Bella had just finished ranting about how Charlie was going to rip her skin from her body and create a more compliant, stuffing filled, replica daughter if she didn't get her ass home soon, when she felt hands pulling her backwards. She wasn't quite sure when she'd risen to her feet, or at what point she'd found herself almost chest to chest with Jacob Black, but as a tint of embarrassment rose to her cheeks, she realized she had everyone's rapt attention.
"Wow, she's a little spit-fire, huh? Leah drawled, but before Bella could whirl around and say something she might regret, Paul pulled her fully against his lithe body. Her words caught in her brain and she found herself standing with her mouth agape, lost in the moment as she tried to move aside her complicity to relocate her anger.
"Everyone just calm down." Jacob ordered, finally discovering an open breath of silence to find himself heard within. He understood that he had the power in this situation, but he was still uncertain of his position as Alpha and also loathed to use it on his friends, especially when he figured reasoning might work just as well.
"I get that it's a fucked up situation, Bells, but what would you have me do? If you're out in Forks, I know I can order Paul to stay away, but what if I do that and whatever killed Jared is after you? After all, it does seem that someone was pretty intent on you finding him tonight." His eyes bore into hers, begging her to see his sense.
"Fine." She huffed, extracting herself from Paul's arms and removing herself from his presence, for in the moment, he felt just as much as part of the Alpha's decision as Jacob did. He didn't seem particularly impressed with her choice to join Embry on the couch, if the low threatening growl filling the room was anything to go by.
"But you have to figure out something to tell Charlie, even if he thinks I ran away to Florida. I just can't stand the idea of him thinking something bad happened to me, especially after I all but told him he was ruining my life for not letting me out of his sight."
The quite probable reality of her father sitting at home, mentally torturing himself, brought on a whole new wave of anguish and guilt. Her emotions were spinning with such ferocity that she felt dizzy, and though she'd only just moved away from him, she looked to Paul with pleading eyes, and while he didn't seem happy to be pandering to her mood swings, he was lifting her, moving her firmly away from his brother and placing her in his lap in seconds.
Paul was far more comfortable on the periphery of things and now that he'd safely ensconced his imprint back into his fold, he almost felt content. The thought was despicable he decided, but instead of pushing the girl away, who he blamed for the numb tingle that spread throughout his emotions, he pulled her closer.
He understood that he'd always been volatile. His whole life had been an education in how to act first and think later. Unmeaning apologies were always prepared on his lips; it was inevitable that someone would take a distaste to his actions, no matter what they may be. But things had still come easy, and he'd learnt from a young age that a carefully constructed smile sent consciously in the right hormonal direction could smooth things over far quicker that anything crass that might come from his mouth.
As much as he rallied against the part of his new life that took away his control, he also reveled in the feeling of family, in the complicit friendship he'd come to believe would stand against any boundaries. But those friendships had all been decimated, and he was now forced to sit in wooded seclusion chosen by his baby Alpha, surrounded by his lackeys. He didn't hold his imprint in the esteem she deserved, but he still welcomed her warm little body, her need for him lending a smile to his face, where none deserved to be.
"Okay, Bells. You write Charlie a letter; tell him whatever the hell you'd like, just don't tell him where you actually are. I'm not stupid enough to think that if there's a leach out there who wants to find us that they won't. But, no-one but us knows about this place, so we should be safe from everyone else." Jacob withheld his belief that Paul had been too distracted at the time to recognize the scent of his former Alpha when he'd come across Bella and that vampires weren't the only thing that may be hunting their way.
While Bella wrote her note, biting down hard on her lip to stop the ever mounting tears from falling, the rest of the pack discussed the next plan of action.
Paul was all about action and couldn't help inserting himself directly in the middle of it, but it wasn't what Jacob wanted. He wanted the newest member of the pack to protect the imprints, something he tried to pass off as the most important job of all, but Paul wasn't to be fooled and so the look of irritation that had slowly begun to grace his face all evening became an all-out sneer.
"You don't even know where the fuck to head. It's not like we have any more time to waste…" He paused, and after a carefully directed, but pointed look at his Alpha, he continued. "…while you kids bumble round the woods for hours on end."
He wasn't sure whether it was the condescension regarding their age that had finally done it, or perhaps the implication that they were incompetent, but the baby Alpha suddenly snapped, the rolls of anger pouring through his body like waves under his skin.
"The last thing I need is taking someone out there and finding that he's not actually on my side after all." Jacob snarled, and as Bella looked up from her black and white lies about how much she longed for the sun and her mother, she wondered what exactly she'd missed. From her position, she could see the combative edge to the room, in particularly Paul, who was smiling a very eerie sort of smile at her best friends.
