Thank you everyone for your reviews and your follows and favorites! I feel so inspired to keep going when you take the time to do that! But I must admit that I have been struggling with how the story goes lately, I want to keep pleasing you the readers and I feel like you might lose interest as it goes on. This story is filled with a lot of family and imprint drama more than supernatural (but which I plan to tack on at the end) and I worry that it may not be enough for you. Sigh. I guess I just need to keep going and accept whatever happens!

No Copyright infringement intended on Stephenie Meyer's work! This is just for recreational purposes!

Paul

I was surprised at how calm my imprint was being. In spite of everything I'd said, she hadn't freaked out – well, not to the extent that I expected from Corrie. Maybe it really had been a good thing that I had introduced her to Bullet, my wolf, before confessing to her. I wanted to dance and sing praises to the Spirits. A huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I could only hope that she'd handle our imprinting conversation just as well.

I walked slowly past the trees and stood before her. She stared at me, her mouth agape and her eyes round and dazed.

"Oh my god," she whispered. She started shaking her head slowly. "No…Bullet? You're…Bullet?" I nodded my wolf head twice and grunted. I sank to the earthen floor on all fours and rested my jaw on my paws, looking up at her. I dragged myself forward on my belly and stopped two feet away from her. I whined so that she'd know I needed her to be okay with this.

"So all this time, it was you?" I didn't miss the hint of betrayal she felt in her question.

I gave her puppy eyes and nodded again. I whined, hoping she'd come to me.

She took two steps and sank to her knees in front of me.

"Your eyes, it really is you," she whispered and I grunted in response.

"Huh…" she huffed. "It makes sense, I guess I should have figured that out on my own. The way the wolf acted around me, he cared a little too much about me - that's why I was always weary of him, thinking that something wasn't quite right. It was you."

I barked and panted, earning a smile which quickly turned into a frown.

"I can't help but point out how creepy that kinda is, Paul, you really are a stalker! I should be mad at you for doing this to me…but somehow I can't be."

I watched her for a while as she thought things through, biting her lip.

"You were there for me, you kept my company. But I've told you so much about myself and my family, I even talked about Marlon! You've seen me cry! Oh my god Paul, this is soooooo not cool!"

I whined apologetically. It seemed to win her over and she simpered and pulled my ear.

"And not to mention, you know all of my secrets, you know all the things I haven't told anyone else. I hope you know you owe me a lot of dark secrets of your own."

But I had already shared my biggest ones – my father and my wolf. I grunted and rolled my eyes.

"Wanna know the freakiest part? I had a dream about you. Bullet came to me and transformed into you. You asked me not to walk away from you. You told me to give you a chance and I'd understand…I can't help but feel like it was some kind of warning that this would happen, some kind of sign – the dream…it was so accurate!" She absently stroked my head a few times as she stared into the trees. "This is just like in my dream and here I was thinking you'd be offended if I told you that I dreamt you were a giant wolf," She chortled and shook her head.

I was relieved she wasn't angry.

But she had dreamt about this? And it sounded really accurate, just like she said.

Wow.

It seemed too good to be true. I really was in debt to the Spirits. They had somehow watched over us and made sure that we got together.

I stuck my tongue out to the side and panted happily, which made Corrie giggle.

"You know, I really do want a puppy if you're offering to fill the position."

I rolled my eyes at her and shook my head. I wanted to be her man.

"So all this time you've been watching over me Paul?" I nodded again. "Why?"

I got up slowly then and went back into the bushes to transform. I stepped back out as I pulled my shirt over my head.

"Why have I been watching over you?" I asked as I stood before her and pulled her waist to my body. She looked at me in awe and nodded.

"Because my wolf imprinted on you."

"Imprinted?"

"When you met me at the bonfire, did you feel like a strong connection to me, like something just clicked suddenly?" I asked. She nodded, her face flushing pink in the way I loved to see.

