Author's Note: The 'soundtrack' for this if you will is Prawnkus by Clinton Shorter, from the soundtrack of District 9 – a film, I feel I should mention, I have never watched.
By all means, point out any mistakes and I will fix them. I doubt this will be the last time I edit this regardless and any corrections would be greatly appreciated.
Also to note, I'm not a fan of imprinting but I won't stomp over to any pro-Imprinters and rant at them and insult them for thinking it just peachy. I'd appreciate the same sort of thing in return (though polite complaints will always be welcome, and will always be - also politely, I should hope - answered).
Rating: M, for the relationship I imply at the end. I'm not a supporter exactly, but I thought it fitting.
Disclaimer: I do not own The Twilight Saga. It is the property of Stephenie Meyer and Little, Brown and Company.
It wasn't meant to happen. Standing on the other side of the clearing, dressed in dark clothes to match those beside her, she is the enemy. It wasn't his fault. Beside the papery creatures that are her masters, she stands straight despite her diminutive appearance, her confidence visible for all. She is certain of victory, the saccharine feeling ready upon her tongue – though it might have just been the venom. Her thoughts are focused on the battle with nothing left for him - a mere wolf, the disgusting mutts.
But it couldn't be her fault either. Not such a creature of angelic beauty, with full lips, a straight nose and sugar-spun hair. He is paralysed at the sight of her unearthly beauty. She was utterly perfect – utterly perfect for him. It wasn't meant to happen.
But it did.
_._
In the clearing, Edward falters mid-sentence. Only he understands why the wolves suddenly start to bare their teeth and whine. One of the newer wolves even sprints back a few steps in his alarm. Edward knows that his wife looks on in panic as she watches him freeze but he feels he can barely move. Aro watches them carefully, as do the rest of them.
The only one who mattered to Embry – the fair haired twin with the pain of burning behind her smile - looks upon the scenario, completely unaware of what she has done.
_._
Next to him, Seth paces about restlessly, making little whining sounds. He is scared for two reasons, and they are two very compelling reasons. Jacob and Leah have impressive tempers as it is. The two of them combined are an unstoppable force. Jacob paces too, but at a rate that matches his imprint's heartbeat for all his fury. Leah sits tensely, her teeth bared and let growls escape every now and then. Disgust is not a term strong enough for her.
Quil rests a little away from them. Like Seth, he too is nervous. Imprinting on a two year old was one thing for the Quileute packs. Why, naturally, they didn't want Embry to be the only one without his soul mate. It was just that...Jane was a little unexpected.
But Embry takes no notice.
Imprinting does not discriminate between cousins and best friends. It ignores the notion of strangers and infants and murderers. Imprinting is a confusing, world-changing thing and it could heal lives and rip them apart as easily as if feelings were sheets of paper. It does not matter.
Only she does.
_._
Naturally, being some sort of mortal enemies means that she isn't bursting of joy when she is told. He remains understanding in a way he could not have been before. Naturally, she isn't scared either and he revels in her bravery. She does not complain, nor does she shrink away with disgust. Her marvels at her brilliance.
Jane stays silent and listens attentively as Jacob and Sam aid him in hastily explaining the bizarre scenario they've found themselves in to Aro, Caius, Marcus and her. Not too far away, Alec, Demetri and Felix hover about, clinging to their presence like shadows, their own opinions clear on their faces. Jane's is a blank slate. Later Embry would reassure his pack that was simply how Jane was Jane and with that they didn't argue.
They know that no one could know her like he does.
_._
Sitting outside on a bench, Jane fiddles with the buttons on her coat. She hears familiar footsteps and looks up with a smile; before her stands Alec, who quickly sits down next to her.
"I don't really understand it," he says immediately.
Slowly she looks over at him and widens her eyes. "What don't you understand, brother?" she asks, sweet as honey.
"This entire..." he trails off, gesturing with his hands in an attempt to signify the impossible situation. He doesn't quite know what to think of it all – his little sister, his little Jane. His. The only thing to come out of it that had been good was Caius's reaction, he thought.