"So you don't trust me, and instead of keeping me by your side where you can monitor whatever evil plans I've come here to exact, you're going to leave me alone with your imprint?" Paul let out a roll of deep laughter and Bella felt her intrigue pique. She'd never seen Paul's presence as anything other than a positive choice, but Jacob obviously still had his doubts.
"Like you said before, it's not like we have any more time to waste. You won't hurt the girls, because I've seen in your head how you feel about both of them." Jacob raised his eyebrow and she watched Paul's retaliation bluster into an uncharacteristic retreat. "So, now that that's sorted, we'll be back later." Jacob turned his back on Paul and though his wolf was displeased by the weakened stance, Jake knew it was essential to show Paul that he didn't fear him.
His goodbyes were held softly with Leah, words unspoken, but touches and lips promising a quick return. Unlike Paul, he had found his imprint easily, welcomed her and brought pleasure in knowing that when the whole rest of his life was in flux, she would always be his constant.
Jacob was just about to step through the door and fade into the night when he turned around and looked Paul square in the eye. "Oh, and Paul? You will protect Bella and Leah above all else." The threatening timbre of an Alpha command sent a shiver through both girls. Paul meanwhile, just looked a little bored, nodding his head lackadaisically as a show of understanding.
"Seriously Paul, why do you have to be such a fucking dick all the time?" Leah asked, shaking her head as she curled up a little further into the end of the couch, breaking the silence that had filled the room since her wolf's departure.
"Don't know babe, just comes naturally I guess." Paul winked at her and as Bella tried to pretend she was enthralled with the words spelled out in her own hand, she was actually monitoring the exchange with an ugly fascination. Her gut rolled unpleasantly when she lifted her head and found neither paying her much attention, too caught up with their conversation to pay her any mind.
Her exchanges with Paul had always really been limited to one on one's, filled more with touching hands than spoken words. Trapped in this little world where Paul and Leah obviously had something in the way of a relationship, she felt jealous and alone.
"So you think that wolf of yours is going to find shit out there in the rain?" Paul jeered, looking for someone to bite back and fill his boredom. What he wanted to do most was sneak off with his little imprint, lock the door and tell Leah to entertain herself for a couple hours, but Jacob had put a stop to that with his Alpha order. The thought had briefly crossed his mind of asking Leah to join them, but it had been accompanied by a knock-out punch of possessive jealousy and he tossed the idea aside. He'd never had a problem with sharing in the past, but this girl was different. He wanted to be the only one who made her make those little throaty moans when he kissed her. He wanted to be the only one who brought that fiery look of absolute need to her eye, and he wanted more than anything to be the first and only name on her lips when she came.
Just thinking about her writhing underneath him was making him want her to the point of incomprehension and though Leah was looking from his eyes, down to the huge fucking erection he was sporting in his jeans with a knowing smirk, he ignored her and closed his eyes. Thinking of the baby Alpha and his gangly side-kick brought his thoughts back to something more child friendly and manageable, so when he opened his eyes again and found both girls looking at him, one with hard understanding and the other with a sweet, naïve incomprehension, he stood, stalking to the fridge in search of something to eat.
He still had a perfect view of the living room, and as he threw a bowl of stale, dry cereal in a bowl, he crunched away as he watched the two girls interact, actually caring to observe them for the first time.
"So you're Jake's imprint?" Bella asked hesitantly. She'd finally folded her letter neatly into her pocket, ready for whenever Jake returned, and now she'd found herself with absolutely nothing to do.
"And you're Paul's. I gotta say, chica, I'm fairly certain I got the bigger slice of pie on this occasion." Leah smiled quite genuinely, but Bella was too concerned with trying to decide if Leah's words were as obviously a double entendre as they seemed.
"Oh cheer up, babe, I was only kidding. I just meant you get to deal with all Paul's shitty moods, while I get to play with the gentle giant."
Bella still wasn't happy with Leah's choice of words and instead of keeping silent, as she normally would, she found herself rearing to Jacob's defense. "You don't need to talk about him that way, you know? He's not some little kid for you to manipulate."
Bella watched as Leah looked her over; clearly assessing the level of threat she posed. Meanwhile Paul was smiling softly to himself, proud of his little imprint for possessing more spirit than he'd expected, even if she was stepping right into Leah's trap.
"Oh hon, I think he quite likes it when I manipulate him." Leah winked and Bella huffed, and for a few minutes they reached an impasse with their burgeoning friendship as silence blossomed.
"So, you and Paul huh? How're you finding that?" Leah tried to offer something a little softer in her voice, well aware that they weren't getting out of here anytime soon. As much as she might have some immediate fun messing with Bella's head; it wasn't productive in the long run.
