Chapter 12 – Morning After

By the time the sun came up the following morning, Embry had spent all night in wolf form. He tried to talk with Leah several times and she refused, she finally wolfed out and snapped at him nearly taking his head off. Embry phased to save himself from being beheaded by his recently beloved ex-fiancé. He tucked his tail between his legs and walked off with his head hung.

His heart hurt when he heard Leah let out an agonizing howl; as he heard Leah whimpering into the cold night air his heart shattered in is chest into a million pieces as he continued to mope through the woods. Embry couldn't believe he was so stupid and thoughtless. He should've never lied to Veronica. He lied to his little sister about the wolf who imprinted on her. About the wolf who was her soul mate. About his own damn pack brother. Granted Paul had a hell of a temper when provoked, but he knew – HE KNEW in his heart that Paul would NEVER hurt his sister.

Why on earth he ever thought that Paul could ever harm his own imprint was beyond him. Embry shook his head. Quil had already berated him for being as ridiculous as to lie about stupid things that didn't even matter because one they imprinted they all changed for the better. Sam had told him he was going to be on double patrol for a while to cover for Paul AND Leah. Sam was letting Paul off for a couple of months so he could actually get to know his imprint and Leah…Leah was completely not being herself, because of what she had chosen to do as punishment to Embry.

When Jared went on patrol he advised Embry he was lucky that he didn't know what he'd put his best friend through with all of his completely outrageous lies. Jared said he would've shredded Embry it doesn't matter how long they had been pack brothers or even just friends. The fact that Embry lied about so much stuff to Veronica to keep her away from Paul was just wrong on so many levels. Embry didn't have a clue what kind of pain Paul was being put through and even more so the pain he was putting Veronica through by keeping them away from each other.

Jared explained how Paul hadn't been himself for a while. He spent most of the last five months in wolf form. He watched over Veronica and knew he gave himself a way a few times, but he couldn't let her walk through the woods alone. He didn't care how close the beach was to her mother's house, since Embry was obviously spending all his time with Leah it meant he wasn't even watching over his sister.

Embry watched all the memories of the talks that Paul had with Jared. They had been best friends since practically birth. When they both phased together it was fate that they would continue their friendship. Jared even showed the memories that Paul had shared with him when he had spent the first couple of weeks getting to know Veronica. It had been so long since he'd seen her smile or her heard laugh that hard. He couldn't believe he had basically alienated her from the pack and his friends just because he didn't want her around Paul.

Now – Now he was being alienated from the pack for his own stupidity. Embry's huge wolf body collapsed at the cliff. He watched as the waves crashed against the cliffs that were fifty feet below him. He remembered all the memories of them growing up; jumping from the cliffs to get an adrenaline rush. They were all adrenaline junkies when they first phased. They weren't sure if they wanted to hate it or love it. Jake hated it. Paul and Jared were okay with it since they had been friends for so long. Embry himself was indifferent, Quil was ecstatic about it because he got to stay friends with Embry and Jake. Leah was probably the most PISSED OFF because she was the only female; well that and the whole Emily and Sam thing. Seth, Collin and Brady didn't care they were like kids in a candy store.

Embry thought he was the luckiest bastard when he imprinted on Leah and she imprinted back on him. Oh yea he was a lucky bastard alright. In one hour; one lousy hour he managed to kill any future relationship with his own fuckin sister and lost his fiancé. Leah was definitely one of the three most important women he loved in his life and he fucked it all up. He was pretty sure Leah would NEVER talk to him again. Not that he could blame her. He deserved it. Not to mention he hadn't even been home so he was pretty sure he had an ass chewing coming from his mother as well.

Embry was definitely not looking forward to that, but knew he was going to have to face her eventually and there was no time like the present. He picked himself up off the ground and headed to the house.

Sunlight peaked through a few opening in the living room curtains. Onyx eyes slowly opened and looked around the room. Paul had nearly forgotten where he was, until he felt the body next to him move. Apparently in the middle of the night Paul had stretched out the full length of the couch and carefully maneuvered Veronica's body between his body and the back of the couch.

