Playing Imprint

AN: Sorry to be late updating. Big stuff happening at work. Long hours. Hope you enjoy this. I'll be updating my other stories just as soon as I can.

Let Her Go

White Stripes – St. James Infirmary Blues

I strolled confidently up to the after hours club. A night out with the girls was a weekly event. With school and Karate and my new gun hobby, I had quit my job at the club. I had plenty of money saved up from short months working there. It had killed me watching what it did to Jacob working there. But I stopped when I was ready to stop and not because I was controlled or bullied into stopping. Tonight was time for a night out with the girls I had made friends with from when I worked at the club.

As soon as I walked up to the door past the line the bouncer recognized me. Ian from the club had changed employers and waved me by.

"Serena said to tell you on the platform by the far left bar." He spoke into my ear of the music and traffic. I gave him a warm hug and kissed his cheek.

"Thanks Ian. And you remember those big Indian boys?" I said throwing a glance out, I could see Paul staring me down from across the street. "Well Paul's here, he's waiting for some more of our friends. Can you let them in? They're good dancers." I threw pleading eyes at him putting my head on his shoulder. He held his arm around my waist shaking his head in dismay.

"Bella you're killing me! Girls like those boys though. How am I supposed to say no to you when you pull that on me?" I chuckled and gave him a shrug.

"Beats me? Don't fight it." I grinned before he ushered me through the door and started arguing with someone who had waited in line. I felt a pang of guilt but then thought, they'd probably do the same thing if they knew the bouncers. I enjoyed the eyes on my now toned legs. I had worked for this strong body and I was proud of it. I wasn't the frail mouse that Edward had abandoned. I had become a strong and beautiful woman. I wore a short silver sequined dress with stilletoes and my long hair in thick lush curls falling down my shoulders. I was still pale, but I didn't feel comfortable with getting a tan. I just didn't think it would suit me.

I hadn't even made it up to the platform when a hand caught my arm and spun me around on the dance floor.

"Paul." I said blandly looking up at him. He sneered at me.

"Hands on my chest where I can them." He said frowning at me. He never forgot the ball grabbing incident. He held my hips against his. I'd hurt him a few too many times and as he wasn't allowed to retaliate, he held me tightly and close whenever we were within close proximity. Such as a club where I couldn't hear him unless I held my ear close to his mouth. We just didn't get along. Admittedly, I preferred the way Edward and Jacob poured their affections on me. But Paul wasn't anywhere near nurturing to anyone.

I held my hands on his chest with a pointed look.

"Coward. A few knocks and you can't handle one human girl." I jeered and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Human girl my ass. You're an evil hellion in a pale faces skin." He narrowed his eyes at me. Sometimes I wondered if really believed that.

"Watch it, I'll find a way out of your babysitting before Jacob gets here." He cocked his head at me.

"You wouldn't want to chase me into the arms of another man would you?" I kicked him in the shin and flashed angry eyes at him.

"Jacob's not coming tonight." He smirked at me. My throat was getting sore yelling over the music. I rolled my eyes him.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Embry has him on detail. Maybe Embry had something in mind? He's coming tonight." Paul liked to play up the issues between Embry and Jacob. Tensions were high between Embry and Jacob. Newly found sibling rivalry caused Embry to flirt with me. Not that he would ever do anything with me. But he enjoyed riling Jacob's weak spot when Jacob called Embry's mother a lying whore. I considered pot shots at Embry's mother low shots and didn't mind Embry's retaliations. I wouldn't take bad mouthing about my mother either. Jacob seemed to see Alpha as his birth right and Embry believed it was his. The pack and elders were split and it seemed as if there would be a fight breaking out between the two of them at any moment.

I hadn't failed to notice the weight lifted off of Sam's shoulders now that I was no longer one of his problems. Even though he was very much a part of running the pack. He seemed to almost like me now. I knew none of the pack liked me. I didn't stay down in La Push for them. I had run out of patience for the red headed bitch that wanted to kill me and refused to pause my life for her. Even though most of the pack had gotten hurt at some point trying to defend me from her. I told them didn't care. Let her come for me. I wouldn't live in fear of her. I wasn't suicidal, but I wouldn't spend my life looking over my shoulder. They didn't appreciate my perspective because they were convinced it would kill Jacob. They'd also gotten upset with my plan to join the army after graduation. They had talked me out of that one. Or at least, I wasn't as convinced it was the best plan.

