(A/N: THANKS PANDA4488, and EMILEE, PRINCESSANGELBABE,LIGHTBABE, AUTOBOT-MechanicalOperations, YOUR REVIEWS REALLY MADE MY DAY! I HOPE YOU ALL LIKE THIS!

(Be warned, slight angst/anger ahead in this two part chapter.. And some drama.. But definitely fluff by the end. I'm trying to keep this as realistic and IC as I can, hoping to hell I'm accomplishing it thus far. BTW, this story is mainly Embry x OC wolf centric. I'll have her family and the vampires in here too, but more or less, it's their own story, ya know?)

Story isn't over but the secrets are.

CHAPTER 06:

SOMEBODY'S WATCHING ME,PT 5

( Later That Night - Bonfire)

Nervously, he sat there, watching her face as the bonfire glowed off of it, watching her expression as Sam and the others told the stories about their kind, the werewolves, how they chose someone for life. He almost laughed when she raised a brow, but shook her head as if she were trying to figure something out. He was telling her tonight, Sam couldn't make him not now, because he'd had enough time and many chances to prove that he wasn't completely under control yet, and he'd remained in control nearly in all of them.

"Poor guy if it happened with me, ever." Courtney snickered, joking as Embry argued, "Why?", his stomach churning nervously still. He was going to take her on a walk, farther down the beach in a few minutes actually and tell her and he was hoping to hell that for once, this one thing he wanted more than anything actually worked for him, rather than against him.

It would change things between them a lot, either way. She'd either be happy and accept it, or she'd completely flip out and lose it on him. Or she'd shut down, leave in a hurry and he wouldn't see her again.. He hoped that the last thing didn't happen, he didn't think he'd be able to deal with it, if it did.

"Because.. I'm a pain in the ass, big guy. I'm stubborn, I'm messy, I can't cook or do anything domestic... I stay up too late and play my music too loud. I get into things without even trying most of the time.. I'm not even really that pretty." she added quietly, "Nor am I smart."

He sat listening to her, wondering what made her think all the things she did about herself, quietly. He'd never asked her, but he sort of suspected it came from what her mother, Bella's mother chose to do when she'd came, rather than tell the truth and face it. Love, apparently, made people do crazy things. But love was what he actually felt for Courtney. He had this sneaking suspicion that were these normal circumstances, he'd still have fallen for her, because she just.. There was something about her, even the odd and annoying as all hell things she did sometimes.

Like fighting him on learning how to shoot some kind of gun since this whole red eyed leech who nobody knew had started. She said that guns scared her, she'd panic, probably with her lousy luck, blow off a toe or something, and he'd argued, they'd stormed off from one another. The entire thing had Charlie and Sue almost laughing so hard they shook. Of course, all Charlie knew was that it was your average creepy college guy.

Her throat clearing had him looking up from the hole he'd been staring in his hands for the better part of ten minutes. He smiled, pulled her against him so she'd stay warm and she snuggled into his hoodie deeper as the stories continued.

The entire time Sam was telling the stories of their tribe, Courtney couldn't help but think this was leading somewhere, but she had no idea where. She listened attentively, all the same, wondering if the wolf she'd been seeing were one of their 'shifters' from the stories. She'd ruled it out pretty much, then reminded herself how utterly awkward it'd be for her and the poor unlucky guy who phased, imprinted on her.

Because in her own eyes, she wasn't good enough for that. And she wasn't willing to give up Embry, whatever they had going currently for some other guy who'd had the misfortune to 'imprint' her. She bit her lower lip, a little too hard and muttering , "Shit." she licked her lips, her blood coppery as she fumbled around for something to hold to it.

Embry found a tissue in the pocket of the hoodie she'd sort of 'stolen' from him earlier in the day and announced that she wasn't ever giving back, and pressed it to her lip as he asked quietly, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing.. I was just getting into hearing all this, bit my lip and yeah.. Smooth, right, big guy."

"So you like the stories?"

"Yeah, why?"

He shrugged, mused quietly to himself about that. He knew she was going to Port Angeles U for history, she was as she put it, "A huge history and mythology nerd." so maybe that was why. He knew that the story was ending, it was now or never.

