A/N Okay, here's the next chapter. I wonder if you'll like the turn around in Edward or not...
Either way, I hope you enjoy the chapter. I start a new job tomorrow, so I might not be able to update multiple times a day, but I will try for at least once.
Enjoy the chapter and let me know in the reviews if you like this side of Edward or not.
Chapter Nine
Bella couldn't believe it. Edward Mason, werewolf, Alpha of the Meute De Loups and her saviour, was in her home. Standing there, tall and handsome. His thick hair brushing his broad shoulders. His dry hair, she thought. He hadn't just arrived, or his hair would be as wet as hers. The rain was coming down heavy, even walking from his car to the house he should have been drenched.
How long had he been here? And why hadn't Emmett or Rosalie called her? She checked her phone only moments ago on the bus, she had no missed calls or text messages.
Why hadn't they warned her he was here?
Bella remembered the sight of the hideous wolf as he turned into a man. She remembered the sounds of wolves howling. Her shoulders burned as phantom claws pierced her skin. Her friend's cries as she was taken away.
All that fear, all that pain, came flooding back to her and wiped out all of the progress she made during the last five months.
For one moment, she was in those woods. Scared, helpless and alone, knowing she was about to die.
How could he just drop into her life? Force her to feel and think of things she didn't want to, drag her back to that night, when she'd felt so helpless, with no warning.
Anger and resentment filled her. She stood, frozen, looking up at the man who saved her, disappeared, and re-entered her life without any forewarning.
"What are you doing here?" she demanded harshly.
"Bella," Rosalie and Emmett scolded her, shocked at her rude outburst.
What did they expect? she thought.
Edward waved his hand dismissively. "It's okay. I'm sure Bella's just surprised to see me here."
"You got that damn straight," she muttered.
Edward's emerald eyes met hers. In them, she saw a flash of humor before he blinked and it was gone. Once again, he looked at her with patience and understanding. She didn't trust it.
When he spoke, his tone held nothing but warmth. "I'm in town on business, and I remembered Emmett and Rosalie lived here. I thought I'd stop by and see how things were."
"You've had five months to do that. Why now?" Why now, when she'd finally begun to feel like herself again. When nightmares no longer plagued her sleep and she could at least pretend it hadn't happened.
He shrugged his broad shoulders. "Why not? I was in the area, thought I'd check in. Your brother was kind enough to invite me to dinner."
"He did what?"
Emmett glared at her. "Bella," he hissed.
"What?" she snapped back.
"You're being rude. It doesn't suit you."
"And your being diplomatic," she shot back. "It doesn't suit you."
The four of them stood in a tense silence until a bell sounded from in the kitchen. Rosalie flashed a smile that was overly bright and false. "Dinner's ready. Bella, why don't you go upstairs and get changed. We'll wait for you."
Bella didn't know who to glare at more. Rosalie, for not warning her, and now acting out her best impression of Donner Reed. Or Emmett, for inviting him to dinner when he knew she would be against it.
Or Edward, for upsetting her new life. For forcing her to relieve things she wanted to leave alone, and for simply existing right now.
Oh, tonight was going to be fun.
"Fine," she ground out as she turned to go up the stairs.
She wanted to stomp and slam, but resisted the urge. She could feel his gaze on her and didn't want to humiliate herself any further.
Closing her bedroom door, Bella rested her back against the hard surface, shutting her eyes against the memories Edward presence brought with him. Normally locked away, they now threatened to claw their way to the surface and that's the last thing she wanted.
Bella took a deep and soothing breath, just like her therapist advised her to do.
It's just dinner, she told herself. She could do this.
She would make it through this dinner, feign either illness or exhaustion, and get the hell out of there. She would come back to this room, Bella thought as she looked around what she now considered her haven.
It wasn't a big room, but it was hers. The walls were a soft yellow, her favourite color. The white iron bed and furniture made the room look even more light and peaceful. Exactly what she needed at the minute.
Dinner, she reminded herself as she stripped off her wet clothes, letting them drop to the floor.
Yes, she'd make it through this night. And when the alpha left she would never have to see or think about him again.
#
Warm, dry and seething, Bella took a bite of broccoli. It felt dry and bland in her mouth. As she chewed she did her best to ignore the wolf sitting across from her talking to her brother about sports.
Bella took her time in the shower, a desperate attempt to put off the inevitable. She stood underneath the spray of hot water and tried to think of a single reason why her brother would invite the man to dinner. An hour later, warm, dry and sipping her favorite soda, she still couldn't able to come up with a good explanation.
She sat playing idly with her food, while the werewolf sat at her brother's kitchen table, sipped beer and debated over a football game.
Was this really happening? she wondered as she used to fork to carve her initials into her mashed potatoes.
