A week later, I was staring at the bonfire, watching the embers burn bright as the different colored flames licked up the pieces of driftwood. The whole pack was there, and I was required to be there, to hear the legends for the millionth time. I didn't want to be here, and I definitely didn't want to be near Paul, who was sitting on the log next to me, and his eyes were burning holes in the side of my head.
Billy wrapped up the final story and many people were beginning to stand up and move around, milling about, talking to people. I kept my eyes on the fire, as I felt the pull to Paul becoming harder and harder to ignore. I stood up and maneuvered my way over to Uncle Billy, my Converse scrunching up dead leaves. Uncle Billy spoke in his gravelly voice, "Meredith, my dear niece, how did you enjoy the stories?"
I smiled at him through the dim light. "Wonderful as always Uncle Billy."
"Being a part of the pack becomes you," he said, "do you enjoy it?"
I joked, "It's always nice to have friends again."
Uncle Billy laughed whole heartedly. "I'll see you and Jacob at home. I have some business to attend to. It seems as though someone would like to speak with you."
He gestured towards Paul. I shook my head. "He'll be fine. I think I'll just grab that pan of brownies and head out."
I moved over to the food table, where Embry was busy stuffing his face full of chips. I sneakily grabbed the pan, and pulled it behind my back. Embry said, "Whatcha got there?"
I looked away. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Embry growled, "Those are my brownies."
I giggled and sprinted into the trees, clutching the brownies as if they were my own child, dodging around trees, cackling the whole way. It was dark, but I could see the light of my house to my left. I abruptly turned and I heard Embry yell, "Where the hell are you?"
I ran out into the road, quickly crossing it, and hurried up the steps. I pulled open the door and rushed in, only to see balloons. Lots of balloons and everyone from the bonfire and Paul holding a cake with a picture of his face and "I'm sorry" written in icing. My stomach rolled and I really wanted to puke, and I had an overwhelming urge to literally throw the cake in his face. I squirmed inside while trying not to hurl the contents of my stomach, which was a lot, all over the floor. I said, "Paul, can I see you in my room? Now."
His eyes slightly widened and he nodded, which brought on a chorus of oohs from the guys. Uncle Billy seemed deadly uncomfortable, as I stormed my way into my bedroom, closely followed by Paul, who brought the cake in with him. I slammed the door shut behind and I turned to face him. I yelled, "What in the hell was that? Trying to force to me forgive because you had an audience?"
Paul replied coolly, "No but since you wouldn't even speak to me, I thought it would work better. And it did, might I add, because now I get to hear your precious voice scream at me."
I pinched the bridge of my nose, what I usually do when I'm about to cry. Paul continued, as he took a seat on my bed, "Just can you at least make an effort, for Christ's sake."
I glared at him. "I made an effort, you know when I tried calling you over 100 times, but last time it didn't work because I ended up being called worthless. How about them apples, huh?"
Paul groaned, "When are you going to get over that?"
I snarled, "When pigs fly out of your ass."
Exasperated, Paul yelled, "I've apologized. I don't know what else you want from me."
I gestured my hands wildly. "Bingo. I don't want anything to do with you."
Paul shouted, "The least you could is try. I'm your imprint for Christ's sake."
I rolled my eyes. "Stop throwing that word around like it means something."
Paul said bone-chillingly quiet, "That word means everything. You're my everything."
I saw down on the ground and stared at the rug. I said furiously, "When I was in Seattle, I had a boyfriend. I was desperately in love with him. One day, we were making out on the couch when things started to go farther. I had already made it clear to him before I didn't want to go any farther. After many attempts to stop him, he ra-raped me.
I told my parents about it, hoping they would do something, anything about it. See, his father was the chief of police there, and there was no point in doing anything legal. Instead, they called me a worthless, oh, how funny that is, they were calling me worthless, ring any bells, but yeah, they called me a worthless whore. And then they beat me, and brought me on a trip to Uncle Billy's, only to never come back.
But just wait for a second there, you didn't think I could get off that easily. So after I start making friends, and everyone leaves, just leaving Quil and I, I'm in my AP Bio class, when he walks in. Oh wait, it gets better. After having a panic attack in the bathroom, I'm completely fine. Until I go to gym, and we play basketball, and he breaks my goddamn nose.
So I go home, right, this is the real kicker, and I'm hanging out with Quil, when the door bell rings and he says it's a friend from school coming to work on a project, and then Quil leaves. When I open the door, it's none other than him. Guess what he does? Can you guess"
Paul looked furious and was starting to shake. I grinned. "Bingo. He raped me, on the floor of Billy's house, where many of our beloved friends are standing right now. And when I don't think life can get any worse, I phase into a fucking werewolf. How much of that were you expecting? I don't think you expected any of it, because you can't pull your head out of your goddamn ass for one second to look around."
I walked over to the window and slid it open, ignoring Paul's protests, and hopped out through it. He collapsed on the bed, and I slammed it shut as I watched him try to control his breathing. Walking away from the yard, I headed into the woods, leaves and twigs crunching under my feet. Longing to go back to Paul, I kept walking until I smelt the sickly sweet stench of a leech. Already furious, I quickly phased and howled, despite no one being in my mind.
