4. Something Borrowed, Something Blue
While dressing herself on the morning of Sam's wedding to Emily, Leah indulged in a particularly masochistic pastime of hers: remembering the first time that Sam had asked her to marry him. It had happened when she was a few months shy of her seventeenth birthday and they had gone to Port Angeles for the day. They'd watched a large wedding party crowded into a picturesque rotunda in a lush green park from their vantage point in the outdoor seating area of a nearby McDonalds.
"When we get married LeeLee," Sam had said, his dark eyes full of passion, "we should have the ceremony at First Beach."
"What makes you so sure I'd marry you Sammy?" She had teased. "I'm a high school junior and we've only been dating a year... you never know how persuasive I might find that lesbian phase I'm bound to experience at college," she added, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.
Sam being Sam had laughed at the joke before falling to one knee in the dingy fast food outlet. "I'll have to be more persuasive," he said.
"Get off the floor!" She reprimanded him, looking around to make sure no one was watching.
"Say you'll marry me and I will."
"Sam!" She scolded him, but it only served to convince him to sink to both knees.
"Please LeeLee? I'll love you much better than the college lesbians – you know I'll always love you - and if you cook for me and I get fat I might even get breasts!" He puffed out his lower lip.
"Oh, alright!" She huffed in mock annoyance. In truth she was touched, and he knew it. "It always rains at First Beach though. Nine times out of ten!"
"Not on our wedding day," Sam had replied, full of confidence, "the sun always shines on us."
She had kissed him then with everything she had. The sort of kiss that left her lips swollen and every one of her limbs feeling like jelly. Leah was a hopeless romantic and she thought Sam's (sort of) proposal was perfect. He didn't have a ring or anything, but his impromptu declaration was far more meaningful to her than anything planned or fancy. She had called Emily as soon as she got home and they had gushed for hours about how perfect Sam was, how he and Leah were the perfect couple and how amazing their wedding at First Beach would be.
Leah had loved Sam with her whole heart ever since he had first kissed her behind the bleachers at school in her sophomore year. He was funny, tall, liked her sarcastic sense of humour and made her feel like she could do anything. He was a bit gruff in front of his friends, but on his own he was a marshmallow and he was hers. She fell for him with the sort of wild abandon that can only be achieved once in a lifetime and she kept falling. Day to day, month to month, year to year she discovered that it was only possible to love him more. Somewhere deeply rooted in her soul was a firm conviction that Sam was the person, the one and only person, that she was meant to spend the rest of her life with.
When Sam disappeared in their senior year, she was out of her mind with worry. After a week his mother, Alison, told Leah that it was 'hereditary'. Joshua Uley had gone out on drinking binges and disappeared too. Leah told Alison she was wrong. Her Sammy would come back. He proved her right two weeks later, but when he returned he wouldn't say what had happened. He told her that he couldn't. He was distant and angry all the time. He would stay out all night and return at odd hours of the morning. Some days he was covered in dirt and bruises. Leah dug her heels in and resolved to love him better. She wasn't giving up on him because he was it for her. Some days he was the old Sammy and she would hope that they were through the worst of it, other days he would tell her that they should end things because he was bad and had nothing to give her. On those days she would throw her arms around him and tell him that it was okay. She could do the giving for both of them.
Because she had so much love to give.
Leah Clearwater's heart was boundless. She didn't stop loving Sam when people started saying he was doing drugs or in a gang with Paul Lahote and Jared Cameron. She didn't stop loving him when he gave up on their college dreams and told her he was going to stay and work on the rez. She didn't stop loving him even when he told her that it was over and that he had met someone else. She still loved him, body mind and soul - even when she found out that his new lover was her cousin and best friend. She was stubborn and they were young. She was hurt, but she was prepared to wait.
Then one fateful day earlier in the year, she had told her brother just how devastated she was. Just how hard it was to have so much affection that she wanted to give to Sam in circumstances where he no longer wanted it. She had cried and screamed and, as the awfulness of the situation washed over her, she and Seth exploded out of their skin and into another form that they would be cursed to carry for a lifetime. Longer maybe. They'd found themselves suddenly sharing their thoughts with six other people, one of whom was Sam.
