Love On Top (Paul LaHote)

Chapter Seven

"I'll never train with you again. I ache, I didn't know I could ache." Jazmine groaned and collapsed onto the ground. Sam laughed and stepped over her and picked up a water bottle, tossing it to her.

"You wouldn't ache if you had gotten a full night's sleep," Sam said and she groaned.

"That's all Emily's fault." Jazmine pointed out. Sam looked confused so she grinned. "She bought me the underwear."

"Ah, she really pulled out all the stops yesterday," Sam said and Jazmine laughed.

"She always does. That girl is a gift from the Spirits." Jazmine laughed and Sam nodded his agreement.

"Too sore to phase again?" Sam asked and Jazmine rolled her eyes.

"The pain is already gone, I'm just tired." She sighed and pushed herself off the ground and bounced on her toes for a second before nodding to herself.

"Run back in human form?" She asked and he nodded, grabbing his water bottle and starting a steady pace. She followed him and focused on the path they were taking.

"Do you wish you'd gone to California?" Sam asked and Jazmine looked over to him but he had his expression carefully arranged.

"Nope. I haven't wished that for a long time." Jazmine said and Sam nodded.

"What changed your mind?" He asked softly and Jazmine watched his mask transform into a genuine smile.

"The pack. Emily, Kim, Claire. Everything this world brought me." She said and he smiled widely, ducking under a branch.

"I was hoping you would feel like that. I know being a wolf took a lot from you and I didn't want you to live resenting that." Sam said and Jazmine thought over it.

"Lots of people can't have kids. I guess when we come to that stage in our lives Paul and I will have to make a decision, but for now, I'm happy with the way we are. I love Paul in a way I never thought possible before and knowing I'll get to live the rest of my life with him loving me, it's indescribable." Jazmine said.

"When I first phased I was scared of losing everyone. Leah, my friends, my family. Old Quil and your dad set me up with my own place and I was remote from anyone and then I met Emily. I had the same fears for her, was I ripping her from her life, for what? The man who scarred her for life?" Sam had disgust in his words and Jazmine was willing to bet he wasn't looking at the trees.

"You don't still feel like that, do you?" She asked but he shook his head.

"No, now I've got a new family. Emily is still a functioning member of society and anybody who doesn't like us doesn't understand. We're a part of something huge, we're about to end the reign of terror in Seattle. What we do is so much more than protect the tribe. We protect people Jaz." Her heart warmed and their pace slowed as they came into Sam's yard.

She paused and cocked her head to the side at the sound of yelling and then spotted the pack out in the yard.

"You're happy now but wait until Jaz and Jake get wind of this. She'll skin you alive and he'll bury your body." Paul laughed and Jazmine shared a look with Sam before taking off into a sprint.

"Why?" She asked and looked to Embry who was staring in the kitchen window. Emily was talking to someone but Jazmine couldn't see who it was until the girl turned around.

"You imprinted on Rachel?" Jazmine asked and the pack began to yell and cheer as Embry held his hands up in what looked like surrender.

"Jaz, you know I can't control it." Embry whimpered but Jazmine frowned. She stepped forward and Embry flinched but relaxed when she threw her arms around him.