Chapter 21

"I'm a wolf." Paul stated, as if it was a disease.

I could feel me throat constrict strangely, my chest tightened, and my eyes filled with a little water. Oh, yeah, all this was happening because I was cracking up laughing.

"This isn't a joke Gabriel!" Paul added, anger lacing his voice. I immediately stopped laughing. This guy was freaking delusional. Oh God, I was out by the woods all alone with a crazy guy…and it was starting to get dark out.

"Paul….?" I started, not really knowing what I was going to ask.

"You know the legends." It was more then a statement then a question, but I answered anyway.

"Yeah…?"

"Well, it's, I'm true. The wolves I mean. The-uh, ancestors, or wait, um, yeah. The ancestors being…eh, wolves? It's real." He stated. I unconsciously raised an eyebrow.

"Paul…maybe we should just go back to Emily's now." I suggested. "Or the hospital." I added under my breath.

"You don't believe me." He realized, his teeth clenched as he started shaking more then normal.

"No, no, I do." I lied, trying to calm him down.

"Come on." He insisted, grabbing hold of my upper arm almost gently and dragging me towards the forest.

"No, Paul, what? Stop!" I screeched, now wishing we weren't alone.

"I'm going to show you. After all, seeing is believing right?" He laughed darkly, his shaking becoming faster.

"Paul, stop, bring me back to Emily's." I ordered. Oh God, what if he raped me? I would never be able to live that down.

"No Gabs, you need to see this." Paul stated roughly.

I could feel myself go into hyper panic mode. Oh my lord. You know the feeling when you're lying in bed after watching a terrifying movie, and its so dark and you just know something's out there coming to get you? That's how I felt at this very moment. Only worse.

"Paul! Stop I'm scared! Let me go! PAUL!" I screeched, my voice cracking, I could feel the tears starting to well up. Paul stopped instantly, turning to look at me with hurt eyes.

"Shhh, no Gabs, it's okay, don't be scared." He soothed, patting my head softly and pulling me into a hug. My breathing became heavier as I wiggled out of his grip. I was aware of my slightly shaking form. I was so scared.

"Take me back to Emily's. To Kim. I-I don't want to be out here anymore." I whispered, looking around the almost completely dark forest Paul had dragged me into. If worse came to worse, I wouldn't know how to find my way out.

"Okay." Paul answered, nodding anxiously as he started walking out of the forest. I sighed, following him, ignoring the look of regret and self loathing that was on his face.

"Hey Gabs, you alright?" Embry called from where he was sitting on the front porch talking to some of the other guys as me and Paul approached.

Did I really look as bad as I felt? Pale, shaking, disheveled?

"I'm fine." I answered, my voice not really helping my case.

"Are you sure?" Embry pressed, standing up and walking towards us.

"She said she was fine." Paul almost growled out.

"Well she obviously isn't." Embry snapped back.

"What do you know?" Paul almost screamed, causing the people in the house to poke their heads out the windows and door.

"I know her better then you do!" Embry retorted, coming closer to Paul. I back away from the scene, not really knowing what to do or say, and just following my instincts by backing up.

"Yeah, well I cared about her first!" Paul accused, pointing his finger at Embry's chest.

"Well I kissed her first!" Embry shouted. It seemed like time stopped. Paul's eyes narrowed, Embry's eyes bulged as he realized what he just said, and the people around us were….dangerously silent.

"What?" Paul screeched, his whole body shaking crazily. Oh God, he's going to pass out or something. He's going to die!

"Nothing, nothing. Dude, calm down, I was lying, you're going to hurt her." Embry said quickly, but it was too late. In that instant, Embry lunged at me, shielding me from the explosion, Sam started screaming commands, and where Paul was once standing, stood a giant, grey wolf.