Chapter IV: Flush

Flush definition: (of a person's skin, face, etc.) become red and hot, typically as the result of illness or strong, intense emotion.

Paul's 3rd shift.

This time Bella's in the kitchen contemplating on what type of dish to make for dinner, meaty baked ziti or a pasta casserole, when the kitchen door suddenly opens and closes without warning. When she turns her head (after jumping about three feet into the air), she faces the warmest set of hazelnut eyes with tints of gold swimming in them. There was only one other person besides Edward Cullen who possessed such expressive eyes. "Paul?" she asked out loud anyway. Her own gaze darts hastily toward the door and then back to his eyes. Something was off about this situation. With a start, Bella realized what was different this time around; he had come to her house alone. She had never seen him arrive anywhere around her all alone before. He hadn't had to be dragged here by Jake, Jared, or even Sam. Paul Lahote was actually here, in her kitchen, of his own free will.

Maybe.

She looks at him, dazedly. "Where's your escort?"

His eyebrow raised. "Escort?"

"Yeah. Don't you usually have to be brought here by one of your packmates for your assigned watch?"

"That how you greet Black?" he retorted back in a slightly wounded voice.

Bella, without thinking, took a quick step forward and heard a short, but definite growl from Paul's direction. Oops. She forgot sometimes that if and when she moved too quickly, the pack got a little apprehensive. Something about the wolf's instincts, Sam had told her. He was always the most straightforward of them all, except maybe for Paul. Then again, Sam had never hurt her feelings out of malice either.

Sam had told her the best way to counter the quick, sudden movements that would produce a fight-or-flight instinct wolfy response from one of the guys was to stay still so that the wolf could reassess you as a non-threat. She hoped it worked on Paul too. So, Bella stopped all of her actions and placed her hands flatly on the front of her stomach area, making sure to display all five fingers for Paul's eyes to catch and took a long, deep breath to slow her sped up heart. "No," Bella answered slowly with an exhale. "That's not how I greet Jacob or anyone else in the pack," she continued, truthfully. "But all of them usually want to be here." Her brown eyes jumped to his, thinking that she could send her very pleasant thoughts to Paul. Show him that she was still not a threat to him or his wolf.

Paul's face toughened, his bare teeth showing themselves. "Well, do you see anyone else here? Aren't I pack or not?" He barked harshly. His wolf felt very threatened at the possibility of being ousted by his own pack. Sometimes he questioned if his pack even saw him as their packmate or not and not just some nuisance they had to tolerate. He never did make it easy to be accepted, but honestly that was all he wanted from them. Acceptance. He suspected Sam made them all tolerate him. "So, I'm pack, ain't I?" Paul repeated.

Bella smiles out of reflex, despite how very pissed he looked. "'Course you're pack," she told him softly. "I don't just let any shapeshifters into my house."

"You let the leeches in," he snapped.

Bella rolled her eyes. True, she had let Edward in. Alice. Any of the Cullens that had wanted to come over could, but the Cullens weren't here. In fact, no vampires had been around lately. Jacob had even admitted that the pack hadn't seen much evidence of Victoria lately. And of course, Charlie and his ensemble hadn't found any traces of bears neither. Everyone was coming up empty. She refocused back on Paul. "Yeah, but do you see any right now? You see any vampires here?" Bella somewhat teased, her hands now away from her belly. "No, you don't see any. There's only you," she began as she counted off her fingers, "your ego, and me."

Paul felt himself tense when he saw her hands in the air, but it was not because he was unnerved. The Swan girl may not remember who/what she was in front of, but Paul knew. But he was also kind of intrigued by how she called him out. She's starting to amaze you, a familiar voice cooed mockingly in his ear. Paul shrugged off his inner self while holding a laugh. There was a bare trance of a grin, but Paul doubted she would see it. She'd never get the better of him. "And my wolf." He felt the need to gently remind her. And himself.

She nodded appreciatively, returning the smile she thought she actually did see him wearing. "Yup, all of you should be included. Your wolf too," she said. "But no vampires."

"Better not be," he bit out, resuming back to business. And his wolf feeling a bit territorial.

Bella giggled, sensing he no longer felt threatened. Paul's face had relaxed a little, dropping the rigid edge it had ten seconds ago. "So," she prompted. "Escort?"

