Imprints: A Paul Lahote Story

Preparation

{Lacey}

"Are you shitting me?" I asked genuinely scared.

Paul had pulled me in closer to him now, rubbing my arms as I processed what I was hearing.

"...So...you're telling me an actual vampire entered the Swan residence and Chief Swan is still alive?" I asked in shock.

Jacob and Paul had just gotten back from a meeting with the Cullens and found out a bad vampire (not like the Cullens) had slipped into Bella's house. Luckily she wasn't there, unluckily Charlie was...but that man must've had a freaking guardian angel watching over him or something because he was left untouched, actually completely unaware there was ever a vampire in his house.

"The Cullens think this Vamp wanted something else, like it was specifically there for something else otherwise I'm sure it would've had no qualms about draining Charlie." Jacob stated. "This was a mission of sorts."

"Cullens say some of Bella's belongings were missing." Paul put in. "If the Cullens are smart they'll realize that whoever was in there was collecting Bella's scent."

"Why?" I asked. 

"That's what we're trying to figure out." Jacob sighed. "This vamp clearly knows who Bella is, and knows where she lives so we can't figure out what this freak would want her scent for."

"So Bella's got some psycho Vamp stalker then?"

Paul snickered, "Other than Edward, I don't think so...this screams revenge, probably the redhead again."

At this Leah looked at Seth.

"This is crazy." Mckayla sounded worried. "What does that mean about patrols?"

"We'll be keeping an eye on Our lands but also stay close to Bella's house since she's the obvious target." Jake announced.

I could see Mckayla's jealousy starting to spring forward.

"Lacey and Leah I want you to protect Mckayla...All three if you girls take turns at staying at each others houses and protect each other... I don't want any of you alone for a second." Jake commanded. "As of right now, there are no more treaty lines when it comes to us and the Cullens, but I have a feeling we'll be over there more than they'll be down here."

Paul squeezed my hand reassuringly and we finished the meeting.

_____

A few days later the new patrols went into effect, and Leah, Mckayla, and myself found ourselves at a dress shop in Port Angeles, trying to remain calm and act like everything was good.

In all reality, as excited as I was about the upcoming prom I couldn't help but worry constantly for Paul and the others.

"Lacey, you should go with the red one!" Mckayla said excitedly as I held up one red and one black dress. I listened to her and tried on the red dress, it was beautiful but I felt like it showed a little too much skin.

"Paul Is going to LOVE that dress." Leah teased as I tried to hide my cleavage.

"It's a little much." I confessed. "I've never really been THIS daring with my outfits before." 

And it was the truth, growing up with just a dad, and a cop at that meant I dressed a little more conservatively. Now I'm not talking Little house on the freaking Prairie or anything outrageous like that, but my shorts, skirts and dresses were never super short, just longer than mid thigh, and I honesty never really showed off much up top so this was all sort of new to me.

"Are you kidding me, girl you're hot, show it off." Mckayla said boldly as she grabbed a dark green gown with thigh high slits on both sides...and with her complexion and hair color, she'd absolutely rock that dress.

I shook my head with amusement and then got out of the dress. I combed through the racks and continued looking for another dress, Kay went and tried on that green dress and just like I suspected, she looked stunning.

It wasn't too much and you really only noticed the slits if she was walking otherwise it was actually really classy looking.

Leah found one she liked already too, but try as I might I just couldn't find another dress besides the red one.

I pulled it off the rack again and looked it over once more.

'It's not so bad, plus I have a boyfriend...and I do adore the way he looks at me when I dress up for him.' I thought to myself...it was settled, I was getting the dress and then I found some shoes that matched nicely before we finally paid. We browsed around a little more and had lunch then eagerly headed home. Prom was still half a month away but I was so anxious now.

More so, the shopping trip had taken our minds off of psycho vamps until we all got back home and our imprints and friends were still out on patrols.

-------

{Paul}

As I stood in wolf form alongside Seth, Collin, and Brady we listened as closely as we could while Jacob, Embry, and Quil went into the Cullen house for the party.

After almost an hour Jake and the guys came out and phased.

{{ Jacob: You were right Paul...Bella thinks it's Victoria, the redhead....but, as fucked up as this sounds, she thinks she's building an army of newborns.}}

{{ Seth: An army just to kill Bella? }}

{{ Quil: An army of Newborns to take out the Cullens as well as Bella. }} He corrected.

{{ Brady: VAMP on VAMP crime! }}

I bit at Brady to remind him this was not a time to joke around. Brady whimpered at my bite.

{{ Jacob: Brady enough...with the Cullens gone other vampires will come into the unclaimed territory and kill anyone around us with no regard to treaty lines. More of our people will turn into wolves and we will always have to be on alert. }}

{{ Paul: So like them or not we need actually the Cullens around and we will have to help them destroy this Newborn Army. }}

{{ Seth: I'm down! }}

All of us howled in agreement.

We were going to fight, wolf against vampire. My gums ached with excitement as I imagined tearing a vampire apart limb from limb. But as I got home realization set in.

Wolf against Vampire, As shifters it is our duty to protect the innocents and fight... all of us. And no matter how much I didn't want to even imagine it, Lacey would have to fight alongside the rest of us.

I couldn't let her go into a fight and potentially lose her...no. But knowing my imprint, she'd be pissed that I want her to sit the fight out...I just can't risk her safety.

I felt my old vow to her creep forward, I would do everything in my power to keep her protected and safe...even if it is against herself.

I laid in my bed alone later that night just thinking about ways to potentially get Lacey out of fighting and far the hell from any harm.