I instantly regretted stretching out in bed. My hands felt like somebody dropped an anvil on them, carefully I unwrapped them and inspected the damage myself they were covered in scabs now and it hurt to close my fist. Maybe I should have Sue take a look... Nah she'll just ask what happened, and me going nuts on a tree just didn't sound good... "Hals are you up? It's noon." Seth's voice came from the other side of the door. "Yeah just give me- or come in I guess." I mumbled as he came in. "Collin is here Hals." He grinned leaning against the dresser. I sat up looking around still waking up. "You didn't let him in did you?" His smile grew wider. "Seeeeth I look like the wicked witch of west!" "Oh Hals no you don't, you look normal." "Actually Haley... He lied." I was horrified. "Collin you can't... You shouldn't... Get out! Both of you! I haven't even... Would you just go? Please I'll be there in a minute." "Whats wrong Hals? Cat got your tongue? Or should I say pants?" Seth pointed to the pants by my bed. That was not the original cause to my freak out. I was still in Collins sweater... "Seth I swear to whatever spirits that take care of you! If you don't get out now I will take every single one of your baby pictures to school on Monday and show everyone!" "Okay okay I'm going. No need to get violent." He said backing away, shutting the door behind him and Collin. I jumped up from bed, shoved my legs through some shorts, and took off Collins hoodie, pulling on a fresh shirt, then ran my fingers through my hair, pulling it up into a ponytail, and was out the door. "Sorry about my freak out..." I said handing him his hoodie, he set it down pulling me into a hug. "It's okay." He whispered. I pulled away hearing two stomachs grumble. "Are you two hungry?" I really didn't have to ask, so I went into the kitchen and started making sandwiches. "You know us way to well Hals." Seth followed smiling. "I've lived with you for three months Seth... If I didn't know by now I probably never would, so what's everyone up to today?" "Well... Everyone heard the argument last night." I felt the color drain from my face as he said this. "Oh?" Was all I could manage. I made an ass of myself... I need a drink... "Yeah... We all agree with you though, well those who heard anyway." I turned around confused. "Really?" "Well yeah! I mean all the guys who have an imprint, think Embry messed up big time, he could of killed you rejecting the imprint like that." So now we were going to talk about this... It wasn't enough that two months ago it felt like I was burning alive because whatever " bond" there is or was, oh no, while Embry was having the time of his life I was begging for Seth to kill me. "Sam thinks it's broken Haley... The imprint... He proposed to Kate last night." Collin joined us in the kitchen as Seth told me the new information... It then dawned on me. The pull was gone...it explained the whole body numbness. "I'm not... I..." Something else rushed to my mind... I'm not welcome here anymore... No longer "pack" besides Paul but that was different. I dropped what I was doing, focusing on my air intake. "Haley?" Collin sounded worried. "We thought this was good news." "What?" I blinked catching up. "Yeah... This is great... I'm..." I dropped what I was doing. "I need to pack up..." "What? Why?" Collin asked with sad eyes. "Oh come on. If Embry hadn't... I wouldn't be here... I should go." I mumbled. Of course I had to have bad luck... "Oh Haley that's not why we brought this up." Collin said gently grabbing my hands. "You and I can do what ever now, without the chance of it getting messed up." "But... The Elders have some information we need to hear about Hals... It doesn't sound good." Seth spoke up again, looking dead serious. "Alright when?" "Now might be good. Collin go ahead and take her to grandpa Quil. I'll clean up here."
