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You Don't Know Me and If You're Not the One

Chapter 7: Beach Fun & Bad Tidal Waves

We made it to the beach just in time to catch Embry, Jake, Sam, and Paul in a huge puppy pile.

"Aww, isn't this just a Kodak moment? Where's a damn camera when you need one?" I cooed sarcastically with mocked disappointment as we approached them. "Oh, fuck it – my cell phone will just have to do." Even though it came out a little bitchy, I meant every word. I cared about these guys a great deal. Maybe not Sam so much but definitely Embry, Jake, and Paul.

My feelings towards Embry were the exact same as Seth, he truly was a little brother to me. Jake was my Alpha. Strong and firm but devoted. And Paul, he was male equivalent. How could I not love the male version of myself?

After finally breaking free, Embry whipped around – most likely to make some silly little remark back – but stopped dead in his tracks once his eyes landed on Ester. His face was priceless as his eyes raked over his mate from head to toe and back up again.

"Shit," he breathed out loudly. I guess he approved of Ester's black bikini top and light denim daisy dukes.

Abby ended up wearing a blue one-piece, black shorts, and a black long sleeved crochet beach cover-up. I guess Abby wasn't as confident as her dear old sis, when it came to exposing skin, and I really didn't see nothing wrong with that.

"Well, at least his ass isn't tongue tied anymore," I whispered in Ester's ear.

"That he isn't," she agreed, all the while still smiling at Embry. "And I must admit, I like this Embry a whole lot better."

"Hey, Embry!" Abby happily greeted him. "Where's Seth?" She looked around the beach anxiously. Her excitement in seeing my little brother actually made me smile. Just a little bit.

"He had something he needed to take care of, but he'll be here a little later," Jake cut in. I knew my little brother was on patrol. "It's nice to finally meet you, Abigail."

"You're Jacob?" My brother's imprint grinned happily.

"That's right," he confirmed with a weird smile. "How'd you know?"

"Well, Seth has a lot of pics in his phone of all of you. He sort of showed them to me a few times, told me a couple things about you all so I wouldn't forget your names or faces," she replied.

"Oh, really?" Paul tilted his head, staring at my brother's mate. "What exactly did he say?"

"Well, you're Paul, Rachel's fiancé," she began, "and a total dick." We all started laughing, including the girls off in the distance. "But a good guy all the same," Abby added, smirking.

"That's about right," Paul agreed with a nod, and then turned his attention to Embry's imprint. "What's up, Ester? We didn't get a chance to meet yesterday."

"Hey," Ester replied with amusement. She must've still been thinking about what her little sis said earlier. I know I was.

"And just so you know, being an asshole is not a bad thing," Paul added. "Just ask our girl, Leah, here." Oh no, he didn't!

"I'm not an asshole," I countered with a menacing look, staring back at Paul. "I'm a grade 'A' bitch, and that's Queen B to you."

"Oh! Please forgive me, Queen B." Paul fell to his knees and began to grovel at my feet. He then desperately grabbed my hands and started planting kisses all over them. Disgusting!

"Rach! Please come get your man, he's being gross again!" I hollered, pushing Paul away from me and throwing him, off-balanced, into the sand.

"Looks like you got things covered from where I'm sitting!" Rachel yelled back humorously.

"What did Seth say about me?" Brady cut in anxiously.

"You're Brady: Seth's cousin," she said quickly. "Who's next?" Abby asked, looking around at our group.

"That's it? No smart remarks? No grand personality trait?" Brady seemed a little ticked off. I could tell Abby was holding back what Seth told her about his cousin, as her lips formed into a tight line. She looked back at Embry for what appeared to be guidance.

"Go ahead, Abby. We have no secrets," Embry urged her with a grin on his face.

"He said you were a really good singer," Abby murmured shyly.

"Well, everybody knows that," Brady bragged.

It was true. Brady really sounded a hell of a lot like Bruno Mars with a touch of Usher mixed in, but my cousin tended be a cocky little show off when it came to his voice. In all honesty, I sometimes just wanted to punch him in the face when he got that way. There's nothing wrong with showcasing your talent, but dude, have some humility about it! Just saying.

"Yeah, but he also said you like singing Rhianna and Katy Perry songs at the top of your lungs in the shower when you think no one is around," she finally divulged with a grin that cut through his cocky smile. Brady's eyes widened to the size of saucers. Hell yes, Abby! It's official. I love this kid!

"Oh, man!" Collin keeled over laughing. "How the hell did we not know that shit?! I can't wait to tell all the chicks at school..."

"I think that would be a really shitty thing to do, Collin, especially considering the fact that you still sleep with a teddy bear named Dr. Bo-Bo." With that, Collin immediately stopped laughing while all of us burst into a fit of hysterics.

"No!" Collin shook his head frantically. "That's not true! I don't sleep with him at night anymore! He just sits on my bed for decoration."

"That doesn't make that shit any better, man!" Quil gasped in between laughs. "You're such a pansy, dude!"

