A/N: A quick thank you to everyone who added this story in their alerts and/or added it to their favorite list. It truly means a lot to me.
Chapter 18- The unexpected twist
Bella's POV-
Quil dressed up as a vampire…..the two of us about to prank Jake and Embry….Laurent appearing in front of us with that creepy smile of his firmly placed….dragging Quil with me to safety but being found by Laurent….him informing me about Victoria's grand plans and deciding to make me his mate….the wolves finally appearing to our rescue….Quil phasing unexpectedly right by my side….hitting me square in the….
.
.
I woke up with a start, my breaths coming out heavy as a loud gasp left my mouth, sweat accumulated on my forehead, my shaking hands involuntarily reaching up to touch my cheeks, nose, mouth….heck the entire face itself repeatedly, overly worried and terrified of what I would find.
Now, I wasn't overly concerned with my appearance; I did not take much effort into it on a good day. But did it matter- and that is a big yes!
I wasn't as brave as Emily.
I wouldn't be able to bear the scars.
I wouldn't be able to look at myself ever in the mirror again, at least not without breaking down and contemplating to end it all.
I was a coward, I agree.
I was not as brave as Emily or any other woman out there who lived and laughed with these permanent marks of that one horrible day of their life inscribed on them for the rest of their lives.
No.
I would not be able to bear it….
And so, I continued on with my search, my quivering hands touching every small inch of my face, going down to my neck and shoulders, and reaching back to my forehead and scalp, the mere thought of finding even one- hardly there- hint of a scar enough to make me burst out in tears, so very terrifying that this moment of my life was.
But yet, no matter how much I searched, my skin remained unscarred and free of any blemishes, my effort a futile effort indeed.
And that is when it struck me, I wasn't feeling any considerable pain up there. No, all the pain that I felt at the moment- the dull throbbing kind- was concentrated down on my arm of the right hand, the very same arm that was covered in a heavy blue cast- a few messages even written over it- all demanding that I get well soon.
What the…
How had I hurt my arm?
It looked to be a fracture…
And I had enough sense in me to not play around with it until my prognosis was either confirmed or denied by a certified doctor.
This wasn't my first fracture, after all!
But no matter that, while I was concerned about my sudden fracture, I could not help but laugh at the fact that this was my only noticeable injury?
How?
How had I survived that?
Quil had phased right next to me. I remembered that.
His paw had come to hit me square in the face.
I remembered that too.
Then, how was any of this a reality?
How was I still alive?
Shouldn't I be at the hospital currently fighting for my life?
Not that I wasn't any glad of this change in circumstances!
"He took the brunt of it."
I looked up at the sudden sound, an exhausted Kim looking back at me from where she stood at the door, her puffy red eyes telling me that she had just been crying.
"Everyone is worried shit. It has been hours since- and he is not recovering. Not in the slightest. Paula is inconsolable. And so is Sam; I have never seen the man this close to tears. I think they have accepted the inevitable."
"Who?" I whispered, my eyes wide, as my face donned at expressionless mask. "Who is not recovering?"
She simply stared at me, her wise eyes telling me that I already knew the answer to that question.
But no. I didn't know the answer to that question.
I wanted….no needed….to hear it being spoken out loud.
"Who, Kim?" I firmly repeated. "Who took the brunt of it?"
She sighed, shaking her head softly. "Who else but Paul? He jumped in front of you; Quil phasing on him instead. He saved your life."
Oh.
No.
No.
This could not be true!
He did not even like me!
"My arm…"
"It is fractured." She gave me a brief nod, her eyes taking in the sight of my cast. "His paw accidently hit you. He was a bit late in pushing you out of the way. A fact that he regretted even in his last moments. Jared saw the regret in his head."
"Stop talking about him like that!" I shouted at her, tears freely flowing down my eyes. "He is not dead. He will not die."
No.
He could not die.
He had saved my life.
He had to live.
Just had to.
"Bella, you have not seen the condition he is in." she attempted to make me understand. "His face…his arms…it is even worse than Emily had been…. he literally let Quil phase on him. He is hardly breathing. And there had been so much blood loss. I never wished this for him, but we have to accept…"
"Get out."
"What?"
"I SAID GET OUT!"
"Bella?"
"Just leave,"
I took my head in my hands, the sobs coming out freely, as my entire body quivered in guilt and regret.
I have never wanted this for him.
I did not love him- yes, but neither did I hate him.
I did not want him to die.
Please…
Please don't do this to him!
He does not deserve to die.
"Okay," Kim sighed. "I will leave you alone. I am sorry if I unintentionally hurt you…"
"Why?"
That one small word came out in a scared whisper, the question too mighty big not to be discussed.
"Why, what?" Kim gave me a confused glance.
"Why did he save me? Why did he take the brunt of the injury that was supposed to be mine? It isn't fair!" I cried out, waving my hands in air in desperation.
"Life never is." she softly commented, shaking her head to herself. "And there is no answer that can be given for your question," she continued. "You are his imprint. You matter to him!"
And with that, she left the room, leaving me there behind to sit and ponder over her words.
I had not asked for this. Never had.
And while I had not asked Paul to jump in front of me and bear the brunt of the danger coming my way, I could not stop myself from feeling guilty about it.
He had done this to keep me safe.
I was responsible for his injuries.
It was my fault.
Entirely so.
I should never have agreed to Quil's stupid plan of pranking Jake and Embry.
Yes, had I never agreed to it- none of this would have ever occurred.
Why?
Why?
Why had I thought of it as a good idea?
Why had I been so stupid and impulsive to act?
Look what it had led us to!
"Hey, now," Jake's soothing voice reached my ears, him coming to sit beside me on the unfamiliar bed, letting me bury my face in his chest as I cried...cried for all I had unintentionally caused.
"I did not mean to…"
"I know."
He did not have to say anything more, the silence that followed telling me much more than I ever wanted to hear. They did not hate me.
They did not think of me as guilty.
They did not blame me for pushing Paul into this unwanted situation.
But…I was guilty. I was to be blamed.
It just wasn't fair!
"It is not your fault." Jake firmly stated, taking my hand in his, as he soothingly began to draw circles on my palm. "I…I have never really liked Paul; he was always the bully with the sarcastic smirk. And after he imprinted on you, I hated him even more." he let out a humorless chuckle, shaking his head once, almost as if to clear his mind of all unwanted memories. "I always thought you deserved better. I always believed you deserved me. I wanted you to fight for me."
"Jake…"
"Please let me finish."
I nodded my head, silently asking him to continue.
"I…I would not have done this, Bella." He let out a sigh. "Paul is a better man than me. I don't know his reasons, but irrespective, I now respect the man. It takes immense courage to do what he did, knowing that he was replacing your life with his. We may be shape-shifters, but we are not immortal. He knew the risk, and yet chose to walk ahead on that path- keeping you safe above everything else for him. You deserve someone like that in your life. Not me. Never me."
"Jake," I cried out. "What am I supposed to do now? He can't die!"
"He won't." He softly assured me, squeezing my hand once. "But Bella, he needs you. He is losing the fight. He needs his imprint beside him."
I nodded my head in determination, wiping away the tears freely flowing. "Take me to him."