Evie was on her way back home. Her conversation with Jacob was still fresh in her mind. Everything she thought was happened in fact to be quite different. The reasons why Jacob left were way deeper than what she thought or what she expected. Bella never was, even during the whole newborn army situation, the reason why he was acting so indecisive or why he left. Since the imprinting happened, now Evie was convinced Jacob had always lover her. Bella was never, the moment Evie's and Jacob's eyes met again, part of the equation. She was just a façade. The real problem Jacob was facing was not choosing between two girls he loved at the same time, but choosing between two lives. His shifter one, and his human one. And one had to be given up onto. Jacob, for this entire time, was struggling with his identity. He has struggling between who he wanted to be, and who he was. He was struggling to accept who he was. A shifter. And this identity crisis led him to be such a problem maker. Keeping Bella in his life meant keeping a sense of humanity. And he wanted her to keep his humanity because could. While he couldn't.
Evie would have never thought that he would be facing such a crisis. She never thought once Jacob Black, the one who was always willing to fight the Cullens, was hating his shifter self. He was burdened as much as she was. But for different reasons. Evie gave up on her human life because she was bounded by duty. And Jacob didn't want to lose it. Both of them struggled with this whole shape shifter situation.
Some people said, "you don't really know your friends". Now Evie understood it. Even if we are close to our dear ones, people tend to keep what bother them a secret, fearing to be seen as weak, fearing to bother other. So they keep a façade up, reassuring our loved ones. That was what Jacob did. Only there, mixed with supernatural forces, the result was a catastrophe.
Evie didn't really know what to do. She loved Jake, there was no doubt. But two whole months without him was hell. And what if he leave again? She wanted to be back with him, but could she? They would eventually, they are imprintees. But should it be right now? Or later? Maybe she should give him some time to figure out who he want to be. Then, they could talk it out again. And what about Embry? He liked her and dating Jacob would hurt him. She couldn't do that to him. After everything he had done for her, she didn't want to pay him back like that. It would be cruel. But at the same time, she couldn't lie to herself. It would always be Jacob. And it had always been, even before the imprinting happened.
"I came back but... on my way to your house... I met Embry". She remembered Jacob telling her.
Jacob didn't elaborated much on what Embry told him. It wasn't what bothered Evie though. What bothered her was the fact that Embry knew he came back. And he hadn't told her anything. Why? She had ideas, but she needed actual answers, not assumptions. She needed to figure this whole situation out. Once and for all.
So the Clearwater girl stopped and turned around, heading to Sam's house instead. The whole pack, minus Jacob, would surely be there.
After a few minutes of walk, she finally arrived. And as expected, everyone minus Jacob was there.
"Hi, V," Sarah greeted.
She was sat on the couch, cuddled in Seth's arms. They were with no doubt the cutest couple. Evie remembered when Seth went to Evie for advice about asking Sarah out. He was so stressed out about the imprinting and the need to always be with her and having her safe. Seth was scared. And it was totally fine. Sarah was his first crush and now his one and only true love. She would be his first and last relationship. He hadn't known anything about love before her so he didn't know what to do. Evie had to admit, it was very adorable.
"What's up?" Sarah asked.
"Hi. Well, everything's going surprisingly well," Evie genuinely said. She had imagined her conversation to go down really bad but turned out, it didn't.
"You have talked with Jacob?" Leah asked.
She was sat at the table next to Aaron. For them it was still a little complicated. They were always together but not a thing yet. Evie knew it was because it was knew to Leah. Especially since her three years relationship with Sam. But Aaron was willing to wait as long as it would take for her to be ready.
"Yeah," Evie nodded.
Evie couldn't helped but glanced at Embry. He was by the kitchen counter, arms crossed, his usual face on. But by the look of his eyes, Evie knew he was interested in the current conversation.
"And??" Paul pressed.
"And we've made up," Evie said. She looked at Embry.
"So you two are back together?" Jared asked. Evie looked at Embry. A look of hurt passes in his eyes but quickly changed to genuine relief.
"No," Evie said. They all frowned, confused. Why must it be so complicated for them? "We talked a lot, and he explained to me the real reason behind his departure. But I still need time to think and truly forgive him. Besides, I'm still missing the last puzzle pieces," she added the last part looking at Embry.
