a/n---thanks to mediate for betaing this and thanks to my few reviewers that I had, it means alot that you guys, the few that did, took the time to type a few words for me instead of just hitting the alert button. Thanks goes to liljenrocks also, for being so kickass :D

Chapter 10

I paced around the kitchen nervously, waiting. Today was the day Sam was coming to talk to my parents with me. I wished he would have let Emily come too, but he said that it was council business and it was better if he came alone. From everything I'd been told, Sam was an elder on the council and looked next to Billy Black as some sort of chief. It explained why my parents didn't care where I went with Emily. My mom had known who Emily was the moment I'd said she was beautiful but had terrible scars.

I'd been thinking a lot since the bonfire the other night, mostly about the stories I'd heard. They seemed so real somehow. Some of them reminded me of strange things I'd seen Paul do, or heard when I knew he was in the woods. I felt stupid for even thinking that, though. Paul wasn't a werewolf. I'd have noticed by now.

Sam had talked me into making today the day to tell my parents. I was getting bigger now, a small bulge that I hid with a sweater and a jacket, or a baggy hoodie. I was still sick a lot too, constantly early in the mornings, without even eating anything. I'd been getting up early enough to hide most of it but I knew my mom was starting to get suspicious of me.

Paul was being… terrible to me. I couldn't ignore him even if I tried. He constantly ragged on me, calling me horrible names. I touched my growing stomach. Feeling the heat from it he knew that this was his baby, Paul just didn't want to admit to it. Sam had mentioned that he had to talk to Paul next.

I heard Sam's heavy footfalls coming across the porch and ran to the door just as he knocked on it. My dad got up from the couch raising an eyebrow at me. I opened it slowly letting Sam in.

"Ready?" He said with a kind smile. I shrugged as I led him to the living room where my parents were.

"Oh, Sam, I wasn't expecting you," my dad greeted as he got up to shake his hand. My mom put down the magazine she'd been thumbing through and sat up straighter, knowing who he was. Sam nodded to my dad as he grasped his hand, giving my mom a smile as he sat down beside me. I could feel myself starting to get nauseous as I waited for the conversation to begin.

"I actually came by to help Sarah talk to you about something. I've gotten to know her pretty well through my fiancée Emily and if Sarah is Emily's friend then she's as good as mine too," Sam began, glancing at me. I nodded to him, showing him I wasn't chickening out yet. I pulled at the corner of the couch cushion, staring at the carpet.

I knew already my parents were getting nervous over whatever the elder had came to say. "Go on," my dad nudged. They were holding each others hand tightly. "We can handle it, whatever Sarah's done."

Sam cleared his throat, making me jump at the noise. "Sarah hasn't exactly done anything. Not alone and nothing wrong. I can unsure you. I just want you and your wife to keep an open mind, okay?" He paused and took a deep breath. "Sarah's pregnant," he finally said.

The amount of shame I felt now was gut wrenching when I heard my mom gasp.

"She's what?" My dad asked shocked.

"Sarah's pregnant, I'm afraid by one of my boys, one of the youths I work with, but I'll leave it up to Sarah to tell you that," Sam explained calmly.

"It's him isn't it, Sarah?" My dad raged turning to me now. "That Paul kid, isn't it? I told you to stay away from him, I told you a million times he was bad news."

I felt the tears welling up as I nodded my head slowly. I covered my face in my hands, hearing my mom cry with me was hurting worse than anything I'd felt before. My dad sighed loudly as he paced the living room. "Sarah, why did you get yourself into this mess? We taught you better than this."

"I... I... I... love him and I... I..." My voice cracked as I sniffled. Sam's large warm hand patted my back reassuringly.

"Mr. and Mrs. Carter, Sarah's been incredibly mature about this so far. She was just scared to tell you alone and I felt it was better for myself to come out instead of Emily."

I sniffled as I grabbed a tissue and dabbed at my eyes, knowing it would get worse when Sam left. "Sarah, why couldn't you stay away from him? And why isn't he here with you telling us about this?" My mom finally spoke.

