Alpha Beta Imprint: Epilogue

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Epilogue

Sam’s POV

“Anthony Thompson! You stop running this instant!”

“Shut the fuck up, Quil, before I toss Mrs. Pepe into the fire!”

“Leah! Stop cursing around the children!”

“Brady! Help me!”

“Cheese and crackers, you guys are loud!”

“Jared, get your son off my leg!”

“Sam, are the burgers done yet?”

I turned to find Jake standing beside me, frowning into the grill.

“Yeah, almost. Jesus, why did we agree to this?” I grumbled, flipping the burgers again.

“Because she wanted to. Why else?” Jake chuckled, clapping me on the shoulder.

“The whole pack, plus the Elders and their wives, plus Charlie, plus Al… This is getting to be a bit much,” I sighed heavily.

“Hey, if it makes her happy,” Jake shrugged, turning towards the house.

“Where is she, anyway?” I asked.

“Same place she always is these days,” Jake laughed, giving me a look.

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head as I adjusted the flames.

“Well, go get her. The food is ready and she’s the only one not out here,” I insisted, stacking the burgers up.

Jake shot me a grin before jogging into the house to fetch our girl.

It’s been almost four and a half years since this whole thing started, four since Emily left with the Cullens, and just the thought of Bella still made my blood hot. Well, more so than it was already.

“Uncle Sam! Lookie what Daddy got me!” Anthony cried, running into my legs.

“Let me see,” I grinned, lowering down to his level.

He held up a wolf, the brown fur the exact shade of Jared’s when he phased. The plush toy was clearly already well loved and had assorted food clumped in its fur.

“Very cool. What’s his name?” I asked, fingering an ear.

“Brownie!” Anthony giggled, hugging the wolf to his chest.

“Good name for a brown wolf,” I nodded, ruffling his hair.

He squealed in laughter before running off to tackle someone else and show off his new toy. I watched, a small smile on my face as Seth scooped him up.

A pair of arms wrapped around my waist, hugging me loosely. I reached down to pick up one of her hands, kissing the inside of her wrist.

“I missed you,” I murmured, pulling her around.

“I was gone for all of ten minutes,” Bella smiled, wrapping her arms back around my waist.

“Ten minutes too long,” I pouted, leaning down to kiss her briefly.

“Mmm. I’ll try not to leave you all alone so often,” Bella promised, kissing me back.

“Break it up, you two! I’m hungry and you’re blocking the food,” Collin complained, shoving us out of the way.

“Hey! Don’t forget to save some for the humans,” Bella reprimanded him.

“Yes, ma’am,” Collin grumbled, already piling food on his plate.

“Go get a plate,” Bella insisted, pushing me that way.

“I’ll bring you some, too,” I offered, kissing her hand one last time.

“Just a little something,” Bella agreed, walking towards her father.

I shoved my way through the crowd around the table, fixing a plate for Bella and myself. Jake came up beside me, taking mine and Bella’s plates so I could grab us some drinks. By the time I’d made my way over to where they were sitting, Jake was halfway through his plate and Bella was picking at her chips. Charlie had a plate balanced on his knee and Al was dipping back a beer.

“Work still going good, Bells?” Charlie was asking as I came to sit beside her.

“Of course. We rearranged the set up, so I had a lot of stocking to do this week, but it wasn’t too hard. Plus, everything looks so much better now,” Bella grinned, taking a sip of water.

“Hmph. Old set up was just fine,” Al grumbled, taking another swig of beer.

“It made no sense whatsoever. You had drill guns next to the carburetor fluid and the car fuses next to the paint brushes!” Bella accused.

“People knew where to look,” Al insisted darkly.

“They’ll learn the new layout just fine,” Bella assured him, reaching over to pat his hand.

Al grumbled some more under his breath, but there was a small smile playing about his lips as he took another drink. Bella looked over at me and winked, knowing I’d noticed as well.

“Construction going good, Sam?” Charlie asked, turning the topic away from the hardware store.

“As good as it can be in this economy,” I sighed.

“He’s got a new house halfway between here and Port Angeles,” Bella told her dad.

“That’s good,” Charlie nodded, raising a brow at me.

“It’s farther away than I’d like to be, but it was the closest job to home,” I shrugged.

“Between the three of us, we’ve managed to develop a steady income and even have a nice savings set up,” Jake informed him.

“Which will be coming in handy sooner than we expected,” Bella smiled excitedly.

I reached over for one of her hands while Jake did the same, the three of us all grinning like crazy at each other. The sound of Charlie’s beer bottle hitting the ground brought my attention back to him.

“Are you… You’re telling me… I’m gonna be a granddaddy?” Charlie gaped.

“Yeah. I’m pregnant,” Bella blushed, smiling wider.

Al grinned knowingly, leaning back in his chair at the news. I figured with his wolf senses, he’d already picked up the difference in her smell and sound of the baby’s heartbeat.

“Bells… that’s incredible, kiddo,” Charlie choked.

Bella sniffled as Charlie reached over to hug her tight, squeezing her shoulders as she laughed.

“How far along are you?” Charlie asked.

“Just a month or so. Jared’s actually the one that told me. He noticed all the similarities between Kim and me. Then everybody started hearing the heartbeat and it was kinda confirmed without me ever having to go to the doctor. Of course, we have an appointment set up next week, but I wanted to tell you first,” Bella explained.

“Billy? Did you know about this?” Charlie called over to his friend.

“Know about what?” Billy asked, wheeling over.

“Bella’s pregnant, Dad,” Jake answered.

Billy stared at us quietly for a long time before a huge grin broke out of his face.

“Woo! We’re gonna be grandparents, Charlie!” Billy whooped.

With that, the rest of the party realized the news had been broken and the excitement level racketed up a notch. The entire backyard buzzed with talk about the newest addition that would be gracing our pack in eight months.

Bella’s POV

I waddled up the front steps of my last visit, the basket hanging by my side. For the past four years, I’ve been making the same rounds with Sue, delivering goodies to our older folks. Most of them had warmed up to me after a year or so, but some still glared at me when I passed them on the street or when they stopped by the store. I was getting more looks than usual thanks to the giant belly sticking out in front of me now a-days.

Mr. Baker opened the door with a smile.

“Well, how are ya, Miss Bella?” Mr. Baker asked kindly.

“I’m fine, Mr. Baker. How are you today?” I asked, smiling in return.

“Oh, just fine. The Mrs. is round back picking flowers. That knee of hers is slowly getting worse, but she insists on working in that garden,” Mr. Baker sighed, shaking his head.

“I can understand why. It’s beautiful,” I complimented.

“That it is. What do you have for us this week?” Mr. Baker asked, taking the basket from me.

“Sue’s seven layer bars, my chocolate chip cookies, and Harry’s fish fry,” I told him.

“Do you think she’ll notice if I hide you chocolate chip cookies from her?” Mr. Baker whispered.

“Oh, she’ll notice all right,” Mrs. Baker answered from behind him.

“Busted,” Mr. Baker winced.

“Hi, Bella. How’s that baby today?” Mrs. Baker asked.

“He’s moving around quite a bit. Apparently, Mommy’s tummy is not very comfortable today,” I huffed.

“So it’s a he today, huh?” Mrs. Baker grinned.

“He’s been a he for a few days now,” I admitted.

“Ah, well. As long as it’s healthy,” Mrs. Baker nodded.

“I’ve been told he’s very healthy,” I assured her.

“Good. Now, I’m sure you need to get off those feet. Give your boys our love,” Mrs. Baker requested.

“Yes, ma’am. I will,” I promised, walking down the steps.

I waved one last time as I climbed into the Jeep and drove off. My fingers tapped along the steering wheel to the radio as I headed for Port Angeles.

As I got closer, I glanced at the clock, checking to make sure I was on time for my appointment. I pulled into the parking lot with five minutes to spare and rushed into the building, nearly forgetting my purse in the process.

It didn’t take long before I was sitting on the bed-like thingy, my pants unbuttoned and my shirt pushed up.

“Now, let’s take a look at that baby,” Dr. Reynolds grinned, squirting gel onto my stomach.

I breathed deeply as the liquid spread across my stomach and she put the wand over it.

“Your boys decided to stay home this time?” Dr. Reynolds asked, checking the screen.

“They both had to work and neither one of them could get the day off,” I answered sullenly.

