Chapter Seventeen
Kate
"Hey."
"Hi." I replied.
I didn't remember waking up, only the sounds of voices slipping into my awareness again pulling me out of my dreamlike state. I opened my eyes to find myself face to face with him.
Embry.
Eyes deep pools of black with shards of blazing crystallised amber reflecting back the light from the lamps either side of the sofa we were on. I should have felt embarrassed to be caught staring so blatantly, but he was returning the favour, eyes roaming my face as though categorising every pore.
God knows how long we were gawking at each other, but my attention was pulled back to the room at large by a gentle clearing of a throat. It was only then that I noticed the voices had vanished. I reluctantly turned my head towards the noise, and found the Doctor, Carlisle, perched on the chair near the top end of the sofa where our heads laid.
"Hi, Kate. How are you feeling?" He asked gently.
I blinked a few times, trying to take stock of my being and tally the list of injuries I suffered, in doing so, reliving the attack.
"You're safe, she's gone." Embry whispered, pulling my eyes back to his. He gave me a gentle squeeze, and that's when I noticed how we were laying. I didn't think the sofa was large enough to fit him, but somehow he had wedged himself against the back cushions and held me bodily against his chest. It should have been awkward, especially knowing we were not alone, but I didn't want to be anywhere else right now. Or ever.
"'You OK?" He asked, eyes flicking between mine as though he could pull the answer from me by sight alone. It reminded me that Carlisle asked the question and I turned my attention, but not my face towards him.
"I'm OK? I think?" I frowned, taking full inventory of myself and trying to ignore the swell of memory that tried to follow. Apart for some muscle ache and my hand and side stinging somewhat, I felt better than I expected myself to, given the circumstances.
"Anything hurt?" Carlisle asked, shifting his weight to move closer to the sofa.
"It's bearable. I mean, stuff aches and my side and hand are throbbing a bit, but not as bad as I expected it to be."
He nodded his head at that and asked to see my injuries. Embry moved us both so the doctor could look at both areas, maintaining as much contact as possible. It was then that I remembered I was still in my bra and that he was butt naked.
I must have blushed, giving away where my mind had wandered as he gave a small double eyebrow wiggle that had me grinning like an idiot and him smile broadly in return.
"Your hand is healing nicely already. I want you to keep an eye on that side for any inflammation." Carlisle pulled my attention back him and I turned fully to him, slightly confused.
"How long have… when did you stitch it?" Healing already? I raised my palm to my face, noting the slice from the lighter was looking a day or so old already under the stitches. I craned my head awkwardly to check the stiches in my side but couldn't make them out from this angle.
"A couple of hours ago."
I turned back to Embry, a few dots connecting, but the bigger picture unknown.
"Like you're looking OK now?" I asked him, watching as his face turned serious and he nodded once. "And you are OK right? No, I know you are OK." I stated. I could feel it in my bones that he was better even if his leg was aching, much better if not needing more rest. My eyes flicked to the ragged, slightly raised pink scar on his neck that should have taken weeks to get to that stage. I swallowed down the rising bile and fear from the memory of my fingers inside his skin holding in his blood.
"You saved me." He stated quietly, dragging my eyes back to his. His eyes were ernest, boring into mine. My natural reaction was to play it down, afterall he saved me, but before I could do anything he spoke. "No, Kate. I'm serious. If you hadn't Macgyvered that flame thrower, we'd both be dead."
The horrifying idea that Embry could have died sent a wash of panic through my body. It was inconceivable and I found myself burying myself into him further. I shook my head unable to take the credit.
"Call it a team effort?" My words muffled against his chest. I felt his small chuckle rumble through his skin and he pecked me on the top of my head.
"Sure. Although it's not something I want to make a habit out of."
"Deal." The very idea of being in that situation again scared the crap out of me.
"Jasper and Bella are on their way." A voice, Eddy, piped up from behind us, somewhere in the vicinity of the doorway.
"It's Edward." He added. Shit, I'd forgotten he could read minds.
"She's done it again." He spoke again. Awe and a slight bead of frustration colouring his tone.
"How are you doing that?" Embry asked me.
"Doing what?"
"Stopping him from reading your thoughts." Sam added. My head shot up to where he was sitting at the foot of the sofa.
"I dunno. I mean, I just don't want him to know what's going on in my head, it's private. I'm not doing anything."
"Can you hear anyone else?" Another voice, Jacob I remembered, sounding like he was behind the sofa, I couldn't see him through Embry and the cushions.
"Yes, everyone but Kate." Edward replied.
"Kate, can you stop him hearing anyone else again?" Jacob asked, shifting slightly so I could see his face.
"Oh."
I sucked in a deep breath and felt the world lurch violently on its axis. Embry's arms around me were the only thing keeping me grounded as my equilibrium vanished. I heard muffled voices, drowned out by the rushing blood in my ears, and the narrowing of my vision blocked everything other than the tall man in front of me.
