Chapter 9:Facing the obvious
A/N: Sorry for the wait guys! I graduated from college this weekend and it has been very stressful! I appreciate your patience.
Bella couldn't help but smile as she watched Paul help one of the children pick a fruit from a nearby tree. It was funny because while Paul was standoffish and intimidating to the adults, the village's children loved him. They climbed on him like a tree and he was more than happy to oblige. Paul had somewhat become a helping hand around the town. Going out hunting and bringing back more than his fair share of food. When the warriors asked him to go with them on their hunts, of course, Paul went with them but he carried an aura of intimidation and fear that most people ran away from including the warriors. They saw Paul as a threat but also couldn't deny the skills he had. Through it all, Paul's eyes never left her. While his days were busy hunting with the warriors, his nights were filled with being by her side. They talked every day, Often playing twenty questions. It was during this time, that Bella got to know Paul the man. To everyone else, he was a mystery but not Bella. Bella knew Paul. She knew his wolf, his leopard and now she was beginning to know the man.
The man looked at everyone else with dangerous eyes and yet when he looked at her, there was a kindness, an openness, a vulnerability, and yet there was a predatory desire whenever their eyes connected.
It was almost as if the desire was for her. Bella couldn't help but snort, yeah right Paul wanting her? That couldn't be. They had both been through something horrible and right now they were both familiar with each other in a foreign place. Besides, maybe Bella was just feeling attached to Paul because he helped rescue her.
But that doesn't explain the dreams. You dreamt of him before you officially met him. This is more than some overnight fling. She told herself. This isn't how it was with Edward or Jacob. It doesn't feel forced. Not that she or Jacob ever dated but she wasn't blind to Jacob's one-sided affection for her.
A knock and a greeting in Portuguese took Bella out of her thoughts. She smiled as some of the older women came into the medical hut. With a smile, they all sat around her and began to talk to each other. Sofia handed her a partially made woven basket, and Bella took it with glee. Even though they didn't speak much English, the tribe welcomed her with welcoming and helpful arms. Gave her a small task to do while she was on bed rest and at that moment Bella was finishing a basket. It had been hard at first but once she got the hang of it, it helped keep her hands and mind busy.
Her pneumonia was getting better but she wasn't out of the woods yet. Her breathing was still labored and her lungs were still full of fluid. Not to mention her diet. Half of her plate was full of protein because of how much weight she had lost.
A warm hand on her cheek made Bella look up.
One of the elderly women was looking at her with warm eyes.
"strong girl."
Bella blushed and the women laughed.
She couldn't help but feel her heart expand as these women surrounded her with love and laughter. It was something she wasn't used to. Yes, she had the pack and they loved her but sometimes she felt a little left out. It was like the pack knew something she didn't. Whenever Kim and Emily got together they did their best to include her in the activities but sometimes Bella felt like they were hiding something.
Yet these strangers made her feel welcome right out of the gate.
Life was strange, wasn't it?
…..
That night Bella was awoken by a warm hand running their fingers through her freshly washed and dried hair.
"mmm Paul is that you?" she questioned barely opening her eyes.
"shhh, its me Minha linda. Go back to sleep. I have to go with the chieftess into the town. They have a phone there. I am hoping to contact someone from home just to let them know we are alive. It's going to take me a day maybe two but I will return to you."
"mmm, gonna miss you. please be careful." She mumbled as she drifted off to sleep once again.
She could have sworn she heard Paul chuckle and say " For you always."
…..
Paul was silent as he sat in the passenger seat of the truck. Once a month as soon as the coffee beans were ready to be harvested, the chieftess and two other designated tribe members would drive the three trucks to a two to three days drive to the next town where they would meet up with their distributor.
Paul was only coming along for the phone.
"How is your father?" the chieftess asked softly.
The scent of loneliness wafted through the truck but Paul wasn't moved. The history between his parents didn't matter to him.
"don't know. He works abroad and isn't home often."
"Did he ever remarry?" she asked. Paul could tell she was holding her breath.
"no. "
A feeling of relief and a slight hint of hope emitted from her and Paul once again pushed it away.
However, the woman next to him threw a curve ball when she asked her next question.
"you and that girl. Your mates aren't you?"
Paul didn't answer her but gave her his attention. She gave a small smile as a distant memory hit her.
"I could tell the minute you opened your eyes and heard her cries. You two look at each other the way your father and I looked at each other. The love and desire in your eyes is undeniable. I can see it clear as day, the question is does she?"
Once again, Paul was silent but her words struck a cord. He knew exactly what that female of his thought about him. What she thought about their relationship but he wouldn't force anything she didn't want. He was a predator, his patience was unmatched.
…
The next morning Bella was awoken by one of the tribal elders and the tribal doctor.
"Come child." the elder smiled kindly as she helped her up.
Bella allowed them to help her up and leaned on them for support as they exited the medical hut.
She didn't have to walk too far as they came upon a larger hut, with steam coming out of it.
