AN: Hi! Remember me? I'm really sorry about the ridiculously long delay- real life has been an absolute mess and it's really affected my muse.

I know this is kinda short, but it's better than nothing, right? I'm actually getting close to winding this up. Next chapter will be a little different- we'll catch up with Big Quil and get his side of things.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but some shirtless pics of Alex Meraz. SM owns all.

Chapter 29

Paul POV

The morning sun coming in through the open window woke me up from the best sleep I'd had in—well, probably the best sleep I'd ever had. I opened my eyes, following the light as it gently touched the same pale skin I devoted hours to tracing the night before. My hand reached out, one finger trailing over her shoulder and up the smooth curve of her slender neck.

She began to stir, turning toward me, instinctively seeking my heat. All I could do was pull her closer, wrapping her tightly in my arms, protecting her from anything outside these four walls. Her gentle breaths brushed my skin, soothing my wolf and calming my soul. My Bella—my mate—was finally completely mine.

As hard as I tried to push it down, thoughts of what had prompted her marking came rushing back as soon as I was fully awake. Sam had called to tell me that he needed me and Big Quil to come to a meeting with the Cullens. I wasn't sure why we were specifically required to be there, but I threatened Jared and Embry with severe bodily harm if anything happened to my mate while I was gone. Embry didn't appreciate the threat, but for once his dad backed me up.

When we reached the treaty line, Quil and I stayed in wolf form, while Sam played peacekeeper. The doctor and his wife, along with the big guy and the snotty blonde were the only vamps there. I was immediately on guard, since Edward was the only Cullen I was remotely beginning to trust.

The doctor talked in that same persuasive tone I'd heard him use at the hospital with Charlie, and my hackles were instantly raised at the implied disrespect. He explained that the remaining members of their coven had moved to Seattle after the little one finally had a vision of Edward's mate.

I missed most of what they said, something about the blond leech we'd killed and a girl he'd left to change in the city. But when the doctor tried to apologize for not acting sooner where Bella was concerned, it caught my attention.

"Alice only saw two options for Bella's future—either she was turned and became a part of our family, or her future disappeared. It wasn't until we learned of her connection to the pack that we understood the other future. It was an honest mistake…"

Mistake. That was the word they used to describe a theoretical future where my mate was a leech. An honest fucking mistake. My wolf couldn't take any more of their shit after that. I didn't even know what Sam told them after he tried to order me back; I was dead set on seeing my girl.

Bella let out a soft moan and wriggled in my arms where I must have been squeezing her too tight. I dropped my nose against her tangled hair, breathing in her scent as I rearranged my hold on her.

"Mmmm, Paul… What time is it?" Her soft murmur sent shock waves through me, straight to my cock. She didn't help the matter any when she brushed the milky smooth skin of her thigh against my straining problem, right near her mark.

My quiet growl was answered by a short howl from outside, putting me instantly on alert. Bella gasped, waking fully when I slipped out from under her and rose to look out the window. Sam was striding quickly through my yard with his hands raised, obviously trying to ward off my anger. It wasn't working.

Grabbing a pair of shorts off my floor, I left my girl with a kiss on her forehead, pulling the sheet up over her perfect body. I hopped out the open window, meeting my unwelcome alpha in the yard.

Before I could growl at him again he started speaking quickly. "Look, Paul, I wouldn't have come here but I didn't have a choice. Charlie knows Bella spent the night here and he's pissed. He's on his way out here now."

Well, fuck. That's definitely a problem. Ignoring Sam, I jogged back to my bedroom, freezing for a moment at the sight of Bella standing by the window, still wrapped in that threadbare sheet. She looked like a fucking goddess.

I was across the yard and through the window, kissing her before she could blink. It took her a few seconds to catch up and start kissing me back, but the sweet taste of her mouth and the sexy as hell moan she let out had me instantly hard and aching.

Pulling her closer, I pressed my dick against her, enjoying the feel of nothing between us but the thinnest bit of fabric. The shiver she gave off when she felt me had nothing to do with fear, and everything to do with the thick scent of her arousal that was slowly taking over my mind.

