PREVIOUSLY-

It was selfish that I didn't want him to go. If he didn't imprint, I was afraid he'd resent me, and for some unknown reason, a part of me didn't want him to imprint on her.


Paul must've been back when I'd gotten out of the shower, because I could hear him in the living room. I couldn't make out what he was saying, though. Due to my anxiety and curiosity, I quickly got dressed and walked out the bedroom door.

Paul looked right at me, pupils dilating with an unreadable expression, then quickly redirected to Sam and Jared without a word.

"We need to talk. Now." He told them both, now with a resigned expression. Both Sam and Jared shared a somewhat surprised look and told me to stay inside while they went to talk.

Why hadn't he said anything to me? Why had he looked at me like that? Had he imprinted on Rachel and didn't want to hurt me by letting me know? Had he not imprinted on her and was now starting to resent me? Had he not imprinted and wanted to spare my feelings by not telling me?

My heart hurt that he hadn't said anything. Why had he needed to talk to them immediately? So many different situations ran through my head at the same time.

A few minutes later, both Sam and Jared came back inside and sat on the couch.

"He imprinted, didn't he?" I asked them both. Both of them looked at each other. "On Rachel. He did, didn't he? That's why he didn't want to tell me."

"He'll tell you in his own time, Bella. He's asked us not to say anything." Sam told me, looking down.

I felt hurt. In his own time? What did that even mean? In an hour? A year from now? When he brought her home to live with him or moved in with her?

I wouldn't order them to tell me. If Paul wished to tell me himself in his own time, then he would.

"Where is he now?" I asked instead, figuring he probably went back to the Black's.

"He needed to take a run." Jared answered shortly.

"Then I'm going down to the beach." I told them both with an annoyed huff as I stood up. They rose to come with me, but I put my hand up. "Alone."

Both of them swallowed nervously but nodded. They knew the beach was safe and Embry was patrolling around it.

I walked down to the beach alone with my thoughts. I couldn't for the life of me figure out why I was so upset about the whole thing. Maybe I was afraid I'd lose my bond with him if he imprinted?

I loved our bond so much. It was precious to me.

My anxiety and worry only increased as I sat on the beach, watching the waves. What had happened to my smiling, happy, joking Paul who would tell me anything and everything?

I must've been there for an hour or more before I began heading back to the house. Before I rounded the corner, I heard shouting. I recognized Sam and Jared's voices. I stayed where I was and listened curiously.

"You need to tell her, Paul. She will figure it out eventually. You'll hurt her if you don't." Sam told him loudly.

"Bro, she's already upset. It'll just get worse the longer you wait." Jared chimed in.

"I can't fucking tell her! Bella has enough on her plate right now with the both of you, two babies, and this new leech. I'm not going to add another fucking imprint onto that! Both of your imprint bonds are perfect as shit, I'm just fucking damaged goods!" Paul yelled.

So he had imprinted. What did he mean that he was 'damaged goods'? I, of all people, knew that he was the opposite.

"You can't run, Paul. You promised her you wouldn't." Sam told him commandingly.

"I'm not going to. I wouldn't ever put her through that shit. I'm just not going to say anything. She doesn't need this right now. Both of you know that better than anyone else." Paul said adamantly, making me mad.

"It happened for a reason, Paul. What if she orders you or us to tell her?" Jared asked him.

"What kind of fucking reason would it have happened? You both know that I can ignore an alpha order if it has to do with my imprint. Jared has before." Paul said angrily. There was my confirmation that he'd imprinted. Also, when had Jared ignored an alpha order?

"You won't lie to her." Sam told him before saying something too low for me to hear.

"Fuck." Paul said as I came walking around the corner straight at them.

Paul gave me a resigned look before whispering, "I'm sorry, B. I just can't, not right now."

I was angry. He had promised me that he'd tell me as soon as something happened and who was he to say that I had enough on my plate already? Should I let it go and agree that he'd tell me when he was ready, or should I ask him to tell me now?

Decisions, decisions.

I narrowed my eyes at him with determination.

"Don't do it, Bella." Paul nearly begged, backing away.

"I heard that whole conversation, Paul. What is it that you can't tell me, that you refuse to tell me because I'm dealing with 'too much' already?" I needed to know, and I needed to know now.

"Fucking—dammit-hell. Why the fuck can't I just not say anything?!" He redirected at Sam.

"Lying by omission is still a lie, Paul." Sam told him quietly, crossing him arms to wait for a reply.

"Dammit Bella! I imprinted." Paul ground out, seemingly forced to do so.

"So I was right? You imprinted on Rachel?" I asked him quietly as his eyes returned back to mine with an unreadable expression.

"No." He muttered. I looked at him with wide eyes. So he hadn't imprinted on Rachel? Who had he imprinted on then?

"If it wasn't Rachel…" I began. My curiosity was overwhelming me. "Then who was it?"

"It wasn't Rachel I imprinted on…" He whispered, trying to fight it but unable to. He took a deep breath before looking me directly in the eyes. "It was you."


A/N- GO BACK AND READ CHAPTER 50! I accidentally posted this one first :((

How many of you thought it would end up this way?

The drama's not over, y'all.

I'd love some reviews! My amount of reviews have been going down. :(