Chapter 12 - Taking It In

Chills went up my spine as I quickly retracted my hand away from Paul. I didn't know which fact to scream in horror about: the fact that Paul had placed his possible STD germs on my hand or the fact that I wasn't going to be able to get rid of Paul for the rest of my life as in FOREVER.

"And is there a way that this imprinting thing can be undone," I asked although as soon as I looked at everyone at the table, I knew it was probably impossible.

"Well, the imprinter can become whatever you need him to be, whether it be a protector, a lover, or a friend," Sam explained.

Could stranger be an option? I seriously doubted it as even Emily came out of the kitchen to see the tension building up inside the dining room.

"What happens if you... if you don't really want to you know... imprint," I choked.

"Well, that's... that's sort of impossible," Sam stated thoughtfully.

"You see," he explained, "when a shifter imprints, there's this gravitational pull toward his imprintee. It's like suddenly gravity isn't holding you down to earth, but she is. That's why if an imprintee were to reject him, both of them would feel this unspeakable pain. But it's virtually impossible because the imprinter is designed to be the 'other half or soulmate' of the imprintee as Paul said."

Great, so I was going to feel this unexplainable pain even if I didn't feel attached to Paul, so asking to be strangers was out of the question. Most logical would be friends, but obviously I wouldn't be able to date others knowing and seeing how possessive Paul is. So either way I was doomed.

"So practically, I'm forced to be with him," I commented without thinking. The tension grew as everyone stared at me. Shoots, I think I shouldn't have said that.

"Well, I'm sure that you would have ended up with him anyway. Imprinting just helped lead him to you sooner rather than later," Emily tried to explain. Unfortunately, I think no one informed Sam nor Emily about my past with Paul, or if they knew, they must see the world through rose-colored glasses because no one goes back to their ex who humiliated her in front of the entire high school population of La Push. In fact, it would probably be double humiliation if anyone were to see me with Paul now because it would make me seem desperate, and there was no way I was desperate for Paul.

"Well... what am I supposed to do then," I sighed as I rubbed the back of my neck. It wasn't like I accepted everything and I was going to open my arms out for Paul to just dictate me again, but I think there was practically nothing I could do to prevent or stop this imprinting thing. I just might as well go with the flow.

"Well," Sam started, "you two could start out slowly. I know you two have a past. Maybe start out as friend."

Yup, like that would really work.

"That would be good," Paul sighed. I nearly froze in my seat when I realize how close he had scooted toward me.

"Well, you took it in pretty calmly," Sam praised. It wasn't that I took in everything, it was just too much information in one day that my mind couldn't function properly to give out the standard reactions. But maybe it was these kind of abnormal-ness about me that had caused me to become Paul's imprint.


"Maria, breakfast is ready!"

"Morning Mom," I greeted as I walked down the stairs. After a night's sleep, did the events from yesterday feel real? Nope, not one bit, and a part of me hoped that it had been all a dream or a hallucination. But of course, life in general didn't seem to be on my side as I walked into the kitchen to see Paul gobbling up his plate full of scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast like a vacuum cleaner on full power.

"What are you doing here," I asked rudely as I stared at him in disgust. I wasn't sure if I was disgusted with his eating or just him.

"Ea-wing," Paul answered with his mouth filled with food.

"Can't you ea-wing at your house," I mocked, keeping a weary eye on my mom who was washing the dishes so that she wouldn't notice that I was being extremely rude to our "unwanted" guest.

"Well," Paul said as he swallowed his food, "you already know about the imprinting and an imprinter has to be with his imprintee most of the time, so here I am."

"Paul, we see each other every day in class become someone decided to change their schedule to all my classes."

"Well, what's the harm in seeing each other more often," Paul shrugged as he started eating again. Big harm, my friend, big harm. First off, I was probably seconds from going insane as I realized that I would be seeing much more of Paul Lahote now, like every millisecond of my life. Second off, I was tempted to choke Paul from behind as he gobbled his food away. Oh god, is this how murderers felt like as they held in the temptation to kill their victim until the right timing?

