#jae.writes

As I try my best to be attentive, I can't help but let my eyes drift around the large group of people that surround the area. It was only supposed to be a small gathering, and that's how it started out, but as it gets later, more and more people show up. I sigh, continuing to scan the crowd until my eyes land on a small group of guys standing nearby. Just by their appearance, I know who they are. Jessica made sure to inform me prior to arriving about the "weird" reservation kids who act like they run the area and would probably show up to stand watch like guard dogs. She and her friends had a lot to say about the four guys, none of it being particularly nice. I don't see the problem, though, because they have kept to themselves the whole time. They speak when spoken to, but other than that, they keep conversation amongst themselves. I find myself intrigued by the reserved strangers.

My gaze lingers a little too long because one of them looks up and our eyes lock. Instantly, a shiver runs down my spine, a sudden rush of warmth replacing the coldness I'm feeling. Something about him draws me in and pulls me towards him, yet I can't find the will to move. He's beautiful, in a boyish kind of way, wearing khaki shorts and a black cut-off T-shirt despite the chilled weather. He's the one to break the impromptu staring contest when one of his friends nudges his side and steals his attention. I'm a little disappointed when his rich brown eyes look away. I watch for a little longer as they share a few hushed words before all of their eyes shift to me. The extra attention forces me to finally divert mine away.

"Hey," I lean closer to speak to Angela, "I'll be back. I'm gonna take a walk down the beach."

"Okay." She nods, "Do you want me to walk with you?"

"No, it's okay. I won't be gone long."

I walk along the shore, kicking rocks until I get far enough away that the loud music and shouting sound like a soft murmur in the distance. I find a washed-up log and sit down, watching the waves crash against the shore before retreating. It's quiet and peaceful. I could probably fall asleep sitting here. The sound of a stick snapping behind me ruins that thought. Turning my head away from the water and towards the forest, I come face-to-face with the handsome boy.

"You shouldn't be wandering around out here by yourself. It's not safe." He speaks as he takes a hesitant step closer to me.

"I could say the same to you."

"Why did you leave your friends?" He asks, coming to take a seat on the log next to me, making sure to leave a little space between us.

"They are hardly my friends." I laugh dryly, staring back out at the water. "I didn't even want to come."

"Then why did you?" I shrug in response, not really having a reasonable answer to give. "I could give you a ride home if you want."

"I don't even know you." I chuckle. "Didn't you just lecture me about it not being safe to wander off out here alone, and now you're offering me a ride home. Talk about stranger danger. This is literally the plot and premise of every teen slasher film."

"It was hardly a lecture. More of a piece of valuable advice." He smiles, offering his hand to shake. "I'm Embry Call."

"Y/N Y/L/N." I reply, grabbing his hand. It's unbelievably warm yet comforting.

"Now we're not strangers. Want to take me up on my offer now?" He asks. "If not, you could always go back and ask that Newton kid to tell you another story to help pass the time."

"I would rather step on a Lego than listen to another one of his stories." I scoff. "But I should let Angela know I'm leaving first."

"Let's go then." He chuckles and stands up, waiting for me to rise to my feet before leading me back to the bonfire.

• ───────────────────────────── •

The drive to my house seems to go by quickly. We make small talk here and there until the conversations eventually fizzle out completely and we fall into a comfortable silence. There's a weird tension that lingers in the air. Not a bad weird, just different. I want to know more about him but he's a little closed off. When we speak, it seems like he wants to let me in, he wants to talk to me, but something is stopping him from getting too deep. Despite that, he makes me feel at ease.

"We're here." he speaks softly, pulling me from my thoughts.

"Oh, okay. Thanks for the ride." I reply, attempting to hide my disappointment with a smile. "And for not killing me." I tack on a joke for further convincing.

"No problem." He laughs as he opens his door to get out. He comes around to my side and opens my door for me, grabbing my hand gently to help me out of the truck. "I'll wait here until you get inside."

"Okay," I nod. "Will I see you around?"

"Maybe." He shrugs.

"Goodnight, Embry."

"Goodnight, Y/N." The way my name rolls off his tongue so soft and smooth sends a gentle shiver running through me. Every thought in my brain vanishes and it's only the sound of his voice playing over and over again like a broken record.

By the time I make it up to my room, I'm smiling hard and surely sporting flushed cheeks. I look out my window to check, and there he is, still waiting like he said. I wave down at him once we make eye contact. He smiles and waves back before climbing into the truck and reversing out of the driveway.

I go about my usual nightly routine before finally settling into bed. The smile that this mysterious boy has somehow managed to plant on my face has yet to disappear. I think back over our interactions throughout the night, and although they had been small and more than likely meaningless to him, they had me giggling and kicking my feet like a little schoolgirl. Figuratively, of course. Once I manage to calm myself down, I close my eyes and begin to drift off to sleep, whispering a quick prayer that tonight was only the first and not the last time I would be seeing the handsome stranger.

• ───────────────────────────── •

"That movie was awful." I scoff, walking with the rest of the group out of the theater.

"I thought it was awesome!" Mike exclaims.

"How? There was an unnecessary amount of blood and gore that did absolutely nothing for the plot, and the graphics were horrible."

"Woah there! Didn't know we had a professional movie critic on our hands." Mike jokes, receiving laughter from the rest of the group.

I roll my eyes as they begin gushing and raving about the action movie as we walk down the street. I fall back behind the group a bit, putting a little distance between me and them, but not too much that it's noticeable. Not that I think they would notice anyway. Despite having hung out with them numerous times since the bonfire two weeks ago, my friendship with them hasn't progressed at all. I just don't feel much of a connection with any of them, other than Angela.

"Hey, Y/N!" A call of my name pulls me out of my thoughts. I look up at Angela and her friends to find the source, only to see them looking back at me, confusion written on all of their faces. "Hey!" The masculine voice calls again from behind me, a little closer this time. I turn around this time, coming face-to-face with one of the guys from the bonfire, Embry and a couple of others not far behind.

"Do I know you?" I ask.

"No, but I know you. I'm Jared Cameron." He offers me his hand to shake.

"Y/N Y/L/N." I shake his outstretched hand. The next one to introduce himself has short, curly hair and a boyish grin on his face.

"Quil Ateara. The fifth, but the greatest." He chuckles, shaking my hand. The last one steps up wearing a smug expression as he introduces himself.

"Paul Lahote." He smirks, grabbing my hand and bringing it up to his lips. However, before he can make contact with my skin, he is stopped by Embry's stern voice.

"Enough, Paul." He orders to the snickering man.

"Hi, Embry." I redirect my attention to the boy who stands a few steps behind the others.

"Hey." He replies, our gazes locking briefly before he looks away.

"We're heading to a little restaurant down the street," Jared explains. "Wanna join?"

"Oh uh-" As I try to find the words to respond to his spontaneous offer, I'm interrupted by the voice of a female, that I have come to realize I am not the biggest fan of.

"Hey, Y/N. Who are your friends?" She asks, leaving me no time to respond before turning to introduce herself. "Hi, I'm Jessica Stanley." A chorus of 'hey's and 'hello's come from the group in response.

