Primitive Instincts

R I V E R

I woke up the next morning to Embry playing with my hair. The effects of the medicine (confidence, hyperness, etc.) had worn off.As the events from the night before began to come back to me, i couldn't help but blush. He loved me.

Embry Call loved me,River Willow. He was also a shape-shifter, a being of myth and legend. And i was finding out that all those fairy tales were true. At least here they were, in my world with Embry. Not only could he transform into a wolf, I was his imprint. His other half. His soul mate. The one he was meant to be with, and i couldn't understand how i had ended up with such an amazing guy.Themost amazing guy in fact.

"Good-morning." i heard from beside me. I looked over and saw him studying my face, trying to understand what i was thinking about.

"Good-morning?" i whispered back, not wanting to move from that spot. Embry must have tossed his shirt off randomly sometime in the night because it was off and, with my legs i could feel that he was wearing different sweats than the night before. "Did you leave last night?" i asked, rolling over so that i could be closer to him.

"Yeah, i had patrol." he sighed, closing his eyes.

"How late?" i asked, not exactly sure what patrol was, but i could kind of get an idea.

"Umm, i got back at like, 3." he said, using his hand to pull my closer to him by the waist.

"Well then you should sleep." i said, feeling bad that i made him stay up with me until i fell asleep.

"How could i when i could be watching you instead?" he asked, opening his eyes and resting his forehead against mine.

I blushed but continued to look at him, letting a small smile slip onto my face.

"You know, this whole imprint thing is a little cheesy." i said, trying to make my heart calm down. "And it's not good for my poor heart. I don't think it could survive a life-time of this." i laughed, inter-twining my fingers with his.

"You and me both." he whispered in my ear, making me shiver almost violently. "Why do you shiver when i do that?" he asked in the same way so that i shivered yet again.

"I d-don't know." i stuttered, trying to pull in slow, even breath.

"Hmmm." he said, rolling us over so that he was hovering right over me.

"I-i thought i told you to g-get some sl-sleep." i quipped, noting that he was pulling my hands up, pinning them above me.

"And i told you i didn't want to." he smiled, his eyed were soft yet, hungry. Something primitive shown beneath them, something dangerous and dark, something i had never seen in Embry before.

Before i could respond back he pushed his lips into mine, stopping all coherent trains of thought. Heat crawled over my entire body, like a friendly fire, consuming everything. My breathing became rapid as Embry lowered his body closer to mine, pushing our bodies so tightly together that there was no space at all in between them.

His tongue slid along my bottom lip, asking for entrance, i opened my mouth not having the will power to play hard to get. His tongue shot inside my mouth, tracing every inch over and over until he must have had it memorized.

He pulled his mouth away from mine and moved down, kissing my neck until he hit that one spot that made my body stiffen.

"Embry..." i moaned, grabbing his hands that were still keeping mine pinned. He sucked at that spot attacking it so that my breath came in short small gasps and i felt like my head was spinning and the world was falling away and it was only him and I.

"Embry." i moaned again, this time in a talking voice. I felt to hot, like my body was over-heating or something.

"River." he moaned back, moving his lips back up to connect with my mouth. Now it was my turn to dart my tongue into his mouth. I rolled over so that i was now straddling Embry, locked in a make-out session.

Right at that moment, the door flew open to reveal a very sly looking Quil with a video camera.

"Hey you love birds." he snorted, laughing so much the camera was shaking.

I looked down, realized the position i was in, started blushing and darted into the bathroom, closing and locking the door.

"Quil i can't believe you did that!!" i screamed through the door, covering my burning face. That would probably end upon YouTube and my life would be over.

After several minutes of loud ruckus outside the door, there was a soft knock.

"Who's there?" i asked, feeling completely mortified. Why on Earth would Quil do that?? Was it his life goal to embarass me to death?!

"River it's me. I made Quil delete the video." Embry called, making me blush even more. It was one thing to moan while your making-out, but after, when you find out someone filmed it, it's just incredibly embarassing and weird sounding.

I moved my hand and unlocked the door, opening it up just enough to poke my head out. I knew my face probably looked like a tomato.

"Promise?" i asked, looking down, hoping he said yes.

"I promise." he said. I looked up and he was holding his arms out to me, looking a bit red in the cheeks as well. I gratefully dove into his arms, letting out a big breath of relief.

"You need to get a lock on your door." I complained.

"That's not my room, and this isn't my house." he laughed. I pulled away and looked up at him, some new realizations dawning on me.

"Wait...well then what will your mom think about you not going home last night?" i asked, feeling a little guilty at the fact that i could have gotten him into trouble.

"Well, me and my mom...she doesn't exactly understand what i do." he said, rubbing the back of his neck like this was something he had talked about a lot.

"She doesn't...like what you are?" i asked, not believing that the woman who had birthed such a wonderful person could be so intolerant.

"No she...she doesn't know what i am." he finished, looking away like it was ashamed. "She thinks I'm rebelling or something, and that's why im always gone." he smiled sadly.

I reached up and put a hand on his cheek, moving his head so that our eyes locked.

