It's been a while. Life remains stressful and tough as I stagger from one disaster to the next with as much grace and dignity as I can muster. Previously mentioned issues remain, and the muse completely left the building. Other chapters flew off my fingertips with little to no effort on my part, but writing this chapter has been like trying to squeeze blood from a stone. I think I averaged about one sentence a month, each one making me want to pull my hair out. But the muse appears to have made a return visit, and I have, on many occasions assured people that I have no intention of giving up on this mammoth. So to prove it, here's the hardest-written chapter I've ever produced. :0)

Stephenie Meyer owns the Twilight Saga. I own twitchy fingers that enjoy writing for no profit.

Chapter 42: Discussion and Dilemmas

Dinner with Charlie had worked out to be both more and less awkward than I'd thought.

I probably would've felt a little less uncomfortable if I'd not been standing in a cold shower, willing down my ferocious hard-on while I could hear him downstairs with Bella, rooting through the take-out bags. I couldn't make myself regret whipping Bella's towel away though, despite the predicament it had left me in; the combination of her delectable naked body, her beautiful clear creamy skin adorned with that deep blush I so enjoyed, and her shocked/outraged/embarrassed expression, all overlaid with that wonderful aroma of her desire was a memory I would treasure.

Bella had, of course, been completely right; if we'd shared the shower like I'd suggested, we would've been caught out in a very uncomfortable position, and I already had a lingering guilt hanging over me from the way I had jumped to the conclusion that Charlie had broken his promise and let the wolf out of the bag to Bella. I was filled with relief that I hadn't added to that guilt by letting him catch us in the act in his own bathroom.

My relief over not having been busted by Bella's father was all too soon forgotten though; Charlie's reaction to our news not only hurt, but was actually kind of terrifying. The fury that crossed his face before he realised that I'd imprinted and wasn't just stringing Bella along wasn't anything I'd ever seen from him before. Had I been entirely human, I honestly think I would've shit myself.

As things were, His reaction was terrifying for a very different reason. The way he was getting in my face was taken by my wold as a direct challenge, and I was immediately thrown into yet another internal battle for control. My grip on the reins was slipping, and I didn't know how many more seconds my desperate plea of "No, no, no. That's her father, that's her father!" was going to hold the wolf back, so I was overwhelmingly relieved when Bella calmly and gently got her dad to back down and slump back in his seat.

I couldn't hold Charlie's anger against him as it merely demonstrated his deep love for his daughter. But although his fury died off once he realised the true situation, the sorrow that replaced it, the exhaustion and defeat evident in his eloquent "Oh crap" cut me to the core.

I remained quiet for much of the conversation; at first silent because I was internally agreeing with what I'd assumed was his unspoken opinion that I didn't deserve Bella, then, when that misapprehension was corrected, feeling a tightness in my chest caused by pride that this man who I was beginning to think of as a father figure considered me a good man and thought me worthy of his daughter. It made it nearly impossible to get enough breath to speak.

When Charlie revealed his real reasons for his dismay at myself and Bella imprinting I couldn't help but agree with him on a logical level, despite how my wolf was snarling at both of us. Having seen first-hand just what the abandonment of the copper-headed leech had done to Bella, the thought of her being in a similar state due to me was horrifying. True; the only way I could ever leave her was if I died, but the fact that I wouldn't be there to witness the devastation didn't make the mental image any better. Still, it was a natural part of imprinting – the price we all had to pay for the amazing gift of finding our soul-mate – and the truth was that it went both ways. I would be unable to continue if I ever lost her, in fact our legends stated outright that a wolf who lost his imprint wouldn't survive for long.

Without giving either Bella or I the chance to discuss Charlie's first concern, he brought up his second, more worrying problem. It had taken me months to get over the loss of my plans and dreams for my future which had become inevitable after I phased for the first time, and I knew from the pack mind that the same was true of the other guys, hell Paul was still bitter about having to remain on the Rez for the rest of his life; that was where a lot of his anger towards the Cullens, and by association Bella, came from. Imprinting on Rachel had calmed him a little and taken a bit of the edge off the rage, but it was still there with him, a dull throbbing in the background from his part of the pack mind. So I was astonished at how quickly Bella was able to shake off her own loss and re-focus her mind on new possibilities. The last thing I wanted was for her to miss out on anything she wished for, especially if I was the cause, and so I instantly resolved that I would help her find and achieve her new dreams, whatever they might be, anything to make her as happy as she had made me just by being a part of my life.

