Reluctant Imprint

AN: I hope everyone is doing well. I hope that you enjoy this chapter.

Emergency

I was freaking out. I called out Lennox's name several times, but she didn't respond. Her eyes were shut and her lips were parted. She began to rub her chest, blinking back tears.

"What the hell?" I asked nervously, as I tried to touch her shoulder.

She cried and tried inhaling, trashing in her seat, gasping and coughing loudly as she touched her chest. Her breathing became laborious.

"Paul..." she whined.

"Lennox," I said alarmed. "Shit. Shit. Shit." I cussed, slamming my fist on the steering wheel. "Damn it! You are having a fucking asthma attack, aren't you?"

I gave her a sidelong glance and almost crashed against a tree.

"I can't b-breath..." she wept. "P-Paul," she painfully whispered my name.

"Hang in there," I said worriedly. "Hang in there, please." I begged.

The sound of horns and tires screeching on the pavement startled me. My Jeep was going on the wrong lane; I swerved the Jeep several times and got back to my lane, cursing as I drove maniacally. I took hold of the steering wheel and drove as fast as I could, trying hard to pay attention to the road and to my imprint. I veered several times for not paying attention. I think I made it worse for Lennox.

I have to be honest; I must've had several heart attacks on my drive down the highway. My hands were shaky; my body trembled in fear. This situation could've been prevented. I had been an ass to my imprint. I had been too much of a dick thinking how unlucky I was to have imprinted. I should've dealt with it like a man, not a dumbass. I ended up treating her like shit. My irresponsibility had put her in this position. If I had taken care of her, she wouldn't be suffering.

She closed her eyes and began to pant for air.

"Lennox, baby," I said in a low voice, and touched her thigh. "You have to open your eyes, sweetie. C'mon, open your eyes for me. Let me see those pretty brown eyes."

I touched her upper arm and slightly shook her, but she didn't move. She didn't speak, but continuously gasped for air. I knew that she was in trouble. Terror suffused me. I've never encountered someone having an asthma attack. In theory, I knew what to do. I used to work as a Lifeguard and I remember reading about how remain calm while handling an asthma attack. But this was the reality; all I learned had been completely forgotten. I panicked.

"Look at me, Lennox," I ordered. Lennox's eyes opened wide, as she fought back tears. "That's it! Let me see those gorgeous brown eyes, beautiful." I said nervously, forcing a smile. "Stay focused on me!"

"P-Paul," She placed one hand on my forearm. "It h-hurts." She wheezed, putting her free hand on her chest, and rubbed hard, as if she was trying to let air into her lungs. "I-It... hurts."

"I know, baby girl," I paused, cupping her chin with one hand. "Stay focused on me. We are going to get through this together. Just breathe, please."

She shook her head and whined. "C'mon, Lenny, breath for me, please." I said in a calmed voice.

Just watching Lennox writhe in pain had me clutching the steering wheel with one hand in terror. I told myself not to panic to stay calm and collected, but who was I kidding. Watching my imprint suffer was unbearable. I could feel her agony; I could sense her fear. The scent of her tears filled the Jeep's cabin.

I gave her a sidelong glance and notice how she fought for air. I wanted to carry her burden and suffer her pain. I felt so useless. I was the wrong person for her. Why didn't Seth imprint on her? He would've been a better imprinter for her. I shook my head and pushed the ludicrous thought out of my head. My thoughts weren't coherent.

You aren't thinking straight, Paul, I reminded myself.

My mind was muddled due to the situation. Thinking seemed useless, the fact of the matter was that she needed me; my feelings or thoughts didn't matter. Lennox was everything to me. I fought hard to stay calm. I had to remain in control.

"Uh, try to breath through your nose and exhale through your mouth," I ordered. She closed her eyes and had difficulty breathing as she sank lower in her seat.

"Lennox! Lennox!" I said loudly, when I heard a loud cracking sound. "Are you okay? Breathe for me, please." I said, looking down at the steering wheel and cursed. I'd split the bottom portion of it and I was probably going to need to replace it.

"N-No," Lennox panted, turning on her side, she gripped my shirt. The rims of her lips were turning blue. She was practically suffocating. I looked over at her and saw her pretty face stained with tears. It nearly broke my heart. "I-I can't b-breath..." she trailed off as new tears spilled from her eyes.

