Leah wakes from her sleep to the sound of a howl piercing through the air, and can tell that she's been asleep for maybe two hours, if she was lucky. She can already hear Seth racing down the stairs, his feet stomping down each step with enough force to wake their mother, but she's over at Charlie's. She spends a lot of time there recently.
Although she wants nothing more than to fall back asleep, she's forced to get up and answer the call of her alpha, whose voice she can now hear mixing and blending with Sam's to become some sort of ultimate alpha call.
Even though it's been years, her heart still twists painfully at the thought of Sam. Sam, who was mere months away from expecting his third child with her cousin. Sam, who still had his claws sunk deep in her heart no matter how much she wishes she felt the hatred she gave off. There's hate, yes, and a lot of it, but she still loves him with all the love she has to give.
Once in the safe barrier of the trees, she yanks off her clothes in a shaky, tired daze, and then easily phases into her wolf. Maybe phasing into the wolf comes so easily too her because of all the hatred she has inside her. But Leah isn't interested in how her mind worked, so she doesn't care.
Why the hell did you have to wake me up, Jacob? Leah spits, and even mentally she's able to throw acid into each syllable of her question.
Can you not be such a bitch first thing in the morning? Paul scoffs, and Leah wants nothing more than to rip into his neck. Maybe she will, once she catches up to them.
Through their telepathic link, Leah sees Sam thinking about how Leah never was a morning person, expect for their ten month anniversary when he came over with her favorite coffee and a giant stuffed bear, because although Leah never would admit it, she use to have a strange obsession with plushes.
Of course, she stopped liking them after she ripped apart and burned all the ones Sam had gotten her, and the memory of him and her is enough to make her chest fill with more sadness.
Sorry, Sam says, and Leah snarls in response.
Enough of Jerry Springer, what's the deal, Jake. I had to leave Rachael. Paul sighs, and the images of what they were doing flooded everyone's mind, leaving them in disgust.
Can you try to not think of shit like that around me? Jacob growls, and Paul laughs.
What's going on, Jake? Is everything okay? Seth asks, and of course worry for the Cullens flash through his mind. Leah really doesn't understand why her idiot kid brother has an obsession with the leeches, but she's learned not to question it.
Jacob growls at her thoughts, because of course, his imprint is half leech. That's why he and Seth are normally stuck in leech lover land, and it makes Leah sick.
Harsh, Brady says, and Leah rolls her eyes at him. He doesn't understand, because his alpha isn't infatuated with a half leech and he doesn't have a brother that's practically shoved straight into the leeches bleached out anal cavity.
Paul snorts loudly at that, and Jacob silences him with one glare.
We have a problem, Jacob says, and he lets them see an image of a girl with flaming red hair, pale skin, freckles, and glowing blue eyes standing in the Cullen house.
Leah can feel her brother weaken at the image, but pondering as to why is out of the question when Jake speaks again.
The Volturi have created half vampires like Nessie in order to fight the Cullens because of what happened last time. Dovizia was told to leave by her creator, Marcus, one of the three leaders. They'll be coming to attack the Cullens, and then us. Their ultimate goal is to kill us all. Jacob finishes, and looks at everyone solemnly.
Things were quiet for a moment, and then everyone exploded at once.
How do we know this girl isn't sent here as a trap? Jared.
Why did the Volturi wait so long to do this? Seth.
We get to fight the bloodsuckers for real this time? Wicked! Brady.
The girl will have to give us all information possible on the attack. Quill.
I'm ready to rip some leech heads off their fucking bodies! Paul.
If we hadn't helped the reeking leeches the first time, the stupid head leeches wouldn't know of us. Leah.
Let me talk! Jacob orders, and his pack falls silent. His pack, consisting of Leah, Seth, Embry, Quill, Calum, Jaime, Oliver, Victor, Henry, and Jack. Sam orders his pack to do the same.
The Cullens will call on their friends and allies again to help them with the coming attack, but they know not all will come, especially since it would mean defying the Volturi twice. And, this time it will more likely be an all too real fight. Jacob says, and Leah can't help but butt her head in.
So, you offered us up to fight the leeches, again, without asking us first? Leah snarls, not caring that she's disrespecting her Alpha.
Jacob turns his eyes on her, and she shrinks back slightly from the look. No, I didn't. I said that I would fight, and I would ask to see if anyone else would help.
I will! Seth offers all too quickly, and although Leah knew he would, she couldn't help but feel torn from his decision. She knew that in the end, she couldn't change his mind, but she also didn't want him to put his life on the line for the leeches. As for her, she already contemplated suicide more than once, so that may also influence her decision. Even though Seth basically made it for her,
Leah notices how the pack flinches when they hear her suicidal thoughts, and rolls her eyes. Really, it isn't the first time she'd thought something like that.
