Hi everyone!! I wanted to thank you guys so much for all the reviews I got. You guys seriously are awesome, the best motivation a girl could have. If I could I'd hug each and all of you. Hope you enjoy this, sorry I forgot to put up a warning about the lemon at the end of the last chapter =( I'll be more careful from now on.

As always, I own nothing...

JPOV

Saturday afternoon,

"You what?!" I could feel the tremors course through my body at what Embry had just said, but calmed down when Emily patted my arm and urged me to sit at the table.

"Listen Jake, the girl was already pretty beat up thinking you wouldn't want to be with her after everything she'd done when that leech was around, so I thought the last thing she should worry about is imprinting even if it is happening more often than the legends suggest," he closed his eyes and sighed. "I didn't want her to get any more upset than she already was,"

"You can't make light of imprinting Embry, you can really hurt someone that way," Emily looked from us to Leah who was sitting outside on the porch looking out into the forest. Sighing she looked back at me, "besides, Jake has direct Alpha lineage to the pack, so it's inevitable," I tensed at her words not wanting to believe it but knowing it was true. I hated it that at any moment I could imprint on some woman who wasn't my Bella.

Just when I was about to say something a little hand reached out for mine and tugged. I looked down to see a very sleepy Rafe. Bella had called Sue saying there were some things she had to finish at the firm before she made it out here and Charlie was out of town on police business, so Sue had told her to drop him off. The only problem was that Sue had received an important call about some matters regarding some of Harry's arrangements with the Rez that needed her immediate attention, and so he was dropped here. I squatted down to the little boy and smiled at him.

"Hey there little man, what's up?" he smiled and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"When's momma comin'?" he peeked outside, his gaze riveted back to Leah time and time again. I could feel some sort of energy surging in the room as he kept looking outside. I looked up at Emily and Sam. Both looked just as puzzled.

"She'll be here soon Rafe," I ruffled his dark hair, earning a laugh from the little boy and got up.

I looked back out the window to Leah and saw her tense shoulders slump in what almost looked like defeat.

"What the hell is going on with that girl?" Embry stood up as well and came to stand next to me just as Leah rose from her spot and made her way to the front door and into the house. I frowned at the look on her face, like she was ashamed and defeated, but at the same time she looked… happy. My thoughts reflected Embry's; What the hell is goin' on with that girl?

"Leah?" Emily looked from her cousin to me and back at Rafe whose little face had broken out into a big smile, he was even reaching out to her with his little arms to be picked up. She'd been acting very strange lately; she had insisted on doing patrol solo, which most of us had been thankful for. We all assumed it was because she realized how much we were getting really tired of her resentment, now I realized it was to hide something. I should of know, she was a little too friendly around Rafe and Bella, even the Pack as a whole but we hadn't thought anything of it. We just thanked our lucky stars for the sudden letup of her hateful attitude towards everyone.

She looked up and her dark eyes met the chocolate brown ones of the little boy across the room and all the energy I'd felt before seemed to concentrate between the two of them, like a strong magnetic pull that even Leah couldn't resist. She took hesitant steps towards Rafe, her steps becoming more and more surer the closer she got until she fell to her knees in front of three year old.

"I'm so sorry Rafe," her head was hung low and her voice cracked with emotion. Is she crying? "I knew I wouldn't be able to fight it, and that I shouldn't try but I wanted so hard to deny what was destined for us. I don't know why I doubted it, but I don't anymore. Do you forgive me? ," she looked up and Emily gasped at the tears she saw there.

That's when it hit me; she'd imprinted on Rafe but had been fighting it with all her might. That's why she had been so different, the pull she felt to Rafe was so strong she couldn't deny the all consuming love since she'd imprinted. Her happiness must have been due to her submission to the imprint, but her fear of rejection since the little boy seemed to feel it too. That explained why he kept looking at her like he'd lost his best friend. He had, and so much more.

"It's okay Lee-Lee," I chuckled at Rafe's name for Leah, earning me a glare from said woman. I knew he didn't understand more than three quarters of what she'd just told him but he looked like she'd just offered him his favorite dessert.

"Sorry," I held up my hands in surrender not wanting to be mauled by a she-wolf.

