The story occurs just after the ending of BD2. The fic deals with yet another way to utterly destroy the imprint. This is a two-parter. I'll post the final chapter soon.

Warnings: Strong language, anti-Bella and Nessie, graphic sex, and rimming.

Closing softly the door, I step inside our home, the corners of my mouth lifting up in a smile at the sight of Dad. He's slouching on his chair, his eyes tracking the basketball on the TV. He glances up at me at the sound of my boots thudding on the wooden floor.

"Son." He nods solemnly and cocks his chin at the kitchen. "There's food on the fridge. Help yourself before you go back to the Cullens."

"Did you get Sue's stew?" I rub my hands gleefully and shoot him a grin before I head to the fridge. "Who's winning? Charlie said he'd win the bet for sure."

"It doesn't matter," Dad says offhandedly as he rolls his chair towards me. "It was just a small bet between friends."

I grab the big green Tupperware and fish out a wooden spoon from the kitchen drawer. Then I turn towards him and open the lid, sinking the spoon in the delicious stew.

"Aren't you going to heat it up?" Dad arches his eyebrow at me, the squeaking sound from his rolling chair stopping as I gulp down the bite.

Roll my eyes at him, my hand grabbing one of the napkins from the holder on the kitchen table to wipe my lips. "Can't wait. I'm hungry."

I wolf down another portion and hook my foot around the leg of the chair to pull it out before plopping down on it. Tilting up my chin, I flash him a reassuring grin. "Esme cooks really well, but believe me, there's nothing in this world that tastes better than Sue's homemade stew."

Dad's eyes widen at that and I shrug. I couldn't help my weak appetite the last few days or even weeks. I've been feeling down, which I suspect is the effect of the little monster feeding off my blood. Dad's seen me at my worst, all lethargic and listless. Luckily Nessie herself provided the solution to the dilemma she created.

Dad's hand creeps up his arm and he pulls up the sleeve of his plaid shirt to glance at his watch while he mumbles, "It's getting late, Jacob. You'd better head back to…"

"The Cullens?" I say around a mouthful of stew. I gulp and lift my eyes to the window. It is true, the sky is darkening outside, and the few times I've visited Dad, I always leave just as dusk approaches. Not anymore, though.

Twilight is no longer my prison, for I've broken free.

Dad nods sadly and I stand up, grabbing an upended glass from the drying rack by the sink. I open the faucet and fill it with cool, refreshing water and then turn around to lift the glass in a silent salute. "Don't worry; I'm not going back to the bloodsuckers' lair. There's nothing holding me there, except…."

"Nessie." Dad's voice holds such a tone of wistful resignation it makes me shudder.

I shake my head. "Nope. Not her, dad. I've grown close to one of the leeches and I'd miss his company." I finish drinking the water and tilt up my chin to glance at the ceiling, searching for the words to express the deep camaraderie that binds me to Emmett, which I hope will become something far more intimate and physical. "It's Emmett, that big guy?"

Dad purses his lips and hunches down his shoulders, drinking my every word. I have to tread carefully now, on the razor's edge between giving too much information and not explaining myself enough. God knows I hate cryptic remarks like those Bella always utters! Why can't that silly woman speak her mind for once? Q'wati himself knows it would've saved me a whole lotta trouble.

"We've grown closer." I tilt down my neck to stare at Dad, schooling my features in what I hope proves to be a neutral expression. "He's the only one that pays attention to me, who doesn't belittle me and takes me as I am."

I close my eyes and wince at how much I sound like a teenage girl. Just the memory of Bella always moaning about her cold prince reminds me I should've put a stop to her whining long ago, but the fucking imprint had sunk its claws on me even then. Thankfully I'm free of that!

"You always have a smile on your lips when you mention him," Dad finally says. "That leech is the only one that's shown interest in you and asked for your health. By the way, Seth brought those tools your Emmett guy bought for your birthday."

"He did?" I bounce up and down on my toes. Emmett had hinted about a gift, but frankly I was kinda distraught and didn't pay it any mind.

"They're at the shed, but you haven't been there to work in your cars since…" Billy stops with a shudder.

"I know, Dad, I know." I bite back a rueful sigh and lean my hips on the edge of the kitchen table. "Anyway, Emmett is the only one I'd go to that house for. Certainly not Nessie!"

"She's your imprint, Jacob." Dad's voice is so low, only my wolf's heightened senses allow me to hear. "You'll have to go back. I don't want to see you suffer… more than you've had."

