SEALED WITH A KISS

Ch. 8

Paul P.O.V.

Disclaimer: Stephenie Myers owns all characters and original plot. No intended copy write infringement.

Running deep in the forest, sniffing for the vomit inducing scent, I had finally caught wind of it. Familiar, yet only through the memory we had from Sam. It was so angering, we had all felt the burning as the stench filled his nostrils, as he searched mercilessly for Bella. Older scents and then finally the new trail, dissolving into Bella's distinct scent. There was something so profoundly revolting about this particular leech, it was very nearly maddening for me. I couldn't quite figure out the profound need to rip him to shreds, then I seen him, glittering in the single shard of light that had broken through the tree's barrier. I felt the low growl emanate from my chest before I had time to realize what I was doing. Crouching low to the moist earth, I was ready to tear into his smug smiling stone ass at the drop of a hat.

"Paul is it? I wouldn't do that If I were you, no need to be hateful. I'm only here for Bella's safety, not to take her from Jacob. You see, Victoria was in Volterra, the same time I was sent for a... A favor of sorts for my dear father Carlisle. She wanted help in the destruction of Bella, and my family as well of course. Little did she know the Volturri is also an extension of my family. Needless to say, what Alice saw was the Volturri aiding in the protection of Bella. She is after all the Oracle. A very valuable asset to your, tribe." He smiled again, barring all of his disgusting glistening razors he called teeth. Edward lifted his hands and straightened his seemingly perfect white button up shirt, as I fought back the bile.

~SAM~: "Paul, please don't attack yet, what color are his eyes?" The bastard was obviously reading my thoughts, looking straight into my eyes to prove his innocence. The golden hue was obvious, he hadn't fed on any humans as of late, so I had no justifiable reason to turn him into a heap of ash.

~PAUL~: "Smug ass leech. He makes me sick. He's good, nothing to indicate a broken treaty." I sat back on my haunches waiting for my brothers to join me here at this oh so joyous reconnection with the Cullen's.

I watched as Sam was making his way toward the line when he stopped abruptly. I smelled the leeches, yet another memory he shared came to mind. It was the doctor and his mate. His alabaster skin was set against the soft blonde hair, it reminded me of a fairy tale, and then I'd remembered my own form. His mate was less the thing out of books and more someone I had to connect to maybe an orphanage or maybe a convent. She was sweet and demure. Her golden brown hair billowing in the mild wind. She had the presence of a mother, not my mother, but like ones you seen on TV.

"OH, thank God, it's you Sam. We thought we could use Edward to help us. We had left to speak with my old friends from the Vulturri. They had said we needed to come for a visit, and speak about our recent departure from Forks, but when we got there..." His words trailed, and he looked scared.

I turned my attention back the leech just in time to see the tiny pixie bloodsucker emerging from the trees on the Cullen's side. These two were like an add for Abercrombie and Fitch, it was disgusting. I could probably pay for my entire life with the amount of money this chick spent on clothing.

"Yes, well, we have an image to portray. People make an assumption of you in the first 30 seconds, what does your attire say about you?" He smiled again and chuckled low, to himself. The tiny leech did the same.

Something was off, and I tried searching for the others minds. The gap between Sam and I was closing quickly, I could smell the other leeches and my brothers from all sides. Sam was blocking something from us. Maybe because of the mind reader. Either way, it was turning out to be a seriously lame morning. We all were desperately trying to conceal our worries and astonishment from these dead bodies. I was so aware of the hatred now it was hard to sit still.

"Good, they're all on their way, Carlisle and Esme as well. Now we can have our little meeting. It's been a long time coming don't you think?" Eddie said with a note of sarcasm. He folded his arms in an irritated way and took no apparent notice when Jared and Embry came into the clearing. Or when the doctor and his mate showed up either. The pixie looked squeamish, like she had something fowl in her mouth, at the site of her supposed parents. They had kept a good distance from each other, it was weird.

Sam had made it to the clearing and took his place beside me. The others falling in around us. Behind Edward and Alice, four more leeches came from absolutely nowhere, three were recognizable, the fourth was unknown. The three familiar bloodsuckers were Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett. The fourth, was a supremely blonde super model type with a matching attitude. I could tell by her stance that she thought quite highly of herself. Especially after she laced her arm through Eddie's. His look was of love, and lust and nothing else. He gave himself away, I assumed this was why he had decided to leave poor Bella in the woods alone to fend for herself while got his jollies off with trampy vamp over there.