I had made great strides in my self-defence, my balance had improved a lot and I had managed to take Paul down to the floor using my smaller size to my advantage. Yeah, he had every reason to be nervous around me. I knew how to hurt him and had it in for him.

"Well, if Jacob's not coming, I'm not hanging out with you. Go pick up a troll." I attempted to drive my foot down onto his. He was ready for me and lifted me around his waist. He growled over the music in my ear.

"Don't stomp on my foot." I glared at him.

"Put me down." I threatened him with my voice and eyes. I felt a shiver go through him. I'd been practicing how to look a lot more threatening. It was amusing to intimidate the pack when I didn't really have much hope up against them. He put me down and walked away with a scowl on his face. If I didn't know him, his scowl would be frightening.

Time to see my friends. Serena, Jen and Neelu were waiting for me at the bar getting drinks.

"Bella! Quick, down this!" Jen shoved a green coloured shot at me, I poured it back quickly. Neelu shoved another shot in my hand. I frowned at her and knocked it back. Of course, then Serena had red stubby wide shot glass that she handed me.

"What?" I narrowed my eyes at her.

"Bella! You need to catch up!" Serena whined. I shrugged my shoulders and threw back the shot. Only, it wasn't sweet. It burned.

"Arrrrghgh!" I blanched. "What was that?" I coughed a spluttered.

"Scotch. We'll get some Amarato Sours and we'll get up there." She indicated a platform.

"I'm here to dance, not to have an audience." I yelled over the music at her.

"In that dress? You're here for an audience." A glass I assumed to be my amarato sour was handed to me. I wanted to savour it but they were drinking theirs so quickly I knew I wouldn't have time. I hurried through my drink and followed Neelu's lead. There was no way I could get up there in this dress and look halfway lady like. Serena had already enlisted some frat boys to help us up when I came to this realization.

My knight jumped up onto the stage and lifted me up from the waist slowly lifting me up keeping his eyes locked on mine. He was ballsy. I noted Paul and Quil watching yards away. I cozied up to my new play mate and asked his name. I couldn't hear it over the music. It didn't really matter. I was disgruntled seeing the look on Paul and Quil's faces. It really wasn't their right to tell me who I could dance with. Or anything else for that matter. I hadn't made any promises to anyone since I promised Edward that I wouldn't do anything stupid. I didn't belong to anyone. As a free woman, I didn't answer to Paul and Quil regardless of any wolfy imprint claims over me. I stuck my tongue out at them and swept my butt into my dance partners crotch.

I danced with him all night. The music and lights and alcohol whirling around me like a giant whirlpool that I didn't want to get out of. I didn't have any problems. Just a body that moved with the music at an energetic pace filling me with temporary joy. A warm body pressed against me added to the night, but didn't compete with the sense of the music filling and moving me. I felt inspired and empowered.

The following I found myself in an apartment that was silent save for a clock ticking in the kitchen. I slipped out of the sheets and retrieved scattered clothing from the strangers bedroom. I found my underwear and jean skirt in his room. Near the bathroom was my shirt and cardigan. I took them into his bathroom and cleaned myself up and dressed as quietly as I possibly could. He was fun in bed, but not as good as Jacob. The only problem with Jacob was that he still had the "imprint" and wanted more than just sex. More than "just sex"? The sex was incredible! What more could the big dumb dog want? I was happy with the sex. If Jacob would just back off, we could be friends and just enjoy the sex. It was so annoying. He read way too much into it all. I didn't need more intimacy than that.

I tip toed out of the bathroom and swept my hair into a messy bun. I found my boots by the door and gathered keys and my cell that had fallen out of my purse.

"Hey," A young man's voice said behind me. I cocked an eyebrow and tried to cover a smirk before turning around to look at him. Damn, there goes my quiet escape.

