Protecting The Black Wolf's Mate
by wizardtho
Chapter 3:
We all talked and laughed as Sam cooked, but once he placed the platters on the table, I noticed the amount of food that Sam had made. "Holy crow, Sam. How are we going to finish all of this food?"
He chuckled as Charlie said, "Don't worry, Bells. None of it will go to waste. It takes a lot to feed Sam's appetite. Plus, I'm more than a little hungry myself."
I eyed the huge platter of pancakes, the two of them, then the rest of the scrambled eggs and bacon. "Alright, if you say so."
Sam refilled their cups of coffee, then asked as he stroked my cheek, "What would you like to drink?"
I involuntarily leaned into his touch with a small smile as my eyes fluttered, then remembered Charlie.
Shit, this is his friend. One that's probably 6 years or so older than me.
I cleared my throat, reluctantly backing away from his touch as I said, "Coffee, please. Creamer and one sugar."
I noticed his face drop as he nodded, then Charlie asked, "I take it you haven't fully talked yet, have you?"
Sam shook his head, then brought my coffee to me and sat down. Charlie said, "I think now would be a good time, Sam."
He nodded, so Sam said as I started to eat, "You asked me how I knew of them, of what they were..."
My eyes widened as my gaze flicked to Charlie, but Charlie was smiling softly, "Bells, I know. I've known since they moved back to town. Why do you think I never liked that Edwin boy?"
My breath left in a whoosh, "Shit. So... you knew before I did?"
Charlie nodded, then motioned for Sam to continue. He smiled softly, asking, "Have you heard of any of the legends of our tribe, Bella?"
I hummed, swallowed, then said, "Jacob told me one... said it was a ghost story, and only the elders really still believed it. That's how I partially found out about what they were. The legend he told me had to do with the cold ones."
Sam nodded with a scowl, then schooled his features as he questioned, "Did Jacob tell you the whole legend?"
I shrugged, offering, "I think so... why?"
Maybe this is when he tells me.
Sam smiled, "Because not just the cold one part is true, Isabella."
I nodded, sticking another bite of pancake in my mouth, but he just sat there. When he didn't continue, I smiled as I swallowed, "Okay, I'm listening."
Charlie chuckled as Sam explained, "Our tribe descended from wolves, if Jacob told you the whole legend. The wolf form our ancestors were able to transform into... well, it didn't die out through the generations."
He wasn't coming straight out with it, so I chuckled while taking his hand, saying, "I know, Sam. I know you are a wolf because your wolf was the one to find me."
He let out a breath, nodded, then asked softly, "You're okay with that?"
I couldn't help but chuckle in reply, "Sam, if I can handle knowing that vampires exist, I can handle knowing that wolves exist. From what I could tell, you felt like an actual wolf, but much bigger... not what's thought to be a typical werewolf."
He nodded, then Charlie added with a visual of his hand as far as it could reach above his head, "Yeah, a big horse-sized wolf. Scared the shit out of me when I saw Billy in his backyard talking to Sam in wolf form."
I giggled, "That's how you found out? Oh, God. Tell me you didn't try to shoot him, Dad."
Charlie chuckled while Sam offered, "He was going to, but I phased in time for him to see me turn back. That was when Billy and the other elders explained all of the legends to Charlie."
I shook my head at Charlie while saying, "Well, it might have hurt a bit, but I doubt it would have been serious if he did. I'm glad he didn't, though."
Sam nodded in agreement, "Hell of a bee sting, but it wouldn't have penetrated my wolf hide."
I thought through his words for a second, then tried to sum things up. "So you protect the tribe from vampires, and the treaty is real since they never went near rez land. You look like a horse-sized wolf when you... phase, is it?"
He nodded, so I continued, "Can you tell me more? What color is your wolf? Does it hurt when you phase? How many of you are there?"
He chuckled, then kissed my palm as he said, "One at a time, Sweetheart. My wolf is all black, the biggest of the pack. The only time it hurts to phase is the very first time. The heat, the large build, heightened senses... it's all part of being a wolf. There are three wolves in the pack as of right now, and hopefully, there won't be a need for more, since the Cullens are no longer in the vicinity."
I nodded, "So they trigger it? I mean, the presence of vampires triggers the change?"
Sam nodded sadly, which caused me to become angry, "Why the hell would they stay here, if they knew their presence was making your tribe phase?! Jesus, that's insane!"