“Ah, well. We’ll be sure to send a picture home with you,” Dr. Reynolds winked.

I smiled in response, eager to have a picture of my baby.

“Oh,” Dr. Reynolds blinked in surprise.

“What? What is it? Is he okay?” I asked frantically.

“Calm down, Bella. Your baby is fine. I was just a little surprised it all,” Dr. Reynolds assured me.

“Why? What is it?” I asked, still worried.

“Well, look at this,” Dr. Reynolds said, turning the monitor towards me.

I looked at the screen, trying to make out what exactly I was seeing.

“Now, you see this? That’s one foot. And here’s another one. This is what surprised me. We’ve got another foot,” Dr. Reynolds pointed out.

“My baby has three feet?” I shrieked.

“No, Bella. You’re having twins,” Dr. Reynolds chuckled.

I stared at the screen for what felt like an eternity, watching as she pointed out all the developments since the last ultrasound. I was mesmerized when I saw their faces, the two of them close together.

“I’ll leave you to get cleaned up. Would you like to call Sam and Jake?” Dr. Reynolds asked.

“Yeah,” I murmured, still transfixed on my stomach.

“The phone is right there,” Dr. Reynolds indicated the counter by the door.

I cleaned the gel off easily enough before moving over to grab the phone. I stared at it for a long time, trying to decide what exactly to say. I finally punched in the numbers for Jake’s cell, waiting impatiently for him to pick up.

“Hello?”

“Hey. It’s me,” I answered.

“Bells? What’s wrong, honey? Is everything okay with you and the baby?” Jake asked worriedly.

“I’m fine and the… the babies are fine, too,” I told him.

There was a long pause on the other end and I worried he’d hung up. A loud shout told me he hadn’t hung up and I laughed as I heard him shouting to the rest of the repair shop that I was having twins. Embry and Quil shouted congratulations in the background, the noises quickly rising in volume.

“Jake! I still have to call Sam. I’ll see you tonight when you get home,” I called over the noise.

“Alright, honey. I love you. Be safe coming home,” Jake insisted.

“I will. I love you, too,” I promised.

The phone call to Sam went similarly, but he was much quicker to respond. Both of my wolves seemed excited at the prospect of having twins and that reassured me that we would be able to make it through this.

“I take it they took it well?” Dr. Reynolds questioned when she came back in.

“You might say that,” I chuckled, sliding off the bed.

“I figured they would. Alright. Here are some more vitamins. I want you to call if anything feels off. We’re going to have to watch you a little more closely now to make sure everything goes according to plan. Multi-pregnancies are a little riskier, but so far you look to be completely healthy. The babies are both perfectly fine and, as long as you stick to what you’ve been doing, everything should stay that way,” Dr. Reynolds explained.

“Thank you so much,” I grinned, grasping her hand.

“No problem,” Dr. Reynolds waved off.

“I’ll see you next time,” I called, hurrying out of the exam room.

As I climbed into the Jeep to head home, I couldn’t wipe the grin off my face, eager to get home and be with my wolves.

Jake’s POV

“Bella?” I called out as soon as I walked into the door.

Sam walked in behind me, shutting the door with his foot as he looked around the front of the house.

“In here,” Bella answered from the bedroom.

I shared a look with Sam, anticipation thrumming through me as we walked down the hallway to our room. The door was cracked open, requiring just a simple nudge to open it the rest of the way. I stopped short when I took in the delicious sight of our imprint spread out on the bed, wearing her white lacy bra and boyshort set.

“Fuck,” Sam grunted from behind me.

“You’ll have to come into the room if you want to do that,” Bella smirked, shifting slightly on the bed.

I swallowed thickly as Sam and I moved to either side of the bed, kneeling on the bed beside her. She smiled up as us, her arms spread out above her head. My hand went to the baby bump on her stomach, hearing their little hearts take off. Sam’s fingers spanned out between mine as he leaned down to kiss our imprint.

Bella moaned against his lips, reaching down to grab my hand and lift it to her breast. I smirked as I began fondling the soft mound, loving the sounds coming from her as Sam deepened the kiss.

I reached around her to remove the bra, Sam moving at the same time to remove her panties. She cried out as his fingers delved inside her. I sucked her nipple, my teeth scraping over the tender bud and making her cry out again.

“Fuck, you’re so wet,” Sam groaned, his fingers making a sucking sound as he moved them inside of her.

I growled when she began moving against him, mewing softly.

“That’s right, baby. Right his fingers,” I encouraged roughly, licking her nipple.

Her fingers fisted in my hair, tugging as I switched breasts. She arched her back, trying to force more of her into my mouth.

“Ah. Ah. Oh, God, yes!” Bella gasped loudly.

I didn’t have to look to know Sam was eating her out, her body told me all I needed to know. Her pulled my hair harder and I lifted my head up to grin at her.

“Yes?” I drawled, kissing my way up her neck.

“Kiss me,” Bella demanded breathlessly.

“I’m working on it, babe,” I chuckled, flicking my tongue out to lick her pulse point.

She whimpered, her fingers desperately dragging across my shoulders. I hissed as she managed to draw blood, my teeth nipping at her neck. Sam growled between her legs and Bella jerked against us. My hand spread across her stomach, applying just enough pressure to keep her down.

“Jake,” Bella whined, tugging at my hair.

“You are so impatient,” I tisked, shaking my head at her.

“Please,” Bella wheedled, completely oblivious to what I was saying.

I grinned, giving into her and pressing my lips against hers. Almost immediately, she opened beneath me, sucking on my tongue. My hips thrust against the mattress, a low groan rumbling through me as her tongue traced across mine.

The bed squeaked as Sam rolled off to grab the lube. Bella was completely consumed in our kiss, failing to notice Sam had left and it was my fingers rubbing between her folds. She moved with me, close to her orgasm as she mewed softly.

Sam came back, lube in hand as he prepared her for his entrance. She broke our kiss, biting her lip as Sam’s fingers probed her ass.

“You ready for us, baby?” Sam asked, his voice low and dark.

“Yes,” Bella hissed, reaching up to claw at his chest.

I leaned down to lick at her nipple, my fingers still working her clit as Sam moved her to slide inside of her. Bella’s teeth clamped on my shoulder, screaming softly as Sam slowly pushed forward. They both let out a breath when he was all the way in. Sam lifted her up, away from me and onto his lap.

My cock was aching as I took a few moments to watch Bella writhe against him, her hands gripping her breasts as Sam sucked on her neck. I moved cautiously closer, one hand pumping my cock as the other went to the other side of her neck.

Her brown eyes fluttered open and she stared at me through the haze of lust we were weaving around her.

“You ready for me, Bells?” I asked, my hand moving down to pinch one of her nipples.

Her eyes fastened on my hand, working on my cock, and she licked her lips eagerly. She arched against Sam, her hips moving frantically.

“Please,” Bella moaned.

Sam smirked at me over her shoulder, leaning back against the bed to give me enough room. I settled between her legs, lining us up. Her eyes were fastened on where I pressed against her, one of her hands reaching down to help guide me in.

“Fuck,” I growled, pushing all the way inside her.

Sam growled back at me, his teeth bared as Bella began moving against us. My hands went to her hips while Sam wrapped his around her waist. Our timing had improved over the years and we all understood each other’s bodies better, not to mention our own. One thing that hadn’t changed was that Sam and I never lasted long when we both took Bella.

“God damn it, baby. You’re so tight,” Sam grunted, increasing his thrusts.

“Oh, God. Oh, fuck,” Bella panted in response.

I grinned as Sam’s fingers traveled down to play with her clit, squeezing and pinching relentlessly until she was screaming our names, her body convulsing around us.

“Fuck,” I drawled, clenching my teeth as I came.

Sam growled, his mouth pressed against his mark in her neck as his movement slowed as well.

I pulled out first, taking Bella with me as we collapsed onto the bed. Sam flopped down on her other side, one of his arms flung over her hips.

“I love you guys,” Bella mumbled, already falling asleep.

“We love you, too,” Sam murmured back.

“Always,” I finished, pressing a quick kiss to her shoulder.

“MOTHER-FUCKING, SON OF A COCK SUCKING WHORE! GET THEM OUT OF ME!”

I winced as Bella’s tones reached a new pitch, my sensitive ears ringing at her screams.

