Ocean Eyes

Emily

"In case you ever forget: I am never not thinking of you."
-Virginia Woolf

"It's your birthday and I'll cry if I want to, I'll eat pie if I want to, let's get high cuz I want to-"

"Jared you have five seconds to shut up, or I'll throw your ass out."

Jared sighed heavily, pulling the party hat off his head and grumbling. It was Emily's birthday party and the house was alive with cheer. Some of her family members from the Makah reserve had come down to visit, a group of her half sisters and her father. They had left a few minutes prior, allowing the real party to get started.

Jared had been dancing on tables with a beer in his hand, looking every part the reckless idiot he was. Kim was giggling, watching the crazy boy with love in her eyes. His ridiculous shenanigans never failed to make him laugh. He was a character with a goofy humor and she loved him for it.

Sam, however, did not.

"Fine, fine." Jared huffed, climbing down from the table and mock bowing at Sams feet. "Sorry, alpha."

Sam smiled victoriously for a few moments, basking in the glow of his domination, when Emily smacked him upside the head. His smile fell and he turned to her with a disbelieving expression. "What the hell was that for, babe?"

"Let the kid live!" She laughed, glaring at him fondly. "I think you sounded beautiful, Jared." Jared looked extremely touched, a smile donning his features.

"Really?"

"No. You sounded like a hyena in a washing machine." Jareds smile fell as the rest of the group broke out in laughs.

The living room was decorated for the party, with streamers in blue and green thrown over ever visible surface. A large picture that had been from Kim was balancing on the couch, a blown up photograph of Emily and Sam. Jareds present had been a large cake, decorated with a drawing of Emily riding a large black wolf. Her family hadn't understood it, but Paul didn't think he'd laughed harder.

Paul's own present had come in a set of matching aprons. Emily was still wearing hers, a baby blue color that was embroidered with her name and wolf pack mom. Sam wasn't quite as fond as his. It was bright pink, complete with frills and bows and the inscribed wolf pack dad. It was still in the box but Paul definitely thought it had been worth it. The look on his alphas face had preceded the cost.

"Kim! You're laughing with them?" Jared crowed out, placing a hand on his heart dramatically. "My own imprint, bullying me!"

"Oh suck it up, buttercup." Kim chuckled, wrapping her arms around his waist. "You know I love you."

"Damn right you do." Jared closed his eyes and leaned towards Kim to kiss her. She had other plans. Grabbing a cupcake, she smashed it into his face. "Wha- KIM!!!"

Before Jared could wipe the frosting out of his eyes, Kim was running out the room, her eyes watering from laughing so much. Jared was after her within seconds, with Sam on his tail after he accidentally smashed one of his alphas favorite mugs.

Paul stared after them, a small smile on his face. He couldn't wait to bring Ryder here, to meet his family. He couldn't wait until he told her he loved her and she was ready to say it back.

"When are you seeing her again?" Emily began to clean up the mushed cupcake remains. Paul looked down at her in surprise.

"What, are you a mind reader? How did you know I was thinking about Ryder?"

"Paul..." Emily chucked the cupcake into the trash, looking over at the boy with a knowing grin. "You're always thinking about Ryder." Paul was the second to shift, but Emily felt more kinship with him than she did Jared. Maybe it was because he was like the younger brother she'd never had. He had secret passions that aligned with hers and knew what if felt like to be cut off from family. "Plus, you had the look."

"What look?" Paul leaned against the counter, looking at Emily curiously. She was beautiful, even with the three long scars that marred her right cheek. Yet he'd never felt anything but platonicness towards her. Emily was like the sister he'd never had, how cared about him and offered him advice.

"The look of love, silly." Emily laughed. "Your eyes kind of go cross eyed and you get this lazy smile on your face. You look kind of concussed to be honest."

Paul snorted. Outside he heard shouts as Sam and Jared wrestled, heard Kim's shrill laughter. "She's coming over tonight. Actually pretty soon. But I don't know, Em. She won't open up to me."

"What do you mean?" Emily poured herself a glass of water.

"I stopped by the shop the other day to pick up the wood for the shed. She'd been crying. I could tell that it was bad and that she was still feeling it and I wanted to do something!" Paul's voice grew louder, distressed. All he wanted to do was help Ryder, to offer his support. But he couldn't do that if she didn't open up and she wasn't going to any time soon. "I know that it's hard for her and I just want to be there! I want to take everything bad that had ever happened to Ryder and eradicate it because I'm so fucking in love with her-"

"Go."

"What?" Paul looked up at Emily with wide eyes. She was grinning at him, playing with one of the kitchen spoons.

"Go to your house, go to her. You don't have to stay here just because it's my birthday, Paul." She laughed and Paul saw why Sam was so in love with her. When she laughed it was like the room stopped moving. She was so happy and genuine, despite her debilitating scar and the ruin of her relationship with her cousin. Paul loved her, in the most platonic of ways. He was closest to Emily out of the pack, even more so than Jared. "I want you to be happy. Ryder makes you happy. So go. Tell her how you feel Paul. Make her feel safe. Make her feel loved. She'll open up to you when it's time but you have to tell her how you feel."

And with a large hug from Emily, Paul left. The feeling of excitement settled in his stomach, weighing him down in the sweetest of ways. The trees passed in a blur and Paul found himself humming softly. The grin wouldn't leave his face. This was it. It was the day that Paul was going to tell Ryder that he was in love with her, even if she couldn't say it back.

His pack was behind him and his imprint was in front of him- Paul had never felt happier. It was all he needed, he decided. Ryder and his family. There was no way that he would let them go. His smile wouldn't leave his face.

But when Paul opened his door a few minutes later to the stench of beer and the harsh shouts of his father, the smile fell.