Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Freedom

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 06:

Amber POV

“So how’s it been going Vicky? I hear you have been causing all kinds of trouble looking for me.”

“Your dogs have done a great job of keeping you hidden, but they aren’t here now are they?”

“No they aren’t. You aren’t much of a tracker are you? You know over the last month I have made a complete circle of the United States while your dumbass was here risking death by chewing looking for me?”

“That can’t be true. And what the hell has happened to you? If it wasn’t for your scent I wouldn’t have recognized you.”

“Amber, don’t antagonize her.” I heard Bella say from my side.

“Don’t worry about me. Let’s talk about us.” I told Vicki.

“There is no us. You are about to die.”

“That’s cool. You think I’m scared of death? Kill me. It won’t bring back your precious boyfriend. You’ll still be just as miserable. Cullen will still be alive. You remember him? The guy who turned your mate to ash?”

“I’m going to make you suffer.” She looked like she was getting very angry.

“Suffering is life Vicki. You would know that if you were alive.”

She was on me in a flash, standing inches away from my face. Bella was scared. She had her face in her hands. Poor girl.

“Bella, look at me. We had this lesson already. You need to be in this moment. Feel it.”

“Who the fuck are you talking to?”

“If I were you Vicki, I would be more concerned about who is behind you.”

I jumped out of the way as I saw a silver wolf rushing her. Paul.

Bella and I ran to the side of the road and watched the fight. Paul and Vicki growled at each other circling their adversaries. Bella held me tight. Paul jumped at Vicki who dodged him and scraped her nails down his side. He yelped but turned around and stood in front of us protectively. He was bleeding. A lot. I guess she got him pretty good.

She came forward and he snapped at her, getting his jaws around her left shoulder. They fell back and she brought her right fist on top of her head. Paul lay on the road slumped over. I saw her moving to bite him. Bella shouted.

BPOV

“NO!”

I was not going to let Paul die for me. If she bit him he would die. I took my knife out of my pocket. I ran it down my left forearm deep. The blood instantly caught her scent and she turned to look at me.

“This is our fight! Leave him out of this! You want me, come and get me.” Amber grabbed my right hand. She held tightly and told me she was proud of me. Vicki came towards us and I closed my eyes and prepared for the end. It never came. I heard a scream.

I opened my eyes to see a large black wolf had knocked her down. She sneered at me and took off into the trees. Jake, Embry and Quil chased after her into the woods. Sam rushed to me.

“Bella are…”

“Get to Paul!” He’s hurt bad!”

“B we need to get out of here. Paul is in good hands now.” I heard Amber whisper in my ear.

“No Amber, we are staying until I know he is going to be okay.”

Amber rolled her eyes. “Okay B, but this is on you if they keep us here and we can’t get out.”

“Nobody can keep us anywhere we don’t want to be Amber. You know this.”

“I know sweetie. I just want to make sure this is what you want.”

“It is but I’m tired.”

“Go to sleep honey, I got this.” I heard her say as I blacked out.

Amber POV

Since B had insisted we wear a bra today, I took off my shirt and wrapped it around my arm. I looked at Sam who was once again wearing nothing. He was kneeled over Paul who had shifted back to human. I walked over. Sam looked up at me.

“He going to be okay?”

“Yes he should be. He is healing now but it may be a little while till he wakes up. You saved him you know.”

“No, Bella saved him. I was ready to die. There was no reason for anyone to get involved. This could have been all over.”

“He would die without you.”

“He doesn’t know me.”

“The imprint would kill him.”

“Yeah, well. And here I was thinking he was being a hero to protect me. I guess he had to protect himself too.”

“You really don’t have a clue about imprinting do you?”

“What’s to know? It makes a slave out of you guys to a woman’s whims. These wolves don’t have a choice but to do what you say. They are slaves to you, Uley. And then they have an imprint thrown on them and they have another master. Of course the girls have to be with the imprint as well. You know how bad Bella’s chest hurts sometime? She didn’t ask for this. It wasn’t fair. None of this is fair to anyone.”

“Are you leaving?” Sam asked quietly.

“No, Bella said we couldn’t leave until we knew he was okay. I guess we are going to go to his house and play nurse for him until he is on his feet.”

Sam nodded looking relieved. I guess he thought this would make everything right.

“Bella is only doing this because she feels guilty about him getting hurt defending her. I thought I had got guilt out of her system but a few things are ingrained in her deeper than I imagined.”

“No matter what you do, Bella is still there.”

“Of course she is. But she is growing. She is evolving.”

“She’s turning into you. Is that what you are saying?”

