Chapter Fifteen
Kate
Tuesday past in a similar way as Monday, only without the delightful Tiana throwing daggers at me every time I saw her. I still was none the wiser on her problem, but she'd be leaving to go back to Seattle at some point, so as long as she didn't cause any problems, I couldn't give two shits about her.
The day was primarily spent in calls to Seattle HQ with HR discussing hiring requirements based off the employment contract with the Quileutes. They provided guidelines which pretty much gave the Tribe first pickings of the jobs, and then if not filled with suitable candidates after ninety days, they would be made open to the general population. My job would be to provide a list of job descriptions for all the roles required for the admin side of the new plant, and HR would get them officially on the system, and using the London office as a template, they would work out salary ranges taking into things like currency fluctuations and cost of living differences. It was actually a lot easier than I was expecting, I surprised myself with how much of the London office set up I knew, and those roles I was hazy on, I was able to reach out to my old colleagues for their input.
It was gone seven in the evening by the time I gave up for the day. I was needing some food and to look away from my laptop screen. I was expecting a delivery of IT equipment tomorrow, and once I had the new office desks in place I could get some IT bods in to set everything up. I dreamt of the day I would finally get my dual monitor setup with a docking station, it would save me squinting at my tiny laptop screen.
It felt like no time before I was pulling up to my new home. It should have felt a little lonely coming home to an empty house but I only felt excitement that I was here. Other than work, I had no expectations on me other than those I'd set myself. If I wanted to come home and veg in front of the TV all night, I could do so without feeling like I was doing something wrong.
That actually sounded like a great way to wind down, so once I was in the house, I changed into my pajamas straight away after washing up, and pulled out one of Emily's home cooked offerings. It was some kind of beef and rice dish which was delicious, and after it was eaten I parked myself in the living room, remote in hand.
A pleasant evening passed with trashy American telly, and feeling a significant number of brain cells depleted, and lunch sorted for tomorrow, I called it a night after ten.
Wednesday followed it's preceding days, but with added frustrations. The promised IT equipment had been delayed and I spent a very long hour on the phone to the supplier trying to track it down. They promised delivery was due today, and eventually it arrived after six that evening, only for the delivery driver to abandon the goods in the underground car park. With the help of Leeroy, I managed to get it all transported up to the Equinox floors without it being stolen, but I was irritable, tired and sweaty from my impromptu workout, and after firing off a very shitty complaint email to the supplier, I made my way home.
I'd only just pulled up to my house when I noticed car lights behind me coming down the driveway. I was blinded for a moment as they parked behind my car, and I only noticed it was Marc when my vision cleared.
So much for time and space. I let out a long sigh as I released my seat belt and pushed open the car door. I closed it with a little more force than normal as I turned to face him.
He climbed out of his car looking a bit sheepish. "Sorry Kate, I know you said you would contact me, but I needed to go through some work bits with you. I was hoping we could kinda clear the air enough to do that."
I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to ward off the aches from moving the IT boxes and the tension from seeing Marc again. He was looking pretty haggard and I couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him. That flared my anger again. Was I such a push over that I'd forgive him so easily?
I let out another sigh and tipped my head towards the house, turning on my heel. Marc followed and soon we were inside and in the kitchen.
"Drink?" Unfailingly polite. That's me.
"Erm, sure. Whatever you have." He parked himself at one of the stools I'd located in the utility room during breakfast this morning. I wanted to tut at him for the assumption he was welcome to take a seat without asking, but the other part of me reminded me that I was an adult and to pick my battles, not worry over the petty shit.
I grabbed a couple of diet cokes from the fridge and place one in front of him as I leant back against the sink and cracked my own can open.
"OK, what do you need to go over?" Down to business.
"There's a couple of roles that need fulfilling at the plant once it's up and running. Admin type that will link into the main office. I need to get those filled and up and running with the office before the plant goes live."
"So, you want me to get those organised as I do the office?" I asked.
"Yup. I'd do it myself, but as they are more admin, than production, they'll be better off being a part of your crew than mine." He watched me as though he was expecting me to tell him no. He had a point however.
"Sure, sounds like a good idea. Send me the details and I'll run it by HR to add into my lot." I took a swig of my drink.
"Thanks Kate. It slipped my mind with all the trouble on site."
This was news.
