The Heat of You
by Wizardtho
Chapter 22:
Paul POV
“Fucking Hell,” Charlie choked out.
I patted him on the back, offering, “The nightmare caused her to phase. I saw what they did, Charlie… I saw it through her memories. Sam thinks that just hearing about their demise secondhand won’t be enough to help her heal. He thinks Taha Aki gave her this gift to let her be a part of taking them down. I’ve gotta tell you, Charlie, she’s wicked fast.”
He looked from Bella to me, taking in what I said, then asked, “Can she do that? Will she be safe? Paul, I won’t lose my daughter.”
I calmly said, “Breathe, Chief. I know. I was scared out of my wits when I first heard Sam mention it, but he’s right. We’ve already started training her, and you saw how fast she could phase on the fly just now. I had her phase at the sound of a whistle earlier, and she literally went from human to full-blown wolf before the sound of the quick bleep stopped. In total, it couldn’t have been more than a couple of heartbeats.”
Charlie’s eyes went wide at my statement as Bella stopped in front of us. I scratched the sides of her neck, which caused her chest to rumble in a purr. I chuckled, then Charlie laughed, “Feel good? Your wolf is beautiful, Bells.”
My little mate ducked her muzzle down in a kiss against Charlie’s cheek, then mine, before she covered her eyes with a paw. Charlie chuckled, “I know this one. Gotcha, kiddo.”
He turned and covered his eyes, then I picked Bella’s sundress up so she could phase back. It took her no time at all before I was slipping the sundress down over her human form. “That was faster than last time. You’re really getting the hang of it, Sweetheart. It’s safe, Chief.”
Charlie turned, and Bella gave him a small smile. Once we all sat back down, she offered, “I woke from my nightmare sick… sweating so bad I’d soaked the sheet. All I could think to do was scramble out into the grass to throw up. My head was spinning with visions of my nightmare on repeat, and nothing felt right. I could taste the blood in my mouth, feel the stickiness of it on my body. That’s when I phased.”
She let out a heavy breath, then said seriously, “Dad, I know this is scary and deadly, and I know I have no clue what I’m capable of right now, but I at least want to learn. If the time comes for Paul to hunt them down and Sam doesn’t feel I’m ready, that’s the end of it. I won’t be going, but at least I’ll be able to keep in touch with him and watch their demise through the mind link. On the other hand, if the time comes and Sam says I’m ready, you’d better believe I’m going. I want to put the power that Taha Aki gifted me to use on the ones who hurt me.
Bella ran her fingers through her hair with a loud sigh before explaining, “My nightmare… what they did… that was the worst thing they could do to me. Anything else in that journal will pale in comparison, Dad. I’m so sure of that, that I’m willing to burn that damn book without even knowing anything more. These nightmares aren’t just plain dreams that you don’t feel when you wake. I feel and smell and taste everything from my nightmares when I wake from them, Dad. So I know nothing could compare.”
Charlie ducked his head, rubbed his hands over his face, then looked back into Bella’s eyes. “It’s your call, Bells. Just… just be careful, please. And don’t leave without telling me first, okay?”
I promised at the same time Bella did, then added, “It’s still a ways off, Chief. She’s going to be training for at least the next 2 months before Sam will want to test her.”
Charlie sat back, relieved, then asked, “So what’s your plan for the rest of the night?”
Bella chuckled, “Sleep until it’s time to go out. Sam wants me on patrol with Paul tonight. He wants us to head over to the Cullen line so I can memorize their scents in my wolf form. I should be able to take what I know of their scents already and match it to what I smell tonight… hopefully.”
Charlie nodded as he scratched his chin, “It’s a solid plan. You’ll be careful?”
Bella nodded, “I promise, Dad. I won’t stray from Paul’s side, and he’ll let me know if he senses any danger.”
The conversation changed to other, lighter topics until another hour had passed. Charlie then looked at his watch, saying, “I guess I’d better head home so you two can get some rest. What time does your shift end?”
I answered, “We should be back here by 7 AM, Chief.”
He stood up from his seat while saying in answer, “Then you’ll hear from me by 7:10, so I know how it went. If you need me before, don’t hesitate to call.”
Charlie hugged his daughter, shook my hand, then saw himself out the front door.
Bella finally let out a breath once we heard Charlie’s cruiser pulling out onto the main road, “That went better than I expected.”
I picked a brussel sprout from the bowl before Bella could put a lid on it, then popped it in my mouth with a grin, “As well as could be, but you Swans take the award for being good with weird.”
I kissed her cheek, then whispered in her ear, “I got these. Go get ready for a nap, Sweetheart.”
Paul POV
“Fucking Hell,” Charlie choked out.
I patted him on the back, offering, “The nightmare caused her to phase. I saw what they did, Charlie… I saw it through her memories. Sam thinks that just hearing about their demise secondhand won’t be enough to help her heal. He thinks Taha Aki gave her this gift to let her be a part of taking them down. I’ve gotta tell you, Charlie, she’s wicked fast.”
He looked from Bella to me, taking in what I said, then asked, “Can she do that? Will she be safe? Paul, I won’t lose my daughter.”
