Essence of You
by Momma2fan
Chapter 12
Paul, Sam and Jared were finishing up some drywall, trying to ignore the elephant in the room. Finally, Sam couldn’t take it anymore.
“You know they’re hiding something, don’t you?”
Paul lowered his arm and dropped his head. “I do, but I also know Iz. She’ll tell me when she’s ready. You know Emily will too.”
“That’s it? That’s how you react to knowing your imprint has a secret?” Jared looked at the both of them incredulously. “If this were Kim, she wouldn’t be going anywhere until I knew what she was hiding!”
“Jared, I don’t tell Iz what to do. I tried that once and it didn’t work in my favor.” Paul chuckled, “I trust my girl. I’ll know when she’s ready for me to know.”
Jared stared at his friend. “You’re serious aren’t you?” He shook his head, “I don’t know how I would react if this were Kim. Then again, she is technically keeping something from me, since she went with them.”
“Look, Jared,” Sam started. “We know they will tell us. Yes, it’s driving us nuts, but we love and trust them. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t be here.”
Jared nodded and let it go. He couldn’t wait to find out what it was that the girls were hiding. He just hoped it was soon.
****
Bella had a soft smile on her face as she and Emily loaded up a table on the beach with the goodies they had spent the afternoon making in preparation for bonfire. It was going to be a relaxing evening with the pack and imprints. Old Quil had even provided some of his famous moonshine.
“Food!” Bella shouted to the pack playing near the water. This was to be the last bonfire until spring. Bella was already bundled up trying to stave off the cold November air, but it wasn’t doing much good. She needed her wolf to wrap her up in his warmth.
After fixing her plate, Paul piled his high. “Here, baby.”
Taking her plate, she tucked into her dinner along with the rest. After everyone was sufficiently stuffed, the girls got everything cleaned up and set about getting drinks. All the boys and Leah were handed cups of moonshine, while she, Emily and Kim drank something else.
“Okay,” Kim started. “I think, since this is the final bonfire of the season, we should play a game.”
“Ooh, that sounds like fun,” Emily grinned. “Bella, what do you think?”
She shrugged, taking a sip from her cup. “Sure. What did you have in mind, Kim?”
“How about never have I ever?”
Quil grinned, “Oh yeah. I’ll start. Never have I ever...had sex on the beach.” Chuckles surrounded them as all the imprinted couples and Leah took a drink.
“Never have I ever...dated a vampire.” Leah laughed.
Bella rolled her eyes and took a drink, “Fuck you, Clearwater.” Everyone laughed. “Hmm, never have I ever...had sex in the Alpha’s house.”
“Dammit, Swan!” Jared scowled as he and Kim took a drink.
“You didn’t?” Emily giggled.
“Don’t worry, we cleaned up after ourselves.” Kim smiled.
Paul smiled, “Never have I ever...snuck some of Old Quil’s shine.”
Quil, Jacob and Embry growled, but took their drinks. The game continued on, until Kim called for the last round and refilled the empty cups.
“Okay, I got it.” Kim announced. “Never have I ever...knocked up my imprint.” Sam, Jared and Paul froze. “Paul, Sam...you guys should be drinking.” She laughed and snuggled against Jared.
“Iz?” Paul choked and looked at her. Sam was gazing at Emily with the same expression.
“Take me home, Paul.” Bella requested.
Bidding the rest of the pack goodnight, Paul swung her up into his arms and ran for their house. Once they were safely inside, he dropped to his knees in front of her.
“Really?”
Bella nodded, “The doctor says I’m about six weeks.”
Paul placed his ear to her stomach, listening closely. It was faint, but with his wolf hearing he could hear a slight fluttering, almost like butterfly wings. Bella ran her fingers through his hair as he listened in awe.
“Tell me what you’re thinking.”
Looking up at her, “I’m thinking I’ve never loved you more.” He stood up and placed his hands on her cheeks. “Thank you.” Then he slowly pressed his lips to hers, pouring all the love he felt for her into the kiss.
Picking her up, he carried her to their bedroom. Setting her on her feet, he slowly undressed her, peeling off layer after layer until she stood bare before him. Only after he had divested himself of his clothing did he lay her on the bed. He loved her slowly, reverently. When he pushed into her, they both sighed at the feeling of completeness. She met him thrust for thrust, crying out in pleasure as he sent her over the edge. Paul followed her into the abyss, rolling to his side and pulling her with him.
“I love you, Paul.” Bella lay her head on his chest, right over his heart.
“Marry me, Iz?”
Bella popped her head up to look at him. “Are you serious?”
He looked in her eyes, “I’ve never been more serious about anything.” He rolled them so he hovered over her. “I love you more than I thought I would ever love anyone. And now, you’re giving me the one thing I’ve never really had; a family. Marry me, baby?”
Tears slid from her eyes as she looked at him. Nodding her head, “Yes.”
He fused their mouths together as he slipped into her once more. The only sounds were their quiet sighs as they loved each other all night and into the morning.
****
Paul and his brothers were back to work on the bakery, it was already shaping up. Bella and Emily were in the other room, giggling and hanging paint swatches on the wall. He loved the sound of her laughter.
