After a particularly grueling day spent shimmying Bella into fabric, taking measurements, and pairing shoes, Grace was glad to be home. She pushed open the door to her beachside cottage and collapsed on the couch, putting an arm over her eyes. Bella was keen not to age another year before she got married, so she insisted on having the wedding in just three months.

Between intermittent rounds, training the new members, helping Alice plan the wedding, spending what little time she had with Jake, and pouring over college applications for places she didn't even know she wanted to go to, Grace was exhausted.

Grace was currently floating using the savings her father had left her when he died, but sooner or later, she'd have to make a decision about the rest of her life. She hated that part. What about being 18 made her qualified to want to choose her way for the foreseeable future? Up until now, fate had decided her life and now that she had a say, she didn't know which way to go.

She felt pulled between three distinct worlds but couldn't see a clear path in any of them. When she tried to bribe Alice to give her a glance at her future, she had been waved away.

"I've told you, I can't see you because of the wolves."

Grace was slightly annoyed at this, even though she had known Alice couldn't see her future. Now, laying on the couch with every option fluttering around in her head, she felt on a perilous edge. Nothing was for sure, not Jake, not her future, not the safety of her pack, or her family. Everything always hung in a precarious balance and she was nowhere in control of it. Just once, she'd like some foresight, some understanding that gave her a good way forward, an anchor….an imprint.

She let out a frustrated huff and sat up suddenly. Reaching for her phone, she was resolved to feel in control of something. Grace would text Jake, tell him to come over—at least if she wasn't in control of that situation, she could benefit from the relief Jake brought her.

When she flipped open her phone a new text message was already waiting there from him:

Hey. Late night rounds tonight.

I'll come see you in the morning.

Sleep well. 3

So much for that plan. She clapped her phone shut just as she heard a tentative knock at her open front door. Paul was standing there, this time with a shirt on and his old toolbelt tightened around his waist.

"Sorry, am I interrupting?" he said gently.

"What? No. no of course not. Just thinking. What are you doing here?" Grace said, the nervousness ebbing away as she tried to keep her cool.

"I was just going to finish up your porch, if that's okay? Don't want to leave it to the elements too long. I won't be in your way." He sounded tired and Grace wondered why. Rounds were tiring she knew but this sounded like something else.

"Yeah, of course, thank you." Grace said nodding from her place on the couch. He gave her a quick nod and set to work.

Grace spent the next few hours tucked away in her back office/sunroom trying to finish up some college essays and doing more research in UW. When the sun started to set and she felt her hunger set in, she went to the kitchen to open the fridge. Unsurprised, there was a six pack of beer in her fridge that Embry no doubt had stored in there to come and enjoy with Jared and Quil when they set up shop in her living room and played video games to escape the gaze of their parents.

Grace shrugged and took one, popping the top and drinking the cool liquid down, enjoying the sensation tickling at her throat. She looked at the beers in her fridge for a minute and then set to work making dinner. Paul was still at work on the porch, humming softly between the soft whoosh of brush strokes.

When Grace had finished making her summer pasta and bread, she grabbed two beers from the fridge, already having finished her first and popped the tops. She took a long drink from her second and carried them with her before leaning in the doorframe.

"Looks good," she said nonchalantly. Paul looked up at her from his place on the steps and nodded.

"Yep, just about there." Grace extended a beer to him and he took it gladly with a 'thanks'.

"I made some dinner...you're welcome to stay and have some." Grace cast out her line, hoping that the tone of reconciliation was clear in her voice. Paul paused for a second, taking a long drink from his beer and then nodded.

"Yeah, sure I could eat."

Grace nodded back and pushed herself up off the door frame, padding to the kitchen and pulling another bowl down and more silverware. She loaded her bowl and sat at her kitchen table. Paul washed his hands and grabbed himself a serving and sat across from her. They ate in silence for a while before Paul, trying to bridge the gap, said:

"So how are applications going? Settled on a school yet?"

Grace looked up at him and finished chewing before she said, "Yeah, there's a couple. I'm trying to stay in the area, but I honestly can't picture myself being in college and managing pack duties."

The truth came out so easily with Paul. Her worry was clearly etched on her face and Paul looked at her for a long minute before saying, resolved: "You can absolutely do it. Sam supports it and we're not meant to do this forever, I don't think."

