SAM'S POV
"Jared."
"Who said that?" Jared asked, panicked.
"It's Sam, Jared. Follow my voice and you'll find me and I'll explain everything."
I heard a frantic running towards me and a large brown wolf suddenly appeared.
"Sam, what the hell is this? What's going on? One minute I was fighting with my girlfriend. Then Cheryl stormed off and I got really angry, and before I knew it, this happened."
"You're like me Jared. We're protectors of our tribe. Let me show you," I answered, before showing him my memories.
I showed him everything. From my earliest werewolf symptoms, to the first time I phased. I showed all the meetings that I had had with the Elders from the first revealing meeting on the cliff to all the ones since then. Three months of information flowed from me on different subjects such as how to kill vampires and how werewolves could hear each others thoughts and feel each others emotions. I explained to him that we could use that gift while coordinating attacks. More importantly, I showed him that we were still expecting more brothers.
I don't know how long we were out there while I revealed to him everything I had learned, but slowly I could sense that Jared was calming down and he was able to phase back to human form. After a few minutes, I was able to phase back as well. Jared looked at me and then looked quickly away.
"So...uh...is the nudity something we have to put up with too?" Jared asked embarrassed.
"Afraid so. They don't sell werewolf carry-ons." I laughed. "Come on, my house is right through those trees. I'll loan you some clothes and then we'll talk some more."
We headed back to my house and I picked up the clothes I had thrown in my hurry to phase. I pulled the pants back on before I entered the house. We went through the back door and I went straight to my room to grab some sweatpants. I went out to the living room where Jared stood staring, shock still evident on his face.
"Here." I handed him the pants.
"Thanks." Jared grabbed the sweats and quickly pulled them on. "Well, I guess this explains a lot...you know, why I've been feeling so hot lately and why I felt like I was ready to crawl out of my own skin...huh, I guess I was trying to crawl out of my skin." He added in a stunned tone.
"Listen, why don't you sit on the couch and relax for a few minutes. I need to make a call." I waited for Jared to nod, before I left him to call Harry. I went into the kitchen, picked up the phone, and dialed Harry's number.
"Hello?" A voice said. Oh God, it was Emily. I sucked in a breath as fierce longing slammed into me.
"Hello, is anyone there?"
"Emily, this is Sam Uley." I said.
Silence greeted me. My stomach twisted painfully as I realized she didn't want to talk to me. Then I heard the little inner voice chant again, cool, calm, collected. I snapped out of my frozen state.
"Emily, is Harry there?"
"Just a minute," I heard her call her uncle and every word she spoke was like a caress. I winced as I felt the familiar pain from not being near her.
"Sam, what can I do for you?" Harry came on the line.
"Harry, I just wanted to let you know that Jared phased. Pass it on to the others, okay?"
"Sure, do you need any help?"
"I've got this one. Thanks Harry."
"Sure...hey, how'd it go with your other little project today?" Harry asked. I laughed as I thought of the frozen dog treats I had almost bought for my lunch.
"It's still a work in progress." I replied before saying goodbye and going back to Jared.
"Who else is going to know about this?" Jared asked, obviously unhappy with the conversation he overheard.
"I guess that's something else I need to explain to you," I said, sighing. I then told him about imprinting, but assured him that it was supposed to be rare.
"So if we have it in us to imprint, that doesn't necessarily mean that the person we're dating currently is our imprint, correct? I mean you were dating Leah when you imprinted on Emily, right?"
"Yeah, that's right," I said, guilt washing over me again.
"I hope I don't imprint on Cheryl, because I would hate to have to spend the rest of my life with her." Jared said in disgust. I just laughed.
"So being a wolf, is that why you cut your hair?" Jared wondered.
"Yeah, it's too long in wolf form and catches on branches so I keep it cut short. You should see yours right now."
Jared reached up only to find twigs and leaves in his hair. He got up from the couch, saying, "I guess we should cut my hair."
"Are you sure?" I asked.
"Yeah, I'm sure." Jared replied. After a few moments he added, "Maybe this won't be so bad. It's kind of cool I guess...you know, being considered a protector."
I just smiled and grabbed some scissors. I wish I had taken it this well.
The next day, I went to the supply store for another lunch and another Emily fix, but was severely disappointed when I walked into the building and saw Seth behind the counter. I guess as it was summer vacation Seth would be helping out in the store, but where was Emily? I walked over dejectedly to the frozen food section and grabbed an unappetizing looking Salisbury steak meal.
"So where's your cousin today?" I tried to ask casually.
"She left." Seth replied belligerently. Seth and I had always gotten along well. I knew he was furious with me though for hurting Leah. Even though they fought a lot like siblings do, they still cared and loved each other very much.
I felt a rise in panic as his words sunk in. Emily was gone. What would I do? I slowly felt myself begin to freak out and painful heat shot down my spine in warning.
"She'll be back tomorrow though. She just went to Portland for the day with my dad to get some supplies for the store." Seth added, eyeing my shaking hands warily.
I nodded and paid for my lunch, ignoring the strange look that Seth was giving me. I walked slowly back to work, barely aware of where I was going. I sucked in some fresh cool air, trying to shake off the feeling of dread that I had experienced. I didn't even feel anyone walk up to me until I heard Jared speak.
"Well, Cheryl dumped me," he said with a big smile on his face.
"Yeah, why was that?" I asked, slowly smiling in return. Jared came across as a stereotypical jock, full of confidence. I was relieved to know that it didn't seem like a lot of things would faze him.
"Of all the stupid things, she got pissed because I cut my hair. Ah well, what's on the agenda tonight?"
