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~~Once in a Moon by Sarah Kang~~
Paul pulled up at Bella's house and got out, opening her door and helping her out. They walked inside and he put her keys back on the hook then took her coat from her, putting it up in the closet downstairs. Bella went into the kitchen, and she got herself some water. She turned and nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Sam come in the back door.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." Sam apologized.
Paul was in the kitchen immediately, sensing Bella's fear but let out a breath when he saw Sam.
Bella ran a hand through her hair. "It's okay. I just wasn't expecting you to be standing there." She said and then tried opening the water, but the lid was stuck tight.
Paul gently took the water, opened it for her and handed it back. He smiled a little and then he looked at Sam. "Did you tell any of the pack?"
"No. I wanted to speak to you first." Sam said and looked over at Bella. "How are you feeling?"
Bella nodded. "I'm okay. Thank you for asking."
Sam looked back at Paul. "I know the others gossip about it, I just… you hadn't told me you moved your relationship to a new level. This is big news Paul."
Paul nodded. "This wasn't planned." He said, shoving his hands into his pockets. "But…" He looked at Bella and then back at Sam. "We're happy. Nervous but happy."
"You will make an excellent father Paul." Sam said with a nod. "A baby is a big step, I'll admit it is shocking hearing this news. I'm sure the others will be happy as well."
Bella took another drink of her water, thinking about how she was even going to tell her dad. She wasn't ready for that yet. "It's still early. Six weeks. The babies are healthy though, so we go back in two weeks to get another check up."
"Babies?" Sam asked, frowning.
Paul cleared his throat. "Bella is pregnant with triplets."
Sam stood there stunned. He wasn't sure he heard him right. "Triplets. As in three?"
Bella blushed and looked down at the water she was holding in her hands. She still couldn't believe that she was having triplets. It felt sort of surreal.
"Yes. Three." Paul said and then went to Bella, taking the bottle of water out of her hands and setting it on the counter to hold her hand, calming her.
Sam saw how Bella relaxed just by Paul's touch. It was beautiful to see. He was happy that Paul found what him and Emily had. He just nodded. "Well, it's up to you, but you should tell the pack when you can. It'll be hard to keep this sort of thing out of your head when you've shifted."
Paul looked at Bella and then back to Sam. "It's up to Bella when she wants others to know."
Bella swallowed. "I don't even know how to tell my dad." She said and sighed. "I just want to wait maybe a little bit. I want to make it through some of my blood tests and other ultrasounds."
Sam respected that decision. He nodded. "If you need any help, you know you can call on Emily as well."
"Thank you Sam." Bella said with a small smile.
"Do you want to see?" Paul asked and Sam nodded. Paul reached in his back pocket and pulled the black and white picture of the triplets out, handing it to Sam.
Sam took it and studied it. He was amazed. They were so tiny. "Wow." He murmured and looked back at Paul and Bella. "This amazing." He said and handed the picture back. "Take care of her Paul."
"Oh, I will." Paul said and then watched Sam leave out the back door.
Paul turned back to Bella and pulled her into his arms, kissing the top of her head. "Everything is going to be okay you know."
"I know." Bella murmured and leaned against Paul. As long as Paul was by her side, she was sure that everything would be okay.
Bella was at home alone now, Colin went over to hang out with Seth on the rez. He wanted to support his friend and his change. Bella loved that Colin and Seth were so close. It was great that Colin was making friends and doing great. Paul was on patrol closer to where apparently there was a vampire scent. Charlie was still out of town and Bella was worried about her dad being away and in the other town around what she was sure was vampires.
The silence of the house was unusual now. Bella was used to there being sound, but the silence was deafening now. She decided to make herself some warm tea. The weather outside was consistently rainy and November brought with it a chill that made you shiver. She set up a kettle on the stove to get her water hot and she decided on laundry and walked upstairs to get her basket. Her phone rang and she pulled it from her back pocket and she saw that it was a blocked caller. She frowned, but she answered it anyways.
"Hello?" She said and there was silence at first. "Hello?"
"Your father is in danger." A voice slithered through the phone.
Bella knew that voice well. It made a shiver roll up her spine. "Edward." She dropped the phone, trembling a little. Her eyes immediately watered and she turned to go down the stairs, but Edward was there behind her like he appeared like a mist. Her eyes went wide.
"You're coming with me or your father will die." Edward said, his tone smooth.
