[Edited]
Disclaimer: I do not own this story. It belongs to Stephanie Meyer. I only own the unfamiliar plot line, other characters and anything else unrecognisable.
Chapter 8
My head shoots up as I see this person come stumbling in front of me. It's Embry.
"Embry." I say, my voice laced with surprise. What's he doing here? How did he even find me? He doesn't say anything, just looks at me. It's like his analyzing my appearance. I must look a mess. I have been crying all day. I'm about to question him about being here and finding me when I see his body shaking slightly. The look on his face is a stretch between anger and confusion. Why would he be angry? And why is he shaking? His wearing two hoodies, he can't be cold.
"Embry?" I question. "A-are you okay?"
He looks confused for a moment, his eyebrows furrowing. Then he shakes his head.
"Uhm, I don't know." He sounds nothing like what he normally sounds like. His voice is deep and rough. The smile that always graces his face is non-existent and replaced by a frown of confusion.
"Are you?" It takes me a second to realize what his talking about. Am I okay? Definitely not. But I'm not going to tell him that. That means I have to talk about it and I just can't. I nod my head but turn my face away from him. I've always been a terrible liar.
"Don't lie to me Casey." Embry says through gritted teeth which surprises me. I feel myself being abruptly turned around to face him. My eyes go wide with shock.
"Embry!" my voice goes a few octaves higher. I'm shocked at what Embry just did but I'm even more shocked at the temperature of his hand that's gripping my arm tight. It hurts but that doesn't bother me as much as the heat of his hand. It's like his on fire.
"You're burning up." The look in his eyes scares me to a point that I'm ready to run but my feet are somehow glued to the spot. If my eyes went any wider my eyeballs would probably fall out. Embry looks like his about to rip off anyone's head who says anything wrong to him right now. He is literally vibrating. His hold on me tightens with ever shudder that goes through him.
"And you're sh-shaking."
The look in his eyes dampens a bit like he just realized that he was hurting me and was unaware of it before. But he doesn't stop shaking. His eyes pool with confusion. It looks like he doesn't know what is going on with him. Which only causes the shaking to become worse and a look of pure anger arise on his face. My mind is screaming at me to take a step back, he might be dangerous but his Embry, how can he be dangerous?
"I have to go." He says shortly and let goes of my arm.
"Embry." I call out after him but he doesn't look back, heading straight for the woods. I'm freaking out at this point.
What the heck just happened? I've had mental breakdowns before, that's an understatement, but whatever just happened with Embry was far from what I've experienced. That might not have been a mental breakdown but it surely wasn't normal.
Before I can comprehend or even stop myself I feel my legs running in the direction of the woods that Embry's shaking form disappeared into. I'm both confused and afraid. Confused because come on, does that even need an explanation. And I'm afraid because I don't know what to expect. What if I can't cool him down? I don't even know why his so angry. I don't even think he knows why his so angry.
I'm a few feet into the woods; I don't think I'm too far in because I can still hear the crashing of the waves against the rocks. I stop dead in my tracks when I come face to face with a gray wolf with black spots. It looks like a wolf but this thing is huge! Like nearly as tall as a grown man huge. When I said face to face, I actually meant my face to it's legs. I can feel my heart beating extremely fast and extremely loud. I'm pretty sure I'm shaking like Embry was just a few minutes ago. Oh God! Embry! Did this wolf eat Embry? Oh God! Is he gonna eat me? I stumble to the back. I wanna make a run for it but my legs feel like jelly. Plus, I'm standing in front of a mammoth of a wolf, if it is even a wolf, there is no way in hell I can run away from this…thing. I gulp as the wolf moves toward me. Oh no! He is going to eat me! I can feel tears of fear streaming down my face but I shut my eyes trying to make myself believe that this is not happening. Roughly fifteen minutes ago I was fed up with my life and how it was going, who knew I'd die just minutes later. This is not how I pictured my death. I wanted to get married, have kids and some gran kids and generally grow old. Even with my dead end romantic status, I still had hopes. Funny how things change. I'm not even legal yet and I'm going to die by getting myself eaten by a big-ass-mutant-wolf-looking-scary thing! Of course something like this would happen to me.