My pride at her wanting to help better my… our… tribal community felt like a living thing trying to burst out of my body. Not an unfamiliar feeling for me, what with phasing for years, but this was a much more comfortable bursting feeling; warm and cosy around my heart, and her repetitive stroking of my knuckles with her thumb, which had been very effective in keeping me calm and relaxed during the conversation, was interrupted by my reflexive squeezing of her hand as my mix of awe, pride and - although I knew it was ridiculously early in our relationship to even think it, let alone actually voice it - love pushed to the surface, almost forcing me to speak.

"You really are the most amazing woman, Bella." I began, my tone clearly reflecting my feelings for her. I continued on, with her predictably blushing away under the onslaught of compliments and with Charlie nodding away in agreement of everything I said as I explained how impressive it was that she was able to accept and adapt so quickly in the face of shattered dreams.

"What you're both forgetting to take into account is that until a couple of weeks ago I didn't think I had any future at all to speak of and my only real ambition was to prevent Dad from being killed along with me. So to find out now that I've got to make a few adjustments to my college plans… let's just say I'm too grateful to actually have a fighting chance to live that long to spend more than a few seconds regretting what could've been."

Her answer was both predictably self-depreciating and upsetting to both me and my wolf. Charlie paled at the idea too, and I didn't think her matter-of-fact tone helped. I couldn't hold back the low rumbling growl at the thought of that red-headed leech bitch getting her teeth anywhere near my imprint and it seemed to echo around the silent kitchen for a moment before Bella dragged the conversation in another direction to break the tension.

She began in a rush, her voice seemingly over-loud in the hushed room, as she answered Charlie's first concern over our imprinting; his fear about what would happen to Bella if she lost me.

I was delighted, and my wolf calmed considerably, by how quick Bella was to shrug off this possibility and how certain she sounded about our relationship being worth any potential future hurt. My imprint was certainly firm in her convictions, maybe even stubborn, and I could envision many pitched battles between us in the future when our opinions clashed. Strangely neither my wolf nor I was at all concerned by this possibility. In fact my wolf seemed to be full of anticipation for an opportunity to butt heads with her. I guessed neither one of us wanted our mate to be a push-over or a doormat.

Charlie's weak smile when Bella was done only held the tiniest trace of his worry and sadness. I hoped it was enough to appease her. I was more than willing to take it as a sign that he would try to shift his focus from the negative to the positive, and I would help him along as much as I could by making sure Bella was always as happy as it was in my power to make her.

With a sudden shift in his seat and a loud clap of his hands, Charlie signalled a clear end to the discussion and, hauling himself tiredly to his feet, he began collecting the now cold remnants of our meal. It had to have been the first time since I phased that there actually were any remnants. It demonstrated, as if I needed the hint, just how serious the mealtime conversation had been.

"So I guess all that's left is for me to do is casually threaten you with violence, Sam, if you upset my little girl, or knock her up." He threw nonchalantly over his shoulder as he opened the fridge. "After all, as the Chief of police, I know exactly how to hide the body, and while I know I couldn't take you in a fight, I do have access to several firearms." My brain completely froze for a moment, images of Bella, her belly round with our child, with my child flashing behind my eyes. The warm contented feeling that the images gave me; the sense of rightness, of home and family and love, were almost alarming in their strength. Regardless of the fact that our relationship was basically only a couple of hours old, I instantly new beyond any doubts that children with Bella was exactly what I wanted. Eventually. My wolf was in agreement up to a point, but his "Yes, yes, yes. Now, now, now." Which he was chanting in the background made it more than clear that eventually wouldn't be soon enough for him. I was so caught-up in the idea of my pregnant mate that Charlie's semi-joking threat went almost completely un-noticed by me, although judging by Bella's shocked expression, the same couldn't be said for her.

