A/n: So like I've done extensive research for this imagine. I've lost sleep. I hope it's as accurate as hard as I've worked for it to be.

Laughter echoed as Jake, Embry, Quil, and I made our way down First Beach. It was an especially sunny, warm day in La Push but we were staying out of the water today. I was sick and I'd made the boys vow to stick with me, not wanting to be lonely and without my best friends. They didn't want to have fun without me anyway, while I was stuck home and miserable. And so they convinced my parents to let me out into one of the rare sunny days. It wasn't cold or rainy and I wasn't THAT sick.

So her we were as Embry rammed into me jokingly, making me almost topple over. He'd grown so much recently and he was still sometimes unaware with just how large he was and how much force and strength he had behind every playful shove. I tripped into Jake, who caught me and set me right again. "I was going to say I'm sorry, but, actually, you're welcome," Embry teased.

Rolling my eyes, I glared at one of my three best friends. "You're a moron."

Quil laughed, his head thrown back. "Oh come on we all know how IN LOVE with Jacob you are," he teased.

Refusing to blush, I rolled my eyes. "Of course I love him." I grinned at Jake, who was blushing enough for the both of us. "He's my best friend."

Looping his arm around my shoulders and tucking me into his side, Jake nodded and sighed. "You're right," Embry sighed. "Jake's head over heels sick for Bella Swan anyway."

Quil crowed, his laughter a sound that washed over me in a physical reaction. But before K could join him, my eyes fell to the side of our path as we walked towards the water. We were meaning to turn to the right and those I had spotted were to the left, but I nudged Embry, smirking and motioning to the group. "Speak of the Devil."

On cue, Jacob's attention was caught and he perked up. A puppy whose owner just came home after a long day at work. My heart sunk as he subconsciously divvied from our original path, nodding for me and the other two boys to follow him as he made his way to Bella and her friends who seemed to be visiting La Push today. Of all days. Of course.

As they interacted, my blood boiled.it wasn't that I did like Jacob- I had gotten over my crush on him years ago. Plus he would never feel the same even if I did have feelings. It wasn't the way he doted on her that angered me, it was the way he was so obviously into her and so obviously... wasn't. The way her fake smile and widened eyes and weak attempts fell short, her attention far more pricked by talk of the Cullen's than it had by anything else. Even Jake, the boy practically begging her eyes to fall in him and stick and stay and really see him and admire. It was the way she flirted to get information and called him her best friend as if she wasn't just using him to get to someone else.

She was annoying and totally bitchy and I couldn't stand her.

It was only a matter of time before Jacob saw how ridiculous and annoying she was as well. Then he would find a girl worth his time and I would have him back again to be by his side as his best friend.

Bella didn't go away. In fact, it took Bella having a total mental break down for me to finally convince him that she would never be into him. When Bella started hovering he wavered but another quick talk with me opening his eyes to her constant using him brought him back again and he set a firm friendship with Bella.

Unfortunately for me, not only was she happy to be friends with him, she was good at it. She got those stupid bikes and sponged all his time with fixing it. They spent tons of time together and I felt like I was a third wheel friendship wise. In the romance world I'd be the girlfriend while my boyfriend flirted with his best friend, but in this world I WAS his best friend and he smiled as letting her take my place. I was just as jealous and bitter as I had right to be.

It didn't help that Embry had ditched Jake, Quil, and me. I'd been the one that tried he longest, but even I could be pushed far enough to stop forgiving and cease trying. It was hardest on Quil, who was his closest best friend such as Jacob and I were each other's closest friends. But it hurt a lot to loose both of them, and Quil and I bonded a lot over the pain of loosing our friendship soulmates. When Jacob started avoiding me on purpose, getting colder and more serious, I figured he was calling it off for good.

Just as I was excepting defeat and trying to picture a life where Jacob and I weren't impossible to separate, Bella called me. "Y/n?"

My eyebrows knit in confusion. "Bella?"

"Hey," She greeted breathlessly. My face twisted in contempt. "Do you know what's going on with Jake? He's been acting odd and distant and he was really sick and... aim worried, and you're closer and his best friend and I thought you might know?"

My heart crazed. "Bella, you know that Jake and I haven't hung out alone and for an extended amount of time since you brought him your bikes... right?" Her silence stretched and I got nervous. "I thought he was spending all his time with you? He's been avoiding me."

Her voice went silent for another long stretch of time. "He hasn't been spending as much time with me as you think. Not nearly as much." A pause. "I think it has to do with Sam Uley's gang." When I voiced my confusions, she told me everything she knew about them and all of the reactions and cues she'd gotten from Jacob about them. "Do you want to come with me to his house to see what's up?"

