When Paul and I got back to my house, I went and changed into some pajamas, and he started on the popcorn. Of course, he was already hungry.

We were fifteen minutes into 'Rocky,' Paul's favorite movie when the doorbell rings. Who could it be at this late hour?

I opened the door, and there stood Embry Call.

"Hello, Embry what brings you by here?" I asked waiting for his answer.

"Bella, can I come in?"

"Now is not the right time, I have company," I told him honestly.

"Bella. It's important." Embry said a little more forcefully.

Paul stepped behind me and encircled his hands over my waist.

"What's he doing here?" Embry asked turning red in the face.

"Embry, I asked him to come over."

"Baby-alpha's best friend, Bella is grown and can have whomever she wants over at her house," Paul said butting in.

"Fine, I heard from Leah that one of her friends saw some girls giving you trouble at the diner." Embry started.

"Everything is fine. I handled it. I appreciate you checking on me, but you and Paul are pack mates, and you shouldn't be condemning him like this" I replied feeling sorry for Paul.

"He's bad news, Bella. Why can't you see that?"

"Listen, I'm fine as you can see and I'm going back inside to finish the movie with Paul," I told him getting a little heated.

"Bella.."

"No, Goodbye, Embry," I said shutting the door. Why couldn't he and Jake just accept that this was my life and let me live it?

"Bella, what's he talking about, What happened at the diner?" Paul asked.

"Nothing, just some girls trying to make trouble for me, because I was with you. I handled it just fine."

"Bella..."

"No, it is fine. Don't make it into a big deal." I said shrugging off his worries. It was sweet, really it was.

"Let's finish watching the movie," Paul said grabbing my hand.

When the film had finished, and Paul was snoring on my couch, I went to the bathroom to take a bath. I rarely take baths, but I just wanted a little me time.

I was soaking in a tub full of bath salts and bubble bath. It was awesome until a particular wolf decided he needed to pee right in front me. So much for heaven.

"Move over," Paul said climbing down behind me. He pulled me to his chest and wrapped his arms around me. I could feel his hardness on my back, but I was not getting out of this tub until the bubbles were all gone.

"Bella, this is the first time I have taken a bath since I was a kid and kind of like it." He whispered in my ear. "Especially when I take one with you."

"Paul Lahote, are you trying to seduce me because I am not getting out of this tub until the bubbles melt."

"Who said anything about getting out of this tub hmm?" he whispered seductively. He began kissing and nibbling on my neck and moved his hand down to rub my clit. Hot damn!

"God yes, keep doing that!" I damn near shouted.

"You like, Bella?" he asked me while nibbling on my ear. I started grinding against his hand, and when he put two fingers inside me, I thought I was going to scream.

"Fuck, I'm going to cum, feels so good." I groaned out.

"Cum for me, leech lover." I shivered violently riding out my climax.

"Now that was hot."

A few minutes later, I must have fallen asleep against his chest because the next thing I know, he is drying us off with towels.

"C'mon, Bella, let's get you to bed."

"Night." Whether he responded or not, I wasn't sure, because I was fast asleep tucked in beside Paul.

I woke up about 4 am. This had been the norm for about a month now. Not sure why.

I tried to turn over as gently as I could so I wouldn't wake Paul. He looked so peaceful and handsome when he was sleeping.

I moved gently so that I didn't wake Paul, and reached my hands down to his length. Of course, it was semi-hard already. Stupid wolf genes. I stroked him gently until I positioned myself on my knees in between his legs. I leaned down and enveloped his cock in my mouth with one swift motion and felt him as he got hard. I ran my tongue up and down his shaft and circled my tongue around his tip tasting the pre-cum. I peeked upwards, and it looked like he was still asleep. I went back to nibbling and sucking on his length and playing with his balls. I could feel them tightening up, so I knew he was close.

I felt his hands move to my hair and urging me up to him. Playtime was over.

"Feel free to wake me up like that anytime you wish." he panted out.

His hand moved to his cock, and he lazily pumped it and guided me over him. I sank down on him taking him all in.

"Damn, Bella, you feel so good."

"Harder, Paul!" I panted out.

I must have been really into it because I felt Paul slow down and mumble a few curses.

"Don't stop, please! I begged.

"Somebody is at the door." he said moving me off of him.

"Who the hell could it be?"

I grabbed Paul's shirt and pulled it around me, and went to the door.

All I wanted to do was climb back on top of Paul and finish this. Fuck whoever is at the door.

I opened the door, and it was Leah.

"Leah, why in the hell are you here in the middle..." I began

"Leech, need Paul." she said pushing me back in the house and locking the door."

"We'll finish this later," Paul said grabbing my lips and kissing them.

"Stay here, Leah!" Then, he was gone.

"Well, I'm going back to bed," I told Leah going to my room.