"Beer?" Charlie's offer, made in exactly the same cool tone as his threat had been, made Bella gape, her expression now matching my own, although – I was fairly certain – for a very different reason. Turning, Charlie waggled a bottle in my direction to get a reply. The action had my hand reaching automatically for the beer even as I worked my mouth silently, trying to clear my head of the wonderful images, to form an appropriate answer.

Finally, Bella saved me the trouble of replying.

"Seriously, Dad?" She choked out with a gasp. "'Knock me up?' Are you kidding me? Seriously?" Her face was a full-on inferno, I could almost feel the heat from my place at the table. Charlie's eyes were sparkling with amusement at our expressions, clearly enjoying himself now.

"Bells it's my job to threaten your boyfriend, no matter how good a man he might be." He said, his voice and expression positively dripping with unconvincing innocence. Suddenly an evil grin spread across his face. "The fact that I'm enjoying it, is a completely unexpected bonus."

Bella's "For fuck's sake" came from behind her face-palm. Quiet enough to prevent Charlie from hearing it, but perfectly clear to my enhanced hearing. I gave a low chuckle, finally recovering from my pleasant, if inconvenient daydreams. Luckily, Charlie seemed to accept this laugh as a response to his goading.

My chuckle became an all-out laugh when Charlie pointed out to Bella that my mom was probably much worse on the embarrassing comment front, and Bella's wry eye roll confirmed that she'd already been on the receiving end of what my mom considered acceptable conversation. I wondered idly if I could pry the gist of their conversation out of either of them.

The atmosphere in the room was a real relief to us all, I was sure, but I was especially glad to have the tension lifted; the fight to keep my wolf under control was almost always going on in the background of my day-to-day life, but in tense situations like this had been, the battle was much harder to keep hidden.

Charlie began to wander off towards the living room, gesturing vaguely with his beer bottle for Bella and I to follow, and I unfolded myself from the chair accordingly, not noticing until we were nearly out of the room that Bella wasn't following behind. I looked over to find her staring with glazed eyes into space. I couldn't help but wonder what had her so deep inn thought, but not knowing how well it would go down if I asked, I decided not to risk it, especially with Charlie still within hearing.

"Bella, are you coming?" my voice seemed to jar her out of her introspection, and she looked up from my daze, surprised to find that she was alone at the table. Tiredly, she hauled herself to her feet, wincing at her protesting muscles and trailed wearily along behind us to slump down on the couch with a loud groan. Despite the fact that I'm sure he was as concerned as I was about her exhaustion, Charlie and I both chuckled quietly at her. I hesitated for a second before I joined her on the couch, not sure how Charlie would take it if I cosied up to Bella the way I wanted to in front of him. After the tense and serious discussion in the kitchen, I really needed physical contact with my imprint, her touch was so calming and restorative and I knew without even having to think about it that feeling her curled up against me would completely dissipate the remnants of disquiet I was still feeling. "Fuck it." I thought, sitting down and pulling her around and across and Sam sat alongside me, pulling me around and across to lean up against me, "Charlie's going to have to get used to this at some point, so I might as well start as I mean to go on." I leant down slightly to bury my nose in Bella's hair, her scent chasing away all traces of tension from my body, and raised an eyebrow at Charlie, looking for his response.

"Might as well piss a circle around her." He rolled his eyes and muttered grumpily under his breath, quiet enough that Bella wouldn't catch it, but easily within my own hearing, and I chuckled lowly but didn't change my position. Bella's body was already relaxing and drooping up against mine - apparently she'd needed the contact almost as much as me – and from her slowing breathing, it seemed she was well on her way towards an extremely well-earned sleep.

She didn't join in as Charlie and I began a light-hearted debate about the Seahawks and how they'd played last season. I guessed from her general day-to-day lack of co-ordination that she wasn't much of a sports fan, added to which, she'd had an incredibly hard and stressful day, but she seemed content to sit and drowse as we talked, and soon her breathing and heart-rate settled into what appeared to be a sleep pattern.

