Chapter Eighteen

School had been out for almost two weeks, I've spent every day in my garden getting it ready to plant new seeds, playing with Piper and studying my spell book.

Both Jazz and Quinn were on what we called magic field trips with their grandmothers. They wouldn't be back until school started. I missed doing that.

Bella spent every waking moment with Edward while sticking to the new rules Charlie gave her. Not that I minded.

Currently I was up in my room packing up to head down to the Rez, now that Sam and Jared have shifted, the two of them were working hard. I felt for them though cause patrolling the rez took a lot of their time and energy.

Leah told me Sam has been hanging out with her cousin Emily a lot so I was heading out to hang out with my boys and spend the night at the Clearwaters.

It had been a while since I've seen Jake or the other two and it was a nice day. I got dressed in white shorts and a purple tank top and put on my La push hoodie, and my shoes and grabbed my bag on my way out.

"Hey uncle Charlie." I called walking downstairs spotting him in the living room. It was his day off, so he was causal and doing his favorite thing, drinking beer and watching a game. "I'm headed out, dinner is in the fridge just need to heat it up."

"Okay, drive safe." Charlie told me. "Say hey to Billy."

I nodded and grabbed my keys off the hook and headed out to my wrangler, tying my hair up into a messy bun.

Backing out, I put on some music and headed off.

---

It took me the usual time to get to the Black's small red house and parked off to the side and shut the jeep off and got out and grabbed something from the back for Billy.

Walking up the wheelchair ramp, Billy already had the door open before I could knock and gave me a friendly smile.

"Elena."

"Hey." I greeted smiling handing him a small bag of medicinal herbs. "Just came to drop this off."

"Thank you." He told me moving aside so I could walk in. "I was running out."

The herbs couldn't heal him completely, but they would help him through the pain he feels.

I looked around.

"Jake in the back?" I asked looking around.

"Yeah." He told me nodding. "By the way we suspect Lahote's gonna be next."

I looked at him blinking.

"Paul?" I asked frowning at the idea. "But I just saw him last month, he didn't show any of the signs."

"I'm sorry." He told me giving me a fatherly look. "I know how much you like him but you know what will happen if he turns."

I sighed nodding.

"Anyway I'm gonna head out to the garage then." I added making him look at me. "I'll pick up the money for this order before I leave."

Giving him a quick hug, I ventured out to the back of the house, to the garage, hearing loud music and smiled.

Although I was girlie and loved doing girlie things, I liked hanging out with the boys too. Pulling the door open, I walked in, and three dark heads snapped towards me, there was a car in the middle of the garage.

They looked surprised before seeing it was just me and smiled.

"Angel"

"Hey guys." I greeted, pulling my hoodie off feeling free in my tank and sat it on a stool by the door walking over closer to them.

"Just in time, we were about to order pizza." Embry told me giving me a small wave and bumped his fist against mine, he had a slight smirk on his face.

"I was coming just had to finish chores first and make Charlie dinner for tonight." I told them shrugging.

"Bout time too, Jake's been talking nonstop about hanging out today." Quil told me.

I glanced at Jacob seeing the embarrassed look on his face and just laughed quietly also knowing Quil and Em's teasing personalities.

Jake had a small blush on his face, before he cleared his throat.

I turned to look at the car he's been saving up and working on for a long time. It was still in need of a lot of work.

"Well let's get this going." I told them shrugging, glancing at Em. "Half-"

"Half vegg I know." Embry said cutting me off, he walked out to call for his Pizza and Jake went back to working, glancing at me a few times.

I sat down in a chair to the side, which was considered my chair since I sat there every time. Quil came over and joined me and turned to music down a little, Em came back in and went to help Jacob.

We made small talk watching the two.

"Sooo anything been happening lately?" I asked reaching into a cooler between Quil and I, grabbing a Pepsi.

"Not really." Jacob told me, shrugging, he handed a flashlight to Embry making him hold it for him, and flashed me a tiny smile.

"Tell her about Sam." Embry said, nudging Jake's arm playfully.

I raised an eyebrow.

"Sam?" I asked blinking in confusion. "What's up with Sam?"

