Just a heads up for some info in this chapter, in this story Claire is NOT a toddler. She is fourteen in this one as it works for the story and well because I never really liked the fact that she was so young in the books.

Chapter 8

Paul couldn't take his eyes off Angela as he stood just inside the tree line. Twenty minutes ago it took everything he had to pull himself up from the log beside her and make a stupid excuse as to why he was leaving her side again. The first time he got up to leave he saw the disappointment flicker across her face before Bella scooted closer to her and started up a conversation about one of their friends. The second time he left her she didn't seem nearly as upset about it and the third she waved him off like it was nothing. Rather than her dismissal upsetting him Paul was happy that she was getting along with the pack so well. Just watching her now the proof was in plain sight. She was leaning across the log her head nearly touching Kim's as the two girls laughed wholeheartedly unable to catch their breaths.

"What's going on over there?" Paul said catching Embry's attention, who was walking towards the house, getting ready to do his quick patrol of the area.

"Kim being Kim, the first joke she told Angela I thought she was going to choke on the water that she was drinking, but now she's firing them back. You might want to watch those two together."

Paul nodded not really caring weather or not Embry caught it. Slicking his hand across the wet leaves of a tree Paul went about wiping as much of the mud off his upper body as he could, when he was satisfied he threw his shirt and shorts on and slowly made his way into the clearing of Sam's backyard.

In the middle of another bout of laughter Angela felt the hair on her arm stand on end, when her head snapped up she locked eyes with Paul as he stalked across the yard in her direction. The fire while still going wasn't blazing nearly as high as it had been before and Angela couldn't seem to take her eyes off of him. The power she saw in his movements caused her to suck in a breath and hold it. His inky black hair was wet as were his arms and lower legs where his shorts stopped. His bare feet slid through the grass as his hands swung loose at his sides. She wondered how he couldn't be freezing dressed like that. How couldn't any of them? Even the girls were wearing thin long sleeve shirts and gym shoes, unlike she and Bella who were bundled up in boots and coats. The thought made her frown and blink, losing sight of Paul for just a second her frown deepened when she looked up and he was no longer making his way toward her in the yard.

"You got room for me there?"

His voice caused her body to lock tight and her head to tilt back; dumbly Angela shook her head and shuffled to the side on the log attempting to make room for him between her and Kim. She heard the chuckle rather than saw and almost swallowed her tongue when he stepped over the log and then stood his ass in her face for a split second before he lowered himself to the ground in between her legs.

With her mouth hanging open her eyes shot to Kim who rolled her eyes before turning to Jared and snuggled into his chest. As Paul settled back into her legs her eyes scanned the crowd in a panic, her gaze stopped on Sam's who was staring at the two of them intently, slowly eyes still locked with hers a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth before Emily pulled his attention away.

Paul's back rubbed against her legs, but she ignored it as her eyes locked on Bella's her head now completely turned to the side, Bella's face was flushed. Unsure if it was because she was embarrassed that Jacob had pulled her onto his lap to make room for Paul stepping over the log or something else Angela mouthed what do I do. Bella's eyes went wide before she shrugged her shoulders.

Another rub from Paul's back and she looked down into that inky black hair, before she could stop herself she wondered what it would be like to run her fingers through it, would it be soft as it ran through her fingers?

"The knees are a little rough on the back." Paul's voice rumbled at her.

Slowly Angela opened her legs allowing Paul to scoot back fully against the log where she was sitting.

"What are you doing?" She whispered wanting only him to hear.

"Feet are cold," he said his long legs stretching out so far that his feet were practically touching the rock ring that surrounded the fire pit.

Still looking at his long tanned legs stretched out in front of her Angela didn't realize that he had turned and was looking at her until he cleared his throat.

"Want me to move?"

With a slight jerk Angela's eyes snapped away from his legs and to his worried face, "oh no you're fine just," her gaze worked back down his legs to his toes and she frowned, "don't burn your feet."

"Won't be a problem Tom."

That name coming from his mouth made Angela's back teeth grind together and an eyebrow to shoot up, "really we're still there?" Paul merely shrugged his shoulders and turned back toward the fire settling between her legs again.

She hadn't realized it but the conversation around the fire had grown quite and every one was watching their exchange. Realization of this struck when she looked up and nearly every eye was on them watching intently. Ducking her head from embarrassment her face brushed against the top of his head and a shudder rolled through her body, it smelled like earth and pine and little bit like sweat and it was soft, so much softer than she could have imagined.

*U*

Paul's wolf stirred and fought against the body that was frozen in place. She was touching him, her breath was fanning across his neck and he could feel her face brushing up against his head, but his main focus was the fact that her nails were digging into the tops of his shoulders making him think things he definitely shouldn't be thinking. With a low warning growl at the pack that was still staring at him. Quil opened his mouth and got the conversation rolling again. Paul sat waiting until Angela realized the attention was no longer on them, just when his wolf began to fight harder she slowly lifted her head and gasped, snatching her hands back when she realized that her nails were digging into his shoulders. The loss of her hands caused goosebumps to errupt across his skin, and then her breath at his ear made him jerk.