Nodding even though she couldn't see me, I confirmed, "Meet me at his house in an hour."

"I'll be there in half an hour."

I smiled. "Then so will I."

-

We met at the end of Jacob's driveway, making our way to his front door. I'd never had a close girl friend before, but for once since I'd properly met the girl, she wasn't annoying or burdensome. I felt stronger with her by my side. Supported. It was easy to storm up to the Black door and push our way past Billy to see Jacob curled in bed. "His hair," I whispered.

She looked at me, startled. "How long has it been since you two have-" I shot her a pained look and horror filled her eyes. She hadn't realized the extent of our separation. She hadn't realized how bad it had gotten... just then her eyes caught something behind me and as I went to look back at Jake, my eyes turned instead to follow hers. Our jaws must have hardened at the same time because we turned in step and stormed past Billy and back out the door again to steam roll our way towards Sam and his gang, approaching slowly but surely. It had all started with them...

Bella pushed a little ahead and I grew back to support her. She straightened, strengthened by my presence at her side. "What did you do?" She demanded. She shoved Sam and Paul went to defend him but Sam grunted a warning, turning back to Bella with a raging hot glare. "What did you do to him? He didn't want this!"

Paul stepped forward, his nostrils flaring, and I stepped up to Bella defensively. Sam looked at me as if seeing me for the first time and I jutted my chin out. "What did we do?" Paul demanded. "What did HE do? What did he tell you?"

Sam snapped to attention, pulling Paul away from Bella. "Both of you calm down," he demanded.

It was obvious Paul tried but Bella didn't even pause, her voice overlapping his. "Nothing," she admitted helplessly. "He tells me nothing because he's scared of you." Immediately I flared, my blood temperature rising, and Sam's eyes flickered to me briefly again before leaving, dismissing me. That made it even worse.

Jared laughed. "Do you think this is a joke?" I demanded, my voice dripping with venom. The boys kept fighting and as I went to lash out, Bella beat me to it. Her hand whopper out, her palm flattening with a resounding smack against Paul's face. Eyes followed her hand but no one could stop it and I grinned.

"Too late now," Jared chimed and I instinctively pulled Bella behind me, my eyes locking with Paul's as he began heaving, his face contorting as the air seemed to heat.

"Both of you get back!" Sam called. I was stepping back, shoving Bella. Protecting her. I don't know when she went from the one person I hated to the one I would die for, but here we were. I felt threatened and I was putting myself in this position for her anyway. Sam kept talking to Paul, trying to calm him down, but he didn't seem to be responding. And as his anger grew, my body tended and I stared him down, continuing to push Bella back as I got more and more protective. She gasped in my ear as she stumbled and fell on her butt. I was forced to stop, not nearly as far as I'd like to be but completely unwilling to leave Bella.

My lips pulled back over my teeth as Paul suddenly lurched forward, his body elongating and stretching and bending until he was-

A growl ripped through me as Bella tended against my leg. Sam and Jared both started, surprised by my reaction as I took the new threat in stride. Anger pulled through me and I wanted to tear into this beast. This dog the size of a bear.

This werewolf.

Perhaps muddled in shock, I didn't even waver. I reached down, pulled Bella up with one hand and then grunted, "Run."

"I'm not leaving without you-" she began.

"RUN!" I roared.

Startled, she tripped away from me as my skin bubbles and wavered, my body so tense and my hands so clenched and my jaw so tight that I began to blaze and ache. Her hand retrenched sharply from my skin, hissing as if she'd been burned. Finally the fear got to her and she turned and booked it toward the house. Sam watched, eyes wide, as if waiting for something to happen.

But my eyes were on Paul.

I heard Bella scream something but it didn't register. "JAKE, JAKE-" and then something violent tore through the air above me and I stumbled as I looked up, my concentration broke for he first time since Paul had gotten aggressive as a beautiful, brown wolf soared over my head, landing solidly in front of me. As the fear mixed with the anger it all reached higher velocity of emotion than I ever thought I'd be capable of. I heard Bella calling my name as the brown wolf raced at the wolf that used to be Paul.

All I could think about was the pain. The sudden burning in my body had reached excruciating and I was on the ground, contorting in seconds. In the chaos of the moment, Jake and Paul were pushing their fight intro he woods while Embry - who'd I'd just registered in my moment of sudden hyper awareness - and Jared pulled Bella towards her truck on Sam's orders. And then Sam was over me, his hands hovering over me. He finally grabbed my face, forcing my eyes to lock with his. "Let it happen," he commanded.

