I didn't get as many responses with Chapter 3 as before, I hope everyone loved it.
This story belongs to me but the characters are SM.

Chapter 4

Billy Black and my dad were at our table having lunch when Paul stopped by. I had only seen him for fifteen minutes last night and all he had time to do was take a plate of dinner to Billy's. There was a brief hug, but that was it. And truthfully, I missed it. I didn't know how long I could go being 'friends'. Even though I loved thinking of him as mine, he technically wasn't yet. And I was getting impatient pretty quickly.

"Please feed me!" Paul demanded.

"Do you never eat?" I questioned softly, leading him to the kitchen. I didn't want him to go hungry. I had asked my dad about his parents and his response confused me. Dad had just given me a funny look and said they weren't around anymore. I didn't know what that meant, but I knew Paul was pretty exhausted all the time and if I could take away at least one burden, then I would.

Paul's hot hand stopped me and as I looked up, he caressed my cheek. His hand was so rugged, yet warm that I leaned into it. Secretly, I loved how it made me feel cherished every time they were on me.

"I eat enough, sweet girl."

"What did you eat for breakfast?" I asked, placing my hands on my hips.

He smirked.

"Eggs."

"That's it? How many?"

"Babe, keep up that smart mouth, I'm gonna kiss you in front of The Chiefs." I smiled up at him and looked at him mouth. Just imagining more of that first kiss three nights ago made me want more.

"How many, Casanova?" He smirked, then eyed my lips, and purposefully bit his bottom lip before answering.

"3." Charlie could eat three. And I know Paul puts way too much energy out being a wolf than Charlie does fishing.

"Sit down, Playboy." I said and turned to make him some sandwiches. It wasn't a lot on short notice, but it was enough, and it was warm.

While slicing ham, I listened to the guys talk.

"How's Jake?" Paul asked Billy.

"Still hanging in there. He's got the fever so it should be soon." Poor Jake. I witnessed first hand Sam's transition. Knowing that Jake is going through the same thing really sucks.

"I can go over if you want. Provoking him might make it quicker." I clutched the knife. My head started running wild. What if Paul was too close? What if he got hurt? What if Jake hurt him after for provoking him?

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. All I could see behind my eyelids was Sam's wild wolf eyes coming at me.

I felt myself getting sick and dropped the knife, hurrying up the stairs in time to throw up in the toilet.
The acid burned my throat even after I was finished. I hated this feeling. And I hated being scared of the wolves.
Paul was fine. I wasn't scared of his wolf that first night. I don't know why. Maybe it was the control. Or maybe it was the faith I had in the imprint. But instinctively, I knew Paul nor his wolf would hurt me physically.

"Babe?" Paul knocked.

Laying my head against the seat of the toilet made it much better. As the cool seeped into my head, I heard the doorknob turn.

"What're you doing to yourself, Little Girl?" I clinched my eyes tightly and pulled my knees in closer as I tried to center myself around the sound of his voice.

"BELLA!" The sound of worry evident in his panicked voice.

Suddenly, I was lifted off the hard bathroom tile and carried out then placed on something soft, where Paul proceeded to wrap himself around me.

Only then did I feel okay.

"That's it… Come back to me. Breathe in and out slowly." And I was. Slowly but surely I was settling. Paul was my anchor. Nothing else existed outside our bubble.

Paul was there. Helping me through the panic attack. Helping me come back to me.

"I-I am s-sorry." I stuttered out.

"No reason to be sorry, Little Girl. Can you tell me what's going on in that pretty little head of yours?"

"D-Don't provoke, Jake. Please." I squeezed him tightly.

"Look at me." I looked up into his deep chocolate eyes.

"I'd never hurt you. Neither would my wolf. And I'd never let another wolf hurt you again."

"But what about you. If Jake phases too close you could get hurt like me. I know what it feels like. It burned so bad. Even if you do heal fast, you shouldn't have to deal with that kinda pain. Even if it does help him phase quicker."
"What burned, baby?" Paul whispered against the side of my head.
"Sam's claws. When they tore into my skin, it burned when it happened, but for months after that, they still burned." I felt his growl before I heard it. But then when I heard it, it was getting louder and louder. And his arms were getting tighter and tighter around me. Paul's arms didn't hurt though. No matter how tight they got, the only thing I felt was protection.

"Nothing will ever hurt you again." He stated once he had calmed down.

"I just don't want Jake to hurt you." I whispered against him.

"I'd never take myself from you. We didn't decide if I would, but you gotta trust me. I get you're scared. If I do it, I'll be careful, okay?" I looked up shocked. I fully expected him to give in, and it pissed me off that he hadn't.
"You're still going through with it?" I asked wiping my eyes and getting frustrated. I saw the stubbornness cross his face and knew we were getting ready to butt heads. Paul's eyes got harder and he unwrapped himself from around me and got up.
"Yeah, if I need to I'm gonna do whatever is for the best of the tribe. I need to get Sam out of control."
"Even if that meant taking over control and becoming Alpha?" He sneered.
"The tribe doesn't need me as alpha. You don't need me as alpha. What we all need is Jake to phase. And if I have to be on his shit list because I did what's best for the pack and the tribe, then so be it. You can't stand in the way of that."
"Is that what I'm doing? Standing in the way? Last I checked I was scared for your life. If I'm in the way so much, you don't have to come here." His tone changed. It was still hard, but it took on a gentler tone.
"I wouldn't let you stand in the way is what I'm saying. Do I want you to be upset, fuck no. But, I told you that first night I wasn't going to be led around. Emily can sit and order Sam around all day and have him attached to her pussy. I ain't like that. I still have to be me. And part of me doing that is taking the risk. Like it or not sweetheart, you got me for an imprint." He stopped to take a breath, and I started calming enough to think.
"I didn't like picking you up off that bathroom floor, Bella. It scared the shit outta me, seeing you like that. We talked about it. And I made a compromise. Instead of walking up to Baby Alpha as socking him in the fucking face, I won't get close enough to get hurt. I didn't do that to save my own ass, I did it because that is what you would feel more comfortable with."
Compromise… I never thought of that. I just assumed he would give in.
I reached for his hand and waited for him to place his in my own.
Paul's eyes reached mine before his hand, but I stood and left my hand out waiting. When his warm hand touched my own I glanced down, then back at his face.
"Thank you. It may not be the outcome I would prefer, but you thought enough about me to at least compromise." He let out the breath he was holding and pulled me to him. I wrapped my arms around his waist and I looked up into his deep chocolate eyes.
"Fuck, this is tough." Paul groaned.
"What is?"
"Fighting, making up, and not kissing the shit out of you or taking you against the wall." I felt him grind himself into me. He was ready right then.
I heard myself moan.
"How about another compromise?" I whispered. He arched his eyebrow at me in question.
"A makeout session up against the wall doesn't sound too bad."
"I don't know how long I can do this just friends thing…" He said as he picked me up and I wrapped my legs around his back.
"I don't want to be just friends." I muttered before taking his lips with my own.