When Paul showed up at 11:00 am on Saturday morning with a rose, I felt like shit all over again.
Leah flung herself into his arms giving him a big hug. He smirked at me like he had won the lottery, standing there with my girl in his arms.
"Emily was in an accident, Paul." I said over her head. "I forgot to call you."
"Is she ok?" he asked.
I shook my head.
"We should visit her," he stated.
I shook my head again.
"She died, Paul," Leah sobbed into his chest. "She really liked you and now she's dead."
Paul looked horrified. His body began to vibrate. I pulled Leah off of him.
"Run to the woods." I alpha commanded him. Then I whispered to Leah, "he was about to phase."
LPOVEmily's funeral was the following Friday, one week after her death. Both Sam and Paul came up to the Makah rez with me and my family for it.
Paul had been acting really weird since Emily's death. From what I could tell, he hadn't hooked up with any girls since then. Sam was pretty sure I was right about that.
I was touched. Paul introduced himself to Emily's parents and friends. He didn't look twice at any of the girls there.
Sam had barely left my side since Emily's death. He was so good to me.
Emily's funeral… what to say. It was a cremation. They say her body was too mangled for an open casket, not that her parents had that kind of money anyway. They say they don't know what made her go off the road.
People stood up and shared memories. It was nice. I couldn't though. I was still having a hard time processing it all.
The rest of the school year passed by in a blur. Sam turned 18. I made him a cake and fucked him for hours on the moss carpet. He graduated. I did it all over again. He picked up more hours at the construction company his Uncle Frank ran. I started waitressing at the diner for the summer.
SPOVEverything was going steady until the howl I heard at the fireworks on the fourth of July. Leah had been slowly bouncing back from Emily's death. We were both working near full time hours for the summer. I had been contemplating getting my own place for Leah and me but she still had another year of school.
For a while, I had been considering getting a place of my own now that I had graduated.
Then there was the howl.
We were all at the fireworks in Forks. It was Leah and me and Paul and Amy. Amy was this girl that Paul was dating but not fucking. As far as I could tell, he hadn't fucked anyone since Emily's funeral. He probably needed a therapist.
Anyway, the howl was in the middle of the fireworks so I'm not sure anyone else even heard it. I looked at Paul, then at Leah in my lap.
"Leah, something's up. Paul and I have to go shift." I whispered into her ear, hoping she could hear me over the sound of the explosions in the sky above us.
She nodded, then said, "can I have Paul's keys?"
I looked at Paul and he fished them out of his pocket for her. Paul told his date that I had an emergency and that Leah would make sure she got home.
"You'll come by after?" Leah asked me. I nodded.
Paul and I ran to the woods, stripped and phased.
There was a third vision.
WHO IS THIS? I asked.
WHAT'S GOING ON? WHY ARE YOU IN MY HEAD? The third asked. I didn't recognize the voice.
WHO ARE YOU? I asked again.
JARED. JARED CAMERON. WHO ARE YOU?
SAM ULEY AND PAUL LAHOTE.
THE GIANT SENIORS?
Paul laughed. THAT'S US.
I hadn't thought of us that way at all. But we were the two tallest guys in the school. We were the broadest too. We had both put on a ton of muscle when we started shifting, even though we both quit playing baseball. There was a sophomore who looked like he was catching up to us though. I flashed an image of that sophomore.
THIS YOU? I guessed.
YEAH, HOW'D YOU KNOW?
THE GIANT SOPHOMORE. I said. JARED, WHERE ARE YOU? CAN YOU TURN AROUND SO WE CAN FIND YOU?
He spun in place and showed us his back yard. He was not far from Paul's. We were running back to the rez and made it there within a few minutes.
Paul and I showed him the basics. He was able to phase in and out of his form pretty easily within ten minutes. We explained all of the legends and the treaty with the Cullens. I told him that I was alpha and why and how the alpha commands work. He didn't seem freaked out at all. He was an easy going guy.
I was in Leah's bed by midnight.
LPOVSam and Paul didn't come back by the end of the fireworks. I figured someone else had joined their little pack and I was honestly excited about it. I brought Paul's date home. Amy seemed like a nice girl. She was from Forks so I didn't really know her. She accepted the work emergency excuse without further questions. We chatted about music and summer plans on the drive.
I lay in bed, waiting for Sam. Suddenly, without any auditory warning, I could feel the bed dip as he climbed in and wrapped his arms around me.
"Who was it?" I asked, turning around in Sam's arms.
"Jared Cameron, the big sophomore." He said, his voice husky.
"Oh, yeah, I know him. He flirts with my friend Kim a lot."
"Kim on the softball team?" He asked.
I nodded. "Yeah."
"Oh, she showed up in his thoughts quite a bit. Is she into him?"
"I think so. I can't read her mind but it looks like it to me. She's a sophomore too, well, a junior now."
