Two
The Truth Will Set You Free…
Nobody was more excited about Bella Swan coming back than Jacob Black, and that was saying something considering her father lived fifteen-fucking-minutes away. It was true that by the time Bella left Forks, Paul was fond of her… at least parts of her. It was a thought that had gotten him reprimanded several times in the past. Paul wasn't sure why his mind would often drift back to his night in the woods with Bella. The sex had been good… really good considering she was inexperienced and it was essentially sloppy doggy style. Still, sometimes when Paul was spending some quality time with himself he would think about that night. He could still remember the way she had moaned his name… the way she smelled. Fuck! The way she smelled! It was like catnip, but for his wolf. The not-so-human side of him had wanted to roll around in her scent.
"Bella's going to be here any minute." Jacob breathed as he looked at Paul. He had never forgiven his pack brother for that night, but hey, at least he didn't look at her! The rule was still in place too – apparently. All because Paul, Seth, and Jacob were the only ones that hadn't imprinted. Rare his ass!
"I'm not gonna hump her leg the second she walks in the door, if that's what you're worried about." Paul smirked from his place on Emily and Sam's couch. Jacob swiped an oversized hand at Paul's head, but the older male easily dodged it. "Relax, man. Take a joke!"
"You having sex with Bella was not a joke!" And it really wasn't.
After that night when Bella was gone and Paul wasn't drowning in her scent anymore, he found himself wondering what the hell happened. It was like she had bewitched him. Maybe it had been the full moon, maybe it had been because Paul hadn't gotten laid in a month, but he completely lost control with Bella. Jacob didn't talk to him two months, only caving when Bella moved away. He had torn into Paul – literally. He had ripped a big chunk of skin from Paul's thigh, and that was just the beginning. For nearly a year the two were at each other's throats. It damn near tore the pack apart. The only thing that made it okay was when Sam and Emily had their baby girl. Mikala had brought everyone together. When Embry imprinted on her, Jacob and Paul had to work together to stop Sam from ripping the poor kid a new one. Things were… okay after that. Civil at least.
Paul's ears perked up at the sound of a car in the driveway. It beat her old rusted truck that he used to be able to hear a mile away. If not for Sam's order to play nice, Paul probably wouldn't have bothered to be at this 'welcome home' whatever Jacob had called it. It certainly wasn't a party. Bella spoke in a low voice as she approached the door, cutting herself off with a knock. Paul had to smirk at that. She had always done that – talked herself down when she was entering a stressful situation. He listened as Jacob answered, the kid's heart nearly beating out of his chest. As he opened the door, that intoxicating scent wove its way through the room.
"Bella! Welco-" There was a beat. Paul and Jared exchanged a look as everyone quieted down. Sure, eavesdropping was rude, but when you couldn't help but hear, was it really nosy? "Bella… is that your..."
"Yeah…" Bella breathed in a low, shy voice. It seemed time didn't change too much. She shuffled a little. "That's why I came back. To tell Paul tha-"
"Paul!" Jacob's voice seemed to echo through the house.
Paul was on his feet in an instant, instinct dictating his moves as he crouched to catch Jacob's hurling form. Paul didn't ask what was wrong as they tumbled to the ground. He simply worked to kick Jacob off of him as Sam bellowed for them to take their fight outside. Since neither Paul nor Jacob would back off, they more so rolled in that direction, a ball of limbs and growls. It didn't faze them when they barreled through the glass door that had taken the place of the screen one after that had been broken. It shattered around them with a thunderous crash, falling to the ground in glinting splinters. They didn't register Sam's curses or Mikala's cries as they rolled down the steps of the wooden deck they had help build. They didn't even turn to acknowledge their audience as they busted out of their clothes, filling Sam's backyard with fur and snarls.
The images and anger flooded Paul's brain almost instantly. Bella's sweet face twisted in guilt – her hair now longer pulled over one shoulder to remain out of reach of the child she held. The toddler with tanned skin and bright brown eyes that looked exactly like his father's... like his. The shock of the truth was enough to give Paul pause. Seeing the opportunity, Jacob lunged sending the two giant, furry masses into the underbrush with a sickening crack. Whether it was the nearby redwood they downed, or Paul's now throbbing leg, he couldn't tell.
Paul didn't fight back as Jacob tore into him, throwing him around the forest like an oversized chew toy. His mental words were laced with anger and cut like a knife, nearly dulling the pain of the sharp K9's that punctured his shoulder. You're just like your dad! The growl echoed in his mind. You knocked her up! You couldn't even bother to use a condom! It all washed over Paul in waves as his silver fur grew heavy with blood. He whimpered as he tried to stand on an injured paw, the near-mangled limb giving out under him. He hadn't know about the boy – how could he? Bella had just disappeared without a word one day. Anger flushed through him as Jacob panted a few yards away, his deep eyes watching for any sign of fight. How could Bella have left without telling him? That was nearly four years ago!
Sure, Paul never wanted kids, but he had one and hadn't known! Did she think so little of him that she wouldn't give him a chance? His chest ached at the thought of missed birthdays and first words. His son had no idea who he was! Sure, he and Bella hadn't been on the best of terms, but she had had no right to keep his kid from him.
"I didn't know…" Even in his mind, his voice sounded weak and pathetic. Jacob must have picked up on that too, because he cast Paul one more parting sigh through his oversized nose before following the trail of broken trees back to Sam's.
