Quite a bit chapter, got it all out in one as I have dragged this on long enough. Hope you enjoy it!

Looking up at the floor length mirror I groaned, I hated graduation robes. I looked stupid. Emily was stood behind me wiping her tearful eyes; her stomach had grown again and with it her hormones. She cried over anything. I looked stupid, that's why she was probably crying. Because I looked ridiculous.

"You look gorgeous" She sniffled out and I groaned again, no I did not. "Oh Sam come look at her" She turned and called through my bedroom door; it didn't take long for Sam to appear and with him came laughs. He was laughing at me. Asshole. "Sam don't laugh she looks adorable"

"Of course she does babe" He reached for Emily and pulled her into his chest before looking back at me and silently laughing again. I looked stupid. Even Sam thought I looked stupid and Sam never told me I looked anything other than pretty because he was so scared of upsetting me.

"I don't know why you're laughing, you had to wear these too" I pointed out to him and he shook his head proudly.

"No I didn't, I didn't graduate"

"Why do you look so proud about that?"

"Because I didn't look stupid in those gowns and hats" He pointed and flicked the tassle of my hat before laughing again.

"Yeah well at least I'm graduating, idiot"

"I didn't graduate because I became a wolf, I had bigger problems to solve than algebra and who won the civil war" He argued back and Emily huffed launching herself out of his embrace to hit his chest.

"Stop being mean to her, she looks lovely and she has done a very good job at school. You're just jealous" She snapped at her fiancé and his proud grin flopped. He never could handle it when she took my side. He walked out mumbling under his breath.

"Why can't I just wear my dress?" I pulled at the black robe and Emily hit my hand away.

"You can after you graduate, you can take the robe off then and you get to go celebrate on your date" She cooed and my stomach did an uncomfortable flip, my date. Paul had asked me to go for dinner with him and it happened to be tonight. I rolled my eyes at Emily about the date comment, I was insisting it wasn't a date, even if part of me wanted it to be. "Now why don't you finish off up here, I'll go and get the camera sorted and we can meet in the car, oh Paul is here"

My heart leapt a mile as she glanced through my bedroom window before turning and skipping from the room. I ran far too quickly to the window and as I reached it I saw Paul was looking up at me, he smirked a little and waved as he walked to the porch of the house and I fell backwards toward my bed. Maybe I was getting in over my head with him. Maybe. He wasn't supposed to be here but he was. I could hear people talking below us and I edged toward the hallway, Sam and Paul. They didn't sound as if they were arguing, just talking. Emily joined in but I failed to hear their words.

I made my way slowly down the stairs, their words becoming clearer as I went.

"Home by 10pm Paul, no later, don't even think about skipping patrols and no funny business" Sam lectured and I paused, he acted like he was my father with some of the things he said and did.

"Ok"

"I mean it Paul, no funny business, keep your hands to yourself and don't be a prick"

"I said ok Sam, besides, the only one being a prick around here is you right now"

Oh crap. They were going to argue. I jumped down the last few steps making my presence known and the kitchen went silent, all three of the people stood in it turned to look at me and Emily quickly snapped a picture without warning me.

"Ahh doesn't she look gorgeous?" Emily cooed to no one in particular, my eyes fell on Paul and I saw him taking me in, drinking up the ridiculous outfit I was wearing. I thought he was going to laugh, he opened his mouth to but then he didn't, he spoke instead.

"Yeah, she does" He breathed and Sam's body went stiff behind him before relaxing with an agitated huff.

I could feel myself blushing, the frantic thumping of my heart and how my palms became sweaty under Paul's stare. He made me nervous, but it was no longer in the negative way it used to be. Now I felt flushed because he was looking at me, not through me.

"Right, we should go before we are late" Sam coughed and I nodded, we should go.

"Actually, would you mind if Savannah came with me?" Paul spoke up as we made our way to the door and I froze, Sam did too and he gave me a frowned look before stiffly nodding at Paul. "That's if you don't mind" Paul checked with me and I gave an over eager nod of my head. I didn't mind. He was in a good mood and I soaked up every good mood he gave.

Emily began rambling about us not being late and meeting us at school but I barely heard her. I walked to Paul's old truck and climbed in with him, he didn't start the engine until Sam and Emily were gone from sight and even then he stayed silent.

It wasn't until we hit the road that he glanced at me and smiled.

"You really do look pretty"

My stomach gave a jerk and the blush in my cheeks heightened in heat. I was turning red, I felt hot and sweaty and it was all because of the attention his eyes were paying me. "Thank you" I stuttered before looking over him with my eyes. He was dressed smarter than I had ever seen him, dark jeans and a crisp light blue shirt, it looked good on him. "You do to" He smirked and I relaised my words. "I meant you look good, not pretty I mean you're not, I mean you are but you aren't. Oh" I squeaked, I was an ass. I wasn't even sure why I was being one but I was.

