He was losing time. It was a disorienting thought to wake up and be completely unaware of what you did the night before. Or whose blood you're wearing.

He remembers going to sleep next to his imprint, in their house, in their bed, and yet he's found himself waking up naked and alone in the leaves and the dirt on the forest floor.

God, he hoped he was still on the Rez.

Panic rises in the shifter's chest as he looks down and sees that the blood on his hands extends in splashes up his arms and across his chest. It also seemed like it one point it trickled down his legs as well. He stood quickly, looking around frantic for the source on the blood. There was not a cut on him, he fought something, potentially killed something. Or someone.

A grimace covers his features, and he doesn't need a mirror to know that his skin is pulling tight because his face must be covered in the dried copper liquid. He's sticky all over, skin tight, feeling like someone dipped him in paint. The nausea and panic is a violent mix inside him, almost making him feel like he's on the edge of passing out. He lightly sniffs the air following the putrid metallic smell and only then does he feel the tiniest tinge of relief.

About ten feet away sits a mutilated black bear, and the sight is enough to cause bile to rise up the shifter's throat. At least it wasn't human. Its throat had been torn open, part of its jaw missing. Blood covered it and the surrounding vegetation, most likely coming from the fact its belly was clawed open. One of nature's fiercest creatures reduced to nothing more than string cheese.

The shifter buckled over at the waist, vomiting on the ground. Once finished he fell back onto his ass, one hand over his eyes and the other on his chest as quick shallow bursts of air left his chest. He was hyperventilating, strangled cries leaving his throat as panicked tears ran down his face. The shifter was shaking like a leaf and no matter what he tried he couldn't still his shaking hands.

What else might he have done?

Leah

"Nothing."

Jake came through the front door, yanking his black Henley over his head. "I ran the whole area this morning and I still only smell pack."

Three days had passed since the moment in the woods. Leah still felt like her skin was crawling out in public sometimes but they had yet to actually find anything. The she-wolf bit her lip as her lover collapsed on the couch next to her. "Maybe it's gone?"

As if they'd ever be so fucking lucky.

She watched as he sighed and looked at her. "I'll check everyday if needed, just to be sure. I don't like you feeling unsafe. And don't even lie and say you're fine, I see you looking behind you and in shadows at night. You're even locking the door, which has never been done in this house."

Her cheeks burned slightly on her russet skin. She didn't think it was that obvious. She also knew locking the door was silly, whatever they were dealing with could probably just break it down. She shook her head and smirked attempting to lighten the mood. "Maybe we should go with Embry's theory; a hiker got lost and just got an excellent show."

He rolled his eyes, but the worried look didn't really leave her lover's face. It was her turn to sigh as she shifted slightly, curling into the curve of his side "Well you know what that means, you're just never going home to your own bed again."

That finally got a grin from the alpha, "You trying to keep me in your bed, Clearwater?"

"I'd say it's a lot more favorable than me kicking you out of it."

A satisfied smile befell her lips as she felt his chest rumble with laughter. It was sappily becoming her one of her favorite noises. Suddenly feeling much giddier and more light-hearted, Leah moved to straddle the alpha's waist, catching him by surprise. He cocked his eyebrow at her, a bemused smirk on his lips, but she kissed him before he had the chance to ask her anything. She always felt better and stronger with Jake around and close, and for a moment she wanted him to feel that with her too.

The thing was however, Leah never wanted to be dependent on a man again. Sure as shit not after Sam. Jake however repeatedly turned Leah on her head and broke every rule she ever made for her heart. The more she felt she needed him, the more she had the ability to stand alone. He built her up, made her better. It was different to have someone around because she wanted them there and not because she couldn't survive without them. Instead, Leah was getting the best encouragement, affection, and adoration she could ever want. She was completely in love with being loved.

God when did she turn into such a fucking Hallmark Christmas Special?