"We're heading home if you're ready." She directs her attention to me this time.

"Okay."

"We were actually offering her to join us for dinner," Quil states, presenting the offer Jared had extended to me just a few moments ago. "If she hasn't eaten yet."

"That's so kind of you." Jessica speaks with fake enthusiasm.

"Will you?" Jared questions, eyes trained on mine.

"Sure." I nod, turning to the group I had come with. "If that's okay with all of you."

"Go ahead." Angela is the one to step up and speak, a small but noticeable smile on her face. "Text me when you get home?"

A simple nod is all she needs before she grabs Jessica's hand and guides her back over to their group.

"Let's go," Paul speaks, throwing his arm over my shoulder as if we've known each other for years, and begins to lead me away. "I'm starving."

The restaurant we end up at is a cute, family-owned Italian place. It's cozy and welcoming, much like the rowdy group of boys who invited me to it.

"You have got to try the pizza," Quil leans in from his chair beside me to show me the options on the menu. "It's amazing."

"You think so?" I ask, amused by his never-ending enthusiasm.

"I know so." He winks, flashing me a toothy grin.

"The chicken alfredo is also really good." Jared adds from his seat on the other side of the table. I take their suggestions into consideration as I browse the menu.

"Everything looks and sounds delicious," I say, a sigh of defeat passing through my lips. "I don't know what to choose."

"We could order a couple plates of pasta and a few large pizzas to share. The portions are pretty big." Jared suggests.

"That's fine with me." I nod. "I'm still kind of full from the popcorn I ate at the theater so I won't be able to finish a full meal by myself."

"Don't you worry your pretty little head," Quil taps the tip of my nose with his index finger, forcing a giggle out of me at his antics. "Whatever you don't eat, I can gladly finish for you."

"Sounds like a plan then." I smile.

Once we finalize our decisions and put in our orders, we fall into easy conversation. A majority of it is Jared, Quil, and Paul bickering about random stuff or asking me questions. Despite their endless chatter, I can't help but let my mind linger on the quiet male sitting directly to my left. Before I can gather the courage to talk to Embry, Paul grabs my attention.

"How come you hang out with that Newton kid and his friends if you can't stand them?"

"Huh?" His question throws me off a bit.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but you didn't seem too thrilled when we saw you outside of the theater." He elaborates. "And you looked a little annoyed when that Jennifer girl butt in to our conversation."

"You mean Jessica?" I chuckle as I correct him.

"Yeah, her." He nods.

"I wouldn't say that I dislike them, necessarily." I shrug. "I just don't click with them well, I guess. Angela is cool, and Eric isn't too bad, but the others are just so...I don't know. Jessica has to always be the center of attention, and Mike is overly flirtatious and too handsy for me."

"Handsy?" Embry questions, addressing me for the first time since out intial greeting outside of the theater. "Has he touched you?"

"It's nothing bad," I assure him. "It's just little things like trying to hold my hand or mess with my hair. Just weirds me out a bit."

"He still shouldn't be trying to touch you without your permission." He grumbles. "Someone needs to put him in his place."

"It's fine." I shrug. "He's harmless, just doesn't understand boundaries." Before he can say anything else, the food arrives.

"Is there anything else I can get for you?" The waitress asks after placing all of the food on the table. A chorus of "no's" and "no thank you's" float around the table. "Okay. Just call for me if you need me." As soon as she walks away, we all dig in.

"I am stuffed!" I exclaim after taking the last bite of pasta on my plate. There's still half a dish of pasta and a full pizza left on the table, but at the rate that the boys are eating, I'm positive it will be gone soon.

"You humans and your small appetites." Quil laughs around a mouth full of pizza. His comment earns him a harsh glare from the others.

"Humans?" I laugh at his strange words. "What are you, then? A dog." The table falls quiet as the four share a look before breaking out into nervous laughter. Ignoring their weird response, I change the subject.

"So, what is school like on the reservation?" I ask.

"Boring," Jared replies. "And a lot smaller than public schools."

"What do you do for fun?"

"We spend a lot of time hanging out with our friend Sam and his fiancee, Emily, at their place. It's our home away from home." He answers.

"Or going cliff jumping." Paul adds.

"Cliff jumping?" My eyes widen as I repeat the words back to him. "Is that even safe?"

"No, but it's fun as hell." Quil chuckles. "Gives you a huge adrenaline rush. You should come with us and give it a try some time."

"Absolutely not." Embry interjects, shutting down his suggestion before I can answer for myself. "She could get seriously injured, if she doesn't die from it."

"She'll be fine." Paul jumps in. "Jacob's little leech lover did it and survived."

"Barely." Embry scoffed. "Jacob had to pull her out and perform mouth-to-mouth on her."

"Well, it's a good thing she will be with us then." Paul responds cheekily. "What do you say, Y/N? I don't mind providing a little mouth-to-mouth if necessary."

"I'll pass."

"You should come hang out on the rez, then? At Sam and Emily's place." Jared suggests.

"I don't know." I shake my head. "I don't want to intrude. You seem like a really tight-knit group."

"It's fine." He waves me off. "You'll fit right in." A smug look flickers across his face, as if he knows something that I don't.

"Maybe, but not tonight. I need to get home soon."

"Of course." Jared nods. "Let's pay the bill and then we can head out."

• ───────────────────────────── •

"Are you sure this is okay? They won't mind that I'm here?" I ask Quil as we make our way up the drive way toward Sam and Emily's house.

"Of course not." He gives me a reassuring smile. "We've told them all about you, and they are excited to meet you. Emily's happy to have another female to hang out with. Something about there being too much testosterone around here." He rolls his eyes laughing. "Word of advice though. Don't stare at Emily's face. It pisses Sam off."

"Noted." I nod as we walk up the steps.

"Honey, I'm home!" Quil shouts into the house as he throws the door open.

"Please leave." Paul deadpans.

"Hi! You must be Y/N." A woman greets warmly as she makes her way across the kitchen, making sure to smack Paul in the back of the head and telling him to be nice. "I'm Emily Young." She introduces herself as she pull me into a hug.

"Yes, I am." I nod smiling, reciprocating her hug. "Nice to meet you."

"I'm Sam Uley." A man steps up next to her, greeting me as he does. "That's Seth and Leah Clearwater," He gestures to two other unfamiliar faces sitting at the kitchen table. "And you know the rest of the hooligans."

"Hooligans?" Jared scoffs. "I'll have you know that I am a very distinguished young man." He says as he adjusts his invisible tie.

"Yeah, maybe compared to a caveman." Paul retorts, causing Jared to retaliate by intiating a wrestling match in the small kitchen.

"Enough, you two." Sam barks, trying and failing to hide his amusement at their antics.

"Come sit." Emily turns to me, gently ushering me to the only empty chair at the table, which happens to be right next to Embry.

"Hey," He greets in a quiet whisper as I take a seat.

"Hey."

"Are you okay?" He questions, a look of concern on his features.

"Yeah," I nod. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You just seem a little tense." He answers. "And they can be a lot sometimes, even for someone like me who has spent years dealing with them."

