Second Chances

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

AN: ?

Imprint?

I stood by the window of the abandoned shack where we were briefly staying, until it stopped raining. But it seemed that nature was against me. It was raining copiously and the afternoon was growing colder. I turned to gaze at Embry, but he'd fallen asleep. He laid on the cold floor, his arms folded behind his head as he slept. He had been so tired and exhausted. We barely spoke about what happened earlier. I just got a few quick answers and nods from him. But that was as far as the conversation got.

I was still drawing blanks. I didn't get to put the pieces of the puzzle together. It was still incomplete and lacking. I was baffled, annoyed at the fact that I didn't know anything and I hated to feel so lost. It was too much to take. I thought that I had problems, but definitely, Embry won. He definitely didn't trust me.

I walked to where he laid on the floor and crouched beside him. He looked so peaceful and serene. I wanted to run my hand across his face. I wanted to feel the heat of his skin against my flesh. I missed him so much in the past few days. I hated the gap that was slowly forming between us.

"I love you, Embry." I whispered, sitting down next to him.

I felt my eyes well with tears and I didn't blink, afraid that they would fall and alert him. I didn't want to cry. I didn't do anything wrong; at least, that's what I thought. I just wanted him to know that no matter the circumstances, nothing had changed; my love for him was the same.

"I love you and nothing will change that." I muttered, holding back my tears.

I raked my fingers through his wet hair and inhaled his earthy scent. I couldn't help it, I needed to touch him. He was all that I needed, but he was so distant and unyielding. He barely looked at me. He didn't love me anymore. He didn't attempt to touch me or kiss me. I tried, but he pushed me away.

"Why are you treating me like this, baby?" I asked, burying my face in his chest. I could hear the slow rhythmic sound of his heart as it beat. It made me feel somewhat better. But this closeness was not what I wanted. I needed him to love me, to whisper that our love was stronger than anything.

He didn't answer my questions. He just kept on sleeping and softly snoring. I wanted to shake him and wake him up. I wanted to fight and feel something, beside this emptiness.

A few hours passed and I sat in front of him, staring and waiting for him to get up. The loneliness was slowly eating and beating at my heart. I felt dead and drained from emotions. I just wanted to go home, bury myself in my bed and cry on my pillow. I hated that he could make me feel so vulnerable. I hated that I had fallen in love with him. Why did he bring me here? He said we were going to talk, but why wasn't he talking?

I was mad. I felt angry and deceived. I should be yelling and breaking things. He shouldn't be sleeping so damn peacefully on the floor. He needed to tell me what the hell was happening!

"Stupid, stupid wolf!" I shouted, hitting his chest, totally the stupidest idea ever. "Ouch!" I cried, wincing in pain. I hated him! I hated his indifference and unresponsiveness. I curled in to a ball and wept for my broken, stupid vulnerable heart, for my possibly broken hand and for my stupid wolf!

Embry opened his eyes and stared at me quizzically. "Why did you hit me?" he asked, sitting up, and looking around our surroundings. "Why did you hit me, Madison?" he asked, his voice deep and huskier than usual.

He reached for me, but I shrugged his hand off me. "Leave me alone. Take me home, idiot." I barked, crying angrily. "I hate you, stupid wolf!" I sobbed, scooting away from him, as I stared at my throbbing hand. "You hurt me!"

He gasped, but just glanced at me. Hug me you imbecile! Kiss me, but don't just do anything. I forgive you!

"You hurt me! You broke my heart, Embry!" I sobbed.

"I didn't…" he trailed off, scooting closer to me, taking me in his arms. I sat in between his legs, my back resting against his muscular, solid rock chest. "I didn't mean to."

He took my hand and inspected it and gave it soft kisses. "I didn't meant to, princess." he said in a low voice, caressing his face with my hand.

"Well, you did! Why won't you tell me what you are? I want to know? I can't believe that you won't trust me with your secret. I've told you everything about me. I gave my all to you and I still don't know anything about you! You always avoid telling me stuff that has to do with you. You joke that it's to give you an aura of mystery… well, fuck you! If you don't want to tell me about yourself… then just take me back home and forget about me! I'll forget about you! I'll pull you out of my heart and forget you!" I wept, cradling my aching hand against my chest.

He didn't answer; he just held my hand. "Just take me home Embry." I said, looking down at my hand. It was swollen and turning red.

"I don't want you to forget me." he mumbled, turning my head to face him. "I just don't think it's the right time to talk about it." he said softly, gazing down at me.

"If this is not the time, then when will it be the right time, then?" I asked him furiously, snatching my painful hand away from him. "You're selfish!"

"Ugh," he growled and stood up. I felt cold and despondent. Why must I feel this way? Why did I find it hard to stand up and get out of that damn shack?! It was useless! I was too in love with him. I needed him, like I needed air to breath. It was hopeless!

"Madison, ugh!" he said, pausing. He began to pace around and kicked a few wood pieces that were on the floor, around. "What if you hate me afterwards?" he asked irately.

