Chapter 18: Healing Begins
I would like to say that Sam and I talked about everything as soon as we'd gotten back to his apartment after the impromptu meeting with the elders and older generation pack, but we didn't, at least not immediately.
As soon as we had made it through the door, he had slammed it shut and pressed me up against it. His hands were hot, and he was pressing his lips, teeth and tongue everywhere he could until my shirt was ripped off and his mouth was on his mark. His fingers left trails of fire on my skin as they travelled up my sides and then to my back until he'd taken my bra off and tossed it to the side.
I was pulling his gym shorts off, finding him commando as always, and his long, thick heat barely fitting in the hand I wrapped around it.
"Shower." He murmured when he briefly moved his lips from mine, then he picked me up beneath my thighs and I wrapped my legs around him.
I don't remember him turning the shower on, or even getting in, but the cold tiles against my back contrasted greatly to the hot, hard body holding me against them as he thrusted into me repeatedly. There was no romance, only pure animalistic lust as his wolf claimed me roughly.
I loved every second of it.
I keened loudly when he bent me over and entered me from behind, a sound I'd never heard escaping my lips. Sam was everywhere, one hand gripping a hip and the other a breast, his erection pumping inside of me, stretching and filling me, his lips pressed to my mark and his chest to my back as he bent over me. All I could do was pant his name as my second climax washed over me and I gripped him harshly where we were joined, sending him flying over the edge of his own ecstasy.
The water was ice cold by the time we were done. We were cleaned, dried and exhausted when we fell naked onto his bed.
We didn't talk when we awoke, instead I pushed him onto his back and took the length of him into my mouth. He was so hot and ready for me, and he tasted slightly sweet when he exploded in my mouth. In a matter of seconds, he had me face down and pressed to the mattress below him, while he carefully held most of his weight from me as he pounded against me. He didn't need to ask me if this was okay, he could easily feel it in every part of his being just like I could feel him. To some, the rough way we fucked each other would be disturbing, especially in our early stages of pregnancy, but to us it was as tender and poignant as our first time together.
We loved each other immensely, and it compounded in out physical need for each other.
"Move in with me?" He asked quietly when our sweaty bodies were tangled together as he held me in his bed. His ceiling fan blew a cold breeze down on us, but he always kept me warm.
"Okay." I murmured and he pressed his lips to my forehead briefly.
"Marry me?" His question was a hesitant whisper and when I lifted my head to meet his eyes, I saw the sheen of tears in his, and I brought a hand up to cup his prickly cheek, "I know this apartment is not much right now, but I've been saving up for a house since I got my first allowance as a kid, and I'll make sure we have a place for our son. I love you so much, and I know I've fucked up royally," his voice cracked, and the tears finally spilled over, falling too fast for me to wipe them away, "but it's not just the imprint for me. It's not because I'm compelled, Birdie, I'm complete. It's you. It's our family. It's the life we will make together that's different from the ones we had before. I'll be a good husband, and I will do everything I can to be the best father. I'll never treat either of you with anything other than the love and respect you deserve. I'll never leave. I'll never turn my back on you or our children. Never."
"Sam-"
"I know you're my forever, and that the imprint has already married us in the ways of our people, with the spirits guiding us, but your acceptance... that's what's important to me. I want you to know I am always yours, and that I choose you." He rambled as he continued to cry, and I placed a finger across his lips to silence him.
"We're considered married?" I asked quietly and he nodded, "Legally?"
"It's been noted in our census." He replied and I didn't need our bond to sense his apprehension, "I never wanted to take your choice away-"
"I know you didn't, Sam, baby I know. I chose you before I even truly knew about the imprint. I love you. Of course I want to be your wife."
He kissed me hard, and we only broke apart when we needed air. He turned towards his nightstand and pulled out a thin gold band, slipping it onto the same finger his promise ring sat, "I have one too," he pulled a thicker matching band, and I took it from him and guided it onto his left ring finger with shaky hands, "we'll have an actual ceremony if you want it. You are my marked imprint, my soulmate, and with our bond sealed and accepted you are my wife, but I want you to accept that when you're ready, too."
