Merle couldn't believe he'd been so damn stupid. Attacking T-Dog was the dumbest shit he'd done so far since this mess started and that was saying something considering who he was. If he hadn't been high off his ass he would have never done what he did. Now here he was handcuffed to this stupid pipe and T-Dog had dropped the damn key down the drain on the roof in his panic. He knew no one from the group was going to come back for him. Why would they? He'd either die of dehydration, heat exhaustion or the walkers at the door were going to bust through and get him. He hoped it was starvation or dehydration as he didn't want to become one of those undead bastards. This was his last thought before unconsciousness overtook him as the sun beat down on his overheated and exhausted body.

~oOo~

It might have been minutes or it could have been hours before Merle woke up again to hear noises coming from the other side of the roof that he was cuffed to. He looked over to where the fire escape was and he saw the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. She had chocolate brown hair with blonde highlights and from what he could see of her eyes they were also a chocolate brown, but she wasn't making eye contact. They seemed to be the type of eyes that looked deep into your soul and could see every damn thing you'd ever done. It kind of unnerved him because he knew he wasn't a good man at all, but just from what he's seen of this beautiful woman he wanted to be a good man for her.

"Hello? Who are you? What are you doing up here? What do you want?" Merle asked, but it came out a bit harsher than what he meant it to. He watched as her eyes closed off from him and became cold. She had yet to meet his stare though and all he wanted was for her to look up at him.

"My name is Isabella Sarah Black and I came to help you, but if you're going to act like an asshole than I'll leave you to your business here and I won't bother coming back up. You can become walker food if you're going to treat me like that." She stated and Merle watched as she went to climb back down the ladder. He'd be screwed if she left him up here. He'd die for certain and he'd never see his brother again.

"Wait! I'm sorry. My name is Merle Dixon. I've been up here for hours I think and I'm a little shaken up from the heat and the situation that got me into this mess. I was also doped up on a lot of different shit and I'm coming down from my high which isn't fun. I got high off my ass and attacked a person from my group that didn't deserve it. I didn't mean to hurt him but then this cop showed up and cuffed me to this pole to settle me down. They were supposed to let me loose when they figured out a way to get off of this damned roof, but the guy I beat up dropped the key down the drain and then took off without so much as a 'fuck you'. I was out of it. Anyway, I'm sorry. Please come back. I won't speak to you like that again sugar." Merle begged, but if anyone asked him after this he'd deny it to his dying day. Merle Dixon doesn't beg for nothing to no one.

"I understand. I've been traveling for weeks with my pack to get here." Isabella stated and Merle watched her fidget as she slowly walked across the roof, but as soon as he looked into her eyes for the first time he felt something shift inside him. The only thing that mattered to him now was her, but he still felt very protective of his little brother. It was definitely a strange feeling and one he knew needed to be explained.

"Wow." Isabella whispered.

"What was that?" Merle asked as he continued to stare into her beautiful eyes. He couldn't look away and he knew he was screwed. He'd never gotten attached to any woman because all they ever did was leave you, but he knew he was already attached to her and definitely wouldn't be able to stay away.

"I'm a shifter. I change into a giant wolf and you're my imprint which is also sort of like a soulmate. Nothing else matters to me besides you and my other mate, who I haven't met yet. I'll never leave you. I can't leave you. I wouldn't want to even if I could. This means that we're perfect for each other, but you have a choice. You can reject the imprint if you want to. You're not tied to me yet like I am to you. You can be free as long as I don't mark you." Isabella explained and Merle noticed that she looked nervous about what she was saying. He had a feeling that rejecting her would hurt her somethin' fierce which was the last thing he wanted to do to this gorgeous woman. He may not be tied to her like she is to him, but he still felt the connection take hold.

"You're alright sugar. I ain't gonna reject ya. If you're perfect for me than I'd be stupid to reject ya. We'll get to know each other and we'll try and find your other mate. Is there any way you can get me out of these cuffs? I don't like being restrained. If you can't it's alright, but I'd like you to try. Please?" Merle asked as he looked at her.

