Hungry Like The Wolf: A Paul and Rachel Novella

Chapter 12: Traitor

Playlist:

Sia - Elastic Heart

D'angelo (or Matt Bomer) - How Does it Feel

Nine Inch Nails – Closer

Bando Jonez – Sex You

The Weeknd – Earned It

Prince – Take Me With You

Chapter 12 - Traitor

A honeymoon could only last so long before you have to return to your normal life—when you have to return to reality.

For Paul and I, reality was about to smack us dead in the face.

Time stood still when you waited impatiently. Waiting for Paul to get back to report to me; it was long enough for me to formulate different scenarios in my head. Jake and Edward fight to the death, my brother winning, but the Cullens finish him off, tearing into him with their venomous teeth, which I know are fatal to our wolves—the one form of kryptonite to our shape shifters. Jake comes in to fight Edward, but Edward kills him instead tearing him apart. Jake kills Edward, and new vampire Bella kills Jake. The outcome just wouldn't be pretty, and I knew that. No matter how civilized these vampires supposedly were, I don't believe they'd retaliate if you pushed them far enough, and I know that killing one of their own would do that. There were too many of them for Jacob to take on at once.

I knew we were unable to talk with Chief Swan in the house so I practically ran into Paul when I spot him coming towards the house from the woods. My father followed me out, though I sensed some strange reluctance in him as he left Charlie alone with Sue inside.

"Can't stay too long," Paul said, barely winded, though I know he'd travelled far to get to me. "Still got some business to take care of."

"Is everything okay?" I asked.

"Everything's fine," he assured me. "Well, in terms of Jake's health, he's all fine. He did go to their house."

"He's not harmed?"

"Nope. Not a scratch on him."

A huge sigh of relief escaped my body with confirmation that Jacob was okay, and slowly I was able to think more clearly. "Did he fight Edward? Is Bella one of them now?"

"He didn't fight Edward. As for Bella—I'm not sure."

"What do you mean? What happened to Bella?"

"Not sure yet. They're convening to discuss it right now. In fact, let me go and get the rest of the scoop. I'm sure Sam's well on his way to formulating a plan."

His lips locked with mine before I could say anything back, kissing me feverishly before rushing back into the forest.

Returning to the house, I could hear my father and Sue try to comfort Charlie about Bella extending her stay in Brazil, as I headed to Jake's bedroom. That she was ill. If I weren't so dead worried about my own brother, I'd have enough sense to pity him. Charlie was being lied to by everyone around him, just like I had been. I had to stay away from that room because I knew I couldn't keep a straight face—that his worry would be mirrored on my face.

At this moment, however, I felt that maybe being kept in the dark was the better option. My stomach sloshed with an uneasy pang of concern. I tried to sit still, but I couldn't. I began pacing, fighting the urge to throw things.

I tried desperately to hold onto Paul's words. In terms of Jake, he's fine.

He's not harmed?

Nope. Not a scratch on him.

But something seemed out of step. There was something tugging at me that wasn't right and I had a huge feeling that it wasn't really all that fine. My eyes were fixed on the forest from the window in the bedroom.