…
the in-between
…
I remember this place like the back of my hand. Black beyond understanding. Cold beyond understanding. Locked in a box when I felt around with my hands, cold and smooth like glass. I felt nothing absolutely fucking nothing. But at the same time, I began to see the larger room outside of this box, it's still freaking ridiculously dark. Dark in two different ways, sight and energy. But the dark energy is calm, that's peculiar, I could only 'wonder' who it is that's responsible for this in-between. I bet you she'll make herself known sooner or later.
"Feels familiar… doesn't it?" She asks in that delightful, casual, calm tone that irritates me.
She was behind me but there was no flames. I told you.
"The numbness…" She drags her words. "The darkness… it feels familiar, doesn't it?" She asks as images of me flash on the walls, me in every life so far. That dead look on my face. The way I felt now. And then they were gone.
It was dark beyond understanding.
"Why?" I asked, I crossed my arms.
She chortles, elated, "You finally spoken to me."
"Don't get used to it."
"Why not? Your voice is truly beautiful. Why don't you sing?"
I scoffed turning around, "You're fucking joking, right?"
She was there. Sitting in mid-air, calm as a lake. I could see her but I couldn't see anything else. Everything about her right now was… friendly.
This bitch is up to something.
She shakes her head, her hair is straight and the shade of dark chocolate, her skin was as white as snow. She was breathtakingly beautiful if I had to be honest, the only thing fucking ruined it were the ungodly wide set of her eyes exposing the full eyeball with irises and pupils that weren't human under any circumstances.
"No. I'm not. I'm serious."
"It's not my forte." I admitted, tightening my arms.
"Then what is your forte, Naomi?"
"Recently, it's been dying." I remarked, thickly sarcastic.
She rolled her eyes.
"But it was Automotive Mechanics/Technology." I added.
She hums, "I knew that."
"Then why did you ask?"
"Because… you are too worried about me. You haven't worked on a car since Bella. There are a lot of things that you haven't been doing. Your resolve with your reasonings for what you to do, why you why me dead. You are too worried about what you need to do to get what you want."
"Last time I checked I did work on a car. Before I left Bella's house I reinstalled her stereo from the bloodsucker." I don't know why I felt obligated to speak with her or defend myself, but I couldn't help it. My pride maybe, or maybe just stalling to figure out what the fuck is going on. "And why the hell are you giving me advice? I'm not doing no insider enemy tricks. I'm not falling for it."
She hums, "Interesting. I have a proposal."
A proposal? A prom proposal since she's so obsessed? Why are we in high school? Why is it always high school?
"What do you want?" I glared at her, preparing myself for anything, opening my senses for any kind of attack.
She grinned, elated, she began clapping rapidly, "Ah! Finally! You opened your senses!"
This bitch.
"The fuck?! Answer the question." I clenched my fists, keeping my arms crossed.
"As you wish," She stands up normally causal and light off of whatever she was sitting on. "We both want Seth, I'm willing to give you time to get yourself together before my next return."
I stared at her for a long moment, a piercing silence followed as she stared back at me. Beautiful but the death reeking from her pores, her scent, was absolutely revolting. She was beautiful but she was the type of beautiful that immediately set off triggers of danger. The type of women that rip apart everything. Psychopaths.
Was she for real? She's willing to give me time to get myself together? She's the mythical creature that's supernaturally powerful and a human cannibal. I have to get myself together. What a delusional mindset.
"You know, maybe we should have some time apart honey. You may want to get yourself together too if this relationship is going to work." Probably the most sarcastic sentence I have ever spoken in my life.
"I would watch what you say, Naomi. I have been very gracious with you so far."
"Gracious?" I scoffed in disbelief, "How many times have I died already?"
"Eight." She replies calmly and a crooked smile spread across her face.
"And you call that fucking gracious?" I snapped, ducking my chin down half an inch.
"Yes, because I am the only one harming you. I'm being gracious for his sake. I was planning on doing so much worse things to you but I compromised for him."
"Him?"
Him? Like God?
"Seth." She answers simply but with so much infatuation in her tone.
"Why?" I looked at her sideways and crossed my arms.
"Because whatever I do to you hurts him. And I don't like hurting him but he's slowly forgetting and he's slowly succumbing to the curse. It won't be long before I have complete control to get rid of you. You're weak and you can seem to figure out how to crack to code. That's pathetic for an alpha."
Oh. Huge ego blow. Bitch but she did have a point. I hate her. And I hate this.
"Well… forgetting me I know is hurting him. Inevitably, you're losing either way. Pathetic or not, he still wants me. Can this be over? I would like to go back to my life." I smirked, my classic self-mechanism.
