She's always two steps out of reach slipping out of his grasp. They play the game so well sometimes they aren't sure who it is they're trying to fool anymore.
Jacob makes a point roll his eyes in her direction at least three times in the company of the people that know him the best. Leah throws insults and growls like she means it. They do their best not to smile
(cause everyone knows Leah Clearwater does not smile.)
But neither of them know how to stop.
&
'Come on Jake don't be an idiot' Leah stood before him with a hand placed at her hip.
'I'm not going Leah.'
'Oh that's right, you'd rather play Susie homemaker with your bloodsucker friends.'
Jacob scowled. Ever since Renesme was born and the showdown with the volturi he'd felt a bond forged with the Cullens. Even blondie he had to admit.
Bella's change hadn't destroyed her humanity, infact it was kind of nice to be around her knowing exactly where he stood. They were friends, he was finally ok with that.
'You won't even tell me what it is'
'That's cause it's a surprise, if I tell you when you phase you'll ruin it for Seth too.' She said.
Jacob looked at the girl he grew up with, the girl who had since become his beta.
She'd come along way.
Sure she was still a bitch but these days he was pretty sure she wasn't shootin' to kill. Running with her he'd finally seen things her way. It was bad enough for him that Bella had chosen to marry and end her life for Edward but it would have been unbearable to hear her think about how much more she loved him, for her to look at him and wish he'd just go away. Not the way Leah did with Sam.
The pack had always bypassed Leah. All her scathing remarks made it easy.
It wasn't until the day she broke away and chose to be led by him that he looked at her. Really looked.
She was as broken as he was.
But she was trying. Having the space with the new pack she didn't have to try as hard to block the rest of them out. To shout over them all and hurt them enough to fly under the radar. To block Sam out and his visions of Emily. To block Embry out and his many names for her; harpy, bitch, spinster…
He sighed. 'Fine.'
His eyes widened in surprise when he realised where she'd taken them.
Seattle car show. Seth grinned from ear to ear 'awesome.' He muttered and moved over to the shiny red porshe across the room.
Leah looked back at him and scoffed.
'So you'd still rather be thinking up blonde jokes.'
Jacob scratched the back of his neck and smirked down at her, in that knowing way she hated.
'Not bad girlie wolf, not bad.'
&
He frowned and blinked then proceeded to flop back down on his couch.
He shook his head slowly as if it would suddenly turn back time. Sam called to tell him that Emily was pregnant. He was ecstatic of course and Jacob couldn't help the answering smile.
'That's great man.'
'Thanks Jake, we're having a barbeque on Saturday and Emily is gonna cook up a storm.' He chuckled, not surprised in the slightest.
'I'll be there.' He said and ended the call.
It was then, sitting on his couch with his floppy black hair splayed on his face he cocked his head to the side. I wonder if Leah's alright.
He jumped up and made for the door before stopping dead in his tracks, startled.
Since when did he care? He sat back down with a huff, there was no way he was going to be on the other end of Leah and one of her freak out modes.
Try as he might he couldn't help but worry. He knew how hard it was for her just seeing Sam and Emily together, the pregnancy really solidified the fact. Plus Jacob knew how much it hurt her that she may never be able to have kids. He growled under his breath and made his way further in La Push to the Clearwater house.
Seth opened the door, relief written clearly across his face.
'She's upstairs. Locked herself in her room.' They shared a looked which roughly translated as 'I'll do what I can but no promises.' Seth nodded tinged with respect. It was a funny scenario they found themselves in the three of them sharing each others pain. Piece by piece trying to put each other back together again.
'Leah.' He tried.
'Go away Jacob,' She said, 'I'm not gonna phase. You don't have to worry about me giving you a headache.'
Jacob's eyes closed. He let out a deep sigh.
'That's not why I'm here Leah. I just wanted to see if you were alri-.' He cringed, she definitely wasn't alright.
She barked out a laugh without any humour and Jacob heard a thud and her voice came sounding closer than before.
