The Edge

x.

So, Emma found herself pulling into a stranger's driveway at 3:58 p.m. Jacob was leaning against the front door of the Clearwater household, waiting for Emma to arrive, knowing she would need emotional support. Emma took a deep breath as she put the car in park and killed the engine. Jacob gave her a small smile when he saw her nerves and she slowly got out of the vehicle. "Welcome to the Rez, officially." Jacob smirked at the blonde, who was not as amused as she wished she was. "Come on, Sam's inside." Jacob nodded at the door as she approached it. "You're staying to make sure I come out of this alive, right?" Emma glanced at Jacob as he began opening the door. "Quil would kill me if I didn't." Jacob gave a supporting smile as he opened the door completely. The open door led to a hallway and staircase, the living room to the right and kitchen to the left. Emma was guided to the kitchen by Jacob. An older woman was bustling around the kitchen and Emma immediately smelled a million scents as food littered the kitchen counters. Sam Uley sat at the head of the table and two older men sat by his side, one in a wheelchair. Emma knew immediately by the wheelchair and the older man's face that she was looking at Billy Black. The other man looks familiar as well, but she couldn't quite place why.

"Welcome, Emma." Billy Black kept a blank face as he greeted the blonde, Emma gave the man a small nervous smile in return. "Please, sit." Sam gestured to the open seat, adjacent to the three men. Emma glanced at Jacob one last time before taking a seat in the empty chair, the older woman taking Jacob out of the room with her. "I'm sure you have many questions for us after last night." Billy Black spoke first, letting Emma know he must be primarily in charge. "My name is Billy Black, you already know Sam, this is Quil Ateara the Third." Billy introduced himself and the other man. Recognition must of crossed Emma's face because Billy's face hardened a bit when Emma looked over at Quil Ateara the Third. "Jacob has informed me of your...acquaintanceship with himself, Quil, and Embry prior to their shift." Billy Black started. 

"Normally, when a member of the Cullens breaks the treaty, it becomes void and we would have all right to attack, however Jacob has informed me of your situation." Billy's words scared Emma and she knew she was in deep shit when her family returned home from their hunt, perhaps it was a good thing Alice's visions couldn't see around the shifters. Emma wanted to question what exactly he meant by the word 'situation' but remained silent as the three men's gaze made her feel more guilty than any scolding she had gotten from her mother over the years. "I'm sorry for the disrespect that I have shown you by violating the treaty, I assume you know my origin story. My mother has kept my identity a secret for nearly a decade, and I am no stranger to being caged in one area. That being said I've always struggled staying on my side of the line." Emma apologized to the group, her words coming out a bit rushed. "But still, it's no excuse for putting my family in danger and breaking your laws." Emma added, not wanting to be disrespectful at all, Esme taught her better than that. "We appreciate your apology." Quil Ateara spoke up for the first time, a small smile tugging on his lips. Emma was unaware but Old Quil was no stranger to stories of the girl, Quil had always spoken so highly of the hybrid sitting in front of him.

"Jacob also informed me that he revealed the meaning of imprints to you, I am guessing you may have a question of your own for us." Sam spoke up next and Emma went to talk, but stopped, took a breath and then continued. "He mentioned that one of the shifters imprinted recently when you were all shifted." Emma nodded, not quite knowing if she had any right to question if she was the imprintee. "You want to know if it was on you?" Sam asked the question for her, though his tone was one of knowing. Emma gave a small nod to the man, unsure if she truly wanted to know the answer. "Imprinting is sacred among us Quileute's, we take it seriously, which is why it is pack law that no shifter may harm another's imprint." Sam didn't directly answer Emma's question, and part of her told her it was on purpose. "If one of the wolves imprinted on you, it is their choice on when and how to tell you." Sam confirmed that she was indeed an imprint in the oddest of ways. "Which that being said, we would like to invite you to a Council meeting tonight. The community will be arriving in the next hour, and I think it is important you hear the Legends before we discuss anything else." Sam explained to the blonde, who slowly digested his words. "I would like that, thank you." Emma spoke softly as she nodded.