As Emmett passionately ranted about his favorite team losing to a bunch of professional athletes he considered to be 'a bunch of pussies', Rosalie met her gaze and rolled her eyes. "Men," she mouthed.
Bella glared back. She wasn't in the mood to share Rosalie's female exasperation over the topic at hand, or mock the passion behind it. All she could think of was that Edward Mason sat across from her, laughing and discussing sports with her brother. They talked about defensive lines and the new quarterback, and laughed as if they were old friends. Like Emmett hadn't paid him a small fortune to go into the woods to save her from the clutches of demented werewolves. To her, they acted as if it had never happened.
She just couldn't quite wrap her mind around it.
She glanced over at her brother, frowning slightly as she watched him talk, engrossed in whatever Edward just said.
Why had her brother invited him to dinner?
He knew she detested anything to do with shape shifters, werewolves specifically. She'd thrown away some of her favourite books because of it. Bella didn't believe in throwing books away as a rule, but for this she gladly made an exception.
So why had Emmett invited him to dinner? And why hadn't he at least texted her and given her some warning?
What the hell had he been thinking?
He knew, she thought angrily. He knew just how much she worked to get past what happened. How much she wanted to forget men like Edward Mason existed. And yet, knowing all this, he invited him here and hadn't even had the decency to warn her, or check with her first that it was okay.
It just didn't make sense.
Why had he let her be so completely blindsided? He hadn't called or text her to inform her they had a guest coming over tonight, or who he was. He hadn't even pulled her aside and prepared her. Why?
As she sat there, listening to their easy banter, she found herself becoming more and more agitated. How could Emmett do this to her? And why hadn't Rosalie at least sent her a text?
Emmett and Rosalie were her only family, her whole world, and yet neither one thought it important to let her know they invited a wolf to dinner.
Hurt and betrayal swamped her, despite her best efforts to keep them at bay during dinner. Why would they do this?
And him, she thought angrily, stabbing her chicken with a little more force than necessary.
He vanished that night. Left before she come out of the bathroom. She thought she'd never see him again and had been fine with that.
She wanted to stay in that bathroom, she recalled. She wanted to hide away and put off reality for a little longer, but Emmett insisted she get up, get dressed. She needed to go to the hospital, and he wasn't about to watch his sister die of dehydration or infection when he just got her back, he'd teased. His eyes, eyes so like her own, were devoid of humour. He was serious and Bella knew he was right, she couldn't put it off any longer.
When she walked out of the bathroom though, the wolves were gone and Rosalie flushed when Emmett asked where they were.
They left, she stated the obvious. The doctor would stay with them until Bella had been admitted into the hospital.
Bella hadn't thought much about it. She was just glad she didn't have to be in a room full of the very creatures who took her, tortured her, and killed her friends. Emmett on the other hand looked confused. They were supposed to all go together, he said, so why had they left?
Rosalie gave him a look, the one only a wife could that told him to shut his mouth and they'd talk about it later. When they were alone. Bella hadn't given a damn if they were keeping things from herm or why the men left. She hadn't even thought to ask about it.
Now she wished she had.
If he didn't find my situation serious enough to stay for a couple of hours, Bella wondered, then why had he gone out of his way to see me now?
Emmett asked the kind doctor if Edward had gone back to the forest. The question was whispered from the passenger seat, but Bella heard and she'd frozen at the mention of it. No, the doctor replied, the alpha and his beta had left the city altogether. His men would be staying behind to deal with everything. It was then Rosalie looked across and noticed her stark expression, saw her hands clenched into tight fists and snapped they could talk about this later.
Bella had looked at her and flashed a small, grateful smile. Rosalie's eyes were warm. Her hands loving as she carefully reached across and opened her clenched hands, soothing away the sting from her palms that her nails caused.
Emmett had looked back, his eyes dark and worried as he apologized.
They hadn't spoken of it since.
Look at him, she thought as she sipped her drink. Sitting there, uncaring of the fact he'd totally disrupted her life.
He'd known he was coming to town. He'd known he was going to drop by. Yet he hadn't called. He hadn't emailed. And now he sat, eating dinner and drinking beer in her home. Completely indifferent to the fact she was trying to get on with her life without reminders of what happened to her.
As cold as it may be, Bella tried her best not to think about what happened. About Jessica and Angela, and the other women she'd spent time in the cage with. It was the only way to cope. To move forward.
In the beginning, it was all she could think about, all she wanted to think about. Until one day, it felt like she was drowning in her memories, in her nightmares. She knew the only way to survive was to focus on the future. To put the past, and all that it included, behind her. She accepted Emmett's offer and moved across the country, leaving her past behind her. She would always love those women, she would always have a place for them in her heart, but she had to move on. And she'd been doing a pretty good job of it, too. Until she walked through the door.
How could she move on with him here?
