Playing Imprint

The Breeder's

The Police - Roxanne

"Jake, are you ready?" Sam's hard voice interrupted Jacob's warm embrace. I stiffened at his tone. Jacob looked up at Sam in seriousness averting his eyes for a brief second.

"Bella, we need to talk. Can you sit on the couch please?" I kept my eyes ahead of me, avoiding Sam's gaze as I took a seat and looked at Jacob. He gave me a small and warm smile as he sat opposite to me.

"We know the Cullen's are vampires." I winced at their name. He paused noting my reaction before continuing. I could feel Emily and Sam watching as they stood to the side of us. "We know because we have our own secrets. Do you remember when I told you on the beach about the Cold One's?" I nodded. "I told you something else about our tribe. I told you that we are descended from wolves. Some of us still carry the gene. When leeches settle in the area, they trigger the gene and some of us become werewolves. We do this to protect people from vampires." He was watching me carefully. As though he were expecting a reaction from me. So I gave him a weak smile encouraging him to continue.

"I'm one of them, so are Sam, Jared, Paul and Embry. We form a pack. The werewolf brings something else with it. It's called imprinting." He had to take a deep breath at this point. "Sorry, I thought you'd have a bigger reaction to the news of the wolves. I thought I'd have to answer some questions or calm you down to give me more time to prepare for this part." He grimaced. I appreciated the honesty.

"Between mind reading vampires, being bitten and a young girl who can torture people with her mind, there's not much in the supernatural realm left that could shock me Jake." I admitted, hoping to put his mind at ease.

Instead his eyes bulged and Jacob and Sam yelled: "What!"

I cringed back from them both. Emily smacked Sam's arm. "Calm down. Let her explain." Emily said.

The two of them clearly made an effort to calm down but I could hear their breathing had picked up.

"You remember when I fell down the stairs at the hotel in Phoenix?" I asked. He nodded but Sam and Emily seemed confused. "Spring break, three vampires came across me and the Cullen's out in the woods. One of them thought it was a great game to hunt me. The Cullen's snuck me out to Phoenix. But James figured it out and lured me out when he convinced me that he had my mother. He decided the game wasn't enough, so he taped himself hurting me to convince Edward to hunt him down. Then he bit me. The Cullen's found us and killed James, then Edward sucked the venom out of the bite because he didn't want me to be a vampire with him. We had to come up with a cover story for all of my injuries, so they came up with the accident falling down the stairs." Jacob jumped up and ran out the front door. Sam looked pissed off.

"I'm sorry, that was probably more details than I should have given. I didn't mean to upset him. He really took that personally. I mean, I barely know him. He shouldn't be that upset." Sam's face was intense and Emily appeared to feel awkward.

"Don't worry, Jacob will be right back. We need that kind of information. Can I see where you were bitten?" I shrunk away from the idea but decided to co-operate. This might get them off my back and end their interest in me. So I held out my wrist. Sam came forward and touched the half crescent scars.

"The skin is cold and hard." He looked back to me in surprise. "It burned. It felt like my whole arm was on fire. If Edward had left me alone, I would have burned for three days until I was reborn." It felt wrong telling him these details. There were some things I wouldn't tell them.

"Wow Bella." Emily came over and eyed my scar. "I don't know if there are any other women that can say they survived being bitten by a vampire. You're lucky." She stated.

"I didn't want him to suck the venom out. I don't feel lucky. I feel abandoned and rejected." Thinking so much of him and the Cullen's began to make me feel like I was going to fall apart. I brought my legs up to my chest and held myself together. It was hard to draw air into my lungs. It felt like they were missing.

Jacob came in through the door frowning. "Can I see the scar." I held my wrist to myself seeing how upset his face was.
"Are you going to freak out again?" He looked at me earnestly. "No Bella. I'm just adjusting to the idea that you've already been in so much danger and I wasn't able to protect you from so much pain." He held out his hand sitting beside me on the couch. Hesitantly, I laid my wrist out in his hand. He traced the scars with his fingers. I felt him shake for a moment before calming down.

"What else were you going to tell me before I interrupted you. I'll do a better job of keeping my mouth shut. I promise." He looked up to Sam. I saw Sam nod.

"Sometimes werewolves see a girl and we imprint on them. Like a soul mate and love at first sight, but a little bit more complicated than that. After we faze for the first time, we see her and everything stops. She becomes the center of our universe and we will do anything and be anything for our imprint. Sam imprinted on Emily. Jared imprinted on Kim. I imprinted on you last night." I stopped breathing for a moment. I thought I already had a soul mate. It was him. Now this confirmed what he had said. That it would be like they never existed here. He was being replaced. NO! My heart screamed.

"You can't replace h-him! I'm not going to stop! I'm still going to go listen to him! You won't take him from me! It's all that I have left of him." I was crying and rambling and shaking. I couldn't see any reactions through my tears. I felt Emily's arms around me. I heard talking but couldn't understand what they were saying through my tears. My crying slowed until I saw Emily with me. She looked at me with sympathetic eyes. I wished she didn't feel sorry for me.

