"What's going on?" Rachel exclaimed, as she watched Jacob hold Paul's shaking body against the boulder. "Should I get someone? Call 911?"
"NO!" Jacob shouted, chancing a quick glance at her before lowering his voice. "No, he's just having a panic attack, it happens at lot with him and it's nothing I can't handle. You go on, I'll stay with Paul and make sure he's okay."
Rachel frowned a little, her eyes flicking from her brother to his friend who watched her intently, his eyes wide and dark as he struggled to correct his breathing.
"Go!" Jacob hissed, and Rachel nodded, completely ignoring her plan to go to the store and returning home.
Paul watched her run and immediately lurched forward to go after her, growling when Jacob tightened his grip.
"Let me go!" He hissed fighting against his grip, the jagged edges of the rock biting into his back. "I need to go."
"No, not until you calm down." Jake replied. "I can't let you near her, not while you're like this."
Paul scowled and brought his arms up knocking Jacob's hands from his shoulders. He winced as he pulled away from the boulder, smelling his own blood as it trickled from the tiny wounds.
He watched Jacob, as he his body stiffened, ready to stop him from following Rachel like he was aching to. Instead he turned in the other direction and ran in towards where the forest met the beach, his skin almost exploding from his body as a large grey wolf took his place and darted into the trees.
"Paul?" Jake's voice rang in his ears and he turned round to see the slightly larger, red wolf loping up behind him and falling in with his pace.
"I can't do this right now Jake, just leave me alone." He all but pleaded, his body tense, hackles raised.
"You know I can't do that, I can't chance that you won't go after her and…" Paul cut him off.
"I won't hurt her, I couldn't hurt her." He growled.
"Not intentionally," Jacob replied, "look at Emily. Sam never meant to…"
"I never meant to what?" The air popped and Sam's voice echoed around them from deeper in the trees and the red wolf let out a sigh.
"It's Paul, he imprinted." Jacob glanced quickly over to Paul, who quickened his pace and moved in front of him. "On my sister."
"Well that's…" Sam started.
"Don't Sam, don't say it's great." Paul growled.
"Fine, but what does this have to do with me?" Sam enquired, as his huge black wolf came into view.
"He didn't take it to well. He was having trouble controlling the urge to phase." Jacob explained.
"I'm right here, you know!" Paul barked angrily, and Jacob shook his head.
"I was worried that he would change in front of her, that he would…you know" Jacob eyed Sam warily.
"Paul?" The black wolf walked over and stopped in front him, sitting back on his haunches "Jake's right."
"But I would never…" Paul rose to his paws.
"I didn't mean to either." Sam said sternly. "I was young, and I was all kinds of angry and upset. I didn't mean to hurt Emily, but she was so close and I couldn't control myself. Every day I have to see what I did, the pain that I caused her."
Paul sank to the floor as Sam continued. "You're not as new to this as I was back then, but you have always let your anger get the better of you. Could you live with, at best, seeing those scars on her body everyday?"
"Sorry." He huffed.
"You'll need to talk to her…Sooner rather than later." Sam explained. "Give her a chance to get used to the idea. It's going to be a lot for her to take in but, hopefully Jake and Billy will be able to help with that."
Paul nodded and stood.
Sam turned to Jacob and nodded, and he growled softly.
"Let's go talk to my dad." Jake sighed before turning back in the direction of La Push. "I can't believe you imprinted on my sister!"
"What the fuck are you talking about? This is all your fault!" Paul barked. "If you'd have just told me it was your sister I would never have gone after her and I would never have seen her!"
"Believe me Paul, if I could take it back I would." Jacob growled. "Living in your head is bad enough, living in your head once you've imprinted on my sister isn't exactly appealing!"
"Oh yeah, forgot about that!" He sneered.
Rachel banged around the kitchen, pulling pans and dishes from cupboards and rifling through the fridge in search of food that was still edible.
"Hey what's going on? I thought you were going to the store?" Billy asked wheeling himself through to the kitchen.
"I was, I just…" Rachel stopped and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She'd raced back from the beach her anxiousness growing the further away she got from her Jake and his friend, and it was still getting worse.
"Hey, come on sit down for a minute." Billy motioned to the kitchen table, noticing his daughter's distress. "What's going on?"
"I was walking on the beach, and all of a sudden I hear Jake screaming at this guy to stop." She frowned. "I turned around, and he was just running towards me, and the look on his face? He was just staring at me, and he started shaking and, and growling."
