Chapter 13

PAUL

Usually, I was surrounded by nothing but noise. Conversations, music, an argument one street over, an endless stream of consciousness (though that depended on whether I was furry or not), animals, the wind – everything around me melded together into one never-ending symphony of everyday sounds.

Because of that, I not only craved silence but I relished it – most of the time, anyway.

Now was not one of those times.

As I drove back to Forks, I stole glances at Evie. Her gaze hadn't moved from the window since she got in the truck and the silence that had fallen after we'd left Nayeli's shop had grown thick and heavy with tension.

Now as we pulled onto Bella's street, I tried to split my vision between Evie and the road, wishing that it was longer. Just as I opened my mouth to say something, there was a burst of blue light and Evie was gone.

"Fuck," I hissed. Rather than keep my slow pace, I gunned it and swerved into the Swan's driveway. Jacob thumped on the back window of the cab as I turned the car off and jumped out.

"This isn't NASCAR, Paul," he growled at me as he jumped from the truck bed.

"Screw off, Black!" I snapped back as I stormed toward the front door of the house. Damn pup's lucky I didn't kill him in Port Angeles. "You better not have put a dent in my truck, pup – don't give me more of a reason to kick your sorry ass six ways from Sunday!"

Jacob was about to reply but the door flew open, revealing the pixie vamp. "Would one of you mind telling me what happened at Nayeli's?" she said, trying to stare us down.

I shoved past her. "Where is she?"

Bella rushed toward me. "What happened to her, Paul? I won't let you see her until I know what you did to her!"

"What I did? What happened?" I scoffed at her. "I didn't do a damn thing. As for what happened – you happened!"

"What are you talking about?" she said, raising her chin at me. Though the gesture was supposed to convey confidence, her eyes were scared.

"Because of you and your stunt and your leeches," I spat, glaring at Edward and Alice. "She's got a target the size of Texas on her back!"

Bella started to shake. "I thought you said you could handle Victoria – "

"He doesn't mean the redhead." Jake's voice was hard and razor-sharp, finally breaking his silence. "Evie – we – were attacked today by a demon."

"That has nothing to do with Bella," spat Edward.

"It has everything to do with her!" I roared. Before any of them could say another word, I took a breath and picked out Evie's scent, following it up the stairs into Bella's room. I could hear her pacing, her breath coming out in ragged spurts. Testing the doorknob and finding it locked, I knocked.

EVIE

Stupid, stupid, fucking stupid!

The mantra had been playing in my head nonstop since Nayeli gave me one of the harshest tongue-lashings of my life, and had gotten louder after I'd bolted from Paul's truck. That had perhaps been a stupid move, but at the time, all I could think of was getting the hell out of dodge.

Even now, in the safety of Bella's room, I felt like I was at Nayeli's shop all over again and I could swear that if it hadn't been for Paul, the witch would've killed me.

-Flashback-

"That demon I vanquished wasn't any demon, Evie. He was a tracker demon. And if my hunch is right, those vampires – the ones that Edward went to, the Volturi – sent him to find and kill you."

"What?" ground out Paul and Jacob as I gasped.

Another jar exploded somewhere in the shop. "Didn't you hear ANYTHING I said yesterday? You're new! You know what that means? That you don't know how to control your powers, that you don't know the rules, don't know how to work your magic properly, and that you don't know or understand the consequences that come with lack of caution or control!" Nayeli snapped, getting in my face.

"And this demon is one of those consequences?" Paul demanded gruffly, pulling me away from her.

"Absolutely," she said coldly. "Probably the first of many."

I tried not to shake or show my fear. "I don't understand. How did he find me? And why would he be the first of many? You killed him, didn't you? That's the end of it."

"You wish it was," Nayeli snarled. "You think those vampiros will stop just because their little messenger is dead? They'll just send another, and another, and another. And if they can't find you, they'll find a way to draw you out using whatever and whoever they can to draw you out."

"Stop with the scare tactics," Paul commanded.

"You think I'm blowing smoke, shifter? Let me ask you, how long have you been how you are?" Paul's eyes narrowed. "A wolf," she supplied when Paul didn't answer. "What, a year? Two?" She scoffed. "You have no idea what's out there."

"Oh and you do?" Paul nearly shouted, causing Jacob to growl.