"What's wrong?" I internally cursed myself. It felt like engaging in conversation was the wrong message to send, but it was too easy to fall back into our routine without thought. Marc's face seemed to relax marginally, so I kept mine impassive, hoping not to give him hope that this was progress towards forgiveness when I still didn't know what I was going to do.
"The financials were late getting approved, and a couple of construction companies have pulled out to begin other jobs. Understandable really. I wouldn't have expected them to hang around not getting paid."
"Oh, well, how are you planning to sort that?" Just can't keep your mouth shut can you Kate?
"Well, Sam's been really helpful. He's put me in touch with a few crews that he's worked with before, I've got meetings set up with them later this week. They aren't on the same scale as the previous companies we had, but Sam's given them glowing reviews so it's worth checking them out."
"OK, cool."
We stayed in an awkward silence for a few moments. I didn't want to bring up the Richard debacle without having to have that conversation out here and now, but there was a small part of me that wanted to keep talking to Marc. I really missed him, even if I hated him right now.
"For what's it's worth Kate, I'm so sorry. I know you don't want to talk about Richard right now, so can we just focus on work for the moment?" Marc asked, pleading with his eyes.
I was about to reply when I heard a very loud and strange noise outside. It sounded like something heavy falling and broken crockery. I had an image of a tree falling on the shed-garage, before the distinct sound of an animal rose in the air.
"What the hell..." Marc stood and moved to the back door of the kitchen, flicking the lock quickly before sliding outside. My peering through the curtain only reflected the kitchen lights back to me, so I followed him outside to the falling dusk.
"Sounded like an animal or something." He muttered. We heard another noise and a screech of metal coming from a little distance away.
"D'you think its hurt?" I asked. I had visions of a wounded raccoon. That's what Emily said wasn't it? She'd save Sam from the raccoons? Didn't they go through the bins?
"I need to scare it off. I'm not picking up the crap from the bins if it gets inside it." I muttered before turning back into the house. Marc followed me.
"Hold up Kate. What are you on about?" He asked from the doorway.
"Raccoons. Emily mentioned raccoons the other day. I need to scare it off so it doesn't get in the bins." I scanned the kitchen coming across the knife block on the counter. I grabbed the biggest knife in sight.
"I don't think a raccoon is going to run off at the sight of a knife Kate." Marc rolled his eyes at me, getting my back up. He had a point however, so I placed it back in the block and started rummaging around in the drawers of the kitchen.
"Besides, how do you know it's a raccoon. It could be a bloody bear for all you know." He called as I started on the cupboards. There!
Middle shelf next to the stove was a new bottle of cooking oil spray. I pulled open the drawer below and located the gas lighter for the shove. I gave it an experimental click, and nodded in satisfaction as it produced a good flame.
It might not know a knife, but it should know fire.
I marched back to the door, squeezing past Marc to get back outside. He tutted in annoyance but I chose to ignore him and headed down the back steps and out into the yard, aiming for the trees.
"Kate, for fuck sake, come back!" Marc called, I turned back to catch him throw his arms up in despair but I ignored him. If he was going to be too pussy to deal with a furry little trash panda, I would do it.
Sam
'On your right Paul!'
'Cover the rear, watch the boarder!'
`You're too close to the line, Sam! Cullen's have it!'
"Keep to your own side, mutt." Edward called as we ran down the pair of red eyed vamps. They skirted the border making it difficult to get a good run on them without crossing it and breaking the treaty.
The male leech leapt fully to the Cullen's side, and I kept pace dodging rocks and trees out of the corner of my eye. I'd give Edward his due, he was fast, and soon the leech made a dash back to our side as Edward gained ground on it.
I made a powerful leap over a fallen tree, timed to collide with the tick. My mouth exploded with the acrid taste of venom as my jaw managed to tear a chuck out of it's right thigh.
'Good Sam! Jared, it's coming!' Jacob called, directing wolves subconsciously into position. We followed without a first or second thought, purely running on instinct at this point and Alpha command. The taste of the venom flowed out into the Pack mind, riling the wolves up further.
'That's it, come to papa…' Jacob murmured as he watched the play through the rest of us. I caught a second flash from Seth, running closer to the treaty line now than I was, he was transmitting the Cullen's game plan on the second leech that had moved further into their lands.
'Let them handle it. Seth, keep monitoring that one in case it comes back our way.'
