Chapter 6: Love Knows no Bounds

I felt my lip curl over my teeth in agitation. My paws crunched in the snow as I paced behind the border of small pines that framed the Denali backyard. It was still early; the sun had yet to rise up over the mountains.

My ears pricked as I listened to the activity inside the house. All of the vamps were out hunting for Damon. Jacob and Renesmee were both sleeping. Meanwhile, the one leftover vampire, Stefan, was planning a hunting trip with Isadora and Estrella.

My imprint.

The words kinda rang funny in my head. I said it like I was used to it, but the word still surprised me when it showed up in my brain. But, I had made up my mind. Terrifying or not, there had to be a something to this imprinting thing. I was tired of being alone. I was tired of wondering what she was like. I wanted to get to know her for my very own and not have to spend all my extra time making up mundane little details about her. I didn't want to speculate; I wanted to know.

Call me crazy, but I was ready to give fate a chance.

Watching Estrella sleep had somehow done something to me. I hadn't been the same since that night nearly a week ago when I had held her sleeping form in my arms and watched her dream. Something had changed inside of me, and I knew that I would never be the same.

I had given in.

I didn't want to be alone anymore. Estella….somehow gave me hope and terrified me all at the same time. Either way I felt alive when my soul had been dormant for a hundred years. I was tired of having nothing to live - really live- for. I wanted someone to come home to, someone to talk to, someone who understood me.

I was ready to fit with someone.

And, as terrifying as the idea was, obviously fate had a fucked up way of showing me that she was the one that I was supposed to belong to. She was supposed to fit with me.

As I paced, I thought of all the guys in the pack who had imprinted. Sure, some of them had their ups and downs and things to overcome, but…they were happy. They could usually think of nothing else besides their imprints because they made them so gooey with bliss it was utterly sickening.

Suddenly, I realized something else.

I was ready for sickening.

All my imprinted brothers could think about was their imprint - their hair, their eyes, their scent, the way they felt when their skin brushed against hers, the sex….

The sex.

Oh fuck.

My mind wandered to the far corners of the pack mind where I had heard every scandalous detail about everyone's sex lives. As much as you tried to hide it, it was impossible at one point or another. No matter how controlled you were, there was always going to be that one time when your thoughts slip and your mind wanders.

I pictured Estrella, and what she would look like with those long, tan legs wrapped around my waist….

Oh.

Yes. I was ready to accept her.

Where are they? I whined to myself. I knew they were getting ready to leave, but…when? Right around the time I was ready to explode, the back door of the Denali mansion opened and Stefan stepped out, followed by Isadora. I watched as the half-vampire woman gave him a flirtatious smile. She was flaunting herself. Good. Maybe the vamp would go for it. Nessie needed to be freed up to be with Jake, and I didn't need any suave, perfect guy hitting on my imprint.

Suddenly, a soft, thrumming heartbeat that my ears were drawn to like a magnet exited the house. My nose was the next to catch it; that faint, tropical coconut lime smell that came with her. Her ocean colored eyes scanned the dark lawn, and our eyes met. And then, my heart felt lighter.

There she was. All at once, my tail fell and my teeth were once again covered. My hackles settled down, and my eyes grew larger, trying to take in all of her beauty in the soft moonlight.

Stefan and Isadora took off at a run, laughing at something silly that I wasn't paying any attention to. Estrella watched them leave with a sparkle in her blue-green eyes. It was like she knew what was going on between them. Looking over her shoulder, her eyes met mine again. A small, secretive smile crossed her features as she tossed her long, sandy blonde hair and jumped into a jog. Her long legs propelled her across the snowy lawn so easily that she reminded me of some sort of long-legged deer or gazelle. Her pace was slow and relaxed and so….I followed her.

I ran behind her in the forest, just far enough away that she wouldn't be able to see me. But…I kind of wanted her to see me.

My obsessive, imprinted side reared it's ugly head. What if there was danger in the woods? What if there was something wrong and she couldn't get help? I instantly picked up the pace.

When I got close enough to her I saw her turn and glance at me over her shoulder. A small, infectious laugh slipped from her lips. Oh her laugh! It sounded like Christmas bells. It sounded happy and full of joy; neither of which I had in my life lately.

