Chapter Three

A Glance

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"Falling in love could be achieved in a single word – a glance."

Atonement, Ian McEwan

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Embry Call had been looking for his imprint for years. Ever since he discovered that imprints existed and weren't as uncommon as Sam had once told him, he had had dreams, both when he was awake and asleep, about the day he found his imprint and he became whole.

He was far from miserable though. He had owned his own house, a kick-ass car; had a family (the Pack) and a mother who loved him, as well as great friends who he would die for, he was a partner of his own business – a garage co-owned by Quil, Jake and him, although after Jake moved up to Alaska he had less to do with the business now – and he was hardly the town freak when it came to the ladies; women loved him.

But he had always felt as though he was missing something and so from the age of 18, after the fight with the Volturi (although you could never call it a fight just an anti-climax) and after Jake had imprinted on Nessie, Embry had begun to actively search for his soul-mate.

At times he would feel like a dirty old man as he watched women go by, staring deep into their eyes whenever they would start to talk to him. There was already an intensity to him that was both alluring and intimidating, but coupled with his desperate need to imprint he came across as a brooding psychopath which was an interesting combination to say the least. It was no surprise that parents tried to ship their daughters off to a convent whenever he was near.

But in reality Embry was very shy, a result of living with a crazily over-protective, over-bearing mother (whom he loved very much). Before he discovered he was a wolf – god what an eventful day that was – before he discovered he was a wolf Embry had always been the kid in class who nobody really noticed. He was the boy who sat in the corner at playtime, quietly eating his crackers and playing with his toy soldiers which he kept in his pocket. At weekends whilst the other kids on his street were building forts or playing football, Embry was inside reading his comics or helping his mother. He was a loner who always wanted friends, but was too timid to go and make them.

And then Quil Ateara and Jacob Black had come crashing into his life.

***

When Embry was 9 he had accidentally trod on the foot of the school bully Tyler Dane. It wasn't his fault really. Embry had been nudged by someone as he walked through the busy corridor and as he stumbled backwards it had been Tyler's foot he found. Embry groaned. That was the day that Tyler had found his new victim.

Everyday at school without fail for 6 months Tyler would find Embry. He and his little gang would corner him, kick him, punch him and take his lunch money. When Embry took a packed lunch to school one day, he had found it floating in the toilets by midday; they had surrounded him in the toilet and forced him to eat that lunch.

Of course his mother noticed what was going on and contacted that school and their parents immediately. They said they would sort it and for two weeks Embry was left alone…then Tyler had found out that Embry had no father.

"Embry, Embry the bastard baby," they would sing at him.

"No wonder your dad left Call. I mean who could ever love a worthless shit like you."

He had tried his bestest not to cry, but it just hurt him so bad. Every night he prayed to God for his father to come back to him and love him and take him fishing like other boys' dads did; and then to hear Tyler verbalizing something he had always feared hurt more than any punch or kick ever could. Pretty soon after that they were beating him up again, although this time he thought it best to hide it from his mum. He didn't want to worry her.

Then the Saturday after his 10th birthday Embry went to the comic store with his birthday money. He loved comics and was planning on buying a whole heap of them to read out in his yard. Now being the big 1-0 his mum had let him go to the store by himself, making him promise her to be back at 5 o'clock at the latest. If he wasn't back by then she would send out the sniffer dogs and helicopters to track him down and bring him back; Embry knew she was being serious.

And so he allowed himself plenty of time in the store browsing through all the comics, asking the shop assistant for recommendations, before deciding to buy 3 Marvel comics, a Batman comic (he didn't like DC too much) and 2 comics he had never heard of but which the clerk had suggested. He brought himself a chocolate milkshake and a packet of donuts which he was planning to eat whilst reading his comics.

He was nearly home and was feeling so proud with himself, so very grown-up for going into town by himself that he didn't notice Tyler's red bike at the bottom of the road. It was only when he heard the "bastard baby song" that Embry realized he was surrounded.

Tyler and his three friends Joey, Robbie and Axl had been waiting for Embry. They were bored and he was something they could play with. Embry tried to walk round them, but they blocked him and Axl pushed him back. Desperately Embry looked around for help. There were no houses on this street except for a dirt road which led to the nowhere, the road was empty, and they were just surrounded by forest and nothing else. Embry was scared.

"Hey Call, mummy let you out?" Tyler teased.

Embry said nothing, just stared down at his feet wishing that they would go away.

"Hey Call, I'm talking to you!" Tyler hit the side of his head. "Answer me! Where have you been?"

