Summary: Embry Call is the lone wolf without an imprint. He's spent 17 years looking for the one yet he never found her. Julie Gonzalez walks into his life and he falls for her instantly, assuming imprinting would never happen for him. What will Embry do when a perfect stranger with a family becomes the one he's supposed to live for?

The Great SM owns everything.

Chapter 1: The Pull

Embry whistled to himself as he got dressed. He couldn't remember a time when he had been happier. He was going to meet Julie for dinner. They had been dating steadily for nearly seven years. For a while he walked on egg shells during their relationship. He didn't want to get too serious and end up hurting her. He knew that she was not his imprintee. He knew that there was always the possibility that he would imprint and end up devastating her if he got in too deep. That was the reason why he had not yet popped the question that had, for years, been so adamant in his mind. He would throw caution to the wind tonight and ask the love of his life for her hand in marriage. Since imprinting had not occurred for him in the seventeen years since he had become a wolf, he didn't believe it would happen. He had spent ten years waiting, intensely staring into the eyes of every girl he met hoping to find the one that was meant for him. That girl never came, but Julie stumbled into his life instead.

She walked into his life beautiful and lost. He was walking along the beach one night in deep thought and very green with envy of the rest of his pack. He was internally cursing himself for being the lone wolf in the equation when Julie walked straight into him. The impact of plunging into his body nearly sent her flat on her back, but his quick reflexes allowed him to catch her. He was instantly struck by her beauty. Her wavy brown hair flowed in the wind as her green eyes twinkled with amusement. A smile was playing at the corners of her lips as she tried to refrain from the laughter that soon over took her.

"I'm so sorry." She continued to laugh at herself. Embry still held her in his arms, puzzled and astonished by this girl. She finally managed to stifle her giggles as she looked into the eyes of an angel. His looks were breathtaking. His dark eyes were captivating, they bore into hers with such intensity that she had to look away. "It's totally my fault. I wasn't watching where I was going. You probably think I'm insane, I've had a rough day," Julie tried to explain.

"No, no, I should have been paying more attention to my surroundings," Embry reassured her, his gaze locked with hers again.

"I'm Julie, by the way." Her smile took his breath away. He stood there stupidly gazing at her.

C'mon, imprint already! She's beautiful! Maybe I'm not concentrating hard enough. He frowned in frustration. C'mon, c'mon, c'mon! Imprint! She's the one, the one you've been waiting for. How could this not be the girl? This is the girl! It has to be! Maybe I've imprinted and I don't know it. Oh no, I've seen it through the others' eyes. I'll definitely know when it happens.

"Uh, you got a name?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Embry, my name's Embry."

"Well, Embry, could you help me out? I'm lost. I was on my way to Seattle and my car stopped on the road a few miles back. I've been hoping to find someone that can help." A hopeful look crossed her face.

Embry would never disappoint a face that beautiful. "Sure, I can help. I used to help a friend rebuild cars in his garage. I can give it a look for you." Or rebuild it if you wanted. Better yet I'd build you a car from scratch!

Her arms went around his neck as she hugged him tight. "Thank you so much!"

Oh sweet Jesus! Her body was pressed tightly against his. She was soft and feminine. This perfect stranger was causing his insides to turn inside out. Before he could end up embarrassing himself, he quickly put some distance between them. He'd startled her with his quick movement. Great, now she probably thinks I'm crazy, or that I don't like girls!

She looked up at him puzzled. "I get carried away sometimes. I'm just happy you're going to help me."

"So where's your car?"

"About five miles up the road." She squinted into the darkness. "I left the headlights on so we'll see it when we get close."

"Um, it's pretty dark out here. You might want to take my hand so you don't trip." He held out his hand. Smooth, Embry. As if she didn't think you were already a freak! Now she probably thinks you're a perv! At that moment she did the most marvelous thing he could have ever imagined. She placed her hand in his and twined their fingers. With that gesture he knew that he was a goner. He may not have imprinted on her, but he had fallen more in love with her with each passing day after that.

Embry smiled at the thought of their first meeting as he finished buttoning his shirt. He knew that if he was going to do things right he had to go buy her favorite box of chocolates, that always put a smile on her face. He rushed to the grocery store, worrying that he may not make it before it closed. He searched for the candy isle and found the only box they had left. A red ball bounced toward him. He looked to where the ball had come from to find a little boy of no more than three or four years old hiding behind a tuna display.

Embry smiled holding out the ball to the little boy. "Is this yours?" The little boy nodded his head and took the ball. He looked around, frightened. "What's your name, kid?"

"Collin," he said quietly.

"Collin, where are your parents? Are you lost?" Embry kneeled down beside him.

"Yes, I chased the ball and now I can't find them." Tears were forming in Collin's eyes.

"I'm Embry; I'll help you find your parents, alright?" Collin nodded once more. "What do your parents look like?" Embry asked as they headed toward the fruit isle.

"Mommy is the prettiest woman in the world," he said proudly. "And my daddy is a super hero. He saves people."

Embry laughed. "You're a lucky kid." They walked up three more isles before heading toward the register. He figured that they would make better progress if they announced over the intercom that he'd found a lost little boy.

As soon as they arrived at the front desk, Collin ran in the direction of a woman and man with their backs to them. "Mommy, mommy!" Collin exclaimed. "Look, look! I made a new friend! Embry helped me find you!" He jumped up and down with excitement. The woman turned and picked Collin up as she and her husband hugged him tight. The love their family shared was evident.

Collin's mom finally looked to where Embry stood. She put Collin down and walked toward him. "You must be Embry. Thanks so much for bringing him to us." She gave him a warm smile.

Embry felt an inexplicable pull toward this woman that he didn't know. He wanted to know everything about her. He wanted to take her in his arms and tell her that he'd do anything to make her happy. Her pull on him was so strong that it was almost tangible.

No, no, no, no, no! This can't be happening! She can't be the one! She has a family! A son! She has a husband! I have Julie. I have seven years with her. This can't be right. There must be some mistake. I've got to get out of here. Never see her again, maybe I'll forget about her.

"Yeah, it was no problem." He looked down at his shoes as he spoke to her. "Well I've got to get going. Bye, kid, no more running away from your parents, okay? It scares your mother." Damn, now I suddenly care if he scares his mother?

"Bye, Embry," Collin said.

"Thank you," his mother whispered.

"Thanks again," his father patted Embry on the shoulder.

Embry nearly ran out of the store. He went straight home to get his head together before he had to meet Julie for their date. He paced back and forth trying to convince himself that this would change nothing. He held out hope that his love for Julie would be stronger than imprinting. He believed that in time he would forget the kid's mother, and he would never see her again. The thought ripped at his insides. He was already in too deep and, even though he wouldn't acknowledge it, he would not be able to claw his way out.