"I'm okay," I assure him with a smile. He simply nods before turning to finish his lunch as Emily sets a plate down in front of me.

"I'm not sure if you've eaten already but I saved a plate for you." She explains. "Food doesn't last long around here with all of these men so I made sure to put some aside when I heard you were coming."

"I'm starving, actually. I haven't eaten yet today." I reply. "Thank you!"

"You haven't eaten? Like, at all?" The boy named Seth asks from his spot opposite of me.

"No." I shake my head. "I was up late last night writing a paper for my English class and started working on it again as soon as I woke up. I guess I got a little too carried away and forgot to eat anything. But hey! At least I finished my paper. Four days early at that."

"You should still make sure you're eating properly though." Embry states.

"Of course." I nod in agreement. "It's a bad habit I've been trying to kick for years. Once I get locked in on something, it's hard to step away. My mom has lectured me, like, a million times about it."

"So it happens often, is what I'm hearing." Emily steps in, her mom voice making an appearance."

"More often then it should." I respond sheepishly.

"That settles it then." She shakes her head in disbelief. "I'm now making it my personal duty to make sure you are eating three full meals a day. Can't have you getting sick on us."

"You don't have to do that." I argue.

"I know I don't have to, but we take care of our own around here. I know you're new to the group, but I already consider you one of us." She explains, her tone leaving no room fro argument.

"Okay." A blush warms my cheeks as I finally begin to dig into my food.

"Embry." Sam calls his name from where he stands by the kitchen door. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

He responds with a nod before rising from his chair and following Sam outside. They are standing on the porch right outside the door, speaking in hushed whispers. As the conversation goes on, Embry seems to grow increasingly frustrated or angry, I assume by the expressions on his face. A few more words are shared between the two before Embry stomps off the porch and Sam returns to the kitchen, letting out a heavy sigh as he enters. The others give him a questioning look, but all he does is shake his head in response.

"What are you doing tonight?" He asks, coming to sit at the table next to Emily.

"Nothing really." I shrug. "Planned on just hanging out at home and reading a book."

"Lame!" Quil and Jared shout simultaneously.

"I'm hosting a bonfire tonight if you would like to join."

"Please do!" Emily almost begs. "You can meet the other girls as well. Kim and Rachel, Jared's and Paul's girlfriends."

"Sure," I nod. "Why not?"

"Perfect!" She smiles. "Would you like to run into town with me? I need to grab some groceries for the barbeque."

"Of course. I don't have anything else to do."

"Let me go grab my purse."

• ───────────────────────────── •

"Hey, Emily. Can I ask you something?" I ask as we walk down another aisle to grab the things she needs.

"Ask away."

"Does Embry not like me or something?" I question. "Like, did I do something wrong? Or offend him in some way?"

"Of course not." She shakes her head at my words. "Why would you think that?"

"I don't know." I shrug, nervously fidgeting with the loose threads on my sweater. "He just seems closed off when I'm around. I just thought maybe it was something I did."

"That's just Embry." She reassures me. "He's always been more of an introvert compared to the other guys."

"You sure?"

"I'm positive." She stops walking and turns to face me. "Don't read too much into it. Just give him time. He'll come around." I nod in response, choosing to trust her words and expel those negative thoughts from my head. "Now come on, we only have a few more things to grab and I'm afraid those bozos might destroy the house if they are left alone too long." She giggles as she begins walking again, me following close behind.

When we return to the house, the guys are horsing around outside, as Emily and I head to the kitchen to put everything away. Once all of the groceries are in their rightful place, she begins to prep what will be needed for dinner.

"Is there anything I can help with?"

"No, I got it, but thanks." She politely declines. "Why don't you head outside. Or you can hang out in the living room and watch some TV. Whatever you want to do."

"You sure?"

"Yep."

I begin to make my way towards the door to go outside when I notice Embry sitting on the couch by himself. I hesitate briefly before making up my mind and stepping towards the living room instead.

"Hi, Embry." I speak softly, as not to startle him.

"Hey, Y/N." He greets, glancing at me over his shoulder and then turning his attention back towards the TV.

"What're watching?"

"Nothing, really. Just flipping through channels to see if anything good is on. So far, I've found nothing." He shrugs.

"Do you mind if I join you?"

"No, I don't mind." He scoots over to make room on the couch. We fall into a tense silence as he continues to flip through channels before he finally settles on a true crime show.

"Are you excited for the bonfire?" He asks, finally breaking the silence and turning his head to look at me, our gazes interlocking.

"Yeah, actually. I am." I reply, smiling. This is the first time we've had an actual conversation together since the one we had on the night we met and I can't help but feel giddy about it.

"Good." He nods, he lifts one of his hands to tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "You look beautiful, by the way."

"Oh, uh, thank you." I can feel my cheeks heat up instantly. "You do, too. Look handsome, I mean. Not beautiful. Not that you aren't beautiful, I just-" I blush harder as I stumble over my words.

"Thank you." He interrupts, chuckling softly.

Our conversation dies out as we stare into each other's eyes. However, the silence this time is much more comfortable. Without realizing it, we had begun to lean into each other. So close that our noses are almost touching.

"Can I-" Embry begins to speak but is cut off as Sam's voice carries through from the kitchen.

"Embry, come out. I need your help gathering the fire wood."

"Okay, be right there." He replies, backing away. "I'll talk to you in a bit, okay?"

"Okay. Yeah." I nod, another blush dusting my cheeks as I start to think about what would have happened if Sam hadn't come in.

Embry then gets up from his spot beside me, leaving me with a soft smile and following Sam out the door.

• ───────────────────────────── •

The bonfire burns brightly, providing some warmth against the chilly night air. I sit with the other girls, talking and laughing as the guys kick around a soccer ball off to the side. Just like Emily, Kim and Rachel are kind and inviting, making it easy to fall into comfortable conversation. Even Leah, despite her quiet nature.

"So, you and Embry, huh?" Rachel nudges my side gently with her elbow, wiggling her eyebrow suggestively.

"What about me and Embry?" I ask confused.

"Are y'all, like, a thing?" Kim is the one to ask the question.

"Oh, no. Definitely not." I shake my head, laughing at the incredulousness of the idea. "If you haven't noticed, he barely speaks to me."

"Which is kind of crazy to me because the guy can barely keep his eyes off of you." Rachel says.

"Right!" Kim exclaims. "Glad I'm not the only one who noticed."

"You're seeing things." I argue.

"But you like him though, don't you?" Leah asks.

"Would you think I'm crazy if I said yes?" I bite my lip nervously. "He. doesn't even give me the time if day. Today was the first time we've held a conversation that was longer than three words since the night we met, but I can't help but be drawn to him. Like some kind of invisible string is keeping me tied to him. I sound weird and obsessive, don't I?" I sigh, feeling embarrassed at my admission.

"Not at all." Emily smiles, providing me with some comfort. "Like I said earlier, just give him a little time."

"You should-" Before Rachel can finish what she is going to say, they sound of men arguing grabs all of our attention.

"I said back off, Paul!" Embry shouts angrily at his friend.

