Hello again, dear reader.
Thank you so much for the positive feedback on the first chapter. I hope you enjoy this next instalment just as much.
As always, reviews will motivate me to update more frequently.
On with the story…
Chapter Two
Time passed differently when you had forever before you, especially when contemplating that eternity alone. When ties to any singular place were few and tenuous at best, it was easy to lose track of the days and to find it difficult to define just what home meant. It was for these reasons that Paul found six months had passed without his realising or particularly caring; time he'd spent living on the Skokomish reservation and training their small pack of tribal protectors. Two teenage boys had been all that remained of a pack decimated by two nomads passing through less than a year ago, and whose ashes had been carried by the wind into Lake Cushman once they'd been disarticulated by Paul and sent to their final deaths.
Unlike the Quileute pack, the Skokomish shifters took the spirit form of bears, similar to the black bears that roamed the dense forests bordering their reservation. As the Quileute pack had expanded, they'd become aware of other protectors within the tribes in the Olympic Peninsula and treaties had been forged with promises of support; packs united against the vampiric threats that appeared so often in their small part of the world.
Years ago, each member of the original pack – Sam, Paul and Jared – had travelled under the authority of these treaties, training alongside their shifter brothers and sharing knowledge to better combat their mutual enemy. Once Sam and Jared had imprinted and started their families, even began contemplating retiring as protectors, their ties to La Push bound them too deeply to allow any sustained period of travel. And so it had fallen to Paul, the only un-imprinted member of the original Quileute pack, to journey alone.
Paul chose to see these missions as an honour rather than a burden, using the opportunity to immerse himself in his responsibilities and leaving little time to dwell on the isolation of his existence, its sheer loneliness echoing off the walls of his heart. In the decade since his first shift at sixteen, he'd decimated hundreds of leeches, carving out a reputation as a fearsome warrior – lethal and without mercy. And with every vampire he dispatched the carefully forged mask of indifference and neutrality he wore became a more permanent fixture on his face.
Paul, whose wolf had always simmered far closer to the surface than those of his pack brothers, was the only shifter who could successfully block out the minds of his pack mates, even his one-time Alpha Sam and now Jacob, who had taken over the pack when Sam stopped shifting a few years ago. As he bounded through the Olympic National Forest on four legs, his paws barely disturbing the brush beneath them despite the incredible size of his wolf, Paul didn't feel the need to communicate with Embry, who was phased and patrolling the borders of their territory.
He could easily slip back onto the Res without Embry's detection and enjoy some much-needed solitude before making his presence known to his pack. Paul came and went from the Res without any fanfare as he preferred and as connections formed with each new imprint or pack cub he felt his own connection to the pack weaken. While Paul still maintained a residence on the Res, he was becoming more withdrawn as the years passed and what was once a deep-seated need to be among his pack, his tribe had begun to fade.
A sickly sweet scent caught on the wind, switching the wolf's focus immediately from contemplative nonchalance to the hunt. The sinews of his defined musculature coiled as he rapidly changed direction, launching himself impossibly faster toward his prey even as razor-sharp claws cut through moss and bracken on the forest floor, flinging it behind his hulking form as he ran.
The scent of death permeated his every sense as the chase hastened; the vampire seemed to be unaware it was being stalked as it ran at what couldn't possibly be its top speed towards the East, long black hair whipping along behind its head. Paul didn't need to see its eyes to know it was a human drinker; they smelled distinctly different to the animal drinkers, similar to the difference between the scent of carnivores and herbivores.
It was over in less than a minute. The leech started an ascent as the ground became more mountainous and Paul used it to his advantage, launching on his hind legs from lower ground and removing the creatures left leg with lithe precision. It collapsed with a screech of pain and surprise but was quickly silenced as Paul clamped his huge jaw around its head, tearing through its neck.
The wolf turned its head and threw the offending appendage from the leech's body to prevent any attempt at reattachment before he shifted back to his human form with an ease his pack mates had always envied. Despite his shift, Paul's eyes remained lupine yellow as he tore the remaining limbs from the frozen torso and quickly ignited the dismembered remains with the zippo he always carried in the pocket of his cut-offs.
He watched the unnatural purple smoke as it rose from the flames and smirked in satisfaction at the acrid bleach smell of burning leech. Only waiting long enough to ensure the fire didn't spread, Paul leapt and phased mid-air, taking off in the direction of the Res as he realised his detour had unintentionally brought him closer to La Push. With a wolfish grin, he surrendered himself to instinct for the remaining few hours of his journey.
The closer Paul had come to the Res the more aware he became of a pulling sensation seeming to draw him in. It was instinctual and appealed to his wolf in a way he wasn't familiar with or used to; he normally felt only casual indifference when returning to La Push in recent years. Tired from a long journey, Paul chose to file away the information for later and instead loped toward his house after successfully avoiding Embry and Quil, who had phased to take over the patrol shift.
Paul's house was some ways out of the village, perched higher up the cliffs in a clearing and surrounded by thick woodland. It was private enough that Paul could avoid running into anyone unexpectedly and so well-hidden you couldn't easily find the entrance to his drive without knowing where to look.
