#the way jacob looks at sam needs to be studied

[hyohaehyuk]

Sam Reid, Jacob Anderson, Bailey Bass and Kalyne Coleman at AMC's "Anne Rice's Interview With The Vampire" New York Photo Call at IFC Center on September 27, 2022

compilation via HaronidMuse

original videos via jenburnzie (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)

Him letting his intrusive thoughts take the wheel for a moment. the way sam was ready to go with it lmao 'In public? Bet' 🤧

Also Jacob seems to have said "in front of Sampire." I wonder if Jacob and cast and crew call him that often 🤭🤭

[vanfleeter]

My Love: Chapter 2

Characters: Jake Kiszka x Sara, Josh Kiszka, Sam Kiszka, Daniel Wagner, Chris Turpin. Warnings: 18+ || Language. Gore. Mentions of murder. Vampires. Blood drinking. Angst. Anger. Frustration. Crying. Drinking. Jealousy. Smut. Sexual intentions. Cockblocking.

The book shelves only feel like they’re caving in on me as I pace around the room. The anger still boils in my veins. I look down at my hand and remember the way it looked curled around her neck. Then I remember the fear in her eyes. Shaking my hands, I walk over to the desk and slump down in the chair.

She hasn’t left the bedroom. I can hear crying–muffled mostly by a pillow, but nonetheless–crying. I did that to her, I made her cry. I’ve never made her cry and I’ve never gotten angry with her. At least, not like that.

Suddenly I hear her feet touch the floor as she walks across the room and towards the door. I lean forward, resting my elbows on the desk. She descends the stairs, walking past the study. Her heart rate is elevated, the rush of her blood making my mouth salivate. But that changes when I hear the front door open. Standing from the desk chair, I walk over to the window and watch her as she gets in her car and pulls out of the driveway.

Yanking the curtains closed, I let the anger finally consume me. Swiping my arms across the desk, I send everything flying off the top. Grabbing my keys, I run out to my car and take off.

Not after her.

I won’t chase after her.

The bass of the music beats through my body as I slip around people in the crowded hallway. Making it out and into the open space, my eyes immediately land on her. Her eyes lock with mine and a sinister smile spreads across her face as she leans against the bar counter.

“Well well well, what brings you around here, Mr. Kiszka?”

I chuckle and lean against the bar beside her. “Such formality, Kate. I thought we were friends?”

“Friends keep in contact,” She sips on her drink and moves to stand in front of me. “I haven’t heard from you in months.. So tell me, what brings you around here?” She eyes me suspiciously as she finishes off her drink. “Do you need a fix?”

“I shouldn’t..”

“What happened?” She says, cocking her head. “Does your little human not satisfy you?”

“I don’t want to talk about her..”

“Ope.. Trouble in paradise, I see..”

I sigh. “She’s angry..”

“What did you do?”

“It’s what I won’t do..” I say as I take on the now empty bar stool beside me.

“I don’t get why you won’t.. She won’t live forever and I will definitely not be there to mend your broken heart when she dies..”

“Wow, you sure do know how to cheer someone up.” I grumble while resting my chin in the palm of my hand.

Katherine Wilks. Quite an old friend of mine. We met nearly a hundred years ago. She was quite the beauty then, still is even now. Never once though have I thought of her as more than a friend, even though she used to be the one I would turn to when I needed someone to talk to or even someone I could bury myself into when I needed the relief.

Kate smiles and sets her empty glass on the counter. “She loves you, Jacob. I saw it in her eyes all that time ago when you first introduced her.”

I shake my head. “No, Kate. I won’t do it.”

“But why not? Why are you so afraid of doing this one thing?”

“She deserves better..”

“Jacob..”

“I don’t want her to be like me–like my brothers–a fucking monster..”

I turn around to fully face the bar and wave down the bartender to give him my drink. The nagging urge to want to sink my teeth into somebody is unbearable.

“You’re not a monster,” Kate groans. “Despite what the legends say, we are not monsters. We choose to be them, but we aren’t them.”

The bartender comes back with my drink and I down it all in one gulp before setting it back down on the counter top and ordering another one. He comes back with another and I grab it before turning back to face Kate.

“I could’ve killed her tonight..” I admit aloud. “All I wanted to do was squeeze her neck inside the palm of my hand until she couldn’t breathe.. I wanted to snap her neck.”

“But you didn’t.. I’m assuming..”

I roll my eyes and take a drink. “You would’ve known if I did..”

“Probably find you upstairs having a threesome..” Kate scoffs with a smile. “Where is she now?”

I shrug my shoulders and sip my drink. “She left..”

“Woah, woah.. She left? And you have no idea where she went?”

“Nope..” I take another sip. “And I don’t care..”

“Oh don’t you dare do this, Jacob.” Kate says as she grabs the glass out of my hand. “Yes you do care.”

“She fucking left, Kate, because I won’t give her what she wants. So fine, she wants to be a cry baby about it and leave, then so be it.” I try to reach for the glass but she simply holds out of my reach. I huff and slide off the bar stool. “Fine,” I say as I straighten out my jacket. “I’ll find something or someone else to satisfy me..”

Walking away from the bar, I weave my way through the now crowded dance floor. The sudden smell of vanilla fills my nose and I pause.

Vanilla.

Fuck.

Turning around I’m faced with a woman, smiling wickedly. She wraps her hand around my biceps and nods her head towards the stairs. Looking up, I find another one standing at the top. She wiggles her fingers and winks before disappearing. I allow the first one to lead me to the stairs. Her blonde hair is cascading down her back, nearly touching her ass, which seems to be barely covered by the dress she wears.

Reaching the top of the stairs, she stops and turns to face me. “You know the rules, Mr. Kiszka.. Turn it off..”

I haven’t turned off my emotions since… Since before I met Sara..

Sara.

Her face flashes through my mind. The face full of fear as I grip her neck in my hand.

The delicate feeling of this woman’s hand as she slides it beneath the fabric of my shirt, pulls me away from that image. I look her in the eyes and she smiles.

“Just for a little while.. Take her off your mind..”

Her vanilla scent still clouds my head and I find myself giving in. The mental switch flipping and the overwhelming feeling of guilt washes away.

“There you are..”

Pulling me into the nearest room, she closes the door. Inside rests a bed resting underneath the window, allowing the moonlight to wash over it. I can feel myself growing hard inside my pants as her hands find my body again. Suddenly the second one shows up and she’s already undoing my belt and unbuttoning my pants.

“It’s been a while since you’ve been here, Jacob..” She softly speaks as she kisses my neck. “I see you found yourself a human..”

She barely made it down my exposed chest when the door flew open. “Found him!” I hear Sam’s voice. “Sorry ladies, time’s up,” He says, clapping his hands together.

His hands come down my shoulders and he’s guiding me out of the room. “Fix yourself,” He demands.

“Get your hands off of me..” I say as I try to shove him off.

“Listen, I don’t know what the fuck happened tonight, but Sara is at our place all upset. And those bruises..” He scoffs and shoves me down the stairs. “You have a lot of explaining to do.”

“I do not..”

Waiting at the bottom of the stairs is Danny. I roll my eyes when ours meet and I straighten out my clothes. “Tell Josh that I do not need you goons to escort me.”

“My my, someone really is in a mood tonight.” Danny chuckles.

I shoot him a glare before I turn away, only to catch Sam motioning his hands in a way to signal to Danny that I have indeed turned off my emotions. Danny nods his head and starts to walk ahead of me, weaving his way through the crowd and back down the now crowded hallway and outside where a black SUV is parked on the side of the road.

The ride to my brother’s home was silent. The staring unbearable as the two of them watch my every move. The car finally comes to a stop in the driveway and the three of us exit and make our way inside.

“We have secured the package!” Sam calls, his voice echoing along the vaulted ceiling and marble walls.

“The package?” Danny groans. “Shut up..”

“She’s upstairs..” I hear behind me.

Turning on my heels, I find Josh standing beside me with his arms crossed over his chest. “And?” I say. “What do you expect me to do?”

“Gee, I don’t know.. Talk to her?!” Josh says. “Fix this!”

“Fix what? She’s only upset because I won’t turn her.”

“For what reason?” Josh says. “And don’t give me the same bullshit excuse of not wanting to turn her into a monster.. Need I remind you that we are the most well behaved so-called monsters, that you think we are, in the whole south.. So knock it off..”

“And if I don’t?”

Josh’s nostrils flare and his arms drop to his sides. Next he’s shoving me towards the stairs. “Switch your flip and go talk to her.”

“You never answered my question..”

“I have a nice, shiny dagger with your name carved in it,” He growls. “Do not make me have to use it.. I’ll keep you limbo for another hundred years if I have to.”

“You dare to threaten me with that?” I scoff. “How original brother.”

“Just go..” He says, shoving me up the stairs.

Begrudgingly, I make my way up the stairs. I can already smell her. Her scent is unmistakable and undeniable. When I turn the corner I spy her in the hallway coming out of one of the rooms, and when she sees me, she darks back in and slamming the door shut. The click of the lock echoing in the massive hall. Taking in a deep breath, I close my eyes and switch that mental flip. Soon all of it comes rushing back. Even the guilt of nearly sleeping with another woman.

Knocking on the door, I wait for her to answer. When she doesn’t, I try again. “Sara, may we-”

“No..”

Oh.. Stern.

“Sara, we need-”

“Go away, Jake..”

Her voice is softer this time. I can almost hear it wavering as the sadness slowly consumes her. How can one simple argument ruin everything? How could I have been so rough with her? I have never laid my hands on her like that. Not unless she had asked me to do it. Which she has.

Kinky.

Fuck.

Now is not the time.

Taking matters into my own hands, I grip the handle and turn the knob. The spike in her pulse is evident as I shove the door open. My eyes meet hers and they aren’t filled with fear after I just broke into the room, but they’re filled with anger. Not the sadness that I had heard in her voice. Pure, white anger. Can I blame her? Not in the slightest. Seeing her angry like that makes me want her. I crave her. I need her.

“Why can’t you listen?” She says. “I said to go away.”

“You should know by now that I don’t listen very well.”

She scoffs, folding her arms over her chest. “Clearly..”

“We need to talk..”

“There’s nothing to talk about.. You made yourself very clear.. So don’t waste your time with me, I’m sure that blonde bimbo would love to continue where you left off.”

Blonde bimbo.

She’s jealous.

A pillow slams into my face, taking me by surprise and making me stumble. “Wipe that smirk off your face..”

“I’m sorry-”

“You’re disgusting..”

“Sara-”

“Leave.”

“Are you ordering me?”

“So what if I am?” She says. “You’re not the only one that’s in charge.”

In a second I’m in her face, her scent heavy and intoxicating. My nose nearly touches hers as I lean down to kiss her. When our lips connect, I pull her body close to mine.

“I could never love another,” I whisper against her lips. “You know that.”

“So dramatic..” She says as she pushes me away.

A light chuckle leaves me and I draw her near again, walking her backwards towards the bed. “In all of my five hundred years, I have never met someone quite like you. Someone who can love so fiercely yet be so damn jealous at the same time.”

“Stop doing that..”

“Stop doing what?”

She tries to shove me away but I only hold her closer. “Stop talking like that..”

“Why? I thought you loved it..” I press my lips to her neck and suck on the soft skin. “And I’m not dramatic, love, I’m romantic. A poet if you will.”

Feeling the fabric of her nightgown, I look down and tsk as I take in her look.

“You dare show up to my brother’s home dressed like this?”

Bending down, just the slightest, I hook my hands around her thighs and lift her up onto my hips.

“Now who’s the jealous one?”

I smile and squeeze her thighs. “So you were jealous..” I lay her down on the bed, hovering over top of her as I use a hand to push up her nightgown to her hips, exposing her glorious center. She makes fast work on undoing my belt and my pants and pushes them down my hips. I reach my hand down from her hip and guide myself to her entrance.

I start to slowly push in when a knock comes on the door. “Sorry to interrupt,” Follows a voice.

Both of us look over. I groan aloud and pull away before standing straight and shoving myself back into my pants. Sara’s moving to sit up, pulling her nightgown back down.

“Christopher..” I mutter.

“What? Not excited to see me?”

“Considering what you just broke up? No..”

He chuckles and leans against the threshold. “I’m here for business.. It’s important..”

I glance over at Sara and nod my head towards the door. I reach for her hand as she walks by and I pull her back. “Do not come upstairs until I tell you to, understand?” I say into her ear. “Stay away.” She meekly nods her head and I let her go.

I clear my throat when I catch him watching her as she leaves. He rolls his eyes and steps into the room. “Just one little nip..” He says.

“Touch her and I will kill you.”

“Exactly why I’m here,” Chris says as he walks over to the bed and sits down. “Well partially..”

“Alright,” I lean against the bedpost. “Why are you here then?”

“I have been sent here from London to investigate the recent murders along the eastern seaboard,” Chris says as he stands back to his feet.

“Well I can certainly tell you that it’s not me committing these murders, if that’s what you’re insinuating.”

Chris chuckles but shakes his head. “I fully believe that you are not responsible for them,” He says. “You seem rather…occupied.” He says, directing his eyes towards the door that Sara left through. “I still don’t understand why you waste your time with a human..”

“Chris..”

“No, truly, Jacob.. What if you turn her and she becomes like one of the newborns? The newborn that happens to be terrorizing the East Coast as we speak.”

“I’m not turning her..” I say. “For that exact reason.. We are monsters, whether my brothers choose to believe the myths or not, that is what we are. How can I trust that she won’t be the same?”

Chris nods his head. “At least that we can agree on..” He runs a hand through his hair. “You are the most experienced dealing with newborns.. You know how they operate..”

“Considering we all were one once?” I say, raising my eyebrows. “And I assume that you are requesting my assistance in tracking down this newborn?”

“Yes.”

“Where do you need me then?”

Chris starts for the door. “The latest one was in Boston, I expect to see you there tomorrow morning.. I would suggest now, but seeing what I interrupted,” He smirks. “I suggest you get some use out of her because you will be gone for a while.”

He turns back around and leaves the room, closing the door behind him. Rolling my eyes, I go back to sit on the bed. The collar of my shirt suddenly felt tighter around my neck. Grabbing at the fabric, I pull it apart and undo the cuffs of my sleeves.

A soft knock comes on the door and I turn my head to see Sara peeking her head in. I wave her over and she slips back into the room, quietly closing the door behind her.

“Chris is..” She clears her throat. “Interesting..”

“He is indeed,” I chuckle. I pull her onto my lap, my hands gripping her hips. “And didn’t I tell you not to come back up until I called you?”

“You should know by now, Jake,” She says. “That I do not listen very well.”

“Hmm..” I smiled at her. “I do know..”

“So what did he want?” She asks. “If I am allowed to know?”

I inhale and cock my head to the side. “There is a newborn killing up and down the East Coast. Chris has requested my help in catching this newborn.”

“Oh.. So you must be leaving soon?”

I nod my head. “He wants me in Boston by tomorrow morning.”

“That does not give us much time then,” She says.

“To do what?” I ask as I run my hands underneath her nightgown. “To make up?” She nods her head and I smile. “It’s plenty of time.. And besides, he’ll survive if I show up a little late.. A newborn can’t survive in the sun until they have the proper means to do so.”

“And what would that be?”

I bring my hand up to her face and rest my index finger against her lips. “You ask too many questions.. Stop wasting the limited time we have before I leave.”

“I’m only curious.”

“And I am only craving you.”

“Not worried your brothers might hear us?”

“They wouldn’t have to hear us if we’d been at our own home..” I say and she smiles. “Next time you decide to leave home, do not come here.”

“Afraid that Josh might try something?”

I chuckle. “No, I am not afraid that Josh will try something.. It’s Sam that I am afraid of.” I pinch her thighs and she gasps. “Now stop talking…”

if i have missed you and you would like to added to the taglist for this, please do not hesitate to comment or message me!

@losfacedevil @writingcold @edgingthedarkness @i-love-gvf @katuschka @josh-iamyour-mama (more tags in comments)

[nalyra-dreaming]

Oh I love these:

Jacob Anderson

On Sam Reid's performance as dream Lestat: "I noticed after we did a few scenes together with that dynamic, I would just notice Sam copying me. I would have to be like, 'OK, he's studying the way that I stand or the way that I say things. It's the story. It's what's supposed to be happening.' But occasionally I was like, 'I don't do that!' Now I've seen the season, and I'm like, 'It's genius.' I'm looking forward to seeing what Sam says about playing Louis, essentially. It's Lestat as Louis remembers him, filtered through the things that Louis doesn't want to say, and can't say. And maybe the things that Louis is embarrassed or ashamed about, Lestat just says it."

Sam Reid

On Lestat and Armand's relationship: "They have a very, very, very messy relationship. I think a big part of why Lestat didn't want to go back to France, in Season 1, when they were in New Orleans, is because he doesn't want to run into Armand. He doesn't want to see Armand. He's got a very, very complex relationship with him. It's not like he's like, "Ugh, Armand!" [Disgusted noise] It's like, "Ugh." [Exasperated noise] He's not twisty, turny, thinking about Armand every single day or whatever. He's like, "Ugh, I just would rather… Yeah, I don't want him around." But when he does the flick of his wrist when he thinks about Armand, he's also flicking a huge chunk of his life away."

Delainey Hayles

On Louis and Claudia's relationship: "The book became like my Bible in a way, where I was able to look back and look at how Anne Rice describes Claudia. And I was taking into consideration that it's been her and Louis for a very long time. As a child, you absorb your surroundings. Claudia has spent a lot of time with Louis over the past couple of years. So I think, in a way, his empathy kind of rubs off on her."

Assad Zaman

On the show's memory theme: "I personally think often we equate — if the memory's a little bit inaccurate, then the feeling isn't real. [But] if you think back to our childhood, we elaborate on the stories in our heads so much, and often the tiniest things, moments that meant a lot to us become bigger as we remember them. Time slows down or speeds up, and people become larger or smaller in our heads depending on how they made us feel in that time. I think [there's] a lot of that this season — when we go into Paris, I think that's where the performative nature comes into it. We get to really embrace those emotions. The love between Louis and Armand, the romance, is one of the most beautiful parts of it, the way it starts."

Eric Bogosian

On his experience working on the show: "To be working on such complex material and be asked to do things that I haven't done before, and to be working with such amazing creative team — I mean... I've been around. I'm not speaking from, like, this is my second show or my third show. This is like, my 35th show, or 60th, or something. So when I say that Rolin [Jones] is amazing, Hannah [Moscovitch] is amazing — that's our writing team — and that Jacob and Assad are amazing — these guys are very generous. And I think a lot about [how] when you go into deep work as an actor, you have to feel safe. I have definitely not been safe [in the past], especially with men. Men can be real jerks on set, and the audience can't see it, because we have to do our job. But if you're with a bully star, it's hard to go to where you need to go to. And Jacob, who's mainly who I'm working with, he's a very loving guy. Maybe people don't want to know this about him. Maybe I'm only supposed to say things like, 'In real life he's actually a vampire,' but in real life, he's actually a real, very sweet man. Very human."

Ben Daniels

On Santiago's approach to the theater: "It's like people trolling on Twitter. It's like, they're hidden behind the screen, but his screen is the fact that he's pretending to be a human. And he sort of is getting those mortals by the scruff of the neck and saying, 'Look at yourselves. Look how ridiculous and pathetic you are.' But they lap it up because they think it's a show."

THERE'S MORE!

[dwreader]

Interview with the Vampire Episode 2 Podcast Transcript

Special Guests: Sam Reid and Jewelle Gomez

"Being a vampire is hard, its very difficult to endure and exist forever basically and you need to have quite a lot of strength and internal power to endure and Lestat recognizes that in Louis. When he sees him on the street and thinks that very very very beautiful man just pulled a knife on his brother in the middle of the street to look powerful to save his own skin and he has enough strength to do that and Lestat thinks this guy has enough strength to endure. And he's also got the hots for him really badly..." -Sam Reid

Sam Reid Interview

N: Sam Reid, thank you so much.

S: Thank you for having me.

N: Don't you be nice, I'm coming in here and I'm mad at you. My question is this- how dare you?

S: What are you referring to exactly?

N: Here's what I think of Lestat, I think Lestat is a messy bitch who lives for drama. What did you know about Lestat coming into the audition?

S: I know the books, I've known them for a very long time. I heard they were making it and I said I hoped I would get the chance to an audition for it. The thing that freaked me about the auditon was the majority of it was in French. It had all the lines in English but it said in paranthesis in French. I studied French in school and my sister speaks fluent French but I am not fluent so that was a bit stressful.

N: You and Jacob did your chemistry tests over Zoom, I mean does anyone have chemistry over Zoom? That must've been so tough.

S: Yeah,. I don't know what they were looking for or how to gauge chemistry from that cause it was really glitchy and speaking over each other and trying really hard to act into the camera which just wasn't really working. Jacob is such a lovely person and a fantastic actor and just an easy person to be around so I could tell he was gonna be a very easy person to fall in love with. It was fun, in fact I just came with having ice cream with Jacob. And he says hello

N: Omg I'm obsessed, give me this footage, I want ice cream footage, I want strolling the streets of downtown New Orleans footage.

S: And we hang out all the time, we've become very good friends. Cause it is a crazy journery we're on and its a crazy job so it's nice have a very good friend.

N: So Lestat has a life well before the show starts and he's been on this journey and you have the different versions of Lestat from the book and you have this amalgation. What sort of conversations did you have w/ the showrunner Rolin Jones about your version of Lestat?

S: The premise is for Louis to revisit the interview so Louis has a more nuanced way of describing Lestat so my question was how much of this is the real Lestat and how much of is Louis' version of Lestat? Because obviously this is a memory. This is all through Louis's eyes so is this actually how Lestat is like or is he different? and I think we play with that on and off. What's really important about this season is you're playing a character seen through somebody else's eyes.

N: Right right right, Gordian knot. It's a bit of a layer.

S: And everyone kept telling me stop thinking about it too much don't think about it and I didn't and I don't think about it too much when I'm doing. There will come a day when I think Lestat turns around and goes actually this is how it fucking happend.

N: Okay well Sam, you're just making me so mad cause you're too kind and too funny. cause I was coming in with hard hitting questions and I was livid at Lestat. This is what's so fun about the show and what its doing so right as a genre story, is the humor and the personality. [coffin scene plays] I mean Lestat is out here, it's such a funny monent for Lestat its like OK you wanna own a club? I was like Louis you have unlimited power and you want a club? Dream bigger!

S: I think it goes to show how in love Lestat is with Louis that he's gonna give him these things that mean absolutely nothing in the context of vampire world. But what Lestat doesn't understand is that what Louis needs is that power and is control over his life. There's a lesson for both of them and in this moment, Lestat doesn't understand.

N: Here's another question I have.. I just need you to tell me, where is Lestat's money coming from??

S: He's got investments and he's got bankers and lawyers in France. When he got turned into a vampire, he was given like the most ginormous amount of money like an entire room of treat.

N: You're giving us so much backstory, I didn't even know that.

S: If you think about inflation over the years  its just like an obscene obscene amount of money. And if you've lived through the centuries you're able to follow the trends of markets..

N: That's why I would be a vampire or travel through time, like people say they would kill Hitler and yes I would do that too but I would also get some good property, like get some good spaces like I'd go back to like 1899 when its cheap and buy it all up. One Park Ave apartment!

S: Thats why all vampires are pretty damn rich, like Louis in 2022 in Dubai he is really mega rich, he's got Francis Bacons.

N: I didn't even clock it. You also know he's rich cause his penthouse is so cold. Rich people really love stone floors and sharp edges, you know they want you to know if you're poor  you could die in here.

S: Exactly, and you're never comfortable..

N: Why do you think Lestat chose Louis cause as a viewer there's a question from moment one - do these men really love each other, are they just entangled, the whole time you're watching.. do I want them to be together?

S: Being a vampire is hard, its very difficult to endure and exist forever basically and you need to have quite a lot of strength and internal power to endure and Lestat recognizes that in Louis. When he sees him on the street and thinks that very very very beautiful man just pulled a knife on his brother in the middle of the street to look powerful to save his own skin and he has enough strength to do that and Lestat thinks this guy has enough strength to endure. And he's also got the hots for him really badly. He tries really hard to be a good normal guy as best as he can and I think when he has dinner with his familiy and he screws up, he does actually feel quite bad that he's made a mess of that cause he was trying really hard to be on his best behavior. Instead he hypnotizes his brother and makes a big scene. He's starts making innuendos and brings up God, which is never a good thing with Lestat. So he does his absolute best to pretend he's drinking wine and eating food.

N: What was it like to go from covid isolation to sex scenes?

S: Um, hmm. The sex scenes were kind of the easier part and we were all in the same bubble together and we were getting tested all the time like daily. It was a funny time cause we had these mad contacts on and they're quite cloudy. Jacob and I really clung to each other a lot of the time cause we couldn't really see, everyone else had masks on and you could only the person just in front of you. So it was this very comedic languid dream like place.

N: Can we talk more about the contacts, the makeup.. I cannot take the nails, the long nails, the cutting everyone.

S: The nails were a real process, originally they were press on / stick on nails and I had so many action I was always grabbing stuff and they were constantly popping off and so they said you should get acryllic. It took me a long long time to get used to acryllic nails and a lot of people would just come up and talk to me, like I would be in a restaurant and someone would just be like hey I love your nails. it was free reign for people to come up and chat so I became a nicer looking person with the nails.

N: It's like nails and hair. You always had short hair right?

S: Yeah it's usually always short. My hair was short when I first arrived in and it grew out over the course of the show, so we extended it with extensions and then it was my own hair. At first Rolin was like you know I think you could have short hair your hair looks good, I was like no no no no.. I think if you're gonna play a character like Lestat you kind of  have to have the nails and the hair. And he likes to accentuate things if he's really pissed off he'll flip it all the way back you know.

N: And there are time we are almost getting drag queen level drama from Lestat,  he wants you and everyone in a 10 mile radius to know when he's mad.

S: It's drama, he loves drama. I love him very dearly so I don't want to say anything bad about him but he wants to create a bit of drama he'll create a bit of drama. And if he wants to be really seductive in a moment and flip it and be really ugly, he will. He does what he wants whenever he wants and he'll make sure everyone's watching him do it cause he know he looks great doing it. He's a super vain guy but his heart is in the right place I would say.

N: Nope Sam, nope. Okay. Sam. I'm gonna have to push back. I know you played him but I'm saying you're wrong. .. One thing I think Rolin does so well that you and Jacob capture is this is now an interracial relationship, it charges these questions Anne was already asking - what is it to be human, what is power, what are relationships. [incinerator argument scene plays] Do you think that being a vampire being hundreds of years old, that Lestat think of himself as above race?

S: I don't know if he thinks of it like that, I think he definitely acknowledges the prejudices that exist, he acknolwedges it as soon as he meets Louis and I think once you become a vampire, that you can transcend that, thats what Lestat fully misunderstands about Louis' situation. I think he has a lot to learn in that regard.

N: Lestat is kinda like humans are trifles, we don't have time for it. Louis believes humanity is worthwhile and still wants to be apart of it.

