Behind My Facade

A/N: This is the first chapter of my first fanfic so please let me know what you think, advice wouldn't be amiss and I'm willing to accept any constructive criticism. This is a LeahxEmbry pairing so if you don't like- don't read. It will probably be 3 chapters long.

Oh and I don't own anything if I did this would've happened in the book and not on this website.

Enjoy!

Leah's Point of View:

Betrayal and hurt were the thoughts going through Leah's head. It was a month after the Volturi had left and she had been pissed that there hadn't even been a bit of scuffle for her to blow off steam. She huffed and started running again. Although she resented being a wolf, she loved the feeling of running. There was something invigorating about the way the wind ruffled her grey fur. The thrilling speed and the buzz of adrenaline that made her feel an underlying sense of power of being a wolf. She leapt over a dip; dodging trees as she darted across the woods. She felt like she could take on anything when she was running in her wolf form. She cleared her mind, checking to see if any of her pack brothers were in their wolf forms too- they weren't. She allowed herself to relax. It was only in times like this that she could truly relax and drop her bitchy attitude. She winced when she thought about her behaviour over the past few years.

***Flashback***

When Sam had imprinted on Emily all those years ago; Emily had figured out what had happened and had come to tell her. Emily had found her and explained to Leah what she thought had happened to Sam. Leah had denied it and screamed her throat dry but Emily had just sat there through it all looking peaceful. Once Leah had finished Emily had pointed out all the signs of what had happened and Leah realised that it was real. They decided that the only way to deal with the imprint was for Leah to break up with Sam so that he could be with Emily. It made sense, Leah had reasoned, they were supposedly soul mates and shouldn't be separated. What they hadn't accounted for was Sam's guilt. When Leah had gone to see him and tell him that she knew, she hadn't had the heart to end it with him and tell him that she knew the reason he no longer wanted to see her. Leah hated the pained and guilty expression that had haunted his face as he looked at her. So she had left and called Emily.

"Em, this has got to stop. Sam's going to drive himself mad if he goes on like this." She said, "And I don't think me calling it off with him is really going to help him."

"But what are going to do then?" Emily had asked.

"We could make him glad to be with you when he leaves me for you. We could make him feel like he'd done the right thing." Leah said hesitantly.

"What do you mean?"

"What if I became an utter bitch to him when he breaks up with me? Acted my part as the bitter harpy? He's probably planning to tell me tomorrow so all I have to do is explode and act like he's the vilest creature on earth. He'll be thrilled to have gotten rid of me then and won't feel bad about getting with you."

"But what about you?" Emily protested, "People will talk. You'll be labelled."

"That's fine." Leah said stubbornly, "You two won't be happy together otherwise. Sam will constantly have this dark cloud over his shoulder and that's not what I want for you. I want you to be happy- both of you. If something like this happened to me you'd do the same."

Emily was quiet for a while before she spoke again.

"You've already made up your mind about this haven't you?" She asked quietly.

"Yes." Leah said firmly.

Emily sighed. She knew her cousin and once she had her mind made up, come hell or high water, Leah Clearwater would stick to her decision.

"And there's nothing I can do to make you change your mind is there?" Emily asked hopefully.

"No."

Leah was sure. Yes she had loved Sam but there wasn't much passion in their relationship. Sam was an easy person to love. Someone who would always be there and love her. That was why Leah had loved him. There wasn't any of that deep set indefinable joy that she saw in Emily's eyes when she saw or spoke of him. They would be good together. Emily's calm and cool manner would tame Sam's rash and impulsive behaviour- she was the yang to his yin. Letting go of him would hurt for her but, seeing her cousin find the other half of her soul would more than make up for it. She hadn't believed that the legends had been true but it fit with what had happened so far.

"Then I guess we need to say goodbye." Emily said in a small voice, having come to the realisation that if Leah were to hate Sam with such passion, there would be no way for them to be in each other's lives for now. But once it had blown over nothing would separate them again.

Leah swallowed against the lump in her throat, "Yes, Emmy I'm sorry for all that's going to happen. Just know that I love you and I want you to be happy and even though I won't act like it... I'd really like to be at your wedding."

"You'll be my maid of honour." Emily promised.

***End of flash back***

Leah slowed down and padded over to the cliff and lay down, paws close to the edge. After that day Leah had put up a cold front and thrown tantrums and had crying fits. It was difficult to watch Sam's pain and guilt grow but what hurt most [not that Leah would ever admit to anyone] was when he'd stopped caring altogether. It was hard not to slip up and tell him the truth but she managed.

The real challenge had been when she'd phased for the first time. It was even more tiring to put up the bitter front 24/7 and it made her want to cry when she heard what the others had thought of her. She'd hidden behind her taunts; using them to shift the focus onto others.

When she'd walked into Emily and Sam's house for the first time Emily had looked stricken and when she saw Leah's tattoo showing that she was a part of the pack she had excused herself and begun to cry. Nobody knew that she was now aware of the extra burden on Leah's shoulders. Sam had asked her countless times what was wrong until Emily had lost her temper for the first and last time since, with Sam and told him to leave her alone. Since then Leah found it difficult to see Emily. She couldn't stand to see the scars that marred her face knowing what had caused them...knowing who had caused them.

She let out a little whimper. She wanted to drop this bitchy attitude but she couldn't- not yet. She would the wait for the wedding. That had been her plan with Emily. Once the date was set Emily would ask her to be the maid of honour and Leah could drop all the pretences and wouldn't have to worry about ruining a marriage and she could finally pick up the pieces of her life and start to date again. She sighed miserably and looked at the sea. The waves crashing against the rocks were soothing. Leah thought about everything she'd given up for Emily's happiness and grew angry. After everything she had done for her Emily had set the date and asked Rachel to be her maid of honour. She'd seen it in Paul [it was his imprint after all] and Sam's thoughts. They were busy having a party at their house at the moment; to celebrate the setting of the date. Leah snarled angrily but it ended in a whimper. Leah sat up and looked into the night sky for a moment before letting out a long and mournful howl. She felt tears leaking out her eyes and sticking in her fur.