#TwilightFanfiction | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

since0202 · 5 months ago

Text

Taking Time—Fifty Six

Where'd all the time go?

Word count: 7819

Life is full of choices. Impossible ones. Easy ones. Choices with consequences more dire than what you realized. But that never stopped me from making them with my whole chest.

Paul left late the next morning citing a meeting somewhere up north with Jacob in Toronto. It was both a relief and filled Maya with a sense of dread as she tried to keep her face even when he kissed her goodbye for the fifth time in the brownstone’s foyer. When his hand grazed, then gripped her waist, she had to stop herself from flinching away.

And when the door finally shut behind him, Maya let out a long breath and closed her eyes tightly. There was no way. She was just stressed out, like last year, and must be recovering from that awful cold. It was just a stress response, it had to be. Still, Maya counted off the weeks since her last period over and over in her head. One, two, three, four, five, six, almost seven weeks. The number seven echoed in her mind as she fixed herself some oatmeal and then stared into the distance as she ate at the kitchen island.

Over the next few weeks, Maya practiced avoidance. She avoided Rosalie and Emmett as much as possible, which meant practically living in the library. She avoided Arden’s office, citing her ongoing cold that she wanted to shield him from until she was one hundred percent better, and instead had another TA ferry the papers needed from her hideout in the library, the coffee shop, anywhere else. Maya avoided friends and any sort of social engagement, bracing herself against the winter cold and opting instead to focus on her coursework and options for the summer for another internship.

But most of all, Maya avoided Paul, even though every waking moment she yearned for home, to see him, and smell him enveloping her. She avoided his calls, and only returned them when she knew he’d be out on rounds or in meetings per their shared calendar. She avoided lengthy texts and dodged questions about upcoming plans to see one another, swiftly changing the subject or ignoring it entirely.

The deprivation caused a different kind of ache to develop, almost a cramp in her sides and lower abdomen that had her nearly buckling over in pain on her way to the library once again, one icy February morning. Maya paused, her breath an icy fog in front of her as her nose dripped and eyes watered. Her heartbeat sped up and she felt every joint seem to light on fire at once and then quickly subside as she tried to get her bearings.

Each day was a bargain. Every morning a promise to herself that she’d wait just one more week, one more day, one more hour until she figured things out, or knew for sure what it was. She passed the campus clinic every day on her way to the library, the red signage like a bloody beacon begging her in. But still, she bargained.

She did not, however, avoid Becks or Keye. Instead, she kept her promise and refused to disappear on them. It was easy to avoid conversations about herself with Becks—she was juggling two babies—Ephriam and Novi—and keeping it about her and her day-to-day was no sweat.

Keye was a little harder to keep focused. Maya mostly talked about school, but she could feel in some small tense moments that Keye knew something was off. But she didn’t press it and Maya worked harder to stay light and positive in each new facetime. She assumed that’s why Paul wasn’t banging down her door because she was tangentially avoiding him—Becks was keeping him in the loop and he was practicing trust.

Maya almost felt bad about that.

She felt so much worse about the calls with her mother though. All thoughts about planning the wedding had left her mind with this new stress beating incessantly at the back of her head. Rish, for all her motherly goodness, did not seem to notice this new blooming anxiety in Maya however as she prattled on about colors, venues, and dress shopping. It was enough to just nod along, but it left her with a soft and sick feeling.

Her appointment with her gynecologist came and went without her putting in new birth control. She spent the hours tucked away in the library the week before the semester began, combing through reading and prepping for her upcoming classes. And just tried to keep breathing evenly.

Maya felt like a ghost, floating through campus, a hood up covering her head as she shivered against the biting January chill. Her limbs never felt warm, as if all the warmth was creeping inward protectively. She was so distracted on her way to the library that she didn’t even notice the arm that shot out and grabbed her’s, effectively stopping her in the middle of the quad.

“Maya?” the voice sounded muffled, as if it was underwater for a second. Maya’s gaze was glued to the hand on her cold arm. “Maya? Are you okay?” When she lifted her eyes, she was met with the warm, angled face of Arden. Fuck. She blinked a couple of times to clear away what she hoped was just the foggy look in her eyes before pasting on a hesitant smile.

“Arden, sorry, I didn’t see you.” her voice rasped on the end as if she hadn’t taken a drink of water in awhile. When was the last time she did, she wondered. Arden’s brow furrowed as he took her in quickly, scanning her from head to toe. Maya curled in on herself reflexively as her eyes darted to the side.

“Is everything okay? You missed the TA meeting and I thought—,” Arden sounded genuinely worried. Maya shook her head quickly and took a step away from him.

“Oh gosh, sorry. Yeah, I must have f-forgot. I’ve just been working in the library doing research and…” her voice trailed off, hoping that was sufficient enough of an answer. Arden didn’t seem convinced.

“Is something…has something happened?” Arden’s eyes darted around campus as if looking for someone. Maya’s eyes widened when she realized what he was alluding to.

“No! Oh, no, god no. I’m fine. Really. Just a little distracted. I’m fine. Paul and I are fine,” Maya nearly heard herself begging him to believe her and pulled back further. “I should get going. Sorry I missed the meeting. I’ll be at the next one. Promise!” She tried to give a more reassuring smile, but as she darted around him and hurried toward the library, she could feel his eyes on her back.

Maya closed her eyes as she briefly passed the health clinic this time on the way to the library.

“Hey babe. I finally caught you.” Paul’s warm timber sunk into her bones and made her shiver.

“Hey,” she breathed. Maya had finally answered one of his calls when she couldn’t bear not to hear his voice any longer. The ache abated almost instantly and it made her heart stutter briefly. She was still mildly irritated with the effect Paul had on nearly every part of her, but this time, the relief his voice brought was almost immediate and she couldn’t care to think about anything else.

“How are you?” he broached casually. Maya’s breath hitched and she looked off to the side. She was currently sandwiched between two rolling bookcases, deep in the library. As she pressed the phone harder against her ear she swallowed and nodded, trying to keep the tears from traveling to her voice as she said.

“Fine, yeah good. I just wanted to…” it was no use. She knew he’d hear her distress if she kept speaking. So she decided to try and change the subject. “Where are you?”

“Some roadside motel in Alaska. Jacob wanted us to keep a low profile while we try to scout some tracks.” Maya wrinkled her nose at that. She knew Paul was up north with Jacob off and on looking for something but she hadn’t bothered to ask.

“Do you know what you’re tracking?” Good. She sounded almost normal that time. Paul took a deep breath and Maya thought for a minute he wasn’t going to tell her. But then he said easily,

“Yeah. Another pack.”

Maya’s brows knit together in confusion, “Another pack? Like, a wolf pack?!”

“Yup. Jake has been trying to get in contact with them for the past year. He made brief contact after Novi was born by sheer accident but hasn’t been able to find them since. Quil might be our best bet. He’s got some distant family up here who might be able to tip us off in one direction or another, but Jake has wanted us to hide our presence as much as possible in case they’re spooked.” Maya’s mind was racing.

Why on earth would Jacob be looking for another pack? And how did she not even consider the fact that there may be more than just her tribe’s? A headache bloomed behind her eyes and she tried to will it away.

When she didn’t say anything further, she heard Paul’s voice echo, that faraway, underwater sound indicating that she had drifted away again, “My? You there?”

“Y-yeah, sorry. I…just didn’t realize,” she rubbed her forehead and licked her lips. That temporary relief Paul’s voice gave her each time he spoke abated quicker this time and she was desperate to clutch onto that warmth for just a bit longer.

“Maya?”

“Yeah?” she rubbed her cheeks realizing they were wet with tears.

“Baby, do you need me?” He said it so easily. And the obvious fact nearly made her knees buckle. She nodded her head violently, silently, before swallowing hard and saying:

“No. No, I’m fine. I’m just tired. This semester has been rough and it’s barely started. I’m okay, I promise,” she heard that begging tone creep into her voice again. Paul was quiet for a long time before he replied.

“I love you,” the words held the finality that signaled the end of a call.

“I love you,too.” she said quickly and hung up. When she bit down on her hand to help quell the tears, she knew there was nothing left to do now but the obvious.

For once, Maya called a cab. The snow had begun in earnest as she trekked across campus and she didn’t feel like walking or even taking the bus.

When she tucked into the backseat of the warmth and quiet of the cab, she let out a deep breath after giving the driver her address. He pulled out into the street and started driving carefully across the slick streets.

It had been less than twenty four hours since her call with Paul in the library, but every bit of stress felt washed anew. Maya laid her head back against the seat and closed her eyes, reliving the past hour of her life.

The doctor shut the door behind her and sat at the low stool in front of Maya as she perched on the exam table, her heart thudding loudly in her chest. The doctor gave her what she hoped was a reassuring smile, but it was as if Maya knew the words before she even opened her mouth.

Pregnant. She was, in fact, pregnant.

The doctor glanced down at the clipboard in her lap, rattling off some options but Maya heard none of them. That rushing sound filled her ears until she felt the cool hand of the doctor on her shoulder.

She was standing in front of her. When did she stand up?

“Take your time and come to the front when you’re ready. The nurse will have some paperwork you can take with you to mull everything over. Just let me know if you have any questions, okay?”

Maya felt herself nod and then, she was alone.

Well, almost.

She had looked down at her abdomen and just took several deep breaths. No tears came. No dread, or fear, or upset. Just relief.

Maybe that was the most surprising of all—the immense relief she felt at just knowing.

At some point Maya had gotten up, her legs numb from sitting up on the high exam table and wobbled uncertainty toward the front desk where the nurse gave her paperwork and pamphlets.

The sound of wet tires slowing to a stop in front of the towering brownstone brought Maya back to herself. That relief had stayed with her after she’d left the clinic, but as she paid the driver and ambled up the steps to unlock the front door, she was hit with a wave of exhaustion.

As the door clicked shut behind her in the low light of the foyer, she had only just stuffed the remaining paperwork she had desperately clutched on the drive over down into her bag before she heard that soft, reassuring voice that would find her in every life.

“Maya,” Paul stood next to the foot of the stairs that led upstairs to her room. Her mouth fell partially open as she took him in. He was actually here, dripping from the snow that had instantly melted as it met his too hot skin. His hands were shoved into the front pocket of his dark jeans and his black shirt did nothing to hide his broad, muscular frame.