“Have you decided anything about the wedding?” Emily asked Bella.
“Only that I want it on the beach. So I guess that means we’ll be waiting for the baby to come first. It’s too cold to put it together now.” She sighed. “I trip over my feet enough,” she laughed. “I don’t want to do it down the aisle because I can’t see them.”
“Hey, baby!” Paul hollered from the other room.
Bella poked her head around the corner. “What’s up?”
After Paul explained what he wanted and verified with both Emily and Bella that is was to their expectations, they called it a day. Everyone separated and went to their respective homes.
Bella immediately started making dinner, while Paul phased and ran his patrol. While there hadn’t been any vampire sightings since the Cullens had visited, Sam didn’t want them to become complacent. By the time he returned, Charlie was sitting in the living room, nursing a beer and laughing with Billy and Jacob, who were also there.
“Hey, baby. How long till we eat?” Paul kissed Bella on the cheek.
“Not until after you shower.” She smiled up at him.
“I’ll be out in a few then.” Paul greeted the men in the living room and then walked to his bathroom, hopping in the shower. While the water rained down on him, he thought about how peaceful Bella has looked since finding out she was pregnant. Her tranquility had affected him and he was finding it hard to let his wolf out. The damn thing was curled up in complete contentment.
After his shower and once he was dressed, he walked toward where he heard the laughter. He stood just inside the hallway and watched as the love of his life laughed with her best friend, her pseudo uncle and her father.
When he first phased, he never thought he would find such contentment, but because of her he finally knew peace. His childhood had sucked and he never wanted to put any child through what he had gone through. Embracing his wolf, and then the imprint and Bella, had shown him another way. With her by his side, he could overcome anything. And thanks to her, he was no longer afraid of his future.
Bella raised her head and saw him there, smiling at him with love shining in her eyes. Walking forward, he embraced her and gently laid his hand over where their child grew.
“I love you, Iz.” He softly pressed his lips to hers.
“I love you, too, Paul. Always.”
Final AN:
I was going to write an Epilogue, but I am so happy with the way the last chapter ended, I don’t think it’s needed. So I am marking this one complete. I have another Paul/Bella story already in the works, but I don’t know when I’ll start posting.
For those of you who want to know...
Paul and Bella had a boy, naming him Jackson Charles Lahote. Sam and Emily had a little girl they named Hannah Elizabeth Uley. Kim and Jared got pregnant not long after and had twin boys, Zeb and Jeremiah. Jake does finally imprint...on Leah.
I hope you’ll follow me. And thanks for reading.
Paul, Sam and Jared were finishing up some drywall, trying to ignore the elephant in the room. Finally, Sam couldn’t take it anymore.
“You know they’re hiding something, don’t you?”
Paul lowered his arm and dropped his head. “I do, but I also know Iz. She’ll tell me when she’s ready. You know Emily will too.”
“That’s it? That’s how you react to knowing your imprint has a secret?” Jared looked at the both of them incredulously. “If this were Kim, she wouldn’t be going anywhere until I knew what she was hiding!”
“Jared, I don’t tell Iz what to do. I tried that once and it didn’t work in my favor.” Paul chuckled, “I trust my girl. I’ll know when she’s ready for me to know.”
Jared stared at his friend. “You’re serious aren’t you?” He shook his head, “I don’t know how I would react if this were Kim. Then again, she is technically keeping something from me, since she went with them.”
“Look, Jared,” Sam started. “We know they will tell us. Yes, it’s driving us nuts, but we love and trust them. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t be here.”
Jared nodded and let it go. He couldn’t wait to find out what it was that the girls were hiding. He just hoped it was soon.
****
Bella had a soft smile on her face as she and Emily loaded up a table on the beach with the goodies they had spent the afternoon making in preparation for bonfire. It was going to be a relaxing evening with the pack and imprints. Old Quil had even provided some of his famous moonshine.
“Food!” Bella shouted to the pack playing near the water. This was to be the last bonfire until spring. Bella was already bundled up trying to stave off the cold November air, but it wasn’t doing much good. She needed her wolf to wrap her up in his warmth.
After fixing her plate, Paul piled his high. “Here, baby.”
Taking her plate, she tucked into her dinner along with the rest. After everyone was sufficiently stuffed, the girls got everything cleaned up and set about getting drinks. All the boys and Leah were handed cups of moonshine, while she, Emily and Kim drank something else.
“Okay,” Kim started. “I think, since this is the final bonfire of the season, we should play a game.”
“Ooh, that sounds like fun,” Emily grinned. “Bella, what do you think?”
She shrugged, taking a sip from her cup. “Sure. What did you have in mind, Kim?”
“How about never have I ever?”
Quil grinned, “Oh yeah. I’ll start. Never have I ever...had sex on the beach.” Chuckles surrounded them as all the imprinted couples and Leah took a drink.
“Never have I ever...dated a vampire.” Leah laughed.
Bella rolled her eyes and took a drink, “Fuck you, Clearwater.” Everyone laughed. “Hmm, never have I ever...had sex in the Alpha’s house.”
