Old Soul Imprint
by Wizardtho
Chapter 05:
~~ Time Skip: 8 Months Later~~
I had thought, naively, that things would move more smoothly once I reached college. In reality, my mentor and advisors were worried about me ‘rushing my education’. It wasn’t my fault that I retained all the information of whatever I chose to read, or that my professors didn’t like my assignments being handed in early. I honestly felt like I was being held back from actually learning what I needed, to complete my degree.
Though my visits with Levi helped calm the storm in my mind while we were together, our time always felt like it was too brief, and I hated spoiling our moments with my complaints. It had gotten so bad that I went to see a therapist named Shelly McAllister. I only sought her out as a way to talk through some of my stress, but she actually agreed with my assessment.
Standards were set for an average range of people, but since I had already proven in spades that I wasn’t average, Shelly said I shouldn’t hold myself to those standards. She thought it might be a good idea for me to look into online colleges, which would let me work at my own pace, in my own home. The thought was appealing with how much I was missing my friends and family… with how much I was missing Levi.
I promised Shelly I would take a few weeks to consider my options carefully because I was never one to make rash decisions.
I was coming up on the two-week mark from that conversation in her office, and I was pretty sure of my decision. The only thing I needed to do was talk to Dad. I sat down on my dorm room bed, then pulled out my cell. It only took Dad a single ring before he answered.
“Bells? You okay?”
He seemed a little worried, so I sighed, “Yeah, Dad. I’m fine. I know I never call this early in the week, but do you have a few minutes to talk?”
He hummed before saying, “Yeah, Bells. Just watching a recorded game with Levi. You want me to put you on speaker?”
I chuckled in reply, “Sure, if you want. It’s nothing bad, Dad. I promise.”
After a second, I heard Levi saying, “Bella? Are you alright, Sweetheart?”
I smiled, but then noted the concern in his voice, too. Hmm… I guess I called at the right time. “Yes, I’m fine and safe. I have something to tell you both, but first, you need to tell me why both of you are worried. Something’s going on there, isn’t it?”
He sighed, but I heard Dad tell him, “She’ll need to know, Son. She may not be safe there for long.”
It took Levi a few seconds before he sighed again, then said, “Certain activity has been picking up here, Bella. That’s why I’ve been checking in with you every night, and why you said you felt the ache in your chest the other night. It’s why my visits have been so short and so few lately.”
My breathing hitched in my throat, then I choked out, “You were hurt, weren’t you? That’s why my chest hurt… because something had happened to you. Damn it, I shouldn’t have waited so long to talk to you both about this. I’m done… that’s it. No more waiting.”
I shook my head and took a deep breath, then explained, “You both know that this hasn’t been the best 8 months for me. I finally broke down and went to see a therapist, just to see if it would help with the stress. After a few sessions of getting to know me, she told me I should look into online colleges. All of the crap guidelines and standards that are holding me back at UW, I wouldn’t have with an online college, because I would be able to work at my own pace. The cost is actually cheaper overall, and I would be home, which would be less strain on both of you.”
They were listening, so I continued, “Then, there’s also the dreams I’ve been having lately. I don’t like them, Levi. I don’t know if it’s our connection, but I keep having dreams of you dying at the hands of three of them. I swear the young twins couldn’t be more than 13 years old, physically, but they have some wicked mojo. There’s a raven-haired one with them, who must be ancient, by the looks of him. I… Levi, tell me you haven’t seen any of those three.”
He rushed to calm me, saying, “No, Sweetheart. They don’t sound like the ones I’ve seen. I’ve dealt with 5 of them in the last year… a male with dreads, a male and female couple a few months later, then within the last few days there have been two more males. The last one seemed to be tracking the big one I took out a few days ago, but not by scent. I think he had an enhanced ability to track, somehow.”
I shook my head, then said, “Levi you can’t keep doing this on your own. Are you even healed completely?”
