Discover Twilight

chapter xlv

"So when do the Vamps and Jake come back from their roadtrip?" Paul asked as he shut the door to his Jeep.

I chuckle as I slide out of my seat, taking the soccer ball under my arm, "Jake, Bells and Edward come back from Denali this afternoon. Carlisle and Esme are in Egypt right now bringing an old friend and his coven. Rose and Em are in Europe and Jasper and Alice are still MIA."

Paul looks at me, slightly pouting but his eyes hold a more distinguished surprised tone, "Since when did you call them by their first names, much less a nickname? They've corrupted you."

"I dunno, I've grown to like them like a part of me is supposed to be apart of their family. Like fate made me apart of all this," I admit, staring at the ball in my hands as I continue to walk to the water and ignore the comment he made about my being corrupted.

Two tan arms wrap themselves around my small, muscled frame and squeezes, lifting me off the ground and twirling me causing me to shriek like a girl. Once my bare feet touch the cool sand once more, Paul turns me around to face him, "Well I've got you for today and I'm not sharing. I barely get to see you anymore."

Rolling my eyes, I toss the ball toward the water and chase after it, "Fine but you've gotta catch me first."

His low intrigued growl erupts behind me, following me as I dribble away from him. The sun cast his shadow in front of him, allowing me to see how far behind me he was. As he got a few paces behind me, I stopped my momentum and crossed the ball to the side and spun out of the way just in time to watch him stumble forward because he expected to make contact with me. He looks over at me, scrunching his face at me as I laughed so hard I fell to the sand. Seeing his opportunity, Paul sprinted over to me and tackled me into a hug only to make me laugh harder.

"Hey, that's no fair. You made me laugh hard enough to fall down," I whined after squirming out of his arms, now completely covered in sand.

Paul scrambled to his feet, swinging his arms and doing his little victory dance that he only does when he wins against me, "Hey, all is fair in love and tag."

"I don't think that's how the saying goes," I chuckle, brushing the sand off my butt.

Paul steps closer to me, smirking at my huffing, "I think that you're just mad you lost."

"Touché."

"Is this really going to be the only time I see you for the next few weeks?" Paul whines as we get into the car, realizing that the chimes of my phone's notification more than likely belonged to the Cullens.

I look down at my phone to see the text that I'd received from Jake while we were on First Beach, saying that after a little convincing the four of them convinced the Denali Coven to witness for us and that they'd be back by tomorrow morning. Then I see the pain and jealousy in Paul's eyes, knowing how much I'm away hurts him. "Not if you start coming with me to the Cullen's. If it comes to a fight, Sam and I agreed that the Pack would help their case. They're my family and I have to protect them. It would mean so much to me if you stood by me in this, please?"

"You know how much I hate them," Paul trailed off not wanting to look at me because he knew that if he looked me in the eyes, he'd do whatever I asked of him without second thought. "But if it'll make you happy, I'll start going with you."