Jane's smile turns from mocking to something more familiar to him, a smile that gets as close to comforting as when Jane is concerned. "I don't think there's much to it," she says with a ring of laughter that echoes in the courtyard. For the moment they are back in Italy, though they promised to return to the Washington peninsula again soon enough. "Not that you haven't heard already."
Alec remains silent and his sister understands. He does know, he just doesn't like it. Her hand searches for his and gives it a reassuring squeeze. "They are whatever you want them to be." He doesn't look at her; he is transfixed by the horizon.
"Dead it is then," he says softly. She laughs again before they stand up and head on inside, holding hands like always.
_._
When she finally returns, Embry can breathe again. Every second without her had been pure agony, stabbing him in the chest over and over until he was ready to faint. He doesn't dwell on such things with her returned.
She says she is only to stay for a week. He feels his heart throb at the thought of separation again but she seems rather dismissive of the fact. Thus, he resolves to forget it until the time comes. For now, he will shower every bit of his attention upon her and treat her like the precious jewel she is.
_._
Aro, being the collector that he is, means that Jane is quite used to being precious. She's used to seeming precocious too, though she doesn't let the werewolf know of that fact too much. When he wants to know her life from start to finish, she goes backwards and stops once she gets close to her transformation. In his desire to please her, he doesn't push the matter.
Embry spends every breath of that week dedicated to pleasing her and his pack watches his efforts be rewarded with barely even the slightest hint of a smile. Then one of them realises that with Jane, that is perhaps something good and the rest concur wholeheartedly.
One night, she accompanies those going hunting. Embry, naturally, is one of those going. During the entire time, her eyes are glued to the gray wolf that glides through the air and catches his prey without a single hint of error. He is showing off for her and the rest mind their own business. He takes down a large elk and drags the carcass towards her to let it lie at her feet.
He looks up at her to see what she thinks of his offer. His heart pitter-patters curiously, the sound like that of a rabbit's when being hunted - so anxious is he in his want for approval.
Like her reaction everything else, she stands and stares blankly at the animal like she stares at him. "For me?"
He inclines his head. Then, in a move that makes everyone watch in surprise, she bends down and begins to drink its blood.
He can sense that she does not like the taste, but she does not stop. He makes a little whining sound in an attempt to make it clear that she does not have to , not for his sake, for he doesn't mind and – he is ignored. She rises to her full height, which is still not much, with the drained body between them. Their eyes meet – back versus ruby red – and she shows her teeth. His heart sores.
A smile.
_._
She visits every now and then, much to the surprise of everyone in the pack and to the Cullens' obvious annoyance. Yet with the mysterious bonds of imprinting, their hands are as tied as Embry's heart is to the slight, black-cloaked vampire.
Her arrivals are always unannounced, but always appreciated. She rarely mentions how long she intends to stay but Embry lets her do as she wishes. Her will is more important to him than anything else.
_._
Two years after that fateful day, two wonderful years in his eyes when it has been graced by her presence, they take a hunting trip alone. The pack is sure of his devotion and her manners, cold though they remain, have never shown the slightest bit of menace. Everything is as it should be now.
They are wrong.
_._
Usually on their hunting trips, he transforms so that she can watch his measured tactics against his helpless prey. This time she has asked him to remain human so they could talk. He obeys.
"You would do anything for me, wouldn't you?"
"Of course. If you will it, I am yours to command." He starts to pant, embarrassingly enough, when he sees a smile flicker at the corner of her mouth.
Suddenly she stops. He does too. He senses she is not done talking, thus he waits. He does not have to wait long.
"Then I will that you kill every elk in this forest."
The old Embry might have considered that wiping out an entire species in an area would have adverse effects. He would have wondered at the pointlessness of such an activity and condemned its pure cruelty. He would simply have refused.