Maya took three quick steps toward him, the tears already halfway down her cheeks as she crashed into his chest. His hands came up to rest on the back of her head as he leaned down to kiss the top of it. Maya gulped in air as she tried to quiet her sobs but she just couldn’t stop.

“It’s okay, My, I’m here,” he said softly.

For the first time since New Years Eve, she actually felt warm. That aching cold that plagued her limbs melted away instantly as she was enveloped by his warmth, his scent, everything.

Paul’s other hand rubbed against her back gently letting her take her time. It was a good ten minutes before she could pull her head away from his chest and gaze up at him without gasping through her tears. The relief pulsed in her like a new heartbeat.

“What are you doing here?” she breathed, unable to ask anything else. Paul’s gaze changed to studying her, his eyes darting around her face as if he was reading something new. It took everything in her not to dip her face away so he couldn’t see what she felt was written all over it now.

His hand crept to cup her cheek, the cold flush now infused with searing warmth from his hand.

“I needed to see you,” he said simply. “Our last conversation was…” he didn’t finish and Maya just nodded. “You look exhausted, babe.” Worry coated his eyes as he said it.

Maya nodded again, knowing if she spoke for too long, the truth would tumble out. She would tell him, eventually she knew she would, but right now, she just needed to sleep, preferably wrapped around him. Paul took his cue and picked her up under her knees and bridal-style carried her up the stairs to her room.

He undressed her carefully, found soft pajamas in her dresser and pulled them on her with ease. Maya was sobbing quietly, holding onto his biceps as she stepped into the long pajama bottoms he held out for her. He kissed the tears on her cheeks and pulled back the mess of covers for her so she could crawl in.

Paul wasn’t far behind her after he stripped down to his briefs and pulled her quickly into his arms as Maya cried until everything in her fell under to the sweet relief of sleep. All the while, Paul continued to whisper reassuring words against the top of her head.

Maya woke with a start and glanced around. The bed was empty and it took her a minute for things to come into focus. How long had she been out? The room was dark and void of sound except for the occasional cricket outsides. Crickets?

As the fog slowly cleared from her mind, she got out of bed, her feet touching the soft squishy bed of moss that sprawled out in every direction. Glancing toward the window, Maya realized that the moon was full, shining bright and eerie through her french doors that had pushed themselves open. A small, cold wind pushed around the white mist that hung just above the moss, causing it to curl and creep toward her as she padded quietly over to the balcony that lay beyond.

Maya swallowed thickly, a great unease growing in her stomach as she walked slowly toward the open double doors. As she looked around her dark bedroom, the damp smell of earth invaded her senses, and suddenly there were wide trunk evergreens and ferns growing around her armoir, her bed, and vanity. This forest was familiar, but it didn’t feel like the one from home. And still, that unease grew. It didn’t help that as she approached the doors, a deep rumbling became to sound throughout the forest.

When she dared to take a breath, her exhale came out in a fog around her. The tips of her toes touched the threshold of her balcony doors that now rested in the middle of the forest, and beyond it, it was simply pitch black. Maya squinted into the darkness as the rumbling grew louder from the other side, her breath coming much quicker now.

She knew she should be scared, and that something was coming. But she couldn’t find it in herself to run or let herself be afraid. The dark beyond the threshold of the door was beckoning her, a soft whisper pulling her closer to hear. And Maya wanted to know what it was saying.

Chills ran down her arms and legs, exposed to the drifting cold coming in through the doorway. The rumbling grew louder, as if the sound of great large feet pounded on the forest floor and were headed straight toward her. Still that sound beckoned her, knew her name even.

She took one step onto the threshold, a deep and sharp cold covering her foot as the sound grew:

‘Mayaaa, mayaaa, maya, maya-maya-maya-maya!’

“Maya!”

Strong, warm hands gripped around her stomach and pulled her back against a warm body. Maya’s eyes had shot open at the sudden warmth with a gasp and she began to pant, as if realizing she had been holding her breath.

She was standing in front of her balcony doors. They were pushed wide open to the cold wind and snow that had started to fall in the middle of the night. A single footprint in the thick snow just past the threshold of the double doors showed how far she had made it in her sleep. Paul gave her a moment to catch her breath, still holding her tightly to him, his hand absently rubbing across her belly and sides.

“You were sleepwalking,” he said, the concern evident in his voice. Maya closed her eyes a moment and rested her hand over his as it stilled on top of her stomach. “Has this been happening a lot?”

“I–,” her voice seemed to crack some then and Paul’s hands instinctively tightened on her. Maya was so tightly wound with the weight of everything that she thought she’d burst.

“Baby, please,” he was almost begging now, his lips coming to kiss the expanse of her shoulder, “What is it? What’s wro—”

“I’m pregnant,” she whispered. He’d heard her. His lips had stopped their journey toward her neck and she felt his body go stiff. His hands twitched ever so slightly against her stomach and the quiet was all of the sudden deafening. Maya focused on the snowflakes that started to fall gently onto her balcony. But he turned her slowly to face him, and cupped both of his hands on either side of her face and lifted it slowly up and up to look at him.

“You’re..” his words seemed stuck, a slight sheen of tears in his overwhelmingly hopeful eyes. Maya was trembling in his hold though and the immense weight of everything still sat heavy on her heart. He tried again: “You’re pregnant?”

Maya couldn’t hold it in any longer, a sob of relief broke from her throat as she nodded, tears streaming wetly down her cheeks. Paul still held her face in both of his hands as she frantically nodded. Just admitting it to him relieved the weight of that stress she had been carrying for weeks. She couldn’t see him clearly through the tears but she felt him start to tremble. Maya let her hands fall to his waist as he brushed the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs.

It felt like forever, the dam of stress breaking and washing relief through her body as she sobbed into his hands but when she could finally breathe, the sobs still hiccuping from her chest involuntarily, she saw him smiling around his own tears as he gazed down at her with so much love and concern.

“Really?” His voice was a deep well of emotion and it pulsed through her, filling her with warmth and relief. She nodded fervently again and managed to squeak out a barely audible,

“Yes.”

His lips pressed firmly to her mouth, his hands still cradling her face as bubbling laughter broke free from him.

“It’s going to be okay,” he murmured against her lips, his arms falling to wrap around her tightly. He pulled back just enough to meet her eyes, “It’s going to be okay. You’re okay,” Paul’s voice soothed.

Maya gulped down air trying to quell the tears that continued to fall in earnest, but it was no use. Everything she had been trying to hold together for the past month had broken open and there was nothing left to do but let it all spill out. And Paul was there to catch her.

He was always there to catch her.

Maya’s body shook against his as she continued to cry, letting each wave of relief his calming voice gave her seep deep into her bones. She sank further against his chest, letting herself relax as he swayed her gently from side to side.

“Everything’s going to be okay, My,” he whispered into her hair.

And it would be, wouldn’t it?

Maya woke up groggy the next morning. The light filtering in from the windows was low enough that she couldn’t really tell what time it was, but snow was still falling steadily outside. As she turned over, she let her hand automatically reach for Paul next to her, but he wasn’t there.

She sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes and looked toward her bedroom door where it sat partially open, a shadow walking back and forth slowly on the landing as he spoke in low tones.

He must be on the phone, she thought. He was speaking in a calm, quiet way that set her belly warming. Paul was here. And he said everything would be alright. And he knew now.

There was so much relief in him just knowing that she was pregnant. Was that normal?

Maya ran a hand through her disheveled hair and blew out a breath. Somehow telling him made it all the more real. She knew it would but now that relief started to be eaten away by the worry of what would come next.

Would he try to take her back to the rez? Would she essentially be put under house arrest? He had been getting so much better with giving her space and trusting her and their relationship despite the distance and now…this.

Maya looked down at her flat stomach and swallowed thickly. She heard the warm murmuring of Paul on the phone cease and the door creak open softly. As she looked up at him, she couldn’t help but gasp softly.

He always seemed to take her breath away, this beautiful man who had chosen her in so many ways outside of the imprint and now they were hurtling toward an all too certain and serious future. But still, Maya just felt relieved that he was here. He placed his phone in the backpocket of his jeans as he walked slowly toward her and sat on the bed.

Maya smiled softly as he reached out and touched her cheek, letting his thumb swipe back and forth across her jaw for a moment before letting it fall to the bed.

“How are you feeling?” his voice was gruff and sleepy. Maya nodded and said just as softly,

“Good. How are you?” she paused and then, “Feeling, I mean.” She unnecessarily clarified. He was watching her intently as if one wrong move and she would flee like a startled doe.

But Maya had never felt more solid under his wary gaze.

“Good,” he said. And then, a smile like the New York City sunrise broke over his face as he looked down at the bed, sheepish even, and let out a warm chuckle, “Really, really good.”

When he looked back up, Maya was smiling wide now and nodded her reassurance. He let himself soak in that joy for a few more seconds before schooling his face into one of serious reassurance and said, “My, look, I know this is bad timing and I’m not asking you to decide anything, but I—”

“Paul,” she cut him off, reaching across the mattress to place her hand on his. “It’s okay. This is good.” He watched her again carefully and then let loose a long sigh before collapsing fully on the bed staring up at the ceiling. And then, he just started laughing.

The sound filled Maya up, causing butterflies to fill in her stomach and run goosebumps down her arms. He was happy and that realization filled Maya with so much joy she thought she’d burst.

Maya’s smile stretched wider as she laughed softly shaking her head as he wiped an errant tear from his eye and took a deep breath, settling his laughter after a couple of minutes.

“Fuck,” he breathed out softly, turning his head on the bed to look at her to make sure she hadn’t disappeared on him.

“Fuck is right,” Maya sighed, not quite letting go of her smile. She was terrified, she couldn’t negate that fact as it bubbled somewhere beneath the surface, but right now, that worry was smoothed over with the salve of Paul’s joy.

“Can we talk about it now?” he said slowly. Maya took a deep breath and leaned up against the headboard, nodding her head and running a hand through her disheveled hair. Paul leaned up on his elbow and set his other hand on her exposed thigh, stroking gently.

“Yeah, let’s talk,” she said with some finality in her voice.

“Have you been to the doctor yet?” Paul’s tone was gentle, so gentle. And Maya knew he was treading carefully.

“Not yet, no. I had it confirmed at the campus clinic, but…nothing officially looked at,” she looked down at her stomach and raised her eyebrow.

“Can I come with you, then?” Maya looked up quickly, her face filled with loving surprise. He seemed unsure.