Sam cupped my cheek, "Shhh, it's alright. They're gone now, so hopefully, no more of our boys will have to phase. I tried to explain it to the leader, the blonde one, but he didn't believe me. The mind-reader told him it was rubbish, so he believed him."
I growled at that, knowing that was very likely with Edward and Carlisle, "I swear to Christ if he ever shows up here again, I'm gonna rip his mountain-lion-sucking head from his shoulders. Stupid, self-absorbed, deer-licking piece of..."
Sam picked me up, then plopped me on his lap, wrapping his arms around me while cooing, "Shh. Isabella, calm down, please. I know how you feel, but it won't do you any good to be upset right now. Concentrate on me, Sweetheart."
He let his breath fan over my face as he spoke, causing the fight to leave me completely. He stroked my back over the blanket, whispering calming words to me until I was pure mush in his arms. Then I heard Sam say, "There's more for you to know when you're ready, Sweetheart."
I nodded, whispering, "Okay. Can you set me back in front of my food, please?"
He kissed my forehead, then set me back on my chair gently. I nodded for him to speak as I started eating again. "There is another legend among our tribe. One of how the wolf finds the other half of his soul... his soul mate."
I flinched, but Sam said in understanding, "I know you said he told you that you were his mate, Isabella, but it's not true."
I nodded, "Carlisle told me about mates as he stitched up my arm. I thought about it while I was crying... he couldn't have been mine. If he was, he would have never been able to hurt me, even accidentally. That includes the almost draining when he sucked the venom out, along with throwing me into the table that night. He fed me so many lies."
Charlie's voice was deadly calm as he said lowly, "What, Isabella?"
My eyes went wide as I whimpered, "I'm sorry, Dad. I didn't mean to lie to you, but I didn't want to chance it. I didn't know you knew about them, since Edward told me you never thought about him being a vampire."
He choked out an incredulous laugh, "That's all I thought about when he was here with you, Bells. That and how if anything were to ever happen to you, I would make sure the pack took out their whole damn coven. He's turning out to be more of a piece of work than even I thought."
I nodded, "I'm seeing that too, Dad. Can you settle for me telling those stories at another time, though? I promise to tell you, but I've already told Sam. It took a lot out of me, and I still haven't slept. I don't know if I can get through them again right now."
Charlie nodded, "Alright, Kiddo. Another time. Sam still has more to tell you, anyway."
I smiled at Sam, so he cupped my cheek as he said, "When a wolf looks his soul mate in the eyes for the first time after his initial change, it's like the whole world rearranges itself to revolve around his mate, causing his soul to imprint itself on hers. That's why we call the soul mates 'imprints'. From then on, the wolf will be anything the imprint needs... whether it's a friend, a protector, or a lover. The wolf wants to be what the imprint needs, not because of the magic of it, but because he recognizes that his soul mate is the imprinted person. The magic part of it only lets us see who the wolf's other half is."
I dropped my spoon, gasping out in an instant, "I ... you... in the... first time... really?"
Charlie beamed as Sam nodded warily, causing me to let out a whooshed breath of, "Shit... Sam, I think I need you to say it out loud. I need to hear it."
Sam cupped both of my cheeks in his large hands, looked into my eyes, then said, "You are the other half of my soul, Isabella. I imprinted on you in the forest, when you first opened those beautiful eyes of yours to look at me. I swear I'll never hurt you... it's impossible... I only want you to be happy. I'll be whatever you need me to be, and I'll never push you for anything you don't want. I'll never take your choices away, put you down, or make you feel unworthy."
He wiped my cheek; only then did I realize I was crying. "Please don't cry, Sweetheart. You have as much time as you need, and if you never want me in a romantic way, that's fine. I swear, I just want you to be..."
I place my finger on his lips to hush him as I shook my head, "Happy tears, Sam. This means you'll stick around so we can get to know each other?"
He beamed at me, letting out a breath in relief as he said simply, "I would really like that."
I looked over to Charlie warily, but he was smiling widely with tears in his eyes. "You're okay with this, Dad?"
He nodded enthusiastically, then said in a thick voice, "He'll never hurt you, and he'll always strive to make sure you're happy, Bells. It's all I've ever wanted for you. Just don't jump straight to anything physical without talking or truly knowing what it means, please. Spare your old man a little, okay? Know what you're getting into before you leap, because it's not the same as se-."
I choked a laugh, "Jesus, Dad, I'm still a virg..."