"I'm so sorry I didn't-"

"S'ok Tom."

Paul fought a smile when she grumbled in his ear and then snapped back into place.

~U~

Another hour had passed and slowly Angela's body had started to slump forward. He could tell by the slow decrease of her heart rate that she was slowly falling asleep. When her knuckles dug into the middle of his spine he knew she was on the verge of passing out, every now and then he would feel something brush against his hair. Swiveling his body around he watched as her eyes fluttered shut and her body began to slump forward, she had barely moved when her body snapped back violently her eyes popping open and then darting around to see if anyone caught her. When their eyes met he quirked a brow at her and shook his head, "you're gonna fall over, I think we're done here Tom."

"I wasn't-" Angela began to protest until Paul stood and wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her to stand.

"You think you can make it to the car or you want me to carry you."

When her head lulled rolled back and her eyes fluttered closed before snapping back open Paul shook his head and scooped her up in his arms, "carry it is." Paul didn't bother telling the pack goodbye by the way they were all gawking he knew they all were watching them again.

Slowly making his way through the back yard, Paul grumbled to himself when he heard Jake's heavy footsteps behind him. Swinging around he rolled his eyes at the sight of Bella tucked in his arm, her hand fisting his shirt as he walked toward them. "The girls called Charlie while you were gone; Bella's staying with Angela again tonight."

"You want me to drive her too," Paul asked hoping deep down that Jake would say no, he just wanted a little time with her. Time where she wasn't nervous as hell pressed against the passenger door of her car like he was going to jump her any second.

A sliver of hope shot through him when Jake looked down at Bella and frowned, "nah Bella will probably want her truck tomorrow." Jake answered not looking at Paul. They both knew that was a crock Jake could run her truck up to Forks anytime during the night, none the less Paul wasn't going to argue he'd get a little time with his imprint alone even if she was sleeping on him.

With a bob of his head Paul turned and made his way to Angela's car.

~U~

The ride to Angela's house was as uneventful as Paul knew it was going to be, yet he was happy that he got to spend that time with her. His legs were cramping like a bitch but he was happier crammed in her little sardine can of a car than he had been in a long time. As he drove them away from the rez Paul thought about the night. Angela fit right in with the pack, not really a shock since she was an imprint. Still the fact that she got along with everyone so well calmed his nerves. Even better the fact that the two of them got along just fine, there had been moments in the night like when her fingers were dug in his shoulders that Paul couldn't fight the quick thought of taking her, but for the most part they were just comfortable with each other, the constant urge wasn't there to take her and mate with her which for Paul was a shock but it gave him hope, hope that he could be the first besides Quil in the pack to actually have an imprint that didn't involve mating. When Old Quil and Billy explained imprinting to them all they said that an imprint could be whatever the imprint needed, they could be like a brother, a friend, or as they had seen at the time in Sam's case a lover. After Jared imprinted on Kim and their imprint fell into the lover's category the wolves wondered if it were true. When Quil imprinted on Claire Emily worried about her fourteen year old niece until Quil said his wolf instantly felt for Claire like a friend, only a friend. It was different with them though, being as they both were older Paul was surprised at how easy it was for him tonight, not only him but how little his wolf pushed him to mate with his imprint. Maybe it was because Angela didn't feel the sexual need for him like Kim and Emily the thought made him frown before realizing it was a good thing. He really didn't want that with an imprint anyway. This was just fine with him, as long as they could keep it platonic.

Pulling into Angela's driveway Paul killed the engine and swiftly flung open the door. The need to get out of the stuffy car was overwhelming, much like before he bent and stretched all of his muscles cursing under his breath. As he made his way around the front of the car he could already hear the rumble of Bella's truck in the distance and he wanted to bitch at Jake for following so close, couldn't he just have a minute alone with his imprint without everyone breathing down their necks?

As he pulled Angela out of the car Jake rounded the corner and much to Paul's relief killed the lights and the engine letting the truck coast into a spot in front of the house.

"That thing on its last leg, it sounds like hell."

Jake frowned while making his way to the passenger side, "yeah she hasn't brought it down for a tune up in a while, I should just take it back with me and check it out in the morning before she wakes up."

Speaking of which, "you think you could help me fix up my truck, I'm not riding in that tin can ever again, my fucking knees are killing me." Smiling Jake bobbed his head as he walked up the drive with Bella tucked against his chest.

Finally making it into the house Paul moved up the steps slowly as not to jostle Angela awake, but as soon as he flipped the light switch on in her bedroom she jerked and burrowed her head into his chest.

