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Chapter Twenty-Eight: Some Assembly Required

Bella POV

The drive to the reservation that Saturday was tense. It wasn't like Jake and I were fighting, but I knew he had so much on his mind, it was better to just let him think. The revelation of Embry's dad had put us all in a tailspin, and Jake was having a hard time keeping things from Billy. As he put it, even though Billy was his dad, he was also an Elder, and for the moment, it was The Pack against them. I reached across the seat of the Rabbit and squeezed his hand.

"You're doing the right thing, Jake." I seemed to break him out of his deep thought and he offered me a weak shadow of his smile.

"I know, it's just... I've never kept anything from my dad before. I guess he's kept a lot from us over the years, though," he said bitterly.

"I'm sure he had his reasons – you know as well as I do that your dad is honourable; he always does what's right in the end."

"Tell that to Embry. You'd think in all the years he spent coming over to my house, he could have at least dropped a hint."

"Just... give him the benefit of the doubt. We've only heard one side of the story."

"Yeah, well, his side better be damn well good."

We drove past the little turn-off to Jacob's house and continued on to the hall where Sue and Charlie's wedding had been held. It looked entirely different, now, without the decorations and general vivacity it had the last time I'd seen it. Various pack members were gathered outside in little groups, talking amongst themselves. The mood was decidedly somber. Embry and Alex weren't here yet, and I noticed that no imprints were present.

"Why did Embry want me to come tonight? I mean, apart from moral support for Alex," I enquired. Jake just gave me a knowing look and ran his hand through my hair lovingly.

"You're an important part of his convincing argument. Come on, I'll carry you inside."

"Jake, I can walk fine. My stitches will be out in a few more days. Sue said I'm healing really well." He shot me a pleading look and I knew my argument was futile. "Fine, but this is the last day you're carrying me anywhere." He carried me bridal styled towards the front door of the hall, and the pack took it as their queue to follow us inside. The Elders were already gathered behind an official-looking podium, a look of nervous anticipation on each of their faces. I understood Jake's guilt when I caught site of Sue and Billy. Regardless of their part in this whole mess, they were still both like surrogate parents to me. They sat together on the far right, as Old Quil and Sam's older cousin, Thomas Uley took up the other two seats. They looked both official and imposing, and I couldn't help but be intimidated by the seriousness of the situation. It felt like a trial was about to go underway – and Embry was the accused. Thomas stood to speak once everyone was seated.

"Welcome, everyone. We are gathered here this evening at the request of your Alpha, Jacob Ephraim Black to discuss Pack matters. Jake, if you wouldn't mind opening up proceedings and informing us as to the mysterious subject of today's meeting?" Jake cleared his throat and stood. He looked every bit the tall, regal warrior as he dwarfed every other person in the room.

"I requested this meeting today on behalf of my Beta, Embry Call. He hasn't arrived yet, so I'd like to refrain from getting into that before he gets here," he said officially. Just then, the door to our backs opened and Embry strode in holding Alex's hand. Old Quil immediately stood to object.

"He brings an outsider into a council meeting? What disrespect is this, young Beta?" he fumed. Embry didn't say a word until he had led Alex into the pew beside me and made sure she was seated comfortably. He stood proudly to Jacob's right and cleared his throat.

"I apologise for being late, Council, but I will not apologise for bringing her here. I requested this gathering of my Alpha and friend so that we may discuss her role in my life. The subject of this meeting is to allow me to reveal the tribal secret to my chosen mate, Alexandria Morgan." A shocked silence greeted him from the Elders, as the rest of the pack simply looked on in support. It was Billy's turn to speak then, and all eyes turned to their Chief.

"Embry, you know better than anyone that it is an impossible request you put to us. Your own mother hasn't even been informed of your secret, and I just ask that Ms. Morgan step outside so we can discuss matters freely." Embry shook his head adamantly.

"Billy, I'm sorry, but I'm done keeping secrets from her. If I am to build a future with Alex, I want her to be fully disclosed as to the risks involved with being tied to one of us." Old Quil spluttered in disbelief.

"She is an outsider! A white woman at that, and you have not imprinted on her. What right has she to know our business?" Alex shot me a confused look at the mention of imprinting. I couldn't imagine how strange this all sounded to her

"Do you have the same opinion of our Alpha's mate? Perhaps if someone tried to shoot Alex, you'd be a little more accepting of her," Embry retorted. I couldn't help the blush that rose in my cheeks as all eyes turned to me. I suddenly realised the purpose of my presence here. Embry was using me as an example of a non-imprinted mate. "Bella Swan has gone above and beyond to help protect our secret. She's not an imprint – she's not even Quileute, yet you all seemed to think it was perfectly fine for her to take a bullet in the name of our tribe and she is still healing from it. This whole mess was caused by an imprint. Addie Pendleton should have been the ultimate mate for our Alpha, instead she has brought nothing but pain and the threat of exposure to us. How can you still use imprinting as the only relationship worthy of us? Your theories are null and void as far as I'm concerned." Old Quil's face turned red in anger that Embry would talk to him that way.