“Of course. Yes, I want you there,” she replied earnestly. He had to know she wanted him there. Here and now and into their future. “I’ll call today and see about getting something scheduled this week.” Maya reached for her phone and then paused to look at him. “You’ll be here this week, right?” Now it was her turn to be uncertain.

“Yeah, I’m not going anywhere,” he responded quickly. They were trading reassurances and something about that made Maya glow.

“Good,” she opened her phone and checked her calendar briefly before setting it in her lap to look at him again. “I’m not going back to the rez until the end of the semester.” She needed to say it now, before he got any ideas.

She saw his jaw tick with tension but he nodded, “Of course. I won’t make you leave, but I need to stay here with you. We can go back together when the semester is over.”

“Right,” she nodded and felt a flush of relief. At least that felt good. “What about pack duties? Won’t Jacob need you?”

“He can deal for awhile. And he’ll understand,” Paul said firmly, “When we decide to tell him, that is.” That made Maya smile. It felt like he was choosing her all over again. She tried to hide the blush that came over her cheeks and then took another deep, steadying breath.

“Wait, who were you on the phone with just now?” her curious gaze followed his as he looked toward her open bedroom door for a moment.

“Rosalie,” he said with not much regret in his voice as he normally held for her, “She and Emmett are on their way back to keep you company while I take care of something up north for a couple days.” His tone was casual, but he seemed anything but. The tension holding onto his body made Maya’s pulse tick with worry.

“I thought you were staying here,” Maya let out a laugh of surprise and couldn’t help placing a hand over her stomach. Paul’s eyes zeroed in on the movement and stared at her hand for a half second longer than he probably meant to before looking back up at her. She let her hand drop to her side as she stared at him.

“I won’t be gone very long and it’s something that needs to be done. Don’t worry, I won’t miss anything,” he promised. Maya made to stand but he grabbed her wrist and tugged her toward him. Maya crawled toward him up on her knees and braced her hands on his broad shoulders.

She leaned down to place a soft kiss to his lips and he wrapped his arm around her pulling her closer, sitting up and making her straddle him across his lap. When he finally broke free from the kiss, Maya took a deep breath. He was smiling that crazy affectionate smile at her again and it made something tighten sweetly in her belly.

“Pregnant, huh?” he said in a low tone, his warm breath fanning across her face.

Maya rolled her eyes playfully and he tightened his arm around her, “Yeah, how’d that happen, I wonder?” she teased.

“I didn’t mean to,” he chuckled, shaking his head and brushing the tip of his nose against hers.

“Uh huh,” her tone dripped with sarcasm.

“I am happy though,” his lips brushed ever so lightly across her own, teasing her, making her start to feel so very warm at the apex of her thighs.

“I am too,” Maya replied after a moment.

“Are you?” he asked with that same edge of uncertainty in his voice. Maya rolled her hips against his and he let out a groan. When she just nodded, he nipped at her lower lip and said in that warm, gravelly voice that sent sparks shooting down her spine, “Show me how happy you are then.”

His lips were on her throat, sucking and nibbling making Maya squirm on his lap. She tipped her head back to give him more access and let loose a self-satisfying moan that she felt vibrate the skin of her throat against his warm lips.

Paul’s hands gripped her waist tightly under her sleep shirt, trailing kisses down her collarbone and back up her throat. She could already feel how hard he was beneath her and she rolled her hips again seeking friction against him. Maya’s hands coasted down his chest and pulled up his shirt over his head quickly before diving toward him. He fell back onto the bed, taking her with him as she sat on top of him.

There wasn’t much left to remove between them and in a flurry of quick movement and a rustling of sheets, Maya was suddenly naked atop him and lowered herself slowly onto him, tipping her head back in a moan of relief.

There was no more avoidance, no need to keep anything hidden. She felt blown wide open with the realization that they—she—was pregnant. Her whole life had changed in a matter of years and all that mattered now was having Paul with her in this moment.

She looked down at his face, open and vulnerable in his own relief and exaltation. Their eyes connected and that familiar anchoring feeling that she knew was the imprint cinched inside her. Maya braced her palms on his bare chest as she rocked herself up and down his length, panting and reveling in the thrill of connection between them.

The unknown used to terrify Maya, and in some ways it still did. But right now, this made sense and she was going to chase that feeling to help keep her afloat these next seven months and beyond.

Paul gripped her hips in his hand, rolling his hips up to meet hers firmly as a groan of appreciation spilled from him. Maya leaned down to connect their mouths in a soft and heady kiss letting the morning take them in in all it’s slowness and quiet.

Maya shuffled precariously on the icy sidewalk, Paul’s hand gripping hers, as they made their way toward the OBGYN’s office. Carlisle had recommended them and made sure Maya was able to see them within just a few days of Paul returning from his “last” excursion up north in search of the elusive pack he and Jacob had been tracking for months.

Maya hadn’t even tried to ask any more questions around that little sidequest, she was too engrossed in her world tilting and shifting as she came to grips with her new reality. It didn’t help that Rosalie had been a flurry of excited activity in the house since Paul had let them know the other morning. With all of the attention and talks and excitement brewing in their townhome, Maya was happy to have a moment’s reprieve alone with Paul, as they made their way to their ultrasound appointment.

The office was extravagantly comfortable and although Maya had long ago given up on feeling out of place when being taken care of by the Cullens, or Paul for that matter, she was still nervous when the well dressed (and frankly well rested) nurse guided her and Paul back to their private examination suite.

The whole experience felt more like a trip to the spa than anything, wrapped in a soft terry cloth robe, on top of a warming medical bed that smelled like a calming blend of eucalyptus and rosemary.

Her doctor—Dr. Franklin—was overwhelming kind and talked her through everything as she ran some diagnostics, completed her exam and slowly set up the ultrasound machine. Paul was determinedly asking his own questions, his brow furrowed as if he was taking notes to every answer he was given. Things like: “When will she experience morning sickness? What can I do to make her more comfortable? Are there therapies that we should be considering or treatments that will help her body transition more comfortably as she progresses?”

Some of the questions truly had Maya floored. What did Paul know about imprint pregnancies that she didn’t just yet? She’d have to ask Becks.

Becks. And Keye. Fuck. Maya needed to tell them and soon. She and Paul weren’t planning on returning to La Push until spring break, which wasn’t until the end of March. But there was no way she could go that long without telling them what was up.

She made a mental note to facetime them this week to let them know when she heard the Dr. Franklin’s voice pull her from her reverie.

“Ready, Maya?” she said softly, holding the wand aloft.

“Oh! Yes, sorry. Was lost in my thoughts for a second there. The to do list is getting long,” Maya laughed to herself and she undid her soft robe to expose her belly. Paul stood next to her, refusing the comfortable rolling stool they’d offered him earlier. He gripped her hand in his and smiled down at her.

Her stomach still looked relatively flat but she was starting to feel a small rounding below her belly button that had given her a moment of pause.

The warm gel was smoothed gently across her belly followed by the warm pressure of the ultrasound. Dr. Franklin found the image she needed with ease and smiled at the display as the little shape came into view. She learned over and touched the screen to turn on the speakers and a reassuring wet thumping sound filled the room.

It was like the sun sparkling through gentle rain in Maya’s vision, as she listened, enthralled by the small, echoing sound and the fluttering heart on the screen.

“Looking good, you two. I’d say preliminary measurements are putting you at about 8 to 10 weeks. Heartbeat is strong and the sac around looks good. All signs point to healthy, but we’ll get a much firmer picture with your results here soon,” Dr. Franklin smiled up at them and Maya just sucked in a sharp breath.

Her own heart was racing and she had been flooded with so much joy that time had seemed to stop. Only Dr. Franklin’s soft voice reached her in that room with the reassurance that their baby was there, healthy, perfect probably.

Maya tore her eyes away from the screen to look up at Paul. His own eyes were glued to the fluttering image, his mouth slightly open and tears gently rolling down his cheeks. He was stunned, just as Maya had been just a moment ago. Completely glued to the realization that this was real, and they were on their way to becoming parents.

“Paul,” Maya barely said above a whisper. He blinked suddenly as if he was coming out of a trance and looked down at her. There was something new there, but the feeling was the same. Joy, unfiltered, unfettered joy. He let out a wet laugh and leaned down to kiss her before turning his head to look at the screen again.

“I’ll get these printed out,” Dr. Franklin said with a knowing smile on her face as she took more pictures with her wand.

Maya was tucked into the oversized armchair within the study biting her fingernails as she tried to get up the courage to begin the facetime call with Keye and Becks. She’d coordinated a call earlier that week, just a few days after her ultrasound, and had been putting off the call in her mind so that she could catch up on some school work.

Everything had been put on hiatus, her pending internships, her summer plans, even the wedding. And now she was trying to come to grips with telling….everyone.

It had been somewhat easy, just having Paul, Rosalie and Emmett knowing. It felt quieter, more contained and Maya was able to enjoy the small moments of realization that this pregnancy had on her as they came without the onslaught of everyone’s emotions and excitement. She knew it might be selfish, maybe even a little unfair, but this moment was something she’d never really truly have again and she had just wanted to hold onto it for a bit longer before opening it up to everyone else.

But that time was quickly coming to an end. Her mother had been calling her nearly non stop wanting to finalize some decorations and venue ideas for the wedding. And get her fitted for a dress.

There was no way she could do a wedding while managing school and her very first pregnancy. So she had to tell them.

Paul was tucked away in the enclosed office within the study, separated only by two glass french doors. He was on the phone with Michael, rearranging projects and setting up new ones based on Maya’s delivery date.

August 22nd. She was due to give birth on the first day of her final year at Columbia. The irony was not lost on Maya.

Paul had been as buoyant as a newly inflated balloon, happy and nearly bouncing from task to task as he managed his client meetings, ferried Maya to and from campus, took her out to lunches and dinners, and made sure every spare moment they had was spent reconnecting.

Maya sank deeper under the warm blanket and stared at her phone screen. It was now or never. She hit the video icon and watched as her face filled the screen.

Keye was first to pick up, munching on chips and walking to a different room in the apartment she shared with Leah.

“Bout time! Thought you were never going to call me back,” Keye said with only a small joking tone. Maya rolled her eyes.

“Some of us stay busy. Not my fault I've been buried under a mass of new papers since the new year,” Maya gave the excuse so easily. Keye took another bite of her chips as Becks beautiful round face filled the screen.

“Hi, hi! Sorry! Just got Novi down,” Becks said nearly breathless as she wandered into her expansive kitchen, “My, jesus you look gorgeous.” Maya’s eyebrows shot up.

