'You're in trouble, Embry.' Embry didn't bother turning his head to look at Sam, instead sitting down and keeping his eyes on Claudia's house. 'You know you're not supposed to be around Claudia like this, I've told you it's against the rules.' Embry rolled his eyes.

'I'm not phasing next to her, am I? I'm already like this when we meet up.' Embry huffed.

'It's still dangerous.' Sam insisted. 'How long?' Embry didn't answer. 'How long, Embry?' This time, Sam used his Alpha voice, so Embry had no choice but to answer.

'A few weeks.' He answered, his eyes flicking towards the beach as he saw the light from Claudia's room faintly illuminate the sand. He got up and Sam followed as he crossed the street and moved onto the sand. 'I had to know how she was. It's not my fault she came out here after me.' The memory played easily in Embry's mind and Sam watched.

'You imprinted on her?' Sam now stood in front of Embry's his eyes narrowed. 'And you hid this from us?'

'What else was I supposed to do!' Embry's paw stamped heavy into the sand. 'I know that Jake's close, so I didn't want you all blabbing it to him the second he phases, before I've even told her.'

'You still should've said something, this is a big deal Embry.' Sam glanced up to the bright window of Claudia's room. 'You do understand that this could put her in danger, if she's not aware of what's going on?' Embry huffed angrily.

'She's fine. I'm watching out for her.' Embry insisted. He looked up at Claudia's window, seeing her watching the water from her desk. He sighed. 'She won't even let me talk to her, anyway.' Sam began to sift through Embry's memories, much to his annoyance. 'Stop that!' He growled. 'She told me a ton of private stuff, Sam, stuff she wouldn't want you knowing. Just get out of my head, I'll tell you what you want to know.'

'What does she know? Have you told her anything?'

'No. I was trying to last night, but she wouldn't listen to me.' He let out a low whine as the lights in Claudia's room shut off. 'Barely let me talk at all. I really screwed up, Sam. She...she says she wants to forgive me, but doesn't know if she should, or if she can. It's killing me.' Sam sighed.

'I'm sorry, Embry.' He looked out towards the water. 'I'm sorry I made things so hard for you.' Embry sighed.

'It's my fault, not yours.' Sam looked back at him. 'Can I stay, for a little longer at least? Until I know she's asleep?'

'Head home when you're done here.' Sam instructed. 'Jared and Paul have patrol tonight. You need to get in some time as a human, and some time to sleep.' Embry nodded.

'Thanks Sam.' They didn't speak again as Sam left, and Embry laid down in the sand next to Claudia's house. He could hear the tv still on downstairs, but it turned off after a few minutes. In less than an hour, he was sure everyone in the house was asleep, so he began heading towards his house.

———————

"Oh, you're here this morning." Tiffany Call sounded surprised as she watched Embry shuffle out of his room tiredly. "Were you here all night?"

"Most of it." Embry yawned, pulling open the fridge.

"Well, remember you're-"

"Grounded for life, yeah I know." He sighed. "I was with Claudia."

"Right." Tiffany's voice was short. Embry was too tired to tell if she didn't believe him or if she was angry with Claudia. He eventually sat down across from her at the table with some toast, resolving himself to getting more food at Emily's. "And are you planning on going to school today?" Before he could answer, he heard Paul's loud howl out in the woods. Tiffany didn't seem to notice it, though, still watching Embry.

"Probably not." He stood up, stretching. Tiffany let out and exasperated sigh.

"I don't understand what is going on with you, Embry." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Why you're being like this-it makes no sense!" Embry sighed internally. "It has something to do with that Sam boy, doesn't it? Joy told me you've been hanging around him now, that you don't see Quil and Jake anymore."

"It's not a big deal, mom." Embry started back towards his room so he could sneak out the window, but Tiffany followed.

"Are you sure?" Embry was a little surprised to hear concern in her voice today, as usually it was just anger. "Embry, if somethings wrong you can tell me." Embry sighed as he stopped in front of his door. Sam had already given him permission to let his mom in on the secret, but he'd insisted she was safer not knowing, that the secret was too important. "Embry..."

"I'm fine, mom." He mumbled as he pushed his door open. "Have a good day at work." Paul was outside his window, so he slid it open. "I have another 20 before she leaves." He said quietly. "Can I just meet you guys out at Emily's?" Jared soon appeared as well.

"No dice, Em." Jared leaned against the house. "Sam's gotta talk to all of us, it's about Jake." Embry sighed before pulling himself out the window, sliding it closed after him.