Paul laughs menacingly. "Oh yeah? Or what?"

Embry lets out what I can only describe as a deep growl as his body begins to shake in anger.

"Careful there, Call." He says mockingly. "Don't want to lose your cool in front of your girlfriend." Those words seem to be the final trigger, because on my next breath, Embry's clothes shred to pieces as he turns into a giant wolf.

All of the air leaves my lungs as the scene unfolds. Paul is next, shifting into a massive beast in the blink of an eye, right as Embry lunges for him. The two begin to fight, large jaws snapping at each other as they roll on the ground.

"What the actual fuck?" I whisper as I finally catch my breath.

"Leah, Emily." Sam calls. "Get her inside." As soon as the words leave his mouth, a black wolf, larger than the other two, takes the place where his once human form stood. The others soon follow, beginning to chase after the two who have now managed to tumble into the forest.

"Can someone please explain to me what the hell just happened?" I gasp out as we make our way into the living room.

"It's not really our place to say, but Sam can as soon as he gets back." Emily places a comforting yet firm hand on my shoulder, forcing me to take a seat on the couch.

"They're not gonna kill each other, are they?" The horrifying thought leaves my lips before I can stop it.

"No," Rachel shakes her head. "They'll be fine. This actually happens quite often."

"That doesn't make me feel any better." I look at her as if she is insane."

"Sam will calm them down, and then they will all return safely. Not scratch or bruise in sight." Kim explains. I nod, taking a deep breath.

"So they're werewolves?"

"We prefer the term 'Shifter'." Leah states.

"Can all of you do that?"

"Nope. Just me and the guys."

"You're the only female that can turn into a wolf?"

"The only one known." She nods.

"Okay." I nod, trying to process the new found information. "Wow! This is a lot to take in."

"You're handling it pretty well, though." Kim giggles. "I half expected you to run off screaming."

We sit waiting for about ten minutes, them answering the questions they are allowed to answer, before the door swings open. Jared, Quil, and Seth walk into the house, Sam, Paul, and Embry moments after.

"Sorry about that, Y/N." Paul laughs as he throws himself down on the floor in front of where Rachel sits.

"No problem." I respond before turning my attention towards Sam.

"I'm sure you have a few questions."

"That's the understatement of the century." Sam chuckles at my response as he begins to explain everything. Their history, abilities, what causes the first shift, what triggers every shift after, how they control it. He goes on for what feels like half an hour until he feels that he has covered everything.

"Now that that is out of the way, there is one more thing you must know, but it's best if you and Embry discuss that privately."

"Um...okay?" I turn to look at Embry, who is still standing next to the door.

"Can I give you a ride home?" He asks. "I'll explain on the way there."

"Sure." I nod, standing from the couch. "Thanks for inviting me. Despite all of the chaos, I really enjoyed spending time with you all."

"Of course, Y/N." Sam smiles gently. "You're welcome any time."

• ───────────────────────────── •

The first ten minutes of the twenty-minute drive pass in silence. Neither of us willing to break it, but eventually I speak, not being able to stand the tension anymore.

"Embry?" I call his name softly, my voice coming out as almost a whisper. "There was something you wanted to tell me."

"'Want' isn't exactly the word I would use, but I don't really have a choice." He sighs heavily. "For starters, I want to apologize. I didn't want to drag you into this. I tried to keep my distance, but my friends were hellbent on playing matchmakers. If it had been up to me, tonight wouldn't have ever happened."

"Oh." His words trigger an ache in my chest.

"It's not that there is anything wrong with you. You're great, actually. It's just that I didn't want to bring you into my world because it's too dangerous for you."

"Dangerous? How? What does any of this have to do with me?"

"That leads to my next point. There is this thing that us Shifters do. It's called imprinting." He explains as he slows the car down before pulling over to the side of the road and putting the car in park.

"Imprinting?" I ask as he turns to me, eyes locking onto mine.

"Yeah. In looser terms, it's kind of like finding our soulmate. The one person we are destined to be with. When we find our imprint, they instantly become the one thing in this world that we would do anything for. We will become anything they want or need us to be. A protector, a friend, a lover. They become the center of our whole world. The gravity that holds us to the Earth. Everything and everyone in our lives suddenly comes second to them."

"Are you saying that-"

"Yes," He nods, responding before I can finish my sentence as if he had read my mind. "That night we first met, on the beach in La Push, I imprinted on you. It's not something we can control, it just happens. We don't choose who we imprint on. The moment I looked into your eyes, my fate was sealed."

"Is that why you avoided me? Did you want it to be someone else?"

"No." He shakes his head. "I was avoiding you because bringing you into all of this is dangerous. There are other supernatural beings that exist, and just you breathing puts you in danger because of the connection we have."

"Other supernatural beings? Like what?"

"Vampires. Those are our biggest enemies and what triggered out phases."

"Vampires," I mutter his words back to him in disbelief. "Here in Forks?" He nods in response.

"So if you don't have control over the bond, what would happen if I didn't want it?" I question. "Not saying that I don't, just asking." I quickly explain.

"You could reject it, but it wouldn't be easy. For either of us. The longer we spend apart, the more it will begin to hurt. Not just emotionally but physically too. We would both grow weaker, and it would affect my shifting and other abilities."

"Wow."

"And I'm not saying that to scare you at all, just answering your question honestly."

"So what does that mean for us?"

"What do you want it to mean? Like I said, you are now my sole purpose of living. Your safety and well-being, your life, are now my greatest priority. I will be whatever you need me to be."

"Okay. So, if I wanted to pursue something romantically, would you only be doing it because you have to? Because I actually really like you. Like a lot. But I don't want to force you into anything that you don't actually want."

"I like you, too. And I'm not just saying that because of the bond. I do genuinely mean that. I know it didn't seem like it because of how I acted and how I treated you, but the more time I've spent around you, the more my feelings have grown. My feelings for you are real, they are just amplified by the connection we have."

"Okay."

"Is that want you want?" He asks. "To pursue this romantically?"

"Maybe." I shrug. "Do you?"

"I would like that." He smiles softly.

"Me too." I return with a smile of my own, subconsciously leaning closer to him. "We should probably take it slow though."

"Definitely." He responds, moving in more. Our noses brush gently as he speaks. "Would you be mad if I kissed you? Right now."

I shake my head at his question. "I think I would be more mad if you didn't"

That's all that needs to be said before he leans in the rest of the way and molds his lips softly to mine. Butterflies erupt in my stomach instantly. My body feels like it's on fire, but in a good way. His hand finds my cheek, angling me to deepen the kiss as both of mine find the nape of his neck, my fingers tangling in his hair.

Once we both run out of breath, he pulls back, pecking my lips a few more times.

"I should probably get you home." He whispers, resting his forehead against mine.

"Yeah, you probably should." I whisper back, brushing my lips against his softly. He groans softly, caving in and kissing me hard.

"Okay." He moves away to settle back into his seat. "For real, I need to get you home."

"Sorry." I blush.

"Don't apologize." He says. "I didn't mind at all. And now that I've gotten a taste of what its like to kiss you, I don't ever want to stop, but we've been sitting here for a while out in the middle of nowhere."

