You are mine, Isabella Swan. Forever.

By LilyAurora

Chapter 37

o-o-o-o-o

"So, Emily came up with this idea all on her on?" My father questioned, flicking through the papers in front of him.

"Kinda. I guess, I might have put the idea there? I think."

"You think?" He looked at me, eyebrow raised. "You either did, or you didn't kiddo, which is it?"

"I did." I nodded. "We were at a bistro in Port Angeles, and I just happened to ask her if she wanted something like this, she said she never really thought about it but she did enjoy cooking for the pack."

"OK, then." Charlie said smiling at me, as he turned back to the papers.

"You also mentioned about grants and other things, Bella. Bringing tourists in." Paul added, fingers massaging my shoulders from behind.

"Yeah, but I don't know anything about that."

"You can learn." He added giving my shoulders another squeeze, before walking towards the kettle.

"I don't think you need to, well not about the loans at least." Charlie stated, sliding a piece of paper towards me. "It seems Emily has been a busy girl. Applying for small business loans and grants."

"Go Emily." I smiled reading the paper.

"Is this something you want to do Bella?" Charlie asked seriously. "You've always loved to cook, but running your own business? It's a lot of hard work."

"Yeah, I know that dad. But the thought of being able to bring something to the Rez, being able to help the community. I don't know it just feels right." I explained.

Charlie smiled softly.

"I haven't seen you this passionate about anything, not since you were little and wanted to climb the tree outside your window, because you thought fairies lived in the branches." He teased.

"Dad!" I whined blushing. Paul chuckled as he made some coffee.

"Seriously though Bella. If this is what you want to do. I'll back you, a hundred percent, OK?"

"Yes, thank you dad. That means a lot."

"You'll need a guarantor for the loan, if you're refused a grant."

"Yeah, apparently so." I agreed.

"Right then. Put me down."

"Really? You don't mind?"

"No, I really don't Bells. It means a lot to you and all the work Emily has put in shows how serious she is about it as well."

"You don't know how amazing you are." I said reaching over to hug him.

He chuckled as he hugged me back, squeezing me tight as he kissed the top of my head.

"I'd do just about anything for you kiddo."

I smiled at that. It wasn't often, if ever Charlie and I spoke about our feelings. But since he had found out the truth about the Cullen's and The pack. He seemed, more relaxed? I'm not entirely sure how to explain it, but I think knowing the truth has squashed any sparks of doubt he had about me. The way I acted when I was with Edward, must have raised all sorts of alarm bells in him, being a father and a police officer. So knowing the truth has lifted a lot of weight off both our shoulders. Plus, it's also nice to be able to share things with him now, where as before I had to lie.

"Anyway, it's getting late Bells. So, I'm going to head off home. I don't need to ask if you're staying here the night do I?" He teased.

"Sorry. You don't mind do you?"

He shook his head. "No kiddo. I was just teasing. I'm headed straight to bed once I get home. Early shift in the morning."

"Thanks for popping in. You know you can, any time right?" I told him.

"If you're sure?" He asked looking at Paul, who had joined us at the front door. Even if Paul was still a teenager. It was his house after all.

"Bella's right, you're more than welcome any time." Paul added. I smiled up at him as he wrapped his arms around my waist.

"I'll see you kids soon." He waved, as he climbed into the cruiser. We shut the door as soon as the tail lights faded from view.

"I'm so tired." I groaned, leaning against Paul's solid form.

He chuckled. "Come on lazy, let's get to bed. I have a feeling it's going to be a long day tomorrow."

"Oh god why? What do you know?" I asked, poking him in the side as we walked towards the bedroom.

"Nothing." He laughed, grabbing my fingers. "But the way things have gone lately, it wouldn't surprise me if someone needed help with something or another."

"Why aren't they going to Sam or Jake. Why does everyone end up here?"

"We are awesome, that's why." Paul explained, winking at me.

"I know that but still." I teased, pinching his side to make him walk faster.

"Hey, no pinching." He slapped my hand away. Moving out of my reach.

"Oh hush, you big baby."

We climbed into bed, Paul wrapping himself around me immediately. It felt nice being held. Safe and secure. I really hoped Paul was wrong about someone turning up tomorrow. But with everything still a mess between Quil and Embry, as well as Jared all confused about what he wanted. One of them was bound to come by sooner or later.

My money was on Jared.

"Well it's ten am and no sign of anyone." Paul smiled, as he handed me my mug of coffee.

