I ran straight for the woods, not bothering to lose my clothes before phasing, and started to pace as the bits fabric that used to be my t-shirt and shorts fluttered down around me. Part of me wanted to flee, to run as far away as I could so that I wouldn't get hurt again. The other part, and the side that was obviously winning, at least for the time being, was desperate not to leave my imprint.
The Problem about keeping yourself so isolated from others for as long as I have is that you really don't have anyone to talk to when something like this happens. I mean, what were my choices anyway? Sam, Quil, Jared, Paul and Jake were the only other wolves who had imprinted. The first four, well, I'd rather have my eyes pierced than talk to any of them, let alone about something personal. Besides, I wanted to keep this quiet. And that sure as hell left Jake out of the list of possible people to talk to. I know he wouldn't be able to keep that one from Bella.
My mom was the next logical choice. She'd always been the one I would go to when I had problems. Always so level headed and full of good advice. But how would I even begin to tell her that I had imprinted on her ex? On someone she had been friends with since she was younger? But this wasn't my fault, right? I didn't mean for this to happen. My mom couldn't be mad at me for something that was out of my control.
"Why would mom be mad at you, Leah? What did you do this time?" Oh, God. Of course Mr. Worst-timing-ever would choose to phase now. "Hey!" my brother whined at me. "I don't have the worst timing ever." I tried to think about anything but Charlie as I snapped at him. "Can't I get some freaking privacy? Why don't you go play fetch with your favorite leech or something?" Even I winced at that one. I could hear the hurt in his thoughts as he responded: "Yeah, fine, whatever. I was just phasing to tell you that the Cullen's are having another family dinner next week and invited you, me, and Jake to it. I'll just tell them that you can't go, as usual." And that's all it took to crumble my resolve to not think about my imprint. The hope of getting to see him again, to actually spend time with him, filled my heart.
This happy warmth was quickly dashed by the disgusted thoughts coming from my brother's head. "Eww, Leah, please tell me this is some sort of a joke!" I growled, unable to think of anything else to do or say in the moment. If only it was a joke. "But he's so old!" he whined out again in disgust. "Ugh! And he's been with mom!" Leave it to him to point out the obvious and the one thought I'd been avoiding for so long. It wasn't like I had never heard the two of them going at it when I was sneaking back into my bedroom at night. I shook my head violently, desperate to clear the awful images that were flooding my thoughts. "Can you please just not tell Jake? I need some time to work this out first," I begged. "Fine, but I get to be there when you tell mom!" The little shit had the nerve to phase back before I could chew him out for that one. Typical.
