Every glance is killing me
Time to make one last appeal
For the life I live

Stop and stare
I think I'm moving but I go nowhere
Yeah, I know that everyone gets scared
But I've become what I can't be

Stop and Stare- One Republic

I do not own the song above or the characters below !

Emily and Sam had taken another hour to get home; I had spent that hour cursing Paul from my place on the drafty and creaking porch of the old cottage. The darker it got amongst the trees the more alike the surroundings and the house itself got to stories like Little Red Riding hood, my mom had always exaggerated the stories and made them scary, this house fitted that story perfectly. Each leaf that fell, each howl of wind that whipped through the trees and each smash of a branch against another made me jump out of my skin. I had half expected a wolf to appear or a woodsman with a huge axe and an order to kill me like Snow White. Maybe my mom had made those stories a little too gory for me, five year olds weren't supposed to be told about hearts being ripped out after all.

Sam hadn't been cooperating with me on getting my phone back, he simply huffed that I shouldn't have used Paul's jacket; he had a real issue with Paul. I wasn't sure what it was but the more I mentioned the guy the angrier Sam got, Emily stayed quiet, simply watching with a guilty look on her face like she knew something. I had no idea what was going on but something was, and I was sure it involved Paul. I had gone to bed not long after they let me into the house last night, the last I had heard was Sam grumbling about something but I hadn't been able to make out what it was.

As I rounded on the steps I could hear him, Sam, he was talking lowly as if trying to whisper and failing.

"Jared's avoiding me too, every time I ask him about it he blocks me out. I would know if something had happened, wouldn't I? I'm the alpha, I would know" I slowed as I heard his voice clearer, alpha? What was an alpha? I mean I knew what an alpha was but why would Sam be one?

"He's still going through a rough time; Jared's his friend he's just looking out for him. If it was anything bad you would know Sam, don't let it bother you so much" Emily replied, her voice quivered, I had come to notice she did that when she was nervous or stressed about something. Her usual melodic tone wasn't there. I felt like I was intruding but I couldn't stay upstairs all day so I kept going, softly down the steps toward the kitchen I could already smell.

"No, somethings changed. The way he acts is different and the things he says. He goes straight home after patrol, Paul has never done that he usually goes for a drink or to whatever girl he's screwing over, he actually sticks to patrol times, he's been doing over time and the other day I found him following" Sam's words stopped as I hopped from the step onto the wooden floor of the downstairs area. He found me and his mouth dropped open in surprise, like he hadn't noticed me coming. "Her" He whispered, his face paling from russet tan to my lighter shading, his thick manly eyebrows met in a creased frown and he practically dropped his coffee cup.

"Morning Savannah" Emily yipped nervously as she stared between her fiancé and me, I had intruded on something, an argument maybe.

"I need to go" Sam suddenly yelled, the boom of his voice echoing off the walls and causing me to wince as he flew past me.

"Sam where are you going?" Emily yelled after him, her little body running nervously to the door.

"I need to see something" I heard him yell back before silence fell over the house, I glanced at Emily but she simply smiled a huge fake smile and pottered over to the living room and sat on the sofa staring into her lap. What the hell was that about?

I tried ignoring it, but there seemed to be a tense atmosphere growing throughout the small house, Emily said nothing as I got a bowl of cereal and nibbled at it, she simply stared at her lap as she picked nail polish from her fingers leaving it patchy and flaked.

I decided against sparking false conversation with her and instead grabbed my laptop and duvet and went outside to the porch, the wind was blowing and from what I could see the sky was either ready to snow or rain, I hoped for snow, I loved snow. Sam and Emily had the slowest internet connection I had ever come across but for some reason it worked quicker out on the porch and so I wrapped myself up in my duvet and sat on the long swinging porch chair. I wasn't reliant on technology but I had nothing else to do and so I logged on and prayed Kyle or Kerry would to. They didn't, and so I simply surfed FaceBook and Instagram for a while before Googling random things. I had to say, without the flow of guys it got rather boring here.

