Chapter 6: Now it's a Party

He was so excited that she was here today, but he wasn't going to show it. His imprint was a bit skittish, and he had to plan precisely to get her to come near him. If he moved to fast or came to close without checking everything first, she would jump away from him. And he wanted her close not running away from him. He had made some progress two days ago at Charlie's house, he couldn't have been happier about how that night went and of course he went to the coffee shop yesterday as well.

He wasn't sure why but she seemed to be trying to avoid him now more then ever. He thought they made a good connection at Charlie's place, talking about their cultures. But yesterday and today she acted like it never happened and he was nothing more then a stranger to her.

She wasn't shy that was for sure, she talked to the other people here just fine. But with him she actively tried to move away from. Embry's snarky remark about him being so scary that he scared away his imprint just made him angrier, when she jumped away when she first arrived and stayed about 10 feet from him at all time for the first hour of this party. Really that asshole was itching for a beating sometimes.

Her reaction to his kiss upset him too, at Jake's house. He didn't understand it at first but after he thought about it a little more, he realized that it may not have been him, but something about what she was running away from. That made him angrier. She said she was a runway; someone must have hurt her. And from her reaction to him, he could imagine what kind of hurt that may have been; it infuriated him, his wolf wanted to hunt the bastards down, who would dare hurt him imprint. The other problem is that he didn't knew anything about her past, only a vague picture that she told him about. He could tell that she was holding something back. Of course, she was, if she would only talk to him, he wanted to growl in frustration.

But right now, his wolf was content to stay right where he was. He had maneuvered himself to be right next to her at the party and if he could help it, he would be staying right here all through the party.

Party wasn't an appropriate term for what they were doing this afternoon. They were gathered for an afternoon Barbeque at Billy's place, Jake's dad, it was about 2 pm in the afternoon. They had chased way the redhead to the Canadian border again, and from their previous dealings with her she wouldn't be back for a few days.

So, they were all free for a change, Sam letting them take this afternoon's patrol off. They would be back at it tonight. Sam had setup three 8-hour patrol shifts, 8am to 4pm, 4pm to 12pm and 12 pm to 8am; morning, evening, and late shifts they called them, at least two wolves to a shift. The fact that Quil recently joined their pack made this setup a lot easier, now no one had to run a double if they didn't want too. They set it up that if the wolves on patrol howled, that the others would phase and help out with the situation. But we all teased each other before a shift about crying wolf, but we all knew Sam would have our hide if one of us ever did that.

But now he was sitting in a chair right behind her as Daiane sits at the wooden picnic table with Kim and a few other members of the tribe. Mostly Kim's friends and siblings of some of the other wolves, Rebecca—Jake's sister, Hunter—Sam's much younger brother, and Sunny—Kim's best friend.

He sees Jake over on the other side of the yard with the leech lover, Bella. Really, he couldn't understand why he liked her so much. She wasn't his imprint; Jake didn't have one yet. He scans the scene, seeing all the pack here with their imprints, Sam and Emily, Quil with little Claire, Jared was here with Kim too, but she was preoccupied at the moment.

He moves a little closer to Daiane as she talks to Kim, Jared's imprint. They were taking about some show they saw on TV, Bachelor something or another. Daiane didn't seem as interested in it as Kim and Sunny did, but she was going along with whatever Kim said out of politeness. He pushes another plate of food into her hands, she was too thin for his liking, and quite frankly she could pack it away, his little imprint. This was the fourth plate of food he had passed to her, and she didn't disappoint him with this plate of food either, she started eating the moment it was in her hands.

He liked this, giving her food, he felt useful. And that was the one and only thing he would change about his imprint. Why didn't his imprint act like the other imprints? Jake's words last week rang in his head, why didn't she run too him like the other imprints? Emily was all over Sam when they were together, she loved him back just as much as Sam loved her. Kim had a crush on Jared for years and was over the moon when he imprinted on her, now she spent every minute she could with Jared. She even came to the portal changes to see him off and welcome him back. Quil's imprint was two, but she clung to him like glue when they were together.

Why didn't Daiane feel the pull between them? He sure did, all he wanted was to be near her. Why didn't she want him just as much?