"Kate!" I was brought back with a resounding shout from Embry. He looked panicked and I grabbed at him, pulling him towards me ignoring the pain that flared in my side from the sudden movement. The feeling of Embry's skin put a halt on the seesawing motion and I sucked in another breath to ward off the rising sickness.
"What…" I could even begin to describe it, hoping everyone around knew what I was talking about.
"Imprint." Embry whispered in my ear. I shook my head, not understanding, feeling a spike of surprise, pain and jealousy that didn't belong to me.
"Kate." I turned towards the voice now behind me, startled, that for his size, I never heard Jacob cross the room. I turned my head towards him and found that lurching in my chest happen again. I closed my eyes with a groan, swallowing hard and praying I wouldn't vomit.
"Can you look at me?" Jacob almost whispered.
"Can you give me a minute, I feel a little sick." I replied. I wasn't sure if opening my eyes would help with the sensation or not. I felt Embry's arms shifting around me, holding me, grounding me once more and forcing my stomach to settle a little. I slowly opened my eyes, immediately drawn to the behemoth of a man in front of me. His eyes were like Embry's, only darker, more intense if that was at all possible. They pinned me to the spot, not roaming, not categorising, but held me steadfast that I couldn't move if I wanted to.
I saw his hand move slowly out of the corner of my eye, as though giving me time to adjust, before he reached up and brush a single finger down my cheek. The touch alone was electric and I found my eyes closing without my permission as my body focused on that small inch of skin. I couldn't feel anything else, not Embry behind me anymore, nor the air in my lungs.
"Breathe, honey." He whispered. My eyes flickered open as I obeyed the command, looking onto a half twitch of a smile. It softened his features a little, allowing me to breathe again, and again.
I could stare into this face for an eternity.
I was brought out of my trance by Jacob's brow hardening as he stood abruptly. The break in eye contact let the rest of my senses flood in and I once more felt Embry hug me closer. My eyes flew to his, only finding he was turned towards the doorway, where both Jacob and Sam now stood, rigid in posture, and intimidating in their presence. I swore I could hear growling from somewhere near them and my mind summoning up the demon from before, imagining her coming in the house.
"Kate, you're OK. Just some visitors." Embry's face found mine, eyes darting between my own, stress and tension radiating off his body. Without thinking I found myself mirroring Jacob's actions and palming my hand against his face. His eyes fluttered shut, before his head swung quickly back to the doorway as I heard the front door open.
"Well now, if we want to settle ourselves down boys, there are ladies present." A male voice floated in from the hall, a southern twang attempting to inject lightness into the air that was heavy with tension from the men around me. It was at odds with the mood of the room and I fleeting thought that either the owner of the voice couldn't judge the tone of the room very well, or was deliberately being an arse.
"Why are you here?" Jacob practically growled.
"We were worried. Seth was freaking out about Embry, we just came over to see if he's OK."
Another voice, female this time piped up and I saw Jacob and Sam both part, noses slightly scrunched up as a long haired brunette moved past them and into the room. She was extremely pretty, and like the Doc and Eddy, had the same coloured eyes and that other worldliness about her and it immediate made the hairs on my arms stand on end. She was so similar in stature to the Demon that I felt a dump of adrenaline hit my system. I couldn't stop the whimper of fear leave me and sunk into Embry as her head turned fully to us.
"Oh! Hi, sorry I didn't see you there." She smiled at me, and even though her words were friendly, it was so predatory I couldn't help the recoil.
"Stop with the games, Bella. You could hear her heartbeat from outside." Jacob moved behind her, anger and frustration maring his features. The girl, Bella, had the grace to look a little contrite.
"I was just being polite." She muttered, eyes still fixed on me. "I'm Bella, this is Jasper." She gestured to the blonde lingering in the hallway. He gave me a small nod in response.
"Kate." I replied. She smiled a little wider, before it fell in concern.
"Are you hurt? There's a lot of blood." She looked up at Jacob and Carlisle as she spoke, clearly asking what had happened.
"She's fine. A little battered, but will be Okay. Embry is fine also."
"Yeah, she didn't come off too bad considering she smoked a leech." Paul stated from the hallway as he came into view. I looked up as he slipped passed Jasper, giving him an evil eye, before his head swung to the room at large.
And caught my eye.
"Oh no." I moaned, the sickness swelling again. It felt like my head was being torn in different directions. I couldn't hold it back, the day too long and violent and full of confusion that I lost the little lunch left in my stomach, all over Embry's chest.
"What the hell was that?" I vaguely heard Jasper speak and movement all around. I tried lifting my head to apologise to Embry, but found I couldn't get my muscles to respond. A bolt of fear hit me as I realised that, like a couple of weeks prior, I had no control over my body, and darkness was creeping in my visions. I felt myself being moved, contrasting hot and cold hands gently taking my weight as voices rose and fell around me as the darkness sucked me under.