That caused Charlie to hurriedly cover his ears as he said loudly, "Aghh! I don't want to know... Lalalala... don't need to know any of that..."
I made the zip-lip motion to him, giggling, then I registered Sam letting out a small growl. I raised an eyebrow at him as Charlie released his hands from his ears, to which Sam kissed my neck and whispered almost inaudibly, "I'll explain later. Promise."
I smiled, then we all settled back into our breakfast. Sam and Dad did end up eating all of the breakfast that was made other than my plate... well Sam ate most of it, explaining that his metabolism and shifting from one form to another makes him eat a lot more. He said I should never ask if he's hungry because he'll always answer with a yes. That made me chuckle.
Once we were all done eating, I asked Charlie, "If I leave the door open, can Sam stay with me until I'm asleep?"
Charlie looked at Sam, then said, "You don't have patrol again until tonight, right?"
Sam agreed, so Charlie said, "I'll call Sue and Billy. I'll tell him to have Paul or Jared send some clothes for you, so you two can go get some sleep. Sue will make sure there's enough for you to eat before you head out on patrol tonight. Bells, you still need to get that bath that Dr. Gerandy ordered for this morning, so Sam will drop you off at the bathroom, then go get something for you to change into. You know I don't go near your dresser."
I smiled at that. "Thanks, Dad. Try and get some more sleep yourself."
He smiled, kissing my forehead, "You get your bath. Sam and I can take care of the kitchen. I'll make my phone calls, then I'll get some sleep, too."
I nodded, "Night, Dad."
Sam picked me up to carry me to the bathroom, then stood me up before unwrapping me from my blanket burrito. He smiled down at me, saying softly, "I'll get your clothes while you start your water."
I smiled, then turned to start the water for my bath. I added some of my favorite bath salts after I made sure the stopper was down, swishing my hand through the water.
Sam came back in then, but I blushed at what he held for me to wear. He was holding my navy blue and pink Victoria Secret cami/short set, along with a light pink lace thong I liked.
He smiled softly as he asked, "Is this okay? I want you to be comfortable, but if you wear sweats, you won't sleep well next to me. My natural temperature will have you overheating quickly."
Damn, I hadn't thought about that. His body heat felt really good, though, so I nodded, "Thank you, Sam. I forgot about the space heater thing. This is fine. It's actually one of the only night sets in my drawers I've ever worn."
He nodded, then kissed my shoulder as he whispered, "I know... I can tell, remember?"
My breath whooshed out at the feel of his lips against my shoulder, causing me to whisper in reply, "Want to explain the growl?"
He chuckled, "Yeah... sorry about that. My wolf was pleased when you said you were untouched. I tried to stifle it, but I guess I didn't do so well. Did you just say that for Charlie's benefit?"
I shook my head, baring my neck for his continued lip brushes, "No... it wasn't just for Charlie's benefit. I've never had more than a few very chaste kisses. This is actually more intimate than anything I've done before."
Sam froze, backed up enough to look at me, then whispered, "I'm sorry, Sweetheart. I didn't mean to overstep a boundary or anything."
I shook my head, "You haven't, Sam... honestly."
I turned to notice the water was just right in the tub, so I shut off the taps, then looked back up to Sam. I smiled while cupping his cheek, "We'll talk boundaries after my bath, but know that you haven't crossed any."
He nodded, then kissed my forehead before ducking out of the room. Once the door closed, I stripped down, then carefully got into the tub. I sighed as I sank down into the steaming water.
After a few minutes, I decided it was time to get clean. I washed my hair, then as the conditioner was setting, I washed and shaved. I was determined not to have any stubble if I was going to be wearing that little in bed next to the bronze god... even if there was nothing going on but sleeping.
After I made sure every bit of stubble was gone, I rinsed out the conditioner, washed my face after running a clean cloth under the faucet, then pulled the plug. I stepped out onto the mat carefully, drying off before putting my hair up in the towel.
My lotion was still in my bathroom bag, so I'd have to wait for that until I got into my room. I got dressed, brushed my teeth, then called softly, "Sam, I'm done."
He came in seconds later, smiling as he asked, "Are you going to keep your hair in the towel while you sleep?"
I giggled, "No, Silly. My bathroom bag has my brush and lotion in it. I forgot to have you get it from my room."
He nodded, "I'll have to remember that for next time. Come here, Sweetheart. Let's get your hair brushed, then get you into bed."
