CHAPTER NINE

EMILY'S

"Uhhh... you'll never believe what happened..." he started in a scratchy voice.

"What?"

"Jacob imprinted on Bella."

"Huh?" I had no idea what that meant.

I heard Embry sigh, "Long story short...? Bella came to Jacob's. He imprinted on her. When he started to tell her what we are... Paul heard and got mad. Pissed. Paul has the worst temper out of all of us. He phased. So Bella knows. We're driving her to Emily's right now."

"Okay... what's imprinting? Isn't that what a duck does to its mother? And what does Paul's temper have to do with anything?" Embry didn't tell me too much about the wolves. And I didn't know much from the 'book' I had borrowed.

"I'll explain it all when you get here. You're coming, right?"

I sighed, "Sure."

I pulled up to this Emily's house. I was pissed when I found out that she was Leah's cousin. I didn't really have the best first impression of her. But Embry told me to keep an open mind. That there was a good explanation for it.

I just walked in just as I saw some guy hand Embry five bucks. Embry smirked, "Told you she was tough. She does run with bloodsuckers."

Bella still looked out of it, "Wait. We should go back, make sure Jacob's okay."

She hadn't seen me yet. I coughed, "I'm sure he'll be alright, Bella."

She turned when she heard me and sighed in great relief. She ran to me and wrapped her arms around me, "Oh, Heather! I'm freaking out."

"I know," I patted her back, "I know."

She pulled back.

I nodded, "I know about them being wolves."

The guy who paid Embry was saying, "I hope Paul gets some teeth in him. Serves him right."

"No way," Embry scoffed, "Jake's a natural. You see him phase on the fly? I say Paul doesn't touch him."

The other guy smirked, "Easy money. Paul's been at it longer."

Bella gave them an appalled look. They smirked.

A woman walked in and set a plate of muffins on the table, "You guys hungry? Like I have to ask..." She looked towards us and I almost blanched at her face. The right side of it was marred with scars running from her hairline to her chin – red lines pulling down her eye and twisting her mouth. She... smiled, "Who are they?"

The guy and Embry reached for muffins, "Bella Swan and co. Who else?"

I wanted to smack him, "I have a name. Heather."

Embry lightly smacked the guy's shoulder, "Jared knows. He's just a jerk."

"No," he scoffed, "I'm just not whipped by a pretty face. One you have a crush on."

I blushed at the reminder but ignored it.

The woman – Emily – smiled at Bella, "So you're the vampire girl."

"And you're... the wolf girl," Bella said.

Emily giggled, "I guess I am." She then slapped Embry's head, "Save some for your brothers."

She then looked at me, "And you are..?"

"A friend of Leah's."

Her smile faltered and I felt kind of bad. But I pushed it down.

Embry chimed in, "Bella's an honorary wolf girl now."

I gave him a confused look. He looked at Emily, "Jake imprinted on her."

"How 'bout you shut up now, Embry?" Jared snapped, taking a bite of muffin.

"You know Jacob's gonna fill 'em in," Embry told him.

Jared rolled his eyes, "Yeah, I know every stupid thought he has." He looked at Bella, "Wanna know what he thinks of you?"

Emily grinned, "Like you need special powers to know that."

Embry faced Bella, "It's another wolf thing. We hear each others thoughts. Good for hunting. Embarrassing for everything else."

Jared leaned towards her, challenging, "Freaking out, yet?"

Bella met his eyes, "You're not the first – mind reader I've met."

Embry grinned, "Jake's right. You are good with weird."

Bella faltered, "But I don't get – how? Why?..."

"Because there are bad things here," We heard behind us. I turned to see a shirtless guy walking in. He looked familiar. And then I knew. He's Sam. I'd seen him in pictures Leah showed me before their relationship went to shit. "And they're getting worse."

Bella shivered. I stood rigid. Sam moved to kiss Emily. He kissed across her face with adoration making her giggle like a school girl.

I looked away.

Bella whispered to me, "Something... happened. With Jake. I can't explain it. I just feel... connected to him. Now more than ever."

I felt so confused right now.

Then I heard laughing and hollering outside. I looked out to see Jacob and... Paul coming up into the house. Paul walked in before Jacob and took a seat at the table, looking back to Bella to say without sincerity, "Sorry."

Jacob paused at the door, giving Bella a look. She looked transfixed by him. He gestured outside with his head, signifying that they should talk. She followed him outside.

"Okay!" I exploded. Everyone looked at me. "What is going on! I mean... I know about you guys... wolves and shit but... Embry," I looked at him, "You didn't give me any details. What's imprinting? What does Paul's temper have to do with anything? I need answers! The truth. Now!"

Embry sighed, "Sit down, Heather."

I rigidly sat down, and scooted the chair away. "Okay. Talk."

Embry sighed, "The wolf gene gives us bad tempers. The tempers makes us phase. After a while we can learn to control it."

"Okay," I said, "What's imprinting?"

Embry shared a look with the other guys.

"Tell me," I demanded, "No games."

Embry looked at me, "It's not like a baby duck. Imprinting is what a wolf does when he sees his soul mate. The one he's meant to to spend the rest of his life with. Suddenly... gravity isn't holding him down to earth anymore. She is."

I let that sink in for a moment, "So... Bella is Jacob's soul mate."

Embry nodded, "He imprinted on her. And Sam imprinted on Emily."

My eyes shot to Sam and Emily. "Oh." I sighed and looked towards Embry again, "So the hikers..."

Jared growled, "Some red head is out there. She's dancing around us. We can't seem to catch her."

I gasped, "Victoria? She's here?"

"You know her?" Emily asked.

"Yeah..."

Jared went on, "She's always out of our reach. But we don't know what she wants."

"I do..." I let out a shuddering breath, "Me. And Bella."

So everyone knows about the wolves.

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