Here we are folks, chapter 16 of UNCHANGEABLE. Like I said in the last chapter, I'm going to try and update every Wednesday. If I do find that I'm able to write more chapters within the week, I'll think about updating twice a week, but until that time finds me… every Wednesday!
Keep it real guys and stay safe!
Bella POV:
God, I missed Paul so much. I want to go to him. If I even knew where he was. I'd get down on my knees and beg him to come back if I had to. But a part of me thinks that he didn't just take of on his own accord. I had been invited to another one of the Pack's bonfires, but I wasn't too sure I'd go. Seth had sent me a text 10 minutes ago inviting me. He said that Jacob and Lauren had some news they wanted to share with the Pack. But I wasn't Pack without Paul. That much was made clear to me by the others. They didn't need to say anything, but their actions told me everything I needed to know to make that statement clear. I remember what Paul told me about the imprint pull. Well, I could feel it every minute of the damn day, but what could I do? I didn't even know what was going on with him. Like he had said, being away from me for too long would cause him physical pain. From what I had seen, and felt when he told me about the imprint, he wasn't rejecting me. Maybe he thought I was rejecting him? Oh God, I took too long thinking, didn't I? I didn't know what was going on, but I had to find out.
I was supposed to be meeting up with Edward's sister, Alice, this evening. I didn't think I could face the Pack. It wasn't like Paul was going to miraculously turn up was it? From what I've heard, the guys still didn't know where he was and still hadn't heard from him. I just knew, wherever he was, he was in pain. Like I was. Probably worse actually. I was existing, taking it a day at a time. But Paul? I couldn't begin to imagine what he was going through. I just want to hold him and tell him that I want him with everything I have in me.
My phone vibrated in my pocket.
Hey girl, are you sure you don't want to come?
Jacob and Lauren are almost here…
I really miss you! If you come to the fire, I promise
to give you extra big snuggles from Sethy!
Please think about my offer- it's genuine
love and kisses
Seth xoxo
I giggled at his message. Seth was really something else. But it was quite nice. Seth was the only one to really pay me any attention at previous bonfires, but I suspected that was down to not having imprinted himself. He was only 15, but already he looked about 25. I didn't like to let Seth down. He was a good friend to me, even though he was an absolute goofball. But I had plans with Alice.
I sat at my dingy desk in my room and turned the computer on to write an email to my mom. Maybe I can ask her for advice, not that I was going to tell her exactly what was going on, but if I made it hypothetical, she might believe me. The modem crackled to life eventually and I opened up my emails. I hadn't checked my emails for a while, I didn't see the point. My mom usually called me if she wanted to talk and I did the same thing to her. I didn't have any other correspondents through email, so I had left it. I scrolled through my inbox and found there were a ton of emails from an unknown contact. Curiously, I opened one.
From: Unknown Contact
It's a strange and painful feeling not being able to contact you
Who was this? There was another email sent exactly a day after the first.
From: Unknown Contact
I want you to be happy, but I don't think you will be, not with the way I'm feeling too.
I opened all of them.
From: Unknown Contact
You don't understand the weight I am bound under. I thought I could fight it, but it's impossible.
From: Unknown Contact
I hope you read these and find either closure or hope. That I'm still out here.
The last email was sent a few minutes ago. My breathing increased. My heart began hammering in my chest. Suddenly the hole in my chest didn't feel so deep. These emails spanned over the last few months.
From: Unknown Contact
I remembered your name. Bella. My Bella. You're probably so confused and angry with me. I'm coming back. Meet me at the diner in Forks. Public is good. 9pm. Tonight.
Oh God! This had to be Paul! But what did he mean about being bound? I felt so angry with myself! If I'd just been bothered enough to check my emails months ago, I'd never have gone through this pain! What if he took my silence as fact that I had moved on? Oh no, this was bad. I quickly checked my phone, it was 8pm. I had an hour to get to the diner. I couldn't be 100% sure that this was Paul, but from everything that was written, it damn sounded like him. I quickly rushed to get myself ready. I didn't care what I wore, he might not even turn up. I threw on a pair of black jeans and a white long-sleeved top. That would have to do. I ran down the stairs and threw my shoes and my jacket on and bolted for my car. Good thing Charlie wasn't home from work yet, he would probably stop me from going. But nothing, not even the house burning down, would stop me from going to Paul. Once in the car, I started the engine and reversed out of the driveway.
