@BadBoyEmbryCall - pulling it up into a mess bum over the top of my head.

“It… it will be here when you feel it’s safe to take it back.”

‘Aren’t you going to tell him why you reacted?’ She whispered low and this time I pushed her back and closed the door.

This was no one’s business, this was something I was dealing with. The Spirits had helped me, but the human and the Warrior needed to catch up.

@HotHeadSheWolf
I could see that she was beating herself up over her snap reaction... I didn't need to add to that, not everything that I was sure was on her mind after everything we had spoken about tonight.

I watched her do that thing with her hair and my heart faltered, even though the light had dimmed a little in her eyes. I told myself it was from the shock of being dropped on my arse for a momentary lack of common sense. I nodded and gave her a real smile.

I did wish that I could >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< trust myself, but when it came to Mom I tended to act first and think later. And a small thought in the back of my mind told me that it was another reason to see her. But that was stupid... I saw Leah almost every day. But the gratitude for her holding onto the guitar was real.

"All of this will work out Leah... I know you don't do the talking thing... but the offer still stands... and you know where to find me." I grabbed my jacket and made my way out of her living room >

@BadBoyEmbryCall I didn’t look back at him, just got myself to my feet and straighten out. It was a fools move, and it only happened because somehow I had let my guard down.

The songs on the air had stopped, and the night sky had started to lighten. The time has disappeared on me without my seeing it.

Raising my eyebrow, I heard his heart do something off key. Had I hurt him? Nah… it was Call, he had taken a lot harder from me in the past.
-

@BadBoyEmbryCall - I moved to the coffee table, picking up the two glasses to take them to the kitchen, listening to him reiterating his offer. And when I finally did look up at him, he was smiling?

The kind that touched his eyes, and told you it was true. It stopped me in my steps and I just nodded my head. I knew, he knew, I didn’t go looking for people. I hadn’t in all my grown life.

“Don’t do anything stupid on your way home.” I’d made my way into the kitchen, placing them glasses in -

@BadBoyEmbryCall - the sink.

I made me way to the kitchen opening by the front door, opening it wide and standing back.

@HotHeadSheWolf
Something in her seemed to ease... but still. The glimpse of her that I had seen just a few moments ago...was gone. And I didn't know why... but the idea of not seeing that woman she had hidden away inside, again... It didn't sit right with me.

I chuckled as I shrugged into my jacket. "I make no promises!" I flashed her another smile. Hoping it let her now she had no need to explain herself... whatever this was tonight; it was between us, and it was okay. I stepped out into >

@HotHeadSheWolf < The chilled air.

"Good ni--" I stopped and looked up and around me. "Good morning, Trouble. I'll see you soon."

I knew she wouldn't come looking for me to talk about any of this stuff. But maybe I had planted a few seeds tonight. I knew if just spoke to Jake... it would take so much of this weight off her shoulders.

@BadBoyEmbryCall

My eyes drifted up to the sky, the start of the birds song just hitting from afar. The night had turned into the next day, and Embry Call was still at my doorstep.

“Not if I see you first.” I was leaning back to give him room. Two spirit warriors in the doorway of a house in La Push was a squeeze on the best of days.

And there he said it again. ‘Trouble’, it used to grate on me because of the irony of it. But now… after tonight.. and my actions… I guessed he was right. -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

“See you soon Dimples.”

Reaching out I closed the door. I wasn’t going to stand there watching him walk away. This wasn’t the end of some sad movie or book. It was life, and in real life. Leah Clearwater didn’t do that crap.

Turning I rested my back against the door. Rubbing my face. My lips parted but I stopped myself from saying something. He was still in ear rage.

@HotHeadSheWolf
I laughed and shook my head. Fine... I could let her have the last word. I mean she'd shown up to the sanctuary and she hadn't slammed the door in my face when I turned up here.

When I heard her door click shut I rubbed my jaw and remembered her punch. I glanced back and rolled my eyes. Maybe I shouldn't have let her have the last word. I popped my headphones into my ears and hit shuffle on my favourite Irish artists playlist. Walking on Cars played. >

https://myoutube.com/watch?v=vtUjVYmTZ4g&feature=share

@HotHeadSheWolf
< 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵
𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘺
𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘰𝘸
𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘸

The words played and I was only a few steps away. I didn't if it was Sorcha on the keys.... Or Patrick Sheehy's flawless vocals. But I turned around and walked back up to the door. Even with the music playing in my ears I could hear her heart beating on the other side of the door. "Leah." I said softly through the barrier. "Open the door."