Paul gave a little chuckle but said nothing, I felt uncomfortable now. I just kept spilling things out of my mouth and it sounded so wrong. I decided to stay silent after that and I focused on my folded hands in my lap. This was awful. If I was like this tonight then I was screwed. We were ok when we were with his dad but then we were going for dinner, just us. His car came to a stop and I dived out in record speed, I just wanted to get graduation over and then maybe I wouldn't act like such an ass.

"Savannah" Paul's voice stopped me and I turned to where he was still stood hovering by the side of his truck. I turned looking for where Sam and Emily were waiting for us, Sam gave a slight nod to him before pulling Emily toward the school and I was left alone and in silence with the huge guy who confused me on so many levels. "I just wanted to give you something"

"Give me something?" I asked and he nodded. As long as I said nothing this would be fine.

"It's nothing special but I wanted to say well done for graduating and everything so" He reached into the pockets of his dark jeans, normally his pants were ripped or scuffed but these ones were neat and clean, his shirt was also wrinkle free and clean. It was like he had made somewhat of an effort to look tidy, he looked good.

"I found it in the little store you like" He pulled out a tiny paper bag, the pattern on the front showing me where he meant. Just behind the small grocery store here there was a little souvenir store, they sold all these cute little Quileute gifts and amazing handmade wooden ornaments, I loved it in there. I went to the store with Emily as much as I could just to go into the store and stare at the items they stocked. He handed the tiny bag to me and I shakily pulled the sticker holding it closed and peered in.

"It's not amazing or anything so just um, it's not, it's just something little" He rambled on while my fingers reached in and pulled out the prettiest bracelet I had ever seen, it was simple but it was perfect. I hated big flash jewellery, this wasn't big and flash, it was cute and different. My fingers slowly ran over the dark blue thin rope material until it reached the centre piece, it was a little silver wolf with tiny detail carved into it for eyes and fur. It was beautiful.

"Paul" I breathed out and his body shifted.

"I know it's not exactly pretty or flashy but"

"It's perfect, honestly" I looked back up and he seemed to be in shock. "Honestly Paul it's lovely, thank you"

"Really?" He questioned me again and I nodded, a smile growing on my face. "Oh well, shall I put it on you?" He reached hesitantly for it and I freely gave him my wrist and the bracelet.

I watched as his thick fingers unclasped the little silver clasp and he placed it around my left wrist. It was a little big on me but I loved it.

"They had a pink one but I didn't think you liked pink, are you sure you like it?" He went on and he sounded nervous again. It only made me smile wider.

"Paul, it's perfect, I love it" I leaned up and kissed his cheek for the second time this week, and for the second time we both blushed bright red.

"Oh well, its ok. Maybe you should go up now" He looked behind him to the school and I realised the parking lot had emptied. I nodded at him and we both started toward the front entrance, I didn't miss the two guys stood by the door gaping at us. Embry and Quil, they were watching us like we were an interesting movie but as we got closer they hurried away and into the packed out school hall. "I'll see you after" Paul nudged my arm lightly and I nodded.

"Thank you Paul"

He shot me a final smile before heading over to the seat Sam had saved him, they exchanged whispers as he sat down and I turned and headed for my seat beside kids in my senior class that I had never even talked to.

It was hell, watching endless amounts of people walking up was bad enough but then when they called my name not only did Sam begin chanting but the other guys joined in too, including Paul. I had blushed so red that I matched Emily's red maternity dress and I buried myself in my robe as I rejoined the people in my row. I never wanted to experience that ever again.

As the principle invited people to go outside and look at the exhibitions of work we had done throughout the year I got lost in the crowd, I was being pushed toward the outside and I eventually managed to reach fresh air and pull the robe off so that I was in the nice light blue chiffon dress Emily chose for me. It was actually a decent dress even if Sam thought it was too short, it fell mid thigh and tightened in at my ribs, Sam thought it was too revealing.

I couldn't see my brother or Emily but as I scanned the crowds of families I spotted Quil, Embry and Seth all huddled by a table full of clay sculptures we had done in our art class. Seth wasn't graduating but he had come to cheer us on, or more specifically me. I made my way for them smiling at people as I went and ignoring Brad the best I could as he tried to introduce me to his parents like I was his girlfriend or something, the poor kid never took a clue.

The three guys were all turned with their backs to me and were faking looking at the art work. Their voices soon hit me and I slowed in my walk.

"I bet it's tonight, five bucks he tells her tonight" Embry tried whispering but it came out more of a yell. Quil started shaking his head.

