Chapter 6

Paul heard Bella pulling her truck in front of his house. He was already hard for her, missing her like crazy. It's been three days since they've last seen each other. Paul's leg had healed entirely, but the injury left a light scar. He didn't know how to explain that to Bella, making him nervous. He was starting to run out of excuses for all the wolf shit.

Paul opened the front door, and Bella jumped on him. Paul breathed in her scent and froze.

He smelled bloodsucker on Bella. It wasn't a strong smell, but it was there.

"Bella, why... Oh shit..."

He was going to phase.

"Stay here!"

That was all he had time to say to Bella before he put her down and sprinted behind his house.

But Bella didn't listen. She followed him.

"Paul, what's the matter?"

And just when he got to the backyard, he phased. Bella screamed and froze to her spot.

Paul whined. He laid down on the ground and put his head between his paws, looking up at Bella.

She'd stopped screaming and stared at him, her eyes wide and mouth open.

Please don't hate me. Paul pleaded in his mind. He could not live if Bella started to hate him and would be afraid of him.

"Paul?" Bella said, making it sound like a question. "Is that you? Christ, did I really just see you turning into this gigantic wolf?"

Paul whined.

She took a step towards him. Paul whined again.

"God, it is you! I can see your eyes in him. How can this happen? Geez, it really is you. Holy shit!" Bella babbled and tiptoed silently towards him.

They were looking into each other's eyes. Bella's eyes were full of wonder with a hint of fear.

Paul flattened his body tightly against the ground, making himself look as nonthreatening as possible.

Bella came to him and kneeled slowly beside him like she was trying not to scare him, the animal. Paul's heart just grew larger for her.

"Can I touch you?" she asked and slowly moved her hand towards his big head. Paul followed her hand with his eyes; it was shaking a bit.

Paul sighed, feeling her touch behind his right ear. Paul started to purr. What the fuck; he was purring like a fucking cat, but he didn't care. Bella was touching his wolf, and the wolf was ecstatic, as was the man. She hadn't freaked out; he could hardly believe she hadn't run a mile after seeing him like this.

"So soft. How is this possible? I mean, I remember your legends, Billy Black used to tell them by the bonfire, and I've told them to Ben. Holy shit, they are true, aren't they? Ben did see a wolf on the beach, but it was black and you are grey. Who was it?"

Ben? Seen a wolf, Sam? When? How?

Bella's eyes widened, and she started to laugh.

Paul couldn't believe his eyes and ears. What the fuck was funny about this? Bella was now howling and leaned against his side, scratching his fur with her hands. Paul noticed he was wagging his fucking tail; now, he was just a big freaking dog. But fuck that he was happy; they both were.

"Oh my God. You are a shapeshifter. Fuck!"

His woman was a weird one. Relief pulsed through his body, and he started to laugh too. Well, it sounded like he was having difficulties breathing. But damn, this was weird and amazing at the same time. She knew the truth; he didn't need to lie to Bella anymore. He could ask Sam to take back the alpha order he'd given him. Then his heart sank: he had to tell her about the imprinting. Or did he? He really didn't want to.

"Paul. Paul. How are you going to turn back into a human? You can, can't you? Please don't stay as a wolf. Even though you are so cute, I want my man back."

Bella moved to kneel in front of his head, and then Paul smelled the sickening smell of leech again. It wasn't strong, but he smelled it. How the fuck was that possible? Fear went through him; has she been in danger?

He started to rip off her clothes as gently as possible with his teeth.

"Paul, what the hell are you doing? You are ruining my clothes!" Bella shrieked, trying to push him away. It made him chuckle to see her trying to stop the giant wolf. She really wasn't scared of him at all.

It didn't take him long to get all her clothes off, and then he started to lick her.

"Eww, Paul, that is gross!" Bella screamed.

He licked her whole body, stopped, and sniffed her all over; the smell was gone. Now he was able to turn back into a human.

He grabbed Bella into his arms and ran into the house.

"Paul, what are you doing?"

"I'm taking you to the shower. You smelled like a vampire."

What the hell?! Why was he able to tell Bella about vampires. Had Sam's alpha order somehow lost its power?

"Vampire? What the hell are you saying? Vampire? They don't exist, do they?"

"Shapeshifters exist. Why wouldn't vampires?"

Damn, the order didn't hold anymore. Well, that was fucking good considering that the secret was out anyway. But Sam was going to murder him. Paul cringed; he would wait until tomorrow and tell him before his patrol

They got into the bathroom, and Paul opened the water.

