A/N: Sorry it's a bit shorter but I've been so sick for the last 10 days or so with a horrendous summer cold. But I'm on the mend and feeling more human every day lol xx Alexis
"Bella? Tell me more about that bite. We hate it, so I think there might still be some venom in it. Not a lot obviously, but enough to ..., well, enough to mark you!" Paul asked as he held her close,
"Mark Me? Why? I don't understand!" she spluttered,
"I just guessing here, but if he supposedly sucked out the other guy's venom then the stuff still in there has to be his! Why, to keep tabs on you why else" Paul all but growled,
This was on the first night back in Oregon after Christmas. Everyone else was back home with their families for the holidays, so they had the apartment to themselves. As a result, Bella felt better about explaining in much more detail how it happened about how it occasionally itched and that it was always cold to the touch. How it felt alien to her like it wasn't part of her body at all. But mostly how much she hated it and refused to touch it if she could help it. Paul forced himself to grip her wrist and run his thumb over the bite. He could feel it pulse against him and knew it automatically responded to an enemy. This started a chain of thoughts to pass through his and Silver's collective knowledge. Could they force the venom out of her wrist with their own blood as the lure?
If push came to shove Paul could suck it out like the leech had for the nomad's venom. But he would have to be way more careful because the venom could make him super sick, maybe even kill him. He didn't think it would as there was so little in the bite, but yes it could make him very sick for a while, something he didn't want. Being a mark it was only in a localised area, that being her wrist. Almost like a small pocket to hold the marker for that sparkly-assed bloodsucker and he will know when it's gone.
"This has to go, do you trust me? I have a plan to trick it out of you to defend his control. If we cut the bite open with a shifter's claw and hold a pad with my blood over it, but not touching you it will make the leap to kill my blood. Then I will seal your wrist with my healing saliva okay?" Paul said still running his thumb over it so Bella could see the venom's reaction,
It was actually moving under her skin, following his thumb as it brushed across the scar tissue, but nowhere else and Paul knew it was just a small pocket made for one purpose as a tracker, a way of finding her whenever that dead son of a bitch wanted. This was not now or ever had been a mate thing, but it sure as hell was a blood thing. That bastard was keeping tabs on what he considered his blood! Well, it wasn't and Paul intended to rid her of this sick link to her past and one day soon he'd make sure no vampire would ever lust after her blood again. This was not a macho male thing, but it was a promise of protection. Paul wanted her to reek of him, of his wolf scent and that would keep any from trying to drink her blood. He knew Oregon was a place many vampires passed through on their way north.
Much more so than where they had lived before, Forks and La Push were little backwater places compared to Salem or Portland. Now he knew how much he and Silver needed Bella he would do all he could to protect her, starting with this stinking filthy mark!
"Yes I trust you, Paul, actually I trust you more than I ever trusted him! So when do we do this?" Bella said and she was happy about this idea,
"In the morning, it will heal quickly so pretend to wear a bandage on it. Then tell everyone it was your Christmas present to yourself when you were in Florida. They all know you hated it so much. Now scooch over and let's get some sleep" He said as he wrapped his arms around her and she sighed contentedly at the full body contact,
They really would need to make plans for themselves as they needed the physical contact with each other more and more now and until they actually came together, it would get worse. But at this moment in time, the two were totally in sync. They breathed together and at the same pace, she was fitted into his frame perfectly. They were as close to each other as Paul and his wolf were, the three were symbiotic. Each needed the other, but it wasn't forced, it wasn't unequal, and it was exactly what it should be. Bella loved the man and respected the wolf, Paul loved the woman and the wolf knew she was who Paul needed to be the best version of himself. They were truly matched in different ways, but her understanding he was not just the man, but the wolf too, made her perfect for both.
Silver knew that was what was wrong with his old pack, they never really accepted their wolves like Paul had finally done and even the mates never saw them as separate entities, unlike Bella! He believed the Quileutes feared their other side and never tried to understand or connect fully to the magic of their blood. Only using them as tools to kill vampires, rather than extensions of themselves. They were being misled by the elders, who had no right to tell them what to do or what not to do! Those fully human old men knew nothing, they read the histories but didn't understand them, they cheery picked the bits they wanted and never fully understood anything. Only a true wolf Alpha could save them from themselves, but was there one amongst them? Funnily enough yes, Jared Cameron.