"Nothing." Jacob called his head was buried in the hood.

"It's not nothing." Quil retorted making me look at him, Jake stayed silent, so Quil just continued. "Well, you know Sam and Leah broke up?"

"Yeah." I told him biting my tongue and nodded. "She still cries on the phone with me, it's why I'm sleeping over tonight, hopefully I can get her out of the funk."

"He disappeared for like two weeks and then suddenly he shows up like nothing happened, broke up with Leah and then suddenly Jared went in the same direction."

"Oh." I muttered taking a sip of my drink, trying to keep my emotions blank.

"Yeah, and they're all different now, cut their hair and got major muscley now." Em added. "It's almost like they're on drugs."

Jacob pulled back from under the hood and had an uncomfortable yet angry look on his face.

"And then last week, Lahote started acting the way they did before they left." Quil told me. "Pretty soon you're boyfriend's going to be joining their little cult."

I nearly choked on my drink, staring at him. Quil, Jake and Embry snickered at me.

"And now he keeps looking at Jacob."

I frowned a little glancing between the three before turning to my bestie.

"Well, I'm sure it's nothing." I told them glancing between the three. "There's probably a reason, you should just ignore him."

"I guess so." He told me slowly.

There was an awkward silence suddenly for a second before Jacob turned back to work.

Soon the pizzas had gotten here so the boys and I just hung out, watching Jake and Em fix the car, had pizza and drinks and music.

I felt bad for lying to the three, but I knew it was better, someday they would understand I'd hope but I also hoped that they wouldn't.

Our world was dangerous and complicated.

---

Eventually it was getting to be around dinner time, so Quil and Embry headed home, and I was heading to Leah's. The two boys walked back home leaving Jake and I alone for a few minutes.

The sky had darkened, almost black out.

I had my arms crossed leaning against the hood of the wrangler, watching them walk down the road together.

"I should get going, I know Leah's probably needing me big time." I told him, earning a nod and a small hug. I hopped into the jeep and put the keys in the ignition, starting the engine while he leaned against my door.

"Yeah, she's been a wreck since Sam."

"I know." I muttered glancing at him. "Really you shouldn't take anything Sam or any of them do, they probably have their reasons."

"Yeah, you're right." He said sadly.

"I'll see ya later." I told him earning a nod.

He backed away from the truck, so I could get myself out of the spot. I gave him a quick smile and headed down the driveway. Glancing through the rearview mirror I watched him while I turned the corner no longer seeing him.

There was a patch between the Blacks and the Clearwater's that was just woods. Just as I turned that corner, a big blur appeared in my vision.

I slammed on my breaks, the jeep's tires screeched a little as it came to a stop.  I was inches from hitting it.

Standing before me was a big, huger than a house wolf... It stayed there for a second running into the woods.

It all happened so quickly I thought I was seeing things. I've seen a lot of things lately.

Parking the jeep over on the side of the road, I cautiously opened my door and stepped out.

Staring in the direction it went, I glanced around for a second before following.

'Sam?'

Was there a new shifter I didn't know about.

My legs carried me over the moss covered ground, I muttered a light spell under my breath, a tiny ball of energy appeared.

'Sam? Jared! This is not funny!'

I thought climbing over falling trees and roots and found myself on a trail, I paused and glanced around.

A branch snapped from behind me, I spun around and nearly had a heart attack. Standing before me was a wolf, the same one.... it was Silver... not Black or dark brown with black spots...

"You're not Sam or Jared ." I muttered loudly.

'Elena?' I heard the voice ask and tilted my head at it. 'What is this? What's that thing in your hand?'

I thought back to what Billy said about who was going to shift next, Paul... He said Paul was going to shift...

My mouth hung open.

'Paul? oh I was so hoping this wouldn't happen..." I trailed off frowning.

"This? What is this?"

I sighed, stepping closer. He took a step backwards.

"It's okay, don't worry. I'm going to call Sam and we'll talk while we wait." I muttered moving closer. "Just try to stay calm."

'Calm? Have you met me?'

Pulling out my phone from my pocket, I sent three messages, one to Billy, one to Harry and the last one to Sam.

