A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers! You're awesome and without your kind words and encouragement I think I would have given up.
Thanks to my amazing editor, nmydreamz, who followed behind me so I could get this chapter to you today, as it is already late.
I want to remind you I am doing a story titled "Treadmill", with Emmetts Submissive.
Also I am doing another story with my fanfic idol, SimplyMatt, titled "Ditto". Check out his profile to see story.
Summary:
Shy, nerdy Seth Clearwater, and the forever hiding Emmett McCarthy find they have more in common than they thought. Nobody could have expected something as simple as a friend request on a social network could be the start of hope, friendship and something unexpected.
But right now, please enjoy "Screwed".
Chapter 10
Oh, God no. This can't be happening. My legs burn as I run as fast as I can towards Embry. Suddenly I am attacked from behind and feel the air being squeezed out of me. I don't have time to think as the life I had once lived races through my mind. I will never see my mother again, annoy my sister, or have love in my life. I am dying, and I don't have the fight in me to survive.
"Don't give up, Seth, fight!" a voice in my head shouts.
"No more," I whisper, letting the darkness take me.
Sitting up, I see myself naked, everything glowing in bright light. I look around and see nothing I recognize. I always wondered if we would see a light, as people imagine we do. Guess they are right. I hear a noise behind me and jump up, getting into defense mode. As soon as the figure becomes more clear, I stand and run towards it.
"Dad!" I throw myself into his open arms and sob.
"My son, my sweet boy," he says, holding onto me tight.
"I'm sorry I failed you, Dad," I say, finally pulling back.
He is younger than I remember him. No grey streaks through his long, black hair. No wrinkles, other than the laughter lines around his eyes. He also looks thinner, but in a healthy way. Last time I saw dad like this I would have been a young child. He would take me for rides on his back, pretending he was a horse and I was a cowboy. He always tried to get me to be the indian, but I wanted to be a cowboy with a ten-gallon hat, and boots
.
"You haven't failed me, son, you have failed only yourself and your mate," he says, placing his arm on my shoulder, leading me towards a door.
"Dad, why can I see you? Am I dead?" I ask.
Dad opens the heavy, dark, wooden door. I look in and see my pack surrounding my body but, more importantly, I see my body being held within big, strong arms. Tears are running down his face.
"Jacob, I'm here!" I shout, to no avail.
"Dad, please, he is my mate," I try to grab hold of my father's arm but it only grasps at air "What is happening?" I feel myself being pulled backward by something invisible.
I take in a lungful of air, making me gasp. I feel the big, strong arms tighten around me for a second, before loosening. "Cub!" Jacob sobs.
"Give him room," Paul orders from behind him.
"No, hold me," I whisper, finding it hard to talk. Jacob does as I ask and holds me close to him. The pain in my chest is excruciating, but it means I am healing. In the distance we can hear Jacob's pack coming towards us.
"Get him over the line," Jacob orders and stands up, handing me to Embry. It is heart wrenching, being away from my mate's arms. He instantly changes into wolf form and gets down low, into defense mode.
"What's happening?" I asked no one in particular.
"You broke the law. They have to seek Jared's killer," Embry says, turning around to see the Cullens walking towards us.
Emmett takes no heed of me and wraps his lover in his arms. It isn't until Paul growls that the vampire pulls back. Hisses from the rest of the coven fill the air. Brady quickly takes me from Embry.
"Stop it, all of you!" he shouts. "Jacob needs back-up! Embry, and you too, Paul," he says with a ring of authority in his voice I have never heard before. Both men shift and run to the treaty line. Brady looks down and smiles. "They are the best fighters, if worse comes to worse."
"I killed Jared?" I ask.
"Seth, you did what any one of us would have done, and that is to protect our mate," he sighs. "I just hope they believe Jacob when he admits to the imprint. Stupid man, he's tried to deny it all this time and look where it has gotten him."
The sound of growling and snapping teeth fills the air. Brady's body begins to tremble. I can't move, due to my injuries, and will panic if he shifts while holding me. This time there will be no second chance. Suddenly I am flying through the forest, away from not only Brady but my mate as well. I see the leader of the coven holding me. Beside him is the rest of the coven, but not Emmett. I can hear them talking, but can't make out exactly what they are saying.
"Please, I need to be with my mate," I gasp, my lungs still seeming only half-full of the air I need.
"We have to get out of Forks. All our lives are in danger, we have an hour," Carlisle looks down at me.
"You did nothing wrong," I try to protest.
"They want to do justice for a wolf's death. They don't care who pays," another one said, before rushing ahead of us.
"Don't talk, little one, you are still healing." The voice is gentle and soothing, and somehow I find comfort from him. Closing my eyes I let the darkness take over.
"Seth, sweety, you need to put on some clothes," a ladies voice says. I groan and try to roll over when the pain hits me. "Jacob, perhaps one of us should carry him," she says. My eyes fly open and search for my mate.
"He needs to have his mate, Esme," Emmett says from beside Embry. My eyes never leave those of my mate, who is still in wolf form.
"But he is still weak, how will he hold on?" she asks.
"Love, Esme," someone else says, my head now spinning from all the voices coming from different directions.
"I will never understand shifters," she sighs, before helping me up. She hands me some clothes and turns away while I pull them on. Jacob doesn't seem to care. He is now knocking over furniture as he comes toward me.
"My Jacob!" I wrap my arms around his big, strong neck and bury my face in his fur. I feel stronger and more loved than I ever imagined possible.
"Come! We have just over two minutes to be off the land," Carlisle says, picking me up to put me on Jacob's back. "Hold on, little one, we are going to be running faster than you have ever ran in your life," he smiles.
Paul, Brady, and Embry are loaded with bags, as are each of the Cullens. One by one they head out the door and, even with my wolf eyes, they are nothing but a blur. Gripping onto Jacob, we take off through the forest with only Jasper behind us.
"Where are we going?" I ask.
"Alaska, for now, until we can decide where to go from there," Esme smiles. "You will love Alaska in spring!"
"MOM!" I shout. Jacob's paws don't stop moving but a whine leaves his throat. "Jacob, what about our families?"
"They will be fine, we will contact them soon," Carlisle tries to reassure me.
"But, but . . . " I say no more. Every single person here has given up what they love, and they've done it because of me. I bury my face in Jacob's fur, taking comfort from his rich scent. We come to a river and Jacob runs through it before his pace slows to a trot. He turns and whines as we see the other wolves skidding to a halt. Jacob lays on the ground and nudges me to get off. Once again, I am helped by Esme. She seems to be the nurturer in the coven. Jacob shifts, not caring about his naked form, and goes to the river's edge.
"We leave in peace. Please let our families know we are fine," he said, looking at Sam. He nods his large head.
Quil's wolf form trembles, and he shifts to his human self.
"Paul, Brady, you are members of our pack. We want you to return, it is where you belong," he says, looking over at Sam as though checking he said the right thing.
Jacob turns to them and nods. They should go home and be with their families and friends, where they belong. "Go home," I whisper, tears flowing down my face.
Both shake their heads and turn from their pack brothers, and trot over to Jacob, nudging him. "Guess they choose to stay with us," he pats both their heads. Brady comes over to me and licks my face. Even with all that has happened, I can't help but giggle.
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