"Hey," I replied feeling awkward. I shifted from foot to foot. "Last night was fun. Maybe I'll see you around and do this again some time." Should be the response every frat boy hoped for. I wasn't even sure why he acknowledged me leaving. I had no intentions of ever seeing him again let alone spending another night with him. But it just wasn't polite to say that out loud.

I took this one night stand as a fun experience but he wasn't Jacob. He was quite the specimen though. I paused to admire his sparkling cool gray eyes, soft smile and a sweet build. He wouldn't have any difficulty replacing me quickly.

"About that." He grinned walking up to me in his boxers and taking my wrist with my hand holding my car keys. He gently placed his over hand on the keys. He leaned down to kiss my cheek gently. "I wasn't finished. I want you to stay." He looped a finger through a key ring and gently tugged at my keys that I wasn't relinquishing. I pulled my hand away and smiled at him.

"I have exams to study for." He looked confused.

"College exams finished weeks ago." He said.

"I'm in high school. We're not done exams yet." I chuckled. His eyes widened.

"How old are you?" He demanded angrily.

"Eighteen. Now if you don't mind. I have things to do today." He didn't appreciate this information. He looked betrayed. His face set into a determined mould. He slipped between me and the door as he crossed his arms across his chest.

"You don't get to walk out on me little girl." He sneered at me. "I'll tell you when I'm done with you." He grabbed my elbow to pull me back towards his bedroom. Holy shit! What a douchebag! I wasn't putting up with any of this. I swung my arm out of his hold before I spun around taking his feet out from under him. He landed on his back and I heard the wind knock out of him. This was my first opportunity to see my martial arts classes put into practical use.

"Fuck you! Crawl back in the hole you came from!" I screamed him as I kicked him in the stomach. I was turning to storm out of the apartment when the door crashed open. Jared's chest was heaving and he looked between me and gray eyes filled with rage.

"You don't need to babysit me." The creep was rolling on the floor. "I took care of it." He was calling me vile names as I walked away.

"Shut up before I rip your arms off and beat you with them." I yelled over my shoulder.

Jared shrugged and quickly raced to head me off. "What did he do and what did you do?" He stopped me before the elevator.

I frowned. "If I tell you, you can't go back do anything to him. I'm quite proud of myself for doing this on my own."

"You don't think I can promise that." Jared chuckled.

"I'll help the loser press charges against you then." I caught him off guard before continuing. "I was about to leave after politely saying my goodbyes when he said he wasn't "done with me" and thought he was going to drag me back to his room. I took him down and kicked him in the stomach. Stupid fucker. Can we go now?" I dodged around him as he seemed confused what do.

"Jacob would want a lot worse to happen to- What's his name?" He asked.

"Gray-eyes." I shrugged.

"You slept with him. You don't know his name?" Jared sounded angry.

"I couldn't hear him over the music. He has very pretty eyes though." I bit back a laugh and walked away.

"Thank God Kim is nothing like you." Jared muttered shaking in the elevator next to me.

"I dated a vampire. Wolves shouldn't be imprinting on me in the first place." I growled at him. "Anyway, he wasn't as fun as Jacob. I think I'll stick with Jacob in future."

Jared glared at me before he dropped his forehead against the elevator wall. "Is nothing sacred to you Bella?" I thought about his question.

"Like what? You mean churches and shit?" I asked. I knew exactly what he meant. I just refused to acknowledge it. I wasn't going to be the softy left to cry in the woods alone again.

"Can't you feel the imprint at all? No connection to Jacob at all?" I wanted to entirely deny it but didn't have the heart to crush Jacob who I knew would probably hear about this later.

"I would have said no. But after tonight, sex is very different with Jacob. I didn't know that I wouldn't feel that connection with someone else." I admitted as the elevator door opened and I walked away. I hoped that admittance didn't come back later to bite me in the ass.

"Bella! Where the hell have you been?" Charlie yelled at me as I walked through the door.

I looked at him considering a truthful but painless answer. I still cared about him, but I was scared of disappointing him anymore. He had no idea that I had been stripping. I doubted there was much left that could disappoint him more whether he knew about it or not. I didn't have a kind answer for him.

"You won't like the truth. But if it makes you feel better, I don't plan on doing it again." I smiled weakly for him. His face turned red and he started to shake with anger.