"Bella Swan is the exception. Her father has been nothing but a faithful ally to our tribe, and now he has married Sue Clearwater, he has become part of it. Even if that hadn't happened, the spirits have spoken on her behalf." A confused murmuring rose up in the room before Billy silenced everyone.

"Quil, what are you referring to? Bella Swan was chosen as mate by my son; the spirits had nothing to do with their pairing." Jake shot me a confused frown, which I returned, as we wondered what the hell Old Quil was talking about. He sighed in frustration, like he was above having to explain such complicated matters to mere mortals.

"The Alpha and I discussed before how he was able to fight his imprint to the Pendleton girl," he began, and Jake nodded in agreement.

"Old Quil took a spirit walk, and was told by The Great Wolf that I had chosen Bella to be mine from such a young age, that I had offered her a part of my soul. Bella owned a part of me that I couldn't give away to an imprint. That's why the bond didn't take, and it was broken without damage to my wolf," Jake supplied. Alex was looking around the room like we were all insane. I guess this talk of spirits and wolves was getting a little too weird, even for someone as accepting as her.

"That is the truth. However, since the Alpha's mate offered up her life in place of his, the broken part of his soul has now been replaced with a part of hers. It is easy to see that the Alpha is whole again, and they are now bonded irrevocably. It is as a man-made imprint would be." Jake's face cracked into a beaming smile as he scooped me up into his arms and spun me around. I was too shocked to even respond. Jake and I were, for all intents and purposes, an imprinted couple.

"I knew something was different, sweetie! I felt this contentment wash over me ever since the shooting. The wolf knew you were mine!" he exclaimed, and I caught sight of approving smiles coming our way from The Pack, Billy and Sue. Jake covered my face in kisses and indulged in my scent for a beat. I couldn't believe that what we'd always wanted had finally happened for us. I felt tears come to my eyes as my heart swelled with love and pride.

I was Jake's and he was mine and nothing in the world could ever tear us apart. Even more than that, it felt more special because we had chosen each other. There was no compulsion; I didn't have to feel that Jake was just with me because his wolf told him to be. It was more than I could have ever dreamed. I pressed my lips to his in a loving, passionate kiss.

It seemed Alex had finally had enough of being kept in the dark, and stood up to speak.

"Look, I have no idea what's going on here, and I have a feeling something great has happened for Bella and Jake," she said, gesturing towards us. "That's great for you two, I guess, but – not to be rude, what the hell does all of this have to do with me?" Jake set me down again beside Alex and I squeezed her hand as I stood beside her.

"Just let Embry handle this," I soothed, and she shot me a frustrated glare. Embry cleared his throat to speak again.

"I'm happy that my Alpha has gotten his happy ending, but my point still stands – he chose Bella for himself, and she has been better for him than his own imprint was. I want to be extended the same courtesy. I chose Alex for my own. I know I won't imprint. How I feel about her won't go away. When we first became what we are, you all told us that our emotions ran higher and were more intense than those of a mere human. You have to understand that this isn't some teen romance for me. She's the one."

"Embry, how do you know you won't imprint," Sue enquired curiously. "The majority of your... colleagues have, why would you be any different?"

"I haven't come here on a whim, Sue, all due respect. When I realised how deep my feelings for Alex were, I did a lot of soul-searching. Alone in the forest, I thought over everything that made me who I am. Before my brothers imprinted, they described a feeling of being imbalanced, of feeling like there was a part of them that still required some assembly."

Seth snorted softly at that, reminding me of his presence for the first time in the meeting. "Leave it to Em to make an Avengers reference in a Council meeting," he muttered to Jared, who smirked in their Beta's direction.

"Seth, you will not speak out of turn during official meetings," she admonished. Embry ignored the joke and continued.

"I've never felt that way, if anything, I feel like I know who exactly who I am and I know that Alex is the one for me. She doesn't complete me, she complements the person I've become," he clarified. "There's something else. All of the imprinted wolves are full-blood Quileute. As you are all aware, my mother is from the Makah reservation. If imprinting is about continuing the best possible Quileute bloodline, I'm already never going to do that. Genetically speaking, there's probably a large chance any children I have won't even phase." A shocked silence greeted his words. He really had done his homework. A swell of pride ran through me towards my friend. I dared anyone to underestimate Embry again. The Council appeared to mull over what he'd said before Old Quil spoke up again.

