AN: Sorry for the delay- I was struggling with where to end this chapter. I tried not to leave a cliffie, but I didn't want to mess up future chapters either. Anyway, it is what it is.

Also, if you're a member of Tricky Raven, go check out the silent auction- I'm for sale! If you have a story idea you want me to write, you can bid on it and you just might win me!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but some shirtless pics of Alex Meraz that clog up the memory on my phone. SM owns all.

Chapter 22

Bella POV
My eyes felt swollen and sore when I dragged them open at the sound of my alarm. Monday morning was never my favorite time, but after such an eventful weekend, getting out of my bed to go to school was the absolute last thing I wanted to do.

When I walked into the hallway I saw that Embry's door was still closed tightly, and a lump filled my throat at the way we parted the night before.

After spending the morning holed up in my bedroom with Paul (learning about the pack and his life as a wolf, not doing what most people would do if they had Paul in their bedroom…), he hopped out the window and ran home to do his patrol and get his motorcycle.

Paul had been somewhat apprehensive about my invitation to supper, but I told him that I refused to hide our relationship from my family, and I knew Charlie would be more open to the idea after a long relaxing day of fishing.

Tiffany didn't seem too surprised when I told her, though I left out the part about him spending the night handcuffed to my bed. I was glad I managed to slip Dad's cuffs back in his belt before he noticed—though I had to wait until he fell asleep in his recliner to put the key back on his keychain.

Embry was the one who threw an absolute fit when Paul rang the doorbell. I opened the door to let him in, stunned silent for a moment at the sight of him in his faded jeans, black shirt, and leather jacket. He just chuckled softly and leaned forward to kiss me.

Of course, my brother happened to walk by at that exact moment, and he was furious. The look of betrayal he gave me when Paul said I'd invited him over was something I wouldn't forget anytime soon.

After Tiffany sent him to his room to cool off, things were more than a little awkward. Then Paul jumped at the chance to help my stepmom cook the meal, and the three of us settled into an easy camaraderie in the kitchen.

Embry didn't say a word to me or Paul when he came back downstairs to eat, and he left the table quickly once he'd finished his portion. He locked himself in his room and refused to answer me when I knocked on his door after Paul was gone. Embry finally yelled through the door for me to go away, and don't come crying to him when Paul broke my heart.

Once I finished my morning shower and pulled my wet hair up into a loose bun, I headed back to my room to gather my school things. Embry's door was cracked so he must have already gone downstairs. He couldn't avoid me completely unless he got Dad or Tiffany to drive him to school.

I didn't see him when I stepped into the kitchen, but Tiffany was there with a plate of pancakes and she put her arm around me in a side hug as she handed it to me. "Don't worry, Bella. He'll come around—it's easy to see how sincere the feelings are between you and Paul. It will just take Embry a while to get used to it."

Dad was sitting at the table reading the paper when I sat down, but he folded the page over to look at me as I started to eat. "Take it easy out there this morning, Bells. It got pretty cold last night and there is some patchy ice on the roads. I put chains on your tires this morning so that should help some, but be sure and take things slow, okay?"

I smiled my thanks as I finished my breakfast, then ran back upstairs to brush my teeth. Embry wasn't in his room, and I was starting to worry he was going to walk to school, but when I walked outside he was already sitting in my truck, staring resolutely out the passenger side window.

After I tossed my backpack in the seat next to Embry, I climbed inside and closed the door a little harder than usual, just to see some kind of reaction from him. His startled flinch wasn't much, but it still made me smile in triumph.

The ride to school passed in silence, mostly because all of my attention was focused on getting us there in one piece. Growing up in Arizona, I hadn't spent any time driving on ice, and I was grateful for Charlie's insistence on the chains for my tires.

When Embry climbed out of the truck without saying a single word to me, I couldn't take it anymore. The uncomfortable feeling that had been building since the night before finally exploded as I stumbled out after him. "Embry! Wait!"

To my great relief, he stopped, but didn't turn to face me. I walked over in front of him and laid my hand on his arm. "Please, Embry. Just talk to me. Don't keep pushing me away like this."

As he turned around, a movement behind him caught my attention. A few spots over from where I was parked, the Cullens were climbing out of that stupid silver Volvo. A shiver of fear worked its way down my spine as I took in their too-perfect faces, knowing for the first time what those faces were truly hiding. Why were in high school?

"Bells? You okay?" My eyes shot back to Embry when I finally heard his voice speaking to me again. He was looking down at me in concern as he leaned back against the bed of the truck. I felt my eyes fill up with tears as I saw the wariness in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Em. I don't want you to be mad at me, but I love Paul, and he's not going anywhere. I need you to be okay with this. You're my brother, Em. You and Quil mean the world to me, and I don't want this thing with Paul to come between us."

He let out a deep sigh and rolled his eyes up to the sky before looking down at me again. I bit my lip and waited for his verdict, but he shocked me by grabbing me roughly and shoving me off to the side. I just caught a glimpse of his terrified face before my head hit the ground.

Screeching tires and a loud crash filled the air around me, and I sat up as quickly as I could just as Tyler Crowley's van skidded across the icy lot and right into my truck. Right into my truck, and my brother.

"EMBRY!" My heart was in my throat as I scrambled up off the ground where I had landed right behind my truck, and pulled myself up using the tailgate to look around just as Embry reached down and pushed the van away from where he was pinned between the two vehicles.