He sighed in response, “I was back to 100% within a few hours of the encounter, Bella, I promise. I’m not alone anymore, so you don’t have to worry. If you’re planning on coming home, I’ll explain everything once you arrive. Now’s not really the time for me to go into detail.”
I gasped slightly, then asked sadly, “Who, Levi?”
He responded right away, “Sam, right after the last one.”
My mind whirled at the fact that Sam phased, but I said instantly, “Dad, I love you, and I hope you understand that this is only the last straw in a hay bale. I’m not making this decision lightly, but I’m coming home. I’ll get my stuff packed and be on the road tomorrow after I finalize everything with school, which I’ll do first thing in the morning.”
He let out a loud breath, then offered, “I know, Bells. You never make decisions without torturing yourself about the consequences first. It’ll be good to have you home, and easier for us to keep you safe if you’re closer.”
I was up bright and early the next morning, having packed most of my things after the phone call. Placing the last of my things into the box at the end of my bed, I shook my head at Andrea -‘It’s pronounced Ondraya, thank you very much’- the most annoying dorm mate to ever exist.
After stumbling her drunk ass into the room at 1:30 this morning, she had proceeded to break the lamp on her night table while trying to strip out of her tightest dress. Then, after another ten minutes of her making as much noise as possible, she fell into bed, only to snore loudly for the rest of the morning.
I finally got everything done, but it took me until almost lunch to have the paperwork completed, then load my boxes into the truck. I texted both Dad and Levi, letting them know I was getting on the road and would be home by dinner. I received a drive safe text from both in return, but Levi added to his, “I’ll bring takeout and let your Dad know that I’ll be there… if you still want me to explain.”
I chuckled while texting back, “You don’t need an excuse to visit me, Levi. I miss you, and I’d better see you soon. No more texts, because I’m starting my truck now. :)”
I laughed outright while starting my truck, seeing the two emojis he sent in response. One winking and one blowing me a kiss.
We had gotten a lot closer during the last 8 months of my being away. I think we both felt cautious in the beginning, but we became fast friends. There was never any pressure to be more with him. Anything we did when we met up to spend time together always felt right.
Since being able to spend time in Forks over Thanksgiving and Christmas, we’ve evolved into flirting friends. Levi was quite shocked when I flirted with him for the first time. He was showing me the progress on his new house, which was being built in place of his old one after a storm had done major damage.
While walking through the completed shell during Thanksgiving weekend, I happened to nudge his side with my shoulder, saying as I looked up at him and the soaring ceiling height, “Well, now that you can actually reach your full 6’-5” inside, you might want to build me a footstool or two. Otherwise, you’ll have to revert to hunching down to kiss me.”
He gawked at me for a full two minutes, then scooped me up into his arms to place kisses on both of my cheeks, “Or… I can just lift you… hold you in my arms while kissing you. I have no doubt that when that time comes, my little firefly, our height difference will not be an issue. We were made for each other…”
His lips trailed from my cheek down to my neck, where he inhaled deeply and moaned, “A fact which I will prove thoroughly when I truly kiss you, Isabella. Make no mistake about that.”
Since then the flirting has continued, but he has yet to truly kiss me. That fact was oddly not surprising, but it has definitely been frustrating. Thinking back to our conversations of Ephraim and Quil II, and how they were with their imprints, I came to a conclusion during my drive to Forks.
I would have to be the leader with Levi, as far as our relationship and boundaries were concerned. That meant that I would have to be the one to make the first move, as well as give him clear lines of where my comfort level was. I was determined to do just that, as I knew I was more than ready to move forward with him.
Pulling into Dad’s driveway almost 4 and a half hours after leaving UW campus, I was not surprised to see Levi just exiting his truck with a load of takeout Chinese in his arms. He gave me the most beautiful smile as he spied me pulling in, then set the takeout in the back of his truck before coming directly to me.
Opening my door as I shut off the engine, he took my hands and helped me out, then pulled me into his scorching arms. “I’m glad you’re here, Sweetheart. No changing your mind? You’re home for good now?”