Paul could feel Veronica's hand as it was resting over his t-shirt covered chest. Paul brought his free hand up and over her small hand and held it against his chest as his arm that was around her body tightened. He buried his nose in the top of her head and inhaled her lilac scent. He heard as she inhaled and sighed contently.

"Warm."

Paul chuckled when he heard her mumble out the word 'warm'. Paul's lips pressed to the top of her head. He felt her move again and looked down as her muddy blue eyes as they both carefully sat up on the couch, Veronica's beautiful eyes looked up at him and locked with his own eyes and she couldn't stop the sweet smile that graced her lips.

Paul couldn't help as his index finger lifted her chin as he lowered his head and softly captured her lips. Veronica moved around as Paul gently gripped her hips and moved her from the cushion of the couch to his lap as the kiss deepened. He felt her hands slide up along his arms, and even grazed his neck then her fingers buried into his soft jet black hair.

Veronica felt it. She felt all of it come alive. Her whole body came alive with every feeling she had been missing from Paul being gone in her life. Her whole body felt like a warming sensation came over it from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. Just the feeling of his lips against her made her weak in the knees; which was probably why it was a good thing they weren't standing or she'd be laying on the floor already.

Paul's hands stayed in neutral territory. Her hips were a sensible place as well as a safe place. If she wanted them moved then she would have to move them on her own. Otherwise he wasn't even remotely trying to remove his lips from her. Veronica's lips were extremely addicting. The last time he'd been able to kiss her was the same day Embry shoved him through her bedroom window. He'd waited so long to kiss her again he thought for sure he'd never be allowed to ever get this close to her again.

Veronica pulled away from Paul's lips far too soon for his liking, he watched as she sat back slightly on his lap as her eyes stared deeply into is. Without any warning she blinked and a few stray tears slid down her cheeks. Paul frowned as he sat up straighter and brushed them away with his thumbs. "Hey what's wrong?"

"I can't imagine what you think of me now. I deliberately stayed away from Emily and Sam's and the rest of the pack because of the things that Embry said about you. And yet here you are being so sweet to me; holding me all night while I slept in your arms. I've never slept so well since before I was even in the institute. I haven't slept decent since the night of my father's murder. And it would figure that the first goodnights sleep I get is in the arms of a man I alienated because of lies my brother told me."

Paul shook his head. "I held you last night because you looked as though you needed to be held all night long. And you didn't hear me complaining did you? I got to spend time with someone I had been missing for the last five months."

"You missed me; really?" She couldn't help asking, even though she could see his honesty shining in his deep onyx eyes.

Paul nodded. "Hell yes I missed you. Veronica you're my imprint. I missed everything about you. Your smile, your laugh, your beautiful muddy blue eyes; they seem to be able to see into my soul. I missed everything about you. We got to talk those first couple of weeks and then nothing. It was as if you was deleted or erased from my life. I hated not being able to be near you. Even though I do know I gave myself away a few times when I was following you in the woods. I wanted to make sure you were still protected no matter what."

Paul suddenly felt a thump against his body when Veronica launched herself against his chest as her arms wrapped around his neck holding him tightly to her. Paul could've sworn he felt his chest inflate.

"I missed you too Paul." Her voice was soft in his ear. And he couldn't help but wrap his arms around her pulling her closer to his body. Veronica pulled back as she looked at Paul. "I need to talk to Sam and…And you together. You two should know what happened the night of my father's murder. I've been having those strange dreams and I can't help but think they are going to come true and if they are, you guy need some kind of warning."

Paul could tell by the finality in her tone that she thought her dreams were real and that whatever happened to her father was going to happen to him or someone else in the pack. Paul nodded as he stood and grabbed her clothes from the dryer. Once she was changed they headed over to Sam and Emily's he could only imagine what she was going to come out of her mouth. He was given a second chance with his imprint and whatever she had to say he was going to listen.