"No bro, he's gonna hold out a little longer, he's stubborn as hell. He won't tell her for at least another month"

"You guys are cruel betting on it, he will tell her when he's ready" Seth hit out and I slowed even more, I was intrigued for some reason about what they were talking about.

"But he gave her the bracelet" Embry chanted back.

"Not THE bracelet, it's not the typical imprint bracelet we all gave ours. He got her a different style of one" Quil piped up and I stopped fully, my right hand began fiddling with the small bracelet on my left wrist.

"Yeah because she's not into big jewellery and he knew that, he wanted her to have something more suited for her. She's changed him, he's falling hard" Seth argued and my stomach gave a horrible jolt, it felt like they were talking about me.

"Yeah but it's Paul, he's stubborn as hell and he is adamant he is not accepting the imprint, he doesn't want it. They are only friends or whatever it is Sam told him he had to be"

My whole body went weak as Embry spoke, I felt like I was being crushed by a tonne of bricks and I started stumbling backwards. Paul. Sam. Bracelet. The three words kept rushing through my head and then another one came, imprint. It couldn't be me. I wasn't his, I wasn't anyones. Why were those words making me feel so sick?

I turned as I reached Brad, he started talking to me but I barely heard him. It was something about going for dinner and I just said yes before looking for Sam. I had to find my brother, this made no sense. I was still fiddling with the bracelet as I went but I couldn't find him. I saw Kim and Emily stood with her parents, they were talking and my eyes fell on both of the girls wrists, sure enough I found their bracelets. I had never paid much attention to them before but now I couldn't stop staring at them. They were thicker that mine with more detail, too big for my style of jewellery. The guys words hit me again, not the normal imprint bracelet, because 'she' wasn't into jewellery. I needed to find Sam.

I went to the parking lot but he wasn't there, his truck was but he wasn't. My whole body was shaking as nerves fluttered through me. I didn't understand any of this, I felt sick.

"Sav" I spun at the voice and my stomach jolted again, Paul was walking toward me. He was smiling a little but as he approached it sort of dropped. "Are you ok?"

I nodded, I couldn't speak so I nodded. I didn't understand. Everything was a mess inside my head, nothing was making any sense.

"You look nice, better than the robe" He eyed me up and I nodded again, his head fell to the side and his eyes found the bracelet I was playing with, his smile came back as he watched me run my hand over the silver wolf. "Emily wants us all to have lunch together then we can go see my dad and then I was thinking of the Rivers Edge restaurant" He looked down at me and I said nothing. "For dinner, if you still wanted to go" He added and it dropped, everything in me dropped and I just stared at him.

"Why?"

His head jerked back as I spoke shakily, my legs felt like they were going to give out any second and the sky above me turned darker, clouds were rolling in and I felt like everything was looming down onto me.

"Why?" I repeated, my voice grew stronger but was still shaking. My hand was gripping the small rope that bounded the wolf bracelet to my wrist.

"Why what?" He said back with confusion, he came to move forward toward me but I gave a jerk backward and he stopped, obviously aware something wasn't right.

"Why do you want to take me for dinner? Why do you want me to go to your dads with you? Why are you always around and why did you give me this?" I held my left arm up as I spoke and wriggled it, the silver wolf flashing against the dim sun that was speaking through the rain clouds.

"I-I-I don't understand what you mean" He lied, I knew he was lying because he couldn't hold my eye contact. If he wanted to hear more I had more to say, everything was building up within me, all the confusion he had caused since I moved here was flying through me and my shaking voice began speaking quickly.

"You are always around, always involved. Since I moved here theres always something with you, you find me when I go out walking or if I get lost, it's always you finding me. You were fighting the other day with Sam about a girl, who is that girl? Why do you hate me one minute and like me the next? Why are you always there, what the hell is going on? I feel like I'm going insane, the guys are taking bets" I turned to look for the three guys but they were gone, I felt insane. I felt like something was screaming at me but I wasn't picking it up, I also felt insane.

"Betting on what?"

"Does it matter? Does it matter what they were betting on? Why can't you just tell me what the hell this is because I don't get it Paul and it's driving me crazy" I spoke pleadingly, my eyes began stinging with tears but I refused to let them out. We were in public, I wasn't doing this is in public.

"I, we, I, we are friends Savannah, I'm being a friend"

"Are you? Why did you kiss me?" I blurted out, it was weeks ago but everything was pouring from me as I stood here in front of him in sandals and a blue summer dress. If he had imprinted why was he bothering with me? He liked messing with people's heads.

His eyes went wide for a minute, his mouth slapped open and shut a few times and he shook his head as if attempting to get rid of a headache. He wasn't getting out of this.

"I like you" He finally spoke in a hushed voice, his words gave me a momentary flush of butterflies but then the annoyance hit me again.

"Really? I find that hard to actually believe when I'm constantly walking on egg shells with you"

"What?"

