Imagines [Book Four]

Twilight [Paul Lahote] pt.3

Author's Note: Brief mention of assault. 

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. .

Hearing you're someone's soulmate- er, imprint- should have been world changing all on its own, but hearing you were someone's unwanted imprint completely overrode anything and everything you had been feeling. You weren't as close to Paul as you were to a couple of the others, so you aren't sure why his words hurt so much.

Fortunately for you, Jacob Black is a pretty decent friend and shows up later that night to explain the entire imprint situation to you. It makes you feel a little uncomfortable knowing that the pack has no say so in whoever they imprint on, but according to Jacob it isn't all that bad. Sam's imprint was Emily and, though they had a rocky start, they are perfectly happy. Jared was the only other shifter who had imprinted and, according to Jacob, Kim was very much in love and loved by Jared.

Hearing how Emily and Kim are perfectly doted on by Sam and Jared makes you yearn for someone of your own, but you refuse to let Jacob realize that. Especially after Paul's words keep replaying over and over in your head.

I didn't want you.

So instead of worrying about a relationship that was obviously never going to be, you vow to focus on your final year of school. And taking more edibles than you were comfortable with to ease the consistent ache in your chest.

Over the next few months, you divide your time between Forks and La Push.

You are hesitant to keep up the visits to the reservation, but remembering that the imprint bond would hurt Paul if you were to cut off all associations kept you visiting more frequently than you had intentionally planned. Emily was more than happy to have you come around, happy to see her friendship with you didn't suffer, but it was plain to see how your walls went up the moment any of the shifters made themselves known.

Ignoring the bond obviously put a strain on Paul and seeing it made you soften towards him. He might have broken your heart, but you weren't mean enough to hold a grudge and make his suffering worse, even if the newly shifted Leah suggested he deserved the cold shoulder. So whenever you caught his gaze, you offered him a timid smile to ease some of his worries. There were even times when you would be seated next to him at Emily's table and you'd let your knee rest against his thigh to make him relax.

When Prom eventually rolled around, initially you weren't going to go. Bella and her tiny demon of a best friend Alice nagged and nagged, and it wasn't until Rosalie showed you pictures of a dress that she liked for you did you eventually agree.

So the night of prom finds you furiously screeching to a stop in front of Emily's home, marching into her home in your two-piece burgundy prom dress- midriff exposed and the slit in your skirt riding a little too high on your thigh- with a sash and crown gripped in hand.

Emily and the pack stare at you, Paul's eyes bugging incredulously.

"YN.." Emily cautiously approaches. "What happened?"

"I'm gonna murder a teeny tiny vampire and I need some help."

She blinks before her lips twitch. "And why are you plotting murder?"

"Rigging the prom election so my name would be on the ballot is one thing, but rigging the entire thing so I had to walk on stage in front of everyone?! Inexcusable!" The entire kitchen is quiet until Jacob snorts and then everyone's laughing. You stomp your foot. "It's not funny."

"It kind of is," Embry muses.

"Are you seriously upset that you won prom queen?" Jacob asks.

"Yes! It was embarrassing." You frown. "I had to dance with some moron who didn't even know my name. He only knew me as stoner girl."