Telling the Truth

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

A/N-I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. It means a lot that you kindly read and left such encouraging feedback. Nikki :)

Part Five

Paul did not see Bella again for another five days.

He had left her still asleep, wrapped in his sleeping bag. It was his turn for patrol, so as soon as the dawn made an appearance and lit the sky, he had reluctantly left her side. He scribbled a quick note to tell her where he had gone and placed it in her hand. She had gripped it unconsciously in her sleep. Paul had backed out of the cave, not really believing that she was actually there and finally left to take his turn around the La Push border.

When he returned after four torturous hours, she was gone. She had not left a note or anything. Only the lingering scent of strawberries remained indicating that she had ever been there. Paul hit the hard rock walls of the cave in anger, not caring that the bones in his hand cracked and blood was pouring from his scraped knuckles. His physical wounds would heal up in under an hour anyway. The one in his heart was another matter.

Paul existed through the next few days in a state of numbness. The worst day was when he was forced to patrol with Jacob. Jake arrived for his shift with a spring in his step and a big grin on his face. Bella had spent the whole morning with him in La Push and he could not stop picturing the time they had spent together. Paul had to endure endless images of Bella riding behind Jake on the damn motorbike and walking along the beach with him, holding onto his hand and laughing. Even though he tried to block the images out of his own mind, Paul could not help storing the picture of Bella laughing, her hair blowing wildly in the wind into his own thoughts.

Eventually Paul could take no more. "Will you shut the hell up Jacob? I am sick of seeing the leech lover on replay in my head. Keep your pathetic, lovesick thoughts to yourself." He snarled through the mind link.

Jacob growled in response to Paul calling Bella 'leech lover' but he was too happy to care what his least favourite pack mate thought. "Phase back than if you can't stand to see someone happy. You just love revelling in misery don't you LaHote..."

Paul did just that...he yanked on his shorts and walked back to Sam's house that he shared with his imprint Emily. He just barged right in and demanded that he be allowed to change patrol shifts so that he did not have to pair up with Jacob again. Sam looked at him tiredly, he had so many worries and responsibilities on his mind. He readily agreed, it wasn't the first time that Jake and Paul had butted heads, he had bigger issues to deal with right now...like the fact that his former lover and her brother had just phased into wolves.

XXXXXX

Another day passed and Paul's intense loneliness increased. The night before he had tried his usual trick of finding a woman to share a bed with, but his attempts at flirting proved lacklustre and he had returned back to the house he shared with his father, alone. Luckily his old man was out somewhere, probably drinking Paul just slumped onto his bare mattress, staring at the ceiling, seeking sleep that would not come. Once again his thoughts returned to the image of Bella laughing that Jake had shoved in his head, his anger at the fact that she had not contacted him at all hit him once again and for the second time in as many days his fist connected with the wall.

XXXXXX

On the fifth day, after a particularly tiresome patrol where all the pack had been out chasing after the elusive red head and dealing with the constant angst that was being drip fed from one of the newest members of the pack, Leah Clearwater. Her inability to control her raging resentment of her predicament and with the constant replay in the pack mind of her break up with Sam, all of the pack was on edge. Sam was refusing to step up and deal with it as he felt left over guilt for leaving Leah for his imprint Emily.

Paul was in a foul mood as he stalked along Second beach toward his hideout, hoping for some peace. Her strawberry scent hit him first as the breeze suddenly switched direction and sent it his way. He didn't even realise that he had broken out into a sprint until he reached the entrance to the cave. He ducked inside, but it was empty. His brow furrowed as he took in the large pile of pre cooked meals that had been carefully prepared and wrapped. So this was her way of assuaging her guilt...her scent was fresh so she must still be in the vicinity.

Paul tore off down the beech keeping a close look out. He eventually spotted her as she reached the dividing stretch of rocks between Second and First beach. "Bella..." His voice was torn away by the wind.

Bella froze as she heard him speak her name and she swallowed nervously. She thought she had managed to slip away before he noticed she had been there. She felt the heat from his body as he came up behind her and again said her name.

"What you can't even face me now?" Paul said bitterly. "I saw the pathetic little meals you left for me...nice that you remembered I even exist."

Bella whipped round and glared at him, annoyed at his presumption that she had been deliberately ignoring him. "I have not been able to come before. This was the first opportunity I had to come back here without anyone knowing about it."

"That's bullshit Bella...you managed to spend the day with Jakey boy alright. He can't stop picturing what a fun filled day you had together." Paul spat back at her.

"Jake is my best friend. I promised him I would visit. It took all my powers of persuasion to let Edward allow me to see him after disappearing the other night with you. He has not really left my side day or night. I only managed to get out tonight because he had to go hunting. Luckily Rosalie his sister doesn't care what I do, she was supposed to be guarding me tonight but Emmet arrived and they thought they would take advantage of a bit of alone time..." Bella laughed harshly at the thought of having some time without Edward's golden eyes boring into her.