She ignored me, there were flickers of her blood red flames in her veins as she talked as well as strolling, slowly casual, "He'll forget the reason why he's hurting. He'll forget about you. And then I can snap your neck and rip you into pieces once he does." Her aura was a bit flustered towards the end.
"You forget that my pack remembers. And I knew they will continue to remember me as well. I will continue to remember; he won't forget me." I stood my ground.
"What makes you so sure?"
It came to me out of insight, she's irritated. She got irritated before as well. She's looking for advantages against me. I thought she had this whole time. Intriguing. But at the same time, she had a proposal for time and was elated at the moment I prepared myself fully for anything. Now, the simmer of flames in veins, everyone remembering was changing the tides for her. She knows it.
"Because he came looking for me this time. The pack is standing with me when they remember."
"What makes you so cocky that you become so narcissistic?"
"Narcissistic? Bitch, says the one that came after my mate! Their mates. Our lives! You made it personal to all of us, not just me." I glared at her with a disgusted curl of my upper lip.
"I didn't go after anyone else. I only came after you. I came after you because you are the only thing keeping Seth from me." Her flames engulfed her body.
"Hasn't anyone ever told you to stay away from things that doesn't belong to you?" I snapped.
"That's human rules. I, however, am not human. I haven't been human since 1203." She remarked.
Fucking cougar ass bitch after a baby. Shameful.
"You dirty old hag." I retorted.
"Watch yourself, bitch!" She was in front of the glass, her flames alone cracked the glass, seething with offense rage. "And I mean bitch in the literal sense."
"Okay then if we're talking literal. You're a sociopathic cougar." I spat, shifting weight to my left hip.
She seethed. "You're lucky I can't kill you right now. Or I would."
I scoffed, "What's held you back before?"
"Nothing. But if I send you back now your mind will snap and my whole plan is worthless. So… unfortunately you get to stay here with me while I clean up my mess."
"Uh oh, did daddy Satan yell at you?" I smirked, sarcastically serious.
She seethed. "Watch yourself. Like I told you before, I have been gracious. You don't understand the magnitude of your predicament, alpha."
"Oh, I do." I corrected uncrossing my arms and squaring my shoulders, "I was greeted by Satan himself thirsting for a human soul. What else is there to comprehend?"
"You are weak minded and small compared to me."
I scoffed, "I don't care. You killed four people within my tribe, my territory. I will make sure their deaths won't be in vain."
"So brave, so courageous, so determined!" She laughed boastfully, amused, bemused. "For such a weak powered Alpha, your bark is classically stronger than your puppy bite. I will enjoy killing you, again, again, and again. Mercilessly, endlessly, just as before. I will rip your land apart, pick off the population one by one. Kill your loved ones, leave their bodies for you to see.
"And you'll be alone. Angry, guilty, weak at most. No beta, no pack members, no Cullen's. No one, they'll be dead because of you. Because of all your talk but no resolve for the lack of anything beyond the human logic. Why would they continue fighting with you, if you keep getting them killed?"
Rapid images displayed on the glass walls but it was incoherent. All I seen was, blood. They disappeared as quickly as they unveiled.
"You are going to Hell." I pointed at her, "I swear, if God is alive then I swear for his presence when I tear you to pieces! You are living demon! They wouldn't even comprehend the utter fog of death reeking from your pores! But I swear I won't let you kill another soul within my tribe, within my territory! Bloodsuckers or not! God or no God!
"You shouldn't be able to wield the powers you possess. Oh, I really hope I live long enough to repeat this conversation!" I grinned at her with hard eyes.
"And I'm the crazy one." She glares at me.
"Let's not go there." I growled, clenching my fists and huffing irritated through my nose with the shivers of heat with it.
"Why not?" she asked with amused curiosity.
"Because the crazy ones really do eventually show their true colors." Like she hadn't already.
"Whatever." She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, shifting weight on her legs until she found one she was comfortable, reserved.
Wow. That's it? That's what she had to say to that? What the fuck?
I scoffed, "Wow."
"What?" She glanced at me with just her eyes as she angled away from me.
"Nothing to say?" I asked, tormenting her.
"You finally opened your senses. Finally took you long enough. Maybe the real fun can begin." She says, with dismay and distaste.
"I thought a lot of this was already so grand." I said flatly sarcastic.
"It means you can actually fight me now. Catch my scent trails. The real fun." She smirks, her face untwisting from its scowl.
"I could your scent trails before." I deadpanned.