He shrugged. "Just me today," he said shortly, his bourbon-colored stare meeting hers. He looked at her, really looked at her, and noted her face was slightly blushed from either cooking whatever she had made earlier or maybe even her proximity to his body. She was only a few feet away but he knew it wouldn't take much heat to turn her more colors. And he ran hot all the time. Then he wondered how many colors he could get her to turn for him. Damnit, he thought. Must be the scent. She was freshly showered too. His wolf could smell it in her hair and clothes. They smelled only of the heavenly spice aroma wafting in the kitchen. No parasitic stench, at all. He really liked her natural, soapy smell. He wanted her closer to him.

"My packmates, your other friends, ain't here," he said casually, trying to break up his very close to unchaste thoughts. Ah, who was he kidding; the seedy thoughts were already planted there. All he smelled was female.

Bella, unaware of what was going through Paul's mind, merely grinned at him, again. She had caught his declaration. She had caught Paul Lahote saying that he, like his packmates, were her friends. The simple statement had made her insides feel alit and glow with excitement. She liked how it made her feel. Maybe he had changed his mind about her after all. Her face turned redder, but she couldn't help it. "You're right," she said apologetically. "I'm sorry. Hi, Paul."

Paul was still standing on the kitchen door mat just inside. Her eyes continue to watch him for his response to her greeting as she witnesses him wipe his bare feet on the rug and then sit down at the kitchen table. Had he just wiped his feet? Holy cow! With that action, her eyes widened and Paul noticed her expression change. And the look of it forced a response within him that traveled up his chest, spreading through his collarbone and the expanse of his shoulders. He tried to brush off the sudden flush of warmth he felt concentrating in the back of his neck, but in the end, he just clapped his hand behind his head. And threw out an insulting name at her for good measure. "Sup, vamp bait," he joked, trying to rid the awkward feeling he seemed to be having in her presence suddenly. "What's for dinner?"

Bella's face fell. Ok, guess he hadn't changed that much.

But Bella had changed. He wasn't going to do this to her. Not this shift or any of his following shifts after. How ever many he had with her, he was going to have to treat her differently. In fact, starting now, he was going to be cordial to her. That was the least that he could do. She had changed and he would have to, as well. Her own mood shifted and she squeezed the kitchen counter with one hand as her other hand covered her face. "No, no, no" she cried angrily, and then pointed at him. "You, Mr. Paul, are not going to call me anymore derogatory names. No leech lover, parasite wannabe, no—"

"Parasite wannabe?" he interrupted. "Gross. You actually wanted to be like them?"

Bella waved the question off. She didn't feel the need to explain her reasoning behind that long-lost story. She had thought Edward and her were going to be together forever. Why not make it as immortal beings too? But Edward was no longer in her life, so it was a moot point and it was not the noisy shapeshifting teen's business either. "I have a name," she insisted, ignoring his question. "And it is—"

"Bait," he quipped, a leery smirk teasing the corner right side of his mouth. "I already said that."

Just how much was he going to push to piss her off today? "Bella," she said crossly. "It's Bella, Paul. B-E-L-L-A—Bella, darn you!"

"Ooh," he hooted. "Darn, you," he said, chortling in good humor. "I got the 'B' part right." Bella's lips pressed together in a fiery, long line as he continued to laugh. "Relax, Queen B. Just teasing."

"Queen B?"

He nods. "B, for Bella. You just spelled out your own name. Remember? B-E-L—" he began in a high singsong voice.

Bella walked straight over to him and slapped the standing shapeshifting teen lightly on his arm. He did feel hot. Really hot. She glanced at her hand and then back at him again. Of course, he was hot, stupid, she chastised herself. Shapeshifting werewolf that runs hot. He's not cold, like Edward. In fact, Paul is nothing like Edward…She felt her epiphany hit so hard that it made her dizzy. She held her own burning hand to her chest. It felt like her skin was still pulsating through her shirt. It was like his heat was passing through him and scalding her. It felt glorious. She had been so cold and numb for so long that she had forgotten how to feel much of anything. Charlie was a normal human. Jacob was a werewolf, but he hadn't really spent as much time with her lately and plus he didn't just spend the whole guard-Bella-duty shift hugging her either and even if he did, Jacob didn't seem to run this hot.

No, this heat was definitely a heat that belonged only to Paul. It was weird.

"Not Queen B," she said automatically as she continued rubbing her own hand. "it's Bella. Just Bella."

