Changing Tides
by Momma2fan
Chapter 5
After they dropped Old Quil at the res, Sam drove Bella back home.
“Embry phased two days ago.” Sam broke the silence in the truck.
“That’s definitely earlier than before.” She looked over at him, “I’m glad we don’t know what’s going to happen now, Sam. This way our reactions are real and so are our feelings.”
“I am too, Bells.” Sam commented as he pulled into her drive, they saw Paul pacing in front of the porch. When he saw Sam’s truck, he ran toward them.
“Are you okay?” He grabbed her off her feet and into his arms. “When I didn’t hear from you...”
“I’m fine.” Bella clung to his shoulders. She sensed something was going on. “Paul, what’s wrong?”
He pulled back and set her on her feet. “There was a leech around your place. Jared caught the scent when he was on patrol.”
“What?” Bella gasped. “It’s not the Cullens, right?”
“No, he didn’t recognize the scent.”
Bella watched Paul fighting the instinct to phase, especially since she was so close. Knowing even she wouldn’t be able to stop him, she stepped away from him so he could let out his wolf.
Paul, vibrating with anger and fear, looked at Bella with a tormented expression before phasing into his silver wolf. She desperately wanted to go to him, but his whine stopped her. Sam phased beside him and the pair of them ran into the woods.
Paul, she’s fine. She was right in front of you. -S
A bloodsucker was around her house, Sam! That’s my mate. -P
And we’re gonna protect her. Calm down. I’m sure she’s worried about you. -S
That was enough to calm him down. He ran back to her house. When he got to her backyard, he saw she had left him a pair of shorts on the deck. He phased with a smile and picked them up. After he was dressed, she opened the back door.
“Are you okay?” She had a crease of worry on her forehead.
Paul pulled her into his still trembling arms. “No, I’m not.”
“Paul...” She clung to his shoulders as she tried to calm him. Pressing her face into his neck, she gently kissed the spot behind his ear. “I’m here, I’m okay.”
“You don’t understand, Bella.” He set her on her feet and looked in her eyes. “I can’t lose you. It would kill me.”
Bella pulled him into the kitchen and pushed him into a chair. She eased herself onto his lap and stared at him. Gripping his hands in hers, she put one on her cheek and pressed the other to her heart. “I’m right here. You can feel my heart beating, feel the warmth of my skin.”
Paul rubbed his thumb over the apple of her cheek and felt the way her heart rate increased. He loved that it was his touch making her heart jump. He moved his hand and pulled her head down so he could press his lips to hers. He felt her sigh against his mouth and deepened the kiss, his tongue stroking hers. He groaned when he heard her moan and knew he needed to slow things down. Ending the kiss with a few short pecks, he placed his forehead to hers.
“I’ll keep you safe, Bella.”
She opened her eyes and stared into his. “I know you will.”
***CT***
The week of Thanksgiving snuck up on Bella and she was completely unprepared. Emily had assured her it was fine and she and Charlie were more than welcome to join her, Sam and the rest of the pack. Charlie, however, had taken a double shift since one of his deputies and his wife just had a new baby.
“I’ll bring you a plate later, Dad.” Bella promised as she loaded a basket with the things she made. She’d had to make extra since Embry phased a little ahead of when he had before.
Charlie helped her carry the basket to her truck. “Thanks, Bells. Be careful and have a good time.”
“I will, Dad, thanks,” she leaned up and kissed his cheek before climbing in her vehicle. She watched as Charlie drove away and double checked her surroundings, before she started her truck. Sending a quick text to Paul to let him know she was on her way, she put the truck in gear and drove out toward LaPush.
She had barely driven for five minutes when she hit something hard and her truck stopped next to a tree. She looked around and saw bright red eyes looking at her through the window of her driver’s side door. With a scream, she moved to the other side of her truck. As she tried to yank on the door and move away from the reaching arm, she smacked her head on the edge of the door. The last thing she heard before she lost consciousness was a feral growl.
***CT***
Paul was standing around, laughing with the pack, nursing a beer, when he felt a hard tugging on his chest. He dropped his bottle and grabbed at his chest before looking in the direction of Forks. “Bella,” was all he said before he took off running, phasing as soon as he hit the tree line.
I’ve got the leech, but I need help. -Embry
We’re coming, Embry! -Sam
Where is Bella? -Paul
She’s unconscious in her truck. -Embry
Paul pushed himself faster, knowing his brothers would take care of the leech. He needed to help his imprint.
