I finally got around to writing a fanfiction. Well, at least the beginning. I hope you enjoy Leah's ways as I put them up until now.
My story begins about two years after the ending of Breaking Dawn. It's Leah Clearwaters Point of View.
Note: Most of the characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. I do not own them. I only borrowed them and will return them preferably unharmed ;)
I invented a few additional characters, though, same goes for every aspect of the characters that wasn't mentioned in the series.
Chapter 1 - Meeting
Gotcha, I thought towards Seth while I ran past him effortlessly.
I felt Seth's competitive senses rising. He sped up to catch me, but still, I was the fastest of our pack.
Look who's speaking of our pack again., I heard Jacob joining our unspoken conversation.
Hey, Alpha!, I greeted, not actually solemn, but not mocking, either.
It's been a while since we've heard you here, Jacob. You could honestly walk away from your coven?, I teased him.
I felt he was not thoroughly at ease with being away from the subject of his imprint, Renesmee. I tried to conceal every rude comment that could upset him, not wanting our Alpha to leave so soon after he'd actually made it so close to home. But still... the fur on my neck stood on end when I tried to imagine to live in a house full of eight and a half vampires...
Jacob sighed at my thought. He gave no reply, but I could see different emotions flying through his mind. Disgust, even rage, especially about Blondie, but on the other side... this strange adoration, devotion, when it came to that half-vampire child.
Jacob pushed the thoughts aside. Anyway, Leah.
It's okay. Guess I'll never understand those imprinted people. I sniffed, and a bitter edge crept into my thoughts. I've had quite enough of that crap!
Jacob growled. Don't you start that again, Leah. Please...
I knew what he meant. And I tried, I really tried. But how could I keep my broken heart to myself when it was core to who I was?
I closed my eyes for a second, concentrated to push it back into the recesses of my brain. There was one way to prove that I'd be good. Hey Jake, up to a run? I bet I'll beat ya to the meeting place!, I challenged as cheerful as I could, and stretched my legs in the same instant. Jacob rolled his mind's eye, but he raced, too. Maybe just out of fear I'd touch the subject again.
Ha, he thought. Don't you think you're the only one who enjoys a good run. Speed rush is a common experience.
I gave no reply, instead, I all but doubled my speed.
Show-off, Seth grinned behind me. I ignored my brother and headed for the small clearing in the familiar forest. I saw Jacob a few yards away in the underbrush, at full speed, while the others didn't have the aspiration to beat me.
I rushed into the clearing just an instant before Jacob made it there. I turned my head and gave him a smug wolfy smile. He rolled his eyes. Automatically, I took my place at his right side, where the second-in-command belonged. It was something big... but it wasn't the only advantage of being in Jacob's pack rather than in Sam's... I stopped that thought cold.
I knew Jacob was annoyed with my endless grief and the lamentations in my head – but still. He was happy now, he'd been healed from the heartache this Bella had caused him... while I still fought against my unhappy ending with... Sam.
Stop that...
I try. You know.
Yeah. Still...
Fighting again, guys?, Embry thought. Quil was running right next to him, out of my sight, but I could hear him through Embry's ears. I snarled.
Kidding, Leah!, he responded to my objection. Why did the only female wolf have to be discriminated by being adressed as a guy? Wasn't it enough that I had to fight and that I had no one to share my female stuff or did the tiniest bit understand me?
Seth entered the clearing, fast, but in no hurry. Or at least he pretended he wasn't annoyed I'd beat him again. I could hear Quil and Embry approaching, Quil's thoughts filled with the thrill of running, the excitement didn't wear out even years after he'd first become a werewolf.
Well, I'd never been so overexcited. It was mostly the speed that compensated the drawbacks. Never completely, of course.
Jacob ignored the direction my thoughts were taking – again – and greeted the three other wolves as they entered the clearing. Quil and Embry sat down next to Seth. Everyone looked at Jacob.
You expect me to make a formal speech?, he asked. You know everything already, I suppose. I could give you an update about the Cullens, but... I doubt anyone besides Seth would be interested.
Seth looked up. You know I am. They found another place?
About fivehundred miles from here. In Kanada. Only for the next few years, probably.
Good thing our thought connection reaches that far., Embry thought. Otherwise, I'd truly miss you, Bro.
Yeh. I know.
I understand, Jake., Quil put in. In his head, memories of Claire flashed up. I rolled my eyes. Were we getting that again? Quil, keep your babysitting faible to yourself.
Jacob looked at me from the corner of his eye. Yeah, you're sure the right one to say that.
Okay, aside from that. What's new in La Push?, Jacob questioned and looked at his friends and my brother. Besides Claire, please...
Embry shook his fur. Nothing too scandalous. Billy misses you, you might have guessed. Collin imprinted. Well... I say I'm really glad I'm not in his head. The girl is... not quite comfortable with the truth about him. Scared her to death when she saw Collin as a big wolf. He's having a hard time trying to make her believe he is still human in a way...
