i am getting really into writing this story lol. i was so inspired to write this chapter so i'm posting it now!!! woot woot!

i hope you all like it!!!

Chapter 11

Secrets Revealed

Ali's POV

It's hard to believe that I'm finally seventeen. A lot of people thought I wouldn't live past the age of fourteen, but damn did I prove them wrong. I stared at myself in the mirror and thought about how much I appreciate being alive right now. I had lost hope right when they told me I had leukemia, thinking that time was running out quickly, but somehow I managed to survive. Someone out there thought that I did deserve to live and now more than ever do I appreciate the life I was given.

Before I headed out the door I checked my phone to make sure that he didn't text me back. I flipped it open, no unread messages. It was stupid for me to think that he would text me today. He hasn't been in school so why should I expect him to talk to me now? Maybe he'll magically appear at my party, that's what I'm hoping will happen. That he'll somehow put aside whatever's keeping him from going to school and talking to me and just come to my party. Beside the fact that I've been ready to tell him my secret for days, I just wanted to see him again.

I sighed and shook my head and checking myself one more time in the mirror I started thinking about what I looked like in these tight fitting jeans and this blue top and all that kept repeating in my mind was really skinny and pale, really skinny and pale.

"Ugh," I groaned and quickly picked up my purse, heading out the door. I wish I never had leukemia.

Embry's POV

"I can finally move it," I examined my arm and grinned. It took about two days for my arm to completely heal.

"You're one lucky bastard," Quil chuckled, "I swear if Jake didn't step in then you would've gotten killed by that thing."

I flinched and stood up from where I was sitting for the first time in almost two days, "Whatever, if she didn't blind me then I could've killed her and that's a fact."

He shook his head, "Sure you could've."

I rolled my eyes, "Have a little faith in me. I was determined, she just threw me off."

He stared at me with a smug expression on his face and I could tell that he didn't believe me, none of them ever believed me. I looked up at the clock and wondered how much I really missed while I was a wolf. I didn't even know what the day was.

"What's today?" I asked.

"October fifteenth," he sighed.

Why did this date sound so familiar? What the hell am I missing here?

I quickly picked up my phone and when I opened it I realized how out of it I really was. Nine unread text messages and they're all from Ali. I opened up the first one and read it.

Are you ok?

I sighed loudly. She wanted to talk to me and I couldn't because I didn't have fingers at the time. The rest of the texts were basically the same except for-

"Shit, it's her birthday," I muttered practically flying up the stairs two seconds later. I looked at the text again before I closed the door. Her party starts at seven and it's already, I checked my clock, seven fifteen now. I cursed to myself once before picking out a decent outfit. As I got ready I thought about what I could give her for her birthday. Something she would appreciate, something special. And then it hit me and I smiled to myself for thinking of the idea. At least I wouldn't have to go out and buy something at the last minute, I don't need a gift because what I was going to give her couldn't be bought at a store or anywhere for that matter. But I'm going to tell her and that's final. I'm not going to back out of it either; I refuse to let my nerves get the best of me this time.

I moved my arm around a little just to make sure that it was fully healed and thankfully it was. I can't believe I'm going to be late for her party. Now I feel like such an asshole…it's times like these where I wish I never was a werewolf.

Ali's POV

I searched for some sign of him, but there was none. As I looked around the room I realized how much of a party pooper I really was. Everyone was dancing and having a good time while I was standing in the corner just looking for him. I sighed and picked up my cup, taking a huge sip of my drink. Why do I have to act so stupid sometimes? I should be having a good time like everyone else, not standing here obsessing over someone who doesn't even care enough to call me or anything to let me know he's ok. It just doesn't seem worth it at this point…

"Ali!" I heard someone call me and my head immediately shot up to see who it was. Dominica was smiling from ear to ear and her dark curls bounced while she walked towards me, "What's wrong?"

I shook my head, "I don't know…I just can't stop thinking about him."

Her smile faded into a small grin, "There's still hope, the party's not over with yet."

"I know that, but I'm just worried that I'm the reason why he hasn't been in school all week."

She sighed loudly and put one arm around my shoulders, "It's not your fault, Ali. If he doesn't come then I would say to just forget about him. There are plenty of guys who would want to date you."

I stayed silent as I thought about what she was saying. I know it's bad to think this way, but I don't want to be with anyone else but Embry. I don't think I'd be able to have the same sort of connection with another guy like I do with Embry. It just seems like he and I are supposed to be together.

I started to realize how much I really did miss seeing him and talking to him. And now that I feel like I can fully trust him I want to tell him my secret. Even though I'm afraid of how he will react, I'm not afraid to let him become more than a friend to me.

"Come on, let's dance!" she started to tug me and I didn't try and stop her. All I did was chuckle at how crazy she could be.

