AN- First of all, thank you for reviewing! I hope these next few chapters are as enjoyable...
I don't have a "Beta".. I have a wonderful sister IRL who told me that she loves this story, and I have to finish it,
and all she has read so far are the first 4 chapters... so I am posting them today.
Chapter 2
Imprint
Leah POV
I scrambled to get back to my feet, and failed. In my shock and confusion, I had failed to notice that I had fallen to the ground in my human form. I was so embarrassed. Quickly, several coats were thrown over me, as the vampire family offered what assistance they could. The silence in the field was deafening. I looked up again at Edward. My pulse was thundering through my veins. I could not understand what was happening to me.
I was looking into his jonquil colored eyes, and swimming in a sea of mental chaos. I. Hate. Vampires. They are the bane of my existence. So, why then am I feeling this overwhelming magnetism towards this one. I cannot wrap my head around the emotions that are overtaking me.
"No, you have got to be kidding me." Edward says in a quiet voice. Our eyes are locked, and I know that he is reading my mind. I know that he knows. I am mortified. I tugged at the string on my ankle, releasing the little cotton dress that my mother made me, and slipped it on.
"I am so sorry." I say under my breath. Tears were pooling in my eyes, threatening to fall.
All of this had taken place so quickly that only a few seconds had actually passed, and everyone was beginning to react. All of the wolves were going back into the woods. That frightened me a little, being left alone here with the vampires. I was relieved to see Jake running back from the tree line after a couple of seconds, in human form. He was followed by Sam.
"Can someone please explain what just happened?" asked the little spiky haired girl.
"Yes, and no." responded Jacob in a comical tone. As if this were a comical situation.
"What do you mean?" asked Carlisle. "Usually it is one way or the other."
"You remember what I explained to you about imprinting?" Edward asked to no one specific.
Everyone shook their heads in the affirmative, waiting to hear further explanation.
"How the hell could this happen, Li-li?" Sam exploded. "What are you thinking?"
"Yeah, Sam 'cause I had SO much choice in the matter. Just like YOU did!" I screamed.
By now everyone seemed to understand to grasp the situation for what it was. Everyone except for Bella. Her confusion and denial were written all over her face. She kept looking back and forth between Edward and I, like she was expecting the tension to suddenly break, and for everything to go back to normal. Nothing would ever be "normal" again.
Jake walked to Bella's side, and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. He was trying to brace her against the realization that we all knew would dawn on her momentarily. It was inevitable, and it would not be pretty. Not for any of us, and we all knew it.
"This is impossible!" Sam seethed.
"This is freakin' awesome! Somebody, get me some popcorn." said the big vampire – Emmett, I think they said was his name.
The blonde, scarred, leach (Jasper?) hit Emmett on the back of his head with an open palm, sending a loud cracking sound across the opening.
"What was that for?" Emmett whined.
"For being a dumbass." stated Jasper.
"I think that Rosalie, Emmett, Alice, Jasper, and Esme should all go back home. This is a delicate situation, and needs to be treated as such." Carlisle recommended.
The family left quickly, leaving just myself, my two pack mates, Edward, Carlisle, and Bella in the clearing. I realized that I was still sitting on the ground at Edward's feet, as he reached out his hand to assist me in standing. I took his strong, cold hand in mine, and felt an electric current pass between us. Judging from the look in his eyes, I think he felt it too.
Apparently Bella was beginning to catch up to speed with the drama playing out in front of her. As Edward was assisting me to my feet, Jacob was easing Bella to the ground. Her eyes were glazed over, and she had her arms wrapped around herself. She was shaking, and tears were pouring down her face which was warped into a horrific grimace.
Jacob was shushing her, and petting her head in an effort to sooth and comfort her. A sound escaped Bella's lips that was somewhere between a scream and a sob, it sounded strangled, and the pitch of it was ear piercing. In its wake, Edward turned towards her for the first time since I looked into his eyes.
"Bella." He choked out, as he reached out towards her.
Bella flung herself into Edward's arms, sobbing hysterically.
