The Runaway Bride

“Of course I love you, Paul. What kind of question is that?” she giggled

He smiled brightly down at her “Just a stupid one” he kissed her forehead. He pulled away and intertwined his fingers with hers as they walked along the beach.

“You know” she spoke “I would never ever leave you in a million years” she kissed his hand.

“Is that so?” he raised his eyebrow playfully.

“Mhm” she confirmed swinging their hands back and forth “You’re too cute to give up”

He scoffed “What about my personality? I’m not a piece of meat you know”

She chuckled “Eh” she shrugged “You’re personality is alright, not really my type”

“Why you little—“

She let out a screech as he chased her around the beach. He finally caught up to her and they fell on the soft sand. She looked up at him and smiled. She put her hand on his cheek and drew light circles with her thumb.

“I mean it Paul. I love you and I’d be stupid if I were to ever let you go”

“Then don’t ever let me go,” he whispered as he moved his face closer to hers.

“I promise,” she murmured on his lips.

Paul woke up with a groan. He looked around the room, nothing had changed. It was just another of so many dreams. He sat down on bed and looked on the left side of his bed. She would have been there he always thought. He sighed, four long damn years and he was still dreaming about her. Not just dreams either, but memories of the time they had together. Her memory haunted him. He got out of bed and went to his dresser and pulled out a book. The book held an old wrinkled picture. The only picture he kept of her. He didn’t know why he had it, but he simply couldn’t throw it away. She was a beauty. She had been kind and gentle and stole his heart. Only to later rip it up in pieces.

“I love you and I’d be stupid if I were to ever let you go”

He growled and shoved the picture back inside the book slamming it and roughly throwing it back inside his drawer. She was a damn good liar too and he would be stupid if he ever fell for another girl again.

He grabbed his clothes and towel and headed to the bathroom. Once he was done in the shower he changed and left downstairs. He didn’t feel like being alone so he headed over to Sam’s house for breakfast. He knew the whole gang would be there especially if Emily was cooking, which she always was. He hated to admit it, but when Sam found Emily, Paul had become envious of their relationship. Paul had met Violet before Sam and Emily had met. When Sam and Emily met Violet and Emily would always joke about having a double wedding. Paul always chuckled at that, but loved the idea of spending the rest of his life with her. But then what happened? Sam got the girl, and Paul got a kick on the face. He was relief that he hadn’t imprinted on her, or else he would have probably killed himself by the looks of it.

When he arrived to Emily’s house he opened the door without knocking.

“G’mornin’” he called out. He heard a various good morning throughout the house and chuckled.

“Hey Paul” Emily smiled when he entered the kitchen.

“Hey, Em” Emily was the only one worth being nice to.

“Would you like some breakfast?” She turned to look at Paul who was giving her an amused look. She chuckled “Right, stupid question” Paul chuckled pulling out a chair and sitting on it.

“Sup Paul!” Jared came in patting his back and sitting next to him.

“Hey Jared” Paul looked around for Kim “Where’s Kim?” he asked when she didn’t appear trailing behind him.

“She’s visiting some family in Nevada,” he answered grabbing a muffin.

“And you’re ok” Paul raised an eyebrow.

“Hell no. But what am I suppose to do? I don’t want to come out too needy”

“You are needy” Paul rolled his eyes

“Yeah, but she doesn’t know that”.

“Oh, she knows” Seth piped in entering the kitchen “She jut feels bad for you she doesn’t say anything”

Jared threw a muffin at Seth, which he easily dodged.

“Hey! No flinging food around the room” Emily scolded Jared.

“He started it” Jared mumbled taking another bite out of his muffin.

“Where’s Embry? He’s always here,” Paul asked.

“He went to go pick some flour and some other stuff for Emily” Seth answered. “He should be here now, who knows why he’s taking so long”

Jared shrugged “More food for us” he grabbed another muffin.

“Not uh” Emily smacked his hand “Leave some for Embry and Jacob”

“But I’m hungry!” Jared complained.

“Well, you should have thought about that before you decided to throw food around the room”

Jared mumbled something and crossed his arms.

“Mmm, what smells good?” Seth asked.

“Oh! It’s a cake I’m making” Emily responded excited getting it out of the oven and showing them the delicious smelling delight. Paul looked at the cake drowning him in the past.

“ Come on Paul! We’re going to be late for the cake tasting!” Violet pulled on his hand to get up from the couch.

“Do I have to go? Isn’t that a girl thing?”

She rolled her eyes “It’s not a girl thing. It’s a couples thing”

“Why must you torture me woman?”

She pouted “ Spending time with me is torture?”

“Only when you make me do things I don’t want to do”

She smacked his arm “I hardly ever see you Paul. You’re always-- heck knows where you are ever at “Working”.” She quotes with her finger. “I just want to spend time with you, but if you don’t want to spend time with me fine, but remember you were the one who asked me to marry you” She grabbed the keys and walked out the door.

Paul quickly got up and followed her “Babe” he called out.

She ignored him and kept on walking to the car. Paul grabbed her arm and turned her around before she could get in the car.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “You’re right, I hardly ever see you lately, but it’s not because I don’t want to”

“Then why is it Paul?” she looked at him wanting to know.

“I- I – can’t tell you”

“Are you ever?” she asked hurt that he would keep something from her.

“Some day, just not know please. Trust me”

She sighed

“I trust you,” she whispered laying her head on his chest.

He never did tell her. He never told her that he could shift into a giant wolf. He wondered if that’s why she left. He did keep a lot of stuff from her. Not because he wanted, but because he wanted to keep her safe. He didn’t want her to worry about him every time he would come home late. He definitely didn’t want her to know anything about the existence of vampires. He just wanted her safe and with him.

It didn’t matter anymore though. She was long gone. Out of his life forever.

“Paul, honey are you ok” Emily asked worried written all over her face.

“Yeah you ok honey?” Jared asked in a teasing matter.

“Shut it!” he shoved Jared off his seat. “Yeah, Em. I’m fine.” He said on a much lighter tone to her.

“Guys!” Embry yelled from the living room entrance. “You’ll never know who I just ran into—“ Embry ran inside the kitchen “Oh-- hey Paul” Embry said nervously trying to act casually. “I didn’t know you were here” he acted rather awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck.

“Who did you run into?” Jared asked.

“Oh no one special” Embry tried to play it off cool.

Paul wasn’t having it though. He knew Embry was hiding something especially because he was there. Embry was so ignorant at times.

“Yeah, C’mon Embry why don’t you tell us who you just ran into”

Embry stayed quiet.

“Tell us what’s going on” Paul demanded.

“Just tell him Embry” Jacob entered he kitchen. “He’s going to find out sooner or later”

“What the fuck is going on?” Paul became irritated with their little secreting.

“I ran into her.” Embry said quietly looking at the kitchen tile.

“Ran into who?” Paul rolled his eyes annoyed.

“Violet” Embry looked up at Paul.

Emily let out a gasp. Silence penetrated the room. Paul could feel his heartbeat quicken as Embry mentioned her name. His stomach tighten. Violet? Embry had ran into his Violet? His hands trembled slightly thinking about her.

“Of course I love you, Paul.”

“What did she say?” Paul asked trying to simmer down all his emotions.

“She says hi” Embry responded hesitantly.

“Tell him the other part!” Jacob demanded.

“What other part?” Paul wanted to know immediately.

“She wants to see you.”