Paul pressed his head against the cabinet in Sam's kitchen in frustration. His fingers tingled lightly to touch Bella and his heart wretched in the direction of his home where he had left the sole purpose of his living snoring lightly in his bed. The re-arrival of the Cullen clan had caused a shit storm. It seemed every good moment that Paul and his imprint had was graced with disaster. The Cullen issue needed to be addressed and unfortunately the pack was split on the decision on how to digress into handling a new treaty. The new treaty needed to include Bella. She was off limits. Paul would single handily destroy the existence of Edward Cullen and bare the burden of taking the little life left from the frozen teenage boy. Paul didn't want those vampires anywhere near Bella. He wanted her edge of Forks snatched from underneath the Cullen territory and placed under strict rules of avoidance much like the Rez.
The wolves waited for Jacob to voice his final objection about a new treaty with the sworn enemy. Jacob exhaled through his mouth and leaned his hands palm down against the table to brace himself for the emotional shift of the pack. The cloud of thunderous energy ramping through his brotherhood was hard to ignore. Jacob wanted to succumb to the energy and let his own wolf bask in the hype. The hype was enough to make his wolf burst through his very fucking veins. Jacob felt his own heart rate accelerating with the breathing of the males in front of him. His eyes slicked over to an authoritarian yellow and the packs own eyes matched his eyes theirs pitch black with intensity.
A tongue slide from Jared's mouth and glided over his bottom lip in slow delicious sensuality. The level headedness that Jacob needed was no where in sight. Even Sam, clenched fisted and breathing heavily was heaving from tenor growls. Jacob wanted to break the table underneath him in half suddenly. He felt his own resistance to a new treaty slipping with the packs patience.
"New treaty it is..." Jacob's voice was no longer his own. The depth and power behind him resounded with the after shock of an earthquake and the pack dispelled a breath as a unity. A hoot and howl of excitement launched from Embry and Quil ended the last of the intensity and relaxation spilled over into the Uley household.
Paul pushed himself with his head off the cabinet and exited the house. He needed to see Bella's sleeping form in his bed again. The dangerous thing about being bound to an animal in his entire being was the animalistic tendencies the pack burdened even as men. Paul needed to scent the girl, smell her emotions, and more importantly smell her scent mixed in with his own-his sheets. The house emerged into view and Paul hurried up the steps silently to reach his treasure. Bella was dreaming lazily of autumn skies and sun, unaware of the beast that loomed heavily over her sleeping form. Paul couldn't resist the urge to stick his head in the crook of her neck and shoulder and sniff deeply.
Bella shifted sleepily, even unconsciously she was familiarized with the temperature and smell of her other half. Paul pressed into her neck harder until his lips were inches from her jugular.
He bared his teeth and gently guided them across the smooth pale skin of Bella's neck. The electricity that flowed between the two was enough to make Bella's hair stand on the back of her neck. One eye from the brunette popped open to catch the man in her peripheral biting and licking the most sensitive part of her neck. She squirmed in discomfort and pleasure until he placed one last long luxurious lick from the base of her neck to the tip of her cheek bone. Bella watched him move into the bed until he was facing her.
The yellow eyes peering eerie back at her made goose bumps break out all over her skin. She was considerably happy to see the man in front of her-animal and all. Bella lifted a fragile artistic hand on his cheek and pressed her lips forward until they met the destination on the man that had captured her heart. Kissing Paul, no matter how much she continued to explore, was nothing she could ever get use too. The fireworks caused explosive results from them both. Bella felt like every time they touched a symphony of strong instruments narrated their physical love story. A soft, loud, exciting, delicate, intense, and sensual cacophony of angelic voices. Paul's wolf released its hold from the man at the feeling of their imprints lips against theirs. Paul was man above all else for Bella.
He slid a strong arm around the brunette and yanked her closer until her own arms were awkwardly blocking her body from touching his. Paul slowly lifted her left and right arms up until they were placed around his neck holding and cradling his head. Bella pressed her chest against the man in front of her and watched his longingly, Paul swept his rough tender hands down Bella's pale arms and moved to rub her back lifting her shirt to access skin. Bella busied herself with finding Paul's lips again. She'd never felt so close to being consumed before. Bella remembered vaguely the time she'd faced off with James and had faced death squarely in the eye.