“Do I? I mean, I’ve been sleeping a bit better, but I just assumed that’s because Paul is here,” Maya rubbed her cheek self consciously.

“I dunno, maybe it’s the light, but whatever you’re doing, it's working,” Becks replied sweetly as she busied herself putting away dishes. She had propped her phone up on the counter and Maya’s eyes wandered around the backdrop to see if there was any sign of Jacob.

“What about me, Becks? Where’s my gushing complement?” Keye bemoaned. Becks scoffed and rolled her eyes at that.

“As if I need to inflate your gorgeous, fabulous, head any more. You always look radiant,” Becks soothed.

“Thank you!” Keye proclaimed before shoving another handful of chips.

“So what’s going on with you two? Fill me in,” Becks said wiping her hands on a dish towel.

“Well—” Maya started, trying to keep her voice even.

“DUDE! I was gonna tell you the other day but you had to jump off the call because Ephi had like, pooped a pants load or something but, do you remember Janie Shortfeather?!” Keye cut in. Maya took a deep breath and played with her lower lip as she watched Becks eyes widen at Keye’s gossip.

“Yeah, didn’t she run off with that one guy—” Becks squinted her eyes trying to remember.

“Mike Waterfield!” Keye proclaimed, “YEAH! She did, but guess what?!”

“What?” Becks said as she pulled some fruit near her and started chopping. This was easy, Maya could let them banter and she could just casually drop it in. No need to drop the bomb right away. The nerves fluttered endlessly in her stomach as Keye rambled on about the scandal that was Janie Shortfeather and Mike Waterfield’s older brother Trevor who had apparently sleeping with Janie on the side. How Keye knew this rez-only information while not being on rez was beyond Maya.

After about twenty minutes, Keye’s gossip had come to a close and she scrunched up her face in disgust.

“Oh fuck, I’m sorry Maya, I cut you off earlier. What were you going to say?” Keye said. Maya’s eyes widened again and she sat up a little straighter. Her heart thundering in her chest.

“No, it’s fine, I just…wanted to talk to you guys about the wedding and tell you that, um—” Maya paused for just a few seconds before Becks’ gasp filled her ears. “What?!” Maya asked in a hurry. Had Becks just seen it written all over her face? How did she know?!

Becks face was close to the screen as if she was reading something intently.

“Oh. My. God. OH MY GOD!” Becks squealed.

“What?!” Keye asked only a little annoyed.

“Guess who’s pregnant!?” Becks said, her face a shining beacon of pure elation. Maya’s mouth dropped open in shock and she looked toward the double french doors. Paul was still on the phone but he glanced over at her and raised a concerned eyebrow. She must have looked terrified.

When Maya looked back at the screen, Becks’ eyes were welling with tears.

“I wanted to—” Maya began to apologize.

“Sadie and Seth!” Becks said at the same time as Maya began to explain.

“WHAT?! THAT LITTLE TWERP!” Keye got up from her bed that she had been lounging in and ran toward the other room, no doubt to include Leah.

Maya let out a sigh and then her own brows knit together.

“THIS IS SO EXCI—,” Becks was dancing around her kitchen.

“LEAH!” Keye was nearly breathless, “Did you know that—”

“He just called me,” Leah reassured her, her own face beaming.

“Oh my god!” Keye proclaimed as she tumbled into Leah’s lap in a giggling heap.

“I gotta call you back, Sadie’s calling me,” Becks said as she quickly toggled offscreen.

“Dude, this is so like him,” the muffled voices of Keye and Leah floated out to Maya. Keye had dropped her phone and it had sunk somewhere in the couch. No doubt Keye had completely forgotten she was on the phone.

Maya ended the facetime and let out a long sigh.

“How’d it go?” Paul was suddenly there, leaning against the now open door frame to the office.

“Sadie’s pregnant, too,” Maya said slowly, “I didn’t even get a chance to tell them.” Maya wasn’t even upset, she was just simply floored by the flurry of excitement.

Paul’s face was pure laughter as he shook his head at her. “Try again tomorrow, they’ll be just as excited for you I bet.”

“We’re gonna give the council a heart attack. Two pack pregnancies?” Maya joked. Paul had his arms crossed over his chest as he chuckled and nodded.

“Yup, dream come true,” he looked down at the floor and froze for a half second as if realizing something and his eyes glazed over with confusion.

“Paul?” Maya asked, “You good?”

He looked up at her and smiled reassuringly, but that strange look was still there, “Yeah, fine. Just thinking. Anyways, call them back tomorrow and tell them.”

“Right,” Maya said looking down at her phone. The imprint group chat was exploding with messages of congratulations for Sadie and already they were throwing out ideas for a celebration.

Maya, when are you and Paul going to rez-side again? Emily asked in the groupchat.

End of next week. Maya responded.

She had one more ultrasound scheduled before they left for spring break. And then all hell was bound to break loose at the news.

#twilight fanfiction #twilight #paul lahote #paul lahote pairing #taking time #jacob black #paul lahote x oc #twilight fanfic #twilightfanfiction #paul lahotexoc #the twilight saga #twilight saga #twilight wolf pack #imprinting #paul lahote smut #books #fanfiction #fic

58 notes · View notes

since0202 · 3 years ago

Text

Taking Time—Forty Five

Yours isn't the only way

It’s easy to be a better version of yourself when the path is clear in front of you. But for most people, you’re never really sure where you’re heading. Or your direction suddenly changes course and you’ve ended up in a completely different place than where you originally intended. You think light will help you see, a compass will keep you straight, and confidence will help keep you moving. But the light just shows more cracks along the way, and your compass turns out to be nothing more than crudely drawn arrows on your palm. And that confidence? Evaporated before the morning dew. Suddenly there are more shadows flitting in and out of your periphery in the trees and the path you thought you were on is not a path at all, just grass and twigs patched over in haphazard patterns from the chaos and misdirection of so many others before. So where do I go from here?

Maya woke in the late morning light alone. She turned her head to look at the empty spot where Paul usually occupied and ran her hand across the flat sheets. Last night had been one of their least shiny moments to date, she had to admit. Maya replayed the look on his face as he turned to leave and swallowed hard.

Bad. It had been all around bad. She let out a sigh that turned into a loud groan as she laid on her back and stared up at the ceiling. He hadn’t come home last night, and after absently checking her phone, she noticed he hadn’t texted her either.

“Definitely mad,” she whispered aloud to herself as she rubbed her forehead. Sometime after Paul had stormed out, Maya had tired herself out pacing in anger. The anger had ebbed but the sour feeling at leaving something unresolved. Maya sat up and tied her hair back with the loose hair tie on her wrist before scooping Paul’s shirt off the floor and tugging it onto her body. She snatched her phone off the bed and headed downstairs to make some coffee, trying to sort out how she was going to fix all of this.

The worst part of it all was that she didn’t fully understand why Paul was this mad. Sure, maybe Noah was into her, but did he really trust her that little to think that she would mess around? Maya pursed her lips as she watched the coffee pot slowly fill. Instead of waiting for her own mind to formulate some answer, she picked up her phone and navigated through her contacts.

The phone rang a few times before she heard the groggy answer on the other line:

“What now?” Keye groaned.

“What did you mean when you said I know what I do to guys? Including Paul?” Maya said quickly, her eyes trained to one specific spot on the backsplash above the kitchen sink.

“My, it’s like 8 in the morning,” Keye yawned halfway through her sentence and when Maya didn’t answer, she sighed, “Uuugh, My I don’t know okay? I was hungover as fuck. Still am, what the hell did we even do!?”

“Keye.” Maya said. “You said I wouldn’t have done half the shit I did if Paul was there. What did you mean? Did I do something with Noah that I blacked out? Should I feel worse about this?” She asked seriously.

“No. Maya, you really shouldn’t. I said that because you were your same normal you and there’s nothing wrong with that. Were you flirty as fuck? Hell yes. Did you cross a line? Not in my opinion. But if Paul had been there he might have ripped Noah’s throat out.”

Maya squeaked a little in aggravation, pulling a coffee mug down and filling it to the brim.

“Yeah, you’re going to have to squash that shit quick if you don’t want Paul’s possessiveness to run your relationship, babe” Keye said. Maya scrunched up her face at that. “Just saying.” Keye responded through a yawn as if she could see Maya’s face.

“He’s on edge.” she replied tersely.

“They’re always on fucking edge,” Keye quipped. Maya snorted a laugh before taking a sip of her coffee. “Set him straight, My. Remember when Becks was dating Tommy Saban? And he told her they weren’t going to the summer revival dance unless she promised to blow him after?”

“So fucking gross,” Maya said under her breath.

“Yeah. So she took him to the lookout point and got him caught with his pants down in front of the entire girls swim team.” Keye was laughing now.

“She’s such a bad bitch,” Maya said with a smile. She missed her—her Becks. They had only had short phone conversations this spring as they had both focused on their finals—Becks being doubly preoccupied managing her pregnancy and Jacob’s helicoptering.

“She really is. Point is, as much as you think Paul might be the one steering the ship, it’s actually you babe. I meant it when I said when all of this shit started that it’s terrifying the things he’ll do for you. Make him remember that.” Keye concluded. Maya sighed and rubbed her forehead.

“You’re right,” she breathed. “He freaked out about this Noah shit and I just…Ugh, why are we so fucking out of sync all the time?” She knew the answer but didn’t want to voice it.

“The distance thing really does seem to fuck with the imprint. Keeps Paul on edge more, plus he’s got that wicked anger from his past. Nothing you can’t handle, babe. Just make sure you do,” Keye continued after a breath, “Handle it.”

Maya nodded and quickly said goodbye before pulling up Paul’s location on her phone. Ten minutes later, she was parked in front of Becks’ and Jacob’s brand new home. They were due to come in this afternoon and Maya was sure Jacob was eager to show her the progress on the house.

Maya hopped down from her Jeep and shut the driver side door with a clack. She ran a hand through her roughly brushed out hair and took a deep breath before heading into the house. Most of the pack was there working as Jacob and Becks were due back that afternoon. She passed Colin who was working on the landscaping in the front yard.

“Well, well, well, look who decided to show up,” he teased with a warm smile on his face. Maya rolled her eyes and gently nudged his shoulder as she walked by and into the house.

Paul was in the backyard sanding cabinets down. He was shirtless and had his white t-shirt slung over his shoulder.