"Paul, this all is just so crazy. Surely you just didn't say that vampires exist."

"This is shit crazy but all true. I turn into a fucking wolf, and it happens because there are leeches we need to kill."

"Seriously?"

"Hmmm. I can't believe you're not freaking out, baby. You saw me turning into a horse-sized wolf, and all you did was laugh. What the hell were you laughing about?"

"I don't know. I suppose it was my way to deal with the shock, you know. And honestly, I think I'm dreaming. All that just didn't happen; this isn't real," Bella said, looking at him, her hand brushing over the tattoo on his bicep.

"Well, it shouldn't be real. But you know what should and is real?" Paul asked as he lifted Bella and wrapped her legs around his waist, his cock hard and ready. He needed to claim his woman. It was unacceptable that she had been close to a bloodsucker. It meant he hadn't marked her enough with his scent to ensure that no one who shouldn't didn't touch her.

"What," Bella whispered and nipped his ear lobe.

"This," Paul said and slammed his hard hot cock inside Bella.

"Hmm... that is real for sure," Bella said, biting and nipping his jaw with more force than before. She was treating him like the animal he was, and he fucking loved it.

Mine! Fuck! Bite!

What the hell? This was new. Wolf hadn't been part of their fucking before.

Paul pressed Bella against the shower wall and started to slam into her.

"You are mine," he growled. It felt fucking good to let the animalistic sounds out of him, and he felt how it excited Bella.

"I'm yours!" she moaned loudly, baring her neck to him. He growled louder, and Bella started to clam around him, sucking him deeper.

It was fast, it was hard, the way they liked it, and as they came together, Paul had to hold his inner beast down; he was clawing himself out, wanting to bite Bella. What the fuck was that all about?!

They pressed their foreheads together, catching their breaths.

"Wow, Paul. It felt like your wolf was there. You made very sexy sounds I haven't heard before," Bella said, panting.

"Yeah... I think he was." And it scared him a bit. What would have happened if he hadn't stopped the instinct to bite? He needed to talk with Sam about this.

Why was his wolf reacting toward Bella this way? Not that it mattered, hell no. But he needed to know. Was it the way she'd responded towards him, wasn't afraid of him? None of the imprints wanted to see their wolfs. After seeing how Sam's wolf had scarred Emily, they were all afraid of them.

"Bella, you are something else," he sighed and started to wash Bella. He lathered her skin with the strawberry soap he had bought for her earlier this week.

"What did you mean that I smelled like a vampire. Where have I been with a vampire?" Bella asked. "It is a pretty scary thought."

"Who did you see today?"

"Um... I was practicing with Patrick the whole day, and I saw Edward..." Bella's eyes widened in horror.

"Edward Cullen, is he … is he a vampire?"

Paul felt like someone had punched him in a gut, "how the fuck you know Edward freaking Cullen?"

"I've known him about a year now. We met in Vancouver, and sometimes we play together; he's a brilliant pianist. He happened to be there the last time I was in New York. We hung out and played," Bella told him and continued, "I haven't understood why he isn't playing in front of audiences being as amazing as he is, but I guess I understand now that he cannot become famous being a frozen vampire. He's been in Europe for the last two months and just came back earlier this week, and it was then when I learned that he and his family have recently moved to Forks. I met him at the café in Forks today."

Paul didn't know what to think. Cullens had moved to the area as Dr. Fang had told Sam because his son wanted to be spent time with his friend. Was it because of Bella? No fucking way!

"He is very pale, his eyes change color, and I've touched his arm or hand a few times; he'd been so cold. Oh my god, the Cold Ones."

Now Bella started to hyperventilate. It was about time she started to react as a normal person should. He pulled her close to his chest and kissed her on the top of her head.

"Easy there, baby, he won't hurt you. The Cullens won't hurt people. They are animal drinkers."

"They're what?!" Bella knelt and threw up.

Paul knelt beside her and moved her hair off her face.

"This is so sick," Bella mumbled.

"Yeah, tell me about it. But I've got you, baby."

Later that night, when Bella had finally fallen asleep, after asking countless questions, he couldn't sleep. He couldn't understand why Sam and the elders let the Cullens move back here. Treaty or no treaty, they were the reason they were wolves now, some of them anyway. And how easy it would be for them to bite a human and to leave and never come back. Or turn human into a bloodsucker. He started to shake. Bella turned around and nuzzled her face in his neck, kissing his Adma's apple in her sleep. It soothed him, and the shaking ceased.

