II.
I was, for the lack of a stronger word, irate with Sam 'idiot' Uley.
What kind of a fucking alpha forbids an imprinted werewolf to go see his imprintee? Yeah sure, she was his ex-girlfriend, and I was a dangerous, testosterone-led, obsessed mutant dog. But duuuude, she was my imprint! Was it rocket science? Why couldn't Sam just live his fairytale life with Emily and get the hell over it?
I was head over heels in love, and Sam just had to be an asshole.
After my shining moment, Sam radiated a whole new level of hostility towards me. His tremors began violently, as immediate as mine did. It was impossible to tell who was more enraged: Me, because Sam had no bantam right to be incensed, or Sam because he believed I had no right to imprint on his ex-girlfriend. He was a territorial, possessive mutt, and I was having none of that. Not with Leah.
I could feel the tension in the room heighten - even Jake braced himself in case either of us phased, which was looming. Sam had started cursing me; I cursed him back with more passion. We both had started blurring at the edges when Harry Clearwater decided enough was enough.
It took Harry and Sue more time than necessary to calm both of us down. Sam backed down first, but I was infuriated. Within a span of a few minutes, Sam had ceased to be my alpha and had listed himself as one of my greatest rivals. It was difficult trying to gain a common ground between two ill-tempered werewolves, especially when both were equally decided to duel to death; when Harry tried to calm me, Sam would resume his rampage. When Sue tried to glare Sam to calmness, I would then attempt to kick his crotch. Poor Seth had started freaking out, so Emily and Jake took him aside.
After we both calmed down enough to stand beside each other, the Clearwaters lectured us and hastily bade goodbye, with the exception of Seth who had lagged behind to interrogate me further. It was hard to beat around the bush - every suitor would want to please the brother of the love of his life. I was pretty sure Leah would be harder to convince than her brother, but either way, if Seth approved of me, maybe he could do me a favour and let slip some nice things about me during dinner...
On the other hand, both Harry and Sue had this strange glint in their eyes which gave me the chills. All their anger which should have been directed at Sam seemed to aim towards me now; in fact, we were meeting in three hours' time. My knees almost gave way when Harry nodded and said, "Embry Call, right? I'll see you tonight."
Of course, nothing could quite compare to the sensation of seeing Leah again. Apparently, she had not left in haste, but took her anger out to some trees not far enough for Harry to lose sight of her. I wanted to be with her so badly. I wanted to check her hands, to calm her down, to kill Sam if it made her happy. Hell, I'd kiss a vampire if she'd asked me to. Part of me even wanted to ransack the tree she attacked, in case she really hated the poor plant.
Harry pulled her into the car in a fatherly way and buckled her in while she rolled her eyes and fumed at our general direction. I gave her a smile, but retracted it quickly when her face changed to a scorn. It wasn't until I felt Emily and Sam behind me did I realise that she was looking at them. Leah was hurting from seeing them happy, and there was no way I was letting Sam off for doing that to her. My loathing for him magnified.
It took all of my patience not to run to Harry and beg him to take me with them. I almost hated him for taking his daughter away for me. Almost, until I remembered that holy cow he was Leah's father. I needed to impress him too. Then maybe he could help Seth slip some really nice qualities about me that Leah might like...
"Bye Leah," I waved sadly. She gave me a shocked look and and spun around so I could she her no more.
After they left, it only took Sam to touch me for me to finally phase. If it wasn't for Paul, who had been parading his usual worthless self, I would have attacked Sam right there and then, even if he was human. The more damage I did to him, the better repayment for the hurt he had caused Leah.
Holy shit! Paul screeched, almost ramming into a tree. Leah? THE Leah Clearwater? Dude, you must be kidding me!
All I could manage was: Sam is a dickhead.
Heard Leah's a badass tigress. Rawr.
I growled and raced to where Paul was running. I was going to tear him to pieces even if it would be the last thing I would do. Asshole!