"Can I talk to you?" She asked. I nodded my assent.

"What do you mean you go listen to him? We're not trying to replace anyone. We want to help you." She said patiently. She had a way of just quietly slipping into my trust.

"When I'm at the club, I can hear Edward." The hole in my chest throbbed at me as I brought myself to say his name. "It's stupid and reckless and I know he would hate it. I can hear his voice in my head, yelling at me to stop. But it's the only way I can feel connected to him now." Emily rubbed my back. I felt the tears die away under her gentle scrutiny. She seemed to think carefully.

"How does it feel?" She asked. "What did you feel when you were dancing?"

"Something between shame and adrenalin, especially when I find the guy scary or intimidating. The voice is trying to protect me. You're going to send me to the psyche ward aren't you?" Emily looked shocked for a moment before pulling herself together.

"No. You know it's not real. It's just hard to understand. You don't enjoy dancing. Shame is not a positive emotion. I thought you felt sexy dancing." She pulled her hair back from her face letting it fall down her back.

"I feel sexy when I feel in control of the situation. I gave a lap dance to one guy last night, he was not allowed to touch me and I felt in control of that situation. Steve, one of the bouncer's, was right there for me. The guy I danced for wasn't intimidating at all and I didn't feel like I was dinner." I nibbled on my lower lip and my hands were fiddling in my lap. But I was sitting straight and strong, just as Giselle had taught me. In a few short weeks, she had ingrained some habits. She had corrected many of my habits but seemed to think men would like the lip nibbling.

"I need to tell you a few things about the imprint Bella. Will you listen?" Emily asked me seriously.

"Yeah." I tried to hide my reluctance. I didn't want to be drawn into the lives of the wolves.

"If something happens to you, it will hurt Jake. Hurting Jake will hurt the pack and it will hurt me and Kim. He's going to want to keep you safe. He'll be whatever you want him to be, but right now he's pining for you. He's going to need to see you often. The longer he goes without seeing you, the more it will hurt. Sam went almost a week without seeing me once and he was a mess by the end of the week. Is there something you would like to ask me?" I turned over the information in my mind.

"They imprint for a mate? They're part animals. Animals breed. They're pretty hot, they wouldn't have a hard time finding girls who'd have sex with them. Girls who would give them babies. Why the imprint? I don't understand. Jake doesn't need me to breed with. I don't want babies." The more I thought about it, the more concerned I was.

"I've been with Sam for a year, I'm not pregnant or planning to get pregnant any time soon. You don't have to do anything with Jake that you don't want to. You are in control of the imprint. He won't hurt you or leave you or push you to do anything. He just wants to make you happy which is why he isn't insisting that you leave the club. He thinks it's making you happy. But once he realizes it's not making you happy, he's going to let you know what he really thinks." I wasn't pleased with that piece of information.

"I'll have to give the impression I'm happy there then."Emily's mouth opened to say something when I quickly asked my question. "But you didn't answer why the imprint? What is it for?" Emily thought for a moment.

"We honestly don't know. Sam thinks it's finding someone who makes a good genetic match. Someone who will make stronger wolves." I laughed.

"I'm a klutz, I'm drawn to danger like a moth to a flame, I'm weak and I'm a vampire's rejects." The laughter stopped with my last point as the truth of it hit me. "I don't see how I could help make stronger wolves. The only thing I can do is block mind readers and read books. Anyway, I'll think about what you've said. I need to go home and make dinner for Charlie." Emily pulled me to her for a hug. I changed into my own jeans and t-shirt and handed her back her clothes.

Emily was giving me directions to the main road out of La Push as I stood on the porch when three of the pack walked up to us. Emily pointed them out.

"That's Paul, this is Jared and Embry is back there."

"If you see a giant dog outside your house tonight, don't get your Dad's gun and shoot." Jared told me with a smile. What? They're guarding me now? I didn't like that. It suggested ownership to me. A claim.

"It's Friday night. I've got work. But you can play catch in my backyard if you please." Jared lost his smile. Paul growled. I felt intimidated but refused to show it. I held my ground with my shoulders back looking him straight in the eye. This only made his face darken.

"You're hurting Jake to get off on losers jerking off under the table in a strip joint." He said menacingly.

"The bouncers would remove any guy pleasuring himself under the table. The place isn't raunchy." I sniffed. Paul sneered at me.

"Are you trying to suggest that the place has class?" I felt shame pushing down on my chest but refused to acknowledge. But it was too late, I blushed. They laughed. I pushed past them.

"Guys, back off." Emily called. But I think I'd probably pushed Paul too far coaxing.

He slapped my butt as I walked past. Everyone went silent.

"Jake's gonna kill you." Embry whined. I stood still as I battled between anger and shame. I reached down for my dignity that felt like it just got trampled on.

"Bella," Paul taunted. "We're going to visit you at the club and get lap dances until you quit." My stomach dropped before something occurred to me.

"I'll have to work more nights than you can afford asshole. I'll do you a favour and not mention you assaulting me to Jake." He'd owe me one. He shrugged.

