Protecting the Black Wolf's Mate
by wizardtho
Chapter 10:
Bella's POV
Just then, a knock sounded at the door, so Charlie went to open it. Everyone filed in, with Quil and Billy immediately breaking out into grins as they looked me over. Quil offered sincerely even through his wide smile, "On behalf of the Quileute Council of Elders, congratulations to the both of you. You've become fully mated, which is a major milestone to our tribe."
I smiled softly, "Thank you, Quil."
Billy looked at Charlie, asking without a hint of reservation, "So, are any grandbabies going to be making an appearance?"
I choked a laugh, but Charlie beamed, "Hopefully. They've decided to let nature take its course."
I busted out, "Dad! Does the whole world need to know?"
Charlie chuckled, "We're all family, Bella... and they'll need to know to help protect you from that red-head."
I hadn't thought of that. I looked at Sam in fear as I placed his hand over my stomach, "Oh, God. Sam, I didn't think about that. We should have used protection until it was safe. What if..."
Sam hushed me with a kiss, "Shh. I did remember, and it'll be fine. You're moving onto the rez, plus after this week, I'll be patrolling with the pack. We'll keep you safe, Isabella. As long as you don't go anywhere without one of the wolves and you stay on rez land, we'll be able to keep you safe... even if you do become pregnant before the threat is taken care of. It's alright, Sweetheart. Relax for me."
He stroked my spine, causing me to melt into him, then Quil said softly, "He's right, Bella. They'll be able to keep you safe. Just don't try to imitate the third wife, please. We know much more now than when that legend happened. Listen to your mate, and the pack will keep you safe."
I nodded, then said, "Okay. I want to be on the reservation as soon as possible. The longer we're here, the more chance there is for something bad to happen."
Leah smiled, "Then I suggest we eat, so we can start the packing party. Mom, I'll help you get the food set out."
Quil sat down next to me, saying softly, "Isabella, your father signed all of the paperwork this morning, so all I need are your signatures under Charlie's. As soon as lunch is done, we'll go over everything in the paperwork with you -so you have a full understanding of them- and you can sign."
I nodded, "Thank you, Quil. Dad, did you set something up for this house?"
He nodded, smiling at me as he said, "I talked to the realtor while Sue was getting lunch done. The new doc that's taking over for Cullen at the hospital has put in an offer for more than the asking price, since more than a few people want the place. I told the realtor to accept his offer with the understanding that we would need a few days, as Dr. Gerandy has you on bed rest. He said we could take all the time that we needed, and even came right over to sign the paperwork."
I nodded, "It's good that another doctor is already taking up the position. It won't leave the hospital short-staffed. I guess we just need to pack, then I need to sign, right?"
Charlie continued my thoughts, "Then as soon as Doc lets you off bed rest, we'll take a trip to the house so you can do a run-through of what needs to be done. I want you to be honest about what it needs; I already told the state that a lot of work was needed to restore it completely."
I nodded, "I know it was big, but I can't remember a lot about it. It's been so long since I was there."
Sam kissed my mark, making me smile and close my eyes, then he set me down, saying, "I'll fix us some plates. Your stomach sounds as menacing as my wolf does."
I blushed, "Sorry, I didn't realize I was so hungry. I ate so much for breakfast, you'd think I would be okay for another hour or so."
Leah and Kim both looked at each other, smiling, then said, "Before you get pregnant, you'll still need to be eating twice as much as your normal amount. It's part of the energy burn when you're intimate with a wolf."
I nodded in understanding before Quil added, "After you become with child, expect to eat about 4 times your normal amount. You'll be carrying on the line of protectors, so he or she will have wolf genes. Though there hasn't been a female to change, there's no guarantee one won't, and all of the females in the tribe that have wolf genes needed to be fed well in the womb."
Sue laughed, "I was constantly eating while I was pregnant with Leah and Seth."
Sam set two plates down in front of me, then picked me up to place me on his lap as he sat back down. I smiled at the plate he made me, then kissed his lips lightly.
He had fixed me a club sandwich on a large sub roll, loaded down with all the fixings. I checked, smiling widely when I found spicy brown mustard instead of mayo. Charlie handed me the drizzle bottles of oil and red wine vinegar we kept on hand, along with the shakers of salt and pepper. I drizzled my oil and vinegar on my sub, then shook on some salt and pepper while Sam asked, "Can I try it like that?"
