Mark of the White Wolf
by Wizardtho
Chapter 11:
Charlie made love to me slowly yet passionately for quite a while before we finally fell asleep curled into each other. Even though I could sense that the entire Cullen family was present in the house, they were surprisingly all extremely still during my time with my imprint.
That wasn’t true when we woke, though, because the house was a quiet flurry of activity. Other than Charlie's steady heartbeat and soft breathing next to me, I could hear Esme humming beautifully at the stove as she made breakfast, Carlisle turning pages of a book in the study, Alice and Jasper cuddling while talking in a tree at the back of the clearing, as well as Em and Rose looking over Charlie's cruiser in the yard for anything needing to be fixed.
The last one made me chuckle softly, causing Charlie to hold me a little tighter to him. His sleepy voice sounded softly in my ear as he nuzzled against it, “Mmm... I love hearing that sound. What has you laughing so early, Sweetheart?”
I shook my head and kissed him softly, “Nothing, just Rose and Em. They're already going over the cruiser with a fine-toothed comb so that while they're out, they can get any parts needed.”
He chuckled at that himself, then inhaled and said, “I smell coffee. Have you been out of bed already? I didn't feel you leave.”
I shook my head, “Nope. That would be Esme. From the smell of it, I think she has breakfast just about ready, too. She's a mother hen, so be prepared for her to fuss over meals and such for us. She always did on my sleepovers at their house.”
He hummed, pushing me gently onto my back, then trailed his nose down the valley between my breasts as he offered, “Remind me to thank her, then. Do we have time for a romp in the shower? It's been too long since I've felt you wrapped around me, Sweetheart, and your scent is still driving me crazy with need.”
I chuckled, but it was Alice who I heard answer. “Oh, no you don't, Chief. No time for hanky-panky this morning. Carlisle and Esme still need to be able to settle into their room, we have supplies to go get for the basement, then some of us still need to go back to Forks to pack up our things. Plus, you need to write out a list of things for one of us to pack from your Forks house. So, up and at 'em, Mister.”
Charlie groaned, then nipped my nipple, eliciting a growl of pleasure from me. Alice smacked her hand against the door, giggling, “Don't make me drag your naked asses out here, because I will if you don't get going!”
That made Charlie laugh as he kissed the top of my bare mound, but he looked up at me from his position with a grin, “Is she always so demanding? I knew she was a little fireball, but geesh.”
I just giggled with a nod, “Get used to it, Handsome. Alice is very demanding when there are things to be done, but usually, there's a reason for it. We'd better go find out if she sees trouble headed our way today.”
We shared a quick shower, with just some light kisses and touches, then made our way to my closet. As he dried off, I picked out a white flutter peasant blouse, my dip-dyed floor length brown skirt with a crochet waist, and a pair of flat Dave Tate white sandals.
I took everything into the bedroom, smiling as I saw clothes laid out for Charlie. He looked at me with a raised eyebrow, mouthing, 'Alice?' so I smiled as I nodded. Then he called out, “Thanks, Alice. We'll be out in a minute.”
She had collected a pair of distressed blue jeans, a charcoal graphic tee, boxer briefs and socks to match the graphic logo on the tee, plus charcoal rugged oxfords. He looked damn sexy when he was dressed… so much so, that I was almost tempted to delay our entrance to the kitchen.
Everyone settled around the room as Esme set our plates on the table, causing Charlie to smile, “Thank you, Esme. This looks delicious.”
She quickly left, returning with two cups of coffee while replying, “It's no trouble, Charlie. I loved cooking for Bella when she stayed with us, and it's the least I can do. I didn't know how you took your coffee, though, so you'll have to let me know for future reference.”
He smiled, “Just black for me, Esme. Bells is the one who likes to mess hers up with creamer and sugar.”
I nipped his neck in warning, giving him a playful growl, then Edward chuckled, “I've tried, Chief, but she wouldn't budge. She gets quite feisty over her coffee.”
Charlie hummed, giving a sucking lick to my mark before I released his, to which Emmett laughed, “Ooh, kinky. Wolf foreplay.”
