Chapter 7

A.N. So I'm not sure how long this story is going to be, not too long, but it's definitely not close to being done. After this I am going to write a story on Paul and Bella, and maybe a couple of one shots. Who knows. This is just going to be a filler chapter, and show how everyone is feeling. Anyways enjoy the chapter and leave some reviews!

(EmbPOV)

Another imprint. Another one. That makes three. That makes almost half the pack. Three out of seven. 42 percent.

Bella has become edgy since the bonfire, as have I. For God's sake so has Paul and Leah. Both of them don't want me to imprint, and both of them don't want to imprint. Sam understands, he knows he would've liked having the choice of who he wants to spend the rest of his life with. Jared doesn't understand, and nor will he try to. He likes being with Kim, doesn't like Bella, doesn't like the threat my relationship with Bella poses to his own. Quil doesn't like our relationship either, and that's one opinion that cuts deep.

I mean I understand that Jake's our friend, and we're hurting his feelings, but Quil needs to understand some shit too. I am happy, Bella is happy, we're both as happy as we've ever seen each other. Quil knows this. Bella didn't like the idea of being with Jake before she started dating me, so I doubt I'm the only reason she won't date him. Quil also knows that. So the way I see it, is that Quil is picking Jake over me.

Whatever. It doesn't bother me.

Except that it does.

He's my best friend, one of the few people I've known my entire life, and he doesn't even support a relationship that I am sure is going to last my entire life because of Jake. Because of a schoolboy crush. Honestly I think it also bothers him I am going against my 'destiny' or whatever. I don't believe that imprinting is my perfect match. I agree with Leah's idea, that it's the perfect genetic match to create the strongest pups.

All of that aside, Quil still doesn't support me and my relationship. He's distanced from me over the past week since he phased, and I've come to accept it. If he is okay with throwing our life-long friendship in the trash because of him and what he thinks is best for me, I'll let him do just that. I did hope that we would be friends again once he phased, but I guess that idea is in the trash.

Leah is as supportive and bitchy as ever. We love her though; she's fiercely loyal and protects her own, and her and Bella have a really good friendship. I think Bella was starting to miss having a girl friend. She's subtly urging Bella and I into marking and having sex, and we both are taking it in stride. We don't want to rush, but we also don't want to wait too long. We'll know when the time is right.

Seth really just goes with the flow, although he definitely is on the side of Quil. Jake is like an older brother to him, ever since he was young. He just tries to ignore the relationship between Bella and I, although he doesn't really like imprinting because of what it did to his sister. One day he accidentally let a thought slip when I was on patrol with him. He thought that I was going to imprint, and break Bella's heart. The only thing it did was rile me up. Seth does like Bella though, and she likes him.

Paul is great. He's quickly become one of my best friends, and in the absence of Quil and Jake, I really appreciate it. He also looks out for Bella, and she him. She loves Paul like a brother, and cares for him like his mother never did. Every Sunday she invites him over, or we go to his place and she teaches him a new recipe to bake. I just go for the leftovers.

Currently I am out on patrol with Quil. It's awkward. We're not using the pack mind to speak at all, and we're just doing the patrol routes; minding our own business, butting out. I've honestly given up with him. Paul is at Bella's house baking, I wish I could be there, but alas, patrol.

(q)You know being a wolf isn't that bad, we're protectors, you should be honored Taha Aki blessed you with the spirit warrior. Ah, so he's been talking to his grandfather, Old Quil. While the old man helped us with the imprint, he also talks about how amazing and how honored we should be that we've been blessed with the spirit warrior. Whatever, big whoop.

(e)Yes, Quil, I get it.

(q)Honestly I don't understand, the god's will have appointed you with your soulmate, the other half to you. You should take it before you reject the opportunity without even thinking about it. You will love the girl with everything you have once you imprinted, nothing else is greater than the imprint and what it makes you feel.

(e)Exactly! Makes you feel! I want to feel love and trust and intimacy and devotion by my own choice. With someone I chose for myself, not forced upon me. With Bella!

(q)Once you imprint you'll see. Nevertheless, you should break up with Bella now before you break her heart later and abandon her. Why you would even continue to pursue the relationship with her knowing you'd imprint is beyond me. That and the fact that it's going to gut one of our best friends.

(e)Stop right there. You know she didn't want to be with Jake no matter who else was in the equation. And I will never break up with her. I love her with everything in me. She's the love of my life. We don't even have to worry about imprinting for that long anyways. I'm marking her, and I'm doing it soon, no matter what anyone else thinks. Especially you, and especially the freaking gods.

