Chapter Ten

The sky was as black as coal, and void of stars. A slither of light produced by the moon acted as a poor light for me to take in my surroundings. I could hear growls in the distant, and they were growing closer by the second.

"Love, come here. It's not safe."

I spun around. "Edward," I breathed. He smiled, but it didn't take away the anxiety in his eyes. He focused on the near distance behind me.

"You need to come here, Bella. It's not safe."

I followed him without hesitation. He would keep me safe. His cold hand encased my own and I felt an intense pang of longing. "Why did you leave me?" I whispered. The growls were getting too close now.

He looked down at me in concern. "I never left you Bella."

"Don't lie," I said, feeling a twinge of annoyance.

Suddenly I was twisted round. His arms were holding me with my back against my chest. I struggled trying to break free. I felt cold lips at my ears. "Don't struggle."

I shuddered. It wasn't Edward.

"James," I whispered.

"That's right." He chuckled, a quick low sound. I struggled more but he just tightened his hold.

"I don't think so," he whispered, his voice was like silk.

My body went slack against his.

"Ah, I see he's finally arrived."

I focused ahead, like James. My heart stopping when I saw Paul, bare-chested, wearing nothing but his usual cut-offs, walking forward. He seemed to be frowning at me.

"Paul! Run!" I screamed.

James hissed. "Don't do that," he snarled.

I struggled against his iron clad grip.

"Run, Paul, RUN!"

James hold tightened so much I couldn't breathe. I choked.

I blinked. I could feel that comforting warmth spread through me.

"Open your eyes Bella." The voice was soft... and achingly familiar.

"Paul," I whispered.

"Yes, I need you to open your eyes, Bella," he said quietly.

I did. My eyes landed on Embry's still form. James was kneeling next to it, blood dripping down his chin. His blood-red eyes focused on mine, unblinking as he slowly broke out into a smile.

I screamed.

"Bella! Bella!"

I jerked awake and Charlie took several steps backwards.

"Are you ok?" He asked.

I nodded, taking a deep breath. I pressed the heels of my hand into my eyes, trying to get rid of the image of Embry's lifeless body, of James kneeling beside him...

"A boy's here for you," he said, obviously not happy with that fact.

"A boy?"

He frowned at my lack of knowledge about who would be calling here for me. "Paul," he said.

My heart thumped for a second.

I pushed my covers off me, heading for my drawers. I pulled out a clean t-shirt and a pair of jeans.

"I guess I'll head out now. You'll be... ok?"

I forced a smile onto my face, suddenly impatient. I wanted answers. Paul was going to give those answers to me even if I had to force it out of him.

"Well ok," Charlie said standing up. "Oh, I'm going to be a bit late home from work tonight, Bells."

I nodded once waving goodbye before he left the room.

I quickly changed into my t-shirt and jeans, and ran a brush through my hair. It was a tangled mess but it would have to do.

I brushed my teeth and ran down the stairs half expecting Paul to be gone. But he wasn't. He was sitting on the sofa, staring at the TV. Judging by the far-away look in his eye he wasn't watching whatever was on.

I cleared my throat as I entered the room and he looked up at me. His eyes scrutinized my body before coming to rest back on my eyes. I blushed.

"Did you want to stay in or go out?" He asked.

I didn't even hesitate. "Out."

He nodded and stood up. I shut off the TV and followed him out the house, locking it behind me.

He stood by the passenger side of my truck, waiting for me to unlock it. I got in the driver's side and reached across to unlock it. He got in. It was then that I noticed he was actually wearing a T-shirt. It looked odd on him.

He met my gaze, not bothering to hide his smirk.

"Are we going to sit here all day?"

I blushed and started the truck.

"Where did you want to go?" I asked. He shrugged.

I drove towards La Push. We just hit the border line when he spoke suddenly.

"Turn right."

I did. We were on a more secluded road that I had never notice before. Trees lined the left side of the road as we drove.

"Park the truck here," he instructed. I tucked it in as much as possible so that if any cars drove down here it wouldn't get hit, not that my truck would be damaged. It would take a tank to take it out, as Jacob liked to remind me.