Grace shrugged and gave a little sigh as they continued eating. The conversation ebbed and flowed easily between them. She asked about working at a furniture store where he repaired and built pieces for customers, but Paul was chomping at the bit to open his own place. They talked about pack discourse, how many more they thought would phase, and the unending painfest that was the Leah-Sam-Emily triangle.

"At some point, she's gotta let it go," Paul said harshly. Grace stopped at this, having long ago finished her food as Paul worked his way through a third bowl.

"It's not easy losing someone to an imprint Paul….you should understand that," Grace said sadly. Paul looked up at her suddenly.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean….of course," he stopped and looked at her, sadness evident in his eyes. "I just meant that with Leah and the wolf telepathy, it can be a lot reliving someone else's pain all the time. She's made no effort to move on and you….well you and Jake seem to be doing good, right?" Paul said this carefully, trying not to let his voice betray anything.

Grace nodded desperately wanting to change the subject, "Yeah I guess. Speaking of imprints, how's Rachel?" She was nothing if not a glutton for punishment. Paul started at this, his face colored in surprise and then quickly devolving into irritation, or maybe it was desperation, Grace couldn't tell.

"Yeah uh… I mean, not great." Paul finally admitted taking another drink of his beer. Grace got up to get herself another. She was already feeling pretty tipsy, but if this is what she needed to feel at ease with Paul and push them past this awkward stage of their relationship, she would do it. As she clipped open the top of her fourth, she turned and made her way back to him, asking a question she didn't want to know the answer to:

"Why?" Paul gave her a hard stare.

"Contrary to popular belief, having an imprint doesn't mean they immediately fall head over heels for you. We're figuring each other out...She wants to take it slow and I'm fine with that but…" he paused looking at his food, "I never get to see her and when I do, it's like she's looking for the exit."

"Maybe she's scared," Grace offered. "Fate being shoved upon you without your consent is a lot to take in at once."

"Right.." Paul said and then he looked at Grace with a strange look on his face. One that showed the pain that she had seen the last time they were alone together in his house. His eyes trying to stay trained on her face, but memory revealed her to him. "But maybe she sees something else in me."

Grace didn't say anything. Her eyes were hard as stone. She was resolved not to feel anything at this moment but was having a tough time when Paul was staring at her like she was something he would lovingly consume if she let him.

"Maybe she can see through me," Paul said, "And see that I'm….that you.." he couldn't finish his sentence and Grace hoped like hell that he wouldn't. Finally, she found the courage to say,

"She'll come around, just give her time." But her voice was thick, her eyes glassy, and she hadn't bothered to push up the fallen tank top strap on her shoulder laying bare. Paul looked to her shoulder, and then to her chest, her nipples pushing against the thin fabric of her tank top. His breath hitched in his throat as he tried to swallow down a new hunger. He slowly pulled his eyes back up to hers and traced the line of her parted lips with his gaze.

"Right, thanks," he said. She got up and grabbed her bowl reaching over him to grab his.

"You done?" she said, the air electric and dangerous around her. The uncertainty Grace had felt pulling at her earlier in the day was making a comeback. Nothing felt solid under feet and in these moments, she felt reckless.

"Yeah," he said letting her take his bowl. She placed them in the sink and pressed the water on, working to scrub at them and give herself a needed distraction. She could smell the warm cedar and sharp smell of the wood stain emanating off his body. It was making her dizzy. She closed her eyes, pressing a cold, wet hand to her cheeks when suddenly he was behind her.

"Grace." he said. She turned the water off, trying to compose herself before turning around and leaning against the sink, her hands resting on the rim.

"Yeah?" she said, trying to sound cheerful, but her resolve was crumbling. That hungry look was back in Paul's eyes and she felt her knees getting weak. When they had been together, she was certain of almost nothing, but she knew she loved him then and that was solid ground. So she stepped forward, seeking refuge in that feeling from the chaos that uncertainty afforded her now.

He was closer to her now, not saying anything. He brought a hand to her damp cheek and the searing warmth electrified her body. Her eyes searched his for some sort of solace, but all that she found there was desire. Desire would do for now. Her breath was low and shallow as she brought a hand to clasp around his wrist.