He whistled. "Alright, alright," he said, caving. She had a point about his attitude. And besides, never bite the hand that was possibly about to feed you. She had said so last time he was here and he definitely didn't want her messing with his food. Yeah, he'd likely be able to burn off whatever affliction she'd try to give him, but still, why risk it? Plus, her food was actually phenomenal on its own. Speaking of… "So, where's the grub? I'm hungry."

She blinked at him. Now over her initial shock of seeing him wipe his feet and her reaction to his very warmth, she was ready to carry on with the rest of her night. Well, their night. She managed to smile at him again. "I was planning on making a casserole," she said, thinking of the best way to encompass all the ingredients in one, massive bite for the hungry teen. "Should take maybe forty minutes. You game?"

A twinkle in his eye. "Always game," he said, making it sound more as a declaration than an answer to a very simple question. "Question is this: are you going to make me beg for it?" Paul asked teasingly. He couldn't help it. He was now thinking about this Bella Swan girl being a virgin. Who would've thought it possible? Vampires were killers, monsters, and thieves, especially of life, blood, and well…why not include virtue and chastity of young girls with it? He wasn't even a demon monster and even he loved sullying a woman up like every other red-blooded teenager in the world. What were the odds that this human girl who wanted to actually have sex—had even been willing to have sex with a walking, glittering corpse—but the vamp still couldn't seal the deal? How pathetically shitty for her.

No one had to drag him here for his shift tonight; he was actually excited to come back. He needed to poke the bear, sort of speak, just to see exactly what it was that he was guarding. He had never seen Swan as an actual being before. She was just something that the future Alpha and redheaded leech wanted and Paul just wanted to bag himself a vampire. When you were built to take on one of the strongest, fastest, mythical creatures alive (or undead) but hadn't been able to yet, it kind of got on your nerves. And it bruised your ego. So, if he could bag a vampire while fixing his slightly deflated ego and bag a virgin too, why the fuck not give it a go?

On his way here, Paul had already decided to try and amuse himself at Bella's expense. Namely making fun of her chastity. He figured if he pushed enough, she'd do something really funny like blurt out a kinky dream or something. Something he could highlight and play for Jakey-poo the next time he ran patrol. Black always put this bitch on a pedestal and it was useless to do so. No woman had ever sat higher than Paul, except if maybe he had put her up there to tongue fuck.

"You don't have to beg me, Paul," Bella replied, the innuendo completely going over her head. "I'll make you that casserole right now." And with that statement, she began busying herself in the fridge and the pots rack, arranging spices, pans, and other ingredients. She had an armful of aromatic bottles and began to move around so much so that Paul actually got dizzy watching her even though his eyes were keeping up with each and every movement she was doing.

"What the hell, Swan?" he said suddenly.

Bella turned around, her fingers buttery and slick from greasing the oven pan. "What, Paul? What's the matter?" She was in her own element in the kitchen. Truth be told, she was also a little annoyed that he had used her last name and not called her Bella. Heck, even Isabella would've been ok, but she couldn't really get mad at him since technically Swan was still her name. And he seemed to call his packmates by their last name too, except for Sam, of course.

"You just gonna cook for me?" he asked. "Just like that?"

She shrugged at him. "You said you were hungry. I'm making a casserole. Plus you're being polite about it—well, polite for you in any case. So, what exactly is your problem?" She was anxious to keep moving. Likely the only thing worse than an annoyed Paul was a hungry-and-annoyed Paul.

He stared at her again. Stared at her so long that Bella was beginning to actually feel her skin tingle at the raised temperature of the kitchen. She wasn't sure if it was the oven or the teenage shapeshifter, but Bella was beginning to feel beads of sweat dripping down her back and her thighs clench from his gaze alone.

Then Paul sighed as if the spell were suddenly broken. "Nothing."

With that out of the way, she turned around and resumed her cooking. She mixed her sautéed veggies with her sauce, cheese, pasta, and minced meat into the baking pan without another interruption from him. When she was ready to place the huge dish in the oven Paul actually got up, palmed the dish with one hand, and placed it on the oven's middle rack for her without a word. Thirty-seven minutes later, the steaming, cheesy casserole dish was ready to be served and Bella handed him a serving plate that was bigger than her head. She was beaming at him, proud of how great the food looked and that it should be plenty to feed him. Or at least get him started. She really did like helping to feed the pack; it was such a hard job and so much responsibility. Half the pack had real jobs, school, probably family duties, and while hunting vampires too. And to top it all off, they had to watch her also. Bella, the magnet for all things unholy and scary in Forks. It was way too much to fall on a handful of teenage boys.

