The UnForeseen Fall of Lahote (A Paul/Bella Fanfic)

18. Strand of Luck

   Chapter song is Bellyache by Billie Eilish (Marian Hill Remix)
Thanks for reading!
-rednight73
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Paul's POV

Jared hadn't phased back in a long time. Sam was absolutely freaking out. I was exhausted and my chest felt fucking ripped open.

That just about summed up the night. Now it was morning. It was entirely too gorgeous of a day for what had just transpired.

We ran in unison around the border while Sam strategized who to send after Jared. He ignored my pessimistic prediction that another one of us would go missing. After my experience with Bella last night, I found myself becoming overly superstitious.

Voodoo and Paul do not mix.

I would miss Jared dearly.

For the love of god, don't think of him like that. Embry groaned. Being the most anxious of us, the kid was at his limits on stress.

I am like 99% sure I was in the presence of a ghost last night, Em. Death is just a natural stage of life and I do not think it harms any of us to prepare for the possibility-

Shhh. Shut up, dumbasses. Sam was suddenly on alert. His nose had picked up Jared along with a fresh scent that was on our land and utterly bizarre; Jared had to still be in human form. The last any of us remember his presence in the pack mind, the idiot had been an hour's run to Port Angeles.

As Sam traced the trail, something fast attacked him. It was on top of his back like he was a pony. How the fuck do you defend yourself against a piggy back ride?

"Hello." A full, bored voice sounded. "I am holding your pack-mate in my arms right now. It'd be terribly easy to snap his neck."

Sam stopped struggling. Don't come any closer. It wasn't an alpha order, but none of us dared disobey.

The assailant had the balls to bend over and look our alpha into the eyes. He was human pale, handsome, and had dark hair framing his face. A wry smile twisted his lips. Cold, stormy gray irises warned against any sudden moves.

"Now, I would like to speak to the one named Paul. I'm not feeling any burning hatred towards you when I look into your eyes, so I'm guessing you're not him. Could you ask the lad to come here? Phase back to human form once he's close?" He spoke in a formal manner.

I started running towards the scene before Sir Alpha could do something both brave and idiotic. I shifted without thought.

I walked slowly through the shrubbery once I was close to them. The last thing needed was for this bastard to have trigger hands around Jared's neck. I could only imagine how difficult it was for my pack brother not to shift.

It was not instantaneous enough to save him. Not if this stranger was as fast as a vamp.

The man was sitting casually on top of the black, snarling wolf that was Sam. He was sitting side-saddle with Jared pulled across his lap. He was at ease and swinging his legs like a child. It looked totally bizarre since the man was significantly smaller than us.

The relaxed smile on his lips warned me not to be fooled by that.

Jared's face was carefully blank with that pale hand poised strategically at the nape of his neck. There were healing wounds on his face and back.

"Ah, Paul. It's good to see how quick you are at following commands issued by me." The stranger said. His tone wasn't even intentionally insulting, but somehow I knew he meant exactly what he said.