Notes | Alpha Order | Inner Wolf | 'Talking in Mind Link'
Character|| Pheoria pronounced F - E - OR - E - A | (the e's as in the e in be) |(or is exactly as the word looks or) | (a as in the word again not the word apple)
Chapter Twenty-Three | Coming Around
..
Saturday.
Today was Saturday.
Loveless moaned as she stretched. Her nose crinkled in distaste. She was still in her bathing-suit. Her cheeks puffed. She was refusing to open her eyes. She didn't have school. There was no pressing matter. No one calling her name. Therefore, no immediate reason to get out of bed.
A shiver coursed up her spin spreading through her body. She frowned as a twinge of pain followed. Quite suddenly fatigue wracked her body, staking claim over her once goodnight sleep ridden body.
What was going on?
This wasn't the first time.
And she had a feeling it wouldn't be the last. Her eyes slid close as she fell back into a restless half sleep. Loveless groaned and curled in on herself as scorching heat seared through her chest.
Knock. Knock.
"Um . . . Honey?"
"Huh?" Loveless whispered. Was she hearing things? She couldn't tell, cotton balls had been shoved in her ears.
Emily frowned and moved closer. She had stepped - cautiously - into her room when the younger hadn't answered. Her brows furrowed, lips pucked. She looks like she's in pain. The motherly instinct in her kicked into high gear. Emily sat down on the edge of the bed and ran her fingers over Loveless' furrowed brow.
Loveless sagged against the bed at the soothing touch and slide over her clammy skin. "Momma." She mumbled softly.
Emily's eyes shimmered as she crooned in the back of her throat. She hummed softly and continued to let her fingers map the contours of the others skin. She'd gladly accept that name. It seemed like the younger needed one anyway. A real one.
Slowly the searing heat crumbled and her chest eased. With a snail like pace, Loveless opened her eyes.
Emily smiled softly, no need to scare the poor girl.
Emily. The name and face registered in her mind as her blue eyes focused. She stayed still, letting Emily run her fingers through her dark brown tresses. It felt good. Really good.
Emily smiled sweetly. "Hey, honey." Her voice was smooth as honey and soft as a feather. "James is here. He wanted to see if you wanted to go work on the car." She crooned softly. "I think Jacob even conned James into letting him go too."
"No," Loveless nodded. "I kinda wanna stay right here."
Emily laughed softly. "Well, if that's the case." She winked. "How about, you go; I'll wake you up like this from now on. Hmm?"
Her eyes blue eyes glazed over as they clashed with dark brown. Was it that easy? Could it really be that easy? Her brows furrowed for a moment in thought. "I - I'd like that." She nodded slowly.
Emily smiled brightly. "Me too." She stayed in the position. She didn't really want to get up either. With slow movements, Emily stood." Okay honey. I'll let you get dressed."
Loveless nodded.
. . .
Loveless heaved a sigh as she slowly eased her body down the stairs. She was achy and tired. Her nose scrunched. What was wrong with her?
"You okay Lovely?"
Loveless nodded slowly. "Yeah," her voice was soft and breathy.
"Baby," Paul frowned and stepped in her pathway. His hands cupped her cheeks as he stared down into her eyes. "Are you okay?"
Loveless breathed in deeply - the smell: woodsy and fresh rain- the scent that was only known as Paul. The ache seeped from her body as she was filled with Paul's scent. Her energy slowly returned. Loveless froze as she stared deep into his eyes. "I'm better." Now that you're touching me.
"Sure?" His eyes flickered back and forth, desperately searching for any signs of lies.
She nodded slowly, a little hard considering his overly warm hands still cupped her face. "Paul," she murmured softly.
"Okay!" Jacob whined. "I want to go work on the cars." His deep voice was pitched higher as he whined. His lower lip jutted out.
James held back his smirk as he coughed.
Paul sent a glancing glare at the soon to be dead wolf. His jaw clenched as he withdrew from his imprint. "Okay."