I took my hair out of the towel, laying it on the towel rod before Sam picked me up bridal-style. He carried me into the room as I heard Charlie call up the stairs, "Night kids. You want me to wake you at a certain time?"
I called down, "What time is Sue bringing dinner?"
When he said that Sue would be here after she was done at the diner around 6, I called down, "I'll set my alarm, Dad. Get some sleep."
Sam sat me on my bed, then asked, "Where's your bathroom bag?"
I pointed on top of my dresser, so he placed it on my lap as he sat behind me on the bed. I dug through to get my lotion and brush, but he took the brush from my hand with a smile, "Allow me."
I went about putting my lotion on my legs, arms, and shoulders as he brushed out my hair. When he was done, he inhaled at my shoulder, "Mmm... So that's the passion flower in your scent."
I nodded as my head tilted to give him more room, "Yeah... I found this in Phoenix when I lived with Renee. My bath salts are the same scent. Speaking of scents, what does mine smell like to you?"
He hummed and trailed his lips up my neck, "Mmm... passion flower, black cherries, cream, and..."
He stopped, causing me to whisper, "And what?"
I was expecting him to say freesia or strawberries, but his voice got husky as he inhaled again, whispering in my ear, "Sex, Isabella. You smell like desire, longing, and sex.”
The way he said it made me whimper slightly, then I shivered as he kissed the soft spot behind my ear. I let out a shaky breath, "Is that bad?"
Sam wrapped his arms low on my waist as he whispered, "No, just the opposite, Sweetheart. It's a very good thing. I really don't want to pass any boundaries, though, so we should talk about that before I'm tempted any more than I already am."
I nodded, but really just wanted to feel what it was like for him to kiss me. I placed my lotion back into the bag, then twisted and clipped my hair up. I put my brush in the bag before Sam placed it back on top of my dresser. I crawled under the covers with Sam following suit a second later.
Once we were facing each other, I asked softly, "Is it bad that I just got out of a relationship, but I want you to kiss me?"
He gasped slightly, then cupped my cheek, saying, "Nothing you feel is ever wrong, Isabella... not when it comes to us. You just tell me where you want the line to be, and that's where it will stay until you want to change it."
I nodded, saying almost inaudibly, "I want to get to know you. I don't want to move too fast, but I really want you to kiss me."
He tipped my chin up, then bent his head to brush his lips lightly against mine once... twice... three times. Just when I thought he would pull back, I felt his tongue tease along my bottom lip. I moaned, my lips parting automatically for him as he slowly deepened the kiss. He tasted just as amazing as he smelled.
My hand found its way into his hair as he braced my tailbone to bring me flush against him. My arousal spiked at his action, causing him to break the kiss as he inhaled. He moaned into my neck, "God, Isabella. Your arousal is so intoxicating. I just want to..."
He groaned, bringing his lips back to mine, so I whispered against them, "Want to what, Sam?"
He flicked his tongue against my bottom lip, making my eyes flutter, then said, "Taste you, Isabella. I want to taste you... but that's definitely a no go for right now."
I whimpered, but nodded, "I know... too soon. Hands stay above clothing."
He nodded, then traced his fingers down my side to swirl at my hip, "So this is okay?"
I nodded as my breathing picked up slightly. He traced his fingers back up to brush the underside of my breast, "And this?"
I whimpered, nodding while panting out, "God, Sam... yes. Please, no more teasing or I'll explode."
He moaned into my neck, nipped it lightly, then nodded, "Sorry, Sweetheart. So where were we? Hands stay above clothes... and kissing is good, right?"
I nodded as I tried to calm down, "Kissing... yes, kissing is definitely good."
He chuckled, pecked my lips, then asked, "Anything else?"
I shook my head, "Think that covers it."
Sam looked deep into my eyes, then said, "Thank you for letting us have the chance to get to know each other… for not rejecting me."
I brushed my lips against his, then whispered, "I felt a connection to you before I saw either of your forms, Sam. I've never felt anything like it before, so I'm not going to give up the chance to see where it could lead."
I turned, covering my mouth as I yawned, then said, "Now hold me, please. It's time for sleep."
Sam smiled, "I couldn't agree more, Sweetheart."
He rolled onto his back, pulling me with him. I positioned myself to lay half on him, with my head on his chest, my hand over his heart, and my leg situated between his. He wrapped his arm over to place it on my hip, drawing soothing circles on it as he whispered, "Sweet dreams, My Angel."
