Defining Normal | EMBRY CALL

Kindness

Her ruminations were interrupted by her phone buzzing. An unsaved number. Schedule, please. Quil was nothing if not persistent, a trait he seemingly shared with his large array of friends. Lex dutifully replied with a picture of her shifts, inwardly cringing at the thought of him running around all week after her. She knew that arguing was futile, but it still bothered a tiny sliver of her that hated dependence. Lex was resolute in saving for a car, but this was a definite motivation to clean up her act and purchase something, anything, that could get her away from walking. Lex sighed. Goodbye, motivation, she thought, opening a tab in her browser to peruse her options. Completing her coursework was truly a pipe dream.

Running the night shift with a bunch of pups was pretty close to hell, Embry thought, ignoring the protests of the cubs that shared his mind. Two nights in a row of roaming the Rez really diminished his capacity for kindness, especially since he'd rather be tucked up in a warm bed, dreaming of his gorgeous imprint.

Ugh, gross, Collin thought. Also, not a cub.

Dude, you're sixteen. You can't even drive alone yet. You're basically a kid. Mind your business.

God, you're so grumpy.

For God's sake David, if I wanted your opinion, I'd ask. Just run the Eastern boundary for the love of God.

Finally, merciful silence. Nights on patrol had turned into daydreaming about Lex while running, but thinking of her was a fully enmeshed part of his routine now. Wake up, think about whether she slept well. Drive to college, wonder how she's getting there today. Sit in class, imagine her adorable pouty face as she thinks hard about something. Rinse and repeat. Lex lived rent-free in his head and he'd come to relish it - Embry'd been hesitant about imprinting at first, but with every day that passed he'd found more and more reasons to adore her. He couldn't deny that he was quickly hurtling into sappy piece-of-shit territory, the kind of man he'd loved to mock when he first phased, but loving Lex was far too enjoyable for him to stop now.

Embry felt the rippling of the pack mind as another wolf phased in. Quil.

Dude, I just saw Lex. She's fucking working, alone, and she says she walks there! In the dark! Jesus Christ, man, I just wanted to take her home. I didn't know how strong the pack pull would be without you there.

Embry frantically scans Quil's memories, taking in her tiny figure hunched up behind the counter. Her eyes were rimmed with dark, deep circles that seemed to make her pale skin glow an eerie shade of white. Lex looked haggard, frazzled, and he couldn't help but wince as he felt the sharp tug of the bond, his inner need to protect her rising to the surface.

It's okay, man. I've got her sending me her work schedule so we can protect her. She finishes at six today. I told her to wait for someone to come get her. You good to grab her after hand-over?

Embry replies in the affirmative. Sam's coming in early today, a nice 5:30 AM start, leaving him with plenty of time to grab his truck and swing by the gas station. He feels like the world's worst protector. Fuck, he's had nearly a fortnight to learn her routine, figure out how to protect her, and she's been alone at night this whole time? The thought of her in danger causes pain in his stomach so strong it makes him retch, his belly cramping in a futile effort to evacuate the pain. He knows it'll settle when he sees her, but nearly three hours of Lex Lex Lex worry is a long time. Quil phases out shortly after, reassuring him for a few brief moments before the adrenaline settles and the fatigue creeps back in. All too soon, Embry is left alone with his thoughts - and the distant hum of his younger pack-mates - and a slow count-down of when he can be with her.

In an effort to distract himself, he returns to thinking about Quil's project car idea. Sure, she'd resist the thought of accepting a gift, but he knows that he can't let her roam alone at night, and he doesn't want to be the kind of guy to stop her from doing something entirely. At least with a car, something safe and reliable, she'd be able to get to work safely, and the guys could include the station on the patrol route until she finished for the night. It wasn't his preferred option - he'd much prefer her tucked in nice and safe in his bed - but it would have to do for the time being.