When the pack burst through the trees, Embry was fighting a dread-locked leech. Sam and Jared, joined the fray while Paul phased back and ran to Bella. Yanking open the door, he stared at her unmoving form. With a shaking hand, he reached out and touched her face, wiping away the blood on her temple.
“Bella?” He could hear her heart beating steadily as he checked her over for other injuries, but found none. Taking her gently in his arms, he pulled her from the truck and took off running for Emily’s house.
Embry, Sam and Jared ripped the leech to shreds and burned all the pieces. While Sam and Jared watched the flames until the end, Embry checked Bella’s truck and got it running again. It had minimal damage, despite hitting a tree and a vampire. Once everything was taken care of, the three of them drove her truck to the res.
Paul placed Bella on Emily and Sam’s guest bed. Emily handed him a cloth to clean up the cut on her head and left him alone with her. She was all too familiar with the way a wolf whose mate was hurt behaved and knew she needed to keep her distance.
He wiped away the blood from her superficial wound, but covered it with a bandage anyway. “Bella? Come on, open those beautiful eyes for me.”
Bella moaned and turned her head toward his voice. “Paul?”
“I’m here, baby.”
Her eyes shot open, “Laurent!”
“Is that the vampire?” When she nodded, he was quick to reassure her. “We got him, it’s okay.”
“He came out of nowhere, knocking the truck into a tree. I knew I was no match for him, so when he tried to get in the truck I moved to the other door to get out, but hit my head on the door frame trying to open it. Figures I would make myself bleed with a vamp around.”
Paul smirked at her and pulled her into his arms. “You scared the shit out of me.”
“I’m sorry.” She wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face to his neck and inhaling his scent.
“Don’t be sorry.” He pulled back and looked in her eyes. “Just keep yourself safe.”
She smiled, “I’ll try. I may need your help with that.” She bit her lip and looked down, before looking at him from behind her lashes. “You think you’re up for it?”
Paul gently pulled her chin up, “Forever, baby.” He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. He ran his tongue along her bottom lip and Bella opened her mouth to allow him inside. Their tongues massaged each other until oxygen became necessary. Breaking apart, they touched foreheads both breathing heavy.
A knock on the door startled her, making him smile. “Dinner is ready guys.”
“We’ll be right there, Sam.” Paul kissed her lips once more and helped her off the bed. The pair of them walked back to the living room and joined the pack and imprints for Thanksgiving dinner. They had no idea, trouble was closer than they would like.
After they dropped Old Quil at the res, Sam drove Bella back home.
“Embry phased two days ago.” Sam broke the silence in the truck.
“That’s definitely earlier than before.” She looked over at him, “I’m glad we don’t know what’s going to happen now, Sam. This way our reactions are real and so are our feelings.”
“I am too, Bells.” Sam commented as he pulled into her drive, they saw Paul pacing in front of the porch. When he saw Sam’s truck, he ran toward them.
“Are you okay?” He grabbed her off her feet and into his arms. “When I didn’t hear from you...”
“I’m fine.” Bella clung to his shoulders. She sensed something was going on. “Paul, what’s wrong?”
He pulled back and set her on her feet. “There was a leech around your place. Jared caught the scent when he was on patrol.”
“What?” Bella gasped. “It’s not the Cullens, right?”
“No, he didn’t recognize the scent.”
Bella watched Paul fighting the instinct to phase, especially since she was so close. Knowing even she wouldn’t be able to stop him, she stepped away from him so he could let out his wolf.
Paul, vibrating with anger and fear, looked at Bella with a tormented expression before phasing into his silver wolf. She desperately wanted to go to him, but his whine stopped her. Sam phased beside him and the pair of them ran into the woods.
Paul, she’s fine. She was right in front of you. -S
A bloodsucker was around her house, Sam! That’s my mate. -P
And we’re gonna protect her. Calm down. I’m sure she’s worried about you. -S
That was enough to calm him down. He ran back to her house. When he got to her backyard, he saw she had left him a pair of shorts on the deck. He phased with a smile and picked them up. After he was dressed, she opened the back door.
“Are you okay?” She had a crease of worry on her forehead.
Paul pulled her into his still trembling arms. “No, I’m not.”
“Paul...” She clung to his shoulders as she tried to calm him. Pressing her face into his neck, she gently kissed the spot behind his ear. “I’m here, I’m okay.”
“You don’t understand, Bella.” He set her on her feet and looked in her eyes. “I can’t lose you. It would kill me.”
Bella pulled him into the kitchen and pushed him into a chair. She eased herself onto his lap and stared at him. Gripping his hands in hers, she put one on her cheek and pressed the other to her heart. “I’m right here. You can feel my heart beating, feel the warmth of my skin.”
