A/N: And another one. Enjoy! Please tell me what you think so far!
Chapter 18
Embry's POV
I'm broken. A shadow of the protector I once was. I have abandoned all feelings. Emotions. I'm Empty. I wish I could stop feeling the anguish. It hurts so much that I would rather chew glass over and over than to feel this gut wrenching, heart shattering feeling that kills me every day. They say it's ok to feel like this, that it's all part of the grieving process but why I'm a grieving? She's still out there, scared, alone. I will find her. Even if I have to sell my soul to the devil.
"We haven't checked these parts," I say pointing to the map that has more red x's then actual places. The wolves around the table look at me like I've grown three heads. "Look at the map, not at me," I angrily say.
"Embry, bro," Seth says with caution. "We looked there last week,"
"Then we look again," I simply state.
"No we won't. We haven't slept. It's been four years. We've checked everywhere. It's time," Paul says stepping away from the table.
My skin is burning with rage. "No! It is not time. It will be when she's in my arms"
"She's gone. Accept that!" Collin says one of the newest wolves. I lunge myself on him without thinking but Paul intersects me. He knows I could've torn Collin in half.
"STOP!" we hear the one voice that can separate us. "ENOUGH!"
They pull us away from each other. Jacob has his arms around mine. I look at Collin then at Paul square in the eye. "If it was Rachel the one that's been missing, would you stop?! Would you give up?!"
"Embry you should-"
I cut Jacob off. "No, I want Paul to answer my question," I snap.
Paul looks down. He releases himself from their hold. "No," he whispers.
"Then don't fucking expect me to do that. I will never give up. If you don't want to help me then fine." I wiggle hard from Jacob's hold on me. I walk to the table. "I'll find her. I will bring back the reason for my existence." I hold the map, fold it and walk out.
I walk out with slow steps. I look up at the gloomy sky. "I will find you. Don't give up on me. I'm almost there," I whisper hoping it'll get to her. Then suddenly it hits me hard. I fall on my knees. It's been four years. I don't know how she's feeling, how she is. "WHY?!" I scream in agony. I look back at the sky. "I just want her back." I whimper.
"Embry?" I hear Nessie rushing to me.
"Why did they take her away from me? From us?" I sit on my legs and look at her. I feel so lost.
She has tears now rushing down her face. "I don't know but we can't give up. You said you'd find her. Then do it,"
"It's been four years. I've failed her for four years!" I look at the ground, the slushy mud. "Please leave me alone."
Nessie stands unsure of what to do. "I won't lose hope." She says and she walks inside Sam's house sobbing.
Hope. That's the only thing that is what keeps me going but even that is slipping out my hands. I reach for a picture I took a week after they took her I have in my pocket. My beautiful little Annie. I sometime have to look at her picture so I wouldn't forget what her face looked like. I listen to the voicemail she left for me when she wanted to go cliff jumping so I can hear her voice. "I can't lose hope because the day I do I lose you again," I whisper as I close my eyes and kiss the picture. I look back at her. "I won't lose you again,"
I hear a howl in the distance. I stand and look around. From behind the threes I see Quill walk out with only his sweat pants. He's face impassive. My soul crushing all over again. Another dead end.
"I found it," his words come out in a rush. I barely hear them. I just stare at him. The other wolves join us. "I found it," he repeats.
Nessie runs out and stands in front of him. "What are you saying?"
Quill looks between us. "Found what?!" I asks when he says nothing. My heart racing.
"The scent,"
"Where?" I choke out.
"Canada," he answers. The breath catches in my throat.
Annalise's POV
What a waste of time. Advance Mathematics? It should be called a waste of paper. "Wow, your good at this," Haylee whispers to me. After spending the whole hour of World history and another whole hour in Advance Mathematics she's gotten over her shyness. Turns out she's a little wiz genius herself.
"Yeah, I guess I am. You're not so bad yourself." I nudge her shoulder and she gives me her shy smile I've learned she uses often.
The bell rings and we both stand. Haylee grabs her book bag made of some material that looks like it's about to rip apart. As she goes around our table she puts her head down. Is this some habit of hers? She pauses in mid-step and turns to look at me. "Would you like sit in lunch with me?" I can see she doesn't ask that question often.
I ponder that suggestion for a second. I should go. Axel has probably become popular and has all these friends. "Sure," I nod. As I walk next to her I feel like a giant. I am only probably half an inch taller, and it's probably the heels but I still feel like a big girl next to her fragile body. We walk in silence, I know she feels more comfortable this way. Like always I ignore the gawking.
"How do you do it with all this eyes on you?" Haylee asks looking around her confused.
I shrug. "I barely even notice." I simply say. After another minute. "So… you sit alone?"
"No." she chuckles. "I have these cool friends…. You'll see." I nod not knowing what else to do.
When we enter the cafeteria I see her hang her head lower the usual and run across the room and sit down in a round table. I look at her confused. That's was weird. I walk towards it. I instantly see another girl and guy talking to her.
"Girl, what happened? When I came back from my field trip I heard all about it." The chubby girl looks concerned as she sits next to Haylee. Her hair is massively curly and, what usual colors are those? A purple shirt and neon green pants. I can see she has a bubbly personally through her clothes. "You had us worried,"
"Yes, what exactly happened? I thought you talked to the principal about it?" The skinny, red hair guy stuffs a burger into his mouth as he looks at Haylee. While it might be different I still see his concern.
"Guys, I'm fine. Really," Haylee reassures them. I'm still standing looking at their care for her. It must be nice.
"Wait." The chubby girl seems to be thinking about something. "How did you get out alive?"
