HERE FOR NOTHING ▬ E. CALL

09: Victoria

     ALL TARYN REMEMBERED WAS A FLASH OF RED HAIR, A PAIN IN HER HEAD, AND HUSHED VOICES AROUND HER. She didn't know where the cut on her head came from or where she was. 

The log cabin was warm and the quilt over her body was heavy. It had little wolves on it, with brown and white squares. When she touched her head, it ached. She felt a bandage. Her throat was dry and her lips cracked. She also had a bandage on her arm, going down the length of it. Her whole body felt like she'd been hit by a truck. 

In the corner of the room sat Jacob. Her confusion immediately turned to sourness. 

He slept in a chair sitting upright, a gentle snore leaving his mouth. Whatever happened, he must've found her and brought her here. Digging deep, she thought about the memory of red hair and the conversation about Victoria. The confusion returned. Then again, it had been there since whenever she was awake last. Anger and confusion. 

Not a shock she didn't see Bella in the room with her. Probably concerned about her own interests as usual. 

"Jacob." She spoke. He didn't stir. "Jacob!"

The man snapped awake, hazy for a moment. Then, he looked relieved. 

"Taryn. I'm so happy you're awake." 

He approached her bed with a sad look on his face, but smiling. "What the fuck happened?" She asked irritated. 

"You stormed out. That disgusting leech must've been doing her rounds and wanted to remind us to take her seriously. We found you lying beside your car, bleeding and out for the count." Reyn felt the color leave her face. Victoria came for her. 

"We're lucky you're alive." He said, a mix of sadness and anger. 

"Where did you bring me?"

Jacob smiled.

"Sam's house. The leader of our pack. I couldn't bring you to a hospital because they'd wonder how you got hurt.. Emily fixed you up. Sam's wife." He explained. Taryn nodded. 

"You still owe me an explanation. Why didn't anyone tell me the truth? Why did you just let me be sad?" She asked demandingly. 

"We aren't supposed to tell anyone about the pack. You weren't involved in what was going on until you stepped in on the Cullen chick and Bella."

Taryn raised an eyebrow. "I'm your friend. And I'm just as much at risk since I know about vampires."

Jacob looked down. "I know. And I'm sorry. I have to be loyal to the pack, I'm bound to it. I wanted to tell you."

"And.. Embry?" She swallowed hard. She hated even saying his name. 

"Same issue. He feels a lot of guilt. Trust me. He's hurting as much as you but distracts himself with patrol. Doesn't get much sleep and doesn't allow himself to think much.. But we hear what he's thinking at night. Its a wolf thing."

Although it seemed like a solid reason, it didn't sway Taryn any. She still hated him for what he did. How can you be best friends with someone for so long and just cut them off? No explanation, not even as much as an "I dont want to be friends anymore"? She couldn't believe she even started wanting to confess to Embry about how she felt about him. 

"I'm glad he feels guilty. If that's even true. I don't know what's true anymore. Now, help me out of this bed."

"Are you sure you should be getting up?"

Taryn deadpanned. The russet skinned man chuckled and lent her an arm to lean on. 

She felt very dizzy and her head throbbed, but she was able to get up from the bed. Who knew how long she had been laying there? It helped that she had been working out lately. It added to her strength, so hopefully she would still have full range of motion. 

"Where's my phone? I need to call my brother!" She realized, fear setting in. He would KILL her if he didn't hear from her soon. Or call the cops. Reaching into her bag that sat on the chair, Jake handed Taryn her cellphone. 

She wanted to cry at the 12 missed calls from Winn. She didn't even want to call back, dreading she complete ass chewing she was gonna get. 

It only took half a ring for her to hear "Hello!?"

"... Hi, Winn."

"TARYN LEONA LEMMING! WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?"

"The Rez. I'm sorry I didn't call, I swear I couldn't. I had an accident at Bella's house and Jacob took me to get fixed up at his friend's house."

Winn sighed heavily. "Why wouldn't he just take you home? Or call your guardian? Chase, I can't fucking believe kids these days." She heard Chase agree in the background. 

"I'm sorr--"

"Yeah, yeah. Get home. Now!" He said. The line clicked off.

Grabbing her bag from the chair herself, she cringed. "Take me home now, Jake." 

He nodded and walked out of the room, motioning for her to follow him. They walked through the log cabin house to the front door, where in the yard, she saw the one person she didn't want to run into. 

Embry Call sauntered out of the woods, with messy cropped hair, toned abs, and a far away look on his face. He looked serious, which was never the case before she lost him. Clearly, he didn't expect to see her either, because he stopped in his tracks, eyes wide. A variety of different emotions came across his face, but that ended with one enamored but shocked look. 

Glaring at him and his weird behavior, she hopped into Jacob's car and said, "Bring me the fuck home."

"Yes ma'am." Jacob replied, casting one more look back at Embry, who was standing in the same place. 

Throughout the twists and turns of the drive, Taryn could've sworn she heard the anguished howling of a wolf in the dense forest of the Rez.