Bear No Malice | Paul Lahote

Twelve

It was another week before I was discharged into the care of one Sue Clearwater who held me so tight in her arms I thought she'd break me in half. We suffered the same loss, though in different ways, but could relate to the pain all the same. I couldn't walk too far on my own yet and I was assigned to physical therapy three times a week for the next two months until I was completely mobile. Dr. Cullen had been very attentive to making sure I would make a full physical recovery, though there wasn't anything he could do for my mental state.

After my initial breakdown from the news, I closed off, not able to fully believe what had happened. The morgue had taken Rhett's body to the local funeral home until we held the service. Sue had been a massive help, arranging a small one for here before I would take him back to West Virginia to bury him in his family's cemetery. She'd scheduled it for the day after my release, trying not to draw out my suffering any longer than needed.

I knew it wouldn't hit until I got home and walked in to an empty house, his things still laying where he'd left them the day of the accident. I also knew that I wasn't ready for that and opted to stay at Sue's per her request. Kara agreed to stop out every day and even offered to accompany me to West Virginia, not wanting me to go alone. And despite me wanting to be alone, I knew having her there would be better.

I hadn't seen Paul since I woke up, but I knew he was around. I figured he stayed while I slept and when I started to wake up he left. A part of me was glad, but I also had so many unanswered questions that I knew only he would answer. At this point, he was the only one that could convince me of anything.

I knew he and the boys, at least Sam and Jake, could turn into massive wolves. I knew that the woman who caused the accident couldn't possibly do what she did and be human. I knew that despite the difference in eye color, Dr. Cullen looked just like that woman, which led me to believe he might not be entirely human either.

I'd tried asking Sue, but she only said, "you need to talk to Paul. I promise you he'll explain everything." But how can I talk to someone who doesn't want to be found?

As I sat on Sue's porch listening to the rain fall around me, I stared down at my hands which had scabbed over from the scratches I'd received. I still had a few bulky bandages that needed changed on my arms and legs, but my collarbone was set back and healing nicely, my left arm in a sling for the next five days. Dr. Cullen hadn't mentioned anything about a therapist, just saying that if I needed to talk to someone I could always come to him. As soon as I was able I would be coming to him for some answers.

"Hey, Emma? Do you wanna come inside?" Leah asked softly as she crouched next to me. "Mom's making dinner."

I shook my head. "I'm not hungry. I actually ate a decent breakfast today."

Leah nodded and moved to stand. "I'll grab you another blanket."

Thunder rumbled overhead and I looked out to the trees, not knowing what I was searching for. Maybe Rhett would come walking through them, soaked to the bone in his hiking gear with his southern smile aimed at me. I shut my eyes as my heart clenched, trying to control the tears that wanted to spill.

A blanket wrapped itself around my shoulders as Leah pulled up a chair, a blanket of her own in hand as she sat next to me in silence. She would do this with me every day, as if she could sense when I was about to break down. She never spoke, just sat there with me watching the trees.

"I know you don't understand what happened," she began. "And I want to tell you everything because you at least deserve the truth. But there are certain...restrictions, that I can't get around. Paul has to be the one to tell you. And as soon as he pulls his head out of his ass he will."