|2| Broken Beta {Paul Lahote}

V

"Technically, tonight, you're a council meeting crasher." Jacob said to Bella's face as Juliana, she was already sitting by the fires, between Paul and Emily.

She was wearing a hoodie this time that Bella had seen her, that marked the first time that anyone in the pack had seen her in a hoodie for a bit of a long time, except for Paul, as usual.

The hoodie had P. Lahote, written on the back of it, to no one, in the pack's surprise at all, as she leaned over him to get one of the final hot dog's and an burger as well.

"So, Juliana and Paul imprinted on each other, right?" Bella asked quietly of Jacob, and Juliana looks over at her with a slight nod.

"I phased for the first time, right after I woke up from..." She still could have not started to say it, and, she couldn't, say it. She turned to Paul, and he sighs quietly, holding her gently against his chest, very gently.

"After she phased for the first time after losing control with grief, she was just coming back from it, and what do you know. Best friends, imprints... I mean come on. It was bound to be the right pair, it was bound to happen." At that, the entire pack began to whoop.

"Yep, you're right about that." Juliana mumbled under her breath and Paul's eyes narrowed a bit and his eyebrows they pulled together in concern.

She shakes her head a bit, as they were looking into each other's eyes and apparently having a mental and private conversation, as the others all waited, impatiently for it to finish.

If it was an argument, then apparently for once Juliana was the one who lost it, while Paul smiled an bit at her, and Juliana scoffed quietly, but a corner of her mouth turned up, in a bit of a grin.

"Are you going to eat that hot dog, man?" Paul asked of Jacob, as Juliana was half asleep and lying against him, her eyes half-closed now, and barely a bit open.

Jacob leaned back against Bella's knees and toyed with the hot dog, that he had spitted on a straightened wire hanger; the flames at the edge of the bonfire licked along its blistered skin.

He heaved a loud sigh and Juliana looked at Paul Lahote warningly, as her hand reached out and took his in hers, gently squeezing.

"I guess," Jake said slowly. "I'm so full I'm about to puke, but I think I can be a good guy, and force it down. I won't enjoy it at all, though." He sighs again, sadly.

Despite the fact that Paul had eaten about at least twice as much food as Jacob and Juliana had, he glowered as he balled up his hands into fists, and a wince came from Juliana. "Paul, that is hurting a little." She mumbled, and he looked down, releasing the fists, at once.

"Sorry." He mumbled and Jacob chuckled at his regaining of control after seeing, that Juliana was in a lot of pain, ever so briefly.

"Sheesh." Jacob laughed. "I'm just kidding, Paul. Here." He flipped the homemade hot dog skewer across the circle. Bella was clearly surprised by a fact, that Paul had caught it easily.

"Thanks, man." Paul said to Jacob now, already over his brief fit of his temper, as he split the hot dog with a sleepy-looking Juliana, who was now smiling fully at him, her eyes flashing a bit with a grin, at his words.

The entire pack was there and certainly at the words of Jacob to Bella, everyone knew that she was there. Old Quil, he looked a little bit uneasy at her presence, but it didn't seem like anyone else was picking up on it.

Then again, Juliana had always been unusually perceptive of the pack and the elders, or anyone else around the Reservation or even strangers.

Maybe, as she had considered multiple times as a viable reason, it was because she had to be totally and unconditionally perceptive before, in order to stop Paul of course.

Paul, from constantly getting into all sorts of trouble, and ugly fights at the school and everywhere else.

Of course, with all people or anyone really, that crossed his path. Juliana's eyes were beginnin' to close, when he nudged her arm and Juliana sat up, as the legends were about to begin.