Sam jerked beside me, clearly in the same state I was. Neither one of us wanted to go near that bed, despite the urging of the nurses. We knew our imprint was in a fine form and the past seven months had taught us not to go near her when she was like this.

“YOU ASSHOLES! YOU DID THIS TO ME! I SHOULD FUCKING KILL YOU!” Bella raged at us, moving to get out of bed.

Sam and I both took a fearful step back as the nurses quickly moved to restrain her.

“Jesus, Bella. Shut the fuck up,” Leah demanded, sweeping into the room.

“Oh, thank God,” I breathed, leaning against the wall.

“Yeah, yeah. You weaklings can go wait outside. I’ve got her for now,” Leah waved off, moving determinedly towards the bed.

Sam and I wasted no time following her advice, barely escaping the bed pan Bella threw our way. Her screeches followed us out into the waiting room until, finally, Leah managed to calm her down.

“How is she, boys?” Charlie asked, his face pale.

“Pissed,” I answered.

“As hell,” Sam added.

“I imagine she would be. Giving birth hurts,” Sue frowned worriedly.

“Leah’s in there calming her down. If anyone can do it, she can. Hopefully, we’ll be allowed back in to see them born,” Sam explained.

“You let Leah in there with her?” Kim asked disbelievingly.

“Yeah,” I shrugged.

“Oh! You two are so not going back in there! When Leah came to shut me up, I started really spitting nails,” Kim laughed.

Jared winced at the memory as he played with Anthony, distracting the boy from what was happening to his Aunt Bella.

“Uncle Jake. Uncle Sam. Do you think Aunt Bella would like Brownie? He might make her feel better,” Anthony offered innocently.

“If you’re still willing to give him up in a few hours, I’m sure Aunt Bella would love to have Brownie once the babies are born,” Sam assured him.

“How much longer till they come?” Anthony asked eagerly.

“We’ve still got some time, bud,” Jared told him.

“But I wanna play with them,” Anthony pouted.

“Buddy, we talked about this, remember? They’re going to be too little for you to play with. You’re going to have to wait until they’re bigger, like you,” Jared reminded him.

Anthony looked down at Brownie for a long time, a deep look of concentration etched on his four year old face.

“Uncle Paul can still play with me, right?” Anthony asked doubtfully.

“Yes, Uncle Paul can still play with you,” Jared chuckled, ruffling his son’s hair.

“We can go play right now, if you want, runt,” Paul grinned, standing up and holding out a hand to him.

“YAY!” Anthony screamed, racing Paul out the door.

“Jared, go with them. The last time they played, they came back caked in mud,” Kim insisted, frowning after her son.

“Sure thing, babe,” Jared agreed, kissing his wife sweetly.

“So how much longer is this going to take? I mean, we’re here as long as you need us, but, dude, it’s been five hours already,” Quil complained, clapping me on the shoulder.

“Doctor said she’s not dilated enough. It could be at least another three hours,” I informed him.

Quil groaned in defeat before rejoining Embry in front of the TV showing ESPN. Collin and Brady were practically glued to the TV, cheering on the Mariners.

“Sorry I’m late. She pop ‘em out yet?” Al asked, striding into the room.

“No. She’s still got a few hours to go,” I informed him.

“Ah, hell. Was hoping I’d missed it all,” Al grumbled, falling into a seat beside Dad and Harry.

“Not quite. And you know you’d have been disappointed if the babies came and you weren’t here,” Sam called him out.

“Eh. She would’ve killed me, but that’s nothing new. Threatens to kill me nearly every damn day,” Al shrugged.

“That’s just the hormones. She’ll settle down once we get onto a good schedule,” I assured him.

“Is their room all set up?” Dad asked, glancing away from the TV.

“Yeah. We finished it this week. Bella decided the color was wrong about fifty different times,” I snorted.

“And when we finally get the right color, it was almost the exact same color that we started out with,” Sam scoffed, throwing his hands up in disbelief.

“Hmph. Shows what you boys know,” Al huffed.

“Yes, well, forgive us for not working with paint every day,” I bit back sarcastically.

“Your girl does, though. She knew she wanted it to be perfect. Called nesting or some shit like that,” Al sneered.

“Yeah, and she was doing it all last week,” I complained.

“Well, it’s over now. Stop your whining and get back there. Seth says she’s almost ready to pop,” Leah interrupted, coming out of the room.

“What? The doctor said we still have a few hours,” I gaped, hurrying towards her.

“Yeah, well, I convinced her to hurry her ass up,” Leah smirked, shooing us along.

We walked into the delivery room to find Bella strapped up to the poles, her feet spread apart. She was glaring down at the doctor, clearly pissed at him now.

“There you guys are. You better get over there. She’s gonna have to start pushing soon,” Seth murmured, pushing us over to the bed.

“How did she dilate so fast?” Sam asked.

“Heck if I know. They didn’t go over that in the training,” Seth shrugged, urging us forward.

“Hey, honey. You ready to start pushing?” I asked, claiming one of her hands.

“Jake. Oh, thank God. Look. I think the doctor’s got it wrong. I’m not ready to have them. They want to stay inside where they’ll be safe,” Bella insisted, slightly panicked.

“Sweetheart, it’ll be okay. Besides, we can’t exactly stop them from coming. They’re eager to meet us all,” Sam assured her gently.

“But… But they’re not ready. We’re not ready,” Bella persisted.

“Honey, we’ve got everything set up. We’ve gone to countless classes and read thousands of books. We’re as ready as we’re gonna get,” I guaranteed her.

“I’m scared,” Bella whimpered, clutching our hands tighter.

“I know you are, honey, but it’s going to be okay. Sam and I will be right here with you through everything. We won’t let anything happen to you or the babies,” I vowed.

“You’re our everything, sweetheart. We can’t live without you. And now we’re going to have two new people to love, just as much as we love you,” Sam promised, kissing the back of her hand.

“Bella, I’m going to need you to start pushing now. We’ve got the first baby ready to come out,” the doctor said from between her legs.

“You can do it, sweetheart,” Sam encouraged, holding her hand between both of his.

“We’re right here,” I reminded her, kissing her temple.

And with that, the screaming began.

An hour later, William Levi Uley-Black and Charlotte Sarah Uley-Black were born. Bella cried as she held them both, staring down at them with complete adoration. Sam and I were enraptured immediately, completely consumed with our new family.

Our wolves had come out quickly, demanding we secured the area and made sure there was no threat to our imprint and pups. Sam and I had gone with William and Charlotte when Seth took them away to be checked over. We had Leah stay with Bella, instructing her to allow no one near her while she slept off the hours of labor.

It hadn’t taken long for everyone to realize we meant business. Two days later, we took Bella, William, and Charlotte home where they met the pack for the first time. Charlie, Billy, and Al had been the only ones allowed in to see Bella and the babies at the hospital, our wolves not allowing anyone else inside.

Even now, as everyone passed around our pups, we were on high alert, tracking them and Bella simultaneously.

“You can relax, guys. They aren’t going to hurt them,” Bella chided lightly, coming to stand between Sam and I.

“How are we supposed to relax? They’re so little. Anything could happen,” Sam frowned, keeping his attention on Charlotte as Seth made faces at her.

“Nothing is going to happen, but even if it does, we’ll handle it. Isn’t that what you told me?” Bella reminded us, taking each of our hands.

I sighed and took my eyes off William to look down at our imprint. She smiled up at us brightly, completely happy in the new state of family we had found ourselves in.

“Why do you always have to be so right?” I asked her.

“Because someone has to be in this relationship,” Bella grinned.

“You could share the limelight sometimes, sweetheart,” Sam pouted.

“I would, if you guys ever got anything right,” Bella teased.

“We got one thing right,” I pointed out.

“What’s that?” Bella asked, blinking up at me.

“This,” Sam answered, waving his hand around the room.

Bella looked around the room, seeing what we meant. Collin and Brady were playing with Anthony so Jared and Kim could hold William. Seth was feeding Charlotte while Leah played with her feet. Quil was helping Claire color and Embry was taking pictures of Quil’s princess hat. Paul was laughing as William spit up on Jared, making Jared turn slightly green himself. Charlie and Billy sat side by side, talking quietly with each other while watching their grandchildren. And Al stood by the window, frowning over everyone as usual.

“You’re right. This is absolutely right,” Bella agreed, sighing happily.

I wrapped an arm around her shoulders while Sam wrapped one around her waist and we simply stood there, watching over our rather large and extended family.