"And it terrorized me all this time because I instantly felt something for you that I couldn't understand. You turned me into a crazy person Paul." She poked my chest playfully.

"Tell me about it Corr, I know. But that was the imprinting…Shape-shifters have lots of abilities, like I said before. But we can also find our soul mate. When we lock eyes with our intended, we know her. It's like the whole world stops, and we're suddenly bound to her, soul to soul. She keeps us grounded, rooted. We'd do anything for her, to keep her safe and happy is our number one desire. She is the reason we eat, sleep and breathe. She makes us stronger, she gives us children to carry on the wolf gene of protectors. She's the only woman we'll ever love forever."

She released a deep breath, and ran her fingers through her hair. I could hear her racing heart and shallow breaths. "I'm your…?"

"Soulmate." I finished for her, kissing her lips quickly.

"With an imprint, we're bound to one another for life. I have like a sixth sense when it comes to you. I can feel when something's wrong, your emotions are my emotions and vice versa, that's why I knew you were in trouble at the party and came back."

"Seriously?" She asked.

"Yeah. It's why I always come to check on you every evening just to make sure you're okay. My wolf cares more about you than anything else. Keeping you safe is our number one priority. Whenever you're not with me, I worry that you'll get hurt. And that's why I freaked out when I found out you ride a bike, that's why I didn't want you playing soccer with the guys. We wolves are pretty indestructible, only our enemy can really hurt us, or like a gunshot to the head or heart; so the guys play rough. I didn't want you to get hurt because we can't always control our strength."

"Oh... Wow."

I could tell Corrie was still in a daze. Sam was right, imprinting wasn't as easy as talking about the wolf in general. She was finally beginning to have a normal reaction to this, she was freaking out. It was time for me to just get everything out so that she could full go nuts and then calm down. Little did I know how wrong that reasoning would turn out to be.

"And now I can answer your question."

Corrie stood there stupefied.

"When I first saw you, I cursed and ran away because I knew you were my imprint."

"Why would you curse then?"

"Because I had sworn it was something I never wanted. Not every wolf finds their imprint anyways and I figured it would never happen to me. I looked at Sam and Emily and Kim and Jared and I thought that they had never had the chance to choose who they loved, who they were bound to for the rest of their lives. I thought it was cool to have a lot of women and to play the field. I didn't want to fall in love or be tied down, or be vulnerable to anyone. I was too proud. It felt like something that would be against my nature. That's just the person I was." I hoped that she realized I was speaking past tense.

I didn't think her eyes could widen any more but they did, and the pain in them made my chest hurt. "So it's… forced. So you… so you didn't actually want me? That's why you cursed and ran away?" she stumbled over the words and tears filled her eyes.

I realized then that I probably shouldn't have brought this up at all. I should have just told her she was my imprint and let her be happy.

FUCK!

I didn't mean to make her cry. I reached out to her, but she backed away from me, holding her palms up to stop my advances.

"No, I didn't want to imprint, Corrie, there's a difference."

"No there isn't because you 'imprinted' on me! I knew it was too good to be true! I knew you had no valid reason to want to be with me!" she concluded dejectedly. The pitiful look on her face broke my heart.

"No baby! No baby you're wrong!" I cried desperately. No, this was not what I wanted Corrie to understand about what I was saying at all!

FUCK!

"Am I though? Cause that's not what you're saying Paul! All this time… at the beach, at the party, it was your wolf and not you that wanted to get close to me because of some supernatural magic mating thing! That's why you were so mean to me, you resented me! You never wanted this to happen!"

"I'm sorry Corrie! I know it sounds bad but I needed to tell you the truth so you can understand what's been going on since we met. I needed you to understand me." She gave me a sharp glare and crossed her arms over her chest. I took a deep breath and tried to find the right words.

"Corr, I was angry at first because I couldn't believe that it had actually happened. I felt like I would have to give up my life to you. But I was dead wrong about everything." I rubbed my eyes vigorously in frustration, yet again I wasn't saying this right.

