Changing Tides
by Momma2fan
Epilogue
Bella stared at her reflection in the mirror as she ran her hands down the front of her dress. The white material flowed down her body with a short train falling behind her. The satin bodice was a silver color that closely matched the fur of Paul’s wolf. Her hair was pulled back on the sides with silver combs while the rest fell down her back in soft curls. She had kept her makeup light, knowing Paul liked her without it. On her feet were the white moccasins Sue had made her.
“Bella?” Charlie called up the stairs. “It’s time to go.”
“Okay.” She smiled at her reflection, before resting her hands where her unborn child rested. It was her secret and she couldn’t wait to tell Paul. She only hoped none of the others picked up on the tiny heartbeat with their enhanced hearing.
She slowly made her way down the stairs and stopped before her father, who stared at her with tears in his eyes.
“You look so beautiful, Bells.”
“Thanks, Daddy.”
“You ready to do this?”
“I’m ready.” She took her dad’s elbow and walked with him to where Sam was waiting with his truck.
“Wow, little sis, you look lovely.” He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Let’s get you married.”
***CT***
Paul stood at the end of the makeshift aisle on the beach with Jared at his side. The longer he stood there, the more anxious he became. He couldn’t wait to begin his life with Bella and maybe start a family, something he never thought he wanted or would have.
“Calm down, bro.” Jared put a hand on Paul’s shoulder. “You’re rattling my wolf.”
“Sorry. I just want to see her and get this over with. I’m ready for the next chapter, you know?”
“I know. She’ll be here soon.”
No sooner had the words been said, did Sam make his way up the aisle. He grinned at his brother and took his place beside Jared. “She’s gorgeous, Paul.”
“Thanks, Sam.”
Old Quil took his place beside the boys as Kim, followed by Emily, made their way toward them. Both women looked beautiful in the sage green dresses Bella had decided on, which perfectly matched Sam and Jared’s shirts. Both of them had on black pants, while Paul wore grey slacks with a white shirt. Since they were getting married on the beach, Bella hadn’t wanted them to overheat.
“Please stand,” Old Quil requested of those present, which were only a select few.
Bella and Charlie stood at the top of the aisle and began their trek forward. When Paul laid eyes on her, he felt tears slide down his cheeks. He had never seen her look more beautiful and he couldn't believe she was his. Once she arrived before him, he could help himself from reaching over and wiping her tears away as she did his.
Old Quil lead them through the traditional Quileute wedding ceremony and soon they were pronounced husband and wife.
“I love you, Bella Lahote.” Paul whispered before he pressed his lips to hers, sealing their vows.
“I love you, too.”
The pair of them turned to face their guests and asked them to join them for a celebration at Sam and Emily’s.
***CT***
The reception was in full swing, with a large bonfire burning, but the happy couple were nowhere to be found.
Paul and Bella had snuck away down to the beach, to the piece of driftwood they always went to to talk or think.
“Happy, baby?” Paul had his arms wrapped around his wife.
“Very much so.” Bella leaned her head back against his shoulder, her back to his chest. “I do have something to tell you, though.”
“What?”
“Well...remember how we talked about starting a family soon?”
“Bella?”
Bella took his hands and pulled them down to settle over their unborn child. “We did.”
Paul pulled Bella to her feet as he rose to his. “Seriously?”
Bella nodded at her husband. “I had it confirmed yesterday. I’m pregnant.”
Paul dropped to his knees before her and placed his ear over where their baby grew. He listened closely and finally heard what sounded like wings fluttering. He looked up at her and had tears in his eyes.
“Thank you, Bella.” He got up from his knees and softly pressed his lips to hers.
“For what?” Bella asked when they broke apart.
“For loving me, for giving me a family. For accepting the imprint.”
Bella smiled softly as their lips met once more.
***CT***
Eight Months later....
Bella was sweating profusely and gripping tightly to Paul’s hand as she tried to push their baby into the world.
