The Little Things

17. Conflict

After Embry shifted back about a week later, Emily let me know and I headed over there to see how he was doing.

He had his hair cut short and was sitting at Emily's kitchen table, eating a huge stack of pancakes.

"Hi Liana," he mumbled around a mouthful of pancake.

"Hi Em, you doing okay?" I asked, pleased to see him looking normal. Well, as normal as he could get after finding out that her could turn into a giant wolf.

"Yeah, thank you for keeping me from freaking out completely." He said sheepishly.

"Hey, it's okay. I was happy to help. I would have wanted a familiar face when I found out." I reassured him.

He nodded and frowned while taking another bite. "I honestly had no clue you knew these guys. Like, no clue. And wow, is it ever a lot to take in."

I grinned. "Did they tell you how I found out? Believe me, I was super freaked out when I found out."

He laughed and nodded. "You looked really funny."

I snapped my fingers. "Right, the thought sharing thing. Still not sure about that."

Then he frowned. "How did you manage to hide this from us for so long?"

I grimaced and tugged at the ends of my hair. "I didn't enjoy it but, you know why we have keep it a secret. They would think us insane or not believe us."

He nodded. "I'll be glad if and when Jake and Quil phase. This reminds me of the stupid phase. Except it's us and them now."

The 'stupid phase' happened back when we were about twelve and was what made Nina and I become friends. Jacob and the boys decided that they wanted to be boys only which caused a huge argument between us and then I found Nina and we agreed that we would be girls only unless they came to their senses. We didn't talk to them and they didn't talk to us for about three months. Then they repented and let us join them again. Ever since then we had all been good friends.

"Jacob's going to be so mad." He groaned a few minutes later. "And Nina! What am I going to do?"

"Yeah he is. And you're gonna leave them for me to deal with." I shook my finger at him in mock anger.

He looked downcast. "I'm sorry. Man, I miss them already. And, I'm kind of scared. The whole imprint thing? I'm not aloud to see Nina, but what if I don't imprint? I don't want to hurt her."

I tried to encourage him. "Hey, at least you have me. And, Sam said that Jacob and Quil are very likely to phase, and it should be soon, so we have that to look forward to. And it sounds like imprinting is supposed to be rare."

Embry shook his head. "Two out of four so far. And I've only been phased back for a day."

I sigh. "I sometimes am scared too. For when he phases and what's going to change. But I can't affect any of that. So just enjoy the good things, and try and make the best of the bad ones."

"I guess you're right. Well, at least it's fun being a wolf. It has its perks." He brightened. "Though the heightened senses will take a bit to get used to. I can smell a rabbit in the forest right now. And I can run really fast."

I laughed. "I'm glad." After that, I couldn't stop grinning for the rest of the day. I was happy that at least one of my friends knew the secret, even if the others didn't. It also gave me hope that Jacob might phase soon as well. But the little nigging thought wouldn't go away.

As Embry predicted, as soon as Jacob found out that he had joined Sams 'gang' he was furious. It was about four or five days after Embry had shifted human again.