After fixing the cabin's front door, Sam knocked on the Blacks' front door the next morning. A thunderstorm was soaking him, and gusting winds yanked at his clothes and hair, but he hardly noticed. As Billy opened the door, he said, "He's still not here, dear, but would you like..." Then Billy registered who was standing in front of him. "Samuel! What a surprise."

"Sorry. I should have called ahead."

Billy wheeled back. "Oh, it's no problem. You're not even the first visitor of the day. Bella was just here looking for Jacob. I thought you were her."

Sam followed him inside. "Did they go somewhere?"

"She missed him," Billy explained. "He bolted out of here pretty early, although she said they had plans, and it's not like him to miss out on time with that girl. I'm not honestly sure where he went. I just made a pot of coffee. Would you like a cup?"

"Sure."

They headed into the kitchen. "What brings you here this morning? Are you also looking for Jacob?"

"No, actually. I was hoping to talk to you."

"I thought you might want to chat at some point." Billy handed him a towel that had been sitting by the back door. He dried himself off, and Billy handed him a steaming mug. "How are you?"

"Not great," he admitted as he sat down in his wet shorts.

"How's Emily?"

"She's fine. She… Look, did you know she was moving down here?"

"I heard that the school was offering her a position, if that's what you mean."

Sam remembered her visit with Old Quil to the cabin. "Right. Were you at the meeting?"

"The meeting? What meeting?" Billy's eyes were uncomprehending.

"Old Quil said that there was a council meeting about her coming down, about offering her the cabin to live in. He said that Sue couldn't make it, and he implied that you weren't available either."

Billy narrowed his eyes. "That old…" He cleared his throat before he said something he didn't mean to reveal, but his frown was clear. "No. I was not included. When was this? Just before she came?" Sam nodded, and Billy sniffed. "Hmph. That wasn't a meeting. That was two or three council members who didn't tell the rest of us what they were up to. I'm sorry, Samuel. I didn't know. Where is she now?"

"Visiting her mother."

Billy took a sip of his own coffee. "And she didn't want you to come? To introduce you?"

"I don't think we're, um, exactly at that point."

"Yet," Billy added.

Sam's shoulders slumped. "Why does everyone think that?" Billy gave him a pointed look, and he sighed, "I know. I know. But it's not like that. I swear it isn't."

"Haven't you already moved in with her?"

"Sort of. Not exactly. I slept at the cabin last night."

Billy looked confused. "While she was out of town? But when she's here, you stay with her, right?"

"Because she's scared. After the last attack, when that vamp ripped the top off the car and yanked Kim out, it terrified her."

"Understandably enough," Billy admitted.

"Yeah. That's why I'm staying with her. Not because something else is going on."

Billy gave him a stern glance. "Are you sure about that? Is that all she wants from you? Protection?"

"No," Sam admitted. "It's not. She wants more. But the other stuff… I'm fighting it. And no one believes me, but we're not doing anything. I sleep on the floor in the living room."

Billy was clearly surprised. "You're fighting it? I don't understand. How?"

"I don't know how. It's working, but not enough. I want to… It's just… I don't…" He struggled to say that he wanted to break the imprint, that he wanted to leave Emily altogether, but the imprint prevented him from saying any such thing.

"What does she want?"

"Me!" Sam answered. "She wants me. She wants more. I can feel it here," he pointed to his stomach, "when she wants me to kiss her. When she wants me in her bed. When she wants me to tell her I love her."

"What do you do?"

"Anything other than that! And maybe it's because she doesn't ask directly, but I can resist. But anything she flat out asks for, it's like an Alpha order. My body just does whatever she asks me to, no matter what my brain is saying."

Comprehension filled Billy's eyes. "That's what happened during the battle."

"Yes! She begged me to help her, and there was nothing else I could do."

"But she hasn't asked you to be with her. Romantically, I mean," Billy clarified.

Sam nodded vigorously. "That's right. Not directly."

"But she wants that kind of relationship?"

"Definitely. I'm sure of it."

Billy tilted his head. "Why do you think she hasn't asked?"

"I don't know, probably a lot of reasons. Leah, for one."

"How do you feel about Leah now? After the imprint? After the battle?"

Sam dug his fingers into the table as he tried to come up with the words. He couldn't even say them here, with neither Emily nor Leah anywhere nearby. "Leah's… she's… everything. Always has been, always will be."