And just like that I felt that ripping and tearing and tugging, like my skin was trying to burst open and reveal all my insides. The feeling I'd been fighting against, struggling to keep myself literally together, was so easy to let go off. Like holding onto a rope- it hurt less once you let go. I was blinking and in pain and whispering and everything felt out of place and wrong, the world looked weird and my senses were exploding with input. I closed my eyes, curled into as tightly a ball as I could as I felt the pain and fear and anger still roiling inside of me.

Be still be still be still. Don't lash out, don't hurt anyone. Channel the pain, control the fear, guide the anger. Don't hurt anyone. You won't be like him.

Quiet fell as I felt a hand on my body. It felt oddly small and the voice was a bit distant and muddled, like I was hearing it through something. "Her too, huh?"

"Apparently."

A pause. "Jake, I need you to take Paul to Emily's. He's calm now and he needs food. I'll help Y/n."

"But she's my-"

"GO, Jake." There were no further arguments. Silence for a beat or two again until Sam whispered, "Y/n?" I opened my eyes and he spoke slowly and smoothly, explaining everything all at once as I simply sat and absorbed it all. We were there for maybe an hour as he made me aware and pushed past that shock as fast as possible. When he finally got me to accept what I was, he stepped back and shifted as well so that I could watch it again. Just as Paul, he seemed to bend forward and stretch out. His skin turned to fur and he stood in front of me on all furs as a jet black wolf.

Now all of the Bear stories made sense.

Horror filled me. I'm a monster from a horror novel... Dear god.

You accepted that faster than most have.

My eyes widened. Can you hear me?

He began to explain the life of a wolf and all it meant rather than just what I was and the world it meant we lived in. He finally got me to my feet, helping me experiment in this body that was mine and yet still so foreign and new and terrifying. He told me almost everything he knew- I could somehow sense that he was holding something back- and then walked me through the process of returning human again. It took a few tries and a lot of panicking, but I finally amazed it. Slowly and painfully but an all in all success.

Once he had grabbed one of Jake's shirts and shorts (on Billy's offer), he knelt next time as I stared at the ground blankly, needing fresh air and sitting criss-cross-apple-sauce on the ground outside to get it.

He sighed. "Do you want to go home for today? You can meet everyone another time."

I nodded, but then he stood to offer to take me, I brushed him off. "I'm not far. Thanks though, Sam." I pushed passed him, snapping at him when he pushed for it again.

Backing off, he just grunted. "Y/n." I paused, looking over. "You're one of us now. We have your back. No matter what, you're one of us."

That was weirdly reassuring. They knew what I was going through. How I was feeling and thinking. Now I could see why those who knew what Sam Uley and his gang really were liked him. His gang. No. His PACK. The pack I was apart of now. The family I was apart of now. It means leaving behind Quil, but I would be reunited with Embry and Jake again and I had this new friendship with Bella. Quil would be okay. And I didn't have a choice. Sam could help me learn. That would have to be enough.

-

It had been two or three days since I'd let myself out of my house. Sam had come by once and my father had sent him away, his anger and aggression enough to make Sam aware that he couldn't get involved without losing control and doing something he'd regret. Jake came by a lot, always with the same greeting as Sam had gotten, but never giving up. It was when Bella came by that I knew they were worried.

Due to high levels of protectiveness, I intervened between Bella and my dad before anything could get out of hand. "It's okay, dad. I'm sorry I must have forgotten to tell you, but I have a night out planned with my friend here. She convinced me to get out of the house again." I smiled at him and he grumbled, stumbling with his half drunk self back inside. I sighed and closed my door, avoiding Bella's eyes as we began walking.

"Is he always like that?" She asked quietly. "Sam told me he got violent when he was here."

I flinched. "No he's not always like that," I admitted. "When other people are around he pretends to be nice." Her eyes widened and found my face but I still didn't look at her. "Sam and the others asking about me?"

After a second, she grunted, pushing my home life aside to face the impending doom I'd been avoiding. "They need you. And miss you. And are in general worried about you." I sighed but then she added gently, "Quil's a wolf too."

My eyes closed and we paused. "Poor kid."

Bella caught my arm and I made the mistake of looking at her. Her face grew extremely worried. "You haven't been well." It was a statement. An observation. I didn't waste my breath arguing. We began walking again until we reached her car. She drove me to Emily's in silence, ya getting out and making our way into the house. Heads popped up, eyes falling on the two of us as we entered. No one moved until Sam made his way to me, Embry and Quil in the corner shuffling concernedly.

The Alfa nodded to me, his face softer than I'd ever seen it. "Welcome, Y/n."