"I'm ready now, Sam. You're my husband. You have already given me everything I need. I choose you," I murmured before kissing him, and we were quickly lost in our passion again.
Later, when we were laying together skin to skin, with our legs entwined and our arms wrapped around each other, I'm on the cusp of falling asleep when Sam's deep voice breaks the silence, "Will you take my name?"
I pulled back slightly so I could look up at him, my brow furrowed, and he must have sensed my confusion because he started speaking again, "I know this is your chance to finally carry the Lahote name, and I don't want to pressure you to take mine, but it's something I want you to consider."
"Sam, I don't need to consider it. I am always going to be a Lahote, but I would be proud to carry your same. Our son and I will both be a Uley."
Sam kissed me tenderly and held me against him, whispering sweet words in my ear as I fell asleep.
It was nothing short of miraculous to have the five older pack members in the same place after their phasing gene had activated. Harry Clearwater made a full recovery from his heart attack, shocking every medical professional by exhibiting no sign of ever suffering from a cardiac event. Billy Black was stronger than ever, his diabetes all but healed and the chair he was bound to for the entirety of Jake's memories long forgotten. Joshua threw himself into being the Alpha of his pack, and him and Sam's forced work relationship as the two pack Alpha's spilled over into the beginning of rebuilding of their father and son relationship, but he was still hesitant to open himself up completely to the father who had once abandoned him.
Jerome and his relationships with each of his children was a different story.
I had no relationship at all with my biological father prior to his recent arrival in La Push, and everything I had heard about him wasn't good. His life was chaotic, a blur of alcohol, drugs and women, and he'd never once tried to contact me or Embry before showing back up to the rez. Paul, having had the traumatic childhood caused by Jerome, was understandably against accepting him into his life, and he was especially angry that Jerome was now walking free after taking the life of his mother and an innocent family in a drunk driving accident. Jerome himself was no help, he had no memory of the accident or even anything leading up to it, and Paul was understandably livid that this man was being allowed to live on the rez.
I had asked the Whitlocks for help in finding out what exactly happened in the accident that caused Paul's mother's death, and what they were able to uncover from one of their business contacts was shocking. Jerome Lahote was a lot of things, but a murderer was not one of them. Through the Whitlock's lawyer and investigative team, we learned that Jerome wasn't even in the car when the accident happened, instead he was passed out at home, drunk. The Volturi had caused the accident that took those lives, and then planted an unconscious Jerome at the scene so he would take full blame. They were unhappy with his spotty resistance to their thrall, something he had no real control over since it was caused by the recessive gene that I also had for the mental shield, and they had been concerned that he would one day use his uncontrollable powers against them. The accident was both his punishment, and an insurance policy that he would be distanced from his pack and tribe until the vampires could decide if his hidden powers made him worth saving. The Italian coven had Jerome framed and incarcerated, distancing themselves from the only pack member who could potentially resist their control, and they instead focused on Joshua Uley and Quil Ateara IV to carry on with their plans.
Jerome had detoxed while in prison, but his tampered memory never fully recovered, and it wasn't until my own ability to somehow call the other pack home that he was finally able to break free. No one knew how he was able to get away from the prison, and the only records the Whitlock's team could find were the falsified documents submitted by the prison showing that Jerome Lahote died while incarcerated, nothing more important to the system than the number he wore on his uniform, and the prison system simply pretended that he didn't even exist to cover themselves in the case of any wrongdoing.
It still didn't erase the terrible childhood my brother was subjected to under his care, and when Paul finally agreed to sit down with Jerome, along with Embry and me, the almost twenty years of suppressed pain came tumbling out, while our biological father sat and quietly listened as my brother raged.
"I'll go back to jail if that is what you need, son-"
"I don't want you in fucking jail for a crime you didn't commit," Paul growled at Jerome as Embry and I sat silently observing, "I wanted you to care more about your kids than a bottle!"
"He was fucked up from those leeches, just like Bella!" Embry shouted and Jerome reached for me, pulling me behind him and assumed a protective posture, "I won't hurt my sister!" Embry shouted at our father and Paul began pacing in the small kitchen.
