Early Imprint [Book 3] ✔️

6 • Drunken State

QUIL'S POV

A couple of months before Claire turned eight, her family decided to take a trip down to Florida to see some of Stacy's cousins. They were going to be gone two weeks...two weeks. And I wasn't going to be able to follow them.

For one thing it would take me too long to get back and forth. And for another thing, I was a business man now. Embry and I had opened up a garage together with Jacob as our head mechanic. The setup gave Jacob the flexibility to leave town with the Cullens when the time came. Besides all that, Claire deserved a childhood that didn't have me hovering nearby every second. I didn't want to smother her, no matter how much pain it caused me.

Putting on a brave face, I went up to Makah to say goodbye to Claire. When I got there Nicolas and Cora were already strapped in the car. Nicolas waved nonchalantly at me as he jabbered nonstop to Stacy. Cora had her I-Pod headphones in her ears, and she was bopping her head to whatever she was listening to. Claire was standing outside of the car and was holding me in a death grip.

"I don't wanna go without you, Quil," Claire sobbed, her thin arms wrapped tightly around me.

"Listen, you are going to have so much fun, you won't even miss me," I assured her, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. I felt like my heart was shattering into a million pieces.

"No, I won't, I won't have any fun without you." Claire cried hysterically. I saw Ronnie glace nervously at his watch. Sighing, I knelt down on the ground so that I was face to face with Claire.

"Claire I want you to go to Florida, and I want to have a good time with your cousins. And I want you to give Mickey Mouse a great big hug for me, okay?

Claire stopped crying, but kept sniffling quietly. "Okay Quil."

"Okay," I smiled back.

She latched her arms around my neck one more time and whispered, "I love you Quil. I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, kiddo."

"Claire, honey, we need to get going." Ronnie said gently. Claire nodded solemnly and started to move into the car but stopped.

"You think Barnaby will miss me too?" Claire asked. I was startled by that. Claire hadn't mentioned her night time friend in a long time.

"I'm sure Barnaby will miss you something fierce." I replied. I saw Ronnie give me a funny look as a slight smile appeared on his lips.

"Love you, Quil," Claire said again as she climbed into the car.

"Love you too, Claire-bear," I told her. Ronnie shook my hand and climbed in the car. I heard the vehicle start and they soon were headed down the driveway.

As soon as they were out of sight, I ran into the woods and quickly phased and followed them until they reached the city border of Seattle. I found a spot where I could hide and I waited. I waited a couple of hours watching the different planes fly overhead. One was soon in the air and I knew that it had Claire on it. I felt the pull between us tug painfully at me as I watched the plane disappear on the horizon. I howled in pain. Someone jogging a mile away froze and then took off running at full speed in the opposite direction of where I was.

I got up and left the area quickly. As soon as I was far enough away I slowed down. I didn't know how I was going to handle Claire being out of sight for so long. Last time, I tried to avoid seeing Claire for even a day, I suffered crippling pain. I could only hope now that I was a little bit older and had more experience as a wolf; the pain wouldn't be as debilitating.