Another growl from Sam reminded me that we didn't have time to finish just then, but I was sure as hell taking a rain check. It took all my supernatural strength to separate us enough that I could pull back and rest my forehead against hers, staring down in those big doe eyes.

"Baby, as much as I don't want to stop—and believe me, I don't—we have to." I pressed a gentle kiss to her gorgeous lips and caught her eye again. "Charlie is on his way here…"

~oOo~oOo~oOo~

Charlie POV

When the sun made its unwelcome appearance, I didn't even want to get up. Another crappy night's sleep on our worn out sofa wasn't doing much for my old back, and even less for my mood.

Before the past week, I hadn't spent a single night away from my wife. I thought we were inseparable...but I also thought she was honest.

I honestly didn't know how I could ever trust her again—knowing that she kept something so big from me for so long. She tried to tell me it wasn't her place before we started dating, and Quil was already gone before we did start a relationship. She said she couldn't find a way to tell me without breaking my heart.

She did apologize as well, but I couldn't forgive her. Not this soon, and maybe not ever. She really hurt me by keeping this from me.

The back door banged shut, letting me know Embry was home from his patrol. Not a typical part time job for a responsible teenager, and up until last week Embry was the poster child for responsible teenagers—he and Bella both.

Dragging myself up off the couch, I cracked my back and stretched before heading to the kitchen. I found Embry seated at the table with a mixing bowl and a box of cereal, eating as if he hadn't seen food in weeks.

While he wasn't really speaking to me, I overheard him telling Tiffany that the wolf thing increased his metabolism. Not that he was skimping on meals before.

Deciding it was time to try and break the ice between us, I grabbed my own bowl and pulled up a chair at the table. He actually growled at me when I reached for the box of cereal, but he seemed to catch himself when he realized it was me. "Morning, son. All quiet out there?"

He didn't look up from his bowl as he mumbled something that seemed to be an affirmative answer. His right knee was jiggling under the table though—a sure tell that he wasn't being completely honest. It was almost a comfort to find a familiar trait in him after all the wolfy changes.

Deciding it wasn't worth starting a fight about, I cracked my back again and proceeded to pour myself a much smaller bowl of cereal. When I glanced up again, Embry was staring at me with an unreadable expression.

"What? Do I have milk on my face or something?" I asked him around a mouthful of cereal.

His eyes never left mine as I finished chewing, and my throat began to feel tighter as I tried to swallow. He looked suddenly older as he continued to stare solemnly.

"Another night on the couch?" he asked, just when I was beginning to think he'd never answer me. "You really need to talk to Mom, Charlie. You're gonna lose her for good if you don't."

I was instantly on the defensive. Where did he get off meddling in my marriage? I wasn't the one in the wrong here—I was the victim! Damn that little know-it-all wolf pup…

"Look, Charlie. I don't want to fight with you. But you seem to have forgotten what this family used to be like. Big Quil coming back and this whole vampire/wolf thing is a huge mind trip, but you're making everything worse by pushing us all away. As it is, you've probably already lost Bella—I doubt if Paul will let her out of his house now that he's marked her."

It was my turn to stare as I tried to process what Embry was telling me. Bella wasn't even at Paul's house—she was still upstairs asleep, wasn't she? She'd been keeping to herself, avoiding the fights that inevitably popped up between Tiffany and I, but she hadn't left the house all that much.

Leaving Embry at the table, I took the stairs slowly, pausing when Tiffany darted out from our bedroom to run into the bathroom and slam the door. Weird. Bella's door was cracked open, and I tapped gently on the frame before I pushed it open a little.

"Bells? You sleeping?"

I waited a few seconds, listening for a response, before a heavy feeling began to build in my gut. Pushing the door further, it took me a minute to register what I was seeing. Bella's backpack was sitting by her bed, books scattered across her desk. Her bed was made haphazardly, like she normally left it in the mornings before school. But my daughter was nowhere to be seen.

Seeing her absence—her complete disregard of respect for me—I'd had enough. I stomped into my bedroom, yanked on my uniform, and grabbed my keys. My gun belt was next, and I was still strapping it on as I strode out of the house, heading straight for my cruiser.

Embry was yelling behind me as I pulled out, but I ignored him. I had one destination in mind—La Push. Those damn wolves were going to stop taking what was mine.