Edward Mason was a gigantic reminder of that part of her life. Of a time she didn't think about so she could breathe and live her life as normally as possible. She couldn't do that with him in her house, at her dinner table.
And why did he have to drink his beer that way? She thought grumpily as she watched him tip his beer back and take a long pull. She watched his throat work as he swallowed Emmett's favourite beer.
The thought brought her up short. Bella blinked. Why the hell was she watching his throat as he drank beer?
With a furrowed brow, she looked over at Edward, and for the first time really noticed how good looking he was. Yes, she noted that he was handsome before, but she'd been high on adrenaline, scared and in agony. She hadn't rated it high on her list of priorities when she held a blade to his throat so he could carry her through the woods.
Now, she noticed. Much to her shock and horror, she noticed every detail.
He was tall, and ripped, but she'd known that. She hadn't noticed his arms were covered in tattoos though. She'd always found tattoos sexy on a man.
His hair was a reddish brown, and longer than she usually liked, but it suited him. His cheek bones were high and defined. And his eyes… His eyes were beautiful. Intense and sharp, and the color of emeralds.
The white shirt he wore showed off his impressive muscles and broad shoulders. The first few buttons of his shirt were open, revealing a glimpse of his chest hair.
She liked chest hair on a guy.
Bella cursed inwardly at her wayward thoughts. Forcing her gaze away from his chest hair and her thoughts away from how much it turned her on.
As he rubbed his fingers over his stubbled, defined jaw, she was practically panting.
Wait. What? It didn't turn her on. She didn't like the man. He was a werewolf. He was a reminder of things she just wanted to forget. She didn't want him here, seductively sipping at his beverage. She wanted him gone.
What the hell was she thinking?
Uncomfortable with how she was practically ogling the man across from her, she fell back on an emotion she was more comfortable with. Feeding it until her strange reaction to him was forgotten.
Anger and resentment were safer emotions. They made sense. Her checking out a man she didn't like at the dinner table didn't.
Bella deliberately riled herself up again. She focussed on the questions that had been running through her mind since she'd seen him in her home, until she was furious all over again.
Until her unnerving thoughts and reactions about Edward were forgotten.
Bella got to her feet abruptly, the movement almost knocking her chair to the ground.
She couldn't do this, she decided. She couldn't sit here and pretend this was okay. It wasn't. She would no longer sit quietly, picking at her food, pretending she wasn't hurt and angry that the two people who knew what she'd gone through, in her mind, betrayed her.
Three sets of eyes looked up. None of them seemed surprised. Rosalie's blue eyes were filled with concern, even apology. Emmett's filled with impatience.
That pissed her off.
It was Edward's green eyes that held only understanding.
"I don't feel so good," she muttered. "I'm going to go and lay down for a little while. Goodnight," she added as she turned to leave.
"Bella," Emmett barked before she took more than two steps.
Bella froze. Her shoulders rigid as she turned to face her brother with fire in her eyes. "I said I don't feel well," she said firmly. She refused to apologize for her abrupt departure, refused to sit here any longer and go along with this charade. She needed to leave, to get away from every single person in that room before she exploded and said something she would regret. Or worse, let them see just how much their ambush hurt her.
Without another word, she turned and quickly left the room. She wanted, needed, the sanctuary of her bedroom.
As she reached the stairs, she heard Edward's rumbling voice and paused. "I think I should head back to the hotel. I've done enough damage for one evening."
"That's not necessary, Edward," Rosalie hurried to say. "She's upset, of course, but that doesn't mean you should leave. Stay and finish your meal, at least."
Bella heard the scraping of his chair as he got to his feet. "No, I think I've done enough for one evening. You know where I'm staying, Emmett." He paused. "Tell Bella I hope that she feels better."
Bella rushed up the stairs before they caught her eavesdropping, heading towards her bedroom. She didn't bother to turn the light on as she padded silently to the window. Watching as he slowly made his way to his car in the heavy rain. How had she not noticed the car when she returned home? she thought, shaking her head in disgust at her own stupidity.
Bella's breath caught as Edward turned, looked straight at her. He could see her, she could tell. He knew she stood in the darkness, watching him leave.
With a small smile and a nod, he got into his car and drove away into the rainy night.
Sinking down onto her plush bed, all Bella wanted was to forget this night ever happened.
Emmett's fist banging angrily on her bedroom door minutes later didn't surprise her.
What did surprise her was Rosalie hissing he'd already done enough for one night. Why would she be pissed? She'd known about the dinner, had cooked the damn thing.
"Bella? Open the damn door!" Emmett shouted as thunder rumbled outside her bedroom window.
Bella growled in frustration. She was sick of wandering why. Of being kept in the dark.
Jumping to her feet, she stalked across the dark room. She had no idea what was going through her idiot brother's head, or what he expected would happen tonight, but she was going to find out. She was going to get the answers to the questions that had bombarded her during dinner.
