AN: This chapter is just Paul- his first time as a wolf took a little longer to cover than I expected. I could have added a bit with Charlie at the end, but it would have left a cliffhanger and I thought it would be better to put it all in the next chapter. See- I can be nice sometimes ;)
Also, if you haven't noticed, I completely suck at replying to reviews. I honestly appreciate your feedback and I do try to respond to direct questions, but I can't do that for guest reviews or those without messaging enabled. So to the ones that asked about Bella last chapter- she was still living in Phoenix. She's been back to visit, but Charlie is no longer spending as much time in La Push since his marriage so they haven't seen Paul much. Bella will show up next chapter, if the characters cooperate. We'll see!

Chapter 10

Paul POV
I threw myself at the larger wolf that I instinctively knew was Sam Uley. There was no way Jared would challenge me like this, and Sam was a fucking giant. The only problem was the fact that I had no idea how to fight in this body.

Well, what you lack in experience, you make up for in enthusiasm. Jared's wry comment caught my attention long enough for Sam to roll me to my back and put his teeth in my throat.

Yield, Paul. I had no choice but to submit when Sam spoke to me that way. My body refused to fight his command, and I was suddenly exhausted with the effort anyway. I lay there panting until he released me warily, standing up and stepping away only a few feet.

With the danger past, I rolled to my belly and collapsed, turning to lick at the raw wounds he'd left all over my body. He didn't have to tear me up that bad, and I felt another wave of betrayal that this boy would treat me the same way my no-good father did.

Yeah, you got some good hits on me too, Paul. Sam spoke quietly, and with an almost tender tone to his voice. But I'm nothing like your father, he added. As long as you follow rank, we'll get along just fine.

I turned to sneer at him. What makes you think I want to follow you? You haven't done shit for me.

He didn't have time to answer me before a low moan caught my attention. I whipped my head around toward my house, where I could just make out my father lying on the damp earth. I couldn't stop the whine that came forth as I took several steps toward him, before Jared and Sam stepped in front of me.

Move! I shouted, but the sound came out as a loud barking growl. That's my dad! He's– oh my god… Is he? Did I? Oh, shit. What if he dies? How could I do that? I killed my dad… I killedmy DAD! I'm so…

Paul! STOP! The words froze me in my tracks, and I couldn't even lift my head to look at Sam. You didn't kill him. You just knocked him around a little, Sam explained.

Nothing he didn't have coming to him if you ask me, Jared muttered, sending his own quiet growl in the direction of my house.

I still couldn't stop the feelings of panic washing through me as my body tried to override the command placed on me and make my way to my father. Another pitiful whine came out, and I didn't even care how pathetic I sounded at that point. Sam, please!

At some silent thought, I felt the chains binding me loosen, and I turned to look at Sam in question. The black wolf sighed and looked at me in disbelief. Why do you even care what happens to him, Paul?

His honest question nearly had me lunging toward him again, but some part of me wasn't willing to challenge the larger male again quite this soon. That was the part of me that wasn't stupid.

Jared walked up and nudged my shoulder in a way that felt like support, and I found myself leaning into the gentle connection, his touch soothing something feral inside me. Pack, a strange voice rumbled in my head.

That's your wolf, Paul, Jared explained, surprising me further when he reached up to lick at one of the still-bleeding cuts on my neck. You'll figure out how to talk to him eventually.

My worry for my dad still hadn't been erased, and I heard him trying to stumble up off the ground just a few yards away. I lurched in that direction again, needing to help him in some way.

Sam sighed and shook his massive head. Stay here, he ordered. I'll check on that worthless piece of shit.

I knew his words were true, but I still didn't appreciate the cheap shot as the huge wolf suddenly melted back to his human form. His naked human form.

Fuck, warn a guy why don't ya? I grumbled as I turned to look back toward the house. My dad had pulled himself up onto one knee and looked to bracing himself with one hand while he held the other up close to his chest.

Sam walked silently until he was standing right in front of him, but my dad didn't even notice as he sat there spitting blood and curses out with every breath. Jared snickered when he finally looked up and saw Sam, falling back on his ass as he did so.

"What the fuck are you doing here, Uley. You here to run my boy off like you did my dealer?" he slurred, turning that glare on Sam that could always cut through me like a knife.

It took a minute for his words to register, and when they did I collapsed. Aaron was selling shit to my dad? He knew what that bastard did to me, and he still took his money and gave him shit to get fucked up? How could he do that?

I didn't even notice Jared huddled beside me as I ran through years of abuse at that man's hands. Years of pain, blood, tears, and barbed words. Now the memories were tainted by the thought that my best friend—my fucking mentor—Aaron was right there beside him, whispering in his ear like some kind of demon. I didn't have anyone.

Sam's deep voice brought my attention back to the pair in the yard, and I noticed that Jared was nudging me with his nose again. I cringed at the hurt in his mental voice as he looked at me. Why didn't you tell me, Paul? I didn't know it was that bad.