"Thanks, don't speak too soon mind. You'll jinx us." I added, sipping at the hot liquid.

"Don't be silly." He said, sitting down next to me, feet on the coffee table as we enjoyed a relatively normal morning. "I think we're home free. Maybe there's no crisis today."

"You're going to jinx us." I sang, before drinking more coffee.

"Have a little faith Bella..." He was cut off by the ringing of the phone. Jumping to his feet, Paul answered it; smile dropping from his face as he replaced the handset.

"Who was that?" I asked, eyes firmly fixed on the television.

"Jared." His tone was... annoyed.

"And?" I pushed knowing what was coming next.

"He's on his way over." He grumbled, flopping back against the sofa, arms crossed against his chest, like a child.

I laughed, setting my mug onto the table as I turned to face him. But before I could even get my words out, Paul's fingers held my lips together.

"Don't say it Bella." He warned.

I was trying not to laugh. The serious look on his face, the utter disappointment of what just happened shone brightly.

"Why are you always right?" He asked. "No, never mind. Forget I asked that." He released my lips, as he flopped back yet again.

"When's he coming over?" I asked, standing to take the mugs back out to the kitchen.

"Now." He pouted. I laughed. I couldn't help myself.

"It's not funny Bella." He grumbled.

"Oh, it is." I disagreed with him. This was hilarious. "It really is."

We waited for Jared. Paul grumbled viciously, as I laughed. Which made him even more grumpy. The whole situation was expected. I knew it was going to happen. Paul was just in denial. He should have known, especially with our luck lately.

"He's here." Paul said jumping to his feet, opening the door, to a very tired, sad-looking Jared.

"Dude, did you even go home last night?" Paul asked taking in his friends appearance.

"No." Jared shook his head. "I went for a run, trying to clear my mind. But it didn't work." He walked into the living room, boots left near the front door. For some reason he did this everywhere.

"Hey Bella." He smiled at me sadly.

"Hi Jared. Do you want me to go?" I asked looking between the boys. Paul shrugged, but Jared shook his head.

"No, will you stay please. I'd like to get another opinion besides Paul's." He teased.

"Alright then, as long as you're sure." I said sitting back down.

"What's going on man?" Paul asked gently.

"I honestly don't know. It feels as if the imprint is, wrong? But how can that be? I mean isn't she supposed to be everything I need in a mate?"

"Apparently so." Paul spat. "But let's be honest, how can someone we hardly know be perfect for us? How does that even work?"

Jared shrugged his huge shoulders, but he seemed so tiny, he was curled in on himself. You could see the pain, the utter distress he was in over this. The council didn't see this side of an imprint, they didn't experience what it was like to be a shifter to have your whole life decided for you by some cosmic shit.

"You know I can't stand her touching me?" He whispered. "It feels, wrong."

Paul's gaze locked with my own. The utter helplessness there, tore at my heart. We weren't expecting this. Not for Jared to be so utterly, lost.

"What do you mean, wrong?" I coaxed gently.

"It doesn't bring me comfort, like they said it would. It does the opposite actually, it makes me want to run away. Far away, until I can't run any more until my feet are cut open and if I had to drag myself away from her by my fingers then I would until they were broken and useless."

"Jared." I breathed out, hand reaching out for Paul's.

"She's always so clinging..." he continued ignoring me or not even hearing me. "...and needy. Fuck, I can't stand needy girls. She's everything I would never be attracted to. I know... I know they say opposites attract, but I have literally nothing in common with her."

"How does she feel? Have you told her this?" I asked.

"Kim, has been in love with Jared for years. I don't think it would matter., babe As long as she got to keep him, it wouldn't bother her." Paul explained, watching his friend, who bobbed his head in agreement.

"Well, that's kind of selfish." I frowned.

"You wouldn't think she was like that huh? And she's not. Not really. Only when it comes to me. She doesn't want me to do anything. I've tried to explain to her I have too, even suggesting she attend the pack meetings, but she won't. All she wants to do is spend our time together. Alone"

"That isn't healthy Jared."

"I know Bella, and I tried telling her this but she won't listen. Just uses the imprint against me."

"Against you?" Paul asked. "How the fuck can she do that?"

"It's how she words things. 'I want us to spend the day together, today Jared' or 'I really want us to go and watch that movie, tonight Jared, will you take me?' That kind of shit and it works, every damn time."

"Jesus Christ."

"Have you tried talking to anyone about it, Sam maybe?" I asked.

