AN: Goodness, another update not twenty-four hours after an update. What crawled up my ass?! As I'm sure you all know, but I'm saying it again anyway, there are pictures of Anna and Paul on my profile if you want so see. This is where everyone starts to see that Anna is a timid, quiet, loner but she is capable of taking care of herself. There will be A LOT more Anna/Paul moments coming up for everyone and this chapter is no exception. Enjoy! :) Oh, and thank you for all the reviews, I love them all!
Chapter Seven
Well Damn
When I first phased I thought my world would never be tossed and turned like that again. Oh boy was I a naïve dumbass… Looking at imprinting from an objective position makes it look like a form of torture, and it is. I suffered on Tuesday without Anna. She still had the day off but she needed to finish a project for school so there was no tutoring. When I told my mother she tried to get me to do something other than skulk around the library. She failed.
Wednesday I was better. Not by much. I didn't immediately go to the high school when I was done with school. But I did go into the diner ten minutes after she started working for a burger. For twenty minutes I deliberated if she would notice if I stayed for all of her shift. Sam made the decision for me when he called and ordered a pack meeting. It wasn't anything serious but I went anyway, I wouldn't pass on the opportunity to tease Embry for getting tangled up with one of Sam's cousins.
Thursday started out fine. It was damn near perfect. I was actually able to sleep behind Anna's shed that night and when I woke up, she was just waking up herself. Her parents were still asleep in the house and all was well. Anna went through her normal routine and I followed her to the high school, like I always did. I rushed back to my house for a shower, then to school.
In my three classes no one even looked in my direction which was just the way I liked it. After lunch with Emily I decided to hang around with her and Sam to fill the time until Anna would get out of school. Sam and I played video games while Emily used us as human taste testers for a new pasta sauce she was trying to make.
It was a good day. I was functioning away from Anna and I hadn't snapped at anyone once. We pause the game because Sam gets a call and I go use the can and when I come back everything had gone from perfect to fucked in less than a minute.
When I walked back into the living room and was going to plop on the couch I saw the look Sam had on his face. It wasn't a comforting look. "What?" I asked suspiciously.
"That was Charlie." He said quietly, putting the phone down.
Gears started going in my head and all I could think about was the fact that Anna got out of school three minutes ago. "What happened?" I asked lowly.
Sam looked me in the eye and spoke more as a friend and less like an Alpha. "Anna was in a fight." He answered quietly. I barely heard Emily walk over to us.
I felt the ground go out from underneath me. All I could see was the fuck-head teenagers hurting my imprint, or worse, her parents. I had to get her to. That's all my body would respond to. Get to imprint.
"Where is she?" I asked, growling a lot like I do as a wolf.
"Paul, just wait." Sam said trying to be diplomatic. I almost phased right then.
I was shaking now and shaking hard. "Where is she?!" I yelled.
"She's at the hospital, but-" Sam didn't get to finish his sentence because I didn't stay for it.
I was gone. I don't even remembering using the door but however I got out of the house, it was fast. Another second later I was in my truck and three after that I was speeding down the road toward the county hospital. It seemed my instincts knew I would be better received at a hospital as a man with a car, rather than a half naked Native with bare feet.
I couldn't focus on anything. I was on autopilot and luckily my hands knew how to get to the hospital without my brain. All I kept thinking about was Anna bloodied and broken, battered to within an inch of her life. What was I thinking?! I can't leave her alone! She's too fragile, all anyone is going to do is hurt her.
I prayed to every god I could think of in hopes that Anna would be okay, or alive. I couldn't imagine my life without her. There was no way I'd even be able to breathe without her. Chanting prayers to myself I damn near flew to the hospital. I made my own parking spot and bolted into the emergency room and was instantly met with the smell of my imprint and not twenty feet away she was sitting in a waiting room chair with Charlie standing in front of her, one of his cops next to her and a nurse cleaning a scrape on her elbow.
The knots in my chest undid themselves as I watched Anna, who was perfectly fine save for the two new scrapes on her elbow and hand, talk to Charlie and the other cop. I fell against the wall and caught my breath, trying my hardest to keep the stupid tears I felt coming at bay. Charlie glanced over his shoulder and saw me, said something to the other cop then walked up to me. Anna was now talking to the nurse as she had found the slice she had gotten from her father.
"How many speeding tickets do I need to give you?" Charlie asked exasperated.
I couldn't laugh at what might have been an attempt at a joke. "What happened?" I asked as I straightened up.
"She was leaving the high school on her bike, heading toward the diner, three boys thought it would be funny to push her off and stir up some trouble." He sighed shaking his head.
I almost started shaking again, but I stopped myself by clenching my fists and setting my jaw. "Where are they?" I asked in a low hiss.
"One is getting a cast on his foot, and the other two are getting their shoulders popped back into place." He listed casually with a bit of a smile on his face.
