Embry

Jacob Black and Quil Ateara had been my best friends for as long as I could remember. Even with them by my side, I hated La Push. It held so much pain for me. My mom wasn't Quileute, and the kids in school had never hesitated to remind me that I was an outsider.

I'd always wondered why my mom chose to bring me here to raise me. Our family was back on the Makah rez, but she had moved here before I was born. Growing up it just never made sense to me. Thankfully, I had Jake and Quil.

When we graduated, I took the first chance I had to get out. The tribe hated Carlisle Cullen, but he had taken an interest in me when I volunteered at the hospital as a teen. Carlisle saw something in me back then. His encouragement and support opened doors that never would've been possible for me otherwise. He covered the entire cost of my education. With his help, I graduated at the top of my class at Harvard and matched at some of the top residency programs in the country. Carlisle needed a new resident, though, and my loyalty to him found me returning to Forks.

Carlisle's reputation preceded me in college and I had it easier than most right from the start. In addition to paying my tuition he provided me with money for all of my other expenses. Taking a handout from him humbled me deeply, but I desperately needed to escape La Push.

I was only seventeen when I went off to college. Charlie Swan called me two months into my first semester to tell me my mother was dead. She'd ran off the road and into a tree. She was DOA, nothing could be done to help her. Carlisle's call came right after Charlie's and he flew me out for the funeral. I didn't feel right burying her in Forks or La Push. The people there hadn't been any kinder to her than they had to me. The only exceptions were Jake's mom, Sarah, and Quil's mother. Everyone else shunned her. We settled on cremation. I kept her ashes, hoping one day I'd find somewhere that feels like home to spread them.

Since I was only 17 at the time, Carlisle offered to adopt me into the Cullen family. Charlie Swan, despite his close relationship to Harry and Billy, respected Carlisle and his family. He and the judge helped to quietly expedite the adoption. We know how many people in the tribe and on the council felt about the Cullens, so it was best for them not to know.

I had heard the legends of the tribe growing up, so I wasn't exactly surprised when Carlisle revealed to me what he was before the adoption and I wasn't afraid. It was a bit of a culture shock for me to go from having one disconnected parent to two loving parents and five siblings, but I thrived in the new environment.

My siblings made multiple trips to Boston a month to see me, except for Rosalie. They would have moved to Boston if not for her. She was afraid to leave her best friend behind. She'd never tell me who her friend was, saying she was from the reservation and she needed to vent to someone that didn't know her. Rosalie called me all the time to tell me about her friend and how awful her husband was. She knew I'd know who it was immediately if she told me her name, and that I'd drive to Washington to confront the horrible man.

When I moved back to Washington, Carlisle had expected me to move to the reservation to be close to Jake and Quil. They'd visited me a few times since I'd been gone, but I decided to get a house in Forks instead. It wasn't far from my family, and it was even closer to the hospital. I could walk to work.

I spent all of the time I wasn't at the hospital with Quil and Jake. I moved back as soon as I graduated, but my residency didn't start for a few months after that. Carlisle and I had decided that would be a good way for us to explain how we knew each other, so I couldn't be seen with my family. It sucked being so close but seeing them less than I did in Boston, but I dealt with it.

Knowing the legends from Billy and finding out what my family truly were, I knew when I came back I would phase. That was when it clicked for me why my mother had moved us to La Push; my dad was Quileute. Back in Boston, I had nearly phased half a dozen times but Jasper had been able to manipulate my mood and stop it every time. Edward knew who my father was, since he'd heard everyone's thoughts, but I didn't want to. Carlisle was my father, I didn't need to know who abandoned me. The awkward part was that it had to be someone with a strong tie to the last pack, which left three main contenders- Josh Uley, Billy Back, or Quil Ateara IV. Of course, this was just our assumption. It could be anyone that was full Quileute, for all we knew. Jake didn't know I knew anything, but Edward had kept me in the loop on the pack politics. There were two alphas because Jake and Sam both refused to follow each other and the council wouldn't let them fight for control of the pack. My first phase was painful, but knowing I'd follow Jake made it easier.

