What's Me Without You? ** ON HOLD**

Does Imprinting Even Matter?

"Quil stop it! I'll throw them back if I have too! And harder!!" I yell as quick throws pebbles at me.

"I don't think you will," he says as one hits me in the butt.

"Quil!!!" I scream before picking three good sized rocks up and throwing them at him full force.

"Oh shi-" he starts before jumping out of the way of the flying rock. It hits the tree behind him with a loud hollow bang.

"I told you!" I say.

"Well I'm sorry if I didn't believe you!" he says sarcastically.

"Wait," I hold a finger up to shush him, "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" he asks.

"SHH!" I clamp a hand over his mouth to shut him up.

I faintly hear, even with my wolf hearing, Jake explaining what imprinting is to Bella. I quickly and quitely jog out to his house and hide behind a tree and listen.

"It's like... like when you see her. Everything changes. All of the sudden it's not gravity holding you to the planet. It's her. Nothing else matters. You would do anything, be anything for her," Jake explains. Quil comes up behind me and follows suit. Being quiet and listening.

"Sounds like you know the feeling," Bella says, "Have you imprinted on someone?"

Jake hesitates, but finally says, "You'd know if I had."

A scowl makes its way to my face and I keep listening.

"So you haven't?" Bella asks.

He hesitates again, "No."

A very loud growl rips through by body as I take off running and phase. I'm sure Jake and Bella heard me.

Leah: [Alex?]

Me: [Yeah. It's me.]

Embry: [What happened?]

I allow the mental pictures to flood our wolf telepathy.

Leah: [That jerk!]

Paul: [Woah! I phased at the wrong time!]

Me: [It's fine Paul. I'm going to talk to Sam.]

I didn't realize how far I ran until I phased back and walked to Emily and Sam's.

"Back so soon? What's wrong?" Emily asks when I storm through the door.

"Where's Sam?" I ask with absolutely no emotion.

"In the living room," she says slowly. I storm into the living room and stand in front of Sam.

"Can we talk?" I ask rather harshly. He stands up and follows me outside into the backyard.

"What happened that got you so angry?" he asks.

I growl before explaining, and end with a growl, "That's what happened!"

"I don't even know what happens when a wolf denies their imprint," he says, "You should ask Billy at the bonfire tonight. He'd proabably know."

I growl, "I want to know now! Not in three hours!"

"Run it off. Three hours will go by faster than you think," he says before walking back inside.

I huff and turn my back to the house. I walk into the tree line and phase.

*Later That Night*

"Hey, how you holding up?" Quil jogs over to me when he sees me walking out of the tree line behind the Black's house.

"Better. Still pissed, but better," I say.

"So you're not going to sit by him or Bella?" he asks.

"There is no way in hell I'm going to sit by either of them!" I say defensively. Billy whistles to us, we jog over. I grab the few burgers left and sit down next to Quil on some driftwood.

The Quileutes have been a small tribe from the beiginning... but we have always had magic in our blood. We were great spirit warriors, shapeshifters who could transform into the powerful wolf. This enabled us to scare off our enemies and protect our tribe. One day our warriors came across a creature. It looked like a man, but it was hard like stone and cold as ice. Our warriors sharp teeth finally tore it apart... but only fire would completely destroy it. They lived in fear that the cold man was not alone, and they were right. She took her vengance out on the village. Our elder cheif, Taha Aki, was the only spirit warrior left to save the tribe after his son was killed. Taha Aki's Third Wife could see that he would lose. The Third Wife was no magical being, with no special powers but one: courage. The Third Wife's sacrifice distracted the cold woman long enough for Taha Aki to destroy her. She saved the tribe. Over time our enemies have disappeared, but one remains - The Cold Ones. Our magic awakens when they're near, and we sense it now. We feel the threat in our blood. Something terrible is coming and we must all be ready. All of us.

"Do you feel at least a little better now?" Quil asks me as Leah, Embry and Paul all shoot Jake and Bella death glares.

"Kinda, but I need to talk to Billy really quick. I'll be right back," I say before jogging off to Billy, and helping him get his wheelchair through the door.

"Thank you Alex," he says.

"It's nothing. I was hoping I could ask you a question," I say as I sit on the couch.

"Anything," he says.

"Well... what happens when a wolf denies their imprint?" I ask, "does my imprinting even matter if i'mjust going to be denied anyway?"

"First of all, who did you imprint on?" he asks.

"Jake," I respond.

"Hmmm," he thinks,"I don't think I've ever heard of anything like this. I'm sorry."

"It's alright Billy. I'll figure something out," I say, "I'll see you soon though!'

I walk out the front door, only to run into Jake.

"Hey, you alright?" he asks.

"Fine," I grumble before pushing my way past him.

He grabs my arm and spins me around and says, "No you're not. What's wrong?"

"Nothings wrong! Except for the fact that my imprint denied me! So if you'll excuse me, I'd like to go home!" I yell at him before yanking my arm away from him and getting in my car and driving off with tears streaming down my face.

Does imprinting even matter anymore?