PREVIOUSLY-

"Bella, please don't finish that sentence." Seth said from beside me, pleadingly.

"But I could help, it would only take a drop of my blood—" I argued, trying to make my point, but instead, Seth stood up from halfway underneath me and just walked out the door. A moment later, I heard a howl and I knew he'd phased.

"Jared, go check on him." Sam ordered the younger wolf. I felt awful. I couldn't believe I'd made Seth phase like that. I felt like I was changing the happy, carefree teenager, making him grow up too fast. The thought invaded my mind like venom, poisoning all of my thoughts. I didn't want to do that to him. He already mattered way too much to me, even in the short amount of time I'd known him.

I felt tears prick my eyes and I stood up, walking out the door myself. It was already dark, and I didn't know exactly how to get back to Seth's house, so I just started walking. I heard the others behind me telling me to come back, but I didn't want to.

"Leah, can you take me to my truck?" I asked as I turned around, knowing she would hear me. I knew I couldn't ask Jake, not yet. I supposed my conversation with him would have to wait.

A few seconds later, Leah came running up to my side and guided me in the right direction. I felt the tears run down my cheeks.

"You know he's just worried about you. He doesn't want to put you in danger, and what you were suggesting definitely would have." She told me honestly.

"I know that, but that's not why I'm upset." I told her truthfully, feeling more tears fall.

"Then why the waterworks?" She asked curiously as we continued up the dark street.

"It's just the way he reacted… I can't tell you how many times I've heard Charlie say that Seth is the happiest, most carefree, lighthearted teenager he knows. Look at him now, Leah! It's like the imprint took that away from him. It made him grow up way too fast, and I feel like I'm responsible." I poured out to her. She stopped and grabbed both of my arms in front of me.

"Look, Swan, it's not the imprint that's changing him. Yeah, he's growing up too fast, but it's because we lost our dad and he phased so young, and if it's anyone's fault, it's mine. I caused him to phase because I did right in front of him. Being a wolf, being a protector, it's a lot to have on your shoulders. Yes, he's worried about you. Hell, we all are. I hate to say my baby brother is right, but you are a danger-magnet, Swan. He's a new wolf. He's going to phase when he gets upset. I'm surprised he hasn't before now. He's still the happy, lighthearted teenager who smiles way too much, but he's dealing with a lot and he shares his body with a wolf now, too. He'll get there, I promise." Leah said to me with sadness in her voice as I attempted to wipe the tears from my eyes.

"I don't know why this is affecting me so much…" I mumbled as we continued to walk.

"Because you care about him, too, Swan. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to see it. Sam was right about one thing though, I wouldn't be surprised if you guys end up actually together before too long." Leah said with a laugh, making my eyes bug out.

"So that's what he said earlier?" I asked quickly.

"Oh, uh yeah, sorry about that, he probably didn't want you to hear that part. Oops." She said, not seeming like she actually cared that she told me. In fact, I swore I saw a smirk on her face. I laughed, which caused her to look over at me incredulously. "What's so funny?"

"It's just that I told Seth that I wouldn't take advantage of him until he's at least 16." I told her laughing.

"I don't think you'll last a whole month, Swan. And you know honestly, I'm sure you're only waiting because of your dad, but none of us in the pack care about the whole age thing. I'm going to be placing my pack bet accordingly." Leah said, laughing, as I raised my eyebrows.

"Placing bets on us already?" I asked curiously, looking at her as we walked in the dark.

"Oh, definitely. So far the longest bet was 2 months." She told me with a small laugh. I felt my face go red.

I could see us together so easily, which scared me. I still had his age in the back of my mind but I knew I wanted what I had seen between Sam and Emily and Jared and Kim. It looked so easy, so fluid, so unlike how I felt with Edward. There was so much love you could literally feel it radiating around them.

"Just to warn you, Swan, he's waiting for you by your truck. Good luck." Leah said, breaking off to run somewhere else while I walked to my truck.

I saw Seth leaning against my truck and I noticed the worry on his face. He reached forward immediately and wiped a stray tear from my cheek with his thumb.

