So, I've found some time to write some more, and I can say that I will try and upload twice a week now! This chapter is a little bit of a filler, but a lot happens! Hope you guys enjoy and please review :)
Jacob POV:
Finally, it happened. I was Alpha of the Quileute Pack. I was Alpha! If it wasn't for my reputation that needed to stay intact, I'd jump up and down like a little kid. I was glad to take over responsibility from Sam, but he just wasn't the man for the job anymore. He was never supposed to be Alpha.
We were on our way to my house, where Sam was waiting for us to return. He wasn't taking the loss of his position so well. But he was still relieved. We were sure now that Emily knew of the power she possessed and there was written evidence of something similar happening between a shapeshifter and his imprint in our histories. We were going to check it out and prove to Sam, once and for all, that this isn't something that he is to blame for.
It didn't mean we weren't pissed with him.
Paul gruffly asked, "So why did you want to go back and see Sam?" I'm pretty sure he thought it was a waste of time. He just wanted to go and get Bella. But I wanted both of them to understand what happened to Sam and Emily, and I wanted Sam to apologise to Paul. He made his life hell these past couple of months and I wasn't going to just let him get away with it simply because of an old tale that may or may not be true.
"He needs to take responsibility for what he's done. You said Embry emailed Bella to meet you at the diner?"
"Yeah?"
"Cool" I know Paul was itching to go and get Bella, but we had one more thing to do first, and I wanted to make a good start at being Alpha. This had to be done.
We got to my house and walked into the kitchen to find Sam with his head in his hands at the table and my dad sat opposite him. A solemn silence hung in the air.
"Sam?" Man, he really wasn't taking this well.
Dad cleared his throat, "He hasn't spoken since you left him here. I told him where you sent Emily" Sam growled loudly and rubbed his head furiously before looking at me.
A growl erupted low in his throat. "Don't mention her name to me again!" I sat down, as did Paul, rather reluctantly.
"Sam. We've sent Emily to the Makah Reservation. I called her mom and told her what she's been doing, and she wasn't very impressed with her daughter to say the least-"
"-so, what's going to happen to her then?" Sam interrupted. He wanted Emily to pay for what she had done to the Pack, but she was still his imprint, regardless of the trouble she's caused. I chose my words carefully.
"Well… her mom has arranged for her to go on a spirit walk. She thinks she needs it to find the true value of imprinting. Emily obviously found a way to use it against you-"
"-we don't have evidence though Jake!" Sam shouted, slamming his fists down loudly onto the table. Dad jumped a little, but quickly recovered with one look at Sam's agonised face.
Dad looked at Sam for a while, then looked at me. He spoke with the authority of a tribal elder when he said, "Get the book". I got up and crossed to the dresser where I had hidden the book, lest Emily found it.
It was an old book, really old, and it was written in the old Quileute language, but my dad translated it easily for us. I opened it up to where I had marked it and slid the book across the table to my dad.
He read:
"Of the most ancient and powerful magic, the imprint shall hold most value to man and his spirit wolf. On the understanding of the imprint, the imprint holds the key to reassurance and prosperity to the man and in doing so ties together man, wolf and imprint.
Although not common, and most certainly wicked, the imprint can manipulate man's spirit wolf to her unbeknownst needs and create false ideology to lure man's spirit wolf into accepting what she believes is true. Records of such events were recorded by tribesman during the time of Ahanu, who shared his human form with spirit wolf and his imprint Meli. It was recorded that Ahanu was Alpha of the spirit wolf pack and had always been a fair and just leader. Until Meli began manipulating his spirit wolf. By a simple touch from Meli herself, Anahu eventually became what was known as, Monster Alpha.
Meli had redesigned Ahanu's spirit wolf so well, Anahu began to believe that the wolf was his true form, and soon started leaving his human form. Gradually, all that was left of Anahu was his spirit wolf, and his body, which he had left hidden in the wood, had decomposed so greatly, he was unable to return to the land where men walked.
Legend has it that Anahu still roams the spirit world, trapped and never able to find peace. As of what truly became of Meli is unknown, but tales say she eventually died at a young age. For what she did not know was that if the human vessel for the spirit wolf dies, the imprint will also die with it.
The silence held long after dad had finished reading the passage. Paul had his head down, his fists squeezed together so hard his knuckles were turning white. Sam had his head buried in his arms on the table, not a sound came from him. We almost thought he had fallen asleep, until we heard the sob.
"Oh God, oh God, oh God" he spluttered, his body began convulsing with loud cries. As much as I still wanted to beat the shit out of him, I felt sorry for the guy.
