Chapter 4- Knowledge
Bella found herself leaning into Jared's touch, soaking up the comforting warmth he provided. Sam startled her when he dropped to one knee, putting himself closer to her eye level. His deep voice rumbled through the quiet. "We need to talk."
She cowered back out of sheer instinct as his intense gaze cut through her. "You know what we are," he stated quietly, but firmly.
Her instant denial refused to be spoken, and she found herself unable to lie to him. "Yes."
Paul was the next one to lean in, intimidating in an entirely different way. His breath was warm against the shell of her ear as he whispered, "Say it."
She shivered at his tone and Jared pulled her closer. She looked between all three of them before whispering, "W-w-wolves?"
Paul's eyes flashed a startling animalistic yellow at her words, and she couldn't hold her fear back any longer. She turned her head and hid against Jared's side until Sam quietly ordered Paul to step back.
"Bella." Sam's tone was commanding and she looked up automatically. "Let's go inside and talk where you'll be more comfortable," the alpha stated. He turned with a pointed gaze. "Paul will be patrolling. Jared can stay with you."
She let out a sigh of relief, though she had no idea why she would be more comfortable with one of the strange men more than the others. Sam and Paul just made her a little… nervous.
With a quiet growl, Paul turned and phased, shredding his shorts in the process. Bella let out a yelp at the sight, and Sam held out his hand to help her up. They led her back to the house without speaking, though her stomach grumbled with hunger as they stepped into the yard.
Both wolves looked at her and she flushed with embarrassment at their attention. "Um, I can make us some lunch I guess?" she half-asked, half-offered. Sam nodded and gave her a smile of approval that made her nerves relax just a touch.
In the kitchen she was in her element. She pulled out some ham to slice for sandwiches and dug out a bowl of potato salad she had made for Charlie to snack on. The boys looked like they could eat a lot, and they certainly didn't disappoint.
When the meal was finished, Sam got down to business. He pulled his chair over directly in front of Bella, while Jared moved around the table to sit beside her. He knew what Sam was going to tell her, and he wanted to be there to support her.
"Bella, Edward Cullen has been in your house—inside your bedroom, specifically." Sam's eyes stayed locked on hers as his words began to sink in.
Her head was shaking in denial before she even consciously made the decision to answer. "No! He hasn't! I swear! I've only seen him at school, and at the hospital that one time. I have never had him over!"
Jared put his hand on the back of her neck, rubbing gently to calm her as he leaned over and nuzzled her ear. "Shh, it's okay. He knows that. He means that the leech invited himself in."
She looked between them in disbelief, unable to come to terms with the shocks she had received that day. Sam lunged forward but Jared was faster, and he pulled her into his arms as her eyes rolled back and she lost herself to the darkness.