A/N: Look at me, updating two weeks in a row! And a long chapter, to boot!
This chapter strays from cannon just a bit and borrows from the New Moon movie. I think you'll understand why when you read. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Just having fun in Meyer's world. No harm intended.
"Morning, sunshine."
"Mmmph?" Liz fluttered her eyes open, dulled senses slowly registering sound and color. She was back in her living room, once again lying on the couch with her foot propped up on a cushion. Medical ice packs were wrapped securely around her ankle and wrist. Feeling an aching throb emanating from her head, she raised her hand and felt a similar dressing.
"My mom's a nurse practitioner. She fixed you up."
Liz turned to the familiar voice coming from the chair across the room. "Leah?"
"Yup."
"What time is it?"
Leah tossed her magazine onto the side table. "About 5 p.m. You've been sleeping for a while. How're you feeling?"
Contemplating the question, Liz paused, licking her lips. "Groggy," she croaked. "And my throat's dry."
"That's the meds. My mom gave you something to take the edge off. Don't worry, it'll go away."
Liz attempted to sit up, then gasped, gripping the couch as the room spun in circles.
"Dizzy?" Leah asked. Liz nodded. "Yep, it's the meds. Lie back down."
Complying, Liz reclined. "Why'd your mom give me meds?"
"You got knocked in the head. Lucky for you, there was no concussion. You don't remember?"
Frowning, Liz wracked her brain, trying to recall the day's events. Images flowed in and out like water: a stranger in the woods with striking amber eyes … horse-sized wolves running straight towards her … Embry, telling her something … a secret? She remembered rushing out the door, him chasing after her and transforming into a … no, that wasn't right ... was it? And Seth, too? Had there really been a tussle of wolves on her front lawn? The last thing she remembered was an oversized paw… oh, God, where was Marble?
Head spinning, she struggled again to sit up as it all came back.
"Hey, don't faint on me a second time," Leah said in warning, walking to the couch and gently pushing back her onto the pillows.
"Marble!"
"In the yard. He's fine."
Liz furrowed her brow. "What are you doing here?"
"Nurse Sue decided you'd had enough testosterone for one day and kicked all the guys out. But no one wanted to leave you alone, least of all Embry, so I got nominated for protection detail."
Mind churning, Liz lay there, silent. Finally, she raised her head. "Wolves?"
Leah sighed. "Yep. Wolves."
"Where's Embry?"
"Somewhere in the woods, freaking out. He's really upset about what happened. Jake sent him to run off some steam once we knew you were okay." Noticing the startled look on Liz's face, Leah let out a curt laugh. "Don't worry, he can't come back here unless he's invited."
"What do you mean?"
"Jake ordered him to stay away 'til you're ready to see him again."
"He ordered him? What gives him the right to order anyone?"
"He's our beloved alpha."
Liz raised an eyebrow.
"You know, our fearless leader." Rolling her eyes, Leah moved her chair next to the couch and sat down. "What he says, goes."
Alpha. Like a wolf pack. Once again, Liz was stunned silent—until a thought occurred to her. "You said you got nominated for protection detail. Does that mean you're—"
"Also a wolf? Yeah." Leah scoffed. "The only female wolf in tribal history. Lucky me."
"For how long?"
"About 10 years now. Same as the other guys."
"So I guess you're used to it by now?"
Shrugging her shoulders, Leah made a face. "I don't know. Do you ever get used to sprouting fur and chasing after vampires?"
"Good point."
"Look, I know this is weird as shit. Frankly, I wouldn't blame you if you got in your truck and never looked back. But …"
"But what?"
"But I hope you remember how much everyone cares about you. Especially Embry. Nothing's changed. We're all still the same people … we just have a furry little secret."
"But that's just it." Liz waved her uninjured arm, frustration mounting. "No one felt like I needed to know until everything blew up in their faces. How long would you all have continued to hide this from me? How could Embry lie to me like that?" Eyes welling with tears, she sniffed, refusing to let them fall.