I had always hated Sam Uley and his two best friends. Sam wasn't as bad as Paul, but he was complacent which was just as bad for me. Paul had been the most ruthless toward me growing up. He was constantly destroying my things and picking fights with me. I expected Paul to be more considerate since we both had absent fathers, but he wasn't. Sam had the council wrapped around his finger so nobody batted an eye when he and either of his disciples did anything wrong. Jared was the kindest of the three, but he would back Paul up if anything was ever said to him.

I was glad to be in a small pack with Jake, Quil, and Seth Clearwater. Seth was younger than us, but he had one of the purest spirits of anyone I'd ever met. He worked for Charlie and lived close to me in Forks.

Edward had also explained imprinting to me, and I'd seen it in the pack mind, but nothing he told me could've prepared me for the day I'd met my own. My first day at the hospital I was working in the same clinic as Rosalie so she could show me around. I would ultimately be working in emergency medicine, but Carlisle liked all of his residents to do rotations in the free clinic. It was good experience, and good for the community.

Rosalie didn't ever like to stay in one department for long, and her best friend was another nurse that moved from department to department alongside her. She'd been in this department longer than any other because her friend was hesitant to leave it.

When I opened the door to the staff bathroom and met Leah Clearwater's puffy red eyes I felt the breath being knocked out of me. It felt exactly as Edward had described it. My entire world shifted. Nothing mattered anymore- not my career, or my family, even my own life. Only Leah.

Leah was Seth's older sister and Sam Uley's wife. She couldn't be my imprint. But, she was. She stammered through our encounter and ran directly to the nurse's station where Rosalie sat. It didn't take long for me to piece together that Leah was Rosalie's battered best friend.

I wasn't surprised that Sam Uley abused his wife, but I was enraged. Carlisle had sent me home halfway through my day so Jasper could calm me down. Even my brother's gift couldn't bring me the solace I needed.

It was pure coincidence that Seth had invited me to their family dinner. I hadn't told any of the pack yet, only my family knew. I accepted his invitation. It wasn't until we left her house that he confronted me.

"So, when were you going to tell me that you imprinted on my sister?" He asked calmly.

It took a lot to upset Seth, but I was surprised this hadn't done it.

"I'm sorry, Seth. I didn't know how to."

He didn't respond for a moment. "She won't leave him, you know. I've tried for years."

"Does Sam know you know how he treats her?" I wondered.

"Of course not. Leah wasn't even the one who told me." He responded. He sighed. "You can't repeat this to the pack, but Edward Cullen told me. Leah is close with them, Rosalie is her best friend. Rosalie always guards her thoughts about Leah, but Leah doesn't know he can hear her. He was going to tell my mom but he has heard the way she thinks of Sam and knew she wouldn't be receptive to it."

I wasn't surprised that my brother hadn't shared that with me. Edward hated taking people's privacy from them.

I didn't know what to say to Seth. I wanted to tell him they were my family, and that I knew everything too, but I didn't trust him to keep that to himself.

"What do we do? Is there anything else I should know about Sam?"

He laughed. "You mean you couldn't tell?"

I was puzzled once again. "I'm apparently not as perceptive as I thought. You'll have to explain."

"The son of a bitch has an imprint, and it obviously isn't my sister. That's why she doesn't know about the pack or the Cullens. His imprint doesn't know either, and as far as I know he hasn't acted on it. He feels like he has to stay with my sister because of what they went through, but his demented loyalty only fuels his anger and has him taking everything out on her. He blames Leah for keeping him from his imprint and ruining his life. He tries to keep her from me because he's afraid I'll tell her now that I know."

It made sense as he said it. Sam had been so kind to Emily, and cruel to his wife.

"How'd you find out?" I asked.

"Jake. They were still one pack when it happened. He was there that day. Speaking of, we have to go tell him."

"Can Leah know the truth now that she's an imprint?"

Seth shrugged. "Not my call. We'll have to ask our alpha."

I'd never been nervous to talk to Quil or Jake, but I was that night. Seth was silent on the drive over, and his silence added to my anxiety.