"You're right. Let's go."

The rest of the drive is spent with light conversation and giddy smiles shared between the two of us. He keeps my hand interlocked with his the whole time and places light pecks against the back of it every now and then. We finally make it to my house, much to my disappointment. Embry, being the gentleman he is, walks me to the door.

"I guess this is goodnight, then." He says, hands still holding mine tightly, as if he doesn't want to let go.

"I mean, it doesn't have to be." He quirks an eyebrow at the insinuation behind my words. "Do you want to come in?"

"I shouldn't." He shakes his head, releasing one of my hands so I can unlock my front door.

"But I think you should." I open the door, tugging on his hand as I step inside. I watch as he battles with whether he should decline or give in. I wait patiently as he makes his decision.

His family (for this au) consist of him, his mom, his dad and his little brother, Park Seoho not oneus yall

He cares about his little brother more than anything

He was 12 when baby Seoho was born

And when he was born, he vowed to protect him to matter what

His parents cared about Seoho.. But they only cared about Seonghwa becoming a great Leader of the Star Pack.

Seonghwa was honored to be the next leader of his pack

Its just that its a lot of pressure to be the best leader he can be

He had been training for his whole life to be somewhat like his father

but nicer and sweeter!

moving on

Lets move on to the brothers’ relationship :DDDD

Seoho is a innocent lil baby and Seonghwa is his caring and protective older brother

Ever since he was pup he watched over him

He helped him go to his first day of preschool

He helped him choose his first outfit

His first lunchbox

His first backpack

Literally his first everything

He was the only one who spent his first birthday with him

Now (2019) Seonghwa is 21 and Seoho is 9

Lil baby Seoho is starting 4th grade 😱😱😱

Seoho is so excited and he has his outfit ready, his backpack (with his adorable winter themed supplies) and his lunchbox :D

Everything a lil baby needs to survive fourth grade

Seonghwa’s parents, once again won’t be coming with Seoho on his first day

As Seonghwa was preparing his lunch, Seoho tugs on his pants frowning

“Hyung.. Do mommy and daddy not love me?”

Seonghwa froze for a moment before putting down his knife that he was using to cut up apples

He kneeled down and patted his brother’s head

“Seoho, Mom and Dad love you so much” he said

“They’re just really busy”

Seoho continued to frown as he turned away from his brother’s gaze

“Lying isn’t good hyung”

Seonghwa was about to say he wasnt before Seoho continued

“They said they were going to give me away to another pack..”

Seonghwa’s eyes widened and he suddenly hugged his brother

“They won’t give you away.. I promise you.”

“Now come on, we gotta get you to school!”

Seoho jumped in excitement and grabbed his backpack as Seonghwa finished packing up his lunch

okay now at school — WHERE SEONGHWA MEETS YOU

once the two boys arrived at school

teachers were already heading inside to their classrooms

one teacher however was still waiting for her last student

that one teacher was...

YOU

You held your clipboard that had all your student’s names on it

also you’re a new teacher oop-

You kneeled down and asked one of the kids

“Do any of you know Park Seoho?”

The students stayed silent until you heard a voice behind you

“Are you Miss [L/n]?”

You quickly stood up

almost falling but shhhhhhh

And you nodded

“Yes I am”

The man who was in front of you smiled and bowed

“I apologize... It took a while for me to figure out where my brother’s school was..”

You looked behind him and saw a small boy holding a lunchbox that was covered in sticker crystals plus a backpack that was covered with snowflake designs

“Are you Park Seoho’s brother?” You asked

He nodded and pushed his brother forward gently

“I’m Park Seonghwa. Its nice to meet you Miss [L/n].”

Seoho then bowed to you and smiled

“Hi Miss [L/n]! I look forward to being in your class!”

You giggled at the young boy’s cuteness and patted his head

“I look forward to having you in my class Seoho!”

Seonghwa smiled gently and then let go of his brother’s hand

which Seoho was holding onto tightly

“I’ll see you after school, okay bud?”

Seoho smiled up at him and then at you

and then back to Seonghwa

“Okay! Bye hyung!”

You smiled and finally got all of you students in a line

Seoho being in the front

and you all started walking to your classroom

after school

it was a few hours after school and Seoho was still there

Waiting for Seonghwa to come

You were still there

bc you were hanging up the kiddos’s art pieces

and you were about to leave when you saw Seoho

You tried thinking of his brother’s name but you couldnt so

You sat down next to the young boy and asked

“Is your mommy or daddy coming to pick you up?”

Seoho sighed and stared at the ground

“Seonghwa-hyung picks me up...”

“Mommy and daddy never do..”

You frowned and patted his shoulder

“Im sure he’ll be here soon! Don’t worry Seoho”

“I’ll be here to wait for him with you”

Seoho then smiled and hugged you

“Thank you Miss [L/n]!”

You guys just sat there talking for about an hour more before Seonghwa arrived, panting

He also had a smol wound (like a scar) on his cheek and a blood stain on his hand

“I-Im so sorry! I lost track of time!”

“Its fine hyung! Miss [L/n] stayed with me!”

He looked towards you and bowed

“Thank you so much-“

“What happened?”

You suddenly asked

“How did you get that scar?”

Seonghwa then froze before asking

“W-What scar?”

“The scar on your right cheek.”

Seoho then looked up and saw it too

“Hyung! What happened?”

“I-Its nothing Seoho, nothing-“

You kneeled down and smiled at Seoho,

“Can you get your brother to sit down and wait while i get the medicial supplies?”

The little boy nodded then dragged Seonghwa to one of the benches while you grabbed the medicial supplies to at least cover up the smol wound

“Don’t worry Hyung! Miss [L/n] will take good care of you!”

He stared at his brother and sighed

“If you trust her then I do too..”

You then came back out with some medical supplies to help clean up his wound

“This may hurt a bit.. But Seoho can hug you while I clean up the scar right?”

Seoho nodded eagerly

“Yes I can!”

He then wrapped his smol arms around Seonghwa as you cleaned up the wound and put a bandaid on it

“And there we go” You smiled

“All clean and it should heal up soon.”

Seoho then started jumping up and down with joy

“Yey! Hyung is all better!”

Seonghwa chuckled at his brother and ruffled his hair

“Thank you Miss-“

“Just call me [Y/n]”

He smiled

“Thank you [Y/n].”

He then took Seoho’s hand and walked out of the gates

“Bye Miss [L/n]! See you tomorrow!”

“Bye Seoho!”

You then walked to the office and the boys then started walking home

while they are walking

Seoho was skipping alongside his brother

“Seonghwa hyung, do you have a crush on Miss [L/n] already?”

“N-Now how do you know about crushes?” Seonghwa asked

“My classmates were talking about them during lunch!”

“So do you have a crush on her hyung?”

Seonghwa sighed and smiled

"I'm going for a run." he grumbled, walking out without waiting for a reply.

"What's wrong with him?" you asked, as everyone settled down.

Looks were shared between the other pack members who sat around the table, but not one of them jumped to answer your question.

