The Southern Imprint (Paul Lahote x oc)

Chapter 20: Army

We spent a few hours at Paul's house just playing board games and watching movies. Eventually we left for Emily's for dinner. Once we arrived we were greeted by balloons everywhere and streamers on the roof. Music pouring out of every window.

"Looks like they started without us." I said climbing out of Paul's truck.

"We are a bit late." Paul grabbed my hand and we walked inside.

"Geez what took you guys so long." Jared said with a wink. Him and his dirty mind.

"Olivia decided to pick the farthest restaurant to have lunch at."

"You agreed to go there." I said feeling betrayed.

"Where did you guys go?" Seth butted in.

"A steak house down the road from the school." I said.

"It was not 'down the road'" Paul remarked.

"Fine it was a ways away from the school." I left to go find something to drink.

We hung out for a while just talking and playing some board games and, obviously, eating junk food. A little closer to dinner time Jared decided to try his hand at some line dances. We all just laughed as he failed miserably until he got to Cotton Eyed Joe. I almost cringed at how bad he was at it.

"What are you doing. That's not even how the line dance goes!" I laugh.

He pauses. "If you're so smart why don't you give it a go."

"Fine I will." I waited for the song to get to a certain part before I started. The boys watched as I did the line dance almost flawlessly. https://youtube.com/shorts/wvNNQBpYoTs?si=w4dcRf0d3n9uF7b_ (that is the closest one to the one that I know. There are multiple different line dances to this song.)

"I stand corrected." Jarred said. We continued trying, and failing, at different line dances before Emily called for dinner. We got our plates and sat down at the table. I sat next to Paul and we started eating. Seth was on my other side.

"That was cool of you to teach us those line dances." Seth remarked.

"You're welcome." I said awkwardly. I only taught them one line dance.

"You know line dances?" Paul asked. He has been talking with Sam about something while we were in the living room.

"Yeah I know a few." I said.

"So you can teach us some more?" Seth asked excitedly.

"If you eat your dinner." I said, pointing my fork at his food.

He grumbled something and stabbed at his food. We chatted for a little bit and they did manage to drag me into the living room again.

"I will show you one more." I said. It was getting late. They agreed and I was about to start when Jacob, Embry, and Quil barged into the house.

"We need to have a pack meeting." Jacob said to Sam.

"What about?" Sam asked cautiously.

"There is an army of vampires coming soon and the Cullen's can't defeat them alone." Blabber mouth Quil rushed out.

Everyone froze. An army of vampires. Did they already sign us up to help?

Jake glared at Quil. "Did you already say we would help?" Sam asked.

Jake sighed. "Yes but only because this could affect the rez as well."

"Or was it because Bella was in danger?" I butted in.

"Stay out of this Frasier." Jacob said.

"No your decision to get involved, includes all of us." I started advancing on him, "do you know how dangerous it is. Someone could be killed or seriously injured because you were only thinking about protecting a girl who doesn't even like you back."

Everyone froze. "If you're going to fight please do this outside. I want my living room to remain intact." Emily said from behind Sam.

Jacob stormed outside and I followed right after him. As soon as we were a good 10 meters from the house he turned on me.

"Don't you think I know how dangerous it is. The Cullen's alone wouldn't have been able to defeat them."

"So you decided to involve us in something that should have been a group decision. Do you know how reckless that was?"

He started shaking. "If we weren't involved a lot of people could die."

"One of us could die!" I cried out.

He growled and shifted. I ran back a few paces and shifted as well. I swooped around and was about to attack him from above when Sam butted in.

"That's enough!" He yelled out as Embry attacked Jake in wolf form and Paul grabbed my legs. I tried to fly away but Paul held fast.

"Hey calm down." He said softly. I huffed and settled on his arm.

"Both of you need to stop fighting over something so childish." Sam started. He pointed at Jacob, "you should have at least talked to me before signing us up." He pointed at me, "and you need to remember your place. He shouldn't have signed us up but he has a point. More people are going to get hurt if we don't help." Sam looked at Jake and then back to me. "You are both on patrol until midnight." With that he stalked back inside.

'Sorry.' I muttered to Paul through our link.

'It's ok. I'll see you at midnight.' I nudged him with my head and flew off. The patrol was very boring and was spent mainly by me and Jacob avoiding each other. By the time it was midnight I was ready to sleep. I flew over to Paul's house and swooped into his open window.

He had already fallen asleep so I closed the window as quietly as I could. He shifted but stayed asleep. I slipped on one of his sweatshirts and climbed into bed next to him. I cuddled up next to him and fell into a dreamless sleep.