(q)Dammit Embry! You'd be throwing away a chance at true happiness. It isn't right, it's not what fate wanted.

(e)We make our own goddamn fate Quil. I know what is best for me, and I know that if I imprint, I could never be as happy with her as I am with Bella. Bella is everything to me and more. She lights up my life, and without her, I don't know if I'd ever smile again. You can fuck off with your true happiness bullshit. It won't be true even if I do imprint.

(q)Just wait Embry, when your relationship with Bella comes crumbling down around you, you'll know I was right with what I'm saying. Once you imprint, you'll see. I truly hope you accept your true soul-mate once you do imprint. Marking on Bella doesn't take the opportunity away.

(e)You're goddamn right Quil. Marking on Bella won't take the opportunity away, and it won't take my choice away either. And I will choose Bella every damn time, even if it is over my goddamn soulmate. I spat out the last few words to him and ran even faster through the route to keep up with the anger that is seething.

The next hour passes silently, with Quil and I at an impasse. Three-quarters of the way through the patrol route I come across the tell-tale scent of a vampire. Rotting sugar and bleach filtrates through my hypersensitive nose, and I gag through my wolf form.

(e)Come here Quil, I found something. Quil runs over to my location and we trace the trail through the woods. It leads us around is circles and eventually brings us to a clearing. At the other side of the clearing stands the leech. I am about to howl when Quil alerts me to the physical characteristics of said leech. Blonde hair, golden eyes, pale, cold, hard, dead skin.

It hisses and runs at a human pace towards us, its hands in the air with a placating gesture. It means no harm. In fact, I believe it is one of the Cullen's.

"Are one of you Bella's mate?" She questions us, and I growl at her for even bringing her up. I don't want the leeches back in Bella's life, not again. Not after what they did last time.

(q)Phase and see what she wants. She obviously abided by the treaty so I don't think she's going to attack. I phase out at Quil's suggestion and hastily put on my cutoffs.

"What do you want?" I seethe through clenched teeth, and she smirks before explaining herself, tossing her blonde dead hair over her shoulder.

"I just wanted to warn you. Alice, the other one who was here, had a vision of Bella, but it was flickering out, and then went dark. When it happens, she can't control her mind and block out her thoughts. Edward was there and went berserk, he thought she died." I immediately started growling at the mention of the pasty bloodsuckers name, and she smirked again. "Relax, I hate him as much as you do. He's creepy, stalkerish, and obsessed with Bella. Of course he took off before Alice got the chance to explain, and is trying to track Victoria in South America right now. The moron doesn't realize she's dead. He sucks at tracking. Anyways the family, mainly Alice, wanted to warn you. She suspects it won't be long before he figures out what's happening, and then he's going to try to win Bella back. Be cautious." And with those words, she sped off into the forest, Leaving me behind with my feelings of resentment, anxiety, dread, and fear. It isn't a good combination.

I phase back with Quil, and we begin to pick up on the trail that we had been scouting before.

(q)We have to call a meeting when we're done.

(e)I know Quil. I snap at him, not in the mood. I'm not an idiot. Let's just get the rest of patrol over with and then we can tell Sam.

(q)Fine, but keep in mind what I said before. Everything would be a lot easier.

(e)What is that supposed to mean!? Just shut the fuck up Quil, I don't want to talk about it again.

We finish the rest of patrol silently. Just as I am about to phase out, a howl goes up in the distance, alerting me to the presence of another one of my pack brothers.

(p)Fuck! Dammit!

(e)What's wrong?! Is Bella okay?! What happened? Aren't you supposed to be with her? Through the pack mind I can tell he is in the woods behind Bella's house, but I can't process anything else because of my fear for Bella's safety.

(p)Baking- hugs- Bella- idiot- phasing- anger!

The thoughts re a jumbled mess in Paul's mind, and I can't get a clear idea of what happened. Just as I am about to ask him what happened again, a painful and mournful howl goes up in the air chilling all of my bones. I experience a pain through one of my brothers that I've only felt once before, a short while ago.

Just before I reach the woods behind Bella's house, I get another one of my pack-mates thoughts broadcasted through my mind.

(q)Fuck. I told you.

Pain, my world, my axis tilted, my world, my everything.

My Bella.

Mine.

A.N. Ooh Cliffie! Sorry for the short chapter, I'll be back with the next one soon! Hope you liked it!