She'd seen then just how much he loved Emily. She could see his memories and hopes for the future. She could see just how small everything Sam had shared with her was in comparison. The years of adoration and planning didn't hold a candle to the wolf magic linking Sam to his beloved imprint. A part of his mind was always thinking of her. Was she safe? Was she happy? Other times he thought of their carnal activities. Leah saw memories of Emily writhing in ecstasy underneath Sam. She saw his fantasies of impregnating her and growing old with their family. She saw him imagining things with Emily that since phasing she had learned she would never be able to give. Her body no longer worked the way a woman's body should. Maybe that was why no one imprinted on her and why she had become a shape shifter in the first place. Leah saw it all and then did what she could to find a home for all the emotion and passion she now knew to be unnecessary and unwanted: she channelled it into hate.
Just like Leah's ability to love, her ability to hate was astounding. It grew at an exponential pace, nurtured by the exposure to things that no woman scorned should ever have to see. Today's wedding was the piece de resistance because Emily's big day was a carbon copy of the image that Sam and Leah had spent years conjuring, right down to the venue, the song that Emily would walk down the aisle to and the colour of the bridesmaids dresses.
Of course, I wouldn't have picked a cut or material that was quite this ugly, Leah thought as she slipped on the empire line dress that flared out right underneath her bust. All of the swishy layers of satin and lace fabric pooled to make it look like maternity wear. At least Kim and Emily's friend from the Makah rez, Jade, would be wearing the same thing and neither of them had Leah's supernatural figure. Leah thanked her lucky stars that her mother had insisted that she be given time to rest leading up to the ceremony, otherwise she would have been forced to help Emily get ready. Sam had inadvertently confined his orders to the wedding and Leah knew that if she saw Emily beforehand she wouldn't be able to stop herself from socking her in the jaw. It was bad enough that she was going to have to suffer through the ceremony and reception. Sometimes Leah thought about Emily's scars, and felt a cruel sense of satisfaction. It was divine justice. Then she remembered that the scars had played a part in binding Emily even tighter to Sam. Sam looked at Emily and he saw sins for which he had to atone.
Her mother and Seth had both given her quizzical looks when Kim had dropped her bridesmaid's dress off. She hadn't wanted to tell them about the Alpha Order. She felt embarrassed and dirty at the thought that her ex boyfriend had the power to make her do something she so desperately wanted to avoid doing. Leah wanted to hold her head high. She didn't want anyone to know that Sam had made her a slave or that she still cried when she was able to find a moment alone. Jacob was the only one who knew. It made her want to punch him too.
Leah's mind flitted back to the conversation she had overheard last night. After sleeping all day she'd woken late in the evening feeling surprisingly energetic. She'd done some laundry and chatted to Seth, before realising that she'd left the t-shirt he'd loaned her balled up on Billy Black's bathroom floor. She'd been headed back to retrieve it - and give Jacob the scolding she'd been too tired to deliver earlier - when she'd found herself listening to something quite extraordinary: Jacob Black defending her. More than that, Jacob Black demanding to be Alpha when Sam wouldn't revoke the order that she be a bridesmaid. Naturally, at the very time he decided he would do it, he was too injured to make good on the challenge. Leah's heart had skipped a beat when she realised just how close she had come to freedom. For a moment she felt even worse than she had before she had heard the conversation. She had come home and sat on her bed and cursed them all. By morning it was a different story. She knew she had to do this - it was too late for anything to change now, but she felt just a little bit grateful to Jacob for reminding Sam that she didn't want to be doing this, and if he wasn't such a rat, she wouldn't be.
As if the fates had heard her line of thought, just as she had finished getting ready her mother called out "Leah, Jacob's here, he's coming up to see you." Leah heard Jacob's feet stomping up the stairs. There was an unusual slowness to his gait. He was still struggling to overcome his injury. He barged in moments later. Leah wasn't at all surprised that he didn't bother knocking.
"Leah, Dad and I thought we could drive down to the beach with you, Sue and Se-" Jacob paused midsentence and took in Leah's ridiculous outfit. His mouth hung open and his eyes widened. Then, as if he knew he had been caught out, he stammered to hide his blunder: "Y-yellow suits you Leah."
Leah rolled her eyes. "Jake, all brides make their bridesmaids wear ugly dresses. It's because they want to make sure that they look awesome in comparison."
"Are you sure that Emily isn't just really into scary canaries? You sort of look like the Native American version of big bird."
Leah smirked. "I'll give you fifty bucks if you find a way to say that to Kim in front of Jared. She'll be wearing the same gown."
