Imprinted (Progress) by Sara Imes (great books for teens TXT) 📕

Once Seth’s hand brushed up against Hayden’s arm, she instantly flinched away. Hayden looked up to Seth, and the look on Hayden’s face almost made his heart leap out of his chest. Hayden had a look of complete fear on her face. It was even shining in her eyes. There was also something else shining in her eyes, something shining even more brightly than her fear, Seth noticed. It was hatred. Seth instantly felt his heart sink. Seth sighed softly and stood. This time, much more nicely he asked, “What exactly are you?”, Seth asked. Hayden glared at Seth with complete malice, but said, “I'm part vampire and part human.”

 Seth sucked in a breath. At first, Seth thought Hayden was lying. Never in Seth’s life had he ever heard of a vampire-human hybrid. Is this why the Head Councilman wanted Hayden dead?, Seth thought. Seth then stood and held out his hand to help Hayden up. It was the least he could do for almost choking her to death.

Hayden looked from Seth's hand to Seth, then smacked his hand away. “I can get up on my own”, Hayden growled angrily. Hayden stood up slowly, using the wall to help her. Once Hayden was standing, Seth mentally called Dylan to come back into the room. Okay. But Ashley is demanding that she comes to the room also, Dylan responded back.

No, I only need you here, Seth thought back. Fine. But she won't be happy about this. Seth could live with that. Seth didn’t want any of the pack knowing about Hayden being what she claimed to be, nor him having imprinted on her. Well, at least not yet. While Seth waited for Dylan to come back, Seth thought of what he was going to do with Hayden.

As if she was read his mind, Hayden asked, “so what are you going to do to me?” Seth turned to her. “You're going to stay here in the cabin until further orders.” Hayden wasn’t satisfied with that answer. “Order’s from who? I thought you were the alpha.”, Hayden asked. Seth rolled his eyes and mentally told Dylan to hurry up. A few minutes later, Dylan knocked on the door and stepped inside.

Dylan looked over at Hayden, who was know sitting on the table unchained, snapped his head toward Seth. Dylan closed the door behind him and stepped in front of Seth. Why is she unchained and what happened while I was gone?, Dylan asked, completely confused. Seth told Dylan everything that had happened while he was gone. Seth told Dylan about unchaining Hayden, almost choking her to death, and Hayden telling Seth that she was a vampire-human hybrid. Once Seth was finished explaining everything to Dylan, Dylan looked over to Hayden suspiciously, looking over her slowly healing wounds. Dylan turned his attention back to Seth. Okay, so what are we going to with her then?, Dylan asked Seth. Seth smirked and turned to Hayden and said aloud, “Well, she’s going to be a guest at at the cabin, of course.”

Both Dylan and Hayden gasped and said “what?” in eerie unison. They both looked at each other and made a silent agreement to never do that again. Before Seth could resay his sentence again, Dylan grabbed the back of his shirt and dragged Seth outside into the hallway. “What are you thinking? Are you seriously going to let her stay her?! Did you forget that one", Dylan raised his index finger. "She’s been chasing and killing werewolves for a reason we have no answer to yet. And two", Dylan raised his middle finger. "And that the Head Councilman wants her dead?”

Seth simply shrugged and said, “No I haven’t forgotten those things. However, we still need to find out why she’s was killing werewolves and find out why she was chasing after the Mayland alpha. So how about we all make friends, or at least pretend to, until we get what we need from Hayden.” Dylan stared back at Seth with a look of uncertainty in his eyes. Dylan bit his lip thoughtfully and instantly Seth knew Dylan was about to ask a serious question. Seth braced himself for when Dylan said, “Please, just please, tell me you're not making excuses for her to stay here because you imprinted on Hayden?”

Dylan immediately regretted asking the question when Seth’s blackish-brown eyes turned black that then held a look of hostility within them and his face turned hollow. Seth glared at Dylan which such an intensity that it made Dylan visibly squirm. “Look Dylan, I can’t help who I imprint on. I can’t help it if she’s a vampire-human hybrid and not a werewolf! Nor can I help my feelings for her.”, Seth said through gritted teeth.