"Just like Josh, Ouil the fourth, Harry and Billy. It manifested in different ways, but each one of us was impacted by the thrall of Cold Ones." Jerome explained gently as he watched his erratic son, "I can't blame everything on them, I take my responsibility for whoring around, for drinking too much, and for not being there for any of you kids or your mothers. That's on me, regardless of the shifting gene, and I'm sorry. Bella, Embry, I am so sorry for never being there for you. Paul… I'm sorry for being the asshole that I always have been when it comes to you. Each one of you deserved better, and I can promise you that I'll be here for every damn thing. None of you deserved the father I have been, and you've all three turned out to be amazing young men and women, and I am proud of you."
"It's no thanks to you!" Paul shouted.
"No, it's not," Jerome agreed, "I was a horrible father, especially to you, Paul. You are my oldest, you were a good boy, and it was always me. I chose everything over being your father, and there is no apology that will make this right. I did those drugs. I drank. I cheated. I hit you and your momma. I did those things, and I alone made those poor decisions. This is all on me."
Paul finally looked up at Jerome and Embry reached for my hand. We watched the myriads of emotions passing over our brother's face, and nervously waited to see how he would react.
"Who's to say you won't do it all again?" Paul asked.
"I am. I will be here, son, for this fight with the vampires, and Spirits willing if I survive, I am going to show you that I have changed. I didn't know what was happening back then when I phased that first time, and it fucked me up. That's not who I want to be. I want to be your father, I want to be a grandfather, Bella is having my grandbaby-"
"So is Emily." Paul whispered and both Embry and I gaped at him, "We just found out last night, haven't even been to the clinic yet to confirm. I want to be happy, but what kind of father am I going to be? I work at the goddamn grocery store, and only because Quil's mom is understanding about our patrol schedules. I can't go to college, I can't learn a trade, I can't do shit."
"It's not always going to be this way," Embry stated when the silence became overwhelming, "we eliminate the Volturi, the Whitlock coven stays around to help keep the reservation and surrounding territory clear, and we can get away from here. Go to school, learn a trade, whatever we want."
"You're an amazing builder." I tell him and he looks up at me, "You've completely remodeled Emily's house, you've done most of the work here, you have true talent."
"Sam, Embry and Jared helped with all of that," He tries dismissing me and Jerome steps in.
"I know what shape I left this house in, Paul," the older man regards his son, "even if you had the help of the entire reservation, I still see your stamp on this home. This is no longer my home, it's yours."
"I don't want it. I have a home with Emily, and even with Charlie," Paul shakes his head, "you can stay here."
"No," Jerome shakes his head, "this is a home for a family. Paul, are you certain you and Emily do not want to live here?" He asked and my brother nodded his head, "Bella, you and Samuel need a home to raise your son in. Take this one."
"I... no... I can't..." I stammer and Embry smiles at me.
"Thats's perfect, Bells. This place has four bedrooms, plenty of room for you, Sam and the baby." He says excitedly, "close to enough to mom and Charlie's place, so I can visit."
"I don't know if we can afford it. Sam barely makes ends meet now, and with the baby coming we'd need to save money." I argue.
"Bells, the place is paid for," Paul finally speaks and I check his face and body language for any signs of stress and find none, "Jerome can just take Sam's apartment, it's big enough for him, that's even if he bothers staying." He mumbles under his breath.
"I'm planning on staying," Jerome answers resolutely, "I've given none of you kids any reason to trust me, but I'm going to earn it. I'll check out that apartment, but I'm sure it'll be great."
"Or you could stay here." I offer and our father smiles, showing the dimples that we all share.
"You and Samuel need your privacy, especially before my grandson comes. I'll come here to spoil him then go home to get out of your hair." He chuckled.
"You'll have another one to visit anyway." Paul says quietly and Jerome looks over at him.
"I'd love that, son. I'd love nothing more than to be a father to all of you, and a grandfather to your children."
