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CHAPTER 8

CHRISTMAS BREAKS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE FUN!

Emma's POV

I tossed and turned all night. Partially because Quil wouldn't stop groaning in his sleep. One time during the night I threw a pillow at him and it didn't do anything!

I finally decided to get up and I walked into the kitchen where my aunt was sitting at the table. We caught up on what had gone on since the summer.

I told her I wanted to see if I could find Embry today, but I wasn't sure if he had another girl to hang out with or not. My Aunt told me that I should find him and talk. She also told me he didn't have a girlfriend. I didn't want to go two weeks with knowing he was so close and not see him at all.

Finally, Quil got up. "Morning." I said glancing up at him.

"Hey, Emma." He replied stretching. He grew, and had more muscles! "Mom, I gotta pa… work in a little bit."

"Alright hun." My Aunt said. "I thought maybe you could take Emma to see Embry."

There was silence and as I looked at Quil, he was frozen to his spot. "Can't, he's working later."

Something weird was going on. I could always tell when Quil wasn't telling me something.

"That's fine." I started, then stood up. "I'm gonna go for a walk."

I started for the door and had my hand on the door knob when Quil spoke. "Be careful out there Em. It isn't safe here anymore."

I turned to look at him. Well, not just look, more like scowl at him. "I'll be fine." I said giving him the same attitude he gave me last night.

I walked out the door and headed toward the trees. As I walked, I didn't feel alone. It felt like invisible eyes were watching me. The birds were chirping, the ones who would stay for the winter anyway. But, it wasn't there eyes I felt boring into the back of my head.

As I walked further into the woods, I started hearing what I thought were wolves. I wondered if I could find one of them.

"Where are you?" I said to myself as I kept walking. "I just want to see one of you." I walked a little further into the forest and I could have swore something huge ran right in front of me. Some sort of brown animal. I don't think it was a bear. Bears do not run that fast. Besides, they hibernate. "Where did you go?" I was trying to be quiet, but twigs kept snapping every time I took a step.

Just then, Quil jumped out in front of me. "What the hell are you doing out in the woods this far?"

I gave him my nastiest look saying, "Walking. What else do you think I'd be doing?"

"Then turn around and head back. I told you it isn't safe in here!"

"What's gonna hurt me, a wolf?"

"A bl…yeah they might." Quil corrected himself for the second time today.

I looked him up and down. All he had on were a pair of shorts. "Aren't you a little cold, Quil? I mean seriously, you're only wearing shorts."

I could have swore I heard him growl, "Go home!" Yep! He growled.

"What the hell is up with you?" I asked walking up to him. I felt heat. What the hell was going on? "You're warm."

"That's why I'm in shorts."

"It's December idiot."

"Go back to the house."

"Why are you so warm?"

"No back to my house Emma."

"Not until you answer my question."

"Damn it, Emma. I need to go to work, and if you don't stay out of these woods, you might get hurt."

I rolled my eyes at him, "Why all of a sudden are you being such a jerk?"

"Emma, just please listen to me. don't mean to be like that, I just want to keep you safe."

"Fine, I'm going." I told him, turned and started walking back.

I wasn't really watching where I was going and tripped over something, then blacked out.

EMBRY'S POV

I was out patrolling earlier than what I thought I'd be. Sam called asking if I could patrol. So, here I am, out patrolling with Quil and Jake. I heard noises, like some on was walking around into the woods. I went to investigate and came across a girl. Okay, not just any girl. It was Emma.

I ran around so I could catch a glimpse of her face. As I did, the second our eyes met, I froze. For a second, I felt nothingness and the next I felt my heard jerk and my body lurch as my heart strings pulled toward Emma.

What was going on, was I doing what Sam and Jared did? Did I just imprint on Emma?

Emma's out here? Quil growled.

Uh, yeah. I said after a minute or two.

Show her to me. I haven't seen here in forever.

I sent them both mental images of Emma, and what just happened to me when I saw her.

I'm gonna send her back. Quil told us. I'll phase back till I get rid of her.