"Damn, Bella, this room smells entirely of sex and of Paul." My god, are y'all rabbits?" I had to laugh at that.

"You can stay on the couch, come get me if you need anything," I told her.

I felt the bed dip, and Leah settled in behind me. "No can do, I am supposed to watch you," she said snuggling into me.

"Whatever, night," I mumbled falling back asleep.

I woke up the next morning about 9:30 and Leah was draped across my bed, snoring away. Hmm, I guess Paul is still out.

I was kind of worried for him, but I knew he could handle himself.

I went into the kitchen and started a pot of coffee, before starting on some breakfast.

I'm sure Paul would be by here soon to give the all clear to Leah, so I made sure to fix plenty.

After Leah and I had eaten, I wrapped Paul's breakfast up and put it on the stove to keep warm.

"Leah, is everything alright? How come Paul didn't come back last night?" I asked.

"Be right back, let me go check in with the pack." I watched as Leah went out into the back yard and went into the forest.

She came back after a few minutes looking a little somber.

"Well, Bella, the threat has passed, so I'm gonna head home to catch a few more hours of sleep before I patrol tonight.

"Leah, how come Paul didn't come back this morning?" I demanded of her. It seemed she was avoiding the subject.

"Bella, I don't know. Ask Paul," she said looking at me with a bit of pity in her eyes.

"Okay, bye Leah, thanks for staying with me," I told her and gave her a quick hug.

"Anytime."

My mind kept drifting back to Paul, so I decided to clean. Cleaning helps me sort through my problems. I just couldn't understand why he didn't at least call me or something.

Once the house was scrubbed from top to bottom, I decided that I would go the small store run by Quil's family to pick up a few things. I didn't need much. On the way there, I called Paul's phone only to get his voicemail. That was strange.

When I entered the store, I noticed Quil was there reading a magazine.

"Hey, Quil, what's up?" I asked him.

"You know, just hanging around." he responded in typical fashion.

"Quil, is everything alright?"

"Sure, sure, why do you ask?" he responded. He looked a little bit mischevious and nervous, but I wasn't sure why.

"No reason."

I was checking out at the cashier when Jacob came storming in. I assumed that he was looking for Quil.

"Quil, come one...we have a meeting now!" he yelled and jerked Quil up off his chair.

"Oh, hey Bella. I didn't see you there." Jacob said coming up to me.

"Hello, Jacob."

"C'mon, Bella, this involves you too," he told me looking a bit earnest. Maybe he was trying to make up for trying to control me.

"Me, but I'm not pack."

"Bella, don't say that. Yes, you are."

"Ok, let me finish up here."

"Ma, can she leave her groceries here?" Quil asked his mom.

"Of course Bella. Pick them up anytime." his mom told me sweetly.

"Thank you!" I half shouted when Jacob picked me up and pulled me on his back.

"Hold on, Bella."

When we arrived at the treeline at Sam's place, Quil came over and pulled me down from Jake's back and threw an arm around me.

When we were almost to the porch an enraged and beaten up looking Paul came limping out yelling.

"Get your fucking hands off of her, Quil." he shouted while shaking trying to hold his wolf back.

"Paul, what in the hell happened to you?" I asked panicking.

Sam came out then and ordered Paul to get back on the couch because his broken bones were still healing.

"Broken bones?" I asked while going to Paul.

"What happened, Paul?" I asked him gently laying my hand on his chest.

The shaking tapered down until Sam tried to order me away from Paul because he wasn't stable at the moment. The entire pack had gathered on the front porch by now.

"SHUT UP, Sam!" I said snappily and turned my attention back to Paul.

Jacob's mouth was hanging open, and a few of the pack looked scared for me that I dare go against the alpha.

"It's ok, Paul," I told him soothingly. "Let's get you back on the couch."

Once I was sitting on the couch with Paul's head on my lap did chaos ensue.

"What has gotten into you, Bella?" Jacob wanted to know.

"Me?"

"Yes, you! Hanging around with the likes of him." Jacob spluttered.

"Paul hasn't done anything to you, so keep his name out of your mouth. Secondly, you are not my father, and I am an adult. Grow up, Jacob Black." I spat.

"Burn!" Leah shouted.

I stroked my hands over Paul's head and chest in a soothing motion, and it looked like he was going to sleep.

"Can we get this meeting to order." Sam hollered over all of the talking and laughing.

"I wanted to update everyone who may not know about the leeches we encountered today. Firstly, we still haven't caught the red-headed leech, but we will. I think we need to come up with a new game plan on how to corner the leech." Sam began.

"Secondly, the leech that we did kill today was working with Victoria and wanted to speak to Bella. We aren't sure why he wanted to talk to Bella, but he did say that Victoria is creating an army to come after Bella and he thought that the red head had been lying to him.

