
Erin sat back in her seat with a sigh.
"Tired?" Jake asked with a smile.
"Hm. A little." Erin admitted.
"Too tired for normal honeymoon plans?" Jake asked with a smirk, glancing over at her.
"Hm." Erin fought her own smirk. "Not sure yet. Partially depends on how long it'll take us to get to this surprise location."
"Probably a minute." Jake answered as he turned off the main road on a bumpy back road with trees on either side.
Erin sat up a little bit. "Wait, really? It's somewhere on the rez?"
"Yep." Jake answered, still grinning to himself.
"Are we renting a cabin or something?"
"Nope."
"Jake!" Erin whined. "Tell me what's going on! The suspense is killing me!"
"Well, don't do that. We haven't had our first romp of marital sex." Jake told her playfully. Erin reached over and smacked his arm, earning a loud round of laughter.
"You suck." she told him.
"Well, that's rude. Maybe I won't tell you what's going on and let it bug you the whole night."
"Jacob!" Erin snapped.
"Relax. We're here." Jake told her, still chuckling as Erin looked out the front windshield.
The bumpy dirt road lead straight to a two-car garage, which was connected to a pale blue, one story house.
Jake pulled the car up to the closed garage door, parked, and turned the car off. "Come on." he told her, getting out of the car. Erin followed his lead and got out. Jake grabbed their bags out of the back seat and lead Erin down the small dirt path that lead from the side of the car to the front steps. They walked up onto a covered porch. When they reached the front door, Jake dug a key out of his pocket and unlocked the door. Pushing the door open, he stepped back and gestured her in ahead of him.
With a curious smile on her face, Erin stepped past him and into the house. The first thing she came to was a foyer. She paused and looked through the open doorway to her right, which entered into a dining room, and just past that was a kitchen. She pulled her head back and headed straight into what was the living room, Jake on her heels.
"The Master bedroom is through there." Jake told her, pointing to a closed door to the right. "There's a Master bathroom in there, too. And there're three bedrooms and two bathrooms through there and down the hall." he pointed to the left where an open doorway lead into a hallway.
"Whose house is this?" Erin asked curiously, placing her bag on the ground and looking around. The house seemed to have the basics, like a comfy couch and an armchair, as well as a table and chairs in the dining room.
"Ours."
Erin spun around and stared up at Jake, her eyes wide and mouth open.
"Did you just say…?"
"Yep." Jake grinned. "This is our place."
Erin looked around the living room again, suddenly seeing it in a new light.
"Do you like it?" Jake asked hesitantly.
"I love it, but…"
"But what?" Jake asked, setting his bag down and approaching her.
"Well,…I just thought we'd still be staying with your dad." she admitted honestly.
"What?" Jake laughed. "We're married. Why would we still live with my dad?"
"Well,…I don't know. He's in a wheelchair. I didn't want him to be alone." she explained.
Jake's eyes softened and he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Erin, we're barely a few minutes away, and Rach lives a block from my dad. Sue and Charlie are always checking in on him. He'll be fine. Besides, we'll see him all the time. You know Nick is going to insist we visit 'Grandpa Billy' at least a couple times a week."
Erin laughed, leaning her head against Jake's chest. "I suppose that is true." She looked around the room again. "How much did this cost? I mean, could we really afford our own place with me still in school, and Nick starting soon?"
"It was only about $27,000. I made a down payment and we can pay it off. The place was pretty rundown when I got it, but me and the pack have been fixing it up."
"Really? When did you get the time to do that?" Erin asked curiously.
"Well, you know all those council and pack meetings, and pack get-togethers, and jobs at the car shop?" Jake asked. Erin nodded, and he continued, "Well, about half of those were me and some of the guys coming out here to work on the house."
Erin laughed, shaking her head. "Should've seen that coming."
Jake grinned before looking slightly sheepish. "You're not upset I bought us a house, are you? Without asking?"
Erin thought about it. "Well, I would've liked to be apart of the decision." she admitted, looking around the room again. "But I feel like I would've picked this house anyway. I can already tell I'll love it." she said honestly, looking back up at him.
Jake grinned in relief. "Good. Anyway, we basically have this place to ourselves for the week, and then when we return to the real world, we can start moving all our stuff in here. Maybe we can let Nick pick which bedroom he wants. And I'm sure the girls would be willing to help you pick out some furniture and stuff at some point."
Erin smiled widely. "I already can't wait." she admitted.
"Good. Now that we got that out of the way," Jake smirked and leaned down, his lips near Erin's ear, "how about we start christening our new home?"
Erin grinned. "You read my mind."
XXX
Yay, they finally tied the knot!
Just so everyone knows about where we're at, since this story doesn't really have a specific plot, there're about 6 parts/chapters left, unless you guys mention wanting to see something specific.
Also, since pack members are starting to pop out puppies, can anyone give me name ideas? I've already come up with names for Jake and Erin's future kids, but after writing however many stories on this site I've probably had to come up with a couple hundred names for character babies. So, just throw out as many ideas as you can and I might use them for one of the pack kids!