Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Intensity

By Mama4Dukes

Chapter 32:

Paul’s POV

After Mom delivered the baby, her health quickly recovered. Frankly speaking, I was amazed that high blood pressure during pregnancy could cause so many side effects. Seth and Collin returned to La Push after they were assured of Mom’s safety. Leah and Allison were staying on a while longer. I was happy Sue was okay. I settled Dad, Mom, and Leah into their own hotel suite because, according to Bella, she sure as hell wasn’t going to play nurse to her new little brother full time. Her reasoning was her stepmother and father were perfectly capable parents. I agreed with her wholeheartedly. Having a screaming infant staying in our penthouse wasn’t going to resonate well with me so we set up their new hotel suite with everything they needed to care for a baby and more. I figured they could just take everything back to La Push with them when they left Phoenix eventually. Now, we just had to wait for baby Geoffrey Jonathan Swan-named for Charlie and Sue’s fathers-to come home from the hospital. He was still in the neonatal intensive care unit until his lungs stabilized.

Speaking of home, Bella and I were eager to move back into our own. We were tired of living in a hotel and wanted to get some normalcy back in our lives. My wife had finally come to the decision to return to work on a limited part time basis after the legal fiasco we were in came to an end. I was completely okay with this. The only problem was the media. We had no privacy whatsoever. In fact, we couldn’t even go to the grocery store without someone trying to snap photos of us or trying to corner us for an interview. I had to tighten up security at my office and even hire a press agent to field all calls from the media. I also had to have twenty-four hour security posted at my house because a couple of paparazzi were caught trying to sneak inside and take photos. Thank goodness for vigilant neighbors.

Vandenberger, the cause of our recent headaches, was digging himself into a deep hole. With each passing day, it seemed as if authorities, sometimes with the help of the media, unearthed more dirt on him. Former employees, ex-business partners, mistresses, his ex-wives, and even his current wife were all turning on him. His list of crimes and deceptions were so lengthy that his time in prison would be of some duration. Of course, this would be completely dependent on the trial. Knowing our justice system, he’ll be out of jail in six months.

I shook my head at the pessimistic thought. I needed to be more positive about things. As far as I was concerned, Vandenberger needed to be put down for shooting my wife. I glanced in front of me. My wife currently had her nose buried in some sort of travel magazine. I sighed and she turned to me.

“Bored?”

“Sort of. I’m getting sick of this penthouse.”

“So am I, but we’ve got a crew working on the repairs as we speak. With any luck, we’ll be back home next month.” I had hired Rick, Jason, and Chris-my three high school classmates to work on the renovations for some extra cash together with Brady, Jared, and Sam. I needed wolves on the job in case any of the paparazzi tried to take photos again. We also had the outside security firm stationed in their vehicle, in front of our house.

“That would be nice, but I hate how we’re being hounded by the press. Don’t these reporters have lives?”

“Paul, we were just thrown into an unfortunate situation. We can’t help what’s happening to us right now.”

“An unfortunate situation? Bella, those assholes have turned our lives upside down. We can’t even go to the grocery store without having a camera thrust into our faces.”

“This is true, but it will all go away eventually.”

“I want eventually to come now.”

“I know you do, honey, but it’s one of those things that we truly have no control over. We’re at the mercy of the court system.” She looked up and gave me a smile. “Hey, how busy is your weekend? Do you have anything planned?”

“No, nothing at all. Why?”

“Well, you’ve always wanted to jet off somewhere at a moment’s notice. Why not do it now?”

“Bella, I hardly think this is the time for a vacation?”

“Why not?”

“Because we’re busy, we have responsibilities, we have the trial to contend with, and let’s not forget Mom and Dad just had a baby and…”

“We have a responsibility to ourselves, Paul. I’m sorry to say this but I’m putting my foot down. Yes, we’re busy and we have responsibilities, but when are we ever not busy? As far as responsibilities are concerned, we never shirk them and there’s nothing pressing that we need to take care of now. The trial is still pending. We are not hanging around here just in case we’re needed and if we’re needed, the lawyers will just have to wait. And Sue and Dad? Between the two of them, they’ve already raised three mostly sane kids-trust me when I say that they can handle it.”

“But Bella…”

“No, ‘but Bella,’ Paul. I am ordering you to be spontaneous, damn it, because I’m your wife, I love you, and you need to get away from Phoenix and relax; otherwise, you’ll overwork and worry yourself to death. So, do me a favor and figure out a place for us to go to now! I’m going to start packing.”