As soon as he was free, he collapsed on the ground, holding his leg with a painful grimace on his face. I crouched down beside him and tried to help him move out of the way a little more, but it seemed as though he had exhausted his energy. His eyes were closed tightly and when I reached out to brush the hair out of his face, I felt a light sheen of sweat on his overheated skin.

I tuned out the chaos around us as I tried to get his attention. "Embry? Can you hear me?"

A short, jerky nod was the only response I got, and he let out a low groan of pain as he reached blindly for his injured leg once more. I covered his hand with mine, noting again how warm he felt, and tried to still his movements. "Shh, Em. Don't try to move. They'll get you out."

Right on cue, an ambulance came roaring in with sirens blaring, and several paramedics rushed over to where we had fallen. "Miss, move out of the way so we can help your friend, please."

I let them move me out of the way, waving off their concerns when they spied my scraped palms and the gash on my forehead where I hit the ground when Embry pushed me out of the way. Embry pushed me out of the way. He probably saved my life, and he got hurt in the process.

"Oh, god." I sank down, dropping my head over my knees as they put my brother on a stretcher and began calling out his vital signs. I cringed when they mentioned that he had a fever, and I fumbled in my pocket hoping my cell phone hadn't been damaged. I needed to call Paul, or maybe Sam.

"Miss?" I dragged my head up to see a concerned paramedic standing over me. "Bella? Bella Swan?" Crap, now Charlie would definitely be coming.

I cleared my throat and tried to peer around him, wanting to know how Embry was doing. "Um, yeah. That's me."

The man nodded and offered me a hand to stand up. "The boy wants you to come in the ambulance with him, if that's alright with you. He's your stepbrother isn't he?"

I bit my tongue to still my response and simply nodded. The chatty paramedic kept up a running commentary as he held my arm to keep my stead. "We'll clean you up as best we can on the way, but they'll want to check you at the hospital when we get there. You might have a concussion."

I groaned as he helped me climb into the waiting ambulance just as Charlie came flying into the parking lot. "Bells? What happened? Are you hurt?"

Glancing back at Embry I was glad to see him moving well enough cover his face with his hand in embarrassment. If Charlie sounded this worried over a small cut, what would he do when he saw Embry?

"Dad, why don't you ride over with us to the hospital?" I offered, not thinking through my word choice. Of course he caught my slip...

"Us? Who's with you, Bells? Is someone else hurt?"

I raised my eyebrows at Embry, who had heard everything of course. At his reluctant nod I turned back to my dad. "Yeah, Dad, it's Embry. He– he pushed me out of the way. He saved me, Dad."

Charlie had reached the ambulance by then, and he leaned up to hug me when I started to cry. He took in the temporary brace on Embry's leg, then shook his head as he slipped on his sunglasses and stepped back. "No, I better pick Tiff up and bring her to the hospital. You keep an eye on him until we get there."

After he walked away, I climbed further into the ambulance to sit by Embry. His eyes were glued to mine as they put an oxygen mask over his mouth, and once I sat down by his head he looked like he was checking me over for injuries.

I reached out and rested my hand on his forehead, trying to gauge his temperature and play it off as affection. "I'm fine, Embry—thanks to you. I don't know what would have happened if you didn't react so quickly."

We sat quietly the rest of the way to the hospital, and I followed close behind as they wheeled him into the emergency room. I looked away when they started an iv in his arm, and then one of the nurses came to clean up my hands and my forehead.

Embry and I were alone in the curtained-off room when I first saw him. Taking in his immaculate blond hair and golden eyes, I immediately knew who I was facing. Feeling a rush of fear-tinged protectiveness, I hopped off my bed and stalked up to him, interrupting him as he started to speak. "Hello, I'm Dr. Cul–"

"Yes," I hissed, trying keep my voice where Embry wouldn't hear me. "I know exactly what you are. I just don't think it's a good idea for you to treat my brother and me—our grandfather would not approve."

"Neither would your mate." Paul. I sagged forward against his broad back as he appeared suddenly in front of me, relieved to be in his presence. His hot skin was coated with moisture, and his sleek black athletic shorts were hanging low on his trim waist. He darted his eyes between me, the vampire doctor, and Embry, keeping himself between us and the leech at all times.

To my immense surprise, the blond doctor gave Paul a warm smile and held his hand out in offer. "Mr. Lahote, it's very nice to finally meet you. I have been cleaning up your messes for quite a while now."

Paul looked just as surprised as I felt. How did this vampire know Paul? What messes? We didn't get any answers as I noticed Paul and Dr. Cullen both tense and look to the curtain just moments before I heard my dad and Tiffany approaching. Embry let out a groan as they walked in, and I was just as frustrated.

Paul pulled me back toward my assigned bed and urged me to sit down, but he kept his eyes glued to the doctor as he greeted our parents and urged them right back out again using a low, charming voice.

His face was completely serious when turned back around, and he glanced at Embry warily before focusing back on me. "Now, Miss Swan, just who exactly is your grandfather?"

I sat up a little straighter and smirked at my brother. "Quil Ateara, the third. I believe you've met him? Maybe his father as well? Hmm?"

The doctor stiffened visibly, then took a slight step back as he glanced around at the three of us. "You're Quileute?" he asked, and I nodded in response. "Well this certainly changes things…"