Dusk till Dawn | Paul Lahote ✔️

Chapter 15

"Congratulations!" Emily beamed, kissing me on the cheek. Leah and Destiny were standing in the living room, wearing bright smiles on their faces as Leah and Destiny held hands. I had no idea where the boys were, though I had a feeling they were probably in a meeting or doing wolf things... even though Leah was here with us.

Not that Leah did a lot of stuff with the pack, she enjoyed being independent from them for as much as she can. I didn't blame her for that at all.

Flushing, I give Emily a bright smile. "Thanks Em, it doesn't feel real." I admit, even as I held the graduation proof in my hands.

"You deserve this," Destiny grins widely, her eyes sparkling as she bounds over to me and kisses me on the cheek, hugging me.

"Des is right," Leah nods in agreement, a smirk on her face. "If anyone deserves to graduate early it's you. You've worked hard to get here," she gives me a warm smile, which makes me smile back at her. Being done with everything was a surreal feeling. No more homework. No more late study nights. No more all nighters to get homework done for the next day.

I was free to do what I wanted.

"What's the next step?" Emily asked me curiously, raising an eyebrow as Destiny walks back over to Leah, Leah placing her arm over Destiny's shoulders and pulling her girlfriend closer to her.

"Well," I paused, considering. "There's a building in La Push that I'm going to look at for my bookstore. Old Quil mentioned it to Paul once since he knew I was looking for a building for it, and it seems like a reasonable price - plus it's in town." I grinned at the thought of finally owning my own bookstore. "It'll take a few months before everything is settled if I do decide to get it, and I'll have to order all the books I'll need... but it's a start." I shrugged, though on the inside I was brindled with excitement.

"You talked about owning a bookstore even when we met years ago..." Destiny trailed off with a chuckle, giving me a soft smile. "I'm glad your dreams are coming true, Laney." I was too. This was something I've wanted as long as I can remember. And even now, knowing that I'll have a forever home here in La Push - being able to be close to dad. That was a dream come true.

It was the next day and they had thrown a bonfire together for me. Even dad had come to celebrate me graduating early. Bella hadn't shown up, which was to be expected. I figured Edward probably forbade her from coming down here, considering everything that's happened between her and Jacob. Not that it's ever stopped Bella from doing something before, but Bella was probably still wary from coming down since the commotion she caused with Jacob.

Which I didn't blame her for. Jacob was the one who ruined a good thing there.

"Save some food for the others, Cameron!" I snapped towards the boy, sighing in amusement as the boy puts his hands up in surrender. Jared had been there for a while chowing down on the finger foods that Sue and Embry's mother, Tiffany had brought over for the graduation bonfire.

"This isn't all for me!" He argues, carrying two plastic plates filled with sandwiches and chips. "One of them is Kim's!"

"Then walk away from the snack bar, stupid!" I snickered, watching him roll his eyes at me as he makes his way towards his girlfriend - who had an amused look on her face as she takes the plate that is handed to her. The party was in full swing, everyone having a fun time and enjoying themselves. It was all I wanted and more, and I couldn't be any happier.

Glancing around the party, I saw my dad talking to Billy and Old Quil. A small smile forms on my face as I walk over to the three person group. "I'm glad you could show up, dad. I feel like I've been seeing less of you," I teased him, giving him a hug.

He hugs me back tightly, pulling back with a beaming smile on his face. "I wasn't about to miss this for the world, Laney. You worked too hard to graduate early," he kisses my temple, and I flush at the attention we were receiving. While I wasn't as attention shy as Bella was, dad rarely showed attention in public. Even with a small gathering like this, so it was a rare occurrence when it did happen.

"Yes," Billy smiled and I glanced over at him, his eyes twinkling happily. "Charlie tells me you're opening a bookstore in La Push?"

I grinned at Billy. "It's been my dream ever since I could remember to own a bookstore. I'm lucky that there's a building in town that's for sale." It was just pure luck that it was even close to both dad's house and Paul's house, or as Paul liked to remind me our house.

"We could benefit from a bookstore," Old Quil remarked with a twinkling smile. "I believe the closest one we have is in Seattle, right Bill?" Old Quil glanced over at him.

"How do you plan on getting books in, Laney?" Billy inquired, seeming interested.

"Well I plan on getting the popular books in demand right now in," I pondered, thinking it over in my head. "Then I'll let the locals tell me what books they want, see what's popular around here. Probably some books on the legends around here, which I am sure will sell well." I thought out loud, somewhat glad that he was asking me this question. It always helped me when I said my ideas out loud to get them solid in my mind.

Billy nods his head, agreeing with my ideas. "That sounds like a solid plan, Laney. I'm proud of you." He gives me a warm smile, which makes my cheeks begin to burn at the praise. I wasn't used to so much praise at once, and it made me happy thinking that I was finally doing what I wanted in life.

"Do you have a name for your bookstore?" Dad looked at me with a soft smile on his face, and I grinned when he asked me. I was waiting on someone to ask what the bookstore was going to be named.

I turned towards Billy, smirking when he raised an eyebrow at me. "How does Howling Reads sound?" I grinned wider when the two older males snorted at the pun, though dad was confused about the name.

"Howling Reads?" He echoes with a raised eyebrow.

"A take on the La Push legends," I shrugged, smirking at myself with the title I came up with. No one would be the wiser, it would be an inside joke between everyone who knew and that was the best thing to me.

"It's perfect," Billy agrees with a chuckle, amused.

Someone cleared their throat and I turned around, beaming when I saw my fiancée. "Laney, can I uh... talk to you for a moment?" He asked, seemingly nervous about something as he glances over to my father - who nods with a small knowing smile on his own face.

Furrowing my eyebrows I nodded my head, allowing Paul to lead me away from the three older males as they talked quietly among themselves again. "What's up, babe?" I asked him as he started to walk me away from the bonfire that was hosted for me.

Paul breathed in a deep sigh, taking my hand as he leads me down the beach. "There's been something I wanted to ask you, and now that you're graduated..." He pulls me in front of his house and I furrowed my eyebrows when he holds out a key - a costumed made key of a gray wolf. "I already asked your dad, and he said it was okay. Well he more so said that you were a damn adult who could make her own decisions," Paul rambled and I smiled softly - he only rambled when he was nervous.

"Paulie, sweetie, breathe." I remind him and he nods his head, taking another deep breath.

"Well this is your house," he continued, much more at ease. "And I was wondering... can you officially move in with me? I would much rather know you're going to wake up beside me every night." He gives me a nervous smile and my eyes widen at the question. "Unless you're not ready which I would-" I interrupted him by flinging my arms around his shoulders, making him stumble back as he laughs in relief. "Is that a yes then?" He whispers into my ear, the feel of his hot breath tickling my skin.

"Yes, I'll move in with you!" I beamed, pulling back to look him in the eye. He grins back at me, pulling me towards him for a deep kiss that sealed my fate.