Fell For You

The Imprint

"This is a dream. It has to be."

My chest heaved as I whispered it to myself. I must've fallen asleep. I must be imagining this. Because Paul did not just explode into a six-foot-tall grey wolf.

I shut my eyes tight.
When I opened them again, it was all still there—the shredded clothes, the heavy sound of paws on dirt, and the two monsters crouched low, snarling at each other.

The sandy-colored wolf—the one who'd shoved me out of the way—growled first. A deep, vicious rumble that vibrated through the ground beneath me. The grey wolf—Paul, Paul—snapped back, lips curling to reveal fangs that looked like they could crush bone.

"Enough!" Sam's voice cut through the chaos like a whip.

Both wolves froze mid-snarling, though neither dropped their guard. The air trembled with restrained violence.

Then—movement. A brown wolf burst from the woods and planted itself beside the sandy one, both forming a living wall between me and the danger. My heart thudded so hard it hurt.

At Sam's command, the grey wolf let out one final snarl—directed at me. The sound crawled down my spine and rooted in my chest like ice. Then he turned and bolted into the forest, the brown wolf chasing after him.

Silence. Only the rain and my shaking breath.

The sandy wolf turned around slowly. When its eyes met mine, it... whimpered. A small, broken sound that made my stomach twist. Its ears flattened as it looked me over, as if afraid it had done something wrong.

I didn't move. I was terrified—but also... not. Not of him. Because somehow, under the weight of that fear, a strange calm settled over me. He had saved me. And now, standing before him, I felt safer than I should have.

Then I saw his eyes.
Chocolate brown. Familiar in a way that shattered me.

"Seth..." I breathed, though my voice barely made a sound.

The fear drained away, replaced by warmth—something electric curling through my veins. He didn't move, didn't even blink, just stared back like I was the only thing keeping him tethered to earth.

My hand lifted on its own. I reached out, slow, hesitant, my fingers trembling. He didn't flinch. When my palm met his fur, it was soft, almost unreal. He whimpered again and leaned into the touch, just slightly.

Then, like something snapped, he stepped back—eyes still on me—and ran.

"Finally, it happened."

I turned sharply. Embry stood a few feet away with Quil, both grinning like idiots.

My pulse still hadn't slowed. "W–where's Seth?" I demanded, looking between them, praying that he was okay, that he wasn't the sandy wolf that just saved me.

Embry's grin widened. "Who do you think just saved your life?"

Before I could reply, Jacob walked out of the trees—shirtless, jeans torn, eyes heavy with guilt.

"We can explain," he said.

"Explain," I barked, crossing my arms though my hands were still shaking.

⸻

"So that's just it? The legends are real."

Every single one of them nodded.

We were in the living room now. The so-called pack. Leah wasn't here—Sam said she hadn't changed back yet and needed space. They hadn't said a word about Seth, and I was two seconds from snapping.