"Maybe, maybe if you just told her, things would be better?" i suggested, trying to cheer him up.

"No, my mom, she worries, and if she knew what i do, she would be a nervous wreck all the time."He sighed.

"Ummm, what is it exactly that you do? What are you protecting the reservation from?" i asked, realizing that i still didn't exactly know.

"Well, you know the legends? and how there were...the cold ones?" he asked.

"Yea, like vampires." i shook my head, hopping that's not was he went up against.

"That's what we protect people from." he said, smiling like he was proud of himself.

"What?! No. no, no, no, no, no. Embry they could kill you! They...they cuold rip your body to pieces! Why would you tell me that? Now i won't stop worrying." i cried, shoving him into a wall, and crossing my arms over my chest.

"Well, i might worry you even more with what i have to tell you." he said, shifting his wait nervously from one foot to the other.

"What? What is it?" i asked, scared yet anxious to hear what he had to say.

"You said you had those dreams about...about red eyed. Well cold ones, the ones that eat humans anyways, they have red eyes. I think that maybe...possibly your parents were killed by a vampire. And i think...i think he might be coming back for you." he whispered the last part, like he didn't want to believe it.

"Are...are you sure?" i asked, feeling my blood run cold at the thought of one of those things trying to come after me. I stood no chance against it.

"I talked about it with the pack last night, and they think it would be safest if we, well if we prepared, in case it comes after you." he said, clenching his fists.

"Prepare? Embry you're not actually thinking of trying...of trying to fight one of these things are you?" i asked, feeling my breathing hitch and my heart stop completely. No, no no that couldn't happen! Embry could get hurt or...or die.

He shushed me and pulled me into his arms, trying to calm me down.

"Don't worry, we've handled these kinds of things before, and there was a much bigger chance of dying then." he said. I pulled at his shoulder trying to keep my breathing under control.

"And that's supposed to make me feel better?" i asked, choking back tears. I swear he made me more emotional than anyone.

Before he could respond there the sound of conflict from downstairs. Embry pulled me by the hand, keeping me so that his back was shielding me from anything we might find downstairs. As we grew closer to the kitchen area i began to make out some voices.

"You can't just come barging into my home like you own the place!" i heard Emily shout, clearly flustered and aggrivated.

"We know she's here!" called a voice. It sounded so familiar...oh no. I jumped in front of Embry, pulling us around the corner and coming to a dead stop in the living room.

Standing there was Emily and Sam, both red in the face. And right in front of them were my "mom" "dad" and Crystal, all looking completely smug.

I didn't understand how my mom wasn't completely intimidated by Sam, and the same went for my dad, he wasn't exactly in shape with a beer belly hanging out below his shirt and egg stains on his shirt.

"Aha! I knew you had to be here! What? did you think you could run off to your little boyfriend like a tramp you are and we wouldn't find you?" my mom asked, staring at me like you stare at some alien gunk on the bottom of your shoe.

For a moment i felt a bit of that old fear and weakness flare up inside me. But no, this was my life now. They weren't gonna barge in here and drive me out of the one place i was happy and back into that hell hole they called a house. No way!

"Do you know what the neighbors thought of us when they found out you'd run away from home?! We were disgraced! Dishonored! Shamed!" she screamed, and opened her mouth to continue her rant, but i interrupted.

"Well you know what?" i asked, looking up at Embry and then back at the family that had never wanted me. "It's a good thing I don't give a flying fuck what people think about you. You made my life a living hell for 16 years. But not anymore. This is my life and no matter how much you hate it, you can't control me anymore! I'm done being afraid of you! In fact I'm not sure why i ever was. You're a weak, pathetic, useless bunch of people, and even looking at you now makes me sick. So get the hell out of these people's house. You have absolutely no right to be here! And if you even try to take this to court, I'll sue your asses for years of abuse and neglect. So leave. now." i said, pointing to the door.

"How dare you..." my father began, raising his hand to hit me. But another hand shot out and caught it. That hand was trembling violently.

"My girlfriend said get out." Embry said dangerously. He stepped forward so that he was towering over me dad. "So i suggest, you get out." he snarled, letting a weird growl like sound rip from his throat.

My father looked...scared actually, and quickly ushered his white trash family out of the house, slamming the door as the left. I heard the car tires squeal out before i finally let go of the breath i had been holding. It had felt so good to finally tell them off, but now i could feel my legs shaking from the fear that had, unbeknownst to me, taken over my body.

I moved to the couch and sat down, feeling like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

I felt the couch sink down beside me and Embry's arm rested over my shoulder.

"I'm so sorry you had to do that." he started.

"You apologize to much." i smiled, covering his lips with mine to shut him up for once.

Sam cleared his throat after a few seconds, and i pulled away realizing that Sam and Emily were still standing right there.

"I think..." Sam started, fixing Embry with a serious gaze. "I think we need to arrange a pack meeting." he said. Embry stiffened at the word but i wasn't sure why.

Next Sam turned and looked at me.

"And i think you need to come as well." he said.