Unsuspecting

Chapter Fifty-Three

Alex's POV

I was layingon my livingroom sofa with Embry while he rubbed body lotion into my stomach, again. It had become one of his favourite things to do lately. I woke up in the middle of the night yesterday to find him doing it.

"Umpf. What are you doing?" I mumbled sleepily. "Come back to sleep."

He smiled down at me as I stretched my hands out to him. "But you said you didn't want to get stretch marks." He said innocently.

"Yes, I also said that I like sleep, though." I said and he rolled his eyes, a smile on his lips.

"But stretch marks look so painful." He mumbled as he finished with my stomach and brought my hands up to rub the excess cream into them.

I rolled my eyes. "Embry, I'm just growing. Your body grows into a fucking wolf, and yet you're the one worrying about what it's like when my stomach gets a couple inches?"

He laughed as he bounced back down next to me. "True." He said and kissed me. "I love you."

"Yes, but I love sleep more than you love me," I mumbled as I turned over, bringing his arm with me – my makeshift cover. "So you have to be quite."

He chuckled as he curled his body behind me to fit against mine – which it always seemed to do perfectly.

Happily, I slowly started to drift off back to sleep until a little while later, Embry spoke again. "You were joking, right?"

Anyway, right now Embry's straddling me, rubbing his beloved skin cream into my stomach while he sings, "Ooh! Ooh! My baby's yo' tummy! Ooh, ooh, my baby's in yo' tummy!" over and over again.

I laughed and rolled my eyes at him, he just grinned happily while he sang.

My dad walked in and Embry trailed off on his last verse and my laughter eventually stopped.

"You need to leave." He said bluntly, staring at Embry.

Hurt flashed across his face and he looked away, nodding as he pulled my top back down, getting up. He bent down to kiss me goodbye but I stood up too.

"Okay." I said to my dad and turned to Embry, who sent a confused frown my way and I just smiled and slipped my hand into his. "You know, I think you're just using my stomach as an excuse, you like it that the creams making your hands so soft."

He laughed. "Damn it, you caught me out."

I laughed but dad stood in front of me, causing us to stop walking towards the door. "No, you stay." He said, but I pretended not to notice the extra emphasis on the 'you'.

"Make your mind up, dad. You just told us to leave." I said and he frowned at me, raising his eyebrows, knowing full well that I knew what he meant.

"Still as charming as ever, I see, Alexandra." Brooke, Courtney's mother, said as she stepped out from the hallway.

Dad didn't even seem to notice that she spoke sarcastically. "What a fucking brilliant surprise it is to see you, Mrs. Meadows." I said and she glared at me.

"It's Miss Ashley." She said angrily, clenching her jaw. "I'm separated, remember?" She plastered on a fake smile.

I rolled my eyes. Seprerated isn't divorced. "And, congratulations." She said as her eyes flickered down to my stomach and I nodded. She looked back up at me, her sickly smile on her face again. "I'm hear if you need any motherly advice."

Don't rise to it. Don't rise to it. Don't rise to it.

Punch her in the face!

Embry pulled me closer to his body and I took a deep breath in. "We'll see you later, dad." I said and proceeded to drag Embry away.

My father, who had been smiling, thankfully at her, turned to me. "No, Alex. I just need Embry to leave. We need to have a family meeting." He said and I held on to Embry's hand tightly when he loosened his grip to let go of my hand.

"Embry is family." I said and everyone's heads snapped to me. Embry's face being significantly more happy than the others, though.

"What!?" Dad shouted and I just shrugged.

"He is the father of your grandchild, after all." I said and Dad just shook his head.

"Immediate family, then."

I sighed. "He's immediate to me." I got one of those looks – well half a look, he still reverted from looking at my eyes for too long – and I gave up. "I'll show you two to the door then." I said, smiling 'nicely' up at Brooke.

"Two?" She asked 'innocently'.

I snapped my head to Dad, who looked indifferent. "Why would she need to leave?"

I gaped at him. "So, someone who's just your girlfriend is more immediate than my boyfriend, and the father of my child? Great to know you think so highly of what means a lot to me, Dad."