Paul rubbed his thumb over the apple of her cheek and felt the way her heart rate increased. He loved that it was his touch making her heart jump. He moved his hand and pulled her head down so he could press his lips to hers. He felt her sigh against his mouth and deepened the kiss, his tongue stroking hers. He groaned when he heard her moan and knew he needed to slow things down. Ending the kiss with a few short pecks, he placed his forehead to hers.
“I’ll keep you safe, Bella.”
She opened her eyes and stared into his. “I know you will.”
***CT***
The week of Thanksgiving snuck up on Bella and she was completely unprepared. Emily had assured her it was fine and she and Charlie were more than welcome to join her, Sam and the rest of the pack. Charlie, however, had taken a double shift since one of his deputies and his wife just had a new baby.
“I’ll bring you a plate later, Dad.” Bella promised as she loaded a basket with the things she made. She’d had to make extra since Embry phased a little ahead of when he had before.
Charlie helped her carry the basket to her truck. “Thanks, Bells. Be careful and have a good time.”
“I will, Dad, thanks,” she leaned up and kissed his cheek before climbing in her vehicle. She watched as Charlie drove away and double checked her surroundings, before she started her truck. Sending a quick text to Paul to let him know she was on her way, she put the truck in gear and drove out toward LaPush.
She had barely driven for five minutes when she hit something hard and her truck stopped next to a tree. She looked around and saw bright red eyes looking at her through the window of her driver’s side door. With a scream, she moved to the other side of her truck. As she tried to yank on the door and move away from the reaching arm, she smacked her head on the edge of the door. The last thing she heard before she lost consciousness was a feral growl.
***CT***
Paul was standing around, laughing with the pack, nursing a beer, when he felt a hard tugging on his chest. He dropped his bottle and grabbed at his chest before looking in the direction of Forks. “Bella,” was all he said before he took off running, phasing as soon as he hit the tree line.
I’ve got the leech, but I need help. -Embry
We’re coming, Embry! -Sam
Where is Bella? -Paul
She’s unconscious in her truck. -Embry
Paul pushed himself faster, knowing his brothers would take care of the leech. He needed to help his imprint.
When the pack burst through the trees, Embry was fighting a dread-locked leech. Sam and Jared, joined the fray while Paul phased back and ran to Bella. Yanking open the door, he stared at her unmoving form. With a shaking hand, he reached out and touched her face, wiping away the blood on her temple.
“Bella?” He could hear her heart beating steadily as he checked her over for other injuries, but found none. Taking her gently in his arms, he pulled her from the truck and took off running for Emily’s house.
Embry, Sam and Jared ripped the leech to shreds and burned all the pieces. While Sam and Jared watched the flames until the end, Embry checked Bella’s truck and got it running again. It had minimal damage, despite hitting a tree and a vampire. Once everything was taken care of, the three of them drove her truck to the res.
Paul placed Bella on Emily and Sam’s guest bed. Emily handed him a cloth to clean up the cut on her head and left him alone with her. She was all too familiar with the way a wolf whose mate was hurt behaved and knew she needed to keep her distance.
He wiped away the blood from her superficial wound, but covered it with a bandage anyway. “Bella? Come on, open those beautiful eyes for me.”
Bella moaned and turned her head toward his voice. “Paul?”
“I’m here, baby.”
Her eyes shot open, “Laurent!”
“Is that the vampire?” When she nodded, he was quick to reassure her. “We got him, it’s okay.”
“He came out of nowhere, knocking the truck into a tree. I knew I was no match for him, so when he tried to get in the truck I moved to the other door to get out, but hit my head on the door frame trying to open it. Figures I would make myself bleed with a vamp around.”
Paul smirked at her and pulled her into his arms. “You scared the shit out of me.”
“I’m sorry.” She wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face to his neck and inhaling his scent.
“Don’t be sorry.” He pulled back and looked in her eyes. “Just keep yourself safe.”
She smiled, “I’ll try. I may need your help with that.” She bit her lip and looked down, before looking at him from behind her lashes. “You think you’re up for it?”
Paul gently pulled her chin up, “Forever, baby.” He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. He ran his tongue along her bottom lip and Bella opened her mouth to allow him inside. Their tongues massaged each other until oxygen became necessary. Breaking apart, they touched foreheads both breathing heavy.
A knock on the door startled her, making him smile. “Dinner is ready guys.”
“We’ll be right there, Sam.” Paul kissed her lips once more and helped her off the bed. The pair of them walked back to the living room and joined the pack and imprints for Thanksgiving dinner. They had no idea, trouble was closer than they would like.