Sure, sure. Jake told him.

I watched Quil phase back and watched the altercation between the two. I wanted to phase back and talk to her, telling her how sorry I was for not calling her. But, I didn't. I saw her leave and I followed her. I'd seen her trip on something and waited for her to get up and start walking. She didn't, so I ran to her. I phased back threw my pants on and turned her over. She was so beautiful, but I knew I had to take her back to Quil's.

I picked her up, carrying her to the house. "Embry?" Maggie said. "What's wrong, what happened?"

"She tripped, Maggie. I saw it happen and I couldn't just leave her."

"Bring her in Quil's room. I'll be there in a minute."

"Okay." I brought Emma into the bedroom and laid her gently on the bed. "Emma? Hey, can you hear me, babe?"

Then Maggie came in, followed by Grace. "Oh god. What happened?" Grace said a bit hysterically.

"She-she fell. I found her unconscious in the woods." I told them both.

"Thank you, Embry." they both said at the same time.

"I'll just…wait in the other room." I said.

I think I sat in the living room for about a half hour, until Maggie and Grace both came out and sat down.

"How is she?" I was beyond concerned for her, and it was stressing me out a lot!

"She'll be fine." Grace told me.

"Good." I replied quietly and not looking at them. "I'd be lost without her."

"Embry, look at me." Maggie ordered. I did as she asked. "Another one." She whispered.

"What was that, Maggie?" Grace asked.

"Oh, hell, Grace. You know the stories." Maggie sarcastically told her sister. "You grew up with them like we did. They're true!"

"You're serious?" Grace said. "So there are vam…vampires here?" We both nodded.

"They aren't like the ones in the story Grace." I told her. "We've been told that they only drink the blood of animals."

"There's something else, Grace." Maggie added after I stopped speaking. "There is this thing called imprinting. Embry has imprinted on Emma." she smiled at me and I knew that it was a good thing.

"We change into wolves. We protect the land and if the right girl comes along, she becomes our world, our everything."

Grace shook her head. "No. No, no, no, no. This can't be true. You're just playing some sick joke."

"Grace, you know these stories. Did you ever tell Craig and Emma those stories?" Maggie shook her head again and Maggie continued, "Emma especially needs to know now that Embry has found his soul mate."

"We have to leave. We need to get out of here now." Grace told us turning to hysterics.

"NO!" I yelled, standing. "You can't take her away from me!" I started growling.

"Embry, calm down. I'll handle this." Maggie offered, and I sat back down.

"I can and I will!" Grace screamed. "Now get out before my daughter wakes up! GO!"

I looked over to Maggie, she was just as taken aback as I was. Grace was ripping my heart out and she didn't even act like she cared.

"Go see how Emma's doing, Embry." Maggie started and when Grace was about to protest she spoke over her, "You and I need to have a serious talk."

I walked into Quil's room, listening to the two women arguing over Emma staying here for Christmas break and Grace leaving. As I walked in, I saw her beautiful face. Even if her eyes were closed she was mine now. Not like a piece of meat, just that we were meant to be together for ever.

EMMA'S POV

How in the hell did I get here? I remember tripping, but I had no idea how I got in Quil's bed. As I went to get up, I ended up falling back down- my head hurt so bad.

"Damn." I groaned as I brought my hands to my head.

"Calm down, Em." That couldn't be him, could it? "You're gonna be okay. Just lay here and rest."

I turned my head to the voice, though I didn't open my eyes to look. "Embry?"

"Right here, babe." I heard the smile in his voice, but something was off. Then I felt his warm hand in my hair.

"What happened?"

"You were out in the woods, unconscious and I found you."

"You-you found me?" I pulled my hands away and looked at him for the first time in months.

"Yeah, I was covering for somebody at work when I ran across you."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." Embry leaned over and kissed me gently. "How have you been since we last talked?"

"I've been alright. What about you?"

"I guess about the same. Just wished you were always here."

"Me too." I whispered. "I'm glad you're here."

