𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐢𝐱

Paul dropped me off at Sue's house before heading over to mine. I wanted to go with him, but he insisted that I get checked over by Sue first and that he needed to talk with my dad alone before anything else.

I was still reeling after everything that had been revealed, so much so that I found myself word vomiting a recap to Sue--who was a very good listener by the way. "And then he said I was his imprint, Sue. How is that possible?"

Sue sat back after finishing her assessment of my wound, that was looking slightly less deadly but still fairly bad. She looked at me for a moment, her eyes contemplative, like she was searching for the right words to say in this moment.

"I don't know, Liv. I've heard of two wolves being imprinted to the same woman but, I'm not familiar with vampire's and their mates. Is it possible that Emmett lied? About you being his mate? Maybe we're wrong and the infection is caused by something else than what I'd originally thought?" She said it so softly, like she was trying to keep me from falling apart at the mention of the vampire. But, while hearing his name sent an ache through my chest, I didn't break down into tears--which is progress.

"No, I felt it... there is no way he was lying, Sue..." I say with a sigh, my head spinning with all this new information. "Is the wound healing? Did Paul fix it?"

Sue gives me a sad smile and shakes her head, "there is only so much that he can heal with the imprint magic. I think there might be another way for him to save you, but I think it'd be best coming from him."

I furrow my brows in confusion, wondering what she was talking about. I fixed my sweater, pulling it back up my shoulder to hide my wound. "Okay... I guess I should go talk with him then. Thanks for listening, Sue, I really appreciate it."

I wrap my arms around the woman, pulling her into a tight hug that she returns. Sue's hugs are always the best. So motherly and warm. I pull out of the hug and wave her bye as I make my way out of the house and start the short walk to my own.

The entire walk to my house, I replay Paul's words in my head. He said I've never needed him in that way... was he right? Have I ever needed Paul as more than a friend or a protector? Yes, I needed him like that last year, when we first started hooking up, but since then? What about now? Did I even want him like that?

It was a lot to process and my mind kept flickering back to Emmett, the vampire who left me behind, who told me he never loved me... who was also my mate. I felt like I was betraying him by wanting Paul, but that's ridiculous because Paul is just as much mine as Emmett was.

I loved Paul. He's been my best friend my whole life. He was my first crush, my first love... my first everything. So, yes. I did want him like that. How could I not when there is now a supernatural bond between us, pushing us together? It would be stupid to deny it now that I know what that pull between us is. Right?

Emmett left me. Paul has never gone anywhere. Even when I yelled at him and told him to leave, he was there at my first call. I know he won't leave me, his loyalty runs too deep. 

But I can't help but be scared at the idea of handing my heart over to another person, to trust blindly that they won't break it. I did that with Emmett and he shattered me. I know Paul won't do the same but... I'm still hesitant.

I let out a long breath as I step up onto my front porch, quickly letting out any of my troublesome thoughts before entering the home, not wanting to alert Paul to my conflicting thoughts. 

When I step into the house the first thing I notice is my dads wide smile as he beams up at me, the next thing I notice is how Paul is also looking happy. I look between them slightly wary. "Why are you guys smiling like that?"

Dad laughs, looking between me and Paul. "Paul just told me the good news!"

My brows furrow for a moment in confusion and then I realize. Paul told dad that I was his imprint. I give a small smile, my cheeks flushing lightly, "oh. yeah." 

"Paul and I were talking and I think we know of a way to save you from that..." Dad trails off, gesturing to my covered wound on my chest.

I glance at Paul, "how are we gonna do that?"

"Well, we could... complete the imprint bond," Paul says gently, slightly hesitant.

I nod, "okay, how does it work?"

Dad clears his throat, suddenly uncomfortable, "why don't I let you two talk about this... privately. I've gotta go see Harry anyways, prep for our fishin' trip this weekend." He gives my hand a quick squeeze before he rolls out the door.

I watch as dad leaves, looking at him over my shoulder as he wheels down the ramp and starts heading in the direction of the Clearwater's place. Once he's out of sight I turn back to Paul, looking up at him expectantly.

"So?" I ask, taking a breath as i fidget with the sleeves of my sweatshirt, slightly nervous for some reason.

Paul lets out a breath, looking slightly uncomfortable as he scratches the back of his neck. "There's still a lot you don't know about imprints, Liv. It's more than just being bound together and being what you need... the bond cam be completed, it's not necessary, and I don't want you to feel pressured or--"

"Paul," I cut him off as he starts rambling, laughing lightly, "it's okay, just... whatever it is, you can tell me. Me knowing about the bond doesn't change anything, okay? You're still my best friend and..." 

My words fade off as I struggle to find a word to describe just what Paul is to me, but maybe there isn't a word to describe it. I don't even understand it because its always been there for me, never going away, at least not for long.

Paul nods slowly, taking in my words and taking a moment to gather his own thoughts. "To complete the bond I'd have to mark you and then we'd have to... y'know..." He clears his throat and looks away and my cheeks flush as I take in the implications.

