A/N: I have a writer's block for La Chaîne and am undecided over the next chapter for Hell, yes!. So being an impulsive writer means I produce another one of these supposedly one-shots, which may be lengthened depeding on its reception and my writing faculty.
I do hope you enjoy :)
I.
You're killing him, do you know that, Leah?
Jacob sounded mournful, throaty, as though it was his personal tragedy that was tearing his pack apart. His pack. Always so self-absorbed...
No one was on Leah's side, naturally. The only other person who would have stuck to her like glue was gone. Quil was firmly on the other, while Jacob, as the alpha, maintained neutral ground. At least that was what he kept insisting. Leah have always felt the nagging intuition that the alpha was against her.
She sped up on her circuit and attempted to bury Jacob's annoying voice to oblivion. When it grew clear that he was not planning to give in, her anger flared. The fuck, Jake? If I'm killing him then awesome! Mission accomplished.
Killing him physically would be more sympathetic. What you're doing is sadistic. He's dying inside, Leah!
I'm not a saint. I have no plans of being sympathetic, Leah scoffed. An eye for an eye.
He's innocent.
He killed my brother!
The vampires killed Seth. Not Embry.
How could you?! Leah roared, her hackles raised. She had phased; but the tremor that rocked her body was as violent as the quiver of phasing. How could you betray Seth like this?! YOU! My brother stood by you when no one else did. He risked his life for the damn loyalty you disregarded. How could you be so indifferent?!
Jacob could feel it with or without Leah's aid; the emptiness swirling within his chest. The pain of losing a packmate, a friend, a brother. That void that no one but the incapable could ever fill. He howled with the anguish, and had Leah been human she would have broken down and whimpered, as she had done so many times since Seth's demise.
He had everything ahead of him, Jacob. Now there's just nothing. I can't let the person who ripped everything away from my brother walk free.
The memories of Seth--his buoyant laughter, his childish antics, that angelic face--bore so suddenly into Jacob's mind. It would never cease, even if he tried. He felt Leah faltering, her resolve all but shattering, as she gave in to the memories--and the accompanying pain.
Stop, Leah, he commanded. Stop. I can't...It's not only you! I miss Seth too. I feel the pain, Lee. I feel the loss! D'you think it isn't killing me? Knowing that Seth's gone? Knowing that he will never come back?
If you have the tiniest respect for Seth then let me avenge him!
It was a challenge.
No. Embry would never...
He's not innocent! Why won't he let me into his mind to verify that claim if he was? Why did he have to move back to Sam's pack? You know he's in the wrong. How many times have we been into this argument, Black? There's nothing you can say that would change my mind. I will kill Embry.
Because it was Embry Call who ended her life, in more ways than one.
Why are you so damn stubborn? Can't you just set aside that irrational anger and listen to me for once? I've been trying to tell you but you never listen! Look, I've been in Embry's mind. I know he's innocent.
Show me.
I can't.
Because you promised you won't, Leah spat. Jacob was a man of promise, sometimes to a fault.
Embry never lies! You know that. You think you know everything, Clearwater. That's what's wrong with you. You think you know everything when you really know nothing!
Oh yeah? Then fill me in with all the details, Black. Tell me all the lies. All the deception, everything Embry told you. Tell me then! Give me one reason not kill him.
It wasn't his fault. There was a coven of eight vampires, Leah. Nothing could have prevented him from dying.
The she wolf skidded to a rough halt, wherein her only movement was the succeeding swipe of her paws, sending soil flying straight into Jacob's snout. He never tried. He's a fucking coward.
He did the right thing.
In Seth's expense!
As much as it hurt him, Jacob had to say it. He couldn't save Seth, but he could save Embry. Seth could not be saved even if Embry tried! If he hadn't turned back we would have had no idea of what was to come, and disaster would have struck. We could never have protected the tribe without blowing the secret.
SECRET?! You have the nerve! My little brother died, Jake, and all you fucking care about is that stupid fucking secret? How dare you say that when that asshole left Seth for dead? If Embry hadn't turned back we would never have had this conversation. Seth would have been alive.
Seth would not have wanted this, Leah.
Leah scoffed angrily. Seth would not have needed to risk his life. If I was there, I would never have left him. Never.
Embry never wanted to leave him. He had to.
I'm not having any more of this conversation, Leah growled, turning on her heels and whisking away, heading towards the cliffs. I will avenge my brother and there is nothing you can do or say to change my mind. Tell Embry that.
Leah's mind had vanished the moment Jacob remembered the Leah that had, for the first time in a long time, been contented with her life. She had moved to Seattle. Though Leah still phased, she was doing so less frequently and was slowly regaining control of her life. She had learnt to be civil, even cordial to both Sam and Emily, and the bitterness that she had been so characterised by seemed to have floated out of her personality. She had even cradled Nessie once during her visit to La Push, and only Leah's threats prevented Jacob from proclaiming that miracle to La Push.
It was what Jacob had always wished for Leah; contentment, if not happiness, and a man to mend her heart.
