Chapter 22

"I must confess, Embry, that I don't understand how you can share Bella with another man and Lahote of all men," Jake said.

"Many don't understand, and that's fine. As long as we three are on the same page, all is good," Embry said, looking at Bella and Paul, who were hanging with Sam and Emily. Paul held Bella between his legs, her back flushed against his chest. His arms were around her waist. Paul being the possessive ass he was, kissed her neck and whispered something to her. Bella laughed and swatted his arm.

Embry smiled. No, it didn't make him jealous. And he wouldn't tell Jacob that watching them together turned him on big time. What the three of them did together was only for them to know.

"We have a perfect thing going on, and we're in for life," he added, not taking his eyes off them.

They were hanging out with their friends at First Beach before the traditional Tribal celebration night started. Bella had been so excited to have an opportunity to take part in their tribe's festive that she had decided to hire more people until the time that Su-wei and Beth would return to Blue Door. The bonfire had been lit, and the night was calm and warm.

"I mean, she's fucking sexy, funny, and smart, and I get it that you want her, who wouldn't. But doesn't that make you jealous?" Jake asked, pointing at Bella and Paul. Paul looked like the besotted fool he was, resting his chin on Bella's shoulder. Bella's hands skimmed his thighs while she was talking with Sam and Emily.

"No, it doesn't. I know she loves me as much as she does Paul. And what makes her happy makes me happy," Embry said. "It was weird at times at the beginning for all of us. But she has proved time and time again that neither of us has anything to worry about. She just has so much love for both of us. It is amazing, really."

"Well, each to their own. I could never share," Jake said.

Embry shrugged and saw Quil returning from the bathroom, bringing two more beers. Embry thanked him as he took the bottle Quil offered to him.

"Do you fuck her at the same time? I've always wanted to try devil's horn." Quil asked.

Embry barked out a laugh. You could always trust Quil to ask the stupidest questions. "Wouldn't you want to know?"

"Well, do you?"

"Not telling."

"Come on, man. She must be an awesome fuck to be able to take you both at the same time."

Embry flashed him a warning look. "Watch yourself, Quil. I'm not listening, that bullshit. We don't talk about what we might or might not do together. Alright?!"

"Sorry, man. Just curious. You two have landed on a very interesting bird, and I just try to understand. And come on. Lahote. You two couldn't stand each other before, but now you're like brothers in arms or some shit."

"That is strange one I give you that much. Never thought I could be friends with Lahote, or more like brothers. But then I never knew him. And before you ask, no, we're not fucking each other. It's all about Bella."

"So, you are fucking her at the same time. Awesome!" Quil hollered.

Embry had to laugh. He blew that one.

Embry saw Bella leaving the group she'd been hanging with and heading towards the drinks table. She looked at him and smiled. Embry's heart swelled, and he fought the urge to go to her.

"Damn, Embry, you are one lucky bastard," Quil sighed, watching Bella. Embry felt proud and a bit annoyed at the same time; he didn't enjoy his friends drooling over Bella. Least of all, Quil, who was a fucking pervert. He might not be as possessive over Bella as Paul was, but he didn't like Quil's roaming eyes.

"Are you still with that chick from Forks?" Embry asked, wanting to distract Quil's eye fucking.

"Hmm?" Quil didn't take his eyes off Bella. Embry swatted his arm

"What the hell?" Quil squeaked.

It was then Embry saw Leah going to Bella, and he knew that wouldn't mean anything good. Leah had been avoiding him all day, and she was clearly hurt and pissed. She just didn't know how to let go. It had been more than a year, for fuck's sake, but she still held a grudge. Pissed Leah was not something she wished on Bella.

Leah talked to Bella, and Embry could see color vanishing from her face. Leah looked at him and left Bella with a satisfied smirk on her face.

"Shit," Embry muttered. "See ya fuckers later," Embry said and jogged to Bella.

He wrapped his arms around her. "Hey, baby. You okay?"

Embry saw unshed tears in Bella's eyes. Fucking Leah. She forced a smile.

"I'm fine, but she hates me. They all hate me," Bella said quietly.

"What did she say?" Embry wanted to know, although he could guess.

"It's not important. But she clearly still loves you and hates me for taking you from her."

"But you know that I only want you, right?"

"Yeah, Em, I do. I just get the feeling again that I'm a selfish bitch. I don't blame them for finding me obnoxious and disrespectful for coming here with you two."

"Shh, not that shit again," Embry said, leaning down to kiss her. They had been able to get through this shit, but now thanks to Leah, Bella was feeling insecure again.

"But it's true, and here among your people, what am I anything else than just a pale face whore who has stolen two Quileute men from Quileute women."