"Huh. Cute. I hope that works out for them."
"Is he a good guy? You were just in his head."
"I think so. But I think Paul's a good guy too."
"Paul is a good guy. He's just a bit messed up."
Sam laughed. "We all are, Lee-lee."
Life continued like that all summer. Jared hung out with Sam and Paul and he was a good guy. Then one evening, we all ran into Kim at the convenience store attached to the gas station.
SPOVJared was staring at Leah's friend Kim and it was weird. Leah had said they flirted so I didn't know why he was so awestruck by her appearance. She was cute enough, I guess, nothing compared to Leah, and certainly nothing to be frozen in place for. He was like a statue, just gazing into her eyes. She looked a little uncomfortable.
"Jared, you ok, Bud?" I asked, putting my hand on his shoulder.
He snapped out of it. "Hi Kim, can you hang out? Like right now?"
I looked at Paul. He shrugged. Then I looked at Leah. She was nodding enthusiastically, encouraging Kim to join us.
"Umm, I have to bring this milk to my mom, then we can hang out."
"We can walk with you." Jared said.
So we walked with her. Leah and Kim caught up about everything that happened over the summer. Jared butt in and flirted whenever there was an opening.
When Kim had to go home, Jared let out a long sigh. "Guys, something happened at the store. When I saw Kim, it was like everything changed. It felt like the ground under me was shifting. She was the only important thing in the world. Nothing else mattered, not pack, not family, not tribe, just Kim. Has this happened to anyone else? It felt like it was a wolf thing."
Leah looked at me quizzically. I shook my head. I looked at Paul. He just shrugged.
"Let's talk to Billy Black." I suggested. "If it's a wolf thing, he'll know about it."
LPOVWhat Jared was describing was weird. I had seen him and Kim before and it was always lighthearted flirting. It was sweet, but not crazy serious. What Jared was talking about was crazy serious and it was uncharacteristic of his nature.
Billy Black explained, "So Jared imprinted. That girl is your soulmate, Jared. Imprinting is just the spirits' way of telling you who your soulmate is. When you look them in the eye for the first time after you phase, you imprint. Bam. They are your soulmate. The two of you will be bound for life." He looked at me, then said to Sam, "How'd it happen with you Sam, when you first made eye contact with Leah after you became a wolf?"
"Nothing like that happened. We were both so happy to be together again, but I think I would have remembered the ground shifting under my feet and all that other stuff Jared was describing."
"Then Leah is not your imprint? That explains Harry's reluctance… From what I understand Sam, every wolf imprints. Every wolf finds their soulmate this way. It's only a matter of time."
Sam looked horrified. "You're saying that this is going to happen to me, Billy? That I'm going to meet some random girl and she's going to be more important to me than my Leah? I'll not have that. Leah is my chosen mate. How do I prevent this imprinting?"
My head was spinning. Somehow, Billy was telling us that we weren't soulmates. He was telling us that Sam would find his real soul mate… that it wasn't me. That didn't make any sense. None of this made any sense.
"You can't prevent imprinting, son." Billy said calmly. "If the spirits will it, you will imprint. It will be a blessing. Unless one of you is married, either you or your imprint, you will forsake all others for your imprint. If she is married, or if you are, you will have a friendship or sibling bond. She will still be very important to you, like a sister."
In a flash, Sam was on his knees in front of me. "Marry me. Please Lee-lee. I can't lose you like this."
I wanted to jump for joy, but it wasn't that simple. "If you can get my parents permission, I'll marry you today. Otherwise, legally, we need to wait until I'm 18."
"Shit. Does your mom know about the pack?"
I shook my head. "I wish. She'd be a way easier sell than my dad."
"It's just two weeks. I've just got to not look any girl in the eye for two weeks. Then you'll be 18 and we can get married."
"Do you want to try to talk to my dad? I'm anxious about waiting." Anxious wasn't the right word. Sam was it for me. There is no way I could lose him like this. I was terrified.
He looked at me, lovingly. "Yeah, yeah, I'll try."
Jared spoke up, "what am I supposed to do about Kim? Can I keep seeing her? Should I tell her about the imprint thing? About the pack?"
"No!" Sam blurted out. "Just date her normally."
"She'll need to know eventually." Billy said, "Sam, how did you tell Leah about the pack?"
"We just talked about the legends until she guessed. We should go though. Jared, you can stay and talk to Billy as long as you like. Same with you Paul."
Paul followed us out. Jared stayed.
"That's fucked, guys, the idea that you two aren't soulmates. Totally fucked. Sam, let me know what you need from me as best man, ok?"
I raised my eyebrow at Sam. He smiled at me. "Thanks Paul. I'm sure we'll need you for a witness. Not sure what else."