That was the last thing I remembered before I was drifting off into a peaceful sleep.
We all talked and laughed as Sam cooked, but once he placed the platters on the table, I noticed the amount of food that Sam had made. "Holy crow, Sam. How are we going to finish all of this food?"
He chuckled as Charlie said, "Don't worry, Bells. None of it will go to waste. It takes a lot to feed Sam's appetite. Plus, I'm more than a little hungry myself."
I eyed the huge platter of pancakes, the two of them, then the rest of the scrambled eggs and bacon. "Alright, if you say so."
Sam refilled their cups of coffee, then asked as he stroked my cheek, "What would you like to drink?"
I involuntarily leaned into his touch with a small smile as my eyes fluttered, then remembered Charlie.
Shit, this is his friend. One that's probably 6 years or so older than me.
I cleared my throat, reluctantly backing away from his touch as I said, "Coffee, please. Creamer and one sugar."
I noticed his face drop as he nodded, then Charlie asked, "I take it you haven't fully talked yet, have you?"
Sam shook his head, then brought my coffee to me and sat down. Charlie said, "I think now would be a good time, Sam."
He nodded, so Sam said as I started to eat, "You asked me how I knew of them, of what they were..."
My eyes widened as my gaze flicked to Charlie, but Charlie was smiling softly, "Bells, I know. I've known since they moved back to town. Why do you think I never liked that Edwin boy?"
My breath left in a whoosh, "Shit. So... you knew before I did?"
Charlie nodded, then motioned for Sam to continue. He smiled softly, asking, "Have you heard of any of the legends of our tribe, Bella?"
I hummed, swallowed, then said, "Jacob told me one... said it was a ghost story, and only the elders really still believed it. That's how I partially found out about what they were. The legend he told me had to do with the cold ones."
Sam nodded with a scowl, then schooled his features as he questioned, "Did Jacob tell you the whole legend?"
I shrugged, offering, "I think so... why?"
Maybe this is when he tells me.
Sam smiled, "Because not just the cold one part is true, Isabella."
I nodded, sticking another bite of pancake in my mouth, but he just sat there. When he didn't continue, I smiled as I swallowed, "Okay, I'm listening."
Charlie chuckled as Sam explained, "Our tribe descended from wolves, if Jacob told you the whole legend. The wolf form our ancestors were able to transform into... well, it didn't die out through the generations."
He wasn't coming straight out with it, so I chuckled while taking his hand, saying, "I know, Sam. I know you are a wolf because your wolf was the one to find me."
He let out a breath, nodded, then asked softly, "You're okay with that?"
I couldn't help but chuckle in reply, "Sam, if I can handle knowing that vampires exist, I can handle knowing that wolves exist. From what I could tell, you felt like an actual wolf, but much bigger... not what's thought to be a typical werewolf."
He nodded, then Charlie added with a visual of his hand as far as it could reach above his head, "Yeah, a big horse-sized wolf. Scared the shit out of me when I saw Billy in his backyard talking to Sam in wolf form."
I giggled, "That's how you found out? Oh, God. Tell me you didn't try to shoot him, Dad."
Charlie chuckled while Sam offered, "He was going to, but I phased in time for him to see me turn back. That was when Billy and the other elders explained all of the legends to Charlie."
I shook my head at Charlie while saying, "Well, it might have hurt a bit, but I doubt it would have been serious if he did. I'm glad he didn't, though."
Sam nodded in agreement, "Hell of a bee sting, but it wouldn't have penetrated my wolf hide."
I thought through his words for a second, then tried to sum things up. "So you protect the tribe from vampires, and the treaty is real since they never went near rez land. You look like a horse-sized wolf when you... phase, is it?"
He nodded, so I continued, "Can you tell me more? What color is your wolf? Does it hurt when you phase? How many of you are there?"
He chuckled, then kissed my palm as he said, "One at a time, Sweetheart. My wolf is all black, the biggest of the pack. The only time it hurts to phase is the very first time. The heat, the large build, heightened senses... it's all part of being a wolf. There are three wolves in the pack as of right now, and hopefully, there won't be a need for more, since the Cullens are no longer in the vicinity."
I nodded, "So they trigger it? I mean, the presence of vampires triggers the change?"
Sam nodded sadly, which caused me to become angry, "Why the hell would they stay here, if they knew their presence was making your tribe phase?! Jesus, that's insane!"
