Chapter 6

Bella was startled awake. Her heart was hammering in her chest, and the babies were wiggling, jumping on her bladder so hard it was almost impossible not to pee on the spot. Not having time to ponder what had caused the uproar in her heart and mind, she dragged herself up from the bed and wobbled into the bathroom as fast as she could. Which almost wasn't fast enough.

She sighed heavily after sitting on the seat. And only then does she have time to think. Her heart was still beating out of her chest, and she could feel her heartbeat in her ears with a whooshing sound. What on earth was going on? Something must be wrong with Paul.

She realized that the bed had been empty; Paul wasn't there with her. Where was he? Bella glanced at the clock on the wall; it was only 5.30.

She finished her business quickly, washed her hands, and after glancing at the mirror and seeing her tired face, she left the bathroom to look for Paul.

"Paul?" she said quietly when she entered the kitchen. She didn't want to wake up Embry or Jared. The kitchen was empty. She went to get some water, and after grabbing a water bottle from the fridge, she went to the living room. On the table, there were a few beer bottles. But no, Paul. She peaked out to see if he was at the terrace, but there was no sight of him.

"Where are you, Paul?" Bella was getting worried. Then she remembered that the house had a gym, maybe Paul was there.

Bella went to the hall and the stairs leading down to the ground floor with the gym and a big pool.

And there he was, punching and kicking a heavy bag hanging down from the ceiling. His wrists were stained with blood, and he was sweating.

Bella's eyes filled with tears. Something was wrong, really wrong.

"Paul?" she said.

Paul didn't stop. He hadn't noticed her standing there. It was strange since they were always able to sense each other.

"Paul!" Bella said louder.

Now he noticed her, and just when he stopped the heavy bag hitting him, he turned to look at her. Bella gasped. His eyes were bloodshot and yellow around the irises. His hair was sticking in all directions, and the muscles on his face were twitching. He looked feral.

He just looked at her without saying a word. And Bella knew his wolf was very close to the surface, and it would take some time before Paul could talk. He breathed long breaths in and out, his chest heaving. He cracked his neck; it made a loud noise.

Bella went slowly to him and took his hands onto hers.

"Why are you hurting yourself?" she asked. "What is going on?"

Paul looked at her with his feral eyes, and then he grabbed her into a tight hug. He buried his head into her hair and inhaled deeply.

Bella let him ground himself. Take what he needed. What he needed, she needed too.

Paul went to his knees and pressed his head on her bump, closing his eyes and listening.

Bella's eyes welled up again. She could never get used to seeing Paul this way: listening to the heartbeats of their babies' concentrated look on his face. But now, there was so much worry.

Bella buried her other hand in his sweaty hair and brushed the other over his cheek.

"Baby, what is wrong?" Bella asked softly.

"You are in danger," Paul almost whispered; Bella hardly heard his words.

"Oh."

"The doc called last night and told me who is after you."

So, there was someone after her. But why?

"Who?"

"It's hard to explain. But... some psycho who saw you in E..." Paul had difficulties saying the name, but Bella knew who he was talking about.

"Edward..." she prompted with a shooting voice, playing with the end of his hair on the nape of his neck.

".. mind. He saw you in that sicko's mind, and now he wants you."

"What?" This was not happening again. What it was about her that made these monsters come after her? Everybody would be in danger because of her.

Paul nodded against her bump. He tightened his arms around her midsection.

"I won't let anything happen to you or the babies. I'll keep you safe," Paul mumbled, pressing his lips against the bump. He lifted the shirt and kissed the popped-out belly button.

Bella saw that his knuckles were already healed, and the blood dried on his hot skin. He kissed up her body, bringing up her shirt and revealing her heavy breasts. He kissed the other nipple gently, knowing that they were very tender. His hands lowered her night shorts, kneading the buttocks.

"I need you, baby," Paul said and kissed her. He tasted of salt and Paul. All she wanted was to have him inside of her as soon as possible. She sighed into his mouth and nipped his bottom lip. He deepened the kiss making her knees go soft. He lifted her onto his arms and carried her to the huge shower room. Paul placed her on the bench covered with a thick towel and went to put the water on. He tested the water temperature and took off his shorts.

His huge erection jutted against his stomach, and Bella's mouth went dry. She was very self-conscious about her body, but the way Paul looked at her, she felt like the most beautiful woman on earth. Her heart started to beat faster, and the rush of lust and need made her head spin. It was sometimes overwhelming how fast their moods changed, but now they needed each other - bad.

Bella got up and walked slowly toward him, her eyes glued to his. There was still some yellow in them.

"Let me wash first; I'm filthy," he said.

"Let me wash you," Bella said, pushing Paul under the spray. Paul sighed and closed his eyes, tilting his head back a little. He lifted his arms and rinsed his hair and his hands. Bella skimmed her hands over his tense muscles, feeling the velvet on steel. Water was running down his russet-colored skin. He was so beautiful. She kissed his chest, licked one nipple, and moved to lick the other. Paul moaned when she nipped it.

