Your arms around me come undone
Makes my heart beat like a drum
See the panic in my eyes
Kiss me only when I cry
Cause you always want what you're running from
And you know this is more than you can take
Baby don't forget my name
When the morning breaks us
Baby please don't look away
When the morning breaks us
Oh your touch, so bittersweet

Ellie Goulding - Bittersweet

Chapter 18: Changing Tides

Brady

I could tell by the look on Lexi's face that keeping a secret from Regan wouldn't be easy for her. My imprint had grown close to Seth's imprint over the past eight months and were best friends, so keeping the wolfy secret would be no easy feat. I knew Lexi was trustworthy, so I didn't feel bad about telling her. I just hated how she had to keep it a secret from one of her best friends. Living the life I did, I knew that keeping secrets from those people close to you was never easy or fun. Part of me dreaded the idea of dragging someone as innocent to the ways of the world as Lexi into the web of white lies and fibs we would have to tell due to my lifestyle. Being in a relationship with a wolf was no easy feat –chances were that she would eventually have to tell someone a lie just to cover up my secret. I didn't like making her do that but what choice did I have?

I dug my toes into the cool, freshly cut grass and waited for her response. She was blushing as she tried not to look at my naked form, but that didn't bother me – I wanted her to see the goods if that would help her decide to be with me.

"So...just don't tell Regan yet, alright? Seth is going to figure out a way to tell her soon."

Lexi gave me her signature skeptical look but still nodded. "Okay...but why hasn't he told her again?"

"Who knows. Look….can you just promise?"

"I promise."

"Thanks," I said calmly. I was about to reconsider breaking my promise not to kiss her again as she stood before me, but another beating heart besides our own began approaching. Looking up, I quickly zeroed my talented ears inside the house where her stepfather Patrick was quickly approaching. Lexi turned around to follow my gaze with a panicked expression. I backed silently away while her head was turned and melted into the woods a millisecond before Patrick opened the basement sliding glass door. I bit back a quiet snicker as Lexi turned back around and searched the space behind her where I'd just been standing with a slightly bewildered look on her face. In the dark cover of the woods, I smiled.

I'd win her over yet. It would just be a bumpy ride.

I cowered behind a tree as Patrick walked out onto the brick patio. "Lexi?"

"Yeah?" she asked in a quaking voice. I'd clearly unsettled her with my stealthy retreat.

"What are you doing out here, honey?"

"Just...getting some air," she replied lamely. I rolled my eyes at her silly response. There wasn't a really 'logical' explanation per se for this situation, but Lexi would have to work on her fibbing skills if she was going to have a shape shifter for a best friend (and hopefully something more). I waited for her to return back inside with Patrick. She walked through the grass towards him, glancing behind her with a leery expression a few times before finally wiping her bare feet on the rug. Patrick ushered her inside and slid the door shut.

"Are you alright?"

"Um...yeah," she smiled. I peered out from behind the tree and focused my hearing so that I could hear what was going on through the glass.

"You've been acting a little different these past few weeks. Your dad and I are getting' kinda worried, kid. Everything alright?"

I heard my imprint sigh. "Yeah, I guess. I mean...things are just changing. Senior year, ya know."

"Right. Well...if you need to talk I'm here, okay?" Patrick's voice had taken on a soothing tone that he tended to use around her. Her father was a bit clipped and harsh at times, whereas his partner, Patrick was the one who preferred to coddle her a bit.

"I know. Thanks Patrick."

"You gonna stay down here? You want some company?"

"Um...you know what? Sure. I'm not ready to go to sleep yet."

"Too much on your mind?"

Lexi snorted. "That's putting it lightly."

I listened to them settle back down on the couch together, the fabric rustling slightly. I heard the opening tunes to The Notebook and had to smile to myself at the memory I had of watching that movie with Lexi. She was definitely a die-hard romantic at heart. Shaking my head, I pushed away from the tree and phased.

I kept the memory carefully guarded in the back of my mind as I ran back towards the west, the voices of my pack mates joining my head. They were all several miles over in a clearing for another training session with Freaky Fred.

You're late, Jake's un-approving voice boomed in my ears.