Leah sighed. "I get it. And you have every right to be pissed. But it's not that simple. Imagine living your entire life with this crazy secret, knowing if you tell someone, you risk losing them and exposing yourself. It's beyond complicated, involving an outsider in our lives—in fact, Embry's never really dated anyone seriously for that very reason."
Wiping her eyes, Liz looked at Leah, puzzled. "So what makes me any different?"
"That's … that's something you need to talk to Embry about." Leah dropped her gaze, suddenly becoming interested in her fingernail. "But let's be honest here. Would your reaction have been any different if he just told you one day over dinner?"
Liz mulled over the question, then shook her head. "Probably not."
"Then can you maybe understand why he was so scared to tell you?"
"Yeah … I guess so."
"Good." Leah nodded, satisfied. "Look, we'll all get it if you need time or want to punish him a bit—we've been begging his stubborn ass to talk to you for weeks. But promise you won't wait too long to hear him out. He's in pretty bad shape right now. And, as annoying as he can be, he's a decent guy with a good heart." Leaning forward, she poked Liz in the chest. "And if you ever tell him or any of the guys I said that, I'll chew you up and spit out the pieces."
Liz huffed. "Don't worry, my lips are sealed." She played with the wrap on her wrist, tugging on a loose thread. "And I'll hear him out. But honestly, I don't know what to think about anything anymore."
"Tell me 'bout it, sister. Those were my thoughts from day one. Eventually you get good with weird."
Her words gave Liz pause. Leah, Embry, and the others … they had all gone through so much at such a young age. Would she have been able to handle such a secret, such a responsibility, at 16? Probably not.
Then, her thoughts turned to something more alarming. "The man I met in the woods today. He was—"
"Not a man. A vampire."
Liz shivered, her blood running cold. "But he seemed so normal. Well, a little weird, but mostly normal."
"His red eyes didn't give you a clue?"
"Red eyes? They were yellow. Actually, more like gold."
Leah's own eyes widened as she jumped out of her chair. "Yellow? Are you sure?"
"What's wrong? What do yellow eyes mean?"
"It means they're a different kind of vampire, one that doesn't feed off humans. They drink animal blood." She made a face. "They like to call themselves 'vegetarian.'"
Vegetarian vampires. The words had a familiar ring to them. Then, Liz remembered. "Embry used that term today. Said there were vampires like that who used to live in Forks."
"Yeah. The Cullens. The ones who made all of us phase. The way they live is pretty unusual for their kind—that's why I can't believe this guy is one of them. What did he want? Did he threaten you?"
"No ... the opposite, in fact. He knew my name—told me he was there to help, that he was a friend of my aunt's. Said I was in danger."
"In danger from what?"
"I don't know. I assumed he meant the wolves, but now …"
"Right." Leah began to pace, deep in thought. "How did he know your aunt?"
"Didn't say. As far as I know, she didn't get out much or have a lot of friends. But something he said about her …" Liz frowned. "He kept saying she was killed. But that's not true—my aunt died of a heart attack."
Stopping short, Leah swung her head around. "A heart attack?"
"Yeah. It sort of took everyone by surprise, actually. She was always healthy as a horse. They found her in the woods. She must have been out for a walk or something, and her heart just … stopped."
Without waiting for Liz to continue, Leah marched to the door.
"What are you doing?"
"I have to go outside and phase. Need to talk to Jake."
"I thought you weren't supposed to leave."
"I'm not going any further than the front yard," Leah said, tapping the side of her head. "Wolf telepathy."
"Huh?"
"One of the blessings and curses of being a wolf—the ability to hear each others' thoughts when phased." Leah grinned. "Like I said, eventually you get good with weird. Be right back." She darted out the front door, stripping off her shirt and shorts as she went. Relaxing into the transformation, she reared backwards and fell onto four sturdy paws.
What's wrong? Jake asked immediately.
