Paradise by the Dashboard Light by Meatloaf is the chapter song! It's goofy and dramatic and makes me smile lol.

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Bella's POV

"Need a ride, cutie?" Smoke was blown into my face, and the truck driver who had stopped while I'd been thumbing for a ride eyed me up and down. He wasn't a man I wanted a ride from, that was sure.

I would take Mike Newton's flirting any day over this.

Hitchhiking was my best chance of arriving in Kentucky before Drayer and not getting caught by Medora's people. I shuddered to think of Charlie's reaction if he knew what I was up to.

He smelled decently human, and I'd probably be fine as long as he didn't pull a gun. A bullet to my head was the biggest threat from a human. "Sure." I smiled brightly at him. I climbed up into the passenger seat, deftly buckling the thick seatbelt across my chest.

The truck driver only needed a firm bitch glare, one I had learned from Rosalie, to stop touching my thigh. After that, the radio was turned up and I relaxed as much as possible. The man was steering in the right direction for the bluegrass state and the plan was to hop off once he started straying too far.

Hours passed before that happened. We reached a gas station that looked like a halfway decent place to freshen up at. "Thank you so much, sir." I reached for my wallet and pulled out a twenty. It was the least I could do.

"Call me, Mac." The man dimpled unexpectedly at me. He waved his hand at the money. "And that's not necessary. Helping a cute girl out is more than enough."

I walked into the gas station, thoughtful. Humans were always so unpredictable. Typically a fae's initial outward appearance was as true as a measure of character as anything. Except Drayer, who was as an expert liar; He embodied the wordy fae stereotype held by so many other supernaturals.

I scrounged my wallet for money when I realized I hadn't counted for awhile. Five hundred total. I had always kept a cash stash of hundred dollar bills hidden behind my driver's license. Mom had insisted on the habit as a rule when she allowed me to live with Charlie.

The cash could keep me steady for at least three months if I changed my eating patterns. It would hurt, but starvation affected me far less than it does a human. Squirrel and a fire was always an option too.

I bought a deli sandwich at the counter and was just thanking the cashier when the unbearable pain hit. A smile as the quarters and pennies hit my hand was managed. I made good time to a bathroom stall before puking my guts out.

Paul.

He was in trouble. I began to hyperventilate. A hit to my ribs swayed me. What. The. Fuck. Who could hurt him so badly while he was with the pack? I felt tremendous pressure in my jaw area before it alleviated and a rush of sensation exploded everywhere else.

A whimper escaped me. My spine bowed and nearly snapped in half.

And then, just like that, it was gone. He was still alive, but our hearts were pounding in adrenaline before the connection snapped. I was myself again.

My need to see him overthrew me as I stood up. He wasn't safe. I hadn't done the right thing. He was going to die with or without me. I'd been so wrong. Suddenly my words to Ben slapped me in the face in a sudden realization.

"Would you be able to stand it? Not being able to protect me?"

I'd said that to him that horrible day. The agony of standing to the wayside while he died had destroyed me. And I was forcing that same possibility onto Paul, but without even the opportunity to make his own decision. Horror colored my sudden perception of the idiotic distance that I had put between us.

Paul had left LaPush to find me. It's what I would've done four years ago if there hadn't been small children involved. He wasn't the type to give up. He was in danger because of me.

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and rushed to the closest pay phone like a loon. A location, some coordinates is what I needed. And I knew just who to call. She would have the phone in her hand by now anyway since I had made my decision.

"Alice." I forced the name out of my throat, incredibly nervous to ask a favor of my best vamp friend. She had never understood why I hadn't wanted her brother.

"Bella!" Alice's voice, even over the horrible connection, chimed like bells.

"I need help."

The laugh that followed unsettled me slightly. "Oh I know, girl! He is actually in Wisconsin, you better hurry. He's hurt." The concern in her voice soothed my stomach. "Near Jackson, Wyoming."

"Thanks, Alice."

The phone disconnected and I prepared to change direction.

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"He... what?" Sam asked.

Billy Black could hardly keep the smile off his face. "Harry is better. They have no clue how." Wonder could hardly keep off of his face.

Sam finally allowed relief to course through his bones at the news. It wasn't a joke. Harry, a beloved tribe member, wasn't going to die.

The door outside of the hospital, where Billy had requested Sam's presence, burst open and a jubilant Seth ran out. His face was brighter than it had been for the past week. His feet were bouncing in a rhythmic buzz.

"Guys... his skin..." Seth wobbled out, "it's healed."

The hairs on the back of Sam's neck stood up at the strange phenomena. There was more than just leeches and wolves out there. In other words, it would be a miracle for Harry's recovery to just be a miracle.

"We come in peace, wolves." Sam's head shot up to see three people walking towards them. They all held their palms out in a non-threatening gesture. Two females and a guy. The youngest girl, one that looked around fifteen or sixteen, had vibrant violet eyes that went beyond the standard for contact lenses.

