Hello, darlings.

Here I come with another chapter. I meant to update yesterday but I couldn't.

I hope this chapter solves some of the questions that you were asking (mainly if Paul had imprinted on her).

Let me know if you have any more questions.

In the meantime. Stay safe and enjoy.

SILVER

Chapter 3: Revealed feelings.

She avoided the Reservation after her conversation with Alice, and the buzzing in her head only got worse with each passing day. It was so annoying. It wasn't precisely a headache, but it resembled one.

However, she knew she could count on Angela, so she went there for downtime and advice. Angela ended up ordering pizza, ice cream, and sodas. It was a serious matter. Bella had done the same thing when she had conflicted feelings about Embry and Ben before knowing everything.

"Do you think it is possible to love two people at the same time?"

"I do. But they'd be two different kinds of love. If you fell in love with a second person, something must be off with the first person. Maybe you love the first person but no longer romantically. You might be in love with the second person but no longer in love with the first one. Does it make sense?" Bella nodded.

"It reminds me of a phrase I read. It said something like, if you are debating between two loves, you should choose the second, because if you really loved the first one, then you wouldn't have fallen in love with the second."

Angela thought about it. "I'm not sure that's necessarily true. People change, they fall in and out of love, and that doesn't have to be related with another person coming into your life."

"Yeah, I thought so too."

"Do you ask for any particular reason?" Angela was one of the few people that could read her like an open book.

"Well, you know how I'm always fighting with Paul, how he antagonizes me and teases me to no end. But he also flirts and can be very sweet. And it's not just that. It's just, I feel like there is something there when I'm with him like I can do anything, be anything. I don't know how to explain how he makes me feel, whether he's fighting with me or being the sweetest and most attentive guy in the world." She shook her head, flushing when she caught Angela's smile. "It messed with my head. I think I fell for him." She knew she had fallen for him. "Which makes me feel guilty because I also love Edward."

Angela nodded. "I noticed something between the two of you." Bella smiled softly, amused, though still flushed. "But be honest." She paused, thinking about the best way to ask the question. Bella needed a reality check, so she asked directly, "Are you in love with Edward?" The emphasis on the question surprised Bella. It was not only because of how direct her friend was but also because it was the same Alice had said.

Bella felt tears well up in her eyes. Her heart broke a little, although in a different way it had broken when Edward left. She had to admit what she had been thinking for a few days now. "No." She said finally with a defeated sigh.

Angela smiled sweetly at her friend while grabbing her hands in support. "Bella, put aside the vampire, wolf thing. They're just two guys, and you're just a girl. You take everything so seriously. If you think you have feelings for Paul, just think about it. How he makes you feel when he's not teasing you. How you feel when you speak with him like a civilized person. Just think about everything you just told me that might give you the answer you're looking for."

Angela squeezed her hands lightly and continued, "If you want to, I can help you brainstorm. You could make a list of everything. It might seem like a stupid thing, but in this situation, it is the only thing you can do. I know Paul might hate it, but that's the only way to find out."

Bella sighed. "You're right. But I don't want to think about it tonight. We can do whatever tonight. I'll deal with my drama in another moment."

Angela agreed, knowing when not to push Bella and when to do it. This was one of those things that she had to figure on her own. She could give her many an advice, but in the end, she was the one who had to be honest with the ones involved. Whatever her feelings for Paul, she had to be honest with Edward, break off that relationship that was going nowhere now that she had said out loud she was no longer in love with him.

Angela knew that Bella knew that. There was no need to remind her of that. But it was also fair for her to do it on her own time and her own terms. She had been sprung around too much already. She was always going to everyone's rhythm but her own. It was time she followed her own beat.

After her conversation with Angela, Bella decided it was wise to stay out of the Reservation. To avoid the source of her confusion. She needed to clear her mind in order to make the right decision. She knew that she had to break up with Edward; that much was clear. She wasn't in love with him anymore, and she needed to tell him that. Before she did something she would regret, like kissing Paul stupidly while still in a relationship with Edward. Neither of them deserved that. She had to think of how to tell Edward that. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt him. But she was going to hurt him If she didn't do it soon.