"Patrolling," I answered.
Jared came over to my house around twilight and we both phased and headed towards the border. I kept an ear out the entire time in case I heard Harry's voice or some hint that Emily was back.
"Ugh, dude, I can't concentrate on what I'm supposed to do if I keep thinking about Emily." Jared complained. I felt guilty that he was living my anguish with me.
"You should feel guilty. It's kind of warped making me suffer too. Listen, why don't you go see if she's back and I'll finish patrolling." Jared said. I was torn between not wanting to leave Jared so soon after he only recently changed and my longing to see Emily.
"Please leave before you make me throw up. Jeez, man up and go get her." Jared laughed.
I head butted Jared into a tree, knowing that even if I hurt him he'd heal quickly. Jared made a satisfying oof sound. I began to run towards the Clearwater house. The first thing I heard was Harry and Seth. Both were standing outside of their house, whispering to each other. I scanned the area for Emily.
"Seriously, do I have to spy on her with you too?" I heard gagging noises.
"Shut-up Jared." I growled, but I changed into my human form and stayed hidden in the woods located near the Clearwaters' home.
"You should have seen him today dad, it was freaky. When I told him that Emily wasn't on the rez, he looked like he was going to have a seizure or something." I heard Seth say to his father.
"Seth, I want you to back off and give Sam some space, alright?" Harry said, putting his hand on Seth's shoulder.
"You don't want him to be with Emily, do you? After what he did to Leah? He's a prick, dad."
"You don't understand Sam...I do. He's not a prick. He's a great man." Harry answered his son.
"A great man? Are you kidding me? What about Leah? Do you know what she would say if she knew her father wanted her ex to hook up with her cousin?" Harry and I both winced at that.
"Son, did you ever think that Leah and Sam just weren't meant to be? In the long run, they wouldn't have been happy together and Leah's happiness is as important to me as yours is. They wouldn't have been happy together in the end. So I'm asking you to leave Sam alone and give him some breathing room. You don't need to hover over him if he comes into the store. Is that clear?"
"Sure, whatever." Seth replied, before angrily stomping back into the house.
Harry stood alone with his hands in his pockets. Even from a distance, I could see his fatigue. I decided that the next time I saw him, I'd talk to him about seeing a doctor. I was soon distracted by a light turning on in the upstairs of the house. Emily walked over to the window and looked up into the now starry sky. Her skin was illuminated by the moon. She was so beautiful that I felt my breath catch. She reached up and pulled the shade down, disappearing from my view. Disappointment nearly crushed me. I was going to really have to work on "wooing" her because I didn't know how much longer I could live like this.
Over the next few weeks, I started my campaign to "woo" Emily. One thing that helped was that Paul had phased. The kid swore like a sailor, but he was quick to learn and was as dedicated to protecting the tribe as Jared and I were. He, like Jared, adjusted quickly to his new role. The biggest problem with Paul was that he had a quick temper.
He had no problems phasing. The problem was trying to get him not to phase. The slightest thing would set off him off. It was especially challenging to keep him calm in public. One day while we were passing Jacob Black and his friends Quil and Embry, Quil made a comment about us and Paul almost ripped his head off. He started to phase right in front of them. His eyes started to change and he began to shake badly. I had to put my hand on his chest and give him a warning shake of the head just to get him to focus and calm down. However, with him helping to patrol, I had more time to focus on my plan to win Emily.
I started my campaign by showing up at the store whenever I could find a good enough reason to go. If I could get her to talk to me without hostility, I felt like I had won a battle. If she cracked a smile, I felt like I had single handedly won a great war. But no matter how hard I tried, I could still feel her invisible "No Trespassing" signs all around her.
Sometimes she seemed to thaw out and actually seemed to enjoy talking to me, but then she would always freeze up again. To top it all off, Leah was expected home in a matter of days. I knew I had a limited amount of time to make Emily see that we were meant to be together. I had to make that happened before Leah came home and reminded Emily who her first loyalty was.
I decided thanks in part to the extra sleep I was now getting, that I would take Jared's advice and "man up" and tell Emily the truth. I decided to tell her everything, all of it, including the fact that I paraded around at night as a wolf and that she was my imprint. I just needed to find a moment alone with her.
I knew I had run out of time when Harry told me one day that Leah was expected home the following Monday. I walked into the store that Friday with my plans formed in my mind. Emily was behind the counter and looked up, a slight smile appearing on her face when she saw it was me.
"Well what is it today, frozen nuggets or fishing line?" She asked. I had bought so many different things over the past few weeks in my attempts to get her to talk to me, my house was pretty much stocked full.
"Neither, I actually need some advice."
"On?" She asked, her eyes curious.
"Well, on Leah actually." I said and watched her instantly clam up.
"I don't think I'm the person you should come to for that," she said stiffly, but was that a hint of sadness I saw in her eyes?
"Please, Emily, you're the only one I could think of that I can talk to about this."
It wasn't a complete lie either. I just wasn't being 100% truthful and not being completely truthful to my imprint made me want to vomit from the pain. I also wasn't feeling that great about using Leah as an excuse to get alone time with Emily, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
"I don't know." Emily replied, but I could see her wavering. I felt my heart speed up.
"Please," I begged.
"Well...ok," she said slowly.
"Ok then, I'll pick you up tomorrow at 10 am. I thought we could go for a hike in the woods and we could just talk." I told her and watched her nod.
I felt like shouting I was so happy. Tomorrow was going to be perfect. I was going to tell Emily the truth and we would finally be together. Nothing could go wrong.
••••
IAMKATE STORY
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4905675/7/First-Imprint-Sam-s-Story