𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞

𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫

The wound was getting worse and worse as the days went on. It was to the point that even Paul's presence didn't sooth the pain like it used to. Nothing was helping.

Instead of jolts of pain and dizzy spells, I was now in constant pain that had me feeling weak and sick. I couldn't keep down much food, everything making me feel nauseated and sick. I was wasting away.

This last week I couldn't even visit Bella like I'd planned on, my body too tired to get out of bed. I felt like the worst friend in the world for that. Just two weeks ago, I had promised to be strong for her, yet here I was falling apart. 

Sue came and visited, giving me a check up and telling me that it would be okay. But we both knew that her words were a lie.

I didn't have much time left and that was equal parts terrifying as it was relieving. I was just so tired of the pain.

Currently I was sitting on the couch with Jake sat beside me and dad in the kitchen cooking. Paul had gone over to Sam's to check in and promised he'd be back later, but for now it was just my family and I. 

A friends re-run was playing quietly in the background but I wasn't paying much attention to it, my mind was more focused on my impending demise. I worried about Jake and dad, what they'd do once I was gone.

They'd be okay, right? I mean, they had to be. The last thing I wanted was for them to fall apart because of me.

The idea of not seeing Jake graduate, or watch him join the pack, get married, have kids... I wouldn't get to see Rachel do those things either, and Rebecca was pregnant, would I live long enough to see my first niece or nephew? They didn't even know I was sick. 

I had the sudden urge to call up my adoptive sisters and cry to them, but I didn't want to bother them. Rachel was busy at college and Rebecca was busy with her life. Why call them just to give them bad news?

"So, Paul has been around a lot recently," Jake broke me from my thoughts. "What's up with that?"

I felt my cheeks warm slightly and I wanted to curse myself for the reaction. The more and more time Paul and I spent together, it was easy for those old feelings to come back to the surface. But were those feelings ever truly gone? I hated to think that I might've harbored some feelings for my best friend while dating Emmett, but what Emmett did was worse, so it didn't matter anyways. Right?

"He's just worried about me," I defended, not wanting to admit to anything aloud.

Jake nodded slowly and I could see his eyes tracking my face before his brows furrowed in concern, "yeah, what's been going on lately? You don't look too good."

I wanted to tell him, but the words just wouldn't leave my mouth. It was like I physically couldn't push the words out. So instead I swallowed and said, "don't worry about me, I'll be okay."

It was a lie and I think we both knew it. But for whatever reason, Jake didn't push me for the truth. We just turned back to the tv and fell into a peaceful silence.

When I woke up this morning Paul was determined to fix me. I could see it in his face and posture, his eyes set as he looked at me and demanded I get some fresh air. I wanted to fight him, tell him how tired I was and that I just wanted to lay here today.

But I didn't want to worry him further. He had been there for me these last two and a half months and had watched me slowly die. He deserved one last good day with me, even if it exhausted me.

So I nodded and forced myself out of bed, with his help of course, my body too weak to do much more than stand and breathe. I dressed in warm clothes, trying to block out the early December chill. Paul on the other hand, looked completely out of the ordinary in a fitted t-shirt and jeans, clearly the change in weather didn't affect him and his werewolf heat.

Paul and I made our way through the forest, twigs crunching beneath my feet with every step. I didn't know where we were going, or what Paul had planned, but I was down for anything. Anything was better than sitting in bed, even if that was all I had the energy to do nowadays.

"So, are you going to tell me where we're going?" I asked, calling to Paul who was a couple feet ahead of me, his long legs covering ground quicker than mine.

Paul turned over his shoulder, sending me a smile that kick started something in my chest. I tried to ignore it. "Just hang in there, we're almost there."

I nodded, not responding as we continued our trek. After awhile we came up to a break the trees and into a clearing, still walking through.

My chest was throbbing with pain and I had to slow my steps, my hand moving to gently rub around the wound on my chest. Knowing Paul wasn't watching, I pulled the neck of my sweater down just enough to expose it.

It looked worse than it did this morning, it was starting to bleed at the center and I knew I'd need to wrap it wi--

"What the hell is that?"

I jumped, letting go of my sweater and snapping my gaze to Paul who was eyeing my chest with a look that can only be described as panic. "N-nothing," I decided that playing dumb was better than the alternative.

Paul closed the space between us in two long strides, stopping once he was standing right in front of me, his eyes bouncing between mine and my chest. "Olivia, what was that?" He asked again.

I bit down on the inside of my cheek, trying to plan my next move. I could lie, its not like he'd force me to show him. But the idea of outright lying to Paul after all he'd done for me felt wrong.

So I took a slow breath and slowly reached my hand up, pulling the neck of my sweater down until the upper part of my wound was exposed. Paul's face shifted back and forth between panic and shock, like he wasn't sure what to feel.