"Savannah" Emily's voice broke through my laptop trance and I glanced up, she was still smiling a fake smile as she looked down on me but now she was holding her bag and car keys. "I'm just popping out to get some things for Christmas, I have soup on the stove could you watch it for me? It will be done in about an hour so just turn it off and heat it when you're ready" I nodded as she spoke and she gave another half hearted grin before fluttering to her car. I don't think her and Sam had argued, he seemed more interested about someone else, Paul or Jared maybe. Maybe they had all fallen out, but then he had seemed fine with Jared last night.

A long sigh left me; it was giving me a headache worrying so much about what the hell was their problem. If it wasn't Paul confusing me with his mood changes then Sam joined in with him, it made no sense.

...

Paul's point of view

I had her phone, and the keys. I had locked her out, well I hadn't purposely but she had been locked out and it had started to rain the minute I left her, the wind had picked up. She would have been freezing. It had kept me up for hours, by the time I realised I had left with the keys and her phone I had been gone an hour, she had probably been let in by that point, or frozen to death.

I twiddled the phone between my fingers as I sat at the kitchen table, an Iphone, obviously. Worth about ten times more than what my brick was, but then she was a kid and kids these days had to have top products. Claire was barely through her toddler years and she had an Ipad that she played on constantly.

"Just look on it, I can tell you want to" Jared landed himself in the chair opposite me and slid a cup of coffee to me; I shook my head at him. I wouldn't look through it; I wasn't that much of an asshole. "But isn't it killing you? I mean you could find out so much on there, her friends, her likes/dislikes, pictures and her boyfriend"

My head snapped up a soft growl escaped my throat, Kyle, the guy she always talked about to Kim and Seth. The guy that had rung her yesterday and made her laugh and smile more than I had ever seen her smile. The thought made me feel sick; I didn't want to see pictures or texts.

"Jealous much?" Jared joked and I shook my head. Not jealous, I just thought Kyle sounded like a dick. She could date who she wanted, I just didn't care to see it. "Wish I had access to Kim's phone when we were first starting out, I would have loved some inside info, conversation starters"

"We aren't starting out, it's nothing like you and Kim" I growled at him and dropped the phone to the table beside me, I wish he would stop with the match making shit. I wasn't interested, I just wanted her to stop being around all the time. Even when I tried staying away she got thrust at me, the guys constantly mentioned her, or Sam thought about how she was doing or Emily made me give her freaking lifts like I was some sort of cab driver.

"Sure it's not, so why was she wearing your jacket again yesterday?" His eyebrows rose at me and I slammed my head down against the table. She was wearing it because she was shivering and her lips were going blue, I would have given it to anybody. "I bet you slept with it, it's covered in her scent I could smell it the minute I walked in this morning" He carried on and my stomach dropped involuntarily, it had smelled of her. It had filled my car and then my hallway, no matter how hard I tried ignoring it or spraying it with cologne her scent of shower gel and perfume still lingered and it was driving me crazy. Now he mentioned it, I could feel the scent wafting in from the hallway.

"Jared, can you just leave it? I'm not in the mood today" I moaned and got up, pouring my coffee out into the sink. I felt sick, I didn't want to eat or to drink I just wanted to escape this nightmare that she was making me live in. I couldn't even stand being around my best friends because of her.

"Well you better get in the mood, Sam's here" Jared quipped and I looked up through the wide kitchen window, his truck skidded to a halt and he stormed out, he looked ready to murder someone.

"What did you tell him?" I hissed at Jared, Sam never looked that angry, never. The only time I saw him that pissed was when Jacob broke away from the pack nearly a year ago. Jared simply shrugged at me, he wouldn't have told Sam, he promised me. The front door opened without a knock and Sam came hurrying into the kitchen he greeted us briefly before huffing and leaning against the door frame, his angry stance fading a little. He was in a hell of a mood.

"Savannah's phone" He pointed to the table and I nodded, his eyes didn't leave me as he spoke or reached for it. "She's been moaning all night about it, keys?" His voice was tense; he was trying to hide his bad mood but failed miserably.

"My jacket"

He nodded at me, his eyes shifted to Jared and he shoved the phone in his pocket. I didn't find it hard to imagine she had moaned about not having her phone, it was probably her most cherished possession, next to the drapes of jewellery she wore. Kim had informed Jared the necklace around her neck was Tiffany's or whatever that was, apparently some expensive designer, again not surprising.

