PAUL

I was seething when we'd found that note. I will hunt your imprints. We were being tormented. She was taunting us in the tees, screeching that she'd had a note for us. She dropped it from a tree and then jumped into the ocean. Once we were sure she was gone, we saw the note simultaneously through the pack link. All. At. Once. Then all hell broke loose.

Synchronously, a rage so deep it could have extended down to the Earth's core seeped through the pack mind. The fury and outrage was so intense. Collectively, it caused so much pain. I was on fire. My head felt like it had been dumbed in a vat of acid. It was excruciating. Agony. Pure rage and pain.

Pain.

The seconds felt like hours and the minutes felt like days. Some people must have phased out but I could barely notice. Most likely it was those of us who didn't have an imprint because they could calm down faster and phase back. Eventually, I decided to think of Bella. Her voice. Her giggles. I finally forced the phase back to human and was out of that rage hellscape.

Jacob had picked up the note. It stared mockingly at us. I could feel my rage bubbling back up and I had to look away. I heard Jacob crumple up the note. Bet he had the same issue. Sam and Jared were still trying to phase back. We stood in silence waiting. Because no one could be left alone right now. It was too damn much.

Once Sam and Jareed phased back. We decided that no one would be going back to school or work until this was dealt with. Emily would be staying home. And Bella and Kim would be followed anywhere they went. Until this was dealt with the girls would never leave our sight. If any of them got hurt, it would torment us forever. Concomitantly, we knew this and we had a plan.

Realistically we knew what we really needed was more pack members. Seth, Leah, and even Brady and Colin were showing signs. They were going to go through the fever and phase soon. We just had to get them there. It was a dirty move. But our advantage. The leech thought we only had six members. Ten fighters were going to give us the upper hand. What the red heard also didn't know was that we had a way to secure help from the Cullens. We had the advantage. We just had to get our heads around a little psychological torture and taunting first.

We discussed this as we jogged back to the girls and Quil. He was still a wolf when we'd gotten back. He had done his job right. When we say protect the imprints, it can never stop because shit hits the fan or gets too heavy. I did feel sympathy for him though, for having to deal with all of our pack mind rage. "You did good Quil, you can phase back." Said Sam devoid of emotion. All of our faces were pressed into hard lines. This was a hard time to be a wolf. And it was going to get so much worse.

Because worse than being a wolf right now was being an imprint. Fuck. She knew that we had imprints, and that redhead leech knew they were our weaknesses and she was using it against us. Using our other halves to leave us in agony. She wanted to leave us with nothing. But it was just going to torment our other halves more. Our imprints. She was going after Emily, Kim and Bella. My Bella. Just to torture us. She was trying to break us and it wasn't going to work.

We had a plan. It might be dirty, unethical and a little insane. But we'd have the numbers soon enough. And the damn Cullens too.

.

.

.

The girls were traumatized after seeing the note. They collectively showed different signs of shock. Bella was my primary focus though. I had to put up a brave front. I had to put up walls, so Bella could be able to let hers down. I had to bear the burden. Even though with her martyr complex, she was probably already blaming herself. Or would be soon.

Bella had a gift to internalize everything bad and twist it in her head, in a way that placed the blame on herself. I could absolve her of the sins she felt she bore later. Because this most definitely wasn't her fault.

Right now her fear was palpable. I could smell it on her, and I needed her to know that she was safe. She was shaking, and breathing in and out at a pace too fast, which made cause for concern. I just held her, whispered that no harm would come to her, and hoped my body wrapped around hers would slowly stop the storm of worrying emotions brewing in her little head.

Until Victoria was stopped and killed, I had to be extremely attentive to Bella's needs. Me and the pack could protect her from any harm that could physically come to her, but only I could help her manage her emotional turmoil. Her physical and mental well-being was my top priority. In addition to the plan, we had forthcoming.

Sam was explaining the pack's plan, and I don't think Bella was listening. She seemed to be focusing on my words like they were the only thing keeping her in one piece. I just got her back I couldn't lose her again, including to herself. I got her to calm her breathing down to a normal pace eventually.

She had never been so vulnerable with me before. Jacob kept peering over every couple of minutes with concern and worry but deep rage was also evident in his eyes. Heavy fury leaked out of his silhouette the more he peeked over at how Bella was coping. The next time I looked over at him, I saw his form vibrating as he walked stealthily towards the door.