"Not since you closed your senses being egotistical over my death." She remarked, casually. "Do you have any questions for me before I wrap this up?"
I blinked twice, "Why the fuck are we continuously going back to high school? What? You like watching teenagers fuck?"
She rolled her eyes, "No, I'm not that much of a pervert. You haven't passed the first trial of the tournament."
"The tournament? So I was right."
She's is genuinely intrigued now. "Right about what?"
"This all being the tournament."
She hums, sitting down crossing her legs and her arms, comfortably calm, "Explain."
I snorted a snicker, ignoring her, "I really hope I get to catch your scent on my land."
A pause of silence.
"Oh, get ready because you will. Soon, I will give you time to get yourself together, shapeshifter. When you go back, it won't be the same. There will be more changes. Expect my first trail to appear in two years and three months and four days. Unless you manage to earn time…" She said with a dejected dismissive wave of her hand.
I did a double take. "Huh?"
Black.
…
two years, three months, four days before
Naomi
december, 2007
…
Like whiplash I was smacking backwards into my mattress, and shriek left my mouth as I snapped my eyes open and sat up upright.
"Bitch!" I slid off my bed.
I looked around me quickly, starting with the windows and outside. The backyard, the tree, the garage. Dark grey clouds indicating a storm. My bed was clear my quilt crumpled on the floor that was at my feet and ankles, my desk was as if always was with my calendar. December 6th, 2007.
I felt the shiver of heat rolling down my spine. I inhaled through my nose; I threw my window open and threw myself out.
Phasing the second my legs were out of the window and I descending to the ground, but I landed on all four feet and tearing chunk of soil from the ground as I launched myself forward like a fucking torpedo. Without the spinning. That would be weird.
Hey, Mi. Embry greeted patrolling the outer circle of Forks.
For someone who is pissed. The other voices in your head are scary from time to time. Paul remarks trotting along the ocean border, didn't stop him from thinking about Bella.
A quick crude photographic memory of Bella on her back in her bed in her bedroom, nude and her legs positioned openly sexually explicit to him.
Paul, fucking stop! I shook my head while jumping over a fallen tree. That's disgusting. Growling at terrified rodents, squeaking squeals of terror as they hauled ass away from me. I may have interrupted some unintelligent animal course of reproduction. I don't want to see that. Nor do I want to hear her say how much she wants you. You're a fucking pervert.
Yeah, whatever, Black. You're just mad psycho bitch wants your imprint.
I'll kill that bitch. I growled, standing still in one place ready to launch at something, more specifically this tree I was currently staring at. I whirled my head again and started walking through the brush, fantasizing about ripping her to pieces having power that went beyond on her while she screamed for her life.
I felt my mood lighten, I will enjoy every minute. I started trotting happily through the forestry.
Paul started fantasizing about her again.
You're impossible. I glared at the scenery around me as I bristles and shook out my fur and stretched. Hey, Bry. I said slowly walking again.
Ugh. Embry groaned; Can you not call me that?
Fuck no. I snorted, I lowered my head to sniff the ground with a tiny trail of water flowing down the small incline and followed the trail of fresh water until I lost interest.
I hate that name. I said like a chick. Embry grumbles with irritation and offense as I had my little unintelligent spell.
While you have a dick so there's an upside. I said.
Gee, I didn't know I had one. He says thinking about his thang or rather touching it.
Embry. Really? I don't want to see that.
Okay but can we get back to the point of those two voices coming from her head once about the tree and the bitch?
Jacob phased in, What's going on?
Embry was just showing Naomi how he masturbates. Paul informs with sly amusement.
Nonconsensual. I growled.
Uh… Jake was tired of phasing into conversations such as these. I hate it here.
So, do I.
Oh, just fuck already. I hear Paul's rolling eyes in his tone.
That's disgusting. Jacob was heaving next to large shrubbery half a mile ahead of me.
Ever heard of incest? I inquired. We're cousins.
Oh yeah. Paul has a spiral of shame in like two seconds before he recovers. We don't know that for sure.
Shut the fuck up. I snarled.
Why? We don't know for sure. He started imagining ungodly things with the twins and myself.
Paul!
Aw, come on!
Quit it!
Whatever. Oh. Nao, you're on your own tonight. I'm sneaking Bella away for some rated r action on the beach. Paul didn't fail to fantasize about her again.
Protests from everyone else but I interjected.
Got it. Oh, and Jake, Embry was trying to figure out if we have to put me in a psych unit.
What? Jacob actually fucking laughed. Like that would help our case whatsoever. Plus, Naomi's been crazy.