"Then it's settled," Embry grins, "Paul and Em in their spot, Bells and Sam here, and me with Charlie and mom, at least until I graduate and turn eighteen. I think this is perfect!"
"Perfect," Paul scoffs, "how is any of this perfect? So, we have a house? How will we pay for the increased utilities, for our kids, for being a fucking adult?"
"We can build a business together." Embry replies.
Paul laughs, an ironic sound in the otherwise quiet house, "With what money? We don't have shit, and what little we do have is going to go to taking care of babies we can't afford. Emily's not going to be able to work for a while after the baby comes, and even once she can we afford day care?"
A knock at the door breaks the tension and Jerome goes to answer it, stepping outside to talk to whomever it was.
"I know everything feels fucked up right now, but this isn't the end of it. We're going to get through this, and we're going to come out better." Embry says.
"Embry, save it. I can't deal with your glass half full bullshit right now. Even if we wipe these Italian ticks off the map, we're all still goddamn broke. We can't just manifest money out of the goddamn air." Paul shakes his head.
"I can." The thick drawl from Jasper fills the room and I see Peter, Charlotte and Sam walking in with him. He heads straight to me and pulls me close, kissing my forehead, then my lips and finally the barely noticeable, hardened bump on my belly, "I've been around for a damn long time, and I was once involved with a seer. Hell, my brother still has his own foretellin' shit, and we've made a mint buyin' and sellin' stocks. When this is all over, let us spend some money."
"We don't want your charity," Paul huffs and I can feel Sam tensing behind me.
"It's not charity if'in it's an investment in a business," Peter drawls as he mixes some flavored creamer into a cup of coffee. I watch him in confusion until he drops it in front of me with a grin, "It's from your little shop, not the normal caffeinated one but they said it tastes jus' as good as the real stuff."
"You are the best," I almost purr when I take my first sip, and even Paul cracks a smile at me, "shut it, big brother. I need coffee."
"You going to let her drink that?" He grins at Sam, and I feel him chuckling behind me.
"I'm her husband, not her alpha. She does what she wants." He replies casually, and I can see the exact moment everyone catches on to what he said. Even though Sam and I had both been wearing our wedding rings, everyone just assumed it was just showing our commitment to each other, like my promise ring. Everyone is shocked and stumbling over their questions and comments about our marriage, and Sam just holds me closer and presses his lips to mine, "I love you." He says over the chaos.
"I love you too." I grin.
I see Charlotte watching us from across the room, a wistful smile gracing her lips, and her eyes shining from venom tears.
Jasper, Peter and Charlotte were doing their best to ensure that the powerful Italian coven had no idea the older pack had found a way to break their control. Charlotte had gone back to Italy to keep an eye on things there, while Jasper and Peter kept up appearances here, and with their vigilant training with my shield and other abilities I was helping to block the Volturi from seeing that the packs were working together, and not against each other as the ancient Italian rulers had ordered Josh's pack to do. The Whitlock coven had many allies, and our packs were working with them to plan our attack.
During the chaos and uncertainty Phil's niece Marissa had flown out to visit me when she learned I'd been unable to travel back for his services. I'd been nervous about seeing her again, although we had always gotten along, I was afraid as Phil's only living blood relative she was going to blame me for his death. I quickly learned that my worries were unfounded, and Marissa and I spent her first full day catching up and sharing our favorite Phil stories. Together, Marissa and I had spread Phil's ashes in the Forks plot of land he had purchased with the plans to one day build a home here.
I cried every night for the man who loved me like his own, and for the grandson he'd never have a chance to meet.
The tribe elders had long questioned how it was that Sam was able to imprint on me when the legends said the true alpha of the pack wouldn't imprint. We thought maybe something was lost in translation, and perhaps it was the Chief who couldn't imprint since Billy never had, however we found that to be untrue when Jake immediately imprinted on Marissa the day they met. Their imprint was just as strong as the others within the pack, except Sam and me, and soon Old Quil had his own theories about that. He had poured over the legends and even worked with the shaman of the nearby Makah tribe, and together they discovered something rare called a soul bond, which was like an imprint but much stronger. A wolf can go a lifetime without ever meeting their imprint. They can even have successful relationships and families; however, a soul bond that is blessed by the spirits transcends all. It was inevitable that Sam and I would find each other, as we had been pulled towards each other for years, even including the first ten years of my life on the res. While I may have grown up with Jake, Quil, Embry and Leah, Sam was always there on the periphery, and in our sessions with Old Quil we learned our souls had always called out to each other.
