Was he in love with Ophelia?
Of course he was. The first moment he'd seen her, he knew that he wanted to be with her forever. But, she didn't know the effects of being an imprint. She didn't know that Seth would be by her side, every day, for the rest of her life, regardless of whether she knew it or not. Seth was already aware that he was in love with Ophelia. But was he in love with her, so deeply, that no time or place could keep them apart? That, he wasn't sure of.
Jake wasn't doing his part to help Seth cope with all of the new emotions that came with imprinting. The best he did was scoff at all of Seth's pacing around his room.
"C'mon, man, why are you stressing about this?" Jacob asked again, for what seemed like the millionth time.
"Oh, I don't know, maybe it's because all of a sudden I'm madly in love with a girl who is three years older than me and barely acknowledges my existence! Not to mention the fact that I can't ever fall out of love with her, even if I wanted to!" Seth said sarcastically.
Jake laughed with a knowing intonation. "But, you don't want to, do you?"
Seth paused for a moment. "No, I guess not."
"So what are you going to do?"
"I don't know, man. Maybe I should just leave so I don't have to deal with it. She'll never know anything about it, not the werewolves, the imprinting, nothing," Seth said.
Suddenly, anger flared inside Jake, causing him to shoot up out of his chair and grip the headboard of Seth's bed with deathly force. "No," he seethed. "You can't just leave her, not like that, without her knowing anything."
Seth looked at Jake as if seeing a completely different person in front of him. Comprehension clouded his eyes, and he began to chuckle.
"Nuh-uh, Jake. I won't be like Edward, you know that!"
"Do I? Isn't it basically the same thing? What if she does love you, man? Are you gonna leave her heartbroken without any explanation?"
"Jake, c'mon, she doesn't love me! She doesn't even know how long I've had a crush on her! She doesn't know that every time I put up with her insanely annoying little sisters, that it was because I wanted to see her, and hear her voice apologizing for their behavior! She has no clue whatsoever that I phase outside of her house every night just to watch her sleep, to make sure that she's safe!" Seth thought how fortunate it was that the route Sam had given him happened to run near Ophelia's house…
Jake watched Seth rant, an amused smile on his face. Seth was never one to let out his emotions; he was quite repressive for a werewolf. Basically, he was the complete opposite of Paul, who made it clear when he was in a bad mood. But now, Jake could understand all the confusion and emotional stress the youngest member of the pack was going through. First of all, because he'd been there; imprinting on the daughter of the one you loved wasn't exactly a picnic. Secondly, because it was Seth. He was frozen at fifteen years old, and was suddenly thrust into the chaotic world of imprinting. Waking up one day and bumping into the love of your life, no, your existence, didn't ensure any simultaneous mental stability. Seth was messed up now, and Jake could see that he was scared and didn't know how to handle it.
Seth had finished releasing all the repressed emotions, and sank wearily into a chair. Jake, feeling compassion for the young boy before him, stood up and went to his side, patting his shoulder in comfort.
"Hey, it'll all work out. You'll see," he told him.
"I just can't think about this right now," Seth said as he shook off Jacob's hand. "I need to go run."
"Where are you going to go?"
"I don't know, but I'm sure I'll find out," he said mysteriously. Jake knew that Seth already had a pretty good idea of where he would end up, and it wouldn't be all the way out in Canada. Jake shuddered at the journey he'd taken there out of depression at Bella's then-upcoming transformation from human to monster. Thank God she had been given the gift of control.
"All right, man. Don't stay out too late, though. Emily's ordering pizza tonight, and there will be lots!" Jake reminded him.
Seth nodded, still feeling disturbed, and darted out of the open window. Jake watched him go, praying that he would find a way, in his puny-teenaged brain, to sort this out.
Sorry for the short chapter, but I hope you didn't forget about Seth's dilemma! I just wanted to make sure he got some time in the story, with all of his emotional issues and all that good stuff! Thanks to all who reviewed, or subscribed, or whatever it is you do, but keep doing it! I love it, and thanks so much!