A/N: So it's been a long time and yes, this story doesn't please everybody. I have to b content with that. We're almost at the end now.
It wasn't easy, spending the first night alone. Both Paul and Bella decided that they needed the time apart, to 'get their shit together'.
Dosed up on pain meds, Bella returned to the apartment she'd shared with Riley, bracing herself for the heady memories.
The first time they had slept together, after Paul had smashed his face in, he'd been so gentle.
After a few times, he had admitted to having a few fantasies, one being her tied up and blind-folded. Was it genuine or had it been a show for Victoria, to make her vulnerable?
Whatever.
The whole experience was awkward but she pretended to like it.
As she packed her things, she thought over what would happen now. A part of her loved Paul but the imprint had blindsided her before. She didn't want a repeat performance.
In the meantime, there were assignments to complete, friendships to rekindle and her hair to sort…
XxX
He'd given her a week to get her head straight before he called to arrange a date.
"We could go for dinner?"
He heard the amusement in her voice. "You'd drive to Port Angeles for a meal?"
"Hey, I'm a wolf. I'd do anything thing for food."
"I'm so flattered!"
"So, what do you say?"
"I'll meet you Friday at six."
XxX
As he stepped through the door, he scanned the room, looking for a petite blond. His heart sank as he realised there was none around.
Instead, a petite brunette met his eye, beckoning him over. She stood up to meet him and he ran his fingers through her soft locks.
"What brought the change?"
"I only dyed it for the party." She paused. "The party's over."
They sat down to eat, keeping conversation light as he updated her on events back home.
"So Jake has been in touch with the girl from your drama group. He's planning on taking her to dinner next week!"
She was happy for her friend. "She's really sweet. I think they'll be good for each other."
Kim and Jared had gotten engaged and Sam and Emily had set a date.
"Leah says you need to come back so that she's not the only girl with wedding bells on the brain."
She laughed. "Well, you can tell Leah I'll be back at Christmas."
He gave a look. "You will?" She nodded. "Well, where are you staying? Does Charlie know? Do you want to…"
"Steady Paul. I'm staying with Charlie." His face fell. "We both need time."
His nod was half-hearted.
XxX
With the threat of Victoria and her army diminished, Sam limited patrols to once a day, rotating the wolves and allowing them the chance to focus on the lives they put on hold. For the young ones, that meant returning to school. Their normality of training for battle and surrendering to their wolf's instinct became unnecessary and it was a difficult transition.
The human became the dominant and whilst the wolf would always be a part of them, they now had to accept their mortality.
It was a difficult transition and many rebelled. They had grown up too quickly and could not settle; therefore the Council had their work cut out for them.
They had never had to deal with this type of scenario before and it was all they could do not to ruin their youth's lives.
XxX
When Christmas came, bringing Bella back to Forks, the others wolves found in her a friend. Someone who understood their struggle.
It was she that understood their bereft for the danger. The thrill and purpose it provided. It was she that addressed the Council, making them aware of their youth's issues. The solution was to renovate some of the outbuildings into an all-purpose gymnasium, one specially made to accommodate their supernatural strength. Here, the boys could challenge themselves and their friends in a safe environment, before returning to their regular lives.
Bella also devised a schedule for each of the boys to bring them back to the same level as their classmates. It wasn't easy. Their heads were full of strategy and warfare but they soon learned to apply those skills to subjects such as Maths and Science. The logical lessons were easier to cope with than the more flexible topics such as English.
Still, Bella's persistence earned her an easier transference back into the Pack dynamic. She wasn't overly enamoured by the admittance but it made Paul feel better.
They were gradually coming full-circle and whilst they weren't as close as they could be, he knew they were making steps.
He had to be content with that.
