CHAPTER 4...part 1

(Enchanted (Taylor's Version) - Taylor Swift)

   THE meaning of life, some believe, is what we find from the journey and the people we met along the way. An incredibly existentialistic way of thinking.

Alma supposed she could buy into that; her millions of disposable cameras could attest to that. She was always a 'everything happens for a reason' type of person, finding that life is far more enjoyable when one is present to watch it all unfold.

That was how she felt, even now, as Alma sits on her front porch, listening to 'Jolene' on the radio with a soft breeze flitting through her hair – she felt pure, unaltered, bliss.

Her mother was inside, making some lemonade for the pair to enjoy on a (rare) nice day. There was very few that Alma could do during her recovery period, if she wanted to even move so much as an inch, Alma had a specific way to do so.

Her moment of solace, however, was disrupted as someone walked up the drive. Emily looked quite good considering the three jagged scars marring her face, a large, beautiful smile painted on her lips as she walks up to where Alma sat.

"Alma!" She exclaimed, looking down brightly at the girl. "How've you sweetheart?" It was a silly question, but an appreciated one none-the-less.

"Uhm, been better." Alma nodded awkwardly, waiting anxiously for her mom to save her.

"Good, good." Emily muttered, trying to find something else to ask the young girl. She held a large Tupperware in her hands, large enough to last Alma and her mom for at least a week.

Emily, noticing where her eyes went quickly spoke. "Oh! I heard you were in town and though the boys could spare a few muffins." She shrugged as if she wasn't giving Alma enough food to feed a small family.

"Thanks," Alma muttered, moving to stand up, "Uh, let's get...all of that into the kitchen."

As the Uley girl limps her way into the house, Emily can't help but look at her. Alma looked remarkably like her mother, bar for a few features inherited by her father. She had shiny black hair that reached her shoulder-blades, small braids decorating where ribbons and trinkets used to. Her smile was clearly from Allison but those eyes, those deep onyx irises, were all Joshua – just like Sam.

"Hey Ma!" Alma called out. "Emily's here!"

Allison loved Emily as if she was another daughter, showing the girl nothing but kindness when the world seemed to shun her. Sure, Sam would do any and everything to make Emily feel more at home, truly he did, but Allison understood her.

The Uley matriarch moved to hug Emily, wrapping into what could quite possibly be the warmest and loveliest hug she'd ever had.

"Emily dear, how've you been? Sam treating you right?" Alma rolled her eyes, but said nothing, instead grabbing one of the muffins Emily had brought in.

"I think Sam would keel over if he even thought he wasn't treating me right."

Allison laughed at that, a bell like sound that could put anyone at ease. But any jovial spirit was cut short once Alma scoffed.

"I'm gonna go to the diner." She said shortly, stiffly limping back to her spot on the porch. Was it childish? Sure, but Alma wasn't exactly in the mood to talk about 'The Good Saint Sam'.

Allison sighed as she watched her daughter, "Sorry about Alma, she's been...stressed with everything going on."

"It's fine, I get it – Sam gets it."

It was true, despite how much he and Alma's estranged relationship physically pained him, he got it. Sure, he got that wistful look whenever Alma was so much as brought up in a conversation and talked about her like he was showing off his own kids (a trait that his son thought was incredibly embarrassing).

***

Embry Call was exhausted. He'd only gotten a total of 7 hours of sleep after a particularly grueling patrol that lasted until 2 am. Despite how tired he was, Embry still had to go to work.

Even if the elders paid the boys to protect their land, Embry still worked at 'CeCe's Diner' to pass by the time. What else would he do? His only friends were apart of the pack and they were usually either with their imprints (of which Embry had none), on patrol, or sleeping off said patrol hours.

CeCe was lenient, far more than Embry deserved. But Saturdays were one of the busiest days of the week, and Embry found it hard to say no to old lady CeCe.

Bleary eyed, he began to wipe down the counter, unknowing to the girl who entered the diner. It wasn't until the bell rung that she caught his attention.

"Hi, how can I-"

The beast inside quelled when his eyes met her own, whiskey mixing with bourbon in a deadly cocktail. And like Icarus, Embry Call fell.

Perhaps it was cliché to say that imprinting becomes a shifter's gravitational pull, but when his mind's eye saw Alma kiss him, saw her love him, he couldn't help himself.

Screw Newton's first law of physics — Alma Uley kept Embry Call grounded.

He was never a religious person, but Alma's very existence made Embry believe there really was a god. Breathing felt easier, his sight grew clearer, and he found every sense heightened for her. She was decorated by betrayals blade, a true violent delight — one look into her angel eyes, and his heart ached. She was the calm of dusk and the warmth of dawn, in Alma's hands, Embry Call was clay --- melded by the hands of his very own muse.

Imprinting, as a concept, felt incrediblt terrifying. The very notion of being intertwined with someone for the rest of theirs (and your) natural life was...unnerving. But as he stood there, mouth ajar and eyes alight, he couldn't help but feel alleviated.

To see every future event where she stood, beaming at him like he was her entire world, to see a baby — their baby, swaddled in Alma's arms. He saw every date, their first date, their first kiss. He saw her running with him along the beach, saw him twirling her in the rain.

Every moment was perfect.

"...Embry?" God, his name never sounded so alluring then from her lips, like the sweet nectar from a summer's peach. She was waving her hand in front of him, eyes furrowed as she tried to get his attention. "Are you okay?"

"I-you-Alma?" He stuttered out, eyes glazed over as he stared at her with a look Alma could not describe.

She felt quite...odd at the moment, a quintessential feeling enraptured her body, wrapping her in an inexplicable warmth.

He was a modern-day Adonis, carved into russet and blessed by the sun god to shine like gold. His hair was styled impeccably, showing off his sharp jawline. And his smile — God his smile, sent butterflies swarming in her stomach.

"I-uh, when'd you get back?" He asked, straight white teeth blinding as he awkwardly smiled down at her.

"Uhm, on Tuesday." She stated, looking as though she wished to anywhere but there. "Sorry to cut...this short, but I have an order to pick up?"

He began to scramble, tripping over himself as the wolf within him fought to please Alma. "Right, right. What's the uh..the order, what name is it under?"

If Alma hadn't have felt so awkward, she would've laughed at his clear nervousness.

"It's...it's under Alma.."

"Yeah, no, right, sorry I asked."

"I-It's fine." She said, looking at Embry as if he were insane. And in that moment Embry was sure Alma had never looked prettier.

"Can I pay, or.."

"Oh! Yeah, of course you can." Then, noticing how odd his wording may have been, reiterated, "I mean why wouldn't you pay, it's your food."

"Uh huh." Alma nodded slowly, clearly weirded out by how Embry was acting. "Here's a twenty."

When she slide the bill to him, their hands lightly brushed, electricity buzzing through their fingers.

Alma thought it was just a shock.

Embry felt his entire being light up from the contact.

"Thanks." She stiffed out, smiling tight-lipped.

And he could only nod as she left, feeling a piece of him drift away as Alma made her exit.

Dante described the 9 levels of hell, but Embry never knew pain quite like this. For her eyes to remain downcast as his burned into Maya.

KOREY SPEAKS !

Kiowa Gordon is so 🥰💕✨AWOOGA😩😍💖

Very random, but when I was looking for the gif for this chapter, I found this teen beat type of article on him talking about how he got a DUI and his mugshot was in it and I was GIGGLING.

Anywhore, hopefully I didn't mess up the imprint scene lmaoo. Things should be picking up soon, since I've finally written their reunion.

How did we like this chapter? Are y'all enjoying the fic so far? Remember to comment! It's always nice and inspiring whenever I see y'all comment. ((: