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Chapter 2
In the weeks that followed Harry's funeral I saw more and more of Embry and less of Jacob. I would be lying if I said I wasn't sad about that, but I have to admit Embry did grow on me. He was a little bit quieter than Jacob, more like me in that respect and we got on together as easily as Jake and I did. Just like Jake, Embry hated keeping the wolf secret from their best friend Quil.
Luckily he didn't have to keep it for too long. By the end of April, Quil had joined the ranks of the werewolves and was in on the secret as well. I felt bad that I couldn't tell him beforehand. I still remember our conversation in my truck just two months prior to his phasing, when Quil had been scared to death of Sam's control over his two best friends. Now that he understood it, Quil was ecstatic to have his best buds back.
Well, minus Jacob who couldn't be torn away from Leah for very long.
Seth, Leah's brother, seemed to have taken up that third buddy position, which is how we all came to find ourselves hanging out at the Clearwater house one afternoon in late May. I was focusing on my homework, senior finals were coming up and I needed to bring up my grades from where they sank mid-year. Seth, Quil and Embry were locked into a multi-first person shooter game on the gaming system consoles. They had tried to convince me to play. I gave it a shot, ten shots actually, but I gave up after they promised each times to let me get used to the controller, only to kill me the moment my shooter stepped off the elevators.
I was in the middle of puzzling out the equation of sinB and tanB for trigonometry. I hated the subject, preferring literature over math any day of the week. The boys were yelling at the flat screen as their bullets made the familiar rat-tat-tat sound repetitively when a long, drawn out howl cut across the noise of the game. The boys froze, Seth popping the pause button on the game as they listened very intently. In less than a second another howl cut through the silence that surrounded us.
The three werewolves exchanged a look before simultaneously throwing down their controllers. "What is it?" I asked, not missing the anxiety that crossed Embry's face.
"Vampire," Seth said, filling in the silence that followed my question.
Victoria.
I know my face must have shown the sudden fear I felt. Victoria was still trying to break through the wolf patrols that surrounded Forks and La Push to get to me. She wanted to kill me because she assumed Edward still cared for me. She didn't know how wrong she was. The Quileute pack had tightened up their patrols in an effort to protect me.
"We have to go," Embry leapt to his feet, Quil and Seth following. Sometimes when they didn't think I was watching them, I could read how in sync the wolves were with each other. It was astounding at times to see their bodies unconsciously mimicking each other.
I swallowed nervously, nodding my head at his words. Seth and Quil were already heading out the door, their shirts coming off their bodies the moment they hit the door. Embry lingered for a moment, turning to face me. "Bella, why don't you go to Jake's house and wait there with Billy?"
His words conveyed a bit of anxiety, the same I felt knowing the wolves were going to be chasing after her. I got to my feet going over to look up at him. Our eyes met and I know mine reflected all the worry I felt over their safety. "You be careful Embry."
He lifted his hand and touched his thumb to the bottom of my chin with a brief smile. "Always." Those were his final words to me before he slipped out the door. I followed to watch as he began stripping his shirt off in the yard as he headed for the tree line. The last sight I got of him, was the slender muscles of his back before the foliage hid him. I spied Quil and Seth among the trees as they waited for their pack brother to join them.
Once they left, I gathered my books together and shoved them in my bag. I didn't want Sue coming home to find a mess, so I turned off the console game and cleared the soda cans off the table. Finally I left the house, not locking it behind me as I did. La Push was a close knit community and nobody had anything to fear from their neighbors.
I got in my truck, starting it up. Jake's house was only a few short miles away from the Clearwater's home. The truck protested at first, but a few good pumps to the clutch got it ready to start. I was going to have to have Jacob take a look at it soon.
I know the wolves are strong. Jake told me how they took Laurent down easily enough. But the longer Victoria escaped their clutches, the more I worried that they would end up being hurt by her. I didn't want to see any members of the pack injured on my behalf. Sam said they were protectors, protecting all human life, but sometimes I felt guilty that they were working so hard to protect mine at the cost of theirs.
I pulled up in front of Jake's house, the truck making a squealing noise of protest when I stepped on the brake. If Billy didn't know I was coming over, he would have heard me by now.
I grabbed my book bag and hopped out of the cab, sliding a little in the mud that dominated the Black's yard from the recent rains. I caught myself on the mirror of my truck and straightened up. As I made my way to the front door, Billy opened it saying, "Hey Bella. It sounds like Jake needs to check out the truck."
"Yeah," I agreed, pressing my lips together in nervous agreement. I glanced back at my truck. Lately it had been protesting the start up more and more. "Lucky for me, he's a really good mechanic."
"He's out right now."
"Yeah I know," I nodded my head and tossed my head, indicating the way I came from. "I just came from Sue's. Embry, Seth and Quil joined the others." I shouldered my bag up onto one shoulder and asked, "Is it okay if I just hang here for a bit?" I tried to sound more nonchalant than I felt.
Billy wheeled himself backwards into the house saying, "Come on in." I followed him inside, shutting the door.
"Thanks."