"He doesn't want to talk to me," I whispered not looking at any of them; this was the worst part of the whole thing. "He doesn't want me anymore. He broke up with me and I..." I stopped there, taking deep, shaky breaths.

My mom sighed shaking her head. I was breaking her heart, I knew it. "Paul left you because you're pregnant, didn't he?"

I nodded staring into the wooden floorboards. "He doesn't want the baby."

Sam hugged with me one arm. "I think I'm guessing right when I say your daughter does want this baby, though. No matter how terrible Paul's acting toward her, she wants his baby and I ask that you don't force her into doing something she doesn't want to, even it's overstepping my boundaries as a council member."

My dad nodded in agreement with Sam. "Don't worry about that, son. This is her choice, her decision. I just want to ask you that you keep him away from her. I won't have him upsetting her in this condition. All he does is cause her more problems than he's worth."

Sam hugged me again as he stood. "I cant promise that, I can only talk to Paul and tell him my opinions on everything and hope that you will all find a way to resolve the problems you have with each other." He looked down at me. "Sarah, I'll see you later, okay? Its fine with me if you want to come over to mine and Emily's and spend some time with her tonight or whenever you want."

I looked at him, thanking him with my expression. "Thank you, I don't think I'll be going anywhere anytime soon, though."

My dad sighed as he walked with Sam to the door. "Sarah can still visit with Emily, I won't take that away from either of them, I know they need each other more than they realize."

Sam nodded. "Thank you and..." he looked at me a moment before saying slowly. "You know if you decide certain things that we're more than happy to…. help."

I wondered what he meant by that, happy to help with what? My dad nodded. "I know son, I know. It's up to her, though. Just keep Paul away from here or I won't be held accountable for what happens to him." They stood there, talking for a few minutes before Sam finally left.

My mom had moved to sit beside me on the couch; she had her arms wrapped around me. "Sweetie, why didn't you tell me sooner? I'm not mad, I'm just upset that you didn't tell me. I always thought you knew that you could tell me anything."

I rested my head on her shoulder, feeling drained emotionally and physically. "I know, mom. I couldn't. I was scared you'd yell at me, or make me--" I stopped there, knowing it wasn't too late for what I was scared of.

She stroked the back of my hair. "Shh, it's okay. We're not going to make you have an abortion or do anything you don't want to do, are we Jim?" She asked my father pointedly.

"No, honey we're not. I just want you to keep clear of Paul. Any guy that doesn't want to take responsibility for the child he's created is worthless."

I shut my eyes, calming down little by little. "I want to keep the baby. I want to keep him, I'll keep my job and pay for what I can," I started.

My dad waved it off. "You don't worry about costs, sweetie. Your mother and I will handle that." He sighed as he sat down beside us and rubbed my shoulder. "Does Mr. Kimkirk even have a clue?"

I shook my head quickly. "No, not unless Paul told them. I didn't want them to know since you didn't. And I don't want him to make me quit because I'm pregnant."

I raised my head up and pulled back from my mom. "I don't know what to do," I told them both softly. My eyes were sore around the edges.

My mom gave me a smile. "I do. You need to go lay down for a while, sweetie. I'll bring you something to snack on and from now on we'll pick you up to and from work. You can't be walking everywhere anymore."

My dad nodded in agreement getting up from the couch. "Also Sarah, if you wanted to go to Sam and Emily's later its fine, I trust their judgment and you'll have an eight o'clock curfew now."

That wasn't so bad to me. I was in bed by nine now anyway. I hadn't had to stay up late anymore to wait on Paul. "Okay, "I said simply, crawling up from the couch and heading to my room slowly. "Thank you for not yelling at me," I said lowly once my back was turned to them. I shut the door before they could say anything back.

I crawled into my bed; my room was my sanctuary now. I'd started spending most of my time inside of it. I didn't have friends to go out with except for Emily and Kim. And Kim might not want to hang out anymore once I told her the truth. I laid back into the pillows, feeling better emotionally than I had in a while. It was a relief to have my family in on this. It was an even bigger relief that they weren't that upset with me over it.