Imprint business, I explained without elaborating. I felt Seth's questioning thoughts as his mind invaded my own. He had been looking for answers on how to approach the imprint subject to Regan for a long time. His mind searched for what I'd told Lexi, but I wasn't going to help him out. I could tell he was looking for helpful hints on breaking the wolfy news.

Not so fast, I told him. I told Lexi on my own, so you can tell Regan without my help. You're a smart pup, I teased, racing through the woods. He snarled in response, clearly in no mood to deal with my antics tonight. I watched through Jacob's thoughts as the freaky nomadic vampire named Fred that the Cullen's had somewhat adopted stood in the middle of the clearing. My pack mates were taking turns sparring with him as he flexed his repulsive talent. I slid into the clearing and locked eyes with the pale blonde freak, my hackles standing up with the challenge of a fight.

He turned to me with his new ocher gaze and nodded. Fred, or Freaky Fred, as I called him was spending his time bouncing back and forth between the Cullen home in Forks and the Denali home in Alaska. He didn't trust himself around humans yet, and as a new vegetarian vampire, he greatly enjoyed the outdoors and what the openness of the olympic peninsula had to offer. I guess he'd been somewhat of a budding scientist when he was changed – he had been out in the woods collecting data for a college project when he was cut short and kidnapped by Riley for that red headed bitch Victoria to change. He escaped the newborn arm we'd annihilated because he could tell the due was up to no good and he wanted out. So, he'd been living as a nomad ever since then. He'd only found the Cullens earlier that spring after we had originally found him after prom. He'd been trying to be a vegetarian for almost a year with only sporadic success, so he knew he need to try to find others of his kind. I couldn't blame him for wanting to separate himself from temptation; in fact, I sort of respected him for it. From what Edward had described to Seth, being around humans without practice was like being in a steakhouse after not eating for days. The smells would eventually make you ravenous if you weren't careful.

As much as I hated him, I did realize that that evil fuck Riley had stolen his life away and it was not by his personal choice, unlike Bella Swan, a human girl who chose that life. The fewer humans he killed, the better.

However, he was still a fucking bloodsucker that I had to fight the urge to kill.

I surged forward through the dirt and mud, my paws gaining traction as I sped up. I leaped into the air at the last second, hoping to miss the arc of his disgusting talent as he projected the invisible force towards me. I thought I had him until my ass hit the ground, and I could taste mud and grass in my teeth.

Shit. So much for that.

I lowered myself to my belly the next day, my eyes peering through the trees. I listened intently as my father's truck fired up and rolled out of the driveway, leaving my mother alone in the house. Satisfied that I wouldn't be caught, I quickly phased back to human form and pulled on a dirty pair of ripped shorts. I crossed the lawn and gave a tired yawn before letting myself in through the front door.

"Hello?"

"Brady?"

My mother came from the kitchen, her long hair up in a messy knot on top of her head. She was in a pair of yoga pants and a zip up sweatshirt, the purple bags under her eyes apparent.

"You look awful," she sighed, her shoulder slumping. "You father just left."

"I know," I sighed. "What's wrong?"

She shrugged. "I was worried about you. Did you and Lexi make up?"

I nodded. "Of course we did."

My mother sighed in exasperation and shook her head at me. "I was worried she—"

"Look ma, I'm still getting the hang of this whole imprint situation myself, alright? But even if we fight, which we always do, we'll get over it. That's what this whole thing is about."

I followed her into the kitchen as she gave me a skeptical glare over her shoulder. "Right. Well, by the way you were acting the other night I wouldn't be shocked if the girl washed her hands of you. Who are you to tell her she can't go to college?"

I rolled my eyes and sat down at the kitchen counter. "Gee, where might I have seen a man stupidly trying to bully a woman into doing whatever he wanted?" I deadpanned.

She gave me an understanding look before shaking her head again and firing up the stove. "BLTs okay?"

I grinned and nodded. "Sounds perfect."

"Your father is just...stubborn. He think he knows what's best, it's not that he's trying to be mean to me. He just wants what's best."

"Sure he does."

"Brady...I had hoped you would inherit his other traits. Seriously, you need to remember that the next time you talk to Lexi. She's so young and impressionable. It's clear she doesn't have a lot of experience with boys, honey. Don't let her first experience be a horrible one, full of fights and guilt trips and all that."

