Disclaimer: Twilight and its characters belong to Stephanie Meyer
AN: I have a request to all this stories followers and potential followers, I would like a review for this chapter from all of you even if it is just one word (Good, Bad, Boring. Even a waste of my time) I would dearly love to reach 100-200 reviews.
This input would increase my ability to write faster
~Where the heart goes~
Leah's POV
"There's this thing that members of the pack do, it means that I could tell you about tribe secrets and it makes it almost impossible for me to ever hurt you" My heart was beating so hard, was this going to be the finally thing to totally freak her out because she was taking the whole I'm a werewolf thing way too well
"What was that Leah?" Her hand holding mine gave another squeeze of encouragement; I took a deep breath and looked directly into her eyes. It was now or never
"You're my Imprint Bella" She gave me a small curious smile
"What does that actually mean, I'm your Imprint?" I took another deep breath and let her aroma fill my lungs, praying that this wouldn't be the last time I was close enough to her to be surrounded by it
"Well it means that I am, I mean ummmm" I was starting to shake slightly; I didn't realize this was going to be so hard. Seeing my distress Bella inched closer to me our knees pushing together.
"Leah it's Ok, you can tell me anything. Just tell me what an Imprint is, forget about everything else" That could work, just tell her how it was told by the Elders in our Tribal Tales. Closing my eyes I focused on the words
"This only happens after our first phase and the Elders tell us it's a gift we're given for our service as protectors to the tribe." Talking like this was calming me down, no specifics just the facts
"It's more than love at first sight and it's much deeper than just soul mates, Imprinting on someone is like… like when you see her everything changes. All of a sudden it's not gravity holding you to the planet, it's her, nothing else matters. You would do anything, be anything for her, a protector, sibling, friend or lover" I opened my eyes on the last word and looked directly into her eyes
"The moment I saw you walking into our kitchen that first time I felt a shift, a need to be close to you and I hadn't even phased yet" Bella's breathing had picked up and I could hear her heart beat begin to race
"When I phased and realized the old legends were true I was sure I'd imprinted on you" I was ashamed of myself that I didn't fight harder
"Then why did you stay away?" Her voice was unsteady with an echo of hurt and I had to look away and stare at the wall behind her so I could explain myself without feeling the pain I had caused her
"I was so confused and I still had the image of you and Mike in my head" Bella tried to cut in but I stopped her
"I know it was irrational, but on top of that I had Sam and my Dad telling me that it wasn't possible, if I was going to imprint it would be on a male and that I'd only hurt you if I saw you" I shuddered to think of imprinting on anyone other than Bella let alone a guy
"But when I looked into your eyes the other day everything came into focus, you are my Imprint. I can never hurt you and I will never leave you, it's actually physically impossible for me to cheat on you because there will never be anyone but you." Bella's hands were trembling and I brought one of them up to press against my heart
"I know this is a lot to take in Bella and if you don't want to be with me like that I understand, you have a choice I just need to be close to you and be your friend" I held my breath as I looked back into her eyes, she'd been so silent and I needed to know what she was thinking, if she rejected me I didn't know what would happen
"But what happens if I just want to be friends, can you be with someone else if I decided that?" it was a reasonable question but the thought of only being her friend and having to see her happy with someone else brought tears to my eyes, I wanted her to have a choice but I couldn't lie to her.
I couldn't get my voice to work so I just shook my head no
"Leah" Her voice was a whisper full of concern but as she moved her hand away from my heart I could feel it breaking with the loss of contact, until she placed her palm against my cheek and moved her face closer to mine.
"This is definitely a bit overwhelming and I am slightly freaked out by this" Her touch was calming me down but her words were a little worrying,
"But I've had a lot of time to think and if I'm going to be completely honest with you and myself I've been falling for you ever since we met" My eyes fluttered closed and opened again as her fingers stroked down my face, her eyes were lidded as they gazed at my lips.