Jacob
Even though I was half expecting it, to experience another Imprint of my own again was…
Yeah, no words.
The same gravity shifting, steel cable connection, center of my world… every Imprint description chucked out by the Pack over the years just didn't do that singular soul binding moment justice.
But it wasn't a singular moment. It was another Imprint for me. A very different Imprint from Renesmee.
More.
I could feel her through the bond, her confusion, her nausea and finally the overwhelming darkness as it pulled her under. It scared me how intense I could feel her, and how I could feel the others too. Sam, Paul and Embry. All three through her. The faint tentacles of their souls echoing the Alpha bond I already have with them through the Pack. It was like slightly out of focus double vision, feeling them myself as well as through Kate. It would have given me the mother of all headaches if I wasn't ready use to it through being Alpha.
I watched as Embry gathered her up, bypassing the group of us as he took Kate upstairs. It was only through the need to protect her in a house full of leech and sheer willpower that I was able to keep my feet planted. I could see Sam fighting the same compulsion to follow. Paul was still looking stunned as he moved a step behind Embry, unable to let her out of his sight.
"Want to let us know what that's all about?"
I turned my head to Jasper. For a vamp with years of his empathic abilities under his belt, he was sure looking shocked right now.
"Jake?" Bella prodded. I worried my inner cheek, not wanting to expose the Pack's recent revelations to the Cullens, but finding I didn't have the choice.
"Sorry." Eddy had the decency to look contrite. Yeah, but not enough to not blab to your wife huh? That earnt me a dirty look.
"Paul just Imprinted on Kate."
"That was an Imprint?" Jasper asked, still looking surprised. "That was way, way more than your Imprint with Ness."
"What? I thought..? What about Rachel?" Bella asked, eyes flicking around the five of us standing here.
"I've no idea. Still working that out for myself." I huffed and tipped my head back, trying to rein in the need to race up the stairs.
"You Imprinted as well." Edward stated. There was a beat of silence as the Cullens turned to me.
I could only nod. My eyes found Bella's as she stared at me.
"What about Ness?" She asked quietly.
"Dunno." I shrugged my shoulders, at a loss to explain anything right now.
"She's also Carlisle's singer." Edward continued. All vamp eyes flew to the doc. "And she's Sam's and Embry's Imprint too."
"Hang on, how is that even possible?" Jasper asked.
"We don't know. Only that so far, every Pack member Kate has met so far has Imprinted on her, regardless if they already have an Imprint or not." Sam added, taking a heavy seat on the arm of the sofa.
We stood in silence as we listen to the sounds coming from upstairs. The sound of the shower being turned on and the flow of water through the pipes gave us an audio commentary of what was going on in the floor above.
"Is Kate OK?" Marc's quiet voice travelled from the doorway into the room. Sam stood and ushered him back into the kitchen, innate instinct to keep the human away from the leeches kicking him into action without thinking.
Edward huffed and turned to me. "Surely you know us well enough by now?" He looked angry and it riled my wolf and myself up.
"We can't help it, it's instinct. What would you have us do?" I asked him. "It's like me asking you not to read our thoughts. It's not something you have any control over."
He curled his lip at me and took a step forward, only to walk into Carlisle's arm as he quickly moved to block his path to me.
"Enough. I know it's been some time since we were in close quarters with each other, but remember that we are allies, family, all bound to one another. Rise above your nature, gentlemen." He sent looks to myself and Edward, holding his eye until he stepped back towards Bella.
"I didn't think... I thought that only Natives could be Imprints?" Bella spoke up as she slipped her arm through her husbands.
"Well, apparently not." I replied, huffing out a sigh. "Look, this is all new to us as well, along with her being the Doc's singer and blocking Eddy's mind reading, we're kinda in the dark about the multi-Imprint thing going on OK?"
"Wait, she can block you?" Bella turned to her husband, shock clear across her face. "But, I thought I was the only one. And she's human?"
"Well, there are 9 billion people in the world Bells, odds on, you aren't as special as you think you are."
The room stilled as I finished, my uncharacteristic barb at Bella having more impact than expected. I couldn't find it in myself to apologise for it however. Edward growled at me before turning to comfort his wife. "She doesn't know how to control it, but she's able to block me from reading her mind as well as anyone else around too."
"But she's human." Bella repeated, eyes darting between Eddy's.
"True, it may be like your abilities, or something else, I don't know."
"Imagine if she was turned, how powerful-"
Jasper didn't get a chance to finish his sentence before I had him pinned up the wall in the hallway.
"If you even think about that again, allies or not, I will make you ash, understood?" My words were barely coherent through my wolf's growls and my spinning rage, but he nodded and lifted his neck to appease me as he dangled from my hand. I left him there for a moment more before dropping him to the ground. He regained his footing immediately, but wisely kept his eye's down and posture neutral as I battled to contain my wolf.