We spent the better part of the hour together, neither one of us voicing our concern out loud for the safety of the pack. Billy focused on the T.V., the evening news beginning its broadcast. I pulled out my homework, but I might as well have been studying the Greek alphabet. I couldn't focus on the trig equations, my mind occupied by thoughts of what could be happening in the woods that very second.
My ears were tuned in to listen for any sign of howls of distress that would mean one of the pack was in trouble. Every so often myself or Billy would glance at the door, positive we had heard something that might give us an indication of when the pack would be back. We were so focused on the outside, both of us jumped slightly when the telephone rang on the end table next to the couch.
Billy answered it, "Hello?" I sucked in a breath, holding it for a moment, fretting that it was going to be someone with bad news about one of the pack.
"Hey Charlie."
I exhaled abruptly. It was just my Dad calling to check on my whereabouts. Billy handed the phone over to me.
"Hey Dad. What's up?" I winced at the higher pitch in my tone.
"Hey Bella. I thought you were at Harry's? When'd you get to Billy's?"
Charlie's pretty clueless about certain things. It's best he's kept in the dark about a lot of things, including the fact that his best friend's son turns into a werewolf.
"Oh we just came over to hang with Jake," I told him, cradling the phone to my ear. "Actually Jake ran out of soda so the boys went to go pick some up. It's just me and Billy right now."
"Are you coming home for dinner?"
I shook my head but Charlie couldn't see it. Billy was watching me. "No, I think I'm going to stay here and eat with Billy and Jake. There's some leftover meatloaf from last night though if you want to heat that up."
"Okay." There was a pause and then Charlie asked, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah Dad I'm fine." I was lying but I couldn't express to him that I was fretting over the safety of my best friends who were putting their lives on the line for me.
We said our goodbyes and I put the phone back on the cradle. I tried to do my homework, I gave it a very honest effort, but eventually I packed my books away. I joined Billy on the couch to watch the news.
Finally at about a quarter to eight I heard a familiar cry out in the yard. It was a Native American "Ky-ah!" call that the boys used to signal when they were back. Billy started to wheel himself towards the door but I beat him to it, my feet carrying me there faster. My hand hit the doorjamb as I left the house and I winced. Doorways liked to move on me.
I forgot the ache on the back of my hand at the sight of Embry, Seth, Quil, Jake, and Leah in the yard. Relief flooded my body and my lips curved upward into a smile seeing them. Their faces were absolutely radiant as they moved across the grass and towards the house.
"How's the hunt?" Billy looked to Jacob for the answer. I knew from Embry that Jacob was supposed to be the Alpha of the pack but he had deferred it to Sam temporarily.
"Bella!" I didn't get to hear Jake's reply because the next thing I knew, Embry was in front of me, picking me up from my waist and swinging me around. He seemed giddy and happy, his teeth flashing in a wide grin. His enthusiasm was infectious and I found myself smiling back.
"I'm glad you guys are back safely," I told him with a laugh. He set me down but didn't let me go just yet. I felt just a slight bit awkward, but at the same time, a little bit pleased that he was holding me. What did that mean?
"Ding dong the leech is dead!" Quil clapped his hands together and then pumped his fists up in the air.
"What?" I was sure I had misheard them. I stepped back out of Embry's arms looking at him. He nodded his head in affirmation of what my ears heard.
"Yeah thanks to Leah!" Seth was looking at his sister with admiration and pride in his eyes. Leah rolled her eyes at his words, but I could read smugness radiating off her body. Jacob's face broke out into a grin as he said, "It's all you."
"Whatever," Leah's eyes rolled again as she shook her head. "I need a shower. The leech stunk and I'm hungry. Who's cooking?"
"What happened?" Billy asked looking between the boys. We headed back inside to make dinner. Leah took a shower while the boys filled us in on the whole story.
Paul and Sam had been on patrol when they got a nose full of Victoria's vampire stench. They immediately howled for the rest of the pack to join them in the hunt. Victoria had managed to escape their clutches all the time by being a hair faster than the wolves and by traveling over water that the wolves could not easily maneuver in.
"Paul and Sam were tailing her through the woods when we phased in," Seth was leaning forward across the table as he told the story. "Jared phased and he was actually ahead of her so he came across the forest to intercept her. Nearly had her too but she's like an escape artist!"
"He lunged at her but ended up nose deep in the riverbed," Quil snickered.
"Of course she's running full out and the only one who can keep up with her was Jacob," Seth piped up, pointing at Jake who was flipping burgers in a frying pan. Embry was cutting up things to go with while Billy and I listened to Quil and Seth.
"Well, it was Jake," Quil's voice was teasing as he looked back at his friend. I glanced at Jacob to see him stick his tongue out at his bud.
"We could all see Leah had taken a slight detour around Victoria. The leech was so focused on staying away from Jacob she totally missed my sister getting in front of her! Leah's fast! Really fast! She ran out ahead of the leech and came back to bite her on the ass!" Seth's excitement couldn't be contained.
"I didn't bite her ass, you moron." Leah's voice came from down the hall where she was still in the bathroom. We watched her emerge, rubbing her short hair with a towel. "It was her shoulder and you guys were the ones who took her apart. I just made her stop."