She sniffled and wrapped her arms around herself. I could feel how much she was hurting because of my words.

"I was a fool for resenting the imprint, but honestly those feelings didn't last for long. I was mean to you the times after we met because you weren't taking the imprint and were with another guy. I was jealous and upset because I thought you would have just fallen into my lap immediately. The imprint is supposed to make you want to be with me. I resented the fact that you kept putting Leanne before me, but I know it wasn't your fault because you didn't understand that I was bonded to you for life."

"So because of the imprint I was just supposed to leave my whole life behind and follow you around like a loser? I was supposed to just let you do whatever you wanted?" she snorted, disgusted at the thought.

Her words stung but I knew I deserved them. It was what I had initially thought.

"Yes but - shit, I didn't mean it like that. I mean…Fuck!" This was so hard to explain. I wanted to hit something. I was digging a very deep hole for myself.

"You just said you didn't want to give up your life for me, that the imprint forces people to be together. But you expected me to do that for you. And now because you want me, that obviously means you just gave in and settled for me because of this magic thing! If it had never happened, you'd be out there with other girls doing whatever with them! You wouldn't care about me!"

"I know that, but it did happen, and I don't want anyone else but you now."

"I was actually happy to be your soulmate and now you just made everything so complicated. It all feels so superficial…so fake..."

"How could you say that? Honestly Corrie? This is anything but superficial, this is deeper than any emotion I've ever felt in my life. I am totally possessed by you, do you really not understand? This isn't fake!"

"I just can't believe that I was chosen for you, that you didn't want me yourself." She said dejectedly. I felt her disappointment, she believed that she was less special now because I hadn't noticed her on my own. My annoyance with her seeped away then, and I pulled her roughly to my chest before she could back away again.

"Is it such a bad thing that the Spirits brought us together babe? You said you had a dream about this. Don't you think that it was their way of guiding you to me too? Come on, just think about it." I stroked her hair lovingly, willing her to calm down and submit once again to the imprint.

Corrie turned her sad green eyes on me then. She just stared blankly at my face for a moment before focusing her eyes on mine again. "You're right…" she whispered.

"What's that? I don't think I heard you correctly," I teased.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "In my dream…my grandmother was there, and she told me 'it's time to accept your fate.' And that's when Bullet turned into you and you told me to give you a chance."

"Holy shit!" I mused. That dream was some deep shit. That was exactly what I'd said.

"My god, my dream was talking about the imprint. My Grammie said I had to accept my fate, not consider! Don't you get it? It wasn't my choice either. It wasn't our choice to do this!"

"Yes it was my choice! It IS MY choice! I could have left you alone Corrie, you seeing Bullet could have been the only contact we ever had! You could have never seen me again and you would never have found true happiness no matter where you tried to find it. After Marlon you still don't get that?"

"I don't like being forced to do anything!" she shouted. She moved away from me and I panicked.

"The imprint doesn't take away your choice, it just makes you realize what or who the right choice is. It finds the girl who is perfect for your wolf. It doesn't make us fall in love, we do that on our own, but it kinda helps us along at the same time. It's not just the wolf that has these feelings – it's both of us - the wolf imprinted on you, but I'm the one who cares, who wants to be with you forever."

"But I feel like you settled. And how can I trust my feelings for you too? I would never have been with you if you hadn't imprinted. I can't help but think that this is all just an illusion, dream or no dream."

"But I'm NOT SETTLING! And neither are you! This was your decision, just like it was mine. You chose me back, you stopped fighting me. And we would have found each other eventually, I believe that." My body started to tremble and I knew that I would phase if I didn't keep it together, I couldn't scare her by losing control. I counting backwards from fifty in my head.

"So you really honestly don't mind the circumstances that brought us together Paul?"

"NO. I really want to be with you Corrie. It doesn't matter how we found each other. I'm just glad we did and I'm glad that I got over myself so that I could make you mine."