Paul's mouth stayed blessedly shut while she spooned out a huge helping of food for him and placed his silverware to his left. "Here you go," she said merrily. She sat down, glancing nervously at him. His golden hues were down casted, a dark and serious expression on his face. Maybe he's a little moody again. I'll get his mind off things, she resolved. She does like him though. Maybe he wouldn't find her so bad if he got to know her a little more. Paul was the pack's very best fighter, so he was obviously important to the pack. And if Paul was watching out for her and keeping her safe from Victoria, then he was important to her as well. "So, Paul," she began as he started to eat. "How long have you been phasing—"

"No," he cut her off harshly. "Na-ah. No fucking way. Not gonna get personal with you. Ain't happening."

Her mouth folded within itself. She felt numb again. The sting of his rejection hit much too close to home, as if he were writing her off before she could even prove that she had something worth sharing with him. "I just," she began cautiously, "thought that-that we—"

"No," he says more forcefully. "Whatever you think this is, it isn't, remember?" Paul would repeat it over and over again as many times as he thought she needed to hear it. "I'm on duty. Nothing else."

She bites her bottom lip then. Hard. She tastes the metallic copper in her mouth and tries not to lose it in front of him. If she was able to shapeshift herself, she would definitely be a wolf by now. "I'm sorry that your duty is such a burden."

His mouth stops mid-chew as he regards her with a slight tilt to his head. Again, his eyes burn into hers and the numbing emptiness she had just felt suddenly seeped out of her, leaving a single spark bouncing around in her torso making her whole body feel alive again.

"It's not so bad," he countered and then resumed the shoveling of the casserole into his mouth. "Get to be a protector and all that shit. Least I get to turn into a kick-ass wolf. I like him." he says through his chewing.

"You like being a protector? Thought you'd much prefer playing the big, bad wolf," she teased.

Paul chuckled. "The glory of it is what I like, I guess. And it's obvious that you need it, girlie," he said snarkily. "To be protected, that is. You're trouble walking on pale-faced legs."

She nodded, making a point to not hear his insult of her. She was beginning to see that his crudeness was what he fell back on when confronted. If he couldn't fight with brawn, he'd fight with his mouth. But Paul did have a valid point; she was definitely a magnet for all things recently weird in Forks. Bella couldn't argue with that. She had needed help of the supernatural variant before now too. Maybe she should really consider having a werewolf for a husband if vampires were going to keep showing up and threatening her.

Bella shook the thought from herself. She would use never use someone like that, least of all any of the pack members. They were all too good to be used that way. She would definitely never want to hurt Jacob like that either. "And what are you, Paul?" she said back. "What are you walking?"

Paul narrowed his eyes eerily in perfect imitation of his wolf and smirked dangerously. "Already told you: kick-ass wolf. With a side of big bad," he stated half-jokingly. "My wolf doesn't take shit, so I won't either. My parents don't have a say in what I do. Nor do my packmates. And certainly neither do you," Paul finished coldly.

Bella's eyes widened. She knew what he was implying. How could he think that about her? "I wouldn't," she protested. Bella wouldn't because she knew she couldn't; there was no point in trying to make someone do what they didn't want to. Edward hadn't wanted to be with her forever, like he had sworn, and he hadn't wanted her to become a vampire either. He didn't want her like him. He didn't want her at all, obviously. If she couldn't make a vampire do what he didn't want to do while being in love with her, why the hell would Paul think that she had any influence on him?

"See that you don't," he warned softly.

She gave a curt nod while staring into his hard-lined, ruddy face. As intense and angry as he looked, she still couldn't get over how beautiful Paul was. Bella vaguely recalled what Jacob had looked like when she stated it to him the afternoon she had fallen off her bike that one time, but she now knew much differently; Paul Lahote's looks were indescribable and unmatched by any one person she had ever seen. Beautiful. Handsome. Hot. They were all just words. Not only that, but Paul and his wolf were wild. They were free.

Wait a minute, she thought with a stop.