I watched re runs for a while, listening to the wind howl outside. Maybe I would go to Sam and Emily's later. It wouldn't be as tense there as it was be here.

I kept my hands on my small bump as I laid there, feeling content that no one was going to make me give him away. I had to keep Paul's baby, it was the only shred of him that I had left. If I couldn't have him, I needed the next thing closest to him, his child. I was lost in thought when the door opened and my mom came in carrying a plate with a turkey sandwich and carrots on it. I sat up slowly; my back was sore feeling already.

"We still have a few more things to talk about," she said gently as she handed me the plate.

I nodded. I'd been expecting to be asked a ton of questions. I picked at the sandwich, biting into the carrot stick.

"Okay, first thing is, how far are you along, Sarah?" Mom asked as softly as she could.

I swallowed the carrot I'd been chewing. "I don't know. I could be anywhere from eight or nine weeks to maybe just five." I knew it sounded terrible out loud. I'd been with Paul so many times though that I honestly had no idea when I could have gotten pregnant.

My mom looked taken back for a moment. "Oh... I see," she said slowly, letting that piece of news sink in. "Did he use a condom at all?" She blurted out, looking sorry she'd said it after the words left her mouth.

I felt the blood rise to my cheeks. "Sometimes. I don't really want to talk about that, mom." I gave her a pointed look.

"I'm sorry, I had to ask though. The next thing is, which doctor do you want to use?"

I shrugged my shoulders carelessly as I bit into the sandwich. "I don't know. Whichever one you want me to use."

She nodded, scribbling on a piece of paper. "Okay. One more and I'll let you take a nap: Why him, sweetie? Why are you so drawn to this boy?"

I swallowed hard, not sure how to answer this. I'd asked myself this question every day since I'd met Paul. I let him treat me like I was nothing, I let him yell at me and hit me, and then stood there while he told me he didn't want our baby. Yet I still loved him for some reason, and felt like I had to have him.

"I don't know," I gave her a half smile. "I want him mom. I want him to want our baby so bad. Paul's not that bad if you guys would give him a chance. He's unbelievably nice when he wants to be, he's just… difficult sometimes."

My mom didn't say anything for a while as she doodled on her paper. "So you're set on keeping the baby then, Sarah?"

"Please don't make me give the baby away," I said quickly sitting straight up, ready to argue. "I can't give the baby away, or…."

She held her hand up. "We told you earlier honey, it's your choice. Are you planning on going to school still?"

I hadn't thought about that. I liked school on the reservation, everyone was friendly. I was starting to get stares and whispers behind my back, though. School meant seeing Paul every day too.

"I guess I could home school, I can't walk back and forth from school to the store anymore, anyway."

My mom scribbled that down next. "I'll see what daddy says about it, I'm sure he'll agree to let you stay home, though." She stood up from the bed taking the empty plate with her. "I'm going to call and see if I can get you an appointment soon as possible."

I nodded, falling back onto the stack of pillows again. "Thank you, mom. You're being nicer about this than you have to be."

My mom waved it off. "Of course I have to be nice about this, this is my grandchild we're talking about." Her eyes dipped down to where my stomach was hidden under the blankets and layers of clothing. "Do you care if I--?"

I smiled at her as I pushed the blankets back, careful not to move my shirt up enough that she'd be able to see the now yellowish bruises left from Paul. Her hand felt cold against the warmth my bump was radiating.

"You're burning up!" My mom exclaimed.

"No, it's just that one spot, I guess from the sweaters and all," I explained quickly. She ran her hand over the skin there, pressing down gently. "I think you're definitely nine weeks, Sarah, or you wouldn't be able to notice a change yet."

I sighed as I pushed my layers back down again. "I thought so. I guess I'm so small that it's not going to be long before I look huge."

She laughed as she left the room. "Don't worry about that."

I rolled over onto my side and laid there, staring mindlessly at the Tv for three hours. I looked at the clock, it was only four. I got up from the bed and padded into the living room, my hair was halfway fallen out of its pony tail.

"Dad, is it still okay if I go to Emily's today?" I asked nervously.