"Hey.. I'm gonna walk down the beach, Bambi.. Wanna go with me?" he asked casually as he stood, hauled her off of the log they'd been sitting on. They'd made it a safe distance from the others and Courtney asked him casually, "So.. That stuff back there.. It'd be awesome if it were true, right?"

"Actually.." he started when he smelled the leech, literally maybe a foot away. Before he could even think, he'd began to shake, growl.. He knew he was going to tell her, but he hadn't wanted to do this.. They must have smelled the blood on her lip.

'fuck.. seriously, asshole? you show up now? you couldn't give me maybe five minutes? And how the hell are you on the res anyway?' he thought to himself as he didn't dare to meet her eyes, his transformation now complete.

Courtney gasped as she stood there, watched the guy she'd fallen head over heels for turn into the wolf she'd been letting into her father's house for a while now. She blinked and muttered in confusion, "Embry? What the fuck? You couldn't tell me this? I thought we.."

She backed up, a little freaked out, and an arm closed around her neck, the same voice that'd been taunting her for weeks whispered in her ear, "Disgusted now, aren't you? Loverboy turns into a dog if the conditions are right." as he spun her to face him.

"Who the hell are you? What the fuck do you.." she trailed off as the gray wolf lunged, taking down the vampire.. the distant howls told her there were more incoming and she wanted to run, but knowing that Embry was one of them now.. Her feet were frozen to the spot. The vampire, if that's what the thing he'd lunged at even was, was trying to gain the upper hand and she didn't think, she just screamed every swear in the book until Jared, Embry's other best friend came up behind her and said quietly, "You need to go.. Like five minutes ago, Courtney."

She nodded numbly, but still didn't want to move, yet she also didn't want to look in the same. She heard the growls, the snarling, the hissing. Finally, whatever was keeping her there vanished, and she took off at a run, tripping and falling more than a few times as she flew through the back door of Emily and Sam's house, fell into a chair, stared at her hands.

"Answer one thing, Emily.. Why didn't any of them tell me? I mean was it like some little joke for kicks and giggles?" she asked as she looked up finally, still confused, a little more than angry at Embry of all people for keeping this from her, especially given the fact that he'd come into her room, at night, on more than one occasion, lie there with her in wolf form.

"They can't, Courtney, not until they've proven that they can control themselves." Emily said as she pointed to the long scar running across the side of her face and then sat down, told Courtney how and why that rule came about, why it was so important.

"He's not gonna.. Get hurt out there, is he? I should have stayed, tried to help, but Jared came out, told me I had to go.. It's my fault, damn it.. My lip drew that asshole."

Emily sighed and sat down next to the brunette, putting her arm around her as she asked, "Did he even get to tell you?"

"Honestly, no.. But I just.. I'm so damn mad at him right now, keeping this hidden.. I feel like an idiot. I mean I should have known something was up... The stories.. They're all true.. Right?" she asked as she grumbled and said "So damn confused right now. I hate being lied to.. "

"I know.. And he hated keeping it from you. He talked to me about it, he and Sam constantly butted heads.. Other than the anger, the confusion, what do you feel?"

"Scared.."

"Why?"

"What if this gets him killed?" Courtney mumbled mostly to herself as she added, "Right now, I'm feeling so many different things I can't..."

The door opened and Paul and Jared helped Embry in. He didn't look at her for a few minutes, he just had this feeling that right now, she was furious with him. So when she got up, walked out into the back yard area and started swearing, kicking things, he started to get up, but Sam said quietly, "Let her get it out, Embry.. Trust me.. Remember how her sister found out?"

"But her whole problem is that she hates being lied to. I'm not losing her because you want me to keep lying to her now.. I won't hurt her, damn it."

"Trust me.. You say that, but if she pushes, you'll snap.. Especially after that close call just now."

"It was Joham.. he was going to.. I don't even want to think about the stuff he said he had in mind.. Apparently, he wants to overturn the Voultri.. He wanted to try again at making a new race of them." Jared said as Sam nodded and then said "But he's taken care of now?"

"Beyond taken care of." Paul snickered as he shot a look at Embry then said "And stupid here was going to kick the pieces after we finished, kicked a log and probably twisted his ankle."

Embry held up a middle finger and watched the door, stomach churning nervously. She was still swearing and kicking things, but she was quieter now. He glared as Sam gave him a warning look and defiantly, he limped out the back door, said quietly, " I wanted to tell you."