Bella wholeheartedly and undeniably agreed with Paul's prior statement: his wolf was pretty awesome. Now she also noticed that Paul kept referring to his wolf in the third person, as if it were a complete and separate entity from himself. He had done it when he first arrived while she had been joking with him about no other vampires being invited into the house. What could be the reason as to why Paul talked about his wolf like he did? She wondered. His wolf resided inside him. His wolf was able to take over his whole body and turn him into a lethal, killing vampire crushing machine. That dark grey wolf she had seen those few weeks ago was stunning. Heck, if she hadn't met Paul from before and had had the misfortune of stumbling into his wolf while walking around the forest, she would've been thrilled to be in his wolf's presence. After having a small stroke, that is. Of course, when Bella had "met" him that first time, she really hadn't been thinking that he was marvelous at all. More like really big dog with giant white teeth that also wanted to tear her apart.

"Yeah," she again agrees. Bella then suddenly has a revelation; if Paul and his wolf were two people (entities—whatever), maybe she could get to know the other side of him too. Then maybe he'd be able to tolerate her a little better. She really wanted to get along with him. It was worth a shot. And he was definitely worth it. "Can I see him?" she exclaims to a still partially scowling Paul. When his golden-sienna eyes raise in momentary confusion, Bella quickly adds "I mean, may I see your wolf, oh great protector of mine?" in a playful tone. She didn't know completely why she had suddenly asked to see it or why she wanted his wolf to at least be able to tolerate her. It may not have been polite dinner conversation, but she was stuck with it now. And very curious. Plus Paul had said that he liked his wolf anyway. Maybe if she stroked his ego, he'd let her see his wolf. Didn't all boys like showing off for girls? Cause Mike and Ty from school certainly did.

Paul wipes his mouth, his attention fully on her and not on the rest of the casserole. "You've already seen him," he said plainly. "What you wanna see him for?" he followed up, suspicious and rightly so. No one had ever asked to see or be in the presence of his wolf before. Not willingly anyway. His packmates had to see him. Other supernatural enemies, like the leeches, noted it was the last thing they'd ever see. Why did this tiny girl want to see the wolf? It didn't make any sense.

"I know," she confesses quietly. "But when I saw him that first time, it wasn't like a real good look, you know? And then when you were here for your first shift—well, the first time you were at my house, anyway-you didn't stay for your first actual shift," Bella continued, "Your wolf was, like, sorta not facing me all the way. In fact, he actually took off back into the forest. So, I guess what I'm saying is your wolf has a nice back, but now I want to see more of the front?" she sorta questioned apprehensively.

Of course, Paul had taken off for what was supposed to be his first shift. He hadn't wanted to be there in the first place. And his wolf felt safe in the forest. No one and nothing messed with his wolf and no one and nothing definitely wanted to actually see his wolf neither. Or so he had thought. Again, what is with this chick? "You ain't afraid of him?" he asked, still disbelieving that she wanted to see his wolf. She couldn't possibly like his wolf. Once again, no one liked his wolf. While he wasn't the biggest wolf in the pack, he was by far the wildest and most untamed of them all. None of his packmates could even look straight into his wolf's luminescent blue eyes for very long before either backing down or sulking away. Even Jacob never held his stare for long except when he had been showing off for Bella. Little prick, Paul thought. Was off my damn game that day, anyway. He remembered that day Bella had come to the rez looking for Black, all huffy and indignant. After he had involuntarily phased in front of her the first time, she had had that same look of wonderment on her face when he had been his magnificent wolf. Just like the look she wore on that first intended shift. Was she merely just fascinated by it?

Paul suddenly saw her through the blue irises of his own wolf. Those eyes had always freaked out Paul a little, himself. His Lycan-self's bright, sapphire colored stare was such a vast contrast to his normally hazel-browns that Paul looked like he was a completely different being all on his own when he was phased. And Swan, he continued to ponder. This damn Swan girl, this fuckin' hayák̩a, wanted to see that?! His own mother hadn't wanted him and his father, with all his overworked but underpaid, menial labor jobs and his own 'overnight' shifts to sift though, never even saw him anymore. Fuck, his own packmates didn't like him but at least they needed him. To fight. To blame. To ostracize. Whatever. Who did this girl think she was?

"Ain't you afraid?" he asked her again, almost daringly. He was definitely taunting her.

Bella resolutely shook her head. "No," she found herself boldly saying. "Why would I be afraid of him? He's you, isn't he? It's your wolf. He's part of you, therefore that makes him a part of who you are, and there's nothing wrong with that. There's nothing with you, Paul," she finishes.

