Chapter 4

I bowed out of meeting her father right away. There was so much more that needed to be discussed before I met the future father in law. Something I was sure not to mention to Bella. She was so accepting of everything that I had just thrown at her, but I think our impending marriage and future children would be just too much after everything. I had already sidetracked from my patrol to come see Bella and really needed to get back to the job at hand. So with great reluctance and a little pain, I made sure she made it safely back inside the house before whipping off my shorts, secured them around my leg, and phased.

Sam was still waiting.

That was irresponsible and very dangerous of you!

What was I supposed to do? You felt the pull I was experiencing! And I wasn't going to run and leave her on the edge of a very dangerous forest! Besides, you would have done the same if it was your imprint.

There was silence on Sam's end for a few moments before he let out a wolf-y sigh.

You're right. I sent him the image of a smug grin. But in the future, be more cautious! The last word was tinged with a bit of a growl and I felt his genuine concern for Bella's and my own well-being.

I will. I promise. It would kill me if anything happened to her.

Sam sighed again before saying, I'm phasing out now. I need to go check on Emily. That's my imprint by the way. Thanks for asking, jackass. And then he was gone.

I huffed a laugh as I resumed my patrol. Man, Sam never had it easy. Emily Young was undoubtedly one of the most gorgeous women around (just under my Bella) but she was also the cousin of Leah Clearwater, ex-extraordinaire to the one and only Sam Uley. There was definitely going to be a shit show and our little pack was going to have to watch their backs. Leah may not be the ornery, bitchy little girl she was a few years ago when Sam originally dumped her, but she was still not going to take this new found relationship kindly. Emily and Leah were never close, of course, with Emily being from the Makah Res and Leah having closer family right here in her own backyard. But still. It went against what the girls I had fucked called the Chick Law. Kind of like the Bro Code. In other words: girls didn't fuck any family or friends' exs. And Emily was about to tear that rule to pieces. If she accepted the wolf of course. Then I made a vow to keep an eye on both Emily and Sam. I couldn't have a girl's resistance to the inevitable ruining my Alpha's cool façade. That would destroy us all.

When I had done the loop for another couple hours I decided to head home before giving Sam a call to get his ass back to work. We both needed to stay focused; which was proving to be a very difficult battle because all I wanted to do was think of Bella; hold Bella; kiss Bella; have dirty, loud sex with Bella.

Shaking those images out of my head I took the loop closest to the stretch of houses next to the beach. Emily's wasn't too far from Sam's, just closer to town. I could hear two heartbeats as I approached and then the low murmur of Sam's voice generally followed by the less familiar tones of Emily's. Everything seemed to be good so I continued on my way home.

I was intercepted by Billy Black as I crossed through the woods at his backdoor.

"Paul? You out there, son?"

I sighed before phasing back. All I wanted to do was go home, call Sam, and then get some sleep. Maybe call Bella before my nap. Instead, I trudged through the Black's backdoor. Billy was waiting in the kitchen with fresh coffee. I could tell that Jacob wasn't home and that helped me relax. I didn't need that punk harping on me for being a member of Sam's "cult" right now.

I slouched down in the chair across from Billy and sipped the coffee he had set out. Just the way I liked it: black.

Billy watched me for a moment before sighing and ducking his head. I watched as he shook his head just slightly and then looked up. I was tense, waiting for a reprimand or some kind of denial.

"Paul," Billy paused, "I know you think I won't accept this imprint. But that's not true. I've only known Bella for a short time but I've known her father for the majority of my life. Did you know he used to live here, in La Push? No, I wouldn't think so. Charlie's mother was Quileute and his father was white. He was a well-off fellow and his money and flashy lifestyle intrigued Rachel, Charlie's mom. She was so very young but no one could convince her that Swan was anything but the best. And he knew that she was too far gone to leave him now. So, when Rachel got pregnant, that was it. They left together, him convincing her that her life would never be what she wanted if she didn't leave while she could.

"She came back, about a year later. Swan had, of course, ditched her soon after he had taken her away. He had refused to marry her and refused to acknowledge the child as his own. She was heartbroken but still loved him too much. So it still came as a great shock to her when he finally kicked her out onto the streets. No money. Nothing. She was nine months pregnant. She gave birth to Charlie in the Emergency Room of an L.A. hospital and used Swan's insurance information to get out of the bills. Then, she took Charlie, and ran. I don't know how she got back here, but she did. At that point Charlie was a few months old and she was dying.

"Charlie was put into my parents' care and we grew up as brothers while his mother lay dying, still caught in love with a man who hated her. She had given Charlie his father's last name in hope that one day the man would come looking for him. But he never did. Charlie grew up here, happy, until he met Renee, Bella's mother. Renee had dreams of escaping Forks, her home town, and falling in love was not in her plans. But when is it ever. Charlie swooped her away in his passion and romantic views. He went along with her dreams of leaving but loved the Res so much. When he finally told our family he was leaving, my parents, our parents really, were outraged. Our father was so furious he banned Charlie from ever returning to the Res. And that was that. They moved away, South Carolina if I remember correctly, and Renee was soon pregnant. They got married, had Bella, and everything was perfect. Until Bella was about 10 years old and Renee walked out on them. Charlie kept it together for another 8 years until recently. He couldn't keep it together without his family and his land. So he came back."

Billy's story had thrown me for a loop, but I still couldn't understand what this had to do with my imprint and Jacob. I frowned at Billy, waiting for him to look up and explain himself but he stayed silent for another few moments. Then, with another heavy sigh, he continued the story, "I don't have the power to take away my father's ban on Charlie, but fortunately, Bella is not under the same restrictions so she is welcome at all times. I have not seen Charlie for 18 years, Paul. We were raised as brothers since we were babies. But I do not believe I still have that brother. I wanted Jacob to imprint on Bella so we would be a family again. That is all I want."

At this point, Billy was crying and I could feel his pain. I had also lost what little family I had been given and I could understand my Elder's desire. But something didn't fit.

"Billy, how could you be family if Charlie isn't even allowed to visit? And never could?"

"Sam has the power to remove Charlie's banishment. I only realized that recently but then you phased and I haven't wanted to take what little free time he has by requesting this of him."

I nodded, understanding, "Well, then I'll ask him. I was about to call him anyway." I got up, ready to finally make my way home, but paused in the doorway. Without turning around I said, "And you can still be a family, Billy. You don't need Jacob and Bella for that. You didn't need blood or law before so it's no different now." With that, I walked out.