He looked at my mom who nodded. "If you want to you can. Sam told me anytime you decide to show up to just drop you off. I guess Emily gets left behind a lot at home herself while he's out with those boys of his teaching them life lessons." He smiled at the last part.

"I'll go change and then I'll be ready," I said smiling brightly at him. I wasn't completely confined to my house. I grabbed a pair of jeans and changed into them, tossing my track pants onto the floor. I grabbed a different jacket and pulled it on next.

I met my dad at the car, he was warming it up for me, "I don't know where they live," I admitted.

My dad laughed as he backed out. "In the middle of the woods just about. That kid decided he'd had enough of people, I guess." He drove through La Push before turning down an icy dirt road. We didn't speak much as we went down the roads before pulling up to a small grey house. It wasn't as new as ours but it looked like they'd been doing work on it. Sam's familiar red truck was out front surrounded by a few toddler toys. I didn't know they kids. I frowned as I got out, waving bye to my dad as I went carefully up the icy steps.

Emily swung open the door before I could even knock. She had a bright smile on the unscarred half of her face. "Sarah!" She exclaimed as she led me in, reaching for my jacket. I shook my head showing her I wanted it on.

"Sorry to just show up, I had my dad bring me," I explained. She shook her head as she led me into the small living room. I looked around me amazed by it. It was a shrine of sorts to wolves. "This is different," I said as I looked it all over.

Emily stood smiling nervously. "They're all Sam's. He's a collector, I guess you could say."

I sat down on the couch across from her, wondering what to do now. I knew what I wanted to ask her, but I didn't dare do it outright. "So, um... the wolves are just a thing he likes? Kinda like the stories from the other night?"

She touched the top of her crow0black hair looking sheepish. "Yeah, kind of."

I bit my lip, deciding now was a good of time as any. "You know, those stories, they made me think about Paul, actually..."

Emily looked at the stairs, getting up quickly. I saw Sam coming down looking like he'd just woken up. Emily automatically went to his side, like she'd been pulled beside him magnetically. His hard black eyes fell upon me. "You wondered if they were true, didn't you?"

He went to the couch and sat down heavily, Emily following after him.

"It's stupid, I shouldn't have even brought it up," I said quickly, not wanting him to think I was crazy.

"No, they are true," Sam said sternly. His face was serious. "I wouldn't usually tell you that, though. I thought on it for a long time, not sure if it was right to do. But I decided since you're carrying Paul's baby, you needed to know." His eyes swept over my shocked face. "I need to tell you something else about Paul, Sarah. There are signs you need to watch for when he's getting mad. If he loses his temper it'll get ugly quick. If he starts to shake or fly into a sudden rage you need to get away from him as fast as you can."

I swallowed hard, my mouth was dry. I was crazy, but I believed everything Sam was telling me. He wouldn't lie and I'd been wondering the same thing he'd just confirmed. I looked at the floorboards; it didn't take much for Paul to lose his temper, either. He couldn't control it once he did. The tiniest thing would set him off.

"He won't realize he's hurt you until it's too late. He might not even remember what made him mad in the first place. Paul's my most temperamental brother so far. I'd really like for you to try not to be alone with Paul. Not to mention your parents don't want you to be around him either. I don't trust him to be close to you and not do anything out of anger."

I let out a deep breath. "Well that explains a few things."

Emily smiled shyly at me. "I know it's a lot to take in and believe all at once, but it's true. At least you believe us."

I smiled back at her. "It just explains so much about Paul and the way that he acts." The sudden rages he flew into when he yelled at me, the shoving, the hitting, the shaking and quivering. I placed a hand over my stomach. "You don't have to worry about him even speaking to me. He doesn't acknowledge me anymore. Unless you count him glaring when Jacob Black stopped and picked up my bag from the floor for me. It's like just because he doesn't like me he doesn't want else to be nice to me either."

Emily sighed as she squeezed Sam's hand. "Paul just has a very different way of showing he cares. He doesn't know how to be honest with anyone."

Sam got up from the couch yawning again. "I need to go back to bed. Sarah, please don't ignore what I said, okay? I don't want Paul to... hurt you," he said the last part like he was pained. He kissed Emily before heading up the stairs.

