AN: Hola! This update was actually pretty quick, so yay! I just finished a class but I've still got one to go so don't get too used to constant updates. I'm still working on all of my other stories so have no fear! They will all be updated... eventually. Again, I have pictures of Anna and Paul on my profile if you want to see, and why wouldn't you he's gorgeous! Anywho, enjoy!

Chapter Six

Growing Hit List

Listening to the man, or abysmal slime as I like to think of him, try to form coherent words to throw at Anna would have been funny if I was there to crush his skull afterward. Sadly, I'm stuck here, hovering dangerously close to a house with two inebriated humans and an entirely perfect one.

"Who brought you here?" I heard her father ask somewhat clearly.

"Someone I work with." Anna answered quietly.

The man might have been drunk, but he could still snarl perfectly fine. "Why?" He hissed.

"Because I needed a ride and he is a nice person." She muttered. My ego would have inflated at that statement if I wasn't drowning in panic.

"He?!" Her father yelled. All I heard was smashing glass and Anna scream. I don't know how I didn't fly through the house and rip him to shreds, but I didn't. Anna came running from the back door and my stomach dropped.

I could smell her blood and that was something I never wanted to smell. She was gripping her upper arm as she ran for her shed and I could see the deep red ooze from between her fingers and when I saw her father try to stumble out of the house. From where I was I watched Anna struggle with unlocking her shed while he father slowly gained ground. Sure he was thirty feet away, but he had malicious intent thirty feet away, he was too goddamn close.

I growled so loudly and without even thinking that Anna jumped and her father scampered back into his house like a scared cat. Anna looked as hard as she could from where she was to find me. She even started slinking from the shed toward the woods and I started to panic. It's a miracle I haven't killed her father and there is no way I'd be able to hide from her. Hell, I'd probably cuddle with her if she let me. I pushed myself closer into the woods but that only made more noise and alerted Anna to where I actually was.

My imprint might be the smartest person I know, but for some ungodly reason she's walking into the woods toward an animal that just sent her drunken father running. I'd be having a heart attack if I wasn't the animal. Holding her arm tightly she tip toed toward me I began to hyperventilate, which as a wolf is normally hilarious, when I'm not the one freaking out.

I was frozen and torn between my better instinct to not be around my imprint as a wolf and the stronger instinct to actually be around my imprint. Her drunken father started yelling from the house and she abandoned her hunt. I almost wanted to kiss her father for getting her to lock herself in her shed then I remembered he hurt her and I had to stop myself from peeling the flesh from his bones.

She had ran back to her shed and struggled to get in with her injured arm but managed pretty quickly before locking the doors tightly behind her. I rushed from where I had been frozen to the window at the back of her shed and watched her closely. When she turned to face me, uncovering her arm I saw the slice under all the blood and I almost lost it.

The blood on her arm was covering her entire arm and the only reason I could see the cut was because it was darker than the blood. I wanted to tear through the house and kill her father. No one was allowed to lay an unwarranted hand on my imprint and that bastard sure as shit doesn't get to make her bleed. Just thinking about it made my jaw clench and my whole body wanted nothing more than to kill at the moment. Anna whimpered loudly and my attention was drawn right back to her.

She wiped all the blood from her arm and left only the superficial slice. It wasn't serious or even very deep but it still made my skin crawl seeing her hurt in anyway. Especially when I was in her backyard and could have stopped it. The single fact is going to weigh on me until the day I die.

Once her arm was clean she put a large gauze pad on and wrapped an ace bandage around it. She worked proficiently and didn't appear phased by the injury but she was still shaken up, it was pretty clear seeing her sit on her bed and pull her knees to her chest. She rocked a little and tears glistened as they fell down her cheeks.

I was full of rage now. I wanted to go in there and be with my imprint. How bad would it really be if I went in there? Sure, I'm not entirely certain if she's even comfortable around me and then there's that whole 'how did you know I was here?' thing but I'd find a way around that.

Fuck it, I'm stuck out here until further notice. I felt Sam and Quil phase and they both started to panic within seconds.

Paul, get away from the house!

I rolled my eyes, which is a skill as a wolf. If I was going to kill him, he'd already be dead.

My Alpha couldn't deny that fact. Is she okay? Quil was eager to get off the killing subject.

No, her father just hurt her and chased her out of the house. I snarled toward the house and took a step back for good measure.

You've got school in the morning. Sam wanted me back at my house.

My truck is parked close by.

Sam saw the futility of trying to get me to leave and gave in. Just stay out of sight. And everyone in that house better be alive tomorrow morning.

He'll probably drink himself to death anyway.

Sam and Quil left me alone after that. I settled behind the shed, closer than I probably should be but I was more worried about stopping myself from killing her father and really I could only do so much.