I couldn't help but release Charlie with a laugh, especially when both Esme and Rose slapped Em upside the head. He grumbled while rubbing his head, “Ooww, damn it. I was just saying.”
Charlie looked between Emmett and Rose, then Esme and Emmett, so I felt the need to explain. “Okay, Charlie. As you know, Carlisle and Esme are mates. Carlisle is the alpha, to use wolf terms. Esme is the pack mama, while the rest are their cubs. Em and Rose are mates, as are Jazz and Ali, but Em's the troublemaker out of all the cubs. He's constantly getting smacked for making innuendos or not thinking before he speaks, but is also known to be the family prankster. I've even seen Esme make him chew up a bar of soap and swallow it, in response to a prank gone horribly wrong. That's just his style, though; he always finds a way to make people laugh.”
With a smirk in Jasper's direction, I continued. “Watch Jasper near any non-fiction history books, because he'll be quick to tell you exactly how wrong the authors got it. He was a Major in the Confederate Army before he was turned, resulting in him being a wicked strategist. Don't even attempt a round of chess with him, because you'll never win. I've heard of Carlisle and Jasper chess battling for days at a time before Jasper finally says enough and pulls a win out of nowhere. He's our resident empath, so try to keep the sexy feelings to a minimum around him, or we're likely to start an orgy.”
Jasper smirked at me, but I just went on, “See Alice for all things event, fashion or future related. She has visions of the future, but they are based on the decisions you make. If you change your mind, your future changes also, but she helps keep us on the right path. She's always on the lookout for anything that could put anyone she cares about in danger, so she can help change the course of the vision. That means if she seriously tells you to do -or not to do- something, it's for a really good reason.”
Alice smiled at me, then I said, “Rose -as I said before- is a whiz of a mechanic, but she's also fiercely loyal and protective, finding ways to give sound advice without making it seem like actual advice. She'll never admit to it, either, but she has ways of making you see all sides of a situation.”
Charlie gave Rose an appreciative nod as I continued, “Edward can read minds, as you know by now. In a bind like Phoenix, his skills could potentially tip the scale, since he can literally pluck the tactics right out of the enemy's head. Em has never once beaten Edward when they play fight, because Edward can read Em's next move, counteracting it before the move is even made.”
Charlie looked at Edward with a slight bit of understanding on his features. I smiled at both before saying, “Carlisle is more than the alpha, as you will soon find out. He always makes sure that everyone knows they can come to him, and they often do, as you've already seen with Edward. He has over three hundred years of experience on earth, amassing a great amount of knowledge in that time, both worldly and medical. Finally, as I told you in the bedroom, Esme is the mother to all. She's caring, protective, and won't hesitate to put Em or the rest in line, if they step out of it. She loves like no other, and once she takes to someone, God help anyone who tries to harm them.”
My vampire family beamed at me, then Charlie held my hand as he said, “Wow. I can see the dynamic more clearly, now that you've said that. Carlisle, you've really been alive for over 300 years... and Jasper, the Civil War?”
They both chuckled, then Carlisle said, “Yes, Charlie. I am in my 365th year on earth, to be exact.”
Jasper added seriously, “Yes, Sir. Youngest Major in the Civil War, but that didn't even account for me saying I was older than I actually was when I enlisted. It's not a tale for right now… definitely isn't pretty... but remind me to tell you my story sometime soon.”
Charlie nodded seriously, then we dug into our breakfast as the others started making a plan for today.
Jasper and Alice ended up staying with us at the house, with Edward feeling the need to stick close, too. Esme and Carlisle were the ones to go back to pack their Forks house, while Em and Rose bought all of the necessary supplies for finishing out the basement to Esme's specifications. It was deemed that no one would pack Charlie's house yet. It would be safer to go as one whole unit to do that, since it was neutral territory, and more likely for the wolves to be watching it. Better to have all of us there, than only two people.
Alice decided to work on Charlie's old room after the others left, with Charlie's permission, while Jasper just gave me a wicked smile. I quirked my eyebrow at him, causing him to chuckle, “You ready to see what you're made of, Sugar?”