S: I think he just doesn't understand yet, I think Louis at this point doesn't understand the enormity of living forever. He's just become a vampire, his family is still around, I think once you see everyone around you grow old die you see wars break outriots break out, you see the ages through the century, you see humanity is in this fucked up cycle that continues on the same hamster wheel. You're this fantastic creature that exists outside of humanity, why do you need to bother engaging with the small little fancies of these human beings. Then Lestat, there's his choice, I'm gonna live it up and have a good time and make a joke about it find it funny. He is very oscillating though so sometimes the joke is at his expense and sometimes the joke is at everyone else's expensve but he is the one who's always laughing. But what I will say is what Lestat feels about humanity is through art, like there is a beautiful pure expression and he really repsects and admires that and love musicians and artists. [opera scene plays] I mean what an amazing gift to read a scene like that I couldn't believe it when I was reading it and then it dawned on me that I would have to play the piano, sing, and speak Italian and kill somebody. Yeah, don't screw it up or you will die. But if you're a good musician in his eyes, he will make sure you're fully appreciated. If you're bad, yes you will die.

N: So the stakes are pretty chill. Either you're good and have a patron for life or you're bad and you die.

[teasing future episodes]

Jewelle Gomez Interview Highlights

N: In this episode, we learn a lot about vampires. I'm wondering how common these are in other vampire stories, like are they things Anne codified or have they been around. First, Lestat saying he had been so lonely, he says there are only about 100 other vampires in the world. What? I thought there were so many more?

J: I think the general idea has been vampires don't create much in the way of community that tehy are individualists in a great sense. No one ever really talks about the numbers but they seem to be very small so I think the tendency is to be inviduals.

N: They said the vampires can't drink the blood of the dead?

J: Yeah, thats a no no. You just don't be doing that. The heart has still got to be beating while you're taking the blood. Cause the blood from a dead person will draw you into death. That's pretty common, everyone knows that.

N: I thought maybe it was a taste issue like its a little sticky its a little coagulated that its not as good. But okay. Another tidbit we get is vampires can't read the minds of someone they've made. So like lestat can't read louis' mind?

J: I dont know if that is a general rule about makers. In general, vampires can read anybody's thoughts based on my extensive research/

N: Vampires live in coffins but do they need to sleep in coffins. I thought that was an old school idea like if you were a modern vampire you'd be like this is my studio apartment.

J: Every novel you read they sleep in coffins, although when I was writing a black lesbian vampire moving into the 20th century having escaped from slavery, she would not be sleeping in no coffin! I was like no no no no no. The big thing about coffin is the security, if you can get in there and lock it. In Dracula he carries his home soil so his coffin is lined with. In my books, I put her on a futon and its pretty uncomfortable but so is a coffin, behind a very thick door and she's good to go.

N: Alright thats the end of our lightning round, okay now Jewelle, what is your relationship with TVC and Anne Rice in general?

J: I read IWTV certainly when it first came out and I had written a single story a vampire story that got published in the Village Voice and then I thought I could write more of these cause people really liked it. Anne Rice's writing made me realize how sensual the vampire story could be and that meant the texture to a lot of my own writing of vampire stories.

N: What is it about vampires for you that you feel like lends itself to exploring queerness and sexuality more so than other monsters?

J: I think vampires have a natural sensuality. I mean the very act of taking blood is skin against skin, touching. The way that vampire interactions are set up is like a seduction in most cases. Bringing someone into vampire life involves an exchange of liquids, the lips touching, parts of the body, its sensual by its very nature. It draws in anyone who is interested in any sensual writing, queer writers allows us to create an outsider figure who's also the hero of the story. For we as queer people, being an outside being at the center our of own story.

N: Certainly this version of IWTV is doing its own thing but very much rooted in Anne's books. Before it was a little implicit, it was coded that Louis and Lestat had something going on. Here it's like this is what its about.

J: I think Louis and Lestat's relationship is core to the story and what moves the story and because its the 21st century we can now look at how two men come together and can find each other. What's really moving about this particular version is when Lestat talks about how lonely he has been for so long and I think he's giving voice to what a lot of queer people feel before they find their queer lover. So its very very moving to be able to experience that loneliness before he's able to find the lover he's been looking for.

N: There's so many ethical questions about being a vampire, like you're a vampire that doesn't wanna kill people. Do you think a vampire has to kill people in order to be really powerful?

J: I don't think so. A vampire has the power to take blood and not kill. To take small amounts from lots of people and not kill. And that's the way I wanted my character to go cause she's creating community, I think the idea that Louis could take blood and not kill, he does finally get to that when we see the interview w/ the older Molloy. I also know that all of us donate blood to the Red Cross we don't die when we give a pint of blood. So I think its possible to donate that amount of blood to a vampire and still live. That made more sense to me, that's how I created my vampires.

N: I love the idea that a vampire would take your blood and give you Orange Juice and cookies. Like here's a couple dried biscuits, take a seat for 10 minutes.

[kassies-take]

If You Found Out Sam Broke Up With Leah

<Prev || Part 1 || Next>

You: Dad! Jake! *runs with a luggage, duffel bag and backpack and hugs them* can you help me with my bags

Jacob: what you study in New York for a 3 months and now you think you’re the main character in a broadway show

You: okay fine no gifts for you *punches his shoulder*

Billy: You got taller. Have you been working out.

You: yeah they had an exercising and lifting program.