If my alpha is, then I am. Embry declares, and the rest of Jacob's pack, minus Leah, agrees with him; although Quill, Victor, Jaime, and Oliver have hesitance in doing so. Leah scoffs, knowing they hesitated because of their imprints.
I don't know if I'm all too interested in fighting again. Sam says, and he glances over at Leah before continuing. I'm supposed to be having another kid soon, and I can't miss that.
Jacob nods, his large head swooping down to the ground. I understand.
If any of my pack wants to, I have no problem in allowing you to do so. And I may decide to fight as well, I just need to think about it more and discuss it with Em. Sam replies.
I'll fight, rip those fuckers to pieces. There's no way I'm letting any of them kill me, so I'll be fine. Paul lets out a short bark of excitement.
I want to fight, I've never been able to fight a bloodsucker before! Alex, a member of Sam's pack who wasn't around for the newborn fight years ago, and who was patrolling on the day of the last Volturi confrontation, exclaims.
The other members of Sam's pack who had been in the same position of Alex all agreed; they were the ones who "missed all the glory" of the vampire fights, they were the ones who had their childhood ripped away from them with the presence of all vampires last time, some as young as eleven.
I'll fight as well, considering most of my pack is going. Jared shrugs as well as he can in wolf form.
In the end, Leah and Sam were the only ones who hadn't given out an answer. Sam, because he wanted to talk to Emily, Leah, because she didn't want to finalize her decision even though she already knew she would.
Alice will be keeping an eye out for the Volturi's decision, but she's unsure if she will be able to predict it. Since their decision will involve the half vampires, she may not be able to see. Jacob says, and shakes his head. We're going to need extra patrols going, to make sure the tribe stays safe.
Sam nods. I'm assuming the Cullens will have us training with them again, to make sure we're up to date with everything?
They said they would be more than willing to do so if we would fight with them. But they made it clear that it was completely up to us. Jacob responds, and Leah can't help but scoff for the millionth time that night.
AH, the old guilt trip. Wouldn't have expected any different from them. Leah says, although she means for it to be only to herself, everyone hears her, because their thoughts are never kept to themselves.
Jacob snarls at her comment. Your attitude needs to stop, Leah.
Although it isn't an Alpha command, she still hears the message loud and clear and tries her hardest to think of something else. She lets her mind drift to the fighting techniques she had learned for the newborn attacks, and wonders what else the leeches could teach them.
When will we be learning? Sam asks.
The Cullens said tomorrow, if anyone was interested in learning. As of now, Nessie and Alice are the only Cullen's at their house. Alice stayed behind to keep watch on the Volturi, and the make sure the girl wouldn't be a threat to Nessie. The rest are out trying to get allies together, because they don't know when the attack will happen. Jacob responds, and Leah feels exhausted just thinking about getting together that many people. Haven't they ever heard of a cell phone, or email?
Some of them aren't accessible by phone, Leah. Jacob responds, although it wasn't a question, only a mere thought.
We should start extra patrols now, then. Sam says Just to make sure everything will be okay, until we know when the attack will happen.
Jacob nods. Leah can't help but pray she won't have to patrol, since she had just gotten off of hers and was only able to get a few hours sleep.
Colin, Nick, Tyler, Josh, Brady, Skylar, you all get first patrol. Sam says. Double shift, and then Jared, Paul, Alex, Gabe, Cameron, Luke, you guys will take their place and have a double as well.
Quill, Seth, Embry, you come with me and patrol the Cullen's. Vic, Jaime, Jack, and Calum, you guys patrol outside of La Push, near the west, and by the clearing where they came from last time. I want to be as safe as possible. Jacob commands, and although Leah is relieved she doesn't have to do patrols, she can't help but wonder why Jacob didn't make her. Leah, get some rest and then head over to the Cullens.
Leah nods her head, grateful she doesn't have to patrol but a bit irritated about going to the Cullens, even though she was used to the bleachy smell.
Brady, I'll actually have you go with Vic, Jaime, Jack and Calum. Luke, you'll take his place once his double's over. Sam asks, and Jacob gives him an appreciative nod.
As soon as the Cullens are back, I'll let you know. Jacob says, and then leaves, his pack except Leah following him.
Leah is left with Sam and his pack, and with Jacob gone there's no more telepathic link to Sam or his pack, which makes her feels out of place, so she turns and races back to her house. She stops at the bushes she discarded her pajamas, and phases back so she can change into them.
Her mom still isn't home, not that she expected her to be, since it was already nine pm, and at this point Sue would be staying the night at Charlie's. Leah was glad her mom was happy. She only wished she could find that happiness.
After taking a glass of water up to her room, and of course, downing it immediately, Leah crawls under the covers and notes how her hair is now down to her shoulders. She misses her long hair, and decides she would see how long she could have it until it started getting in the way.
Once a few minutes pass and there's no howling, Leah drifts off to sleep, letting her exhaustion consume her.