Then, she needed to understand what these feelings for Paul were. Was she in love with him? Was she attracted to him and nothing more? She owed it to herself to be honest. And to do that, she needed to be alone, and be honest with herself, no more denying, no more delaying the inevitable.

She rejected all calls from anyone related to the Reservation, including Angela. She also rejected all calls from any of the Cullens. This was her time and her time alone. She didn't want to talk to anyone. She wanted to be alone. The only thing stopping her from turning off her phone was Charlie and his rule of 'always keep your phone on and charged.'

She cried her heart out. She cried for her lost innocence. She cried for her lost love for Edward. She cried for her evident feelings for Paul. She cried because of the damn buzzing in her head that wouldn't budge. She cried of frustration, of freedom, of happiness, of sadness. She finally felt like she could feel all the feelings that she had kept bottled for an undetermined period of time.

When was the last time she had cried so freely? Without anyone attempting to make her feel better. She felt free, crazy as it may sound.

…

…

…

Emily sat on one of the stools in her kitchen, sipping absently on a cup of tea. Her house was uncommonly empty. But contrary to what everyone might think, and even though she enjoyed the few minutes of peace, she enjoyed having everyone over constantly. She liked taking care of the guys. She loved the company and the noise, the constant half-hearted bitching, the mock fights. It might not have started that way, but they have become family.

Sam woke up from his nap, kissing her scarred cheek lovingly, prompting a dreamy smile to spread through the girl's face.

"What has you so deep in thought?" He asked, pouring himself a glass of water.

Emily sat the cup on the table and sighed worriedly. "I'm worried about Bella." She admitted.

Sam had noticed strange behavior from Bella but never thought twice about it. That girl had enough trouble on her own.

However, they just had one more trouble stomping in their house loudly and fast.

"What's wrong with Bella?" Paul demanded. Sam raised an eyebrow in warning.

Emily recovered quickly from the shock that Paul's abrupt entrance had caused her. "She's not answering my calls, nor Kim's. She hasn't come in a few days, and neither Jake, Quil, or Embry have heard from her. I'm worried."

Paul stood there, still as a statue, but his mind was running a mile a second. He had thought that Bella's sudden disappearance was strange. But he didn't know the extension of it.

"I'm going there." He announced, looking at Sam.

He nodded. He couldn't keep him from her.

Paul took off running.

Emily looked at the disappearing wolf in confusion. "What is going on with him?"

Sam passed his hand through his face, trying to shake the exhaustion that he felt despite his nap. "A few weeks ago, when Jacob brought Bella for her first bonfire, Paul looked at her in the eyes." Emily gasped.

"Did he…"

Sam shook his head, interrupting her. "It got interrupted by Jacob. But not on purpose. Ever since, both Paul and the wolf had been on edge. Angrier at himself, at her, at Jacob. Running doesn't calm him, and I don't know what else to do. He asked Jared and me not to let anyone know. So far, the pack thinks that I'm the only one who has phased with Paul." He finished.

"I imagine it doesn't help to see her and Jake together all the time." Emily ventured. Sam snorted. That was an understatement.

…

…

Paul knocked insistently on Bella's door. She answered. Her eyes were red. She had been crying. She looked so helpless that it tugged at his heart. He stomped inside her house, taking her with him. He closed the door with his foot, and with Bella still tucked into his chest, he walked to the couch. She wasn't crying anymore, but tiny trembles rocked her from time to time.

Paul's heavenly smell, the one she knew was causing her a lot of confused feelings, was the one calming her now. Which made her feel more guilty; she was still with Edward. Although not for long. She planned on breaking up with him that night. Once he returned from wherever it was he had gone.

"Would you tell me why you're crying?" he pressed sweetly while he traced the dried tears on her cheeks. It was a gesture so sweet that her heart beat faster.

