Layla stretched out in bed, feeling her bones and joints crack and pop. She felt a pair of arms wrap around her and pull and she was once again met with the bare, warm, tanned chest that served as her pillow the night before. Layla traced designs on Sam's chest and stomach, following the lines of muscle and bone. Sam woke up after a few moments, watching as Layla contented herself by touching his chest and stomach. The only things that would have made this moment better would be if Layla wasn't hurt and if she knew about his wolf and accepted the Imprint. Sam closed his eyes, thinking about Layla meeting his wolf. Ideally, she wouldn't fear his wolf. She would love him at first glance and trust him completely. She would tell Sam how beautiful his wolf is and how big and strong he was and how safe she felt with his wolf. Sam imagined Layla in his house, wearing his shirt as a dress, fixing food for him and his pack, loving how their house was always full of his brothers and their Imprints… maybe even one day her stomach would be round and heavy with the child he helped to create...God, Sam wanted all that so bad he couldn't stand it.
Layla moved and straddled his stomach and chest, propping herself on his chest and looking over his face. How relaxed Sam looked. The sharp but full angles of his nose and jawline. How his lower lip was slightly fuller than the top. Layla stared at his face, deep in thought. Sam, awake but keeping his eyes closed, moved his hands and gently rubbed the otter half of her legs, from ankle to knee. Layla smiled up at Sam, knowing he was awake.
'God… he's so handsome. So strong and those muscles… like what you read about in romance novels. I bet he's like those heroes who just… just kiss and love a woman with their entire body one hundred and ten percent every single time...' Layla thought. Sam opened his eyes and looked at Layla, seeing how she was staring at his lips. She was deep in thought and Sam raised his hand, giving her a sharp smack on the butt. Layla squeaked loudly and snapped out of her thoughts, looking indignant. Sam smiled so wide until he broke out into laughter. Layla got an idea and made her lower lip quiver and she looked down, whimpering. Sam frowned and feared he had actually hurt Layla. He quickly sat up and pulled Layla to him, wanting to comfort her. Layla bit Sam on the shoulder and sat back, smiling and proud of herself. Sam raised an eyebrow and grabbed the notepad, writing.
"I didn't hurt you?" Layla read. "No, but you startled me."
Sam smirked and wrote a reply, making Layla blush and hide her face in her hands, grinning. Sam smiled and pulled Layla back, laughing at her reaction.
What did Sam write?
"Bite harder next time"
Layla jumped when Sam's phone vibrated against her leg. Her sudden movement startled Sam, thinking she had somehow gotten hurt. Layla felt around for the phone and held it up, seeing that Leah was calling. She handed the phone to Sam and sat up, rubbing her face. Sam answered rage phone and sat up with Layla. Layla could see him talking and smiling, but had no clue as to what he was saying. Sam stood up from the bed and walked across her bedroom to where his bag was. Layla watched him and noticed something. A big something. Something that she hadn't noticed before. Layla frowned, thinking. /span/p
'Didn't...Didn't Paul… Paul had that… because he was really… really fucking horny?' Layla thought, rubbing her head. 'Sam is talking to… to Leah… and…Paul...'
Like a rush, it all came back to Layla. Friday came slamming into her mind hardcore. Sam taking her out to eat. The dress from Alice and Rosalie. The Friday night dinner and Paul's mom. The… the big… Paul changed… into…
Sam noticed Layla had stiffened, her eyes darting wildly around the room. Her breaths were more labored. He told Jake he'd call him back on Leah's since he was out of minutes and hung up. He cautiously approached Layla, touching her shoulder. Layla, so deep in reliving Friday, screamed and dropped down, cowering. Sam panicked and immediately picked Layla up and checked her over, holding her head between his hands and forcing her to look up in his eyes.