HADDD
"Morning sleepy, let's eat and get this over with, yeah?" Paul muttered in Bella's ear,
"Hmm, yes. That was one o the best night's sleep I've had. No bad dreams, nothing!" she replied happily,
Paul knew all about those dreams, he'd heard her talking in her sleep and calling out during those times. She struggled with her attachment to the leech that the tracker had caused. It took Paul a couple of weeks to realise that and how his presence helped her immensely. Once this thing was out of her system she would be a much calmer and more natural person.
"While we eat I'm going to sterilize this claw, it's one of mine I lost the first week of my phasing. That will cut through those tough teeth imprints on your arm. After we've finished I want everything laid out ready and you lying down, okay?
I suggest you don't watch if I remember right you don't like blood? I used to find that hilarious, the leech-lover who hated blood!" he recalls sniggering as Bella huffs,
"Yeah-yeah wolf boy, very funny! But look at me now I'm the wolf-lover who hates blood!" she snarks, before realising she just said she loved him,
"Damn it, Swan, I'll lose my concentration! I need to focus on that venom, not what I want to do to you! To hell with it...," he says before sweeping her into his arms and kissing the crap out of her,
"Well, that took my mind off of it and everything else. How about you?! Bella laughs heartily and Paul just shakes his head,
Lifting the tray with all he needed in one hand, Paul took Bella's in the other and led her back into her room. Settling her on the bed and laying everything out in front of himself he waited till the second before he sliced into her wrist to say,
"I love you too Swan!"
This brought her eyes to his and not her wrist; he quickly cut his palm and held the pad with his blood below her arm even as he gazed into her eyes. He heard the sizzle as the venom burned his blood before he tossed a match into the bowl and watched the puff of purple smoke rise with satisfaction. He quickly cleaned and sealed Bella's wrist which no longer looked like teeth marks, but more like a slash from glass or a knife. Way more in keeping with the original lie the Cullens made up. It was now bandaged and Bella gingerly touched it and it felt, well, it felt like it was once more her wrist!
"How do you feel?" Paul quizzed watching her closely,
"I feel like all of me is once again mine, so I feel great!" Bella yelled throwing her arms around him and knocking him over,
He slid to the floor taking her with him, where they started to make out for the first time. They were in no rush going slowly, tenderly and carefully. Paul was enjoying this side of dating, not something he'd had before and Bella was enjoying the feel of a real hot-blooded male under her fingers, one who actually wanted her. They were lost in each other and were happy about it.
HADDD
"Thank God!" Edward gasped loudly,
"What? What's happened?" Esme asked as what was left of their family gathered around him,
He went on to explain to Carlisle, Esme, Rose and Emmett about how Alice had convinced him to place a tracker in Isabella's bite while he could. How she said having his venom in there would make her blood much less appealing to him! How he knew he'd screwed up once it was done and couldn't remove it, how she really had hated that part of her arm and refused to touch it without a barrier. How he worked out Alice knew where she was because of his venom, not actually seeing Isabella anymore.
"That's why you wouldn't let me check the wound? You lied and said she hated it and it was healed so I left it not wanting to upset Bella!" Carlisle growled,
"Well it's gone now and that means a supernatural removed it! So the new man in her life is probably a shifter, but I thought they couldn't leave?" Edward quizzed,
"Emmett, check the B.I.A database and see who moved away to Oregon? Looks like that's another state we'll have to avoid as well as Washington" Rose said with a sigh,
She was happy for Bella, this way she'd have a life, a family and a real future. The shock of the whole debacle with Alice had left a bad taste in everyone's mouth, that she would go that far to stop Jasper from meeting his mate! But she showed no remorse, refused to see she was in the wrong, and then she tried to attack Maddy after she'd turned off her gift. Making that the end for Alice, Maddy wasn't like us, she was a fighter, a human drinker and had no intention of living our humanesque lifestyle. So she tore Alice apart and before anyone could intervene torched her right there in the entryway! All she said was,
"One less annoying bug to deal with. I don't know how the hell you all put up with that whining for so long?"
Jasper wasn't even fazed, in fact, he looked turned on and they just left saying they'd be in touch in ten years or so! We were once again down to the five of us as if the last sixty years had never happened. Except for how happy Edward was now he could turn off his gift at home. He was composing again, playing happier tunes and was just all together nicer all around.
