Imprint.

Thirteen

"I could sleep on the couch, you know." Gage said, sitting on the bed beside me.

"I don't mind." Maybe I did. Maybe the thought of him sleeping in the same bed as Will once had bothered me. But I was trying to work things out with Gage and see how I felt about him.

"V, I know this is hard for you. I don't want to make it harder."

"You're not."

He held my gaze, trying to get me to change my mind.

I crawled under the covers. "I wonder how the new girl is adjusting."

"I'm expecting the couch to be shredded."

I laughed. "Is that what happened when you turned for the first time?"

"I was in gym class. We were running outside. One minute, I had two legs, the next, I had four."

"How did you handle that?"

"I thought I was dying. I wasn't exactly expecting it."

"Did anyone freak out?"

"I didn't want to tell anyone."

"How did you end up meeting Carter?"

"I was wandering in the woods, too afraid to tell my parents what happened. He took me back to his place and that's when I met the rest of the pack." He laid down beside me and crossed his arms under his head.

"Your parents just let you stay with him?"

"I was 18 when I moved out. Plus, I didn't tell them about the whole werewolf thing until I'd already moved in."

"Do your parents like Carter?"

He shrugged. "As much as you can like a werewolf, I guess. We don't really talk about it."

"What about me?"

"I haven't told them about you."

"Why not?"

"They wouldn't understand. Imprints are hard enough for me to understand."

"Do you think they'd like me?"

"It'd be hard not to."

"Thanks for staying with me tonight."

"You heard Carter. He kicked me out because he knew I wouldn't leave you there."

"I'm not helpless."

"No, but you're no match against a scared werewolf. Who knows what will happen when that girl wakes up."

"Having another girl around might make her feel better."

"It won't do any good if you're dead." He said harshly.

I sighed and rolled onto my side to face him. "I'm sorry. I know this is hard enough for you. I just hate being useless."

"You're not useless. You're keeping me entertained right now."

"You wouldn't be here if it weren't for me."

He pressed his lips to mine and my entire body froze. "There's nowhere else I'd rather be."

I stared at him, not sure what I was supposed to say or do. Kissing him back seemed like the right thing to do but I wasn't sure I could do it. I wasn't used to having anyone other than Will in my bed so it felt like cheating just having Gage there.

"I shouldn't have done that."

"I'm probably not what you expected when you imprinted."

"I wasn't expecting you to be anything. I didn't know what you would be like until the day I met you."

"I hope I'm not letting you down."

"Why would you think that?"

"There's been nothing but drama since I got here."

"Bentley still would have imprinted with or without you, you know."

"You should be with them right now. Not babysitting me."

He pulled me close, so close I could feel his breath on me. "Don't argue with me, V. I'm staying right here with you."

I knew he was right. He wasn't going to leave me. Not when I was likely to do something stupid.

Gage was catching on. I had to give him some credit.