Breathe In Union
by Laura Spudzmom
Chapter 12
Bella glanced over at Edward and was shocked at the change in his features. Gone was the visage of a congenial young gentleman and in its place was something that could only be termed as deadly looking. 'Shit,' she thought. 'He looks...like a monster!'
His eyes were completely black and his jaw tense as he held up both hands in a conciliatory manner. "Not a problem," he ground out through his obvious tension. "We were more than happy to take her home, but if you insist, then be my guest."
Sam's lip curled in a silent snarl as his gaze shifted between the two vampires. "Oh, I insist all right." The next words Sam said were hissed so lowly, Bella almost missed them…almost. "You're just lucky her mate isn't here leech. He'd tear your ass to pieces and there's nothing I could do to stop him, not that I would want to."
"We haven't done anything and we weren't going to do anything," Alice said calmly as she met the massive Alpha's hostile, dark gaze. "We'd like to be her friend. We would never hurt her."
Bella cleared her throat and muttered, "Let me out of the booth please Alice."
Alice stared at the two Quileute as she answered. "Of course Bella, just as soon as these two step aside so I may stand."
They stepped back instantly and Alice rose from her seat, allowing Bella to slide out. As soon as she was up, Jared pulled her against his chest, with a protective arm around her shoulders. He rubbed her arm in comfort when he felt her tremble and she sagged against him in relief.
Alice sat back down and Sam stepped forward again to speak quietly. "Stay away from her. She is our brother's marked and bonded mate. That makes her one of our people and we will protect her aggressively if need be."
Edward's dark gaze settled on his sister's for a moment and he gave the barest nod before looking at Sam. "I understand your reasoning, but it's up to her if she would like to form friendships with us. Her best friend is my mate and I will not try to end their friendship. Neither will I avoid my mate, so concessions will need to be made. We're always available to meet and talk. You have Carlisle's number."
"I do," Sam stated. "Tell him to expect a call." Sam turned to leave but Bella spoke up. "Wait please. I have a question." Sam nodded and stepped back so Bella could see Edward. She stayed tucked into Jared's hold and met Edward's eyes. Keeping her voice low, she asked, "Does Angela know what you are?"
Something she could only liken to regret flashed across his features before he shook his head slowly. "No," he murmured, "...she doesn't."
"Are you ever going to tell her?"
Edward and Alice spoke simultaneously. Edward said no while Alice said yes as they stared each other down.
"Well, that's clear as mud," Bella muttered.
"It's…complicated," Edward murmured, a frown creasing his brow as he looked away.
Bella shook her head with a frown. "She loves you and deserves to know. You need to tell her."
Edward pinched the bridge of his nose as he muttered, "I love her too, and I know I need to tell her but...I don't know how."
Sam scoffed before speaking. "I suggest you figure it out before we meet. Until then, remember the treaty."
Edward nodded and it struck Bella that he looked defeated and sad now; nothing like the dangerous creature from just minutes ago. "How could I forget?" he asked, bitterness lacing his tone as Alice shook her head sadly.
Sam strode away and Jared kept Bella in his surprisingly comforting hold as he followed the Alpha to a huge truck parked around the side of the building. He helped her into the cab and got in after her as Sam slid in behind the wheel and started the truck.
Bella covered her face with her hands and realized only then that she was crying as she dropped her head and tried to get control of her emotions.
She felt a hand stroke her hair gently and realized with shock that it was Sam when he spoke, his tone surprisingly soft. "It's all right Bella. You're safe now. I'm going to take you to Paul. With the way you're feeling right now, he's probably ready to tear apart the entire town of Forks to get to you."
She only nodded and he pulled out onto the road. It took her a few minutes, but she finally stopped crying and sat up as she dried her tears. "How did you guys know I was there?" she questioned when she could finally speak.
Jared glanced at her and shrugged. "We didn't. We were gonna grab some lunch, but as soon as we got out of the truck we smelled you and the leeches. Then we heard what they were saying about giving you a ride."
Sam growled lowly as he gripped the wheel and Bella glanced between the two shifters. "Well, thank you," she murmured softly. "You didn't have to step in, but I'm glad you did."