Sam had phased and intervened then. Paul, enough. You will shut your mouth about imprinting. Embry, stop chasing him. We need to talk.
Huh? I was surprised at his calm demeanor. Not a minute ago, he was ready to shred me to pieces, but now he was telling me we needed to talk? Was he on his PMS? Talk my ass! Coward! If you want to settle this, fight me.
You're being immature. How are you going to take care of Leah with that attitude?
Immature! You were the one who lost control!
Paul saw the images in both of our heads and snickered. Both of you wanted to wrestle each other? Sweeeet.
What do you expect? You imprinted on Leah! Sam held back on his intentions. Not only Leah, but his Leah.
With blood ringing in my ears, my fury soared. She is MINE!
Oooh possessive! And I thought Jared was bad...
PAUL!
While Sam threw orders at Paul, I ignored him. You hurt her Sam. You hurt Leah! How dare you even look at her? I am going to murder you!
Embry Call. You will not attack me. You will not do anything hasty until I tell you so, and you will not see or endanger Leah.
Fuck you. I had a suspicion Sam had this planned. As his orders bound me, I could feel the anger overtake me completely. How dare he! The rage formed incoherent words in my thoughts, mostly part of foul cuss words combined with 'Sam Uley'. I will never endanger Leah, Sam. Never. I'm not you.
You of all people should understand why I had no choice.
Of course I understand. It's your specialty. Sam just couldn't love without hurting the person. You love him, he hurts you. Even his imprint was not an exception.
I imprinted on Emily, Embry. You think I intentionally wanted to hurt Leah? The only person I've devoted myself to? You think it didn't hurt me twice as much? Leah was my world. But Emily is my imprint.
I don't give a damn about your imprinting! Leah cries every night for you, shithead! Every night! You have no fucking right to care for her!
I know that. Sam sighed. Do you think I don't hear her whimper at night?
It was Sam's mistake to show me just how much Leah suffered when darkness claimed the day. I could not only hear her sob, I could also feel it. I struggled to breathe. Her pain was as my own...only much much more intensified. Seeing her cry so helplessly when she thought no one could hear her was more than bearable. A flash of red blurred my sight as I snarled back at Sam Uley. So help me God I will repay her every teardrop with your own blood.
I managed to find the strength to headbutt Sam, but before I could reinforce any damage, he had draped his own security back with another edict.
God damn it Embry! Will you stop being blind? I am trying to help you! Do you not know Leah? If you don't play this right, you're going to screw this big time, do you hear me?
I am tired of listening to you. So bug off and let me see my imprint!
EMBRY! You will listen!
Of course I listened. I had to.
Despite that, I was a weeny bit thankful I did. Sam gave me a further insight into Leah's pleasant personality. Once I had gotten over the fact that no matter how much I flipped the world, Sam would always be part of Leah and vice versa, I begun to see the wisdom behind Sam's words. It pissed me off to no end, but he was right. Leah was a handful (not that I mind). Still, that didn't mean that I couldn't sulk about the fact that he knew more about her than me.
"Why the long face?" Jared had just come home looking like he'd spent the whole afternoon lounging around the nearest garbage dumpsite. He had a trace of blood on his shirt, some leaves on his hair, and paint? Yes, he definitely had a streak of white paint on his chest.
"What happened to you, man?"
"I was with Kim! It was so wonderful watching her work from her window. You have to see her face scrunch up in concentration...God, I love her."
"What's with the paint?" I questioned.
"Ah, shit. I didn't notice. I think they were painting the outside of the house..."
Jacob's laugh boomed. "Ha ha ha! Kim would probably be horrified to see your pathetic stalking outline right by her bedroom window..." Not to mention Kim's parents would probably ground her thinking a boy (a werewolf boy to be more accurate) was sneaking secretly into her room at night. But no, Jared should not know that. He might go run and re-paint their house in stuttering apology.
"She might like it," he winked. "But she did notice me..."
"What did she say?" Jake asked this time.