I smiled as I held out the end of my sandwich, then he hummed as he swallowed a bite. "My God, that's good. Boys, you have to try it Bella's way. It's so good."
I ended up fixing everyone's plates up with oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Charlie smiled as he said, "She got that from her Grandma Swan. Taught it to her when she was just a little tike. You were what... five when she taught you that?"
I nodded as I chewed the bite in my mouth, "Mmm... yeah, five sounds about right. We spent all summer in the kitchen. We still have that book of recipes, right? We need to make sure nothing happens to that during the move. I'm going to need those recipes with feeding so many. Us girls will have to make a shopping trip and use the boys as cart pushers. With so many, we'll end up with at least three carts of food. Plus, most of the spices are running low here."
Sue shook her head, then said with a tender smile, "If you use your own spice containers, check with me about what I have at the diner before you buy them at the store. It'll save you a little money, since I always need to order bulk."
I smiled, "Thanks, Sue. I need to actually get bigger containers, otherwise, I'll be refilling them every few days with this lot. I can't have this crew going hungry, but I can't stand bland food."
She laughed, "I know what you mean. Let me see what I can do through my dealer. I'll bring my booklet over. We'll see if anything catches your eye. If so, I'll add it to the order for this Wednesday."
I smiled, offering honestly, "M'kay. Thanks. We're going to have a lot to do with furniture, plus filling the cabinets with dishes, glasses, and such. I guess I should wait until I look at the house first, to see what all the rooms look like. It just means most of the rooms will be empty until I can plan the new stuff."
Charlie smiled as he said, "Bells, I'll help out as much as you want me to, but you know I'm no good at all this decorating stuff. I'll be right there with the boys when it's time for the heavy lifting, though."
I smiled, "I love you, Dad, but don't you dare try to pick any furniture out except your own room. Sue, the girls, and I will do all of that." He nodded, but we all laughed at the look of relief he was failing to hide.
I ended up eating two full plates of subs and pretzels to Sam's three. When we all finished, Quil brought in the paperwork for the house. I read it over fully, smiling widely as I said, "No need to explain anything; I understood it all. Dad, can I have the pen over there on the counter?"
Charlie handed me the pen right away with a grin. I started signing and dating all the appropriate spots on the forms, but it took about ten minutes or so until I finally finished.
I smiled and let a breath out as I signed the last spot. When I looked up, Quil beamed at me before handing me the ring of house keys. There were four keys on the ring; each key had a letter on the head with a rubber color coated cover over it. He smiled as he handed Charlie another set, "Each key goes to a different entry. The letter on the key and the color helped me remember which was which. You have a front, side, garage, and apartment key. I thought ahead to have a third set made, in case you had Sam stay. They are on the kitchen island."
I smiled as I squeezed his hand gently in thanks, "Thank you, Quil. This is a big help. Will you be joining us for the walkthrough?"
He chuckled, "Of course I will. As the chief, I'll need to keep track of what it will take to bring the house back to its intended form. There have been several people wanting to have restorations done, but no one trustworthy enough that has time to plan them. If this goes well, you may have other tribe members asking for your services."
My eyes widened, "Really?"
He nodded, causing me to shake my head as I breathed, "Wow. You mean I could make money from the work I put into restoring them? That would be more work for Sam's company, too... and just think about how much it would mean to the community to have the houses redone."
Charlie chuckled, but Quil said, "That's the point. Our tribe is growing again, not dwindling. With the abandoned houses and a lot of homeowners wanting their homes to be fixed or restored, you could have a lot of work ahead of you."
Sam whispered, "Don't stress about it. Everything will happen when it's supposed to, just like this."
He placed his hand low on my tummy, so I leaned back into him, "You're right. It won't do me any good to stress myself. One step at a time... it'll happen how it's meant to. Right now, I think I'm meant to get my rear up those stairs to direct the girls on packing my room. The sooner we start the better. Dad, if you need help with your room, I'm sure Sue wouldn't mind."
I looked at Sam while smirking, "Care to carry your mate to bed?"
He growled playfully, nipping at my mark, then said, "No teasing, my feisty beauty... you're playing with fire."
I chuckled as he picked me up in his arms, then he carried me up the steps with the girls following. He sat me against the pillows at the head of the bed, then kissed me softly, "I'll go get you some boxes, then help the boys with downstairs."