"Got over yourself? You mean accepting we imprinted?"

"Not just that. I honestly thought I wasn't worthy of you, and I tried to stay away from you because I thought it was best for you. Especially when I noticed that you didn't exactly like me."

"But Bullet came to see me every day…" she looked up at me then, as if trying to fit all the pieces together.

"Yeah, it was the only way I could be near to you without all the drama, without you telling me to stay away. And even though I wanted to leave you alone, the wolf couldn't. It was the only way to make sure you were safe."

"So you were still being forced by the imprint to do something you didn't want to do Paul!" she reasoned, her temper flaring again. She didn't miss a beat. I sighed nervously, praying I could find the right words to make Corrie relax.

"Look, regardless of what you think, I always wanted what was best for you. I was determined to fight the imprint for your sake because I saw how much you were trying to keep me away. I knew I wasn't exactly the nicest guy around and I knew that you didn't like my past history with girls. But no matter what I told myself - that you were better off doing what you wanted - or that I preferred being single - I was dying inside from the rejection. And that's why I started showing up as my wolf. I didn't think you'd befriend me, but you did, and it helped me feel whole inside again. I just wanted to be close to you somehow. I felt myself changing, wanting to be the right man for you."

I was desperate for her to be okay. Explaining the imprint to your imprint was the hardest part. I felt like clawing my eyes out. She sat down on a piece of old wood then, her legs unable to support her under the weight of my confessions.

"That day you came to the beach when everyone was there, I thought we were finally going to get somewhere, I thought you liked me, until he came and you just ran. It felt like you'd trampled all over my heart."

She gave me sad smile. "I was trying to convince myself to do the right thing – to leave you alone for Leanne's sake. I used Marlon to get over you, and it was wrong. Trust me, it wasn't easy always being so cold towards you. I hurt myself too, not just you." She sighed and rubbed her forehead with her fingertips.

"Corrie, seeing you with him, it kills me. That night when you were with him in his room, it took every ounce of strength for me not to rip his head off. I know you heard me howling outside the window, I just couldn't take it. Then at the party when I found you outside the bathroom, I could smell his mouth all over you and I would have lost it if you hadn't touched me and calmed me down. It would have ended very badly if he came out of there when I found you."

"Yeah, I figured that part out already." She smiled mockingly. "So when I was with Marlon at the movies, in his room, at the party…anytime he tried to get with me I just felt weird about it. Was that the imprint too?"

"Yeah, the imprint makes it hard for us to be apart or be with other people - that's why Marlon's advances upset you and me too, regardless of how we felt about each other at the time. The imprint is the tug in your chest that you feel around me, it's the feeling you get when we're around one another, or even when we're apart. It's an unbreakable connection."

"So we were forced together and now can't be with anyone else?" She looked up at me with tears in her eyes.

I sighed heavily. "Nobody's being forced. But you're my soulmate. I can't be with anyone else – it repulses me to be with another girl. And I'm no longer attracted to other girls anyway. But you can choose not to be with me if that's what you really want. It just won't be easy for either one of us."

She shook her head and sighed in defeat. "No I don't think I could choose someone else Paul. I had to try too hard to be into him. All along I guess it was the imprint pushing him away."

"I want it to be you and me forever Corr. There's no one else in this world that can love you like I do. And you're the only one who can love me, all of me." I knelt down and took her hands in mine.

She said nothing, and just kept avoiding my gaze. I sat there in front of her and just let her have her space to think, just like Sam instructed.

But as time wore on I grew too agitated. I could feel her giving up the fight, but my wolf told me I needed to try one more time. Corrie was unpredictable, I knew that she could still get up and run away from me. In fact, I expected it to happen at any moment.

"Corrie?" I asked gently.

Her eyes met mine now and she raised her eyebrows as a reply.

