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~Chapter One~
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Bella sighed and closed her eyes, stretching in much the same way a cat would as she basked in the rare sunshine that Forks had to offer. She'd just graduated high school the week before. She'd told her dad she was taking a year off of school to work and save up some money to start classes at the community college in Port Angeles. She'd made up her mind. She wanted to stay close to him- to really make up for how bad she'd treated him and her other friends.
The pack.
How she loved them all so. It had taken her a little while to get them all to trust her, but once she'd won them over, they'd become the best group of friends she could have ever asked for. Jacob had seen her through so much. He'd been so happy when she'd actually listened to him and made Alice turn her car around. She'd told him seeing him standing there, looking so betrayed….she couldn't do that to him.
Edward had survived, but he hadn't returned. He'd learned from Alice that Bella had well and truly moved on. That was enough for him. It was all he'd ever wanted for her. Even if it was with dogs… at least she'd be protected.
A chuckle above her had her cracking an eye open, squinting against the sun. She hadn't expected anyone to invade on her solitude for at least another hour. She sighed and smiled when she saw Paul standing over her. He'd become a constant in her life after she'd slapped him silly. The wolf may have taken some time to win over, but the man had been impressed by her nerve.
Over time, he'd admitted to the pack, to Jacob, that he was falling for her quiet charm. He'd been the one to help destroy the red head after her. He'd even demanded that she stay on the reservation during the confrontation. She'd protested, but in the end, Bella had been placed under lock and key in his home with Collin and Brady to baby-sit her.
Even Leah had grown to think of her as a friend. One of the only ones she had. She cherished Bella's quiet ways.. Never pushing the older girl to talk, but always there if she needed someone to listen to her. Bella never judged her for her broken heart, and never called her a bitch- either to her face or behind her back. For that, she'd earned Leah's loyalty in spades. In return, Bella confided in her. Only she knew who Bella had been falling for. Paul had caught her eye without even trying. None of her other friends had gained that trust.
"Hey. You're early." She grinned at said crush.
Paul shrugged. "I know. I got done with patrol and came over here straight from." He grinned.
Her eyes narrowed. "You just want food."
"You gonna feed me?" He teased.
Bella laughed and started to sit up. "Yeah. I can."
"I was teasing Bella. You don't have to." He said holding his hand out for her to take.
Her grin turned into a squeal when he yanked her into his arms. Her hands flew to his chest in order to brace herself, a small 'oof' leaving her mouth as their bodies collided. His eyes smoldered as he looked into hers, his wolf in agreement for once that they weren't just hungry for food. He'd long ago admitted that he wanted her for his own. His wolf had remained silent- content to agree to disagree.
They made their way into the house, each of them silent, lost in their own thoughts. Bella couldn't wrap her head around the way Paul was acting. It was almost like… but that wasn't it. It couldn't be.
"So… I've got chicken, ham or turkey cold cuts, or I can make some chicken salad, or even some tuna sandwiches if you want them." She said before turning around to see him right behind her. She swallowed thickly and stared into his eyes, shuffling backwards until he had her cornered against the wall.
"Bella… I don't want your food…" He purred.
She licked her bottom lip and swallowed again. "you… you don't?"
He scented the air, his eyes slowly bleeding yellow. "Mmm, no… I want something…. Sweeter." He all but whispered seductively against the shell of her ear. He ran his nose along the line of her jaw before nipping at her plump bottom lip.
Bella's eyes nearly rolled into the back of her head. Her very own walking fantasy was about to kiss her. She couldn't help the whimper that left her lips when he moved his lips away, down the other side of her jaw. He placed butterfly kisses against the skin of her neck, pausing to inhale deeply when he got to her collar bone.
"You smell SO addictive. So fucking sweet. So sinfully delicious." He whispered as he pressed her against the wall with his hips while his hands began to roam over her body. The v-neck tee shirt she wore caught his eye finally, before he won the battle with his wolf and moved to rub over her nipples through her shirt instead of just tearing it from her body.
"Paul…" She whined. The things he was doing to her body should be illegal. "Paul… wait… please?" She hated herself for doing it. She wanted it to mean something.
He sighed, his wolf quelled somewhat. She sounded so vulnerable. "Sorry, I probably overstepped the boundaries ten fold huh." He tried to play it off.
"Paul… I like you… probably way more than I should." She smiled when his head shot up to look her in the eye.
"Why do I sense a 'but' coming?" He wondered.
She sighed. "I just… I don't want to be another notch in your bed post, Paul. I want it to mean something! I don't want to be used again.." She muttered, her arms starting to wrap around herself.
"Oh hell… Bella. I'm sorry." Yeah… that caught her attention. 'Good. Maybe she'll listen.'
"What are you sorry for?" She wondered.
He tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "Because I didn't want to run you off. Jake told me you didn't want another guy… I thought I could keep it to myself. But damn, Bella… you're different, ok? You- you don't see me as a man whore, or a monster. You know me. It means a lot."
He really wasn't making any sense. She shocked him however, when she pressed her lips against his. A shy press of mouth to mouth. A quiet acceptance of his admission.
"I believe you." She whispered.
He licked his lips, the tip of his tongue flicking against hers in the process. She was close enough for him to kiss her if he wanted to. To properly kiss her. His eyes searched hers, looking for any sign of hesitation.
"I really want to kiss you right now…"
A shiver raced down her spine. "What's stopping you?"
His hands moved to gently cradle her head in his large palms while his lips laid claim to hers. He groaned when she granted him access to her mouth, tasting her unique flavor. She echoed his groan and pulled him closer to her, leaving barely an inch of space between them.
"Paul!" She gasped tearing her lips from his when air became vital to her consciousness.
His lips trailed down her neck, nibbling and sucking gently at her flesh. He shoved his hips against hers, letting her feel exactly what she did to him, causing them to groan at the same time with need.
"Bella.. You smell so fucking good." He moaned in her ear.
She made a split second choice before gently pushing him away enough to take his hand in hers. Confusion danced in his eyes until she started walking towards the stairs. He grinned at her and pulled her back towards him, chuckling when she squealed and fell into his waiting arms. He carried her, cradled to his chest up to her room, closing the door with a gentle tap of his foot.
"You need to tell me now if you don't want this Bella. I can be your friend. If that's what you want, I'll abide by your wishes." He promised.
She smiled. "We'll give it a try. I'll let go when the time comes. I promise."
They never heard the whine from the ash brown wolf below her window. She'd been gifted by the spirits to him, and she now willingly gave herself to another! He'd bide his time and wait. He'd have to. Paul would be forced from her. He knew it, the pack knew it, though they hoped it wouldn't happen. He'd be there to help his woman when it finally did.
He sighed and thought of the math homework awaiting him as soon as he finished his patrol. It drowned out the sounds of pleasure coming from Bella's lips and the groans of satisfaction falling from his pack mates mouth.
He'd have to wait.
It would be soon, his wolf had told him so.