But this is Embry, the true Embry, whole with his imprint by his side and the world complete and functioning properly. "Do it," she prompts, menace edging at the voice. He obeys.
_._
When they are returning home, Embry is exhausted but satisfied that he was won his imprint's approval yet again. He noticed with glee that when nearing the end of his hunting spree and the last elk was about to make a quick escape, Jane had exercised her little talent with no more than a faint smile. She had helped him. They were now partners. He does not care that the pack thought it was a waste of a chance to pass on the genes, it no longer matters they thought there wasn't much love between the fiery wolf and the cold statue – if it had ever truly mattered. Jane is what matters.
He notices Jane eyeing a mark on his shoulder.
"I heal quickly," he says, explaining how he got injured near the end but that it barely affected him. She nods, taking it in with the cold face that expresses as much interest as Marcus's skeletal stare.
Suddenly, a fierce smiles breaks out across her face though she isn't making use of her gifts. Embry does not notice anything wrong when such a smile is before him. She is perfect, and makes no mistakes.
But he does.
_._
The next time her brother comes too. Embry does not say anything. Eventually he warms up to the brother of the one he adores, and in some ways, it is easy. Jane's brother has a quick sense of humour and is thoroughly relaxed, seeming to find spending time with mutts as comfortable as if he were holed up in his usual dark rooms in the tower back home. Though Embry thinks of these things, naturally, he does not think of them in a way that puts Jane in a negative light.
He accompanies them at Jane's invitation. Embry, naturally, does not complain. At her request, he remains human and chats with them. They are very much alike, very close – in appearance and to one another. It is clear her brother's presence makes her happy and so rather than be resentful, Embry too is happy.
When Jane glances up at him under her long eyelashes, Embry gives them space to catch up a little more, alone. He walks on ahead. He hears them mumbling but does not listen in. When he hears the soft crunching of snow stop, he knows they have stopped so he does the same, albeit away from them. He watches the sun peek through the bare branches and thinks that it does not compare to Jane, who is not his, but still perfect. Jane is Jane.
"Stay," a voice whispers sweetly.
Everything turns black. Black, black, black.
He cannot see. He does not smell anything, nor does he feel anything when he attempts to reach down into the icy snow that should rest at his feet. He attempts to feel his head, his arms – anything.
He meets nothing.
He cannot hear either.
He starts to feel panicked – where is Jane?
He knows he is trying to move, but how does he know he is moving when he cannot see, hear, smell or touch?
Where is Jane? Where is she?
His heartbeat picks up –Were they attacked? What about her brother? Who would want to attack such a perfect creature?
Not Jane with her delicate hands that fold demurely in her lap when she is sitting and her graceful walk that makes her seem like she floats on air.
No one, no one would. Right? RIGHT?
The light turns on.
The blackness disappears.
He can see once more and he is relieved to see the twins standing in front of him. He starts to pant, his body slowly relaxing as he notes that not a hair is out place on his imprint. But he still hears nothing when her mouth moves.
_._
Jane watches as Felix and Demetri move stealthily from behind the trees and grab the mutt's arms. He is defenceless in his paralysis and with their strength, his flesh cannot remain in once piece.
The mutt may know her, but he can never understand her. Not like Alec.
When her brother pulls on her chin to make her look at him, she tears her gaze away from the mutt and lets Alec kiss her on the lips, like a lover. They do not care that their actions will start a war. Their masters already know – they did nothing to stop this plan from becoming reality. The four have all imagined that Caius sits impatiently at home. The Cullens were wrong to think that the clearing was the end of things. They were the punchline of many jokes back home for it.
They tear Embry apart and burn the pieces till he is nothing but ash that stains black against the pure snow. Jane misses the screams that would normally accompany a scene with her present, but she understands the need for silence. In the end, she sees why her brother finds it beautiful.
She does not care that the mutt is muted from pain by her own flesh and blood, pain that would break the creature otherwise. She does not care how it must be, only that it is. Jane is Jane.
And Jane is not his.