For the time being, I'm going to not think about him. It's my birthday and I should be having fun, not worrying about what might or might not happen in the future. The only thing that matters right now is the fact that I'm a year older and since this is probably one of the best parties that anyone has ever thrown for me, I'm going to have fun because I think that I deserve it.


After a couple of songs filled with my bad dance moves I decided that I should take a breather before I passed out on the floor. I wiped the sweat off of my forehead with my wrist and found Dominica.

"I'm going outside for a minute. It's getting really hot in here," I shouted over the music.

She smiled and nodded, "Don't stay out there for too long, we're going to cut the cake soon."

I chuckled, "I'll be back in about two minutes," and then I headed for the front door, passing a bunch of sweaty teenagers on the way there.

I felt myself starting to get dizzy once I reached the door and I gripped the knob and stood there for a couple of minutes before I finally opened it. The cool breeze hit me hard and I closed my eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath of the fresh air.

"Ali?" a familiar voice questioned. I tried to think of who it was and when I finally knew I shot my eyes open.

I smiled when I saw him. He was wearing a dark grey, button up shirt and a black pair of pants. And then when I looked at his face, I saw his beautiful smile that I had missed for the past week.

"You came," I said, in a happy tone.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," he looked me in the eye and I believed that he was telling me the truth, that he wouldn't want to miss this for anything.

I finally closed the door and sat on the top step, hoping that he would get the idea and thankfully he did. He sat right next to me and there was nothing but silence for a long moment. I was wondering if I should tell him now, I mean we are alone and hopefully no one will interrupt us…hopefully. So I guess I'll just get it over with. I swallowed a lump that formed in my throat and took a deep breath before opening my mouth.

"Embry," I paused, "I want to tell you my…my secret."

He slightly turned his head in my direction and stared at me, "I do too," he nodded.

I was surprised that he and I were thinking the same thing, I guess great minds think alike.

"I really don't know where to begin though," it was the truth, I really didn't know what to say next. I'm not just going to say I had leukemia and then wait for him to tell me what he was hiding from me. It couldn't be that simple.

He sighed, "I can honestly say that I don't know either," he smiled and I couldn't help but smile as well.

I took one deep breath before I tried to come up with some way to start. It didn't take long before a light bulb went off in my head.

"I-," both of us started to say, but we quickly stopped and laughed.

"You go first," he said.

I bobbed my head up and down and paused for a second before I spoke again...

Embry's POV

I had to admit, I was nervous. But knowing that she and I were feeling the same way made me feel a little bit better. She paused after nodding and then she opened her mouth to talk.

"Well I'm pretty sure you could suspect this already," she looked at me, "But I'll just let you know the truth."

She stopped talking again and I couldn't help but grab her hand to reassure her that I would understand and that I would listen to her. She squeezed my hand and turned her body towards me, looking at our both of our hands now.

"I was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Harris when I was about two years old," she glanced at me before continuing, "My real parents gave me up for God knows what reason," she shook her head, "But when I'm eighteen they want to see me again, to see how I'm doing I guess."

This news didn't surprise me too much. I already had some suspicions as to why she didn't look like Kevin or her parents. And now this just confirms that the two people in that picture she has are her real parents. She cries when she looks at it and I think that's because she doesn't understand why they wanted to give her up and honestly I don't understand it either. And yet they want to see her when she's eighteen…it doesn't add up to me.

"Do you want to see them?" I asked.

She looked up and then she looked at me, "I don't know…"

There was more that she wanted to tell me, I could sense it. If the only thing she was hiding from me was the fact that she was adopted than she wouldn't have answered by saying I don't know. There was something that was making her hesitant to saying yes or no.

"You can trust me," I reminded her.

She grinned and nodded, "I know I can."

I waited patiently for her to continue and I hoped that she really truly knew that she could trust me because I would understand. Or I would try to at least.

"I sometimes wonder in which ways I'm like my parents," she explained, "Like which side of the family gave me…leukemia."

I flinched after she let the last word slip out of her mouth. Cancer was all I thought at that point. That was her secret. She had cancer and now more than ever did everything about her make sense. The fact that she was extremely skinny and pale was because she had cancer.

"I don't have it anymore," she interrupted my thoughts, "But it could always come back."

I immediately felt protective of her, but it wasn't like leukemia was a vampire. I couldn't kill it, I couldn't turn into a wolf and take it away. If it ever did come back then I wouldn't be able to take her pain away and that scared me.

"I'm sorry," she quickly let go of my hand and stood up. As she started to walk towards the door I wondered why she was saying sorry to me.

"Why are you apologizing?" she placed her hand on the knob, but she didn't turn around.

"Because, I know what you're thinking," she looked at me over her shoulder, "You're wondering what will happen to me if it ever does come back," she finally faced me, "You're thinking about what you'll have to deal with if I ever did get sick again. And guess what," she took a step forward, "If I ever do get leukemia again, then I'll die."