'She's having his baby.'
Jacob crouched down outside her door. 'I know.'
'I never told anybody, we always planned on you know finishing school and maybe seeing the world. But back then,' her voice cracked, 'I used to see a little boy with a brown eyes, or a little girl with thick black hair like mine running around us wanting to play on bikes or climb the highest tree. Sam would've been the kind of dad that they always ran to, to get their way but he'd smile and look over at me and tell them to do what I asked.' She stopped, letting it play out in her mind and Jacob's stomach felt heavy with her silence.
'Leah…'
&
Quil and Claire were inseparable as usual, Claire was tugging on his hair giggling and reaching over to Leah beside her with her other little hand.
Leah smiled and tickled her. She always was a cute kid. Sitting on her other side was Seth fast approaching his third plate. Jacob was seated directly opposite her shooting nervous glances her way every couple of minutes.
She looked at him with an eyebrow quirked up. What? He blinked innocently and shrugged chuckling softly to himself.
Admittedly she appreciated the concern at first but now three hours in the staring was a little overkill. She was behaving herself its not like she was really going to make a scene now.
'So Jake, how are things with the Cullen's – the baby?' Sam asked
'No new developments really with her powers anyway, shes still growing fast though, walking, talking and the kid is ridiculously smart.'
The corners of Leah's mouth turned up. ' He's just jealous that little Nessie beat him at scrabble. Ooh burn.'
Jacob glared. 'Shutup Leah, I let her win. Infact I let both of you win.'
'Right' Seth and Leah drawled. Sam just looked on with sad eyes.
Sam never meant to leave Leah behind. Emily was and would forever be his life and his soul. But Leah would always be a part of him, if fate hadn't intervened so cruelly she would have been by his side having his child. He loved her spirit; she burned so intensely in everything she did. It hurt him that she left the pack but not as much as looking at her now hurt. Slowly she was breaking away from the bitterness she was holding onto so tightly. He couldn't remember how many times he'd wish she would just move on, now he wished he'd had a little warning.
&
It was dark when it happened. They couldn't say who moved first but one minute they were walking up the stoned path and the next they were tangled up in each other pressed against a tree. Jacob could feel his heartbeat in his ears and the heat off the body in his arms. He pushed her back slightly and she looked up in protest.
He ran his hand up her arm, revelling in the way she closed her eyes and sighed. He pressed his palm against her chest over her heart and smiled feeling it's erratic beat. This is what he craved. Heat and fury. Her heartbeat was real, it was strong- she was alive.
She leaned into his touch and looked up into his dark eyes.
Destiny is our own making.
And she crashed her lips against his.
&
Billy notices first. Smirking when he sees Leah at the house for the third time in three days. He winks while they're at the table and they both agree that they're not ready for anyone to know.
They have rules.
No one can find out.. They tell themselves it's a matter of convenience; under it all he's still an immature jerk and she's still just a cold-hearted bitch.
It's a small town as it is, and meeting people can be kind of hard especially considering – hi I'm a werewolf isn't the best pick up line. Leah reminds him of this on more that one occasion. Jacob nods. Its not like they're in love. When he thinks of love he remembers clumsy laughter and soft pale skin.
He wraps her arms behind his back and leads her to his bed. He lands on top of her with a grunt. She rolls her eyes.
'You cant get enough of me'
She punches him in the shoulder and laughs into his mouth.
&
It was a Friday when Jacob realises they might be in trouble. He was babysitting for Nessie while her family went hunting.
'You should talk to her.' Came a smooth voice from behind him. Jacob scowled, he was too used to their sickly sweet smell he barely noticed his presence.
Too engrossed thinking about the fight he and Leah had wondering what should I do?
He's waiting in her room when she gets back leaving a trail of wet kisses down her neck.
'I didn't mean it.'
'Yes you did' She says sharply.
&
He slips up once when he phases.
