Jacob POV

She stared at me.

That was all she did for what felt like hours.

And then her face twisted up, her eyebrows scrunching together in confusion and her lips pursing. She shook her head rapidly, her curls splaying from side to side in vicious waves.

"No, no, Jacob. I ruined your life, didn't I?" Her voice was pained and I watched as her eyes pooled with tears.

I shook my head 'no', gripping her knees tighter.

"Yes I did! You wanted Bella, you still do! Oh God, no, no you still want Andrea. You wish it was them. Oh God I should've just stayed away! You could've been with either of them, you could've been happy with the ones you love, oh no, Jacob I ruined it all." She sobbed now, her voice falling to a pained whisper, the tears escaping her eyes and pouring down her pale cheeks.

My heart crumpled and my throat went dry as I shook my head.

How could she possibly think those things? It was her panic disorder, she was shutting down.

I tried to swallow and almost gagged.

"Eleanor, no, I would've picked you any way!"

I would've, right?

Yes! Of course I would have, she was made for me. I would've realized it at some point without the imprint.

"No you wouldn't have! You were so happy with Andrea," she squeezed her eyes shut and pushed my hands away from her knees, "I'm so sorry, Jacob, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Her eyes stayed shut and the tears streamed down, painting her freckle-dotted face with salty pools.

Everything was crumpling, the wolf inside of me was rearing in pain. My imprint was in pain and I was in agony. And I couldn't fix it, I was the reason for it.

My eyes burned and my throat burned and my chest was on fire and my stomach was in knots.

I took her face into my hands, begging her to just open her eyes and let me fix this.

But she was too far into the panic attack and she wriggled from my grasp.

I felt my heart clench again.

"Eleanor, you need to listen to me, please. Please, Elli." My voice cracked to a whisper and I leaned forward, once again taking her small face into my hold, my thumbs wiping the tears. She didn't fight me this time and after a moment her eyes opened.

Red rimmed and puffy and so full of pain and sorrow I could've cried with her.

"I would have found you no matter what, that's how it works. I would have picked you. The imprint just speeds it up, it's supposed to make it easier."

Her tears slowed to a stop and I held her there, one of her small hands finding the back of my arm, gripping me tightly. Her touch was making it better.

I brought my hands to rake through her curls, the spirals snapping back into place as soon as my fingers brushed by. I held the back of her head, her eyes never leaving mine.

She was too precious, how could I ever let her go?

"I would have loved you in a million different ways, one way or another."

She raised an eyebrow, staring at me with those big eyes.

I hadn't said I loved anyone since Andrea, I thought it would feel so foreign and wrong.

But saying it to Eleanor, to my imprint, to the one that was made for me, it felt so right. Everything with her felt so right.

"You aren't forced into this?" Her voice was so little and I couldn't help but crush her small body against mine in an embrace.

"No, Eleanor. I'm not forced into this at all, this is how it's supposed to be. I promise."

I felt her nod against my body as her small arms came up to return the embrace.

She was quiet as we sat there, even more quiet than her usual self. But I knew she was processing it, I could only imagine trying to grasp it. She was bound to me for the rest of her life. It was a lot to wrap your head around.

"Do you want to go see Emily? I know it's a lot to handle, and she might make you feel better, and I have to patrol soon." I offered her the only motherly comfort I knew, Emily was always so good at making all of us feel better.

She shrugged and I brought us to stand up.

I was reluctant to let her go, even for a moment. I couldn't even comprehend what I had seen. She had gone through a full blown panic attack. I knew she wasn't always alright, some days were better than others, but I had never imagined this. The Eleanor I knew had shut down. And it hurt me that I would never be able to fix it or make it better.

I imagined that the drive to Emily's would be as silent as our embrace in my living room, except it wasn't.

"Do all of the guys have, uhm, imprints?" The word fell from her tongue almost distastefully and I internally sighed. I knew she wasn't too familiar or comfortable with the whole idea of it yet. But I understood.

"Not all of them, it's supposed to be a really rare and beautiful thing. Sam and Jared both have imprints, Emily and Kim. And," I chuckled, "Quil has one too."

"Who?" A thin eyebrow of hers raised and I chuckled again, sliding my hand over and taking her hand into mine.

"Remember that little girl that you met once? Claire?"

Her eyebrow raised even more to meet her hairline, her lips pursing in confusion, "Well yes, I remember her, but what does that have to do with Quil's imprint?"

"That is his imprint, Eleanor."

I dared looking over at her, unable to hold in my laughter at her shocked face. Her mouth fell slightly agape and her grip on my hand fell limp, I allowed my hand to rest on her knee.

