Chapter 1:

"Hey when are you coming to pick me up?"

"I'll be there at 5:18. But I'm running bit late, as usual."

"Okay"

I hope she wasn't mad that we'd probably be late to Sakuras. Jess was having a 21 birthday dinner and had invited all of her friends from school. Jacqui and I included. I pulled on my tights and high waisted skirt.

I grabbed both my UGGs and converse before taking my keys and hurrying out to my Honda Pilot. Jacqui's house was only ten minutes from mine so once I picked her up I sped into Port Angeles to the restaurant. The Rez was a good 40 minutes from Port Angeles. We arrived before MO so it was okay.

"Syd! You made it." I kissed Jess' cheek and gave her her present. Once MO arrived we were seated at a table. There were about ten girls with us so we could have the whole grill to ourselves. I sat on one of the sides and chatted with Jess' friend Kristen while we waited for our waitress.

This was a rare occasion. Me out on the weekends instead of at home with my family or working. Jess was such a great friend though, so I had to come. I had turned 21 in February and Jess was just now turning 21 in December. She ordered a round of shots and Jacqui made a toast before we downed them.

The chef came out and began to cook. We ooed and ahead at the fire trick and I texted Theresa. She is my best friend and we grew up together. Because my parents were Leah and Embry I was destined to be a wolf, I just hadn't phased yet.

Everyone was really careful around me once I turned twelve. I turned to Theresa, one of my Uncle Seth and Aunt Ellen's daughters. Right now she was babysitting a neighbor's 3 month old baby. I removed my sweater and brushed my bangs out of my face. Jess began going around the table and getting pictures with each person.

She pulled me to my feet and made me make silly faces as Samantha took pictures of us. "Sydney I need a picture with you." MO jumped to her feet and stood next to me. She whispered in my ear that the guys behind us were checking me out.

I gawked and snorted unattractively. She nodded and placed her hand on my but giving it a squeeze. They cheered loudly. I chanced a glance over my shoulder and met the eyes of the most beautiful man I had ever seen. He stopped laughing and stared back, I couldn't move. I felt a connection between us like nothing I had ever felt before.

"Sydney.. hello? Look at the camera before we do another round of shots!" I rolled my eyes at Kelly. Sometimes she was such a bitch. I posed for the picture and downed my shot. I grabbed Jacqui and told her that I was done for the night. "Jessica I love you girl, but we need to get home."

I kissed her cheek and said goodbye to everyone else. I grabbed my keys and wallet and proceeded to exit the restaurant when Jacqui giggled. "What are you laughing at?"

She turned and pointed to the beautiful man at the other table. He was frowning deeply while he talked on his phone. "You're obviously drunk." I grabbed her arm and dragged her to my car. After strapping her in I drove the forty minutes in silence questioning that feeling that I felt looking at that man.

He was insanely gorgeous, skin just like mine, crystal blue eyes, dark short cropped hair, and a rugged jaw. He seemed familiar, but I couldn't remember where he was from. When I got to Jacqui's apartment Alex came out. He carried her from the car to the door.

"Thanks Syd for driving her home." I nodded and drove the rest of the way to my own apartment. I dropped my keys on the kitchen counter and fed my goldfish. "How are you fishy?" Yeah I was going crazy, talking to my fish. I stripped out of the tight skirt and slipped on some yoga pants.

Just as I had pulled on a tight v- neck my doorbell rang. "Hnmm…" I padded over to the door and checked the peep hole. "Sydney! Open the door we brought beer." I groaned and opened the door.

My brother Colin, stood there with four 24 packs in his hands and ten other wolves behind him. "No! You guys cannot do this again. I am tired and don't want you all trashing the place again!" Colin pouted and looked to the back on the crowd. Low and behold Sabrina, his imprint walked by him and placed a kiss on my cheek. "We promise." She vouched for the guys. "Okay, but next time it's at your place." She nodded.

Two hours later all of the men filled out of the door and I crashed on my couch, exhausted.

The next morning I woke with the worst headache ever! I jumped in the shower and blow dried my hair. I had recently gotten it cut so it only came to my shoulders, a lot shorter than it used to be. I applied a little makeup and then dressed in my light-wash jeans, a black v-neck, and grey cardigan.

I assumed that it would be cold so I pulled my white knit beanie. With my brown combat boots on and my aviators plus keys in my hand I made it out to my car before the winter chill could really kick in. I quickly started the car and blasted the heat. It was at a red light when my mother decided to call me.

"Hello?" I put the phone on speaker and kept my attention on the road. "Hey nina. Just reminding you that we have to be at Sam and Emily's this morning because Jared and Kim's son is home." I groaned. "You forgot didn't you?" I huffed. "Yeah mom. I'll be a little late, but I'll definitely be there. Do you want me to pick up something from the store." I heard her talking with my father.

"Yes, can you pick up some beer? Your father seems to believe that it's appropriate at eleven in the morning." I giggled and drove into the grocery store parking lot. "Alright, I'll see you in about twenty." I hung up and walked into the store. After grabbing Emily some roses I picked up the beer and made my way to the Uley's house. Upon their street parking was atrocious. I had to park like a mile away. I slung my messenger back over my shoulder, pushed my sunglasses back on my nose, and grabbed the shit.

Once I finally made it to the door I walked right in and was greeted with loud obnoxious voices, all of the retired wolves. When my parent's generation finally retired Sam's first born son Joshua took over as Alpha. I found most of the women in the kitchen fussing around Emily's stove.

I kissed her on the cheek and presented her with the roses. "Oh Sydney, you didn't have to do that." Her smile lit up her face. "But I did." I kissed her cheek and then my mother's. "Where's T?" My aunt Ellen pointed to the TV room. I walked to the closet and dropped my bag inside.