"Unless you have reason to be here, I suggest you leave." I growled out to the room at large, keeping my focus on Jasper. As compliant as he was now, I knew he was the most dangerous one of the lot of them, regardless of the laid back cowboy act he projected.
"I would like to take another look at her once she's cleaned up." Carlisle spoke up. "Jasper, can you run the boundary lines again, ensure they are safe tonight please. Edward, Bella, I will catch up with you both at home." His tone was polite as always, but left the other vamps no room for movement. Eddy ushered Bella out the front door as Jasper nodded to the Doc and slipped past me to the back of the house.
The tension in my spine relaxed somewhat as three bloodsuckers left, and I rubbed a hand down my face as I took stock of the night so far, and as I unashamedly listened into the conversation taking place above my head.
Embry
"Sorry."
I looked down at Kate as she quickly came back to her senses as I navigated the stairs towards the bathroom. Her face was contorted in pain and I could feel her exhaustion, pain and nausea battle with her mortification at getting sick on me.
"S'ok, it's worth it for the flack Paul is gonna get." I grinned her her confused look. "He's the only one to have a girl throw up from looking at him." I chuckled, and earnt a punch to the kidneys from my Pack brother behind me. There was no energy behind it, instinct not allowing him to roughhouse with an Imprint in my arms.
I followed my nose to the scent of water to the bathroom, Paul slipping by me as I elbowed the door open to turn on the shower. Without words, I gently set her on her feet and we quickly set about divesting Kate of her remaining outer clothes, throwing her blood stained pants into the trash. Experience had sadly taught us over the years that that amount of blood was never coming out.
"Wait, wait!" Kate called as I made to lift her into the tub. "Your leg." She added, pushing back from me slightly to look down. He face reddened and quickly shot up again as she realized I was still naked. I couldn't help but grin at her and she groaned and dropped her head onto my chest.
"Why are you still naked?" She asked with a bite of humor in her tone. I laughed gently at her shyness.
"I'm about to get in the shower, not sure about you, but around these parts, we get naked before hand."
She rolled her eyes at me. "But what about your leg?" She implored, tone turning worried. "It was broken, I saw it, the wolf…" He eyes flicked unfocused to the middle distance as she remembered the fight, and I could feel her fear bloom again at the memory.
"He's OK. We heal, really fast. I'm here in case he needs help." Paul added from where he was kneeling by the taps of the bathtub. Kate peered around her shoulder and quickly looked back to me again as she caught an eyeful of Paul junior.
"Are you two like...together?" She asked, flicking a finger between us, earning a snort from Paul.
"He wishes." He scoffed. "No, I'm married, to a woman. Can't speak for Embry though."
"We spend a lot of time going back and forth between human and wolf, clothes kinda get in the way so we end up naked most of the time. We've all become used to seeing each other's junk." I explained with an eye roll at Paul's comment.
"So that really happened?" Kate asked quietly. I looked to Paul who stood up behind her, placing a steadying hand on her shoulder.
"The wolf bit?" I asked, she nodded. "Yup. We're shapeshifters. Protectors, Spirit Warriors of La Push."
"And you are protecting from that thing… that woman?"
"Vampire." Paul stated heavily. Kate flicked her head towards him at his serious tone. "The Cullens you met tonight, they are also vampires, but they drink from animals, not humans, hence their yellow eyes-"
"So red eyes…?"
"Human drinker." I added. She stilled at that, I could see her eyes flickering as she absorbed the information.
"Are they all that fast?"
"To a degree, yes. But we are faster. We are built for the purpose of killing them." She was silent so I took the moment to lift her over the lip of the bath. Paul steadied me as I followed her, before stepping in behind me. It was cramped but with a few adjustments we had Kate sandwiched between us as we methodically started to wash her down of the blood and leech stench that lingered in her skin, mindful of her fresh stitches and sore palms.
"Why doesn't this feel weird?" She piped up after we'd washed and rinsed her hair. Paul caught my eye from over her head and gave me a subtle nod. My gaze lowered and I once again got caught in her cornflower blue eyes.
"It's something called Imprinting." Paul prompted me. She turned her head to look at Paul, then looked back to me.
"So it has a name." She stated, dropping her head to look at my chest. I could see her working her lower lip as she mulled it over. "It's the thing that Sam… that I..." She huffed a small frustrated sigh, not able to articulate the bond she feels with him.
"Yeah. As wolves, we have this thing, Imprinting. It's where the first time we see someone, the first time we look into their eyes, we become bound to them. We'd be anything and everything for the Imprint."
"So, I'm the Imprint?" I nodded at her.
"We're the Imprinters, Sam, Jake, me and Emb." Paul added as he gently and meticulously worked conditioner into Kate's hair. I noticed a slight shake to his hands and the tic in his jaw as he focused on the task in front of him. I wondered if Paul and his wolf would have the same problems as he did with Rachel? They were in a good place now, but just remembering the suffering from their Imprint still made me wince all these years later. I dreaded to think where his mind was at right now, although I could take a good guess.
