Don't own anything except OC's.

Chapter 15: Embry

Quil's POV.

"Is it fixed?"

I glanced up at Embry worriedly and shook my head. "It's nearly finished, at 87 percent."

He let out a long breath and nodded thankfully, however he did not stop pacing. He looked tired and frustrated as he ran a hand through his hair over and over again.

"Is everything okay, Em? You look worn out," I asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he sighed, leaning against the table. "Elle and I have been fighting again, that's all."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. She's still fighting to move away from La Push," he shuffled around a stack of papers. "I keep telling her in a few years after I raise enough money but she's adamant she needs to move now. We can't afford it right now and I keep telling her this but she's not listening."

I smiled sympathetically at him as the bar went up to 90 percent. Embry and Elle had been having problems for a couple of years now. After Adrianna was born Elle began to feel trapped in La Push and craving to go move back into a city. Embry had agreed after months of bickering, but they couldn't afford to move the whole family away yet. I felt for Embry as he didn't really want to move away from his home town and was mostly moving to keep Elle happy. Although, secretly, I didn't even think moving to a city would make Elle happy. She had been strange ever since she had gotten with Embry. She didn't like hanging out with the pack, she didn't bond with any of the imprints and basically talked to her mother on the phone 24/7. I knew for a fact that she didn't want children. She had Jack because she thought she would change her mind, she never did. She had been very close to aborting Adrianna but Embry begged and begged for weeks until she agreed to have the baby as long as he was the primary parent. Now she basically spent her days wondering around Seattle with her mom and not coming home until late night.

"Buy her some flowers and grovel," I said. "It always seems to work for Sam and Emily."

He laughed lightly. "I don't think Elle would appreciate that, she hates flowers."

Grinning lightly, I watched as the bar moved to 100 percent and the computer started up again. "It's done!" I whooped, scrambling to the door. "See yah!"

Claire was coming down to La Push for the weekend and I couldn't wait to see her. Thanks to an agreement with her parents, she was allowed down every weekend as long as she kept up her grades. Claire was one of the smartest and most beautiful women of her age and I was positive she would be able to get good grades and come and see me. She proved me right by coming home with A*'s and A's from her last term.

Since the night of our fight things between Claire and I had improved dramatically. We spent almost all of our free time together just like we had before. Then Claire broke up with Peter, though she didn't tell me what over, and. though I shouldn't have been, I was ecstatic. Claire and I got to spend even more time together without Peter calling and demanded to spend time with her. We fell into a friendship that was as easy as breathing.

I began to realize Claire was astoundingly beautiful—inside and out. She was becoming more spectacular everyday and I couldn't help but greedily take everything she said and did. It was getting harder and harder to deny that I was attracted to her. Every part of me craved for her, which was why whenever she was around I couldn't help but touch her. Simply holding her hand or hugging her into my side would make any uneasiness I felt disappear. She had never once pulled away from me which gave me a giant ego boost.

I felt and smelt her as I ran through the driveway. She was sat at the dining table playing with Evelyn and looked up when the door was fully open. Her gorgeous face spilt into a big smile and she jumped into my arms, "Hey," she beamed. I squeezed her tightly, not able to ignore how right it felt for her to be in my arms. "What was the garage emergency?"

"The computer system crashed," I chuckled, remembering Embry's frantic call. "And Embry couldn't get it working again so I had to go over and mess around with it."

"Did you fix it?"

"Of course I did," I winked and her eyes softened.

Evelyn called for our attention so we played with her at the dining table as Emily went to make dinner. Sam came home, greeted everyone and then went to help Emily. Everyone sat down to watch TV and I wrapped my arm around Claire as she snuggled into my side. My whole body tingled at the feel of her pressed into me. The Uley children were taken up to bath and bed leaving Claire and I alone. In the glare of the TV her silky brown hair shimmered and I couldn't help but reach out and play with the ends of it.

"Did you hear about Collin and Gabby?" Claire whispered as I twirled a chunk of her sleek hair around my forefinger.

"No," I replied softly. "What happened?"

"They kissed yesterday," she answered.

My body froze on its own accord but I remembered that I wasn't meant to care and resumed my previous actions. Collin had kissed Gabby? That little shit! He had told me weeks ago that he didn't see Gabby as anything other than his best friend. I should have known he was lying to me, he wouldn't meet my eyes and kept making stupid knock-knock jokes.

"Oh."

