Hope Mikaelson in La Push

Chapter 9: Imprint

Hope's POV:

As Paul and I walk down the beach, my shoes in hand so I don't mess them up, it's silent. Neither of us talk. There's so much to say, but to words to say it. I finally break the silence. "So this whole time, when you were ignoring me, it was because of Sam's gag order?" I ask.

He nods quickly in response. "Hope, you have no idea how much I wanted to be there for you through all of this. When I heard about your parents...I'm so sorry. You needed me and I couldn't be there for you." He says, looking directly into my eyes sadly.

I smile softly at him and grab his hand in mine, squeezing it in reassurance. "I know you would have been there if you could now. When I first got back I was angry, then I was sad, then hurt. Now, I see that you had no choice." I tell him.

"You needed me and I abandoned you." He mumbles. "Hey, don't think like that." "How are you doing anyways." He asks me as we continue to walk, not letting go of each other's hands the entire time.

"I'm ok. Not great, but I'm getting there. I'm always going to miss them, that's never going to change, but I'll live. I promised them I'd live." I tell him. He nods and squeezes my hand. "I promise you'll never have to go through anything alone ever again." He tells me.

"You promised me that when we were nine." "And I broke it so now I'm renewing that promise. This time for good." I nod, leaning my head on his shoulder as we walk. "So what did Sam want you to explain to me? I know it's not general shifter things because I now about that already."

He looks down, but I can still see the blush that coats his face. "Uh, so what all do you know about shifters?" "Well, I know you turn when there are Cold Ones in town. I know that you can read each other's minds and are very fast. You are more resilient. What else is there?"

"Well, what do you know about imprints?" I furrow my brows. "Imprint? Never heard of it. What is it?" I ask. Suddenly he stops and I turn to face him, a look of confusion flitting across my face at the word.

"Well, an imprint is very important to a shifter. It's kind of like their soulmate. As soon as we make eye contact with our imprint it's like gravity shifts and the only thing holding you down is her. We would do anything...be anything for them." He takes a deep breath before continuing.

"A friend, a brother, a lover. They're our wo told." He tells me. I feel my heart drop slightly. "So you found yours I'm assuming?" I ask, looking down. "Yeah, I did." Pain fills my chest at the news, but I force a smile onto my face.

"Well, you'll have to introduce to her then." I mumble, turning to continue walking down the beach. Paul pulls me back, spinning me around so I stumble and have to brace my hand against his bare chest. "Hope it's you. I imprinted on you." He breaths. My breath hitches. "Me?"

He nods. "You." "B-but what does that mean? For us at least." He reaches up a hand to cup my cheek. "Whatever you want it to mean Princess." For the first time I blush at the nickname he's called me since we were kids. It means something else now. Something more.

"I don't know what I want it to mean. I'm so confused right now Paulie. Until recently you were my best friend, but while I was away I started to gain feelings for you, and then you weren't there and now I don't know where that leaves us." I explain to him.

He brings his other hand up now and I grip his wrists as he holds my face in his hands. "That's ok. We can figure this out together, ok?" I nod. "Ok." "Come on, it's about to rain and you'll catch cold out here if you get wet. I roll my eyes.

"I've never been since with a normal illness in my life Paul Lahote, you should know that." I remind him as his hands drop and the moment fades into something more normal to us. "I know, but why test the waters." I laugh and grab onto his hand.

Together we walk towards my house, satisfied with having the other back in our lives. When we reach my house it's just starting to rain. I check the time. 5:37 PM. "I'm gonna cook something to eat. You're welcome to stay." I tell him as we enter my house.

"Sure. I don't have patrol until 8." He tells me. I nod and together we go towards my kitchen. I quickly cook some pasta and spaghetti sauce. Simple, but good. We sit at the island and catch up on each others lives from the past few months.

"So you're telling me there's a reason for you to be a hothead?" I tease as eh tells me how much his temper has increase since shifting. "Hey, I wasn't always bad." I give him a 'really?' look. He's always had a short temper.

"A guy tripped me on accident at school and you broke his nose and gave him a black eye." I remind him. "He should have been paying attention to where he was going." He argues. "Still not a good reason."

I grin at him, happy that things are getting back to normal and now I don't have to hide anything from him. He checks the time and sighs. "I have to go on patrol. I can come back after if you want." He says. I shrug. "I'll be fine if you just want to go back to your house in sleep."

It's his turn to give me a 'really?' look. "You know I never just want to go home. I'll see you after patrol." With that he kisses my cheek and exits the house. I blush at this. What is this imprint bond doing to me? Then again, these are all my feelings.

I didn't imprint on him, he imprinted on me. I'm a mess. A mess that's falling for her best friend.