AN: Hi all. I wanted to drop a quick note to explain my absence. My mother passed away two days after Christmas after a long time battle with type 1 diabetes and kidney disease. No matter how much you try and prepare yourself, you're never ready for such a profound loss, and I've needed time away. I've started working on this again, it's a good distraction, and I hope you enjoy.

Chapter 14: In Pain

Early one morning, I answered a call on the seldom-used home phone line and found my stepfather on the other end. Phil began a conversation with me about my mother, assuming I had some context. Even though I am a horrible liar, I somehow managed to play along well enough for Phil to continue talking. Through him, I learned that my mother had left Florida, and when he gained access to the home she was last seen in, he found it in disarray, obviously a drug house. When he found a body, he called the police. He went on to explain that the body was that of a known friend of Renee's, and this was the third of her acquaintances who had met the same fate. Charlie was helping as much as he could from across the country, but Phil believed things were much more serious than the local police in Florida did.

It was then that I learned Phil had been in regular contact with both my uncle and my boyfriend regarding my missing mother and the mystery surrounding the bodies of her friends being found, and neither of them had bothered to tell me.

After we'd said our goodbyes, I had racked my brain trying to remember if Charlie or Sam had mentioned anything at all about actively working with Phil, or anything about my missing mother. Every single time I asked about the missing persons case, I was told that it was being worked on, and I was emphatically told that it was outside of their jurisdiction.

Why were they lying to me?

I bounded downstairs looking for Paul or Embry, instead I found Tiffany making a pot of coffee.

"Morning Bella. Coffee?" She asked as she flitted around the kitchen, "I know it's technically still summer, but I needed something hot to drink. I'm not blessed with self-heating like your brothers, and I swear they're trying ro freeze us mere mortals out of the house."

I smile, but my mind is everywhere but here. I mechanically take the coffee, adding creamer and stirring, thinking more about the strange conversation with the man I consider my father.

"Bella, are you okay?" Tiffany asks me, putting her hand on mine to stop my frantic stirring of my coffee, "I'm here to listen, if you feel like talking."

"Did something happen to Renee? Like more than her possibly being gone?" I blurted out and Tiffany led me to sit at the table.

"Why do you ask?"

I looked up and caught her green eyes, seeing how she tried to portray a sense of calm but her eyes were reflecting her discomfort, "Tiffany, I talked to Phil, and he brought up conversations with Charlie and Sam. They've always told me they had no updates on the case since its out of their jurisdiction, and that it's likely Renee is out on a drug bender, which has happened before. But Phil called looking for Charlie to tell him another one of Renee's friends was found dead, and it was pretty evident from that call that this wouldn't have been the first time he was talking to them about her case. Why are they hiding things from me?"

Tiffany fidgeted in her seat, but I kept my gaze locked on her. I wanted answers, and before I could say anything else the phone rang and she scrambled to answer it. I heard a hushed one-sided conversation, and I finally headed to my room to get changed for work.

I'd been hanging out after my shift at the station waiting for Sam to be done for the day so we could ride to his apartment together for a much needed conversation. His shift was scheduled to end when mine did, however a call came in for some fights on the rez, and Charlie wanted Sam to come with him in case it was more kids phasing. That wasn't exactly something that Charlie could trust any of the other deputies or interns with, and even though I was frustrated I knew I had no choice but to wait it out.

"Bella, Sam called and said he forgot to leave you the keys, but Charlie said to take his truck and they'll meet you at home." Pam said as she popped her head in Charlie's office. I nodded and grabbed his keys and headed out to the parking lot.

Driving Charlie's old pickup was like stepping back in time. It's faded original red paint had patches of rust, and I knew it was manufactured in the fifties or sixties. It was damn near impossible to get the beast above fifty, but it was perfect for driving around town. I decided it would be nice to grab some steaks for dinner, especially since I wanted to get my uncle and boyfriend to tell me why they've been talking to Phil behind my back, but a quick stop at the Ateara store didn't yield the results I needed. My text to Sam went unanswered, so I decided I had time to run to the Forks market.

I'd made it maybe three miles from town when smoke started rising from under the hood and I eased over to the shoulder of the road spouting curses the entire way. I was rifling through the various paperwork in the glove box when I heard the crunch of tires on gravel and I glanced back and saw a huge jeep, with a statuesque blonde exiting the passenger door.