"What?" she snapped as she yanked open her bedroom door.
Well, doesn't this feel like a nice stroll down memory lane, she thought. There had been plenty of times in the past when Emmett had gone all 'big brother' on her ass after she stormed to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.
He'd always been in the right, she remembered. She shouldn't have stayed out past curfew, or sneaked out to see the guy he didn't approve of. Or drank beer at the party she'd been forbidden to attend.
Yes, he had been right, but not tonight. Tonight, Emmett had screwed up royally, and she wanted to let him know that.
Emmett gaped at her. Obviously, he was caught off guard by her greeting. Had he thought she'd be embarrassed and apologetic when he pulled a fast one on her?
Hell no.
"What the hell was that down there?" he demanded.
Rosalie stood behind him, arms folded across her chest and a disapproving frown on her face. Bella didn't known if she disapproved of her, Emmett, or the entire situation and, right now, she didn't care.
"What do you think it was? What did you expect to happen, Emmett? You didn't call, you didn't text. I walk in the house and he's just there, and it's 'Guess what, Bell? He's staying for dinner!" she snarled, gesturing wildly with her hand.
"What did I expect?" Emmett snapped, ignoring her outburst.
"Emmett," Rosalie warned. She had been party to many of the Swan sibling's battles over the last couple of years, knew it could go from light, but well aimed jabs, to cut throat in zero point five seconds. She didn't want that happening tonight.
"I expected you to show a little appreciation and respect to the man who saved your life," Emmett bit out, ignoring his wife's warning and telling Rosalie her hopes of a little spat before bed was not meant to be. This could get ugly.
"The werewolf you paid to save my life, you mean," Bella snapped back.
"It doesn't matter if he was paid or not, he saved your life. You could, at the very least, have been gracious. Instead, you sat there and pouted in silence. Completely ignoring our guest, who has been nothing but kind and understanding where you are concerned. That's what I expect from you, Bella. A little courtesy."
"I was courteous," she snapped back indignantly. She had been, dammit. Or as courteous as she could be under the circumstances, she amended internally.
"Bella," he began.
"No," she cut him off sharply. "You let me walk into this completely blind, Emmett. How could you do that to me? Never mind how I should have behaved. How could you do that? I had no warning. I walked in that door and there he is. In my home," she stressed. "You brought a werewolf in my home. Where I sleep and eat, and should feel safe."
For the first time she saw regret in her brothers eyes, but still he remained unbowed. "He's not just a werewolf, Bella. He saved you. Edward and his team saved our family. He deserved more than to be ignored or be made to feel unwelcome."
"And what about what I deserve, Emmett? Did you know the second I walked through that door and saw him standing there all those memories came rushing back? Memories I have tried so hard to forget. Memories I want to forget."
Bella sighed, running her fingers through her hair. She forced herself to step back and admit he had a point.
"Maybe you're right. He did save my life. He got paid handsomely for it, but he did. But what did you expect would happen when I came home and found him standing there? I can't have him in my life, despite what he did for me. I sat there, while the three of you talked about football and the weather, and I wondered why you would spring this on me after everything I've gone through. When you know I can't stand the thought of them being out there. I get he dropped by and you couldn't control that, but to invite him in, when you know how much I hate them."
Emmett saw the hurt, the betrayal, in her eyes and he felt like he'd taken a sledgehammer to the chest. The sadness in her eyes made him feel like a snake, because he'd been the one to put it there and that was unacceptable. Emmett's anger at his sister's ungallant behaviour disappeared, leaving him to feel like a complete bastard for springing this on her.
Emmett had done the right thing, but it upset her, hurt her. He'd known how she'd react, but he'd done it anyway and now the damage was done.
"Bella," he began. He wanted to try and make her understand why he'd done it.
"Just don't! Please don't try and make excuses for what you did. Just don't," she murmured as she closed the door in his face.
He wished she'd shouted and slammed, that way he could have been angry, pissed off, and used it to hide his guilt.
Turning to his wife, he noted she was just as pissed at him as his sister.
"I thought I was doing the right thing," he admitted.
Rosalie scoffed. "For who? Bella? She doesn't want to be reminded of what she went through, Emmett, and you had no right to force this on her. You had no right at all. I told you not to do it. That it was a bad idea, but you did it anyway. Don't you think she's been through enough without you treating her this way? What were you thinking?" she demanded again before turning her back and walking away from him.
Emmett stood, knowing that in trying to do the right thing he'd managed to upset the two people he cared about. But he hadn't known what else he should do.
Bella wanted nothing to do with Edward Mason or anyone like him, but she didn't have a choice. Bella was in danger and, as much as it pained him to admit, he couldn't protect his sister.
Emmett rubbed his hand roughly over his face. He was exhausted from the tension he felt throughout the disastrous dinner, and from his fight with both his wife and sister.