Paul phased, half out of necessity to heal correctly, and half to keep his inner torment to himself should any of his brothers phase in. In the distance, he could hear the unfamiliar cries of the toddler, and his heart thumped painfully in his chest. Those cries shouldn't be unfamiliar. He should know them anywhere. He should know what his son smelled like – what his favorite foods were. He should have been there. He attempted to haul himself to his feet, failing with a huff and a groan. A growl passed through his lips at the sound of approaching footsteps. Maybe Jacob had caught a second wind and had returned to finish him off? The thought fled as Jared came into view with an old pair of cutoffs. It had been so long since the boys had lost control that they hardly needed the garments stashed like paraphernalia throughout the woods.
"So I guess you saw?" Jared asked, not one for pretty words or to stretch out the inevitable. It was one of the reasons he and Paul became such good friends after the first phase. They were a lot alike. With Jared, Paul always knew what he was getting. "It's fucked up, man."
Paul snorted humorlessly as he snatched the jeans from Jared. "No shit." He growled, his eyes focused on anything but his friend. "She should have told me…" He was surprised to find his voice heavy with tears that hadn't threatened him since his father's passing.
"Yeah." Jared sighed and fell to the forest floor beside him. "Wolf's out of the bag, by the way. Bella saw everything."
"Great." Paul ripped at some grass because there was nothing else he could take his anger out on without being able to move. "Fucking great! I bet she thinks she was right to keep him from me now. Fucking bitch."
"She's actually taking it pretty well. She's good with weird... guess because she dated the leech." He shrugged. "You guys scared Wyatt, but he's three. I think pretty much anything would scare a three year old." Jared gave him a crooked smile, but Paul just stared at his friend in wonder.
"Wyatt?" His son's name was Wyatt. His son. That would take some getting used to.
"Yeah. He's pretty cute. Must get it from her side." Jared barked out a laugh as Paul landed a half-hearted punch to his bicep. "Come on man, let's get you back. Everyone's dying to see what happens next."
"Just… give me a minute." Paul breathed as he looked up at the rustle trees. "I just need a minute."
The walk back to Sam and Emily's was excruciating, and not only because of his injuries. With every step, Paul's self-doubt began to sink in. What if he wasn't a good father? What if he turned out to be exactly like his old man? No – he decided as Jared helped him limp up the stairs and through the now-empty door frame. They would need to pay for that. Poor Emily's house was being replaced piece by piece thanks to the rowdy wolves she so graciously housed.
All talking ceased the second Paul entered the living room. His pack brother's watched him with careful eyes, all but Jacob who seemed like he was going out of his way to ignore Paul's existence. Paul didn't understand how the kid could hold such a torch after all these years. Sure, Paul was at fault for not wearing a rubber, but he was a victim here too! He went years without knowing about his own kid. Bella's head ducked further down as he rounded the group to look at her. She absentmindedly picked at a loose string on Wyatt's cargo shorts, trying desperately to avoid his gaze.
"Out." The word was stern, and although Paul wasn't an alpha, the others obeyed. Sure, he knew they would be listening from the kitchen under the pretense of helping Emily with dinner, but at least they had some semblance of privacy this way. Once they were alone, Paul moved slowly to sit on the loveseat opposite Bella. From her lap, Wyatt cooed and fussed as he attempted to remove his own shoe, babbling about something that only halfway made sense.
He seemed to notice Paul then, his deep eyes turning to their mirror copy. For a long moment, father and son stared at each other before the toddler broke the silence with mutterings about socks. Jared had been right, he was a cute kid. As much as Paul would like to give Bella credit for that, the boy was all Quileute – a fact that filled Paul with immense pride. This was his son. Anyone that looked at him could see the resemblance.
"You should have told me." When Paul finally broke the silence, his voice was deep and calm – not usually like himself. The thought of scaring Wyatt however, was enough to keep him on his best behavior. They kid's cheeks were still tear-stained.
"I know." Bella's voice was small and breathy, like it had been that night before he drove her to the edges of passion. "I was… scared." She admitted with a shaky breath. "I know I should have told you, Paul. I have no excuse. I just hope that… that…" Her voice trailed off as her bright brown eyes found his.
Paul felt something twist inside of him – something deep and scary. It felt like he was trapped out at sea in a storm, but completely at peace with his fate. The earth seemed to spin under his feet without him – Bella keeping him tied to the here and now. Her scent – as strong and as beautiful as ever coiled around him in a mix of vanilla, strawberry, and something he had never smelled anywhere else before. Her eyes were a wide milky chocolate dotted with golden flakes. He watched in fascination as they dilated to take him in. With every breath, her heartbeat increased, and Paul found himself loving the sound. That tiny organ was hard at work keeping her alive and well for Wyatt… for him.
Paul's shoulder's slumped in defeat as a haunting howl echoed through the now-quiet house. As Jacob ran away from what everyone else was calling ground zero, Paul found himself unable to look away from Isabella Swan. The mother of his child… His imprint.
AN: I want to take a minute to thank everyone that took the time to review. Seriously, it means the world to me, guys! They've been such a source of inspiration, I was able to finish this chapter early! Well that and I had a few days off of work!
If at any point during the story you have a question, feel free to leave it in a review or PM me. At the end of the story I'll do one big FAQ. These can include personal questions too (though I might be less inclined to answer those depending on how personal those are) lol.
Thanks again XX AAH