"Thirdly, we are having a bonfire this weekend if Paul is feeling better because some of us have gotten away from being a pack and are acting like two-year-old brats. After the bonfire, we all will go on a team building pack trip to get back to how we used to be before some of us let a girl (looking at me) come between us. If our own pack cannot get along, it doesn't bode well with the upcoming battle we will soon face. Leah and Seth will stay here, and watch the imprints and the reservation."

"I need to butt in here, Sam."

"Bella, you can talk after I am finished," Sam replied sternly.

"Too fucking bad, Sam. I am going to say my piece and leave."

When he didn't say anything, I continued. "I have in no way come between this pack in any way, shape or form, and to insinuate that I have is pure bull shit. I got up off the couch and gently laid Paul's head down and continued. "I am an adult, and if I wanna fuck half of La Push, I will. Paul is the ONLY person from that pack that I have screwed, and I will not sit here one-second longer and let you, Sam, try to cast a bad light on me. I have stood up for the pack and helped the pack in numerous ways, even though I am not officially pack."

There were mumbles, and then Leah stood up and cried out "Bella acts like pack better than the imprints do, and if Bella leaves, then I leave."

Sam looked damn near murderous by then. I thanked Leah but told her that it wasn't necessary.

"I am the alpha, and I say who comes and who goes," Sam said turning on me.

"You may be their alpha, but you are not mine, so do not even think about trying to order me around," I said getting into his face.

"Damn, Bella has balls!" Embry whispered to Quil.

"Anyone want to explain why the fuck Paul is laying over there almost dead and the rest of you don't have a scratch," I said looking around the room. No one met my eye, so I knew something shady took place.

"Sam, explain this to me?"

"I will if nobody else does," Leah said standing up.

"No, I am the alpha, I will," Sam said half-heartedly.

"It seems that Jacob recruited Embry and Quil and they laid in wait until Paul was headed home after the battle. Embry and Quil held him down while Jacob beat the shit out of him."

I turned on Jacob with a glare and said, "Is that right?"

He wouldn't even look at me.

"What gives you the right to turn on your pack mate because you were jealous that I was screwing him and not you? Furthermore, I made it clear from day one that while I loved you that it was NEVER going to happen between us. You have an imprint now, and you shouldn't even be thinking about me in that manner. You have not only wronged Paul and your pack, but you have wronged your heritage. I don't think that I will ever be able to speak to you again." I said murderously toward him.

"And as for you Quil and Embry, I thought that you were my friends, but I guess that I was wrong. If I hear of any of you harming Paul because of me again, I will nail your nuts to my wall faster than you can blink.

"I'm sorry, Bella." Embry started.

"Don't, I'm not the one laying over there almost dead," I said pointing to Paul. I turned around, and Emily was standing there with her mouth hanging open.

"Jared!"

"Yes ma'am." he said rising from his seat.

"Go get my truck and groceries from Old Quil's store and bring it to me. I am taking Paul home with me.

"Yes ma'am," he said taking the keys.

"Bella, Emily can look after him here," Sam said. "He needs to be with his pack.

"He will be with his pack. I act more like his pack than most of y'all." I said.

I sat on the side of the couch and rubbed Paul's hair out of his face.

"Shh, it's okay. I am going to look after you now, Paul." I told him.

"Leah, he feels cold, fetch me a blanket."

When Leah came back with a blanket, I covered Paul up.

"Leah, be a dear and run along to my home and prepare my bed with extra blankets. Also, can you make some of that tea that Sue makes whenever one of the pack is sick." I asked her giving her a quick hug.

"Sure thing, Bella."

"Thank you."

It wasn't long until Jared came back with my truck.

He gently placed Paul in and then hopped in the bed of the truck.

"Emily, goodbye," I said walking out of the house and letting the screen door slam.

When Paul was in bed and under a mountain of covers, I went out and thanked Jared.

"Thanks for being a good friend to him," I told him giving him a little hug.

"Anytime, Bella." he said waving it off.

"Bella, I just wanted to say that I think it took a lot of guts to talk to Sam the way you did."

"Oh, it was nothing. It just makes me mad that not only did three of his pack mates hurt Paul, but Sam seemed to place the blame on me."

"I think Paul is one lucky bastard to have you." he said matter of factly.

"Well, I'm the lucky one," I told him.

When he left, I went into the kitchen and collapsed on one of the bar stools.

"Swan, you did good back there. I was proud of you!" Leah said stirring the tea.

"Thanks, Leah!" It was rare to get a compliment out of her, but it meant the world to me.

"In some ways, I think you should have been Sam's mate because you looked like a queen alpha, handling Sam and the pack the way you did." she started.

"Leah, you make me blush," I said waving her off.

"I'm gonna check on Paul."

I climbed in beside Paul and snuggled up to him being very careful of his wounds."

"Bella, were you just trying to get me in your bed?" he asked me weakly.

"You caught me!" I said kissing his forehead.

"Now sleep, your body needs to heal."