She was one of the strongest women he had ever met. She took care of herself well, except for her eating habits, but she exercised, she was kind to the people around her and she loved the woods too. He would see her walking in the woods sometimes, he would follow her in wolf form at those times, staying at a good distance so she wouldn't see him and get scared. But he couldn't help himself when he noticed her scent in the air, she would stop and climb up a tree and lounge there for hours, like a cat. But sometimes when he followed her through the woods, he would lose her somehow. This always irritated him, when he lost her, but she always returned to Charlie's house.

He moved closer to her, brushing his arm against her shoulder but he tried to cover the motion by grabbing the ketchup next to her. He could tell that she was aware of his presents behind her, but she was stubborn. She kept looking over her shoulder but would quickly turn back when she locked eyes with him. You didn't have to be shy, look all you want little one. His wolf was content to be her friend for now, but the man in him wasn't, especially after that kiss.

"Paul," someone shouts.

He looks around the yard at the sound of his name. He sees Billy Black, Jake's father with Sue Clearwater in a small group with the other elders here. But none of them looked like they called him, leaning his chair back and craning his neck to look behind them, he notices an arm waving at him. Embry and Leah start walk over in his direction. Embry looks like he wanted to start something, or maybe that was the young wolf's normal face, Embry smiles playfully at him like a pup wanting to play tug-of-war. Leah on the other hand seems to have a standing bitch face after Sam imprinted on Emily. She didn't really like talking to him anymore after he imprinted either, like she resented any of the wolves that imprinted. If that was the case well to bad, he was happy to find his imprint and at the rate they were all going to imprint soon.

He nods quickly to Embry, but he was not giving up his prized spot next to Daiane for that ass hat anytime soon. They come over to him, "Paul," Embry says, grabbing his shoulder playfully, "Do you want to play a little game?"

No, he wanted to stay right here next to Daiane. But Daiane looks to Embry excitedly and says, "A game."

"Yeah," Embry says. "Claire wants to play a game and there are no other kids here so… Anyways she wants to do a Bear Race and maybe a Frog Race."

"A Bear race," Hunter says, raising his arms over his head. "Who racing?" He was around 8 he thinks.

"How do you play?" she asks. Did she really want to play a child's game? His imprint was amazing. She would make a great mother, unlike his own, he thinks to himself. Billy thought that imprinting was a way for the spirit warriors to found the strongest mates to make sure the gene passed to the next generation. He was sure that their children would be strong and happy with her as their mother. He couldn't help thinking about her playing with two little ones that look like mix of himself and her, the same happy smile on her face that she had now as she played silly games with them.

"A Bear Race is just a race to the finish line, but you have to imitate a bear while doing it. It a shuffling gait, placing your left hand and right foot forward at the same time then your right foot and left hand," Paul explains to her. Embry to their left start imitating a bear as he explains, frowning and growling with comical silliness. "The first over the finish line wins; or the one with the best imitation of a bear. Wins."

"What about the Frog Race?" she asks. "Same thing just frog hops?"

"Pretty much," he answers.

"Sounds fun," she says to Embry and follows him and the others to the place Quil was waiting for them with Claire, she yanks at his arm trying to bring him to the ground. It was funny seeing Quil act all defenseless as Claire climbs all over him, like she is wrestling him. Like a tiny 2-year-old could defeat a wolf, Quil was five times her size, and that was being kind.

They line up at the starting line for the Bear Race, Quil, Paul, Daiane, Hunter, and Leah. It was more like a Bear Walk, no one wants to beat little Claire as she tries so hard to win, and of course she does. Quil congratulating her like a true big brother afterward.

The Frog Race is a little more challenging for the older players. Claire and Hunter had the easiest time with squatting down and holding their ankle as they hop to the finish line. The older racers struggle to hop in such an awkward position, but if they let go of their ankles they had to go back to the starting line. And after Claire wins, she was the referee and she wasn't going to let anyone break the rules, well maybe Quil if he wasn't such a push over.

Half way to the finish line Daiane loses her footing as she holds her ankles and tips over Left into him, knocking them both to the ground in a heap of arms and legs. He hears her musical laughter as he holds her so she isn't on the cold ground. Her laugh is infectious and he laugh out loud too. But too soon Claire jumps over to them and demands that they return to the starting line, huffing and puffing in her authoritative childish way. Thankfully Quil comes over and distracts her so Paul can have a few more moment holding his imprint, he would have to remember to thank him later.