Rachel paused and shook her head. "Jacob pinned him down. He said he was having a panic attack and that I should just leave, that he could handle it…but I was so worried, I've never seen a panic attack like that before."
Billy watched her for a moment, before gently reaching to squeeze her shoulder. "Who was it? The guy?"
"Uh, Paul? I think Jake called him Paul?" Rachel frowned.
"Don't worry they'll be okay. Paul sometimes has trouble controlling his emotions, he and your brother have a knack for winding each other up." He squeezed her shoulder once more, glancing out the window when movement caught his and pulled back. "Just forget about it. Do you need any help in here?"
She shook her head and pushed herself from her seat. "No, thanks dad. I think I've managed to salvage enough for a decent dinner."
Billy nodded and left her alone, wheeling himself out of the house and onto the porch where Jacob and Paul were waiting.
"So?" Billy crossed his arms. "One of you mind telling me exactly what happened?"
Paul shuffled his feet nervously and mumbled.
"Your gonna have to speak up kid, not all of us are blessed with super hearing!" Billy frowned.
"He imprinted." Jacob sighed, watching his father. "On Rachel."
Billy sat back in surprise. "Well I wasn't expecting that."
"Neither was I." Paul said glancing up at him.
"You nearly phased?" Billy asked and Paul nodded dumbly.
"He stopped himself." Jacob offered. "I told Rach it was a panic attack."
Billy nodded stiffly and Paul lifted his head to speak. "Is she okay? Did I scare her?"
"She'll get over it." Billy answered, narrowing his eyes at the boy. "I guess this means your staying for dinner?"
A small smile began to spread across Paul's face as he nodded.
"Good," Billy said turning back into the house, " because I want to be around when you tell her about this!"
Rachel almost dropped the pan she was holding when Billy burst back in, followed by the guys. Jacob grinned at her , and when she glanced at Paul he smiled softly and mouthed "Sorry".
She tentatively returned the smile, as Jacob slung his arm round her. "Rachel this is Paul Cusick, we work together. Paul, this is my sister." He introduced them less than enthusiastically.
Paul stepped forward and held out a hand . Rachel eyed it nervously for a moment before clasping it with her own, her breath catching slightly at the heat that seemed to spread up her fingers. "Nice to meet you, Rachel." He smiled.
When he released her hand, she held it to her stomach, realising that the anxious feeling had disappeared. "Are…are you okay?" She asked cocking an eyebrow.
Paul winced in embarrassment, a feeling he rarely encountered until now. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks."
"Paul will be staying for dinner, if there's enough?" Billy chimed in.
"Oh, sure." Rachel nodded, "I did extra for Jake anyway. He'll just have to share."
Everyone glanced around when a rumble rose from Jakes direction.
"This is what you have a problem with?" Paul scoffed, "Sharing your food?"
"Oh no, I'm definitely not happy about what happened, but now your just pushing it!" Jake snapped.
"Boys!" Billy glanced between them, eyebrow raised.
"Am I missing something?" Rachel piped up from behind them.
"No!" Jacob and Paul exclaimed at the same time. And Billy sent an icy look their way.
"Do you remember earlier, when I told you to keep in mind that nothing was impossible?" He asked her, and she nodded. "Well now is one of those times."
He turned to Paul. "She's my daughter I don't want to lie to her if I don't have to."
Paul looked between Billy and Jake, and then back to Rachel. "Could I talk to you outside for a second?"
Rachel looked like she was about to protest, but Jacob stepped in. "I'll come with you."
Paul nodded and held the door open, waiting for Rachel to move.
"I'll watch the dinner, you go." Billy said motioning towards the door, and she folded her arms around herself as she stepped out side.
Paul walked next to her, Jacob trailing behind slightly and when she stopped in front of the house he shook his head and grasped her arm gently, tugging her towards the trees at the back of the house.
"You've heard all the stories right?" Paul said suddenly, making her jump slightly and her heart began to thump faster., as he clarified "About the tribe being descended from wolves?"
"Yeah." She answered warily, glancing back at Jake, who shrugged.
"Well then you've hear the stories about the protectors of the tribe? Taha Aki and the spirit warriors? The Cold Ones?"
"Let me get this straight, you pulled me out here to rehash the tribe myths?" Rachel asked, raising her eyebrows. "I don't have time for this." She shook her head and turned to leave, but Jacob caught her arm.
"It pains me to say this, but give him a chance, okay? You need to hear what he has to say." He said softly, "It's important."
Rachel huffed and turned back to Paul. "Fine, but this better be good."