Stefan and Isadora led the way, streaking through the forest wildly together. Isadora was fast. Estrella didn't appear to be nearly as speedy, which worried me. Would she be able to avert danger as quickly as her half-sister?

Calm down, weirdo, I coached myself. They all paused at the tree line before a wide open tundra. The wind whipped across it, sending the chilly air through my coat. They stood at the edge of the forest and froze, standing as still as statues. I paused a few hundred yards back, curious as to what in the hell they were doing. I began to pace, chuffing air through my snout in frustration. What on earth was going on?

Then, my question was answered. As the dawn sunlight began to peek over the horizon, a huge heard of elk roamed onto the tundra. The animals were looking for food, as were their hunters. Slowly, like wraiths, Stefan and Isadora lunged out of the woods and began their hunt. I winced as they pounced, easily snapping the necks of three or four elk. They began to drink as the rest of the terrified animals scattered in blind panic. I swallowed, a nervous whine escaping my throat. At least it's not humans, I reminded myself.

Estrella watched, sighing heavily. The other two were still draining their kills, but she remained in the trees looking uninterested. Instead, she turned to me. Walking slowly, she moved toward me cautiously. Her bright eyes were questioning; did she think I would hurt her?

A low whine escaped through my muzzle.

"Hunting," she said matter-of-factly, glancing back at her friends. Her voice was high and smooth and almost child-like. It was like music to my ears. I followed her gaze, still sitting a safe ten yards away. She blinked, her little button nose scrunching up.

Wasn't she thirsty? Didn't she need to hunt too? I was confused.

I watched as she smoothed her top, pulling her little zip-up hoodie tighter around her body. She must not be used to the colder temperatures, I thought.

She turned on her heel, giving me another over-the-shoulder glance as she walked away. She was beckoning me. I felt my chest tighten and one foot soon went in front of the other. I was following her.

Oh hell. I'm just gonna go with this, I thought. I padded after her slowly, watching what she would do. Glancing back, I saw that Stefan and Isadora were still busying themselves with their meal, so at least we would have some privacy. I was legitimately going to try with this whole imprint business whether I liked it or not.

However, as I trailed after her tropical scent I didn't feel my normal onslaught of dread. Normally I would have been freaking out about the idea of following a leech into the woods. Even a half-leech. But…the closer I allowed myself to get to her, the lighter my heart felt. My steps were easier as my vision focused on her and only her.

She walked quickly, weaving through the frozen undergrowth of the Alaskan woods like a garden nymph. Every so often, she would give me another flirty, beckoning gaze as if she was checking to see if I was still following her. My ears stayed forward as I trotted behind her as quietly as I could. I was a little more comfortable, but still slightly on edge from instinct.

We stopped finally when she came to a tiny mountain meadow that was tucked into the woods. It was frozen, but in the early dawning light it looked like a winter wonderland. The tall, wild grasses and flowers that had died in the fall were now covered in the morning frost and beginning to glitter. I looked around curiously, waiting to see what she would do.

Estrella turned around, facing me as came to a stop in the middle of the meadow. We were only about ten feet apart now. I could hear her quiet breaths and thrumming heartbeat in the chilly morning air.

She stared at me, mirroring back the curiosity that I felt. What did she want?

"Collin?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

Oh sweet Jesus. She said my name. Never before had my stupid little name sounded like that. I gulped, lowering my head to observe her. Sticking her hand out, she crept towards me slowly.

Was she trying to pet me? I was frozen in place, waiting to see what this girl would do. Was she nuts? Didn't she know I could kill her with one snap of my razor sharp jaws? Did she not care?

Obviously she didn't. Slowly, she crept forward with her hand still outstretched. My hair stood on end, but not out of fear - it was anticipation. I swallowed, leaning forward a little to allow her to touch me.

Her hand touched my forehead, gently stroking the fine hairs there. Her touch was soft and feather light. I exhaled slightly, making her jump. Her eyes were wide as she stared at me, her hand hovering over my head. When she figured out I wasn't going to do anything, she smiled softly. She patted me again, this time letting her fingers graze up to the tip of my ear. Resting her hands on her side, she looked at me before carefully speaking.