I stood there for a full minute in complete shock after my wife left the room. It was a dressing down from her, the likes of which I had never before witnessed. The thing is, every single thing she said was true. And when I looked into her eyes, all I could see was the worry and concern she had for me. The truth was, I’d been worrying about everything under the sun-from the highway project to Sue’s pregnancy to Bella’s health to that damned trial that was coming up. My wife was right, though. I needed a break. I was overworked and over-worried; mentally and physically drained.

I saw the magazine Bella had been perusing on the coffee table. It was a travel magazine featuring West Coast weekend getaways. I turned to the page where the vacations were listed. The first area listed was the Olympic Peninsula. Um… no. I sure as hell wasn’t going to go there. No Seattle. No Las Vegas. No New Mexico. Phoenix is a negative… Why would I want to vacation at home? Hawaii is too far. Well, now, this looks interesting-an island that can only be reached by ferry, private jet, or helicopter? I can deal with that.

“Bella! I know where we’re going!”

She stepped out of the bedroom with a smile on her face. “Good. I can’t wait to get there.”

“But you don’t even know where we’re going yet. For all you know, we could be in a two-man tent in the middle of the Gobi Desert with no food or water to speak of.”

“As long as I’m with you, I’m happy.” With that statement, she resumed packing, leaving me smiling and completely in love with my wife.

Jacob ‘ s POV

Divorce. The word alone evoked such negative thoughts, but in my case it was desired and necessary. Angela was now visibly pregnant with Tony Fuller’s kid. I had no idea when she was due, but I did care. I cared simply because this child would be a half-sibling to my babies and this child was innocent and didn’t deserve parents like the ones he or she was going to be subjected to. I couldn’t think about the situation now. This evening, I was meeting with my attorney Tawny Hodges. Previously, I’d spoken to her on the phone and we had been communicating with each other mostly by email. Apparently, we had to meet today because we were going to court in two weeks. She felt we had a strong case, but wanted to interview me in person this time and go over a few odds and ends.

It had been a gloomy day and an even gloomier evening. We’d had three days of non-stop rain and we’d all been pretty much housebound. At least the kids were having fun at Dad’s-he was good about keeping them entertained. Oh, well, hopefully the meeting with the lawyer would bring some good news.

At six pm on the dot, there was a knock on the front door. I went immediately to open it. It wouldn’t do to keep my lawyer waiting. Standing on the front step getting pelted by rain was a very petite Native American woman with straight jet-black hair and tawny skin. She looked up at me from under her long eyelashes and greeted, “Mr. Black? I’m Tawny Hodges, your attorney.”

I stared at her, completely captivated. It was as if the clouds parted and rays of sunshine shined down upon this one beautiful woman. She looked at me with an exasperated expression. “Well, are you going to let me inside or am I just going to stand here getting soaked by the rain?”

I quickly remembered my manners. “Ooh, sorry. Come inside, please. Uh… let me get you a towel.” I rushed to the linen closet and grabbed the first towel I could find and handed it to her.

She looked at the towel and chuckled. “I didn’t take you for a Hello Kitty fan.”

I looked at the towel and gulped. “That’s my daughter’s towel. I can get you another one. I…”

“Hello Kitty is fine. I loved Hello Kitty when I was a kid, too.”

“Oh… I… I…” I didn’t know what to say. She was mesmerizing. Of course there was the small matter of supernatural interference that I had to contend with also: I just imprinted on my lawyer. How the hell was it possible for me to imprint again? Not to mention the fact that just a few months ago, some crazy bonding god bonded me to my kids. Okay, maybe that part wasn’t crazy because I rather liked being bonded to my kids-not that I ever needed a bond to tell me that I loved my kids, but I digress… Now what the hell am I supposed to do? My last imprint was bat-shit crazy and it didn’t work out! For God’s sake, I’m in the middle of divorcing my last imprint! I really don’t think I can handle a new one right now! Shouldn’t Taha Aki give me some sort of an adjustment period?

“Mr. Black, are you okay?”

I cleared my throat before looking up at her. “I’m fine. I just… um…” God, she’s beautiful. “I… um… have a seat.” I motioned to the dining table.

She deliberately disregarded my words and approached me instead. With the back of her hand, she stroked my cheek and then whispered, “Electricity.” Really? I felt it, too. “Mr. Black, you and I are both aware of the recently formed connection between our nations due to the special genetic circumstances affecting certain members of our individual tribes, including you. This is, of course, why I was assigned to your case. Yes?”

“Um, yes.”

“Part of your special genetic circumstance includes a phenomenon called mating. Am I correct?”

“Well, we call it imprinting, but yes.”

“And imprinting involves the discovery of your life’s mate?”

