AN: I'm so sorry it's taken this long to update! I haven't forgotten. Real life has been kicking my ass. My goal is to at least work on one story a week. I have many that need updating still. This one just happened to be first. I hope you guys like it and are still with me!
Later that night Nick showed up back at Sam's house. He knocked and was instantly greeted by Sam.
"Where's your sister?" He asked the other man.
Nick shrugged, "Took her back home."
"Good riddance." Bella snarked from the counter she was seated on as the two men made their way to the kitchen.
Sam sighed, "Bella, there are perfectly good chairs only a few feet from where you're sitting."
Bella smiled, "I know."
Emily chuckled softly as Sam sighed deeply, "Why don't you sit in one?"
She pretended to think for a moment. "I like it up here. Makes me taller."
Paul laughed at his imprints cheek as she smiled widely at Sam's soft growl.
Nick smothered a chuckle himself as he took a seat at the table himself, looking at Bella swing her legs back and forth. "Doesn't look like it." He stated softly.
Bella laughed, "Eh. I'm not really taller, I just like to irk Sam. It's fun."
The front door opened with a bang as it bounced off the wall.
Bella and the other girls jumped as everyone else winced at the loud sound.
"Are you sitting on the counter again, Bella?" Leah's voice sounded as she walked through the doorway.
"You scared the shit out of me, Leah." Bella grumbled.
"Eh. Sorry." The she-wolf stated, not sounding sorry at all.
"No, you're not." Bella deadpanned before shoving some of her muffin into her mouth.
Leah shrugged, "You're totally right. I'm not."
Bella smiled around her muffin before grabbing another from the plate.
"Bella, you gettin' on Sam's nerve again?" Leah laughed as she noticed Bella sitting on the counter. Something Sam hated.
Emily chuckled as she saw Sam glare at Leah.
Paul smiled widely as Bella's legs swung back and forth smacking the cabinetry under the counter, making them bang against each other.
Sam growled low at the noise before standing up and making his way to Bella to grab her from atop the counter. Bella's eyes widened comically as she braced herself by holding onto the counter she was sitting on.
"Don't. I like it up here." Bella pleaded, laughter in her voice.
Sam shook his head exasperated before looking at Paul. "Grab her and sit her somewhere else. She's exasperating." Everyone laughed at Sam's description of Bella, including Bella, herself.
Paul stood to grab her off the counter, but Bella decided to jump off into his arms.
"Warning next time, Bella." Paul warned.
Bella smiled, "Why? I thrive for danger."
Leah laughed hysterically at her step-sister's statement. She was clutching her stomach as her laughter rolled out.
"Geez, I think you broke her." Jared stated as they watched tears roll down Leah's face as she laughed.
Bella laughed, "Not the first time." She then cuddled into Paul's arms and nuzzled his throat. "She's weird anyways."
Leah snorted, "You're one to talk. You were friends with vamps for the longest time." Bella glared at her, "Well, not the longest time. Gah! You know what I mean."
Bella nodded before kissing Paul's throat, noticing he tensed up when the Cullen's were mentioned. "It's fine, I'm here."
Nick watched them, eyes narrowed slightly. "What do you mean, vamps?"
"Oh, I dated one. For a while. Thought about marrying him too. Didn't work out. He left me, left me to basically die in the woods after he left me there. Nothing to really tell." Bella told Nick, brushing her nose against Paul's neck, comforting him as he growled softly.
Nick, shocked at her candor, froze. "You dated a vampire?"
Bella nodded, "Yup. Thought he was my life. Was totally wrong about that." Bella pulled Paul's face to hers, "Definitely wrong about that." She kissed his lips quickly, with a smile.
"You two are disgusting," Leah laughed. Paul and Bella shrugged.
"It's known to happen with the imprint. Just wait until it happens to you, Leah." Sam told her, as she looked to the man she imprinted on.
Leah chuckled, "Yeah." Nick looked at her before nodding slightly.
"So, you gonna tell us what you are?" Bella asked Nick, cuddled up to Paul. Carefully, he pulled her to the seat he was in and sat down.
Nick cleared his throat, "Uh, mountain lion shifter. Basically, like you guys, protectors of our land."
Everyone stared at him shocked. "There are other animal shifters?" Seth asked in wonder.
Looking at Emily, Leah asked, "Did you know about your protectors?"
Emily shook her head, "No. I guess it's a tight lipped secret like it is here."
"So cool!" Seth exclaimed after his initial shock. Everyone chuckled at his exuberance.
Nick looked to Bella and Paul, "What did you mean about you dating vampires?"
Paul stiffened again, only slightly. Bella noticed and rubbed her cheek on his shoulder. "I dated one. His name was Edward Cullen. He was a hundred year old teenager. Thought he was the world, pretty much. Broke up with me after my birthday and an incident that happened. Told me I was pretty much nothing but a weak human." Bella smiled, "I'm anything but now." She nodded to Sam, "He found me, laying in the woods, almost dying of hypothermia. Brought me back to my dad. Had a bout of depression, but here I am."
Leah nodded, "She's been a strong person, always has been and most likely always will be."
Seth agreed, "I'm glad she's my family. Now I'm not stuck with just this one." he says pointing to Leah.
Nick's eyebrows raised, "You guys are related?"
Bella nodded, "Those two are full siblings, I'm just the step-sister. An awesome one at that."
"Ah, I see." Nick stated before looking at Leah. "You do know what happened between us, correct?" Everyone held their breath in anticipation.
Leah nodded. "Yes." she said shyly. "Imprinted. We didn't know I could do it. I'm the only female wolf here."
"That matters how? The point is, it did happen. The Creator wouldn't have let you do it without a good reason. They knew what they were doing." Nick told her. Everyone agreed.
"I'm sorry to interrupt this right now, but there is another matter we have to talk about today." Sam told everyone, standing up straighter. "The Cullens."
Bella froze, "What about them?"
Paul took a deep breath, "They're back."
Gasping, Bella breathed, "No."