It was an overwhelming realization, that hit her like a sucker punch to the gut. Leah knew Jacob could smell the salty water on her cheeks. She broke apart the kiss, breathing heavy, framed his face with her smaller hands. "Thank you so much for loving me Jacob Black." Her voice was too soft, almost too light to even be considered a whisper. Later when her emotions evened back out she'd probably deny even saying it. There was definitely confusion in his eyes, but it was laced with the love that she knew would be there when he looked at her. He didn't verbally respond to her though, but then again, he easily said everything he needed when he kissed her next.

Their movements were slow and lazy, not caring how much time passed while they made out like teenagers on the couch. Calloused finger tips snaked up her shirt to the tender, ticklish spot of her ribs. A giggle escaped her lips into the kiss and she squirmed out of his touch. His hands quickly moved to anchor her hips in place. "Ah ah ah," He teased, "Not so fast."

"I'm not above beating your ass." She threatened half-heartedly, laughing at the grin on her alpha's face.

"You can try." He growled. Without warning, Jake flipped them, and Leah's back hit the sofa. He was kissing her once more, but this time one hand slipped past the waist band of her shorts causing her to gasp. He knew her better than she wanted to admit, and his fingers were quick to make her feel a tingling beginning to spread all over. Soft mewling left her lips as she threw her head back and to the side breaking the kiss. He pushed her t shirt up to her shoulders and her bralette up over her breasts and used his free hand to massage one breast while his lips blew softly on the other erect nipple. "You gonna cum for me baby?" She wanted to respond, but instead all he got were the whimpers she couldn't hold back. It however seemed to be what he wanted and his hand left her breast and found the mark on her shoulder undoing her completely. Thighs coming together, clinching around his fingers, back arching, and biting her lip to keep from completely crying out, she gave in, melting back into the sofa.

He kissed her once more as she came back down, legs spasming as attempted to regain control of her body. He sat back on his heels, still over her looking down with a smug grin. She narrowed her eyes and sat up with a smirk, palming the bulge tenting in his basketball shorts. "You don't have to." He assured, cheeks flushed, flipping back to the overly sweet and sensitive Jake she loved. How this angelic man held the fact he was a sexual deviant under wraps for so long blew her mind.

"I want to." She whispered. He let her push him back on to the couch and lifted his hips for her to pull her his shorts down his thighs. He sprang free, ready for her. She kissed him before moving her lips further south.

The sound of a car door slamming had the pair freezing all together. Leah's eyes widened to a comical level and she quickly scrambled off the couch to straighten her clothes. Voices were heard approaching the door and Leah looked from the disgruntled alpha's face and they together looked down to the shorts still at his knees. Jacob caught up quickly, thank god, and stood to put them back where they belong and disappeared up the stairs. Leah frantically righted the couch cushions and just as she sat to 'act causally' on the couch the front door opened.

"Hey Lee!" Seth called cheerily. "Look who I found in the drive way!"

"In the living room!" She called back and soon her brother and a very pregnant Rachel with toddler in tow were coming in to join her.

"Uh, hey guys? Did I forget something?" Her confusion and mental run of her calendar only increased as Paul came through the door loaded down with grocery bags.

"Nope!" Rachel replied. "We ran into Seth at the store and he said you all didn't have plans tonight, so impromptu family dinner it is! Carson don't put your fingers in your mouth" Rachel corrected without ever taking her eyes off Leah's. The affronted toddler gave his mother a look that Leah remembered Rebecca possessing as a child.

Leah nodded, the idea didn't seem half bad. Before she could comment, Seth spoke up, as he moved up the stairs."I'm supposed to change and go pick up Julie and Billy. Mom and Charlie should be here soon."

"I'm assuming my brother is here, judging by that monstrosity he calls a truck out front?" Rachel asked, moving to carefully sit in the recliner.

"Hush, you'll only hurt her feelings." Jake chided front the door way, " 'Sides, She's a beauty."

