Third POV

Paul wasn't going to sleep tonight.

Not after all that had just transpired, mere hours before.

And certainly not while Raylina is only inches from him, fast asleep. His mate, his imprint, trusting him without realizing it, in his most secret form. How could any wolf get sleep knowing that?

The fire from the hearth flickered across her smooth skin. The quilt she had grabbed before she passed out had long been pushed down and no longer covered her, recently she moved and hitched her shirt upwards. The fires' shadows danced across her smooth stomach while her sweats hugged her hips. Paul did his best not to pay attention to that, but he couldn't help it either. Every detail about her stood out to him, made him restless. Her own arm was now tossed carelessly above her head, which still faced Paul while she laid on her back. Her left arm still at her side but her fingers were splayed upon the edge of her slim stomach. Her legs were tangled within the thick quilt and her eyes fluttered back and forth under her eyelids. Paul studied the way her long, ebony lashes cascaded down and cast shadows on her high cheekbones. Her damp lips were slightly parted as she breathed; her curly hair and unruly mess. Some covering her perfectly smooth shoulders while some was splayed across the pillow. Her chest rose steadily as she dreamed.

There couldn't have been a more perfect sight to Paul.

He exhaled through his snout sadly. 'Even if I were normal,' he thought to himself, 'I'm positive that I would have fallen for her no matter what.'

He remembered the way she ran her fingers through his silver coat. Her slender fingers so delicate against his skin, soft and caressing, gentle and sweet. He wanted those same fingers to touch him when he was human. He longed for it. Craved it. Paul wanted her to caress his neck, as she had done not two hours before.

He wanted her to look at him with the same warmth as before. He was tempted to change back into human form and caress her, to hold her gently as she slept. To feel her heartbeat under his fingertips as he traced them into patterns along her skin. He wanted her to curl into him, to hold him as if she never wanted to let go. He especially yearned for her to laugh. To smile as she had done earlier before she went to sleep.

'This torture will surely kill me if I don't touch her,' He thought. 'Even though I will end up naked, she's in deep sleep. She isn't going to wake in time to see me.'

Paul's heart began to race as he chose to take the chance. His skin vibrated as it morphed, allowing him to change into his human form.

One moment a wolf.

The next a man.

Paul knelt before her sleeping form, careful to cover himself with his legs before reaching out to touch her. A strand of her curly hair lay across her cheek and hr brushed it back. What surprised him was how she reacted. It was as if she were breathing for the first time. She gasped, her lips parting further and she turned her head to nuzzle his hand. Yet she was still asleep. Paul's heart pounded furiously in his throat. So he did have an affect on her.

He smiled, never has been so happy about so something so small. With tender care, he allowed his thumb to stroke the divot between her cheek and nose repeatedly, savoring the moment. He savored the touch. Because with such a small thing, he felt more alive than ever. He wanted more...but he was so sure he couldn't have it.

"You have no idea what you do to me do you…Raylina?" He murmured, caressing her name, loving the feel of it upon his lips. She made a sound in the back of her throat. Light and airy, as if she knew of his presence...and that sent his inner wolf into a frenzy. He wanted to do so much with her. Hold her, please her, obey her every command, make every wish come true. Every plead he'd give into without protest. But he couldn't. He couldn't do any of that. 'She hates my guts' he thought in sorrow. 'Not that I blame her in the least. I just wish she would look at me.'

He couldn't spend much more time with her as a human, he could sense her beginning to rouse from sleep, as if to greet him. And so, staring at her part lips, his did something unthinkable. He leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers.

A feather light brushing of lips.

A kiss.

'Is that what this is? A kiss?' He thought as fireworks erupted in his body. 'No, it cant be just a kiss. This is...this an explosion, life blossoming...this is..this is perfection. With a kiss I feel like I can run faster than I ever have, do six impossible things before breakfast.' He thought with a chuckle. He leaned forward again, being bold and daring and took a second kiss from her lips and sighed in bliss when he pulled away. She was close to resurfacing to reality and so he morphed back, lying in the position he was in, eyes closed when she bolted awake, panting.