Resigning himself to the fact that he would be spending the night on the couch, Emmett grabbed a couple of thick blankets from the small linen cupboard next to the bathroom and headed down the stairs. He had a feeling he'd be spending quite some time on the couch in the near future, but he couldn't see a way around it. In the end, it was something he was willing to do.
If protecting his sister meant she hated him, so be it. He would do whatever was necessary to protect his little sister. And Edward Mason was the only man who could do that.
Whether Bella liked it or not, whether she understood it or not, Edward was here to stay.
#
Edward let himself into his room with a heavy sigh. He was exhausted. Tonight had gone even worse than he imagined, and now all he wanted was to crawl into bed and sleep.
Tossing his keys onto the small table in front of the out-dated television, he crashed onto the couch, wincing at the springs digging uncomfortably into his ass.
The Inn wasn't the best, but it was close to Bella's house and that's all that mattered.
Letting his head drop back, he closed his eyes, trying to block the image of Bella's pale face as she stood, frozen, when she realized who was standing next to her elder brother.
She was angry and hurt, and Edward admitted she had every right to be. She had no idea, no warning he was coming and now she felt hurt and deceived. He could see it in her eyes every time she glanced towards her brother as they'd made small talk about football.
Man, he was an asshole. Emmett had done him a favor, and now he was the one who would suffer for it. The Swan's were a close family, and now their relationship was under strain because of Edward's plan. There was no other choice, though. He needed to find a way into her life and this was the only way he could think of.
Now that he was here, he didn't know what to do. Bella made it clear she didn't want him here. She hadn't tried to hide it. Edward didn't know how to get close to her.
She was attracted, he thought with a small smile. She had been aroused at dinner. Her need a scent he found intoxicating. He found his body responding to her want, his hard on rock solid. It took every ounce of his control not to adjust himself right there at the dinner table, or reach across and grab Bella, covering her mouth with his. Burying his body deep in hers.
She would have most likely stabbed him with her fork if he tried, he thought with a smirk. She wanted to tonight, he could tell. There'd been flashes of fire in her eyes. A fire he admired.
Maybe that was it, he thought, remembering the way her eyes all but devoured him, her arousal filling the air.
She was attracted to him, reluctantly yes, but attracted all the same. She was his mate, after all. The connection between them, the need, was instinctual and fierce.
No one could resist it.
Edward sat upright, his exhaustion forgotten as a plan formed in his head. Thanks to the pull between mates, Bella wanted him and he wasn't above using that to get what he wanted. And he wanted, needed, Bella.
He and Bella were meant to be. He'd gone month's without her, for her, but he couldn't resist any longer. He tried to be kind, gentle, understanding. He tried to do what he thought best for her, but if fate put them together, it had to be for a reason. Bella must be strong enough to overcome her aversion to werewolves. He knew she was strong enough. Edward feared he might be being unfair, he should walk away and leave her in peace, but, to his shame, he wasn't strong enough. He wanted, needed, his mate. And, whether she knew it or not, she needed him, too. Destiny decreed they be together. And who was he to fight with destiny? With a new course of action in mind, Edward got to his feet and walked to the window. As the rain splattered against the glass pane and thunder began to rumble, he smiled.
Soon Bella Swan would be his.
#
Bella awoke to the sound of thunder. She lay, covered in a cold sweat, panting, her sheets damp and her heart racing as lightning lit the room. It was like something out of a horror movie, with the wind screaming, the rain crashing against the glass window and lightning illuminating the room eerily every so often.
She couldn't move, she realized, and panicked.
Bella lay, frozen, as the violent storm that had been predicted was now in full force. She jolted as thunder clapped once again, closer this time.
At one time, Bella enjoyed thunder storms. She would sit and wait at the window, eager for another flash to light the sky.
Now she lay, stiff and petrified, dreading what she would see standing at the bottom of her bed when lightning struck next.
It didn't take a psychologist to figure out why.
Her dream, she thought. Or rather, her dream of a memory.
She expected her reaction, had thought herself prepared for it. Of course she would dream of her time in captivity after seeing Edward for the first time in months, after having dinner with him.
But despite predicting it, coming to terms with it and accepting tonight she'd be plagued with nightmares, nothing could truly prepare her for experiencing her torment all over again. To be taken back to a night a lot like this one. A vicious storm had taken the night while she and the other women huddled together, in that awful cage, cold and terrified.
Bella stared up at the ceiling, and even now, she could still remember with such clarity the feeling of cold rain biting at her skin. The wind tore around them as they sat, trembling with fright and because they were freezing. Cold, slick arms wrapped around each other for warmth and comfort as they waited out the storm. To know even if they did survive the night, the full moon wasn't far away. That one would be taken.