Jared shakes his head. "I tried talking to old Quil once." Paul growled as Jared mentioned old Quil.

"I take it, it didn't go so well?"

"No, not at all. He told me I had to do whatever the imprint desired. That she was my number one priority."

"Fuck sake. He just doesn't stop does he." Paul snarls, as he paces the room.

"I just don't know what to do any more." He looks absolutely worn out. Paul grips his friend's shoulder.

"We'll figure something out. Don't worry about it."

"I wonder why he's having this kind of reaction to the imprint? I mean has Sam ever gone through anything like this with Emily?" I asked looking between both boys. They both shake their heads.

"I don't think anyone would either." Jared added.

"Why do you think that?" I enquired. Slightly confused, why he would think it.

Jared hesitates for a moment. Teeth biting at the inside of his cheek as his eyes flick between Paul and myself. "No one else in the pack is Bi." He explains, with a shrug. He's trying to act impartial, but his fingers are twisting together nervously.

"Oh, well OK then." I tell him, sending him a smile as I catch his eye.

"By what?" Paul asked. Looking confused.

"Bi-sexual." I explain.

"You're bi? Since when?"

"Paul!" I snarl, digging him in the side with my elbow.

"What? I can ask. I'm allowed to ask." He turned to face Jared.

The boy shrugged, head down. "I don't know. Since forever."

"Dude, why didn't you say so?"

"I wasn't sure how anyone would react."

"Ass-hole. Honestly, like we would have given a fuck." Paul says, leaning over to give Jared a hug.

"I was scared, OK? I didn't know how people were going to react knowing, that. I mean how many gay people do we know Paul? None. Bi? Again none... lesbians?..."

"OK, you've made your point. But that still shouldn't have stopped you from telling us. You're my best friend. I would have totally been your wingman on the gay scene."

"What gay scene?" Jared states. "There isn't one. We live in Forks, Paul."

"Port Angeles then. Bound to be some gay clubs there."

They both turn to look at me as I still on the sofa chuckling to myself.

"Something funny, Isabella?" Paul asked seriously.

I shake my head snorting into my head. "I'm sorry. I'm not laughing at you Jared, I'm laughing at him." I explain pointing towards Paul.

"Me? I haven't even done anything." He grumbles.

"It was just the thought of you in a gay club, being turned down and the pure disbelief on your face would be priceless."

Jared shakes his head. "Yeah, I can totally see that."

"I resent that." Paul adds. "I'm attractive to everyone one."

"Of course you are." I say patting his arm.

"So, do you think me being Bi, might be affecting the imprint?" He asked.

"That's a good point. We've never even questioned that, possibility. What if one of the wolves are gay? What happens then? Do the gods accommodate for that, or do they go without an imprint because they don't know what to do... or are the wolf and human parts fighting each other? So many unanswered questions."

"Well maybe old Quil holds the answers." Paul gritted out, angrily.

"If he does he's not going to share them with us." Jared said.

"True, he won't. Not yet at least." I reply, mind lost in a hundred and one different things. If Billy could get old Quil to admit he's been keeping things from the pack, and the council. Then maybe we would be able to do our own research. It's obvious, he has information hidden away from the others. But how in-depth and detailed that maybe was another story.

"Bella? Hey, you OK? We kinda lost you there for a minute." Paul asked, concerned. Fingers intertwined with my own.

"Huh? Oh yeah, sorry. I'm fine just thinking."

"Should I wait, until Billy has confronted old Quil?" Jared asked.

"Yeah, I think that's your best option. We have no Idea what he knows. At the moment Bella and I are just running off ideas, and coincidences. We could be wrong about all of this."

"I doubt it." I reply.

"I agree, but we never know. I'm positive we're right about him. There has been too many things happen, for us not to be."

"So, waiting it is then." Jared laughs. The first real one since he came here.

"Would you like some coffee?" I asked, shooting Paul a look.

"What? He knows where the fridge is. If he wants a drink he can go make it himself."

"Manners cost nothing, Paul. Honestly, some days I don't know why I put up with you." I teased, sending Jared a smile as I walked towards the kitchen.

"You love me that's why."

"Do I?" I shout back. Laughing. As Paul grumbles to Jared. Who in turn laughs as well.

I walk back into the living room. A tray of mugs and sandwiches. Paul thanks me with a kiss, reaching for two and his coffee, Jared doing the same. Minus the kissing.

"Can I ask you something Jared?"

"Sure. Go ahead." He shrugged, reaching for another sandwich.

