𝐋𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄, (paul lahote)

𝑿𝑰 - 𝒅𝒆𝒄𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒊𝒕

ACT ELEVEN

Tension. That was all there was as Zelda sat next to Paul in his truck, his hands gripping the steering wheel as if there's nothing else to hold in this whole damned town. Zelda could not tear her eyes from his side profile, lips tightly pressed together and his jaw clenched tight.

„Why did you come here?" Zelda asked finally after minutes of silence. She figured he was indeed driving her home the closer they got to her house.

„I'm your new protectant. I'm driving you to school, then pick you up again. Sam's order." he muttered, letting out a sarcastic huff as if the idea of being Zelda's protectant was somehow ridiculous to him. That thought alone seemed ridiculous to Zelda, seeing as she was his imprintée. He was supposed to care for her, right? He should want to protect her, to be near her and know her void of any harm.

Somehow, that thought made her heart ache. Like the feeling of not being wanted by him suddenly mattered to her. She wondered why she kept on looking at him. Even after he was now glaring at her, muttering something along the lines of is there something on my face?

Why was he so rude to her? After all, she was supposed to dislike him, not the other way around. There's nothing that changed within his life, right? It's not as if he has some kind of disadvantage because of her— wait.

He has a girlfriend! Suddenly shot into Zelda's head.

Yes, that must be it. He has a girlfriend that he loves so dearly, and now he imprinted on Zelda and can't be with her anymore.

But no, that sounded stupid to Zelda. Imprints didn't have to be romantic right? And who could Paul Lahote possibly love? To get a girlfriend, you must somehow act nice around a person, and that's a thing Zelda was sure Paul Lahote wasn't capable of.

„Stop staring at me." He growled again, making the girl suddenly snap out of her train of thoughts.

„Sorry, I was just thinking-" why your lips were looking so soft right now. No, she couldn't say that.

„Thinking what?" Paul demanded once again, eyes flickering between her and the road.

„Why I would need a protectant." Zelda made up, even tho she could figure out the answer.

„I'm sure you could figure out the answer." a laugh came from Paul even tho he seemed to not enjoy himself. It was more of a how stupid are you? kind of laugh.

„uh, yeah sorry." quietness overtook the pair again, Paul's eyes on the road and Zelda's on his lips. It wasn't long before another question plagued Zelda's brain.

„What about the movies on Saturday?" she asked and if she wasn't so delusional about their connection she would have caught Paul's face falling and his eyes darkening.

„You're not going." he decided.

„No, I want to. It's about this werewolf-" the girl stopped midsentence, feeling as if a run down of the movie wouldn't make him change his mind. But then she thought, who was he to decide what she would and would not do on her Saturday night.

„I'm going, I don't care what you think about it." She told the boy, heavy on her decision to go.

„Swan." he laughed his humourless laugh again.

„This is not a couples fight, this is so you don't end up a corpse." he explained slowly, as to show Zelda that she was dumb. At least that's how she felt.

„Well then come with me." she suggested, even tho it sounded more like a decision rather than a suggestion.

„Why would I want to watch a movie with you and your stupid friends?" Paul instantly shot back, eyebrows furrowed as his eyes found hers.

Zelda was now frowning, at the tone of his voice as well as at him insulting her friends.

„Because you're my protectant now, are you not?" Zelda shot back, tone sharp as she grew impatient at his attitude.

„You needing protection should be enough reason to just fucking stay home a week." he bit back and Zelda pressed her lips together tightly, trying to stay back from just screaming out loud, the frustration in her bones too strong.

She watched as his eyes flickered from her face to the road. She found him unreadable, tho he did not look too pleased with her right now. But then again, he was never fond of her, not once in her entire life living in forks, visiting la push or seeing him in port angeles did he ever so much as look in her direction, let alone mutter something nice. Never did he speak up when his friends would laugh at her, girls he used to date would push her in the streets or harsh insults were whispered behind her back. Yes, people may claim he changes since joining the pack, but right in these moments Zelda knew that he would never truly change. At least not for her.

„You know what, Lahote? Screw your protection. Tell Sam, that I know the risk and I am willing to take it. It's better than having you-" Zelda stopped mid sentence, catching her breath as Paul harshly hit the brakes, right in front of the Swan Residence. He turned his body to her, his hand still holding onto the steering wheel as he raised his brows.

„Having me what, Swan?" he just spit out and Zelda tried to suppress her angry tears.

„Having you mock me. I don't get what your goddamn problem ist, you're still being a prick even to you imprinted on me-" she rambled on quickly being shut up by Paul again.

„I did not choose to imprint on you." he shook his head, licking his teeth as his warm eyes met hers. She would think they were beautiful if they weren't so full of hate.

„I did not choose you so quit acting like I owe you something. Now, go home and be ready by seven fourty tomorrow morning. I'll do what Sam asks of me, nothing more and nothing less." he finished finally and Zelda was shaking her head by now, frown evident on her face. The anger left her body and she took in a deep breath, eager to make things right.

„Listen, I'm sorry about what I said that night at the bonfire, but-" Zelda started, voice trembling as her body betrayed her. She wanted desperately to stay strong, to not show how much his words affected her, but she couldn't. Her fingers danced in her lap, and her eyes were refraining from meeting his.

„I don't care. You don't have to be sorry, you were right. We both didn't choose this. Maybe it's better to stay away, maybe we don't have to accept his cruel fate." he spoke more softly than she ever heard him speak, tho his words were like knifes to her heart. Her eyes widened and her head whipped towards him. His eyes stayed put on the road ahead, cold and stern, as if this connection was something to just throw away.

„You mean decline it? Is that even possible?" she whispered by now, suddenly feeling as if this conversation was too intimate to be heard by anyone. She couldn't believe what he suggested.
How could he want this? Want to stay away from her for good?

„We will see." his eyes finally shot to hers and in them Zelda could only see determination. It was enough to make her zip her mouth shut. Her heart hammered against her chest and the only thing she wanted to do was to go into her bed and cry. She muttered a small alright and turned to leave the car. She hopped out his truck and her hand lingered on the door for a second, waiting for him to say something, to call out her name, to stop her from leaving. But he didn't. So she shut the door softly and left on shaking legs, too hurt to look at him.

And at seven forty the next morning, it was Jared that drove her to school.