"One day you like me, the next you ignore me, then I see you running around with Rachel and then the guys say you imprinted, I'm not into game playing Paul and I won't be dragged along for your own sick entertainment so either be my friend or don't"

"You aren't making sense, you're upset" He went to reach for me but I pulled back shaking my head.

"I'm not upset; I'm fed up of all this head screwing. I have no idea what to think anymore, you just, you are the most confusing person I have ever met" I paused, I needed to leave. I didn't want to be here anymore. "Just come and find me when you decide to tell me the truth about everything" I waved my hand and walked around him toward the parking lot, I couldn't go anywhere without Sam but I could sure as hell walk out of here and I was going to. I made it to the entrance before he shouted after me.

"I'm not running around with Rachel, why would you think that?"

"I am not stupid, I know what she is to you but just, there isn't a point in talking"

"What she was, what she isn't anymore, that's what you know Savannah. She's nothing to me now"

"She was at your house last weekend Paul"

He sobered up as he came to a halt in front of me, his face screwing into a frown and I flushed with unease. He now knew I was there. I was making a big scene with him and I didn't even know why.

"I asked her to help me with something, I'm not very good at" He paused, his teeth came out to graze his lip. "It doesn't matter; all that matters is that I haven't done anything with her not since I met you"

"Why what did I do that was so special?"

He said nothing; he just stared at me like I was the scariest thing he had ever faced. He wasn't saying anything, it was Paul. He never said anything, he hid the truth and he acted like an asshole because that's who he was.

"Ok, well I'm going home. Good luck with whatever the guys were betting on" I said quietly and went to walk around him, his voice calling out stopped me as I hit the road, I was stood in the middle of the road frozen.

"You, they are betting on you"

"Why?" I didn't turn to look at him, I was staring at the tree line ahead of me, praying a car wouldn't come because I wouldn't be able to move out of its way.

"Savannah, this isn't the place to talk about this. It's not the right time just, please come back and we can talk about it another time"

"Why?" I repeated, I was fed up of waiting, fed up of living in the mess of my brain not knowing what was going on and why we were like we were. "Why were they betting on when you would tell someone about an imprint, why were they talking about bracelets? Why Paul?"

"Savannah"

"Why?" I spoke louder as he went to challenge me again, I could feel him closing in on me. Getting closer than I wanted him to be right now and the danger spiked within me, I felt like I was on an edge of a cliff about to me pushed and he was the person who held that push.

"I imprinted" He stopped as did everything in me, he imprinted. The guys were right earlier, they were betting because he imprinted. My fingers began twiddling with the bracelet at my wrist again and I felt the heat from his body fall over my back, he was directly behind me, I could feel his breath against my hair. "On you"

Those two words made the last remaining bit of breath within me to leave, my insides were empty, I felt hollow as I stood in front of him. My weak knees began giving out and his hands grabbed at my arms to hold me upright. This wasn't right. He didn't want an imprint, that's what they had said earlier, that's what he had told me within a few weeks of us first meeting, he did not want one. When he had imprinted on me? Had he known all along? Imprint was supposed to be love but I didn't love him, he didn't love me. We at best liked each other but most of all he ignored me, he got angry with me, he fought with my brother. My brother, Sam. They are only friends or whatever Sam told him he had to be. Sam had ordered him to be nice to me. I felt it, I knew that was what it meant. They argued because Paul didn't want me, Sam was trying to force him to. Is that what he meant all the times he asked me if I wanted to leave? Was he trying to get me to leave so I didn't have to face this? The truth? What was the truth? He had imprinted on me but he didn't want me, I knew that, he was forced into it. It was wrong.

"No" I whispered and his hands gripped me tighter.

"What?"

"No" I turned loosening myself from his hold as I faced him and shook my head. "No" I said firmly and went to leave, I started running toward the tree line until I hit the darkness. The only founds reaching me were of the birds in the trees, the branches beneath my feet snapping as I sprinted. I wasn't going to be with someone because my brother forced them to be. I wasn't sure I even wanted him, the imprint. Whatever happened to choice? To falling in love not being told who you love, this is some arranged marriage shit. I'm not even part of this tribe, not really. I don't belong here, this isn't my home.

My chest began aching and my legs were numb, I fell to the ground and pain shot through my knees and up to my hips. I was exhausted, I was confused, I wanted this to stop. I didn't want to play this game, I wanted to get off this hellish ride.

I knelt where I fell, heavy breaths leaving my body as I tried to regain my feeling but all I could feel was pain. I couldn't decipher if the pain was from my sore knees or my heart but it hurt like hell and I wanted it to stop. I looked up when my chest stopped heaving, I was at my place, my favourite place, my cliff. I hadn't realised I ran this far but I had, I always came here. Normally it offered me peace, time to think but now as I knelt here ready to throw up I didn't want it. Now it didn't seem so peaceful, I always felt watched here, had I ever had a peaceful moment in this town? There was always someone around me, always. I wanted to leave, I never wanted to see this place again.