Lightening lit the night sky, dragging Bella away from her memories of that night. She began to ache and forced her frozen limbs to relax against the mattress.
She was at home, safe in her bed, she reminded herself.
Emmett and Rosalie were close by, and despite their fight, he would come running if she called out to him. Part of her wanted to, but her pride wouldn't allow it. She couldn't call her brother every time she had a nightmare.
She was safe. She was not in the cage and she never would be again.
Bella repeated this in her mind over and over until, finally, her heart returned to its normal, steady rhythm and her breathing calmed. Eventually, she regained enough control to turn her head and look out the window as the rain splattered against the window and bolts of lightning lit the sky.
She loved this at one time, she remembered.
For as long as she could remember, she found storms like this exhilarating. Magical. She enjoyed the sounds were created from clouds, normally so pretty and tranquil, crashing together.
She liked the little thrill she got as the rain hit the ground. The shiver that ran down her spine, despite being wrapped up in her Nana's blanket.
Bella would sit at the window, counting the seconds between each to determine the distance, and laughing in nervous excitement when she realized just how close the storm truly was.
As she got older, when boys and romance overshadowed her sheer awe of nature, she imagined the storm was created by a prince. One who had the ability to control such things as thunder and lightning. That he created the storm as a way of looking for her, and the louder the thunder clapped, the harder the rain fell, the brighter the lightening flashed, meant he was getting closer. He would find her and take her way to his castle in the sky.
Bella smiled at her fanciful imagination, was saddened to realize it was yet another thing they stole from her.
Her dreams of princes and magic hadn't faded away like it with most mature adults with full time jobs, bills to pay and more realistic expectations of the opposite sex. No, she still believed in castles in the sky, magic and fairy tale endings.
Or she had until she'd seen the reality of such magical creatures, and what they are capable.
Look at me now, she thought bitterly. At one time she would have sat there, dreaming of her prince. Now, one strike of lightening and she was dragged right back there. Right back into hell.
Well it ends now, she thought determinedly. They wouldn't take this from her, too. She wouldn't allow them to taint another memory of something she once loved so much.
Slowly, Bella sat up, swinging her feet to the cold, hardwood floor and silently made her way to the window. Her nana's blanket clutched tightly in her hand.
Wrapping the blanket tightly around her shoulders, she got herself comfortable on the window seat and made herself watch the storm. To count the seconds in between. To reclaim something she thought lost to her.
It was beautiful. It looked just as magical as it had once been.
With tears in her eyes, she took back what was stolen from her. She no longer trembled at the crack of the thunder but revelled in it. She watched as the rain pounded against the pavement, traced the patterns the droplets of rain created against the frigid glass with her fingertip.
And finally, with her head pressed against the window pane, as sleep took her, she dreamed of her prince. The man who would find her in the wildest of storms, and take her away. Keep her safe.
She wouldn't notice for a long time that the prince she now dreamed of had green eyes.
#
Tabitha popped her head into the kitchen. "Hey, Bell, there's a very sexy man asking for you out here. And when I say sexy, I mean like, panty soaker sexy."
Bella cringed. "Thanks for the visual."
Tabitha winked before disappearing back behind the door that led to the diner.
Bella glanced at the clock and saw it was coming up to noon. Maybe Emmett had dropped by to try and make amends, and since Tabitha had a huge crush on him it would explain the inappropriate description. He stopped in most days because he liked the food. At least, that's what he said. She knew he was checking up on her.
Today it would be because he'd never been a fan of the silent treatment, she thought as she washed her hands.
This morning had been awkward to say the least. The three of them sat at the kitchen table, eating breakfast and reading the paper in a tension filled silence. Bella wasn't talking to Emmett, and didn't know what was happening with Rosalie. Her friend had been a ray of sunshine at dinner last night, but then snapped at her husband. This morning it was obvious the two weren't speaking. Just like it was obvious he spent the night on the couch. The rumpled up sheets on the overstuffed cream couch were a dead giveaway.
Rosalie or Emmett hadn't tried to make conversation with her either, so they'd just sat there. No one talking. No one attempting to make eye contact.
Eventually, Bella had enough and jumped to her feet. She'd been out the door when Emmett demanded to know where she was going. She turned to her, her hackles raised at his tone and his question. She never had to explain her daily plans before. And she didn't intend to explain now.
Instead, she'd glared at him and stormed out of the house.
Until he sincerely apologized for last night, she wasn't willing to talk to him. Or text him, she thought with a scowl.
She'd just got on the bus and was enjoying the early morning sunshine, when she received his text message.
You can't avoid me forever, Bella. We need to talk.
Bella rolled her eyes and shoved her phone into her back pocket. No apology. No further explanation.
She loved her brother. She really did. She owed him everything, but sometimes she wanted throttle him.
Well, she thought as she pushed open the kitchen door, it looked like he'd come to talk.
