New moon
Chapter fifteen, baby steps

A lot happened after Persephone Cullen left, the four guys went back to the house to see Jacob and Bella both in front talking very seriously. Turns out, Jacob had told Bella about the redhead that kept coming back and the human confirmed her identity and purpose of coming back.

Bella looked around and saw that her blonde friend wasn't with them so she looked at them with a questioning look. "Where's Steph?"

Paul and Jared shared a look then looked at Sam who didn't say anything. Not wanting the nosy juman in their business. However, Jacob caught on pretty quick given the look on Sam's face. Embry not really paying attention replied. "Leah scared her off."

Jacob groans, not wanting to hear more about the whole love triangle going on between Leah, Sam, and Persephone. Constantly listening to it during patrol was already dreadful enough. "Call her Bella, we need her here. She's in danger too."

Sam's eyes immediately snap to meet Jacob's and give him a pointed look, "what are you talking about? In danger of what?"

He didn't like the fact that Persephone was in danger and it didn't take a genius to figure out that Bella was most likely the reason why. Ever since the day at the meadow with Laurent, Sam was extremely worried and super focused on trying to keep danger away from both the humans and Persephone.

Bella winced under Sam's intense look, it felt like he was blaming her somehow, "Victoria, she's the redhead that's been coming around."

"You know her?" Embry asks, but they all know the answer already. Bella seems to always be the center of trouble.

"I've never met a human more prone to attracting trouble," Paul replies with a sign of annoyance. Then again no one ever said this whole shapeshifter thing would be easy. But if Bella wasn't involved, it would be a lot more easier. Everyone agreed expect Jacob who was blindly in love with her.

However before Bella can reply, the boys all look towards the woods. All sensing something...or someone. The smell of rotten eggs and death filling their senses. 

"She's back," Sam says angrily, however, felt a bit worried about the blonde who had left a couple of minutes ago. "Jacob stay here, everyone else with me." before running into the woods with the others leaving behind a worried Bella and focused Jacob.

——

On the other side of town, Persephone had a weird feeling after ending the call with Rosalie. At first it felt relieving to get everything off her chest but soon after something felt off so she grabbed her phone and walked outside.

But nothing was in sight and no noise was heard, however, the feeling of being watched still hasn't gone away.

"Maybe I'm just paranoid." The blonde whispered to herself before she felt a presence behind her causing her to turn around. Coming face to face with a certain angry redhead. Her red burning eyes filled with rage.

"Jesus!" The blue-eyed half-human jumped and felt her strange heartbeat pick up. Victoria smirked eyeing her entire body, loving the fear she caused.

"It's nice to see you again, Persephone Cullen or should I say, Hope," Victoria taunts, clicking her tongue and playing with the rings on her hands. Her engagement ring specifically.

Steph blue eyes went wide, a feeling of fear and doubt struck her. Unaware and not liking that Victoria knew her human last name.

"It was easy finding you, didn't expect you to be a rich little human. Then again, I was quite shocked to find out about the horrible death of your parents. It was all so interesting, especially the who did it."

The blonde half-cold one looked at her with disgust and anger, "You don't know anything, stay out of my life."

Victoria and Steph stare at each other for a moment before Steph says with distaste, "You of all people have no right to judge me."

The red-eyed vampire smirked, realizing her attempt to get under Steph skin worked. "You and Edward took something from me. And originally I came to end you but weirdly enough I came across a very sad and angry human girl ranting about her ex-fiancé and a certain blonde girl."

Persephone felt her heart drop but instead instantly picked up, Leah. Victoria was talking about Leah Clearwater. "Stay away from her, she's has no part in this." Steph defended, not wanting Victoria to hurt Leah or anyone else from the area.

"Don't worry, it's not her I want to hurt." She taunted, "I was quite surprised to see you with the shapeshifters, they've been a real problem for me. But that's not the point, the point is I saw you with him. With Sam." Victoria says smugly, her eyebrow-raising when she says the name and sees the blonde's reaction.

The guys had been distracted which was very beneficial for the redhead to linger in the trees for a quick minute. Jacob with Bella, Sam with Steph, and the guys with Leah.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Steph denies but her eyes are a giveaway. Victoria sees that and smirks.

"He's your mate. What an odd pair." The redhead hummed, taunting her. But her stare suddenly turned dark, as anger covered her face. "I was coming here to end you but that's not much fun. It's too easy." Victoria stopped and took a step forward, "I want you to feel the pain I feel every day."

Originally, Victoria was going to do this to Edward. Kill Bella so he could feel her pain. But Persephone had no one, to her knowledge. So just ending her would be enough but what she saw at the beach changed her plans.

"Stay away from him," Persephone defended, feeling her heart quicken. If Sam got hurt or worse killed because of her...Steph would never forgive herself.

But before Victoria could say anything or Steph could react, the red hair took off running. However, the blonde's unanswered questions didn't stay that way for long as she saw four huge wolves chase after Victoria and completely ignore her.

However, what Steph didn't know was that Sam wanted nothing more than to stop and hold her. But knew that he couldn't, killing Victoria was necessary and he couldn't just leave the others.

The Cullen stood there frozen for only a second before she started to run after them. Victoria's previous words echoed in her mind. The red hair had made it clear, that Sam was a target and it was all her fault.

But when she reached the group, the wolves watched her dive into the ocean water. All seemed angry that the same cold one kept slipping out of their grips.

Steph lets out a breath, and she has been holding when her eyes notice the black wolf staring at her. Within a blink of an eye, Steph is in front of Sam and to everyone's surprise has her arms wrapped around him.

"Wasn't she yelling at him a couple of minutes ago," Embry questioned as he looked at the pair questionably.

