Chapter 13

Bella's head was spinning, and her ears rang. She felt her heartbeat, no... she heard her heartbeat. What was going on? Where was she? She tried to move her arms and legs, but her whole body felt so heavy she couldn't move. Her head hurt, and she felt nauseous. What had happened?

Then it all came back.

She opened her eyes, but she could not focus and saw only bright lights and closed them again.

"Paul," she whispered. Was Paul okay? Had he been shot, too? She remembered him holding her just before all had gone black.

"Bella," Bella heard a voice, it wasn't Paul. It was Tyler.

"Tyler," she opened her eyes. "Why..." her voice cracked. Her throat was so dry and sore. "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be in Hawaii?"

"You were shot. I had to come. I was so afraid..." Tyler's voice cracked, too.

Bella's eyes filled with tears.

"Tyler," she whispered, and he leaned in, kissing lightly on her temple.

"I'm here." His breath fanned her face. "You scared the hell out of me, but you will be fine."

She nodded, closing her eyes again.

Bella wanted to know what had happened to Paul; was he unharmed? But she didn't want to ask Tyler. And most likely, he didn't even know.

"Is my father here?" she asked.

"Yes. He's been here with me the whole time. He just left ten minutes ago to call Sue and get something to eat. He'll be back soon."

Tyler brushed his fingers on her cheek, and she leaned her head against his hand, wanting to feel the warmth of his skin.

"I'm so happy you are here," she said after a moment of silence. "But why aren't you on your way to Hawaii?"

"I tried to call you after you finished the call, and after a few tries, Angela answered and told me what had happened. I had to come."

Bella's heart squeezed. Tyler had abandoned his family and come to her.

"You can fly after them in a couple of days," she suggested.

"No. I can't leave you until everything is okay with you," Tyler said intensely.

Bella was too tired to argue, and she knew if Tyler had set his mind, there was very little she could do about it. For now, at least.

Charlie came to the room.

"Bella! You are awake." His voice was hoarse. He rushed to the bedside and took her hand, sitting down on the chair.

"Baby girl, I was so afraid," his voice cracked, and tears fell on his cheeks.

"I know," Bella said, wanting to comfort her father. She had never seen him this way before. She'd never seen him cry. "Dad, I'm okay."

"I know Bella. I know. It's just..." he couldn't continue and just shook his head, closing his eyes.

"I'll go call my mum," Tyler said, getting up from his chair. "I didn't have much time to explain what had happened. They should be in Honolulu by now."

"Tyler," Bella said, stretching her hand to him, and he took it. "You need to go to your family and celebrate with them. Your grandmother had planned this trip for over a year. She will miss you terribly if you're not there with them."

"Bella..." Tyler started, but she interrupted him, "I'm going to be fine. I love you being here, but I don't want to be the reason you'll miss your holiday."

"I'll take good care of her," her father promised.

Tyler didn't look happy, but Bella knew his resolve to stay with her weakened. He knew she was right, and he'd been excited about the holiday, although he'd said it would be even better if she'd go with him.

He sighed. "I'll go, but not until I know for sure you're okay. After the doctor had told me you are absolutely going to be fine, I'll go."

Bella smiled at him, and Tyler left the room.

As soon as the door was closed, she turned to look at her father.

"Is Paul okay?" she asked.

"Yes, he's unharmed. Why do you ask?"

Bella sighed in relief. Paul was safe. Thank God!

"I was afraid that John might have tried to shoot him again after he'd missed him."

"No. After John pulled the trigger and the bullet hit you, he dropped the gun. He was shocked about what had happened."

"What will happen to him?" she asked.

"He will be prosecuted and will go to prison. No judge lets him go free after firing a gun on a public beach filled with families and children and almost killing you."

"Poor Angela," Bella sighed. She knew all this was, in a way, Angela's fault; it was her selfishness that had caused all this, but she felt sorry for her. And for the rest of the family, the twins and Helen. What a mess.

And Angela's baby. Paul's baby. Thinking about Paul becoming a father made her feel sad. It felt wrong. It wasn't what he'd wanted. It was so cruel of Angela to force someone to become a dad. Paul didn't want Angela. He wanted... Bella didn't know what Paul really wanted, but the imprint made him want her. It was so wrong that he was forced to want her. All his choices had been taken away... Poor man. Her head started to spin, and she felt the pain intensifying in her neck. She moved her head and gasped as the pain jolted from her neck to her arm and fingers. She fought against the nausea piling up in her throat.

"Bella, what's wrong?" Her father was on full alert. "Is it the wound? Are you in pain?"

She nodded and winced. "A bit."

"I'll call for the doctor," Charlie said, pressing the call button by the bed.

It didn't take long for Dr. Cullen to show up and Tyler after him.

"What is it, Bella?" Tyler asked, worry lacing his voice.

"Oh, it's nothing," Bella said. "It's just the medication wearing off and the pain getting more persistent."

