I've finally finished this story! afsghtgrf It's fifteen chapters long and winds through the other imprints lives also, so my readers from Counting Stones and Glimmer will see the characters here.
Starting next chapter MadJo33 will be my beta, so hopefully there will be less grammatical mistakes after that. The first chapter he beta'd for me as a test run, so you can re-read that chapter if you'd like.
Beta'ed by MadJo33 11/11/14
3
Every inch the sun streaked across the sky was a fight. The wolf rejected the human memories. It had more important things to worry about such as the coming winter, and a suitable shelter for our mate. But the human part of me knew how important this was. A few times I had almost lost the battle, but then my mate would come home and the wolf's thoughts would suddenly feel so trivial.
I believe I've figured out my mate's name: Mbri. Whenever someone says that he looks their way, an inquisitive expression on his face.
I know he tries to take care of me. He attempts to treat me like a house pet, throwing sticks and strange round things in the air and staring at me expectantly as if I'd want to chase it. The wolf might have indulged in that, but the human in me had some dignity. It was odd after so many seasons to have human memories again. I remember my older brother Wenzel, how he used to send me with little wooden trinkets he made from scrap wood to the village and have me chase after a girl he thought himself in love with. She would always burn red, and spurn his advances with disdain. But I could tell she secretly liked it, and when her friends were not around she was much nicer about it.
I remember Gavrie climbing up the tree next to our house during the fall, his pockets filled with leaves so that he could throw them in the air as high as they could go. I'd spin as the colorful leaves drifted to the ground, pretending that I was a fairy and never had to do work again. I recall trying to teach Akilina how to make bread. Flour would decorate almost every surface of the house by the time we were finished. Akilina always make my mother angry with her wastefulness, but then Akilina would run to her all covered in white and give mother a hug, and mom always forgave her.
A bird zips by, breaking my thoughts. The instinct to hunt comes over and I race after it. It takes to the sky, my meal getting away. I take a rest on the ground. Now I will have no meal for my mate. The strange thing on my front leg slows me down, but I am a strong enough mate to hunt with the hindersome thing.
Two hours later I come back, a rabbit dangling from my mouth. It is not my best hunt, and I hope my mate understands.I paw at the door and my mate opens it, and a disgusted look crosses his face when he sees my prize.
It has happened again.
My wolf takes over too easy. My father was right, I do have a predisposition towards it. My spirit wants to be wolf more than human. It always has.
My mate shares his den with another male, and he comes over to peer at the bloodied creature hanging from my mate's hands. One look and he burst into laughter, pointing with a finger and clutching his stomach. I give a slight bark, irritated with the male. My mate burns red under his dark skin, refusing to look anywhere but the ground and awkwardly holding onto the meal. I take the food from my mate and slink off to a corner to eat.
I'd learned very quickly that my mate was magic. He made food magically appear in a rectangular white box, so now I never had to worry about him starving to death. The food, however, was not edible for me. I still have to hunt my food. He tries to feed me, giving me odd hard pellets that look like pieces of dirt and chunks of meat, but those are not edible. He's given up on that, and lets me out to hunt. If my wolf had not taken over I would know this, but all logic fails her. She in an instinctual creature. She cares nothing for my riddles.
My mate rubs me behind my ears repeating to me, "Good gerl." I've learned that means I've done something to please him when that happens. I'm still trying to learn his language, but I'm not very successful. His language sounds so soft compared to mine. Nothing is similar about it. He's taught me a few words, such as "water," "stop," "food," and "no." But for the most part I struggle to make sense of everything. To think about it, I barely remember my own tongue. There are many things I have forgotten. How long has it been since I have walked as a human?
Is there a secret my father knew to get me to change back? I can't remember him doing anything special. I simply saw him and remembered how.
What did I remember?
I think hard, but all it does is leave me with frustration. There must be some step I'm missing, a step I cannot figure out. I cannot for the life of me figure out what it is though.
3rd POV
"I see you've brought your girlfriend."
The man targeted rolled his eyes, clearly not amused with the other man's humor.
"Oh, calm down Embry. I'm only joking. I'm getting back at you for all those Claire jokes you used to pull on me."
"It's not like that, Quil," Embry mumbles, reaching down to run a hand through the thick fur of the wolf at his feet. He clears his throat. "Sam said I have to hide her. I'm freaking the civilians out with her." He shifts awkwardly on the balls of his feet, his attention not on any particular object.
"I, of all people, know it's not like that," Quil grunts. "Well, at least she doesn't pee in the house," he says brightly. At Embry's scandalized look he says, "Oh come on! That's a good thing!"
Embry blushes deep, rubbing a hand on the back of his neck. "She actually did once," Embry admitted with reluctance. "After I yelled at her she didn't do it again. She's smart, she catches onto things quickly." Quil scoffs from across the porch. "I'm serious! She's smart." He stared down at the before mentioned wolf, who seemed happy enough to lie in the sun at Embry's feet. "Hey girl!" The wolf perked her ears. "Go get the rake." She simply stares at him. "The rake. Get the rake. Rake." Quil snorts, and Embry seems to get frustrated. He points towards the rake leaning against the wall. "Get the broom." Something clicks with the wolf and she races over to the rake, dragging it back to Embry and letting out a soft woof while wagging her tail. Embry smiles brightly, "See, she's smart."
"Yeah… she got a rake-broom… after you told her like seven times. I'm sorry Embry, but you're so biased." Quil laughs, tossing his head back. Embry walks over and nudges him.
"Like you aren't."
"All us wolves are when it comes to our imprints," Quil snorts. They both become quiet, a more serious look on their faces.
"What could the spirits have meant by having me imprint on an actual wolf," Embry whispers. "I mean, I love her. Spirits, I love her. But a wolf? I just wish… it doesn't matter what I wished," he mutters. Quil places a comforting hand on his best friend's back.
"I know man, it's hard. You've got it the worst. Billy has to be wrong about what imprints are, because I highly doubt the spirits expect you to make little wolves with her." They both share a look of dislike.
"Never," Embry whispers. "I love her like anyone loves their animal, but it's more intense. The imprint and all." He sighs. "Quil, fuck man. She's an animal. I don't even know how much time I have with her. Five years? Ten? It's not long enough."
A silence falls between the two, both staring at the unsuspecting wolf lying in the sun and getting the last of the summer rays.
"You'll just have to love her for the time she has left," Quil whispers fragilely, a haunted look in his eyes. "Love her for what she has left."
Embry nods, but his eyes are the eyes of a dead man.