…….

“Uncle Quil, I think I broke Mr. Pepe.”

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

Oh, yeah. This was definitely right.

Alpha Beta Imprint: Chapter Twenty-Two

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Twenty-two

Bella’s POV

It had been three days since I’d woken up for the first time and I was finally going home. My strength still wasn’t one hundred percent, but I was good enough to make it back to La Push. I was anxious to see the pack and make sure everyone was okay.

“Ready, sweetheart?” Sam asked, giving me an easy smile.

“You have no idea,” I grinned, lifting my arms to wrap around his neck.

“I know I’m ready for you to be home, so I can only imagine how ready you are,” Sam chuckled, lifting me easily.

He carried me outside where Jake and Al were waiting, Jake scanning the forest while Al shuffled impatiently.

“Bout time,” Al grumbled, spotting us.

“Keep your pants on. Just cause I’m weak as a kitten doesn’t mean they can’t beat your old butt,” I threatened.

“Oh, tsidá wil. These boys of yours might be strong, but I’ve been around a lot longer and know all the tricks,” Al winked.

“Bring it on, old man. We’ll take you anytime, anyplace,” Jake gloated, flexing his muscles.

“Put those down, boy, before you hurt yourself,” Al admonished.

I giggled as Jake and Al began growling playfully at each other.

“Alright. Enough. We’ve got to get going if we’re going to make it back by sundown,” Sam insisted, starting towards La Push.

“How far away are we?” I asked curiously, looking around us.

“A few miles,” Sam shrugged.

“How long will it take?” I practically whined.

“Not long. We have to go slower with you, but we’ll get there soon enough,” Sam promised, kissing the top of my head.

“Let’s get a move on. I don’t trust being out here alone like this,” Jake frowned, picking up the pace.

“Why didn’t you call more of the pack?” I asked, figuring that would’ve been the obvious choice.

“Don’t want a bunch of pups sniffing round my home,” Al groused from behind Sam and I.

“What did we say about smiling and being nice?” I glared back at him.

In response, Al shot me a sarcastic smile, chuckling when I stuck my tongue out at him. For such an old fart, he was cool once he dropped the whole “I-am-angry-so-fuck-off” attitude. I knew Jake and Sam liked him after spending so much time with him.

The walk back to La Push went fairly quickly with the three of them entertaining me with the goings on of the pack and the tribe. I was more than a little worried when Jake and Sam alluded to Jake taking on the Alpha role. Sam tensed when it was mentioned and I noticed he shot Jake a death glare.

“What’s going to happen with you taking over as Alpha?” I asked Jake quietly.

Jake looked back and made eye contact with Sam. Al gave a cough behind us, signaling his discomfort, but I ignored him for the moment.

“That depends,” Jake answered slowly.

“On what?” I pressed.

“On whether or not he’s going to maintain control and whether or not I step down,” Sam explained.

“Why do you need to step down?” I frowned.

“Because the pack can’t have two Alphas,” Jake sighed, running his hand through his hair.

“Why not? It’s not like you two didn’t share the power before. I mean, sure, Jake was Beta, but you both made the decisions together. You can just do that,” I pointed out, fatigue slowly creeping over me.

I smiled tiredly at the surprised looks Jake and Sam shot each other. It was clear neither one of them had thought of this choice.

“That would solve a lot of problems,” Jake nodded.

“What problems?” I mumbled, my eyes closing.

“Later, honey. Rest for now. We’ll be home soon,” Jake soothed, his fingers brushing through my hair.

I sighed contently, snuggling into Sam’s arms as they continued walking. My mind shut down until I was in a limbo-like place, half asleep, half awake.

“We’ll need to tell her soon,” Sam mumbled reluctantly.

“I know, I know. I just don’t want to upset her. She’s so fragile right now,” Jake huffed.

“Bull shit. She’s tougher than she looks, boy,” Al snorted, coming closer to us.

“Really? You think she’ll take it lightly? This is not something to just dump on her. Sam could lose the imprint if he steps down,” Jake hissed angrily.

“Come on, now, son. You can’t be that dumb,” Al grunted.

I felt like giggling at the scenario playing out inside my head. Was this a dream or were they really talking?

“Your girl gave you the answer and you didn’t even listen to her. That bond you’ve got with her? Well, it transcends all others. The two of you were made to share the Alpha position,” Al said slowly.

“There can’t be two Alphas,” Jake argued.

“Who says? Eh? Those Elders? Bah! What do they know? Nothing. Been around longer than all of them put together!” Al grumbled under his breath.

“How is it possible to share the role of Alpha?” Sam asked, bringing them back on topic.

“How is it possible for two dominant male wolves to share a submissive mate? It just is. She is the link between the two of you. She calls to both of your wolves. And as long as you keep that bond to her, the two of you will be bonded in ways no other wolves will be able to understand,” Al explained.

“Look, Al. I appreciate everything you done for us, but I’m not sure I want to be bonded to Sam,” Jake choked.

The sound of Al slapping Jake in the back of the head jolted me awake and I looked around in surprise.

“What was that?” I cried.

“Just Al knocking some sense into Jake’s thick skull. We’re almost home, sweetheart,” Sam smiled, kissing my temple.

“Thank God. My legs are sore,” I complained, rubbing my thighs.

“I’ll massage them when we get home,” Jake offered, reaching over to take my hand and kiss it sweetly.

“My feet, too?” I pouted.

“Your feet, too,” Jake chuckled, kissing my hand again.

“Thank God we’re getting the three of you back to civilization. Much more of that and I would’ve been forced to move outta my own place,” Al shivered.

“Oh, hush. You know you’ll miss me,” I grinned.

“I’m sure you’ll be by the store often enough for me not to miss you,” Al countered.

“Probably,” I agreed with a laugh.

“Here we go,” Sam smiled, stepping out of the trees.

I looked around and felt like crying as I took in our home. Even from outside, I could tell the pack was crowded around the living room, waiting for us to get there.

“They’ve all be very impatient to see you, especially Kim and Leah,” Sam whispered, walking up the steps.

“I’ve missed them all,” I told him, sniffing to keep back the tears.

Sam kissed me sweetly while Jake opened the door. I pulled away as the entire room seemed to shake with the vibrations of the pack’s enthusiasm. I laughed as my name was called from all directions and I was passed around the room, receiving hug after hug.

“BELLA!” Kim squealed, hugging me as Jared held me up.

“Kim! Oh, I’m so sorry! I ruined your night,” I apologized, hugging her fiercely.

“Are you kidding me? You were kidnapped! By some psycho vampire! And you’re apologizing to me? Oh, Bella! I was so scared and worried and-and- Oh! I’m so happy you’re back!” Kim sobbed, throwing all her weight into me.

Thankfully, Jared kept a hold of me so we didn’t end up on the floor, but Jake and Sam quickly moved to peel Kim off me.

“Babe, remember. She’s still kinda weak,” Jared murmured while she continued to cry.

“I know!  I can’t help it! It’s these damn hormones,” Kim wailed.

“Kim, it’s okay. I’m fine. I missed you, too,” I soothed, brushing her hair back.

“Jesus, woman. Get a hold of yourself. With all the crying you’ve been doing, we could bottle that shit and sell it on Ebay for millions,” Leah grumbled, pulling me into a gentle hug.

“Fuck you, Leah!” Kim shouted, moving to punch her friend.

“Babe! Don’t. Remember what happened last time?” Jared scolded, pulling her back against his chest.

“I don’t care! Let me at her! I wanna rearrange her face!” Kim screamed, clawing at Jared’s arms.

“What the heck?” I muttered as Jared dragged Kim away.

“She’s a little emotional right now and I help her relieve her stress. She’d do the same for me. How ya feeling, qahla?” Leah asked softly.

“Better than I was a few days ago,” I chuckled, leaning against Jake.

“I bet. We all saw it through Jake and Sam’s mind. Damn, but you were fucked up,” Leah smirked.

“Don’t I know it. I still can’t stand for very long,” I sighed.

“It’ll get better. According to Al, you took the transfusion well. You just gotta work on getting that strength up,” Leah reassured me.

“Easier said than done with these two lugging me around all over the place,” I teased, hip bumping Jake.

He didn’t answer, simply lowered his mouth to his mark and nipped at the sensitive skin. I shivered as the delicious sensation traveled straight to my clit, making it throb persistently.