You need to call Carlisle. Pausing, she cocked her head. There was a disturbance in the pack mind, but she couldn't figure out what it was. Where's Embry?
I ordered him silent—he's driving us nuts. What's going on?
Leah tried to focus. Embry's frantic attempts to break Jake's order were distracting her. That bloodsucker Liz met today? She said he had yellow eyes.
What? A low rumble erupted from Jake's chest. Did she say what he wanted?
He was trying to warn her. Knew her name and said he was a friend of her aunt's. Leah suddenly cringed. EMBRY. Stop! You're making my head hurt.
Man, don't make me order you to phase out. Go on, Lee.
He told her that her aunt was killed.
Killed? Liz never mentioned that.
That's because her aunt's official cause of death was a heart attack.
A bell went off in Jake's head, old memories of Harry Clearwater and a red-headed vampire flashing through his mind. He sat back on his haunches, stunned. Do you think …
What happened to my dad? She nodded. Maybe.
Sam, head home and make contact with Carlisle. Tell him the latest. Lee, phase back and see what else you can find out. We'll be in touch. Jake's thoughts flashed to Liz. How's she doing?
She's okay, Leah said, her chest compressing with the force of Embry's struggle. Processing.
If you need us, let us know.
We'll be fine. Leah turned to phase, then paused. Emb? She really will be all right. Just give her some time. The unbearable strain softened just a bit, and Leah stood on two legs, human once again.
Liz lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling with Marble curled up beside her. The events of the day twisted in a jumbled heap inside her head, jostling for room. After talking to Jake, Leah was full of more questions, but Liz found herself short on answers. Finally giving up on the inquest, Leah declared she was starving and raided the kitchen. The two fixed sandwiches and sat in silence at the kitchen table. There was no word from Jake.
"He'll call when there's news. Don't stress."
Needing some alone time, Liz announced she was going to bed and offered Leah the guest room. But just like Seth the night before, Leah refused, stretching out on the couch. "I'm more comfortable here," she said, propping up the pillows and taking the blanket Liz offered. "Try to get some rest, 'kay?"
Liz had every intention of getting some rest, of escaping her troubles through blissful unconsciousness, but two hours later, she was still wide-awake. Haunted by the crushed look on Embry's face as she'd walked away, she tossed and turned, only to replace that vision with one of wolves fighting on her lawn. Looking at the clock, she sighed. One a.m.
Deciding a cup of tea might help, she padded softly to the kitchen, trying not to wake Leah, whose soft snores carried through the hallway. Methodically, Liz filled the kettle and grabbed a mug from the cupboard, tossing Marble a treat from the jar on the counter.
She gazed out the window. It was a clear and beautiful night, the first they'd had in a while. The stars twinkled, oblivious to just how hard her world had been rocked in the last 24 hours.
The starlight extended beyond the horizon, rushing to meet the tall pines that stood in dark contrast with the constellations above. Panning her gaze down, Liz noticed two tiny, iridescent lights where her yard met the edge of the forest.
They blinked.
She caught her breath for a moment, wondering if she'd imagined it. Shutting off the kettle, she stepped closer to the window. The lights were still there, unmoved from their original spot.
Then, they blinked again.
Making a snap decision, she unchained the back door, pausing as she heard Leah stirring in the living room. When the rhythmic snoring began again, she slipped outside.
It was cold. She shivered in her tank top and flannel pants, second-guessing her decision as her ankle throbbed and her bare feet grew damp in the lush grass. After a moment's hesitation, she limped forward anyway, crossing the yard with a clumsy stride.
Liz knew what she was doing was stupid at best, and dangerous at worst, and yet … she felt unafraid. Every part of her body yearned to be closer to those two warm points of light, which were slowly growing larger and more defined.
Finally, she halted and stood still, staring into the woods.
The lights drew closer, glowing beacons in the surrounding darkness. Liz squinted, trying to make out the shape behind them as they approached. Two pointed ears gradually appeared, followed by a long, muscular flank that rounded off in a curve and led to thick, bushy tail. The creature shifted, lifting its head to reveal a large snout. As it cautiously stepped out of the shadows, Liz gasped.