Billy understood what he meant. "You still love her, don't you, son?"

Sam nodded vigorously. "I'm not going to stop. Never."

"What does Emily have to say about that?"

"I can't tell her," Sam answered in frustration.

Billy asked, "Can't? Or won't?"

"Can't. Literally can't. I can't say what I mean, and I don't mean what I say. Not around her. About some things, not at all. "

"And what does Leah have to say?"

Miserably, Sam answered, "She's not speaking to me. Not that I blame her. I don't deserve it."

Billy stared at him, assessing him. "Things haven't been so good for you lately, have they? I'm sorry about the way things happened, about the split. I didn't think you'd end up on your own."

"But you knew what Leah and Jacob wanted to do?"

Billy nodded. "He wanted to help her. She was hurting. And frankly, your leadership isn't what it used to be."

Sam agreed, painful though it was. "I'm not good for the pack. Not this way. And not to be a jerk, but why am I excluded, but Jared's part of the pack? He didn't do any better in that battle than I did."

Billy sighed and sat back. "Kim advocated for him. I'm not exactly sure what she said; she didn't talk to me. But Jacob tells me that she was very concerned about his safety once she realized what was going on. That's not to say you're fine on your own and he's not, Sam, but you were the last Alpha. Jared never had that kind of authority. A pack has to be able to trust its alpha. But you aren't reliable, not like this."

"I know. I hate it. And I can't blame Leah for wanting to get away from me. Or even the rest of the pack. It's just…"

Billy finished, "You're isolated now, on your own except for your imprint. And she isn't turning out to be a very good influence on you, is she?" Sam couldn't answer, but they both knew what he wanted to say. Billy sighed and warmed his hands on his mug. "Jacob really wasn't sure what to do about Jared at first. We know that he turned away from Victoria when they had her cornered. It could all have ended then, or so Jacob told me. If he hadn't left, the entire threat might be gone."

"I saw. And I've been so wrapped up in my own stuff, I really hadn't thought about what that meant."

"I've spoken with my son at length on the subject. With the council as well. Personally, I'm not sure the imprint is the kind of gift we were led to believe it was."

Sam knew it was a curse but couldn't say so. He asked, "What to do they think?"

"They're divided. But they're not in charge of the pack. Jacob is. He doesn't ask for permission when he talks to Kim."

Sam's interest was piqued. "So he's done it more than once?"

"Yes. It has been extremely helpful. Jared has been less distracted, more in tune with the rest of the pack. Jacob still keeps him on patrol close to home, because he can't stand to be too far from Kim, but it has gone surprisingly well."

"Wow. What exactly did Jacob say to her?"

Billy shrugged. "I wasn't there. I really couldn't tell you. But Jacob has a slightly different view of imprinting than the orthodox one. It has angered some members of the Council. There are some, shall we say, traditionalists among the group, those who take the legends at face value. They aren't particularly pleased with my son, or with Leah for that matter."

At that, Sam got angry. "Leah? How is any of this is her fault? She's been nothing but perfect since we phased. She has more battle experience and more vampire kills than any other shifter. She has helped every single pack member through their first phases. She's the fastest, the bravest, and the most dedicated. She's given everything up to protect this place. Everything. How dare anyone say anything against her?"

"Settle down, son. I happen to agree with you. My son and I are both in her corner."

Sam leaned back in his chair. "I'm sorry. I know. And I know I have no right to accuse anyone of anything. I've hurt her more than anyone else possibly could."

Gently, Billy suggested, "Then perhaps you should let her go."

"No!" Sam growled and slammed his fist into the table, sloshing coffee out of his mug. "That's not an option! It never has been, and it never will be. You don't understand what she means to me. I'm never giving up on her, on us. It isn't going to happen."

Billy ignored his outburst. "What does she have to say about it? The last I heard, she wasn't particularly pleased with how things have been going."

Sam dropped his gaze to the table. "No, she's not happy. She's pretty miserable, and that's my fault. She's not talking to me. But the last thing she said was that maybe she'd talk to me if I could break it."

Billy's eyes widened. "Break what? The imprint?" he asked incredulously. "Is that what you want?"

Sam wanted to scream yes, that he did, that he would do anything to break it. But all he could manage was the slightest nod, and even that small motion was almost impossible against the foreign force inside him.