The wheels in my head were turning now as I looked at Emily. Losing their tempers. Hurting people and not realizing it. Emily turned her head then, her right side was vivid in the light now. "Emily... did Sam..?" I looked away from her. "Is that what happened to you? Were you too close?"

To my surprise she smiled at me faintly as she got up from the sofa. "Kind of. I just didn't know how to stop pushing Sam. It was my own fault for what happened to me."

She was heading toward the kitchen. "How can you be with him after he did... that?"

Emily laughed softly. "We're meant for each other. He completes me, and I complete him. I'm only lucky he still loves me after the way I look now…" She trailed off. "So, are you hungry? Thirsty?" She asked cheerfully.

I got up and followed her into the bright kitchen. It had white, scrubbed wood floors and was very cheery. "Maybe some tea. I'm trying not to eat a lot. I don't want to gain a ton."

She rolled her eyes as she poured me a glass and pushed it to me. "Gaining weight is the least of your worries." She turned to get another glass for herself. "I don't want to seem pushy, but have you decided anything about the baby yet?"

I sipped the cool sweet tea. "I'm not giving the baby up if that's what you mean. I can't stand the idea of it. I want to keep the baby and my dad said they'd help me. I know it sounds crazy but I'm still hoping Paul will change his mind and marry me or just want to be with me or something."

She moved around the kitchen, stirring the pot on the stove. "Just give him some time. Paul will come around." She sat down on a stool at the bar. "Sam will do his best to get him to change his mind, he's kind of the leader of the pack." She went into conversation, explaining "wolf" things to me then. There was so much I hadn't known before. I listened intently, not wanting to miss anything she said. This was fascinating. Sam was their Alpha, Jacob was next. Apparently Paul had the worst temper out of the pack and loved to pick fights with his 'brothers' as Emily called them.

We sat there for two hours, talking and learning more about each other and getting me more insight into pack life. They weren't all friends like I'd thought, but brothers. A whole pack of them. Emily stopped talking as heavy footsteps sounded from the back of the house. Moments later the back door flung open and Paul came in with Jared at his side. He gave me a dirty look.

"Why is she here?" He snapped to Emily.

Jared looked uncomfortable as he sat down at the kitchen table beside Paul. "Sarah," Emily started, "is here because she's my friend and Sam's also." She kept chopping up the vegetables. "So I expect you to be nice to her while she's in my home."

I kept my head lowered, not daring to look at Paul. I could feel him shooting daggers at me with his eyes.

Paul snorted loudly. "Why should I be nice to someone who's going around telling everyone I got her pregnant when she knows it's a lie?"

"Maybe I should go," I started, getting up from the counter to get my purse.

Emily grabbed my hand. "No, you stay, you're staying for dinner. He can either behave or I'll get Sam up."

Paul rolled his eyes at me. "Why don't you let her go? She probably has some guy to go meet, anyway."

I tried not to let it show that it bothered me when he said that. He knew I didn't have anyone to meet. Even though he'd left me I was still loyal to him. I didn't want anyone but Paul. Emily hit him in the back of the head with the wooden spoon she'd been holding with a loud crack. "Enough!" She snapped.

He was rubbing the side of his head. "Its okay, you can hit me all you want to, it doesn't change the fact that it's not my baby, or that I still don't want the reservation slut."

I felt my eyes getting watery as I looked at my hands. I was sitting here in agony listening to him talk about me. I should have stayed at home I thought to myself. I knew I was out of my mind to still be here, sitting in a house full of werewolves so calmly like I had been. Even crazier for wanting the most volatile one to be nice to me.

"Sam?" Emily called out loudly to the top of the stairs. Paul looked at them, looking worried for a second. Emily snickered at him as she went back to the cutting board. "What's the matter, Paul? Scared?"

He shook his head. "I'm not scared of Sam. He doesn't bother me. I just wish he'd quit babying her."

Emily rolled her eyes at him as she went to a side room. I could hear her rummaging around in there before she came back holding something out to me. I took the small pieces of cloth and smiled brightly when I realized what they were. Baby clothes. The first ones I had.