“Ahhh....” she cried out.
“Breathe, Bella, you can do this.” Sue encouraged.
Paul wiped her brow and pressed his lips to her forehead. “You can do this, Sweetheart. Just a couple more and our baby will be here.”
“Here comes another one, Bella. Push.”
Bella bore down and pushed with all her might, until a cry was heard and Sue was placing her baby on her chest.
“Congratulations, it’s a girl.”
“Thank you, Sue.” Bella thanked the woman without taking her eyes off her daughter.
Leah stepped forward with a blanket. “I need to clean her up, Bells. While mom finishes up with you.”
Bella reluctantly let go of her daughter and watched as Leah carried out of the room. She looked up at Paul. “Go tell the pack.”
He kissed her lips and left the room as Sue delivered her placenta and began cleaning her up. Once Bella was ready, Paul came back, with Emily and Kim behind him and picked her up. The two women quickly changed the sheets, discarding the soiled items from the delivery. Once everything was fresh, Paul gently placed Bella in the bed, raised up by pillows, just as Leah came back with their daughter.
“I think someone is hungry.”
Bella lowered her gown and watched as the baby immediately latched on and began suckling. Paul watched the pair of them in awe. He didn’t know you could love someone so much so fast, but his wife and daughter were proving you could.
The pack slowly filed in once the baby was done eating, wanting to see the first pack pup. Sam and Emily stood to the side of the bed, as the rest gathered around them.
“What’s her name, Bells?” Charlie wanted to know as he stared at his granddaughter.
Bella looked at Paul, who nodded at her with a smile. “We’d like you to meet Samantha Jade Lahote. Samantha after her uncle, because if he hadn’t found me when Edward left, she wouldn’t be here.”
Sam looked at Bella, “I’m honored, sister.”
Bella and Sam continued to stare at each other, both knowing what the other was thinking. Yes, Sam had found her, but he had also saved her from a miserable future. When he found her that day on the cliffs, changing their destinies, he led her to true happiness and where she belonged.
Bella stared at her reflection in the mirror as she ran her hands down the front of her dress. The white material flowed down her body with a short train falling behind her. The satin bodice was a silver color that closely matched the fur of Paul’s wolf. Her hair was pulled back on the sides with silver combs while the rest fell down her back in soft curls. She had kept her makeup light, knowing Paul liked her without it. On her feet were the white moccasins Sue had made her.
“Bella?” Charlie called up the stairs. “It’s time to go.”
“Okay.” She smiled at her reflection, before resting her hands where her unborn child rested. It was her secret and she couldn’t wait to tell Paul. She only hoped none of the others picked up on the tiny heartbeat with their enhanced hearing.
She slowly made her way down the stairs and stopped before her father, who stared at her with tears in his eyes.
“You look so beautiful, Bells.”
“Thanks, Daddy.”
“You ready to do this?”
“I’m ready.” She took her dad’s elbow and walked with him to where Sam was waiting with his truck.
“Wow, little sis, you look lovely.” He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Let’s get you married.”
***CT***
Paul stood at the end of the makeshift aisle on the beach with Jared at his side. The longer he stood there, the more anxious he became. He couldn’t wait to begin his life with Bella and maybe start a family, something he never thought he wanted or would have.
“Calm down, bro.” Jared put a hand on Paul’s shoulder. “You’re rattling my wolf.”
“Sorry. I just want to see her and get this over with. I’m ready for the next chapter, you know?”
“I know. She’ll be here soon.”
No sooner had the words been said, did Sam make his way up the aisle. He grinned at his brother and took his place beside Jared. “She’s gorgeous, Paul.”
“Thanks, Sam.”
Old Quil took his place beside the boys as Kim, followed by Emily, made their way toward them. Both women looked beautiful in the sage green dresses Bella had decided on, which perfectly matched Sam and Jared’s shirts. Both of them had on black pants, while Paul wore grey slacks with a white shirt. Since they were getting married on the beach, Bella hadn’t wanted them to overheat.