All the anger I had was drained and replaced with confusion. "Wait, what?" I asked stupidly.
"After they pushed her off her bike one tried to kick her, he's got a broken foot now. The other two tried to finish what he started but they didn't have much luck." He explained without much detail.
"How?" I asked befuddled, looking at my sweet imprint. How could her tiny body do that to a person, let alone three?
Charlie shrugged. "Not sure, too many accounts, but they all say Anna did it." He answered simply.
I continued to stare at Anna with my jaw hanging in the wind. I had just spent the better part of eight minutes in panic thinking she was on her death bed and she's not even in a hospital bed. That's probably why Sam tried to stop me. And why he wasn't as grave as he would have been had this been a real hospital visit. I really need to learn to stop and wait for all the facts before I run off.
"I called Sam so he could get a hold of you, I didn't want to call her parents and I figured you'd drive her home." Charlie said suddenly, shaking me from my thoughts.
I nodded. "Yeah," I muttered, walking with him over to Anna.
Anna finally looked up and saw me and she quickly ducked her head again. Always so shy… "Alright Anna, thank you for answering our questions, Paul can take you home now if Ms. Alder says its okay." Charlie said looking down at the nurse.
The nurse nodded as she stood to her full height, which was barely five foot. "Yep, she's fine. Just remember to keep the wounds clean." She said to Anna with a bright smile.
Anna gave the nurse a small, but genuine smile. "I will, thank you." She promised then turned and looked at Charlie and the other officer. "Thank you Chief Swan, Officer Mulberry." She said politely, managing a little more of a smile.
"No problem, let us know if anyone else causes trouble." Charlie said with a brusque nod then left with Mulberry on his tail into the actual emergency room.
Anna started walking out of the waiting room as soon as Charlie finished his sentence and I followed behind her. She wasn't even walking any different. She was slower than she normally walked but other than that there wasn't anything different. I would have carried her to my truck, which was parked over some shrubs, but I doubt she would appreciate it at the moment. I opened the door for her, like always, and helped her into the cab. She gave me a crooked smile and the last lingering ounce of panic slipped from my being. I got into my side of the truck and got off the lawn of the hospital before I got in trouble for parking there.
After a few minutes on the road, actually going the speed limit, Anna spoke up. "Can we pick up my bike, it's at the diner?" She asked, her big blue-brown eyes pleading so much I thought I would choke on my own breath.
"Yeah," I said as casually as my mood could take.
I drove back to Forks, gripping my steering wheel and looking at Anna through the corner of my eye while trying to drive. It was the only thing that kept me somewhat sane at the moment. I had a million and four questions for Anna and I wanted nothing more than kill the fuckers that attempted to hurt her. Jesus, I'm never going to be able sleep again, let alone in a bed.
"Okay, I have to ask, how did you do it?" I asked suddenly, not being able to stop myself any longer.
"What do you mean?" She asked confused.
"I doubt you weigh more than a hundred and ten pounds, how did you take down three guys?" I asked again, glancing quickly from the road to her and back again.
Anna took in a deep breath and a thoughtful look took over her beautiful face. God I'm happy nothing happened to her… "After they pushed me off my bike the first one tried to kick me but I grabbed his foot and twisted it until it broke." She told me uneasily. My eyes went wide real quick. My imprint is a friggin' ninja. "Then the other two picked me up off the ground and I pushed my weight forward until they were on their backs. They were both still gripping my arms so I planted my feet on their chest and pulled my arms until they let go, which wasn't until their shoulders were dislocated." She finished looking down at her hands, folded carefully on her lap. "I don't really know where I learned it, I just did it." She mumbled almost embarrassed.
All I wanted to ask was why she let her father hurt her if she could kick his ass, but I didn't. I wasn't going to ask that until she told me about her father's abuse. Or she found out I was the giant wolf stalking her for the past week. Which ever comes first. "That's pretty good for instinct, most people just scream, you just kicked their ass." I said grinning.
Anna was entirely too still and I could tell this whole situation made her more uncomfortable than usual. I wanted to reach over to her and touch her, comfort her somehow, but I still couldn't. For the rest of the drive to the diner it was deathly silent and all Anna did was sit stiffly next to me.
When we got to the diner I made Anna stay in the truck while I got her bike from behind the diner. People looked at me strangely and started whispering when they saw Anna in my truck. I scared them all off with a single look. Anna didn't notice because she was still studying her lap with all her might.
After I had the bike in the bed of my truck I climbed back in quickly and belted up but didn't leave the parking lot. The last thing I needed was for Anna to go back to her house. I had a patrol with Embry and Leah and after a day like this, I can't leave her with them too long. They've both usually passed out by nine at night, so that's only like four hours to keep her busy. I grasped for the first excuse I could find.
"I forgot my cell at my friends, is it okay if I go get it before I take you home?" I asked, trying not to sound as desperate as I was.