We hit a minor clearing which the leech cleared in a second, only to be set upon by the waiting guard leaping from the tree tops and phasing as they fell. It paused in shock and almost got it's head taken off by Jared, when it came to its senses enough to dive out of the way, only suffering a lost right arm and shoulder to Jared's maw.
It didn't get far though. Paul and Jacob appeared as though summoned from the air itself and finished Jared's work with powerful jaws and razor sharp teeth.
'Seth, where you at?' Jacob called, as Paul phased back to human to light the body parts on fire. Jacob pushed us back out to run the boarders, making sure we covered the area if the second one evaded the Cullens.
'They got it, it's toast.' He called. We saw purple smoke rise in between the trees through Seth, before the wind brought the odour to our noses.
A feeling of triumph spread through the Pack as we spread out again, covering off any more vamps to appear when a frisson of fear swamped the Pack mind.
'Leech! Third one! On the Rez!' Embry's internal call echoed by his howl into the air. We felt Paul phase back into the Pack mind.
'Location Emb?!' Jacob shouted as he pinned the rest of our locations, directing us out to split our forces.
'Half mile off the Rez road, north of the old Whitefeather place.' He called.
My blood felt like freon in my veins and the rest of the Pack felt my horror.
'Sam, go!' Jacob, Paul and Jared followed me. I was too lost in my fear to work out where everyone else was, my vision solely honed in on Embry's sight as he focused on the back of the running leech.
'We're too far out Jake!' My horror was amplified in the Pack mind forcing Jacob to slam a lid on the emotions spinning out to the rest of the Pack.
'Emb, faster!' Jacob threw out the command to us all and our pace picked up despite our exhaustion from the previous hunt.
Embry gained ground and leapt onto the vamp just as Kate's house came into view. I could see the lights on in the background. Oh god, she was home!
'Sam, rein it in buddy, we gotta get to Emb.' He infused the words with his Alpha power and my fear morphed into anger, my wolf in a frenzy to kill this demon that had dared crossed into our lands.
We watched in silence as Embry engaged the leech, trying to take it down as well as move it away from the house. Paul firing off fighting moves trying to give him the advantage. It worked for a small moment until our worst nightmare came true.
As the leech grabbed Embry around the middle, he twisted out of it's hold, head pointing in the direction of the house. We all felt the moment Embry freeze as he took in the sight of Kate creeping into the woods. The moment was all it took for the leech to get the upper hand and it yanked hard on Embry's right leg still in its grasp. The shock of seeing Kate turned into bone grinding pain as the leech twisted the leg, laughing at the howl he couldn't contain as it shattered.
The Pack watched in abject horror through Embry as the leech turned towards Kate stumbling over the mossy earth.
Kate
I gripped my makeshift weapon close to my chest as I navigated the uneven ground. It was still light out, but the light was failing quickly and it wouldn't be long before I would be plunged into darkness. I reminded myself that I wasn't in London anymore and there was little light pollution in these parts.
I heard more noises ahead, and what sounded like a large twig snapping and a howl which caused my head to shoot up.
Holy…
There in front of me was a pretty little black haired lady, holding the back leg of a massive yowling dog.
I blinked trying to clear my vision. The way she was holding its leg, it was like she was holding up, but it was the size of a fucking horse. How the fuck…
She dropped the leg and the dog, no wolf, it's a fucking massive wolf, dropped to the floor. It let out another howl of pain as it hit the ground. As I looked back up, the lady appeared right in front of me. I stumbled back in shock, how the fuck did she get a hundred yards that fast?!
She cocked her head at me in a completely eerie manner and I felt my shock give way to fear.
Her eyes.
Demon, my mind supplied. My blood ran cold at the unnaturalness in front of me.
I felt the adrenaline surge and she lifted her head slightly, sniffing the air, before a grin from the depths of hell spread across her face.
Before I could do anything, a blur hit us from the side, sending me back into a tree. I felt a sudden and sharp pain in my left side and the back of my head, rendering me breathless for a moment. Noise off to my right drew my attention through the pain and my head turned to see more blurring of motion, interspaced with views of the wolf and the woman looking like they were fighting.
