Don't own anything except OC's.

Chapter 18: Imprint

Claire POV

2021

After Quil and I made up everything seemed so much clearer. The more information Quil told me about the wolf pack and vampires, the more accepting I became, and I realized how stupid I had been. How could I have thought those people could hurt me? They were my family and friends, I had grew up around them, how could I have thought they were dangerous?

The week at La Push was one of the best breaks I'd ever had. Being in on their secret seemed to make everyone a lot more open. They no longer had to hide their wolf side and could explain why they ate like pigs and didn't like to wear clothes. I understood everything more, I felt closer to them, even my cousins, who, it turned out, already knew about their dad's secret but were told to never tell anyone. I suddenly understood why Evelyn liked to draw wolves so much, why Nathan growled at his dad when Uncle Sam tickled him, and why Tyrone liked to look out of his window if he knew someone from the 'pack' was coming over, instead of looking out the door like anyone else would.

As soon as I got back home I Skyped Aurora and Nessie in France. They didn't ask why I hadn't accepted or returned their calls, I assumed Quil had told their husbands who in turn told them, they smiled like nothing had happened and didn't judge. We talked about each other's lives and I learnt that Aurora had had a daughter, the baby I had been waiting for since she told me near Christmas was here. Iris Renesmee Clearwater was born on Valentine's Day (which I had spent wallowing in my bed and wishing that Quil and I were watching a movie and eating chocolate) at six in the morning. Nessie had found out she was pregnant again in January and was told only weeks ago it was twins by the two heart beats. Tears had blurred my vision as they told me and I realized in that moment just how much could change in only two months.

Although most things were back to normal, one thing wasn't. Embry was still a single dad to Jackson and Adrianna. Elle hadn't contacted or even tried to since she left and Embry was finding it hard. Tiffany, his mom, had moved in with the small family to help Embry with the kids while he went off to work. However, Jack wasn't taking it well, either, and had ran away three months to the day his mom had gone. There had been a massive search party by humans and wolves alike trying to find the eight-year-old. Finally, a few members of the pack found him on the cliffs were Paul and Rachel had married years ago, crying and muttering about how he wasn't good enough. They had taken him back to Embry, the poor boy sobbing his heart out all the way. The pack had helped out a lot more since then, even I made sure to go and see them when I was down in La Push for the weekend, though Quil assured me he went every day to check on them.

Quil and I fell back into our usual routine of me going down to La Push for the weekend, or him coming down to Makah if I couldn't make it. We were so busy becoming best friends again, plus he was still telling me things about being a wolf, that it was the end of May before I could even have time to look at my calendar. It was the weekend and I had come down to La Push, bringing a shit load of homework with me. When I had finished an English essay, I took the time to Skype Aurora and Nessie. Quil had gone patrolling with Brady, which was why he disappeared at weird times, not because he had to 'do something' like he always said before.

"Claire?" Aurora's voice suddenly echoed through the small room that was the Uley's study. "Hey honey," the beautiful blonde beamed through the camera.

"Hey," I smiled. "Why are you covered in paint?"

"We're redecorating Harry's bedroom, he's apparently too old for teddy-bear wallpaper now," she rolled her bright blue eyes. "When did seven-year-olds get so picky?"

I laughed as Nessie came onto the screen. "Hey Ness."

"Hey, sweetie, how's life in La Push?"

"Pretty normal, how about you lot?"

"Well, we've got three babies, so it's hectic," Nessie grinned. Earlier this month she had given birth to twin girls, Arabella Aurora and Judith Rosalice Black. They were beautiful babies with thick jet black hair and bright green eyes.

"I wish I could come and see you guys," I sighed. I said this every time we spoke. Quil had said we could go and see them when I finished high school, whether he was going to stick to that was questionable. Aurora and Nessie had offered to pay for me to come down, but I felt guilty taking money off them, and I wasn't sure my parents would let me go without them as I wasn't eighteen yet.

"We do too!" Aurora cried. "Quil told me he was planning to come down next summer with you. Is that still happening?"

"I hope so," I replied. "I really want to meet your girls, and Harry is so grown up now…"

As if he could hear me, which he probably could, Harry came into the room and sat on his mom's knee. He waved to me in the camera. "Hey Claire!" he beamed.

Since I had found out about Harry being part-vampire, he had been coming to talk to me a lot more. Previously, he had had to hide from me because no one wanted me to catch on to how fast he grew. I had been there when he was born, three and a half years ago, and he looked seven. Even I, who, I had come to realize, was the most oblivious person in the world, would have noticed that...I think.

Harry soon got bored of our conversation and ran off to see 'Flower', who I assumed was baby Iris. Twenty minutes in, we got onto the topic of Quil and I.

"So you're best friends again?" Aurora asked.

"Yeah, he promised not to lie to me again," I answered. "So I forgave him."

"Oh, that's brilliant. What do you think of him imprinting on you?" Nessie questioned.

I frowned. "Imprinting?"

"Yes, what do you think? Are you happy?" Aurora pushed on, smiling excitedly.

What the hell was an imprint?

"Oh, yeah, happy," I muttered. "I need to go, bye guys."

I just had time to see their confused faces before the webcam screen disappeared. Imprinting? What was imprinting? Was he keeping more things from me?

He's dead.

Bad vampires and the Volutri aren't going to have time to kill him before I do.

I flew down the stairs and the street to Quil's apartment. I didn't know whether he was done patrolling yet, but I didn't care. I ran up the stairs and marched through the front door. No one was in the living room or kitchen, I made my way to the hallway where the bedrooms were. Sure enough, Quil was in his putting a top on and I could see he had damp hair, maybe from the shower.