Paul had never heard that before. There had always been something wrong with him. Always something he could do better or be better at than the next person. All his anger and aggression kept his heart pumping its blood because deep down inside he thought that if he stopped, then his wolf would stop, and he would be back to being a loser rez kid with no money and no future. Just stuck. No phasing, no life, and no unique thing that made him him. He didn't want to be that way. On his life, he would do whatever it took to not be without his wolf, but in doing the very things that his wolf fed on, like drinking, partying, women, and fighting, he had alienated most of the people he had known for all his life. His teachers, his father, and all his other so-called friends before he had joined Sam Uley and his pack of the 'wild, steroid-filled teen gang,' as they were sometimes described. Paul didn't want to go back to before, but he wasn't sure how much more forward he could go if he kept going on like he was. Was Bella Swan seeing what no one else had bothered to?

"Seriously," he began, feeling a lump in his throat. "Why you wanna see him for? He's big, mean, and angry." His wolf growled a bit internally, but Paul shoved down the prick of a very painful spark he felt just below his reddish skin.

"Well," Bella sighed. "He might be all that stuff too, but he's also very pretty. Actually, he's quite beautiful. Just like the man, I guess." It was that simple for her to say. For her to admit that fact out loud to him and just like that, the anger just under his skin was gone. When nothing else was said for the next two minutes, Bella began to feel a warmth tingling up her neck and face. She was such a spaz and so damn awkward. What the hell must he be thinking about her? He had already said that he didn't like her. That he would never like her and here she was: almost all out declaring that she though he was gorgeous. And not just him, of course, but his giant almost seven-foot wolf counterpart too.

She began to mumble an apology for saying anything when the heat got to be too unbearable when she suddenly hears Paul laugh. It was a different laugh than his prior ones, which had actually been more scornful in nature, but this chuckle seemed to be from his gut and it was melodic to her ears. She didn't think she had heard anyone laugh like that in a long time, Jacob included. No, Jake had been so serious and somewhat melancholy lately that she couldn't quite remember when it was the last time he had actually had a real laugh or giggle in her presence. Definitely at least before he started phasing into his russet wolf. But Paul, Paul fucking Lahote was laughing. The sound was music to her ears and the best part was that it even sounded real to her. Like his touch, it gave her a feeling that she very much enjoyed having again: hope.

A cocky grin erupted on Paul's face as he stood up, gently grabbing both of her hands to pull her up from the table and toward him. Even though her initial adjective of his wolf was 'pretty,' and it was safe to assume that the word 'pretty' was a very chick-y word, he couldn't help but preen about it. As he mentioned before, Paul loved his wolf side. Loved the freedom it granted him when he ran in the forest though it kept him stuck on the rez for the rest of his life. But he had never had someone compliment both him and his wolf and definitely never from the same person. So, when Bella had admitted that she was cool about his wolf and she thought both him and it were gorgeous, it sent a sudden fire coursing through his body that he never experienced before. It was alive and it was savage.

As they stood Bella gave him a questioning look. He winked at her and without another word, stripped off his shorts, and kept his stance within full reach of her hands. He never bothered to wear underwear.

Bella's eyes zoomed straight down his center on instinct and all of the blood that she could spare that wasn't already in her face was definitely there now. Her skin resembled the color of a very bright tomato and as she shut her eyes much too late, the laugh, which had been so real, rich, and booming now became a knowing snicker as light as a feather, but still made her stomach flip-flop and her tongue go thick.

Paul hadn't planned on really phasing. He had first figured that Bella was just trying to get a little dangerous thrill, but wouldn't really want him to change into his wolf. Just like he thought; her eyes had quickly adverted when he took off his only article of clothing. He stood in front of her, naked, trying to peer into her eyes which she had successfully covered once she had already gotten her eyeful. A little thrill had shot straight into his cock, making it jump. He had a semi just standing in front of her. Pity, he thought. This is more than she ever saw of that fucking vamp and baby Alpha, but she won't even take advantage of it. But he still wasn't going to put his shorts back on.

A few painstaking minutes later, Bella called out, "So, you going to phase to your wolf now or keep standing naked in my kitchen?" as her eyes were still closed and covered with her hand. She hadn't even stammered.

