Author's note: I love this chapter! I hope you do too.

Jacob's POV

It was one of those rare nights in Washington when the sky cleared up from the usual heavy clouds. Maybe tomorrow would bring some actual sunshine, and we could hit the beach. Nessie loved cliff-jumping, though part of me suspected she just enjoyed scaring the life out of me with those daring dives into the ocean. We had just wrapped up a tribal bonfire party, where the elders had finished spinning the tribal tales. I made sure to dodge Nessie's eyes when the discussion turned to imprinting. She's too sharp, and I figured a quick gaze into my eyes would say everything—I couldn't keep secrets from her. I'd already decided that if she ever raised the topic herself, I'd spill the beans about imprinting. But considering Nessie wasn't into dating right now, I thought it wise not to complicate things with the whole wolf-soulmate revelation. No need to put any type of pressure on her with a casual "Hey, I know you don't want a boyfriend, but what about a soulmate!"

Around midnight, the council elders headed home, accompanied by Claire, Emily, Rachel, and their kids. The rest of the pack stayed by the fire, throwing hotdogs on the grill. Paul cracked open a large bottle of gin, and he and Nessie began mixing gin-tonics for everyone. Their fast-formed friendship had caught me off guard initially; Paul wasn't exactly known for being open-minded about vampires, and his penchant for dirty jokes didn't make him popular with the girls in our group. When I asked Nessie about it, she simply said he reminded her of her uncle Emmett.

"Let's spice things up with a drinking game! Truth or dare!" cheered Leah with an unusual burst of good mood. She'd brought a co-worker to the party, and I suspected she was subtly looking for a reason to get frisky.

We all gathered in a circle, drinks in hand. Embry took the lead. "Actually, I have a dare for the whole group… Drink if you're still a virgin!"

Laughter erupted across the circle, not because the question was particularly clever, but because we used it every party to tease Quil. He rolled his eyes, chugging his drink in one big sip, while the rest of the group clapped. From the corner of my eye, I couldn't help but notice that Nessie didn't drink. A pang of jealousy hit me, then guilt. I was being stupid; it's not like I was a saint myself on the subject. Making eye contact with Leah, I quickly looked away. I had a feeling she knew exactly what I was thinking and would use it against me later.

"Hey, Claire and I have only been dating for 6 months. Enjoy that joke while you can!" Quil smiled, good-spirited. "My turn, Paul, truth or dare?"

The game continued, getting more ridiculous as the night went on. Somewhere along the night, the poor guy Leah had brought had been dared to strip and was now playing in his underwear. Kim had revealed her favorite sex position, and I had been dared to finish as many gin tonics as I could in under 1 minute. Werewolves didn't get drunk easily, but god, I was wasted now. In this state, It was difficult to ignore how cute Nessie looked tonight. She was wearing one of those tube tops girls wear in summer and had pulled up her long curls in a high ponytail, leaving her shoulders and neck bare. Keeping my eyes off her proved to be a struggle

"I've got one for the group!" Quil cheered. "Everyone has to say when they last had sex. Whoever has had the longest dry spell drinks."

We all broke out in hysterical laughter when it turned out that Embry had hooked up with some girl right before coming to the party. However, it was Nessie who ended up drinking, admitting she had last slept with someone just over a year ago.

"March of last year? That's bullshit, Nessie! You're hot! I'm pretty sure any guy anywhere would be up for it. You gotta get some, girl." Paul shouted.

"Not even just any guy. I'm sure someone here could be tempted," teased Leah, shooting me a mischievous wink. I mentally vowed to kill her later.

"Oh, Leah, please tell me this 'someone' you're referring to is yourself!" Nessie quipped, causing the entire circle to burst into laughter. The game rolled on, but I stopped listening, distracted by who Nessie might have dated before and what kind of stuff she may have gotten into with them.

Nessie's POV

Kaya had brought her portable speaker, and the bonfire had somehow turned into some kind of dance party. I retreated slightly from the group, seeking a moment of quiet on top of a big boulder that overlooked the clearing. I loved people-watching when I got drunk. There was a peculiar fun in observing friends dance with the carefree abandon that comes with parties. My love for each one of them swelled as I watched them laugh and dance.