"He'll find out anyway."I tried to shove past him as I noticed he had walked me up against the porch. I felt shaky but refused to drop my gaze, knowing this was about threats and intimidation. "How many private sessions in their back rooms did you give last night?" His eyes were just barely above mine as he bent over me placing his hands either side of me on the rail behind me. His voice was even and low. His voice was rough baritone that reverberated at this distance in my stomach. I felt rage build fire up in the pit of my stomach. I didn't move my eye from his. Without his tone and facial expression, I wouldn't have figured out he was calling me a whore. My co-ordination guaranteed I wouldn't bring my knee high enough to catch him without having to look down and that killed the element of surprise. But my hands had better co-ordination.

"Paul," I shot my hand out and grabbed his crotch finding his balls and a semi-erection. That only made me angrier. I twisted and yanked hard on his balls. "I'm not a prostitute." His face crumpled in pain and I ducked under his arm and marched to my truck. Emily and the two guys were howling with laughter. I got in my truck and began to drive away. Paul was clutching himself on the ground. I caught myself grinning. Getting last word felt good.

At home I took a shower to clean off the make-up and wash the hairspray out of my hair. I didn't want Charlie to see that. I wondered how long this would last before Sam spoke to Charlie. Tonight I would hear him. The club would be full and bound to set him off. It was strange but I felt eager anticipation and dread at the same time. I blow dried my hair straight, but started from underneath initially to give it bigger volume for tonight. My head had cleared and I was feeling much better than a few hours ago. But I was starving.

I had a casserole I'd prepared yesterday and left in the fridge. I heated up the oven and started chopping vegetables. When the oven had heated up, I put the casserole in and finished preparing the vegetables. Just as dinner finished shaping up, Charlie came in through the front door. We acknowledged each other. I could see Charlie appraising my health. I was still tired from my sleepless nights, but I was looking better now that I was eating and even exercising a little. Aside from being tired, I probably looked better than I did before he left.

We ate dinner in comfortable silence. I told him I was going out with Jessica and would be sleeping over for a movie night. He left to watch sports while I cleaned up after dinner. I pulled out a shiny outfit from the bottom of my closet and tucked it into my bag. I was walking downstairs when the door bell rang. My heart and mind raced. It was Sam, he was going to tell Charlie about me stripping!

"I'll get it!" Panic inching into my voice. I stumbled down the stairs in a rush before pushing myself through the door. I landed in a large hot chest and arms catching me. The door fell shut behind me, smacking my butt and locking my coat in the house. I didn't care right now. I lifted my face to see Sam. But it wasn't him, it was Jacob.

"Jake?" He looked concerned but broke into a smile looking at me.

"Hi Bells. I heard you're working tonight. I don't suppose I could convince you otherwise. You smelled like you drugged last night. That's why we couldn't leave you alone. I don't want that to happen again. I didn't know how to ask you but are you using drugs are did someone spike your drink?" He looked sheepish and shuffled his feet. He was wearing jeans and a t-shirt.

"I don't do drugs. So I guess someone put it in my drink. I won't put my drink down in future." I made my way to my truck and he walked alongside me.

"Do you think I could take a ride with you or should I take Sam's truck?" I narrowed my eyes at him. Was he serious?

"I'll give you a ride tonight, but that's the last time. I'm not helping you guys harass me at work. Just how do you think you're going to pay for this? What if I work every night for a month?" I unlocked my door, got in and climbed over to unlock the passenger side door. He slid into the driver's seat to my chagrin. I dropped my bag at my feet.

"You won't work every night, Charlie would get suspicious. I have my doubts you could work more than a few nights a week under his radar. Besides, Paul screwed up today. Sam put an injunction over me hurting him. Instead Sam ordered Paul to hand over his savings to me. Besides the money I've earned working on peoples cars, I shouldn't have a problem visiting you at work. I just need to keep you safe is all." He had backed out of my driveway and was driving down the road now. The headlights lighting the path ahead of us, with glimpses of trees to the sides. The cold caught up with me now and felt a chill spread through me.

"The bouncers keep me safe."

"You were a mess coming out of the club last night. I didn't see your bouncers watching you when you came stumbling out drugged and about to cry with some perv getting out of his car walking towards you. It was as if he had been waiting for you. Probably the same guy who drugged you. I was pretty scared for you that you weren't all that aware of your surroundings." I grit my teeth but didn't have a response. There wasn't anything confrontational about his tone. Any anger directed at him would be misdirected. I knew that. So I drove in silence.

My poor ancient truck was getting tired of this drive. If it died from all this driving, I doubted Jacob would help me fix it. It would make me happy. Maybe he might. I didn't want to use my savings to buy a new vehicle.

Jacob frowned at the missing radio. "What happened to the radio?"

"It made me sad."

"I think you made the truck sad. It looks like it met a terrible end. Who took it out?"

"I did." He whistled quietly.

"You're never going to touch my tools." He muttered.

I tried not to smile. I was angry with him for imprinting on me. I was angry because he was driving my truck and following me to work. But holy crow was he ever cute.

I focused on the road ahead and listened to my truck groan.