Chapter Text
Bella POV
Fresh ocean air whipped around my head, gently blowing my hair around my face. The sun had slipped below the horizon, offering me a view of a gorgeous purple-and-orange-frosted sky. I inhaled deeply, and the cool, misty air sliding into my lungs felt like medicine in my veins. Peace, as I have never felt before, always found me here, in my special place. No matter what was going on at work, with the pack, or in my relationship, I could always find peace here. Today was no different. The wind pushed another gust towards me, lightly howling past my ears, while the sound of the waves crashed before me.
My spot was a short walk from the house Leah and I shared, a rental, but it was cozy and perfect for us. The beach was a five-minute walk, and Billy’s was just down the road. The garage Jacob and Leah had opened together was the next street over, quite a convenient commute for Leah.
It had been our first day settling in two years ago, when I decided I had had enough of unpacking for the day and needed fresh air. After years without the Cullens, vampires rarely crossed the borders of La Push, and we had all grown comfortable walking around alone again. That's when I found my spot. It was a ways down the beach, away from where tourists or non-locals would wander. A perfect spot in the driftwood gave me shelter from watching eyes and a chance to be alone and decompress. Not that I needed to do a lot of that these days.
Sucking in another breath, I got up and dusted the sand off my jeans, wrapping my sweater tighter around me. The light was almost gone from the sky, and seeing that I still couldn’t walk without tripping with the full sun overhead, it was best if I made it back home before dark.
Because of the imprint, Jacob knew where I was at all times. He wouldn’t be worried. But Leah, Leah might worry. Especially after Alice’s phone call this weekend.
Minutes later, I was back at the house, swinging in the white door of the soft blue painted house. I heard Leah banging around in the kitchen; she was a lot louder now that she had stopped phasing. Something I found extremely funny, and she did not.
Pausing in the doorway to admire my best friend’s chaotic kitchen etiquette, I kept quiet.
“Goddamn can. Where the fuck is the can opener?”
“Second drawer on the left,” I said casually.
Leah jumped, turning quickly before spotting me and leveling me with a scowl. “Fuck. I am still not used to not hearing you come up behind me. I swear I might start phasing again just for that reason.” She turned back and opened the drawer, finding the can opener instantly.
“What are you doing?” I asked, unable to hide the laugh in my tone.
What does it look like I’m doing?’ she shot back. I knew her well enough now that it was playful, even if she made it extremely unobvious to a casual observer.
Looking around the space, I saw a bunch of grocery bags discarded on the table, the contents lined up haphazardly on the counter beside her.
My eyes widened, “You’re cooking?”
“Shut up. Come back in an hour if you’re hungry.”
I ignored her and sat down at the small round table in our tiny kitchen. It was cozy here; the windows behind the counters looked out towards the ocean, and while it was difficult to see the beach, we could make out the large rocks along the coastline during the day, and the empty, beautiful blue skies on days it wasn’t overcast.
Leah had told me when we moved in that she wasn’t much of an interior designer. Have at it, she had told me when I brought up decorating the space. So I did. I painted the kitchen walls a soft yellow that caught the sunlight beautifully on the rare days it decided to show itself, and the creamy white cabinets made the whole room feel warm and cozy.
Leah and I got lucky, renting this house from her great-aunt Maribel on her mother’s side, who had moved in with family and needed full-time support in her older age. Sue’s aunt was generous, renting it to us at a fair price and hinting to Leah that, when she passed, the house would go to her and Seth for whatever they wanted to do with it.
“So, what are you making then, Chef?” I teased, leaning back and popping open the fridge to grab two beers, one for her and one for me. I popped the caps off for us and set one beside her on the counter.
“Uhh, a 'one-pot' creamy chicken and pasta,” Leah replied, and I hummed back, impressed. Leah wasn’t much of a cook, but she was a quick learner and incredible at following directions. I knew it would taste good, even with her lack of experience.
“Sounds great. Need help?”