Anna changed into her pajama's and started reading in her bed, under all of the covers piled on the small bed. When it neared midnight she put the book away, turned off the lights and closed her eyes to sleep. A few seconds later she was breathing easy and looking as peaceful as ever. I prayed for no nightmares because there is no way I'd be able to take it.

Hours went by easy when Anna barely moved and slept calmly. I couldn't close my eyes at all which didn't phase me much, I'm getting used to sleepless nights thanks to that tiny girl under the numerous blankets. Her alarm clock went off ridiculously early and she went through her normal routine. She was in the house for fifteen minutes of agony and came out untouched. I hovered close by while she unchained her bike after she got dressed and then followed her while she road to school. When her bike was locked up and she was deep inside the school I ran back to my truck feeling somewhat at ease. She was at least away from her father.

I rushed back to my house, showered, changed then jumped back in my truck and drove to school. I was ten minutes late but at least I actually showed up. The whole ride there I had been seriously considering driving down to Forks High School and waiting for the rest of the day there.

After three uneventful classes I skipped lunch there, drove back to my house for left overs and then down to Forks. I parked at the ass-end of the parking lot so no one could see me stalking my imprint while I chowed down on a huge container of pasta.

Over the next three hours not a single soul even passed through the parking lot. When the bell rang letting out all of the teenage fuck-faces I wanted nothing more than to run over, I drove up to the parking next to the bike rack. I got out of my truck and leaned against my door, looking out over the high school while I waited for Anna.

Barely a minute later Anna came walking with her eyes on her feet and her hair in her face. I smiled unconsciously, just being able see her and not have to lurk around her window. She was walking entirely slow but I didn't mind. I wasn't in a rush anymore. When she finally got to the bike rack she looked up and saw me. I smiled at her and pushed off my truck, walking over to her. Her cheeks were bright red as she started unlocking her bike from the rack. I was almost there, just two feet away, when I heard the high pitched voice of someone I've hated for, oh, three years.

"Paul!" Was screamed across the parking lot and I didn't even dare to look back.

I rushed up to Anna and kept my back to the thorn in my side. "Please go along with me." I pled under my breath as I picked up her bike just as she unlocked it. She looked up at me confused but followed me closely while I carried her bike to my truck.

As we turned back to my truck the tall, gangly, brunette I was trying to avoid stepped between me and my truck. "Dana," I ground out, annoyed.

Dana didn't look hurt by my tone, then again she has always been horrible with hints. "What are you doing here?" She asked trying to sound seductive. All it made me want to do was smack her with Anna's bike.

I walked around her and put Anna's bike in the back of my truck as gently as I could at the moment so it was just dropped. Anna looked at me oddly as she quickly shoved her lock in her backpack. "Picking up my girlfriend," I said looking at Anna. Instead of looking shocked like I thought she might, her eyes went wide with realization. She stepped closer to me and stood impatiently.

Dana scoffs as she sizes Anna up. The dumb bitch before me actually thinks she's better than my imprint. "This is your girlfriend? And everyone says I have bad taste." She laughs like the bitch she is.

Before my instincts to tear into the slut in front of me kicked in, Anna stepped up to the insulting plate. "They also say you have the IQ of a peanut." She said quickly and blankly.

I was stunned, impressed and damn proud as I saw Dana blanch and try her hardest not to look affected by Anna's quick wit. "Bye Paul." She hissed then spun on her heels and strode away.

I smiled broadly down at her. "That was awesome." I said happily.

Anna shrugged. "How do you know her?" She asked walking around the truck to her seat.

I groaned and walked ahead of her. "Party at the cliffs a few years ago. Been a pain in my ass since." I answered, snarling at the thought of her. Anna snorted a laugh. "How do you know her?" I asked with feign suspicion. Truthfully, I didn't really want to know, I just wanted to keep her talking since she did it so rarely.

"She's been trying to cheat off me since our freshman year." She answered with another shrug. "I don't know why, she's been getting F's every time." She added with a thoughtful look on her beautiful face.

Still staring at her in awe I asked the only question that came to mind. "How?" I asked dumbly.

"I wrote down the wrong answers then corrected them after she turned in her test." She answered simply.

"Huh, remind me to never try and pull a fast one on you." I said with a raised brow, opening the door for her.

She chuckled as she climbed into the truck. I walked back to the drivers side and got in then took off as fast as I could from the high school and drove toward the auto parts store.

I never would have expected Anna to defend herself so quickly and easily when I had already seen her take sever punishment from her father and be the laughing stock of the diner. Looking at my imprint I started to realize more about her. She wasn't the type to draw attention to herself, but if she could stand up for herself without too much fuss, she would. I think I just fell a little more in love with her.