"Thank you," I said happily, folding them up.

Paul snorted. "Don't forget how expensive it is to cloth a baby, Sarah," he mocked, giving me a shrew smile.

There was a noise in the door of the kitchen; Sam was leaning in it, wearing only a pair of sweats, looking tired still. "You'll know soon enough, Paul. You're going to be broke." Emily rushed to fix him a glass of water and took it to him, moving quickly. He took a sip from it. "You'd better rest up while you can, Paul. You start work on Saturday at seven."

Paul looked shocked, surprised and mad all at once. "Work?" He asked slowly. It seemed he was losing color from his dark skin.

Sam smirked at him and sat the glass down. "Yes, work. At the garage. You're the new oil pit guy on weekends." He gave Paul a smile and walked past him, brushing shoulders slightly as he moved around, getting a box of Cheez-Its to snack on. "I'll work your patrols around your work schedule at the garage. You should start sleeping while you still can, so I wouldn't plan on having too many dates."

Paul glared at him, gripping the counter until Emily nudged his hand away from it, not wanting him to break it. "I don't want to work. I have a life."

I watched them nervously, watching Paul more closely than Sam for any of the signs they'd told me about. It looked like anytime he got mad at Sam he couldn't do anything, though. Like something held him back from it. Emily looked at me, giving me a small smile like she was making sure I was still here.

"Too bad, you have a job now. You have a child to take care of. You can't expect anyone else to take of the baby you created," Sam replied calmly. He shoved a handful of crackers into his mouth and chewed noisily.

"It's not my child, though!" Paul snapped angrily. He was starting to edge toward the door now, little by little. Jared was starting to tense like he might run for it too. Sam shrugged, moving slightly making both of the younger boys freeze when he did.

"We don't know that yet. You need to be prepared, though just in case. You have tons of stuff to start buying. Besides, I haven't got to talk to your parents yet. I figure we'll both sit down with them tomorrow." He let his eyes drift over to Emily. "I don't want to hear you being disrespectful to Emily again in our house, either. You know what will happen if you upset her." He gave Paul a stern look, it seemed his teeth bared slightly before he grabbed his Cheez-Its and went back upstairs. "I'll be up here for a while," he called behind him as he made his way up the stairs.

Emily went back to the stove and stirred the pot quickly. "If you two want to make a run for it, now is your chance."

No, I think I'll stay. I told my mom I would be here anyway," Paul said giving me his dazzling smile. He hit Jared lightly on the arm. "Come on, let's go watch the game." They walked off into the living room together, turning the Tv on.

I turned back to Emily. "Just a glimpse at life in a wolf pack, only you didn't see the fur flying around," she joked as she sat back down.

I looked at her curiously. "They fight fight in their wolf forms?"

She nodded. "Every other day at least, and usually it's always Paul and whoever else."

I glanced toward the living room. "I feel bad that he has to get a job he doesn't want just to help me." I didn't want Paul to feel obligated to help me with our baby. It was my choice to keep the baby after all, not his. "I feel like I'm ruining his life."

Emily twirled the spoon around in her glass. "You didn't ruin his life, Sarah. You didn't get yourself pregnant. You didn't ask for it either. The only difference is, you can't hide from the truth like he's trying to."

"I just wish he'd quit calling me... well... the names he's been calling me. He knows I'm not like that. I'm still hoping he'll come around and maybe decide to try and be with me."

Emily didn't say anything. She was staring into the living room at Paul who was sitting like a statue on the couch.

"Is it okay if I use the bathroom?" I asked getting a sudden wave of nausea.

I stood up quickly following her. I went in and shut the door just moments before I got sick. I leaned against the small counter, closing my eyes. I couldn't get sick right now, I wasn't at home. I didn't know Emily well enough to be sick like this in her house. My stomach lurched and I leaned forward too late. I felt tears well up in my eyes as I realized I'd managed to throw up on my shirt.

God, this was a terrible night. I grabbed a handful of tissues to try and wipe it off. I sighed and tossed it in the trash. "Perfect," I muttered. I heard a soft knock on the door.