Before Bella could try to ask a question, the tribal doctor grabbed her vampire-bitten wrist and said "Sweat."
She was confused at first, but the moment she was guided in, understanding hit her.
They wanted to sweat any traces of venom that could be in her system. And probably loosened the mucus that had built up in her lungs.
Bella took a deep breath as she lay on the straw mat next to the fire.
From this day forward any traces of vampire would be rid of her body.
This was her cleanse.
…..
Paul growled as he resisted the urge to shatter the already damaged phone, the townspeople had directed him to.
He punched in the alpha's phone number as gingerly as he could but when he put the phone to his ear, all he heard was static.
He hissed as he slammed the phone down. Not that he was eager to get back to his life in Lapush, but it was his normal day-to-day life. Not to mention, his female needed to get home. She cared about the pack and her father and he couldn't keep her from that. But what waited for them at home, he didn't know.
The sudden sound of arguing made him turn around.
The chieftess was surrounded by three men. A taller man in the middle argued with her as he poked her in the chest.
Without words, Paul walked up behind the chieftess with his arms crossed. The sight of his mere presence made the two men back up. Their eyes widened with fear as they looked at him. He was 7'0 foot, with bulging muscles and eyes that screamed Pain. And right now Paul was angry and looking for a fight. Maybe this fool would give him one.
"The amount is not worth the price!" the man shouted
"It is what you have always paid for. The more coffee beans you order, the higher the price. You know this."
"This is nothing! It's not worth the price!" he yelled as he eyed Paul. A look of intimidation and anger passed over him.
The chieftess smiled and said "Very well then. Find yourself another farmer."
She then turned and tried to walk away, however, just as the man was about to reach out and yank her back, Paul stepped in. His hands struck like lightning as he grabbed the man's wrist, Squeezing it so hard the man's wrist snapped.
"I suggest you don't try that again," Paul said calmly. However, it was a very dangerous calm.
"argh! You bastard!" The man hissed as he tried to punch Paul.
Paul however laughed and caught the man by the throat. Squeezing until the man's dark skin turned blue.
The man of course struggled and tried to get away but Paul wasn't letting up. Paul then turned to the chieftess.
"still want to work with this trash?"
"no. I'll find another distributor." She said as she looked at him with wide eyes.
"very well." And then he dropped the man like a sack of potatoes leaving him to flail about and gasp for air.
Just as Paul turned around, the man stood back up and launched himself at his back. Paul crouched down and sank what looked like sharp claws into the man's back.
And this time, Paul did not show mercy.
…
Bella wiped her forehead as the sweat dripped into her eyes. In this room, she had to face her demons. It was then visions of her trials and tribulations came hitting her with a hard force.
Victoria and Riley had tortured her, yet it was she who came out alive.
The Cullens had lied and deceived her but it was Bella who had found a better family in the end.
Edward had loved her with a surface-level Victorian mindset. He was only 17 and he couldn't grow with her. He'd be stuck in his ways forever.
Her father's smile flashed through her mind and Bella felt her heart warm. Her father loved her. Even if he didn't know how to show it, she knew her father loved her with his whole being and he would do almost anything for her. Her heart hurt on his behalf, he had never gotten over her mother and Bella could only hope he found someone who would love him for who he was and someone who would make him happy.
The vision changed as she was faced with a different version of herself. She was skin and bones, her hair matted and dirty. There were dark circles under her eyes and she was holding her middle as if she was holding herself together.
Bella stared at herself in shock. Had she really looked like this at some point in her life?
This must have been after Edward left me. Those were some very dark days. She thought as she looked at her former self.
Bella's eyes widened as she looked behind her former self. Standing with his arms crossed and a calm smile was Paul. It was as if he was waiting for her.
Bella attempted to move past her former self to Paul but her former self blocked her way.
"move," Bella told her old self.
"make me. You don't deserve him. You weren't good enough for Edward there's no way you'd be good enough for Paul. You're skinny and ugly, and there's no way Paul would want you. You are not pretty like Rosalie and you are no match for Leah. Why would a Man like that want you? Isn't that what you've always told yourself? You're not worth anyone's time."
Bella put a hand over her heart and closed her eyes.
Her former self wasn't wrong, those were the insecure thoughts that ran through her head. The dark things she held against herself as she compared herself to others. She often compared herself to other girls because Bella didn t see herself in a good light.
But now she needed to move on. She couldn't stay in this emotional hellhole. No matter how she felt, she did deserve love. A healthy loving relationship. Someone who would love her for her. Someone who would see her as an equal.
Bella laid her eyes on Paul. Even though he was a figment of her imagination, she recognized his heart.
The question was, would Bella leap?
She looked at Paul again and she knew. He would treat her right and she would love him with all her heart. She wanted to love him with everything she had.
He gave her his heart, why couldn't she give him hers?
The moment she made up her heart and mind, her former self lifted her head and disappeared.
For the first time in a long time, Bella felt that she could breathe and love filled her heart.