Billy: *nods* Harry and Sue are back at our place

You: yes! Fish fry!

~~~~~

You: *pushes Billy into the house* You’re favorite Black is back *curtseys*

Seth: *runs to you* did you get me a souvenir

Sue: *scolds Seth* she didn’t even enter the door yet

You: *pulls out a Kitana mortal kombat action figure*

Seth: no way you found it!! *hugs you*

You: Hi Mama Sue! *hugs her* I got everyone a souvenir. I found a crime novel for you, it’s so good! *hands her “The Revenge of the Rochester Bride” and whispers* based off a real crime. Where’s Leah

Seth: she’s at home

Jacob: she sucks the life out of the party anyways

You: *glares*

Seth: she’s been in her room for awhile

You: *frowns*

Sue: now that you’re home maybe you can get her out

You: what happened?

Harry: it’s better if Leah tells you

You: *nods and heads to the Clearwaters* she can’t be showing yet it’s only been 11 weeks. *unlocks the Clearwater house and heads to Leah’s room and knocks*

Leah: I’m not hungry mom!

You: not your mom

Leah: *quiets*

You: Seth told me you were holed up in your room? Are you showing?

Leah: *opens the door with bloodshot eyes*

You: you look horrible

Leah: *brakes down in your arms*

You: sorry… is everything okay

Leah: *sobs* no it isn’t

You: is it the baby?

Leah: the baby’s gone!

You: what! Are you okay? where’s Sam?!

Leah: *sobs harder* He doesn’t know

He didn’t want me!

You: *frowns and grows angry*

Leah: He broke up with me before I told him. I…

You: you do not have to say it

Leah: I had a miscarriage… no one knew. I was gonna tell Sam before I told anyone else. My heartbreak killed my baby.

You: *clenches your jaw* and I’m gonna kill him

Leah: no!

You: he hurt you!

Leah: I don’t need my best friend in jail. I need you here!

You: *calms down a bit*

Leah: … *whispers* he left me for Emily

You: *furious* that’s even worse!! And she accepted

Leah: *nods*

[laxyaklovesloz]

DannyMay 2024 #03 Invisible

Doing homework in a group was a lot more fun than studying alone. Today’s homework session included Chelsea’s new friends, Danny, Sam, and Tucker, as well as her cousin, Jacob. Eleanor had made mini pancakes that everyone munched on, except for Sam. Sam was vegan, and Eleanor didn’t know that.

“What can I make for you, dear?” Eleanor asked Sam.

“Oh, don’t worry about it, Mrs. Host,” Sam said, waving a hand in dismissal. “Thank you, though.”

“I’ll be sure to stock the kitchen with vegan treats for the next time you come to visit,” Eleanor said, smiling. She added, “Do any of you need help with your homework?”

“No thanks, Mom,” Chelsea said.

“I’ll leave you kids alone, then,” Eleanor said and went upstairs.

“I thought she’d never leave,” Chelsea sighed. “Now can someone please help me figure out quadratic equations?”

Danny sat quietly while the others got started on their homework. He wasn’t used to seeing such supportive parents. Sure, his parents were supportive… in their own way. But they weren’t supportive of all of him. They didn’t know about his ghost half. He was afraid to tell them about being a halfa in case they wanted to dissect him or something. They talked about it often enough. Molecule by molecule was the phrase they used.

Sam noticed his melancholy and gave him a nudge. “Hey, you okay?” she asked quietly, but everyone noticed. Tucker, Chelsea, and Jacob tried to concentrate on their homework, but they couldn’t help overhearing.

Danny sucked in a breath. “Let’s just get working.” He picked up his pencil and looked at the pages without really seeing. His mind was still on his parents.

Chelsea had said it was obvious who he was. She also said she had an unfair advantage, being a halfa herself, but that didn’t help what Danny was feeling. When would his parents notice? Why hadn’t they noticed already? Was he just invisible to them? They spent so much time working on ghost-fighting technology that they didn’t pay attention to him or Jazz.

Danny closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Now wasn’t the time to dwell on such things. Now was the time for – ugh – homework.

Sam gave him a concerned look, and he replied with a thumb’s up. She shrugged and went back to her homework. It was about time he started on his.

[tangerinenotions95]

So Much For Normal - A Seth Clearwater FanFic (Chapter 9)

Chapter 9

School had become the bane of my life recently. It wasn't because it was boring or because I didn't care about studying. No, I no longer had any friends. School had become lonely.

Renesmee tried to talk to me after the incident down on the beach. She tried to convince me that the wolves weren't dangerous and that she understood. 

I just told her that I wanted noting to do with them. She didn't take that well and told me I was being judgemental and to never talk to her again; that was four weeks ago. 

So here I am, sitting alone in the cafeteria pretending to read my book so I won't look as sad as I really feel. I heard loud laughter making me glance up and saw them all laughing and joking. Casey, Rachel and Mara still spoke to me from time to time but I knew they felt really awkward.

The rest of the day dragged and it was finally time to go home. I threw my books into my bag and walked down the hallway towards the main doors as other students ran past me in an effort to escape, I didn't really blame them.

I pushed through the large doors and out into the cold November air. I walked down the steps into the car park. I got a bad feeling in my stomach as if something bad was about to happen. I kept walking towards my jeep and that's when i heard them.

"Jake no, just leave it" Renesmees voice echoed across the parking lot. I turn to see a very angry Jacob Black walking in my direction.

I turned and stood, watching him as he reached me in only a couple of strides closely followed by my former best friend. She grabbed him by the arm, "Jacob don't". He didn't move, just stood there watching me with a clenched jaw.

"WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM" He shouted at me. 

I just let out a sad sigh. 

"Seth is like a brother to me and you have completely crushed him". Okay I'll admit, that one hurt me. Regardless of everything I can't deny how much I care for Seth and hearing that breaks me.

I can feel the tears brewing and I know I need to get out of there so I turn towards my jeep. "No way do you think we are done here yet" Jacob spits at me and grabs me to face him. 

There are tears falling down my face, "Jacob calm down" I tell him sternly and he releases his grip on me realising that he's grabbing me too hard. He sighs, "Sorry, I didn't mean to" He tells me, regret evident in his eyes.

I turn away from them both and sniffle as I move closer to my jeep. I pause as my hand freezes on the door handle " I didn't have a choice" I whisper quietly before getting inside and driving away knowing that they both heard me.

***

Jacob and Renesmee pulled up outside Sam's house and walked inside. The smell of freshly baked cookies filling the air.

All the wolves were in the house with the exception of Seth who has been a no show lately. Ness walked over to Emily and hugged her before taking a seat on the kitchen counter in the cosy kitchen.

Jacob stood just in side the door facing the rest of the pack.

Everyone was talking around them.

"Jacob, you are unusually quiet today" Sam stated pulling him back to reality. 

"Sorry" He replied.

"Whats going on Jake?" Embry asked. "I'm an idiot" He told them and Nessie nodded agreeing.

"Yeah, he picked me up from school today and had a run in with Y/N" Nessie answered sitting down, placing her head in her hands feeling defeated.

"Woah dude, you did what we've all been dying to do" Quil said going for a high five. "It was a disaster" He said running a hand over his stressed face, "My emotions got the better of me and I was way to close to hurting her, I didn't mean to" He claimed.

Jacob had barely finished his sentence when he found himself crashing into the wall on the opposite side of the room.

"Jacob I swear if you touched her, I will break you" Seth's voice boomed across the small house. Jake pulled himself up from the ground, popping his shoulder back into place as he did so. He looked up at Seth who looked like he would kill him if Sam and Paul weren't holding him back.

None of them had ever seen Seth so angry, he made Paul looked soft at that moment.

"Seth I'm sorry" Jacob said holding his hands up in defense.

"Sorry? Sorry? This was not your place to get involved" Seth growled at him. 

"Seth Jake knows what he did was stupid but he's protective of you" Nessie told him. She walked up to Seth and eyed up with forehead, "May I?" She asked. Seth eventually nodded and then she placed her hand on his head, replaying the scenes from earlier today. After a few minutes she pulled away.

Seth relaxed and the others let him go.

"Thanks Nessie" he nodded at her and turned to walk out of the warm room stopping to look at Jake, "touch her again it will be the last thing you do" Seth stated before walking out of the house and into the forest.

[written-within-the-stars]

You Are Not Alone - Part 3 - Together

Continue from Part 2! Click here.

❂ Collin Littlesea ❂

I didn’t miss the way she smiled at Embry and Leah’s shared taunt. And whispered to her. “You’ll get used to that… it happens a lot with pack mates. We spend a lot of time in each other’s heads.” I was made aware again that the only packmate I had here was Sam.

Call scoffed then. ‘Oh please!! You and Fuller are the worst for it… and it started long before you were packmates.’ I just chuckled at him… because I couldn’t lie. It was the truth.

She squeezed my hand, and I brushed my thumb against the back of hers before I went to do what I had promised. Ness was sat in front of two screens typing faster than I had ever seen anyone else type… new windows popped open, and sections seemed to highlight themselves. I glanced over my shoulder and saw Jacob claiming his winnings off of the vampire and I smiled to myself. My cousin had bet on me!

‘I told you….’ He said softly, not disturbing the intellectual work going on. ‘My cuz has always had his priorities straight.’

Emmett rolled his eyes, and I turned my attention back to Nessie. “Anything we can use yet Ness?” I asked her.

‘Everything is theories… Grandfather couldn’t test anything because he clearly wasn't going to expose a shifter to the venom. But he does talk about drugs… and he was cautious about the venom… it reacted almost intelligently to drugs and chemicals in en-vitro testing. Almost like it had a will of its own.’ She never looked away or even slowed. I was stunned at her words… intelligent venom? I must have made a sound to that effect. Because then she stopped and turned to me.

‘My grandfather is a scientist, but he also has a poet's soul… because it’s a flowery way of saying that the venom is actually more closely related to a retrovirus. Only instead of replication at the expense of its host like a retrovirus does; this one works to fortify its host to be impermeable in every possible way.’ She explained. ‘He had non-medical theories too based on a few metabolic studies he did on Jacob when I was a baby. But they still have draw-backs.’

“Nothing we do here is going to be risk-free, what did he think would be the most successful?” I asked, trying to guide her focus through what was likely a century's worth of research done in less than ten years. I glance at Harper seeing Edward sitting at a very respectable distance from my soulmate… I wondered if that display of lack of self-control had prompted it or if he was just being considerate.

‘The main theory was to prevent its spread, but that only works on a limb. He talks a lot about a person-to-person reciprocal transfusion… but that could potentially make the other party sick too by exposing them to venom. But the theory is that there is the immune system of two shapeshifters fighting the venom.’ I glanced back waiting for The Black Pack’s third to offer himself up as tribute again. But it seemed like he had learned his lesson.

“What if it wasn’t reciprocal… if it was just a transfusion from another Spirit Warrior?” I asked and she shook her head.

‘I mean it would help… but mostly to replace blood volume and Leah’s blood volume is normal again because of the transfusion last night… What we need is a boost to her system to fight the venom faster than it can replicate.’ Ness explained. I still wasn’t sure I was following her entirely. So, she continued.

‘The Warrior’s immune system is the only thing we know that is capable of destroying vampire venom. And Leah has just proven that… by… well… by not dying or turning.’ She was cut off by Embry laughing.

‘Nice one Clearwater! Look at you doing science just by surviving.’ He held out a hand for a high five and Leah left him hanging, with a glare. I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing. ‘Oh, come on! That was funny!’

Jake shook his head… “’Bro…. no… just no!’

‘Anyway!’ Nessie continue. ‘This theory means two bodies are fighting the venom and lessening the viral load in the blood of the bitten party… They would need to be matched by blood type too. So…’ Nessie’s gaze drifted.

‘So that would be me…’ Seth's voice came from his spot next to Leah, his arm tightening around his imprint protectively. When Leah glared he cleared his throat. ‘In theory…’ He added.

‘In theory.’ Nessie’s smile was directed at Kenzi. ‘Unless our science nerds can come up with some way to modify these or come up with something new now that we have an actual test subject.’

‘Ness…’ Jake gently called out his other half.

‘Sorry…  research mode... you know what I mean right, Leah?’ She asked.

‘Test subject sounds better than patient in my opinion.’ Leah shrugged in the way she did.

❂ Harper Lee Jenkins ❂

In the little time I’d been a part of his life and world, I couldn’t miss the closeness between Collin, and those he classed as his family and friends.

From his cousin Jake.

To his uncle the chief of the tribe.

To the cousin sister and her husband who helped with taking care of Nova.

To his best friend.

However, more so I couldn’t help reevaluating how they had all interacted with me too. Each of them had been so kind, careful, and welcoming to the new vet in town. So, to understand these small oddities, such as completing one another’s sentences came somewhat easily.

Edward had stopped scrolling the results on the screen, going silent for a few moments. ‘Hmm… Interesting.’

His head cocked to the side, I could see undoubtedly, this man… vampire… he was most definitely reacting to another person in this house.

Sitting still, my brown eyes observed him as he listened to whatever had caught his interest. Once again, noting the fact that his skin gave the impression of smooth marble from here, the light shone on his eyes with the faraway look in them. The colour reminiscent of nothing I had seen before.

‘Maybe… maybe we are going about this the wrong way?’

Once again, the muttering of a man thinking aloud, or… I turned my attention around the room. Unable to determine if indeed he was in deep conversation with anyone. However, I couldn’t see another person speaking to him.

“I’m sorry, but who are you speaking with right now?” Finally coming out to ask.

‘I apologise.’ His velvety chuckle rang in my ears. ‘Sometimes when we are in the company of those who know what we are, I forget my conduct. Esme would be mortified with me right now.’ Another chuckle as smooth as melting butter.

The vivid image came to my mind. Of a golden apple, sweet and succulent. Drawing me towards it, offering me all the pleasures of an unseen garden…

A flash of warmth hit me in my chest…

And just like that…

A heavy door closed with a bang on my contemplations…

It rammed me out from the place I had been moving towards. Taking it all out from my senses by that intangible tug towards my soul. A soft sound of singing, of a warning, of staying away, and just like that. Some part of me felt the hidden poison in the persona. As though there were a sheer curtain drawn over him, and somehow, I could see past the beauty. I could sense warnings, telling me to be aware. This person was not my safety, that place… Could only be found in the arms of one. And he was where my true pleasure would be found!

As I came away from that place unsure why I had gone there? I didn’t have any attachment with this man. Nor did I want any!

‘Harper? Are you okay? Edward questioned. Taking the slight nod, I gave as his sign to continue.

He began clarifying what he overheard between his daughter, and Collin across the room. As the room began to speak, Edward and I turned our backs to their conversations, giving us the space we required to contemplate.

Uncertain of the amount of time which had passed, the conversation behind us continuing. We both exchanged a look before, both saying…

“Dialysis!”

“Exactly!”

“Why didn’t we think of it before?”

So, now we were speaking in the same mirroring way as the others?

‘What do you think?’ Edward asked. ‘It’s the same as a blood transfusion.’

“Yes… and No…” My mind began working with clear set of tasks listing out the points of their compilation. “I can’t see it harming Leah, or anyone else.”

‘And we won’t need a lot of blood to begin with.’

“Hmm…” Nodding my head.

‘Hello?’ The voice from behind making us both turn around at the same time. ‘Okay, that’s just spooky.’ Emmett’s hand waving in our direction. ‘Stop it. And explain.’ He was smirking.

“Something in the vicinity of haemodialysis? You know… A dialyzer filtering machine is used to remove waste and extra fluid from your blood, and then return the filtered blood into your body. Before starting haemodialysis, we would do a minor surgery. So that we create a vascular access site in Leah’s arm. Would it stay in place long enough?” I began.

‘We would need to work fast. However, if we use the blood of someone who is compatible with Leah, it will mean her blood would mix with the clean blood -- at the same time, without endangering the other person.’ Edward continued. ‘And if it is... Warrior blood, their healing properties will express the healing and extract the venom.’

“It’s a no-cost solution.” I finished off, my gaze darting over to Leah, Kenzi, and Seth.

‘What if we add human blood to the mix?’ Everyone in the room turned to follow the sound of the voice. Sue stood at the door, working her fingers. ‘I want to help my child.’ She was trying very hard to hold herself together.

Kenzi rushed over to her mother-in-law’s side, squeezing her arm.

‘No. Not happening Ma. No one is taking anything from my Ma, or my Kid.’ Leah’s voice range louder than I had heard it before.

‘Stop being so stubborn. You heard what Edward and Harper said. Giving some blood will not risk our life, but it will give you a fighting chance.’

She crossed the room with Kenzi, and all those who had been around Leah’s bed took a step back. Kenzi took a step back too.

‘You are not born to die for us. You were born to protect. And sometimes you forget, I am your mother, Usdi. I was born to protect you.’

Sue cupped Leah’s face, whispering something in a language I did not know. It made the mother and daughter touch their foreheads.

❂ Collin Littlesea ❂

There was a spike of adrenaline in Harper’s scent, that had me looking over to see her composing herself next to the vampire who seemed lost in his own world. When Harper spoke everyone stopped to listen, it made me proud. They respected her… and of course, that was never in question… but they respected her for her job too… because in reality, we needed a combination of both a vet and a doctor.

I could see Call take a step back as Harper described the treatments he was all too familiar with, Jake’s hand came to rest on his shoulder. I moved to stand by Harper as she explained and Renesemee stepped away from the computer to stand with us.

“Can you give her more blood when she hasn’t lost any since the transfusion last night?” I asked Harper but Edward answered.

‘There are potential side effects from increased blood volume…’ He started.

‘Chest pain, rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure and sometimes a cough or fluid in the lungs…’ Embry recited them as though he learned them by heart. ‘Mom is on dialysis, and she’s needed a couple of transfusions…’ He explained, probably for Harper’s benefit. Everyone else here knew… Though maybe not Emmett.

‘Yes… those are possible in humans. But we have good reason to believe that a Spirit Warriors system is more than capable of handling all of those side effects if they occur, and we can manage them by slowing the transfusion rate or stopping it and allowing her advanced healing to restore a balance.’ Edward answered.

Leah was instantly on guard when the mention of a family member donating blood was raised.

‘Sue, I completely understand that you want to help your daughter… But the blood of the Warriors has unique properties that fight the venom. Human blood saved her life last night… but this calls for something with a touch of the mystical.’ He explained and I knew that would make Leah feel better but still… Seth was the best chance of a match.

‘Then we will test the pack… What’s her blood type?’ Embry had his phone out and people started to protest. And he was mad. ‘No, let’s try it her way and then if it comes to it we can try to talk sense into her. Let’s start with Fuller they are first cousins.’

My phone buzzed in my back pocket, and I knew it was him texting the pack's shared group chat to ask who knew their blood type. ‘This is pointless, it’s a blood donation. The imprints do this all the time, Leah you even encourage them to do it… they’ve been donating today to make up for the…’ Seth glanced at Nessie. ‘For last night.’

Embry got closer to Leah, than was generally good for your health. ‘Leah… I know that you have your reasons. And I’ll back you on this by seeing if anyone else in the pack has your blood type. But you have no idea what it’s like to sit by and watch a family member get sicker and sicker and be told you can’t help because you aren’t a match. Seth could be… don’t take that chance away from him before he can even try.’ There was anger and sorrow in his voice, and it made me reach out for Harper…. For my lifeline, my strength.

Sue had her daughter’s hand and reached across the bed for ‘Bry’s. ‘You know he is right, Usdi. We are Protectors, Guardians, and Healers, we mustn’t take for granted what the Spirits have sent to us. Strength and knowledge and the magic in our blood that must not be taken for granted.’ She muttered to her daughter in Quileute, words that brought tears to my eyes.

❂ Harper Lee Jenkins ❂ 

“My god…” understanding dawned on me now. Why the sentiments in Embry’s voice felt sorrowful, he knew what this all meant with firsthand experience. His mom… I felt my chest tightening, prickling with sensations of loss. I understood it all on a personal level.

The palpable tension in the room made everyone’s emotions run high, the pressure of which made many eyes glisten with tears including mine. Collin’s hand slipped into mine, easing the tremble in my heart. However, when I saw his tears, my heart broke into a billion pieces like the stars in the sky. Clasping his arm and hand tightly, ensuring he knew I was right here with him. I listened to the goings on in the room.

Hearing the heart-wrenching snarl from Leah at the mention of using the other pack members for blood, made me step into Collin’s side. I’d never heard Leah this way or seen her in a place of need. She was always the one with the answers, she was the silence in the room, who acted while others discussed the next steps. Now her shaking voice made tears flow down my cheeks.

She told us it wasn’t about the blood; this was about protecting them all from any form of contamination. She moved, rushed to stand so fast that I felt Emmett more than saw him setting her back into her bed. Whispers from his lips were so low and so fast that I couldn’t keep up with them. And a language I didn’t speak, which sounded so beautiful to my ears flustered me since I couldn’t understand her reasons.

At the same time. I felt privileged to witness all of this firsthand. With my glance meeting Kenzi who stood beside her new family. We knew in that moment; that we both shared the same sentiments. To say that these people who had welcomed me were friends was not a justified name for the relationship, I found myself observing. They were all family, maybe not by blood, but by the connection from a divine equilibrium. One I found myself respecting.

Jake let go of Ness and took a step forward, his hand on Emmett’s shoulder asking him to step away. The tall muscular man took the stool beside Leah, keeping himself in her eyeline. I saw the stiffening of her body.

‘Don’t. Don’t you dare, Jacob Ephraim Black?’ She snarled, letting her lips twist and lift in a wolf-like manner. This time, however, I could see she had spent what little energy she had gained, so it lost her desired effect.

Jake lifted his hand, letting it hover over her arm asking without speaking for permission to touch her. When he sighed, setting his hand down on the bed beside her, I knew that the permission hadn’t been granted.

‘Fuck  Leah… I’m not going to. I just want to talk.’ Confusion filled me; however, I kept it to myself. What had she seen that I hadn’t? What did she think Jake would do?

‘You know I hate that shit as much as you. Have a little faith in me would you.’ He continued.

‘Leah, you aren’t fucking here to have all the answers. You most definitely aren’t thinking straight, that’s for sure. As my beta, my friend, my protector, I need you. I need you to make it out of this and come back to my side.’ His lips curled up as if he knew the next words would be welcomed.

‘You know if anything happens to you. You are leaving me to deal with the husband and wife… And I can’t! I mean I can. But. It’s more fun when you kick their arse.’ He winked at her.

‘So, let’s just look at the facts. With Edward and Harper keeping me true, if I stray off the path, okay?’ Once again, he waited before going on. ‘We are all a mix of O+, with some with a little A or B something… in there.’ Edward nodded his head, and Jake whispered loudly. ‘The joys of the tribe being small, with only a few mixtures from the outside, means we know the pool we are working from.’ This information I pulled to keep it safe for a later time.

‘You and Seth, you are both O-. How do I know this?’ Jake tapped the side of his nose and chuckled. ‘Because I remember your da Harry, telling my dad, the both of you were special. You were here to protect the tribe; you were blessed by the spirits of our ancestors. But… This also makes you a universal doner, great for the world, but at the same time, it’s a bitch for you. The only saving grace here is your warrior and our healing! You know the donor blood that Ness took for you… will need to be returned once you are up and about.’  My mouth dropped open. Of course, now I understood why Ness had needed to help herself to the blood she came with to my apartment in Port.

My eyes moved to her at the same time as she turned her gaze towards me, as though she knew, the girl winked at me. All judgments were forgiven without any apologies.

Jake took Seth’s arm bringing him forward into Leah’s eyeline. ‘Just like ‘Bry said. Your kid is the only one in this room. In a 100-mile radius who can, and who wants to help you.’ Seth nodded his head, corroborating with what was being said.

‘So… Stop with the stubborn pain in my fucking arse. And let your kid do for you, what you would do for everyone and anyone who needed it.’ I couldn’t help but admire the way in which this man spoke. Truly open and nothing but honest.

‘We will keep everything safe, just as we did for Harper when the venom was close by. We will make sure anyone who is here, they aren’t in any danger.’ Edward spoke, jolting me out of my trance.

“I could take Seth upstairs if it helps. This way you know he is at a safe distance away from here?” Hearing the sorrow in my voice, my eyes turned to me. “I’m okay.” Finding myself saying it without thinking. “I can do this, or… Edward could…”

Letting them know I would step up, but also step back if that was better.

Leah’s eyes were on her brother, with the two coming to some agreement.

‘Jake darling…’ Sue whispered reaching over to him. ‘We need to speak about your language. But not right now.’ Seeing a grown man flush, rub the back of his head where Sue smacked him, she then kissed his cheek.

❂ Collin Littlesea ❂

My heart raced a little… I knew that Harper’s empathy extended beyond her speciality… she felt for everyone; including this man she’d met twice. I knew I needed to explain the hive mind to her better than I had. So that she would understand how we so deeply felt each other's emotions. Most of us were good at regulating it… but Embry never really seemed to think he needed to. He was all about feeling your feelings out in the open. It came from his mom.. but we all knew she kept herself locked down and in control.

Leah responded like I expected. Everyone in the room knew that her objection extended beyond family. I stepped slightly in front of Harper… I couldn’t help it. I knew that this was Leah and she would never hurt anyone, especially not an imprint. But who knew what her self-control was like with vampire venom in her system? We had no precedence for this.

Seth moved towards his sister when she tried to get out of bed, he gently moved Kenzi closer to me and I took Harper a few steps to the left to keep my friend's imprint close; so, he could focus on his sister. Kenzi came the rest of the way to stand next to me. It seemed like the instinct for the imprint to stay close to a Protector in a potentially dangerous situation was universal… not just with the women that had been around us for years. In reality, Kenzi hardly knew me… but here she was, seeking safety with me and her sister.

I was so shocked that Emmett spoke our language that I missed most of what he had said.

My hand tightened on Harper’s a little when Leah growled those words at Jacob… Would he? He never used his gift like that… I glanced sideways. I knew that Sam would… he believed the ends justified the means. But he only ever did what he truly believed was right… and he was normally right… other than… I looked at Nessie. Edward's jaw twitched, and I redirected my thoughts. No one could blame him for not wanting to relive that. I didn’t want to either.

Call rolled his eyes at the husband-and-wife comment. Everyone knew they meant him and Quil. Of course, Jake knew the blood types of his pack. I could see the defeat entering the eyes of The Black Packs Third… we all knew his blood type because he had spent so long obsessing over it… and again… he wasn’t a match. My heart broke for him, even though I was sure he knew the chances of matching her was a thousand to one.

When Harper spoke I held her closer, but what she was saying made sense. Nessie had already moved to gather supplies for Harper's idea. Edward smiled at his daughter. ‘My favourite nurse.’ He whispered to her.

I leaned close to Harper. “That’s a good idea, sweetheart,” I said in a low tone. Seth caught my eye and then flicked his to Kenzi. I gave him a nod and then he looked to Harper and nodded too, the silent agreement passing between us. “I need to stay here.” Now I looked to Kenzi, leading Harper’s gaze to her sister, who was clinging to her imprint again and far too preoccupied with him to notice my glance. “I’ll just be one shout away. “I promise.”

Seth kissed his sister and his mom and then led his imprint back to us. ‘Ready when you are, Doc.’ He told Harper with a solemn smile… he wasn’t worried about the procedure. But he was worried about how his soulmate would react to the separation. ‘Stay here baby.’ He said to her, touching her cheek.

Her eyes went wide. ‘Why?’

‘You don’t need to see this… and someone needs to keep this lot in check while Harps is distracted. I need someone to run this show while we're gone.’ He smiled.

‘Wait… no… I… You said it wouldn’t hurt.’ She shook her head, and I saw her nails press into his arm a little.

“It won’t Kenz…” I stepped in to spare him. “But remember how mad you were when I told you how I tried to show Harper my advanced healing and it upset her so much? That didn’t hurt either but none of us like to see something like that when it comes to our soulmates.”

She nodded but her eyes were still wide. I took her arms, and she slowly released him, nodding so much it was like she was trying to convince herself this was the right thing to do. ‘Stay with Collin baby. I’ll be back before you know it.’ He cast me a pleading look.

“I’ve got her,” I said so low that only the supernatural creatures in this room could hear. I turned to Harper and kissed her temple. “You should go, sweetheart. Stay close to Seth.” I whispered to her. My guts wrenching a little at the idea of leaving her side… but I knew it was what Seth needed, to do what he had to.

❂ Harper Lee Jenkins ❂

We left the others downstairs and sat at an immaculate dinner table, on the first floor of the Cullen home. Floor-to-ceiling glass opens out of breathtaking view over the vast forest space. Trees as high as mountains, with dark clouds dropping rain. The scent of earth is what I could pick up more than anything else. And of course, cleaning products bombard my nose.

‘It’s Ma…’ Seth broke the silence. ‘She needs to be doing something when she is upset or stressed.’ He continued. ‘You should have seen our home when we went to war, with the vampires. She was wearing the surfaces down.’

But my eyes widened at the; When we went to war. Part of his conversation. Something must have been tweaked because then he rubbed his face.

His body language changed in the blink of an eye.

 ‘Sorry Harps… I know. I know you’ve been dropped into all this. It’s not how Collin or any of us would have wanted it to happen. Please trust me when I say. Everyone is heartbroken, no one more so than Leah.’

He clasped my hands. I didn’t even know they were shaking.

‘I know Kenz and you had a good talk. You both needed it. But you and me…’ his eyes were like his mom, and his nose like his sister. But the pain I saw on his features made me squeeze his hands.

“It’s okay… Seth… none of this can be helped. It wasn’t something we could stop.” His lips turned into a grimace. Telling me he didn’t agree.

“May I ask you something?”

‘Of course. Anything! Ask away.’

“When you came to work with me, those nights, the hovering around the clinic in Thompson.” He was nodding, telling me he remembered those times. “Was it all so you could learn the emergency care aspect of my work?”

His face when blank. ‘Spirits, Harps. No. Not at all. I mean… if I had half a brain cell, that would have been a good idea, now that you are saying it. But…’ He shook his head.

‘No. You know why I didn’t want you on call at Thompson at night.’ He didn’t have to say the reason. We both knew.

‘And I told Will, I’d look out for you. I wasn’t going to let your Da follow you around in his truck all night. So…’ he shrugs.

“So, you made yourself a nuisance, instead?” I asked.

‘Yeah. I didn’t lie to you. I did want to spend more time with you. It was important for me, for Kenz. For our love for you.’

I let go of his hands so that I could begin the procedure to fill a few bags of blood from him. Seth’s gaze kept roaming towards the stairs and I knew that he was thinking about his fiancée. And of course, my mind went to Collin. That invisible string intact, told me he was safe.

“She is safe, you know this better than I do. Your sister is not going to do anything.” His eyes jumped back to meet mine.

‘As much as I know it, sis would skin me alive if I didn’t take all precautions. She’d be the first to knock me upside the head.’ We both smiled in agreement.

“Seth?” I whispered a little as I stuck him, and he didn’t even flinch at it.

‘Hmm?’ He watched me work.

“What did your sister mean when she was angry at Jacob? She didn’t want him to do something?”

He scoffed. ‘She knew Jake wouldn’t. She’s had to listen to him numerous times speaking about how he didn’t like it.’

“Like what exactly?” Did they all talk in riddles?

‘Oh. Yeah. Well. Jake is our Alpha.’ I nodded; this I knew. ‘And Sam is Collin’s alpha.’ Again, I nodded. ‘So, alphas have the ability to make their pack listen to them. No matter what we do if the alpha of our pack gives us a… Well…. A command we can’t disobey it.’

This was new? Or had Collin told me? My days and nights, the conversations all mixed together. “They can take away your free will?”

