CHAPTER 10 ... part 2

(No Diggity — Blackstreet ft. Dr. Dre)

2 WEEKS past and Alma Uley was still ignoring the better part of the rez'. She was like a wraith, slipping in and out of the shadows without even bating the eyes of onlookers.

Call her cowardly, but in all fairness, Alma just found out that her brother and friend turn into giant ass werewolf's, she wasn't exactly going to accept that like it was the most normal everyday occurrence.

A small part of her ached, like it physically pained her soul to ignore them – to ignore him.

It was like a piece of her was missing, like something that was always a part of her – something meant to make her whole, was taken from the very spot it laid. Like a puzzle, even if it's one singular piece missing from 1,000+ pieces, it's still abundantly clear that a portion of the picture is missing.

Even odder, Alma felt nothing. Her heart ached and her soul yearned, but her emotions were on an impromptu sabbatical – but she didn't know why.

Maybe it was psychosomatics. The human mind is a powerful thing, one thought can lead to so much more. 1) Alma missed Embry, 2) Alma and Embry reconcile, 3) Alma find's out she has been lied to for years which leads to 4) Alma feels heartbroken and develops psychosis.

Or at least that's what Alma thought.

Allison Uley had once again taken on the role of mediator, attempting to get Alma to 'hash it out' with Sam and his band of bitches. She begged with Alma, pleaded their case in some version of devils advocate, but Alma was a stubborn mule.

Luckily for Alma, she was used to self-inflicted isolations, only this time she didn't have a million different after school activities to kept her away from her problems. She only had her doctor appointments (of which she took the bus) and her secret hide out (a small cove just west of the beach).

She'd spent majority of her time listening to her old mix tapes she found in a box under her old bed, rereading the same three books that Alma stole from her mom's bedside.

She decided one day that after reading a country time romance for what felt like the fiftieth time, she needed a change. Alma walked to Emmie Lou's used bookstore, wearing what felt like a hundred layers because even if she wasn't speaking to Allison, her mom still refused to let Alma leave without being warm.

Luckily for Alma, the store seemed quite barren in terms of capacity. She'd walked into the store fairly early, bleary eyed and caffeine infused, determined to get in and out as fast as humanly possible.

Perhaps it would've been easier to just find a new book online, save the trouble of hobbling three blocks, but then Alma would have to spend more time listening to Allison plead Sam – and subsequently, Embry's case. And if Alma heard one more 'I'm sorry', she was sure she'd explode.

A part of Alma was seriously considering booking the next flight back to her apartment in New England and finishing her recovery there. Sure, she'd be all by herself for the entire duration of her recovery and she'd be back to square one in terms of where she stood with her hometown but that seemed like a walk in the park compared to staying in La Push, walking hand in hand with the paranoia that flooded her mind.

Maybe she could book a lodging for the time being, the nice one in Port Angeles, just a block or two away from Newton's Olympic Outfitter's. She had enough money to be able to rent for the foreseeable future, and she was sure that her Coach would be more than happy to give his 'star player' (his words, not hers) a comfortable place to stay.

Alma breathed out a sigh, trying (and failing) to find a book that didn't scream 'middle aged mom with wine and a shit ton of marriage problems.' If Alma were more perceptive (or, more accurately, more awake), she would've noticed Emily Uley browsing through cook books, maybe she would've had more time to make an escape plan.

"Hey.." Emily trailed, walking up to Alma like she were a scared animal. Embry had been particularly inconsolable since Alma's abrupt departure, unable to even exit his bed without getting some weird spout of vertigo (of which he'd never had until now). The others tried their best to get Embry out of the house, maybe some fresh air would help lift his spirits. But Embry Call was a ticking time bomb and Alma Uley was the spark that could set him off.

This was found out when one day, Jared made an off-handed joke (as the Cameron boy does), something about how Alma was already getting cold feet and Embry just snapped.

Sam was no better. Sure, he didn't show any outward emotion towards what had transpired just 2 weeks prior, but Emily knew better – she knew Sam. She knew he was beating himself up that Alma found out through Joshua, feeling guilt over telling Embry to cut ties all those years ago (even if it was for Alma's safety). And yet he still kept up a strong front, trying to be there for the Call boy.