I raise my hand, my fingers gracing my neck, unconsciously chasing the ghost of small, pointed teeth nipping at my neck to draw blood. Nessie, of course; that damned Chucky couldn't stay away from her convenient soda fountain which turned out to be me, unfortunately.

"I've seen teeth marks on your neck, son." Billy thrusts his chin at me, obviously figuring out what my nervous gesture means. "And given Nessie's distressing ancestry, I've guessed she feeds on you." He ducks his head in shame to hide his gaze from me. "I'll consult the other Elders, see what we can come up with," he mumbles despondently.

"For Chrissakes, Dad, you've got nothing to be ashamed of!" I cry in exasperation with the whole situation, mostly with me, though. Now that I'm free of Nessie I can see how pathetic I must've looked in the eyes of my father, the one man I don't want to ever let down. I crouch down on the floor in front of him, lifting my hand to squeeze his forearm in sympathy, saying in a rush, "Yeah, it was Nessie that bit me, and I had to obey her because of the fucking imprint! But you know what?" A smirk tugs up the corner of my lips. "I'm glad she did. Boy, oh boy, am I ever glad she's a little bloodsucker!"

Dad shakes his head with resignation; it's plain to see he thinks I've lost all my marbles. "I'm not following you, Jacob."

My nostrils flare as I take a deep breath, my inner wolf rejoicing at the strong scent of leather and grass coming from Billy. It conveys a sense of homecoming to both the man and the wolf. My human side gratefully recalls his scent as he worked on fashioning figures out of leather and wood for the rituals of our tribe; and to the wolf it means his lair, a place where he can be safe with his pack.

Nourished by the strong sense of belonging I get whenever I'm near Dad, I launch onto my tale without pausing too much, just letting the words do the talking for me. "I've spoken with Edward about what he feels for Bella." I raise my hand to forestall Dad's hostile questions. He's never seen eye to eye with Edward, seeing him as the guilty party that took Bella away from me. Funny thing is that until a short while ago I wholeheartedly shared this view.

"He isn't a bad guy at all, Dad," I manage to mumble. "He's got his issues, but he's pretty decent for a bloodsucker."

"Hasn't managed to help you at all, son," Dad finally says. "For all his so-called sympathy."

"He's pussy-whipped is all." I shrug, cocking my head sideways. "Wrapped around Bella's little finger, doing all he can to satisfy her whims." I frown at Billy's astonished expression. He's only heard me going on and on about the perfections of little Miss Swan, like, a gazillion times if not more so I understand his bafflement. "Anyway, Edward is convinced his attraction to Bella started because he was his Singer, as the Italian head honcho, that Aro Volturi, said. He couldn't pull away from her because her blood sang to him – or some such fancy vamp notion. Eventually this fascination grew into love and he was hooked."

"I fail to see what that has got to do with you, Jacob," Dad says in a resigned tone. "Last I checked you were no leech."

"Nope, thank God for that." I flash him a smile and stand up, my knees creaking from remaining crouching for so long. "The principle is the same, though. Bella always fascinated me and drew me in like a fucking magnet, and I was powerless to fight her attraction. There was something in her that called on me to protect and cherish her – even if she walked all over my heart time and again."

"I witnessed that firsthand." Dad grimaces and I shudder in understanding.

"When her daughter was born I transferred all that sympathy and care away from Bella by imprinting on Nessie." I walk behind his chair and gently push it towards the living room. We'll be more comfortable there. My gaze rests on the can of Coke which Dad opened for the game and I grab it, disregarding his weak glare.

Eventually, I plop down on the couch and sigh in relief. Sipping the lukewarm Coke, I'm ready to go on with my explanations. "So I started figuring things out. That's where Emm's help came handy; the big guy is pretty shrewd, even if his imposing physique would have you thinking otherwise."

Dad shakes his head in irritation and I gulp down the rest of the drink while my train of thought is derailed. Do the girls on the Rez think of me like that, though? Does Bella only see my body? Is she as blind as the others when it comes to my inner resources? Hard to say for sure though, with that expressionless face she pulls most of the time.

"So what did you figure out?" Dad prods me none too gently.

"It was Nessie's mother I was watching over all along." I let out a heartfelt sigh. "Not Bella herself, but the potential she had to bear Nessie. That's why I acted as her protector, took on the role of brother and confidant. I was very confused, but then she gave such fucking contradictory signals that they threw me for a loop. For instance, she flirted with me some days and then grew distant? I never knew what to think about her."