"Is that what Leah said?" Embry asked, trying to conceal his anger. Leah was bat crazy; he should have known she would do something like this.

Bella didn't answer but leaned against his chest, sighing.

"She's crazy, you know that?" Embry said, kissing the top of her head.

"No. She's angry. And I really don't blame her."

"She's grown up, Bella. She should not behave like a damn toddler who had lost her favorite toy. I wasn't hers in the first place."

"She thinks so. She..." Bella started but didn't continue.

"She what?" Embry wanted to know.

Bella sighed, "It really doesn't matter."

"Please, Bella, we have agreed always to be honest. I want to know everything she said to you."

Bella looked at him.

"She said she will always remember how good you fucked her and how much you loved her sucking your cock. And there will be a time when you realize I'm not enough, and you'll run back to her."

What a fucking immature bitch was.

"Bella, she's..." Embry started, but Bella pressed her forefinger on his lips, silencing him.

"Em, I really don't mind any of that. I know she's jealous."

Embry sighed and pulled her tightly against him. They stood like that for a while. Embry decided to let it go; he didn't want to let Leah spoil their fun.

"Let's not care about them. We're here to have fun and introduce you to our heritage; rest is not important," Embry said. He tugged a lock of hair behind her left ear and kissed her forehead. Damn, all he wanted to do now was take her back to the cottage and bed. Her skin smelled so nice, and her breath fanned his neck, making him shiver.

"We love you. I love you with all that I have. It's no one's business what we do."

Embry kissed Bella and pressed his body against hers. "I want you so bad right now," he murmured to her neck and sucked the pulsing point making Bella moan silently. Embry felt how the rest of the tension eased from Bella's body. He knew this probably made the bitches fuming, but he didn't care. He loved Bella and didn't shy away, showing it.

"Hey Em, don't dominate our girl," Paul came to them, chuckling. He was having a good time with his friends but could not stay away from Bella. His face fell when he looked at Bella.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"Leah being the bitch she is," Embry said. He glanced behind at Leah and some other girls. They were all glaring at them. Why the hell didn't they let them be? Embry had really hoped that today would be great with all the tribal stuff and Bella being there with them. He should have realized it wasn't going to be that easy.

"It's nothing, Paul. I just see that they hate me. Like, really, really hate me. And I do understand them."

"Who?"

"It doesn't matter. Let's go back to your friends. I can't wait to hear all your legends. This bonfire is so cool," Bella said and moved to leave, but Paul stopped her and leaned down to kiss her. He pressed her against Embry and deepened the kiss. Paul loved to shock people. Damn fool.

"We don't give a fuck what people think, right. You are ours, and we are yours. Don't let those bitches ruin your night," Paul said silently so they only heard it.

Bella nodded. They stayed together for a while.

"Come, Billy is about to start with the stories." Paul grabbed Bella's hand.

They sat down on the sand by the fire. Embry leaned against the driftwood, and Bella sat between his legs, placing her other hand on Paul's knee. Paul bent to kiss Bella on her neck, making her shiver, making Embry's dick twitch in his jeans.

"Hey, not here," he whispered but could not stop himself and pulled Bella against his fast-hardening cock. Bella glanced over her shoulder, biting her lip. Embry wiggled his eyebrows at her.

Billy started to tell the legends.

"I'm going to tell you a story of Raven and Bear, how Raven got his black, curled-up feet..."

Bella was fascinated by the legends. At some point, she moved to sit on her knees and leaned forward to get a better view of Bill. She tied her gorgeous hair to a messy bun, relieving her beautiful neck, and her shirt lifted a bit, showing her creamy back. Embry's mouth watered. He wanted to grab and pull her tight against his pulsing cock, kiss her neck, make her shiver and moan. He glanced at Paul and saw the same lust in his gaze.

They planned to take Bella to the lake where they used to swim with their friends when they were kids. It was a warm, clear, full-moon night, and they would go skinny dipping with her.

When the stories were told, Bella said she wanted to talk with Billy about something.

"Be fast; we should be going in a bit. We have a surprise for you," Paul said and kissed her.

Bella made the face she always did when she was telling them that she did not like surprises. But they knew better. She loved their surprises.

"Hey Em, where's Bella?" Paul asked Embry and looked around. He'd been chatting with Sam and Jared and hadn't seen Bella for a while. Hadn't she heard that they needed to leave? He wanted to go so they could get to the lake when the moon was at the right spot. It was a fantastic place to visit at the right time.

"She was talking with Billy just a minute ago," Embry said and started to look around, too.

"There's Billy, but no Bella," Paul said. He was getting restless, not knowing exactly why.

"Hey, have you seen Bella?" Embry asked Jake and Quil.

