Paul's POV

Leah didn't look at me once the whole time Sam spoke. The only thing that kept me from freaking out was that she seemed to not look at anyone way except for Seth or Zoey. I furrowed my brow and then Zoey looked straight at me. She didn't glare like Seth but she looked...I don't know. Confused? Dissappointed. A little angry. But mostly dissappointed.

What the hell. I glanced to Jared. He was the only one I'd told about the date so he must've told someone unless someone saw us at the movies. But then again, Jared looked like crap. Not sick or tired like Leah. He looked healthy, but his face was pained and he was glancing to her every few seconds, trying to catch her eye. Oh God...what'd he do?

Finally the lecturing and ordering part of the meeting was over and Emily started plunking down food on the table. I expected Leah, being angry at me and avoiding me for the last few days like she had, to get up and make an excuse to leave. But she didn't. She started spooning food onto her plate, not taking her eyes off of her movements.

I stood up. "Jared." I said calmly. He looked up and I nodded toward the door as I made my way out. He stood slowly, swallowing hard and following me. I knew Jared may be a little scared of my temper but he wasn't the type to let me intimidate him. So he really must've done something bad.

I shut the sliding glass door behind us and we walked out towards the road. "What's going on?" I asked when we were far enough from the house.

He let out a deep breath. "I ran into Leah yesterday." he explained.

"And?"

"I told her about your date. I mean, she looked so happy and composed and you've been so miserable and it pissed me off. So I told her. And..."

"And what?" I snapped. I took a few calming breaths, reminding myself that this was my best friend and he'd just made a mistake. It wasn't all his fault.

"Well, she looked really sad. Like...she might cry or something." Jared said the remark about crying in the kind of tone to imply that he knew it sounded crazy. "So I told her that it had been my idea and I was trying to explain but then she ran away."

"So...who else did you tell? Because Embry said Seth told him about it."

Jared shook his head. "I didn't tell anyone else. Leah must've told Seth." he said quickly. "Promise, dude. I didn't."

My eyes widened as I processed everything. If Jared was right, about the crying and Seth hearing from Leah, then that meant she liked me. More than she was letting on. More than just physically.

"And, Paul?"

"Mmm?" I asked, still thinking.

Jared's nervous shuffling pulled me from my thoughts. He looked up uneasily. "Don't hit me. But I think she may have been coming to your house when I saw her."

"What?" This time I wasn't angry, just confused.

"She said she was just walking. And I believed her. But after she left, I realized that there weren't many places she could have been going. It was at the corner of your street and she'd been walking from the way to her house. I think-"

"Shut up." I commanded. For once, he listened to me. I clenched my fists a few times. But then my anger left me and my curiousity was peaked again. "What do you think she was coming to my place for?"

"Well, she was smiling. So if she was going to your place, it was probably for good news."

I shut my eyes, breathing deep to calm myself. "Jared, if your big mouth screwed up my only chance..." I let my sentence trail off. He could just use his imagination on what I would do.

"I'm sorry." he said sincerely, not sounding scared, but concerned. "I was just trying to have your back. Make her regret dumping you. And I most likely ruined everything."

I wanted to say it was okay, to console him. But I was a little too bitter for that. Because truthfully, he may have ruined it. I just nodded once and started back to the house.

Leah's POV

I knew what Paul and Jared were talking about. And as much as I wanted to see how it would turn out, I didn't make eye contact when they came back in. I kept eating my food like there was no problem.

"Hey, Leah?" Paul asked.

"Yeah?" I asked, shoving another mouthful of mashed potatoes into my mouth.

"Can we talk?" he asked seriously, standing by the door as Jared took his place again, looking guilty and chastised.

Great. Now everyone would know there were more problems with me and Paul. And worse...that it was affecting me. I knew I looked like shit. I let out a long breath and looked to Paul for the first time that day, my heart squeezing a little, almost painfully. Love was a bittersweet feeling. Too sweet to not be a little painful. "Do we have to?" I asked, trying not to argue but also trying to find a way to stall. I didn't want to chat with Paul. Have the 'I'm moving on, so should you' chat.

