Authors Note: Is anyone still out there reading? I'm doing my best to write when I can! I promise I'm still here.

Paul POV

"Paul?" she called softly from the side of the road. I came out of the shadow of the trees.

"How did you know it was me?" I questioned after stepping onto the asphalt with her. She placed her hand over her heart before she spoke.

"I could feel you," she whispered so low that I was sure I wasn't meant to hear.

"What did you feel?" I needed to be sure that this wasn't hurting her

"It's like this hot wire wrapped around my heart but I can only feel it when I'm close to you." She didn't look at me when she spoke; rather she turned her face and spoke to the trees. I took a step towards her tentatively. Could it be possible she was feeling what I was?

Maybe not as powerful but the metal wire that seemed to be getting hotter the closer we got to each other. It felt unbreakable and it tied me to her, could she possible have the same wire around her heart? I prayed to Taki Ahi that it wasn't as painful for her as it was for me.

"It doesn't hurt does it?" I asked rubbing my thumb across her cheek. She shook her head no and leaned into my touch but still wouldn't meet my eyes.

"I'm sorry for running earlier; there were just too many people in there. I wasn't running from you. I don't want you to think…" she was ashamed, that's why she didn't want to look at me.

"I turned into a giant wolf; I was kind of expecting the running. Surprised you didn't do this earlier actually." I chuckled a bit. "I would have given you your space but it isn't safe for you to be walking alone…and also it started to hurt when you walked away," I told her honestly.

"I hurt you?" her head suddenly flashed up to mine a panicked look in her beautiful milk chocolate eyes.

"The wire you were talking about, I feel it too. Earlier when I was running in the forest I could feel it getting hotter and tighter the closer I got to you. It was almost like you were on the other end pulling me towards you. As soon as I saw you walk out that door I could feel it getting hotter and tighter until I decided to go after you." I told her.

As she thought I couldn't help but trace her gorgeous face with my eyes.

She had porcelain skin that looked as soft as it felt. I tucked a wavy strand of hair behind her ear to get a better look at her eyes. They were a light tan on the outside that slowly twisted into a deeper brown towards her pupil.

When I looked into her eyes I felt the wire throb slightly, but not painfully so. I was sure that was because she was so close to me. The second she closed that door it was burning hot. I had just let her walk out with no protection. No one was on patrol. If this leech was here for Bella, even though Bella hadn't said anything to that effect yet I was almost positive that was where the story was going, then she could be waiting for her opportunity to strike. I wasn't going to give her that chance.

Somehow I knew if anything happened to Bella the wire around my heart would squeeze and squeeze until it tore my heart to pieces.

"Ok, before I can make any sort of decision about this imprinting thing I need to know more," she looked up at me now more determined for some reason.

"Alright, let's get you back inside. It's just going to get colder out here." I said looking her up and down. She was rubbing her upper arms and the shivering was coming backing.

"I don't want to go back to Jakes, can we go somewhere just the two of us?" she asked looking up at me with those eyes that hadn't stopped failing to make me melt. She could have asked me to kiss a leech and I probably would have…ok maybe not but I'd at least kiss like…Jake or something…

Dear gods, I'm an idiot.

"We can go to my place if you like; the walk from here's not bad." I offered pointing my thumb over my shoulder in the direction of my house.

"That sound great," Bella smiled up at me and my heart just about stopped. I didn't understand how someone so small had so much power over me. Seriously! She wasn't taller than 5'4" and probably weighed 100 pounds soaking wet. Compared to my big 6'5" 200 pound ass, she shouldn't have had any power in this situation but here I was wrapped around her slender finger not an hour into it.

I was so whipped, but I didn't care.

After walking the two blocks in less than 5 minutes we came to my driveway.

"Here, it's down this path. I'm sorry, I haven't installed any lights yet, it's on the list…somewhere" I chuckled.

We began to walk down the gravel path to my house; I walked a step in front of her to keep her in the danger-free zone. The gravel had been mostly washed out in the last bad storm we had and it was littered with potholes and wayward branches.

Not two minutes in I saw the toe of Bella's shoe catch the root of a tree trunk out of the corner of my eye. She was going to go face first into the gravel but she was in my arms before she could even get out a gasp.

Her huge eyes looked up at my in shock.

"How did you do that so fast?" she asked a little breathless.

"Quick reflexes," I said biting my lip to keep from laughing. Just a perk of being a freak of nature that turns into a giant wolf.