"You're wrong Bella," Sam said forcefully as he glanced at her. "I meant what I said to the leech. You're a part of us now; Quileute by the Spirits' choosing. That's not something we take lightly."
She stared down at her lap and tried to take in the enormity of what that meant. She was awed by it when it finally sank in. "Thank you," she murmured quietly as she looked at Sam.
To her shock, she watched as a grin quirked his lips a moment before he spoke. "Let a leech fuck with the five-foot-nothing girl who stood up to me, slapped me and called me a class A asshole?" He chuckled. "Not in this lifetime little sister…no fuckin' way."
Jared chuckled and Bella looked between them with a shake of her head before laughing too.
When they finally pulled around and parked at the back of Paul's house, Jared barely got out of the way in time to avoid being bowled over by Paul as he grabbed Bella from the truck. Once she was in his arms, she realized he was shaking. "Why do you smell like leech?" he growled as he buried his face in her hair.
She wrapped herself around him and played her fingers through his hair as she spoke. "I was at the diner with Ange when her boyfriend got there to see her." She drew back to meet those beautiful eyes. "She's dating a Cullen."
He tensed and his shaking worsened and more quickly than she could register, she was in Jared's arms, feet away as Paul phased.
Sam phased a second later and stood off to the side as he kept a careful watch.
Bella caught her breath and patted Jared's arm. "It's okay Jared," she said softly as her gaze locked with that of her silver wolf. "He won't hurt me."
He let her go but protested anyway. "I don't know Bella, you still stink like leech. I don't think it's a good idea."
She shook her head as she walked forward, never breaking eye contact with her wolf. When she got to him, he growled and made a snuffling, sneezing noise as he shook his head. "Paul," she said lowly, "…come back to me? Change back?"
He growled and pushed her toward an area of ground covered in leaves as she protested. "Paul, what…" her words cut off when she almost tripped as he nudged her and growled. "What are you doing?"
When she reached the leaves, he shoved once more and she fell down into them with a cry of outrage as she glared at him. "What the hell?" She struggled against his muzzle as he pushed against her, but froze when she felt his teeth at her mark. She laid still and he held her there for moments, never breaking skin or hurting her. When she finally relaxed, he let go and backed away, where she watched with surprise as he phased back.
She sat up and held out a hand to him, but before she could say a word, he spoke. "You lied to me. Worse than that, you asked me to trust you and then used that trust against me. Why did you do that? How could you have done that?"
Any words she had ready got stuck in her throat at the pain she could see in his eyes and feel through their bond. She choked on it as she looked around frantically for Sam and Jared. She thought maybe they could help her explain, but they had disappeared. She was on her own.
After swallowing down the tears that choked her, she spoke. "I did that because I didn't want you coming there and getting hurt." She looked up to see his face twisted in anger and pain.
"Really Bella? You're going with the martyr excuse? Like what you did was noble? What about trust? What you did tells me you don't trust me to know how to handle a situation. You don't trust me to be able to fight for you and win. You don't trust me with the truth. It tells me you just don't trust me!" he finished in a yell as she cringed with fresh tears wetting her cheeks
"I'm s—sorry!" she sobbed, still reaching for him. "I'm just so used to depending on myself…I've had to pr—practically my whole life…and I panicked…I wasn't thinking, b—but one thing filled my mind and that was terror for you! I just wa—wanted you to be s—safe!" she stuttered through her tears.
His face closed off as he replied. "The one function that's left to me and you want to insulate me from it?" His voice gained volume as he continued. "The ONE function I'm cursed to perform and you think you can fuckin' SAVE me from it?!" He rushed forward and she gasped as he pushed her down in the leaves pinning her with his body. He slowly ran his nose from the cleavage of her shirt up to her ear and growled lowly, "I am an Alpha." He dipped his head down and her breath heaved as he nipped her mark. "Do you understand that?"
She stared at him with wide eyes as she nodded slowly and gasped as he nipped her mark again, a little harder this time. "I don't think you do…" he said in a gritty voice against her skin. She watched as his head slowly raised and those glowing amber eyes met hers as he continued, "No," he ground out slowly. "…you don't understand at all…
...but you will."
