Hey guys! Wow its been forever hasn't it? I'm really sorry for that, I hope this story still has some people holding out hope for that. Writer's block is not fun. Well here's the next chapter! Enjoy Guys! I own nothing but the AU story line and the grammatical errors because its un-beta'd.
Drums of War
I was pacing my room anxiously. I hadn't been able to sleep at all last night after being dragged to my room by my brother and locked in. I had a pack member within hearing distance of me at all times and it was driving me nuts. To make matters worse, Paul is still keeping the bond closed. I heard quiet mumbling outside my door before it swung open revealing an annoyed Leah.
"Does your brother really have these fucking pack numskulls watching you?" She huffed. I nodded my and peered around her to see Colin on his knees trying to slowly get up. I raised an eyebrow and looked at Leah. "What? He wouldn't let me in so kneed him in the nuts." She said offhandedly. "You're my best friend, no one's going to keep you from me, not even on the orders of Jacob."
"Leah…" I started but she cut me off with a wave of her hand.
"Let's go, we have some grocery shopping to do." She turned back to Colin who seemed to flinch under her glare before turning back to me. "Alone."
"But I can't…" Colin flinched again as Leah whipped her head around to glare again. Once again, she'd make a damn good wolf.
"Colin! I swear on everything that if we detect even one wolf following us there will be hell to pay! And you can inform your fucking Alpha of that too! I'm not a fucking wolf, I don't have to follow his bullshit. Now get the fuck out of my way" She growled as she shoved him aside, dragging me out behind her by my hand. She slammed the house door behind us and stomped over to her car, peeling out of the driveway as soon as my car door was shut.
"Where are we going?" I asked, speaking for the first time since she busted into my room.
"We're going to drive around for a little bit while you tell me what the fuck exactly happened last night and then we're going to the grocery store to pick up some stuff to make food at my house. Now start explaining." She said giving me a look that said not to leave anything out.
By the time we pulled into a parking space at the store, I was finished explaining. Leah turned off the car and took a deep breath.
"That's what I thought." Leah exhaled. I stared at her confused and shocked.
"When I heard about the incident yesterday afternoon, waking up in the middle of the night to find you gone and then finding out that Sam was dead and your brother was keeping you under lock and key, I figured Sam followed you last night and stumbled upon something he didn't want to see. Let's be honest, he was getting borderline obsessed with you and him being together, it was only a matter of time."
"I though he would stop when I told him Paul was my imprint, but it only served to make him angrier." I choked out. "I didn't want him to die! Some peacekeeper I am! A member of my pack is dead and my brother is going to murder my imprint." I sobbed. Leah wrapped her arm around my shoulder, tugging me as close as she could within her car.
"It'll be okay sweetie. Maybe this was supposed to happen. You imprinted on Paul for a reason, and let's face it Sam was a little off his rocker in his quest for you. He knows the rules about imprint and he not only tried to kill your imprint but you as well. As much as it sucks, it was you two or him. If it had been anyone but Paul as an imprint, her could have been sentenced to death anyway." Leah said calmly but fiercely. "Now come on, dry your tears, we have somewhere we need to be." She said hugging me tightly again before opening her car door and stepping out, waiting for me to follow. I opened the car door before shutting it and walking over to her. She grabbed a cart and we spent the next hour perusing through the store, grabbing whatever groceries Leah needed. We left the store and headed to Leah's house, her trunk loaded up with groceries. We pulled into the driveway only to be greeted by a pacing Jacob. He snapped his head up looking angry as we parked the car. I looked over at Leah a little nervous but she just got out of the car with a neutral face as she went to the trunk to grab the groceries, completely ignoring the irate wolf on her lawn. I followed her lead and grabbed the rest of the groceries from the trunk before shutting it. We both walked past the now still and silently fuming but shocked wolf. I helped Leah put all of the groceries away except for the ones she immediately needed in silence. I felt Jacob standing in the doorway watching us but if Leah noticed she didn't show it until she had everything put away and organized. Once that was done she turned to Jacob, crossed her arms over her chest and simply raised an eyebrow. Jacob stared at her for a second before regaining some of the fire he had when we pulled in.
"Just what did you think you were doing going to Bella against my orders?" He growled sharply.
"Just what did you think you were doing giving me an order?" She snapped back.
"A pack member is dead Leah!" My brother growled loudly.
"And that is not her fault! You can't keep treating her like a child Jacob! And you have no right ordering me around like I'm one of the wolves in the pack! If you came here just to yell and throw your weight around and just being an overall jackass, you can get the fuck out of my house!" Leah seethed. Jacob stood there shocked, just staring at Leah. "I mean it Jacob! Get. Out. You can come back when you're done being a dick and are ready to listen to something other than your pride." She growled. Jacob opened his mouth to argue but quickly shut it before turning on his heal and strutting out of the house. As soon as he was out of sight and from what I could tell hearing range, Leah sagged against the counter.