"Its me," Emily's voice came through on the other side. I opened it up a crack.

"Could I borrow a shirt?" I asked shyly, hoping she wouldn't ask why. She nodded.

"I'll be right back," she promised. I pushed the door shut quickly and leaned back on the wall, waiting.

I'd taken off my shirt and tried to wet it in the sink to make it a bit better. Now the whole thing was soaked and in a lump. I crossed my arms over myself as I waited. Suddenly the bathroom door opened before I could grab it. Emily came in with three different shirts. "Here, I didn't know which one would fit the best." She held them out, looking up.

I realized with a jolt why she was looking at me the way she was. "Emily, no!" I said quickly as she reached for the door knob. "Don't!"

Emily looked furious as I grabbed a shirt to put on quickly. "It's not what it looks like, I swear" I tried to convince her. Emily shook her head and pushed my hand away.

"Don't leave," she ordered as she slammed the door behind her. "Sam! Get down here!" She yelled. I heard silence from the pack in the living room. Heavy footsteps came near the bathroom, the door pushed open. Sam came in with Emily behind him.

I felt weak as his eyes went over me. He reached over and gently turned me around, looking at the worst one on my back. "What happened to you?" He demanded his eyes flashing. Emily stood back in the corner looking like she wanted to cry. "And don't try and lie to me, either."

I shook my head, grabbing the shirt and pulling it on. "Nothing. It was an accident. I fell down on some ice." I didn't look at either of them as I pulled my jacket on.

Sam shook his head angrily, his eyes flashing. "I said don't lie, Sarah. What happened? Why do you look like you've been beaten with a bat or something?"

Emily grabbed his hand. "Stay calm," she whispered to him. He nodded to her and turned back to me.

"Please don't hurt him," I whispered, crying. I pulled my jacket around myself and zipped it up. I wiped under my eyes quickly as Sam went back out. I heard growling and a loud scrape before Paul was shoved into the bathroom.

Sam had him by the back of the neck as Emily grabbed me and jerked my jacket and shirt up revealing everything they'd just seen. "Look at what you did," Sam ordered Paul who was growling loudly. I trembled, terrified of what might happen. I didn't dare say a word, "Look at what you did to her, Paul!" Sam snapped and Paul's eyes went over me slowly, looking like he was in unbearable pain as he flinched and made a small whining sound. Sam shook him violently. "You're no better than your own father!"

Paul made a snapping sound, ripping his eyes from me. "Don't you dare say that again!" He growled at Sam.

Sam shook him again, like a rag doll. "Why not? You're not different than he is. You asked me for help and now you did the same thing I protected you from. You didn't like it when he hit your sister, did you? Did you?" Sam roared into his ear loudly. "How is this any different? You know she can't hit you back, and to top it off, she's pregnant, Paul. Pregnant!"

I shook as I cried, still not daring to move.

"Shh," Emily whispered into my ear. "Don't say anything." I nodded, watching as Paul started to shake violently. Sam pushed him out of the bathroom and flung him out the front door with ease. "You want to fight? You want to push someone around, Paul? Why don't you push me around?" Sam jostled him just as Paul gave a last violent spasm. I watched with horror as shreds of fabric flew everywhere where Paul had been. A huge silver wolf was there now, growling and howling.

Sam took off out the door at a fast run, erupting into a jet black form that easily towered Paul's as he lunged at him. Emily grabbed my hand and pulled me back inside. "Don't watch," she whispered, trying to make me look away as the silver wolf howled in pain after being rammed into a tree.

"But he's going to hurt him'" I whimpered, watching. Emily forced me to sit down on the couch, glancing out the window.

"You don't know the whole story, Sarah. Paul hasn't been honest with you on everything."

I buried my face in my hands as I listened to the loud snarls and growls erupting. It sounded like there were more of them now. "I don't want him to be hurt," I whispered. If Sam hurt him, I'd feel terrible. It was my fault for not paying better attention when Emily came in. I shouldn't have gotten sick. I should have lied better for him. Paul was going to hate me now. I let myself fall over onto the arm of the couch and sob loudly as Emily hugged me gently.

