Chapter Two, Sun, Sea and a Surprise

Loaded down with their purchases, Paul put down the cot but still juggling the other bags as he let himself and Jared, Embry, Jason and Sam into his house, leading the way up to where Teddy's nursery would be. They had decided in the car that they would paint the walls and skirting to get it out of the way so he could air out the room, plus he couldn't add the design until the base coat was on anyway. So leaving everything else in the other spare bedrooms, they opened the windows and go to work on painting the walls a soft grey and the skirting boards and windowsills a bright white. While that was drying they built the white side table, a duck egg grey coloured cot, chest of drawers that had changing station on top, the matt a white colour with a woodland pattern, and the wood was painted a matching colour to the cot.

A few hours later, Paul headed into Teddy's room – that would have a name sign matching the woodland theme made by Jared – to check on the paint to see if it was dry so he could paint the grey and green trees with a woodland animal mural on the south facing wall with the window overlooking the sea, the dark blue and grey mountains with white fluffy clouds and black birds in flight on the west facing wall with the window overlooking the forest, another animal mural on the north facing wall with the door, and finally grey and green trees with dark blue and grey mountains behind them on the east wall where the cot would go.

As three o'clock rolled around Paul's stomach growled loudly, cramping slightly with hunger he finally put down the brush with a happy smile spreading across his lips as he stared at the walls with at least an outline of the murals he wanted.
"It looks really good Paul." Sam complemented, looking around the room in wonder. Paul really did have an eye for art. "But it's time to go to the beach now. We're all hungry and I know your wolf is hounding you as you've completed the bond so your wolf will be overprotective for a while and that's not including what she's gone through. It'll give all this time to dry, Luna and Andy time to get to know all of us – including you – if we're all there."

"And everything's been built." Jason added as the others came to stand beside their Alpha to get a look at Paul's handywork.
"Sory I didn't realise the time. Thanks for your help." Paul said bashfully, rubbing at the back of his neck.
"No worries, man, let's just go join in the fun and get some food." Jared said, clapping Paul on the shoulder before he and Embry washed the paint off of all the brushes Paul had used while Paul cleaned himself up.
"What's the betting we're going to pay for being gone so long." Embry chirped eager to win against his pack mates once more.
"Nice try, little brother." Sam scoffed, ruffling Embry's short hair causing the younger wolf to huff in faux annoyance as he fixed his hair.

"Took you boys long enough." Alejandra teased, leaning on her elbows and pulling down her sunglasses. As Paul's eyes locked with his gorgeous Imprint his jaw almost hit the floor and he was now almost positive that Embry had been quite correct that he was paying for being gone so long. His gorgeous Ale had changed out of her skirt and off-the-shoulder top and into a pale orange bikini that practically made both her russet sun kissed skin and her blonde hair in two long plaits glow. He now knew what those feelings echoing across the bond from Leah were about as beside Alejandra was Luna in a deep purple bikini and shell clips in her hair. They both looked like goddesses; but none more so then to their Imprinter.

"You okay there Paul." Alejandra teased.
"What about you, Leah?" Luna teased noticing her Imprinter kept losing concentration in the... soccer game she was playing with Quil, Jamie-Lee, Alyssa, Taylor, Jacob, Seth, Jack, Brady and Collin.
"Yeah, you've both got a bit of drool." Kim teased, but it was no less true. Paul and Leah were positive that Ale and Luna were teasing them on purpose and were getting amusement of their misfortune.

Luna and Andromeda now knew all about the pack, the legends and Imprints and had been asking questions all morning, which everyone was more than happy to answer as they remembered being in that position. But the important thing was Luna had readily and full heartedly accepted Leah as her soulmate; but then again, Luna had always been open hearted and saw the world differently to others.
"You're finding this amusing, aren't you." Paul asked, rolling his eyes fondly he crouched down beside Ale, kissing her forehead and peering into the small tent that was erected beside her only for a tender smile to steal its way across his face when he spotted his son, Teddy, the baby fast asleep protected from the sun's rays.

"Very much so." Alejandra quipped her eyes alight with mischief and laughter, but an astounding amount of love could be seen in her eyes that it took Paul's breath away; however, his feelings for his witchy jaguar were by no means weak. In fact they were incredibly strong, as they should be as he's loved her since he met her at eight years old on this very beach in fact. Laughing happily Paul pulled Ale into his arms for a passionate kiss that was only broken when a throat was cleared from behind them. It was Ale's elder cousin Rachel Black who had a shit-eating grin on her lips and some food and drink in hand for Paul and some more peach iced tea for Alejandra, Andromeda and Luna.

"Very funny Black." Paul grouched playfully, accepting the food and drink with a soft thank you.
"I know!" Rachel grinned, hugging Ale tightly as tears filled her eyes as if she thought that if she hugged her baby cousin tightly enough she can heal her. The moment everyone caught sight of Ale in a bikini that showed off all of her scars from the war more prominently and what she had gone through brought tears of anger and pain to their eyes. The same went for Luna.

Alejandra had the scar on the back of her hand 'I Must Not Tell Lies' from Umbridge, the oval burn mark on her chest and the second lightning bolt scar above her heart, the small cut on her neck and the scar on her inner left forearm 'Worthless' from Bellatrix, a black eye, bruised right cheekbone, and a split lip. That is not mentioning the scar on her inner right forearm from Pettigrew, the scar from the Basilisk and the scars from the Dursleys before her Uncle Billy and Auntie Sarah won custody of her and the Dursleys imprisoned for their abuse towards her.