She turned to level me with a stare, “No, Swan. I don’t. Scram and find something to do while I finish this up. I’ll call you when it's ready.”
I lifted my hands in the air, “Fine. I’ll be in my room.” Laughing, I found my way back to my room and sat at my desk that was pushed up against the window.
The view from here wasn't as good as the kitchen's, but I could see the garage, and on good days when they had the garage door open, I could see the guys working inside. Which happened to be a good view for me.
Night had fallen, and with the days' unusually fair weather, I could see them working, the light on in the garage. Jacob wasn’t there, probably in the office, but Quil and Jared were working tonight, and their familiar shapes were moving about, preparing to close. I smiled, feeling the comfort of their familiar movements and routine.
Opening my laptop, I sighed and opened the tab that had been open since Monday morning. It opened to Alice’s follow-up email after her call on Sunday, smack dab in the middle of my birthday party.
And just like that, my perfect birthday was ruined. Thanks, Alice
Dramatic as ever, Alice had told me my worst fear was finally catching up to me. The Volturi were coming. Not tonight, not tomorrow, but within the year, according to her vision. Aro, Marcus, Caius, the guard, and even the wives. Carlisle, Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett, and Alice were already on their way back to Forks, planning to keep out of sight while they reopened the house. Edward still hadn’t been reached.
I had read the email so many times over the last few days that I practically had it memorized.
She had conveniently forgotten to mention right away that her vision showed they would come within the year, not immediately, as I had assumed, as soon as she spoke the words. It was bad, really fucking bad, but the time would give all of us a chance to prepare.
I reread the email again, like I had a million times over the last few days. Looking within myself, I tried to find the panic I knew should be there, but it just wasn’t, and that was somehow worse.
Numb, that is what the feeling was. Resignation. Alice’s call had been the confirmation that the worrying I had been doing for the past five years was not in vain, but valid, and fate was catching up to me when I had tried so hard to dodge it.
I’d kept these feelings to myself over the past few days, and I knew that it was obvious to everyone around me that I was behaving strangely. Charlie had reacted to the news with anger. Jacob had immediately gotten to work, organizing and talking to the pack. Billy had gone solemn, but like his son, he moved quickly, informing the council and pulling out the old journals to study again.
But me? I just kept moving through my days with a strange sense of acceptance. It had scared me at first, the way it brushed too close to the awful numbness I had once lost myself in, but this wasn’t the same. This felt less like disappearing and more like looking straight at what was coming and knowing I couldn’t outrun it. If I was going to feel this way, then I had to use it, and to let it push me forward instead of pulling me under.
Easier said than done.
Closing the laptop, I put my elbows on the desk and my head in my hands. Get it together, Bella. You can’t check out, not when everyone is counting on you. Not when this is because of you.
One breath. Two breaths. Three breaths. The calming action I've used to redirect myself ever since I learned it in therapy in my first year of college. It always steadied me, but it was better if I was at my spot, at the beach. But I couldn’t go back there, not tonight. I had to work with what I had, put on a good face for Leah and Jacob.
Pulling my notebook toward me, I opened it to the last page. My notes are oddly frantic compared to what's going on in my head, a strange contrast I definitely will have to bring up in therapy.
The page had two columns, one labeled “us” and the other labeled “them”. I studied the words for a moment, my head tilted slightly, knowing that even if no one else would ever see it, the right framing here was important. Sighing, I crossed off the “us” and “them” and wrote “defense” and “threat” in their place.
Jacob POV
“Jake, I’m going to head out. Kim’s parents are coming by for dinner, and I don’t want to be late.” Jared called out across the garage.
“Cool, see you tomorrow,” I replied with a wave, turning back to the Corolla I was working on. After a careful review of the car and a test drive, I determined that all it needed was a simple oil change. The thing was chugging on happily, even after 100,000 miles on the odometer. It wasn’t surprising; it was an extremely reliable car, and it was almost comforting in its reliability. I almost always knew what I was going to get when one came into the shop.
