Leah Clearwater was many things.
There was a rather impressive list of words that would be tied to her. Words that when you heard them, there was an unmistakable moment of "that's Leah for you".
In recent years many of these words have been...negative to say the less. Most of them, in fact usually wouldn't be said in good company. Lucky for Leah (or rather unfavorably for Leah) she didn't keep up with good company often. Her company completely consisted of a group of overly muscled, vapidly vulgar, tireless young adult men.
Young men who shared her bloodline. Young Men who shared her general beliefs and morals. Young men who shared her God given ancestral assigned nighttime job for shapeshifting into a 7 foot tall wolves to maliciously genocide all the vampiric species.
Leah had an unconditional love for each one, no matter how utterly exhausting it is to love that individual. -and trust her is was absolutely exhausting to love most of them namely a Paul Lahore and Sam Uley. They were her family. Some we're more literally her family like her little brother Seth.
Seth was one of the sole reasons that previous list of words attached to Leah had a few positive points. Older Sister was a word that sounded more of a noun than an adjective, but it was a badge of Honor for her. She was a protector of someone. Albeit a bad protector, because somehow her little brother continued to commit treason with her by forcefully removing themselves from a centuries old blood pact and joining a new blood pact.
But all in all, she took pride in being the older sibling to such a kind and gentle soul. Seth was a lot of things Leah wasn't and while years ago that stirred and festered like a blister in her soul, now after all that was happen, it made her smile. It added new words to list because due to the absolutely dizzying amounts of peace and happiness between the Black Pack, the Cullen Coven, and Sam's Pack there was simply nothing to do.
So faced with seemingly everyone moving forward in a new found affection, Seth suggested Leah do the same, Take a vacation from 'wolf business'. Work on herself so to speak. She hated that her brother was wise beyond his years. Mentally she added the word. "Jealous". When Jacob agreed, (more of less to keep himself from going insane due to Leah insistence) Leah found herself driving around Seattle for days waiting for the right thing to catch her attention.
She was good at 'wolf business'. But she wasn't good at holding down a 9-5 job as a waitress. The feeble China was as good as a bunch of twigs in his powerful hands. Her temper and general resting bitch face appearance did nothing for her 'customer service with a smile' mantra her old boss would plead her to have. Unwittingly Leah had to peg down the word unemployed for the longest time.
Leah eventually added the word "employeed" back on the list when she took a bartending job. It came as a shock to all involved expect Jacob who found the whole thing very funny. Leah was no nonsense. She was prettier enough to invite males to the bar, but scary enough that they'd always leave a tip and think twice about doing anything that would ensure the wrath of the bartender. It gave her a hobby when she didn't have to do patrols for the occasional curious nomadic vampire and put a rather nice chunk of change in her pockets.
The vampires who were typically quiet the in pack's affair continued to be...well quiet. All except Bella who at this point of time gave Leah another description she never had before.
Step sister.
And she did ty to do her best at family gatherings with the bloodsucking monsters, but I think everyone knew Leah was going through motions. Instead of being vocally pissed off; she was quietly pissed off. She wasn't sure it was an improvement.
So sickeningly sweet step sister Bella and little angel of a brother Seth got together to give Leah a present for her birthday one year.
It was a forced smile, but a smile nonetheless.
The smile was even less pronounced when she walked into the dance studio, leggings skin tight to her body and yoga mat tucked comfortably under her arm. She hadn't really had time to communicate with her peers since turning into a werewolf. There was no 'girltime' and being faced with a room full of very normal human women made her feel incredibly out of place.
She carefully laid her yoga mat down in a space farthermost from the unnaturally tanned blonde to the right and tried to stretch; ignore the chaos. When she realized she was too tall for the tallest mat, Leah started to pack up her things and leave. And her pivot out the door she bumped into a girl shorter than her. She was a darker complexion than Leah, but she skin had such an iridescent quality to it. As if she was glowing. She had these long neatly tied thin dreads that cascaded down to the small of her back, even though she had it tied up in a high Ponytail complete with a pink bow adorned on top of it to match her pink tank top that read "fight like a girl" on it. Her frame was very feminine. Curvaceous and soft as if she was a tiny doll. Perfect to look at, but fragile to the touch. She gave Leah a confused look then she shuffled to the left at the same time Leah shuffled to the left.