‘Well… Uhm… yeah I guess… but… Jake isn’t like that. He wouldn’t.’

Leah’s anger now became clear. She didn’t want decisions about her body and her life being made for her.

“Something is off with her.” I didn’t mean to say it to him, but I could be my true self with Seth. “Leah. Not the venom, or her injury. Something else seems off about her.” I told him in quick succession, my eyes on the deep red blood flowing from his arm into the blood bag.

‘Yeah, I’ve noticed it too.’ He dropped his head. ‘But I know my sister. It’s best not to point it out.’

❂ Collin Littlesea ❂

Kenzi paced the room rubbing her hands together and busying herself pouring glasses of water for everyone from the pitcher in the corner. Even the vampires. They both just thanked her and took the glass even though they couldn’t drink it. Then she started adjusting the pillows Leah was lying on and asking her if she was comfortable and if she needed anything. Leah told her repeatedly she was okay, and she didn’t need to fuss.

After an urging look from Embry when Leah’s patience started to strain I approached her and put my hand on her arm. “Hey Kenzi…” I said, kindly. “Why don’t we go make Seth a smoothie for when he’s done? Give him a nice energy boost… lots of iron?”

She looked at me… her flicking to the door her soulmate had walked through and then back to me again. ‘Oh… yes. That’s a good idea.’ Then she whirled back to Leah. ‘But what about Leah? Don’t you guys need us…’

‘Don’t worry, Kenzi. We’ve got her covered.’ Embry smiled at her. ‘Go with the Pup. Make sure he doesn’t mess up the kitchen. We’ll make sure she stays in bed and behaves.’ He smirked at me… knowing I was likely the cleanest out of both packs.

“C’mon, let's go. We’ll both feel better if we aren’t standing around waiting.” She took my arm, and we headed to the door.

‘I’ll come with you, show you where everything is.’ Bella smiled and walked through the door in front of us. I was happy to follow her, knowing she would take us on a route that wouldn’t let us cross the path of Seth and Harper. I wasn’t sure that Kenzi could stop herself if she heard his voice.

I could the conversation they were having, and I couldn’t help but feel… I don’t know… robbed maybe? That Seth had all of this history with Harper and I… I was still only scratching the surface of her. I knew it was foolish. I knew that I had plenty of time to get to know her, but it was that illogical feeling that I should know her better them anyone, even though I had only been in her life a matter of weeks.

I was shocked at how well-stocked the kitchen was. “Wow… you guys didn’t skimp on the grocery shopping.” I chuckled, looking at Bella.

‘Renesmee is very familiar with the pack's eating habits.’ She smiled and found a blender stashed in a glossy white cabinet. She flicked her eyes to Kenzi whose eyes darted around, like Seth could walk around a corner at any moment but I could still hear him talking to Harper.

Harper… I felt that tether, tug again.

“Okay… I’m going to teach you my super-secret iron-boosting recipe. So, the next time Seth goes on a pizza and beer kick you can sneak in a ton of goodness.” She laughed and I told her what we needed. We gathered spinach, kale, oranges, lemons, pineapple and coconut water.

I heard Harper and Seth talking about Leah not seeming like herself. I exhaled. They weren’t wrong.

‘You miss her, don’t you?’ She asked as she washed the greens.

“Like a vital organ,” I admitted, juicing the lemons. She wrinkled up her nose.

‘If you describe that to Harper I recommend a much less graphic descriptor.’ She gave a small laugh, and I felt like I had won a prize.

“How about like hydrogen misses oxygen when they are boiled?” I asked her with a grin. She tilted her head and thought about it for a second.

‘Oh my gosh…’ she laughed and nudged my arm with her elbow. ‘Yes… exactly like that. You are perfect for each other.’

I moved on to juice the oranges next. Kenzi started removing the stalks from the kale. “What was it like for you… When you went home, after you met Seth?” I asked. “I know that you didn’t know anything then… but how did it feel? “Then I added quickly. “If it isn’t too personal to ask.”

‘We’re practically family Collin, nothing is too personal.’ She worked next to me. ‘It was strange… I was sad and I didn’t really know why… I thought that maybe it was the travelling, you know… vacation food and drinking more than I would, things like that. So, I tried to sleep more and be healthier… but I was just sad. I don’t think I could say I missed him… at least I didn’t know I missed him. I was just down, and I didn’t know why. But I thought about him a lot.’

I nodded. “I wanted to go with her… To Port… but I… I thought it would be… to intense to ask. I mean it’s not like I know anything about her work… I was afraid it would look clingy or…”

‘It's not your fault this happened Collin. But I will tell you one thing. You need to follow your instincts. Seth and I learned that early… if either of us is unsure or anxious we do it together or we do something else entirely.’ She told me, peeling oranges that were to go into the blender whole.

“But it wouldn’t have happened if I was there. Leah would have stayed home… and that vampire… it wouldn’t have known we existed, it would have caught my scent and moved on because it was repellent to him.” I explained the details I hadn’t told Harper when she was crying last night.

‘Theoretically…’ Kenzi said. ‘But even if that is exactly what would have happened if you were there; it’s still not your fault you weren’t. It’s hard. I know… But you can’t be together twenty-four hours a day. It's just not possible. What ifs and blaming people won’t change anything. This is where we are, and we are a family so we will pull through.’

I smiled; I could see determination replacing her anxiety. Bella was grinning in the corner. We added everything into the blender and poured in the juices and coconut water too. I added hemp seeds at the last minute and blended the vibrant green concoction. Kenzi started to clean the space she had worked in and looked at the counter in front of me and glared… ‘How is that possible?’ She scoffed. ‘Not even wolf coordination can keep the juice from dripping on the counter.’

I just shrugged. ‘It’s a talent.’ I chuckled.

Kenz hugged my arm. ‘Thank you for the distraction.’ She said quietly. Bella brought us a tray with a large pitcher and several glasses and straws on it. I thanked her and then patted Kenzi’s hands where she held onto my arm. “Yeah… you too,” I said quietly.

‘Can I ask you something?’ She asked and I nodded.

‘How come they all call you Pup but only some of them call Seth, Pup?’

“Oh…” I laughed; I tipped the contents of the blender into the pitcher. “Um… well Seth is technically one of the OGs. It was Sam, Jared, Embry, Jake, Quil, Leah and Seth… then there was a gap… no one knew phased for a long time.” I explained. “But Seth was fifteen…”

‘The youngest.’ Kenzi nodded. She knew this part.

“Well… until Bray and I came along,” I said it like a boast. “We were thirteen. And all the kids after us are Pup too. So, some of them only call Seth Pup sometimes…”

‘That's why they call you twins?’ It sounded like a question.

“It’s a bit more than that. We aren’t related, he’s Leah and Seth’s first cousin and I’m Jake’s but we have the same birthday… same year… I’m an hour older. But my mom went into labour early and Brady’s mom is her best friend, so the stress and worry of how early it had sent her into labour too. But he weighed eight pounds, and I weighed two and a half.” I heard my mom correct me in my head that it was 2.3. She looked at me the way people always did. “So, we were the twins… then we phased the same day as well. So, the packs dubbed us twins too. We’ve always been best friends. I honestly can’t even remember the last time I went a whole day without seeing him.”

‘A different kind of soulmate.’ She smiled. ‘Like me, Harps and Jenna.’

I nodded. “Exactly.” I took a breath and lifted the tray. “Okay. Let’s bring this up. I don’t think it will take much longer.”

❂ Harper Lee Jenkins ❂

‘What about you, how are you holding up?’ Seth sat still while we continued with gathering enough blood for his sister.

“Me? I’m…The truth is I don’t know. Sometimes it all feels so real.” Pushing the frames of my glasses up my nose. “Then it all comes across as a dream, I don’t know. Sometimes like one I will wake up from. And find this gaping hole in my chest.”

He nodded his head listening. ‘Yeah, I know that feeling so well. Even after all this time, I still remember that first day when you three drove away, and it felt like… like my world had just come to life, and boom. It all shattered.’

Biting my lips, because I recollected that day too. “Seth…” I didn’t think of it until now. “Is it normal for me to recall that day as clearly as it only happened yesterday? I remember looking in the mirror and seeing you standing in the middle of the road. Your eyes… they didn’t leave the car until I turned off.”

‘I shifted right away. I didn’t even wait until I was in the woods. Sis was so mad at me; she’d been riding to work that morning catching me running down the road after your car and into the woods. She hadn’t seen Kenzi; she didn’t know what happened. So, she came running after me. She shifted mid-leap to get in front of me and whatever danger I was running towards. Only when she let her walls down, see Kenzi and what took place in my mind… She ran with me… No questions, just becoming my silent guardian. We followed you for miles and miles down the 101. When you stopped to look at a beach or went to the National Park, we were there making sure you were safe.’

I didn’t know any of this, so I took it in.

‘It wasn’t until you hit the I90 past Seattle... that’s when Leah stopped me.’ He shook his head. ‘She was right too. But I couldn’t see my life without Kenzi.’

We went silent for a little while. Both of us were lost in those thoughts, but me. I saw Collin, and the drive to the spot where he felt it was safe for me to see his animal form, within the protection circles. A way for me to speak to him and understand him. However, I didn’t need it. I felt safe. I felt…

When I gazed up at Seth again. His lips were curled in a smile, as though he was listening to a conversation somewhere, however, his eyes still seemed lost in thought.

‘You know that thing you are doing?’ His voice and question startled me.

“What thing?” I asked.

‘Since we have been up here, you’ve been rubbing your chest like something is missing.’ Right away my hand stopped, and it indeed was resting over my heart. I didn’t even know I was doing it. I’d been rubbing over that place where I felt the connection to Collin.

 ‘Yup, you don’t even know it. But some part of you even back then knew. It knew this was your home too. Some part of your soul is connected to our lands, our people, our history, and our spirits. They would have recognized you, even if we didn’t.

They would have been calling you. ‘When I think about it. Maybe that’s why when Ma and Leah came to Thompson, you were asking so many questions about our tribe, the people, and the culture.’  Now I found my mouth a gape as I considered the past interaction with the Clearwater family.

‘Knowing now what we do, I’m going to say. Yeah. It’s normal for you to recall that day too. Let’s face it. If the pup had come across you then, things would have been so different for the both of you too. But it wasn’t your time. Maybe the Spirits saw this. And that’s why they didn’t allow for your paths to cross.’

My heart swelled with love for this man. He always gave me the truth and never shied away from the facts.

‘So, sister of my wife… sister of my soul… You are home now. Not the orphan you once told me you were. Something you never were. You have a colourful family of all kinds. And we all love you.’ My eyes glistened with tears when Seth sat forward and kissed my forehead. ‘You were never alone, Harps. You always had Kenz, Jenna, Dam, Carl, and me. But now… Now you have so much more. Give them all a chance to prove it to you.’ I closed my eyes nodding in agreement as I couldn’t trust my voice for a moment or two.

“You called her wife.” Smiling like the full moon on a dark night. It was the first time he’d done that with me.

Seth rubbed the back of his neck. ‘It’s how I feel about her… Feels right… even if I have to wait, for her to be ready to take that last step with me.’

The final bag full, I sat astounded at the vanishing puncture wound on his arm, disappearing before my eyes. “That... is never going to get old.” Joking a little, he laughed hard.

But then both of our heads turned towards the opening where we saw Kenzi standing with a tray in her hands. My eyes wandered past her, looking for my soulmate. The one who my heart yearned to see.

❂ Collin Littlesea ❂

I smiled, hearing the conversation between the two… hearing how deeply and purely he already loved my imprint and that jealousy from before… the bitterness that he knew her so much better than me… it all melted away. Because my beautiful, perfect, selfless, clever and kind soulmate was loved, she was loved in a way she needed desperately right now, and I had never been more grateful for Seth Clearwater than I was at this moment.

And that was saying a lot because there was a time in my life when Seth was literally the coolest person in the universe to me. But it had nothing to do with the fact that I was madly infatuated with his sister at the same time… at least, I didn’t think so.

My heart hurt a little to learn she was afraid that all of this could disappear like waking from a dream… but I took comfort in the fact that this was forever, and I would learn to let her know that there would never be a single moment in her life from that first day forward that she wouldn’t be loved deeply, passionately and tenderly in every way a person could be loved. I would make it my mission to put that fear to rest.

I felt it in my own chest… how it might have felt to watch Harper drive away like that, not knowing where she was going or if I would ever see her again. A hollow, dark pit… a gaping hole… just like Harper had said.

I handed Kenzi the tray, letting her present this small prize to her Protector for the sacrifice he made to help heal his sister… even though it was unlikely he felt any weaker now than he had before the donation… the iron boost I had told Kenzi all about? Sure, it was a good thing, but wholly unnecessary. For Seth… it was entirely necessary for Kenzi.

I stepped into the doorway watching Seth slip a blue hospital drape over the bags of his blood as he smiled a blinding smile at hiswife as he had put it. Hiding it from her so she wouldn’t see the quantity. But then immediately my eyes locked on Harper’s. I smiled and that tether between our souls pulled taut.

‘What is all this?’ Seth asked Kenzi. Even though he would have heard it all already.

‘Smoothies… a lot of iron and green stuff. It’ll help you get back to normal in no time.’ She rushed forward to set it on the table and poured him a glass. She handed him the glass and hugged him from behind kissing the top of his head, he leaned back against her. Whispering thank you’s so softly it felt like intruding on a private moment. He didn’t tell her; he would be back to normal in about an hour… maybe less.

I came to crouch next to Harper’s chair. From here I could glimpse the bags of crimson under the drape. “Hey, sweetheart,” I whispered. “I knew this would be a snap for you.” I gazed up at her and rested my hands on her knees.

‘He missed you; you know?’ Kenzi and Seth were watching us now. ‘Didn’t you, Pup?’ The word sounded awkward in her mouth and made her laugh. I never looked away from my whole universe.

“I did…” I admitted… no shame but my ears still flamed.

I felt a tiny foot nudge my less tiny foot. ‘Tell her how much.’ Her best friend prodded. Seth laughed.

‘Dude! Don’t do it… Hey!’ He laughed. Kenzie must have nudged or poked him because I didn’t hear a slap.

‘You hush! Nosey Parker.’ She scolded with nothing but honey in her tone. ‘Go on Collin… tell her’.

My cheeks burned now. “I missed you…” I said, my heart racing “Like H-two misses O when they reach the evaporation point.” I had time to work on my line after I told it to Kenzi. She laughed and Seth groaned but there was nothing but affection in both sounds.

❂ Harper Lee Jenkins ❂

Being a witness to their love story from the first time their eyes met, didn’t make moments like now any less precious. My heart still filled with the joy, love, and happiness Seth brought along with him, when he followed Kenzi home to Thompson.

I’d be lying if I didn’t admit at first I was dubious about this big, barely together man, who came across the country, to be with a girl he saw for all of ten minutes. However, now… now it all makes sense.

And now, I had my own story on its first encounter with what people would deem fantastical. Pure joy filled me at seeing the tenderness between my two friends who were family, but my eyes; they truly only saw one face. Collin….

I had to swallow back the need to jump up and run to him. Because what was I doing feeling like a teenager with her first crush!? And then there was Kenzi who didn’t think twice about letting go and being in the moment.

Their voices became nothing more than whispering in my ears because Collin became the central point of my being.

His smile, the way his lips moved as he spoke. I could still feel the swell on my lips, the burning sensation that I felt when he kissed me like that….

I stopped my train of thought straight away. Knowing they were meant for just the two of us.

I found myself lost in the way he took me in. My heart skipped a few beats when he called me sweetheart (would I ever stop reacting this way to this man? I hoped not!).

“I had a very understanding patient, this one didn’t want to bite, kick, or lick my face.” Replaying the sentence should have me blushing. However, it was Kenzi and Seth. They knew what I meant. Something has changed in the time we have been apart. The way Kenzi teased, the way Collin let her.

My heart blossomed. They were the two kindest people I knew, of course, they would get along. I did not doubt it. However, they seemed to have connected. Which I couldn’t believe made me so happy to see.

Smiling, I tuned into the conversations now. Rolling my eyes at Kenzi, about to tell her to leave Collin alone. This girl always puts people in the spot when it comes to speaking your truth.

My hands automatically reach out to touch Collin’s cheeks, stroking his red ears, my lips beaming for him and him alone. Until I realised what was happening. And I laughed. From the bottom of my heart, filling with joy and….

“That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.” Shaking my head. If he could see how my nerd soul sang. Laughing softly. “It’s a good thing we have no DNA helicase between us because I don’t want us to separate from what this is between us.”

‘I don’t get it…’ Seth stage whispered.

‘Hush… he is the perfect level of nerd for our girl. They get it. It’s all that matters.’ Kenzi whispered back. (Just not so much of a whisper.)

‘So... this is nerdy dirty talk?’ Seth asked.

“Would you both please stop.” Still not breaking eye contact with Collin. “Don’t forget I have troves full of all your moments. Do you want me to share?”

I would never! But they quickly became silent, with the odd giggles here and there.

❂ Collin Littlesea ❂

I could see the moment of joy in Harper’s eyes. It gave me a moment of the same… that we could both appreciate a moment of happiness in this crazy situation was proof that we were destined for each other. I wasn't sure I would cope with a wounded warrior without her. The memories of the fear when Jake was hurt, they had nothing on this… he hadn’t been bitten.

Seth snapped his teeth at his imprint when Harper mentioned biting. Kenzi’s scent shifted… it was a little awkward. But I kept my attention on the beautiful woman in front of me. My heart raced when she said it was the nicest thing she ever heard… then her reply… I chuckled. I shook my head at Seth, my eyes on Harper’s as if to say, can you believe this guy?! But then I admitted. “Now we are pushing the limits of my high school bio. I was more of a chemistry nerd.”

Seth coughed. ‘Mathlete!!’ and I didn’t look away from Harper.

“He means Mathlete Champion. I can show you my medal.” I smirked. I was fourteen when I won it… but still. I was patrolling, going to school and I still kept my spot on the team.

My brows shot up at Harper’s comment and I leaned in and whispered in her ear, letting them both hear so I wasn't rude to Kenzi. “Tell me later?”

Then I reached for a glass of the smoothie I made with the help of her Spirit Sister. “Here, you should keep your energy up too.”

Seth snort-laughed and Kenzi shushed him. I wondered if he was thinking about how I whisked Harper away earlier.

❂ Harper Lee Jenkins ❂

“Mathlete Champion?” My lips were curled in a sweet and interested smile. Every day I learnt something new about this man, which made my heart warm even more towards him.

Squeezing his arm. “We can work with chemistry and mathematics. Because we cannot have one without the other.”

Okay, it didn’t sound like a pickup line when I was saying it, however now I heard it aloud, my face blanched at the meaning which could be construed by it.

‘Yeah. Perfect together.’ Both my friends said at the same time.

I took the glass offered to me by Collin with the smoothie.

“I’ll even put it all in chronological order for you.” Winking at Collin and giving Kenz and Seth a bat of my eyelashes.

Bringing the glass to my lips, hoping to stop myself from saying anything embarrassing with witnesses so close to me. Until there was a knock on the wall and Bella stood smiling at the four of us.

‘I’ll take the tray down to the others. You guys rest up here for a while.’ There was a look she shared with Seth. I saw how his face dropped for a second and then he was back to smiling again. ‘Yeah, thanks Bells. I could do with a little rest.’ No… no he couldn’t. It was Seth, the boy who used to go all day working, and then still come over to help Dad move his creations from the workshop, and into his truck.

Bella moved gracefully through the room, slow, steady, like a ballerina taking centre stage. Taking the tray from the table, and then I saw how she quickly moved the blood bags with the covering into the tray too.

Now I understood. Bella had known how upset Kenzi had been. This all would keep her stress levels down.

“I should go too…” I began to stand. However, she placed an ice-cold hand on my arm.

‘Finish your smoothie.’ Her amber eyes said something I couldn’t understand.

“Oh.. yes.. of course.. I’ll finish this off first.” Shifting back into my chair. When it occurred to me. Maybe Leah would like a little privacy at this time. To come to terms with what needed to happen. And of course, we should give it to her.

“So... are we talking certificates? Or more like math medals?” Bringing the conversation back to the playful banter for Kenzi.

“Is there a wall dedicated to all things Collin Littlesea like a shrine of his greatness?” This time I smiled at Seth and Collin.

Taking another sip from the glass and pointing to it. “So good. This is exactly what us vets would order.”

❂ Collin Littlesea ❂

I flushed… but it was habit. I knew in Harper’s eyes it was a flex… even if it was the first and last time I was able to compete.

I knew that Kenzi and Seth weren't teasing… I mean they were saying the same thing at the same time… we were way cooler than that. I chuckled. Her next line turned that chuckle into a laugh. “You are such a Nerd.” I teased, my gaze on her, adoring every single detail of this woman.

I smiled at Bella, nodding a thank you for giving us a little time and taking the hint that maybe Leah would like some too. She kept the tray of blood bags covered for Kenzi’s sake and there was a split second when I thought that I should take the blood… but it was shifter blood… and not something that would tempt her… but maybe… it was still difficult for her because of the smell?

But she was out of sight before I could make the offer, and then Harper’s attention was back on me, and I felt my chest expand. I laughed again. “It’s a medal. The trophy is still on display at the school. I’ll show you someday.” I reached up and brushed my fingers against her cheek. I just wanted to touch her… if she was close enough to reach out I was drawn to her like a magnet. “But no… no shrine… well… not yet. But a man can dream, right?” I teased.

Her reaction to the smoothie made me proud. “I feel like I’ve been pumping you full of caffeine… the  least I can do is try to balance it out with a little nutrition..”

Then I heard Seth chuckle. ‘You know… I have no idea why I never thought of it before… trying to set these two up…’ he was clearly talking to his girlfriend.

‘Could you imagine if we’d invited him to Thompson and they met sooner?’ Kenzi sounded dreamy and excited.

“No…” I said, keeping my eyes on her. This clever, beautiful, soulful woman… somehow deemed by the Spirits to be my one true love. “This happened exactly like it was supposed to. The perfect time, the perfect place. A perfect match… no matter the hills and hurdles… I wouldn’t change a single thing. We’ll get through them all.”

❂ Harper Lee Jenkins ❂

“I’m going to take that as a challenge. We need to work on a design for your shrine. It’s a must-have. Or so I hear.” Keeping to light teasing in my voice.

He brought those butterflies back to their existing state. My hand reached up to his, lacing our fingers once he was done touching my cheek.

The touch had my tummy rotating, taking twisting turns, as I rested our hands in my lap.

Listening to the four of them, Kenzi, Seth speaking about us while we sat here, and then Collin. My heart and face bloomed with a shy redness. “I agree. I don’t feel as though I would have been open to any of this. Or ready to allow anyone in.”

Kenzi went silent when I glanced over, I saw her drop her hands. Her eyes were on Collin's hand in mine. “It’s okay... I’m okay… being here… it was what I needed. And look at how you and Seth came back too. I wish Jenna, Dam, and Carl weren’t so far away from us.” Being as honest as possible. “However, I’m so grateful they came to see how things are here. To meet all these wonderful people who have taken care of me. And get a chance to meet Collin too.”

Sounds of movement came from downstairs, but I sipped on my drink. Not commenting on what it could be.

‘It’s okay. Edward is asking his brother to go take a break. And the big guy isn’t happy about it.’ He told us all.

“So…” I asked looking at all of them. “Can all of you hear so well? Or is it just a few of you?”

‘It’s all of them.’ Kenzi was the first to speak. ‘But.. Seth here.’ She squeezed his arm, kissing her fiancée before continuing. ‘He has the best hearing out of them all.’ Such love and pride in my friend’s expression, unlike anything I’d seen before.

❂ Collin Littlesea ❂

Before I could say anything to Harper about my future shrine, Seth chuckled. ‘Wait, isn’t your childhood bedroom exactly the same as the day you moved out?’ I shot him a sideways glance and he pressed his lips together to suppress a laugh, he turned in against where Kenzi's arms were draped around his shoulders. I heard him breathing in her scent and I knew that the girls wouldn’t.

“You ladies came all the way here from Thompson and the Spirits still didn’t think it was our time to cross paths… they had enough faith that we would find each other that they let Harper go all the way back there. This is our time.” I believed it, truly. No matter how much I longed to know her, as well as Seth and Leah did.

As I listened to the movement downstairs I wondered if Jake would send Embry home soon too… He and the larger Cullen seemed to have a weird dynamic. I was about to ask Seth if he had noticed it too… that they were like the same person only the opposite species, but then Kenzi mentioned Seth’s added ability. It was enough to distract me, and probably for the best… since ‘Bry would hear me if I did.

“He’s the reason why we had to get into the truck for some privacy,” I said as softly as I could. “Otherwise, I probably could have just carried you far enough from the house.” I took the chance to teach her a little more about the packs. “The Alpha’s have what we call the Alpha voice… the commands that we can’t break. Seth can hear further and more clearly than any of us. Leah is the fastest. Jared has the best eyesight. Embry is like a living map… and Quil has the best sense of smell. Which is probably why he isn’t here today. Jake is the true Alpha, so he is stronger than us all.” My gaze stayed on Harper. “The Ancestors always send us what we need. They enhance our natural strengths so that we can protect the tribe and keep the pack strong.”

It didn’t bother me that I wasn't on the list of pack members who were gifted with these extra talents. I was alive… The Spirits gifted me with a life long enough to find Harper, against all the odds. There wasn’t anything more I could ask them for. There wasn’t anything else I would ever need, not now that I had her.

I heard Kenzi sigh dreamily. ‘Is that what people see when they are looking at us?’ She was talking to Seth as though we weren’t there.

‘Nah…’ Seth teased. ‘I’m way hotter than Collin… but besides that…’ He chuckled and I heard their lips meet. ‘It's probably pretty close.’ I couldn’t help but remember our private moment together…

“I think we could give them a run for their money,” I said and winked at my stunning soulmate.

❂ Harper Lee Jenkins ❂

Choking down the smoothie as I laughed into the glass thanks to Seth’s comments and seeing Kenzi pinch him on the side of his arm, without malice, more like a protective shield.. for Collin? So, I wasn’t incorrect in my observation with the two of them? There had been a change, a closeness, something I hoped would grow and build deeper still.

“So… your mom does have somewhere dedicated to your achievements, and Ana’s too I assume.”

Kenzi looked at me in confusion. “Collin’s younger sister. Ananya…” I told her as the conversation moved forward.

My gaze found its way back to Collin, I couldn’t help but reach out. My hand searched for his without hesitation. I didn’t want to think about what-ifs. I liked the now.

Smiling as I spoke. “That trip was all about these two.”

Nodding my head towards the love birds, who normally glowed from the way they felt about each other. And even with everything happening only a floor away. They still managed to find some solace in small touches and stolen kisses.

I Whispered to Collin, “This is our time…” Mirroring his words back to him. “Even though I was not expecting it at all.”

About to take another sip I stopped my face flushed a deep crimson as heat flared up from the depths of my being. My eyes darting from Collin to Seth, to Kenzi who just giggled shaking her head from side to side.

Had Collin really said that? He had! Could we give Kenzi and Seth’s first weeks and months a run? I didn’t know!

‘It’s okay Harps. Really. You both. Well, you both are in so much more control than we were when our… well… when our imprint bond clicked into place.. that’s what it’s called… imprinting… it’s so beautiful when it happens...’

She sat down on the armrest, Seth’s automatically moving to engulf her small frame between his arms. ‘I don’t know if you remember or not.’ She smiled at her fiancé.

“How you both went missing for three weeks? And then when I saw you. I was about to go and kill Seth?” Tapping my fingers on the glass.

‘Boy. Yeah. That was incredible. That was when I knew I’d love you like a sister. When I saw you were willing to murder me!’ Seth’s smile was still warm. ‘Good times.’ He chuckled and I huffed and laughed softly.

Sheepishly my glance found Collin’s again. He hadn’t seen that side of me. And I wondered how he would take the knowledge that I would say and do something to harm another person; if they hurt those I loved? Even when deep down inside fighting didn’t come naturally.

❂ Collin Littlesea ❂

It was so silly when my heart raced as she coughed to clear her throat from the mouthful gone awry… but here we were; my heart racing as I rubbed her arm soothingly. I just couldn’t help myself. But I didn’t miss how Kenzi pinched Seth for his comment.

‘I’ll have to get used to sharing your protective side with the rest of the guys.’ Seth said, but there was nothing in his tone to suggest that he minded… in fact, it looked like it delighted him.

“The bond is so much more than soulmates,” I explained to Harper. “The women we imprint on… because so far it has only been women.” I felt the need to clarify for our two-spirit Warriors because we didn’t know what the future or the ancestors held for us. “They are bonded in a sisterhood, and to the other warriors too. They feel… protective… sisterly towards them… in every way, including the annoyance of a little brother or sister. And they… you… truly become part of the pack. And all the guys. They will treat you as a sister too. I know you haven’t met them all yet… but anytime you see this.” I lifted the sleeve of my tee, showing her my tattoo. “They will know who you are, and they will help you if you ever need anything or feel unsafe. I know it would be very strange to trust a total stranger. But you can, they all know your face from being in my thoughts.”

 As soon as Harper mentioned my sister to Kenzi, I instantly knew that not only would Ana love Harper, but she would also love Kenzi.

When she asked about my mother possibly having a shrine in my honour… I flushed. “I guess you’ll have to find out when we go for dinner.” She already knew she was invited. “But there’s enough happening today… we can talk about that later.” I chuckled.

I smiled when she said she wasn’t expecting it… she had no idea how right she was… no one was. “Me either… or I might have worn a far less paint-stained shirt when I went to the clinic that day.” I laughed softly and my skin hummed with electricity at the memory. “No one was expecting any more imprints even before Kenzi… this is the largest pack in our history… and we only know of two or three ever occurring..” Without taking my eyes off Harper I tipped my head toward Kenzi. “Thank the Ancestors for your trend-setting Spirit-Sister.”

I listened to how impressed Seth was at Harper’s potential murder plot. There it was the playful look in her eyes as they narrowed just barely… just enough that I could imagine her face when they had finally surfaced for air, and she was reunited with her best friend. The clinking of her short, neat fingernails on her glass gave a serious I mean Business vibe. My heart was gallivanting again.

I tucked her hair behind her ear and leaned in, forgetting we weren't alone for a moment as I whispered. “Has anyone ever told you…” My voice was doing the low, rumbly thing again. Even when I whispered? “That you are sexy as hell when you are fierce, Dr Jenkins?”

I heard a shuffle of fabric and feet and lightly creaking furniture as Seth moved. ‘And that would be my cue to go and check on my sister,’ Seth groaned.

Kenzi protested that he should stay seated for longer, but he insisted that he was fine, and I knew it was true. When he convinced her; they shuffled from the room. Kenzi asked him what I had said, then after a beat of silence asking if he would tell her later. Her giggle was all I needed to assume that Seth had nodded.

“Maybe not as in control as they are giving me credit for…” I laughed, my face and ears beet-red. “But still far better than any of the others.”

❂ Harper Lee Jenkins ❂

All it took to calm the moment for me had been Collin’s soothing stroke, it was an ointment to a discomfort I hadn’t even been aware of, with my reaction to answering a call. I shifted close listening to them explaining this life and the people I had yet to meet.

My gaze fell to his arm, and the tattoo… From where I sat, and my viewpoint I couldn’t really make out the definition of the circle. It was round, with black ink, partly filled with symbols, with lines, more circles, all coming together as one. Keeping my hands around the glass to stop myself from reaching out to touch it without consent.

Thinking to myself ‘Tattoo? Oh… Wow… Collin had ink on his body?’ The thought ran away, gaining a life of its own. Until I rained it back in so that I could follow the explanation. With this knowledge I began to draw the information I have gained from living and working here, thinking back to the people who I had crossed paths with. Had I ever noticed this tattoo? Yes.