“Can I talk to you?” Maya asked, slipping her hands into her back pockets. Paul didn’t look at her but took out a rag to wipe the residual sawdust off. Maya sighed and looked down at her feet, “Paul, come on. This is so stupid,” she tried to keep the annoyed edge out of her voice. If she was going to apologize, she needed to do this right.

“No, Maya. What you did was stupid,” he said nonchalantly, carrying on with his work and not meeting her eyes. Maya shut her eyes tightly and took a deep breath.

“Stop.” she said firmly before opening her eyes and looking at Paul. Even now when she was so annoyed with him for the things he had said to her last night before taking off, she couldn’t help but be pulled to him. The hard lines of his body made Maya’s eyes race over each peck, each perfectly formed muscle. He was as beautiful as he was infuriatingly stubborn.

Paul stopped what he was doing as if subtly commanded to and his face fixed into a deep frown as he turned to look at her, pulling the gloves from his hands.

“I’m sorry that what I did hurt you, Paul. But, it was also an accident, a mistake. I am allowed to make those mistakes. Just like you’re allowed to,” she said knowingly. Maya knew she could bring up the stuff with Rachel and all the ways he had hurt her too, but she wouldn’t. Instead, she took a step toward him, closing the distance as she placed a hand on his bare chest and gazed up at him. Paul pulled in a stiff breath and kept his lips pursed in a firm line. Maya had to stifle a giggle at his determination to be mad when he was clearly crumbling, “But I am very sorry that I hurt you. Very, very sorry Paul.” Maya said, her voice cracking lightly. That caught his attention and his eyes immediately darted to her mouth, “I’ve been looking forward to this summer with you. Please….please let’s not start it this way,” she pleaded with a small smile on her face as she watched his face morph into one of softness. She cupped his cheek in her other hand and he leaned into it slightly, unable to stop himself from wrapping an arm around her back and tugging her closer to him.

After a beat, he said, “I’m sorry I freaked out. I didn’t mean to and the shit I said…” he sighed clearly irritated with himself, “Aside from those idiots in there,” he gestured with his glove toward the house where raucous laughter was booming out from the back door, “You are the only thing that matters to me. This shit is intense and you being so far away is…I don’t know, we don’t have to talk about all of that now, I just missed you and I freaked out. I’m sorry, too.” He conceded and Maya beamed now and he brought his face down to kiss her forehead.

“Okay.” She let out a small laugh as he let her hand rub lightly across his jaw and rest at the nape of his neck. “Wow, it’s really that easy to get you to cave, huh?” He threaded his arm around her back and pulled her flush against his chest before lowering his lips down and hovering them teasingly across hers before saying in a low, gentle voice.

“But you have tell them,” his eyes were alight with mischief as they danced around her face watching her confusion tick into suspicion.

“Tell them? Tell them what?” Maya asked, confused, her heart hammering in her chest in anticipation for Paul to seal his kiss. His other hand rubbed along her forearm that she had draped over his shoulder sending goosebumps down her arm.

“I’m not going to be able to keep this to myself on rounds, so you tell them,” Paul said, nodding and brushing his nose against hers. Maya’s eyes went wide in annoyance.

“Unbeliev—,” she squeaked out before Paul brought his lips crashing down on hers and swallowed the rest of the word up in an earth shattering kiss that made her dizzy. Maya couldn’t help a soft moan from escaping her mouth and spreading into his as he anchored her so firmly, so confidently against him before pulling his mouth softly off of hers and then kissing her once more gently, with a featherlight touch that took her off guard for the size and strength of the this man that held her heart. When he finally stood straight and let her move from his grasp a little she narrowed her eyes. He gave her butt a couple of playful pats as she settled more firmly onto her feet and grabbed his safety glasses off the table before turning back to his work.

Maya groaned and rolled her eyes before she pulled out of his grasp completely to walk back toward the back screen door. She looked over her shoulder and shot back:

“You’re raking me over the coals because you’re embarrassed? Really?!” A small smile played at Paul’s lips and she could feel the heat rise to her face. “You’re an asshole,” she said before turning back toward the house and stomping up the back porch steps.

“Hey!” she yelled as she crossed the threshold and clattered down the hallway. “Can you guys come here please?” She yelled. Quil was hand sanding the stair railing and looked at her with confused worry.

“Everything okay?” he asked, glancing around her to see Paul still in the backyard, getting back to his sanding.

“Yes,” Maya said between gritted teeth. “Hello?! Wolfpack!? I need all of you down here in the living room! For a very important announcement. NOW.” Her eye ticked in annoyance as she waited for them all to gather around her in the wide and empty living room. She stood by the bay window and even with most of them in the room, it felt close to bursting from their massive bodies.

“What’s up? You okay?” Seth asked. Jared crossed his arms and waited expectantly. The only ones not there were Jacob and Sam and Jeremy.

“Everything’s fine,” Maya said trying to relax her jaw, “Paul wants me to tell you all why I was late. Because he doesn’t want you to find out from him.” The wolves glanced at each other with confused looks on their face but Jared smirked and shook his head. He’d known Paul the longest in the pack, next to Sam.

“Okay,” Embry said slowly. “Why were you late?” Maya took a deep breath and rolled her eyes.

“Keye came out to New York on my last night and we went out with a bunch of people from my cohort. One friend in particular, Noah, who Paul does not like and says is very much ‘into me’ also came. We got really drunk. Like really drunk,” Maya said. Seth’s eyes went wide at this expecting the worst but she pushed ahead. This was so stupid, “And Keye and I got so drunk that I guess we decided to spend the night at Noah’s.”

A few of them blew out low whistles. Jared let out a short barking laugh and Maya bristled a little. “Nothing. Happened.” She snapped, “We all fell asleep and I woke up at 9 the next morning and missed my flight. That’s IT. Totally innocent.”

The pack collective nodded at one another, some stared at their feet, and some mumbled in mild confusion as Maya looked around the group.

“Any questions?” she snapped again, daring one of them to say something. The wolves looked around at one another again, their faces reserved, uncertain until—

They all burst into booming laughter, throwing their heads back in absolute glee. Maya’s eyes went wide in surprise and then she clenched her jaw. Jared clutched his stomach and Collin, Embry, Brady, and Quil were buckling over and bumping into one another in their shared glee. Maya let out a huff of annoyance waiting for them to calm down. Seth was covering his eyes and leaning against the banister trying to get it together.

“Damn, didn’t realize you were such a stone cold player,” Collin wheezed with laughter.

“Yeah, who said you could be such a heartbreaker with your “platonic” sleepovers?” Quil emphasized the word platonic before continuing to buckle over.

“Out of all the things you could have done,” Jared managed, “You chose a sleepover with some math nerd and your best friend to tell us about?” Jared howled with laughter, clutching his stomach.

“We knew you liked to push Paul’s buttons, but this..this Maya,” Embry shook as tried to stifle his giggling, “Is a new height for you,” he chastised sarcastically. Maya was clenching her fists at her sides and the heat was slowly rising to her face.

“How could you?” Seth said, shaking his head in mock seriousness as tears of laughter twinkled in his eyes before Brady bumped into him.

“Watch out everyone, we got a baddie out here breaking hearts and taking names,” Collin quipped. Maya was starting to bristle.

“Okay, it’s not that fucking funny,” she quipped, but that only set them alight into new fits of laughter. Maya’s eyes widened, her annoyance starting to brim dangerously close to anger and she swatted at Quil who stumbled as he wiped tears from his eyes.

“Alright, that’s enough,” a warm voice sounded from the back of the house and Maya could see Paul leaning against the doorframe of the back door with his arms crossed over his chest. His shoulders were shaking gently in laughter and Maya warmed at the sight. The pack dispersed, still tittering with laughter. Seth patted her shoulder as he walked past and got back to work to sanding and staining the bannister. Maya’s eyes were glued to Paul as he watched her wiping his hands off with a damp towel. He smiled at her softly and it sent her heart hammering in her chest again. She tried to hold back her smile but it broke through anyway and she shook her head at him.

“I love you,” she mouthed at him.

“Love you too,” he mouthed back.

“Asshole,” she mouthed. Paul closed his eyes in gentle laughter before nodding his head and turning around to walk back to his project, giving her a wave over his shoulder. Maya rolled her eyes and turned around. There was enough to get done today without her sticking around for more ribbing from the pack anyway.

“Bye, Seth,” she waved and he waved back. Just as Maya clomped down the front porch stairs, she nearly ran into Emily who was heading up the pathway.

“Oh, Maya!” Emily’s eyes brightened with surprise as she juggled the bags of food. Maya immediately grabbed two off of her shoulder and heaved them onto her own. “Thanks,” Emily breathed a sigh of relief. “Here, come set these down,” she said as she walked into the house and toward the kitchen. Maya deposited the bags on the counter and started unpacking. “Thought I’d bring the boys some lunch since they’re almost done.” Maya nodded and started laying out sandwiches on the paper plates she brought.

“Oh, that reminds me!” she said turning and starting to fill up cups with lemonade, “Becks’ baby shower.”

“Oh,” Maya halted and went wide-eyed in surprise. “I…didn’t even think about that.” She felt the heat of embarrassment creeping up her neck as she internally berated herself for not even thinking about throwing her best friend a baby shower.

“It’s okay,” Emily waved her hand, “We’ve still got time. She’s not due until July, but I’m thinking we should throw it as a surprise?” Maya nodded a little more enthusiastically.

“Absolutely. Here?”

“Yeah, I think she’d like that. So how about the end of May? Does the 25th sound okay to you?” Emily asked nonchalantly as she passed a plate to Embry piled high with two sandwiches, chips, quinoa salad, and some chopped vegetables.

“Yeah, a week should be good to put something together for her. Thanks, Em,” Maya said, taking a bite of a chip.

“Good. You okay?” she asked in that softly maternal, non-intrusive tone of hers. It made Maya warm just hearing it.

“Absolutely,” she replied on an exhale. “Just getting back into the swing of things,” Maya motioned around herself and Emily let out a small laugh.

“I’m sure it’s a pretty sharp contrast to what you’ve been used to, but we’re glad to have you home,” she said as she came around the counter to envelope her in a hug. Maya relaxed into it and hugged her back.

“It’s fine really. I’m happy to be home. It just always just takes a second to adjust,” Maya laid her head on Emily’s shoulder as she gave her an extra squeeze before releasing her. Emily put both of her small hands on Maya’s cheek and beamed at her.