A few minutes later, noticing that Bella had drifted off, Charlie sat forward, a serious look on his face and his beer clenched tightly between his hands.

"I meant what I said, Sam, you're a good man, and I'd be proud to have you in my family, but no matter how old she gets, that right there", he gestured at my sleeping mate, "is my baby girl. She's all I have in this world and you had better keep her safe and happy, or no amount of hair and teeth will protect you from me." He gave a heavy swallow, blinking back the pooling moisture in his eyes as I nodded solemnly.

"Charlie, you know I will; she's almost literally become the center of my universe now." I replied without hesitation. It was the clearest fact in my life to me, and I wanted him to see that. "I won't hurt her like the leech did; I can't, it's hardwired into me now." Charlie gave a heavy sigh and his eyes dropped to his beer bottle, one finger tracing a line of condensation as it worked its way down the glass.

"However much I dislike the boy, and the way he damaged Bells when the family left, there was no escaping the fact that he felt very strongly for her, it was clear in the way he looked at her." A low growl began to build up in the back of my throat at the thought that anyone else, let alone a fucking leech, might have feelings for my mate. I fought it back with great effort, not wanting to wake her, as Charlie continued. "Feelings that strong don't just get dropped over night, you know. There's every chance that he might come back sometime, and I don't want any trouble." His gaze snapped up to meet mine, showing the steel in his normally placid demeanour.

What I wanted to tell Charlie was that the undead dick wouldn't ever be coming near MY Bella ever again, but as much as I was beginning to realise that she had a bit of a thing for my caveman tendencies when it came to sex, I knew that there was no way she was going to let that shit fly in day to day life. My imprint was a strong and intelligent woman; an adult and my equal, and I was going to have to resign myself – within certain boundaries – to abide by her decisions when it came to her own life. Well, as long as she wasn't putting herself in danger that is.

Mentally gritting my teeth at the necessity, I voiced the conclusion I'd just come to.

"Well obviously if he did, either alone, or with the rest of them, I'd find it hard to let him come near Bella, but I learned very quickly not to smother her, so as much as the wolf and the imprint bond allows it, I'll play nice, and there'll be no trouble…unless he starts it." The last part had more than a hint of the growl I was attempting to fight back and both of us quickly darted a look at Bella to make sure I'd not woken her. "If they come do come back, I'll have to have a meeting with the Doctor anyway, as the Chief. We can't have them so close to the Rez anymore. The pack is already the largest in our histories, and with so many new wolves, tempers are going to fray if the leeches are constantly around again, especially if they're trying to spend time with an imprint. The pack mind will see it as a threat, and I'll spend more than half my time trying to keep the newer wolves, and Paul, from ripping the leeches to shreds. With them so close, there's a chance that even more, younger boys, and apparently girls will begin the change as well, and I want to avoid that if at all possible. With everything that's going on right now, I don't need the extra worry of managing a wolf crèche. Charlie gave an amused grunt at that, sitting back in his chair and taking a long pull of his beer.

"Well as long as you're aware of the problems that would crop up if the Cullens as a whole, or Edward in particular, did turn up, then I'd suggest putting those worries on the back burner for now, if I was you. You've got more than enough on your plate with this red-head." He said, his casual tone hiding the concern I knew he felt regarding the threat to Bella. I nodded.

"Agreed. Though things on that front have been strangely quiet recently. No new attempts to breech the perimeter we've set up, no new sightings or scents, no new threats made. A helpful as that has been with training the newer wolves, I can't help but find her sudden restraint suspicious. There's always a small part of me wondering what she's up to." I scowled as I finished up the rest of my beer.

"I can understand that, son," Charlie replied, heading into the kitchen to grab a fresh beer for each of us and talking over his shoulder as he went, "but I learned a long time ago that when it comes to the big things in life, you can make sure you're aware of the potential problems, you can plan for the worst, and hope for the best, but when trouble actually comes, all you can do is handle what comes when it comes." I took a moment to appreciate the warmth that came with him calling me "son", knowing his advice was as sound as I'd come to expect from him.