"Quil," I snapped, passed angry at this point. I was seeing red. "What the fuck is imprinting?"

He turned to stare at me in shock and opened his mouth to respond, only for a gurgling sound to escape. I ground my teeth together. He was hiding something from me, he always turned into an unresponsive idiot when he lied to me.

"You're hiding something else from me?" I growled. This time I wasn't even upset, I was just furious. I had asked him to tell me the truth and he had promised he would. I had told him how hurt I had been when he lied to me, and for him to lie and keep things from again...it made me imagine a plate with his head on it.

"C-Claire—"

"No, no. Don't use that 'I'm sorry' voice. It's not going to work this time!" I shouted. "I can't believe you've lied to me again! God, I could kill you, Quil! You—you stupid, inconsiderate asshole—"

"It's a wolf thing," he interrupted my ranting.

"Of course it's a wolf thing, if it was a human thing I'd know what it meant, wouldn't I?" I bit, making fists with my hands. My nails dug painfully into my palms but I didn't care.

"Right," he murmured.

"Are you going to tell me what it is or not? Because frankly, I don't have time for liars," I snipped.

"Claire, please, it's complicated—"

"More complicated than the fact that you turn into a giant ass wolf?"

"Yes."

"Oh."

That silenced me. If imprinting was more messed up than the fact that my best friend turned into a giant wolf, I almost wanted to retract my anger and say I didn't want to know. I had just come to terms with my family and friends being wolves and part-vampires, what else was going to be thrown into the mix?

"What could be complicated than that?" I whispered.

"You'd be surprised," he replied, motioning to the bed. I slowly walked over and sat down, preparing myself for mermaids and Big Foot. "Claire, imprinting...imprinting is...I don't know how to explain."

"Try," I demanded.

"It's something a wolf does when they find their...true love."

My blood turned to ice.

"What?"

He blushed and ran his hands through his hair. He didn't look me in the eyes as he continued. "Imprinting is when a wolf finds their soul-mate, the person they're meant to be with...but it's more than that. It's an unbreakable connection, you completely devote yourself to that person. When you meet them for the first time, you imprint on them. You don't see it happening or get the choice, it just is."

"I—are you serious?"

"Yes." He answered shortly. My mouth dropped open, my throat turning dry. He looked me in the eyes and, for a split second, I never wanted to look away. Then I remembered his bullshit. "Claire, I imprinted on you when you were two."

I choked. "Two? Isn't that...weird?"

"Oh, God, it wasn't like that," he shook his head and crinkled his nose. "When you were younger you were like my sister, and then we became best friends and now...well, I don't know what we are now."

"So why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to."

I sucked in a breath. I was beyond pissed, my body was practically vibrating.

"You didn't want to?" I hissed so angrily, I wondered if it was really my voice. "You lied to me…again!"

"Claire—"

Turning away from him, I looked out of the window and into the La Push forest. Weeks ago if someone had told me Quil and I were literally meant for each other, I would have been celebrating like I never had before. It was all I had wanted since I was fourteen for us…and yet all I felt was disappointment. Not only had he lied about being a wolf, but also about our relationship. He hadn't chose to be around me, hell, he was pretty much forced. If it wasn't for this…wolf gene, then he could be off somewhere else, married with children and a cute little house.

He didn't love me. If it hadn't been for this magical connection…I wouldn't even know him.

"Why do you keep lying to me?" I asked through a tightened jaw. "Why didn't you tell me when I told you to tell me everything?"

"Because I wanted it to be done right," he answered softly. "I didn't want it to be so…impersonal. I wanted to tell you later…when we were close again."

"We wouldn't even be close if it wasn't for this imprint."

He frowned, confused. "What do you mean?"

"If you weren't a wolf, we wouldn't know each other," I said flatly. "You were forced to love me…forced to stay around."

"What? I wasn't forced—"

"You said it yourself, it wasn't a choice."

"I didn't mean it like that."

"Well, is it a choice?"

He was silent.

"Didn't think so," I wept. "God, I hate this wolf thing. Why did you have to imprint on me and get me involved? All it's done is hurt me! You don't even want me!"

He looked devastated. Just like I felt.

I went to run away but with his wolf speed, he caught my arm. I tried to rip it out of his grip, but he was too strong. I cried out and put more effort into getting away from me. "Quil, let go!" I began to get angry. Why had he been around all this time if he didn't want me? Why did he stick around to let me fall in love with him when he didn't chose me? Now I was going to have to do the impossible task of getting over him. "I don't want you either, Quil!" I screamed.

It was a lie. I wanted him—no needed him. Without him, I ached. Without him, I felt lost. But he didn't really want me, I had to let him go. I couldn't live with the fact that he was forced to be with me; it was shit for me and him.

His grip slackened and I took the opportunity to sprint to my car. It had started to rain as I climbed into the driver's seat. I sped away, but fifteen minutes in I was crying too hard to drive so I pulled over, sobbing into the steering wheel.

My heart was shattered. The man I had spent half of my life in love with was forced to be with me. My Quil didn't want me. He had only stuck around because of the freaky, imprint thing. In reality, maybe unconsciously, he had wanted to leave me.

But I loved him so much...

Thoughts?

First of all, I want to say a massive SORRY! I know my update is late, but my childhood dog, Pippa, died a couple of days before Christmas. I'd had her for fifteen years, and I was, and still am, completely devastated. I just haven't had the motivation to write until now. I wrote this chapter in six hours because I know you guys deserve another chapter.

Anyway, thank you for the reviews, favourites and alerts! You guys are the best!

-Laylax