Shock had me frozen in place as I took in the sights and sounds in front of me. The wolf was favouring three of it's four legs, the fourth hanging at an angle so extreme it made me nauseous from just looking at it. Or that could be the blow to the head I've just taken. I reached up to finger the lump making itself known on the back of my head, knocking it with the lighter I was still gripping. I saw blood on my hand from where the metal clip of the lighter had sliced my palm open in my fall. The pain in my side flared again as my shock quickly worked itself off, my mind screaming at me to run.
I scrambled to my feet as the fight moved closer to my position, my ribs calling their protest at the sudden movement. I gritted my teeth through the pain and staggered behind a nearby tree, leaning against the rough bark as the combatants rolled passed me. I heard that screeching metal sound again and the lady screamed out in pain, before she kicked out at the wolf's broken leg and grabbed him by the throat. I saw blood flow quickly down her arm from the hand holding the wolf's neck before she tossed him into the trees.
"No!" I cried out, unable to stop myself. Her head turned in my direction and before I could blink she was in front of me again. I held up my hands together in front of me, still gripping my joke of a weapon. Her face was cracked and leaking a silvery type substance, and her left shoulder was missing a large chunk.
I'm going to die.
The thought was sudden and absolute, blocking all others. My stomach dropped. The pain in my head and side forgotten as my mind span out on this simple, but wholly true statement. This woman in front of me was not human and I was going to die, right here, at her hands like the wolf.
Like my thoughts had spoken out loud, I heard a noise from the beast and the demon turned her head to follow it. I flinched at the sudden movement and my muscles tensed in a last instinctual attempt at flight.
I clicked on the lighter.
Her head swung back, eyeing the flame in between us. Another hellish smile crossed her face and she arrogantly leant forward with lips pursed. She kept eye contact as she made to slowly blow out my flame when my other hand twitched.
A small hiss preceded the flare of fire as it erupted past the lighter's end and into the face of the demon. Her surprise mirrored mine as the flames swiftly consumed her features, twisting in agony as she screamed in pain. The noise had me drop the cooking oil and the lighter, but the oil, and silvery substance, took no time to engulf her completely.
I staggered back away from the heat and unholy noises she was emitting, but as soon as they started they stopped as she crumbled onto the ground in a heap of smoldering purple ash and smoke.
I stared at the mound as it rapidly got smaller, my breathing heaving and rapid through my teeth, when my attention was brought back to the wolf as it whimpered in pain.
I'm not sure what came over me, but I rushed towards where it laid on the mossy earth, leg still at a sickening angle. My eyes however were dragged to the neck of the animal, where I could see a half inch thick twig poking out of its neck
"Oh, God!" I cried out softly, kneeling before it. A small part of my brain was telling me to run away from the animal, it looked like it could eat me whole, but either from shock or stupidity, or both, I found my hands skimming through it's thick, mottled fur as to comfort it.
It whined again and I looked closer to its neck. It was bleeding out, fast. Before I could stop myself my hands were plucking the twig and other forrest debris out from its wound. A spurt of arterial spray hit me in the face and chest and I blinked out the liquid from my eye as my first aid kicked in.
Pressure on wound, Kate! I scolded myself in a panic. As I laid both hands on the pulsing ragged flesh. I felt an electrical shock run up my arms into my body causing me to gasp. It was like Sam, only much, much more. My eyes flew to the wolf in surprise and we both froze as eye contact was made.
I couldn't say how long we stared at each other. The eyes, they were not an animals eyes, not in the slightest. There was intelligence there, human intelligence. I would have laughed at that had I not been knuckle deep in its neck, trying to stem the poor thing from bleeding to death.
I was brought quickly out my thoughts as it's eyes rolled back and it went limp in my arms.
"Oh no, no no!" I shouted, leaning heavily into it. I could feel the tears running down my face, splashing onto my shirt. It saved my life, I owed it to help it.
I panicked as I tried to pick more of the leaf litter out of the hole, more blood running out between my fingers.
"MARC!" I screamed, I turned to look back to the house, only not seeing it. Had I lost my bearings? Could he hear me?
Before I could scream for him again, I felt heavy static in the air and heat emanating from the wolf in front of me. Before I could do anything, I watched in fascinated horror as the body sunk into itself and rearranged itself into the body of a large, naked man.
"KATE!" I flinched as my name was shouted from further in the woods. It took a second before I saw the caller.
"SAM! HELP ME!" I screamed. I couldn't let him die. No, no, he was mine!