It only took one look across a bonfire for us to feel the bond moving into place.
I'd begun some vigorous training with the Whitlocks, while Charlotte, Peter and I had an easy friendship, it was mostly Jasper teaching me to use my gifts while Charlotte was focused on her travels to Italy. Peter's training methods were more subtle and it didn't take me long to realize he rewarded my hard work with the best coffee and pregnancy craving food he could find.
"I'm not a dog doing tricks for a treat," I grumbled before taking a bite of the bagel breakfast sandwich he'd picked up.
It was delicious. Damn him.
"Nope, yer not a dog, that would be that overgrown puppy yer married to," He geinned at me, 'Sides, there's nothin' wrong with a lil' food motivation," Peter shrugged and I simply rolled my eyes at him.
"Speaking of food motivation," I began, and he quirked an eyebrow at me, "is it difficult to be around humans all the time?" I asked and his eyebrows both furrowed as his red eyes narrowed at me, "I know you say the pack stinks, but what about Charlie or Tiffany."
"Or you." He finishes and I nod, "We got use to ya back in Texas. You were just a lil' slip of a girl, always gettin' your lil' knees scraped up 'specially once you started playin' sports. Jasper woulda had our hide if'in we took a bite outta ya."
"Why?" I queried.
"He's always been right fond of ya. I reckon if'in ya hadn't been meant for one of the pack, ya woulda been his. He always knew you had a soul bond, with his empathic stuff an' all, and maybe fer a second he thought it was with 'im."
"Wouldn't he have been able to tell if it was... with his gift and all?" I asked and Peter smirked at me.
"Yer too curious fer yer own good, lil' bit." Peter chuckled and kicked at the ground with his boot.
"Jasper did sense it and you and he are bonded, just more of a familial bond like you share with your brothers." Sam said and I turned to see him walking into the clearing that Peter and I were taking our break in. He was dressed for work already and the look on his face was unreadable as he reached out a hand to help me up. I handed him the other half of my sandwich and he smiled briefly before taking a bite.
"I guess my brother finally talked to ya 'bout it." Peter drawled and Sam nodded, "Bet that went over like a pile of bricks."
"We talked, and we are in a good place." Sam said and I squeezed our entwined hands, "I'm secure in our marriage. I trust my wife, and I trust Jasper. He has made it clear that he respects our marriage as well."
"My brother is one of a kind," Peter remarks and Sam nods.
"Charlotte's flight is arriving back early, Jasper wanted me to let you know." Sam replied.
"That's my que to skedaddle!" Peter takes off to find his wife.
Sam and I walk leisurely back to what is now considered our home since Jerome quickly moved into the apartment, "You and Jasper didn't have any issues, right?"
"We no longer do."
I tugged him to a stop, and he reluctantly looked at me, "Why am I just now hearing about this?"
"I trust Jasper and I owe him a huge debt of gratitude for what he did to bring you safely out of that situation with the Cullens and the Volturi. I will admit that I was also jealous of the bond the two of you shared, especially when that little Cullen seer kept saying she saw you as one of them but Jasper's a good man. Decent. Respectful. It was me who read too much into it, and it was him who sat me down and had the tough conversation with me."
"So, you're saying he called you on your bullshit." I grinned at him, and he laughed.
"He's a lot like you in that regard," Sam replied with a smirk, "But yeah, he called me on my bullshit. Jasper does love you, all the Whitlocks do, but it's purely platonic and familial love."
"You own my heart," I said quietly, "there will never be anyone who will have the parts of me that are yours."
He kissed me softly, and for a moment we were able to forget the trouble that was brewing around us.
