A/N: Thanks a lot for your reviews! I hope you don't wait too much for the next chapter. By the way, here it is!
A huge 'Thank you' to the wonderful don'tcallmeLeeLee who helped me a lot through this chapter. You're amazing, girl!
Enjoy your reading!


On her way to La Push, Leah couldn't help but blame Jacob Black for turning her life upside down. She was happy, in Santa Fe, and she felt that she was getting better. She had a job she loved, a cozy apartment; she got friends and the social life which she lacked when she was on the Reservation. She was beginning to forget about all the wrong things that had happened to her, but Jacob had to come and mess up her life, again.

She wasn't coming back for him, though. If it wasn't for Seth, she probably wouldn't have thought about setting a foot in the Reservation. She missed her family and she was certain that her departure wouldn't have affected them, since her mother was living in Forks with Bella's father and Seth was already with his imprint. Leah felt bad for not being there for Seth when he needed her the most, but she felt worse for having wished Jacob didn't find her at all.

She didn't want to face the past she worked so hard to bury behind her. She didn't want to tell them why she left and didn't call them once. Most of all, she didn't want to be in the same area that Jacob Black and his Puppet Masters, as she called them, were.

Having to deal with Isabella and Renesmee Cullen during her visit was Leah's worst nightmare. They didn't get along at all, no matter how many times Sue asked her daughter to be nice with her now stepsister and niece.

Nessie was an okay kid at first. Leah really tried to like her because of their fondness for Jacob, but every ounce of sympathy and respect she had for the toddler vanished the day she realized the half breed was still biting Jacob because she didn't like feeding on animals.

Leah got so mad that day that she nearly tear the girl in two. She couldn't stomach the thought of Jacob being drained by his imprint because the latter was living in a world where everyone was giving into her every whim. From that moment, the she-wolf began to dissect Nessie's behavior in the smallest detail, and the more she studied her, the less she tolerated her and her family.

Leah realized that her pack was working twice more than they should to ensure the Cullen's safety. Since Embry and she were the ones who didn't find their imprint – with Seth at first, but he had to go to school so he didn't count – they had to take turns to patrol the Cullens' territory while Quil was babysitting and Jake was in ecstasies over Renesmee's abilities. Every single day for four years, they ran to protect the ones their ancestors fought for centuries, and the idea of being the Cullens' lapdog was making her wolf side sick.

She knew she wasn't born to bend over Cold Ones and she made it clear that she would like them to leave their territory, but they didn't and a part of her was glad for that; the part which cared about Jacob and which didn't want him to leave with his imprint; te one which still cared about him, even if she shouldn't.

Jacob Black was, along with Seth, the reason why she had stayed that long in the Reservation after the encounter with the Volturi. She'd planned to leave with her brother far away from the supernatural area so that he could have a decent future, but Jake made her his Beta and asked for her support, and she owed him so much – because thanks to him, she didn't have to deal with Sam and Emily's drama more than she could endure – that she caved in, especially when Carlisle Cullen promised her he would pay for Seth's studies.

Damn you, Jacob Black.

Now that she thought about that, she felt like a cheap whore. She gave him so much of her time, sacrificing her dreams and giving up her principles, to end up being tossed as if she was nothing. Again.

She didn't realize she'd arrived at her destination until she recognized her childhood home. She parked her car at the alley and breathed in before getting out. The path to the porch was short, but difficult to make.

She remembered the last time she took it, after her 'dismissal'. She was so crushed by Jacob's words that she cried all night, not bothering to hide from Seth's worried eyes. When she took the decision to leave, she sent Seth to see his imprint and wrote nine words on a post it before taking her car and driving away from her hometown.

She hesitated in front of the door, not knowing if she should knock or just push it and do as if she'd never left. She didn't have time to think about it too much because the door cracked opened, revealing the only person beside Jacob she didn't want to see on the Reservation.

"Oh my… Is that really you?"

"Hi, Emily," she said blankly.

Leah stiffened as her cousin flew into her arms.

"I can't believe you're here!" Emily exclaimed. "Seth will be so happy –"

"That's why I'm here for. Can I see my brother, now?" Leah asked, growing impatient.

Emily's smile dropped and she moved aside to let Leah pass. The she-wolf got into the house and her heart clenched when she saw the pictures of her and Seth on the walls.

"It didn't change much in two years," Emily commented.

"I can see it. Where is Seth?"

"Upstairs. He doesn't leave his room except for taking a bath, once a week..." Emily sighed. "How did you know that –"

"Black told me," Leah answered curtly.

Sam's actual wife gasped, shocked by her cousin's reply, and Leah narrowed her eyes, suddenly feeling that something was up between Jacob and the rest of the pack. She didn't want Emily Uley to tell her what was going on in the Rez, though, so she headed upstairs, towards Seth's room, and knocked timidly at the door.

"Go away," she heard him say roughly.

Seth's voice sent a shiver down her spine. She never heard him that sad. Not even when they had to bury their father after phasing for the first time.

"Seth, there's a surprise visitor for you! Open up, please!"

Leah gritted her teeth and almost destroyed the doorknob as Emily's high-pitched voice rang on her ears.