Her eyes were foggy as she peered over at Ash who popped an eye open as if he'd been asleep the entire time. She frowned in confusion and brought her hand up to her lips. "I had the strangest dream." She murmured peering over at Ash, shaking her head with a rueful smile. "It's an odd night. I'm sorry to have woken you." Ash snorted and Raylina smiled before turning on her side, still facing him, and closing her eyes once more though by her breathing, she was far from asleep.

"Paul." A voice whispered inside his head. 'Timing was always perfect wasn't it?' Paul couldn't help but think, as he eyed the ceiling.

"Yes Jacob?" He responded to the telepathic link, even though Jake probably heard the last comment too.

"Do you want me to see if Embry will take your place tonight?" He asked, his rough voice cracked with the need to sleep. "Sam told me and I figured it would help you out if someone else took your place."

"Would you? Thanks Jake."

"No problem, just get some sleep. We do have school tomorrow."

"Speaking of which, you know Embry is probably going to ditch if you're giving him my morning patrol."

"Yea," Jake chuckled mentally. "I know."

"Alright man, get some sleep. Rest well." Paul wished him goodnight, and then Jake's presence left the link, alerting them to the fact that he was now human.

Raylina's breathing still hadn't changed, and by the way she was frowning, she was resting deeply. Paul kind of felt bad that he had woken her up but at the same time...he didn't. Those kisses were the best things he's ever stolen. He gave a loud exhale from his snout and Raylina's eyes popped open. "Hmm?" She hummed and raised herself up a bit. "Something wrong Ash?"

He stood up and to her surprise came very close to her. Even more to her surprise he shuffled himself over her pillows and laid down, creating a "C" like shape around her. Raylina gave a small smile and placed her head upon him, a living pillow. Paul couldn't help but let out a small whimper. If he were in his human form she'd be laying on his chest. And just the thought creating involuntary shivers to rake across his body.

To his surprise and delight she turned over and faced him, grabbing on of his paws and stroking it gently as she began to slip into the world of sleep. "My Ash." She murmured, and she was gone.

Paul had never felt happier.

And so he fell asleep that way, encased around his imprint, his paw nestled between her hands.

Paul awoke the next morning blurry eyes and alone. Immediately he bolted up, wincing at how many bones had cracked within his wolf body. Where had she gone? Panic set into his heart as nosed around the house. There was a fresh bucket of meat out on the floor, and his stomach growled. He probably wouldn't get to eat this morning though. Not that it mattered much to him. But the fact was, the meat was fresh so she was okay and just somewhere around the house. He let out a sneeze of sorts and moved to walk up the stairs in the hallways. He was honestly surprised that this house had wide and tall enough doors and halls to accommodate his sheer size.

Steam pooled through the bottom of the farthest door in the hall he found himself in and humming was distinctly heard from the inside when…. the door was opened.

The wolf whimpered and Paul sat down, his tail flicking around him.

He felt like an idiot but at that point he couldn't really control much of what he was doing. He was too focused on her.

Steam rushed out from around her as she walked out of the bathroom, dripping wet. Her towel hugged her form and was tied in the corner. The bottom hem parted revealing layers of her beautiful slim legs. Her curly hair was knotted, dripping and pulled to the side of her head. Raylina looked up, surprised to find Ash at the end of the hall. She broke out into a grin.

"Hey sleepyhead!" Paul's ears perked up at the sound of her voice. Suddenly he felt like a tamed house pet. "I left a bucket of meat out for you." She said and bent down to pet the scruff of his neck. Leaning forward she gave him a happy peck on the nose. He mentally blushed...then cursed.

She grinned and stood, walking over to her bedroom door.

"Would you like to join me?" She asks before closing her door. Paul nearly bolted through that door too but he knew someday she'd find out exactly who and what he was, and he wasn't too sure if she'd forgive him for that. So instead he took the opportunity to actually have that breakfast, despite what he thought. So he turned away and headed down the stairs.

