Chapter 1

Having the house to herself, Bella's thoughts and feelings were allowed to run freely without filtering or fear of someone else's reactions. Guilt and shame flooded her for putting the only other person she truly loved, besides Edward, in such a chaotic mess. She had just arrived home from telling Jacob that she loved him, but not enough to leave Edward. The booming sound of someone pounding on her front door startled Bella out of her inner monologue.

"Who could that be? Everyone from the pack is still in La Push and Edward is at home." Bella questioned herself. As Bella opened the door, she was shocked by whom she saw standing on her doorstep. It was none other than Leah Clearwater, who had the most intense expression on her face.

"Leah! Um, not that you can't be here, but what are you doing here?

"I've come to say some things to you and I want you to listen, keep your mouth closed, and for once try to think of someone other than yourself!" stated Leah

Shocked at Leah's brashness, Bella invited Leah in to have her say. Bella took Leah into the living room. Leah sat on the couch while Bella sat in her father's recliner. "Let's get one thing straight here Swan. Despite how it seems, I don't hate you. I hate your actions, indecisiveness, and your uncanny ability to use and hurt everyone around you." Leah bluntly stated.

Again, shocked at Leah's directness, Bella couldn't help but acknowledge Leah's feelings, especially since she agreed with Leah's assessment of her. Actually, Bella realizes that she has only been acting this way since she met Edward. But, Edward was perfect and she, of course by her own and everyone else's standards, apparently wasn't.

"Don't give me that look Swan." Leah sighed. "From what I've seen of you from my own observations, that of the pack, and overhearing conversations between your dad and Billy, it seems that you are really not that bad of a person. However, that does not excuse how you have treated everyone that has cared about you. Do you really understand the pain and devastation that you have caused just by being associated with those leeches?"

Before Bella could reprimand Leah for her choice of words, Leah barreled on. Jumping up from her seat on the couch, Leah began to pace. Visibly, Bella could see that Leah was trying to control herself and think about what she was going to say next. There and then, Bella decided to try and understand why Leah was here and what she needed to express. Just as Bella decided this, Leah began her tirade again.

"I've thought a lot about this Swan. I saw what happened on that mountain. Let me tell you one thing about that. You don't kiss a man like that out of desperation, but out of pure unadulterated love. The intensity of your feelings mirrored Jacob's so completely that we were for sure he imprinted on you."

At this statement Bella's heart began to race right along with her thoughts. She started wondering if he did finally imprint on her. This idea was beginning to make Bella ecstatic! Finally, the fear of losing Jacob to some unknown beauty was slowly melting away. Yet, Leah's next words took Bella's breath away.

"But he didn't. That is why he left you so quick. That is why he said what he did. He was hoping that you would open up and love him the way that he loves you. Your next words almost sealed the nail in his hearts coffin. You told him not to fight, to stay with you. As much as he wanted to stay with you, he knew that you didn't really mean it. So he left you there to join the fight."

Bella didn't know what to say. She knew that everything that Leah was saying was true. Bella knew that she loved Jacob; she just wasn't sure if she could give him what he asked for. "First, you told him that you loved him... then the next thing you do is tell him that his love, friendship, and sacrifice were not enough. You practically ripped out his still beating heart!" yelled Leah.

Bella continued to sit with her hair blocking her face and chewing on her bottom lip. With a quavering voice Bella asks "What should I have done?"

Incredulously, Leah stares at Bella. Finally, in a weary and defeated look, Leah begins to issue her ultimatum. "Let him go. Leave him alone for good. Let him find happiness away from you. You claim to love him, but regardless to whether the love is romantic, platonic, or familial; never has anyone treated their loved ones as you have. If I didn't know any better, I would think that you were a bloodsucker yourself. Since that is all you have been doing since you became involved with the Cullens. Sure, they helped save you from a few vampires, but to how many more did they expose you to in the first place? How many lives have been destroyed by their mere presence? The moment that Edward Cullen came into your life, is the very moment he began to turn you."

"Stop right there! The Cullens, especially Edward, mean no one any harm! They can't help what they are! Why can't any of you see that? Yeah, I have been exposed to more vampires than I would ever like to be, but that doesn't mean that they did it on purpose!" yells Bella.

Sarcastically laughing, Leah begins to finish her statement. "Just listen to yourself! You are so hung up on their "perfection" and "helpfulness" Leah puts into quotation marks, that you refuse to see the truth!"

"And what truth is that Leah? Since you see things oh so much clearer than I do!" Bella yells again.

"You really want to know? The Cullens, regardless to their "vegetarian" lifestyle, brings nothing but death and destruction! Do you realize how many lives have been altered and completely destroyed by their mere presence? Do you not see that, while some may not die due to a vampire's bite, their lives and the lives of all of the people around them are completely turned on its axis? Does that not register in your head? Do you not see the worry and fear that is on my mother's face, on Billy's face, when we have to go out and protect everyone from vampires? Do you not see that had not your precious Cullens returned, none of us would have to experience this hellish life?" says Leah.