"Be that as it may, young Beta, the point still stands that this girls is an outsider, and she cannot be trusted with our secrets."

"You all assume that, because she isn't Quileute, she will ultimately betray us. Tell me, Mr. Ateara, is that the same view you all held of my mother when you blackmailed her into silence?" he spat. No-one said anything as we let that jibe sink in. I couldn't believe he'd actually come out and said it.

"I'm not sure I know what you're insinuating, Mr. Call," old Quil spluttered.

"Oh, I think you know exactly what I mean, grandfather," was the reply. The Council members' jaws slackened in unison. "The people who sit before us today as our Elders have all kept the secret of my father's identity, and even went so far as to blackmail a single mother into silence by threatening her with disgrace and exclusion," he said, turning to his pack. "I ask you, brothers, to please stand with me and put a stop to the secrets and lies that are rife on this Reservation. If not publicly, at least between The Pack and our Elders. If we are out there every night, putting our asses on the line for you protection, the least we deserve is some god damn honesty!" he yelled, slamming his fist on the back of the pew in front of him. "My mother was prepared to take this secret to her grave, since my father died before he had the stones to come clean to anyone." He shot Quil and apologetic look for speaking so coldly against their shared parent. Quil seemed firmly in Embry's corner, though, and just nodded approvingly. I could sense the brotherly bond that already existed between the two had only been strengthened in the last few days. Quil stood to speak.

"If I may weigh in – Embry is right. You guys expect us to follow orders without question and adhere to your codes and by-laws. Yeah, well, a trust has been broken here. Grandfather, if you expect us to respect your authority ever again, I ask you to cut the shit – pardon my French – and acknowledge Embry as the grandson you know he truly is." Old Quil just gaped at his grandson. I had a feeling it was the first time Quil had really stood up to him on any matter. The rest of the pack had moved to stand as Quil spoke. It was a silent show of solidarity for their brothers that warmed my heart.

"Embry, it was a different time, back then. We couldn't let our respected name be blackened by the existence of an illegitimate child. My son made some poor decisions, but he had a bright future within this tribe. He was meant for great things before he was taken from us in the accident. After his death, it hurt our family too much to disrespect a dead man's wishes. I hope you can learn to understand why things happened as they did," the old man croaked.

"I'm not going to let myself get caught up in your delusions of why what you all did was justified. As far as I'm concerned, I'm still a Call, the only difference is that I've gained a real brother. I'm not going to impose myself on your perfect little family, but Quil has always treated me as kin, and to him I'm grateful for that. I'm proud to acknowledge him as the brother he always has been to me. The rest of you, though, can go screw yourselves," he spat, before adding "Pardon my French" with a smirk at Quil, who beamed approvingly. The room just stood in silence as we watched the events play out. The Pack had all learned the identity of Embry's father in the past few days, and had allowed the brothers time to bond together and discuss the changes in their relationship. It was apparent to everyone, though, that their bond was deep and they were ecstatic to have found out the truth, despite the feeling of betrayal that accompanied it. Both having grown up as only children, Embry and Quil now had each other. They had an uncle to their future kids and a lifelong kinship that really could never be broken. Jake stood to speak again on behalf of his Beta.

"I think we all learned a lot about each other today," he said scathingly. "Embry has pled his case and as his Alpha, I for one recommend that his request be granted."

"All due respect, Alpha, but you're not exactly known for making good decisions," Thomas spoke up.

"I have paid for my indiscretions, already, Thomas, and shall be making the journey to visit the Pendletons shortly, once I'm satisfied that my Beta is being duly rewarded for his service to his Pack and his tribe. Regardless, it would be foolish of The Council to make him suffer for my wrongdoings. I think after what The Council did to Embry and his mother, it is the least they can do to allow him to choose his own mate. And all due respect, Elder, but when you start turning into a wolf in order to protect your tribe from the threat of vampires, then I'll start taking your comments on board." He shot a look to Alex, who was visibly paling at what he'd just revealed.

"Oops, did I say that in front of the outsider?" he chimed in mock innocence. A boom of laughter echoed around The Pack, along with a succession of whoops and hollers, cheering on Jake's antics. Embry gave him a grateful smile and they shared a manly hug, complete with pats on the back. Billy looked at Jacob, and I could tell he was trying his best to hide the smirk colouring his features.

"Well, I guess that little slip of the tongue renders our vote irrelevant," he said. "Regardless, I would like to say that my decision would have been to grant Embry permission to share his secret with Ms. Morgan," he said good naturedly. Sue nodded beside him.

"I would have seconded the motion," she confessed.

"It would be only right that I thirded it," Old Quil answered, earning him a smile from Quil. Thomas Uley just shook his head in disgust.

