DISClaimer: I'm not Stephanie Meyer. I make no profit from this.

I am, however, quite in love with werewolves.

It's not love. it's a fixation. I want a personal radiator.

Hope you enjoy this.

-x-

"Max… that-sunrise-in-the-stomach-thing…" I was done with messing around. "It's called imprinting."

-x-

Seth's POV

Oh, shit.

There wasn't much more in my head, to be honest, just that, revolving over and over, telling me she would either scream, faint, or punch me. Or all three.

One, I could cope with, grab her around the middle, and either kiss her or slam my hand over her mouth, three would hurt her more than me, I'm sure - I remember Bella broke her hand when she hit Jake in the jaw, but two, two would be the worst, because I wouldn't know what was happening in her head. I could really have done with Cullen right now, but I would have to make do with my guesses from her body language.

She shifted uncomfortably, but she didn't pull her hand away. Good. No fainting... Yet.

"Well," she started nervously, "You can explain now?" She crossed her legs, folded one arm across her chest. She's only listening because she's got nowhere else to go, then. Great.

"I was kind of worried about telling you all of this stuff… I thought it would be easier for you to work it our for yourself - I didn't want to sc-scare you off, Macken-"

"For Christ's sake, Seth." she pulled her hand away, mine thunked on the table, "Give me some credit! I'm not stupid…"

"What?! Max, I thought you-"

"I'm slightly reluctant to be anywhere near you right now, but that's because I don't know what imprinting is, and it sounds painful-"

"It's not! I swear, Max, it doesn't hurt…" She looked at me in pure disbelief. "Really, Max, it's a good thing!" I stretched my hand out to take hers, but she didn't move for a few seconds, I elaborated, trying to make her slightly more welcoming. "It's something…" I hesitated, "it means the wolf has found… a soul mate. Their…" I was slightly reluctant to say it - she wasn't really the fairytale type. It turned out she knew exactly what I meant.

"The wolf finds their true love." She said softly, her face going pink. "That true?"

"Mmm." I blushed, looking at the table. Very slowly, she replaced her fingers on the table, didn't pull away when I captured her hand between both of mine. She flushed bright red and I smiled, hoping she would relax if I did.

"Wow. And I thought I'd die ugly and alone," she whispered, almost to herself. I nearly laughed, but thought now wouldn't be the best time.

"You won't." I promise her, even though I know that might not be true. Now I had to backtrack, "I won't let that happen," I fixed my words and paused, "And," she looked at me expectantly, I played with her fingers to buy myself some time, some words, but within seconds, she had pulled them into a fist. I was content enough to break it up, very slowly, but she cleared her throat and made me look at her.

"And...?" she said softly. I looked up into her eyes and found my voice dropped to the low, desperate-for-a-girlfriend tone I hardly ever used. Time to put it into practise.

"I think you're beautiful." Then I snorted at the corniness of my words, kind of breaking the mood in a spectacular way.

She smiled, poorly suppressing her laughter - a giggle slipped easily from between her lips. I grinned.

"You laughing at me, or the words?" I muttered, suddenly hurt.

"Clearly the words," I laughed again and she grinned at me, "but I could ask you the same thing!" she poked her tongue out and smiled. The tension between us dispersed quickly. "Now I really feel fifteen," she grinned, wider if that was possible.

"Haha, great, join the club." I spoke, my voice heavy for reasons I didn't know, and she looked at me sideways for a second, tilting her head and frowning slightly.

"You know, Seth, I honestly can't work you out." she said, no hint of sarcasm that time, "you're sweet, and funny, and everything any girl would want. But you picked me. Hardly the best chocolate in the box."

"I didn't pick anything. This was fate." oh, smooth, jackass. Her face fell and she looked away for a long minute. "Mackenzie, that's not what I meant... You know that. You're gorgeous-" she smirked, let out a mirthless giggle, "I mean... You're way out of my league, if anything. Normally I would have been terrified of saying anything…" Don't mention it, don't mention it! Seth, if you have any common sense, you'll stop, stop talking. Right now - "But for the imprinting thing." Aww. Damn, Seth, and you were doing so well, too.

"Seth…" she stared for a long minute, looking like she was fighting laughter. "You're... You're hot." she grinned, "in both senses of the word. Any girl would be lucky to have you." she paused, flushing pink and looking away.

"Max, I-"

"Where can I sleep?" she asked suddenly, I think she was keen to end the conversation, "I'm kind of knackered."

"Well…" I paused and thought about it, "You can sleep in my room- I'll take the spare."

"I'll take the spare," she said.

"No." I growled it, more forcefully than I had expected, she giggled nervously and bit her lip, "let me be a gentleman." she raised an eyebrow, "My room's the warmest in the house and after what you've been through…" I trailed off awkwardly "Would you just say yes, please?" I muttered after a few seconds, frustration getting the better of me.

