"You look nice."

Serena threw Emrby a look. "What do you want?"

The werewolf looked embarrassed and ran a hand through his hair. "I was being nice."

"You're not nice to me, you steal my food and pinch me when I'm not looking," Serena rolled her eyes and finished putting the last of the sandwiches into the basket she would be carrying to the bonfire. "What's up?"

"Do you know when your sister is planning to leave?"

"But I thought you liked hanging out with her," frowned Serena. "Shouldn't you be asking me if I can make her stay?"

"I, uh, well," he stammered. "I just –"

"Hurry up!" came Emily's voice from the doorway. "I don't want the sandwiches to go dry!"

"Coming!" called back Serena. She picked up the basket and threw Embry a quick smile. "She said she'd stay until this weekend, but I'm not sure when she wants to head back. Sorry."

Embry muttered a thank you and trudged after her dejectedly. Serena threw him a concerned look, but she couldn't say anything because Paul chose that moment to appear in front of her and take the basket from her hands. "Need a lift?" he grinned.

"You're half an hour late," said Serena, rolling her eyes. "You said you'd just go home and change."

"I did," he gestured to his clean shirt and jeans. "I was helping my dad load his stuff into the car."

"Is he going somewhere?"

"New customers in Alaska," he shrugged. "He should be back in a couple of days."

Serena nodded and followed him to the car. Her phone rang when she sat down, and she glanced at the caller ID and winced, switching it to silent and stuffing it back into her pocket. Paul noticed. "You okay?"

"Its my mom," Serena bit her lip.

"Don't you want to answer?"

"Nope," she shook her head and threw him a quick smile. "So, do I look okay?"

"You always look better than okay."

Serena huffed. "You didn't even look at me."

Paul rolled his eyes, but glanced at her willingly enough, and felt his lips twitch. She was wearing jeans for a change, but they clung to her like a second skin and he knew he would have to pointedly avoid staring at her for too long for the rest of the night. Her tank top was a deep maroon with black lace on the edges, and her hair was loose around her shoulders in its usual wavy mess. Paul grinned at her and leaned in for a quick kiss, which Serena gave willingly. She smiled shyly when he pulled back. "I'm taking that as a yes?"

"You look beautiful," he kissed her forehead again, then unwillingly started the car and backed out of the driveway. "And if you want to leave, tell me."

"I won't," she said softly. "But thanks," her hand touched his arm, and he let go of the wheel to grasp it firmly, driving with one hand easily.

Paul wasn't one for encouraging clinginess, or jealousy. He hadn't had a serious girlfriend before, and the few girls that had come into his life had gone before he could get too attached. Even though he knew the imprint bond was strong enough for him to ignore any of her faults, he also understood Serena's fears completely. Emily had accidentally told him that she had never had a boyfriend, and he had more than once caught her sister having a hushed conversation about how worried she was that Serena was dating an "older man." He hadn't told her this, of course, but the urge was still strong. He didn't know if he was scared, or if he was just waiting for the perfect moment, but he knew time was running out. Summer was almost over, and though she said she wanted to be with him even after she went back to Seattle, he doubted she meant the kind of commitment he had in mind.

She was beautiful, though. A small smile was on her lips as she looked out at the trees that whizzed by, and her thumb was rubbing soothing circles into the back of his hand, almost absently. She looked happy.

Her expression changed as soon as the car stopped and Paul switched off the engine. Even from this distance, it was hard to miss the new person that stood near Billy's wheelchair. He gave her hand a comforting squeeze, choosing not to say anything and allowed her to lead the way towards the group.

"Hey!" Seth was the first to see them, and he gave Serena a hug. Leah appeared next, taking her spot next to her friend, her face in its usual scowl. But her eyes were concerned as they flickered between Serena and the other girl who had just turned around. Paul hung back deliberately.

He was surprised when Rachel crossed the distance between them and smiled at Serena hesitantly. "Hi," she said quietly. Her voice was just like he remembered it. "I'm Rachel Black." And she held out her hand.

Serena hesitated for only a few seconds before grasping her hand and shaking it. He couldn't see her face, but he was both proud and relieved when her voice didn't shake as she replied. "Serena Wilder."

!

"Where are you taking me?" despite her curiosity, Serena couldn't help but smile as Paul continued to lead her through the woods behind the beach, weaving through the mass of undergrowth with a grace that almost made her jealous.

"Far away," was all he said. They walked for a few more minutes until they finally reached a thicket that looked exactly like the one before it. Serena leaned back against a tree and raised her eyebrows. It was a clear night, and the moon was the only source of light she had. Nevertheless, she could make out Paul's face quite clearly. He looked smug.

"Well?" she asked.

"We're out of their hearing range," he explained. When Serena still looked confused, he rolled his eyes. "Our hearing is really good, even when we're not in wolf form."

"Oh," Serena frowned. "Do you have to tell me something that you can't say in front of them?"

"Nope," he still sounded smug. "Nothing to say."

"Then what –"

Paul cut her off, attacking her lips with a hunger that made her stomach clench. She sighed into the kiss, allowing him to push her back against the tree and lift her up slightly so she could wrap her legs around his waist. Serena smirked at the same time he did, and Paul winked at her before kissing her again, slower this time. The hand that wasn't holding her up – the other was strategically placed under her thigh – fingered the edge of her tank top and, when Serena didn't push him away, he slipped a hand under it, stroking her bare waist and groaning when she tightened her legs around him.

