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From a distance Emily Young watched her cousin Leah laugh at whatever her fiancé Sam Uley was saying and once again she felt envious of her cousin, especially when she spotted the engagement ring that the girl was still wearing.
It would have been hers. She was the one who was destined to stand by Sam’s side.
But Sam and his wolf wholeheartedly disagreed and made their feelings known in when they met with the elders: neither he nor his wolf wanted nothing to do with the imprint that bonded them to Emily Young; his mate, the love of his life, and his bride would always be Leah Clearwater. No one else.
While the elders had smiled knowingly and looked at him with pride (Sue and Harry Clearwater especially), Emily Young had been floored by his announcement. He didn’t want to be with her? He wanted Leah instead? How could this be?! At home, the boys would always fight for her attention and to have boys fight her attention had made feel invincible, powerful even.
She had loved it and thought nothing else would be able to live up to it. That was until the day she came down to visit Leah and she had introduced Sam to her. She was captivated by him right away and vowed to do whatever it took to make him hers. But he never gave her a second glance.
He only had eyes for Leah.
That was until she learned about imprinting and all that came with it. While she had been overjoyed, Sam’s reaction was anything but happy.
His shock that he and his wolf were somehow bonded with the cousin of his mate and bride to be had him rooted in place.
When he glanced over at Emily, his shock was replaced by anger at the joy she seemed to radiate from her very pores.
Didn’t she hear a single word that was said?! Was she really that selfish and envious of his Leah that she would try to take him away from her?! Leah. His smart, beautiful, witty Leah. She was all the reason he needed to fight this bond, this imprint and he would fight like hell.
Because while Emily Young was seemingly content with being bonded to a stranger she barely knew, Sam Uley sure as hell wasn't.
He could feel his wolf growl in agreement in his mind at his thoughts. Under the excuse of needing to phase so he could patrol, he fled the meeting and let his wolf guide straight to the forest where he was more than happy to phase, shreds of what used to be his clothes on the forest floor.
He stayed in his wolf form for at least three days patrolling for anything unusual and hunting on the occasion his stomach communicated its need for food.
Feeling quite confident in the decision that he had and his wolf had agreed too, he was called into another meeting wearing the clothes his mother had left for him at the edge forest (she had taken the fact that her son could change into a spirit warrior quite well) he purposefully ignored Emily’s gaze on him and instead told the council of Elders which included: Old Quil, Billy Black, Harry Clearwater and his wife Sue Clearwater that he was refusing the imprint that tied him and his wolf to Emily Young for another minute. His mate, his love, and his wife would always be Leah Clearwater.
He knew made the right choice when the council gave him knowing smiles and looks of pride (seeing the looks of pride from Harry and Sue had him on cloud nine) and they accepted his decision whole heartedly while Emily had remained speechless throughout the entire meeting.
“...Sam!” He was suddenly jerked out of his thoughts by a sharp pinch on his arm and looking down to meet the worried gaze of his fiancée, Leah. “Are you alright Sam? I’ve been calling you for the past 10 minutes!” He gave her a sheepish smile and rubbed the back of his neck: a sign that he was embarrassed.
“Sorry Lee-Lee, I was just thinking about everything happened. Especially the situation with your cousin.” Leah’s face set into a scowl as her cousin was mentioned. She, like the rest of the tribe had soon come to find out from the Elders that the legends weren’t just legends.
Of course Leah was more than angry when she was informed about imprinting and had also learned that Emily wasn’t going to have Sam as a friend, protector, or brother but was trying to get him to be her lover instead.
That had resulted in a heated argument between the two cousins which had Sam and his mother Sheila Uley talking to Leah in the comfort of Sam’s childhood home while getting a grateful look from Sue, Harry, and Seth while Emily would have a long discussion with Sue and Harry.
Pushing the thoughts away, Sam leaned down and kissed her gently for a few minutes and when he pulled away, he saw that her scowl was slowly melting into a slightly dazed look which had him grinning. He couldn’t help but tease her.
“Don’t get wrinkles too early Lee-Lee.”
That got him a playful hit on his shoulder and a mock glare which was accompanied by her laugh. Coarse, and deep, yet utterly intoxicating.
As they began to play wrestle oblivious to the world around them, Sam knew what he had for Leah was truly special and worth fighting for.