Disclaimer: I do not own or have ever claimed to own Twilight. It is entirely the property of Stephenie Meyer. Also, this one-shot has some mentions of characters in The Imprinted Chronicles by . Even though there are characters from her work, it is NOT in-cannon. Seth does NOT imprint in her universe (or at least in the point she is in now with the story). The girl he imprints on is entirely of my creation and the one thing that I can take claim on.

This was written for the Seth Clearwater Valentines Day Challenge.

Enjoy.

Dictionary definition of Puppy Love: a childish, innocent temporary crush on someone that you don't know well.

Seth's definition of Puppy Love: a love that's easy to forget, and easiest to get over…a love that won't break your heart.

It was Valentine's Day and Seth was making a card. He sort of wanted to make a pink one, but then Brian Grey would make fun of him so he was making a red card instead.

He looked at Melanie Kine again and turned red. She was wearing a pink dress. He frowned. He knew he should have grabbed pink paper. Swallowing loudly, he wrote Melanie's name clumsily on the front and signed Seth on the inside.

Slowly, he made his way over to her and a couple of other girls, but the rest were all stinky and Seth only liked the un-stinky ones like Melanie.

"Hi," he said shyly. She looked up at him and smiled.

"Hey, Seth!"

"I…um…here you go!" He shoved the Valentine in her hand and ran away as fast as he could. He could feel Melanie's eyes on him as he slinked behind his friends. Tiny hands clutched the edge of the slide as he ducked underneath it.

The yellow underbelly of the plastic playground piece was very hot, but it calmed Seth down a little. He knew that he was in love with Melanie, but now she was probably going to think he was stinky just like her friends and never, ever even look at him again.

That made Seth feel really sad, and he thought about how so far it was the worst Valentine's Day of his entire life…all seven years of it.

"Thanks, Seth." A small voice behind him made the young boy jump in shock. He turned around to find a blushing Melanie, clutching the red card to her heart.

"Go away!" Seth shouted before he could stop himself. All Melanie did was laugh and hug the card closer.

"Red is my favorite color, Seth. I hate pink," she stage-whispered. Seth turned even redder and scuffed the top of his shoe against the black concrete.

"I hate pink, too. I mean, um, go away!" Melanie giggled at Seth and rocked back and forth on her heels.

"Wanna be my boyfriend, Seth?" Melanie asked, still rocking back and forth shyly. Seth's eyes widened. He thought about it for a little while, knowing that Melanie was one of the prettiest girls in second grade…but she was still a girl.

"Girls are icky," Seth scowled before sprinting away from her as fast as he could. He looked back only once to see her sad expression, and he stuck his tongue out just to make sure she knew to not spread her germs by being near him.

Seth knew he would never, ever date any girls. He didn't care what his mom said…they were all gross.

Dictionary definition of Maternal Love: love that is nurturing, accepting, and protective.

Seth's definition of Maternal Love: a love that will last long after life…a love that won't ever let you down.

If there was one thing Seth hated more than anything else, it was a funeral.

A lot of people had told him that funerals were a way to celebrate a person's life, to look at all they had accomplished and all the people they had touched.

But as Seth sat in the awkward church bench, wearing an uncomfortable suit and feeling his mother trembling next to him, trying with all of her might to stay strong and keep the tears at bay, he knew bitterly that all of that was a lie.

Funerals were a way to prolong the time before someone was buried deep in the ground. People could say a final goodbye and hover over the lifeless bodies, and Seth hated them so much he could barely stand it.

Sue Clearwater's hand fluttered around before finally finding her son's hand. She squeezed it tightly and he shrunk into her side.

"You okay?" she whispered.

Seth really wanted to tell his mom that no, he was not okay. He would never be alright again. His dad had just died, and now he would never speak to him again.

But if there was one thing Seth didn't want to do, it was disappoint his mom. Not trusting his mouth, he nodded. She did not let go of his hand but rather gripped it even more tightly, like it was a lifeboat and she was trapped in the middle of a raging, stormy ocean.

Seth drifted off into another place, an entirely different world where Harry Clearwater still lived and Leah was happy and everything was perfect.

Before he realized it, the funeral was over and he was pulled to his feet. His reactions were almost sluggish, but he barely noticed it.

His mother's hands guided him slowly to the car, pressing gently across his back so he was stumbling the whole time. When both were finally seated, they sat in the parking lot for a long time, just drinking in each other's presence.

Seth saw Leah's car dwindling on the other side of the lot and his mouth pressed together. She had already been going through a lot, with her breaking up with long-time boyfriend Sam.

