Temper, Temper: Chapter Sixteen: Apologies

Alex phased back to normal when she exited the forest near Billy's house, she didn't slow down and instead picked up as much speed as her human legs allowed her to. By the time she ripped open the door and walked into the quaint house she was panting deeply.

Carlisle was talking to Billy, informing him of the care Jacob was going to need until he healed fully. When Alex walked in, his face lit up and quickly but efficiently he finished up his advice, shook Billy's hand then enveloped Alex into a hug.

"You did it!" He said, the statement didn't go unnoticed by the entire Quileute wolf pack erupted into cheers and hollers of congrats. She hushed them all though.

"Is he okay?" Alex said, worriedly when Carlisle put her back on solid ground again. The doctor's face frowned a little but he answered her honestly,

"The bones on the right side of his body were shattered, the wolf genes were trying to repair them, and most of them had set partially by the time I got here…" Carlisle paused and judged whether he should go on or not by Alex's expression. The bottom of her lip was trapped by her teeth as she chewed on it anxiously, Carlisle continued. "I had to break them again so they set correctly – but he is going to be fine"

With that Carlisle gave Alex a comforting hug and left the foreign territory, allowing her to walk past the others and into Jacob's room. The young wolf raised his head weakly to see his visitor,

"Was that cheering for you? Here's me thinking I was being toasted as the hero" Alex laughed lightly as she sat by his side, enjoying his sarcasm that was strong as ever, despite his injuries.

"Passed with flying colours didn't I" Alex answered him coolly, rubbing her thumb over Jacob's warm hand. She guessed that the good vamp doctor had given him something to attempt to ease the pain as Jake's eyes began to close slowly.

"Well done kid" He said drowsily, imitating the way Alex always referred to the other wolves as kids before he started to snore deeply.

Gently, Alex backed out of the room with a huge weight lifted off her shoulders, Jacob was safe and that was all that mattered. A newborn battle with only one non-fatal injury, all things considered, Alex thought they got off pretty lightly.

Most of the group of Quileute's had dispersed amongst themselves, home to their own families Alex guessed.

"He's a brave boy Billy" Alex said to Jacob's wheelchair bound father, who thanked her for the appraisal before making his way over to Sue who was finishing up making a pot of tea. On the Black's sofa Quil and Embry were talking quietly, both of them shaken by the battle. Leah and Seth were absent, as was Kim, her partner though, walked over to Alex and hugged her tightly.

"You did good Socks" Jared complimented, "We all knew you could do it though, not sure what your odds would have been if Leah was giving the test though" He finished with a light chuckle,

"Yeah, they might have been taken down a peg or two" Alex agreed, smiling.

When Jared turned serious for a moment Alex flinched slightly, still being held in his strong arms she felt slightly trapped.

"He wants to see you" was all that he said before giving her a final nod and smile then making his way out of the door, shouting his goodbyes on the way.

'Of course he does' Alex thought with a breathy, loud sigh.

Paul was sat outside, his elbows resting on his knees and his hands fidgeting together as he thought. When Alex walked outside, her bare feet patting on the wooden porch made Paul sit up straighter, when he placed her scent he turned around. Alex followed him without question as he walked away and into the forest.

As they got deep enough to not be seen or heard, but close enough to the edge so the last of the evening light was trickling through the branches they stopped. Alex remained silent as Paul thoughtfully paced in front of her, she knotted her hands together, rubbing them together in some basic form of comfort.

"I knew you'd pass today, and I know that means you're going to leave but I have to lay everything on the table for you, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't Alex" He said, Alex relaxed when Paul's voice started with a small laugh, but as he began to get serious, she started to feel anxious again. Paul sat on a large stone that was jutting out of the earth's surface.

"I love you, that's what imprinting is and that is exactly what I feel. I want you to stay and be with me, don't go back to Wales, there are so many people who love and care for you here besides me" Paul carried on, his voice filled with emotion.

"I can't Paul"

"Why?" His voice got more demanding and it made Alex flinch uncharacteristically at the tone, Paul continued though, "What's stopping you? A divine force tells you I'm your exact match and you run away!"

Alex remained silent and allowed him to continue the speech, but his voice started to lose volume and he approached her quietly, picking up her chin so she was looking him in the eye.

"You know it's right"

For a moment Paul thought she was listening and accepting but she pulled from his grasp gently but remained firm footed where she was. A twig snapping earned both their attentions; Josh and Zeus approached, making Paul sigh as the smaller grey wolf picked up a soft snarl when he saw how close they were.

"I'm sorry Paul, I'm really sorry it was me you imprinted on"

When Paul's ears picked up more of Josh's snarls he couldn't help but let his anger force him to phase, and the two picked up a fight again, for what must have been the fifth time since they had arrived.

'Get it through your head, mongrel, she doesn't want you' Josh spat through his thoughts, Paul responded by pinning his opponent to the floor and snarling viciously with his lip raised dangerously over his canines.

Alex, who had now also phased pushed between then.

'Stop!'

Paul receded his grip but Josh suddenly got an idea, a cruel idea that made Alex turn vicious in an instant. He was reflecting of all his memories of him and Alex, together. The intimate images made Alex lash around and bite Josh's neck with as much force as she could muster, with all her might she wrestled him to the ground and continued to growl deeply into his face.

'Why would you do that? You know what imprinting does! You know how it affects people!' Alex bellowed into his face, Zeus suddenly intervened and saved Josh from anymore injury.

'We'll wait ahead' He stated, taking his own grip on Josh's neck and pulling him away harshly, after all that was his sister.

Alex walked slowly back over to the silver wolf who had gone from pure livid to utter heartbreak, he picked his head back up when she got near.

'I have to go'

'You don't have to do anything Alexandria, you're choosing to run away' Paul's voice whipped through her thoughts.

'I don't want to leave on bad terms Paul' Alex back up a few steps on her paws,

'So don't leave! You haven't even said goodbye to Sam, Jacob, Quil, Seth…the Cullen's!" Paul begged mentally, walking forward so he was closer to her, he bent down to see her eyes when Alex responded by lowering her head.

Alex stood up suddenly and rubbed her muzzle against his,

'I'm really sorry Paul'

That was her final words before she sprang around and launched after her two companions, forcing her legs to curl under her and project her forward faster when the mournful, heart-breaking sound of a wolfs howl surged around the evening dusk.