Very quickly I want to address a question that I have been getting more often in both PM's and reviews. Paul doesn't want to seal the deal with Angela at this point ever, not because he doesn't want her obviously physically he does. He doesn't want to have sex with her to seal the bond between them because he doesn't want someone tied to him that could eventually hurt him, you will see more of the reason why in this chapter. Although that was the plan things in my mind have changed since I wrote this story years ago and as I post these chapters I feel like it's getting drawn out a bit too much, but I also want to make my readers, you guys happy. The one thing I can't budge on though is when she finds out about the imprint. I won't say when it was going to happen but I am going to say with this slight change to the plot the truth about the imprint won't be happening for a while. There is a reason for it, I promise and things will work out. One aspect of their relationship is going to happen sooner than I had planned but the other is staying the same. Hopefully with that you guys will stick with me on this one. I hope you enjoy this chapter and a further look into Paul's head and why he feels the way he does.

Chapter 14

When the last bell rang on Wednesday after school Angela was more than ready to fall in line with the rest of her classmates as they shuffled through the hall and out to their cars, unfortunately for her the newspaper was having a staff meeting and while she didn't write articles she did take pictures for the paper so that meant she had to attend.

As Angela walked into the newsroom she fought back a groan when Ben's head snapped up from the desk, with a smile he waved her in his direction while scooting a chair out for her. When they broke up months ago they agreed that they would remain friends, and for the most part they had. That was until Jessica opened her mouth at the lunch table on Monday. She'd made sure to ask Angela repeatedly about Paul and their relationship while gushing to Lauren just how hot he was. It was after lunch when things started to get awkward. On her way to English without Bella as a buffer Ben had thrown his arm around her shoulder while telling her that he missed seeing her around and that they should hang out more often, as just friends of course. The last two days had been pretty much the same, along with some text messages expressing his eagerness to hang out.

Walking over to Ben Angela threw her bag on the table then slid slowly in her seat while nodding her appreciation. As Mr. Greene began passing out assignments for the paper she watched as Ben's hand slowly inched toward her own on the table. Just before his pinkie finger made contact with hers Mr. Greene cleared his throat and repeated Ben's name in a harsh tone, when he got up from his chair Angela made quick work of shuffling her chair back to its original position.

Angela's tasks for the week were to take pictures of the prom court and begin working on Prom posters. The mention of Prom had the room alive with excitement, the girls instantly began chatting about their dresses, hair and makeup while the few boys that were in the room began chatting about who they were asking and just how they were going to do it. Just as Angela was about to get up from her seat Ben's hand slid over hers, "do you have a date?"

Angel was stunned when a wave of annoyance rolled over her before she tamped it down and fought to answer as nicely as possible. "No I was thinking about going on my-" Angela started while trying to pull her hand from his.

"Go with me please."

His words were shaky barely loud enough for her to hear; when she looked at him she drew in a long breath letting out a slow sigh as she thought about what she was going to say to him. She'd already inquired about Paul going to the prom with her, according to school rules no one over the age of eighteen was allowed to attend. Knowing that Paul wouldn't be going with her not only for her lack of asking but also because it was against the rules Angela decided that she'd go on her own, enjoy the time spent with her friends. With his hand still holding onto hers Ben gave it another squeeze and mouthed please again.

"Ok, I'll go with you as friends."

As a smile slid across his face Angela felt guilty at accepting his invite, but she also knew she wouldn't back out for fear of hurting him.

Sitting in Bella's room Angela was slowly working up the nerve to tell her friend about what happened at the paper earlier. She knew that if she told Bella somehow it would get back to Paul, but a part of her wondered why it really mattered if it did, after all they were just friends too, they'd even shook on it, made a pact like a couple of little kids. As her frustration grew Angela couldn't help but blurt out the news.

"I'm going to the prom with Ben." She watched as Bella's body jerked nearly every muscle in her body freezing in place. Bent over the chair arm Bella swiveled her head around and widened her eyes, "are you getting back together?"

"No" Angela grit out slightly more annoyed before feeling bad and covering her face with her hands, "He looked so sad when he was waiting for me to answer, I couldn't say no."

"Why not?"