She fell in love with the small diner the first time she stepped through the doors on her second day in town.
The diner wasn't very big, but it was light and airy, and made the most of the space it had with shabby looking booths lining the walls, looking out onto the street. The rest of the space was filled with small tables designed for lone diners or couples. Not everyone came in wanting company, but those that did usually sat at the worn bar stools at the counter.
No, the place wasn't new and sparkly, but it had been running since the sixties, and the owner asked why she would fix something that hadn't been broken yet.
It was the jukebox in the corner that sealed the deal. How many diners had jukeboxes anymore? For that reason alone she wanted to work here. Though the furniture was battered and old, the diner was clean and, thanks to it being the only one in town, always busy.
Her small smile of welcome dropped instantly when she saw just who Tabitha meant by a 'panty soaker' of a sexy man. He definitely fit the description.
"What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded, throwing her hands on her hips and glaring at the man standing across the counter from her.
Edward smirked. "I came to see you, of course. I wanted to see if you felt better after last night," he added, his eyes laughing at her.
What happened to the man with the small smile and kind eyes? She was actually kind of grateful for his laughing eyes and cocky demeanour. It would be a lot easier to order the smirking man standing in front of her out of her life than it would have been to the quiet, understanding man he'd been last night.
"I feel fine, thanks. If that's all you wanted, you can leave. Town," she added pointedly.
Tabitha noted Bella's face flushed in anger and was shocked. Bella seemed the type to never get angry about anything.
Maybe, she'd just mosey on over and check things out, she thought as she came to stand next to Bella, noting the look of annoyance the man threw her.
Like she gave a shit, she thought. No matter how hot he was, if he was upsetting Bella, she'd personally throw him out on his ass.
"Bella, are you okay?" she asked while giving him the stink eye.
Bella turned to the pretty red head. "I'm sorry, hon, what did you say?"
Tabitha flashed an overly bright smile. Her large blue eyes met Bella's, silently telling her she had her back. "I asked if you were okay," she repeated and Bella knew why she asked in the first place.
Everyone who worked at the diner knew of Bella's past. She thought she should prepare them in case she ever suffered a panic attack during her shift. Sandra Scott, the diner's owner, promised her secret wouldn't go any further. That anyone who spoke a word of this to anyone in town would be looking for a new job.
Her co-workers knew everything and, so far, hadn't breathed a word, or asked any questions. They didn't know about the werewolves, of course. She wanted a job, not to be branded the town whack job. Bella got the feeling sweet old Sandra wouldn't have hired her if she'd started spouting off about werewolves and full moons.
"I'm fine," she assured her and couldn't help the quick glance at Edward Mason, who was standing across from her. His eyes glued to her face.
She wished to God he would just go away.
"Okay," Tabitha replied slowly. Whatever was wrong with Bella had something to do with the sex on a stick man standing on the opposite side of the shiny counter. "It's kind of quiet right now. The calm before the storm. I'll cover for you." Leaning closer, she whispered, "And you can deal with him." She turned to the man in question. "If you'd like to take a seat in one of the booths, Bella will be right with you."
He threw her a cold smile. "I'm good where I am, thank you."
She returned his cold, insincere smile with one of her own. "It's not really up to you. It's up to Bella."
Bella wanted to kiss Tabitha for her loyalty. She looked as if she would beat Edward to a bloody pulp should she give her the go ahead. She was a small woman, but feisty.
And brave, she added. Edward was admittedly a good looking man. Sex on a stick. But he was also intimidating as hell and, despite that, Tabitha still stood there. Her usually warm blue eyes ice cold as they glared at the wolf standing in front of them.
"It's okay, Tabitha." She smiled, placing a restraining hand on her new friends arm.
"Are you sure?" Tabitha double checked.
"Yeah. Just shout if you need me."
"I will."
Bella turned to Edward. "Over here," she snapped, pointing to the far end of the counter. No one sat close by so they could talk in private.
He nodded. After throwing a smug smile at Tabitha, he strolled to the end of the counter and waited patiently for Bella to join him.
"Are you sure, Bell? Because I'll toss his ass out. And if I can't do it, there's enough people here who would give me a hand," she said, pointing at the regulars who saw Tabitha as a friend, and were becoming very fond of the new waitress with the sad eyes.
"I'm sure," she promised. "But, thank you," she added sincerely, brushing a kiss on her cheek. "You're a really sweet person."
"I try." She rolled her eyes, pushing Bella toward Edward. "Go, get it over with."
Nodding, Bella walked away. Tabitha, however, stayed close by. Not enough to overhear their conversation, but close enough to get to Bella fast should she need her help.
Bella may be new, but Tabitha liked her, and after finding out about her past, she respected her a great deal. She had been through a lot and no way in hell would she let some man, no matter how sexy he was, upset her.
