Chapter 9
As Sam's howl echoed in his ears, Paul dragged himself through Bella's house towards the front door. He idly noticed the collection of school photos along one wall and paused. He really wanted to examine each picture in detail and spend more time here, just enjoying Bella's company. Maybe they could continue with that moment.
Sam howled again, this time he could hear Jared's distinctive howl join him. Saved by the wolf, he thought bitterly.
It took all his supernatural strength to leave her, but Paul forced himself to walk out the front door, leaving the warmth of his imprint behind him. He ran for the cover of the treeline opposite her house and stripped, ensuring that his shorts were attached to his leg. Paul heard Sam howl again, and hurriedly leapt into his wolf skin.
About damn time, Paul heard Jared's usual sarcastic tone, with an undercurrent of panic.
I'm sorry, I've been looking after Bella… what happened?
Paul, I'm happy things are progressing with her but we need you down here. Now. Sam's voice came across the pack link, displaying his memories.
Paul saw that Sam was at the grocery store getting stuff from Emily's latest list when he heard two unfamiliar howls. Other shoppers were glancing around, startled by the noise. He abandoned his cart, rushing out the back of the store and found a clump of trees where he could shift inconspicuously. As he went wolf he heard two new voices in the pack mind.
Quil and Embry.
Oh shit. Paul was stunned. He took off running to La Push, I'll be there as soon as I can.
As he ran he now realised he could hear the two new pups whimpering almost incoherently, they had their eyes squeezed shut and were chanting "It must be a dream," in unison. He could see through the pack link that they were gathered together in a clearing between La Push and Forks.
What happened to make them phase?
Sam sighed.
It looks like they were fighting over a candy bar. I don't know what is going on, guys. I'd hoped that with the leeches gone no more of our boys would have to phase. Paul felt Sam shake his massive head in confusion. Neither Paul nor Jared understood.
Maybe it was too late, that the change was already in motion? Jared ventured.
In that case, we'll need to keep an eye on Jacob. He has the strongest link to the last pack.
We can do that, boss man. Paul thought. He was making excellent time, he had bounded into the clearing and stood by Jared's light brown wolf and Sam's towering black alpha form. The guys had managed to herd the new wolves deeper into the woods, minimising discovery by unwitting hikers or hunters.
Quil and Embry were both lying on the ground, identical lupine images of distress. Their paws were covering their snouts and pushing down. As he heard Embry question whether the candy bar was poisoned, Paul couldn't help but laugh.
Not helpful, Sam growled.
Sorry man, it's just so funny, they changed over a damn candy bar. And look at them!
Paul and Jared were both soon laughing, the snickering wolf noises managed to penetrate Quil and Embry's bubble of denial. They cautiously removed their paws and rose to their new height.
This is real? Quil asked.
Not a dream? Embry added.
The three senior wolves nodded sympathetically. It became very quiet over the pack mind when Sam began telling them about the legends, with new relevant information added in. The two boys listened intently, equally amazed and horrified to be part of such a prestigious group.
Paul's laughter faded as he remembered his own change, realising that the anniversary of those circumstances was looming. He was just sixteen at the time but it felt like longer than three years ago. Paul remembered the day with unwanted clarity, it was the worst day of his life and the shift was the cherry on the top. It was such a traumatic day for Paul and his father that he felt like he hadn't heard his dad laugh since that day. Despite his attempts to slam the memory down, he was assaulted with images from that awful day. Becoming lost in the past, Paul saw himself and his father. They were in the living room, laughing.
Paul and his father were decorating their house for his mother's birthday. He bitterly smiled to himself as he recalled his father's excitement. Their small living room seemed larger, Paul was moving the couches back against the wall and the large dining table from their kitchen was now in the middle of the room.
"Son, can you help me with this banner?" Eager to help his father, Paul bounded onto the couches to fasten the end of the colourful banner his father offered to him.
"Perfect, this is going to be great kid!" His father grinned before he began blowing up balloons.
"Katie just texted, they're driving past Forks now!" Paul had his phone in one hand and a platter of pastries in the other.
"That was a brilliant idea to give them that gift certificate for the spa." His dad patted his back, proudly. Paul beamed to receive such praise from his dad.
"Thanks, but the credit should go to Katie."
"Yeah, but your sister just wanted a free spa day." His dad countered with a wink. Paul snorted nodding.
The colours from the balloons and banners in the living room stood out vividly, reflecting the joy and excitement they felt. Sunlight streamed in through the windows making the collection of happy family photos on the wall sparkle. His mum had just gotten a new job so they were planning to make this birthday celebration extra special. Paul was carrying the birthday cake through when the phone rang, changing everything.
He tried to block the memories but he couldn't. Against his will, his mind assaulted him with memories of the phone call telling his dad that there was an accident, to come to the hospital in Forks. A cloud passed over the sun, darkening his memories. Neither Paul nor his father spoke as they drove to the hospital. Before they knew the extent of the damage they were just silent together, but Paul still felt some resemblance of love from his father.
When they arrived, Paul could smell the toxic bleach odour in the hospital, but in hindsight he imagined that it was the smell of Dr Leech. His stomach rolled as he remembered the way his father's face dropped as the faceless doctor delivered the news. A drunk driver smashed into his mother's car while overtaking a truck. He hadn't seen the small green ford that his mum drove. Katie and his mother died instantly.
His father didn't break down in the hospital. Paul's ears felt hot and his pulse throbbed, bringing heat to his cheeks. He could still remember clearly his father's cold eyes as he jerked his head to the exit. Paul dragged himself up, making his way back to the car. As soon as he heard the news, the bond between Paul and his father felt severed.
