1 month later
Charlie Swan was not a man prone to violence. In fact, his job was to keep all types of violence to a minimum. But over the past month, well… he was finding himself more and more wanting to punch the wall or rip a phonebook in half. He was an odd combination of exasperated, frustrated, and in a constant state of turned on turned to blue balls. Cold showers no longer did a damn thing for him. It was like he and Sue never had a moment alone together. It wasn't nice to get him used to homemade food and sex all the time and then all of it suddenly get cut out. He could barely kiss her cheek before they were inevitably interrupted. Take now for instance. Charlie took Friday evening off, determined to spend quality time with the love of his life. He had just barely pulled Sue into his arms for a hello kiss when Seth, Leah, Jake, and Billy came over with a few pizzas and movies. Charlie wanted to kick them all out and tell them to piss off. The amount of times he'd gotten blue balls over the past 30 days…
"I'll go get Layla. We got her favorite pizza and some movies for her to watch!" Seth said excitedly before running upstairs.
"So, Charlie, did you catch the game last night?" Billy asked. "Jake, put the tv on the game replay so Charlie and I can watch while you kids eat."
"Sure thing!" Jake said happily.
"But Sue and I-" Charlie frowned.
"I found a wild little Layla!" Seth called out, carrying Layla downstairs.
"I can walk…" Layla muttered. "And I'm not really hungry."
"But it's pizza." Seth said. "Eat for me? You feel like you don't weigh much."
Charlie frowned and looked over at Layla. The clothes looked a bit baggy on her. He didn't remember the last time he saw her eat. Or sleep. Or do anything except go to school. She would come home and go upstairs to her bed. The last time he saw her look remotely animated was last month when she went to the doctor. Coincidentally, that was 5he last private time he had with Sue. He was shaken from his thoughts.
"You really miss Sam that much, sweetheart?" Sue asked softly.
Layla whimpered and nodded. Her hiccup of a breath told Charlie his niece was trying not to cry. Sue sighed heavily and stood up. She went to the tv and turned it off before throwing the remote behind her.
"Seth, honey, take my truck and take Layla to Sam's. Charlie and Billy and I need to talk. And I need Leah and Jake here to prove a point." Sue called out, crossing her arms.
"I don't feel comfortable with them being together, Sue." Charlie said.
"And I don't feel comfortable seeing Layla look like she's wasting away. Seth, take Layla. Now." Sue said.
Layla perked up. She had regained most of her hearing and she looked excitedly at Seth. He grinned brightly and grabbed a couple of the pizzas.
"Let's go, shorty!" Seth said.
Layla nearly tripped over her own two feet to grab her shoes and go to the door. She was smiling, wanting to leave before Charlie could stop Sue.
"Look at how happy she is, Charlie. When's the last time you've seen the beautiful smile? Or eat? Or do much of anything?" Billy asked.
Charlie didn't have an answer. He watched as Layla pulled Seth outside and to Sue's truck. He looked up at Sue them over to Billy. Jake and Leah walked into the living room.
"You've heard our legends, Charlie. How our people protect the tribe?" Sue asked.
"Yeah. But what's that have to do with this?" Charlie asked.
"The legends aren't just legends. They're real." Billy said.
"You don't expect me to believe that you all turn into wolves…" Charlie snorted.
"Well, not me. And not Sue. But Jake does. And Leah. And Seth." Billy said.
"And so does Sam. And a few others." Sue added. "Jake, will you show him?"
Jake pulled his shirt and jeans off, leaving him nude. Leah bit her lip and smiled. Sue rolled her eyes are her hormonal daughter. In mere seconds, Jake shifted into a wolf. A large, broad, horse sized wolf. Charlie stood suddenly, moving backwards. He rubbed his face.
"Did someone slip me acid?" Charlie asked.
"This is very real." Billy said. "It's in our blood, Charlie. We shift to protect. Jake, will you shift back?"
A few more seconds passed af Jake was back in his human body, pulling his shorts and shirt on. He grinned and pulled Leah to himself, kissing the side of her head.
"Every wolf is given the gift of an Imprint. Deeper than a soul mate. Literally it's the person that's their other half. The one they can't survive without." Sue said. "Leah is Jake's."
"When a shape-shifter imprints on a specific person, they becomes unconditionally bound to that person for the rest of their life. When it happens, the experience is described as being gravitationally pulled toward that person while a glowing heat fills them, and everyone and everything else in their life becomes secondary, and only the imprintee is left to matter, leaving the shape-shifter with a deep need to do anything to please and protect their soulmate. Imprinting can't be forced on anyone, no matter how much the shape-shifter may want it. It can't be ignored or denied, either. The imprinter is deemed to be the "perfect match" to the imprintee—they will be anything the imprintee may want or need, making rejection unlikely. Should it happen, however, the imprinter may feel unspeakable pain, and may even want to commit suicide." Jake said, looking over at Leah.
"That's why, when Layla got hurt, Sam refused to leave her side. How he was able to calm her down with just a touch of his skin to hers. How she was able to know it was him just by smelling him." Sue said.
"The base part of her recognized Sam as safe. He was there for no other reason than to keep her safe and help her heal. And up in the bedroom? I know you're convinced they were fooling around, but they weren't. It was simply Sam caring for his Imprint. What she needed was a caretaker. Someone whose only concern was her well-being. Making sure she slept and ate and took her medication. Someone who helped her to the bathroom. He was her person." Billy said. "Nothing sexual would have even crossed his mind. And it never will unless Layla decides that's the type of relationship she wants from him."
