Imprint From Out Of Town {Staul-StilesxPaul}

Chapter 24: Pack trials

"So why visit on a Wednesday?" Mason wondered as he shoved another chip laden with dip in his mouth.

Paul shrugged from where I was leaning against his body, kissing the back of my neck absently before answering.

"Stiles texted me last night saying he told the sheriff, Emmett booked us tickets, and here we are," he said easily.

"Just like that?" Liam scoffed with a frown. "Don't you guys have jobs or something?" The frown didn't last as he stole a chip right out of Mason's hand.

"Yeah really! Who can just pick up and leave like that?" Jackson asked suspiciously with his eyes narrowed.

We were all scattered around the living room in the loft lazily. My body curled against Paul's felt so unbelievably good, and completely natural. As if we had been doing this for all our lives. His fingers tracing patterns against my bicep, my hand resting comfortably on his thigh... it was all so surreal. Perfect. Surrounded by pack- family- with my mate by my side, it made me feel all warm and fuzzy.

But I frowned at Jackson's suspicious behaviour.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked and made a face.

"It means... you expect us to just trust these guys?!" He threw his hands up as if the mere idea was outrageous. I bristled at the obtuse jock in front of me.

"It's fine babe," Paul murmured in my ear. His body straightened a little behind me, squaring his shoulders as he likely stared Jackson down. "Do you not know your emissary at all?" He asked skeptically, anger simmering under his words. "Stiles is incredibly intelligent, not to mention incredibly protective of all of you. Did you miss that both of your other alphas don't seem to have an issue with it? I'm in a Wolfpack too, I know how it works. If there was any doubt that you couldn't trust myself or Emmett, we wouldn't be sitting in your makeshift den."

The room was silent.

As the subtle smile stretched across my face, I realized that the anger Paul was feeling wasn't at being offended himself. It was because Jackson was questioning my judgement. The wolf stepping up to defend my honour made the warm, fuzzy feeling multiply exponentially.

My pack was looking at Paul with new eyes. I knew Lydia had picked up on the same thing I had, because she was measuring him up with a quirked brow before her eyes moved to me. She gave a subtle nod, as if to say that was all she needed to see to know he was worthy of me.

Jackson, however, was glaring in Paul's direction once again. But I picked up on the glint of respect that shone in his eyes. Not many would see it.

"I wasn't concerned about us," Jackson sneered, his eyes landing on me momentarily. Paul's arms tightened around me in response to Jackson's insinuation.

"You don't have to worry about that," Paul said quietly, and I was a little surprised at the admission. Paul wasn't the talk about your feelings type. "Hurting Stiles... I'm incapable. Literally."

I wondered how truthful that was. How far did the imprint bond go? Could he harm me? Maybe not intentionally. But I had seen Emily's face and put two and two together. So yes, unintentionally, he could technically hurt me. But I wasn't scared, or even remotely concerned. I knew how to handle myself around angry wolves- I had been doing it since I was sixteen. Hell, I'm an emissary of a whole pack of them. The vial of wolfsbane never left my pocket- and it was only for emergencies. But does wolfsbane work on the Quileutes? I would have to ask Paul later.

The werewolf's arms tightened around me again, as if he could read my thoughts or sense my emotions. He bent his head and laid a gentle, reassuring kiss on my right cheek. I turned slightly to gaze into his pleading eyes, as if he was begging me to not be afraid of him as I rubbed my nose against his in an Eskimo kiss. It was as if he had expected this all along- expected for me to be terrified of what he was- and was just waiting for the other shoe to drop. The sight of his desperate eyes made my heart crack in an unsettling way.