Sam cupped my cheek, "Shhh, it's alright. They're gone now, so hopefully, no more of our boys will have to phase. I tried to explain it to the leader, the blonde one, but he didn't believe me. The mind-reader told him it was rubbish, so he believed him."
I growled at that, knowing that was very likely with Edward and Carlisle, "I swear to Christ if he ever shows up here again, I'm gonna rip his mountain-lion-sucking head from his shoulders. Stupid, self-absorbed, deer-licking piece of..."
Sam picked me up, then plopped me on his lap, wrapping his arms around me while cooing, "Shh. Isabella, calm down, please. I know how you feel, but it won't do you any good to be upset right now. Concentrate on me, Sweetheart."
He let his breath fan over my face as he spoke, causing the fight to leave me completely. He stroked my back over the blanket, whispering calming words to me until I was pure mush in his arms. Then I heard Sam say, "There's more for you to know when you're ready, Sweetheart."
I nodded, whispering, "Okay. Can you set me back in front of my food, please?"
He kissed my forehead, then set me back on my chair gently. I nodded for him to speak as I started eating again. "There is another legend among our tribe. One of how the wolf finds the other half of his soul... his soul mate."
I flinched, but Sam said in understanding, "I know you said he told you that you were his mate, Isabella, but it's not true."
I nodded, "Carlisle told me about mates as he stitched up my arm. I thought about it while I was crying... he couldn't have been mine. If he was, he would have never been able to hurt me, even accidentally. That includes the almost draining when he sucked the venom out, along with throwing me into the table that night. He fed me so many lies."
Charlie's voice was deadly calm as he said lowly, "What, Isabella?"
My eyes went wide as I whimpered, "I'm sorry, Dad. I didn't mean to lie to you, but I didn't want to chance it. I didn't know you knew about them, since Edward told me you never thought about him being a vampire."
He choked out an incredulous laugh, "That's all I thought about when he was here with you, Bells. That and how if anything were to ever happen to you, I would make sure the pack took out their whole damn coven. He's turning out to be more of a piece of work than even I thought."
I nodded, "I'm seeing that too, Dad. Can you settle for me telling those stories at another time, though? I promise to tell you, but I've already told Sam. It took a lot out of me, and I still haven't slept. I don't know if I can get through them again right now."
Charlie nodded, "Alright, Kiddo. Another time. Sam still has more to tell you, anyway."
I smiled at Sam, so he cupped my cheek as he said, "When a wolf looks his soul mate in the eyes for the first time after his initial change, it's like the whole world rearranges itself to revolve around his mate, causing his soul to imprint itself on hers. That's why we call the soul mates 'imprints'. From then on, the wolf will be anything the imprint needs... whether it's a friend, a protector, or a lover. The wolf wants to be what the imprint needs, not because of the magic of it, but because he recognizes that his soul mate is the imprinted person. The magic part of it only lets us see who the wolf's other half is."
I dropped my spoon, gasping out in an instant, "I ... you... in the... first time... really?"
Charlie beamed as Sam nodded warily, causing me to let out a whooshed breath of, "Shit... Sam, I think I need you to say it out loud. I need to hear it."
Sam cupped both of my cheeks in his large hands, looked into my eyes, then said, "You are the other half of my soul, Isabella. I imprinted on you in the forest, when you first opened those beautiful eyes of yours to look at me. I swear I'll never hurt you... it's impossible... I only want you to be happy. I'll be whatever you need me to be, and I'll never push you for anything you don't want. I'll never take your choices away, put you down, or make you feel unworthy."
He wiped my cheek; only then did I realize I was crying. "Please don't cry, Sweetheart. You have as much time as you need, and if you never want me in a romantic way, that's fine. I swear, I just want you to be..."
I place my finger on his lips to hush him as I shook my head, "Happy tears, Sam. This means you'll stick around so we can get to know each other?"
He beamed at me, letting out a breath in relief as he said simply, "I would really like that."
I looked over to Charlie warily, but he was smiling widely with tears in his eyes. "You're okay with this, Dad?"
He nodded enthusiastically, then said in a thick voice, "He'll never hurt you, and he'll always strive to make sure you're happy, Bells. It's all I've ever wanted for you. Just don't jump straight to anything physical without talking or truly knowing what it means, please. Spare your old man a little, okay? Know what you're getting into before you leap, because it's not the same as se-."
I choked a laugh, "Jesus, Dad, I'm still a virg..."
That caused Charlie to hurriedly cover his ears as he said loudly, "Aghh! I don't want to know... Lalalala... don't need to know any of that..."