Her death that day was nothing compared to the the dangerous consumption she felt approaching her in the arms of the man she adored. She was surely afraid of death this time, after all if she died how would she ever get to touch, kiss or see Paul again. That wasn't acceptable. That's the way that love should be. Something worth living and fighting for. Surely she would die for Paul, but more importantly she wanted to live for the man kissing his way to her shoulder blades exposed from her tank top. Paul moved backed to face Bella, seeking permission.
Whatever he was asking for permission to do Bella stared intensely into his eyes waiting for his next touch-aching for it. Paul must have found whatever he was searching for. Because he pulled the tank top from her body and exposed hard rosy buds and fresh goose bumps from exposure.
Bella was to distracted to be embarrassed about being top less with her breast out. Paul had pulled her mind into his lips again. Bella couldn't find her thoughts while Paul's hand guided over her breast and pinched and squeezed. She felt glorious. Paul removed his lips from Bella's lips and pulled an irritated groan from Bella's lips in displeasure from the loss. The groaning quieted down considerably as he left hickeys down her neck and placed his mouth where no one had ever dated touch Bella-better yet lick or suck. The groans turned over to moans.
Bella woke up in Paul's bed feeling lethargic and lazy. Paul was no where in sight much to Bella's dismay. He had left hickeys all over her neck and breast much to her pleasure. Her frigidly pale skin had finally paid off with its blatant display of Paul's love for her. Bella stared at the sun peaking over the clouds from the bedroom balcony doors. She was quite positive that Paul was a touch of worldly heaven. Bella had never herself been religious but she had such faith in the man she loved.
She had such soul depth care and admiration for Paul that she was positive that he was a gift from some higher entity somewhere. She rolled over away from the sun and slipped back to sleep with thoughts of gratitude and hopefulness.
Paul was aware that Bella was probably still in the bed. He'd slipped out from under her naked upper half that morning. He was oddly satisfied with the marks he'd left all over her. Paul was positive Bella loved him and that feeling alone was enough to make his heart implode with paralyzing happiness. The positivity Paul had that she was ready to physically commit to him left him with an equally imploding emotion below his heart. He'd be patient. No matter how many nights he'd forced himself into the horrid position of blue balls after being so fully awakened by Bella. She was ready for him but their relationship boundaries were new and wondrously exciting. He wanted to bask in the love-the purity of it without the physical bonding of their bodies as one. Her first, his last.
The pack had gotten the message to the Cullen clan last night with the help of the tribal leaders. Billy had been more than happy to oblige his hand and clasping an iron fist down on the clan if cold ones. Old Quil stuck in his old ways traditional and nostalgic of his father's powers, had taken much convincing. He submitted only after the reminder of his owns father's passion for his mother, their imprint bond, had been thrown back into his face by his grandson. The shimmer in Paul's eye was enough to make the old geezer lean back in his chair and passively allow the meeting to proceed without objections. Paul's passion for Bella reminded him vaguely of the supernatural bond between his parents.
The pack had ordered the presence of the entire Cullen clan at the cliff lines where the streams lay in between the mountain edges that divided territory. The clan leader had graciously and readily agreed the meeting with the large pack, Paul preferred it this way-all the Cullen's presence that way he didn't have to worry about them bothering Bella. His Bella. He waited in human form along the sides of Sam and Jared. The two most experienced pack members besides Jacob to watch after him. Paul was under control since the acceptance and love of Bella had brightened his life but the pack was sure all calmness would be damned at the Cullen's threat to his happiness with Bella. Jacob was wary about the encounter enough. He had Embry and Quil flanking his sides on the left and right ahead of the three human wolves behind him. Leah and Seth patrolled the perimeter from both the Cullen's and reoccurring red head vampire that threatened Bella's life. Jacob's nostrils began to burn with the smell of rotting flesh and death. He knew then how close and quietly the Cullen's had been in approaching them. Caution for both sides was a constant procedure when these types of meeting arrangements occurred. Paul rocked back on his heels in anticipation. Carlisle was the first to emerge from the tree lines on the cliff. His family members closely gliding wordlessly behind him.