“No, we are turning into us.”

I saw a truck pull up and recognized Billy Black and Sue Clearwater. Sam lifted Paul and placed him on a mattress in the back of the truck. I walked to my bike and got on, ready to follow them.

Paul POV

Fuck my head hurt. I was in my room. I remembered that bitch hit me in the head. I’m surprised she didn’t finish me off. Oh shit, what happened to Bella! I can’t believe I couldn’t defend my imprint any better. Is she dead? I heard a television on in the living room. I heard a voice. I heard one voice talking to itself. I closed my eyes and listened.

Bella POV

When I woke we were in what I assumed was Paul’s house. I had never been here before but I had been to Sam and Jakes and this definitely wasn’t their place.

“Amber what happened?”

“We are at Paul’s baby, just like you wanted. Once he wakes up we can go.”

“Okay.”

The thought of leaving his side hurt me. The pain in my chest flared.

“Don’t be like that B. We can live with the pain. Your problem is you are still holding on. You haven’t thrown Paul away. It is only after we lose anything that we are free to do anything. Ever since you heard he imprinted you have been holding on. That is the pain you feel. Once you let it go you will feel much better.”

I thought about this. I knew she was right. The pain was because I was holding on. I was hoping somebody would give me a good reason to stay. Something to explain imprinting in a way that didn’t make it seem my choices were being taken away. But that’s what it was. I wanted to cry.

“Don’t cry baby. Here smoke this. It will make you feel better.”

I took a hit off the joint and felt myself relax. I laid my head back on the couch and watched whatever mindless show was on TV. Other than movies in motel rooms I had been on the road so much I hadn’t seen much TV. I found I didn’t miss it. I flicked the channel off and began looking around Paul’s living room. He’s not much for decoration. He is apparently into the minimalist look.

I walked into his kitchen and noticed what looked like an artist’s desk in the corner. Several sheets of paper were on it so I walked up and began shuffling through them. What I saw caught my breath.

“Amber, come here and look at these.”

“Oh my. Isn’t he talented? Think we could get him to do a nude of you?”

I looked at page after page of drawings of me. There were scenes of me looking out my window. Visiting Jake. Cooking in the kitchen with Emily. Laughing with Embry after Quil threw a bucket of water on me. I didn’t even know he noticed these moments. The one of my window must have been drawn when he was watching my window one night on Bella patrol.

“Damn B, think the guy obsesses over you much? Looks like he is about a step away from stalking you in your sleep like Eddie.”

“I think it’s sweet,” I whispered to Amber.

“And I think it’s disturbing. It doesn’t bother you in the least?”

“I didn’t draw them to invade your privacy, Bella.”

I turned and saw Paul standing in the hallway. He is gorgeous. I am not ashamed to say that I wanted him. I could feel myself getting wet. I knew he could smell my arousal and I didn’t care. I heard Amber laugh. I turned to look at her. She remembered the feel of his body on top of mine as well.

“Do what you need to do B. Then we are out of here.”

“Okay.”

Paul looked at me and Amber.

“I drew them because it was the only way I could stay close to you. I knew I couldn’t interfere in your life. It wouldn’t be fair to you. At first I hated the idea of imprinting on you. I couldn’t understand it. I wanted nothing to do with you. But I did watch. You had an effect on people I could never have. People wanted to be around you. You brought joy to people. You were giving and kind and smart. I grew to love you. Not just because of the imprint. I grew to love you for you. And I knew I wasn’t good enough for you.

“I knew you would feel the imprint so I tried to make you hate me. If you fell in love with me you would have to give up everything. You would stay on this damn reservation and never have the life you should have. I have nothing. I had alcoholic parents who died when I was 17 within months of each other. They literally drank themselves to death. My job was part time construction when I could get away from pack duty. But the more I was around you I couldn’t stand it anymore. Sam and Jake talked me into telling you. And I destroyed you.”

These were the most words he had ever spoken to me that didn’t involve an insult.

“Why couldn’t you have been honest with me from the beginning Paul?”

“I was scared.”

“Paul I don’t know you. You had all this time to fall in love with me and you never gave me a chance to fall in love with you too.”

“I know.”

“What do you expect from me?”

“Nothing.”

“What do you want from me?”

“Everything.”

“Bella don’t tell me you are falling for this. I take back what I said. We are not fucking him.”

“Aren’t you always telling me to make decisions and do what I want, Amber?”

“Dammit B, he’s going to suck you in.”

“I know.”

Paul didn’t look weird at me for talking to Amber like everyone else did. I wondered why? Maybe he had more time to get used to it since he had found me first.