"Change, Collin," she stated simply. I gaped at her, my wolfy eyes I'm sure the size of saucers. Did she honestly expect me to change back, right here? For one thing, I would be naked. Another thing…I would have to actually talk to her. She barely even spoke English!

I watched as she stood back, crossing her arms over her chest expectantly. Her long leg fidgeted as she sat on her hip, watching me with careful eyes.

I let out a defiant yip, dancing away from her slightly. No way was I going to change back right here and now!

"Please?" she asked, turning her head to the side. "I want to talk. Please change, Collin."

Holy shit…when did this girl learn English? My mind thought back to the countless English lessons I had seen her taking with Renesmee, but how had she learned how to speak so quickly?

"Please by my friend."

Her high, chime-like voice was pleading now. She still stood before me, her arms around her middle as a pouty expression danced across her features.

Shit.

I huffed, pacing in a small circle as I looked at her. She was growing more and more upset by the minute, and I could barely stand it. Suddenly, I felt myself wanting what she wanted. I wanted to please her.

I looked around, desperate. I wanted to phase back, but I also didn't want to be completely naked in front of her.

"Please?"

That one little word was my undoing. Without another thought, I could feel the heat retreating from my spine, pulling the animal out and letting my human form return. I rose up from all fours, straightening out into myself again. She gaped at me in amazement, her bright eyes wild with wonder.

"Collin?"

My name sounded even more beautiful with human ears hearing it. My mouth fell open in awe, completely taken with the beauty before me. Estrella cocked her head to the side, gazing at me strangely. Her eyes dropped down my body, a scarlet blush rising up in her cheeks as she took in my very naked form.

I gasped and covered myself, wincing painfully as she blushed and looked away.

"Um….a little help?"

She looked up, her cheeks flushed pink and lovely before letting a little giggle escape. I cringed. Was she laughing at what she saw? I could only hope not…I mean, I was a wolf and everything on us was rather large, but….had she been with other guys that were better looking? Look at her, my mind thought. Of course she had. She was completely gorgeous.

Another small giggle escaped, and I felt myself start to blush. She covered her mouth with her hand and rolled her eyes, turning in a circle.

"I'll phase back," I warned, trying not to laugh. My chuckle broke through my laugh as I fought to remain composed and angry-looking. I couldn't let my guard down! Damn, why did her laugh have to be so fricking contagious?

I wasn't sure if she understood my threat, but either way she unzipped her cardigan and shed it, tossing the garment to me. I gratefully covered up, holding the thin cotton in front of my naked body.

"Why didn't you hunt?"

She raised one perfect eyebrow at me, frowning slightly. "Hunt?" Shaking her head, she gave me a strange look. "Not thirsty."

I nodded, trying not to stare at her for too long. Her perfect features were so expressive as she watched me.

"Oh," I replied awkwardly. I bit my lip, trying to think of what to say. She stared at me, her gaze unabashed and piercing.

"You….not…like me," she stated sadly, her eyes turning down. I felt my foot ache as I was tempted to kick my own ass for being such a jerk to this poor girl.

"No, no," I heard myself say. "You're…you're….f-fine," I stuttered.

She looked up at me dejectedly, crossing her long arms as if to call my bluff. I held the shirt in front of myself and stepped closer to her.

"Estrella…"

Her eyes darted up to meet mine and a brilliant smile decorated her features as her name rolled off my tongue.

"Yes?"

"I like you," I began. She beamed again, and I watched as a ray of the dawning sunlight hit her sharp, white teeth. They gleamed in the light with a beautiful but menacing glow, as if to warn me. A chill shot down my arm as I fought to not panic. She wasn't going to hurt me, I reminded myself. Stay calm…

I looked at her as she stood in the sunlight, trying to decide what to say.

"You are…afraid?"

I nodded sheepishly in answer to her question. I felt like a pussy admitting that I was afraid of her, but I was. I couldn't possibly lie to her. Besides…listening to her stumble through her words in her broken accent was almost…cute.

I watched her stand there, fidgeting. Well, that was something vampires never did. She picked at her nails, wrung her hands together a few times, and just couldn't stand still. It was surprisingly the most humanlike thing I had seen her do.