Loveless gave the taller a shaky smile. "Are we working on my car?" Forcefully, she pulled her eyes from Paul's face.
James nodded. "Of course Lovely." He winked. "You got my package?"
Quil snickered, eyes widened as Paul turned to glare at him. He put his hands up in self-defense. A silent 'he said it, not me!' passed through his eyes and uselessly to his alpha.
Loveless rolled her eyes. I doubt I'm the one that holds your 'package' James. "It's to big and heavy for my little hands." She blinked innocently, her eyes wide and full of fake innocence.
James grinned.
"Dirty mouth? Clean it up!" Embry faked a horrible british accent.
"With Orbit!" Quil finished loudly.
Emily giggled while Sam smiled at his imprint.
Loveless' lips twitched. Maybe it was after affect of unknowingly taking crack? She shrugged softly and moved towards James. Loveless patted the messenger bag hanging from her left shoulder.
Jacob grinned cheekily and took the bag from her. "Let me carry this for you."
Embry grinned mischievously at Quil. "So Jaci wants to carry James' package?"
Quil snorted.
Paul's lips twitched. Embry was in need of a night off.
"I'm coming with!" Quil cheered. "I want to see the car!"
Maybe Quil needed half a night off.
James nodded. "Let's go. Princess rides in the front.
Jacob held back a snort, like Paul would allow us to do anything else.
. . .
Emily smiled brightly as she waved to Loveless. Her lips twitched as the grin spread into a smile at catching a quick timid wave from the other.
"What's got you so happy?" Jared tapped his ear. "I know Sam hasn't done anything particularly smile inducing."
Emily blushed and giggled.
Sam growled and wrapped a protective arm around the other.
Jared held up his hands in mock defense. "Wolf ears bro."
"She sort of likes me." Emily sighed and leaned back against her sturdy wolf. "She's slowly coming around."
"Really?" Sam questioned. The hope coloring his voice.
Emily nodded. "She asked me to personally go into her room and wake her up from now on."
Sam squeezed her waist and placed a chaste kiss on her exposed shoulder. "That's good honey."
Emily hummed in content and patted his arm.
Paul rolled his shoulders. The tension built as he watched the happy couple. It wasn't fair. His brown eyes flickered down to his empty arms. It really was unfair.
Jared clamped an arm down on his shoulder and squeezed. All in due time.
Paul gave a curt nod before removing his Beta's hand. "I've got things to do."
Jared frowned but nodded anyway. Their alpha needed to be alone for a while.
. . .
James waved through the window of his car as he backed out of the Uley drive. "It's getting worse."
Vic rolled his eyes. "Not worse. Stronger. She is becoming our Queen."
James nodded. "Her rightful place."
"We have to make sure to keep her safe." Vic murmured softly. He heaved a small sigh. "It's our job Jay. We can't let Pheoria down."
James laced his fingers with Vic's and squeezed. "We won't let either down."
Vic nodded. "We'd die first."
"Well I'd push you off the cliff first." He nodded like an after thought. "But yeah, we'd die first."
"Yah!" Vic shrieked.
James chuckled. "First thing we need to deal with are the Cullens."
"I want them no where near my baby." Vic's voice hardened. "Do you understand me James. No where near."
James nodded. "That's fine."
"She found good friends." His lips pursed slightly in an utterly annoying denial. "Mate . . . too."
James chuckled. "Be nice."
"I was." Vic sniffed. He heaved a sigh and let his head hit the back of the head-rest. "Her turning is coming quicker."
James shrugged. "Not really."
"Is it as bad as it is because she's the To Be Queen or is it because of all of the animals she around?"
"A bit of both I do believe." James' lips pursed in thought. "But you really cannot compare our turnings to hers. She will be far more powerful than any of us."
"Our little girl is growing up." Vic smiled faintly. "You think her mom would be happy about how we raised her?"