Jacob paused and Leah could actually feel the wheels turning in his head – him weighing up the enjoyment he could derive from making the comment and what he could buy with an extra fifty dollars versus having a beat-down which would most likely result in all their suits being ruined. Leah found herself raking her eyes over Jacob in a tux. She was so used to seeing all of the pack in shorts or less that it was actually quite shocking to see them suited up. Jacob had a dark green shirt on underneath his jacket. It suited him. It reminded her of the forest they scampered through day in and day out, as if his inner wolf was demanding that he carry a bit of his other life with him while masquerading as a normal human. She wanted to insult him, a penguin-themed jibe was at the tip of her tongue, but the words stuck in her mouth. It was hard to talk shit to someone who had chewed out Sam on her behalf.
Jacob sat down at the edge of Leah's unmade bed and patted the spot next to him. Leah didn't really want to sit down and chat but she figured he wanted to tell her about his late night conversation with their Alpha. She gingerly perched next to him and wondered how she would explain that she'd eavesdropped throughout the entire exchange.
"Listen to me," Jacob said, his eyes fixed on the floor. "Today will be awful. I can't deny it. I watched the girl I love at her wedding exactly a week ago. I was there by fucking choice and it still sucked..." Jacob trailed off and Leah again expected him to mention the argument with Sam but he didn't. He turned to her, face full of concern. "The worst will be if you look directly at either of them. Especially when they're looking at each other. You don't want to see that. If you have to be physically there, find a way not to be there in spirit."
"How am I going to get through a wedding without looking at the bride or groom?" Leah could see where Jacob was coming from, but his idea seemed less than practical. It was going to be like a car crash, she wouldn't be able to tear her eyes away.
"I'm going to sit at the second row from the front on the groom's side. Look across to me. If you get sick of looking at my face then look at Seth – he'll be in the very front row or look at Embry. He's going to be an usher and he'll be at the back. Look at us, but whatever you do don't look at them." He reached over and tipped her chin so that she met his eyes. "It'll help Leah. Promise me you'll try."
She paused, mulling over his words. "I'll try."
"Good" he gave her a tight lipped smile but it didn't reach his eyes. "Also, listen to the waves on the beach, the sound of seagulls...Quil farting... whatever you can focus on to stop you from hearing what anyone's saying."
Leah raised her eyebrow. "Not being able to look or listen sounds like a distinct way to end up falling over or missing a cue to walk. Is this some stupid plan you cooked up with Cameron and Lahote?" Leah saw the hurt on Jacob's face but she pretended not to notice. She didn't really think that he was spending much time with either Paul or Jared voluntarily (his disgust for imprinted wolves was almost as strong as her own), but Jacob's sudden helpfulness was strange and she felt instinctively distrustful.
"You're a werewolf Leah. You wouldn't fall over even if someone pushed you. Besides, you'll be looking at me - or Seth and Embry - so we'll indicate if you're about to do a face plant or something."
"What did you tell them?" Leah asked suspiciously. If Jake had enlisted a crew of people to emotionally babysit her then he would have had to tell them why.
"Nothing Leah. At least nothing about the Alpha Order. I know you want that kept under wraps." Leah wondered how Jacob knew that. She didn't remember telling him. "Believe it or not Leah there are plenty of people who realise that this is a hard day for you. Even without the wolf stuff."
Leah wasn't sure how to respond. She spent so much time hearing the resentment in Sam, Paul and Jared's head that she sometimes felt like she wasn't allowed to be hurt anymore. They thought she was an unreasonable bitter harpy and they thought it so often that it had become the conventional wisdom.
"My father knows though." Jacob added while standing. "He's not gonna blab." Leah wasn't surprised, Billy knew lots and said little.
"Kids! If we don't leave now we'll be late," Sue hollered.
They made their way down the stairs, and Leah noticed how heavily Jacob was leaning on the banister.
"Still hurting?" She asked.
"The bones are healing but for some reason all the muscles in my back feel really tense." Jacob replied. "I rang Dr Fang and he said it's pretty standard for back injuries. He asked about whether he should come to see us at my place tomorrow. Seeing as I'm not bedridden I'd prefer to go to their place if it's okay with you. That way we don't have to disinfect an entire house from the stench."
"Sure." Leah muttered. Tomorrow seemed like an unlikely prospect at this point. Her whole focus was on surviving the task ahead. Every step she took felt heavier and heavier. Seth held her hand in the car on the driver over to First Beach. Leah felt the sun shining on her face through the window seat. It was one of the most perfect summer days that she had ever seen. Not a cloud in the sky, and a light wind ruffling through the trees to keep them cool.
