Changing Tides
by Momma2fan
Chapter 10
“Sue, how much venom was leaking out of my arm?”
The older woman looked away from where she was cutting the stitches out of Bella’s arm. “It was like a slow trickle, Bella, so I’m sure there is plenty in there.”
“Hmm...” Bella watched Sue’s movements, not feeling anything but a strange pulling sensation as the stitches were removed. “Leah, can you go to Old Quil’s with me?”
“Sure, Bells.” Leah smiled at her friend. It hadn’t been easy for her, especially with the closeness Bella shared with Emily, but she had slowly let her in and over the last week the pair of them had gotten closer. “You better text Paul and let him know though.”
Bella shook her head, “Overprotective dog.”
“Hey!” Leah protested. “We aren’t dogs.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Bella grumbled as she pulled out her phone.
Hey. Just wanted you to know Leah is taking me to Old Quil about the venom in my wrist. Did you want to be there? -B
By the time Sue pulled out the last stitch, Paul still hadn’t responded. Leah knew he wasn’t on patrol, so they walked to Billy’s before going to Old Quil’s. They watched for a minute as Paul, Embry, Quil, Sam and Jared finished framing up the addition. After the last nail was hammered in place, Bella let loose a wolf whistle.
“My, my...those are some good looking men over there.” Bella grinned, knowing what Paul would do.
Leah laughed, “You’re gonna get it for that one.”
“Baby, I better be the only man you’re looking at.” Paul growled before stalking over to her.
“I can look, I just can’t—”
Her words were cut off as Paul slanted his mouth over hers, pushing his tongue past her lips and stroking hers. Bella moaned and suddenly wished they were completely alone.
Paul broke their kiss, but moved his lips along her skin to her ear. “Soon, baby.” He knew exactly where her thoughts had gone, because his were right in line. He and his wolf needed to claim their mate.
Bella smiled at him and placed one more kiss on his lips. “Did you get my text?”
“No,” Paul pulled his phone from his pocket to check it. “Yes, I’m going with you. Leah, you can...” he trailed off when he noticed Leah and Quil staring at each other with glazed looks in their eyes. “Uh, Sam?”
Sam looked up and was stunned. “Well, hell. Jared, Embry, I need you two to stay here and keep working. I’m gonna take Leah and Quil to talk to Harry and Sue.”
“Bella?” Leah’s voice trembled.
Bella looked up at Paul before removing herself from his arms and walking to her friend. “Leah, it’s okay.”
“Did I...did we?”
Bella smiled, “Yeah. You and Quil just imprinted on each other. Go with Sam, he and your parents can answer all your questions.”
“Bella, he’s so much younger than me. Plus he’s...hyper and a jokester.”
Paul chuckled behind them. “I think he’ll be good for you, Leah. You’re so serious and tough, I think his goofiness will balance you like you will him.”
“Just go talk to your father, Lee.” Bell encouraged, pushing the wolf toward Sam and Quil.
When the three of them left, she looked at Paul. “Let’s go find out about this shit in my arm.”
***CT***
Old Quil opened the door, greeting Bella and Paul with a smile. “Young Wolf and his mate. To what do I owe this visit?”
“We have some questions for you, Sir.”
“Come in.” The old man stepped aside and allowed them to enter his home. After closing the door, he led them to his private study and indicated they should sit down. “Now, tell me what’s on your minds.”
Bella took a deep breath, “When Jacob phased that first night and opened my arm with his claws, venom leaked out of the scar on my wrist.”
“I see,” Old Quil leaned forward and reached out with his hand. “May I?”
She held out her arm to him and he gently inspected the old bite. Covering it with his other hand, he began whispering some Quileute over top of it. Bella and Paul watched his movements, wondering what he was doing. Finally, he sat up straight and let go of her wrist.
“Well, there is venom in there, but it was left there on purpose.”
“Excuse me?” Paul growled.
“Settle, young wolf. The venom was left by the vampire so he could find you wherever you went. Your imprint will not block him, so it must be removed or danger will always be near.”
“How...how do we remove it?” Bella asked quietly.
“We need to cut the venom out, young one.” He stood and walked to a cabinet on the other side of the room. After pulling out several vials and a weird bowl, he turned to them. “I will need to call the other Elders and we will perform the ritual...tonight.”
***CT***
After agreeing to meet at the tribal center with the rest of the pack, Paul and Bella walked to his place, both in a daze.
“Why would he do this?” Bella asked, not really expecting an answer.
“Think about it, Bella. This way he can get you back, better yet, get your blood back.” They walked into his house and he led her to the couch. “You told me yourself, you were his singer. If your blood is addictive to him, then he would want to know where you are at all times. If my imprinting on you hasn’t blocked that, then you’re in more danger than just the redhead.”
“Oh, God, Paul. He’s gonna come back the minute they take care of this.” Bella could feel herself begin to shake. She had never been afraid of Edward before, but knowing this scared the hell out of her.
Paul grasped her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him. “I will protect you, baby. No one, not the redhead and definitely not your psycho ex, is gonna take you from me. You’re mine, Bella, and I love you.”
Bella looked in his eyes and saw the truth in his words, but she needed more. “Show me,” she whispered.
Paul picked her up and carried her up the stairs to his bedroom. He lay her on his bed and then followed, laying half on half off her. He was nervous. He’d had sex with his fair share of women, but he’d never made love to anyone. He’d certainly never been someone’s first before either.
Bella could sense his nerves and reached her hand up to his face. “Look at me, Paul.” When his eyes met hers, she smiled. “I’m nervous too, but only because I want to be good for you.”
“Baby, this is going to be a new experience for both of us. I just want our first time to be special.”
“It will be because we love each other.” Stroking her thumb over his lower lip, “Kiss me, Paul, and make me yours.”