" What do you think about her?" Sam asked looking directly at Jared, her face was clenched and his jaws tight. Jared simply looked at him as if he were crazy. "Savannah, I meant Savannah, what do you think of her?" Sam went on and Jared simply shrugged.

"She's a nice girl, why?"

"And you?" Sam's gaze shifted to me but it became harsher, he was watching for my reaction and I gave it without meaning to. I couldn't look him in the eye, my heart beat picked up and I felt nervous at the mention of her and his stare. He knew. "You little shit, you imprinted on my sister" He started shaking as he spoke through clenched teeth and his body went rigid. I tried shaking my head but I found myself unable to think of a reaction. I didn't think he would notice this soon, I hadn't even spent that much time around her. "Paul, no lies, did you imprint on her?" He ordered as he walked closer to me and I felt the weight of his words crushing down on me, I couldn't lie to him. I could lie to myself, to Jared, I could ignore it to myself but not to him. I nodded and he made his way for me.

"I didn't want to, I don't want to. I'm not interested" I hammered my words out and he stopped, his rigid body clenching tighter and shakes rolled from him. He was pissed.

"Why you, why you" He turned and slammed his clenched fist into the kitchen wall, a flake of paint fell off and he slammed his head down against it now. "Not you" He groaned over and over and my own anger sparked, what the hell did that mean?

"Excuse me?" I spat at him and he turned around to look at me.

"She's been through so much already and she came here to be cared for and she's stuck with you? You've not said one nice thing to her since she's been here, you're going to screw her over and mess her up again. I cannot believe this is happening" He shook more and I felt myself start, he only cared for her. No worries what she would do to me, she's already screwed me up with Rachel.

"I don't want her Sam, I'm not getting involved with her" I barked back at him and he snorted a sarcastic laugh.

"Even better, you're stupid as well as an ass. This is going to mess her over either way, you can't even take care of yourself let alone her" He kept going, his hissing words hitting me hard. He honestly thought so little of me? We had been friends for years.

"I'm not going to hurt her; I'm not going to get close enough. I'm not interested, I don't want to take care of her, I don't want any of this"

"Well tough, you're in it now Paul and you will not screw with her. You hear me? You will not treat her badly, I don't give a shit if you want this or not you've got it so you will respect her"

"Since when have you been loving big brother?" I yelled at him, I couldn't stand him right now. Telling me what to do, just because I imprinted on the kid doesn't mean I have to have her or love her, or respect her. She was nothing to me, she had once been nothing to him but obviously he doesn't care how I feel right now. As long as she's not screwed over it's fine.

"What did you say?" He turned on me again and my wolf let out a growl that his returned.

"You don't need to act the big brother protecting his little princess from the big bad wolf Sam, I don't want her. I don't want some spoilt little brat taking over my life, I won't be some whipped little lapdog like you" I growled at him and without any warning he launched himself toward me. His fist flying for my face.

"Well, that escalated quickly" Jared grumbled from his seat, instead of getting up he simply watched as Sam pounded his fists against me and I pounded any flesh I could of his. None of his blows hurt, I just couldn't regain my composure with his bigger build flying at me.

"GET OFF ME" I boomed as he shoved me back against the counter hitting my back on the hot coffee pot. His arm came up and pressed against my neck, choking me with his muscles.

"You will not hurt her Paul; you will not destroy her with your own self pity and selfishness. You hear me? Whether you want this imprint or not, you have it and you will not use it as a tool to hurt her" He growled at me, his jaws twitching as he spoke lowly. He had never been this angry before, maybe I underestimated him; maybe he did care for her genuinely.

"Come on guys, calm down" Jared finally stood up and pulled at Sam enough for me to be able to push him away from me.

"Do you hear me Paul?" Sam growled again and I stared him straight in the eye. His words weren't an order as such, they were a threat. My heart wrenched at each one, telling me I wouldn't hurt her, telling me I would look after her but my head fought back, I wouldn't intentionally hurt her but I didn't want her, I wouldn't fall after her like the other guys did. I wouldn't be owned by her or the imprint.

"Like I said, I'm not interested" As I spoke he looked ready to hit me again but Jared pushed him backwards and his glare shifted from me to Jared.