Bella snuck a look into the kitchen where Paul was still smiling to himself. She took his gesture as something arrogant and instead of keeping her mouth shut and simply offering a few pleasantries, she opened her mouth to find a whole slew of honesty coming out. "I don't think there's really a that to find anything about. I mean, he shows up sporadically, manages to fuck with my mind for a little while, and then leaves again. So yeah, that's going great." Bella's final throw of sarcasm fell heavy on the room and though Leah was nodding her head and grinning, she couldn't bring herself to look at Paul.
"So how're things with Jake? I mean, it's got to be strange being with someone so nice after Sam." Bella felt bold in her question and when Leah's smile dripped from her lips, she felt a thrill of accomplishment. Until of course, her eyes looked like they were gathering tears, and then because Bella Swan didn't really have a mean bone in her body, she was awash with guilt.
"God, I'm sorry Leah, I didn't mean to be such a bitch. I just… you just… I'm sorry, okay?" Bella moved to sit on the other end of the couch, propped on the edge of the cushions awaiting the tears that were already poised to fall.
"It's okay. I deserved it. You're right anyway, the Sam you saw was a complete bastard, but he wasn't always that way, Bells. You don't mind if I call you that do you? I mean, Jake talks about you all the time and anyway, I hope you don't mind." Leah was flustered and as she tried to wipe away the tears before they could actually fall, Bella understood that was because she was so desperate not to cry in front of her.
"It's fine. You can call me Bells." She said simply, hoping secretly this was the beginning of something in the way of an olive branch from the older, harder girl. "We got off to a bad start, but it doesn't mean it has to stay bad." Bella added sentimentally.
"Okay, enough of the girly bonding shit, it's bedtime. So unless you girls are looking forward to riding the couch, I suggest you pick a bedroom…" Paul paused until he had all the attention in the room. "…to share. After all, Alpha said I have to make sure nothing happens to either of you, and I can't do that if you're in different beds, now can I?"
Paul seemed very pleased with himself, and though he'd been mulling over his imprint's words about their lack of a relationship, he also couldn't resist the looks of distaste on either of their faces. The might have reached a mature understanding, but he also knew from Leah's hard façade that they were also nowhere near friends. Bella was already nodding away, turning to the larger of the two rooms, no doubt the bond between them demanding she respect his dilemma, but Leah was standing defiantly, her arms crossed tautly over her chest.
"No fucking way am I sharing a room with you two. I know exactly what's going through your head, fucker, and it's not going to happen."
A montage of possibly scenarios went through his mind, but the one he valued the most was the one where Leah wasn't actually in the room at all. He doubted she would believe him though.
"Have you seen the bed, Lee? It's hardly gonna be big enough for you two, let alone three of us." He enjoyed the look on her face when she actually looked in the dank little room, and was forced to accept that her hissy fit had been unnecessary. "I'm gonna take the chair."
Luckily, there was quite a big, deep armchair in the corner of the room and with a little maneuvering; he had already decided that with one of the side tables from the living room, it wouldn't be too bad for the night. Not that he was going to be doing any sleeping.
With nothing to change into, the girls were ready for bed in no time. Paul sat quietly in the corner of the room, listening intently to the sound of his imprint's breathing, hearing the other girl only as background noise.
To his surprise, she was asleep in no time, and as he pulled back to figure if it was the same for Leah, he noticed she was lying on her back, staring widely at the ceiling. Taking his chance, he spoke so quietly that Leah almost didn't hear him.
"Jake wants to know what happened with Sam. He's wants me to tell him what happened over the summer."
He wanted to curse Leah when she sat up in the bed, her movements making the mattress creak and his imprint sigh in her sleep.
"What did you tell him?" She hissed, her eyes wild as they fluttered distractedly all over the room.
"Nothing. Whether I wanted to or not, whatever command Sam threw at me is stronger than anything Jake's got right now. Doesn't mean it will be for long though, and when he figures that out and makes me spill my fucking guts, you think he's gonna keep either of us in his pack?" Paul's eyes were an intense pool of black in the already dark room, and Leah couldn't help the little shudder of fear than ran from the tip of her toes all the way to the very top of her spine. Her happiness was only ever destined to be short lived, she'd already come to terms with that, but just the thought of losing Jacob, losing the security and the love he gave so willingly brought tears to her eyes. And it was all because of something stupid, something avoidable, something they'd all done, but only she had started.
a/n: A big wonderful pina colada filled thank you to my lovely beta Twiticulate...
I'm sorry for the slight delay folks, but we're back on track now and I'm hoping we should be good with Wednesdays and Sundays through til the end. Thanks for your patience. See you all again on Sunday. xxx