What's this? An update that ISN'T forever and a half after the last one? That's actually only like a week since the last? Which is, like, an actual normal time between updates? WHO AM I?

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed! It was y'all that helped keep my brain in Anna mode so I could get this next chapter done. Hopefully I'll be able to keep momentum going!

Chapter Seven

Anna

The next couple of days after hanging out at Felicity's were uneventful. I went to school, where Felicity was turning into my closest—and only—friend. Aside from my brother, of course. I went home, where we got ourselves set up and situated. I ate, I slept. And then I repeated. On Saturday, Mom insisted we did a final deep clean of the house and then it would officially feel like home.

By Sunday, I was ready for a relaxing Easter with my family. Instead of sticking around inside while Mom hurried around getting ready, I decided to head outside for a walk until we left to head to Grandpa's house.

"Anna, hey!" a voice called out as I exited the building and I froze.

I didn't need to turn around to know who it was. I recognized the voice: Paul.

"Feels like forever since I've seen you," he said, stopping by my side. "How are you?"

Left with no choice but to actually interact with him, I shrugged. "It's only been a couple of days. I've been around."

If he noticed how awkward I was, he didn't let it show. He just smiled and nodded. "Are you headed somewhere now?"

I shrugged again like the idiot I was. "We're going to head to my grandpa's house for Easter." I paused. "I was going to take a walk right now, though. While I wait for the rest of my family to get ready."

The way Paul's face lit up had me wishing I hadn't mentioned the walk. It was bad enough I was talking to him. Add us going on a walk together? My palms began to sweat. "I could walk with you. You know, if you're okay with that?"

Something in my stomach twisted at the hope in his voice—in his eyes. Why this beautiful boy cared about spending any time with me at all, I didn't think I would ever understand. It made no sense. But I couldn't deny him. "Okay."

He grinned. "Great!"

We stood for a moment, neither of us making a move.

"Was there anywhere specific you wanted to walk?"

I shook my head. "Just around the block, I guess. I'm mostly filling the time until we leave. Getting fresh air. You know." So. Stupid. What did I expect him to know? I was barely speaking coherent sentences. Ugh.

But Paul nodded like he understood. "Alright. Then let's go this way." He pointed to the left and started walking, thankfully. I joined him. "So you never told me—how are you?"

"I'm fine," I answered noncommittally, sticking my hands in the pockets of my over-sized gray sweater. "How are you?"

He sighed. "Tired. Work has been running me ragged."

I chanced a glance at him and noticed he did have bags under his eyes. "Maybe you should go rest instead of walk with me."

He waved his hand. "No way. I haven't seen you in days. We need to catch up."

"We do?" I asked uncertainly. Since when did anyone, let alone a guy as perfect as Paul, care about spending time with me? It was strange how suddenly I was noticed—by Felicity and now Paul. Only two people, but that was two more than I'd really had before.

"Of course!" he exclaimed with a smile. "That's what friends do."

I blinked. "We're friends?"

His smile faded. "Sure we are. Unless you don't want to be?"

My eyes widened. "Oh! I mean. I do. Or, sure. I…" I stopped talking before I made a bigger fool of myself.

Paul took pity on me. "Then we're friends. Felicity doesn't get to hog you."

I released a short giggle. "She hasn't been hogging me."

"I repeat: I haven't seen you in days. And yet Felicity has. Sounds like a hog to me," Paul argued.

My lips tipped up in what may have been a tiny smile. "We go to school together. It's not like we've been hanging out without you."

"Excuses."

"Facts."

Paul opened his mouth to reply, his expression light and happy, but we were interrupted before he could speak. "Paul Lahote?"

We both turned to face the cruiser stopped next to us, passenger window open with a man leaning in our direction from the driver's seat. I'd never seen the man before, but clearly Paul had, since he replied, "Chief. How are you?"

The man rubbed a hand over his face, ruffling his mustache. "I've been better. Doing a run through town to see if maybe I'll find Bella. I know I've asked Billy and he said Jake hasn't seen her—but maybe you know something he doesn't? Do you know if Bells has been around at all? Or at least made contact?"