Leah, I’d seen it on her bicep high up closer to her shoulder. Seth, his was on the same arm just a little lower than his sister. The two men downstairs… Sam and Jacob had them too.

Then my mind drifted further. The young boy in the coffee shop, who had smiled at me with pure joy, I felt as though I should know him from the way his eyes connected with mine. Then there had been my pizza delivery boy… At the time I found that interaction funny, wondering if the boy had mistaken me for someone else until he’d asked for Collin.

They will know who you are, and they will welcome you with open hearts. I was afraid on my first visit here. However, when Seth told me about them, and then they all tried so hard not to bombard me at once. It was so sweet, and heartwarming. Of course, it wasn’t until later that Seth told me his sister threatened everyone, setting rules as to how, and when they could meet me.’ Kenzi’s voice sounded wistful with Seth smiling his signature smile at her with doting eyes too.

My heart and tummy filled with a flutter. Thinking about Collin’s love for this extended family, and their love for him too. Then there was his own family. How would ‘Meeting the family’, go? Would they like me? Would they think Collin could do better? Would they understand how I reacted at first learning about this new world within a world? Only time would have the answers.

  I found myself laughing softly once again. My hand squeezes Collin’s. “It’s a lot for one person to learn and not make mistakes. I’m sure I will trip up from not grasping the depth of the relationships fully at the start. I hope they will bear with me as I find my feet.” A playful smile came across my lips. “Spirit Sisters”, I liked the sound of this relationship, as well as the million questions as to why Imprinting occurs, and how the connections with the males are different to those of other genders. Collin and I had spoken a little about it before, however right now… Today… We had a lot to manage. These questions could come later.

That sound! Collin’s voice… Oh, Lord! My head turned to his touch. Where his fingers stroked my skin, heat pulsed instantly. But it was the sound of his voice in my ear. The rumbling …  That was… My eyes dropped to my lap as I squeezed my legs together because that was hot!

Taking in a sharp breath of air, both my hands tightened around the glass in my lap, as I felt the desires from before bubbling and rising from within. Biting on the corner of my lip, my gaze shot up in time to see Seth’s back as he guided Kenzi out of the room, I hadn’t even noticed them standing or walking away. Yet my attention soon returned to the kind, sweet, sexy, man who had my chest rising and falling a little too fast.

“No…” Finally, I whispered “Maybe not…” my dark brown eyes peering up from below my lashes, hidden by the glasses sat on the bridge of my nose. “However, like I said. There may be a few slips. I would hope they will forgive us for them?” My gaze had moved to his ears, looking for and smiling when I saw that tell tail sign of his bashfulness. There he was…

This was my boyfriend… my soul mate!

❂ Collin Littlesea ❂

She always listened so attentively, and I knew that she was taking in each detail I told her and filing away her questions to ask later, when we had more time. It was hot… even with all the stress around us I knew she was taking in all of the information that I was throwing at her and storing it away to analyse later.

I smiled softly. “I’m sure we’ll both have a few missteps from time to time. Especially as we get to know each other. But it's part of the adventure… right?” I heard it in her whisper that she liked that way of naming family that wasn’t your blood. Families had so many shapes and so many ways to form… Kenzi… Jenna… they were her family as surely as if they shared parents.

I pressed my lips together when she peered at me like that through her glasses… it was adorable and sexy all at once…but I knew I couldn’t steal her away again. At least… not yet. Maybe a little later.

I slipped my arms under her and lifted her up so I could take her place on the seat and settle her on my lap. “There won’t be anything to forgive but, they absolutely will tease us relentlessly.” I chuckled. “You need to stop smelling so good sweetheart. It’s already strange enough seeing you in Brady’s clothes… but that scent mixed with it…” I was teasing… mostly. “Not sure the wolf in me can handle it mixed with a certain scent. We’ll never be able to look at Bray the same way again.” I chuckled, kissed her cheek and held her to me, just wanting her all to myself for a moment.

I knew I had just had her all to myself. But it was different, I wanted to hold her, to make sure she was okay. I ran a hand up and down her back. “How are you? I know you must be tired; it’s been a long day… after a longer night… is there anything you need from me?” I pressed my nose against her hair. I would do anything I could to provide her with what she needed… especially here, with her world probably seeming so far away, after being cast into this world of what she had always believed to be stories.

Embry was upstairs chattering endlessly to give us a sense of privacy. “Embry is providing a distraction so you can speak freely.”

❂ Harper Lee Jenkins ❂

Nodding my head slowly. “It wouldn’t truly be an adventure if we didn’t make mistakes and learn from them.”

My arms flew around Collin's shoulders, the move had come without warning. The sound leaving my lips at being picked up and replaced in my boyfriend’s lap sounded so out of character for me. But then again, when was the last time, I’d been picked up like I were nothing more than a feather? The answer… Never!

The space between Collin and I shrunk making me very aware of my surroundings more than before. The closeness of our proximity, the warmth of his arms holding me in place, and the heat rising into my cheeks telling me I was thankful we were alone right now.

My eyebrows pulled together, and I brought the collar of the top he had given me to my nose. Sure, there was a scent to the fabric, but nothing like what Collin had just said. Not to my sense of smell at least.

“Do you think Brady will mind that I am wearing his top?” Meeting the man only a handful of times, I didn’t want to upset him.

Sniffing at the fabric again, confused at what Collin had picked up that I couldn’t.

Resting my forehead to the side of him I felt myself relax into the hold, the thoughts in my mind still flowing through knowing full well I would be able to untangle them all at once.

Turning my gaze towards the door, still wondering how Embry would provide a distraction, I didn’t question it.

“Honestly?”

Because saying I’m Fine seemed disrespectful and dishonest.

“I really don’t know.” This time I kissed his cheek.

“It’s a tangled mess. A lot to.. well… just a lot… you know?” My hand went to my tummy. “From all the butterflies to the near-death experiences I didn’t even know about, to a friend showing up at my door as a giant white wolf… To meet and learn vampires are real… To wanting my boyfriend like my lungs, need air.” The last part comes with a flush of a heated blush.

“It’s just.. a lot.” Taking a breath before asking him the same question. “How are you?”

❂ Collin Littlesea ❂

I smiled… because honestly… “I can’t wait to start making mistakes with you… learning with you.” By the Spirit’s I hadn’t meant to say that out loud. I wasn’t sorry though; it may have been corny as hell, but it was true. I flushed redder and my heart thumped.

That little sound she made when I lifted her… made My heart race for a different reason, and I vividly recalled the sounds she made when I had her pinned to the side of my truck.

I chuckled softly when she sniffed the hoodie. “The scents I’m picking up on aren’t something you will sense. But you will probably become familiar with mine over time. I can smell certain…feelings I suppose. Or the hormones that cause them, like fear and stress can smell the same because they are both caused by cortisol. Excitement… Arousal… even things like pregnancy and…” I kept going to try and cover that one in the middle. “Happiness or contentment.. serotonin smells sweet like it mimics the emotions that it triggers. But that’s all guesswork really… because I clearly can’t confirm those hormones are the ones being produced in any given moment.” And I was rambling again.

Then I finally answered her question. “No not at all, we’re all used to the girls stealing whatever hoodie or jacket is nearest them… but at this stage… it would probably amuse him. We… Um… the Warriors I mean… we tend to be possessive…” I really didn’t want to freak her out thinking I was going to turn into an Alpha male douchebag stereotype. “So, something like this.” I tugged the zipper a little higher. “Would normally be very difficult for one of us to cope with. Not the optics so much… but the scent of another male on their soulmate… even one of our brothers who we would trust with our other half's lives. There are instincts so deep in us that they override what we know to be true... just like humans, I suppose. Only heightened by a hundred. I won’t say it’s not difficult… but it's worth it to protect your privacy. And This will sound like extreme toxic masculinity but the fact that Brady prefers men kind of softens the impact. But he would deny that and say he loves all genders equally.”

I rested my hand over hers on her stomach… those butterflies. I knew them so well. I brushed my nose against her jaw and breathed her in, my wolf scrambling the untangle the hints of my Spirit Brother from her scent. “I know, sweetheart. You’ve been tossed into the deep end of our world. It’s not how any of us would have chosen for you to learn all of this… but you have been so unbelievably resilient through all of this. Between saving Leah to stopping me from shifting when you should have run… and then my um…” I cleared my throat and my whole burned red hot. “Mood shifts. You have taken it all in stride…” Then I took a deep breath. Remembering the situation upstairs.

“Me… Honestly… I’m scared. I’ve seen Warrior’s hurt… Jake was almost killed when I was only new to the pack… but he hadn’t been bitten. He healed fast… you could see it happening but This… Leah’s wound… I’ve never seen one of our wounds heal so slowly.” I poured my heart out to her. “She isn’t in my pack anymore but she’s… Leah… she’s always been there, at least for me because I joined after her. But pack divide or not I don’t know what we would do without her.” I stopped while I caught my breath. “I remember the day we split… Jake… he was first, and it was like a part of my soul was torn away, then Seth was gone, and we were… frantic…  we didn’t even notice Leah left too until Sam…” My eyes burned as I recalled my Alpha’s emotions for the woman he had still loved at the time. “His pain… our pain… guilt… fear… it was… There were moments when I thought we wouldn’t survive the break. But we did… and now…” My eyes stung now. “You saved our sister Harper… you kept us from breaking apart even worse than the first time and you… you saved us all, sweetheart. You protected all of us by protecting her. And soon you’ll understand exactly what you’ve given us today. So, I’m scared, and I’m happy, and I am overflowing with gratitude. And a little hungry but I’m always a little bit hungry.” I added the last part to ease the heaviness of the moment.

❂ Harper Lee Jenkins ❂

Even with the tiredness slowly creeping its way in, because staying still never seemed to help. I smile looking at the redness growing on his ears. A sure sign of Collin feeling awkward or embarrassed. Something about him I had liked from the first time I truly saw him. However, now it was my turn… I felt the rush of heat to my face, my mind ping-ponging the idea of Collin picking up a person's scent. Of course, this would be the case. He turned into a big wolf!!! Wolves are known for their ability to track and scent! My lips parted, and I licked them feeling the dryness as I stayed silent for a while, allowing the information to flow and settle before.

“Alphahole behaviour.” Slowly nodding my head. “ I heard Leah and Kenzi joke about it from time to time. I didn’t know it really was a thing.” It sounded so made up and from a world full of imaginary creatures. But here we were.

I blinked at the way my boyfriend had just outed himself as someone who would put his difficulties aside to protect my dignity. My heart flipped into somersaulting with this. And yes of course I knew there were also red flags in what he was admitting, however, the fact that he was aware of the pitfalls of his nature outweighed the possibility that he would be able to do those things too.

“Thank you…” I kissed Collin on the cheek. “For putting my needs before yours.” Making a mental note to make sure I didn’t forget how hard this was on the two of them.

“Also… you do know you just outed your best friend to me.” Giggling because I assumed Brady’s gender fluidity was common knowledge if Collin spoke so openly about it.

Pressing into his chest, feeling him so close didn’t help me. My mind flashed to being pinned to the side of his truck. From his breath on me, to his hands moving… No! No… No! These memories were not helping the situation we found ourselves in right now!

The mood changed as Collin recalled past events. Seeing a glimpse into something that pained him, hurt my heart too. And I hadn’t even known him or these people. But my heart wanted to engulf him and protect him from the hurt this caused. So, I did the next best thing. Wrapping my arms around him I hugged him to me.

I may not agree with the fact that I saved Leah, because, in my eyes, I hadn’t done enough. I didn’t know enough to save her... I just kept her alive long enough. Still, I was thankful for the guidance which made it so I could be of some help to bring her back here with all her injuries.

Kissing his cheek again before I then moved to stand up. Once on my own feet, I held my hand out towards him and sat in the armchair.

“Come on Mr Littlesea, I may not have All the answers. And I may disagree with some of what you said. However, I do know there is food in the kitchen. And some people who love you one floor away. Let’s feed you, and then… let’s go see how Leah is doing. Edward surely has made progress in the treatment process.”

❂ Collin Littlesea ❂

I couldn’t help but laugh. “So many of the girls use that phrase… One day someone will tell me what it actually means.” All I knew was it came from books with lots of fairies and sex. Wait?? Does Harper read sexy fairy books? “But it is definitely a thing, and Uncle thinks I will need to work hard to control mine because of my bloodline.” I returned her kiss by placing one of my own on her nose. “I always will, Harper. I just might need a lot of patience and understanding from you sometimes. Also, a lot of reminding that I’m your boyfriend and not your…. Alphahole.” I added the last word hesitantly. The chuckles from upstairs told me I had definitely used it in the wrong context. I wasn’t mad at them. Tuning out the sounds around you was hard… but after a vampire encounter, it was ten times harder.

I laughed then. “But did I though? You met Brady… That’s normally all most people need.” I smiled at her, thankful for the lightness in the air now.

The room upstairs fell silent as I processed my fears out loud with my soulmate. I knew there was a lot of guilt on both sides about how it was handled and the pain it had caused. She hugged me and my arms enveloped her, I buried my face into the soft place between her shoulder and her neck. My heart rate began to creep back to normal. Here all I could smell was Harper. My Harper. My girlfriend. My sweetheart. My Soulmate. My Everything.

Then she was slipping away and at the same time not going anywhere, I could still feel her embrace wrapped around me. I smiled up at her. “You’re kinda my hero…. You know that?” I blurted, honestly… intentionally. I took her hand and even let her feel like she’d pulled me to my feet. It was a move that took years to perfect and honestly, I didn’t think any of us truly had.

I knew she didn’t believe everything I had said about her… but I wasn’t going to spend precious time trying to convince her of things I could only convince her of over time… consistency, loyalty, honesty, trust… these were the things that would prove the truth in my words, and I had all of those things in spades. One day she would set all that doubt aside, and I would still be right here when she did.

❂ Harper Lee Jenkins ❂

Collin stood. Our fingers entwined, his sweet face before me, and I still had a sense of missing him. How was it even possible? From his heat to his arms around me, from his face perfectly hidden in the crook of my neck, to the way we seemed to fit. I missed it all. And yet. We were walking towards the kitchen together. These were moments when I felt lost and found at once.

Then I heard what he said. His hero? he must be jesting with me. A blush over my cheeks, because the heat of it radiated from the spot on my nose where Collin’s sweet kiss had been placed.

“I would tell you, however, I need to see if I am breaking any girl book nerd codes before I do so. Also, I may need to find out what it actually means too.” It wasn’t the fact that I was some book snob, I just didn’t have the time to dive into anything too big. And the world the term came from would require some commitment from me.

“No…” Smiling my teasing is still in play between us. “No, but I wasn’t really looking so closely at Brady at the time too.”

I met Collin’s close friend when Nova had been rushed in. And maybe now with some of what I learnt from Collin; I saw the situation in a new light. I’d not necessarily been able to notice anyone since I first caught sight of this man. Let alone wish to uncover a person’s sexuality.

I let my eyes wander the house. “This place really is amazing. It’s clear there was love in the planning of all the spaces.” The walls of glass, with the open plan architecture, gave a light and bright feel to the space. My eyes settled over a state-of-the-art kitchen, accented in white, which had everything in its correct place.

“I’ve faith in you Mr. Littlesea, and if not, I could always pack my bags and hit the road.”

The moment the words came out of my lips, my feet froze in place. It was an off-the-cuff comment, with no meaning of desire to see it through. However, I found it hitting me like a ten-ton lorry with no grip on its wheels.

“Maybe that was a bad joke.”

Whispering it to whatever it was pulling on the invisible tie between my boyfriend and me. I shook myself in an attempt to remove the unwanted gut-wrenching sensation trying to take hold.

❂ Collin Littlesea ❂

Would it be a bad idea to wrap my arms around her while we navigated the hallway? She felt so far away, even with her hand in mine. It would probably be easier to just pick her up and carry her there… I tilted my head thinking about it. A throat cleared upstairs… Edward… Damn! He was listening… wait… was that a yes to my thoughts. A cough… vampires didn’t cough… Oh! OOOH! It was a no.

Embry commented on Edward talking in code. Then a half-hearted slap, followed by a thwack and Leah thanking Jake, while ‘Bry declared injustice. I laughed, thoroughly distracted from my dilemma. I smiled at her… okay so she didn’t read sexy fairy books. Or at least not this particular sexy fairy book… My wolf snapped his metaphysical teeth. I needed to stop thinking about the sexy fairy book.

 Of course, Harper’s priority was Nova when she met them all… That must have looked weird… all of them showing up for one dog. And Even if Harper hadn’t been my imprint it would have happened the same way. It was the bonds we all shared, What mattered to me mattered to them. “Yeah, I’m sorry they all crowded into your office like that.” I chuckled. “It's hard not to care about the thing your pack brothers do… but that was tame… ever seen a dozen dudes and a handful of their partners travel sixty miles for a six-year-old’s talent show?” I chuckled.

She was clearly fascinated with the house… And I found myself again wondering if this was the kind of home she wanted… Not this big. I knew her well enough to know that excess wasn’t her style, and this house was made in mind of housing seven vampires that never slept and had a huge range of interests… and were occasionally stuck here because of the sun. But the aesthetics... was this her style? Her home was entirely different, it was warm… cosy without being cluttered. But was that just because of her housing assignment?

Then she…. My heart stopped… mind stopped…. The whole house went silent only, Kenzi whispering ‘What happened?’

Was I about to vomit? Could I vomit?… when was the last time I… ‘Jake.’ A brisk whisper.

‘Give him a minute.’

I wanted to drop to my knees and beg her not to leave. Not to leave me behind, to beg her to take me with her. Anywhere. It didn’t matter as long as she didn’t leave me behind. I would go anywhere she wanted me to go. Was my heart still beating? It had to be, right? The ache that came into sharp focus confirmed it.

‘Jake!’ Someone was holding someone back. I was definitely going to be sick.

‘She’s okay.’ Seth… to Kenzie I guess? ‘They’re okay.’

I was not okay.

Joke.

It’s a joke.

Not just because she said so.

She would never hurt me… hurt anyone on purpose…

She was teasing it was… she was… it was… It was fine… we were… fine. Only… My eyes moved over her… She wasn’t fine. I stepped into her and put my arms around her. I felt like my body was tense… so I was careful… Normally I trusted my body around her… It had been shocking how easily it had come to me… not hurting her… knowing how tightly to hold her hand, to hug her… and today touching her like I had… kissing her like I had. There was no holding back it was… just right. But now… I was worried… I didn’t want to hurt her because my stupid alphahole brain wanted to cling to her and never let her go.

Carefully, I held her to my chest, wanting to make that look on her face go away. “Harper…” I whispered. Her name was like a breath of relief. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry, sweetheart.” Then I realised she would have no idea what I was apologising for.

‘That kid is something special.’ Came from upstairs followed by a restrained laugh.

❂ Harper Lee Jenkins ❂

Everything else was forgotten. I wanted to tell him to never apologise for the people who truly cared for Nova and him. Tell him how it made me smile learning that he had a support system in place for Nova. That they wouldn’t be alone when the puppies came. It gave me hope and made me realise more so, how much of a brat I’d been when I first spoke to him. Tell him how he and Nova were so lucky. For him to be proud of all his friends and family. But nothing came out of my lips. 

My heart was still sinking, when I wanted to smile. To ask about this six-year-old’s talent show.  I wanted to know everything about him, and then some more… However, I was still sinking.

Free falling must feel like this, I thought to myself, when you jump from a cliff without knowing what would happen. When your heart kept falling without finding someplace to hit. Like a roller coaster that had passed its stopping point, and yet kept going.

The Collin who stepped into my space and engulfed me wasn’t mine... well… he was… but… no… Had all those emotions played out for him? Had he witnessed the turmoil performing havoc in my mind, or had I hurt him without meaning to? Why did I think this? Because of the way he felt when my arms closed around his waist. When I rested my head on his shoulder. My Collin wasn’t there. This Collin was stiff, hard, holding back? Why was he the one apologising to me?

“I… I… Sorry… I’m so… so… so sorry, Collin. I didn’t think… I… my mouth…. My head…” And now I couldn’t string two words let alone two sentences together! And I was an intelligent woman god damn it!

My throat thickened when I attempted to speak into his shoulder. My arms moved up his back gently but then gripped onto the fabric of his shirt.

“I’m so sorry. Please come back to me. I… I didn’t mean it. I promise you it’s not even a question… anymore.”

Sure, I didn’t understand why or when I had decided that this would be home from now. But right now, at this moment, I knew in my heart of hearts. This realisation was true. My home was… wherever… Collin was!

❂ Collin Littlesea ❂

Her arms wrapped around me. She held on and buried her face in my shoulder. I was blissfully distracted again by how she fit against me. Her head came to the perfect height for her to lay her head on my shoulder. I held onto that thought, struggling to not let it slip away, this perfect detail that so many might overlook, but not me. There was nothing about Harper that I missed. Which was why I knew that those words… they were a tease, we did that… joked about the silliest things.

But terror… that is what it was. Fear like I had never known before had gripped me. But then she was speaking… apologising. Asking me to come back to her. I inhaled a long, loud breath. Had I stopped breathing?

I unlocked my posture and held her like I always had… from the first time I had wrapped my arms around her. I wasn’t afraid… not of losing her, not of hurting her. Even if tears were burning my eyes. “You have nothing to apologise for, sweetheart,” I whispered. “Nothing… at all.” I could feel her breath on my skin, the scent of her filled my senses and… Hell… Brady. I tensed again but only slightly. I pulled back only a little. My fingers were on the zip of my brother’s hoodie. “Do you mind if I…” the question went unfinished as I pulled it down and slipped it off her shoulders, I hung it on what looked like a piece of modern art that I was sure cost more than my truck.

“I just need to clear my head, I’m sorry.” It seemed like neither of us were able to keep from apologising for things that were outside of our control. This time when I wrapped my arms around her I buried my face into the curve where her neck and shoulder met. Just Harper… that was all I could smell now. Just my Harper. “I keep letting my mind spiral out of control.”

I knew logically I was far from out of control or Jacob wouldn’t have held Embry back from coming to pull me away… He would have gotten here first and done it himself. But it felt like a lack of control to me.

“I know that this is another topic we should probably talk about when there isn’t a crisis happening… but you can question it, Harper.” I kissed her temple. “Just… please… not without me… My home is where we can be together, and we can both be happy.”

This really wasn’t the time for this conversation… and I hated it. I felt selfish too… Leah was hurt and all I wanted to do was dissect every thought and feeling I had in vivid detail with Harper. To lay myself bare and open up every part of myself to her. “By the Spirits… I wish we had time… To talk about all of this. To explain everything… I feel like all I’m doing is telling you half of everything we start. It’s not the way I wanted this. And I’m so sorry. I swear it’s not that I’m keeping things from you. I want to tell you all about… all of it. Things like how I would follow you anywhere if you let me but I just…” That was it… tears slipped free, and I kissed her neck where my lips brushed against her skin.

She deserved so much more.

❂ Harper Lee Jenkins ❂

My mind reeled into a free fall. He was back. My Collin. I felt the shift in his posture giving me relief to breathe once again.

“I know,” I whispered softly as he pulled himself into me. The hoodie has been hard on him, I saw it now so much clearer than when we were outside. He had given it to me to save me from embarrassment. However, I should have questioned its impact on him.

“I know. It feels as though we start something and then we have to stop. It’s okay. I understand that this is far from ideal. We have to think about Leah right now. This. You and me. We can take the time we need once she is healed.”

Then I felt them. Dampness on my skin. I had made him cry? My beautiful soul of a boyfriend... I broke him! “Collin!”

My heart dropped into the pit of my stomach, my face flushed as I moved myself to cup his cheek and bring him to my eye line. “Please… Collin… forgive me…” Tears sprung free from my eyes now seeing them in his. Using my thumbs to wipe his tears away.

“We… You and me… here… right now… this is where we are.” Bringing his face to mine. I kissed his tears away. “Please… don’t be upset like this..”

❂ Collin Littlesea ❂

“We’ll find the time to talk about it all…” I whispered. “And get through the mental list of questions I know you’ve been keeping.” I smiled against her skin.

I held her a little tighter. She knew I was upset, and it was hurting her… But she had already said everything I needed to hear. I just needed my body to catch up. Then she was holding my face and wiping my tears away… it made me smile… and I was sure I looked like a wreck. Crying with a smile on my face. “There’s nothing to forgive, Harper. You didn’t say anything wrong.” Then she was kissing my cheeks and I lifted my hand and set one on the back of her neck guiding her closer to touch our foreheads together. “You’ve said everything I needed to hear already, sweetheart… It’s just the… whole raging hormones and primal animal thing. I remember seeing an imprint cry for an hour because her boyfriend told her dress was a strange colour. It's all part of the rollercoaster.” I pressed a kiss to her lips, soft and sweet. “I promise, I’m okay… My biology just needs to catch up. That’s all.” I kissed her again.

I smiled… with no tears this time. “This is exactly what I needed… you and me… here… right now.” I used her words, to show how grateful I was. She always said exactly the right thing. Even when I was about to phase in the Cullen’s driveway… she never faltered.

❂ Harper Lee Jenkins ❂

Each kiss he placed on my lips, awoke those beautiful butterflies that had become a part of the norm with Collin’s presence. He looked perfect in my eyes. With the tears, and the smiles adding to his perfection.

Of course, I heard and somewhat understood what he meant by his body needing time to catch up with his mind and emotions. Because I had to face it... I found myself in the very same dilemma.

Some part of me was still upset that I had the power to bring tears to this precious person’s eyes, and he had the same over me. And then the butterflies telling me to feel excited and happy about his closeness and kisses.

“This I can give you. Us.. you, me and Nova.. we can do this part. And the rest...” I wrapped my arms around his back. Drawing myself into his chest so he could feel my closeness the way I could his. “We will work it out.” Kissing him back once more. His lips made mine tingle.

I didn’t hear them until there was a throat clearing from somewhere behind us.

‘I am really sorry to interrupt.’ The male voice attempted to sound soft. But failed. I straightened my shoulders, before turning just enough to see Jake smiling like a proud parent.

‘Collin.. Carlisle and Esme are close. They didn’t want to show up without giving you and Seth some warning. Unlike their sons.’

Jake smirked and the shift of his eyes behind him told me I was missing part of a conversation somewhere.

Slowing I stepped back away from Collin, allowing my arms to drop to my sides. Jake throws a banana at my boyfriend with a wink.

❂ Collin Littlesea ❂

I laughed softly. “You really are incredible… Do you know that? I mean not to even mention everything last night. Just dealing with a grown man who cannot control his emotions.” Okay, I was exaggerating… I mean I was definitely on a rollercoaster right now, but I had seen worse in my years with the pack.

She was holding onto me…  showing me that she had me… through all these ups, downs and twists. I kissed her again and again, not even able to tell who was initiating them anymore. Each one settling my soul. Then Jake was approaching, and I realised when Harper pulled away I should have warned her someone was coming. But when Jake said Carlisle was coming I grinned like I was that twelve-year-old boy and the coolest doctor in the hospital had taken a personal interest in my case all over again.

I caught the banana Jake had thrown at me. He shook his head. ‘Still with the hero worship?’ He teased.

“He literally saved my life!” I defended myself. But I knew they all got it, and it was true too, even before my wolf was healing me. I turned to Harper and explained. “Dr Cullen was one of my doctors before I joined the pack. He’s really cool.”

‘Pops gets really cool and we get the puppy almost wolfing out on us.’ I heard Emmett scoff upstairs… but the chuckles all told me he did it with the goofy grin he seemed to have so often.

As Jake turned and walked back the way he came, he lifted the hoodie from the statue I had hung it on and grinned back at us… ‘You just smell like your normal self now… So, I’m gonna take this with me and you can steal your boyfriend's clothes if you get cold.’ He winked again, just for Harper this time and headed back down the hallway. I peeled the banana and broke it in half handing her the half still nestled inside the peel… “Do you still want to grab something to eat, or do you want to head up before they get here?”

❂ Harper Lee Jenkins ❂

I couldn’t help the warmth growing in my heart, Collin literally lit up at the mention of the name of the patriarch of the Cullen family arriving. Then to learned this person had a helping hand in saving the life of a child, who now was a big part of my life. I could feel the swell of gratitude I felt for him. And I’d only met him over a screen on one of the most difficult nights since moving to Washington State!

I felt a thrill at the thought of wearing Collin’s hoodie. And all at once, my face burnt at the reality of this moment. Genuinely grateful to learn my… well… ‘scent’ has returned to its normal state, however at the same time. The fact that Jake mentioned it in such a casual manner. Something I would have to come to terms with.

“I… Uhm… yes…” Biting my lips at the thought of becoming one of those girls who stole her boyfriend’s clothes.

Would he like that? Guys liked it.. well, some did. Seeing their girlfriends In their tops? Then my head thought about how I would feel. Being engulfed in something he had worn. Smelling him as I curled up to watch a movie, or read. Or…..

My eyes flickered to Collin, clearing my throat before dropping to the half a banana offered to me. Taking it from him, nestled into his warmth. Pulling the peel down a little further. Readying it for a bite.

“Oh. This should do me for now. But you were hungry? Should we grab you something quick?”

I didn’t like the feeling growing inside my chest. Having him go without food. I didn’t like it.

❂ Collin Littlesea ❂

She was flustered at Jake’s words, and I smiled… had I pictured Harper in my clothing? Definitely! Had I pictured it in front of everyone… I tilted my head, watching her blush… actually yes. I had. Of course, I had pictured it when we were alone too. But yeah… the idea of slipping my jacket around her shoulders at a pack gathering, or when she was walking out of work as the evening got more and more chilled. On a date… or a walk…

So yes… I liked the idea of my girlfriend wearing my clothes… did it mean I fit a little in this Alphahole category that the girls were all talking about? I was okay with that… at least this part of it, anyway.

When her cheeks burned red I smiled and lifted my hand to stroke the heated skin. “So beautiful,” I whispered when I swallowed the bit of banana in my mouth.

Then I moved on to her question. “’Bry and Jake have been up there all day. I guarantee Nessie has been bringing in food to keep them from getting cranky. I think we should head up so you and Edward can put together everything you learned for Dr Cullen when he arrives.” I wanted her to feel prepared and relaxed. I knew I had made her first encounter with vampires… or the first she was aware of anyway… very stressful. I didn’t want that for her again, not with people as genuine and caring as Carlisle and Esme.

“I’ll just steal theirs when they aren’t looking.” I kissed her temple as she tucked herself into my side. My arm came around her shoulder and I breathed in that scent… the one that was just Harper. The way she smelled before was incredible of course. But this… this I liked too… it was the basis that everything else was built on, it was how she smelled the day I met her. It was the scent I recalled when I missed her or thought about her. The scent I would recognise from miles away.