Jared's face fell, and his head atuomatically fell into his hands. "She freaked out. She didn't know how I managed to get to the second story when there wasn't any tree or ladder near her window. Then she threw the vase on my head..." He stopped short for a moment, then panicked. "Oh no! She hates me! Kim hates me! Should I go back and explain? I can't let her hate me!"
"Jared..." Paul rolled his eyes. "Ever heard of overreaction?"
"You know Paul, you're just jealous because you won't get laid."
"Pfft, have you seen the queue outside my room, Mr. trying-to-get-laid?"
Jared pouted dramatically, but smiled as he vividly described how Kim stuck her tongue out when solving trigonometry problems. "She's perfect!" he cooed. As if that could be any different with an imprinted wolf. It wasn't like I cared; thinking of Leah got me through most of Jared's talk, and if I may add, Leah was so so much more better.
Meanwhile, Emily sashayed in and happily burst Jared's bubble. "I think you might find someone in this room who'd beg to differ."
"Who, Sam?"
She giggled. "Nah, one of your brothers just imprinted."
"Which dog?"
Paul's eyes glint mischieviously. He wriggled his eyebrows like a villain and swayed that extremely bloated head of his. "Where's the fun in that? Guess!"
Jared very slowly eyed Paul, Jacob and me. He glanced up and down as if looking for any sign or word that matched 'imprinted wolf'. When he found none, he looked turned back to Paul. "Clue?"
"Leah fre--Leah Clearwater."
God, I hate Paul Meraz. I threw him a glare, and he shut up.
I barely registered Jared's bulging eyes as he stole a glance at Sam. Then he coughed. "Leah? Leah Clearwater? Oh my God."
Why the hell did everyone react that way? As if Leah wasn't worth it. Shit, Leah was worth everything. They just didn't understand.
I could just feel the tremors starting. Jacob had covertly grabbed my arm from behind in an attempt to calm me down. I glared him to submission but Jake cooled it off with a shrug. No one noticed. The rest of the pack must have found Paul's game amusing then. I tried very hard not to ruin their fun.
Jared was looking at our faces when he said Leah's name again, this time deliberately. Then in an attempt to decipher the secret, he asked each one of us to look at Sam. I failed to understand why we had to do that until it was my turn to do so. It seemed like my imprinting had created an Embry Call that could not stand Sam Uley at all. One look and I wanted to rip the idiot's head.
Jared raised his eyebrows. "Embry."
Paul huffed. "Embry dude you're such a giveaway!"
"What'd I do?"
"Can't you look at Sam without actually wanting to dismember him?"
I stared at Sam. "Well, no."
Jared chuckled. "It couldn't be any more obvious. All I say is Leah, and Embry's face washes into unbelievable contentment. See? He's doing that again." He pointed at me.
"Kim..." I retaliated, and sure enough, Jared's eyes went all dreamy.
We were all laughing when Harry Clearwater walked in. I stopped immediately, my insides numbing. I think I might have showed symptoms of hyperventilation. Sam, who was perfectly calm, greeted him, and we all stood up (me in a very jelly-like manner - Oh my God, it's her dad) to make room on the couch. He nodded and as Emily scooted to the kitchen to grab some drinks, Harry coughed and assessed me with a look.
"So," he bagan, gesturing his arms out. My heart began to race wildly. "If my intuitions are correct, you imprinted on my daughter?"
"Yes sir."
"Right." He leaned back casually, and I looked at the pack for support. Sam appeared to be in a more torturous situation than I was. "You know, Sue wanted to come, but Seth was sick..."
"Is it normal sickness?" He inquired. We knew what 'sickness' in this context could mean.
"He might phase soon," sighed Harry. "For some odd reason, Leah's been showing symptoms too..." His breathing hitched, and I felt mine completely locked down. Leah was showing symptoms of...phasing? What the -? Please. God Almighty, whatever it is you're experimenting on, do it to someone who isn't my imprint.