Charlie had taken Sam out on a patrol call as soon as we'd gotten to the station to work, and I busied myself with the scanning and filing of documents. The office manager Pam was out sick, so I was asked to fill in for her and man the reception area that she typically was posted in. I was surprised when I saw Emily come through the door with Kim in tow, but ecstatic when I saw Kim carrying a bag from one of my favorite delis.
"Emily swears by this place," Kim grinned as she placed the bag down on my desk, and the three of us quickly dove into the over piled sandwiches and tasty potato salad. I wrapped half of my sandwich for Sam and Kim smirked at me, "I could have brought him his own."
"Look at this sandwich, I'll never finish it." I shook my head just as Emily took a bite of her second half and shrugged her shoulders.
"I spend most of my day puking, so any time I'm not nauseous I eat." She said around a mouthful of food, and we laughed.
"This is not helping to change my mind about ever having kids." Kim giggled and Emily tossed a chip at her.
"You'll catch the baby fever soon enough. You've already seen how Jared is always sniffing around Bells and me." Emily grinned at her, and I nodded.
"Or how he barely lets us out of his sight when Paul or Sam are patrolling or working." I added and Kim shook her head.
"Let me graduate this year and then we'll talk. Jare already wants to get married, and I keep having to remind him I'm a seventeen year old high school senior." She replies with a wide smile.
We continue to chat and eat, with me answering the occasional phone call or email. Emily admits that Paul has been stressed, and that she's worried that he doesn't really want to be a father. Kim and I both are shocked, and we both explain that it has nothing to do with not wanting the baby, it's his fear that he won't be enough to take care of them all.
"I don't need to be taken care of," Emily sighs, "I love to bake, and I've told him that I'd like to open a bakery on the rez once this situation with the Volturi is resolved, and Charlotte Whitlock was all for it and willing to help front the startup expenses and he flipped."
"He's having a hard time accepting any help from the Whitlocks," I admit, hoping that my brother can understand that I'm only trying to soothe his worried mate, "he is proud, Em, and he feels like he's not an adequate provider because he can't get an education or learn a trade because of his ties to the rez as a protector," I whispered parts of it, not wanting anyone to overhear.
Emily opened her mouth to reply, but she quickly snapped it shut and stared over my shoulder, causing Kim and I to turn. Standing at the reception desk was a familiar face and I felt a chill pass through my body, "Call the pack." I mouthed to Kim and Jared as I approached the desk, where a beautiful blonde woman stood.
The same woman who'd once stopped on the side of the road when Charlie's truck had overheated.
The same blonde I assumed to be destroyed along with the other Cullens who'd kidnapped me.
"I mean no harm," she said in her lovely voice, "I certainly wouldn't have come here where there are armed humans and cameras if my intent was to hurt you in any way. I'd like to talk to you."
"No." I replied and she pressed her lipstick tinted lips in a straight line, "You should contact the Whitlocks, this is their territory." I said quietly.
"Isabella, I will do as you wish, but please let me have a few minutes of your time. It's important." She replied.
"You should leave," Kim said from next to me, "the pack is on their way, and they will not show you the mercy that we are."
"Good, we need to speak to all of you." She replies, "I'm Rosalie Hale. My husband Emmett Cullen is outside in the car."
"Get away from her, leech." Jared says as he approached the desk, with Leah, Quil and Jake surrounding him.
"You have every reason not to trust us, but I can assure you that we are here to help, and to warn-"
"We know about the Italians," Jake hisses, "and we have it under control."
"Edward and Alice are with them." She blurts softly and I laugh.
"They were destroyed, try again." I challenge and she turns her odd colored amber eyes towards me.
"The only way to truly destroy someone like me is to dismember and burn them. To ashes." She stresses, "The battlefield was chaotic, and while there were members of my former coven destroyed, neither Alice nor Edward were. Their abilities allowed for them to save each other, and they continue to use their abilities to track you all. They are coming."
"Why should we believe anything you say?" The normal jovial Quil is downright menacing in both tone and appearance and for a split second I can tell Rosalie is shaken.