"Savannah"

My body jumped at the voice, the lowness of it causing a cold shiver to run over me, not the one it usually stirred. Paul usually made me warm but now I was cold. I found myself crawling away from the direction his voice was coming in. I only stopped as I reached a huge tree and my hands clasped at it desperately.

"Savannah" Paul spoke again and I shook my head. My hands covered my ears and I genuinely felt insane, like I was losing my mind.

"Go away, go away" I whimpered against the lump in my throat but leaves rustled behind me and I knew he was walking for me.

"I'm not leaving you up here, it's not safe"

"You followed me"

"You're upset I wasn't going to leave you" His voice was more gentle than it usually was, this was the kindest he had ever sounded to me.

"No, you always follow me. It's you, the person I feel watching me when I run, it's you" I whimpered again but stayed facing the tree. I probably looked ridiculous. I felt it.

"I have to make sure your safe"

"Why because Sam told you to?" I turned a little now, he was closer than I expected and I got up and turned, holding my body against the tree in a desperate attempt to scurry away from him. I couldn't get close, this couldn't happen. He was frowning at me like he didn't understand, he thought I didn't know.

"Sam hasn't told me to do anything" He paused and I shook my head, he was playing me like I was stupid but I knew more than he thought I did. "Savannah, this is nothing to do with Sam it's me and you it's about, you need to listen to me"

"No I don't, I don't need to hear it"

"You don't know what I'm going to say"

"I do, I know what happens, you tell me you imprinted, that you love me, that we are soul mates" My voice broke, ii had heard stories of Emily and Kim, I know what happens.

"Not exactly but yes" He nodded his head to the side still frowning, he knew I was upset, I looked ready to burst into tears and I was. "Savannah, I do care for you"

"That's a lie, you hated me" He shook his head as I spoke but I knew it was bullshit, he knew it was bullshit. He did hate me. "You refused to talk to me, you looked at me like I was a piece of shit beneath your shoes and you were cruel, then it changed, then you were nice but with that nice came the asshole and then the nice, you may have imprinted but you don't love me because you don't hurt people you love and all you did was confuse me and give me shitty headaches and then you made me turn into a bitch, I never bitch anyone out but with you" My voice was cracking, the tears were forming and my whole body was shaking. I wanted to leave.

"Did it change because Sam told you to be nice? That's not love either, that's you being ordered by my big brother" I stopped. He was staring at me blankly; I had no idea what he was thinking. "Everyone knew except me?" I asked and he gave a small jerk of the head, there were too many secrets here for me. They all seemed to lie so easily, I couldn't handle lies.

"You have it wrong" He finally spoke as I turned from the tree to look out over the cloudy sea view, the sun was gone, rain was threatening to pour as hard as my tears but I just stared at the waves. "At first, maybe I didn't want the imprint but that wasn't because of you it was because of me" I nearly laughed at that, it wasn't me it was him. Bullshit. "I didn't want to be responsible for another person, I messed things up with everyone else I have ever cared for and I didn't want to do that with you so I thought if I stayed away"

"If you treated me like shit"

"No, god, Savannah I can be an ass, I've apologised for it and I mean it, I'm sorry I was like that but it's not easy going from being so alone and having no one to talk to, to having you. I wanted to tell you everything about me and I've never done that, it was hard for me"

"I appreciate that but tell me the truth, when you suddenly started being nice to me was it because you wanted to know me, to have me in your life or was it my brother?"

He paused, he paused for too long and his eyes lingered on the ground for too long. My brother, Sam had ordered him to be nice. That's not love, that's not falling in love, that's being told to.

"You don't love me" I whispered, I was gulping so hard at the lump in my throat that it hurt, tears hit my eyes and one single one rolled over my cheek. I quickly wiped it away but Paul saw, his big broad shoulder deflated and he stepped toward me. I stepped back though and I was all too aware of how close to the edge I was getting. He was too, he reached for me panicking a little and I glanced back at the drop. I never got this close.

"I do, I didn't, I'll be honest at first no I didn't want this but the more I've got to know you, the closer we have got, the more I did want it. I want you" He sounded desperate; he looked as weak as I felt. He always looked strong and in control but now he looked ready to pass out, to cry even.

I should be ecstatic at his words, I was beginning to fall for him, I liked him more than I should and part of me was happy at the imprint but the bigger part of me was seeing how shit it was. He didn't want it, he was forced into it. Maybe I was too, if I hadn't come here I would have fallen in love with the guy who treated me right from the start but how could I forget the things he did, said, how he acted with me at first? I couldn't. Those memories were burned into me, I could never forget what a massive dick he could be.

