A/N: Hi everyone, just wanted to thank everyone for keeping up with the story! I appreciate you all so much! your awesome! And as to my safety and health, I am perfectly fine, and I pray you all are as well. Please take care of yourselves and be aware that I care about all my readers! You all are awesome sorry for the wait; I have just been brainstorming what is going to happen next and needed to step away for a minute. One of my bad habits is I tend to rush stories instead of letting them marinate and take shape on their own . So, rest assured, I am not giving up on ANY of my stories. With that said, here is the next chapter!

…

Seattle Washington.

Emmett hissed as they took down one of the newborns. They had been stalking them for two whole days and finally managed to get one alone.

With jasper giving him a dose of fear and Emmet roughing up, they were able to get a few details from the vicious male. Victoria was creating an army, but it was much worse than they thought. She was recruiting newborns all the way from the south and worst of all she was partnering up with maria. They had made a deal. Victoria would give maria the territory in Washington and the promise of jasper's allegiance if maria helped destroy Bella and the Cullen's. She was even trying to get smaller covens involved. Especially those that didn't like the Cullen's.

This was much worse than they thought.

"Dammit!" jasper hissed as he ripped the newborn to pieces and Emmet threw them in the fire.

"if Edward had been here, we could have gotten much more information I do not know what his problem is, ditching us like this…but we have what we need for now. This is much worse than we thought, she's smarter than we know." Emmet groaned

"let's get back home. We might have to recruit the Denali's after all."

Emmet nodded. He could feel a headache coming on.

…

Edward didn't stay with the Denali's for more then a day. As much as he wanted his lustful urges to take over, he refused to touch tanya. She wasn't what he wanted. Wasn't what he needed.

He needed Bella but the thought of her pregnant….no, the thought of her being touched… by someone who wasn't him. All of his fantasies he had of her, had come crashing down when the words pregnant fell from her lips.

He always imagined them adopting a child or even her getting a surrogate if she ever so desired. But to know another man had put his filthy hands on her… it made him want to break something.

However, his need for his singer, his love was much stronger. He needed to see her. They could raise the child togather.

Yes…this plan would work! He could take her and get married and then he could give the child his last name. it would all work out…

…

Leah clearwater sipped the blueberry lemonade Bella had handed her. Paul had taken Sam upstairs, while Bella stood in front of the stove cooking something.

They had not said one word since Emily left.

Leah was going to speak but Bella spoke first.

"This is your chance Leah…. Don't blow it."

"excuse me?" Leah asked

"you heard me. this is your second chance…do not blow it. Emily has broken Sam's trust. She cannot get it back. Imprint or not, once you've lost someone's trust its almost impossible to get it back and Emily did the one thing the wolf won't forgive."

"wait, wait slow down what the hell are you talking about? What about the wolf? And what would you know?"

Bella stopped stirring whatever it was and took a seat across from Leah.

"Leah…I have been around the pack and with Paul long enough to know the deeper levels of the wolf. Wolves in nature mate for life…For life Leah. In the pack, the wolf only request one thing. Loyalty. Haven't you guys always wondered why you used to be so wary of me? you didn't know where my loyalty lied, so that made me an enemy. It was not until I got with Paul that the hostility died down, except for yours. And no one really realized it. have you wondered why Jared, Embry, quil and even Sam have been more friendly? The wolf sees the loyalty. Now the man doesn't know why, he probably just thinks there being friendly but it's the fact they know my loyalty has shifted, the same thing goes for mates. They only ask for loyalty. It's a need, the foundation. Your mate knows he can trust you. He knows that you would never turn your back on him. so, he can relax. With everything you guys face, the wolf can turn to the one person who he can lean on. Emily broke that. She broke that foundation Leah. Did you not see Sam's face? He was gone. His spirit is broken and you're the only one who can fix it."

"your crazy! I'm not his imprint I'm not- "

"Dammit Leah! The imprint is broken! it has no power anymore! That day I snapped at you and told you to move on and stop being so bitter, I rethought my words. I did some research and…Leah…you haven't been with anyone since Sam have you?"

Leah's face morphed into anger and then confusion. She did not answer.

"that's what I figured. Your body could not do it. would not do it. you did not want anyone or anything but Sam. Even before you phased, Leah your wolf knew that Sam was still loyal. Underneath it all he still wanted you. Its why you have been waiting for so long… it also explains why you are here. you knew something was off with Emily for a while but didn't want to jump to conclusions huh. Its why Sam set Paul to guard you from her. because deep down, his wolf knew. His wolf knew that something was off about his mate and the man refuse to believe it."

"I …I came here to see you about Jacob. I came to yell at you and tell you that you were insane for hitting him. that you – you could have been killed." Leah excused lamely.

Bella however, shook her head and said "we both know that's not true. What really happened is that you have been spying on Emily for a while and when she made her way here you followed. Ready to get some evidence for what you already knew but what you did not expect was too see Sam here as well and when you heard what Emily said, you knew all your suspicions had been right. She had been giving off the scent of arousal on and off for some time, you just couldn't pinpoint who because you knew it wasn't for sam. He was never around when she was horny. And you know what else, I think you knew Paul and I were togather...at least to an extent. That's why you really came down here. you had all the proof you needed to cause a shit storm but once you got here, you realized things were way deeper than expected."