That helps a lot, Jake. Thank you.
You know I love you. But you're crazy.
So, none of you are going crazy over all of this?...
Paul sighed, I've been trying not to think about it. He was getting mad. He was mad at me. Mad at the bitch. Mad at everything.
But everyone was. And mad at each other once it was being opened up, Sam phased into arguments until he broke through demanded answers.
Why hasn't she killed the bitch yet?! Paul snarled at me.a
Why is it just my fault?! Bitch is fucking lives to sucker punch! I growled at Paul, ready to pounce on him.
None of this should be happening! Jacob snarled with his teeth bared.
We should've been killed the bitch Paul! It's not our fucking fault! We always plan and it goes the opposite way! Bry adds, standing at Jacobs flank growling lowly, calmer than everyone else.
Exactly!
Your case is losing its point! I snapped my jaws.
We need to look at the facts! What we know! We can fucking kill her! Embry shouts, snarling, stepping forward while Jacob did too.
Enough! Sam's voice boomed, silencing everyone and heads turning to him. Embry is correct. We need to remember what we know. We know she teleports for surprise attacks and the she power extract.
The sudden blackness and waking up in a new life, instant painless death.
She is fast. And she doesn't play fair. It's important that we all start tapping into our routes. Spirit journeys.
Spirit journeys? Jacob inquired.
But that's so old. Paul grunts.
You're kidding. I said frozen in disbelief.
This is essential. We are dealing with supernatural powers. We are not ordinary creatures if you haven't noticed. Spirit journeys are a most and will be planned shortly. Sam explained, growling lowly.
Sam. We don't have time for a quest. Jacob reminds with his own memories of waking up repeatedly in his shared bedroom with Embry.
She said something about not returning for 2 years. I commented quietly. And it's December 6th… 2007. I recalled looking at my calendar before I had to phase.
What? Paul did a double take.
Now you decide to share this information. Embry glares at me.
I say it's fucking bullshit. Jacob snarled.
Either way, we all will be embarking on spirit journeys. Go home, everyone's off patrol today. Sam finalized.
I phased out without a second thought. But that's all he thought about on that subject?
I walked back home on foot. I'm seventeen, seventeen. At least I'm not a consistent sophomore. I'm a senior. I hate this. I still hate this. I hate this so much.
I hate all of this. I just hate it. I want to 26 again, I want to go on to 27 and older. I had a career, we all had careers and… just lives.
This isn't life. This isn't a life. This is a simulated life within a different timeline, these were never considered really lives. I can't consider them lives. Waking nightmares was more like it.
I can already feel it. Feel the info of this life sinking into my brain instantly and I froze in my tracks. I turned down the alpha title. I imprinted on Seth, Paul imprinted. We took down Victoria's army with the Cullen's and some of actually did move away. Carlisle, his wife, Alice and Jasper were here still. The boys were doing everything they could get their careers back subconsciously. I was in a relationship with Seth, everything was perfect but this also isn't real.
This is what I'm talking about.
Before I knew it, I screamed in the middle of the woods until it made my head hurt. Just like the last time I stood in these woods, screaming in anger and grief. Then I felt the rain falling from the dark clouds, cutting my screams down and washing over me. I turned face upwards, the rain pelted my face and I closed my eyes. I crumpled down into a ball. I sat there with my limbs curled and wrapped around me.
Once I allowed the rain to calm me, the felt it begin to cleanse me. Releasing the water works as the rain worked it's magic.
My mind went clear the remainder of the walk home. The sky was grey with soft patches of blue less than sporadically, the sun was bright and the clouds were thin. The atmosphere was light and spring fresh. I stopped as I looked around, there was a light breeze and everything was budding or early spring bloomed. It was beautiful, a beauty that was indescribable in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington, it may be green and rich, everything is coming to life. Birth. The start of a new beginning, and my birthday is in seven days. I snuck into the bathroom to shower; I always leave towels in here for occasions such as these. The water from showerhead kept my mind clear. Once I was in my room, I began to look for another outfit and dry off.
Exhaustion traveled through me like a tidal wave as I redressed and thought of what to do with this day available to and possibilities. But the last thing I remember was falling onto my bed and succumbing to deep sleep.
…
two years, three months, three days before
…
I woke up the early morning birds chirping their songs. I didn't want to be up yet. I didn't open my eyes. I inhaled and exhaled while I stretched a bit only to get comfortable on my mattress again, my pillow in my arms with the soft fabric on my quilt around my legs and waist. I fell back to sleep for another hour or so. I showered again and redressed. Before I could even open the fridge, I heard Sam whooping outside.