"I can if I shift into my wolf form. I'd be able to break the cuffs then. Don't be afraid. I could never hurt you in that form or this one." Isabella explained and Merle was excited to see her other form. He'd seen plenty of wolves, but never a shifter, or at least he didn't think he had. For all he knew he'd run in to one when he was out huntin' with his brother. He hoped to God that he hadn't killed one while out huntin'. He'd definitely feel like shit if he'd ever killed any of her pack.

"I ain't afraid sugar. Go ahead and do whatcha gotta do." He stated and watched as she undressed in front of him without the nervousness that had been present when she first stepped foot onto the roof. He guessed knowing he wasn't going to reject her gave her a bit of confidence.

Once she was fully undressed Merle couldn't help but to take in an appreciative look at her. Her body was gorgeous. She had a few faint scars that looked silver in the light, but he'd ask about those later. He didn't want to distract her from what she was doing. Before he could say anything though she transformed into an extremely large chocolate brown wolf with a black mask around her eyes and black ears. She slowly walked over to him and lowered her head to his neck right where it met his shoulder and bit hard enough to draw blood.

Merle yelled out in surprise, but quieted down once she started licking the bite, then she snapped the cuffs with her teeth before transforming back and dressing again.

"I'm sorry for the bite. As soon as I saw you in my other form I had to mark you so no one can take you from me. Now you'll live as long as I do, which if I keep shifting will be forever." Isabella whispered and Merle saw the fear in her eyes.

"It's alright darlin. Ya just caught me off guard is all. Why don't we settle down for the night and then we can make our way back to my group in the morning. Maybe your other mate will be there." Merle suggested and watched as Isabella started to fidget again.

"I have a group with me as well. We're all shifters. Well, except the other imprints." She whispered and Merle took in that piece of information.

"Well alright. Where are they?" He asked and watched as her eyes lit up before she let out a human-like bark.

"Why'd you do that?" Merle asked her. It almost sounded like a wolf bark.

"I was calling them to us. I couldn't let them around you until I marked you. My wolf wouldn't have been able to trust them and I would have attacked anyone that came near you, especially the other unmated female in our group." Isabella stated and he nodded. It made sense. From what he knew about wolves they were very territorial especially when it came to their mates. He and Daryl had run into a few while out huntin'.

Moments later he heard more noise from the fire escape and looked over to see several large men and one woman walking onto the roof.

"Everything in order Isa?" one of the Native American's asked. He had a friendly smile on his face for his mate, but the others were looking around anxiously.

"Yes Jake. Everything is in order. I would like you all to meet my imprint, Merle Dixon. Merle this is Jake, Sam, Jared, Paul, Embry, Quil, Seth, Brady, and Leah. They're the other members of the group I was talking about. We're a pack." Isabella explained and Merle looked over everyone that she had mentioned. These guys were huge. Most of them looked to be well over six feet tall.

"Nice to meet ya'll. As she said my name is Merle." He responded and the guys nodded, but the female sneered at him. Looked like he wouldn't be winning any points with her anytime soon, not like he cared though. The woman looked like a bitch.

"I figured we could stay here for the night and then make our way to Merle's group in the morning. We'd be safer in a larger group and I think his group could benefit from having us around. The other imprints could have other humans to be around and to talk to when we're on patrol or gathering food." Isabella suggested and Merle watched as the one she introduced as Sam began to think it over.

"You have a very good point Isabella. Paul and Jared, go get the imprints so we can have them up here for right now. We'll introduce them to Merle and then phase so we can keep them warm. When morning comes we'll move out." Sam ordered and then settled down against one of the pipes.

"Why does he give orders?" Merle asked Isabella, but he saw all of the guys look over to them. He figured they were able to hear him, but he didn't know how.

