The next night I found myself driving my SUV around the forest and coastline, looking for any sign of anything out of the ordinary. Then I spotted it; it would have looked like nothing to a regular person's eye, but to mine it was obvious. There was a bush mauled down by something very large. I stopped my Woodie and hopped out, one hand on the gun Pete gave me a few days earlier when he found out I knew how to handle one. I followed the newly made rough trail, it was hard to tell what could have made it, possibly a number of things. I continued following it deeper into the forest, before coming to a clearing. I was looking around trying to pick up the trail again when I hear a howl in the near distance. I mentally cursed myself, I had completely forgotten that there were wolves in these parts.

The rain started coming down all of the sudden, and before I could make it back to the trail I just come from I heard a bush near by rustle with movement. I froze still. What do you do when confronted with a wolf? You stay still right? Don't make any sudden movement? Or do you run for it? All of the options sounded stupid to me. But I was frozen with fright anyways. Then I saw two glowing eyes looking at me from the bushes, I gulped. Then out walked the largest grey wolf I had ever seen, well I had never actually seen a wolf in real life, they don't live anywhere in California, but I knew that no wolf should be this big. The thing was as tall as me, if not taller.

"Oh my god" I whispered scared out of my wits.

The wolf stopped just inside the clearing, there were more howls in the distance, there's more? I questioned to myself, well of course there are, they travel in packs.

The wolf in front of me lowered its head with its ears flatten against its head. My breath hitched as it eased forward some more. It was slowly coming toward me. I slowly backed away, but before I knew it my back hit a tree and I was cornered as the wolf continued toward me.

I closed my eyes and waited for the inevitable to happen, I was going to die, here and now. Then there was nothing. Nothing had happened, with a soft whimper I opened one eye, the wolf was right in front of me now, I could touch him if I just barely reached out. The wolf whimpered in return, I looked at him completely now. If he was going to kill me he would have surely done it by now.

"God I'm stupid" I muttered to myself before I slowly reached out with one hand. His fur looked incredibly smooth and up kept for a wild animal. The wolf lowered his head and put it underneath my hand. The fur between his ears was soft and smooth and thick. I giggled as a rumbling sound came from his chest and his eyes closed as I pet him, then I stroked his dark grey muzzle and he leaned into my palm. Then the bushes near by rustled again, the wolf's head whipped around suddenly, and he turned his body so that he was shielding me from whatever it was. Another wolf appeared from the bushes, this one was equally large and reddish brown in color. I grabbed the fur on the side of the grey wolf shielding me, out of fright. The wolves stared at each other, before the red wolf turned and trotted away. I breathed a sigh of relief, and buried my face into the side of the wolf, "What a night this has been." I muttered. I looked up to see the wolf looking over it's shoulder at me.

That night I dreamed of the grey wolf I seemed to have befriended that night. The next day I worked in the morning, and by the time I had gotten home, it was 4:00pm. I spent the next three hours getting ready for my date with Embry; it was considered a date...right? By the time 7:00pm rolled around I was incredibly anxious, and already waiting in the living room for him to knock on my door.

With my knee bouncing up and down I checked the time once more on my phone, it was now 7:45pm. I scoffed, "Have I seriously been stood up? By someone who asked me out?" I was truly flabbergasted. Eventually around 10:30pm I gave up waiting and went up to my room to change into my pajamas and wash off my perfectly done makeup. I was beyond pissed off, confused, and plain hurt when my phone started going off. I looked at the screen and saw an unknown number, the first thing that came to my mind was that it was Embry calling with some kind of excuse, but being the stubborn girl I am, I shut my phone off and went to bed early that night.

It was a week later, a Sunday, and I was walking the main street of Forks going in and out of different stores, picking up new clothes here and there. I was in one store, looking through a rack by the large front window in the small boutique that looked out onto the main street, when for some reason I looked up and gazed out of the window. Across the street was a an old motorcycle I recognized all too well, it was the bike I had given to Jake, and upon further pondering, I remembered that Jake had in turn given the bike to the person who had worked on my SUV, Embry. There was someone sitting behind him on the bike, a girl, and after detaching herself from him she got off the bike, she was beautiful with her tanned skin and long dark hair. My blood boiled. This douchebag had stood me up on our so-called "date", and here he was a week later riding around town on the bike I gave him, with a beautiful girl on the back! I was so pissed off. I glared out of the window towards them as Embry got off the bike; his back was toward me, but as I glared holes into his back, he seemed to sense something as he stiffened and turned around suddenly looking directly into the store window I was in. I quickly turned around and tried to shield myself behind another, larger, rack of clothing.

