(BPOV)

What had just happened? I looked past the remnants of Billy's boat into the trail that the wolves had stumbled into. I couldn't think, couldn't blink and I was suspiciously feeling faint. I don't think I took in a breath until I heard Sam's gruff voice tell the two strangers to take me to Emily's.

"Guess the wolf's out the bag" I heard a familiar voice utter. But when I looked up to see the two russet figures running over to me I couldn't recognise any of them.

The taller man was slender and had glistening russet brown skin. I noticed that his long rounded muscles were less pronounced than the others. His cropped black hair fell haphazardly into his deep brown eyes, eyes that I had seen before. He had a thin upper lip but his lower lip more than compensated. Right underneath his luscious sweetheart lips was a breathtakingly charming dimple. The other person was the same height as the one I had slapped. He had long rounded muscles, encased in red-brown skin. He had the same brown eyes as the taller one, and cropped brown hair. His lips perfectly balanced in fullness set above a strong jawline.

I tried to push myself away from them as they got closer, but there was a sharp pain shooting up my arm. Damn it. I winced. When I looked down at the source of the pain, all I could see was blood covering my hand and jacket sleeve.

"Shit Bella, the whole rez to fall on and you fell on the square inch that had glass on it." The leaner man said. I looked up at him, cocked my head to the side and glanced back down at my hand. I know your voice I thought. I had always hated blood but even more so now than ever; my blood was what had compelled Edward and his family to leave.

The man crouched down next to me.

"Hey," his voice low as the back of his hand caressed my cheek. I flinched away from the electrifying heat.

"Look at me" he pleaded softly. I raised my teary eyes to look at his face. His eyes were so familiar but I couldn't place them. And then I remembered a few months ago I had come face to face with the same kind eyes.

"Embry," I whispered.

His lips quirked up into a lopsided grin, "Hi." He breathed.

"Let's get you cleaned up." He snaked one hand around my arm and the other he placed on the small of my back. "Upsy daisy" he chuckled, helping me up and then started leading me towards Jake's house. My knees felt weak as I took step after step towards the red house. What had just happened? I couldn't quite wrap my head around it. Yeah, I had figured out that the story Jacob had told me last year was true; but I hadn't contemplated actually seeing its physical manifestation so soon. Never mind after I had slapped a stranger. I had slapped a stranger. What the fuck was wrong with me. I had slapped a stranger who turned into a gigantic wolf. Yup, I had lost my inhibitions.

I kept my gaze on the ground to stop myself from losing my footing and falling again. I was thankful that Embry still had a supportive hand place firmly on my back.

"Em, hurry up, I'm hungry" the other man whinged. Embry turned towards the voice and removed his hand from my back and ultimately the support. Next thing I knew the ground was getting closer, I gasped. Just before I impacted the floor for a second time today, two warm hands wrapped securely around my waist and stopped my descent.

"You alright there?" he asked turning me around to face him. I nodded meekly.

"I'm Jared, by the way" I gave him a small smile in acknowledgment.

Jared squinted his eyes; I looked down at the ground. "Hey Em, 10 says she hurls" he said take my head in his hand and pulling it up to study my face closely.

"What are you talking about?" Embry asked annoyed, and pushed Jared out of the way.

"Bells, hey" he implored. Taking my head in his hands, just as Jared had done.

"You're looking a little green there…" there was a pause. I was feeling slightly nauseous. It was a combination of factors really. The blood was definitely at the top of the list of things that were making me nauseous. And the fight had shaken me up a little too. I shrunk away from Embry. Was he a wolf too? He might be, after all he is in Sam's gang.

"C'mon Bella, it's me Embry. The same guy you met in Jake's garage. Still me, but now I'm the hottest man alive" he winked. Jared choked out a giggle before he bent over with laughter.

"Okay maybe not the hottest, but I'm up there with the hottest" he smirked. My shoes had all of a sudden become the most interesting items of clothing in the world. Something I noticed the boys were lacking. He was pretty hot I'll admit.