Paul felt his anger simmer down as he really took in her appearance. He saw the dark circles under her eyes and she seemed a good deal thinner even than normal. He redirected his ire toward the domineering leech who was clearly sucking the life out of her, if only she would admit it. He knew from Jake's thoughts that he had tried his best to get her to see it, but she seemed blinded to the truth about Cullen. They were not called bloodsuckers for nothing. She seemed so fragile at that moment as if a small gust of wind could blow her over.

"You look like you could do with some of that food you've been cooking. Share some with me?" He offered, not wanting to push her too far.

Bella slowly met his gaze and finally nodded her assent. She allowed him to take hold of her hand and lead her back down the beach.

XXXXXX

They sat opposite each other, plastic plates on their laps eating. Bella chewed her food slowly and Paul tried to match her pace. The food was good and he wanted to wolf the lot down in one go but he needed to make sure she ate most of hers. Silence reigned between them until they both finished off their meals.

"How have you been Paul? I tried to ask Jake about you covertly but well...I get the sense you two aren't best buddies." Bella tried to inject a little humour in her question.

"No not really...it's been a long week, mainly patrols and stuff..." Paul replied eventually.

Bella frowned at his words."I'm sorry about that. I wish that Victoria would just disappear and you could all go back to your lives. I wish I had never..."

Paul gazed at her curiously when she stopped speaking. He reached out and took her chin in his hand, forcing her to look him in the eye."You wish you never what?"

"I wish I had never met Edward Cullen or his family." Bella ground out forcefully, unshed tears shining in her eyes. "I thought I was in love with him...what a joke. I am so pathetic, pining for a person that never really existed. "

Paul dropped his hand and stared at her in shock after hearing her confession. "But you have always insisted that he is what you wanted...why are you telling me this? Why not Jake, he is supposed to be your best friend."

Bella smiled sadly. "We both know that Jake has feelings for me. If I told him something like that it would raise his hopes. I don't want to lead him on Paul. "

"Too bloody late for that darlin...he is already there." Paul shot back at her.

Bella flinched at his harsh tone. It had taken a lot of courage for her to admit that she no longer loved Edward. She knew that she could never leave him, her promise to the Voltuir to be changed had put paid to that possibility. Bella knew that she no longer had a future as a human, at some point she needed to go through with the change, otherwise the outcome could be catastrophic. The Volturi would not take her refusal lightly. She had hoped after he listened to her other confession about what had happened in Italy that she could talk to Paul honestly about how she felt. She had to mask her feelings with Jake. Bella sighed, it seemed that she was mistaken.

Paul watched the conflicting emotions crossing her face, and he focused on the one that took precedence over the others, fear. Bella Swan was scared, she had tried opening up to him and again he had been defensive.

"Come here sweetheart..." Paul said in a softer tone.

Bella shook her head no, avoiding his eyes.

"Look I'm sorry alright...just come here." Paul reached out and pulled her gently into his strong arms. Bella gave in and let herself be comforted by his warm presence. All her overwhelming feelings of fear and remorse overcame her and she finally found release in his embrace. Paul stroked her back and just held on as she let out all her pent up emotions for a second time.

They ended up walking along the beach, Paul had his arm slung over her shoulder to keep her warm. They watched the sun as it set, causing a blazing trail of red over the darkened water. It reminded Bella of blood and that thought led to her present predicament, she turned her head away and tried to hide the tears.

Paul heard her silent cries and pulled her closer against his side. "You need to leave him Bella...your eyes have been opened now. You have no need to worry...the pack will protect you from Victoria. We don't need the bloodsuckers help to get rid of her. We will catch up with her eventually."

Bella halted at his words. She pushed his arm from her shoulders and stepped back. "I need to get home now. I have already stayed too long." She mumbled.

Paul saw the shutters coming down over her eyes and he felt his own frustration beginning to resurface. "What the hell is wrong with you? What sort of sick hold does the domineering leech have over you? Or are you just too much of a coward to leave him..."

A brief flash of anger glowed in Bella's eyes for an instant before it died. "You have no idea at all, none. I am leaving now."

Paul gripped the top of her arms and lifted her up so that they were eye to eye. Bella's feet left the sandy beach and she squealed in shock at his actions. "What are you doing?"

"I am trying to work out what you're so afraid off? You haven't told me everything have you? Why are you staying with him? Just bloody tell me..." Paul yelled in her face.

Bella's bottom lip started to tremble. She felt her emotions tumbling all over the place and the words stuck in her throat. Paul suddenly released his grip on her upper arms and pulled her into a tight embrace instead. Her cheek was squashed against his chest, she could hear his heart beating strongly.

"Tell me Bella..." He said again, this time more calmly.

Bella closed her eyes and finally spat out the words that would change her future. "I stay with him because the only reason the Volturi let me go was on the premise that I would be changed into a vampire in the near future. If I refuse to go through with it, it could mean the death of us all..."

A/N-Well this was another depressing chapter. Thanks for reading! Nikki