Preface

QUIL'S POV:
I could still remember the day I first saw Claire Young. I was seventeen and she was two. She was spending the week-end at her Aunt Emily’s house with her older sister Margeret and didn’t want to go to bed. I could hear her all the way outside when I made my way into the house that day. As soon as I had entered, a girl that was little over two feet tall came spurting out the door leading to a guest room. She had curly light brown hair and light eyes. I immediately felt how the world seemed to change and how I was being pulled towards her. It was like nothing but that girl mattered anymore. She ran straight at me so I picked her up. I stared into her eyes while the rest of the room grew silent. All I could see was her face. But then she was pulled out of my arms after which Sam shoved me out of the house. I didn’t understand what was happening and started to protest because I felt as though I couldn’t leave Claire.
“Do it for Claire, Quil. Be Careful.”
Sam’s voice reached my ears and it was only then I realized how much I was trembling. I understood the gravity of his words and listened, beckoning out of the way. All the while I kept my eyes on Claire, until she was out of my sight and I could only hear her muffled crying, hurting over it more than I should.
“What’s happening to me?” I started, terrified.
Sam stopped in his tracks, seemingly deciding we were far enough.
“Quil, I believe you have just imprinted.”
“Wh-What!” I bulged, collapsing to the ground. “She’s just a baby, I can’t have… I mean that’s sick.”
I didn’t understand, I thought I was a monster, This wasn’t how imprinting happened, it was supposed to be rare and with a girl appropriate to put to proceed the bloodline, not a toddler. Was I a pedophile? Could I take away her future? Her chance at a normal childhood? Every decision she would make, would involve me, would be based on what I wanted, and that was more than I could handle.
Sam, who had calmed down now too, looked at me worriedly.
“Quil, this doesn’t mean you’re a monster, I can see your thoughts have nothing dirty about them, I see you only want what’s best for Claire.”
He seemed to debate on a decision for a couple of seconds, because when I finally looked up, his face looked puzzled.
“Let’s go back, I’m pretty sure Claire wants to see you.”
The mention of her name made my heart flutter and Sam didn’t have o ask me twice. In a matter of seconds I was up on my feet and rushing back into the house. I could hear Claire’s sobbing and the moment that Emily reached out her arms so I could grab Claire, the sobbing stopped. It was one of the happiest moments in my life so far.
I stayed at Sam and Emily’s place that day until it was time for Claire to go to bed. And even then I sat beside the window to listen to the shallow breathing and her heartbeat.
It was the day I decided I couldn’t take away her childhood and bind her to me at that young age.