Better Man (P.L.)

Eleven.

The first thing she heard when she awoke from her restless slumber were howls, her brain barely registering them at first. For moments after, the area was silent and she sat up, confused. Had she dreamed them up in her stressful state?

She must have sat there waiting for more howls for over five minutes, barely moving and not making a sound apart from her light breathing. Everything was silent, too silent, and she knew the howls she had heard before were real. She didn't know how, but Olivia could easily pick out Paul's howl distinctively from the others.

Right when Olivia decided that she had to call the Cullen home and find out what was happening, she felt the magnetic pull of her heart, her body warming up just from Paul being nearby. She slowly got out of bed, her steps shaky when she moved to their bedroom door and pulled it open. Paul was already on the other side, dressed in a black tank top and his shorts with bloodshot eyes and a solemn expression.

He didn't hesitate to pull Olivia into his arms, breathing in her scent and holding her close for as long as he could. Olivia, for her part, didn't say a word, offering her boyfriend silent comfort and the time he needed to tell her just what had occurred. He did, of course, breathing out deeply and speaking against her hair.

"Bella's dead." His voice was barely above a whisper, his thumbs rubbing circles on her waist as if to remind himself she was real. "She gave birth and died. God, Livs, seeing Jake so destroyed, it just made me think of how it would be if you were to-"

"I'm fine, Paul." Olivia may have been comforting him, but she herself was trembling in his grip. Bella, the girl whose wedding she had attended less than a month before was dead. The girl who she had seen just a week prior.

Olivia may not have been fond of Bella, but she knew firsthand how much Bella meant to Edward. And by extension, how much she meant to the whole Cullen family. She knew Bella wasn't that bad and that she cared for everyone more than herself. And it broke Olivia's heart to know that Bella had died just as everyone predicted before.

Paul, likely feeling Olivia's shock, pulled away from the hug and placed his hand on her cheek, rubbing over it lightly. "It's almost over, angel. I've gotta go report to Sam but after, I'll come back and we can just go tonight. This world, this place, it isn't good for us. For you."

Olivia nodded, burrowing into his touch as if it was all that mattered. "Where is Sam?"

"He went to Billy's. I'd better hurry, I don't want him coming here."

"Yeah, you're right." Olivia took a deep breath and looked around their room, her eyes landing on a picture of the pack at the beach. "I'll go with you. I want to say goodbye to Emily and Kim and Emily's is on the way."

They stood for a moment longer, Paul and Olivia simply holding one another and comforting the other without having to say a word. They didn't say anything when Olivia put on her zip up either, or when they walked out of the house and made their way to Emily's.

The walk was quick, both nearly running to get it over with and both too tense to feel it. Paul paused with Olivia before the home and pulled her close again, kissing her lightly.

"I'll be back soon." He promised, his hands on her face with her hands over his. "I love you."

"I love you too." Olivia kissed the palm of his hand before stepping from his grip, watching him sprint off to Billy's. She turned and took a deep breath, stepping to Emily's with labored steps.

Emily wasn't alone, Claire and Kim both sitting on the couch with the woman. All three were staring at the TV blankly, a black and white movie playing with the sound as low as it could be. They were covered by a blanket and they barely moved, even when they heard Olivia's steps.

"Hey, Liv." Kim whispered hoarsely, her eyes rimmed with red. Olivia realized that they probably weren't aware that Bella was dead and were worried about the boys becoming murderers, justifiably so. She wondered if they would still count it as murder if it was just the baby that they attacked.

"Come sit with us." Emily added, patting the spot beside her. She barely spared Olivia a glance, her eyes set to the TV without really seeing it. Olivia didn't move forward however, shifting on her feet.

"Actually, I just came to say goodbye." At her words, all three finally turned. The confusion on their faces was evident, Olivia offering a forced smile. "It looks like this is finally almost over and Paul and I will be able to leave tonight."

"Did Paul-"

"He was spying alone and escaped to come give me an update." She cut Kim off, shrugging. She didn't dare to mention Bella, not wanting to be the one to break the news to them and make them worry further about what came next. "Bella gave birth."

"And the others? Are they okay? Are they fighting the cullen's?" Claire questioned, wringing her hands together.

"They're at Billy's, I'm not sure if they're gonna fight the Cullen's after all."

"Well." Emily stood, approaching Olivia and grabbing her hands. "Whatever happens tonight, the pack will be okay and we'll be okay. And you and Paul will be able to escape the drama that comes with living here."

Emily squeezed her hands, Olivia pulling her into a hug. She felt tears stinging the back of her eyes and sniffled, Kim and Claire joining the hug.

"I'm relieved your dad is okay with you leaving. My parents and Jared's mom lost it when we suggested moving away." Kim confessed, Claire laughing through her tears.

"Your parents lost it? My parents were ballistic when I told them I was moving in with Emily and Sam. They still don't speak to me."

The girls held each other tightly and whispered comforting words to one another, all crying a bit over everything happening. They had no way of knowing that in the woods, a fight had finally broken out and Bella's transformation had begun