"Sam" my dad spoke. Sam didn't move. I was glad my dad was here to witness this. He wasn't just a tribal elder, he was also the grandson of Ephraim Black, the last Alpha of the Quileute Wolf Pack. And I was his great grandson.
If anyone had to witness this moment, it couldn't have been anyone more important than my dad.
"Samuel Uley" Dad spoke again. This time, there was more authority in his voice, and Sam looked up. Tears drenched his cheeks… man, I'd never seen him cry before. Well, maybe that one time he did when he slashed Emily's face, but he didn't show it to us.
"Dry your tears son, we have more to discuss" What was going to be said next, would either make or break Sam.
Dad pulled himself up more in his wheelchair, and crossed his hands together on the table "What do you want to do about Emily son?"
Sam wiped his cheeks, looking a little embarrassed with himself "Just answer me this: Have I become like Anahu? Am I a Monster Alpha?"
"Well, son, the legends say that once a wolf has been-"
"You're not a monster Sam" Paul interrupted. All eyes turned to him. How unlikely could it have been that of all people to defend Sam, it would be Paul.
"Well he isn't! Emily was a bitch – no, Sam, she was! – you never deserved her, you were always better off with Leah-"
"-I broke Leah's heart! I broke it for what? Emily? God, what a pathetic excuse of a man I am, I don't even deserve to have the gift of the transformation-"
Paul slammed his fist down onto the table in unprecedented rage "Yes you do deserve it! You made a great Alpha until you imprinted! All of the shit that happened after is on Emily!" Pauls heavy breathing was what filled the silence in the kitchen, but this time, I filled it.
"Sam. Paul is right, for once in his sorry life-"
"-watch it Black-"
"-but, going forward, you need to make amends. I'm Alpha now, and on Taha Aki himself, I'm going to make some serious changes…"
"…Paul… Will you be my second?" He looked at me with a furious expression, and then looked at Sam.
"What about Sam?" he spat at me. It really baffled me that Paul's concern for Sam had hit an all-time high ever since we heard the tale of Anahu, especially after all of the shit Sam had done to Paul. But then I remembered that Paul was the second wolf to phase, after Sam. It had only been the two of them for months until Jared joined them. They would have been great friends during that time.
"I think everyone can agree, including Sam, that he's had his time in the spotlight… that being said, Sam, will you be my Omega?"
"What's the point? I'll just fuck up again, get the Pack into even more shit!" he yelled. Truth was, if I could honestly choose the Pack leaders for myself, I would not choose Sam as my third in command. But, with the good intentions of the Pack in hand, Sam knew his stuff. I needed… no… the Pack needed leaders that knew what to do when the time came to plan for combat.
I had a funny feeling that time would be here soon.
"Sam, you know your stuff, besides even before Emily came along, you were a fucking awesome Alpha...sorry dad… and we need leaders like that in the Pack. Paul, you're even more prepared for combat than most of the other wolves, you have the wit and temper to take on our enemy and we need someone like that as a leader-"
"-bullshit! I'm not a leader! I'm a fuck up and a loser, just like my dad-"
"You are not your father young man! He was not and will never be in memory, part of this Pack. You, his son, are five times the man than he ever was! Now, buck up your ideas and get your head on, it's time to come together and be a Pack!" my dad shouted. Paul was silenced as he nodded his head slightly. They all knew that once Billy Black had spoken, you'd be a fool to contradict it. Sam looked like he was battling with his evils in his head, but then he turned to me.
"I'll do it – but I have one condition… Emily doesn't ever come back"
I nodded. That could easily be arranged. Besides, she was in so much shit with her mom, I doubt she'd be back in a hurry. But now we had an imprint bond to break.
"You would like to break the ties you have with Emily, your imprint?" my dad asked him.
"Yes" he said, almost immediately.
My dad nodded "Very well, we will make the arrangements for the ceremony, but I must warn you, it can be extremely painful for the wolf-"
"-I don't care, anything is better than being tied to a user for the rest of my life"
"Very well. Now, Jacob, there was one more thing you wanted to ask of Sam?" dad asked me.
I turned to Sam "You need to apologise to Bella"
Bella POV:
"You?" I whispered. Oh, he had some nerve.
"Hi Bella" he said. He couldn't even look at me.
What did he think he was playing at? He had some nerve to sit across from me. Had he pretended to be Paul in the emails? If he had, he was sick.
"What do you want Sam?" I spat at him. He had done nothing but caused Paul pain from the moment I knew him.