The universe is mocking me, Leah thought. Good weather was so rare in these parts, but somehow Sam and Emily had it for their wedding. It would no doubt reinforce their fervent belief that they were star crossed lovers, chosen for each other by the spirits.
Kim bounded over to the car before Sue had even finished parking and was tugging at Leah's hand. "Hey Lee, how great are the dresses? Doesn't everything look amazing?"
Leah swept her eyes over the six rows of white fold out chairs that had been set out on the beach with a small red-carpeted aisle in between them. At the end of the aisle was a makeshift floral arbour. Sam, Jared and Paul were already standing at the front waiting for Emily's big entrance. Everything looked beautiful. Simple but elegant. Just like she had always imagined it would.
She forgot everything that Jacob had told her and found herself staring adoringly at Sam. He always did scrub up well, but today he was something else. He had a fitted black suit that contoured his broad frame and a crisp white shirt underneath with a small red rose pinned to his lapel. His eyes were shining and he was smiling the eager and child-like smile that he had given her that day in that McDonalds oh so long ago - but he was staring right past her, eyes focussed on the small white tent that had been pitched off to the side to house the bridal party while they waited for guests to arrive.
Leah felt a physical pain in her chest, a sharp stab that curled around and twisted right down to her defunct womb until a sheet of green fabric clouded her view.
"Eyes on me chica, don't forget..." Jacob murmured softly so that Kim wouldn't be able to hear.
"Why are you helping me?" Leah said into his shirt.
"Lots of reasons." Jacob replied, "but let's just go with 'because I can'".
They stood there for a moment while Leah centred herself. Kim was still talking but Leah had tuned her out.
"Exactly like that," Jacob whispered. "Don't hear them... I have to sit down and you have to go and wait in the tent. I'll see you okay? The second you walk out..."
Leah nodded in assent and watched as Jacob sauntered down the red carpet.
Alone with Kim, she found herself panicking. She might have forgotten to breathe if not for Embry's warm hand on the small of her back guiding her along. "You look beautiful," he whispered in her ear. Leah groaned. There was something seriously wrong with Embry Call, not even a supermodel could pull off this dress. Still, his words brought her back to reality and she stepped into the tent.
"Leah," Emily shrieked, grabbing her in a hug. Leah made the same mistake all over again and looked into Emily's scarred but still impossibly beautiful face. Emily was the closest thing that Leah had ever had to a sister. As children they had been inseparable and shared toys and clothes and shoes. To be honest, there had only ever been one thing that Leah hadn't wanted to share with Emily. Leah's stomach clenched again. A thousand nasty comments skirted through her thoughts but they died on her tongue in the wake of Sam's order to make Emily happy. "I was so worried about you when Sam told me you got hurt," Emily continued.
Yep. I'm sure my pain has you tied up in knots, Leah thought. It was unbearable not to speak her mind.
"You ready ladies?" Embry called through the tent flap. Everybody but Leah squealed.
"Kim's going first, then Jade then you and then me" Emily babbled. Here are your flowers, she passed Leah a bouquet of wildflowers. Leah gritted her teeth remembering when she had told Emily that she thought they were much nicer than some of the fancy blooms people used. At least her dress is her own choice, she thought looking at the monstrosity Emily was draped in. She looked like a cream puff.
"Have you got all your 'somethings'?" Jade asked Emily.
Well let's see, Leah thought. I'm the old partner, she's the new, she's borrowed my life and I feel blue. She didn't listen to Emily's actual response. It was bad enough that she couldn't share the one in her head.
The music began and Emily ejected Kim from the tent, followed by Jade. Leah prepared to start walking, but just before she could, Emily leaned in and said "Thank you so much for being my maid of honour, Leah. You're the best friend I could ever ask for."
Leah mentally sent Emily a million bitch slaps, but found herself only managing a tight lipped attempt at a smile in response. It didn't surprise her that Sam hadn't told Emily what he had done, but it hurt that she couldn't even disclose the truth because her Alpha's directive was so broad: do your best to make her happy. It was a dangerous phrase for someone like Leah. When she was at her best she was unparalleled in her generosity of spirit and Sam had kept this in mind when formulating the words that made up the order that bound her so tightly now.