Billy looked amazed. "I'll be honest. I've never heard of a shifter who wanted to break their imprint."

Sam refused to be discouraged. "Can it be done?"

"I don't know."

"Has anyone ever tried?" Sam asked.

"The legends say nothing of it. The closest thing I can think of is when an imprint rejects a wolf. But I don't think that's going to happen in your case, do you? It sounds as if she's quite taken with you."

Sam rubbed the heels of his hands into his eyes. "She is. She… She wants me. I know it."

"I still don't understand. How is it that you haven't formed a romantic bond with her?"

Sam's voice was hard. "Because I refuse."

Billy asked, "But she hasn't asked you directly? Made specific requests?"

Sam admitted, "No, and I don't honestly know how I'll manage if she does. "

"Why do you think she hasn't already? It is what she wants, right?"

Sam shrugged. "It is what she wants. I'm sure of it. But I think this has slowed her down." He lowered his collar to expose the mark on his clavicle.

Billy couldn't hold in a sharp intake of breath. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Yeah. From before I imprinted. Leah has one too."

"Yours?"

Angrily, Sam snapped, "Of course it's mine. Who else would it belong to? Have you heard something? She isn't seeing one of the others, is she? Is it Paul? I'm going to kill that little punk."

Billy tried to calm him. "Sam, please. You're overreacting. She isn't seeing someone else, not that I know of. I had to ask. I just had to be sure."

"It's the only thing I have left of her. I can feel it when I'm with Emily. It hurts more the closer she gets. It actually looks worse, too."

"What do you mean?"

"When I'm with her, it doesn't look old and healed like this. It looks red. And the closer she gets, the worse it looks, like a fresh wound. I've seen her looking at it. I told her it was Leah's, but I didn't really get a chance to explain what that means."

Curiously, Billy asked, "Does it hurt?"

Sam wasn't certain how to answer. "Sometimes. It depends. It doesn't hurt right now. If Emily gets too close, it does. Or if Leah is with another guy."

Billy's eyes widened. "You can feel that?"

"Yeah. It's pretty bad if someone touches her. But when I am, um, you know, with Leah, it feels good."

Billy was clearly surprised. "Really! I've never heard of such a thing. Marking one's mate is a known phenomenon, of course, but I have never heard of a mark on a shifter, nor am I familiar with the kind of sensation you describe. Normally the wolf is the one to mark its mate, although I suppose it makes sense, since she's a shifter too. And you said you marked her as well?"

"Yeah, I did."

"Interesting," Billy mused. "I thought it was specifically for imprints, but now I'm not so sure."

"You don't know?"

Billy leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest, looking at the ceiling. "The legends aren't that specific, actually. It was just an assumption I made, I guess. I suppose I linked marking and imprinting in my brain, but come to think of it, the tales aren't that explicit."

Sam asked, "What do the marks mean exactly? Do you know exactly what they're for?"

Thoughtfully, Billy answered, "It's a way of exerting, shall we say, possession, over a mate. A territorial display. That's consistent with what you're saying, that you can feel it when she's with someone else, or vice versa."

"Oh, no." Realization dawned on Sam. "Hers probably hurts her all the time, doesn't it?"

"Whenever you're with Emily, I would imagine."

Sam wanted to tear his hair out. "Why can't I stay away? It's bad enough this is happening at all, but for her to feel it, physically, every second I'm betraying her..."

Billy pointed out, "Then it's a good thing you haven't been intimate with your imprint. Perhaps you can keep it that way."

"Leah deserves so much better than this! She's so good, and she's been so good to me. My whole life, all I've wanted to do is make her happy. And I did. She was, she was so happy, and I was... I can't even describe it. I want it back! I want her back!"

"But she won't take you back as long as you're imprinted."

Sam leaned over the table. "Right. What do I do? Please, you have to help me. There has to be something I can do!"

Billy's expression was grim. "I wish I had an answer for you, son. I do."

"There's nothing? There's nothing in the legends to help me?"

Billy shook his head. "You know there isn't."

"But there's nothing in the legends about a female shifter, either, and obviously that's possible."

And a smile lit Billy's face. "And quite the wolf she has turned out to be. Let me ask around. My interpretation of the legends isn't the only one, and there are those in the council who would like to help you, those who are beginning to understand that there are risks to imprinting."

