AN: I didn't forget about this story! Don't worry. Real Life has been a pain lately. I started a new job, one that I enjoy immensly. Updates will be sporadic for a bit until I get back on schedule. For now though, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

"Me? Really?" Bella questioned. "How? I mean, I don't get why your wolf would want me and not your imprint."

"For some reason he didn't want her. Now that you're back, he's trying full force to get you under us." Sam explained to her, as she blushed at his statement.

"Really? Why? Do you know why your wolf wants me so much?" She asked him slowly.

He nodded, "He's always wanted you. Ever since I found you in the woods that day."

"Hmm. That's kinda funny. For some reason I had felt a pull towards you. Since that day. It didn't make sense, it still doesn't." Bella explained to Sam.

Sam looked at her confused face, nodded, "What do you want to do about it?"

"What can we do? Do we go slow or fast? What do we tell the others?" Bella was rambling. Talking so fast, even Sam, who had superior hearing, had had a really hard time understanding her.

Sam chuckled softly, "We can go as fast as you want. I won't push you."

Bella nodded as the lunch bell rang signalling that lunch was over.

"I have to get going, I have a class of rambunctious teenagers to run laps, among other things." Sam stated as he cleaned up his trash and started walking out her classroom. "Oh, Bella? How would you like to go on a date with me?"

Bella swallowed roughly, "Yes. We can go on a date."

With that, Sam, who was smiling, made his way to the gym.

"Sam?" Bella called. "What exactly does Emily think of this?"

"She left a while ago. Leah didn't tell you?" she shook her head.

"No, she didn't. Will she be back?" she asked him.

"Don't know." with that he turned back around and left her classroom.

Well that is really interesting. Bella thought.

~CH~ ~SB~

After school, Bella was walking to her car when she heard a whistle.

Glancing up, she saw Paul walking toward her. She smiled in greeting as she opened her car door to put her stuff inside. Paul jogged over to her and her car.

"Bella." Paul started. "Where the hell have you been?"

Smiling, Bella motioned for him to get in. "I've been around. Finished university, came back to teach here on the Rez."

Paul climbed into her car, he had to adjust the seat back quite a bit to fit properly. Bella laughed at him.

"Bella, I'm glad you're back." Paul stated. "Let's get to Sam's house. Hopefully, we beat him there."

"Why?" Bella asked him curiously.

"I just want to mess with him." Paul laughed.

Bella started her car and pulled away from the school. She looked at the man in her passenger seat incredulously, "Do you want to die?"

"He won't kill me. Might maim, but not kill. Hopefully."

"Comforting." Bella stated sarcastically as she drove the short distance from the school to Sam's house.

When she pulled up she saw a Black pickup truck in front. Puzzled, Bella looked to Paul.

"Jake." Was all he said.

Bella nodded solemnly before turning off her car and climbing out slowly.

Paul led Bella into the house, completely alert in case of trouble.

"Don't know why you're creeping around Paul. You know it's me." A voice rumbled from the kitchen.

Paul motioned Bella to stay in the living room. She nodded, heart pounding in her chest. She sat down quietly on the couch waiting for a signal or something from Paul.

As she waited, she thought back to the last time she saw her friend.

Bella had graduated high school, and had decided to attend university to get her teaching degree.

At her graduation party her dad, Charlie had thrown, with the help from Sue, she talked with her best friend about her plans.

Pulling him to the other room, Bella sat with him on the couch.

"What's wrong, Bells?" Jacob had asked her, noticing she seemed a but tense.

Bella smiled slightly, "I decided what I'm going to do with my life."

Jacob tensed, waiting for her to continue.

"I'm going to university to get my teaching degree." She continued. "I want to a least get some normalcy in my life." Sighing, she looked at him, "I can't do that here, and you know why."

Jacob frowned at her, "What about us?"

Shaking her head, she told him, "There is amd never will be an 'us', Jake. You're my best friend, that's all."

She could tell that made him angry as he started to tremble.

"You knew. You knew that I have feeling for you." He rumbled.

Bella nodded, "I know. I told you, I told you, I didn't feel the same way. You just wouldn't listen. You thought that I was pining for Edward. I did, for months, but I'm not now. I just don't feel the same way about you that you feel for me."

Jacob stood abruptly, angrily turned to her. "You throw my feelings in my face. You see nothing wrong with that. Well, you enjoy your normal life then. Just don't expect me to be in it." With that he left her party, leaving her sitting on the couch with tears streaming down her face.

She sat there until someone noticed her missing and came to find her. That someone was Paul.

"You okay?" He asked. She shook her head and proceeded to tell him what transpired between Jacob and her.

They became friends after that day.

She came back to herself when she heard the front door open and close. Soft footsteps sounded on the floor.

Sam stepped into the living room and saw Bella sitting there a troubled look on her face. He walked over to her amd crouched down to wipe away the tears that escaped her eyes without her noticing them.

"You okay?" He asked her.

Shaking her head softly, she motioned toward the kitchen and said, "Jake and Paul."

His eyes narrowed, "I see."

Just then a loud crash sounded throughout the house followed by the sound of glass shattering.

Furious growls followed both sounds.

Bella looked to Sam, who looked furious.

"Please stop them." She whispered.

Sam took a deep breath before nodding and following the sounds of snarling.

Bella sighed deeply before burying her face in her hands, tears flowing freely from her eyes.

This sucks, she thought.