*This story follows after my other Leah story, "A happy broken heart". I wrote this after receiving many emails asking me to continue the story. (Thanks to all who emailed & reviewed) If you haven't read the first, you might not understand the point Leah is at in her life. Hope you all enjoy. Thanks! PS~ I hope to update on this every week, more if possible, but I am still writing on my Seth story "Love & Music" but I will try to keep the updates coming weekly.

Don't phase, don't phase, don't phase.

I kept repeating this over and over in my head, trying to fight the shaking in my body and the heat that was flowing through my veins. I had decided the night Sam and Emily had left for their honeymoon, that I was going to try to stop phasing. When I arrived home that night I was lying in bed, my mind wondering what it would be like to be the one on my honeymoon and crying my eyes out over the lack of, well, everything, in my life, that if I wanted those things in my life, I needed to make it happen. So, after getting the support of my alpha, I was two months into not phasing with only one slip that occurred about a week in. But, today, today was proving hard. I had the support of Jake, Embry and Seth, but Quil….. He like the challenge of seeing how far he could push me before I phased.

Quil was sitting across from me on the blanket we had stretched out on the sand down at First Beach and was tossing Cheeto's at my head all the while he kept asking, "Are you going to phase? Are you going to phase?"

I was on the verge of snapping. I looked over to him with narrowed eyes. "Knock it off."

"Why? Are you going to phase?" He asked as he tossed another at me.

"Quil, give it a rest." Jake said coming up from the water with little Nessie on his hip.

Quil dropped his hand to his lap and rolled his eyes. "Fine."

Jake had invited us to spend the day at the beach with he and Nessie. Sam's pack was running the day patrol, which meant that Quil and Seth would run tonight. Jake had asked Seth to replace me as beta, since Embry still had his mother's illness to deal with and Quil had Claire, who was now spending weekends at his house. To say Seth was happy at the new pecking order was an understatement. Seth loved his duty as a wolf and saw it as a blessing other then the curse I knew it to be.

Jake wrapped a towel around Nessie and sat down on the blanket pulling her into his lap. Jake dug around in the cooler that we brought along and pulled out a bottle of water and an apple, handing it to her. She took the apple but refused the water. No matter how much Jake tried to encourage her to try new things, she still preferred blood.

"To bad Embry couldn't join us." Quil said as he laid back on his arms and looked out to the water. "He could use a relaxing day like this."

"Yeah, poor guy, he hardly ever leaves his mother side." Jake said brushing the hair from Nessie's face.

Since the wedding, Ms. Call had taken a turn for the worse. Her health was fading faster than anyone expected and Embry was taking all the responsibility the doctors would let him. He was so drained that Jake stopped him from running his patrols lately.

"Maybe we should go by and see him." Quil said.

"I called him earlier and he seemed really busy so, maybe not today." Jake said.

Jake didn't like being around Ms. Call. Guess it brought back to many memories of when his mother was fighting her own battle with cancer, a battle she lost. What Jacob and the others didn't know was that I checked on Embry almost daily. I did his grocery shopping for him, cooked his meals, some light house work and sometimes even a few loads of laundry. Being as he was a guy, he couldn't cook well and was living off tv dinners. I didn't like the thought of that, so I started helping where I could. The only thing the pack knew was that I went and spent time with Ms. Call. Reading to her or just having a conversation with her. Mostly she would ask how Embry was doing, since he always told her he was "fine". I knew she was worried, even I was worried. Embry had managed to gain a special place in my heart the night of the wedding.

*Flash back*

Jake had dropped us all off in my front yard after we left the dinner. Seth immediately running inside to get out of his suit and tie and Quil disappeared into the woods for his patrol. I was standing in the front yard alone with Embry. I turned to look at him to see him staring up at the full moon, a distant look on his face. I guess he felt my eyes on him and he turned to look at me.

"What Lee?" He asked.

"Nothing, you looked so relaxed." I said. "How ya holding up Embry?"

"I'm doing ok. Besides my mom's nurses come three times a week, so.." He said

"Well, if ya need anything, you can let me know ok. I'll come sit with your mom if you need a few hours out or whatever." I said to him.

"Well, there is one thing you can help with. Can you teach me to cook? I suck so bad at it and I'm kinda burnt out on take out."

"Sure." I laughed. "I'll help ya with that." I turned to enter the house when Embry grabbed my arm.

"Lee…"

I looked down to where his hand was around my wrist then back up to him. "Yeah Em?"

"Well, I was wondering, since everyone else got a turn to dance with you, if I could have my turn?

"You're crazy. " I laughed. "Besides, there's no music, and it's dark out here."

"First, I'm not crazy, well, not entirely, Second, there's the moon light, which is glowing around us, Third, music lives in our souls, let's just hope ours are singing the same songs right now." He said slowly wrapping his arms around my waist. "So may I have this dance?"

I put my arms around his neck, "If you must Call." I said with fake annoyance.

Embry seemed to dance every bit as good as Seth. His arms held just the right amount of pressure around my waist and he moved us slowly in a tight circle.

"Sorry today was so hard for you Lee." Embry said.

"Thanks. It was hard, but still, not as hard as I thought it would be. If that makes since." I said shaking my head.