"OK."" her smile was slightly disarming, I nodded and smiled at her.

"Follow me," I offered my hand to her, she smiled, a new thought hitting her.

"You're not gonna try and have your wicked way with me are you?" she laughed and I shook my head. For a second, she looked disappointed, and confusion hit me like a train.

"You alright, Max?" She didn't speak as we strode up the stairs.

"Yeah." I pushed my bedroom door open and cringed. I hadn't tidied the place for about... Eighteen, nineteen months, maybe, but she was grinning. I took it as a good sign.

"Sorry," I blushed, looking at the floor, realising it wasn't joy, but, for probably the ninetieth time today, suppressed laughter. "I-I've been kind of busy."

"For how long?" She paused and laughed, "It's tidier than mine," she grinned, but wouldn't meet my eye as she said it.

"You don't have to... to make me feel better, or anything." She blushed and looked up at me.

"Fine," She stuck her tongue out and I fought back a growl, "it's an absolute sty, but then again, some mess is healthy," a pause, "I wasn't lying, you know- I'm slightly worse - I can't... Couldn't see my floor."

"Couldn't?" Now I was intrigued.

"I left home three months ago; I had a huge fight with my parents. It was about... Well, it was about doing this."

"What, meeting a werewolf and finding out he's your soul mate?" she laughed and I felt her fingers slip into mine, gripping my hand ever so lightly.

"Exactly!" she laughed as though she hadn't moved, "You're perceptive, aren't you?!"

I let her take a look around my room - see where the TV was, and all that sort of thing. Minutes later, I caught the time on the clock.

"Max, it's a quarter past midnight." She appeared in my bedroom doorway, holding the jeans and top Renesmee had lent her. Her pyjamas looked pretty comfortable in the half-light from my bedside lamp. I bit back a growl again. I need to practise that.

"Oh, god…" Then she smirked, "Have I kept you up past your bedtime?" she turned to go back into the room. I didn't stop her, just followed, smiling.

"Very funny. Thought you might want some beauty sleep. God knows you need it."

"Muppet," is that an insult?

"Witch." I'll be nice.

"Dog." She smiled, not expecting my reaction. I sprung at her, half dragging, half carrying her to land on top of her on the mattress. When the semi-angry-semi-playful fog cleared, I realised I had one hand on her shoulder, the other pulling her closer at the hip.

"How d'you like me now?" I growled, letting the wolf in me take over. I wouldn't phase - that would give her nightmares, but I could scare her a little bit.

But she got the giggles.

I felt the laughter bubble up from her chest, could see her face contort, trying to hold her breath, to stop laughing.

"Go on," I rolled my eyes and she let the laughter loose. "I hate you," but my smile betrayed the truth. Within seconds, I had pulled away and stood up straight, controlling myself... not on the first date, Seth, not right now. "Goodnight, Max." She sighed and closed her eyes, smiling widely.

"'Night, Seth." I resisted the urge to murmur sweet dreams. I think she might have punched me if I had.

She didn't react too badly to the imprinting thing. I growled as I climbed into the spare bed, pulling my shirt off. I hadn't expected that, really. Her fury was good. The anger made life easier, made it interesting… more fun to diffuse.

It took my mind off the terror in her eyes when I had phased the first time.

She managed to hold it together though. I was impressed, I realised as I closed my eyes, waited for sleep to come. Incredible. She had actually impressed me.

And I was falling.

…

I woke up about three in the morning, feeling rested, ready to get up, make trouble, not do a lot - just like any other day.

Stretching my feet out, I kicked something. It groaned.

"S-Seth?" Her voice quickly went from tired to furious. "What're you-?"

The words were muffled by my foot as I kicked out, scrambling to sit up, take in my surroundings. I was sitting on my bed. On my bed. But I'd fallen asleep in the spare bed.

Oh god. What… when did I get up?

"I-I'm sorry," I mutter, standing up, nearly falling off the bed as I do. "I'm gonna go back to my be-"

"Seth… Seth, you alright?" her hand on my shoulder. She got out of the bed quickly, then. Faster than I could think.

"Yeah…" Then I looked into her eyes, "No. Not really. I don't get it. I don't want to leave you." I paused, closing my eyes again, sighing heavily. "But… I-" Her arms closed around me. The first hug we'd shared. A tight, warm hug.

I felt like my heart was going to explode. Oh god. She needs to meet the pack.

I closed my eyes and ignored it, that worrying feeling growing in my chest, and just let her warmth rise in my chest.

"Seth," She murmured, fighting to tighten the embrace again. "I'm kind of tired…" I nodded, reluctantly releasing her.

"Night, Max." I watched her climb back into my bed and smiled to myself. I turned away and went to go back to the spare.

"Uh… Seth?" I reached the doorway and turned back "I-"

-x-

A/N: Please review and let me know how I did... :P

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