CHAPTER FIFTEEN
(BPOV)
Brenner stood at the window and let out another blood curdling scream just as I reached him.
"He's here! The bad man is here! I knew he'd come for me! I told you he would!"
I grabbed him from behind and followed where he pointed to the dimly lit tree cover in Billy's back yard.
My eyes scanned the dense mass of trees there and I held my breath, as a barely visible shape moved within the dark shadows of the trees covering.
My heart stopped.
I hurriedly pulled us away from the window then, and gazed regretfully toward my dropped cell phone that now lay abandoned on the kitchen floor. I could hear Jacob's voice call to me from it but I didn't dare to move an inch.
"Bells?- honey? Are you there?- Hello?"
Brenner whirled around in my arms, and the two of us stared at each other with true looks of fear, as the wind blew furiously outside.
"Shh...- it's okay, Brenner. It's gonna be okay." I softly told him in a breath, as I moved us toward the couch where Clarissa was, her sleep now interrupted from his petrified scream moments ago. I took her in my arms and hunkered down on the floor with Brenner, just as a shadow crossed Billy's window with such speed that my head spun from the rapid movement.
"He's coming for me." Brenner breathed, his eyes getting bigger and filling with tears, as the shadow came back to Billy's window and lingered there.
I thought of Sams words from before, while I waited for the violent roar I knew was coming and within seconds, the thundering sound echoed out across Billy's yard.
"It's okay. I'm right here. He won't hurt you-"
In the blink of an eye, the shadowy figure was gone and only the sound of viscous snarling remained.
Paul barged in through Billy's door then, his eyes wild when he searched the room and found us all huddled there together by the sofa.
"You guys alright? Huh?" He asked, reaching his hand out for me, as I got to my feet and frantically ran to the window.
"There was- th- there was something- it was there- I saw it." I stammered, reaching for Brenner's hand and keeping Clarissa secured tightly in my arms.
"I know! Seth caught the scent first. He took off after it and Leah wasn't far behind him. Quil and Sam and the others are already headed to intercept the trail. They're running him down. He's fast as hell though, Bella."
"He? Did you see his face? Was it just him? Was he alone?"
"Yeah, he's no one we've ever run across before, but it'll be the last time he ever steps foot on these lands if we have anything to do with it."
I sat down on the sofa with a shuddering sigh, my head spinning from the adrenaline rush, as Paul picked up my cell from the floor and placed it next to me. The screen flashed again with the same out of state number from before and I picked it up with a trembling hand.
"Jake-..."
"Bells- what happened?"
I could hardly talk and Paul was quick to take the phone from me before I dropped it again.
"Hey man, close call, but everyone's okay...- yeah-... he was on our lands-... only one for now- Sam and the others are on it - yeah-... as we speak...- don't worry- We'll be right here till you get back...-I promise- I'll stay with her."
He ended the call and placed the cell back down on the coffee table, his gaze flickering over to the movie still playing on the screen. His entire countenance changed then when he noticed Brenner still trembling there beside me.
"Hey, little dude. Got any popcorn left for me? Can I watch Rudolph with you? I used to watch this movie all the time when I was a kid!"
Brenner merely nodded to him when Paul put forth his best smile- and just like that - it seemed as if all was right in his small world again- for now anyway.
I could hardly keep my hands still when I poured three bags of popcorn into a large bowl, and handed it to Paul and Brenner, the two of them now plopped together comfortably in Billy's chair, and thoroughly engrossed in the seasonal tale playing out on the big screen before them. It took almost the entire first half of the film before the familiar grin crested his sweet face. When Brenner asked for a bathroom break, Paul joined me in the kitchen, his sudden presence making me jump when he rounded the corner.
"Hey, Swan- sure you're okay? Been a while since you've been that close to-"
"I'm fine, Paul." I insisted. "Thank you for staying until Jake gets back. Billy and Charlie shouldn't be too much longer."
"No worries. Truth be told, I like the change of routine. Patrol at night gets old after a while. It's nights like these that keeps things interesting." He huffed, glancing toward the lasagna dish I was preparing to put in the oven for tonight's dinner and patting his stomach with a smirk.
"You can stay if you'd like. I made more than enough, unless you're opposed to my cooking?"
"No way and thanks, I just might take you up on that offer." He replied, gesturing to my left hand with a cocky grin. "So, when's the big day? You two set a date yet? No time like the present, I say."
"No - there's no hurry. Had a lot of other things to worry about lately." I countered, as I slid the lasagna in the oven and set the timer for it.
"Well, that kind of stuff will always be there, Bella. Just ask Emily. Part of pack life. You'll get used to it."
"Of course-..." I softly replied.
"You know I'm just messing with you, right? It's really not this exciting all the time. Once you get into a routine with it."
"One could only hope not."
"Trust me, it isn't, but if Jacob takes Sams place then-"
"I want that for him." I sincerely replied.
"I know you do. It's his birthright, but Bella, it's a lot. I've seen Sam carry that burden for years. It can be a heavy one sometimes."
"Paul, if Alpha is what Jacob wants, I would never stand in the way of that. Wouldn't be fair."
"Do you think he really wants it."
"Yeah, I do."