"Oh."

Paul nods.

I take a breath, wiping my palms on my jeans. "What does completing the bond do? How is that supposed to save me?" I ask, deciding to skirt around the fact that Paul just insinuated we'd have to have sex to complete the bond... which, for the record, wasn't something I was opposed to, just... I wasn't sure if I was ready for that right now.

"It would tie us together. Us shifters don't age when we're transitioning, by tying us together, you would age at the same rate as I do. You wouldn't die until I do and your body would be gifted my healing ability. It would save you from what he did to you."

My heart is beating hard in my chest as I process Paul's words. I wouldn't die until Paul did? I would stop aging until he stopped transitioning for good... which would be when? Emmett and I had never talked about me becoming a vampire, but I'd thought about it. I didn't want to live forever, needing to be reliant on blood to survive but this... living forever with Paul and still getting to be human?

"Okay." I say nodding slowly, taking a breath.

Paul's brows furrowed, "Okay?"

I nod again, "yeah, okay. Just... not now? Can we wait a bit? I think I need to sit on this new information for a bit... I feel like there is more for us to figure out first before we... jump into bed together, so to speak." I flush and break eye contact for a second.

"Yeah, of course," Paul steps toward me, coming to a stop right in front of me, looking at me with a soft expression, "Liv, take all the time you need. I'm not going anywhere and I can keep healing the wound as best I can with the imprint magic until you're ready."

I smile up at Paul, taking in his words, at how patient he was being with me. "Thank you."

The next Friday I went to Bella's house with a newfound energy, the healing magic Paul used on my wound lasting for days. She was getting out of her truck when I got there and I quickly jumped out of my car, excited to catch her before she went comatose into her room.

"Is!" I holler, getting her attention. The brunette took pause and turned toward me. "Oh god, it's so good to see you out of bed. I have so much to talk to you about but first, how are you doing?"

She shrugged, adjusting her bag on her shoulder, "I see him, Liv... every time I close my eyes I see him."

I nod slowly, "I'm sorry, Is. If I could punch his stupid vampire face for you right now, I would. I'd castrate both of those boys right now if they were within reach."

The joke has Bella's lips quirking into the faintest of smiles and it has me grinning widely. "It'll be okay, Is. For awhile I thought I'd never be able to get past Emmett leaving me but... I'm finally starting to live again and it feels so good to breathe.

"Maybe we could go do something? Get you out of the house a bit?" I suggest, looking at her worriedly.

"I'm just tired, Liv. Maybe another time?" She looks away and I nod in understanding.

"Okay, whenever you're ready." I agree, I then bite my lip softly, needing to get her advice on something. "Can I talk to you about something kind of crazy?"

Bella nods, her eyes meeting mine. I think in my head about how to talk with Bella about this, I can't outright say that Paul's my imprint because that would reveal he's a shifter and Bella can't know about the shifters.

"I think I have feelings for Paul," I whisper softly. "He's been so kind and attentive since Emmett left, he's been taking care of me and just... I don't know, at some point I think it started bringing up past feelings for him."

Bella's eyes went wide and I could see the judgement in their chocolate depths. "You're cheating on Emmett? Liv, he's your mate."

I shake my head instantly, my brows drawing together in confusion, "What? No, I'm not cheating on him Bella, he broke up with me. I'm just trying to move on."

Bella scoffed, shaking her head, "really? He's your mate, Liv. Him leaving for a little bit isn't an excuse for you to start sleeping with everyone. Emmett will feel so betrayed when he comes back."

My eyes widen in shock and confusion. Was she delusional? "So, Emmett can break my heart, tell me he doesn't love me and that he's never coming back... and I'm supposed to sit around and wait for him to come back?"

"Yeah. What do you think I've been doing? They're going to come back, Liv. And when they do, Emmett won't want you if you've been hooking up with random guys." Bella said the words with disgust and I felt my heart clench in my chest.

"Wow." I said, shaking my head, trying to ignore the tears that suddenly burnt the back of my eyes. "First of all, Paul isn't a random guy, Bella. And second, they're not coming back, Bella. I'm allowed to move on. Emmett leaving broke me, he no longer gets a say in what, or who, I choose to do."

Bella shook her head and I could see disappointment in her eyes, "I'll tell Emmett about this when he gets back. He deserves to know what his supposed mate was up to while he was gone."

"You're seriously going to take his side over mine?" I ask in shock, my eyes wide in offense. "He left me, He tore my heart out and told me he never loved me, that I was nothing  to him, and you're going to stand here and tell me that I'm in the wrong?"

Bella doesn't say anything, just purses her lips and looks away. I scoff, shaking my head. "What a friend you are, Isabella Swan."

I roll my eyes before turning and getting into my car, driving off before she can say anything else. And as I drove away I couldn't help but feel my heart ache because in that moment I truly felt as though I had just lost one of my closest friends.