She still laughs uncontrollably on top of him, but she slides off him, a moment later. She laughs still as she watches Claire orders around Quil, as she demands a bowl of ice cream. Quil fights the good fight against the toddler's demands but as always, he fells to her doe eyed look and heads to the fridge for the ice cream as the toddler jumps for joy. That girl was going to end up the most spoiled little brat in the world, with Quil as her imprint.

"Is she his little sister?" Daiane asks.

"No," Paul answers. "Well, Quil act like her brother."

"Cousins, niece?"

"No, they're not related."

"Really," she says in surprise. "He acts like a—"

"He acts like a whimpering dog around her," Paul says, irritated. "That's what he is."

She stares at him with an unreadable expression. What was she thinking? Did she not like what he said? He tries to say something to smooth things over but she bursts out laughing again saying, "You're right he does!"

"I can't believe her parents let him act like that around her," she says. "They have to know that he is spoiling her rotten."

"They don't have much of a choose in the matter," he says off handedly.

"What do you mean?" she asks. He couldn't answer that without telling her that it was because he imprinted on their daughter and Quil was probably the best person to have around their daughter. He would be anything for her and do everything he could to protect her.

He jumps up to his feet and holds out his hand to help her up, she takes it and stands next to him. "I can't really say. It not my business," he says as an answer to her question. "Are you thirsty?"

She nods and they walk over to a table filled with food and drinks. After all that food she ate, she had to be parched. He pours hers and then himself a glass of orange soda and starts up a conversation about the new Star Wars movies and how they couldn't hold a candle to the original ones from the 70s and 80s. She made some great points about how the new ones aren't as good because they didn't have the same film editor. She was smart and knowledgeable about movies and film production, maybe he could ask her to come over the watch something with him, since they didn't watch the movie at Charlie's house.

He finds something new about his imprint as they talk, she loves movies. She talked about film and movies so passionately. She when into the way they would hold the camara and positioning, the first Star Wars film were so revolutionary in the way it was shot, that a new piece of camera tech had to be created. Something Dykstraflex, she sounded like she knew everything about it.

Now he really wanted to ask she over for a movie night, they could watch all the Star Wars films together. But before he could ask her, a commotion by the tree line draws most of the wolves' attention and some of the others. Paul notices Daiane go stiff next to him as they turn to the tree line. Three men emerge from the woods in tee shirts and jeans. Two of them have bronze skin but one is lighter like a honey tone like Daiane's, they're all tall and athletically built, lean muscles. He looks to Sam, who stands at attention watching the newcomers wearily. He looks back at the strangers, they were just standing there like they were waiting for something.

What was going on? Everyone at the party turns their attention to the three men now, even those who were preoccupied with games and food, noticing the change in atmosphere. Paul reluctantly walks over to Sam and Jared, giving up him prized spot by Daiane. And he just got her talking too, damn interruptions.

"What are you thinking?" Paul asks.

"If they are human, we will just ask them to leave," Sam says. "This is Billy's house they have no right to be here without his permission."

"And if they aren't," Jared says.

"Then we will take action," Sam says.

They start to move over to the unwelcomed guests, but before they can take more than two steps, Daiane is walking right at the three men, unaccompanied. Paul sees Bella call for her, but Daiane puts her hand out and with a look that say not to argue and stay where you are.

He takes a step, ready to run to her side, only to have a hand grab his shoulder stopping him from going to his imprint. He turns, furious at the one who stopped him. Sam holds him in place, "Stop, we can't show ourselves here."

The fuck they couldn't, everyone here knew what they were, everyone except his imprint. He was still angry at that, Sam's stupid gag order. She was his imprint; she would have to know about them eventually. Growling at Sam, he shakes off his hand and turns to watch his imprint, at the slightest sign of trouble he would be all over those motherfuckers, and he would make them regret coming here.

Daiane reaches them and by the way she gestures he could tell her wasn't happy to see them. They talk for a moment and Daiane looks back at them a few times, worry in her eye. He takes another step but Sam and Jared step in front of him blocking his path to her. He growls, why were they doing this. Daiane was his imprint someone the tribe and the pack always said was to be protected.

Daiane points to the woods behind the newcomers and she looks like she would go with them into the woods. He wasn't going to let that happen and starts jogging over to them, pushing passed Jared and Sam as they tell him to stop, but he wasn't going to listen and then—

WHACK!

