Love Comes from Unexpected Places

Chapter Twenty-Four: Imprinting Explained

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" Sophia asked looking at Paul as they walked along La Push beach, it was a little chilly so the blonde was walking closely by his side. 

Paul ran a hand through his hair, in the eight days since he had imprinted on the blonde and had discovered so much about her; he really hadn't thought that he would be explaining this to her now. 

Emily had insisted on keeping Mia back at the house to give Paul a better chance at explaining what had occurred between them and why Sophia was more of a pack member than Bella would ever be. 

"Has Emily been telling you about the tribal legends?" Paul asked carefully looking at Sophia, he was nervous about telling her since she had already told him that she just wanted him as a friend right now. 

Sophia nodded her head as she offered Paul a reassuring smile, this was clearly about what Embry had slipped up on and she couldn't help but wonder what this had to do with her. 

"There's this thing that we do calling imprinting," Paul stated approaching the subject carefully, the last thing that he wanted was to scare Sophia away even if she had taken the whole vampire-werewolf thing pretty well. 

This was something completely different and it was even more difficult for him than it had been for Sam and Jared; he didn't just have to think about Sophia but Mia as well. 

"It's not like love at first sight, really. It's more like gravity moves suddenly. It's not the earth holding you here anymore, she does... You become whatever she needs you to be, whether that's a protector, a lover or a friend," Paul explained smiling softly as he looked at Sophia. 

Sophia currently had him in the final option but he hoped that when they were both ready that they would move on to become something even more.

Sophia tilted her head listening to Paul talk, her heart lurched at the thought of losing him; the blonde wasn't sure when in the few days that she had known him that she had become so attached to him.

"Sounds like you know the feeling. Have you imprinted on someone?" Sophia asked looking down at her hands, she really didn't know whether she wanted the answer or not. 

Sophia only saw Paul as a friend right now and she hadn't been expecting herself to get attached to him in anyway; she had been so sure that after Jason that she would never want to date again and that Mia would be enough for her. 

Paul only smiled knowing that he would tell her soon that she was it for him, he wanted to explain a couple of things first so that she had all the information before he dropped that bombshell on her. 

"Okay then... is Bella an imprint?" Sophia asked realising that Paul wasn't going to tell her just yet, the blonde swallowed as she moved to sit down on the sand and look out at the rough ocean. 

There was clearly a storm brewing and Sophia couldn't help but shiver a little as the wind washed over them before Paul sat down next to her and wrapped her up in his arms to keep her warm. 

"Imprinting can't be forced, no matter how much Jacob wishes that it could right now," Paul said with a shake of his head. 

Most of the pack were relieved that Bella wasn't going to become an official pack member; she was a leech-lover and always would be in the tribes' eyes.

"That's a relief," Sophia joked knowing how her cousin assumed that everyone wanted her around, she didn't seem to see that no one really wanted her around but Jacob. 

Paul chuckled and nodded his head understanding what she was saying, her cousin was a handful and once the red haired leech had been dealt with Bella would be cast out again to live her own life. 

"Imprinting occurs only after a wolf's first phasing. It can happen with anyone, regardless of previous personal feelings," Paul continued to explain as he held Sophia close to him as he tried to keep her warm. 

The last thing that Paul wanted was to take the blonde to his home, he knew his father would be there and he really didn't want to expose Sophia to that environment. 

"Thank you Mister Encyclopaedia Britannica," Sophia teased resting her head against Paul's shoulder, her blue eyes watching the ocean as she wondered what his imprint was like. 

Paul brushed his fingers carefully up and down the blonde's arm as he allowed her to adjust with what she had just told her; he knew that he was going to have to be honest with her.

"There is a rule in the pack... we aren't allowed to attack or kill another member's imprint, that's how important they are," Paul said ducking his head down to speak softly into the blonde's ear. 

Sophia would be safe no matter what happened between them and Paul wanted her to be comforted by that fact; the pack was always going to be there for her since she was a part of their family now. 

Sophia took a deep breath before she turned to face Paul, she didn't understand what he wanted her to say to all of this information now how it was relevant to her now. 

"But what does this all have to do with me?" Sophia asked chewing on her lip, she watched Paul knowing that she would be happy for him no matter who his imprint was as long as it wasn't Bella. 

Sophia wasn't sure that she could handle Bella getting close with Paul, she wouldn't be able to stay and watch them be happy because Sophia knew that would be just too painful for her. 

"You asked about my imprint... Sophia, I'm looking at her right now," Paul said tucking a finger under her chin and made her look at him properly. 

The wolf could already see that she was expecting the worst and he wasn't going to allow her to think that there was anyone else but her for him. 

Paul couldn't even see other women now that he had imprinted on Sophia and he would spend the rest of his life waiting for her if he had to. 

"I'm your imprint?" Sophia whispered checking that she had heard him correctly, she watched as Paul nodded his head as he offered Sophia a small smile. 

Paul brushed some hair from the blonde's face, he wasn't going to rush her for anything; he knew that he would have to take Mia into consideration.

"I will be whatever you want me to be Phia," Paul reassured taking her hands in his, he rubbed his thumbs back and forth in an attempt to warm them up; he watched her knowing that this was a shock for her. 

Sophia sat speechlessly for a moment as her mind raced, she had been preparing for him to tell her something else not this; relief flushed through her as she realised she wouldn't lose him. 

"I want us to try... just take things slowly," Sophia murmured smiling carefully up at Paul, she wasn't going to rush anything and she was glad that he wouldn't mind; Sophia had to think of her daughter and he wasn't going to rush into any decisions. 

Paul nodded his head supportively before he ducked his head down to kiss Sophia for the first time; only to be disturbed as Embry appeared from the forest behind them. 

"What is it now?" Paul snapped annoyed that they had been interrupted, he held Sophia close to him as he glared at Embry that had a heartbroken look on his face as he looked at the happy couple. 

"Harry Clearwater is dead," Embry revealed making the couple look at him shocked as they wondered if they had heard him correctly; in the distance a scream filled the chilly March air.