"Bella we haven't been broken up that long and I know that he could find a date if he tried but I feel bad, when we broke up we agreed to stay friends and with everything going on we just haven't."

"What about Paul?"

"I asked he can't come."

"You asked Paul to the prom and he said no!" Bella sounded outraged as she shot up from her chair.

"No, no I talked to a couple of teachers on the prom committee and they said no one over eighteen is allowed to attend for student safety. I didn't even bother asking him, besides I didn't really plan on asking I was just curious."

Bella cocked a disbelieving eyebrow at Angela while sitting back down, "do you think Ben knows that you're going just as friends or do you think he' going to try and get back together with you?"

"I told him we'd go as friends, besides when we broke up it was mutual. He's going to Washington State and I'm going to SAIC in Chicago, long distance would have been too hard so we agreed it was best."

"But you said he's been acting different the last couple of days."

Groaning Angela threw herself back on Bella's bed, "I know, I just I couldn't say no and hopefully since you and Jake will be there and Jessica and Mike are going together again that will make things easier."

"Well Jake and I will definitely try and make sure things are group centered."

"Now I feel bad, what if Jake had something planned just for the two of you."

"Trust me; he will be fine with it."

As Angela studied Bella she realized her friend's eyes were jumpy and she looked a little nervous, but she didn't ask what was going on she was too busy worrying about Ben and his intentions.

~U~

"I'm glad I found you out here." Bella mumbled as she came to stand a few feet away from where he sat on an over turned milk crate in Jake's garage.

Paul shot her a dark look before turning back to the part in his hands, "you're glad to see me, this is new."

"Paul"

"Bella."

"I need to tell you something and I don't want you to get mad, Jake told me to wait until he got back but Charlie called and wants me home so I need to tell you but you have to promise that you aren't going to-"

Instantly Paul shot up from the crate and backed Bella into the door, "is she alright?"

When Bella looked up at him and smiled Paul wanted nothing more than to rip that smile off her face, "what is it?"

"She has a date to the prom."

Anger shot through him in an instant, his muscles coiled tight with the need to lash out at something, Jake was smart telling her not to talk to him alone, "that's it." Paul muttered as if he didn't care.

"I- the only reason why I'm telling you is because she's your imprint and well-" Bella trailed off as her lip went into her mouth.

"Well what" he barked barely able to control his anger.

"She's going with her ex with Ben"

A slow haze of red slowly settled over his vision as his body began to shake, the wolf that only moments before had been quite as a mouse was now snarling mine over and over again in his head. Just barely Paul could make out the sound of Jake's curses and Bella's whispered I'm sorry none of it mattered. His imprint was going back to her ex an ex he knew absolutely nothing about because he was to damn busy attacking her or fighting with her.

The wolf burst out before he could contain it, Bella's startled yelp was followed by a round of curses from Jake, but none of that mattered he had to get to his imprint, had to make sure that she wasn't going to bail on him.

As Paul plowed through thick patches of brush and leapt over fallen logs he could feel the pop of power when one of his Alphas' phased. Sam and Jake were nearly one of the same, their power equally matched at this point. Without a doubt Paul knew it was Jake this time though, knew that the little shit was probably going to try some alpha order for scaring his paleface.

I'm not, damn it Paul you scared the shit out of her though.

Can it Jake I need, and then the memories flowed out of him before he could stop them. A small boy crying in a bed as he tried to go to sleep for the first time without a story from his mother. The boys crying picked up when his father's slurred shouts filled the dark room telling someone on the phone that he didn't matter that the boy did. A shout and then a crash, slowly the door opened a sliver of light peeking through as the doorframe filled with an unsteady figure. When the boy opened his mouth to speak the figure dropped to his knees and then it began to shake, over and over again muffled and slurred his father told him that she wasn't coming back, that even for him she wouldn't come back this time. The boy watched scared out of his mind as the figure slowly slid do the floor and passed out.

The silence in Paul's head was deafening and that pissed him off even more. Don't you dare say a fucking word or think about that. In the nearly three years that Paul had been a wolf he'd managed to keep his past private. Even as he writhed in pain on the forest floor when the worst of the phase was upon him he kept those memories the memories of the only woman that had ever left him locked up. Sam and Jared knew about his mother leaving when he was eight but didn't know the details, even with Jake seeing what he let slip he didn't know the whole truth.