Bella glanced over at Edward and was shocked at the change in his features. Gone was the visage of a congenial young gentleman and in its place was something that could only be termed as deadly looking. 'Shit,' she thought. 'He looks...like a monster!'
His eyes were completely black and his jaw tense as he held up both hands in a conciliatory manner. "Not a problem," he ground out through his obvious tension. "We were more than happy to take her home, but if you insist, then be my guest."
Sam's lip curled in a silent snarl as his gaze shifted between the two vampires. "Oh, I insist all right." The next words Sam said were hissed so lowly, Bella almost missed them…almost. "You're just lucky her mate isn't here leech. He'd tear your ass to pieces and there's nothing I could do to stop him, not that I would want to."
"We haven't done anything and we weren't going to do anything," Alice said calmly as she met the massive Alpha's hostile, dark gaze. "We'd like to be her friend. We would never hurt her."
Bella cleared her throat and muttered, "Let me out of the booth please Alice."
Alice stared at the two Quileute as she answered. "Of course Bella, just as soon as these two step aside so I may stand."
They stepped back instantly and Alice rose from her seat, allowing Bella to slide out. As soon as she was up, Jared pulled her against his chest, with a protective arm around her shoulders. He rubbed her arm in comfort when he felt her tremble and she sagged against him in relief.
Alice sat back down and Sam stepped forward again to speak quietly. "Stay away from her. She is our brother's marked and bonded mate. That makes her one of our people and we will protect her aggressively if need be."
Edward's dark gaze settled on his sister's for a moment and he gave the barest nod before looking at Sam. "I understand your reasoning, but it's up to her if she would like to form friendships with us. Her best friend is my mate and I will not try to end their friendship. Neither will I avoid my mate, so concessions will need to be made. We're always available to meet and talk. You have Carlisle's number."
"I do," Sam stated. "Tell him to expect a call." Sam turned to leave but Bella spoke up. "Wait please. I have a question." Sam nodded and stepped back so Bella could see Edward. She stayed tucked into Jared's hold and met Edward's eyes. Keeping her voice low, she asked, "Does Angela know what you are?"
Something she could only liken to regret flashed across his features before he shook his head slowly. "No," he murmured, "...she doesn't."
"Are you ever going to tell her?"
Edward and Alice spoke simultaneously. Edward said no while Alice said yes as they stared each other down.
"Well, that's clear as mud," Bella muttered.
"It's…complicated," Edward murmured, a frown creasing his brow as he looked away.
Bella shook her head with a frown. "She loves you and deserves to know. You need to tell her."
Edward pinched the bridge of his nose as he muttered, "I love her too, and I know I need to tell her but...I don't know how."
Sam scoffed before speaking. "I suggest you figure it out before we meet. Until then, remember the treaty."
Edward nodded and it struck Bella that he looked defeated and sad now; nothing like the dangerous creature from just minutes ago. "How could I forget?" he asked, bitterness lacing his tone as Alice shook her head sadly.
Sam strode away and Jared kept Bella in his surprisingly comforting hold as he followed the Alpha to a huge truck parked around the side of the building. He helped her into the cab and got in after her as Sam slid in behind the wheel and started the truck.
Bella covered her face with her hands and realized only then that she was crying as she dropped her head and tried to get control of her emotions.
She felt a hand stroke her hair gently and realized with shock that it was Sam when he spoke, his tone surprisingly soft. "It's all right Bella. You're safe now. I'm going to take you to Paul. With the way you're feeling right now, he's probably ready to tear apart the entire town of Forks to get to you."
She only nodded and he pulled out onto the road. It took her a few minutes, but she finally stopped crying and sat up as she dried her tears. "How did you guys know I was there?" she questioned when she could finally speak.
Jared glanced at her and shrugged. "We didn't. We were gonna grab some lunch, but as soon as we got out of the truck we smelled you and the leeches. Then we heard what they were saying about giving you a ride."
Sam growled lowly as he gripped the wheel and Bella glanced between the two shifters. "Well, thank you," she murmured softly. "You didn't have to step in, but I'm glad you did."
