CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE
(BPOV)
We all worked tirelessly into the evening and the early dawn of the next day, only stopping twice for something to eat and needed bathroom breaks. We were beyond exhausted when the suns rays began to light up the newly painted walls. I had worked tirelessly on organizing the room, and helping Paul with painting, my arms so tired that I could hardly lift them now. Billy had fussed about me taking a break on more than one occasion, but I had worked through the aching muscles and heavy eyes, wanting to do all I could to pitch in for the room renovation.
"Holy shit, I think we just might pull this off!" Paul exclaimed, picking up the empty can of paint and many brushes, along with the layer of newspaper that covered the carpet beneath us. "It's not even six- thirty yet. If he's on schedule with the others for patrol, Jacob won't be back for another couple of hours."
"We've made excellent time!" Leah chimed, her tone happy and eager when she teasingly placed her paint covered hand on Seth's upper arm, leaving the sticky residue from it on his skin.
"Hey- what the hell? Stay in your lane, sis! That wall over there is yours to finish and this section here is mine." He replied, shaking his head in irritation at her.
"Aw- it's just a little paint, bro. Don't stress too much!" Leah offered up in taunting reply, handing Paul her paint brush when she finished the final stroke.
"Yeah, Yeah."
I took a few steps back, seeing the sun hit the walls with its rising light in the sky, my smile wide as Paul hauled in Jacobs dresser and put it in place next to his bed. The room was twice the size now that the wall was gone, opening the entire space up for us to enjoy and allowing more room for our things.
"Looks great." Billy sighed in contentment beside me, his hand squeezing my own. "I can't wait for him to see this. I called Charlie and he's swinging by with some of your clothes soon. Said he'd drop them off on the way to work this morning. He's pretty eager to see what we've done with the room, too."
"He sounded okay?" I timidly asked.
"From what I could tell. He seemed alright."
"Good." I replied, wiping my brow with the back of my hand. "I need a shower and something to eat. Feeling a bit woozy."
"Go get cleaned up and I'll have Leah here cook some eggs. Something to settle your stomach. You really pushed yourself with this."
"I know- but look at how great it turned out!" I gleamed, heading for the bathroom and chuckling when I heard Leah's grumblings about being put on chef duty this morning.
The warm water felt like heaven on my tired skin, the steam relaxing my tired muscles while I showered. I stayed in there until the water began to run cold and forced me out. I was quick to dress in some oversized sweats of Jacobs, trying to get warm as the chill from the morning air crept into the house.
The sound of the fire alarm and Billy's frantic yelling made me jump from the tub edge and run to them. My eyes went wide when I saw the cause of the chaos as thick black smoke filled Billy's small kitchen. Leah stood over the stove with a hand towel, waving it around frantically in an attempt to put out the small fire that was beginning to blaze from the front burner of the stove.
"Shit! I told you not to let me cook!"
I ran to the hall closet, yanking out the fire extinguisher that was wall mounted in the back and tossing it to Paul who saw me coming.
"Leah... hun, get back. I got it!" He yelled, yanking her thin frame out of the way as she let out a cry of pain and quickly pulled her arm back. The pained look on her face evident as she turned away.
"Are you alright, Leah?" Billy asked, wheeling closer to her before she covered her forearm with her free hand.
"It's just a small burn. I'll be fine." Leah winced, heading for the sink as Paul put out the fire. His attention immediately going to Leah when the fire was no longer a concern for us. I watched him pull out the ice from Billy's freezer, dumping the many cubes in the wet cloth Leah was using to cool the injury herself. He took hold of her arm then, placing the ice over the burn and looking at it more closely, his thumb gently grazing around the edge of the reddened skin. Leah stilled in his grasp, glancing up at him with a nervous expression while he tended to her.
"It's alright. It'll heal, Lee... Here... Keep this on it for now. Give it a couple minutes."
Seth looked my way, his eyes full of some kind of recognition I couldn't place as he observed Paul with his sister now. My own gaze lingered on the two of them as I tried to recall a time when I had ever seen Paul respond that way to her... or any other female for that matter. He and Leah were know for always exchanging cocky comments back and forth, their regular banter a normal occurrence for the pack and anyone around them to witness. Paul soon caught on to the silence and our observant gazes and he was fast to retreat from her, the regretful look on his face telling me he was keeping something from us. He walked past me, heading back for the room to clean up the rest of the mess, his huff of frustration loud as he went.
I followed him in there, keeping silent at first while I helped with the clean up, gathering paint covered rags and blue tape in my hands. Paul kept himself busy, making a few trips to the trash bins outside before breaking the silence between us.
"You can keep a secret, right?" He asked, slowly closing the door with a hesitant expression.
"Yeah- sure." I meekly replied with a nod. "What's on your mind?"
"I'm kind of known as the pack jackass. You know that." He shrugged, glancing once toward the closed door to be sure no one was coming in yet.
"Yeah- but that's no secret and there's a lot more to you than that, Paul. You don't fool me." I sighed, placing some of Jacobs framed pictures he had of the two of us back on top of his wooden dresser.
"What do you mean?" He cautiously asked, slowly handing me another picture from the pile.
"Well- I just mean, you care a lot more than you show. That's all. I've seen it... just not often enough."