It was a wolf.
Steely gray in color, its sleek frame was decorated with dark splotches of coarse, black fur. Liz recognized it immediately. "Embry?"
He paced the tree line, whining and pawing at the ground, clearly wanting to come to her, but seemingly unable to do so.
Remembering Leah's words from earlier, she took a few steps forward and extended a shaky hand in invitation. "Emb, please. C- can you come closer?"
Like an invisible barrier was broken, the wolf huffed and stumbled forward. Catching himself, he closed the distance between them, head lowered and cautious. He whined again as his timid nose made gentle contact with her fingers.
The touch was electric, spreading fire through her body. Emboldened and curious, she moved closer, delicately cupping his snout. The wolf closed his eyes and leaned into her touch, radiating his velvet warmth into her palm. Mesmerized by the majestic beast, she brought her other hand to his head, scratching behind his ears and along his chin. He stretched his neck and released a low groan, resting his head on her shoulder.
Moved by the gentle giant in whom she so easily recognized her soul mate, Liz allowed her tears to fall. In that moment, she lost all reservations and pulled him even closer, burying her face in his neck as silent sobs wracked her body and salty tears disappeared into the depths of his fur.
Ever so slowly, his soft pelt receded into dark caramel skin. Pulling her into a bone-crushing hug, Embry wrapped her legs around his waist and sank to his knees, tears trickling from his own eyes.
"Liz," he choked out, brushing his cheek against her head. Tangling his fingers into the thick strands of her hair, he breathed deeply. "I thought I'd lost you, honey. That I'd never see you again. I'm so sorry you were hurt. That I didn't tell you sooner. That I—"
"Shhhhh …" She squeezed him. "I know."
They clung to each other in silence, drawing comfort from the steady thump of their heartbeats aligning to the same rhythmic pace. With reverent hands, Embry rubbed her back, trailing his fingers up her neck and down the length of her arms, around her curvy hips, finally landing on the globes of her ass. He cupped them, pulling her closer, then slid his hands further down to trace delicate patterns on her thighs. The wolf needed evidence, tangible proof that his mate was alive and intact.
Precious seconds turned into minutes as he continued his lazy trace of her body. She leaned into him, gripping his waist tightly with her legs while her arms secured themselves around his broad shoulders. They stayed that way until an errant breeze on the back of her neck caused her to shiver. He sighed, tightening his embrace. "You've gotta be freezing. Let's go inside and talk, okay?"
She nodded as he rose to his feet, still clutching her against him, and walked back to the house. Resting her head in the crook of his neck, she closed her eyes. Now that she was safe in his arms, fatigue was finally winning out.
As they approached the door, an irritated voice pierced the night air.
"Out for a midnight stroll?" Leah stood in the entryway, arms crossed as she gave Liz the stink eye. "Do you know how freaked out I was when I woke up and realized you were gone? How'd you even manage to get out of the house without me hearing?"
Embry set Liz on the ground and turned toward Leah, flashing his canines. Liz touched his shoulder. "It's okay, Emb." Facing Leah, she lowered her eyes. "Sorry, Lee. I didn't mean to scare you—I should've woken you up. But … I just had to go. It's almost like … like I knew he was waiting for me, if that makes any sense?" She reached out and squeezed her hand. "Forgive me?"
Pursing her lips, Leah looked back and forth between Liz and Embry, then made a face. "Yeah, all right," she said as she accepted a conciliatory hug. "But this means he's taking over watchdog duties from now—" Cutting herself off, Leah looked Embry up and down with a Cheshire cat smile. "Nice birthday suit, Call."
Without thinking, Liz whipped her head around and stared. Somehow, she'd completely missed the fact that he was totally nude. While she'd certainly felt all of him in their mutual exploration the other day, this was the first time she'd ever seen him in full glory. It was dark outside, but the starlight bounced off his toffee skin, revealing firm pectorals and rippled abs that trailed in a v-shape over his groin. His penis swayed lightly, soft but impressive, centered in a tuft of dark hair between his muscular thighs.