The diner wasn't as busy as I thought it'd be on an evening. I parked and got out of the car, looking around for any sign of him. All was quiet outside except for the muffled laughter from a few of the townsfolk inside the diner. I walked in and was escorted to a booth at the back. Huh, last time I was in here, Jacob had a go at me. That felt like years ago, not months. I sat down as a waitress came and handed me a menu. I ordered a glass of water; not sure I would be able to keep anything else down. I was ridiculously early, it wasn't even 8:30 yet. My water came but I didn't order anything. I'm sure I'd be sick. I fiddled with the edge of the menu whilst I waited. I was quite nervous, but why? It was only Paul. Then I realised I didn't know what state he'd be in. If it was even Paul that had sent that message. I kept checking my phone, watching the time get closer to 9pm. 5 more minutes to go. I looked at my reflection in my phone. Even with the darkened screen, my eyes looked tired. Dark circles underlined them, and my cheeks had a hollowed look about them. If I looked this bad, what would Paul look like.
The door to the diner opened and I looked up. A tall figure was making his way through the mass of people congregated around the bar. Then he sat down in the booth, opposite me. I couldn't believe it.
"You?" I whispered.
Sam POV:
"I'm going to try something Paul" I said. We were in his motel room. He was sat on the bed and I was sat at the grubby desk. I'd thought about it for a while, why not just try taking to order back? I was Alpha, I'd have the power to do that surely? Paul looked up expectantly at me, waiting. He looked a mess. He had lost the tiniest bit of weight, but for a shapeshifter that was a big disadvantage. He had dark circles underneath his eyes.
Look what I did to him. No… look at what Emily did to him.
"I, Sam Uley, Alpha of the Quileute Wolf Pack, lift the Order placed on Paul Lahote" I felt something shimmer within me, then looked directly at Paul "I order you to contact your imprint. To go to her and love her and be happy with her" I finished. I felt the power within me ripple, and then… nothing.
"Well? Did it work?" Paul asked, getting to his feet.
"Only one way to find out"
Paul walked over to the other side of his bed where his phone lay on the bedside table. He picked it up and began tapping away furiously, brows knitted together in concentration. Then his face changed as his thumb seemed to hover over his phone. Then he bared his teeth and let out a furious scream.
"FUCK!" he shouted, throwing his phone at the wall where it bounced off, without the screen.
"What it is?" I asked. What the hell would have caused him to react like that? I'd just lifted the Order!
"It didn't fucking work Sam! You didn't lift the Order! WHY DID YOU FUCKING DO THIS!?" he screamed in my face. I backed away from him. I had lifted the Order. I felt the power in me lift the weight of the previous order and enable this new one. So why didn't it work?
"Paul, I, it should have worked, I felt something, but then-"
"But then what! What fucking happened!?"
"I dunno, my Alpha wolf just... disappeared" I said. Because that is what happened. I could still hear my wolf, but he wasn't as strong as before. Something had happened to me. To my wolf.
"So, the Order is still there?" Paul asked quietly this time. He hunched himself over on the bed and held his face with his hands. He'd given up. My heart hammered inside my chest at the realisation.
"We need to go back to the Reservation. I have a feeling I know what Jacob's news is..."
Embry POV:
We were still waiting for Sam to return, but it was getting darker and Emily was getting suspicious. She's not stupid. She probably knows he's not collecting firewood. I hope Sam finds Paul and brings him back soon. Before she can cause any more trouble. We had all only just forgiven Sam the way he had treated all of us. Seth took longer. Leah kept her distance.
"Sam must be collecting a lot of firewood" Emily muttered. I pulled my lips tightly together. Seth had text Bella inviting her to the bonfire, but she hadn't replied. If Sam succeeded in finding Paul, he'd have to come back to the Res, surely? Sam wants to help him, and he's the only one that can. He just needed to find Paul, lift the Order and bring him home to Bella. It was that simple. I wanted to believe so anyway. A few months ago, I had the idea of contacting Bella for him. He'd just tell me what he wanted to me say and I'd email it. It seemed to only loophole in the Order. It was working. Only Bella wasn't replying. He became miserable because he thought Bella was either too angry to reply or had moved on and forgotten about him. I knew the latter wasn't true. But I couldn't get him to see that. He wouldn't take my word for it. I'd managed to get in contact with about an hour ago. He said to send Bella one last message. He told me to write that he was coming home and to meet him. Sam must have lifted the Order!
"He probably got lost or something" I said stupidly. Jared glared at me. Seth was moping because Bella hadn't replied. Emily was looking at me suspiciously. She got up from where she was sat and walked over to me.