"Has anyone else seen this, Sarah? What he did to you?"

I shook my head quickly. "No! Don't tell anyone, please," I begged her. If my dad knew…

Emily was looking outside again. "I'm not. But Sarah, you should've said something to someone. You can't let him do this to you. What if he would have struck you harder than he did the other night? He could have hurt the baby."

I didn't even want to think of that. Even though Paul continued to act hateful toward me, I knew that he wouldn't knowingly hurt our baby. I laid my head on her shoulder and cried while she watched the fight from the curtains. I heard her gasp one time and flinch. I just cried harder, curling up, not even noticing when the noises stopped.

One by one each of the boys that had been in the living room came in, wearing the same calm mask as they walked by me. Paul came in last, walking slowly by, staring down as he walked. My eyes widened at the gashes that covered his body. Sam had beaten him, literally. Emily jumped up, seeing him and ran to the laundry room, coming back quickly with two pairs of sweats. I kept my eyes downcast, not looking at either of them until after they'd pulled on the clothes Emily threw at them.

She sat back down beside, hugging me again.

Sam looked over the pack, excluding Paul who was off to the side alone as an outcast. "Go do patrol all of you, except you." They all turned and went back out, following Jacob this time who looked down at me with pity as he went by.

"Sit down," Sam snapped at Paul. I looked at him quickly; there were no marks on Sam. Paul immediately sat down looking terrified. Emily hugged me closer to her.

"Shh," she whispered again as I started to cry silently.

"Look at what you've done to her, Paul. What do you have to say for yourself? What kind of explanation can you give me for this? For doing something you despise yourself?" Sam asked Paul directly in a cold, hard tone.

Paul didn't answer him. He looked down at his bare feet. He looked like he might lie down and not ever get up. "Answer me," Sam snapped making Paul jump.

I stayed still and quiet with Emily, who like me seemed jumpy every time one of them moved the slightest bit. Paul cleared his throat as he looked down. "I didn't mean to. I just... I got... I don't... I mean, I'm..." he mumbled. "I guess I got jealous of her. I didn't like it when she did stuff. It made me crazy. And, um… I can't control myself when I get upset or feel something too strongly. I didn't mean to, I swear."

Sam made a rumbling sound before he spoke, making both of us jump next to him. "That's not good enough, Paul. We all get mad and we don't hurt the people around us. I get mad at Emily sometimes and I don't lay a finger on her. I never would."

Paul's head went lower it seemed. "I couldn't help it."

"You'd better come up with something better than this quick, Paul or you're going to talk to the entire council instead of just me."

Paul quivered slightly as he looked up slowly, his eyes piercing into mine, making me squirm back at the black color in them. "I got mad because she kept doing things and it... I couldn't take it." He sounded like he wanted to say more but couldn't. "Cant we talk about this alone?"

I felt Sam's gaze on me now. "Yeah. I'll meet you at the usual spot in ten minutes. Emily, its time for Sarah to go, anyway. It's almost 8 already. We don't need her getting in trouble the first day she's got to come out."

Emily nodded and stood up slowly I got up too not looking at either of the guys. I wasn't sure what to say to Sam. He just nodded at me as we left and I nodded back getting into the truck with Emily. The ride to my house was in silence. As she pulled into the driveway her eyes moved downwards to my stomach.

"I'm glad you got to see tonight what Paul is really like. That's what usually happens when Paul loses control of himself. He can't keep himself from phasing for more than eight hours at a time. You're so lucky he didn't hurt you worse than he did."

I nodded, listening to her. "You don't need him, Sarah. You'll do fine with this baby on your own. I can tell." I didn't want to hear that. I did need Paul. I needed him more than anyone realized. I needed him to just speak to me.

"Thank you for um... everything tonight," I told her, giving her a half smile as I got out. "I know you think I'm stupid, but I didn't mind it when he hit me because at least he was still speaking to me then." Emily nodded slowly, showing she understood somehow as I closed the door.

It had been a long night. I was ready to go inside and go to bed.