"But, but, Jacob! That's a child, what-"

"El, it's fine! He doesn't see her like that. Right now, he's just like a big brother to her. And when she gets a little older, he'll become her friend. He won't even see her like that until she's old enough and able to accept it. That's how it works, we have to do what our imprint wants. Whether or not it hurts us."

She contemplated this for a minute, I could practically see the gears turning in her head.

"So if I only wanted to be friends, you would have to do that?"

I felt my stomach drop. She had always been so hesitant around me, did she only ever want a friendship? Did I force myself on her?

But I nodded.

"I- uh- I would have to do that."

It fell silent.

And her eruption of giggles snapped us out of it, her small hand finding mine and fighting to lace our fingers together. I obliged happily.

"I'm just kidding, Jacob."

I smiled at her, my heart fluttering as I squeezed her hand in affection. She was incredible.

"I can hardly stand you enough to even be your friend." My eyes snapped to her face, begging to see the teasing smile waiting for me.

And it was there.

She smirked at my and giggled once more and quickly rested her head against my shoulder for a moment before returning to her previous position.

I shook my head and chuckled. When she was good, she was great.

We pulled into Emily's and I slowly released her hand, coming around to Eleanor's door to open it for her. She grinned up at me and slowly followed me in, her small body tucking beneath my arm safely. She fit there perfectly.

The smell of green bean casserole and pumpkin pie assaulted my nostrils as we approached the house and the screen door creaked open upon our entrance.

"Emily, I have Eleanor!" I called out. Her squeal was quickly followed by her hurried footsteps down the hallway and towards us.

I chuckled as she grabbed Eleanor from me, throwing her arms around my imprint and pulling her in close. Eleanor had been around her enough that at this point she was well adjusted to Emily's affection, much like my own, and she knew well enough to simply return the gesture and everyone would be happy.

"Hey El, I'm going to go relieve Paul and Jared. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" I leaned down and she offered her cheek for me to kiss. Her cheeks were always soft and warm, everything about her was so warm and perfect.

She was truly my perfect match.

Eleanor POV

Jacob left, the door clattering shut behind him. I watched as he jogged to the tree line before ducking beneath the thick branches. He was the most beautiful man I had ever seen. And I was made for him? How could that possibly be?

I sighed and turned back to Emily as she watched me expectantly.

"Do you want some tea? Dinner should be ready soon, too. Do you like green bean casserole? I have that with some chicken, I know you like chicken though. Anddddd, for dessert, pumpkin pie! With homemade whipped cream!" She clapped her hands together, her smile wide as she led us back to the kitchen. It all smelt amazing.

"Tea sounds good, Emily, it all sounds great." I smiled at her as she grabbed a cup from the cupboard and tea bags from on top of the fridge.

"Soo, I'm assuming there's a reason that Jacob brought you here so abruptly. Am I right?"

She poured the boiling water in the cup and stirred, a knowing smile on her lips.

I shrugged and my eyes fell to the floor as she placed the cup in front of me, "Jacob told me about, imprinting."

Emily grinned and nodding, plopping down beside me.

"It's a pretty crazy thing, isn't it?" She giggled and I nodded. This whole thing was crazy. The supernatural was surrounding me, and somehow, for some crazy reason, I was okay with all of it.

"It's just," I paused, "how is it- hm. Are you sure it was me that was made just for Jacob? He's just so, and, how can I be right for him?"

Emily sighed and looked at me, her hand coming over to rest on my forearm.

"Eleanor, it's nuts. This whole thing is absolutely bonkers. Trust me, I know." She chuckled, but caught herself quickly and began again, "But it's all real, the legends, everything. And you're Jacob's imprint, which really does mean you were made for him. Your personality and your wants and needs were all carefully designed to compliment his. Haven't you ever noticed how he has the right words to say, or how your hands or your bodies just seem to, fit?"

I pondered her words for a minute, I guess it all did make sense. Upon every one of my breakdowns, Jacob knew just the right words to say or things to do. He was never startled by my emotions or thrown off by my words, he knew just what to do. And our hands, his were so big and tanned and gruff from working, and mine were so little and pale and thin- yet somehow, every time I looked at them intertwined I couldn't help but see the peculiar way they melded together. I melted into his embraces and our lips molded together in every kiss.

I guess it really all did make sense. I could feel my nerves settling down.

And to further prove the point, Jacob knew that Emily would make it better.

Something about this all was so comforting, it was all so secure. Jacob was made for me, I was made for him. I was the only one that he would ever want.

I had always been a fan of structure and stability. And suddenly I was handed the epitome of those very things.