"Thank you. If there's anything..." Sam was interrupted by a loud series of loud howls. He stood abruptly. "I think I'd better..."

Billy pointed at the back door. "Go."

Sam shot outside into the rain, yanking his shirt over his head and dropping it on the muddy lawn. He barely managed to save his shorts before he phased, and he began to sprint toward the sounds of his former brothers. He still wasn't used to the emptiness of being alone, but he called out, Jake? Are you there, man? Jake?

And suddenly he could see the forest rushing by through Jacob's eyes, and he spotted Leah's sodden gray tail a few yards in front of Jacob. He missed hearing her in his mind. Sam? Is that you?

Yeah. What's going on?

Victoria. We're on her trail.

Where? Sam asked.

Jacob showed him the path. Heading west through the reservation.

I'm pretty close to you, Sam noted.

Sweep northwest. See if you can cut her off.

Got it. Are there any others?

Jacob was uncertain but answered, She seems to be on her own this time, but Paul's on the northern border, Quil's on the south. The rest of us are following her.

Sam was deeply frustrated that he couldn't communicate with everyone else. He thought his isolation was dangerous. If I'm going to be part of this noose forming around her, it would really help to be part of the pack.

He felt Jacob's reluctance, although the new Alpha didn't specifically voice it. Jacob faded out, but only momentarily. Soon he returned. You're in, Sam.

And suddenly he could see through six other sets of eyes. Hey, man, nice to have you back. It was Jared.

Sam, Embry acknowledged.

Hi, everybody, Sam said awkwardly.

Paul didn't bother to hide his hostility. Asswipe.

Sam ignored him. LeeLee?

She was silent. She used her frustration to fuel her speed, and then she could see the orange flash of Victoria's hair in the distance. She began to pull away from Jacob.

LeeLee, wait for Jacob, please.

Grimly, she ran even faster. She focused on her target, and Sam tried to catch up with her.

Embry asked, Is she going for the ocean again?

It's an easy way to get away, Paul answered. She's way faster than us in the water. Fur bogs us down.

But why's she even here, and by herself? Quil asked.

Jared replied, Can't be for Kim. She's in California for Spring Break. Sam, where's Emily?

Sam didn't want to answer, thinking of Leah, but now wasn't the time to discuss their personal problems. Neah Bay. But Bella was here looking for Jacob earlier this morning. I stopped by Billy's, and he told me.

Crap, Quil huffed. That girl's going to get herself killed. I was sitting on her house for hours. I could've sworn she was still there.

Jacob got angry. This is why I told you to stay with her. She shouldn't be left alone, not for a minute. Victoria's leading us on a wild goose chase.

Sorry, Jake, Quil apologized.

Leah stayed silent, focusing all her energy on catching up to Victoria. She was close enough to see the vampire's face every time she turned to see how close the wolves were. The sight of the gray wolf behind her clearly infuriated Victoria, but she knew she was outnumbered and did not turn to fight. She darted between trees, ducked under branches, and leapt over bushes, but still Leah gained ground.

Rip that bitch apart, Paul urged.

Jacob reassured her, I'm right behind you, Leah. Just slow her down, and she's dead.

Sam's stomach fell at the thought of Leah engaged in battle once again. How many bones had she already broken? How many invisible scars lined her skin? How much pain could one person withstand?

Then the wind shifted, and Leah and Jacob caught a faint scent on the wind. Oh no, that's Bella! Jacob said.

Ahead of them, the dense forest gave way to rocky ground, and then, the cliff's edge. Leah finally spoke. I've almost got her. Sam pushed himself to his maximum speed, but he wasn't fast enough. He wasn't going to make it there before Leah engaged Victoria.

Jacob's voice was frantic. Crap, look! From his position behind Leah, he caught sight of a small figure through the trees.

Is that Bella? Sam asked, but he already knew the answer. Jacob couldn't see her clearly, but Leah could. She turned her eyes to the edge of the cliff.

What's that crazy bitch doing? Paul asked.

Quil was almost as alarmed as Jacob. Jesus, is she jumping? Bella was approaching the edge. She seemed not to notice the tumultuous weather, and she didn't respond to the wolves' bellowing howls. Bella stepped to the edge, and a loose bit of ground broke under her feet. She stumbled but did not fall.

She's going to get herself killed! Jacob screamed.

