I don't own anything but Erin, Seth's official imprint! Now, how will she react?

Erin's Point of View

Excitement and fear mixed in the pit of my stomach. My nerves were haywire as well, making me feel like I was going crazy. Other students passed me but I barely even registered their existence. Seth would be here today, he'd be back. He said so. I bounced a little, picking at my jacket sleeves, absentmindedly.

I was about to give up and go inside when I heard that familiar voice, permanently recorded into my brain. "Hey."

I spun around, immediately looking into Seth's eyes. His expression changed in the blink of an eye, from depressed to some kind of amazement. A goofy smile spread across his face. I felt my heart beat faster, loving that smile more than any expression I'd previously seen on his face. My arms itched to reach out and put my arms around him but I ignored the urge.

His shaggy skater hair was gone, chopped short, and I swear he'd shot up at least 5 inches since I saw him last time three weeks ago. He looked older then possible. Seth and I were both 15, his birthday a week after my mine, yet he could pass for 21 easily. He had lines under his eyes, like he hadn't slept right in a while. I fought the urge to look at his whole body, but lost. He had muscles everywhere, like Jake and Embry. I tried to ignore the teenage girl part of me squealing about his hotness in my head, but knew it was true. Seth Clearwater was crazy attractive, then again he'd always been.

Shut up, Erin, he's just your friend!

I opened my mouth and spoke, "Seth? Please, what's going on? Are you-" I stopped short, noticing Seth hadn't dropped his gaze, looking at me with this look of complete content. "What are you staring at?"

Seth's grin faded, replaced by confusion. "I... They... You're so... Um..." He blurted out. My eyebrows came together and I almost spoke again until I saw Embry come up from behind my best friend, grabbing his arm. Embry smiled at me, but it seemed superficial, nowhere near his normal carefree grin.

I glanced at Seth and felt something in my stomach flutter to life, sending butterflies throughout my body. I looked back at Embry as he spoke, "Seth will have to talk to later, Erin." Seth's expression changed to one of dread.

Jacob came over and grabbed Seth's other arm, whispering something I couldn't hear in his ear, before yanking him away from me. Quil ran up to me and started talking but I tuned him out, my eyes following Seth. There was an odd, foreboding pull in the pit of my stomach, like a rope was wrapped around me and attaching me to Seth.

I cringed when they walked out of sight into the woods and turned to Quil, "What did you do to him? Huh? What happened? Why did they take him into the woods? Is he with you and the cult?" I demanded, angrily.

Quil swallowed and bit his lip, "He'll explain everything. When I say everything, I mean it all, and he'll be back by 1st period. So just, wait. And give us all a chance, please. You know me Erin, I wouldn't give you bad advice."

I snorted, rolling my eyes. "Okay, whatever." I turned and Quil followed. I gave him a look and he just shrugged. He walked me all the way to my locker then continued down the hall to his own, muttering a goodbye. I sighed, shaking my head, and went to my homeroom.

I tapped my pen on my desk, impatiently, feeling the tension build in my muscles the whole twenty minutes. I walked to math faster than normal, hoping Seth would be there. Not seeing him when I entered the class, I paused and sighed in disappointment. Finding my seat, I began doodling the moon when, ten minutes into class, someone burst into the room.

Looking up, startled, my eyes met Seth's chocolate brown ones. The flutter came back, that pull in my chest loosening at the sight of him. I felt warm and relieved to have another thirty-five minutes in the same room with Seth. But why was he so late? Why had he run off into the woods with Jacob and Embry?

Mr. Coleman told Seth off while he walk to his seat, but it didn't appear that Seth was even listening.

He reached his normal seat next to me, smiling like a child of Christmas day. "Hey." He whispered.

I bit my lip while he sat, trying to kill the smile fighting to break free. I rolled my eyes, looking at my notebook, hoping he wouldn't notice my blush, "Pay attention, dork."

I don't think he looked at the teacher once the whole class, those chocolate browns on my every move. I fought to pay attention but I couldn't help but sneak a peek at Seth every few minutes. I didn't feel at all uncomfortable under his attention, only curious and desperate to inspect him just as closely. The bell rang and Seth looked away to grab his stuff then turned back to me. Before he could speak, I blurted out a question, "What is up with you?"

He smiled and shook his head; "Want to cut class the rest of the day with me?"

I just stared at him for a moment, then thought back to what Quil said. If I went with him, I would possibly get answers, not to mention time with Seth after three weeks without him. I crossed my arms and reluctantly nodded. "Okay."

Seth grinned, a slightly nervous glint in his eyes, and held his hand out. I looked at it, taking a deep breath, and unfolded my arms to grab it. Seth's touch sent warmth throughout my whole body, maybe because his fingers were fever hot, but he seemed fine. I shook my head; I'd ask later. As we walked, Seth's fingers laced through mine, fitting just right, nice and toasty on my own naturally cold fingers. He stopped at our lockers and waited as I put away my books.

As soon as the metal door was shut, Seth's hand was back in mine, the electric feeling instantly returning. I followed him outside, past other kids heading off to class, and across the lawn and into the woods. There was no trail but Seth apparently knew where to go, walking and walking without hesitation until we came to a clearing. He stopped and turned to me.