“You’re doing something none of us have ever done. It’s bound to have its ups and downs. You’ll figure it out,” Emily said before dropping her hands from Maya’s face. Maya let out a slow breath before nodding. “And for everything else, we’ve got you. Anywho, I’ll send you a list of some party ideas and we can divvy up some tasks, gather decorations, all that good stuff, yeah?”

“Sure thing, I’ll make a group chat.”

“Oh, perfect!” Emily said as if she hadn’t thought of that just yet. Maya already pulled out her phone and quickly added Keye, Kim, Sadie, and Emily before shooting a text to them.

With another quick goodbye and a wave, Maya was out the door and feeling a little lighter than she had coming in. Becks and Jacob would be back in a matter of hours and Maya still had a lot to do prior to their homecoming. And now with the baby shower to plan, she was already beginning to feel a little bit back to normal.

“Are we almost there?” Becks said, trying to tame the excitement in her voice. Jacob laughed lightly next to her in the driver's seat.

“Almost, honey,” he replied. Becks felt them pull off from the smooth concrete highway to a somewhat bumpier dirt road.

“Okay, good. Because I have gotta pee,” she smiled and touched the makeshift blindfold covering her eyes as she heard him chuckle warmly in response. She let her hand fall to rest absently on top of her stomach. Becks was rounding out seven months and felt it. Her doctor in Chicago had been pleased with her progress throughout the semester, tracking the baby at a little bit larger than usual into her third trimester, but overall she had managed it well.

There were a couple of times during the spring semester that her doctor had told her to minimize her stress as much as she could, but with being pregnant, away from home, and dealing with school, that was a long shot. Jacob had increased his time out in Chicago after Becks had laughed over the phone about her doctor’s recommendation. He had already been out there a ton—staying three out of the five days usually—but by the end of the semester, he was only checking in at the rez every couple of days and not straying too far.

Becks didn’t want to admit it, but it had helped having him there and having a place to go that wasn’t her dorm. Her roommate had been less than pleased to find out she’d be sharing a room with a pregnant teen this semester—something about cramping her style or head game Becks thought. When she’d left in January, she was determined to do this as much on her own as she could. She understood that now that Jake had decided to take over his rightful role as alpha, his attention would need to be divided.

But still, that didn’t stop Becks from calling him late at night just to hear his voice, or beaming from ear to ear and choking back a sob when he’d show up the next day to ferry her from class to the tiny apartment where he’d run her a bath and rub her feet and ask about her classes. He was just always there exactly when she needed him.

The little apartment just off campus that Jacob had secured for them was perfect. By the time spring break had rolled around, Becks had decided to stay there pretty much full-time, enjoying the relative quiet and shorter trip to the bathroom it afforded her.

The car rolled to a gentle stop and Becks couldn’t help but smile. “Ready?” Jacob said. She nodded enthusiastically and he popped open his drivers side door. The familiar smell of home washed over Becks momentarily, giving her goosebumps—evergreens, wet earth, a hint of salt, and warm pine. Jacob was there in a flash, opening her door and holding both of her arms as he helped her out down from the car. Once on her feet, he wrapped his arm down around her back, and steered her slowly forward.

Jacob had told her early on that he was building a home for both of them, but he’d kept the details pretty secret. Becks had been thrilled and overjoyed at the idea of a small little place to call their own. He’d told her she’d get to pick out some things once it was finished and had only asked her cryptically to choose between a few colors a couple of times. Whenever she tried to weasel more information though, he’d just give her his signature megawatt small and lean down to kiss her, sweeping most worries from her mind and temporarily making her head spin.

“Soon,” he’d say, cupping her cheeks warmly between his large, soft hands.

Now he’d positioned her ever so carefully on what Becks could feel was a stone walkway. Her breath hitched her throat in anticipation and she felt the baby shift inside her in response to her increased heart rate.

“Okay,” Jacob breathed, positioning himself behind her, his hands on either side of her stomach. She could hear a hint of nervousness in his voice. “Welcome home, babe.” He pulled the blindfold off in one gentle moment and Becks eyes widened in surprise as she took in the sight.

This was…not the little shack in the woods she was expecting. The big beautiful two story home could have been sparkling in the low light of the the late May sun, wide windows stretching across whole swaths of the house. Becks gasped and took an automatic step forward, tears already welling in her eyes.

“Jacob!” she managed to gasp out with a squeak. “How did you—? When did you—?!” She was at a loss for words. Every little detail was accounted for, the small stone pathway dotted with flowers and ferns and garden lights leading up to wide, flat steps to an expansive poured concrete porch. A giant porch swing hung off to the right, it’s deep seat the size of a nearly a full bed and padded with a large linen cushion that could have been mistaken for a mattress.

The large bright wood door stood out beautifully against the dark blue of the home, with dark iron accents that matched the address numbers displayed next to the front door. The home was nestled nicely against the tree line, giving it a cozy, protected feel and Becks was overcome with just how beautiful it was. If the outside of the house looked this nice, she could only imagine how beautiful the inside would look.

“It took a lot of time, but I had a lot of help,” he said softly behind her, encasing her in his arms and splaying his hands across her belly as he leaned down to kiss her cheek. Becks automatically raised her hand to cup his cheek, her eyes still glued to the sight before her as tears clearly streamed down her round cheeks.

“Jacob, I–” she hiccuped and felt him gently rub his large hands soothingly across her belly. “This is so beautiful. No one has ever done anything close to something like this before.”

“I hope not, because I’d have to kick their butt,” he chuckled in her ear, that warm pleasing laugh that set her heart stuttering again.

“You built me a house,” she said breathless, her eyes still roving over the place she’d get to call home from now on.

“I did,” he said casually. “It was the least I could do, considering you’re building me a baby.” He stooped a little behind her to gather his hands underneath her belly and lifted gently, relieving some of the weight off of her lower back. Becks’ eyes fluttered closed momentarily and she let out an involuntary moan of relief before giggling. She loved it when he did that.

“Do you want to see the rest?” he said low in her ear, making her shiver. She turned her head to meet his eyes, the warm chocolate brown of his irises instantly setting her at ease. Becks nodded slowly and he smiled before kissing the tip of her nose. “Come on then.”

He led her forward, taking her hand and keeping his pace a little slower so she could keep up. Becks felt like a kid in a candy store. As she looked down at their joined hands, moving toward their house he had built for their family, she was nearly overcome. How had she gotten so lucky with destiny to be gifted this man (and this baby, even if the timing was a little off) so early in life? The imprint had been nothing short of a surprise, but she was so thankful for it everyday that she got to be with Jacob. And although she knew that some people around her thought she was giving up her dreams, Becks knew how she felt.

And there was nowhere else she’d rather be.

Maya and Paul had driven up to Seattle so he could take care of a few things in jumpstarting timelines for projects he would pick up from his hiatus. Maya had also wanted to get a few things for the baby shower, seeing as the limited stock in Forks and even Port Angeles wasn’t going to cut the party prowess she was going for.

They had arrived at the Bellevue shopping center around four and Maya had split off from Paul to go to a little baby boutique in search of the perfect gift for Becks. Paul had cited needing to talk to a shop owner here about some pieces he had commissioned and Maya had nodded distractedly before bounding off in search of the shop.

Now as she rounded the inside of the little shop for the tenth, filled with unique toys and gorgeous handwoven blankets, she smiled. It was all starting to feel real—this baby she means—and the thought didn’t even terrify her anymore.

When Becks and Jacob had showed up that evening after visiting the house, Becks had been absolutely aglow with excitement. Maya had squeezed her a tight hug before kneeling down to hug around her belly, squishing her cheek to the warm globe. Becks had laughed and Paul couldn’t wipe the smile off his face as he watched Maya. When she had finally stood back up, Becks began to gush about the house and Jacob and Maya swelled with so much happiness she felt like she would burst. They had spent the rest of the evening tucked on the couch, online shopping for furniture, bedding, and cozy pillows before Jacob had ushered her upstairs to finally get some rest.

Maya scanned the back wall of the baby boutique store, trying to hone in on the exact right thing to get Becks. She was distracted to say the least with her hands on her hips and her eyes analyzing each and every item to determine if it screamed “Baby Becks” to her or not.

Just as she got to the end of her initial scan of items, she took a haphazard step back, still distracted by her utter concentration and bumped into a hard body.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry,” Maya said gently, her eyes not fully connecting with the person she had bumped into before her eyes landed on the perfect bassinet. “Oh,” she said softly. The woman she bumped into waved her off politely and moved down onto another section, unperturbed and allowing Maya to fully indulge in the item before her.

The bassinet was a gorgeously woven basket affixed to sturdy, dark wood cherry legs. The basket was dark blue and white, woven with intricate patterns that reminded her of the quilts her mother made her growing up. The handles were expertly sown dark leather and the bassinet could easily be turned into a carrying basket if needed.

“Perfect,” she said to herself with a wide smile. She knew Becks would love it and just as she went to lean down and grab the large box it came in, a warm hand snaked around her waist. Maya glanced up quickly and smiled at Paul.

“Hey,” he said almost a little breathless, his shoulders tense.

“Hey, look at this! Isn’t it perfect?” Maya pointed to the bassinet as Paul tugged her a little closer to him before looking at the bassinet and nodded his head.

“Yeah, it’s great. Are you ready?” his eyes darted around the store and Maya quirked an eyebrow at him.

“You okay?” she said with a small laugh. Paul squeezed her hip gently and gave a weak smile.

“Yeah, just ready to get you home,” he said softly. “You want to get that for her then?” he nodded to the bassinet.

“Yes! I have a few other things behind the counter already too,” Maya said with excitement. She wasn’t sure why he was so tense but it didn’t dampen her mood. He leaned forward to grab the box with one hand while slipping his other hand into hers. Paul tugged her toward the checkout counter, his eyes glancing around at the customers. Maya watched as he let his eyes rest on an infant in a stroller just ahead of them in line, a nervous grimace settling on his face. Maya swallowed a giggle and bit her lip. He looked positively blanched and uncomfortable.

After checking out with a small fortune of baby gifts and decorations, Paul helped haul it to the car with Maya in tow. Safely tucked into the front seat, Paul shut his door and let out a long breath.

