Chapter 12:
Embry runs up to me, picks me up and spins me around to greet me. I don't miss his warning glare to Paul and I laugh a little. I kiss him on the cheek when he sets me down.
"Did he behave?" Embry asks me.
"Of course, it is Paul we are talking about." I smirk to him.
"Jake asked me to check on you two. He's kind of freaking out." Embry laughs a little. He looks over to Paul and smiles. "Hi Paul." Embry says simply. Paul mumbles something I can't quite understand. "Sam said they were ready for you. He said you'd know where to meet them."
Paul nods and he turns to me. "I just wanted to remind you that you have options." He winks at me. "I'll see you later guys." Paul morphs and runs away from us.
I focus back on Embry he seems as if his spirit has fallen slightly. I had sensed that something wasn't quite right with him when he came up but I didn't want to bring it up when Paul was here. Now, I don't see any reason to hold back.
"Want to talk about it?" I ask sitting on the oak stump and looking to him knowingly.
"How do you do that?" He asks me with a small smile that never reaches his cheeks. He walks over and shares the big tree stump with me.
"It's a gift." I say in a joking tone although I'm sure the subject we are about to talk about is not a joke.
"It's my mom again," he sighs and with those words, it is amazing how much more relieved he looks. "I'm just grounded for all eternity, no big deal." He says bitterly. My hand rests on his gently and I move closer to him. "It's just not fair. Everyone's parents in the pack know the secret with the exception of Paul, Brady and I. It just isn't fair, my mom is already an outsider in the village, and she feels like I hate her too. I've tried telling her so many times but that stupid Alpha Order won't allow it. She'll hate me by the time I'm old enough to move out. I just want her to understand, and maybe that would make it easier for people in the tribe with pack kids to talk to her. She's always so lonely now. It kills me, everything I do to her. I leave her alone, I disobey her, I lose my temper, she shouldn't have to deal with that, she didn't ask for this." He sighs exhaustedly.
I lean my head on his shoulder. "Your mom has done very well in raising you." I whisper to him. "Maybe the Order will lighten up, once this whole ordeal is settled maybe it won't be so dangerous for her to know." I try comforting him. It's a long bet, Sam is very strict on only certain people knowing. He was lax with me because I had just lost my mother at the time when I kept seeing my dad sneak out. I had confronted him about it. I cried for hours and he could tell I saw the broken look in his face, and that look still haunts me. My dad only told me what he was up to because he didn't want me to think that he didn't want me. Sam reluctantly let it go and I've been in the know with the pack ever since.
"It's stupid, I should be there with her now. She told him she was fixing me dinner because I hadn't snuck out in a couple of nights. I guess I ruined that this time once again." Embry said. I rub his hand in my gently.
"Your mom loves you Em." I say to him softly. "I need to go see her by the way, I haven't been over in forever. Would you mind if I came over for dinner one night?" I ask him.
He smiles. "You've never needed an invitation. If I believe correctly, you used to just show up without any sign of interest from my part." He laughs slightly.
I suddenly feel like I'm being watched. I look to my right to see Leah in a shy stance.
"Leah…" Embry says almost breathlessly. I look to him, confused. Since when did he talk to Leah that way?
I turn back to Leah. "Sam told me to tell everyone to be careful and that he has a funny feeling about tonight." Leah says quietly.
"Thanks," I smile to her.
"Leah, can we talk?" Embry asks. Leah stiffens and seems more nervous. It's cute that he makes her nervous.
"I have to get back, everything starts in a few minutes." She says softly . "Have fun on patrol maybe I'll see you guys later." I catch her lingering look on Embry and if I wasn't looking at her I wouldn't have caught it. It was fleeting and gone as soon as it had shown.
As she starts to look away I turn to Embry. "You slept with her." I whisper and I see the blood rush to his face. He tries to deny it but he knows I see. "What the hell are you doing here? You said you wanted to talk to her, go!" I demand.
"You'll be okay?" HE asks.
"Not if you don't go so that I can hear all the lovely details, and I will hear the details." I smile to him.
"Quil-" I don't let him finish.
"I'll tell him you are running late. Now get your ass over there!" I demand, Embry kisses me on the cheek and then runs out of sight. I catch his goofy smile as he falls out of sight.
I morph into my wolf form to communicate with Quil. I tell him that Embry will be there in a bit. I decide to morph back into my human form. Thinking will be simpler that way for a little bit. That way if Blake comes to see me, the pack won't know. As soon as I morph I feel someone's presence. My heart quickens and my breath catches in my throat.
"How cute, two pups in love…" a familiar voice purrs and I finally take notice of the familiar gardenia aroma. I relax a little bit but not completely.