My gaze fixed upon Kim, twirling with Jared. The intensity of their connection, the shared smiles, and the exchanged glances felt almost too intimate for an onlooker like me. It was as if I stumbled upon a private world, and a sense of intrusion crept over me, compelling me to avert my eyes momentarily.

"Hey there. What are you thinking about?" Jacob lifted himself up to come sit next to me.

"I don't think I'll ever find something like that," I sighed. Jacob followed my gaze to the couple, then looked back at me, confused. "What, love? What do you mean? I thought you didn't even believe in it."

I must've spilled my thoughts with the gin. "I do believe in love."

"But you don't want to date."

"Yeah, exactly. Real love. I just don't see the point in dating if I know from the start I won't ever feel that way about the other person. It's just setting up for hurt feelings, and what's the payoff? A 70% chance of ending up divorced?"

"But, Ness, how can you know from the start? People usually start with a few dates, a casual relationship, and then they fall in love."

"I don't know," I said with a shrug. "I've dated guys before, and they were nice and all that. I liked one of them a lot, even, but I never felt that thing, you know? God, sorry, I'm not making any sense." I was a little scared I was boring Jacob now with my crazy words.

He turned, his gaze intensifying as he locked eyes with me. "Maybe… you just weren't dating the right guys."

My heart started racing in my chest. This was uncharted territory, and I wasn't sure what to was probably pretty drunk. I had wondered before if Jake was into me, catching him giving me that look he had right now. But, you know, he never made a move, never flirted. Always just the perfect gentleman.

He must have felt my nervousness because he broke the tension with a joking tone. "Well, Ness, if you ever want to try something no-strings-attached, casual thing, I'm right here, you know!" He winked. I knew he was offering me an easy way out, yet, to my own surprise, I felt a tinge of disappointment. For once, I didn't want to avoid this subject. With a sudden surge of courage, I met his gaze and replied "I don't think you and I could be just casual."

Jacob's POV

"I don't think you and I could be just casual."

Well, damn. She did not just say that? Was she actually flirting with me? While she wasn't known for holding back her opinions, she was never that bold on subjects like these. I had the impression that she hated feeling vulnerable. She must have been more tipsy than I realized.

Her heartbeat, though—it was pounding. She was nervous. Despite Nessie's intellectual maturity, I knew her sheltered upbringing and accelerated growth had left her somewhat inexperienced in life matters. Was this whole situation a bit overwhelming for her?

As much as I wanted to flirt back, I figured it wasn't the right moment. Not now, while we were both wasted. I gave her hand a gentle tug, and she laid back with me on the rock, our eyes fixed on the stars.

"Damn, this looks like Alaska. I've missed the stars; Sacramento's got too much light pollution," she said, a happy sigh escaping her lips.

We just sat there, soaking in the starry view. Silence between us had always been easy. While I had decided to dial back the flirting, it didn't mean I was ready to let go of her hand just yet. My thumb traced hazy patterns on her palm. Her skin was so soft.

"Jake?" she turned to me, propping her head on her forearm. I waited for her to continue.

"Does it annoy you, just being my friend? I mean, with the imprinting and all… I don't want you to stick around just because you expect we will eventually date."

Jesus, she was dropping bombs on me tonight. It had been foolish of me to assume she hadn't figured out that I had imprinted on her. Hell, she probably figured it out the first time Billy had mentioned the concept.

"What are you saying, exactly?"

"I just… I don't want to lead you on. It feels selfish sometimes. I love your company, but maybe for you, this isn't enough. I don't want you to be my friend just because the imprinting is forcing you to."

This girl. She really was something else, worrying about how the imprinting might be affecting me. I got exactly where she was coming from; I used to think the same way before it happened to me, too.

"That's not exactly how it works. I used to think that too before I met you. It doesn't force us to do stuff, not like being friends with you or anything else. It's more like it points you in the right direction. It shows you who you're most compatible with in the whole world. You decide if you want to get to know that person or not. But honestly, why wouldn't you?"

She seemed unconvinced. "Do you remember when we met, how rude I was to you? I had already imprinted on you then. Yet, I was being stubborn and made my own stupid choice that I didn't want to get to know you." That reassured her.

"I'm glad you changed your mind," she whispered, a soft smile playing on her lips.

"I'm glad I changed my mind too."