Dad sighs in exasperation and I rush on, realizing I'm starting to whine again like a million times before. "Anyway, that's all in the past. Nessie came along, I imprinted and that should have been all."

"Which is why you should head back to the Cullen house, noxious as the place seems to be," Billy says bitterly, his gaze lowered to the wooden floor.

"Something changed recently, though. A very important thing." I pause to squeeze flat the Coke can and then throw it so it falls right into the trash can with a thudding sound. Then my fingers reach up to trace a path on my neck, lingering in the place where the aorta lies closest to the skin – Nessie's preferred feeding place. "Nessie bit me and drank my blood, repeatedly."

"So what?" Dad says, anger etching deeper lines on his face. "I hated to see the puncture wounds on you, son, made me feel so helpless and weak. Do you have to bring that point again and again?"

I lift my hands, spreading my palms to forestall his burst of temper. "Hold it, Dad, hold it right now. Don't you realize how important it is? Our blood is very strong – it has to be, in order to help us recover from our injuries and give us the ability to phase. You've said it has magical properties and all the Elders concur. It's why blood is so vital in our rituals, and that's why an imprintee may not be harmed by the pack!"

"Quileute blood would be spilled." Dad nods solemnly. "And we must prevent that at all costs." He pauses to gather his thoughts and then tilts up his chin to shoot me a penetrating stare. "Is that it? Did Nessie become one of us due to your blood?"

"Nope, that's not it at all." I let out a rueful chuckle. "She should be so lucky! Nessie would jump with joy and we'd have a bigger problem with the little monster running amok!"

"So what is it, then?" Dad growls in exasperation. "Get to the point, Jacob, dammit!"

"The point is that when Nessie drank my blood, it was so strong it mixed with her body and caused her scent to change. In fact, her very blood transformed." My lips tug upward in what Emm calls my wolfish smile. "And as a direct result of her behaving like a leech, the qualities that made Nessie my imprint vanished. I'm free from her, Dad! The imprint's gone for good!"

"Did it go away just like that?" Billy puzzles his brows in thought. "Tell me, what do you feel for her?"

"Nothing." I shrug nonchalantly, lifting my feet to place them upon the table while I hook my hands behind the nape of my neck. "Right now, Nessie's just an irritating kid that pesters me and I can't wait to be rid of her. Always following me around and ordering me like I was her puppy. Damned Chucky! Whoever thinks the imprint is romantic is out of their fucking mind!"

"Language, Jacob." Dad frowns at me, but I can see the corners of his lips twitch as he fights back a smile.

"Sorry, Dad." I tilt my head and give him a guilty grin, not feeling sorry at all. A guy's gotta let off steam sometimes.

"So you don't feel compelled to return to Nessie's side?" Dad says cautiously. "No pull toward the Cullen house?"

"Nope, nada, zero, zilch. The imprint is broken and I'm free to follow my natural inclinations, wherever they may lead. My soul's no longer constrained and bound. That's why I'm moving back here, if ya don't mind."

"By all means; this is your house and there's plenty of room." Billy nods and waves his arm at the living room. "Your friend Paul pissed me off so much with his temper that I threw him and Rachel out. She took his side, of course. It's high time that girl learned to respect her family."

"Good. She'll have to put up with Paul and he with Rachel. Don't wanna watch their screaming fits, or worse, their kissing sessions." I stand up, stretching out my arms as I let out a wide yawn. "Gonna go to bed, Dad. I've had a tiring day and week."

On the way to my bedroom, I tug on the hem of my shirt to pull it off. It seems that the farther away I am from Ness, the hotter I get. Must be the residual effects of the imprint wearing off, or perhaps she sucked the heat off of me, just like she drained my life-force.

Nearing the door, I hear Dad call out to me. "Are you sure, son?"

I turn my head to glance at him and give him a grin. "The imprint having disappeared? I'm very sure, Dad. Emmett and I talked it over. We even pulled an all-nighter as we researched on the web." I shrug guiltily. "Well, more like looked terms over in Google, to be correct. I pieced it together with the Quileute legends you've told me, and came up with the conclusion that my wolf imprinted on her because she provided the best mix for the shifter genes to go on, right?"

Dad scrunches up his brow in thought while I scuff my boots on the floor. Finally, he nods. "That concurs with tradition. The imprint should provide the best mother for your children."