"SAM HE'S BLEEDING!" My sobs were racking my body hard but I wasn't letting go of the man in front of me.
"Hold on honey, I'm here!" Sam was by me, hands fluttering over mine.
"JACOB! GET CARLISLE!" He bellowed, making me jump. "Ssh, ssh, Kate, you are doing really well. We need to stop the bleeding-"
"How, Sam?! If I move he'll die, it's an artery!"
"You're OK, when I say, take your hands away and pinch together the tear in the vein. Can you do that for me honey?"
"I'm, I'm not sure!" I sobbed harder. He was going to die.
"He's not going to die, OK. You're doing really well, but we need to do this quickly OK? If you can't do I'll dive in OK? You have smaller fingers so you should be able to get a good hold. Remember, pinch the tear closed, it will heal."
I nodded in a daze.
"You with me honey?" He asked a little more gently. I dragged my eyes away from the bloody mass where my hands were, looking into Sam's warm brown orbs. "You're OK, you've got this." He laid his arm on my shoulder, infusing me with courage at the simple touch. I took a couple of deep breaths, centering myself before looking at the man in front of me on the ground.
"On three OK?" I nodded, letting Sam count me down.
"...three!"
I pulled my fingers back, feeling the stickiness of congealed blood on my hands. My eyes saw the artery for a split second before the blood swelled up again, blocking my view. My thought that the blood felt tackier than it should be briefly crossed my mind before my fingers dived back into the flesh somehow locating the ragged edges of the tear I'd just seen. Blood was still pouring out as I delicately, but firmly brough the two edges together as instructed.
"What do I do now?" I asked Sam, hardly daring to breathe in case I shifted the connection.
"Just hold still, give him a minute."
I waited, muscles screaming with my uncomfortable posture and my own aching wounds.
"I'm not sure how long I can hold it." I whispered, voice shaky with stress and strain. Sam gently moved himself next to me, keeping my position stable as he took some of my weight.
"Better?"
"Yes."
I heard movement and the sudden appearance of more people almost had me jump out of my skin. If it wasn't for Sam's hold I would have fallen backwards, as it was, my just head flicked in their direction, before quickly falling back to this man in front of me.
Please be OK. Please be OK. Please be OK.
I sent the silent pray to the forest surrounding us as the men around me spoke in urgent tones. I tuned them out, focusing my whole being into the tiny area of flesh holding in the life force of this unknown man, now central to my universe.
Jacob
The Pack watched Embry in silence as he battled for his life. The leech was strong, very strong, but smarter than the usual newborns that displayed that kind of strength.
We watched as he battled for Kate's life.
Paul channelled his fear into sending every fighting trick he knew to Embry. The only sounds permenting the Pack mind were the rapid footfall of us running, and Embry's snarls and whimpers.
He was suddenly thrown into the trees and we watched hearts in mouth as the leech stood in front of Kate.
'Emb, please!' Sam begged with a sob. I threw out an Order, forcing Embry to his feet. He stood in a muted daze and lunged at the leech, knocking it away from Kate. We could feel his exhaustion as he fought tooth and nail to get some kind of purchase on the thing. He managed to claw its face and bite a chunk out of its neck.
'Nearly there, nearly there' Seth's mantra filtering into the Pack mind as he followed up the rear. I saw Edward following in, clearly tracking the thoughts of the Pack through Seth.
'Seth, Edward, get Carlisle NOW!' I screamed at them as I turned my focus back to Embry.
My breath caught in my throat as the leech had Embry by the neck, and we felt the pain as it slowly, sadistically dug it's talons into his windpipe.
'EMBRY!' Quil yelled 'Fight buddy, FIGHT!' he called out, panic almost overcoming him, only kept at bay by my tenuous hold of my own Order.
The leech flung him away again, and he collided heavily with a tree, pain slicing through his being.
"NO!" Kate screamed, and we watched as it again approached Kate. The panic finally leaked into the Pack mind and Embry whined, gaining it's attention once more before it looked back to Kate.
'Oh god, oh god…' Sam moaned, heart buckling as we watched it leaned in towards Kate. 'Run honey, run, please!' He called in desperation, logic vanishing in fear.
Before we could think anything else, the leech was a blaze. It's dying screeched like nails on a chalkboard as it was consumed by the flames.
'Woah, how the fuck?' Leah whispered, echoing the rest of our thoughts.