Huh? Paul gave a confused snort. Guess she really did want to see him. Now this was one request he could fulfill. He just had to know that she had really wanted to see his wolf. He took half a step back and, on the fly, felt his nose grow, his skin turns to his trademark shiny, grey pelt, and his long claws on his now four paws tap the linoleum kitchen floor. He fell forward lightly, coming within two centimeters of knocking into Bella and a low, unintentional yowl erupted from his muzzle. Bella opened her eyes, removed her hands from her face, and crawled the very short couple of inches to him on her knees with her face twisted into the happiest grin Paul had ever seen on a female. Any female.

She likes me. He realized with a start. She really likes me. And she likes him. She likes us both.

Paul's wolf was confused; she wasn't afraid of him. Here he was, huge, in charge, and took up nearly half the room in the kitchen and she was on her knees, petting him. Literally scratching him behind his ears. And his wolf was overjoyed by all the attention he was getting.

Her fingernails dug into his short fur and it felt like tiny electric pulses drumming through his muscles. Her scent, definitely vanilla flavored with a spicy mix of basil and fir from the forest, was driving him wild with lust. She smells like her cooking and the trees outside.

Holy Hell, he realized. She smells great. And she didn't seem the least bit frightened. Black had said that the Swan chick was really good with weird, supernatural shit. Definitely unnatural. Ugh, supernatural, he groaned internally at his choice of words, although his wolf made a noise like a deep, throaty gurgle.

Bella's hands started to move hesitantly through his dark grey coat. "Am I hurting you by rubbing too hard? I'm sorry," she said quickly. Before she could withdraw, and before Paul could rethink his actions, he put his paw lightly on her left thigh to hold her down to the floor and began licking her face and neck insistently.

Fuck, I'm tasting her. Christ, she even tastes better than she smells. He smelled the casserole on her breath and his long tongue started curling into the crevices of her mouth and under her chin, trying to get more. He closed his eyes, trying to focus on the other four remaining senses that also seemed to want to bathe into her scented, tiny frame.

Bella began to laugh. "Stop," she giggled girlishly and nearly fell over despite Paul's pressing of his front paw on her leg. She placed her hands back on his ears. "Bad, Paul," she teased and kissed his wet snout. Paul shook his head and then placed his muzzle into the crook of her neck.

Christ, what the fuck is wrong with me?! I'm licking her like a dog! In answer to his jumbling, racing thoughts, a deep, vibrating purr came from his wolf's chest and it rumbled against the human's seemingly lukewarm skin. Paul felt like he and his wolf were being stroked in a warm, tepid bath that smelled explicitly like Italian seasoning and wood. Mmmhhhmmm, he thought. I don't even care. She feels phenomenal against me. He hesitantly opened one of his now very bright, cobalt-blue eyes and when he saw that she had both her eyes closed and her face was completely at ease, his eye narrowed back to a very fine slit and he went back to enjoying the sensation of her hands in his fur.

Bella continued to pet him absently for another ten minutes and he further enjoyed his shimmering pelt being touched. "My legs are falling asleep," she complained. "Instead of sleeping outside, wanna come upstairs to my room? It's gotta be cold for you out there." His wolf gave her a look, his icy blues staring at her with clear focus and she realized her error. "I know you guys run hot, but still, it's Forks. It's like 30 degrees outside at night in the middle of summer. My bed is much more comfortable-oh," she stopped, her blush returning. She had just asked a teenage shapeshifter into her bed. Plus, he didn't like her, right? "Never mind," she said sheepishly. "I mean, you don't have to if you don't-"

Paul's wolf gave half a wheeze and turned away from her to start his trot up the stairs, his steps quick and flawless with the ascent. He nudged her partly closed bedroom door with the side of his furry head and disappeared into her room without another word, bark, or even noise. Despite his size, and knowing what she knew about the pack, Bella was still shocked that Paul had moved as silently as he had. How was he able to move like that? She wish he would teach her how to do that.

"Huh," she said out loud. "Even a giant wolf in a tiny house moves better than me." She chuckled lightly at the observation, put away leftovers, and placed the rest of the dishes in the sink to at least start soaking. Then she went upstairs hurriedly after the very huge houseguest/pet.

In Bella's room, Paul was looking around the tiny bedroom and without hesitation splayed himself across the foot of her small twin bed. He may sleep outside on the forest floor in wolf form, but inside a real bedroom (albeit, small) with a chick, he damn sure wasn't sleeping on that hardwood floor. He had standards.

