"So how was your first day back at school?" Sam asked before biting into a roll and Jared couldn't help the smile that broke on his face.

"It was better than I expected," he nodded enthusiastically "a lot better! Actually could I talk to you about something outside?"

"Sure, come on." Sam said rising to his feet and moving towards the front door of his and Emily's little home.

"Don't sweat it Jere, we already know your gay!" Embry piped up with a mouthful of food. "Although I don't think you're really Sam's type?"

"Well I didn't hear your mom complaining about my type when I…" Jared started but Emily cut him off as Paul pushed Embry back into his seat.

"Not in my house boys! Have some respect and act civil." She scolded "If you can't leave your wolf at the door then don't bother coming in."

"Sorry Emily." Jared apologized and Embry had the decency to look embarrassed.

"Come on." Sam clapped him on the shoulder and guided him through the door. "So what did you want to talk about?"

"I wanted to ask you what it felt like when you imprinted on Emily?" Jared said his cheeks tingeing pink.

"Why?" Sam frowned. "Did you? Do you think you have?"

"I went to my first class and I got sat next to this girl. I've known her for years but I've never really spoken to her before and one minute I was bending over to catch something and the next I'm flat out on the floor and all I can see is Kim. It was like my world literally flipped me off my feet." He explained. "Is that what it was like for you?"

Sam nodded and breathed deeply. "Pretty much. Welcome to the club brother!" He squeezed his shoulder. "So much for a rare occurrence. How much does she know?"

"Well nothing yet." Jared shrugged. "She was curious as to why I was away for so long and I told her I'd inherited a rare genetic disorder and she seemed to buy that, but obviously this isn't something I can or want to keep from her."

"Well technically it wasn't a lie, but I think the sooner you tell her everything the better otherwise it may just get harder for her to accept." Sam shrugged.

"I was thinking maybe I could bring her here?" He edged. "You know, so I have backup if things go wrong."

"Jared, you are more than welcome to bring her here and we will help you but," Sam crossed his arms over his chest "your wolf is a lot older than mine was when I imprinted, and you've always had more control over your temper, you never really had one to begin with. I don't think you need to worry about hurting her, but like I said we will help if you want."

"Okay." Jared nodded. "Maybe if you were to just phase and stay close by…just in case."

"Bring her to the house for dinner tomorrow." Sam suggested. "I'll have Paul and Embry phase and hide in the tree line and I'll wait inside the house in case you need an order. If it goes okay and she hangs around, she can talk to Emily and get the girls perspective on it all. Plus I think Em will be ecstatic that she's not the only imprintee any more!"

"Do you think Kim will be okay with it?" Jared asked quietly as they headed back inside.

"I hope so, for your sake because quite honestly, being denied by your imprint hurts like a bitch!" Sam scoffed as they entered the kitchen and walked over to Emily, wrapping his arms around her "But that doesn't mean things won't change between you two."

"Dude, you imprinted?" Paul asked, surprised and Jared nodded.

"Really?" Emily exclaimed and bounced on her toes with excitement. "Who is she? Can I meet her? Is she from here?" Sam chuckled next to her and nuzzled the side of her neck, whispering in her ear and she blushed. "Sorry, I'm just happy that I'm not the only girl any more. If I'm exposed to much more testosterone and I think I might start scratching my balls!"

"It's okay." He chuckled. "I'll bring her over tomorrow. I need to tell about the whole wolf thing though, so I can't guarantee she'll hang around long enough to meet you."

Emily smiled warmly and walked over to him, pulling him to her arms. "She'd be foolish to run away from you."


The next day, Jared headed to school in a much better mood than he had the previous day, anxious to find Kim and invite her to Emily's. He spent all morning between classes trailing her veiled scent around the school but it seemed impossible to track her down.

When lunch arrived he waited around her locker, staying out of site but keeping it in clear view and when the hour was almost up and he was about to walk away she finally appeared, dressed in black jeans and a green sweater with her hair pulled back into a ponytail.

"Hey!" He called lightly walking towards her and she turned towards him and glanced around nervously. "I've been looking all over for you today, I wanted to ask you if you wanted to do something after school again?"

"Oh!" She blushed and looked down at her feet. "I can't I'm busy tonight."

Jared frowned, picking up on the sound of her thumping heart. "Okay, well maybe another night then? You let me know when you're…"

"I can't go out with you Jared," she cut him off and pushed her locker shut "yesterday was a mistake I shouldn't have gone out with you."

"Is this about what I told you? About why I was away so long, because I can explain." He frowned.

"No it's not that." Kim shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut. "I just can't go out with you, so please stop asking." And with that she turned and walked away.

"Kim!" He yelled over the bustling crowd, running towards her. "Wait, what's going on? I don't understand."