I calmly said, “Breathe, Chief. I know. I was scared out of my wits when I first heard Sam mention it, but he’s right. We’ve already started training her, and you saw how fast she could phase on the fly just now. I had her phase at the sound of a whistle earlier, and she literally went from human to full-blown wolf before the sound of the quick bleep stopped. In total, it couldn’t have been more than a couple of heartbeats.”
Charlie’s eyes went wide at my statement as Bella stopped in front of us. I scratched the sides of her neck, which caused her chest to rumble in a purr. I chuckled, then Charlie laughed, “Feel good? Your wolf is beautiful, Bells.”
My little mate ducked her muzzle down in a kiss against Charlie’s cheek, then mine, before she covered her eyes with a paw. Charlie chuckled, “I know this one. Gotcha, kiddo.”
He turned and covered his eyes, then I picked Bella’s sundress up so she could phase back. It took her no time at all before I was slipping the sundress down over her human form. “That was faster than last time. You’re really getting the hang of it, Sweetheart. It’s safe, Chief.”
Charlie turned, and Bella gave him a small smile. Once we all sat back down, she offered, “I woke from my nightmare sick… sweating so bad I’d soaked the sheet. All I could think to do was scramble out into the grass to throw up. My head was spinning with visions of my nightmare on repeat, and nothing felt right. I could taste the blood in my mouth, feel the stickiness of it on my body. That’s when I phased.”
She let out a heavy breath, then said seriously, “Dad, I know this is scary and deadly, and I know I have no clue what I’m capable of right now, but I at least want to learn. If the time comes for Paul to hunt them down and Sam doesn’t feel I’m ready, that’s the end of it. I won’t be going, but at least I’ll be able to keep in touch with him and watch their demise through the mind link. On the other hand, if the time comes and Sam says I’m ready, you’d better believe I’m going. I want to put the power that Taha Aki gifted me to use on the ones who hurt me.
Bella ran her fingers through her hair with a loud sigh before explaining, “My nightmare… what they did… that was the worst thing they could do to me. Anything else in that journal will pale in comparison, Dad. I’m so sure of that, that I’m willing to burn that damn book without even knowing anything more. These nightmares aren’t just plain dreams that you don’t feel when you wake. I feel and smell and taste everything from my nightmares when I wake from them, Dad. So I know nothing could compare.”
Charlie ducked his head, rubbed his hands over his face, then looked back into Bella’s eyes. “It’s your call, Bells. Just… just be careful, please. And don’t leave without telling me first, okay?”
I promised at the same time Bella did, then added, “It’s still a ways off, Chief. She’s going to be training for at least the next 2 months before Sam will want to test her.”
Charlie sat back, relieved, then asked, “So what’s your plan for the rest of the night?”
Bella chuckled, “Sleep until it’s time to go out. Sam wants me on patrol with Paul tonight. He wants us to head over to the Cullen line so I can memorize their scents in my wolf form. I should be able to take what I know of their scents already and match it to what I smell tonight… hopefully.”
Charlie nodded as he scratched his chin, “It’s a solid plan. You’ll be careful?”
Bella nodded, “I promise, Dad. I won’t stray from Paul’s side, and he’ll let me know if he senses any danger.”
The conversation changed to other, lighter topics until another hour had passed. Charlie then looked at his watch, saying, “I guess I’d better head home so you two can get some rest. What time does your shift end?”
I answered, “We should be back here by 7 AM, Chief.”
He stood up from his seat while saying in answer, “Then you’ll hear from me by 7:10, so I know how it went. If you need me before, don’t hesitate to call.”
Charlie hugged his daughter, shook my hand, then saw himself out the front door.
Bella finally let out a breath once we heard Charlie’s cruiser pulling out onto the main road, “That went better than I expected.”
I picked a brussel sprout from the bowl before Bella could put a lid on it, then popped it in my mouth with a grin, “As well as could be, but you Swans take the award for being good with weird.”
I kissed her cheek, then whispered in her ear, “I got these. Go get ready for a nap, Sweetheart.”
Bella was pulling the sheet back -dressed in a pale pink tank and short set- when I finished putting everything away and reached the bedroom. I turned the main light off for the room, opened the patio door about halfway, then snagged a pair of boxers from the drawer before retreating to the bathroom.
Bella was half asleep when I climbed into bed, but she still curled herself against me, whispering my name as her cheek rested against my chest.
I couldn’t help but grin as I whispered after kissing the top of her head, “Thanks for not ruining my bacon, Baby Girl.”
All I got in reply was the barest, “Mhmm.”
With the scent of my mate surrounding me, it took me no time at all to fall asleep with my arms wrapped around her.
Bella was half asleep when I climbed into bed, but she still curled herself against me, whispering my name as her cheek rested against my chest.
I couldn’t help but grin as I whispered after kissing the top of her head, “Thanks for not ruining my bacon, Baby Girl.”
All I got in reply was the barest, “Mhmm.”
With the scent of my mate surrounding me, it took me no time at all to fall asleep with my arms wrapped around her.