A/n: I own Denise, SM owns everyone else...it works. Thanks to all you guys who are sticking with me and my slow updates. I'm trying to write faster. The students are coming back to school this week so work is going to be crazy but I promise not to forget about Denise and Embry.
Pretty Little Secrets Chapter 9
Embry came around to my side of his truck to help me out. I looked around and saw a small red cottage surrounded by woods. There was a small beat up garage in the back along the trees. As I stepped out of the car I swayed a little losing my balance as blood rushed to my head. I braced myself against Embry as he looked at me with concern.
"I'm fine," I was feeling a little light headed but I wasn't about to tell him that. "I just moved too fast is all." I looked up to him and grabbed his arm. I didn't know what to expect or why exactly we were here but I clung to Embry like a life line which I realized I was doing a lot lately but he didn't seem to mind.
"This is Billy's place, Jake grew up here." He pointed to the run down garage in the back, "Back there, that's where we were the first time I met Bella." He laughed to himself remembering the time. "You should ask Quil about it sometime, I think he thought he actually stood a chance with her." I started laughing too, though I had only met Quil once I knew no one was ever going to be with Bella except Jacob. They were made for each other.
We got to the door and Embry just walked in, which unnerved me but I just squeezed his arm tighter and hid behind him. The house was exactly what I expected seeing as how an old bachelor lived there. The door opened up to a small living room that had an old couch but state of the art flat screen TV and nice leather recliner. There were fish mounted all over the walls along with pictures that I didn't have a chance to look at but assumed were of this large extended family.
"Billy," Embry shouted just a graying man wheeled out of the kitchen with a big smile on his face.
"Embry, you're here. I thought you'd be a little later. I was just getting some things around." I saw that he had a very old book in his lap that he brought up to show Embry who just smirked at him. "Denise, good to see you again. How's the head?" I was embarrassed now, everyone must know about what happened.
"Hello Mr. Black, I'm feeling much better thank you."
"Denise, please call me Billy. After all you are with one of my son's." He said winking at me and grabbing my hand. It's funny how quickly these people took to me after Embry and I got together. They didn't even know me but they had faith in Embry and that made me love them all.
We all settled into seats in the living room and there was an awkward silence. I didn't know why I was here, Embry was looking down at his hands wringing them and Billy was sitting there silently laughing at the both of us. Okay…
"So," Billy broke the silence, "Denise, I'm sure you're probably wondering why Embry decided to bring you here of all places to hang out." I nodded and let out a small chuckle thankful that Billy was so easy going and fun.
"Well young one, Embry wanted me to help him tell you a little bit about our history. It seems you've made quite a lasting impression on Embry and he thinks it's time you've heard the story of our people." I was very shocked. I was also honored that Billy, who I knew was head of Quileute's tribal council, would take the time to tell me things. Add in a little apprehension that they might want me to share too and you've got one girl completely out of her element.
It didn't help that my usual calming center, Embry, looked like a nervous wreck. Why was he nervous for me to hear this stuff? "Okay," I said leaning back on the couch and placing my hand on Embry's leg. "I'm ready but what's with all the dramatic set up and all? Does this have something to do with the wolf that I can't get out of my head?" I didn't mean for that to come out, they will surely think I need committed me now.
Embry stood up so fast I didn't even see him move. He was now towering over me and looking between me, who was about to cry now, and Billy, who was shocked as hell. "Denise, what are you talking about?" Embry still hadn't sat down and I was suddenly feeling abandoned and I brought my knees up to my chest and wrapped myself in a ball.
"Well," I looked between the two men staring at me, "I've just…I've been having flashes, of what happened yesterday and things my mother used to tell me. And you guys are going to think I'm crazy, but," I looked directly into Embry's deep compassionate eyes, "I'm waiting for you to tell me that the wolf in the woods is somehow connected to you."