Sam tensed up and looked at Harry with frightened eyes. "Impossible! It can't be...it just couldn't...I -"
"No need to worry about it Sam, Leah has been pretty uncontrollable. She has symptoms of everything, that girl. Parties and night outs, binge drinking...She's been like that since..." Harry trailed.
We knew. Leah had been miserable since Sam left her. My head displayed a banner of Die Sam, die! in broad, red writing. Sam himself had frozen into a marble statue at the revelation.
"Anyway, Embry Call. So, what do you intend to do now?"
"I don't know sir. I just want to see her happy. No matter what it takes."
Apparently, talking about Leah would inevitably lead to Sam anyway, so we just went on. Harry lectured me on what is and what is not allowed with Leah, although he mentioned that she broke most of the rules just the same. I listened intently.
"Don't you don't hurt my daughter, son. I'm warning you. I'll hook you unto my fishing line and tow you out to sea."
"I promise sir."
"I'll keep a close eye out. If I hear you're forcing her -"
"I will never hurt Leah."
He snorted and muttered something like, 'I've heard that before'. Sam winced uncomfortably, much to my amusement. You deserve it moron, I wanted to tell him, but kept my mouth shut. I had a feeling Harry may not like to see that, although I believed he would secretly applaud me for it.
He left afterwards, bringing Emily's junkfoods with him. That had made him smile more than anything else. I couldn't believe how an elder could be so childish in the food department.
Well, not in my wildest dream did I expect Harry not to beat me to pulp. He was Leah's father after all. But no, Harry was a cool guy. Loved fishing and everything. Maybe, just maybe, he might actually be pleased about me. I let out a relieved sigh once he had walked away. I turned to Sam. "Will you please let me go see Leah now?"
"It's late, Embry. She might be alread -"
"Shit. Don't do this to me, Sam. Please."
I think I might have extinguished all the anger, so much that I could only beg now. Emotionally, I was weak. I needed to see Leah. If I was not next to her in the next five minutes, I might actually wither away, dead.
"Go but -"
That was all I needed to hear. Who cared about Sam's petty conditions? I ran out and phased. I could still smell Leah's scent lingering in the woods and followed it promptly. I thought it would lead me to her house, but somehow, it lead me out to sea. Her scent trailed to the cliff, where I could just make out her frame at the edge.
Oh my God!
Part of me panicked and wanted to scream, to drag her back towards (the) safety (of my arms) and beat the cliff down for endangering her. But the other part of me also felt the relief and the sustaining warmth that accompanied seeing her. The compulsion of wanting to be with her pulled me to where she stood. I phased back and slowly trudged to where she sat, careful not to startle my angel.
Angel. Nothing could be more looked divine. Her glistening black hair flew behind her back in rythm with the blowing wind as she looked down at her dangling feet below. I wanted so badly to lift her up and keep her safe from the sheer height of where she sat, but I knew she would not appreciate that. Besides, I was with her now; no harm would touch her under my guardship.
So, I sat down beside her, trying to get close but giving her her much needed space. I could feel how much she valued her privacy. I cleared my throat. "Hi Leah."
Silence.
"Are you okay?"
She whipped her head to my direction and scowled darkly. She was glaring at me, but my looks softened in response. Did she hurt her neck doing that?
"None of your freaking business," she snarled.
"Why are you here all alone?" Where have you been all my life? was what I really wanted to know.
"Why am I here?" She raised her eyebrow. "Hmm, let's see. Is it because I'm not there? Who the hell do you think you are to ask me that?"
"Leah please. I'm serious." It was true. There could be vampires around. She might get hurt from the jagged rocks without anyone to help her. Hell, she might slip and fall straight into the angry waters below. There was a million possibilities of Leah getting hurt, and I could not bear each one.
"Fuck you. Why are you asking me that? You don't give a shit."
"Don't you know it's dangerous to be out here all alone?"
She rolled her eyes and resumed her scowling. God, she looked so beautiful. Her skin glinted under the moonlight, and with her hair set in perfect wind-blown disarray, she looked just like an angel who had flown down from heaven. An angel who has descended to earth to be here and share this moment with me.