"You're probably expecting Paul, right?" I nodded. "There's something I have to tell you first… Paul didn't choose to leave-"
"-what the hell do you mean he didn't choose to leave? He was sent away? By who?!" I yelled, standing up on my feet. After glancing at the concerned looks on the other diners' faces, I gave them a small smile and sat back down, before turning on Sam.
"Tell me right now where he is!"
"He's at Jacobs house. But Jacob sent me along to talk to you first, before Paul comes to get you… I'm here to apologise-" Apologise? What the hell was he going on about?
"What do you mean apologise? You haven't been horrible to me! It's Paul you should apologise to! The way you've been treating him, it's not right Sam, it's horrid-"
"-I have already apologised to Paul. But now I'm apologising to you. I'm so sorry Bella, for the pain I have caused both you and Paul-"
"-wait… what do you mean, the pain you have caused?... are you trying to tell me this was all your fault?" Sam looked devastated. I've never seen him look so distressed and it looked like he had lost a little weight too. His eyes had dark circles underneath them. He looked ill.
"Sam… what are you apologising for?" I asked calmly. Looking properly at his face and looking at the pain he was in, I felt a tiny bit sorry for him. My shouting probably wasn't making it easier for him.
He rubbed the back of his hand before saying "I'm the reason Paul left. I Alpha ordered him to never contact you again-" I slumped back in my seat. So, Paul never left of his own accord. It was Sam that had ordered him to stay away from me, from his imprint. Oh God, and all of the terrible things I had been thinking of Paul during all of that time. I felt disgraced with myself. I had blamed Paul for leaving, the whole time, I blamed him. But he was in even more pain than I was.
"-why would you do that? What has he ever done to you? What have I ever done to you?" I whispered in a small voice. I felt tears forming behind my eyes but didn't let them fall. I was already humiliated enough with myself, no need to make it worse now.
"There is this legend, about a man called Anahu and his imprint Meli. Anahu was Alpha long ago, and his imprint Meli could do stuff to him to control his wolf. Whenever I have made decision these past couple of months, they weren't my own to make, that is to say… Emily was making them for me, without me realising she was doing it-"
"-right, try and blame Emily! Haven't you put the poor girl through enough-"
"-Listen to me Bella! The legend says that Meli manipulated Anahu's wolf so much, Anahu started believing his true form was his spirit wolf! He became known by his people as Monster Alpha-"
"-so, what happened to Emily? Where is she now?" I didn't want to believe what Sam was telling me but it made a little sense. The fast and unrealisitic decisions Sam always made, but they were always done with Emily right behind him, touching him, whispering in his ear. That, and she had started to become distant with me. No longer inviting me round for tea. Telling me things about Paul that would break a weaker person. Telling me about Leah and Paul's history.
It all made sense.
"Emily is on a spirit walk, in the Makah Reservation. It seems Emily had found a way to manipulate my wolf and turn me into a monster. Made me turn against my own Pack- that's why I sent Paul away. Don't you see? It wasn't me! It was Emily! -"
"-but why would Emily want to send Paul away? Why would Emily want me out of the way?" Okay, that made no sense. Emily had Sam. Sam had imprinted on Emily. Sam was the Alpha.
Then it hit me… but, surely not?
"Emily wanted Paul" I said. Sam didn't say anything but nodded his head gravely.
"Paul said the same thing. Ever since I imprinted on Emily, she's always been extra, ahem, generous to Paul more than the others. But Paul never saw it as anything else than the Alpha's mate being kind to him. He didn't have a lot of that growing up-"
"-but it makes no sense! Why would Emily want Paul? He's mine! She can't have him! No one can!" I whisper shouted. The hole in my chest throbbed at the thought of Paul with someone else. Spending his life with someone else other than me.
"It seems Emily wanted Paul because he was everything that she never got. He was a bad boy and a womaniser; Emily was drawn to him. You could say Paul was Emily's fetish. She called out his name in bed once you know-"
"-no way! So, what happens now? What will you do with Emily?" I asked, curiously. I thought it highly unlikely that Sam would want to stay with her. Not after all of this information had come to light. Not when he knew now that his imprint wanted Paul. My Paul.
"Well, Billy is going to arrange a ceremony to break the ties of the imprint. He's going to help me be free again. But we don't know what happens after, I may never be able to imprint again and I don't know what it'll mean for my wolf-"
"-yeah but your Alpha. Surely you'd be able to imprint again?" Sam dropped his head again. When he looked at me again, I could see the pit of despair in his eyes as he told me
"I'm not Alpha anymore"
My mouth dropped open.
"You're not Alpha? But then, who is?" Ah, I knew who the new Alpha was.