I took off towards the smell, trail leading me deeper and deeper into the woods, until I came to a clearing where I saw the tick, holding onto a little girl, who was crying, and the vamp looked ready to kill. I growled at her and she looked up, amused. Circling her now, she said, "You have no business here, werewolf. I'm just having a bit of a snack."
I pounced at her and she quickly dropped the girl, running away. Careful to not step on her, I ran after the vampire, her curly, ginger hair swinging behind her as she ran. Following her sickening peals of laughter, I felt Jared shift into my mind.
Jared: You alright?
Mer: Leech. Left a human girl in the clearing.
After showing him everything that happened, he quickly ran to the girl, as I followed the leech, who stopped in another smaller clearing. I ran at her, but she just moved to the side but I grabbed out with my teeth, which caught purchase at her ankle and I threw her across the clearing.
She glared. "You wanna play, then? Let's play."
I growled as she launched herself at me, and I dug my claws into her and we rolled around, me snapping at her, as she kept trying to find purchase along my squirming body.
Mer: Jared, where the hell are you?
Jared: I'm coming, I got held up with the girl.
At the moment, the leech found purchase and threw me into a tree. I whined but quickly picked myself up, feeling my broken ribs start to mend themselves. Then another leech dropped on my back. The ginger bloodsucker giggled like a sick schoolgirl, as I started bucking him off but not before he grabbed hold of my back leg and squeezed. I both heard and felt the bone break and I howled for the second time tonight, and I launched myself at him ignoring the stabbing pain.
My teeth locked around his neck and I ripped, metallic screeching was heard as his head flew off. I quickly dismembered the body as Jared flew into the clearing.
Mer: About damn time
Sam: Where are you guys?
Paul: Are you guys okay?
After quickly showing the events, I watched the ginger as Jared and I started circling her. She launched herself at a tree and started climbing, Jared and I following underneath, as she jumped from tree to tree. Limping a great deal, Jared and I ran after her until she hopped over the Cullen treaty line. I growled in fury.
Mer: There's a 10/10 chance I broke my leg and I think there's a 9/10 chance I'm about to phase back, leaving me naked.
Sam: Just hold on a little longer, Meredith, we're almost there.
Then I involuntarily phased back, and the quiet whining quickly replaced me cursing up a storm. My bone was poking out of my skin and oozing blood, and I rolled my head over and lost the contents of my stomach, the acid burning the back of my throat. Jared stood over me, whining gently. I whispered, throat burning, "Don't forget about the leech I tore up. He'll put himself back together and I really don't need that right now."
He nodded his big head at me. I couldn't even feel the pain in my leg anymore, and I knew that was bad, but I honestly didn't care I was so tired. And of course, I knew that not caring was bad, and the drowsiness was from blood loss, and I watched as the skin tried to knit back together but the bone was in the way. I threw up again, and Jared howled again.
I laid back and closed my eyes, only to be barked at by Jared. I rolled my eyes and looked at him, and he shook his head. The meaning was clear: no falling asleep. He stuck his leg out at me, his giant paw right in my face. I went to smack him but then I looked at his ankle, where a shirt was wrapped around it. I took it gratefully and popped my head through it, and gently put both arms through.
The pounding of footsteps or more like pawsteps came closer and abruptly stopped behind me. I weakly turned my head towards them, and flashed a weak grin. "The cavalry arrived. Maybe just a tad too late."
My eyes fluttered closed and bringing my hand to my mouth, I coughed. When I looked back at my hand, it was covered in blood. "Perfect."
Jake, who had apparently phased, scooped me into his arms. I bit back a yelp as my leg moved. At least I could feel my leg now. Paul said, "Let me take her."
I looked at him, irritated. I went to say something rude, but I coughed again, blood spattering against Jake's chest. He looked down, mildly disgusted as I sent him an apologetic look. He grinned, "I saw what you did to the other vamp back there. I gotta say it was pretty sweet."
I rolled my eyes. "If I could've done that before all of this, I would've liked that a helluva lot better."
He chuckled. Sam said, "We're going to take you to the Cullen's. I don't believe there's anyway around it, and they're closer than the Rez. Jacob and I will bring her, the less people the better. I don't want them to think we're attacking."
Paul exclaimed, "Sam."
Sam said with authority. "No Paul. For starters, I don't believe she wants you there. Secondly, you get too aggressive too quickly."
I coughed again, this time away from Jacob's chest. I said quietly, "I think it'd be quite helpful if you were to actually bring me before I pass out. Or before I die. You know, anyone of those."
Jacob started walking towards the treaty line, Sam following silently. As soon as Jake crossed the line, a vampire instantly appeared. He had strange yellow eyes, and his hair was copper colored, and he was quite tall. Jake said, "Edward, she needs help. She was fighting with Victoria and this other vampire, and things got out of hand."
Edward nodded. "Hand her to me so you both can phase and run with me to the house. It's faster this way."
Jake carefully placed me in his arms and I flinched at his freezing touch. I coughed again, off to the side, and Edward looked at me, concerned. My head lolled to the side, as Edward took off running, both wolves on my side. I nodded in and out of consciousness, as hands passed me off and soon I was laying on a table, surrounded by blinding lights. Hands laid on my leg and I flinched, and then white hot pain followed the hands and I screamed out. Everything went black.