A/N: I'm baaaack. This chapter requires a little explanation. I'll start out by saying it's a big chapter (big as in important). I would actually say that this is the climax of the story. As for the song False Pretense, I wanted to point out that it doesn't go so much with the individual content of the chapter as it does with the entire whole. The lyrics themselves won't go exactly with the story details, but if you take both the idea of the chapter and general message in the song, you'll find they fit together fairly well. I think that's it. I'm planning the next chapter to be in Kim's POV, but we'll see how it goes.

"Read like a wolf eats."

—Gary Paulsen

That actually just came to me while I was typing this Author's Note (yes, the pun in the quote was intended), but I do hope you do as it says. Enjoy :-)

Disclaimer #1-I don't own any of the original characters, plots, scenes, etc. from the Twilight series. They belong to Stephenie Meyer.

Disclaimer #2-I also do not own the song False Pretense. It belongs to The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.

Chapter Ten- False Pretense (Jared's POV)

It's time to let it go

The world's got a funny way of turning 'round on you
When a friend tries to stab you right in the face
Losing faith in everything I thought I hoped I knew
Don't sweat it, set a false pretense

I was barely paying attention to the road ahead of me. My eyes kept darting to the restless figure in the passenger seat beside me. I forced myself to concentrate. I couldn't crash. Not with her in the car.

Kim continued to fidget as blurs of La Push's woodlands rushed past us. My leg bounced up and down in time with her shallow breathing. She was nervous, which made me nervous. I could feel her unease and irrational fear.

"It's going to be fine, Kim," I whispered.

She forced a small smile, but quickly reverted to staring anxiously out the dusty window.

I pulled into the driveway and turned the truck off, pulling the keys out of the ignition. I stared at the warmly lit house—my house—for a few seconds before turning to face Kim. Her heart stuttered slightly and picked up beating at an abnormally fast rate.

"Hey," I said softly, tugging her chin gently around so that I could see her vivid amber eyes. "You have nothing to worry about," I promised her. "I'll be right there beside you the entire time."

Her smile was slightly more genuine this time, but I could still see and sense her nerves. It made me uncomfortable for her to be so distressed. It was the feeling of being away from your imprint, the feeling of my entire self being pulled in different directions. But, it was worse because she was right here. She wasn't far away from me. She sat a mere couple of inches from the very seat I was in, and being close to her wasn't helping.

I never wanted her to be anything less than blissfully happy. And she wasn't right now. I had to do something—anything—to take away her unnecessary stress.

"We don't have to go," I replied simply, already starting up the truck to leave. "There's always next week…or month."

Immediately Kim frowned, making me feel utterly helpless. I couldn't fix it, and it was killing me inside.

"Jared, it—"

"She won't be disappointed, if that's what you're thinking. It isn't a big deal," I assured her sincerely. "You can meet my family another time."

"It's just…I'm a little nervous is all." Her eyes met mine shyly. "I want to do this," she stated firmly, reaching for the door handle and letting herself out. I really wished she had waited for me to open it for her. "Just a little self-conscious, a normal reaction to meeting new people," she told me as we neared my front door.

"You have absolutely nothing to worry about," I answered softly as I leaned in to press my lips to hers.

This kind of interaction was fairly new between us, and it took my breath away every time. My body felt too alive, too aware of the unbelievably powerful emotions that coursed harshly through every inch of me. I felt like I might have my very soul ripped out if she was ever even a millimeter farther away from me than she was now.

My large hands reached out to grip her waist tightly, but making sure I was still being extremely gentle…always gentle. Someone had decided that I deserved to be given my fragile, little imprint, my Kim. If anyone ever hurt her, I would kill him (or her). If I hurt her…it would break me.

With that revolting thought swimming through my head, I pulled her closer until she was pressed against me. I tilted my head to the side, my lips moving against hers slowly. Then she opened her mouth just the slightest bit, and as her hot breath mingled with mine, I came undone at the seams.

Growling lowly, I opened my mouth wider and—

"Oh." I heard my mother's frazzled voice cut through our heavy breathing. "I'm so sorry for…um, interrupting." She giggled. Oh God, my mom was giggling when I could obviously tell that it was making Kim more embarrassed.

Kim had immediately pulled away when she heard my mom, much to my disappointment. I would have been content to mumble an annoyed "go away" and return to kissing Kim.

"I-I…uh, we just—I didn't mean," Kim stuttered, her face heating up adorably. "I'm…I'm Kim Connweller." She held out her hand, but my mom just pulled her into a hug.