Embry looked a little proud, uncomfortable and upset that we were arguing about him. I bet he really rather wishes I'd just let him leave, now.

"I'll see you around. I'll get Laura to tell me what was so important." I said and dragged Embry out, not even bothering to look back at my father and her.

Embry grinned at me and I rolled my eyes, trying to hold down the smile that was forming on my face, as well.

"You fancy me well bad." He stated, pulling a really arrogant face.

I snorted and rolled my eyes. "I know, I always have had a thing for modest boys."

He stopped and turned, his hands on his hips. "Well, you must have changed your preferances especially for me, then. Because I am a confident man. One hundred percent man, baby." He said, bringing his arms up to kiss his biceps.

"Sure thing, hon." I said sarcastically and carried on walking.

"Aha! I knew you'd agree." He said, feigning ignorance, as he wrapped his arms around me from behind, putting his chin on my shoulder.

I rolled my eyes and he started kissing my neck. My phone vibrated and Embrygroaned when I pushed him back a little to answered it. "Oi." Was what I got in return to my greeting.

"Oh, how I love you, Theo."

"Shu'up, you going to dad's 'family meeting'?"

"Nope." I said and he grunted.

"Same, neither is Eff. You think Laur' will? Brooke's pissing the fuck out of me."

"Probably not, actually. Laura told me that her and Courtney got into a massive argument about the toaster this morning." I said, trying not to laugh.

He snorted, so did Embry as he started trailing kisses down my neck. "Come to Rory's, practically everyone's here." He said as Embry nipped my skin.

I laughed as he pulled back and he smiled at me. One of those 'I just forget everything that happened because you're my imprint' smiles.

"Yes or no, Emb?" I asked and he just stared at me for a while, then nodded, although I don't think he realised what he agreed to.

"Err, yeah sure thing, Theo. We'll be there in a couple minutes." I said.

"Cool, later." He said and hung up. I put the mobile back in my pocket and looked up at Embry who had his head tilted.

"We'll be where in a couple minutes?"

I laughed and rolled my eyes, hugging him tightly. "Rory's."

He groaned. "What? Why? Can't we go to mine, instead?"

I pulled back and rolled my eyes as I dragged him along. "We were going to do that, but then you said that you wanted to go to Rory's."

"I never said that!"

I looked at him, he narrowed his eyes as he thought back. "'Yes or no, Emb?' Ring any bells?" I repeated and I could practically see the switch clicking in his head.

"Ah! I remember." He said happily then he frowned. "Damn it."

"You really should listen to what you're saying and agreeing too, babe." I said, smirking and he huffed. Then turned to me, eyes wide.

"Let's just ditch." I gasped at him in mock horror. "We'll just say we got…" He came up closer, wrapping his arms around me, brushing his lips against mine. "Side tracked." He whispered huskily, while taunting my lips with his, brushing is tongue against my lower lip, sending shivers down my spine.

I pulled him down, crashing my lips against his and he moaned. Eventually, I pulled back, the both of us breathing heavy while Embry stared at me with his lustful eyes. "Sorry, no can do." He stayed there, staring at me until he realised what I meant and his mouth fell open even further.

"Why?" He groaned, dragging the word out like a little kid. "You're so mean to me." He mumbled, wrapping his arm around my shoulder as we started walking. "You can't just do that to me, Alex! I deserve more respect than that. You treat me like your sex toy, or something. You use me and you tease me. Quite honestly, I've had enough."

He stared at me, straight faced and I looked up at him, completely shocked. "Oh – I'm sorry, Embry."

He nodded in thanks, but as he turned away he erupted in laughter. I jabbed him in the gut with my elbow and he laughed and pulled me closer. "Aw, I'm sorry, my love. You just looked so freaking shocked and cute."

"I'm not cute, damn it." I muttered and he laughed again, pulling me around with the arm that was on my shoulders and giving me a kiss.

"Sorry, Alex. But you really are." He said and kissed me again.

I glared at him and he just turned his face away, a small smile on his lips.

"I dislike you very much." I said and he rolled his eyes.