I sighed as I looked over at my dad sitting at the table with books and notebooks.
"I love you, butterfly." He says without looking up from his work.
"I love you, too." I said over my shoulder before leaving through the front door.
I phased after wrapping my clothes in the leather cord around my ankle.
The spirit journeys will proceed. That was the first thing Sam said.
How traditional are we going? Paul asked, nervously.
We're going now. Just how you are. You will seek the spirits as a wolf. And then from then, you are welcome home when your journey concludes. Sam explained.
And then I found myself looking into the forest of the National Park after turning around from Sam, calm as ever.
"Good luck, Naomi." He says, genuinely. His voice was voice and also worried.
I nodded once before disappearing into the thick brush.
…
two years, two month, 28 days before
Bella
…
"Some say the world will end in fire. Some say in ice. From what I've tasted of desire I hold with those who favor fire. But if I had to perish twice." My voice wavered in volume and tone from Paul's hand sweeping my hair off my right shoulder, placing soft, tender kisses to my ear and down the side of my neck. "I think I know enough of hate to say that for destruction, ice is also great and would suffice." Chills prickled my arms and ran down my spine, I inhaled sharply to clear the hormonal fog and keep Paul at bay. It didn't stop him from kissing the back of my neck, "I have an Literature final coming up before winter break. I gotta focus."
"Take a break," He murmurs in my ear.
I looked over at the clock on the wall in his living room, his father's living room; one of the many days his father wasn't home off doing who knows what with his multiple girlfriends and possible children. It was time for me to leave, unfortunately, if I was going to beat Charlie home before he gets home. I had the feeling even with a quickie, I would miss the chance to cook dinner for him before he ordered a pizza.
"I can't. I have to go before Charlie gets home."
He groans, "Okay," he sighs and stands up.
This surprised me because he's different. Calmer than before. Levelheaded and stronger minded. I smiled anyway. The spirit journey has forced him to grow. In a different way than when he found out I had been pregnant with Carson.
He helps me gather up my books and walks me out to my ancient truck. Every time I looked at it, I missed Naomi more and more. I still haven't told Paul I kissed her in a different life, it was impulsive and I honestly wouldn't take it back. I don't know what it is but I know that, either way, the kiss didn't hurt us in any way. But I know it would hurt Paul and Seth, both, if the knowledge unfolded but in the end they have to know who we truly love deep down in our cores. Paul gave me a kiss that made me weak in the knees, and a smile that stuck to my lips all the way home; and while cooking dinner.
Seth walked into the kitchen while I gently dropped seared meatballs into tomato sauce with chopped vegetables from Sue Clearwater, Leah's mother, from her own greenhouse garden. Sue's husband, Harry, passed away around the time I moved to Forks in this life, Leah had moved away while Sue was left alone. Until a couple weeks ago when a fledging relationship between Charlie and Sue bloomed into acknowledgement.
Seth stops looking at me sideways, "What did he do?"
I knew he was talking about Paul. "Nothing."
"Right." He gave me a look that reminded me of Naomi. "Anyways… have you heard anything?"
He was asking about Naomi, again. But I don't blame him. The spirit journeys within the pack were successful so far. Sam came back first within two weeks, followed by Jared and Jacob by two weeks each returning a week from each other. Embry returns three days after Jacob and Paul returned two days ago and since I've been sneaking to his house after school. Naomi has yet to return.
I shook my head, deflating slightly, "No. Nothing yet."
He sighs, I hear him sit down at the table, "I wish they knew was at least okay."
"If she wasn't okay we would be in a different timeline already." I reminded him, calmly.
He sighed again, "Yeah… but still."
"She's going to come back. She always does."
"Yeah but… is it going to be the same?..."
It was time for me to be the big sister of reassurance and comfort.
"Nothing is what we're used to, Seth. Whatever is going on… we're winning so far. I feel it."
"Feeling like we're winning is different than knowing that we're winning."
"We can't give up hope." I said looking at him from the stove.
Seth sighed again, heavier than before, he crossed his arms on the tabletop and looked out the window dropping his jaw into his palm.
"Maybe I shouldn't have come back. Maybe I should've I insisted on staying at the Base. Maybe none of this would be happening. It's not just effecting the woman I love, it's affecting my sister, my father. Everyone in the tribe."
"Either way," I started turning around to him, "You never could've known if she would follow you there or follow you here. There's nothing you could do about changing that now… She's coming back, Seth, she's okay." I promised.
He didn't say anything and silence fell over us. Seth stared out the window as I finished up dinner.
