tongue twister • paul lahote

xvi

S A N T A N A R A N through the dark forest, weaving and ducking through angry tree branches dusted with moss and insects. She was running after a scent she wasn't sure she would catch. Her lover was far gone at this point, seemingly running from her. Parts of her couldn't blame him for the avoidance - she was a second away from turning around from the first step she took into the tree line. She was unsure if he would even want to see her after the turmoil they had put each other through. She knew that she wouldn't be complete if they couldn't recover from this. In knowing that, she was willing to do whatever she could to recover the frail relationship they had fallen into. They were two people madly in love that rarely even made eye contact anymore. She wasn't ready for her soulmate to become a memory, a hazy feeling like a drunken kiss left on cherry wine stained lips.

She checked their shared home first; it didn't take her long to realize that would be the last place he would go to if he was trying to avoid her. She slowly fumbled through familiar fabrics, trying to latch onto the most recent contact. He hadn't been there in a while. If she had to guess, he hadn't returned after their last altercation. She could only assume that he sought shelter in Jared's house, far away from any painful recollections of her. She couldn't blame him, because she had done the same. Sadness creeped into every part of her body looking at the empty house. It had only been a few weeks of disarray in her and Paul's relationship, but it felt like an eternity. Everything seemed like a punishment when he wasn't by her side. She threw a blanket down on the cushions of the sofa and took a few short strides around the living room, taking in all of the photographs on the walls. Pictures of the pack, Paul and Santana existing blissfully together when she was human, pictures from Edward and Bella's wedding. They were moments of time where things made sense. She always saw beauty in photography. It had the chance to capture moments that mostly get buried with time.

In an instant, she was back outside. She didn't want to allow herself the luxury of being sad, because to her, that meant she had no hope. Her legs carried her through the darkness to the edge of the border of the reserve. She yelled his name until even her vampire body began to ache. She stayed until the dawn broke the monotony of the darkness. She felt a blood red tear leak from her eye. If Paul did not return to her, she would never be whole again. She felt risky enough to test the borders, curious as to who would show up if she crossed onto their land. She quickly shook the thought from her mind. She didn't want to disrespect the Quilete.

She took a seat on the muddy ground, burying her head in her knees. The morning mist covered her cold body. She felt frozen in place and wasn't sure exactly how much time had passed. She had been their long enough for the morning sky to be consumed by sunlight. The mist had evaporated almost as if it had never been there. Soon, she heard shaky footsteps approaching her camping site. She looked up to lock eyes with Sam Uley. "Sam-"

"I'm sorry." Was all he said. Her heart raced at the words, expecting the worst to come next. "I'm sorry that the tribes rules came between you and Paul. It wasn't our intention."

"I know, Sam." She breathed a sigh of relief. "You protected your family the same way I stood by my own." She finished.

"You are our family, too." He said quietly, stepping over the border to sit next to her. "That never changed."

"It never changed for me, either. You guys hold a place in my heart not many can reach." She stretched her legs, turning her head to look at him. "I want to apologize too."

"It wasn't an easy choice to make; us or them. We both saved you, just in different ways."

"The Cullen's are the only reason I still have Paul. It's ironic that they're the reason I may have lost him." She said, a tone of defeat seeping into her words.