"Girls are strange, we already know that," Paul adds as Jared shakes his head softly.

"I think it's sweet, she's worried about him," Jared comments as Paul scoffs.

"You only think it's sweet because you have an imprint. This is pathetic, I never want one." Paul says back watching in disgust as Sam leans into her, wanting to feel her cold skin.

"Leave, all of you. Go back to my place and update Jacob." Sam commands, wanting to get rid of all the voices in his head. Not needing them to read his thoughts. As the three shifters turn to leave, Sam comments "Oh, and Paul, when you imprint we're all giving you crap."

Paul scoffed once again and ran away, hoping that day wouldn't come anytime soon. Jared and Embry follow after him, all wanting to eat once again.

Steph and Sam stayed there for a moment, and it felt amazing to both. Nothing but the windy trees and ocean waters was heard. It was so peaceful at the edge of a cliff but both knew they needed to talk.

Steph pulled away, gave him a soft smile, and ran a hand through the thick and warm fur. The interaction wasn't uncomfortable or awkward. Quite the opposite, it felt right.

"We need to talk, and this time I promise not to freak out." The blonde let out, remembering both Rosalie's and Victoria's words. 

Sam gives a nod and goes into the woods to turn back. Waiting for his return, Steph sits down at the edge of the cliff, her legs hanging off the edge as she waits for Sam patiently.

Love has never been kind or fair to Persephone Hope, but a gut feeling told her that Sam would be different. He's never disappointed or disrespected her. Which is already a huge difference from the last mistake.

Once he changed, Sam sat next to the blonde and took a bold step by taking her soft cold hand in his. Steph bit her lip but leaned closer to him wanting to feel his warmth.

"Can I talk now? I feel like it's my turn." Sam asks, raising an eyebrow and chuckling when he sees her red cheeks. Steph says nothing but nods and squeezes his hand as a gesture to go on.

"You were right early but also so wrong, Persephone." The shifter says looking at Steph who wouldn't make eye contact.

"My life will never be normal, no matter who I choose to be with." Steph finally turns to look at Sam with hope in her eyes. But his earlier words were on her mind.

"What about the fact that I drink blood? I don't need it as much as the others, but still need it."

Sam winced, remembering his earlier words, but smiled down at her, "I never should have said that, I really don't care about the blood thing. As long as you don't care that the guys can hear even though I have when I shift."

The blonde looked at him in disbelief, not knowing that. "Wait, every single thought?"

Sam chuckles at her reaction and lends his head on top of her. "It's pretty useful during hunting but awful for everything else,"

Shuttering at the thought, Steph looks at him curiously but Sam shakes his head. "Truth me, you don't want to know."

Steph laughed with him, both enjoying the special moment. But the conversation turned serious again when Steph brought up the one subject he hadn't acknowledged.

Pulling away to look at him, Steph asked sadly, "Sam, what about kids?"

Sam's heart broke a little bit, not by the question or thought but by the sadness on her face. Realizing that maybe she also wanted kids and was looking forward to being a mother when she was human.

"I-I did want them but that was before. You not being able to have them isn't a dealbreaker, Steph. Besides I rather have you than them anytime, anyplace. You're more important to me."

"Are you sure? Everyone around you will start having them and-" Steph starts sadly but he cuts her off.

"I'm sure, I just need you." He says softly touching her cheek which she lends in. "And about the whole dying thing, I'm here for as long as you'll stay with me."

Steph pulled away to look at him confused, "What do you mean?"

"Another trade secret, we don't age as long as we keep phasing," Sam says happily, not seeing the issue with living forever.

That was shocking news and something the Cullen family didn't know. They were truly more alike they both groups like to admit.

"Are you sure? Do you really want to be with me?" The blonde asked in an unsure and insecure tone.

"It's so much more than that Persephone. There's this thing called imprinting. We imprint once and when we do it's forever, as long as neither one rejects it." He looks at her to see her following every one of his words. "We don't choose it but the ancestors have never been wrong."

Steph looked at him with a curious look on her face, wanting him to keep going.

"We become whatever they need. A protector, a friend, a brother, or a...lover. However our imprint wants us, and our most sacred law is never hurt one of them."

Things were starting to make sense, Sam imprinted on her. That's why she was allowed on their land and the guys didn't attack her that day with Laurent. But that also meant he didn't choose her.

"So you're stuck with me?" Steph asked sadly, hoping that wasn't the other reason Sam was interested in her.

But Sam quickly understood and pulled away. He softly grabbed her face and lifted for chin so their eyes met.

"I was immediately captivated by you since the moment I saw you." Sam chuckled but blushed at the concession. "I thought you were beautiful and perfect. Even before the imprint, I wanted nothing more than to be around you. Staying with Leah after meeting you was a mistake because it hurt both of you. I'm so sorry."

Steph felt tears well up in her eyes, "You didn't do anything wrong Sam. I should have stayed away, even now but I'm too selfish."

Sam smiled grateful at her words and wiped a tear that fell away. 

"You just got out of a relationship and I've never done this right. So baby steps?" Steph asks looking up at Sam with teary and hopeful eyes but also holding out her pinky finger.

"Baby steps." He promised, intertwining his pinky with hers.

Both the shifter and cold one sat there for a moment along the treaty line leaning into each other's comfort. Victoria had managed to escape once again but they were going to be more ready next time.

——

Author notes: THANK YOU FOR READING! I hope you all enjoyed this and I'm so ready to write all the other chapters. Their finally together....kind of.

ALSO! Huge thank you to -novxscomet for making a new and beautiful cover! Hope you all love it as much as I do!

New moon is almost ending but I do hope to add my bonding moments. Anything you hope to see?

Don't forget to vote, comment, and follow me to stay updated. Thank you!

Word count: 2429