Twilight Witch

XXVII. Imprinting

Only briefly, had Seth mentioned imprints to Elizabeth on their occasional times spent together. When he had explained what happened between Sam, Emily, and his sister, Leah. How heartbroken his sister was at the time.

But Elizabeth did not think to ask if he had.

"What?" The word came out as a whisper as Elizabeth felt her body go numb.

Seth began to explain himself, pleading for her to listen as her gaze began to disassociate from everything.

"Edward, take me home." Elizabeth demanded.

Edward met her lost gaze and saw the hint of anger in those forest green eyes. He then looked to Seth who had stopped speaking and actually felt sorrow for him, the guilt and remorse in his brown eyes now looking to the ground as he ran a hand through his long hair feeling anxious.

"Liz, please. I can explain." Seth pleaded once more.

She ignored him as Edward wrapped an arm over her shoulders and led her back to his car. He opened the door for her as she slid into the vehicle with her lips pursed into a thin line.

After getting into the vehicle himself, Edward hesitated starting the car's engine.

Seth slammed the open door of his car shut and paced with his hands behind his head. He was trying hard to control his emotions that were scattered.

"Elizabeth, I think you should talk to him." Edward spoke softly to her gripping the steering wheel tightly. Keeping his gaze forward.

Her head snapped towards him confused after that encounter between the two of them just minutes ago. "What? He lied to me. All of this time."

Edward finally turned meeting Elizabeth's green orbs. "It's not that simple. If you really want me to take you home, I will. But I think you should give him a chance to explain himself."

"Just mere minutes ago, you looked like you were about to tear his head off." Elizabeth stated.

Edward looked down, "I was angry. Maybe jealous even."

His golden eyes met hers again as he spoke. "But I know he's not a bad person, and doesn't deserve to lose someone as remarkable as you."

Elizabeth almost lost herself in the golden pools of his eyes, but recollected herself and after a moment of contemplation, she was exiting the vehicle quickly approaching Seth as he was now pacing into the edge of the forest .

Edward left her with him, he knew from Seth's mind that she would be safe with him. He would never hurt her, and just wants her to live happily. The same intentions as his own.

Seth drove Elizabeth back to his home where they'd be out of the rain that began to pour over them. The drive was silent. Neither of the two ready to break it just yet.

Elizabeth debated if she really wanted to hear him out. She felt lied to, betrayed. She did not understand why he would keep something like this from her.

Seth's heart was racing the entire time. He did not know what to expect from her. She was hearing him out. Although he did not exactly know what he would even say to her.

The two of them arrived to the Clearwater's residence, no one was home. Seth had muttered a quick reasoning of his family's whereabouts. Elizabeth did not respond, she only sat at the small dining table as Seth hurriedly scrambled to start a fire in the cozy home's fireplace.

"Why keep it from me?" After a moment, Elizabeth finally spoke staring at her hands folded on the oak wood surface.

Seth jumped ever so slightly at her sudden question. He carefully poked at the small flame that started.

He let out a small breath before he spoke. "I don't know. I guess I was just afraid."

She looked over to him still poking at the embers that refused to grow. "Afraid of what exactly?" She asked.

Seth let his gaze zone out as he remembered the day it happened. "All of it."

Jacob grunted as he hit the hard sand but still caught the football that was thrown to him. Seth stood ready for the ball to be thrown back at him. He noticed a strange scent all of a sudden, but before he could think twice about it, the ball went flying far in another direction. Seth began to smirk, thinking of the pokes he'd make at Jacob's inability to throw, but his smirk vanished when he saw the ball had landed almost hitting a girl who sat on the sand reading a book. Immediately he apologized to her and made his way over to collect the ball from the ground. That's when her sage green eyes met his soft brown ones and his entire world stopped.

"You could have told me.." Elizabeth spoke softly.

Seth clenched his jaw, keeping his eyes on the flame. "There was never a right time." He said.

"What you said about Sam and Emily, does this mean we are to be like them?" Elizabeth asked softly.

Seth paused for a moment. "No."

There was another moment of silence as Seth had grown frustrated with the non cooperative flames and threw the poker aside.

Noticing this, Elizabeth stood up making her way over to the brick fireplace. She effortlessly sent a gust of red mist onto the last of the embers causing an outburst of the scarlet flames.

Seth jumped back startled. "Shit, Liz." He quickly dusted an ember off his sleeve.

The crackling fire gleamed in the reflection of Elizabeth's eyes. She stood with her arms crossed, in her thoughts once again.

Taking a step closer, Seth stared at the fire as well. Desperately searching for his words.

"Imprinting on someone means that when you see that person for the first time, everything changes. Suddenly it's not gravity holding you to the earth, it's them. You would do anything, be anything for them..." He spoke slowly.

Elizabeth looked to him now as he continued.

"A friend, a protector..."

"Brother."

Elizabeth's heart stopped at the last word her spoke.

Seth felt it too, as he looked to her with concern.

"Brother?" Elizabeth's voice broke and she hadn't realized the tears streaming down her porcelain skin.

She broke down and Seth did not hesitate to take her in his arms and hold her tightly.

~~~