AN: Alright guys, chapter 3! Woot! Two chapters, two days in a row! Okay anyways, I don't own Twilight or the characters blah blah blah, you know the drill. I gotta say it. BUT as always I do like to think that I own my plot and any original characters that I put into my stories. Alright, let's go!


Vexation

Chapter 3

SummerPOV

The sounds emitting from Paul's chest were inhuman, animalistic in their quality and severity. They were loud and threatening but I couldn't make myself be afraid of them. They were a warning, but not to me. Of course I knew that they weren't meant for me, it was pretty obvious.

They were directed at Seth and Paul made it known as he glared lethally at the younger boy from over my head.

The expression flickering in his burning yellow eyes was obvious to me, I'd seen it time and time again in movies and television shows, read about it in books but never had I ever seen it first hand, and never this intensely. Jealousy. It occurred to me that Paul was acting on instinct in his rage, holding me to him possessively.

I examined his face the best I could from my position. With his impressive muscles he was also really beautiful, like really beautiful. Could men be beautiful? Sure they could, and he definitely was by far the most beautiful man I'd ever seen. With a straight nose and large butterscotch eyes rimmed with thick black lashes, and lips full for a man. Yes, he was very, very beautiful.

"Maybe you should step away from her, Paul. You don't want to hurt her." Sam's voice did nothing to calm Paul down; if anything it did the opposite. I wasn't the only one who seemed to notice this.

"It wasn't what you thought, Paul. I just caught her when she fell. That's all." Seth spoke up and Paul snarled, clutching me even closer to him.

"You shouldn't have fucking touched her at all!" Paul seethed, stroking my hair, leaning down and burying his face in it, apparently done talking to Seth.

"So you'd rather I'd let her fall? That's what you're telling me?" Seth demanded incredulously, either too oblivious to notice the obvious tension in the room, or too annoyed to even care. It didn't seem like he was ignorant to the atmosphere so I voted more towards the ladder.

Paul's head snapped up and he barred his teeth at Seth quickly before going right back to pressing his face into my neck. He inhaled deeply, and shuddered.

His shaking began to ease.

"Maybe. . ." Aunt Karren started, and I instantly felt awful for forgetting her until then. Emily quickly hushed her, and I felt even worse.

"Seth. Don't." Jared advised. I didn't know what Seth was going to do, but I could guess it wasn't something good. Actually, I didn't want to know, it was something even I would probably scold him for doing. Seth didn't seem like one to be put off easily, and it looked as if he was becoming my own self-proclaimed protector.

Not that I needed one. I wasn't in any danger. I was more worried about him.

"Someone needs to do something," Seth muttered, more to himself than anyone else. I ignored him.

"Not you." Emily responded just as quietly.

"Mine." Paul mumbled into my hair quietly, only for my ears. The side of his face brushed gently across my skin in a seemingly feline gesture. He kept taking in deep breaths and I became conscious of the fact that he was sniffing me, taking in my scent. It should have creeped me out, but of course it didn't. Nothing was normal with this man.

"Are you okay, Summer?" Seth asked softly and I wondered if he was a simple glutton for punishment.

Absently I wondered about his question and realized with a shock that I was fine, better than fine actually. I felt whole and in fact realized that I was clutching Paul jus as tightly as he was me. My hands were attached tightly to his triceps, my nails biting into the hard skin there.

"I'm fine. . ." I trailed off, not knowing if my voice would set Paul off again.

But he didn't move, just nuzzling my neck, a low grumbling coming from deep inside his chest. It sounded something like purring but it was wilder and deeper than a cat's purr. The sound was oddly comforting to me, calming my nerves and slowing my rapid heartbeat some. I understood then that's why he was doing it.

Loosening my death grip on his arms, I pulled my head back from his chest, instead finding myself searching for his gaze.

"Are you alright?" I asked nearly inaudibly, watching a he raised his head from my shoulder and met my eyes. I examined them as they slowly faded from yellow to the light honey color they'd been before. He seemed calmer now and his shaking had ceased, but I wasn't sure if I could pull away from him completely. Something was holding me, like an invisible rope that tied me to Paul. The line was taught, and seemingly unbreakable to me.

There was a content look in his eyes that was unfamiliar to me, given his angry impression just hours before. Though, as my eyes stayed trained on him the calm serenity of his expression faded and morphed into a more identifiable one to me; anger. Anger at me and me alone now.