Sandra would kill her.
She doubted he would though, she thought as she glanced over at the big hunky male in the corner who sat, waiting patiently while watching every move Bella made.
If Tabitha had to, she would say that this was Bella's ex. Not that she'd mentioned an ex before, but the way he looked at her... it was so intimate.
Part of Tabitha was jealous as hell. The man looked like he'd walked right out of a romance novel. Tall with broad shoulders, his black shirt doing nothing to hide just how freakin' ripped he was, tanned skin and thick hair pulled back into a stubby tail.
His face... Now that's what fantasies were made of. A strong jaw, covered in stubble that gave him a rough and ready look, his nose had a slight bump on the bridge and she wondered if it had been broken. Maybe in a bar brawl, she thought dreamily. He'd look good in a bar brawl, defending the poor waitress from groping patrons.
Oh and his eyes. Such interesting eyes. Piercing as they lingered over Bella. He didn't miss a thing when it came to the new waitress, she sensed.
That didn't mean she wouldn't kick his ass if he stepped out of line though, she thought as she turned to wipe down the coffee machine.
"Why are you really here, Edward?" Bella demanded as she reached him. She didn't come around to him, instead preferring to keep the width of the counter between them.
"I told you," he said patiently, "I wanted to see you."
"I don't care," she retorted. "I want you to leave me alone."
His eyes bored into hers, making her want to squirm. And not out of fear.
"Why are you so intent on getting me out of your life, Bella?"
She scoffed. "Are you serious? Do you really have to ask me that? You're a werewolf," she hissed quietly. "That's why I want you out of my life. No other reason." Not one she was willing to face yet, anyway. "No other reason should be necessary."
"Really?" he challenged, his eyes called her a liar.
Edward leaned toward her, managing to crowd her despite the counter standing between them. "I can smell lies, Bella. I can almost taste them. A shifter perk," he said with a grin. "I can smell all kind of things, including fear… and desire." His eyes lowered and lingered over the mouth.
She blushed furiously. "I don't desire you," she snapped. "I want nothing to do with you."
He only smirked, finally raising his eyes from her mouth and back to her eyes. He looked smug and cocky.
Bella wanted to bitch slap him.
"Mm. The sharp and bitter taste of a lie. And yet it's mixed with that hot, sweet, honey of want. Need. I could smell it last night, at dinner. Rosalie's meal was delicious, but it couldn't compare to the taste of your need in the air."
She blinked.
What the hell did she say to that?
Could he really smell it, taste it, when she was aroused? The idea was mortifying.
"You can keep running from it, Bella, but you want me just as much as I want you," he added softly. Seductively.
What the hell? Where had the sweet, gentle, quiet Edward disappeared to? Why did a small voice, one she thought long dead, whisper she liked this side of him?
"Bullshit," she spat out of self-preservation. She didn't need him and, at this precise moment, she didn't want him. No matter what the little voice inside her head, or her formally dormant hormones were saying.
His cocky grin didn't waver. "I was going to give you space and be the good guy, but then I remembered I'm not a good guy. I've tried to be and it doesn't suite me," he added cryptically.
"What are you saying?" she demanded. What was he talking about? He'd tried being the nice guy?
"I'm saying you want me, Bella. I want you. But don't worry, I don't mind waiting until you're ready to admit the truth."
"You'll be waiting a long time," she vowed. She refused to admit it to herself that she wanted him, never mind admit it to him.
Besides, it just didn't make sense. She didn't know why she was suddenly reacting to him now, despite her hatred of his kind, her fear. She never reacted this way around a man. Why now? Why him, of all people? It just didn't make sense.
"You know what they say, the best things come to those who wait. And I'll wait for you," he promised as his eyes roamed over her face, taking in her flushed cheeks, wide eyes and pouty lips. Yes, he'd wait for her.
"Come and find me when you're ready," he said as he pushed off the counter and strolled out the door, into the sunshine.
Bella's thoughts were a chaotic mess. She didn't understand what was going on. She didn't understand how she could be so strongly attracted to a man who she wanted nothing to do with. She didn't understand the sudden turn around? Last night he looked at her as if he wanted to protect from the world. Now, he was telling her to find him when she was ready to admit to wanted to bang him?
She didn't know what a part of her, a very tiny, tiny part, was intrigued.
Bella didn't know why she was having these feeling's around him now, when she hadn't before.
She didn't understand anything and she didn't know what to do. She tried her relaxation techniques, but none of them were working.
Not knowing what else to do, she pulled out her cell phone and quickly found the contact she needed and pressed call.
"Hello? Would you be able to schedule me in for today please? It's an emergency."
A/N So... what do you think? I tried to convey Bella's confusion. Why she's reacting to him now when she didn't before, when she doesn't like him. Mating's are tricky...