"You should have told me" He released himself from Jared's hold and stormed back out, slamming the front door as he went. It was silent as we listened to his truck pulling back out but it wasn't long until Jared turned to me with a smirk. He loved that, every minute of it.

"Don't say a word" I growled at him and he simply sat back down but his grin stayed in place.

...

Savannah's point of view

I hadn't felt like the soup, I had turned it off before returning to my place on the porch. I had now taken to watching Netflix, I was currently on an episode of Grey's Anatomy and I was fighting back tears, this show always had the ability to make me cry.

A loud slam made me look up and I saw Sam storming toward me, he slowed as he saw me. His angry facial expression softening into a sadness that I didn't understand, he walked up the steps only stopping when he came beside me. I pulled an earphone out too look at him and I saw a confliction resting in his dark eyes.

"I'm going to make lunch, is Emily back?" Even his voice sounded off, something was wrong. I nodded, she had got back only fifteen minutes ago and was pottering around indoors. "Come inside for food" He spoke not as a suggestion but sort of as an order, I wasn't hungry but I got up from the seat anyway and stumbled indoors after him. Emily noticed his mood immediately, her bright smile fading back to her nervous one from earlier, I don't think she was used to him being like this whereas I had no idea what his moods were like.

It was silent as I lay the table with cutlery and drinks, Sam dished out the soup while Emily cut bread. It was somewhat awkward and as we all sat down it showed no signs of getting better. I slurped on the soup a little but I felt uneasy, Emily had barely touched her either while Sam simply stirred the spoon around the bowl a few times.

"So, I was thinking we could put the Christmas decorations up tomorrow" Emily broke the silence and I found she was looking at me as she spoke. She said it was tradition for them to put them up Christmas even whereas back home Mom always got so excited by Christmas the tree was up by the 1st of December. I nodded at her and she smiled a little easier. "Kim will be coming over"

"Are you happy here Savannah?" Sam's curt voice cut across Emily and she glanced over at him, her smile fading to a deep frown. The question caught me off guard and as I looked up at Sam his expression caught me again, he looked sad, and guilty.

"Sorry?" I stammered a little, I didn't have a good feeling.

"I have been thinking whether it's better for you if you were to go back to Chicago" He spoke quietly and almost reluctantly, as if he had no other option but to say those words. Those words hurt, a pain hit me hard in the chest and I dropped my spoon into the sink. He didn't want me here.

"Sam" Emily breathed out slightly flabbergasted he had just said that. I didn't quite know what to say, I liked it here, I was getting settled here. If I went back to Chicago I would be in foster care and then I would be chucked out when I hit eighteen in a few months.

"I uhh if you want me to go, I'll go" A lump grew in my throat and my voice was thick, he didn't want me. His eyes dimmed even more with sadness, regret and he shook his head a little while continuing to spoon around the soup he hadn't touched.

"No, no. No, Savannah, this is your home. We don't want you to go. Sam" Emily didn't seem to know what was going on, her voice got firmer as she spoke and she turned determined as she addressed Sam.

He finally looked up at me and a sad smile flickered across his face. "It was just an idea, I didn't know if you were happy here. I want you here, this is your home now, sorry I just worried" He spoke quietly, his words weren't a lie but he still didn't seem right. Emily looked shocked, ready to cry as she took in Sam with her little eyes; she had no idea what was wrong with him.

"I got your phone back" Sam slid the black phone across the table to me and my heart hammered again, he had seen Paul. Was this to do with Paul? Had Paul said something? Did Paul hate me that much?

"Sorry, I need to take a walk" Sam suddenly moved and got up, his towering body walking slowly from the house and outside. He wasn't right, maybe I had done something wrong, or Paul had said something.

"You stay here, he didn't mean that, he loves having you here and so do I, we all do" Emily got up too, stopping only beside me to offer me a kiss on my head and a quick hug before walking out after her fiancé.

I didn't know what to feel, what to think or do. Something wasn't right with Sam, part of me didn't believe he wanted me to leave but he had asked me, did he not think I was happy here? I was, it wasn't home yet but it was better than a foster home in Chicago. It was better than living around those memories every day. I had been here two weeks and it was already breaking apart, maybe I wasn't supposed to have a family, a home. Maybe I was just supposed to be alone.