James smiled affectionately and nodded. "It might have taken us a little longer than necessary to track her down." He smiled humorously. "But I believe Queen Pheoria would be exceedingly happy for the woman her daughter is becoming."
"Me too." Vic smiled.
. . .
Loveless heaved a small sigh and leaned back against the white wicker chair in her bedroom. Something was off. Her lips pursed. She felt . . . lonely. Loveless pulled the blanket around her tighter. Her icy blue eyes glazed over as she looked out at the fading sun over the trees. Pretty.
A small smile graced her lips. Her eyes flickered over to the house at the end of the cul-de-sac. Paul's house. They lingered on the house more than she would let herself acknowledge.
"Honey?"
Loveless turned at the sound of the affectionate nickname.
Emily smiled sweetly and moved closer. "I came to see what you wanted for dinner?"
Loveless' head tilted to the side and the words fell from her lips before the action could reach her brain to try and stop it. "Will Paul be joining us for dinner?"
Emily held back the knowing smile. It would only scare the poor girl, or make her curious - and neither of those two things were her place. "I do believe so." She winked cutely. "Shall I make sure?"
Loveless' cheeks tinged as she jerkily nodded.
Emily smiled brightly. "Anything in particular you want for dinner?"
Her nose twitched as her lips pursed. "I'll eat anything but bananas."
"Okay! I'll hop to it!"
. . .
Paul leaned back against the couch in his empty house. It had been a long time since happiness had invaded the Lahote home. Home, not sure if you could really call it that to begin with.
His dark eyes flittered around the area.
She'll never want to live in this house.
Paul's jaw clenched before he brought the beer bottle up to his lips.
Never.
The wolf within him growled angrily. What? Paul eased the bottle between his lips and tipped it.
She will not care about the house. Our imprint is not that materialistic. The wolf hissed angrily.
Paul flinched at the deep growling voice that took over his mind. I know that. His eyes glanced around the dark room.
The walls were bare - no color. The floors were a deep cherry wooden brown - no flashy rugs. The kitchen had creamy white walls with the same cherry wood floor - no home sweet home feel. The stairs were the same color as the rest of the flooring with the same wood as a hand railing. The halls - bland with no pictures or family portraits. The guest room - empty. The office - messy as hell from being a construction designer. His bedroom - barely lived in. The windows - no curtains or trim. The outside hadn't been painted.
Ugh.
His house was practically the eye-sour of the little cul-de-sac the pack had created for themselves.
Paul ran a hand through his hair. It wasn't necessarily that bad. He had just sort of let things go. It was easier to deny a broken home than try to fix it. Memories made it harder. Paul groaned. He didn't know what a home was. Sure is as hell didn't know how to go about making a house into a home either.
She is ours.
I know that. Paul rolled his eyes. Did his wolf really think he didn't know that? Didn't feel that. He smirked as a shiver coursed up his spine, gooseflesh spread across his arms. It was an act he was becoming accustomed to. An act only an imprint could cause. Paul watched as the gooseflesh quickly dissipated. He was hot - who wouldn't be at a toasty one o' eight degrees? - but the imprint was the only one who could sooth the deep fire that burned within all of the wolves.
It is one of the main reasons the imprinter looses it when the imprint dies. The man and the wolf know they will never feel that sweet cold rush again.
His lips pursed. Should I try and make it a better place?
The wolf hummed. A low purr imbedded deep in his chest. No, let her make fix the house. That way our imprint will be seen in everything around us.
Paul lifted the beer to his lips once more. He liked that. Really liked that thought. Paul liked the aspect of Loveless wanting to take this house and make a home. Her home. Their home.
The wolf purred soothingly.
Our home.
His ears tweaked as a pack brother called out for him.
'Loveless wants to know if you're joining us for dinner?'
Paul could hear the shit-eating grin that covered Sam's lips.
Sam could pick up Embry's shift.
He stood and placed the bottle on the disfigured table infront of his well-worn couch. His lips quirked. His imprint was coming around.