"What is it? How long has it been there? Liv, that doesn't look good," Paul was rambling, his eyes not leaving my wound for a second.

I took a steadying breath, knowing that my next words were going to change everything for Paul. "I'm dying, Paul."

His eyes snapped to mine and I felt my breath leave my lungs at the intensity of his stare. I couldn't understand it, but he was looking at me with such devastation and heartbreak, and I had the immediate desire to piece him back together, hating how it looked on him. Hating that I was the cause of it.

"No, you're not, why would you say that?" Paul shook his head and I could see his eyes glistening and my heart cracked in two. I'd never seen Paul Lahote cry, not once in our entire lives, but looking at him know I was sure he was close to tears.

"Sue told me a couple weeks ago, my wound hasn't gotten better and since it's... supernatural, there's no cure." I tried to keep my voice steady, but my words were wobbling and I felt my eyes burning with unshed tears. Still, I refused to cry.

Paul broke away from my eyes and looked back down at the wound, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I-Is it a bite?" He met my eyes again and clearly my face gave him all the answer he needed because in the next moment his jaw was tight and he looked angry instead of sad. "That bloodsucker bit you?" He seethed.

I let out a breath, letting go of my sweater and crossing my arms. "Yes, but look--"

"He bit you!?" Paul raked a shaking hand through his short hair, his body was vibrating and I knew he was close to phasing if I didn't calm him down quick.

I held up my hands, "It wasn't like that, Paul. I let him."

His eyes went wide, "you let him bite you? Olivia, why the fuck would you let him do that!?"

"Because," I snapped, suddenly feeling very defensive and slightly embarrassed by my life choices I'd made with my supposed soulmate.

Paul was shaking his head, taking a step back from me, "you let him drink your blood?! That's a violation of the treaty, the Cullen's are dead!"

"It wasn't him drinking my blood, Paul, it was different!" I shouted over his raised voice.

Paul scoffed, "what other reason would he have to bite you?"

"It was a sex thing!" I shouted, my cheeks flaming. I dropped my voice, my eyes falling to the ground, "Just drop it, okay?"

The clearing was silent for a beat, the only sound Paul's ragged breathing. I wanted to look at him, to see what he was thinking, but I couldn't bring myself to do it, too embarrassed by my revelation.

"A sex thing?" He asked slowly, "you wanted him to bite you?"

He sounded almost disgusted by it, and I felt myself get frustrated that he was judging me. Paul didn't know what it was like with Emmett, why I let him bite me, why he felt the need to bite me. It was electrifying and I didn't know how to explain that to him other than blurting out more truths.

My eyes met Paul's, "he was my soulmate, not that you'd know anything about that, but its literally a supernatural bond! Nothing about it makes sense, so stop judging me for things you clearly don't understand!"

"I understand bonds, Liv, don't be ridiculous," Paul scoffed, shaking his head, "He can't be your soulmate, that's impossible!"

I rolled my eyes, "oh really? What makes you say that? Sue confirmed it herself, it's the whole reason I'm dying, Paul! When vampires break a mate bond it physically cracks their chest open, leaves them with a gaping hole for the rest of their existence. They can survive that breakage. I can't. Now go ahead, tell me how you're so sure I'm wrong!"

Paul shook his head again, the anger leaving his face and swapping with confusion, "it doesn't make sense."

I sighed, mumbling, "tell me about it."

"No, you don't get it, Liv," Paul began, his brows knitting together, "you're mine. So it's actually impossible for you to be his."

My heart stilled in my chest, my mind suddenly very confused. You're mine, that's what Paul had just said, right? Or was I hearing things? "W-what?"

Paul took a breath, before stepping toward me, his eyes flaming with an intensity that took my breath away. What was happening right now? "Olivia, the shifters have mates too. They're called imprints. We only get one and..." He trailed off, wetting his lips before continuing, "you're mine. I imprinted on you last summer."

My heart was suddenly kicked into overdrive and cracked wide open all at the same time. I was Paul's imprint? I thought about the legends of the third wife. It all made sense, the legends were true so of course this one would be too. 

But I was confused. Emmett had told me that being mates meant that we couldn't be apart, that he was physically drawn to always be with me and it was the same for me. 

I felt that for Paul too, last year all I wanted was to be with him and even when I was with Emmett I still missed Paul all the time. It was like a piece of me was drawn to him.

How could I have two mates? How was that possible?

Was it to make up for the fact that one didn't want me?

My heart stilled in my chest again, my stomach dropping and I suddenly felt like curling up and crying. Because it wasn't just Emmett that didn't want me.

Paul had never wanted to be more than a hook up. And just two weeks ago he'd told me he didn't want me like that.

Was there something wrong with me? Was I broken? Why else would both of my soulmates not want me?

Tears were welling up in my eyes and I was close to crying as I met Paul's stare. "Do you not want me either?" I asked, a tear falling from my eye as I asked the question.

