Leah rolled over in her sleep naturally trying to get closer to Embry but she couldn't feel him besides her. She jumped awake alert and scanned the room. She felt a cool breeze and saw Embry sitting outside on her patio with his back turned towards her. She picked up a sweatshirt and went towards him. When she reached him she handed his hoodie to him.

"Thanks." He smiled softly as he put it on. He was slightly cold and wasn't used to being human. She sat down next to him. He was facing outward away from her room just staring.

"What are you doing up?" She asked putting her head against his shoulder.

"Couldn't sleep. Needed to get some air." He shrugged making her frown.

"Baby I am okay. Just comes in waves." He reassured her. He could sense she was worried. She was shocked he called her that but she didn't mind it.

"Hey Lee?" He asked making her open her eyes again.

"Yeah?" She nodded.

"Describe it to me." He motioned towards in front of him. She squeezed his hand in response.

"Well its dark outside. More like a dark blue than anything. The stars are so crazy right now, there's a billion of them and you can see every single one. The moon is only a crescent but still it's beautiful. There's a storm a couple miles out and you can see the flashes of lightening. Most of the trees are just still but the smaller ones are swaying. I can hear the guys patrolling miles away." She explained. He smiled in response to her.

"The one thing I hated about California was you can't see the stars at night." He mused making her chuckle.

"What?" He laughed.

"I felt the same way." Leah smiled at him playfully pushing her body into his. He grinned at her nodding.

"I can't even imagine how gorgeous you look right now." He smiled making her blush.

"I can describe it to you." She playfully bantered. He rose his eyebrow at her egging her on.

"Sports bra and your sweatpants. Hair out of control…" She laughed making him grin from ear to ear.

"My sweatpants?" He smirked playfully acting jealous.

"Oh yeah you will never get these back." She laughed making him chuckle.

"Oh that so?" He grinned hugging her into him.

"Hey I wasn't done describing myself!" She playfully pushed him off of her. He released her and playfully motioned for her to continue.

"Sports bra and your sweatpants. Hair out of control… and " She began to say but stopped nervous. He picked up on her tone and squeezed her hand to reassure her.

"And so in love with you." She finished shaking slightly. Her heart rate was rapid… it was something she knew she felt for almost a year. But it was the first time she had admitted it. She had come close several times but never could get out. She realized she was meant to tell him under the stars, nowhere else.

"Really?" Embry managed to ask after minutes of silence. His heart was beating so loud out of his chest. He felt a burst of warmth and finally he could imagine a future. The dark thoughts seemed to be fading in the distance.

"You going to make me say it again?" Leah smiled nervously playing with her hands. He grabbed her hands gently.

"I love you Leah." He responded knowing she was still nervous and needed some reassurance. Her heart felt like it was about to explode in her chest. She felt butterflies and waves of hot and cold throughout her body. Tears formed at her eyes. She never thought she would feel this way about anyone ever again. But she did and she knew she was ready to tell him.

"I love you Embry." She said shaking nervously. She was nervous but then she looked at his face. He was grinning from ear to ear when she said that. He was slightly shaking too and his heart rate was going nuts. She realized her saying that made him so happy. He lightly grabbed the back of her neck and slowly pulled her into him for a kiss. The kiss deepened as sparks flowed between the two of them. He grabbed her leg and had her straddle his waist as they kissed.

The kiss became more primal the longer it went on. Embry grabbed Leah's ass pulling her closer and she responded by growling and kissing him harder.

"Guys! You know the whole pack can see you right now!" Seth hollered emerging from the forest looking up at them. Embry and Leah broke apart smiling but were also both blushing.

"Well we didn't ask for you guys to watch!" Leah playfully yelled at her brother. Seth walked inside before commenting back.

"Just keep it down this time. You were both so loud before!" Seth teased back making Embry laugh with his whole being. Leah watched as he laughed with tears building in his eyes. She was relieved he was starting to heal. She knew they shouldn't continue until he healed more. She stood up slowly making him frown.

"You don't want to?" Embry frowned standing up.

"It will just complicate things." She shrugged. But he just looked at her pissed.

"You just told me you loved me! That is so simple! Why would things get more complicated?" He almost growled making her wince.

"You are still healing!" She whisper shouted back him making him wince. She instantly felt bad.

"Leah I am not fucking fragile!" He spat at her before brushing past her and slamming her screen door. Her heart cracked at that.

"I know you aren't. But I keep seeing you in my head covered in blood withering in pain. I can't get that image out of my head. Do you know what I saw when I entered that basement!? Before you were even bit but that vampire?! I saw you! With gashes all over your body. Blood dripping from so many parts of you! I couldn't see a single of inch of you that wasn't covered in blood. And you were chained up like you weren't human!" Leah yelled back at him with tears streaming down her face. He winced at her remarks and stood there heavily breathing. He slowly approached her.

"I can only imagine how I must have looked like in that moment. I am sorry for not realizing you saw me like that. I didn't think you would be scarred like that." He said pulling her into him as she cried softly.

"I can't get it out of my head. And all I want to do is fix it for you. But I can't and I just feel so helpless." Leah explained as he hugged her tighter.

"Baby you are helping me. I fucking love you. If I was truly broken I would not be capable of that." He sighed into her hair.

"I love you and I don't want you to think I am babying you. I just don't want to fuck you up when you are healing." She said pulling away.

"I want to live Leah. I almost died so many times and now I have you. Fuck imprinting I don't want to spend time thinking if you were to imprint on someone else. And I don't want to waste any time we have left." He asserted. She slowly pulled him closer to her.

"Lee what's wrong?" He asked sensing something was off with her.

"We don't have to worry about me imprinting…" She said taking a nervous breath.

"What do you mean?" He asked stepping closer to her.

"I imprinted already…"