I sighed. "Mom, I'm not trying to be an asshole. I'm trying to make her love me and want to be with me because we belong together."

My mother gave an exasperated sigh as she ripped open the bag of bacon. "Well Brady, if that's what you want, then you have to give her a reason to love you. You can't just expect to snap your fingers and get her to automatically fall in love with you, crazy imprint magic be damned. Love isn't like that. Especially not first love. That's not the way it works, I'm afraid."

I scrubbed my face with my hands and gave an exasperated growl. "Well, then how does it fucking work? I've done everything I can. I've been her friend. I've been there for her. I've tried being calm, funny, nice, cheerful...argh," I grunted. "I'm running out of ideas."

My mother shook her head at me. "She's a seventeen year old girl that has never had a boyfriend before – if that was you, how would you want to be treated?"

I watched the bacon snap and jump on the grill, the enticing aroma filling the large kitchen. My mother shook her head and reached for one of the wine glasses on the shelf next to her, her other hand going for the already open bottle of Pinot. My eyes followed her movements as she poured herself a glass to drink as she waited for the bacon to cook. I stood up and moved to put some bread in the toaster.

"Little early for that, don't you think?" I asked.

She tossed her head and gave me a meek smile. "I had a rough morning."

Figuring it was useless to argue, I loaded up the toaster and sat back down at the counter. "I'm just...she's not like other girls. None of my old charming tricks work on her and she's making me—"

"Work for it?" my mother interrupted. She smirked to herself and sipped her wine. "I knew I liked her for a reason."

I ate lunch with my mom and headed home after that, my emotions in a full tailspin after an afternoon of relationship pointers. My mother had spent the last twenty five years of her life in a marriage with a man who was my carbon copy, and that was the exact opposite of what I wanted to be in life. He treated her like dirt, and I didn't want to the cycle to continue. However, I knew boys sometimes had a tendency to turn out like their fathers. How could I stop it? My father was the last person I wanted to be.

I strode into the house past Embry, who was reading the newspaper at the kitchen table. He gave me a skeptical look as I plunked a handle of very expensive whiskey down on the table in front of him.

"I've been a dick roommate lately. Apologies," I offered.

He eyed me with his dark brown gaze for a moment and nodded. Apology accepted then. We'd torn into each other a few times in wolf form lately as a result of a tension filled living situation at home, but gnawing on each other in wolf form was hardly a sign that everything was okay between us. I knew I'd been more of a dick than usual for the past few months. I felt like my life had been turned upside down since I met Lexi in the spring, and now that it was late summer, I knew I was long overdue for an apology.

Embry held a grudge, but apparently I'd caught him on a good day. "Help me drink this sometime and we'll be all good," he said finally, giving me a brotherly nod. I grinned and slapped my palm against his. That I could definitely do.

August had slipped by and before we knew it, September was in full swing. While the weather had been a little colder than normal, it was actually sunny for a change, and I found myself immersed in construction work. I was putting the finishing details on Lexi's father's carriage house after work and on the weekends and was soon running out of excuses to hang around without looking like a complete creep. I think her father was on to me; every time she would bring me out water or lemonade and linger to chat for half an hour, I'd always sense him watching.

But that was okay. As long as I got to spend time with Lexi and build up our friendship, that was fine with me. We were steadily becoming best friends and even flirting a little. I'd backed off on the touching and kissing and all that to try to help my chances along, but I was quickly growing impatient. With any other girl, withholding the affection I so badly craved (not to mention the physical stuff), I would have gotten bored and been long gone by this point.

But Lexi...

She only intrigued me more. The more I learned about her and the more time I actually spent with her, the more I yearned to do even more of it. We talked for hours about the stupidest, most trivial things but somehow...somehow that helped us bond. She was now used to Forks and closer than ever to Regan and Claire, and she was clearly thriving during her senior year of high school. She'd stopped talking about going away to college even though I was sure she still thought about it. Any mention of next year brought a looming cloud over us, so we avoided the topic altogether. I was honestly trying to take my mother's advice and cross my fingers that Lexi would see the real me, instead of the me from the past.

My mother was right all along; I needed to be a worthy first love. For her, I would be.

