Chapter 1: Kim Rants

Book One: Jared

"Wake up sleepy head!" My mother's bright voice rang through the door. I was already lying awake, having just gotten home from patrol with Sam and Paul. The three of us made up the La Push Protectors, a group I liked to think of as an exclusive team of badass werewolves.

"First day back to schoooool," my mother sang in the voice she used with animals and babies.

I love my mother but that voice kills me; in fact the annoyance I felt when I heard it was enough to trigger a change the first days after I became a werewolf. For young wolves, before you master the art of transformation, phasing into a werewolf requires only two things: the necessary genes and excessive anger. The trouble with that is that after phasing the anger becomes hard to control.

I was heading back to school today, after two weeks of phasing. Sam was impressed, it took Paul, three months and it took Sam himself (our Alpha) two weeks to calm down enough to maintain his human body. It didn't surprise me though, I'm about as laid back as guys get, most things just don't bother me.

With a bed shaking groan I hopped in the shower, picked out the thinnest clothes I could find (which still felt sweltering and restrictive) and headed down to the kitchen. That was one of the worst parts of being a werewolf; our body temperature ran constantly at over a hundred, which made most clothing uncomfortably hot. It didn't help that my body was still growing which meant my clothes were all about to burst.

My mother who was there when I first shifted into a wolf was really supportive, she was great really, the best mom in the world; especially since she now cooked four times the amount of food for me at every meal.

I sat down to a huge plate of eggs with cheese, crispy bacon, hash browns with green peppers and onions, six pieces of toast and a huge glass of lemonade, my favorite drink. I smiled at her and dug in with vigor. My father sat silently across from me reading a newspaper (most likely about the economy) and drinking his customary cup of coffee, black with three lumps of sugar.

My father is the head of accounting for a large law firm in Port Angeles, which put his commute to work at over an hour, but he stayed in La Push for my mom, a full blooded Quileute and the only person in the world who made him smile.

"Why are you still here?" I asked chomping down on my buttered toast. My dad put down his newspaper to look at me for the first time.

"Nice to see you too, son," he said examining my plate.

"Sorry," I said through a mouth full of cheesy eggs.

"I have a weeklong vacation. Your mother and I," he looked at her when he said this and she giggled, "will be heading to Olympia today for some shopping." I nodded and tried not to laugh as I scanned his attire.

He was still dressed for a day in the office, his pristine grey button down and black business slacks were really not appropriate for a day of shopping with my mom. She was a marathon shopper, specialty: accessories.

"That's nice."

I hurried to finish off my last three strips of bacon, down the last half of my lemonade and run out the door but my mother grabbed my arm tight and forced a kiss on my cheek first.

"Have a good day back at school. Be safe," she warned kissing me again.

When I got to school Paul was waiting on the side of the building for me, we stood next to each other in silence. Now that we shared a mind in wolf form, spoken words weren't really needed as much. When the first bell rang we nodded and went our separate ways. I had no idea what the teacher was talking about in Geometry but that wasn't new. I had missed more than a week of school and I had never been very good at the subject. I spent the time evaluating the class with my new super nose and ears. Strong and weak heartbeats, roses, orange, lemon, mint, tobacco…

It was a sophomore level class, so I didn't know many people, but I knew the three boys in front of me. They had been the topic of discussion just last night, well not all three of them, just—Quil Ateara and Jacob Black. Us Quileute werewolves phase at the presence of vampires, so with a coven of seven leeches so close, one or both of them would be joining us soon.

Jacob was steadily growing, he was well over six feet already, but the three of them were all getting bigger. That was biology, but they were always together and always happy. That Quil kid was a joker and Jake was all smiles- so it might take them longer to get up enough rage to turn, but they would...

When the class ended I headed to PE, where I spent the period trying to avoid the volley ball. I wasn't really sure I could hit it without smashing it and I think that would have turned a few heads.

As I made my way to history class a smell I was all too familiar with filled my nose.

"Chlamydia, huh?" Leah's voice rang mockingly from behind me. I turned around to face her. She was beautiful, her large light brown eyes, her silky, coppery skin— I tried to stop the thought by shaking my head but they didn't go far. I'd seen a lot more of her than I should have in Sam's mind.

She smiled, for the first time in a long time. I tried to smile back, but I could feel the pitying edge in it and stopped immediately. Leah was Sam's girlfriend for almost five years before he phased into a wolf and dropped her.

He didn't want to, the guilt from the whole thing almost killed him, but when you imprint you have no choice. When you see the girl you are supposed to be with you're bound and you lose all self-control. It was pretty fucked up really, the whole imprinting thing, but I tried not to think about it when in wolf form.

"What? Chlamydia?"

"Yeah, Kim's telling everyone you were out of school cuz you had a nasty case of Chlamydia," she was obviously enjoying this, but it didn't bother me.

"Who's Kim?" I asked, preparing myself to control wave of anger, but it didn't come, it was actually sorta funny.

