Chapter Thirty-Seven

Kim wasn't entirely sure what to expect when she entered Emily's kitchen.

In retrospect, though, she knew she really shouldn't have been surprised when Jared tightened his grip on her hand and then stepped in front of her so that he was now tugging her after him, proclaiming that he 'needed to introduce her to Embry.'

"Jared," Kim couldn't help but laugh. "We've gone to school together for years, I think I know Embry already."

"That doesn't count," Jared informed her promptly as they walked into the kitchen together. "This is your official pack introduction."

They came to a stop right next to the kitchen table, where a half-empty basket of muffins sat between two completely empty plates and with Embry in one of the several chairs surrounding the table. Across the kitchen, Emily was over by the stove, apparently still preparing food, while Sam leaned against the counter next to her. As Paul, who slipped into the kitchen behind Jared and Kim, slid into an empty seat across the Embry, the other three looked up at the couple's arrival.

Emily smiled immediately. "Hi, Kim. It's so good to see you again."

Kim returned the smile easily. "Hey, Emily, Sam."

"Ignore them," Jared cut off any further greetings, prompting Kim to exchange an eye-roll with Emily. He tugged slightly on her hand to get her to focus on the remaining occupant of the room she had yet to greet, "Kim, meet our newest wolf, Embry. Embry, my Kim."

Kim fought back an amused smile at Jared's slightly possessive tone. Well, that was certainly new. They would definitely be talking about that later. She let it slide for now, though. Because honestly…knowing how eager he was to 'introduce' her to Embry and the way the possessive adjective before her name just sort of slipped out during that introduction…it was kind of cute. But just this once.

"Hi, Embry," Kim smiled at him politely. "We've known each other for at least ten years, but it's nice to finally get an introduction."

Embry blinked once. Twice. Three times. A surprised expression overtook the morose look that had been on his face.

"I don't know if I've ever heard you speak before," He stated honestly.

Out of the corner of her eye, Kim was pretty sure she saw Jared narrowing his eyes at the other boy. She merely smiled.

"Just wait until Sassy Kim comes out," Paul informed his newest pack-brother. "She's my favorite."

The following Monday morning, after leaving Kylie at the entrance to the Elementary school, Kim eagerly scanned the parking lot in front of the High School for Jared's familiar truck. Today was to be Embry's first day back at school since phasing and Jared had offered to drive the other boy and Paul—it was a move that was equal parts to support Embry and also to provide a buffer straight away between him and the two friends who were sure to have nothing but questions about his disappearance and new physical appearance.

It was actually a rather sucky situation, Kim contemplated to herself. For as long as she knew them, Embry, Quil, and Jacob were best friends and inseparable. But now that he was a wolf—no matter the chance Quil and Jacob might one day join the pack as well—Embry wasn't allowed to tell them anything. Indeed, Sam thought it was best that Embry just stayed as far away from them as possible. He was too new, too volatile, and a confrontation with his best friends where he couldn't explain anything was sure to bring out some strong emotions.

Kim understood Sam's reasoning, she really did. It was safest this way. But that didn't mean the situation didn't suck.

She was glad that he had Jared and Paul, though. They were nowhere close to having his two best friends to support him, but the pack definitely looked out for it's own.

Just then, she spotted Jared's truck pulling into the school parking lot. As Kim quickly made her way to where he was just parking, she immediately made note of the fact that pack togetherness apparently did not extend to squeezing all three wolves into the cab of the truck, since Paul was currently lounging in the truck's bed. Well, he was always definitely one to flaunt the rules.

"Hey, babe," Jared greeted her as soon as she reached the truck, which he and Embry where now standing beside. He rapidly pulled her to him and captured her lips in a 'Good Morning' kiss. Sometimes there were definitely benefits to him not sleeping over…

"Ugh, get a room, you two," Paul groaned good-naturedly. Separating—just barely—from Jared, Kim turned to smirk at him.

"You're just jealous," She informed him primly, and then immediately regretted it because she could see his retort coming a mile away.

"Of you getting to suffer through kissing Jared?" Paul shot back with his own smirk. "I think not."

"You just keep telling yourself that, man," Jared said easily, his arm coming to wrap around Kim's shoulders as she shifted to stand by his side with one arm stretched around his waist. "We should probably head inside, now, though. I think it will be better to get it out of the way now, instead of waiting for the rush when the first bell rings."