He got out and I followed him. He walked through grass that was a tall as his butt. It reached my waist when I walked through it. On the other side of the long grass was a really small clearing. The grass was cut shorter, like someone took the time to tend to it. Wild flowers grew amongst the grass. Mixtures of pink, purple, blue, white and yellow. A small tree sat to the left centre of the clearing. Paul made his way towards it, sitting in the shade it provided.

I set myself down near him, cursing myself when I shivered against our closeness.

"Cold?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow.

I shook my head. "I was just thinking about insects. Hate them." I flicked a small fly off my arm.

He shot me a weird look.

He sighed and ran his hand through the back of his hair.
"I suppose you want answers."

"That would be nice," I answered curtly.

His lips curled up into a smile.

He tilted his head back, so it rested against the bark of the tree.

"What has Jacob told you about the Quileute legends?"

I started. Somehow I didn't see it going in that direction.

I choose my words carefully. "The Quileutes made a treaty with," I sucked in a breath, "... vampires. They agreed not to attack as long as the vampires didn't drink human blood."

Paul watched me. I shifted uncomfortable. He gaze told me that he knew. He knew I was hiding the Cullens.

"Our ancestors made the treaty with the Cullens. They agreed not to destroy the leeches as long as they stayed off the land and didn't attack any humans."

"I wish they hadn't," he muttered bitterly, tearing up some grass.

"The Cullens don't hurt people," I said weakly.

Paul snorted.

"They're leeches of course they hurt people!"

His hands started to tremble.

I clenched my jaw and looked away.

I heard him sigh heavily.

"My ancestors phased into wolves to protect their land."

I choked. "They what?"

He eyed me. "They phased into wolves," he repeated slowly. "They were made to destroy the leeches that came across the land."

"You can't destroy vampires," I said, remembering Edward's cold marble skin, and how much it took to destroy James.

Paul snorted again. "Yes we can."

"We?"

He nodded. "Me, Jacob, Sam, Jared, Quil, Embry, we've all got the gene to phase. And unfortunately for us it got activated by the Cullen's presence."

He eyed me thoughtfully. "Though I suppose it does have its perks."

I suddenly felt uncomfortable. "Like what?"

He smiled wickedly. "Well the speed for one, the fast healing powers. I'll never be cold again." He reached out his hand and held it millimetres from my hand. "Feel that heat? Benefit of being a wolf."

I smiled; finally pleased at knowing why he and Jacob were always so hot.

"Embry?" I asked.

"Is healing. He'll be able to start walking by tonight."

"That's-"

He arched an eyebrow. "Impressive right?"

"Yeah," I murmured. "Something like that."

He smirked. I found myself smiling at him.

Then a thought occurred to me. "Why was Embry hurt?"

He frowned. "There have been two leeches hanging around Port Angeles. They keep coming here. Sam thought it was because they could smell the Cullen's scent and was intrigued by it, but it's faded now. They should have realised that the Cullens had left town. Me and Jacob think that they're after something, but we're not sure what. We've been tracking them for a few weeks now. We're thinking that soon they'll just leave when they don't get what they're here for. We were tracking them yesterday- me, Jared, Embry and Quil, Sam had to stay behind because you were there- Embry almost got one, but then at the last minute the leech turned and swiped, cutting a line in Embry's side and slamming him into a tree. He landed on his legs. It was a hefty fall."

I sat in silence trying to swallow the information. Paul could transform into a wolf it didn't seem real.

"Hey, are you ok?" He asked. "Jacob thought that it would be too much, what with the Cullens leaving and stuff, but Sam thought you could deal. They're betting against each other."

I nodded, feeling dizzy.

He moved so one of his legs was against one of mine, the other was against my back.

He wrapped his arms around my waist loosely. I settled back into his chest. Thankful for the warmth, for the support. His solid chest against my back was the only thing that seemed to be holding me in reality. He was real. All of this was real.

We sat like that into the afternoon.

"We should get going," he said quietly, when the sun was starting to go down. I nodded. He got up first and helped me up.

Paul was the only thing that was on my mind that night as I made and ate dinner and got ready for bed. He had hated me, I was sure of it. His eyes used to burn with anger whenever he looked at me, yet today we sat together, wrapped up together. I tried to banish it from my mind. I shouldn't have been thinking about him. One mythical monster was enough for me. I loved Edward. So why couldn't I stop thinking about Paul?