"I've never allowed myself to get as close to someone as I have you, you know everything, you know things even Sam and Jared don't. Savannah please just come away from there and let me explain, you're the most important person to me, I won't mess it up again I promise" He pleaded, his own voice broke and with it my chest surged in pain, this was horrible.

"I can't" Was all I managed to croak out as tears began slipping from my stinging eyes, this felt horrible. I felt horrible, knowing someone was supposed to be my soul mate but knowing he didn't want me, he was forced into it, it was all bullshit. I wouldn't be my mom, I wouldn't fall for a guy who didn't really love me and end up broken like her, Paul may never leave me if I said yes but he would never love me like he would if he had chosen me, if the imprint hadn't chosen me for him and he had simply found me.

"I know this place isn't what you want, I know I can't give you the life you're used to or the things, I have no money, all I have is a house with bills I can't pay and a truck which breaks down every day but I would protect you, I would try"

His words although meant to reassure me just angered me, he didn't know me.

"The things I'm used to?" I questioned sobering up from my tears and I walked forward slightly, away from the edge and his body relaxed as I spaced myself from the drop. "Paul you don't know me at all do you?"

"What?" He frowned and I wiped my cheeks off, he was sprouting all this crap about knowing me, being close with me, caring for me but he didn't really know who I was.

"You don't know me, how can you say you love me when you know nothing about me, not really. After everything I've told you, all the time we spent together you still don't know me"

"What are you on about?" He said shaking his head.

"The things I'm used to, the things I'm used to?" I questioned and he frowned harder. "Paul, what I'm used to isn't exactly the high life. I thought after a while you had seen what I was actually like, where I came from, the comments about me being spoilt stopped but obviously you don't know. You know nothing"

"Yes I do" He spoke weakly and I shook my head at him.

"No you don't, yes I came from a big city where lots of people have high flying careers and nice houses in the suburbs, yes my friends are wealthy but that isn't me. I shouldn't even have to explain myself to you but you don't seem to get it do you? My mom worked two jobs to keep a roof over our heads, two jobs, two jobs at diners. She worked lunch shifts at one and night shifts at another, she earned minimum wage to pay the bills on our one bedroom house in the most rundown neighbourhood you could find, there were dirty old toilets and sofa's in the street, there was a drug dealer down the road from us and if I walked around after dark I would risk getting pulled over and asked how much I charged, if you get what I mean. We had a twenty year old car that had dodgy brakes and no reverse gear and I have never set foot into a salon in my life, the jewellery I have is my moms, it's the only valuable thing she ever owned and most of my clothes are from Kerry. My mom couldn't afford dance school, she always told me she had it sorted, that she was using her inheritance money from my grandparents but when she died I had all these bills come through, the inheritance dried up two years ago, since then she's been getting out dodgy loans to make sure I had a chance at my dance dream. If you want to know the life I lead that's it, you don't know me Paul, I don't need things because I never had things"

Tears were pouring now, I was angry at him, angry that I actually needed to explain that to him. He claimed to know me so well but he didn't. He knew nothing about me. How can you love someone when you know nothing about them? He said nothing, he did nothing but stare at me, his mouth hanging open slightly.

"Paul, before you met me, before I came here, you were seeing Rachel right?" He nodded, his teeth grazing his lip. "You were happy with your arrangement, you were content with things, then I came and it all messed up"

"It's not about Rachel, she was always just a thing, she meant nothing"

"She could have meant something if I hadn't come here" I argued back and I shook my head. "It's not fair Paul, it's not fair of you to be stuck with a kid you didn't have the slightest interest in, or who you didn't even like and it's not fair on me to have to be with someone who never wanted me. You didn't want to imprint, you didn't want me, sometimes you still don't. I can tell, you push me away still, you act like an ass sometimes and you wouldn't do that if you actually cared so" I stopped, wiping the tears from my cheeks I stepped forward to leave but his hand flew out stopping me.

"Don't just walk away, I've made mistakes and I'm sorry but I can make it up to you, just don't walk away and don't say what you're going to say. We are meant to be together otherwise I wouldn't have imprinted on you"

"If you hadn't imprinted would you have noticed me? Would you have fallen for me then?" I asked and he stayed silent, his hand gripped me harder but his mouth said nothing. No. He wouldn't even have spoken to me without the imprint because he was happy with screwing Rachel and I was just a kid. "You should probably leave me alone, go be happy doing whatever it is that makes you happy"

"No, I would have noticed you"

"In a few years time when I wasn't a little girl anymore, or when I became something you wanted to screw" He gulped at my words and my stomach fell, maybe I already was something he wanted to screw. But he wouldn't be. "I'm not doing what I was always told not to do, I'm not falling under a mans words and getting myself hurt, I'm not doing that so don't ask me to. I won't be second best, I won't be with someone because of an order, I won't"

I stopped, I wasn't able to speak because his mouth came down onto mine kissing at my lips, after a second I responded, the heat coming from his mouth causing my body to go weak again and I leant up into his kiss, soaking the heat and the taste from him.

