Chapter 8:

Tuesday was boring and I caught up on my homework, surprisingly getting it all done, Wednesday I worked and Friday I worked, but Thursday was free. I didn't go to Jake's and help him build some more while Bells wasn't there. I needed a breather, an afternoon without grease on my hands.

I was actually really glad Bella was out of her 'zombie' mode and that Jacob seemed happier than ever. Two birds with one stone. Who knew they'd be such a match for one another. Who knew Edward leaving would be a good thing. Especially after I had such a bad feeling from it.

I spent the afternoon in the gym before driving home. I spent about two minutes there before I decided to walk down to First beach. It was peaceful today, the weather wasn't too bad so that was a little surprising. There were clouds hanging above across the sky but no rain as of yet.

The waves were calm as the wind blew the black waters towards the beach. I'd never seen a nice blue ocean, with coral and fish, I'd never gone to the right place for that, but still, I loved the ocean here in LaPush. As I walked on the sand I couldn't help but show off a little, even though know one was watching. I did a one-handed cartwheel, slowly. Then a one-handed hand-stand and began to count how long I could stray up straight for. Normal people would get dizzy after a while from all the blood that rushed to their face, I'd gotten used to it and could hold on longer than most others. I'd only gotten to a minute and a half before I heard someone whistle. I turned to see Embry standing there. I smirked and lowered my legs back to the ground, slowly standing up straight.

"Oh, don't stop on my account." Embry allowed, I chuckled

"No that's alright,"

"How do you do that?" Embry questioned

"Upper body strength, knowing your centre of gravity." I shrugged. I'd worked on my upper body strength a lot lately. "It's not that different from walking if you do it right." I confessed

"You make it look easy,," Embry admitted

"Took me a while to learn it though."

"Isn't that always the way."

"So what are you doing?" I wondered. Embry shrugged

"Everyone's busy, thought I'd go for a walk." he said looking out to the waters "You?" he wondered

"Needed a break from greasy hands," I said holding mine up.

"How's it going?" he smiled, interested

"Not bad," I smirked "Almost done."

"What's happening afterwards?"

"Jake's giving Bella lessons and in exchange Jake gets to keep the harley." I answered

"Awesome," Embry smirked

"You'll reck it." I warned, knowing he was planning on having a go

"I have my own remember,"

"Even better you don't need to ride his." I grinned. He scowled at me before we began to walk up the beach together "So where's Quil?" I wondered

"Homework." Embry smirked

"And you're not doing the same because…?" I wondered. Embry just shrugged

"Needed some fresh air," I looked at him, he had a concerned look on his face. I jumped in front of him and put my hand to his chest, making him stop walking

"What's wrong?" I questioned. He shook his head and tried to step around me but I just stepped back in his way again. He looked down on me, seeing my concerned look and knowing I wasn't going to let this go.

"I haven't been feeling all to great lately, that's all." he said, but the way he said it made it sound serious. I reached up, causing him to grin as I could only just reach his forehead

"You do feel a bit warm," I confessed. He shrugged "I'm surprised your mother isn't making you stay home."

"She doesn't know," Embry admitted. I looked at him surprised

"Why haven't you said, if you're not feeling well then…"

"It's a little different to that," he interrupted me

"How?" I asked confused. He looked at me and I could see his thoughts whirling around in his head as he thought about how to explain it.

"I don't know." he eventually spoke "It's difficult to explain." I sighed and looked at him a little longer before taking a step backwards and turning around to keep walking.

"That's weird," I confessed

"Thanks," he said sarcastically. I grinned at him, at least he wasn't acting any different, still, I watched him for a little while, he didn't have his usual happy look on his face.

"Are you sure you're alright?" I asked after a while of silence.

"Will you just drop it?" Embry spat. I stopped walking. Did he just snap at me? Over something so small and stupid? I watch him, his face wasn't annoyed, it actually looked angry. As I looked at his eyes, something inside me stirred and I felt a bit weird, but I ignored it and watch Embry for a second.

"Em?" I muttered. He seemed to snap out of what every it was and looked at me with sorry filled eyes.

"Oh Lex, I'm sorry," he said sincerely. I watched him for a second before walking towards him.