Shit, he was never going to be able to let Bella out of his sight again. But like he had a choice. She was leaving for Seattle for two weeks to practice with the orchestra, and he just simply couldn't follow her there. He needed to see the fucktard and make sure he understood to stay the hell away from Bella.

He pulled Bella closer to him and finally drifted to sleep.

When Paul opened his eyes the next morning, the most beautiful sight greeted him: Bella's deep brown eyes looked at him while her forefinger lightly brushed hair off his eyes.

"Good morning, wolf-boy," she said softly and kissed the tip of his nose.

Paul could only stare. He was still blown away by Bella finally being his. Waking up next to her was the best thing in the world.

"How did you sleep?" he asked her.

"After I crashed, I slept surprisingly well considering all that happened yesterday. You?"

"Could've slept better," Paul sighed, "I probably couldn't believe that you're not running a mile after all this shit and was afraid to fall asleep."

"Silly, I would never run from you."

Paul sighed; if only that was true after she heard the rest.

"So, I guess all those times that I was thinking about your excuses and stories sounded a bit off; it was because you couldn't tell me about your being a shapeshifter."

"Yes," Paul confessed, "but I hope you believe me when I say that I hated every fucking time I had to do it. If Sam hadn't alpha ordered not to tell you, I've would have told you about me, secret or not."

"What is an alpha order?

"It's a command our alpha gives us wolves; we can't fight it."

"Oh. Does Sam use them often? It's a pretty powerful weapon. Takes away your own will, doesn't it."

"No, he doesn't need to. So far, I'm the only one he has used them on. The first time was when I've just phased for the first time, and I wanted to come to see you. I was mad with worry and wanted to see if you were alright. But I wasn't safe to be around, and it was a good thing he ordered me to stay away and hence the story that we were in the wilderness looking for that 'missing girl.'"

"Aww, that is so sweet. It warms my heart to hear that you tried to be there."

She kissed him.

"So is there something else you need to tell me, hmm? We've covered shapeshifters and vampires. Anything else?" she asked, playfully kissing his neck.

Paul stiffened. This was it. He had to tell Bella about imprinting. He didn't want any secrets between them anymore now that the wolf was out. The most fucked up thing would be that if he would imprint without her knowing that there was a possibility of it happening. But he was worried Bella wouldn't believe his certainty that he would never want anybody else than her. No imprint would change how he felt about her.

He leaned to kiss her lightly on the lips. Her eyes were shining brightly, but they dimmed a bit when she looked at him and saw the fear in his eyes.

Okay, here goes nothing.

"There is this thing called imprinting. It is the way the legends say the wolf finds its perfect mate," Paul told her.

Bella looked at him for a while without saying anything.

"Legends say huh. So has anyone imprinted?"

Shit! Fucking shit!

"Sam, Jared, and Quil have."

Bella gasped. "Is that the reason Sam dumped Leah?" she asked, clearly horrified.

Paul closed his eyes. He was aware of how bad it sounded.

"Yes."

Bella gasped. She got up to sit, pulling the sheet over her breasts.

"Who is Jared's imprint?" she asked.

"Kim Conwell."

"Kimberly? I went to school with her for one year in Forks. She always talked about Jared. Well, she's the lucky one then, if imprinting made him notice her."

"And Quil?"

"Claire, she's Emily's Sam's imprint's niece."

"But you haven't imprinted," she said quietly, all the light vanishing from her eyes.

Fucking shit.

"No."

"Oh," Bella said so silently he almost didn't hear it.

It hurt his heart to hear in her voice that she thought that she wasn't meant for him because that was exactly what she was thinking right now.

"But you are the one I love, and I only ever want you," Paul said

"Sam didn't want Leah?" Bella asked him, visibly shocked.

What the fuck could he say to that?

"Baby, I can't talk for Sam. All I know is that he was the first of us to phase and he was all fucked up when he met Emily; he imprinted and couldn't control anything that happened then."

"Do you think he would have wanted to if he had known how?"

"I honestly don't know."

"How was it with Jared?"

"He didn't have any reason not to accept the imprint. Although he never noticed Kim before phasing, she was all he could see after becoming a wolf and imprinting on her. He seems happy. I haven't seen much of Kim. I don't like her very much."

"And Quil?"

"The same, I guess. Quil had never dated a girl, and what I've heard, Claire hadn't dated anybody either. But they all let it happen. I would never do that."

"How does it happen? What happens when you imprint?"

"Are you sure you want to talk about this? I fucking hate the thing," Paul hoped she would drop it. But he knew that Bella wouldn't let go if she wanted to understand something.

"Please, Paul. I need to know," Bella said.