"You're just bitter because Sam didn't imprint on you, but on your cousin. So don't put the blame on the Cullens for that!" Bella spats.

"You think you know it all don't you? You think that you've figured it all out. Well, you haven't. I wasn't talking just about imprinting, as you so callously stated. I was also referring to your father." Leah begins.

"What does my father have to do with this? He knows nothing of vampires and werewolves!" says Bella.

"See that is where you are wrong, Ms. Swan. Even though Charlie may not know the specifics of the vampire vs. werewolf world, he has undoubtedly become a part of it due to your actions and choices. You willingly bring vampires into your home, exposing your dad to them without a care for his thoughts, feelings, and safety. And before you begin to defend them, think about it. I mean really think about it. Have your precious Cullens never slipped up? Have they never been so tempted by someone's blood that their inner monster was unleashed? By the look on your face, I know that I am right. Your father has gone through more hell with you than your mother ever put him through! For months Charlie was out of his mind due to worry about you! I know you've heard this before, but you didn't experience the devastation you put your father through when Edward left you! You were so occupied with your hurt feelings about your perfect Cullens leaving you that you never once noticed how your actions were hurting him! He hates Edward, but because he loves you so much and is so afraid to lose you, again, that he puts up with your relationship with him. You know, for a human you are just as selfish as they are. No wonder you fit in so well with them. " states Leah emphatically.

"Take that back, Leah!" Bella angrily says.

"No! It is high time someone told you the truth and stopped holding your hand! However since you refuse to see reason here is your final ultimatum. Either you give Jacob the love, appreciation, and support he deserves or you leave him alone for as long as you live, dead or undead."

"You can't give me that garbage Leah!" whispers Bella harshly.

"Yes I can and I have. I have been delegated with this task, while Billy tells your father the same thing. Do you even understand the rift you are causing in a decades old friendship? You do and you don't even care as long as you keep your Cullens. You don't care that we, the pack, actually accepted you because you made Jacob happy at one time? You don't care that we fought not only to save your scrawny neck, but for all the lives in Forks and La Push! Argh, you are so infuriating! I refuse to let you destroy our Alpha this way." shouts Leah.

"Alpha, what do you mean Alpha? Jake is not the Alpha, Sam is." Bella states in a moment of confusion.

"Again, that is where you are so very wrong. Jacob is the Alpha. It was always his position to have. Due to you and Sam's refusal of some things, Jacob accepted his birthright and became our Alpha. Why do you think that we were so precise and coordinated? Why do you think that we made quick work of those newborns, even with the help of the Cullens? It was because of Jake and his desire to protect his heart. Nevertheless, the injuries that he received for defending me, was due to not only my misjudgment of the situation, but of his unparalleled need to protect you. I fully accept my blame for the injuries to his body, but you reject the idea that you are responsible for the injuries and damage to his heart, mind, and quite literally, soul." explains Leah.

"I…I…" stutters Bella.

"Save it! I am done. I came here to say what needed to be said. You have only four days to decide what you are going to do. If you decide to side with the Cullens then you need to leave Forks immediately. We will not have you and the Cullens continue to wreak havoc on everyone's lives." Leah demandingly says.

"Before I do that, could you please explain to me how this directly affects Jake as the Alpha? And why do I only have four days to make my decision?" Bella, fearful of Leah's reaction, asks. Bella looks at the fierce warrior woman and wonders if Leah will actually tell her anything concerning this matter. "Look, I don't understand how my choice will destroy him, when his imprint is out there waiting on him!" Bella begins, but is interrupted by a somber looking and sounding Leah.

"Have you noticed the bond between the two of you? Have you noticed how intertwined you both are in each other's lives? It wasn't happenstance that brought your father and Billy together as best friends. It was the Spirits will that it happened. Jacob's Alpha position is different from any alpha before him, including Taha Aki. Jacob has been tasked with leading an ever increasing pack and overlooking the safety and protection of the lives on the reservation and off. With the expansion of today's world, there is more ground to cover and someone who is familiar with the ever changing world we live in is in high demand. Both of you had to grow up quickly. Both of you faced the loss of normalcy in your family. While Jacob lost his mother and later on his sisters, you lost the time and relationship that you could have had with your father. There is an innate understanding that the two of you have of one another. You not only understand, but sense each other's needs." Leah abruptly stops.

"But what does that have to do with him and imprinting?" questions Bella.

"It has everything to do with imprinting. Jacob will not imprint because his focus cannot be tunneled into a single person. He cannot and will not let everyone around him suffer for the needs of one person. What you two have is called a Soul Bond. It had been prophesied in our culture that there would be a great Alpha, with his Catalyst that will save all people from the ravaging of the Cold Ones." says Leah.

"Wait a minute! What are you talking about? I have never heard of this before? Why would I be this, this Catalyst that you are talking about?" Bella questions Leah again.

"You will have to talk to Old Quill about that. Oh, and you only have four days because that is how long it is going to take for Jake to heal, phase again, and begin his mission with or without you." With that last statement Leah got up and walked out the door leaving Bella with a slack jaw and her thoughts to keep her company.