Here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy!

This is more of a filler chapter as I have to catch up on some critical information before proceeding but here Annalise gets to spend some time with Sam. Their relationship will develop more in later chapters.

Chapter 4

The next few hours were spent drifting in and out of consciousness. I remember hearing voices around me, feeling rough movements against my stomach, and feeling a warm hand gently squeeze mine. When I finally awoke, I looked around confusedly at the white hospital room. Bella sat in the corner of the room, reading a book.

At the sound of me stirring, she set down the book quickly.

"Oh, Annalise, thank goodness!" She rushed over to my bed.

"What happened?" I was still trying to grasp reality. My mind couldn't remember the last several hours.

Bella quickly glanced over her shoulder, checking that we were alone before leaning closer. "You don't remember going to La Push this morning to see Jacob and running into the La Push group and seeing Paul.."

She trailed off as memories slowly replayed in my head. Seeing Paul shake as he sank to the ground, hearing his growl as Jacob ran over to him, seeing him explode in a mass of fur while I was staring at…

I gasp when I remember the man I saw, the gorgeous most beautiful man ever.

"What were they?"

Bella's lips drew in a thin line. "I know it's crazy to believe, but they are all werewolves. That's what Jacob couldn't tell us. That's why he was staying away for so long. He wasn't sick, he was in transformation for the first time. They all went through that, they are all werewolves."
I felt sick, I placed my pale hand on my forehead. "I can't believe it. I wouldn't believe it except I saw it for myself. Paul–"

"When werewolves first transform, their emotions expand dramatically along with their anger and it takes a while for them to control themselves without phasing instantly.

"Phasing?"

Bella nodded grimly. "Paul phased when he was too close to you, and he feels horrible. I saw Jacob phase a second later and fling Paul far away from you. Sam went nearly livid. He was shaking so much I thought he would phase too, but he yelled at the others to take care of them while he raced over to you. I had never seen someone react so emotionally, he was in agony at your pain and he sprinted to my car with you in his arms and drove with you all the way here. He showed so much guilt, you think he would have done it."

I looked at Bella. "Sam? Isn't he the leader you were talking about? Why did he care so much?"

Bella raised her shoulders. "I have no clue. I haven't been able to talk to Jacob yet, though I know he's phased back. They are all back in La Push now. Sam was sitting in the waiting room for hours, too stubborn to leave until he heard that you were alright. He said he would be back soon."

I took a moment to lift the blanket up and look at the thick bandages covering my torso, I couldn't feel any pain at the moment, just intense soreness but I'm guessing that is the result of the pain medication.

I looked back up at Bella. "I'm honestly so confused. I have no idea what to think. Werewolves? Seriously? Bella, that's crazy to think about. Does Charlie know? Does Billy know? And I don't even know Sam yet when I saw him for the first time I felt like I was riding on cloud nine. I have never felt more attracted to another being and yet I know nothing about him."

Bella shifted on the side of my bed. "I know this is a lot to take in, but it's gonna take time. Charlie knows nothing and he can't know. This is a big secret, Annalise and apparently, we weren't supposed to know either. They aren't exactly thrilled about us at the moment. Billy knows, he's part of the council and this is a big secret that has been passed on for generations. I know it's a lot, and I don't know a lot myself but we'll make Jacob explain more when we see him."

I looked at her curiously. "How are you not freaking out about this? I'm on pain meds so I'm not quite in the right mind, but here you are explaining to me like you're happy about this."

She shifted uncomfortably, looking away. "I probably shouldn't explain until you're feeling better. Unfortunately, the doctors said that it would leave bad scarring, but it's on your stomach so you can always choose to cover it up." She takes my hand. "I am deeply sorry this happened to you, Annalise."

Moved by her compassion, I smile. I honestly have no idea why I am not reacting to this. I should be screaming at the thought of werewolves, I should be crying over the deep scars that now cover my torso, yet I am calm.

Bella stands up. "Charlie thinks that you were attacked by a wild wolf, apparently there have been sitings of wolves in the area and now he's out with several other officers and hunters looking for them. That's why the pack had to return to La Push, to make sure they stayed concealed."

"How long am I stuck in here?"

Bella returns to her chair in the corner. "The doctor wanted to make sure you didn't disturb your stitches for the first six hours, and then afterward you're confined to bed rest for the next couple days and absolutely no strenuous activity for the next two weeks."

I groan, itching to get up and leave this boring bed. "I probably should call my mom, she must be worried."

Bella nodded. "She's been calling every hour and she keeps threatening to hop on a plane."

I can't help but grin, that sounds like my hair-brained mother. Bella quietly stepped out to give me a few moments alone. I called my mom and spent the next several minutes reassuring my mother that I was alright. I knew she felt better at hearing how even my voice was. She wanted me to come home, but I insisted on staying. Certain circumstances were definitely willing me to stay here. When I finally hung up, Bella peeked her head back into the room, her face held a certain frustration to it.

"Sam's back. He's insisting on seeing you. I tried telling him you weren't seeing anyway but he's quite persistent. Do you want me to go tell him you don't want to see him?"

"No!" I jumped before realizing it. For some reason, I was desperate to see him again. Quickly composing myself, and smooth down the blanket on top of my legs. "I mean, I want to see him."

Bella gave me a lingering glance, mixed with surprise and confusion before disappearing. Moments late, Sam pops his head in and butterflies fill my stomach. I can't describe it, but seeing him again is like a breath of fresh air. Gone is my soreness, gone is the steadily growing pain from my torso, all I can focus on is him.

