Belonging
by Momma2fan
Chapter 10
Paul laughed at the scowl on her face as he reached out to help her up. “Sorry, little B. You okay?”
Bella accepted his help and stood up, brushing dirt from her jeans. “Yeah, nothing hurt but my pride.”
“Where’re you headed?”
She looked up at him and smiled, “Mom said that they were hiring at the Ateara’s store. I’m bored and want a job, so I thought I’d check it out.”
He turned to walk with her, “Didn’t you just get a bunch of money from Phoenix?”
“Yeah, but I don’t want to just spend it. Dad has suggested I invest it, but I don’t know. I can use it for some college courses, maybe a car, but I want to be able to have it in the future, you know?”
Paul nodded, “I get it. That’s smart.”
They walked in silence for a few minutes before Bella decided to ask him the question which had been bothering her. “Paul?”
”Yeah,” he looked down at her.
“Do you think I’ll phase like you guys?”
Paul stopped, stunned at her question. “I personally don’t think so. No women have ever phased, but I guess there is a first time for everything. You could ask Old Quil. He would be the best one to tell you.”
“Hmm...maybe after I get a job.”
Paul continued walking with her to the store on the res and left her to go patrol. He thought she was a pretty cool chick and was glad he didn’t imprint on her. She may have been beautiful, but she definitely wasn’t his type.
Bella walked into the store and straight to the woman at the counter. “Hi.”
Joy Ateara looked up and saw the Uley girl standing before her. “Isabella Uley, right?”
“Just Bella, please.”
“Of course. What can I do for you, Bella?”
She smiled at the woman in front of her. “I’m looking for a job and my mom thought you might be looking for some help.”
“Oh, that’s great. I really am in need of some help. Especially since my son has just,” Joy leaned forward, whispering, “joined the pack.” Joy stood up and walked around the counter. “I would be needing someone four days a week, to help me run the register and stock the shelves.”
“That sounds great.” Bella was thrilled. “I’ve never been so idle in my life.”
“Well, how about you come back tomorrow around noon and I’ll show you the ropes?”
“Are you sure? Do you need me to fill anything out?”
“No, honey. You’re part of the tribe, I trust you. You may be new to the way things are around here, but I have a feeling you’re a fast learner.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Ateara. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Joy smiled and waved as she helped someone check out. Bella left the store with a smile on her face. Her smile grew when she saw her brother waiting for her outside.
“Sam?”
Sam looked up and grinned, “Hey. Mom said you were here.”
“I got a job,” she hopped over to him in excitement.
“Awesome.” Sam shoved his hands in his pockets. “Do you wanna take a walk?”
Bella shrugged, “Sure.” She followed him as he walked toward the beach, wondering what was on his mind. Instead of asking, she decided to wait him out.
“I’m sorry you had to find out the way you did.”
“It’s okay. I won’t say that I liked it being kept from me, but I get it. You had to know I was trustworthy. Does the whole res know?”
“First, it wasn’t about trusting you. As Alpha I’m the one that makes the decisions and ever since what happened to Emily, I was afraid for you to know.” Sam stopped at a piece of driftwood in the sand and waited until she was settled to continue. “As far as who knows, it’s just the parents of those who have phased and the council.”
“Sam, you know I don’t think you’ll hurt me, right?” Bella looked at her big brother.
“I’m glad you think so, but—”
“No, Sam.” Bella cut him off. “In fact, I want to meet him.”
Sam stared at her in shock. “What?”
“I want to meet your wolf. I know that I’ve met him, but that was when you were running me to safety. Please, Sam.”
Hearing two separate whines coming from his left, Sam looked into the woods and saw Paul and Jared just inside the tree line. Sighing, he turned back to Bella. “Okay, you can meet him. Paul and Jared are over there too and want you to meet their wolves as well. Just, please don’t get too close.”
“But, Sam...”
“No, Bella, you need to maintain a safe distance.”
“You won’t hurt me, Sammy.”
Sighing again, he pulled his t-shirt over his head. “Stay here and I’ll let you know when to turn around.”
“Okay,” Bella smiled in excitement.
Sam walked into the woods where his brothers stood waiting for him. He could feel the excitement rolling off them in waves. After making sure her back was still turned, Sam stripped off his shorts and phased into his black wolf.
Bella turned around when she heard a sharp bark. She walked closer, staring at the three of them in awe, her hands covered her mouth in surprise. “You’re the three painted on the mural in my room.” She continued forward despite Sam’s whine and lowered her hand, placing it on Paul’s head. “So soft,” she murmured as she pushed her fingers through his fur.