“Sue, how much venom was leaking out of my arm?”
The older woman looked away from where she was cutting the stitches out of Bella’s arm. “It was like a slow trickle, Bella, so I’m sure there is plenty in there.”
“Hmm...” Bella watched Sue’s movements, not feeling anything but a strange pulling sensation as the stitches were removed. “Leah, can you go to Old Quil’s with me?”
“Sure, Bells.” Leah smiled at her friend. It hadn’t been easy for her, especially with the closeness Bella shared with Emily, but she had slowly let her in and over the last week the pair of them had gotten closer. “You better text Paul and let him know though.”
Bella shook her head, “Overprotective dog.”
“Hey!” Leah protested. “We aren’t dogs.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Bella grumbled as she pulled out her phone.
Hey. Just wanted you to know Leah is taking me to Old Quil about the venom in my wrist. Did you want to be there? -B
By the time Sue pulled out the last stitch, Paul still hadn’t responded. Leah knew he wasn’t on patrol, so they walked to Billy’s before going to Old Quil’s. They watched for a minute as Paul, Embry, Quil, Sam and Jared finished framing up the addition. After the last nail was hammered in place, Bella let loose a wolf whistle.
“My, my...those are some good looking men over there.” Bella grinned, knowing what Paul would do.
Leah laughed, “You’re gonna get it for that one.”
“Baby, I better be the only man you’re looking at.” Paul growled before stalking over to her.
“I can look, I just can’t—”
Her words were cut off as Paul slanted his mouth over hers, pushing his tongue past her lips and stroking hers. Bella moaned and suddenly wished they were completely alone.
Paul broke their kiss, but moved his lips along her skin to her ear. “Soon, baby.” He knew exactly where her thoughts had gone, because his were right in line. He and his wolf needed to claim their mate.
Bella smiled at him and placed one more kiss on his lips. “Did you get my text?”
“No,” Paul pulled his phone from his pocket to check it. “Yes, I’m going with you. Leah, you can...” he trailed off when he noticed Leah and Quil staring at each other with glazed looks in their eyes. “Uh, Sam?”
Sam looked up and was stunned. “Well, hell. Jared, Embry, I need you two to stay here and keep working. I’m gonna take Leah and Quil to talk to Harry and Sue.”
“Bella?” Leah’s voice trembled.
Bella looked up at Paul before removing herself from his arms and walking to her friend. “Leah, it’s okay.”
“Did I...did we?”
Bella smiled, “Yeah. You and Quil just imprinted on each other. Go with Sam, he and your parents can answer all your questions.”
“Bella, he’s so much younger than me. Plus he’s...hyper and a jokester.”
Paul chuckled behind them. “I think he’ll be good for you, Leah. You’re so serious and tough, I think his goofiness will balance you like you will him.”
“Just go talk to your father, Lee.” Bell encouraged, pushing the wolf toward Sam and Quil.
When the three of them left, she looked at Paul. “Let’s go find out about this shit in my arm.”
***CT***
Old Quil opened the door, greeting Bella and Paul with a smile. “Young Wolf and his mate. To what do I owe this visit?”
“We have some questions for you, Sir.”
“Come in.” The old man stepped aside and allowed them to enter his home. After closing the door, he led them to his private study and indicated they should sit down. “Now, tell me what’s on your minds.”
Bella took a deep breath, “When Jacob phased that first night and opened my arm with his claws, venom leaked out of the scar on my wrist.”
“I see,” Old Quil leaned forward and reached out with his hand. “May I?”
She held out her arm to him and he gently inspected the old bite. Covering it with his other hand, he began whispering some Quileute over top of it. Bella and Paul watched his movements, wondering what he was doing. Finally, he sat up straight and let go of her wrist.
“Well, there is venom in there, but it was left there on purpose.”
“Excuse me?” Paul growled.
“Settle, young wolf. The venom was left by the vampire so he could find you wherever you went. Your imprint will not block him, so it must be removed or danger will always be near.”
“How...how do we remove it?” Bella asked quietly.
“We need to cut the venom out, young one.” He stood and walked to a cabinet on the other side of the room. After pulling out several vials and a weird bowl, he turned to them. “I will need to call the other Elders and we will perform the ritual...tonight.”
***CT***
After agreeing to meet at the tribal center with the rest of the pack, Paul and Bella walked to his place, both in a daze.
“Why would he do this?” Bella asked, not really expecting an answer.
“Think about it, Bella. This way he can get you back, better yet, get your blood back.” They walked into his house and he led her to the couch. “You told me yourself, you were his singer. If your blood is addictive to him, then he would want to know where you are at all times. If my imprinting on you hasn’t blocked that, then you’re in more danger than just the redhead.”
“Oh, God, Paul. He’s gonna come back the minute they take care of this.” Bella could feel herself begin to shake. She had never been afraid of Edward before, but knowing this scared the hell out of her.
Paul grasped her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him. “I will protect you, baby. No one, not the redhead and definitely not your psycho ex, is gonna take you from me. You’re mine, Bella, and I love you.”
Bella looked in his eyes and saw the truth in his words, but she needed more. “Show me,” she whispered.
Paul picked her up and carried her up the stairs to his bedroom. He lay her on his bed and then followed, laying half on half off her. He was nervous. He’d had sex with his fair share of women, but he’d never made love to anyone. He’d certainly never been someone’s first before either.
Bella could sense his nerves and reached her hand up to his face. “Look at me, Paul.” When his eyes met hers, she smiled. “I’m nervous too, but only because I want to be good for you.”
“Baby, this is going to be a new experience for both of us. I just want our first time to be special.”
“It will be because we love each other.” Stroking her thumb over his lower lip, “Kiss me, Paul, and make me yours.”