Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Intensity

By Mama4Dukes

Chapter 50:

Paul’s POV

“How was the pack meeting?” Bella walked into the living room, put her purse on the end table, and kissed me. “Jasper stopped by with another vampire. They were looking for Carlisle. I gave them the address to the house. Did they find you?”

“They did. They had some critical information to impart.”

“What did they say? Did they locate your uncle?”

“They found him.” I honestly did not want to go over this right now, but I knew we had to. My wife had a right to know what we had uncovered and our subsequent plans. “Why don’t we sit?” I led her to the sofa.

She sat next to me, shifting towards me so our eyes met. “This sounds serious.”

I nodded. “It is. Jasper and Peter, the other vampire, discovered that my uncle, Malcolm Blackcrow, is a vampire. An evil one.”

My wife gasped, her palm covering her mouth.

“It gets worse. Malcolm Blackcrow is traveling with another vampire. I don’t know if you recall the name Riley Biers from when you were in high school, do you?”

“Isn’t he the kid who went missing? He’s the fire chief’s son. I remember because Chief Biers and his wife came to our house frantic to speak with my father. They had been unable to reach their son, a freshman at UDub, and then they received a call from the university stating that their son hadn’t returned to his dorm room, nor had he attended classes in weeks.”

“Well, now we know what happened. Riley Biers is a vampire, and he travels with my uncle. To make matters worse, Jasper and Peter are positive Blackcrow and Biers murdered the Cedro family.”

Bella’s eyes widened, and she stood up. “Oh, my God! We have to go to La Push. We have to do something!”

And this is the part I dreaded-telling my wife she wasn’t coming with me. I had better rip the band-aid off quickly.

“I agree with you. I have to go to La Push as soon as possible.”

“Should I pack now?” She shifted to head towards the staircase.

I stood up and turned her around to face me. “No, you shouldn’t pack because I’m going to La Push alone, Bella. I need you to stay here where it’s safe.”

“No! No, you are not leaving me here, Paul-not when there are rogue vampires loose.”

“Yes, I am,” I replied calmly. Bella was ready to interrupt, so I squeezed her hand gently, and pulled her back to sit. “Stop. Let me finish. I’ll let you have your say. I promise.” I took a deep breath. “It’s dangerous there. I know you are perfectly aware of the dangers the majority of red-eyed vampires pose. According to Carlisle, Jasper, and Peter, these two vampires are untrained, which makes them unpredictable. They cannot be negotiated with. I am going to La Push on Saturday with most of the pack to protect the reservation. It’s my job as alpha to do so.”

I had her attention now, so I continued, “If you’re there, Bella, I won’t be able to give protecting La Push my full attention. It simply won’t be possible because I’ll be worried about you. So, to that end, none of the imprints are coming with us. They’ll all be staying here. Barry and Randy are the only two who will be remaining.”

“So, they’ll be in charge of keeping us safe?”

“Yes, they’ll keep the imprints and kids safe. But I need you to do something for me, Bella.”

“What’s that?”

“I need you to go and stay with Carlisle on the reservation. Babs will be joining you there.”

She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Exactly why do Babs and I have to stay with Carlisle?”

“Because you are the one who is most in danger.”

“Then why can’t I go to La Push? You’d be best at keeping me safe, and Daddy is there. He’ll make sure nothing happens to me.”

“Bella, I told you why. I’ll become distracted with you there, and your father will, too.”

“Fine.” She huffed. “Carlisle can babysit me, but it has to be here. I am not going to his house to stay. He probably doesn’t even have a bed.”

I nodded my head. She made an excellent point there. When we visited, he barely had any furniture in his house, and I didn’t want to make him purchase a bed he wouldn’t use.

“Deal,” I agreed, knowing that if I didn’t make this concession, I would never hear the end of it. But, in any case, it was better that she was comfortable while I was gone.

I wiped a tear away from her cheek. “It’ll be okay, Bella. I promise.”

And then the tears flooded in. “It’s not that, Paul. I’m just worried, that’s all. Why? Why does it have to be you?”

I put my arm around her and pulled her close. “You know why it has to be me.”

“Damn it, Paul! If you don’t come home to me, I’m going to be pissed.”

