PROMISE - S. CLEARWATER

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐈𝐗: 𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐃

My eyes flutter back shut and I'm all the way asleep. I didn't mean to do that - my plan was to stay half awake until Seth joined me, then pretend I wasn't sleeping at all and just talk to him instead. Apparently that's not in the cards.

He settles himself on the edge of the bed and rests his hand next to my face. I subconsciously move closer, so he cups my cheek and strokes his thumb across it. It's wonderful how well we fit together. I suppose it's the whole imprinting thing. But even in my most pleasant daydreams, I never imagined someone's body molding to mine so well. It's like his palm was made against my cheek, and then separated so we could be part of our different bodies. He leaves a trail of warmth in his wake.

"My pretty girl," he murmurs. I nuzzle into his hand and groan quietly. "I know, I know. And you're not even going to remember this when you wake up. But guess what? I love you. I love you with all my heart, Miss Willow Kingshott. And even though the world and fate sort of decided for us, you'd still be my choice. Even if my wonderful wolfiness hadn't caused us to have as quick of a bond as we do, I'd still pick you."

I feel my face get warm as he whispers down at me. He chuckles when my cheeks turn pink.

"Maybe you can hear me. Then you'll know just how I feel about you. You make my heart race and my stomach flutter and every part of my skin you touch tingle. Even though I'm the one that's a shapeshifter, I still think you're magical. More magical than the whole pack combined. And I don't think I could live without you anymore. I don't really know how I ever did in the first place. You're my whole world, Will. And I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you."

I feel my lips curve into an involuntary smile. He brushes his thumb over my face one more time before getting up and climbing over me, landing on the other side. He tucks under the blankets he definitely doesn't need and holds me tight to his chest. His face is buried in my hair, his nose gently nudging the back of my head. One hand rests under my neck, reaching out to hold mine. The other sits on it's usual place on my waist. My shirt's ridden up where his hand is, so he's warming my bare skin instead of going through a layer of fabric first. If I wasn't asleep, Seth would be making fun of the speed of my heart.

We manage to completely pass out in the middle of the day. Sue comes in at one point to see if we want anything to eat, but as soon as she realizes we're asleep, shuts the door with a smile. Seth used to be opposed to naps before I came along. No matter what he was threatened with, no one could ever get him to lay down. Except me, apparently.

I don't dream at all. Seth moves more than I do. We sleep for four hours before Leah bursts in and tears the covers off of us. Seth yells and I just turn away from her, so she leaves again and we go back to sleep. Whoops.

━━━━━━♡♥♡━━━━━━

"There's no way he's getting over her, is there?" I ask Seth as we watch Jacob sit and stare out the window for the fourth day in a row. He shakes his head and tightens his arm over my shoulder.

"I don't think he ever will. Don't get me wrong, Bella is great, but I think there's just something in her only Jake can see. He kinda knew that Edward and her were gonna get married as soon as she totally up and left for Italy out of nowhere. They're very attached. I guess Jake still thinks he can get in there and convince her to leave him. There's no chance."

"Think she's gonna be a vampire?"

"It would go against the treaty," he says. "They can't bite or kill any humans in the area. That was part of the peacekeeping bit, but everyone's been fighting over it for weeks. I think Jacob wants everyone but her dead, but Sam says that because the rest of them have such good self control, they'd be able to keep her under control as well. And then it's all, "Treaty or leader's word?" And since Jacob literally just wants an excuse to fight Edward, he says treaty, but Sam's not even a little worried, so..."

"Hm. I hope they don't kill the Cullens. The way you talk about them makes them seem very kind."

"Oh, they are. Emmet's kinda huge but pretty nice, and his girlfriend, Rosalie, is scary as hell. I don't think I've ever heard her be nice before. It's fine though, because the other sister, Alice - she can see the future - is nice. And her boyfriend was in an army of newborns for a long time, so he's a little weird around humans still, but he helped train us for the battle they found you after. And of course Doctor Cullen and his wife are nice. And Edward's pretty cool too. He's easy to be around as long as Jake's not there."

I smile and put my head down on his shoulder. "Do you think I could meet them sometime? I guess I've technically already met Doctor Cullen, but I was either passed out or just don't remember it. But I want to meet his wife and Alice and Edward. Ooh, and Bella!"

He chuckles. "We should have you meet them. You know, Bella and Edward are engaged. There's sure to be a wedding soon. Maybe we'll get invited and see if we can bring you."

"That would be so cool. I don't think I've ever been to a wedding."

"It would be expensive as hell. The Cullens are totally loaded."

"...And they all have partners?" I ask jokingly. Seth pouts at me, so I shove his face away lightly. "I'm just kidding, angel. I'm never leaving you."

"You better not."

I smile and lean up for a kiss. The hand that was over my shoulder moves to cup the back of my head and keep me in place as our lips press together. I hold his back and the thigh closest to me, slowly moving so I'm leaning across his lap. Jake's too engrossed in his meaningless staring to notice the kissing session Seth and I are having. We kiss until the other boys come running in. They're like a walking hurricane.

"Woah! Seth's putting the moves on Willow!" Quil yells. We break apart and turn various shades of red. "Look how hard they're blushing!"

"Shut up, Quil," Seth mutters. The boys all laugh and make fun of us some more before turning to the food on the counter. "Can we go upstairs?"

"Please," I reply with a grin. We stand and run up to my room, shutting the door behind us. "Why-"

Seth's lips are on mine before I can finish my sentence. His hands tangle in my hair and we back up slightly to regain balance. My fingers find their way to his belt loops as we press together. Thank God Emily let us have the door shut every once in a while. This would be embarrassing to do if we had an audience. Or maybe not, because Seth's hands are moving all the way down my spine and I can't even think of anything-

"You're so beautiful, you know that?" he murmurs against my lips. I laugh and pull on the belt loops I've hooked into so he's more against me. "So beautiful. Like, prettier than all the stars on the clearest night."

"You're going all hopeless romantic on me, angel," I whisper as he kisses all around my face. I feel his smile against my skin. "Talking about the stars and- oh."

He grins wider at my reaction. "You good?"

"Do that again."

"Do what again?"

"What you just did. The thing with your hands."

He squeezes my sides under the shirt he's pulled up a little. I grin and let my forehead fall against his. "You know, I'm glad you're not a vampire. This way you don't freeze my skin when you touch me."

"I'm also glad I'm not a vampire. Then I can sleep with you and kiss you without wanting to eat you."

I laugh and kiss him hard.