We watched as a shocked looking Kate stumbled back from the burning tick, dropping something from her hands, before her head turned to Embry and she staggered towards him.
"Oh, god!" she sobbed in her distress, falling to her knees before her fingers dug in Embry's neck, pulling out god knows what from the wound. We felt a bolt of fear circle the Pack mind as Embry's consciousness waned with the blood loss.
'Stay with us Emb! You did real good buddy, you kept her safe. Stay with us we're almost there!' I called out to him, as we saw Kate flinch as a spray of blood hit her in the face, but she forced her palms into the wound to try to stem the flow.
Like someone had flicked a switch, Embry's consciousness came roaring back online in full force as the touch of her hands at his neck caused a wave of electricity to surge through his broken body and out into the Pack mind. I felt myself stumble at the force if it, and watched as he locked eyes with Kate.
'Oh fuck, oh fuck, did that just? Oh fuck!' Colin fell in his surprise and the force of the sensation but we were brought out of our shock when Embry succumb to his injuries.
Sam phased out as he reached Kate and the Pack's connection to both Embry and Kate was severed with an abruptness that made even my head reel.
"JACOB! GET CARLISLE!" I heard Sam's call as I finally, finally hit the trees outside of the Whitefeather place, and quickly scanned for Seth, showing both Cullens now running with him less than a minute or so out.
I phased back as the clearing came into view. Kate and Sam both huddled over Embry, her fingers still digging into his flesh as the wound slowly stiched itself together. There was blood everywhere, and not all of it Embry's either.
Sam turned his head as I approached, eyes half wild with residual fear.
"Carlisle is coming." I dropped to my knees in front of Embry, hands hovering over the leg that was twisted in a sick parody of the limbs of the tree he was slumped under. My eyes skidded over to where Kate still had her hands against his neck, fingers buried under the skin. Her arms trembling with shock and fatigue and I could see where she was leaning heavily against Sam's left side. I glanced down her left side, seeing a splash of red under her arm down the top she was wearing. It wasn't a lot but a bleeding Imprint was sending my wolf for a loop. I could only imagine what Sam was feeling.
And Embry.
I looked back down at his unconscious form and let out a long breath. My eyes flicked back to his neck, seeing a rapid fluttering pulse and his chest was rising slowly. He was alive. It was a start.
I sensed the other wolves phasing human just out of sight, before they appeared. The younger wolves looked freaked and Paul took charge, barking orders for them to secure the area and run the borders again. I gave him a quick nod which he returned as he corralled the masses into action to distract their wolves.
"Jacob." Carlisle appear at my side suddenly, causing Sam to growl, in turn making Kate flinch. Reason overcame his mind once more as he supported Kate more firmly, whispering an apology in her ear.
"Edward explained what he saw through the Pack. The leg will need breaking and resetting, but the blood loss is the main concern." He said quietly as he ran his hands gently over Embry's form. I moved from Kate's side to let Carlisle closer to where she was shaking with determination, jaw gritted against her own pain as she held him together.
I caught sight of Edward out of the corner of my eye and sent him a silent thanks for his speed getting here. He nodded slightly, watching the crouched form of the Pack's former Alpha virtually surround his Imprint.
I saw Eddies eyebrows pinch in confusion at my thought, I gave a mental shrug, now wasn't the time for introductions. He frowned, before his head swung violently towards Carlisle.
I turned back myself, seeing Carlisle next to Kate, frozen like marble as he looked at her with dark eyes and flared nostrils.
"Doc?" I called. He came out of himself, visibly resetting, before continuing with this work. My head span to Edward who kept looking at Carlisle in surprise.
"Hello, my name's Carlisle, I'm a doctor. What's your name?" He asked Kate gently, resting a palm on one of her arms.
"Kate." She whispered, voice shaking with strain.
"Kate. We're going to have you let go of Embry, so I can take a look, Okay?" She was shaking her head as he spoke.
"No, no, he'll bleed, I can't let him bleed." She hiccuped a sob and Sam tighten his grip around her.
"It's all okay, I'm here, I will replace you if he's still bleeding. Do you trust me?" He ducked his head closer to catch her eye. I saw her own flick up quickly then back down, before she did a double take.
We all heard her heart rate sprint into overdrive as her body dumped another shot of adrenaline into her system.
