Behind Enemy Lines

Chapter Twenty-Five

Alice's eyes snapped into focus, her expression grim. "We have maybe an hour before James figures out we're gone. We need to move now."

The plan unfolded with military precision. Bella would go south with Alice and Jasper, creating a false trail toward Phoenix while staying in hotels under assumed names. The scent trail would be strong enough for James to follow, but far enough from Forks to keep the confrontation away from Charlie and the pack.

"I'll take Marissa north," Rosalie announced, her voice brooking no argument. "Into Canada. We can cross the border before James realizes we've split up."

"Not alone," Carlisle said firmly. "Emmett, go with them. Your strength could be crucial."

Paul stepped forward, his whole body vibrating with barely contained energy. "I'm going with them."

"You can't cross the border," Sam reminded him. "The pack's territory ends at the Canadian line. You'd be completely cut off from us."

"I don't care."

"Paul." Sam's voice carried the weight of an Alpha command. "You're needed here. If this is a diversion, if James doubles back, Forks will be defenseless."

The agony on Paul's face was devastating to watch. Every instinct he had was screaming at him to follow me, to stay by my side, but Sam was right. The pack had responsibilities beyond just one person, even if that person was his imprint.

"The bond will hold," Jasper said quietly, understanding Paul's torment in a way the others couldn't. "Distance doesn't break what you two have."

Alice pressed a cell phone into my hand. "Prepaid. Untraceable. Paul's number is already programmed in."

Rosalie was already moving toward her BMW, keys in hand. "We leave in five minutes. Marissa, grab whatever you need from the Swan house."

"There's nothing I need," I said, looking around at the faces of people who had become my family from the moment Emmett laid eyes on me all those years ago, the pack who welcomed me with open arms, and Bella who had become like a sister in the past few months. "Just... be careful. All of you."

Bella and I hugged briefly, both of us understanding that this might be goodbye for longer than either of us wanted to think about.

"Take care of yourself," she whispered.

"You too."

Paul caught my hand as I turned toward Rosalie's car. For a moment, we just stood there, the imprint bond pulling tight between us like a rubber band stretched to its breaking point.

"This isn't goodbye," he said fiercely.

"No," I agreed. "It's just... see you later."

He kissed me then, hard and desperate, pouring everything he couldn't say into that single moment of connection. When we broke apart, his eyes were blazing with promise and pain.

"I love you," he said, the words tumbling out like he couldn't hold them back anymore.

"I love you too," I whispered back, the admission feeling both natural and earth-shattering.

Then Jasper was beside me, his hand on my elbow, gently guiding me toward the car. "We need to go."

As Rosalie's BMW roared to life, I watched through the rear window as Paul's figure grew smaller and smaller. The bond between us stretched and pulled, but it held. Even as we crossed the Washington state line, even as miles of forest and mountain passed between us, I could still feel him.

Somewhere behind us, Alice's Volvo was heading south with Bella, creating the trail that would hopefully draw James away from everyone we cared about.

And somewhere in the forest, a predator was beginning to hunt.