I knew there was always a chance I was going to wake up in a different life.
I looked like my original self. Sky blue eyes from my mother, my father's dark brown curly hair. Ivory pale skin and still very much at risk for death. The Cullen's have picked up patrols for Victoria during the packs spirit journeys and Paul says it still smells like leech even after most of the pack has returned. Mortal enemies working together for my life, the lives of Forks and La Push, the lives of their mortal enemies for the safety and growth of future generations.
I don't know why I felt like we were just at the eclipse of our never-ending battle for destined love.
I called Paul about the news before I went to bed for night.
…
The next day after online classes, I drove over to Paul's with ridiculous eagerness. I was definitely planning on taking that 'break' from yesterday.
That Paul I was used to came out when I walked into his father's house and started undressing as soon I closed the door. At first, it was urgent and breathtakingly intense, but as the time came to the free for all. Paul slowed and he held onto me like his life depended on me. It worried me when his body shivered lightly but then I could hear the sharp intake of a sob in my ear and he gathered me fully into his arms. I held onto him and my hands instinctively began to caress every inch of back that I could reach, steadying my heartbeat and staying quiet to allow him to go through his emotions.
"I want everything to go back to the way it was…" His murmurs thickly in emotions, a tone so soft of grief and longing. "I want my wife back. My job…" Paul's arms tightened around me. "I want my son."
Everything I had been thinking of last night flashed before my eyes and with a fire of confidence and certainty burned in my chest like a bonfire. Everything I had been afraid of doing in my first life with him crumbled away in that same moment. I wanted it all back just as badly as he did and the fears of being a teen mom fled from me. I didn't care about that anymore.
I know from the core of my soul that this next decision would never be able to answer the question of why I told him to get me pregnant. For the deepest core of my soul, I knew that the love we shared and our recollection of a future was the only answer to my insistence. The reason any of us were here was because of love. It was love.
True love, unbreakable love, pure unconditional love for forever was the reason we all here. And taking risks were nothing to the desire of growing old surrounding by our children and their children. Iced tea on the porch, food cooking on a charcoal grill.
All of those days and nights of just that.
Fighting for it all. Fighting for it all to return.
…
author
…
Jacob stopped in his tracks on the wet pavement of a narrow curved road deep in La Push, all the breath in his body left in a whoosh as he meet the eyes of his imprint. Mila had slammed on her brakes seeing his figure pop out of the trees, she remembered the very last moment of seeing him and all of her short lives that she never had been able to reach him until now.
She never got out of her vehicle as fast as she did running full speed with uncontrollable sobs making her stumble before he caught her.
If any normal person had drove by to witness what happened next, they would've thought Jacob was hurting Mila as he made love to her on the shoulder of the road. Just like Bella and Paul, they were also intensely desiring for their futures, their children. Mila didn't even have to tell him verbally to bring their children back to them, the pure sultry eye contact said it all.
Sam stared at Emily standing in the doorway of their bathroom with an object in her hands, she stared back at him with fear written across his face. Both of them have been shaky in their relationship before, during and after his spirit journey, just as well as Sam grew, Emily did while he was gone. They didn't speak any words when he had arrived back home, he had surprised Emily while she was in the shower and heard his call from the back door. He joined her in the remaining heated water of the shower. Unexpectedly to Emily, as she thought this was a bad thing for the prominent plus sign on the pregnancy test. Sam blinked a couple of times before grinning.
"We're having a baby, Emily." Sam says with a soft smile.
Sam's face softened into love, adoration and pain. His eyes bright with tears, grief but joy, his emotions sent a wave to Emily and she smiles with tears brimmed and flowed from her eyes.
Kim and Jared parted from each other, lying flat on their backs with heavy pants and gasps, sweat coated Kim's body as her copper skin blushed. Jared closed his eyes panting for breath, his hands on his chest with her felt weak but another part of him wasn't. Kim giggled in exhaustion as she caught sight of said part, she rolled on her side and pulled her hair from under her to be away from her skin as far as allowed.
"How?" She asked, touching him.
He groaned, he gently pushed away her hand, "Don't pay any attention to him. He'll go away."
Kim smirked impishly, she climbed on top of him, Jared groaned as she sat down on him with precise calculation.
"I want all of his attention." She gasped as her legs protested trembling uncontrollably as she struggled to lift herself back up.
Jared chuckled breathily, "Yet you can't move."
A pause of silence as Kim stares down at Jared, her hands on his chest curled slightly, tears dripping off her chin and falling onto his stomach. Jared's eyes opened meeting her eyes filling with tears that fell continuously. Jared's concerned eyes searched her eyes full of grief and fear.