"Jacob, good to see. I hope all is well" Carlisle offered a brief nod towards the pack alpha and averted his eyes to the other wolves in greeting. He never ceased to be amazed by the sheer size and magnitude of power the wolves possessed. Of course their numbers had grown since the last time he had been here. Carlisle felt regret for leaving Bella linger in his being for a second longer before continuing to talk.
"We were not expecting to come back so soon. We received word from Alice while we vacationed of Bella and a certain vampire of our past having a violent encounter and rushed immediately to the aid. We by no means meant harm to your people or the pack of course". Jacob was so much like his grandfather. Carlisle found it intriguing. How kind, honest and likable the pack's alpha, the Blacks, were to him and his family.
"We have had a few incidents with the red haired vampire of course. We've got it under control. We've been keeping an eye on our sister" Jacob casually placed his hands in his cutoff pockets and nodded in greeting to the rest of the clan of sickly smelling clan members' feet from him.
"I didn't see the wolves intervening. I'm Alice Cullen, I have a gift where I can sometimes see the future of individuals based on the decisions to be made both randomly and with intent. Bella's future went black and I feared the worse of course until I saw her moments later greeting Edward upon our decision to return to Forks". Paul eyed the small women speaking yards from him. Bella had told him of this girl Alice how much she missed her dearly.
Alice was her best friend, this vampire with sharp flipped edges in a short pixie cut. Alice was approximately 5'2 if that and seemed both relaxed and approachable when she addressed the pack. Paul committed her to memory to tell Bella she had seen her estranged best friend in the meeting. He regretted not being able to deny Bella anything. After he had thoroughly left hickeys all over her soft plush breast he'd told her about the meeting and intent to rearrange the treaty to prevent any of the Cullen's from approaching Bella's side of Forks. Bella had been gracious in sacrificing her ties to the Cullen's but had asked him to deliver a message to Alice and the rest of the Cullen's. Paul had wanted to yell and scream no but instead had sighed and nodded his head in hopes to prevent both an argument and Bella's displeasure.
"Alice..." Paul hesitated until the small dead girl's golden eyes locked with his to continue. "Bella asked me to tell you... To please call her when the meetings ends. She has a lot she ... uhhh wants to share with you?" Paul hadn't meant to impose the statement as a question. Paul had never spoken to a vampire without animosity and contempt. He felt uncomfortable with such casual words.
"Of course. I'll call her as soon as this meeting ends". Alice offered a smile toward Paul, though the action had been harmless the exposure of Alice's teeth had set the phased wolfs into a frenzy. Her teeth were unnaturally sharpened at the end and sparkled like snow reflecting all light. The wolves around Jacob pressed back onto their back legs ready to lung baring teen and growls of warnings at the vampires in front of them. "I meant no harm". Alice assured with another smile this time without exposing her teeth. " I missed her. My family has missed her".
"She's missed you too... All of you. She asked me to tell you all that" Paul ran a hand through his hair and met the eye of a woman vampire with dark hair linked in hands with the coven leader. She seemed so ...nurturing ... unthreatening. Paul wished that the vampires didn't resemble humanity so much. Sometimes fighting and battling human looking beings was enough to send each wolf into a dark ominous place questioning their own humanity.
Just then reacting to Paul's thoughts of Bella Edward bared and lifted his own teeth. The pack took the warning from the vampire in stride and shifted their caution towards him in warning.
"Edward... Such actions are unnecessary. Please forgive my family. We have truly missed Bella. We didn't know that Victoria would cause such problems and will gladly help deal with her accordingly. I hate to cut the casualty short but I fear we've unsettled your pack enough for today and a shortened meeting would do us both good. What is it we can do for you Jacob?" Carlisle was by far the most level headed vampire the pack had encounter. He was so well mannered and poised in his language toward them. He seemed unangered, and patient in such a hostile environment. Paul relaxed his muscles but didn't stop watching the red haired boy in front of him.
"Bella is off limits. We want the territory back. Nothing within miles of her side of the city. Unless of course Bella invites you" Jacob didn't beat around the bush. Edward let out a loud hiss in protest.
Paul's own adrenaline burst threw his veins and his body contorted until paws replaced his feet on the ground. Clothes damned. He stalked toward Edward. Bella was more than off limits-she was a non-contender for Edward. Paul would personally rip his fucking balls from his dick and shove them down his throat if he so much as caught him looking at Bella. Paul would kill any man for her. Edward's eyes widened in realization. This was a wolf-a shape shifter that had taken his place when he'd left Bella. He had asked her-had begged her to find normality and she'd ran into the arms of a man that burst into fur the moment he was angered.