"Leah…" I started but she waved me off. She took a deep breath to compose herself before turning toward me with a small smile.
"Let's get this casserole baked okay? We got somewhere we have to be." She said before making herself busy preparing the two pans chicken mac and cheese casserole. I worked next to her in silence trying to think of where we might be going. She took the one in the disposable pan and placed the cover on it before turning back to the oven and taking out the one in the regular baking dish and placing it on the counter. After turning off the oven, she wiped her hands off on her jeans before grabbing the disposable pan of casserole and walking toward the door. I watched her walk away, too stunned to move until I heard her call my name.
"Let's go Bells, don't want to be late and miss your chance!" Even more confused now, I followed her out of the house and climbed into her car silently.
We drove for about 15 minutes before pulling up outside the tribal hall which also served as the jail in the basement. I turned to Leah, even more puzzled but she just ignored my questioning look and grabbed the casserole dish and headed toward the building. I quickly scrambled out of my seat belt and lightly jogged to catch up to her. As we got lower in the building, nearing the basement, my nerves were tingling uncontrollably. Paul was here. Leah and I approached the entrance to the jail seeing Seth as the only guard. He nodded towards us before turning to walk out. "Ten minutes, that's all I can give you." He said softly before heading up the stairs.
Leah turned toward me and handed me the casserole before motioning forward. "Times a' wasting Bells."
"But how?" I stuttered but Leah just smiled softly.
"Going to be doing a lot of chores for the next month but you need this. I don't know how you've waited this long. Now go!" She said making a shooing motion.
I nodded and nervously headed down the isle of cells to the last one on the left where I knew he would be. I gasped when I finally got a look at him, almost dropping the casserole I was holding. He looked horrible, like he wasn't healing from Sam's blows. His eyes snapped up at my gasp and his eyes widened as he opened and closed them a couple of times as if trying to make sure I was real.
"Paul!" I whimpered as he moved as fast he could to the bars, reaching through them to stroke my face as he closed his eyes again, inhaling deeply.
"Goldie." He whispered as he opened his eyes again. "How?"
"Leah." I supplied as my eyes ran over his injuries. "We only have 10 minutes." I said as tears welled up in my eyes.
"Goldie" He cooed. "Don't cry for me." He said while reaching through the bars to cup my face.
"You're not healing." I whispered. He shrugged his shoulders and muttered something about not being able to.
"Goldie, I need you to promise me something." He said tenderly while stroking his thumb over my cheek. I looked at him confused. "Tomorrow at daybreak is when I will be sentenced and it will be a fight to the death. It's the law since I'm an alpha."
"But you're not healed!" I gasped "You're not strong enough to fight!" I sobbed.
"Goldie, shh…it'll be okay. I need you to promise that you will not be there and that no matter what happens you will not do anything stupid. I'm okay with dying if its needed but I couldn't handle something happening to you." He whispered as I sobbed harder. "Promise me Goldie, promise me." He said almost desperately.
"I…I…promise." I sobbed out leaning my head against the bars so our foreheads just barely touched.
"Bells." I heard Leah's voice. "I'm sorry but we need to go." She said sadly. "The dish she's holding is for you. Its chicken mac and cheese casserole. My mom convinced the council it wasn't humane to let you go into a fight injured and malnourished." Leah smiled weakly.
"Thank you." Paul smiled slightly before turning back to me. "I love you Goldie, never forget that." He whispered before kissing me quickly and taking the casserole from my hands, turning it sideways a little to fit through the bars. He turned to Leah as she slung her arm around my shoulders. "Take care of her." He said seriously. Leah stared at him for a few seconds before nodding and then turning me to lead me out of the jail. I glanced back once to see Paul's small smile and felt a burst of love and strength through the bond before he shut it back down and turned back into his cell.
Chase ran as fast as his four legs could carry him back to Makah land. All of his brothers were waiting right at the property line waiting for him, feeling his anxiousness.
What's going on Chase? Where's Paul? -Jared's voice filling his head.
Chase looked toward the beta in his pack before answering him.
The Quileutes have him.
What are you talking about Chase? -his brother Talon asked anxiously.
Chase sighed in his head before showing his pack the events that has just transpired not even twenty minutes before.
They're going to kill him Jared. -Embry stated looking at their beta.
No, he's an Alpha. It'll be a fight to the death but judging by the injuries he sustained from Sam, he won't heal in time for it to be a fair fight. It'll be at dawn day after tomorrow. Everyone go back, get some sleep. Tomorrow we get ready for battle.
Hey guys! I believe this story is rounding up! I'm going to try and finish up the next chapter within the next couple of days since I already have most of it written!