"Are you okay?" She called out and I nod.

"Yeah, just looking for the roadside assistance card my Uncle usually keeps in here."

"Hmm, smells like it could be oil burning. It could be dangerous for you to sit in the cab. My husband and I have an account for roadside, we can call it in and wait with you." She offers, "Sorry, I'm Rose, and my husband is Emmett." She gestures towards the hulking dark haired man approaching.

"I'm Bella." I reply without thinking.

They both seem so nice.

"Hey ladies, what's the verdict?" Emmett asks and it's then that I notice that Rose has the hood of the truck up and something in her hand.

"No oil. Did you already call roadside?" She called out.

"Not yet, babe." He replied.

"Good, don't. We just need to get some oil in the old girl, and she should be right as rain." Rose called out as she continued to tinker with the engine, "Bella, do you have anything we can hang on the window? That way we can run into town and grab some oil."

"No, you don't have to do that, I can call my boyfriend." I argued weakly but Emmett's freezing cold hand on my arm stopped me from grabbing my phone.

"It's no problem at all," He grinned down at me, "My Rosie is a real gear head. She loves working on cars, keeps this bad boy running in tip top shape." He patted the hood of the jeep.

I looked up at him, seeing my own eyes reflected in his mirrored aviator sunglasses, "I like that she's going against stereotypes." I smiled briefly and he returned it with a huge grin of his own.

"And I would love to work on this classic girl," She smiled at me, "Really, it's no trouble at all, we were headed to the automotive store anyway."

The tug in my chest makes me think of Sam, and within seconds my phone rang, "Is everything okay?" Sam's velvet voice floats from the phone's speaker and I walked away from the helpful couple.

"Hey you. How do you always know when to call?"

"Something feels off, Birdie. I need you to tell me where you are." He replied.

"Oh yeah, so the truck broke down, and there's a nice couple who pulled over to help me. They say it just needs some oil and said they'd take me into town to get some-"

"Sweetheart, I need you to turn the location on your phone on and share it with me so I can see exsctly where you are. Do not go with anyone. Don't panic, just describe them for me, and don't leave any details out." Sam replied and I turned to look back at the couple but they're gone.

Jeep and all.

"Sam... they're gone." I replied in a shaky voice, "I didn't even hear the jeep. They're just gone. How-"

"Hey just focus on me, please sit in the truck and lock the doors," He replies softly and I can hear the sound of him starting his truck, "Birdie, are you back inside the truck?"

"I am. Sam the man's hand was freezing. I'm so scared."

"I'm right here sweetheart, I'm not going to hang up, I just need you to tell me how you got where you are. Talk to me, baby." His voice was warm and comforting, and I rattled off my path to the grocery store, telling him everything I can see around me. The dread is settled in my stomach and even though Sam keeps talking to me in a calm voice I can tell from the tug in my chest that he's just as distressed as I am. I watch the road around me and keep nervously checking each mirror.

All that surrounds me are the same thick, green forests we see everywhere. Somehow, me describing specific trees and vegetarion distracts me, and I'm relieved when I see his familiar faded blue truck pulling in behind me. He wastes no time getting me out of Charlie's truck and pulled into his arms.

"Who were they?" I ask him as he pushes my hair back from my face.

"Leeches. I can still smell them." He buries his face in ny neck and breathes me in.

"I love you." I scratch out through sobs, "I'm so sorry."

"Birdie, it's okay. I love you too, so much. I've got you. I'm right here."

His arms remain securely wrapped around me as I cling to him, and we don't say anything else for a long time.

The next morning, Sam's gone, even though I know he slept with me at Charlie's last night. All thoughts of asking him or Charlie about Phil were forgotten when Sam immediately called a pack meeting once we were back on the rez, and he didn't include the imprints. Charlie had been called back to the station due to some sort of accident, and I ended up eating dinner with Tiffany before she headed to her overnight shift at the hospital. It was late when Sam crawled in bed with me, and I only had a faint memory of his lips pressed to my temple and his whispers of love before sleep had taken me under again.

I had promised the girls a beach day to take advantage of the last of the forecasted warm weather, and after a couple of weeks of no vampire sightings they'd all agreed that some fun was exactly what we all needed. After Sam had quietly snuck out of my window to return briefly to his apartment, I crawled out of my bed to get ready and then took Charlie's truck to the beach. Kim had bought me a skimpy, barely there bikini for my birthday, and I was finally brave enough to wear it on this extremely hot and sunny day. I had to admit it definitely flattered my curves, and I felt a lot more confident in it than I thought I could. I adjusted the triangle top after we've laid our blanket out, and Leah whistled at me.

