Authors note; thank you so much for all the reviews, favs and follows. A bit of encouragement goes a long way….here is the second chapter! The third is halfway written.

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It was three days after the bonfire when Bella decided to get answers. She'd been crawling out of her skin, desperate to see Sam and yet common sense stopped her each time she tried to make plans to go to the Rez. Well, common sense and Jacob.

He'd done his best to convince her that seeing Sam was not the best idea. He told her he was scared for her safety. Bella had listened to begin with but the need to see Sam became all consuming .

She finally decided to ask Charlie straight out about Sam's story.

Charlie was surprised by her questions, clearly confused as to why his daughter had this sudden interest in Sam Uley.

He seemed uncomfortable answering her questions.

"Sam has been in trouble in the past, but it was tribal business and they handled it internally." He told her shortly.

"What kind of trouble?" Bella prodded.

Charlie looked uneasy. "They don't share their problems with outsiders, Bells."

Bella sighed. "Have you heard the rumours...about Sam?"

Charlie nodded sagely. "It's not true. Sam would never do the kind of things they're accusing him of. He's a good man."

"Jacob said he killed someone. Who was it?"

Charlie's mustache twitched. "He didn't kill anyone, Bella."

She sighed again, exasperated. "But in the rumors - who was it that he killed?"

"Emily Young. His fiancé." Charlie told her, avoiding his daughter's astute gaze. "The inside story on the rez said she died in a car crash."

Bella felt ill again. It felt like a cover up.

"What do you think happened?" She knew Charlie had always been very close to rez business, the only 'pale face' who seemed to be in the know with the Quileute tribe. If anyone would know, it would be Charlie.

Charlie eyed her suspiciously. "Why the sudden interest in Sam Uley?"

Bella felt a faint heat rise in her face. She shrugged, going for nonchalant. "No reason in particular. It's just that I've heard what they say and I've seen how he's treated by his own people. The whole thing just seems off - like there's more to the story, ya know?"

Charlie didn't look fooled. "Right. Uh-ha."

Bella quickly went about making breakfast to divert her father's attention away from his suspicions. Whatever they may be.

It worked and the subject was dropped.

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Bella almost faltered, but she was determined to see Sam. Jacob's words echoed in her mind on repeat. What if Sam had killed his fiancé? She shook her head, dismissing the thought. There must be some explanation. Sam wouldn't just hurt someone.

How she knew this was beyond confusing. She had after all just met Sam, but her instincts told her he wasn't a murderer.

She found her way back to his house easily enough. A warmth trickled down her spine when she saw Sam's beat up truck parked beside the small wooden house. He was home.

It was lunchtime on a weekday and Bella had left school to see him, literally ditching class to clear up this misunderstanding. Her conversation with Charlie that morning had only added to the mystery which surrounded Sam's story.

She went up the stairs cautiously, hoping to not alert Sam to her presence too soon. She raised her hand to knock and squealed in surprise when the door opened right under her knuckles and she came face to face with Sam.

He must have known she was there, but how? She'd not touched the door yet or stood on any squeaky floor boards. Sam must have amazing hearing.

His face was stoic, emotionless, immobile. His eyes however glittered with suppressed savagery. It was as if he knew why she'd come and he didn't like it.

Bella felt her heart flutter at the sight of him. She felt an immense sense of relief, like she could breathe again. The unease which had plagued her evaporated.

She was suddenly shy and tongue tied. Visions of the kiss they'd shared flashed through her mind and caused that deplorable, traitorous heat to rise in her face yet again.

Sam stared at her, one eyebrow raised, his expression sardonic.

"What do you want?" He grated out, making sure she knew just how unwelcome she was.

Bella's spirits fell.

"I need to speak to you." She managed past the lump in her throat. For some reason she wanted to cry.

Sam didn't invite her in, instead he leaned against the door frame and crossed his arms. Bringing her attention to his biceps which in turn led her gaze to his impressive body. He was only wearing a pair of cutoffs. Bella swallowed hard, suddenly overheated.

She remembered vividly how it felt to be held in Sam's arms and up against his body.

As if he knew what she was thinking, he smirked at her, all knowing and shit.

"Speak." Sam said. She bit her lower lip and Sam watched, his gaze dropping to her mouth noticeably. Bella's heart beat faster.

"I wanted to ask you about what happened...with…" she swallowed. "Emily."

Sam's face changed in an instant. He looked angry. " Fucking Black." He muttered. He made Black sound like a swear word.

"It wasn't him who told me her name." Bella hesitated, terrified of rejection, but determined to speak to Sam. "Can I come in?"

Sam said nothing and for one heart stopping moment she thought he'd refuse.

But then he stepped aside and gestured for her to enter. He moved, but not a lot, leaving barely enough room for her to pass him. Bella felt the heat radiating from him and closed her eyes from the briefest of moments. He was magnetic and she was falling into him all over again. She didn't understand this need to be around him. It made no sense and yet it was everything now. An imperative.