"He'll be whatever she needs or wants. A brother. Best friend. Protector. Caretaker. Friend with benefits. Boyfriend. Husband. Literally anything she wants him to be. I know with Jake, if I told him I only wanted to use him for sex, and not a real relationship, he'd accept it. No arguments. Or if I just wanted him as a friend." Leah said.
"To keep a wolf away from his or her Imprint is literal hell. The worst pain they'll ever feel is being told they can't be with their Imprint. It feels like being suffocated and burned alive and being stabbed all at once. Unending pain. And it's obvious Layla felt that pain, too." Jake said.
"We've read the file on Layla, Charlie. That Layla even feels the capacity to love is beyond amazing. Most children raised in the environment she was… they don't make it unscathed. They're very untrusting, usually into crime or drugs or some type of misbehavior. She's opened her heart from day one. She's so eager to love and be loved and it's painfully obvious she's starved for positive attention and affection. And Sam's ready to give that to her in spades. She was picked especially for him by our ancestors." Sue said.
"Besides, if you agree to let Sam and Layla see each other on a regular basis...Old Quil and I will stop constantly interrupting your alone time with Sue." Billy said with a smirk.
"This is a lot to take in. I find out the girl of my dreams is mother to two shape shifters and my best friend is also a father to one. And my niece's… whatever Sam is to her… is one, too! And that he's Imprinted on her. And it's killing them both to be apart. I need to think about this." Charlie said, rubbing his face.
"Jake, take Billy and Leah home. I think since Charlie will have the house along tonight, he needs some company." Sue said, smiling. "Lock the door on your way out."
"I can't believe everyone was in on this freeze out!" Charlie said.
"Honestly, you lasted longer than we were prepared for. Old Quil was sure his plan would make you snap in a week or two." Billy said, laughing.
"I'll remember that. All of you out!" Charlie said, pointing at the door.
"Bye, you crazy kids! Use a condom, we don't need anymore siblings!" Jake said brow slamming the door.
Before Charlie could react, Sue pulled him to her and kissed him passionately. Screw everything else.
…
Seth was pulling into the reservation. Layla was so excited to see Sam she couldn't be still. She was so glad she had taken a shower earlier.
"I think you're just a little excited to see him." Seth teased.
"I'm a lot excited!" Layla said. "I miss Sam so much."
"I knew he really misses you." Seth said.
Seth didn't even get the truck in park before Layla jumped out and was running up to his front door. She found the door unlocked and ran inside, heading straight for his bedroom. She saw Sam under the blanket. She quietly crept up to the bed and crawled in behind him, wrapping her arm around him and kissing his back.
Sam grunted, thinking he was dreaming. It was almost like he could feel her. He wanted to enjoy this dream for as long as he could.
Layla climber over Sam and wiggled between his arm and the bed.
"Sam, wake up…" Layla said softly.
When Sam stayed asleep, Layla smiled wickedly. She moved to his neck, peppering kisses against the warm skin there. Sam groaned softly, only waking up when Layla bit down.
"Layla…" Sam whispered.
"Hi." Layla said softly.
Sam fully woke up and wrapped his arms around Layla, holding her tightly to his chest. Layla giggled and peppered kisses against his chest. If this was a dream, he never wanted to wake up.
"Am I dreaming?" Sam asked, pulling back to look in Layla's eyes.
"No, you're Sam." Layla said, grinning. "I missed you."
"You can hear me…" Sam said, smiling. "I missed you more than you'll ever know."
"Can I kiss you?" Layla asked bluntly.
"Let me shower and brush my teeth." Sam said.
Layla pouted.
Sam couldn't resist her pout. He didn't want to resist. Layla's squeal of happiness when he pulled her on his lap and kissed her was one of his favorite sounds. Sam kept the kiss chaste and pulled back.
"I really do need to shower and brush my teeth. So you won't get disgusted by how much I stink." Sam said.
"Party pooper." Layla said. "I missed hearing your voice, too."
"I missed you hearing me." Sam said. "Ten minutes tops." He said, kissing Layla again.
Sam headed for the bathroom, leaving the door wide open. Layla crawled to the middle of the bed to watch. Sam turned the shower on and set a towel out and pulled off his sleep pants.
"Nice butt!" Layla called out.
Sam paused and looked over his shoulder, seeing Layla openly ogling him. To know his Imprint enjoyed seeing him without clothes from the back made heat shoot through him. Sam stepped into the shooter, laughing softly when he heard Layla whine. Layla hopped off the need and headed for the kitchen, seeing that Seth must have brought the pizza boxes in. She began to heat it up, knowing that if she was hungry then Sam must be starved. She brought it back to his bed just in time for the shower to shut off.
Sam wrapped the towel low around his waist before stepping out. Layla dropped her pizza when Sam walked into the bedroom again, going to his closet.
She whined pathetically.
"Not fair." Layla muttered as she picked her piece of pizza up and began eating.
Sam chuckled. He was tempted to drop his towel in front of her.
So, so tempted.
...
So i wrote this in about 2 hours. I hit a tiny wall but overcame it! Ugh work stress. I hope you all like this one! Nice lithe frustrating cliffhanger! If i have enough convincing *hint hint* I'll post a delicious update by Christmas! One that's got a little Layla and Sam loving in it!
Hope you likes. Let me know!