“Please stand,” Old Quil requested of those present, which were only a select few.
Bella and Charlie stood at the top of the aisle and began their trek forward. When Paul laid eyes on her, he felt tears slide down his cheeks. He had never seen her look more beautiful and he couldn't believe she was his. Once she arrived before him, he could help himself from reaching over and wiping her tears away as she did his.
Old Quil lead them through the traditional Quileute wedding ceremony and soon they were pronounced husband and wife.
“I love you, Bella Lahote.” Paul whispered before he pressed his lips to hers, sealing their vows.
“I love you, too.”
The pair of them turned to face their guests and asked them to join them for a celebration at Sam and Emily’s.
***CT***
The reception was in full swing, with a large bonfire burning, but the happy couple were nowhere to be found.
Paul and Bella had snuck away down to the beach, to the piece of driftwood they always went to to talk or think.
“Happy, baby?” Paul had his arms wrapped around his wife.
“Very much so.” Bella leaned her head back against his shoulder, her back to his chest. “I do have something to tell you, though.”
“What?”
“Well...remember how we talked about starting a family soon?”
“Bella?”
Bella took his hands and pulled them down to settle over their unborn child. “We did.”
Paul pulled Bella to her feet as he rose to his. “Seriously?”
Bella nodded at her husband. “I had it confirmed yesterday. I’m pregnant.”
Paul dropped to his knees before her and placed his ear over where their baby grew. He listened closely and finally heard what sounded like wings fluttering. He looked up at her and had tears in his eyes.
“Thank you, Bella.” He got up from his knees and softly pressed his lips to hers.
“For what?” Bella asked when they broke apart.
“For loving me, for giving me a family. For accepting the imprint.”
Bella smiled softly as their lips met once more.
***CT***
Eight Months later....
Bella was sweating profusely and gripping tightly to Paul’s hand as she tried to push their baby into the world.
“Ahhh....” she cried out.
“Breathe, Bella, you can do this.” Sue encouraged.
Paul wiped her brow and pressed his lips to her forehead. “You can do this, Sweetheart. Just a couple more and our baby will be here.”
“Here comes another one, Bella. Push.”
Bella bore down and pushed with all her might, until a cry was heard and Sue was placing her baby on her chest.
“Congratulations, it’s a girl.”
“Thank you, Sue.” Bella thanked the woman without taking her eyes off her daughter.
Leah stepped forward with a blanket. “I need to clean her up, Bells. While mom finishes up with you.”
Bella reluctantly let go of her daughter and watched as Leah carried out of the room. She looked up at Paul. “Go tell the pack.”
He kissed her lips and left the room as Sue delivered her placenta and began cleaning her up. Once Bella was ready, Paul came back, with Emily and Kim behind him and picked her up. The two women quickly changed the sheets, discarding the soiled items from the delivery. Once everything was fresh, Paul gently placed Bella in the bed, raised up by pillows, just as Leah came back with their daughter.
“I think someone is hungry.”
Bella lowered her gown and watched as the baby immediately latched on and began suckling. Paul watched the pair of them in awe. He didn’t know you could love someone so much so fast, but his wife and daughter were proving you could.
The pack slowly filed in once the baby was done eating, wanting to see the first pack pup. Sam and Emily stood to the side of the bed, as the rest gathered around them.
“What’s her name, Bells?” Charlie wanted to know as he stared at his granddaughter.
Bella looked at Paul, who nodded at her with a smile. “We’d like you to meet Samantha Jade Lahote. Samantha after her uncle, because if he hadn’t found me when Edward left, she wouldn’t be here.”
Sam looked at Bella, “I’m honored, sister.”
Bella and Sam continued to stare at each other, both knowing what the other was thinking. Yes, Sam had found her, but he had also saved her from a miserable future. When he found her that day on the cliffs, changing their destinies, he led her to true happiness and where she belonged.