A/N Thank you for the great reviews, they're the ones to keep me going :) I start writing every chapter without an idea about how it's going to end. So basically, I don't know much more than you guys, who read it. And I'm really looking forward to see where this story will take us.

To Twimom - I'm actually thinking about the next chapter being from Paul's point of view. At first I planned to write the whole story from Bella's POV, but now it seems to be quite necessary to know how he feels about the whole thing ;)

To Mmsimpy09 - you totally got the idea of what I'm trying to do with this story. I've read many Bella/Paul imprint stories, I guess every one of them inspired me to start writing my own. I really wanted to see their relationship develop naturally, without that big shadow of imprint making them fall in love instantly and act all crazy, unlike themselves. Love is much more complicated than that, and I've decided to give it a chance to grow slowly and naturally in this story :)

xTeAmXwOlFxPaCkX - I wish everything was that easy :D

Oh, and also, thank you sooo much for complimenting my English, it's like honey for my ears (well, eyes in this case) :) But enough with the talking, let's move on, shall we?..

Chapter Four

„Paul?"

I knew he heard me. A part of me hoped that he didn't though. As soon as his name left my lips, I got scared of my own enthusiasm. What would I say to him? You have to thank him for today, dumb-ass. Yeah, right, but how? I've never talked to the guy. God, I've never even met him properly. He was the only guy in the pack I actually feared. I've always felt extremely intimidated by his presence, there was something about his arrogant appearance that told me to stay away from this one. And if even I, having no sense of self preservation, felt it, there really must be something dark about him. Still, here I was, standing in the doorway calling his name.

But there was no reaction from him. I guess he had no interest in seeing me or hearing my thanks. Well, that's not too bad, I'll get some time to think about what I might say. Sure, this is the best way to let things be, I was trying to reassure myself, ignoring the quiet voice of disappointment. For the second time today, I closed the kitchen door with a sigh.

Right before I would hear the door click shut, I felt it being pushed open from the outside. With a squeal I jumped back, my butt hitting the kitchen table.

„What, you call me and now you're scared of me coming?" This was the first time I actually heard his voice. I've heard him talk before, but I never actually listened. I was startled by the calmness of his voice, it was low and steady, I had to admit, it sounded nice. I guess I had expected his voice to have the same edge of arrogance as his appearance, but I never caught it.

The door was now fully open, with Paul still standing outside. When I called him, I kinda hoped he would come in his human form, I mean, that way we could actually have a conversation. But now that he stood in front of me wearing only the pack's brand cut-off jeans, I wasn't sure if this was the best idea. I always had a blushing problem when it came to good-looking semi-naked huge Indian guys, and now the most intimidating one of them was in my kitchen. Well, almost.

I don't know how long I stood like this. I guess it couldn't be too long, he had no reason to keep standing there, if it took me too long he would've interrupted my silence. He was obviously waiting for me to say something.

„I.. Uhmm.. I just wanted to.." My eyes met his gaze, I felt my cheeks blush even more. Gosh, he had such an impact on me, I couldn't even get out a whole sentence. Were his eyes always like this? What a stupid thought, of course they were, I was just wondering how comes I've never noticed that. For a moment I felt like I was looking at my eyes in the mirror, they seemed to have the same warm colour as mine. The look in them held concern, as well as his usual anger and annoyance, but there was something else, that I couldn't actually catch and understand. This time he was the one to break the contact first.

„What did you want?" Something inside me flinched at the roughness in his voice. He definitely was eager to leave, I wouldn't hold him any longer.

„I just wanted to thank you for being there today." He nodded. The same inside feeling that has been bothering me all day forced me to continue. „I mean, I know, you didn't have to do that, I actually never thought you'd be the one to save my life, I guess I never thought you'd care." I must've said something wrong, his shoulders started to tremble, I saw his hands clench into fists.

Slowly he moved towards me. „So you think I'm not human enough to care. Even if you are just a filthy leech lover, did you actually think I would let you die?" A growl escaped his throat, as he moved closer. „You think I wanted to see the red head get you? You think of me less than you think of that leech of yours, who did leave you to die." I saw him shaking even harder, I was too scared to answer anything.

At first my mind went completely blank, then it came alive at the mention of him. I closed my eyes and prayed to see him. I was in great danger with this trembling soon-to-be-a-werewolf guy in front of me, the kitchen table behind me, so I had to way to run, but the voice never came. Does this mean he was completely gone, without giving me those little happy moments of hearing his voice in my mind when it came to danger? I felt tears run down my cheeks, as I thought of the one I loved, the one that didn't care about me even in my hallucinations. Have I ever felt this miserable? The only thing I wanted was for Paul to phase and let his anger take my miserable existence away.

But it never came. I opened my eyes to see the door slam shut.

„Bells?" Jake's voice came from the hallway. I wiped the tears away right before he stepped into the kitchen. „I thought you'd be sleeping." As he came closer, he noticed the look on my face. „Did something happen? Did that piece of crap try calling you again?" I shook my head, the lump in my throat not allowing to say anything. His arms enveloped me in a warm hug. „What is it then?" I didn't answer. „Fine, let's leave it for now. C'mon, I'll put you to sleep whether you like it or not." I felt him scoop me up in his arms and carry me upstairs. Quietly I sobbed against his chest.

He put me in bed, wrapping me up in the blankets, I felt his lips press to my forehead softly. As I drifted into the sweet innocence of sleep, I heard a heart-breaking howl outside, leaving me to wonder if I really heard it or it was just the next fruit of my troubled imagination.