@HotHeadSheWolf
With my headphones in and music playing I read her reply and smiled.

[𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚞𝚌𝚔𝚜. 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙼𝚘𝚖 𝚒𝚜 𝚊𝚜 𝚜𝚊𝚏𝚎 𝚊𝚜 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚋𝚕𝚢 𝚋𝚎. 𝙸'𝚖 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞... 𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞'𝚛𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝚞𝚙 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜. 𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎'𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚊𝚝 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚛𝚢 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎? 𝙽𝚘𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸'𝚖 𝚜𝚞𝚐𝚐𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛... 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚛𝚢 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚋𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚍𝚘.]

I closed my eyes, leaving >

@BadBoyEmbryCall

Sipping on the cup of coffee in my hand I shook my head. I knew what he had been trying to tell me. What he had openly told me. That he was here for me, that he wanted to be in the same room as me. And it was something new. That he would want that? No. But that I could see him sat across the kitchen table from me right now. Yes.

And that realisation was….

‘Sis? Did you sleep at all?’ #Seth came out of the living room, -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

with his heavy feet padding on the wooden floor. He made a point to walk in Ma’s house with heavy footing so that she could hear him coming. ‘Why are you cooking breakfast. You know after the day we all had yesterday there is no way the moms will be up at the crack of dawn.’

I pocketed my phone before turning to look at him stood in the door. “Just wanted something to do.” I told him as he came to still beside me, taking my cup of coffee and drinking from it. -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

‘I know you won’t believe me. But you need to sleep too. come on.’ Setting the cup down he curled his fingers around mine standing and making me follow him to the couch. ‘You sleep, I will take the next watch. I will give them their meds when they wake up and I will keep my ears on them at all times.’

Setting me down, he pulled the throw over my legs and kissed my forehead. ‘Please. Sleep.’

Giving his hand a squeeze, I turned to free my -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

hair from under myself before curling my legs to fit on Ma’s couch. Thinking of Embry’s words.

‘𝙸'𝚖 𝚜𝚞𝚐𝚐𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛... 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚛𝚢 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚋𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚍𝚘.’

Taking my phone out I sent a quick shot message hoping he will see it in the morning after he had slept.

[𝙸𝚏 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚔𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚋𝚢 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚍𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚖𝚎.]

@HotHeadSheWolf
My alarm blared... well... not really because my phone was permanently on vibrate. But my head ached from the lack of sleep, so the buzzing was the most irritating noise I had ever heard right now.

My phone was still next to me, I lifted it and cancelled the alarm. Snooze was never something I needed, it was one of those things that people found shocking about me... they assumed my laid-back approach to life meant I liked to stay in bed. But I was a morning person.

I read >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< her text and smiled. Because I could imagine... If it was even half of what she did for me? Well... that would be something for sure.

I knew it was true, and knew that it wasn't easy for her to say even that much. I knew she could never ask me to be there for her... but maybe that was exactly why the ancestor steered our paths this way. I never needed to be asked or invited, I was really good at just showing up anyway.

[𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝚋𝚎 𝚜𝚕𝚎𝚎𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚝𝚘𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝... >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚢𝚋𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔... 𝚜𝚊𝚢 𝚊𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚕𝚞𝚗𝚌𝚑𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎? 𝚙𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚊 𝚋𝚊𝚐, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚊 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚛... 𝚖𝚊𝚢𝚋𝚎 𝚊 𝚗𝚊𝚙.]

My patrol would be finished at about that time and I could spend a few hours with her if she could ta herself away... but this was Leah. The chances of her putting her needs first were slim. But I would just keep trying.

I got up and headed out to the main room of the house... it was only when I saw #Quil, up and dressed that I realised the house smelled of coffee and >

@HotHeadSheWolf

< bacon.

I looked around the room... "What the hell? What's wrong? Why are you up?" It was normally my waking him up... but breakfast was a bowl of cereal... not... I followed the smell. It was making my stomach growl.

'Littlesea dropped off breakfast... he figured we all had a day yesterday.' #Quil stuffed his face with a sausage. 'Damn that pup can cook!'

I laughed. It was true. But was a greasy fry-up... not his usual healthy version. "He's a great kid... I never even >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< heard his truck."

'He walked up from down the road, he didn't want to walk you up because you had been working.' #Quil explained.

"Of course he did." I laughed and made myself a plate from the food wrapped in tin foil on the counter.

@BadBoyEmbryCall

The sound of the truck wasn’t new to my ear. I knew that sound anywhere. #TheKid was walking towards the front of the house before the wheel had turned into Ma’s drive way.

‘Did I wake you?’ the soft voice whispered.

‘No, not at all. I was just in the shower.’ The scent of soup was in the air. Not that #TheKid would lie.

-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

‘Good, I made you all some breakfast. I wanted to make sure you all had some down time this morning.

#TheKid laughed. ‘Sis made breakfast at the crack of dawn. But you know we will never say no to your food Pup. Come on in.’

I sat up on the couch, pulling my hair up into a messy bun before standing and stretching my body out.

-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

‘Good morning, Leah, did you sleep at all?’ #Collin smiled from the living room door.