"What does that mean exactly? You said you are bound? Bound to me?" She looked at both me and Paul frowning. "That doesn't sound good. What happened to freedom of choice?"
Paul and I couldn't help but smile at her indignation on our behalf, and it cracked a little of the stress that surrounded us.
"Maybe we've worded it wrong, more like it's a nudge in the direction of the person who will have a good impact on your life?" I was clutching at straws a little. I was happy she was questioning the bond, but didn't want her to outright hate it when it could do some good. "There is freedom of choice, so you can decide how you want the relationships to develop."
"Yeah, so like I could be your annoying big brother, and Sam your second Dad." She tutted at Paul.
"Sam's not that much older than me. I think?" She pondered. "Anyway, so I have a choice?" She asked, we both nodded. "OK. But what choice do you have? The Imprinters?" She flicked her head back to look at Paul. He just shrugged and unclipped the shower head to start rinsing her hair again. The movement was blasé, but I could tell he was working himself up over the whole thing. I wonder how Rachel would take it?
"Imprinting is a gift to the Pack-"
"Like compensation?"
"Yeah, sorta-"
"Are there other Imprintees? Is that the right word?" She queried as she idly ran her hands over my chest and arms, removing the caked on dirt and blood. Paul passed her a washcloth loaded with soap, and she set to work with more enthusiasm.
"Yeah. You know Emily right? Well she's Sam's Imprint, his first Imprint I guess you could say."
"Rachel, my wife, is my Imprint, as well as you now." Paul added. "Rachel is Jake's sister, Billy is Jake and Rachel's dad." He passed the shower head to Kate and she began to rinse me down.
"What about you Embry, do you have another Imprint?" She kept her eyes averted as she ran her hands down my torso and I could have sworn I felt a little ping of jealousy through the bond. I couldn't stop the smile on my face, call it male pride I guess. Paul gave me a shit eating grin and I rolled my eyes at him.
"No, you're my first." I replied, voice low. Her head rose to look at me again and she stilled in her ministrations, eyes flicking between mine.
"Jake's got Renesmee, so you're his second Imprint." Paul injected, breaking our little moment.
"Oh, is he married as well?" She asked spinning around to face Paul. He gave her the reloaded washcloth again and spun his back to her gesturing to his shoulder. She started to wash his back as I parted her hair from off her shoulders and began to rub my hands down her own back. Paul had already washed her but I wasn't going to pass this opportunity up.
"No, Ness is...different to the other Imprints." I added. I wasn't sure how far to take this particular conversation, but Paul took the decision out of my hands as he plowed on, stress fueling his tirade.
"Different is putting mildly. She's not exactly human now, is she." He scoffed. Kate paused in her actions.
"What do you mean?"
"She's half human, half vamp." He stated without preamble. "She's the daughter of Bella and Eddy."
"But the girl, Bella, she's a v-vampire… is that even possible?" She stuttered over the word.
"She was human when Eddy knocked her up. Caused a right shitstorm at the time. Pretty much killed her giving birth to the little half breed. But Eddy 'saved' her," he put up his hands to make air quotes "so they are now one big happy vampy family." He finished, his tone bitter even after all these years.
Kate slowly continued to wash Paul's back as she listened to his small rant, before she dropped her head on his back and looped her arms around his chest in a rear hug.
"I take it there's some history there, more than what you've just told me, eh?" She spoke into his spine. Paul took a large resetting breath and let out a small chuckle as his shoulders slumped.
"'Suppose you could say that. It's been over a decade since it all kicked off but it still pisses me off. We, the Pack, bent over backwards, Jake especially, to try and stop her from going back to Dickward and she just threw it back in our faces and got herself killed and because of Nessie, we were bound to help them with the Volturi, risking all our lives and those of the Tribe too..."
Paul trailed off shaking his head. "So, it's why things get a little tense when the Cullens are about. We have a treaty with them as they don't eat humans, but they are our mortal enemy and their presence in the area triggers the wolf gene, plus all the Bella shit... "
"OK. I get it. Maybe not the whole picture but I can it riles you up." Kate gave Paul another tight hug before using the shower to rinse off his back.
We remained silent as we finished up. Paul stepping out first and held up a large towel for Kate. She blushed a little as she stepped out in her now very wet bra and panties, and turned to grab another towel off the rack for me. Paul helped me out, my leg aching like a bitch after standing on it for so long.
"D'you want to lay down? Your leg is hurting." Kate stated as she dried her hair with another towel before doing that girl thing of twisting the towel around her head in a fluid motion to make a turban of sorts. Without waiting for a reply, she took my hand and pulled me out of the bathroom to her bedroom down the short hallway. Paul, with towel slung low on his hips, gave me a small salute as he headed for the stairs, giving Kate a peck on the head (and taking a hit of her scent) as he passed her. Her smile back to him was radiant and it transferred to me as he disappeared from her sight. I watched him out the corner of my eye as he moved down the staircase, his stress levels rapidly rising with the increasing distance.
