Paul Lahote's entire life shifts at the sight at Valentina Thurston. Her warmth and kindness effectively forces him to reconsider his bad boy persona he'd put on for so long. Though, she does have her own small, ever-growing, obstacles to overcome...
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As they all sat around the fire, Val got the feeling that she shouldn't be there. Paul assured her that she should hear the stories, that they would pertain to her. It was all so confusing. When she felt a warm arm gently caressing her waist, she instantly felt at ease. She laid her head on his shoulder and, to an outside, it would look as if they had been together for years.
Jacob's father began to tell the legends of the tribe. He told of their supposed descent from wolves, meant to protect the tribe from dangerous outsiders, shifting to their original form to tear the intruders apart. The thought made Val feel slightly nauseous, her stomach turning. The stories got less violent, luckily, when he began explaining the tale of the spirit warrior's mates. They felt the pull, and nothing else mattered. Of course, he explained, they weren't always romantic soulmates, sometimes destined to be twin flames, intertwined in a passionate friendship. Then it clicked. Paul, the boys on the reservation, were spirit warriors. He had imprinted on her, the pull she felt was real.
It was at that moment she realised the look he was giving her. Was their "love at first sight" real? Did he feel like he had to be with her now? Paul stood up, extending a hand to her. She noticed she was slightly shaking, but took it anyway.
When they got far enough away, Paul sat her down on a tree stump, reminding her to breathe.
"You're-"
"Calm down," he instructed, "breathe. I'll explain everything."
After she got her breathing under control, he began to explain himself. Val listened as he told her the first time he shifted at 16, how scared he was. Paul told her about the first time he saw her, how it permanently altered his DNA, rewired his brain.
"You're now the reason that I do...well, anything, really. You're the reason I fight for the tribe, wake up in the morning, hell, even breathe!"
"Well, I'll be honest, that's a lot of responsibility. Is it weird that I don't feel it though? The weight of that? Being with you...it just feels so natural. Is that weird? It's weird."
Paul smiled and, for a second, Val's heart stopped. "No. Not weird at all."
"Good. Good." Again, Paul extended his hand and Val took it before asking, "Wait. Did Leah...imprint...on Addy?"
He nodded. "She's having the same conversation right about now."
"Billy said something about the imprint being meant to carry on the wolf gene. How would that work for them?"
Paul sighed, "Leah's the first female shifter, there's a lot we didn't know, that we're still learning. This is one of those things, we didn't even know she could, let alone that she would." Val nodded, still confused, but slightly more understanding of the situation.
Addy looked at her sister, making sure she was okay. Val nodded, feeling that familiar warmth around her waist. She melted into it, the feeling was so natural. It was real, she decided, the love at first sight.
When she sat back down, his arm wrapped around her abdomen, a weird feeling originated in her stomach. She placed a hand there, worried about her babies. A thump bounced on her hand and she realised. One of them was kicking.
"What is that?" Paul asked, his ears seeming to perk up.
"Are you...hearing them kick?" It truly astounded her, the abilities they were said to have.
He shrugged his shoulders, then held his hand right before her stomach, looking into her eyes for permission. When she nodded, he gently placed it right where she had felt the kick. When his hand met the surface of her bump, she felt another kick and laughed at the sensation. More kicks came and she wasn't sure if it was from one or both. Addy rushed over, eager to feel the presence of the babies. Softer kicks brushed over the hand of her sister.
Bella and Leah also wanted to feel her stomach. "Oh great, now I'm a show," Val said sarcastically. They laughed but continued to marvel at the feeling.
"It's weird. It's real now," Val explained as she sat in Paul's truck. They had been in her driveway for about fifteen minutes, just talking. He nodded, it had become real to him too that night.
"Have you thought of any names?" She shook her head.
"It just seems kinda far off. Besides, I won't know the genders for another few weeks." Val began playing with his fingers. "Speaking of...would you...I don't know...wanna come? To the anatomy scan?"
His face lit up. "You want me there for that?"
She laughed, "I mean, yeah, if we're gonna be together forever and all, I want you to be there." He nodded eagerly, agreeing to be there.
Fifteen minutes before Val and Daniela were set to leave for her appointment, a red truck parked in their driveway. Paul was nervously waiting, his hands wringing each other as if it would dissolve the nerves. He jumped at the sight of the green eyed girl smiling at the driver's side window. Laughs erupted from her throat and all he could do was stare at her. She truly was a light in a world of dark tunnels and deadends.
"You should come in, my dad wants to meet you." Paul couldn't help but notice how calm she was.
With memories of his past, he had to ask, "He won't, like, hate me or anything, right?"
Val giggled and assured him, "No, no. He knows how much you mean to me." Noticing the sudden look of fear on his face she mentioned, "Of course, the watered down version, we didn't tell them everything. Addy mentioned she met someone and I just said that I felt more for you than I ever have."
He nodded and took a deep breath, finally stepping out of his truck. Their hands magnetized and he followed her to the door, where a woman who was obviously her mother held it open.
"Salut Paul! I've heard so much about you!" She pulled him in for a surprising hug.
A tall, bearded man met them in the foyer. He didn't quite match up to Paul's stature, but his grip when they shook hands was firm.
"You must be Paul, I'm Chris," he said confidently.
Paul returned, "Yes sir. Paul Lahote, I live on the reservation. I've heard that you guys have met Sue."
Daniela lit up. "You know Sue?! You must tell her that I want to see her again, I need her brownie, uh, recipe!"
"Of course," Paul said, laughing, "she speaks highly of you. So does Val, you guys are great from what I've heard." It was fairly obvious from the somber look in his eyes that family was a sore spot for him.
"Well, we need to go, but this," Val gestured, "was fun."
The office, as usual, was cold. Hearing teeth chattering from the girl beside him, Paul reached his arm around her waist and she melded into his side. Her heart sped up when her name was called and Paul's grip tightened only slightly.
Once the gown was on and she was laid down on the bed, the ultrasound tech entered the room. She performed the usual casualties and greetings, warned her of the cold gel, and began the scan.
"And did you want to know the sexes?"
Val thought for a moment, then answered, "No, actually."
Daniela seemed confused, "Why not ma cherie?"
"I think I want Addy to know, and then the photoshoot can be the gender reveal."
The tech smiled and went to print out the paperwork. Paul brushed the hair out of Val's eyes and they stared at each other for a minute. Her hand gripped his tightly and he kissed her knuckles.
"Alright, they're in this envelope, and, next time, I'm gonna need to see those pictures!"