The house was neat and tidy, not at all what she'd imagined. Bella stopped in the small living room and turned to face Sam. The room seemed even smaller with him standing there. Bella felt tiny and very vulnerable.

"What do you want to talk about, Bella?" Sam demanded, "You already seem to have heard about my criminal record, why would you come here knowing what I've done?"

She stared at him, shocked. "You're saying you're guilty?"

He shrugged. "She's dead. The rest is semantics."

Bella realised that Sam spoke really well for some who'd quit school too early to lead his tribe, as Charlie had told her. Her eyes fell on the pile of books on the table.

Byron - the collective works, was top of the pile. Sam obviously liked to read.

She suddenly didn't want to know about Emily. She didn't care whether he'd killed her or not and this scared her. She should care.

"It's not, if you're innocent and everyone believes you're guilty."

Sam watched her intently, his gaze eating her up. She looked so damn good all he could think about was how she tasted. Her hair hung around her face and shoulders in auburn waves contrasting beautifully with her alabaster skin. It released her scent every time she moved. Not the scent of shampoo but the scent that was unique to Bella.

It was all he'd thought about for days.

"I'm guilty." He said resolutely. "I deserve their fear and hate. Don't try and save me, Bella."

Bella moved towards him cautiously, each step bringing her relief. Curiously, the closer she was to him the calmer she was.

Sam inhaled sharply as Bella stopped merely a foot away from him. She smelled so fucking good. He clenched his fists.

"Sam?"

"Bella." He replied in kind.

She smiled. Their exchange was ludicrous. All thought of murder and gossip fled her mind. All she could think of is how it would feel to have Sam touch her again.

Her pulse leapt wildly when he stepped closer. She dared not meet his eyes, she was scared of what she might see.

He lifted her face up. "Look at me." He said demandingly. She obeyed, lips trembling. Her wide thickly lashed chocolate eyes were filled with a need as desperate as his own.

" Fuck." Sam's curse was a soft snarl.

His thumb stroked her petal soft skin just below her full lips, his gaze fixed on what he was doing as if his life depended on it.

Bella whimpered when he stroked her lower lip and then tugged on it slightly. A coil of unbearable tension wound tighter in her lower belly while molten heat travelled down her spine.

Sam was gravity and she swayed towards him. His eyes glittered oddly, their colour luminescent. Bella shivered.

He stepped even closer, until their bodies touched. With a mutual sigh they kissed. He still held her chin and he used his hold on her to guide her lips open, more, further aaahhhh, fuck…

Bella kissed him back, matching each of his movements with her own. Closer, deeper, more…

With no effort at all, Sam lifted Bella off the ground entirely. Her legs wrapped around him instinctively and he growled his approval, his large hands cupping her ass. Their kiss deepened until they were all but eating each other. Bella rubbed herself on his washboard abs, she was so wet, it ached inside. Sam's long fingers found their way between her legs from behind, rubbing her pussy through her jeans with just the right amount of pressure. Bella moaned into his mouth as she rolled her hips against his exquisite touch.

More...oh God...please...

Sam released her lips to kiss a fiery path down the side of her neck. Instinct took over and he felt the savage urge to bite her, mark her as his own.

What the fuck was he thinking?

Sam put Bella down instantly, disgusted with himself for allowing this to go so far. She looked at him shocked and dazed, and so fucking innocent it tore at his heart.

"I can't touch you again." He snarled, his eyes luminescent, canines elongated. Bella gasped, her eyes wide as she took in the inhuman anger on Sam's face.

What had she done wrong? Why was he pushing her away?

Some part of her knew why he was angry, it was with himself, although she didn't know why.

"Then don't." She reasoned with him, her voice quiet, soft and sweet. "Just be with me - let's talk - tell me about the tribe - tell me about you!"

"Black told you everything you need to know! Now leave! " He told her, his voice was a decebal away from a roar.

Bella felt no fear, her hands shook, yes, but she knew Sam wouldn't hurt her. He was trying to protect her. She wasn't entirely sure what Sam was, but she knew instinctively that he wasn't human. His eyes and teeth only confirmed what she already knew in her heart.

"I can't." She whispered brokenly.

" Now !" He growled, his voice inhumanly deep, canines flashing.

Bella obeyed. She ran.

She ran as fast as she could. All the way to her truck.

It was only when she was halfway back to Forks that she realised she was crying.

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She sat up late to google the Quileute legends, hoping to find some clue as to why Sam was so feared by the tribe. What she discovered made no sense. It couldn't be true, could it? The legends spoke of the Quileute being descendants of wolves. Surely that was a metaphor? They couldn't mean real wolves, could they? Bella's logical mind refused to believe in such fairy stories, but she'd seen Sam's eyes and teeth. Those things couldn't be explained away.

What was even more strange was that Bella had not been afraid of Sam in his animalistic anger, but rather more aroused than she'd ever been before in her life. Bella knew deep within herself that she'd wanted Sam to lose control with her, she just didn't know why.