The man could have easily been Embry. Embry, who, since joining his pack, seemed to have forgotten to harbor ill feelings towards Leah, a part of his daily routine since she first phased. Embry, who has suddenly found time to patiently listen to Leah's incessant rants. Embry, who has stunned everyone with the care and concern he bore towards the female wolf.
Embry could have so easily been that man. After what seemed like an eternity, Jacob had started to notice the changes. Everyone in the pack did, except for those concerned, those two wolves completely delirious about being in their own little security blanket, yet ridiculously failing to admit falling for each other.
Leah? Jacob once chided to Embry. Oh, it's you. Sorry, dude. It's just that Leah's face is all over your mind and your face all over hers that everybody else is actually confused on who's who.
Shut up, Jake, Embry replied, before phasing to human again.
Jacob thought he caught Embry replaying 'your face all over hers' in his mind before it officially became private, but Embry had phased too quickly for him to ascertain.
The changes were plain: Leah's thoughts were not so bitter any more. She could joke around and snort with Quil, could sit back and watch Romeo and Juliet at Seth's a pack party without disdainfully remembering her previous Romeo, and she had even begun smiling. Her real smile--the one Jacob recalled she used to wear. She wasn't as annoying or as pissed off any more, and Sam Uley wasn't as popular in her thoughts as he used to be. Whenever she deemed fit, which had become more and more frequent, she smiled, or laughed.
It seemed obvious to Jacob that Leah smiled and laughed more frequently whenever Embry was around. And mind you, Embry was around Leah all the time.
Even when she had moved to Seattle. Embry didn't show himself for three days upon Leah's departure, and when he finally decided to phase and inform the pack he has not in fact killed himself in sheer misery, he looked as miserable as hell. For the sanity of the pack, Jacob dialled Leah in Seattle and commanded her to please phase or call Embry.
"I haven't even been gone five days!"
"So what?" Jacob snapped, annoyed. "You wanna wait a week and make the pack suffer?"
"Suffer? Jesus, Jacob why would I make the pack suffer? It's more likely you're rejoicing in my absence, or enjoying the liberty of watching more porn."
"Are you that thick?"
Leah laughed. "If you miss me, Black. No need to beat around the bush. Just say it."
"Very funny, Leah," he returned. Upon Quil's prompting, Jacob threw the phone to him."Snap out of your little daydreams, miss Leeyaaah. Jake and I don't miss you much," Quil snickered. "Okay, maybe Seth, a bit."
"Hmmp! I don't miss any of you suckers."
While Seth, who had just walked in and realised it was Leah on the phone, was being restrained by Jacob, Quil continued. "Oh shut up, you. Your absence have brought sunshine to La Push. Did you know that it hasn't rained since you left? I didn't know you were the reason for all that gloomy weather."
"Screw you, Ateara," Leah threatened, albeit laughing. "Before I decide to drive back there and wring your neck in front of Old Quil."
"She has a car?" Jacob gasped. "Brand new?"
Quil ignored him. "Well, actually, why don't you do that and save us all the agony?"
"What agony?"
"Stupid," Quil remarked, rolling his eyes. "Someone misses you all right. And he's just walking in right now."
Embry froze upon hearing Leah's voice, and then his face lit up for a full second before excitedly snatching the phone from Quil's hands. Poor Seth got only three seconds to say hi to his sister. Embry was on the phone the whole of the night, talking and laughing and whispering. And when Billy went loco over the phone bill, Embry hijacked Jacob's Rabbit to drive to Seattle.
He did not come home for a week.
So naturally, his curiousity had begun demanding what the hell was going on between the two. The prospect of Leah and Embry in love was daunting, not to mention grossly inappropriate. When he had shared this concern to an oblivious Seth, the young wolf grew depressed.
Love affair, Seth chocked. Embry and Leah...?
Quil nodded. Ditto.
Jacob, who was then hunting with Nessie, looked up as Edward explained to his daughter, who had pleaded to know why her Jacob looked so nauseated, what the pack had been gossiping about. Jacob felt Nessie's thoughts intrude his mind as she reached out to touch his snout.
She had the optimism of Alice and the enthusiasm of Emmett. I think it's wonderful! They are both happy!
Nessie was right. It could have been wonderful. Could have, because on the night Embry was supposed to ask Seth for permission to officially ask his sister out, tragedy struck.
The ramifications of that tragedy was too painful for Jacob, even now. He stopped the thought, and focused instead on the Leah of the present.
She was spiralling downward, both from the pain of losing her only brother and her desire for revenge. It was as if her hatred for Embry was there all along; nothing in her now reflected the closeness she have had with him. She was back to her old self, only worse. Bitter, and now, blinded by revenge.
"She won't budge," he told Embry that night. "I tried--"
"Stop forcing her. It's not her fault, Jake. She lost Seth."
"We lost Seth too! It's not your fault. Why do you sound so resigned? Oh please!" Jacob added, deciphering that look on Embry's face. "Don't tell me...?"
"Jacob, there's nothing I can do to make her believe me. What else should I do? I can't bear knowing she's suffering like this."
