A/N: Okay, so maybe not by noon but I still updated a couple days later which is an improvement haha! You guys are truly awesome for responding so quickly! I was worried you'd all give up on me after having to wait a month for that last chapter, but it was clear my worries were unwarranted! I honestly love you guys and I hope you enjoy the much waited explanation!
Disclaimer: It would be one heck of a world if I could own the entire Wolf Pack! Unfortunately, it isn't that world, because the only one who owns them is still Stephanie Meyer!
Embry POV: No less than thirty seconds later my bedroom door reopened to reveal the one face I was longing to see. My sweet Bella met my eyes with her breathtaking chocolate brown ones; the eyes I'd fallen in love with from the moment I saw her. The look she was giving me was filled with such love and longing that it made my heart swell.
Words weren't needed as I opened up the arm on my good side and quirked an eyebrow upward in a motion for her to come to me. Her eyes filled with tears as she scurried over and cuddled into my side, laying her head on my chest. I sighed contentedly as I lay my cheek against her head.
"How're you feeling?" she murmured after a minute or two.
"Even better now that you're with me again; you seem to have a healing effect on me," I chuckled, kissing her head.
"Hm," she muttered thoughtfully. "Billy was saying something about that. Either way, I think I should remember that for future reference," she grinned.
Rolling my eyes playfully, I carefully reached around to her stomach with my good hand and began to tickle her. In seconds Bella began to quiver and squirm with the force of her giggles, getting me to laugh along with her.
It was moments like this I missed about being completely human. Bella and I had only been together for a few days before I phased for the first time, thus making us skip over important milestones that any normal couples would have taken; like a first date, or a proper first kiss away from all their friends. I've never even taken Bella out without Quil or the guys being with us; there was always too much going on to even think about any of it. But after realizing today how close I came to losing my life, I knew I couldn't avoid situations like that any longer. "Bella?" I asked nervousness and apprehension filling every pore on my body.
"Yeah Em?"
"Would you… I mean I've never actually… taken you on a real… date. So I mean… I was just wondering if you wanted to… go with me?"
Bella shocked me by breaking out into a fit of giggles. "That's the first time I've seen you nervous since you phased, Em," she said after the giggles subsided. "It's nice to see that again. It reminds me of the real you, why I fell for you in the first place."
"Oh?" I said, smiling into her hair now. "And why exactly did you fall for me again? You never did tell me."
She sighed and tightened her arms around my middle. "Well, I fell for you because you've always been so sweet and gentle, but mostly because of all that, you were able to let me be myself with you. I didn't have to worry about not being good enough, and that was always a fear of mine when I was with Edward. You're the best thing that ever happened to me, and by far the best boyfriend any girl has ever had. Of course I'll go on that date with you."
I beamed with pride and gave her a light squeeze and a kiss on the head. "Gosh, I love you Bells."
The most beautiful sigh escaped her lips. "I love you too, Em. But do you happen to know anything about what Billy needs to explain to us?"
"Not one clue, sweetheart. Not one clue."
"Well then it's a good thing I waited outside the whole damn time while you two enjoyed the blissfulness of the imprint enough to hopefully protect my eyes while I'm in here," came Billy's gruff chuckle from the doorway of my room.
Bella sat up straight then, but still kept a firm pillow-soft grip on my hand as I turned my head towards Billy. "My mom said there was something you needed to talk to us about?" I asked.
"Yes," he nodded gravely. "Now, as you both know, the bond of a wolf and his imprint is stronger than anything known by man. Of course, you can feel your imprints emotions no matter how far apart you are, alerting the other when one of you is in need of love or comfort, and you know that there is a need to be near and protect your imprint, otherwise it causes both of you physical pain," Billy spoke directly to me now. I simply shuddered and nodded my head, remembering the intense pain I'd felt not long ago.
"However," he continued. "Werewolves, although durable are not indestructible. Your quickened healing process doesn't slow unless you are dangerously close to death. An imprint cannot fix that. And Embry, judging by what we saw when we first brought you in, you should have died tonight."