"Well even though a new wolf comes with their own challenges for an Alpha, I can't help but be a little pleased about the size of the pack. Higher numbers do mean more protection for the tribe and specifically for Bella and you, Charlie." He passed me a new beer and flopped back down into his chair with a slight groan. "From what we've been observing, we'll be gaining yet another new member of the pack in Quil before much longer. Maybe we'll get lucky and the red-head will keep away long enough for me to have him fully trained before she shows her face again. The element of surprise will be a big help too, even without counting the advantage of higher numbers."

Charlie gave me a curious look, tapping his fingernails against his bottle briefly before speaking again. "It's not something you've ever chosen to speak about to me, and I'm certain this falls under the category of tribal business, but with the most recent developments," he glanced down at Bella snuggled comfortably under my arm, "I figure I'm a step or two closer to having a right to know about this, so I'll risk the question; What exactly is it about the wolves that has Old Quil in such a state?"

For what seemed like the hundredth time I cursed myself for forgetting the incredible perceptiveness that was a part of the nature of both father and daughter. Sure, Charlie hadn't been present at any of the tribal council meetings, but Old Quil's attitude was so obvious that Charlie wouldn't have had to see the old man interact with me, or any of the pack more than once to see that there was clearly an issue.

"One day I'll get used to you and your daughter shocking me with your perception." I griped at him and took a long swig of my beer. Charlie just smirked at me and raised his brow, waiting for an answer.

"Well you know, I've been wondering about Old Quil myself for a good long while now." I started with a frown. "Ever since I first phased, that old codger has been nothing but belligerent, condescending, and downright obstructive. He tries his best to interfere with any and all decisions regarding the pack, hoards secrets like they're treasure; either from the outside world or from the council and the pack, and he fights tooth and nail to be in control over us wolves, not realising that his 'control' is a complete illusion. The only one with any control over the pack is me as Alpha."

I took a deep breath, not wanting to allow my anger with the old man to affect the warm cocoon of comfort I was enjoying with my imprint asleep in my arms. "As far as I can tell there are several facets to his agenda, but behind them all is a real fear, I'd even go so far as to call it a phobia, of us wolves." I glanced over at Charlie, wondering what his take on the situation might be. Having his sharp mind on the case might, for once, be to my advantage.

"Son, I'm not sure that fear of horse-sized wolves isn't a normal and natural reaction." He grinned over at me. "But from the tone of your voice you seem surprised?" He stated it as a question, encouraging me to continue along my train of thought.

"Yeah, I'd accept a fair bit of nervousness, Charlie, at least at first, but here we are more than two years after my first phase, and his reaction to an unexpected phase in front of him is to cower behind a chair like a frightened mouse." I snorted in disgust. "The thing is though, that of everyone, he should have the least reason to be afraid of us; Old Quil is the only living person to have witnessed any of the wolves from the last pack – his father was one of them, and Quil II last phased when the now 'Old Quil' was about six or seven years old. That's plenty old enough for him to remember clearly and to understand what he was seeing." I rubbed tiredly at my face, still confused as hell by the old man's reaction to the pack.

Charlie sat back in his chair, idly swirling his beer in the bottle and staring into the middle distance absently.

"You know, maybe that's the problem." He suggested absently. "Ok, so he saw the last pack. But was it a positive experience? Could he have seen something that set this fear into him as a child and now he's well into his old age he just can't chase the fear away?"

It was an interesting thought; a childhood trauma can set up a lifelong phobia, and who knows what could be considered traumatic to a six or seven-year-old child.

"That has some merit, Charlie." I replied, straightening up a little on the sofa, carefully so as not to disturb Bella. "Maybe I should dedicate a bit more time and concentration to those old journals that Billy gave me. Quil II's journal is in the stack and perhaps there may be something there that might shed a little light on the issue." I took another mouthful for beer. "Whatever the cause for the man's fear though, I'm done with letting him condescend to me and try to control the pack's actions. I'm the Alpha and his Chief, and it's high time that Old Quil accepted that."