I rested my forehead against her hair… grinning again because… seriously? Could she be more perfect? She was even the exact right height for me! “You still smell amazing,” I whispered in her ear with a goofy chuckle and then led her, with my arm still around her back upstairs. The final piece of the banana in my hand disappeared into my mouth.

❂ Harper Lee Jenkins ❂

Eating the last of the banana Collin shared with me as we climbed the steps side by side, I gave myself a moment to lock these memories away. Knowing that I would look back on them in time wondering how much of all of this I had retained. At the same time seeking composure to ease the blush on my cheeks. Because… Truly… Who wouldn’t blush when their new boyfriend told them they smelt nice?

I stole one final kiss from Collin’s cheek, whispering “You are perfect, for me.” Into his ear. Unsure who else could hear, and not ashamed of declaring this fact. He had proven himself several times in the last 24 hours.  

Uncurling myself from around him. I felt the loss of a part of me straight away, which I knew was ridiculous. He was right there, standing next to me. However, that invisible thread seemed to stretch out, knowing what I was about to do. The Harper who belonged curled into the side of her boyfriend had taken a seat, allowing the Harper who had her mind in the situation ready to face whatever was awaiting us.

I could hear whispers from inside the room, which quickly disappeared as soon as we stepped inside. Everyone looked busy, every person with a task or a conversation to have. My glance moved to Leah straight away, noting the way her eyes seemed to have drifted to the windows. The storm had come in, the rain hitting the glass, rolling down making its own form of art.

“How are things in here?” I asked, now my gaze was on the blood. They were amid the transfusion, which explained how Leah was choosing not to look at what was happening. I hoped she understood the need for this step. The necessity outweighed the risk; however, her conscience would need to come to terms with it.

‘We aren’t dead yet.’ The tall one smirked from beside Leah’s bed. I couldn’t help but wonder if he had moved at all since we had left.

“That… uhm… is a good thing.” I smiled.

Kenzi moved to the table, pushing the tray sat on it forward, a glint of mischief in her dark eyes. Following that look, I could see she was attempting to catch Collin’s attention. So, I left them to it.

My hand found Collin’s, squeezing once before letting go to cross the room, I pushed the rim of my glasses up the bridge of my nose. ‘Yup… I can see how the pup can lose it with that move.’ Embry huffed, the sound of ruffling coming from behind me where he stood on the other side of the bed.

I paid no mind, going to stand beside Edward Cullen as he and Ness spoke in low tones, which became louder as soon as I came to a stop. “Is there anything I can do to help? I used to collate data for my mentor all the time to present.” Offering my skills to them.

‘The data you gathered before is being analysed, we are amassing the last of the research Ness found in the medical archives. Which I can guarantee Carlisle will know right away.’ The way he spoke about his dad made me smile. I knew that there was love in words, and Edward clearly loved and respected his father.

“He was amazing last night,” I told Edward and Ness once again. Because I couldn’t express my gratitude enough.

Both shared a knowing look with Ness smiling. ‘He really is, he cares for everyone greatly.’ She added.

‘Carlisle has a way to make you feel like you are the only person that matters. It’s a good feeling when your bones are broken. He has the best bedside manners.’ Jake joined in from behind us.

Listening, I moved to discard the banana peel into a bin under the desk, I went to wash my hands.  “I can see how that is true. Really if it wasn’t for him. I’m not sure how I’d have managed.”

‘You got lucky. If you got this one.’ Jake pointed to Edward. ‘Not so easy-going.’ He winked at Edward who just shook his head.

‘I see you are still working on your standup routine, Black. Maybe hold off on quitting your job at the garage just yet.’ The vampire smirked.

‘Oh…. Burn!’ Emmett added.

‘Stop it, children. Play nice.’ Bella rolled her eyes, however, didn’t move from the stool beside Leah. My eyes ping-ponged around the room, following the teasing. If it wasn’t clear before (which it was) there clearly was a deep history of comradery.

‘Only after Bella kicked Jacob’s backside for giving our baby a nickname.’ Edward answered my unspoken comment.

‘Hey. Ness loves the name, right baby? As does everyone.’ Jake grinned when she skipped to his side, his arms automatically moving to engulf her. I couldn’t help but glance at Collin, smiling a little. ‘Keep it up Jake, I can feel Bella’s readying herself for a rematch. And in case you forgot. You lost the last round.’ It was Leah’s low voice this time. Making everyone turn to look in her direction.

❂ Collin Littlesea ❂

I was glad to see her eat… I knew the smoothie I had given her was packed with nutrients… but she’d had a lot of coffee today and not so many calories to keep up with the level of activity that she was doing. And on no more than a couple of hours of sleep too. I really needed to start taking care of her better than this.

Then she kissed me on the cheek and told me, I was perfect for her. The flash of heat ran up my neck, into my ears and cheeks in a millisecond. I was not sure if it was just because of what she said or Kenzi’s squeal when Seth told her what he had heard.

‘You have no idea how huge that is for her too….’ She was whispering.

‘I know… it's big. I didn’t just meet her yesterday!’ Seth chuckled.

I couldn’t help but feel a rush of pride… in myself, in us… and in Harper for how easily she let herself be open with me. I followed her back to the room upstairs. There was tension… Leah was struggling with this. And I wondered if maybe Embry was too… we all knew how conflicted he was about having to wait for something awful to happen for his mom to live. Blood wasn’t the same but... to Leah, it seemed to be. Everyone went quiet… because they were whispering about us… nothing bad or even things we didn’t both already know… there were also whispers about Carlisle and Esme. Emmett and Edward had spoken about the fact that Carlisle had Edward visit the hospital during my last illness… they knew the tribe members with the gene were phasing and Carlisle had a theory that exposure to their kind triggered the gene. A glance at my chart would have easily identified me as the Chief’s nephew. But the findings were inconclusive. I knew Edward was the only one with the control to be in a hospital like that. Nessie now too, I suppose.

Had the Cullen’s simple proximity been what saved me?

Then Kenzi pushed a tray towards me and smiled. She’d saved some food from the other savages in the room. “Thanks.” I smiled and picked up a sandwich, it was packed with deli meat… not really what I would normally go for… but I just really wanted something that would make me feel full right now. Also, if Embry and Quil’s diets were anything to go by… shifters could stay fit and healthy on nothing but TV dinners, frozen pizza and takeout. A little processed meat wasn’t going to kill me.

My thumb automatically brushed across her hand when she squeezed mine. I smiled at her and nodded, letting her know she was ready for this and I was right here if she needed me. Embry’s comment about the way Harper fixed her glasses caught me off guard and before I knew it; I had flung a shelled, hard-boiled egg that was sat in a really pretty salad arrangement straight at him.

He caught it and, of course, the thing exploded in his grip… making Emmett jump back. I was thankful that Harper had gone to stand closer to Edward. ‘Rookie move bro’. Leave the Pup alone.’ Jake said while his third in command licked squashed egg off his fingers and offered Jake some.

‘I mean… the kid has control. Paul broke one of my ribs once because I looked at Rachel for too long… And all I was doing was trying to figure out if her hair clip was a bat or a bird.’ Embry shrugged and winked at me. ‘Sorry kid.’

I remembered that story… it was before my time, but the clip had actually been a flower.

Jake’s attention had turned to the other conversation in the room and I only knew my heart had started to race when I noticed it slow down. I wasn’t used to this… it wasn’t like me at all. I’d thrown something at my friend over a completely innocuous comment! I mean… It wasn’t like it was a chair or something… Then I started to look around at all the things that I could have reached for… Chairs… metal trays, a large wooden bowl… knives… okay… out of all that I picked an egg… that was… good…  right?

I finally got pulled back into the conversation when Leah spoke. She still looked like her mind was miles away, or like it wanted to be.

‘My name is awesome…. Opened up a whole lot of aliases for me.’ Nessie beamed at her mom. We all knew that legally, Renesmee Cullen didn’t exist. It was something the Volturi could track too easily so when she needed to use a fake ID she had a few different names she used. All of which could be shortened to Nessie or Ness. No one was paying any attention to what I had done. Seth even came to stand next to me, not even trying to put himself between me and his imprint.

Tires crunched on gravel in the distance. ‘Grandpa is here!’ Nessie clapped her hands together. ‘I’ll be right back, excuse me.’ She said to Harper and I knew she was trying to be polite and not flit away like we would normally expect from her. She opened one of the glass panels, it pivoted on a centre axis (that I really wanted a closer look at) and she dropped out of the window like stepping off a curb.

❂ Harper Lee Jenkins ❂

“Of course..” Turning to the side to give Ness room to get to the door, however, my lips dropped open when she was the one to turn and leave via the windows.

‘My girl loves making an entrance.’ Jake did take his leave to follow via the door. His warmth pulsated from the laughter and smile. ‘You’re going to be jumping and leaping soon Leah, doc will make sure of it.’ His parting words. But she didn’t react to them.

The others expressed their own feelings and comments, to the conversations which were taking place, and I went to look over the covered wounds on Leah.

“Is it okay if I open these up, Leah? I’m sure Doctor Cullen will want to have a visual of them.”

Bella stood up to give me room to work, she went to join her husband. Who had been looking into the distance? ‘Harper. Before you do that…’ he stopped me from pulling the trigger. Making me turn to glance over at him.

“Yes?” I asked.

His amber eyes were on Kenzi, Seth, Collin, and then me. ‘Carlisle feels it would be best if he and Esme meet the two new members of the imprints outside.’ Edward smiled at Seth first, who nodded his head.

‘Come Kenz. Let’s go outside.’ Taking her hand in his. He kissed her knuckles and then led her out. Before I could voice my thoughts. Edward smiled at me. ‘He and Esme would like to make this experience as positive as possible. They don’t want to test the boys any more than is necessary. That’s all.’

A flashback to when Bella, Emmett, and Edward arrived made my heart race a little.

“Yes, of course. I.. Uhm, I understand.” Did understanding a situation mean you were concerned about the outcome? Yes, a little. However, I had faith in Collin. In myself. That nothing untoward would take place.

My gaze moved to meet Collin’s. “Collin respects your mom and dad greatly, I don’t foresee anything taking place that would warrant any immediate concerns. However, it’s right to do this meet and greet in a place that is open and with no constraints.”

‘Yes, exactly.’ He agreed, his gaze moving to Collin at the same time as mine.

I walked back to stand beside Collin. Smiling at the warmth I felt in his vicinity. “Shall we?”

❂ Collin Littlesea ❂

I didn’t know why but the idea of seeing the wound on Leah again gave me a spike of anxiety and a glance at Call told me I wasn't the only one. We weren’t used to this… we healed… we all healed… By the Spirits! Leah had healed from worse… minus the venom, I was sure of it.

My ears, my neck, my face… Damn… my whole body burned crimson and I looked around the room my eyes darting from vampire to wolf… wolf to vampire and then solely on my soulmate. When they mentioned the encounter yesterday… or this morning? Damn… time was blurring. “I’m sorry,” I said softly. I was speaking to the room even if I was focused on Harper. “I’m really sorry about that. I didn’t mean… I couldn’t…”

‘Pup…’ It was Embry. ‘Breathe… it’s okay. Everyone gets it. You pulled back mid-shift… I’ve been doing this a lot longer than you… I couldn’t do that. Even Jake and Sam would struggle. What happened out there is a win kid. You’re a badarse… but Doc…’ He grinned at Harper. ‘You’re a bigger badarse for stepping up like that. Just… let him phase next time… his brothers will have his back if he does, okay? You’ll give us all grey hair.’ He chuckled.

I couldn’t help but smile tightly and nod at his words, my eyes moved to Leah briefly… her look conveyed... approval? Like she agreed with what he said. But… I couldn’t quite believe them.

But Harper’s words… settled my soul. She should have been terrified of me in that moment and she showed nothing but complete faith in me. My attention was still solely on her. Now my smile spread…

“Okay…” Then I said to the room. “But I do need to apologise for the swearing… that was… just rude.” I was serious.. and also not. Embry exploded into laughter and then explained to Emmett that I was actually serious and he joined in.

Even Edward chuckled. I took Harper’s hand. “You don’t want me to take you out of the window?” I teased. Making my way to the door with her. She was exhausted… we could get to the fun stuff on a day she could enjoy it. “Next time?” I asked with a cheeky tone and a tilt of my head.

We met Seth and Kenzi at the top of the steps, Jake and Ness on the driveway nuzzling each other and whispering about warning people before jumping out a third-story window. A car approached slowly. They pulled in, past my truck and Harper’s car… probably in a show of leaving us an easy road out.

Ness squeaked and ran to her grandparents. I whispered to Harper. “They don’t look much older than their granddaughter… but they’ve been around a lot longer than her.”

‘Renesmee, darling.’ Carlisle spoke in his silky, soothing tones. ‘We’re trying to keep everything calm and peaceful, remember?’ The giddy ball of hybrid energy was instantly tamed. Even her typically wild heart calmed down.

She led her Grandparents over to us. The four of us descended the steps, Harper’s hand in mine... ‘Grandpa… Grandma… I would like you to meet my two new Spirit Sisters.’ She looked at me, clearly overheard me using the phrase with Harper earlier. “Harper and Kenzi. And you already know the boys… Ladies, this is Carlisle and Esme Cullen.”

❂ Harper Lee Jenkins ❂

“I… I… Uhm… I am so sorry.” Now it was time for my blush to intensify with Embry’s eyes looking at me with a sweet smile. The crinkle at the edges makes him look younger than I first thought.

I pushed the rim of my glasses up the bridge of my nose. Making him laugh with a shake of his head, this time his eyes darted to my boyfriend.

It wasn’t until I dropped my gaze to our entwined hands did the thought occurred. I didn’t like hearing Collin questioning himself. And all at once I love that he did. We should all be open to learning, and that wouldn’t occur if we didn’t ask; ‘What could I have done differently.’ I did it every day at the practice. It had become a habit which didn’t need any explanation.

I also realised I wouldn’t change a thing about how we had both reacted. I recalled the pride Jake and Sam had shown in Collin, how they were impressed by his restraint. And me? I listened to my heart. Something I’d conditioned myself to stop doing. It was this man beside me who had reopened that sleeping part within, and now I didn’t want to close it off.

When I honed back into the conversation my lips curled up into a smile. Collin Littlesea apologising for using profanities. So Cute!

“From the windows?” Gaze on Collin my heart dropped, my hands feeling sweaty, with my mind racing zero to sixty in two seconds. Darting a look to the same window Ness had exited. However, the surprising part of it for me was the excitement and thrill that shot to life too. Was that something I could do too?

‘I think the doc likes the thrill too.’ Emmett teased laughing as Collin guided us out to join the others.

The chill of the breeze came rushing into my face and chest as we stood at the top of the stairs. I found myself moving closer to the heat radiating from Collin without even thinking about the action. As we stood waiting for the introductions.

“Thank you for the warning,” I whispered to Collin, I really didn’t know what to expect from the grandparents, but with Ness’s parents looking as if they were the same age. I could only imagine. I felt a cold soft hand slip into mine, entangling my fingers into hers I squeezed. Telling her I always supported her, and always will. Kenzi may have lived in this world longer than me, but it didn’t mean she didn’t feel the anxiety or fear as I did. She was my sister. Not by blood but by choice. And we knew we would face all this together.

Kenzi’s hand slipped back out of mine when Seth stepped forward with a big smile on his face. He didn’t hesitate for long, just enough to dip his head and whisper into his girlfriend’s ear, as soon as she smiled, nodding in agreement with whatever he said, they were down a few steps in front of me.

I saw the young couple with Ness, my feet frozen in place once we came to a standstill.

‘They are so young.’ Thinking about it for myself. Because I was certain I didn’t want anyone to hear. My politeness refusing to speak out of turn. It was only right for Seth and Kenzi to meet the Cullen family matriarchs before me.

At first, it was the eyes, unique to this family. The amber glistened even as the rain drizzled over us. When it was the porcelain-like skin, not a blemish to be seen. They moved like their sons, but more elegant in a way I couldn’t quantify. If I wasn’t witnessing them through my own eyes, with the knowledge I had ascertained over the last twenty-four hours. I wouldn’t believe it.

Carlisle had one arm lightly draped around his wife’s back guiding Esme. She had a gentle welcoming demeanour. The two moved instinctually, knowing just where to stop, the soft smile, open body language.

I could see Esme wanted to step up and hug Kenzi, however she stopped herself. Telling her how beautiful Kenzi was. How lucky Seth had been to find such love. She cupped Seth’s cheeks whispering something to make him shyly shift and nod. Carlisle stood to the side, taking in the conversation, he gave them his all. Smiling, as he squeezed Seth’s shoulder.

It felt as though this were a reunion of close family members. Those who are happy for your happiness, and who are joyful to share moments with you.

And then their welcoming eyes and smiles were on Collin and I. “Good afternoon, Doctor Cullen and Mrs Cullen.”

I took the initiative to hold my hand out towards Esme first. She looked to her husband who nodded, then Collin smiling before taking it. She didn’t shake it. Just held it in her cold hand Patting it with the other.

‘Please. It’s Esme. And this is Carlisle.’ She moved to the side giving her husband space to come before me.

‘Dr Harper Jenkins. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance face-to-face. I must thank you, your quick wit and ability to work under pressure saved the life of someone we all hold dearly in our hearts.’

My lips moved; however, I was stunned into silence. He was the reason Leah was alive, without his guidance, and his ability to talk me through the details I would have been lost. And yet. Did he give me praise?

I glanced to my side at Collin, feeling my blush rushing over me.

❂ Collin Littlesea ❂

I smiled watching the entire interaction… but I saw it all from the edges of my vision or in the reflection in Harper’s eyes. I smiled seeing that familiar fluster that Carlisle seemed to cause everywhere he went. He had a way of making you feel like you were the only person in the room… or… well driveway… but still. I chuckled a little when Harper looked at me before speaking. “Don’t worry, Harper. The Doc has that effect on most people. I’d tell you it wears off…. But it never did for my mom.” I laughed.

‘Ridiculous… your mother is completely infatuated with your father, Mr Littlesea.’ He stepped cautiously closer, waiting for a sign from me that I was okay with it. I extended my hand to shake his and he asked after my family. He had become familiar with us during my lengthy and frequent hospital stays. I filled him in on how everyone was… there wasn’t much to tell. Our lives were…in the words of my mother pleasantly boring since the incident with the Volturi.

‘It is so good to see you looking so strong and healthy Collin.’ Esme smiled. She frequently visited the children’s ward at the hospital…

‘Yes… your recovery continues to be a singular event in all the data I have collected on the Spirit Warriors.’ His curious mind never stopped.

‘This is the part where he asks you for another blood sample.’ Esme teased her husband.

“Of course… If it's okay with Sam.” I told him… And I looked at Harper. I would need to make sure she wasn’t around for it… or maybe she should be. Would it be good for her to understand how these things might impact her? I shook my head. Of course, it would be… but after everything she had been through in the last twenty-four hours, it might not be the best time. She had endured so much already.

‘Perhaps… But first.’ He gave me that same dazzling, empathic, understanding smile he had given Harper. ‘May I borrow your clever, young imprint so that we can go and see our patient?’

I nodded and looked at Harper, smiling before I leaned in to kiss her cheek. “I’ll be right behind you,” I whispered. Everyone would have heard… but at least she would know it was meant for her alone.

The Cullen patriarch led Harper inside, telling her all about how her expertise with canine medicine was going to be invaluable in their efforts to heal Leah. We all followed, I put my hand on Seth’s shoulder… things were about to get serious again and it was his sister in that hospital bed.

Last night Leah’s life was saved.

Now… the hard road to a full recovery began

[renee-writer]

Awake Chapter 159 Six Weeks

AO3

Time passed and despite the near constant fear they all lived under, life went on.

 

The twins are almost two and a party is planned for them. Their parents are inviting Renee and Phil. They need to get reacquainted with the boys and meet Faith. With all the vampires and werewolves in the house, it is also the perfect time. They will be safe.

 

Before this though, another event that Bella and Jacob were looking forward to takes place, her postpartum exam. They arrange for the children to spend a few hours with the Cullen’s after.

 

“If this to awkward, we can have Sam and Em watch them.” Bella offered earlier that week.

 

“And deny Rose the chance of hours with the children? I think not.”

 

“It isn’t Rose I am concerned about.”

 

“I know. He knows what this appointment is means. You are married, a point he also understands.”

 

“Understanding and being okay with it are to separate things.”

 

“True. I can’t say he is okay with it, not fully. In time, maybe. He will still want the children here. He trusts us over the wolves, no offense.”

 

“Nine taken. I get it. So it isn’t a problem?”

 

“Not at all. You come by for the appointment, leave the children with us and come get them later.”  He is smiling.

 

That is what they are doing today. Extra diapers are packed for all, bottles of breast milk for Faith. She still isn’t taken the bottle very well. Bella will nurse her before she leaves. The bottle is just a precaution. They plan on being back before she needs to eat again. It has been three months though and they are still newlyweds.

 

“You are fully healed.”

 

“That is good.”

 

“As these pregnancy was very difficult, I am glad as your physician and friend to see you and Faith doing so well.”

 

“Me too.”

 

“Do you plan on any more pregnancies?”

 

She doesn’t have to think about it. “Not any time soon.”

 

“Good. Your body needs time to heal, to fully recover and strengthen. Same as before, as you are nursing, barrier methods only. Use them religiously.”

 

“Yes we will. Thanks Carlisle.” She hugs him.

 

“You are quite welcome. Though this  I  am not the only one to thank. I had nothing to do with her delivery .”

 

“True. Where is he?”

 

“With Rose and the children, I believe.”

 

“I will talk to him on the way out.”

 

“Don’t worry about the children. They will be fine.”

 

“We know. Thanks again for the alone time.” Jacob says.

 

“You’re welcome. Thank you for letting Rose play mommy for awhile.”

 

At reaching the living room, the boys run up to them.

 

“Hello, my loves. Have you been good?” She bends down and hugs then to herself.

 

“Yes, stay and play?” Samuel asks.

 

“Oh yes you can.” His daddy’s smile is wide.

 

“All is well then.” Edward asks.

 

“Very well due partly to you. The way you delivered Faith so easily. Thank you Edward.”

 

“You are welcome Bella. God deserves the thanks. I had no idea what I was doing.”

 

“Thank You God for using his hands to safely deliver her.” She turns to Rose, “I need to nurse her before I leave.” Once she is done, she hands her to Rose to burp.

 

“Boys, mommy and daddy will be back in a little while. You guys have fun but obey  your aunties and uncles.” She gave them hugs and kisses.

 

“We love you.” Samuel says while Solomon nods. Their daddy also says goodbye.

 

Carlisle watching from the doorway, frowns when , once again, Samuel speaks for them both with Solomon nodding along.

 

“You guys have fun. Take your time. They are fine.” Rose is grinning.

 

“Thanks Rose.”

 

“Thanks Rose.” Jacob has a huge smile. Bella catches Edwards eye and sees the wistfulness, what could have been. She gives him a sad smile as she walks out, hand in hand, with her husband.

 

Carlisle studies the twins as they interact. He then walks in and takes Solomon to the side away from Samuel and all else.

 

“Solomon, are you having fun?” Solomon looks over to Samuel and Carlisle gently moves his face  back to his, “Uncle Carlisle isn’t asking Samuel. I am asking Solomon. Are you having fun?” He nods.

 

“Use your words. Solomon tells Uncle Carlisle, yes or no, using his voice.”

 

He nods again but won’t speak.

 

“Okay. Go play with your brother.”

 

“What is it, Carlisle? What is wrong with him?” Edward asks.

 

“It might just be a twin thing with him relaying on Samuel to speak for him, for them both. I am going to suggest to Bella and Jacob that they have some time apart. See if that helps.”

 

“If it doesn’t ?”

 

Carlisle hesitates then sighs. “He may be autistic.”

 

“Autism? That isn’t good.”

 

“No, but caught early there is stuff they can do. We can also help.”

 

“I pray it is just a twin thing.”

 

“Me too son.”

[casspurrjoybell-18]

The Vanilla Scented Rogue

*Warning Adult Content*

Chapter 8: Scared

B E N E D I C T - S T A P L E T O N

I groaned as I listened to the girl talk to Adam, who was her mate, as I found out from her constant need to spark a conversation. Adam on the other hand kept quiet, the girl named Aaliyah's hand in his, as we walked down to Ashton's cell. Ever since Aaliyah started screaming about Ashton still being alive, she's been constantly chattering about Ashton and all that he does for her. From how she talks about him, I would assume that he was a nice enough guy but then I remember he's still a fucking rogue.

I couldn't exactly kill Adam and Aaliyah, yet even though I desperately wanted too, since they knew Ashton better than anybody did and Beatrix is sort of forcing me to get to know the flea-bag. So sadly, I've decided to keep Adam and Aaliyah alive for now so I could figure out more about my lying mate, who I found out was named Ashton and not Micheal. Aaliyah didn't seem to care that her life could end at any moment or that she was in enemy territory.

She was talking to Adam and I about how she was excited to make sure Ashton was safe. Adam, as I've said, kept quiet, listening to his annoying, if not beautiful raven-haired mate. Although his mate didn't value her life enough to shut up, Adam has been cautious of me and my territory, since he got here. The two were the only ones who were spared earlier, sadly their Alpha, whose name I learned was Jacob, tried to sneak away from Sam and ended up with a bullet in his back which meant I didn't have the pleasure of killing him myself.

"You lied," I stated as I stood outside of Ashton's cell, successfully cutting off Aaliyah and her ten minute rant.

The thick bars were creating a barrier between us but his smell remained strong. I narrowed my eyes at the boy in front of me who was curled into a ball on the floor, my eyes catching on his blood stained shirt. His head was hidden in his knees as he laid on the floor, his arms wrapped around his legs as he pulled them into his chest.

I looked at the boy in front of me before sighing when I realized the boy was sleeping. I studied his position, my wolf howling for him. I bit the inside of my cheek before pulling a key from my pocket and sticking it into the lock, turning it before letting it swing open. I stood in front of the entrance, unable to move as I watched him sleep.

I soon looked away from the boy when I heard a cough behind me, moving out of the way so Adam and Aaliyah could enter the small cell. Adam didn't seem to care when he saw Ashton, his face still completely emotionless while his mate's was the complete opposite. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she looked at Ashton laying on the floor.

"Ash," she said loud enough so that Ashton could wake up from his slumber.

He sat up quickly, immediately looking over to the three of us. He pressed his back against the wall as he crisscrossed his legs, staring up at Aaliyah. His eyes were wide as he saw Aaliyah and Adam standing beside me. I shut the door soon after leaving the cell, immediately locking it so the three of them, had no way of escaping.

"Did you plan to stay here forever? Lying your ass off at every opportunity just so I wouldn't kill you?" I asked, as I leant against the thick cell bars.

Adam on the other hand was leaning against the clawed wall as his mate started to take small steps towards Ashton. She acted like she couldn't believe what was in front of her, like she couldn't believe he was still alive. I heard a breath escape Aaliyah's lips before she ran the rest of the way towards Ashton, sitting on his lap when she reached him.

I growled at the contact between the two, immediately trying to cover it with a forced cough. Aaliyah's arms were wrapped around his neck while he wrapped his arms around her small waist. I heard small sobs escape Aaliyah's lips as Ashton whispered...

'It's okay, Aaliyah. I'm okay,' over and over again.

Ashton didn't answer me, nor did he show any signs of actually listening to me, he just hugged Aaliyah like his life depended on it. He just remained at the back of the cell, sitting against the back wall with his legs crossed as Aaliyah hugged him tightly while still placed on his lap. The sight of her on his lap made my eyes narrow and my anger rise, my wolf screaming at me to rip the two apart so they wouldn't be touching anymore.

"You lied to me. Why?" I growled making Aaliyah jump up from her spot and hurry to Adam side, hiding in his arms.

To my surprise, he actually responded without me having to demand him to answer me.

"Why would I tell you the truth?" he asked, looking at me with his eyebrows raised. "You would have killed me right away and then gone after my pack."

Steam was practically coming out of my ears as I stared at him, his voice calming me and angering me at the same time. Aaliyah whimpered as she tried to disappear in Adam's arms, the muscular man humming softly to try and calm her. I growled when Ashton smirked at me, trying desperately to hide the fact that he was still in pain.

I could feel my eyes glowing as I unlocked the door once again, pushing it open before slamming it shut, locking the four of us in the tiny space. I stepped towards Ashton, looking down at him as he stood from his spot on the ground with shaky legs.

"Yeah, well I already killed your pack, I scoffed, glaring down at my 'mate'.

"These two fleabags, are just here because I want answers," I replied, as I pointed at the annoying couple.

"Well, I'm sorry but we're not telling you anything," he replied, looking up at me, his eyes staring straight into mine.

I growled as I stepped forward, our chests touching as he glared up at me. I almost jumped back because of the sparks touching him created but my anger was clouding the feelings being his mate created.

"You don't scare me," he spoke, confidently.

"No? It doesn't scare you that I killed those you loved? That I could kill you anytime I want?" I growled.

"No," he replied. "I will never be scared of you."

I grit my teeth as I looked down at him, my anger rising as my wolf yelled at me to touch him. I took a step back before walking towards the cell door, the intoxicating boy scoffing behind me as I unlocked the door.

"Sir, where are you going?" I heard Aaliyah say quietly as I walked out of the cell, locking all three of them together so they can all rot down here as disgusting filthy rogues.

[bookoformon]

Venturing Forth: Nephi 1.

Idolatry is generally considered the reason Nephi left Jerusalem in 600 BCE. If we use logic from Judaism, this means “everyone started doing their own thing and Godliness left the Holy City.”

We will study the Book of Mormon much like we study the Torah, looking at the Hebrew Terms in English and translating all symbols and memes into an action plan or explanation for a life that is well-practiced.

The Book of Mormon, like the Torah is studied in Four Directions, identified with Four Cities or realms, which are named below:

North= What is hidden by God. Subconscious. “Nephi”

East= Awareness. Conscious. “Bountiful”

South= Maturity. Intelligent. “Zarahemla”

West= AKA Realization. Enlightened. “The City by the Sea”. = by the Mediterranean in the Torah, “Where we see the greatness in ourselves.”

As for the 600 BC comment, this refers to the number of ways the soul can realize itself, try and fail in order to achieve greater depth. This is consistent with Nephi’s need to sojourn:

As we have already said, a person is obligated to learn Torah on all four levels. Now, there are only 600,000 souls…

There are stages in the evolution of the descent of the souls into the world. First there were the three patriarchs. Then there were the seventy souls of the house of Jacob (Ex. 1:5). The sixty myriads of souls come next, due to miraculous fertility during the centuries in Egypt.

But don't we see a lot more Jews than six hundred thousand roaming the face of the earth?! How could there be only six hundred thousand? The answer is that each one is like a grand tree root from which stems out many branches/souls. Thus many people in bodies share the same soul root. If you feel especially connected with certain individuals, this is a sign that you share with them a mutual source.

From this we see how important each individual is! Each of these souls has its own original, custom made connection to the four ways of learning. Therefore, no matter how much Torah has already been written, there is always place for you to come along and give the world new ideas!

The number 600 itself is Hebrew, אֶפֶסאֶפֶס ו‎, which means "And Ephesus," AKA "And so it begins..."

There are 15 Books in the Book of Mormon. They were conceived by the angels, and given to the Prophet by the Father and the Son within 12 Temporal and 12 Spiritual Nephite Plates, some are Greater, some are Lesser, and another set of what are called Jaredite Plates which are 34 and 34.

The Prophet Mormon along with others claim there are a set of Secret Plates which are found within proper decryption of the former. The Book of Mormon was written in a language called Reformed Egyptian, a mixture of English and Hebrew. To understand Reformed Egyptian and continue to decrypt the Plates one must carefully understand how the terminologies in English and Hebrew comprise this new format. Around the time the Book of Mormon was written there was an immense revival of interest in the Hebrew language and the Book of Mormon was no doubt a party to it.