I chuckled, shaking my head, “You know I am, Jazz. You can feel my wolf itching to be released, can't you?”
He grinned and nodded, pointing outside, then I heard Alice call out, “Don't be too hard on him, Bella. I'd like my mate in one piece when you're done!”
I shifted once we were outside, with Jasper being the gentleman and turning his back for me to strip, then we made our way to the open space in the rear part of the yard. It was amazing, the feeling of letting loose and sparring. Charlie would gasp, starting to freak each time Jasper pinned me, but we'd always stop to reassure him that I was alright. Then we were right back into it so he could show me what I did wrong.
I was quick with learning the new techniques he showed me, so he then went over tons of ways to help me keep my most vulnerable areas protected. By the time Edward called us to stop for lunch, I had even managed to take Jasper down twice. Edward beamed at this news, “That's unheard of, Bella. You should be very proud; no one can ever take Jasper down. Even with my advantage, I've never been able to best him.”
I giggled as Charlie wrapped the blanket around me, saying breathlessly, “He was going easy on me is all. I had a lot of fun, though, and I learned so much. It was nice to really be able to let loose.”
Jasper shook his head, “Bella? I wasn't going easy on you. Honest. In the end, I was trying for every takedown opportunity, just so that I could explain ways for you to counteract. You instinctively took what I told you about protecting your weak spots to heart, never letting me gain an advantage. You did a damn good job, Sugar. We'll put you up against Em or Edward soon, to give you a different opponent, but I think I've taught you all that I can. I also want Emmett to see exactly how strong you are, then Edward to test your speed with a run through the forest, so you'll be dodging obstacles. I will do a bit of work with you on honing and perfecting your style after that, but seriously...”
Charlie beamed with pride, kissing my temple, then said, “Let's get you dressed and inside, Sweetheart. I can hear how hungry you are.”
Just as I walked inside, I thought I heard both vampires snicker at Charlie's deep hum when I whispered in his ear, “For more than food, my sexy mate.”
Charlie made love to me slowly yet passionately for quite a while before we finally fell asleep curled into each other. Even though I could sense that the entire Cullen family was present in the house, they were surprisingly all extremely still during my time with my imprint.
That wasn’t true when we woke, though, because the house was a quiet flurry of activity. Other than Charlie's steady heartbeat and soft breathing next to me, I could hear Esme humming beautifully at the stove as she made breakfast, Carlisle turning pages of a book in the study, Alice and Jasper cuddling while talking in a tree at the back of the clearing, as well as Em and Rose looking over Charlie's cruiser in the yard for anything needing to be fixed.
The last one made me chuckle softly, causing Charlie to hold me a little tighter to him. His sleepy voice sounded softly in my ear as he nuzzled against it, “Mmm... I love hearing that sound. What has you laughing so early, Sweetheart?”
I shook my head and kissed him softly, “Nothing, just Rose and Em. They're already going over the cruiser with a fine-toothed comb so that while they're out, they can get any parts needed.”
He chuckled at that himself, then inhaled and said, “I smell coffee. Have you been out of bed already? I didn't feel you leave.”
I shook my head, “Nope. That would be Esme. From the smell of it, I think she has breakfast just about ready, too. She's a mother hen, so be prepared for her to fuss over meals and such for us. She always did on my sleepovers at their house.”
He hummed, pushing me gently onto my back, then trailed his nose down the valley between my breasts as he offered, “Remind me to thank her, then. Do we have time for a romp in the shower? It's been too long since I've felt you wrapped around me, Sweetheart, and your scent is still driving me crazy with need.”
I chuckled, but it was Alice who I heard answer. “Oh, no you don't, Chief. No time for hanky-panky this morning. Carlisle and Esme still need to be able to settle into their room, we have supplies to go get for the basement, then some of us still need to go back to Forks to pack up our things. Plus, you need to write out a list of things for one of us to pack from your Forks house. So, up and at 'em, Mister.”