"You would never be second best with me" He mumbled against my lips and I kissed him harder again but then I stopped. As his hands reached for my waist to pull me closer, I stopped. I couldn't do this. I didn't want him. I pushed against his chest until he let me go, he looked hurt, he looked weak, he looked so unlike himself.

"No, this isn't a fairytale, you don't get to kiss me and it all be ok. You can't forget everything that's happened, you didn't want me, you didn't want to accept the imprint and then Sam told you to be nice, to be my friend and you were, but you were still fighting it weren't you?" I stopped and wriggled myself free of him. He didn't reply, but that was all the answer I needed. "Take away the imprint and where would we be? You would be my brother's friend and I would be the little sister you talked to occasionally, it doesn't exactly sound fairytale romance. Go and find someone who you actually like, it's not me, like you said, I don't belong here"

"You have it wrong" He pleaded, his voice broke and his eyes were brimming red with tears. I hate this.

"No Paul, I don't. You're living in a fantasy world where the word imprint makes everything better but in my world it doesn't. You should have a choice in who you be with and your choice wouldn't be me, I think we should stay away from each other" I whispered out and backed away watching as Paul began shaking not with anger but with something else, he looked ready to break down but I just kept going. I wasn't doing this. I wasn't being the girl who gave up everything for the boy. I ran, I started running as pain lashed at every ounce of me, branches whipped my body grazing my face as I ran and I fell into the yard of the place I was beginning to call home, now it looked like a big a lie as everything else. It wasn't home, this place wasn't my home. I didn't belong here.

Tear were falling thick and fast as I wobbled to the house, I was going to pass out. I was in so much pain, I had never cried this much. I wanted my mom, I wanted to talk to my mom, for everything to be normal but it wasn't. I let myself in and the warmth of the house made my body go weaker, I had to grip onto the door as I swung open and the voices that filled the other side stopped.

"Sam, she's here" A male started shouting but I couldn't figure out who it was through my tears. "What's wrong?" He asked and a pair of scorching hands grabbed my bare arms, they hurt, they burned. They weren't the nice heat of Paul's they were too hot. I blinked and looked up, Jared. It was Jared. I just started crying more. They all knew about it, they all were making bets. "Are you hurt?"

I didn't reply, I just stared at him.

"What's happened?" Sam's voice entered now and I heard him hammering down the stairs as Jared held me upright.

"I don't know, she's hysterical" He replied and I realised I was sobbing. I was sobbing my heart out like I did the day I found out my mom died. I wanted it all back, I wanted my life back.

"Sav?" Sam was close, new arms engulfed me and I was brought in to a hard body, he was cradling me and I felt myself being moved away from the door. Sam had me. I didn't want Sam. He was just as bad, he forced Paul into it. How could he do that?

"Get off" I snapped through my sobs but he didn't move. "Get off me, get off me" I wriggled, my voice was raising to nearly a scream and my tears fell harder.

"What's happened? Who hurt you?"

"You, you, you" I hit against his chest but his arms held me still.

"Sam? What's going on?" Emily, I heard Emily but I didn't look I kept trying to force my way from Sam. "She's drenched, she must be freezing"

I stopped my movements, my body was shivering. My dress clung to me. It was raining out, I hadn't even noticed. I was soaked in rain water. I felt nothing though.

"Savannah what happened?" Sam asked and I resumed trying to escape his hold.

"You're an asshole" I whimpered and then the anger flew through me, this was his fault. "You're an asshole and I hate you" I hit his chest as best I could, he was a lying shit head of an alpha. A lying brother. "I hate this place, I hate all of your lies, I hate it all" I hit him over and over and he didn't attempt to stop me. I only stopped when Jared reappeared behind me and pulled me off my brother and held me so that I couldn't hit anymore. I was exhausted.

"Calm down" Jared tried soothing but I cried then, this was stupid.

"I don't want to be here anymore, I want to go home, I want to forget about wolves and imprints and him"

"Who?"

"Paul" Emily spoke quietly and I nodded.

"He told you?" Sam growled and I nodded again. "I'm going to kill him, I told him, I told him"

"You mean you ordered him" I cut across him and the room fell silent. "You ordered him to be nice, to be my friend, what did you expect would happen Sam? You forced him to be nice to me and now it's a mess" I squirmed as I cried in Jared's hold but he didn't let me go. These men were so annoying, they always think they know what's best but they don't, what's best is if Jared let me go so I could beat my brother up.