Ruth and Peter were no better. After what could only be described as an eventful Halloween, both were inconsolable. They begged and pleaded to be taken to Alma, wanting to see with their own eyes that she was okay. Emily was sure that she cried when hearing their recount of what happened. She always knew that Alma Uley had a heart of gold, but now? Now Emily knew that Alma was basically the purest soul in all of Washington – she was sure of it.

She noticed Alma grow ridged; her body pivoted to make a quick exit. "I know I'm probably the last person you want to see right now, but I just want you to know...I know how you feel."

Then, after giving Alma a tight smile and a squeeze on the shoulder, she began to walk off only to be given pause when Alma asked; "Was that him."

She didn't need to reiterate, didn't need to point out what was so obviously inquired – was Sam the one to mare her face.

Her vocal cords grew tight, her chest constricting as so stuttered out a 'yes'. Emily remembered that day vividly, Sam had finally come clean about why he'd left Leah and why he was so dead set on going out with Emily.

Just like Alma, Emily had turned away, because despite how Sam made her heart palpitate, he was still Leah's ex. Just like Embry, Sam became inconsolable, primitive and desperate. He saw that he was slowly losing Emily, that she was backing away, never to be seen again.

"I want you!" his heart burned and her's broke. "Ever since I imprinted, I can't find it in myself to want anyone else, why can't you see that?"

Her breathing was shaky, palms sweaty as Sam grew more and more desperate. "It isn't right Sam. You can't just break Leah's heart and expect me to be with you."

"I know that. God, I tried to be okay with just being your friend but Em, even if I love Leah it is nothing compared to what I feel for you."

"No, no no no! Sam this is just because you feel lonely, you don't need me, you don't love me. Just, just fix what you have with Leah, I'm sure she'd take you back! I-"

"You don't know that!"

"Yes, I do! I can't be with a guy who would do that so why do you expect me to!"

That was when it happened. Not through anger, but through pure desperation. The idea that Emily would leave, that she didn't believe him, sent him into a spiral – he was inconsolable.

She didn't remember much after that, she remembered a searing pain blooming along her face, frantic voices shouting distantly. She remembered waking up in the hospital, Sam asleep in the chair adjacent to her bed. "Tell me," He shook out, fighting every urge that told him to run to and hold her tightly in her arms, "Tell me to end it all, I've failed you and I don't deserve yo-"

She told him to stop, that none of this was his fault – none of it was. He was just a kid, given the responsibilities of an adult, Sam should have never had such a weight on his shoulders.

It wasn't then that she gave into the bond, that wasn't until a year later, when she realized that maybe she did love Sam. Emily would be the first to admit that the imprint bond is difficult and trying – but she would be a liar if she said that it wasn't worth it.

"Alma, I know that all of this is a lot, but maybe you could hear him out?" She knew exactly who the 'him' in this situation was. "I don't mean right now, I just – Sam and Embry really care about you and I just-"

"Believe me, I know." Alma screwed her eyes shut, sucking in a breath. "I just...I need space to figure all of this out, okay."

Emily nodded once again, giving Alma a small smile before heading towards the checkout, leaving Alma to her thoughts.

***

Before everything transpired, when Alma and Embry were thick as thieves and Sam wasn't her estranged brother. Alma was considerably happy. A vast majority believe that in the end, the meaning of life is what you choice to do with it and who you choice to spend it with.

Alma wasn't popular by any means. There was a difference between popular and well-known, and Alma was more of a household name than anything and people only knew her as Sam's sister. At first, it was because Sam was considerably popular. Sure, he only had a select few friends (2-3 max), but they were also members of the La Push soccer team and that made them popular. So, when he joined and ultimately became their friends – Sam Uley was popular by proxy.

It also helped that Sam was relatively attractive guy and, even better, he was the poster boy for 'golden child'. He got good grades, had a good social standing, remained in his mother's good graces and he was a damn good boyfriend to Leah Clearwater.