I nodded as Leah and Kim both took up posts at the end of the bed. As Sam walked out, I said, "There's not much to do in here, really. If we can separate my books and photo albums from my music and computer stuff, then we just need to start packing the clothes. That'll be the hardest part, seeing as I was always being dragged on shopping sprees. I don't even know half of what I have. If you open the door to my closet, be careful you aren't attacked. There are so many bags I haven't even unloaded or hung up yet. We'll need to go through them to set aside the stuff I won't wear, which I'm sure there will be more than a few of."
Leah looked at me like I was nuts, but I laughed while pointing at the door, "Look... see for yourself if you don't believe me."
She got off the bed, walking confidently over to my closet door. I winced as she turned the handle, but thankfully she wasn't attacked by the clothes monster. She breathed out, "Jesus, you could own a department store with this many clothes, shoes, and accessories."
I laughed, "I know, right. Just be glad nothing jumped out at you. I'm attacked on a daily basis."
Just then, Sam chuckled on his way in the door, "I can believe that. You really need a larger closet, Angel."
As he set down a bunch of boxes that weren't put together yet, I offered, watching him hand Kim the tape, "I know. Leah didn't believe it was that bad. She looked at me like I was nuts."
Kim looked over Leah's shoulder, then giggled, "Damn, Girl. I think you were actually being modest in your description, now that I see the damage. Hey, at least we'll have fun organizing your new closet. That place has kick-ass closets. Do you know what room is yours, yet?"
Sam kissed me softly on the neck, then whispered, "I'll leave you to do your thing. Call when you're ready for more boxes."
I nodded, then said, "Nope. No idea. I don't even remember how many bedrooms the house has. My memory of it is blurry. I just remember I fell in love with the house when I first saw it, and that it was big."
We talked while they got started sorting my room, with them telling me about themselves and their families. Soon I was getting antsy, though. I saw Kim and Leah smile at each other. They both looked at me at the same time, saying in sync, "Call him."
Then Kim added, "You've been away from him for too long this soon into the week."
Leah nodded, "This is how I got right before Paul burst through the door when he went to get clothes."
I nodded, then called in a normal tone, "Sam?"
Less than two seconds later, he rushed into the room to scoop me into his arms. I instantly felt better, and we both sighed at the contact. I wrapped myself around him as I whispered, "I don't like that feeling."
Sam nuzzled into my neck, inhaled deeply, then groaned, "Me either. I was trying to be good and give you girl time, but I just ended up driving the guys crazy. Your dad wouldn’t stop smiling like a Cheshire cat when he looked at me. Quil kept saying, 'Ah, the good old days.' Please don't make me be away so long again. I'll be quiet… just hold you while you talk to the girls."
I saw them smile over Sam's shoulder, then their smiles widened as I suggested, "Why don't they go help their guys? You can help me pack. I can talk more to the girls later."
The girls both beamed at me as the tension in Sam’s posture melted, then slipped out the door quietly. Sam held me for a few minutes, just kissing up and down my neck as he inhaled my scent, then whispered, "Your scent is sweeter than earlier. I wonder why."
I shrugged, "Could it have to do with the pills working out of my system?"
He shrugged, then said, "Let's get packing. It looks like you girls did more talking than packing in here."
I giggled, "No it was about equal. We needed to separate my books and photo albums from my CDs, then we went through all of the clothes to get rid of the ones I won't wear. We just starting packing the clothes when I started feeling antsy. That pile on the floor right there isn't going. Kim and Leah are going to take what they want out of it. The rest can go to the community center for anyone in need."
I pointed to one large pile near the window. He chuckled with a shake of his head, "How did all of this fit into your closet?"
I laughed, "I have no idea. The piles that are folded into types are ready to go into boxes, the ones on my bed I was folding for the girls. I haven't even started on the shoes or accessories yet."
He set me down on the bed again, then got a few more boxes set up.
We got into a good rhythm, and soon we were able to see my floor again... or at least parts of it. Every few minutes one of us would reach out to touch the other. The contact always made us hum in content.
When the clothes were finally done, he smiled, "Would you like a snack or a drink?"
I shook my head, "No snack yet, but can you please bring up one of my flavored waters?"
He dashed out of my room, back in just a couple of minutes with two bottles of water.
We got back to packing, with the shoes being next. When I opened one box, I found a note. It the last pair of shoes Alice ever bought me... ones she gave me during the party. The note wasn't in there when I opened them, so she must have slipped it in there while Carlisle stitched my arm.
I looked down at my arm, placing my hand over the bandage, then whispered, "The note wasn't there when I originally opened the box. I don't know if I want to read it. I don't know if I want to see what she has to say."