“Is that your way of saying I look bad?” I asked narrowing my eyes at him.

‘Uhm… no… n… No… not at all…’ his face and ears were turning red.

“So, now you are checking me out while you are standing in my Ma’s house?”

-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

‘NO! NO… I promise you….’ The pup moved from foot to foot pulling on the collar of his shirt.

‘Sis, would you stop messing with the pup. He brought us all food.’ #Seth placed a protective arm around the pups shoulder and squeezed him. ‘She’s always in a bad mood when she doesn’t sleep. It’s why I put her to sleep.’

-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

The pup’s eyes moved from my brother and then to me and back again. ‘I should go.’

“No.. No, you shouldn’t. get your arse in the kitchen and eat some breakfast with us, and then I promised you, and Fuller that you could see Ma today.” Looking out at the street and the other Pup made his way up the path. “Speaking of.”

Letting the boys set up breakfast I went to brush my teeth and clean up, seeing the missed text from this morning from -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

Embry. I knew he was right, but I also knew myself. And I wasn’t going to be able to leave Ma, not while she was hurting.

[𝙸 𝚌𝚊𝚗’𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚎𝚜 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚗𝚘 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚔𝚎𝚎𝚙. 𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝙸 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝙸 𝚌𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜.]

@HotHeadSheWolf
#Quil and I ate, and I had the mid-morning run. For #Quil, it was time with his imprint and I would probably go to see Mom for a while before I spent a little with Bear too... before she had to go home.

I waited for #Quil to go to the bathroom before I took out my phone and smiled at my phone.

[𝙸 𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚍. 𝙾𝚗𝚎 𝚝𝚎𝚡𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙸'𝚖 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎... 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚊𝚗, 𝚘𝚛 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚍. 𝙶𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝙼𝚘𝚖 𝚊 𝚔𝚒𝚜𝚜 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚖𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚜 𝚞𝚙. 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕 𝚂𝚞𝚎 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚏𝚊𝚋𝚞𝚕𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚑𝚎.]

I felt the need for a >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< Shower... but i didn;t see the point. would just grab one at Jake's after my patrol and save myself a trip home.

I finished eating and washed the dishes. by the time #Quil was done in the shower, we made short work of tidying up and putting the leftover food in the fridge. There was enough left for both of us to get a decent dinner. That young pup always planned ahead.

"I'll tell Mom and Sue you said hello." I told #Quil before we got into separate vehicles.

'You >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< know there's no way Claire will leave with seeing Sue and Momma T... tell them we'll drop by for a visit. We won't stay long so they can get their rest.'

I just smiled and promised I would before I pulled out.

@BadBoyEmbryCall

The Mom’s both awoke to a house full of worried people. I helped Ma to shower and change before #TheKidd carried her down the stairs. ‘It’s my arm not my feet that is damaged.’ Ma said still not quite herself yet.

‘I don’t care, I’m carrying down and that’s that.’ He laughed.

Then came a soft laughter of #MsC and her giggles. ‘Put me down young man.’ -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

Someone had taken a hold of her too?

‘Nope, you are both being carried like the goodness of the Rez.’ #Brady was following the lead of #TheKid.

‘You’re listening to what’s happening inside.’ #Sam was beside me holding the door of the shed open. While I checked over everything that was in there. All the tools were backed away safely, and it was clean in here, however still Ma had injured herself.

-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

“I like to keep an ear out.” #Sam stepping in to grab some clippers and move them to their rightful place.

‘Yeah, I know. But no sleep, thinking it’s all on your shoulders, not asking for help. Leah it’s all going to come to a head.’ Turning my head as my hands reset my Da’s tool box.

“And yet here you all are. At the hospital, now, so do I need to ask for help?” -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

His wife could be seen from the kitchen window, the sound of laughter coming from the house that had too many people in there which was why I made myself useful out here.

‘And you’re out here hiding from them all.’ #Sam finished off.

“I don’t hide. Just…” he shook his head as I spoke.

-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

‘Sure, sure. You came out here to investigate, how Sue was hurt, and how it can never happen again. Things happen Leah, we can’t watch over them all the time.’ There was some truth in his words, I knew it. But some part of me still couldn’t let go. ‘Come on, Emily brought some food with her. And the Pup did well with the food he brought too. We should show them some love by eating it.’

I threw a car wash sponge at his head. -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

‘Hey, I know you can eat too.’ of course he caught it.

“How about you get your arse in the kitchen and let you wife sit down.” Snapping my teeth at him that just made him laugh.

‘Have you forgotten I’m banned from ever going close to her or anyone’s kitchen?’ He was laughing.

“Stop blowing up the toasters and they will let you back in.”

‘Leah, Sam. Come in lunch is ready.’ Emily opened the door and called out. -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

We both looked to the house, knowing that Emily had only done that because #MsC was there.

#Sam rushed off inside giving me a moment of alone time. Stepping back my eyes evaluated the changed I’d made in here. Bringing tools Ma was likely to come looking for lower and to the front, meaning she wouldn’t have to go hunting.