I ignored his question and turned back to the yard. I needed to see how badly I'd hurt my dad. "Hey, Tommy. You look a little roughed up. Get in some trouble?" Sam asked, his face completely blank as I knew he was fishing. He wanted to know how much my dad remembered.

I flinched when he turned to face me, his face a barely-recognizable bloody and swollen mess. I could have sworn he looked right at me, even though I knew there was no way he could have seen me in the shade of the forest.

"The only trouble around here is my worthless son," he sneered, making me shrink further into the shadows. "But he won't be my problem for long. I'm done with him. He can go to hell for all I care—he's worse than his worthless whore of a mother. The state can have him for all I care."

I couldn't breathe. I could feel my heart beating frantically as I tried to pull air into my lungs, but they weren't working. I had fucked everything up. I lost my only home and now I would be sent away to some foster 'family' in the city or something. Nobody would want me. I had to run. I had to run away before they could send me away.

Paul! STOP!The order halted my frantic escape, but it only made me focus on my fucked-up situation.

Sam, I whined, nearly foaming at the mouth in my terror. Sam, I ruined everything. What the hell am I supposed to do now?

Stay here, he told me, and I collapsed on the ground in slight relief. I didn't know when I decided to trust Sam, but he did seem to know what he was doing. I watched as he phased and walked back to my father, wondering what he'd done to get away from him in the first place.

He heard you hyperventilating out here, Jared told me. It was scary! He just ran out here and phased to order you back—you weren't hearing me at all.

"Tommy, I think we need to go have a talk with Billy. If anyone is leaving this house, it's you." Sam couldn't have shocked me more if he put on a tutu and danced a jig. Then the tiny seed of hope I'd had just wilted.

It's not like Billy is actually gonna help me, I scoffed. He hasn't lifted a finger for me in eight years here.

Jared felt uncomfortable, but I could tell he knew I was right. He'd been my friend for a long time before we drifted apart, and he'd seen how much the tribal elders turned their heads. I didn't see how the fact that I now had four legs was going to change anything.

Sam shocked me by calling into the woods. "Jared, take Paul for a run while I take Tommy to get things sorted out. I'll find you when we're done." Then he grabbed my dad by the arm and hauled him out to his truck out front. Sam got in the driver's seat and I watched them move down the road until they were out of sight.

The next couple of hours were actually more enjoyable than I would have expected. Jared showed me how much fun it was to run faster than vampires—that was another revelation right there. It was no wonder Billy wouldn't go to the hospital in Forks, since he knew exactly what was working there.

We ran what Jared described as patrol routes, weaving through the trees and cliffs surrounding our little reservation, and I recoiled at the noxious scents drifting from the Cullens' border. It was worse than when I would forget my mask the nights the guys and I went tagging. Spray paint fumes didn't have jack on vampire stink.

I was surprised how easily Jared and I fell back into our friendship, but I still kept myself back as much as I could with him sharing my head. I knew better than to jump back into trusting him with both feet. There was always someone there to take my friends away. That's just how things went.

Sam tracked us down near the cliffs overlooking First Beach, and I felt a thrill of anticipation when he replayed a memory of him and Jared cliff diving there. I wouldn't mind trying that shit myself, if I was as durable as I felt now.

Easy Paul, you're not invincible. You're just stronger than you were before. Sam brought his raincloud of doom back. Lovely.

Well, I guess you're not interested in seeing what happened with Billy then? Bastard was teasing me now. I bet I could take a good chunk out of him, now that I was more familiar with the way this body worked.

Don't even think about it Paul. Just watch. I was distracted when Sam began to replay the scene in his mind. Billy had nasty look on his face as he stared at my father from his wheelchair.

"Well, Tommy, looks like you've once again overstayed your welcome. Now I get to do the same thing my father did. As of now, you are officially banished from La Push. Your house is forfeit, and your son is a ward of the tribe. If you are caught on this land again, I doubt if you'll make it back out of here alive."

My dad seemed lost in a daze as Sam drove him back to our house and helped him box up his belongings. I felt an unwelcome surge of gratitude to my alpha when he stopped my father from tearing up the only family picture I had with both my parents. It had been taken at the mall in Tacoma before we moved here, and both my parents were high as kites. I didn't care though—they were holding me and smiling, and I could always make up some other story to go along with it.

I looked up to see Jared and Sam just staring at me like I'd grown another head or something. "What? What's your problem?"

Sam melted back to his skin again, and pointed out what I hadn't realized yet. "You just phased back, Paul. You found your skin again."

Looking down at my filthy body, I jumped in shock. Then I thought back to my father leaving, and where that left me, and I felt furious at my situation. I didn't want to be at the mercy of the fucking tribal council. Those old bastards didn't give a shit about me. "Aaaggh!" My scream moved seamlessly into a growl, and I found myself back on four legs again.

Sam sighed and phased back again. Well that didn't take long. I have a feeling you're going to need a lot of extra clothes Paul.

AN2: I forgot to mention it last week, but I posted a Halloween Jasper/Bella one-shot. It's called Snow White and the Cowboy ;)