Pretty Boy: The Lost Chapters

Brad's Survival Arc: Part 10

Silence was a less than common occurrence when it came to the Uley pack members; or what was the left of them, at least.

Before this entire vampire-hybrid-baby situation came to be, the wolves spent most of their time as a unit. Whether they were on patrol, hanging out at the house, or journeying away from home to a restaurant, bar, movie theater, or other fun establishment, everyone preferred to be together as often as possible.

Life had become stressful ever since Bella rekindled her relationship with Edward a few months ago. The longer they were together, the more issues arose for those protecting Quileute land. Difficulties ranging from more dangerous vampire sightings to more civilian deaths to a higher threat of being harmed made it difficult to fully relax.

So, in order to make the most of their days, pack members would fill their afternoons/evenings with laughter, shared stories, hugs, and an overall pleasant atmosphere before usually falling asleep with a close companion or romantic partner. Then, the next day, they would do so all over again with the intent of making as many lasting memories as possible.

Now, there wasn't much time to do anything except remain vigilant.

A few newer shifters were positioned in La Push to keep watch in case anything happened. More seasoned members, specifically those who made up the normal group, were stationed around the Cullen house.

They were far enough away for their scents or quiet sounds to not be picked up. Staying behind shrubs or thick clusters of wide trees allowed them to blend in with their surrounding environment. A recently taught skill of putting up mental walls was used to keep Edward from reading anyone's minds. 

Taking such precautions was deemed practically useless, however, since none of the Cullens dared to step foot out of their house.

Days flew by with several developments: vampires starved themselves; wolves stood watch on either side of an expansive territory; Bella's health continued to deteriorate.

And the unborn child was growing so fast, birth was most likely going to happen within the coming hours.

Marshall knew the Uley pack members were going to need their strength if a fight broke out. He himself hadn't been available recently, being rooted to La Push's boundaries for multiple purposes. Regardless, a self appointed mission was bestowed upon him in the name of helping those who couldn't fully take care of themselves like normal. Tiring himself out by, quite literally, running all over the place to give assistance in any way possible made the vampire feel less panicked for his family's safety.

"Delivery."

Several pairs of tired eyes turned toward him.

Sam, Jared, and Paul were the group currently waiting on standby. The trio had wanted to give their younger members time to rest after a long night, so the older men took it upon themselves to extend a shift of six hours to that of ten. 

Growing fatigue was evident in sluggish blinks, ears not reacting to certain noises, and faint grumbling coming from empty stomachs.

Marshall presented a bag full of hot Chinese takeout, holding it with two hands to make sure nothing was jostled.

He offered a gentle smile when everyone phased back into humans. 

They plopped right on the ground with exhausted sighs. No one bothered to redress as doing so would be a waste of time. After eating, they were just going to transform again anyway. May as well spare any traces of energy they still had left until their positions were swapped again.

"It's nothing crazy. Just three portions of pork fried rice with wings, wontons, and egg drop soup. I also got each of you a water and an energy drink. It might not be as great as Em's homemade stuff, but..."