"A gentleman too." He heard her chuckle and he rolled his eyes, sticking his muzzle into the bucket and eating the meat quickly. He even cleaned off his muzzle as best as he could after he had finished. He really hoped Jake left him some fresh clothes outside. He went and stood by the front door, waiting for Raylina to finish up. Though, as he waited, he noticed with irritation that his tail was flicking back and forth. Though he tried his hardest to stop it from moving, it seemed his wolf counterpart had other ideas. His tail swished around his body ever more and he became so irritated with the precarious thing that he began to chase it. Which may have not been the best idea, but Paul's temper began to rise. He couldn't understand for the life of him though how it was so hard to catch his own tail. Around and around he spun until he heard a sweet, light laugh from behind him. It was then that he stopped in shame, facing away from her.

It had occurred to him how much of a common dog he looked to her just now. Chasing his own damn tail.

Facing the internal embarrassment he turned around. She was wearing a simple pair of jeans and a black hoodie, and surprisingly her hair was near completely dry. She covered her mouth to stifle a laugh as Paul narrowed his eyes dangerously at her. That seemed to entice more laughter from her because it now rang through the hall. Paul leaned forward on his front legs as if to leap.

"You wouldn't." She challenged, still laughing. Mentally smirking Paul leaped forward and she dodged, running away from him and around into the kitchen. Paul chased her too, growling as she laughed. His body nearly slammed into the wall as he slid around the bed and into the living room. He crept forward through the living room, where she stood panting with laughter, her hands held up.

"Now let's not be too rash about this Ash dear." Raylina said with a grin that flitted away when he bent forward. "No…" She said and he leaped again. She tried to move back but tripped and Paul landed right on top, careful of her though so he wouldn't crush her. She squealed as he placed his paws on her shoulders to keep her down. Her hair was splayed out like a halo around her head and her face was lit with laughter. He bent forward and began licking her face.

"No please no!" She laughed, trying to get him off as he lathered her face with his wolf tongue.

"I just took a shower Ash!" She squirmed as he lapped at her face, tasting of fresh soap, which wasn't too pleasant but because it was her, Paul had no qualms. Raylina writhed beneath Paul to get away but to no avail. Sighing in defeat she allowed him to continue to lick her, cringing when his tongue darted across her mouth and nose. Paul didn't mind any of this though. It was his wolf version of showering her in kisses. 'Too bad she doesn't know that.' He thought with a pang of sadness.

"I really hope you don't have some disease that'll turn me into a rabid squirrel." Paul stopped to look at her funny. She snickered and brought her hand up to caress his fur.

"You'll come back tonight right?" She whispered as her fingers made their way through it. He shivered and gave a wolf like grin. She smiled. "Good. I quite like you Ash, and I couldn't bear it if I lost a friend." Raylina murmured.

'She likes me!'

'She likes Ash.'

Damn it. Paul internally cursed at his own misfortunes.

But he gave her one last lick and got off her. She wiped her face off on her sleeve and stood, petting his head as she went back into the kitchen to pick up her things she for school and a muffin.

"Ash!" She called out and Paul came around the corner and peered at her. "I've got to go to school today, I saw that you ate breakfast. I'm glad. Try not to tear up my house though okay?" He rolled his eyes as she bit into the muffin. Licking her lips, she walked into the hallway. Paul bolted after her and she didn't hide her surprise when he came out the door with her.

"Alright, but you can only follow to the edge of the wood. I don't want anyone seeing you then trying to shoot." Paul rolled his eyes at her silly comment. 'Not only would I be following her to school, no one would shoot me because I am way to fast.' Paul though as he stood beside her. She smiled down at him and began walking off the porch into the morning sun.

Paul watched as she walked off in sadness before he darted into the woods to find the spare clothes Jake hopefully left for him.

'If only I could change and show her the real me.' Paul thought to himself as he morphed into his human form, her scent still lingering on his body. 'The human side of me. Then none of this would seem like a dream just waiting to end.'