Victoria was at least forty yards north of Bella, and she had clearly given up on trying to reach the girl. She was making a beeline for the ocean, and Leah would be in reach of her in seconds. Then Bella spread her arms wide. Fuck! Leah wheeled to the south and began sprinting for Bella. Jake, go after Victoria! End it!

Sam watched helplessly as Victoria threw a grin over her shoulder. The vampire stopped at the cliff's edge and turned to face Jacob. Leah howled for Bella, but the girl didn't even notice. She was mumbling to herself and swaying in the wind, staring at the storm-tossed waves crashing into the rocks below. Victoria gave Jacob a wink with her remaining eye and touched her fingers to her forehead in a mocking salute, and just as he leapt for her throat, she dropped backward over the edge.

Leah disappeared from the pack mind at that very moment, and Sam panicked. His legs burned as he pushed himself toward his pack, and he felt Jacob fly over the edge of the cliff. He couldn't see Leah in anyone's vision, and then Jacob hit the water.

When he reached the beach, a frustrated, human Jacob was climbing onto the sand, struggling to put on his sopping shorts, and they could see Leah leading Bella down the path to level ground. Embry and Jared had arrived and were waiting at the edge of the forest. Sam phased back to his human body and asked, "What happened?"

Embry nodded in greeting. "Hey. Leah stopped Bella from going over, but Jake lost Victoria in the ocean. She's long gone."

"How do we know she isn't just sitting on the ocean floor somewhere, waiting to come right back?"

Jared pointed. "See that?" Sure enough, Victoria's bright red hair was visible bobbing far off shore.

"What was she doing? Is it really just her? Was she just a distraction?" Sam wondered.

Embry shook his head. "There's no sign of any other vamps. Quil and Paul have the perimeter. I think she was after Bella again. Maybe she realized all the other vamps were just dead weight."

Jared added, "And actually, she came pretty close to nabbing Bella. That crazy girl; she looked like she was about to do Victoria's job for her. If Leah didn't have to grab her, she'd have had Victoria. She was so close!"

"I saw," Sam agreed. He watched as Jacob ran to meet Bella, sweeping her into his arms and holding her tightly.

Jared, who was the only one who had clothes, went to meet them. After a quick word, he returned to say that Jacob had assigned him and Embry to patrol along the shore, but had not given Sam any particular task. Embry waved goodbye with a quiet, "Nice to have you back, man."

Uncertain where to go, Sam jogged back to the Blacks' house to recover his shirt and shorts. He spotted Billy staring out the back window and went inside to give him an update. They spoke at length until Billy wondered, "Do you think they're coming back here? I know that Bella doesn't move as quickly as you, but I'm surprised they aren't here yet. It's been a while."

"Maybe he took her straight back to her own house," Sam suggested.

Billy pointed out, "But her truck is out front, and Jacob hasn't come to get the Rabbit."

Sam tried not to worry, but problems followed Bella everywhere. "Then they're probably just at Leah's house or maybe the cabin."

As Billy picked up his phone to see if he could find them, the dull ache of Sam's mark suddenly blossomed into searing pain. He gasped aloud and touched his hand to it. His fingers came away with a spot of blood.

Billy gaped at him in amazement, murmuring a distracted thanks to Seth, who had confirmed the trio's arrival at the Clearwater house. Setting the phone back in its cradle, he asked, "What's going on?"

The pain ended as abruptly as it had begun. "I don't know," Sam growled, "but I'm about to find out."

This time, his anger was too great. He barely reached the edge of the forest before he exploded, shredding his clothes. He broke into a sprint to the Clearwater house.

He slammed open the back door. Bella screamed from her position seated at the table, and then her jaw dropped open when she spotted his nudity. Jacob had been holding her small hands in his larger ones, but dropped them as he stood, protectively moving between her and Sam.

Sam roared, "Where is he?"

Incredulously, Jacob asked, "Where is who?"

"Paul," Sam gritted out. "The fucker who's got his hands all over my girl."

Seth appeared in the kitchen doorway. Sam was surprised at how much he had grown since they last saw each other. "What the hell are you doing here?" he yelled. "Get out!"

"Not until I kick his ass," Sam answered.

"What are you talking about?" Jacob asked. "Paul's not here. What do you want with him anyway?"

Sam clenched his fists so tightly that his nails broke the skin of his palms. "If it wasn't him, who the fuck was touching my LeeLee?"