Paul reacted instantly, stepping into my space and cupping my face in his warm hands. He tilted my face up, forcing me to look into his whiskey brown eyes. "Why would you ever think that?"

I furrowed my brows in confusion, was he stupid? "Last year you told me you didn't want to be with me like that, you didn't say anything when I started talking with Emmett, and just two weeks ago you told me you didn't want me like that. What else am I supposed to think, Paul? You don't want me and Emmett doesn't want me--" My voice cracked as more tears spilled down my face, "I'm broken."

"Liv," Paul whispered, his voice breaking. He wiped my tears with his thumbs, "I want you. I've always wanted you."

I shook my head as much as I could with Paul holding it, which wasn't much, "Then why--" Paul cut me off and suddenly this man who was never one of many words, was full of them.

"The imprint bond is complicated. When we imprint, it's like everything shifts, our whole world suddenly revolves around this one person. We'd do anything to protect them, love them, make them happy. And we become whatever they need us to be. Friend, lover, protector.

"Last summer I thought when I imprinted we'd be together, I've always wanted to be with you, Liv. But Sam told me I couldn't tell you, so I had to keep some distance. And then when you met Emmett... I felt like you didn't need me to be that for you, you needed a friend, so I was your friend. And since he left, I knew you needed me to be your protector. 

"You haven't needed me like that, yet. And that's the only reason I haven't been that for you." Paul was searching my eyes, his intent burning through me. "You're not broken, Olivia. I don't know why Emmett left you, but I need you to know that I'm not going anywhere."

I was speechless. My skin was blazing and my heart was suddenly too full. How was any of this possible? And when did Paul get so good with words? And why did I suddenly feel like I wanted to cry because of how much I felt for this guy?

But the world sure did have a cruel sense of humor. Because just as the boy I'd been in love with since I was twelve confessed his feelings, I was struck with a painful reminder. I was dying. And I didn't have much time left.

"Paul," I whispered, my hands moving to hold onto his wrists, "I'm still going to die and there's nothing we can do to fix that."

His grip on my face tightened slightly before he let go and stepped back a step. "Take off your sweater."

My eyes went wide, "what? Why?"

"Just trust me, okay?" His hands went to his shirt and in a swift moment he pulled the clothing over his head, leaving him shirtless and standing in front of me.

My cheeks burned pink and it took everything in me to advert my gaze from his toned chest and abs. "W-what are you doing?"

"I'm going to shift, and I need you to trust me. I think I can help you, just take off the sweater." I gave him a nod. Paul started undoing the button on his pants, turning away from me before I could see anything more.

I quickly made work of pulling my sweater over my head, leaving me in a thin tank top. Goosebumps immediately spread across my arms and chest, the cool winter air biting at my skin.

Paul, in all his naked glory, walked away from me a few steps, his body shaking. I'd never seen him phase before. I watched in astonishment as where he was once standing was now a large silver wolf in his place.

My heart beat suddenly picked up in my chest, my mouth hanging open in amazement. I'd never seen something so... beautiful before.

Paul's wolf turned toward me, his head bowed low to the ground as he slowly walked toward me, showing clear signs that he wasn't a threat. My lips quirked up in a smile, "I know you won't hurt me."

The wolf perked up in response, standing to his full height--which was taller than me--and his tongue lulled out of his mouth in what I assumed to be a smile. As he stepped closer I had to crane my head to meet his eyes.

I moved slowly, unsure, but I reached my hand up to his face. He was so soft as my fingers brushed through the fur on his head. "You're so soft," I whispered, raking my fingers through the thick coat.

A purr sounded from the wolf and I jumped slightly in surprise, laughing at my own shock. I dropped my hand, a sudden shiver wracking through me. "So, are you going to explain why you have me freezing to death in the middle of the woods now?"

He dipped his head in a nod and moved slowly toward my chest, his nose was warm as it lightly brushed over the wound, giving a quick sniff. I watched in confusion. What was he-- I yelped out in surprise as his tongue lapped across my chest and wound, coating it and my skin in his saliva.

"What are you doing?" I asked, confused. Of course he didn't answer, but he repeated the process two more times before huffing and turning away. "That better have a good explanation!" I called after him as he picked up his clothes in his teeth and walked into the treeline.

I waited a minute before he returned, fully dressed and jogging toward me. "What was that for?" I asked.

Paul's gaze was focused on my wound, his eyes tracing it until he gave a triumphant smile. I glanced down to see what he was grinning about, only to gasp in shock. The wound was still there but, it looked better, if only slightly. "H-how?"

"Imprint magic," he explained with a shrug. "Now, put your shirt on, I don't want you to freeze. We're going to go see Billy."

I quickly pulled my sweater over my head, "why my dad?"

"I think I might know of a way to save you."