"It's alright, but…" I put my hand on his arm comfortingly before speaking again, only my words disappeared when I felt his skin. I put both hands on his arm "Dude, you're like, burning up!" he was so hot! And not in that way but as in temperature wise! He wasn't like this two seconds ago. I felt his forehead again.

"Dude, you have a fever…?" I realised. Embry took a deep breath and shut his eyes. He suddenly staggered a little and I grabbed him to steady him. "Embry?" I said worried, I swear his temperature was still rising. "I think you need to go home!" I decided immediately. Embry nodded and I helped him walk down the beach. We came to a path in the trees that cut through to the main bulk of the houses in LaPush, Jacob, mine, Leah and Embry's houses being a few. We walked through, Embry staggering and breathing deeply. I was beginning to worry, if he became really weak then there was no way I'd be able to carry him, and his house was the furthest to get too.

I couldn't put me finger on it, not two minutes ago he'd been absolutely fine, sure he was a little warmer than normal but he hadn't been this warm. And then he suddenly snapped and was way above the usual fever standard. How can you gain a fever like this in less than a few seconds? It took us no more than three minutes to break through the trees

"You alright Em?" I wondered, I had my arms wrapped around his waist and he was leaning on my shoulders. He nodded "Yeah right," I muttered, but he was still walking so that's alright.

My house came into sight and I noticed no one was home as the only car there was my own. I pulled out my keys as we walked towards the house and Embry sat down on the porch steps while I fumbled to open the door. I got him through the house and to the lounge room where I put him on the couch. He was a little to big for it but it was better than having him standing. I rushed to the kitchen and filled a bowl of water before adding ice to it. I grabbed a cloth and carried it carefully back over to Embry. I covered the cloth in water before putting it on Embry's forehead. I swear his fever was only getting worse. I didn't know what to do, do I call his Mother? Or a doctor first? I watched Embry for a second before I went to collect the phone. I dialled the Black's number.

"Hello?" Billy picked up

"Hi Billy, it's Alexis." I said

"Lexi, hang on I'll go and collect Jake for you." he said. I wasn't sure why I called Billy, but it seemed like the right thing to do, like a subconscious thought telling me to proceed. Maybe it was because he was a tribe leader, but I could have called my dad for that.

"Actually, I called you," I confessed

"Oh," he said "Well what can I help you with?" he wondered

"Well, I was at the beach when I bumped into Embry. We talked for a while before suddenly snapped at me." I began

"Snapped at you?" Billy sounded concerned

"Yeah, like a sudden burst of anger," I nodded to myself

"Where is he now?" Billy asked seriously

"On my couch, not two minutes after that he suddenly came down with a fever and I brought him back here." I explained

"Alright, Alexis, call you father and inform him." Billy ordered. I felt my eyebrows push together in confusion

"My father? What about Mrs Call?" I wondered

"We'll get to that," he promised

"Oh… alright," I muttered slowly

"I'm going to have Harry drive me up to your place. Make sure Embry doesn't move." Billy said. I was so confused, why was this suddenly so important? Why were we telling everyone except someone who could help? "Alexis, do you understand?" Billy questioned. I sighed down the phone, there had to be a reason for this, so I nodded

"Yes, I do," I promised

"I'll be there shortly." and Billy hung up. I stared at the phone confused. Before I called my dad I walked back over to Embry and rewet the cloth.

"Thanks," he muttered

"No problem, someone has to nurse you back to health." I smirked "Plus you did the same for me, remember," Embry smiled at me weakly before I began to dial my dad's number. I held a finger up to Embry and he nodded before I walked away again, not far so that I could keep an eye on him.

"Hello, Andrew Westlake here?" my dad answered

"Hey dad, it's me," I said

"Alexis, what's up honey?" he wondered. I sighed

"I called Billy and told him and he told me to tell you," I began

"Tell me what?" my dad's voice sounded as serious as Billy's had.

"Embry's lying on our couch in our living room with a terrible fever," I explained, there was silence for a minute.

"How's his temper?" he wondered, I realised this is what had set Billy off before

"He snapped at me just before the fever came on," I said truthfully.

"Alright, I'm on my way there, did Billy say anything?" dad wondered

"He's getting Harry to drive him and they're both coming here."