@BadBoyEmbryCall

My head jerked up, I could hear the muffled sound of the music playing, the sound of his footsteps returning. My eyebrows pulled together when I heart the sound of his heart beating and then his voice.

My mind worked over what he could have forgotten. Only the guitar, it was the only thing he had arrived with. And he wasn’t going to take that back with him. I wasn’t going to let him make that mistake.

Slowly I pushed off the door, my brow still worried as I opened -

@BadBoyEmbryCall - door to find he stood there and not the sound of the Song he was listening was clear.

Was he stealing from my playlist again? It was the only reason her had so many of the tracks I liked.

“What’s the matter?” I asked, my eyes finding his.

@HotHeadSheWolf
I put one foot inside her door again and the moment I did, my heart raced.

"Nothing." I answered her then I was pushing the door behind me to conceal us from the deserted street. Only I would be crazy enough to come to Leah's door at this hour and not have an emergency.

But, in a way... this was something that couldn't wait. A moment of clarity, a moment to grab on to and live in completely. ... even if the craziest thing I had ever contemplated. >

@HotHeadSheWolf
<
I stepped in closer to her, my tongue darting over my lips. She was going to kill me. "Don't Kill me." I whispered and leaned down brought my lips so close to hers that I could feel the heat of her breath on my skin... And Spirit's... had she always smelled this good?

My stomach wouldn't settle... and I wasn't sure I wanted it to. I pressed my lips against her, a light, lingering kiss and everything lifted... the weight on my shoulders... >

@BadBoyEmbryCall

He moved to come in again, so without thinking about it my feet took me back into the house. My keen eyes saw everything, something was off about him. The tentative step over my threshold. The way he looked at me, the sound of his heart beat, the lick of his lips.

“What…?” I tilted my head trying to understand what had happened, what was happening. Why would I kill him?

And then he was right there, he’d close the space between us, and a fire was set alight within me. -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

Nobody had dared to break that hard line I had drawn in the sand. And here he was again. Embry Call and his bloody hugs?

I was about to hold my hand up to stop him, but then his lips were just inches away from mine with our eyes locked together in an unbreakable way.

It all happened so fast, so slow all at the same time. A million questions and emotions raised their head, but for once my Wolf was shocked into silence. -

@BadBoyEmbryCall - She watched with wild eyes, but her words of wisdom had dried up.

“What… The… Fuck…” The reaction came without time, no time to think, no time to stop. My left hand fisted and the next thing I knew my right pushed him back and my left upper hook met his jaw. The pain of the hit darted up to my elbow and I stumbled back from him. Anger fuelled my action, or was it?

Something was off in that moment, I knew how I should feel, how I should react, how I should go in -

@BadBoyEmbryCall - for another punch to his nose this time. And I took the step forward to do it. But something stopped me. Something pulled my hand back from hitting him.

And in all this time, Hand In Hand by Walking On Cars was playing like a soundtrack.

@HotHeadSheWolf
Something hot flared to life in me. But in a split second, it was doused I knew it was coming when she planted her right hand on my chest. I didn't block or duck.

He fist struck my jaw and tasted blood as the inside of my cheek spilt against my teeth.

I saw stars and stepped back. reaching a hand out to lean on the wall behind me. I squeezed my eyes shut until the stars receeded. Which luckily didn't take that long, because when they opened she was stepping towards me.
>

@HotHeadSheWolf
<
"Leah." I held out a hand in surrender. "I might have deserved that one... but..." I saw her stop and disappear into her thoughts again before I asked her not to hit me again. Mostly because she'd hate herself for it later.

The song still played through the head the hanging over the collar on my jacket, freed from my ears with the blow. My eyes set on hers still... The trickle of blood in my mouth was already stopping and even with the coppery taste on my tongue, >

@BadBoyEmbryCall

My heart was pounding in my chest, and in my ears too. The scent of his blood was the only thing to bring me out of the mind trap I had fallen into. What the actual fuck had just happened? Why did he do that? What was he thinking?

“Fuck!” the word was low and a rumble in the depths of me. I didn’t do screaming and shouting, I just did getting even. I took another step back from him until I heard his voice, and it slowly fell into place.

-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

“You aren’t sorry? The Fuck is wrong with you?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. And my mind was calling on the moment as it played in my head on replay. He came back in, he moved into me, his lips lingered over mine and then…. “What were you thinking? What in the name of the Spirits were you thinking? I’m not one of your shorties Embry Call. I’m not warming your bed to make you forget tonight.”