"I know I might not have wanted you at first, but I quickly realized that you were the best thing I ever could dream of having in my life. I want you now and always Corrie Redbird, the imprint is stronger than my ego. You make my shitty life here in this town, worth living. Without you I have nothing, I'll always be nothing. I'm not a man without you. You give me a reason to do better, to be better. I'm completely devoted to you, every breath I take is yours. I LOVE YOU."

Corrie stared at me in shock. I could feel her body trembling with emotion as her heart raced and her chest bounced with shallow breaths. She started to say something, but I don't know what - I didn't give her the chance to utter a sound in protest. I grabbed her face and crushed my lips to hers in my final act of desperation. I expected her to fight me off but she didn't. She wrapped her arms around my neck and fiercely kissed me back.

I knew then that the fight for my life was won.

I knew that Corrie Redbird was finally mine.

Corrine

I was devastated to hear that Paul and I were both under some kind of love spell and that my dream had been a part of it. Yeah I believed he and I were destiny before I heard about the imprinting, but when he explained it to me it was upsetting still. We had no choice but to fall for each other, the Spirits of our tribe had deemed it so.

So why the hell was I so mad? I didn't understand myself at all.

I wanted him, so what was the problem? If it was destiny then didn't that mean that I would fall for him no matter what?

Why did I feel so offended? I couldn't really decide. I just knew that I didn't like feeling so powerless and vulnerable now that I realized just how much it was true.

But out of all the millions of girls in the entire world, I was the one chosen to be with Paul Lahote for life. Wasn't that the most special thing possible?

My mind went to Sam and Emily and Jared and Kim the few times I'd seen them, and I realized that the love and devotion I saw there wasn't fake. It wasn't a game, it wasn't superficial, it wasn't forced. They were completely, absolutely in love.

Paul was right, this was real and it was deep. And I wanted what they have too. I wanted what they have before I even knew I already had it. I wanted to be secure.

Paul had been my security for a while now, even if it was as a wolf. That stalker part was still a bit creepy, but it only proved that he really did care, that he'd been there all along, loving me from afar. Wolf stalker or not I knew that he was mine. He had given himself to me completely before I even understood what was happening.

"Corrie?" he called my name so gently, as if he were afraid. I instantly felt bad for upsetting him.

Not trusting myself to speak, I just stared at him with raised eyebrows, indicating that I was listening.

"I know I might not have wanted you at first, but I quickly realized that you were the best thing I ever could dream of having in my life. I want you now and always Corrie Redbird, the imprint is stronger than my ego. You make my shitty life here in this town, worth living. Without you I have nothing, I'll always be nothing. I'm not a man without you. You give me a reason to do better, to be better. I'm completely devoted to you, every breath I take is yours. I LOVE YOU."

Paul's words struck my heart with such a force that all my anger and disillusionment melted away. The desperation pouring from his eyes opened me up in such a way that I felt as if he'd just given me his soul. I wanted to tell him that I was falling in love with him, that I was his, that he made my life worth living too but he crashed his lips against mine so hungrily that I was immediately swept away by his passion.

His words made me see the light. This wolf thing was actually good for both of us. Paul needed me to be a better person, to feel whole again, and I needed him back. I wasn't sure why exactly, but I just didn't want to be without him. He made me feel like I'd never have to worry about anything in my entire life, because he'd always be there no matter what.

How could I turn away from that? I was already in too deep. There was no just cause for my silly behavior.

After we finally broke apart from that earth-shattering kiss Paul took me back inside to warm me up. He made me some hot chocolate and we sat on the sofa together, our legs entangled.

"So you're not going to leave me right?" he asked softly, his fingers running through my hair. I shook my head a few times and looked up at him. Looking in his eyes had always been the thing I loved most about Paul. It was hard to believe now that I'd been denying that the emotions I kept seeing in them were anything but sincere. I had been fooling myself for the sake of my cousin. Right now he looked like a lost puppy that needed love.

"I'm not going anywhere," I replied firmly. "And I told Marlon it's over." His face lit up like a candle in the dark causing me to smile too.