Charlie gave me an approving and proud smile, raising his bottle to me in salute, and I revelled in the warm feeling it gave me to have him proud of me.

"He might try to press his advantage with the council being an Elder down, and try something while Harry's laid up." He warned me in a quiet and even tone. "Can Sue stand in for Harry in the council until he's back on his feet?" It was another good suggestion.

"That's a very good idea." I told him. "I'll talk to Billy about it tomorrow and broach Sue on the subject as soon as we know the prognosis for Harry. I don't want to put too much extra onto Sue's plate under the current circumstances" I grimaced, the expression mirrored by Charlie "but I can't and won't let Old Quil start trying to push his agenda."

Charlie leaned forward and quietly placed his now empty bottle on the coffee table. "obviously I don't know how things are done in the council meetings and I don't know how tribal laws are made and enforced," he edged carefully, "but it seems to me that you're getting hampered and tied up by a lot of old traditions and laws that don't appear to be relevant any longer. Now maybe I'm completely off course, or maybe it's just now possible with the way your tribal laws are, but if it were me in your shoes, I'd be seeing about getting some of those laws amended at the very least, if not set aside completely. If Old Quil is causing too many problems and is making it hard for you to do what needs to be done for the safety and wellbeing of your tribe, then surely, it's time for you to make your full power as Alpha and Chief known and put your foot down. Maybe now, when he thinks he's got the advantage would be the ideal moment?"

I stared at him, amazed. It had never occurred to me to even imagine changing the way the laws stated we had to handle things. Charlie was right though – on all fronts. I was getting my hands tied by old and irrelevant laws, Old Quil was hampering my ability to protect my tribe efficiently, and God damnit it was time that I fully took up the mantle as Chief fully and put my fucking foot down!

I was just about to respond when the way my body had stiffened as I realised how right Charlie was caused Bella to stir in her sleep. I glanced down at her quickly, instantly distracted from our conversation by how beautiful and peaceful she looked curled up against me. I could feel and embarrassing sappy smile plastering itself across my face instantly and I quickly glanced up, hoping Charlie hadn't noticed. He had. With a huge roll of his eyes and an even huger smirk he jerked his head in the direction of the stairs,

"Go on and take her up to her bed then." He grunted "I know you'll feel better for at least knowing she's safely tucked up before you leave," I gave him a grateful nod and, carefully gathering Bella up into my arms, I stood as fluidly as possible so as not to disturb her and started up the stairs. Before I was halfway up, Charlie added a cautionary note. "Don't be taking forever up there though; accepting as I may be about you imprinting on my baby girl, I'm not ready for you to start climbing into her bed with her while I'm right across the hall." He shuddered a little and fixed me with a stern glare. "You've got two more minutes and then I want to go to bed. You can take the couch if you're staying?" He raised a questioning brow.

I thought about it quickly, not wanting to leave Bella at all so soon after our imprinting, but no matter how much I hated the thought, I had duties to carry out and I really needed to phase in and get an update from the pack. I reluctantly shook my head,

"Thanks for the offer, Charlie, but I've got wolves to check on and a Rez to get back to tonight" I said regretfully. "I'll leave Bella a text, so she knows why I had to leave this evening, and I'll be back over to see her as soon as I'm able tomorrow." At Charlie's approving nod, I continued on up the stairs and laid Bella down on her bed, pulling off her shoes and jeans, trying desperately not to chub up in my shorts at the sight of her, fuck me seriously, long and beautiful legs, and tucking her covers around her gently. I pressed a kiss onto her forehead, taking in another good lungful of her delicious scent. "Definitely even more enticing than before." I confirmed to myself "maybe it's because she's now my imprint?" I shrugged the thought off for now. I had more than enough on my list to keep me busy for months. Bella's scent could take a place in the queue behind the more urgent stuff.

"Night, Babe." I whispered as I left her room, then I trudged reluctantly down the stairs and said a quick goodbye to Charlie before leaving the house, hearing him lock up behind me.