I won't Paul, but she's not leaving you. A vision of Angela lying in Bella's bed telling her friend that the only reason why she was going with Ben was because she felt bad, the vision faded quickly and then Angela was telling Bella that she'd asked a teacher if he could come and their response.

She'd really truly thought about asking him of all people to her prom?

Why wouldn't she Paul she's you imprint

We're friends

Obviously friends can go to the prom together

No wanting to rehash this conversation for the millionth time Paul pulled out a memory he knew would shut Jake up, big bouncing boobs took over the mind link as Mindy's red fingernails dug into his biceps.

She knows about her already, Jake's voice whispered through the link just before another pop zipped through the link taking Jake's power with it.

~U~

"Have room for me on that thing?"

The voice startled Angela so bad that she jerked causing the hammock she was studying in to sway violently for a bit until it stopped completely. Her eyes landed on the hand that was holding the hammock steady, as her gaze slowly slid up the arm taking in his broad chest covered in a ratty concert t-shirt a slow smile spread across Angela's face.

"Where did you come from?"

A flicker of guilt passed over Paul's face before he cocked his eyebrow and nodded at the hammock.

"I don't think we'll both fit."

"Oh it'll fit," Paul shot back making his eyebrows bounce up and down.

"Pervert."

"So"

"Do my parents know you're here?"

"Should I go announce myself?"

Angela wanted to say yes, simply because she knew her father's reservations when it came to her and boys. When she and Ben were together they were only allowed in the lower part of the house and someone was constantly watching over them. Shrugging her shoulders at Paul Angela lifted her grandmothers quilt then wiggled over while he held the hammock steady, then ever so slowly he lowered himself beside her.

"So, what are we working on?"

"You really want to know what homework I'm working on."

"Why not?"

"AP Calculus."

A low whistle came from Paul as he shifted making the hammock sway, "so you're a-"

"Nerd? No I-"

"I wasn't going to call you a nerd; I was going to say you're a smart one yeah."

Shrugging her shoulders Angela snapped the book closed and looked up at Paul, "so what are you doing here?"

"Can't I hang out with a friend?"

"Sure, but what's up, you seem, I don't know…"

Looking away Paul slung his arm around Angela's shoulder and slowly began to rock the hammock back and forth.

Watching his face Angela could see that he was trying to decide if he wanted to talk about what was bothering him or not, instead of pushing she chose to burrow herself into his chest and wait.

"You cold," Paul asked looked down at her.

"You're warm."

Angela could feel his head bob up and down as his arm pulled her closer to his body fitting her right under his arm and against his chest. Slowly Angela's let her hand move above his heart, the fierce pounding that met her hand startled her. Drawing back slightly Angela took in his face again; his jaw was set as he looked out at the forest.

"Are you going to tell me? You're kind of scaring me."

"You shouldn't be, just some shit going on in my head."

Clenching his shirt Angela tugged on it until he looked down at her, "tell me."

"Had a little talk with Bella today."

Before she could stop it Angela's body froze and her stomach dropped, by the look on his face she knew what Bella had said to him. She felt betrayed, why would Bella talk to Paul about that?

"We're just friends."

"She said he was your ex?" The last word came out as a growl as Paul's arm tightened around her shoulders.

"He is my ex, but we're just friends."

The muscle in Paul's jaw jumped before he took a deep breath, "like we're friends."

Angela didn't know if she should be happy or upset by his question, happy because he seemed jealous by the fact that she was friends with her ex, but upset because her relationship with Ben wasn't really his business. Considering Paul's tension filled body and his still ticking jaw Angela pressed her forehead into his chest and drew in a deep breath. The scent of Pine and forest wrapped around her smothering the prick of anger, "friends-friends, not like you and I are friends Paul."

When the tension didn't leave his body instantly she wondered if there was something else, until he leaned to the side and pressed his lips into her hair, "you're dad is watching us."

Angela's body snapped up but before she could turn Paul squeezed her tighter into his side, "if you act guilty he's going to think we're out here doing something we're not."