Kim spoke in a soft, cracking voice, "I want as much attention as I can get… I'm tired of waking up here…"
That was all she had to say for him to flip her over and soothe her before he made love to her and put her to sleep. Jared held her close and he didn't plan on letting her go unless it was absolutely necessary.
Seth gazed around the garage with a heavy despondent aura. There was two memories of two lives he lived before the pack was involved. The first memory of falling in love with Naomi in this very garage, he remembered it like it was yesterday when he truly realized he was in love with her. The second memory was of this very garage again, but it was a life he lived the years before Gija came for Naomi's soul. It was the memory of a life being married to Naomi with their two oldest twin boys, they were sixteen, trying to bring her Camaro back to life. Their next two youngest children, another boy and a girl. The third boy was twelve, and his daughter was four, and Naomi was over seeing the older boys with a 10 month old baby girl on her hip and she was as beautiful as ever.
Happy beyond understanding in any of these lives she's ever lived, she was his wife and the mother of his kids.
It was a life he deeply yearned for. It was a life he was fighting for with every fiber in his being to hold onto the last remaining shivers of his being. His heart. His soul.
He was yearning for the day when the cows were said and he was kissing his bride. He was yearning for the day that he could watch their children grow and it was day that he yearned deeply to die when it was his time. A life lived full of love, happiness and… peace. A life where he spent countless hours holding her in his arms, falling in love with her more every second of each passing with an unending overflowing sea.
A life full of her. With each day passing in this life, he yearned for her more than ever. With each passing day of this life, he became more consciously aware that he couldn't live without her. Not physically, not mentally, not emotionally, not spiritually, not sexually. He couldn't live in any kind of life where she wasn't in and he knew he had to save her. If he couldn't love without her then he was going to do everything to save her.
There were more than enough reasons in this world to prove that they were meant to be together and no demon in hell could ever convince himself otherwise. It couldn't convince him like he had believed before Gija arrived, he knew that she loved him and she hadn't been able to live without him. She had waited for him and when she was going to get him back fully, when she was so close to starting a new chapter in her life everything had been ripped apart and simulated. He knew more than anything that if he was going to make her his wife, he knew he had save her even if he died like so many times before. For her he would do anything, for her he would go through the trials of Hell to save her.
She was an alpha female being attacked by a demon for his love that he had for her. She was just a woman he was in love with that had no clue what was coming her way. She was just the girl he made love to that truck what seemed like eons ago, just the girl that told him he was safe with her. She was just a girl that was born destined for greatness and if she was meant for that greatness, he was going to save her. Anything and everything that he could do to make sure not another nail from Gija touched a hair on her head.
But he was weak. He didn't have that hidden power within him. He didn't have it but he knew that was the only way that he could protect the woman he was critically in love with. That hidden power was the only advantage he had and currently she was gone on her journey to uncover her powers as a shapeshifter. They weren't any ordinary people fighting for their lives, they were match by the ancestors.
And that was enough for Seth to be fully convinced to unlock his hidden power. He had the time. He knew he had the time to do so, he didn't know how long but he prayed it was long enough to knock Gija's lights out for good.
And then, Seth looked around the garage again. He crumpled near her tool box and work bench. He looked at the inanimate objects that held so much of Naomi, there was just molded pieces of metal and rubber but he missed seeing these tools in her hand than watching her explode into a gigantic wolf. Even though school was in session and his home was in Forks, Seth spent most of his time in the garage where her presence was most alive.
Quil and Embry patrolled alone. Thinking about their past lives and the crippling loneliness around every corner without their imprints. But they just didn't know that both girls were searching for them in a different life. Thinking about them as well and trying to save themselves from Gija chasing them through destroyed streets of La Push, wishing that they could save them as they knew they were going to die. They died realizing the crippling loneliness and terror of their fate. They woke up in this current life early in the morning, screaming at the top of their lungs and scaring their parents straight.
Quil and Embry soon came across the girls yelling their names once they both had managed to get out of their parents sight. The four of them, separated coupled, had made the same vow as the others to return to their old lives as they had all, separated coupled, made the decision of another risk that was nothing compared to what awaited for them.
Deep in the crevices of the dense forest of Olympic National Park, deep in the mountains sat Naomi in a mediation position with rich purple flames floating around her like a liquid ring. Those butterfly tattoos she had graced her body with were aflame on her flesh in the purple flames, around the elements of the earth shielding her as she mediated. Slowly but steadily unlocking the powers hidden under her spiritual borders, slowly but steadily unlocking the powers of the Alpha's before her. After deep search of her spirit. She found she was afraid and angry. Her flesh was despondent. She began to dive headfirst into the reasons for her various emotions, she dove in fast and hard.