"Ah you must be Haley. Please sit down. Collin, dear boy I'm afraid this is only for Haley's ears, you must go." Quil Sr. said. I took a seat as Collin turned around and left. "I can imagine your curiosity has spiked yes?" I nodded my head. "Well you see, you are not the first broken imprint my dear. Many years ago, there was another Brenna, although she did not prove to be as strong as you, she lived yes, but only just. Her wolf to was soon to be bound to another, much like Embry, however, the day before the wedding, he saw Brenna again, and imprinted again. He called the wedding off, and went to Brenna, asking for forgiveness, promising her never to leave again, not that she forgave him so easy. She had moved on in the years time, the best she could. She told him, that every full moon she cried for him, because it only reminded her of him and if she was to forgive him first, he needed to know how she felt, she told him he had to wait as long as she did. So he did, and every full moon, he howled to the moon, crying himself for the reminder of all the pain he had caused her, and when the new year had ended, he went and found her, crying herself, for every full moon she heard his cry, and when the light of the new day came, they were together in each others arms, for the first time in two years. They went on to have kids, you actually know one of the descendants, Paul, who also has a unique touch to things, but that's for another day. Haley, I know it's easier said then done, and with the recent development between Littlesea and yourself, it makes this more difficult for me to say, but do not think you and Embry are done." "But sir, Embry has seen me many times since the imprint broke." I was confused... I knew why he told me about Brenna and her wolf... I just didn't want him back, not if he could almost kill me and not care. "No, he hasn't... It officially broke last night." Good to know. Sunday was being canceled with him, I was going to avoid him at costs now... But I still had a question. "But if our imprint no longer exists, can't he just imprint on someone else?" "If something of value is broken do you throw it away? No. You mend it, and sometimes it becomes stronger that way." If I didn't have respect for my elders I would of rolled my eyes at the old man. "That's good to know, thank you sir." I stood up and began my way towards the door. "Young lady, you and Embry have an important destiny, I'd advise you not to fight it." "With all do respect sir, I believe we choose our own destiny, fate, or what have you, and right now, I choose to walk the path with Collin, just as Embry chooses to walk his own path with Kate." "Then Embry will never know what true love feels like, and neither will you, if you continue without him, I fear for the worst." "Sir, the worst has already happened, and I'm still standing here, I have to go however, so have a good afternoon." And I left pulling my phone out, I texted Collin telling him I was through with the visit, then I texted Embry, telling him that tomorrow is cancelled. I gave no reason like I usually would. I just had nothing else to say. I was surprised he even texted back, asking if we could hang out today instead. Growing a little irritated, I told him no, and to go spend time with his fiancée. Glad that, that shut him up. Collin came out of the woods, and asked what happened, and I chalked it up to pretty much nothing, spending the rest of the walk home in enjoyable silence again.
It wasn't until we were on Sam and Emily's driveway that I realized what was going on. "Collin please I'd rather just go home... I need a shower and need to wrap my hands again." I pleaded stopping in my tracks. "But Emily wants to see you Hales... Please just for a few minutes, I don't want Sam to be all moody like he has been." I took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay, but I'm only staying long enough to talk to Emily, then I'm leaving okay?" "Alright cool." Collin smiled and went around the back as I stood at the front door, awkwardly unsure if I should knock or walk in, so a minute after thinking and acting like I was going to knock, I did, and was greeted with Emily calling come in from the kitchen, so I let my self in checking my surroundings. "So uh... Em I was told you wanted to talk?" I asked stepping into the kitchen. "Yeah... About last night, I'm sorry about what I said, I don't even know why I said it." "It's fine I shouldn't of freaked out like I did." I shrugged straning to hear any signs of Embry walking in. "Haley you okay?" Emily waved her hand in front of my face catching my attention. "Huh? Oh yeah I'm fine. I just... I should go." "Is something going on?" "Nope. Nothin, not a damn thing, just need to go home. I'll call you later." I said heading towards the door, keeping my head down. "Haley are you okay?" "I'm fine Paul. Why?" "I heard... And Collin told me about the tree..." He rested a hand on my shoulder. "Yeah I'm just dandy... Oh some helpful information though, instead of feeling like every bone in your body is breaking, your whole body goes numb when the imprint is fully broken." I explained being over sarcastic. "So you know he proposed... Haley I'm-" "Paul. I'm okay really." "But Haley-" "Paul I swear if you bring up I could of died I will break my hand punching you. Just keep Embry away from me and it'll all be okay." "But... Hales he really wants to be friends with you, we all can see it..." "Paul! Just please do this for me." I couldn't handle all the damn drama again... "Okay, it's not going to be easy Haley... I'll have to use the relationship that you and Collin are in though." "I... No don't... I don't want anyone thinking I'm using Collin." "We all know you aren't... Even I know that." He smiled at me. "Don't worry, I'll handle it." "Thank you Paul." I smiled back for a second, then carried on my way home. Buzz buzz I looked at my phone seeing I had another text from Embry. 