"Okay, be careful Alexis." my dad said before he too suddenly hung up. I stared at the phone. What was going on? What was so important that the tribe leaders were gathering? It was just a fever… right? I put the phone down and remembered that Embry needed me more than my thoughts did, he was more important. So I grabbed a glass of water and walked back to Embry, handing him the glass. The glass steamed up when he touched it and he had enough strength to sit up and wolf it down while I rewet the cloth again.

"What's going on?" Embry wondered

"My dad, Billy and Harry are coming." I said as he lied back down

"Why?" he asked confused

"I don't know," I shook my head with a sigh "Both my dad and Billy hung up before I had the chance to ask."

"Are you alright?" Embry wondered. I smirked

"Sure, I'm not the one lying on my couch with an awful fever," Embry rolled his eyes before his face scrunched up and he let out a groan. "Hey," I said surprised, was he in pain now?

"Em?"

"I'm alright," he muttered

"Yeah right." I disagreed.

"I feel like my whole body's aching," Embry muttered as he realised a breath and he started breathing hard again. I bit my lip worried before the door bell rang. I was reluctant to leave Embry but I did so anyway and got the door. Harry was there with Billy.

"Is he still here?" Harry asked, I nodded and he wheeled Billy past him.

"Alexis could you make us some coffee please?" Billy said. It wasn't a request, but a demand. It wasn't difficult to realise that they didn't want me near Embry. I nodded, I wasn't going to start yelling or screaming or demanding answers, not yet anyway. If they could help Embry then for now that's all that mattered. Answers could come later.

I walked into the kitchen and began to boil the water, I could just hear the hushed whispers from the other room, but the kettle made it impossible to pick out any actual words.

The door burst open again and this time my father walked in. The first thing he did was walk up to me.

"Are you alright?" he asked worried, looking me over. I looked at him confused

"Of, course," I answered "Why wouldn't I be?" dad looked me over again before accepting I said the truth and walking into the living room to Billy and Harry, completely ignoring my question.

The kettle popped and I could hear now as I made three cups of coffee.

"How did he get it?" my dad muttered

"I don't know, but this means he must have the gene," Harry hushed

"Then his father was from around here." my dad realised "Have you informed Sam?" dad asked

"Yes, he was busy but I managed to contact Emily. He's on his way." Billy answered

"What about Alexis?" Harry said, a little quieter as I stirred the hot liquid. I heard a sigh.

"We need to move Embry," my dad said

"What if we can't?" Harry asked

"The boys can." Billy assured him

"Until then?" my dad reminded them

"Is there a way to get her out of the house?" Billy wondered

"You could just ask." I muttered as I walked into the room and gave them all a mug each. They looked at me, I couldn't tell if they were surprised I was listening, surprised they got caught or worried about what I heard. I could tell I wasn't meant to be listening, but it's only so easy to ignore whispers. I rolled my eyes

"How's he doing?" I wondered

"He's just got a fever, a few growing pains," my dad answered, almost immediately. I sighed, his answer was way to well rehearsed. There was silence again and the three leaders just kept sharing glances.

"Jeez!" I threw my hands up "Fine! If it's so important that you can't tell me what's really going on then I'll leave." I said frustrated "I'm not going to stay if everyone around me's just going to lie anyway!" I walked towards the back door. I hadn't gotten around to taking my shoes off so I didn't need to worry about that. "Make sure you watch him!" I ordered

"Where are you going?" my dad asked

"For a walk." I said seriously before opening the door and leaving. I really didn't want to leave Embry, but they obviously couldn't help him if I was there.

I stormed off through the trees and it wasn't till I'd been walking for about twenty minutes that I slowed down. Eventually I came to a stop and huffed

"This probably wasn't smart." I muttered looking around "I'm probably lost." I confessed. I sat down at the foot of a tree and pulled my phone out. "At least it's not dead," I sighed. I'd only just realised how many people around me, have been lying to me. My father is obviously in on something which involves lying, Bella lies to us constantly, apparently Billy and Harry do too. I wonder if my mother was in on what ever it was also… I sighed and shut my eyes. I really needed a break from all of this. The only people I knew who positively didn't lie to me, was Jake, Embry and Quil. James too, but he lied to me about little things that apparently weren't important.

I leaned my head back on the tree and closed my eyes.