"Whatever. Mostly it's the same reason Edward was drawn to Bella; her blood calling to him proved she was the most compatible for him." I ball up my shirt and nudge open the door to throw it onto the bed, and then shoot a glance towards Dad. "Well, the purpose of the imprint doesn't matter now because when Nessie drank my blood, the compatibility you speak of was destroyed. Emm guessed my blood caused antibodies to form in her body. Thing is, if and when we should get together and try to have kids, her body would fight that and she wouldn't be able to carry to term. So the wolf is no longer drawn to her since she won't be able to bear his children; simply put, my wolf lost any interest he ever had in Nessie."

"And the soulmate thing?" Dad says, his brow furrowing with a hint of a doubt.

"I've come to the conclusion it's a made-up explanation to sweeten the slavery deal." My mouth twists in an angry snarl. "Believe me, there's nothing romantic about being shackled to a spoiled baby, tied to her well-being for the rest of eternity."

Dad nods energetically and waves me off. "It's all in the past, then, and good riddance to that. Sleep tight, Jacob, and I'll see you in the morning."

I flash him a grin before I turn in. Dad's like that, carefully weighing the options and taking into account all the facts before he makes his decision – and then he sticks with it through thick and thin. Guess it comes with the territory of being chief of the Quileute tribe, and it's something I must cultivate if I am to follow on his footsteps and those of Ephraim before him. Daunting task indeed.

But that's for tomorrow. Tonight belongs to me and my fantasies about my best buddy, the hunky vamp.

oOoOo

I lock the door so Dad won't disturb my private time and sit on the edge of the bed, glancing casually at the new bedspread Dad must've gotten from Rach. Looks inviting as hell, and I wonder how it will feel against my bare skin. Kick off my boots and stand up to pull down the zipper and shimmy off my jeans, which I throw to the corner with a twist of my left foot. Glancing down, I grimace at the thick layer of dust coating the floor. Rach obviously was too lazy to properly clean the house, and since this is her kid brother's bedroom, she didn't even dust here. I lean down, shooting my arm to reach behind the leg of the bed and pull out my trusty sneakers. Finally, I grab the elastic waistband of my boxers and pull them down, sighing as the cool air kisses my girth.

Tipping down my chin, I glance at my cock which juts proudly from my groin. I cup it lovingly, my thumb tracing the crown and gathering the wetness that has gathered there. Lift my hand, tongue lapping at my finger as I wonder what it will feel like to taste another man.

It feels great to have the liberty to play with myself without worrying about people overhearing, or living near someone who can pick up my every dirty thought and turn it against me – or an annoying kid who is too nosy for her own good and believes the world was made for her to play with.

Enough of the Cullens! I concentrate on the best of them, though, as I lay myself down sideways across the mattress. Feels more comfortable this way, since my feet hang off the too-small bed anyway. I arch my neck to glance at the ceiling as I fist my dick, eyes wide open as I picture Emmett's huge paw wrapped around me. Better yet, I imagine his swollen red lips as he goes down on me and sucks me off as if I'm the best meal he's ever had.

With a heartfelt groan, I start beating off my meat hard and fast, hips thrusting reflexively into my fist like it was Emmett's hole opening up for me. I bet he'd feel so tight around me! Yep, gripping my length like a vise as he bobs up and down, leering down at me as he fists his cock and grinds his ass on my lap.

My stomach tightens as my climax approaches and I stop with a disappointed moan. I'm not ready to spill just yet, this Emmett fantasy is too juicy to let go. Those pecs on him, God! I want to chew on his nipples, tweak them between my thumb and forefinger as I lean over his chest, bouncing up and down on his thick cock as it stretches my hole while he forces me to take him to the hilt. My hand sneaks down to rub my taint, my fingers then cup my balls, squeezing gently before they trace a path down until the thumb brushes my entrance, my hips bucking uncontrollably.

I want Emmett every way I can have him. I yearn to taste him, to take him inside myself; want to fuck his pouty lips, to thrust my dick into his smart mouth. I need to be inside him, stretching him open on my cock as I plow the bubble butt that taunted me every time he leaned down to work on the motor of his car. Panting harshly, I carefully work my dick, my release approaching like a freight train. A few seconds later, I come with a loud grunt, my seed spurting all over my abs.

In the afterglow of the orgasm, I swipe the come off my chest and lift my fingers to my mouth to lick them, imagining it is Emm's come I'm tasting after he's fucked my throat and come on my face. The thought sends sparks of pleasure up and down my body. Then I spread my arms and take deep breaths as I come down from the high of my release.