Bella stared back at him. His face was the same, beautiful, chiseled marble that she remembered. His eyes were dark topaz and his hair was sculped so perfect on his head. "I…"
"You're coming with me." Edward said again and grabbed her arm. It bruised her flesh as he grabbed her arm and hauled her back down the stairs. When she struggled a little, he pulled her to him and he was out the door fast and in the car. He drove away then, fast before the two wolves woke in the woods.
Paul felt Bella's fear and uneasiness while on patrol. He was in his wolf form and he called out to Embry and Quil who were supposed to be watching Bella. Embry, Quil. Is Bella alright? He waited for a response and there was nothing, it made him incredibly uneasy. Sam. Something is wrong. Embry and Quil are not responding. Something is wrong with Bella.
Sam was quiet a moment. Go now. I'll circle around here with Jared. Jake go with Paul. He commanded.
Paul broke off his patrol, running for Forks back to Bella's, hoping everything was okay. He didn't want to think the worse, but her fear was real. He could still feel it. As long as he could still feel something from her, he knew that she was at least alive.
Paul and Jake made it to Bella's house, finding Embry and Quil knocked out in the woods in their human forms. They left them there to go to the house, the scent of leech all over the house. Paul rushed through the house, not finding Bella at all. He came back downstairs, shaking as his fear and anger started consuming him. "How did this happen?" He roared.
Jake was scared for Bella too. "I don't know. Embry and Quil are just knocked out. Whoever did it didn't kill them. It's not the redheaded leeches scent and there's a mix of one other leech."
Paul ran his hands through his hair. "She's so scared right now Jake." He felt panicked. "I have to find her. I have to get her." His voice cracked as his emotions were starting to get the best of him
Jake saw Paul starting to fall apart. "Listen man, we'll find her. She's smart. You can still feel her with the imprint right?"
Paul could still feel her with the imprint but he was worried about more than just her right now. "Jake… Bella's pregnant."
Jake felt like he got punched in the stomach. He knew that he shouldn't have feelings for Bella, even after Paul proclaimed his love for her and decided to not fight the imprint. He was dealing with it and he came to terms with it and was supporting them at Sam's command. He was trying to be a friend and brother to Paul, despite his disagreements. But Bella being pregnant felt like the ultimate knife in his stomach.
"Jake…"Paul said, snapping Jake out of his own painful realization that Bella was completely out of reach now.
Jake shook his head. "Uh… well…we… we'll get her back. Just stay calm." He managed to get out.
"I can't stay calm right now Jake. Bella is missing, a leech took her and she's in an extreme vulnerable position." Paul growled.
"I get that. I'm pissed too, but we have to think straight. Follow the scent."
"You're right." Paul realized. They could follow the scent. "Okay, you go check on Embry and Quil, wake them. Get word to Sam."
Right then Charlie pulled up in his cruiser.
"Shit." Paul said, forgetting about Charlie in this instance.
"Okay. This is about to get worse." Jake said and looked out the window.
Charlie got out of the cruiser and walked up to the door, seeing it open. He frowned, putting his hand on his weapon as he walked up the steps.
Paul greeted him. "Charlie."
Charlie relaxed. "It's just you. The front door was open. I know you and Bella are… intimate, but not wearing a shirt in this weather will get you sick son." He said and straightened.
"Charlie…" Paul said, his face showing how distressed he was.
"What's wrong? What happened?" Charlie said and moved inside the house. Jake was already outside trying to wake Embry and Quil.
Paul followed him inside. "Bella is missing."
"Missing?" Charlie turned and looked at Paul. "No. She's… she's in a good place. You and her, she… where did she go?"
"She didn't leave Charlie, someone took her." Paul said.
"Why would someone take her Paul?"
Paul thought about who could have taken her and something in his head told him it was Edward. "Edward."
"How… why… I don't understand." Charlie was angry and confused. "How do you know it was Edward? I just…"
Paul put a hand on Charlie's shoulder and looked down into his eyes. "Charlie I will get her back." But his voice broke a little as he felt emotion. Bella was upset right now and it was extreme and it took Paul by surprise, that he had to step back to compose himself.
Charlie frowned, seeing Paul's emotion. "Paul?"
"I'm sorry I uh…"Paul felt tears prick his eyes.
"I'll put out a missing persons. We'll get her back together. This isn't all on you."
"It's dangerous Charlie. She's in real danger." Paul said, shaking his head, running his hand through his hair again.
Charlie wanted to panic, but seeing Paul in a panic and this emotion forced him to hold back. "I know. Edward… he's… no good. Why would he just take her?" it didn't make sense. "We'll find her Paul."
