Chapter 17

The living room was tense as Paul paced back and forth, rubbing his hand up and down his face.

"He told you specifically there was an army coming?" Sam asked again for the third time, just to be clear on what they were about to face.

With a sigh I tear my gaze from Paul, giving the alpha of the pack a look. "Yes, Sam. Riley said that Victoria and Crystal both are making an army to get to us, Bella and I. Vampires are vindictive, and I unintentionally pissed Crystal off when she was human and she remembers it...." I chuckled nervously, frowning.

Scowling, Paul turned to look at me. "This isn't funny, Laney!" He grumbles irritably, turning towards Quil and Embry who have both been very quiet since the meeting started. "And what the hell were you two doing?" He snaps, crossing his arms over his chest as he stares at the younger boys, very much not happy in that current moment.

"We didn't even sense him in the area!" Embry insists with a wince, glancing over at Quil who was nodding his head in agreement. "We would have done something otherwise Paul, you know that!" He scoffs, offended that Paul would think so lowly of him.

With a sigh, I give my fiancee a look. "Leave the boys alone, sweetie. It's not their fault. Besides I'm not hurt, and Riley only crossed the border to warn us. Not that he's apart of the treaty anyway." The wolves and vamps had a hundred year old treaty that mustn't get overlooked. Wolves cannot go over to the Cullen territory without consent, as well as the vampires cannot come over to the wolves territory without consent.

Though vampires that aren't in the Cullen Clan and are residing in the area... they don't count for the treaty. In which case if they get caught, they perish.

Paul scoffs, crossing his arms over his chest defiantly. "Yeah, well... he shouldn't have been able to get to you anyway doll. That's the point I am trying to make here!" He glares over at the younger wolves, though Embry glared right back at him.

"That's enough, Paul." Sam sighs, making Paul huff as he walks over to me. I chuckled as he wraps his arms around me, automatically leaning into him as he kisses my temple. "We're just going to have to run a tight schedule now, and maybe let the Cullen's know that the army is coming."

The wolves all scoffed, annoyed that they even had to share the information that was clearly just for them. Sighing, I give Sam a look. "I'll let them know. Edward's almost always at the house anyway, even when dad doesn't know he is..." I trailed off with a tired sigh, glad I didn't have to deal with dads outbursts anymore about Edward.

"I don't like that either..." Paul mumbled underneath his breath, "but at least you're at our house now." He smiles softly at the thought, kissing my temple again and making me smile as well. The boys all groaned around us, Quil gagging at the sight childishly.

"I cannot wait till you get to meet your imprint," I teased Quil, who scoffed, acting appalled at the very idea even though I knew he secretly wanted this. He wanted what Sam, Paul and Jared had. I knew he did. They all did, for the most part.

Some wanted it to be on other people, but Jacob didn't count.

"Oh, by the way," Emily turned towards me and I raised an eyebrow at her. "My younger cousin, Claire, is coming over and I was hoping you'd help me babysit her while my family is here." She gives me a pleading look, and I just laughed.

"Sure, I'll help," I agreed, knowing I couldn't say no to Emily. "We can do some wedding planning together." We were both getting married soon. We agreed that Sam and Emily should get married before us, since they've been engaged the longest. We'd get married a few weeks after them.

A few more hours passed when Emily's family finally came over. Emily's older sister, Judith, came down to visit - wanting to get to know Sam a little more before they're wedding.

"It's nice to meet you, Judith," I smiled at her as we all sit around the living room. Judith's daughter, Claire, was playing in the living room - her toys all spread out in a haphazard fashion. She was a cute kid, well-mannered, and seemed to take to Sam really well.

I was snuggled against Paul in another armchair, while Sam, Emily and Judith were occupying the couch. Sam and Emily were snuggled against each other, and I wondered if Judith felt awkward sitting at the same couch - though her eyes were trained on her child.

Judith chuckled as she looked over at me, giving me a small smile. "Please, call me Judy. Any friend of Emily's is a friend of mine, and Emily talks about you often." She nods, smirking over to her sister who just rolled her eyes playfully.

"All good things I hope," I teased with a giggle.

Laughing with me, Judy nodded her head. "All good things," she promised with a grin on her face. "Told me you were replacing me as a sister. Had to check out the competition!" I laughed more at that, giving her a beaming grin. After all the darkness that had been happening around us, it was a breath of fresh air to talk to someone who didn't know about the supernatural being real.

I wonder if Emily felt the same way when talking to her sister. Unlike me, who had a sister that knew about it and was dating a vampire. It didn't really help that we weren't on very good terms at the moment, either.