"Why do we lie?" I wondered, "Is it to protect those we care about, or ourselves?" it was an excellent question. When someone lies it usually turns around to hurt them for doing so. The other, who discovered the lie, usually misunderstands the reason behind it. I wonder why that is…

"Well, well, well, what have we here?" my eyes shot open and I froze. A shiver ran up my spin from the sound of that sickly sweet voice. Though in a way, it was similar. Perfect. Like chime bells. The feeling I'd felt when looking at Embry's fierce eyes returned and I felt worried, but for some reason, not scared.

I turned my head to look at where the voice had come from. It was hard to miss her, she stood out in this green forest like a white spot on black paper. She was absolutely gorgeous though. Beautiful. Though, oddly, her beauty was familiar. Her skin was so pale, like freshly fallen snow. Her hair red like fire. Her physic perfect. I then realised why she looked familiar. She reminded me of the Cullens. Her perfectness and the sound of her voice. They were similar. Except that this women gave me the chills, made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

At first I was cautious, worried, but when I saw her eyes it was another emotion that filled me. Her eyes were red, as red as blood, darker than crimson. They stood out like her firey red hair. The look of her made me feel sort of defensive. I knew I was in trouble, but I couldn't find it in me to scream, or worry, or freak out, or even try to run.

I stood up, running my finger tips against the bark behind me as I did so, not taking my eyes off of her. Something in me wanted to turn and run, but there was something else, something that told me running was both cowardly and futile. This was the stronger side.

"Now what could you be doing all the way out here?" she wondered, her voice was the kind you used when you talked to a little kid. The smile that spread over her lips to reveal her perfect white teeth made me want to punch her. There was just something about her that I didn't like, that made me wary.

"I could ask you the same thing," I admitted. I was surprised that my voice wasn't shaking. I'd expected it to be. She looked at me surprised

"Well, aren't we have a brave one." she said. She looked me up and down, almost as if she was considering something. "What's your name?" she wondered

"Why should I tell you?" I questioned, a fierce look on my face. She grinned at me before suddenly, she was standing in front of me. She put her hand on my throat and smashed me against the tree behind me. She didn't squeeze, her hand was on my throat as a warning. I didn't even notice the throbbing that had begun in my head or the pain in my right shoulder from being smashed against the tree, what I noticed the most was how cold she was. Her fingers were like icicles. Hard, white, cold icicles. She had no warmth, almost like she was dead. The strength she used to lift me up was surprising too. She held me off of the ground but she wasn't struggling to do so.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you not to argue?" she questioned

"Yes. But she also told me not to talk to strangers." I replied. She smiled again but I could see the frustration in her eyes.

"Why do you smell like that?" she questioned, suddenly changing the topic. My eyebrows pushed together in confusion

"What?" I questioned

"Your scent… it's different," she muttered

"I have no idea what you're going on about." I confessed. Scent? Isn't that meant to be something animals smell? How the hell can she smell it?

"Why aren't you scared?" she asked, curiosity written all over her face

"Of what? You?" I asked in return

"Most people are terrified by now," she admitted

"You're obviously not a nice person then. You now it's not nice to frighten people." I said. She smiled again, but this time, there was something in her eyes, as though she'd thought of a good idea. This smile wasn't a nice smile, neither were the others but this one, this one made me feel sick.

"You know what… I like you," she decided. I looked at her confused.

"Then why are you threatening to strangle me?" I questioned

"Gives me a better view," she cooed in her sickly sweet voice

"View for what?" I asked. She smiled wider

"You'll see."

"I want to know, not see," I admitted, she laughed

"Oh you are a fighter."

"I don't fight," I confessed. I wanted to hit her hand away, I wanted to make her let go. The cold from her hand was making my fingers around her wrist freeze and I felt like my neck was being frozen solid. But for some reason I knew it was futile. Maybe it was the strength she was exhibiting, or the speed that she moved. I didn't understand; how can you move like that? How can you be alive and yet so cold? How was it possible?

She was still smiling at me and opened her mouth to speak, but something distracted her as her head snapped to the side, looking into the trees. I didn't follow her gaze I just looked at her, she was so perfect, to perfect, but at the same time, she was so… not.

Something brought me out of my thoughts. It sounded like a growl, something made by a wolf, or a dog. I turned my head the most I could to look at where the growl came from. The pale girl was looking at it too, she hadn't removed her hand but the expression on her face was annoyed. There was a slight show of frustration in her emotions.