"Watch your thoughts pup! Let's not even begin to touch on the trash you have a collection of in your mind. Besides, nothing precious Bella has even touches on Tanya. Lets be real here, I left Bella for her, yes. I should have done it in a more gentlemanly way, yes. The past is in the past, well, for now anyway. So lets get to the point of this meeting. The Volturri is after Bella for the obvious reasons. We will make an addition to the treaty, acting as aid to her protection, the line doesn't exist. You leave us alone, we'll leave you alone. We also, will not venture onto your domestic lands. Strictly forest for us. Destruction of Aro, Marcus, and Caius, that's the head of their operation as you would say, is a necessity. Victoria was destroyed by them as a way of keeping her from forming her little newborn army. Such a moron when it comes to planning, that one was." He laughs and wraps his arm around the skinny bitch vamp, pulling her closer to him.

"We will take leave of this place as soon as the war is ended. You will speak to me, and ONLY me when we need to reconvene. Understood? OK, lets get out of here, shall we?" Edward takes hold of twiggy's hand and kisses it, the lust evident on his stone features, before he picks her up and speeds away into the trees opposite us.

Sam is first to address the situation, giving us a recap of what was said between him and doc. Its shocking! I knew something was way off.

~Jared~: "You mean to tell me that dear ole Eddie over there is part of the Volturri? So he's scamming us right now? Acting like the leader, so he can get Bella and turn her so she can be Aro's consolation prize for what? Just being really damn old?" He whimpered and sat back on his haunches.

~Paul~: "I think the pixie is part of it. She isn't moving, and weren't her and the southerner mated? They haven't even made a move to touch or anything. What the hell is this?" I couldn't stand it. I had to have some answers before I could go on with my day. There was so much that was thrown on us in the last twenty-four hours, and it was starting to mess me up.

Just then, the little Pixie exhaled, and reached for Jasper, pushing herself into his awaiting arms. He closed is eyes as he rested his head upon hers. Okay, something was definitely up. This was erratic behavior for their kind. To be separate from a mate was virtually unheard of. Then she began to speak and the other relaxed as well and came to the foreground in front of the treaty line.

"Its been so hard to be away from you love." Alice whispered to her lover, eyes still closed. "I have to tell them or they'll think ill of me, I'm only doing whats right. So we can all move on from this, alive, and safe."

She uncurled herself from the clutches of her mate and looked at us, Sam in particular.

"Do not phase yet, not until you are safely away from this line. He is part of the Volturri, he and Tanya both. I had to pose as an ally to save my family from his need to acquire Bella at any cost. They want her, to turn her so she can help them with their dominance. Her power was intended to help your tribe flourish and withstand the threats of our kind on your people. She wasn't ever supposed to be involved in this, Edward insisted that we pose as high school students to gain the people's trust. We generally don't assimilate to surroundings, but this time he insisted upon it. Thats when I seen his need to gain Bella's trust." She backed away to allow for Carlisle to speak.

"He smelled her, almost killed her. He knew then that she was something different. She's the oracle, and Jacob, he's the alpha is he not?" He waited for Sam to reply. Sam did, with a movement of his giant head similar to a shake. "His intentions are as Alice has told you, but the newborn army has been created. The Volturri has been creating them for awhile now, for moments just as these. Bella is in danger. She has to be protected. We suggest that you take precautions, people at her school, maybe enrolling? I'm not sure how you would be able to pull it all off. This is all intended to take place in a months time. Its enough time to train your wolves for the fight." Carlisle stepped back, and then Jasper stepped forward.

"Hello," he said tilting his head, and smiling. "I know its hard to take all of this in. We have to pretend its all in our best interest to go along with Edward. The thing is, we could really help you. I could maybe teach you about newborns and fighting techniques for the war we are about to be fighting." His accent was prominent and I had a feeling I could trust him. He just didn't seem like he was a fan of Edwards, and I was down with that.

"I can hear him coming back. We'll find you later Sam. Can we meet at the line later? With all of your wolves?" Esme was concerned for us, you could see it in her face. Sam shook his head again. "Okay, GO!" And just like that they were gone, and we were running toward Sam and Emily's house.

