Kim was arguably still pretty pissed at me for making her crash our mom's car into Embry and insinuating that I viewed her life path as frivolous. Still, she took the high road and didn't focus on that in the moments I stormed into her room demanding why her boyfriend, Paul and Quil exploded into wolves and killed a vampire.
She calmly convinced me to take a hot shower and explained that she would answer my questions after. The hot water seemed to wash some of the edge off and when I finished she put out my favorite snacks in my room: some sliced sweet and sour pickles, and multigrain crackers with cheese dip. She turned off the overhead lights and played some Cat Power for me. On my bed she laid out my softest sweats and I pulled them on and dipped under my warm comforter. Kim knew exactly what to do to help me relax.
I laid under my blanket and tried to not see a wolf melt into the shape of Paul, but it wouldn't leave my mind. I still trembled from it.
Under the covers I heard a car pull up and my whole body froze. Kim ran downstairs and answered the door.
"No fucking way, not right now," I heard her say curtly to whoever was at the door. Kim was never one to curse, but now she did it twice in one evening. She was assertive again, like when she was defending herself in the car. This time it was with Jared.
"Come on, baby," he pleaded in his panty dropping tone that always made her do whatever he wanted, "he needs to see her. It's physically killing him. He just needs to make sure she's alright," Jared argued. Kim wasn't having it.
"You're a fucking werewolf, Paul. You can handle a couple hours of not seeing her. She is fine, just totally freaked out and scared." She sounded strong and self-assured. She sounded like a big sister.
Kim ushered the boys out and made her way upstairs. She opened the door to my room and I peaked my head out of my comforter.
"Thanks," I said, quietly. Her lips curled at my words and she sat down on the corner of my bed.
"It's some pretty wild stuff, right?" She asked me.
I breathed in and out thinking about what I witnessed. "I don't even understand what I saw… what is actually happening…" I said to her, searching for something to latch onto.
She let out a deep breath and explained that the legends we had all heard at campfires and at tribal school were actually true. That Paul, Jared and the others were Protectors. They wouldn't hurt me and I shouldn't fear them, they were protectors against cold ones, or vampires. I don't think I would have believed it if I hadn't seen it all myself.
"And you found out about this… last year?" I asked her. She nodded.
"Do you remember when I got sick and you and mom had to pick me up from Emily's house?" I nodded. Kim said at the time that she was dehydrated and fainted. She wouldn't let Jared or any of his friends drive her home, so we drove out to Emily's cottage in the woods and got her. She was nearly shaking and despondent.
"That's when you found out?"
"Yeah, and I passed out in front of the entire pack and Emily. It was just Jared, Paul and Sam then, but…"
"Pack?" I asked, sitting up and resting on my back against the headboard.
"Yeah, like a wolf pack. That's what they call themselves,"
"Jesus fucking Christ," I said, my arms falling to my sides.
"I know. Well, anyway, Jared wanted to do it around others so if I freaked out they could help. Then, he told me. I didn't believe him and then he showed me and I fainted."
I looked at her blankly, imagining the scene. Kim must have been so scared and alone. At least I had her to help me through this.
"And, when did you… when did you talk to him next?" I asked her, nervous about confronting Paul again.
"Oh, it was a few days or so. He was very persistent. He just kept showing up everywhere. Do you remember that?"
I did. I thought they had some sort of a fight. He left notes and flowers at our doorstep and constantly and ran around the school like a maniac to pick her up after every class. He was relentless.
"I guess that's what I needed. I'm such an introvert, I needed someone to really draw me out like that…"
It sounded horrible to me. "Paul, won't… I don't think I can handle…"
"No," she said. "I'm not sure what's going to happen, but I think he knows you don't need that." I took a sigh of relief.
"Kim," I said to her, "in the car, Embry said something about being an imprint...what was he talking about?"
She let out a deep breath. "I know Paul told you he thought you guys were soulmates...right?" I nodded my head at her.
"What do you think about that?"
"I'm not sure. I mean it seemed crazy at first, but I do feel connected to him. I mean I physically feel things when he touches. I was trying not to feel it… but when I do it just feels… amazing," I breathed out.
"That's imprinting, Mal. It's more intense and physical than human soulmates. Jared described it like a physical string, one soul attached to the next. He feels what you feel. He is comforted by your presence. And they can physically hurt when you hurt."
"And I'm Paul's imprint? And your Jared's imprint?" I asked her, as a headache formed right between my eyes.
She nodded. "It happens when they look you in the eye the first time they see you after they shift. It happened to Jared right in the middle of our math class last year. And with you, it happened a couple weeks ago when you chewed him out on the beach,"
"Holy, hell," I said, applying pressure to the area between my eyebrows.
"And so, all those apologies. He has to do that, because I asked him to?"
"Well, no," she drew out. "He's not your slave or anything. But, I guess the imprint has a way of showing him the right path. All of that was in him. Being remorseful. But I guess you just showed him the light on what to do with those feelings, ultimately making him change his ways. Like he said, he was a coward. He needed you to help him be brave."
"Weird," I said, exhaling.
"Super fucking weird," she said. That was four fucks out of Kim in one evening. Definitely a record.
I sat up straighter so my eyes met hers as she sat with her legs crossed on the corner. I knew it was time for my apology.
"Kim," meeting her eyes, "I'm really sorry… about the present I bought for Emily and our fight before her party. You're right, it wasn't appropriate and I was unfairly judging her. And, I…I have been unfairly judging you too." She didn't respond. "Since you started dating Jared I have just really missed you… I'm sorry if it came out as being passive aggressive. Your my sister and I love you, no matter what."
I am not sure how it fared as far as apologies went. It was from the heart and genuine. I looked at her to see how it would be received. She cocked her head to the side and reached out for my hand and then smiled.
Kim gave me a glass of water and a warm hug and then stepped out of my room. I was asleep for the night by 7:30.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Would love your reviews! My Paul/Leah in the future story I Want to See you Be Brave has gotten a lot of interest lately! Be sure to check that one out.