Storm ☾ Paul Lahote

~CONNECTION~

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I sat up a little straighter, staring at him with a blank expression as I tried to calm my breathing. This meant that I wasn't crazy. Paul really did love me, Not Jennifer. And it explained the same thing with Emily. Oh my god, Emily. She didn't want this to happen more than anything, and I bet Sam didn't either. Neither one of them didn't want to hurt Leah, but it happened anyway.

"I know it's a lot to take in," Paul muttered from beside me. "Just know that I'm willing to be whatever you want me to be. If you don't want to be together, we don't have to be. I can be your best friend, your brother, I can simply just watch from the shadows if you don't want anything to do with me. I know you're in love with that-" He pauses, " Please, just say something. Just let me know what you want, please Reggie. I'm so sorry that I dragged you into this-" He was so nervous that he was talking out of control, his eyes were wide and his breathing was starting to become ragged.

I put a hand on his arm, getting him to stop mid-sentence. In an effort to calm him in the ruckus, I slowly stroked my fingers down his arm until they reached his palm. His fingers closed around my hand immediately, like he was afraid that I was going to run at any second. His warmth was there and it made me calm, my mind cleared a little though I couldn't look away from him. "My brother isn't gonna like this." I sigh.

"He understands our connection. Reggie, when we are all in our wolf form, we can communicate with each other. All of our minds are linked. Not only can we speak to each other, but whatever that person in reliving or imagining in their head, we see it for ourselves. We feel what they feel." He said slowly.

"Wow," I swallowed and looked away from Paul for the first time in several minutes. "So we can't hide anything then."

"No." He answered. "It kinda sucks but it helps us know what is going on, especially lately with the leech on the loose." He glanced out the window for a moment.

I cringed for a moment, looking into his narrowed eyes. "Have you found anything yet?"

He looked at me almost shocked for a moment, like he wasn't expecting me to say anything. "Well," He sighed. "Jared and I followed the scent through the woods of La Push..and we ended up at the Cullens."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Of course the place was abandoned, and the scents of the rest of them were beginning to fade. They haven't been around for a while now, so the vampire we have been hunting down came alone."

"Do you think he was looking for the Cullens?" I asked.

He shrugged, "Possibly, I don't know. But don't worry." He patted my leg with reassurance. "They won't get anywhere near you."

I smiled softly, not feeling anxious for once in my life. So this was what it really was, Paul was suddenly attached to me because he imprinted once he transformed into a werewolf, and I the same. This was absolutely terrible. My morals were gone, I didn't want to do this to Jennifer.

"There's something else you should know."He said with a sigh.

My smile faded, replaced by a raised eyebrow as I tried to think of what he has to tell me now. "I am very prone to outbursts, and I haven't learned to fully control myself yet. And as you saw the other night, if I get too angry I can phase."

I raise an eyebrow. "They really think that that could happen?"

He slowly nodded. "Yes. That's why Sam was yelling for you to get back and why Embry pulled you out of the way. It has happened before."

My expression turned shocked. "Someone's been attacked before? Who?"

He swallowed, his brows furrowing in pain before meeting my eyes. "Emily."

My mouth dropped open as I pictured her scarred face in the back of my mind. It wasn't a bear that attacked her after all. "Oh my god."

"Yeah, um..she got too close. It happened before she would accept the imprint, she didn't want to be with Sam because she didn't want to hurt Leah, they were practically sisters they were so close. Sam was very persistent with Emily. Sam wants to make sure that never happens again, and I want to make sure that I never do that to you. Sam doesn't even have anger problems and it happened, he's even more worried about me."

I bit my lip as I thought, Sam did have a point. I was honestly shocked that Paul didn't snap already, his anger wasn't anything to mess with.

"So, I understand if you are scared and hesitant, I'm willing to give you space if that's what you want." He said softly, tucking a few strands of hair behind my hair.

I shook my head, the last thing that I wanted was space from Paul. I knew it was dangerous to be around him, but...I still felt safe. "No," I whispered. "No, it's fine. I don't want space."

He looked relieved but hesitant. "Are you sure? Because I-"

"I'm sure." I looked up to meet his eyes with confidence that I never thought that I had. "I'm positive, it's okay." Jennifer feelings completely in the back of my mind.

He smiled softly, brushing his thumb along my cheek before letting it graze over my lips. I closed my eyes, letting his warmth linger until the feeling of his thumb slowly disappeared. But then I felt something completely unexpected. Something warmer, so warm that I could feel the inside of my body starting to grow cozy like there was a fire nestling inside of me.

But before I could make out the shape of what his warmth was, I realized that my lips were automatically moving against it slowly. Paul cupped the side of my face, I could feel his warm breath that made me realize that it was his own lips that I was moving against. He let out a low grunt as his breathing grew heavier. His body was tensed, but his lips were soft and delicate. My heart felt like it was fluttering in my chest.

Just then, he pulled away, leaving my lips cold once again.

"I..I think you should get some rest, Reggie." Paul gets up from my bed.

"Y-Yeah." I look down at my crumpled bed sheets.

"I'll see you later." Paul sighs, walking out the door, shutting it softly behind him.

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