AN: I'm so happy that you guys enjoy this and like I say, this story, nor myself would be here without you guys. Hope everyone had a great New Year and I am actually feeling much better thanks to ibuprofen. Bless it.
Chapter 4: Mental States and the Connections We Make
"You two can stop worrying," Bella mumbled, sitting up against the headboard. Both Sam and Jared looked at her sheepishly. "That obvious?" Jared asked. Bella shook her hand in a back and forth motion. "A little," Jared reached behind him to grab the mysterious book Sue gave him.
"What is that exactly?" Jared shrugged. "Not sure, but Sue had it. It's nothing mystical, but it's about LaPush, it's physical and spiritual properties. When starting tribes came here, they used the land for their every need, and some believed that when the gods died, they cast a magical spell on the land, hence shapeshifters. Many believe it's used to heal as well as destroy. It explains this ordeal. Are you sure you're okay?" He asked concerned.
Bella nodded, giving him a small smile. She frowned at Sam who seemed to be lost in his own thoughts, his eyes stuck on her wrist. Sensing her change in mood, he cleared his throat, leaning back into the seat. "Sorry. I'm just thinking about what Sue said. Your scar is gone, but that doesn't mean this is over. Can I?" He motioned towards her arm, and Bella let him explore. He took her arm in his hand, examining it. She raised a brow as he brought her arm to his nose.
He let her arm go, brows crinkling. "You smell fine. No more venom. How?" Jared leaned back as it dawned on him. "Sue said she had to be 're-born'. Maybe that's why? If LaPush is that connected to her, what's to say the water 'killed' her? The venom. In the process, it killed her, but the venom is gone. That's all that makes sense to me,"
Bella reached for the book, and Jared handed it over. She flipped through it, and Sam went in search of Emily, hoping that she'll soothe his nerves.
Bella glanced up at Jared, feeling like he had something to say. "It's not your fault," She responded. He reared back in surprise, tilting his head at her. "How did?" He trailed off. She shrugged. "I don't know about any of this. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around you and Sam, but I just feel you, and it's okay, I'm alive," Jared ran a hand through his still-damp hair, nodding in agreement. "I know, but it felt like I lost a part of myself, but some part of myself that wasn't the me with Kim," Tilting her head at the name, Jared smiled. "She's my imprint. I see how Sam feels, but I know the difference you know? That part of me was saddened by that, your brief, death, I'm still trying to wrap my head around it all.
Bella could see the struggle on his face, and sat up a bit straighter, patting the bed as if they were old friends. "Tell me about her. Kim. What's it like? What's she like?" Jared leaned back in the chair, a completely relaxed expression on his face as he explained his version of imprinting.
Sam stood as the large gray wolf emerged from the trees, trying his hardest not to look away from the dark yellow eyes that stared into his soul. One thing about Paul was that he was comfortable within his own skin, he was himself, and made that quite clear on a daily basis.
Fur melted off skin, and 4 legs and paws became two legs and hands. Standing at almost 6'4, Paul was terrifying. He had this air about him, this electric charge about him wherever he went. Just once touch too close to that personal bubble of his, and the shock alone will kill you. "I just came by to say thank you, for…earlier," Sam said, moving to the side as Paul walked forward and past him up the porch steps. "Who is she?" Sam hid the surprise off his face well, unused to Paul ever saying a single word, and actually showing interest in something. Not that he liked that something being a fragile human of whom he and Jared happened to imprint on.
"It's complicated, just know she'll be spending a lot of time around us, probably permanently," Silence embarked between them, and it made Sam fidget slightly. "What else do you want?" Paul asked, leaning against the wooden post.
"How's Embry? Take the shift okay?" Paul didn't say anything at first, and Sam had trouble identifying the emotion on his face, half of it due to the darkness in the sky, the moon hidden behind clouds. "Fine on both parts, and that's not why you're here. Not really. You want to know. If I did it," Tension was slowly growing within Sam, unsure of what the answer would be.
They stared at each other for a long moment; Paul could tell how much it bothered Sam to see him so close to this Bella.
"Did you?" Sam asked, staring Paul in the eyes, trying to see behind the thick glass of nothing. "I think you and I both know that I'm incapable of doing so. Don't worry, she's safe," Paul purred out the word like that of a monster, taunting its victim, a small smirk on his face.
Sam narrowed his eyes a bit at that. Paul knew how to cross boundaries and knew when to. He also knew the rules and didn't give a damn that his presence alone scared the imprints. He knew when to break rules, and step all over them. He knew that they were pack, and would fight for their safety, but beyond that, he couldn't care less. Emily was nice, but she was too sweet, and Kim in his opinion was like a little mouse that squeaked too much when in the lion's den.