Now he looked like a fish out of water the way his mouth was opening and closing without any sound coming out. And Billy was just sitting there not knowing what to say so I continued, "I know I know it sounds crazy but I couldn't explain how safe I felt with him, how he tried to help me, and then there was you just knowing where I was…I mean I guess I've just had a lot of strange things happen to me lately and now I'm making things out of nothing…" God I feel like an idiot.
I wasn't expecting Embry to fly back over to where I was sitting. He sat down next to me and stared into my eyes like he was searching for something. He brought his hands up to cup my face as his thumbs gentle rubbed my cheeks. We both slowly leaned in until our lips met in the most gentle, caressing way. I brought my hands up to rest on top of his when he turned his head slightly to deepen the kiss. The deep chuckle to my right reminded me that we weren't alone and Embry and I pulled apart still not taking our eyes off each other.
"What was that for," I asked him still not sure where that came from.
"You're just so amazing Denise, I mean you have all these questions and all these thoughts but you're still here, beside me."
"Always, Embry, nothing will change that. I told you, I love you, that's not going to go away for anything."
"I um, hate to interrupt kids but Embry, I think it's time." Embry smiled shyly at me as he pulled me close on the couch and turned us to face Billy. Billy suddenly had an air of stoic power about him. His voice was deep and musical as he began; I was immediately entranced by what he was saying.
"Denise, I do believe that Embry's reaction to you're suspicions surprises you?" I just nodded and he smiled. "It is because the wolf, as the one you saw, is very important to our people. The connection, as you said, is very close but perhaps not as you assume."
"First let me tell you about Kaheleha," he said as he opened the large leather bound book that was resting on his lap. "Quileute people have always had magic in our blood. In the beginning, we were spirit warriors. Kaheleha was the first Great Spirit Chief that we know of. When the tribe's land became threatened by a much larger tribe, Kaheleha lead the Quileute people to victory with their magic."
I looked at Billy in awe as he explained to me what a spirit warrior was and how Kaheleha would call upon the animals of the forest to help his tribe ward off enemies. Could it be that they still do this? That Embry has some sort of spiritual connection to the animals in La Push? Holy Dr. Doolittle. I felt my head begin to pound as the pressure was building inside. But I tried to shake it off, there was no way I was going to miss this.
"You see Denise, Kaheleha choose the wolf spirit as the animal that would help lead the tribe against enemies." He sat back taking a break allowing all of this to settle into my head. I turned to Embry who was just sitting there staring at his hands. He was so worried that I wouldn't be accepting of this? Of his connection to the animal world? I still didn't understand.
"Now," Billy said turning the pages of the book and handing it to me. "I would like to tell you the story of Taha-Aki. Our most famous of spirit warriors and the first one to face our sworn enemy." I looked at the book he laid in my lap and saw many illustrations. I listened as I thumbed through the pages looking at all the intricate drawing of Native American men and women, wolves and what seemed to be Caucasians crawling out of the water but they looked more like monsters than humans. I turned my focus back to Billy.
"Taha Aki, was known to be a man of peace. However, there was one spirit warrior name Utlapa who did not agree with Taha Aki's ways. He wanted to enslave the neighboring tribes and gain power over more of the land. When Taha Aki became aware of Utlapa's wishes, he banished him from the tribe and prohibited him from ever using his spirit self again. Utlapa was furious, and took advantage of his first opportunity for revenge. The moment Taha Aki left his body in his spirit form; Utlapa stole Taha Aki's body and then killed his own body so that there was no body left to return to. Taha Aki was stuck in the spirit world, with no way to warn his tribe."
Billy paused letting me take everything in. It was a beautifully tragic story. But I was confused…was he saying that Taha-Aki actually left his body and moved around in the body of his spirit? I looked over to Embry who still wouldn't take his eyes off his hands. Billy continued and he turned the page of the book in my lap and pointed to an illustration that covered both pages in front of me.