I looked out of the corner of my eye and to my relief saw that the pair had disappeared. I a heavy sigh of relief I hung my, more than pissed off, I was hurt. I had genuinely believed that Embry was different than every other guy in my past, apparently not. I turned to head out of the store, when I was met with a large chest. My eyes widened, because I had not heard anyone walking up behind me, I looked up and met the gaze of one Embry Call. "Shit" I thought to myself. Embry didn't look very happy as he looked down at me. It still amazed me how tall he seemed compared to my 5'7" self.

"Why haven't you answered any of my calls?" He asked

I snapped back to reality; that's right, he had been trying to get a hold of me all week.

I laughed dryly and responded, "Oh that was you? I didn't realize." I shrugged nonchalantly as I stepped around him and headed out doors.

"Don't give me that bullshit," Embry said in step with me, before stepping in front of me, making me stop and face him, "You knew that it was me, Charlotte."

I looked away from him, more than anything, I seemed to hate confrontation. Ever since I was little, if I had a problem with someone, I was the type to just let it be and not try to resolve it. It was definitely one of my flaws, because I seemed to lose very close friends over the years because I didn't like to talk things out like a normal person.

Once again I stepped around him and started walking towards me SUV again. Embry let out a frustrated sigh, but continued to follow me.

I had just gotten a hand on the door of my woodie when Embry spun me around to look at him.

"Can you just please tell me what I did wrong?" He asked with a pleading tone in his voice.

My head whipped up to look at him directly, the anger in my eyes seemed to shock him because he let go of the shoulder he had his large hand on and leaned back.

"Tell you what you did wrong? Are you serious Embry. I thought it was pretty obvious, but if you really don't get it, you don't even deserve the breath it takes to explain it to you." I spit out with venom, before opening my door.

Before I completely got in the SUV I turned to him, "Hope you enjoy the bike," I said sarcastically, before a figure across the street caught my attention, "Your friend is waiting for you," He turned around and saw who I was looking out. He turned towards me and opened his mouth to say something, but wouldn't hear any of it, I said before he could start, "She's beautiful, I see why you'd want to be with her, than with someone like me." And with that final statement I slammed the door shut of my SUV and headed home. By the time I pulled into my driveway, I realized that there were tears running down my face.

Hours later I was sitting on my back deck on the bench swing reading yet again another romance book. I was wrapped in blankets, and layered in clothing, and still a little cold, but the sun setting was too beautiful to not enjoy it outside.

Then I heard something rustle just inside the forest line about twenty feet away. I looked up and gasped in fright when I saw a pair of glowing eyes staring at me. Starting to stand up, prepared to run inside, I slightly relaxed when the thing revealed itself by stepping out into my backyard fully. It was the grey wolf that only about a week and a half ago was so friendly to me, and even shielded me from the other large wolf that came out.

I was still unsure of the wolf as he stepped up to the deck, but something inside me knew that he wouldn't hurt me, so I did what any insane person would do, and walked up to him and opened the gate allowing him onto the deck with me.

I backed up and sat on the bench swing again, and the wolf laid down beside me on the ground. Laying on the swing, I stroked his fur absentmindedly. He made a sort of grunt sound that caught my attention. He was looking down at my book, I laughed as I picked it up.

Then I sighed as I resumed stroking his fur, "Is there no guy out there that's just a good guy?" I asked the wolf, "I mean a guy that will sweep me off my feet, who is sweet and gentle to me, but also protective, and hell, a little jealous from time to time. But mainly, just a man who likes me for me." I looked at the wolf who was now looking full on at me. I laughed, "I am going crazy, I'm talking to a wolf!" But I sighed and continued confessing everything to him, "You know, I thought I found a perfect guy here, but it turns out he is just like the rest of them, a total douche. First he stood me up, and waited up for hours for him, with false hope that he would show up on my doorstep. And then I see him with this beautiful girl on the bike I gave him! Ugh, it was like a slap in the face!" I closed my eyes, "I have never cried over a guy so much, and it pisses me off even more because I don't even really know him, so there shouldn't be any reason for me being so upset about this whole thing." I could feel myself drifting off, but right before I fell into sleep I muttered, "Why did Embry hurt me like that?"

The next morning I woke up tucked snuggly in my own bed. Looking around the room, I wondered how I ended up there when I knew I fell asleep outside. I had just gotten out of the shower when my phone started going off. Looking at it I confirmed it wasn't Embry, and answered it, "Hello?"

"Charlotte? This is Seth," The voice over the phone said

"Hey Seth, what's up?" I asked sitting down on the bed

"Just calling to let you know your car is ready!" He said as his usual cheerful self

"Ok thanks for calling, I can be out there..." I thought about it, how can I drive there and back with both my cars.

Seth seemed to know what I was thinking, and said, "I'm in town right now, can you be ready in about an hour? I can pick you up and take you to the shop!"