She righted herself but I couldn't stop touching her completely so I reached my hand out for hers praying she wouldn't pull away from me.

She laced her tiny fingers through mine and though my hands dwarfed hers it felt like two puzzles pieces fitting together.

Bella POV

My head was going a million miles a minute and my heart was pounding but I loved it. Being here with him felt amazing, I couldn't understand it.

Being away from everyone else I finally felt like I could take a breath. And being around Paul was an exceedingly easy thing to do. I felt comfortable to be myself now that we were finally able to talk alone.

Less than a minute into our walk a small wooden house came into view. The house had a deep dark brown exterior with deep green shutters on every window. A small porch wrapped around the side of the house and disappeared around the back of out of my view.

With my hand still in his scorching one, Paul pulled me up the front steps to his door. I couldn't see much in the dark but I could tell the door had something carved in it.

He pushed it open before I could take a closer look and we walked into his darkened house. He shut the door behind us and as soon as he flipped on the lights I had to try not to laugh.

Scattered all around were pieces of paper, on table tops and the counter in the kitchen. I could even spot some on the mantle. I took a few steps into the living room to try and get a look at something besides paper.

"Why don't you get a phone, you know they have apps for this kinda thing?" I teased him picking up one of the random slips. This one was a receipt for a hardware store; on the back in messy handwriting was a list.

Stove gas broken

Backdoor lock also broken

Get more gravel

Patch new hole

He wasn't kidding about the list.

"I cracked the last two I had," he said from his place in the entry way.

"You know they can fix a cracked screen," I said placing the paper I found back in its place.

"No, I cracked the whole thing, like in half in my hand," he said looking me right in the eye without a trace of teasing.

"Are you serious?" I asked more than a little shocked.

"Yea, Jake wasn't kidding earlier about the supernatural strength. In wolf and human form," he explained calmly.

I was starting to understand why Jake acted the way he did at the house earlier, grabbing Ang and pulling her across the room. If he was that strong I'm sure he could do some damage when he was upset, but he hadn't gotten upset the entire time we were alone.

"You're doing a mighty fine job of holding up that wall." I told him trying to hold back a smile. He smiled then looked down, I couldn't tell in this light but it almost looked like he was blushing.

"Sorry," he said softly pushing off and walking towards me. "I've never had a girl over here before, well Leah but she doesn't really count." His smile grew.

"So, you haven't dated anyone lately?" the second the question left my mouth the smile fell from his lips.

He walked over and grabbed a hold of my hand again.

"Can we sit?" he asked seriously. I nodded and let him pull me down on the soft leather couch next to him. It was a deep dark brown and felt smooth like only genuinely old leather can.

"I'm never going to lie to you Bella, even if the truth isn't the easiest thing to hear. I always want you to hear it from me first rather than someone else.

"When I said I've never brought a girl over here before its true, I don't date people Bella. It's never sat right with me, dating when the possibility of imprinting was always right around the corner." He said looking me in the eye. I was a little freaked out not really sure what to expect.

"Not going to lie though, after so many years of not imprinting I wasn't sure it was going to happen for me," he brushed the side of his thumb against my cheek. His heated touch leaving a trail in its wake.

"I didn't want to hurt anyone the way Leah was hurt when Sam imprinted on Emily. I felt how broken Leah was even years after it happened. It wasn't until she imprinted a couple years ago that her wounds finally started to heal. I swore I would never make a woman feel like that but I haven't exactly been a saint." His gaze had slowly left mine as he spoke and he was now looking out the front window into the night.

"I've been with other women Bella, but none of them ever made me feel anything. It was more like an itch that needed to be scratched every once in a while. Rather than a desire to not be alone, I didn't used to mind being alone most of the time. Pretty much the only people I like are Sam and Jake." His gazed returned to mine again and I was thankful. It felt amazing when he looked at me; he gave me a look like we were the only two people on the planet. As if the most important thing was what I was about to say next.

"Well I hope you're ok with the fact I have zero experience and no game what so ever." I chuckled but in all honesty I had no idea how to go about flirting with someone that wasn't born 100 years ago.

"You aren't mad at me?" he asked looking genuinely shocked.

"Paul…I can't fault you for doing something before we ever even met." I said smoothing the crease that formed between his worried brows. He closed his eyes at my touch and leaned in. He took a deep breath and for a second I thought he was smelling me.

His eyes snapped open and he pulled back looking ashamed.

