Behind Enemy Lines

Chapter Twenty

I had been staying with Sam and Emily for the past few days. I knew it was risky, but Paul needed my help, and my family wasn't willing to let me go to and from as I pleased. I could tell they were already upset by the way my phone has been blown up 24/7 since I left my Dad out in the clearing to run to Sam. The thought of the heartbroken look on his face when I did was almost too much to bear. 

Training Paul to regulate his emotions kept me busy and my mind off my own problems for the time being. Every day, we were out in the yard in front of the house, working on how he can use the imprint feelings for good when he is a wolf, instead of it taking over and him having zero control. 

"Focus, Paul!" Same shouted at him as he stood close to my back, seeing if the close proximity to me would be enough to send him into a rage. 

I saw the way that his hands were shaking, and I knew it was only a matter of time before I stood in front of a giant grey wolf. Same must have seen it too because as soon as he stepped in front of me, guarding me from Paul, everything stopped. His hands became steady, his breathing was even, and the steam even seemed to taper off as it rolled from his shoulders.

"You're not going to hurt her. She's safe. Everything is fine." Paul muttered to himself. I couldn't tell if he was trying to convince Sam that he was okay or himself. Either way, it worked. I watched as he dropped to his knees with his hands in front of him, showing he was fine. 

Sam gave me a small nod as a sign to go to Paul. I dropped in front of him and took his hands into my own. He was burning up, but he was calm. "You did it, you stayed in control. I'm so proud of you, Paul." I told him in a hushed voice. 

His eyes met mine with a deep vulnerability that was almost refreshing with him. 

"I won't ever come that close to hurting you ever again. I'm sorry, Marissa." He told me as he pulled me closer to him, wrapping me in his arms as he held me close to his chest. 

As Sam cleared his throat to get our attention, he let me go to look up to him. "Does this mean I can be back on pack duties?" Paul asked him. I hated seeing him feel so helpless when it came to helping protect his people alongside his brothers. "You can start again as soon as tomorrow," Sam answered. "But, she has to go home now, we can't protect her all the time, and as much as it hurts for me to admit this, we need the Cullens to keep an eye on her. The nomads are still out there, and I can't afford to let you be on Marissa patrol 24/7." Sam continued. 

"But I can come back and see him, right?" I asked him.

"You can come see me anytime, you're part of this family now, too," Paul answered for him. It was nice to see him so relaxed about me going home, knowing I was safe, which ended up being all he needed. 

He helped me gather the last of my things from the guest room in the house that Emily was kind enough to let me use while I was here. I appreciated all she had done to help me understand pack life and living among werewolves. After all, I had been with Vampires my entire life, so this was a 180 that I never expected. 

"You going to be okay going home? I know they're not too happy right now with how we went about things." Paul asked me. I was so nervous about going home and seeing the disappointed faces of my family, and I knew he could feel it because of the imprint. 

"I know they're going to be mad, but honestly, I feel worse about leaving you. There are rabid vampires out there right now, killing people." 

He laughed as I finished, even though I was completely serious. "Honey, I am a werewolf. Big, powerful, vampire-killing machine, werewolf. We're faster, stronger, and better organized than they are. Don't spend one moment worried about me." He told me as he pulled me close to him and placed a kiss on the top of my head. "You just stay safe, and if the worst happens and you are in danger, I will feel it and be there before you know it." 

I knew his words were supposed to be comforting, but they only made me paint the worst-case scenario in my head. 

I'm a human, in between two supernatural worlds without any way to protect myself. If Paul is even one second late, that's it for Marissa. My family can't fight off everything, and they move just as fast as these other vampires, but are they as strong? These vampires drink human blood, which has to come into play against my family. 

I shook my head to snap out of it as Paul and I made our way out of Sam and Emily's, off to the next battle. 

Seeing my family again after I ran off to be with werewolves.