Paul frowned, shaking his head. "Sorry, sir, but no. Last we'd heard from her was before they ran. Nothing since. We're keeping our eyes peeled, though."

He nodded with a sigh. "Alright. Thank you. Don't think I haven't noticed that you've cleaned up your act lately; I respect that. Keep up the good, you hear?"

Paul saluted the man. "You got it. Have you met the newest Forks resident? This is Anna. Anna, this is the police chief here, Chief Swan."

I gave an awkward wave as the man, Chief Swan, forced a smile. "Nice to meet you. If you or your family need anything, feel free to reach out."

I nodded, unsure what to say.

He didn't wait for more of a response. "Well, I'll be seeing you around. Let me know if you see or hear anything."

"Will do," Paul said, then the man drove away. After a pause, Paul began walking again and I fell back into step beside him.

We were silent for a minute before I felt the need to say something. "Sorry I'm so…awkward. I don't mean to be so embarrassing."

Paul's brow furrowed as he turned his head to face me. "Embarrassing? Anna, no."

I bit my lip. I hadn't meant to make him upset.

"You're not chatty. That's okay. I'm chatty enough for the both of us. It's not like you're rude—or an asshole who makes terrible jokes that hurt people's feelings." He nudged my arm a little with a smile, trying to lighten the mood.

I couldn't meet his gaze and instead watched my feet as we turned a corner. "I'm not good at socializing."

"You did just fine at Felicity's the other day."

"I'm glad you think so."

"Hey," he said, placing a gentle hand on my elbow to make me stop walking. "Don't be so hard on yourself. You get on fine with people who give you a chance. You don't need to be everyone's best friend. Who even cares what everyone thinks? So far I think you're pretty great. Why else would I have begged to take a walk with you?"

He was purposely flattering me out of pity. Now not only were my palms sweaty, but my hands started to shake. I pushed them deeper inside my pockets with hopes that Paul wouldn't notice. I was a mess; I didn't need one of my new friends catching on to that fact so quick. "You're being too nice to me."

He snorted. "No such thing."

"Well, it's appreciated regardless. Just know that I'll understand."

Paul shook his head. "Understand what?"

I pursed my lips for a moment before saying, "I'll understand when you get tired of dealing with me. I'm weird and I'm anxious and I'm antisocial and I'm…lots of other things that aren't great to deal with. So I appreciate your attempt at friendship now, but I won't hold it against you when you decide to move on. I'll understand."

"Anna…" Paul started to say.

"Anna!" my mom yelled from down the road. "Come on, it's time to go!"

Grateful for the perfect timing of my family, I quickly started striding toward where my parents and brother waited. "Bye, Paul."

"Anna…" Paul said again.

I didn't turn around.

"This conversation isn't over," Paul called after me. "I'm not going to give up on you."

Still, I didn't turn around—but I heard his words. And though I didn't want to, I stored them away in my mind. I'm not going to give up on you. It was too good to be true, but I couldn't help but hope otherwise.

Paul

"It's sad, really," Quil said, "that he's resorted to driving around town hoping he'll catch a glimpse of her."

Sam tapped his fingers on the table in thought. "It's unfortunate Chief Swan got drawn into this. He didn't do anything wrong. But maybe he'll get good news soon."

I perked up at that, taking my gaze off the fried chicken I was devouring. It was a few hours after I'd taken the walk with Anna—I was eating some dinner at Sam and Emily's before heading out for patrol and took the opportunity to share the encounter from earlier. "What? Have you seen her, or them?" I didn't even want those vamps' name in my mouth.

He shook his head. "No. But we've been catching wind of them. It's in the air. They're getting closer. Whether or not they'll actually show their faces and be back is unknown."

"It's not surprising," Emily said quietly from where she sat next to Sam drinking tea. "Bella can't stay gone forever. Not all of a sudden like that. The Cullens know better."

"Bummer," I muttered, biting into my food.

"What were you doing walking around Forks anyway?" Quil asked, stabbing into his own meal.

I rolled my eyes. "I live there, idiot."

