A/N: Ok guys! We're almost there. I love this chapter, one of my favorites. AND we are almost to the big reveal! Tell me how you think she'll take it!
Ch. 25-Valentine Heart Break
Lucy POV
Valentine's Day. Every time I thought the words I swooned just a tiny bit. It's absolutely my guilty pleasure but I enjoyed Valentine's Day more than most people. I loved the romance in the air and seeing boys surprise girls with gifts. Even if I was blissfully single I could appreciate the love and not become jealous like most girls tended to be. Why not be happy for someone who is feeling that way? Isn't that what we all want? To fall in love and be completely happy? It all seems so nice! Valentine's Day is definitely the best day of the year. It only slightly bummed me out that Embry has work that night but we have all school day to spend together in between classes. I even went all out and made him his favorite cupcakes, strawberry, and packed a cute little lunch with heart shaped sandwiches for tomorrow. So, I wasn't in love but I was feeling beyond happy with this little thing going on between us and I was finally ready for us to take the next step.
Paul ran along my mind briefly. I knew without a doubt he'd be completely pissed off when Embry and I get official. They hated each other more and more each passing day where it got to the point that I couldn't even be in the same room with them both with all the cussing under the breath and evil glares. Our new rule consisted of Paul not being at the house when Embry was there anymore. Embry was all smiles at this but Paul wasn't happy to say the least. After our fight he's been ridiculously overprotective and I even spotted a couple of fading bruises on Embry's arms. I learned to pick and choose my fights with Paul so I let it slide. I've almost convinced myself our kiss didn't happen and push it away whenever I think about it. To be honest…I was afraid of falling for Paul. He's too unpredictable. One minute he's the most caring person in the world and the next he's growling and stomping around all pissed off over nothing. Embry is cool, calm, and collected. Most of all, Embry is stable. Safe. Yeah, most girls don't want safe but honestly it's a lot better than going out with Paul and having the potential for him to rip my heart to pieces.
I shake my head of the thoughts. Embry is good for me. He's everything any girl would want in a guy. So why the hell does Paul Lahote keep getting in the way?
I'm up at 6 in the morning, an hour earlier than usual. It's Valentine's Day! I dress to the nines for it as well in a pink Victoria's Secret dress, a light white sweater, and beige sandals. I already know I'm going to receive weird looks because it's below freezing outside and almost snowing but I'm just so excited! I take extra care with a romantic makeup look and straighten my hair to perfection and put in a head band with a pink bow on the side. As I skip into to Annabelle's room I notice her wearing pink skinny jeans, white sweater, and white boots.
"Well, well, well," I chant, leaning against her door with my arms crossed. "Someone is all dressed up, hmm?"
Annabelle turns suddenly, squeaking from shock. She rolls her eyes once she sees it's only me and goes back to zipping up her boots. She then sits down at her vanity and rolls her hair into a sock bun at the top. She doesn't apply any makeup which isn't unusual at all for her. "I just want to be festive," she replies.
"Sure, sure." I take a seat on her bed and admire how she takes the hair around her face and gently curls it.
She giggles slightly and spins in her seat. "Ok, Jacob."
"He does say that an awful lot, huh?"
She nods and we both laugh.
"Plans for today?" she asks me, grabbing her book bag from the floor.
I think over my day and shrug. "Not really. Embry and I will be together at school but aside from that I gots nada." I lie down on her bed with a huff and inspect my nails.
"Isn't Paul taking you somewhere?" She bounces on the bed next to me and I'm lifted slightly into the air.
My eyes widen. "Oh, shit. You're right. He said he wanted to see a movie so nothing special. I totally forgot."
Paul and I usually spend our Friday's watching movies because Embry works nights. We drive up to Port Angeles because they have the only decent movie place around here and watch the newest flicks. It's my absolute favorite thing to do and Paul pays so it's an added perk.
"You should dress warm," she advises, crossing her legs.
"We'll be inside," I tell her, glancing over to see her texting on her phone. Probably Collin, I think.
"The movie theaters are always freezing."
I look over her apprehensively. "Mhm, good point." I don't question her further on it but something isn't adding up all the way here.
She continues texting nonchalantly but glances my way every few minutes until I start making funny faces at her. When she tires of the game we head down stairs where I'm met with a shocking scene. My mouth falls open.