“I’ve never seen you like that,” Maya teased. He looked over at her, his face confused before she continued, “Do babies make you nervous or something?” Maya let out a little laugh and Paul closed his eyes tight and grinned broadly before turning the key over in the ignition. He let out a relaxed laugh as they pulled onto the main road before saying:

“Yeah, I forgot to mention, kids actually freak me out a little,” he glanced over at her, his eyes twinkling with mischief, “The sticky hands and pudgy fingers and toes. All those rolls?”

“Totally logical fear, I get it,” Maya said, nodding and looking out the window. Paul put a hand on Maya’s thigh and squeezed. She looked over at him and smiled.

“Hey, how about we take a trip?” Paul suggested.

“Hmm?” Maya’s eyes widened in excitement.

“Yeah, you and me, off the rez for a little bit, and somewhere new. Just for a week and maybe around your birthday?” his smile was growing wide and warm. Maya’s heart fluttered.

“Do you think that’d be okay? I mean Becks is due in July, that might be cutting it kind of close,” Maya pondered. Paul shook his head and continued:

“Becks will be fine and we’ll go in enough time so we won’t miss anything. What do you think? Just you and me?” he grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips to kiss. Maya nodded enthusiastically and gave an excited squeal.

A week-long getaway for her birthday with the man of her dreams? Absolutely. Maya’s mind already began turning over with ideas of where they could reasonably go for a week and get as far away from the rez as possible.

Maya loved her home, but she also loved the way her and Paul were more easily able to relax completely into the imprint when they weren’t there. Paul, always stressed with rounds, new threats, council demands, or helping guide his brothers was always a staple in their relationship. But outside of the rez, without the demands and the constant need to check in through the link, Paul was able to be more himself with Maya—the semi-stable, high-end carpenter that had plans and dreams and a life filled with love to lead.

The absence of Maya during the school year only laid bare how the stress of everything on the rez was taking its toll on him. Maya put her hand over his and squeezed it before smiling at him.

“Just us,” she said softly. Because there wouldn’t always be a “just them” in the future. Whether it was their family, the pack, or whatever other demands destiny wrought upon them—Maya would forever lunge at the chance to seek some small aspect of normal in their increasingly abnormal life. Even just for a week.

Maya was putting the finishing touches on the mantel as Becks finished getting ready upstairs with Keye when the doorbell rang. Excitedly, Maya bounded toward the front door of Becks and Jacob’s home, her long light off the shoulder blue sundress, dotted with white flowers and a dreamy slit edged with lace that ended mid thigh billowed out around her. When she pulled the heavy wooden door open, she beamed. Emily, her four beautiful children in tow, Kim, and Sadie greeted her happily. Emily touched the delicate baby’s breath carefully placed in Maya’s half updo and smiled.

It was not long after that that the house was brimming and bustling with excited chatter from tons of friends and family mulling around the house and exclaiming at the woodwork as Becks proudly showed them around.

The house was a little more furnished after Becks had settled into full on nesting mode. But Maya had made sure to bring over extra chairs and seating from the council meeting house since the rest of the furniture wouldn’t arrive before the baby shower. Maya had wonderfully decorated with cuttings from the ferns and evergreens that swathed the backyard in gloriously green filtered light. She hung simple streamers, hanging stars, and twinkle lights to give the home a cozy, bright feel.

Before the pack had left for cliff diving that morning, at Maya’s direction, they had freshly tilled a fresh ring of dirt in the backyard and lined it carefully with garden rocks, driftwood, and a few garden lanterns. Maya had set out cartons of dahlia’s, wildflowers, poppies, and lilacs for guests to plant while they were there as a collective house/baby gift to Becks.

After a couple of hours, the gifts were piled high on the foyer table from the pack, Becks’ family, the council, and friends. Becks sat pride of place in the high backed rattan rocking chair Paul had made for her that week. Maya excused herself to the kitchen to put together more snacks and watched happily as Becks laughed with friends and family gathered around her, a hand placed lovingly over her stomach. After refilling snacks in the living room in front of Becks and making sure she had enough water, Maya took a break from the chaos in the open-facing kitchen and poured herself a glass of wine.

She leaned against the kitchen counter watching the festivities unfold as a group of women popped celebratory poppers in the backyard to the delighted squeals of Emily’s kids, while others were crouched around the garden beds carefully planting the flowers. Keye sauntered in and hopped up on the counter before popping some blueberries into her mouth from a glass bowl.

“It’s wild huh?” Keye said. “Our best friend is about to have a baby. We’re still babies.” She said in a far off voice. Maya hummed her agreement and shook her head.

“It’s bound to keep happening. I’ve found that the longer I worry about change happening, the faster it tends to come. It’s probably easier if we just,” she looked over her shoulder at Keye, “Roll with it.”

Over the past week leading up to the baby shower, Maya couldn’t shake some sense of nervousness, like the other shoe was about to drop but there wasn’t anything to indicate something bad was actually about to happen. On the contrary, things were going exceedingly well. She’d spent a whole day with her mother off the reservation—something they hadn’t done in a long time together—and Maya had treated her to a shopping spree courtesy of Paul’s black card. They’d met up with her dad for dinner and things had felt more normal than they’d ever been, considering the previous rift.

Maya and Paul had fallen back into a good rhythm, his mood evening out the longer she was there. Even his packmates–Seth in particular—had admitted to Maya how much happier Paul was just knowing she was back at home waiting for him after rounds. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, her proximity was intimately tied to Paul’s wellbeing.

Each time he came home from rounds or deliveries or even just working out in his workshop in the backyard, he’d wrap Maya up in a warm hug, his large arms dwarfing her and making her feel delicate. He’d lower his head to his favorite spot in the crook of her neck and inhale, breathing her in. Or, he’d take a moment to kiss the top of her head and just hold her there as if he was still surprised she was standing in front of him. Maya would revel in these moments, placing both of her hands on the back of his neck and kiss from the side of his face to his neck, whispering lovingly into his ear.

Still, something within her stayed on alert. She chalked it up to paranoia or the impending birth of her best friend’s baby that would change everything. But still, that nagging feeling wouldn’t dissipate. She took another sip of wine, her eyes flitting toward the sound of Becks’ twinkling laughter. She looked so happy—happier than maybe Maya had ever seen her. Her heart swelled with emotion just at the sight. How could she be anything but overwhelmingly happy for her best friend? Becks was the kindest, bravest, and sweetest person she knew. She deserved everything happy and right in this world that they shared. Maya made a mental note to never doubt her best friend ever again—no matter the situation.

“How’s Jake been through all of this?” Miranda, one of Maya’s mother’s friends asked Becks in the living room. A group of them had been gathered around Becks sharing firstborn tips and advice for the past hour. Maya perked up at the question and walked over to stand just outside the circle of chairs, wine glass filling her hand.

Becks let out a happy sigh and closed her eyes for a moment, “He’s honestly been incredible. I don’t know how I would have gotten through this semester without him,” she said to the “awws” and tuts of approval around her, “He was out there every week. He even rented a little apartment just outside of the city that I could stay at on the weekends and sometimes during the week when he was there. It was such a relief to get a break from campus sometimes.”

“I’m surprised he was even willing to let you go in the first place,” Elder Mila interjected. Maya grimaced and quickly swallowed a gulp of wine. Becks smiled gently at Elder Mila before saying:

“He respected what was important to me at the time…And we made it work. I honestly think he would have been out there with me more if his responsibilities here weren’t so important. But even since we got back to the rez, he’s been very attentive,” she laughed a little at this. “I can’t even reach up to get a glass in the cupboard without him reaching around me and getting it for me,” she joked. The women around her smiled as if remembering some similar memory they all shared, “Still, it’s very very sweet.” She ran a hand over her belly. “We’re lucky he’s ours.” Becks said to her stomach.

“Gosh, I remember how Sam was with our first, too. He was everywhere all of the time. I thought he was going to have a heart attack every time I tried to climb the stairs by myself,” Emily giggled. Becks smiled so wide.

“Exactly! I might as well be made of glass. Sometimes, he just scoops me up and carries me up the stairs anyway. Which, honestly, I do not mind the break for my feet,” Becks said sweetly. Maya smiled around her glass of wine.

The party wound down naturally over the next hour or so and Maya and Keye began cleaning up just as the pack showed up. They descended on the leftover snacks, hoovering up the remaining sandwiches, meats and cheese, and fruit. They all smelled like damp earth and sea salt, their bodies already having evaporated any moisture.

Paul popped a grape into his mouth and patted Maya’s hip as Brady continued to regale them all with their cliff diving stories. Kim and Sadie were laughing as they took down some of the decorations and placed them neatly into a storage container.

Becks sat at one of the high-backed stools facing the kitchen island as Maya washed off some dishes in the sink, handing them to Keye who slotted them into the new dishwasher. The room was buzzing with warmth and happiness and Maya watched as Jacob leaned down to kiss the side of Becks’ head and whisper something in her ear that made her smile, her eyes closed in delight. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and held onto her stomach gently. They were the picture of happiness and Maya’s heart stuttered a little bit.

“Can we open presents now?” Luca whined as he and his younger brother picked through the pile of presents on the low foyer table in the front hall. Emily shifted her son Arlo higher up on her hip.

“Those are Aunt Becks’ presents, Luca. She’ll open them when she’s ready. We need to get home and start bedtime soon, anyway,” she chided. Sam sauntered over and scooped up the younger of the two into his arms as he squealed in delight. Luca let out a long whine in protest and Becks turned from her seat in the kitchen.

“How about I open just one and you get to pick it out?” she offered. Luca immediately brightened and set to work deciding on the best one. “Thank you so much again for putting this on for me,” Becks said.

“Emily was the one who reminded me that this was something you do,” Maya admitted bashfully.

“But you’re the one who put this whole thing together in under a week,” Emily replied.

“Regardless, thank you all so much, this means the world and I just—,” Becks choked up a little and had to pause. Jacob was smiling and chuckled a little. He’d watched her mood swings up close and personal for the past 6 months so this was nothing new, “Sorry,” Becks said as she swallowed hard as Jacob wipes the tears from her cheeks.

Maya couldn’t help but laugh a little and shake her head, “Of course, Becks. We love you. What are friends for, babe?”

“This one!” Luca appeared next to Becks holding a carefully and beautifully wrapped gift. It was expertly wrapped with silver wrapping paper, embossed with intricate patterns that glittered as you rolled it in the light. The exquisitely soft ribbon was like silver liquid.

“Wow,” Becks said.