"You're wrong Bella," Sam said forcefully as he glanced at her. "I meant what I said to the leech. You're a part of us now; Quileute by the Spirits' choosing. That's not something we take lightly."
She stared down at her lap and tried to take in the enormity of what that meant. She was awed by it when it finally sank in. "Thank you," she murmured quietly as she looked at Sam.
To her shock, she watched as a grin quirked his lips a moment before he spoke. "Let a leech fuck with the five-foot-nothing girl who stood up to me, slapped me and called me a class A asshole?" He chuckled. "Not in this lifetime little sister…no fuckin' way."
Jared chuckled and Bella looked between them with a shake of her head before laughing too.
When they finally pulled around and parked at the back of Paul's house, Jared barely got out of the way in time to avoid being bowled over by Paul as he grabbed Bella from the truck. Once she was in his arms, she realized he was shaking. "Why do you smell like leech?" he growled as he buried his face in her hair.
She wrapped herself around him and played her fingers through his hair as she spoke. "I was at the diner with Ange when her boyfriend got there to see her." She drew back to meet those beautiful eyes. "She's dating a Cullen."
He tensed and his shaking worsened and more quickly than she could register, she was in Jared's arms, feet away as Paul phased.
Sam phased a second later and stood off to the side as he kept a careful watch.
Bella caught her breath and patted Jared's arm. "It's okay Jared," she said softly as her gaze locked with that of her silver wolf. "He won't hurt me."
He let her go but protested anyway. "I don't know Bella, you still stink like leech. I don't think it's a good idea."
She shook her head as she walked forward, never breaking eye contact with her wolf. When she got to him, he growled and made a snuffling, sneezing noise as he shook his head. "Paul," she said lowly, "…come back to me? Change back?"
He growled and pushed her toward an area of ground covered in leaves as she protested. "Paul, what…" her words cut off when she almost tripped as he nudged her and growled. "What are you doing?"
When she reached the leaves, he shoved once more and she fell down into them with a cry of outrage as she glared at him. "What the hell?" She struggled against his muzzle as he pushed against her, but froze when she felt his teeth at her mark. She laid still and he held her there for moments, never breaking skin or hurting her. When she finally relaxed, he let go and backed away, where she watched with surprise as he phased back.
She sat up and held out a hand to him, but before she could say a word, he spoke. "You lied to me. Worse than that, you asked me to trust you and then used that trust against me. Why did you do that? How could you have done that?"
Any words she had ready got stuck in her throat at the pain she could see in his eyes and feel through their bond. She choked on it as she looked around frantically for Sam and Jared. She thought maybe they could help her explain, but they had disappeared. She was on her own.
After swallowing down the tears that choked her, she spoke. "I did that because I didn't want you coming there and getting hurt." She looked up to see his face twisted in anger and pain.
"Really Bella? You're going with the martyr excuse? Like what you did was noble? What about trust? What you did tells me you don't trust me to know how to handle a situation. You don't trust me to be able to fight for you and win. You don't trust me with the truth. It tells me you just don't trust me!" he finished in a yell as she cringed with fresh tears wetting her cheeks
"I'm s—sorry!" she sobbed, still reaching for him. "I'm just so used to depending on myself…I've had to pr—practically my whole life…and I panicked…I wasn't thinking, b—but one thing filled my mind and that was terror for you! I just wa—wanted you to be s—safe!" she stuttered through her tears.
His face closed off as he replied. "The one function that's left to me and you want to insulate me from it?" His voice gained volume as he continued. "The ONE function I'm cursed to perform and you think you can fuckin' SAVE me from it?!" He rushed forward and she gasped as he pushed her down in the leaves pinning her with his body. He slowly ran his nose from the cleavage of her shirt up to her ear and growled lowly, "I am an Alpha." He dipped his head down and her breath heaved as he nipped her mark. "Do you understand that?"
She stared at him with wide eyes as she nodded slowly and gasped as he nipped her mark again, a little harder this time. "I don't think you do…" he said in a gritty voice against her skin. She watched as his head slowly raised and those glowing amber eyes met hers as he continued, "No," he ground out slowly. "…you don't understand at all…
...but you will."
DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.