"Maybe you should go check on him." Emily suggested.

Nodding your head in agreement, you turned around and walked right back out of the door you had just come through minutes before. You felt like you had been walking forever, countless thoughts running through your mind as to what could be wrong with your best friend. You trudged on through the foliage on the forest floor until the sound of growling pulled you from your thoughts. Looking up, you found yourself at the edge of the field you had been heading for. There in the center was Paul. Pacing back and forth, grumbling and growling. Curses falling from his lips as he kicked at the dirt and grass below him.

"What did the poor ground do to you?" you asked upon approaching him.

"Y/N? What are you doing here?" Paul asked, shocked to find you standing there in front of him.

"I came to check on you. You seemed pretty upset back there."

"I'm fine."

"You know you can tell me anything, right?" you nudged him with your shoulder playfully. "I'm your best friend."

"That's the problem." he mumbled, not expecting you to hear him.

"What?" you questioned, taken back by his words.

"It's nothing." he sighed.

"No. Please explain." you demanded, anger seeping into your body.

"Just go, Y/N."

"No!" you shouted. "Not until you tell me what you meant by that."

"I didn't mean anything, so go." he growled.

"For fuck's sake, Paul. Could you not be a fucking child for once? I've been really patient with you and all of your mood swings lately but I'm getting really tired. I'm trying to be a supportive friend here and you are making it really difficult."

"Then don't. Go run back to Jacob and cry to him about how horrible of a friend I am. I'm sure he'll be waiting there for you with open arms." he sneered.

"Fuck you, Paul!" you seethed, tears that you refused to let fall blurring your vision. "When you're done being a dick, then maybe we can talk things out like adults."

"Y/N, stop!" he tried calling to you as he watched you walk away but he knew it was too late. He had fucked up. Big time.

It had been weeks since you had last spoken to Paul. Weeks since he had last seen your smile or heard you laugh. And if he were being completely honest, he was miserable. It was his fault, he knew that, but he had become so caught up in his feelings and the reality of everything that he finally burst.

His absence wasn't any easier on you. For the first time, it seemed to dawn on you how much his presence, or lack thereof, really affected you. You didn't smile as wide or laugh as loud. Things just felt off. You spent the past few weeks hanging around Jacob more but you didn't seem to be as enthused as you thought you would be. You still had feelings for him, but maybe they just weren't as strong as you had thought they were, because after the first few days, not even his company could drown out the emptiness you felt without Paul.

Even the pack had been careful not to speak of him around you, and vice versa. It wasn't until the end of the third week, when you had accidentally found yourself listening in on a conversation between the pack, that you had finally heard someone speak his name.

"Where's Paul?" Sam asked.

"Home." Jared sighed. "As soon as we finished our shift on patrol he went straight there."

"How is he?"

"How do you think? He's heartbroken."

"It doesn't help that the one he is heartbroken over is also his imprint." Quil stated.

"He's growing weaker and refusing to eat. I may just be speculating, but I think it's affecting him so bad because he is trying to reject it." Embry explained.

That was all you listened to before deciding it was time to pay Paul a visit. So much was running through your head as you made your way to his house. Your heart and mind racing. Having been friends with the pack for a while, you knew about their abilities and heard plenty of the stories. During one of the bonfires you had attended with Paul, you had become really curious about the whole imprinting thing and asked a lot of questions. It was there that you found out how they work and the complications that could arise if it's rejected. That's why when you heard what Embry said, panic flooded your body and you didn't hesitate to go to him. No matter how mad you were at each other, you weren't gonna let him cause himself pain like that.

Paul had been laying in his bed, staring at the ceiling when he was startled by the sound of fists pounding on his front door. Assuming it was one of the guys, he ignored it. He was shocked to find it was you when you barged into the house and walked into his room.

"Why didn't you tell me?" you asked, voice trembling slightly due the overwhelming emotions that flowed through you.

"Tell you what?" he asked, confusion etched into his features as he sat up to look at you.

"That I was your imprint."

"H-how did you find out about that? Who told you?"

"It doesn't matter. What does matter is that you hid it from me?"

"I didn't know how to tell you." he shrugged. "You seemed so happy with Jacob and I didn't want to ruin that."

"So instead you choose to reject it and subject yourself to all this pain and suffering." you huff, exasperated.

"You don't understand."

"You're right. I don't, but it doesn't help that you refuse to talk to me." walking closer to where he sat on the edge of his bed, his eyes looking down at his hands. "Just talk to me. Please."

Paul lifted his head to look at you, grabbing your waist to pull you in closer. With his arms around your waist and his head resting on your stomach as you stood between his legs, he inhaled slowly taking in your scent. He missed you and couldn't help himself, indulging in your presence as much as he could. Giving him time to sort out his thoughts, you stood there quietly, hands tugging through his hair softly.

"I missed you." was the first thing he said, breaking the silence.

"I missed you, too."

"I'm sorry for everything I said. I didn't mean it. Any of it."

"I know." you nodded even though he couldn't see you.

"I just got so caught up in myself and my feelings that I blew up and took it out on you. You didn't deserve that."

"I didn't." you agreed. "But I understand."

"I think I'm ready to be honest, with not only you, but also myself." he finally pulled away from you and moved you gently to sit beside him.

"Go for it." you smiled at him softly, lacing one of your hands with his.

"I love you." he exhaled a breath he had been holding in. "I'm in love with you. And I have been for a while. Even before I imprinted on you."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I was scared to fuck up the friendship we already had. By the time I had built up the courage to say something, you had started liking Jacob. I know it wasn't fair of me since I chose not to say anything, but I couldn't help the jealousy I felt when seeing you with him. You seemed on top of the world when you were with him and it angered me because it wasn't me. I tried not to let it affect me but I failed." he chuckled as he spoke that last bit.

"Now that you have spoken your truth, it's my turn." watching him nod at your words, you continued. "Yes, I have feelings for Jacob, but I can't really say that they are romantic feelings. They were, but recently it has come to my attention that they might not be like that anymore. Not speaking to you or being around you for three, almost four, weeks was hell. However, in that time, it became clear to me that the feelings you have for me might be mutual. I can't promise that things will go smoothly, but I'm willing to try if you are."

"Really?" he asked, a hopeful look in his eyes.

"Yeah."

Without another word, he pulled you into his lap, hugging you tightly. As you straddled him with his head buried in your neck, you couldn't help the smile that formed on your lips. You rested your head against his, nails softly tracing the skin on the nape of his neck and upper back. You basked in each others embrace for a moment before he pulled his head from your neck, looking up at you.

"Do you trust me?" he asked.

"With my life." you responded.

"Can I try something?" his eyes looking down at your lips before quickly locking with yours again.

A small nod was all you gave before the palm of his hand met your cheek. Pulling your face closer to his, he softly brushed his lips against yours before kissing you deeply. Passionately. As if he had been waiting forever to do so. After finally disconnecting from you, he left a few more soft pecks before completely backing off, leaving his forehead resting against yours.

You both spent the rest of the evening curled up in his bed, eating pizza and watching movies. For the first time in weeks, you both felt at peace. Later that night as sleep took over, you dozed off to the sounds of his soft whispers of sweet nothings and plans for your future.