In addition to the juggling of English and Hebrew contained within Reformed Egyptian, Hebew itself is problematic in that it is alpha numeric. Every word is also a number and has to be translated several ways in order to find the best interpretation of the passages in which it is found. This process called Gematria appears throughout this forum.

The Book of Mormon begins with the Book of Nephi which means "spiritually psychic" in Hebrew.

THE FIRST BOOK OF NEPHI

HIS REIGN AND MINISTRY

An account of Lehi “The Jaw” and his wife Sariah “the chief satellite of Yah”, and his four sons, being called, (beginning at the eldest) Laman “responds to the yoke” , Lemuel “to dream or to surpass from hlm in Hebrew), Sam (manos, to flee to a refuge), and Nephi “extraordinary”.

= “An accounting spoken of by the chief Prophet of Yah to the current generation: Respond to the law! Yoke yourself to your humanity, and dream of a refuge for extraordinary young people.”

The Lord warns Lehi to depart out of the land of Jerusalem, because he prophesieth unto the people concerning their iniquity and they seek to destroy his life. He taketh three days’ journey into the wilderness with his family. Nephi taketh his brethren and returneth to the land of Jerusalem after the record of the Jews.

The account of their sufferings. They take the daughters of Ishmael to wife.

Ishmael= To hear, to respond to obey.

His Daughters:

Mahalath= lament

Basemath= precious or pure, sweet smelling

They take their families and depart into the wilderness. Their sufferings and afflictions in the wilderness. The course of their travels. They come to the large waters. Nephi’s brethren rebel against him. He confoundeth them, and buildeth a ship. They call the name of the place Bountiful.

They cross the large waters into the promised land, and so forth. This is according to the account of Nephi; or in other words, I, Nephi, wrote this record.

Wilderness is ownerless, so now we see the Persona in the Book of Mormon is leaving the past behind and through “hearing, obeying, and responding” transform what is as yet inconceivable within himself, what he laments, into something essential and pure of wildness.

CHAPTER 1

Nephi begins the record of his people—Lehi sees in vision a pillar of fire and reads from a book of prophecy—He praises God, foretells the coming of the Messiah, and prophesies the destruction of Jerusalem—He is persecuted by the Jews. About 600 B.C.

1 I, Nephi, having been aborn of bgoodly cparents, therefore I was dtaught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many eafflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a frecord of my proceedings in my days.

2 Yea, I make a record in the alanguage of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians.

3 And I know that the record which I make is atrue; and I make it with mine own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge.

4 For it came to pass in the commencement of the afirst year of the reign of bZedekiah, king of Judah, (my father, Lehi, having dwelt at cJerusalem in all his days); and in that same year there came many dprophets, prophesying unto the people that they must erepent, or the great city fJerusalem must be destroyed.

Zedek= Adonai is Righteous, the Lord of Justice.

Iah= Yah, “The Great God.”

"The Lord of Justice told the people of the Great City 'repent or be destroyed'."

5 Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, “the Jawbone”  as he went forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his aheart, in behalf of his people.

6 And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a apillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and heard much; and because of the things which he saw and heard he did bquake and tremble exceedingly.

7 And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being aovercome with the Spirit and the things which he had seen.

The Pillar of Fire is associated with the onset of puberty; to be cast on one’s bed by the Spirit in Fear of the unknown is consistent with the rest of the Chapter. All trouble starts when the mouth of the adolescent undergoing puberty falls under the influences of the wicked. The 12 appear in the same vision and tell Lehi to attitude himself like them by reading instead:

Naturally, the ego seeks to preserve itself at all costs. It will permit only such pursuits that are self-enhancing. Knowledge, it fancies, is a possession, an acquisition. But the fire of Torah has no owners. It cannot be possessed but possesses those who study it, filling them with awe, wonder and zeal. So how is the teacher of chasiddut to attract his students to that which we human beings are innately resistant?

8 And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away in a avision, even that he saw the bheavens open, and he thought he csaw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God.

9 And it came to pass that he saw One descending out of the midst of heaven, and he beheld that his aluster was above that of the sun at noon-day. [Noon is the same thing as going SOUTH]. To go South and Noon is to wake up and grow up at the same time:

10 And he also saw atwelve others following him, and their brightness did exceed that of the stars in the firmament.

11 And they came down and went forth upon the face of the earth; and the first came and astood before my father, and gave unto him a bbook, and bade him that he should read.

12 And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled with the aSpirit of the Lord.

The Twelve are the same thing as the 12 Noble Skills found in the Torah. They are:

The 12 are the Twelve Noble Skills of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. They are:

from the tribe of Reuben, Shammua [desolation] son of Zakkur [mindfulness];

Leadership and mindfulness overcome carelessness.

5 from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat [the governor] son of Hori [authority].

From the Law comes government and authority.

6 from the tribe of Judah, Caleb [dog] son of Jephunneh [to turn the corner];

Honor turns the dog into a man.

7 from the tribe of Issachar , Igal son of Joseph;

Friendship redeems defamation and makes men fruitful.

8 from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea [salvation] son of Nun [faith];

Prosperity and salvation are the provinces of those faithful to these torahs.

9 from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti [delivers] son of Raphu [heals];

Righteousness delivers and heals.

10 from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel [fortune] son of Sodi [council];

Cities of honor are governed by talented councils.

11 from the tribe of Manasseh (a tribe of Joseph), Gaddi [fortune] son of Susi [swiftly];

Abandon flawed practices of the past and ride to fortune swiftly.

12 from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel [kinsman] son of Gemalli [passes over];

Good Judgement is akin to passing over [the mountain].

13 from the tribe of Asher, Sethur [passed over] son of Michael;

Happiness from passing over is a gift of God.

14 from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi [spokesperson] son of Vophsi [yah's abundance];

Governors must be outspoken about injustice.

15 from the tribe of Gad, Geuel [who flowers] son of Maki [passed over, flowers].

Civilization flowers when men cross over.

"My Strength son of the Field of Light was in command."

13 And he read, saying: Wo, wo, unto Jerusalem, for I have seen thine aabominations! Yea, and many things did my father read concerning bJerusalem—that it should be destroyed, and the inhabitants thereof; many should perish by the sword, and many should be ccarried away captive into Babylon.

14 And it came to pass that when my father had read and seen many great and marvelous things, he did exclaim many things unto the Lord; such as: Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty! Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy apower, and goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth; and, because thou art merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who bcome unto thee that they shall perish!

15 And after this manner was the language of my father in the praising of his God; for his soul did rejoice, and his whole heart was filled, because of the things which he had seen, yea, which the Lord had shown unto him.

16 And now I, Nephi, do not make a full account of the things which my father hath written, for he hath written many things which he saw in avisions and in bdreams; and he also hath written many things which he cprophesied and spake unto his children, of which I shall not make a full account.

17 But I shall make an account of my proceedings in my days. Behold, I make an aabridgment of the record of my bfather, upon cplates which I have made with mine own hands; wherefore, after I have abridged the record of my dfather then will I make an account of mine own life.

18 Therefore, I would that ye should know, that after the Lord had shown so many marvelous things unto my father, Lehi, yea, concerning the adestruction of Jerusalem, behold he went forth among the people, and began to bprophesy and to declare unto them concerning the things which he had both seen and heard.

19 And it came to pass that the aJews did bmock him because of the things which he testified of them; for he truly testified of their cwickedness and their abominations; and he testified that the things which he saw and heard, and also the things which he read in the book, manifested plainly of the coming of a dMessiah, and also the redemption of the world.

20 And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had acast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also bsought his life, that they might take it away. But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender cmercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of ddeliverance.

…

The Jews were prisoners in Egypt because they listened to the wrong person say the wrong things. They rejected reason until Moses and the Pillar of Fire showed up and told them how to behave like decent human beings. Deliverance is for these persons not for the rest. “I will make them mighty unto deliverance.” For this one needs to read the Book and venture out.

[lovelyladyabsinthewrites]

Love Song for a Vampire Pt.5

Pairing(s): Edward Cullen x Wolf!Reader, Edward Cullen x Bella Swan, Jacob Black x Bella Swan

Warnings: none really

Words: 2446

Summary: Edward breaks the news to Bella about you imprinting on him. Alice comforts you.

Part 1    Part 2    Part 3    Part 4   Part 6   Part 7  Part 8  Part 9  Part 10  Part 11  Part 12  Part 13  Part 14  Part 15  Part 16  Part 17  Part 18  Part 19  Part 20  Part 21  Part 22  Part 23  Part 24  Part 25  Part 26  Part 27  Part 28  Part 29  Part 30  Part 31  Part 32  Part 33  Part 34  Part 35  Part 36  Part 37  Part 38  Part 39  Part 40(series finale) 

After examining (y/n), Carlisle left her in his study to take a nap and rest. Poor thing looked so weary that he didn’t have the heart to let her return to La Push in that state.

He softly closed the door and immediately was confronted by a concerned Edward. “Well? How is she? Will she be okay?” Brows knitted tightly as he tried to look past his adoptive father.

“Calm down Edward. She will be fine. The drug is already passing through her. There’s nothing more we can do but let her rest.” Footsteps coming up the stairs has both of the vampires turning.

Sam Uely stopped at the top, having overheard Carlisle’s diagnosis. Relief showed on his face. He too was clearly exhausted from the whole event. Being much larger than his packmate, the drug had passed through Sam much faster. The witch who had poisoned them had made both of the dosages with Sam’s size in mind.

Reading his mind, Edward faces him. “Let her rest here for the night. It would be better for her.”

“I don’t mean to offend you after all you have done for us, but I think it would be best for (y/n) to return with me. We can better watch over her there in case anything happens. She needs to be with her pack.”

“She needs rest.” Edward persisted. “You’ll wake her up if you move her. Let her sleep and she can return to La Push when she wakes up. Alice bought enough supplies for her so that she may be comfortable.”

Sam squared up in front of Edward, nearly towering over the vampire. Dark eyes narrow at him. “You do know why she went to that god forsaken place to begin with, right? I hardly think being around you will be good for her.”

A wave of calm swept over there, even making Sam stagger at the sudden sensation. Agitated that someone was controlling how he felt, Sam snaps his head at Jasper who was following him up the stairs. The blonde’s face was smooth with no hint of emotion behind it as he regarded the alpha.

“We only have (y/n)’s best interests at heart.” Jasper replied.

Sam growled out “Don’t do that. Don’t use your vampire power on me.”

He lowers his honey eyes. “I’m sorry but I know what happens when your kind can’t control their emotions.”

Offended, Sam could only grit his teeth as his anger was being dulled. “I know how to control my emotions.”

“Please, just let her rest. I swear to you that no harm will come to her.” Edward pleads with him.

Simply shaking his head, Sam glares at Edward with all the hate in the world. “Harm will always come to her if it involves you.” With that he shoulders his way past Jasper and walks out the front door.

“Boy, he sure does know how to show gratitude.” Emmett mumbles from the base of the stairs, looking at the open front door where Sam had just stormed out of. Beside him stood his mate Rosalie, her shoulders folded in front of her chest.

“Good riddance to him.” She glowers. “Now, what’s this about a wolf staying here?”

“Ah c’mon Rose.” Her brawny mate tries to pull her into a hug, but she is quick to step away from him.

Edward splays his hands on the hand rail as he sets his foot on the first step. “It’s only for a little bit until (y/n) wakes up.”

She shoots a frown up at Edward. “You’re kidding, right? She’ll stink up the whole place.”

Rolling his eyes, he walks down the stairs until he’s positioned right next to Jasper. “She doesn’t smell that bad. Not like the others.”

That makes Jasper arch an eyebrow. “She’s a nice girl and all, but a wolf’s a wolf. She smells just like any of them.”

“I have to agree dude.” Emmett smiles up. “She smells like a little dirty puppy.”

“Can you guys be a little more quieter? It’s rude to talk about our guest like that when she’s a few feet away.” Carlisle reprimands his “children”. “I’m sure she wouldn’t appreciate hearing people talk about how she smells.”

Outside the house could be heard the engine of Bella’s old truck as she pulled into the driveway. Edward tensed at the knowledge that his girlfriend was there unexpectedly.

He still hadn’t told her about (y/n) having imprinted on him. Everyone looked at Edward, knowing all of this full well.

“You have to tell her, Edward.” The eldest Cullen reminded him. “She needs to know.”

“Does she though? The mutt just has a little crush on him.” Rosalie said, watching Bella as she opened her truck door and got out.

Edward shakes his head. “It’s more than that, Rose. Imprinting. . . is so much more.” Dreading the conversation that was about to be had, he makes his way down the stairs; passing his siblings as they all gave him sympathetic looks.

His human girl hops up the steps, turning her dark brown eyes up at him. There was worry shining in them after the way he up and left her. Worry and questions that she was determined to get answers to. That was one thing about Bella that Edward didn’t necessarily care for, she was incredibly stubborn to figure things out.

Chewing the inside of his cheek, Edward meets her at the threshold. She seemed hesitant to be the first to speak, but she took a small inhale and began. “Is (y/n) okay?”

Edward nods and moves out of her way. “Come inside. We need to talk.”

That phrase was a universal one that entailed something was not right. Even Bella knew this as she looked at him for a few seconds before tilting her face downward and walking past him. The others had already vacated their positions near the stairs but Edward could see Emmett peeking from behind the living room’s french doors. He retreated back once he had been discovered.

Up the stairs, Edward found it hard not to glance at the door to Carlisle’s study where (y/n) slept soundly. Inside of his room, Edward closed the door but it might as well have been a futile effort. Everyone else in the house had supernatural hearing and would be able to easily hear him talk to Bella.

“What’s wrong?” She immediately asked, watching nervously as Edward paced the length of his room. Bella had never seen him so restless before.

“A lot is wrong, Bella.” How would he start? Should he just flat out tell her? That seemed the easiest route to take. “Bells. . . (y/n) has imprinted on me.”

It didn’t make him feel any better saying it out loud. In fact it felt like his throat swelled up.

Bella stumbled over words that were trying to come out. Bewildered and conflicted, all she could do was stare at him. “Wha. . .” She sits down on the edge of the bed Edward never used. What would a bedroom be without a bed though? Her head was spinning as Edward’s had when he first found out. “But that means. . .”

“I know. . .”

She glances over at him. “You’re her soulmate. . .?”

Her voice was so full of pain that he right away regretted telling her. But Carlisle was right. It needed to be done so that the both of them could work it out. Edward still loved Bella so much. Now. . . after the way (y/n) had tearfully confessed to him how much she didn’t want to love him. . .

That poor girl’s confession resonated deeply with Edward. He couldn’t deny that he didn’t feel anything for (y/n). He wouldn’t lie to Bella like that.

“She went to a witch to try and stop it. . . (y/n) got hurt in the process as well as Sam Uely. I had to go save her. She only went because of me. Because. . . Because she doesn’t want me to be her soulmate.”

“Jacob’s told me about imprinting, Edward. This is serious.” Bella’s voice quivered as she put her hands onto opposite elbows, holding herself. “You’re HER soulmate. There’s no escaping that. So. . . where does that put me. . . ?”

“I don’t know. . .”

**

You didn’t know how long you had been sleeping, but to be honest it was the best sleep you had had in quite a while. When you awoke you felt utterly refreshed as you stretched your limbs.

Then it hit you.

The vampire stench.

That sickening sweet scent that was almost too much for you. Their scent was worse than that of the witch’s home.

Sitting up, you cover your nose and examine your surroundings until your gaze fell upon a large painting behind Carlisle’s desk. You stand up and venture over to it. Four beautiful men were immortalized in the painting, one you knew to be Carlisle himself. The other three had red eyes: vampires. The painting looked centuries old by the way the brush strokes were laid out.

Footsteps approaching the study door made you twitch and turn around.

“Knock, knock, can I come in?” Came a sweet, chirping voice.

“Um. . . yes?”

The door slowly opened to reveal a petite girl with brown hair in the style of a pixie cut. Her face was round, simply adorable as she smiles your way. “How are you feeling (y/n)?” In her hands is a tray filled with food and a glass of orange juice.

“Good I guess.” You can’t help but sniff at the food, stomach growling as the smell of the food overpowered that of the vampires.

She happily sets it down on the desk. “Eat up. You must be hungry after all you went through.”

“How long have I been asleep?”

“Not too long. Probably around three hours. Give or take.” She notices your hesitation despite the fact that you were hungry. The last time you had accepted food or drink from a stranger you ended up paralyzed. With an understanding smile, she backs away a few inches. “Don’t worry. I didn’t do anything to it. By the way, my name’s Alice. Edward’s sister. Well. . . adoptive sister I guess.”

“Nice to meet you. . .”

Alice sits down on the loveseat that you had been previously occupying while you guzzled down the orange juice. “It’s nice to finally meet you too. The vision I had about you worried me. It didn’t seem like you guys would get out alive.”

You frown, fork in hand. “Vision?”

She winks at you and tells you “I can see into the future. You know, kind of like how Edward can read minds. Some vampires have special abilities. Normally I can’t see the future if it involves your kind though. You were a special case I guess.”

“Guess I should really be thanking you then. If you hadn’t seen our future, Sam and I would probably be dead by now.” That fact scared you and you absentmindedly touch the wound on your cheek. It was covered with a soft gauze.

Alice’s smile fell a bit. “Jasper told me. . . whatever attacked you guys wasn’t a human or even a vampire. He said it looked like a woman but at the same time kind of like a bird too. . .”

You shiver remembering Xiomara’s face and her glassy, black, eyes. That had been the most terrifying thing you had ever seen in your entire life.

“Sorry. . . It’s probably something you don’t want to think about quite yet.” She murmurs and clams up.

You shake your head. “No, it’s okay. It was terrifying, but I’m still alive. Thanks to you.”

At that she smiles. Alice’s sweet gold eyes dim a little as they slowly glance back at the door. “Edward’s really trying to fix things. He knows that this isn’t easy for you.”

“I know. He’s a good guy. I feel bad for complicating his life.”

She rolls her eyes. “His life was already complicated with Bella. I don’t want to speak out of place, but maybe you’re just what he needs. . . Him and Bella have been through so much because she’s human. I know that eventually she does want Edward to turn her, but he’s incredibly hesitant to do so. Being a vampire isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. We live for centuries as we watch helplessly those that we used to love die in a blink of an eye. It’s a tough adjustment too. As a newborn it’s so hard to get back into a world that is suddenly so foreign to us. We no longer belong in that world.” Her voice is far off, even solemn as if she’s remembering her life as a human. It’s then you realize how sad being an immortal vampire truly is. Many didn’t ask for that life

Hopeful eyes turn up. “As much as I like Bella, in all honesty I believe Edward is better off with you. At least you have some understanding what it’s like to not be completely human.”

“I. . .” You were at a loss for words looking at a vulnerable Alice who had just shared a piece of herself. Yes, you were still at least somewhat human. Shapeshifters did age different than humans though. Your life would be longer than your human friends, if not by 20 years. You would age slower than the rest 0f them and be subject to watch them die.

“You don’t have to say anything. I know I sprung this up on you so suddenly. Just. . . Don’t give up. I may not easily be able to see your future, but in the end I know you’ll be good for Edward. Love isn’t always easy, (y/n).” Alice sighs and gets up. “Maybe I’ve spoken out of place. . . But Edward’s my brother and I want him to be happy. With everything that’s going on with Victoria and the Volturi. . .” Instead of finishing that thought she shakes her head. “Anyway, Carlisle says you can return home whenever you want.” It was hard to swallow down the food in your mouth after what Alice had said. You had come to terms with Edward never reciprocating your feelings. Now. . .

You wanted to tell Alice that she was wrong. That there was no way in hell that Edward would choose you over Bella. The expression of pure hopefulness had you biting your tongue though. She left without another word, leaving you to ponder over your meal.

[little-diable]

I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry - Winchesters x reader (smut)

All my “tell me a story bingo” imagines are inspired by Grimm’s fairytales. This one is inspired by the fairytale “Cinderella”, written by the brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, published in 1812. The imagine is only loosely based on the original story, it focuses on the message and the warning the brothers tried to deliver, putting it into a modern perspective. The reaper will be our steady companion in this series, so prepare for a dark, wild ride. Most of the imagines will be crime stories. Enjoy my loves. xxx

A/N: My TMAS Bingo imagines haven’t done that well and I know angst isn’t a popular genre on my Tumblr, but if you enjoyed reading this - please reblog and like. This could be confusing if you haven't read the other imagines (especially "Rapunzel" and "Hensel and Gretel").

Summary: The reader leaves the brothers after a fight. She meets a stranger who seems awfully familiar. While he abducts her, the brothers are forced to give into the man's game.

Warnings: 18+, jealousy, smut, threesome, double penetration, unprotected sex, kidnapping, blood, murder (no character death), angst, open ending, but that will explain itself once the series is finished.

Pairing: Dean Winchester x fem!reader x Sam Winchester

@supernatural-jackles TMAS bingo square filled: Slow burn

Word count: around 4.4k

Series Masterlist

“A shoe?” (Y/n) was kneeling next to Dean, eyes studying the blood-covered shoe that was lying on the ground. Sam was towering over them, thumbing through his notes as neither of them spoke another word, trying to figure out what was going on.

They had found their way to this town a few hours ago, as the sun was still rolling around the sky, warming them with her dancing rays of light. By now, it was dark, hiding them in the shadows of the night. Newspaper articles have told the story of a girl cut into pieces, with one of her toes cut off and her head nowhere to be found.

“But why only one? Why this shoe?” All three of them were confused, not understanding what had happened, not understanding why the girl had been forced to suffer. While Sam had tried to find a supernatural explanation to the case, (y/n) had found herself wondering if this wasn’t just another crime scene with a killer on the loose.

“It almost looks like the shoe I lost back in the forest.” (Y/n) murmured, not hearing Dean’s reply as she thought back to the night in the forest, how she had watched Dean pull the trigger, leading the kidnapped kids out of the forest, wanting to leave the town behind.

“We should see if we can get the Sheriff to talk to us. Something about this seems off, don’t you think?” A groan spilt from Dean’s lips as he rose from his position. He looked tired, utterly exhausted. The past weeks had been filled with cases, and traveling from one state to another, hoping to find some quieter days in the upcoming month.

“We will start with this tomorrow, but for now, I need to get drunk."

—

The bar was crowded enough for the three of them to blend in with the others, hiding away in the back of the room with their hands wrapped around their beer bottles. Silence engulfed them as they let their eyes wander, caught in their thoughts and the confusion that kept fogging up their minds.

“Do you think there will be another victim?” The group of girls - who were sitting in the booth next to theirs - kept chatting about the case, wondering who the murderer was and if one of them could be the next target. The three hunters tried to keep their mouths shut, not wanting to make a scene as they would silence the rambling girls.

(Y/n)’s eyes kept wandering through the room, always finding their way back to the man that was sitting near the bar. His dark green eyes seemed to pull her in, taunting her with his handsome features.

With every word that kept passing the girls lips, (y/n) grew angrier, not understanding how they could be that insensitive. Her eyes kept searching Dean’s and Sam’s, hoping that the two would understand that she wanted to leave without her having to speak her thoughts out loud. But neither Dean nor Sam moved, wanting to listen to the girls, hoping that they would name any suspects, anything they could work with, but the feeling of (y/n)’s boot meeting their shins ripped them out of their thoughts, eyes darkening as she smirked at them.

“You guys aren’t from here, are you?” One of the girls started leaning her upper body closer to the brothers, batting her eyelashes at them. (Y/n) knew the game all too well, the boys would turn away from her, allowing the girls to pull them into a conversation, only to leave the bar with them when enough alcohol would buzz through their veins. Leaving (y/n) behind with her broken heart.

Ever since she had met the two in college, her heart had called out to Dean and Sam, wanting to form a bond with the brothers. But falling for a Winchester had never been smart - let alone two at the same time. So, (y/n) had accepted that even though she wasn't able to share her love with the two, she would give in to their touches, wanting to find comfort with their bodies tangled and her heart screaming in agony.

Anger flooded through her as Dean began to rise from his seat, finding his way to the girls' booth, not sparing (y/n) another glance. It won't take long for Sam to follow him, squeezing (y/n)’s shoulder as if he was saying goodbye for the night.

The sound of high pitched laughter echoed through the bar, and with her lips pulled into a thin line, (y/n) rose from her position, leaving the boys behind. Neither Dean nor Sam seemed to care about her disappearance - at least that’s what she thought. (Y/n) didn’t feel Dean’s eyes burn into her back, following her every move. But it took till she found herself pulled into a conversation by a handsome man - smiling at him with her beer placed on the bar - for Dean and Sam to make their way back to her.

“Are you ready to leave, sweetheart?” Her heart involuntarily skipped a few beats, eyes finding Dean’s, not picking up on the warning laced in his gaze.

“We were just having a conversation, man,” the stranger began to argue, but the way Sam stepped closer to him seemed to shut him up, not caring enough about the woman to fight the two men. An almost pathetic huff left (y/n) as she shook Dean’s hand off her shoulder, storming past the two, out into the cold night.

Her heart was screaming, her mind confused, not finding her way out of the mess she found herself trapped in. Oh, how she wanted to cry her pain out into the night, turning her back on the brothers she loved more than spring loved the sun, desperate to feel her warmth on the green ground.

“Relax, will you? Jesus, what is  going on with you?” The words rolled off Dean’s tongue as he walked past her, towards Baby - without noticing that (y/n) didn’t move, frozen on the spot outside the bar.

“I’m so done with you two.” With her leather jacket pulled tighter around her trembling upper body, (y/n) began to walk away from them, set on making it to their motel without having to sit through the car ride. Her body burned from the anger that kept heating her system. A fire was spreading through her body as if Dean had alighted a match inside her chest - starting the inferno she now was stuck in.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Sam tried to grasp her hand, wanting to pull her closer, but she flinched away from him, struggling to dry the tears that kept on rolling down her cheeks. The way Sam studied her - with his eyebrows knitted and his lips slightly parted - coaxed another cry out of her, tumbling from her lips without a chance of stopping the sound from reverberating through the air.

“Away from you. You can’t keep on treating me like a child - while you can’t even keep it in your pants for one single night.” Another step carried her further away from them, no longer caring if she was giving her secrets any room to rumble through her.

“Oh, sweetheart, there is no need to be jealous.” But there was. God, there was. And with the shake of her head, (y/n) let another cry leave her, no longer wiping away the tears that blurred her vision.

“You don’t get it, you never will. I need some space.” This time neither Dean nor Sam tried to follow her, watching her blend in with the night as they tried to find the right words to speak, not understanding where her anger had suddenly come from.

---

With no specific place in mind, (y/n) kept wandering around town, plopping down on a bench with her eyes focused on her phone screen. For the past hour she had tried to read about the dead girl, distracting herself with the case. But nothing worked. Nothing could pull her attention away from her fight with the brothers and the jealousy that kept buzzing through her.

“May I?” Her eyes wandered from her phone screen to the man that was staring down on her. It took her a moment to realize that she had seen him in the bar, getting lost in his green eyes, admiring his handsome features. It took another moment for her instincts to kick in, forcing her to rise from the bench. He had followed her - nothing she wanted deal with at the moment.

“Oh, come on, (y/n). You know the rules of this game.” She froze. For a moment too long, giving him the chance to pull her into his chest, hand covering her mouth, forcing her to hold still. He looked awfully familiar, but it was too dark for her to make out any of his features. (Y/n) struggled, wanting to scream for help, but before she could move, she felt him injecting her with something with her world fading to black.

The next time she woke up she had her mouth taped shut, hands tied together and her boots pressed against the floor. (Y/n) had her eyes set on the man that had taken her. The man that was now sitting on a chair, staring at her with excitement laced in his gaze.

“It’s you. It has to be you. You know, I was waiting for you.” Like leaves falling from the trees she kept trembling, not understanding what the man was talking about. She could barely remember how she had ended up here. All she could remember was that she had been awoken for the first time by the sound of a car rumbling, shaking her awake. Not one scream had left her mouth, lips pressed together by the black tape.

Panic had swapped through her, knowing that she wasn’t stuck in a nightmare, but in the back of a car she had never seen before. Only as the man had opened his trunk, smirking down on her, she had tried to scream, wanting to run away from the stranger with the salt and pepper beard. Only for him to knock her out cold once again.

“Come here, darling.” (Y/n) didn’t move, frozen on the spot as her eyes followed the movement of his hand. He placed a box in his lap, slowly opening it. She couldn’t see the insides of the box, not daring to move closer.

“It wasn’t nice of Dean to shoot me, now was it?” Shudders ran down her spine as she thought back to the night in the forest. And how the shot had reverberated through the darkness, followed by her scream. Of course, it was him. It had always been him, chasing her from one case to another. “It hurts, you know. I thought you would finally understand it - I was hoping that you were smarter than this.”

Her pupils dilated as he pulled the bloody shoe out of the box, the shoe they had found at the crime scene. For a moment, the man studied it, running his fingertips across the blood splatters, chuckling as his mind took him back to the night he had killed the girl.

“I won’t repeat myself. Come here, (y/n).” His hand shot out to grasp her forearm, pulling her into his lap, off the ground, not giving her a chance to move away from him. She couldn’t move, not even as he began to unlace her right boot, pulling her foot free. “It’s a shame that you always try to run from me. By now, you should know that you can’t escape. The game has no end, not till I say so.”

With both their eyes set on the blood-covered shoe, they watched him put it on her foot. It fitted like a glove.

“See, I knew it was you. I had to make sure it wasn’t her. Lovely Macey couldn’t fit in the shoe. But she looked just like you, could have fooled me.” A cry threatened to rumble through her. She wanted to rip the tape off her mouth, to scream at the man, wanting to cut his heart right out of his chest. But she couldn’t move, had to listen to his devilish chuckles, silently begging for the brothers to make it back to her.

While (y/n) was trembling, fearing for her life, Dean and Sam were at the police station, tricking the two officers into thinking they were FBI agents. It took them a while to get their hands on the case files, thumbing through the notes till they found pictures of the beheaded girl.