~U~

Lying in the deep grass Angela took in the star filled sky and smiled. She'd been lying near her grandfather's pond since nightfall waiting to see the sky, the dew was starting to seep through her grandmother's old quilt but she couldn't make herself leave. As she continued to watch the stars she sunk her feet into the sand sighing as the water from the pond gently lapped at her feet. It was a rare night in Forks hardly ever was the sky clear enough to see the stars and she didn't want to miss it. Pulling the camera up Angela snapped a couple of shots of the half moon. Another gentle breeze moved across the pond mixing the cedar smell that lingered in the quilt with the scent of the forest surrounding her. Sucking in a lungful of air Angela's eyes slid closed a smile tugging at her lips. Only a few seconds passed before a bright light startled her awake and she launched herself up only to settle when the smell of pine fully surrounded her. As her eyes adjusted to the light she looked up and gasped.

*U*

Paul looked down at Angela; his body completely frozen in the door way, her hand was clutching his shoulder as she squirmed in his grasp. As he watched her wild eyes he focused on her pounding heart, "shh its ok I've got you, you're alright." The words seemed foreign coming out of his mouth but the calmed her instantly making his wolf perk up in pride. "Having a bad dream Tom?"

Paul didn't miss her brows as they puckered together clearly unhappy that he was still using the nickname when he talked to her. "Why do you keep calling me that?" She grumbled then tucked her head into his chest. Shrugging he felt her body tense as it moved up and down with the movement, "haven't found a better one for you yet."

"My name would be nice," she grumbled under her breath as she pushed at his chest.

With a sigh Paul slowly lowered her feet to the floor and watched as she walked into the room. Noticing that he was still there Angela made her way to her bed quickly and began to make it up motioning for Jake to bring Bella in lay her on the bed," she's fine there I'll just sleep over here." Angela said as she pointed toward the window where she had slept the night her drunken friend slept over.

"Isn't it uncomfortable over there?" Paul asked a frown on his face, why couldn't Bella sleep over there it's not like this was her room.

"Actually it's not too bad, my grandma loved sitting in this window so my grandpa built it like a day bed."

"Not like you couldn't sleep in the bed too, isn't that what girls do?"

Angela's face dropped her hand stilling in the middle of fluffing a pillow, quirking her brow she turned toward him and chuckled, "you would think that." As she shook her head she turned back toward the window and began fluffing the covers.

The snort from behind him pulled a nearly silent snarl from Paul before he whipped his head around. Jake the dick was standing behind his shoulders shaking with silent laughter, "really Paul?"

Paul bared his teeth while taking a step toward Jake which only seemed to make him laugh hard, the pup was starting to piss him off.

"Well," her voice stilled him mid step. "I think we're good here, um I can walk you guys out." Both boys moved to the side as Angela made her way out of the room and down the hall toward the steps.

As she held the door open Jake stopped and smiled, "let Bella know I'll have her truck here in the morning something sounds off and I want to check it out." With out waiting for a response he walked out the door and down the drive.

Paul stopped in front of her much like Jake but he didn't want to leave, now that she was awake he wanted to stay and just be with her, if it weren't for the yawn that tore out of her mouth he might have tried to convince her to do just that. "See ya around Tom." Wanting to feel her skin before he left his hand shot out and gave her a gentle nudge. It was hard not to let his hand linger there, but her eyes were locked onto his and he didn't want the feel of her tempting him into something he would regret later. Slowly he pulled away shot her a smile and moved out of the door, "lock up tight."

"Goodnight Paul," she waved as the door slowly closed and the locks engaged.

*U*

Paul thought he was in the clear by the time the crossed over the line to the rez. Jake hadn't said one word to him as they rumbled down the road, not that he'd missed the looks he was shooting him. Not wanting to encourage Paul sat in the passenger side of the truck and kept his mouth shut. As soon as they hit the gravel road leading to Sam's house opened his mouth but Paul leveled him with a look. "I'll tell you as soon as we get there; I only plan on saying it once." Jake snapped his mouth shut focused on the road.

Sam and Jared were the only ones sitting around the fire as they made their way around back. Paul knew that Embry and Quil were running patrol in the morning which was good they'd be filled in on the conversation the next time someone phased. As he stood across the fire from Sam and Jared he knew that the two were eager to hear what he had to say.

"You've decided." Sam stated before he sat down.

Paul bobbed his head already growing annoyed.

"Well?" Jared asked his hands fisting together in what Paul knew to be a nervous tick.

"I'm not fighting the imprint that was never my intention." Sam and Jared blew out equally long breaths while Jake looked on shocked.

"You hate imprinting just as much as I do." Jake protested as soon as he was able.

Paul swung toward him his teeth bared, "I'm not here to be anyone's guinea pig, pup. You'll have to see if you can fight an imprint when one comes your way. Like I said I'm not fighting it, but I'm not mating with her either, for as long as I can help it."

