Twilight Imagines

11. Odds (Embry Call)

   "Oh, c'mon, Lanie.  What are the odds?  The Quiluetes despise the Cullens.  There's no way they'd show up there.  It'll be a great time!" 
   My best friend's words flashed through my mind as Jacob Black, Quil Atera, and Embry Call walked through the door to the Cullens' house.  The clan of vampires were having a large party, and Christy had begged me to go with her.  I usually tried to stay away from the Cullens, since I knew what they were, but I couldn't turn her request down!  She was my best friend, and it was no fun going to parties alone.  However, as I saw the three new visitors, I knew the odds were not in my favor tonight.  
   "Oh no.  How is that even possible?" Christy whispered, her gaze following mine.  
   I shook my head in disappointment.  "Bella." 
   "I'm sorry, Lanie.  We can go, if you want." She glanced at me with concerned eyes.  
   "No way, we're here and it's a great party!" I objected, knowing that she was having a great time.  It didn't have to end just because I tried to avoid supernatural beings! 
   "Okay...  But you let me know when you're ready." She requested.  
   "Will do.  I am going to duck out on the porch for a few minutes." I told her.  
   "Want me to come with?" 
   "No, that's alright.  I'll come find you in a bit." 
   "'Kay!" 
   Moving carefully through the people, I began making my way towards the front door.  As I neared the stair case, I spotted the three werewolves talking with Alice and Bella.  I tried to turn my gaze away quickly, but Embry Call's eyes met mine before I could.  I watched in dismay as he nearly fell over, his eyes glued to me.  Quil Atera caught him, asking him what was wrong.  I already knew, though.  
   He had imprinted!  
   The one party I had gone to all year, the one time I let my guard down was the moment when my worst fear came true.  A werewolf had just imprinted on me.  
   I froze for a moment until his gaze focused again, and then I turned away.  I continued my walk towards the door, but paused once I reached it.  Looking back, I found Embry watching me.  I gave him a tiny smile before turning back and stepping through the door.  I knew he would follow.  So, I walked to the far left of the porch and sat down to wait for him.  
   It only took him a minute.  He was through the door and looking around for me before I could even plan out what I was going to say!  Once he spotted me, he began walking towards me slowly.  I waited until he was about six feet away before speaking.  
   "Hi Embry." 
   "Hi...  You know me?" He asked slowly, as if afraid of scaring me off.  
   I glanced up at him with a real smile.  "Yeah.  Christy Waters is my best friend, and she's in your grade." 
   "Yeah, I know her." He was still standing there awkwardly.  
   "I'm Lanie Terres." 
   "Nice to meet you...  Can I sit down?" 
   Nodding, I crossed my ankles as he sank down on the deck a few feet away from me.  He was good looking and seemed nice, I would give him that.  It was the fact that he imprinted on me that scared the life out of me.  
   "I've never seen you around the reservation." He began, hesitating afterwards.  
   "No, I try to avoid it." I admitted.  "What color wolf are you?" 
   His expression changed to one of shock.  "You know?" 
   I nodded again.  
   "Grey.  I'm a grey wolf." 
   I nodded yet again.  "Pretty." 
   "How do you know about us if you avoid the reservation?" He asked, his dark eyes searching my face.  
   "From my family tree, mostly.  My grandma and my mom had both gotten imprinted on, so I knew that if I stuck around, I would, too.  I guess if it's destiny, it'll happen anyway." I let out a quiet laugh at my terrible luck.  
   "You don't want to be an imprint." He realized.  His face fell at that, and I knew I'd have to explain.  
   "No.  But it's not because I don't like werewolves.  My family has a large streak of bad luck running through us." I took a deep breath and turned my gaze to the forest in front of us.  "My grandma was an imprint and lost her husband to a vampire battle after twenty years.  She could never bring herself to marry ever again.  My mom was an imprint, and she lost her husband after ten years to a single vampire.  The pack was simply unprepared.  She could never bring herself to marry again, either.  The werewolf men are almost too good to be true, and when they're taken from you like that...  It really hurts." 
   Embry was quiet for a few minutes.  Likely thinking up something to say, I figured.  I knew that there was only one path ahead of us, though, so I spoke up again.  
   "Three's a charm." I hesitated a second when I realized how random that sounded.  "I mean, I'd like to give us a shot.  If that's alright." 
   He looked at me for a moment before his mouth broke into a grin.  
   "Please." He said with a soft chuckle.  "I-I need you." 
   "I know." I murmured, trying to push down the nagging fear that told me to run away.  "I just need you to remember that story when I freak out about you going into battle, okay?" 
   "I will." He promised, inching a little closer to me.  "We're a big pack with vampire allies, Lanie.  You don't have to be afraid."  
   "I'll always be afraid." I whispered.  
   We sat there in silence for a few minutes, our eyes moving from the dark forest to each other now and then.  He managed to get the courage up to gently take hold of my hand, and I gave his a small squeeze.  
   "So the odds aren't really in my favor, huh?" He asked with a hint of teasing in his voice.  
   "Not at all." I told him seriously.  
   He didn't seem worried.  "Well, at least I was lucky enough to find you!" 
   Snorting in a very not lady-like way, I lightly smacked my palm to my forehead.  
   "Too cheesy?" He asked.  
   "It was extremely cheesy." I told him with a laugh.  
   "I knew I shouldn't have asked Quil for advice on girls." 
   We both ended up laughing at that!  

(Published September 22, 2021)