"Damn Bella." She shakes her head, "If I wasn't a happily taken woman, and you weren't hopelessly in love with my Alpha..." She blows a kiss to me that I pretend to catch.

Even though Leah's mood is light and relaxed, I know that she's far from it. During the pack meeting after the truck breakdown, she was made fully aware of my latest run in with the cold ones, and she's one of many who are tasked with watching me. I feel helpless, and I hate the constant danger I'm bringing to the pack, even when they protest and tell me that nothing I have done is causing this issue.

"I'm right here, babe." Jessica playfully rolls her eyes and Angela and Emily giggle.

"Me, look at all of you, you're all like a calendar shoot waiting to happen." I make a sweeping gesture with my hand, trying my best to forge a sense of normalcy.

"Oh that would be fun, a wolf calendar, get the pack and their wolf girls... it would sell out." Jessica says and Leah shakes her head.

"Hell no, babe. This is all for me." She pulls Jessica against her and plants a kiss on her lips.

"Get a room." Emily says with a laugh, and Leah just flicks us off and continues to make out with her girlfriend.

My text alert goes off and I check my phone, hoping for a text from Sam, but finding a text from Jasper instead.

J: Hey, I wanted to see what your plans are for tomorrow?

I'd exchanged a few texts with Jasper since running into him, and even seen him several times in town prior to the day Charlie's truck broke down and I'd been forced to stay on the rez. We'd shared more stories of my short time in San Antonio, but the memories of his little family next door were fresh in my mind. He seemed to be a genuinely nice guy, and I had no issues talking to him.

B: Work in the morning, then my online class in the evening.

J: Char doesn't know I'm texting you, so please keep it quiet, but she has an art exhibit in Port A and it's her opening night, I would love if you could surprise her by attending.

B: Of course I will!

I blinked a couple of times at my screen, unsure of why I'd so easily agreed to go to an art exhibit where I knew no one but Jasper and his brother and sister-in-law, especially on a night I knew Sam was scheduled to have back to back patrol shifts to give Paul, Embry, Leah and Jared some private time with their partners. I second guess my easily acceptance of his inviation, until he texts me again.

J: Not sure if your boyfriend is into this kind of thing, but I'd love to finally meet him. Think you could bring him along?

B: Doubtful. He works a double:(

J: Shucks. Next time?

B: For sure.

Jasper sends me the details and I agree to meet him at the same market in Forks that we'd initially run into each other in so he and I could surprise Charlotte in Port Angeles.

"You okay Bella?" Emily asked, gently placing her hand on my forearm.

"Huh?" I retorted and she smiled at me.

"You must have been thinking about Sam. Leah's asking for volleyball, you ready to go kick their asses?" Emily grins.

"Oh, absolutely." I smirked and finally put my phone away so that I can concentrate on a girls day with my best friends.

His body is hotter than normal when he's pressed against me, his fingers have pushed my bikini bottoms to the side and slid into me. The tree my back is pressed against is surprisingly smooth, and Sam's erection is hardened silk in my hand. We didn't plan on doing this, but when he got to the beach and laid eyes on me he'd immediately asked me to walk with him. At first it was just hand holding and kissing, but I'd dragged him deeper in the forest with me and practically jumped him.

I have really missed my boyfriend.

"You're going to make me come." He breathed out and I shook my head.

"Not until you're inside of me"

"Are you sure?" He asked and I nodded briefly before I dragged my teeth down his neck. He growled lowly as he pushed his board shorts completely down and rubbed his straining erection against me before sliding inside, "My Birdie..." He breathed out.

"My Sam."

He dropped his forehead to my shoulder as he moved inside of me while I tried to keep my noise to a minimum.

"I've missed you..." He murmured in between kisses and nibbles on my neck.

"Missed you too, baby." I whined as I threw my head back to give him access to my throat.

"I love you so much," He whispered in between hot kisses and small bites along my throat.

"Love you more." I murmured back.

We could faintly hear calls of our names from the beach, and Sam pulled out of me and set me back onto my feet, "Turn around." He said in a husky voice.