Despite being in pain, Bella couldn't help but watch Dr. Cullen in wonder. He really was nothing like a human being. How on earth had she not noticed his features, the color of his eyes, and his skin more clearly before? How could they fool her, anyone, by looking like marble? Her fingers itched to touch his skin.

Understanding flashed in his eyes, and he nodded, smiling. She wasn't sure how to feel. She saw in his eyes that he was a kind man. But he wasn't supposed to exist. Yet he did. Was she ever going to understand these creatures?

"I'll give you more morphine so you can continue to rest. Sleep is the best remedy, as you know. Your operation went well, and aside from the muscle tissue, the bullet didn't do any damage. You will have a scar, but the wound will heal in a few weeks. You're getting antibiotics, and now I'll add the dose for pain relief. You should be able to sleep for the next 8 to 12 hours and feel much better after you wake up.

"Thank you, doctor," she said. And before she could blink, she was dosed into a heavy sleep.

Paul was pacing in the parking lot at the hospital. It was morning, the day after Bella had been wounded. He wanted to go to Bella. No, he fucking needed to go to her. The idea of that fucking boyfriend of hers being there with her, touching her, made him sick. It was supposed to be him taking care of her. She was there because of him; he should've been there with her.

And that fucking Cullen freak treating her. His wolf snarled. It was against all his instincts to trust a leech to take care of his imprint. Yesterday, after Jacob had dragged him out of the hospital with the help of Sue, he'd taken him to his house and seated him in front of Billy, who had preached to him about the treaty and all the good Cullen's had done to the people of Forks and La Push. Billy had admitted that initially, he wasn't happy with them returning to the area, but he'd seen the good in them. Paul should see it, too. Dr. Cullen was a gift to the community.

Fuck that! They should be made to leave. It was their fault Bella was at risk.

"Paul, there you are," Sam's voice came from the forest, and soon he saw him jogging towards him. "I've been looking for you. One of the Cullens just called me and told me they'd taken down the two human eaters that we ran to the ocean."

"Did they get the tracker?" Paul asked. It was essential that he'd be destroyed. Bella would not be safe before the fucker was in ashes.

"No. Redhead and dreadlocks are gone, but the tracker is still out there. That mind-reader and their brother Jasper are onto him, though. This Rosalie, who called, said that they had followed him all the way to Russia. Last she heard of them, they were up the north shore of Bering Strait, close to Artic Circle."

"That's not far enough. And Bella isn't safe before that leech is gone." But it was good news that only one was left, but he would probably be pissed and ready to have his revenge. If the redhead was his mate, he would not stop until Bella was dead. He was driven before, but now his only purpose was to get even. To kill Bella.

His wolf snarled. There was no way Paul could leave Bella without his protection as long as the tracker was out there. He wasn't sure if he could ever trust her without his protection; it seemed his imprint was a danger magnet, he thought humorlessly.

"How's Bella?" Sam asked.

"I don't know. I'm not there with her, aren't I? Fuck!" Paul barked out his frustration, resuming pacing and pulling his hair.

"It's hard. I know."

"You know shit. Emily offered herself to you from the start. You were fucking her before you had even realized what had happened."

"Watch it," Sam warned. "You know damned well it wasn't what happened."

He did know. But Emily had wanted him, and it'd been clear from the start that they would end up together as lovers. Even though Sam had been in love with Leah when the imprinting had happened, it hadn't taken long for him to leave Leah and move in with Emily. It was fucked up, but now Paul understood Sam better.

As he did understood Jacob and Jared. If he was honest with himself, he envied them. They had what he craved, a relationship with their imprints. He'd realized the reason for imprinting. It was all about the peace and the strength it brought to the entity that was the animal and the man. He felt it; Bella had accepted him, and it was enough to bring the peace he'd been starving for, even if he'd refused to acknowledge the need. Her acceptance had erased the blackness of his mind and brought back his strength. His wolf was content. But it wasn't nearly enough for him, for the man. He wanted her as his lover. Her to be his forever, to have her in his arms every night and every morning, to be the mother of his kids.

Damn. Kids. He would soon have a kid, and Bella wouldn't be the mother.

What a Goddamn mess.

Paul turned to look at the hospital. He looked at the window of the room where Bella was lying on the bed. Looked after by her lover. He let out a heavy sigh and leaned against his car.

"Go see her," Sam said, dragging him out of his thoughts. "She feels your anxiety, and it won't help her to heal."

Paul looked at Sam. "I don't know," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't trust myself not to rip the head off from that fucker."

"Paul!" someone shouted, and Paul saw Jacob leaving the hospital and walking towards them.

"How is Bella?" Paul asked when his pack member stood grinning in front of him. Why the fuck was he always so damn happy, the prick. Paul really wasn't in the mood for Baby Alpha's sunshine and rainbows.

"She's doing very well. The doctor said she's able to leave the hospital tomorrow."

Paul sighed in relief. He could never forgive himself for being the reason Bella was almost killed, but the most important thing was she was okay.

"Tyler will leave for Honolulu tomorrow," Jacob winked at him.

AN:

So story continues. Let me know what you think.