Seth slowly turned to look at his mom again. She was slumped over with bag over bag under her eyes and his heart clenched.

He loved his mom, and maybe girls were icky but Sue had never been a girl…she was a brave woman who Seth respected more than anyone else.

"I love you," he murmured. A smile flickered across her face as her fingers gently trailed over her son's soft skin.

"I love you too, son."

Dictionary definition of Brotherly Love: having a feeling of love for your neighbor, because all humanity is considered to be part of a larger family of human beings.

Seth's definition of Brotherly Love: a love that is friendly and forgiving, lighthearted and trusting…a love that will always have your back.

Seth was a werewolf.

It was…confusing, yes. But he thought it was just the thing he needed, just the thing that would bring his spirit up. He was happy because he was now Pack, and Pack was one of the greatest and most powerful things he'd experienced…no, it was the most powerful thing he'd ever experienced.

He was tied forever to these other guys, and they would always fight on the same side, tear vampires apart with malice…a machine that never stopped working.

He was content with his pack. He was by no means a high ranking wolf and that did not bother him…he respected those around him and learned through his brothers the sounds of the wild at night. He learned to listen to what the Earth told him and the thrum of drums from the mighty ancestors.

He leaned on them whenever he got hurt, emotionally or physically and supported them just as much when they needed help.

One of the times Seth needed this love most was when the newborn vampires were going to attack…or at least, it was the first time he really learned to stretch through the connection and know his pack.

He was scared and alone and he had to face a vampire, not even an inexperienced newborn, but one that had lived for almost an entire year and was a much better fighter…one-on-one. He would have won…he just knew it, even if Bella hadn't made herself bleed to distract it.

But he wouldn't have succeeded at all if he hadn't had Jacob, and his then-Alpha Sam standing behind his back. They let the ancestors fill his mind and wash over every single sense so the scenery was sharpened and intensified and then, it was so…easy to charge that vampire and rip him piece from piece.

His brothers not only helped him fight, they gave him something to fight for.

Dictionary definition of Self-Love: a positive feeling that you have about who you are and what you deserve.

Seth's definition of Self-Love: a love that's extremely hard to fall into…a love that some don't ever have.

The Beta was exhausted. Jacob, his Alpha, was gone…tracking other packs.

Paul had imprinted on some kind of Russian druggie, Jared and Kim were going through a rough patch, Brady was still restless, something inside of Collin, something powerful, was stirring (something that Seth was too afraid to bring up), Quil was missing Claire, Embry was going crazy over a girl, and Leah was in heat.

Seth felt like he was failing. He needed his alpha very, very badly but did not let the panic get to him like it would have if he were Third or Fourth. He met it with a glare and tried to chase it away, solve the problem and strengthen his pack as best he could.

And then, again and again, he was reminded that he wasn't strong enough to be an alpha, and he sure as hell wasn't strong enough to hold his pack. They were too much for him.

So, he didn't have time to concentrate on himself when there were more pressing matters. He had always been a very cheerful guy, and he stayed that way…but he never felt good about himself anymore and he was so scared.

The person he thought he was...was slipping away.

Eventually, though, his Alpha returned. Things got a little better after that.

When they had to fight, they did so with passion and purpose. Seth realized that he was never going to be an alpha, no matter how hard he tried, but he was still a damn good Beta and his pack depended on him almost as much they did Jake.

The more life he lived, he realized that he deserved the respect he was shown. He was not self-righteous, but not self-pitying either. He learned to know himself well enough to trust in his judgment, trust in the wolf settled deep inside his soul.

And because of this, Seth grew stronger.

Dictionary definition of Unconditional Love: a type of affection and caring that is so strong you feel it consistently, regardless of what that other person does.

Seth's definition of Unconditional Love: a love that can be tested time and time again, and never break…a love that you can always fall back on.

"I imprinted."

Seth had always dreamed, and feared, of saying those two words. It would probably solve a lot of problems, but from the imprints that have occurred…it's proved to create some as well.

The concept of being tied to one person…forever, with absolutely no stepping back or choice of who exactly you'd end up with...it scared the shit out of him.

But he had now found his soul mate. Her name was Daniela Kine and Seth thought she was absolutely beautiful.

Her older sister Melanie had been in Seth's grade way-back-when. Their mother had gotten a job in some other state and uprooted the whole family…at the time, Seth had had a crush on Melanie and it crushed him when she left.

Of course, he got over it quickly because, well, he was a kid and didn't have real feelings for her.