He started to turn the corner to the left at the end of the road and I sighed. "Embry."

He paused, twiddling his fingers innocently. "Yes?"

I laughed. "Come on, you idiot. It's this way. I'm not that dumb that I don't realise where you're trying to take me."

"Fuck." He mumbled when I turned him around and started walking us in the direction of Rory's house. "Why can't we just not turn up?"

"Because, if you say you're going to do something, you have to do it. If not, that's just rude."

He groaned loudly. "What's wrong with being rude? No one will care."

I sighed equally as loudly. "How can I ever trust you if you don't ever stick to your word?"

He scowled at me. "That's not fair." I smiled and pulled him down to kiss him softly.

"I love you." I said and he smiled.

"And I love you." He kissed me one more time before sighing. "We're here." He said and I smiled and pulled him up the driveway.

We walked into Rory's house and Embry directed me into the room everyone was in. Rory's got a massive house, and he has this sort of lounge/play room sort of thing that's huge, it can actually fit everyone inside it. His parents are lawyers or something, so they have ass loads of cash.

Everyone turned and said greetings as we entered and I went and sat down next to Leah.

Lewis and Collin burst out laughing and I tilted my head to the side in confusion.

Embry sat down next to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulder while Leah shouted at them. "Err, fancy explaining?" I asked, my eyes flickering between the boys and Leah.

Collin snickered and Leah growled a little. "We saw in Leah's mind that time she kissed you." He said and Lewis laughed while Embry frowned angrily. "It was so funny, she didn't even realise it happened at the time!"

I rolled my eyes as I lent back.

"What the fuck?" Embry growled and I groaned.

"It was nothing, Emb."

"Obviously it is if you're kissing other people, other girls."

"It was nothing, for fucks sake!" Leah growled and Embry glared at her. "Just drop it!"

"Why did you do it then, it it's nothing?"

She sighed. "I don't know, Embry! We were just talking about some stuff, I was really tired and my hormones were everywhere and it was an accident!"

"Why didn't you tell me then?" He asked, turning to me and I rolled my eyes.

"Err, because that morning I found out you were attacked by vampires?" I said and he frowned at me but I just ignored it. "I honestly didn't think anything of it, Emb. I forgot about it until they just now brought it up."

He huffed unhappily. "It's not like we feel anything for each other." Leah said and I nodded.

"Still don't like it." He mumbled and I rolled my eyes again.

Paul jumped down in between Collin and Lewis. "Soooo, you two found the loves of your lives yet?"

They both groaned and shoved him. "No," Collin said and Lewis nodded.

"And we don't want to, either."

"Why not?" Embry asked as he pulled me tighter to him.

"Have you not seen what you look like when you fight with your imprint?" Collin said, his eyes wide as he looked between Paul and Embry. They both shrugged.

"Why the hell would we want to look forward to giving someone the power to do that to us?" Lewis said and Paul and Emb shrugged again while I nodded.

"That is true." I said and Embry frowned at me.

"But," he said. "You also get to have the most amazing person officially as yours, and only yours."

"Yeah, you don't have to go on pointless dates with pointless girls that you won't end up staying with." Paul said and Collin and Lewis shrugged.

"Plus," I said, leaning forward. "You also get sex, whenever you want."

"Whenever you want?" Collin questioned, a thoughtful look on both of the boys faces, I laughed and nodded.

Collin and Lewis snapped their heads to face each other, as if having a silent conversation with their eyes.

"But," Lewis said slowly as he turned back to us. "Then you get pregnant."

"Yeah," Collin agreed. "Nappies, baby sick, late nights. Ew."

Embry had a small smile pull at his lips at this. "But," I said. "You do get bigger boobs."

Their eyes drifted down a little. "Can't argue with that." Rory said as he sat down next to us.

I laughed as Embry rolled his eyes and he pulled me onto his lap, turning me around as he started kissing me.

"Guess that's the end of that conversation." Collin muttered and I laughed as I pulled away but Embry smashed his lips back against mine.

He pulled me tightly against him as I gripped his neck and the hair at the back of his head.