Sam pulled me down into his lap, wrapped my legs around his waist, then hugged me to him, saying softly, "Why don't you just hold onto it for now? You might want to read it in a few weeks or months when it doesn't hurt as much to think about them. I just don't want you to rip it up now, then regret not knowing what's in it later."
I hugged him tightly, "Thank you, Sam... for understanding."
He kissed my neck, "Anytime, Angel."
I leaned over to place the note back in the shoebox, closed the box up, and set it in the pile to be packed. He smiled softly, then asked, "Ready to continue?"
I nodded, deciding to stay on the floor next to him.
We finished all of the shoes and accessories, finally. A few minutes afterward, I heard a knock on the open door. Leah and Kim peeked in, so I smiled widely, "Hey, you two. You're just in time to pick through and grab what you want. We used all of the boxes though, so can you have one of the boys bring a couple more for what's going to the center?"
Leah nodded, then called down to Paul.
Sam picked me up and sat us against the pillows, so the girls could have the floor space to look through the leftovers. They each found several sets to keep. Between the two of them, they even managed to put a dent in the large pile. Sam smiled, "This will help the center a lot... with the furniture as well as all this going to them."
Leah and Kim both agreed, then Kim stated, "I know a couple of girls in school that could really use some more clothes. Leah, you and I can spread the word. Maybe the girls will find their way to the center. The whole rez knows by now that Chief Swan is moving with Bella. All we have to do is mention to a few key people that Bella is making a huge clothing and furniture donation to the center. People in need will show."
I cocked my head to the side, "I just found out about this last night. How can the whole rez know already?"
Then I thought about Lauren Mallory and Jessica Stanley, blurting out in response to my own question, "Never mind. Small communities, I forgot. Everyone else knows your business before you do half the time."
Leah nodded, "Yeah, but it's not in a snotty way on the reservation. The chief told us about how that group of girls in Forks High were to you. Luckily you won't find that with the Quileute people."
They finished boxing up the rest of the donation stuff, letting Sam label the boxes. Soon my room was completely packed. My stomach chose then to growl loudly.
Sam crawled up the end of the bed, kissing my stomach, "Sue's making dinner, so stop growling. It should be ready soon."
I giggled, "Sam, Honey, are you practicing for later?"
He kissed just under my navel, inhaling with a smile, "Mmhmm. Is that bad?"
I wove my fingers into his hair, "No, it's kinda nice, really."
He nuzzled his nose into my lower stomach as he held my hips, then said absently, "Your scent is sweeter than it was earlier."
I heard Kim and Leah both gasp, then saw them beam at us as Leah said, "We're gonna... just... go see the boys now."
They dashed out of the room, then Sam chuckled in bewilderment, "Guess I said something wrong?"
I shrugged as he laid his head down on my tummy. I wove my hands through his short hair, just loving the downtime until Sue came up to knock on the open door. "Dinner's ready. Good, it looks like your room is done. Charlie's is, too. We got most of the downstairs done. It'll be finished before morning."
I smiled, "Wow, it really helps to have all the extra hands. I figured it would take a good couple of days."
Sue laughed, "No, Dear. You don't realize how much everyone wants you and Charlie on reservation land, protected. You could be making the first pack baby for this generation already, so they all want you on the rez quickly."
I nodded as Sam nuzzled my stomach again, "Maybe. I do know that whatever happens, I need food. Soon. I feel like I haven't eaten in days."
Sue beamed, "Well, come along then. The boys are down there chomping at the bit to get to the food. I had to tell them to wait for you two before they could eat, or you won't make them those apple crumble pies I saw the recipe for in the kitchen."
I laughed as Sam picked me up to carry me down to the kitchen.
As soon as Sam sat me down, I looked at the boys, "There's gonna be a rule in the house from now on, so listen up. When the elders are eating with us, they and the imprints, along with Charlie get their plates first. I will always make plenty of food, and they don't have the appetites that you boys do. If you go getting yours first, you'll end up trampling someone to get at the food. What would happen if the one being trampled was me, Leah, or Kim?"
I knew it was harsh, but I had to lay down the law quickly. They both looked down, then said sadly, "Yes, Ma'am."
I nodded, noting that the elders had their plates, "Good, now go fix your imprints plates, then you can get yours."
They smiled, but Quil whispered to Charlie, "She'll instill manners in those boys yet. She's just what this pack needs, Charlie."