"Well, it's no secret Jacob and I haven't always seen eye to eye with certain things, but regardless, I'd have his back and he'd have my vote if he did decide to step into Sams place."
"Good to know." I replied, as he peered over toward Brenner when he ran back out to finish watching Rudolph.
"Has he said anything else about Rachel? What's been going on with her? Doesn't sound like her."
"You'd be surprised what you'll do when you're so heavily influenced by someone whose toxic for you. Things you live to regret for a long time afterwards." I humbly admitted. "-but he hasn't said too much and from his young perspective, it's hard to gage how accurate his memories are right now. We just have to be patient with him. He'll open up more when he's ready to. We shouldn't push him too much."
Clarissa babbled happily then, effectively stealing our attention, and her hands now covered with the remains of her applesauce as she played with the bowl there in front of her.
"Suppose you're right about that." Paul agreed, as he looked her way. "She's growing so fast that one. Man, you blink and they change, huh?"
"Yep, that's pretty much how it goes, too. It's a fleeting thing." I sighed, handing him a warm bottle of milk, and laughing some at his shocked and wide eyed expression.
"Oh, no- no, no, no- I don't do that stuff. You know, feed babies. Change diapers or anything along those lines. I mean, don't get me wrong, they're cute and all but-"
"Oh, come on, Paul. She can pretty much do it all by herself now, she just likes to be held for her nightly bottle. I'm sure you can handle that. Big-strong guy like yourself." I stated with a hint of evident sarcasm there in my tone with him.
He rolled his eyes to me and snatched the warm bottle out of my hand then.
"You know, this isn't my thing, but since you're offering to feed me dinner and all, I guess I could help out a little."
"It will be your thing someday, you know?" I countered. "Never say never, Paul."
"Nope, forever playing the field. That's me. That's the way I like it!"
"Yeah, okay. Until you meet the right one. You know, your missing piece. The one who completes you."
"Will you stop - you're really starting to crush my vibe-" He huffed, as he picked up Clarissa with a wide grin for her. She giggled as he tossed her into the air, and for the briefest of moments, it was like looking at a whole different Paul standing there.
"Oh, and what vibe would that be exactly- the casanova vibe- sorry to hurt your game." I teased him back in playful fashion.
"Wow- harsh- I think I liked you better when you were shy and more quiet- what happened to that girl?"
"Well, I'm not that person anymore, and need I remind you- that this same shy girl slapped you at one time?" I replied, my cheeks now growing warm from the blush that touched them at the memory of this.
"Oh, I definitely remember. I'll never forget it, and as I said to you before, I deserved it."
"Agreed." I countered then, watching him as he returned to the living room and settled back in the recliner with Clarissa and Brenner. He was more of a natural at this then he thought and call me crazy, but I couldn't help but think Paul would make a great dad someday. If only he'd settle down long enough for it.
Jacob would often tell me that he and the rest of the pack couldn't wait for Paul to imprint, just so they could stop hearing about his endless weekend escapades. It was honestly funny, and maybe a little sad if I was being completely honest.
Within the hour, Billy's house was full. The rest of the pack came filing in, all of them looking utterly exhausted when they gathered around Billy's kitchen table. Brenner had fallen asleep mere minutes before they all arrived, and I was thankful his sleep wasn't disturbed by their presence.
"We were so close! If he hadn't gone for the water!" Leah angrily stated, as she plopped herself down next to Sam and Seth. "Any closer and I would have had him! I know it!"
"Stupid leech!" Jared countered, pounding his fist firmly on the table. "Next time, he's ours!"
"Yeah, for sure! Can't believe he got away!" Embry huffed out in frustration. "He was the fastest one I've ever seen."
"We did what we could. At least we ran him off our lands. That's something! We need to be on our guard from here on out." Seth added, wincing some when he moved then. Blood dripped down his forearm and onto the tile floor. I caught swift hold of his hand and saw the deep gash that marred his upper shoulder just as it started to heal. "I'll be okay."
"I know, but here... -at least let me clean that a little for you? Couldn't hurt? Might as well use me for something around here?"
"You just can't stop being a nurse, can you? More like... -a second pack mama I think. I gotta say, I like having you here, Bella." Seth replied, wrapping his good arm around me before I headed for Billy's medicine cabinet.
I carefully cleaned the gash and marveled at how fast his skin healed. In all my life, I had never witnessed anything close to it. They were all medical mysteries that science would never be able to explain.
I placed an ace bandage over his nearly closed wound and smiled when he hugged me in return.
"Thanks, Bella."
"Anytime."
"You've got the magic touch. No wonder Clarissa and Brenner love you like they do." He sighed.
"If you say so-"
Seth leaned forward and tucked a hand under my chin, as I gathered the many supplies from the first aid kit and met his gaze.
"You're a great addition to our family. We love you."
"Your kindness never changes, Seth. I hope you never lose it." I replied, patting his good shoulder, before taking the lasagna out of the oven and serving everyone a plate for dinner.
They all ate their fill and I stilled there by the table, seeing them together as they planned out their new strategy of defense for the coming days ahead, and for the first time in forever, I felt like I truly belonged right where I was.
Second pack mama... yeah... I could get used to that around here.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed these two updates today! Please leave a review with your thoughts. New update soon! Till then... stay safe and be blessed my readers! :-)