My eyes slid to our hands and I lightly pulled mine back, instantly missing the warmth of Seth's grip but too stubborn to turn back now. "Explain. Everything." I demanded.

Seth was still looking at my hand, now cold and empty, but shook his head, meeting my eyes. A light smile appeared on his face. "I don't know how to say it. I should have asked Sam or Jared how they explained."

I swallowed, heart plummeting, so he was definitely with Sam. "So, we can't be friends anymore?" I whispered, biting the inside of my cheek hard to fight the tears and looking away.

"What? Of course we can still be friend, if that's what you want." He sounded desperate, pleading even, and I was forced to look back at him.

"I don't want, not if it means living with lies between us." I told him, angrily. "You're my best friend, we've never kept secrets from each other. Tell me the truth, the honest to god truth, and I promise, Seth, I will believe you. Just be honest with me." I begged him, frowning.

Seth licked his lips and exhaled, "You know the legend of how the tribe began? The ones they tell at the bonfires, about the wolves?" He asked.

I nodded, slowly. Where was this going? Was he trying to change the subject?

"What if," Seth looked down, almost longingly at my hand, "They were true; that there really were men that turned into wolves? Can you imagine that?" He looked back up at me. I shrugged, crossing my arms over my chest, shivering slightly. Seth seemed to notice but looked away.

"What would you think of that?" He questioned, still not looking at me.

I took a deep breath, "I guess, I dunno, I guess that'd be kind of, " I searched for the right word, "Magical? It'd be magical, amazing even, but Seth those kind of things don't exist."

Seth shook his head and looked at me, "They do."

My heart jump-started and I gave Seth a look, "What are you saying?" I demanded, surprised it came out as strong as it did.

Seth stared into my eyes with this look of intense worry. "I'm saying, I'm a," He glanced at the ground, swallowed and looked back up, "Werewolf. Me, Sam, Jake, Embry, Quil, we're all werewolves."

His eyes search mine while I just stared at him. I knew Seth better than anyone, had seen and identified all his tells, and he wasn't lying to me. But what he was saying was impossible. Swallowing, I uncrossed my arms, meeting his gaze and stepping forward, "Prove it."

Seth shook his head but grinned, "Stay here." He told me. I nodded, waving him away.

He turned and walked into the woods, in seconds I couldn't see him, but I stayed put, waiting. A few minutes later, I was rewarded for my patience.

A sandy colored horse-sized wolf, walked slowly into the clearing, head bowed. I gasped, eyes widening. The wolf's head snapped up and seemed to look directly into my soul. The second blue met brown, any worries melted away. Even in the foreign face, I would know those eyes anywhere. I relaxed and smiled a little, stepping forward, hand outstretched. Seth stepped close enough for me to touch and bowed his head again, differently this time. I reached out further and softly ran my fingers through the sandy fur. "Oh my god." I breathed.

Seth looked up at me, his eyes questioning, a small whine coming from him. I shook my head, grinning, "No, don't worry. You're fine, I'm just amazed. You're a freaking wolf, dork." I told him. He barked out something close to a laugh and I smiled even wider, my cheeks aching somewhat. "Change back, I wanna talk."

The wolf spun away from me, retreating to the trees. Like before, I waited a couple minutes and Seth reappeared, hands in his pockets, eyes fixed on the ground. I laughed and he looked up at me, "What?" He asked, anxiously.

"Seth, that's incredible, unbelievable. You're- You're magical and amazing and everything else." I blurted, walking forward, longing for closeness. I stopped arm's length away from him. "You said the other's -the whole cult- they can do this too?" Seth nodded. "Why didn't Jake tell me?" I asked. Seth's smile was replaced by nervousness again.

"He wasn't allowed. Sam, the Alpha, told us we couldn't tell anyone that wasn't meant to know. What Alpha says, goes, whether we like it or not." Seth answered.

"No offense, I'm totally, completely okay with it, but why are you allowed to tell me now?" I wondered, inching forward.

"Because, you're meant to know, and the Pack sees that now." He answered, vaguely.

"Why am I meant to know? Why did they just realize it?" I questioned, basking in Seth's body heat, inches from me.

"You know the story about imprinting? The wolf looks a girl in the eyes for the first time and he's ground to her? She's his soulmate, like the center of his universe?" Seth asked, meeting my eyes, intently. I did remember that story. It had always been one of my favorites because the cold ones weren't in it and it was romantic, not scary. I nodded, easily, things slowly falling into place in my head. "Imprints are real too. Emily's Sam's, Kim's Jared's and-"

I cut him off. "I'm yours, aren't I?."

Seth smiled a bit and nervously chuckled, nodding, "Uh, yeah. But we don't have to be anything more than what we were before. The wolf's job is to be anything for an imprint. A best friend, a protector, a brother, a-"

Again, I cut him off, "A soulmate?" I asked, gazing into his eyes. It all clicked just then. The warm feeling, the fluttering, the curiosity! I felt stupid for not seeing it, so much right in front of my face. Seth wasn't only my best friend, he wasn't only my protector, or a type of brother, he was so much more. He was my everything, had been for quite a well without me even noticing.

I pushed myself up onto my tiptoes, wrapping my arms around him neck and smelling his extraordinary scent. I tilted my head back and finally, after 15 years of beating around the bush, our lips met in a searing kiss.