You stared blankly up at your ceiling, eyes drifting between the glow-in-the-dark stars that covered the blank space. The events of the day were more than a little difficult for you to wrap your head around, new information swirling around in a mess of memories you were only just beginning to understand.
The world you thought you knew was a lie. And now, you had somehow ended up smack dab in the middle this new one.
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They hadn't taken you too far from the house, just to the edge of the tree line in Emily's backyard. Paul still looked agitated, but not as angry as he was before Embry told him off for whatever it was he had called you. "Our Imprint."
You didn't know what to expect from the talk, and couldn't think of what an imprint could be besides the obvious, literal definition of the word.
When Embry deems you all far enough away from the house, he turns to look at you, an anxious look on his face while he tried to gather his words. The look doesn't sit right with you, and your stomach twists up with nerves when he shoots a desperate look Paul's way, as if asking for help.
The two of you had always been able to talk to one another without hesitation, telling each other basically everything without fear of judgement. So seeing it now, so blatantly obvious on Embrys face, made you scared of whatever it was he was going to tell you.
A quick look to Paul makes a pit form in your stomach. He looked to be in the same boat, and even though you didn't know him much at all, the matching look instantly puts you on edge.
Maybe you were wrong in trusting Emily's smile. This was probably going to be the worst conversation in your life.
It was silent for a while, the two of them seeming to communicate silently when they turned to each other. Though reluctant, Paul gestured to Embry, who takes a deep breath before turning to you, a look of determination on his face, "Okay, just, please don't freak out, okay?"
You really want to assure him that you won't. That you would stay calm no matter what he said to you. But you could tell that you were already seconds away from having a break down, and any little thing could probably send you over the edge, "I'll try."
"Thank you," Embry takes a breath, steadying himself before he continues, "As a shifter, after we have first shifted, we are genetically stronger and faster than humans, with an abnormal amount of endurance and heightened reflexes. On top of all these changes, we also have imprints. The reason they exist is still unknown to us, but there are some theories about them depending on who you ask."
Embry rubs his sweaty palms off on his shorts, trying to calm down before he continues, "When you see your imprint, it's like the earth shifts, ripped out from under your feet. Gravity isn't what's keeping you here, it's her. She's all that matters. Her safety, her happiness. She's what keeps you going, giving you the will to fight, the strength to win. She's everything. She's... she's you."
