Four Paws

Chapter Twenty Two

           

Chapter Twenty Two

It was a decent hike to the top of the cliff but thanks to Embry and Quil's, delightful, sense of humour, the time flew.

The wind whips my hair behind my shoulders where I can feel it gather into knots. It brushes along my exposed skin before falling back down as the breeze dies. A huge wave then crashes against the cliff, spraying water droplets all over Seth and myself. I look up at him as another gust of wind gathers.

"You ready?" He asks as he hovers protectively by my side. I don't miss the way he stands slightly behind me to block me from Quil and Embry's view, despite them both seeing me in bathers before. His russet chest stands out against the murky olive greenery behind us, the grey whirls of sky above us and the stormy black sea below us. I find myself marvelled once again that someone like him, would imprint on someone like me. His eyebrows raise a bit to remind me that he asked a question. I snap out of my thoughts.

In reply, I grin widely at him, too excited to be self-conscious about only wearing shorts and a bra in front of him. I had left my shirt on the beach below so it wouldn't get wet. Besides, it's not that different from wearing bathers- a thought I have to keep continually remind myself of.

"What are you both waiting for?" Quil asks from behind us. Him and Embry decided to join us in our cliff diving expedition. Jake would've, but he had his patrol until early this morning and, according to Billy, is completely drained and is currently passed out on his couch. As mentioned last night, Sam completely changed the patrol structure so everyone is out guarding the borders from six at night 'til six in the morning. During the day, three people are allowed to have a break whilst the other four continue on. They then swap and the other four rest, then they all go through the night.

It's not going to be easy for them.

"They're just scared." Embry says from beside him, a cocky smile on his face. I come back to reality and narrow my eyes at my older brother who only smiles wider.

"Ooooooh." Quil taunts while he grins from ear to ear.

"Ignore them, they're being stupid." Seth says supportively from beside me.

"I'm-I'm not scared." I splutter indigently, heat flooding my cheeks. I throw my hands up to support my statement.

"Well you've never jumped from the top before." Embry smirks.

"Because I wasn't an idiot." I exclaim as my mind reels for an insult to fire back. "Hey- wait a minute. Nor have you Quil." I turn my attention to him.

He blanches and I can see he's struggling to find a comeback. "Seth hasn't either." He manages to retort.

"Seth isn't the one pressuring us to jump." I quirk an eyebrow.

An all too familiar mischievous smile then appears on his face and I feel my stomach drop as I prepare myself for his words. "But I bet he pressures you to do other things."

"QUIL!" I exclaim, lunging forward to attack him but Seth grabs me gently from around the waist and stops me from doing any damage as he cradles me protectively. I crane my neck behind me to see Seth's face is flushed dark in embarrassment too but he keeps holding me to his chest. The shudders that trembled throughout my body, hinting that I was about to shift, stopped at his touch.

Beside a cackling Quil, Embry looks rather stumped. He doesn't know whether to laugh at Quil's joke as he would've usually done, or go for Quil himself for saying such an inappropriate thing about his younger sister and her boyfriend. I find myself chuckling too, followed shortly by Seth's carefree laugh. Embry grins and rolls his eyes, shoving Quil with his shoulder. Seth lets me go and I see he is still blushing.