We both watched as the growling got closer. My eyes widened as a huge black wolf stepped out from behind the trees. There were two behind it, a silver grey one and a medium brown. They were all huge, much taller than a normal wolf, even taller than a human. The black one in the front was the tallest out of all three. It's lips pulled back over it's canine teeth as it snarled.

The girl's hand tightened around my throat as she snarled at them. I gasped and closed one of my eyes, holding onto her wrist with both hands instead of just one. The black wolves ears laid back on his head and he growled at her. The silver one did the same while the medium one did some sort of bark. The girl snarled at them before suddenly her hand was gone from my throat and my feet hit the ground. I crouched down and took a deep breath before looking at her as she ran away. She was gone before I could even blink.

Two of the wolves were straight after her, whizzing past me so fast I only saw a blur of silver and brown. The black one looked at me for a minute. I swear there was something about it, something that looked… different to a normal wolf, other than it's size.

Just like I wasn't scared of the girl I wasn't scared of this wolf either, despite it's huge size. But I slowly stood up with caution, not taking my eyes off of it. It looked at me for a second longer, let out a small warning like growl before it took off after the girl and the other two wolves.

I stood there completely confused before I heard a howl. I took a deep breath.

"What the bloody hell…?" I muttered to myself. What is wrong with the world?!

I started walking, walking in the direction the wolves had come from, I wasn't sure if I was going the right way but I just kept walking. It seemed the smartest thing was to just go in the opposite direction to that which the wolves and that girl had headed.

I didn't get it! I didn't understand! At the same time I wasn't sure whether I wanted to understand.

Somehow I managed to make it out of the trees and to somewhere familiar; First beach. The sun had begun to set and could only just be seen over the ocean. I walked over to a piece of drift wood before sitting down on it. I put my head in my hands.

"What is wrong with me?" I muttered. Why wasn't I scared of her? Or those huge wolves? It seemed to me that that girl had the power to kill me, something about her said she'd do it too. And yet, I didn't worry about it once until just now.

Why were those wolves chasing her anyway? And how the hell did they all run so bloody fast?

How? That seemed to be the question of the day. And boy was it annoying the crap out of me. It was like an itch that I couldn't scratch. The answer… why do I feel like I know it? And why did I react the way I did? Like I wasn't scared? Why wasn't I scared?

I suddenly remembered that I'd walked off into the forest on my father and the sun was going down. We didn't need another Bella incident. I sighed and slapped my cheeks, if I went home looking like I felt then everyone would start shitting their pants worrying about me. I didn't need to tell anyone about what just happened, not yet anyway. Not only that but I still had to work out what happened.

I started walking back to my house, taking deep breaths and trying to compose myself, to lock all the questions away in a box somewhere to be reopened later. It was then that I remembered Embry. I ran back to my house, it only taking me a minute before I walked quickly in through my front door, seeing my mothers car as I did.

"Mum! Dad!" I called, my mother came around the corner from her study

"You're home," she smiled, but the smile was fake, it didn't reach her eyes and all I could see was worry.

"It's alright, I'm fine mum." I assured her as she gave me a hug. It only just occurred to me that I was pretty good at looking through people's masks, the masks they wore to cover their true emotions. I guess after Bella's lied for the past year you couldn't really blame me.

"Alexis?" my father called. He saw me and I saw the anxiousness that covered his face, the worry and panic that disappeared the second his eyes found me. At first I thought it was about Embry but then he walked towards me and pulled me into a hug.

I was surprised. His hug was so… relieving, but not for me, for him, like he knew I was in trouble. I looked at him when he pulled away

"What's wrong?" I wondered. He looked at me for a second before shaking his head. He placed his hand on my cheek

"I was just worried," he said, I rolled my eyes

"I know how to take care of myself dad." I assured him

"I know," he smiled and gave me another hug "I know." he said again.

"How's Embry?" I asked. He pulled away

"We called his mother and she's taken him home to be looked after." he said. I was a little confused, he was lying to me, but at the same time he was telling the truth. I couldn't tell which part of his sentence was the truthful one.

"That's good," I sighed "I hope he gets better." My dad nodded

"How about dinner?" my mum proposed

"Yes please." James called from the top of the stairs. We all laughed at him as he came down.

"Have a nice walk sis?" he wondered

"Peachy." I rolled my eyes before winking at him, trying to conceal that I'd used the word 'peachy' again.