"Taha Aki eventually came up with a solution that would change the lives of the Quileute people for generations to come. He entered the body of a large wolf, and the wolf shared his body with Taha Aki's spirit willingly. As both man and wolf, he went back to his tribe. At first they tried to kill him, but then they realized that the wolf was not an ordinary wolf. One of the warriors disobeyed his orders and entered into the spirit world, thus learning the truth. When Utlapa realized what happened, he killed the warrior before he could tell the others what he had discovered. Taha Aki was so enraged, so full of human anger, that his emotions were too powerful for the wolf's body, too human, and so he transformed into a man. Thus, the werewolves were created."
Again Billy paused looking at me for a reaction. I sat there for a moment taking in everything that he had just said. Taha Aki was a man, whose spirit entered into a wolf, who needed the wolf body because someone took his. So he was able to turn from wolf to human? Hmmm.
"Wow Billy that story is amazing. You guys put a great spin on the whole werewolf thing." I said leaning against Embry.
"What do you mean 'great spin', Denise?" Billy asked as Embry pulled me away from him turning so he could look at me face on. What did I say wrong?
"I just mean, like I get it, the whole in touch with the animal spirit thing, I'm still waiting for you to tell me that Embry is your own wolf whisperer but leave it to legends to spin that out and make it that your people actually TURNED into the animal." I let out a small chuckle and looked at Embry who seemed so…sad.
"Embry, what is it? What did I say?"
"Baby," he turned to Billy who nodded at him as if he was backing him up, "You would be totally okay with it if I told you that I could somehow communicate with the spirit of the animals?"
"Of course, Embry, I know I felt crazy for awhile but I saw it with my own eyes, that wolf he was just like you, it's like he was your animal doppelganger or something. I can't explain it I just feel it. Oh god, am I wrong? I'm wrong. I feel so stupid."
I stood up quickly; I had to get out of there. I got a head rush again and my brain felt like it was trying to ooze out of my ears. "Baby, no." Embry shouted coming after me. "Don't go, we need to talk about this." I looked at him but couldn't focus on his face.
"Denise," he wrapped his arms around me, "you're so not stupid, dammit this isn't going how I expected, hell I don't know what I expected. Just please, think about everything Billy's said, and think about what you saw. You said that you felt like when you looked in the wolf's eyes that you were looking in my eyes right?"
I nodded at him but nothing was making sense. "Embry, honey I don't understand. My head hurts so much. I think, I think I need some air." I started to sway but his frame caught me and led me outside. The fresh air felt good in my lungs but everything was still blurry I tired to focus on what Embry and Billy had told me.
"Oh my god," I barely whispered but knew he heard me. "You're trying…" I turned in his arms and looked at him. This wonderfully caring and sweet man who loved me with all his being, he looked anxious and scared, could there possibly be any way? "You're telling me, you and Billy, your stories are real aren't they?"
He just shook his head and waited for me to say something else. What do you say when you're whole world spins on its axis? What do you do when you are confronted with the reality that the world as you knew it no longer existed? "I don't know what to say right now Embry," that's all I could come up with. I really just needed an aspirin and a nap right now.
"I understand baby, do you want to go back inside? Talk to Billy, there is more we need to tell you."
More, what more could I possibly need to know. My boyfriend, he has a wolf spirit or no that's not right he has a wolf body. I grabbed onto his shirt and fisted my hand into it. I think I'd reached my limit. "Honey, I don't feel so well."
"What? What's wrong, shit! I should have been paying more attention. Come on baby, what hurts?"
Just then a large black sedan came speeding down the lane and screeched to a halt. "Andy?" My 'brother' jumped out of the driver's side while Jacob slowly got out of the passengers.
"What the hell is going on? What the hell are you doing Denise?" And that was my last straw, one last thump to the inside of my head and I welcomed the blackness that had been threatening to take me all day.
The legends info came from http://www .bluecorncomics .com /2008/10/ origin-of-twilights-werewolves. html just an FYI
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