I open my eyes and my sick mind is definitely not imagining this. But this time I'm not looking at it's legs, I'm staring into a pair of big brown eyes. They are the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen. If I'm not mistaken, I hear the wolf-thing whimper? What the hell? Suddenly I don't feel so scared. I feel drawn to this animal. It's eyes are staring right into mine and they look so human like.
Human like?
Most beautiful eyes?
Drawn to this animal?
I seriously am losing it. Before I can realize what is happening I feel my eyes droop close and my body goes limp, into warm arms and everything goes black.
Sam's POV
When I phased for the first time and literally freaked out and ran away for two weeks I didn't know what was happening to me. I mean who would after getting angry at something that was so small - if I think about it now - and morph into a gigantic mythical creature. I had the right to go mental. And while I was roaming around the forest, not knowing if I was ever going to become me again, wondering how the hell I was even a wolf, the Elders knew exactly what was happening to me. When word got out that I was finally back in La Push, Old Quil Ateara, Billy Black and Harry Clearwater paid me a visit. They told me that a few weeks prior to my first phase that the Spirits spoke to them in their dreams and told them that they should get ready because someone was going to phase. However, Billy and Old Quil both expected it to be Jacob, Billy's son because he is the great-grandson of Ephraim Black, the Chief. But the Spirits visited them again and explained to them that I am the one who is going to phase as Jacob is still too young and naive to handle it. Billy and Old Quil suspected that I knew about the Legends and were going to approach me and tell me that something big would happen to me soon and I have to be prepared but I phased sooner than they thought I would and didn't get a chance to speak to me before I did. I generally freaked out and took off. I was in my wolf form for two weeks, not knowing how I had gotten that way and why I was that way. I just remember being very angry and then I exploded into a million pieces everything was calmer and clearer. When I eventually calmed down, I phased back to human form and came back home. The Elders approached me and they told me everything. I took it lighter than I even expected myself to take it. Growing up with the Legends made it easy. Even though I freaked and took off when I phased. Granted I thought the Legends were just a bunch of make believe stories but after the Elders spoke to me I got a different perspective. And the fact that the Spirits chose me first was an honor in itself. So I had no choice but to be mature about it and handle it like the man‒ wolf the Spirits wanted me to be. A few weeks later I started having strange dreams. All I could comprehend from them was the name Jared. Every night it was the same dream. I finally spoke to the Elders about this and they told me it was the Spirits coming to me and telling me someone was close to phasing. A few days later Jared Cameron phased and we became a two man Pack. It first seemed like merely a coincidence until Jared told me he was having weird dreams and the only thing he could remember from these dreams was the name Paul. This happened very soon after he phased. I had my suspicions so we consulted the Elders. Then we were joined by Paul Lahote. It's been the three of us for a while now until about a week ago Paul started to have the same dreams about a kid named Embry. We spoke to the Elders again and Billy informed us that he is one of Jacob's best friends. We've been keeping an eye on him for a few days now but nothing seemed too out of the ordinary. The kid hasn't even had a growth spurt or anything. The thing about this wolf gene is that before you phase for the first time you experience a major growth spurt and develop muscles in places that require a strict working out plan. It happened to me, Jared and Paul right after the dreams but Embry still looked like a lanky, scrawny kid. I had spoken to the Elders about this but they said that I must be patient, the Spirits have never been wrong. So now we're being patient.
"Sam! Sam!" I hear my name being called outside. I run out of the house, Emily hot on my heels.
"What's going on?" she asks before I can.
"The kid just phased." Jared and Paul say in unison. And like that I run for the woods, shedding my shorts and I phase. I spot him almost immediately the minute I'm in my wolf form. But I spot something else that stops me dead in my tracks. A tiny figure stops in front of Embry's huge gray-spotted form, her eyes wide with shock. It's like she's petrified to the spot, her pale skin going a shade whiter making her look almost translucent. As she stares at Embry's wolf form, a look of pure terror on her face, she tries to take a few steps back but stumbles backward her expression not staggering. Embry must know her because he takes a step forward. This only causes her to look even more horrified. Tears are streaming down her face as she stares at the wolf's legs. Her eyes close slowly and I'm pretty certain she's thinking she must be dreaming. Her tiny form is shuddering all over and the thoughts running through Embry's mind is overwhelming, even for me. He cares for this girl.
Casey! Oh God Casey! It's me, Embry. I don't know what's happening to me! He's screaming in his mind.