~Sam~: "We need someone to take a place at Forks High School. Someone who will do their best to protect Bella. She's more than just the oracle. She's got the fever too! She's something we don't know anything about. We have to see Billy and Old Quil very soon." Sam came to skidding halt at the tree line just outside the yard of his home. We quickly phased and dressed in our cut offs.

In the yard, we all looked similar with our emotions displayed on our faces, hatred and disgust, then Sam spoke again. "So who wants to transfer schools?"

The urge to speak overwhelmed me. I had the need to protect Bella, it was irrational for someone like me. I wasn't like the rest. I wasn't from any home where even one parent gave a damn about me, I was alone, a lone wolf you could say. It was insane to think this way. I needed to stand up for her, right beside Jake. Man, this was weird, I really didn't even like Jake either.

"I will Sam. I'll go. When do I start?" I asked, ignoring the stares and gasps from my fellow pack mates.

"Uh, well, are you sure Paul? You don't really like Bella or Jacob really for that matter." Sam was astonished at my willingness to go.

"Yeah, I said I'd go right? No one else spoke up, and I feel this need to help her, like I'm supposed to protect her? Not the way Jake feels but it's still a need. Is there a problem with me going?" This was unnecessary, I volunteered and I wasn't being my usual tantrum throwing self. I wanted to go, I wanted to help.

"No, there's no problem, I just wasn't expecting it to be you. You can go, get your stuff ready now, be to school by at least lunch time. Billy and I will situate the rest." Sam was already leading the others into to his tiny bungalow, and I was left to collect my school things and head to Forks.

On my way back to my place, I thought about what had brought me to this conclusion about Bella. How I had come from being callous and nearing hurtful toward her in the past, to wanting the best for her? I didn't understand, until I had remembered Jake phasing the night before. His thoughts, his dreams being recalled. One particular dream had stood out. Our dreams before phasing were extremely vivid, so much so that it was embedded into your brain when you woke up. The thing is, we are actually seeing the future, our wolves become more dominate, coming to the surface, showing us our destiny. Jake's last dream before the phase was intense, it stirred emotions in me that I had never thought possible, it was so detailed, like it was really happening.

I was standing, as Jake, at an alter, our elders in the front rows of the seats of the tiny chapel. Tears stung at my eyes as I seen her figure at the end of the plum isle runner. Adorned in white satin, lace and crystals, I nearly ran to her. Charlie escorted her down the isle to me and placed her delicate hand in mine, after shaking my hand and sweeping a stray tear from his cheek with his finger. The vows were exchanged and as Jake, I lifted her veil from her face to give her a kiss. Her face was a mirror of her heart. She was exuding love, she was perfect.

The scene changed, dissolved into a darker setting, a fire blazed in a fireplace. The mood was heavy with love and desire, and I felt instantly ashamed by having seen this future. Even now as I was merely recalling the memory, my face flamed and I looked down with embarrassment. The blankets and pillows were strewn across the floor, illuminated by the warm light of the fire. The light danced across Bella's pale skin, she was flushed, grasping at my back. The intimacy in this moment make ME blush, and its pretty hard to do that.

Yet another scene had occurred in this dream sequence. A sterile room, one from the women's clinic here on the rez. Bella lay in the bed, sweaty, hair stuck to her forehead, she glowed with happiness, waving me to her side. The nurse came quickly with the tiny bundle in her arms. Setting the blanketed newborn gently into Bella's waiting arms. The delicate cry that escaped the small baby warmed me so much, it was shocking. For the first time I had witnessed what a family really was.

Tears had managed to form in my eyes as I recalled the love between Bella and Jacob. I had to blink them away, but one escaped, sliding gingerly down my dirty cheek. Standing in the bathroom of the tiny home my mom and dad had once shared brought me back to reality. These dreams weren't even my own and I had felt so much a part of them. I had come to see Bella and Jake both in a different light. She was the force to protect our people in so many ways and Jake was to lead us, it was like I had been blind this whole time. I hadn't seen them for who they really were until last night. She was speaking the language of our ancestors and she too would become pack. We were family, no matter how spread out, we were all a part of this together.

I really had lost all sense of time and space going through the emotions of the last day, that the next thing I knew it was nearing 11 o'clock, and I was showered and dressed and fed, standing next to my beat up 73' Oldsmobile Omega my dad left me. I couldn't understand the way it had worked itself out, but I was leaving the reservation and heading to the high school by the time I even comprehended the severity of my actions this morning.