"Get to your room now!" He bellowed. I almost wanted to open up my knee length coat and flash my sequined dress at him. I knew that wasn't very mature of me and headed up the stairs sullenly.

In my room I realized I shouldn't have said anything that would give the pack hope. They really should be letting me go. I should have lied and said that I was planning on having another one night stand. But I wasn't the best liar and I was too selfish to give up Jacob entirely. Imprint was just another word for soul mate. Edward was my soul mate and he abandoned me. Seven months ago. I could think and say his name finally. It hurt every time. I braced myself for the pain every time. But I was stronger. I could take the pain now. I wasn't such a coward anymore.

These thoughts wouldn't help me study, so I put them aside and settled my focus on my books. I spent the next three hours studying when a knock came on my bedroom door.

"Yeah." I called out.

"Jacob's here. I'm downstairs, leave the door open." Charlie wasn't convinced out relationship was platonic but liked Jacob.

"It's open Jake." The door swung open and he stood there observing me.

I was laying on the bed on my stomach swinging my crossed ankles above me. My books were open out on the bed. I wasn't entirely sure I was garnering anything from them anymore at this point. I could see he wasn't impressed with me by the look on his face.

"Hey." I said hoping to lighten the tension in the room. It didn't work as he didn't reply at first. He looked around the room as though he were looking for someone.

"I'm sorry, there aren't any nameless pretty boy gray-eyed rapists hiding in here are there? I wouldn't want to disturb him." I rolled my eyes at him.

"Do you have any sense of self-preservation? He could have been a psycho." He stalked towards me. I backed up on the bed as the hairs on my neck raised.

"Rapist?" I scoffed. "I slept with him willingly." I didn't need him blowing this out of proportion. I was still going out where I wanted, when I wanted and with whoever I wanted.

"So in the morning he didn't try to drag you back to his room and you didn't take him down?" He had made his way up my bed and I was now pressed back against my headboard having a hard time remembering to breathe. I couldn't tell if I was intimidated or turned on. Hell, I was both. And he'd had way too much control over this conversation.

"I felt a little threatened. I took care of the problem just fine all by myself." I shoved him away from me and stomped away to hold the door open. "I have exams to study for if I want to graduate. I suggest you let me get to work." I knew he was hurting, but I held strong. He was a big boy and I never let him think that we were exclusive. Just because it had only been in theory for him before didn't change the facts.

"I don't like you sleeping with strange men." He squinted at me. I bit back a shudder. Once I had collected myself again I spoke.

"If you don't like it, you can move onto someone else. Am I free to date who I want to or not?" I challenged him. He looked like he was choking for a moment but regained his composure and stepped into my space.

"You admitted it wasn't worth it. When are you going to admit that you would be happy with me and not just keeping me as a sleazy fuck buddy?" He spat out at me. I winced when he called it that. He really did make me feel dirty when he said that. "This isn't you. There's more to you than this. I know that. You can't hide from me." My eyes were burning but I'd be damned before the day he made me break down in tears.

"Admit it, imprints are bullshit and you've attached yourself to the most superficial woman you could find in the area. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you can move on to a girl who deserves you!" Well, that was more open and honest than I meant to be. We stared at each other. Usually I just played a complete bitch. I hadn't acknowledged any of that stuff before.

Jacob's eyes changed to adoration. "But when you're being yourself you are that girl! You don't need to be this girl." He gestured at the sequin dress hanging off a chair. He looked down at my shorts and tank top with a sweet smile.

"We're one and the same. You wish the bitch would go away. She's as much a part of me as the girl who moved to Forks. If you only love the girl that you so rarely see, then you don't actually love me. Now get out!" I growled. We stood toe to toe furiously. Both of us breathing heavily. He didn't make a motion to leave.

"You didn't complain about our sleazy arrangement when we first hooked up." I spat. "I'd say it's as much your fault as it is mine." I dropped my eyes and watched the floor waiting for him to leave.

I waited for what seemed like an eternity when he finally left. I fought tears. If someone was outside listening, they'd probably hear me. I wouldn't let him know that this conversation had hurt me that much. We weren't an imprint or team or couple. I'd make sure he got that through his head. He really needed to let me go.