“Dammit, Swan!” Jared scowled as he and Kim took a drink.
“You didn’t?” Emily giggled.
“Don’t worry, we cleaned up after ourselves.” Kim smiled.
Paul smiled, “Never have I ever...snuck some of Old Quil’s shine.”
Quil, Jacob and Embry growled, but took their drinks. The game continued on, until Kim called for the last round and refilled the empty cups.
“Okay, I got it.” Kim announced. “Never have I ever...knocked up my imprint.” Sam, Jared and Paul froze. “Paul, Sam...you guys should be drinking.” She laughed and snuggled against Jared.
“Iz?” Paul choked and looked at her. Sam was gazing at Emily with the same expression.
“Take me home, Paul.” Bella requested.
Bidding the rest of the pack goodnight, Paul swung her up into his arms and ran for their house. Once they were safely inside, he dropped to his knees in front of her.
“Really?”
Bella nodded, “The doctor says I’m about six weeks.”
Paul placed his ear to her stomach, listening closely. It was faint, but with his wolf hearing he could hear a slight fluttering, almost like butterfly wings. Bella ran her fingers through his hair as he listened in awe.
“Tell me what you’re thinking.”
Looking up at her, “I’m thinking I’ve never loved you more.” He stood up and placed his hands on her cheeks. “Thank you.” Then he slowly pressed his lips to hers, pouring all the love he felt for her into the kiss.
Picking her up, he carried her to their bedroom. Setting her on her feet, he slowly undressed her, peeling off layer after layer until she stood bare before him. Only after he had divested himself of his clothing did he lay her on the bed. He loved her slowly, reverently. When he pushed into her, they both sighed at the feeling of completeness. She met him thrust for thrust, crying out in pleasure as he sent her over the edge. Paul followed her into the abyss, rolling to his side and pulling her with him.
“I love you, Paul.” Bella lay her head on his chest, right over his heart.
“Marry me, Iz?”
Bella popped her head up to look at him. “Are you serious?”
He looked in her eyes, “I’ve never been more serious about anything.” He rolled them so he hovered over her. “I love you more than I thought I would ever love anyone. And now, you’re giving me the one thing I’ve never really had; a family. Marry me, baby?”
Tears slid from her eyes as she looked at him. Nodding her head, “Yes.”
He fused their mouths together as he slipped into her once more. The only sounds were their quiet sighs as they loved each other all night and into the morning.
****
Paul and his brothers were back to work on the bakery, it was already shaping up. Bella and Emily were in the other room, giggling and hanging paint swatches on the wall. He loved the sound of her laughter.
“Have you decided anything about the wedding?” Emily asked Bella.
“Only that I want it on the beach. So I guess that means we’ll be waiting for the baby to come first. It’s too cold to put it together now.” She sighed. “I trip over my feet enough,” she laughed. “I don’t want to do it down the aisle because I can’t see them.”
“Hey, baby!” Paul hollered from the other room.
Bella poked her head around the corner. “What’s up?”
After Paul explained what he wanted and verified with both Emily and Bella that is was to their expectations, they called it a day. Everyone separated and went to their respective homes.
Bella immediately started making dinner, while Paul phased and ran his patrol. While there hadn’t been any vampire sightings since the Cullens had visited, Sam didn’t want them to become complacent. By the time he returned, Charlie was sitting in the living room, nursing a beer and laughing with Billy and Jacob, who were also there.
“Hey, baby. How long till we eat?” Paul kissed Bella on the cheek.
“Not until after you shower.” She smiled up at him.
“I’ll be out in a few then.” Paul greeted the men in the living room and then walked to his bathroom, hopping in the shower. While the water rained down on him, he thought about how peaceful Bella has looked since finding out she was pregnant. Her tranquility had affected him and he was finding it hard to let his wolf out. The damn thing was curled up in complete contentment.
After his shower and once he was dressed, he walked toward where he heard the laughter. He stood just inside the hallway and watched as the love of his life laughed with her best friend, her pseudo uncle and her father.
When he first phased, he never thought he would find such contentment, but because of her he finally knew peace. His childhood had sucked and he never wanted to put any child through what he had gone through. Embracing his wolf, and then the imprint and Bella, had shown him another way. With her by his side, he could overcome anything. And thanks to her, he was no longer afraid of his future.
Bella raised her head and saw him there, smiling at him with love shining in her eyes. Walking forward, he embraced her and gently laid his hand over where their child grew.
“I love you, Iz.” He softly pressed his lips to hers.
“I love you, too, Paul. Always.”
Final AN:
I was going to write an Epilogue, but I am so happy with the way the last chapter ended, I don’t think it’s needed. So I am marking this one complete. I have another Paul/Bella story already in the works, but I don’t know when I’ll start posting.
For those of you who want to know...
Paul and Bella had a boy, naming him Jackson Charles Lahote. Sam and Emily had a little girl they named Hannah Elizabeth Uley. Kim and Jared got pregnant not long after and had twin boys, Zeb and Jeremiah. Jake does finally imprint...on Leah.
I hope you’ll follow me. And thanks for reading.