Early Imprint [Book 3] ✔️

32 • Barnaby's Return

CLAIRE'S POV

I let myself into the house after Quil dropped me off. I could hear arguing. It sounded like Gracie was fighting with her parents again. I could understand that she was a teenager and her hormones were all over the place, but she really had become miserable to be around lately. Thinking back to my teen goth days, I could only hope that this phase with Gracie lasted as long as mine had.

Of course, I had gone all goth because of my teenage heartache over Quil. I didn't know what was bugging Gracie. She wouldn't talk about it, but I was pretty sure it had something to do with Ryan. My aunt's words soon confirmed my train of thought.

"You're punishing Ryan for something he can't help," Emily stated.

"What does it matter anyway?" Gracie raged. "Don't I have a choice in who my friends are? Why do I have to be friends with Ryan...he's too old anyway."

I smiled at that. I had thought Quil was old at one point in my life. Now I couldn't imagine life without him.

I felt myself frown. I never really thought about it before, but how old was Ryan anyway? He was like Quil. He never seemed to age. Good genes or not, it was weird.

"You didn't seem to think he was too old six months ago." My Uncle Sam said with impatience in his voice.

I froze in the hallway. Six months ago was around the time I had gotten hurt. I could feel the demons trying to pull me back down to hell. The same hell I had lived in when I first woke up in the hospital. I pushed those dark thoughts away and instead shifted my focus to Quil.

When I had woken up from my coma, the first thing I was conscious of was Quil being in my room. And whenever I had felt miserable after the attack, Quil was always there. There were times when I had wanted to give up on life, but Quil had been by my side, fighting for me and protecting me like he always did.

"Six months ago, I didn't know what a freak Ryan was." Gracie yelled, interrupting my thoughts. I could hear tears in her voice.

"That's it! You will speak to Ryan again." I heard my uncle's angry voice. I continued my walk down the hall.

Just as I walked into the living room, Gracie said, "Or what? You'll go all wolf on me?"

"Gracie!" Emily snapped as she saw me behind her daughter.

All three turned and looked at me. I stepped into the room.

"Go all wolf? Is that a new expression teens are saying nowadays?" I tried to joke to lighten the mood.

Gracie opened her mouth to say something, gave her father a brief glance, and shut her mouth again.

"I'm going to my room," she muttered before stomping up the stairs, leaving an awkward silence behind her. I heard several wolves call out.

"Speaking of going all wolf..." I said as I listened to the howling. "I never knew wolves got so close to humans until I started living in La Push."

I looked over at my aunt and uncle and was confused by the strange expression that passed between them. The howling disappeared. Not wanting to intrude on my aunt and uncle's private time, I went upstairs and took a warm shower to wash the lake water off me. And to relive that kiss.

I loved Quil so much...even more so after the attack. He never pushed me. He just waited patiently for me to get my life together again.

I was startled to realize how much I wanted Quil to kiss me. For a time, I didn't think I'd ever want to be touched by another human again. Kissing was such a simple act really, but for awhile I was terrified at the thought of such close intimacy. To realize today that I could still want Quil's mouth against mine was a huge milestone for me.