I had woken up alone in the hotel bed. Your scent was faint and the sheets cold. You had long gone, I knew coming to Seattle was just too close to home. It's as if your lands called you back every now and then.

I picked up the phone and rang you waiting for you to answer. Sometimes you did and other times you didn't. I never had to ring more than twice though. You would usually leave immediately after I called the first time.

Something felt off this time, I didn't call again not yet. I would wait maybe you just need some time, we all get nostalgic I suppose. My mother had reassured me you would be back, you loved me and love trumped all.

My father had remained silent on the matter, an air of sadness following him around. You and him were so close and I know he was missing you dearly.

The longest you had ever left me was a few months, you had aways let me know. This time just felt so different. By the time we were ready to move on you still hadn't returned. I had counted every day that you had been gone, my worry that you may not return was coming true.

It had been ten years, time really does just fly. I had missed you for just so long, I came looking for you even if just to catch a glance. My father warned me of the treaty but I knew there were no longer any protectors to stop me.

I flew through the forest, stopping in the tree line just outside the Clearwater house. That's where I saw you sitting on the porch swing, beer in hand and a descendant of Jacob on your knee. Her smile impossibly wide and bright, just how my mother used to describe Jacobs.

You hadn't noticed me in the tree line watching you play with the child. Why would you? Your senses must have long since dulled. Your skin soft with ageing and fine white hairs litter you waist long plaits. Your happy without me.

A young man comes out onto the porch calling you in for dinner. You scoop the child up into your arms and make your way inside, the man looks my way and nods slightly. He's seen me, he knows even though he's never phased. I turn and leave quickly.

I go home to my parents and we continue to travel, I never find anyone else to share my life with and I know you are the same. Because true love can never be replaced,

Every ten years or so I find myself running the familiar path to the Clearwater home through the trees of La push. I never stay long just long enough to see your smile and hear your voice.

Your not at the Clearwater home today, your with the Ateras. I watch you closely from the tree line, there is a small gathering in the back yard.

A woman the image of Quil walks into the garden carrying a tiny bundle. None of the imprints can conceive, confusion fogs my brain. From the snippets of gossip I pick up, Quil had loved another woman before he had married Claire. She had died during the delivery of Quils only Son, Quil the third.

You sit on the garden swing, your eyes tired and your wrinkled skin paling with age. The baby is placed into your waiting embrace and I smile knowing just how much you love children. My smile is short lived as you look into that tiny child's eyes and you imprint. You are mesmerised by her every movement completely engulfed with her.

I know that when a wolf imprints even if he has stopped phasing he has the ability to phase again to wait for his imprint to catch up with him. I wait a few days longer to see if you will. You don't, you visit the young child often Maisey Atera her name is but you continue to age on.

I'm not there when you take your last breaths, I didn't make it in time. My world shatters when I receive the call. My phone had rung and I didn't recognise the number. When I answered the deep gravely voice of Jacob Black the second had greeted my ears.

My mothers face was pinched as she listened intently to the voice on the other end of the phone with me. The voice reminding her of a past man with that same voice. When my father heard of your death I know he would have cried if he could. My mother took my father away to mourn and I boarded a flight to Seattle.

I ran through the forest as fast as I could, I had missed the service and everyone was long gone. I stepped out of the tree line and sat down at your grave. My heart aching and my eyes wet. Goodbye my love. You were gone and I was truly all alone now.

I had left La push with tears streaming down my face and sought comfort with my friends in South America.

Twenty years had passed and I was feeling nostalgic so I boarded a flight to Seattle and took off running the familiar path to your cliff side grave. When I reached the tree line someone was already there, Maisey Atera . She was on her knees planting some flowers around all the graves that littered the cliff top.

She was chatting away to you as if you were still here. I guess the love of the imprint never dies. Her cheeks were wet and flushed. She talked of how much she missed you and wished you could have been in her life longer because 8 years was just not long enough.

I sit for hours watching her and listening to her talk to you, retelling all the memories you shared with her. The sun had begun to set and she stood up ready to leave. She said she would be back next week and with that she turned and left.

The cliff had become the burial place of the pack initially, their families then burying all their descendants on the same cliff. I return to your grave every 10 years, living for ever is hard when your alone. But I'm glad you stopped phasing and found your peace. The protectors were not cursed with immortality so why should you have had to suffer living forever.