"I'm not stupid Jared!" She said gritting her teeth. " I saw Rosa this morning on the way to school and she told me that you've been seeing her for a month, and that you were just using me because she was playing hard to get. I'm not an object, I won't be used and tossed aside."

"Are you kidding me?" Jared's eye's were wide, and his fists trembled. "She actually told you that?"

Kim nodded. "Secrets out, now leave me alone."

"No!" He exclaimed grabbing her wrist and pulling her to him. "Honestly? This time last year I would have probably fallen over myself if Rosa spoke to me, but I'm not the same person I used to be and you need to believe me."

"Is this supposed to be winning me over?" She scowled.

"I'm not explaining myself very well am I?" He said rubbing his temple. "Come with me? Please? Just give me the chance to explain properly."

"I can't." Kim mumbled stepping away from him.

"Rosa lied to you, please believe that." He insisted. "Aside from what you saw yesterday, I haven't spoken to her since we were forced to do a science project together in eighth grade. I've never taken her on a date, in fact yesterday she asked me and I turned her down to come and find you."

"I haven't told you the whole truth…" he began and Kim opened her mouth to cut him off but he held up his hand to stop her, "about why I was away so long, and I really want to. I want you- no, I need you to know everything about me. So please come with me? I promise I'm not trying to trick you."

He held out his hand to her but she shook her head and gestured for him to lead the way, clutching her books to her chest as she followed him, loosing sight of him momentarily.

"Did I not make myself clear earlier?" A voice hissed as a hand grabbed her bicep. "Stay away from Jared, he's mine and you'll never be good enough for him!"

"Rosa!" Jared appeared, his eyebrow furrowed and she quickly let go of Kim's arm and plastered a sickly sweet smile across her face.

"Hey Jere, I was just talking to little old Kimmy here. Did you rethink my offer?" She grinned walking her fingers up his arm.

He glanced from her face to his arm and pushed her hand away. "Obviously I didn't make it clear enough for you when I turned you down yesterday so let me try again to make this as clear for you as possible." He whispered, trying to draw as little attention as possible. "I do not want to go out with you, not now, not ever, and if you ever talk to her like that again let alone touch her? I will make sure your daddy knows exactly how you convinced Coach Hector to pass you in gym."

Rosa growled and walked away as Jared slung his arm over Kim's shoulder and led her away.

"Are you okay? She didn't hurt you did she?" He asked as she blushed.

"No she didn't, but what she said? She was right." She shook her head. "Look at you, you look like you should be on the cover of a magazine or pinned up on some girls bedroom wall. I'm not good enough for you. So why do you want me?"

"Firstly she's a first class bitch who's used to getting her own way or stamping her foot until her daddy does it for her, so ignore her." Jared scoffed and stopped turning to face her. "And secondly? I can't believe I spent so many years in the same classes as you and not notice how perfect you are. If anyone's not good enough, then it's me. My flaws run deeper than you can imagine."

"I find that hard to believe," Kim cocked an eyebrow "but thank you."

"Well give it an hour and you'll probably run screaming." Jared chuckled dryly. Grabbing her hand and pulling her along the corridor and out of the school. "But I hope you don't."


"Where are we going?" Kim asked as Jared led her across the reservation towards the forest and Sam and Emily's home.

"I want to introduce you to some people and then I was hoping we could talk…about those flaws I mentioned earlier." Jared grimaced.

"I'm sure they aren't that bad." Kim smiled.

"You'd be surprised!" He raised his eyebrow's as his alphas home came into view. "Do you remember Sam Uley? He graduated a couple of years ago."

Kim nodded, "Yeah I think so, why?"

"This is his home, he lives here with his girlfriend Emily Young." Jared explained and Kim frowned.

"Emily Young? Isn't that the girl from the Makah Tribe who got attacked by a bear last year?" She asked.

"Yep, it's her. She has some scarring on her face but you get used to it after a while, I've been hanging around her so long that I don't even notice it anymore." He shrugged guiding her up the steps and pulling open the screen door, sniffing deeply as they entered the kitchen. "Something smells good!"

"What and it doesn't usually?" Emily quipped turning towards them and wiping her hands on a towel, a lopsided smile gracing her face.

"Now I never said that!" Jared cocked his head to the side. "Emily this is Kim Catori, Kim this is Emily Young." He said gesturing between them and Kim held her hand out.

"Oh were not that formal here!" Emily smiled, grabbing her hand and pulling her into a hug. "It's nice to finally meet you, Jared's not stopped talking about you."

"He hasn't?" Kim asked, surprise etched over her face as she glanced between him and Emily and he blushed.

"Yeah, so where are the guys?" Jared said, blushing slightly and nervously rubbing the back of his neck.