"Hi," I started, breathless.

He gives a sigh of relief at seeing me. Entering the room, he walks over to the side of my bed and gently sits down next to me.

"You're alright." I stare at his face, he's even more gorgeous up close. Dark eyes lined with think lashes. His large frame radiates power and strength yet his eyes show love and kindness.

I blush slightly when I realize I've been staring at his for too long. "Yes, I'm alright. The doctor says I can leave in a couple hours. But I'm confined to bed for the next couple days to make sure the stitches don't tear."

His shoulders tense at my words and I can see he's struggling to keep his composure. Without thinking, I grab his hand, gasping at how warm it is which instantly catches his attention.

"I'm going to kill Paul. He should never have hurt you, nor been anywhere near you."

I shake my head pulling my eyebrows together in a worried expression. "No, it's okay. It was my fault. I wasn't thinking straight. I never should have run close to Paul, I was just worried about Bella."

"You protected her, there's nothing wrong with that." His rough thumb gently rubbed circles around my palm and I was instantly calm, though my heart was still beating rapidly.

"I need to explain some things to you," he began. "Give you some more explanation. And there is also a choice you need to make."

He senses my confusion. "Don't worry, I'll explain everything tomorrow. That is if I can see you tomorrow?"

I grin, showing the small dimple in my left cheek. "I would love that."

His shoulders relax at my words. Maybe he was thinking that I wanted nothing to do with him, right now I couldn't imagine not spending every second with him.

"I just have one question for you." I nod as I notice how beautiful his lips were, wow control yourself, Annalise. You barely know the guy.

"Do you feel what I am feeling now? This connection that makes me want to shoot myself in the foot so that I can stay longer with you."

I giggle at his words and I am instantly awestruck at his gorgeous smile.

"I hope you wouldn't result to self-harm, but surprisingly yes. I don't know why, this is all so strange but I feel so connected to you."

He grasped my hand tighter. "I'm glad you said that. Tomorrow hopefully I can clear some things up. Unfortunately, I have to go now. There are certain pack duties that I have to attend to which I can also explain tomorrow."

I'm instantly saddened at the thought of him leaving, but he leaned down to press his lips to my forehead and I'm left with the lingering heat from his lips.

He leaves and I instantly feel like something's missing. I wish I could make sense of it all. After he left, the soreness and pain came back in my stomach. A new headache started and soon a nurse came back to give me new medication.

Charlie and Bella helped me out of the hospital in a wheelchair and soon we were back at the house. They helped me up to our room and settled me in my bed. After seeing that I was alright, Charlie left me in Bella's care.

We sat for a few moments in silence before I spoke.

"What did you want to tell me?"

She shifted, clutching her pajamas in her hand. "We probably shouldn't get into to it now. I don't want to upset you."

I try to sit up, wincing as I clutch my stomach. Bella moves to help me, but I wave her away.

"I'm fine. Trust me. I might be a little sore, but I want to hear what you have to say."

Bella took a deep breath. "It has to do along the lines of werewolves. What if I told you that they weren't the only supernatural creatures out there."

I laugh. "What, are you going to tell me that unicorns and mermaids exist as well?"

I stopped when I saw her expression.

"Not exactly. Edward, my ex-boyfriend, and his family are vampires or cold ones as the werewolves apparently call them."

"What!?" I exclaim, eyes growing wide. "You mean to tell me that there are vampires, and you were DATING one of them?"

She cringed at my tone. "Yes. I was. Edward tried to keep it from me, but I found out and yet, I didn't care. They are different from other vampires, they only drank the blood of animals and not humans. It gave them certain control which allowed them to be around other humans without going crazy. That is, until my eighteenth birthday party when I accidentally sliced my finger and their newest addition to the family tried to kill me. Edward decided it was best that they weren't in my life, so he left with his family, taking all of the memorabilia we shared with him, and it's been miserable ever since."

I can't believe all that she's been through. No wonder she was a wreck when Charlie called. To lose someone you love and not even be allowed to have any memories. I was starting to understand the adrenaline junky part as well.

"That's not all." I looked at her again as she continued. "There are other vampires out there, bad vampires who drink human blood. Last spring, when I was dating Edward a coven of three came to Forks. One of them became obsessed with me and tracked me to Phoenix and nearly killed me if it wasn't for Edward rescuing me. I was in the hospital with the story that I fell down the stairs and broke a window at a hotel, but it was close."

She rubbed her arm where I saw a faint crescent scar.

"And a couple weeks ago, I was visited by another vampire who was from that coven and he tried to kill me, but the werewolves showed up and killed him but not before he told me that the last vampire from that coven was angry and plotting to kill me. He said she was out in the woods waiting for me and I've been terrified ever since."

"Oh my gosh, that's terrible! Bella, what have you been doing?"

She shuddered. "I've been waiting for her to come for me and hoping that she leaves you and Charlie alone." A tear falls down her cheek and I begin to grasp how truly alone Bella has felt since Edward left.

"You should tell Jacob. I bet he can help, maybe they've already found her and taken care of her. At least he can be aware that she might be trying to kill you."

She nodded solemnly. "You're right. I'm just glad you know and aren't freaking out. I was terrified when I sawyou in a pool of blood. It confirmed all my nightmares of the people I care about dying."

I smile weakly. "Well, I'm still here so your nightmares aren't true. And I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon."

I cut this chapter here because I didn't want too many large conversations in one chapter. Next up, Sam time and some explanations for Annalise!

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