Charlie groaned, then nipped my nipple, eliciting a growl of pleasure from me. Alice smacked her hand against the door, giggling, “Don't make me drag your naked asses out here, because I will if you don't get going!”
That made Charlie laugh as he kissed the top of my bare mound, but he looked up at me from his position with a grin, “Is she always so demanding? I knew she was a little fireball, but geesh.”
I just giggled with a nod, “Get used to it, Handsome. Alice is very demanding when there are things to be done, but usually, there's a reason for it. We'd better go find out if she sees trouble headed our way today.”
We shared a quick shower, with just some light kisses and touches, then made our way to my closet. As he dried off, I picked out a white flutter peasant blouse, my dip-dyed floor length brown skirt with a crochet waist, and a pair of flat Dave Tate white sandals.
I took everything into the bedroom, smiling as I saw clothes laid out for Charlie. He looked at me with a raised eyebrow, mouthing, 'Alice?' so I smiled as I nodded. Then he called out, “Thanks, Alice. We'll be out in a minute.”
She had collected a pair of distressed blue jeans, a charcoal graphic tee, boxer briefs and socks to match the graphic logo on the tee, plus charcoal rugged oxfords. He looked damn sexy when he was dressed… so much so, that I was almost tempted to delay our entrance to the kitchen.
Everyone settled around the room as Esme set our plates on the table, causing Charlie to smile, “Thank you, Esme. This looks delicious.”
She quickly left, returning with two cups of coffee while replying, “It's no trouble, Charlie. I loved cooking for Bella when she stayed with us, and it's the least I can do. I didn't know how you took your coffee, though, so you'll have to let me know for future reference.”
He smiled, “Just black for me, Esme. Bells is the one who likes to mess hers up with creamer and sugar.”
I nipped his neck in warning, giving him a playful growl, then Edward chuckled, “I've tried, Chief, but she wouldn't budge. She gets quite feisty over her coffee.”
Charlie hummed, giving a sucking lick to my mark before I released his, to which Emmett laughed, “Ooh, kinky. Wolf foreplay.”
I couldn't help but release Charlie with a laugh, especially when both Esme and Rose slapped Em upside the head. He grumbled while rubbing his head, “Ooww, damn it. I was just saying.”
Charlie looked between Emmett and Rose, then Esme and Emmett, so I felt the need to explain. “Okay, Charlie. As you know, Carlisle and Esme are mates. Carlisle is the alpha, to use wolf terms. Esme is the pack mama, while the rest are their cubs. Em and Rose are mates, as are Jazz and Ali, but Em's the troublemaker out of all the cubs. He's constantly getting smacked for making innuendos or not thinking before he speaks, but is also known to be the family prankster. I've even seen Esme make him chew up a bar of soap and swallow it, in response to a prank gone horribly wrong. That's just his style, though; he always finds a way to make people laugh.”
With a smirk in Jasper's direction, I continued. “Watch Jasper near any non-fiction history books, because he'll be quick to tell you exactly how wrong the authors got it. He was a Major in the Confederate Army before he was turned, resulting in him being a wicked strategist. Don't even attempt a round of chess with him, because you'll never win. I've heard of Carlisle and Jasper chess battling for days at a time before Jasper finally says enough and pulls a win out of nowhere. He's our resident empath, so try to keep the sexy feelings to a minimum around him, or we're likely to start an orgy.”
Jasper smirked at me, but I just went on, “See Alice for all things event, fashion or future related. She has visions of the future, but they are based on the decisions you make. If you change your mind, your future changes also, but she helps keep us on the right path. She's always on the lookout for anything that could put anyone she cares about in danger, so she can help change the course of the vision. That means if she seriously tells you to do -or not to do- something, it's for a really good reason.”
Alice smiled at me, then I said, “Rose -as I said before- is a whiz of a mechanic, but she's also fiercely loyal and protective, finding ways to give sound advice without making it seem like actual advice. She'll never admit to it, either, but she has ways of making you see all sides of a situation.”
