Falling for Autumn | Jacob Black

Chapter 27 [edited]

The plane had landed in Seattle four hours later than scheduled due to a storm watch and my stomach had been in knots the whole time, my mind racing with every possible worst-case scenario about what happened with the pack and the Cullens. Mom and Chloe could tell that the worry was eating at my insides as Mom drove home, slightly going over the acceptable speed limit on the highway.

That worry didn't go away when we pulled into the driveway and Embry was sitting on our front steps, waiting anxiously. The look in his eyes was enough to stop me in my tracks, my purse dropping to the ground beside me.

"Autumn..." he called out softly, getting to his feet.

"He doesn't want to see me." I said flatly.

"Give him a couple of days to recover. He just doesn't want you to see him like this."

"I don't care! I'm going to see my boyfriend."

"Autumn," Embry said warningly. "He won't allow them to let you see him."

The moment his words sunk in, I sighed defeatedly and collapsed against the hood of my car. Mom and Chloe had gone inside to give us some privacy, although I could still see Chloe in the window; her expression was wary, her eyes locked on me letting me know she was was there just in case I needed her. I was silently grateful for my best friend as I shifted my gaze to Embry, who was nervously moving his weight between his feet.

"What happened this weekend, Embry? Spill it or else I'm driving to La Push."

"There... was a miscommunication between Paul and one of the Cullens - Emmett? He's the big one, right?" Embry continued when I nodded in acknowledgment. "We were trying to get Victoria, both the pack and the Cullens. We thought since you and Bella were going to be out of town, it would be a good plan to at least try to take care of her. And it was a good plan because she couldn't hurt either of you. If something happened to you..."

His voice trailed off before he cleared his throat, glancing at the ground. I caught the unspoken meaning and gave him a weak smile, nodding for him to go on.

"Anyways, Emmett lunged at Victoria but she jumped over the river to our side. Emmett jumped after her without thinking... and slammed into Paul. There was a standoff and they lunged at each other. We had to pull them apart, and Victoria got away."

"Does Bella know?" I asked him as I rubbed my forehead in disbelief.

"Not that I know of. She's not supposed to be back until late tomorrow morning, maybe even afternoon. At least, that's what Carlisle said this morning."

"You spoke to Carlisle?"

"Yeah..." Embry looked at me sheepishly. "He was putting a brace on Jacob's arm when I left the Cullens' house. Jacob was the one who pulled Paul off of Emmett, and he sort of dislocated his shoulder in the process. Paul shoved him back into a tree."

"Okay, I didn't need the imagery." I held a hand up, stopping him as nausea threatened to erupt from my stomach. "So, why didn't Jacob just call me instead of sending you?"

"He feels stupid, for his shoulder. Call it a bruised ego," Embry chuckled under his breath. "Plus, he knew you had a lot going on here. He didn't want to add something idiotic to your stress."

"I guess that makes sense," I mumbled disgruntledly, "but when you speak to him next, tell him I said he's 'not stress' to me either. His words, right?"

"You're right," Embry smirked softly.

"Thank you... and thanks for telling me what happened. You can go home, go get some rest."