He was perfect.
Looking up, Liz realized she'd been caught staring, and blushed.
He winked back.
"Better get used to that." Leah rolled her eyes. "These guys are so goddamned proud of their junk. Now that you're in the know, prepare for all sense of propriety to be thrown out the window."
"She's exaggerating," Embry said, using his hands as a shield to cover himself. "Normally we tie shorts to our leg before we phase, assuming nothing sets us off, like it did today."
Liz raised an eyebrow. "Is that why you guys are always wearing cut-offs and nothing else?"
"Exactly." Embry nodded. "Too hard to carry much more than that. And with our body temp, the cold isn't an issue."
Liz processed this bit of information before remembering that Embry was still standing in her backyard, stark naked. And although she knew Leah was in a happily committed relationship, she didn't like her staring at him. "I, uh, I'll get you a towel or something," she said, reaching for the doorknob.
"Don't worry, I'm heading home." Leah stepped out of the way and snickered again at Embry. "I'll tell one of the guys to bring by some clothes. No word from the Cullens, I presume?"
"Nothing. Jake called a pack meeting for tomorrow morning at nine. His place."
"Cool." Leah took Liz by the hand and lowered her voice. "Will you be all right? Do you want me to stay?"
Liz shook her head. "You should go. Get some rest. Emb and I have some talking to do."
"Call if you need anything."
"I will. And thanks. For everything."
Her lips curled in a smile, Leah waved as she jogged off into the night.
"Still hungry?" Liz looked at Embry's empty plate with a raised eyebrow. Her appetite returned, she'd quickly thrown together a late-night snack while Embry took a shower.
"I'm good, thanks. That was awesome." He sat on her couch, fully clothed at last. A sandy brown wolf that Liz recognized as Seth had barked at the door shortly after Leah left, dropping a shirt and pair of shorts on the porch. He'd stood there, whining at Liz, refusing to leave until she finally scratched him on the head.
"I wonder if Seth's still out there," she said, putting her plate on the coffee table.
"Probably. He and Paul are patrolling now. I think he just wanted to make sure you're okay." Embry stacked his own plate on top of hers. "He's been almost as worried about you as I have. Afraid he was gonna lose his surrogate big sister."
"He'd still have Leah."
Embry laughed. "You're a lot nicer. And you feed him."
"This is true." Grinning, Liz reclined onto the cushions and, after a moment's hesitation, tucked herself under his arm.
Embry's wolf rumbled with pleasure. It felt so good to hold her again. As far as he was concerned, this was the bright point in what was easily the worst day of his life. Like a horror movie he couldn't turn off, his mind ruminated on the moment Liz fell to the ground—injured, because he lost control. While no one knew for sure whose errant paw struck the blow, Embry blamed himself. Thank God Paul had gotten there in time to catch her and pull her away from the fray. He thought of Emily, about the permanent damage to her face caused by one careless moment, and how Sam had never quite forgiven himself.
Embry could relate.
But, unlike Emily, Liz had no lasting scars, just temporary bumps and bruises. And, what was even more amazing, she seemed willing to hear him out. He didn't know why he'd earned a second chance, but he had no intention of screwing it up this time.
Which meant he had to tell her about the imprint.
Nuzzling her hair, he planted a tender kiss on her bruised temple. "So … how are you? I mean … are you …"
"I'm fine. It doesn't hurt that much." Liz searched his eyes and understood what he was really getting at. "And, otherwise … I'm better than I was. Leah, she … we had a good chat today."
Embry nodded.
"I think I understand why you waited so long to tell me. I- I can't imagine how you've lived with this secret for so long."
Resting his cheek on her head, he sighed. "I didn't want to hide it from you—I hate myself for how this happened. But there never seemed to be a good time, and I was so afraid of losing you—"
"That's the one thing I don't understand," Liz said, frowning.