“Paul, take me to bed.”

“No”

Amber stepped in and took this one when I was speechless.

“What do you mean no? You don’t want Bella? What about me?”

“I want Bella. But I want all of her and only if she loves me. It would break me to be inside of her again and know I can’t have her. I can’t do it.”

Amber looked at me and shrugged her shoulders.

I put out my joint and lit up a cigarette.

“Paul, I’m glad you’re okay but I have to go.” I told him.

“Okay”

“Okay? You’re not going to try to make me stay for my own good? You’re not going to try to fix me? You’re not going to tell me you can’t live without me?”

“Do what you want. I want you to be happy. I only ever wanted to be happy. I wish you could be happy with me but I understand if you can’t. I won’t stand in your way.”

I looked at him and looked at Amber. She was pulling on my arm. “Time to leave, B.”

I got up to walk to the door.

“Bella, did Sam and the Pack get Victoria?”

“No, she got away.”

“What happened to your arm?”

“I cut it. She was about to bite you.”

“You saved me.”

“You saved me first. We’re even.”

“Bella, let’s go!” Amber was getting impatient.

We walked outside and got on our bikes. I couldn’t do this. I didn’t want to do this. Or did I? Amber was glaring at me.

“Amber, can we stay a little while? Please?”

I saw her roll her eyes. “Dammit, I knew this might happen. Don’t you see B? This place is a black hole. It sucks you in and won’t let you out. You got lucky the first time. What about this time? You know how powerful the imprint is. You really want to be around that?”

“I think I do, for a little while. I’m stronger than an imprint. We are stronger than an imprint. But I have to know if anything can come of this. If not I will always be holding on to him.”

“Bella I can’t make these decisions for you. But I haven’t led you wrong before have I?”

“Amber, you love me right?”

“Of course baby.”

“Then do this with me.”

“Fine, but I want to talk to him first.”

Amber walked to the door where Paul had been standing watching us.

“Bella wants to stay with you.”

“Okay.”

“I hate you.”

“I understand.”

“I will be watching you. She does not belong to you!”

“I understand.”

“But if we do this there are going to be some rules.”

“Name them.”

“No shit about her drug use. She wants to get high, that’s her decision. If she wants to go out without you, she does, no creepy stalking. Also she doesn’t see anybody she doesn’t want to. And don’t try to trick her into seeing a therapist or any crap like that.”

“I can deal with those, but I can’t promise if she is with another guy I won’t step in. My wolf won’t let me. I could wind up killing someone.”

“Fine then, I have another rule. We will make a compromise. We won’t fuck other guys or strip while we are in this area. But you have to fuck us whenever we want. No questions asked. Whether we love you or not.”

“Then I have a rule. I will only have sex with Bella. Not you.”

“Can’t take my heat, LaHote?”

“I want Bella.”

“Fine you can start now.”

I grabbed Paul’s hand as Amber stepped to the side. She seemed pissed. I understand.

“Are you going to watch? Please Amber?”

“I’ll be there watching like I always am baby.”

Paul took me to the bedroom. I looked up at him. He placed his hot hands on my hips. I raised my arms and he lifted my shirt over my head. I reached back and unsnapped my bra. He didn’t say a word. I grabbed his hand and placed them on my breasts relishing his hot touch. I unbuckled his shorts and pulled his cock out. He was ready. He was so hot. I felt like he would burn me from the inside.

I kissed his abs while he gently caressed my breasts. My nipples were as hard as rocks. I never would have guessed someone as angry as Paul could be so gentle. I unzipped my shorts and let them drop. Soon I was in front of him in only a lacy black thong. I turned around and pressed my ass up against his cock. He caressed my shoulders and breasts and kissed the back of my neck. I walked over to the bed and placed my hands on the mattress. I spread my legs and felt him come up behind me.

“No Bella.”

“What?”

“I want to look at you while I make love to you.” He picked me up and placed me on the mattress on my back. I saw his head go between my legs and lost all coherent thought. I came hard. He raised up and I felt him lay down between my legs. I was so wet. I felt him go in me and it was as wonderful as last time. I wanted to cry he felt so good. I kissed his mouth and our tongues fought for dominance. His weight was on me and he was in me and I couldn’t help but move faster. He responded in kind.

I continued kissing him. There was no way I was letting him stop kissing me. He tasted so good. Our pace got frenzied and I came again. I came hard, and so did he. I felt him relax on top of me and I felt myself drifting off into sleep. The last thing I heard before I passed out was him whispering “I love you Bella.” I smiled.

