-1I made the run through the woods as soon as I sensed I was free. Still in my wolf form, I could hear the guys' plans for the night. Sam was ordering pack members in different directions, hundreds of miles away and back again. The rest of the pack was planning a bonfire that wouldn't start 'till midnight, maybe later. I had plenty of time.

The woods began to thin and I slowed to a trot, trying to catch the familiar scents assaulting my nostrils. Edward was gone. In fact, it was only Renesmee and her grandparents in the house, just like she said. Perfect. Those two were still too in love with one another to notice much more than our quick farewells.

I phased in the forest. I had slipped on my cutoffs and was trying to pull on a tank when Renesmee wrapped her arms around my waist.

"Hi," she whispered, kissing my neck and peppering my shoulder with more.

"Ren," I whined back, more annoyed with the fact that we had to hide than with her actions. She'd caught my hands at my side, making it nearly impossible to pull the shirt over my body. It was hanging around my neck, awkwardly slung since I'd only gotten one arm in. "We should move. I'm half-dressed and we're not exactly hidden. What if Esme and Carlisle-"

"They're in the study, not paying any attention to us. Promise." She turned me to face her and I couldn't help but marvel at the contrast between our skin. The faint shimmer was intensified as her pure white hand traveled over my tan stomach, inching up over my ribs, tracing around my nipples. I pulled her against me, feeling her chest press against mine, trapping her hand between us. Her left hand trailed up my spine, however, tracing a soothing pattern into my muscles. My back hit a tree, the surprise cutting off my moan. Her hand traveled into my hair then, releasing it from the messy ponytail I'd thrown it in earlier and pulled me in for a kiss.

I relished in this moment. Every time was like the first time all over again.

Well, not the first time. That was just plain awkward, but the second time was good. The second time was like this, providing me with feelings I hadn't felt in over a decade. The relief, the comfort, the pleasure and, most of all, the vindication that came with it. This feeling was like an addiction. When she kissed me, my past no longer mattered. All of my issues and frustrations- my being the black sheep of the pack that would have been happier on my own- it all disappeared, because she cared. She wanted me. I was lovable.

She moaned into my mouth. At that moment, I didn't care who saw us, or where we were. I nudged her lips open, my tongue swirling against her own. Although I'd deepened the kiss, she quickly began to dominate, angling my neck and pressing into me until I was dizzy for oxygen.

I broke away to trace her jaw line with my tongue, bringing the arm between us to rest on my hip, intertwined with my own fingers. My mouth moved further down to her throat. She gasped against me, but it wasn't enough. Creating just the right suction over her collarbone, I was practically begging her to do the one thing that always reminded me that I was indeed an individual. The individual that she chose.

Breathy and pleading, she finally did it. She whispered my name.

"Leah."