“Who’s that from?” Maya was drying her hands off on a dish towel, her brow furrowed. She didn’t remember seeing such an expensive looking gift amongst the pile of homemade wrapping paper and bags overflowing with warm colored tissue paper. Paul was standing next to Maya, his hand on her lower back as he leaned on his elbow on the counter, his eyes also looking at the package curiously.

“I dunno,” Becks said as she carefully unwrapped the gift. Jacob was just as curious as Becks at this point. Once the ribbon fell away, the package nearly unwrapped itself in one beautiful unsheathing motion.

Becks opened the rectangular box to reveal a beautiful dark leather bound photo album, embossed with the gold lettering: The Black Family. Becks gasped. The leather album was beautiful and felt like butter in her hands. She ran her hand across the cover and carefully opened it. There was a small envelope tucked inside and Becks was quick to open it.

“Who—” She began, but then she read the delicate lettering, inked in careful script:

"Congratulations. We are so incredibly happy for you. In every stage of life, one often looks back before moving forward. See you soon."

The color instantly drained from Jacob’s face as he listened to Becks read the note, already knowing by the intricate family crest that graced the front of the card who it was from: the Cullens. His hand gripped the back of Becks’ chair so hard that he cracked the wood, causing Becks to jump and look at him with a concerned look.

“What is it?” she said in a soft voice.

“No way,” Jared said, his voice tinged in anger. Jacob was trying very hard not to see red at this moment. The space around them suddenly felt too open, too exposed and Jacob wanted to shield Becks with his large frame.

“Jacob,” she said, bringing a hand to his cheek. He had been looking at her the whole time but not focused on her face, a flash of sadness moved over his eyes before he snapped back to it, standing straight.

“I did pick up a scent in Seattle earlier this week when Maya and I were there,” Paul said firmly, arms crossed over his chest.

“What?” Maya replied incredulously. Paul glanced at her quickly, his face unreadable stone before training his eyes back to Jacob.

“How many?” Jacob asked, between gritted teeth. Paul shrugged.

“Hard to say considering how many people were around, but more than one I’d guess,” Paul confirmed.

“Was that why you wanted to get out of there so quickly?” Maya asked, but Quil interjected over her:

“Do you really think it’s them coming to town?”

“Or moving back,” Embry stated.

“They’ve barely been away long enough to have everyone forget them. It can’t just be because of Jacob can it?” Jared asked, confused.

“The card doesn’t necessarily mean they’re coming back for good,” Maya said, her eyes glued to Becks who was staring down at the card again, her face a mask of confusion.

“What exactly do you think ‘See you soon’ means?” Jacob’s voice was thick with sarcasm. Maya bristled at that but swallowed her angry retort.

“It means maybe they just want to see you and Becks…and the baby,” A low growl sounded in Jacob’s chest. “You said they were friendly, right? And you were close to Bella—”

“That doesn’t mean they don’t want something from me! From all of us. And I get to choose who is a part of my family’s life. They’re not owed it,” Jacob’s voice rose and Maya turned to stone.

“Hey,” Paul said, “Take it easy. Maya’s probably right. They’re probably just curious.”

“They’re not setting foot near my family!” Jacob seethed now. Embry put a hand on his shoulder to help calm him but his breath was coming in fast now and Maya automatically took a step back. Paul took a small step in front of her instinctually.

“We won’t let them. You know that,” Paul said in a low, calm voice. Jacob shut his eyes tight and nodded before steadying himself.

“I want to up our rounds, and pull round the clock watch on our perimeter until further notice,” Jacob said looking at each of his brothers. They all nodded as if they had a choice, but still they looked determined. Paul’s eyes met Maya’s and he looked tired. She gave him a sad, but reassuring smile and nodded at him.

More rounds meant less time together for the foreseeable future and that was already enough of a hurdle during the school year. But she was home, so at least the physical distance wouldn’t affect Paul as much. At least she hoped.

“Jacob,” Becks said gently. His mouth was set in a hard line and his eyes were almost black with anger. He cupped her face in his wide hands and swiped his thumbs across her cheeks.

“I’ll keep you safe,” he said gently. She shook her head at him almost imperceptibly, but as she opened her mouth to speak, he looked over her head and at his packmates. “Jared, Quil, and Embry, can you take the northeast perimeter? Seth, take the others along the northwest. Paul,” he dropped his hands from Becks face and turned toward him, “Can you do a sweep of the south corners this evening? I’ll join you in about an hour,” he said firmly.

Paul nodded curtly, “I want to get her home first, is that okay?” He nodded toward Maya.

“Of course,” Jacob confirmed. “Come on, honey.” He said to Becks as he gently tugged her down out of the chair. Jared, Seth, and the others were confabbing with Sam as Emily rubbed her eyes tiredly and started shuffling her kids toward the door. Sadie and Kim kissed Becks on the cheek as Jacob walked her toward the stairs and waved sadly at Maya as they helped Emily out the door.

“I don’t need an escort, babe. You can go,” Maya said as Paul blew out a low breath and took a step toward her. He wound his hands down onto her hips and tugged her close, pressing his chest against hers as he kissed her forehead.

“Noted, let’s go,” he motioned toward the front door.

“Keye, you coming?” Maya said as she looked over her shoulder. Keye was looking at her phone.

“Nah, my presence has been requested here,” she pointed toward the stairs. “Baby watch.” Maya smiled tightly and said,

“Call me if you need anything.” Paul shuffled her out the door and toward her Jeep. Maya went along with him, placing her hand over his that held tightly to her hip. He guided her protectively toward the car as if something would jump out at any moment and snatch her.

Once she was safely tucked in the car and on the short 10-minute drive home, Maya broached the topic carefully:

“Is this really bad? The Cullens coming back?” she said softly. Paul’s face looked worn and tired, his eyes trained to the road and darting at the tree line.

“Depends,” he said cryptically.

“On what?” Maya probed.

“The last time they were here a war almost broke out. It depends on if they’re actually coming back and for how long,” he said slowly, “But that’s not even the worst part.” Maya waited patiently for him to continue, “More vampires in the area means the potential for more kids phasing.” His grip tightened on the steering wheel. “The need to protect the tribe will be triggered. And the last thing we need is more kids getting drawn into this and having their lives changed forever.”

Maya could see the anger tensing his shoulders, the vein pulsing in his neck. “Let’s take it one step at a time,” Maya soothed.

Paul pulled into their driveway soon after and shut the car off. He didn’t immediately get out though and Maya’s hand hesitated over the door handle as she looked over at him.

“What is it?” she asked, a nervous tinge to her voice.

“I need you to listen to me,” he said in a low voice.

“What do you—” she began but he cut over her, turning sideways to look upon her full force.

“I need you to listen to me when I ask you stay put or go to Emily’s or watch over Becks. I need to keep you safe and I can only do that if you listen to me,” he was nearly pleading with her, but the demand was clear in his tone. The fire was alight in his eyes and Maya’s mouth parted in subtle surprise. “Do you understand?”

Maya watched him carefully for a moment. He looked…terrified. As if this was the first time he truly had something to lose. She nodded slowly.

“Maya,” he said firmly, prompting her to answer.

“Yes, babe, I hear you. I’ll listen,” she reached over and grabbed his hand. He squeezed her hand and nodded.

“Let’s go inside, I’ll need to leave pretty quick but I want to make sure everything’s good before I go.” He popped open the door and Maya followed, bundling her dress up into her hand to help her quickly make her way to the front door.

Once inside, he kissed the side of her head and said “Wait here” before he hurried off toward the backyard, flipping on lights as he went and glancing around as if an intruder would pop out from behind the couch. Maya blew out a breath and put her purse on the entryway table before pulling her phone out.

A new text from Becks was waiting and Maya opened it, glancing up to make sure Paul was still preoccupied with his sweep of the house.

From: Becks–7:42 p.m.Are you on lockdown?

From: Maya–7:55 p.m.What do you think?

B: Jesus, I’m sorry. Jacob is being really intense about this.

M: Paul said something about a war last time the Cullens were in town. Do you know anything about that?

B: A war? No. He hasn’t mentioned anything. But he’s really shaken up and I don’t want to push it. Do you think Paul would let you come over tomorrow?

M: Yeah, the protection around your place is probably going to be the highest anyway. I’ll ask, but we’re safest on the rez so I’m sure he’s not going to care.

B: Thanks. I’m just…a little worried and wanted to run something by you.

M:Sure. You okay?

B: Yeah, absolutely, just would rather talk about it in person. Thank you for today though, it was amazing.

M: You’re welcome babes. I’ll see you tomorrow. Tell Keye I said goodnight.

Maya looked up as she heard Paul clamber down the stairs toward her. He reached around her and locked the front door.

“All clear?” Maya teased. Paul gave her a firm look and pulled her closer.

“Stay put tonight,” he reminded, brushing some hair away from her face. She nodded.

“Got it. Hey, Becks just texted me and asked if I could come keep her company tomorrow. That’s okay, right?” she placed a hand on his chest and leaned forward to kiss her mouth softly before saying,

“Of course. You can be over there as much as you want. I’ll swing by to take you in the morning.”

“I think I can make it over there fine, Paul,” she said gently, but heaved a sigh when she saw the look on his face.

“I’d feel better taking you,” the look in his eye told her it was easiest to just say yes. Plus, she knew she’d get limited time with him this week with the increased rounds, so any excuse to spend more time with him was worth it.

“Fine, I’ll be ready by 9 tomorrow, okay?” she looped her arms up around his neck and he responded by dipping his head down to more easily connect his mouth with hers, flooding her nose with his warm, musky scent and making her squeeze her thighs together. When he pulled back, she said dreamily, “Can you stay for just 20 more minutes?”

He raised his eyebrows and laughed, that half hooded look of lust in his eyes as well. “I wish I could, but I’m already late as it is. I would have loved to peel this little sundress off of you though.” His index finger traced under the thin spaghetti strap and pushed it down her arm to kiss along her shoulder. Maya huffed out a wanting breath. She could already feel the ache between her legs growing. But all too quickly, he stood straight and pushed a small millimeter of space between them. “I gotta go,” he said in a gruff tone. Maya whined and flopped her head onto his chest. “I’ll see you in the morning, baby.” he rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head before he took a step back and helped her stand up straight. “Remember—”

“Stay put, I got it Paul,” she groaned. He smiled and kissed her one last time before turning to leave out of the backdoor. Maya crossed her arms and watched him disappear down the dark path and into the forest.

So much for getting back to normal. She thought.

Next chapter > >

85 notes · View notes