"Demon." She recoiled away from the doc, still keeping her fingers in Embry's neck. "Demon." She whispered again.
"Ssh ssh Kate. He's not like the other one. He's good, I promise. Do you trust me?" Sam pulled her attention to him, imploring in his tone. Her eyes darted between Sam's before she nodded.
Sam gave Carlisle a quick nod.
"Okay Kate, on three can you gently pull your fingers out?" She shook her head again.
"I think my hands are stuck. The blood…" She explained, clearly worried she would reopen the wound. I had the same fear myself.
"You're fine. We'll do it slowly. Let me get something first." He looked at Edward who shot away, returning a few moments later with a watering can. He stepped around Embry, positioning himself opposite Kate and Sam, poised to tip it onto his neck.
"It's not clean, it'll get infected." She cried out, arms shaking more. "I can't hold anymore." Her tears falling onto Embry's chest as Sam tried to comfort her again.
"Okay, we need to start, Edward?"
Edward began tipping the water onto Embry's neck as Carilisle wiped the blood away to assess the skin. I could see it had healed around Kate's fingers, and as he wiped the blood away from her fingers he gently began to pry them out of Embry's neck.
As soon as she was free Sam stood and lifted her into his chest, wrapping her legs around his waist, carrying her away from Embry as her cries descended into full out heart wrenching sobs.
"She's injured." I said to Carlisle as he examined the now closing skin.
"I know, I could smell her blood." He's jaw clenched slightly as he moved back to Embry's leg.
"Jacob, I need to break the leg, can you hold him down. It'll likely wake him."
I nodded grimly, hating this part. Edward helped Carlisle turn Embry to lay fully on his back, I called Paul over, wanting a second pair of hands. We braced a shoulder each as Edward held Embry's hips.
"On three." We all nodded.
The crack of his thigh resonated through both my arms and my soul as my connection to the Pack, to Embry, exploded into life as the pain pulled him conscious with a sharp intake of breath. We heard an answering cry from Kate and our heads shot to Sam as he cradled her under his chin as she writhed in shared pain with Embry.
"I thought only the mated wolves could feel their Imprint's pain?" Edward asked, as his eyes flickered to find mine. "She's human, how does she feel his pain?"
"She's his Imprint." Paul replied flatly, still focused on Embry below us as he slipped into a half haze of pain filled sleep.
"But she's human, not the wolf? Sam..." Edward queried, confused by my earlier thought. I shook my head.
"Not now."
Carlisle counted us in again, and another crack followed by Kate's cry then silence as she went limp in Sam's arms. There were tears of anguish flowing freely down Sam's face and into her hair as she rocked her back and forth, clearly feeling Embry's pain through his bond to Kate.
"Wait, she's Sam's Imprint too?" Edward asked, shocked at my thoughts. I nodded then focused back on Embry's leg. Carlisle paused in his ministrations, before continuing to brace the leg with branches Paul had gathered.
"I didn't know that was possible. Two Imprints for a wolf."
"She's the Imprint of two wolves as well." I added, rubbing my eyes. There was no point hiding it as Edward would pull it from the Pack's heads anyway. Too much had gone on tonight to keep it secret. I could still feel the Pack in the back of my mind, confusion and residual fear clouding their thoughts as they ran patrol.
"We need to get them both inside."
"Marc is inside." Paul added to Carlisle statement. Fuck, another complication.
"I think you should tell him. There's no way to explain this." Edward added quietly. "He's already suspicious going by his thoughts, and he's currently on the phone on hold to animal control to report a large wolf. He's freaking out about Kate."
I rubbed my face again. God damn it.
"OK, we'll tell him." Pauls eyebrows flew up at that, but he said nothing. "Sam, can you bring her inside. Paul, take his top-"
"I can carry him." Carlisle shifted slightly and quickly rose, Embry in his arms, right leg out straight with the improvised brace.
The four of us quickly moved to Kate's house, Paul slipping past Carlisle to help Sam with Marc.
"What the fuck?! Jesus, Kate! What happened, Sam?!" I heard him call as I brought up the rear behind Edward.
I did a mental scan of the rest of the Pack, pushing out waves of reassurance. Our brother was injured, but alive and would recover. The Imprint was safe. I gave the Pack to Jared for the moment as I needed to deal with this, before I took a deep breath and stepped into the kitchen.