Blame It On Me [Paul Lahote x OC]

Chapter 11: Revelations.

You catch up with Seth who's bringing a plate of muffins from his house, wrapping your arm around his. He tenses up a little and stops, sighing. You frown in his direction and wonder what just happened.
»What's wrong, Seth?«
»Please don't take this the wrong way, please.«
Both your bodies are now facing each other and he pushes your arm away from his.

Your heart gives out a stinging pain for a fraction of a second.

He sees the pained expression on your face and sighs in hidden frustration, taking your hand in his gently, pulling you towards the bonfire. You've known Seth since the moment he was born, you almost grew up with him. And as he grew up throughout the years you even started liking him more and more during those short, but frequent visits. He lets go once you come upon everyone else's sight. Leah smiles, but feels there's something wrong.

You wave to everyone and smile, acting like everything's perfectly normal - even if you're slowly dying on the inside. You proceed to sit down next to Leah like always, but Seth sits near Embry.

»What's wrong?« Leah whispers, looking at you. But you only shake your head, wanting to change the subject as you realise your heart is breaking into pieces once again.
»Okay, Kya.« Jacob calls out and stands up facing the fire, breaking you out of your trance, »close your eyes, we have a surprise for you.«
Chuckling, you nod and cross your legs Indian style on the log, then you slowly close your eyes.

For a few moments there's just silence. And some quiet crunching of leaves.

You open your eyes when something wet nudges your shoulder and you squirm, slapping it in surprise. Only when you hear a yelp of sorts come from that direction, do you look. And your mind slows down to where you feel your head weighs like a ton.

The giant wolf in front of you looks like it's big enough to devour you whole like a snake, his light brown like sand fur glistening in the bonfire's light. Then you look at the others, all wolves of different colours and sizes, staring at you, waiting for your next move. But when a pale grey wolf takes a step forward, your body goes into motion.

You fall off the log and crawl back on your behind as fast your heavy limbs will allow you. One with grey fur that almost looks like it's a silver colour walks towards you, but you only back away until you hit a tree. How convenient, you think.

It's cold nose touches your cheek and you slowly lift your hand to pet him. Your other hand goes to your leg warmers where you've hidden your wand. There was this odd feeling in the pit of your stomach before dinner with Susan and Charlie, and you figured you should pack protection. The wolf lies down and gives out a sort of content whine when you run your fingers through its fur.

»I knew the legends were true, I just didn't think to tie them with you.«
The wolf tilts its head and your body regains its normal functions. It helps you stand up and walks very near you to make sure you don't fall over again.

The sand coloured wolf walks towards you slowly, but the other one growls, making it back away. Raising an eyebrow at this, you see the third wolf in pale grey just sitting there and staring with a bored expression. It all clicks.

»Leah?« The wolf finally looks at you, which makes you smile, »I knew it was you. You have the same expression when you're... Human?«
You bite your bottom lip and sigh, sitting on the log yet again, staring back at each of them.

»So you're all... Shapeshifters. I guess that explains a lot then. I mean, no one goes shirtless in this weather.«

The wolves seem to chuckle, then walk into the darkness for a moment. And from whence they came, you see your friends walking out on two legs. Leah sits next to you and smiles, wrapping her arm around yours.

»You scared the living shite out of me. You're mean.«

»I didn't know how else to show you. But you were pretty funny. I've never seen you crawl that fast.«

She chuckles and you shake your head, pushing on her shoulder.

»So now you know.« Sam says and you nod in his direction through the fire. You look at your best friend again and sigh, »I guess this is why you stopped writing.«
»Among other things. I'm sorry.« You shrug, now fully understanding why she suddenly stopped contact with you. Before, you two would tell each other everything that was going on.
»I'm the Alpha, Jacob is one too. He has his own pack as I do mine, but we manage to live together.«
»How do two Alphas function on the same territory?«
»It's hard. We all used to be the same pack, so we're accustomed to each other.«

»Who did I slap?« A chuckle leaves Seth's lips and he raises his hand in the air, which makes you blush and sigh, »sorry. I thought it was a bug.«

He winks at you, but you look at the ground, ignoring it. You never thought it'd be this bad after Harry. Paul growls and you frown, looking at him. Sam calls for Paul, but it doesn't go through, »Paul, simmer down.«
You stand up the same time he does and you run towards Seth, pushing Seth to the ground as Paul was going to punch again. His raging fist missed your head by an inch.

»Stop it. Stop punching Seth. He did absolutely nothing wrong!«

Paul steps back as your voice raises, your eyes angry, »why do you keep doing that?!«
The tall, muscular boy stutters a little and aims to walk away when you grab his hand gently, »please tell me.«

»Have you ever heard of imprinting?« Leah asks and you frown, wrecking your brain on the answer. You've learned a lot at Hogwarts and then out in the world looking for Horcruxes, but you don't remember if you ever heard of imprinting.

»No,« is your answer, which doesn't surprise anyone. Paul takes your hand in his and leads to where he was sitting before.

»Imprinting is something that happens to us, to shapeshifters,« says Sam.

»It's like finding your soulmate. It's just about them. Your whole world is just about them.« Paul looks at you as he finishes his sentence, which makes you let out a little sigh.

»And you'd do anything to protect them and please them,« he continues, which makes you frown a little, »punching Seth doesn't please me.«

Paul blinks and you can see his cheeks heating up. And yours. Your whole face grows red at what you just said and you have no idea why you said it. But going back to what Leah said at the beach it makes sense now.

»What's the reasoning behind imprinting?«
»Several theories on that, »Jacob comments and looks at Sam, »you should ask Sam about it.«
He clears his throat, »I assume we imprint on the one who can give us the best chance for a family.«
You tilt your head to the side and chuckle, feeling only slightly awkward as silence descends the bonfire.
»I'm flattered. I think.«
»Another theory is that it's due to the shapeshifter feeling that their imprintee could be their greatest support. As in the case of Jacob and Renesmee.«
»Who's Renesmee?«
»She's a vampire.«

After a few moments of mulling things over, you frown at Jacob, »you imprinted on a bloodsucking fiend from Transylvania?«

Some laugh, but Jacob's on the verge of raging on you and everyone around him. And Paul senses that. You can feel his hand tighten onto yours as you realise the two of you are still holding hands.
»Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. It's just... I've learned a lot about the Supernatural at school. And I've dealt with vampires, and werewolves, and monsters that hide under your bed. None of them are nice.«
»What do you mean?« Your best friend asks and you sigh, knowing you have to tell them now.

A secret for a secret.