"Don't call him a pansy, I think it's sweet!" Abby defended Jake's cousin. "Besides, it's not like he used to dress up in his mom's clothes and high heels when he was twelve and sing I Feel Like a Woman by Shania Twain, Quil Ateara," she added. "Not that I think anything is wrong with that. I think a man being in touch with his feminine side is a good thing." Abby was gonna fit in with all of us just fine.

By this time, Jared was in tears, trying to catch his breath as he hung on to Paul. Sam tried to remain stoic, but by the look on his face, he was about to burst any minute. Jake quickly turned around and tried to hide his face, but everyone heard his guffaws loud and clear.

Holding Quil down and forcing his ass into his mom's clothes were some good times. I'm gonna have to pull those memories out of my mental archive the next time we all have patrol.

"That shit does not count! Leah, Rach, and Becca used to tie me down and make me do it! Tell her, Leah!" Quil pleaded desperately with me.

"I have no idea what you're talking about Quil," I lied effortlessly. "You told us you loved your mom's dresses." I pinched his cheeks. "We just simply helped you try them on – at least that's how I remembered it," I sniggered.

"This is some bullshit, man!" Quil threw his hands up and stormed off.

I watched Claire jump up from our group of wolf girls and go after him, yelling, "Babe, it's okay. All kids dress up in their parents clothes!" Yeah right, Claire, keep telling your man that.

"Does anyone else want to know how I remembered their names?" Abby asked, looking around with the most evil grin on her face. Ester was standing beside her sister, looking upon her with pride and a hint of amusement.

Jared, Sam, and Jake immediately stopped laughing.

"Hell, no!" They all exclaimed at once.

"Let's just stick to normal introductions." Sam stepped forward. "Hello, Ester and Abigail, I'm Sam." God, I hated how polite he sounded. Why couldn't he just be an asshole so it could be easier for me to hate him?

"Embry's brother," Ester replied, looking from Embry and then back at Sam. "You two look a lot alike."

"Strong Uley genes," Sam replied, shaking Ester and Abby's hands. "We'll find out soon enough whose genes are stronger between my wife and me; we're having a baby."

Why the fuck did he have to go there? I'm right here, damn it!

"Wow! Embry didn't tell me." Ester stared at Embry inquisitively, however, Embry's eyes immediately shifted towards me instead. He had the most concerned look on his face. He was worried about me. I could tell. I didn't give a shit about Sam. But I longed for what I could have had with Rich. Children.

No! I yelled to myself. I'm not going to let Sam break me. "Come on, Abby." I tugged her arm. "I'll introduce you to the girls, and Ester, you haven't met Emily yet, Sam's wife."

I glared at my ex one last time with a look that said, Fuck you, Sam Uley, before storming off with Ester and Abby in toe, thinking all the while that those four words would be perfect for my next t-shirt.

The other wolf girls loved Abby almost instantly. It seemed effortless for her, and I could tell Ester was doing her best to loosen up, but she was still very guarded. Considering the fact that she loved Abby so fiercely, I knew she was capable of caring for others, well, eventually. Not everybody is the same. Bonding with others may take a little time with Ester in contrast to her little sis.

Abby and Ester didn't cringe or stare at the scars on Emily's face like most people did when meeting her for the first time. It was as if Abby and Ester didn't see them or just saw past them.

Ester sat down on a large beach towel next to Embry brought by the rest of the wolf girls, and started watching the pack and Riley toss the football around. They were sitting a few feet away. I guess to get a little privacy.

Abby, Diego, the other imprints, and I decided to listen to a little bit of music and just veg out and enjoy the warm summer day.

"Wow, Leah, I really love your tattoo." At first I thought she was talking about the wolf brand on my arm, but instead, she pointed to the other one. The one I got with Rich. The one I got a lot of flak for after I phased, since no one knew about it or could possibly understand why the hell I'd get something like that.

My tribal styled three-leaf shamrock tattoo that rested just above my pelvic bone. "Why a three-leaf clover, though?" she asked curiously.

Whenever I found myself about to slip and think of Rich in the pack mind, I used the tattoo as a distracting focal point. After Rich and I finally got together, we wanted to get something that represented our love for one another. Since we were way too chicken shit to get one another's names, we decided to get something inspired by each other's heritage. Rich wanted to go all out and get a wolf tattoo, but I told him that was way too extreme, so instead, he got two eagle feathers on his arm. I went with the shamrock inspired by his Irish heritage.

Usually, I would just lie, but I just couldn't with Seth's mate, so I kept it short and simple. "It's a long story," I muttered. Even though thinking about Rich didn't hurt as much anymore, I wasn't ready to share my heartache with an audience present.

"I'm sure it is," Abby sighed, looking over at her sister sadly. Embry was running his finger along the inside of Ester's wrist, tracing what looked to be a tattoo as well, but I couldn't make it out. "Most tattoos have very significant meanings to those who have them." A gloomy smile graced Abby's face. "Essie has a cone snail."