"You're doing it again," he breathed out, breaking the kiss and resting his forehead against hers.

"You're not exactly keeping things innocent," panted Serena. She ignored the stiffening of his posture and wound her arms around his neck, tugging him down for another, lazy kiss. He didn't resist, and the kiss was deep, slow and made her insides turn to jelly immediately. They pulled back for a moment, and she grinned at his slightly dazed look. "This was a really good idea."

"But not a very careful one." He was stubborn. Serena rolled her eyes, knotting her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck. His eyes darkened as she tugged, and she bit her lip coyly. His eyes narrowed. "And it's hard to be careful with you looking like that," his voice was a throaty whisper as his lips brushed against hers for merely a second before descending to her neck. His fingers dug into her skin greedily, bunching her shirt up further on her torso. Mentally thanking the higher powers that he never wore a shirt himself, Serena contented herself with caressing his bare shoulders absently, but as she felt his lips against her pulse point she automatically dug her nails into his shoulders as she tried to keep quiet.

Clearly, if she had been hoping he would stop holding back, that was the way to do it. His kisses went from soft to hard in a second, and she felt him suck on her neck hungrily, crushing her even closer to his body. Whatever objections he had had to her being pressed up against him, he wasn't complaining now. The feeling that coursed through her as he pointedly ground his hips against hers caused her to let out a sound that was somewhere between a whimper and a moan, resting her head back against the tree trunk as she tried to calm her suddenly erratic breathing. He paused before his lips returned to her mouth, never leaving her skin.

"I should be more in control," even as he spoke, he caught her slightly swollen lower lip between his teeth and nibbled on it. Serena was sure her nails were going to draw blood from his back any second. "But I want you."

"So do I," she breathed. "Paul, I –"

He shushed her, his lips soft as he peppered her face with sweet, slow kisses. When he finally stopped, his forehead against hers, Serena opened her eyes lazily. His were already open. "I told you, you deserve better," he murmured. He gave her one last kiss before lowering her leg back onto the ground, wrapping his arms around her waist and allowing her to lean against him.

His warmth was always so comforting. Serena sighed and kissed his bare chest. His arms tightened around her, but she pretended not to notice. "I'll wear you down eventually," she warned.

Paul chuckled. "I look forward to that."

!

"I should probably explain myself," Rachel voice was low as Serena raised a can of Coke to her lips. However, as soon as she spoke she put it down and looked at her, though reluctantly. They were sitting by the fire, and the Elders were about to begin the stories. Paul and the boys were finishing up a game of football.

"You don't have anything to explain," said Serena quickly. Meeting Rachel had been awkward, but she was glad. From the way the other girl had merely waved at her boyfriend, Serena knew there was nothing to be worried about. Also, the smirks Paul kept throwing her every time she caught his eye were enough to make her feel quite secure.

"No, but I really want to," she insisted. "I've never been with Paul that way, we were just friends and I wanted it to be something more, I never dreamed that you were his imprint. If I had known –"

"Imprint?" Serena interrupted. The word sounded familiar, and yet foreign.

Rachel didn't pick up on her confusion. "Yeah, Jake told me today. I'm really sorry if I made you uncomfortable, Serena."

"That's okay, but what –" Serena tried to ask, but Old Quil cleared his throat gently and Rachel shot her a quick smile before getting up and going to sit with her father. Her empty seat was quickly taken by Leah, and she saw Paul throw her a look of exasperation before winking at Serena and sitting down next to Emily. Serena smiled at him, but she still felt confused. Was imprint another word for girlfriend?

"Did Rachel say something bad?" whispered Leah. Serena looked at her in surprise, and Leah rolled her eyes. "You look upset."

"No, not upset, I'm just trying to remember what –" once again, she was cut off as Old Quil began his story.

This time, the stories were the ones they had told the first night she had come. She had spent the entire time on her phone to Paul, of course, so she didn't remember any of them. This time, however, she paid attention. She remembered the stories of the third wife and the tribe's leader, Jacob Black's ancestor, but when it got to a new, unfamiliar story, she paused.

"We thought it was rare, because it had happened to such few wolves before us," said Old Quil, his voice deep and grave. "But now, imprinting has happened to many of us. It is hard to understand why, but we do not question it. You may call it love at first sight, except it is true that you were blind until you phase, and then when you see her, or him –" Leah shifted awkwardly. "- nothing else matters. Your soul is anchored to your mate, and the desire to protect, which is in us genetically, is increased tenfold. The idea of anyone hurting the imprint is physically painful for the pack, because the mind link makes it impossible for one to feel something without affecting the others. Once, I thought it was luck to see a single wolf in the pack imprint. Now, with so many of you, I consider it a blessing." And his eyes zeroed in on Serena with a curious look that made her bite her lip.

So. Imprinting was the supernatural way for wolves to find their soulmate.

And, as she saw Paul gazing determinedly at the ground while everyone around her continued to avoid her eyes awkwardly, she knew what it meant.

She wasn't his imprint.