He snorted. "I know that. I mean, why were you walking down the street there? You said you were taking a walk. Since when do you do that? It's weird."

My gaze met Sam's across the table. He knew why. Emily probably knew, too, since they didn't keep secrets. Normally the pack was pretty open with each other as a whole—since it was more effort to hide things than it was to just let it all hang loose, something I'd learned vividly ever since I'd imprinted and decided to keep it under wraps. But I was going to be patrolling with Quil tonight. Was I really up for more secret keeping?

I sighed. "I'll tell you, but you have to promise to do your best to keep it to yourself. I don't want the entire pack freaking out over this."

Quil's brows lifted. "What would the entire pack freak out about?" He smiled. "Now I have to know."

Pulling in a deep breath I refused to acknowledge how terrible an idea this was. Quil was not the right person to share this with…but I'd already begun and he wasn't going to drop it now. "Do you promise?"

He waved his hand in the air, fork dangling from his fingers. "Yeah, yeah, yeah; I promise. Now what is it?"

Shit this was stupid. Too late now. "I imprinted."

Just then Sam's front door opened and a couple of people strode down the hall. "You imprinted?" Leah asked with a sneer. "Gross."

Eli, Leah's imprint, took a seat at the table while she went to rummage through the fridge. "Congrats? Is that what we say when this happens?"

Sam laughed. "Paul is happy about it."

"Then why was he keeping it a secret?" Quil challenged.

Leah's head popped up. "It was a secret? When did it happen?"

"That's not important," I said, not wanting to go into all the details.

"Is she ugly?" Leah asked, not letting the subject go.

"Of course not!" I yelled. "She's fucking beautiful, you bitch."

"Hey," Eli said, but Leah just laughed. Sure, real fucking funny, picking on my imprint who wasn't even here to defend herself. Not that she would have defended herself. My imprint was lacking self confidence. The way she'd been so solemn earlier, telling me she'd understand when I gave up—shit, it hurt my heart. She was sweet, beautiful, and damn funny when she let her guard down even a little bit. She should never fear I'd give up on her…that anyone would give up on her. She deserved so much better than that.

"Come on," Leah said, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Tell us all the dirty details. Who is she?"

My first instinct was to continue refusing to answer, but then I knew exactly what to say. "She's Felicity's new best friend."

Leah scowled but said nothing—an improvement compared to how she may have reacted not too long ago. Eli zeroed in on me, however. "City has a new best friend? Since when?"

I laughed, about to say something else to egg on his bewilderment when Jacob ran into the room. "We didn't want to raise an alarm because there isn't exactly an emergency, but there's news."

Sam immediately rose from his seat. "Are they getting closer?"

Jacob's expression hardened. "Worse. They've been spotted."

Now Quil and I rose too, and Leah straightened from where she'd settled to leaning against the counter. "Where?" Sam asked.

"Dr. Cullen was at the hospital. Word is spreading that they had to leave for a family emergency but now they're back."

"Shit," I murmured, my body tensing as my hands began to shake.

Sam was the opposite, standing still as stone. "And why did you not raise the alert?"

Jacob frowned. "We can't just attack the guy in the middle of town."

"I'm not sure you should attack them at all," Emily murmured. "Not hastily, anyway. Think about it. Be sure. Whatever you do could save or end lives."

Leah sneered. "Since when do you care about bloodsucker lives?"

Emily stood tall, no remorse in her face. "I don't. But I care very much for my family." She looked at Sam. "Taking care of your brothers and protecting the tribe are the most important things—even more than vengeance."

Sam peered into her eyes for a good moment before nodding. "We'll be smart." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "But now it's time for a meeting. We need to discuss this, weigh our options."

"Weigh our options on what?" Kai, the newest member of the pack, asked as he walked into the room, rubbing his eyes. He'd been released from patrol earlier today and had no doubt just woken up.

What delightful news to wake up to, I thought sarcastically as Jacob told him, "The Cullens are back."

That's it for this chapter! It would make my day if you took a moment to leave a review and let me know what you think! In the meantime, I'll be working on the next chapter for y'all. Hopefully I'll get it done and posted soon :)