"Jacob" I muttered. Sam nodded.
"I went to find Paul; he had been staying in Port Angeles the whole time. I tried to lift the Order, but it didn't work. Then I knew that Jacob had taken what was rightfully his. Jacob Black is the new Alpha"
"So, Jacob lifted the Order?" He nodded.
"Yep, all existing Orders from previous Alphas get transferred to the new one. Jacob lifted the Order immediately-"
"-hang on. You're Order on Paul was for no form of contact with me. But I've been getting emails… lots actually, over these last few months. I only found them today. So how has Paul been contacting me?"
"Embry may have helped him with that – of all people, Paul would find a loophole in my Order" he chuckled a little. "In fact, Embry has helped Paul a lot throughout all of this. Paul told Embry what to write and as long as Embry wrote the email and sent it, technically it would work"
At the mention of his name again, it brought on a new wave of pain. I needed to see him, now.
"I want Paul now" I muttered quietly. Sam stood up and offered me his hand.
"Well let's go and get him… together"
Paul POV:
I really wanted to help Sam. I knew what it was like to be abused. And what Emily had done was abuse. Emotionally manipulating a spirit wolf is more or less abuse. Sam didn't deserve that. I didn't want that for him. He was just trying to be a good Alpha. He had been a good Alpha. Before he had met and imprinted on Emily. I was the second person to phase, and man, Sam was really there for me during that time. The phase was painful enough, but just knowing that I had turned into a giant wolf really topped it off. But Sam explained it all to me. Told me the same happened to him, and for the past three months he'd been by himself, trying to figure out what it meant. Trying to figure out how to phase back to human. He had no help from anyone, because the tribal elders believed the gene for the phase had died out long ago. But now that the Cullen's were back in town, the gene kicked in again. And Sam was the first one to experience its effect without any warning.
Yeah, I was pissed at Sam for doing what he did, but I wanted to help him still. He had been decent until he imprinted on Emily, so the change in his personality was all on her. But even now that she was gone, Sam was a wreck. He could hardly look at me.
"Right, the plan… we'll wait for the signal from Sam and then we'll head over to the woods by the diner. If any luck, Bella will be with him" Jacob said. We were still sat in his kitchen; Billy had gone to bed. Sam had long gone. Jacob was adamant that he apologises and explain everything to Bella before we reunited. I just wanted him to hurry up so I can get my mate and hold her in my arms again.
I hope I don't cry. Taha Aki, please at least grant me that!
"Man, I'm nervous" I admitted to Jacob. Whilst I was relieved at finally being able to see Bella again, I was also nervous at how she would react to seeing me. For all she knew, I had taken off on her without any explanation. And from what I was told, the guys didn't tell her anything. She must have thought horrible things about me. But I didn't blame her. She didn't really know me well, Christ, we had only been together for a week maybe before I was sent away. We had so much time to catch up on!
"Don't worry bro, Bella will be really happy to see you. She never stopped asking if we had heard from you, you know. Not once" Jacob said.
She's the one, I thought.
"Do you think it would be alright if I took a few days off from patrol? I just want to spend some time with Bella, if she wants to that is"
"Of course man, consider yourself excused. And Bella will want to spend time with you, she was a mess when you were gone. Is five days enough time?" he asked. No, it wasn't. All the time in the world wouldn't be enough time with her.
"Yeah, thanks man" I grudgingly replied. I wasn't going to strop about it, Jacob was just trying to help me. I was so hyped that he was Alpha now! Things were finally going to turn around for the better.
"It's so weird being Alpha you know? I mean, I knew I'd have to take the position eventually, but I never thought I'd-" a piercing howl erupted through the night, cutting Jacob off.
"That's it, that's the signal. Let's go get your girl" We both stood up and ran for the woods. We phased and started running.
She's here. We're in the woods behind the diner – Sam
Is she okay? – Paul
Yeah, she was just a little shocked seeing me phase but – Sam
Wait, she didn't see all of you phase, did she? – Paul
Chill dude, she just saw my butt, nothing special there – Sam
Well she can see my butt soon – Paul
Alright, settle down Paul. Sam how did she take it? – Jacob
Pretty well. I think she hates Emily now – Sam
Alright, Paul phase back, Sam come with me, lets give these guys some time alone. Paul, five days – Jacob
You got it chief, and uh, thanks – Paul
No problem man - Jacob
Go get your mate – Sam
I could see the lights from the diner through the trees, but I was still pretty deep in. Sam's wolf passed me, gave me a nod and then started to run the opposite way. I phased back, quickly throwing my cut offs on. I couldn't see her. But I could smell her.