Haylee looks at me. "Because of her," Then the two friends look at me. I blush in what seems like forever. I just wave my hand. "She fought them off,"
The chubby girl points her finger at me. "You fought them off?!" her eyes wide. I nod. I look at the guy and it looks like he's about to drool. I offer a small smile and look back at the chubby girl. "Girl, come." She stands and grabs my hand. She leads me to her chair. I sit crossing my legs. "You are awesome. Thank you,"
"For what?"
"For protecting this girl." She points to Haylee.
"It was nothing really," It really was.
"No, now she's being modest." Haylee is all smiles.
"Whatever and I'm just glad you were there," The chubby girl sits and takes out her hand. "I'm Lina Fitzpatrick, people call me Fitz,"
Haylee rolls her eyes. "No we don't. We call her Lina," she laughs. Lina just takes out tongue.
I shake her hand. "Hello, I'm Ann-" I clear my throat, "I mean Scarlett O'Connell."
"And...and I'm Gavin White," the red haired guy wipes his hand in his pants and offers it.
I shake his hand smiling. This feels weird. I've smiled more than I have in a really long time. He resumes gawking but stuffing his burger in his mouth. I laugh inside. "So…" I turn to Lina. "Where are you from originally?"
"Dublin, Ireland," I answer immediately. I sound like a voicemail in repeat.
"Ireland. That's awesome," Lina gushes and opens the plastic tin to reveal her food. It smells disgusting. Vile mud mixed with the deliciousness of their scents. I look away pretending to look at my notebooks.
"Haylee!" someone screams from the other side of the cafeteria. I look up to see a guy with dark hair, defined jaw, dark jeans and a black tee. He walks by some squalling girls and comes directly to our table. "Haylee," he hugs her. "What happened?"
"Jessie, you don't have to worry. I doubt they'll bother me any time soon,"
"But this shouldn't have happened in the first place. That Principal Brian is going to hear it,"
"Jessie-"
"No Hale's. You had to put up with this long enough."
"But she took care of them. They were so scared they didn't even look at me in the eye," Haylee reasons.
His piercing almost black eyes look at me. "Who are you?" he asks in a tone that won't fly by me.
"Excuse me?" I sit straighter in my seat and look at him dead in the eyes; challenging him to continue using that tone.
"Who are you?" he asks again.
"Scarlett O'Connell. Who the hell are you?" I stand from my chair. I hiss inside.
"Jessie, she saved me." Haylee tugs the bottom of his snug t-shirt.
"Did you want money?"
I look at him confused. My eyebrows creasing. "What are you talking about?"
"You heard that Haylee is daughter of a multi-millionaire and thought that helping her was going to be easy cash," His eyes angry but nothing compared to what I've seen.
"Did you know our father is a multi-Billionaire? She has no need in easy cash as you say it," Axel snaps walking to us. The cafeteria has gone quite. This Jessie guy looks between us wide eyed. Axel's tall muscular figure stands next to me. He crosses his arms over his chest. "Now…" His eyes vicious as he burns a hole into Jessie. "…would you mind explaining what you're accusing my sister of?"
Jessie scratches the back of his head. He seems ashamed. My eyes look behind him to see a tall man that looks in mid-fifties walking our way. What shocks me is to see Heaven and Richard behind him. I look at Axel but he just shakes his head. What the hell is going on?
"Mr. Davis, make yourself useful and get your food. This is time to eat after all," Jessie turns and nods his head angrily. Heaven and Richard stop walking abruptly. I notice the sun is beaming through the window right in front of them. They both look at me. I wave my hand secretly and the clouds cover it immediately. Heaven smiles and steps forward dragging a very odd looking Richard. Like he's beyond angry inside but is trying to cover it. The man looks around. "Keep eating your meals." The whole cafeteria resumes talking like nothing. "Mr. and Miss O'Connell your parents would like to talk to the two of you." No, shit.
"Wow, some gene pool," I hear Lina whisper.
Heaven then walks up to the man. "Principal Brian. I would love a tour,"
The principal smiles while blushing. "Of course Mrs. O'Connell." And they both walk away.
Axel and I walk to Richard. "What's going on? Why is Heaven distracting the Principal?" Richard looks at Axel with the look I have branded into my memory. "I apologize Father,"
"Not here, let's go," Richard turns around and we both follow. We know better than to question; more. When we reach out of sight of mortal eyes Richard begins pacing. "What have you done?!" He looks at me. I flinch when I see his fist in the air a few inches away from my face. He stops. "No, I need you to talk. And if I hit you, you wouldn't be able to." He closes his eyes and seems to be counting. I'm of the edge waiting for what's next. "I won't ask again. You know how this ends if you don't," He warns.
"I don't know what you're talking about…Father," That word directed to him tastes like vinegar. Then I feel the familiar hand on my cheek. I look at him with the poker face I've been perfecting for years. I can't even feel when he hits me anymore. My body is used to it. Axel only takes a step forward but I secretly stop him placing my hand over his. There is no need in us both getting hit.
"Don't play dumb with me!" He hisses. "What did you do? Why are the wolves around this area?! They've never come here! Why now?!"
My eyes widen. "Wolves?" I whisper.
He throws me in the floor and begins kicking me. He never had patients, anything easily ticks him off. "Father…" Axel stops him hissing. "I can always put them in a different direction."
Richard fixes himself. "Yes. Do that. NOW!"
"NO!" I involuntary scream. They're so close. They've never stop looking for me. A beam of light shines in dark hole inside.
"No?" Richard laughs. He garbs my arm with force. Then looks at Axel. "Take care of it." And he runs into the forest dragging me along.