And she knew he knew what she was talking about. If both Jacob and Evie had talked heart to heart, then Embry knew he must have told her.
"What do you mean by that?" Seth asked.
"Don't worry about it," she reassured her younger brother. "Embry, can I talk to you for a moment?"
Embry nodded and headed out of the house. There was no point argueing hs knew this conversation would have happened sooner or later.
The rest of the pack watched the two of them leaving the house, confused. Why did she need to talk to Embry? Did he had anything to do with the "puzzle pieces" riddle?
Both Embry and Evie walked side by side in silence. No word was exchanged at all. There was only the sound of leaves brushing, birds, and squirels. But no sound from the two shifters until they arrived at the beach. Evie headed towards the same fallen trunk she used to sat on. Since Jacob was back, she hadn't come here once. She missed it. But she didn't come here for that. If was also where Embry and she shared a kiss. So it was suited for the conversation they were about to have.
"So, what do you want to talk about?" Embry asked, already knowing the answer.
Evie didn't answer anything and just stood, staring at the sea. She didn't know how to tackle the topic. Should she be straight forward?
"I asked Jake why he left," Evie said. "He told me it was because he was struggling with his identity. But also because he thought he wasn't good enough for me. That he realized he was only hurting me so he left. He told me that you were the one who made him realize that,"
This time, it was Embry's turned to keep quiet. She did know. What could he answer that? It wasn't as if he was entirely wrong. But he told Jacob was partially why the Black kid left. Embry did imply that Jake shouldn't come back yet.
And his current silence was already an answer to Evie.
"So it's true...," she muttered, hurt.
Embry clenched his jaw. Hurting Evie was the thing he never wanted to. All he wanted was her to be happy.
She faced him but he looked away. He couldn't hold a gaze. He couldn't handle the look of hurt and pain in his eyes.
"Why aren't you saying anything?" Evie asked, done with his silence. "Say something!"
"I...," he voice trailed off. He didn't what to say. He couldn't say anything. "It was never my intention to make him leave," he managed to say.
"You were... so crushed. And hurt," he continued. "And it had been like that since you imprinted on him. I thought- I just- All I wanted, and all I still want, is you to be happy. And I thought that it wasn't the right moment for him to come back,"
"And when would this moment be?" Evie couldn't help but asked, quite bitter. "You know, it's not even the fact that what you told Jacob is part of the reason why he left that hurt me the most. It's the fact that you knew he came back and you told me nothing,"
Evie was so caught up on knowing why Jacob left that she hadn't really thought about the secret meeting Embry had with him. But now that she faced the Call boy, anger and betrayal was rising inside her.
"Evie-," Embry tried but was cut off by her.
"All this time you knew he came back for me and you never told me...," Evie continued. "You saw how hurt I was. You knew the only thing I needed was him to be back. You knew how I thought he loved Bella. You knew how I missed him. And you told me nothing!"
"Because it would have hurt you even more!" He exclaimed. "He left again and... and I thought it would have just hurt you even more. I didn't think what I told him would have made him leave. But when it did, it was already too late,"
"But I trusted you!" Evie exclaimed as tears were making their way to her eyes. She fought them back. Embry froze. "You lied to me! I thought there would be no more secrets between us! But during all this time, when I was crying and being miserable, you pretended to know nothing! You pretended to care for me!"
"I've never pretended to care for you!" Embry said. "I've never pretended once! Every word I told you were sincere! I do like you! Do you really think it was easy for me to see you so crushed? To see you crying over another guy? To know I could never be with you because we are not meant to be? I know this kiss meant nothing to you,"
"It did mean something for me," Evie said.
"But not as much as it would have been if I was Jacob," Embry bitterly said. But took a deep breath to calm him down. "I knew that from the beginning. You both are imprintees, I had no chance... and the time I kissed you... you were hurt and wanted to feel loved...,"
"So you thought you could have a chance?" Evie bitterly finished his sentence.
"I thought I could make you feel better, happier," Embry admitted. "I've never meant to make Jacob leave again. I promise you, it was never intentional,"
"But you lied to me," she said in a whisper, hurt. "All this time...,"
"Evie-"
"I need time," she cut him off as she brushed away the lone tear that rolled down her face. Embry kept quiet. "Time to think,"
"I'm sorry, Evie. I'm really am," Embry sincerely told.
But Evie said nothing. She only turned around, and left.