Rafe smiled and brushed his hands over Leah's face, and then into her hair where he played with the short strands of thick black hair. Leah's eyes were closed, a look of pure love shone on her face. She put a tentative hand on Rafe's little shoulder and gasped at what Sam and Emily described as the electrical current coursing through each others body at the first touch as imprints. Rafe felt it too, he giggled and threw his arms around Leah's neck and hugged her tight.

"I love you Lee-Lee,"

"I love you too Rafe," they stayed like for what seemed like an eternity until Leah pulled away and motioned to all the food on the table. "Are you hungry? Would you like a muffin?"

"Not now Lee-Lee! Backyardigans is on! Come we have to watch Backyardigans!" I chuckled at the idea of Leah watching anything on the Treehouse channel, earning me another glare, but I grinned back. I was happy for her, I truly was. Perhaps now the moodiness was finally over for good. We could only hope.

Emily looked at Leah and Rafe, both of which were lying on the sofa, Leah's protective arm keeping him close to her, a smile of genuine happiness shining on her face. She truly was stunning when she smiled, she just didn't do it often enough.

"That is why you don't make light of imprinting," Emily pointed to the two people on the couch while glaring daggers at Embry.

BPOV

I drove up to Sue's place to pick up Rafe only to find a note saying she was sorry but she had a very important matter to attend so she'd left Rafe in the care of Emily and Sam. I got back in my car and drove down to Sam and Emily and frowned at the unfamiliar dark green, almost black mustang in the driveway. Who is that?

My question was soon answered at the sound of booming laughter coming from the house; Jacob.

My heart beat wildly at the thought of seeing him again. I had to thank him for those wonderful meals and maybe even invite him over for supper, amongst other things…

I blushed at where my train of thoughts was going and shook my head to clear it of the wicked thoughts and images, especially when I was about to enter someone else's house. Never mind the fact that I probably already had a really dark blush by now. The mark on my hip really began to throb, like I was stung. I rubbed it to alleviate the painful feeling but it just wasn't going away if anything it was getting stronger. I turned to go back to my car and grab a Tylenol or two when it suddenly went away and I was enveloped in strong arms and lifted off the ground.

I screamed in surprise, dropping my purse on the ground in the process.

"Easy Bells, you'd think I was trying to steal you away or something," I gulped, that voice. I almost wished he was, he was so warm and inviting. Whoa! My mind had been running wild since last night, images that surpassed my own imagination. What is going on?!

His voice was in my hair near my ear, whispering. I didn't hear exactly what he was saying but I didn't care. I loved how he felt and the bugger knew he effect he had on me; I knew that from the grin I felt against my hair.

"Jake, you perv-" I turned and looked up into his face and gasped. It was like everything around us stopped, the only thing that existed at this very moment was the two of us. It felt like my soul had finally connected to the one and only person that was right for me; Jacob.

His beautiful face broke out into the most breathtaking smile I'd ever seen. "Finally!" he shouted out into warm fall air.

"Huh?" was the only thing I could manage. Pretty lame but honestly I couldn't find my voice for the life of me. He was just so beautiful it took my breath away, how did I not see that before? I put my hand up to touch his face but pulled back quickly; afraid that maybe he didn't want me to touch him.

Grinning like a madman, he captured my hand and brought it back to his face, his eyes closed in what can only be described as sheer pleasure when our skins touched. I gasped at the shock I felt, like an electrical jolt had just shot through my body lighting it on fire.

"Wh- What was that?" I didn't say anything when he pulled me closer, I actually wanted him to pull me even tighter to his glorious body if that was even possible.

"I, my dear, have just imprinted, on you," he had the most beautiful smile, like he was finally happy with the world and his place in it. Truth was, he finally was happy.

"You what? This fast? How?" I tried to stop myself from rambling but I couldn't help it. One minute everything was normal – well as normal as it could be. Then I have these mind blowing sensual dreams that leave me with a mark on my pelvis that I just realized throbbed when Jake was near and that I just can't seem to explain for the life of me. Now my best friend, who had loved me since I was teenager and who I have loved as a teenager has imprinted on me. All of this happening in the small space of time since I'd gotten back from England. This was a little too fast for me but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Jake's deep chuckle brought me back to reality, his adam's apple bobbing up and down in front me, the thick muscles of his neck and shoulders flexed with each move of those glorious arms. How I wanted to reach forward and tongue his adam's apple then that small spot between his shoulder and neck and Whoa!!! Down girl!

