??? ???? *???:????*??* [???? ??????]

It had been 3 days since Embry Call had phased. His friends hadn't heard from him, and their worry was starting to turn into frustration. Embry's sudden disappearance was out of character, and they couldn't shake the feeling that something was seriously wrong. Despite their attempts to reach out, all calls and messages went unanswered, leaving them with a sinking feeling in the pit of their stomachs.

The young Fae had spent those three days at the pack house, suppouring the new wolf as best she could. It was her first time seeing the toll that phasing could take on someone, and she was determined to help her friend. As the days passed, she noticed a gradual improvement in the new wolf's demeanour, giving her hope that he would eventually adjust to his new reality.

Eventually, though, it was time for her to go home and catch up on the sleep she had missed.

.・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・.

"Milly!" A voice barges into her room, waking her up from sleep and causing her to fall onto the floor.

Hiding the tears that pricked her eyes, she looked up at her sister, who was holding her car keys.

"W-" she tried to start, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and catching her breath after landing on her back.

"Get in the truck. I'm going to Jake's house."

"But-"

"Just get in the car, Milly!"

.・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・.

Jacob opens the door, sighing as he sees the eldest Swan girl.

"Bella I told you, I'm not in the mood."

"No, I know." She looks down and exhales heavily, trying to structure her next words carefully. "Milly knows where your friend is."

Bella had noticed how withdrawn Jacob was the last time she visited, and then he totally cancelled their plans yesterday. It wasn't until Bella overheard her younger sister crying to her dad about the guilt she was feeling about spending time with Embry when her best friends couldn't.

Jacob's brows furrow.

"What do you mean, she knows?" He grits out through clenched teeth, a mix of anger and concern evident in his voice.

Bella doesn't hesitate before responding.

"She's been hanging out with him all weekend, and she wouldn't tell you, isn't that right?" She stands to the side, trying to push Milly forward, only to find out that she is still in the car. Huffing at her little sister, she stomped over to her red truck, with Jacob following behind.

"Milly! Get out here—!" She started to yell, being cut off as Jacob put a hand on her shoulder, shushing her when he realised that the small girl was asleep in the back seat. She was still in her pyjamas and looked peaceful as she slept, completely unaware of the drama unfolding around her. Jacob still didn't believe Bella, convinced that she was overreacting. Despite her protests, he refused to wake Milly from her peaceful slumber in the back seat of the car. Bella's frustration grew as Jacob remained unmoved by her pleas.

"Take her home, Bella. I don't want to talk about this with you anymore." Bella's heart sank as she realised Jacob was not going to listen to her concerns. She knew she would have to find another way to address the situation without his support.

"Jake, I'm serious. Why do you think she isn't over as much? She's with Sam!"

This made something snap in him. Sam Uley had been the bane of his existence for a few weeks now, and thinking of Milly being sucked into the drama surrounding him made Jacob's blood boil. Bella could see the anger in his eyes, and she knew she had hit a nerve.

Pushing past her, he opened the car door.

Milly snapped awake as the cold wind hit her face.

"Is it true?" Jacob snaps at her.

Milly's eyes widened in confusion as she tried to process Jacob's sudden outburst. She shook her head, not understanding what he was accusing her of.

"Is what true?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Jacob took a deep breath, trying to control his anger before speaking again. "Are you involved with Sam Uley?" he demanded, his eyes searching hers for any sign of deception.

Milly's heart raced as she struggled to find the right words to explain the situation. She could see the hurt and betrayal in Jacob's eyes, making her own guilt weigh heavily on her conscience.

"He's a good guy," she says, trying to reason with him, but he cuts her off and storms back into his house.

Tears well in Milly's eyes as she watches her brother walk away from her. "Why would you say that to him, Bella?" She turns her head, a frown on her face that would make anybody buckle at the knees, and beg her for forgiveness.

Bella just rolls her eyes and climbs into the driver's seat of her truck. "It was cruel of you to keep that from him."