Chapter 10 – Truth From Liars

Onyx eyes stared at the ground. Paul had his head in his hands as he sat on Sam and Emily's porch; his elbows were digging into the tops of his knees as he fought to control his anger and breathing. Jared had howled as soon as he'd explained to Emily how exactly Alyssa had gotten the bruise on her arm. Than informed him that Emily called Jules.

Paul flinched as he listened to Emily scream at Jake about his anger. Paul just knew he was next. There was no sense in waiting for it as he stood and walked into the house and stood next to Jake.

Emily was SEETHINGLY angry. She was passing and growling a little too much. "I can't believe – of all the stupid, immature, bullshit to pull. You and Paul need to grow up pretty damn fast. Jake you're going to be the next alpha and the next chief whether you want to or not and what you pulled today was completely ridiculous. Everyone in the pack knows that Alyssa had zero knowledge of the pack and your imprinting abilities so for you to lose your cool like that is asinine; especially when you know she's only trying to protect her sister from being hurt like she was."

Emily paced a little more as her almond shaped eyes ventured over to Paul who was standing with his hands balled in fists at his side. She knew he was just itching to reach out and headlock Jake until his head popped off. "And you – Paul you should've told Alyssa when she got back instead of growling at her about why she ran away from everyone and everything five years ago. She had every right to leave five years ago. She made a career for herself away from this place. But if you tell her the truth now; you might actually be able to get your imprint to re-locate to La Push where she should've been the whole time."

Emily raked her hands through her hair as she continued to pace. "I don't understand what is going on with you two or I do, I just don't understand how you two can continue to be at each other's throats so much. Jake if you'd not said those hate full things to Alyssa and pissed off Paul he wouldn't have attacked you; Paul if you'd have just told Alyssa the truth you wouldn't have gotten pissed at Jake. ARGH! You two just drive me up a freakin wall!"

Paul frowned. "I'm sorry Em. I should have told Alyssa as soon as I imprinted on her…It's no one's fault but my own. I attacked Jake five years ago because I blamed him for her leaving and I attacked him today because - when he said he wished she was dead; I-I couldn't handle the pain that came from Aly when he said that too her. I can understand why she said the things she said to him she hurt bad when she caught him with Bella and when she saw him the other day with Bella again; painful memories flooded her mind. This is my fault and I'm taking responsibility for it. I'll fix everything."

Emily sighed heavily. "I know this isn't easy for you Paul. You've been in love with Alyssa since you were what fourteen/fifteen? I think maybe it was logical that you imprint on her; maybe she wasn't meant to be your imprint after you phased because she was meant to leave and grow up and get her life and career in order before she came back here. You've been destined to imprint on her since you phased. It just wasn't something that was supposed to happen right away."

Paul nodded. "I know, I'll fix it Em, I promise."

"JACOB EPHRAIM BLACK!"

Jake flinched as he heard his fiancé practically scream his name. Jake turned and saw Jules standing at the bottom of the stairs; clearly having just come from upstairs and saw the bruise he'd left on her sister. "Jules, I - …"

Jules glared at Jake as she growled towards him. She walked over and reached up snatching him by his left ear with her thumb and index finger and proceeded to DRAG him up the stairs of the house and into the guest room. "I don't care how much you lost your temper. You're a damn wolf I get that. But can you SEE the color of that bruise? It is BLOOD RED Jake. You had to of been cutting the circulation off in her arm. I know she said things to you to get your temper up and get your brain working in over drive but that – That is fuckin ridiculous."

Jules frowned as she looked up at her fiancé; she pushed up on her toes as she cupped his overly warm cheeks in her small hands. "Jake, I was only blowing off steam. I know Alyssa doesn't know about the pack and about the imprint. I also know that when you guys patrol you're bound to run into Bella and I know you barely have any friendship feelings even left for her since she turned into a vampire. I'm not ever worried about you and Bella doing anything. But Alyssa is just worried and she'll continue to worry until Paul tells her. I love you and I love only you. And I can't wait until were married. I haven't told Alyssa about the pack because I know Paul wants to tell her. Every wolf has told their own imprint since you guys started phasing at sixteen. I think it's just a little harder for him since he'd been in love with her for so long."

Jake grabbed Jules by her hips as he pulled her closer to him. "I'm sorry; I know you were just letting it all out the other night. But I know her telling you what you already knew and then questioning my loyalty hurt because we've been together for so long. You've been here for the good times and the bad and she wasn't. I know when she ran five years ago it hurt you more than you're willing to admit. I in all honesty didn't mean to lose my temper or hurt her. There was just a point when it went from me trying to get her to not upset you to getting her to realize I love you too much to ever hurt you the way I hurt her. I know I hurt her and I have never apologized for it when I should have, but I'm pretty sure she'd never hear want to hear me out."