I removed my sunglasses and put them inside the closet as well. I peeked around the corner and found Theresa playing Wii with her younger sister Fiona. "Hey Fi!" I tousled her hair. She kept her eyes on the screen and mumbled a, "Hey Syd."

I smiled and punched Theresa's arm. "Sydney! Look what you made me do! Now I lost thanks." Fiona laughed and high fived me. "Cheater." I smiled and was about to sit on the couch when my mother asked me to get the photos of my trip to Hawaii. My friend Shamus and I went during the summer and we had just gotten all of the photos developed. I grabbed my keys and sunglasses as Theresa and I chatted to the car.

I let her look at the photos. "Wow. It seems really nice there. I wish I could go somewhere nice, but I couldn't be away from Pat that long. How was Shamus? Did he make any moves?" I rolled my eyes. Shamus and I were just friends, but the whole family believed that we were secretly dating.

"Shut up. Give me the damn pictures." She laughed and ran to the house. Before I could snatch them from her she was through the front door and shouting. "MOTHER FUCKER! Are you kissing Shamus!" I sprinted to where she stood in the TV room with everyone watching. I snatched the picture from her while the others fell out of her hands and onto the floor exposing others that I didn't want them to see.

See while Shamus and I were there this old couple thought that we were on our honeymoon and forced us to take pictures together kissing and stuff like that. We had joked about it afterwards, taking nothing seriously. I felt all eyes on me as I scrambled to pick the photos off of the floor.

As I stood I noticed someone new. There in the corner of the now silent room stood the guy from last night. No! No, this couldn't be happening! Not him… The guy from last night was Ronan Whallah, Kim and Jared's son. My mom ripped the picture from my hands and stared at it with glee in her eyes.

"Oh my God! You are kissing Shamus!" Theresa laughed and patted my back. "Good job Syd, you finally did it." I groaned. "It's not what you think. This old couple practically forced us because they thought we were newlyweds. We're just friends, when the rest of you can get it through your heads, we can talk about it."

I ripped my sunglasses and beanie off. Conversations slowly began to arise again and before long beers were handed out and food was being served. After placing my stuff back into the closet I took a seat on the couch next to Pat and Theresa who were making googley eyes at each other.

"Cut it out you're making me sick." Theresa grabbed one of my chocolate covered strawberries and stuck her tongue out at me. "Real mature." My eyes roamed the room and found that Ronan was staring at me. He didn't even look away when I caught him.

He continued to stare and before long Patrick noticed. He would notice being the nosy little Black that he was. "Why is Ronan staring at you like that?" He continued to blatantly stare at me. "Because she's my imprint." Ronan's voice rang out loud and clear. Conversation once again stopped. "What?" My brother and father choked out.

"She's my imprint." He said again looking my father directly in the eyes. "How do you know. You've never seen her before now and even then I didn't see it happen." My brother's fists were clenching. I stood. "I saw him last night when I was…in Port Angeles."

My brother stormed out of the house. He was always angry with me for going to PA alone because there have recently been some vampire attacks. I followed him out the door. He was sitting on the front porch running his hands through his hair. "Why Sydney? You promised me. I trusted you when you said you were going to study. What would've happened if you were attacked let alone killed?"

I touched his arm, but he flinched away from me. "Colin!" He ran from the house and into the woods. I made to get off the porch to follow him but a smoldering hand caught my elbow. "Sydney, please don't. Not while he's angry." Ronan released my arm. "So how have you been." He tried to lighten the mood. I smiled and sat on one of the steps. "Good, just trying to finish up my last year of college." He frowned and sat beside me. "Last year? How did you get so many credits that fast?" I laughed. "I took classes throughout the summer every year." He nodded.

"Well, I know this is awkward, but I want to provide for you Sydney. I want to be a part of your life. I feel deeply connected to you and I know now that I love you. I can't promise you a life of wealth, but I can promise one of great love. I will try my best everyday to make you as happy as possible and to see this smile on your face. I know it's early, but someday I want to marry you and I want to further our love by having beautiful children that look like you. Your stomach growing with our child, one created out of love." He looked up at me and panicked.

"Why are you crying? Did I say too much?" His thumbs tried to wipe away my tears, but they continued to fall. "It was perfect. You're perfect.." I reached up to run my hands through his hair. He pulled my chin up so that our eyes met. "Sydney…can I kiss you?" His eyes danced between mine and my lips. I nodded. His face slowly descended upon mine and I could feel his warm breath against my lips.

I closed the gap and grasped his lips with mine. His hands cradled my head gently with his lips seized mine fiercely. I moaned when his tongue sought out mine. He pulled away and kissed my forehead. Theresa came onto the porch not a second later with Pat. "Hey guys, we're leaving now so if you don't want to stick around I suggest that you make an excuse now." She waved and they left. I stood and made to move inside but Ronan pulled me back and kissed me once more before lacing his fingers through mine and walking inside.

I spoke to my mother briefly about going back to my apartment to talk with Ronan and she nodded. Ronan spoke with his parents and told them that he was going to come to dinner with me tonight and would be by later to collect some stuff. I grabbed my beanie and sunglasses as well as my messenger bag. "Dad make sure to tell Colin when he comes back that I'm upset, but not mad at him and that we'll talk later at dinner.

Ronan followed quietly behind me until we reached the car when he decided that he wanted to drive. "Ronan please be careful, this is my baby." He laughed and kissed me thoroughly. "I'll take care of her." He drove like a maniac, so fast and out of control. "I… never again." I vouched as we walked into my apartment. As soon as the door shut he was all over me. His hands caressed my every curve while his mouth moved to my neck. He sucked on the skin below my ear. "Ronan I want you."