Charlie gave Rose an appreciative nod as I continued, “Edward can read minds, as you know by now. In a bind like Phoenix, his skills could potentially tip the scale, since he can literally pluck the tactics right out of the enemy's head. Em has never once beaten Edward when they play fight, because Edward can read Em's next move, counteracting it before the move is even made.”
Charlie looked at Edward with a slight bit of understanding on his features. I smiled at both before saying, “Carlisle is more than the alpha, as you will soon find out. He always makes sure that everyone knows they can come to him, and they often do, as you've already seen with Edward. He has over three hundred years of experience on earth, amassing a great amount of knowledge in that time, both worldly and medical. Finally, as I told you in the bedroom, Esme is the mother to all. She's caring, protective, and won't hesitate to put Em or the rest in line, if they step out of it. She loves like no other, and once she takes to someone, God help anyone who tries to harm them.”
My vampire family beamed at me, then Charlie held my hand as he said, “Wow. I can see the dynamic more clearly, now that you've said that. Carlisle, you've really been alive for over 300 years... and Jasper, the Civil War?”
They both chuckled, then Carlisle said, “Yes, Charlie. I am in my 365th year on earth, to be exact.”
Jasper added seriously, “Yes, Sir. Youngest Major in the Civil War, but that didn't even account for me saying I was older than I actually was when I enlisted. It's not a tale for right now… definitely isn't pretty... but remind me to tell you my story sometime soon.”
Charlie nodded seriously, then we dug into our breakfast as the others started making a plan for today.
Jasper and Alice ended up staying with us at the house, with Edward feeling the need to stick close, too. Esme and Carlisle were the ones to go back to pack their Forks house, while Em and Rose bought all of the necessary supplies for finishing out the basement to Esme's specifications. It was deemed that no one would pack Charlie's house yet. It would be safer to go as one whole unit to do that, since it was neutral territory, and more likely for the wolves to be watching it. Better to have all of us there, than only two people.
Alice decided to work on Charlie's old room after the others left, with Charlie's permission, while Jasper just gave me a wicked smile. I quirked my eyebrow at him, causing him to chuckle, “You ready to see what you're made of, Sugar?”
I chuckled, shaking my head, “You know I am, Jazz. You can feel my wolf itching to be released, can't you?”
He grinned and nodded, pointing outside, then I heard Alice call out, “Don't be too hard on him, Bella. I'd like my mate in one piece when you're done!”
I shifted once we were outside, with Jasper being the gentleman and turning his back for me to strip, then we made our way to the open space in the rear part of the yard. It was amazing, the feeling of letting loose and sparring. Charlie would gasp, starting to freak each time Jasper pinned me, but we'd always stop to reassure him that I was alright. Then we were right back into it so he could show me what I did wrong.
I was quick with learning the new techniques he showed me, so he then went over tons of ways to help me keep my most vulnerable areas protected. By the time Edward called us to stop for lunch, I had even managed to take Jasper down twice. Edward beamed at this news, “That's unheard of, Bella. You should be very proud; no one can ever take Jasper down. Even with my advantage, I've never been able to best him.”
I giggled as Charlie wrapped the blanket around me, saying breathlessly, “He was going easy on me is all. I had a lot of fun, though, and I learned so much. It was nice to really be able to let loose.”
Jasper shook his head, “Bella? I wasn't going easy on you. Honest. In the end, I was trying for every takedown opportunity, just so that I could explain ways for you to counteract. You instinctively took what I told you about protecting your weak spots to heart, never letting me gain an advantage. You did a damn good job, Sugar. We'll put you up against Em or Edward soon, to give you a different opponent, but I think I've taught you all that I can. I also want Emmett to see exactly how strong you are, then Edward to test your speed with a run through the forest, so you'll be dodging obstacles. I will do a bit of work with you on honing and perfecting your style after that, but seriously...”
Charlie beamed with pride, kissing my temple, then said, “Let's get you dressed and inside, Sweetheart. I can hear how hungry you are.”
Just as I walked inside, I thought I heard both vampires snicker at Charlie's deep hum when I whispered in his ear, “For more than food, my sexy mate.”