I leaned instinctively toward Kim, my arms outstretched, always her protector. I gave my mom a look. She simply glared playfully back, but released Kim.

"Oh, Kim, it's so nice to meet you. Now come on, I have dinner ready," she said, pushing us through the doorway.

Rayen was waiting for us rather impatiently in the kitchen. Her eyes lit up when she saw us, and her gaze quickly flickered over to Kim's tiny form folded securely into my side.

I waited nervously while her eyes passed quickly over Kim, who was blushing furiously with her eyes fixed on the ground. I was afraid that Rayen would resent Kim because of all the attention that she took away from her. I desperately need her and my mother's approval. They were my three favorite girls, and I wanted them all to love each other as much as I loved all of them.

"Hi," Kim said in a voice barely audible, "I'm Kim."

"You're right, Jared," Rayen said bluntly. "She is really pretty."

I smiled as Rayen got up from her spot at the table, went over to Kim, and wrapped her little arms around Kim's waist. I adjusted my arm around Kim so that Rayen could hug her more properly.

"Mommy made baked ziti," Rayen said, dragging Kim from my arms to sit beside her at the dinner table. "It's my favorite."

Kim laughed and turned to me smiling brightly. It instantly dissipated the sour feeling in my stomach of not having my arms around her anymore.

I grinned back and took my seat next to her. Grabbing her hand under the table, I settled in to the happy dinner conversation.

Betray, you're not gonna be willing to change
Yeah, and it doesn't seem likely to fade
Betray, you're not gonna be willing to change
Ca-ca-ca-cause you know

In sacrifice
False pretense, you'll learn again
Stop pretending, don't deny
False pretense, you'll learn again

Dinner that Saturday had gone wonderfully. Kim fit in perfectly with my family. I was practically floating (Paul had laughed his ass off at that thought after I'd phased).

I squeezed Kim's hand and pulled her into my side, sliding my arm around her waist as we walked through La Push High's bustling hallways.

At first people had stared. They guys looked incredulous, the girls jealous. What pissed me off, though, was that everyone seemed confused. They weren't even what-are-you-doing-with-her? looks (which would have equally pissed me off). They were silent questions of who is she? The assholes didn't even know who she was.

I remembered the first day we had come in as an "official couple". Some stupid freshman from the football team had come up to me (with Kim tucked into my side as per usual) and asked frankly, "Who is she, man?"

I shook so bad that Paul, who luckily showed up, had to drag me outside, forcing me to leave Kim inside by herself surrounded by those morons' stares. That thought had only made me shake harder. I could literally feel my bones brace themselves for the change when Paul told me that Seth was watching over Kim. She was fine. As soon as I heard that, I calmed down enough to meet Kim and the pack in the cafeteria.

Seth and Leah Clearwater had changed soon after I brought Kim over for dinner. The entire pack—along with the elders—was in mourning after Harry's heart attack and unexpected death. He was a tribal elder that had helped to carry on the rich legends of our people. Though Seth managed to remain somewhat cheerful after Harry's death, Leah's self-loathing thoughts burned through our minds every time she phased with us. She blamed her own transformation for her father's death.

Leah was the first female werewolf, and stunned all the elders into silence. No one had any explanation as to how or why this happened. Of course, Leah phasing caused numerous problems. She learned the reasoning behind Sam's abandonment of her, but she was still bitter about it all. The worst part was that there was no way to escape her thoughts when you ran patrol with her. Paul and I had immediately made a pact to always stick together during patrols to have someone that could possibly take our mind of the negative thoughts radiating from the she-wolf.

After Bella (that girl made more trouble than she was worth) jumped off the cliff, we lost the redheaded vampire again to the rough waters off the coast of First Beach. She had been dancing on our territory ever since the first time we spotted her.

Harry's funeral was held, the bronze-haired leech went off to get himself killed after hearing of Bella's supposed death, Bella ran after him, breaking Jacob's heart in the process, and the Cullens returned to Forks much to the displeasure of us shape-shifters.

We learned that the redhead wanted Bella. It made it a little easier knowing what she was after, but werewolves and vampires weren't meant to get along, and we had to in order to protect the same human.

"Hey, Jared, you alright?" Kim asked quietly from beside me, bringing me back to the present.

I looked into her eyes intensely. My brows furrowed, and the corner of my lips turned down into a frown. I don't know what I was looking for, but I couldn't find it. All I saw in her eyes right then was a faint worry and concern for me.

Smiling, I said, "Yeah, I'm fine. Let's go before Paul throws another tantrum when the pencil sharpener goes off."