Leah made sure to keep her eyes to the ground as she started her walk down the red carpet. She lifted them slowly so that they travelled row by row to the one second from the front, to the huge giant of a man that was waving at her like a lunatic. He had his eyes crossed and his tongue hanging out of his mouth. He didn't quite make her laugh as he no doubt hoped, but his slapstick humour did the trick: the hard lines disappeared from her face.
When she made it to the front she spun quickly around to look at Jacob again. He nodded at her in encouragement and she allowed herself to circle her eyes along the outside of the row of chairs so that she could spot Embry at the back. He winked at her.
To someone not paying attention, Leah would have looked like any other guest turning their attention to the advancing bride, but Leah made sure not to look, not to see this very last strike against her dignity. She almost came undone when Emily reached the top of the aisle because Emily thrust her own bouquet into Leah's hands. The instinct to look up and make eye contact was strong and Leah had to force herself to pretend being busy rearranging the long train of Emily's gown. Leah hoped that Sam's order would not extend to her having to help Emily go to the bathroom.
The celebrant began to speak, welcoming everyone. Leah looked back to Jacob and he tapped at his ear. She bobbed her head to show she understood and began to listen to the sound of the waves crashing on the shore behind them. She inhaled and exhaled in rhythm with the water. She let her eyes dart across to Seth who gave her a thumbs-up.
Her success was short lived.
An irresistible sound cut through the hypnotic thrum of the waves and reached out to Leah. Sam's voice. Even with everything that had happened, his honeyed baritone still drew her like a moth to a flame. He was reciting his vows, his hand pressed against the scars on Emily's cheek as he viewed her with infinite tenderness.
The pain in her chest nearly brought Leah to her knees. A heart-shattering chaos of grief pierced her all over as she felt the tremors begin. She was going to fail. She was going to embarrass herself and expose the pack. Her body was going to explode. She was on the cusp of phasing when a demanding coughing and rustling sound distracted her. Jacob Black had pulled out a jumbo sized bag of M&Ms and was throwing large amounts down his throat and apparently choking on them. Without looking, Leah knew that Emily and Sam were glaring at him. Jacob was unfazed and offered a handful of candies to Billy who accepted them and, like Jacob, chewed loudly.
It was just enough to bring Leah back from the edge of madness.
She focussed again, listening to the ocean and glancing between Jacob, Seth and Embry. She thought about the feeling of the sun on her back. The next time she focussed on Jacob he was mouthing something at her. She put all her energy into reading his lips. He seemed to be saying the same thing over and over. By the time she realised that he was mouthing the words to 'Ninety nine bottles of beer on the wall', Sam and Emily had been pronounced man and wife and kissed, all without her having to see a second of it.
She had done it.
The bridal party were herded further out towards the shoreline for wedding photos. Leah felt Emily's arm clasping hers as they all squished together and posed. It was getting harder and harder to tune out Emily's chatter and Leah really didn't want Emily touching her right now. Or Ever. Not unless she could give Emily matching scars on the other side of her face. That kind of touching would really suit her at this point.
As if he had a sixth sense for impending pandemonium, Jacob Black was gesturing to her behind the photographer. She couldn't work out what he had done until she looked at his neck brace. On top of it he had placed a shiny tag that said "Fido" on it.
Leah laughed. A real throaty chuckle that relaxed her face and made her beautiful. It had never occurred to her that Jacob's injury meant that he was wearing a fucking collar. It was priceless. If only the photographer had been facing the other direction.
As fate would have it, the photo with Leah laughing was the best of the bunch. Nobody's eyes were closed and everyone was facing the camera man. It was the one that everyone ended up keeping in albums and on their walls. Nobody who looked at that picture could suggest that Leah was bitter or bitchy. The girl in that picture seemed... almost joyous. Leah was always grateful to Jacob for that.
Before Emily could attempt another round of bonding, Seth swept in to hug his cousin. In the flurry, Embry approached Leah and guided her to the tables that had been set up outside for the reception. Jacob was already waiting there.
"You're amazing" he said. "The ceremony and photos are done, now you just need to get through some eating and dancing and you can go home."
"And who doesn't love eating and dancing?" Embry asked.
Leah looked away from them not sure what to say. The day had been too much and she was running on empty and she would never ever be able to pay them back for how much they had helped her.
So she stayed quiet.
They didn't push her to say or do anything. Quil and Claire came and joined them and somebody brought her a plate of food from the buffet. It was surprisingly entertaining to watch Quil try and answer Claire's steady stream of questions including an inquiry about where clouds came from, followed up closely with a question about whether Quil was married to Embry.