"Why are you fucking everywhere I go? I can't ever get the fuck away. You're everywhere." My chest ached as he pulled my arms from him and gently pushed me away. I felt like I couldn't breathe again. I felt the rejection hit me deep, coursing through my vanes like liquid flames. I was the one shaking now.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I stepped away from him. I wanted nothing more in that moment than to run away.

"I'm sorry," I offered pitifully, unsure of how to react to his mixed emotions. I couldn't remember a time where I'd been more confused, and that's saying a lot considering all that's happened lately.

"Don't fucking apologize me to me!" he growled, stumbling back from me and towards the open door. He pushed his large hands through his hair roughly, glancing around wildly. He looked like a caged animal, a wolf pacing viciously back and forth, just inside the wired fence of a zoo.

"I'm sor- Okay." I almost apologized again and I cringed as I stumbled over my words.

Sam must not have been able to handle the tension anymore because he moved then, crossing the distance from where he stood in next to Emily and on the other side of my Aunt. Jared looked just as ready to intervene, though he seemed to be waiting for something. Sam shifted until his body was in front of mine, hiding me easily from Paul's view with his large frame.

Paul seemed to lean subconsciously to the right, keeping me in his line of sight at all times, though he stared straight into Sam's eyes.

"I think you need to leave. Take some time to cool off." Sam's voice was commanding and his posture said the same, and I'm sure if he was talking to anyone else they would have complied easily, but of course Paul wouldn't. His glare was cold as he watched his friend.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Seth stand from his chair, moving to come up behind me and rest his palms on my shoulders. I felt like this was a mistake on his part as I watched the emotions surge in Paul's eyes. His gaze slowly shifted from Sam to Seth's hands on my bare shoulders.

"I've had enough time to cool off," Paul argued, still his eyes never left Seth's hands. "And why should I be the one to leave? Why can't she?" he demanded, his eyes burning holes into Seth's hands.

I had the overwhelming urge to shake them off and prove I really didn't want the touch.

I wasn't offended by his comment, he belonged with these people far more than I ever would. I barely knew them. He had much more of a right to be there than I did, and as I watched his face I took note of how his eyes began to glow gold once more.

As discretely as I possibly could I took a small step away from Seth and his hands fell away from me, although I could still feel the heat of him against my bare skin.

"I can leave. It's really no problem." I said quietly. I knew by Sam's defensive stance that he wasn't about to give into Paul and kick me and Aunt Karren out. I just didn't see the point of them fighting over something that could be solved so easily.

"You don't have to leave, Summer." Sam answered back at the same time Paul growled over Sam's shoulder at me, "Yeah, you should fucking go."

I flinched.

"I can take you home," Seth offered helpfully or well unhelpfully depending on how you took it.

"Fuck off, Seth. Karren can take her home." Paul snapped.

"Karren didn't drive here and they aren't about to walk all the way home, now are they?" Seth countered.

"Someone else can take her. Emily?" Paul was getting angry again and if Sam hadn't been in between us I probably would have reached out to him in a stupid attempt to comfort him. I pushed my hands roughly into the back pockets of my shorts so I wouldn't be tempted.

"This is my house, Paul, not yours," Emily glared back at him and I bit my lips so I couldn't be enticed to tell her to ease up on him. I was becoming protective of him, which made no sense considering how capable he was to take care of himself, obviously. "And if you have a problem with my guests then you can do yourself a favor and leave. The doors right there."

"You're really going to kick me out over this little girl?" Paul was furious now, gesturing wildly to me.

"I'm not kicking you out." Emily denied.

"Sounds like fucking kicking out to me, Em. I appreciate it." Paul retorted hotly.

"Paul. . ." Sam cautioned.

"I'm giving you two options." Emily continued, not sparing Sam a second glance.

"That's a fucking ultimatum."

"Take it how you will." And that's all Emily had to say about that.

"Jared?" Paul demanded but Jared just shook his head, a smirk slowly forming across his lips though the situation definitely wasn't anywhere near funny. Jared seemed like the kind of guy to me that would give knowing looks and just wait things out.

"Sorry man, but I have to pick up Kim in ten. It's in a completely different direction."

"Quil?" Paul asked, his voice lowering a few octaves as he began to get more and more irate. His jaw was clenched and his eyes narrowed into slits as he looked from person to person across the room, studiously ignoring Seth and I.