"Oops sorry. Let me just…" she mutters waving her dainty fingers in the air. Her nails were well manicured. French tipped, as Leah corrected mentally. Something she seen, but never experienced for herself. The girl steps to the right and clumsy Leah takes a big step to the right.
Leah's cheeks are red and she gives the girl a defensive scowl. Leah scowled at most things and usually it scared off whatever it was making her uncomfortable, but this girl took one look at Leah and smiled.
"Ah gees. I'm sorry. How about this. You go right, I got left on the count of three? One...two...three." and on que the two girls separated free from directly facing each other, but somehow still lingering in the hallway entrance.
"Oh hey. That actually worked." She said and despite herself Leah laughed at it. It was an even laugh. More genuine than she was wanting to do.
"So. See you around." Says the girl and Leah sighs. "Maybe not." She shrugs her large shoulders. "I'm quitting."
The girl's jaw dropped. "No way! With your body, tell me you are joking. Look at your freaking biceps. You could show up Lucy like it was nothing."
"Who is Lucy?" Leah asked surprised. Not surprised at the conversation, but surprised she even asked.
"See Blondie, far left? She thinks she is the yoga God. I can't come close to the things she does." The girl puts a hand over her stomach. It squished in slightly with her touch like a marshmallow. "I wish I could show up her up just once. Hey, you should stay. Maybe if you trained me, I could build up some muscle."
Leah's training consisted for fighting the undead. Not suitable for this girl for sure. Leah smiles at her secret, then explains to the girl how she isn't a personal trainer and that she really doesn't work out in general. That debate sparked another conversation and another and another and soon Leah realized she had somehow gone back in and finished the entire class.
She didn't feel so out of place with this chatty girl, so the next day Leah found herself back at the studio. Ready to finish her her free 3 month yoga class that her her family ever so kindly gave to her. Her intentions were to finish the stupid class for the time and drop it. But that didn't happen.
What did happen was Leah's list got progressively longer.
She was an athlete. She actually loved the strain of her muscles, something she could only feel in wolf form. Bethany was avid gym goer, amongst other things. She also really enjoyed running. Leah made a mental note of keeping up with her human pace to not make her feel bad.
There was something gratifying when pressing her muscles hard in human form. She had to really think about her body in relationship to Bethany and her own muscles. She added the word. "In control." And she was proud of that. She also had a new found appreciation for Edward Cullen whom managed to do that self control with a human Bella for so long.
She was calm. Yoga and breathing exercises weren't all smoke and mirrors. She actually did feel more centered. Perhaps it had something to do with the pink perpy dreadhead next to her, always encouraging Leah to continue. Bethany Brooks was a familiar face, Leah didn't recognize. She grew up on the Last Push reservation. Her mother was an Indian like Leah and father was African American. She moved with her dad after her mother passed away off the reservation. She lived in Texas until she decided to go back to her roots and study music theory her in Washington. Bethany was a violinist and tutored children to earn a very modest income. She was also unwary of most things. She had gone skydiving. Snowboarding. She enjoyed playing with snakes and tarantulas and enjoyed a good horror flick.
Bethany was freak amongst most girls. A true little bad ass wrapped up in a pastel pink circle skirt.
She had this sense of care free attitude that rivaled her Brothers. But with a certain refinery and lady likeness of that blonde haired vampire.
It happened all of a sudden. Or maybe not suddenly at and Leah never paid much attention to her own thoughts. But somewhere during Bethany's long babble on her upcoming violin recital and at the high point of her downward dog where her perfect posterior was at the peek of Leah's view, Leah thought "God, she is attractive."
The thought scared her.
What she thinking?
What was she feeling?
Leah added the word confused to the list.
That word didn't stay on the list for long because the night of Bethany's recital, Leah watched in sheer awe as Bethany blue dress hugged her body and the light from the stage gave her a bone chilling glow. She was a vision of beauty and Grace and when she played….the notes resonated with her very soul.
Bethany was clearly the other wordly beast. She was magical and kind and gorgeous and perfect. Leah stood up and applauded for her.
Leah added two words: Bisexual. And more importantly. In Love.