"It does, in the sense that it doesn't ." He laughed.

"I mean, I knew this day was coming, I know Sam and Emily love each other very much, it's just… well, I wonder if I'll ever have that now. A man that loves me and makes my heart race. A wedding, or a family." I said looking down to the ground.

I felt Embry's arms tighten around my waist, "Leah," He said causing me to look up to him, "You will. How could you not. You're smart, funny, sassy, and beautiful. Any man would be lucky to have you. It was just that Sam was meant for someone else. Just like you're meant for someone. And when you find that man, he'll worship every detail about you. He'll see what most of us see. He'll see you."

I was in shock. Embry had never said such things, least of all to me. "Wow…Thanks Embry, who knew such sweet words lived in that empty head of yours." I joked.

"It's been known to happen." He laughed as he spun me then pulled me back into his chest. "Thanks for the dance Lee."

"Anytime." I said taking a step back from him.

I turned to enter the house.

"Lee?" Embry said behind me.

I turned to look at him once more, "Yeah?"

"Goodnight." He said with that trademark Embry Call smile. The one that showed his dimples and made is brown eyes sparkle.

"Night Em."

*End Flashback*

In the past two months Embry and I had became closer than I ever thought the two of us would. I don't even think Jacob or Quil knew how much Embry had on his shoulders right now. Of course, Embry would act like all was well when he was around anyone else, but I could see the worry in his eyes. Embry was scared to death about his mother's health. She was the only family he had.

"Well, I'm going to take this little one home." Jake said standing up from the blanket.

"Yeah, I think I'm going to take off too. Think I'll head home and catch a nap." Quil said. "Catch you guys later."

Jake and I threw our hands up in a quick farewell.

"You headed out too Leah?" Jake asked as he put the last of Nessie's thing into her beach bag.

"Nah, I think I'll lounge here for a while longer." I said rolling over onto my stomach. "Maybe read a little on this book Rachel loaned me."

"Well, see ya." Jake said picking Nessie up in one arm and holding the beach bag and small cooler in the other.

"Bye Leah." Nessie giggled.

"See ya squirt." I smiled.

Once Jake was out of sight, I looked around the beach. It was pretty much empty. Since no one I knew was hanging out, I pulled off my jean shorts and tank. I looked down at the dark blue two piece I was wearing. It looked good against my copper skin. I blushed slightly at my self for being so vain. I rolled back over on my stomach and pulled out my sunglasses and dove into the book.

I was two chapters in when a shadow fell across me blocking the warm sun.

"Where have you been all my life?" I heard from behind me.

A smile came to my lips. That voice was impossible to mistake.

"With the man of my dreams." I said playfully.

"Ouch Leah." The voice laughed.

I rolled over to look up a the massive figure standing over me.

"Sorry Embry, that's life." I laughed.

"Yeah, ha ha." He said dryly. "Move over."

I sat up to make room for him as he dropped down on his side, propping himself up on his elbow.

"What are you doing out here?" I asked.

"Taking a breather. Mom's nurses are at the house and I swear, that Lisa woman is going to go blind if she stares at me any harder." He groaned dropping back onto his back and closing his eyes.

I shook my head with a smile. Lisa was one of Ms. Call's nurses. She was no older than 24 and every time she was at the Call home, she kept her eyes glued to Embry. She had asked him to dinner on more than one occasion, but Embry kept finding ways to let her down easy.

"She still after you than?" I laughed.

"Like a damn pit bull." He groaned.

Embry drew in a deep breath causing his bare chest to rise and fall back down. My eyes roamed down his body. He was wearing only a pair of blue and white board shorts which looked really nice next to his tanned skin. I noticed how his stomach muscles formed all the way down to the top of the shorts and the narrow path ways of his hips. My breath caught a little. I had seen all the pack guys shirtless and even nude at times, but I had never noticed how beautiful Embry's body was. I found myself biting down on my lip as I watched his pecks rise and fall with his breathing.

"Got your eyes full?"

I looked up to see Embry holding his hand in front of him to block the sun and his eyes looking to me.

"I was lost in thought." I said blushing and looking out to the water.

"Sure." He laughed.

"Anyways. What's on your agenda today?" I asked wanting to change the subject quickly.

"Well, the home nurses are at the house till 9, so I'm free till then." He said.

"Sam and Emily are having a cookout. Ya want to go?" I asked.

"Sure. I haven't seen Sam and Emily in a few days."

As I stood up to put on my cloths, I saw Embry's eyes roam over my body quickly then look back out to the water. I had no clue why, but the thought of him checking me out caused my skin to tingle. Get it together Leah, this is Embry for god's sake.

After I was dressed I put my book back into my small bag. "Let's go." I said looking down to Embry.

"Jeez…bossy much?" He laughed as he rose and pulled up the blanket.

I stuck my tongue out at him. Embry laughed and repeated the action.

"Let's drop this stuff at my house and grab a shirt from Seth's closet for you before heading to Emily's." I said as I started towards the sandy path that lead to the road.

"Ok bossy pants." Embry laughed as he dropped his arm across my shoulders.

The feeling of his skin on me sent the tingle back. Why in the hell was my body acting this way to him?