"I know something's going on Embry. Tell me where Sam really is-"
"-I told you, he's collecting more firewood-"
"-funny though, there's plenty of firewood ready and waiting to be burned. He's been gone for almost an hour Embry. Tell me where my mate is!" I leaned down to whisper in her ear.
"He's collecting more firewood-"
"BULLSHIT!" she screamed. Jared started towards her, as did Seth, but there was movement in the treeline. We ripped our attention from Emily and looked into the trees. Then we heard the howl to signal the phase. Leaving Emily shouting profanities after us, me, Seth and Jared ran towards the treeline, and once safe from prying eyes, phased.
Sam, is that you? – Embry
Guess again asshole – Paul
Paul! Oh my God is that you!? – Seth
Yeah Seth it's me, calm down – Paul
Where are you? Where's Sam? – Jared
I'm near, but I'm keeping my distance. Sam is uh- preoccupied at the moment – Paul
What do you mean? Is he still getting the firewood? – Seth
Seth! You know that's not what he's doing! – Jared
Oh right, sorry – Seth
So, it worked then. The Order lifted? – Embry
Well, it did. But Sam didn't lift it – Paul
There was a pause in our thoughts. Where the hell was Sam?
So, wait, who lifted it if Sam didn't? Paul, where is Sam? – Embry
"I did" a voice said. We all phased back to see Jacob emerging from behind one of the trees.
"Jake?" I asked. This didn't make sense. Or, maybe it made a whole lot of sense.
"Where's Sam?" Seth asked him.
"Sam is at my house with my dad. It seems he needed some time out from Emily. Speaking of which, let's go deal with her-"
"-wait! What is going on?" I asked, losing my patience.
"I'm Alpha now Em" he announced.
"So, this was the news you wanted to share?" Seth asked. Jacob nodded.
"I took my rightful position yesterday. I heard Sam was going to find Paul, and it pissed me off. I thought he was going to cause Paul more grief-"
"-wrong-" Paul interrupted.
"-yeah, I know that now, but I decided to step up as Alpha. It was only a matter of time before it happened anyway"
"So, did you lift Paul's Order?" I asked Jacob. Jacob turned to Paul, who nodded to him.
"Tell em'" Paul said.
"Sam called me and asked me to meet him just outside of the Reservation. When I got there Paul was with him. Sam said he went to lift the Order and that Emily was the one making him become something else. He claims that Emily was getting inside his head somehow and making decisions for him. Even if he didn't want to do what she said, she'd do some juju shit and he'd suddenly want to do it. Anyway, he lifted the Order, or he tried. He felt the power drain out of him and he knew that it was because I had stepped up as Alpha. So, naturally, all previous Alpha Orders transferred to me. I lifted Pauls Order immediately. He's now free to contact Bella and be happy, for as long as they both live" Jacob said sincerely. All of us erupted into loud hoots and applause. Finally! Fucking finally! Jacob Black was their Alpha. This Pack was finally going to get back on track!
"Congratulations man!" I clapped Jacob and the shoulder, then walked to Paul.
"I'm sorry for everything man, go get your girl" I punched him lightly in the shoulder.
For the first time in months, Paul smiled.
"There's just one more thing I gotta do" Paul said to Jacob. He nodded and they both set off.
"Oh Em, tell Emily that Sam went to the Makah Reservation. If she believes it, there's a little surprise waiting there for her" Jacob yelled back, with a laugh at the end.
We headed back towards the beach where we could see Emily pacing back and forth in front of the unlit fire. As soon as she saw us she marched over.
"I heard you all in there, cheering! Tell me where Sam is now!" she bellowed. Seth and Jared were trying to hold their laughter in. I put all of my energy into keeping a straight face, and as sincerely as I could make it, said "He's gone to the Makah Reservation, he said you would know why he went-"
"-he wouldn't!" she whispered to herself. We didn't know what she was battling with inside her head, but without another word stormed off towards the house. A few minutes later, she emerged with a bag and got into her car and drove off.
"Hell yeah! Bitch is gone!" Seth yelled.
"Seth… you called Emily a bitch!" I said stunned. We laughed, but only because Seth was jumping up and down like an idiot shouting 'She's a bitch! She's a bitch!'.
"Alright fellas, let's light this baby!" I said, grabbing a lighter from Emily's food bag.
The fire roared to life.
The fire of a new Alpha.
A/N: Yay! Jacob is finally Alpha! That is also the last we will see of Emily… for a while at least, I'm sure she'll be back. But I think her trouble causing days are over! Let's hope Sam kind find some peace. Until the next time folks…