Bella's POV
Just then, a knock sounded at the door, so Charlie went to open it. Everyone filed in, with Quil and Billy immediately breaking out into grins as they looked me over. Quil offered sincerely even through his wide smile, "On behalf of the Quileute Council of Elders, congratulations to the both of you. You've become fully mated, which is a major milestone to our tribe."
I smiled softly, "Thank you, Quil."
Billy looked at Charlie, asking without a hint of reservation, "So, are any grandbabies going to be making an appearance?"
I choked a laugh, but Charlie beamed, "Hopefully. They've decided to let nature take its course."
I busted out, "Dad! Does the whole world need to know?"
Charlie chuckled, "We're all family, Bella... and they'll need to know to help protect you from that red-head."
I hadn't thought of that. I looked at Sam in fear as I placed his hand over my stomach, "Oh, God. Sam, I didn't think about that. We should have used protection until it was safe. What if..."
Sam hushed me with a kiss, "Shh. I did remember, and it'll be fine. You're moving onto the rez, plus after this week, I'll be patrolling with the pack. We'll keep you safe, Isabella. As long as you don't go anywhere without one of the wolves and you stay on rez land, we'll be able to keep you safe... even if you do become pregnant before the threat is taken care of. It's alright, Sweetheart. Relax for me."
He stroked my spine, causing me to melt into him, then Quil said softly, "He's right, Bella. They'll be able to keep you safe. Just don't try to imitate the third wife, please. We know much more now than when that legend happened. Listen to your mate, and the pack will keep you safe."
I nodded, then said, "Okay. I want to be on the reservation as soon as possible. The longer we're here, the more chance there is for something bad to happen."
Leah smiled, "Then I suggest we eat, so we can start the packing party. Mom, I'll help you get the food set out."
Quil sat down next to me, saying softly, "Isabella, your father signed all of the paperwork this morning, so all I need are your signatures under Charlie's. As soon as lunch is done, we'll go over everything in the paperwork with you -so you have a full understanding of them- and you can sign."
I nodded, "Thank you, Quil. Dad, did you set something up for this house?"
He nodded, smiling at me as he said, "I talked to the realtor while Sue was getting lunch done. The new doc that's taking over for Cullen at the hospital has put in an offer for more than the asking price, since more than a few people want the place. I told the realtor to accept his offer with the understanding that we would need a few days, as Dr. Gerandy has you on bed rest. He said we could take all the time that we needed, and even came right over to sign the paperwork."
I nodded, "It's good that another doctor is already taking up the position. It won't leave the hospital short-staffed. I guess we just need to pack, then I need to sign, right?"
Charlie continued my thoughts, "Then as soon as Doc lets you off bed rest, we'll take a trip to the house so you can do a run-through of what needs to be done. I want you to be honest about what it needs; I already told the state that a lot of work was needed to restore it completely."
I nodded, "I know it was big, but I can't remember a lot about it. It's been so long since I was there."
Sam kissed my mark, making me smile and close my eyes, then he set me down, saying, "I'll fix us some plates. Your stomach sounds as menacing as my wolf does."
I blushed, "Sorry, I didn't realize I was so hungry. I ate so much for breakfast, you'd think I would be okay for another hour or so."
Leah and Kim both looked at each other, smiling, then said, "Before you get pregnant, you'll still need to be eating twice as much as your normal amount. It's part of the energy burn when you're intimate with a wolf."
I nodded in understanding before Quil added, "After you become with child, expect to eat about 4 times your normal amount. You'll be carrying on the line of protectors, so he or she will have wolf genes. Though there hasn't been a female to change, there's no guarantee one won't, and all of the females in the tribe that have wolf genes needed to be fed well in the womb."
Sue laughed, "I was constantly eating while I was pregnant with Leah and Seth."
Sam set two plates down in front of me, then picked me up to place me on his lap as he sat back down. I smiled at the plate he made me, then kissed his lips lightly.
He had fixed me a club sandwich on a large sub roll, loaded down with all the fixings. I checked, smiling widely when I found spicy brown mustard instead of mayo. Charlie handed me the drizzle bottles of oil and red wine vinegar we kept on hand, along with the shakers of salt and pepper. I drizzled my oil and vinegar on my sub, then shook on some salt and pepper while Sam asked, "Can I try it like that?"
I smiled as I held out the end of my sandwich, then he hummed as he swallowed a bite. "My God, that's good. Boys, you have to try it Bella's way. It's so good."
