THE WHITE SUN AT MIDNIGHT | J.BLACK

[32]

"Hey, Jake?" Paige whispered through the intense wind blowing around the falling snow. Jake hummed as a response, and Paige turned around to face him. "I know Cullen can hear everything we're saying, but I don't care. Just -- god, I don't know. I have a weird feeling about tomorrow," - Jake furrowed his eyebrows together - "maybe it's because I might see the women who killed my father or that my friends since I was a baby would be risking their lives for me."

"They're fighting the newborn army. How is that risking their lives for you?" the Black asked.

"They're helping me, that's how. If Kaimbe ever found out about what they did, then they'll fight him. That's how my pack deals with treason against the Alpha. And Kaimbe gets to decide whether to put the loser out of their misery or kick them out. Can you imagine what he'll choose?" Paige tried to laugh, but it came out a sad croak. She cleared her throat and looked down at her and Jake's laced fingers. "That's what he'll do to me," she whimpered. Jake let out a whine and pulled Paige into his bare chest. 

"Please, stop thinking that way. We'll find a way to keep you safe," Jacob told more to himself as an order. Both werewolves sighed and tried to focus on something else; Bella's shivering wasn't helping their concentration.

Paige stood up and muttered, "I'm going to see how Bella's doing."

"I'll go with," Paige nodded in agreement.

The imprints walked inside the tent where Bella and Edward were staying, and they both looked at the wolves. Bella was under a bundle of blankets, shaking from the cold. "Jake and I couldn't sleep with all that teeth chattering going on," Paige commented.

Edward looked at both enemies with a glare. "Forget it," he snapped.

"She may need her toes someday," Paige sniggered. 

"And let's face it. We are hotter than you," Jacob smirked while Paige tried to take a step forward. Edward's hand latched onto her shoulder, restraining her back.

"Get your hand off her," Jake hissed, clenching his jaw so hard it started getting sore.

"Keep your imprint's hands off her," Edward replied towards Jacob, who scowled.

"Don't fight," Bella pleaded.

"If she gets sick, it's on you," the blonde girl spat, and Edward glanced at Bella then at Paige. He nodded with a look of defeat. Paige walked over to Bella and layed next to her, wrapping her arms around her as Jake does for her. Bella let out a shaky breath into Paige's t-shirt and forced the blanket around both of them. "God, you're freezing, Bella. You'll warm up soon," Paige gasped. Jake sat down in the corner of the tent, opposite of Edward.

~:*:~

The next morning Paige stayed with Bella while Edward and Jake patrolled the perimeter. Bella thanked her sister for her contribution and headed outside to see Seth's wolf walking forward.

"Right. Hey, Seth," the brunette uttered. Edward returned from the woods when Bella asked, "where's Jake? Did he already . . . ."

"Not yet. He's checking to see if the woods are clear before he goes," the vampire explained. Seth then ran off into the woods.

"I'm really sorry about last night. That couldn't have been easy on you," Bella sighed.

"It definitely won't make my list of top 10 favorite evenings," Edward chuckled.

"You have a list?"

"All 10 I spent with you. Number one is when you said you'd marry me, Mrs. Cullen," both smiled.

"This is the 21st century. I at least want to hyphenate my name," Bella joked.

"You're marrying him?" two voices barked. Bella looked around Edward's shoulder to see Jake, then whipped around to see Paige standing there with wide eyes.

"I . . . ." - Bella turned to Edward with a shocked expression - "you knew they were listening," she cried.

"They deserve to know," Edward defended. Jacob couldn't handle it anymore and raced away. 

"Jake, stop!"

"Bella, let him --"

"Don't!" Edward immediately let go of the human who ran after Jake. Edward bit his lip and gulped before turning around to notice Paige's presence.

The werewolf huffed and crossed her arms. "I tell you my darkest secret, and you don't have the guts to tell me that you're engaged to my sister. Not even ask for my opinion on it," she sneered. "We had this entire trip up here, Edward! But you were such a little coward that you couldn't face my reaction!"

Edward frowned and couldn't open his mouth to speak. He was upset with himself, too, for not telling Paige sooner. He couldn't care less how or when Jake found out. But Paige was Bella's sister. "You just shouldn't have told me so I wouldn't have to feel guilty about missing my precious sister's wedding because I'll be dead. So go ahead, Cullen, make a werewolf with a deadly fate feel pity for Bella. Who, by the way, has gotten everything. Everything. So she doesn't truly deserve anyone's sympathy."

With her final words, Paige rushed off into the woods, tears etching her eyes.