"He's the Alpha of our pack and Jake is the Beta. I'm the Alpha female as I phased two days before Leah. I'm Jake's half-sister so being in charge is in our blood, but we haven't taken on that responsibility yet because we just aren't ready and Sam transformed first plus he's older. Just like right now Emily, who is Sam's imprint, is the Alpha imprint you're also considered an Alpha imprint since you're the Alpha females imprint. This means you'll be protected more than any other imprint besides Emily. I know you're a man and can take care of yourself, but we are very pack oriented group and we're also very tactile with each other. If you were to die then so would I and the pack doesn't want to lose any more members. We've already lost one pack member and one imprint." Isabella explained and Merle noticed the sad look in her eyes.

"What happened?" Merle asked quietly.

"The imprint was bit by a walker and the wolf died less than a day later." She explained and then he watched as tears gathered in her eyes. He placed his arms around her and brought her against his chest.

"Shh darlin. We'll be alright. Ya'll can come to our group and we'll protect each other. Everything will work itself out." Merle reassured her and she just nodded. He could tell she was still upset, but he didn't know what to do to make it better. He doubted there was anything that could be done. You didn't get over losing someone close to you very quickly, if ever.

It was about an hour later that another noise brought them out of their thoughts. Sam and Jake stood protectively in front of the others as Isabella stood in front of Merle. He found it funny, but he understood her protective streak as he didn't have anything to defend himself with. The alarm however was unnecessary as a moment later Paul hopped over the edge of the roof followed by a couple of women and then Jared.

"Welcome back Paul and Jared. Merle the women that you see here are the other imprints. Their names are Rebecca who is imprinted to Paul, Kim who is imprinted to Jared, Angela who is imprinted to Jake and Emily who is my imprint. Embry, Quil, Seth, Brady and Leah do not have imprints yet." Sam explained and Merle just nod his head towards them.

"Alright, now that introductions are out of the way. Emily, please pass out the water bottles and the granola bars. We'll scavenge for more food tomorrow." Sam ordered and Isabella quickly got them something to eat.

"I'm sorry it's not more, but I'll make sure to get you what you want and need tomorrow." Isabella said softly as she handed Merle the water bottle and granola bar.

"This is fine babe. I've gotten used to not eating much. Before all this shit started I was a druggie with a fucked up father who beat the shit out of me and Daryl. We're used to not having a lot to eat." Merle explained, but realized a little too late that he shouldn't have brought up the topic of his father as he watched her face transform into one of pure anger.

"Is he still alive?" Isabella hissed out.

"No he died years ago honey. He's gone and he can't hurt me anymore. Don't worry." Merle said, trying to soothe his agitated wolf.

"I'm sorry. It's just the thought of anyone hurting you." Isabella whispered and then started eating quickly.

Merle took his time eating and drinking his water as he watched his girl wolf down her food. It looked like what she had wasn't enough, but he knew they were low on food just like everyone else.

"Alright, it's time to phase so we can all get some rest. Embry and Quil, you take first watch and then wake up Sam and Isabella for second watch. Jared and I will take third watch. Paul, Seth, Leah, and Brady will have the night off." Jake ordered and Merle watched as everyone chose a spot on the roof before transforming. He quickly averted his eyes when the men started undressing, but quickly found them glued to his dear little wolf. He really couldn't believe he was so in love with the little wolf already, but he was. It had to be the imprint, but he really wasn't going to complain. He finally had someone that cared about him besides his brother.

He watched as his chocolate brown wolf was in front of him again and she slowly made her way over to him and curled up against him with her side being against his.

"Is this how you plan to keep me warm all night sugar?" Merle asked and she simply nodded her head. He chuckled as he settled in next to her. He wasn't sure what the future would bring, but he hoped it contained his little wolf and his brother. And with those last thoughts Merle drifted into a contented sleep with Isabella keeping him warm with her body temperature.

*(AN) Let me know if you think I should continue this or not…