Paul sighed. He also got up to sit and turned to face Bella. He took her hands into his own.

"You look in the eyes of the woman who is supposed to be your soul mate, and you imprint."

Bella's eyes filled with unshed tears. He wanted to pull her into a hug, but she continued, "how does it feel?"

Damn, she really wasn't letting it go.

"I don't know."

"But you said yesterday that you can see and hear each other's minds. Surely, you've seen it."

"Damn baby, you are too smart for your good sometimes."

"Maybe," Bella smiled a sad smile. She was looking at their joined hands. "But I need to know what you have to deal with when it happens."

"If it happens," Paul needed to correct her.

She just looked at him.

"What I've seen in other's minds is that when they imprint, the only thing they see is her. She becomes the center of their world or some shit like that. Things that mattered before don't anymore, not as much anyway. The only thing that matters is her and her needs and what she needs the wolf to be. They become obsessed; all they think about is her. It is scary shit, really. I love you more than my own life, but I still have my own mind and my own will."

"Paul. How do you think you can fight against something so powerful?" she asked, pulling her hands off his. The loss of her hands hurt.

"I'll find a way. I won't give in to that crap. I have you, and you are all I'll ever want. Please believe me."

But Bella didn't seem to listen to what he said.

"Why does it happen?" she asked.

Paul sighed.

"Sam and Billy Black say that it is to make the wolf stronger, to keep him grounded when he goes through all the shit. Old Quil says it's to produce the best possible offspring, which is why shapeshifters can only ever imprint on Native American women. Surely you can hear what total racist crap that is."

Bella just looked at him with an expression on her face he didn't know how to interpret. It hadn't happened before, and it worried him more than anything.

"You are aware that I might never be able to get pregnant?" she said.

"Yes, I know that, and you know that it isn't any reason for me not to want you." Bella had bad endometriosis, and her doctor had warned her that she might have it very difficult ever to get pregnant, and he was okay with that. They've talked about it before, and all he wanted was Bella, and if it meant no children, so be it.

"What about your wolf? He's an animal; after all, he needs to produce offspring. It's in their instincts."

"The wolf doesn't have a say in this matter. And what I felt last night was that he wants you too. It was weird, but I totally felt it."

"What do you mean? We talked about how I felt he was there. I heard him, and I think I saw him in your eyes. They were yellow around the irises."

"Really, yellow? My eyes had yellow in them?"

Bella nodded. That was a matter to talk about with Sam.

"I felt in the shower when we were fucking, that the wolf wanted to bite you. It was weird shit, and I had to put him down so that I wouldn't have bit you. There was a moment that all I saw was this spot here," Paul said and lifted Bella's hair so he could touch the spot on her left shoulder where the shoulder meets the neck. She shivered from his touch. Paul smiled.

"Oh. What does it mean?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out. And please believe that I won't give in to some mystical bullshit. Never! I only want you, and I don't care about having kids," Paul repeated, meaning every word.

Bella sighed.

"Paul, you don't know what happens when you imprint. If Sam dumped Leah over the imprint..." Bella didn't finish the sentence but instead started to cry. "Poor Leah."

"He didn't know what was going on when he met Emily; Sam didn't know why he felt the way he did. He didn't know that he could fight it. Not to give in to the imprint. He didn't fucking know shit, but I do!"

Paul was starting to lose his mind here. Why couldn't she believe him? He would never give up on them.

"So has someone told you that it can be fought?"

Paul wanted to say yes, but he didn't want to lie to Bella anymore.

"No. But I know what I want. I will find a way. We find a way together. And it might never happen; I might not ever imprint," Paul told her. He was getting more anxious by the second. Bella was going to leave him.

"But the threat will always be there. Every time you meet new people, we have to be afraid that she might be your imprint," Bella said, tears flooding her cheeks, and she moved to leave. Paul grabbed her arm. "Please, Bella, don't go."

"Paul, I need time to think and understand what is going on. It is not only the thing that I might lose you in a blink of an eye, but you let us happen, let us become close lovers, and all the time, you knew that you are destined to be someone else's soulmate. That you didn't clue me in, although I understand that you weren't able to do that, I really do, but it still hurts. But I've also learned that one of my good friends is a fucking vampire. I've spent countless hours alone with him, not knowing he could kill me just like that," Bella said, snapping her fingers. "All this is a bit too much, don't you think? I have to go. I need to be alone for a while. I'm not mad at you. I just need time to think. Try to understand."

Paul knew that he had to let her go. He could only hope that she would come back.

AN:

FYI Claire is 16.