Calm down, Sam. She’s fine. -P
“You guys protect me from my nightmares.” Bella smiled as she moved to her brother and ran her hand over his muzzle and down his neck. “See, Sammy, I told you you wouldn’t hurt me.”
She moved over to the one wolf she had yet to meet, in either form. “You must be Jared. You’re the color of chocolate,” she ran her hands over his muzzle and neck, lingering longer with him.
Jared started purring as she ran her fingers through his fur. He wasn’t sure why, but it felt so good.
Jared? You okay, bro? -S
I need to meet her, Sam. -J
Sam nodded his head and moved further into the trees so he could phase back and get dressed. Once he was, he walked back toward his sister. “You haven’t met Jared yet, so they’re gonna go phase and come right back.”
“Okay,” Bella smiled and handed Sam his shirt as the pair of them walked back to the beach. “You are all so beautiful and powerful, Sam. You can sense the protective instincts in all of you.”
Paul walked out of the woods with Jared following behind him. Bella turned and smiled at Paul, but the smile fell from her face as she looked at Jared. He too had stopped in his tracks as he stared at the gorgeous woman before him.
“Oh, dammit,” Sam groaned, catching the look on his pack brother’s face.
Bella took in the sight of the best looking man she had ever seen. He was tall, as least six-two, with hair so dark it was nearly black, cut short like the others, but long enough she wanted to run her fingers through it. His skin was tanned, as all Quileute were, covering broad shoulders and a muscular physique. Bella wanted to trace his muscles, over the contours of his smooth chest, all the way to the V of his hips. It was his eyes which held her captive though. They were a greyish-blue with a hazel ring in the center. They were the most unique and beautiful eyes she’d ever seen.
Jared was staring at Bella as if he’d never seen a woman before. In his mind he hadn’t. He could feel as a thousand steel cables wrapped around her, tying her to him. Her molten chocolate eyes were framed by thick lashes set in a heart shaped face. She was petite with wide hips and a narrow waist. Her brown hair hung down like a waterfall to the middle of her back. He couldn’t take his eyes off her as he moved forward.
“Hi,” he stretched his hand out to hers. “I’m Jared.”
Bella placed her hand in his and gasped at the electricity that raced over her skin. “Nice to finally meet you, I’m Bella.”
Paul laughed at the scowl on her face as he reached out to help her up. “Sorry, little B. You okay?”
Bella accepted his help and stood up, brushing dirt from her jeans. “Yeah, nothing hurt but my pride.”
“Where’re you headed?”
She looked up at him and smiled, “Mom said that they were hiring at the Ateara’s store. I’m bored and want a job, so I thought I’d check it out.”
He turned to walk with her, “Didn’t you just get a bunch of money from Phoenix?”
“Yeah, but I don’t want to just spend it. Dad has suggested I invest it, but I don’t know. I can use it for some college courses, maybe a car, but I want to be able to have it in the future, you know?”
Paul nodded, “I get it. That’s smart.”
They walked in silence for a few minutes before Bella decided to ask him the question which had been bothering her. “Paul?”
”Yeah,” he looked down at her.
“Do you think I’ll phase like you guys?”
Paul stopped, stunned at her question. “I personally don’t think so. No women have ever phased, but I guess there is a first time for everything. You could ask Old Quil. He would be the best one to tell you.”
“Hmm...maybe after I get a job.”
Paul continued walking with her to the store on the res and left her to go patrol. He thought she was a pretty cool chick and was glad he didn’t imprint on her. She may have been beautiful, but she definitely wasn’t his type.
Bella walked into the store and straight to the woman at the counter. “Hi.”
Joy Ateara looked up and saw the Uley girl standing before her. “Isabella Uley, right?”
“Just Bella, please.”
“Of course. What can I do for you, Bella?”
She smiled at the woman in front of her. “I’m looking for a job and my mom thought you might be looking for some help.”
“Oh, that’s great. I really am in need of some help. Especially since my son has just,” Joy leaned forward, whispering, “joined the pack.” Joy stood up and walked around the counter. “I would be needing someone four days a week, to help me run the register and stock the shelves.”
“That sounds great.” Bella was thrilled. “I’ve never been so idle in my life.”
“Well, how about you come back tomorrow around noon and I’ll show you the ropes?”
“Are you sure? Do you need me to fill anything out?”
“No, honey. You’re part of the tribe, I trust you. You may be new to the way things are around here, but I have a feeling you’re a fast learner.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Ateara. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Joy smiled and waved as she helped someone check out. Bella left the store with a smile on her face. Her smile grew when she saw her brother waiting for her outside.