When I finally read the message Embry sent I closed my eyes and rubbed my forehead, making my way inside. -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

I watched the people inside trying to make space and still over taking the kitchen. It was an extended family that was all here to help look out for my Ma.

Walking around Emily and Sam, I went to wash my hands before Kissing Ma and then MsC on the head and sitting down to my bowl of soup and grilled cheese. -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

“Your son has been checking in all night. He thinks I’d have you out all night dancing by the way he has been acting.”

‘He is a good boy.’ She spoke smiling. ‘And he knows you would take good care of me.’ Squeezing my arm.

‘Speaking of.’ #Emily held out two bags making my frown. ‘You and Seth need to go home, we have the day shift covered.’ I shook my head. ‘Leah, trust in us.’ she added giving Seth his bag. -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

‘Take your sister with you. I will call if anything changes of if we need you. But as much as I know you will say you don’t need to sleep. You do.’

“When did you become so forceful?” I asked my cousin.

‘The day she gave birth.’ #Sam replied earning himself a slap from his wife. ‘Hey! You know it’s true beautiful. He kissed his cheek and then went to sit beside #MsC.

#MsC watched every moment between us as she was taking it all in, her hand reached out and she stroked-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

#Sam’s cheek like a mother. ‘You are so luck to have such a beautiful wife who loves you so much. Make sure you never take a moment with her for granted.’ She smiled that warm smile that the Calls kept for those they cared for.

‘I promise Mama T, I will never do that. Ever.’ He kissed her forehead placing an arm around her shoulder to keep her close. He had noticed the same shiver that I had, and he knew too that #TiffenyCall did like to be ‘handled’ due to her illness.

-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

‘Time to got Leah.’ #Emily told me. ‘I have an over night bag and #Seth has remade his bed for me. I’ll be here.’ Because she knew that I would say that she should be taking it easy and resting too. ‘The ladies and I will be going up for a nap soon anyway, and then we have some shop talk to do.’ Winking at the two Moms who nodded their heads in unison.

“Why do I feel like it’s a conspiracy going on here?” I asked closing my arms looking between then all.

-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

In the end it was Ma and #MsC who had told us to go rest, and not to worry. I knew MsC was here to help her friend and sister. But it didn’t feel right to leave them. And in that moment, I understood now what Embry had been feeling last night. Feeling like you are in the wrong place… it was a strange sentiment.

@HotHeadSheWolf
< laughed and showed #Billy.

‘Wow… They are really hunkering down over there.’ He chuckled.

I replied saying:
[𝚃𝚎𝚕𝚕 𝙵𝚞𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚙 𝚏𝚕𝚒𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚖𝚢 𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛!]

A reply from another pup not at the Clearwater house shot in.

[𝙷𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚊 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚘𝚕𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗! 𝙱𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚊𝚝𝚌𝚑 𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝙲𝚊𝚕𝚕!]

The exhaustion I was feeling left my body when I made it to the small grove behind the Black's house. My wolf lurched into being and brought with him an abundance of energy. As soon as the >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< other's minds linked with mine that were asking what was happening and how #Sue as I blocked out the conversation I had with Leah that night by showing them all the image of the moms getting the royal treatment.

"They're okay, Sue has recovery ahead of her but she'll be well looked after." I assured them all, and I got them all back on track. We had a job to do and #Sue would not be impressed if we didn't do it to the best of our abilities.

Today that was the only motivator >

@HotHeadSheWolf
< I needed to get them on track today.

After my run, I showered at Billy's place, and read through the conversation that had occurred in the group chat in my absence. Laughing at the back and fourth banter about who I was going to thump for flirting with my mother.

Instead of replying to them, I text Leah.

[𝙵𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝚖𝚢 𝚛𝚞𝚗... 𝚒𝚜 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝙼𝚘𝚖'𝚜 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚎?]

@BadBoyEmbryCall

Standing under the water I closed my eyes. Visions of my Ma in the hospital flashed on a loop. The scent of her blood reminded in my nose and the way I found her made my heart stop. “I should have been there.” I told myself.

Keeping my hands flat pushed against the wall was the only way to keep the younger Leah from breaking out.

‘No, you need to understand that accidents happen. You where there when you were meant to be.’ -

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

My wolf spoke to me softly, trying to talk me down from the ledge I’d been climbing onto.

By the time I was done, with a towel wrapped around my steaming body, another in my hairs drying my hair. I stepped out of the bathroom, walking my way back into my bedroom. The sound of my phone going off brought me to the phone charging on the side.

I hadn’t replied to his last text, knowing he would be on his run and his phone wouldn’t have been with him.

-

@BadBoyEmbryCall -

[𝙷𝚘𝚠 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚞𝚗? 𝙳𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚖𝚎 𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎? 𝙸 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚡𝚝 𝚛𝚞𝚗. 𝙽𝚘, 𝚗𝚘 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎. 𝙴𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚢 𝚔𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚘𝚞𝚝. 𝚂𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝.]

Hitting send, I went to stand before my closet. Thinking, maybe I should head out for a run? The others had picked up my slake, and I hated it..