Kate paused as we reached the doorway, eyes drifting to the empty space where Paul had been seconds before.
"Is he going to be OK?" She asked, bring her bottom lip into her mouth. It took all my willpower not to coax it out with my thumb, remembering she was feeling as well as seeing Paul's emotional state with no real understanding of why yet. I could faintly feel him and the other guys through Kate myself and it was a mind fuck for me, so God knows how she was handling it.
"He'll be fine, it's just a bit of a shock with some of the Pack already having Imprints. It's not something we thought was possible, going by our histories."
Her eyes rose back to mine and paced my face before she gave me a gentle squeeze of her hand.
"Come on." She gently tugged and I followed her into her bedroom, almost collapsing onto the bed. I needed sleep and food to recuperate fully, but right now, just having my Imprint, my Imprint, here with me was the best thing ever.
I'd honestly never thought it would happen for me. Even though the Pack had shot down my musings over the years, I couldn't help but think that maybe me being half Makah, and not full Quileute, meant I wouldn't never Imprint. The fact is, it had been this long since I first phased and it had never happened for me. Unlike Jake and some of the others, I wanted it to happen. I mean, having some Spirit endorsed soulmate, that's meant to be perfect for you? I've been in the guy's heads, and yeah there's been some absolute bat shit crazy stuff go down because of Imprinting, but the happiness and contentment that the guys radiate because of their bonds… yeah, I wanted that. I wanted the uncertainty gone, I wanted to have that connection with someone. As much as I thought my Makah roots were blocking me, I was still both hopeful and wary that it might happen someday. That constant state of being in limbo meant that I never put any effort into my relationships over the years, finding myself cutting them off early to avoid disappointment in case I did Imprint. It was exhausting to have someone only to compare them to somebody who potentially didn't exist. A small part of me was bitter that it seemed my life was on hold for a decade, held hostage to a ghost. The other part of me was however happy I'd held back, that it was all worth it. Yeah it's probably the Imprint talking, but I didn't care. I was going to take this as the gift it was and make the most of it.
"Are you OK?" Kate asked, palming her small hand against my jaw. I realised I had got lost in my thoughts and a lazy smile crept over my lips as my eyes roamed her face. God, I'd never get tired of looking at her.
"I'm wonderful." I replied, sounding a little drunk. She smiled fully at me before her face fell into a more pensive pose.
"I don't know how, but I can feel your leg." He gaze trailed down to the leg in question and I shifted slightly to test the pain level. My own brow frowned when I noticed Kate wince slightly in response.
"Is it like pain you can feel or some other type of sensation?" I asked her.
"Pain." She said quietly, still watching my leg.
"Sorry, I didn't realise. I know Emily can feel Sam sometimes, but not like that." This was a worry if she was feeling my pain. Was it just me, or would she also feel the other wolves that were Imprinted on her? I felt another tiny spike of jealousy at the thought and beat it down, prioritizing the pain issue. "We might have to look into that, I don't want you hurting for something that's happened to me."
There was a small knock on the door frame and I froze slightly at the sight of the Doc peering in. How I'd missed his approach I do not know.
"Knock knock. Mind if I check you both over one last time?" He asked. I nodded and he entered at a human pace. Kate curled up a little, hugging her towel as she shifted slightly back towards me and the headboard. The Doc paused in his approach.
"Are you OK, Kate?" He asked, slowing his movements more as he settled his medical bag at the end of the bed.
"Erm, yeah, sorry, it's just… I'm just getting use to you. Sorry." She avoided his gaze and I felt her embarrassment entwined with her unease. At least we wouldn't have to worry about her being influenced by their looks and how they smelled, she was the first human I'd known to heed their instincts and not get 'dazzled' by the veneer they put on. As much as I hated it, the leech she killed has given her a healthy dose of fear.
"No need to apologize." Doc smiled, wisly keeping his mouth closed, before taking a seat on the end of the bed as he opened his bag. "Can I look at your leg first Embry?" He asked, looking at me. I saw he was trying to put Kate at ease and I silently thanked him for his consideration. He was the only one I could tolerate and if it wasn't for his scent and being, y'know, dead, I'd probably get on with him pretty well.
"Sure." I shifted again, and stilled quickly as I remembered Kate. "Did you feel that?" I asked her, worried. She nodded and looked up at me before her eyes darted to the Doc's and quickly back to me. She was having trouble keeping eye contact with him, and I shifted my upper body to slide my arm around her waist. I luckily found the edge of her towel and slipped my arm further so my forearm was pushed against her belly. I suppressed a shudder at the skin contact and felt Kate tremor in response, but relax slightly against my side. My wolf would have howled in glee if he wasn't maintaining watch over his enemy now prodding my leg, frowning.
