Forbidden Imprint [Book 5] ✔️

12 • With Or Without You

EMBRY'S POV

I was a bonafide pussy. Yep, there was no doubt about it. I had plenty of opportunities to tell Rebecca how I felt and instead I gave her freaking space. What guy does that? What guy honestly goes all sensitive and shit like I've been doing? I knew I needed to man up and tell Rebecca everything. And I needed to do it before fucking Ian Cleary waltzed off into the goddamn sunset with my imprint...again!

I had wanted to tell Rebecca the first day we walked on the beach together how I felt, but I had sensed she wouldn't have been receptive to what I had to say. She had obviously been dealing with something major given the sad, confused expression she'd been wearing on her incredibly gorgeous face. Now I was out of time.

While I was glad that Rachel had been able to rouse Rebecca out of her depressed state...a state that had terrified me to the point where I could hardly leave Billy's house for the past two weeks...I had panicked at the idea of them going off to Seattle. Rachel had assured me it was what her sister needed. I spent the time they were away either pacing around my house or trying unsuccessfully to get some work done at the garage while I waited for Rebecca's return.

As soon as Paul had called and told me the twins were on their way home, I had headed over to Billy's like a lovesick puppy dog and interrupted a meeting Billy was having with Sam. They didn't seem to mind and had let me stay. I'd waited impatiently for Rebecca to arrive home so we could finally have it all out. And what happens? Ian fucking Cleary shows up!

He had spent the night at Billy's. That much I knew. I also knew that Rebecca hadn't looked happy when she had come home to find Ian there. I had desperately wanted to pick her up in my arms and run off with her. Instead, I walked away.

Now I was driving myself crazy, pacing around my house. I didn't bother going into work this morning. I was so restless that when I went into work this weekend, Azra had told me he'd quit if I didn't get the hell out of the garage. Azra was a pretty laid back guy, though he had a wild streak to him. He was always easy to patrol with because he minded his own business and kept his thoughts private. I knew he wasn't the type to let things bother him. I must have been pretty bad for him to get irritated. So instead of losing a great mechanic and possibly doing damage to the pack by pissing off my brother any further, I decided to stay home today. However, as I stared at the walls of my incredibly tiny house, I kept feeling as if they were going to close in on me.

What was going on with Rebecca? Did she and Ian work out whatever they were going through? Did they have sex last night? What if they were on their way home right now? All these thoughts kept racing through my brain, each one driving me a little more insane.

I couldn't take anymore and wrenched open my front door. I found myself headed towards the beach that was near my house. The questions continued to torment me as I walked. I was so lost in thought that I was surprised to hear Rebecca and Ian's voices in the distance. Freezing behind some trees, I took a look and saw that they weren't far from where I stood.

"...We've been drifting apart for years Ian. It didn't just happen overnight."

"Cut the bullshit Rebecca. This is about the kid thing, isn't it?"

Nothing would have given me greater satisfaction than to run down to the beach and knock Ian flat on his back. However, I forced myself to stay still due to the fact that I was shaking so hard I didn't know if I could control myself enough to phase.

"Kid thing? Is that how you describe it? You know how I've felt about having a baby. We've been planning one for years. You keep telling me you want to wait until the timing is right, but it's never going to be right for you Ian. Like you said before I left, you weren't even sure you wanted kids. You want to devote yourself 100% to your school. Fine...go do that."