Not With Her

Author: Peggy McDaniel McCombs

Pairing: Paul and Bella

Beta/advisor/proof reader: Maria Vilson

Summary: Paul is fighting the imprint. Two stubborn people dealing with their own troubles, before finally coming together in a dramatic end.

Rating: M Adult Language, Graphic Sexual Content, Violence.

Genre: Angst, Romance, Friendship

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended

Beta/advisor/proof reader: Maria Vilson

Chapter 1


Sam, Jared, Embry, and Paul walked out of the woods laughing and joking around as they shoved and pushed one another having the time of their lives. They had come to check on the newest member of the pack, Jacob Black, who had just phased two weeks before. They had just cleared the trees when they saw a young sprig of a girl marching toward them, and they could tell she was mad as hell.

Paul knew right away who it was even though he had never set eyes on her before, well not human eyes anyway. He did however see her through Jake and Sam's eyes while in wolf form, but that was it. He knew her by reputation more than anything. The leech lover he thought with a cringe.

Paul knew Jake had a larger than life crush on her that she didn't return. Paul saw in Jake's wolf mind how he was always trying to kiss her and touch her, and she was always pushing him away; but, that didn't seem to stop him, or even her, as far as that goes from showing up on the Reservation almost every day.

The girl was always where she didn't belong, and where Isabella Swan was you could be sure trouble wasn't too far behind. How did Paul know this if he hadn't met her before? Simple, through the pack mind link.

You see Embry phased a short couple of weeks before Jake did, and Jake, Embry, and Quil hung out together a lot before that. But, once Embry phased he was ordered by Sam their Alpha to stay away from Jake and Quil until he could learn to control his wolf.

One of the things the wolves can do is talk to each other using this mind link, you can learn a lot about someone through the wolf mind link, sometimes more than what they wanted to learn. Oh, it has its good points as it has its bad.

The good points are that it's easier to strategize between one another when they have to fight vampires. The bad points are that they can see anything their pack mates may be thinking at any given moment, including their times alone with their mates…and the last thing Paul wanted to see were his two best friends banging the hell out of their imprints.

Especially since he hadn't had any in the last month with babysitting the two green horns twenty four seven. Not good, especially with Paul's temper. He was hard to get close to on a good day, but with being out of the whore pool for so long…well let's just say Paul wasn't a happy camper at the moment, and with this piss ant of a girl heading their way he was already working up a good head of steam, and Sam noticed.

"Paul, settle down," Sam warned.

Paul, Jared and Sam had to listen to all of the childish crap that the three stooges, Moe, Larry, and Curly, aka, Jake, Embry, and Quil did together. The main thing being, thoughts of how they constantly were romantically hitting on one Isabella Swan, the queen bee that was heading their way.

All three of them had the hot's for the girl, but Jake more than any of the three. He was always trying to come up with a new way to get into Bella's panties to make her his, but Sam had ordered Jake to send her away in any way he saw fit, if for nothing else than to save her life. If Jake was to phase near Bella he could literally cleave her in two with his sharp claws. Sam knew this better than any of them, better from experience.

After Sam imprinted on Emily, his girlfriend at the time's cousin who came up from the Makah Reservation to help Leah plan for her wedding to Sam, and with one look she was out of there. Sam tried to make Emily see that he had no choice, he tried to explain how imprinting worked, but Emily wasn't having any part of it, she couldn't do that to her cousin who was also her best friend.

To make a long story short Sam got angry and phased too close to Emily and now she wears scars to prove it, scars that travel down one side of her face to her shoulders. It was told to those who knew nothing of the wolves, that she was attacked by a bear, to help keep their secret. Sam never left her side, and when she was finally released from the hospital, Sam and she were together, and have been ever since.

But Sam is still a little skittish when it comes to new wolves being around other people, or humans in this case. The pack knew for sure that Jake told Bella he didn't want anything to do with her any longer, because they were there the day before hiding out in the woods when she arrived, and with their supernatural hearing they heard everything Jake had said.

Sam even cringed at how he told her, and planned to talk to Jake about it later. He was mean in the way he told her to go away, that he didn't want to be around her anymore, and that he was tired of her whining, that he was no longer her friend, it was totally uncalled for. He could have done it in a better way.

But seeing Bella back again today, they all could see why Jake did it the way he did. She didn't listen to a thing Jake had told her yesterday. Even before that Billy had tried to get her to stay away.

Paul heard Billy tell her a number of times that Jake wasn't home. He told her that maybe it would be best if she didn't call anymore…but nooo…she kept it up, until Billy stopped answering the phone all together, which left nothing else for her to do, than to show her arse back here at his house anyway.