That made Sam and Jared's eyebrows shoot to their hairline, "so what then." They asked in unison, further aggravating him.

Paul stood and began to pace, every now and then he'd shoot a glare at Jared and one at Jake not even bothering with Sam, he didn't want his Alpha to order his ass down, he'd pick his battles tonight.

"Old Quil and Billy said we could be anything our imprints wanted, and you both saw that ours isn't going to be what yours is, it scares her to death. Better off for me too because I don't want to be tied to someone for the rest of my life like the two of you." Growls filled the backyard even before he finished.

"Quil and Claire are getting along just fine, and you know that girl is getting old enough to at least start to have some kind of feelings for him." Slowly the growls faded and their posture relaxed.

"Do you really think that you of all people aren't going to be able to have sex with someone you're meant to be with?"

"Did you not hear what I said," Paul grit out his eyes locked with Jared's. "You saw us tonight Jare, were we off fucking in the woods, was I marking her shit up every chance I got?" Paul saw his friend's eyes narrow but he shrugged it off, it was true every chance Jared got he was putting a mark somewhere visible on Kim.

"You really think this is going to work?" Jared challenged.

"I know it is going to fucking work, I'm going to make it work."

"Forcing yourself to be friends with her when your wolf wants something more is like fighting the imprint Paul."

Paul's head swung in Sam's direction as he fought to keep his lips from shooting up into a snarl, "I only felt the need to take her as soon as I imprinted on her and when I saw her at her house the next night Sam." He wasn't going to share the thoughts that had quickly seeped into his mind when her fingers were digging into his shoulders.

"So tonight even when you two were alone the need wasn't there?" Sam asked skeptically as he leaned forward on the log.

"No" Paul grit out, "the wolf is definitely interested in her but he knows that it's something she's not interested in, that IS how imprinting is supposed to work right?" The sneer had worked its way into his voice but he didn't care, he wasn't really in the damn mood for an inquisition.

"What are you going to do when she does get interested?"

This from Jake who Paul and no interest in dealing with, "the fuck does it matter to you pup?"

Jake slowly stood from the log a rumble coming from his chest, "you hurt her that hurts Bella, she's been hurt enough."

"Like I give a shit about your little lee-" Paul rocked back on his heels his words halting as Jake flew over the fire and stood nose to nose with him, "don't you even think about calling her that again."

For a moment Paul stood stunned as a wave of power rolled over his body causing each and every hair to stand on end, the pup was getting stronger by the day.

"It's what's best for her, and I don't think those feelings are going to change, she knows how I am that's not going to change either."

"What, no way man" had the conversation not been so serious Paul might have made fun of the high octave his friends voice had taken as he said the words, instead his eyes still locked with Jake's he nodded his head, "you better believe it."

"You're a piece of work." Jake muttered in disgust as he stepped away from Paul, "Sam I'm outta here."

"You really think your wolf is going to-"

"I've got control of my fucking wolf Sam," Paul sneered smiling to himself with his Alpha flinched. "You two aren't listening to what I'm saying not once tonight did the wolf want to mate with her, not once tonight did I want to fuck her. This is going to work. I can be friends with her, it's what she wants."

"You should tell her so she can make a decision based on the-"

"She's made her fucking decision!" Paul roared throwing his hands in the air, "I've made my decision."

"You really think you can be friends with a girl?"

"Why does this matter to you?" Paul asked his eyes locked on Jared's.

He watched as Jared's lips thinned out a sad look crossing his face, "I know why you're doing this Paul and if it doesn't work out, when she decides that she wants more both of you could get hurt."

Baring his teeth Paul's shaking had shot out, "don't you even bring that shit up."

"Just because you're friends Paul doesn't mean you won't get hurt by her if she-"

Jumping over the smoldering ashes Paul's chest slammed into Jared's and Sam shot to his feet, "I said," Paul seethed nose to nose with his friend, "don't bring it up."

Jared blew out a puff of air and stepped back, "you'd better be careful then, what you do when you two are just friends," Jared accented the words by making quotes with his hands, "could bite you in the ass when she changes her mind about you." With that Jared turned on his heel and made his way into the woods as Paul watched on rage still rushing through him.

"I guess you've got something for me too oh wise one?"

Sam's hand slapped down on his shoulder and he shook his head, "I'm not going to tell you what to do with you're imprint, it's not place. Just know that we're here for the both of you, be careful Paul."

*U*

Two hours later Paul's body slammed into the girl that lay writhing beneath him. The wolf although always part of him was completely silent as he took the blonde that night, the feeling should have been freeing. The fact that he could keep living without the possibility of being hurt by another woman; one that was so important, instead thanks to Jared he couldn't help but wonder just how long his heart would be safe.