"Here's your plate," Paul stated nonchalantly as he patted the stool next to him. I stared at the plate in front me. There was no way I would be able to finish a plate topped with so much food. It was the size of Everest. There were two things I was sure about. One, I wouldn't be able to finish this plate of food even if it took a week. Two, my mom definitely did not fill up this plate.

"Uh... who filled up this plate," I asked curiously, although back in my mind, I already knew the culprit.

"Me. Now, eat up," Paul answered as he inhaled more food.

A part of me was tempted to smash the plate full of food at Paul's head, but with a sigh, I sat down on the stool beside him and started to nibble away on my food. Apparently God just wasn't on my side today.

"Morning to you all," my dad entered the kitchen with his reading glasses and the copy of today's La Push Journal.

"Morning Greg," Paul greeted.

Wait what? When did Paul start addressing my dad on a first name basis?

"How's breakfast, Paul," my dad asked as if there was nothing weird had happened.

"It's very delicious, thanks to Raina's cooking," Paul grinned.

"Oh, Paul, stop with the flattery," my mom giggled as she greeted my dad with a kiss. I was used to this interaction, but I couldn't help but blush as my parents kissed right in front of Paul. We have a guest here, regardless of whether he be unwanted.

"Mom, Dad, what's going on," I asked as I was flabbergasted from this whole scene.

"Oh, well, your dad told me that Paul imprinted on. Isn't that sweet?! He's obviously now a member of our family," my mom exclaimed excitedly.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. What happened to starting out as friends," I demanded. Paul and the word "our family" did not belong in one sentence. In fact, Paul equals family was not going to be any part of my equation. For all I cared, Paul could remain wolf and I'd be the old lady with a pet wolf and 99 cats. Yes people, I was ready to sacrifice my life with the status of single forever. I mean, it was probably going to be impossible to find another person with Paul being possessive and breathing down my neck. But that didn't mean that I had to end up married to Paul. From my comprehension of imprinting, Paul could be anything that I desired to be sans stranger. So obviously, he was either going to be a pet or a friend, and then again, a dog is a man's best friend. A wolf can be my best friend, actually just a friend.

"Well, you two will start out as friends, but imprints usually end up together," my dad commented as he sipped on his coffee.

"Are there... oh my god, we're going to be late," I screamed as I stared at the clock. There was no way I was arriving with Paul late to school. I was one of those unspoken things where if you arrive with a guy late, you were probably busy screwing them the previous night, and there was no way I wanted to be associated as one of Paul's groupies.

"Bye Mom, bye Dad!"

I left the house not even bother to see if Paul was following.


Thanks for commenting:
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So... I'm sorry that I didn't really update last week. I ran into a dilemma where I realized that I never really thought thoroughly about the setting of this story, and the aftermath of Maria finding out about the imprinting. Thus, I ran into a writer's block. Seriously, I didn't know how to make Maria react to all of this knowledge. But, I wanted to make things as realistic as possible. So, I had her dad appear in the imprint talk. Just so that Maria wouldn't have to go explain why Paul Lahote was entering back in her life to her parents. Another reason would be because I don't think Maria would have gone with the whole imprint thing unless someone she truely respects gives her that extra push toward Paul. So basically, Maria is being forced to be with Paul.

Not a spoiler, but just warning you guys that there will absolutely be no "out of the nowhere" confessions from Maria. So, even if Paul were to proclaim his undying love for her. Maria will not be like... "me, too!" *skip skip*. Happily ever after.

So, the two of them getting together might be a bit slow. But I guarantee you that it's worth the wait!

Anyway, I will continue to try updating as soon as possible. In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please continue to write a review/comment! Even non-members of this site can write a review as a Guest - maybe write the username you want to be thanked as in the review so that I can thank you. I really do enjoy listening to your thoughts, opinions, dislike & likes. Feel free to PM! ;)

Also... music. Hehe, I'm running out of music to listen to in order to spur my brain with inspiration. If you know good music (as in anything you think will inspire my brain) please PM a list of your favorite musics or something. Or else, I might start running into classical music, which is okay, but be prepared to read violence and peace in one chapter if that happens.

Love CecileJ

Playlist: Tonight by FM Static
Zero by Varsity Fanclub
Anywhere But Here by SafetySuit
Automatic by Elize