"I think I saw her going toward the bathrooms some time ago," Jake told him.

Embry and Paul started towards the toilets; then they heard a scream. It was Bella.

They ran towards the sound.

"Fuck, what's going on here?!" Paul shouted. They found Bella with four other women; two held her arms and had a hand over her mouth. One was holding her hair while Leah was cutting it. Before they had time to do anything, a big chunk of Bella's beautiful long hair fell to the ground.

"Fucking bitch!" Paul shouted. "What the fuck Leah?!" Embry yelled at the same time.

All the women froze. Bella screamed again and fell to the ground. She was holding her neck. Paul saw blood on her fingers.

Paul's blood froze.

"Call the ambulance and the police!" he shouted.

"I'm on it," said Sam, who had run after them hearing them shouting.

They got to Bella, and Paul lifted her from the ground. Embry tried to look at the cut on her neck, but Bella was in shock and just held her neck trembling.

Jared came to them. "Let me see Bella. I'm a paramedic. I can see how serious it is." He had his mobile's flash on so he could see.

Bella shook her head. "They cut my hair," she sobbed.

"Let Jared look at your neck, baby. You're hurt," Paul said to Bella. He felt tears prickling in his eyes. How the fuck could they do such a thing to another person. Fucking sickos.

"Fuck you are sick, Leah! What has she ever done to you?" Embry shouted, and Paul could guess that only Bella being hurt was keeping him grounded on the spot. Paul himself had it hard not to go and beat the shit out of them. He didn't beat up women, but for the first time in his life, he really wanted to.

"She's nothing but white trash whore! Not so gorgeous anymore, is she?" Leah spat, her face was almost unrecognizable with fury, and she looked like the fucking nutcase she was.

Whimpering, Bella let Jared move her hand off the cut. Embry held the mobile with the flash; his hand was shaking. Thank God it didn't look deep. Bella gasped in pain when Jared touched her neck around the cut.

"Sam, give me your shirt!" Jared shouted.

Sam gave Jared his shirt, and Jared pressed it against the wound.

"Bella, you are not badly hurt, but the cut needs stitches," Jared said, and Paul felt a cold sweat of relief spreading through his body.

"Thank God," Embry said.

Paul squeezed his eyes with self-loathing. How the fuck had they let this happen to Bella.

"The police and the ambulance are coming," Sam said.

The bitches tried to leave, but Sam, Jake, and Quil stopped them. By this time, the elders had come to see what all the noises were about.

"What is happening here?" Billy demanded to know.

"Leah, Kay, Ally, and Ellen have abused Bella. They cut her hair, and Bella has a cut on her neck," Jared informed Billy. "Her shirt has been ripped; there are some scratches on her chest."

Paul glanced at Bella's shirt. He hadn't noticed it being torn. He saw the bloody scratches. He swallowed the fury. He needed to stay calm for Bella.

"What have you fool women done!?" Billy roared. "This is another human being you've violated. What were you thinking!?"

"She's taken what is ours," one of the bitches shouted. Paul remembered that he had fucked her once or twice, and to his horror, Paul realized that all the bitches Leah excluded were. His heart sank; this was all his fault.

"In what century do you live in?" Billy asked. "Embry and Paul are not yours to have if they don't want you. Bella here hasn't done anything to deserve this. No one should ever be treated like this. I'm deeply ashamed of you."

"Can we go?" Bella asked quietly. She was so pale, and her lips trembled. Paul pulled her closer. He didn't trust his voice to answer Bella.

"Ambulance is coming shortly," Jared said. "You need stitches for that cut, which must be properly cleaned too. And I would think that the police want to see your injuries as well."

"I don't want to. I don't want police," Bella said. She wasn't thinking clearly.

"Bella," Embry said, "we don't let those bitches get away with what they did to you. They'll pay for it. One wrong move, and you might be bleeding to death right now."

The ambulance came, and so did the police.

Billy and Jared helped to explain what had happened. Another police car came, and the police officers arrived to take the bitches to the police station.

Paul carried Bella to the ambulance, and the paramedics helped her lay on the stretcher. Embry followed them closely, but before he could climb into the ambulance after Paul, the other paramedic stopped him.

"Only one can come," the paramedic said.

Paul and Embry looked at each other. Embry nodded. "You go, I'll follow with you. Jake can drive me to the hospital."

"Thanks, Em, we'll see you soon," Paul said, clapping Embry on his shoulder.

"Em!" Bella shrieked when she saw he wasn't coming with them.

"I'll see you at the hospital, baby; Jake takes me there."

"Okay," she replied silently and closed her eyes, sighing.

AN:

It's a bit of drama for a change. I realized three out of four of my unfinished stories had Bella in a hospital. A bit repetitive 😀