The wolves ran away from me but no matter how fast I ran after them, I couldn't catch them. My family was running away from me and I couldn't reach them 'cause of my stupid human slowness. Pain was shooting through my chest; the air couldn't make it to my lungs fast enough.

My eyes snapped open. I stared up at my ceiling, hoping I'd forget the dream. My hands were shaking as I pushed my hair out of my eyes.

I heard mom walking above me in the kitchen, making breakfast for me. I sighed and sat up.

My room was cluttered from my mail that I had gotten two days before congratulating me on graduating from high school. The ugly blue graduation gown was still lying in my floor.

I untangled myself from my covers and picked it up and put it in the closet. Mom's footsteps stopped and were joined by two more pairs of feet. I headed up the stairs (my room is in the basement) and went into the kitchen.

Mom's scarred face smiled at first then set my plate on the table. Her hair was up in a neat bun and she was dressed already.

"Good morning, Janis", mom chirped, kissing my cheek as I sat as at the table. I smiled weakly at her and started eating.

"Hey, Emily, did you see a black shoe that looked like this one?" dad asked, walking out from the hallway. Mom pointed to his other shoe on the couch.

"Thanks. Janis, Collin is coming over later so don't run off and scare him like last time", dad exclaimed, sitting across form me. I rolled my eyes. Ugh, Collin!

"Why can't he just come over tomorrow?" I whined, picking up my plate and put it on the counter next to the sink. Mom rolled her eyes at me.

"You know why he comes over. It's not his fault", mom snapped. I rolled my eyes again. "Oh, Sam, Sue called. She can't make it to dinner tonight", she said.

I headed back down the hallway, went to the bathroom for the shower. I stared at myself in the mirror. My long, black hair hung around my face. I watched my full lips form the words to my favorite song while I washed my face.

My shower didn't last very long so I headed out in my towel and went to my basement room. I got dressed in blue jeans and a sleeveless shirt. I put my long hair up in a high ponytail.

I hurried back upstairs and helped mom make lunch for when the pack came by.

"Janis, do you think you might try and be nice to Collin when he comes. He can't help himself about worrying about you. It's just how it works", mom exclaimed, mixing the salad together.

"Easy for you to say, you actually liked dad when he imprinted on you. Collin is just so-", I stopped, someone had pulled up in a car.

Quil and Claire walked in holding hands. They had been married for two years.

"Hey guys", I said, putting some food on the table. Claire let go of Quil's hand and helped us put everything on the table.

"Collin is sprinting over here right now, Janis", Quil stated from the living room on the couch he was sitting on. I suppressed a groan.

"I thought you weren't supposed to be changing anymore?", I asked him, raising my eyebrows. Quil was trying to give up being a wolf so he could age with Claire.

"It's harder than it looks", he mumbled. I snickered.

Through the window I saw Collin jogging up the steps of the porch. I prepared myself.

He opened the front door and relief swept across his face when he saw me standing there then awe went across his face like every time he saw me.

"Hi Collin", I mumbled and walked over to him to save him the trouble of it. Collin's eyes shone with happiness like every time when I say his name.

"Hello", he breathed, making his shaggy hair around his face move. His black hair was shiny and his dark eyes were sparkling as he looked at me. His tall frame loamed over me.

I sat on the loveseat and sat as far away from Collin as I could.

"Is anyone else coming, Auntie?", Claire asked mom, standing with the plates, unsure of how many to put out.

"Brady and Seth are coming for sure", Collin stated still looking at me. His hot breath hit me in the face.

I wiggled uncomfortably under his adoring gaze like I always do when he comes over everyday. He can't stand to be away for very long.

"Lets just go ahead and start to eat then", mom replied, looking out the window as it rained. Quil and Collin jumped up eagerly to get their share of food. I followed slowly.

Seth and Brady showed up not long after we started eating. They fought over the remaining food like wolves.

I grinned. Like wolves, I almost wanted to laugh out loud but didn't.

Mom headed into the living room to watch her favorite show like every afternoon. Everyone but Collin and Brady left after show started.

I zoned out and thought about my life. My dad, Sam Uley, used to be the pack's aphle but he stopped aging when he and mom got married. Then I came nine months later, Janis Uley.

I was two days old when Collin first saw me. He imprinted on me. Dad wasn't to happy about that from what people tell me. Collin has never really left my side since then even eighteen years later.

I'll say one thing, Collin has put up with a lot because of me. I found out about the werewolves when I was nine but it wasn't until I was eleven that I actually understood about imprinting. It was when I was thirteen that I became disgusted by the thought of Collin having no choice about loving me.

Still to this day I feel weird about it. That is why I hate Collin's visits.

"Did you hear me? Do you want to walk down to the beach with me?", Collin asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Um, alright. Let me just grab a jacket", I answered, thinking about how mom had told to me to be nice to him. I ran down to my room and grabbed my La Push High sweatshirt.

I went to the backdoor in the kitchen and waited for Collin to make his way over to me.

I lead the way down the beach, careful not to slip in the mud or Collin would have a fit over me.

"Janis, I wanted to talk to you to you about something. It's really starting to bug me," I looked up at him and waited for him to tell me," that you act distance around me. I know you think I don't have a choice about caring for you but I'm happy with how is it."

I couldn't believe it! Collin has never said anything about me bugging him about anything! I couldn't believe that I actually felt hurt by his words because they were true.

I took a deep breath and stared out at the water. The sky was starting to get dark. Dad would be coming home from work soon.

"Are you mad at me? I didn't mean to hurt your feelings," he exclaimed hurriedly, trying to catch my eye. How did he know that he had hurt my feeling?

"No. It doesn't matter anyway. I-I'll try to act better," I muttered, glancing up at him. Collin's face split into a grin.

We walked back to my house just at it started to drizzle. I pulled my hood up and watched the ground as we winded our way back.

Dad was waiting for us at the kitchen table. Him and Collin talked while I fives myself a snack while I thought about my new promise to Collin.

"'Night," I said, standing up from the couch a few hours later. I kissed mom and dad on the cheek and patted Collin's head.

"Good night, Janis," Collin whispered as I headed down the hallway.