As I've just told Dad, getting rid of the imprint truly means exploring all my options and this is definitely one of them. I frown when I vaguely recall daydreams and fantasies that crowded my brain when I hit puberty, a year before Bella showed up. More often than not, they involved hard bodies grinding against mine, smooth flat chests with just the right amount of give, muscles gleaming against mine.

Didn't matter, though. The pull to protect Bella was overwhelming after I met her the time her friends went surfing at First Beach. My mind was compelled to shy away from untoward thoughts and forced itself to become pliant so I could twist myself into what Bella needed the most. So I gave up an important part of my inner life and fantasies, quashing my sex drive in the process of becoming something I wasn't. No wonder I was moody most of the time, since my sexuality unrelentingly shaped itself around Bella's needs – at the urging of the egg growing in her ovaries which would in time become Nessie.

Yet people still have the gall to laud the imprint to the heavens? They're crazy, the lot of them! They should wrap it up into a neat package and sell it to those religious nutjobs that try to cure gayness. Bet they would make a killing!

The tinny sound of the Killers' latest hit coming from the floor alerts me I have a phone call. Leaning down, I fish out the phone out of the pocket of my jeans and heft it close, grinning as Emm's icon shows the call's from him.

"Wassup, man?" I frown at my voice which is a bit hoarse I guess, after all the moaning while I jerked off.

"Jake?" Emm's deep voice comes across as concerned. "You alright, man? Sounds like you just wrestled with a newborn. Where you at?"

"Home." I plop down on the mattress, grimacing as the bedspread gets stuck on my wet flank. "Nope, I didn't catch a newborn. I'm just winded is all."

"Oh, I see." Emm's voice has a smug tone, and I can just imagine his smirk as the whole picture blooms into his raunchy mind.

"Well…" I blush furiously, grateful that Emm can't see me. We've discussed lots of things, sexuality among them, and his easy-going style certainly helped me in coping with the imprint and the aftermath of its dissolution. Nevertheless, I find it awkward to discuss my sexual fantasies with the protagonist of them. "It… it wasn't like that."

"There's nothing wrong with letting your small bad wolf out to play," Emm says in a teasing tone.

"Hey, I'll let you know I'm not small!" I huff, my face breaking out in a big grin. My chats with Emmett have been peppered with innuendos lately. Guess I just can't help myself. It's certainly a thrill to exchange banter with the big guy; Emm's the one that coaxes a laugh out of me all the time. He's the light that contrasts with Bella's sourness, and the less said about Nessie the better – in retrospect, that girl annoys me so with her spoiled ways.

And if I get a boner from time to time – heck, lots of times – well, that comes with the territory of being pals with my hunky vamp.

"I know, Jacob. I've felt the nudge of your big bad wolf when we wrestle." Emm says with a leer, I bet. Then he hurries to add. "Matter of fact, I just took care of similar business."

"You did?" I frown at the gleaming screen of the mobile. "You don't sound like it."

"Vamp abilities, remember?" Emm chuckles darkly which causes a thrill to run up and down my spine.

"So who were you thinking of? Rose?" My hand sneaks down to fluff up the pillow and I recline on my bed, cradling the phone carefully next to my cheek. It's relaxing to talk with Emm like this, bare in the night with nothing between us but the miles of darkness. Feels oddly intimate.

"Nope, I barely think about her ever since she went to the Denalis after her spat with Bella," Emm says in a serious tone, very unlike our usual banter. "Much as I loved Rose, I got her message loud and clear. She wants me out of her life as she tries to find herself."

"It sucks when you lose the love of your life, man." I sigh close to the screen, wishing Emm was close so I could give him a big hug.

"Life's like that and I had you to cheer me up, so don't be sorry for me, Jake." Emm's tone is casual yet playful, even teasing. My heart flutters at the thought of us dancing around the subject of our obvious attraction. Maybe it is time to take bold steps. After all, I'm finally free of the imprint and able to accomplish what I've yearned to do for a while now.

"So, wh... who were you thinking of?" I stammer, breathing the words next to the screen.

"Aww, that's not fair, wolf," Emm says. "Tell you what; I'll spill the goods if you tell me first."

"Nope, there's no way I'm going there." The words rush out of my mouth.

"Why?" Emm says lightly. "You pictured any girl in the Reservation?"