"Sorry," he mumbled slightly.

"I want you to be yourself around me Paul, please." I asked reaching out for him again and he brought his face to my hand. We stayed like that for a moment before he got a mischievous look in his eye. It was the almost the same look Jake used to give me before he splashed water and me or threw something at me telling me to catch it in midair. Even though he knew very well I was coordinationaly challenged.

Paul's mischievous look grew into a smirk. I was about to question him when suddenly, we were airborne for a split second as Paul threw himself into a reclined position causing me to haphazardly land on top of him. A small squeak escaped my lips mid leap and Paul laughed.

I slapped his chest playfully before placing my head against his chest.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked slightly nervously.

"Anything Bella," my name fell off his lips as if it were a prayer.

"Why did you freak out earlier when Sam touched my arm?" I felt him tense slightly under me.

"It's kinda hard to explain, I don't want you to feel pressured." I could feel the vibration from his words with my head pressed to his chest like this.

"Please be open with me, I really don't scare that easy." I said lifting my head to look him in the eye.

Paul POV

Be open? Being open about this particular subject would make her run for the fucking hills. I was willing to be honest with her but I wasn't going to lose her before I even truly had her.

How could I tell her that I needed her more than anything? I needed her to love me and to be with me forever. I wanted her to be mine in every possible sense. I wanted to feel her naked body under mine and to hear her scream my name in ecstasy. I wanted to marry her and see her with our children. I wanted to build my life around this beautiful, magnificent, tiny woman in front of me.

But there was no way in hell I was going to say that to her.

When I saw Sam touch the woman I was going to marry and love before I could even touch her properly and angered the wolf deep within me to the point where I had almost phased.

"When a wolf imprints it's hard for him to see others touch his imprint especially at first. I'm not exactly the most even tempered in the best of times, but it was incredibly wreck-less of me to put you in that kind of danger Bella. Had I phased in there-" he stopped short again.

"Phased?" I questioned.

"That's what we call it when we change from human to wolf form. It's not a graceful process, had you been to close you could have been really hurt or worse." He explained to me, looking down ashamed.

"I trust you," I told him honestly.

"You shouldn't, with everything else but not with this," he tried to tell me a very concerned look in his eye.

"So tell me about imprinting," I requested placing my chin on my hands choosing to ignore his comment.

"Well…I guess the most important thing to know is that what Jake said earlier is 100% true. I will be whatever you need, if all you need from me right now is a friend then I'll steal the best friend position right out from under Jake." He teased playfully making me giggle. I couldn't remember when I last giggled; I was probably 12 years old at the time.

"I will tell you that every imprint and imprintee that has stayed together, ended up in a romantic relationship eventually. I don't want you to feel any sort of pressure here Bella. You have complete control of the situation between us at all times. Please don't ever forget that," he spoke with such sincerity I couldn't feel an ounce of distrust in me.

"A wolf cannot live without his imprint, and we're pretty sure it goes the other way around too but thankfully we've yet to have the need to put it to the test. Even now you already mean so much to me. Just the thought of not having you near me puts me in physical pain," an agonizing looked crossed his face. Immediately, I reached my hand up to sooth him and was elated when he leaned into my touch.

"Um…I don't know how well that whole "friend" thing is going to go. I'm pretty sure you don't feel this way about your friends," I said feeling the wire tug at me again.

"Is it bad that I'm extremely happy to hear you say that?" Paul asked with a huge goofy smile on his face making me laugh out loud.

"Actually I'm glad we're on the same page," I winked and his jaw dropped almost comically so.

"Ok! New rule! You are not allowed to do that!" Paul said mockingly stern.

"Why not?" I laughed.

"Because it is way too sexy," he smirked at me that devilish smile returning again. I had a feeling that smile was going to get me into trouble. I bit my lip and tried not to blush.

"Dear gods Bella, do you have any idea what you're doing to me?" he used his thumb to remove my lip from the death grip my teeth had on it only to run his finger along that very same lip.

I pressed my lips to the tip of his thumb and placed a small kiss there. Paul's eyes widened slightly before he deliberately closed them and took a deep breath.

Without opening his eyes he pulled us into a sitting position and took another slow, deep breath.

"Are you hungry? I'm hungry, you want some dinner?" as he spoke he stood and walked to the kitchen, all the while his eyes remained closed.