Bella melted at the tone in his voice. Since the Oreo episode, she had wanted to see him again, to be hugged by him, to feel his presence next to her, even if he was quiet and analytic. God! She loved the amount of trouble she could get in with this guy. He elicited the most sinful thoughts and fantasies from her.

"I don't want to talk about that today. I'm not ready to share." Her red and puffy eyes were begging for understanding. He didn't like it, but he let the subject rest.

"Is this why you are avoiding everyone at the Reservation?" He pondered.

She sighed and nodded. "Did I do something to cause this?" He had tried to behave. He really regretted having scared her the other day at the Black's backyard. He wanted to kick himself for that.

She wanted to be honest. To tell him that yes, in fact, he had done something to her mind, or more accurately, to her heart, that he had made her open her eyes in the craziest of ways. To whom did she owe the truth first? Edward or Paul?

"No. You didn't do anything wrong." He noticed it hadn't been exactly what he had asked, but he took it, nonetheless.

"Ok." She smiled at him and rested her head back in his chest. She fit perfectly in his arms.

He was a goner for this girl. God help him; he was falling for this girl.

No.

He had already fallen for her.

Before he left her house, he paused for a few seconds. It was necessary. No more holding up. She needed to know.

"Can we talk tomorrow?" He asked

She nodded immediately. He kissed her cheek in the spur of the moment before walking away.

She stood there, smiling like an idiot and nursing the spot where his lips had touched hers. Yep, she was completely done.

…

…

…

That night, her dilemma solved itself. That night everything changed. That night Edward lost her forever. She had insisted on joining the practice. She had been frantic with worry over his family and her wolf friends. Little did he know that allowing her to come (as if he really had another choice) would change things forever.

She hadn't had the time to tell him what she had been pondering the entire day. More accurately, she didn't have the chance to break up with him. Instead, she focused on the most important thing that night. Her friends.

Paul.

He had no idea how, or why, or why at this moment. Bella had spent a lot of time at the Reservation, her visits no longer restricted to Jacob Black, but it extended to the whole pack. So why at this moment? In front of everyone? In front of his family?

Bella was a few feet behind him, whereas he was standing next to Carlisle, waiting for Sam to reach them so he could start translating thoughts into words. He saw the wolves. There were more than they had initially known. And it made him wonder if Bella knew and if she knew why she hadn't said anything. As the wolves approached, he was inundated with thoughts. Some were marginally acceptable. Some were right down insulting. But he ignored them. He focused on Sam, and the training Jasper had planned.

Then, at that moment, translating for Sam, he saw in his mind one of the wolves, Paul, stare directly at Bella. That was the moment he lost her. He imprinted on her. She blushed, meaning she probably felt something had changed. The wolf advanced, completely ignoring him, and situated himself next to Bella. She reached out, scratching behind his ears. He laid down around her. He was covering her with his massive body. She giggled, completely confused as to what was happening, but she definitely felt it.

This was what she had been fighting. It happened the same as with Jacob. When she couldn't talk to him on his human form, she found comfort in his wolf form, merely because he couldn't answer back.

"Pretty dog." She teased at the wolf, who let out a huffing sound. His thoughts weren't that much clear, he was a mess of confusion, but above everything, there was contentment. Finally, everything fell into place.

Some of the wolves were celebrating in their minds. Some even howled. Jacob's thoughts were the most surprising for him. He was relieved. He loved Bella, but he wasn't in love with her. This disarmed Edward. Had he been fighting the wrong enemy?

Some thoughts were surprising. Bella had never let known that she had been fighting with one of them. Seth slipped up and thought that they finally did something about that tension between them.

Edward noticed that Sam and another wolf named Jared had also witnessed their fights, tensions, and feelings.

Edward saw on Paul's mind what had transpired in Bella's living room that afternoon.

Bella's focus was fixed on the wolf in front of her, who was now smelling her, rubbing his fur on her. She seemed so content. She had laughed more in those seconds than she ever had since he came back. Was it really that moment he lost her? Perhaps he had lost her a long time ago, and he didn't want to realize it.