"I have to pa- work soon. I'm leaving now actually. Later." Quill stated quickly, and it was odd to me that throughout the whole situation that was the first time I'd ever heard him say. It didn't get past me that he was falling all over his excuses but of course no one else seemed to take notice.

"I'm sure everyone's had enough of this. Just let me take her and Karren home." Seth spoke up and I cringed as Paul's face continued to contort in outrage. His patience was nearly gone with Seth. He looked strung as tight as a guitar string. He was going to snap.

"You're not fucking taking her, Seth!" he shouted, the volume seemed to rattle the windows, or maybe it was just me it'd rattled.

"Fine, since you're so against me taking them, why don't you?" Seth asked, a smirk easily identifiable in his voice.

"I'm not going anywhere with her. Sam can fucking take them." I was starting to get irritated now. They couldn't just talk about me like I wasn't standing right there, like I was some object that needed being taken care of.

"How about one of you takes Aunt Karren home and I'll just walk. Since I seem to be everyone's problem." I stated, glancing back and forth between the four men and two women surrounding me.

"No, Sweetie, you're not the problem here." Aunt Karren responded and I felt like she knew something more than she was telling me. I quirked an eye brow at her.

"Well he's not the problem either. He has every right to be here as I do, more so even. I'm a stranger." I countered, quick to defend someone I had no right defending. How intelligent am I? First this angry guy sends me into panic attack mode, then he gets all touchy feely and now he's back to hating my existence, and I'm still defending him? Yeah, real smart.

"Not for long." Seth replied happy, which earned him a withering glance from Paul.

"I already consider you a friend, Summer." Emily smiled at me, choosing to ignore Seth.

"Yeah, no one has to leave. We're all adults here." Sam moved from in front of me to go stand by Emily again, tugging her easily to his side and giving her a kiss on the scarred side of her face. I felt like I was suddenly the center of attention and wished that I'd kept my mouth shut.

"Well, not all of us." Paul muttered, glaring right at me.

"I'm seventeen, and obviously more mature than you are, asshole." I sneered back at him in anger, and then slapped a hand over my mouth as soon as I realized what I'd said.

"Oh lord. . ." Aunt Karren whispered.

There were low chuckles around the room from the guys, and I felt like even more of an idiot.

His eyes narrowed even further and he stalked the small distance to me.

I had to crane my neck up to see his face but his eyes weren't the yellow I'd expected to see, but the same honey gold as normal. I'd thought they'd lighten when he was angry, but he was angry enough as it was and they didn't even brighten at all. I couldn't find the difference between earlier and now.

"Listen to me, Little Girl. I've had it up to here," he motioned above his head with his hand, "with your shit. With your little sweet girl, innocent, I'm the victim act. But I'm on to you. Man am I fucking on to you, Little Girl. You can't fucking fool me."

"Paul!" Sam scorned, making a motion to come to us again, but Emily held him back, watching us with a strange look in her eyes.

"I'm not trying to fool anyone." I said dejectedly.

"Oh is that right?" He sneered crudely.

"Yeah. . ." I frowned, wishing I could drop his gaze.

"Yeah?" He smiled at me and it was far from nice but, as he went to continue his statement I felt two strong hands come down on my shoulders again and mentally cursed Seth for bringing himself back into the problem.

"I think you should back up a bit, he looks ready to explode." The tone of his voice was joking as he whispered in my ear, his hot breath causing some hair to tousle and fall to the side of my face. I pushed the hair back behind my ear and my eyes shot to the side to meet his.

Seth's eyes were dark and I noticed with a start that he was good looking. Well, all of the guys in the room were exceptionally good looking, but he was by far one of the best, second only to Paul. I felt myself blush and his answering smile was slow curling grin, complete with bright white teeth and all.

"I thought I told you not to fucking touch her!" Paul roared.

I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, watching as he furiously stepped close to me, close enough for my nose to brush his chest if I turned my head towards him. He didn't pause, didn't even seem to think as he pushed out both of his palms hard.

At first, I thought he was going to hit me, and then felt dumb as his hands collided solidly with Seth's shoulders on either side of my head, sending him crashing back into what I could only assume was the kitchen table.

I was pulled quickly back into Paul's quivering body. And then, all hell broke loose.


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Much love :)

~Stephanie