Forty Eight Embry

Embry what's going on?

Yo Em, what's wrong?

Embry you can't just leave. Mila needs you!

Embry Call you get your ass back here!

I shook my head, trying to get all of their voices out of my head. I knew they meant well. I knew that my pack wanted to help me. But I just wanted to be alone. I needed to be myself. I needed some space.

I need this for me guys. I'll be back soon. Jake and Sam I'm sure that Mila wants to see Nessie and Emily.

Wait, Mila's awake? Leah screamed in my head She's awake and your running?

Chill out Leah, everybody else get out. Jake said to them. Collin and Jared complained but soon left the conversation. Em, what's going on?

She's leaving me Jake. I heard her say she was leaving me and going back with Lira.

Lira? The same Lira who was just trying to kill her. That can't be right.

I know what I heard! I yelled at Jake. To prove my point, I had a flashback.

Em, you didn't even hear the whole conversation. I think you need to go talk to her.

I can't do that right now Jake. I can't go look at the woman I love, my imprint, and hear her tell me she is leaving. I'm not strong enough for that. I'm gonna go back but right now, I just need to be alone.

Fine. But you have to come back by tomorrow morning. You have to come back and talk Mila. He said to me. There was a tightening in my chest and I knew he was using his Alpha order. I didn't bother saying ok, because you couldn't ignore an Alpha order. Jake phased out and I was left alone with my thoughts. As my paws crushed the ground, my heart started to pound harder. I didn't know where I was running and I didn't care. I needed to get away for the hospital. I needed time to figure things out. If Mila wanted to leave, who was I to tell her that she couldn't? Sure she was my imprint but she wasn't my wife. I couldn't demand her mother leave her here. She was still a minor for another month and a half. And being a minor whatever her mother said went.

Just thinking about her mother put a bad taste in my mouth. Literally. Lira seemed like a horrible person. I had no idea how she was even responsible for Mila. They were so different. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts, I didn't notice the smell until it was too late.

BOOM I was knocked off my feet. I jumped up and quickly looked around, the smell of leech invading my nostrils burning them. Off instinct I started to growl.

"Easy wolf boy. It's just me," a voice said. Caleb stepped back into my sight. "Mind changing for me? We need to talk. And I don't understand wolf."

I rolled my eyes and ran behind a tree. Quickly I phased out and came back over to him.

"You know I don't understand you men. You were ready to die for Mila and the minute she wakes up, you bail. It makes no sense."

"I just needed some time to think."

"About?" he asked me. I looked at him, not saying anything. "I know we're eternal enemies with me being a vamp and all but at one point I thought we were friends, or at least working on being friends."

"I love Mila. Ever since I've met her my life has been different…changed. If she leaves and goes back with her mother, I'll die."

"Oh to be in love," Caleb said to me with a smile on his face "I used to think that way about Alex. But look at me now. He's dead and I'm surviving. I mean I don't really have a choice but still."

"No you don't understand Caleb. If Mila leaves La Push and I'm not with her I'll die. I guess the best way I could explain it is this…you know how there are soul mates. Well in our culture it's stronger than that."

"You mean there is something stronger than a soul mate?"

"Yes but I can't tell you exactly what it is."

"Fair enough. I know all about having to keep secrets."

"I really can't leave La Push. You saw what we just went through. I have my family, my pack, and everyone else. We protect everyone. I have to be here."

"Wait a minute…you said if she leaves La Push. Where exactly is she going?"

"Her mother wants to take her back to Michigan."

"What? That makes no sense. Lira has never has a motherly instinct in her body."

"Tell me about it. One minute she was telling the doctor to pull the plug. The next minute she's telling Mila they can be a family."

"WHAT?!" Caleb yelled at me. I looked at him and realized what I had just done. I quickly shut my mouth and shrugged my shoulders. I hadn't meant for that to slip out.

"Keep talking wolf boy."

"I heard her on the phone. She must have some kind of insurance policy on Mila. If Mila dies, then she gets some money. She said the money that she got from Mila's dad when she left was practically gone."

"And you didn't tell Mila this why?"

"Well when I walked in and heard her talking about leaving, I panicked."

"We need to get back now!" Caleb said. He didn't give me time to ask him what was going on. He turned and started running. I followed behind him.