Nayeli's eyes turned cold and distant. "Yes; I've seen firsthand what's out there…too many times. And when you start to see it too…when people you love start ending up maimed or dead…" Her eyes snapped to me. "You'll know exactly who to thank." She stormed to the back of the store, but not before slamming her hand down on the counter.

-End Flashback-

I have to get out of here. I have to warn my mom. I have to…I have to…

What little I'd unpacked the night before was strewn about Bella's bed as I tried to bury it in my backpack, which now seemed to have a molecular capacity.

My mind was going into overdrive. What had I done?

A knock at the door made me jump. "Leave me alone, Bella!" I yelled.

"It's not Bella." Paul's voice rumbled through, a lot softer and gentler than it had been earlier. "Can I come in, Evie?"

When I didn't answer, Paul spoke again. "Come on, Evie…please?"

My mind was screaming No, but before I knew what was happening, I was opening the door. Paul's eyes wandered all over the room before settling on the ton of crap on Bella's bed.

"What are you doing?" he asked. I could tell that he was trying to sound calm but his eyes were raging. Why does that bug me?

I turned away and headed for the bed. "I'm…Paul, I…I can't stay here." I resumed the battle royale against my backpack. "I did what I had to do, and now, I need to get home and warn my mother and…"

My heart seized in my chest. "Hey…hey…Evie, slow down. You…"

"I can't stay here!" I said. "You heard what Nayeli said. I have to go back and protect my mom. She has to…I have to warn her…I have to go, now."

PAUL

Panic welled within me as she spoke the words. "No…Evie…" But she wasn't paying me any mind; instead, she was shoveling more and more of her crap into the bag, trying desperately to get it to fit.

I grabbed her shoulder and turned her away from the junk. "Evie! Listen to me: you're not going anywhere."

Evie squirmed against my hold. "Yes, I am. Now let me go."

"It's not safe," I countered, holding her fast.

"Exactly! Let me go, Paul. That's exactly the point!" Her squirming graduated to pushing against me with all her strength. "Damn it, Paul, let go!"

"Don't you get it?" I said, as I fought against my wolf. On the one hand, it wanted to let her go, comply with her every request. On the other, it craved to assert more dominance but I knew if I did, I could and more than likely would scare her away for good. "If you use your magic, you could end up leaving a trail that leads another demon right to you. You can't take that risk."

"What I can't risk is my Mom getting hurt – or you…any of you! I need to go, and warn her and get away from you guys as fast as possible."

Something inside me snapped. "I'm not letting you leave here on a whim, Evie! I'm not going to risk you getting killed!" I shouted.

"What the f – Who do you think you are?!" Evie's eyes blazed and she managed to yank herself from me. "You do not have the right to tell me what to do, Paul Rose!"

"Well, someone has to! Do you seriously think it's okay to risk yourself like this again?"

"YES!" she exploded. "If it means protecting Bella, Charlie and my mom, yes!"

"Even if that risk ends in your death?"

Evie growled and her eyes filled up with tears. "Don't you getit? They're all I've got! If I don't risk my life…then fuck, you might as well kill me too!" Her body trembled, almost as if she was a shifter changing for the first time.

Before I could stop myself, I'd wrapped my arms around her. "It won't come to that. I promise."

"You don't know that," she said, her voice slightly muffled from tears.

"I do." I pulled away. "Evie…trust me when I tell you that you're not alone here. Jake and the rest of us…leeches included…won't let harm come to you. Or the ones you love." Not after what she's done for them…they owe her; let's hope they see it that way. "Okay?"

Evie nodded, rubbing the remaining tears from her eyes and took a deep, shuddering breath. "Okay."

I finally let go, silently letting out a sigh of relief. As I backed up, I fought the urge to go running back to her. "You should probably call your mom. Just…let her know about everything. Maybe she'll have some insight that witch didn't have."

EVIE

"You did what?"

About an hour later, long after we'd gotten Charlie's house back to normal, I managed to work up the courage to call my mother and fill her in on everything that had happened since my return – including the session with Nayeli.

"Mom…"

"After I specifically told you to be careful, to avoid exposure, you went and did this? Evelyn, do you realize the danger you've put yourself in?"

I paced around Bella's bedroom, which I'd run away to when I realized it was time to call my mom. "Mom, I had to! If I hadn't, what would've stopped Bella from going? She was planning on leaving Charlie again…"

Mom's breath hitched. "There were other ways, Evelyn," she hissed.

"None that would've been done in time." When Mom didn't speak, I pressed on. "Mom, she's an innocent. One of us. You told me that this is what we do…help the innocent."