"Just stay away from her," Sam warned, backing away slowly, putting some distance between them. Paul didn't say anything in response, watching as Sam promptly turned away from him.
A howl in the early morning woke Bella from her sleep, making her jerk slightly. She then remembered where she was, and slowly laid her head back down on the pillow. The guest bedroom door creaked open, and Bella lifted her head a bit to see. Sam had poked his head through, smiling down at her. "Go back to sleep, I'll be back later. Emily left this morning to visit family, you'll be alone for a few hours," Bella nodded, turning on her side already dozing back off.
Minutes later, Bella could feel a chill in the air, making her bundle under the covers. She rubbed her arms, turning in the bed, sitting up slowly. She retracted her foot as the cold wood grazed her foot, preparing herself for the second go-round. Opening the bedroom door her teeth slightly chattered as a cool blast of air hit her in the face. Shuffling her way out of the room, she went in search of the thermostat, finding it on the wall beside the kitchen.
The temp was resting at a solid 73, and she hesitated to touch it. She didn't think Sam would mind, so she turned it up to 80, just to knock off the chill. She went back into the guest bedroom and to her suitcase, pulling out a sweater. Changing into a pair of sweatpants, she neatly made the bed before laying her clothes to the side. She took care of her morning routine, staring herself in the face. She still looked like shit, but she wasn't drowning anymore. She could breathe. Just a little bit better.
She shivered again, freezing as she felt what was like ice cubes run down her back. She couldn't shake the feeling of being watched and headed back out to look at the thermostat. It was back down to 73, and she wondered if she broke it. That icy cold feeling crept up on her once again, and she froze. "Embrace the cold Bella," That same phrase, whispered in her ear, but she was alone. She had a brief flashback of when Jared took her into the water.
She only knew that the blue mist was like ice, and the fire was warmth. She just didn't know what it all meant. That voice again taunted her and stopped. Frozen in place as she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. She knew no one was in the home with her. "Hello?" She called out softly. "Sam?" She asked, peeking her head around the corner.
She backed away slowly from whatever she was feeling, heading towards the front door. She shivered, turning around, opening the front door, casting one good glance behind her. She pulled the screen door open quickly, walking straight into a brick wall.
For some reason, it was disorienting, and smoldering hands grasped at her arms, keeping her steady. She looked up into the darkest pair of eyes she's ever seen. Colder than cold, deeper than anything she'd ever experienced. They oddly looked familiar and she briefly remembered the night before, flashing back to when she saw him standing off by the trees, the moon shining down on him like a spotlight.
She blinked twice before finally zoning out to look at the rest of his face. She immediately knew what Sam meant, the blank look on his face making an uneasiness settle in her gut. She wasn't scared of him, but she knew that any sane person should be. She imagined how terrifying he was at a distance, and to strangers, and could see that he easily towered over almost anything around him.
He was dressed in the usual attire she noticed Sam and Jared seemed to wear, but somewhat darker, lack of color she could say. He had the same haircut like that of the others, spiked in different directions that oddly fit him. He was also just as ripped as Sam and Jared, if not more. She could tell by the muscles that bulged under his skin. He was literally a giant.
Meeting his eyes once more, she looked back behind her and then back to him. "Um, Sam's not…Sam's not here," She stuttered, licking at her lips to help with the words she seemed to lack at that moment. He briefly glanced behind her, then back to her, and Bella once again found it odd that no emotion passed on his face. No wonder, curiosity, boredom, he was literally a closed book.
"I know," He responded, briefly looking her over as if assessing something foreign. Bella wracked her brain trying to figure out why he'd be around if not for Sam. "Emily isn't either. She left this morning," He just raised a brow, and Bella frowned. What could he possibly- "I know that too," She narrowed her eyes at him, trying to understand what he was doing there. "Then you know no one is here, don't you?" She questioned, his very faint smirk enough affirmation.
Bella noted somewhere in the deepest part of her mind that the feeling she had moments before had disappeared. Completely. "Would you like to go to the beach?" She blurted, sighing to herself in embarrassment. She looked away from him, quietly whispering, "Idiot," currently unaware of their exceptional hearing. When she saw his feet move away and down the steps, she glanced back up at him, wondering if she somehow scared him off. Unlikely, but the thought still crossed her mind nonetheless.