I looked up at him and shook my head. "That won't happen if you tell me!" I shouted, wiping my tears with the back of my good hand.

"I love you, Embry! Arguing with you hurts me. I feel like I am dying without you." I confessed, opening my arms for him. "I would understand! Can't you see that I love you?" I cried, shaking my head sadly. "Just because you can morph into a wolf… it wouldn't change my love for you."

He continued to pace around, this time looking down at me. His eyes were dark, filled with anger and desperation. I didn't know what inner struggle he was fighting, but he didn't need to do it on his own. I was there, to help him, to ease his burden. We were a couple; we needed to work together or else…

"Whatever Madison! I saw the fear in your eyes when you saw me! You're scared of me, aren't you?" he asked sadly, walking towards the door and slamming his fist against the window pane. It shattered to small pieces and I jumped, startled by the rawness of his anger.

I got to my feet and walked to the other end of the small room. It was cold, as I stood there, leaning against the wall, staring at his forlorn figure. He was sobbing, blood oozing from his hands from the pieces of glasses that were still encrusted in his hand.

"I did feared you, angel." I said glumly. "You were shaking and trembling and suddenly you were gone." I muttered, sliding down the wall, until I was sitting on the floor.

"I feared the creature that you became, but," I paused, holding my hand against my chest, fighting the burning feeling on the back of my throat as I held back my tears. "But, then I saw your eyes and your desire to save me from Micah… I saw love in your eyes. I didn't fear you."

He still didn't face me. All I could do was silently hope that he would turn around and look at me. I missed his happy smile. I missed the way his eyes would shine for me. I missed him!

"I'm a shape shifter." he said, sighing as he turned to face me. "I can change in to a wolf any time of the day."

I nodded and felt something inside me relax. "I don't morph, Madison." he sniggered. "I'm not a butterfly."

I chuckled behind my tears and smiled. "You would be a lovely butterfly." I said teasingly, wiping my tears with my sleeves.

"If you say so, Madie." he chortled, ambling towards me. "I'm sorry if I hurt you. I never meant to cause you any pain." he said miserably, sitting in front of me. He spread his legs and sat me in between them. "I just… I don't want you to be scared of me. I would never hurt you, princess."

"It's difficult not to be scared." I sighed, bringing my legs closer to my chest, and scooting closer to him. "You're always so kind, bubbly and happy around me, and when I see you shake like that, I get scared."

"I'm sorry for that, too." he said, rubbing my arms with his warm hands. "I can't help it sometimes."

I nodded and smiled at him. "Em, is that why you left the hospital that day?" I asked intrigued.

He nodded and laughed. "I would've phased in the middle of the hospital, Madison. I wanted to kill that mother fucker. I swear, that if it wasn't for you, I would've snapped his fucking head." he said lividly, seething with anger as he recalled that day.

I sighed with relieved. "I thought that you left me that day. I was hurting so bad. I needed you and all I got was Paul, Jacob and Quil bothering me." I laughed, staring up at him, behind my eyelashes.

"I just needed time to cool off, baby." he said, wrapping his arms around me. "I didn't want you to see my evil side." he laughed.

"So beating Thomas to a pulp wasn't your evil side?" I asked mockingly, caressing his face with my non-aching hand.

"Oh, well," he paused, bending down his head towards mine. "That was more, like my, protective side." he confessed, spreading my legs and straddling them around his waist.

"So give me all the juicy details about your transformation." I said intrigued. "Does it hurt like they show in the movies?" I asked fascinated.

He shook his head and chuckled. "Not even closed." he muttered, removing stray hairs away from my face. "When it first started, it did hurt. It wasn't a painful hurt, more like a tiring and fatiguing soreness. Like when you run a few miles; if you aren't fit. All my muscles ached. It was so bad, that I was in heavy painkillers." he said, digging his fingers in to my hair.

"Oh, my goodness! What else, Em? Do you have to be angry or furious to phase?" I asked him, pressing my body to his. "What were the other changes that you experienced? Why did it happen to you? Were you bitten like in the movies and became a werewolf?" I asked too excitedly. I wanted to know everything. It wasn't every day that something as excited like this happened in my boring life.

"Calm down, princess." he sniggered, patting my shoulder. "I'll tell you everything. I swear!"

"Alright!" I mumbled, biting the inside of my cheeks to refrain from screaming and shrieking with eagerness.

"It all started when I turned sixteen years old. I was really short and chubby." he said, leaning against the wall and staring at me.

"Chubby?" I laughed, touching his flat, muscled stomach. I pulled up his shirt and stared at his russet chiseled abdomen and ran my hand over his chest. He smiled and clutched my hand and shook his head.

"Yes, I was chubby and really short. Jacob and Quil were taller than me and always defended me. I don't know if I told you, but I don't know who my father is. My mother never told me. There is a chance that Old Quil, Billy Black or Joshua Uley is my father." he said forlornly.

"I'm sorry, mi amor." I said, caressing his face.

"Amor? What the hell is that?" he asked curiously, caressing my thighs, with his large, warm hands.

