Imprinting's Trap

Chapter Seven:

They did, eventually, reach the airport. They were hot, sweaty, and tired, and all they wanted to do was take a nap.

"Can't we just sleep here and catch a plane tomorrow?" Leah wined. Jacob rolled his eyes.

"Lee, you're the one that wanted to get this thing fixed in the first place...or did you change your mind?" he winked and she shrank away.

"Why on earth would I change my mind about you, Jacob Black?"

"I don't know, maybe because we're imprints? You're making this so much harder than it needs to be. Why won't you just let yourself be with me?"

"Because I don't want to be with you, Jake! I want to be with Sam!" She yelled. Her hands were clenched into fists at her sides and onlookers were beginning to gather around them.

"Let's talk about this outside," Jacob suggested, so they marched back out into the humidity. "Listen, Leah. This is going to hurt, but you need to hear it. You and Sam...you aren't going to be together again, okay? Ever. Sam is with Emily now. He's imprinted on her, and there's no changing that...wait, a second. Going to Greece...it's not just about you and me, is it? It's about Sam! You want him to reverse his imprint on Emily, don't you! I cannot believe you!"

"Oh, shut up! Just shut up and quit judging me!" She folded her arms and sat down. Jacob joined her.

"Leave Sam be, okay? He's happy. Don't ruin that for him."

"What about me? Don't I get to be happy?"

"I've been saying it! Just be happy with me, okay? I'm sorry that I'm not Sam, but I'm what you've got. Just hear me out. I've given up trying to fight this. It's easier now...now that I'm not working against it, I can see myself liking this...liking you. Please, Leah?" Jake was begging and he knew it, but he was tired of fighting against the imprint. He just wanted to give up this stupid quest and go back to La Push with Leah as his girlfriend. She shook her head and tears dripped from her eyes.

"I can't, Jake. I can't trust myself to be with anyone else...I can't do this. I can't!" And right then and there, Leah Clearwater broke down and sobbed. Jacob pulled her into a hug and she cried on his shoulder.

"We're imprints, Leah." he said softly. "I could never hurt you or leave you." Slowly, she shook her head again.

"I don't trust myself with you." And she stood up and ran away.

On the other side of the ocean, in Greece, the Committee was fighting. Again.

"Just watch them, Aeri! They bicker constantly! And look at Leah! She's a mess. There must be some way to set them free." Marlene cried. The Forger was warring with herself. She knew that there was a way, but it was unheard of. She had never done it before. And secretly, she had been hoping that Jacob and Leah could push past their differences and find love. Evidently, that wasn't going to happen. Rainy and Marlene could see that they had almost forced Aeri to change her mind, so they persisted.

"You can choose them each a different imprint. It'll be fine! Just...I don't think they can handle each other. Please, Aeri?" Rainy pleaded. The Forger sighed and left their magic glass where they had been watching Jake and Leah argue. She walked over to their strings, which were forged together. She could see the strain in them. The strings were stretched thin, near breaking point. There lives couldn't go on much longer entwined. It would kill them. Aeri reached to a high shelf and grabbed a bottle of something thick and black. She uncorked the lid, and hesitated.

"Go on, Aeri."

"Yes, yes, you can do it!"

"Will they know?" The Forger asked weakly. "Do you think they'll be able to tell when they aren't imprints anymore?" The sadness in her voice was unmistakable. Rainy put a comforting hand on her arm.

"I would assume so. They'll be able to go as far apart from each other as they wish. And they won't feel that insane pull to go back to each other. They'll be free to be with whomever they want, until of course, we choose someone else for them."

"Just one more thing," The Forger said. "Do you think they'll be happier this way?"

"Of course!" Marlene exclaimed. "Now go ahead, dear. Give them their freedom." At last, the Forger turned back to Leah's and Jake's strings. She held them out in her shaky hand, and carefully poured a drop of the black liquid onto them. The strings hissed and sizzled for one moment, and smoke exploded from them. When it cleared, Aeri held two separate strings in her hand. They were completely unconnected.

Leah pushed her human legs faster and faster until she was practically flying. Slowly, she began to realize that she didn't feel an irrational urge to go back to Jacob. Surely she had passed the invisible boundary by now, right? She stopped and stood still for a moment, making sure. Nope. She had no desire to return to Jake.

"Yes!" she shouted. She danced around in the trees and whooped loudly in elation. She was free! She heard a twig crack behind her and she turned. Jacob stood panting.

"I heard you scream." he explained when he could breathe. "What's up?" he leaned against a tree and put his hands deep into his pockets.

"We're free, Jake! We aren't imprints anymore! I don't even know how it happened. I was just running, and I realized that I didn't feel the need to go back to you at all! I'm free!" she laughed, truly giddy and started dancing again.

"Oh," Jacob said. His stiff expression didn't change. Leah stopped and looked at him.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing at all."

"I think you're lying." she told him. He shrugged.

"Look, seeing as we don't have to be together anymore, I'm gonna go. Later, Lee." he phased and ran faster than anything back to La Push. Leah stared after him in surprise. She sank to the ground.

Why wasn't he happy? What had she said? She sat for a while, just thinking, and then she realized that she hadn't felt so incredibly lonely since right after Sam had broken up with her. She was alone- she had absolutely no one.

"Jacob!" she cried, standing up. "Jake, wait!" She phased and chased after him.

Jake? Jake? She thought frantically. She couldn't hear his thoughts. Wow, that boy's fast. Leah began to get scared-night was coming quickly, and the sun was setting. Soon, it would be pitch black and she would be lost. She pushed her legs faster. Jacob? Jake, where are you?

Chill, Leah. I'm right here. Man, you're fast. You already made it back to La Push.

Really? Wow. What time is it?

Late. We should be getting home.

Right. Night, Jacob.

Good-

Jacob's thoughts cut off with a howl that sounded eerily like a cry of pain.

Jake?! Leah sprinted for him. She found him in a clearing near his house, sprawled on the ground in wolf form. He was bleeding from a wound in his stomach. Leah phased into her human form and quickly put on her clothes before leaning her head onto Jacob's massive chest. She waited to hear a heartbeat, but she was met with silence. She couldn't even hear him breathing.

"Billy! Sam! Quil! Embry! Anybody! Come quick! Jake's hurt!" she shouted. She could hear footsteps coming and she turned back to Jacob. "What happened to you?" she whispered in his ear. He didn't respond. As she sat there staring at his lifeless form, and her pack brothers surrounded her, a stray thought flew through her head.

You never know what you've got until it's gone.

Wow, this chapter took me forever to write! Hah I hope you guys like it! Review!! You guys are amazing! Keep reading!