"Paul Lahote! He's half Wasco and has living relatives out at Warm Springs" Emmett called from his computer upstairs,
"Wasn't he the angry silver wolf with the flashing eyes? The one you could only read when he was angry, Edward?" Carlisle muttered,
"Oh, thank goodness it wasn't Jacob Black! I think that will do Bella the world of good. She was far too docile, he'll need a firm hand and this will be the making of her" Esme said smiling at Rose, who nodded in agreement,
"I'm happy for her, believe it or not. I wasn't mentally grown-up enough for her and would never have made her happy the way I was. Leaving may have hurt us both, but it was the best thing I could have ever done. Now we both have a new chance at life! She's found hers, now it's my turn to find mine" Edward said sitting at his piano with everyone staring at him,
Finally, after all these years Edward had grown and all it took was one human girl and being able to control his gift!
HADDD
"It's New Year's Eve Paul. Do you want to celebrate with your family? Everyone else is coming back for that big party Cassie was going on about. But it's not my scene, so I thought I'd only stay for the Ball Drop and leave before all the drinking kicks in!" Bella asks smiling up at him,
"They don't really celebrate it tonight, but tomorrow there will be feasting and a large gathering we can go to. I'll come with you to the party and leave with you too. Would you like to spend the night out at my place?" he answered tentatively,
"I..., yes! Yes, I would love to spend the night with you" Bella replied shyly as she held his eyes with her own,
Paul let out a huge sigh, this dating was a nerve-wracking thing, but they knew this was it for them and he wanted to show her how he now felt about her. After the pain during Christmas, it had made them realise they had to stop kidding themselves and stop fighting the inevitable. That they couldn't live without each other now. So as the other's arrived back to get ready for the party they could feel the change in Bella and Paul's relationship. They seemed more aware of each other and more solicitous of each other's needs. The girls queried her about the bandage on her wrist and were happy, that she was now happy it was gone. They also quizzed her about her love life and she shook her head but mouthed tonight and they smiled bumping shoulders and hugging her.
The party was in full swing when they all arrived and threw themselves into the morass of people milling around. Paul at no point released Bella's hand; he would not be leaving her side in this sea of alcohol and free love. She was the only one he wanted to kiss at midnight and Bella felt exactly the same. So they stayed glued together and near their friends. As the cheer went up with the start of the countdown they clung together. Paul flipped the cap off of a bottle of beer and poured her a small cupful and he would just drink from the bottle. The world disappeared for a few seconds for them as they wished each other a Happy New Year and sealed it with a kiss and a sip of their drinks. Next, they wished their friends the joy of the New Year and said their goodbyes.
Not a lot was said between them as they drove out to Paul's cabin. Bella slid across the seat and under his arm as they enjoyed the quiet drive. Both were slightly nervous for different reasons. She obviously as it was something she had never done. He was regretting his man-whorish ways and hoped she wouldn't be disappointed in him for it. It was like she knew where he was going in his head and she patted his leg saying,
"Thank goodness one of us knows what they are doing or this could be a disaster! I like the idea that you can teach me about sex and my body's reactions to it"
He huffed a sigh of relief and hugged her closer.
"You're okay with that? I kind of wish I'd waited!" he muttered sadly,
"This is different though, we are in this for the long haul. So, no I don't mind you have experience, hell that's what attracted me to you way back when in Forks. Do you know I dreamt about you more than him, more than Jake and definitely more than Mike Newton!" she told him sincerely and that made him relax,
So by the time they reached Warm Springs both were ready, and both were happy with their choices. Paul made them a snack and they decided to have a shower together, not shower sex yet but one day. It made her relax more seeing his reaction to her body and how he lovingly washed her. Bella reciprocated and this just turned her on more, he was so beautiful, so strong-looking. Finally, Paul scooped her up and carried her to his room and bed. He was fascinated by seeing her porcelain pale skin against his own much darker tone. They were like yin and yang, two totally opposites and yet they complemented each other so well. Yet even with that striking difference, they both had brown eyes, an images of a toddler with brown eyes and warm sun-kissed skin flitted through his mind. Something he'd never wanted before, but wouldn't mind now!
Similar thoughts were going through Bella's head, she had never wanted to be a mother but the thought of them being Paul's filled her with a longing she didn't know she had wanted before. They laughed as they both said simultaneously,
"You're so beautiful!"