“Well, that makes two of us, doesn’t it?” Her reaction wasn’t as bad as I expected. In fact, she was eerily calm, considering the explosion I had been expecting. Deep down, I was pretty sure she understood why I needed to go alone. However, she clearly wasn’t happy about it and was worried. She was crying on my shoulder, and it didn’t look like she would stop anytime soon. “Bella, while I’m gone, it’s going to be up to you to keep the imprints strong, okay?”

She took deep calming breaths, grabbed a tissue, and dabbed the tears away. She nodded several times, inhaled, and then exhaled. “Okay, I will be strong for the other imprints. I promise.”

I kissed her on the forehead. “Thank you, Bella.”

“I’m going to soak in the tub. I’ll see you in a bit.” She calmly stood from the sofa and walked upstairs. I knew she was going to cry in private. I could hear the lock on the bathroom door snick shut. She wanted privacy, and I’d give it to her.

I sent a text message to Carlisle informing him of the change in plans. He agreed to the modification and felt it was better for Bella to be in more comfortable surroundings. After that, I made my way upstairs to get ready for bed. Tomorrow was a busy day. Not only did I have work, but Bella and I had to attend a fundraiser in the evening.

The following evening…

Bella and I were at a formal event in Scottsdale, held to expand awareness and raise funds for behavioral health and substance abuse. Considering both my mother and father needed help and didn’t receive it, I donated generously to the fund. The other reason we were here was to schmooze with bankers, financiers, government officials, and political types. In other words, those who would come in handy when my company sought approval for future projects.

I hated dressing up for functions such as these in tuxedos, but I had to admit, I loved seeing my wife dressed to the nines. Bella had her hair styled in an up do, and looked radiant in a white halter gown. She held her carriage upright, and more than a few men looked her way only to be disappointed to discover she was with me.

Crispy and Babs were also here. Babs was currently only speaking to Bella. She was upset at her husband and me because we weren’t taking her to La Push tomorrow. She was worried, just like Bella was, except Babs had blown up in rage the way I had expected my wife to yesterday.

“Hello, Bella.”

“Babs, you look lovely,” I greeted and kissed her on the cheek. Crispy’s wife truly was pretty. Her usually straight, jet-black hair was styled in waves that cascaded below her shoulders. She wore a midnight blue strapless gown which flowed to the floor. With heels on her tall frame, she was almost equal in height to Crispy and me.

“Thank you, Paul. Considering I will be uprooted from my home tomorrow, I think I’m holding up well.” She turned her nose up and away from me, focusing on my wife. “At least I’ll be with my best friend.”

“Oh, stop, Babs. We’re going to have fun,” Bella said. “The guys are going to be fifteen-hundred miles away. We can get into all sorts of trouble without them here.”

“This is true. Screw the guys!”

“At least you two get some free time away from your husbands. Randy is still going to be here,” Mina said, joining in on the conversation.

“What are you two doing here?” I greeted Randy and Mina with a handshake and a hug. “You rarely come to these things.”

“Dr. Kele gave us her tickets. She’s at a medical conference in Vienna.”

“I think I’d rather be in Vienna,” Bella murmured. “How come she gets all the luck?”

“That’s how I feel,” Mina agreed, waving her hands in frustration. “We’re stuck in Arizona while she gets to travel to Austria. Imagine all the delicious food she gets to sample.”

“Yes, but she’s stuck at a medical conference all day, honey. Trust me when I say they’re boring,” Randy assured.

“Oh, yeah, and this is a barrel of laughs,” Babs groaned. “Meanwhile, the guys get to go on an adventure in Washington.”

“I hardly think their excursion is going to be an adventure,” Bella noted. “Trust me, I’ve been on a similar outing in the past, and they really aren’t a walk in the park.” My wife took Babs’s hand and patted it softly. “We’ll go somewhere fun while they’re gone, I promise. Mina will hang out with us, too.”

“It’s just that I’m so worried,” Babs whispered.

“I am, too. We all are, but we must be strong for our mates.”

“I hate this, Bella.”

“I do, too, but I have faith that all will be well. So now, chin up and smile. You don’t want your worried face to be the last thing Crispy sees before leaving.”

Babs took my wife’s advice and put a smile on her face for the rest of the evening. She was trying her best to be brave.

---

On Saturday morning, Babs arrived at my house, lugging a suitcase. She was not in a good mood and was clearly concerned about Crispy. Apparently, he took an Uber to the airport, which I also planned on doing.

