An (Im)Perfect Imprint (A Paul Lahote Imprint)

Chapter 9

He growled in frustration. "Mer, I'm not doing this because I'm scared of the thing. I'm doing it because it's what Sam thinks is right."

"How can you guys even attack? I'm on this side. You'd be attacking me and it is FORBIDDEN to attack one of the pack's imprint. How right is that?"

I was desperate throwing that card out there but I watched it take its effect on Paul. His jaw clenched and I took a step back. "Meredith," he began, "I can't abandon them."

I pressed my hands against his bare chest. "What do you think is right?"

"I think that unless the bloodsucker is running around killing people, it's not our business."

I said, "Paul, they aren't our enemy. They never been. It's half vampire and half human. So isn't it, even if half, our duty to protect it?"

Paul made an unintelligible noise. I took a deep breath, grabbing his hand. I whispered, "Please don't make me fight my pack."

He ripped his hand out of mine. "We're not your pack anymore," he hissed, "you made that pretty clear."

"You KNOW why I did that."

"Maybe I don't."

"Paul, I don't want to keep having the same argument. Didn't we just go over this?"

He turned away. I yelled, "You would have done the same damn thing you don't get to blame me for leaving you. It's not fair."

"You leaving me is not fair."

"Christ, Paul, shut up. You're acting like a two year old. I LEFT. Yes, I left because I had a duty to what I think is right. We agreed on this, that you were okay with this. Why didn't you say anything then, instead of bottling it up instead and let it manifest."

"How was I supposed to say I didn't agree when you just started talking to me?"

I made a face. "Don't let that get in the way of voicing your true opinion."

He yelled, "I didn't want you to go! I still want you to stay! I want you to come back where I can protect you instead of fighting you. I don't want to worry about you. You're not ready for this."

I recoiled. "Not ready," I seethed, "I think I'm more than ready for this."

"Of course you would think that! But when it comes to fighting leeches, I don't think you're ready. Do you remember the last time? I had to wait for you to wake up in a f*cking hospital bed for Christ's Sake, Meredith, and I don't want to do that again."

"If I do end up in a hospital bed, don't bother showing up. Wouldn't want to make you wait."

I spun on my heel and went to shift when he grabbed my wrist, pulling me into him. He gripped my face, forcing his lips onto mine. I grabbed at his shoulders and kissed him back deeply, forcing the argument away from my mind, knowing full and well this might be the last time I would see him before the fight.

His hand slipped down to my waist and the fact that we were both undressed came back into my mind with a flash. I kissed him back deeply, my chest moving rapidly as I sucked in aid. His air, my air, he smelled like the woods and just a hint of what I thought sunshine would smell like. Maybe that's was the imprint talking but as he lifted me off my feet and pressed me up against the tree.

His lips trailed down my neck when a wolf cries out.  I pushed off of him, scraping my back as I slid down the tree. I started running back to the Cullen's, calling over my shoulder, "Bye, I love you."

He yelled back, "I love you too, please be careful."

Instead of answering, I phased and when I turned back, he was gone.

***

Jake yelled in my mind, "The pack is coming so is the baby."

I was running the perimeter when I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. A dark shape popped out of the trees and I growled, baring my teeth. Collin and Brady showed theirselves and I whined. I didn't want to fight them. I was just outside the Cullen's house and I could hear Bella's screams from here. I could even hear Jake's frightened voice, trying to console her.

Carlisle was working rapidly but I knew there was no way we could rely on Edward or Jake, just leaving the rest of the Cullens. But I didn't want them to have to fight the guys. This pack was family and we might be in a feud. I knew what had to be done. I phased back and said, "Collin, Brady. I'm not going to fight either of you. This isn't right, c'mon guys. Tell Sam to call it off from me. Or tell him to come here so I can say it to his face. Please."

Sam emerged in human form. "I'm already here, Mer."

I whirled to face him. "Sam, please don't do this. I can't fight them, it's going against every bone in my body."

Sam sighed, "This is the only way."

"Sam, Paul is imprinted on me and vice versa. It is one of the most sacred laws that you can't harm an imprint. It's like putting the pack against Emily."

"Do not bring Emily into this. She didn't leave."

"Sam," I said not unkindly,"you act as if she wouldn't have done the same exact thing. So I'm going to bring every imprint into this. Jared, I know you're out there, how would you feel if you had to fight Kim?"

Sam growled, "Stop this, Meredith."

"I'm doing what I think is right as are you."

I phased back into form and Jared was back in my mind. "I would never be able to fight Kim."

He was running towards me now. Jake's mind floored into mine, "Mer, I imprinted. Tell them I imprinted. They can't touch her. They can't touch Renesmee."