"I thought only bonded Imprints can feel their wolf? And then, only emotions?" He asked as he manipulated the ankle joint.
"I can feel the pain of his leg." Kate added at a whisper, watching the Doc's hands do their work. His eyes flew to mine, one eyebrow raised in question.
I shrugged in reply. "No idea."
"Hmmm…" He continued up my calf, bending my knee a few times slowly.
"It feels like the bones have set correctly and your kneecap is back in one piece. Just keep your weight off of it for a couple of days. Plenty of food, fluid and rest for the blood loss. I think you know the drill by now." He rolled his eyes in humor and I huffed out a laugh.
"Wait, what do you mean? Does this happen a lot?" Kate spoke up, fear and panic leaching into her voice.
"No, it's happened in the past, to some of the other guys. It's not a regular thing, I promise." I stroked my free hand down her cheek and turned her face to me. "It's just part of who we are, sometimes we get injured protecting the Rez, protecting the Tribe. But we heal fast. Remember." I pointed to my neck and she swallowed heavily and her fear bloomed slightly before it retreated. I ducked my head slightly to catch her eye line and she smiled weakly at me.
"Can I check your hand and side now, Kate?" The Doc asked. Kate's eyes flickered to me and I gave her a reassuring squeeze. "Hand first, OK?" I prompted, letting her adjust to the cold touch I knew was coming.
She held out her hand, shaking slightly and the Doc gathered it in his hands slowly, and gently to assessed the cut.
"OK, I need to remove these stitches." He announced with some surprise. Kate whipped her hand back and brought it up to her face in confusion.
"But, you only stitched it a little while ago?" She flexed the palm, and her words trailed off as she saw what the Doc did. "It's healed." She murmured in awe, twisting it to show me. All that was left was a tiny pink line where hours before a deep gash had been. "I don't understand."
"Can I look at your side?"
He fear was forgotten for a moment, exposure to the Doc and her confusion overriding instincts for the moment and she pulled away from me slightly to drop her towel into her lap. The Doc moved around the bed, still slowly for my benefit, before raising her arm slightly to see the wound there.
"Is it gone? It still feels sore." She asked.
"No, it's still there, still looks fresh." Carlisle lowered her arm before moving back to his original place, resting his hands in his lap. "I'm assuming it's something to do with the Pack that's allowed you to heal at close to their rate, but why it's only your hand and not your side is a puzzle." He frowned as he fell quiet, before picking up her hand again. Throwing me a quick look he lowered his head before sniffing her palm. "I wonder… sorry, it's a weird thing to ask, can I sniff your side now?" He asked Kate.
She huffed a little laugh, shrugging her shoulders. "Sure, why not."
He sniffed her side as well, always careful to move slowly. My wolf watched on a knife edge, ready to defend our Imprint if needed.
"Well, I have a theory. Kate, your hand smells very strongly of Embry. Your side does not." He proclaimed.
"Meaning…?" She prodded.
"I think that when you were stemming Embry's bleeding, his blood has entered your cut and somehow transferred his wolf healing abilities to you. However, it seems localized, as your side is as expected this many hours post trauma. But your hand is at the stage of at least two weeks healing for the depth of the cut."
Kate turned her head to me, looking as though she wanted my confirmation.
"It's nothing that I've heard of before?" I added, hoping I didn't disappoint her.
"There seems to be a lot of 'firsts' around here tonight." The Doc added. "I will speak to Jacob in a moment to give him an update. However, let me deal with these stitches first and a few questions and I get out of your hair."
At Kate's nod he pulled his bag closer and engaged Kate in some small talk as he delicately removed the surplus stitches from her hand. He was done quickly and moved on to her medical history before arranging to come back tomorrow for a check up and to provide some antibiotics.
Carlisle paused before he addressed us both. "I think I have an idea of why you are seemingly bonded already." He started. I gave him my full attention now, feeling this meant more to me that Kate at this moment in time. "When your bloods mixed after the fight, I believe that is when the bond was sealed as well as the healing power transferred. I understand the… usual method… however I think it could simply just be bodily fluid that needed to be exchanged."
I shook my head at that. "Wouldn't kissing have the same effect in that case?" I asked.
He gave me a wryly smile. "As I said, it's just a theory, however I would think the healing abilities part is lending credence, as well as blood being a better carrier than saliva in general."
"What's the usual method?" Kate asked, looking between us. I scratched my ear as Carlisle gathered his things and made to leave.
"And that's my cue to depart. It was lovely meeting you Kate, although I wish it was in better circumstances. I shall come back tomorrow sometime early afternoon. I suggest you take a day off work as I don't want you pulling those stitches from your side." He smiled at her which she returned more warmly than before, before he turned to me. I could have sworn he gave me a little wink before leaving the room.
"So, what's the usual method?" She asked again, guileless eyes holding mine.