Almost involuntarily, Kim's gaze shifted to Embry, who had remained silent up to this point. At Jared's words, she saw his expression harden momentarily before it shifted into one of determination. She smiled sadly to herself; he was going to get through this.

"Hmm…getting to homeroom early for once, this should be fun," Paul stated as he finally hopped out of the truck. "I bet that's just the exciting start to her day that my homeroom teacher wants…once she remembers that I'm even supposed to be in her class."

Jared rolled his eyes, but did not respond as he instead chose to look down at Kim. "Are you coming in with us?"

Kim understood his underlying question. Are you coming in with us and potentially putting yourself in the crossfire when people start whispering about the gang recruiting new members?

"'Course I am," She informed him promptly. "I'll be eating lunch with you guys, too. Just like always."

"Alright, then, let's do this."

By the end of the day on Friday, Kim was more than ready for the weekend. It was entirely possible that she may have underestimated just how awkward things would become at school once it became clear that Embry was now part of the pack—or, rather, the 'gang' as the majority of the student body believed it to be. In retrospect, the situation with Embry was bound to unfold completely different than it had for Jared and Paul.

For starters, they both phased towards the end of the school year. Yes, they were both out for a couple of weeks and when they each came back they started avoiding their respective groups of friends in favor of each other. Sidenote: she definitely didn't remember Paul and Jared's friends glaring hatefully at the two boys every time they didn't associate with their old friends (but maybe it was also prudent to note that Kim had been rather distracted at the time by the fact that Jared also began paying an unexpected amount of attention to Kim herself, which was quite pleasantly distracting). But more to the point: it was the end of the school year. Jared and Paul only had to put up with a week or two of avoiding their friends during school hours before they had an entire summer available to cut ties in a less obvious manner—no school meant only seeing who they wanted when they wanted.

For Embry though…it was the end of January. He still had months ahead of him with the prospect of facing the daily accusing glares of his best friends. And sure, Jacob and Quil were clearly hurt by Embry's actions—which they had no hope of understanding—but they weren't stopping at just Embry; they weren't keeping their disgust with the entire pack a secret.

Needless to say, it was the end of an exhausting week of school for the entire pack.

Quickly sorting through the books in her locker, Kim made sure that everything she would need for her weekend homework was in her backpack before slipping the straps onto her shoulders and then shutting her locker door just as Jared appeared beside her.

"Hey," He said swiftly, swooping down and placing a quick kiss on her cheek. "I've got a thing to take care of with the guys," He told her pointedly and Kim frowned immediately. She knew what that meant. "I'm sure Emily's still expecting you, though. Do you mind taking my truck? I don't want to have to come back here to get it and…well, driving will be at least a little bit safer than walking across the entire reservation to her house."

"No problem," Kim stated, accepting the keys he held out to her. "Be careful, okay?"

"Always," Jared grinned crookedly at her. He gave her another quick kiss, this time on the lips, before he began backing away. "I love you, I'll see you later."

And then he turned around and was off down the crowded hallway, darting between people with ease.

At a slower pace, Kim followed his path down the hallway in the direction of the exit. It figured that there would be a vampire sighting now, after months of nothing and the most tiring, teenage-angst filled week ever. But at least she could count on Emily to have comfort food prepped and ready to go before Kim even walked in the door…

Sure enough, half an hour later—first spent anxiously waiting for Kylie to get out of school, paranoid that a vampire was going to suddenly appear in the middle of the school parking lot, and then spent anxiously driving to Emily's house a few miles away, because dear lord Jared's monstrosity of a truck (in Kim's humble opinion at least) was a nightmare for the relatively new driver—when Kylie boisterously announced their arrival at Emily and Sam's house, it was to be greeted with Emily just placing a plate of chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven onto the kitchen table.

"These are amazing," Kim practically moaned as she bit into her second cookie. Kylie nodded her agreement in between bites of her own cookie.

"Rough day?" Emily questioned, clearly amused.

"Rough week," Kim responded.

Emily frowned slightly now, all trace of her previous amusement erased. "Embry?"

Kim nodded.

"I've noticed he seems to be having a rough time," Emily commented. "He comes over with the other boys…"

"But he misses Jacob and Quil," Kim finished for her. "It's hard for him to have to avoid them all the time at school, especially on top of all the rumors going around. Sometimes I just want to give him a hug…but we're definitely not that close yet."

Emily sighed. "I think the best we can do for him right now is just show that we consider him a part of the pack. That, and just give him time."