From what I could tell, Mom had slapped her hand down on a counter. "I know that. But for Christ's sake, why didn't you call me?"

"I…" What could I say to that? "I wasn't thinking. All I knew was that a member of my family was in danger. And I didn't want to put you on that list." When people you love start ending up maimed or dead, you'll know who to thank. Nayeli's prophetic words rang in my head and made my eyes fill with tears."But it looks like I have anyway," I said, my voice breaking.

"It won't come to – "

From downstairs, I heard a loud snarl and a growl that nearly shook the house. My heart clenched in my chest.

"Mom, I gotta run. But please, promise me you'll stay safe, okay?"

My mother practically snorted on the phone. "The same applies to you, Evie. Love you."

"Love you too, Ma," I said, before ending the call and racing down the stairs.

The snarls and growls got louder as I descended into the living room. "What the…Nayeli? What are you doing here?"

"That's what I want to know," hissed Paul, inching closer to the witch. Jacob, meanwhile, was growling his head off at Paul.

If Nayeli was fazed by Paul's aggression, she didn't let on at all. "I came to talk to you…to apologize for what happened at the shop." She broke eye contact with Paul and glanced at me. "Maybe if your body guard would back off, I could do that."

"Shame for you that I won't," Paul growled, causing Jacob to push in front of Nayeli.

"Paul!" I snapped, right as Jacob was pushed away, halfway across the living room. All at once the house was silent, Jacob and Paul's fury replaced by complete astonishment, judging by the way their jaws hit the floor.

"Thanks for the concern," Nayeli muttered to Jacob. "But I can handle myself."

An emotion I couldn't place flashed across Jacob's features, but he quickly schooled his face, as Nayeli stepped closer to me. It was then that I noticed that she had a bag in one hand.

When she caught me staring at the bag, she spoke. "Like I said, I want to apologize. One of a witch's greatest urges is to protect, and you had to protect your own."

Paul, who'd moved to stand beside me, snorted. Nayeli rolled her eyes before continuing.

"If you'll let me help you…I can show you how to make it a little harder for the trackers to find you."

I could feel my eyebrow scrunch. "How?"

"More importantly," said Paul. "Why? After your ranting and raving, why should we trust you? Why should she even let you near herself? And how the fuck did you find her?"

Nayeli's eyes locked on Paul's. "Because right now, I'm the best chance you've got. You know about vampires; the method of their destruction is in your blood, your legends. But magic – more importantly, how to use it – is my arena. I know you want to keep her safe; the best way to do that is to teach her how to use her gifts and defend herself. Unless of course you really think that your pack can afford to be split in that many directions." Nayeli paused. "As for how I found her, that's for me…and eventually her to find out, shifter."

Paul took a breath, seemingly choosing to ignore the last part of her statement. "What do you know?"

Nayeli frowned. "Your powers only manifest when a vampiric threat is near. And judging by your tension at my last statement…and the story I was told yesterday…there's one you haven't caught yet." A low growl ripped from Paul's throat. Ignoring him, Nayeli turned to me. "So, what'll it be? Will you let me help you?"

Before I could think twice, I nodded. "Show me what you've got."

An hour later, the living room – and the rest of the house - had been cleansed and thoroughly warded. Throughout the process, Bella and the others had scattered – she, Edward and Alice had gone back to Edward's family's place at the edge of the forest, while Paul and Jacob had taken residence in the backyard. Now, as Nayeli blew out the candles of the circle that we had cast, she eyed me.

"What?" she asked.

I shifted unconsciously before answering. "Why are you helping me?" When the edges of her mouth turned down, I elaborated. "Not that I don't appreciate it, I do. It's just…you don't…well, you didn't seem like you were keen on helping us, or me, after what I had done."

Nayeli stood, and looked me straight in the eye. "I wasn't. But believe it or not, I know what it's like to want to protect the ones you love with everything you have. And I was a beginner once, too. Things moving across the room without so much as a finger wiggle. But if you truly learn your craft, learn to work with it, you'll become its master.

I must've shot her a doubtful look because she continued. "Trust me…you'll get it. Now come on; there's something else I need to teach you."

"One more time, Evelyn."

I growled at Nayeli. "You've said that twice now."

Before Nayeli could reply, Paul stormed back into the house. "Why are you pushing her so hard? You're the one that said that if she pushes too hard, she could die!"

