sparks fly~ paul lahote

ⅹⅹⅴ. chasing victoria

Victoria looked stunned, and she opened her mouth like she wanted to say something then there was howling in the distance and shouts. Victoria gave Diana one last look, then she was gone and Diana was alone.

She started hiking through the woods, after the wolves, thinking about Victoria. She remembered feeling vengeful and murderous, she would've definitely killed the nomadic wolf pack that took Christopher away from her, had she been able to find them. But she never did find them, so she took to killing innocent humans who had no idea she was just a grieving woman.

Decades later, with an older, clearer mind, Diana could see where she had gone wrong- all the times she had gone wrong. She hated that innocent lives were taken simply because she was mad, she lost her temper, lost her lover.

Suddenly, Diana heard more barking and howls, they sounded angry and concerned, so she sped off in the direction they were coming from.

⎿✶⏋

Diana broke the treeline just in time to see Victoria beeline for the choppy ocean water. She dove in as Diana caught up with the wolves. When Victoria reappeared, she was hundreds of yards offshore. The wolves growled menacingly, prowling the beach. Paul approached Diana with a concerned look in his eyes and she ran her hand through his fur, smiling softly.

Sam yipped at them, and the three wolves trotted into the forest. Jacob and Paul came back out, a moment later, clad in their cut off shorts and tennis shoes, but Sam wasn't behind them. Paul swept Diana into a hug, nuzzling her neck.

"You're sad," he murmured. She shook her head and looked out to the ocean as he reluctantly let her go, "Just... disappointed."

"Sam went to go check on the others- we got separated a while ago."

Diana nodded, hoping everyone was alright.

Then, there was a scream and the group looked to the cliffs as a body fell into the ocean. Diana gasped and Jacob didn't need to be told twice before he leaped into the ocean and started swimming towards her, towards-

"Bella!" Diana yelled. She tore out of Paul's arms and raced up to the cliff. She found Bella's jacket, bracelets and bag. Diana felt so frantic that she might as well have been hyperventilating.

She glanced over the edge of the cliff, just able to make out the form of Jacob, frantically swimming towards Bella. She grabbed her friend's things and raced back down to the beach.

Paul had waited for her, and Diana dropped Bella's things on a nearby rock before she collapsed into Paul's arms, "I was supposed to protect her," she mumbled, "I was supposed to be there for her."

"Hey, this is not your fault, sugar. You were protecting her, out here, from Victoria. She chose to go hop off a cliff in the meantime and there is nothing you could've done about that."

Diana went to say something when Jacob shouted for her, "Diana!"

Diana turned and raced towards Jacob as he dragged Bella on-shore. She looked barely conscious when Diana collapsed in the sand next to her, Jacob started CPR. After that failed, he rolled her over onto her side.

"Breathe, Bella! C'mon!" He shouted, before hitting her on the back.

Bella's eyes shot open and she started spitting up water. Jacob didn't hesitate to take her jacket from Diana.

"Bella! Bella?" Diana asked.

"Bella? Can you hear me?" Jacob said, urgently. He was shaking and Diana could tell he had been just as worried, if not more, than she had.

"Jake?" Bella asked. Diana could see her eyes focusing on a relieved looking Jacob hovering over her.

Behind him stood Paul, "She'll be alright," he said, looking out at the water, scanning it. Diana could tell he sensed something, but she was more worried about Bella.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Diana snapped angrily, helping her friend sit up and slip her jacket on.

"I needed... to see... something..." she mumbled.

"What? The pearly gates? If we hadn't heard you scream-" Jacob started, ready to lecture until tomorrow.

Sam jogged out of the forest and towards the group, he noticed Bella and nodded to Jacob, "Get her home. I'm heading to the hospital. I'll meet you there."

Jacob nods, and Sam signals for Paul to follow him. Paul helped Diana to her feet, "Go with her, I'll come by later."

She nodded and kissed him, then he and Sam jogged off.

"Why would you jump? Didn't you notice it's like a hurricane out here?" Jacob asked, helping Bella to her feet.

She shrugged, "I know. It was stupid-," then she paused, "- wait, Sam said hospital - someone's hurt?"

"Harry Clearwater had a heart attack."

Bella gasped, "Oh my God- does my Dad know?"

Jacob nodded, "He and my dad are both over there."

"Will Harry be okay?"

"I don't know... Come on, I'll drive you home." As Jacob helped Bella walk, Diana turned toward the water, where she saw Victoria bob to the surface.

When she caught Diana's gaze, the redhead winked... then she disappeared below the surface.