I turned my back to him and his hands ran over my body, his mouth on his mark made me moan loudly as he pushed back inside of me. His lips teased his mark, then his tongue lapped at it before he dragged his teeth over it.

"Fuck, Sam." I moaned and I could feel his hands pulling the triangles of my bikini top apart. His fingers pinched at my sensitive nipples and I bit my bottom lip to stay quiet.

"I love you. God, I want you. I want everything with you. This feels too good." He said breathily, "I can't hold back."

I turned my head as much as I could so I can see him, "Then don't."

He growled again, and he pulled my back flush to him, his teeth tease his mark and he pounds hard against me. I pulled his hand up to my mouth so I could bite against it as I come, and I felt his teeth breaking into the skin of his mark as he growled loudly before his hot seed filled me.

His sweaty brow dropped to my shoulder and I felt his hot breath washing over me in pants. His hand finally uncovered my mouth, and he moved his face so he's feathering kisses over the mark, then lavished it with his tongue making me tighten around his still buried cock.

"Sam." I whined and he continued to lick and suck at his mark, "Oh God."

He moved against me again, his erection fully renewed and he grunted. He pulled one of my legs up, hooking my knee across his strong bicep as he pushed the other hand against the same tree he had me bracing on.

"Holy shit." I heard Jared's voice and Sam growled loudly.

"Go the fuck away." He commands and all I hear is the sound of running footsteps fading away.

"Sam..."

He sucks harder at the mark and I fall apart, gushing around his hardness and with one more drag of his tongue over the mark he comes again with a loud moan of my name. I don't know how he does it, but he flips me around in his arms so he can kiss me, and when he finally softens and slips out of me I can feel a mess of our combined fluids dripping down my inner thighs.

"My mate. My little bird. All mine. My Birdie." He said when we broke apart.

"Sam, are you okay?"

He helped me right my bikini and picked me up, running us towards the closest stretch of beach. He waded into the cool water with me in his arms, dropping us down to clean up, while holding me close to keep me warm. We share softer kisses, and he traces his thumb across his mark, "It's almost healed again. It's happening faster."

"Sam, what happened today?" I asked.

"More leeches are showing up. We've been tracking all of them during our patrols." He admitted and I look into his eyes.

"Cullens?" I ask and he shrugs.

"No. These smells are none that we're familiar with, however we're not sure who's potentially affiliated with them." He replied.

"Why do they keep showing up?" I ask and he shakes his head.

"I don't know, Birdie."

Sam and I eventually made our way back down the beach to our friends, where we got catcalls and knowing looks. I briefly made eye contact with Jake, and for the first time in weeks I could see the pain in his dark eyes. He took his shirt off and threw it down to the ground before running away.

Maybe Sam had a reason to be on edge lately when it comes to Jake.

"It's still hurting him." I said and Sam stops walking.

"You're worried about Jacob?"

"I am. Every time I think we've made progress it seems like he regresses." I replied and Sam frowns at me.

"It's because every time there's a session with Old Quil, it reminds him of what you two would have been had I not imprinted on you."

I turn around to face him fully, "You can't still believe that. I chose you, not Jake. I love you, not Jake."

"You wouldn't have chosen me had we not imprinted." He replied angrily. It's not the first time he's said it, and I know it won't be the last. I'm so sick of hearing it, and I feel myself getting angrier by the second, "I wonder if you'd even look at me had it not happened, I saw you and Jake together, and your memories-"

"It doesn't matter anymore, does it?" I yell, interrupting Sam's latest tirade, "I have this now," I gesture to my neck, "so it's not like I can just go running off with him. You made sure everyone knows exactly who I belong to. You made sure I'm stuck right here on the rez with you."

I can see the anger and pain on his face, and even though I regret every word I just spoke, I cross my arms across my chest and keep going, "It's never enough, is it Sam? I'm stuck here for the rest of my fucking life. I can only have your kids. I will be a happy little homemaker just like you wanted."

I have flashes of the same words being spoken to me, except they were from someone I can't quite remember. I feel like there are voices screaming in my head and I press my hands over my ears.

"Bella," Leah pulls me away from Sam, and I watch as he runs off into the forest and barely makes it before he shifts into his large black wolf, "what happened?"

"I don't know." I reply in a shaky voice, "I don't know what's happening to me."

"You two were just okay... I mean we all heard you two having sex in the woods, did something happen afterward?" She asks and I shake my head.