He looked down into my eyes in seek of my answer, so I cupped his cheek, my other hand resting over his pounding heart while I whispered, “Home for good.”
I moved my hand from his cheek to around the back of his neck, then pulled him down to me as I pushed up onto my tiptoes. As I brushed my lips against his, I heard his breathing hitch, but then he instantly responded by teasing my lips with his own.
After a short few seconds, he placed his forehead against mine to catch my gaze, whispering, “I think we need to talk… very soon… because I already want to kiss you again.”
I chuckled in response, “My thoughts exactly. Let’s get dinner and explanations done with, then if you have nothing to do in the morning, I’ll come out to the house to see you. Just know that I’ll be expecting you to truly kiss me when I get there.”
It was just as Levi took my hand and grabbed the Chinese from the back of his truck that I heard the front door open. I squeezed his hand before running up the sidewalk to my dad, hugging him fiercely, “Hi, Daddy.”
He chuckled while hugging me back, “Welcome home, Bells. Looks like you got here just in time to eat.”
He stood back to hold my shoulders, looking me over intently, “You look good, though you could use a bit more weight on you. Come on… Levi ordered Chinese for dinner.”
He shook Levi’s hand as we all made our way inside the house.
Once we were settled around the small kitchen table with piled high plates, Dad nodded to Levi to start, so I turned to him. He offered, “It was right after the fight with the last one that Sam phased. I’d been watching him since he had been showing some of the first signs, but he wasn’t that far into the process. The vampire forced his change, as it did ours many years ago. I was hurt, so after calming him down from the initial shock, I had to have him come get me.”
I was shocked that he had been hurt badly enough to not be able to walk, but he continued, “Bella, I’ve talked to your dad about this, as well as the elders. Two more boys are showing signs with all of the activity lately. I don’t want them to phase unexpectedly, or without help nearby, so it’s been decided to bring the Cullens back. Something big is happening around here to draw this many vampires to the vicinity in such a short amount of time.”
I nodded, knowing it was a wise decision, “Okay… tell me what you need me to do.”
Dad shook his head, then ran his fingers through it before saying in a sigh, “Bells, I need to know where you’re at with Levi. Your answer will have a lot to do with what happens next… what steps are taken.”
I sighed in reply, then looked at Levi. “I didn’t want to bring it up this way. I wanted to tell you when we talked alone.”
Turning to Dad, I blushed slightly but was able to keep eye contact with him as I said, “I’m ready to move forward with Levi, Dad. My plan was to continue my courses online, continue toward my degree, then move in a few months to the rez. In that time, my relationship with Levi would change to one of a romantic nature. We both think of the reservation as our second home, but my life will be there with Levi sooner or later. Over the last 8 months, and during my time home for Thanksgiving and Christmas, my feelings for Levi have become quite a bit deeper.”
Dad nodded, then said, “I know. I’ve seen the signs. I’m not upset, Bells, just wanting to make sure. Levi was telling me how complicated things will be once he calls the Cullens, and how you living off the rez will make things harder to keep you safe. We don’t know what’s going on to bring all these vamps here, Bella, or how many more will show up.”
I frowned, then Levi added, “That’s why I’ve offered you both the spare rooms on the first floor of my house. Your father has declined, needing to be closer to the station.”
Dad cut back in to say, “You can take the offer, Bells. I know it’s dangerous, but that’s why I have to stay here. I have to be closer to the station than Levi’s place would put me.”
Looking between the two, I finally stopped at Levi. “You want me to move in with you now; it would be safer for me; easier for you to keep me safe. You have two more boys that need to shift in a controlled environment, and a reservation full of worried tribe members. You won’t be at your full potential until the imprint is solidified, yet you’re calling vampires here on purpose, whether or not they are gold-eyes.”
Levi nodded hesitantly, so I let out a breath.