"If you were just a friend it wouldn't have hurt so much when you started to ignore me, I was afraid you thought I was some kind of freak with all the messages and calls." I shook my head remembering how difficult it had been not to respond to her, not to go to her.
"And then when you told me we couldn't be friends anymore it was like my heart was being ripped out" The sudden pain in her voice filled me with shame, I had caused that
"I am so sorry Bella I ….." she stopped me by covering my mouth with two fingers and then took my breath away as she softly stroked my lips
"I know your sorry Leah I wasn't trying to make you feel anymore guilty" her touch was sending shivers down my spine. Her eyes lifted to mine and it felt like she could see into my soul, the soul she now owned.
"I don't want to be your friend Leah" The hope I had been feeling slowly dimmed as her touch was taken away and I looked down at my hands waiting for the words that would condemn me to a life without her, a life without my Imprint.
"I don't want to be your friend because friends don't get to do this" Confused by her words I looked back up as she slowly leaned into me, then gasped when her soft warm lips brushed against mine.
I was so surprised that I froze but when I felt Bella pull away mumbling sorry I followed her backwards movement and reattached our lips.
Bella's POV
I just couldn't help myself the pull I was feeling to kiss her was too over whelming and I didn't really want to fight it so I leaned in and pressed my lips to hers. But when Leah didn't respond I thought I might have done something wrong, Edward was the only other person I'd kissed and they were never anything but chase pecks for fear of him hurting me.
I started to move back embarrassed and I little unsure of myself when Leah's lips pressed firmly onto mine, shivers raced down my spine and I moaned softly as Leah gently bit my lower lip.
I felt Leah's hand come to rest on my waist pulling me closer to her as my fingers brushed through her hair, pulling back slightly to take a breath we looked into each other's eyes and I could see a ring of blue around her iris's and then we were kissing again.
Leah was so warm against my body, her arms now circling my waist pressing us tight to each other. In the haze of my body's reaction I became aware of her tongue lightly pushing against my lips requesting entrance.
I had no experience with this level of want so when I opened my mouth the feel of Leah's tongue against my own shot unfamiliar sparks through me and I could feel myself getting wet, the low growl I heard and felt against my mouth suddenly had me extremely embarrassed.
I slowly pushed aware from Leah feeling a painful blush consume my face
"I'm sorry Bella" Leah whispered in a sexy breathy tone, I shook my head still trying to get control of my body
"No Leah its Ok, I'm just not used to feeling like this" Taking deep breaths I looked over at her and smiled reassuringly, she was looking at me with an adorable frown
"What do you mean, what about what's his face?" The reminder of Edward only caused a slight twinge giving me a sense of relief that I was finally past that heartache
"He never kissed me like that, he was too scared of hurting me" Taking her hand in mine I placed it over my heart as she had done "He never made me feel like this, no one ever has." My words put a beautiful smile to her face
As I said it I knew they were the absolute truth, what I had felt for Edward was a shadow of what I was feeling now. It was closer to how I was beginning to feel for Alice but it had never gotten a chance to grow, and never would.
Unfortunately I'm very easy to read and Leah picked up on my thoughts, her smile was beginning to fade as she began to worry
"What are you thinking about Bella?" I didn't know what to say to her, that I started to feel something for my best friend. That the pain I'd been feeling these months was from that loss and not from a boyfriend who had left me in the middle of the forest forgotten.
Because that was exactly what had happened, after I had realized how deep my feelings for Leah were it had become clear how I had felt for Alice.
I brought our hands back down to rest on my leg and stared down at our joined hands, trying to decide what to say.
"It's ok Bella you don't have to say anything, you can tell me when you're ready I won't push you" I looked back up into her face with a small smile, I felt relief that I didn't have to explain just yet but I knew that I would because I didn't want us to have any more secrets.