Before they could answer, Leah slid into the room behind Seth. Her eyes were blazing, but she tossed him a blanket, which he wrapped around his waist. "Don't call me that."

He was desperate. "Please. Whatever's going on, you have to stop."

Irritated, she asked, "What are you even talking about?"

Sam pointed at the blood on his chest. "This. What were you doing? You know I felt it."

Her eyes widened, but she answered bitterly, "None of your damn business, you fucking hypocrite."

"That's different," he grasped at straws.

She actually laughed at him. "You're right. I didn't cheat on you. You, on the other hand, didn't have the decency to dump me first."

Understanding dawned on Bella's face, and she began to interject. "Sam, it's not what you…"

Leah interrupted, "Shut up, Bella. It's none of his business. He already made his choice."

He changed tactics when he heard how heartbroken she was beneath her anger. "You don't understand. I'm not sleeping with her. I'm not doing anything with her. You have to know that. Have you bled like I have?"

He had been referring to the agony that shot through his body from his mark, but she interpreted his words differently. "Oh, that's rich. Do you honestly want to compare our wounds, Sam? You want to know which one of us is hurting more? You want to play that game with me? Because I'm pretty sure that nobody wins."

He pleaded, "You know I hate this. You know I hate hurting you."

It was actually Seth who spoke up next. He was trembling, and he had broken out into a sweat. "Then stop. Just stop. Leave her alone. Get out of our house." He pointed at the door.

"Please, LeeLee. This isn't how it's supposed to be."

She answered, "And yet, this is how it is. Leave, Sam."

"LeeLee…"

Jacob placed his hands on his hips. "I think they asked you to go."

He stared at Leah in dismay, but she left the room, and Seth blocked the route to follow. As he walked away, he realized that there was no fresh scent of Paul anywhere nearby. What had triggered him to bleed? The only people near her were Seth, Jacob, and Bella. He would have been worried about Jacob, but he had been holding hands with Bella when Sam arrived, and his mark never hurt when Seth was with his sister. He was perplexed.

From the ground beneath the tree house, he looked up at Leah, staring at him from her window. In her eyes he caught sight of the longing and love she still held for him. He expected her to close her drapes, but she did not. So he drank in the sight of her for as long as he was able. He touched the mark on his clavicle, and he even smiled a little when she placed her fingers on her neck where he had left his own brand. He nearly leapt to the roof when she placed her other palm on the glass, but then she turned away. He caught sight of a tear rolling down her cheek before she dropped the curtain.

That evening, he slept in the cabin alone. He lay awake for hours wondering if his wound would open again, but he felt nothing but emptiness and sorrow. Eventually, exhaustion overtook him.

X-x-x-x-X

Hours later, he felt a hand on his skin as he slept. Fingers traveled up the length of his arm, carefully tracing his restful muscles. Still overcome by exhaustion, he turned toward the gentle touch. It had been too long. He missed her tender embrace, her sweet lips, and the tickle of her breath in his ear. He hummed in contentment, and she responded by cupping his cheek in her palm. He nuzzled into her softness, and he started to come awake.

As he gradually rose through the depths of sleep, he started to notice important details. Something was off. The touch was cool, not warm. Her scent was wrong, too synthetic. Her heartbeat was too fast.

By the time he was fully conscious, he knew whom he would find when he opened his eyes. He tried to delay the moment as long as possible, holding onto the lovely figment of his LeeLee from his dream. But it was not to be.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Emily said as she caressed his face.

He pulled away abruptly, but the frown that he tried to force onto his face was overridden by an empty smile. "Emily." His voice was thick and rough.

"Did you miss me?" she asked. "I know I missed you."

He knew what she wanted him to say, and he carefully took control of his voice. Although the imprint instructed him to say yes, he managed, "We're getting used to seeing a lot of each other, aren't we?" She smiled, and he knew she was satisfied with his answer. But she was still touching him, and he knew that the part of him that liked it wasn't real. He sat up to break the contact. "What time is it?"

"Late. Almost noon. Were you on patrol last night? I shouldn't have woken you."

He shook his head and retrieved a shirt from the dresser, quickly pulling it over his head. He usually preferred to go without one because of his temperature, but around her, he was much more comfortable fully clothed. "No, but yesterday was a long day."

