Total eclipse of a heart (Embry Call)

09. Fatherly advice

It's been a week since my close encounter with death. Seven days since I looked into the rumours of mystical creatures that tear humans apart and strike fear. 

I looked death in the eye and I barely made it out alive. Had it not been for the wolves, for that one wolf in particular, I'd be drained of blood and tossed into the darkness that forest holds. Even though the wolves didn't harm me, they too were anything but natural. 

No wolf is of that size unless you're a Game of thrones fanatic that believes in direwolves. I have tracked them before, connecting those paw prints to cut-off Jean shorts and those belonged to humans...humans who transform into wolves which makes them werewolves.

To make matters worse, I have never encountered or read of werewolves that are capable of shifting during the day, unbound by the moon and as such, making me powerless. 

That vampire was anything but ordinary as well and I've begun wondering what is it about La Push that attracts such creatures. Whether it's the murky weather or the nature itself, this is way over my head. I have nothing on these new species and that means I have no weapon to defeat them.

I am but one human and there is at least six of those wolves out there and now they know who I am. They might even know what my purpose here is and if that is true, I won't see them coming in their human form.

Jittery, sleep deprived and quite frankly, terrified, I have cooped myself inside Rachel's room under a simple excuse: being sick.

I didn't need to lie much considering my ghastly look since the encounter and she didn't resist my want to remain indoors. Only one person was persistent enough in efforts that eventually broke my resolve. 

Embry.

"If you do not open these doors today, I swear I will camp here until you do." His threats are laced with worry, every single word stern and still caring. He's been here day after day and though I found it annoying at first, I've come to expect him on the other side of the wooden barrier that separates us.

"Valerie, I just want to see you. Even a glimpse would do." Embry's voice lowers to barely above a whisper, almost desperate in his need. I do not understand it, nor him, but I crave it as well. In fact, he's the only one I've wanted to see.

Not Jacob, not Rachel, certainly not Paul... only Embry.

"Okay." I respond meekly, closing my books and tucking them under the covers, away from curious eyes.

Dragging myself toward the door, I crack it open just enough to poke my head out. Though that was my initial plan, Embry had a different idea. He barrelled inside, nearly knocking me off my feet and definitely hitting me with the door.

I stumble back with a loud yelp, holding my forehead as it burns with the pain inflicted upon me. 

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Embry exclaims, his worry for me evident just as a pained hiss moves past my lips. Embry flings his arms toward me, hoping to grab a hold and steady me. The expression on his face speaks for itself, his regret over the lack of thought before action, yet satisfaction of being in the same room with me. It's as if he was parched, desperate for a single drop of water to ease his thirst and I was a tall glass of fresh water meant to give him a day longer to live.

"You really need to be more careful." I mumble, rubbing my forehead still. Plopping onto the mattress, I look at him like it's the first time. 

In the darkness of the room, Embry's eyes are a simple brown colour, so mundane to some but extraordinary to me. After not seeing those eyes in a week, I've come to realize that was a self imposed punishment for the lack of progress on the case. It was a punishment because looking into his brown eyes, I find my heart racing and my mind finally functioning properly as if a switch went off and I became human once more. I didn't fear my fate or what lurked in the woods when Embry was near and for some odd reason I always wanted him near. Those may be simple brown eyes, basic or ordinary to some, but those are his brown eyes.