Let's see how good she really is with weird, he thought.

It wasn't too long before he heard Bella (she tripped twice) come upstairs to join him. She gave him a quick glance as she entered the room and offered him a small grin. "Comfy?"

His head tilted. That's it? No surprise or demand that he get off of her bed this instant or even give an empty threat of complaint to Black about his lack of manners? Was she for real? Was she really that accepting? The wolf watched her as she grabbed a few items from her dresser's top drawer. "You don't have to move, but I'm gonna wash up and change in the other room though, ok? I'll be right back." And with that, she gave his pelt collar a light rub with her fingers and then put her head against his. "So pretty," she whispered into his ear and then she was gone.

Now Paul was amazed. This was going way past her thinking he was gorgeous. He could even overlook how easily he had been comfortable enough to damn near purr against her as she petted him downstairs. It must've been too long since he had been able to…no, that wasn't it. He could have sex with any one at any time he wanted, so why is this time so different? Because he wasn't thinking of sex of with Bella just now. He was thinking of so much more.

Not only had she accepted his wolf but she really didn't seem to give a shit that he was on the bed. He took up more than his fair share of the twin, but she had seemed perfectly willing to share what space she had with him. Yeah, but she had been with a vampire. Ok, well, dated one if he really believed her to be a virgin, but there was a big difference between his wolf and that thing—that damn bloodsucker. He reasoned she must be nuttier than he thought. She must be scared of him. Or she was just a really good actress. There was no way she could not be scared of him. He would prove it.

As Bella stepped through the doorway with her day-worn clothes in her arms and dressed in her pj's, Paul gave a little jump off her bed, trotted up to her, and pressed himself into her waist and crotch. Not the brightest idea he had ever had; instead of fear, he actually smelled heated arousal. It was a very small amount, but it was there. Her hips seemed to gyrate into his face and he licked his jowls to keep from tearing off her PJ pants and licking straight into her center.

Christ, now he was thinking about sex with Bella. Fucking hell, I wanna taste her taste again.

Paul whined and Bella mistook the meaning of it. "I'm sorry, was I gone too long?" Why was she always apologizing to him? He gave her another sad snivel and Bella patted the top of his head affectionately. "I'm back now," she said soothingly. "Wanna get back onto the bed so we can lay down?" His wolf tore its head away and began to whimper. When the hell had he become such a dog? "Come on, boy, let's go to bed." She seemed not to realize her effect on him…or the effect he was producing in her. He swore he could smell her ovulate.

Fuck it. I want to go to bed and I'm taking her with me. He wouldn't really, but damn if he didn't want to. The wolf rolled his eyes but moved his hulking figure toward the bed and waited. She got into bed first, pulled the covers around her and when she patted the space next to her, he hopped back to the foot of the bed instead. There definitely wasn't enough space for her and the wolf to lay side by side comfortably. She scrunched up her feet and even with that motion, they both still didn't quite fit well.

"Ugh, this is difficult," she exclaimed in frustration, throwing off her flat sheet. He was about to jump back off thinking maybe this night was shit when he heard Bella sigh and then she flopped on top of him with another huff, using him as a giant furry body pillow. "There. Only way it looks like we'll both fit is if we sleep on top of each other. But I'm sure you won't do anything. You're a good wolf, aren't you?" she teased, but her face gave him such an innocent and sweet smile that he found it hard not to abide by her. She really seemed not to know that her words could've had a double meaning to them and Paul was beside himself. He was much too tired all of a sudden to deal with this rush of gentleness he was feeling. At least that's what he told himself.

He actually felt his own wolf's massive head move with a single affirmative nod and with that Bella settled into his grey fur, wrapped her arms around his middle and closed her eyes. This girl wasn't just good with the weird and supernatural; she thrived in it. He couldn't help but give her another small lick on the side of her face and shuddered a little. She really tasted good to him. That was weird too.

His paw laid on top of her side for a few minutes protectively until he too closed his eyes. He slept through the night with ease.

It wasn't until much later when he was already running back home still as his wolf the next morning that he realized that she hadn't cried while she had slept on him. Not even a sad whimper. At all.

A/N: Halfway there. Things are going to start progressing more quickly. This is, after all, only eight chapters. Thanks for the favorites, reviews, and follows so far!