SPOVGod damn it. I wanted to give Leah the choice to leave for college. This imprinting bullshit took away both of our choices. If she married and resented me later, she could leave me. But if I didn't marry her, I was taking away her ability to choose me, which was the one thing she asked of me. That's how I justified it to myself. I just wanted her to be mine, even if I was being selfish. I needed her.
"You're just doing a courthouse thing right?" Paul asked.
"For now, yes." I said. I had always wanted a big wedding for her. "But I think we'll do it properly later."
"No." She said firmly. "This is it, Sam. I want this to be for real. I don't want to have a do over later. I want this to be it."
I was astonished. But I wasn't going to lose her to some wolf magic bullshit. I guess we wouldn't have that big wedding after all.
We were approaching her house.
"I could stand in the corner and snarl while you ask her father for her hand." Paul offered. I'm not sure if he was serious or not.
"I don't think that will help." I said.
"Well, I'm going to wait in your backyard. I can't wait to hear how this goes."
"That's not a bad idea. If he gives permission, we'll want you to come as a witness."
Leah and I entered the house. Harry was on the couch, alone, reading a book.
Leah started shouting. "You never told us about imprinting!" I thought this maybe wasn't the best way to start the conversation but here we were. She continued, "That some rando could be walking down the street, meet eyes with MY MAN, and bam! I've lost him forever. How could you keep that from us, Daddy?! How could you?!"
"That's why I told him to leave you." He said calmly, turning the page in his book.
I was fuming. "You know I can't leave her. You know she's everything to me. I want to marry her. Do I have your permission?"
"No." He said, just as calmly.
"Daddy, I will be 18 in two weeks. I'll marry him then and never speak to you again if you don't give us your permission now."
"You'll get over it." Harry said, but his heartbeat had changed. He was perspiring slightly. He was nervous.
"You know that she won't." I said, matching his calm exterior. "You know that every year that we are happy together, she will be bitter at you because you tried to prevent it. Why don't you like me anyway? You haven't ever liked me, not since I was a kid. Why? What's the real issue here?"
"Your dad was trash. The apple never falls far from the tree."
"Lee-lee, I think we have to wait two weeks."
"Can I stay with you?" She was almost begging. "I can't stay here with him anymore."
"Of course, baby, and tomorrow, if you want, we can see what's available for houses to rent so we can have a place of our own."
Leah's eyes were bright when she heard that suggestion. "Yeah," she whispered, "let's do that."
I was walking on air the next morning but terrified at the same time. Everything was moving much faster than I had planned. But I can't lose her like this. I just kept reminding myself of that. My fiance and I went to Billy Black to see what houses were available on the rez within my budget.
"How much do you have saved up?" He asked.
I had been working part time for my uncle throughout high school, saving for college. "A little over $10,000." I said, "And I'm bringing in around $3000 a month now, but that will probably be cut in half over the winter."
"And I have $3500." Leah piped up.
I shook my head. "That's for college, baby, we're not using that." She scowled at me.
"There's a two room fixer for $15,000. It was abandoned and is now property of the council. I have discretion over how that property is sold. You could pay $7500 now, then $500 a month for fifteen months and it'll be yours, free and clear. Then you can add additions or sell it when you outgrow it. Does that interest you? Or do you want something more expensive that doesn't need as much work? I can be flexible with a down payment."
I looked at Leah and she looked excited. "Can we see the fixer first?" I asked.
"Yes." He wrote down an address. I carried Leah through the woods to get there quicker.
The place was a dump. Leah didn't seem to notice. We went in. The door was not locked but Billy had given us the keys just in case. The power was off and so was the water. We'd have to ask about that. It would need a new roof before winter. I'd have to check the attic for water damage. A lot of sheetrock was damaged. The kitchen part of the kitchen/living room was in good shape, as was the bathroom addition. This place was old if the bathroom had to be an addition. The bedroom had a closet and would easily fit a queen sized bed. It would do but it was not ideal.
"What do you think?" Leah asked me with so much hope in her voice.
"You'd live here? With me? It'll take me a while to fix it up properly." I told her honestly.
"I'll help." She said, putting her arms around me.
I put my arms around her back. "I just want a nice home for you."
"It will be." She said confidently.
"And if it isn't good enough, we can fix it up and sell it for more than we paid for it. Then we can get something nicer." I offered.
"Or we could just keep making it better. It comes with a full acre." She was smiling. "We'd have more property than my parents."
"Because it's in the middle of nowhere! It's a two mile walk to school from here. You're going to need to use your bike."
"You won't walk me to school anymore?"
"I'll jog beside you. If you want this place, absolutely, let's get it."
I gave Billy the money that afternoon and we both signed the payment contract. I wanted it to be in both of our names, even if I was the one paying for it. The power and water were turned on by supper time. Now, we had to talk to our parents.
LPOVAllison was super chill about Sam moving out. She said we could take the bed, we just had to move it ourselves. Paul had a truck, though, so I wasn't worried.