I followed her scent, which took me only a few meters, and then I saw her…
She was stood with her arms wrapped around herself, trying to hold herself together. But I could see what my absence had done to her in the last few months. She had lost weight; her clothes were hanging off of her small frame slightly. Even in the dark, I could see the dark circles under her eyes, like she hadn't got enough sleep every night I had not been with her. But there was also something else I could see, and smell.
Uncertainty.
I couldn't take it anymore "Bella" my deep voice echoing through the dark wood. I heard her gasp, and then her eyes found me. She unwrapped her arms from around herself and began running towards me. I walked towards her before she launched herself at me, jumping into my arms. I caught her with ease and held her tight against me. She was cold, but my body heat would warm her, and I was all too willing to share it with her. Oh God, her smell. I buried my face into her neck and breathed her in like she was the air I had been denied for the last few months.
Oh Taha Aki, thank you, thank you, thank you!
"Paul" she whispered. I leaned back and rubbed my nose across her jaw, then her nose and then slowly brought my lips crashing down to hers. In that moment, nothing else mattered. It didn't matter that we were in the middle of the woods. It didn't matter that we had spent months apart. It didn't matter that she thought I had abandoned her.
But it did matter, because I loved her.
She pulled back and looked at me with tears in her eyes.
"Oh God, I can't believe it's really you. I thought- I, I thought-" I kissed her tears away.
"I know babe, I know. Come here" I pulled her face back to mine and kissed her more fiercely. Pushing all of my love for her into this kiss, our first kiss in months. It was one of the best kisses I had ever experienced. She opened her mouth against mine and I slid my tongue inside. Her tongue soon found an entrance into my mouth and all else was forgotten. I walked forward and pinned her against a tree, holding her up easily with one hand on her behind whilst my other hand caressed her body.
She was too thin.
I pulled back, set her down on the floor and stepped back to look at her.
"Little girl, you've lost a lot of weight" I said, guilt dripping in my voice. She looked down to the ground and then wrapped her arms around herself again. I wasn't having any of that. I marched over, tore her arms away from her body and pulled her into me. I held her tightly, reassuring her that I was really here, and reassuring myself that she was really here. That this wasn't some twisted dream I was having right now.
"Bella, I'm so sorry. I wish I could say that it was my fault-"
She pulled back "No Paul! It wasn't your fault! It was Emily's. We know that now and so does Sam. I just wish it didn't have to be the way that it was, but, well … it was. Let's just be together and be happy, please Paul? No more apologies" God I couldn't resist her, I kissed her again, and this time I unzipped her jacket slowly. She seemed to know my intentions as she stilled.
"Oh God, I'm so sorry baby, I didn't realise you-"
"-no Paul, I want you too. But, I mean, well, we're kinda in the middle of the woods" Ah, she had a point. We laughed. I had forgotten where we were. I saw nothing else except her.
"Well, you wanna come back to my place? Jacob gave me five days to spend with you, but if you have other plans then I -"
"-you think I'd rather spend my time doing something else? When I could be doing… well… you?" I barked out a laugh. My little girl had fire. I liked it.
"Alright then baby girl, your carriage awaits" I let go of her and stepped back, already feeling the pain of being separated from her. She looked a little crestfallen too, until I took my cut offs off and her eyes widened.
"Oh my" she whispered, but I heard her loud and clear.
"All yours babe, wanna come and play with me?" She nodded timidly. I wrapped my cut offs around my ankle and tied them on, then phased. She gasped as she saw my grey wolf land on its paws.
Hey man, what are you doing phased? - Jacob
Just giving Bella a ride back to mine, for a ride – Paul
Ah, too much info Paul, that girl is practically my sister – Jacob
Who's riding Paul? – Seth
Seth, get outta here – Jacob
Poor kid, I wonder what he'll be like when he finally imprints – Paul
Poor girl, shall we say. Enjoy your time with Bella – Jacob
I lowered myself to the ground so Bella could climb on. She hesitated.
"It's not going to bite me or anything?" she asked innocently.
It might later - Jared
Jared, get out of here! Jacob tell everyone to fuck off! – Paul
Alright guys, phase out for ten, then continue patrol – Jacob
Bella clambered onto my back and held onto my fur. Then I took off home.
I finally had her back. My love, my life.
A/N: See ya Emily! She will be back in later chapters, but for now Bella and Paul can enjoy their reunion. Jacob is finally Alpha! I couldn't wait to write him as Alpha and now it's finally happened!
As always, if there is anything you'd like to see in the story, please let me know! All ideas will be appreciated! Next upload will be Saturday!
