I have the weekend to relax and pretend that monsters aren't real. The Cullens don't come by. They can't, apparently. Vampires aren't welcome on Quileute territory as the boys tell me. I probably would've figured it out on my own, given their history, but it still leaves me with so many questions.

I don't work on Saturday, and so I spend my time alone. I need a hobby that isn't violent. We barely speak the boys and me. They constantly are in and out of the house, talking to Sam's friends. I assume they are talking about the wedding, and how to protect me, but they don't answer my questions when I ask. They tell me to wait.

On Sunday, I can't take it anymore. The lack of answers is swallowing me whole. While the boys are eating breakfast together, I sit on the couch. It's hard for me to stomach food when I am so full of questions.

"How exactly are the Cullens keeping me safe if they can't come to La Push?" I ask, turning my head towards them.

"That vampire bitch won't attack you in front of us," Jacob offers in between bites. "She'd have to kill all of us to do it."

"And what's stopping her from doing that?" I ask back, my voice bitter. I'm done sitting idle and refusing to ask questions. Because of my silence, I was almost turned into a vampire.

"We'll show you after breakfast," Quil says.

I hear a thunk under the table, and Quil moans out in pain.

"You jerk," Jacob says. "It's my decision when she knows."

"No need to kick me," Quil leans down to rub his leg.

"Maybe you should listen to Jacob," Embry says, getting up from the table. He rolls his eyes at Quil, but there is a grin on his face.

It's hard for me to get in a word edgewise between the three of them. It's not just because they're all sitting in one room, but also because they've known each other for years and bicker like an old married couple.

"You're something, aren't you?" I ask, finally cutting in. "Like the Cullens. You're not vampires though. You're literally eating right now."

Jacob sighs and drops his food, "Embry, go get an extra pair of shorts and a shirt. We're not waiting until after breakfast. We're going now."

He gets up from the table, cane in hand, and walks over to me. He gestures for Quil to follow him. Together, we all head outside. It's misty, and grim. I worry she could emerge from anywhere in the fog. She is everywhere, with deep red eyes, brighter than blood. I don't want to think about why she's chosen me.

Maybe I'm just being paranoid. However, keeping to myself has gotten me nowhere.

"Well," Jacob says. "Quil, take your shirt off."

"Why me?" Quil asks. "I like these shorts."

"It was your idea, dipshit," Jacob seethes.

"I'm taking them off too," Quil says, "and you can't stop me."

Quil strips down to nothing but his boxers. I avert my eyes, looking off into the fog instead. Quil huffs, one last time before I hear the sound of fabric ripping.

I turn my head to see Quil transforming. In half a second, he becomes a wolf. My eyes go wide. I step back, bumping into Jacob. He's sturdy and unwavering, and Quil is a wolf and a massive brown wolf at that.

"Werewolves," I swallow, keeping my eyes steady. I don't dare tear them away from Quil's body. The pieces begin to fall into their spots. "You're a pack and Sam's a pack."

"Shape-shifters, technically," Jacob corrects.

"So he won't attack me?" I ask.

Jacob exhales a laugh, "he'd never. Quil's a big softie."

I take a step closer to him, and then another until I am right up against his massive face. Even in wolf form, he is much taller than me. I stare at his face, trying to see if I recognize any sight of him. His eyes are the same, human rather than wolf-like. Otherwise, any sign of the Quil I once knew is gone.

Embry bursts out the back door and runs over to us. He and Quil's wolf form walk head towards the woods together, leaving me with just Jacob. They disappear in the fog.

"You took that surprisingly well," Jacob chuckles.

I pull away from him and turn around to look at him. This is one of the rare occasions where he is smiling. His teeth are pearly white. I wish I could see him this happy all the time. I know that I can't, but still.

"Can you still shape-shift?" I ask, ignoring his comment.

He nods, "I'm our packs Alpha, so it would be kind of stupid if I couldn't. I would show you, but it's pretty disorienting while blind."