"Yes. It's just like Bert and Ernie," Jacob told her, which oddly seemed to make complete sense to the little girl.
Somehow, Seth managed to convince her that she needed to help Quil take Claire to the bathroom at the exact time that Sam and Emily shared their first dance. By the time she returned to the celebration, the dance floor was full of rowdy werewolves doing the nutbush. Rachel and Paul came up to greet her and Rachel babbled about how they should 'catch up' now that she was home. Leah wondered what that meant. Paul already knew everything about her, which meant Rachel did as well. There couldn't be much that she needed to catch up on. Paul was oddly silent while Rachel spoke and Leah made a mental note to have a good stickybeak in his mind the next time she got a chance. Sheltered behind a wall of Embry, Quil and Seth, Leah joined in on the Macarena and YMCA. Jacob watched Claire. He said he didn't mind because his neck was still giving him trouble.
The music shifted to a slower song and the boys all seemed to be pulled at simultaneously from different directions. Jade had asked Embry to dance. Quil was attending to a crying Claire. Sue was dancing with Seth.
Leah's face reddened as she realised that she was alone on the dance floor with the kind of song that one couldn't dance alone to. She was about to make a mad dash for the seating area when a large pair of hands landed on her hips. Leah looked up into Jacob's smiling face.
"You owe me at least one dance, Clearwater." She stiffened. It was a relief not to be on her own like a loser but she wasn't sure she felt like slow dancing with anyone. Unfortunately, she could see Sam and Emily chatting to Quil and Claire at their table.
"Try not to step on my feet," she scoffed, deciding that dancing was the least-worst option.
"So cruel to the injured man," he chastised her. "Sorry about the weight," he added as he leaned on her slightly.
"I'll forgive you if you put the fido tag back on," she quipped.
"I guess I'll have to stay on your bad side," he shrugged.
They swayed softly to the song. It was actually one of Leah's favourites.
Jacob began to sing the lyrics as they moved and his hot breath tickled against her neck. "I'd go hungry I'd go black and blue, I'd go crawling down the avenue," he crooned.
"Fat chance of you ever going hungry. You're the only person I know who would bring snacks to a wedding," Leah joked.
"I'm a growing boy Lee, afternoon weddings are a challenge for my deprived digestive system," Jacob grinned and continued with the melody to the song.
"You know all the words," Leah observed.
"Yeah, I prefer the Bob Dylan version though." Jacob replied.
"Really? Adele's is so much sweeter. You don't think the Bob Dylan version is harsh and scratchy?" Leah felt strange admitting to liking a pop ballad.
Jacob paused, considering her question. "It is harsh and scratchy... but that doesn't make it any less beautiful. It's the version I grew up with and it's the one I like best." He tucked a loose wisp of hair behind her ear "Spin," he commanded and he twirled her around.
"Now you," she said, raising her hand. Jacob spun around obligingly. She could hear Quil laughing in the distance.
Jacob pressed his check against hers so he could whisper into her ear as the song came to an end. "We're almost done Lee. They're not doing speeches so it's just the cake, the flowers and the garter. After that, I'm going to remind everyone of my fragile state and make an early exit. Can you drive me and Billy? My car's still at your place."
Leah looked at him gratefully. "Sure, I could do that," she said.
Leah watched most of the pack eat at least four slices of cake. Rachel caught the bouquet and Jared caught the garter which meant that Paul nearly ripped Jared to shreds as he awkwardly tried to place it on Rachel's leg. In an almost exaggerated display, Jacob let out a loud yawn and complained that his neck was hurting. Leah then offered to drive him and Billy back to their car. No one seemed to think she was making an inappropriate escape. Sam and Emily were in the middle of talking to Old Quil and they left without saying goodbye.
"Fuck 'em," Jacob shrugged.
When they had reached Leah's house and moved Billy from her car to Jacob's, Jacob reached out and squeezed her hand briefly.
"What you did today Leah was nothing short of a miracle. You shouldn't have had to do it... and I'm sorry for that. We could all kill a million vamps and we wouldn't be the warrior you are." Before she could reply, he swept her into a bone crushing hug and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead. "Night Leah," he called as he slipped into the rabbit.
She stood there for a long time in the dark after his car rounded the bend, wondering if she would have been able to survive at all if he hadn't helped her so very much.