Kim giggled, following me into Mr. Hodges history class.

I didn't pay any attention to the lesson. I had given up trying to be subtle when I stared at Kim. I blatantly ignored Mr. Hodges as he lectured the class and wrote notes up on the board. He had stopped calling on me after the first week of my lack of responses. Kim laughed lightly every time, which only made me smile and do it more often.

Kim, being used to my common gaping by now, simply smiled occasionally at me before turning back to the front of the class, copying down Mr. Hodges's notes.

Even with all the stress of the current bloodsucker situation, plus the giant load Sam had just dropped on me last weekend, I managed to offer her a sincere grin. She was happy, so I was happy. I wasn't so sure how much longer that would be true.

Sam had explained the situation with Victoria (apparently that was the redheaded leech's name) was too dangerous for me to continue to keep Kim in the dark any longer. Although I didn't disagree with him, I wasn't ready to tell Kim about my…uh, furry problems. It physically hurt me to lie to Kim, but I could handle that hurt. The raw agony that was bound to come with her reaction when I told her I was a werewolf…that I wasn't sure I could handle.

I was extremely reluctant to agree with Sam, but after he brought Kim into, saying it was "best for her" I couldn't say no. I was aware that he was right the entire time, but hearing it said out loud made it final: I had to tell Kim the truth.

Figuring out how to tell her was one of the hardest parts of this whole thing. I couldn't very well walk her into the woods, blurt out the truth, and blow up into a gigantic ball of fur. I would scare her, and that's the last thing I wanted to do, but I knew that the way I told her I shifted into a wolf didn't matter. In every single scenario she ended up hurt. I had been lying to her for quite some time now. Relationships can't be built on the false pretenses I'd been putting up. I transformed into an enormous vampire-killing machine. She'd be terrified. I was…unnatural.

I had finally remembered that she had already seen me as a wolf. I didn't know how I forgot; it had been the most wonderfully life-altering day. She wasn't afraid of my wolf form. She trusted the wolf. It gave me an idea, and I prayed with every fiber of my being that it all turned out okay.

All along you know you thought you got the best of me
You were wrong and I'm laughing right in your face
I cannot believe you claimed you were my family
Don't sweat it, set a false pretense

"I'll meet you in the clearing okay, Kim?" My hands were stuffed into the pockets of my jeans as I walked Kim to her door.

"Yeah, sure. Oh, Jared, you'll love it. It's just so amazing. The wolf is like a giant puppy dog," she said, smiling excitedly.

"Yeah." I sighed, forcing my answering grin to look real for her, always for her.

I had no intention of letting her walk through the forest on her own. I would be following closely behind her, watching her every step, keeping her safe. With Victoria out there, I was taking no chances. Not with Kim.

"Just be careful," I pleaded, feeling the need to make sure that she kept herself safe as well. Even if I was protecting her, I needed extra reassurance that she'd be okay.

"I promise." She smiled, giving me a soft kiss on the lips. I went to deepen it, but she pulled away. "My parents are home—for once—I have to go." She smiled again and went inside.

Her parents didn't know about me yet, but I didn't care. All that mattered was Kim. She could tell them when she was ready.

I think I might have stood outside her house for a good ten minutes before I forced my legs to turn around and walk to my truck. I wrenched open the door and hopped in. I took my time driving home, not looking forward to what I had to do.

I ambled leisurely through the living room and kitchen up to my room. I yanked of my jeans and replaced them with a pair of beat-up cutoffs. Pulling my t-shirt over my head, I threw it in the hamper beside my closest, not bothering to put on another shirt. I wouldn't need it. Finally, I tied a thin cord around my ankle and thundered down the stairs.

My mom was waiting by the back door. I'd already told her what I was planning to do. She looked at me with sympathetic eyes.

"Everything will work out, Jared. I can tell that Kim likes you a lot." Smiling encouragingly, she reached out and grabbed me in a warm hug.

"Thanks, Mom," I whispered.

Betray, you're not gonna be willing to change
Yeah, and it doesn't seem likely to fade
Betray, you're not gonna be willing to change
Ca-ca-ca-cause you know

In sacrifice
False pretense, you'll learn again
Stop pretending, don't deny
False pretense, you'll learn again
Guitar...

I sat outside Kim's house in my wolf form, waiting for her to leave. My cutoffs, now covered in mud, were tied around my ankle. I wasn't ready, but I had to be.

I followed Kim from the cover of the woods. When she entered the forest behind her house, I began trotting parallel to her; far enough away that she couldn't see or hear me, but close enough that I could keep an eye on her.