Jules nodded as she kissed his lips softly. "That's something that you're going to have to remedy; especially after today. She's not going to trust you. She won't believe that you'd never physically hurt me. Even though I know it and everyone in the pack and everyone associated with the pack knows it. You've physically caused her pain and now her guard is going to be up even stronger and thicker than it was before."

Paul had heard Jules and Jakes entire conversation. He walked into the room. "Don't worry about it Jules. I'll make sure Alyssa understands. I should've done it sooner than this, but I was such a chicken, I was so scared of being rejected I couldn't tell her. But I have to; she's got a right to know now. And I'm probably going to lose her even more now. I know exactly what she's going to say and at this point I can't say that I blame her; because she will be right."

Jules nodded as she felt Jake take her hand and lead her from the room.

Paul knelt on the floor next to the guest bed as he ran his fingers through her silky soft hair and softly kissed her forehead. His onyx eyes trying to memorize her face knowing that once she woke up and he told her about the pack and imprinting he wouldn't see her for a very long time. He watched as her beautiful eyes slowly opened and she jumped slightly and then winced when she went to push herself up with her right arm. Paul flinched. "Yea you're arm is going to be bruised for a while. Try not to use it much and keep that ice pack on it."

Alyssa watched as Paul held out his hand and she looked between his hand and his eyes as she swallowed and took it with her left hand and he pulled her to sit up. "So apparently you've got something's to tell me."

Paul nodded as he moved around and sat next to her on the bed. "So…I turn into a wolf at will. And surprisingly enough so does Jake, Sam, Embry, Quil, Jared, Leah, Seth, Brady and Collin."

Alyssa licked her suddenly dry lips. "All of them? And the girls know? How long has this been going on?"

Paul nodded slowly. "We all started phasing when we were sixteen. Except Seth he was fifteen and Collin and Brady were thirteen. And yea, the girls know because they are the guy's imprints. Imprinting is a way for us to find out supposed soul mates; one look in the eyes and its instant. The only one who it wasn't instant for was me. I didn't imprint right away. But once I did I should've told my imprint and I didn't."

"You've imprinted?" Alyssa asked and watched as he nodded. She felt betrayed by her friends. And she wasn't sure what she felt knowing that Paul imprinted on some random girl. God she was hoping it wasn't Vanessa especially not after her first busted her nose. "Who did you imprint on?"

Paul frowned. "I – I uh – imprinted on you Aly." Paul could see the turmoil in her eyes as he jumped to his feet the same time she did. "But if you'll just let me explain – there's more to all of this…"

"Let you explain? Let you explain what exactly? How all my friends have been lying to me? How you all have been gallivanting around in some sort of wolf pack since you were sixteen and the imprints knew but everyone failed to mention it to me?" Alyssa could feel her breathing hike up.

Paul shook his head. "It's not like that Aly. I didn't imprint on you until the day you came back to La Push. I don't know why it took five years for it to happen, it just happens when it wants to; we have zero control over who and when it happens."

"I've been back for almost four months Paul. Why didn't Jules tell me or Kim or fuck even Emily? I don't understand why I was kept out of the loop." A few stray tears slid down her cheeks as she wiped them away furiously; she was refusing to show weakness or at least she was damn sure going to try not to show any.

Paul sighed heavily. "It's my fault, because I begged them not to tell you. Anyone could've told you, but I begged them. I was scared of being rejected. We've been best friends for so long and here I had this secret I literally couldn't tell you because before you were my imprint it was an order from the tribal council that we not tell anyone who wasn't an imprint, a pack member or on the tribal council. As soon as I imprinted on you it was my job to tell you; but I didn't want to scare you off. I couldn't handle if you left La Push again."

Alyssa's silence filled the room for a good twenty minutes as Paul and she stared at each other. Paul frowned. "Please say something Aly."

Alyssa shook her head as a few more stray tears slid down her cheeks. "You're all a bunch of liars. You've all been lying to me since we were sixteen. That's why you all would run off when you heard a wolf howl and why you were always half naked and overheated and pissed off. Why you guys couldn't control your tempers. Why every time I walked into Emily's all the girls and you guys would suddenly get silent. I don't understand how you guys can call me your friend when you were all lying to my face and behind my back. I don't – I just don't understand. Kim's been my best friend since forever and even she didn't tell me." She wiped more tears from her cheeks. "Does my father know?"

Paul nodded solemnly. "Jake accidentally phased in front of him one night."

"Wow, even my dad knows." Alyssa could feel more tears sliding down her cheeks. "I um – I have to go. I have to go now. I can't be here; ever." Alyssa turned and ran from the house.

Paul walked downstairs and saw all eyes on him. He looked at every one and scowled. "She didn't take it as well as all of you thought she would. Remind me to not take advice from any of you from now on." He shook his head as he jogged into the woods and phased.

A pained howl echoed through the trees.