"Sex. Usually it's sex." I replied, holding her eyes as she turned a little red.
"Oh." She replied. "But, I thought Paul said he would be like a brother. I mean, he's married, and he's hot and all, but I don't see him like that. Would I have to sleep with him? Do the bonds need to be sealed?" She looked pretty horrified at the prospect of sleeping with Paul, and my wolf, and myself, did an internal happy dance that that was one less Pack brother I'd have to beat into place. She was mine.
"Well, if the Doc is correct, it seems like it just needs a little blood exchange, and not doing a horizontal monkey dance." I wiggled my eyebrows at her and she cracked a smile.
"However, we've been told in the past that the Imprinting wolf can be whatever the Imprint needs, so brother, friend… platonic relationships you know." She nodded. "And we've always assumed that it was sex required to seal it, but how would those relationships work if they never get sealed…"
I trailed off as my mind spun out. Would the Imprint dynamatics change for Quil and Claire, Jacob and Ness if they could seal with just a simple blood exchange? We all knew it was hard for Quil over the years. He and Claire were in limbo at the moment. She was starting to notice boys, and because of her uncertainty over her feelings towards Quil, he was feeling her confusion and didn't know where he stood with her. It was freaking him out, and therefore the rest of the Pack too, to see this small child grow into a young lady and suddenly having those kinda feelings. Would a blood seal settle their bond or make it worse?
I thought back to the moment we Imprinted. It certainly felt more than an Imprint going by the rest of the Pack's memories over the years. If we Imprinted and Bonded at the same time, that could explain the strength of our connection.
"I'm not going to pretend to understand half of what you just said, but try not to worry about it?" Kate pulled back my attention to her with a gentle palm against my jaw. I couldn't help my eyes flutter shut at the skin contact and felt her quiet sigh in response.
I tried to push it all to the back of my mind. Right now, it was time to heal. This Imprint was fresh and new and had exposed a lot of cracks in the Pack's understanding of how an Imprint should work. I couldn't help a small part of my mind churn through everything however, especially as it concerned Kate, my Imprint.
"Hey, stop. You're giving me a headache."
I drug open heavy eyelids and found her watching me. Her tone was light, but laced with stress and it showed around her eyes. I gave myself a mental shake pushing down the spike of jealousy. This was all new to her and she didn't have all the cards for this hand she had just been dealt, I should be comforting her, not the other way round.
"Sorry." I murmured. I shifted my arm around her waist and drug her further up the bed towards me so we were slightly reclined against the headboard. My other hand released the towel from around her head, chucking it towards the floor. Like a well practiced move, she twisted slightly into my side, wincing against her stitches before throwing her arm across my bare chest as she snuggled under my arm and a bare leg hooked itself around my uninjured thigh. I was exhausted from the day and the blood loss but having her tucked under my arm was like a sedative against it all.
"We'll rest here for a bit, then me and the guys will explain everything and answer any questions you have OK?" I spoke into the top of her hair. My unnatural heat quickly drying it, releasing her natural scent through the subtle odour of her conditioner. Like an addict I found myself huffing lungful after lungful of her sweetness. It was the best thing I had ever smelt. Like fresh linen with hints of vanilla and citrus and home. Every inhale brought new notes to my nose and I lost the ability to pinpoint them all. I'd sniff her forever to work them all out however.
"OK… Are you, sniffing me?" She asked. I felt a bead of humor through the bond and took an exaggerated sniff.
"Hmmm… maybe." I grinned like a fool. It was stupid, but I was feeding off her emotions and the newness of the Imprint was making me kinda giddy. It should have freaked her out, hell it should be freaking me out that I was acting this way, but the novacaine feedback of skin and smell left me not really wanting to give a shit right now.
We stayed entwined, heart rates quickly dropping and syncing together. I could tell Kate was still awake, but somehow knew she needed the quiet time. I felt myself dropping into a dose but the wolf alert to a leech still in the house wouldn't let me fall into a full slumber even though I knew it was just Carlisle. I could hear him talking to Jake, Sam and Paul before he finally left, then the guys turned their attention to Marc in the kitchen. I felt the corner of my mouth twitch in amusement imagining his reaction to what they were going to tell him. Up to this day I'd had no contact with the guy, but having seen him through Sam's memories, and especially after his little declaration to Kate on Sunday, I was not inclined to like him. I felt my wolf rise up inside me with a barely suppressed possessive snarl. A lot of good it would do him now I thought gleefully, my wolf agreeing.
"Ssshh… I can hear you think, ya know." Kate mumbled from my side giving me a little jab to my ribs. I knew she wasn't being literally from her tone (at least, I didn't think she was), but I pulled the mental reins up on my thoughts anyway.
"Sorry." I hushed again into her hairline, taking further greedy gulps. I felt her root into my side more before taking a long drag of air herself. I felt her body relax more into my side and the peace she projected pulled me into a lull I never wanted to return from.