Dad’s eyes went wide, most likely taking it that I was going to jump right into intimacy with Levi. I hurried to explain my thoughts more clearly, “Stay calm, Dad. Listen to me for a minute. I told you I was ready to move forward with Levi before he even admitted any of what I just confirmed. It would make Levi, and you as well, feel more secure about my safety if I were to do this. With all that is going to be happening, and these vamps -both gold and red eyes- coming to town, he doesn’t need to add worrying about me on top of it all. Plus, maybe being there with him will help relieve these nightmares I keep having. I won’t be rushing any lovemaking, even if it will help him against whatever is coming. The marking will not be done until Levi and I have a few serious conversations, and I’m ready for that step.”
Dad let out a breath, then I saw Levi duck his head while trying to hide the smile creeping onto his lips. It was only a couple of tense seconds before Dad nodded, “Alright. Okay. Here’s what Billy and I came up with, in case you agreed, so that the town doesn’t go talking crap. Let people think the times he’s been away from the rez and Forks, while he’s been on patrol, that he’s been taking extra trips to Seattle to see you. Let them think your relationship is further along than it is, and that you transferred colleges to be closer to him. That will cover up the true reason why you’re moving in with him, instead of coming back home to live with me. Sam will know the truth, of course, but you won’t have to worry about him revealing anything.”
I actually liked the idea, but I looked to Levi for confirmation that it would work. He smiled softly, saying, “We’ve been seen together more than apart while you are in town, Sweetheart. We already hold hands and I kiss your forehead, which are acceptable forms of affection for couples in public. Billy and Charlie’s plan is a solid one. It would work, but the choice is yours.”
I nodded, “Then I agree. Dad, you have to promise me that you will contact Levi or me as soon as you sense anything out of the norm for Forks happening. I can’t even imagine what I’d do if something happened to you. If you can promise me that, then I think we can call this matter closed for the rest of dinner.”
He did promise both me and Levi, which eased the tension that had been building in my body.
I was officially moving to the reservation, just a little sooner than I'd expected to.
~~ Time Skip: 8 Months Later~~
I had thought, naively, that things would move more smoothly once I reached college. In reality, my mentor and advisors were worried about me ‘rushing my education’. It wasn’t my fault that I retained all the information of whatever I chose to read, or that my professors didn’t like my assignments being handed in early. I honestly felt like I was being held back from actually learning what I needed, to complete my degree.
Though my visits with Levi helped calm the storm in my mind while we were together, our time always felt like it was too brief, and I hated spoiling our moments with my complaints. It had gotten so bad that I went to see a therapist named Shelly McAllister. I only sought her out as a way to talk through some of my stress, but she actually agreed with my assessment.
Standards were set for an average range of people, but since I had already proven in spades that I wasn’t average, Shelly said I shouldn’t hold myself to those standards. She thought it might be a good idea for me to look into online colleges, which would let me work at my own pace, in my own home. The thought was appealing with how much I was missing my friends and family… with how much I was missing Levi.
I promised Shelly I would take a few weeks to consider my options carefully because I was never one to make rash decisions.
I was coming up on the two-week mark from that conversation in her office, and I was pretty sure of my decision. The only thing I needed to do was talk to Dad. I sat down on my dorm room bed, then pulled out my cell. It only took Dad a single ring before he answered.
“Bells? You okay?”
He seemed a little worried, so I sighed, “Yeah, Dad. I’m fine. I know I never call this early in the week, but do you have a few minutes to talk?”
He hummed before saying, “Yeah, Bells. Just watching a recorded game with Levi. You want me to put you on speaker?”
I chuckled in reply, “Sure, if you want. It’s nothing bad, Dad. I promise.”
After a second, I heard Levi saying, “Bella? Are you alright, Sweetheart?”
I smiled, but then noted the concern in his voice, too. Hmm… I guess I called at the right time. “Yes, I’m fine and safe. I have something to tell you both, but first, you need to tell me why both of you are worried. Something’s going on there, isn’t it?”