"But you fucking didn't, Embry."

"You've seen Emily's face, Courtney. That's what happens if I snap.. I hurt you.. Not something I want to do."

"Know what? You did.. Because I'm sitting here now, thinking about how you were in my room, with me.. I told you things when you were that wolf.. Things I never tell anyone, Embry. Things my fucking sister doesn't even know. Or Renee, my father.."

"Did I use them, even once? Because I could have." he pointed out as he moved towards her. She stepped back, looking at him, debating quietly. Even now, she was so mad she could kick him, but she still felt it.. The pull, the urge to run over and kiss him with no intentions of stopping, fuss over him, worry about him.. And it hit her like a ton of bricks as she stood there in her angered state.. Even if she didn't know about all this, even if this were normal.. She'd still feel that way about him, because she'd gotten to know him as himself.. And she'd fallen for him. Hard and fast, scary as hell, but beyond all doubt and control, completely real.

It scared the living hell out of her.

" I, umm..." she muttered as she stopped, paced a few more seconds, her hand in her long dark hair, wondering what the hell happened from here.

She knew what happened if she walked away from him now.. And deep down on some level, she knew she couldn't walk away from him. Not for good. Not ever feel anything she felt with him, ever again.

"What?" he asked quietly, pacing himself now, wondering why in the hell he couldn't have just defied Sam, told her like he wanted to so many times.

"Nothing, I just.. Damn it, Embry.." she started as she turned to look at him and then asked, "You realize I'm pissed as hell right now, right?"

"Yeah, why?" he asked as she walked to him and pulled him into an intense and angry kiss as she muttered, "That was because I couldn't fucking punch you." while nipping his lower lip, making him growl quietly.

She backed away and said quietly, "So.. That's why you got so pissed when I said what I did?"

"Yeah, I don't get why you say and think all of that crap about yourself."

"Because it's true. I'm hard to deal with."

"You're not."

She groaned and tugged her hair as she said quietly, "Promise me one thing? Okay, no, two.."

"What?"

"This is the LAST fucking secret? And you're not going to go off, do something with this, your ability, that gets you hurt or killed?"

"It is. And I'm not planning on it, Bambi."

"I'm not saying I'm comfortable with it, or I even like you turning into a giant wolf and .. Damn it, I have no idea how to even begin to explain this to myself, ughh, fuck.. I give up."

"You're not disgusted? I mean with what you're stuck with?" he asked quietly as he looked at her and said "Not disappointed it's me not one of the other guys?"

"Jesus christ.. You ask me that? Really?"

"I just did, didn't I? You can honestly deal with it being me.. With you.. For as long as we're alive? Because you heard the stories, Courtney."

"I didn't fucking hitchhike home, did I?" she asked as he looked at her brow raised and asked, "You drove here.. Didn't you?"

"Nope. Car messed up.. Something.. I got Leah to pick me up."

They sat quietly for a few minutes and she looked up at him and said finally, " I realized something when that jackass grabbed me tonight.. The last thing I thought about before I thought he'd bite me and drain me dry was everything I didn't get to do with you.. I realized just how far under my skin you got.. It's scary because I'm not even remotely sure how good I'll be at all this.. I'm.."

"No, Courtney, you're not. I don't think so." Embry finished, knowing her well enough currently to know what she was about to , after a few long and decidedly stressful minutes for Embry she looked up at him again and admitted quietly "I love you. No matter what happens. Truthfully, I was scared that if that did happen then it would mean I would lose you sooner or later if you did imprint on someone else."

Embry tapped her shoulder and made her look up as he admitted "I was scared I would wind up losing you when I finally got to tell you. And I love you too.. Even when you're driving me crazy."

Now that it was finally out he wondered what would happen next.

She added quietly "I am still pissed at you though for keeping it hidden. But you can make it up to me..."

"How?"

"Come fishing with me and Charlie tomorrow. I don't hide things from him and seeing as how I have no intention of letting you go Embry, he's going to have to get used to seeing you around."

"That and you aren't fond of worms right?" He asked ducking the light shove against him she gave while pretending to pout and saying "Uh uh."

"Uhuh" he said as he leaned in and gave her a kiss.

I