Then, we went to talk to my parents. Mom wasn't home so there was no one to talk to. Daddy was glaring at us, saying nothing. I had nothing to say to him.
"Let's go pack." I grabbed Sam's hand and walked him up the stairs to my room.
I started with an overnight bag. My stuff wouldn't all fit so I started making a pile on the bed.
"Trash bags?" Sam suggested.
"You call Paul about the truck, I'll get trash bags." I squeezed past Daddy who was trying to look intimidating in the doorway of my bedroom. I heard Sam dialing Paul.
"Where are you taking her?" Daddy was asking when I got back.
"I'm not taking her anywhere. I've invited her to live with me at our house. She is free to come and go as she pleases."
"And where is this house?"
"It's on the rez."
Daddy was getting angry. I stepped in front of him. I did not want him having the address of our house. "All you get to know is that I'm with Sam. You can be assured that I'm being cared for and that I'm safe."
"You think he's safe?!" Daddy yelled. He never yelled at me. I didn't expect this to go smoothly, but I didn't like him yelling at me.
I finished packing silently. Sam and I loaded the trash bags into Paul's truck. Paul was talking to Allison in her house.
"Please, empty the room. I want that to be my exercise room, so clear it out." Allison was saying.
It took two loads, but we cleared the room. "Paul, can you take us grocery shopping, too?" I asked him. "I'll make you supper." I offered.
We needed our own vehicle. Paul tossed Sam the keys. "I'm meeting someone," he said, coyly. "Just make sure it's in my driveway by morning."
I looked at Sam. He had hungry eyes. "The Forks grocery store is only open until 9, Sam." I reminded him as he stalked towards me.
"Are you saying no?"
I shook my head. I always wanted him. It was my greatest weakness. I was also practical. So I got on my knees and slipped his shorts down a little. I licked his balls first, then worked my way up with my tongue. I didn't do this a lot. He was too big, but this was a special occasion and it always got him off fast.
SPOVLeah made a huge shopping list. I was honestly clueless about everything we'd need. I just brought my wallet.
We went to the Walmart in Port Angeles which was open until 11. I saw a pair of mirrored sunglasses on an endcap. I wore them while we shopped. I thought they might ward off imprinting since no one can make eye contact through them. They weren't a permanent solution, but I could wear them for two weeks. And Leah says they looked hot, so….
It felt like we bought something from every aisle in the store. Kitchenware, toiletries, towels and linens and so many groceries. Leah wasn't sure when we'd get out this way again so she stocked up on food. We filled two carts.
It was after midnight before we emptied the truck completely. She put away all of the groceries that needed to be in the fridge or freezer. I drove Paul's truck to his house, quickly ran my patrol, and ran home. Leah had sheets on the mattress by the time I got there. I brushed my teeth and hopped into bed with her.
"You tired?" She asked.
"A little." I said honestly, wrapping my arms around her. "Why?"
"I was just hoping you still had some energy to christen the place."
I kissed her and pulled her close so she could feel my erection on her stomach. I always had energy for that. She squealed with excitement. I crawled over her and reached between her legs. She was so wet, and her clit was already swollen.
"I started without you." she confessed.
"Let me taste." I said. She brought her wet fingers to my mouth and I sucked on them, one at a time while rubbing my shaft on her swollen clit. She reached down and grabbed the base of my dick, directing me into her entrance. She sighed as I filled her. "What were you thinking about, when you started without me?" I asked, starting to thrust into her.
"Um, you, obviously, and your hungry eyes from earlier."
"Hungry eyes?" I asked. I didn't know what she was talking about. Maybe the way I was looking at the frozen pizzas in the store.
"Before we went shopping, how you looked at me like you wanted to ravish me."
I was keeping an even rhythm with my thrusts, not rushing but not teasing her either. "I did want to ravish you, Lee-lee. Don't I always look like that?"
"No, you wanted to fuck me hard. And I could see it in your eyes. And I was thinking of how you'd have fucked me hard if we had time for more than a blow job."
I was fucking her pretty hard now. "Like this, Lee-lee? You were thinking about me doing this?"
"Just. Like. This." She was gasping and I loved it. I kept going, furiously pushing into her over and over.
"Let me know when you're coming!" I was getting close. I hoped she was getting close.
"Now, Sam! Now!"
I flipped us over and thrust deeply into her as I came, her walls clenching around me.
She lay down on top of me. "We could sleep like this." She stated.
"I wouldn't mind." I said.
"That would be amazing." Then she was asleep.
Suddenly, I couldn't sleep. I was wide awake. I was overcome with guilt for bringing her here, moving her into this shithole of a house. I should have kept her with my mom until we could afford something better. What had come over me? I had impulse purchased a house! I was usually more responsible than this. We hadn't even finished putting away the groceries...