"Y-you can't l-l-leave me. N-not ag-g-gain!" she shrieked out. "Y-y-you promised m-me." All garbled out of her mouth through her sobs.
Edward began to whisper to her his love and affection. He rested his chin on top of her head, and sighed. His gaze shifted to meet mine, and he looked like a man lost. The bewilderment in his eyes was obvious.
For the first time in a year, I understood. I completely understood the look that crossed Sam's face that fateful day in my mother's kitchen. Sam loved me, but it really didn't make a difference in the wake of an imprint. All else was lost. The only thing tying you to the world in that moment was this other person. I had seen Edward plenty of times in the memory of Jacob, but seeing him with my own eyes had changed everything. Forever. Instantaneously.
The look in Edward's eyes now reminded me of Emily's in her back yard. She was torn between her love and loyalty to me, and the magnetism that was manifesting between herself and Sam. I could see it all so clearly now. My heart was shattering into a million pieces for Bella. I wanted to take it all back. I wanted to stop this imprint. It didn't make sense anyhow. Edward was a vampire, and I am a werewolf for pity's sake. We are mortal enemies. Fate is cruel.
Jacob had a hold of Bell's hand still, and was beginning to tug on her, trying to get her to turn back towards him. Edward noticed, and glared over at him.
"You should take your hands off of Bella right now, mutt!" Edward growled.
"Why? She needs to know that I am here, too." Jacob retorted. "I am her best friend, and… and I love her as much as you do. More than you realize. More than she knows."
"Take it back!" I screamed at the heavens. "This is cruel and wrong. It is a sick, twisted joke, so.. TAKE IT BACK!"
I walked over to where Bella and Edward where standing, pleading with my eyes as I looked into Bella's.
"Forgive me, I don't want this. He is yours!" I began to cry. I knelt before her, willing her to see my sincerity.
"Order me to go away, Edward. Tell me to leave and never return!" I pleaded with him.
Edward's only response was to let a hand fall to the top of my head, and rest there, as his other arm was wrapped around Bella, who still had one arm wrapped around Edward, and one hand clinging to Jacob's.
"No." Sam said in a deep and rumbling Alpha tone. "You may not leave your home and family. We will work this out."
With this command, I was bound. I was not free to leave, to run from this awful situation. I would have to face the consequences every day. The irony was not lost on me.
Bella looked at me as her sobs began to quiet a little bit. Her eyes were wide with anger and accusation. She stared at me for what felt like forever in silence. It was like she was searching for something in my eyes. She must have found it, because her eyes suddenly softened. She sighed, and slumped. As she shrugged herself out of Edward's embrace, and pulled her hand free of Jacob's grasp, she reached towards me. To my shock, Bella embraced me. Bella embraced me.
I have no idea how long we sat there, locked in a fierce hug. Everyone else was staring, we could feel their eyes boring into us, but they said nothing. Bella began to release her hold on me, and leaned back far enough to make eye contact.
"No matter what happens, I forgive you." she said in a small, but steady voice. The conviction in her tone was firm.
"How can you say that?" I choked out, completely bewildered at the selflessness being displayed. It was as if I could see the girl's soul. I had always wondered how it was possible that this simple girl in front of me had bewitched a vampire and a werewolf so completely. In that moment, I understood. She was remarkable. Even though her world was shattering around her (yet again), even though she was facing the possibility that the love of her life was going to choose another over her, she resigned herself. She took her own heart out of the equation, and was offering… forgiveness? I was astounded.
Bella stood up, drying her tears on her sleeve. She sighed deeply, wrapping her arms back around herself, as though she would fall apart if she didn't hold herself together.
"Jacob, will you please take me back home? I think these two have a few things to discuss." she said resolutely. When Edward reached towards her, she flinched a little. She shook her head, refusing to meet his eyes, instead looking at Jacob.
Jacob nodded. After telling her to wait for him to return, he ran for the tree line. He returned quickly in his wolf form, and leaned down low, inviting Bella to climb onto his back. Edward stared at them quietly as they left the clearing. He was shaking his head back and forth as if he was trying to shake free the memory of the last hour.
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