Unlike my employees. I thought to myself.
I grinned to myself at the dumb thought. Sure, it was true, but a bit dramatic. My employees happened to be my best friends, and they always brought their A game, but their personalities, especially Quil's, were sometimes unpredictable.
“Quil, wrap it up. You get home too.”
“I’m good. I can finish up tonight.” Frowning slightly, I turned towards him. This was the unpredictability I would get: Quil, usually a silly, fun dude, sometimes came in down in the dumps. I knew it was because he was alone, or at least, without an imprint.
Over the past few years, I had encouraged him to date, even if he didn’t imprint on them. It might never happen, and from what we've learned over the years, even if it did, it didn’t mean he had to give her up. Angela and Embry were still just friends, although even though they had both dated other people over the years, I had a feeling they might end up together someday. But I felt in my heart that it was truly because of compatibility and not the imprint.
I hoped that Quil would step out and try to find someone; he deserved it. But every time he told me that he just knew that there was an imprint out there for him, he just hadn’t met her yet. I hadn’t questioned him; I knew all too well that those gut feelings were usually true. But still, I didn’t like to see him lonely.
“Dinner at my place tomorrow.” I reminded him as I closed the Corolla and went to wash my hands in the sink. “Bella wants to talk to us about something she's been working on.”
A knot pulled tight in my throat at the thought. Ever since Alice’s call, Bella had been off in a way that set me on edge. I hadn’t expected tears exactly. We’d talked around the Volturi enough over the years that neither of us had the luxury of pretending they’d never come, but I’d expected something. Anger, maybe, or even restlessness, or that tight, stubborn look she got when she was scared and trying not to show it. But instead, she just seemed stable, logical, and something else I couldn’t quite name.
Fortunately, when it came to other topics, she was her lively self, so it didn’t feel like how she was when she was under Jasper and the Cullens' influence. She laughed at Leah. Rolled her eyes at me. Lit up when she was talking about something she cared about. It wasn’t like before. But that old fear still lived in me anyway, ugly and mean, always ready to bare its teeth.
Goddamn trauma responses. That was what my therapist called it when an old panic came roaring up out of nowhere and took hold before my brain could catch up. Bella had pushed me to go after therapy started helping her in college, and, hell, she’d been right. It helped a lot, even if I did have to skirt around the whole wolf thing. Somebody had to get inside my head besides me. Being Alpha meant everybody came to me with their fear, their grief, their problems, and most days I was glad they did. But it also meant there wasn’t much room left over for my own.
Especially now, after Alice had delivered her news on the worst possible day she could have chosen. A ripple of fury moved through me at the memory. Leah, Charlie, and I had worked so hard over the past few years to make Bella’s birthday something to enjoy again, and like the out-of-touch vampire she is, Alice ruined it all with one call.
Fury settled into a shiver as the memory caught up with me again. Fear, as I had never experienced before, shot straight into my heart like lightning when Bella relayed the message to me.
We’d always trusted ourselves to keep our people safe from vampires. That confidence had been earned. But this was different. Bella had told me enough about the Volturi over the years to know they weren’t just another coven with sharp teeth and a taste for trouble. They were power piled on power, the kind of enemy that made even the toughest bastards have nightmares. And for the first time in a long time, I had to admit I didn’t know if we’d all walk away from it.
But if I had learned anything from being Alpha, from the things we had to face the past five years, it was that submitting to the dread wouldn’t help in the slightest.
“I’ll be there,” Quil responded, breaking me out of my thoughts. “She’s baking cookies, right?” I rolled my eyes at him. Cookies always cheered Quil up.
“Yeah, man, of course she's gonna make cookies. It's Bella.” We laughed together. “Well, don’t stay too late. I’m going to head out. Leah called and said she's making dinner.”
Quil snorted, “Leah’s cooking?”
“Yup!”
“Good luck with that,” Quil said, and waved to me as I walked out the door.
“Don’t you dare forget to lock up!” I yelled behind me, and heard Quil chuckle.
