Leah's Escape Plan
Pack a bag
Find wheels
Sneak out
Get the hell away
Don't get caught
Don't shift
Ok. I was 27 years old. I could handle myself, obviously. The pack should know this by now. Therefore, even if I did get caught, no one could say anything, right? Jake would never Alpha me to stay here. Especially when he left for a few weeks when the bloodsucker took Bella. The real problem would be Seth. Ok, the kid was like, 24, but he was still 16 in my book. And he still looked like an overgrown ten year old. I could barely imagine never seeing him again. I mean, maybe it isn't so bad here. I could stand to stay for Se-NO. No no no no. Leah, stop. Would Seth want you to stay here and be unhappy? Hell no. Also, what the hell do you think would happen when he imprints? Any Leah-worshipping bone in his body would shift to anonymous-stranger-whom-I-just-met loving. Ugh. I sooooo don't need to be here for that. Ok.
1. Pack a bag. Pretty easy. Abruptly bursting into a huge dog whenever I was vaguely pissed off, which was pretty often, had made it so I had no intact clothing. I threw my few T-shirts and shorts into a canvas bag and crossed that item off of the list. I lugged it downstairs and was hiding it behind a bush when…
"Leah Clearwater, what are you doing in my begonias?"
"Hey Mom. You look nice today." I attempted distraction.
"Hon, I can see through your distraction technique any day. Now, what is going on?"
"I, er, am stashing clothing for when I shift!"
"Okay. Don't tell your poor, lonely mother. Fine!" I rolled my eyes. "Lunch is in twenty minutes! Maybe put something nice on, hm? Bella's cousin is visiting." Oh yeah. Leechlover's kin was coming to meet her leech. Being the stepmother, Sue had decided to invite him for lunch. Being Sue, she had decided that the two of us were meant to be. And the rest of the pack had agreed.
"Pass the potatoeeesss!" called Jacob, reaching over my plate to grab the bowl. "So… Andre? What exactly do you do?" Bella's cousin turned out to be pretty much a male version of Bella. He was pale, quiet, annoying, bloodsucking, bratty, stupid, self-centered, ok, ok, maybe I am getting a tad carried away. But you know, he had the whole mahogany hair, brown eyes, pale skin, clumsy thing going on. If we were meant to be, forget running away, I would just throw myself at a vampire or something.
"Um, I sell cars." He said, blushing. Hm. Cars... "What do you d-d-do?" He was very intimidated by the huge wolves and vampires surrounding him, as any rational person should be. I guess he wasn't just like Bella.
"We are kind of like the police force on the Rez," Jake said, the practiced lie easily spilling through his lips.
"I-I'd bet there isn't much crime," Andre glanced pointedly at Jake's shirtless upper body. I let out a surprised laugh. Didn't expect a joke from his sort. He immediately turned bright red. I winked. The rest of the table looked on, shocked. It had been a while since I had smiled, let alone laugh or flirt. Oh, if only they knew…
"So, Andre," I said, drawing out his name, "how long are you here?"
"I, er, I am driving out tomorrow…?"
"Leah. Leah Clearwater."
"Leah."
"Leaving so soon?" He was now rivaling the tomatoes in the salad for brightness.
"I have a few bikes in my truck that I need to um, deliver."
"Marvelous." Finally fate was in my favor.