My phone went off again and Embry growled and bit down on my lower lip to stop me from climbing off ofhim.

I laughed and tried to pull back but he wouldn't let go. "Embry," I moaned – well actually it sounded more like 'Embuwy' but, whatever – as I pulled my ringing phone out and he just persisted in biting down.

I answered it and I heart Abby mumbling on the other end. "I know, I reckon we shoulda killed the fucking twat..."

"Ab?" I said as Embry reluctantly let go of my poor lip.

"Oh! Alex. Has Za called you lately?"

"Erm, like, five days ago." I said as I got up to walk out the room.

"Thank god for that, watching you grope my sisters butt isn't the most enjoyable way to spend the weekend." Theo muttered to Embry, who just laughed.

"Arg, you haven't heard then?" She asked and I groaned and leaned against the wall.

"Heard what, Abby?"

"That tosser who goes by the name of Adam cheated on her," Abby spat angrily. "With Louise, no less."

Everyone in the room seemed to stiffen and Embry's face scrunched up.

"What did she do to him?" I asked, trying to ignore it when everyone shot a glance at me.

"Kicked him the bollocks so hard he couldn't stand for two fucking days." Abby said with a laugh.

"She always said all of that football would come in handy one day." I said as all the boys in the room winced.

"Yup, that fuckers is still walking with a limp." I snorted. "Cory, Josh, Rob, Alfie and Danny just came back from 'sorting him out'. Apparently he's in worse shape now."

"Danny?" I chocked out.

"Yup. They've got a lot closer lately. He lost his father to cancer just last year, so they have something in common. They've actually stopped trying to murder each other, now."

"Well, fuck me." I said. "I never thought I'd see the day."

Abby snorted. "Yup."

"You know, I kinda feel sorry for Adam, especially if Alf and Dan went."

"And Danny's bulked up even more."

I grunted disbelievingly. "I never thought I'd see the day." I repeated and she laughed.

"Anyway, I just thought she would of called you. You have experience with sleazy twat-faced cheating wankers."

I closed my eyes as I winced. The chatter that had been building since the first silence stopped again.

"Oh, fucking good one, Ab. Everyone just heard that."

"Really? Did he hear that?" She said and my eyes widened.

"I'm going for a walk. Be back in about five mins." I shouted to everyone as I tried to disappear out of the room quickly.

"If you're listening, cock-head, whenever I see you, I'm going to make your life a living-fucking-hell. I will castrate you. I will make you hurt so bad that you won't actually be able to sleep for a month because your body hurts so badly. And I won't call an ambulance if it gets critical!" She shouted as I speed walked out of the house, trying to muffle the speaker with my hand.

"Jesus, Abby. I'm going to kill you!" I whispered angrily as I all but ran down Rory's road.

"What? He deserves my verbal – and in time, physical – abuse. He should expect it. You forgave him, if he wants you that bad, then he'll have to endure my wrath. If he truly cares about you, he would want to be hurt because he hurt you." She said and I sighed.

"He's been hurt as bad as I have, Abby. Worse."

She huffed. "Doesn't matter, he still deserves it."

"What are we going to do about Zar?" I asked and Abby sighed.

"I don't know, Lexie. She proper fell for him."

I nodded to myself. "I know. You should have heard her talking to me about him, she sounded in love. She said I should give Emb another chance when he cheated."

"Shit, really? I hope she doesn't take Adam back." I heard murmured agreements from other people on the end of the phone. "You say your twat was off his head when he did it?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, Adam wasn't. He's been sleeping with Louise for the past month."

I let out a disgusted noise. "What a bell-end."

"I know. Call her later? She's out at the moment."

"Yeah, I'll get Eff to, as well."

I started walking down Rory's road again. "Cool. I don't know what's going on with her, she won't talk bout it."

"Does she look sad?"

"She's putting on a happy face, but I can tell it's fake."

"I'll call her."

"Okay, I'll see- speak to you later, yeah?"

"Yeah, bye."

"Bye."

I sighed when she hung up and put my mobile back in my pocket as I made my way back to Rory's.

