Anna Begins [Paul Lahote]

Chapter Thirteen

Anna

As a whole, the bonfire was going well. I wasn't making the best impression, but I wasn't making the worst impression either. I was kind of just...there. Emily was great. Paul was nice, too, but his easy banter with Felicity reminded me of my past suspicions that he had feelings for her—which I shouldn't have cared about. He never promised me anything grand, all he'd ever said was that I was important to him. And that we'd be perfect together...but he didn't specify as what so really any disappointment I had was caused by my own assumptions.

It was a relief that no one bothered me much as I ate, though, and it was like Paul knew I needed attention off me so I'd be comfortable enough to keep anything down. Until the big show with the cookie, that was, but I was saved right after that by the elders calling attention for the legends.

I'd been to Forks many times in my life and was aware of La Push, but I'd never heard even a little bit about the legends of the Quileute tribe. So it was all new to me as I listened in awe as the man they called Old Quil spoke. Based on the hush that fell over our group, I wasn't the only one even though the others had likely heard them more than once before.

My eyes were locked on Old Quil, but I could practically feel Paul's gaze burning into the side of my face as he watched my reactions. I wasn't sure what I gave away other than intrigue.

I learned a lot. How their ancestors merged with wolves to protect their people. How generation after generation followed in their footsteps whenever Cold Ones were near to keep the tribe safe. How a certain clan, who had to be the Cullens, came along and made a treaty to live nearby but never breach Quileute land.

The last one, and I had a feeling this one was intentionally saved for last because it required going all the way back in the timeline, was about the Third Wife. A woman who sacrificed herself to save her tribe. And how her husband, the first wolf of the tribe, never changed back to human form after, instead remaining with her body to protect it in the afterlife.

"Though there is no certainty, many believe this was the first imprinting," Old Quil said. "And as our ancestors devoted their lives to shifting and keeping our people safe in wolf forms, a select few were gifted with their own imprints. One person to be their highest priority, to bring them the greatest joy, to be their sun, moon, and everything. To this day, as our boys and men shift into wolf forms, some are graced with their own imprints to walk by their side as they make the sacrifice of protecting. Bringing more special members into our tribe in the process," he added, with a pointed look at Felicity...then me.

Me? I barely noticed the rest of his words as he wrapped it up, mentioning something about how today's pack was not only larger than those in the past but also was showing a greater number of imprints. My mind was so caught up in the look he gave me. Special members brought into the tribe...being let in on the secret? Because they were imprints? He'd looked at Felicity too...

"Anna?" Paul asked, shifting nervously beside me.

I looked over at him, trying my best to focus on him. "Yeah?"

"So..."

"So?"

He watched me, his eyes raking over my expression. He hadn't looked away much, if at all, throughout the whole telling of the legends, so I didn't think he'd find anything new there, but I was too dazed to say anything about it. "Maybe we should take a walk?"

"A walk?" Was I turning into a parrot? Maybe a broken record? His own personal echo? I was going to be so embarrassed about this later when I could process it.

Paul rolled his eyes with a sigh. "Yes. We're going to take a walk. That way we can talk this all out and you can ask questions and we can have some privacy." He said the last word pointedly toward Felicity and Jacob who were still nearby and clearly paying attention to our exchange.