Author's Note- Ok so whoa. 4 chapters in one day. Yay! I'm trying to get to the core plot as soon as possible. My OC's will be in either the next chap, or the one following. I get a lot of q's about that. Don't worry, they'll be here! The whole story will take a different turn when they do.

Anyway, enjoy this chapter. Song is 'Get Out of My Face' by Saving Abe. -Reese

Disclaimer- I do not own any of the original characters. They belong to Stephenie Meyer.

Chapter 6 – Peace of Mind

I woke up the next morning with Embry on top of me. Oh shit. I really hope Seth isn't home. He'll flip if he walks into this. I rolled Embry over and sat up. Oh hi little Embry. Well, I should really say not-so-little-Embry. No wonder I came so quick. Damn. He was very blessed in his nether regions. I broke my little penis trance and got up to throw on my robe. I opened my bedroom door and peeked around. No Seth in the hallway. Good sign, potentially. I slipped into the bathroom and took a shower.

When I shut the water off and slid the curtain back, Embry was leaning against the sink. Naked. I let out a small scream before I slapped my chest in relief.

"Asshole. You scared the crap out of me." He just grinned. Smug bastard.

"Why are you taking a shower without me?" he asked.

"Em, look… We need to talk about what happened…" I trailed off. He just chuckled and kissed my forehead.

"No we don't. I already told you. I'm here whenever you need me. I'm not going to overstay my welcome, whether that's to your bed or just to this house. I understand Leah. No strings attached. Ok?"

I sighed in relief. "Embry, you're amazing."

"In bed? Yeah I knew that." He grinned.

"Cocky shit." I threw my loofah at him. He ducked and it missed. I got out of the shower and almost slipped, but Embry's strong arms were there to catch me. I looked up at him sheepishly. "Thanks."

"At your service." He said as he popped a kiss on my lips then slipped out of the bathroom. I followed him into my room to find him already pulling on his shorts. I just laughed.

"What?" he half-grinned at his own question.

"Nothing. It's just surprising you can fit that massive dick in a pair of shorts." I replied as I walked into my closet. I heard his laughter as I pulled on a pair of lace panties. He came to the door of the closet as I leaned over to open my bottom drawer.

"What can I say? I've been blessed. Nice ass. I love this view." He cocked his head to the side. I straightened and turned to face him. I gave him a sarcastic smirk before I flipped him off. "Oh, baby, I would, but Seth will be home any minute." He walked out of the room.

I pulled on the denim shorts and left them unbuttoned while I pulled on another bikini top and rummaged through some drawers for a tank. When I had a tank on, I went downstairs to make breakfast. I saw Embry standing in the living room looking down at the table smiling.

"Em? What is it?" I asked, concerned. He looked up at me.

"Our popcorn went stale." We both laughed. I walked towards the kitchen and started to make breakfast. I opened the pantry.

"Eggs? Or pancakes?" I called to Embry as I heard the front door open and a voice call out.

"Pancakes!"

"Seth!" I ran to the hallway to see Seth walk through the door. Not far behind him was Jake. The smile on my face faltered, but I reestablished it before Seth noticed.

"Hi Lees." He came and scooped me into a hug. I squeezed him back as I watched Jake. He was watching us with amused eyes. Behind him, I could see Embry leaning in the doorway to the living room, smiling.

"Man, all we need is Quil and it's a pack reunion." I said.

"Oh, he's on his way over. Jake said we need to have a pack meeting, because of the newborn running around." Seth chimed.

Good to know, I thought. "Ok. Well then I'd better get started on breakfast. You boys go watch TV." I ushered Seth and Jake past Embry who just watched, amused, with that same loving smile on his face. I smiled back at him. "What?"

"Nothing" he mumbled. "You're just beautiful" I blushed "and you don't even realize it."

"Em…" I trailed off, motioning to Jacob, who sat next to Seth, watching our interaction.

"This should light a fire under his ass" he said as he moved us against the opposite wall where Seth couldn't see, but Jake sure as hell could. He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close for a passionate kiss that left me dizzy. He let me go and winked at me as I tried to regain control of my thoughts. The front door opened suddenly and Quil walked in.

"Hey guys!" Quil said as he shut the door. I smiled at him and asked what he wanted for breakfast. After getting Quil's order, I walked into the kitchen to start making food. A short time later, with my hands elbow deep in fried eggs and bacon, I heard someone enter the kitchen. Too busy to turn around and see who it was, I waited for them to speak. Instead I was greeted by large muscular arms snaking around my waist. I smiled.

"Embry! Shame on you. With the guys in the other room? They'll kill us" I stated as I felt lips on my neck. I started to turn to face him. "Especially Jac-" I stopped dead in my tracks. The arms around my waist didn't belong to Embry. They belonged to Jacob. I froze as he just looked at me and let me go.

"Yeah, I thought so." He said as he leaned on the counter on the other wall. "I knew something was going on with you two."

"Jacob, it's not what you think." I tried to explain.

"Oh really Le? Then what is it?" he challenged.

"It's just…" I stopped. Did I really want to admit to him that I used Embry? His best friend?

"Ahh, that's what I thought. Your eggs are ruined, Leah." He said as he walked out. I just stared at him. I caught the double meaning, whether he meant it or not. I turned back to the stove and picked up the pan with the eggs in it and heaved it at the wall next to where he just walked out.

I'm not the man you want of me

I'm not the same I used to be

I think for myself now

I don't need you in my ear

I'd love to hit you in the face

I'd love to know you've gone away

I don't wanna see you again

I hope you can understand me

Get out of my face

Get out of my sight

Get out of my head and give me back my peace of mind

I don't understand why you think you

Can do the things you can't

So get out of my face

Get out of my sight

Get out of my head and give me back my peace of mind

My peace of mind

I sat there and huffed for a second before Embry came rushing in.