“Yes, supposedly. Except in my case, my first imprint failed.”

“That’s because she was too greedy and self-centered to be anyone’s partner.”

“Exactly.”

“So, Mr. Black, am I your new imprint?”

“You’re my only imprint,” I replied, and then I couldn’t resist anymore-I kissed her. I kissed her deeply and soundly and I knew, I just knew she was the one. It was so different from when I imprinted on Angela. Back then, I felt torn. The teenaged me had still been head over heels in love with Bella and I resented Angela because, had it not been for the imprint, I wouldn’t have had to leave the love of my life at the time. Of course, today my relationship with Bella was on solid ground. She was my best friend-she would always be my best friend. It’s how it’s always been and it’s how it always will be. My heart wasn’t engaged elsewhere. I was secure in myself, secure in the love I felt for my children, secure in the knowledge that my pack stood behind me, secure that my best friend would always be my best friend, and secure that the woman I was kissing was definitely and would forever be my imprint.

Two hours later…

“We really should get back to discussing the case, Mr. Black,” Tawny insisted.

She was correct, of course. The problem was that I just wanted to kiss her… everywhere. No, I need to focus on the divorce because I need to say goodbye to Angela once and for all. My kids come first-always.

“Um, call me Jake.” I cleared my throat. “So, where do we start?”

She sat up and straightened out her blouse before reaching into her briefcase. She pulled out a laptop computer and a file. She switched her laptop on, and while she waited for it to boot up, she took a pen out and tapped it on the table nervously.

I rubbed my face with my hands and took a deep breath. I was trying to get a handle on what just happened. My lawyer stopped by to discuss my divorce and I imprinted on her. I, then, proceeded to spend the next two hours making out with her. I certainly didn’t force her into anything. At least I hope I didn’t. No, no, it’s impossible. She was enjoying herself. I know it. But she’s right. We have to discuss the divorce.

I looked up at her. A flash of passion crossed her eyes as our gazes met.

“Fuck it,” I groaned before picking her up and bringing her to my bedroom. I had forgotten about the intense emotions that overcome us when we first imprint. “Trust me when I say that we won’t be able to concentrate until we get this part over with.” And then I made love to her as if there would be no tomorrow.

5:00 AM …

“Jake. Jake.”

“Hmm… What… what is it?”

“You need to wake up! We need to discuss your divorce case.”

“What?”

“Jacob Black. You need to wake up this instant so we can work on your divorce case!”

I bolted awake. “Right.” I looked at my naked imprint. “God damn, you’re sexy.” I reached over and pulled her into my arms.

“No, no, no! No more sex! Not until we discuss your case!”

Damn! She’s already denying me sex? We’re not even married yet. Okay, so maybe she has a point.

“Alright, let’s talk about it now.”

“Yes, let’s… I have everything set up right here. What I wanted to say yesterday is that your wife’s attorney contacted me yesterday. He would like to set up a meeting with me for sometime today. Apparently, she wants to settle.”

“Settle? I don’t get it. Settle, how?”

“I don’t have all the details yet, but I do know she is leaning towards relinquishing all parental rights of the children.”

“What do you mean she’s relinquishing all parental rights? She’s their mother. She gave birth to them!” I yelled in complete shock. “Are you telling me that she doesn’t want to be their mother anymore?”

Tawny nodded silently in response, but added a quiet, “I’m sorry.”

“And just what am I supposed to tell the kids? I’m sorry kids, but your mom doesn’t want anything to do with you anymore? If it were just myself, I would tell her to take a hike, but it isn’t. It involves my children-our children-and she’s just throwing them away like they’re yesterday’s rubbish. How can she do something like that?” I was desperate for answers. My heart was aching for my children. I just couldn’t understand how she could just say goodbye to her children as if they didn’t matter to her. Did they ever matter to her?

My cell phone started buzzing. Who the hell is calling at 5 am? “Hello?”

“ Hey, Jake, are you okay? I got that weird feeling in my chest, you know. That sixth sense we have when a pack member is in distress.”

“Crispy?”

“Oh my God! Why is my brother calling? He can’t know I’m here in your bed. Don’t tell him you imprinted on me,” Tawny shrieked

“ You fucking imprinted on my sister?”

“Too late, honey, he just found out.”

“Stupid supernatural hearing!”

“Well, you didn’t exactly whisper it.”

“Well, I can’t help it! I was in shock! My big brother is an overprotective clod! When I was in high school, he tried to beat up Jeff Redbird because we made out after one of the dances on the reservation.”

“Tried?” I questioned curiously.