I walked through the door and Embry was already there, waiting.

He pulled me into a tight hug and I breathed heavily, happy that he wasn't upset.

"Sorry about Abby…"

He shook his head. "She was right."

I sighed and he just kissed me. "I'm looking forward to her physical abuse, though." He said with a cheeky smile.

I rolled my eyes and we made our way back into the room.

"Effie." I said and she looked up. "We have to call Zara tonight." She nodded and smiled sadly.

Quil laughed. "Aah! And Brady thought he was getting laid."

Brady punched him in the shoulder while he and Effie blushed. I snorted and they turned to me.

"Effie wouldn't-" Effie jabbed me in the arm, cutting me off, her eyes wide.

I raised an eyebrow. "Don't." She said and I raised my hands up. She bit her lip. I raised my eyebrow again.

"They have had sex before." Quil said, confused and I turned to her, shocked.

"Shut up." She said, blushing and wincing.

I shot Brady a look. "Did you pressure her into it?"

"Alex!" She screamed and hit me around the back of the head.

Brady growled as he started shaking. "Of course I fucking didn't! Why would I pressure her into it?"

Embry stood in front of me. "Calm down, Brady. And don't you fucking talk to her like that." He growled, shoving Brady.

"Effie, let's go talk." I said and pulled her out the house.

We walked in silence for a bit until she finally turned to me.

"He didn't pressure me." She said and I nodded.

"But...?"

She bit her lip. "It's just, I knew he wanted to..."

"He wouldn't have cared that you wanted to wait for marriage."

She sighed. "It's too late now, though, isn't it?"

I smiled sadly then sighed. "But what was all that about when we were younger and you told we how wrong it was to have consensual sex before marriage?"

She groaned. "I'm going to hell." She sat down on the ground, her head in her hands.

"Hey, hey. No you're not, Effie." I said as I rubbed her back soothingly.

"But Brady knew that I wasn't a virgin so I think he just expected it." She said, then her eyes started flickering loads and my breath caught in my throat. "I wasn't a - a - virgin. Because - he - he- daddy - stole it - daddy - no - he stole it." Her eyelids scrunched up, a sign I'd grown to know happened when the memoriescame back and was overtook her mind. "No- Daddy. I said I didn't want to. Stop it!"

"Oh, God. I'm sorry, baby." I tried getting hold of her, but she screamed.

"Get off me, daddy!" She flung her arms around, smashing me in the face. "Why would you do it, daddy?"

She buried her face in her arms, curling into a ball on the floor. "What did I do to make you so mad, daddy?"

"It's not him, baby. He's gone. He's not going to hurt you now. You won't be hurt again, baby. I won't let him hurt you. It's me. It's Lexie." She stopped shaking so much as she opened her eyes to look at me, the innocence in her eyes that hadn't been there before easily recognisable. That vulnerable, pained, innocence that always captured her in this state.

"Lexie?" She croaked.

"I'm here, Effie. No-ones going to hurt you." I lent down, outstretching my arms to her.

She crawled up to me, holding me tightly. "Why did he want to hurt me so bad, Lexie?"

I rocked her as she buried her face against my shoulder/chest. "I don't know, baby. There are bad people out there. But I'm not going to let them get to you anymore. You don't have to worry."

"Don't let them hurt me." She whispered.

"I won't. I promise you that."

And we sat there, holding and rocking each other as Effie drifted off to sleep. Hopefully he won't haunt her there.


So, what you guys think about that? :/

Okay, I'm sort of a newbie on here, and was just looking at the stat's, can someone tell me what they're all about ? Because it says that on one chapter I had 17 visitors and then like five chapter's later, I've got114 visitors. What does this mean? Do people skip a bunch of chapters? Because that's a MASSIVE difference of people. I don't see why people would want to skip chapters, or read from like halfway through? This sounds like a moan, it's not, I'm just genuinly confufled.

Thanks for reading! :)

Song of the Chapter:

Runaway by Pink

It doesn't really have much to do with this chapter in particular, but I really like it.

Thanks again, everyone. Especially those who review, they make my day. Keep 'em coming! :)