The Break of the New moon - A Sam Uley fanfic

31

Skylar's P.O.V.

The late afternoon sun bathed the garden in a warm glow as I watched Niki and Paul enjoying the outdoors together. They were seated on the grass, sharing laughter and stories, their joy palpable. Niki, with her leg propped up slightly as she recovered from her foot injury now that her cast had been removed, she was completely absorbed in the moment, blissfully unaware of the swirling complexities waiting just beyond our tranquil home.

I leaned against the porch railing, taking a moment to soak in the scene. The laughter of the two of them momentarily eased the turmoil in my mind, but I couldn't ignore the persistent anxiety gnawing at my insides. I had been avoiding Sam's calls all day, the ringing of my phone echoing in my mind like an unwelcome reminder of the conversation I was desperately trying to postpone.

"Mumma!" Niki called out, her bright voice cutting through my thoughts. "Come join us!"

I smiled and pushed myself off the railing, heading toward them. "What's so funny?" I asked, kneeling to get a better view of their game of imaginative storytelling.

Paul grinned at me. "Just teaching Niki about the wild adventures we could have if she were a brave explorer."

Niki giggled, her eyes shining with excitement. "I can be a brave explorer! Right, mum?"

"Absolutely!" I replied, my heart swelling with pride. "You're the bravest explorer I know." I ruffled her curly hair as she lets out a fit of giggles

After a few more minutes of laughter, I felt the familiar pang of anxiety return as Paul carefully watched me I could tell he knew my mind was elsewhere and I knew I needed to face Sam soon, I hated that I was delaying it.

I glanced at my phone, noting the missed calls from him. Each one felt like a ticking clock counting down to the inevitable conversation.

"Okay, explorers," I said, trying to keep the mood light. "How about we celebrate your bravery with some ice cream?"

"Yay! Ice cream!" Niki squealed, her excitement palpable.

Once we finished our treat, I took a deep breath, knowing it was time to gather my courage. I set my bowl down and glanced at Niki as she happily chatted with Paul.
"Keep an eye on her, will you?" I asked Paul, who nodded in understanding if anything he was probably waiting for me to finally gain the courage"

"Always," he replied, a reassuring smile on his face.

As I headed toward my car, my stomach churned with anxiety. The drive to Sam's house felt like an eternity, and with each passing moment, the weight of what I had to face pressed down harder.

As I pull down the dirt drive I knew Sam and the pack were all inside, likely unaware that I was on my way.

When I finally arrived, I parked and took a moment to breathe in the salty air, letting it ground me. As I stepped out of the car, I could hear laughter and voices coming from inside. I hesitated for a moment, was I welcome here? I did slap Sam and kick him out of my house... but then I pushed the door open and stepped inside, where the entire pack was gathered.

The warmth of the living room enveloped me as I entered. Sam was sitting on the couch with Jared and Leah, while Jacob, Quill, Embry, and Seth lounged around, joking and throwing playful jabs at each other, but they didn't notice me as I entered.

I watched Seth as he giggles he was only a kid himself and he now was tasked with the duty of being a spirit warrior like the older pack members.

Sam looked up. The moment our eyes met, he rose from the couch and crossed the room in a few long strides, pulling me into a tight hug. Relief instantly flooded over me as I melted into him, the familiar scent of the forest and warmth of his presence wrapping around me like a shield I sigh happily regretting the entire argument.

"I've been worried," Sam murmured, his voice low and steady as he held me close.

"I know," I whispered back, my voice shaking slightly as I took in the strength of his embrace. "I've been avoiding your calls." I admit softly making him pull back slightly, looking into my eyes with a mixture of concern and understanding. "We need to talk."

I nodded, feeling the weight of his words. The pack was still in the background, but they seemed to sense the tension in the room, their laughter fading into a quiet hush.

"Can we talk somewhere private?" I asked, glancing around the room.

"Sure," Sam replied, leading me outside, where the noise of the pack faded behind us.

Once we were alone, I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. "I've been putting this off." I admitted, my voice shaking.
Sam led me down a bath towards the beach, his expression serious. "I understand why you're scared. There's a lot at stake, especially with Niki."

"I just want to protect her," I said, my heart pounding. "She doesn't know about any of this, and I want to keep it that way for as long as possible."

"Skylar, hiding the truth won't make it go away," he replied gently. "The wolves, the supernatural world—sooner or later, she's going to find out. We need to prepare her for that."

I shook my head, frustration creeping into my voice. "How do I explain it to her? How do I protect her from the things that go bump in the night?"

Sam stepped closer, his expression earnest. "We can face this together. You're not alone in this. Niki is young now and obviously now's not the time to tell her everything but slowly we can help her understand. We can help keep her safe."

His words settled over me, and for the first time in a long while, I felt a flicker of hope. Maybe i wasn't loosing her all at once...

"I just want her to be okay," I whispered, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes.

"I know you do," Sam said, reaching out to take my hand. "And we'll make sure of it."