"I made you cry…" he whispered, sounding nearly broken, while his eyes scanned back and forth between my own. "I didn't mean to, I just, I could feel myself starting to shake and I was so worried that I'd hurt you if I stayed in there. I didn't mean to make you upset."

"It wasn't the fact that you left, I get that. It was something else that upset me, but it's nothing, really. Your sister put me straight." I told him, trying to convince him.

"Tell me?" he asked quietly, his eyes begging for an answer. I knew I couldn't say no.

"I got the thought in my head that the imprint was making you grow up too fast. Charlie's told me so many times how you've always been so happy, carefree, and lighthearted. You just seem so worried now, like you have so much weight on your shoulders." I answered.

"I have had to grow up a lot in the last few days, Bella, but it's not your fault. I lost my dad, then pretty much immediately turned into a giant magical werewolf meant to kill vampires and protect the tribe, which is a huge responsibility. But then I met you, and I had something to be happy about again. I used to be carefree, but that's because I never had so much to care about. Yes, I worry about you, because I care about you so much already. I can't even begin to describe what you are to me, Bella. None of the words I've used to tell you are good enough." Seth described, making me tear up again. "Please don't cry."

"Not sad tears this time." I said, wiping at my eyes. I hadn't even realized that I'd been standing between his legs as he leaned against my truck until I was being pulled against him. 108 degrees definitely felt amazing in the cold weather. I laid my head against his chest as he held me tightly around my waist, burying his face in my hair.

As we stood there like that, I could tell that what Leah said had a real possibility of happening. I still tried to convince myself that I would wait until he was 16, if not for myself then for Charlie. He most certainly wouldn't be happy with his 18-year-old daughter dating a 15 year old, but he'd been suggesting Jacob to me, who was only 16, so 16 must be the magic number.

I pulled back and looked at Seth in the moonlight. Truly looked at him. I hadn't realized until now that he was only wearing shorts. He must've shredded his shirt when he'd phased. He most definitely did not look like he was 15. His russet skin seemed to glow in the moonlight, bouncing off his abs. His arms were built, too. His hands held me firmly but yet carefully as I noticed he was still holding my waist. His face was chiseled but soft at the same time, and his eyes made me feel like I could just drown in them. I looked down at his pink lips and -

Seth cleared his throat. "Come inside for a little bit?" He asked suddenly, cutting off my thought before I got too far. I still blushed, remembering what I'd been about to think. One month, Bella, you can do one month. I didn't have the ability to use words so I just nodded instead.

I moved so that he could get up and he slipped his arm around my waist as we walked inside the house.

We walked directly up to his room and he shut the door before leaning his forehead against it, slightly banging it against the door as I sat down on his bed.

"You could tell, couldn't you?" I asked him softly, causing him to look over at me as I was lounging on his bed. "Where my thoughts were headed. You could tell, that's why you stopped it."

"I didn't want you to do something you'd regret. I told you I'd know when your wants or needs changed, I could feel when your thoughts shifted. I just didn't expect it to be so soon. I thought it would take years even. I know you're still not quite fully ready yet, but to know that you'll eventually want more than friendship from me…" he looked in my eyes with a longing as he took a deep breath.

"I do still want to attempt to wait until you're 16 though, for Charlie's sake, at least." I muttered, wanting to bury my head in his pillows like I had the other night. He took another deep breath and nodded, coming over to sit on the bed as well.

"One month from today." He muttered. "I'll do whatever you want me to, Bella."

He seemed to take a moment to compose himself as he closed his eyes and breathed in. I looked at how exhausted he appeared to be, so I decided to change the subject.

"I think you've had a hard enough day, so, why don't you just come lay down for a little while. I know you're tired." I told him, patting the spot next to me.

"Can't say no to that…" He said before crawling up next to me and laying down. I laid down on the pillow next to him and turned on my side to face him. I could tell his eyelids were struggling to stay open as he reached over and traced the curve of my jaw.

"Go to sleep, Seth. It's only 6:30 and I don't have to be home until 11. I want you to get some rest before I go home." I whispered to him. He leaned forward and gently placed a soft kiss on my forehead before pulling me into his side and closing his eyes.

He was asleep within a few minutes, and it wasn't long after that before I was, too.

A/N- What do you guys think so far? What would you like to see happen?