“Crispy can’t fight, Paul. He’s really gentle. I don’t know why he’s the coyote and not me. I can be a real bitch.”

“He’ll learn how to fight, and besides, we’re only going to La Push to protect the reservation,” I told her. “And you’re not a bitch, Babs. You just wear your heart on your sleeve.”

“You’ll look after him, won’t you?”

“I promise I will.” I gave Babs a hug to reassure her.

A few minutes later, we received a surprise guest. Embry arrived with Jessica. “I can’t have her staying at home alone, Paul. It would look fishy if she went to stay with her parents. They don’t know about supernaturals. Can she stay here?”

“Of course, she can. I think Babs and Bella would enjoy it.” I don’t know why I didn’t consider that Embry’s imprint would be home alone. “She’ll be safe here with Carlisle anyway.”

“I’ll enjoy looking at him. Besides, Dr. Cullen is pure eye candy. When I was in high school, I once faked a twisted ankle so I’d have to be seen by him. I’m pretty sure he saw right through me,” Jessica chortled. “Hey, Bella. We finally get to have that sleepover Angela planned in high school.”

“Oh, my God! I forgot about that. Didn’t she cancel on us at the last minute?”

“She did, but at the time, we had no idea what a two-faced bitch she was.”

“That she is,” Bella agreed. “Carlisle is late. He should have been here by now. It’s not like him.”

My wife turned to me next. “Paul, shouldn’t you get going? You need to be at the airport by ten.”

“I’m not leaving until Carlisle gets here.”

Just as the words left my mouth, the doorbell chimed. I went to answer the door to find the good doctor standing on the doorstep with two gorgeous female vampires. They were both blonde. I recognized one from her previous stay in Forks. She was the tall blonde who looked like she’d win every beauty pageant in the world. The other blonde lady was also beautiful. She looked like she could bring men to their knees with her looks.

“I apologize for the delay. I was waiting for Tanya and Rosalie to arrive. They’ll be able to assist with keeping the ladies safe. Tanya has degrees in accounting, marketing, and teaching, while Rosalie has medical and nursing degrees. If they need help with anything, they’ll assist. All they need to do is ask.”

“Well, this is just great. We also have to feel inadequate while the men are off protecting La Push?” Jessica stated. “I mean, not only are they two of the most beautiful women in existence, they’re super educated, too.”

“Jess, they have an unfair advantage. They’re vampires. They’re at the top of the food chain. They have to be beautiful to attract humans. Besides, Tanya is a succubus. She has more of the ‘attract the men’ juju than normal female vampires,” Bella explained.

I knew there was something fishy about the other blonde. I usually don’t have a reaction to other women, but to her, I did. It’s because she’s a succubus. She had strange powers over men. I wonder if she really seduces human men and kills them after she has had her way with them.

“Excuse me! How do you know about me?” Tanya snapped.

“I’m a very informed human. I was close to the Cullens in high school, and Alice likes talking.”

“She sure does,” Rosalie agreed. “Well, nice to see you again, Bella Swan.”

“Hello, Rosalie. It’s Bella Lahote now. This is my husband, Paul.”

“A pleasure.” I shook the taller blonde’s hand. “This is my friend Embry Call, Jessica’s husband.”

“Nice to meet you.” She turned towards Babs. “I haven’t met you yet.”

“Oh, I’m Barbara Hodges. You can call me Babs.”

“When are you due?” Rosalie asked with keen interest.

“In March.”

“I’m excited for you,” Rosalie said kindly. “I’ve always wanted a baby.”

“Uh, the baby came as a surprise to my husband and me, but we’re excited now.”

“Well, the Uber is here. I think we’ll get going then,” I said. “Carlisle, Rosalie, and Tanya, thank you for watching over the ladies.”

“It’s not a problem. Keep me updated on what’s happening in La Push,” Carlisle said.

“I will.” I pulled Bella into my arms and whispered into her ear. “Remember, be strong, and behave.”

“I promise to be strong. As for behaving, I’ll do my best. Kick some ass, Paul,” my wife told me. “I love you.”

“I love you.”

After another kiss, I left my wife with Embry in tow, ready to protect my reservation from evil.

---

Bella’s POV

“So, who wants to help me correct a math test?” Jessica asked. Neither Babs nor I volunteered. “Oh, come on. It’s only a fourth-grade math test.”