Making a soft smile as an effort, I returned, "I feel welcomed." Someone laughed and the tension eased. They went back to planning and Bella said her greeting before she took off for home. Sam told me that Jacob was out on patrol with Paul and Leah and Jared were catching up on sleep while they could. They caught me up on all I missed and I caught my breath, nodding along. "You're handling this well?" That was a question. I gave him a tight smile and nodded. He managed a sad smile and then moved on.

The atmosphere lightened and I was beginning to feel much more at ease when this shift for patrol ended. Quil and Embry popped up from their seats as the door opened. I looked over to see Paul come through and then Jake. After I saw Jake though, everything else became black and gray. It was all a blur as I watched him moving towards me, offering a small greeting to me, obviously glad that I there to be greeted.

So overwhelmed by the drastic and sudden change to the world around me, I froze. My body demanded I move closer, my hands itching to feel his skin- whether I grabbed his hand or just hugged him. I wanted to feel him against me and better take in his scent that was so tantalizing from where I was sitting. I knew he would be warm and soft and my inside revolted against my hesitation.

His eyebrows knitted in concern. "Y/n, are you okay?"

I blinked and looked away, running a hand through my hair as my wild gaze landed on my feet and I tried to catch my breath. I felt as if I'd fallen out of a tree, my free hand landing flat on the table as my knees wobbled. What was wrong with me? I was sitting down!

Jake jerked forward to help me but I put my hand up, biting my lip hard as my palm brushed against his bare chest. "No, no it's okay," I gasped, chuckling sheepishly. "Sorry it just got really hot in here. I need some fresh air." I pushed myself to my feet, avoiding eyes as I made my way outside. As I passed Jake and took a step away from him again, I felt the blazing need for him inside me ignite again as it had been before he got close. The further away I was, the stronger it got. It was painful, but it was insistent and hard to breathe. It was crushing. Like someone was locked in my rib cage, trying to bust the bones of my body that made their cell bars.

The cool night air hit me and I relaxed, burying my face between my knees aft r sitting down and leaning my head against a tree at the edge of the Forrest at the side of Emily's house. "Are you sure you're okay?"

A laugh bubbles out of me, the burning need easing instantly as I recognized Jacob's voice. "Can- can you get Sam please? I have a question for him." I opened my eyes but couldn't meet Jake's. I saw his head tilt.

He offered, "I can answer questions too."

That scared me though. Whatever this was I didn't want Jake to know about it. After I didn't respond, Jake sighed and turned to jog back inside to get Sam, who was here a few moments later. "Y/n, what's going on?"

Feeling empty and hallow so far away from Jake but able to meet Sam's eyes, I crossed my legs and looked up at him. "Is there anything you didn't tell me about being a wolf?"

Sam heaved a heavy breath before sitting cross legged across from me. "I think the only thing I didn't go over in detail is that we're telepathically connected as wolves, as well as the imprinting thing." My eyebrow rose. He rubbed the back of his neck as he explained it, talking about how it was an our-pack thing, started by our ancestors some mysterious way. He continued to explain how he experienced imprinting and told me everyone in the pack who'd imprinted so far, going through the steps and into detail. Really explaining it. His eyes seemed to search mine and I wondered if he knew. The longer he talked, the more sure I was. I'd imprinted on Jacob Black.

Wonderful.

Once he'd finished, I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Is there anyway to undo it?" I asked, opening my eyes to meet his again.

He scoffed in an amused way. "No. Not that you'd really want to, though." I rose my eyebrow dubiously. "This person you imprint on, they're your, like... I can't explain it. You don't have to be in love with them or end up together. I've seen friendships in the past between imprints, and it's so strong and unbreakable and something anyone wants in a friendship. Relationships with someone you imprint on are magical, though. It's like the universe telling you who you could be happy with forever."

My frown didn't waver. "What if they reject you?"

Sam's smile shook. "That... is highly unlikely." When I shot him another look, he sighed. "The person you imprinted on is drawn to you just as you're drawn to them. Your devotion and love and loyalty is what seals the deal, but even before that there's an undeniable pull. Not anywhere near as strong as our pull, but whether it be your smile or laugh or how you talk or what kind of person you present yourself as, they find you attractive. Like how magnets, one experience a much weaker pull. A pull all the same though."

My eyes fell to the dirt. "What if you imprint on another one of our pack?"

Sam grew quiet for a second. "Is it one of the people who already imprinted?" I shook my head. "Then you should be fine."

Voice low, I offered, "But can't he imprint on someone else just as easily as I can imprint on him?" My gaze found him. "Who all imprinted again?"