He sighed, but I heard Dad tell him, “She’ll need to know, Son. She may not be safe there for long.”
It took Levi a few seconds before he sighed again, then said, “Certain activity has been picking up here, Bella. That’s why I’ve been checking in with you every night, and why you said you felt the ache in your chest the other night. It’s why my visits have been so short and so few lately.”
My breathing hitched in my throat, then I choked out, “You were hurt, weren’t you? That’s why my chest hurt… because something had happened to you. Damn it, I shouldn’t have waited so long to talk to you both about this. I’m done… that’s it. No more waiting.”
I shook my head and took a deep breath, then explained, “You both know that this hasn’t been the best 8 months for me. I finally broke down and went to see a therapist, just to see if it would help with the stress. After a few sessions of getting to know me, she told me I should look into online colleges. All of the crap guidelines and standards that are holding me back at UW, I wouldn’t have with an online college, because I would be able to work at my own pace. The cost is actually cheaper overall, and I would be home, which would be less strain on both of you.”
They were listening, so I continued, “Then, there’s also the dreams I’ve been having lately. I don’t like them, Levi. I don’t know if it’s our connection, but I keep having dreams of you dying at the hands of three of them. I swear the young twins couldn’t be more than 13 years old, physically, but they have some wicked mojo. There’s a raven-haired one with them, who must be ancient, by the looks of him. I… Levi, tell me you haven’t seen any of those three.”
He rushed to calm me, saying, “No, Sweetheart. They don’t sound like the ones I’ve seen. I’ve dealt with 5 of them in the last year… a male with dreads, a male and female couple a few months later, then within the last few days there have been two more males. The last one seemed to be tracking the big one I took out a few days ago, but not by scent. I think he had an enhanced ability to track, somehow.”
I shook my head, then said, “Levi you can’t keep doing this on your own. Are you even healed completely?”
He sighed in response, “I was back to 100% within a few hours of the encounter, Bella, I promise. I’m not alone anymore, so you don’t have to worry. If you’re planning on coming home, I’ll explain everything once you arrive. Now’s not really the time for me to go into detail.”
I gasped slightly, then asked sadly, “Who, Levi?”
He responded right away, “Sam, right after the last one.”
My mind whirled at the fact that Sam phased, but I said instantly, “Dad, I love you, and I hope you understand that this is only the last straw in a hay bale. I’m not making this decision lightly, but I’m coming home. I’ll get my stuff packed and be on the road tomorrow after I finalize everything with school, which I’ll do first thing in the morning.”
He let out a loud breath, then offered, “I know, Bells. You never make decisions without torturing yourself about the consequences first. It’ll be good to have you home, and easier for us to keep you safe if you’re closer.”
I was up bright and early the next morning, having packed most of my things after the phone call. Placing the last of my things into the box at the end of my bed, I shook my head at Andrea -‘It’s pronounced Ondraya, thank you very much’- the most annoying dorm mate to ever exist.
After stumbling her drunk ass into the room at 1:30 this morning, she had proceeded to break the lamp on her night table while trying to strip out of her tightest dress. Then, after another ten minutes of her making as much noise as possible, she fell into bed, only to snore loudly for the rest of the morning.
I finally got everything done, but it took me until almost lunch to have the paperwork completed, then load my boxes into the truck. I texted both Dad and Levi, letting them know I was getting on the road and would be home by dinner. I received a drive safe text from both in return, but Levi added to his, “I’ll bring takeout and let your Dad know that I’ll be there… if you still want me to explain.”
I chuckled while texting back, “You don’t need an excuse to visit me, Levi. I miss you, and I’d better see you soon. No more texts, because I’m starting my truck now. :)”
I laughed outright while starting my truck, seeing the two emojis he sent in response. One winking and one blowing me a kiss.
We had gotten a lot closer during the last 8 months of my being away. I think we both felt cautious in the beginning, but we became fast friends. There was never any pressure to be more with him. Anything we did when we met up to spend time together always felt right.