The sun was already set as I walked towards Leah and Bella’s house. A soft light was coming from Bella’s room. The small lamp that she preferred over the “big light” glowed softly, illuminating her as she sat at her desk. Her face was in her hands, and my chest tightened at the sight.
My footsteps quickened as I felt the pull in my chest, our bond pulling us together. But I didn’t feel any anxiety or fear coming from her. And the next moment, she lifted her head and started writing.
My heart settled when I saw she wasn’t in any real distress. I drew in a deep breath, the scent of salt air and dewy grass grounding me the way it always had, and some of the tension finally left me.
After a minute, I was already pulling at the side door that led into the kitchen. To my surprise, it smelled incredible in there.
“Whoa,” I said, walking up to Leah, trying to get a peek at what she was making.
She elbowed me when I got too close. “Watch it, Black. I need my space.”
I grunted, even though she hadn’t hurt me in the slightest. “It smells good in here. Whatcha making?”
“Don’t break my concentration, go sit with your imprint.” She barked back at me.
“Yes, ma’am!” I said, saluting her while turning on a pivot.
As I turned, I heard her mutter under her breath at me, “Don’t call me ma’am.”
“Yes, m’lady!” I replied, and she threw a spatula at me.
“Alright, geez, I’m going.” Laughing, I made my way through the small kitchen and into Bella’s room.
Bella’s room was extremely cozy. Over the past few years, she had made it a book lover's haven. Bookshelves lined one side of the room, and in front of them was a cozy chair with an ottoman, a fluffy blanket thrown over the back. Towards the window was her antique desk, which she had carefully picked out after weeks of searching. Several lamps were placed around the room, creating the soft glow I had seen outside.
It reminded me of somewhere Belle from Beauty and the Beast would find herself. Bella had laughed when I said that, but I knew she had been pleased. It definitely was helpful that I had two sisters who forced me to sit and watch Disney movies with them as a kid. And who was I kidding? I loved them.
As I walked in, I heard a soft “hey” from her desk where she was still writing.
Saddling up beside her, I placed a kiss on the crown of her head.
“Hey, honey.”
With a sigh, she leaned backward into me, tossing her head back to look at me with a soft smile.
“Hey, to you.”
Leaning down, I kissed her soft lips. Her sweet cherry scent washed over me, lighting my nerves on fire.
Pulling back, I looked down at the desk, at her notebook. ‘What’s this?”
She sighed. “I’m just trying to do what I’m good at. Understanding our dynamic. Our strengths and weaknesses. If there was ever a time to fully lay out the narrative of the pack, the imprints, what it all means and why, it would be now.”
I nodded, understanding settling over me. Then my eyes caught on one of the words at the top of the page: defense. My gaze dropped lower before I could stop it, and I frowned.
“Kim?”
Bella blushed immediately. “Don’t worry, I’m not done yet. You interrupted me while I was writing.” She closed the notebook before I could get a better look. “I’ll tell you all about it later. I’m starving. Any idea if Leah’s close to being finished? She kind of banned me from the kitchen.”
Still a little unsettled, I pulled her up into my arms and held her tightly against my chest. I didn’t push her about what the notes meant, not yet, but I couldn’t deny that the words on the page had left me both nervous and intensely curious.
“Me too. But it smells incredible, doesn’t it?” I said at last, with exaggerated shock.
“HEY. I heard that.” Leah yelled from the kitchen.
Bella and I both laughed.
“Oh, so now she has excellent hearing, not when she's accusing me of sneaking up on her.” Bella’s laugh rumbled against me as she leaned down to put her face in the crook of my neck. The contact calmed me, and we stood there together for a moment. Our breaths start to match up with every passing second.
“Alright, lovebirds. Dinner is ready.” Leah said, popping her head into the room.
Lowering Bella to the floor with another kiss to her head, I reply, “Excellent, I'm famished.”
