HUMANITY. ❪ Paul Lahote ❫ ✓

twenty-six

Iris whimpered. If she was a wolf or a dog, her ears would be folded in sadness.

"Seth and Leah left the pack to join Jacob?" she questioned. "Why? Why would they - Seth is so young. He's only fifteen. I - "

"They're going to protect the thing inside of Bella," Sam huffed out. "They think it's an amazing miracle, and Jake is their new alpha."

Iris shook her head. "But they could get hurt. We have no choice but to fight them once Bella gives birth. I can't have you guys fight your friends - your family - because of my family."

"We can't change the past," Sam replied. "But we can prevent the horrible future that's coming to us."

"Is there anything I can do? I should help in some way."

"When the time comes to attack them, protect Emily, okay?" Sam asked.

Iris nodded, the sudden feeling of dread settling in on her heart like a twenty pound weight.

Attack them.

They were going to attack her family. But were the Cullens still her family? She essentially left her pack - just like Jacob. She was much more similar to Jacob than she ever realized, and that fact made her sick.

"I... I need to go hunting," she whispered. "I'll be back."

Iris made a beeline for the door, but Paul clasped his hand onto her wrist.

"Be safe, okay?"

Iris nodded. "I'll be okay. Don't worry."

She flashed away from him and into the forest, looking for a large animal to drink. Iris jumped from tree to tree, her hands reaching for each branch like Tarzan would in the jungle.

She found a mountain lion that was running away from. She was chasing after a mountain lion, loving the chase. She was much more enthusiastic about catching the mountain lion than chasing Victoria in the past.

Victoria was a threat, yes, but Iris knew she had lost her mate. Losing a mate was the most horrible thing that could happen to someone.

Iris finally jumped off the tree and landed on the mountain lion. She eagerly sank her fangs on its neck from behind and watched as its body slowly stopped functioning.

She wiped the blood from her mouth with the back of her hand and started walking back to Sam's house.

She didn't want to run, so she took her sweet time. Once she spotted Paul waiting for her on the porch, she ran to him at human speed.

He caught her in his arms, immediately burying his nose into her neck.

"Hi," she murmured.

He smiled. "Hi, sweetheart. How was hunting?"

Iris hummed. "It was okay. I caught a mountain lion."

"That's my girl," he praised. "But it's almost hard to believe that someone as small and adorable as you could do that."

She looked up at him with a frown on her face. "You suck. I am very capable of hunting a big animal. I could even hunt you."

Paul raised an eyebrow. "We'll just have to test it out. Of course, remember not to eat me."

Iris huffed. "I wouldn't eat you, Paul. I bet you wouldn't even taste good."

He gasped dramatically. "I'm actually very hurt by that. I think I would taste amazing."

She opened her mouth to retort, but suddenly stopped once she hear howling. Her eyes widened as she searched Paul's face for any emotions.

"It's done," he simply said.

Iris cast her eyes to the side of the forest where the Cullens were. She stared through the trees, hoping to catch a glimpse of her old family.

"It's done," Iris whispered.

"I have to go now."

"No," she whimpered. "You'll get hurt. Let me go, too."

Paul shook his head. "You will be protecting Emily. I won't have you fight your family."

"You're my family."

He smiled and kissed her softly. "I love you, princess."