"Let's take care of your hand, shall we?" Embry asked shyly. I opted for nodding my head because I didn't trust my voice. He took my uninjured hand and led me up the back porch and into the house. Jared followed, tears streaming down his face.

"Billy?" Embry called.

"Yeah, in here" he bellowed from the living room. He was sitting in his wheelchair in front of the TV, watching a game.

"You have a first aid kit kicking about? Bella's cut her hand"

"Yeah. Bathroom, cupboard under the sink. Are you okay Bella?" Billy asked concerned.

My voice cracked, "fine." I replied with a nod, hiding the hand from him. Embry led me down the narrow hall towards the small bathroom. There wasn't enough space in there for me, let alone me and him together. We stopped at the door of the bathroom; I tugged on his hand and said "I can do it myself." Giving him every opportunity to back out of helping me.

I could hear Jared asking Billy if he had anything to eat, but I didn't catch his reply because Embry had spoken over Billy.

"How exactly do you plan on tackling that mess with one hand, huh?" I didn't have an answer. He shook his head and laughed "thought so."

Embry let go of my hand and side stepped into the bathroom. He bent down and took out a green box from the cupboard and placed it on the counter. Spinning around, he beckoned me into the bathroom with a come hither motion of his index finger. I eyed him suspiciously; he chuckled, but I stepped forward anyway. As soon as I was in the bathroom he patted the counter were the box lay. I looked at him confused, not understanding what he was communicating. All confusion was cleared though, when he took me by the waist, pulled me towards him, and then lifted me up and onto the counter. I was too shocked to speak so I just stared wide-eyed.

"What?" he asked. What?! You just manhandled me! That's what.

I shook my head. He smiled at me, helping me out the jacket. He rolled up my sleeve and stepped between my legs. Maybe I should've sat cross-legged on the counter.

"Let's see what we've got here" he spoke. Em reached over to the sink I was sitting beside and turned on the tap. He asked me how I was feeling but I wasn't able to answer, so I just nodded. Embry swiped his finger through the stream of water coming from the tap and shook his head. He adjusted the temperature.

He spoke again, "give me something more to work with here, Bells. I nod isn't gonna cut it." He stated amused.

"I'm fine, just a lot to take in at once." I stated.

"Understandable, so you have any questions about what happened just?" he asked, looking up at me through his long lashes. I shook my head no.

"Nothing at all?" he encouraged. "Not even why Paul just turned into a wolf when you slapped him? Are you sure?" Paul? Was that his name?

"Well actually…How did you first, you know… turn into wolves?" I whispered.

Embry leaned in closer to me and asked "why are you whispering?" I shrugged. He laughed wholeheartedly. Glad someone was finding this situation funny. He took my hand and pushed it under the harm water "you know what, I think I'll let Billy tell you. He's way better at it than I am". I nodded my head and sighed, it felt good.

"That nice?" he asked.

"M-hmm" was my response and I closed my eyes.

He dried my hand with the towel hanging on the hook by the door. Turning it over, he inspected the top and bottom of my hand looking for any wound. He made a tsking noise, I opened my eyes to see what he was looking at. But I couldn't see anything. No blood flow or pieces of glass embed in my hand. Odd, I thought.

"Ahh, there it is" Embry declared. I couldn't see anything. But on closer inspection, on the junction where my pinkie met my palm was a small slit.

"That's all?" I asked relieved. "Looks like it" Embry responded. Whew! I thought it was gonna be a big gaping hole with the amount of blood was covering my right hand. Hence I hand my eyes closed. I didn't want Embry to lose his bet with Jared, now did I.

Em rummaged through the box and pulled out a dressing and some Dettol. First he diluted the antiseptic and applied it gently to my hand with a cotton ball; pausing now and again to blow onto the stinging cut. And finally he coved the wound with the dressing.

"All done" he said, while washing his hands. He tidied the box away and helped me off the counter; steadying me before letting go of my hips. I backed out of the bathroom and turned to walk down the hall towards a yelling Billy and sad looking Jared.

Billy turned and gave me a smile, "You okay?"

"Good, I'm fine" I reassured him.