“Do I look like I want to revisit fourth-grade math? It was bad enough having to pass math for nursing school,” Babs said.

“I seriously have no idea how Paul does those complicated engineering calculations. Whenever I see him working, my head starts pounding. Did you know he had to take three semesters of calculus before moving on to more advanced math classes?”

“Gross,” Rosalie said. “I had no idea there was so much math involved in majoring in engineering. Well, that’s out for my next degree. So, Bella, do any of your pack members have vehicles that need repairing?”

“I’m sure we can rustle up a few for you. You can use my garage.”

The blonde vampire clapped her hands together excitedly. “Wonderful!”

“I can help you with your test corrections,” Tanya offered.

Jessica accepted the assistance immediately. Apparently, she had a backlog of assignments and tests to correct.

“Well, let me first show you to your rooms.” I led everyone upstairs and assigned everyone a room. I placed Babs and Jess close to me for the time being. I let the vampires choose the room they wanted. Afterward, I escorted everyone on a house tour and told them to feel free to use any amenities-gym, pool, tennis court, laundry, kitchen, anything. I also made it a point to show Rosalie the garage. She complimented it, and the tools within. She became excited when I told her I would place calls to have some of the imprints bring over any cars needing maintenance. I also told her to feel free to work on my car and Paul’s truck-although I knew they were well-maintained. Babs and Jess offered their vehicles to her as well. She needed a way to pass the time, especially while we slept.

Later in the afternoon, Rosalie approached me while I was folding laundry. “Bella, I wanted to talk to you.”

“Alright.” I put the shirt I had been folding down.

“No, don’t stop what you’re doing. In fact, I’ll help you.” She reached for the shirt I had put down and started folding at a blinding rate of speed.

“Well, what is it?”

“I wanted to apologize for the way I treated you when we were in high school together.”

“Oh, stop. It was long ago. I hardly think about those times anymore.”

“But I do. I wasn’t very nice to you because I was jealous.”

I looked up at the vampire. “Jealous of me? Why? I was a mousy, immature girl back then. I had no self-confidence and was easily manipulated by Edward, and to some extent, by Alice.”

“Yes, you were, but you were a normal teenager. Edward should never have brought you into our world and shattered your innocence. You should have never found out about vampires. In any case, I never hated you. On the contrary, I envied you because you had options. You had a choice to stay human or become a vampire, and I didn’t get to choose when I was changed. Have you heard my story, Bella?”

“No, I have not. You’ve never told me, and I never really asked because it was your story to tell.”

“I had a perfect life when I was human. I was engaged to the most eligible bachelor in Rochester, New York, at nineteen. His name was Royce King, a banker. We would have the perfect home with a white picket fence, beautiful babies, and an exemplary family. That was my dream, and it all went to hell one night. I was walking home from a friend’s house when I ran into my fiancé. He was with his friends. They were all drunk. To summarize, I was gang-raped and left for dead in the street. Carlisle found me and changed me. He thought he was helping me.”

I took her hand and gave it a squeeze. “I’m so sorry.” Rape victims carried lingering pain. I couldn’t imagine what Rosalie had gone through. She must still be suffering through some PTSD-even decades later.

She donned a terse smile on her face. “I got my revenge on them. I killed them one at a time. But, I saved Royce for last, so he knew I was coming.” After a pause, Rosalie said, “Things got better after I met Emmett. He’s so happy-go-lucky that it’s impossible to be anything but joyful when I’m with him. But, there is one thing that I will always regret.”

“And what’s that?”

“The ability to have children, to watch them grow, and have their own families.”

“Rosalie, thank you for sharing your story with me.” With a smile, I stroked my fingers down her cheek. She gasped at the touch. “I’ve never been a victim of sexual assault, and I can’t imagine the trauma you’ve endured all these years. It took courage for you to open up to me, and I appreciate your trust.” I looked into her eyes and asked, “Have you received any counseling for this?”

“I have, but I could never be honest with the counselor. I couldn’t exactly go into the root of my issues because it would have involved disclosing that I’m a vampire. How was I supposed to tell the therapist about being left for dead after a gang rape and then finding I had been changed into a vampire without my consent.”

“I see. You’ve been dealing with this trauma alone for all these years.”