"It can happen at anytime honey. Just thank your lucky star we know each other. Jared didn't know Kim when he imprinted on her. She avoided him for nearly a month before she gave in, she was convinced he was he was some kind of serial killer or creepy stalker," his smile was just so disarming I didn't want to look away but I knew I needed time to sort this out. Don't get me wrong I had the full intention of sorting this out with Jacob, in private, but I had a little boy to think of. I couldn't just get mine and forget about Rafe.

I pulled away from Jake and instantly felt cold and lonely as I walked up to the house.

"Where are you going?" Jake's voice was close behind me, but it still seemed too far; he wasn't touching me.

"Inside, I just want to see Rafe,"

"He's in good hands," I turned and frowned at him, nearly bumping into his massive chest in the process. Sam and Embry both sported big grins; they must have felt what had happened outside, but we could talk about that later tonight at the bonfire.

"Of course he's in good hands, he's with Emily," I turned and saw Emily by the counter, her cheeks flushed a pretty pink.

"Where's Rafe?"

"He's with Leah," Sam's voice was subdued, like the silence before the storm.

"Leah?! What the hell?! She doesn't know the first thing about kids!" I brushed Jake and Embry aside but stopped dead in my tracks when I walked into the living room. Leah and Jake had fallen asleep on the couch, Leah's body was curved protectively around Rafe's little body, like she loved h-

"Her too?!" I didn't realize how high my voice was until Emily put her finger in front of her lips, urging me to be quiet. I knew I should have been angry, furious even, but having felt the awesome power first hand, the powerful tie to another person that would have incomprehensible to me if I hadn't experience it, I knew I had no cause to be angry.

"Yeah, about a half hour before you arrived," Jacob's voice was right behind me, I could feel the warmth of his body he was so close. I nodded but couldn't find anything to say, I was still so shocked at the sudden turn of events. I shook my head again trying to make sense of the tumult of emotions raging inside me since the imprinting out in the driveway and wondered, will it always be like this, this yearning to always want to be near each other?

I unconsciously backed up a step just as I'd shivered from the cool temperature and nearly jumped out of my skin when I came into contact with Jacob's chest. He chuckled while nuzzling my hair, the hot temperature of his body soothing my cold one. I couldn't contain the contented sigh that escaped my mouth when his big warm hands and arms came around my waist to pull me closer.

That was when I was sure that it wasn't so bad to want Jacob so close to me for the rest of my life, and be wanted by such a man in turn. A slow smile spread over my face as I leaned back, not bad at all.

"Well, it may not have been what Leah wanted but she sure doesn't seem to be complaining now," Emily's sweet voice was right next to me and made me jump. I hadn't realized she was there, I was too engrossed in the man behind me.

She laughed softly at my surprise while looking back at Sam with a meaningful look which he returned with a grin of his own and a deep chuckle while he settled down at the table.

I thought about what Emily had just said and contemplated over a few things regarding imprinting. Both parties, human and werewolf, didn't get to choose who they wanted to live the rest of their lives with, but once the imprinting was done that was left up to human and the werewolf would stand by their mate's decision.

Having someone so strong and loyal love you unconditionally was incredible and overwhelming in itself, the things that young girls dreamed of. It was also dangerous if one wasn't careful. My thoughts went back to Emily with the ragged scars across her beautiful face but I knew that Sam had trained them hard and trained them well.

I knew Rafe couldn't be safer with Leah than if I'd locked him up in a room full of Navy Seal, but that wasn't the only thing that comforted me. That fact that Leah would be there for him in ways that I never could later on in life pacified my worried mind.

"Well, we'd better get goin' on the bonfire," Sam's booming voice made me jump, I looked back to Rafe and Leah and smiled when he looked like he was gone to the world, having what must have been one of his best naps. I looked at Leah and saw her looking back at me, a sheepish look on her face. I smiled at her, not wanting to wake up Rafe, but I wanted her to know that I wasn't angry, far from it. A look of intense relief that made me laugh came over her just before she lay her head back down on the couch and held Rafe just a little closer to her.

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