She reached the wheat-covered field almost totally unscathed. She tended to stumble over hidden roots. Well, I could see them, but she didn't have my enhanced eyesight. I cringed and whimpered lowly every time she took even the tiniest spill.

She dropped down a couple of yards from the edge of the tree line. She lay back, spreading her arms out on each side of her. It was just like when I had first seen her, when I had imprinted on her. The sight was so beautiful that I had to remind myself to breathe.

I couldn't ruin this. It was too right, the rare La Push sun bursting through a heavy cover of clouds and caressing every inch of her. The tall stalks of golden brown wheat surrounding her in a safe blanket. Her eyes closed and a small smile on her lips at the purely intoxicating feeling of it all. I couldn't take those feelings away from her, from myself.

I took my first hesitant step from the shadows. My chocolate fur was slightly longer than I normally let it grow, and it gleamed in the sun. My breathing came out in frightened pants, and for the first time, I felt unsure in my supernatural form.

I lay down next to her when I was close enough. I curled into her, not willing to let any space between us.

She just smiled wider and opened her eyes when she felt my body heat beside her. She turned her head towards mine.

"You came. Oh, Jared will be so shocked. I invited someone else to come see you, but you don't have to worry because he's really nice." She reached out to stroke my coarse coat. "I really, really like him, see, and well, I think he's my boyfriend. He never said anything, but I can just tell."

My tongue lolled out of my mouth happily, but I winced internally. She was so happy. How could I destroy that?

I stood up on all fours and backed away from her. I had to do this now before I lost my nerve. She deserves to know. It's best for her.

"What're you doing?" she asked curiously. She didn't expect me to answer, just a habit.

I felt my bones shifting. I felt every single one individually as if they were moving one by one as opposed to all simultaneously like they were. I heard every scrape and pop when they rubbed against each other and dislocated to form a new frame. I watched as my fur melted into skin, and my huge paws became hands.

I stood up to my full height as fire burned through my unfolded muscles. I flexed every part of my body, stretching out from my other, condensed form.

My eyes found her blazing amber ones. We stared at each other for a long time, never moving. You could cut the tension with a knife. I could feel it building around us, threatening to suffocate me.

"Jared?" she finally murmured.

I just nodded in response. I waited for her to say something else. She didn't.

"Jared, you-you're…"

I raised my eyebrows, not trusting my voice.

"Y-You're naked," she stated, a blush rising on her cheeks.

I glanced down, and with my own blush realized that she was right. I quickly pulled my cutoffs from the twine around my ankle and slipped them on while Kim stared embarrassedly at the ground.

"Um, you can look now. Sorry," I added when she finally looked back up.

"It's, uh…it's fine."

Kim wrung her hands nervously in her lap, and I sank down to the ground where I was, not wanting to move closer in case she was afraid of me.

"Kim, I'm really sorry for everything. You know, lying to you and—"

"Jared," she interrupted, "it's…okay." She seemed to pause and think a little before starting again. Her words were slow and deliberate like she was saying them as she figured it all out in her head. "This…is a lot to take in. That, what you just did, shouldn't be real, shouldn't be possible, and I just watched the entire thing happen. I can't come up with excuses or explanations for it."

"I know, Kim, and I'm so sorry. I just couldn't figure out how to tell you."

"You don't have to be sorry," she said quietly. "I remember some parts of the legends…you can't help it. I'm a little upset that you lied to me for so long, but let's face it…I probably would have thought you were mental if you'd told me earlier." She laughed lightly.

I could tell that she was still a bit shaken, but this was better than anything I could have expected. I grinned wider, moving closer until I was seated right in front of her, both our legs crossed and knees touching. She doesn't hate me.

"I wanted to tell you…so bad, but it—it made me sick to think that you might be scared of or hate me. But I promise you," I said, reaching up to cup her face in my large hands, "with everything I have that I will never hurt you in any way."

"I believe you," she whispered, closed her eyes and leaning forward. I knew she was talking of both my promise and the werewolf business. "But it'll all take some getting used to, so please be patient," she pleaded with me.

I pulled her face closer and placed my lips gently on hers. I could hear her stuttering heartbeat, and I smiled into the kiss.

"Always," I whispered.

It's time to let it go

I can't seem to understand it how you turned out to be so cold
You tried but were caught red-handed, are you happy with your role?
It's funny to me how you've turned into such a joke

Kim asked to be introduced to "the pack". She had already met most of them from the lunch table, but she wanted to meet them now, after she knew everything. She actually asked to meet Paul, Embry, Quil, and all the other morons…of her own free will.