I ended up fixing everyone's plates up with oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Charlie smiled as he said, "She got that from her Grandma Swan. Taught it to her when she was just a little tike. You were what... five when she taught you that?"
I nodded as I chewed the bite in my mouth, "Mmm... yeah, five sounds about right. We spent all summer in the kitchen. We still have that book of recipes, right? We need to make sure nothing happens to that during the move. I'm going to need those recipes with feeding so many. Us girls will have to make a shopping trip and use the boys as cart pushers. With so many, we'll end up with at least three carts of food. Plus, most of the spices are running low here."
Sue shook her head, then said with a tender smile, "If you use your own spice containers, check with me about what I have at the diner before you buy them at the store. It'll save you a little money, since I always need to order bulk."
I smiled, "Thanks, Sue. I need to actually get bigger containers, otherwise, I'll be refilling them every few days with this lot. I can't have this crew going hungry, but I can't stand bland food."
She laughed, "I know what you mean. Let me see what I can do through my dealer. I'll bring my booklet over. We'll see if anything catches your eye. If so, I'll add it to the order for this Wednesday."
I smiled, offering honestly, "M'kay. Thanks. We're going to have a lot to do with furniture, plus filling the cabinets with dishes, glasses, and such. I guess I should wait until I look at the house first, to see what all the rooms look like. It just means most of the rooms will be empty until I can plan the new stuff."
Charlie smiled as he said, "Bells, I'll help out as much as you want me to, but you know I'm no good at all this decorating stuff. I'll be right there with the boys when it's time for the heavy lifting, though."
I smiled, "I love you, Dad, but don't you dare try to pick any furniture out except your own room. Sue, the girls, and I will do all of that." He nodded, but we all laughed at the look of relief he was failing to hide.
I ended up eating two full plates of subs and pretzels to Sam's three. When we all finished, Quil brought in the paperwork for the house. I read it over fully, smiling widely as I said, "No need to explain anything; I understood it all. Dad, can I have the pen over there on the counter?"
Charlie handed me the pen right away with a grin. I started signing and dating all the appropriate spots on the forms, but it took about ten minutes or so until I finally finished.
I smiled and let a breath out as I signed the last spot. When I looked up, Quil beamed at me before handing me the ring of house keys. There were four keys on the ring; each key had a letter on the head with a rubber color coated cover over it. He smiled as he handed Charlie another set, "Each key goes to a different entry. The letter on the key and the color helped me remember which was which. You have a front, side, garage, and apartment key. I thought ahead to have a third set made, in case you had Sam stay. They are on the kitchen island."
I smiled as I squeezed his hand gently in thanks, "Thank you, Quil. This is a big help. Will you be joining us for the walkthrough?"
He chuckled, "Of course I will. As the chief, I'll need to keep track of what it will take to bring the house back to its intended form. There have been several people wanting to have restorations done, but no one trustworthy enough that has time to plan them. If this goes well, you may have other tribe members asking for your services."
My eyes widened, "Really?"
He nodded, causing me to shake my head as I breathed, "Wow. You mean I could make money from the work I put into restoring them? That would be more work for Sam's company, too... and just think about how much it would mean to the community to have the houses redone."
Charlie chuckled, but Quil said, "That's the point. Our tribe is growing again, not dwindling. With the abandoned houses and a lot of homeowners wanting their homes to be fixed or restored, you could have a lot of work ahead of you."
Sam whispered, "Don't stress about it. Everything will happen when it's supposed to, just like this."
He placed his hand low on my tummy, so I leaned back into him, "You're right. It won't do me any good to stress myself. One step at a time... it'll happen how it's meant to. Right now, I think I'm meant to get my rear up those stairs to direct the girls on packing my room. The sooner we start the better. Dad, if you need help with your room, I'm sure Sue wouldn't mind."
I looked at Sam while smirking, "Care to carry your mate to bed?"
He growled playfully, nipping at my mark, then said, "No teasing, my feisty beauty... you're playing with fire."
I chuckled as he picked me up in his arms, then he carried me up the steps with the girls following. He sat me against the pillows at the head of the bed, then kissed me softly, "I'll go get you some boxes, then help the boys with downstairs."