He stopped in his tracks, turning to look at her. "I think you're dressed a bit warm for the beach," He mentioned, his dark eyes raking over her in a way as if he had some X-Ray vision. Do wolves have that? She thought, shaking her head to herself. She had to admit that he was right. "Um, I'll be right back. don't go anywhere please," She said before turning back to walk inside.
She had no idea why she was steady talking to someone Sam specifically warned her about, but she didn't find him all that….dark. At least not yet, and if she understood correctly, Paul ignored everyone. So why wasn't he ignoring her too?
Why did he want to go with her? Bella quickly changed and went into the bathroom to brush her hair. She splashed some cool water on her face, looking back at herself once again. She shivered again as the cold feeling crept on her, making her grip the counter. She could feel her heart beat faster, some fear causing the reaction.
All she could feel was the cold, and it was deeply affecting her. "What's happening?" She whispered, that horrible feeling creeping up on her. As she headed for the bathroom door, the cold instantly disappeared, and pulling the door open, she stopped in her tracks at the smoldering gaze that greeted her.
His dark eyes glanced around her, meeting hers once again. They just stared at one another, and Bella didn't realize it then, but despite the warning Sam gave her, her heart beat slowed to that of a normal rhythm, slowly synching with that of the most dangerous shifter the tribe has ever known.
Following Paul out of the house, the two walked down Sam's gravel driveway and through the shrubbery of trees before heading towards the road. Bella glanced at him on and off, finding him to be quite soothing despite his stature.
"Thank you by the way, for…saving my life. I don't think I could ever repay you," She said softly, making notice that Paul was a very handsome man. Almost perfect. "No need to," He responded, glancing at her briefly. Silence dawned on them momentarily before Bella spoke again. "You're nothing like Sam said you were, he said you were a…" She trailed off, trying to find the right words. "A cold-hearted bastard?" He replied and Bella's eyes widened. "Are you one?" She asked, glancing up at him, trying and failing once again to see anything in his eyes.
He just smirked at her before turning his attention back to the road. That's when Bella noticed something else. Paul was fluid. He walked like he was on the water, so smoothly, so graceful that it was surreal. They walked in silence, the smell of the salty air soothing Bella's nerves. As they hit the sand, Bella slipped off her flip flops, leaning against one of the trees for leverage. She sighed softly as she curled her toes.
"Why were you at Sam's?" She questioned, leaning down to pick up her flip flops. She followed alongside him, enjoying the sun for once on her skin. Her hair swayed gently in the breeze, and she was briefly reminded of Arizona. She missed the sun.
She glanced back at Paul, finding his eyes on her. He fell into stride with her, their arms almost touching. "Wanted to see what all the fuss was about," He responded simply, and Bella couldn't hide her embarrassment. The last thing she wanted was to be in the spotlight. "I'm not necessarily a fuss…" She trailed off, her eyes sweeping the beach, finding it to be empty for the most part.
"They think about you just as much as their imprints. I'd consider that a fuss," Bella didn't know whether to find the statement funny or to be offended, but she could tell he meant no harm by it. "Do you have one?" She asked, frowning as she noticed a difference within his stance almost immediately.
"It's none of my business," She backpedaled, pursing her lips. "No," He answered, and Bella didn't dare ask any more questions about the subject, silently walking beside him as they walked along the beach. When Paul stopped suddenly, Bella paused and turned her body to face him. Reaching out her hand in concern, her brows furrowed. "Are you alright?" She questioned, her fingers splaying across his forearm. She almost wanted to retract her hand at his body temperature but decided against it. He seemed to be listening to something, and Bella tilted her head as if trying to do the same.
"Bella!" Unconsciously, she grasped the gray t-shirt he wore, mentally cursing as she heard the voice of her best friend. Sam made it clear that Jacob could not know the truth, and Bella knew the importance of keeping secrets.
She readied herself to face Jacob, unsure of what she should say. She was considered a part of the pack now, and she couldn't interact with him like she used to. She bit her lip in worry, wracking her brain on what to do. She was currently unaware of the eyes on her; assessing. Paul's warm breath across her ear startled her briefly, and she tried to pay attention to his words. "Stretch the truth a bit," He advised, and Bella briefly thought of all the things she could say. Bella steadied herself, and turned around, seeing Jacob running up to her, a large smile on his face. "Bells! I didn't know you were on the beach today," He finally slowed to a slow jog, his bright smile dropping on his face as he took in the giant that stood next to her.