I made the zip-lip motion to him, giggling, then I registered Sam letting out a small growl. I raised an eyebrow at him as Charlie released his hands from his ears, to which Sam kissed my neck and whispered almost inaudibly, "I'll explain later. Promise."
I smiled, then we all settled back into our breakfast. Sam and Dad did end up eating all of the breakfast that was made other than my plate... well Sam ate most of it, explaining that his metabolism and shifting from one form to another makes him eat a lot more. He said I should never ask if he's hungry because he'll always answer with a yes. That made me chuckle.
Once we were all done eating, I asked Charlie, "If I leave the door open, can Sam stay with me until I'm asleep?"
Charlie looked at Sam, then said, "You don't have patrol again until tonight, right?"
Sam agreed, so Charlie said, "I'll call Sue and Billy. I'll tell him to have Paul or Jared send some clothes for you, so you two can go get some sleep. Sue will make sure there's enough for you to eat before you head out on patrol tonight. Bells, you still need to get that bath that Dr. Gerandy ordered for this morning, so Sam will drop you off at the bathroom, then go get something for you to change into. You know I don't go near your dresser."
I smiled at that. "Thanks, Dad. Try and get some more sleep yourself."
He smiled, kissing my forehead, "You get your bath. Sam and I can take care of the kitchen. I'll make my phone calls, then I'll get some sleep, too."
I nodded, "Night, Dad."
Sam picked me up to carry me to the bathroom, then stood me up before unwrapping me from my blanket burrito. He smiled down at me, saying softly, "I'll get your clothes while you start your water."
I smiled, then turned to start the water for my bath. I added some of my favorite bath salts after I made sure the stopper was down, swishing my hand through the water.
Sam came back in then, but I blushed at what he held for me to wear. He was holding my navy blue and pink Victoria Secret cami/short set, along with a light pink lace thong I liked.
He smiled softly as he asked, "Is this okay? I want you to be comfortable, but if you wear sweats, you won't sleep well next to me. My natural temperature will have you overheating quickly."
Damn, I hadn't thought about that. His body heat felt really good, though, so I nodded, "Thank you, Sam. I forgot about the space heater thing. This is fine. It's actually one of the only night sets in my drawers I've ever worn."
He nodded, then kissed my shoulder as he whispered, "I know... I can tell, remember?"
My breath whooshed out at the feel of his lips against my shoulder, causing me to whisper in reply, "Want to explain the growl?"
He chuckled, "Yeah... sorry about that. My wolf was pleased when you said you were untouched. I tried to stifle it, but I guess I didn't do so well. Did you just say that for Charlie's benefit?"
I shook my head, baring my neck for his continued lip brushes, "No... it wasn't just for Charlie's benefit. I've never had more than a few very chaste kisses. This is actually more intimate than anything I've done before."
Sam froze, backed up enough to look at me, then whispered, "I'm sorry, Sweetheart. I didn't mean to overstep a boundary or anything."
I shook my head, "You haven't, Sam... honestly."
I turned to notice the water was just right in the tub, so I shut off the taps, then looked back up to Sam. I smiled while cupping his cheek, "We'll talk boundaries after my bath, but know that you haven't crossed any."
He nodded, then kissed my forehead before ducking out of the room. Once the door closed, I stripped down, then carefully got into the tub. I sighed as I sank down into the steaming water.
After a few minutes, I decided it was time to get clean. I washed my hair, then as the conditioner was setting, I washed and shaved. I was determined not to have any stubble if I was going to be wearing that little in bed next to the bronze god... even if there was nothing going on but sleeping.
After I made sure every bit of stubble was gone, I rinsed out the conditioner, washed my face after running a clean cloth under the faucet, then pulled the plug. I stepped out onto the mat carefully, drying off before putting my hair up in the towel.
My lotion was still in my bathroom bag, so I'd have to wait for that until I got into my room. I got dressed, brushed my teeth, then called softly, "Sam, I'm done."
He came in seconds later, smiling as he asked, "Are you going to keep your hair in the towel while you sleep?"
I giggled, "No, Silly. My bathroom bag has my brush and lotion in it. I forgot to have you get it from my room."
He nodded, "I'll have to remember that for next time. Come here, Sweetheart. Let's get your hair brushed, then get you into bed."
