The Complications of Love (under construction)

Chapter 24: Never Let You Go

I gasped. I had always had a hunch that he had a little crush on me but I didn't know that it had been for so long. Why was he telling me this now? I was already in love with someone else and even if I wasn't I just wouldn't be able to see him as something else other than a brother.

"Ethan... you know that I only think of you as a brother. I'm sorry; I just can't imagine myself being with you." I replied, my voice shaking from nervousness.

He banged his fist on the steering wheel, "Damnit Gabriella! What do I have to do to make you not see me as a brother anymore? I love you," he said, inching closer to me and taking my hand in his, "why can't you love me too?"

"I'm sorry," I said, separating my hands from his, "I love Embry, Ethan. Not you. Please understand that; there's a girl meant for you out there and that girl just isn't me. You'll see the perfect girl for you is out there; you just have to look closer."

"But I don't want the perfect girl I want you! And just because you're in love with Embry doesn't mean that that's not going to stop me from making you mine." He said, anger burning in his eyes.

"You can't force me to love you." I said, leaning against the car door.

"Oh really?" he asked, coming closer and closer to me. "Because I can do whatever I want." He said, touching my thigh.

"Get away from me!" I yelled, slapping his hand away from me and running out of the car and into the woods.

I just ran, ran as fast as my legs would take me. I knew it was stupid to go further off into the woods but what could I do? I couldn't stay in the car and risk finding out what Ethan wanted to do with me. I screamed out help, even though nobody could hear me since I was so deep into the woods. I just wished I wouldn't come across a bear or something. That would be really bad timing.

"Gabriella! I'm coming for you." Ethan's voice called out after me.

My heart was pounding so hard against my chest that I thought it would jump out sooner or later. I was starting to hyperventilate and I couldn't control myself; I was going into panic mode. Why did the bad things always happen to me? I was really convinced that Fate didn't want me to be happy. I was running out of breath so I stopped and hid behind a tree. I closed my eyes and pretended this was all a dream; A dream that I was going to wake up from any moment now.

I tried to even out my breathing and keep calm. Surely this was just a joke right? A joke that Ethan thought would be funny to pull on me. All of a sudden his voice stopped calling out to me. I opened my closed eyes and peeked from the side of the tree. I didn't see anybody there. Just trees and a small squirrel running up a branch.

I breathed out a sigh of relief only to feel a hand clamp down onto my mouth. I tried to get out a scream but the hand just kept applying more and more pressure, making it harder and harder for me to breathe.

"I don't like playing games Gab. So stop trying to get away from me because it's no use. You ran to deep into the woods for anyone to hear you now." Ethan whispered in my ear. "I've always been invisible in your eyes right? Well not anymore."

A single tear rolled down my cheek as he started kissing my neck. Was this it? I was going to get raped by one of the people I trusted the most? He threw me onto the ground and I hit my knee on a tree branch. I moaned out in pain. He started taking off his shirt and reached down to me again. He was about to reach for the hem of my shirt so I closed my eyes and got myself ready for the pain... But it never arrived.

I opened my eyes and saw Embry grabbing Ethan's arm and punching him square in the face.

"Don't you ever touch her!" he yelled out to Ethan, starting to shake from anger.

I watched in shock as Ethan fell limply to the ground and Embry walked over to me, sadness in his chocolate, brown eyes. He knelt beside me and took me into his lap and wrapped his warm, strong arms around me. I had always loved it when he did that. It made me feel warm and safe and loved. I gripped onto his arms and refused to ever let go.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Gab." He whispered soothingly in my ear as he ran his fingers through my hair.

I let the tears come out. The sobs escaped my lips and soon my body was racking from my loud sobs. I saw Ethan get up from the forest floor and run away as Leah watched him, a heartbroken expression evident on her face.

She looked over at me with sad eyes and I looked at her through my tears.

"Leah, get the car started, we're going." Embry ordered. She simply nodded at him and ran away.

"Come on, I'll take you home." Embry said gently, looking me dead in the eye. I cowered into him even more as he picked me up bridal style and carried me to the car.

Leah was already in the driver's seat, getting ready to leave.

"What about Ethan?" she asked with a pained voice.

I winced at the mention if his name which made Embry growl.

"Leave him. When we get back to La Push tell Sam and the guys what happened and they'll look for him then. After, take him to the police station." Embry answered with an authoritive and bitter tone.

Embry took me to the seats in the back and cradled me in his warm arms. But no matter how comfortable I was, I couldn't get the memory of what almost happened out of my brain. It's like it wanted to torture me endlessly with that memory.

"Shhh..." Embry whispered, his warm breath tickling my ear. He started humming then and the darkness slowly consumed me.

"What happened? Where's Ethan?" A seemingly distant voice asked.

"I'll explain later, but now I need to take Gabriella back to bed." Embry answered.

I was carried up the stairs by Embry and was soon tucked into my bed. I hugged the covers and let the tears fall once more onto my pillow. Embry tried to pull his hand away from mine but I just tightened my grip. I didn't want him to leave me; not yet. I opened my eyes slowly and looked at Embry who had worry lines all over his beautiful face. His eyes held so much anger and sadness in them that I just wanted to hold him and kiss it all away.

"Don't leave me." I whispered my voice hoarse from the lack of water. "Please." I begged.

"Never Gabriella. I'd never let you go." Came his reply before he pulled back my covers and climbed into the bed with me.

I could faintly hear my mom crying outside my room and Leah trying to explain what happened as her sobs continued. Why was I constantly hurting the people that were most important to me? Just think, earlier today we were all smiles, laughing and enjoying each other's company. But now we were all either in tears or upset about what happened. Why couldn't I do anything right?

As the tears kept falling, Embry's arms tightened around me before he said, "I'll never let you go."

That was the last thing I remembered before I fell into a deep sleep in Embry's warm and loving arms.