Emily chuckled and opened the door "Foods ready!" She yelled and turned back to him. "They won't be long."

And sure enough, less than a few minutes later, Sam came barrelling through the door followed closely by Paul and Embry.

"Hey, it's Kim right?" Embry asked reaching for her hand as she nodded nervously. "Embry, we used to have French together."

"Oh, yeah I remember." She stuttered and turned to Paul who nodded at her in acknowledgement.

"I'm Sam." He said shaking her hand quickly. "I hear you've made quite an impression on Jared?"

"I have?" Kim squeaked and the boys chuckled, making her flush pink.

"You know what?" Jared smiled, taking her hand and pulling her gently from her seat. "I think I'm more than capable of scaring her off by myself without you animals helping. We're gonna step outside for a minute okay?" He looked pointedly at Sam who nodded. "Come on."

Kim waved as they walked out to the tree line, quickly followed by Embry and Paul who made an excuse and disappeared into the trees.

"Are you going to try and convince me you're not as perfect as you seem now?" Kim asked, cocking her brow and popping her hip.

"I'm about as far from perfect as you can get." He shrugged. "But before I tell you anything, you need to know that it can never go any farther than this house. I just need to ask you to give me a chance, okay?" Kim nodded and Jared sighed deeply.

"The Quileute legends describe us a 'Spirit Warriors', generations of men who possessed the power to remove their spirits from their bodies in order to protect the tribe. The years passed and a great Spirit Chief came to be." he began.

"Chief Taha Aki." Kim stated and Jared nodded.

"Taha Aki was a wise man, and when a man called Utlapa challenged the use of their powers and wanted to use them for gain, the chief banned him from the tribe and he hid in a nearby forest.

Occasionally Taha Aki would go into the mountains to a special place where he would leave his body and roam the area, but one day Utlapa followed him and took over his body, killing his own so that Taha Aki could not use it. He returned to the village and fooled the tribe into believing he was the chief as Taha Aki looked on. He decreed that no warrior was to enter the spirit realm again, afraid that they would discover his secret." Jared watched as Kim shifted on her feet.

"Jared, I know this story." Kim said. "Taha Aki ends up sharing the body of a wolf and returns to the village, where he transformed into a man resembling his spirit self, killed Utlapa and took back his rightful place as Chief. But what I don't know is why exactly you feel the need to tell me this?"

"The legend says that Taha Aki lived for a long time, fathering many sons who were also able to transform into wolves when they were old enough. Passing on a wolf gene, just like the gene for blue eyes or red hair. And it would have been passed down to their sons, and so on." Jared shrugged.

"Let me guess you're one of his sons!" Kim chuckled and shook her head.

"No, but one of my great grandfathers was." He said "And the gene was passed down, eventually going dormant for a few generations until it reached me."

"Are you serious!" She grinned, wide eyed. "It's a story Jared, nothing else!"

"It's not just a story Kim." he said quietly, waiting for her laughter to die down. "Most of the Quileute enemies have disappeared but one still remains. Cold Ones, Vampires."

"Oh this just keeps getting better!" She screeched, holding her stomach.

"A few years ago, a coven of vampires moved close to Quileute territory and the gene was reactivated in order to protect the tribe." He stated sternly.

"Oh my god! You are completely serious aren't you? You're a Spirit Warrior?" Kim exclaimed, hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath and Jared nodded. "Well come one then Wolf boy, prove it! Show me your inner animal." She stood with her hip out and her arms folded, her eyebrow cocked and Jared stared open mouthed and wide eyed.

"That's what I thought." She hissed. "I actually believed you when you said that Rosa was lying, but then you bring me out here and tell me all these stories. I mean really Jared, werewolves? There are easier ways to get into a girls pants!"

"What?" He frowned shaking himself from his stupor. "I'm telling the truth, I…"

"Forget it Jared." Kim shook her head and turned to walk away. "Just leave me alone from now on, okay?"

Jared glanced back at the house as Sam appeared in the doorway, with Emily next to him, and gestured for him to go after her.

"I'll prove it!" He shouted and she whipped back around to face him, arms folded as she watched him expectantly.

"Go on then!" She prompted, walking towards him and he put his hand up, stopping her in her tracks.

"Just stay over there, I don't want to hurt you." He glanced back over at Sam. He'd moved a few feet closer to Kim.

Jared breathed deeply, feeling the familiar shiver in his muscles as his russet skin gave way to thick brown fur and within seconds he was towering over Kim's tiny frame. He watched as her face drained of colour, and her pupils dilated and he could see her pulse quicken under the flesh of her neck.

"You…You're…" She stammered before her eyelids fluttered shut and she fell backwards into Sam's waiting arms.

"Well at least she didn't run screaming." He shrugged, as the large brown wolf snorted.