In a barely audible voice Embry answered: "I went to town."

"By yourself? Oh well down Call." Tyler started to clap. "Who knows one day you might actually grow a dick."

His friends laughed and Embry blushed. "Leave me alone," he said.

"We only want to play and you, you have no friends."

Embry's cheeks went redder and he shrank into himself.

"Have you ever wondered why you are always alone?"

Tyler was walking towards with a string of barbed wire held carefully in his hands. Embry started to back up.

"No-one likes you Embry. Everybody at school thinks you're scum and a freak. You daddy didn't even like you enough to stick around. And your mum is stuck with you. You have nobody Embry. You are alone."

Then with his face barely an inch from his Tyler began to say four words very slowly which echoed around Embry's head.

"Embry you should die."

Tears immediately sprung to Embry's eyes and he desperately tried to blink them back before anyone saw.

"Now all we want to do is play," Tyler said. "Do you want to play with us?"

Embry violently shook his head.

"We haven't even told you the game."

"Tell him!" Axl squealed.

"Yeah tell him!" shouted Robbie and Joey in unison.

"Embry do you see this?" Tyler showed him the length of barbed wire in his hand. Reluctantly Embry nodded. "Well we all have some, and we are going to whip you on different parts of your vermin body with these wires, over and over, and see how long it takes us to make you bleed, and whoever makes you bleed first wins. Sound like fun?"

Embry blanched and he started to scream.

"SHUT HIM UP!" Tyler shouted. "And take off his clothes; we want to get right to the skin."

They started to pull at him and soon his T-shirt was nothing more than rags on the pavement. They were trying to unbutton his trousers but Embry was fighting them off best he could. He kept on screaming and wanting so desperately for a car or an adult to go past, but no-body went down this back road.

"Keep…still," Robbie said struggling. "Tyler he's not keeping still."

"Hold him," Tyler said.

Axl grabbed Embry's arms and pulling his arm right back Tyler punched Embry in the stomach. He doubled over in pain.

"That's better," Tyler said in satisfaction.

He gave up. He couldn't fight them off. Why not let Tyler just beat him? Maybe he was right; maybe this was what he deserved. Maybe everyone wanted this. Perhaps he was the "stain of the town."

Robbie was just moving back to his trousers ready to unbutton them when a loud "OI" echoed down the road. All five of them looked. There running down the road was Quil Ateara and Jake Black. They were both in Embry's class, but he had never talked to them; and yet here they were running towards him.

Tyler sighed. "What do you two want?"

"Leave him alone Tyler," Jake said.

"Why should I?"

"Umm…because it's the decent thing to do."

"We're just playing, Black."

"Yeah looks real fun," Quil said sarcastically. "Embry you okay?"

"He's fine!" Tyler snapped.

"Where's his shirt?" Jake asked.

"He…ah…wasn't wearing one."

"Who walks round shirtless in the middle of October?"

"He does. Don't you Call?"

"His name is Embry," Quil said.

"What's it matter? He's a bastard baby."

"Stop calling him that!" Jake shouted.

"What you going to do Black? Make me?"

Jake and Quil both approached him, cracking their knuckles with as much menace as 9 year olds can. Robbie and Joey (Axl was still holding onto Embry) stood next to Tyler for support, but they too started to back away.

Although not much to look at, there was something animalistic and brutal about the two boys even at such a young age.

They stared at each other wanting to see who cracked first. Tyler lost.

"Come on let's just go," he said.

Axl let go of Embry punching him in the air as he went by.

"But we'll be back, Call. Perhaps we'll call on your whore of a mother on the way back."

Perhaps Tyler thought Embry wouldn't hear him, or maybe he thought that Embry would just stand there and take the insult like he normally did; but when Tyler mentioned Embry's mum something inside him snapped.

He didn't care who Tyler was or how hard he punched. He didn't care that he was outnumbered or that he had no father. Tyler had insulted his mother and Embry was overcome with so much anger he started to shake.

Tyler wasn't fast enough and Embry's fist collided with Tyler's nose. There was a loud crack and an ear-piercing scream as that one punch broke Tyler's nose. Blood suddenly splattered his clothes, tears came streaming down his eyes and everyone looked at Embry in disbelief.

"Don't talk about my mother like that again Tyler," he growled.

Tyler whimpered and nodded.

"And leave Embry alone from now on," Jake said standing next to Embry in alliance.

"Otherwise you'll have us to deal with," Quil said standing the other side to Embry.

Tyler and his gang looked at the three boys, boys who would grow up to become wolfs, nodded and ran home as fast as they could.