Leah had a hard time adding words to the list after that night. All she wanted was to add: Bethany's Girlfriend, but the werewolf word seemed to thawth every plan she had. Talking about love was impossible let alone sexuality. But again luckily (or again unfortunately) Leah didn't have to talk much. When she was a wolf her thoughts would bleed into her pack like water colors. Jake and Seth had such a clear vision of how important Bethany was to her that Seth questioned if she had imprinted.
Jake thought it impossible, but only because this feeling was very similar to what he had for Bella.
Secrets didn't work out in the house of the mythical especially when one was a mind reader. Edward found out next and besides her being much kinder to Leah said nothing especially not his wife. That level of privacy and respect was decent of him. Although his daughter did find out (Goddamn it Jake) and Nessie had unintentionally brought it up during dinner if we'd meet Bethany.
Leah's mom wasn't a traditionalist, how could she be when she raised two wolves? But she was more than a little surprised! What about Sam? She asked. Leah would shrug her shoulders and sheepishly look away. Sam was the issue. Sam didn't love her. That much was clear no matter what gender he might have been. Feeling even more restricted and alone, Leah added a word she knew was on the list but it hurt her even more. She started to avoid Bethany. Forwarding her calls and stopped showing up for classes. It had been a full five weeks since Leah Ghosted her. And when Leah got the final text from Bethany her stomach sank
"I don't what I did, but I'm sorry. I'll see you next life, Leah."
Leah added another word, but then hated it so much she took it back.
Misunderstood.
Misunderstanding often lead to bad decisions and this time was no exception. Leah's paws dug into the wet dirt with each push. She was sprinting now. Towards a familiar scent. Towards a goal without a goal. She found Bethany exactly where she thought she'd be. Running in the trail near her home. She'd warned against Bethany Running in the woods by herself, (it wasn't safe) but she is glad she didn't listen to her. Leah jumped out and hit the brakes, sliding on all fours right past her. She lowered her body and dropped her head, hiding her teeth and giving Bethany just enough time to see her mountainous black form, Before Bethany could fill her lungs and scream-which was exactly what she about to do, Leah phased back and tackled Bethany to the ground. Her naked body holding her thrashing body to the cold damp mossy floor.
"Beth. It's me. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Leah said. She was crying, but Leah didn't know when she actually started to cry.
Bethany eventually stopped moving, but she did scream rather loudly. Turns out it wasn't the fear but Leah's large body had twisted her knee. She was silent on the way back to Carlisle's, the only doctor who wouldn't be surprised if Leah bursted through his front door completely naked carrying a stranger.
Bethany took a few curious careful looks at the pale golden eyes around her, but otherwise said nothing. She was even quiet when the entirety of the Black Pack scowled Leah for letting the secret slip. Although Jake let her off the hook rather easily. Who knew Jacob Black was a hopeless romantic? He would have allowed Leah to Bethany eventually one day anyways.
It wasn't until Leah dropped Bethany off at her home, did Bethany say anything. She limped out of the car, but then back into Leah's arms. She looked at Leah and opened her mouth. "So the legends. The Pow-wows...the Quileute stories. They are true?"
Leah continues to hug her and just grunts in approval. She didn't trust her voice.
"And those were vampires? Actual blood suckers?"
Leah makes a grunting sound.
"And you are a wolf, Leah?" She looks at Leah
This time Leah speaks.
"Yes."
A beat passes. And Leah apologizes for everything. For ignoring her. For scaring her. For hurting her. Leah is actually slightly lifting Bethany off the ground. Keeping the weight off her knee brace.
"If I promise not to tell a single soul, will you promise to come back to class with me?" Bethany says with a grin. "I need to see Lucy's face when she finds out my girlfriend can literally bench press a car."
Leah couldn't exactly bench press a car, but she'd save the corrections for later.
"Girlfriend?" She said holding her tighter and Bethany gave her timid glance.
"I mean...if you'll have me? I am actually more of a cat person, but I can adjust. If it's for you Leah…" Bethany reaches up and touches her cheek. "I'd do anything."
Leah touches her lips to Bethany's then. It was the first kiss since Sam all those years ago. It was warm and inviting and safe. It was something she desperately wanted forever.
"You are a freak, Bethany Brooks." Leah says happily before going in for another kiss.
Leah Clearwater was a lot of things. Right now and for as long as she held onto this women. She was Happy.