Wolves - A Paul Lahote Story

Chapter Twenty Two

I woke up in the hospital a few hours later and saw Emily, Embry, Quil, and Seth gathered around my bed.

'Katie, are you okay?' Embry asked when he saw I was awake.

'My head feels fuzzy, what happened?' I asked.

'What do you remember?' He asked softly.

'I know Paul got mad at me for going with you to the Cullens and he phased but then it's all kind of a blur'

'When he phased his claws went through your middle so we rushed you here and they took you in to surgery. We're lucky nothing vital was hit' Embry informed me.

'Oh'

I moved the bedcovers slightly and saw bandages wrapped round me like I was a mummy.

'Where's the rest of the pack?' I asked.

'At home. Sam and Jared are trying to get Paul to phase back Emily said, 'Seth, you should let them know Katie is awake, it might help Paul'

Seth left in a hurry and Sue Clearwater, his mum, came in to check on me shortly afterwards.

'Hey Sue, what's the verdict?' I asked her.

'Four claw marks across your stomach which we've told people are from a bear. They're nearly from one side to the other but not quite. Two litres of blood lost and replaced and you're all stitched up. You can go home soon. How do you feel?'

'My head is fuzzy but I don't feel any pain. Guessing that's due to the painkillers I've been given'

'I've given some to Emily to take home with you. If you take them without asking we will take them off you' Sue said sternly.

I rolled my eyes at her but when she left I turned to Quil and Embry.

'So how mad at me is Paul?' I asked them.

'He's more mad at himself cos he hurt you' Quil said, 'It's like the one thing that Sam always warns us about'

'He's an idiot. He's never going to forgive himself though is he Em?' I asked Emily.

'He will in time Katie' she reassured me.

Sue and a doctor came back in to run some tests and to give me the all clear and once Emily had signed my release papers, Embry and Quil helped me out to the car so that we could go home. The pack were waiting for us and Leah started to fuss over me until I swatted her hands away from me. I didn't need her to fuss though it was nice to see how much she cared.

'Glad to see you're alive sis' Sam said as he entered the room and gently wrapped me in a hug, 'I need to talk to you'

"Can I go see Paul?'

'After, come out on to the decking with me.

I followed Sam outside and slowly sat down on the bench, wincing slightly when my stiches pulled.

'What is so important Sam? I need to go see Paul and get him to turn back' I said impatiently.

'This is about Paul. And you. We've been keeping something important from you. It's my fault, I didn't want it to be true' Sam said.

'You're rambling Sam, just tell me'

'Paul is your imprint Katie. Your soulmate' Sam confessed.

'Wait what?!' I asked in disbelief, 'he is my soul mate and you kept that from me? And you told him and the rest of the pack to as well? What the hell Sam, why would you do that?'

'I was trying to protect you Katie. From something like this'

'Lot of good that did Sam' at this point I was stood pacing in front of Sam and shouting. 'How was keeping this from me a good thing. How does this protect me? I'm going to see Paul now, don't follow me'

I wandered off in to the woods, not really knowing where I was going until Embry and Jacob caught up to me. They led the way to where Jared and Paul were in their wolf forms. Paul whined when he saw me, Jared went behind a tree to change back to human and came to join us.

'Go easy on him Katie, it's been a tough day' Jared told me, hugging me a little.

'Well I just found out that he imprinted on me and didn't tell me for months so no promises' I replied.

We sat on the floor of the woods, Embry sat close to me to help keep me warm. Paul sat across from us in his wolf form.

'So you can see that I'm okay Paul, no harm done. But you lied to me so I feel quite mad at you now. I forgave you for the whole slicing me with your claws thing. I just want you to turn back to human and come nap with me.'

He shook his wolf head, no.

'Paul, come on. This isn't the worse that has happened to me. You know that'

'What do you mean?' Jared asked, 'is it to do with the scars on your legs? Sam told us not to ask you about them'

'Sam needs to back out of my life if he keeps on like this' I mutter, 'the scars were from boarding school. My best friend went a little crazy and stabbed me'

'Seriously?' Jared asked in disbelief.

'Oh yeah, she found out I slept with her boyfriend like 6 months before they got together and she just went crazy on me. It was one of the reasons Sam made me come home'

'What else happened while you were there?' Embry asked.

I sat and told them about boarding school, the parties, the drinking, the games. It seemed like a completely different life now. It was crazy, I was crazy. But I was different now, more in control, more grown up.

'Katie, we should go. You need to sleep. Jake announced when it got dark out.

The Boys stood up and helped me up as well. I looked to Paul who was still in his wolf form.

'Paul, please come with us, I need you' I begged him.

All he did was turn and walk away from me, going further in to the woods. It broke my heart.

'I'll make sure he's okay' Jared promised, following Paul.