Why the hell would anyone get a cone snail permanently inked on them? One drop of venom from this tiny son of a bitch is enough to end twenty human lives. Older folks refer to it as the cigarette snail. It has been said that when this nasty little fucker stings you, you'll have just about enough time to smoke a cigarette before you stop breathing. It's not like it matters anyway, though…there is no anti-venom.

"Do you have any?" I was almost afraid to ask. Abby eyes widened slightly by my question. Then she gripped her arms protectively and shook her head.

"I don't need any," she whispered lowly. "I have something else that tells my fucked up story." My eyes then focused in on her arms underneath the crochet cover up. I finally saw what she was trying to hide.

Pattern burns.

My body began to shake with fury. Why the hell did she do this herself? What had gone on in Abby and Ester's life that would have been so terrible that one of them would be driven to self-harm and the other against love? Was this what made Seth so angry yesterday that he nearly phased in Tiffany's living room? Just as I started to open my mouth and demand some answers, Diego interrupted me.

"¡Dios mio!" he gasped. I whipped my head in his direction just in time to see Embry and Ester in a full-blown make out session. They were damn near dry humping. Did they forget this was a public beach? "I don't wanna see that, chica!" His tone was filled with humor.

Ester pulled away from Embry only to playfully sass back, "¡Entonces deje de mirar!"

We'd found out earlier that Ester became damn near fluent in Spanish after working at some distribution center back where she and Abby used to live, because some of her co-workers spoke very little English and felt more comfortable speaking in their native tongue.

"So I guess this means you won't be delivering my lips to my mom." Embry smirked. I don't even want to know what the hell he's referring to. Ester playfully tried to smack Embry's arm, but he caught it instead and pulled her in for another kiss.

"Get a room," I muttered to myself, trying to fight back a smile. Even though I was in total agreement with Diego, I was happy for my pack bro. Ester was starting to let her walls down with Embry. Maybe the imprints and the rest of the pack would be next. Just as things started to calm down and I allowed myself to focus back on Abby, things went from good to bad.

"Shit!" Claire cursed loudly. "It's the Shadow sisters!"

"Who are they?" Ester asked Embry as the two sisters approached us.

"Topaz and Opal Shadow," Embry replied angrily.

"And their last name fit them perfectly because all those bitches do is throw shade," I added, sounding just as pissed.

"Not Topaz. She just follows behind her sister with her head down like a lost puppy, not even bothering to look anyone in the face." Rachel actually sounded like she felt a little bad for the kid.

Seventeen-year-old Opal Shadow was the biggest pain in La Push's ass. She was a bully

There was not much I could say about her fifteen year old sister Topaz, considering the fact that she rarely spoke and never looked anyone in the eye. Opal was a very pretty, but her attitude was so ugly, it made her unattractive.

Like Rachel, I felt bad for Topaz. To be so fragile and delicate, I couldn't help but wonder what the poor kid went through in her very short life to be that way. She had Opal as her sister and no self-worth.

Ester stood up and dusted the sand off her, while Embry did the same. Within seconds, the rest of us girls were on our feet and the guys stopped tossing the football around. They joined us.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" Opal tapped her chin. "It looks like there are some new additions to your little clique," she said bitterly, smiling all the while at Ester and Abby. Topaz jut fidgeted with her hands and looked anywhere but at us. "Ester and Abigail Moonflower, I presume?"

"How do you know that?" Ester glared at Opal.

"News travels fast around these parts," she replied nonchalantly. "I guess it's a good thing. Now the Moonflower name shall live on." Opal's eyes shifted from Ester then back to Abby. "It's funny though. You," she pointed at my brother's mate, "look nothing like the Moonflowers, while Ester here is a spitting image of them." She stepped forward towards Abby.

The only reason I hadn't grabbed that dumb skank by her hair was because she wasn't violating Abby's personal space. Yet. "If you ask me, it looks like your mommy had an affair with the milk man...the white milk man."

Okay, now I was gonna kick her ass, but before I could, my brother's mate leapt forward.

"Fuck you!" she snarled, but Ester already had her sister by the waist, preventing her from going after Opal.

It took everything in me not to grab Opal by the throat and beat her ass right there on the spot. How dare she disrespect my brother's mate? Jacob must have known what I was thinking, because I could feel my Alpha's wolf radiating through me, telling mine to step down. Jake's wolf was that strong, a mere glare could send us into submission even while we weren't in wolf form. Damn him! He never let me have any fun! And believe me, re-arranging Opal's face would have been very enjoyable.

"Opal, get the hell outta here. No one wants to deal with your shit today," Jacob growled.

I leaned over and whispered in Embry's ear, "I'm gonna go get Seth."

Opal had been after my brother for years, but he never showed her or any other girl much interest. The fact that Seth had been spending so much time with Abby had already gotten around La Push. Opal must not have liked that too much. Yeah, shit just got real!

PLEASE REVIEW & A SNEAK PEAK OF CHAPTER 8 WILL BE IN YOUR INBOX SUNDAY

RICH POV IN THE NEXT CHAPTER

Thanks once again for reading!