I felt Bella's agonized gasp as she gripped me tighter. Billy graciously allowed me a moment to whisper words of love and assurance into her hair. Bella's breathing took a few minutes to slow again and eventually the tears stopped falling on my chest.
The next time we looked up I found Billy staring at us with a look of wonder and fascination, and a slight hint of happiness. "As I was saying," he continued. "The results tonight were not what we expected. A normal imprinted bond would never have saved the wolf from death. A Spirit Link however, is a different story."
"What's a Spirit Link?" my angel beat me to it.
"They've only been found once throughout our history. Taha Aki shared one with his own imprint. We've never mentioned it to any of you because it was irrelevant for any of you to even think about. Now, we have a need for it. The Link not only helps you see the other person as your fated match, but it spiritually connects the wolf and the imprint. Tonight Bella being near helped to heal you from the gravest of wounds, but if the rolls were ever to be reversed, your company would heal her to even better condition than she'd been in before the injury. Your bond could even cure terminal disease. Another effect is being able to locate each other in times of severe stress. If one of you wishes to do so, you can send the other a call through your thoughts."
Bella and I looked at each other awed. "Billy, that's amazing. But it doesn't really seem any different than a normal imprint," I said.
"It is," he assured me. "You would both end up having to get tattoos prior to official marriage, marking you as our rekindled spirits of Taha Aki and his wife. And the during the final moments of the ceremony, you will have to bite Bella, officially marking her as a complete part of this pack and this tribe. You and Bella will be revered one day as Alpha male and female of the pack, and Embry will become the chief of the tribe."
"But I thought that was only in the Black bloodline," Bella interrupted. "The ability to become Alpha, or chief. Unless someone refuses it like Jake did."
"Normally that would be true," Billy agreed. "However, it is written in the journals that any pack member possessing a Spirit Link is the one destined to become the sole Alpha of the pack. That's why Joshua's story had so many holes. He wasn't aware of this."
"Billy look, it's amazing that Bella and I have this rare connection, and it's an honor to know that soon I'll be taking over Sam's position as Alpha, but do I not get the same choice Jake did in resigning the post?"
A faint crease appeared between his eyebrows. "No Embry, you do not. But why would you ask if you called it an honor?"
"Well," I contemplated. "It is an honor. But there's so much responsibility that ties into it, and I'm not sure I'm ready to take on something like this."
Billy smiled warmly. "And that is why you haven't yet assumed the position, son. It will come naturally. When you're ready, the wolf, and the man in you will know it. I wish I could tell you more about the link, but the journal seems to be missing it's last few pages."
"So we'll be filling in the blanks ourselves then?"
"It would seem so," he nodded and then reached over to pat my good shoulder, the one Bella was leaning on, and brush a hand on her head. "You're a lucky man, Embry Call. This girl is a true gem. Just remember, she has always been like a daughter to me, and if you ever make her cry you will not only have Charlie and Jacob to deal with," his voice was stern, but I could see the amusement in his eyes.
"I'll take care of her with my life Billy," I vowed.
"As you should," he said, giving Bella's hand one gentle squeeze before rolling out of the room.
"So," I said slowly, looking down at her. "Are you alright with this whole Spirit Link thing?"
"Of course," she grinned, kissing my chin. "I still get to keep you forever, but our bond is even stronger than the other imprints? There's nothing that could make me happier."
In that one, sweet moment of bliss, I could see a light at the end of the tunnel. Things would be okay for us, as long as we stuck with one another.
A/N: I made that chapter longer so that it could make up for my late but closer than usual update. It was fluffy AND there was an explanation! Best chapter ever, right? Anyway, sorry if I messed up things with Taha Aki, I just twisted things for the purpose of the story. I hope the whole Embry as Alpha thing makes sense now that it's kinda been explained further in depth. What do you think the pack is going to do about the whole Edward situation? And any ideas for Bella and Embry's date, I don't know what to do with it yet! I'm not going to promise an update by tomorrow again, but I will promise one by Friday, if you guys review obviously! I love you guys!
Thanks for Reading!
-thewolfgurlgleek :)