Chapter 1

Leah's POV

I've always loved running. As far back as I can remember I loved the feel of the wind in my hair as I ran. Even my mother told me that I ran first and walked second. Running always makes me feel free and I can always clear my head of unwanted images and thoughts. Right now, I'm a wolf running to the far edge of the Washington border a little south of La Push. I come to this cliff when I feel upset and need to have some deep and personal thoughts. For some strange reason I've been drawn to this cliff for the past couple of weeks. As I come to the edge of the cliff I stop and shift back into my human self. No one is around, so I forget my clothes tied around my ankle and lay back on the grassy cliff. I love the feel of the ocean breeze on my naked body. Just as I'm enjoying the moment of being totally alone, depressing thoughts start to enter my mind. Thoughts of love…imprinting…Sam and Emily.

I still can't believe after all these years I still get upset when I see Sam and Emily together. Why can't I just MOVE ON!! I should be happy for them just like everyone else. I don't think I'm jealous of Emily anymore, I just think I'm jealous of people who have found true love. Imprinting… What a curse!!!

The legends say that werewolves imprint. WHY CAN'T I? Am I destined to be alone forever?? Billy seems to think that female werewolves will never be able to imprint because our bodies can't change. The main purpose of imprinting is to insure heirs to the wolfpack. Obviously something I can't do. Sam, Quil, Paul, Jacob, and Jared have all imprinted and pretty soon everyone else in the pack will…except me.

As I am drifting deeper into my thoughts, my wolf senses take over and I hear wolf footsteps approaching. I hear deep breaths and know that it is Jacob approaching quickly in his wolf form. I quickly put on my clothes before he sees me and about a half a minute later I stop hearing wolf footsteps and see him emerge from the woods as a human dressed in sweatpants. He smiles at me kindly.

"Hey, Leah." He steps closer to me and I can smell the disgusting smell of bloodsucker on him.

"Still hanging out with those bloodsuckers, huh?" I asked in a disgusted tone.

He chuckled. "Of course."

All of a sudden his expression became very serious and he said, "Leah, why are you here again? You've been coming to this cliff almost every day for the past two weeks. What's wrong?"

I turned back towards the ocean and said nothing.

He looked at me for a long while and sighed. "Leah, I know you miss your dad and I know how upset you are about everything happening with the pack. I just want you to know that you can talk to me if you need to."

He came towards me and gave me a brotherly hug.

I stepped away and gazed across the ocean before speaking.

"I don't know, Jacob. For some odd reason I've just been drawn to this place. Every time I need to clear my head I come here. There's just something about being in this area that makes me feel calm and collected. Stupid, huh?"

He just looked at me sadly. Since him and the other werewolves can hear my thoughts when I'm in wolf form, they know of my sadness for my dad, Sam and not being able to imprint. They all know how much I wish to find someone of my own to love. They all know my being a bitch isn't really deep.

"Sam sent you here. Didn't he?" I asked accusingly.

He sighed. "To be completely honest…yeah. He sent me here to find you. He's been really worried about you these past couple of weeks and he doesn't completely understand why you keep coming down here".

"'Completely understand'?" I asked skeptically.

"Sam thinks he knows why you've been so drawn to this place and it concerns him."

"Ok, Jacob. Why does Sam think I'm drawn to this place?" I asked sarcastically.

Jacob is not at all phased by my sarcasm. He looks at me seriously and says, "Well for one, you feel really 'calm and collected' when you're here. Two, you can't seem to stay away from this place for very long. Three, you're so much happier when you're here. Right?"

"Yeah, I am." I said slowly. "What is Sam thinking exactly?"

"Leah, don't you get it?"

I turned to him sharply. I already knew what he was going to say, but I wasn't ready to hear it.

"Sam thinks your imprint is living somewhere in this area."