Seth could feel his eyes turn yellow, which made Dylan cower and whimper. Seth hated making his pack, especially a good friend like Dylan, cower in submission to him. However, Seth thought, i’m not going to let him question me about Hayden. Seth turned his eyes back to his regular blackish-brown color and held out his hand to Dylan. Dylan looked up to Seth and took his hand firmly, slowly standing back up. “Look”, Seth said more tenderly.

“I know it’s weird that I imprinted on someone who isn’t a werewolf. I still don’t like it and I’m still going to find out how it’s possible. However, I can’t pretend I don’t have feelings for her. If Ashley wasn’t a werewolf, would that stop you from loving and protecting her?” “Of course it wouldn’t”, Dylan said immediately. “Okay then. So please don’t try and stop me from doing the same with Hayden, okay?” Seth stared back at Dylan, his best friend, hoping he would understand. Dylan stared back at Seth with an unreadable look carved onto his face. Finally, Dylan said, “Fine. I know when a werewolf imprints on someone, they'll do anything to protect that person”, Dylan said, smiling faintly as he thought of Ashley. “Even if I don't agree with the plan of her staying here, I’ll stand by your side to help you figure out this imprinting mess.” Seth smiled cheerfully and said, “thanks Dylan.” Dylan returned the smile and said, “no problem.” “So shall we go back in face the living nightmare that is named Hayden”, Dylan said, jerking his chin back to the interrogation room. Seth laughed wholeheartedly and nodded. “Yeah, we better before she ends up finding some way to escape.”

Seth and Dylan reentered the interrogation room to find Hayden sitting criss crossed on the steel table, rubbing her neck where Seth had dug in his claws a few minutes ago. Hayden hand flew away from her neck once they entered the room. Seth bit his lip softly as he felt his stomach churn. Once the door was shut Hayden asked in a husky but rough voice, “So am I still staying at Casa Del Werewolf or can I leave?” Dylan smirked mischievously and stepped forward, putting his hands on either side of Hayden so that they were face to face.

Even though Seth knew Dylan had a mate, he didn’t like seeing Dylan so close to Hayden, their faces so close together... “Sorry Hayden. But you're trapped with us werewolves for a while. However, you can leave whenever you want. Only if you have a pack member escort you.”, Dylan said. Seth thought Hayden was going explode in anger. Instead she started laughing. Dylan stepped back, surprised at Hayden’s reaction to what he said. Hayden doubled over then, clutching her stomach as she laughed harder.

Once Hayden was done laughing, she sat back up, wiping tears from her eyes. “Oh Dylan. Poor poor Dylan, if you think im staying here, you more of an idiot than you look."

Seth cringed. Seth knew all too well that Dylan hated being called an idiot. Dylan raised his hand, clenching it into a fist, and right before Dylan could deliver a blow that would’ve broken Hayden’s jaw, Seth grabbed his arm. Seth then mentally said, hey! Calm down. She’s just messing with you, go outside and take a walk. Dylan angrily snatched his hand away from Seth’s grasp, glaring coldly at Hayden, who was staring back at him mockingly. To make the situation worse, Hayden stuck out her tongue at Dylan. Dylan growled, but opened the door and slammed it behind him, making the hinges shake slightly. Seth sighed and turned back to Hayden. Was this girl really my mate?, Seth thought to himself. 

“You just had to piss Dylan off, didn't you?”, Seth said to Hayden. Hayden chuckled softly and shrugged. “What? You guys are keeping me prisoner here. Mind as well have some fun in pissing you guys off.” Seth rolled his eyes and said, “like Dylan said before, you can leave whenever you want. You just hav-”. “Yeah I have to have an escort, I got that already”, Hayden said, cutting off Seth. “However you put it”, Hayden continued. “I'm still a prisoner”.

Seth shrugged again and replied in a firm tone, “where keeping you here for three reasons, Hayden. Want to know what those reasons are?” Hayden shrugged carelessly but said, “Sure. Go ahead and tell me.” “Okay, the first reason”, Seth held up his index finger. “Is because we need to figure out who and what you are. The second reason”, Seth held up his