Paul stared back at Charlie. "Charlie… there's so much I need to tell you. It's not fair to keep you in the dark anymore."
"What's going on?"
Jake returned coming in the back. "Paul. Embry said that it was Cullen. Two of them." He was shirtless.
Embry and Quil came in a minute later, shirtless as well, they were looking a little grim.
"Son of a bitch." Embry cursed. "He's really fast." He said, rubbing his head.
Charlie looked around the room. "Why are you all shirtless? It's freezing outside."
Quil looked at Paul and then back at Charlie. "Uhh…"
Paul closed his eyes, taking in a breath. "We're wolves." He said it out loud, opening his eyes to look at Charlie.
Charlie blinked a few times, thinking about what Paul had just said. "You're wolves." He let that sink in. He had heard the tribe legends before. The stories of the Quileute. "Okay." He said with a nod. "What does that have to do with Bella being taken? You said it was Edward?" He looked at Jake.
There was just silence. Paul couldn't believe that Charlie handled the confession without freaking out and Jake was shocked as well.
"Who saw Edward take Bella?" Charlie asked again.
"We didn't see him actually take her. He's the one that knocked us out. Him and his sister Alice." Quil explained.
Charlie shook his head. "How did they knock you out? If you're wolves, I'm assuming you're not just normal wolves. It's why you're so strong right?" He knew the boys were stronger than normal, or at least they had displayed atypical strength before.
"Because he's a vampire." Paul said. "The Cullen's. All of them. They're vampires. It's why we triggered."
That was a new one to Charlie. Vampires? That was absurd to even think about, but it suddenly made sense. He always thought the family was strange. Though Dr. Cullen had been a friend. "Carlisle." Charlie suddenly said and took his phone out. It was for work. But he had the older Cullen in his phone from when Carlisle was in town as the doctor. He called, and it rung, showing promise.
Paul waited, his heart feeling like it was thundering in his chest. If Charlie did manage to talk to Carlisle, then maybe… they could pinpoint where the Cullen's were and they could get Bella back. She would be safe again, her and their babies.
"Charlie, this is a surprise." Carlisle's smooth voice filled the phone.
"Carlisle, I have always thought highly of you, but your son has taken my daughter and if he doesn't want to face charges, he needs to release her right now." Charlie said, his voice harsh.
There was silence. "Charlie, I haven't seen Edward. Not in months."
"What?"
"After he graduated, he moved." Carlisle explained.
"Your son, is dangerous. He has Bella and I need to find her now." Charlie repeated. "Where would he go?"
"Are you sure Edward took Bella?" Carlisle asked.
"Of fucking course I'm sure." Charlie cursed, losing his patience. "I know what you all are. I'm not going to beat around the bush. I knew he was hurting her. I saw the bruises Carlisle, don't, fuck around with me."
Carlisle was silent again for a moment. "I'm on my way. I'm sending Jasper and Emmett to track."
"Tell him that if he hurts her the treaty is broken." Paul said.
"Tell Mr. Lahote that I'm aware of the treaty. Edward is not under my protection anymore. I don't want anything bad to happen to Bella. I care about her a great deal. It's why we moved away." Carlisle said and hung up.
Charlie wanted to throw his phone, but he didn't. He looked at Paul. "Carlisle said that Edward isn't under his protection anymore."
"Good. Then I'll tear him apart." Paul said, his voice gruff. "Jake, Quil, I want you to double down on the scent. Follow it as far as you can. Push the boundary. Embry, link up with Sam. Tell him what's going on. Now." He commanded and everyone scrambled. Charlie watched them leave out the back door and he followed, watching as the three shifted, turning into large direwolves and taking to the woods.
It was stunning to see. Charlie believed Paul when he said they were wolves, but seeing it was another thing. He looked back at Paul. "She's going to be okay."
"Charlie…"Paul whispered. "I can't lose her. I love her."
"I know son." Charlie said and put his hand on Paul's shoulder. "I can't lose her either."
"She's vulnerable Charlie. Edward… he's hurt her before and I don't know what I would do if anything happened to her. To… them."
Charlie frowned. "What?"
"Bella is pregnant Charlie…"
Charlie felt like the world spun under him. Everything became that much worse. "She's pregnant…"
"Yes and… if Edward figures that out…" Paul nearly whispered and then shook his head. "I don't know what will happen. I have to get them back Charlie."
It was true. Edward was a loose cannon. He had hurt Bella before, forcing Bella into a relationship that wasn't good for her. They had to get her back and soon.