Leah watched him leaning against the doorway, basketball shorts low on his hips, and Henley back over his chest. His hair was wet, and Leah could bet it was icy cold. An easy smile graced his face, despite what they were interrupted doing only moments before. Jake's eyes drifted to hers, catching her checking him out. His smile became more of grin, and he offered a quick wink.

Rachel rolled her eyes, completely oblivious to the blush that's creeping across Leah's face. "It's creating its own hole in the O-Zone layer."

"Oh excuse me, Bill Nye." Jake taunted back, moving to the couch next to Leah.

A silence fell over the group, the only noises to be heard coming from Carson pretending to be an airplane and Paul unpacking bags in the kitchen.

"So are we just gonna sit here and pretend that you all didn't have a 'coming-out' moment worthy of a 2000s romcom the other night?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Leah asked, in an attempt of playing naivety.

"Don't play me." Rachel never really was one to back down. "Look, I'm not saying I'm surprised or not happy for you all or anything, cause let's get real you've been dancing around each other for literal years. You could've given your girl a heads up though 'cause I would've loved a picture of Sam Uley's face."

"Rachel!" Leah half-heartedly chided, laughing.

"And what in the hell did Emily want? I heard from Kim that she was already trashed when they walked in."

"Damn you're batting a hundred today!" Leah's laughter slowly died down as she continued, "She wanted to invite us to a party."

"Christ. Of course she did." Rachel rolled her eyes. "Mark my words, that bitch is up to something."

"I think she's just lonely."

Both women turned to look at Jake with raised eyebrows. His eyes widened, as if sensing he entered a lioness den, "I mean it's doesn't like a think-shrink to tell she's depressed."

"So she gets to try to ruin Leah's happiness? A-fucking-gin? Just cause she's unhappy. 'Mkay." Rachel fired back, eyes narrowed.

Leah's vindictive little heart swelled slightly. Rachel wasn't around when everything went down between Sam, Leah, and Emily last time, but boy she was livid when she found out. Out of everyone that heard Leah's own version of a Passions she was the only one that wasn't angry at Leah for her reaction to it all. She was angry for Leah.

"Calm down, Momma Wolf." Leah chuckled, eyes twinkling with appreciation for her oldest friend, "I don't think she's gonna try and ruin anything."

"Well at least you got invited to the party." Rachel sniffed, nose in the air.

"Be my plus one?" Leah asked while Jake snorted at the same time, "You don't even like her."

Paul chose that moment to surface from the kitchen, leaning in the doorway. "Oh yeah, babe, we're expected at Sam's for a party Emily is throwing."

Rachel rolled her eyes and huffed at her husband. "Yeah cause she's still to chickenshit to talk directly to my face."

A comfortable silence settled over the group as they waited for the others to arrive. A pleasant silence that only someone like Paul would be tactless enough to ruin.

"Hey," He sniffed before a snarky grin snaked over his face, "It totally smells like sex in here."

—-

Dinner was one of the best Leah remembered having in a while. The food was unremarkable and nothing exciting happened, but Leah still hadn't shook that comfortable feeling from earlier so it was great to have all the puzzle pieces to her heart at the same table. Leah didn't know Julie very well, but she was a sweet kid and made Seth happy and that was all that really mattered to her. Paul, Billy, and Charlie stepped out back to have a beer, Rachel took Carson upstairs to have the fussy toddler lie down in Seth's bed, and Sue assigned Seth and Julie on washing and drying dishes while she put away the food.

That left Leah and her alpha to wait in the living room for everyone to finish up. Jake let out a large yawn collapsed into the open lazy boy recliner. She watched him, brow raised, as he regarded her with half lidded eyes and patted his thigh for her to sit. Leah rolled her eyes and smiled as she gave in and climbed into his lap. He then pulled the lever and their bodies shifted so they were fully reclined, Jake's feet hanging off the end. Cradled to his chest, Leah chuckled.

"You can't go to sleep yet you know."

"Hm." He grunted, moving his head back, his arms pulling tighter around the she-wolf. "Sure sure. Just resting my eyes."