"I can see... I'll get you to a hospital." I gulped.

"No," she said in a low voice. "No... I- won't... m-make... it..."

"Yes, you will. You'll be fine. They'll take care of you at the hospital."

"No," she sobbed desperately. "Now..."

"But we have to do something," I gritted. "I'm taking you to the hospital."

"N-no," she pleaded and coughed. "B-breath..."

"You'll be fine." I reassured her and grabbed the steering wheel with both hands.

"P-p-promise?" she sobbed.

"Yes, baby, I promise." I whispered, passing a few vehicles. I sped down the road. "Fuck!" I hissed, when Lennox leaned forward and her gasps became louder. "We are 20 minutes from the hospital. I don't know if –" I paused and raked my fingers through my hair. "Think, damn it, Paul, think!"

Lennox opened her eyes and stared helplessly at me. "Don't worry. I'm going to take care of you," I said nervously, pulling to the side of the road and parked my Jeep.

I looked over at her and she gave me a strained smile. I touched her cheeks; her skin was clammy and cold. I looked down at her and noticed the pressure marks on her neck from the seatbelt.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck," I hissed. "I'm going to remove the seatbelt."

She pointed down at her lap and tried to inhale. The seatbelt was digging into her waist. I unbuckled her seatbelt and cupped her face in my hands. She began crying; her eyes regarded me with the saddest expression I have ever seen. My soul ached for her.

"You're going to be fine," I promised. She nodded miserably. "You're going to be fine. I'm gonna take good care of you."

I kissed her forehead, and clambered out of the Jeep. I traipsed around the vehicle and rushed to the other side of the Jeep. I opened the door and was surprised when she grabbed my shirt.

"I know that we need to get you to a hospital. They'll know what to do." I said seriously, but she shook her head. "Fine. I-I ... Where's your inhaler, Len?" I stammered, gazing at her with concern.

Lennox shifted in her seat and pointed over her shoulder and tried to take a deep breath of air. "Is it in your hiking bag?"

She nodded.

"Okay," I opened the back door and settled her hiking pack on the backseat. I unzipped the bag and rummaged through her belongings.

"Great!" I muttered under my breath. "I can't fucking find it," I shouted angrily and grabbed the bag and threw her stuff on the backseat. Lennox jumped in her seat, startled. "Sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

I raked my hand over my face in exasperation and pinched the bridge of my nose. I was wasting precious time. I looked over at her and my stomach churned. I needed to find that piece of shit inhaler pump. I drew a deep breath and frantically resumed my search for the damn inhaler. I went through all the goddamn pockets of her hiking pack, over and over again. I finally found it the stupid thing. It was stuck between her cellphone and her keys.

"I found it," I said, almost kneeling on the floor to praise the Lord Almighty.

I went to her and propped her up, gently placing a hand on her nape and settled the inhaler's mouthpiece between her lips.

"Okay, I'm going to administer a puff on the count of three. You need to synchronize your breathing with the puff of the inhaler, sweetie, got it?"

She nodded again.

I depressed the upper portion of the canister and she breathed in at the same time that I pumped the medicine. Lennox looked paled under the dim light that poured inside the Jeep from the street lamps. Her vitals were decreasing. Her damp hair draped over her shoulder and she seized my shirt and pulled me closer.

"A-again," she demanded in a raspy voice.

I nodded, letting her take the inhaler out of my hand and puffed the medicine again. She waited a few second and her breathing began to slowly regulate. I traced lazy circles on her back, encouraging her to continue breathing. Several minutes later, her vitals began to stabilize, but I was still worried.

"How are you feeling?" I asked concerned.

"Better," she whispered, looking down at her lap.

"I'm glad. I'm still taking you to the hospital," I said, closing the back door and turning to face her. "I don't care if you protest. I'm taking you to the fucking hospital." I said furiously.

"'Kay," Lennox nodded and began to cry. I tilted my head back and inhaled, frustrated.

"Don't cry."

"I-" she gulped. "Sorry."

"What?"

"I'm sorry," she confessed.

I sighed tiredly, placing my hand on her shoulder, I looked down at her. "Don't be sorry. I shouldn't..." I exhaled loudly and placed my arms around her and brought her frail body to mine. She wound her arms around my waist and wept.