A/N: I know I rocked your socks when I had Leah Clearwater imprinting on Charlie Swan. I know it. I am indeed writing that story and I wanted to share the first part of it with you. This story will be dovetailing lightly with Surprise M'Ending, which is Jacob Black's imprinting.

Hope you enjoy this little moment in the mind of Leah. More from me at the end!

This is a work of derivative fiction. All things TWILIGHT are the intellectual property of Stephenie Meyer and/or her assignees. I write merely to entertain myself and others and receive no compensation.

Prologue

They always called me a bitch. I guess I am. Only female canine in the pack – that makes me the bitch.

I hate that they've been right all this time. I hate it. But at the same time, I want to roll around on the ground with my paws in the air and make that bizarre barking laugh when I'm running on my own. It'd be fun. But I can only do that when no one else is phased, or they'll joke about it. Tell me I've got PMS or something stupid.

If only.

Leah!

I growled. Yeah, Sam?

Phase off. You're off duty. Go home. Get some rest. You've been on all night.

I'm not a baby, Sam. I can do this. If you can, I can.

I saw his blacker-than-black silhouette move silently through the tree line as he approached. His onyx eyes gleamed, catching the light from a still-hidden sunrise. It was intimidating as hell. But also, finally, it wasn't heart-wrenching. Finally.

It had been. From the day he imprinted on my best friend and cousin, Emily Young, until the day I phased wolf and found out why the bastard had abandoned me, I was heartbroken and felt ripped apart by his betrayal. Who wouldn't act like a bitch in those circumstances, is what I want to know. Secrets floating about me like dead fish on an algae-rich tide – hell, it was not what I'd wish on anyone.

I know you're not a baby. But it's my shift. You don't have to do the work of two males just because you're a female.

I twitched my ear at him. Sure I do. You guys only think about sex. You need a female to keep you on task.

An involuntary image streaked across his mind and I chuffed in a canine approximation of a laugh to see Emily chiding him about that very thing in the privacy of their bedroom.

It was a relief to be able to laugh about it, even inwardly. All right. I'm going.

Gonna run by and see him?

Yeah. I tried to play it off, but I couldn't really. I couldn't because – weird and strange and sometimes as unwelcome as it was – I really had to see my imprint.

I really had to see and smell and maybe – maybe –touch Charlie Swan.

A/N: This story has been nominated for the BEST IMPRINT at the Silent Tear Awards! Please consider voting for it. The link to the voting page is on my profile. Thank you so much! ~LJ