★★★★★
ZERO; PRELUDE
CALEB THOMPSEN slammed the cards down on the dining room table, a grin etched on his face. Billy Black mumbled incoherent curses and threw his playing cards lazily, frowning at his loss. "Still got it," Caleb chuckled, throwing his arms on the table and gathering the chips in his hands.
"I let you win," Billy teased. Caleb rolled his eyes at the gesture.
There were small footsteps padding to the kitchen, and Caleb turned his head to see the tiny six year old come into his line of vision. She was dressed in her heart pajamas, with some unicorn slippers that she borrowed from Billy's daughter, Rachel. Caleb stood, leaving his winnings to kneel down in front of his oldest daughter.
"Blaire," he smiled softly, brushing strands of hair from her face. She clutched her wolf stuffed animal in her hands, a gift from Harry Clearwater for her third birthday. It was an inside joke in the pack. "Why are you up? Did Dahlia wake you?" The bumbling four year old was more energetic than most. It gave Caleb slight hope for his youngest daughter to phase when a new vampire would cross the land.
"No," the sleepy six year old muttered softly, rubbing her eyes. "I couldn't sleep. Jacob's snoring." Billy chuckled at her words.
As soon as Caleb and Audrey came back from California, where they thought they would find answers for Audrey's growing disease, Billy insisted they stay over at the Black home. Blaire came back with incredulous stories about California, her eyes glimmering in the light. She treasured the state very much. They roomed Blaire and Dahlia with Rachel, but you could still hear Jacob's loud snores from the next room.
"Why don't you go get your mother?" Caleb smiled. "I'm sure she'll read you a bedtime story."
"She's coughing again," Blaire responded, unaware of the affect those words had on Caleb. His imprint was the most important person in his life, and watching Audrey brittle away because of an unknown disease made his heart shatter. He would rather put a gun to his head than see his wife get weaker everyday.
"Why don't you go get Embry?" Caleb smiled tightly. He knew the imprint pull would work when a future shapeshifter meets their soulmate. The first time he saw Audrey in the hallways of La Push High made his heart flutter. The girl was unique and now, he was married to her. He could see the same pull in Embry and Blaire. "He can make you fall back asleep, can't he?"
"I guess," she kicked the floor. She gave her dad a kiss on the lips before retreating upstairs and into Jacob's room, just like her father said. Caleb smiled and stood up, heading back over to his game with Billy.
"Sweet girl," Billy commented, still looking up the stairs. "Going to become a perfect imprint for Embry one day."
"Yeah," Caleb chuckled, picking up the cards and organizing them. "Let's just hope Dahlia is the one to phase."
"She would be stronger," Billy nodded, looking at Caleb. "That's true."
"Blaire cares too much about other people. Dahlia is tough and strong willed. She'll be a perfect member in the pack."
Caleb heard more shuffling and prepared himself to talk to Dahlia, but his wife showed up at the door instead. Her eyes had bags underneath them and her dark hair was tied up in a bun on top of her head, exposing scars she had gotten from her disease. The doctors in California thought it might be a type of cancer, but they couldn't conclude what it was.
"Long night, guys?" She smiled, although it looked grim from the two scars next to her mouth. "Want me to make you something to eat?"
Long ago, when Caleb and Billy were still in a pack and phased regularly, Audrey took care of every single one of them. She made them food, comforted them when they were angry, and provided a home. It was one of the reasons that Caleb fell in love with her. Her maternal instincts made him swoon.
"No," Caleb denied. "Go back to sleep, love. You need it." She shook her head and came over, kissing his cheek.
"I'm fine. Are the girls asleep?"
"Yeah, I just sent Blaire to Embry so she could fall back asleep." At that, Audrey hit Caleb over the head and he groaned in pain. Although, he would rather be hit with a hammer everyday if it meant that Audrey could live with him until they grow old. "What was that for?"
"Don't force the imprint," she muttered, sounding disappointed. "If they're meant to be, then they'll get together in their own time."
"Trust me," Billy laughed from across the table. "They're meant to be. Embry follows her around like a lost puppy." Audrey rolled her eyes and kissed her husband once more.
"I'm going to talk to Sarah. Don't stay up too late, okay?"
"Okay." He patted her hand before she left the room. Billy held a smug grin and it reminded Caleb of the old days when a new vampire would appear and Billy would be the first to attack. He loved the thrill of tearing a cold one to pieces. Now, the La Push land seemed desolate of new bloodsuckers to fight.
"Women, huh?"
Caleb stared at the ceiling, thinking of his two daughters and stubborn wife. He grinned and laughed wholeheartedly.
"Women."
i know billy doesn't phase, but for the sake of the story, he does
YOU ARE READING
Secret Scars ▷ Embry Call [1]
Fanfiction❝I'm willing to fight for her. Protect her. Lay my life down for her. She's everything to me, and she doesn't even realize it.❞ [TWILIGHT: NEW MOON] [BOOK ONE IN THE BLAIRE THOMPSEN SERIES]