Since being able to spend time in Forks over Thanksgiving and Christmas, we’ve evolved into flirting friends. Levi was quite shocked when I flirted with him for the first time. He was showing me the progress on his new house, which was being built in place of his old one after a storm had done major damage.
While walking through the completed shell during Thanksgiving weekend, I happened to nudge his side with my shoulder, saying as I looked up at him and the soaring ceiling height, “Well, now that you can actually reach your full 6’-5” inside, you might want to build me a footstool or two. Otherwise, you’ll have to revert to hunching down to kiss me.”
He gawked at me for a full two minutes, then scooped me up into his arms to place kisses on both of my cheeks, “Or… I can just lift you… hold you in my arms while kissing you. I have no doubt that when that time comes, my little firefly, our height difference will not be an issue. We were made for each other…”
His lips trailed from my cheek down to my neck, where he inhaled deeply and moaned, “A fact which I will prove thoroughly when I truly kiss you, Isabella. Make no mistake about that.”
Since then the flirting has continued, but he has yet to truly kiss me. That fact was oddly not surprising, but it has definitely been frustrating. Thinking back to our conversations of Ephraim and Quil II, and how they were with their imprints, I came to a conclusion during my drive to Forks.
I would have to be the leader with Levi, as far as our relationship and boundaries were concerned. That meant that I would have to be the one to make the first move, as well as give him clear lines of where my comfort level was. I was determined to do just that, as I knew I was more than ready to move forward with him.
Pulling into Dad’s driveway almost 4 and a half hours after leaving UW campus, I was not surprised to see Levi just exiting his truck with a load of takeout Chinese in his arms. He gave me the most beautiful smile as he spied me pulling in, then set the takeout in the back of his truck before coming directly to me.
Opening my door as I shut off the engine, he took my hands and helped me out, then pulled me into his scorching arms. “I’m glad you’re here, Sweetheart. No changing your mind? You’re home for good now?”
He looked down into my eyes in seek of my answer, so I cupped his cheek, my other hand resting over his pounding heart while I whispered, “Home for good.”
I moved my hand from his cheek to around the back of his neck, then pulled him down to me as I pushed up onto my tiptoes. As I brushed my lips against his, I heard his breathing hitch, but then he instantly responded by teasing my lips with his own.
After a short few seconds, he placed his forehead against mine to catch my gaze, whispering, “I think we need to talk… very soon… because I already want to kiss you again.”
I chuckled in response, “My thoughts exactly. Let’s get dinner and explanations done with, then if you have nothing to do in the morning, I’ll come out to the house to see you. Just know that I’ll be expecting you to truly kiss me when I get there.”
It was just as Levi took my hand and grabbed the Chinese from the back of his truck that I heard the front door open. I squeezed his hand before running up the sidewalk to my dad, hugging him fiercely, “Hi, Daddy.”
He chuckled while hugging me back, “Welcome home, Bells. Looks like you got here just in time to eat.”
He stood back to hold my shoulders, looking me over intently, “You look good, though you could use a bit more weight on you. Come on… Levi ordered Chinese for dinner.”
He shook Levi’s hand as we all made our way inside the house.
Once we were settled around the small kitchen table with piled high plates, Dad nodded to Levi to start, so I turned to him. He offered, “It was right after the fight with the last one that Sam phased. I’d been watching him since he had been showing some of the first signs, but he wasn’t that far into the process. The vampire forced his change, as it did ours many years ago. I was hurt, so after calming him down from the initial shock, I had to have him come get me.”
I was shocked that he had been hurt badly enough to not be able to walk, but he continued, “Bella, I’ve talked to your dad about this, as well as the elders. Two more boys are showing signs with all of the activity lately. I don’t want them to phase unexpectedly, or without help nearby, so it’s been decided to bring the Cullens back. Something big is happening around here to draw this many vampires to the vicinity in such a short amount of time.”
