Chapter 18: Gifts

I stood outside Rosalie's closed bedroom door, nervousness eating away at me. Alice had seen a scarf in one of the stores in The Venetian that she knew Rosalie would love, so I'd bought it for her as something of a peace offering.

Alice had assured me that I didn't need a peace offering for this conversation, but I felt like it would be easier if I came prepared with one.

I took a deep breath and knocked on her door.

"Come in," she called.

I opened the door and saw her seated at her vanity, the glow from her lighted mirror illuminating her beautiful face and giving her an almost angelic glow.

She looked surprised for a moment before carefully composing her face again. "Hi, Natalie."

"Hey, Rosalie…can I talk to you?"

"Of course," she said.

"I just…I wanted to clear the air about what happened between you and Paul." She looked away from me, embarrassment clear in her eyes. "I'm not angry with you."

I entered her bedroom and set the box with the scarf in it on her vanity. She glanced at the box before hesitantly meeting my eyes again. "You're not?"

I shook my head. "Honestly I was more concerned about anybody getting hurt during that whole thing."

A smile quirked at her lips. "I'm sorry—I just saw Paul lunge at Emmett and it felt like I moved on autopilot. I was terrified of losing him—I didn't even think about what I was doing."

"Honestly, Rosalie, if it had been me in your position, I can't say I would've done any different," I admitted.

"It's just…Emmett is…he's everything to me," she admitted quietly. "He's the best thing this life has given me and I couldn't let anything happen to him."

"I completely understand that," I said. "I know I've only known him for a couple of weeks, but I feel the same way about Paul."

She smiled. "Everything's heightened for us. It may feel like you're moving too quickly with him, but for us that's just how it is. I knew from the second I laid eyes on Emmett that he was who I was meant to be with. I would do anything to protect him."

"Just like I'd do anything to protect Paul," I said quietly. She met my eyes hesitantly and I knew that she understood what I meant.

I didn't need to explicitly say it, but she understood from the tone of my voice and the look on my face that I would do absolutely anything to keep him safe, even if it meant going head to head with her. It was the last thing I'd want to do; fighting with any member of the Cullen family, but if it came to it to keep Paul safe, I'd do what needed to be done.

"What's this?" Rosalie asked, motioning to the box I'd set down on her vanity.

"Alice and I saw it in Vegas and she said you'd love it," I said. "I thought I'd pick it up for you."

A warm smile spread across her beautiful face. "You didn't have to do that."

I shrugged. "It was the least I could do."

"Thank you, Natalie," she said. "I really appreciate it."

I smiled at her and exited her room, relieved to have that conversation over with. I'd known that it was going to be slightly uncomfortable for both of us to talk about, but it needed to be done. Everything I'd said to her had been true—I wasn't upset with her for what she did, but she needed to know that it wouldn't happen again. She needed to know that I wouldn't let anything happen to him, no matter how angry she was with him.

I went into my room at the Cullens' house and began to pack my duffel bag. I hadn't seen Paul since before my impromptu trip to Vegas with Alice and I was already anxious to see him again.

"Alice, don't you think this is just a little bit controlling? Just a tiny bit psychotic, maybe?"

I furrowed my brow as I heard a voice that I didn't recognize from downstairs.

"Not really," came Alice's response. "You don't seem to grasp how dangerous a young werewolf can be. Especially when I can't see them. Edward has no way to know if you're safe. You shouldn't be so reckless."

It was then that I heard the heartbeat and my head cleared. I hadn't met Edward's human girlfriend yet and I felt my stomach tighten anxiously.

"Yes, because a vampire slumber party is the pinnacle of safety conscious behaviour," the human said, tone acidic.

Alice laughed her tinkling laugh. "I'll give you a pedicure and everything."

I could hear them ascending the stairs to reach the floor that I was on and I knew that I only had a few moments to brace myself before I would be face to face with her.

I was only anxious because I'd already been warned about how good Edward's girlfriend's blood smelled and I didn't want to cause a bloodbath in the Cullens' home.

I slung my duffel bag over my shoulder and took a deep breath before turning and opening my bedroom door.

At the end of the hallway, I was greeted by a very pale, human girl with long, straight brown hair. She had a heart shaped face and large, chocolate brown eyes. She was pretty, but what I noticed most was the intoxicating scent of her blood. It smelled like the freshest bouquet of flowers with hints of spice.

She furrowed her brow slightly at me, confused at the sight of a foreign vampire in the house that I was sure she'd grown so used to.

"Oh!" Alice said. "Bella, I'm sorry, this is Natalie. She's been staying with us for the past little while. Nat, this is Bella, Edward's girlfriend."

"Natalie…" Bella murmured, brow still furrowed. I was still frozen, trying to take shallow breaths so that I could grow more used to the scent of her blood. "Paul's Natalie?"

Alice gave Bella a bewildered look and I felt my own brow furrow at her.

I watched as the blood rushed to her cheeks. "Jake told me about Paul imprinting on a vampire named Natalie."

"Of course he did," Alice said, rolling her eyes.

I closed the distance between us and gave Bella a warm smile. "It's nice to finally meet you."

"Do you want to hang out with us tonight?" Alice asked.

