ACT I   ▬▬▬▬ lived to tell the tale

HAILEYS FIST SLAMMED AGAINST THE LAHOTE HOUSEHOLD DOOR. Her movements were frantic as she tried to get a glimpse through the blinds.

"Paul answer the door please!" She pleaded, her fist relentlessly hitting against the wood.

The door swung open. Paul looked at the girl with dark circles under his eyes. He had grown at least seven inches and had accumulated even more muscle around his body.

"What Hailey" he snapped, his eyes swirling around.

"Where have you been, Paul! I've been calling and texting for weeks!" The girl cried, tears welling in her eyes. Why wouldn't he look at her?

Paul sighed, "and you didn't take the hint?" He snapped.

Hailey stepped back. "What?" She asked, her voice cracking.

Paul scoffed and shook his head. "Your pathetic Hailey. I'm bored, don't you get that?" He stated with an exasperated breath.

"Stop it" she murmured, her eyes casted to her feet.

"Don't you get it?" He snapped, "it was never just you Hailey. All those rumours, they're true and I think it's best if you gain a bit of self respect and just leave."

Hailey looked at Paul, who was still avoiding the look on her face. "Fuck you."

Tears streamed down her face as she walked away from the house. Her hand came to clasp against her mouth attempt to hold in the gut wrenching sobs that escaped her.

How could he.

Paul watched as Hailey walked away. He shut the door and leaned against it, tears built in his eyes and he shook profusely before slamming his fist into the wall nearest. A hole resided from his fist, a large one.

His body shook as he made his way through the small house and out the back door.

He walked straight towards the tree line before shifting into the large wolf. He didn't remember how far he ran, just that he trailed the border of Canada for hours at a time. Only did he return when Sam sent Jared to bring him home.

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Paul never forgot about that day.

You know when you stay up at night reminiscing on that one time you said 'you too' to a waiter when they tell you to enjoy your food? That was Paul's version.

The boy would never be able to erase the heartbroken sobs that Hailey let out as she walked away from him. When he let her walk away from him and now, since the imprint he regretted it more than ever. If he just had to courage to look her in the eye none of this would've happened and they would've still been together, hell Paul probably would've proposed by now.

The fact he lied about cheating was what he hated most, it was the only insecurity Hailey had in terms to their relationship. She trusted him, but never other girls.

"Paul shut the fuck up" Jared growled.

They were on patrol, hunting the red head.

"I can't. I miss her" Paul said, his ears perking at every sound.

If Jared was in his human form he would groaned, "dude she's literally your imprint, she wont be able to fight the bond" he said casually.

Paul paused, "she's stubborn, trust me."

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Hailey turned the last light off in the diner as she finished up. She hated closing shifts, she always felt creeped out.

Pulling the keys from her jacket pocket she fumbled around before locking the door and heading towards the tree line. Her truck was with Jacob black getting the heater fixed, winter in Washington was no joke and since it was coming closer to November the girl thought she'd get it fixed before developming hypothermia.

She didn't love walking through the woods, but it cut the travel time down by twenty minutes when walking. Hell, she talked to the dead — the woods had nothing on that.

Pulling her jacket closer to her body, Hailey kept her eyes trained ahead of her. She didn't fancy a fall, she'd probably be too tired to pick herself up.

As the moon shone between the tree tops, Hailey heard a twig snap. Her head spun around to where the sound came from but nothing was there.

"Probably just a rat" she murmured, and she kept walking.

Another one snapped.

"What the fuck" she whispered, her head turned to look into the woods. "I'm going crazy." As the turned back around she came face to face with a pale woman with red hair.

"Holy shit!" She yelled, stumbling back.

"You're a pretty one" she mumbled, tilting her head as she stepped forward.

Haileys eyes widened, "you ever hear that you shouldn't creep up on someone in the woods!" Her words echoed throughout the empty forest.

The woman's eyes narrowed, "you smell different from the other humans, but your not a wolf and I can hear your heart beat so your definitely not a vampire" the woman wondered, her hand coming out to reach Haileys cheek.

Slapping away her hand, Hailey looked at the woman bewildered. "So you're the red head" she mumbled.