"Well, Call, I'm starting to rethink the whole 'trusting you with my life' part as we speak." you huffed. "I've decided that I value my life a lot more than I let on and I don't want to die today."

"You're not gonna die." he rolled his eyes at your dramatics.

"Says you. You're a fucking werewolf who fights vampires for a living. Jumping off of a big ass cliff is like a walk in the park for you. Not to mention the fact that it's the middle of fucking November and you aren't at risk of hypothermia."

"Babe." he stopped once you finally reached the top of the cliff, holding your face in his hands to make sure he had your full attention. "You'll be fine. I'll be with you every step of the way. And you don't have to worry about the cold. I left some dry clothes in the truck and my body maintains a temperature of over 100 degrees, I'll carry you all the way back if I have to."

"Thanks for the reassurance, but I'm still freaking out."

"You can still back out of it. I'm not forcing you to do this. I was actually the one that tried the hardest to talk you out of it. You're the one that wanted to come up here, not me."

"Because I can't back out. Paul and Jared owe me $20 each if I jump."

"Well, then let's get this over with and go. I asked Sam to have the fireplace lit for when we get back and Emily is making some soup."

Walking towards the edge of the cliff, hand-in-hand with Embry, you began to really regret your decisions. You couldn't help but curse Paul and Jared for fueling your competitiveness as you stared over the edge at the waves crashing against the side of the cliff below you.

"Ready?" Embry asked, hand squeezing yours as a sign of comfort.

"No." you shook your head, fear running through every vein in your body.

"Take a deep breath and then cover your nose. I'm gonna count to three and then we will go, okay?" 

"Okay." you nodded, taking a deep breath in before exhaling and using your free hand to pinch your nose.

Before you could finish mentally preparing yourself, Embry shouted three and pulled you off the cliff with him. It felt like an eternity before you both finally broke the surface, plunging into the deep, freezing water. Embry was quick to pull you closer to him, wrapping his arms around you as much as he could but still allowing him to swim and get you both back to shore. As fast as he could, he picked you up and ran you back to the truck. Getting in, he turned the heater on full blast and let you get changed in the back seat while he changed into a dry pair of shorts outside, opting not to wear a shirt. Once you had finished, he settled into the drivers seat and waited for you to join him at the front of the truck. As soon as you did, he pulled you to the center, allowing you to press yourself into his side as close as you could get.

The drive back to Sam and Emily's didn't take long and before you knew it, you were snuggling up in Embry's arms on the floor in front of the fireplace. Wrapped in multiple blankets with him in an attempt to trap his body heat and warm you up as fast as possible, you were finally beginning to gain feeling back in your toes and fingers. Now that you had finally reached a comfortable temperature, you were beginning to doze off, the feeling of your boyfriends fingers running through you hair not helping with the drowsiness. However, that was quickly ruined by the obnoxiously loud men that burst through the door right as your eyes fell shut.

"I can't believe you actually did it." Jared spoke first upon noticing your curled up figure in his friends lap, voice full of amusement. 

"Same." Paul agreed. "As mad as I want to be about losing out on some money, I can't help but feel proud of you."

"It was an idiotic move though." Leah interjected, from the spot she had taken on the couch. "Your body isn't built for that type of shit like ours is. Especially with how cold it is outside. It could have ended with a trip to the hospital."

"I tried to tell her that but she wouldn't listen." Embry sighed. "Maybe she would have if these two bozos hadn't made a bet with her." he glared at the two men who only chuckled in response.

"I'm fine though." you shrugged. "Embry was there to help keep me warm."

"You may be safe from hypothermia but I bet you'll wake up with a nasty cold tomorrow. His warmth can only help so much." she pointed out.

"I can handle a cold." you argued. "Plus, I don't plan on doing that again. Ever. So there's nothing to worry about."

The conversation went on for a little while longer before Emily interrupted, announcing that the food was done. After finishing your soup and waiting on your boyfriend to finish his, you and Embry returned to your spot by the fireplace where you finally allowed sleep to overcome you.

"Baby? Wake up." you whispered, turning to face his back.

"Psst. I have to ask you a question." you nudged him softly with your hand. "It's really important."

"What? I'm trying to sleep." he huffed, turning over to face you.

"I know and I'm sorry, but I just randomly thought of this. Maybe if I get it out, I'll finally be able to fall asleep."

"Fine." he sighed heavily. "What is this question that you just had to wake me up to ask?"

"If aliens were to come down to Earth, and the pack had to fight them off, who do you think would win?"

"Babe, seriously?" Paul deadpanned. "Please tell me I'm dreaming and that you didn't just wake me up for this shit."

"Just answer the question." you whined.

"If you don't go to sleep, I swear."

"Or what?" you teased.

Without another word, he rolled on top of you and began attacking you with kisses and playful bites while his hands wandered your sides tickling you. This went on for a few minutes until you were both out of breath from laughing so much.

"You tired enough yet?" he asked as he settled back down beside you and pulled you closer to rest your head on his chest.

With a small nod and a yawn coming from you, he received the only answer he needed. His fingers began running through your hair, causing you to drift off more and more. Right before sleep finally took over, you heard his deep voice.

"And to answer your question, the pack would totally win because no one and nothing can beat your badass boyfriend and his crew."

"I know you love your daily hikes but things are beginning to get a lot more dangerous around here. No more venturing out alone. Promise me you won't." 

"Okay." I replied with a tight-lipped smile.

If we are being technical, I didn't necessarily promise him not to. I was just simply agreeing, therefore I'm not breaking anything. Despite that, his words were the only thing running through my mind as I stomped through the thick forest, continuing my journey to the reservation. I would say that I was about 15 minutes away from my destination when I tripped over a tree root hidden in the messy ground below me.

An immense amount of pain began shooting up my left leg, starting at my ankle. It was definitely sprained, if not fractured. I had also managed to scratch up both of my knees and the palms of my hands. The wet denim fabric of my jeans made it difficult to check the wounds on my knees, but I could tell they were probably pretty nasty considering the amount of blood that was quickly beginning to soak through my pants, adding to the inconvenience of the whole situation. 

After about 10 or so minutes of looking myself over and trying to conjure up a plan of how I'm going to make it the rest of the way without injuring myself further, I got up and began to hobble my way down the path again. I hadn't made it very far when something rushed past me in a flash, causing me to stumble backwards and fall right on my ass. I looked around and saw nothing, however, that didn't ease the tightness that I felt in my throat. If I had been anyone else, I would have shook it off and kept going, but living in the world that I have come to know, I knew that that only meant one very terrible thing.

'Vampire.' I thought as I finally spotted her standing about 200 feet in front of me.

My first instinct was to get up and run, but I knew it wouldn't have been possible, even without a messed up ankle. I was royally fucked in this situation.