"I'll make you happy Corrie, I promise, on my life, I won't let you down," he cupped my face in his hands and rested his forehead against mine for a few moments. I simply nodded and held him back. There were no words to describe the energy that flowed between us then. This was not something he could have with anyone else but me, and I realized that I really would have to get over all the inhibitions I kept holding onto. Paul would never want anyone else, I was his choice for life. He had chosen me, this was real and I couldn't run from it no matter how many excuses I tried to find.

Paul tilted his head to the side and captured my lips in a slow, sizzling kiss. He took his time exploring my mouth, teasing my lips with gentle nibbles as his hands held my hair and my neck firmly. He moaned and a ripple of electricity washed over me. I became undone.

All I wanted was this.

After we'd finished making up by making out on his sofa, he drove me close to home and I walked the block to my house. We didn't touch or kiss or anything, not knowing who might be watching. I needed the short walk to my house just to clear my head. The air was cool and damp from the rains, everything green and glistening. Now that I knew what was up between him and me, it was like I was living in a whole new world, a world of endless possibilities.

A supernatural world.

I opened the door to my house and quietly walked in and up to my room. I had barely gotten my clothes off when there was a knock at my door. I slipped into my robe.

"Hey kiddo, where were you?" It was my Dad. I had left Paul's much later than planned.

"Sorry Dad I met up with Val and some of the guys at the café again." I tried not to trip over my words, a weird feeling descended over me because of the lie.

"You should have called your mother."

"Well I texted her. But I'm sorry."

"So how's everything going?"

"Um, good. Babysitting is paying off. I've got a good bit saved already."

"Well good for you! If you still want to work at the store just let me know. And it's probably time to sign up for the Raymond tournament, the deadline's next week." I relaxed once I realized that he was in a good mood.

"Uh, I know but I'm not sure I'm biking this year Dad. I doubt it."

"What? Why not? You always look forward to motorcross." I knew he would be shocked by my decision. Hell, I was shocked too. The words just tumbled out of my mouth.

"I dunno. I just haven't really felt excited about it, so I'm taking it as a sign that maybe I should sit this year out." But this was only a recent development on my part.

"Well it's your decision Corrie, I'm just surprised."

"Yeah, I know."

"I hope this isn't because of money?" Dad raised his eyebrows expectantly at me. I noticed his hair seemed streaked with a little more gray, but he was still tall dark and handsome. He'd always maintained an athletic physique and charming, easy-going manner.

"Well, I dunno. I'm saving up and I just don't feel like I want to spend that money on a new kit and registration and all of that."

"But you know I can pay for it as always, hun? Or Mega-mart can sponsor you."

I looked at him doubtfully. I didn't think that was true at all. Although we had a good life, Mom was still on edge these days, budgeting our food more than usual. She was on pins and needles over bills and making groceries. They never talked about it with us kids as a family, but I wasn't blind, just distracted. And I knew that my little brothers wouldn't understand, it was more important to keep up their sports than mine. Plus, Joey needed that sponsorship, he lived for summer tournaments, it's why he was hardly home anymore.

I sighed. "I just don't think it's worth it. I love MX, but it's not my whole life. I can always ride when I want to, or go to Joey's trail. I don't need to compete this year."

Dad sighed and pulled me into his chest, resting his chin on my head. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay Dad, trust me. I'm not bothered at all." And it was the truth.

"Okay if you say so. But if you change your mind, tell me. You're my little princess, I just want to see you doing what you love." I nodded with a smile. "See you downstairs."

I wasn't really up for dinner. I felt guilty for lying to my parents. And after everything that went down with Paul I just wanted to go to bed. But I didn't want to raise their suspicion, so I took a shower, put on my sweats and a t-shirt and went down to dinner.

As we all sat eating our meal Joey nudged me. "How're things going with Marlon?

"Uh, things are not going with Marlon."