His hot cock poked her bump.

"Turn around," she said softly, and he did. He leaned forward and placed his hands on the tile wall. Bella reached to take the soap and started to lather Paul's body. She massaged his lower back and felt him relaxing under her touch. She moved her hands over his tight buttocks to the front of his body, trailing the delicious V-muscles up to his sides and chest and down again. Paul was trembling and breathing heavily.

"Please, baby, touch me," he said, voice cracking.

Bella kissed between his shoulder blades and trailed her hands slowly down his body. Paul widened his stance and pushed his erection against her hand.

Bella grabbed it and squeezed, earning a loud moan from Paul.

"Yesss!"

Her other hand cupped his balls, and the other started to pump the length, twitching her wrist. She loved how he felt against her hand; hard, but the skin was so soft. She felt getting wetter, and Paul groaned when he smelled her arousal. He turned around, and his mouth attacked hers. Bella grabbed his dick again and squeezed hard. Paul's fingers found her wet folds, and he pushed two of them inside her.

"You are so wet, baby," he murmured into her hair. His heavy breaths fanned close to her ear, amplifying her need for him.

"Fuck me, Paul," she moaned.

Paul turned her around, and as she leaned forward and placed her hands against the tile wall, Paul grabbed her hips and pushed inside her body.

"Oh yes," Bella hissed. She arched her back, wanting him to take whatever he needed from her body. And he needed it fast and hard.

Soft water spray cascaded over them while skin slapped against the skin, moans echoing in the large room.

"You are mine!" Paul growled. The wolf was so close.

"Yours!" she moaned back.

Paul's grip on her hips got tighter as he thrust fervently into her. It felt so good. She was so close.

Paul took her hand and placed it with his on her clit. Together they stimulated her. The tension in her center started to build rapidly, and with one more hard thrust, she came hard, taking Paul with her.

"Ah... milk me, baby."

She pulsed around him, squeezing him deeper and when he continued to pump into her wave of aftershocks made her knees go soft. Paul held her, so she didn't fall.

"Fuck, you feel so good," he panted.

Bella leaned against him and turned her head so Paul could kiss her. He captured her lips, and they kissed long, savoring the feeling of their lips against each other.

"Feeling any better?" Bella asked after the air became a necessity.

Paul nodded as he took the soap and started to lather her body.

"Much better."

"You want to talk about what Carlisle told you?" Bella asked.

Paul sighed, "no, but I guess I have to tell you."

"Yeah, you have to. I need to know what made you so upset. When I woke up, I almost thought I had a heart attack."

"Shit, sorry, baby. I..."

"Shhh.." Bella said, pressing her finger on his lips. "No need to be sorry. I love that we can sense what the other is feeling. I know you would try to hide this from me otherwise," Bella said, smiling. She knew she was right.

Paul sighed again. For a while, the look on his face was boyish, the one she adored.

"Some ancient shit saw you in the mind of that motherfucker, and has decided to have you. This shit is some sort of royalty of the parasites."

"What?" Bella laughed. Vampires had rulers?

"Yeah, that's what the doc said. And he wants to know why you … are still human even though that fucker wanted to … change you," Paul said, shaking.

"Hey, baby, I'm here," Bella said soothingly, brushing her hands over his shoulders and arms.

"And you're a beautiful and amazing musician. This old fart loves all that. He wants you."

"Okay. But I get a feeling that is not what is eating you. I mean, we don't need to worry about the leeches, not really, do we?"

"Alice, the psychic saw this psycho making a decision that he'll come to get you after the babies are born. He plans to let you give birth but take you away from your babies and form me," Paul said with pain in his eyes.

"I know they aren't a threat," Paul continued, "whatever those fuckers are, we're a match for them. But just to think that someone is planning to take you away when our family is finally together. It just makes me mad with rage and hate. All I want..."

Paul started to tremble again.

"Baby, look at me," Bella said as she cupped her hands around his face. "They won't. You won't let them. My shield won't let them. All the wolves are there too. We all be safe together." She kissed him lightly on the lips.

Paul nodded, and he breathed a few times deeply, relaxing.

They finished showering, and after drying, Paul lifted her into his arms.

"Let's go back to bed. Maybe I can sleep for a while now," he said.

"I was afraid you haven't slept in the whole night," Bella said, looking at the dark circles under his eyes.

"I did try for a bit."

"I'll help you."

Bella had managed to help him fall asleep a few times when she massaged him with a lavender sentenced oil she always carried with her. It was convenient for other sentenced activities too.

"You do the massage thingy?" Paul said with a tired smile.

"Yeah."

They got to the bedroom, and Bella told Paul to go to bed when she went to look for her bag. She rummaged through it and found the oil bottle.