"Have you been feeling like this about the imprint for a long time? Or is it recent?"

He swallows his food before answering. Something I'm grateful for. On more than one occasion, I've been subjected to a mouthful of chewed up food when surrounded by the pack. It is not a pretty sight.

"Recently." He sips his coffee, watching me closely.

"Is there a specific reason do you think? Maybe a person?"

"Bella." Paul calls out.

"What?" I asked frowning. "Oh god sorry, Jared." I laugh. "I think I inherited my fathers questioning talent." He sends me a small smile.

"It's OK and yeah, something happened the other day. Something I didn't expect, not since before the imprint."

"Which was?" I asked eagerly.

He cast his eyes towards Paul, who sat there quietly eating his sandwiches, watching the pair of us. Eyes flicking back and forth as he chewed. Jared seemed hesitant to answer.

"Wha?" Paul asked around a mouthful of food. Good god.

"You're going to laugh." Jared replied looking at his friend.

"No I won't." Paul denied.

"Yes you will. You always laugh."

"I won't. I promise."

"You laughed at Embry."

"Embry told me he was in love with Leah." He chuckled. "How is that, not funny?"

"Paul." I warned.

"OK. I promise not to laugh." He even made a cross over his heart.

"It's Quil."

"It's Quil?" Paul repeats, confused.

"Oh my god." I gasp, shocked. "No?"

Jared nods and Paul just looks confused. Until.

"Quil? You got the hots for Quil? Really?"

"Jesus Paul. Tact"

"I don't have any." He replied flippantly before turning his full attention towards Jared, Sandwich forgotten. I roll my eyes at him.

"You're not as funny as you think you are." I tell him.

He ignores me.

"Quil?"

"Yes Paul. Quil."

"Really?"

"Jesus Christ, yes." He snapped.

"Right then." Paul relaxed against the back of the sofa.

"OK, is that all settled now?" I asked.

"Yeah." Jared replied.

"For now." Paul answered, but looking at Jared, with a, 'we will talk about this later,' look. Jared just nods.

"I need a vacation. How can one small place have so much drama."

"At least it's not boring." Paul teased.

"Very true."

We watch some telly wasting away a few hours of daylight. Jared left to head home. Kim had been ringing him none stop. He just refused to answer her. Needing the space, so he can think straight. The thought of one of the wolves being gay or bi, never once crossed any of our minds, and it should have. It should have crossed someone's mind. The thought of the pack, being trapped in a loveless relationship, miserable for the rest of their lives, because they believed they had no other option than to do what the council thought right, made me sick.

We had to fix this. We had to make sure we knew everything about the pack. Every piece of written information. We had to have it all.

"We heading over to Sam's in a bit?" Paul's voice pulled me from my inner ramblings. His head was turned towards me, from where he was resting it against the back of the sofa.

"Yeah." I nodded. Brushing my fingers through his short hair. "I need to speak to Emily about dad agreeing to help with the loan. I don't know if you want to tell Sam, about Jared? Paul just shrugged. I also need to see Leah. She mentioned something about purifying my body before the ritual."

Paul's face hardened.

"I'm still not happy about you having to do this Bella."

"I know, and if I didn't have to, then I wouldn't. But I do. You know I do, we discussed this."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it." He grumbled.

"No it doesn't. It just means you're supporting me regardless of how you feel, which is all I ask."

"Of course I support you." He pulled me into his lap, large hands cupping my ass. "I just hate the thought of you being there. Seeing everything that's going to happen."

"I would have been there anyway Paul." I kiss him softly before climbing off his lap. "Come on, let's head over to Sam's now. We only have two days before the full moon and I can only spend one of them with you."

"Fuck, I forgot about that. It's like getting married. The whole having to separate the night before." He moans standing.

"Lucky I'm here to remind you then."

"True." He whispers in my ear, arms wrapping around me as we walk over to Sam's.

o-o-o-o-o

*You may all be thinking/wondering why I'm making Jared Bi? In all honesty? I have no idea it wasn't planned, it's one of those things that just happen. No matter how many plans you have pre written sometimes your path goes a slightly different route, plus I haven't seen anyone approach the subject. What if one of the pack were gay but ended up with an imprint? How would that even work? Would they have to live a lie?... Anyway any questions please ask. Oh and if anyone has a problem with one of my characters being Bi... don't bother telling me. I really don't give a shit. Just stop reading. It's really as easy as that! Amazing stuff... hugs Lily*