"Yeah, I'll give you that." He admitted, moving himself closer to me.
"Is this about Leah?" I skeptically asked, seeing his gaze leave mine as it dropped to the floor. "Something happen between the two of you?"
"You could say that. I imprinted on her."
I saw the confusion on his face as he handed me the last framed photo, his stance changing from arrogant to almost fearful as he stood there with me.
"When?" I asked him in disbelief.
"Last week. Jacob's the only one who knows. I've been killing myself to keep my thoughts quiet when we're phased in together ever since and Jacob's been trying his best to keep us on separate patrol schedules. I don't want her to know. Not yet. It doesn't make sense, Bella. The point of imprinting is to ensure the bloodline continues and Leah- she's one of us- she can't have kids. That's part of the change. She's still reeling over Sam for fucks sake. I've seen it all from her- first hand. We all have."
"Is that why you came over here last night. Cause of the pull? To be near her?"
"Yeah- I've tried fighting against it and trust me - it sucks. It's like... I have to have her as mine. I don't know what to do, Bella."
His honesty stunned me as I turned myself to face him better. "Leah's been through a lot- since Sam. She really loved him and he imprinted on Emily. That tore her world apart. It wasn't Sam's fault but it still hurt her."
"I know..."
"So... maybe this is what she needs to heal. Maybe she just needs-"
"Me?" He finished, meeting my gaze with sincerity.
"Yeah, Paul. Maybe she needs you."
"It's been five days since it happened and I'm losing my fucking mind trying to stay away from her, Bella. I've been camping outside Sue's for the past three nights in wolf form. Just so I can be closer to her. I can't sleep with her being that far away from me. Trying not to need her is tearing me the hell up. Jacob told me there was no sense in fighting it- that the pull will only get worse if I try to resist it."
"Why do you want to?"
He shook his head, glancing to the door again with a heavy sigh before he answered me.
"I'm not good- you know? I've been with a lot of women and I've never been one for attachment. It's complicated and messy."
"Doesn't have to be. You're a good guy, Paul. You're funny and have sarcastic charm, you're smart and handsome. Leah would be lucky to have you and you would be lucky to have her. She's strong and smart... and-"
"So damn beautiful." He added, looking at me with clear adoration in his eyes when he spoke this of her.
I nodded, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder just as the door creaked open and Seth strolled in, his eyes adverting us while he got busy bringing in the rest of Jacobs things. I winked at Paul and gestured to him that I would keep silent about he and Leah. He mouthed me a 'thanks' and turned his attention to helping Seth. I knew he wouldn't be able to keep this secret for long, for his own sanity's sake, he needed to come clean with Leah.
We all hurried to finish putting the room back together before Jacob got back, every piece of furniture making it look more inviting and truly like home for the two of us. I couldn't stop from smiling when Billy handed me a clean set of sheets for the bed.
"This really looks like your own little place in here." Leah chuckled, helping me make up the bed. "You better be sure to have more than one extra set of these things. I have a feeling you'll be getting them nice and sweaty tonight.
"Leah!" I blushed, turning away from her in embarrassment.
"Oh, Bella... come on... by now you should know that nothing is secret around these parts and nothing's too taboo to talk about. I mean- it's not like we haven't all seen you naked and moaning beneath Jacob before through the pack mind. You have a nice bod!"
I looked at her in horror, my eyes wide and my face as red as it had ever been. Leah took her cue from my silence and quickly changed the subject.
"You know I'm just playing with you, right?" She softly teased. "It's all in good fun. I mean no disrespect, really I don't'. All kidding aside, I'm happy for you two. You make Jacob real happy, Bella. And that's good for all of us. Take it from someone who knows... When you find something good like what you and he have... never let it go. It's a rarity to discover that kind of passion with someone. Doesn't come around too often."
Her tone changed and her eyes adverted mine as she handed me the duvet for the bed, her weak smile telling me she was thinking of Sam.
"You know Leah, there are second chances for that kind of love. That devoted kind of care someone has for another."
She paused by the door at my words, her face full of a sadness with her short reply. "Yeah, well I had it once. Sam was the best and greatest love of my life. I'll never say any different and I know he loves Emily now, but there was a time when he loved me just as much and she is very fortunate to have him. It's taken me a long time, but I can now say that I wish them nothing but the best. I will always love Sam and want what's best for him- even if he no longer loves me."
"That's not a small thing, Leah."
"No- and it's been hard for me, but I'm managing." She admitted to me with a shrug.
"Love like Jacobs is real and there are more like him out there. You're a beautiful woman, Leah. Any guy would be lucky to call you his. No doubt about it."
"Thank you, Bella."
"You're welcome."
"How's the arm?" I asked, glancing toward her bandage.
"Just about all healed. I'm sure mom will want to take a look at it when I get home, but it feels fine."
"Ice definitely helps." I replied, seeing her nod once in agreement.
"Yeah... Paul was quick on his feet today."
"He sure was. Good thing he was close by."
"I'll thank him later." She replied to me with a smile before heading out with the others.
I was almost certain it would only be a matter of time before Paul gave in to the pull and change Leah's world forever.
A/N: Okay, Okay... I really am loving this! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! There will be another one posted tomorrow! Please review and let me know your thoughts :-) Love hearing from you! Till Next Time...