"No, I promised Paul I'd go see him tonight," I said.

"Oh so she's allowed to go hang out with the wolves," Bella grumbled, shooting Alice a dirty look.

"Yes, because she can defend herself if they lose their tempers with her," Alice said.

"They aren't—"

"Bella, please," Alice practically begged. "No offence, but dealing with Edward's anger is going to be much worse for me than dealing with yours."

"Have fun tonight, guys," I said, needing an escape from the conversation.

"We will!" Alice sang, practically dragging Bella into her bedroom where I was sure that Bella was going to be subjected to multiple beauty treatments from Alice.

I left the Cullens' house, thinking about what Alice had said. I knew that the Cullens had their reservations about the wolf pack and I knew they wouldn't budge on their opinion that they were dangerous for Bella. I'd mainly only spent time with Paul, who I'd been told was the most volatile member of the pack, but he'd never been aggressive with me.

However…he had attacked Emmett that day in the forest.

But on the other hand…Rosalie had attacked Paul as well, hadn't she?

Bella was right—how was her having a slumber party in a house full of vampires any safer than spending the day with her friend, Jacob? Especially when her blood smelled as appetizing as it did.

As Paul's apartment building came into view, I felt a familiar rush of warmth shoot through me and I stopped thinking about the Cullens' aversion to the wolves. Anticipation swelled in my chest as I approached the doors of the building.

He was in the lobby when I arrived, immediately enveloping me in his arms and crushing his lips against mine.

"God, I missed you," he said once we'd broken apart.

"I was only gone for a few days," I teased.

"A few days too long," he murmured, wrapping his arm around my waist and leading me to the elevator. "How was your trip?"

"It was good," I said. "I won lots of money."

"Congrats," he said. "Guess it helps having a fortune teller with you."

I laughed. "I can still play a mean game of black-jack, even without her helping me."

"I'm sure you can," he murmured as the elevator ascended to his floor.

"I bought you something," I said.

"You did?" he asked.

"Just something small," I said. We exited the elevator and went down the hall to his apartment. Once inside, I pulled the little grey wolf keychain out of my pocket and held it up in front of him. "I saw it and I thought of you."

He laughed. "I wonder why." He immediately clipped it onto his keyring and kissed my cheek. "Thank you, you didn't have to get me anything."

"It's honestly the least I could do."

He lifted me into his arms and fell onto the couch with me. I rested my head against his shoulder, breathing in the familiar scent of his skin.

"So…I hear your roommates are kidnapping Bella this weekend," he murmured.

I rolled my eyes. "Personally, I don't think she needs constant supervision, but…"

He chuckled. "Jake was just about ready to break the treaty to go down there and rescue her."

"Did he ask you to help him?"

"He did," Paul confirmed. "I told him I was busy with my own vampire situation, though."

I laughed. "Well, I'm glad you didn't attack them again. I promised Alice that you weren't planning anything. I don't want you to turn me into a liar."

"It wouldn't have been a full on attack," he said. "Just a simple rescue mission. I probably would've just snatched you out of the house on the way out, anyway."

"You think I'd need rescuing?"

"From that house? Definitely."

"You can't imagine the horrors I have to endure there," I teased. "Pedicures and getting my hair done are truly the worst things I can imagine."

He chuckled. "Despite all you've been through, that does sound like the worst of it."

I laughed in spite of myself and pressed my lips against his neck. "For what it's worth, I missed you too while I was gone."

"You were only gone for a few days."

"A few days too long," I said, mimicking his earlier statement and continuing to press kisses against his neck.

"We should go somewhere together," he suggested.

"I'd like that," I murmured against his neck.

"You're the travel expert—maybe you should pick a place to go."

I smiled. "I think you'd like Montana. Lots of great hiking spots and you can get super close to the Rockies."

"That sounds amazing," he said. "But what would you like?"

"I'd be happy with anything," I said honestly. "As long as I was with you."

"I'm flattered," he said, teasing lilt to his voice.

I pulled his face up to mine and kissed him deeply to emphasize that I'd meant what I'd said. Taking that small trip with Alice had reignited my love for travel, and I wanted to have as many experiences with Paul as I possibly could.

He gently pressed me back against the couch so our bodies were perfectly aligned and his hands roamed my body. I knotted my hands in his hair and held him flush against me as he slipped one hand under my shirt, his touch making every nerve in my body feel like it was coming to life.

The apartment buzzer went off, making Paul jump slightly and break away from me. He exhaled deeply and a low growl rumbled through his chest. "If that's Jared or Sam, I'm not letting them in." He detached himself from me and pressed a button on the intercom. "Hello?"

"Hi Paul! It's Sue, can I come up?"

My eyes widened at him and he shot a bewildered look at me.

"Are you okay with that?" he asked. I took a deep breath—I knew that I'd have to get it over with sooner or later. There wasn't really much point in delaying the inevitable at this point. I nodded at him and he turned back to the intercom, pressing the same button as before. "Yeah, of course, Sue. I'll buzz you in."

He pressed another button on the intercom to unlock the lobby door and the two of us made quick work of readjusting our clothing to ensure we looked presentable for Sue's imminent arrival.