HUMANITY. ❪ Paul Lahote ❫ ✓

twenty-eight

It had been two weeks since the incident. Embry was better. His accelerated healing helped him get back up on his feet after Carlisle broke his bones back in.

Iris would have loved to help, but she didn't have much happiness in her at that moment. There was too much going on, that she even forgot the conversation she had with Carlisle.

Why does Embry feel my happiness so vibrantly? she thought.

However, Carlisle remembered. After breaking Embry's bones back in, he gently pulled her aside to talk to her.

"I believe Embry is your protector. Not a mate, but a protector. He is somehow connected to you - but obviously, not like Paul. Perhaps, in another life, you two were something. I wouldn't be surprised if you were a goddess, Iris. You're so pure and happy, especially for a vampire. That's all I can really hypothesize for now, but there was a reading about how wolves can feel inclined to protect someone strongly, whether it be imprint or friend or family."

"You meanie!" Iris shouted. "Give me back my scone! It's the last one!"

"You eat too slowly!" Embry shouted.

"That's not fair! You guys are pigs! I swear to God, Embry, I will murder you!"

"You're too nice for that."

She slowly slouched back in her seat, realizing that he was right. Embry smiled to himself and felt satisfied with her response. He lifted the scone to his mouth, right before Paul barged into the kitchen after finishing his patrol.

"You better not be taking my damn imprint's scone," he said.

Embry huffed, throwing the scone back to Iris, who caught it with her reflexes. Iris got up for Paul to sit on the chair, then he greedily pulled her down by her hips and sat her onto his lap.

Iris smiled at him, angling her head for a quick kiss on the lips, but Paul had other thoughts. He kept her lips locked in with his, kissing her with more force than she anticipated.

Embry and Jared groaned. Quil left shortly after Paul came back because it was his turn for patrol.

Iris was wiggling around on top of Paul's lap. He grunted, her butt nudging against something it shouldn't have been.

Jared scrunched up his nose. "You guys are sexing up the place."

Iris stopped kissing Paul to look at Jared. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. We weren't trying to have sex in here. Besides, you don't complain that this is Sam and Emily's house, and they have sex in here."

"I don't want to think about that. Thank you," Jared replied.

Paul chuckled and kissed her neck.

"It's a miracle you two haven't had sex yet. It doesn't seem right," Embry said. "Are you sure Paul didn't take advantage of you in your sleep, Iris?"

Her eyes widened. "N-No! Paul would never do that. That's gross and that is considered sexual harassment!"

"Yeah, Embry," Paul shot back, "that would be sexual harassment. I treat my princess like the royalty she is."