“Eh-hem. Well, then. I’m gonna mosey on over and make sure Quil hasn’t snuck off to have play time with Mr. Pepe,” Leah grinned evilly before slinking away.

“She really is cruel sometimes,” I mused.

“Nah. She’s just a big softie,” Jake denied, trailing his lips down my throat.

“You need to stop. We have… company,” I breathed, tilting my head to give him better access.

“I can’t help it. We haven’t had you in nine days, four hours, and thirty-two minutes,” Jake groaned pitifully.

“I can’t believe you’re actually keeping track,” I laughed, pushing away from him.

“Honey, I’m always counting down the seconds until I’m inside you again,” Jake told me seriously.

I shivered at the intensity of his gaze and again when Sam came up behind me, his arm wrapping around my waist to pull me against his chest.

“Charlie’s on his way over with the Elders. I just got off the phone with them,” Sam informed us.

“Good. We need to discuss this whole Alpha thing and what to do about the Cullens,” Jake frowned.

“Can I sit down?” I requested, a wave of dizziness coming over me.

I was sitting on the couch before I could do so much as blink, Jake kneeling in front of me and Sam sitting beside me.

“Are you okay? Do you need something?” Jake asked frantically.

“I’m fine, just really tired all of a sudden,” I assured him.

“Here,” Al grunted from behind Jake, holding out a can of soda and a sandwich.

“Where have you been?” Jake asked, taking them from him.

“Getting this. Knew she’d need something after all the excitement,” Al shrugged.

“Thanks,” I murmured, taking the sandwich eagerly.

I practically inhaled it, I was so hungry. In less than five minutes, it was gone.

“Slow down, Bells. You’re gonna make yourself sick,” Jake chuckled, handing me the soda.

“I was really hungry,” I glared.

“I can tell,” Jake smirked.

“Elders are here with Charlie,” Al mumbled, squinting out the window behind us.

I turned to see my dad hurrying up the front steps, Billy, Harry, and Old Quil behind him. The door burst open a second before Charlie called my name.

“Bella!”

“In here, Dad,” I answered, moving to stand.

I was barely on my feet before he swooped me into his arms, holding me tight.

“Thank God, you’re okay,” Charlie gasped into my hair.

I tried to blink back tears as I hugged him, my face pressed into his chest. The reality of it all suddenly weighing me down, I ended up crying softly in my Daddy’s lap. I had almost lost him, Jake, Sam, Leah, Kim, the pack, all of it, just because a group of vampires got it in their heads that I belonged with them.

“Shh, Bells. You’re alright. I’ve got you,” Charlie soothed, rocking us slowly.

I felt like a child again, in that moment. I blocked out everything else and just focused on the sound of Charlie’s voice and the gentle rocking motion that was quickly lulling me back to sleep.

Jake’s POV

It nearly killed me to watch Bella break apart in Charlie’s arms. Throughout the whole ordeal, she’d been strong and resilient, completely calm in the fact of what had happened.  Sam and I had been waiting for the break down, knowing as soon as the shock wore off she would lose her hold on the line between reality and fantasy. Apparently, all that was needed was a hug from her father and the haze she had been living in vanished, presenting her with the knowledge she had been putting off for the past three days.

Charlie rocked her gently, whispering soothing words into her ear as she clung to his shirt. I watched helplessly as she slowly began to drift off, the emotion drain too much for her still-healing body.

“Alright, boys. Tell us what’s going on,” Dad demanded quietly.

I looked at Sam, noticing he was having a hard time turning away from our imprint. With her being in such a fragile state, the pull was much stronger and we were constantly on the defense around others.

“We already told you what happened with the Cullens, how Al saved Bella, and that Edward is mated to Emily. You also know that I stepped up as Alpha, but Sam has yet to step down,” I began.

“Yes. You told us all this the last time we met,” Old Quil nodded.

“Well, Sam won’t be stepping down from the Alpha position,” I told them.

There was a slight uproar around the room, mostly from the three Elders. The pack began looking between each other, wondering what would become of them with two Alphas.

“You’re splitting the pack? That’s madness. You’re stronger together!” Old Quil insisted.

“Besides, Sam was never meant to take on the Alpha position. It’s in your blood, Jake. You’re the rightful Alpha,” Harry frowned.

Al’s snort came from beside Bella and everyone turned to look at him.

“Three of you aren’t too bright, huh?” Al smirked, coming to stand by Sam and I.

“What is it to you, Callum?” Old Quil grunted.

“Well, now, let’s just think about this for a minute, shall we? We’ve got two dominant male wolves mated to one submissive female human. Both wolves are dominant enough to hold onto the Alpha position. Now, from what you’ve heard in the past, there can’t be two Alphas. But, then again, according to legends, there can’t be a double imprint. We’re currently looking at both right now, gentleman. If Jake had any problem with Sam being Alpha, Sam would either already be dead or the pack would be split. Either way, they wouldn’t be able to stand being in the same room with each other, let alone sitting side by side for days while Bella recovered,” Al explained.

It was clear no one had thought of this as the Elders looked dumbfounded. I tried not to laugh at the incredulous look on my Dad’s face. I doubt anyone had ever heard him say so much, let alone say it so well.

“Look, Sam and I aren’t sure how this is going to work, exactly, but Al’s right. I don’t really want to take away Sam’s position in the pack and the only reason he felt threatened was because we weren’t sure if the imprint would dissolve if he stepped down. This way, we don’t have to find out,” I shrugged.

“So the pack will have two Alphas?” Dad clarified.

“Yes. Decisions will be made between the two of us. It’ll be just like when Jake was Beta. I relied on him more than what would usually be considered normal for an Alpha to do,” Sam pointed out.

The three Elders shared a look before nodding at us.

“Agreed. Now, what do you plan to do about the remaining Cullens?” Dad asked.

Sam and I looked at each other, communicating our intentions without saying a word.

“We’ve decided to let them leave. Bella is safe and she’s never going to see them again. As long as they pledge not to return here, we will let them walk away and take Edward’s mate with them, if she chooses to go,” I informed them.

“Jake and I will speak to Emily and judge her mental awareness before we allow them to leave. They were requesting the chance to see Bella, but I think we’ll have to deny them that. She’s shaken up enough as it is from just coming to terms with what happened. She doesn’t need to face the leech that almost killed her,” Sam growled, his anger slowly rising.

“Very well. We support you decision,” Harry nodded.

With that, the atmosphere relaxed and the pack settled down to spend the rest of the day in our living room. Sam and I shared another look before turning to Charlie.

“Chief, we’ve got to go see Emily and get these leeches off our land. Will you stand with Bella until we get back?” Sam asked.

“Of course, I will. She’s my daughter,” Charlie glared at us.

“Sorry, Charlie. We’re just a little on edge when it comes to her. The pack will be here, but I know she’ll feel better if you stay, too,” I apologized.

“You two go on. I’ve got her,” Charlie assured us.

“Al? You staying?” I asked, glancing over at him.

“Nah. Think I’m gonna head up to the shop, see bout stocking for tomorrow,” Al shook his head.

“Thanks for all your help. I’m sure we’ll be bringing Bella by soon,” Sam smirked, shaking his hand.

Al grunted in response before lumbering out the door. I took one last look at Bella before Sam and I followed behind him.

“She’s at her house, right?” I asked Sam.

“I think so. If not, we just go to the Cullens,” Sam shrugged.

“I don’t want to be that far away from Bella. If she’s not there, we call them and have them meet us at the treaty line,” I amended.

Sam nodded his agreement. I kicked at a rock as we continued walking in silence, thinking about our girl sleeping in her dad’s arms. I hated leaving her for any length of time, but leaving her when she was so obviously upset hurt more than anything. My chest was aching under the strain of walking away from her.

“Looks like she’s home,” Sam murmured, his hand rubbing at his chest.

“Let’s hurry this up so we can get back to her,” I grumbled, hurrying up the steps.

I knocked on the door with Sam behind me, shifting nervously. It didn’t take long before Emily opened the door, smiling shyly when she saw it was us.

“Hey. Come on in,” Emily said, opening the door wider.

“Thanks,” I mumbled, walking past her.

Sam and I walked into the living room before turning to face her. She was leaning against the doorway, her arms wrapped around herself. This girl was nothing like the one who had knocked on Sam’s door a few weeks ago. Her hair was up in a messy ponytail, she had on a large sweater, and her jeans had rips in the knees. Her outfit reminded me of Bella and my chest gave a painful twinge at the thought.