"Yeah. We do." Paul answered.

I sighed, setting my fork down.

"You don't have to." Seth murmured quickly, his hand resting on my shoulder.

I patted his hand and grinned. "It's okay, Seth. I'll be right back." So I stood and followed Paul outside.

We didn't go far. I guess he was too impatient. "I went on a date last night." he started out.

"I know."

"I know you know. Jared told me."

"Okay..."

"So, that's it. I wanted to tell you myself. So there wouldn't be any kind of betrayal going on."

"How would that be betrayal?" I scoffed. "We aren't together."

"Well..." he paused for a long minute. I was about to say something to spur him on when he finally said, "I want us to be." When I just stared, he clarified. "Together. I want us to be together."

I scoffed. "You went on a date last night. That doesn't really scream 'I really want you, Leah' to me."

"Because the girl gave me her number and Jared was saying I should get over you. I thought it was a good idea. You've been avoiding me since Zoey outed us."

I sighed. That was true. "I was trying to sort everything out. Decide if I should risk it."

"Risk what?"

"Risk getting hurt...for you."

"And what'd you decide?"

"I decided that I was already risking it. I was already going to get hurt if we ended it." I said truthfully.

"So you were coming to my place last night." I nodded. "And Jared's big mouth sent you back home." I smiled despite myself and nodded again. His voice lowered. "Well...that girl...she wasn't my type. I guess not bitchy enough for me." I laughed. "You think you'd risk it again?"

I sighed. "I really don't know Paul. After last night..." my voice lowered, "I'm scared, you know? What if you imprint?"

"I won't." he said quickly.

"You can't know that for sure..."

"I can." he said vehemently. "I think...I think I might have bonded with you."

I paused for a long minute. "After the bonfire?" I asked hesitantly.

"My drunken idiocy?"he asked. "Yeah. How'd you know?"

"I..." I cleared my throat. "I felt something change."

His face practically lit up. "Really?" I nodded and he rushed forward, scooping me up into his arms and spinning me around. "That's great!" he exclaimed as he set me down.

"You're not bummed that you're connected to me?" I asked.

"Leah, the bond is different remember?" he asked, almost sounding giddy. "We have to have the feelings to make the bond. It doesn't snap into place out of nowhere. It's like an extension of what I was already starting to feel. I was already starting to fall for you."

I was a little shocked. I'd listened to Christopher explain about the Mating Bond but to find out Paul was feeling what I was feeling...to know it meant he'd been starting to feel it already...it was overwhelming. "How could you like me, Paul?"

"How could I not?" he retorted. "You're the perfect woman for me. Outgoing in so many ways but reserved with her feelings. Matching my temper. Stubborn so you'll never back down from me. Fearless. Sweet, even if I've never personally got the sweetness, I've still seen it. I've seen you...even when you haven't been that way with me. I've still seen who you are. And I love who you are."

My breath caught. My eyes stung with the threat of tears but I pushed them back. My brow furrowed. "You what?"

He smiled down at me and pulled me to him. "I love you, Leah. I love everthing about you...even the things that drive me crazy."

"I love you too." I blurted. His brow rose as if unsure if I was serious or just following his lead. "I can't really make it as poetic as you just did..." I laughed. Come on...who knew Paul had a way with words? "But it's true. I do love you. With everything in me."

"Everything, huh?" he said, still wearing that ridiculously goofy grin. It was different than the puppy dog, I'd-do-anything-for-you-to-kiss-me grin that the Imprinters wore. It was just a deliriously happy grin.

I nodded, finally paying attention to his words instead of his face. "Everything. My heart. My body. My mind. And my soul." His smile got even bigger somehow. "I feel like a huge sap right now." I confessed. "Can you just kiss me now?"

He didn't answer. Just ducked down to possess my mouth. The kiss didn't stay sweet and tender long. I felt Paul's hands gripping my ass and that familiar desire started to pool in my gut. I broke away. "Stop. No sex on the street."I chastised. "That's where I draw the line."