"So Elaine," Judy looked at me when she was finished fixing Claire's hair. "Emily tells me that you own a bookstore now. Hows that going?"

At the mention of my bookstore I perked up. Any chance to talk about it was a chance I was willing to take. "Going really well, actually! I am mildly surprised by how well it's being received..." I trailed off sheepishly, scratching my left cheek. "I already have to order some new books in for the shop, and Kim Connweller is working for me part time. Well, actually, she hasn't accepted the job yet - but she'll be working for me soon if her parents agree."

Judy grins at me. "That's wonderful, congratulations! Being able to follow your dreams like that must be a breath of fresh air..." She had a far-off look on her face, and I wondered if she wasn't able to follow her dreams, whatever that might have been. I wasn't sure how their parents were, never having met their father and mother, but Emily rarely talks about her parents. She's mentioned her mother maybe once or twice, but her father was a touchy subject. "Anyway I'd love to come in and see your shop!" She gives me a beaming smile. Judy was an older version of Emily, and if I didn't know they were three years apart I would have thought they were twins.

Voices were heard outside of the place and Judy paused. "Are those the boys you talk about all the time?" She turns to look at Emily, who had a sheepish look on her face.

Sam sighed, rolling his eyes. "I told them we were going to have company today..." he trails off in annoyance, glaring at the door.

Embry, Jacob and Quil all walk inside, chattering with no care in the world. It was a relief knowing they could still act like boys, even with everything happening around them. "Hey Sam! Is there-" Quil stops as he walks inside like a deer caught at a headlight. "Oh, hello Mrs. Young, sorry we forgot Emily's sister was going to be here." He looked embarrassed, as did the other boys.

However as soon as Claire glanced up at Quil, I pursed my lips at what happened. It was clear that Quil had imprinted on the child, and I wasn't sure how I felt about that. I knew the boys couldn't control the imprint, which made this even worse as I knew Quil wanted a relationship.

Though not with a three year old.

Sam growled, standing up and startling the girls who didn't know what was going on. "Outside," he ordered, gesturing for Paul to follow him. Paul whined, kissing my temple before following after the three boys - leaving Judy feeling confused, though Claire was just curious as to what was happening.

"What was that about?" Judy asked, glancing over at Emily who was giving her older sister a nervous look.

Breathing in deeply, Emily gave me a helpless look before turning to look at her sister - who was wanting answers. "This means I'll just be asking you over more, is all. I want to see my niece more often!" Emily grins at her sister, who was giving her a bewildered look.

Things just got a little more complicated.

After a few moments the boys walked back inside - minus Jacob and Embry, who I assumed were going to give Quil a little alone time with his new imprint. That thought made my skin crawl, and I glanced between Claire and Quil a few times. "Judy, if you ever need someone to babysit Claire for you, Quil is a perfect candidate." Sam quirked a smile, it seemed that they resolved the issue fairly quickly.

"Actually that would be wonderful! My husband just got a new job and is settling into it, and I am getting busy with my antique store on the Makah reservation," Judy admitted sheepishly with a slight chuckle. "I could always have mom look after Claire, but I'd rather have someone else look after her." She admitted sheepishly.

Quil bobs his head up and down with a big grin on his face. "No worries, Mrs. Young, I can take care of Claire while you are busy! I'm good with kids!" He assured her, giving Claire a boyish grin who giggled at him.

Later that day Paul and I were snuggling in bed, Paul threading his fingers through my hair. "Isn't it weird that Quil imprinted on a three year old?" I suddenly asked, frowning.

Paul chuckled, his chest rumbling against me as he placed a kiss on top of my head. "We become whatever the other needs. Quil will be a big brother figure to Claire, we discussed it after the fact." I nodded, figuring that was the case. "Say if you didn't want a relationship with me, like the one we have, I would have been whatever you needed. A friend, brother, someone you came and vented to. Anything to just see you smile."

"That sounds like a sad existence for the imprint, though..." I trailed off with a sigh, kissing his chest affectionately.

He shrugged, tilting my head up so that our eyes met. There was so much love and affection there that I almost melted. "I'll do anything to make you happy, Lane. That goes for all the imprints. Sam to Emily. Jared to Kim. We live to make you happy. Whatever that takes. I'm thankful every day that you're in my life, doll, and accepted the imprint." My eyes watered a little at the speech as I lifted my head up, kissing him deeply.

One thing was for sure, I was happy to be included in his weird world and wouldn't have it any other way.