I took my hair out of the towel, laying it on the towel rod before Sam picked me up bridal-style. He carried me into the room as I heard Charlie call up the stairs, "Night kids. You want me to wake you at a certain time?"
I called down, "What time is Sue bringing dinner?"
When he said that Sue would be here after she was done at the diner around 6, I called down, "I'll set my alarm, Dad. Get some sleep."
Sam sat me on my bed, then asked, "Where's your bathroom bag?"
I pointed on top of my dresser, so he placed it on my lap as he sat behind me on the bed. I dug through to get my lotion and brush, but he took the brush from my hand with a smile, "Allow me."
I went about putting my lotion on my legs, arms, and shoulders as he brushed out my hair. When he was done, he inhaled at my shoulder, "Mmm... So that's the passion flower in your scent."
I nodded as my head tilted to give him more room, "Yeah... I found this in Phoenix when I lived with Renee. My bath salts are the same scent. Speaking of scents, what does mine smell like to you?"
He hummed and trailed his lips up my neck, "Mmm... passion flower, black cherries, cream, and..."
He stopped, causing me to whisper, "And what?"
I was expecting him to say freesia or strawberries, but his voice got husky as he inhaled again, whispering in my ear, "Sex, Isabella. You smell like desire, longing, and sex.”
The way he said it made me whimper slightly, then I shivered as he kissed the soft spot behind my ear. I let out a shaky breath, "Is that bad?"
Sam wrapped his arms low on my waist as he whispered, "No, just the opposite, Sweetheart. It's a very good thing. I really don't want to pass any boundaries, though, so we should talk about that before I'm tempted any more than I already am."
I nodded, but really just wanted to feel what it was like for him to kiss me. I placed my lotion back into the bag, then twisted and clipped my hair up. I put my brush in the bag before Sam placed it back on top of my dresser. I crawled under the covers with Sam following suit a second later.
Once we were facing each other, I asked softly, "Is it bad that I just got out of a relationship, but I want you to kiss me?"
He gasped slightly, then cupped my cheek, saying, "Nothing you feel is ever wrong, Isabella... not when it comes to us. You just tell me where you want the line to be, and that's where it will stay until you want to change it."
I nodded, saying almost inaudibly, "I want to get to know you. I don't want to move too fast, but I really want you to kiss me."
He tipped my chin up, then bent his head to brush his lips lightly against mine once... twice... three times. Just when I thought he would pull back, I felt his tongue tease along my bottom lip. I moaned, my lips parting automatically for him as he slowly deepened the kiss. He tasted just as amazing as he smelled.
My hand found its way into his hair as he braced my tailbone to bring me flush against him. My arousal spiked at his action, causing him to break the kiss as he inhaled. He moaned into my neck, "God, Isabella. Your arousal is so intoxicating. I just want to..."
He groaned, bringing his lips back to mine, so I whispered against them, "Want to what, Sam?"
He flicked his tongue against my bottom lip, making my eyes flutter, then said, "Taste you, Isabella. I want to taste you... but that's definitely a no go for right now."
I whimpered, but nodded, "I know... too soon. Hands stay above clothing."
He nodded, then traced his fingers down my side to swirl at my hip, "So this is okay?"
I nodded as my breathing picked up slightly. He traced his fingers back up to brush the underside of my breast, "And this?"
I whimpered, nodding while panting out, "God, Sam... yes. Please, no more teasing or I'll explode."
He moaned into my neck, nipped it lightly, then nodded, "Sorry, Sweetheart. So where were we? Hands stay above clothes... and kissing is good, right?"
I nodded as I tried to calm down, "Kissing... yes, kissing is definitely good."
He chuckled, pecked my lips, then asked, "Anything else?"
I shook my head, "Think that covers it."
Sam looked deep into my eyes, then said, "Thank you for letting us have the chance to get to know each other… for not rejecting me."
I brushed my lips against his, then whispered, "I felt a connection to you before I saw either of your forms, Sam. I've never felt anything like it before, so I'm not going to give up the chance to see where it could lead."
I turned, covering my mouth as I yawned, then said, "Now hold me, please. It's time for sleep."
Sam smiled, "I couldn't agree more, Sweetheart."
He rolled onto his back, pulling me with him. I positioned myself to lay half on him, with my head on his chest, my hand over his heart, and my leg situated between his. He wrapped his arm over to place it on my hip, drawing soothing circles on it as he whispered, "Sweet dreams, My Angel."
That was the last thing I remembered before I was drifting off into a peaceful sleep.