His father stayed silent as they arrived at their home in La Push. It was looking at the cheerily decorated living room, mocking in its joviality, that broke the silence. Paul sat on the couch with his head between his hands, his father stood glaring at the banner.
"You killed them." His father stated, his voice was emotionless and matter of fact. Paul looked up at his father, feeling tears fill his eyes.
"It's all your fault. If you hadn't been so stupid and sent them all the way to Port Angeles, they wouldn't have been driving. What was so wrong with a day at the resort in town?" His voice was heating up, becoming angrier.
Paul felt his younger self gape at his father, who turned his hateful gaze at his son.
"Get out. I don't even want to look at you." He spat. Paul was frozen, he couldn't move. His father snapped, lunging at him, throwing food and swinging punches.
An unfamiliar heat began to burn through Paul, he staggered out of the living room, feeling humiliated and devastated. Fire continued to rage through him until he fell out the back door, he didn't realise that his father, driven mad from grief, followed Paul.
Paul felt strange ripples pulsing through him, his body felt like it was stretching and breaking. His father's blows barely registered.
"It should have been you!" His father's cruel words echoed in his head as Paul's body exploded, agony and fear rippled through him as he watched his hands turn to grey paws. He looked pleadingly at his father.
Silence descended on them for a few minutes.
"You have the gene." He said simply, his lip curled in disgust. He turned and slammed the door on his son.
The door slamming in his memory brought his mind back to the present, Paul whined quietly, shaking his head.
He looked up to see four sets of concerned eyes gazing at him. His pack was speechless, it was odd to hear the pack mind so empty. Sam took a tentative step forward, he could see the pity in his eyes. It made him feel sick and pathetic. Paul had to regain his cool. Before anyone could respond he shook his fur and raised a lupine eyebrow.
Sorry to bum y'all out. I'm gona take a walk. Don't worry about me. Paul phased before his bravado faltered, not like the pack believed him anyway. He was quickly a man again and pulling his shorts on. With a jaunty salute to Sam he ran away, leaving his brothers to their thoughts. And pity, he shuddered.
He couldn't believe it was coming up to that anniversary, Paul idly wondered what his father would be like. Perhaps it was best to avoid home for a few days.
His father was either totally apathetic towards Paul or he was livid, throwing vicious slurs or punches or even booze bottles at him. Apparently, he looked like a male version of his mother, which provoked his father's agony. Bitterly he questioned why his own grief never seemed to matter. He lost his mother, sister and emotionally his father too.
He ran to the cemetery in La Push, taking solace in the woods that surrounded it. He gave into his emotions, the cocktail of hurt and anger felt like bitter, poisonous bile in his throat. He needed to let go of this anger, it was almost a physical pain. Keeping his wolf locked up, Paul roared and slammed his fists into a tree. He began a merciless routine of pounding the bark. Hoping to beat the pain away. Luckily, he was far enough into the woods and away from the road to avoid detection.
Miles away, Bella jolted from the chair in her kitchen with pain burning her knuckles. Her cup of tea sat empty in front of her on the table, luckily, because if she had still been drinking it, that pain would have made her drop the mug. Another wave of pain rippled up her arms. She instinctively knew it was Paul, her heart twisted in her chest feeling an inexplicable depth of anguish. The intensity of the pain caused her to gasp.
She barely registered standing up and giving into the strange pulling sensation. Bella ran from her home, feeling the force of this confusing urge was like being a fish on a hook. She had no option but to move with it. She slammed and locked the front door behind her and dove to her truck. Her earlier aches were crushed by this sorrow flowing through her with each heartbeat.
She drove to La Push, following the pull with tears flowing down her face. The drive felt intolerably slow, her truck was being pushed to its maximum speed. She had never felt like this before, the intensity of these emotions terrified her. Her knuckles felt like they were splintering as she gripped the steering wheel, guiding her truck closer to the source of this mysterious pain. The closer she got, the more intense these feelings became.
Finally, after twenty minutes her truck was in La Push, she pulled up outside the Lonesome Creek store and abandoned her truck before sprinting down the road towards the cemetery.
Bella, not being the most athletic girl, was panting as she finally entered the cemetery. Her eyes were drawn immediately to a shirtless Paul, knelt before a grave. There was blood coating his hands and forearms, she could hear his rasping breath as he stared intently at the headstone before him.
Regaining her breath, Bella allowed her feet to carry her closer to this tortured, beautiful man. He was so lost in his sorrow he almost didn't notice her arms wrap around him. He looked up into her eyes as he wiped a tear away. Bella smiled softly and tightened her grip on him, he pulled her close and buried his face in her hair. Taking comfort in her embrace they sat together silently before the graves of Paul's mother and sister.
After a moment, Paul tried to pull away. Almost as an afterthought he took her hands in his and examined them. There were bruises flowering along her knuckles. He had caused that, Paul thought with a sickening lurch in his gut.
"Why are you here?" He asked, emotion cracking his voice.
Bella delicately freed her hand and reached for his face, to stroke his cheek.
"You needed me." She said simply, pulling him into a tight hug.
A black wolf in the shadows of the woods watched them carefully, feeling a surge of love for his pack-brother and the girl who had the power to heal him.
A/N
Hello! Here's the latest instalment, I hope you've enjoyed it.
As always, any feedback is gratefully received!
Paul and Bella are taking steps to get closer, to strengthen their imprint.
What do you think? Are we moving too fast?
Hope all is well wherever you are!