I laughed, "What would I do without you Seth."

After hanging up, I looked through my closet, I knew that Embry would be at the shop, he worked there after all, and I subconsciously wanted to look my best. It was a sunny day outside surprisingly, so I was able to put on my sequined black, gold, and silver scalloped shorts, and a black tight neckline top that ended just above the waistband of my shorts. I threw on my waterfall neckline leather jacket, and a pair of black ankle boots; then to finish it off, I applied dark red lipstick, and put on random gold rings.

I had just finished blow drying my hair, letting it fall in my natural waves, when Seth knocked on the door. "I really need to fix the doorbell" I thought to myself.

We headed to the shop in mainly silence, it must have been awkward for him because he was friends with Embry, and no doubt knew of the events that unfolded between us. We were almost to the shop when Seth spoke up, "You know, the girl Embry was with yesterday was Leah, she's my sister, and most definitely involved with Embry in any way. He was just giving her a lift to meet up with the guys for lunch. In fact, all week he couldn't stop talking about you. I know you guys had planned going out last Friday, but something came up on the rez. Someone trespassed and damaged a couple border fences. That's why Embry couldn't make it, he and some of the older guys were busy tracking down the trespasser."

I sat in silence the whole way to the shop. I felt incredibly bad about mistaking Leah for being Embry's girlfriend, and that Embry did in fact have a valid reason for not being able to make it that night, but as I explained to Seth, "Why didn't he tell me any of that? He wanted me to explain to him why I was upset. That killed me Seth, he didn't even get it."

Seth sat in silence as we pulled into the shop's parking lot, then said, "Guys are stupid."

I laughed at his statement and turned to get out of the car, he said to me, "Just, go easy on him, okay? I can guarantee you that he never had the intention of hurting you, he wouldn't dream of it." The look he gave me softened my expression, and I nodded.

We got out of the car, and Embry came strolling out. He was, after all, the one who fixed my car.

"Hey." He said as he got up to me, Seth retreated into the office after getting out.

"Hi" I said looking at the ground, not wanting to meet his gaze.

"Your car is ready to go," He said gesturing to my white beauty ten steps away.

"Cool thanks." I said walking up to it.

"Let's take it for a ride to see if everything was fixed just right" He suggested.

Even though the last thing I wanted to do was be in a small cramped car with him, I agreed and got into the driver's seat.

As I drove down the road I noted how smooth it shifted, "It didn't even feel this good the day I got it!" I said unable to control the smile that appeared on my face.

"Was this your first car?" He asked sounding genuinely interested.

Momentarily forgetting how upset I was with him, I responded, "Yeah, a family friend had it just sitting in their driveway, and asked if I wanted it! I fell in love with this car the first time I saw it. Though it took me forever to learn and get comfortable with the clutch."

Silence then took over the conversation, and the tension in the air could be cut with a knife. I knew Embry had something on his mind, but just didn't know how to say it, and I had plenty on my own, but knew I would never say anything first.

"Pull over here." Embry instructed, not questioning him I did as I was told.

Stopping the car, Embry got out and walked to the front of it, leaning on the hood as he looked out over the water. I got out and joined him. I knew that eventually one of us would have to say something, so I started just as he did. We both said, "I'm sorry". We looked at each other, smiles threatening to appear on both of our faces.

He started again, "I'm sorry, about last Friday, and especially about yesterday."

I sighed and stared out at the water, "I'm the one who should be apologizing, not you. Seth told me that, that girl yesterday was his sister, Leah, and you were just giving her a ride; and that last Friday you had a very good reason for not being able to go out. I hope by the way that you caught whomever trespassed on the reservation. Being the incredibly stubborn person I am, I didn't answer your calls, and when I saw Leah yesterday with you I just got so pissed off."

"I should have made a better effort at apologizing about Friday, I should have come over and apologized in person." He said afterwards.

A moment of silence passed before he continued with a mischievous smile, "You know, jealous you was kind of hot."

I laughed out loud, then quieted down before confessing honestly, "I wasn't jealous, Embry," He gave me a look like he didn't believe me, "I wasn't," I insisted, "I was hurt. Here I was after getting -what I thought was- stood up by you, and only a week later seeing you out riding around on that motorcycle with another girl, I-I don't know, I just felt like I had been slapped in the face. Like I wasn't good enough or something." I gushed.

Here you are! From here on out I am having to write the newest chapters as we go, I have posted all of what I had already written. So please forgive me for not being able to post as regularly, my goal is to post at least every other day, but I have two other stories (which you all should definitely check out) going at the same time, plus my everyday life as well to tend to. Thank you for reading! Please favorite, follow, and review! It encourages me to write faster ;)