The Only Exception

Chapter 9: Paul's POV

(Past Tense because he's reflecting)

The first time I saw Bella, she was hanging on the beach with Jake. She was very plain, not wearing any makeup like most girls her age thankfully. She seemed reserved but fun all in the same. I found out that she was closer to my age than I originally thought but I was still 2 years older. I watched them from afar for a bit. Even then it was obvious Jake had a crush on her but she clearly viewed him as a friend, or brother.

I put my attention back on my friends as they begged me to join them for a game of football. I overthrew the ball and winced as it flew directly towards Bella and Jake. He wasn't paying attention but she was and surprisingly she caught it. She passed it to Jake who threw it back over to us before he plopped back down in the sand. Bella sent a wave and then I vowed to stop creeping on them. After the game, I noticed Jake and Bella were gone. I never saw her before she went back with her mom.

Sam told Jared and I about how he found this girl in the woods who was left there by a bloodsucker to die. I thought she was fucking stupid for being with one in the first place but Sam made it clear that she was clearly a victim to their powers and mind games. I was shocked when he finally mentioned her name, Bella, and showed us his memories of the night he found her. It was actually sad. The fact that she was with him explained why she wasn't hanging in La Push once she moved home. Sam's memories showed us that Bella saw him turn into a human from his wolf form. He let us know that he was planning on including her in on our secret. Neither Jared nor I cared if she knew or not.

The day she came over to Sam's, she was fucking hot. She definitely grew up and developed in all of the right places. Before I could even think I'm putting moves on her, I watched her checking Sam out. So, she had the hots for him, it was fine. Of course the girl would want the man who ultimately saved her life. Once she started expressing her interest in us, I knew by the questions she asked that she was different. I felt sick when she talked about her leech and confirmed what Sam said. The poor girl didn't even know they had enthralled her to be compliant and do whatever they wanted her to do. Sam rubbed her leg to comfort her incidentally turning her on. He quickly gave us the boot and didn't wait long before seducing her.

Over the next few weeks, Bella made sure to take care of us in her own way. She laughed at Jared's jokes, slyly showed me extra kindness when she noticed I was rougher around the edges, and even took care of Sam. Sam was convinced Bella had fallen for him, I was convinced she was just kinder to him because he saved her life. He also gave her pleasure but I knew I could do better. I wasn't jealous of Sam being with Bella. I could and did fuck whoever the fuck I wanted. I was annoyed with him because he was so fucking smug behind her back about the fact that he was fucking her and she had no idea. I worked very hard when phased with Sam to block my thoughts about his actions.

When Sam imprinted on Emily, I was fucking glad. I was sick of the way Sam was acting around Bella. She is such an amazing person and even though she put on a front, we knew she cared for us in her own way. I knew she'd be upset because Sam imprinted but not for the reason he made it seem. She wasn't in love with Sam. She was worried that she'd lose us all and we were really the only friends she enjoyed spending time with. More than once she expressed that to me even when she thought I wasn't listening. I often found myself outside of her house in the night making sure that fucking leech didn't come back to fuck with her mind some more.

That afternoon at Sam's he was pissed at me because I wouldn't tell him what had me so bothered. I couldn't, Bella was in hearing distance, instead I stormed out. She followed me. I didn't plan on fucking her in the woods, she deserved more than that but damn it if I wasn't crazed when I smelled her arousal for me. I wouldn't change a single thing about the way Bella and I started out. As soon as I slid inside of her, the small amount of feelings I let myself have for her grew. There was something different about being with her. That afternoon with her was one of my favorites. I had to try to warn her off but I was honest when I told her I was incapable of love. I really felt that way. I felt something shift in me when I saw the sadness on her face when I told her my stance on love. I admired her so much more the way the shut Sam down and remained strong.

I told Bella that I wanted her to only sleep with me. I didn't want anyone else to be inside of her. She thought that sounded like I had gained feelings for her. I laughed it off and covered it up telling her I was a very selfish person and I did not like to share. She told me that made her feel like property but she would do it if I too wouldn't sleep with anyone else. Truthfully, I hadn't been but I never once told her I wasn't. I let her assume whatever she wanted. I told her if I wasn't allowed to sleep with other people and her too then we would have to cut it out. Stupid but I didn't want her to think I had feelings for her making her fake some for me. I also knew she had been hanging out with Jared a bit which pisses me off but I technically can't say anything. We agreed to do as we both pleased but I backed off a bit, maybe a bit too much because she started hooking up with Jared.