"No freaking way, Embry!" I shout at him, jumping into his arm excitedly.
I gape at the entire living room that's filled with balloons and a giant stuffed bear in the middle with candy in its paws. In the kitchen there are stacks of chocolate chip pancakes and Embry's friends gather around our table. Jake smiles at me from his spot next to Leah and gives me thumbs up. Leah rolls her eyes at him and smacks the back of his head but smiles at me. Seth is stuffing his face alongside Brady but both look over and grin when they notice my stare. Even Collin gives me a small smile and Annabelle sits down next to him. Quil comes up to Embry and I and after Embry releases me he gives him a gentle slap on the back.
"This man here made all of us get our asses up at 4 in the morning so we could fill all these balloons!" Quil says in exaggeration, rolling his eyes heavily but smiling the whole time.
"You know you'd do the same, Quil," Embry teases him, punching him in the arm.
Quil rubs out his arm and fake groans in pain. "Whatever, Embry."
I smile from under Embry's arm at him. "What are your plans, Quilly?" I quoin the nickname from Claire.
"I get to pick up Claire from school and then we're going to the zoo in Seattle for the day."
We get off early on Friday's from school and it's even better today fell on a Friday.
"That's great!" I mimic his grin and the three of us make our way to the table.
Embry serves me a plate of pancakes and bacon and I moan when they hit my mouth. The rest of the morning is filled with fun and laughing. Jake and Leah bicker like always with Quil interjecting every so often to get a "Shut up, Quil!" by both of them. Annabelle, Seth, and Collin talk about something that happened in English class while Brady and I playfully flirt. I've somewhat gotten the kid to loosen up a little around me and now he's back to his old self with his shameless flirting. When we leave for school I don't expect more surprises from Embry but once again am shocked when I open my locker and tons of boxed candy hearts come flooding out with personalized messages written on the front.
I'm on cloud nine practically all day long, Embry's hand tucked firmly into mine throughout the day. The surprises kept on coming as well. Every class period either someone I didn't know or Embry himself would deliver a red rose to me in the middle of class. Girls were jealous and boys were laughing over Embry's cheesiness but all I could focus on was how happy I was. This kind of thing never happened to me before and I was in heaven. At lunch when he pulls out his lunch bag I made and his cupcakes his whole face lights up and he kisses me passionately in front of the whole school which elicits cat calls from fellow students. When we pull away from each other I'm blushing heavily and Embry just leans in to give me one more quick kiss. I was in bliss when Gym rolled around, the only class all of us had together. The coach said we could just walk around outside if we wanted to and didn't really care. All of our group lounged outside near the forest's edge and sat down at an old wooden bench. Annabelle and Collin strolled off on their own into the forest which I wasn't too thrilled about but Jacob assured me she was safe with him.
I wasn't too surprised when halfway through the period Embry retrieved another rose and kissed me softly before handing it to me. I put it with the other 5 roses and smiled up at him from my spot. When I thought Embry was going to sit down beside me he surprised me and bended down on one knee in front of me. Surprise radiated through me and suddenly the noisy chatter of the group was deadly quiet as if surprised as I am. Horror rushed into my system and my heart raced. Oh, no…is he seriously going to…to…
"Lucy?" he asks hesitantly, his hand in his pocket.
"Um, yea, Embry?" I can bet my face doesn't look happy now. A growl from the forest takes away my attention slightly.
"Will you…" he leads off, pulling something small out of his pocket. He unwraps something in plastic and shows me what it is he's holding. A big breath of air rushes out of my mouth and I melt in relief. "be my girlfriend?" He's holding out to be a red ring pop and I can't help laugh.
"Of course I will, Embry," I tell him, letting him slip the ring onto my ring finger of my right hand.
"Oh, man!" Jake hollers from behind us. "You should have seen your face, Lucy. It was absolutely priceless. Way worse than the looks when we imp—"
I look at him expectantly. "What?"
"Nothing," he says quickly. "You just should have been there."
I roll my eyes at him but let it go, too happy in this moment. "Kinda was hun."
Jake just laughs awkwardly and I look back at Embry. He's smiling and lifts me up into his arms, twirling me in a circle before kissing me all over my face. I laugh, content in his arms, until I hear a horrible howl from the forest next to us. Fear fills my body and I cling tighter to Embry, looking around for the sad sound. Embry just holds me tighter to him and soon I forget the awful, whining noise of the wolf in the forest.