Reliving everything she didn't want to or want to accept about herself, she picked herself apart and built herself back together with the help of the earth and a secret connection. She came to a resolve of strength and serenity. She succeeded with grace and now all she had to do was listen to the Earth. And she listened and the Earth spoke with her, lending her help to unblocking her charkas and steadily strengthening them to be unbreakable. She was succeeding with grace just like her shapeshifting brothers. But her journey was more intense. And the time for her return was undetectable.
But she knew that when she returned, everything would be different than what she would ever expect. She knew that time was going to be out in records for the wave of influence that swept through the pack during her absence. It was something that was going to solidify all of their reasons for staying together and fighting until they truly couldn't fight any longer.
After all, there was no amount of evil that proceeded them that could dampen the utter power of love.
The Cullen's sat in Carlisle's study going over plans, big plans. Those big plans was a plan to group up and go to Italy, Volterra. If they had any chance at informing the Volturi of a greater threat. A threat that all vampires no matter what their diet had to involve themselves in, this threat was a greater threat than themselves. Aro would be pleased and unconditionally accepting to waging war on Ghouls for the secrecy of their existence and the danger they held to the Earth. They also knew the risks of a war.
If there was a war and with Gija's powers… they only prayed that they were strong enough to eliminate this threat. They could only pray that this current vision path was clear until a solid alliance was built.
Carlisle knew, positively, Aro would bring the Volturi together to take down Gija and he knew when that threat was over, he would go after the imprints and wolves. Edward knew of his fears, greatly, he pondered the same thing, and he knew they had to speak with Sam sooner than later. Alice's subjective visions were no help and she was in constant pain. Pain was unavoidable anywhere she went.
Two weeks later, Bella went to La Push with Paul to have dinner at Emily's, along with the rest of the pack, to talk about Emily's pregnancy. And then every girl in the room has followed Emily with their own acknowledged pregnancy's. At first, everyone was overjoyed but then a dark cloud settled over them, everyone was pregnant and Naomi still hadn't returned. That same night, Naomi's friend Katelynn phased coming back from Forks, and unknowingly catching Riley Biers scent as he fled from the area with her red blouse she wore to school. She was a terrified pure white wolf; the Cullen's found her sensing her presence on their land.
Charlie woke up on the couch, with papers and vanilla files scattered all over his living room, to his phone ringing. He answered the phone to Carlisle Cullen asking for Billy Black's number, after a short, tired interrogation he gave over Billy's house phone number. He looked at the clock and checked the house for his offspring's, he found Seth heavily sleeping in his bedroom. Charlie smiled to himself at his son's sprawled out position with his blanket on the floor and his mouth wide open as he snored, but he found Bella's room empty. He felt uneasy as he looked around, something was… off but he dismissed and went back downstairs to wait for his eldest child.
Instead of worrying, he trusted her and ignored the lingering subconscious nightmare from his sleep.
Billy picked up the phone from receiver and was greeted the calm and friendly voice of Carlisle Cullen to inform him of a new female wolf struggling against her urges to kill the clan of vampires. Billy didn't waste any time contacting Sam.
Katelynn was absolutely horrified at the memories of the pack when Sam finally managed to get her back on their territory, horrified at utter severity of her life now. But unlike the other's, she didn't have any care towards Naomi since the only thing she could remember about Naomi and their friendship was that, there wasn't one for her. There had been friendship for Naomi's part, the reason Naomi spoke of Katelynn or thought of her was because of what she did to her. Katelynn had an unreasonable hate for her and the pack was picking her apart and making her squirm until they got to the core no matter how mad she got or wrong it was to keep pressing the issue.
But they had all been on a spirit journey and they had no time for shielded spirits to cause conflict and prejudice. If she was going to be in the pack, she had to endure the trials of becoming one.
Full unity in the pack, even without one union was a risk, and didn't seem like it was going to be a result.
…
two years, one month, six days before
Naomi
…
I opened my eyes to sheeting rain in complete darkness. But it wasn't fully dark. I opened my eyes to my full body engulfed in rich purple flames that coated my skin like liquid, bright and alive with power. The flames coming from within my veins boiled continuously.
I succeeded.
"Oh, yeah." I proclaimed to myself as I stood to my feet and ran my right hand through my hair, I could feel the smile spreading across my face inevitably.