"It means love in Spanish." I told him, smirking at him.

"You speak Spanish, Love" he asked contently. I nodded and he shook his head. "I didn't know. You could've helped me in Spanish class." he said disappointedly.

"I do, and I really sorry about…well, you know... But continue, please."

"It's OK, princess. I am used to it. It was hard growing up in the Rez. The kids at school would mock me for being half Quileute and Makah. They also called me names, like bastard, fatso and other not so pleasant stuff. But Jake and Quil always stood up for me." he stopped and kissed my cheek, while his hands rested on my waist.

"We were like best friends, but we got along like brothers. Growing up, the three of us looked alike. It was hard to know if Old Quil or Billy Black was my father, because Quil and Jacob are second cousins. It drove me absolutely insane, when I tried to think who the bastard that fathered me was! But, I grew out of it. Anyways, when I was in the tenth grade, I began to lose weight and gain muscle, without working out. I started growing and in less than three weeks, I grew fourteen inches taller. My body temperature started to increase and I was always hot. My mother thought that I was running a constant fever, so she took me to the emergency room and I was prodded and probed by the doctors. Fun stuff!" he said, kissing my neck softly.

"When did you become a werewolf…? I mean, shape shifter?" I asked interested.

"I got in an argument with… I got in an argument with Elaine." he said softly, holding me tight against him, preventing me to move.

"I'm not jealous, continue." I said annoyed. I hated Elaine. But I would stay calmed, since he was telling what happened.

"Well," he smirked. "She wanted to go to a stupid party and wanted me to wear a shirt that she bought me. I didn't want to and that practically was the push that I needed to go ballistic." he said.

It was still raining outside, but having Embry so close to me, made me forget I was cold. He was like a portable and handsome space heater.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked inquisitive.

"It was the push, the anger that I needed to phase. I ran in to the woods. Everything bothered me. My vision got red and I began to tremble. I was shaking worst than earlier. I felt my clothes ripping and my body was distorted, adjusting to a different position. I could hear the shifting of the bones and the pain surging to every part of my body. I had transformed in to a wolf." he said nonchalantly.

"Shit!" I muttered, staring attentively at him.

"Next week, we're having a bonfire. Billy Black is going to tell the stories and legends of our tribe. You'll know more about us, the werewolf." he said casually, resting his head on my shoulder.

"There is something more, isn't it?" I asked, causing him to raise his head to stare at me. "There is something that you aren't telling me."

"I don't want you to get scared!" he said softly, kissing my lips.

"I know that you'll keep me safe. So cough it up and tell me."

"Well, don't blame me if you can't sleep at night." he said childishly.

"I don't mind it. I can fuck you all night long." I said teasingly, but he just narrowed his eyes. "Just tell me!"

"We turned in to werewolves, because… there are vampires." he said , his expression turning serious and somber.

"Vampires? Like Dr. Cullen, right?" I asked, as the pieces of the puzzle started to fall in to place. "You hate them! That's why you were so nervous and fidgety at the hospital, when he was near me. Right?" I asked curiously.

He nodded and eyed me. "What else do you know, Ms. PI?" he asked annoyed.

"I could deduct that easily, now that I have the rest of the facts." I said straightforwardly. "But there is something that I don't understand. Imprinting? Paul imprinted on Rachel, what's that?"

"It's complicated." he muttered, kissing my neck and running his hand down my back. "I don't want to tell you right now, Madison."

"We should," he said, leaving a trail of hot, wet kisses on my collarbone. "We should leave, it's getting dark outside and it stopped raining."

"No," I moaned, running my hand down the back of his neck. "Just tell me." I begged, pouting at him.

"You love me, Madie-baby?" he asked, taking my hand and staring at it. "We should've Sue Clearwater take a look at your hand." he said, kissing it softly.

I looked down at his and noticed that his cuts had already healed. "You also have super-healing abilities!" I said excited, taking his hand with my free hand and staring at the dried blood.
There wasn't a scar. It was amazing, how his body healed.

"I do, Madie-baby. I heal fast, but broken bones take a few days to heal. We should've someone take a look at your hand." he insisted, bobbing his head.

"Nope." I said, snatching my hand. "I want you to tell me everything about being a werewolf." I whined, trying to get off his lap, but he pinned me down against him.

"You aren't leaving my side again." he said, placing his hand over my breast. "I'll tell you, but don't leave my arms." he said slowly, biting my lower lip. "I can also run faster than a hundred miles per hours. I have enhanced hearing and vision. I can smell a vampire from a few miles away. I know when you're near me, too." he said, staring at me.

"You do? How's that?" I asked fascinated, smiling at him.

"It's because, I imprinted on you." he mumbled softly, looking down at our hands.

"Imprinted? Like fucked me and now you're like attached to me?" I asked wryly.

"Um, no…" he trailed off, straightening his back. "It's more like…"

"Just say it, Embry Call." I ordered, pulling away from him.

"It's the way a werewolf finds his soul mate." he said, sounding bitter and sad.