CHAPTER FORTY NINE

BREAKING IN TWO

KAT CONSTANTINE:

Rebecca and I were packing ready to go back to Vancouver. It was an emotional day for us all. Rebecca didn't want to leave her Mom, I didn't want to leave my Embry. My Embry. My fiancé. Embry had a good job in Port Angeles. He worked as a builder for a construction company who specialised in building new homes with solar energy. It was the new thing and he was very busy at the moment. It would be sensible to keep this good job of his, especially as we wanted to get married as soon as possible. But he also wanted to forget everything and come to Vancouver with me today, I loved my job, teaching was what I was supposed to do. I just knew it. I could do this anywhere of course but there were no jobs for me near La Push just now. Embry worked for a big company so he had put in for a transfer to the city. We were waiting to hear some news on that soon. I felt sick at the thought of leaving him behind today. He said he was going to be lost without me and he didn't remember what life was like before we met. I feel the same. It's like my life started the moment we ran into each other outside the Pacific Inn Motel on New Year's Day.

Tears tracked down my cheeks as I let my emotions take a hold of me. Rebecca looked over and smiled at me shaking her head. "Hey Kat, cheer up Vancouver isn't that far away you know!" I nodded but the tears kept flowing and I gave a little sob. My sister came over and hugged me to her. I gratefully let her hold me as I sobbed pitifully. My heart was breaking, breaking in two. "C'mon little sis! You don't want Embry to see you like this! Go wash your face and put on some slap okay?" Rebecca said as she smoothed my tangled hair away from my face. I loved my big sister so much, even when she was infuriating. I splashed cold water on my face and brushed my mussed hair. I applied a little tinted moisturiser and some blue mascara to bring out the blueness of my eyes which Embry adored. I packed away my make up and grabbed my toothbrush as I gazed around our little bathroom for the last time. Our short lease was up now, it was time to go home. Back to reality. Away from my love, my hero, my everything.

I closed the door with a sigh. Rebecca had moved all of our bags out onto the drive way ready to put them in the taxi, which would take us to the bus station in Port Angeles. The distance was about one hundred and seventy miles to Vancouver by road, but it felt like a million miles away to my heart. Rebecca and I held hands as we gazed around the home we had shared for a couple of months. It had been lovely living in the country, I hoped Embry and I could buy a house somewhere just as nice. Vancouver was very green for a city though, I did love my home town a lot. It was a wonderful place to live, but it would now seem a little bit empty because the light of my life would be here and not with me. I smiled as I heard the roar of his motorbike approaching. Embry had come to say goodbye to me. I had my hankies ready as I knew there would be tears. Rebecca closed the front door for the last time and posted our set of keys through the letterbox ready for our landlady to pick up later. We both gasped with surprise as Tiffany Call climbed off the back of her son's bike. She took off her helmet and smiled at us both as she shook out her hair. Rebecca laughed with glee as she made her way over to hug her Mom. Embry approached me with dark sad eyes and a sad smile on his handsome face. He took my hand and led me away into the woods without a word spoken between us.

My back was against the rough bark of a tree as Embry's lips on my neck caused me to moan and shiver with pent up desire. His lips made their way slowly upwards to meet mine as we clung to each other in a last desperate bitter sweet kiss. How I loved him. His warm body was pressed close to mine making me feel flushed and warm. He stroked my cheek as he gazed down into my eyes. "Kat I will miss you so much, but this weekend I am coming to Vancouver to see you I promise" he softly said, his dark eyes sad. I nodded as tears fell down my cheek once again. Even a few days would seem like forever to me. I jumped up into his strong arms, my legs wrapped around his waist as we hugged each other tightly. It was time to go. He carried me out out of the woods, kissing me and whispering words of love. Rebecca and Tiffany were waiting by the taxi which had arrived early. They hugged. Tiffany had been crying but my sister looked fine. She didn't show her emotions much at all but I knew deep down she would be sad to leave her real Mom whom she had gotten to know so well these past few months. I clung to Embry one last time, as I inhaled his special scent. "Call me tonight" he whispered against my cheek as he kissed me softly goodbye.

As the taxi sped away we waved out of the back window to the Call's. I couldn't speak for a minute or two or I would sob uncontrollably, Rebecca knows me so well, she just gave my hand a gentle squeeze but didn't speak. I noticed she had a bunch of large sunflowers with a small card attached. "Your Mom get you those?" I asked. Rebecca shook her head, "No, a delivery guy dropped them off just before you came out of the woods" she said quizzically."Open the card then!" I demanded impatiently. Inside in small black writing were the words Welcome back to Vancouver. We both looked at it blankly. Who had sent the flowers to Rebecca? She wasn't seeing anyone, she avoided relationships because she was scared they would find out something she would rather keep hidden. It hadn't been easy being a shape-shifter on your own in the city with only your younger sister knowing the truth. I imagined Rebecca moving to La Push to be with her own kind, although she hadn't mentioned it to me as yet. "Who could have sent that?" I asked. Rebecca shrugged her shoulders. "Not sure Kat, but they are pretty!" she exclaimed. I nodded and smiled.

Soon we were at the bus station and on our way home. I missed Embry so much, I felt all hollow inside. I tried to keep my spirits up for Rebecca though as she also looked sad and thoughtful. It would be lovely to see my parents again. I had missed them a lot, although we'd spoke on the phone every day. I couldn't wait for them to meet Embry. My Mom was overjoyed for me but my Dad was a bit more cautious of our whirlwind romance. I knew I would have to explain everything to them soon. Rebecca wanted to tell them the truth also, she was sick of the lies and deceit. I reckoned our cool parents would handle the truth just fine. After all they had produced me and I was very open to the supernatural around me. We decided to stay at Rebecca's tonight seeing as it was late by the time we arrived home. My Dad worked early shift at the Post Office so we didn't want to wake him. My Mom was an art teacher at the local art college. She had sold a few paintings when she was younger but got more satisfaction from teaching others. I think I got that from her too. Rebecca had a lovely one bedroomed water side apartment which was her pride and joy. I was sleeping on the sofa bed tonight. We arrived at her home tired and emotional from our day.

As she opened the front door a horrible fishy smell invaded our nostrils. As she flung open the door we were shocked to see piles of rotting fish in the hallway. There was worse to come in the living room. The furniture had been wrecked, the walls had been smeared with blood, most possibly from the dead fish. Rebecca gasped as she tried to take in the devastation, I of course, started to cry. Who could have done this? Burglars? Rebecca was checking to see if anything had been stolen, so far nothing appeared to be. I heard her gasp loudly from her bedroom so I ran through to find her staring at the wall incredulously. There in huge letters glaring at us in black paint were the words WELCOME BACK TO VANCOUVER. Rebecca looked so angry I was afraid she might phase there and then. "Obviously our flower sender is the same person who wrecked my apartment!" she growled. I put my arm around her, devastation flooding my body. Who could do this? A light bulb went on in my head, I was the only person who knew where the spare key was kept. Unless you count the night I had stayed over with Quinn when Rebecca was away on a course. He had seen me retrieve the key from it's hiding place. Quinn had done this! I told Rebecca what I knew. Her dark eyes glinted with anger and disgust. "I haven't seen him nor heard from him for ages though!" I exclaimed shaking my head. "But I have." Rebecca replied quietly. My face was a picture of shocked surprise.

"Quinn Taylor will pay for this Kat,I swear to you."