"You fucking mutt" such words from Edward left his family on high alert toward the wolf that was proving toward their beloved family member. Paul had nearly reached the edge of the cliff to cross territory lines onto Cullen land.
"PAUL" Jacob hadn't issued a command but the man's name was enough to still the wolf from crossing lines. Paul opened his mouth to expose his teeth to Edward. And snapped them shut in warning. Edward's own fist clenched and his lip lifted to snarl. Two men in love with the same woman. Something that would surely end one of them-Paul was positive it would be Edward. Jacob felt his stomach tighten-he didn't doubt Paul could handle Edward but he feared that a storm much larger than the Cullen's was brewing headed towards the pack. Paul-everyone had greater problems headed their way.
"Carlisle we aren't asking you. We're telling you Bella is off limits. Of course if Bella invites Alice or you and your family over that's different-but until you receive her explicit consent to approach her... don't" Jacob was tiring of this meeting. And Paul's control was wavering slowly.
The pack was reacting to his anger and Jacob was slipping off the rails himself. To feel the energy of the men around him ramping up like a thunderstorm on a summer day left his teeth tingling and his body feeling like small needles were being pressed inside his skin. Jacob may have been alpha but he was not immune to the anger that brewed through the pack. He was if anything the single orbit of the pack that was effected by their gravity-their needs and their feelings. Jacob cracked his neck in impatience.
"Of course Jacob. We won't approach Bella's place without her consent. Well monitor the areas that are ours and well assume you'll do the same?" Carlisle wanted the best for Bella whether that was Edward or the male that had burst into a huge wolf and threatened his oldest son.
"We've been doing a good job so far-" Jacob was interrupted.
"If you were doing a good job she wouldn't have gotten a hand on Bella in the first place"
Edward snarled. Paul in response roared in protest but his hind legs didn't move. The wolf was aware of the meetings termination. The acceptance that was flowing through his pores. The pack was like a solar system, an intimate solar system that had ripping tidal pools of communication, spoken and nonverbal cues that passed through. The boy-Edward was aggravating the fuck out of him. He wanted to return to the reason of his existence. Paul was insulted and both aggravated. There was truth to Edward's word but of course Paul would never let it happen again. He hadn't been aware that Bella was in danger until the last minute but he had known in time that's all that mattered at the time.
"Edward watch yourself. Next time I'll let Paul show you just how well he takes care of Bella. Believe me." Jacob lifted an eye brow in challenged and beckoned his pack members to follow him as he exited into the trees. Paul was the last wolf to follow; he slowly strutted after his pack looking over his shoulder at Edward snarling until he reached the tree line. Paul the man flooded the wolfs head with images of Bella-Edward's bark in protest was enough for the wolf and man as they exited to go home without another glance behind them.
Bella closed the cabinet to Emily's kitchen as she passed the female salt to add to the meal for the pack. They'd all returned...amped up after the meetings with the Cullen's. Bella was fairly happy that a fight hadn't broken out between the two groups. She was more than happy to see Paul. He had come in after the pack and she'd been waiting at the screen door for him. His face lit up at the site of her. He swept her up from the floor and she wrapped her legs around him. Bella rested on his abdomen with her legs securely wrapped around his waist, he placed soft kisses all over her face in greeting. He enjoyed her hair cut for the access it gave him to her neck and the obvious view it gave anyone who looked at her of his love marks he'd left all over her neck while she lay in his bed.
Bella was content surrounded by her pack; she helped Emily prepare their meal and watched them horse play in the house. Quil was teasing Jacob about some girl from school; Embry was laying across the couch sleep and Jared sat at the table hands running throw his short buzzed cut. Sam was standing by the fridge watching Emily shuffle about happily. He was happier these days-without the weight of the pack and the attention to be focused on the woman that had his heart. Leah still unable to watch Sam blatantly love her cousin was in the guest bedroom sleeping; while Seth had gone home to help his own mother prepare dinner. Paul much like Sam was happily watching Bella help Emily from the kitchen table. Paul was enamored with her.