"What a circus this turned out to be. Do us a favour, Alpha, and try not to treat Council meetings as a forum for your dramatics in future," he chided.

"I will when you all start making the right decision," Jake shot back. The meeting was dismissed and Sue and Billy made their way to Alex and Embry, where he was holding her hands and promising to explain everything once they were alone.

"Embry, son, I would just like to say that I wasn't a member of the council that blackmailed your mother. It was my father, William, who was a part of that. When I took my seat after his death, I had to swear that I could uphold the previous members' decisions, regardless of my personal feelings. Sue did the very same after Harry passed." he revealed. Embry gave him a shocked look before smiling at him softly.

"Thanks, Billy. I guess I should have known that you wouldn't deliberately keep something like that from me," he replied. "I thought for a while that it was you, and I was so hurt and mad that you wouldn't admit to being my dad that I kind of hated you." Billy smiled sadly.

"Trust me, Embry, I would be proud to call you my son. Your real father was a fool to ever deny you - he should have been shouting it from the cliff-tops," he said, and he patted Embry's hand where it was nestled between his own. Jake looked on in love and awe at the exchange between the two men. It was a beautiful moment.

The Pack formed a line to congratulate Embry on his victory and offered Alex warm hugs and kisses on the cheek. Quil spun her around and informed her that she was now going to be known exclusively as 'Sis' from that moment forward. I guess she also gained a family today.

Alex was still reeling from what she'd heard, and I sensed her confusion as I put my arm around her.

"Jacob was joking, right, Bella? I mean, giant wolves? He was screwing around, right?" she asked, her eyes not focusing on anything in front of her.

"Embry will explain everything, Alex. I just want you to remember one thing for me," I said. She turned to me, giving me her full attention. "He's still Embry. He's still the sweet, kind, patient guy you fell in love with. Look at what he went through today to share his life with you. He loves you with everything he is, and the more you find out about him, the more you'll see what an amazing person you have. Just... keep an open mind. If you need to leave and clear your head, I want you to call me. Just listen to what he has to say, and don't leave until you've let everything sink in. He's still Embry. Just remember that." She nodded slowly and gave Embry a wide eyed stare as he came back over to us, smiling widely.

"Bella's singing my praises, I hope?" he joked, before giving Alex a nervous look.

"Sweetie, would you... uh... can we take a walk, maybe?" Alex looked at me for reassurance and I smiled comfortingly and nodded. She placed her hand in his and agreed. Embry looked to me gratefully and gave me a blinding smile.

"Thanks for being here and supporting me, Bella," he said.

"Any time, Em. You deserve it." I stood on my toes and reached up to place a light kiss on his cheek. "Go get your girl, tiger," I whispered, before turning back to Jake. He folded his arms and raised an eyebrow at what he'd just seen.

"Hmmph, the whole fighting-for-the-girl thing does it for you, huh? Maybe I should warn Em to keep his distance for a while," he said in mock jealousy. I snaked my arms around his waist.

"Nah, there's only one wolf I want fighting for me, and he already won," I said burying my head in his chest as he wrapped me in his arms.

"Sure did, and I got one hell of a prize – even if she's a little bashed up right now," he quipped. I leaned back and swatted his arm lightly.

"Hey, stop making fun of the infirmed. You own part of my soul now, better start being nicer to me or I might just take it back." Jake scooped me up bridal style once again to carry me out to the car.

"As if you'd even want to," he whispered, pressing a kiss to my temple. I snuggled into his warmth as I felt the drowsiness of my pain meds start to kick in.

"True. Sorry to break it to you, but you're stuck with me for life," I teased.

"Sounds pretty fucking fantastic to me."


A/N: Horray! Everything's coming up roses! So Em and Alex are finally able to share the secret. Hope she takes it better than Addie did.

Was the council scene believable for you? I realised that even though they're council members, they're family members first, so they're bound to feel a bit guilty and sentimental towards the pack when they're related to most of them.

What do we think about the little revelation about Jake and Bella? Hope you guys realise now that her getting shot had several purposes – an example of a non-imprint for Embry to use, a way of really resolving the Addie story line and a way for Bella to mend Jake's soul with her own. I figured almost giving her life to protect him would do that. So yeah, it wasn't just me trying to be dramatic for the sake of it!

Next chapter will be winding down to the end I'm afraid. Alex and Embry have some adjusting to do, and Bella's able to enjoy the fact that she can be open with her best friend. Jake's going to see the Pendletons and may not find what he expected. Bella and Jake also need to just have sex, already, God!

After that, there are a few plot points that need resolution and then I think I'll be doing a series of glimpses into our characters' futures and how they live after all their fighting for each other is done. I'm quite sad to be ending this story, but I may have another idea in the works. If you guys would like to read it, I'd sure love to write it.