“Looks like you’re getting ready to leave,” Sam noticed, looking around the room.

I saw boxes stacked in the hallway and noted that all the decorative stuff had been removed from the room.

“Yeah. Edward said the sooner we leave, the better. He figured you two wouldn’t be too happy with his plan to save Bella,” Emily smiled wryly.

“He’s right about that,” I groused.

“Is this what you want, Emily? To become a vampire? You’ll never see your family again. You won’t be able to come back here. You’ll be forced to kill in order to survive,” Sam explained.

“It’s what I want. Edward and I… we just connect. It’s so easy to be with him. I never planned on coming back here. I want to see the world and with him, I can. And Rosalie is so sweet to me, plus Emmett is just… adorable,” Emily grinned.

“You sure you’ll be happy, though, Em?” Sam asked softly.

“I’m as happy with him as you are with Bella,” Emily assured him.

“Well, then. We’ll allow your change to occur, but the Cullens must never return to Forks and the surrounding area. It will be written in the treaty that if you ever return, there will be no sympathy,” I warned.

“I’ll tell him,” Emily promised.

“Good luck, Emily,” Sam smiled, squeezing her hand.

“You, too, Sam. And tell Bella, I’m sorry. I never would have hurt her if I’d been able to stop it,” Emily vowed, tears forming.

“She doesn’t blame you,” I told her.

Emily smiled widely at us as we left, closing the door behind us softly.

“Let’s get back to our girl,” Sam insisted eagerly.

I grinned and took off running down the street, Sam right beside me, as we raced towards our future with our imprint.

Alpha Beta Imprint: Chapter Twenty-One

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer. I do not own Twilight.

Chapter Twenty-One

Leah’s POV

I was ready to fucking tear the bitch apart. I wasn’t even thinking about which bitch it was going to be, any of them would do.

Jake was trying to restrain Sam while talking to the leeches about Bella. The leeches were having a little family meltdown. And the pack was getting antsy behind me, eager to find the missing part of our pack and bring her back.

“Somebody start talking right the fuck now,” I demanded, my body trembling in my anger.

Emmett and Rosalie seemed to be trying to explain something about the fucker that had taken Bella, but their coven wasn’t letting them speak. I growled when they all started talking at once.

“Shut up!” I roared, quickly losing patience.

Sam was vibrating, his lips pulled over his teeth in his anger at losing his imprint and Jake wasn’t looking too good either. Too much longer and the thin control they had would snap.

“Edward took Bella to keep her safe,” Rosalie finally said.

The entire yard got quiet as those words sank in.

“How the hell does that work?” Jake asked, tremors working through his body.

“These four have been planning this for a long time. Carlisle-“

Rosalie was cut off by Alice’s scream. I watched in shock as the little vampire fell to her knees, hands gripping her hair as she sobbed.

“No, no, no! He can’t do this! He can’t!” Alice cried, her eyes wide as she shook her head.

“Alice, darlin’, what is it?” Jasper questioned, kneeling beside her.

“He killed her. Oh, God, Jazz, he killed her,” Alice sobbed, clutching her mate.

There was an awful ripping sound behind me and a shiver worked its way down my spine.

“No. No, you’re wrong. She’s not dead,” Jake insisted, his voice thick with emotion.

“He killed her,” Alice repeated, rocking back and forth quickly.

“NO! She’s not… She can’t be! No!” Jake shouted.

I turned around, surprised that Sam wasn’t throwing a fit, to see him kneeling, head on the ground as he cried. I hurried over to him, knowing I couldn’t help, but needing to comfort him in some way.

The pack let out a howl behind us, mourning the loss of our Alphas’ mate.

“Bella,” Sam wailed, his fists clenching the ground as I held him.

“No. She’s can’t be gone. She can’t be,” Jake whispered thickly.

“Can you feel her?” Emmett asked, speaking for the first time.

“What?” Jake blinked, unseeing as he turned to the large vampire.

“Can you feel her? Can you feel the bond you share?” Emmett repeated.

Jake stared at him for a long time before closing his eyes and breathing deep. I waited, hoping he would be able to feel her, that there was still a small chance. Sam continued crying beneath me, his entire body shaking under the force of his grief.

Jake opened his eyes, spinning suddenly to look north.

“Bella,” Jake gasped.

“We need to get to her quickly. We may be able to stop it,” Rosalie insisted fervently.

“Sam! Get up! We need to get Bella,” Jake snapped.

I shivered as the Alpha order rolled over my skin, surprised when Sam obeyed immediately. I felt the shock of the pack as Jake and Sam phased as one before taking off in the direction of their imprint. I was a step behind them, the pack behind me, the Cullens behind them.

“We won’t make it in time,” Alice said blankly from behind us.

Yes, we will, Jake argued.

We have to, Sam agreed.

Every bone in my body stretched to push me forward faster, eager to reach Bella and kill the leech threatening her life. My thoughts were echoed in those of the pack, each and every one of them willing to do whatever it took to take down the monster we were running at.

Edward’s POV

I could hear them coming, their thoughts a violent turmoil of Bella, me, and death. Alice had seen my intentions, but it was too late.

They burst through the trees as a single wave of fur. I was instantly surrounded on all sides as they growled at me.

Jacob and Sam’s thoughts revolved solely around Bella. They knew she had been here, they could still feel her in the air.

Where is she? Jake growled at me.

“You’re too late. She’s gone,” I informed them.

What did you do with her? Sam snarled.

I smiled, my teeth gleaming in the moonlight as my family walked into the clearing to stand behind the wolves. I looked right at Carlisle, my glee at defying him evident in my entire being.

“I killed her.”

I expected an instant attack, but the wolves simply stood there, continuing to growl at me. It was clear Jacob and Sam didn’t believe me, their bond with Bella making them believe she was still alive.

“You were too late. I’ve killed her and a wolf came and took her body. She’s gone,” I informed them, trying to goad them into an attack.

“Edward! Stop it!” Rosalie shouted, flitting into the circle of wolves with me.

Of course, with Rosalie in the line of fire, Emmett was quick to join us. He glared at the wolves, baring his teeth in warning as the pack shifted around us.

“Tell them the truth. All of it,” Rosalie demanded, her golden eyes flashing.

“I have. Bella Swan is dead,” I insisted.

Jacob and Sam howled, their anger nearly doubling as they struggled against killing me. They wanted to hear what Rosalie had to say.

“How could you, Edward? She was your mate,” Esme sobbed, curling into Carlisle’s chest.

“No. She belonged to the mutts,” I smirked.

“No. I saw it. The two of you were together, happy,” Alice sniffed, shaking her head at me.

“You were wrong. I feel… felt nothing for her,” I amended, my smirk widening.

“You didn’t kill her, Edward. You were trying to keep her safe,” Rosalie frowned.

“And the only way to do that was to kill her,” I nodded.

“Just come out with it, dude. What did you do?” Emmett gritted, his body tensed for a fight.

“I drained her. Her blood was the sweetest I’ve ever tasted. I can understand why Jasper has so much trouble denying his bloodlust. She was delicious,” I hummed, my eyes closing in remembrance.

A silver wolf, Leah, snapped at me, her body jerking back at the last second. I searched the minds around me, discovering they were under some form of control that kept them from attacking.

“But all your plans. You wasted all your hard work,” Rosalie complained.

“It was worth it,” I grinned.

“Why couldn’t you just accept facts, Edward? Bella was your mate! If you had just listened to me in the first place, none of this would have happened,” Alice cried, stomping her foot in anger.

There was a shift in the air and I glanced over to see Jacob and Sam were human, their faces wearing identical scowls as they stared each member of my family down.

“Someone needs to start explaining,” Jake said.

“Now!” Sam demanded.

I snorted when everyone looked to Carlisle, expecting him to come clean of the whole story. When it became obvious he wasn’t going to talk, Rosalie huffed and began telling the wolves everything.

“A few years ago, we were living in New York. Carlisle was doing research on trauma victims, some of which were traumatized by something other than humans. He worked with people who had come in contact with the supernatural world. When he was about a year into the program, a new patient showed up claiming to have been attacked by her boyfriend. When Carlisle looked at her, he discovered she had the marks of a werewolf on her: three long, jagged lines on the right side of her face. It was Emily Young, ex-girlfriend of Sam Uley,” Rosalie began.