Embry and the two boys were left standing on the side of the road. It was Quil who broke the silence.

"Holy smokes Embry I wasn't expecting that."

Embry turned round and blushed. "I didn't mean to. It just happened."

"Question, why do you only punch Tyler at the end? Why have you waited soooo long?"

Embry shrugged and Jake answered for him. "He insulted his mother, that's why you hit him isn't it Em?"

Embry nodded.

"Well whatever the reason I'm glad you did it. Tyler is such a little fuck. Well done mate," congratulated Quil.

"Thanks. You don't think I'll be in trouble do you?" he asked nervously.

"Maybe. But if you do get grounded come round mind afterwards," Jake said.

"Oh and come sit next to us in school on Monday," Quil added.

"W-why?"

Were they teasing him? Wanting to humiliate him?

"Well as shocking as this sounds, especially as you don't talk much, you seem alright Embry."

"I do?"

"Yep you seem okay and you can punch. What more can you ask for?"

"Holy smokes comic books!" Quil cried excitedly holding up the bag Embry dropped. "Wow Spiderman. I love Spiderman."

"No way, you've got the new Batman too," Jake cried. "You like comic books?"

"Of course."

"Who's your favourite character?"

"Wolverine," Embry cheerfully said.

"Wolverine's my favourite too!" Quil cried.

"And mine!" Jake said.

"I've always wanted to be a wolf," Quil said wistfully and the two nodded in agreement.

The three boys stood there one Saturday morning, bonding over comic books, never knowing that one day they would grow up to have super-powers themselves.

***

Even though he had grown more confident over the years, Embry was still shy and it seemed to him that he was the late one in everything. He was late making friends; he was late standing up for himself. He was late for his History finals and he was the last of his friends to have his first kiss. True he was the first out of Quil and Jake to phase, but he had paid for that by being one of the last to imprint. He had even started to deal with the fact that perhaps he wasn't meant to imprint. Maybe it was rare and all those wolves in La Push had just been lucky. He didn't like that thought, but he knew he was strong enough to deal with it.

But then tonight, one December evening as he walked to Sam and Emily's house with his brothers, having just finished their patrol he saw her.

Bright red hair so unnaturally red that he knew it was dyed. Cat-like eyes the colour of coal, so mysterious and dark. Flawless porcelain skin, pouting pink lips and rosy cheeks. She was so tiny, both in physique and height but she had curves which he knew would drive any man wild - he would have to make sure that everyone knew she was his. Her nose was pierced, and when she smiled it was like he was looking at a star made only for his eyes.

Paul was talking to her, but he couldn't concentrate. He got snippets of the conversation: sister's friend…there for Christmas…Lola –

Her name was Lola! Embry and Lola. Lola and Embry. His Lola-belle. Lola Call.

He knew he was getting way ahead of himself and that he was quickly turning into stalker material, but he couldn't help it.

So many times had he seen through his brothers' eyes what it felt like to imprint – the feeling of falling through the sky, the sickness and fear in your stomach as your fall, everything you have known or loved whirling around your head, before finding your feet resting on something solid and whole: your imprint. He had felt this sensation in their brother's memories but it was so much more intense now that he was experiencing it himself.

Suddenly she was his meaning in life. Suddenly everything was grey and dull and she was the only thing vibrant and alive. She was the centre of his world. He needed to touch her to see if she was real but he knew that she would freak out.

And so he tried to calm himself, to control the wolf inside of him which was screaming at him to hold her, protect her and never let her go; that was screaming at him to love her.

He tried to concentrate on his breathing (it wouldn't be too cool if he was to pass out right in front of his imprint) and the conversation taking place around him, all the way looking at her with amazement. He sure he was acting as though he had just escaped from the asylum, but he didn't care.

"That's the worst greeting I have ever heard," she had said to Paul her voice like bells and nightingales, and he melted at her accent. "Besides I hardly call it "gate crashing." I was invited you know."

"Great another cocky girl. Jessie you always have the worst taste in friends."

Anger came over Embry in an instant and even though his brain was telling him that Paul was just being Paul and teasing her, his heart made him omit a low growl. Paul looked at him in confusion and Quil nudged him, but all he could see was her. She was raising an eyebrow in confusion. He couldn't help it, he blushed; growling wasn't a normal thing for strange man to do.

Quickly she changed the subject and began to tease Paul back, laughing and joking with him, and Embry felt jealous that she wasn't paying any attention to him. She didn't even know his name!

Fortunately the girl she was with, Paul's sister Jessie demanded introductions immediately.