Seth sat slumped over the table, a tumbler full of ice and whiskey gripped in his hands. I cringed and glanced at one of the few remaining glasses we had as it strained to stay in one piece despite his grip. We were sitting on our back deck at the tiny house I shared with Embry, the three of us doing our best to get drunk. I wasn't a huge drinker in that sense (drinking to get drunk), but I knew Seth could use it tonight.

"Easy on the glass. That's actually one of the nicer ones," Embry chided him, reading my mind. I smirked and took another drink. We all knew why Seth was a bit 'on edge'.

"She turns eighteen tomorrow," he muttered, rubbing his eyes with his hands. "Eighteen."

"Yeah. Legal. We get it," Embry sighed.

"Age of consent in the state of Washington is sixteen brother," I laughed.

Embry rolled his eyes and Seth growled. "You would know that Brady."

"I'm just sayin', it's legal now, it always has been. Just go for it. Tell her. Take her out to a nice dinner, or a picnic on the cliffs, or something cheesy like that and just come clean."

Both Seth and Embry glared at me. "Just because it's her birthday doesn't mean I'm racing to give her a big...wolfy present," he muttered, taking a long drink. My stomach actually churned a little bit at the amount he quickly consumed. The pricey whiskey I'd given Embry and Seth was smooth but still packed a punch if you drank it quickly. Although, I realized that was probably the point. Seth had been stressing for months about how to tell Regan his secret – both of them, actually. That he was a shape shifting wolf and that he had imprinted on her.

"Just be honest. Be straight up. Girl's gotta appreciate that. Then just...look her in the eye, tell her you love her and always will and bam...in her pants."

Embry groaned and Seth took another drink, shaking his head at me. "Some habits die hard I guess, Brady."

I snorted. I guess he was right. Although hanging out with Lexi changed me for the better, sometimes I still forgot my manners and let the asshole come shining through.

"What are you gonna do when Lexi turns eighteen, smartass? Will things change for you?"

I shook my head. "She knows I'm a wolf. She knows I imprinted on her. I don't think she quite gets what that means, but eh...she'll learn. We'll learn together. We have time," I shrugged. I leaned back in my chair and downed the rest of my whiskey with a grimace. "Lexi is just being a kid right now. I get that. She's seventeen and learning the ropes. Luckily we're good friends now, and I can be around to chaperone."

Embry raised an eyebrow. "You? Chaperone? As in be a good influence? Please do tell."

"Well," I started, reaching for the bottle in the middle of the table, "when I'm around, I can watch her. Make sure other guys don't hit on her. I can also kinda be this older, wiser guy. She knows about my past and how I've gotten around, and I'm able to show her what not to be."

"Good point," Seth growled, shaking his head. I knew he was still a little angry with me that I'd beaten him to the punch so to speak with Regan; however, he knew I regretted that. He'd seen my thoughts.

"I just...I'm around to make sure she's alright. I kinda get to hang around while she figures out life. I duno, she'll be eighteen...crap, I don't know when her birthday is."

Seth snorted. "Regan said it's this week. They're having a sleepover to celebrate. You'd better get on that, Mr Wonderful."

"Shit," I groaned. "I should have known that."

What was I going to do? What was an appropriate gift for your imprint when you were together but not really together?

"You're welcome," he chuckled. "Forgetting an imprint's birthday would have really put you in a shit storm."

"That it would have," I agreed. I downed the rest of my drink and grabbed my phone off the table as I stood up. "Looks like I get to give Quil's pain in the ass imprint a call. Excuse me," I muttered, walking off the porch. I scrolled through my contacts for the one person I knew who would give me some guidance on my birthday dilemma.

I groaned as the screen of my phone lit up with the name I absolutely didn't want to call. Claire picked up on the first ring.

"And what do you want?"

I didn't hide my moan of defeat. "Seth heard from Regan that Lexi's birthday is this week."

Claire snorted into the phone. "It is."

"Seriously? What day?"

"Shouldn't you know this about her? If you're so in love with her then—"

"CLAIRE."

"Fine. Yes, it's on Thursday."

"Do you know what kind of flowers she likes?"

"Again, I think you should know—"

"CLAIRE!"

"Jesus! She liked those irises you sent her earlier this summer."

"I...how did you know about that?"

"Please," Claire snorted, "Lexi gets random flowers like a month after you two meet. Coincidence? No. But she told me she liked them and that roses are overdone."