As for Luna, she had similar facial injuries to Ale, 'Blood traitor' carved into her inner right arm and she had also been tortured by Bellatrix along with Theo Nott and Daphne Greengrass before Daphne had called for help on Ale's mirror only for them to be rescued by Dobby that had cost him his life.
"Are you both okay?" Rachel asked concerned, she had noticed that they seemed to slip into their thoughts a lot, not that she could truly blame them as all this must seem surreal after just finishing the war only a few hours ago.
"We..." Luna trailed off thinking of the right word to describe how they were feeling as she shared a look with Ale, proving Rachel's thoughts quite correct.

"We'll get there." Ale finished lamely, shrugging her shoulders, resting her back against Paul's chest. "I'm just glad to be home." She sighed happily as if all the weight that had been on her shoulders was being washed away with the company of her friends and family, the sun and the sea.
"We're glad you're home, little jaguar." Rachel smiled pulling her cousin, her little sister into a tight comforting hug and then doing the same to Luna before allowing her to rest back against Leah.
"She's right!" Leah agreed, hugging her Imprint and squeezing her best friend's hand comfortingly. "We're glad you, Andy and Teddy are here too Luna, but I want you to know that you can both take your time and we're all here for you if and when you need us." Leah insisted.

"Now, who's up for some soccer and cliff diving?" Quil and Jacob asked to resounding cheers from the entire pack making everyone laugh as they fully relaxed from a rather stressful year.
"But first!" Jacob called loudly making everyone pause where they were. "I want to offer congratulations to Paul and Ale who got engaged early this morning." At that Leah, Rachel, Emily, Kim, Jamie-Lee and Taylor screeched excitedly - much like Luna and Andy did earlier that day – as they ran over to get a look at the ring and hug the newly engaged pair, causing everyone to pause in fear they'd woken Teddy up but when he carried on sleeping they let out a relieved sigh.

Once the girls had calmed down the boys descended on the newly engaged couple offering their congratulations and hugs (for Ale) and pats on the back for Paul; before a day of fun and relaxation ensued. While secretly Andromeda mentally planned inviting all of Ale's and Luna's friends over as the elder Black witch knew that her niece and Luna missed their friends greatly, even if it had only been half a day, but with the war and how they had learnt to lean on each other and the time difference it was bound to feel longer for them. She also made a mental note to discuss with Luna this evening about throwing an engagement party for Ale and Paul, which was only another positive to inviting their friends, and perhaps even her little sister.

***

A week later Paul could finally show his beloved Alejandra what he had been working on for the entire week as the nursery was finally finished.
"No peaking." Paul teased, a laugh bubbling up in hi throat as he led her into the nursery with his hands over her eyes. Now with the nursery complete Teddy can finally stay with them and give Andy and Luna a much-needed break as well. He, with everyone's agreement, hadn't wanted Teddy to stay in a house that had paint fumes wafting through it, and even with an Air-Freshening Charm it could still affect him if he had wolf senses like Remus which incidentally they won't find out until he's older.

"I can't even if I wanted to." Alejandra laughed, which brought a smile to Paul's face. He simply loved her laugh; well he loved her it was as simple as that. "My short height works in your favour."
"Hmm." Paul hummed in agreement, kissing his mark causing her to suck in a sharp breath. A smirk now spreading across the wolf-shifter's face.
"No fair! No teasing, Paul!" Alejandra complained.

"Who said it would only be teasing, my love?" Paul asked huskily. The past week they had been going at it like rabbits to his pack mate's consternation, especially as Leah and Luna went on a date a few days ago. "Plus, I wouldn't put anything past you, my love. My beautiful jaguar." He added going back to the previous conversation before they got carried away, however he couldn't help but tease her some more first.

"Although, if you like being blindfold I'm sure we can add it to the bedroom later but first I wanted to show you this."
"Paul!" Ale moaned, slapping his arm lightly before she gasped for a whole other reason as he removed his hands allowing her to take in the nursery he had designed for their son. "This...this is amazing." She whispered as she turned to take it all in. including his name written in white block-lettering within a painted brown circle amongst some fern trees above the cot. It had a very calming feel to it with the woodland theme which should help Teddy during the Full Moons as he just gets grouchy during that time. It seemed the Metamorphmagus gene balanced the werewolf gene out.

Turning once more to get a proper look at the room from the throws, the mobile above the cot, the white curtains, the cream carpet with the brown bear rug, a white armchair and footstool was beside the cot in the corner with a brown teddy bear body pillow, a hand carved little bookshelf shaped like a tree sat beside the chest of drawers on the south facing wall holding children's storybooks and some teddies while a grey wicker basket full of toys sat between the chest of drawers and the door to the wardrobe that was hand carved by Paul and Jared and painted the same colour as the other furniture, and finally, there was a cute Bambi rocking horse for when he's a little older.

"It's perfect!" Alejandra exclaimed, spinning on her heels and throwing her arms around Paul, peppering his face with kisses making him laugh. "I love it! Absolutely love it! Thank you, my love."
"I'm glad you liked it baby." Paul smiled kissing her temple as he just held her lovingly in his arms. "And anything for you and our son. Absolutely anything." He kissed her with a hunger that only those who knew each other inside out and could love each other not in spite of their flaws but because of them could possess.

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Author's note: DO NOT ask me to update in any way shape or form. There are other ways of telling me what you thought of this. Anyone who does will get one warning before they are blocked.