I nodded as Leah and Kim both took up posts at the end of the bed. As Sam walked out, I said, "There's not much to do in here, really. If we can separate my books and photo albums from my music and computer stuff, then we just need to start packing the clothes. That'll be the hardest part, seeing as I was always being dragged on shopping sprees. I don't even know half of what I have. If you open the door to my closet, be careful you aren't attacked. There are so many bags I haven't even unloaded or hung up yet. We'll need to go through them to set aside the stuff I won't wear, which I'm sure there will be more than a few of."
Leah looked at me like I was nuts, but I laughed while pointing at the door, "Look... see for yourself if you don't believe me."
She got off the bed, walking confidently over to my closet door. I winced as she turned the handle, but thankfully she wasn't attacked by the clothes monster. She breathed out, "Jesus, you could own a department store with this many clothes, shoes, and accessories."
I laughed, "I know, right. Just be glad nothing jumped out at you. I'm attacked on a daily basis."
Just then, Sam chuckled on his way in the door, "I can believe that. You really need a larger closet, Angel."
As he set down a bunch of boxes that weren't put together yet, I offered, watching him hand Kim the tape, "I know. Leah didn't believe it was that bad. She looked at me like I was nuts."
Kim looked over Leah's shoulder, then giggled, "Damn, Girl. I think you were actually being modest in your description, now that I see the damage. Hey, at least we'll have fun organizing your new closet. That place has kick-ass closets. Do you know what room is yours, yet?"
Sam kissed me softly on the neck, then whispered, "I'll leave you to do your thing. Call when you're ready for more boxes."
I nodded, then said, "Nope. No idea. I don't even remember how many bedrooms the house has. My memory of it is blurry. I just remember I fell in love with the house when I first saw it, and that it was big."
We talked while they got started sorting my room, with them telling me about themselves and their families. Soon I was getting antsy, though. I saw Kim and Leah smile at each other. They both looked at me at the same time, saying in sync, "Call him."
Then Kim added, "You've been away from him for too long this soon into the week."
Leah nodded, "This is how I got right before Paul burst through the door when he went to get clothes."
I nodded, then called in a normal tone, "Sam?"
Less than two seconds later, he rushed into the room to scoop me into his arms. I instantly felt better, and we both sighed at the contact. I wrapped myself around him as I whispered, "I don't like that feeling."
Sam nuzzled into my neck, inhaled deeply, then groaned, "Me either. I was trying to be good and give you girl time, but I just ended up driving the guys crazy. Your dad wouldn’t stop smiling like a Cheshire cat when he looked at me. Quil kept saying, 'Ah, the good old days.' Please don't make me be away so long again. I'll be quiet… just hold you while you talk to the girls."
I saw them smile over Sam's shoulder, then their smiles widened as I suggested, "Why don't they go help their guys? You can help me pack. I can talk more to the girls later."
The girls both beamed at me as the tension in Sam’s posture melted, then slipped out the door quietly. Sam held me for a few minutes, just kissing up and down my neck as he inhaled my scent, then whispered, "Your scent is sweeter than earlier. I wonder why."
I shrugged, "Could it have to do with the pills working out of my system?"
He shrugged, then said, "Let's get packing. It looks like you girls did more talking than packing in here."
I giggled, "No it was about equal. We needed to separate my books and photo albums from my CDs, then we went through all of the clothes to get rid of the ones I won't wear. We just starting packing the clothes when I started feeling antsy. That pile on the floor right there isn't going. Kim and Leah are going to take what they want out of it. The rest can go to the community center for anyone in need."
I pointed to one large pile near the window. He chuckled with a shake of his head, "How did all of this fit into your closet?"
I laughed, "I have no idea. The piles that are folded into types are ready to go into boxes, the ones on my bed I was folding for the girls. I haven't even started on the shoes or accessories yet."
He set me down on the bed again, then got a few more boxes set up.
We got into a good rhythm, and soon we were able to see my floor again... or at least parts of it. Every few minutes one of us would reach out to touch the other. The contact always made us hum in content.
When the clothes were finally done, he smiled, "Would you like a snack or a drink?"
I shook my head, "No snack yet, but can you please bring up one of my flavored waters?"
He dashed out of my room, back in just a couple of minutes with two bottles of water.
We got back to packing, with the shoes being next. When I opened one box, I found a note. It the last pair of shoes Alice ever bought me... ones she gave me during the party. The note wasn't in there when I opened them, so she must have slipped it in there while Carlisle stitched my arm.
I looked down at my arm, placing my hand over the bandage, then whispered, "The note wasn't there when I originally opened the box. I don't know if I want to read it. I don't know if I want to see what she has to say."