Usually he's carefully controlled in avoiding any inappropriate thoughts towards his pack mate. Leah keeps her mind blank by running through the alphabet and her times tables.
But there had been an unexpected visitor in Forks, the kind who wasn't as vegetarian as the Cullen's proved to be. Both packs met in the woods and Jacob's thoughts synched with Sam's to run through their course of action. It was stupid. A split second mistake but none the less it happened.
He told Sam that Seth and Leah would run the perimeter to make sure there were no other surprises.
Sam's black wolf form whined into the cold air as he was hit with the image of Jacob Black and Leah together with her hands twined in his hair smiling softly.
In less than minutes Quil, Embry, and Paul know too. Jacob meets his eyes for a moment and a look of understanding pass between them.
&
'I'm sorry'
'Why did you have to ruin it?' She shouted, unable to meet his gaze.
'So they know? Who says it has to ruin things?' He said his voice heavy with exasperation.
'You think we can go back to the way we were, now?'
'I don't see why not. Leah come on, I know what we said but c'mon it's not like we're just screwing here anymo-'
'Me and you Jake, we're a train-wreck waiting to happen. It's probably better we ended things now rather than later.' She said. She stared up at him defiantly and Jacob gaped at her not knowing what to say.
Her eyes softened for a second and lowered her gaze. If he didn't know her better he would've said he'd saw her eyes glisten. As she walked away he could've sworn he saw her shaking.
&
She hadn't phased in three weeks. She hadn't answered his phonecalls and Jacob was steadily driving himself and Seth crazy.
It was a different kind of pain than what he'd felt with Bella.
He wanted to be with her more than anything, he wanted to show her how happy he could make her. He wanted to take care of her. With Leah he wanted none of those things.
But the realisation that it happened anyway crept up on him and left him reeling.
He was so tired of all the drama.
He waited behind the house all morning trying to make a plan. He was Alpha for God sakes.
'Stop, Leah please.'
'What are you doing here Jacob, is there a pack meeting?' She said harshly.
He ignored her words and left a foot between them. Leah stared up at him and fought the instinctive urge to submit to her alpha.
She shuddered when his hand brushed against her cheek.
'Why are you fighting this?' He asked softly.
She didn't say anything as he closed the space between them wrapping her up in strong arms. He drew her face closer to his and stopped abruptly when he saw her cringe. The expression hit him like a bucket of cold water.
'It wont work Jake.'
'You wont even try.' He said resigned to the fact. He ran his hand over his face rubbing his temple suddenly looking very tired. He sat down on the edge of the porch with a heavy sigh.
'You think it hurts now.' She said following him slowly leaving a wide berth between them. 'Imagine a few months from now. A year from now.'
'I don't get it Leah' He said, exasperated. 'We could be happy. Whats wrong with being happy, having someone to turn to, to be there for?'
She pressed her lips together. She risked a glance in his direction and took a deep breathe.
'I cant take someone else leaving me Jake, my heart cant take it.'
'I'm here aren't I, at your door? Doesn't that show you how much I want to be with you, I'm not gonna leave.'
'You wont have a choice' She shouted. 'You could just look up one day and find your imprint and then where that leave me?'
Jacob reached over and held her hands in his even as she struggled.
'Leah I dont know what could happen, honestly I don't think I'll ever imprint. And if by some chance it does, I promise you here and now, that I'll try Leah, I wont just give up on us. I'm not Sam.'
She let out a shuddering breathe.
'I don't know Jake…I just don't know if this is a good idea.'
'Don't think about it. What do feel? Don't you feel it when we're together.'
She chewed on her bottom lip and answered softly.
'Yeah I feel it.'
Jacob smiled stroking long fingers over her own.
'Where do you feel it?' He chuckled, smiling coyly at her.
She grinned back at him then grew serious and slipped her palm out from under his. Moving it over his shoulder and stopping at his chest. She felt his steady heartbeat and stared at him.
'Everywhere.'