One of the men swings his arm out hitting her right across the face and sending her flying 10 feet into the air. Paul sees red and Sam and Jared know what was going to happen as they move closer to him to calm him down before he kills someone. Oh, someone was going to die and Paul knew just who it was. That bastard in the red shirt, the one that hit Daiane, thanks for making yourself stand out, motherfucker.

Daiane transforms in the air as she falls back to Earth. What lands, tearing into the Earth with sharp claws, was not his tiny imprint, but a large black panther. The sleek long body of a predator with jet black fur, but he could see spot in the panther's coat black with black spots. Its legs were short but powerful with a long commanding tail, that whipped out in warning.

They all stop in their tracks shock by the transformation and he heard Jared say, "Holy hell what is that?!"

But Paul doesn't notice him as he sees the three men at the tree line transform and three panthers/leopards, with light colored fur with black and brown spot, start running at the black panther. 'His imprint' his mind screams at him, releasing him of his shock, he needed to take action to protect his mate.

The large black cat roars as the three other leopards charge at her. The black panther moves quickly and dodges the first one then hitting the next with a powerful paw to its head sending the leopard to the ground. But before she can do much damage the last ram into her, claws and teeth tearing into the black panther's arm, and throw her to the ground, three large cats against one black panther. This all happens so fast no one can take any action, but Paul is the first one to start running and phases on the fly into a wolf, this was his mate, the one he was meant to be with. He would do anything for her, and right now she needed his protection. He doesn't look back to see if his brothers are behind him, right now he didn't care if he had to fight this battle alone, the only thing on his mind was 'protect my mate.'

But he didn't have to worry, Sam and Jared were behind him, charging the large cats. All three were on top of the black panther now, tearing at her as she roars and hisses. The black panther tries her hardest to maneuver her way from under one of them. Paul rams into that one and starts aggressively tearing into its fur with his teeth, this one was his. He tastes blood in his mouth as he bites into the cat's shoulder and uses his front paws to rips into him.

He hears the voices and screams of his tribe behind him at the unexpiated battle, but he pays it no mind. Embry, Jake, Leah and Quil join the fight and the cats run off into the woods. He wants to follow them but the sound of the wounded black panther, draws his attention. Looking over at the black panther, blood coursing from her front leg and middle, the wounds look deep and Paul is struck by the most intense fear he has every know.

'Jared, lead Leah, Quil and Embry after them. Make sure they are well off our lands. Or if you catch up with them, capture one.' Sam says in the pack mind. They all jump to his command.

Jake starts to go with them but Sam says, 'No, Jake stay here and watch our back as we handle this one.'

What did Sam mean by this one? The black panther shifts back to Daiane laying on the ground in pain, blood covering her body. She's naked but Paul doesn't notice as he shifts back too and runs to her side, naked as well. She tries to open her eyes and move but it is clearly too much for her. Slashes and maul marks cover her left arm and torso, blood still pouring for her wounds.

"SUE," Paul screams, as tears pour from his eyes, he doesn't care who may see him crying, as he gentle pick up her face in his hands to look at her. She's pale and cold to his touch, "SUE PLEASE COME QUICK!"

Sue was a nurse; she could stop the bleeding. She had too, he would die with Daiane if she didn't. He never knew this much pain as he looked at Daiane unconscious face. A hand touches his shoulder but he doesn't move until Sue arrives and starts working on her wounds, he does whatever Sue says to help Daiane. "Put your hand here." "Hold this." "Keep this tight." "I need a bandage," those Sam and Jake got. He couldn't leave her, not even for a moment. What if this was the last time, he would see her alive, he couldn't bring himself to be away from her. He would do anything to save her, he would give her anything; hold any weight, give her his blood, an organ, his very beating heart if needed to save her.

Sue worked hard to save her; Paul couldn't find fault with her. But after about an hour she says that they can move her. Someone brings over a tablecloth, to cover Daiane, preserve her modesty.

Paul picks her up as gentle as possible with the cloth wraps around her, her blood seeps out in a few places, staining the cloth and giving it a grim appearance. He never experienced so much control in his whole shifter life as he did now. He could feel his wolf howling inside him for blood, but the human half of him push it back with only a flick of his wrist, Daiane needed him here and he would stay by her side.