She looked confused, and I knew why. Her house was five minutes away and Sam's place was about twenty five. "Um, yeah." She said without much hesitation. I could sense a little relief in her words and I could only guess that it was because she didn't have to go home before she normally did.
"Thanks," I said with a flash of a grin and pulled out of the parking lot toward the Rez.
I took my time again getting to Sam's, I'm trying to kill four hours here I don't need to speed. Anna wasn't as tense as she had been during the ride to the diner and I couldn't figure out why, but I didn't linger on the thought long, I was just glad she was relaxed. I got to Sam's and saw Anna looking at their little house with a hint of a smile on her lips.
"Wanna come with?" I asked nodding toward the house.
She thought for a moment then nodded. "Sure," She said opening her door and hopping out.
We walked to the house side by side and I knocked on the door loudly, like I always do, because I walked in on Sam and Emily on the couch once and learned my lesson right there and then. Emily opened the door with a smile. "Paul," She said relieved, glancing at Anna for a moment.
"Hey Em, I forgot my phone." I told her as I pushed Anna into the house. Emily closed the door behind us and I looked down to see Anna's reaction to Emily's scars but she didn't have one that I could gage. "Emily this is Anna, Anna this is Emily." I introduced quickly.
"Nice to meet you," Anna said shaking Emily's hand, giving her a small smile.
"Like wise." Emily smiled then looked to me. "Sam has it in the bedroom." She said nodding down the hall.
I looked down at Anna questioningly and before I could even ask, she answered. "I'll wait." She said confidently. I wasn't surprised, Emily has a calming effect on everyone.
I nodded and started walking toward the bedroom and before I slipped down the hallway I heard Emily start talking to Anna.
"Would you like something to drink?" She asked sweetly.
Feeling confident that Anna would be fine with Emily, I walked into the master bedroom and found Sam leaning against the window looking out at the woods.
"Before you say it, I know." I said defeatedly.
"Hopefully there isn't another next time to test whether or not you'll wait four seconds to hear the whole story." Sam chided me while he chucked my cell phone at me.
I caught it easily and stuffed it in my pocked. "She's small but she keeps getting into trouble." I muttered shaking my head.
"What did you do to the guys?" Sam asked cringing.
"Nothing yet." I growled, remembering I'd still have to kick their ass, even if Anna already did some damage to them. It's the principle of it. Sam looked absolutely baffled. "She broke one guy's foot and the other two have dislocated shoulders." I told him seriously.
His eyes went wide and his jaw dropped. "What?" He asked incredulously.
"That's what I said." I said as I crossed my arms over my chest.
"At least you know you don't have to worry about her." Sam pointed out.
"Not as much as I thought." I mumbled.
Sam shrugged and patted my shoulder then walked out into the living room. I followed and when we got out of the hallway Anna and Emily were sitting at the dining room table talking quietly. It was extremely comforting to see Anna talking easily with someone from the pack, well an imprint from the pack.
When we were both in the room Emily and Anna looked up at us. "Ready to go?" I asked trying not to smile.
Anna nodded. "Sure," She said standing.
Emily stood as well and Sam walked over to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "It was nice talking with you, have Paul bring you over sometime, these brutes aren't all that great for talking." Emily said patting Sam's stomach. Sam and I shared a insulted look.
Anna laughed easily and I wasn't all that insulted after that. "Okay," She agreed, smiling.
"Bye," Emily chuckled.
Anna waved smally as we walked out of the house. "Bye," She said almost sadly. Sam and I shared a nod and I shut the door behind me before walking to the truck.
Driving her back to her house it was quiet but not tense at all. Anna had a ghost of a smile on her lips the whole ride back. I need to thank Emily for that. I pulled into the driveway and fought the urge to speed off before she got out of the truck. She got out of the truck and there was something tugging in my chest, something I had to make sure she knew.
"Hey Anna," I called out, just before she was going to shut the door. She stopped and looked at me curiously. "If you need help, you can call me." I told her slowly and seriously.
Her eyes went wide as she looked at me, stunned. "O-okay," She stammered.
Seeing that she actually believed me, I straightened up. "Pick you up Sunday?" I asked.
She tried to say something but only nodded. She shut the door quietly behind her, got her bike from the bed of the truck and walked, still shocked, to her shed instead of the house. She was too preoccupied to care and I was damn happy she went. When I heard the locks on the other side of her door I pulled out of the drive way and down to where I had parked the day her father started the fight with her.
I called my mom while I undressed, telling her I had a patrol with Embry and Leah and that I'd be there in the morning. She wasn't ecstatic that I was sleeping in the woods, again, but she didn't argue or pull her authority and wished me good night. When I was naked I tied my shorts to my leg, tossed my cell back in my truck and phased, hoping for something to kill after a day like this.
AN: Review!