The Southern Imprint (Paul Lahote x oc)

Chapter 15: Pain

Instead of taking seconds to shift like I did, she shifted almost instantly. Paul grabbed me and turned so he was shielding me from the she-wolf; just as Leah attacked. Paul cried out as her paw came down on his back. He crumpled against me as a new wolf jumped over us and attacked Leah.

"Paul!" I cried, lowering him to the ground as gently as I could. He groaned in pain with every movement. Jared and Embry rushed over to me while Sam took care of Seth and Leah who were still fighting.

"Why isn't he healing?" I ask, tears burning my eyes.

"Wolf wounds take longer to heal." Jared replied. He started to rip the remains of Paul's shirt off, "why don't you go get some wet towels."

I got up and numbly went into the house to retrieve the towels.

Paul POV.

The second Leah started to shift I turned Olivia so I was shielding her. There was no way in heck I was letting her get hurt. As Leah struck I crumpled into Olivia, crying out in pain. I could feel blood seeping from my wound as she lowered me to the ground. I could vaguely hear some of the others rushing over and kneeling beside me. Someone, Jared I think, told Olivia to go get something. I felt her squeeze my hand and stand up to get whatever Jared told her to get.

"No," I all but moan out in pain. I felt someone start to pull the rest of my shirt off.

"She's just getting towels." Jared said as he cleaned up what he could.

"What happened!" I hear someone, probably Emily, shout.

"Go get Sue, he's gonna need stitches." Sam said, joining Jared at my side. Olivia finally emerged from the house and knelt at my side. She pressed something on my back and pain flared up. I groaned and tried to move away.

"Sorry, sorry." Olivia muttered as she continued to clean my back. Sue appeared with a suture kit and got to work. My back was kinda numb from the pain and I recognized the faint tingling of my accelerated healing. When I get better, Leah better pray we aren't on patrol together.

Olivia POV.

As Sue started to finish his stitches Leah came over and saw what she had done to Paul's back. Her eyes widened in horror as she stumbled back.

"I didn't mean to do that. I swear I didn't." She rambled. Her brother hugged her from the side and led her away.

"It wasn't your fault. You had no idea what was going to happen." He mumbled, rubbing her arms soothingly.

Paul squeezed my hand as he tried to sit up. "Don't get up. You'll rip the stitches." Sue said packing up her kit.

"How is he supposed to get inside then?" I asked.

"They can  lift him to his feet, we'll wrap it inside." Sue said, gesturing towards the rest of the guys. The boys each took their spots, Embry and Jared up front and Sam to keep his back from bending too much. It was an awkward 10 seconds but they got Paul to his feet. I went to his side so he could use me as a crutch. He hobbled inside and we got him to the couch as Sue came back with some bandages and gauze and started to wrap his back.

"No shifting for a week at least, and bed rest for at least a day. Maybe two. Come back in three days and I will take the stitches out." Sue instructed as she finished up. After she was done she told us we were free to go. On our way to the door Leah called out to me.

"Hey, can I talk to you?" She asked.

"Sure."

We stepped off to the side to give the allusion of privacy.

"I swear I didn't mean to hurt him. If I had known that was going to happen I wouldn't have been standing so close. I'm so sorry." She said in a rush.

"You have nothing to apologize for. You didn't know and you just lost your father. I shouldn't have pushed you. So really I should be the one apologizing."

"No you were just trying to help, I shouldn't have gotten mad. Can we start over?"

"Of course! I have to get Paul home but we can exchange numbers the next time we see each other."

"Sure. See you later." She waved good bye.

"See you." I made my way back to Paul.

"At least she knows it was her fault." Paul said as we made our way to the door.

I slapped him on the arm. "It was not her fault and you know it. None of us knew she had shifter blood." Helped him get in the passenger side and walked around to the driver's side. "She was trying to make up for it. She feels really bad so don't make her feel worse."

"She's lucky I'm on bed rest for a day." He leaned back a little and winced as his back hit the seat.

"You mean two days. And you can't shift for a week."

"No she said one day."

"She also said it should probably be two days so we are doing two days." I pulled out into the road and started back to Paul's house.

"That's cute that you think you can keep me in bed for two days."

"Don't underestimate me. I will duct tape you to the bed."

"I'd like to see you try."

"Is that a challenge?"

He huffed and looked out the window. The rest of the ride was silent. I pulled into his driveway before I remembered something.

"Can I borrow your phone so I can text my parents? Mine is still at Emily's." I asked before we got out.

"Sure." He handed me his phone and I texted my mom where I was and what had happened. I handed him his phone back and got out of the car.

We headed upstairs and took turns in the bathroom getting changed since both of our clothes were covered in blood. When it was finally time to go to bed he tried to cuddle up behind me on his side. Is he trying to rip out his stitches?

"Absolutely not. Lay on your back. You're gonna rip out your stitches." I said turning around on the bed. He huffed and did as I said.

"This is going to be a long two days."

"Only if you don't listen."

"Ok mom." He said sarcastically.

I cuddled up to his side, and with his arm wrapped around me I fell into a dreamless sleep.