-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

But even as I said the words, they felt wrong. This wasn’t him. This wasn’t the Embry Call I had somehow found on my door step these past days. He wouldn’t kiss me …. I didn’t let that thought finish, because if I let myself believe that he had just come over tonight to conquer me… He wouldn’t be leaving this house alive.

@HotHeadSheWolf

"Fuck!" Mine was louder than hers... But of course, that was what she thought. My hand worked my jaw and then I dragged it through my hair.

"Spirit's Leah is that what..." I stopped myself because it's what I'd spent years making people think of me. I couldn't be annoyed at her for thinking what I had wanted people to.

"What was I thinking..." I repeated. I shook my head and clicked my jaw again... Fuck! That hurt. I'd hate to think what her right fist could do... but >

@HotHeadSheWolf
<That thought just flashed memories of her fist connect with another jaw and blood spraying onto her face.

"I was thinking that walking away from your door was the biggest fucking mistake of life! Which clearly makes me insane!" Leaned back against the wall and dragged my hand roughly through my hair, yelling at her really just made all of this even crazier. I lowered my voice."I don't know why.... or how... I just..." My eyes found hers again... searching. >

@BadBoyEmbryCall

He was yelling at me? Embry Fucking Call… was yelling at me?

‘Listen…’ oh she finally woke up from the nap of a life time now? And she replied herself. ‘Listen.’

Hadn’t I been doing that all this time? Listening, understanding, or at least trying to?

His question took me off my guard again. Once again he was saying something that I was thinking. I knew that wasn’t him, I knew he lived up to what the tribe and people expect of him, just as I did. And so I knew it was -

@BadBoyEmbryCall - wrong the moment those words left me lips. And yet he was still here. Why hadn’t he run?

“What are you even talking about? Insanity is thinking that I wouldn’t react, insanity is thinking you could do that? Fuck Call!”

I pulled at my hair that came apart and fell open, falling down past my shoulders. “What am I meant to do with this? I am your BETA! This…. Fuck… this….” My words never came out when I needed them. It’s why I didn’t use them much.

@HotHeadSheWolf
I laughed humourlessly and ushed off the wall, standing on my own two feet... or... well shuffling awkwardly from one to the other. Biting my lip until it sent a twinge along my jaw.

"Do you think you're the only one here that was blindsided by this?" I shook my head like she should be able to guess what was running around my hectic mind.

"Don't make this about the pack Leah... we both know where those priorities stand. I didn't kiss my Beta... I kissed Leah Clearwater." <

@HotHeadSheWolf
< And fuck!!!

All I could think about was that I wanted to do it again. But I couldn't cross that line... I touched her three times tonight and two of those... she thought all the worst things that everyone thought about me.

I was sorry for the second one... which was insane because it was a small touch to her. Her question rattled around the loudest in my head. "Tell me what you want me to do?" I shrugged in answer. >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< "Tell me... and I'll do it. Tell me to walk out that door and forget this ever happened and I'll do it... if that's what you want. Just say it." I wasn't sure I could forget it... but I knew I would try.

But one thing I knew I couldn't live with was being the one to choose to walk away.

@BadBoyEmbryCall

That laugh of his grated on me. It wasn’t truly his laughter…. And 𝙒𝙝𝙮 was i thinking about what his laugh said to me right now?

I rubbed my forehead, his words… the ones my wolf told me to listen to replaying.

𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦! 𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘦!

Insane? Walking away from a door that had been closed?
-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

My eyes were back n his feet now, seeing that awkward movement he did when he was trying to say something, and not knowing it was coming across correctly. And then my glance was on his face and that lip bite again. But this one was again full of uncertainty?

“Blindsided? You.. you were blindsided by an action you took?” Was he for real here? What was I missing in this picture set before me?

And before I could go on my words dried up.
-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

𝘋𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘩... 𝘸𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥. 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘉𝘦𝘵𝘢... 𝘐 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘩 𝘊𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳.

What did that even mean? “I am Leah Clearwater.. and I am…” and then I stopped.

𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘉𝘦𝘵𝘢... 𝘐 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘩 𝘊𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳.

He didn’t kiss his Beta… he kissed me…? My stomach twisted and turned. I placed my hand over it trying to steady myself. I ended up falling back into the wall behind me. Leaning over half way to breathe.
-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

His kiss still replaying in my head. “Tell you? Tell you what to do? When I don’t even know what just happened. Why it happened… how…”

I peered up at him before straightening up. The sting in my hand was forgotten. And I was looking at him again.

Swallowing hard, trying to put the words together. “Walk away Embry, you were emotional, upset… you didn’t mean to do this. -