'Oh come on Haley can we please try to be friends?' I responded simply 'no' I had no desire to find out if old Quil was right, and no desire to be his friend either. 'Well I'm on my way to Seth's now.' He wasn't going to give up was he? 'Thats cool.' I could climb in through my window and stay hidden till he was gone, if I had been blessed with grace today that is. Going around to my current room I was glad I left my window open, I climbed in with much more grace then planned, and shut the bedroom door. I grabbed my book, and sat down on the bed reading quietly. "Hey Seth! Is Haley here?" I heard Embry as Seth let him in. "Actually man, she's out with Collin today." "So they really are dating huh?" "Well dude, you couldn't expect her to wait for you, since how you're engaged and all." I would have to thank him later for that. "Oh not you too! First Sam lectures me, then Paul tries to kill me, now you? Come on. I'm trying to be her friend..." "Well dude, you deserve all of it. Just be glad Collin isn't here." What? What's that mean? "Oh yeah! Little Collin wouldn't do anything to me, I mean he could try but... He's like the runt of the litter." I heard Seth snort. "Yeah okay maybe like two days ago! He's almost bigger then Jake now." Woa... Okay I didn't know how big the wolf Jake was but I knew he was bigger then Scotty. "What? No way. " Embry sounded like someone could knock him over with a feather. "Yeah dude, and he's the calmest one of us now... Haley is doing the kid a lot of good." "You think Haley is the reason he's that big?" Embry asked. "Well it's the only thing any of us can think of. Old Quil thinks it has something to do with Haley... But he's not sure. The other elders think that maybe she's supposed to be alpha female, tied to Jake, if Nessy wasn't here." As Seth explained I was tempted to peek out of the door to see facial expressions. "What's that have to do with anything Seth?" "They think that Jake is going to step down, so he can leave with the Cullen's, and naturally the biggest will take over next." "So now it's Collin?" "Well yeah. I don't know how to explain it, but it's like Haley has the spirits on her side to make sure whoever she's with, can protect her the best out of us all. You know how when a wolf imprints, he grows more stronger, and all that? Well with Haley it's like twice that I guess." "So her wolf would be alpha?" "Pretty much dude." I sat against the door kinda lost. So whoever I'm with will become the next alpha if the time comes? That's odd. What do I have to do with any of this? "But what about her imprint?" Leave it to him to ask that. "Embry when you asked Kate to marry you the imprint broke. Haley is no longer tied to you, she is free to leave now... " Seth sounded upset as Embry mumbled on something about no wonder she doesn't want to see me. "Do you think she'll leave with Collin?" Embry asked. "If his pack leader will allow it... Isn't he with Sam?" "Yeah... But Sam is handing everything over to Jake soon." No wonder he and Quil aren't around that much.. Wait isn't Seth and Leah in his pack? I need to start writing things down... "Well if you see Haley can you tell her I'm sorry." Embry asked as I heard the door open. "Yeah man. I'll try." And I think Embry left. A few minutes later I heard footsteps coming closer. "Okay Haley you're safe come on out." I stood up and swung the door open hugging Seth. "Thank you." "Hals we're best friends, it's what I'm here for." He smiled pulling away. "I know you have some questions now, so let's go play some tekken and I'll explain while we play." I nodded my head and followed him into the living room.
Cooking dinner was a difficult task, I was still grasping what Seth had told me. The elders think, that much like case of Clifford the big red dog, love caused Collin to grow, but also they believe that the one who rightfully imprinted on me, should of been the one to grow, in much simpler terms, rather then what I eavesdropped on. "So what'd I miss at grandpa Quils?" I sighed wanting that part of my day to remain a secret for as long as possible... "Oh nothing you don't already know I guess." In partial truth. "Oh come on Hals please tell me. I won't tell anyone or anything. I'm good at keeping things from the pack. Please." I do want to want to tell someone but I can see it blowing up in my face... "If I tell you, it changes nothing okay?" "Alright." "Old Quil thinks if Embry sees me again the whole imprinting thing will happen again." "That's great though isn't it?" "No, no it's not great Seth. I don't want anything to do with him now. I'm free now, remember?" "Yeah I remember... But you're not going to leave are you?" "No I'm not leaving." I sighed seeing the worry in his eyes. "Oh thank god!" He smiled hugging me. "I can't lose my best friend." I chuckled at him shaking my head. "You couldn't lose me even if you tried."