"But-"

"Just trust me, he's coming."

She didn't know how Paul knew that her father was coming, but his warm hand rubbing circles up and down her arm made her body relax back into his against her better judgment.

"Angela, Paul." Her father's voice was rough as he came to stand in front of the hammock.

"What are you two up to out here?"

"Working on homework, talking." Paul responded before Angela could even open her mouth.

"Is that so," her father queried.

"That is so," Paul snipped back his hand still smoothing over Angela's arm.

With his eyes narrowed Angela's father shot her a look and then another at Paul before taking a step back while mashing his lips together, "dinner will be ready in twenty minutes, Paul if you plan on joining us that would be fine."

"That's ok Mr. Webber I've got plans."

With a quick nod and a glare at Angela her father made his way back to the house.

"Do you trust him?" Paul questioned as the screen door snapped close.

Angela snorted, "My dad?"

"You're ex."

Drawing in a deep breath Angela gripped Paul's shirt giving it a tug, "he's fine, our break up wasn't bad it's just we're going to different schools. He's staying in Washington and I'm going to Chicago, it wouldn't have worked so we ended it before it could get anymore serious so we could focus on the last semester of school."

"How serious was it?"

"I don't really think that's your business."

"You don't?"

"When was the last time you saw Mindy?" Angela taunted before she could stop herself.

Paul's body went rigid as his chest rumbled and what seemed to be a snarl worked its way out of his mouth, "I don't claim to be her friend."

"Well he and I are just friends and that's all you need to know." She bit back while pushing herself up from the hammock. As she gathered her books she could feel his eyes on her but she fought to look at him. When she went to turn away his hand shot out and gripped her wrist.

"I didn't come here to fight with you, even though that's all we ever do."

Angela's body slumped, "I don't like fighting with you either, but you can't ask me questions like that and just expect me to answer them when you don't want to answer questions I ask you."

"Fine, ex's and Mindy are off limits. Ask me something I'll answer it."

"How did you know my dad was watching," Angela fired the question so quickly Paul seemed shocked by it.

"I have good hearing."

"Where did you come from, I didn't hear your truck?"

"You were pretty focused on that book when I got here."

Angela puckered her lips while fighting the urge to drop her hand on her hip, "I would have heard your truck it is pretty loud."

Paul was smiling as he took her in, "the woods."

"Why are you always in the woods?"

"You have a lot of questions don't you."

"Since I'm your friend and you told me I could ask you anything I wanted I'm asking."

Paul shrugged before throwing his hands behind his head, "the woods relax me, and running relaxes me."

"Did you play sports when you were in school?"

For a split second Paul's face darkened and then the cocky smile was back, "football from when I was ten til freshman year. What about you? Sports?" Slowly his eyes slid down her body, paused on her legs and then even slower worked their way back up.

The attention caused Angela's face to heat, "cross country in middle school, then I got into photography."

"You ever going to let me see your pictures?"

"If you take me back to the beach so I can take some."

Paul's hands shot out grabbing Angela's upper thighs causing her to squeak, as he slowly pulled himself up from the hammock he brought her forward causing her body to rub the length of his as he stood to full height. Bending at the waist, his lip brushed the shell of her ear, "it's a deal."

"Angela." Her father's voice echoed through the back yard causing her to jerk in Paul's arms.

Chuckling Paul nipped at her ear before placing a soft kiss there, "better let you go before you get into trouble."

Angela couldn't speak as he backed away from her, couldn't snap her mouth shut as he walked toward the now nearly dark woods chuckling.

"Angela now," her father barked snapping her out of the trance she was in.

Looking over her shoulder she couldn't help but frown when she didn't see Paul.

~U~

As Paul stood inside the tree line watching his imprint gather up her homework and blanket he couldn't stop smiling. So maybe they'd gotten into a small spat, what he cared about was the fact that she'd fired off questions to him and seemed pretty interested in his answers, not only that but she'd answered a few of his own. All Paul had to do now was figure out a way to get his imprint back to the beach with all the shit going down with the pack. Slowly backing his way further into the tree line Paul was determined to figure it out before the weekend.