Paul POV

"You can cook?" Bella asked me. I could hear a rustling of clothes moving on the leather of the couch and assumed Bella had turned around to face me.

"Um…no actually," I said dumbly but the cooking thing was all I could come up with. As soon as Bella's maddeningly soft lips touched the skin on my thumb it took everything in me not to throw myself on top of her and fuck her till she couldn't even say her own name.

I knew her beautiful little body would be no match for mine. Not that she would try and fight me, I could smell her already. I could picture it in my head; almost taste her on my lips already. As I saw the scene of my head nestled between Bella's legs, and her head thrown back screaming my name I felt myself get hard.

Fuck! My eyes snapped open. I was not helping the situation!

"I'm also pretty sure all I have in the fridge is some cheese and some lunch meat," both were without a doubt passed the expiration date.

"Why don't we just order a pizza or something?" she offered. As I looked over my shoulder I could see her trying to conceal her smiling, not well I might add.

I walked around the counter, so as not to mentally scar her with the sight of the enormous tent in my pants, then turned around to face her fully.

"What kind of pizza?" I asked picking up my home phone from the cradle and dialing the familiar number.

"My favorite is supreme but I'm pretty flexible," she said. Holy fuck, I hoped she was flexible, and once again thanked the gods. If I had a rabbit for an imprint I don't think I would have survived.

Alright Paul, get your head out of the fucking gutter dude.

I took as much time as possible placing the order, begging my raging hard-on to subside. After I had ordered enough pizza for 10 regular people I joined Bella back on the couch.

"So…where did we leave off with this imprinting thing?" Bella asked from her position tucked into the corner of the couch.

"Oh right, you were just about to go into detail about how amazingly sexy you thing I am." I teased. It had to be going somewhere near there…hopefully.

"I don't believe we were quite to that section of the evening just yet," she smirked at me. I loved that she could stay caught up with my sarcastic humor.

"Yet?" I winked at her. I saw the slight blush creep up her cheeks in the most adorable way.

"I actually did have a question, if you don't mind?" she asked looking up at me from under her lashes.

"You can ask me anything Bella," I told her honestly. I was just hoping she wouldn't be asking me about my sudden need to be half way across the room from her.

"Well…I was wondering earlier when you said every couple that had stayed together ended up in a relationship, so was there ever a couple that didn't stay together?" she asked looking up into my eyes.

Damn, why did she have to listen so well? I was really hoping she would have just overlook that part of the story.

"Zach and Marissa, Zach was a fairly new wolf. He had just gone back to school after his first phase and walking into his first class, bam he imprinted. Immediately he calls Sam, who was the Alpha at the time, up at the construction company to tell him what happened. I was there at the time so I heard everything, Sam trying to calm the kid down then explain what to do.

"We pretty much did the same thing as with you only with a little more prep. Jake said you were good with weird, but as it turned out Marissa that great with it. The second Zach walked out of the tree line in wolf form Marissa ran for it. She went straight to her car, it was getting dark and a storm was coming in from the ocean. She ended up running off the road and smashing her car into a tree.

"Zach was running beside her the whole time so he called an ambulance and held her until they got there.

"For three days Marissa's parents agonized over wither or not they should just let her go. There was no brain function, so in the end they decided it was best to let her go in peace.

"As soon as they pulled the plug on Marissa, Zach it the floor, he was gone before they could even get him on a gurney."

"He died?!" she asked her eyes wide open looking up at me.

"Yes, everyone always knew, with how strong the imprint bond is that something terrible would happen should one lose the other. But we could never have guessed it would be so sudden and so certain. Ever since then every imprint is looked after by the entire pack. We don't take any chances," I explained the best that I could. It had been a difficult time for the pack; we had never before lost a brother or sister. And we never wanted to feel that pain again.

Bella leaned forward and threw her arms around my neck, and in return I wrapped my arms around her tiny frame.

"I'm so sorry that happened to all of you, Paul it must have been awful." She said sounds a little teary.

"Don't worry beautiful, we got through it together and we won't ever let anything like that happen again," I reassured her.

For a few minutes we stayed like that, just holding each other. She was the first to pull away from our embrace.

"I'm in this Paul; I don't want to hurt you. I already care so much about you; I'm not going to run anymore. I won't ever do that again," she said looking so determined. I didn't know what I had done to deserve an imprint like this.

"Thank you," I whispered pulling her back into my arms as softly as my excitement would allow. "I won't ever make you regret this decision Bella, I swear to you."