Recognition flared up among the pack and they all began to worry about where this story was going to go.

“At the same time, Alice began having visions of the family moving back west. She said Edward would finally meet his mate and the family would be complete. We stayed in New York for a little while longer to keep noisy people from digging into our family life, but eventually we started packing up to move. When Emily heard her doctor was moving out west, she decided to follow him. The treatment for her face was going poorly, but her therapy was going well and she was starting to realize she could live with the scars. She thought moving back home with her doctor close by would help her face the last of her demons, but when Bella arrived, things turned bad,” Rosalie continued, frowning.

Carlisle hissed at Rosalie, a warning for her not to continue. Emmett growled back, his hands clenching as he stared the older vampire down.

“Anyway, we suddenly realized that Bella would be imprinted on by the two of you. That meant she couldn’t be with Edward. While I was thrilled she wouldn’t be changed, Alice refused to let it go and convinced Carlisle and Esme that Edward would spend the rest of his life miserable and alone if he wasn’t with Bella. When Carlisle realized Sam was Emily’s ex and would be one of the wolves to imprint on Bella, he began dazzling Emily, confusing her into thinking she was Bella,” Rosalie sighed, her shoulders slumping.

“Alice and Jasper snuck into Charlie Swan’s house and set up cameras that were hidden to the human eye. We were able to watch everything that happened in the house. When we realized Bella would be spending a lot of time in La Push, Carlisle paid a co-worker of Sam’s to set up cameras while Sam was at work. That gave us access to practically every aspect of Bella’s life. Carlisle worked with Emily on a daily basis, having her watch the videos of Bella’s life with Sam and Jake, convincing her it was her life.

“Edward found out what was happening and tried to warn Bella away from Alice and Jasper without alerting the family to what he was doing. He knew that if Carlisle and Alice caught on, they would do something drastic. When that didn’t work, he tried to take her away to keep her safe. Of course, you stopped him and he had to come up with another plan. His goal this whole time has been keeping Bella safe and away from those four,” Rosalie accused, glaring at her former family.

The shock that surrounded us was almost palpable in its intensity. The roar of stunned silence filled each and every mind of the pack, creating a jumble of scattered thoughts that gradually grew louder and louder.

“Where is she?” Sam croaked, his body wavering.

“I don’t know,” I told him.

“Why?” Jake persisted.

“A wolf came, similar to your pack. He took her away. As far as I know, it was too late. Her heartbeat was practically gone when he arrived,” I explained sadly.

“You killed her,” Jake stated emotionlessly.

“I saved her from becoming like us,” I argued.

“Either way, she’s gone from us,” Sam said, his own voice devoid of emotion.

“The wolf that took her knew who she was. He was going to try and save her. His thoughts of her were… paternal almost,” I informed them.

“Maybe we can track him,” Jake suggested, his brows furrowed as he went back into strategy mode.

Sam nodded in agreement, his body already shaking as he began to take on his wolf form. Jake followed suit, his brown eyes calculating as they scanned my former family. I heard the thought in his head as he gave the order to his pack.

As the two Alphas slipped off in search of their mate, I watched dispassionately as the wolves ripped apart my sire, his mate, and the two vampires who were still aligned with them.

Finally, I would be free to be with my true mate.

Jake’s POV

The power of the Alpha flowed through me as Sam and I followed the trail of our imprint’s scent. It was an odd sensation, one that felt uncomfortable and familiar at the same time. I knew Sam hadn’t relinquished his hold on the role of Alpha, but there was no going back from this. I could not give up my birth right after taking it. If he didn’t back down, our pack would be split. I worried about what this would mean for the imprint, whether Sam would still be bonded with Bella or not.

All this was going on in the back of my mind, though. Most of my being was focused on finding Bella and making sure she lived. I’d give her all of my own blood before I let her die. I just prayed that was still an option.

The scent trail led us back to La Push, to a house buried deep in the woods with no trail indicating someone lived there. I could smell the other wolf and the fur along my spine rose in warning. I wouldn’t hesitate to fuck this bastard up if he tried to get between us and our imprint.

Sam had already phased, hurrying towards the house, and I followed, yanking on my shorts and I did. Sam paused in the doorway, his shoulders heaving with each breath he took. Looking over his shoulder, I saw what was causing his reaction.

Bella.

Sam’s POV

She was here.

That was the first thought the entered my head when I opened the door to the shack in the middle of the woods. Her scent hung in the air, filling my lung and clearing my mind. I was able to focus and realized another important fact.

Her heart was beating.

I nearly fell to my knees in thanks as I walked into the room on shaking legs. Jake followed behind, his steps hesitant.

She was laid out on a cot of some kind, furs thrown over her too pale body. Machines were hooked up to her arms, all of them beeping in sync with each other. My eyes focused on the machine timing her heartbeat, finding it to be stronger than I had anticipated. The bag hanging at her head was dripping blood, transfusing it back into her body where it belonged.

“Bella,” I moaned, grasping her hand in both of mine.

Tears fell down my cheeks as I pressed my face into her wrist, breathing in her scent and feeling her heartbeat at the same time. Her touch reassured me, gave me strength, and I was finally able to come back to myself.

I looked across the bed to see Jake rubbing her hand across his cheek, tears streaming down his face as he looked at hers.

“Thank God. Oh, God,” Jake whispered, his voice cracking.

“She’s okay,” I murmured, reassuring myself and him.

“I know,” Jake nodded reverently.

We sat in silence, simply staring at our imprint, watching her breathe as the monitors kept beeping with the sound of her life.

“Wondered when the two of you would show up.”

Jake and I spun around, growls immediately forming as we prepared to defend our mate.

“Easy, sons. I mean her no harm,” Al chuckled, kicking off his boots.

“Al? What are you doing here?” Jake questioned, still suspicious.

“Taking care of that girl of yours,” Al answered, nodding in Bella’s direction.

“How did you find her?” I asked, watching him closely.

“Found that leech sucking her dry and brought her back here. Didn’t take much. Good thing I was prepared for it, too,” Al snorted, moving a kettle off the stove.

I frowned as I realized we hadn’t noticed anything else about where we were. The shack was one room, but nicely furnished. Bella was on the only bed, near the fireplace. The stove was a wood burning stove with a small table shoved up against the wall a few feet away. There was a couch on the opposite side with a bookshelf by it. The only decoration was a bear skin rug on the floor, spanning from the couch to the edge of a chair at the kitchen table.

“You live here,” Jake stated, seeing the same things I was.

“For the past year,” Al agreed.

“Same time the Cullens arrived,” I noticed.

“Followed ‘em out here from New York. Dreadful place, that. Been chasing that coven for nearly sixty years,” Al told us, pouring three cups of hot chocolate.

I swallowed thickly, remembering Bella drinking hot chocolate in our kitchen, her bare feet tapping away while she told us about her day. Al handed Jake and I each a mug before taking a seat in one of the chairs at the table. He turned it to face us, his eyes on Bella.

“She’s a brave one, I’ll tell you that. Didn’t so much as struggle while that leech tried to drain her,” Al smirked.

“How did you know to find her?” Jake asked.

“Emily Young told me the whole story after she attacked Bella in front of my store. Pure luck I just happened to be out when he ran by with your girl. I’ve been running for a long time, boys. Wasn’t too hard to keep up with him, but still out of sight,” Al shrugged.

“Emily told you what was happening to her?” I gaped.

“Poor girl. She was so confused. Couldn’t understand what was going on,” Al frowned, shaking his head sadly.

“Our pack killed the four responsible for it all,” I informed him.

“Good. Maybe now she can get better,” Al nodded.

“And Bella?” Jake croaked fearfully.

“Well, now, that’s up to her. I’ve done all I can do. Her body’s taking the blood. Tell you what, it’s a good thing that leech didn’t use his venom, otherwise your girl would be lost to you forever,” Al clicked sadly.

“She won’t change though, right?” I clarified.

“She’ll be fine just as soon as she decides to join the land of the living again,” Al assured us.

“How long with that be?” I asked, eager for her to get better.

“Like I said, entirely up to her. She’s had a traumatic experience, boys. Let her rest for now. Things don’t look better soon, we’ll see what else we can do for her,” Al explained.

“Come back to us, Bells. We need you,” Jake murmured, kissing the palm of her hand.