“Well, yeah, Crispy can’t fight and Jeff was on the wrestling team so he kicked the crap out of him.”

I started guffawing loudly.

“ Black, get your ass back on the phone! That’s a goddamned order.”

“What is it, Crispy?”

“ Don ‘ t… you… damn it… stupid imprinting… “

“ Crispy, give me the phone,” I heard Babs say in the background. She came on the phone. “Congratulations! Treat Tawny well, Jake. Oh, and if you think I’m a bitch, Tawny is worse. It’s too early in the morning for this kind of shit. I’m going back to bed.” Click.

A few seconds later, my cell phone rang and so did Tawny’s. Apparently, Crispy was calling his sister; meanwhile, Paul was calling me.

“ Jake, I really hate this sixth sense bullshit we inherited from the Coyote Pack-now, what’s up?”

“Two things. Do you want the good news or the bad first?”

“ Give me the bad.”

“Angela wants to give up all parental rights to the kids.”

“ I thought you were giving me the bad news first.”

“I am. I mean, it’s good news, but it’s bad because the kids are going to be hurt. Really hurt. Their mother is throwing them away Paul.”

“ Jake, I’m going to sound really callous here, but take it from a guy who has lived through an abusive childhood-your kids will most likely be relieved. I’m not kidding you. I used to live for the day when my father was thrown back into jail again because my mother was the lesser of two evils, and I knew he wouldn’t be coming home for a while. Sure, your kids will be hurt, but trust me when I say that they’ll be more relieved than anything. Kids are more perceptive than you think.”

“How would you know if they’re perceptive? You’re not a parent.”

“ No, I’m not a parent, but I remember what it was like to be a kid. Putting all that aside, do you really want Angela being a mother-and I use the term loosely-to your kids or any other kid for that matter? She hit your kids, Jake. She abused them terribly-both emotionally and physically. A bitch like that doesn’t deserve kids. Put it this way, my mother was more parent-like than Angela was and that’s saying something. You knew my mother.”

I thought back to Paul’s childhood. I’d met his mother a few times, and yeah, she had been a mess, but she hadn’t been half as bad as Angela. At least her problems had stemmed from alcoholism, but Angela wasn’t an alcoholic-she was simply cruel and selfish.

“It’s just going to take time to sink in, you know? To me, what she is doing is unconscionable.”

“ Yeah, it is unconscionable, and because she is capable acting without conscience, you don’t want her near your kids.”

“You’re right. You’re a great alpha, Paul.”

“ Hey, I’m speaking to you as a friend, not as your alpha.”

“Thanks.”

“ Anytime. Now, if that was the bad news, what’s the good news? Does it have anything to do with the sexy voice I hear talking on the phone in the background? Is she naked?”

I laughed out loud. He sure knew how to break up the tension. “The sexy voice belongs to my imprint and, yes, she is.”

“ She’s naked? Awesome Jake! Is she hot? Tell me who she is and how it happened. Is she from the reservation?”

“She’s beautiful, Paul. She’s from a reservation, but not ours.”

“ What is she-Hoh? Makah?”

“Nope. She’s Wa-Ya.”

“ Wa-Ya? The Coyotes are Wa-Ya. How the heck did you meet up with a Wa-Ya girl in La Push?”

“Paul, you can’t possibly be this clueless. There’s only one Wa-Ya girl on this reservation right now, unless you count Tolinka Ateara who is probably getting her kink on with Old Quil.”

“ Gross, man! I really don’t want that image in my brain.”

“Come to think of it, neither do I.” I shook my head wondering what came over me. “Anyway, I imprinted on the incredibly sexy Tawny Hodges who is trying to calm her brother down right now.” I glanced up at her. She smiled and blew me a kiss. “Paul, I have to go, we have to discuss my case.”

“Sure you do,” he teased cockily. “You just want to get laid. I know how it is. I remember when I first imprinted on Bella.”

“And now?”

“And now she’s sleeping soundly with a damned eye mask on to block out the sunlight.”

“You spoiled bastard. You’re lucky to have her, you know.”

“Yeah, I know, but Jake, I’ve got a feeling your luck is changing with your new imprint.”

“I’m pretty sure it is. Taha Aki can’t shaft me twice after all.” With that statement, we said goodbye.

Paul was right. My luck was changing. I had a great new imprint. I had a supportive dad. I had a crazy, but caring pack. If Angela didn’t want the kids, it was okay with me. I enjoyed being a father and raising my kids-they were great kids-and I loved them with my heart and soul. Something else I realized? I had a sensible alpha who doled out great advice and was quickly turning into a great friend. Yeah, my luck was definitely changing.