I nodded, knowing it was a wise decision, “Okay… tell me what you need me to do.”
Dad shook his head, then ran his fingers through it before saying in a sigh, “Bells, I need to know where you’re at with Levi. Your answer will have a lot to do with what happens next… what steps are taken.”
I sighed in reply, then looked at Levi. “I didn’t want to bring it up this way. I wanted to tell you when we talked alone.”
Turning to Dad, I blushed slightly but was able to keep eye contact with him as I said, “I’m ready to move forward with Levi, Dad. My plan was to continue my courses online, continue toward my degree, then move in a few months to the rez. In that time, my relationship with Levi would change to one of a romantic nature. We both think of the reservation as our second home, but my life will be there with Levi sooner or later. Over the last 8 months, and during my time home for Thanksgiving and Christmas, my feelings for Levi have become quite a bit deeper.”
Dad nodded, then said, “I know. I’ve seen the signs. I’m not upset, Bells, just wanting to make sure. Levi was telling me how complicated things will be once he calls the Cullens, and how you living off the rez will make things harder to keep you safe. We don’t know what’s going on to bring all these vamps here, Bella, or how many more will show up.”
I frowned, then Levi added, “That’s why I’ve offered you both the spare rooms on the first floor of my house. Your father has declined, needing to be closer to the station.”
Dad cut back in to say, “You can take the offer, Bells. I know it’s dangerous, but that’s why I have to stay here. I have to be closer to the station than Levi’s place would put me.”
Looking between the two, I finally stopped at Levi. “You want me to move in with you now; it would be safer for me; easier for you to keep me safe. You have two more boys that need to shift in a controlled environment, and a reservation full of worried tribe members. You won’t be at your full potential until the imprint is solidified, yet you’re calling vampires here on purpose, whether or not they are gold-eyes.”
Levi nodded hesitantly, so I let out a breath.
Dad’s eyes went wide, most likely taking it that I was going to jump right into intimacy with Levi. I hurried to explain my thoughts more clearly, “Stay calm, Dad. Listen to me for a minute. I told you I was ready to move forward with Levi before he even admitted any of what I just confirmed. It would make Levi, and you as well, feel more secure about my safety if I were to do this. With all that is going to be happening, and these vamps -both gold and red eyes- coming to town, he doesn’t need to add worrying about me on top of it all. Plus, maybe being there with him will help relieve these nightmares I keep having. I won’t be rushing any lovemaking, even if it will help him against whatever is coming. The marking will not be done until Levi and I have a few serious conversations, and I’m ready for that step.”
Dad let out a breath, then I saw Levi duck his head while trying to hide the smile creeping onto his lips. It was only a couple of tense seconds before Dad nodded, “Alright. Okay. Here’s what Billy and I came up with, in case you agreed, so that the town doesn’t go talking crap. Let people think the times he’s been away from the rez and Forks, while he’s been on patrol, that he’s been taking extra trips to Seattle to see you. Let them think your relationship is further along than it is, and that you transferred colleges to be closer to him. That will cover up the true reason why you’re moving in with him, instead of coming back home to live with me. Sam will know the truth, of course, but you won’t have to worry about him revealing anything.”
I actually liked the idea, but I looked to Levi for confirmation that it would work. He smiled softly, saying, “We’ve been seen together more than apart while you are in town, Sweetheart. We already hold hands and I kiss your forehead, which are acceptable forms of affection for couples in public. Billy and Charlie’s plan is a solid one. It would work, but the choice is yours.”
I nodded, “Then I agree. Dad, you have to promise me that you will contact Levi or me as soon as you sense anything out of the norm for Forks happening. I can’t even imagine what I’d do if something happened to you. If you can promise me that, then I think we can call this matter closed for the rest of dinner.”
He did promise both me and Levi, which eased the tension that had been building in my body.
I was officially moving to the reservation, just a little sooner than I'd expected to.