Want was clear in her eyes as they slowly wet with tears and she gasped out a pleading, "Paul."

He leaned down in one swift movement and pressed his lips to hers and her body reacted to his familiar warmth. Her arms were around his neck and before she knew it he lifted her up under her thighs to place her on the kitchen counter, his breath hot on her throat as his hands searched under and then pulled her free of her tank top.

His lips were around her breasts, thumbing roughly across the free nipple that wasn't encased in his mouth and making Grace let out a soft cry of pleasure. Her hands were in his hair that he had let grow out some and when he leaned up to search her face for permission, she brought his lips to hers once again so that he wouldn't see the doubt rising there. He had pulled his shirt off and then lifted her up from the counter taking her to the couch where he laid her underneath him kissing his way down her naked top half and roughly pulling off her jean shorts.

His breath was greedy around her center and his hands ripped her underwear in his haste to undress her. Grace was spiraling, letting the sounds of the crashing waves outside wipe clear any reasoning her mind was trying to scream at her as Paul pressed his tongue between her legs, causing her to shake with release at being touched like this again.

Before either of them had a chance to stop one another, Paul was out of his jeans, had discarded his boxers and was pushing his way into Grace. This time was unlike any of the other times they had made love before. This was different, this was hard, heavy, fast, as if they were searching for something they had lost in one another, greedy for another taste of what was no longer there. Paul pounded into her desperately chasing down a feeling he had been looking forward to in Rachel but had not succeeded in finding.

He flung Grace to sit on top of him and as she moved her hips quickly, grinding into his lap, he pressed his mouth to her breasts once more. His hands guided her hips down hard down on him and when they finally reached their end, releasing into one another, satisfaction eluded them.

Breathing heavily, covered in sweat, they stared at one another in horror.

"Fuck," Grace said between fast breaths. Paul's face mirrored hers. They had been chasing a mistake and now, they were basking in the unrelenting dread and pain of their action.

"Fuck!" Grace said more forcefully as she swung herself off of him and desperately pulled on her tank top and shorts. Hand to her head she started pacing the room as Paul dressed quickly.

"Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck," Grace said, tears readily coming now.

"Grace calm down, it's okay," Paul said, not convinced of his own words.

"It is not fucking okay. I'm with Jake, you're supposed to be with Rachel. This was a fucking mistake!" She yelled.

Paul nodded, understanding the gravity of what they had done.

"We're fucked," Grace said squatting down and placing a hand on the ground to steady herself.

"I need to go talk to Rachel," Paul deadpanned, realization pulling over him. Grace was terrified looking at him with wide eyes.

"What?! Paul! Wait. I…" He was right though. There was no way out of this. "I need to tell Jake first! Just let me...let me figure out what I need to say and I…" tears splashed on the hardwood floor and Paul shook his head heading toward the front door.

"I have to tell her now," Paul said, determination and anger building in himself. He was frightening, shaking, a new figure before her. And as he crashed away through the night, a blind ball of fur and fury, she placed her hand over her mouth to hold in a devastating cry.

The light of dawn broke over the waves earlier than Grace wanted it to. She hadn't slept, her face was red and her eyes burned from crying so much. She sat on her porch steps waiting for anything, something to wash away the pain of what she'd done.

Just past 7 a.m. with the sun clear above the horizon now, she was stirred from her stupor from a sound coming from her left. Jake walked into the clearing, a smile already plastered across his face, so eager and happy. It crushed Grace.

She had been so stupid. Her uncertainty had driven her to do something terrible to the one person she knew she couldn't live without.

"Hey!" he said as he came up the path toward her. Once he got a little closer, he saw how red and tired her face was. Her hair was in knots around her face and he honestly thought she'd been attacked at first. She looked wild, broken. His instinct was to run to her but she held up a hand to ensure he kept his distance.

"What happened?! Are you okay?" His eyes were swimming with worry and he was desperate to get near her, his whole body burned to be next to her and it took almost everything in him to not move. Grace was trying not to sob but her eyes betrayed her.

"Jake," she managed, "I have to tell you something."

He was frozen in fear. The anticipation was enough to start him shaking, but he held together. Nothing could have prepared him as Grace opened his mouth, saying barely above a whisper:

"I made a mistake."