"Yeah but you're the one who caught her! Nobody else could do it! Not Sam. Not Jacob. Just you!" Seth's glance towards Leah bordered on the hero worship I'd seen him use towards Jake. Leah seemed to take it in stride even laughing when Jake muttered, "Not for lack of trying," at Seth.
Billy was all smiles over the victory. We both heard the tale at least three more times during dinner. The burgers were filling although you had to eat fast around that many wolves at a meal. Embry kept stealing my steak fries off my plate.
Eventually it got dark enough that I knew I needed to get home. I was relieved to know that I could drive home without worrying that Victoria was going to attack me. As I got ready to go, Embry came up and said, "I'm going with you."
I blinked. "Do you need a ride home?"
"Nope." He shook his head. "Someone has to see you home. I'm going with you and then I'll run back."
I stared at Embry. I dimly heard Seth say, "Night Bella!" as he left out of the back door. I mumbled a "G'night" in response, positive his werewolf ears would hear it. Seth seemed to hear everything. He had good ears.
"You really don't have to do that," I shrugged my bag up higher on my shoulder as I fiddled with the strap.
"I know," Embry reached out and took my bag from me. He took my shoulder and said, "But I have ulterior motives."
Ulterior motives? I waved a goodbye to Jake, Leah and Billy as we headed out the door. What kind of motives could Embry have to put himself out like that?
We got into the truck and I started it up with a few more pushes to the clutch. Embry glanced at me with a knowing smirk and asked, "You are going to have Jake look at this soon right?"
"You know you love this truck," I retorted back even as it ground to a start. That weird high pitched squealing sound occurred again as I pushed on the gas pedal.
"I wouldn't pay five dollars for this thing," Embry laughed. "In fact I bet you five dollars we don't make it to Forks."
"You're on." I motored down the road at 35 mph, not daring to crank it higher in the event I lost the bet.
I could sense Embry was watching me from his side of the truck again. "What?" I finally glanced at him before turning my eyes back to the road. My headlights still worked thank goodness. I didn't want to hit any nocturnal animals.
"You must be relieved to know she's dead."
I nodded my head. After a little silence I said, "It's weird you know? I got so used to always looking over my shoulder for her Embry. I feel like I still need to look." I glanced at him.
In the darkened interior of my truck, I couldn't make out his full expression but his voice was steady as he reminded me, "She won't be bothering you any more Bella."
I felt a twinge of guilt in that moment. I had forgotten to thank him, Leah, the whole pack for putting their necks out on the line to save me. My intended thank you got wrapped somewhere in my throat though as I said, "I'm sorry," instead.
Embry chuckled. In our two months of friendship he was getting to know me pretty well. "Nothing to be sorry for Bella. We would have killed her for being a bloodsucker even if she wasn't after you." He got quiet, letting me absorb that information in my own time. "But you're welcome." He knew I was grateful even if I hadn't said the words out loud.
The rest of the ride consisted of Embry cracking some pretty ridiculous jokes he was going to try out on the rest of the guys about Victoria's demise. I pulled into my driveway, earning myself five bucks for the truck having made it that far.
Embry gave me the five bucks, laughing as he said, "I think you're gonna need it anyways to buy replacement parts or a taxi to school."
"Yeah, because that's what all the seniors do that don't have chauffers," I joked back. I got out of the truck at the same time Embry did but he was faster, coming around the truck to shut my door for me.
I became consciously aware of the fact his arms closing the door, trapped me between the truck and his body. Embry towered over me by several inches and his body was developed with lots of muscles just as the rest of the wolves were. Freaky genetics. Beautiful, wonderful, sexy, freaky genetics.
He was looking down at me but I was a little flustered by our close proximity and didn't look up to meet his gaze. We were friends, but sometimes I got a vibe he wanted to move into something a little different. I wasn't sure if I was ready for that yet.
There was a tiny, nagging voice in the back of my head asking if I ever would be ready?
"So Bella," Embry's soft voice spoke, warming me like a fleece blanket on a winter night. "Graduation is coming up soon right?"
I finally found the courage to look up at him, since the topic was more neutral that what I had thought it would be. I nodded my head. Forks High was holding their commencement on a Saturday morning. The Res school was holding theirs the same afternoon.
"We're going to be holding a celebration party for Leah's graduation down at First Beach," Embry's gaze caught mine and I couldn't look away. "And since it's your graduation too, I suggested we celebrate both. Do you think you could come Saturday night?" Almost as an afterthought he added, "It's just the pack and some others. No parents."
Charlie wanted to take me out for dinner Saturday afternoon as a celebration for graduation, but we didn't make plans for the evening hours. I smiled up at Embry as I said, "Sure. Charlie's taking me out to lunch but I think it'd be fun Saturday night. What time?"
Embry gave me the details on where to meet. Pushing off from my truck, he stepped away from me and I found that my front side was alot cooler without his heat being near me. I was almost disappointed.
"Cool, so you'll be there?" He grinned at me.
"I'll be there," I confirmed with a return grin to Embry.
And I meant it.