As the sun rose over the trees of the meadow, we stood only a few feet apart, silent. My eyes took her in, memorizing every detail. The way her hair was a little lighter on the ends from the sunlight; the way her long legs shifted uncomfortably; the way she twisted her mouth up when she was deep in thought. I watched her skin glitter in the sunlight and realized something; she sparkled more than Renesmee.

Being half vampire, Renesmee had a slight glow to her skin that made her look a little dewy in the sunlight, but most humans wrote it off with their generally poor eyesight. If she was really in a bind, I had heard her explain it as glittery body lotion or some crap like that. However, I noticed that Estrella definitely had a more diamond-like look to her slightly tanned skin. It was enough that she definitely wouldn't be able to be in the sunlight around humans.

It mostly rains in La Push….the sun rarely comes out. She could live there and be fine most days….I winced as my mind ran ahead of me, betraying me. Was I going crazy? There was no way she would want to live in La Push with me, was there?

I gulped when I realized that it was either that or I would follow her.

How had I fallen so hard so fast?

I looked up at her, realizing that I had definitely imprinted, and as much as I had originally hated the idea….there was no avoiding it now.

She gave me a questioning look. "What?"

I shrugged, motioning to her arm. "You…you sparkle."

She gave me another sad look before nodding. "I sparkle, yes," she replied in her heavily accented English. Damn, that was adorable.

"Can you go outside in the sunlight?" I asked, even though I knew the answer.

"I go outside….alone. Not many times. I…not have…friends," she admitted.

"When did you learn to speak English so well?" I mused,

"Renesmee teach me," she quipped, giving me a bashful yet proud little smile.

"You really don't have friends at home?"

She scoffed a little, kicking at the ground. "No. I come here….I live with you, yes?"

I was slapped in the face with reality. I had been a complete jerk to this girl, and all she wanted to do was be with me and show me nothing but utter devotion. Her next words made me want to toss myself off a cliff.

"Please be my friend Collin."

Timidly, she stepped closer to me with wide eyes. Dipping her head down, she took one of my hands and brought it away from the death grip I had on her shirt. My skin sizzled pleasantly as my skin reacted with hers. A glowing heat slipped through our intertwined fingers. I shuddered.

"I'll be your friend," I offered, my voice cracking slightly. Estella's eyes met mine, and she gave me a knowing smile.

"My wolf, yes?"

I was putty in her bronzed hands.

"Uhhh…sure," I agreed before I could think. Think? Who thought, anyway? Brains were just things that kept us from doing what our hearts wanted us to, right?

Estrella nodded to herself with satisfaction, reaching up with her other hand to touch mine again. Another contented smile decorated her features, and once again her teeth caught the sunlight and glinted. I felt my heart race in a split second of fear, but I swallowed it down. She gave me a worried look, her smile fading momentarily.

"Scared?"

Her question was simple, and I could no longer deny her the answer.

"Yes."

A simple answer for a simple question.

She dropped my hand quickly, taking a fidgety step back. Looking up at me through her long lashes, I felt the urge to kick my own ass again as she was instantly hurt with my answer.

"I not hurt you," she almost whined, giving me another strange look. "I….I like."

I chuckled to myself at her broken English and pouting.

"I like you too."

There was that smile again. She beamed once more, satisfied with my answer. I swallowed my fear and pushed any doubt aside as I was sucked into the magic of that girl's smile. The fear wasn't completely gone, let's face it. However, I knew that I was a goner when it came to her and only her. Fate had a fucked up way of showing me that she was the one I needed, but I wasn't about to argue with fate.

I took a step forward, reaching for her hand. "Estella….I like you too."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

I hope you all enjoyed this! Collin is finally giving in and letting himself be happy with Estrella. Of course, the change will still take a little bit of time, but he's at least open to the idea of imprinting now : )

I hope you all enjoyed the final chapter of Touch Me (the Untouchable Outtakes) and of course, the final chapter of Untouchable! There is of course an Epilogue that I'm still working on for Untouchable, so look forward to that.

Also, I'm not done writing wolf fics, or even Jake/Nessie fics - not by a long shot. In fact, I have two more in the works at the moment. Be sure to add me to your alerts so that you know when I post something new!

This story is the next story I will be working on finishing. I hope you are all enjoying it - please review!