"She's really happy about it," she continued. "Has Collin not said anything?"

"I haven't seen him today."

"Oh, okay."

We were silent after that, both lost in our own thoughts. I continued twirling her hair and I could feel Claire falling asleep on my chest. Suddenly, the front door burst open and I dived forward to protect Claire from potential danger.

"Quil," Brady sighed in relief. "Man, we need you out here."

"What?"

"It's Embry."

That was all he needed to say and all my nerves were on end. I turned to Claire with an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, I need to go and see him," I said, leaning down to kiss her head. "I'll be back, okay?"

She nodded and I followed Brady outside. He took me into Sam and Emily's backyard near the porch lights. "What happened?" I asked nervously.

"Elle's left."

"I'm sorry?"

"She left Embry and the kids," he replied sorrowfully. "Embry got back from work and found her note. She's gone to live with her mom in Miami. Embry's distraught."

"I can't believe she did that," I scoffed in disgust. "What about Jack and Adrianna?"

"She asked Tiffany to look after them while she went to the supermarket. She didn't come back."

"Shit," I muttered. Brady copied me as I took off my t-shirt. "Jack's going to be crushed. Where's he at?"

"Embry didn't have time to talk to them before he phased. He's probably asleep."

"Damn those poor kids."

"I know, but we need to sort out Embry's head before we sort out there's. He's blaming himself and everything. We've all tried to calm him down but he won't talk to anyone. We figured you'd be our best chance."

"Good thinking."

Brady nodded and dropped his pants to the floor, covering his private parts with his hands. "Just a warning, try not to react when you hear his mind. It's pretty morbid."

"Okay."

He ran off into the woods and I watched as he phased seconds later. Sighing, I turned towards the woods and dropped down my pants, kicking them to the side. I check left to right before I phased, running off into the woods. Only milliseconds later I was hit by a strong wave of anger, betrayal and unworthiness. It almost made me drop to the ground in agony, but I ploughed on towards where some of the other guys were gathered around Embry. He was laid on his stomach with his paws over his ears as everyone tried to get him to phase back to human. Embry had been trying to retire and hadn't phased for six months, that was over now.

Embry, I thought to him softly. Come on, man, it's not your fault.

Should have just moved?...what's going to happen to Jack and Adrianna?...it's all my fault...why would she run away?...did I really make her that unhappy?...Oh, God, the kids...

Embry, Jack and Adrianna won't blame you, Declan promised.

You couldn't have done anything different, Embry. You didn't have enough money to move the whole family yet, Aiden consoled.

I could have borrowed from someone...I could have done more…

Embry, she would have left anyway, I dropped down to my stomach in front of him. She felt trapped, you know that.

Jack and Adrianna—

Need you right now. They've lost their mom, Embry, they need their dad with them.

He phased back to his human form so unexpectedly no one reacted for about five seconds. I phased back, watching with an aching heart as one of my best friends curled into a ball and sobbed. Aiden threw me a pair of shorts and I jumped into them before going to comfort him. I gently placed my hand on his shoulder and squeezed.

"Embry, man, I'm sorry," I whispered remorsefully.

"I k-knew it w-was coming," he gasped shakily. "B-but it hurts s-so fucking much."

Unable to think of anything to say, I leaned forward and hugged him. It felt weird, hugging him as he sat completely naked, but I put that aside because I knew he needed it. He cried for a little longer and then gently pushed me away. Declan threw him some pants and he gingerly pulled them on. He aggressively rubbed his blood-shot eyes and jumped to his feet.

"I need to get home for Jack and Adrianna," he muttered, wiping off some mud from his stomach. "I need to be there when they wake up."

"Want me to go with you?"

"Would you mind?"

"Not at all."

He nodded slightly and began to run to his house. I nodded at the rest of the pack in thanks and then followed him. Tiffany was sat on the sofa watching TV when we got back and after taking in Embry's appearance she took him into her arms for a tight hug. They stood there for a while, me awkwardly stood in the background like a lump, until Embry rushed upstairs. I smiled sadly at Tiffany and ran up with him. He went into Adrianna's room and looked over her cot as she slept soundly. When I went to his side he picked up something from the bedside table and handed it to me.

"She left it in here," he whispered quiet enough that only people with supernatural hearing could pick up on it.

Dear Embry.