Paul had to give her kudos though. The way she was storming up to a bunch of over grown muscle-bound men without a care in the world showed she had spunk, so the guys readied themselves for what this little all of five foot two spit-fire of a girl was about to give them.

The four of them stopped and waited for hell to rain down on them, as she marched up to them screaming at the top of her lungs that she wanted them to leave Jake alone, as she brought one of her arms up and planted it into Sam's chest trying to push him back as hard as she could screaming between her teeth. Of course Sam didn't budge.

"He told you he didn't want this, to just leave him alone," she yelled again. By this time Paul was seeing red, thinking Jake had opened his big mouth and told her of the wolves.

Paul couldn't keep his mouth shut; he never could which was part of his problem most of the time and it always got him in trouble.

"What did he tell you leech lover, huh?!" Paul asked hatefully through his own clinched teeth and angry scowl as he got in her face.

"He said nothing," was all Bella got out of her mouth as she raised her hand to smack Paul across the face, but froze where she stood once she glanced into his eyes.

Paul too froze as his angry expression turned into one of confusion, and dare I say fear.

"Paul!" Sam yelled and grabbed one of his arms as did Jared trying to stop him from harming Bella, but soon saw that he was frozen to the ground as both he and Bella stared at one another. It was then that Sam saw what had happened.

Paul began to back away shaking his head. "No…no, no, no, this can't be happening, not with her…not with the leech lover...No!" he yelled as he forced himself to break eye contact and turned to run, phasing as he went.

"Paul!" Sam called out to stop him, but it was already too late, Paul was already halfway across the Reservation. He ran until he reached the mountains and climbed as high as he could go. He then sat down after phasing back to human, not wanting to hear Sam ordering him to come back.

He sat there looking out over the embankment that was at least five hundred feet down, letting his legs hang over the side and rubbed his face as he screamed. "God No, not the leach lover anyone but her; damn you Taha Aki is this supposed to be some kind of a joke?!" he yelled as visions of Bella flipped through his mind.

He pressed one of his hands against his chest as he felt the pain of being so far away from her, and cussing her didn't help the pain either. He rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hands trying to force the sight of her out of his mind, but it didn't help.

It even came to his mind to dive off the cliff; he hoped he'd bounce off a few rocks on his way down and then hoped he impaled himself on a huge tree limb once he was close to the ground. Death would be better than this, he thought.

Paul knew he would imprint at some point and time, and he even knew it wouldn't be with any of the whores he screwed at times. He figured it would be some sweet kind hearted woman who would be able to calm him and his wolf down a few notches. Sure Bella was a woman like that, but he didn't want the leech lover.

He didn't want the sloppy seconds from a fucking bloodsucker. "Fuck that," he thought, and again he felt the pain in his chest…"Fuck, what the hell am I going to do now!" he yelled snorting through his nose angrily, rubbing his chest once again.

Paul may have given Sam and Jared grief over being pussy whipped by their imprints, but it was all in fun, who would have thought that it would happen to him…and so fast.

He even went as far as telling the pack that he would never imprint on anyone, that even if he did he'd fight it telling them he loved his life as it was, fucking a different girl every night; at least it was his choice. But of course Sam and Jared would always came back with a, we will see big guy, and left it at that.

But the truth of it was, Paul was lonely, yeah he had the pack, but it wasn't the same thing. Once they parted ways for the night, Paul sat and wished he had someone to spend time with, someone to warm his bed if only to feel another human being at his side, someone he could hold, someone he could call his own.

Paul didn't have anyone other than the pack. His dad drank himself to death, and his mom literally worked herself into an early grave, while making sure they had a roof over their heads and food in their bellies.

She had worked a double at the diner in Port Angeles and fell asleep at the wheel and rammed head on into a tree while coming home from work one night. That was a night Paul would never forget.

It was Charlie Swan ironically enough, Bella's dad, and Billy Black, Jake's father and chief of their tribe who came to his house to break the sad news to him. He was sixteen years old at the time.

It was also the night Paul phased for the first time. Of course Charlie freaked out, but Billy knew what had happened considering Sam and Jared were already wolves. Once they felt the shimmer of someone phasing, and knowing it wasn't either one of them, Sam and Jared were at Paul's house quick enough.

That's also the day Billy sat Charlie down and told him about how the stories he had been telling over the years were true, and Charlie after freaking out somewhat with finding out that his daughter had been dating a vampire, which he promised would never happen again over pain of death on his part, settled in the realization of what his old friend had told him was true.

He also saw that it made sense, he thought that they were a little too young to become warriors, but if that's what it took to protect their land he understood…somewhat.

Charlie promised not to say a word to anyone, and stayed true to his word thus far, he kept their secret even from Bella his own daughter. It was discussed between the elders and the pack about telling Bella, but it was voted down, seeing she wasn't an imprint at the time; and, the fact she had dated a vampire, animal drinker or not, the elders felt she couldn't be trusted with their secret.