He'd built the house in his late teens, a project originally designed to help work off some of his pent up anger but had quickly become so much more. As he'd brought the plans to life, lovingly creating a modern cabin-style home, he imagined a life where he and his future imprint would sleep in the master bedroom with a view overlooking the cliffs, and they would fill the four remaining bedrooms with their children. Now it stood as an empty reminder of a life he could no longer imagine; a house that would never become a home when it was just for him alone.
He phased mid-stride, climbing the steps to the front porch on human legs, and located his spare key hidden in the lining of the porch swing, long-stagnant with disuse. The open plan living space wasn't covered in a layer of dust as he expected and the faint scent of Emily told Paul that she'd been by recently and had clearly been cleaning for him. He would need to remember to thank her for that.
At the thought of Emily, Paul's stomach rumbled. It had been some time since he'd had anything to eat and he was remiss to make a trip to the market at this time. Early evening had hit and he didn't feel inclined to navigate the small aisles of the grocer amongst those grabbing last-minute ingredients for dinner. Due to his sheer size coupled with hyper-developed senses, Paul found crowds uncomfortable at the best of times and actively did what he could to avoid them.
Heading towards the master bedroom, Paul unclasped his cut-offs from his ankle and tossed them with practised ease into the hamper as he walked through the doorway into his ensuite. He had no proclivities about wandering through his house naked despite the wall of windows that ran along the length of the master bedroom and ensuite. His home was so secluded he wouldn't be worried even if he hadn't lost the ability to feel embarrassment in his most natural form when he'd first started to shift.
One thing Paul did miss about his house while he travelled was the shower. He'd indulged in a huge double shower with large waterfall showerheads fitted at opposing angles that released at a pressure powerful enough to massage the kinks out of his tired muscles. Once he'd indulged under the spray for long enough, he towelled off quickly before pausing as he noticed his reflection in the mirror. A long, pink scar ran down from his shoulder to his forearm, already mostly healed in the hours since he'd taken out the vampire. He chortled to himself, surprised that the beast had managed to get a claw into him but humoured by the fact he hadn't felt a single twinge of pain when it occurred.
After throwing on a t-shirt and cargo shorts Paul had to dig through his closet for a pair of boots before lacing them up and heading out the door. Despite the drizzly weather, Paul decided a walk would be refreshing as he started on foot in the direction of the house Emily and Sam shared towards the base of the cliffs and closer to the town centre.
As he walked, the curious pulling sensation returned and Paul's wolf made a rare challenge to the man's control in an effort to draw his attention more fully to the source of the pull. Paul ruminated on what could be eliciting this response from his wolf but came up blank. Instead, he chose to focus on the scent of the ocean carrying on the breeze and the earthy aroma that rain always seemed to draw from the earth as he trekked the four miles to his friend's home.
Sam and Emily's home was modest but exuded comfort and homeliness; its wraparound porch was littered with seating for the various pack members that were still welcome any time even though Sam had handed over his role as Alpha. Emily had always loved to garden so the garden beds were well-tended and permanently overflowing with wildflowers. Even from a distance, he could hear the pattering of tiny feet running through the living room and raucous laughter as the twins, presumably, evaded their mother who was calling out about bath time.
He let himself in the front door without knocking and smiled brightly at the sight of Ava and Kari jumping up and down on the overstuffed couch as their mother faced them with her hands on her hips. As the door snapped closed Emily turned and stilled as she took in Paul's imposing form.
After a momentary shock, Emily's face broke into a huge smile as she moved toward Paul and threw her arms around him in greeting. He stiffened before returning the hug gently, conscious of what was clearly a baby bump protruding from her middle, even hidden by a baggy sweater that had obviously belonged to Sam at one stage.
"Welcome home, Paul! I didn't know you were coming back today!" Her happiness was clear, before she mock-slapped his arm in admonishment, "Don't you dare stay away so long again!" Before Paul could respond, he was suddenly assaulted by twin three-year-olds chanting "Uncle Paul" over and over again. He let out a deep chuckle as he scooped up both girls, nuzzling their hair briefly before lifting one onto each shoulder.
The girls started tapping a song on the top of his head as Paul turned back to Emily, smile still firmly in place.
"Even I didn't know I was coming back until this morning, Em. It was only six months, but clearly, I've missed a few things…" He nodded his head toward her middle and Emily beamed at him.
"I'm five months along – can you believe it? I have a feeling it's another boy, but Sam says it's a girl." An adoring look crossed her face as she mentioned her husband, "And this means you can't go anywhere until after this little one is born." She directed another pointed look at Paul. Seeing he was about to protest she cut him off, "Promise me, Paul?"
"I promise, Em." He was never able to resist when she gave him that pleading look.
Paul had always had a soft spot for Emily; she'd been the pack mother in those early days and had bonded with Paul despite his volatility and proclivity for violence isolating him from many of the younger wolves. Their wolves, weaker and less dominant, instinctively recognised him as dangerous and so the younger boys had feared him. Even Sam and Jared had a healthy respect for Paul's temper but they didn't shy away from him in the same way.