I flinched when she said that and I quickly shook my head in denial, "You're wrong," she narrowed her eyes at me and didn't say anything. So I stood up and decided to go on, "I was actually thinking about how I could protect you from it. I was thinking about how different it would be compared to turning into a wolf and killing a vampire."

And just like that, I was spilling my guts. She looked confused at that point and all I could think now was that I couldn't turn back, I had to go on.

Ali's POV

What. The. Hell. It was probably one of the most confusing things I've ever heard him say. Turning into a wolf and killing a vampire? What kind of metaphor is that?

"What?" I stood still and just stared at him, confused by what was going on right now.

He on the other hand looked like he was about to throw up or something. He took another step towards me and closed his eyes for a minute before looking at me again.

"You've heard about the Quileute legends, right?"

Ok, what did this have to do with anything?

"Yeah, Dominica told me about them," remembering all of the legends about wolves and imprinting had me shaking my head in confusion, "But what does that have to do with anything?"

"You've been seeing a wolf lately," he stated, "A grey wolf with black spots."

I paused for a moment, "Yeah…but-,"

Oh shit…he's not telling me what I think he's telling me…is he?

"You said that you were afraid of what I would think of you if you told me your secret. And then the wolf tried to tell you something."

"Trust me," I muttered.

He nodded, "The legends…they're all true, Ali. That wolf you saw, it wasn't a wolf. It was a werewolf," took a deep breath, "It was me."

My breath hitched and a whole bunch of thoughts and questions were racing through my mind. I thought the legends were all just myths. It's just unreal. There's no such thing as werewolves.

"There's one more thing I need to tell you," he looked down, "I…I imprinted on you Ali."

I felt myself starting to get light headed and before I could fall, Embry was catching me and helping me stand. In my head I was denying it and thinking that he was lying. But then, I started to remember the times that I saw the wolf…well werewolf. The reason why its eyes looked so familiar was because they were Embry's eyes. And the only way he would know about the conversation I had with it is if he was the wolf. So he couldn't be lying…he had to be telling the truth.

And then I thought about the imprinting story Dominica told me about. How it was love at first sight and when that werewolf looks at her, she is holding his world in place. I was his…soul mate?

"Please tell me what you're thinking Ali," I looked into his eyes and instantly felt a connection with him which only made the imprinting story make more sense.

"I'm thinking about how this could be possible," I gathered my thoughts and tried to make them all come out in one simple statement, "I'm wondering if I'm just crazy or if you're for real."

He chuckled without humor, "I'm for real Ali. You're not the crazy one here."

He sat down on the top step once again and began sulking. I wasn't angry with him and I wasn't freaked out. It was just overwhelming and a lot to take in. My secret seemed so simple compared to his. But I started to think. Why do I have to be his imprint out of all people? He deserves someone better…someone who isn't at risk of dying. It's not fair to him…

I planted myself right next to him and twiddled my thumbs while I thought of something to say, "It's a lot to take in Embry."

He nodded, "I know it is. I have a lot to think about too."

And he did because he now knows that I used to have cancer and he knows that it could come back. So there's a lot for us both to contemplate.

"Why'd you imprint on me Embry? Out of all the girls in the world you had to imprint on me."

He looked at my face and I just kept my eyes on my feet for the time being, "Because you're different than other girls."

I cackled, "Ain't that the truth."

He scooted a little closer to me which caused our arms to touch and I felt a spark of heat run through me. He took my hand again, "I wouldn't want to imprint on anyone else but you."

I shut my eyes, "But other girls don't have to worry about getting cancer while I do. I can't even get a fever without going to the hospital," I immediately thought about what happened two days ago and it made me shudder.

He sighed and let go of my hand, wrapping his arm around my shoulders instead, "Ali, the cancer won't come back."

"You don't know that. I survived the first time for God knows what reason. I shouldn't even be alive right now, I was supposed to die when I was fourteen Embry. It'll come back because since it didn't kill me the first time; it'll want to finish me off once and for all."

He put both of his hands on my cheeks and forced me to look him in the eye, "Don't think that way. Please don't."

I pressed our foreheads together, "Why not?"

His hot breath beat against my skin and made goose bumps form on my arms and legs, "Because I love you Ali. And if you're trying to get me to run now while I can then it's not working because I will never leave you, never."

He just said he loved me…he actually loved me…and he cared about me and he didn't want to leave me and…and…

He pressed our lips together and I immediately lost my train of thought and forgot about everything. His lips were warm and sweet and I put my one hand on the back of his neck, forcing him to get even closer so that he didn't have any chance of pulling away, even if he was a lot stronger than me. He put his one free arm under my legs and effortlessly lifted me up, setting me back down onto his lap. I started to tangle my fingers in his hair and deepened the kiss. My first kiss…my first kiss with my soul mate who's actually a werewolf. This is probably one of the strangest yet best birthdays I've ever had.

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