This was too funny, the looks on the pale face's, well, faces! I could get used to this, chicks staring 'cuz they want me and their dudes staring 'cuz I might take their chicks! HA! I decided to find Jake and Bella, and make my presence known.

"English 12 or English Lit Jacob?" I asked smiling, knowing the reaction my presence would cause.

There was silence from both of them as I put my arms around their necks and walked us to class. As I pushed open the door to the room, I let them enter first, tossing my apple core into the trash can next to the teacher's desk.

"Hey teach, this is Jacob, and I'm Paul, where do we sit?" I asked casually awaiting an answer from the astonished teacher before us. We must have been a good foot taller than the poor guy, and he was beside himself.

He gave us the last two seats near Bella in the back of the room. Jacob to her right and me to her left. This teacher began his lesson, and I could swear, a kindergarten class could follow him. He was a serious form of moron. I swear, we did all this stuff freshman year. I could recite Shakespeare to this guy from memory and teach him something new. Oh well, easy A I guess.

We had all finished the assignment before the bell rang. Triumphantly, I packed up my belongings and made my way to the teachers desk.

"And how may I help you Paul?" This guy was almost shaking as I towered over him.

"Well, I just wanted to make sure that this assignment was all we had to do. I'm already finished." I set the page down on the desk top. His were like saucers as Bella and then Jake did the same thing.

"You can, uh, you , uh..." He swallowed audibly. "I guess go over the chapter again..." The sentence trailed as two more pages accompanied mine on the wooden surface. The last of the students had filed out, leaving only the three of us and the teacher. How had I not gotten this guys name down yet?

"You two tested as seniors? This is the highest level of English available here. Astounding. I just might have to set you three up with an accelerated course." He finally found his voice. No longer scared to death I see. "This could be fun. Alright, review the chapter and tomorrow, I"ll have a game plan. I knew Bella was smart, but you boys, what are they teaching you out there on the rez?" His smile indicated he knew something he wasn't telling. "Good day!" The papers disappeared into the brief case resting near the leg of the rolling chair he was sitting in. How had we suddenly come to this point? How had Sam and Billy gotten us enrolled in mere hours? I pushed the nagging feelings away and accompanied my friends to the class room door.

Leaving the class room, I spoke to Jacob. "We need to talk Jake, had some interesting stuff happen this morning... It's not good... At all."

"Can we talk now?" Jacob asked Bella. So weird, how they tuck their tails between their legs with their imprints, like she's going to lop off his head for talking to someone, or doing anything for that matter.

"Uh, Jake, we still have a couple more classes, maybe you should wait until after school to talk about pack stuff. We don't need anyone questioning more than they already are. I'll drive to La Push, you two run?" She looked at him questioningly.

"I like the way you're thinking Bella. That way I can replay the meeting for ya Jake. Lets get this day over with." We had intentionally waited until the bell had rung and the students had cleared to start our conversation. It was like intuition. We walked the empty hallways in silence, bearing the weight of our secret together. It felt good to be at peace with Jacob and Bella. We were family, and nothing would separate us now. When did I become so weak and sentimental?

"It's not weakness, you just understand the pack better, what it is to be part of it, for each brother to be a part of you. None are separate, it's one fluid movement when you all act upon your instinct. I can feel the connection. The strengths you draw from one another. Bella is your wolf mother of sorts, your shield. Not a wolf herself, but your nurturer and protector. She brings out your good qualities." The three of us had stopped dead in our tracks. Bella was the most shocked.

The girl couldn't have been less inconspicuous. Her deep coffee colored hair was tied back into a sweet bun at the back of her head. The grasses she pushed up her nose hid her face more than anything, yet the features were distinct. The bronze of her skin, the fullness of her lips, and the slight almond shape of her eyes, she was most definitely Quileute. I couldn't help but a little irked that there were outsiders among us, so to speak. Bella had been of the Clearwater bloodline, and no one had said anything. Now this girl, whoever she was, was obviously one of us. I was ready for an explanation.

"It will have to wait Paul. I'll follow Bella to La Push, Sam will know I'm coming. See you after school." She had rendered us speechless, and just as fast as she had appeared, she was gone, rounding a corner and disappearing.

"Who in the hell was that?" This day was getting really out of hand. My anger was evident in my questioning.

"Angela, Angela Weber." Bella half whispered.