Telling Bella about the pack would have upset a lot of people in the long run anyway, not that the pack really cared. They knew Bella could keep a secret, after all she'd been dating a vampire for going on the better part of a year before he and his coven up and left her in the woods alone.

Sam was the one who found her after he and the pack searched for hours looking for her. Paul saw what she looked like in Sam's mind, and yes, he felt a closeness to her, but he put it down as feeling sorry for her situation, and left it at that.

Sam took her to her dad's, and Jake was the one who nursed her back to health, but the point was if she hadn't taken up with the bloodsucker in the first place none of it would have happened, she could have kept her heart intact, Paul thought.

But anyway, Paul was left alone to fend for himself. Oh Sure Charlie offered to take him home with him until arrangements could be made, but Sam stepped in offering to take him to his place saying that he was not in control of his wolf yet, that he and Jared would see that he was trained to control his wolf.

A few weeks later after his mother's funeral and getting control over his wolf, Paul returned to his home. He promised his mother long ago that he would graduate from High School.

There were too many kids on the Reservation that dropped out at a young age from school, and Paul's mother feared Paul would be one of them, but Paul was true to his word.

He might have acted like he was some kind of juvenile delinquent with all the fighting and screwing around he did, but Paul was smart, and graduated at the top of his class.

Billy had come to him shortly after Paul's return home and told him that his mother had made a will of sorts and gave it to the council to their safe keeping.

She had paid off the house a few years ago, and had started putting money in a savings account for her retirement, and if anything was to happen to her before Paul was of age the money was to go to him to live on until he graduated and could find work for himself.

But even then he found out that the Elders took it on themselves to pay his utility bills until he graduated, and knew someone was coming in his house while he was at school and cleaned his house every so often, and always left the cabinets, and refrigerator full of food.

He suspected it was Sue Clearwater, well Swan now since Charlie and Sue had married recently, and Charlie moved into her house there on the Reservation. But Bella still lived in her old house in Forks.

She had just graduated High School herself. Bella was close to being nineteen years old, and was looking to head to Seattle in the fall to attend College.

Paul wondered if she would go now that this had happened. In some ways he hoped she would, although he didn't know if his heart could stand that much pain for that long of time, and what would happen if she met someone she wanted to live out the rest of her life with, how would he survive that?

"What the fuck are you thinking?" he screamed out, "fuck her let her go," he said under his breath; this is so unfair, he thought, "It's so unfair!" he then screamed. "I don't want her!" he yelled out cursing at no one in particular as his wolf growled at the man. Paul chuckled.

"What, you want the vampire girl dumb arse?" he laughed as his wolf growled again. "Well tough shit, you don't get her, because I won't let it happen," Paul chided.

"She is our imprint, she was chosen for us. I will fight you on this young human," his wolf growled.

"Bring it," Paul said as he jumped to his feet and phased and headed toward the tribe, and to his home or so he thought. He had made it to the Reservation and realized that they were heading back to Jake's house.

"NO!" Paul yelled and skidded to a stop trying to make his wolf turn to go home.

"MINE!" his wolf growled as he started to move slowly toward Jake's, Paul fighting him all the way. This went on for a while until Paul looked up with his wolf eyes and saw they were behind Jake's house. The sweet smell of strawberries and lilacs wafted through the air and almost brought Paul and his wolf to their knees. It was her scent. Paul moaned, almost losing his restraint and barging into the Black home.

"Fuck!" Paul growled and finally won against his wolf and phased back to human. He slipped on his shorts and began to walk as fast as he could to his house, but not fast enough, because it was then that he heard his alpha's voice.

"Paul, get your arse over here…NOW!" Sam ordered. Paul stopped dead in his tracks and huffed. Not being able to go against his alpha's orders he turned and headed back to Jake's and to his imprint, growling all the way.

xXx

After Paul took off and shifted into a giant wolf, Bella stood there shocked at what she saw. Her legs became weak and not being able to stand any longer she fell on her behind.

Still shocked, she sat there with her heart racing faster than it had ever beat before and her mouth hanging open. It was then she heard a deep voice quietly say.

"Bella, are you okay? Let me help you up," Sam said putting his hand out for her to take, but it was too soon. Bella's mind raced as she put two and two together. She remembered Billy and how he used to tell Jake and her stories when they were young, of wolves, the protectors of the tribe. They were true, she thought as it sunk in what Jake was trying to tell her last night.

"It was an order," he said as he fought to tell Bella what he was told not to after going to Bella's house later that night. He felt bad about the way he spoke to Bella and wanted to make a mend. "Remember the story I told you on the beach that time Bells?" Bella's thoughts reeled through her mind as she tried to remember. She could only remember Jake talking about the cold ones, she thought as she shook her head.

