Paul Lahote x reader x Quil Ateara

120: In The Woods

Bella and I got home around the same time, I quickly fly into my room window, changed out of my wet clothes and into some shorts, oversized sweatshirt and put my wet hair on a bun. I hear a loud conversation. Fuck.

"...what the hell were you doing in the woods?" Dad says as I go down the stairs.

"They're wolves! I mean they're like huge wolves!" Bella says.

"Are you sure about that bella?" Harry says and looks over at me.

"Yeah bells are you sure it wasn't a bear?" I chime in hoping to make dad thing Bella saw wrong.

"Yeah!" She looks at me wide eye. "I just saw them.. they were after.... Something"

"Wolves" My dad says trying to confirm. "You saw 'em" Bella nods. "Alright.. well Harry feel like going hunting?..." He asks.

Harry looks over at me and I nod quickly understanding what he wants me to do.

"Get some of your guys together"

"Sure yeah.. I'll.. I'll just"

I stand there looking between Bella and dad then step aside to make a call. I call Paul with no luck so I quietly call Emily and tell her to let the boys know.

".. can you guys just.. stay in the house?" Dad looks at both of us.

"Yeah.. yeah" I nod.

Dad and Harry leave the house and Bella looks to be very troubled.

"Dad's gone so spill" I look at her with my arms crossed.

"Tell you what?" She tries to look normal.

"Bells I'm not in the mood" I say with a stern voice.

"It's Laurent.. he's.. he's here"

"Laurent as in...?"

"Yeah" she nods.

I walk over to her and give her a firm hug.

"It'll be okay" I rub her arm. "Let's go lay upstairs"

Bella and I laid in her bed while dad was out hunting for my friends. We talked and mended our relationship, we giggled, had a good time but I kept checking my phone... waiting for Paul to text or call me back.

At some point we fell asleep, and were woken by something hitting our window.

"What was that?" I rub my eyes as another rock hit the window. Bella walks over to her window.

"It's Jake" She looks back at me then opens the window. "You scared us... what the hell are you doing?"

I hear something muffled from outside and Bella steps back as Jake comes in through the window.. shirtless.

"I'll... I'll leave you guys alone.." I get up to leave closing the door behind me and going into my room. "I was so worried"

I walk over to Paul and reach up to hug him tightly, I wrap my arms around his neck as his wrap around my waist and his face hide in the nook of my neck.

"I'm sorry" I feel his hot breath. "I came here as soon as I could"

"Well are you okay?" I separate from him and grab his hand bring him to sit on the bed with me.

"I'm fine" He chuckles. "You shouldn't worry about me" His eyes close as I caress his cheek.

"I always worry about you.. even when I don't want to" I sigh. "You're just in my mind more than you should be" I pull my hand away.

I start feeling a bit mad at myself for saying something some dumb when I have a boyfriend I love and care about. But I can't help remembering what my dad said yesterday, and maybe I do see a future with Paul.

"I know" Paul says just above a whisper. "I owe you an explanation you've been waiting and asking for but I just can't give it to you yet"

"What are you waiting for? I mean I already know it has something to do with an imprint.. but I just don't know what the word means for wolves or what it has to do with anything.. I can just speculate"

"I'm waiting to make sure everything goes right.. I.. I don't want to but just the thought of it" He stands up and faces the window, his tone changed from calm to very aggressive.

"The thought of what?" I stand with him.

"I have to go" He says.

"Don't shut me out" I step forward.

"You don't realize.. I'm doing this for you!" He turns to face me. "I'm trying to protect your feelings!"

"Paul.." I look up at him with pain in my eyes and furrowed eyebrows.

"I'm protecting you, even if it hurts me"

"I-" I started talking but he left.

I walk over to the window and see him and Jacob below. Jake gives me a sympathetic look before they both run off.