Imprint.

Five

Somehow, Carter's room was clean. The bed had been made, the floor devoid of empty pizza boxes, and the hamper full instead of the floor surrounding it. I was proud of him for keeping up with things while I was away.

The door opened and Dean walked in, holding two plates of food. Sausage gravy filled the plates.

I sat back against the head board and made room for him beside me. The sun was struggling to come into the room around the curtains but I refused to let them in. The light would have only added to my horrible mood.

"I need to apologize to your mom for last night." I mumbled. I felt guilty over how dinner ended the previous night. I couldn't eat anything, especially in the same room, and neither could the rest of them. Patricia ended up wrapping everything up and putting it in the fridge. So much for a nice family meal.

Dean glared at me. "You don't have to apologize for anything."

"Dean-"

"V, shut up. For once, just admit I'm right."

I took my plate from him. "You're not, by the way."

"So are you going to stay here?" He asked, changing the subject with a lighter tone in his voice.

"I can't go to my mom's without an explanation for why I dropped out of school and I can't go home. "

"Even if I went with you?"

"Everything reminds me of Will. It'd be too hard to be there without him."

He nodded and took a giant bite. "You could always stay with my mom. I know how much she likes seeing you."

"I couldn't impose."

"Please. Mom's had empty nest syndrome since I moved out."

I sighed. "I hate that this is so complicated."

He ruffled my hair and I glared at him. "I don't want you to hate me, too, but remember how things turned out with Will? Maybe you and Gage-"

I punched his arm. I knew it didn't hurt him like I wanted it to but at least he knew how I felt. "Remind me to have Carter kick your ass later. No way am I letting that happen. It's only been months, Dean. I couldn't do that to Will."

"He'd want you to be happy."

"That's what everyone says." I set the plate down in front of me, no longer hungry. The thought of being with Gage like I was with Will made me sick to my stomach. How could I do that to Will? And why would he want me to move on and be with someone else? That made no sense.

Dean finished his plate. "Just trust me, V. Will wouldn't want you to mope around and hide like you're afraid of human contact. He'd want you to be with someone that loves you."

"Gage doesn't love me. He only imprinted on me. There not the same things."

"Wouldn't it be nice if it was though?"

Before I could answer, the door opened and Carter stood in the doorway. He was breathing heavily and had only shorts on.

"Hey," He said to me. He turned his attention to Dean. "We're going on a run. You wanna come?"

"Nah, go without me."

He nodded. "When I get back, I'll beat your ass."

A small smile spread on my face and I glanced at Dean. He looked totally calm about it yet there was a tinge of pink in his cheeks that said otherwise.

Carter disappeared and it was just Dean and I.

"Can you see if he's gone? I need to get a shower and change." I said, running a hand through my tangled hair. College showers were awful. It wasn't like the water pressure was any better with the boys but at least no one would walk in one me.

Dean got to his feet and nodded at my plate. "You all done?"

I nodded.

He shoveled the food into his mouth like he'd been starving for days and swallowed it in almost one whole bite.

I cringed and shook my head. "You're disgusting."

He grinned at me before disappearing out of the room.