"If you can't easily transform, why are you Alpha?" maybe it's a rude question, but I'm letting my curiosity lead me. I hid from my inquisitive nature for too long.

He sighs, "I have a gift. It's hard to explain, but I was born Alpha. People obey me."

Well, while that may be true, I certainly don't obey him. I've plunged into the depths of the ocean, without his permission.

"Do you like it?" I ask.

"Being Alpha?" he responds.

I shake my head, "no, being a shape-shifter."

The other two come back before he can answer. Both are fully clothed, thankfully, and neither are wolves anymore. It's a bit of a relief, seeing Quil's face. Honestly, I wish I had found this out before finding out about vampires. It is certainly less startling.

We go inside the house together. I eat breakfast. Everything feels calmer.

"Can you guys fight off a vampire?" I ask, even though I assume they can.

Quil laughs, "can we? We've killed a bunch before. They're easy enough targets when you hunt in a pack."

"We're practically indestructible, even in human form," Jacob says. "If you stabbed us with that little switchblade of yours, we'd be fine."

"Well, it would hurt like a bitch," Quil shakes his head and shudders. "Don't try it."

Embry looks at me. His eyebrows crease, "you look green."

"It's been a rough weekend," I agree. The food is cold and I'm not hungry, but I try to eat anyway. "So, what else is there to being a wolf? Besides strength and speed."

Jacob leans back in his chair. He drops his fork on his plate with a loud clang, "a few things."

"We heal super quickly," Quil jumps in. "And we don't age. Unless we quit phasing like Leah, we're immortal."

"We can also communicate telepathically while in wolf form," Embry adds.

I stare at Jacob as they talk in rapid-fire succession. His nose is scrunching, and his lips are twitching.

"Our senses are razor-sharp," Quil adds. "Like the vampires. That's why they destroyed you're hearing aid you know? It was so loud they couldn't think. Oh, and we have imprints-"

Jacob gets up from the table and slams his plate into the sink. I hear it shatter. Wincing, I look at Quil and Embry. They share a glance, and if I hadn't just been told they are only telepathic in wolf form, I would think that they are communicating.

Jacob grumbles something, but I cannot make it out. He snatches his cane from beside the kitchen table and makes his way upstairs. Each step creaks under his weight. I feel my chest tightening, restricting itself. I stare down at my plate. When I hear his door slam, I look up.

"What's an imprint?" I ask, trying to lower my voice while still being able to hear it.

"I think Jacob would rather we didn't talk about it," Embry says.

"I can use Google if you won't help me," I say. The moment feels too sombre to roll my eyes. He's serious. Maybe this is part of Jacob being Alpha, or maybe Embry is simply being a good friend. I don't expect him to put me before Jacob; he never will anyway, no matter how close we become.

Jacob's anger draws me in. It's like the undertow in the sea. Dangerous.

Quil leans in close to me. His voice is so hushed it's hard to pick up. "Imprinting is when a shape-shifter looks at a girl, and then she becomes your everything. It's all-consuming. Like a moth to a flame. It burns you."

"Like soulmates," I say.

Embry sighs, "like one-sided soulmates."

"It's not so bad," Quil says. "I imprinted on Emily's cousin Claire. She's off at college."

"And I never hear the end of it," Embry smiles. He grabs our plates off the table and brings them to the counter.

He begins to pick out the pieces of broken glass from inside the sink. I can't help but remember my interactions with Jacob over the last few weeks. The jokes about how Bella isn't stealing him away from me, and Quil asking about Jacob's first impression of me, and Jacob's response. My voice was like music, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to see me. The lengths everyone has gone to keep me, a stranger, perfectly safe.

I'm his imprint.

~~~~~

You might be shocked, but this was hard to get through. Like, it was originally too short and I wanted to add things without ruining the pace of the chapter. Did I succeed? Only time will tell. 

What do you think this revelation means for Fawn? I'd love to know in the comments.