He laughed. "So..."

"Your place." I commanded. "I'm gonna let Seth know."

I ran back to Sam's house and pulled the door open quickly. "Seth...be home later, okay?"

"What? Why- where are you going?"

"Seth, talk to Jared and everything will be clear. Jared, I forgive you." I threw a mischevious grin his way, which after a moment of confusion, he returned with a wink.

"Go Leah." Jared stated with a smile. I rolled my eyes and shut the door before anymore questions could be asked. I ran back to Paul, grabbed his hand and we started off to his place.

"Five days without is a long time after what I'd been used to." he commented as we ran.

I laughed. "You're telling me."

Emily's POV

"I don't understand." I said finally. All the boys were chuckling and murmuring merrily. "What's going on?"

"Leah and Paul made up." Jared said.

I shrugged. "Why were they fighting? And why'd they have to leave?"

Seth looked confused before he glanced to Sam. "I figured you'd tell her." He looked to me without any hesitation. "Leah and Paul are an item. Well, they'd been...fooling around or whatever...and then they broke up. And then everyone found out so Leah was going to just say screw it and keep going with him but then she found out he went on a date-"

"Which was my dumbass idea because I thought Leah was screwing Paul over." Jared interrupted. Seth nodded his way.

"That explains it then." Seth said. "Leah would only forgive if it was a really good reason."

"I know." Jared said. "And Paul knows. He wouldn't have even risked it if he had any idea Leah was going to give him a chance. I...I just thought he should try to move on." He looked solemn for a minute before perking up. "But now it's all better."

"But why'd they leave then if they made up?" I was still confused.

Seth looked at me like I was a moron. "They're going to celebrate." Zoey said slowly.

My face flamed. "Oh. Oh!" I ducked my head. "Wow." Okay, so Leah moved on. She'd leave Sam alone now. I just felt bad for Paul when he imprinted. She'd surely freak when it happened to her a second time.

"I'm surprised she even dated another wolf." I said slowly. I hadn't realized I'd said it aloud until Seth laughed.

"Me either." he claimed.

"Paul wouldn't hurt Leah." Jared said with complete confidence.

"I didn't choose to hurt Leah either." Sam said defensively, holding me tighter to his side. I knew what he was saying. If it weren't for the imprint, he would have never left her. I tried not to let that piss me off. After all, the imprint was there. No need to worry.

"No. I'm saying Paul can't. They bonded." Jared went still as soon as he said this, glancing around at all the shocked faces. "He thinks! He thinks he did!" he said, trying to cover up his mess-up.

"Calm down." Seth told Jared. "She thinks she bonded too. It can't be a coincidence. And if they did...then they'll tell us all anyway."

I tried to ignore the stiffening of Sam and the way he unconsciously clenched my hip tighter. Not painfully, but I still noticed. He still loved her and that ate me up.

"Thinks my ass." Zoey chipped in. "The way she explained it was the exact way I felt with you." she told Seth, smiling lovingly. It was wierd that they were so in love but so young. I just shrugged it off. Sam had told me about the mating bond. I'd got the feeling he'd wished that he knew before Leah hated him. So he could mask the imprint with his own connection to her.

"How'd she explain it?" Jared asked. "Cause Paul said it was like he was falling. Like he was off-balance for a minute and then when everything was righted, he saw differently. Felt stronger. Like a Imprint. Just as strong...but a different variety."

"Yep! That's it!" Zoey said cheerfully. So Leah and Paul really were bonded. Sam stood abruptly. He looked to me pleadingly, as if asking me not to be angry with him, before he marched toward the bedroom and slammed the door behind him. Try as I might, I couldn't be made. Not with him.

Leah was the one with this hold on him. Even when she had someone else. Why couldn't she just give me Sam? She had Paul and he was just handsome and young and muscular. He'd never be my Sam but if she loved him, she wouldn't care. Did she still love Sam too? Was that the problem?