Embry's Element
Chapter 1 - Sunday SunA/N: I've been really enjoying the Quil/Claire imprinting stories, and the Jake x OC wolf stories, but I haven't seen any with Embry as a main character. I always liked Embry - he supported Jake through everything with Bella. I'm also inspired by our new-to-us dog, Jack (he came with his name), an Australian Cattle Dog whose fur is absolutely as soft as how werewolf fur is described.
Disclaimer: I am not Stephenie Meyer, I didn't write the Twilight series, and I make no money from this fanfiction. We won't mention how much I would like to be making money as a writer ...
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I woke up to the sun streaming through the windows of my room. I blinked - the La Push reservation, and Washington State in general, was not known for sunny weather. The sun was a mixed blessing - it would be a beautiful day, but it was also likely that vampires could be active in the forests around the rez, so there would be extra patrols. The vampires' shimmering skin gave them away on these rare sunny days, days when they couldn't go to work or school, so they went "hunting". Our job as the Quileute Spirit Warriors, or werewolves, was to protect the local residents from the vampires, and that work took precedence over everything else, even paid work.
I stretched in the sunlight, wondering how the sun could be so high before I woke up. I looked at the clock - 9am! It took a moment for me to remember that today was Sunday, and I wasn't working at the garage. My best friend Jake had opened a garage on the rez, and as he started getting more business, I had started working with him. It was a good job, and we could cover for each other if the Pack needed extra patrols. We had a few guys from the area who weren't werewolves working for us, too. They didn't know about the Pack, but they knew that we had to do security for the rez in addition to our mechanics work.
I could smell bacon cooking, so I got out of bed more quickly than usual on a Sunday. I tossed on a shirt and shorts and went downstairs. My housemate, Quil, was making breakfast. His "girlfriend", Claire, was sitting at the table. I was glad I hadn't just come down in my boxers - Claire blushed enough when I walked in!
"Morning, Claire! Morning Quil!" I greeted them, smiling. "Gorgeous day out!"
"I knew the smell of bacon would wake you up, Embry! I made plenty. Maybe you could set the table for us? Claire just started the coffee." Quil said from the stove.
"Quil gives me all the tough jobs," joked Claire, rolling her eyes.
"He's so tough on you," I joked back. Quil was over-protective of Claire, trying to wait patiently until she grew older. "What's he got planned for you today?"
"School's finally out, so I'm free from homework! Quil can't lock me in the library to study. I want to go to the beach, but Quil isn't sure if you guys will have extra patrols today." Claire had dealt very well with Quil's imprinting on her, and his status as a member of the werewolf pack. She was having a harder time waiting until she was old enough (according to Quil) to have a "real" relationship with Quil than she ever did with the woo-woo aspects of his life.
"Hey, I never locked you in the library!" Quil protested, bringing the bacon to the table along with a stack of waffles that had been staying warm in the oven. "I just wanted you to finish up your Sophomore year with good grades. You want to get into a good college after high school."
"Anyhow, Mr. Responsibility might actually let me have fun today," Claire retorted, sticking out her tongue at Quil. Clearly this was an ongoing argument, and I was staying far out of it.
"I'll take Quil's patrol if he's called in today," I offered. "He needs to relax more." I grinned at Claire. "Let me know if you need any help managing Mr. Responsibility, OK? I might have some tips now that you're 16 ... "
"Oh, I'm taking you up on that next time Quil's away, Embry! Thanks!" Claire's eyes brightened. It would be fun to play some practical jokes on Quil with Claire. I was just getting used to her being around more, and I wanted both of us to feel comfortable with her in the house.
"Oh, hush up and eat already, both of you. You'd think I was some monster by the way you're talking!" Quil said, sounding exasperated, but smiling anyhow. He had a hard time not smiling when he was around Claire.
"But you are a monster!" Claire giggled, then laughed harder when Quil tried to glare at her. I just started eating - I'm no fool, I eat before someone takes away the food!
After breakfast, the phone rang, just as I had expected. I answered the phone, "Hello. Quil and Embry's house of waffles." Quil rolled his eyes at me, but Claire giggled again.
"Hey Embry, it's Sam. Are you done with those waffles?"
"Yep, just finished. You needing extra patrols today?"
"Exactly. Some new folks moved into a house near the reservation, so we need to check them out. Plus, it's a sunny day, so we need a few extra people in the forests."
"Do you need both of us? Or just one?" I asked.
"Just one. I might need the other one to help tonight, it'll depend on what we find out today. Who's up for it?"
"I'll do it. Quil has plans with Claire."
"Aaaah. Yeah, don't mess that up or I'll never hear the end of it from Emily." Sam replied - Emily was Claire's niece, and she was protective of her.
"I'll be over in a few minutes. We meeting at your house?"
"Yep, see you soon."
I hung up, and started clearing the table so I'd be ready to leave.
"Thanks, Embry." Quil said, after Claire had stepped out of the room. "Doing something 'normal' today was important to Claire. She knows the Pack comes first, but it's nice when she can act like a regular teenager with a boyfriend." Since Quil had imprinted on Claire when she was a toddler, he was only just now starting to be able to date her. Imprinting was the werewolf version of a soul mate, but it was even stronger than that - an invisible force pulling you together, so all you wanted and needed to do was make that person happy. When Claire was little, that meant playing with her like an older brother. Only now has the relationship started to change to a slowly moving romantic one. Luckily, we age slowly, so even though we're older, we look and feel like we're in our early to mid twenties.
"No worries. I didn't have any plans today anyhow." I put the dishes in the dishwasher, then started walking towards the door.
Claire put her hand on my shoulder, "Thanks Embry."
"No problem. Go have fun!" I walked out the door, then loped over to Sam's house.
"Hi Embry!" Emily called as I arrived at their house. "Did you eat before you came over?" As I walked up to the porch, I could see that Nola and Raven, Sam and Emily's 6 and 3 year old daughters, were having a mid-morning snack. Emily was glowing as she leaned across her pregnant belly, handing out muffins to the Pack members who were gathering on the benches in the yard.
"Quil fed me, but I can't turn down one of your muffins!" I grabbed a muffin, greeted Nola and Raven, then walked over to the Pack.
"Here's the deal," Sam was saying as I walked over. "A new family is moving into the empty house near where the Clearwaters live. We need to find out more about them - does anyone smell like they are going to Change soon? Anyone there smell like a bloodsucker? We also need to have a more mundane greeting. Jared - you and Kim can go over with a batch of muffins. Check in, offer to help unpack, etc. See if you can find out their connection to the Quileutes."
Jared nodded, and grabbed a couple guys to go with him. Emily passed him a basket of muffins along with the admonishment, "Don't eat them on the way!", as he loped back to his house to pick up Kim.
Sam turned to the rest of us. "We're looking at our usual sunny day patrols. Stay in touch, we'll cover as much ground as we can. We've had a few signs and scents of vampires in the past couple months, so stay alert." He looked at the younger members of the Pack. "Younger members team up with an older member - and don't go acting like this is just a Sunday run!"
With that we all ran off, I was alone for my run, but with the Pack's thoughts in my head after I phased, I was never truly alone.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Please review if you have a minute!