He wanted to punch Embry in the face. "You idiot! Are you just going to let her do it? We have already lost one too many. You're innocent! If you don't believe you are, I'm telling you, you are!"
Embry shrugged and turned away from him. "I'm not in your pack any more, Jake. You can't boss me around."
"Sam will never let you do it. You're innocent."
"Not in her eyes."
"She's going to kill you!"
He leaned his head against the couch and smiled weakly. "If that's what makes her happy."
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Jacob thundered, leaping up to pull Embry by the collar. "You're going to simply let Leah kill you? I'm not going to let you kill yourself, you hear me? The sooner you get that into your head, the better, 'cause I'm not going to sit back and watch my best friend die!"
Slowly, but firmly, Embry pulled Jacob's hands away from his neck and staggered to the front door. "I'm already dead," he chuckled. "Remember? I died the moment Leah said she hates me. She hates me, Jacob. It doesn't make a difference now."
"Where are you going?" Jacob demanded, for Embry was swaying outside.
"Seth's grave."
"What for? Stay in, it's late."
Embry laughed, reading into Jacob's thoughts as easily as werewolves do. "Don't worry, Jake. Leah won't be able to hurt me even if our paths crossed. I'm stronger."
"Not if you want to die."
"Not tonight. Soon, but not tonight. I have to go. Oh good, here's Sam."
Jacob strode to the door as Embry tapped Sam on the shoulder before slipping away into the forest. Both their eyes followed in his wake, and equal sighs of worry emerged from their mouth. Jacob spoke first. "This is getting out of hand. I'm worried."
"We have more time," Sam replied calmly. "Which is why I need to talk to you. We need to plan."
***
The night was dark and the wind cold against Embry's skin. His body has cooled down considerably since he stopped phasing three months ago. Not even his phasing in the past week had made a difference. He was slowly being human--vulnerable.
The rustle of the leaves by his feet began his thought process. He had always felt twice the pain, had he not? He not only lost Seth; he lost Leah too. And it was the most painful, more than the physical parting. Losing someone who has never really been his.
Seth's grave was isolated; it was on one corner of the graveyard, closer to nature, which he had been part of, than to anyone else's, not even Harry's. And there, in human form, sat Leah. Broken, she sat there alone, as Embry knew she did every night, promising Seth his life.
A broken twig announced his arrival. Once Leah realised she was not alone after all, she pivoted aggressively, crouched and ready to fight.
Her glare seared against Embry's calm gaze.
He froze, unable to decide how to approach her. On one hand, there was the compulsion of wanting to run towards her and hold her in his arms. Comfort her, maybe take away the pain. On the other, there was the necessity of stepping away from the burning hatred that dominated the way she eyed him. Her disgust was evident, and it was painful.
When Leah begun quivering, Embry raised his hand took a step towards her, desperate to be heard. "Wait! I have a proposition."
Leah growled, her stance unwavering. "Why do I have to listen to your foolish propositions when I can kill you now?"
"Because you can't kill me."
"Watch me."
"I will fight you," Embry said, his voice commanding her attention. "Since I will be paying with my life, I will fight to survive. You won't be able to kill me."
Her voice reflected her surprise. "You think you will kill me? Ha!"
"No, Leah. I won't hurt you. I will defend myself, but I won't hurt you."
"I don't need your pity, Call."
Call. They were back on last name terms. Was it not only yesterday that his name on Leah's lips sounded like a sweet lullaby? "Then kill in a way that would leave you without it. How can you kill me when you're not even a good fighter? When you're weaker, smaller, half as experienced? I fight fair, Leah."
She was outraged. But if she only knew, it was for her benefit.
Embry capitalised on the silence. "I will teach you how to fight."
Leah gasped half-way, her eyes somehow fearful. He could hear her heart nervously hammering, and used the unsteady rhythm to propel him. "I will teach you everything I know. The techniques, the tricks, my strengths, my weaknesses. I will teach you...how to kill me."
Silence.
When she spoke, it was as if she was the Leah he once understood. Even her eyes were softer. "You're...going to...teach me?"
He nodded. "Do you accept?"
As Leah pondered and said nothing, Embry went on. "You don't have to decide now."
"Prepare to die," Leah warned, the momentary warmth leaving her voice entirely. "Because I'm not stopping until I kill you."
"I know that," Embry replied. "We're going to meet at the foot of the mountains once a week. We start at sunset and end at sunrise. We will fight when you feel you can kill me. We start tomorrow. If you decide to accept, I'll be waiting."
Embry gave her one last look before turning away. He had not taken two steps when Leah's voice stopped him in his tracks. "I can't forgive you," she whispered, her voice weak. "I will have to kill you."
He turned back to catch a glimpse of the tears on her cheek before she turned the other way and disappeared into the trees.
Embry understood. Leah was hurting too. It was killing her to seek his death in her hands, but she was left with no choice.
A/N: How's it? After writing so much of Hell, yes!, I think this angsty plot is refreshing. Tell me what you think? Reviews please! :) Thank youu :)