Nayeli's eyes narrowed. "I know what I said, Evelyn. You won't always have the tools at hand to create a strong circle, so you need to know how to get the strength from within." To Paul she said, "Trust me, this isn't pushing it at all. Pushing it was that damn summoning spell."

Paul scoffed. "Like you know her limits. For all we know, you could kill her."

Nayeli's eyes were now angry slits. "Apparently, she doesn't, either. As for killing people, if she doesn't know how to properly cast a circle, her magic will go haywire. Think of this: when you blow up a building in a controlled explosion, you control the damage. But if it's not, it can destroy hundreds. Without the proper control, her magic will feed on any other magic it can find and it could prove lethal."

As much as he tried to hide it, I could see Paul wince. What? Why's he wincing? I thought.

Nayeli canted her head to the side. "But something tells me you knew that."

"What's she talking about?" I asked as I focused on creating the circle in my mind.

"Uh…"

"Never mind that," Nayeli said dismissively. "Come on, concentrate." Just as I was about to protest, Nayeli silenced me with a glare.

Maybe it was that I wanted the whole thing over with. Maybe I was annoyed with not knowing what Nayeli was talking about. Maybe it was just that I finally had more mental clarity. Whatever it was, I felt the circle form within my very core, stronger than any previous attempt.

"Very good!" said Nayeli, her eyes shining. "Your energy is much more stable than it was before. Now just do it like that every time and you'll be golden."

Slowly, I broke the circle and moved to the couch. "Thanks," I murmured.

For a moment it looked like Nayeli was going to say something. Instead, she pulled a card out of her back pocket and, after searching for and acquiring a pen, she scrawled something on it. "If you need any help…"

An unknown emotion passed through Nayeli's eyes as she handed me the card, but just as quick as it had appeared, it was gone and her face was blank once more. "Thank you," I murmured.

"Not a problem. Be safe."

The moment she was gone, Paul was in front of me. "How do you feel?"

I took a breath before answering, trying to come up with that answer myself. "Fine," I muttered. "Confused, but fine."

Paul's eyebrows scrunched as he knelt down in front of me. "Why confused?"

I gestured to the spot that Nayeli had just vacated. "I just…after what she said at the shop, I guess I didn't expect her help."

From Paul's expression, I could tell that he was baffled about it too, and I could've sworn he muttered "If anybody'll find out her true motives, it'll be Jake," under his breath, but I was so caught up with what Nayeli had said before.

"Hey Paul?"

"Hmm?"

I mulled over my words for a moment. "What was Nayeli talking about before? About how you knew my magic could be lethal?"

PAUL

No sooner had the words left Evie's mouth, I tensed. Of course my imprint would remember that stupid remark the witch made out of all the crazy supernatural crap we'd had to deal with.

"She was probably just talking big. Trying to psych us all out," I said, rubbing the back of my neck and getting back to my full height.

The glare that Evie shot me was so sharp that I could almost feel it piercing through me like a knife. "Is that why you winced?" she asked.

"Yes," I said. It wasn't a lie. The words of the witch had brought back horrible memories of what had happened only hours before, and had made me picture Evie killing herself. What she didn't know was that the pain I'd felt was worse than anything that Sam or Jared had ever described (or felt – thank you, pack mind).

Evie surveyed my face, searching for something. "There's something you're not telling me."

Thankfully, I was saved from answering when Jacob stalked back into the house, an unreadable expression on his face. "Let's go, Paul," he muttered. "Don't want there to be even more talk about our disappearing act on the Rez."

"Disappearing…oh! My God, the funeral…" said Evie. Before I could blink, she was on her feet. "How are you guys holding up?" Suddenly, her eyes went wide. "Please don't tell me that this…that we made you miss it. Oh God…"

"Hey, hey…we tore out of there when the service was done. The reception's all we missed," I said quickly.

"Crap," Evie murmured. "I'm so sorry, guys." She took a shuddering breath.

"Evie, you really don't need to be. I know that Harry would've understood," said Jake.

Wordlessly, Evie went to Jacob and enveloped him in a hug before doing the same to me. As much as I tried to tell myself that I didn't want her, that I hated being hugged and that I should rip her away from myself, I couldn't help but melt into the comforting touch. "I am so sorry for your loss," she murmured. "And I want you to know how much I appreciate you being here…and if there's anything I can do for any of you…"

I shook my head against her neck. "Just knowing you're safe is enough.