“Sam?”
Sam looked up and grinned, “Hey. Mom said you were here.”
“I got a job,” she hopped over to him in excitement.
“Awesome.” Sam shoved his hands in his pockets. “Do you wanna take a walk?”
Bella shrugged, “Sure.” She followed him as he walked toward the beach, wondering what was on his mind. Instead of asking, she decided to wait him out.
“I’m sorry you had to find out the way you did.”
“It’s okay. I won’t say that I liked it being kept from me, but I get it. You had to know I was trustworthy. Does the whole res know?”
“First, it wasn’t about trusting you. As Alpha I’m the one that makes the decisions and ever since what happened to Emily, I was afraid for you to know.” Sam stopped at a piece of driftwood in the sand and waited until she was settled to continue. “As far as who knows, it’s just the parents of those who have phased and the council.”
“Sam, you know I don’t think you’ll hurt me, right?” Bella looked at her big brother.
“I’m glad you think so, but—”
“No, Sam.” Bella cut him off. “In fact, I want to meet him.”
Sam stared at her in shock. “What?”
“I want to meet your wolf. I know that I’ve met him, but that was when you were running me to safety. Please, Sam.”
Hearing two separate whines coming from his left, Sam looked into the woods and saw Paul and Jared just inside the tree line. Sighing, he turned back to Bella. “Okay, you can meet him. Paul and Jared are over there too and want you to meet their wolves as well. Just, please don’t get too close.”
“But, Sam...”
“No, Bella, you need to maintain a safe distance.”
“You won’t hurt me, Sammy.”
Sighing again, he pulled his t-shirt over his head. “Stay here and I’ll let you know when to turn around.”
“Okay,” Bella smiled in excitement.
Sam walked into the woods where his brothers stood waiting for him. He could feel the excitement rolling off them in waves. After making sure her back was still turned, Sam stripped off his shorts and phased into his black wolf.
Bella turned around when she heard a sharp bark. She walked closer, staring at the three of them in awe, her hands covered her mouth in surprise. “You’re the three painted on the mural in my room.” She continued forward despite Sam’s whine and lowered her hand, placing it on Paul’s head. “So soft,” she murmured as she pushed her fingers through his fur.
Calm down, Sam. She’s fine. -P
“You guys protect me from my nightmares.” Bella smiled as she moved to her brother and ran her hand over his muzzle and down his neck. “See, Sammy, I told you you wouldn’t hurt me.”
She moved over to the one wolf she had yet to meet, in either form. “You must be Jared. You’re the color of chocolate,” she ran her hands over his muzzle and neck, lingering longer with him.
Jared started purring as she ran her fingers through his fur. He wasn’t sure why, but it felt so good.
Jared? You okay, bro? -S
I need to meet her, Sam. -J
Sam nodded his head and moved further into the trees so he could phase back and get dressed. Once he was, he walked back toward his sister. “You haven’t met Jared yet, so they’re gonna go phase and come right back.”
“Okay,” Bella smiled and handed Sam his shirt as the pair of them walked back to the beach. “You are all so beautiful and powerful, Sam. You can sense the protective instincts in all of you.”
Paul walked out of the woods with Jared following behind him. Bella turned and smiled at Paul, but the smile fell from her face as she looked at Jared. He too had stopped in his tracks as he stared at the gorgeous woman before him.
“Oh, dammit,” Sam groaned, catching the look on his pack brother’s face.
Bella took in the sight of the best looking man she had ever seen. He was tall, as least six-two, with hair so dark it was nearly black, cut short like the others, but long enough she wanted to run her fingers through it. His skin was tanned, as all Quileute were, covering broad shoulders and a muscular physique. Bella wanted to trace his muscles, over the contours of his smooth chest, all the way to the V of his hips. It was his eyes which held her captive though. They were a greyish-blue with a hazel ring in the center. They were the most unique and beautiful eyes she’d ever seen.
Jared was staring at Bella as if he’d never seen a woman before. In his mind he hadn’t. He could feel as a thousand steel cables wrapped around her, tying her to him. Her molten chocolate eyes were framed by thick lashes set in a heart shaped face. She was petite with wide hips and a narrow waist. Her brown hair hung down like a waterfall to the middle of her back. He couldn’t take his eyes off her as he moved forward.
“Hi,” he stretched his hand out to hers. “I’m Jared.”
Bella placed her hand in his and gasped at the electricity that raced over her skin. “Nice to finally meet you, I’m Bella.”