"What happened? Anything serious?"

He wasn't sure what to tell her. More importantly, he didn't know how she had gotten in. Why did she come looking for him? And what did she want? "I'll tell you all about it after I have a chance to clean up, is that okay?" When she nodded, he fled to the bathroom. He headed there, willing her to leave, but knowing that she wouldn't. Eventually he emerged into the kitchen, where she had a basket of muffins waiting for him. He ate them and told her an abbreviated version of the pack's pursuit of Victoria into the sea.

Her mood quickly shifted to fear. He knew she needed his reassurance. "This is awful. She's a monster. I can't believe those things were human once. Poor Bella. I'll bet she's terrified."

"We'll keep her safe. We'll keep all of you girls safe."

She smiled at him and shyly bit her lip and glanced down. "I really appreciate how you've been sticking around. I feel so much safer with you nearby."

He felt foreign words moving into his throat, words of devotion and love, but he took hold of them and bent them into something closer to what he actually felt. "Your safety is very important to me."

"You know, when I got back to the apartment today and you weren't there, I really missed you. I missed you all weekend long." He knew he was supposed to say he missed her back, but he bit his tongue until he drew blood and managed to stay silent. He considered it a victory. But then she continued, "Actually, I was thinking about it the whole time I was gone."

He didn't think he wanted to know, but she was going to tell him anyway. "Thinking about what?"

She looked up at him. "I knew it when I came back and wanted you to be there. I've been thinking about it for a while. I think... I think it's time to make it official, don't you think?"

His throat went dry. The room began to spin. He knew that the vertigo would stop if he gave in, if he stopped grasping at the strands of love that he still held for Leah. For months, the universe had been trying to rearrange itself around him. The spirits were trying to take him, body and soul, and use him as their pawn, but he was resisting. The fight kept him spinning, kept him tumbling through space, uncertain which way was up and which way was down, only knowing that he was falling toward Emily. If he reached her, if he gave in, he would be lost.

Instead of the broad grin that she wanted to see, he held his face in a carefully neutral mask. Instead of acquiescing, in a gravelly voice, he asked, "Make what official?"

The corner of her lips turned upward. She dropped her eyelids, peeking at him through her lashes in a coy gesture. "What do you think? Us. We're already living together, and you and Leah are broken up. We're already so happy together, and we love each other, so isn't it time?" He held his entire body rigid, using all his willpower not to answer her. He knew that if he opened his mouth, he would submit. She filled the silence. "I know you think it's soon. I know you hate hurting Leah. Believe me, I do too. I was thinking the same way you were, that we needed to give it more time. I mean, how does it look? Not good. But it's not like there's an appropriate waiting period. People will get used to it either way. And who cares what they think, anyway? All that really matters is how you and I feel."

Sam had been fighting his whole life. As a child, he had defended his mother against his abusive father. He used his teeth and claws against one of his brothers. He had battled immortal monsters to the death. Combat was a way of life. But no fight had ever been as difficult as this one. This time he was battling himself.

He somehow managed to hold his tongue. He contained the voice within him that tried to tell her what she wanted to hear. And in the process of fighting the imprint, he started to black out. His vision went dim, her voice faded and became as distant as an echo through a tunnel, and he felt himself disconnecting from his body. He lost control of his movements, and his capacity to sense basic touch withered away.

He no longer knew what was happening. Was he moving? Standing? Sitting? He felt movement, but where was he going? Was she leading him? Was he pulling her? All he knew was burning. He inhaled. Did air fill his lungs? Water? Fire? Or was it just the scent of her perfume? What was that strange spice? Was she feeding him something? Was it a drink? Or was it the taste of her lips against his? He felt pressure on his tongue. Was it just the sensation of his own teeth in his mouth? Was he speaking? Was this what speech felt like, or was his tongue tangling with hers? Beneath his fingers, did he feel her skin, her hair, or the fabric of her clothes? He felt something against his back. Had she pushed him against a wall? The floor? The bed? Was the clamoring in his skull the sound of her sigh, or were they words? Moans of pleasure? Cries of bliss? He had no idea. He didn't want to know. Whatever was happening couldn't possibly be happening to him, could it?

He heard, "I love you, Sam."

He didn't want it. He rejected it. And so the imprint rejected him.

X-x-x-x-X

A/N: Thanks again to Babs81410.