Embry's POV
Waking up in someone else's bed has to be the most awkward thing there is. I always debate on whether to wake the other or not. I mean at least saying goodbye and a chaste kiss on the forehead has got to be better than the alternative. Which is to wake up disappointed, alone and confused. It's the middle of the night and look at me trying to sneak out like a dumb frat boy while, Amber- no April? Anna? Amanda! Yes that's it. While Amanda is blissfully asleep and unawares that the nice guy she met at a bar is not so nice after all. It's not something I enjoy doing, but something I feel is necessary. To mine and the pack's chargin, I have yet to imprint, so having meaningful relationships is something that I have kind of become a pro at. I mean I have experienced second hand (through Leah and Sam) what it's like to be dumped and left for dry when your imprint comes along. Sam's guilt is not something I want to live with and Leah's bitterness is definitely not something I would want some poor girl to feel after I do find my imprint. And after all, I am a man, I have needs.
I quickly drove to my house which is close enough to the woods so I can phase whenever I need to. But still close enough to the city where I don' feel like such a loner. My place is like a glorified bachelor pad, and it's pretty amazing if I di say so myself, which I do. It's all black furniture and silver curtains. I once saw a home décor magazine and when I bought the place. I told the decorator I wanted exactly what was in the picture. She did not disappoint. I love coming home where I can be myself and just relax letting my mind wander. Which it usually does. And when do it's always about back home.
It's been years since I left the Rez to find this amazing and wonderful imprint that is supposed to be there for me through thick and thin. I left with high hopes thinking that any day now it will happen for me. I remember the first few years just walking staring into random girls eyes, yea I know creep life, but what can I say I was desperate. When that didn't work out I decided to go to college. I figured I have to find her there right? Wrong. I'd major in teaching while I waited for my dream girl to arrive and when that didn't happened I kept moving back and for the across the country to different teaching jobs. So as not to form connections and also so people won't get suspicious as why I don't age. About three years ago I moved back closer to home unbeknownst to anyone and took a teaching job in right in Willow's Creek, which is a town lose to Port Angelos. After a while I stopped looking for said imprint. I figured it's probably never going to happen to me anyways. I remember having that same conversation with Sam and some the other guys in the pack. We figure it'll probably never happen. After all originally imprinting was a rare thing but seeing as it happened to so many of our pack brothers we figured it'll happen for all of us. I guess we were wrong about that. So yeah this is where I'm at in life.
I was woken out of my sleep by the insistent ring of my phone. I chose to ignore it but yet again it kept ringing. I looked at the clock at my bedside which read 6:15am.
"Hello?" I managed to mumble out
"EMBRY!? How are you Hun?"
I looked at the caller I.D and saw that it was Kim on the line. I cursed myself for not checking the caller I.D first. I think they take a raffle and whoever loses has to call me on a weekly basis and make sure that I am not dead. I usually ignore these calls which is why I haven't spoken to anyone back home in a while. Unless you count when I phase which I don't do a lot of these days just whenever I get a whiff of the occasional leech lurking around. Usually when I do I keep the chatter to a minimum plus the new pups know better than to engage me in conversation. Jared, Paul, and Seth have all stopped phasing to age and build families with their wives. The only one who still phases anymore is Jacob and Quil who is going to stop phasing in a few years anyways since Claire is about to be an adult and he wants to age along with her.
"Hey Kim…. Yeah I'm good just been a bit busy I meant to call I just -"
"Like you always are Embry "busy" I could imagine her rolling her eyes on the other end of the phone
"Yoo EMBRY?! How's it going man?" this was Jared, I could hear Kim grumbling about how she wasn't done talking to me and something about the kids
"When you coming to visit man? We all miss you?"
"Yea, I know soon, it's just that I've been-"
"Busy yea we all know how busy you have been"
"Sorry ab-"
"Embry Honey just come for a quick visit Chris's Birthday is in a few months and we're having a big party" this was Kim back on the line I'm thinking she grabbed the phone back from Jared.
"Oh yea he's gonna be five right?"
"No, eight" she replied and I could hear the disappointment in her voice. Fuck. "Just make sure you come this time O.K. Em? We all miss-"
I hung up the phone before she could finish. It's not that I don't miss them I really do. It's sickening to be there and watch everyone be all lovey dovey, they all have families . And though I am happy for my brothers and their significant others is just a painful reminder of how alone I am. I have nothing to show for the last fifteen years of my life. I got up and made some breakfast and made my way down to the school that I teach, Willow Crest high School.