He's desperate to make her see that the massive wolf in front of her is him. He's even more desperate to figure out what just happened to him. I'm about to calm him down, to tell him that his freaking out will freak her out when her eyes shoot open and they go even wider than they were before she closed them. She's just realized this isn't some sick dream and that the huge wolf in front of her is in fact real. She's not staring at his legs anymore, I don't know how her tiny form can see it from down where she is because Embry is not even leaning down but she's looking directly in his eyes. Then something happens that blows my mind. I don't realize that Jared and Paul have joined me until I hear them both gasp. Not only has Embry just phased for the first time, he just imprinted on Casey. A wave of calm seemed to have washed over the both of them until Casey looks like she's about to freak out again.
Jared. Jared phases back and is beside Casey just as her eyes close and she collapses into his chest.
Casey! What the hell? Why am I like this?
Embry's voice desperately screams into mine. I can see the confusion and utter desperation in his mind. He doesn't know what's happening to him and who can blame him. Not only has he just morphed into a giant wolf, he just scared the person who most definitely feels like the reason for his existence right to the point where she fainted.
Embry I need you to calm down and listen to me.
What the hell? Why do I have paws? What just happened to Casey? Why is he taking her? Where is he taking her? What's happening to me!
He charges forward looking like his about to attack Jared. Jared comes to a halt, positioning himself so that his protecting both himself and Casey from Embry.
Embry, listen to me. If you hurt him you hurt her. You need to calm down so that you can get back to your human form.
This stops him abruptly. I glance over at Jared and he nods.
Tell Emily I'll be there soon. Leave your shorts, his gonna need a pair. I "tell" Paul. He nods then takes off in the direction of Emily's house.
What the hell do you mean human form? Why am I like this?
I'll explain everything to you but first you need to calm down.
How do I do that when I'm freaking out? Why did I suddenly just turn into a huge...wolf? Why did I just feel like I was being lifted into the air when Casey looked me in the eye? Where did Jared take her?!
There's an edge in his "voice" when he thinks the last question. If he doesn't calm down soon I will be forced to use the Alpha command and make him calm down. And I don't wanna do that. The only other time I did that was when Paul phased. He's a hot tempered one and point blank refused to calm down until I commanded him to. At the rate Embry's going, it looks like I'm going in for my second Alpha command.
I take a deep breath. I'm going to try one last time. I really don't want to command him to calm down.
Embry, calm down. I'll tell you everything the moment you phase back.
Fine. How do I…phase back.
Clear your mind of everything. See yourself in human form.
Okay.
Casey's POV
I can hear voices around me. None that I recognize. A few that sounds like commentators for a hockey game and a few right by me. I feel so peaceful. The pain is all gone. I don't feel lonely anymore. I feel warm and comfy, I could just die.
Die.
Wait, die?
Oh My God! I'm dead!
The massive wolf looking thing ate me and now I am dead. I have to give it to him…him? Yeah, I think he could've been a him, I didn't feel a thing. I expected it to be excruciatingly painful and cold. I don't know what death feels like but cold essentially goes with death right? However, the last thing I remember before that thing obviously made me lunch was staring into it's big brown human-like eyes and then…warmth. And right now, this moment, I've never felt better. I feel calm, content. So why am I freaking out that I became lunch. So the thing ate me, so I'm dead. Who'll miss me? My dad abandoned me so he won't. Owen dumped me and is now currently dating the one person I despise and my mom has practically forgotten my existence what with her being in her state of depression so they're scratched off that list too. Angela might miss me but she'll get over it. Embry…he was lunch too. Wait a minute, am I in Heaven? And why am I hearing voices. They play hockey in Heaven? Why is it all black? Why am I starting to burn up?
My eyes flutter open.
What? My eyes flutter open? Weren't they open this whole time?
The first thing I see is him, Embry.
"Are you dead too?" A string of booming laughter follows my question. There are more people here. That would explain the voices. I shoot up from my laying position and look at my surroundings frantically. I probably look demented because I sure do feel that way. Two guys with russet colored skin and jet black cropped hair are sitting side by side, their back facing the couch I'm sitting on watching a hockey game, now it makes sense. A couple, a man with the same colored skin and hair and a woman, her skin a shade lighter with the same long, sleek jet black hair tied into pigtails. She's smiling at me but the three deep scars have given her a permanent frown on the left side of her face. But she's beautiful. The scars brightening up her face like a light. It's like they enhance her already outstanding beauty. I quickly look away from her, feeling like I was staring and being completely rude. I finally realize I'm practically sitting in Embry's lap, his arms cradling me. Okay, so I'm not dead?