I didn't complain, though. Her reaction to this all was more than I could ask for. If she wanted this, she got it.

She still didn't know everything. I had kept imprinting a secret still. Maybe it was the imprinting itself, or maybe it was the fact that I knew Kim so well, but I just knew she wasn't ready for that yet. She needed time to adjust, but I didn't plan on keeping it a secret much longer. I was going to tell her before the bonfire we had planned and then let her listen to the legends again. It would make it easier to explain it all to her, and I wouldn't have to worry about getting all tongue-tied.

"Alright, let's go," I said, grumbling as I grabbed Kim's hand and pulled her up the front steps to Sam and Emily's house.

"Oh, Jared, it won't be that bad," she assured me.

"I think you might be wrong about that."

It was funny how when she was meeting my mom I had to comfort her, but now that she's meeting my friends she has to reassure me. Oh God, I hope Paul doesn't say anything too stupid, I thought to myself.

In sacrifice
False pretense, you'll learn again
Stop pretending, don't deny
False pretense, you'll learn again

So play-ay-ay the game until you run out
And play-ay-ay the game into my hand

"So little Kimmy here knows everything now," Paul teased as we sat down to eat.

I was more than pissed off because he and Embry had decided to squeeze in on either side of Kim, forcing me to sit across from her. My leg bounced up and down in irritation. It made me uneasy to not have her tucked into my side.

"Yep," Kim answered brightly.

I smiled. She had been a little shy at first, but after Emily ensured her that it was nice to have another "wolf girl" around, she had settled right in. The guys didn't bug her too much, and for that I was grateful. No one mentioned imprinting.

Emily wacked Quil's hand lightly with her wooden spoon when he reached for the giant bowl of spaghetti, and I grabbed Jake's hand when he made to get some as well.

"Let Kim get some first," I growled roughly.

Kim blushed. "Oh, no it's fine. I don't—"

Emily cut her off. "No, trust me, Kim. If you don't get some now, it'll be gone before you can blink." She laughed. "These boys eat like wolves."

We all laughed together and dug in after Kim had gotten her share. Kim grinned at me from across the table, and I smiled widely back. I knew that she was glad to finally fit in somewhere, and I was ecstatic that that place was with me. I had given her a family, which she had been lacking for some time. I had given her people who already loved her like a sister and would protect her whenever. I had given her this, and it made me feel like I almost…almost deserved her.

"Hey, I'm back. There any grub left?" Sam shouted from the living room. He rarely used the front door, but Emily had just sent him on a grocery run for some ingredients to make dessert.

I could tell Kim was nervous about meeting Sam because he was the alpha, so he was in charge. I stretched my leg out so that my knee touched hers comfortingly and smiled at her.

Sam entered the kitchen with a smile at seeing all of us getting along so well. He immediately went to Emily who had finally sat down with all us and gave her a tender kiss on the cheek right by her scars. He turned to face Kim and grinned politely.

"You must be Kim. Welcome to the family."

Ending A/N: Well, I hope that fed all of your wild hungers. Yeah, I'm a little crazy and delusional right now. I'm also listening to my i-pod on shuffle right now, and Coast to Coast by I Call Fives is on. Thought I'd share that little tidbit.

Anyways, back on track...another little explanation now that I can't give anything away. The reason I have yet to make them say those special three words is because, well, realistically people don't fall in love in a couple of days. It's probably been a few months in Eclipse of the Eyes since Jared and Kim came together, and while Jared doesn't need much time to fall for Kim, she needs time. She cares for him enough that she doesn't care if he grows fur and kills vampires, so she has to love him to some extent, she just hasn't come to this realization yet. Don't fret, though, she will very soon. I just wanted to create a story that was more real. I wanted it to be refreshing and new. I hope I pulled that off :-)

I also hope Kim's reaction wasn't too cliched. I never liked where she went crazy and ran, or when she was incredibly happy and okay with it because come on? She's got to be at least a little freaked that her crush just turned into a wolf. Also the whole it's-just-a-joke thing is way over used. No offense to any Jared/Kim writers who have used any of these ideas because, frankly, I have read stories with them and loved them. They're just not for me. Also, on the shape-shifter's side, I never understood why they would tell their imprint and then not give them proof. If it was me the first thing I'd do would be to show them I wasn't lying.

Well, my little rant is done. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please continue to read and review Eclipse of the Eyes. I wasn't very subtle, was I? It got my point across, though, so I'm happy. Haha, please review, guys. I always love hearing from you :-)

—we'vehitanAllxTimexLow