When Paul said Embry's name he felt his gut tie in a knot when Lola smiled at him, holding her hand up and not breaking eye contact.

"Hi," she said.

"Hey," Quil and Jared said indifferently.

"Hi," Embry said breathlessly. He was surprised he could even talk when his brain was in such a mess as it was in that moment. "I'm Embry."

She giggled. "I know. Paulie just said."

"Paulie?" snapped Paul. "No-one calls me Paulie."

"Your mother did," she said.

Paul groaned. "She told you that story? Why does she tell everyone that story?"

"Oh is that the story of how you called her Ava one day?" Quil laughed. "That's a good story; remind me how it goes Lola."

"No she can't, can you Lola?" Paul said.

"I could but I think this guy," she pointed to Paul, "would cut me up and feed me to the squirrels."

Embry had laughed at that, all the while knowing that he wouldn't let Paul do such a thing, although why Paul would do that to anyone he didn't quite know. God imprinting messed all logic up!

"Besides we're going to the beach," Jessie said taking Lola's hand. "Any of you want to come?"

"I do."

It had just come out and he sounded awfully desperate in the process.

Once again Embry found all eyes on him and realization of what he had just done spread across the faces of Jared and Paul. They looked at him, they looked at Lola, and they then looked back to him. They knew. Quil though was being typical Quil and was oblivious.

"You guys are very odd," Jess said.

"Yeah why are you staring at him like that? Isn't he allowed to go the beach?" Lola joked.

They said nothing just looked at Embry.

Jess shrugged her shoulders. "Whatever. We don't have time to wait around for you girls. Lola and I have special secret things to do and we can't waste our time here."

"But we'll be down by the beach if you want us," Lola said, eyes on Embry.

"Yeah I'll be there in a minute Jess," Paul said distracted. "Don't go too far."

"We won't," the girls cried as they turned down to the beach.

"God Lola take those shoes off. You look ridiculous," Jess whispered.

"I look fierce."

"Well I'm not helping you back if you twist your ankle walking on pebbles in those shoes," Jess said.

Embry whimpered at that comment and started to walk after them. Paul pushed him back. He growled.

"Let me go Paul."

"Not yet. Did you just imprint on that girl Lola?"

"HOLY SMOKES Embry imprinted! Dude congratulations. She seems so nice. Crazy but nice," Quil said.

"Crazy, nice and Jessie's friend," Paul said.

"Crazy, nice and who lives in England," an ever-realistic Jared reminded him.

"Stop calling her crazy," Embry warned.

"Dude she is a little crazy. Did you see her hair?"

"I like it," Embry said glaring at Quil. "Besides England isn't that far and maybe she will want to stay with me."

"I doubt it," Paul said.

Embry growled yet again and started to shake, but Jared put a hand on him.

"What Paul means is that she has her own life back in England. It's going to be very hard to convince her to stay here forever."

"Maybe I could go with her?"

All three of the wolves scoffed. "Have you forgotten who Sam is?"

"He would never allow it."

"I don't care I need to be with her."

He started to walk towards the beach again.

"In a minute Embry, wait," Jared said. "You need to remember that you can't tell her anything, not yet. She is an outsider-"

"And she is with Jess," Paul snapped. "I don't want any of this around my baby sister."

"Wait until you've talked with Sam," Quil suggested.

"I need to be with her now Quil! She could be hurt; I hurt just not being with her. You all know what it's like."

Paul, Quil and Jared looked at each other in sympathy. The knew only too well what it was like to be away from the imprint and how you couldn't even control your animal instincts so early on in the relationship.

"Fine," Paul snapped. "You can come down with me to talk to the girls. But you leave when I leave no complaining, you come straight round to Sam's, and you don't talk about wolf to her. Understand?"

"Yes."

"Okay then. Jared, Quil tell Sam what's going on and we'll be round soon."

They nodded and started to walk away.

"Quil!" Embry suddenly yelled out.

Quil turned as Jared went on.

"What do I say to her? How do I act? Will she even like me?" he whispered.

"Just be yourself Em. She'll love you." He gave him a reassuring pat on the back. "She is your imprint; she was born to like and love you. A glance is all it will take for her to love you."

A/N:

This is so not what I planned for this chapter, but I just couldn't stop writing about how Embry, Quil and Jacob became friends. Did I go overboard on it? Was it boring?

Thanks to crystal-roses13 for my first review.

Please tell me if you like this and if not why not? Reviews seem to make me update faster. Ha ha.

Next chapter: Embry & Lola finally talk