The drive was, as always, quiet but short since we were so close to the store. There were a few cars in the parking lot but nothing like on Sundays so I took the empty spot closest to the store and Anna and I walked in with the handy list she had made. We walked for the counter and I almost collided with the leech-lover's dear old dad, Chief Swan.

Charlie was still extremely awkward around those he knew were werewolves and vampires so I wasn't all that insulted when he wouldn't look me in the eye. "Oh, Paul, haven't seen you in a while." He grumbled, sparing a glance at me before looking to the small girl to my left. "Anna," He said somberly, with a small nod.

The girl that had just stood her group with the most annoying person I knew suddenly ducked her head and avoided all contact with the chief. "I'm going to see if they have any parts." Anna muttered quickly then rushed to the empty counter.

"What was that about?" I asked quickly.

Charlie looked between Anna and me before he sighed loudly. "You did that, printing thing on her, didn't you?" He asked exhaustedly. I remembered that his daughter was a blood-sucker and Jacob imprinted on his granddaughter and decided to take pity on the poor man.

"Yeah," I answered shortly, trying not to stay on subjects I wasn't supposed to talk about in public. "Back to before, why is she so jumpy around you?" I asked pointing to Anna while she showed the pimply boy behind the counter.

"We've met before and not under ideal circumstances." He told me, looking at Anna sympathetically.

"Her parents." I growled lowly. I should have figured my imprint would be on a first name basis with the local cops with the jackass parents she has.

"Yep, I've been answering calls about them since I was a rookie." He sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "She's a good kid, coulda turned out a lot worse but she's never been any trouble. I just wish she had better parents." He added sadly.

I watched Anna touch her arm gingerly where I knew the slice was she got from her father. "Charlie," I said trying to keep my breathing under control.

"Yeah?" He asked worryingly.

"Have they hurt her?" I ground out through a very tight jaw.

He shook his head. "Not physically that I know of, but they are rotten people." He muttered. I clenched my fists tightly just wondering how many times that bastard might have already hurt her. "Don't worry about her so much, she's a lot tougher than you might think." Charlie said patting my shoulder then walked for the door.

I watched Anna for a few more seconds and realized he was right. "I know." I muttered to myself then walked up to the counter where Anna was getting frustrated, and looking cute as she did. "Problems?" I asked leaning on the counter next to her.

"They have almost nothing on the list." She said exasperatedly, holding the list up then looking pointedly at the boy behind the counter.

"Sorry we don't stock up on parts for antiques." The boy hissed.

"I can take my antique and my money to Saul's if you want." She countered warningly. God, she's making me all kinds of proud today, but I'm still going to have to kick this little fucker's ass.

The boy groaned seeing he was cornered and gave in. "We might have a few at the moment, but they ain't cheap." He spat.

"I didn't think they would be." She said punctuating every word to express her irritation.

The boy rolled his eye and disappeared into the back and Anna dropped her face into her hands. "Rough day?" I asked moving closer to her, resisting the urge to hug her.

She took in a deep breath and raised her head to look at me. "You could say." She mumbled tiringly.

Thinking back on it, she did have a long day and a long night. "Still up to try and learn me?" I asked with a grin, trying to hide my guilt at the moment.

She laughed a little and some of my guilt floated away. "Yeah, you're not as dumb as you think you are." She said knowingly.

I had a comeback that would have made her laugh on the tip of my tongue but pimple-boy came back with an arm full of boxes and a scowl. "We've got seven parts right now, wanna order the rest?" He asked shortly.

A very fake smile took over Anna's lips. "Yes, please." She said with unenthused politeness.

We finished up at the auto parts store and Anna made me take the parts to the truck before the bill was tallied. It was like she knew it was going to hurt me to see her pay for all of it. I had to admit though, I was liking the take-charge-Anna I was faced with at the moment. She wasn't timid or cautious, she was strict and confident. She thrived in situations that didn't in any way shape or form involve her parents. But when they were brought up, she was back to the shy little girl. I couldn't blame her, I don't want to talk about my father either.

When we got to my place my mother was gone and there was a little note waiting for me on the dining room table. Anna quickly started setting up so we could plow through my homework and get started on the car before we both got too hungry. I didn't have a problem with working and neither did she.

While I listened to Anna tell me the difference between two heaps of numbers I started to see more of her stand out. She was a lot stronger than I thought. She could take care of herself. Hell, she's been doing it for God knows how long! But I still had the instinct to take her away from that hell-hole. Even though I was getting closer with her, I still had one constant depressing thought.

She wasn't mine. Not entirely at least. She still wasn't comfortable enough around me to even mention her past. However, she didn't have a problem pretending to be my girlfriend and while it's not much of a leap, its still progress and I'll take what I can get here.

AN: Review!