Warm, happy, and full, Leah too felt herself being lulled to sleep. She closed her eyes and nuzzled further into the Alpha's chest. A little tiny nap wouldn't hurt.

"I swear, those two are absolutely ridiculous."

"I think it's sweet."

Between the voices and the flash of a camera, Leah was beginning to wake up to crowd in the living room. Despite the noise she fought it for a little while longer and refused to wake up.

"Should we wake them?"

"Hell, I'll do it." A male voice answered.

Leah felt the hand touch her shoulder before she registered the screaming. It happened in a fluid moment and the next thing she knew she was sitting on the floor and it was very loud.

"NO PAUL, DON'T!"

She blinked away the sleep to see her mother, step-father, and Billy staring wide eye near the wall, and Seth was shoving Rachel and Julie from the room. Everyone was screaming for Jacob to stop.

The alpha was a dominating presence, felt by even the humans. Leah was flashed back to weeks ago when it was Embry that was pinned in Paul's place. Jake was straddling Paul, a horrible snarling sight, with one hand by Paul's head and the other on his throat. He wasn't pressing down, but the threat was clear.

Leah moved closer, stopping when the golden irises of the alpha stared back at her instead of Jake's chocolate brown. "Submit."

The alpha command was clear and Leah gasped as she dropped to her knees involuntarily, eyes to the ground. A whimper from across the room told Leah that Seth had done the same.

This wasn't the same as it was with Embry. That was prior to the bites on their shoulders, prior to the claim of mate. Jacob was only fighting to impress her wolf before. This, however, was about dominance and territory and Paul was of the Uley Pack. If Paul didn't play this right, it was only asking to end in violence and bloodshed.

It did not seem Paul was going down without a fight. Everyone knew Paul growing up and the plethora of issues that went on in the Lahote household .They all knew Paul had a issue with authority and that Paul's dad had a mean right hook. He wasn't going to take this lightly. The smaller wolf clawed at Jake's hand and was visibly shaking as he fought the Alpha wolf's hold. "Get off me man!"

"SUBMIT!" Jacob roared, the commanding growl eliciting a cry from the peanut gallery at the door. Leah felt the tug at her muscles, blood pumping loudly in her ears, and her head swiftly turned to the side exposing her neck. Seth was in a similar predicament. And finally…Paul joined them.

It was like a sonic boom rippled through the room that only Pack could see. It left a power surge in its place, and internally Leah's wolf was howling with excitement. Brimming at the surface. Itching to be out to run. Something felt more right and without Quil and Embry being present or any of them being in wolf form she knew they could feel it too. The rightful Alpha has called another home to the pack.

The Alpha sat back on his heels, chest heaving as his pack bared their necks in respect. Leah watched his eyes dull form bright gold, to gold and hazel, until finally the dark brown that she had come to love. The wolf was placated and all that remained at the surface was the man. The weight of the alpha order thankfully disappeared with it.

Leah watched the panic flood his features and he quickly scrambled off Paul and on his butt, scooting away. Leah quickly crawled to him, her hands framing his face. "Hey, Hey! Come back to me. You're ok. I'm ok. Paul is ok. I need you to breathe Jacob."

His eyes were frantic, looking everywhere but Leah's face. In the corner of her eye, she was Seth peeling a shell-shocked Paul from the floor with Rachel hovering nearby. Leah slowed her breathing and demanded Jake to copy. "Come on, handsome. Breathe in. Now breathe out. In. Out. You can do it."

Soon he copied and finally left out a long shuddered breath before pulling her body to his and burying his face in her hair.

"Paul are you alright?" Leah spoke without taking her eyes from the alpha, her voice clear and firm.

"Yeah, I'm good." He mumbled, complying without difficulty. It was out of character for Paul and made Leah frown, but her entire focus at the moment was on the anxious Alpha.

As if they didn't have problems before, things were definitely fucked now.