"Hey kid," she laughed bitterly. "I am the most dangerous thing out here, get that? Geez, why the fuck am I explaining myself to you nosy moron? Get the hell away from me, Embry."
Sure, my heart deflated when she called me a 'nosy moron', complete with forgotten beats and crumbling cardiacs, but she redeemed herself didn't she? She called me by my name. Embry. On her lips, it sounded heavenly. I lingered momentarily on the fact that she had just said my name in a breathtaking manner, then tried to play along so she wouldn't get up and leave me. I was enjoying every second with her. "This is a democratic country. We have freedom and rights."
"Bullshit!"
"It's my right to be here. You don't happen to own this particular piece of land, do you?"
"Are you hitting on me?"
"No! I mean, I just want to make sure you're okay."
"What do you mean you mean?"
"I - well..."
"Don't you start messing with me!"
Man, I was making her mad! Oh shit, oh shit. I tried to bail my way out by comforting her. Sam had mentioned using her nickname which had a calming effect on her. He had used it often, and it worked every time. Hell, Leah had once straddled him after he whispered it to her. "Lee -"
"Don't you call me that!" She growled and clenched her fists on her lap.
I knew it! I so knew it! Sam was trying to get me killed here! The idiot purposely told me that to get me under Leah's 'People I hate' list! Why was I even hoping for something remotely close to Leah straddling me? I was an idiot.
I raised my hand in surrender and pleaded. "Leah. Sorry. I didn't mean that -I -"
"Just. shut. your. mouth. before. I. shove. this. rock. down. your. throat."
I did what I was told and stared at her. I knew I would end up screwing this. As we sat in silence, I focused on listening to her heartbeat. Even that sounded aggrieved.
"Did Sam send you?" Her whisper was so soft against the ravaging tide below I wasn't sure she meant it out loud.
"I - no - why would - he did not - how could - Urgh, Sam." I shook my head. "No, of course not! Why would you think that?"
"Because," she looked at me and huffed angrily. "Because you pant after him like he's the glorious Dalai Lama. You and Jared, and Paul. And now, that conceited idiot Jacob Black. You asshats serve his holy butt twenty-four seven." She harrumped. "What, does Sam employ you to lick his sacred marbles?"
I laughed. I just had to laugh. Leah was too adorable. She had a mouth that could make a sailor cringe and was full of surprises I could not wait to unwrap.
"Believe me, if Sam was a deity, he'd be Lucifer's exiled boss."
She sneered. "Your boss wouldn't be so pleased to hear your traitorous mouth, Call."
"I don't give a damn about Sam, Leah. He could - go fuck himself - for all I care."
She laughed, bitterly again. I could just make out hurt and anger from her tone. "No, you got that wrong. All he screws in the bedroom now is my cousin. Unless you have some dirty secrets. He's that kind."
"Kind?" I scoffed. "Yeah right. More like he's that kind of asshole."
I thought she might give an amused laugh for a second, but she held it in. Her face turned back to serious. "Why are you here, Embry?"
"Because I want to."
She shook her head and quickly got up. Mimicking her actions, I got up on the next second and scooted closer. Just a bit. I noticed that even with my werewolf height, her face would fit perfectly in the crook of my neck...if she would only allow me to get that close.
"Then I'll leave."
I stopped her in her tracks and held my arms out. I just about had a talk with her and she wanted to leave? Was this girl testing my sanity?
"Please don't go," I begged her. "Please stay."
Déjà vu.
How often had I begged her not to leave me? I hoped the pattern won't last long. Before I could think further, it was Déjà vu again, because one minute she was staring at me like I was a lunatic and then suddenly, I heard another déjà vu style sickening noise and my nose crunched. Too much Déjà vu.
"How many times do I have to fucking hit you for you to learn to leave - me - alone?"
Clutching my broken nose, I couldn't help but mumble back. "Sorry, Leah, I just don't learn."