Paul POV
I set up everything for Lucy and I in the baby blue '56 Ford convertible I rented for tonight. Everything is set up perfectly. I have blankets in the back and all the candy in bags. I even have soda cans in a small box in the truck. Valentine's Day is Luce's favorite day of the year and even though this plan is simple I know she will love it. Hopefully whatever Embry has done won't completely outdo me. I set out for patrol with Sam and Jared at 8am and patrol around the school especially since Lucy is inside. She looks so beautiful in her short summer dress and her long hair swinging around her shoulders as she walks inside. Looking at her distracts me from the fact that Embry is ogling her as well. Patrol is really boring for the rest of the day. I can't see Lucy much because she's inside all day but when her period for Gym comes around I run around in excitement waiting for her to come outside. This is always my favorite part of patrol, watching her running around with everything playing some sport or just hanging out.
Ha, look Sam! His tail is wagging and everything! Jared teases, flashing Sam mental images of my out of control thumping.
Sam mentally rolls his eyes and ignores Jared, thinking of Emily's Valentine's Day gift and if she'll like it.
Shut up, Jared, I tell him, glancing around for Lucy. When I spot her coming out holding hands with Embry I snarl slightly and the bastard smirks when he hears it. Great, he knows I'm out her creeping.
Everyone knows you're a creep, Sam pipes in.
Ooh! Jared crones. Sam got jokes, yo.
You're so lame, Jared, Sam tells him, running along the western border.
I ignore them and focus on my imprint. I watch as her, Jake, Seth, Quil, Brady, Collin, Annabelle, Embry, and Mark sit on an old circular bench. Annabelle and Collin quickly depart from the others to walk into the forest and I growl in warning to Collin as he passes where I'm crouched. Annabelle can't see me from my position nor hear me but Collin does and he shrugs, uncaring. About halfway through the period Embry gives Annabelle a red rose and kisses her, eliciting a snarl again from myself. Then he does something that literally makes my heart stop and even Jared and Sam stop their patrolling to listen in on my thoughts, mentally viewing it themselves. Embry is down on one knee, pulling something out of his pocket. The only saving grace is Lucy's absolute look of horror as he pulls it out. My fright doesn't last long as I notice the wrapper of a ring pop but when his final words ring out I have to hold myself back from tumbling out of my hiding spot and tearing him apart.
My legs give way under me and I plop down, sorrow filling my bones. I let out an awful howl of sadness and turn quickly and fly through the forest. Sam's voice floats in my mind and Jared tries to catch up to me but I'm too far gone in my own head to listen to either of them.
I lost her. I lost my imprint.
NO! You didn't lose her, Paul, the voice of my best friend says. Jared wouldn't even know anything about this. His imprint didn't fucking ditch him for his pack mate. Maybe not but that doesn't mean I'm wrong about this. She's your fucking soul mate! That means shit, man. I've watched this go on for too fucking long. It's time to tell her. I'm not going to see you suffer like this any longer.
What can I do, Jared? They're together. He won.
So, you're just giving up? Sam's voice mingles into our conversation, the weight of the Alpha pressing into both our minds briefly. He's…mad? Hell, yes I'm mad! I love that girl, all of us do. She's amazing and wonderful and she was made for you not Embry. YOU. She is perfect for you. She brings out the best in you. Since when would you ever rent a car and take a girl to a movie like you're planning?
Before her? Never.
Exactly, Sam replies. You will not give up.
The weight of the Alpha voice presses down on me and I flinch from it. Sam usually never alpha's Jared or I. We're pretty much the three best friends ever. We've always been close even before the wolf shit.
Thank you, I tell Sam.
It'll be worth it, bro, Jared says. I promise.
I know.
She's always been worth it.
A/N: There you have it! I loved this one it was so much fun to write. I know you'll probably hate me but fear not guys! Everything will unravel but of course relationships are hard they don't just happen boom bang boom. It takes hard work and trial and error. Keep in mind that I love Paul. Also it'll get hard the further we go. I want to take this in the direction of drama, heartbreak, love, battles. Get ready for a crazy ride!