Emily, on the other hand, only ever saw him as pack; he was a young boy thrust into the supernatural without warning. In those early days, Emily had been the only beacon of light in an otherwise overwhelming existence. She'd advocated for him despite his aggression, his mistakes and she'd offered him sanctuary in her home when his father's drunken antics became too much for a teenage shifter to bear. Though he'd never been capable of saying the words to express his gratitude for the small woman he called his friend, he found ways to demonstrate his appreciation in other ways.
"How about I take these two little terrors for bath time so you can have a break, Em?" Paul offered, enjoying the squeals of excitement that came from above his head.
"Paul – that would be amazing. SJ's already showered, but I have to clean the kitchen and put a load of laundry on. Sam's working a late shift tonight so I'm on my own." Emily looked exhausted, and Paul's wolf bristled at the thought of his friend overexerting herself, especially while pregnant.
"Emily Uley, you listen to me," He fixed her with a stern look, "You go to that freezer and grab the tub of Chunky Monkey we both know you have stashed behind the peas, you sit your butt down on that couch and you relax. Uncle Paul will get these monsters cleaned up and into bed and then I'll do the dishes and put that laundry on." His tone brooked no argument but Emily heard the affection behind his words. Tears welled in her eyes, which she quickly dismissed as hormones, before she did just as Paul had told her and curled up on the couch with her ice cream and sighed at her first chance to relax all evening.
By the time he'd finishing bathing the girls and had bribed them into bed with two bedtime stories, Paul's shirt was completely soaked through. After checking on SJ, who was already sleeping soundly under his dinosaur sheets, he tossed his shirt in the dryer and put on a load of laundry. Walking back through the living room, Paul was pleased to see Emily was still curled up on the couch with a half-eaten tub of ice cream and laughing her ass off at some rom-com playing on the television.
"It's nice to see you relaxing for once, Em. You work too hard." The deep tenor of Paul's voice was gentle but laced with concern for his friend. She paused the movie, turning to face him before her eyebrows shot to her hairline.
"I could say the same to you. What happened to your arm, Paul?" She made to stand up but Paul held out a restraining hand to indicate she should stay where she was.
"Just a rogue leech I ran into on the way back to the Res. I didn't even feel it and it'll be fully healed in a couple of hours." Paul waved his hand dismissively before walking into the kitchen to start on the dishes in the sink.
One thing Emily had learned over their years of friendship was to recognise when Paul no longer wanted to continue with a particular conversation. Sensing that now, she chose to let the topic drop. Despite how very domestic Paul appeared as he washed her dishes, he still radiated an air of strength and power. There was no denying he was a dangerous warrior – she'd seen it often enough – but something in the way he carried himself commanded respect, even to those who weren't in on the pack secret.
Once Paul had finished the dishes and located some leftovers to heat up for himself, he joined Emily on the couch.
"How's the extension going? It won't be long till the pup arrives and you're about to run out of room." Paul knew Sam had grand plans to add two more bedrooms and a den to the back of the house but hadn't seen any signs of construction in the two hours he'd been there.
Emily's face gave away her anxiety despite her noncommittal tone when answering, "Oh, it's not going quite yet. Sam's been a lot busier at work recently and he's taking all the overtime he can get with this little one on the way." She patted her belly gently, refusing to meet Paul's eyes, "We will probably start the renovations after the baby is here at this point." Paul's face fell, knowing he was the one who usually did the construction for the pack. He knew he'd been gone longer than usual but he hadn't anticipated that his prolonged absence would create any difficulty for his friends.
He squeezed Emily's shoulder gently and waited until she looked at him before he responded, "I'll come back tomorrow and measure everything up and order the supplies. Seeing as I'm committed to being on the Res for at least the next four months," He nodded to her stomach with a smirk, "I might as well put myself to good use while I'm here." Without waiting for an answer, he got up and went to the sink to wash up his dishes, leaving them on the sink to air dry.
"Paul – I don't think we can afford that right now. I'll have to talk to Sam." Emily had followed him into the kitchen with a worried look on her face.
"I'll talk to Sam, Em. I can get the supplies wholesale through the business, and Jack down at the hardware store owes me a few favours. It's really nothing." Paul's lips curled into a smile that didn't reach his eyes as he leaned against the kitchen counter. He and Jared had started a LC Construction six years ago but Paul had become more of a silent partner as the years had passed with Jared spending more time on the Res and able to run the business and Paul away so often.
"You are too good to us, Paul Lahote. I can't thank you enough." She acquiesced easily; she knew there was no point arguing with the man.
"No thanks necessary, Em." He pushed off the counter, patting her head with gentle affection and ducked into the laundry to grab his shirt from the dryer. "Now I should get home, and you should get to bed. I'll see you and Sam in the morning, kay?" Emily smiled, only nodding in response. Just before the front door swung closed behind him he heard her call out to him, "I'm so glad you're back, Paul." With a sad smile, he set off alone into the darkness toward his house on the cliffs.
And that's it for Chapter Two, my dears. In the next instalment, our couple will meet. I hope you're as excited as I am! Until then…