• ───────────────────────────── •

Embry's POV

I had been out patrolling like normal with Quil, Jared, and Collin when we came across a lone vampire wandering around our territory. A newborn. Collin left to go inform Sam and the others while Quil, Jared, and I began our chase. It wasn't long before the others had joined us in the hunt. It took a little while but we had finally gotten close to catching it. We almost had her. Almost being the key word. I'm not sure what her original destination had been but something had caught her attention and she began to change course. We had been chasing her West but she suddenly began running South in a frenzy-like manner.

"Do you smell that?" Brady, one of our newer and younger pack members, questioned. "I'm picking up someone's scent. It smells familiar but I can't figure out who it belongs to. The rain is making it harder to pick up on it."

Everyone in the pack began lifting their snouts in the air. It took one sniff to pick up the scent, and when I did, fear instantly sank into every fiber of my being.

"Y/N!" I quickly began running in the direction her scent was coming from. The very same direction the leech had just previously gone in. Panic coursed through my veins but I tried my best to stay level-headed. I had to if I wanted to save her.

I could faintly hear the rest of the pack following after me. We rushed through the forest as quickly as we could. At the speed that I was running at, I didn't think it was possible to go any faster, but I proved myself wrong when Y/N's scream sounded through the forest.

• ───────────────────────────── •

Y/N's POV

I began taking in my surroundings, trying to think of something to help me at least gain some kind of advantage. It was absolutely pointless though, because in the blink of an eye, she was suddenly standing right before me. Her feet mere inches from mine.

"Hello." she greeted, voice sounding innocent despite the condescending grin she had on her lips. "You seem to have hurt yourself a little. What happened?"

"I-I" I stuttered before taking a deep breath in attempt to mask my fear. "I tripped. Wasn't paying enough attention and failed to notice a tree root sticking out of the ground."

"What a shame." she snickered, crouching down to my level. "You should be more careful. It would be awful if something worse had happened, don't you think?"

"You're absolutely right." I responded, forcing out a laugh, hoping it didn't sound as nervous as I felt. "I should really get going. Need to clean my wounds before they get infected or something."

Placing my hands on either side of me, I began to push myself up. I was abruptly stopped when I felt white hot pain coming from my injured ankle.

"Not so fast." The grip she now had on me tightening. "That's not a good idea. Not with the state of your ankle."

"P-please let go." I breathed out heavily.

"Or what?" she smirked, gripping so hard that I swear I heard my ankle crack as clearly as I felt it.

A loud, pain-filled scream ripped through my lungs. The pain now so intense that I thought I was going to faint. Tears blurred my vision as I tried to pull away from her. When she finally let go, relief washed through my body but it didn't last longer than a second. Her hand that was once wrapped around my ankle was now around my throat, lifting me off the ground and completely cutting off all the oxygen to my lungs.

"I wish it didn't have to be this way." she feigned guilt, before replacing the frown on her face with an evil grin. "But I must admit that it's a lot more fun."

The last thing I remember as I closed my eyes was the evil look in her's and her bared fangs. I waited for the feeling of her teeth piercing my skin, but it never came. Instead, I was flung to the ground, my head hitting hard as I fell.

• ───────────────────────────── •

As my lungs began to fill with oxygen again, I slowly became more aware of my surroundings. I could here growling and the sound of heavy paws hitting the ground. Turning my head as much as I could, I saw several large wolves tearing the vampire into pieces with their massive jaws. The pack had made it just in time and saved the day once again. A small smile made its way onto my face and I could faintly feel tears of relief sliding down my cheeks as the world finally went dark around me.

I'm not sure how long I was out but it must have been a while because I definitely wasn't in the forest anymore. The sound of beeping machines and the warmth of whatever room I was in made it very apparent. Opening my eyes, I was met with bright white lights. Once I had adjusted to them, I realized I was at the hospital. I began to try to sit myself up in the bed when two warm hands stopped me.

"Careful!" the familiar voice of my boyfriend exclaimed. "Let me help you."

"Hey, Em." Was all I managed to whisper hoarsely when I was finally situated in a sitting position and could clearly see the man in front of me.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Like I've been hit by a bus. Or seven." I chuckled weakly.

"I bet. You definitely look like you could have been."

I could tell he was trying to keep things light-hearted but there was no humor found in his words. I could feel the guilt creeping in. I was regretting not having listened to him. For going against his words when all he was trying to do was protect me. Seeing the sadness in his eyes as he trailed them over my injuries made me wish I would've stayed in the comfort of my home with a good book and a hot cup of tea.

"I'm sorry." I whispered, biting my lip to hopefully hold back the sob threatening to rise from my throat.

"No, I'm sorry." He sighed. "If I had gotten there sooner, we wouldn't be here right now."

"You don't have any reason to be apologizing. You saved my life. Had you and the pack showed up any later, or not at all, I wouldn't be alive." I argued. "I was the one that ignored your warning and wandered off into the forest alone. I caused you and the guys trouble because I couldn't stay put like you had asked me to. I would hate me if I were you."

"I could never hate you." He smiled reassuringly, his warm hand finding mine. "Yeah, you're extremely stubborn and you drive me absolutely insane sometimes, but I still love you all the same. As sad and angry as I am with the way things happened today, I'm just glad that you're alive."

"All thanks to you and the guys." I smiled at him, lifting his hand to place a soft peck on the back of it. "Speaking of which. Where are they? I would like to pass on my gratitude and appreciation to them myself."

"We're right here." Jared spoke, walking through the door as if he had been given a cue.

"Happy to see you still breathing, Dumbass." Paul greeted as he pushed his way past Jared and into the room, followed by Sam, Quil, and Emily.

"We all are." Emily smiled.

"But on a more serious note." Sam interjected. "You're lucky we made it when we did. The worst you got was a broken ankle but it could've been a completely different story had we been even a minute too late."

"I know." I nodded. "And I will forever be thankful. Honestly. Thank you for saving me back there. All of you."

"Any time." Quil responded, half joking and half not.

"When can I get out of here?" 

"We are just waiting for the CT scan results." Embry answered. "Sue's working tonight and requested to be your nurse. She says that if everything looks good, you can be discharged within the hour."

Everyone stayed and chatted until Sue showed up 15 minutes later. The results came back clear and after giving me aftercare instructions for all of my wounds and injuries, she sent me and Embry on our way.

• ───────────────────────────── •

"Don't ever scare me like that again?" Embry whispered as we laid in bed together later that night, faces only centimeters apart. "Promise me."

Ever since we had arrived home, he hadn't been able to keep his eyes, or hands, off of me. Almost as if he was scared that I would just suddenly disappear.

"I won't. I promise." I leaned forward and pecked the corner of his mouth softly.

 "I thought I was going to lose you today." His voice shaking slightly as if he was trying to hold back his tears. "I-I don't know what I would have done if I-"

"Don't. Don't think about the what if's and the could have's, because all it's gonna do is drive you crazy. All that matters is that we are here, together, right now."

Leaning back in, Embry's lips locked with mine. The kiss was sweet but intense and full of so much emotion. As if he was pouring every ounce of love, sadness, relief, fear, etc. into it. When we finally separated, we were both breathing heavily. With his forehead resting on mine, our noses brushing softly, he smiled at me.

"I love you." He spoke quietly, lips ghosting mine as he did.

"And I love you."