Everyone on the rez' agreed that if anything were to come out of their highschool experience, it would be that Sam and Leah would get hitched become the perfect family.

That was a good word to describe Sam, perfect. He was the type of guy that did no wrong. Maybe that was why he was always so kind to Alma, because that was just who Sam was.

If you asked anyone from Sam's graduating class, they'd say they remembered Alma – trinketed braids and all. During every soccer game, Alma was lifted on Leah's shoulders, sitting front row, cheering on her brother clad in his jersey. After every school day, Sam would wait at her classroom door, ready to take her to the beach to work on her homework.

Hell, Alma was supposed to be Sam's best man (best maid?) at his wedding – but then Sam became a dog and Alma became a stone-cold bitch.

Looking back on everything, Alma supposed at least 80% of it made some sense. The whole tattoo thing must've been some weird brotherhood thing (like some all-male ensemble of 'We're All In This Together') and the hair thing might've been to help with keeping their fur-sonas (or whatever) well groomed.

But it still didn't make sense why Sam had to lie to her.

If it was so impertinent that Alma stay in the dark on this matter, why was she all of a sudden in the know?

It had been another week before Alma bucked up the courage to visit the Uley cabin. After giving herself an hour long pep-talk, she finally made the trek to her brother's.

She raised her fist, knocking once, twice, thrice, before the door opened.

Sam was expecting a lot of people to knock at his door; Old Quil, Jared hell, even Joshua – but Alma was not who was expecting that frigid November morning.

"Uhm, hey Al-"

"Why did you do it?"

He knew what she meant. Why did he let her believe that he was some psychotic cult leader, why did he let her hate him. In all honesty, Sam didn't know. Sure, he wanted to keep her safe and in order to do that he needed Alma was far as humanly possible from the supernatural. But there were better excuses, he could have said he was helping the boys with their anger issues, could have made it into some super exclusive college prep thing – but Sam let people believe that he was a terrible person, he let Alma believe that.

"I..it was easier I guess, it kept you safe."

"How can you sit there and be so, so calm? You just sat there and let me hate you, like you did something wrong!" She blurted out, finally let all of that pent-up anger, all of her unsaid emotions out. "God Sam! I was completely alone and my only out was skipping town! You could've told me anything, anything! But instead, you just let me hate you for something so stupid! All these years wasted because you had to be the bigger person!"

"I feel so stupid! Mom spent years, years trying to convince me that you weren't some spawn of Satan but of course I didn't listen! Why couldn't you tell me the truth! Sure, I would've freaked out but you know me Sam! I wouldn't of told anyone! Why couldn't you trust me!"

There was a spout of silence then, filled only by Alma's heavy breath's. "Why didn't you trust me Sam." It came out quieter then, slurred by the tears that began to flow from her eyes. "You were everything to me and you just let me believe you left, just like him."

He didn't know what to say, what could he say? Anything he could say didn't feel right, it could never make everything better. So he did the only thing that helped Alma when she was just a little girl;

He hugged her.

Just like when Joshua first walked out, he tugged her close. He wrapped his arms around her tightly like he did when the Thunderstorms got too loud. He stroked her hair and tucked in her head, and it felt exactly like it did all those years ago. It felt familiar, it felt safe – it felt like Sam and Alma.

KOREY SPEAKS !

So no Embry in this chapter, but this is what we've been leading up to — Sam and Alma finally talking about what happened.

I know y'all want her and Embry to make up so they'll finally get together (especially because as soon as this finishes, I'll be starting Can't Hardly Wait lmao), but it will all happen in due time!

Since the beginning, Sam has been the pinnacle as to why Alma skips town, he's the fuse and Embry was the match. The road to forgiveness isn't easy, and neither is the one to repentance. This is just the first time that they finally talk and for now, that is enough for them.

She doesn't need to forgive him yet. Even if Sam had some valid reasons to do what he did, he still left Alma and it still hurt her.

But this means that they'll finally talk again! Which means more of Ruth and Parker and Alma will be as snarky as ever with the pack! (especially Paul, she's his reality check <3). And this also means more Embry interactions! Especially after they hash it out!!

Anywhore, vote and comment my loves!!