"What?" Embry squeezed her shoulder. "Tell me."
"Leah said you've never really dated anyone seriously because of all this. That it was too big a secret to risk telling anyone outside the pack. Why am I any different?"
Here we go. Embry closed his eyes, praying for the right words to say. "There's more to it than that. That's what I need to talk to you about."
She shifted a few inches away from him, looking nervous. "What do you mean, more to it than that? More than vampires and werewolves?"
The loss of contact made his heart clench. "It's not bad, it's … it's actually one of the nice things about this whole fucked-up situation, the thing that makes it tolerable."
She raised her eyebrows.
"It's called imprinting." He paused, unsure how much Leah had told her.
"Imprinting?"
He nodded.
"You're gonna have to help me out here."
"Imprinting is … it's a gift to us from our spirit guides, a way of finding our soul mate—although it's more than a soul mate. We don't know when it'll happen, but when we see her—or, in Leah's case, him—all our ties fall away, and we're bound to that person. It's no longer gravity that holds us to the earth—it's our imprint. Nothing else matters but keeping her safe and happy."
He waited for a reaction, but her face revealed nothing. "Like love at first sight?" she finally whispered.
"Sort of. I mean, that's the easy way to describe it. But it goes further than that, deeper. It's a spiritual bond."
She was quiet.
Nervously, he continued. "According to tribal legend, imprinting was supposed to be this rare thing. But so far, everyone's done it. Sam was the first. I was the last."
Liz looked up, eyes wide. "Do you mean—"
"You're my imprint."
The silence was deafening. Embry swallowed, waiting for her to say something, to show some kind of emotion. Finally, she granted his wish, but not in the way he had hoped.
Face ashen, she pulled completely away from him and moved to the other end of the couch. "What are you saying?" she asked, voice trembling, eyes laden with disappointment. "That everything between us—this whole time—it's been nothing but some kind of magic spell that forced you to be with me?"
"No! No, it's not like that." Embry fisted his hair in hands, frustration mounting. "God, I knew I would fuck this up." He stood from the couch and began to pace, trying to think of a way to make her understand.
Kneeling in front of her, he took her hands in his. "Look at me, sweetheart. Imprint or not, I choose you. Don't you feel that connection between us? How easy it is?"
"Of course I do. But you just said that's because of the impr—"
"No, honey, that's just it. The bond might have intensified things, but we took our time and got to know each other. Neither of us had to change who we are to be together—we just fit."
Chewing on her lip, Liz looked dubious. "And what if I didn't want to be with you in that way? Would that even matter?"
Embry's heart stuttered. Swallowing, he forced the words from his lips. "Then I would be whatever you needed. Your friend … your brother … but always your protector. You'll always have a choice, honey. You exercised it when we first met—we were just friends up until a few days ago, remember?"
"Right ..."
He offered a sad smile. "And if that's what you need again, for the next little while, or for the long haul … then that's what we'll do."
His words floated in the air between them. Finally, she leaned forward, resting her forehead against his chest. Making a sudden, desperate grab for his t-shirt, she clenched it in her fists. "No. That's not what I need or want. No going backwards. I just …" Voice trailing off, she sighed. "I just need to know that this is real. That everything between us, from here on out, is genuine. How can I know that, Emb?"
Embry stroked her hair, then traced his finger down the supple skin of her cheek. Tipping her chin up, he gazed into her eyes, drowning in deep pools of warm milk chocolate. "Trust in me," he said, slowly brushing his lips against hers. "Trust in us."
A/N: Well, there you go. I really hope you enjoyed reading this chapter, because I really loved writing it. I feel like we've hit a big milestone.
I promise there will be at least one more (complete!) lemon coming soon. Liz and Embry have been such good sports, I gotta follow through. :-) Would love to hear your thoughts—your reviews keep me going. And thanks to those of you who read/review regularly! Can't tell you how much I appreciate it.