"Crazy little bitch, about yeh tall," Leah said gesturing at her chest level. Was it just me or had she grown taller as well. Like one of those malnourished runway girls.

"Want me to tell everyone you got it from her?" Leah asked lifting her eyebrows dramatically.

"Sure, knock yourself out," I called back to her on my way to class. Leah caught up with me again and gripped my arm.

"That's her," she hissed pointing to the back of a small girl heading into my classroom.

Her hair was very long, it hung down so far I was sure she could sit on it, and I felt the need to follow her. Was this some sort of stalker and prey thing? Maybe I should skip the class and go see Sam. I shouldn't be in a room with anyone that could make me angry but my feet still pulled me to the door, and I realized I didn't want to go. I wanted to be in that room. With her.

I scanned the class and tentatively took my usual seat, which I was pleased to see was next to Kim. But why was I pleased? Was I pleased because I was subconsciously planning on hurting her?

I turned to examine, her hair was making a curtain over most of her face but I could still see long thick, coal black eyelashes that were perfectly curled. They fluttered erratically and kissed the peak of her high sculpted cheekbones.

I could smell her too: she was a mix of coconut, lime, and… gummy bears. Gummy bears? That couldn't be right, but why was her smell the only thing I could pick up anymore?

I needed to get the hell out of here. I didn't know enough about my wolf nature to be in a confined space with someone I might hurt. I must have been out of my ever loving mind to think I was fit to enter high school already. I got up, making to leave, my eyes still planted on her profile and when she turned to me for the first time, my life ended.

No, that wasn't the right way to describe it. It didn't end, it just wasn't important. The world realigned, gravity and the entire universe shifted, and she was the sun, and the moon and air itself.

I couldn't move, so I was frozen in an awkward position. My mouth was half open in a stupid grin and I half stood/half sat, gaping at the world's most beautiful, most perfect, and amazingly important girl. I felt like laughing at myself, how could I ever even imagined hurting her, she was everything; she was perfection, if she were gone—the world would have no axis to rotate on.

Kim turned away, and the loss of eye contact was hurting me. I coughed beside her, trying desperately to grab her attention again. My chest hurt and I needed to see her face again but she stubbornly stared down.

"Kim?" the sound of her name coming from my mouth was like heaven. Kim. Kim. Kim.

"Hmphm," she grunted and I wasn't sure what it meant, but it made her blush, which illuminated her high cheekbones making her even more beautiful.

"Um… hi," I said awkwardly. I tried not to stare at her but she was just so remarkable.

"Hi," her voice was breathless and she smiled slyly.

"Wanna skip class?"

"Huh?" Her expression was priceless, so sweet and I wanted so badly to kiss every corner of her expressive face.

"Um, wanna get out of here. Skip with me?" I clarified suddenly feeling stupid and insecure, why would she— the sun— want to go anywhere with me?

"Yeah, okay," she grabbed her stuff and stood without hesitation. I pulled the bag from her, boldly grabbed her other hand and pulled her towards the parking lot. We passed teachers and students rushing through the hall but no one tried to stop our speedy exit.

Her hand was warm and small. It fit flawlessly inside my own and left mine tingling. I looked down at our intertwined fingers as we reached my car, I was dreading the idea that I would have to let it go soon.

It was the most immaculate hand in the world and I couldn't stop myself, I knew I shouldn't but I leaned down and kissed her knuckles, which sent my heart racing. I could hear hers speed up too and I smiled so widely my cheeks hurt.

As I straightened up, before I could fully stand, she grabbed my face and pulled me to her, kissing me with surprising vigor. My stomach and heart dropped to my feet, and I let out a guttural moan that sounded like a growl.

She pressed herself against me with all her force, pushing herself as close to me as she could. I closed the rest of the distance by lifting her up. She whimpered into my mouth and I could feel her cool fruity breath against my lips. Gummy bears.

I had never felt such intense joy in my entire life, it—she was perfect. I pushed my tongue into her mouth dying to taste her, it was better than I could have dreamed, it was like oranges and mint and I was drunk on it.

The final bell rang inside and Kim pulled her face away. The world around me came into view again.

"Where we going?" she asked still attached to me. Everywhere she touched prickled.

"Where do you want to go?" I hadn't thought that far in advance and I just wanted to be anywhere she was. Alone. Blessed with her undivided attention.

"I don't care. Somewhere private," she whispered in my ear and I felt electric as she kissed and nibbled her way down my neck. I placed her carefully in the car, buckling her in as she continued to kiss me.

I was in the car and driving away in less than two minutes. Kim was rubbing my knee as I tried to frantically decide on a place to go. I settled on First beach as she scraped her nails up my thigh. I attempted to breath evenly, begging little Jared to stay calm and still. He didn't listen.

She ran drew circles with her finger around little Jared who was now lying hard on the inside of my pant leg but she didn't touch him directly. She blushed a little but didn't stop when I twitched and jerked in my seat. The car was vibrating, and I thought for a second I was shaking, but it was just the energy between us.

