Chapter Five

"Paul, I'm fine." He ignored me and kept walking, "Paul, put me down. I can walk."

He continued to ignore me. It was pointless to argue with him when he was like this. He was carrying me bridal style as he walked to his house.

"Why didn't we just take your car?"

Silence.

We reached his house and he sat me on his bathroom counter when we made it inside. He stripped my shirt off and I protested, "Paul I'm fucking fine!"

He growled and turned me around so my back was facing the mirror, "Does this look like you're fine?"

I craned my neck and gasped. A huge bruise was already forming on my back. It was purple now but it would definitely be black and blue tomorrow. I looked at Paul's face and it was no longer Paul. It was the wolf.

I sat as still as I could. I had met Paul's wolf before and the only thing I could do now was let him do what he needed and that was take care of me. He buried his nose in my hair then moved to my neck. Eventually he looked up and his eyes were back to normal.

"I'm sorry Bella. I had to walk off the anger and holding you was the only thing keeping me from going back and killing that fucking idiot."

"And you couldn't have just explained that? I understand Paul. You and the wolf needed me."

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"You always know what to say and why I do the things I do even if I don't know." He explained.

"I can't give away all my secrets. Come on, I'll make you some food."

"Now you're talking babe. I've missed your cooking."

"Always thinking with your stomach." I smacked his chest and made my way to the kitchen.


I woke up the next day more content than I have been in years. Paul was awake and staring at me.

"Good morning." I smiled.

"You have no idea how many times I've had this dream of waking up with you in my arms and now it's finally a reality."

"We have to talk to the elders today, huh?"

"Unfortunately, yes but they can wait. I need to feed you and do some other things I had in mind."

After some mind blowing sex and breakfast we made our way to Sam's. We talked on our short walk to Sam's and I couldn't help but think about how things between us haven't changed. It's still so easy and I couldn't be more grateful for it. Sam and Emily's place came into view and Paul turned to me, "We don't have to do this. We can turn around and go back to my place right now. All you have to do is say the word."

"Babe, I'm fine."

I grabbed his hand and walked inside ready to face whatever the pack and the elders had to say. We walked in and everyone got quiet. I noticed that Jacob was missing.

"We thought it would be better if he stayed behind to avoid something like yesterday." I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding and greeted Emily. I sat down on Paul's lap and picked at his plate.

The elders started the meeting.


"It looks like you have three little boys." I smiled at the couple. I cleaned the goop off of her stomach and told them to go to the receptionist to make their next appointment.

I walked to my office and was stopped by Angela, "Hey what are you doing here?"

"I was in town and thought I might come see my bestfriend and take her to lunch." She hugged me.

"Lucky for you I haven't taken my lunch break today and I don't have any more appointments."

I grabbed my purse and we walked out of the clinic. We decided to grab lunch to go and eat on the beach. I slipped off my shoes and started to walk to our spot.

"So, how are you and Paul?"

"We're good. Things are kind of weird. We're trying the whole taking it slow thing but it's weird because we already know each other. We've been over everything. I told him what it was like in college, how it felt to be away from him, pretty much everything that's happened over the past four years and he's done the same."

"And the reason you guys aren't together is because of Paul?" Angela questioned.

"No. It's because of me. I just feel like we should take things slow because that's what is supposed to happen right? I just don't want to make a mistake, Ang. I love him and I just want this and him so bad and-"

"Bella, you're self sabotaging like you always do."

I started to protest, "Don't interrupt me, Bells just listen. Love has never been easy for you but you and Paul are different. You're my best friend Bella. I know you and that's how I know you're scared because the imprint happened so late and you're worried that something is magically going to take that way but the spirits blessed your imprint, you are the first marked mate and that is irreversible. Let yourself be happy, let Paul love you."

"I hate it when you're right." I said through tears, "Thank you Angie. I love you."

"Okay enough tears. This is a girls afternoon."

"Exactly how are you and Quil?"

Quil imprinted on Angela when she was picking me up for lunch at Paul's. It was definitely a shock but it's not far-fetched. Angela was never around Quil when we were in high school and she's half Quileute. The council was still trying to figure out why mine and Paul's imprint was suppressed for years. So far they have nothing. Old Quil thinks it might have something to do with me because Edward could never read my mind.

Angela and I finished up and went our separate ways. When I got back to my parents house, which I was still living at, there was a note in my room.

Meet me at my place when you get off of work. Love you.

-P

I smiled and walked downstairs to leave. As I drove down the road I thought about what Angela said today. I knew Paul and I loved each other but could I let go of all of the uncertainty that was around our imprint? The more I thought about it I came to the decision that I could. Paul and I loved each other unconditionally way before an imprint. We didn't need one then and as happy as I am that we have one now I refuse to let the mystery take away our happiness more than it already has.

I arrived at his house and he walked outside to greet me. He pulled me into his arms and kissed me, "Hey baby."

"I'm ready." I blurted out before I could say anything else.

"What?"

"I'm ready for us to be together. Taking it slow is stupid. I love you and I want to be with you."

"Bella I-" he was cut off by a howl and then Seth came tearing through the yard. Seth phased and started freaking out, "There's leeches on the rez! Coming this way!"

Before I could even process what my brother had said Paul had me in his arms running towards Emily and Sam's. I looked to the side of us and I could see Seth and Jared running in the trees beside us.

Paul burst through the door and sat me down, "I'll be back. Do not leave and don't go outside Bella. I mean it." I could see his eyes were yellow and I knew the wolf was at the surface. The threat was too close to his mate and he needed to protect.

"Okay."

Paul pulled me into his arms and left a searing kiss, "I love you bumblebee I'll be back before you know it." Then in true Paul fashion he smacked my ass and winked at the rest of the imprints.

"Fucking Paul." Leah snorted, bringing me out of my swooning.

"Shut up Leah." I stuck my tongue out at her and went to sit with her, Emily, Angela and Kim. Brady and Collin were outside in wolf form and Leah was inside protecting us.

Hours went by and we busied ourselves making dinner because the pack would be ravenous after they got done taking out the threat. Us girls and the twins had just finished eating when the guys burst through the door. Jacob and Jared came in first then everyone else filtered in. Paul locked eyes with me and it was like no one else was in the room. I grabbed him and held onto him for dear life.

"What happened?"

"Later." He said with a kiss to my nose. I noticed the wolf was still there and right now he needed me to calm him. I went to the table and sat but Paul pulled me into his lap wanting me close. I would find out what went down later but right now my mate needed me