Isa & the Happily Ever After System

16. Hospitals & Surprises

I woke to familiar white walls and the feeling of an IV in my skin. My ability must default to being off.

I glanced to my right to see my father holding my hand tightly. A friend nearly hidden beneath his mustache.

A throat cleared and I looked toward the hospital's doorway where Dr Carlisle Cullen stood.

"We should really stop meeting like this." I joked while my voice cracked painfully.

For my effort of trying to lighten the mood I only got a slight twitch of his lips. He stared at me with open curiosity and I wondered what other secrets he'd kept for me.

"Isa." My father's voice was rough and I felt his mustache brush the side of my head as he kissed it. "I was so scared I had lost you."

"What happened?"  I glanced at my dad.

"What was the last thing you remember?"

I saw Dr Cullen tense only briefly as he checked my chart and my vitals. I wondered briefly how he was always available to care for me, at least these last two times I'd been here. I thought he was a surgeon specifically.

I cleared my thoughts before looking at my father.

"I was in the cabin where Victoria and James kept me. I just had breakfast when I started to feel severe pain like I never felt before. I heard arguing. I think I remember hearing someone else finding me but I don't know who and then..." I shook my head. "Waking up here."

"The Cullen boys joined the hunt trying to find you after your disappearance. Jasper and Edward were the ones that found you." Poor Jasper and Edward, my thoughts and emotions filled with pain must have been horrible.

My dad looked to Dr Cullen, "I don't know what I can do to thank you and your family enough Dr Cullen."

I looked down, "And my captors?"

"Gone." My father nearly growled out the word.

I wondered what the truth was. I wonder if James and Victoria were even still alive. It probably would be better in the long run if they weren't.

"I'm sorry Dad."

"It's not your fault, sweetheart. In fact if weren't for your screams that grocery and thrift employees heard we might not have been able to search for you in time."

I pursed my lips, "They didn't want to kill me, they ..." What could I say, "They were possessive." I shivered.

The hospital bed creaked as my dad leaned forward his voice quiet, "They didn't ...?"

I shook my head, "Victoria would pet me, James would nuzzle me and both hugged me..." I didn't want to mention the fierce sex they had in full view of my bound self. "It was creepy but they didn't..." I looked at my dad and he looked tense like he was ready to spring forward and hunt them down while also wanting to let out a sigh of relief.

"You will have a protective detail."

"My family will keep her safe at school." Dr Cullen reassured.

Thus went the rest of the school year without a moment to myself. Every moment watched (except when I used the restroom). I was getting stir crazy by the time graduation arrived.

Dad threw a big graduation party for me, the Clearwaters and Blacks convinced him to have it at La Push. I was pretty positive now that Billy must have been in the know of who really kidnapped me. He'd been keeping a close eye on me. Checking in regularly, and it was sweet.

So it was no surprise when the newly formed pack showed up at the bonfire celebration. I was surprised to see Embry already pack, but if the nomads were still roaming then the boys would keep shifting.

What surprised me was seeing Embry's reaction when I introduced Angella to my friends from the reservation.

His eyes widened, he got a big smile on his lips as he gazed into Angela's eyes.

"Hi, I'm Call ... Um, Embry Call."

"Nice to meet you Embry." Angela gave him a gracious smile blushing as he looked down at her with absolute adoration.

It would seem Embry was the first to imprint. 'Canon' continued to change.

A deep voice came behind me. A voice I had only heard of before in a dream. "You must be the girl of the moment, Chief Swan's daughter."

I turned and looked up into the deep amber eyes of who I only could assume was Sam Uley. His eyes widened as his gaze met mine, a nervous swallow caused his Adam's apple to bob tantalizingly.
The Alpha had imprinted on me.

I nodded, "And you?"

He placed a hand on his chest as if to calm his racing heart, "I'm Sam Uley."

I gave him my truest and brightest smile, "It's lovely to meet you, Sam."

A hand clapped me on my back, making me blink and lose the searing connection we had.

Leah's voice playfully chided, "So you've met the irritating but oh so handsome Sam."

"Hello Leah." Sam nodded.

Leah looped her hand through my arm, "I must take the party's girl from your boorish company Sam. We have a cinnamon roll cake to cut." A new invention Sarah Black had created.

Leah leaned close, "Good thing Sam and I  never dated, that would have been awkward seeing my past lover making eyes at my best friend."

I couldn't help the blush, and fought the desire to look back at Sam. "Yes that would have been awkward." Glancing at Leah's good-natured grin I asked, "So what's new with you?"