“Is that?” Dean’s words got stuck in his throat, heart racing as he took in the pictures of the girl.

“She looks like (y/n).” Both Sam and Dean kept staring at the pictures - while they tried to reach (y/n)’s phone, hoping that she would give in and speak to them. But she didn’t. Her phone was shut off, clearly nowhere near her. The uneasy feeling that lingered in their stomachs began to stretch through their bodies.

Something was wrong. Something had happened to her.

“Maybe she made it back to the motel. You know how she forgets to charge her phone.” It was a pathetic try, hoping and praying that she was safe. Dean kept holding onto the files as they stormed out of the station, speeding towards the motel with their hearts racing in their chests.

If she was gone, it was their fault. If she was hurt, it was because they didn’t protect her. If she was dead, they would forever have to live with their guilt.

“(Y/n)?” Her name echoed through the empty motel. Her belongings weren’t there, neither was she - as if she hadn’t made it back to the motel at all. Curses spilt from Dean’s lips, hands buried in his hair, tugging on his roots as another groan of frustration left him.

“She has to be somewhere near. Let’s check the bar. Maybe she turned around as we left.” Sam was already outside as Dean’s phone began to ring, eyes focused on the unknown number.

“Hello?” His voice wavered, hoping - praying - that it was (y/n), calling him from somebody's phone. But the chuckles that left the person on the other end of the line weren’t as sweet as (y/n)’s. No, they were dark, sinister.

“Dean Winchester. See, sweetheart, I knew he’d answer my call. I bet he’s already looking for you, aren’t you, Dean?” The all too familiar voice shook through the hunter, jaw muscles clenching and unclenching as he stormed outside, ripping Baby’s door open, not daring to meet Sam’s confused eyes.

“You fucking asshole. Where is she? What did you do to her?” But the man only laughed, once again - as if he was making fun of Dean. He was toying with all three, but as Dean and Sam were desperately trying to figure out where he was keeping her, (y/n) was now bound to the chair she was now sitting on, lips still sealed together.

“Now, don’t be impatient, Dean. I will send you our address soon enough, wait for my message and don’t forget to bring your best dancing shoes.” The man hung up the phone before Dean could reply, cursing with his palm meeting the steering wheel.

“Who was that?” Sam could only whisper his words, not understanding what was happening.

“The sick bastard from the case with the children, I should have double-checked on him, should have checked if he was truly dead.” Silence engulfed them, eyes staring ahead as they thought of (y/n).

While the brothers tried to come up with a plan on how to save her, (y/n) was trying to loosen the rope, trying to free herself as the man kept searching for something. He was opening drawers, combing through the things he had stuffed in there, hoping to find the one vinyl he had bought months ago.

“You see, sweetheart. We don’t have much time. We need to prepare you for your big moment.” The man turned back to (y/n), staring at her with his twinkling eyes, full of excitement for the upcoming hours. Slowly he moved one hand up her throat. He stroked his thumb along her chin, eyes flickering down to her sealed mouth. He ripped the tape off her skin, allowing her to take a deep breath, finding her words again.

“Why are you doing this? Why?” Her words didn’t come out as strong as she had hoped they would, dripping with anxiety and confusion.

“Oh, (y/n), my sweet (y/n). You finally need to learn your lesson.” But she no longer was listening to him, mind wandering off to Dean and Sam, with her heart aching in pain. Oh, how she wanted to feel them close, to hide away in their arms as they would protect her.

Oh, how it must feel to be loved by them.

“Are you ready, darling? It won’t be long till they arrive.” He cut her free and forced her to her feet. The scent that engulfed her momentarily pushed her back into a memory of a moment from years ago.

“Say goodbye to your friend. You’ll never see him again.” Her father’s voice cut through her, heart-shattering to pieces as another small “please” left her, begging for his kindness. “This is your own fault, doll. If you would have just listened to me,” the disappointed sigh that left her father made her stomach churn in fear, staring into his dark green eyes.

The smell that now engulfed her reminded her of her father’s truck, the smell of leather mixed with the smell of the bourbon he would drink when the night was coming upon them. (Y/n) could barely remember her father, no longer knowing what he looked like, memories taken from her since the hunt that had pushed her to rely on the Winchester's.

“Don’t cry, sweet (y/n). Look, there are your friends.” Dean and Sam pushed open the doors to the dark warehouse, eyes finding (y/n)’s glassy ones. But before Dean or Sam could take another step, the man pushed her to the ground, her knees scraped open by the heavy impact.

“Not yet, boys. I’ll shoot her if you move any closer.” The cry that rippled through (y/n) made both Dean and Sam flinch, wanting to reach for her, to cradle her in their arms. The past hours had been painful for the brothers, forced to realize that they can’t stay away from her. She was theirs - as much as they were hers.

Music began to fill the warehouse, drowning out the cries that left (y/n). Dean and Sam were forced to watch the tall man lift her to her feet, arms wrapped around her waist as he began to move to the music. The sound of Johnny Cash strumming his guitar buzzed through them, teasing them as the man danced with her.

“Hear the lonesome whipperwill. He sounds too blue to fly. The midnight train is whining low.” Johnny Cash’s voice filled the warehouse, the man twirled (y/n) around, clumsily catching her whenever her body would give up, not having enough strength to support her trembling self. Whenever the man’s back was turned to Dean and Sam, the brothers would try to move closer, though forced to stop as they caught her panicked gaze.

He still had his gun pressed to her back.

“Tonight is the night of my payback. It’s only fair I shoot Dean, don’t you think darling?”

"There's a saint and a sinner. And forever the missing day. Where the winners and losers feel the same."

But before the man could raise his gun, to point it at Dean, (y/n) lifted her knee, kneeling him in his crotch, forcing him to let go of her. She sprinted away, towards the brothers that pulled her into their arms, catching her before she could tumble to the ground with her bleeding knees.

“I got you, I got you.” Dean kept chanting the words, eyes not daring to leave the man’s frame. His chuckles bled from his lips, eyes meeting Dean’s green ones. Time moved slower than before, but Dean was the first one to shoot, once again, watching the man fall back down to the ground, no longer moving as the bullet pierced straight through his heart.

"Like me, he's lost the will to live. I'm so lonesome I could cry."

“Let’s leave, please.” (Y/n) couldn’t stick around any longer, had to leave the warehouse behind as Johnny Cash’s voice kept echoing through the empty hall. Dean and Sam stabilized her, helping her into Baby’s backseat with careful touches, not wanting to frighten her. But she was chasing their touch, wanting to find comfort in their embrace, listening to their racing hearts.

No words were spoken as they drove back to the motel, all stuck in their thoughts, replaying the last hours over and over again. Dean had to bite down the words that threatened to roll off his tongue, wanting to scold her for being this reckless, for disappearing into the night in a town she hadn’t been in before.

Only as the door to their room fell shut did Dean part his lips, staring her down with something she couldn’t focus on laced in his gaze.

“We could have lost you. Don’t ever run away from us again. Please.” He wrapped his arms around her, inhaling her scent as he pressed a kiss to her head. Sam pressed himself against her back, pulling her closer, wanting to feel every inch of her, taking away the reminders of their night.

The tension between them began to rise. It wasn’t unusual for the brothers to get lost beneath the sheets with (y/n), using one another as a distraction from the world outside, and today seemed to be one of those nights.

“Touch me, please. Make me forget.” The sound of a gasp spilling from her lips echoed through the room, Dean grasped her throat, pulling her closer to him as Sam pressed his front further against her back. She was trapped, there was no way out, not till the sun would rise to force them back outside.

A moan rolled off her tongue as they moved her towards the mattress, staring her down as they pondered over their next moves. While Sam pressed his lips against hers, tasting her tears on her tongue, Dean began to undo her trousers, fingertips stroking along the outlines of her panties.

“You're dripping, sweetheart. You are just needy for our attention, aren't you?” The small “yes” that left her seemed to satisfy Dean, momentarily letting go of her to shuffle out of his clothes. Only as his hands found their way back to her heat did Sam step away from her, undressing with his eyes staring at (y/n)’s glassy ones.

Her body was screaming for their touch, hoping to get lost in their stormy eyes as her orgasms would rock through her. Anything to pay the ferryman for a ride through Acheron’s uneasy waters, finding rest in the underworld. Dead like the ones they kept hunting, separated from the living by the dark river that kept flooding till time would find her end.

Dean’s thumb began to rub her clit, panties pushed aside to admire her soaked cunt, while Sam’s hand guided hers to his cock, pumping his length. The sound of their moans echoed through the room, filling every inch like a tsunami crashing through a city, ripping houses to the ground with its strength.

“Think you can handle us both?” Dean’s murmurs left her moaning, nodding her head as she momentarily let go of Sam’s cock. Stuck in their routine, (y/n) allowed the two to position her on Sam’s lap, staring down on the younger brother with a smile tugging on her lips. Only as she felt Dean’s saliva dripping down her behind, she let her body give into the feeling, eyes rolling back into her head.

“Fuck, I keep on forgetting how tight you still are.” Sam’s lips found hers, silencing her reply as he pushed his cock into her heat, feeling Dean rub against his through the thin skin that kept their lengths apart. She felt full, stuffed to the brim with both brother’s buried inside her, spearing her on their cocks in an uneven rhythm. If fate would favour her, she could stay there for the rest of her life, body used by the two cunt-hungry men, allowing them to take whatever they’d need.

(Y/n) had to claw her fingernails into Sam’s arms, having to balance herself as the brother’s kept snapping their hips against her body, groaning into the night as she kept squeezing their cocks. They were making a mess on the sheets, fluids dripping from her cunt with every thrust that parted her walls.

“Oh fuck.” She was already close, could give in right there and then, but the feeling of Dean’s hand clamping down on her throat silenced her, teeth buried in her lower lip to stop her orgasm from clashing through her. Tears pooled in her eyes, blurring her vision of Sammy’s pleasure drunken features.

Every thrust coaxed a moan out of her, followed by a groan spilling from the brother’s lips, soon enough all three of them would let go, chasing their highs with their limbs tangled. As Dean murmured a small “cum" (y/n) gave into her orgasm, body trembling, struggling to stay balanced on Sam’s lap.

“Gonna fill you up, pump you full of my cum.” Sam’s words were swallowed by the heavy moan that rumbled through Dean, both brothers let go in unison, painting her walls white with their cum, watching it leak from her holes. It was a sinful sight, cocks still hard as she collapsed against Sam’s chest, body exhausted from the heavy stimulation and the feeling of both brother’s splitting her in half.

(Y/n) barely noticed how the two pulled out of her, carrying her towards the small bathroom to take a shower together, washing away the reminders of the past days. Tomorrow as the morning would break, they would leave the town behind, minds focused on the man and the poor girl that had been forced to suffer.

But before sleep could roll upon them, to rip them away from this very night, the sound of nearing footsteps began to rumble through the air, door falling open as a frame got exposed to their eyes, with a sinister smile thrown their way.

[renegadepack]

when writing “beautifully happy & painless romantic,” one of my favorite parts was imagining where the members of the pack were in their lives. as it wasn’t the focus of the fic, i didn’t dive too much into the details. but i do what i want and really love thinking about it (plus i’m always down for more pack content) so i’m beginning to write longer pieces focusing on each of the members. here’s sam and emily’s.

It wasn’t a secret that Sam and Emily knew they would be together forever. And everyone else knew it, too. Even for those not in the know of magic, of legends, it was easy to see. Just one look and you knew. While neither was happy with the way it started, they were plenty happy now. 

After things settled down, at least as much as things could settle for the Alpha, it was time for a change. Emily had been a wonderful caretaker for the pack, but it wasn’t a role she wanted to keep. For years, she knew she wanted to own a bakery someday, and it was finally time to work towards that dream. Of course, Sam was with her every step of the day, as he wanted and needed to be.

After some searching, Emily found a perfect pastry chef training program in Seattle. It would be two years, and she thought it would be the perfect chance to get the formal training she was missing. But this meant Emily had to be in Seattle for two years, and Sam couldn’t leave La Push. Long distance is never easy, but sometimes it’s the only way. They called and texted when they could, wrote letters when they couldn’t and because they could. Visits were easy, but expensive, and mostly reserved for Emily’s school breaks. While she studied, Sam worked and saved.

Two long years passed, and Emily was able to come home. The night after she returned, they held a bonfire on the beach, reuniting with old friends and introducing new. It was a beautiful night, with stars shining in the sky and love and laughter mingling around the warmth of the fire. 

After she was comfortable in her life back at home, Emily knew it was time. Her and Sam had been saving and looking for a suitable location, and were finally ready to start work on the bakery. It was a small building close enough to the beach to grab tourists, but close enough to town to keep plenty of regulars. Everyone close to her was happy to help out, repay the favor for the way she had once taken care of them. Jacob, Quil, and Embry helped her with the business side of things. Serth designed a drink menu, and Leah and Kim sent art to hang on the walls. Everyone gathered one Saturday to deep clean and set up the place. And of course, everyone was more than happy to taste-test new recipes. Sam was by her side every step of the way, always her rock.

Opening day was a marvelous affair, complete with balloons and ribbon-cutting and a line out the door. The menu was full of cookies, scones, and muffins, which were - to no one’s surprise - a top seller. She ended up in the back and Seth and Jacob, singing along to the radio as they tried to make more after they ran out midway through the day. Sam stayed out front, talking with customers and bragging about his wife to anyone who would listen.

Yes, wife. With all the focus on the bakery, they just went to the courthouse one day, said some words, and signed some papers. It was all just a formality, but it was hard to miss the way their eyes sparkled with pride whenever someone noticed the rings.

After opening, they settled pretty easily into life with the bakery. Emily was there early every morning to bake, and Sam would come in later to help serve customers and complete any other work needed. Eventually, they were busy enough that Emily hired some local teenagers to help out. She mostly stuck to baking, while her employees handled the orders and other day-to-day tasks.

But there was a life outside the bakery, and both had always wanted to be parents. For many reasons, they knew that the traditional method of having children wasn’t right for them. They instead applied at adoption agencies, and weathered through the long process together. Eventually, two-year-old triplets became their daughters. 

With Emily at the bakery, Sam chose to stay at home with their girls. He loved showing them around, taking them to visit their mother, and reading and playing with them. His friends had always joked that he extruded the strongest dad energy, and it was easier by the day to see that they were right. It was exactly what he always wanted.

full fic // jacob

more fic // request fic

[urmindisastreamofcolors]

Greta Van Fleet One Shots: How You Meet

T/W: Mentions of a car wreck

Josh: 

It was an unexpected turn of events, but Josh liked to refer to it as universal intervention. Every morning you walked ten minutes down the street to your favorite coffee shop to get something heavily caffeinated before holing yourself up in your art studio for the rest of the day. This morning activity had gone past routine a long time ago and had quickly become ritual. You had found out that walk was a great way for you to start your day for sculpting with clay. 

One rainy fall morning right before Halloween, you were surprised to see four young guys milling around the coffee shop seeming to enjoy the atmosphere while they discussed various pieces of art from local artists lining the walls. A few of the pieces of photography were yours from when you visited the Grand Canyon a couple summers ago, but since then, your attention had been focused on pottery. 

After a steaming latte was firmly secured in your hand and a hefty tip left for the baristas, you began to make your way back to the door as you planned out your day mentally. Before you could grab the door handle, one of the shorter guys from the group with curly hair quickly held the door for you with a breathtaking smile. You hadn’t been into photography in years, but you would’ve died on the spot to have captured that grin on camera. 

You offered your thanks quickly as you your face was suddenly on fire. He had to of known you were staring, but what you didn’t know was the he had been staring since you entered the coffee shop. 

“Hey! Wait! What’s your name,” the young man called after you as you stepped outside onto the sidewalk. The morning light made him squint his deep brown eyes as he stared at you, waiting on an answer. 

“I’m y/n,” you answered shyly as you pushed a stray piece of hair out of your face and nearly slapped yourself when you realized you totally forgot to ask his. Before you could open your mouth, he had already beat you the punch and leaned back against the building with his arms crossed and a confident grin on his face. 

“So, y/n....do you come here often?”  

Danny:

The music was so loud that you were sure your head would burst. You could feel the beat of the music in your the center of your chest as you sipped on your drink. Your friend, y/f/n, was friends with a drummer for a pretty famous band and they extended an invitation to their house party to kick off their new album release. While you though Greta Van Fleet was a weird name for a rock n’ roll band, you did like their music.

Bob Seger blared through the house as you continued the search for your friend. The body heat from the crowd was coming off in waves and making you feel dizzy. You were just ready to leave, but you couldn’t leave your friend behind. A tap on your shoulder had you turning quickly coming face to face with a tall guy with long black hair who offered you a friendly smile.

“Hey! I’m Danny. I’m friend’s with y/f/n too! She’s been looking all over for you,” he yelled over the music as he pointed in the direction of your friend who was jumping up and down trying to get your attention. You and Danny laughed as some random guy with long hair and a pink shirt started doing the same thing to make fun of her. 

“That’s Sam. He’s my best friend. It’s getting to be a bit much in here, so we’re all going to step out for a few minutes if you would like to join. Unfortunately, I don’t know everyone here tonight and I don’t want to leave you by yourself,” Danny yelled over the music with a kind look on his face. 

“Yeah! That would be great! I was actually getting a bit overwhelmed, so I’m glad you’re here dude,” you shouted back as you placed your hand in the crook of his offered elbow. As you two made your way to the edge of the room where your friends were waiting, people stumbled over each other to get your way and were yelling and patting Danny on the back. A sudden realization ran through body as you felt your eyes widen at the idea that this was the Danny from Greta Van Fleet.

Sam: 

You and Ronnie had been best friends for as long as you two could remember which meant her brothers annoyed you as much as they did her. Throughout your high school years, you honestly didn’t have a crush on any of them but found their friendship to be as irreplaceable as Ronnie’s. 

Once they made their big debut, you didn’t see them often and you and Ronnie both attended different colleges. In fact, you had a once in a lifetime opportunity to study abroad and couldn’t pass it up.The miles between you and Ronnie didn’t matter and you talked every single day and normally face-timed too. Any updates on the boys came from her or Karen. You did miss hanging out in the garage on the weekends and playing pranks, but as the days turned into years, you didn’t think much more of it. 

Finally, you were able to go home for a much needed visit after your year abroad and apparently, Ronnie and the boys would be home at the same time too. Quickly, you all made plans to hang out at the first possible moment and you were jittery with excitement on your flight back to US. 

After taking a couple days to catch up on some much needed rest, you were finally able to go hang out at the Kiszka house. When you got there, you didn’t even knock on the door and waltzed straight into the living room like you had always done. Ronnie and the boys were sprawled all over the furniture with the exception of Danny who always preferred the floor. Hearing your entrance, Ronnie let out a scream as she lept over the back of the couch and literally sent you sprawling to the ground with her on top of you. 

“Okay-Ronnie-Ronnie! Let go of my neck! I can’t breathe,” you croaked out as the only Kiszka girl finally loosened her death grip and helped you up. All the boys got up next to give you a quick hug, but you noticed one missing. 

“Where’s Sammy,” you asked as your heard his feet hitting the steps on his way down. With a huge grin, he made his way over to get a hug, but you felt yourself swallow quickly as you willed yourself not to blush. Little Sammy had apparently grown up on tour and Sam was the one approaching you with his arms outstretched. Giving you a tight squeeze, you could smell his shampoo from his long hair and willed your heart to slow down. 

You had never had a crush on any of Ronnie’s brothers, but that had quickly changed in less than a minute. 

Jake:

The radio was still playing as you hung upside down in your car. Your seat belt was the only thing holding you in place. You could taste the blood in your mouth and salty tears and blood ran into your hairline. Adrenaline was pumping through your veins as you scanned your surroundings and tried to remember how you ended up in the current situation, but nothing immediately came to mind which made you cry harder. You were sobbing when you could hear voices drifting through the shattered windshield. 

Despite the pain in your ribs and the tightness of the seat belt, you let out a blood curdling screech that ended in hiccups and sobs. A few moments later, you heard hurried footsteps and gravel crunching..

“Josh! Call 911!”

“Damn! How are we going to get her out? Should we move her?”

“I don’t know! Did anyone get that license plate? She was ran off the road!”

The voices blurred together and your eyes felt heavy. They began to flutter shut when a guy with long hair and a worried expression stuck his head in your car from the busted passenger side window. 

“Hey! Stay awake! I know you’re tired, but you have to stay awake. What’s your name,” he asked gently as he wiggled into the car and grabbed on of your hands. The calluses were a drastic difference to your soft palms and he absentmindedly ran his thumb over the back of your hand. 

“Y/n. It’s y/n,” you stuttered out. 

“It’s nice to meet you. Help’s on the way, okay? I’m Jacob, but I go by Jake. I wish we had met in better circumstances, but you have super pretty eyes,” he said with a soft smile. 

“I’m scared, Jake,” you said as a new flood of tears ran into your hairline. 

“I know. I’m going to stay right here. You’re not alone. I promise,” Jake said with sincerity as he continued to comfort you. 

On the verge of bleeding out, you honestly were wondering if he wasn’t your guardian angel. 

[fatiguing-thoughts]

“Fighting and Making Up” -The Pack Preference

Request:  For preferences you could do a two part of what y’all get into fights about and then make up.

        I wasn’t sure how to do this exactly, but I wanted to keep it lighthearted! I hope you enjoy :) 

Jacob: 

It isn’t something that happens often, but when it does Jake has no issue telling you that you done messed up. 

“Why didn’t you tell me there was a problem with your car?” 

“Because you’re so busy, I know you’re tired from patrol and hanging out with me. I didn’t want to bother you.” I say looking down at my feet. 

“Well, now it’s worse and needs more work. Don’t wait to tell me when something is wrong.” He shakes his head in disappointment. 

It doesn’t get very intense, he just usually gives a mini lecture about how damaging it is to my car. Not yelling, but the disappointed, annoyed tone someone gives when they don’t wanna yell. 

It’s usually making up by sitting in the garage, bonding over fixing whatever is wrong with the car. Keeping each other company, talking, and eating snacks. 

Seth: 

Seth is a loving boyfriend, caring way more than you thought was possible. He gets upset with you when you get sick but push it off. It causes some tension and frustration because he doesn’t like seeing you like that. 

“Please, my mom is a nurse. Let her look at you.” He pleads.

“Seth, it’s just a cold! I’ll be okay.” I reason.

“You don’t know that, it could be anything.” He pouts. 

Eventually, a few days pass and you end up being worse instead of better.

“Maybe if you had listened to me the other day you wouldn’t be this sick.” He says, making you your favorite soup. 

A lot of times he’s just more upset that you won’t make it easier on yourself. It usually starts out with an argument like one above, but you guys make up as he takes care of you, refusing to leave your side. He makes sure you take your medicine, makes sure you get rest, and is always ready to bring you food and water. Oh, and a lot of cuddles, can’t forget the cuddles. 

Leah:

Leah and you don’t fight often, but it’s often when you overwork yourself or spread yourself too thin. 

“(Y/N), why did you say you can cover their shift? You’re already working a shift that day, call them back and tell them you can’t. Plus you agreed to help Seth with his math homework tomorrow morning. And you agreed to volunteer at the shelter. Plus you need to do your paper and study for your final, it’s your senior year of college.” She says, frustrated. 

“Leah, you know I can’t say no. They need my help!” I defend. 

“I know, but you can’t do it all! You need to take care of yourself, make sure that you’re helping yourself. You’re making yourself sick with how much you’re doing…” She grabs for my hand. 

“I know, I know. I can’t help it, I hate saying no.” Tears brimming my eyes. 

“I’m not trying to make you sad, you’re just spreading yourself too thin. I hate seeing you like this, you’re ready to explode at the drop of a hat.” She pulls me into a hug. 

“I know, I don’t know how to fix it.” I let the tears fall. 

“I’ll help you. We’ll get you through this, but next time-- don’t do this to yourself.” She smiles, kissing me on the forehead. 

Afterwards she helps you get your stuff done, helping take the stress off your shoulders. Though, she reminds you constantly to stop taking so many things on at once. The night is usually filled with hot chocolate and cuddling by the fire, including long and loving kisses. 

Paul:

It was no secret that Paul always had the hardest time out of everyone in controlling his temper. Though, after he imprinted on you it did improve vastly. The only issue with this is that now he was a ticking time bomb when it came to the subject of you. He was one of the most emotional and caring people you’ve ever met-- which is why he had such a hard time controlling his temper at times. It happens every once in a while where he gets too jealous/protective over you and goes off the deep end, just a bit. It usually goes something like this:

“Paul, stop being pissed off.” I sigh, walking in our front door from the party we just had to leave. 

“No, did you see the way he looked at you? He hugged you for way too long. You don’t get the way he looked at you. If I wasn’t right there he would’ve absolutely tried something.” He huffs.

“Paul, he was my chemistry partner from a class three years ago. He was just saying hello. That’s the first and only time I’ve seen him since high school. He just hugged me hello, albeit very long but… you’re the only one I see.” I look deep into his eyes. 

“You didn’t hear what he said before he came up to you! He told his friend that he used to wanna get you in bed, and then said he still would. I just hate seeing other people look at you like you’re an object.” He walks over, hugging me. 

“Well, Paul you can’t fight everyone who checks me out or says something in poor taste.” 

“I know, I’m sorry. I just lose it sometimes when it comes to you.” He sighs, closing his eyes. 

“I know, I know it’s because you care. I love you, Paul.” 

“I love you, too.” He kisses my forehead, pulling me into a tighter hug. 

Lots of cuddling and snacks ensue, by the end of the night you guys always make up. 

Embry: 

Embry and you have been inseparable since you were kids. You guys dated before his phasing, and thankfully he imprinted on you. He was always overprotective, worried about everything you did from day one, and now that he’s phased and imprinted, he knows the real dangers out there and his feelings have only gotten more intense. It’s not always an argument per se, but it usually ends with him worried when you go out into the woods alone or just with one of your friends. 

“Embry, she just wanted to go on a small hike. It wasn’t even at night.” 

“(Y/N), it doesn’t matter if it’s day or night. You should’ve told me so I knew to make sure nothing happened to you, I can’t fathom what I would do if something happened to you.” He trails off. 

“I understand, but I didn’t know we were going into the woods. She just asked me to go while we were at her house, it was just the woods behind her house. I didn’t know I was going to or I would’ve mentioned it.” 

“Well, you went pretty deep for Quil to find you on patrol. I just need to make sure you’re safe, I can’t let anything happen to you.” His voice trails off. 

“I didn’t realize how far we went until after. I’m sorry, Em. I can’t exactly say anything about vampires or the pack to her. I didn’t mean to upset you, it was just a nice day to take some pictures.” I look down at my feet. 

“I understand, I’m sorry for getting so upset with you. Just try to send me, or all of us, a text. Just in case. I need to make sure you’re safe, always. I love you.” He kisses my forehead. 

“I will, I’m sorry again. I love you, too.” I push myself further into his chest. 

It doesn’t happen often, but if it does you guys make up and often lay in bed listening to your favorite music. A lot of cuddling, talking about how much you mean to each other, and back scratches. 

  Jared: 

Jared doesn’t really argue, he’s a snarky guy but overall one of the sweetest people ever. The one thing that always gets under your skin though is whenever you guys have somewhere to be or something to do, he always needs “five more minutes” to wake up. This wouldn’t always be such a huge deal if it was actually five more minutes, but after ten of those you’re set back almost an hour. 

“Jared. Get up, for real.” You throw a pillow at his sleeping body.

“Five more minutes.” He grumbles, clutching the pillow close to his body.

“You said that an hour ago! We’re going to be late.” You huff, getting onto the bed. 

“Don’t do it.” He pleads.

“Too bad.” You say, jumping on the bed.

You then have to deal with grumpy Jared for the duration of him waking up and getting ready to go, but he makes up for it by apologizing and leaving kisses all over your face before you leave, only making you later. He gets you your favorite snacks on the way home.  

“I won’t do it next time, babe.” He says as we walk out to the car to leave.

“Mhm, okay. You say that every time.” You laugh.

You buy him an alarm clock for Christmas. You buy another for his birthday. He keeps throwing them out.

Quil: 

While with the pack you were always witty due to your comfort levels, you didn’t always behave that way. You were always meek and nervous with confrontation with others. It all started in high school where Quil would get upset that you would let people talk to or treat you a certain way, earning no backlash from yourself. Quil began to stick up for you, smart mouth and all. It has lasted all through the years, even when someone was rude at the grocery store. 

“Quil, you don’t have to do that.” 

“Yes I do. You don’t stick up for yourself, it’s horrible. You need to stop letting people talk to you like that. I can’t sit there and let you take it.” He argues.

“Okay, but did you have to tell him that he looks like his mom huffed gasoline when she was pregnant? What does that even mean? What if she did?” I ask, astonished after the incident. 

“I did, I told him the truth. A lot of nerve for him to think he can say anything about you.” He scoffs. 

“Quil… I just ignore them because it’s easier, it’s so much easier than to get so angry.” 

“I get angry for you, it works. I love you, I can’t sit and let someone disrespect you.”

“I love you, too. Just chill out sometimes, okay?”

“We can agree to disagree, I can’t let someone disrespect my girlfriend. I’m sorry I made you uncomfortable.” He kisses my cheek before pulling me over to our bed. 

After these kinds of situations, it usually ends with a lot of cuddling and watching funny movies to make us feel a little better. 

Sam: 

When you take too long to get ready and make a mess in the bathroom with all of your cosmetics he tends to get upset, especially when he has to get in there to get ready, too. 

“Please at least let me pee, you’ve been getting ready for an hour.” “I’ll be out in a minute!” I yell back through the door. 

“You said that ten minutes ago! What else could you possibly be doing?” He knocks again. 

“You can’t rush beauty, Sam.” I open the door. 

“You don’t need to spend an hour of your time to look beautiful, you look amazing when you wake up. But let me pee, now.” He runs into the bathroom, frustrated with how long he’s had to wait. 

“Thank you, Sam.” I blush from outside the bathroom door. 

Sam always respects the fact that you like to get dolled up sometimes before certain events, but cannot help but be frustrated at how long it takes you. It’s always a “just a minute!” from you, as you hog the bathroom counter. You make it up to him by not only cleaning the bathroom up immediately, but by giving him a sweet kiss. After you guys return, you cuddle and watch movies. You give him back rubs and spoil him with affection, promising to get ready quicker next time. 

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Word Count: 2028