He eyed Paul warily, before stooping before them. "Where have you been?" Bella rubbed her arm before sighing. "I haven't been feeling too well," He glanced at her concerned, looking at Paul again. He leaned in close to her, softly speaking. "Well, you look fine to me. I found some dirt bikes, and maybe we can work on them together," He smiled.
Bella hummed to herself and looked at Paul. "Excuse us for a minute," She grabbed Jake's arm, pulling him a few feet away from where she was just standing. "Jake, since I haven't been feeling like myself, I need to get myself right, and to do that, we can't be…friends right now," She swallowed as shock and slight disappointment crossed his face. "What? I don't understand," Bella blinked back tears as he grasped her hands. She pulled her hands away. Jacob followed her every move with his eyes, his baby face adding to the clear hurt he was feeling.
"It's complicated," She murmured. Jacob frowned, his brows furrowing. "Embry, and now you too? Just a few days ago, and Embry and I were as thick as thieves, and now he's Sam's lackey, Paul too, what are you doing hanging around him? He's bad news," Jacob shifted his eyes back to Paul, shivering a bit as he was staring at the two of them with a blank expression on his face.
Bella fidgeted, biting her lip. "He's not," She blurted, frowning as his eyes narrowed. "How would you?" He trailed off, his eyes looking beyond her. "Oh no," Bella turned around, seeing a furious looking Sam stalking down the beach. Jacob grabbed her hand and tugged, an indication he didn't want to stay there any longer. Bella stayed put, turning back to him, a frown on her face. Putting two and two together, Jacob let her hand go, shaking his head in disbelief. "Not you too. What the hell is so special about him?" Jacob pushed past her, stalking in the direction of Sam. "Jacob, don't," She warned, following behind him. She grabbed his arm, only for him to turn back at her with disdain. "I can't believe you," Bella flinched, removing her arm. Heat licked up her spine, and she could feel Paul's chest at her back. Jacob frowned, unable to look Paul in the eyes, and decided at that moment to avoid him altogether. He glared down at Bella, his lip curling in anger. He glanced back at Sam, then back to her.
"You know what, I'm done here. Enjoy your new friends," He sneered, walking around her. Bella sighed as Jacob walked away, blinking away the tears that threatened to fall. She knew it had to happen, but it didn't hurt any less. Sam finally caught up to them and taking one look at the expression on her face, he glared at Paul. "What the hell are you doing here? I told you to stay away from her," He snapped, an expression of anger and disappointment on his face. Bella frowned, confused at his reaction. Why did he hate Paul so much?
"Sam-" Bella tried, hoping to explain why she was 'with the enemy'. Sam's dark brown eyes turned to her, and he scowled. "You. I thought I made myself clear," The growl that resonated within Paul's chest was deafening, and Bella shivered at the sound, glancing up at him with wide eyes. If looks could kill, Sam would be dead.
She laid a hand on each of their chests, seeing as there was some tension bigger than her resounding between them. "I asked him to come. I needed to get out of the house, and…Jacob saw us. I've been perfectly fine with him. Can we please just calm down a bit here?" She asked, looking at both of them. Bella could literally feel the muscles relax from each shifter as their tense gazes tore from each other and down to her.
She didn't understand the blatant hatred between the two, and on some level, she understood Sam's worry and snippiness with her, but Bella has always been a stubborn and hardheaded woman. It was one of her best and worst qualities as her parents would say.
"We need to talk," Sam stated, glancing once more at Paul. "You too," He added, looking down at Bella. He frowned, rubbing a hand down his face. "Sorry for my outburst, but there's something you need to know. Embry and Jared are waiting back at my place," Bella nodded at him, confused when he held out his hand in a fist. "We're good?" He asked, and Bella smiled softly, bumping her fist against his. He let Bella walk ahead and looked at Paul.
"You hurt one hair on her head," Sam warned, the two trailing behind her silently. Paul glanced down at him blankly, the anger on his face already gone, and tossed away like nothing. "I already would have if I wanted to," He responded, making just a few large strides until he was in step with Bella.
Sam sighed, and trailed behind, knowing that nothing good would come of this.
AN: I hope everyone is safe, and to be careful out there! Anyway, it's JAN! 2021!
Okay so, the emotion I was trying to portray with Jacob and the tension between Paul and Sam, didn't necessarily come out the way I wanted to, but I'll be working hard on it. Jacob has now learned that Sam has roped Bella into what he perceives as a 'gang'. Bella is experiencing something she can't explain, and Paul seems to help in some weird way. Besides that, he has also become quite curious about Bella, even though he doesn't show it. What's in store for the pack and their new addition?