Chapter 12

As Jacob turned his car into the driveway, he spotted Quill standing right at the edge of the pavement, waiting for him. The sun was setting, casting a warm glow on the scene. He was surprised to see Quill there, as they had not made any plans to meet.

He parked the car and got out, walking towards him.

Jacob stepped out of the car to meet him, who looked at him with an accusing expression. "You've been avoiding me."

It wasn't a question.

"Yeah, I know, Quil," He admitted, his expression showing both guilt and frustration. "Things have been... complicated lately. I didn't mean to keep you in the dark."

"Well, then, explain." He demanded, crossing his arms.

"It's just… regular life stuff, you know? School, personal things. Nothing out of the ordinary."

Quil raised an eyebrow, his expression unconvinced. "Jake, we've been best friends for ages. I know when something's up. This isn't just regular life stuff. Spill it."

Feeling the weight of the strained friendship, he pleaded with his friend to understand. "I can't go into details, but you have to trust me. It's for your safety, too. Just know it's complicated."

Quil, however, crossed his arms and shook his head, his skepticism deepening. "Trust you? It's hard to do that when you and Embry are keeping secrets. He's become distant now, too, and it's not just about 'regular life stuff.' You can't expect me to buy that."

The mention of Embry caught him off guard. "Embry's been distant too?"

He nodded, his expression frustrated. "He hasn't gone to school for several days."

"Is he sick?" He asked, concerned for his other friend. He hadn't noticed that Embry had been ill, as he had been so preoccupied with Bella and the Cullens. He tried to swallow the guilt building up in his throat, but it was dry.

"That's what I thought, but when I visited him, he wasn't home. His mom said he was with Sam. I know you both hated Sam before, and now you guys are following him around. What's going on, Jake?"

Determined to unravel the mystery surrounding Embry's new behavior, Jacob got back into his car.

"Where are you going?" Quil chased after him, but Jacob moved too quickly and was reversing out of the driveway before he caught up.

"Just wait here," He yelled out the open window.

Upon arriving at Sam's place, Jacob was met with an unexpected emptiness. The house was completely deserted, with no signs of Sam, Emily, or anyone else. Jacob's heart sank as he realized that something was definitely wrong.

He went around to the back of their house and entered the woods. All seemed quiet, but his wolf would know more. As he stepped into the dense forest, he could feel the adrenaline rush through his veins. Without wasting any time, he stepped out of his clothes, closed his eyes, and focused on the transformation. His body started to vibrate as his muscles and bones rearranged themselves. He felt his human skin rip apart as thick, dark fur started to cover his body. Within seconds, Jacob had transformed into a massive, powerful wolf.

In his wolf form, he paused and tuned into his heightened senses, listening keenly for any sign of Sam or Embry. He heard the ordinary sounds of the forest—rustling leaves, distant calls of birds—and then he heard what he was looking for, Sam's mental voice.

Sam's voice, authoritative and reassuring, cut through the stillness of the woods as he urged someone to regain control. "Focus, Embry. You can do this. Remember, it's mind over matter."

Jacob saw through Sam's eyes: a sleek, slender wolf with gray fur and black spots writhing in agony on the forest floor.

Embry, stuck in his wolf form, emitted a low growl of frustration. He watched silently as Sam continued to coach his friend, trying to help him regain control. His struggles were becoming more intense, and he could sense the fear and worry emanating from Sam's thoughts.

Without a second thought, Jacob sped through the forest in their direction. He reached them in minutes and then lunged forward and tackled Embry, using his own weight to pin him down. Embry fought against him, growling and snapping his jaws, but Jacob held him firmly in place.

"Easy, Embry," Jacob said in a low, calming voice. "It's me, Jake. You're safe now."

Embry's struggles began to subside as he recognized Jacob's scent and voice. He let out a low whine and nuzzled his head against Jacob's chest.

Sam approached them cautiously, his eyes filled with relief and gratitude. "Thank you, Jacob."

Jacob nodded, still holding onto the gray wolf as he whined. "What happened? Why isn't Embry changing back?"

Sam hesitated for a moment before answering. "Not everyone can change back right away like you did. It can take time." His yellow eyes observed the gray wolf, "But if we work together, we might be able to help him change back faster."

They worked together to help Embry regain control of his mind and shift back to his human form.

They spent hours in the woods, supporting and guiding him through the painful process. Eventually, Embry was able to regain control, and he shifted back to his human form, exhausted and disoriented.

"Welcome back, buddy." Jacob phased back and grinned at his friend.

"Thanks." Embry was panting with short gasps, but despite being exhausted, he still managed to muster a tired smile.