Jake ran a garage on the rez and this was Sam's pack's night to patrol, so he was catching up on repair jobs. Quil worked with him most of the time. He didn't have time for a real job since our pack carried most of the patrol shifts. The council paid the pack well, but I didn't accept any of the money. I didn't need it with my residency. It didn't pay much, but I had access to the Cullen's money.

Quil was standing outside the shop with his hands in his hoodie pockets when we pulled up. He raised his hand in greeting and disappeared inside the building. When he came back out, Jake was standing beside him with a tool in his hand. One thing about my best friends is that they always exhibited positivity. There were few situations that could bring them down.

Jake's bright smile faded when he saw me.

"What's going on?" He asked. "Are you okay, Em?"

Quil looked equally as concerned. I hadn't seen these looks on their faces since my mom died. They'd both tried to talk me into dropping out of school and living on the rez again, but I refused.

Seth joined me, and they both nodded at him.

"Embry imprinted today." He answered for me. Jake started to smile before Seth finished his sentence. "On my sister."

Jake screamed and threw his tool to the ground. It bounced against the pavement and the sound startled me.

"Fuck!" Jake roared. He ran his hands through his hair and turned back toward me. "You know who she's married to, right?"

"Of course I do." I answered.

Jake's anguish seemed to match mine. Jake had been inside Sam's head. He had to have known about the way Sam saw Leah if Edward and Seth knew. He'd sat down on the tailgate of Quil's truck, about five feet away from where the rest of us stood.

"She should know what we are, Jake." Quil said in a soft voice. "I know you don't want to go against Sam, but-"

Jake raised his hand to cut Quil off. "You know that isn't the issue. I'd go against Sam alone in a heartbeat, and I'd win. But could you guys take Paul and Jared? Because I can't take all three. Embry and Seth just phased, they have years of experience."

Quil lowered his head in defeat. "It should be just you and Sam, though. If only their side wouldn't fight dirty."

Quil was delusional if he thought the three of them would ever play by the rules. Paul was as strong as he was ruthless, and he could probably take the three of us alone without Jared even having to lift a finger. I knew Jake could still take him, but not if he had to fight Sam too.

"We could get the Cullens to help us. Distract most of the pack with a meeting or something." Seth suggested.

Jake's eyes went wide before they hardened. "Why would you even suggest that, Seth? I'd never enlist those filthy bloodsuckers to help me with a pack problem."

I hated hearing him talk about my family that way, but I couldn't speak up. My phasing meant that I was at least half Quileute, and I had a duty to help them protect the tribe that superseded my loyalty to my family. Though now, my only loyalty was to Leah.

It was hard to be caught between my adopted family and my heritage. My unknown parentage caused a lot of tension in my relationships. Nobody wanted to accept that their dad had to have cheated on their mother with mine.

As much as I hated Sam, I hoped in a way that his father was the one. That way, neither Quil or Jake would be hurt.

"Your plan wouldn't work anyway, Seth." Quil explained. "One of the alphas would have to be there."

"Isn't there someone on the council we can trust?"

The three council members were Billy Black, Harry Clearwater, and Old Quil.

"Definitely not my grandpa." Quil confirmed. I'd known Old Quil wouldn't be the one. He was outraged at the idea that his son may have cheated on his wife and had mainly avoided me since I phased.

"My dad adores Sam." Seth reminded us. "We'd have to have evidence of him abusing Leah, or I don't think he'd believe us."

Jake stood up. "I guess my dad will have to do. I know he'll listen to me."

He motioned for us to come with him, and he got in the driver's seat of Quil's truck. Quil had a single cab, so he climbed in next to Jake and Seth and I got in the bed.

I'd known Billy Black my whole life, and he'd always been reasonable. Jake was his entire world, and I had to believe that he would help us. He was my best chance of saving my imprint from her abusive husband.

Charlie Swan was at the Black's home when we got there, but I was comfortable enough with him that I told the guys we needed to still do what we came here for. Charlie was Jake's godfather, and he agreed with me.

"Uh oh," Billy said as we walked in. "If all you boys are here together, you must have bad news for me."

Jake nodded and took his seat next to his father. Seth helped himself to some drinks and I leaned against the wall with my arms crossed. I hadn't ever been uncomfortable in this house, but my imprint's livelihood was on the line.