"What is this?" She asked, pointing her finger between herself and me. I liked the idea of 'us' as a unit.

Once I was off the road, parked in the lot and free to look at her I stared with no shame. She was not real, she couldn't be, she was so perfect.

"I don't know but I like it," I said kissing her again. She unbuckled her seatbelt, throwing her leg over me and squeezing herself in the small space between me and the steering wheel.

I was in awe, in perfect peace, and so fucking turned on. I ran my hand down the small of her back and down to her round ass.

I couldn't believe she was letting me touch her at all, much less like this. She pulled her face away, leaning back and pushing herself harder against my hand.

"God, you're beautiful," I whispered, pulling my hand out from behind her and sliding it quickly up her shirt. She jerked, but hurried to help me, unclasping her bra and guiding my hand to her breast.

"Beautiful, huh?" She asked leaning in to kiss me again.

"The most beautiful," I declared.

"Better late than never," she whispered, ripping her shirt off so quickly I was shocked.

"Late?" I asked straining to marry our lips again. She split my mouth with her tongue and seductively rubbed our lower halves together.

"Nevermind," Kim whispered. She stared down at Little Jared creating a sizable bulk in my pants and smiled.

Her tiny hands found the latch at the side of my seat and we fell all the way back. Her hair was hiding her face and I couldn't handle not seeing her, so I pushed it aside staring at her beautiful feathered lashes.

With her eyes locked on my mine she carefully unzipped my pants, releasing LJ from his denim prison.

The feeling was indescribable and I hissed "Oh shit," trying hard to stay still as she tentatively gripped me.

"God, Kim, ugh-" She giggled slightly creating an amazing vibration. I pulled her hand back and off of LJ.

"So-sorry," I apologized, my whole face was red. "I've never done anything like this before. I think I need a minute."

"Don't worry about it, it happens," she smiled and my heart swelled to three times its normal size. She was so kind, so understanding. Beautiful, so so beautiful.

"Do you have any condoms?" She asked leaning forward to rub her bare chest against mine. The stiff points of her nipples sent another surge of blood to LJ so quickly it was almost painful.

"Glove compartment," I admitted bashfully. My mother insisted on buying them for me, even when the likelihood of me having sex were nil. She opened the box and examined them closely with a girlish giggle. Her laugh was like music

"What?" I asked smiling.

"I expected like, Extra Large or something," she said giggling again. She was magic. Everything about her was so extreme. Her laugh was like music. She was extremely kind, extremely beautiful, extremely sexy…

"Backseat?" She whispered.

"Not sure if I'm going to fit back there," I said bashfully examining the backseat.

"Yeah, I'm not sure you're gunna fit… in me, we'll just have to make it work," she joked. She didn't just say that did she?

This was happening too fast to process. I scrambled over the seat at her urging my legs crammed uncomfortably in the backseat of my two-seater.

"You're huge all over, so it can't be steroids," she mused.

"No, no steroids," I said, helping her jump over to the back seat. The windows were fogged and it was getting hot like a sauna in my little car. She handed me a condom, her fingers shaking as she tried to open it.

I had never used one before, never even bought any. I had no skills at all in this department but I knew instinctively that it was right. I belonged with and in her.

It was madness. Everything had happened so quickly but it was wonderful. It was excellent, it was more than I could have even guessed, to be with her, to have her wanting me. I never wanted or loved anything or anyone more than her.

She smiled down at me as she unbuttoned her jeans.

"I love you," I whispered my heart swelling in my chest with the brutal honesty of it.

"Why did you have to ruin it, Jared?" She squealed.

She gracelessly jumped into the front seat and fell out of the door. To my amazement she stepped out into the day half naked. I tripped over myself to cover her, and she flinched away from me. Kim gathered her shirt from the front and dressed quickly. She hopped into her shoes as she walked away and I ran after her.

The walls that we had built to our house of insanity were crumbling, in the fresh air. We were going too fast surely but she felt it too. She knew this was real.

"What happened? What's wrong?" I called after her; she was walking towards town.

"You shouldn't play with a girl's emotions like that Jared, it's cruel!" Kim screamed turning to face me. Kim's eyes were filled with tears and my stomach sank.

It hurt to see her cry, and right then it clicked, I hadn't had a second to examine this feeling.

I had imprinted, I had imprinted on Kim. I'd found my life mate and I could tell her everything.

"Oh god, don't cry, please don't cry," I begged. She backed further away. She didn't want me near her and it hurt like a kick to the gut.

"It's just not right, Jared. Yeah, sure you can tell a girl she's beautiful but you just don't—ugh! Okay, I'm an idiot but I guess now we're even for the Chlamydia rumor."

I was too stunned and worried about her to even begin deciphering this rant, so I just pulled her close to my chest and rubbed her back comfortingly.

"Just let me go, Jared. Stop it okay," she pleaded and I complied, watching as she rushed away from me.

I started to shake, boiling heat rolling through my body and I couldn't hold myself together anymore. I phased, tearing my jeans into pieces as I howled to the sky.