"Man, remember what we talked about last time?" I glance at my groin and let out a grunt at the sight of my cock twitching back to life. I recall Emm's comforting heft next to me as we spoke about my heart's desires. Wanted so much to reach out for him, but things weren't ready yet – me with Nessie hanging around my neck like the proverbial albatross, and Emm dealing with the unsettled situation with Rose. Now things have cleared up, but will we take the last step?

"At the diner? Sure," Emm whispers hoarsely. "I pointed out the waiter was cute, and you agreed with me. Man, I wanted to rip him to shreds!"

"The guy was cute," I say with a shrug.

"I was jealous, ok?" Emm says quietly. "I know we talked about you finding your way after you got over Nessie, but when you glanced at him? I imagined you leaving Forks behind and making your way alone in that community college you want to attend." There's the rustle of cloth in the background; guess Emmett is settling down on his bed. "You looked so unapproachable and forlorn, and yet so desirable it hurt."

"Why didn't you say anything, Emm?"

"Don't wanna add to your troubles, wolf."

"C'mon, big guy, it's not like that at all." My fingers ruffle my hair and I let out a sigh when I decide to take the plunge, so I just say in a rush, "Listen, the guy I jerk off to? It's you, Emm, it's always been you."

"Really?" Emm's skeptical tone betrays his disbelief.

"Man, you're so hot and… there's this pull that I feel…" I stop my babbling and take a deep breath. "Guess I just want to explore these feelings and see where they lead us."

"Damn, Jake, you don't know what you do to me!" Emmett groans and I hear the sound of his palm striking hard flesh. Sparks of heat coil in my belly at the thought of Emmett jerking off on the other side of the call. "To see you sweaty beneath me, looking helpless like you did at the diner as I have my way with you, spreading you…"

"Hold it, hold it, man." My voice is so hoarse I hardly recognize it. "There's no way our first time is gonna be phone sex! Gotta see you, Emm, gotta taste you."

"God, why do you have to sound so damn sexy?" Emm moans. "Your raspy voice sounds like you've just had my cock shoved down your throat. I wanna…"

He stops, and I hear rustling sounds in the background. Feels like he's tearing the bed to pieces or something.

"Listen, Jake, I'm coming over," he finally says.

"To the Rez?" I shake my head in disbelief. "Are you nuts, man? Sam'll tear you to pieces if you break the Treaty."

"Sam can kiss my ass!" Emm says loudly while I groan at the mental imagery his words evoke. To knead that supple backside and taste him there, making him squirm as I eat him out, that's too much to bear at the moment.

"…. have a way," he says and I shake my head, trying to collect my thoughts.

"What did ya say?" I whisper.

"I'll come over, just leave Sam to me." There's the sound of leather rubbing together which makes me think Emm is putting on his belt. "Listen, you've said you don't have to go on patrol for a while, right?"

"Sure, sure." I nod at the mobile even though he can't see me. "You're gonna take me away?"

"Only for the night," Emm says. "It's nine o'clock, so there's plenty of time to find a secluded spot. Perhaps a motel."

"Wow, my wicked vamp is planning a seduction!" I whisper hoarsely.

"Really, wolf?" He laughs softly. "You seduced me first with those tantalizing glimpses of your perfect body."

"So it's only my body you lust after?" I settle my head on the soft pillow, smiling into the phone as I gaze up at the ceiling. Talking with Emm is like this; we can go from playful to intense in a heartbeat. He's truly a guy's guy, the person I can talk sports with, wrestle with and talk about issues of life and death. He's all that and more.

"Nope, your perfect face, the dimples on your cheeks when you smile at me just so, the sparks in your brown eyes," Emmett says quickly. "The whole package, wrapped around your heart of gold. Lemme tell you that if we go on with this… I want it all, Jake, the good and the bad, through thick and thin with you, forever."

Overwhelmed by his words, I lower the phone and press it against my heaving chest. Back when I was younger I wanted something like this, to give my heart and soul to the person I chose. Then life turned into an ugly greasy bitch and shoved Bella at me, and then her ungodly spawn Nessie.

Seems like Q'wati at long last is smiling down on me, and the Quileute Creator sees fit to grant this boon to one of his shifters.

I feel the vibrations of Emm's voice rumbling against my chest and I pick up the phone, hefting it next to my cheek. "You heard that? It's my heart beating, Emm. Can't promise you forever 'cause it's beyond my reach, but I can tell you that right now this heart's beating for you."

"Hold on, wolf," he manages to say, his voice sounding heavy and hoarse although he doesn't need air to breathe. "I'm coming right over."

tbc