Jake would start and then stop short, as the alpha order barged in to stop him. He was trying to get the words out, but with the gag order in affect it was useless. He only hoped that Bella would put what he had said together, and figure it all out. He knew she was smart. He knew she'd get it sooner or later.

Was there more she thought at the time, but now she remembered. Wolves, protectors, that's what they were giant shifting wolves, she thought as she looked at Sam's hand that he had stuck in front of her to help her to her feet causing her to panic.

"No…no, no…get away from me!" she screamed as she crabbed walked backwards, her hand behind her as her feet carried her backwards as fast as she could. It was then that she heard his voice.

"Bella!" Jake yelled as he jumped over the back porch railing and ran across the yard. When he got to Bella he dove over her shifting into a huge russet colored wolf, his paws landing heavy on the ground only a few feet from Bella facing his brothers. He took defensive stance and growled making the pack step away from Bella.

"Jacob, phase back now! We are not going to hurt the girl. She saw Paul phase and she's in shock. Phase and take care of her," Sam ordered. Jake's body began to shake, rippling so fast he almost disappeared from sight as his wolf disappeared and a very naked Jake stood in his place.

Sam threw Jake a pair of shorts that Embry had run into Billy's house to get. Jake put them on and ran over to Bella whose wide eyes stared at Jake, surprised to see he was one of them as well.

"Jake?" Bella whined as Jake picked her up off the ground and carried her into his house, while Sam, Embry and Jared followed. Billy handed her a glass of water once she was seated on the sofa, which she took gratefully. Not knowing what to say, she nodded her head at Billy as Jake took a seat on the coffee table in front of her.

Jake told her the whole story of what he and the others were, and why they were what they were. Bella took it all in and understood, as her own father understood a few years before. But when she asked why the other guy ran away, Jake looked at Sam with a confused frown.

"Paul was here?" Jake asked, only remembering now that Sam had said he was earlier, he was so worried about Bella that he had forgotten. Sam nodded, but didn't say any more too at least Jake. Because after Bella was done taking it all in she told them she had to go. She needed time to think on this a little more, and promised not to tell a soul.

"Bella, I think you should wait and talk with Paul," Sam finally said. Bella and Jake both turned to Sam. Jake had his suspicions of what happened, but there was no way he was going to reveal anything like that to her.

"Why?" Bella asked confused.

"I think it's his place to tell you Bella, but you have to know that there's more to the story than what Jake here has told you," Sam explained. Bella looked at Jake confused, but she really didn't want to go into any more at the moment, and honestly she didn't think she could handle learning any more, she needed time to let it all sink in before she learned anything else. She hoped that Sam would let Jake tell her at a later time.

"Can't Jake tell me, I mean later, once I've had time to think about all this?" she asked. Sam looked between Jake and Bella not knowing what to do about this situation. He knew Jake loved Bella, but would he tell her everything? He didn't think so.

"I'll tell her everything after she gets some rest," Jake offered. Sam nodded his head knowing he wasn't going to tell her everything about imprinting any way. He knew then that Paul would have to face Bella with the truth.

Jake felt that Bella was his, he was so upset that he didn't imprint on her at first glance after phasing, and he sure as hell wasn't going to let someone else imprint on her.

Besides he knew how Paul was, he would never accept the imprint. He knew he would fight it, he hated that Bella was with a leech, called her leech lover to Jake all the time.

Jake hated it, but now he could use it to his benefit, and besides within a couple of weeks Bella would be leaving for College anyway. He hated the idea of her leaving when he found out, but now he was sort of glad.

Maybe he could get her to leave a little early, he thought. Tell her that she could take the time to get settled in before she started school. He had to get her out of there before Sam made Paul tell her about the imprint.

Jake knew if Paul told her of how much pain he would be in if she left that she would stay giving up her dream of going to College to help Paul, even if she didn't except the imprint. She wouldn't be able to live with herself knowing she was causing pain to another person, even if that person was Paul Lahote. So he had to get her out of there, and soon.

Then Jake could keep reminding Paul that Bella was with a bloodsucker for almost a year, and could play it through as though if the Cullens ever came back that she'd just run back to them anyway. Yes, this could work, Jake thought smiling inwardly. He told Bella to go home and get some rest that he would call her later. Bella nodded as she looked at the five men in front of her.

"I'll see you later Jake," Bella said getting up and leaving. They heard her rusty old truck start and rumble down the road. Sam walked over to the window and looked out. It was then he saw Paul walking at a fast rate toward his house. Sam opened the door and yelled.

"Paul, get your arse in here, NOW!" Sam yelled waiting for him to join the rest of them.