After sending the message, I sighed heavily.

-----

'Whoa you weren't kidding.' Jared said in his wolf form. "Lahote really did shift.'

About half an hour I sent those messages, Billy and Harry had shown up at the same time Sam.

"Do you think I would lie about something like this?" I asked rolling my eyes, crossing my arms.

'But he did it without needing that pain reliever thingy or making us angry?' Jared thought

'Something must have made Paul angry enough he didn't need it' I thought back sighing, reaching for my medicine bag. 'But he will need to be calmed down, he's shaking with anger right now, that's why I gave Sam a double dose of the medicine because Paul does need it to calm down!"

Jared's wolf head nodded, we turned staring into the woods where Sam was dealing with an angry Paul.

Soon they emerged from the trees, Paul was in a pair of Sam's cut-off shorts and nothing else, his hair was spiked still had that bad boy look about him, his face looked a little drowsy from the medicine he took, almost like he was drugged but it wasn't that bad, he wasn't shaking anymore or angry.

I couldn't help but stare at him.

"I'm a werewolf." Paul asked in a strong voice, he glanced at Sam, they came towards where we were standing. I stared at him.

"Actually your a shapeshifter that turns into one thing a wolf fated to protec...." I trailed off.

Our eyes met, and suddenly I found myself frozen. Paul's eyes were wide, just staring back at me.

Neither of us moved for a few minutes.

'Dude!' I heard Jared exclaim. 'No way!'

I blinked pulling my eyes away from him, turning to Billy and Harry. They had shock written on their faces.

"What just happened?" Paul asked.

I continued staring at the older men that I considered father figures. They both shared a look, glancing between themselves, Sam and I before smiles grew on their faces.

Somehow I knew what it meant.

"Paul imprinted... didn't he?" I asked glancing at Sam.

He nodded.

"On me?"

He nodded again, my mouth nearly fell to the forest floor as the wave of shock just hit me.

"Um.... anyone want to explain this to me?" Paul asked looking like he wanted to hit something.

I glanced at the guys.

Sam, Harry and Billy shared another look before nodding.

"Send him to mine when you're done." Sam said making me nod.

They all took off leaving me and Paul alone.

I bit my lip staring at him, feeling those butterfly feelings again. Paul imprinted... on me, of all people... did that mean my fate was intertwined with his.

"Elena?"

I was taken out of my thoughts by a hand waving in my face and blinked, looking at Paul. I didn't even notice he had gotten closer to me. I smiled warmly, grabbed his hand. My hand was tiny compared to his but it was warm. His eyes lit up the second I touched him.

Dragging him behind me, I tugged him to the jeep, making small talk.

"From what I've read Imprinting is when a shifter imprints on someone, possibly a human or in my case witch." I told him sliding into the drivers seat.

He took his time getting in the passenger, he stared at me.

"My great aunt Elise was an imprint, she lived for a really long time, witches are kind of immortal." I added looking over at him. "It's a long story, one I'll tell you about later once my head stops spinning... but imprinting  is one of the most amazing things a shifter can do.." I paused for a second. "Other than protect the town."

I turned the key, kickstarting the roaring engine and drove off.

Paul and I continued talking for hours, the more we talked the more my heart soared. I knew that just because he imprinted on me doesn't mean feelings would change between us, I knew that but I couldn't help but fangirl over the fact my biggest crush imprinted on me.

Dropping Paul off with Sam, we sort of fell into a sudden awkward silence. Sam and Jared came out to meet us and took Paul with them, while I would love to stay.... Paul needed time to get used to his new life.  He was a hot head and Sam had to train him.

I made the promise to come back for his shifter makeover after a few weeks and made my way over to the Clearwaters.

---------------------------------------------

New Chapter!

4/23/2024

Paul finally turned! And Imprinted!!!!

Hopefully you like it, I know it doesn't sound like hot head Paul.

Elena uses different methods on all the shifters, depending on who it is and what situation, like Paul needing to be drugged in order to calm him down enough to get him in her car and where he needed to go....

XD

Like. Vote. Comment. Let me know what you think!