"Me too." Embry whispered with a smile. He grazed his hand across my cheek, so soft, so gentle and very warm. "I'd ask if you wanted to go for a walk, but I don't think you're up to it."

"I am." I said sitting up. "I want to catch up on what's gone on over the past, what four months."

"I don't think walking too far would be a good idea for you right now." Embry said laying me back down. "How about I get you something for that headache, then we can watch a movie or something?"

EMBRY'S POV

I walked out to the kitchen, Maggie and Grace were still arguing about Emma staying here. They both looked up at me when I walked in and then fell silent.

"How is she, Embry?" Maggie asked.

"She's awake." I said. "She has one hell of a headache though. She can't sit up without her grabbing her head."

"I need to get her to the car then." Grace said standing up.

"Grace…" Maggie started. "You've known that those two would be together. You said it yourself just this past summer."

"Well, he wasn't a freak then!" Maggie blurted out, like it was a curse word or something.

"I'm gonna take her some aspirin." I said as I started looking in the cupboards.

"She needs to get ready to go." That woman was pissing me off. "I'm not staying here in this messed up reservation anymore! And we aren't coming back!"

I was trying to fill a glass with water for Emma, but the second I heard that, I broke the glass in my hand. "Dammit!"

"Embry!" Maggie screamed. "Here, let me help you with that."

My hand was balled up into a fist, "I'm fine, Maggie."

"Let me help you pick out the glass."

"No." I said quietly. "I've got it. Just take Em her aspirin."

I couldn't fight Grace. She was Emma's legal guardian. I just couldn't tell her goodbye either. Emma needed to stay here or I would be nothing.

Then I heard Grace, "Come on sweetheart. I'm gonna take you home."

"What? Mom, I don't want to go." Emma begged.

"We have to dear. People are dangerous in these parts."

I stood in the doorway of the kitchen, watching the scene before me. The glass in my hand gone, and a dark scar from where the cut had been, healing.

Emma was fighting her mother so stay. As they stood there arguing, I walked toward Emma, never taking my eyes off her.

"We are going, Emma. You have no right telling… Get away from her, Embry! I've gone against my better judgement and let you watch her till she woke up! Now, now you are…"

"Emma." I whispered to her. I pulled her up to look at me, "I love you. Don't ever forget that. I'll find a way to come and see you soon." I whispered only for her to hear. "Marry me?"

Emma gasped when I asked her that question. She pulled away and just stared at me. We weren't old enough to get married just yet, but I was already making plans when I felt it would be the right time.

"Are you serious?" She finally whispered.

"Dead serious." I said staring into her beautiful eyes.

"Yes." Emma answered as the tears streamed down her face.

Grace grabbed on to Emma's wrist and started pulling. Without looking, I snatched Grace's hand. "Give us one more minute." I growled, but only looking at my future.

Grace's grip loosened, and so did mine. I touched Emma's cheek and leaned in to kiss her. "Embry, I don't want to go." Emma whispered.

"You have to." I whispered placing my forehead on hers. "I love you more than you know."

"When will I see you again?"

"I don't know." I told her as I started thinking. "Go for a walk in the woods every afternoon. I'll find a way to get to you soon."

"I'll miss you."

"I'm already missing you." I smiled.

"Emma, now! Lets go!" Grace demanded. I'm sure that yelling wasn't much help to Emma's headache.

I kissed her once more, "Soon."

I watched them get into the car and it about killed me to watch them speed down the road. I started pacing back and forth with my hands behind my head.

"How could I let her go?" I yelled at no one in particular. "WHY? I'm not a bad person!" I yelled up at the sky as I dropped to my knees.

I never cry, ever. But, when I reached up to run my hands through my hair, I touched tears escaping my eyes.

"Em? Dude, what the hell?" Jake asked.

"She's gone and it's all my fault!" I said rocking back and forth. "I totally fucked up Emma's visit by imprinting on her!"

"It's gonna be okay, Em." Sam was here, great. Probably pissed at me for ditching the rest of patrol. "We'll find a way for you to see her soon."