"Yeah, she told me that too. Well, I wanted to get her something for her birthday and flowers seem nice since she won't go out on a date with me. I'd actually take her someplace nice, but she like...refuses to go in public with me."

Claire made a noise in the back of her throat that made my blood boil because I didn't have to hear her talk to know what she was thinking.

"Just...can it. Thank you for telling me when her birthday is though, I do appreciate it."

"Fine," Claire sighed. "Just get it together before it's too late. And kick Quil in the ass while you're at it, alright?"

"What's wrong with his ass?"

"He just...sees me as a baby still. I don't need a bottle anymore."

I couldn't help myself. "Yeah? You looking for something else to suck on now, big girl."

I laughed out loud as Claire promptly hung up on me. No matter; she'd told me everything I needed to know.

Later that week, I pulled into Lexi's driveway and parked my truck on the side of the new garage. I was finishing up with the trim along the edges, doing touch ups, and cleaning up the mud that had spilled onto the new concrete. I was basically finished with my work there and dreading not having an excuse to come to her house every day. I had work all day up in the town square, so by the time I got to her house, she was already home from school.

Today was her eighteenth birthday and I'd arranged to have a ridiculously large bouquet of red roses delivered to her at school today. It was more to slightly embarrass her and show any of the other guys at school that she was taken. Red roses sent that message, right? Even though Zeke assured me she wasn't ever acting interested when other boys her age pursued her in the hallways, I still worried.

I knew she thought the red roses would be overrated, so I also arranged for another ridiculously large bouquet of yellow sunflowers and wildflowers to be waiting on her bedroom dresser when she got home. And by arranged, I mean I'd hidden in the woods until her dads left that morning before scaling the side of her house and breaking into her bedroom window. Whoops.

I smirked to myself as I heard the side door open and her apple flavored scent hit my nose. I continued painting the trim on the side of the garage as she walked over to me and crossed her arms.

"Can I help you?" I asked, giving her a flirty smile over my shoulder.

She scoffed and tried not to laugh. "What was all that about?"

"What?"

"You know," she growled playfully. "The roses."

"What roses?" I asked, turning around. "Some guy sent you roses?"

She rolled her eyes. "I know you know today is my birthday, Brady, and my dad and Patrick certainly didn't get me two dozen red roses sent to me in the lunchroom with no card."

I tried to hide my smile. "That was nice of someone."

"Yeah, well...needless to say, it drew quite the attention. You're so ridiculous," she chuckled. I heard her hair sway against her jacket as she shook her head at me. "Not to mention the flowers on my dresser. Those were ten times more beautiful, but isn't breaking and entering still against the law?"

I feigned surprise. "Is it breaking and entering if your bedroom window is unlocked?"

I looked over my shoulder to see her eyebrows rise up in surprise. "You climbed up the side of the house and into my window with a gigantic vase of sunflowers in your hand?"

I shrugged. "Who said it was me?"

"Brady..."

"Fine," I snorted. "But I'm supernatural, remember?"

She rolled her eyes again and stomped her foot. "What is it with you and trying to lay some big wolfy claim on me?" she laughed. "You should have seen the faces of the kids at school."

"Good," I laughed, shaking my head. I ran the paintbrush around the corner of the trim and shifted to start on the next piece. I'd paint the shutters next and then I would sadly be finished.

"Just...chill, alright? I'm not dating anyone else."

"I know. I mean obviously if you were dating someone, it would be the joker that sent you two dozen roses."

"Right," she laughed.

I put the brush down and turned around to look at her squarely. "So are you going to let that same joker take you out for a birthday dinner?"

Lexi balked slightly, her blue eyes wide. "Like...like on a date?"

I shrugged. "Not necessarily. Just a birthday dinner. You. Me. Eating. Just dinner."

"Oh, so it's not a date?" she stuttered, a hint of disappointment in her voice.

"Well...it can be whatever you want it to be. I swear. Just...can I take you out to celebrate?"

She twisted her mouth a little before nodding and jamming her hands in her coat pockets. "I suppose a birthday meal is in order."

"Good," I said. "Then it's a date."

Aw, they have a date : )

How do you think Brady handled her birthday? I hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading!