Leah waited patiently, laying in her wolven form, on the ground in a corner of the Cullen's family room. If Jacob hadn't used that damned voice. She had a difficult time enough not obeying the commands of her superior. Using that 'Alpha's timbre' or whatever the hell they called it, was an unfair advantage. She watched as Carlisle and his family finished preparing the medical equipment they had horded up in Carlisle's office.

If no one in this damn house can get hurt, then why the fuck is it here? Leah looked out the glass the composed the entire back wall of the house. She pulled back her lips slightly exposing her bared, dagger-like teeth.

Sitting on the couch that had been moved to the wall to make room for the doctor paraphernalia, Edward looked up from his magazine. "It was left over from Bella's pregnancy. We kept it for sentimental value...And situations such as these." He answered Leah's silent query.

How many times do I have to tell you to stay the hell out of my head? Leah snapped her head over her other shoulder, to get a clear view of Edward. He smirked, not uttering another word. So quiet now...Fucking leech. She growled and looked at the high definition television on the wall.

Evidently, Emmett had no intention of disappointing Seth by not playing a football video game with him. He and Seth sat on the floor with their legs folded. Laughing. Something she hadn't done with Seth in a long time. Hell, even with herself in a long time. For a moment, it looked how it should be between Seth and his father. Her father, the one she would never forgive herself for shocking into cardiac arrest. Leah frowned, and scolded herself.

I'm sorry Seth. It was an accident, but my fault nonetheless. Leah glowered. If this is how you deal with what I've done, how you smile at me even though I'm the one responsible. How you can tell me "It's not your fault Lee, dad had a bad heart," to try and get me to forgive myself...Then I won't give you a hard time about it. A lone tear of internal sorrow ran down her flint fur. Then she remembered the mind reader was in the proximity. She looked at Edward again. He acted like he hadn't heard a word she said – thought. Smart.

"Yes!" Seth sprang to his feet and happily hopped up and down. "I win!"

Everyone in the room looked at him, no doubt asking the same question in their minds, "What the?"

"C'mon kid, what's that? One out of five?" Emmett stood slowly, smiling. He wasn't visibly angry or irritated that he lost to Seth. "Noooooooooooooo!" Emmett jumped backwards and fell headfirst onto the couch next to Edward.

"So! That doesn't matter! I won!" Seth nearly squealed. Struggling to keep some significant amount of bass mixed with the almost girlish excitement in his voice.

Damn kid, Leah thought. Scared the hell out of me. I wish that buff bloodsucker would stop moving around. His smell burns my nose. She looked down the hallway and saw Esme in the kitchen cooking. She was whistling a happy tune. When did she get there? How long was I so absorbed in my self pity for me not to notice her? I hope for the sake of her feelings that Esme isn't cooking that for me.

"About thirty minutes give or take three seconds." Edward let his gaze rest upon Leah.

Fuck! When Jake gets here I'm going to kill him for making me let my mind get fucked by this...Vampire. Leah ran out of derogatory slurs for her least favorite of the vampires.

Edward smiled. "He's about to open the door."

Two seconds later, Jacob and Sam walked through the front door into the living room. Leah payed no attention to the virtually obliterated, lacerated body they carried in, slung over their shoulders.

"Let's put him right here," Sam led the way to the hospital bed in the middle of the living room. Then waved a hello to Leah.

Fuck you. Leah shouted in her head.

Edward stifled a chuckle and called Carlisle. "Carlisle, they're here."

"I'll be down in a second!" Carlisle shouted back. He was there in a second as he promised. Why the hell was he so literal?

These two assholes shit enough for all nine of these bloodsuckers. Leah thought bitterly and shot a glance at Edward. She didn't mind if he told those two what she thought. It did hurt to be in the same room with Sam. But, he couldn't hear her mind, and she couldn't hear his, and that fact alone made it easier. Leah looked out the window and watched the beginning of the rain that had been looming overhead for so long.

"Wow," Carlisle, stayed completely still. "You said Children of the Moon did this?"

"Yeah," Jacob answered. Seth tried to sneak up behind him to get a better look at the body. "Seth, you don't need to see this, go hang out with blondie or something."

"But..."

"Now," Jacob didn't even let Seth voice a rebuttal. Seth's shoes clacked on the way up the wooden stairs. Emmett jogged after him, probably to get a rematch at their game after the adults finished talking.

Carlisle worked swiftly, barking out orders in his serene voice. He checked for broken bones. None. Then called Alice down with a blood I.V. and connected it to the boy's arm. She gracefully skipped back upstairs to her husband, Jasper. Sam went back to La Push halfway through the examination. Jacob sat down and fell asleep a few moments after Sam left. Carlisle, continued his work, silently now. With Edward as his nurse, all he had to do was think of the tools he needed, and Edward would get them before he asked for them. That saved time. After the last of the stitches, Carlisle stepped back to admire his handiwork.

"I think that's it." Carlisle let out a sigh of relaxation. "He should be okay by tomorrow. But something doesn't strike me as correct here. These Children of the Moon are infamous for biting, yet I see no visible signs of laceration from their teeth, only distinctive claw marks." He pressed his right index finger into the center of his forehead in thought. "And why this boy?"

"I don't know." Edward solemnly said.

"I've waited so long for you to say that!" Emmett shouted loudly down the stairs. Leah checked to see if Jacob had awoken so she could be dismissed for the night. He didn't so much as flinch. He can sleep through anything...

Esme finally emerged from the kitchen with two plates of food in her hands. She sat one down on the glass coffee table in front of Jacob smiling sweetly. Then she sauntered over to Leah, placing the plate a few feet away from her face, still smiling.

I really hope for the sake of her feelings, that she doesn't expect me to eat that. Leah carefully peered out of her half closed eyelid at the sickeningly sweet smelling surrogate mother vampire. Maybe if I'm quiet she'll go away. Leah closed her eyes. A plate of tri-tip steak, scalloped potatoes, and asparagus gently clanked down by her face. It had been a while since she last ate. So long that even the food smelled appetizing in a house full of leeches. Esme sauntered over to the couch and had a seat. Damnit, I don't have it in me to hurt her feelings tonight. Maybe tomorrow. Leah feigned sleeping. Somewhere in the void between pretending, and reality, Leah actually did fall asleep in the corner.

"Mmuh?" The boy Jacob and Sam had brought in the night before, raised his arm to scratch his brow; to clear his eyes of the crust that came with awakening in the morning. He coughed, then raised his other arm to his mouth as he had been taught when he was younger. He brushed back his shoulder-length, wavy, black hair and heaved himself off of the hard hospital mattress. He didn't get far before the I.V. in his arm hindered his progress. He yanked it out along with the other various thin wires used to monitor his vitals. He forced himself down the hall, searching for a bathroom, one painful step after another. Then he felt a gust of cool wind behind him.

"You're not supposed to be out of bed yet." Carlisle chided, reaching to lift the boys arm up so he could stand properly, as oppossed to dragging his sore arm along the wall as he walked. The boy managed to make a leap backward and stood in a battle ready stance. It was a clumsy stance, probably because of the pain his body was enduring. Carlisle spread his lips into a thin smile. "I won't hurt you." He raised his hands to show he was unarmed, on human terms anyway. Carlisle pressed a palm to his chest. "I'm doctor Carlisle Cullen. Welcome to my home."

"Where are they." The boy's voice was laced with vengeance even in his ragged state. He swayed from foot to foot trying to keep his balance, and finally fell, making a thud. Carlisle rushed over to help. The rest of his family now aware with the exception of Bella, Edward and Renesmee, quickly appeared behind Carlisle. He effortlessly lifted the boy and carried him back to his bed.

"Where are they?" The boy asked through clenched teeth. Hatred for someone or something seethed in his voice.

"Who?" Alice stepped forward.

"Those fucking wolves!" He snapped.

Jacob opened his eyes and looked on from his sleeping position on the couch.

Leah emerged through the front door wearing much to her protest, the clothes Esme had given her. "What's with all the noise? I ignored it at first, but I can't get back to sleep." And just like that, The number of agitated people in the room doubled from one to two.

"Jasper, please." Carlisle said the two words that would calm everyone in the room. With Jasper around, situations never became fisticuff. They couldn't. He would bring an air of calm with him where ever he went. The very same air of calm that would soothe the two tense individuals in the living room. Jasper had been working on his ability as Bella had before their staging with the Volturi a year ago. Now he could focus his "gift" into certain people, not only a radius around him.

Feeling the calm wash through him, the boy willingly sat down then pressed a hand to his chest, making the same gestures Carlisle had a few minutes earlier, "Malakai Ulfang."

Finally seeing the boy in his entirety, Leah froze.

"My friends took care of them." Jacob answered the question Malakai asked. "Those wolves won't be bothering you anymore." He layed motionless on the couch.

"They're dead?" Malakai asked, his eyes widening.

"Yeah. Burnt to a crisp out in the woods."

Leah stood quietly, trying to persuade her body to go backward. Before she knew it, she launched herself at Malakai as fast as her human legs would take her. Carlisle dodged, expertly weaving himself out of the way. The mere human Malakai barely had enough time to flinch, and he couldn't do so for his arms were heavy with injury. Suddenly her lips crashed with his, interlocking them into the longest brief kiss in the history of either of their lives. Malakai couldn't fight it. If he could, he wouldn't. It was far too...enjoyable.

Wow.

All too soon, Leah pulled back and sheepishly looked around the room. The Cullen's all looked at her, no doubt had watched the two nearly make out on the hospital bed. Leah, realizing the depth of the situation, stormed back out of the house as quickly as she came, slamming the door. The sound of designer clothes could be heard tearing as she phased to lope away. Alice cringed.

"Uh-oh," Jacob whirred to his feet. "I'll see you guys later. I gotta go...check my email" He lied.

"Don't lie, you're going to check on Leah." Rosalie assumed. "You don't need an excuse to leave. Just go. You smell like the pound and old bus seats."

"I'll get you back later," Jacob pulled off his shirt and laid it on the arm of the couch. "right now, I have to go see what's up with my beta." He ran toward the door, kicking off his shoes as they touched the cold, brushed steel door frame. Then phased after he was safely away from anything or anyone too breakable.

"Damn Jasper! What did you do?" Emmett laughed, breaking the awkwardness of the situation like he always does. "Carlisle meant for you to calm them, not make them face hump each other."

"I didn't do that!" Jasper shouted in defense pushing his arms away from his chest.

Seth finally made his way downstairs. He looked like he had just gotten up because the loud slamming of the door had interrupted his sleep.

"Hey guys," Seth yawned and scratched his head. "What's up?"

"From what it smells like, pheromones." Edward chuckled to himself as he held the door open as Bella and Renesmee entered the house. They probably heard the commotion from their cottage in the marsh.

"What?" Seth cocked his head in confusion.

"Back to the task at hand." Carlisle cleared his throat. "Why did those werewolves attack you?" He prepared himself to make mental notes of this conversation...If there had been one.

Malakai sat quietly. He hadn't moved an inch since Leah left.

"What brings you to Forks?" Carlisle tried again.

Malakai raised a hand to his cheek, but still didn't answer. He stared straight ahead, as if he could see something that wasn't actually there.

"How old are you?" Carlisle asked patiently.

Silence.

Rosalie grew tired of Carlisle's monologue and snapped her ice-cold fingers in Malakai's line of sight. He blinked and acknowledged her.

"Fifteen." Malakai slowly caught up with everything around him.

Carlisle nodded once, then continued his interview. "How are you feeling?"

"Truthfully," Malakai bowed his head. "Doctor Cullen, I don't think I can accurately answer any questions you have for me with my current state of mind."

"He's not lying," Edward said. "Mentally, he's in a tizzy." Bella looked at him with her what-are-you-talking-about stare. "I'll explain in the other room." He took her hand and the two jogged up the stairs to Edward's old room.

"Did you guys just not see what happened?" Emmett walked around the crowd of vampires to look them head on. "Cut him some slack! He was just sexually assaulted by a beautiful woman." Rosalie hissed in disagreement. "I mean...uh yeah..." Emmett quieted and fell back into his place, awkwardly looking at the ground, visibly afraid to meet the gaze of his blond-haired wife standing beside him.

"Very well." Carlisle turned and grabbed a small bottle from the small table near the bed. "We can handle this later. But you need to take your medicine now." He retrieved a small glass syringe from his box of supplies and jabbed it into the sealed bottle.

"Medicine?" Malakai flinched at the needle now filled with a transparent, liquid substance. Oh shit.

"I thought morphine would be more appropriate that Tylenol for the injuries you have." Carlisle pressed the end of the syringe to force some of the morphine into a drop at the tip of the needle. Living through a werewolf attack was one thing, but to die because a doctor neglected to be sure he didn't directly inject oxygen into his veins, causing heart attack or stroke. "Here, It will help you sleep."

Malakai cringed, then the pain set in again. Realizing he had no better choices, he relaxed and allowed Carlisle to administer the drug.

Just go away Jacob. Leah ran full throttle. Her thoughts were obviously very agitated. I don't need your help.

Just wait. It's perfectly natural. Jacob guessed he should correct himself. Natural in our world. He loped after her, skillfully avoiding the tree's that blurred his by him. Then finally gave up. She had gotten so much faster.

There is nothing natural about you and me! Leah shot back. So just piss the fuck off and let me deal with me.

Imprinting isn't the worst thing in the world Leah. Jacob walked slowly through the woods back to the Cullen's house. If you give it a chance, you might actually like it.

Shut up Jacob.

No. You listen. Jacob used his Alpha timbre more often these days. But, then again, he more readily accepted his role as leader of the pack. Wasn't it you that said you wanted to imprint, or to be imprinted on because it would be easier having your options taken away from you?

Yes. Leah only answered because the commanding alpha had asked her a question. Anything more could be considered treason.

The day I imprinted on Renesmee was the best day of my life. Jacob's emotional sentiments flowed through his mind, into Leah's. Before I laid eyes on her. My heart still called for Bella, and Bella was a broken person. Seeing what I thought was Edward's fault destroying Bella from the inside, burned. And that she and Blondie wouldn't let Carlisle take the thing out killed me. But if I had helped them make Bella cooperate successfully, then I wouldn't have the love of my life today. Basically what I'm getting at is, everything happens for a reason. Jacob laughed. Give him a chance.

But Jacob, do you see how old he is?! Leah thought more calmly this time. He looks like he fucking sixteen.

And? He challenged.

It just won't be right.

Oh shit! Can it be? Jacob's thoughts rung out in disbelief. Ice queen Leah actually gives a shit about what the world thinks?

No. It wasn't a complete anger management classes Leah had enrolled in last winter, worked sometimes. This was one of those sometimes, because she would totally shred Jacob's face off if he we're right here in front of her. Maybe that was another contributing factor.

That's what it sounds like to me. Jacob shrugged. I don't think I have to remind you that you're not getting any older...

Jacob entered the fringe of the forest, the buzz of gnats was much more annoying with super sensitive hearing. He would live. It was just another reason for him to move swiftly to the glass wall of the Cullen's home. Primary reason number one was so that he could see Renesmee that had come shortly after he left. He could smell her. I won't make you come back. But I dont think you have much of a choice.

Right. Leah shuddered with acceptance of her situation. She imprinted on a weak little kid. Awesome.

He's not that weak. Jacob could still hear her thoughts. No matter how great a distance, he would always.

He can't fight for shit. Leah barked. He got his ass beat by a couple of wolves.

He does have heart. Jacob did his best to defend Malakai. Sure he was only a kid. Jacob was only three years older than him at eighteen. And he is kinda...You know. Human. The fact that he woke up looking to fight some more is pretty crazy. Jacob laughed at the irony. Maybe you imprinting isn't a coincidence. Crazy wolf chick. Crazy kid. Perfect match. You guys should do one of those "eHarmony" commercials.

Shut it. Leah said. She didn't really mean it, given the way the conversation, and her mood, had taken a turn for the better. Tell Esme I'm sorry about her clothes, and I won't rip anymore of them if she has some I can borrow. I guess I'll hang out with my...imprintee?

Haha, imprintee. I like it. Jacob phased back and collected the clothes he scattered behind the Cullen's house. Thinking about it, he realized that phasing into his nude human form in front of a glass wall wasn't exactly the smartest thing to do. The phased back after he heard Rosalie laughter. Damnit.

Idiot. I'm on my way back.