Sam pulled me down into his lap, wrapped my legs around his waist, then hugged me to him, saying softly, "Why don't you just hold onto it for now? You might want to read it in a few weeks or months when it doesn't hurt as much to think about them. I just don't want you to rip it up now, then regret not knowing what's in it later."
I hugged him tightly, "Thank you, Sam... for understanding."
He kissed my neck, "Anytime, Angel."
I leaned over to place the note back in the shoebox, closed the box up, and set it in the pile to be packed. He smiled softly, then asked, "Ready to continue?"
I nodded, deciding to stay on the floor next to him.
We finished all of the shoes and accessories, finally. A few minutes afterward, I heard a knock on the open door. Leah and Kim peeked in, so I smiled widely, "Hey, you two. You're just in time to pick through and grab what you want. We used all of the boxes though, so can you have one of the boys bring a couple more for what's going to the center?"
Leah nodded, then called down to Paul.
Sam picked me up and sat us against the pillows, so the girls could have the floor space to look through the leftovers. They each found several sets to keep. Between the two of them, they even managed to put a dent in the large pile. Sam smiled, "This will help the center a lot... with the furniture as well as all this going to them."
Leah and Kim both agreed, then Kim stated, "I know a couple of girls in school that could really use some more clothes. Leah, you and I can spread the word. Maybe the girls will find their way to the center. The whole rez knows by now that Chief Swan is moving with Bella. All we have to do is mention to a few key people that Bella is making a huge clothing and furniture donation to the center. People in need will show."
I cocked my head to the side, "I just found out about this last night. How can the whole rez know already?"
Then I thought about Lauren Mallory and Jessica Stanley, blurting out in response to my own question, "Never mind. Small communities, I forgot. Everyone else knows your business before you do half the time."
Leah nodded, "Yeah, but it's not in a snotty way on the reservation. The chief told us about how that group of girls in Forks High were to you. Luckily you won't find that with the Quileute people."
They finished boxing up the rest of the donation stuff, letting Sam label the boxes. Soon my room was completely packed. My stomach chose then to growl loudly.
Sam crawled up the end of the bed, kissing my stomach, "Sue's making dinner, so stop growling. It should be ready soon."
I giggled, "Sam, Honey, are you practicing for later?"
He kissed just under my navel, inhaling with a smile, "Mmhmm. Is that bad?"
I wove my fingers into his hair, "No, it's kinda nice, really."
He nuzzled his nose into my lower stomach as he held my hips, then said absently, "Your scent is sweeter than it was earlier."
I heard Kim and Leah both gasp, then saw them beam at us as Leah said, "We're gonna... just... go see the boys now."
They dashed out of the room, then Sam chuckled in bewilderment, "Guess I said something wrong?"
I shrugged as he laid his head down on my tummy. I wove my hands through his short hair, just loving the downtime until Sue came up to knock on the open door. "Dinner's ready. Good, it looks like your room is done. Charlie's is, too. We got most of the downstairs done. It'll be finished before morning."
I smiled, "Wow, it really helps to have all the extra hands. I figured it would take a good couple of days."
Sue laughed, "No, Dear. You don't realize how much everyone wants you and Charlie on reservation land, protected. You could be making the first pack baby for this generation already, so they all want you on the rez quickly."
I nodded as Sam nuzzled my stomach again, "Maybe. I do know that whatever happens, I need food. Soon. I feel like I haven't eaten in days."
Sue beamed, "Well, come along then. The boys are down there chomping at the bit to get to the food. I had to tell them to wait for you two before they could eat, or you won't make them those apple crumble pies I saw the recipe for in the kitchen."
I laughed as Sam picked me up to carry me down to the kitchen.
As soon as Sam sat me down, I looked at the boys, "There's gonna be a rule in the house from now on, so listen up. When the elders are eating with us, they and the imprints, along with Charlie get their plates first. I will always make plenty of food, and they don't have the appetites that you boys do. If you go getting yours first, you'll end up trampling someone to get at the food. What would happen if the one being trampled was me, Leah, or Kim?"
I knew it was harsh, but I had to lay down the law quickly. They both looked down, then said sadly, "Yes, Ma'am."
I nodded, noting that the elders had their plates, "Good, now go fix your imprints plates, then you can get yours."
They smiled, but Quil whispered to Charlie, "She'll instill manners in those boys yet. She's just what this pack needs, Charlie."