Everything you recognize belongs to the brilliant SM on temporary loan per prior imaginary agreement
If I could you know I that I would
But since I can't
You should
Everything slowed down and came to a screeching halt. My mind raced.
The people on the porch were frozen. My mother backed up with a look of shock and fear on her face.
I turned to look at my savior.
The wolf was the largest creature I had ever seen. It was bigger than any bear. It was bigger than a horse.
It's silky fur was silver like moonlight on a lake and soft as fallen snow.
When I didn't scream it let out it's breath and the warmth caressed my face and smelled of warm waters and musk and wildness.
It's eyes were deep chocolate with a perfect ring of amber. I had seen those eyes before. I knew these eyes. When I had first come to La Push Claire had forced me to go to a social gathering with the Pack, made me listen to the elders tell stories of the tribe's history. They told of cold ones and men who turned into wolves and spirit warriors. These eyes had stared angrily across the fire at her all night long. By the end of the night she had wanted nothing more than to drown the owner of those perfect eyes.
Paul Lahote had eyes like that.
"Paul."
It had been two years since that night at the bonfire. Claire had only made her go because Quil and Embry and Jared and Paul had picked Claire up from school and Paul had made googoo eyes at her in the parking lot. The boys had razzed him about it before he took off in a rage. Somehow Quil and Claire had conned her into going to that stupid bonfire afterwards. She'd listened to the stories, which had been interesting, and tried to ignore Paul, which had been frustratingly impossible.
He was gorgeous and his attention was on her the entire night. He was entirely focused on her. One second he looked like he was trying to memorize every curve of her face, every shadow her lashes threw in the dancing fire's light. The next second he seemed pissed off and like he hated her just for existing. It was entirely maddening. He didn't speak to her even once. When it was over he left without saying a word.
Afterwards she had left and told Claire not to do anything like that to her ever again.
She didn't see Paul again for a couple of weeks but she asked Claire about him. She couldn't stop raving about how awesome he was. He was cute and strong and such a good friend to the rest of the Pack and always dependable. She wouldn't say anything about his dating habits of course.
Other girls told a different story. Paul was sexy as hell and not afraid to show a girl a good time. Or several girls a good time. But he didn't do serious relationships so she shouldn't bother trying. Don't get her hopes up. He went for blondes and bimbos and she didn't fit the bill.
Boys laughed and gave high-fives and looked her up and down and said they'd give her a shot but she was out of Paul Lahote's league.
She gave up on that train of thought and wrote it off as a trick of the light. Clearly she had been mistaken.
And when she didn't see him again she wrote it off as a silly crush she didn't need and thought nothing more of it.
Then he showed up with Quil at school one day and tried to walk her home. She'd laughed and said thanks but she could find her own way home. He said he just wanted to be friends. She said she had too many friends and didn't he have a date to get to. He had looked confused and then frustrated but he didn't give up. He showed up every day for a week until she'd finally had enough.
"I don't know what you're playing at, Paul. I've heard the rumors. I've talked to the girls you've gone out with. I'm not like them. You're not getting anything out of me so you may as well seek entertainment elsewhere." "Have I given you any indication that I want to sleep with you?" she was embarrassed as she had to admit that he hadn't. "I'm sorry, I assumed because I was told you don't have anything to do with relationships. What do you want then?" "I just want to get to know you." "Why?" "I like you." "You don't know me." "But I'd like to."
Amaya had thought about it. Paul was the sexiest man she'd ever encountered. He was also several years older than her. Her mother would freak out. This was the last thing her mom and dad had fought about before their divorce. Was it really fair to get involved with a guy she might not remember the next time she hit her head?
She shook her head, "Sorry, I don't think that's a good idea." "Why not." "I don't want to get to know you. Please leave me alone. I don't want to see you again."
She had thought then that it couldn't hurt as much if she lost someone if they'd never really known each other. Looking into those eyes again now, seeing that fear of being rejected again in them, she knew it wasn't true. Because, somehow, she and Paul had always known each other, were always meant to know each other.
"Paul."
"Amaya, don't be afraid. He won't hurt you. Emily, get Amy inside. Just stay calm, I'm coming down to you."
I didn't want to look away from those eyes that I knew so well but from the way Sam was talking I knew that the others needed to be reassured.
"Don't worry Sam, I understand. Get mom inside. I need a minute with Paul." "You know?" "I do now. I'm his imprint, right? Like the third wife?" "Yes, that's right. How did you-?" "I understand. Paul, are you okay with this?"
The wolf bent his huge head and touched his nose to her forehead before licking her face gently with the tip of his tongue.
"I'm going to take that as a reluctant yes. Do you have clothes nearby?" The wolf looked at Sam and whuffed low in his throat. "Do you understand him?" "We speak mind-to-mind in wolf form. But we've been together long enough to get the idea. I have a pair of shorts in the car. I'll go get them and then we'll get you situated if you're okay for a minute?" "I'm okay if he is."
The wolf underneath me sighed in contentment. We continued to stare at each other. I had both fists wrapped tightly in his fur.