"I'm Victoria"

For the first time Hailey noticed her eyes. They were blood red. "You're definitely not one of the animal munchers..." Hailey mumbled in realisation. Stalking backwards Hailey quickly turned on her feet and began to run.

The twigs snapped under her heavy footsteps and she could hear Victorias wicked laughs all around her.

Her foot suddenly got caught in an uprooted tree, falling to the ground he felt a searing pain in her cheek and her teeth nicked her lip. Hailey groaned as she pulled herself to her feet, she was in a clearing she looked around frantically trying to spot the woman.

Her breathing was laboured. She heard a twig snap, and the vampire appeared in front of her.

"It really is a shame that you're so pretty" Victoria mumbled as her finger trailed the long braid that fell down Haileys front.

"Sorry, necrophilia isn't my thing, try Bella!" Hailey stated with a sarcastic smile before her eyes trailed the tree line. Hearing the low growl, her eyes turned to Victoria — "it's your turn" she smiled, and two large wolves pounced from the darkness, their sights set on the leech.

Victorias eyes widened as she began to run. One of the wolves stopped in front of Hailey. His fur was a grey colour with lighter streaked through it.

His head nudged against her stomach. It was Paul. "I'm good, don't worry" she mumbled, her mind urging her to run a hand through the soft fur.

The wolf looked at her. "Promise" she nodded.

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Hailey struggled to sleep, but finally succumbed to the darkness when Jessica came in at five am before leaving for the opening shift at the diner. But alas, peace is something that is very rare and the girl was awaken by loud bangs against her front door and hour later.

Groaning Hailey pulled herself from her bed and slipped on the sliders that laid by her bed. She scratched her exposed stomach and felt goosebumps rise as she walked through the house. Small shorts and string top wasn't her best idea.

"Jesus I'm coming" she called out, and the incessant banging ceased. Pulling open the door she came face to face with Paul. The boy immediately wrapped his arms around her shoulders and let out a sigh of relief.

Hailey stood awkwardly with her hands beside her sides. Reaching up she patted his back, silently telling him to let go.

"I'm fine" she stated, "but id be better if you didn't wake me up at six am." She mumbled, finally being released from his tight grip.

"I just got off patrol, I needed to make sure you were safe." He mumbled, his eyes scanning the dried blood that lined over her cheek and split lip. "Why the fuck were you in the woods passed midnight?"

Hailey shrugged, stepping around him to close the front door. "I was on closing shift" she replied, a yawn escaping her as she walked towards the kitchen in an attempt to make coffee.

"And why didn't you drive home Hailey!" Paul exclaimed, his eyebrows creased.

The girl pulled a sachet from the press and poured it into a mug. "Getting the heating fixed, Jake says it'll be a couple of days, maybe a week" she explained calmly, too tired to argue with the boy.

Paul sighed, he was frustrated. "Thats it, I'm picking you up to and from work until you get your car back" the boy decided, nodding in accomplishment.

Lazily Hailey spun on her heel, "do I not have a say now?" She asked, her eyes staring at him with confusion.

"You could've died Hailey! Don't you get that" he yelled, walking closer to her. "I would've lost you! I cannot loose you, dont you underestand?"

"You don't have me in the first place" she argued, spite burned in her life a forest fire.

Paul stood still for a moment. "Please, Hail's. Just — just let me do this" he croaked.

Hailey sighed, "whatever, now get out so I can go back to bed.

The boy nodded, as he turned to leave he paused. Quickly he spun around and placed a chaste kiss to her forehead before leaving the small home.

Hailey stood in shock for a minute, she shook her head in disbelief before dragging herself back to her head.

As she laid down she grasped the frame that sat above her. Her fingers trailed the carved wood and the dusty class. A photo resided inside of it. A family, and a happy one at that. The couple stood with their little girl no older than eleven between them. They all adorned sweet smiles and Hailey could almost hear the echoes of their laughter. Her parents were her rock, and since then she only had her aunt Jess, she's an amazing woman but she'll never fill the whole that her parents left when they died.

She missed them.

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— RIN SPEAKS

Lil flashback, lil action...

I was saying to my dear friend -graciesbae that I wanted to write a calm chapter, but as I said — I cannot u tim angst round one is over...