———————

"How soon?" Jared asked, picking at his seventh muffin. Paul was busy scarfing down his tenth, and Embry had only just started on his third, too distracted to eat like he usually did.

"A few weeks, a month at most." Sam sighed. "Billy called me after he went to school, he's growing about an inch a day, and his temperature's getting up there. He took it while Jake was asleep last night, he's been at 103 for a few days now." Jared nodded.

"We'll need someone out at all times, just in case he phases early." Sam continued. "Rotation, 24/7. We can't afford to miss it, but Billy said he'd call the second he noticed anything off just in case."

"Anything about Quil?" Embry spoke up, his eyes fixed on the table.

"Nothing." Sam shook his head. "Joy went shopping with Emily yesterday and she says he hasn't changed at all."

"Maybe he'll get lucky." Paul said, his mouth full. Jared reached over and hit him, and Paul hit back quickly.

"I'll keep an eye out." Sam rolled his eyes at them. "Who's up to take first shift?"

"I'll do it." Embry stood up, abandoning his half eaten muffin. Sam raised his eyebrows at him, and Embry understood. "I'm fine. Besides, I can watch them at the same time-they're always together aren't they?"

"Who?" Paul was suddenly uninterested in his food.

"Jake and..." Sam looked up at Embry who nodded before turning around to leave. Though, thanks to his still newfound sensitive hearing, he could head them clearly as he stepped outside. "Claudia."

"That girl that he made cry?" Paul snorted, and it sounded like Jared hit him again.

"Come on, man." Jared said. "You know how bad he feels about that."

"Who cares? She's just some girl." Paul scoffed.

"He imprinted on her." Sam spoke again, and Embry could hear Emily's quiet gasp from the kitchen. "But his situation is complicated, so let him figure it out for himself." Embry didn't stick around to listen to more, phasing before quickly running towards the school. It only took him ten minutes to get there, and he planted himself in the tree line. Sam checked in a few times during the day, but nothing else besides that-he finally had his head to himself. Though it didn't do him much good to think about how hurt his mom was, and how helpless he felt in getting Claudia back.

His mind eventually wandered to Jake, how he would phase soon. He wondered how Jake would take it, all the legends being true. If he hadn't literally turned into a wolf, Embry wouldn't have been so inclined to believe them either. He'd always thought they were cool, but never put much stock into them until recently. Everyone was like that. Of course, his mind soon turned to Claudia. If he could ever get her to listen, would she believe him? Would he have to phase in front of her for her to believe him?

He shuttered at the thought, shaking his head lightly. Phasing wasn't exactly pleasant-to watch or experience-and he didn't want Claudia to see that. But a dark thought that settled in the back of his mind told him he'd probably have no other choice. He did his best to push the thought away for the rest of the day, thankfully being distracted when school ended.

"Jacob!" Claudia shrieked with laughter as she, Jake and Quil left the school. Embry circled around before seeing them heading out the side entrance, towards the woods. "Put me down!" Jake was carrying Claudia over his shoulder, and all three of them were laughing. Eventually Jake dropped her, and Embry was taken back by just how tall Jake had gotten. Once upon a time, he and Embry had argued about who was closer to 5'10", but now Embry could only assume Jake was nearly 7 feet tall. It was almost comical, in a way.

"What are we doin today?" Quil asked as the three of them set off in the woods.

"Well I'm going to see Bella." Quil and Claudia groaned. "What?"

"Can't you bring her out here instead?" Quil asked, and a few seconds later Embry heard a slap. "Ow, dude!"

"I already told you, she's not into you man." Jake huffed.

"Yeah, she's not into you either." Claudia snorted. "Oh, don't give me that look! She's told you herself, Jake. Besides, didn't her and Cullen just break up anyway? She was like, obsessed with him-according to what Charlie's told my mom at least."

"She's over him." Jake insisted, but the quiet snickering of Claudia and Quil told Embry they didn't believe him. "Whatever, I'll see you guys later." They both called goodbyes to him, and Embry soon saw Jake jogging down the trail in front of him. Embry didn't know what to do, or who to follow, so he howled loudly.

"Woah!" Quil gasped. "That sounded super close."

"Yeah." Claudia breathed, though she didn't sound nearly as freaked out as Quil.

"C'mon, let's get back to my house." He sounded rushed. "Before we get eaten." Claudia laughed, and Embry sighed, turning around and following Jake.