❛ guilt-ridden gravestones and corny confessions. ❜
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𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐌𝐢𝐚 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞—she was finally ready to tell her uncle the truth: she was an imprintee. After the late-night heart-to-heart with Embry at the diner, her nerves had settled just enough to gather the courage. There was no going back now. She even knew exactly where it needed to happen.
At the edge of the tallest cliff in La Push stood the resting place of Wesley Lewis Henderson. Time had reclaimed his body, folding it back into the earth, and all that remained was a simple wooden cross etched with his initials and birthday—a quiet tribute to a life that had meant the world to both Mia and her uncle.
It had been months since Mia last visited. Each trip up the trail brought with it an ache in her chest, the bittersweet weight of memory. The trek always felt longer than it was, not because of the distance, but the emotional gravity that pulled at her with every step. Her uncle led the way now, just a few strides ahead, navigating the forest with practiced ease.
Jay knew these woods well, his pace confident and measured. But he also knew Mia wasn't exactly a nature lover. He glanced over his shoulder and realized she'd fallen behind again.
"We should do this more often," he called back with faux nonchalance, kneeling down to "tie" a perfectly secure shoe. The move was pure performance, a subtle kindness to let her catch up without pointing it out. "You know, clear the mind, breathe the fresh air, become one with the trees."
"I'd rather crawl through a sewer of rat piss," Mia shot back with a dramatic grimace.
He chuckled and rolled his eyes—yeah, that sounded about right. With a shake of his head, he turned and continued on, leading them down the narrow path to where Wesley waited.
The final stretch of trail always sent a chill down Mia's spine. Her thoughts wandered to brighter days, when laughter echoed across these cliffs. Back when she and Wesley would sit side by side, watching Jay leap fearlessly into the ocean below. What once felt like joy now settled into grief. Her breath caught as she spotted Jay kneeling beside the weathered cross, pressing a soft kiss to the wood, its paint faded but still standing strong.
That morning, Mia had surprised him by asking to come along. Jay usually made these visits alone, slipping away quietly before work while Mia was still asleep. Her request had been unexpected, but welcome. He didn't question it—just patted the grass beside him with a soft smile.
Mia didn't hesitate. She dropped down beside him, legs crossed, tugging Embry's oversized hoodie tighter around her against the coastal breeze. Jay reclined easily in the grass, hands tucked behind his head, while she sat upright, tension radiating off her in waves. Her heart felt like it might beat out of her chest, and she knew he could probably hear it. Still, he didn't say a word, letting her find her own pace.
Grateful for his patience, she tried to calm herself. When she finally opened her mouth, her confession didn't come—not yet. Instead, she eased into safer ground.
"Tell me again how you told Wesley he was your imprint," she said, voice soft.
Jay opened one eye and gave her a knowing look. They both knew she could recite the story by heart. Still, he humored her.
"He'd just finished med school. New doctor at the hospital, all the nurses loved him. Drove me crazy, the way he'd flirt to avoid filling out paperwork," Jay said with a nostalgic grin. "But from the first second I saw him, there was something about him—something I couldn't explain."
He paused, lost in memory. "It made me act like an idiot. Couldn't stop smiling when he was around. It was Sam who pointed it out—said it sounded like imprinting. I didn't want to believe it at first. But deep down, I already knew."
Mia listened closely, eyes glassy.
"I had it bad," Jay laughed gently. "But the best part? Wes felt the same. After a few dates, I brought him here and told him everything—what I was, what it meant. And he didn't run. That moment, right there..." He trailed off with a sigh. "The rest is confetti."
Tears streamed silently down Mia's face, as they always did when he told this story. She didn't try to stop them. Jay wrapped an arm around her, offering silent comfort. What he didn't expect was for Mia to suddenly blurt out her own truth without warning.
"I'm Embry's imprint."
Jay blinked.
"And I didn't tell you because I thought you'd panic, and now you're not panicking and it's making me panic and—"
"Mia."
His laughter rang out, booming across the cliff, catching her completely off guard.
She stared at him, stunned. "You're... laughing?"
"Thank God it was Embry," Jay said, wiping a tear from his eye. "If it had been Paul—or Jacob—I might've keeled over."
Mia blinked again. And then laughed. Relief hit her so fast it left her breathless.
After dealing with Jacob's temper and the overwhelming emotions that came with being bonded to someone, she had forgotten that her uncle was, above all else, a grown adult—one who had already walked this path.
"You're really not mad?" she asked, needing to hear it aloud.
Jay turned to her, eyes soft. "Sweetheart, your happiness is my happiness. As long as you treat each other right, I don't care who it is."
And with that, all the weight Mia had carried on her shoulders slowly began to lift.