I turned to watch her, taking up her other hand and kissing each fingertip.

“We love you, Bella. Don’t make us live without you,” I begged tearfully.

As the tears began to fall, I burrowed my face into her palm, struggling to gain control and stay strong for my girl.

Bella’s POV

It was foggy where I was. My body was floating, looking down on the things happening below. I heard Rosalie explain about Emily and the Cullens, surprised at how it all came together. I watched as my wolves fought for control as they chased after me, their sole purpose on getting me back. I ached when they walked in, finding my body in Al’s home, the machines letting them know I was still alive.

I was angry at my inability to be with them. I didn’t understand how I could witness all this and not be there. It was an out of body experience, one I thought only occurred in fiction. My heart broke as I listened to my wolves beg me to return to them, my anger increasing when I found it impossible to do so.

No matter how hard I tried, I could not return to my body.

My energy began to wane as I continued struggling with myself, trying to shape my celestial form back into my physical one. Fatigue plagued me, weighing my body down until my vision began to fade and everything went black.

I felt the change when I became aware a second time. I couldn’t see anything except the darkness pressing in on me, but I could hear everything. The quiet breathing of the other people in the room, the constant beep and whirl of the machines hooked to my body, and the whoosh of my own breath as my lungs expanded and contracted.

I could also feel. My hands were being held by my wolves, their heat traveling through our joined hands, up my arm, and throughout the rest of my body. I was cocooned in the safety and security of their love.

“Her heartbeat is changing,” Sam murmured from my right.

“She is gaining her strength,” Al replied from further away.

“So she’ll wake up soon?” Jake questioned, his voice soft in my left ear.

“When her body and mind are ready,” Al answered cryptically.

I’m fighting it, my wolves. I want to come back to you, I thought to them.

“We love you, Bella. We’ll be right here until you wake up,” Sam promised, his lips touching the back of my hand.

“Wake up soon, Bells. We miss your gorgeous smile and those beautiful eyes,” Jake pleaded, his hand running through my hair.

I felt tears welling as I listened to them talk, begging me to wake up. Their mutual gasps of surprise were followed quickly by exclamations.

“She’s crying,” Jake cried.

“Shh, sweetheart. We’re here. We love you so much,” Sam whispered, his fingers brushing away my tears.

“Her body still needs rest, but things are looking up,” Al encouraged them.

I fought to stay conscious, but my mind was quickly wearing down. The blackness took over quickly, forcing me to leave my wolves again.

I blinked at the ceiling, uncertain if I was actually awake, or if this was another out of body experience. My neck was itching like crazy, leading me to believe this was real, that I was actually awake.

“Well, now. Bout time you woke up.”

I looked towards the gruff voice, surprised when I noticed Al sitting at a small table, two chairs on either side. He had a mug in his hands and was dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt. His face was more relaxed than I’d ever seen it.

“Wh-wh-“ I struggled to talk, my throat dry.

“I wouldn’t try to talk just yet. Throat’s probably gonna hurt for a while,” Al informed me, getting up to come sit in the chair to my right.

I frowned, trying to come up with a way to ask what I wanted to ask.

“Those boys’ll be back soon. Haven’t so much as left your side for the past three days,” Al continued, reading my mind.

I glanced around the hut we were in, focusing on the door. Thankfully, Al seemed to understand what I was trying to do.

“They had to go into town. Some problems have come up while you’ve been out. Not to worry, everyone important is fine. Although, those ‘friends’ of yours, Alice and Jasper, are dead, along with Esme and Carlisle,” Al shrugged.

I nodded, trying to let him know I knew everything he was saying.

“How bout some water?” Al offered, smiling as he stood up.

I nodded eagerly, my throat practically aching at the thought of some water. Al chuckled while he went about pouring me a glass. I tried to lift my hand to take it from him when he walked back, but my arms refused to move. The only result I got was a twitch of my fingers.

“You lost a lot of blood, tsidá wil. You need time to regain your strength,” Al murmured, helping me sit up against the pillows.

I drank greedily, some of the water running down my chin as he helped me.

“You’re gonna make yourself sick,” Al scolded, removing the cup.

“Please,” I croaked.

His face softened and he went to get me another glass. I sighed, settling against the pillows as he walked back towards me.

“How much do you remember?” Al asked.

“Everything. And I know all about what really happened with the Cullens,” I answered when I’d finished drinking, frowning at the rough sound of my voice.

“Spirit go for a little walk, did it?” Al smirked.

“Guess you could say that,” I smiled.

“Your voice won’t go back to normal for a few days. Drink lots of tea and it’ll heal faster,” Al instructed.

“Yes, sir,” I sighed, my eyes closing in exhaustion.

“Sleep, tsidá wil. When you wake, your wolves will be back,” Al soothed, brushing my hair back.

I fell asleep quickly, my body forcing rest so I could recover faster and go home with my wolves.

Sam’s POV

I raced through the woods, my paws pounding against the forest floor as Jake and I hurried back to our imprint.

Three hours. It had been three hours since we’d left her and my body was practically vibrating with the need to know she was still safe, still alive.

The meeting with the Elders had taken longer than either one of us had anticipated. They had needed to know Jake had stepped up as Alpha, that the Cullen patriarch and his mate were dead, along with two of their coven, and that one of the remaining vampires was mated to Emily.

That still rattled my mind. Emily and Edward. The fact that Edward had “saved” Bella was still a sore spot among the pack and no one wanted them to stay around. Emily had been nearly inconsolable at the knowledge of what she had done under the influence of Dr. Cullen and his family. Edward’s quiet assurances were the only thing keeping her sane at this point.

They were both planning on leaving, along with Emmett and Rosalie. Their family would not be permitted back on Quileute land, which now included Forks. They had agreed after requesting to be allowed to stay until Bella awoke. They all had things to say to our girl.

I smelled our girl as we drew closer to the hut she was staying in. My wolf pushed me harder, anxious to return to her side. Jake and I phased simultaneously, not pausing as we walked up the front steps and into the ramshackle shack. Al was sitting at the table, a mug of hot chocolate and the newspaper in front of him.

“How is she?” Jake asked right away, already by her side.

“Fine. Woke up about an hour ago. Gave her some water, told her what had happened. She knew most of it,” Al informed us.

“How is that possible?” I frowned, looking her over.

“Her spirit went for a walk while she was unconscious. Many of our people have experienced similar things over the years,” Al shrugged, focused on his paper.

I walked over to where she slept, her breathing even in time with the heart monitor. The blood bag was gone, replaced with an IV drip that was keeping her alive.

“She’ll wake up soon. She already senses your presence,” Al huffed, shifting in his chair.

I smiled when I noticed how relaxed her face was, how deeply she breathed when Jake and I drew nearer.

“Sam,” Jake murmured, bringing my attention back into focus.

My breath caught in my throat as I saw her eyes fluttering. I joined Jake in leaning over her, anxious for her to wake up.

Her brown eyes finally opened to us for the first day in days and I nearly fell to my knees in relief.

“Bella,” I groaned, clutching her hand in mine.

“Thank God you’re okay,” Jake moaned, leaning forward to kiss her briefly.

“You’re back,” Bella whispered, her voice hoarse.

“We should’ve been here when you woke up. We’re sorry, sweetheart,” I apologized, nuzzling her palm.

“It’s okay. Al told me everything,” Bella said slowly.

“Are you hurting anywhere? Do you need anything?” Jake asked somewhat frantically.

“Just you,” Bella sighed happily.

“We’ll be here, honey. You just rest. We’ll take care of everything else. Soon we can go back home and you can sleep in our bed with me and Sam,” Jake promised.

“I love you both, so much,” Bella swallowed thickly.

“We love you, too,” I crooned, moving my hand to cradle her face.

“Always,” Jake added.

The word had barely left his mouth before she was asleep again. I looked over at Jake, smiling as the tension faded from his body, knowing my own tension was fading as well.

“She’s really okay,” Jake breathed.

“She really is,” I agreed happily.

For a long while, we simply sat there, staring at our imprint. The relief was heady after so many days of worry and anger.

“There are a few things we need to discuss,” I reminded him eventually.

“Once she’s well enough to go back home, we will. She needs to hear everything, too,” Jake nodded.

“Once she’s well,” I echoed.

And so we pushed the darker thoughts to the back of our minds in favor of watching the lightness that was our imprint.