It will turn out right, in the end., Quil confided. No one can resist that...
I sighed heavily and rolled my eyes. Cut that crap, Quil. I know you imprinted wolves are all optimistic... the world is just rosy and perfect.
We only want her to be happy and safe. That's what matters., Jacob chimed in. It was so unlike his usual, or, well, his former self when I saw that glowing in his eyes. He was head over heels for that girl. Or... stronger than that.
Seth decided he'd had enough of that subject. He jumped agilely to his feet and looked at each of our faces. Don't we patrol today?
My little brother, the dutiful tribe protector., I smiled. There still was a bit of pride between the mockery. In my book, he took it a bit too serious, now that the bloodsuckers had left the place. The only reminder was the big white house that still reeked of vampires – and their personal guard dog.
Right., Jacob agreed. I think it was more in response to Seth's question than to my thoughts.
Let's do Sam a favor and check the outer perimeter. And after... I think I'll phase and visit my father. He'll be thrilled to see me again so close after the wedding.
Did he have to bring that up?
I'd done my best. But in the end, I had to duck out. I couldn't bear to be a bridesmaid at Sam's... wedding. I was not capable of that. Sure, Emily was my cousin, but that changed nothing. Maybe I was a chicken, but I had not dared to even attend the ceremony. I'd send Sam and Emily a congratulations card. That's all I could do.
Hey, Jacob, it was you who brought this up., I reminded him before he could put his slight irritation into coherent thoughts.
Sharing a pack mind was not easy. Everything was laid out for all to see. Everything. At least it annoyed them as much as it annoyed me. I wished there was a way to hide the thoughts that I didn't want to share nor that anyone wanted to hear, like Sam and Jacob as alpha wolves could. No deal. Quileute heritage. Designed for the Quileute's sons... and the odd freak I was for some reason.
Head in the game, Leah. We'll meet on the other side.
A smug thought came to my mind as I remembered a conversation years back when this pack was started. Jacob had given me that much – I was less annoying than Paul, who happened to imprint on Jacob's sister Rachel. The thought slipped out before I could hold it back. Be glad you're running with me now... When you get to Billy's, you'll soon enough encounter Paul.
Cut it out, Leah. Run before I bite off your furry ears., Jacob growled at me.
Oh, charming. As if you had a prayer of catching me.
And I was flying, my paws barely touching ground as I ran the perimeter. Even with my nose to the ground to catch every scent that could be an important information, I was still faster than Jacob or any of the others. They spread out in different directions to cover a big territory while we ran patrol.
I let the wind blow every thought from my head and just give myself to my running. It was easier to forget my human problems while I ran.
Okay, that's it. I'm phasing., Jacob announced.
Bye, Jake., three voices echoed in my head.
Bye, Jacob. It was... sort of nice you came for a visit., I admitted.
That was the point. Irresponsible to let my pack roam around like abandoned dogs.
Yeah, like I'm needing a babysitter. I'm three years older than you, kid.
Jacob smirked, at least that was what he tried to do. Human mimics didn't always come out right on a wolf's face. I scowled as he remembered a situation where he'd truly saved me. Well... I could have finished that newborn bloodsucker. If he hadn't jumped in and got all the glory. And all the broken bones, but what did that matter?
Leah, you know what?, he suddenly laughed in thoughts. What?
You are even less annoying than Blondie. Arguing with you is more fun.
Oh, thank you., I replied. How nice to be appreciated.
You're welcome.
He prodded his nose to my flank in comradeship, then he darted off into the shelter of the trees to phase. Bye, beta.
Jacob could really be nice. I smiled to myself and trod off into the opposite direction. Nice or not nice, I preferred phasing away from his view.
It was nice to walk on two legs – not as fast, sure, but the best thing about it was my private head. Of course, there was no hold up now for my thoughts. That was good because nobody tried to shame me for feeling the way I did, but bad because no one kept me from getting lost in these thoughts.
I walked the mile from the forest to my home slowly. Luckily, Seth was still running with Quil and Embry, so I didn't have to walk with my always-cheerful younger brother.
The best thing about being in Jacob's pack, though I was a bit ashamed that it slipped out into Jacob's attention, was to be away from Sam's thoughts. Though it hurt just as bad not to see him at all, like I'd be missing a part of me, it was still better than facing Sam's mind. He couldn't and wouldn't conceal his love and adoration for Emily. Every touch, every kiss that crossed his mind with me having to hear it was like a blow right in the face. He knew that, he could feel it in my head, he felt terribly guilty, but that made it so much worse. I'd told him that, not only in my thoughts, but even in human form, in spoken words.
When Jacob had walked away from Sam, taken his place as the true alpha, I'd grasped the only way to escape at least that part of the pain.
Though joining Jacob of all things was not a choice I'd have made if the other options would have been the tiniest bit less painful.
Well, Jacob and I made things up, after all. A healthy piece of mockery stayed between us, but at least we ran at the same frequency. And we tried not to annoy each other too much. At least... sometimes.