"Fuck." Sam swore. What the hell else could be happening?

The large man stopped approaching. Familiar swirl designs decorated up his neck and peeked out onto his arms through his T-shirt. A fae. "We come in peace. Anna," he jerked his thumb sideways at a young woman beside him, "healed your guy. We are Bella's cousins. May we ask if Éponine is safe?"

Sam looked at Billy to make the call. Was it safe to take their word for it? Yet... Anna held a strong familial resemblance to Bella just like Drayer had.

The old man sighed wearily. "Before we answer anything, I have a request. Charlie Swan doesn't know where his kid is. There are searches being done everywhere, and I have been sworn to secrecy. On behalf of him as his friend, can one of you tell him the truth or find some way to contact her?"

Seth had stopped his ceaseless bouncing and was watching the strangers alongside Sam and Billy.

The strange man cleared his throat, and glanced down at the woman, Anna. She nodded thoughtfully. "We will contact Aunt Renee and she can come down to sort this out. She always regretted not telling Charlie and I think this is a perfect time for her. Also, she's worried to death about Bella too. She has sent search parties all over the nation. If a fae spots her, we should have her."

Anna's voice melted what was remaining of Sam and Billy's distrust. It was like honey.

That strange relaxation was destroyed when the teen spoke up. "Can we meet Éponine now?" The girl's blonde curls bounced along with the energetic jump she was doing.

Sam frowned. The girl who was currently staying with him and Emily was a nervous wreck. She was immensely worried about Drayer. She hadn't slept since she arrived in LaPush.

Would meeting the dude's nutty family really help her at all?

Anna smiled widely at them suddenly. "I promise I will help her. Poor thing's probably a mess right now."

Éponine reminded Sam of himself whenever he was separated from Emily.

Sam glanced down at Billy. "What do you think?"

He snorted. "Just make sure they call Renee to get this shit-storm sorted. If they were enemies, they would have just attacked. I'm worried about Paul and Bella."

Sam left with the strange group and the calm that had addled Billy's brain suddenly receded. Like a spell had been lifted.

"Uh, Chief?" Seth asked as Billy examined the odd occurrence.

The young teen leaned forward and whispered sheepishly. "Don't tell Sam, but I think I imprinted. He threatened to castrate the next guy who imprinted." He stared intently at the tribal chief with a pleading expression.

"Fuck." Billy swore. Not again.

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Bella's POV

I nearly made it to the town of Jackson by nightfall. I had abandoned my tedious caution of going undetected. It did not matter anymore until Paul was safe within my sight.

No more secrets. I would tell him everything and ask him to forgive me. We could figure it all out together.

I paid the taxi driver and stepped out once we reached the middle of the town. This place was surrounded by wilderness, much like LaPush and Forks were. Only this place attracted tourists.

The Snow King Mountain was on the outskirts. I headed towards it, something in my gut pulling me in that direction. Everything else felt wrong, like I was being watched.

A sudden rush of intuition saved my life when a vamp suddenly charged at me in an alley that I had been cutting through. I jumped backwards and my knife fell into my hand. His teeth barely missed my throat. Blood-red ruby eyes and familiar features met me. He looked so much like Paul that it hurt.

"Hello." He smiled at me winningly. I realized then that I was surrounded by three other vamps, all ruby eyes trained on me. No, make it four vampires. A pair of golden eyes, inky black hair, and dainty features were there too.

Alice.

The betrayal swept me for a second before coming back to the Earth.

Alice frowned sadly at me. "Sorry Bella, but your grandmother has a way of convincing people." She gestured between us and shook her head ruefully. "I truthfully did not befriend you to betray you. I'm sorry about your brother as well."

My mind went numb at the idea of this witchy little vampire being apologetic about something being done to Drayer. My brother.

She was suddenly a streak towards my throat. I swallowed a scream and prepared to fight back. But I knew fighting and winning against someone with Alice's gift was almost senseless. I mentally prepared myself.

She never made it there. A gray wolf sailed through the air past the ring of vampires. He got Alice's head between his jaws and just like that my friend could not longer hurt me. Ever again.

I grabbed the wolf's fur instinctually and skillfully kicked the man that looked like Paul in the face when he reached for us. The wolf ran past my attackers in a blur.

We were very close to the Snow King Mountain. That's where Paul ran. And then he was over it and we kept fleeing.

It wasn't until much later that he stopped. I rolled off his back and landed on the soft earth. He changed back and put shorts on. I met his dark, angry eyes while a dumb smile bloomed on my face.

I threw my arms around him in joy. "Paul." He was safe.

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So they finally have each other! But there's people after them and Drayer is still captured ️

What'd you think of Alice's betrayal?

Seth imprinting?