"You okay, Em?" Charlie was staring at me.

I shook my head and Jake answered for me. "Dad, I need you to hear us out. But you have to promise that nothing we say to you leaves this room. The rest of the council can't know about this."

"Do I need to leave?" Charlie stood from his seat.

Quil chuckled. "Only if we can't trust you."

Charlie gave us a curt nod and sat back down. Quil, Jake, and Seth all took turns explaining the situation to Billy. Charlie knew about the pack, but only because he'd been present for Jake's first phase. Jake had been provoked at a cookout and lost it. Thankfully, Charlie was the only outsider there.

Billy's face was expressionless while the story was relayed to him. Charlie, on the other hand, looked furious. He'd gone through two beers in the span of the twenty minutes it took for the story to be told.

"Well, this is quite the predicament we're in." Billy said after awhile. "By our laws, Leah can be told the truth now that she's an imprint. I don't think it's wise for Sam to know about that yet, though."

Seth stood from his seat and banged his hands against the table. "Why the hell not? An imprint can't be harmed, that's our most absolute law. He won't be able to hurt her anymore."

"Will she leave him?" Quil asked. "Because if she won't and he doesn't want her to leave, it's not going to make a damn bit of a difference."

My heart sank. I hadn't considered that she might not want to leave Sam. I knew she loved him, nobody would accept the kind of abuse she had if they weren't in love. Couldn't she see how bad he was for her, though?

"I'm surprised the Cullens haven't told her anything." Seth commented. "They all love her, she's with them all the time."

Jake scoffed. "Yeah, that's part of why Sam's so pissed all the time. He'd probably leave her if he didn't think she'd end up with one of the leeches."

Leeches. I couldn't stand the derogatory terms they used to describe my family. They weren't like others of their kind. Rosalie had never even had human blood before, and neither had Esme.

"Bold of you to say something like that in front of Embry." Charlie said as he took a sip of his beer.

My blood ran cold as all of the eyes in the room snapped to mine.

"Why wouldn't we say something like that in front of you, Embry?" Jake asked me pointedly.

Quil stepped toward me. "Yes, Embry, please explain."

Charlie's eyes went wide when he saw the surprise on my face. "Oh, fuck." He muttered. "I thought you all knew."

"Knew what?" Billy asked.

I threw my palm over my face. There was no way to talk myself out of this, I had to tell the truth.

"Carlisle adopted me when my mother died." I admitted. "How did you think I could afford to go to Harvard?"

Billy was the one who looked shocked this time. "Does that mean you know who your father is?"

I shook my head. "Edward says he does, but I don't care to know."

"Do you know?" Jake asked.

"Of course I do." Billy responded. "But I won't tell Embry if he doesn't want to know."

"I fucking want to!" Quil yelled.

Billy looked at me but I shook my head. "I understand, Quil. But if Embry is adamant about not knowing, we must respect that. It's his decision."

Everyone was silent for a moment. I don't think they knew what to say. So much had happened in the hour that we'd been here. Billy found out Sam was abusing his wife, they'd all found out I was adopted by the Cullens, and the issue of my unknown parentage was causing issues again.

"Back to the issue at hand." Billy said. "We won't tell Leah our secret for now. It's safer for her not to know, there's no telling how Sam would react. Seth, spend some time with her and try to gather evidence. Embry, keep your distance. If she thinks you're trying to separate her and Sam it's only going to push her away from you."

I didn't like his plan, but it was the safest option.

"If you can gather enough evidence, I can arrest him." Charlie said. "It's only a temporary solution, but it may give Leah the push she needs to leave."

Seth laid his head on the table. "I just wish I could tell my dad."

"That's what we need the evidence for." Billy told him.

I didn't stick around much longer. I knew Billy wanted to tell the boys who my dad was, and I had a shift the next morning. I told everyone goodnight and phased to run to my family's home. I needed to see them after everything that had transpired.

I didn't feel good about our 'sit tight' approach to the issue, but Leah's safety was the most important thing.

Now I just had to find a way to explain everything to Rosalie.