I can't do it anymore Embry. When I met you I had so much more planned for our lives than ending up in a small town in the middle of nowhere. I wanted to travel the world, explore everything with you, but then Jack came along and those plans were put on hold. I put up with that because I thought we could leave once Jack was old enough but as the years went by I began to realize just how unlikely my dream was becoming.

I felt trapped, you know that. You promised me we would move soon, then I got pregnant again and everything was put on hold and we lost our travelling money. You promised me we would move away year after year and each time Christmas passed I felt my hope distinguish more and more. Money, you said, we didn't have enough. So I continued on but I was becoming unable to breath in this place.

This is the best for us all. I know you never wanted to move away from La Push and neither did Jack or Adrianna. I couldn't live here anymore, it was driving me crazy, so me leaving is the best thing. I wasn't a good mom to the kids anymore, I wasn't a good fiancée to you anymore. Everything was falling apart around me and my only escape was to go on my own, so I'm moving to Miami with my mom. Don't try to find me.

I'm sorry, Embry. I truly did love you, but not enough. Tell Jack and Adrianna I'm sorry and that I'll never forget them but I couldn't do it anymore.

My love,

Elle.

P.S. don't worry, I won't tell anyone about your tribe secret. I'll hold it in my heart forever.

My teeth angrily grinded together and I placed the letter back onto the bedside. If Elle had been in front of me in that moment I would have gladly smacked her across the face, though the idea of hitting a woman made me feel sick. Actually, I would have let Tiffany whack her instead then I wouldn't have to feel guilty afterwards. I was furious at her for leaving not only one of my best friends, but Jack and Adrianna. What were they going to do without their mom? What impact would it have on them? How was Embry going to handle being a single dad?

"You're going to be okay, man," I murmured. "I'll be here every step of the way, so will the rest of the pack. We'll help any way we can."

"Thanks."

I stayed with him until morning in Adrianna's room. I fell asleep on her floor and when I awoke Embry as asleep next to me. Seconds after I sat up, Embry's eyes fluttered open and he yawned. His eyes were puffy and red and all his bones clicked as he stretched.

"Thanks for staying over," he said quietly.

"No problem."

He opened his mouth to speak again but the door creaked open as a tired Jack opened the door. The eight-year-old looked at us in confusion. "Um, dad, Uncle Quil, why are you on the floor?"

"What are you doing in here?"

"I came to check on Ria," he nodded to the sleeping three-year-old. "What's wrong? Have you been crying?"

"Go downstairs, buddy, I'll be there in a minute, okay?"

Jack nodded hesitantly and made his way downstairs. I hugged Embry one last time before leaving him to deal with his family. I felt awful as I made my way back to the apartment, almost like Elle had betrayed me. But why did I feel like that? I ran up to the apartment only to find Claire asleep on the sofa. Smiling, I walked over and gently shook her awake.

"Morning, Claire," I smiled as her beautiful hazel eyes appeared. "Do you want some breakfa—"

"How could you?" she screamed suddenly, flying to her feet and whacking me repeatedly in the chest. I couldn't feel the impact, but knowing she was angry at me made pain shoot through my body.

"What?" I asked, grabbing her wrists and steadying her flailing arms.

She glared up at me with so much mistrust and betrayal, I flinched. It was like someone had stabbed me through the chest. "You turn into a wolf!"

Oh, shit.

Thoughts?

Thanks for the reviews, favourite and alerts! You're all amazing!

I know you're probably disappointed that they didn't have the fight this chapter, and I intended to have it, but when I was done the chapter was over 5,000 words and it didn't make sense to post it when my others are only 2,000-3,000 words. I couldn't skip over the Embry bit as it's important, so I decided to split it into two chapters. The fight is the next chapter, I promise, and it won't take long to post because I already have it written.

Also, thank you for answering my question from last time! But I have another one (sorry, I'm annoying, I know), I'm planning next generation Twilight stories and they're set around the same time, and I was wondering if you would rather read a long story with multiple POV's, or short stories with only 1 or 2 POV's? Updates would also be different, for multiple POV's I would update more as I'd actually only have one story, but if I did 1 or 2 POV's I'd update less because I'd have a lot of stories going on?

So, basically, multiple POV's, fast updates and long stories...or 1 or 2 POV's, slower updates and short stories?

I hope you guys like this chapter, it was actually quite hard to write because this actually happened to my Aunt. I hope I portrayed the emotions right, I really tried to make them realistic.

Pictures are on my profile!

-Laylax