Bella's POV

I sat silently waiting for Jared to tell me what exactly he was hiding. I sat there for a good couple of minutes. He didn't though. He continued to stare forward and appeared deep in thought. "Jared?"

"It's hard. I'm just afraid you'll take what I'm about to say badly," Jared said.

"Does it have to do with this weird gang you're in with Sam?" I asked.

"It's not a gang. I can see why people think that, what with us one by one randomly disappearing and then later joining up with Sam, though in my defense, Sam was my friend before it happened," Jared said.

"Before what happened?" I asked.

"Well, you remember how you I was able to keep up with your truck that day you confronted me at the Blacks?" Jared asked.

I nodded. I'd forgotten about it do to pain and anger, but I remembered now. That had been weird. No one should be able to keep up with a car or truck on foot.

"And I'm sure you've noticed that my skin is warmer than other people's.

Again, I nodded.

Jared finally looked me directly in the eye. "I'm not like I used to me. About a year ago, I… changed. This is going to sound really hard to believe, but it's true. My people, Quileutes have this gene in us. It gives us the ability to shift into wolves."

Suddenly I flashed back to the day I'd gone to the beach with people from school. I'd walked along the beach with Jacob and he told me the legends of his people and the Cullens. He'd said that according to the stories, his tribe descended from wolves. He hadn't seemed to believe the stories, but from what Jared was saying, they were true. And I knew Jared was being truthful. He wasn't the type to tell stories, not even as a child. "Wolves."

Jared nod. "Yeah. Like I said, it happened a year ago, right after I got into a massive fight with my mother. It was building up for months though. I turned, or phased, as we call it, and Sam found me. He explained it all to me. We turn into wolves in order to protect people from vampires."

"Yeah, Jake told me the stories. He didn't seem to think they were real though."

"None of us did, not even Sam. We all thought it was a scary story, kind of like the ones my dad told us when we went camping," Jared said.

I smiled at the memory. Yes, I went camping exactly one time. It had not been pretty either. I nearly killed myself several times that weekend and even broke a limb when we went hiking. Mr. Cameron, Jared, and I all agreed that I'd never go camping with them again. A weekend away was no fun if there was a trip to the emergency room.

"Anyway, so that's it. That's why I couldn't go back to Phoenix. I'm part of a wolf pack and I was needed here," Jared said.

"Wow. So this is why Jacob couldn't see me anymore?" I asked.

"Yeah. See, when we first phase, we have no control. If we get really angry, we could phase, and if someone's near us, they could get hurt or killed. Sam's fiancé was scarred badly because Sam lost control with her around," Jared explained.

"Is that why Sam tried to get you to leave today at your house?"

Jared nodded. "Yeah, I was really angry and I started to phase. I had to really calm myself down before I did phase." There was a pause before Jared spoke again. "So how do you feel about it? Me turning into a wolf?"

I could hear the nervousness in his voice. He was worried I'd reject him over this. "Jared, I was ten times more upset by the fact that you left me. Truthfully, this doesn't bother me. I mean, how hypocritical would it be of me to be upset. You told me you're a protector against vampires, so you know what the Cullens are, and you definitely know I dated Edward. What you turn into makes no difference to me. I do have a question though. If Jake couldn't see me because of the danger, why were you able to? I mean, you transferred to my school to be close to me. How come you're allowed and Jake isn't?"

Jared looked at me hesitantly. He didn't wanna tell me the reason.

"No secrets," I told him.

Jared sighed. It's just that I don't wanna put this on you. I mean, I planned to tell you, but not until we made our way back to each other," Jared said.

I stiffened at his last comment. "Jared, I can't say right now that that's going to happen. I told you, all I can manage right now is friendship."

"I know, and I'll accept that. I believe we'll make our way back, but I don't intend to pressure you. That's why I don't want to tell you this yet. This will make you feel pressured," Jared said.

"I don't see how it could do that, but either way, I need to know. I need to be able to trust you again, Jared," I told him.

Jared sighed again. "Okay, but just try not to overreact until you've heard me out. It's called imprinting."

"What's that?" I asked.

"Imprinting is finding the person that completes you and claiming them as yours. That person becomes everything to a wolf. Making them safe and happy becomes a wolf's number one priority."

"And you did this with me? You claimed me?" I assumed it had to be me. Why would he tell me this if it weren't me? Also, if it were someone else, he wouldn't be so hell bent on getting me back.

Jared nodded.

I stood up angrily. "Y…You did this without my permission?! How could you?! What exactly did you do to me?!"

"No, it's not like that!" Jared exclaimed as he got to his feet. "It's not a choice."

"Then what?" I asked still angry.

"It's not something that's done consciously. It's like…" He trailed off as though he was trying to find the best explanation possible. "It just happens."

"What does that mean?" I asked in frustration. He couldn't tell me something like this and give me a lame excuse like 'it just happens'. I needed more than that.

Jared sighed. "Okay, let me try to explain what exactly happened. It was the day we first saw each other again at Billy's. I looked at you and it happened. I didn't even realize it until it was done. That's how it happens. You don't choose it. You don't even realize it has happened until it's over."

I started to calm down as I realized that it wasn't Jared's fault. If what he was saying was true, and I knew it was because Jared had never lied to me before, it meant that he had no say in what happened. That, however, started freaking me out as soon as I completed the thought. If Jared had been forced to do it, it meant he might not want it. Feeling the need to try to win me back was all because of this imprinting thing. "I... can't do this. I need to go home."

I started to leave, but Jared grabbed my shoulders to stop me. "No, don't. Talk to me please. Tell me how you're feeling."

"Y…you just admitted to me that this wasn't your choice. What you're feeling is due to nothing but a compulsion," I said. I knew that Jared had loved me before. My conversation with his mother was proof of that. But that could've and probably did change over the years. Now though, he was stuck. He was stuck because this imprinting thing forced him to love me.

"No, please don't think that. It's not like that," Jared said.

"I have to go," I said before walking past him back towards his house where I left my truck.

"Bella, please!" Jared called.

I ignored him.