Paul was lying on his stomach; his glorious body stretched over the bed. Bella climbed to the bed and straddled his thighs. She poured oil on his lower back and started to massage it on his skin. She felt Paul shiver.

"Fuck, it feels so good," he groaned.

"Close your eyes and breathe," Bella said and started to hum her piece. His breathing evened, and his whole body was relaxed. It didn't take long for Paul to fall asleep. Bella laid next to him and pulled the quilt over them, falling asleep herself.

Katie was having her morning coffee with Kim and Milly at the diner. It was their habit to meet up whenever they had time.

Katie was slightly nervous. If she was honest, she was a bit scared of Kim and Milly. Their hate against Bella was so blind and all-consuming that it didn't leave space for much else. After talking with Embry last night, she realized it was all they talked about.

Katie had been horrified about herself after saying those terrible words to Embry about Bella. Now that she listened to Kim and Milly going on and on about what a terrible bitch, Bella was, she didn't understand why she had been part of this. Katie didn't say much because those two did most of the talking, but she had let them talk that way; not once had she tried to defend Bella. Now she felt ashamed.

She didn't hate Bella, not really. If anything, she was a little intimidated by her. She was in awe of her; the way she didn't care what the others thought about her and how beautiful and talented she was. Embry liked her, which had made her a bit jealous. If she hadn't been sure of Embry's feelings towards her, she would think Embry was crushing on Bella. But the imprint bond gave Katie the certainty she needed. Sitting here listening to Kim and Milly, she realized that she admired Bella.

"What is with you, Katie?" Kim interrupted her thoughts.

"What's eating you?" Milly asked at the same time.

"Oh... um... nothing. I was up late last night. I miss E..." she glances at Kim, who stiffens across the table.

"I just couldn't sleep."

"Yeah, I'm so worried about Jared too and can't sleep," Kim said. "I hope the bitch gets the babies soon and stops running around the country thinking she some sort of talent or some shit. She is so full of herself."

Katie wanted to roll her eyes but wasn't brave enough to do that. Didn't they understand how pathetic they were?

"She is so selfish," Milly continued their hating. "How dare she think that the wolves are there to follow her around like puppies so she can pursue her dreams. That cow should stay here, or better still, move away and never come back."

Milly was a terrible person. She didn't deserve Jacob. She wasn't the only one thinking why Taha-Aki had chosen Milly for Jacob.

Katie could understand Kim and her hurt and bitterness, but Katie's understanding was wearing thin. It's been six months, and Kim hadn't even tried to move on. Milly fueled her bitterness, and to her dismay, Katie realized she'd been there helping Milly. Embry was right; she hadn't been a good friend to Kim at all; she had only made things worse for her.

"Hey, Kim," she started ignoring Milly's frown when she interrupted her, "have you thought about starting school or something."

Kim stopped eating her sandwich with a surprised look on her face.

"What you mean?" she asked.

"Um... I just thought if you had made any plans, you know, what you want to do, um... what kind of career you would want to have," Katie said.

"I have perfectly good plans, thank you very much," Kim huffed. "I'm teaching kids in school, and I'm happy."

Katie knew that she probably should not press any further, but she was feeling a rare rush of boldness, so she said: "But is it what you want to do for the rest of your life? Have you thought about going to study somewhere like Seattle or LA or..."

"I don't want to leave La Push. You know that Katie," Kim said agitatedly.

"Maybe it would do you good to leave, for a while at least," Katie said, her heart thrumming in her ears. She knew Kim would flip her top, but she was adamant about saying what she wanted. "It would do you good to meet new people, don't you think?"

"Why would I want to meet new people?! I have everything I want here," Kim said. She was almost shouting now.

"What's gone into you?" Milly asked.

"Nothing," Katie said. "I just feel that Kim isn't happy, and part of the reason is that she is not even trying to." Wow, she was really rocking the boat.

"You are a bitch!" Kim was shouting now. "I've been robbed of the love of my life, and you blame me for not trying to be happy. How dare you?!"

Katie was feeling sick. She absolutely hated any kind of confrontation, and getting into an argument in public was one of her nightmares.

But she had to finish what she'd started. "If you are honest to yourself, you haven't lost anything, not really. But you are about to. Jared is an amazing friend, but even he has his limits. You've treated him like shit. It's not his fault he doesn't love you anymore. He didn't love you before … " she almost said, imprinting, but fortunately noticed they had gained an audience, "and he shouldn't have loved you like that after either."

The slap came hard, and it hurt. Before Katie realized Kim had left the diner and Milly was running after her.

"Are you okay?" asked a man Katie recognized as Mathew Connely, one of the male teachers in the La Push primary school.

"I'm okay, thanks," Katie said. Her cheek hurt, and she noticed tears were flooding down her face. But she felt good. She had said what she had wanted to say. And even though she'd been scared out of her mind, Kim now knew what she thought about her. Maybe it would help Kim think differently and see what she was doing was wrong, both to herself and Jared.