Open Wounds ▷ Embry Call [2]

SEVEN

★★★★★

SEVEN; COLLEGE APPLICATIONS

     "JACOB'S GONE."

     Blaire's fingers paused as she was turning the page of her book, eyes darting up in panic. "What? What do you mean Jacob's gone?"

     Embry was pulling at his hair, stepping into her room. "Was running patrol. Bella and Edward-"

     "Are getting married," Blaire sighed. She removed the letter from under her history book, showing the wedding invitation to him. "Just received this in the mail today. Alice wants me to be a bridesmaid."

     Embry collapsed on her bed as she swung around in her desk chair. His face was ridden with both anger and exhaustion. "I can't believe that bloodsucker had the guts to send Jake a wedding invitation. When he phased, he didn't even wait for me or Quil. He just started running, and Sam let him go. I wonder how far he is now."

     Blaire made her way over to the bed, sitting beside her imprint. She pressed a kiss on his forehead. "Go to sleep. You need it."

     "Are you saying I'm not pretty?" He chuckled, hand finding hers.

     "You're always handsome," she whispered back, brushing his hair from his forehead. "Don't worry. I'll be here when you wake up."

     "Promise?" He asked, voice already drifting off. Blaire smiled when he was finally asleep, pulling a blanket over his warm body.

     Making sure he had fully succumbed to his slumber, Blaire tiptoed to her closet. She took out a box stashed underneath piles of clothes. Glancing back at her imprint to check he wasn't looking, she removed the lid. It was a secret she wouldn't dare tell Embry — a secret that would never leave her room. In the poorly painted box was college acceptance letters for early admission. Blaire pulled out her Stanford University letter, staring meekly at it. She felt guilt rising up in her. She couldn't imagine how hurt Embry would feel if he ever discovered what Blaire had spent the last few months doing — filling out college applications and sending them away without thinking about him in her future.

     But eventually, that might be what it must come down to. Blaire might have to leave, with or without Embry in the picture.

     A knock on the door made her go into a frenzy, quickly shoving the letters and the box back into her closet. She scrambled over to her desk chair, where she sat calmly, acting as if nothing had happened.

     Dahlia's head peeked in. "Sam's called a pack meeting about Jake. Has Embry told you?"

     "About the wedding? Yeah, I received an invitation."

     Dahlia's lips tightened. "Seth got one too. Looks like you two are the bloodsuckers' favorite werewolves."

     "Don't be like that, Dahlia," Blaire sighed. She stood from her desk and followed her sister out the door. Dahlia's eyebrows scrunched.

     "You're not going to wake Embry?"

     "He's very tired, just let him rest."

     Sam wasn't pleased by Embry's absence, but with one harsh glare from Blaire, he kept his lips shut. His hands slammed down on Emily's wooden kitchen table, face stern. The pack was listening intently, not knowing what their alpha was going to say next. Sam had let Jacob go willingly, but Blaire was sure he didn't estimate how long Jacob would actually be gone for.