“Emmett tries to help, but it’s not really helpful.”

“Sometimes a listening ear, someone unbiased, can help a great deal. Despite the fact that you’re a vampire, you can still think and feel, Rosalie. To that end, in my professional opinion as a nurse practitioner, it would benefit you to receive counseling.”

“But I would feel like I’m not telling my whole story. I want to be completely honest, so I can heal.” Then, with venom pooling in her eyes, she looked at me desperately. “I wanted to die that night-even that choice was taken from me.”

“And yet you still live. You could have ended your own life like Esme did, but here you are, talking to me and seeking answers for lingering questions you need answers to. You deserve those answers, but to figure things out, you need counseling, Rosalie. In any case, I will help and get you the counseling you need, just like my mother did for me after two traumatic relationships in high school.”

“How do you plan on helping me? You’re human.”

I smiled at the beautiful blonde vampire-eternally frozen at nineteen. “What would you say if I told you I know someone who can help you? She is someone with whom you can bare it all.”

“I would say you’re out of your mind. No one can help me, Bella. I’m frozen in time. Look at me!” She pointed her hands at herself. “I can’t even cry!”

I pulled Rosalie into my arms and held her, doing my best to comfort her. She sobbed on my shoulder while I rubbed her back. It was interesting. While there were no tears, the emotions, the shaking, and the dry heaves were all there. She was crying. I simply let the vampire cry-she needed to do this.

When she calmed down, I looked into her eyes and said, “Physically, you might not change, but emotionally and mentally, you can grow. Whether you’re nineteen or a hundred-nineteen, you can learn, grow, and, most importantly, heal. The Wanagi Nation is a tribe of vampires in Oklahoma. They have a full-time psychologist on staff at their medical clinic. I got to know her during a recent stay there. With your permission, Rosalie, may I contact her on your behalf?”

“You’re being serious?”

“I wouldn’t offer if I wasn’t being serious. Your mental health is no joking matter.”

“You truly know a vampire psychologist?”

“I really do. Her name is Tawanna Wiyot.”

“Would you come with me, Bella?”

“Of course, if you’d like.”

“Oh, thank you, Bella!” Rosalie abruptly hugged me. She looked thoughtful. “I didn’t want to come here, but Alice insisted. She encouraged me to open up to you. She said you would help me.”

“It could not have been easy to open up to me. I know I wasn’t your favorite person in high school. Heck, I didn’t even like myself back then. It took years of counseling for me to learn to love myself and live on my own terms after the two terrible relationships I had in high school.”

“Two? Not just Edward?”

“No, not just Edward. There was another, but I’m happy now. I love my husband and couldn’t imagine life with anyone else. Can you imagine how your life would be without Emmett?”

“No, not really. I love Emmett. I just wish I could get past the trauma of the past.”

“It will take time, but eventually, you will. I’m confident that talking things through with Tawanna will help you move forward, Rosalie.”

“My friends call me Rose. I am honored to have you as a friend.”

It was a new beginning. I now understood Rosalie better, and I was determined to help her. No woman should suffer through the trauma she had been subjected to without professional help. I was just happy that I had the resources to help her. I made a mental note to call Tawanna Wiyot on Monday.

I glanced at the laundry basket. Rosalie had folded everything while we were talking. “Is there anything else I can help you with?” she asked.

“Not really, but feel free to organize the garage however you’d like.”

“Oh, wonderful! I love your garage, Bella. It’s so pink!”

“I’m tickled you like it. I had it done over in colors I like.”

“I do like it. I’m going to work on a vehicle. You said the Lexus is yours?”

“Yes, and the work truck is Paul’s. Babs and Jess won’t mind if you work on their cars, and if you need more vehicles, I have a slew of pack members on speed dial. I bet Brady and Jared’s imprints would love to have you look at their cars.”

“Excellent! I’ll get to work then.”

With that, the beautiful blonde left my room. I put the laundry away and then made my way back downstairs. Jessica and Tanya were hard at work correcting homework while Babs sat on the sofa with her feet on the coffee table. Carlisle was sitting with her. They were watching the TV intently together. Everyone was getting along well, which made me happy. I had no idea how long we’d be living like this, but it would make for a more harmonious living environment if we all connected with each other. So far, all was well. I hoped and prayed the men were in a similar amicable situation with the vampires in La Push.