Paul POV

My God I can’t believe she stayed. I knew why I couldn’t be without her. Even if it wasn’t an imprint I never would have been able to stay away from her. I lied when I told her I would let her go. She could leave the reservation and do whatever she wanted. But I would always follow. I was in too deep now.

I had just had the most incredible experience of my life. I would do anything to make her understand how much I love her. I didn’t care if she had some alter ego she talked to who was a complete bitch. I’m used to sharing a mind with Leah so it shouldn’t be a big deal. I felt Bella fall asleep. I didn’t want to get off of her but I didn’t want to crush her either. I rolled to the side and prepared to go to sleep when I saw her eyes pop open. “Bella?”

“No, Bella is asleep. And I need a joint. Just because you got to her tonight, LaHote, don’t get your hopes up. I am still here and she listens to me. I’m not going away.”

“Are you leaving?” Please don’t leave.

“No, Bella won’t let me. By the way nice move.”

“What are you talking about?”

“B may not have noticed but I did. Got a problem with condoms, LaHote? You not know how to use one? If you think getting her knocked up is going to make her stay you have another thing coming.”

“That wasn’t my intention Amber. You really didn’t give me a chance to think about it did you?”

“Bella didn’t. You won this round LaHote, but she will have her freedom.”

“Why can’t she be free with me, Amber?”

“You think you can make her happy?”

“I can do everything I can to make her happy.”

“I guess we will see if Bella thinks it’s enough.”

Sam POV

“Yes Charlie it looks like she is staying with Paul.”

“What the hell is going on with that Sam? Why Paul?”

“Charlie, Bella and Paul became close before she left. If anybody can get through to her it’s Paul.”

“I don’t like it a damn bit.”

“Would you rather she take off and stay in some kind of tent on the side of the road?”

“No I suppose not.”

“Give it time Charlie. There may be hope you can get your girl back.”

“Sam she had those piercings and her hair and her eyes Sam. Those weren’t her eyes. She’s always had eyes that showed love. Jake told me she had tattoos? What the hell is going on Sam?”

“Charlie, give it a chance. I think patience and understanding will get her back. If we try to force her to do anything she will get farther away from us. For now, let’s just be thankful that she is here.”

“I know Sam. Keep me updated and please try to get her to come talk not me or let me see her.”

“I will Charlie. Try to get some sleep. At least you know she is safe for tonight.”

As I ended the call I stood outside watching Paul’s house. I hated to invade their privacy but if Bella had left I was going to have to beg her to stay. And I am not above begging. We needed her to stay. Not just for Paul but for all of us. She had become too important to us to let her go.

I still can’t believe her Amber alter ego stabbed Leah. Oh well, maybe Leah will think twice before slapping someone. I felt my phone vibrate and looked at the caller ID. I really didn’t feel like talking to him. I wish we hadn’t agreed to exchange numbers when we agreed to work together in destroying Victoria.

“Hello Edward.”

“Sam, where is Bella? Has she left the area?”

“No, she is with her imprint.”

“She is staying with that wolf?”

“It appears she will be staying with him, at least for the time being.”

“She needs help Sam.”

“I agree and I believe Paul is her best chance at getting back to herself.”

“She needs professional help. You are exploiting her so your wolf can have who he think’s is his mate.”

“So it’s sane to want to be with a vampire huh? You fucked up Cullen. You left her and she moved on.”

“Yes she has moved on with an imaginary friend who she talks to. Wake up Uley. This is out of your league.”

“She belongs with us. She had a choice. She could have stayed with you. She stayed with Paul. Deal with it. By the way Victoria almost killed her today and Paul saved her. Where was that mating pull when she was in trouble Cullen?”

“I didn’t know. Alice can’t see anything with your dogs around.”

“Funny, Paul didn’t need a future teller to let him know his mate was in trouble. He just knew. Something to think about Edward. Good night.”

I ended the call and secretly wished for one of those joints I was watching Bella or Amber smoke on Paul’s front porch. The Cullen problem was not one that would go away. Damn this has turned into a nightmare. But I had hope that Bella would be back. It may be a different Bella but she would still be our Bella.

Edward POV

I ended the call and looked at the faces of my devasted family. Everyone heard the conversation.

“It appears the dogs have somehow gotten their claws into her.”

Esme looked at me with more sadness than I have seen in a hundred years.

“Edward we have to get her to forgive us. I can’t live with myself knowing what we have done to her.”

I held her in my arms while she sobbed tears that would not fall.

“I Know Esme. We will think of something. We will get our Bella back.”