He'd forgotten she had a little sister named Daniela. She was in the grade behind her older sister and Seth but he had hardly noticed her.

Now he wondered how that was even possible, to not notice her. She was Quileute in every sense of the word, with sparkling brown eyes and long black hair in plates to her mid-back. There were rumors the Kine family was moving back, so Seth expected one of them to stop by his mom's store for food at some point.

What he didn't expect was the whole imprinting thing.

Once their eyes met both of them were frozen for God knows how long, just staring and breathing. With a pounding heart, Daniela finally broke the connection and paced with trembling steps to the dairy isle. As soon as she was out of his sight, an unfamiliar twinge of panic overloaded his system.

He automatically began to follow her, running in his haste. "Hey," he finally said through dry lips. The Beta's imprint jerked at the sound of his voice before whirling around to face him.

"Hi," she breathed back after a moment of slightly awkward silence. Seth was almost drowning in the powerful presence of this girl, this girl who suddenly controlled him so inconceivably.

"Do you, um, n-need any help?" he finally asked after a second. A gorgeous, red blush filled her cheeks as she nodded yes.

"I was just looking to find some yogurt and milk. My family just moved here and things are pretty crazy," she said. Her foot trailed up her other leg, scratching her skin softly. Seth watched the movement out of the corner of his eye and shivered deep inside himself.

His wolf was crawling forward bit by bit and wagging its tail with joyfulness…they had finally found their mate! Seth rejoiced in this too, and smiled for the first time since seeing her. She lifted the corners of her mouth tentatively and followed this stranger to the back of the small grocery.

He gestured at the milk and shrugged. "We have 2%, and 1%, and whole milk…chocolate, strawberry, and, um…" Seth trailed off as Daniela's expression turned to one of amusement.

"Thanks…um, Seth," she said, peering at his nametag before grabbing a jug of 1%.

No problem…not for you, anyway. He thought this with such reverence, it embarrassed him. At the same time, Daniela almost dropped her milk and pivoted to Seth with a confused expression on her face…it was then that he realized he had actually spoken those words out loud.

His cheeks turned positively red.

Daniela slowly placed the milk back on the rack and turned to face her imprinter, not that she knew that yet, with shock and lust coloring her eyes.

Seth noticed this and took a step forward, boldly catching a falling strand of luxurious hair and tucking it behind her ear. He heard her breath hitch and let his touch linger across her high cheekbones. There was another beat of silence before Daniela's hand shot through the air and grabbed the front of Seth's shirt.

Wrenching the material forward, he let her guide him to her mouth. As their lips met, tiny fireworks exploded on his tongue. Daniela seemed to have felt the same because soon her hands were massaging his back and her body was pressed against his desperately.

"Seth," she whispered against his lips, and never had he been so turned on by the sound of a woman saying his name. "Seth, my name is Daniela," she murmured, as if he hadn't already of known of her.

He gently kissed her again, trailing his lips down her neck to the spot between her shoulder and year. "Daniela," he whispered back. Slowly, Seth traced his teeth across his imprint's delicate skin and bit down. Not enough to leave even a permanent mark, but enough for her to feel it and moan in pleasure.

"Feels good…" Her mumbled words were met with a bite felt more severely by her and she yelped this time.

As Seth noticed her sudden pain, he stumbled back and checked her over, panic welling inside his heart violently. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you?" he asked, angry at himself.

She raised an eyebrow, unknowingly rubbing the spot on her neck that he'd bitten her. "I'm fine…but, oh my god. I have to go, okay? I'm sorry…I'll find you or something. I mean, this reservation isn't big or anything so…well, goodbye." She let out a breath after finishing her ramble before rushing off, forgetting to get the milk or the other stuff she had set out to buy.

Stunned at what had just happened, Seth loped back to the check-out counter and leaned against the metal. "Holy fuck," he growled, pressing a trembling hand to his forward.

Just as he yanked a nearby garbage can and held it under his mouth, his sister Leah walked through the door.

He noisily spit up into the tin container before moaning and rubbing his mouth. "What the hell happened, Seth?" Leah asked, looking around suspiciously. Werewolves couldn't get sick as their immune system was too high, so she knew it had to have been a great shock that could have affected his body like that.

Seth shook his head, still unsure of what exactly had just gone on, before throwing up again.

Finally, he said, "we're drinking 1% milk from now on, Lee." She gave him a look that clearly said he was out of his mother-fucking mind.

"Why?"

"Because…because I imprinted." Leah stared at Seth after he said this, and then, with a voice full of confusion and disbelief, replied.

"You imprinted on milk?"