"No you're not. None of us are."
Did I just say that out loud?!
"Yes you did." Embry chuckles.
My eyes widen. I gotta stop doing that!
"She's a funny one." One of the guys on the floor says.
I really need to know what the hell is going on. Why am I sitting in a strange house, surrounded by all these people that I don't know? Most importantly why wasn't I made lunch by that mutant wolf thing. And what the hell happened to Embry, his burning up. That's why I felt so warm. It's Embry. Oh my…what's that? I must've put my hand on Embry's chest when I lifted myself. His biceps are so much bigger than I remember them being. Not that I was checking out his chest before. And abs? Where did those come from? Someone needs to start giving me answers. And I need to start asking questions out loud.
"When did you get muscles?" Well that was a good start. If the Red Sea was actually literally red, my face was probably resembling it right now. At this point I can't care. I've humiliated myself too much already to care.
"Burn!" the two guys on the floor say in unison.
"Ouch man, she just unintentionally told you, you've never had muscles." I would probably laugh if I wasn't so confused. I hear Embry growl from beside me and my head snaps in his direction, my brows furrowing with confusion. Since when did he growl?
"Jared, Paul, be nice." says the woman. "Hi, I'm Emily." she smiles. "And this is Sam, my fiance." Sam looks at me and smiles briefly but turns back to stare at Emily. He's looking at her with an expression I've never seen anyone look at another person before. He's looking at her with so much love and adoration. He's looking at her like she means everything to him and that he'd cross oceans and take bullets for her. How can one person just look at another person and express so much emotion. It's the kind of look that words can never do any justice. A wave of envy washes over me. The pain suddenly returns and stabs at my heart. Immediately my eyes are stinging with tears. But I will them away. I won't cry. I can't.
"And you're Casey." Her smile is so warm and welcoming that I can't help but return it.
"Yeah."
"This is Jared and Paul." She says pointing to the guys beside the couch. I give them both a small smile.
"It's nice to meet you all. But…who are you?" they all laugh again. Seriously? Do I have something on my face? Why do they keep laughing at me?
Because you keep making a fool of yourself.
Bite me!
No thank you. If massive wolf thing didn't wanna why should I?
Shut up!
You're insane.
I know!
"Maybe Embry should tell you that." says Sam. He gives Jared and Paul one look and they both shoot up like the floor is on fire and are out of the living room.
"We'll give you two some privacy."
"It was nice meeting you too Casey." Emily smiles warmly. I smile back at her, lightly waving at her as they walk out of the living room. Why the heck did I just wave? God I'm an idiot.
"You're not an idiot." I hear Embry's husky voice say. Husky? Since when? And did I do that thinking out loud think again?
Embry chuckles. "Yes."
I put my head into my hands and exhale breathily.
"Embry," my voice is muffled by my hands. "What the hell is happening?" I say my head snapping up. "Why am I here? What happened to you? You're burning up. I'm confused. I thought the―I'm confused. Please tell me what's going on."
"Casey," he takes my hands into his. "There are certain things that I'm going to tell you, certain things that up until a few hours ago even I thought were impossible."
I gulp.
"What are you talking about?"
He exhales looking deep into my eyes. Just that simple look sends shivers down my spine. Since the day I met Embry I have felt this strange connection to him, but just the way he's looking at me, it's like his pleading with his eyes, willing me to trust that everything will be okay and that I should trust that he will make sure of it. Strangely enough, this one look makes me want to give my life to him. As strange as that sounds I will do it.
"You have to promise me that you will listen carefully and that you won't freak out." The expression on his face hurts me. It looks like he's in pain just even considering the fact that I'll freak out and run out of this place. I have this strange urge to comfort him and make it all better.
"Embry you're scaring me. Just spit it out already." I squeeze his hand encouragingly.
"Promise me Sey."
"Fine I promise. Now tell me, please. Because I think I'm going out of my mind here."
"Okay," he sighs. "Casey, the w-wo-," he inhales deeply then exhales. "The wolf that you saw in the woods, that wolf was m-me."
