I wandered absently out of the classroom after Chrissy. Of all the weird first days, mine had to top them all. Firstly, I'd imprinted. Secondly, I'd been like a girl magnet. Third, I'd got a date to prom. And I'd imprinted.

"Jacob," Chrissy began.

"Yeah, Chrissy?" I replied, tasting her name in my mouth.

"Do you want a ride home? Can Todd drop you off anywhere? He won't mind," she offered, all at once.

I was touched. She wanted to drive me home. Home. I used to call the Quileute Rez home. But now home was wherever she was. And home was where I was planning on spending the night.

"Thanks for the offer, but no, I can walk. Or run," I mused. I hadn't run anywhere in a long time. Well, at least, not as a human.

"Okay, then, I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yes, yes of course, I'll see you tomorrow," I replied, amused. In fact, I'll see you tonight.

She waved and walked away from me.

I almost followed her, but quickly turned the other way. Don't scare her. Don't scare her.

Heading towards the back entrance I slowed my speed. I needed to give her time to get to the beach before she discovered her dog there.

I went in the same direction that Chrissy had just left in.

"Jacob. We need to talk." I glanced at Caleb, who had fallen into step next to me.

"Yeah?"

He buried his hands in his pockets, then pulled them out again, fidgeting nervously. "You like Chrissy."

What's the point in lying? "Yes. I like her."

Caleb stopped, and I turned to face him. "I'd appreciate if you left her alone. I've been working up to a relationship with Chris since we were fourteen, since I first saw her."

I raised an eyebrow at him and tried not to laugh. Assuming that she was seventeen, that was almost three years. Three years and he still hadn't asked her out. What a freak.

"I know, it's a long time. It's just the way I met her. I don't want to scare her off, you know? I value being with her. Even if it's only as a friend. If we were to get together, and I took it too far, too fast, I'd scare her off, and never see her again."

"What did you do to her?!" I exclaimed. Do not hurt the stupid boy. "How traumatic was it?!"

"I didn't do anything to her. I saved her." He said, and I could have punched his perfectly straight nose in, right then and there. Dragging it out, much?

"From what? Or who?"

"It was summer camp. I'd been watching her for days. She was so beautiful. The way she moved, smiled, laughed. I was obsessed. I still am. But I'd been noticing others watching her too. There were three of them. Ethan was the worst. The way he looked at her . . . it was as if she was a piece of meat.

"Then one day, she left breakfast early. I figured that it was a good enough time to make my move, and introduce myself. I followed her, but was sidetracked by a camp councilor. He wanted me to help set up for the abseiling.

"By the time I got to her, the others had her up against the wall of the toilet block. One of them - I think it was Joey - had his tongue stuck down her throat, and another one was up her shirt-" Caleb abruptly stopped speaking; he closed his eyes and clenched his fists. I wanted to do the same.

"I pulled them off her. It was all I could do not to beat them to death. Then she looked at me, and she was so . . . happy, and grateful."

"I gather you got to introduce yourself then," I said, trying to lighten the atmosphere. I liked this guy. He meant something to Chrissy, so I would do my damndest to be nice to him.

"Yes. I did. But do you understand now?"

"Yeah. I understand. You two have history."

Caleb grinned, apparently relieved at my answer. "So you won't . . . ask her out, or anything like that?"

Only if she wants me to. You see, I'm not fully human. And I've imprinted on her. I'll do whatever the hell she needs me to do. But how to break that to this lovesick puppy? "Listen, Caleb," I began apologetically. "I can't make any promises."

The blonde's face darkened.

"The second she wants me, I'm hers. I'd do anything for Chrissy. I've only known her one day but . . ." I trailed off, shrugging helplessly.

Caleb glowered at me, for a brief moment, then sighed. "I know what you mean. I can hardly blame you for that. I'm the same."

Oh I really doubt that. I'm worse, pretty boy. Much worse.

"Well, uh, gotta run."

"Goodbye, Caleb." I called after him. There. No one could say I wasn't being friendly, now.

I headed into the trees at the side of the school's running track and began to run. I tried to keep to shadows and sheltered places that were out of sight. Normal humans couldn't run like this. There was something about the stride - it was too long and loping.

I stood in the shadow of a house, using most of my senses to search for any possible spectators. It was when I couldn't see, hear or smell anyone that I finally stripped and phased. Leaving the clothes in a tidy pile, I wandered out onto the sand. Tiny grains leaked between my toe pads.

Then I saw Caleb and a random boy strolling along the beach. I trotted in his direction. Come on. Look up. You'll be able to see me now.

He looked up.

He saw me.

"Loch, can you see if you can grab it or something?"

The other one whistled. I didn't move. How degrading was that? A whistle? I wasn't some dog that he could order around.

Then again, as far as they're concerned, I was. I pulled my lips back from my teeth momentarily, then ran up to him slowly. I even wagged my tail and let my tongue loll out.

Caleb slipped a red cellphone out of his pocket. He grinned and tapped at the number pad.

Then he looked at me and spoke to Lochlan. "Dude, what are we going to do with it? Is it even a dog? Check those teeth. But we can't leave it here. It can't go to mine . . . yours?"

Lochlan shook his head. "Do you think Chrissy will-?"

"Maybe."

Yes! Yes, she will! Go on, ring her! Ring her now!

He pressed a single button and held the phone up to his ear. "Chris, we picked up that dog again . . . at the beach. But, I'm not sure . . . if it's even a dog . . ."

". . . four legs . . . coat . . . tail . . . bathroom." I heard her say.

"'Kay. Be there in . . . five?"

"Come on, boy." Lochlan said as they set off at a brisk pace.

"Loch?"

"Mmm?"

"I need some advice. Girl advice. It's about Chrissy . . ."

"No. I'm not going on another date with her. It's bad enough that she thinks I'm gay. I can't believe you managed to convince me to do that, Cal."

"Sorry. It's just . . . she liked you so much . . ."

"Shut up. I don't want to know what goes on in that sick head of yours." He tapped Caleb playfully on the head. "So, what do you want to know?"

"There's a new guy at school. He's in some of our classes. He likes her. And I think she likes him. I can't handle it, Loch. What if they start dating? I'll have to be the thrilled best friend. I'll have to tell her how great she looks, that Jacob's going to love her. I'll have to take her dress shopping for prom so that she can look good for a different guy. God, I can't do it!"

"Chill, bro. It's easy. Ask her out. If she's yours, she can't be his. You know her. You know what she likes, what she doesn't. What makes her tick. It'll be a piece of cake."

I growled.

They were manipulating her.