Leaning in she kissed me softly and slowly trailed her fingers down my cheek, it was the sweetest feeling and her lips tasted like honey and spice. Her palm cupped my neck while my hand rested against her waist, I was expecting the kiss to be deepened but instead Leah pulled away and sat back slightly away from me.
"Charlie is about to pull up" Leah says at my confused expression, her words easing my instand feeling of rejection. I stand up and go to the television turning it on and changing the channel to a comedy, going back to the couch I sit down close enough that our shoulders pressed together.
I resented Charlie's intrusion into our moment but at the same time I knew that I was going to need some time to deal with Leah's revelations and my own bodies reactions to her, we needed to take this slowly so that I didn't end up completely overwhelmed.
Even though Leah had confessed that I was her Imprint, someone she could never leave I was still getting over her previous rejection on top of being abandoned by the Cullens and although she had eased most of my fears I felt the need to hold myself in check
How long that lasted considering my bodies loss of control from just kissing her was any bodies guess
Minutes later Charlie walks in the front door and I smile over at Leah, I could see her enhanced senses were going to come in handy.
"HEY BELLS!" Charlie shouts up the stairs because that's where I usually am most of the time
"In here dad" I kneeled on the couch and looked over at Charlie as he turned in our direction
"Oh, Hey what are you doing down here?" Then he noticed Leah sitting next to me looking at him as well
"Hi Leah" He gave a slight embarrassed wave in her direction and looked back to me with a small smile on his face. Charlie knew I'd been in a dark mood the past few weeks and had tried to prod me about not seeing Leah around but I hadn't wanted to talk to him about it.
"Hey Charlie Bella and I were just watching TV" Leah shifted and her fingers brush my knee sending warmth up my leg
"You two make up then?" Charlie took a few steps into the living room and glanced between us
"Yeah we had a good talk" I knew I was still going to have some issues with how Leah had treated me but I understood why and I was looking forward to her making it up to me, my brain had instantly gone to memories of her mouth and that thought had me blushing slightly, I could see Leah giving me a sideways questioning look but I ignored it.
"Your dinners in the fridge dad" I was trying to get rid of him because he was way too observant, I wasn't ready to have THE TALK with him just yet
"Thanks Bells, don't forget it's a school night" He said while turning around and heading for the kitchen.
I sat back down facing Leah and giving her a shy smile; she lightly placed her hand over mine and started caressing my knuckles with her thumb.
"I guess that's my queue to leave you to your beauty sleep" I smiled at her words while my eyes followed her thumbs movements
"I suppose so" I looked up into her eyes while my fingers wrapped around hers, standing up I pulled Leah with me and started leading her to the front door
"See ya Charlie" Leah called as we passed the kitchen while Charlie was at the microwave heating up his dinner with his back to us
"Bye Leah, tell your dad that I'm planning on coming over Saturday for the game so he better stock up"
"OK" Leah said as I pulled her out of the front door and walked over to her bike
"When am I seeing you again?" I didn't want her to leave now let alone wait too long to see her again
"Do you want to come over to my place tomorrow after school, we could work on the bike?" I smiled at her shyness as if I was going to say no
"That sounds good" I smile up at her as I lean in and kiss her on the check as she bends down
"See you tomorrow Leah" I whisper into her ear and feel a tremor go through her body, giving me a breathtaking smile she gets on her bike and I watch as she drives away before I turn around and go back inside. Just as I'm about to head up to my room I hear Charlie
"Bella?" I stop at the bottom of the stairs and look into the living room, Charlie was sitting with his dinner in his lap and a beer in his hand flicking through the channels
"Yeah Dad?" Charlie turns his head in my direction but not far enough around to make eye contact
"I just want you to know that whatever makes you happy is fine with me" I stare at him for a couple of heartbeats trying to figure out what that means, then he turns all the way around to look directly at me
"But I'm not going to be the one to break the news to your mother" he smiles at me as I finally catch up and blush "That's up to you kiddo" And with that he turns back around taking a drink of his beer while I walk up to my room in a daze