"What? Why not?" Dad exclaimed. Connor seconded.

I rolled my eyes. "I just don't want to date him that's all, I'd prefer to be just friends."

"Honey did something happen?" Mom asked.

"Nope, I just don't like him like that." I didn't want to tell them the truth, it wouldn't help anything.

"Okay. Well nothing's wrong with that. You just save your heart until you find the right person."

"I plan to." I continued eating my chicken, beans and mashed potato, with Paul on my mind.

I missed him already. I felt empty without him. I knew it was the imprint again, since our souls are linked and it was hard to be apart for long. But was this right? I knew that I cared deeply for him, but was it right that he was now my whole life, in all of my thoughts? It was scary, how intense this bond was. I wondered if I would always feel so hopeless without him. It was a scary thing, to be rendered so desperate by love. Yet I hoped that he would come later to visit even if it was just Bullet howling at my house for a few seconds.

Who was I kidding? I got it bad.

After dinner, I washed the dishes as per usual and watched some television with my brothers. Around eight o' clock I went up to my room, ready to call it a night although it was still early. I just wanted to be alone with my thoughts. Now that I had Paul and because he was a secret, all I could think about was how I would see him again, how we would spend more time together. I couldn't continue on like this. He was a big part of my life, I needed him.

I burrowed under my covers with the lights out. It was warm and toasty, but nothing could substitute for Paul's arms.

I don't know how long I was asleep when the sound of a low howl in the forest outside my window woke me up. I shot up and checked my clock, it was after midnight. I knew that everyone was already in bed, except for maybe Joey, if he was even home. I went to my window and opened it, but instead of Bullet, there was a shirtless Paul looking sheepishly up at me. He pointed to the tree just outside my window and started to climb. I watched in horror and amazement as he quickly shimmied up and swung from the branch nearest to my window.

"Move back!" he hissed. I was worried that he'd fall and hurt himself but Paul effortlessly swung himself over and landed in my room, barely making a sound as he landed on his toes. He was apparently a gymnast as well.

"Oh my god I can't believe you just did that!" I whispered.

"Didn't I mention that wolves are masters of stealth?" he gave me a lop-sided grin that melted my heart as he pulled my lips to meet his.

I lost myself in his embrace until I could no longer breathe. My whole world was suddenly perfect, the empty hole inside completely filled up again. All my worries over the imprint seemed pointless. This was where I wanted to be, forever.

We pulled apart and he tugged me over to my bed and crawled in, patting the space beside him. Had we really only started dating? We hadn't even gone on our first date yet and I was totally smitten.

"What are you doing?" I said with both shock and a giggle. I didn't even mind that he was likely getting mud on my sheets.

"Tucking you in."

"I'm not a shirt, I don't need tucking."

He snorted and rolled his eyes. "Humor me, Corr."

I climbed in and snuggled against his chest, allowing him to spoon me. It was the best feeling in the world to be wrapped in Paul's arms like this.

"If I could do this every day I'd be the happiest wolf-man on the planet," he whispered in my ear. His breath against my neck sent a shiver through my body.

"Me too." I said with a yawn.

"You're a wolf-man too?"

I giggled and slapped his arm. "No but I'm officially living in Sookie Stackhouse's world. If I had been able to read your mind I would have known how you felt about me all along."

Paul grunted and I could feel his smile. "This definitely isn't a storybook though, unfortunately, bloodsuckers are very real."

I yawned again and snuggled deeper into the covers.

Bloodsuckers…hmm, wait what? What did he mean by that? I was about to ask him for an explanation when he kissed my neck sending another shiver through my body.

"Go back to sleep baby. I promise I won't get caught. I just need to be with you tonight, it's a wolf thing."

I nodded, feeling content and cherished. I allowed Paul's warmth to sooth me as I drifted off to sleep once again.

And all is well in the imprint world :)

The next four chapters are about them settling into their love and then the drama will start back :) Thanks for reading!