Jared confided in me that he wanted to be exclusive with her as long as she promised to completely stop fucking with me. She must not have been completely into it because over a couple of weeks we still fucked around, just not as much. Until Jared fucked up and hooked up with one of his sister's friends. The next night I got the call I had been waiting for and went to Bella without hesitation. I knew she needed a distraction from the pain but I was also big on handing out punishments. I let my wolf take over and fuck her nice and hard so she fucking learned that I wasn't playing.

Not too long after that, Embry joined the pack. He was definitely fascinated to find that Bella had fucked his pack brothers. Leah soon phased and enjoyed having Bella around at Sam's as a sort of buffer. When Embry finally saw her, he imprinted on her. His wolf at that point was furious we had all had her and it made Embry unable to control himself much. Sam alpha ordered me to keep Bella and Embry apart but they were both feeling the pull. It was putting a strain on things with Bella and I because she didn't know about the order and thought I was being a jealous dick. I literally couldn't tell her so things kept getting worse and worse until Sam put an end to it. Once again I had lost Bella to a pack mate and this time it would be for good. I gave her up and had no plans on trying to come between her and Embry. I threatened Embry about what would happen if he hurt Bella but I knew that wouldn't be possible because of the imprint.

I had a lot of time to think about my feelings for Bella and I had to admit that she had wormed her way into my heart. I felt some type of connection to her, different than an imprint but just as strong if not stronger. She was the first girl I told about my childhood, the first girl I was serious enough about to not sleep with anyone else, and that really bothered me. She wanted to be loved deep down and I was so unsure if I could give her that, so I kept her at an arm's length. In doing so, I probably made her feel as if I didn't think of her as someone I truly wanted to be with even though that's really all I wanted. I wanted more with her because she made me feel like it was a possibility. Maybe I was capable of giving and receiving love. She made me feel like I mattered but she didn't do it in a way that seemed forced. It was completely natural and I lost her. Or so I thought.

Come to find out, Embry wasn't treating her right and had a girlfriend. By the time I found out, Bella was gone. I found Embry and I fucked him up for hurting her. I wanted a little while before I texted her to let her know I was expecting her to bring her ass home. I would be waiting for her and she knew it without me having to outright say it to her. She always could understand what I meant without me having to tell her. Except for the fact that I was in love with her. She still had yet to figure that out. Unless she was really good at hiding it and I knew she wasn't because she sucked at that. I was so fucking excited when she finally brought her ass home and had her own place.

Every day I came closer to telling her how I felt about her but I really wanted her to admit it first. I didn't want to look dumb and she unknowingly fucked with me a lot in the past. Maybe if I had told her sooner, both of us could have been saved the pain but I had a feeling it was supposed to happen this way. I did drop little hints to make her start thinking however. The dinner at Charlie's was it for me. I was done pretending. Embry was seriously pissing me off with the way he looked at Bella while he had his girlfriend right in her face. I was done letting motherfuckers take what was mine and I was going to tell her that she was in fact mine whether she liked it or not. However, I knew she would, somehow I just knew.

I endured the conversation at her house with Kelsey before Bella blew my fucking mind by taking control when she fucked me. I sat at Sam's while she went and talked to him completely on edge because I had no idea what the fuck was going on with them. I was still on edge when she picked me up and didn't even speak. Nervous actually. If she went back to him, I was going to be so fucking done with her. And that thought actually made my fucking chest hurt and brought tears to my eyes. I'm not a little bitch, but I loved this girl.

Bella told me she broke the imprint with Embry and while I was happy, I was still a little unsure. I needed to hear her say it, I needed her to tell me what I needed to hear. I needed her to admit her feelings for me and she finally fucking did. I made her repeat it because it sounded so good.

"I'm yours," she told me.

(Back to current time)

I grab Bella's face with one hand and kiss her with everything I have, still gently so I don't hurt her. Using my other hand, I grab her hip and grind my pelvis into hers. She moans into my mouth and leans away smiling. I touch her face gently and smile back. "I think I'm in love with you Bella," I whisper.

"Well that's good, because I've been waiting for-fucking-ever to hear you admit it," she says with a laugh.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"I could tell your feelings changed for me as mine did for you. But I was nervous. Neither of us were looking for something else and it actually hurt when you didn't want to stop sleeping with other girls during the Jared days," she admits with a pout.

"Bella, I haven't slept with anyone else since that first time with you," I tell her honestly looking into her eyes.

"Damn you really do love me," she smiles at me. I raise an eyebrow at her, waiting expectedly. "I love you too Paul. I really do and I have for a while," Bella tells me before kissing me.

AN: This chapter is short but sweet and that's because I suck at writing in Paul's POV. I will be updating again in the next day or two to make up for it! I really hope you enjoyed this one though.