"Lee, what happened? You ok?" he asked quickly. He turned to see the pan and burnt eggs on the floor, then looked back at me as the tears that burned my eyes fell. He came over to me and brought his arms around me. "What happened hun?"

I quickly told him what happened, what Jake had done and said, and how I threw the pan. He just looked shocked by Jake's actions as I cried and my pancakes burned. Embry sat me down at the small kitchen table and went over to finish breakfast for me. When I finally gathered my wits, Embry had finished the food, and together we brought the heaping plates of food to the guys in the living room.

"Pack meeting." Jake said as he glared at me. Everyone ate while Jake filled us in on what was going on with the vamp. "So apparently, Paul and Jared were doing patrols last night during the storm and had a face-to-face encounter with the leech. It got away, and it headed towards Forks, which is why we're all here. We're staying here until we find this thing and kill it."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. My house, remember? You can't just barge in and take over!" I argued. Jake simply stared at me before he spoke in a very matter-of-factly tone.

"I'm you're Alpha, remember?" Talk about getting shut down. I grumbled something in response. Jake leaned forward a bit. "Hey, you followed me. It was your choice, not mine."

"Whatever."

"Ok. Oh and my dad just informed me that an old family is moving back to the reservation sometime next week. Apparently they moved away like 14 years ago, but they're back now. 2 kids, I guess in our age ranges. I don't think we have to worry about them, they won't be part of our inner circle."

The meeting continued, and then the guys watched TV while Seth helped me with the dishes. He wordlessly picked up the pan I had thrown and cleaned egg off the floor and the wall. He was humming as he dried the pans and put them away. I was glad I had such a cheery little brother lately.

There was another storm rolling in that night. Around 8, after a whole day with the guys pent up in the house, I was exhausted, so I headed to bed early. Seth and Quil went in to Seth's room to play computer games, and thusly Jake and Embry were left alone. I'm not exactly sure what happened, seeing as I was informed of all this around 10 when Embry knocked on my door.

"What!" I yelled at the intrusion. Embry poked his head in and smiled at me. I rolled my eyes. "What do you want Bry?"

He walked in and shut the door behind him, and then he slid under the covers to spoon with me. "I talked to Jake," he whispered in my ear "I explained to him that nothing serious is going on between us; that it's more just a need and support thing." He said as he nibbled my earlobe. I turned around to face him, and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"You did that?"

"Of course, Leah. I told you I'm always here for you. Jake said he doesn't hate you; that he feels bad for what happened earlier. He told me to ask if you were awake that you go talk to him." I groaned.

"No, I just want sleep!"

"Come on, Lee. He's really torn up." Bry looked at me with those eyes and I finally sighed and sat up.

"Fine. Move." He rolled out of my way and I walked to the door.

"Umm, Leah?"

"What?" I snarled.

"Maybe you should put some clothes on." I looked down and realized I was naked. Houseful of boys. Brother. Jacob. No thanks.

"Oh. Right." I walked over to where my satin pajama set laid on the floor and threw those on. I heard Embry cough a bit but I ignored him. I walked out the door and down the stairs. Jacob was laying on the couch watching Man vs. Wild. What an idiot. I chuckled. "Hey." I said quietly from the doorway.

Jake's head shot up to look at me, and his eyes widened when he took in my pajamas. "Hey."

"You wanted to see me?" I asked, not wanting to get any closer, but he just sat up and swiveled, patting the couch next to him for me to come sit. I walked over and plopped down next to him. He took the blanket and lifted it up so I could get under it. I cozied up next to him and he wrapped his arm around me.

"Leah, I'm sorry. I've been a jerk lately. I don't know what got into me."

"Jake, it's ok. I'm the one that should be sorry. I said all those horrible things to you back in the forest."

"No, it's fine. I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions about you and Embry." He leaned his forehead on mine. I smiled faintly.

"Jacob, seriously. It's ok. Can we just be friends? I hate fighting with you."

"Leah Clearwater hates a fight with an Alpha? What?" he laughed as I punched his shoulder. "I'm kidding."

"I'm just glad you're ok. When Seth told me what happened, I…"

"No, Leah, don't think about that, Seth and I—" He was cut off by a loud crashing noise. We scrambled to our feet as we raced towards the sound. It had come from the back porch. I could hear Embry and Quil behind us as we ran through the house towards the back. Seth was clamoring down the stairs.

Jake saw it first. I know he did, because he threw his arm out to stop me, but when Embry came up next to him, Jake let him pass. And then I saw it too. In the flashes of lightning, the creature was squatted on the rug on the porch, leaning over some small bleeding animal. It looked up at us and I could see the red pupils.

"Newborn" I whispered. It hissed as if it heard, and the fat tabby cat it was devouring hung limply from its jaws. That was Miss Ellsworth's cat Jingles. Poor Miss Ellsworth.

The newborn turned and jumped out the torn screen door he had come through. Instinctively, we all ran forward to chase it. I got to the door before Jacob turned to me and said "No. Stay here." Without enough time to argue, they were out into the rain and phased into the woods.

What the fuck was the point in being a wolf, the Beta wolf, if I had to stay home? Too frustrated to argue, I walked out into the rain to pick up their tattered clothes. I threw them into the laundry room and walked up stairs to grab shorts from Seth's room for Quil and Seth. Then I went to the linen closet where I had started keeping extra clothes for the other two. Once I had enough, I walked back downstairs into the porch area and left them there. I then picked up a tabby cat thigh off the ground and tossed it. I walked out to the garage to get the carpet cleaner to get rid of the blood. I heard the screen door open, and, excited that the boys were back so soon, I raced over to see what happened.

I found myself staring into cold, bright crimson eyes.