He swallowed. "All?" A glare took hold of my face as I realized he hadn't given me every name of those who'd imprinted. He sighed. "Me, Leah, Quil, Jared..." he voice filtered off.

"Sam," I snapped.

A sigh escaped him. "And Jacob."

My heart shattered. "Who did they imprint on?"

Sam avoided my eyes. "Why do you-?"

"WHO, Sam?" I flinched. I didn't want to talk to Sam like that. "Please," I added softly. He wasn't one to be Alpha and forceful for no reason but he was still my alpha.

Another sigh. "I imprinted on Emily, Leah imprinted on me." My eyes went wide and his face grew sad. We both quickly moved on to avoid the topic. "Jared and Quil's imprints you won't know." My heartbeat quickened. "And Jacob..." he shrugged.

My vice broke as I asked, "Did he in leona on Bella?"

Sam looked at me for a few seconds and I took that as my confirmation. My insides shriveled and I groaned, laying down on the dirt. "Did you imprint on him?"

I shook my head. "No," I lied. "No no no."

Another voice joined us and my body light on fire. "You did, didn't you?"

My eyes flew open to find Jacob's face. "When-?"

Jacob gave an amused huff. "I've been here the whole time. You're having a hard time with your abilities." I shrugged wordlessly. Sam stood and left without a farewell as the tension built, understandably not wanting to be between this exchange. I shot to my feet the second he was out of sight, booking it away from him. Unfortunately, he seemed to have the easiest time keeping up with me. "Y/n." I ignored him. "Y/n." He caught my arm, stopping me and turning me to face him in once movement. "Y/n!"

"What?!" I seethed, Ripping my arm away from him. "What do you want from me?" I was aching and burning and I didn't know what to do with how overwhelming it all was.

"Did you imprint on me?"

"NO!" I roared.

His eyebrows came together. "Don't lie to me. You did."

"No I didn't!" I insisted desperately, feeling my heart rise into my throat to choke me. I turned away from him and went to walk away.

This time he didn't follow after me, but his words stopped me. "It hurts, doesn't it? It feels like everything's wrong and the world is ripping sideways. Every step away causes pain or pressure or chaos or something and your body seems to be reacting on its own. You JUST imprinted too so you're not even used to it yet. You haven't had to deal with it long term."

"And you have?" I asked, bitter.

A small noise I couldn't quite pin came from him. So quiet I couldn't even hear it with my tunes in ears. There was a long pause. "It has to be killing you, literally, to be away from me right now." I felt the shattered pieces of my heart ache and crossed my arms over my chest, trying to put it back together. He moved into my peripheral vision, his hand reaching out for me. I flinched away from his touch. "You're just going to imprint on me and not wait for my answer?" He asked softly, amusement lilting his voice.

My eyes snapped to his, angry. "You imprinted on Bella. What the HELL DO YOU WANT FROM ME?"

He actually busted up laughing. He rushed at me, pressing my back against a tree as I stumbled back. A smile on his lips, he leaned close, his breath tickling the shell of my ear as our bodies pressed flushed together. "Say it. I really want to hear you say it." He was enjoying this somehow and it was so dramatically unlike him. Enjoying my pain? Like this? Forcing me to admit something that would break me?"

Hate for him began to blossom as my stomach flipped and my heart grew spiked and painful. "I imprinted on you."

His lips were suddenly on mine and all of the cold hardness melted away instantly. I moaned at the contact, instantly string lost in him. His hands pressed into my waist and my hands moved to his hair, my fingers twining into the short dark strands. Somewhere in my mind recognized that this was going to make it harder for me to move on later, but it didn't matter right now. If he was pity kissing me, fine. If this was the only time I got to kiss him I'd make it count. I didn't hold back, my tongue moving past my lips to slide along his. He gasped in surprise and I slipped my tongue inside his mouth, exploring and memorizing everything. He hummed.... purred.

He pulled away and I leaned forward to get more time, desperately holding onto what ministration I had, but he held me back. "I imprinted on you, you dork."

My eyes widened, my awareness suddenly acute after I'd been so groggy once he'd kissed me. I'd slipped and been lost in him but now I was painstakingly aware of reality. "You...?"

He grinned. "I love you."

My eyes watered as I pulled him to me again, crashing our lips together passionately. I leaned away quickly, letting a word slip out between each kiss I gave him. "You... mother... fucking... ass... hole."

He laughed and I was smiling and we were pressed together, his forehead resting on mine and every few second moving to exchange another kiss. He whispered, "And they all loved Happily Ever After?" quietly and I giggled.

"I love you too," was all I could think to say in response.