"You shouldn't, and we've given you no reason to, however I can prove it. You are working with Jasper, and contrary to what you may believe I consider him my brother. He was once involved with that family as my husband and I were. Much like Jasper, we were coerced and tricked into following them."
"You expect us to believe that?" Jared scoffs.
She turns her amber eyes to him, "Yes, I do because it's the truth. Meet us at the treaty line clearing tonight at midnight, Emmett and I will come alone."
Leah shakes her head, "We do nothing without our Alpha and Jasper. Give us a way to reach you after we've spoken with them."
"I thought you were the Alpha," Rosalie turns to Jake and furrows her brow in confusion, "who else would we need to talk to?"
"It's none of your concern," Jake growls, "how do we reach you?"
Rosalie hands Jake a business card and then cuts her eyes to me, "I always wanted to be a mother," she said quietly, causing the pack members to lowly growl. I looked around the room, finding it mostly empty, save for one of the patrol cops digging through his locker, "congratulations."
"What?" I stammer, knowing that I am not even showing yet, and it would be damn near impossible for her to know.
"They know about that, about both of you," her eyes flit between Emily and me and Quil begins shaking, "Alice is a seer. Edward is a mind reader. They know, and they've told the Volturi."
My stomach plummets and I feel faint. I grip the edge of the desk and stand tall, refusing to let her see exactly how impacted I am by her revolution.
"Leave. Now." Jared says in a low and menacing tone none of us have ever heard from him.
I say nothing as she turns to leave, and Jared and Jake rush to Kim and Emily to check on them. Leah and Quil check me over and I wave them off, "I'm okay, we need to get a pack meeting-."
"Packs" Leah emphasizes, "Josh will need to know as well."
"On it," Quil says, "stay with her, okay?"
"I told you, I'm fine." I wave him off and Leah shakes her head, wrapping an arm around me and guiding me to my uncle's office. Once she has me lying on the couch, she has a quiet conversation on her phone and then tucks it into her pocket.
"Drink this," She placed a bottle of orange juice into my hand, "my mom said it helps with blood sugar."
"I'm fine-"
"Humor me, Bells." She grinned at me, "Besides, I don't need my Alpha tearing me a new one because I let his baby momma pass out on my watch."
"His wife," Jake corrected as he passed me a pack of cookies, "don't worry, Bells, Em and Kim are manning the phone and desk. Thankfully, it's still dead out there."
"Or undead, depending on who you ask," Quil quips and I almost choke, "Jesus, Bells, try chewing before you swallow the cookie."
"A little warning before you start your comedy routine," I huff at him playfully and he grins, causing me to return the smile.
"There ya go, I know you're feeling better when you're keeping up with my snark. Que overprotective husband in three, two…"
"What happened? Are you okay? Our baby?" Sam said as he checked me over, kneeling in front of where I am sat on the couch, "What is this shit? She needs real food, not sugar-"
"It's for her blood sugar. Sue said it's not unusual for it to spike and drop while pregnant." Quil said and Leah nodded.
"I did exactly what mom told me to." She argued.
"When were you going to tell the rest of us that you married Bells?" Quil asked, putting his hands into a heart shape and then dramatically breaking it in two.
"You never had a chance," Jake said as he joined the group with Charlie and Tiffany on his heels.
I chuckled as the pack argued amongst themselves playfully, and for a few minutes it was almost normal. Sam had dropped onto the couch and pulled me into his lap, wrapping his arms around me gently and scenting my neck. I watched as Tiffany prepared a device to check my blood sugar and I began to panic.
"Tiff... needles... I don't know..." I stammered, already feeling lightheaded at the thought of blood.
"No need, it's low," Peter said as he entered the office and I shook my head in wonder, seeing all the supernatural gathering in my uncle's official office, "she smells diff'rent when it happens, it's why I'm always feeding ya, lil' bit." He grinned down at me, and passed me a bag with sliced apples and peanut butter, "eat up, I need my partner."
I looked around the room, seeing the people who I considered my family, and silently wondered how much this battle with the Volturi was going to change us.
If we even survived.