Leah took a long swallow of her drink. Struggling with how to just say what she needed to say.

"look…i…I resent you…at least I did until an hour ago. I resented you because …you had everything…I wanted and yet you were throwing it away and to make matters worse you were torturing Jacob. keeping him close and pinning after the leech even though he left you. It was disgusting and in truth it reminded me of Emily. Being with someone while the one you love looks on and to make it worse…you were doing it on purpose. Loving that leech and making Jacob suffer. Yeah vocally you said no but your actions said otherwise. Verbally you pushed him away, but you would come to him for comfort…and then… then you guys stop hanging out less and less. And after Jacob phased and was told to stay away from you. You come barreling down here and throw yourself in the mist of it and what really pissed me off about you was how much my brother adores you. He's my brother and yet I barely see him. he's like a complete stranger now. of course, Paul has a part to play too. Corrupting him like the thug he is. I don't understand how you can fuck him! you're just playing the ropes aren't you swan. First your leech, then Jacob and now Paul!"

"I suggest you watch your mouth Leah. I won't tolerate any more disrespect from anyone in my home. Now I suggest you get your ass up stairs and go see Sam before you lose your chance. And the next time you want to accuse people of stuff I suggest you learn all the facts. Paul and I are as you put it not just fucking. Were in love. He is my man and I'll be damn if I let anyone try to change that. So once again get your ass upstairs and fix your alpha."

Leah snarled but said nothing as she stalked upstairs. At the same time, Paul came stomping down the stair's suitcases in hand.

"babe? What's all this?" she asked. They hadn't gotten a chance to talk since Emily ran out of the house.

"were leaving. I know its sudden but I just got off the phone with the vamp. Both him and Sam agree about your suggestion to lie low for a while. "

"wait. Are we leaving now? what about school? I can't just leave yet. Spring break hasn't even started yet."

Paul pinched the bridge of his nose and growled. She watched as she tried to control the tremors.

"Babe…we need to leave. Too much is happening at once. Emmet and japer are on the way back to forks and they found some disturbing news and right now my only priority is to keep you safe. So, we need to leave."

Bella crossed her arms and scowled. "Not until you tell me what's really going on. Be being safe is just a cover story. You were hell bent of me not leaving and now all of a sudden you want to leave. What's the issue?"

Paul put the suitcases down and snarled at his mate.

"dammit Bella don't make me bend you over the table. I swear I will, Sam and Leah be dammed. now if you're not in the truck in five minutes I will carry your out!"

Bella stepped back from her mate in shock. She knew he was jerk, and he violates but he had never expressed it towards her, at least while they were dating anyway. Now when they first met, he treated her like dirt. So, what had changed now? her emotions and hormones wanted to rise and fight…but the women mated to the wolf was trying to see the under his mask. This wasn't about her safety. Well, it was but it was only a piece of the wolf's mind. What had him on edge now…?

And then it hit her.

The wolfs den had been invaded. Not just by a woman that tried to seduce him but by his Alpha and the alpha female. Paul and his wolf felt…violated. His mate had been threatened and now people were encroaching on his territory. He had two options he could stay and fight or he could take his mate and run. Now the wolf wanted to fight but the man knew Sam needed time to recoup.

A soft touch brought her from her thoughts. Bella looked into the eyes of her wolf and saw fear, anger, and regret.

"I'm sorry, I am so damn sorry. I'm being a jerk. I shouldn't have tried to force you or order you… but baby…I'm so goddamn scared and I'm so angry. Everything we've built is starting to fall apart. And we...we just need to getaway. our house…our home…. It doesn't smell right anymore...its full of the disgusting smell of Emily. I can smell the things she touched. I can still smell her arousal and it makes me sick. It doesn't make it any better that there's sexual tension between Sam and Leah and I know there going to screw. SAM YOU BETTER AIR THIS PLACE OUT AFTER YOUR DONE! I DONT WANT MY DEN SMELLING LIKE YOU WHEN I GET BACK! AND WASH THE FUCKING SHEETS FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! AND THE KEEP THE PACK AWAY FROM MY HOUSE! "

Paul took a breath and looked at her. his hands began to roam over her body and Bella felt herself melt.

"let's at least finish this week in the boat house and then well leave. Just let me get everything in order ok. "

Paul rested his head in the crook of her neck and let out a shaky breath.

"baby…I…I...I need you…I need you please." He pleaded.

Bella let her hands trail over his body, her hands grazing the hem of his shorts but was surprised when Paul gently pushed her back.

"n-not like that babe…I …I need you to hold me…and I... I need to hold you."

it was then Bella realized that Paul didn't need sex…he needed…intimacy. He was coming down from the high that he was on. The high of beating Jacob, talking to her father, and then coming home to see his mate unprotected and confronted by a hostile imprint They both needed intimacy. To just be held. Something they lacked growing up. neither of them had the luxury of intimacy. Until now.