Sooner than I'd like, the sun was setting and darkness was starting to seep through the room's open curtains. With Bella still tucked in my arms, I suggested we head to my house. She nodded into my chest and I pulled her to my side. She scooted out of my embrace, which I selfishly detested. But she then reached for my hand and held on with a death grip as she pulled me across the room and gave everyone a side hug with my hand still in hers. Emily and Kim's eyes were still red, and the silence was booming as we walked out the door toward my house.

When we got to my place, I had Bella sit on my couch and put a blanket over her small frame as I made her tea. She was still shaky, but her breathing was finally resting at a steady pace. Even someone without supernatural senses could probably see the fear rolling off of her.

Considering she probably didn't have the capacity to hear Sam explain the plan earlier, whilst tucked in my embrace, I couldn't understand how she was coping with her terror. I was apprehensive to tell her. She'd probably think it'd be overkill, or not worth it, considering her martyr complex. But I had to tell her. She had to go home with less anxiety. Her damn father would probably think she saw a ghost. She damn near looked like it. And I needed her to get a good night's rest and know she'd be guarded at home and at school.

I sat down next to Bella on the couch and handed her the tea I'd just made.

"Did you hear Sam's strategy?" I asked softly.

"No, I wasn't listening much after I saw the note." She murmured into the cup she held.

"What's the plan?" She asked nervously while fidgeting with the teacup in her fingers.

"Try not to freak out kid. It's not a pretty plan. You might not like how it sounds but it's for the best." I whispered.

"I could be bait for Victoria." She blurted out.

I swear I almost had a heart attack the second those words left her mouth. My mouth was agape. My hands gripped the couch so hard I felt stuffing between my fingers.

"No, Bella. That's not happening. You may think this is your fault because you feel you agitated Victoria into starting this but this is war now. Any vampire this vigilant and set on revenge could have decided to target imprints. Any lone vampire that we killed could have had a mate that we killed and could have recognized that killing– imprints," I ground out.

"-could be our downfall. We won't let it happen but really any vampire this intent on torment or torture like James, the vampire you mentioned who liked the chase, could have done this. It's not your fault, chica." I used my term of endearment to try to ease her worry.

"So try not to freak out or blame yourself. Our plan isn't pretty. You might not like how it sounds but it's for the best. You know how these past few weeks, Seth, Leah, Colin and Brady have been showing evidence of joining us soon? We're going to anger them and speed up their transition." I looked into her eyes and held her gaze.

This was important. And extremely unethical. I couldn't shy away. I held her gaze and saw the guilt wash over her eyes. I continued.

"And we're going to ask the Cullens for help." I said.

"I knew you wouldn't agree with forcing a phase on others, and neither do we. But this isn't just about you or me. Kim, Emily and the whole pack are at risk and we need every advantage we could possibly use at the moment. And they're going to phase anyway, we're just going to speed it up by a few weeks or months. And we are going to try to enlist the veggie leeches to help. They killed the one who chased you so maybe they could get Victoria if she's on the other side of the border. We're going to open a larger communication and enlist their help. Especially with their gifts. They'd help us a lot and it'd be a surprise for Victoria." I said.

"Okay." Said Bella with unease.

"I trust you. I trust Sam. If this is what you need to do, I'm on board." She let out.

"I'm on your side, Paul. We can't let her break us down or tear us apart." She said.

"No. She'll never tear us apart." I breathed.

"Secondly, the guys will be patrolling your house, school and wherever you go just like before. We'll be tightening patrol, adding more of us to patrol during shifts, and the guys who are still in high school are dropping out of school until we get her and kill her." I enunciated.

She needed to hear this and know she'd be undoubtedly safe.

"Ok." She whispered with tears in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry." She cried.

"Don't be sorry Bella. They don't blame you. And we need to do this as much for ourselves as much as we need to do it for you. We wouldn't be able to live with ourselves if anything happened to you, Kim or Emily. Don't you think staying alive is a little more important than some of those guys needing an extra year of high school? Quil would probably need an extra year regardless if he was a wolf." I chuckled, trying to ease her guilt and the tension in our conversation.

"Yeah, I see your point. I'm just sorry." She said.

"Don't be," I said.

"This is a decision we all made together honey. For you, all the girls, and for ourselves. You're pack too. And we love you so much." I whispered.


Words of The Day:

Concomitantly: at the same time; simultaneously.

Internalize: make (attitudes or behaviour) part of one's nature by learning or unconscious assimilation.

Stealthily: in a cautious and surreptitious manner, so as not to be seen or heard.