***
Three servings later, I leaned back in my chair at the kitchen table as I leveled Leah with an appreciative look. “Holy shit, Leah. Why the hell haven’t you cooked for us before?”
“Not my job, don’t get used to it.” She said, but I thought I saw a small pleased smile on her lips. A rare sight from the vicious wolf-girl. I looked at Bella and saw that she noticed it too, and Bella’s own mouth lifted to a small, tightly held back smile. We had to be very careful with Leah about the compliments we gave her; too many would scare her off.
“How do the books look?” I asked Leah, changing the subject, and Leah's expression looked relieved at the change of topic. She was so easy to read, even if she didn’t think she was.
“Excellent,” She said, beaming, “We are ahead of our goal for the first quarter. I really think we will be able to pull it off this year.”
We’d set a few goals when we opened the shop a few years ago. We wanted to offer reasonable prices to our customers, hire and train any pack members who wanted to work in the garage, and reach a point where we could offer end-of-year bonuses to our employees. The first two we had already done, but it took a few years to get them off the ground and stable enough for us to offer the bonuses.
As the only remaining garage in the area, we had been growing our business slowly but surely. We brought in many clients from Forks and the surrounding small towns thanks to our reasonable prices.
My dream had become a reality: a garage that was mine, a place the pack could work without having to explain why they had to keep strange schedules or run out midday for no apparent reason. The family culture that I'd always wanted in my shop. And with Leah handling the administrative operations, we were doing better than I ever could have alone.
“Hell yeah,” I responded to her, offering my hand for a high five over the table. She rolled her eyes but high-fived me anyway.
“Dork.” She said.
Bella stood up, starting to clear the table. “Angela’s coming in again for the weekend. She texted me last night.” I saw a sly smile on her face as she turned towards the sink.
Leah and I looked at each other, eyes narrowing.
“Oh? Family stuff?” I asked.
Bella chuckled, “She said she’s been missing Forks lately, and wants to spend more time here. But didn’t clarify what exactly she was missing.” Bella turned around from the sink and leaned against the counter, a smirk on her face.
“Or who,” Leah snorted with a laugh.
Bella whipped Leah with the handtowel, “Don’t say that in front of her, it's a very delicate situation.” Bella replied in an exaggerated whisper.
“Yeah, yeah. I won’t.” Leah agreed, standing up and searching through the cabinets, finally pulling out a box of Oreos.
Bella groaned from beside her. “How are you able to eat more?”
Leah shrugged with a grin, “I guess I kept that wolf appetite.”
“Pass it over, Clearwater,” I said, reaching over the table.
She snatched it back, “Get your own.”
The phone rang, and we all went still. I saw Bella freeze at the sink, her hands pausing on a dish she was washing.
Leah coughed and got up, crossing the room. “I’ll get it.”
Picking the phone off the hook, she answered gruffly, “Hello?”
Leah’s shoulders relaxed immediately. “Sure, Billy, he’s right here.” The pressure in the room released immediately, and I reached for the old landline phone, pulling the cord across the table so I could get up and put my arm around Bella’s waist at the sink where she had continued scrubbing the dish.
“Hey, Dad,” I answered, as I peered around and looked at Bella’s face. She looked fine, flashing me a small smile.
“Hey, kid. Mind heading home soon? I don’t mean to bother you, but I need a bit of help with this new fancy shower.”
I chuckled, “Of course, be there soon.” I passed the phone back to Leah to hang it up.
“Billy, okay?” Bella asked.
“Yeah, he’s fine. He’s still getting used to the new accessible shower I put in. But he will be a pro at it in no time.” I lightly grasped her chin to turn her face my way, pressing a soft kiss into her perfect lips. She sighed into the contact, and behind us, Leah faked a gag and exited the room.
Bella and I pulled away and smiled wickedly at each other.
“See ya, baby.” She said, with a wink. And once again, I was reminded that I was the luckiest guy in the world.
Which, maybe, was what scared me most now. I finally had everything I’d ever wanted. And for the first time in a long time, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something out there had finally noticed.