"Big dog, big dog, big… dog…" Layla whimpered. Sam wanted to curse. He didn't know for certain that Layla had seen his wolf before she got hurt, but now he knew. She had. Sam pulled Layla to sit with him in the floor, grabbing his notepad and writing. He held it up to Layla. Layla read it and nodded. He was relieved that Layla would tell him everything she remembered, but only when they were in Sam's Wrangler. Sam helped Layla to the bathroom to wash off and change her clothes, giving her privacy when needed. When she finished, Sam told Charlie he was going to take Layla to hang out at the rez. Once they got to the Wrangler, Layla turned to look at Sam. He was still a but fuzzy, but was getting clearer everyday. Sam started the vehicle and nodded.
"I remember you fussed at me for walking home. And we ate grilled cheese and tater tots...and I remember Leah…" Layla said, looking away. "And I met Paul's mom. And she… she would yell at him. It made me mad. Then she screamed at him and hit him so much… it was loud and I lost it. I grabbed her hair and jerked hard and I was going to kick her outside. That if she was going to act like a heifer then she was going to be treated like one. And she punched me in the leg and…Paul. He was there one minute and then he was a huge…dog? And that's all. Paul was a big dog." Layla said, frowning.
Sam had long since pulled over when Layla got to the part about Paul and his mother. He pulled out his notepad and scribbled on it, handing it to Layla.
"Was I scared?" Layla read. "I was shocked. Paul…maybe I hallucinated?"
Sam pulled back onto the road and headed for the reservation. He wanted to wait until he could get home so he could explain everything to Layla.
"A big dark silver… wolf?" Layla mumbled. "A horse wolf."
Sam pulled up to his house where his pack was waiting. Sam helped Layla out and Layla saw Paul. She pulled from Sam and went over to Paul, pulling his face closer and looking for handprints or scratches or bruises.
"Stupid heifer." Layla mumbled as she looked over his face.
Paul shook his head, gently putting his hands on Layla's and pulling them away from his face, kissing them before dropping them. Layla frowned and whimpered softly.
"You hate me." Layla whispered.
Paul's heart shattered at the amount of sadness in her voice. He knew he was in deep because of making advances against a pack mate's Imprint and causing her to get hurt, even accidentally, but he couldn't stop himself from trying to comfort Layla. Paul gently cupped Layla's face and made her look at him as he shook his head fervently. He touched his chest where his heart was and pointed to Layla, smiling softly. Layla threw her arms around Paul and hugged him tightly.
Jake and Sam both growled. There was no way either of them could punish Paul while Layla was around.
"You turned into a horse wolf?" Layla asked, looking up.
Paul looked from Layla over to Sam. It wasn't exactly his place to tell Layla about their secret, especially since she technically wasn't his Imprint. Before Paul could grab a notepad, Seth came bounding over with a Styrofoam container. He pulled a pen from his pocket and wrote on the top. Layla read it aloud.
"Mom heard Sam was bringing you over and wanted you to eat so she got you a grilled cheese and tater tots." Layla read.
She looked up, excited. Layla hugged Seth and took the container. She ran over to Sam and showed him. Sam smiled and ushered Layla into the house.
"You owe me five bucks." Seth called out.
"Paul does. We'll deal with him later." Sam said.
Sam walked into his house, smiling when he saw Layla sitting on his bed, piled up with his pillows and quilt, eating. She looked completely comfortable and seemed to have temporarily forgotten about the 'horse wolf'. Sam climbed onto his bed beside of Layla and laid on her legs, looking up at her. Layla whined softly.
"Not the sad eyes…Why the sad eyes?" Layla asked.
Sam opened his mouth and Layla giggled. She put a tater tot in his mouth and he ate with a smile on his face. Layla rolled her eyes as smiled, giving Sam half of her grilled cheese
God, Sam loved this female. She shared everything with such ease and happiness. Sam moved and laid back on Layla, looking up and back at her.
"Comfortable?" Layla asked.
Sam nodded and smiled as he ate. Layla chuckled and bent forward slightly, kissing his forehead before continuing to eat her food.
Sam.
Was.
In.
Heaven.