"I didn't force him, I asked him to be nice to you, I was trying to help because he was upsetting you"

"Well now it's worse, why didn't you just leave him as an asshole I hated because it would be so much easier to deal with. I just, I hate all of this, get off me Jared" I squirmed again and he gripped a little looser but he didn't let me go. I looked up and saw Emily was nearly in tears while Sam looked guilty as hell.

"I thought I was helping, you two were getting close, you were ok with him. What happened? Why are you so upset?" Sam shook his head and I kicked my foot against the ground, these men knew nothing.

"Because I don't want it, I don't want to be his imprint, I don't want to be with someone who doesn't even like me. He didn't want me, he still makes me feel like I'm a child, he thinks I'm some spoilt brat from a big house in Chicago, he knows nothing about me. You know nothing about me; you spend more time getting angry with me over things than actually talking to me. You all keep all these secrets from me, I can't live somewhere where I'm lied to about things and where I'm walking on eggshells with people because I'm scared they will rip my face off if I say something wrong and I can't keep feeling like I'm ruining your home and taking your baby's room and Rachel is always around and she makes me feel jealous and bitchy and I'm not bitchy, I'm not. I don't like what this place does to me, I don't want to feel like this anymore, I can't handle the mess that's in my head and I want to go home, let me go home please you told me, you told me I could go home if it didn't work here and it hasn't worked so just let me go home" I sobbed out until there was nothing left to sob out and Jared slowly let me go and I went running for Emily who was crying now, sniffing into her hands that she opened wide to hug me as I fell into her. "Please can I go home" I begged her, I was drenched in my own tear, my neck and face were soaked and I could feel Jared and Sam staring at me.

I had broken. I had just had the first big melt down since the day of my mom's funeral. I had broken down that day but this was worse, this felt worse because I wanted my mom back and I had all of this shit building on me, I had hurt Paul and I hated that but I knew I couldn't be his girl, not like Emily and Kim, I wasn't like that.

"I'm going to go and find Paul" Jared grumbled to Sam but I heard it, every part of me froze and I turned as Jared walked for the front door, watching me with a sad look in his eyes. When he left Emily pushed me away a little but kept her hand on my shoulder.

"Sam, we need to talk about this"

"She's not going" He growled, the sadness his eyes held turned to a hard stare and he stared us both down.

"She's not a child Sam, our door will always be open for her" Emily stayed calm but I felt her body stiffen. An argument was coming.

"She is only eighteen she cannot live by herself and definitely not in Chicago, she hasn't got any money or a house and I won't have her working in some god awful diner and struggling" He was going to say like my mom but he stopped, his breathing got heavier and I felt like punching him again.

"I'm not yours, you treat me like I'm your child or like you own me, I'm barely even your sister. If my mom hadn't died I probably would have heard off you once a year and never even met these people"

"I don't care how related we are, you are still my little sister and you are my responsibility Savannah, it's my job to look after you now. You are staying here"

"I've managed seventeen years without you, I don't need you, I don't need him, I just need to be alone" I was close to tears again, Sam started shaking as I snapped my words at him. I didn't even mean it, he was my brother and I loved him, I didn't want to hate him but I was so angry.

He stared at me for a few minutes, his body shaking harder and harder. Emily hovered uncomfortably behind me and I felt bad, I was causing so much trouble being here.

"Fine, then go but when it goes wrong don't expect me to pick up the pieces, obviously you can handle yourself" Sam spat before storming for the door pulling on it so hard it nearly came off its hinges.

"Sam" Emily gasped as he went but I shook my head at her. This was a mess.

"I'm sorry" I cried as I passed her and went running up the stairs to my cold bedroom, it seemed to unfamiliar to me as I stood rummaging for my phone. All I knew to do was dial the number I knew so well and listen to the dialling tone.

"Hello"

"Kyle"

"Hey babe, what's up?"

"Kyle, it's a mess" I sobbed again and the phone went silent for a minute.

"What's happened?"

"I need to come home, I need, I need to get out of here"

"What have they done? What's happened?" He got more urgent and I fell to my bed.

"Can I come to New York with you?" I cried as I spoke, I hadn't wanted to go when he first asked but now, now I wanted it so badly it hurt. I needed to leave.

"Are you crazy? Do you think you even need to ask? Of course, I'll book you a ticket from Seattle, when do you want to come?"

My heart skipped and my tears slowed, I stood up and reached under my bed for the suitcase that lay there, pulling out I looked around the room that didn't seem homely to me anymore and I wiped my face before sitting myself against the drawers of my bed side cabinet and let out a long breath.

"The next flight, I need to leave now"