"We went for a swim to clean up. We talked about the vampires that they continue to track, and how they can't tell if they're affiliated with the Cullens." I replied.

"Any time we talk about the Cullens lately your mood shifts. Have you seen Edward again?" She asks.

"No," I shake my head, "why do people keep accusing me of seeing him?" I ask angrily.

"Bells, Sam just had to come pick you up a couple of weeks ago when your truck broke down. He smelled leeches then-"

"So, it's automatically assumed that I invited them to stop? Or that it was Edward Fucking Cullen? That's bullshit!" I yell at Leah and I see a concerned Jessica walking towards us.

"We should go see Old Quil." Leah urges and I shake my head and pull a tank top and shorts over my bikini, "Bella, where are you going?" She asked, putting a hand on my arm that I quickly yanked away.

"Away from here." I replied and stalked towards the gravel parking lot.

"Bella, wait!" Jessica calls out, but I just sprinted away.

I didn't expect to find Paul leaning against my uncle's old pickup when I finally made my way to the parking lot. His face was void of emotion, and he simply opened his arms wide and I threw myself against him, letting him wrap me in his warm embrace.

"I don't know what's wrong with me." I said after several silent minutes of crying against his chest. I could feel him exhale, then the pressure of his chin sitting on top of my head and he took another deep breath in.

"Bells, you've gone through so much." He said quietly, "It's to be expected that some days will be harder than others. Sam may be my Alpha, and one of my best friends, but he's a moron when it comes to dealing with everything these leeches have done to you."

"It's not his fault-"

"It damn sure is his fault. I get that you and Jake have been close, hell I even acknowledge that you and Jake might have been more than friends had this wolfy matchmaking service not been a thing, but Sam's too focused on what could have been with Jake and not what's right in front of him."

"But I-"

"You've got a fucking leech stalking you. One that hasdrank from you, and fucking abused and violated you just to wipe your memories clean each time. His response is to push you away because he's jealous of a friendship you had with Jake before you ever even knew Sam existed. Then today, his solution to the issue is to drag you into the woods for a quick fuck after he knows damn good and well you needed more than that from him." Paul finally stops talking, but his arms remain wrapped around me tightly. I can feel him shaking and I realize I need to calm him before this situation gets out of control. Before I can react, I hear Sam's deep voice.

"Paul, back away."

I hear the soft growl, feel the light rumbling in Paul's chest, as every bit of his wolf instinct tells him to listen to his Alpha. However, the man is fighting to protect his sister.

"Fuck off, Uley!" Paul yells.

"Paul." I whisper as I run my hands up and down his heated back. His muscles are tightly coiled and a I can't repress the shudder of fear that travels down my spine.

"Paul, stand down." Sam's Alpha timbre startles me and I can feel Paul shake harder. Another wolf howls, and Sam's attention is drawn to the noise, "Paul, go help your pack NOW!"

A feral roar sounds out as Paul begins to phase. Sam phases as well and Paul's silver wolf violently kicks me away, directly in front of an airborne black wolf.

White hot pain makes me pass out.

When I wake it's to a soft voice, and when I open my eyes all I see is a bright light, "Her pupils are a bit sluggish. Did you say she hit her head too?"

"Yeah, we observed a head injury. Her arms are practially shredded, though." Another voice mentions, "We stabilized her in the field, but they need cleaning. The natives weren't very forthcoming with what happened, you know how they like to keep it on the reservation, they tried to tell us it was an animal attack, but no one could get their story straight. Had to damn near force them to let us bring her here. Her people were following behind in their own cars, I can go out in the waiting room and find someone."

"We have a call out for her mother, as for the people in the waiting room feel free to ask them the questions you need, but give me some time with Miss Swan before letting then back since it could be any one of them who hurt her."

"Cops are on their way, doubt they'll let anyone back since no one's talking." The other man replied.

"Sam..." I murmur. "Paul."

"I'm going to give you something to help you rest dear heart. You shouldn't strain yourself."

"No. I need Phil... Charlie..." I say.

"Your mother is on her way." He replied softly.

"No!" I try to move but cannot, and I can't make out the blurry figure in front of me. I blink rapidly, and when my eyes begin to regain some focus I see a shock of pale skin, almost white blonde hair and the same amber colored eyes I know I've seen before. His hand is like ice even through his glove, "Cold onesssssss..." I slur before the darkness once again takes me.