Why does she always have to interfere?

Finally, she heard Seth's footsteps coming closer and she held her breath when he opened the door. He was so much different than what she remembered. Taller, more muscular even if he looked like it didn't eat since long, but what hit her most was his face. She wasn't used to see him not smiling, and the pain that was showing all over his face was heartbreaking. She waited for him to speak, not knowing what to say to him after all that time, but every hope she felt about having a 'welcome home, Sis, I've missed you' disappeared as their gaze locked. She lowered her head, unable to face his glare more than she already did.

"Seth, I'm –"

"Leave," Seth ordered with a hollow voice before slamming the door.

Pain constricted her heart as she stood in front of his shut door. She knew that she shouldn't expect a warm welcome from her brother, but living his rejection for real was more painful than she originally thought.

"I don't know why I even bothered listening to Jacob Black," she muttered angrily while heading downstairs.

"Where are you going?" Emily asked, worried, as she chased her into the house.

"You heard him. He doesn't want me here," Leah answered harshly.

"But – You're not leaving, right?"

Leah stopped and turned to face her cousin, anger coursing through her veins.

"Why would I stay if my only reason to do so doesn't need me?" she snapped.

"He does need you, Leah. He's just – You know losing someone you love is very hard to bear…"

"I know, thank you very much," Leah replied.

"Leah, I –"

"Save it, Emily. I don't have time to dwell on the past. I'll try to talk to Seth tomorrow, and I'll see what I'll do then."

"You can stay with us, if you want to… I'm sure Sam won't mind to have you there and then I'll introduce you to our little Sammy."

Leah's stomach churned when she thought about Sam's family. The two years she spent away from La Push made her realize that she didn't love Sam anymore. She was in love with the idea of marrying him and having a normal life, with kids in the red house he was renovating to move in when they got married. Now, Emily had the house she wanted, the kid she dreamed about and the man she had in another life.

But Leah wasn't envious of her cousin. She was mad at Emily because she had always sought an excuse for having stolen her fiancé.

Fate. Leah called that 'Bullshit'. She believed neither in love at first sight nor in soul mates. Imprinting wasn't a blessing for her; it just messed up her life at many levels. And Leah would rather die a painful death than staying at Emily's.

"No, thanks," she declined as politely as she could. "I already have somewhere to stay."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really. I called a – friend."

Emily stared intently at her former best friend, trying to see if she was lying to her, but Leah's glare deterred her.

"Well, I guess I'll see you around," Emily stuttered.

"Can't wait!" Leah retorted sarcastically before running towards her car.

She didn't wait for Emily's answer and drove away from her pretty quickly. She wasn't long to arrive where she was certain that someone would welcome her with open arms. He was the only one, beside her mother, to hear of her once every two months since her departure. The one who knew where she went from the beginning and who kept all of her secrets from everyone in La Push.

She didn't bother knocking when she went into the main room, knowing that he was waiting for her.

"I thought you would come here first," he said as he pulled her into a tight embrace.

"I needed to see Seth before."

"Of course. How has it been?"

"As I expected it," she sighed.

"I'm glad you're back, Lee. I've missed you."

For the first time since she arrived in the Reservation, she let her defense down and cried into his arms.

"What were you thinking?" Seth snarled, shaking with anger as he glared at his Alpha.

"You missed her. You should be happy that she cared enough about you to come back here!"

"Right! But she didn't care enough to stay with me."

"You're wrong. Give her a chance to make it up to you. You know you still love your sister –"

"You don't know shit about me, Black." Seth spat. "Don't stay here and act like you want what's best for me."

"I do, Seth. You're my friend. I'm sure that Leah being here will be good for you. For all of us."

"You didn't do it selflessly. You went to Leah so that she would take me with her, away from the murderers you love so much," Seth yelled.

"Don't call them like that!" Jacob roared.

Seth could feel the tremors increasing through his body. He wanted so badly to let his wolf side take over and to jump on his Alpha's throat that his anger decupled when he felt the command choking him and impeding his desire to kill.

"Don't think that I will forgive you anytime soon, Black. You can rot in hell for all I care, but you're right. Leah's presence will be useful. Especially when she hears about what your Masters did to us."

A shiver run through Jacob's spine, looking as Seth left his cottage. The Alpha couldn't help but release his frustration on the wall, knowing that his now Omega was right. Leah would not be pleased by what had happened since she left but he was hoping she would understand his motives. After all, Sam and the others, even Seth, did.

"Is everything alright, Jacob?"

He closed his eyes for a brief moment and smiled as Renesmee's melodic voice caressed his ears. She instantly returned his smile and embraced him tenderly.

"Was it Seth?" she asked worryingly.

"Yeah."

"Is he… Okay?"

"He will. Leah's in La Push."

Nessie frowned and Jacob instantly felt the need to soothe her.

"Don't worry about them. They'll be fine and you'll have nothing to fear anymore. I swear."

The half breed snuggled up beside him and showed him her contentment, making Jacob's heart swell in the process. As long as she was with him, he knew he could put up with his pack's disappointment, Seth's hatred and Leah's wrath.