Obviously, I don't own Twilight or the characters. There is not copyright infringement intended. This is just for fun.
Please review... This is my first story.
Don't Worry... There will be more lemons... Patience is a virtue...
Chapter 8
Leah POV
I had become good at hiding what I was really feeling from both myself and the pack. I had watched him be tormented by Bella for too long, and when she had married that bloodsucker, it broke him in more ways that I could ever imagine. That night, the night of her death, I was secretly happy. I sat outside the Cullen home, watching was was transpiring though the large glass windows.
Rosalie carrying the infant, cooing at it lovingly. A few minutes later, I saw Jake walking slowly down the stairs, toward the living room. He looked as if his world had ended. I felt my heart ache to be near him, to comfort him and hold him.
There was a moment I saw the look of resolve in his face as he walked over behind Rosalie and the baby. I stood up, ready to lunge into the living room if he did what I thought he was going to do, ready to fight off the vampires as they attacked him. No way I was going to let him fight alone. Just as he reached for the baby, Emmett appeared behind him and grabbed his shoulder, forcing him to turn around.
Jake looked at him for a split second and then ran out the door. He phased mid-air, shedding his clothes as he ran into the woods. I followed, struggling to keep my thoughts clear. I'm so sorry, Jake I thought, ready to follow him to the ends of the earth is he asked.
***
Meeting Naya, Carolyn, and Gale was not expected. I had no clue that there was anything else like us out there... It was kind of refreshing knowing that we aren't the only ones dealing with the drama of being a shifter. It was nice until that moment when I heard Jake admiring Naya's form as she walked away. My stomach churned, knowing that I didn't look like that, and he would never see me in that way.
That night I pretended to read Pride and Prejudice as he stared into space. We were close on the couch, almost close enough to touch. I ached to reach my hand over and just brush it along his russet skin. When he exited with her, I wanted to scream at him to stop, to tell him how I felt. But instead I just stood up and wandered to the bedroom that had been assigned to the girls. I was glad they wouldn't be able to sleep in the same bed. I knew she was attracted to him, I mean, who wouldn't be, right?
I lay in bed, tossing and turning, waiting to hear them come back. Suddenly the door opened, and Naya walked in. She sat on the corner of the other bed. I pretended to sleep. I could smell him on her, and it made me sick to my stomach. He had kissed her... Probably more... My imagination began to run wild as I heard another door shut, and Gale's voice telling Carolyn to wait for him in the living room. The door creaked open again, and he entered the bedroom. I shut my eyes tighter, glad I was facing away from the door.
"Are you checking up on me now, Gale?" Naya hissed at him, obviously angry about something. "I am a grown woman, and I don't appreciate you spying on me..."
"Naya... Don't do this. Think it over... I can't do this anymore. I love you. I have always loved you, and when I saw you kissing him like that... I nearly lost it.... " He paused, "How do you expect me to sit idly by and watch you toy with that boys heart, knowing that you are bound to me? If I wanted to I would forbid it... I could command you to stop!" He sounded more angry, and I secretly hoped that he did.
"You won't do that Gale. You won't take this chance from me. Even if we can't be together, I am allowed to have a little fun... God knows how you spend your nights... " Her voice trailed off, accusing.
Gale growled, deep and low in his chest. I heard him grab at her, and she gasped, starting to protest, but it was cut short. The sounds of desire replaced them. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. The hussy had just kissed MY Jacob and now was doing God-knows-what with this guy?
The kissing noises stopped, and I heard Gale leave the room. Naya sighed.
"If you are awake, Leah, please don't tell Jake about this... I really do like him... " She whispered. I pretended to sleep, making up my mind to tell him the first chance I got.
***
The next morning was a whirlwind, Naya was anxious to get me out of the house and away from Jacob. She knew I would tell him, ruining her chances of seduction. When Carolyn suggested a shopping trip with just girls, she jumped at it, not giving me a chance to protest.
Now, I sat in the back of her Volkswagen, heading towards a shopping mall. I sighed... I didn't even have any money with me. We parked, Naya turned to me and handed me an envelope.
"Here... I know you don't have any cash... so this should be enough to buy something nice for tonight. We are going out to club for some dancing and drinks. It is going to be so much fun!" Her words didn't sound very excited.
The moment we walked into the mall, Naya and Carolyn broke away from me, walking in completely separate directions. I wandered aimlessly for a while, not knowing whether I should spend that money or not. I sat on a bench, watching people walk by. There was a young couple with a baby sitting at the bench across from me, they looked so happy. They would casually touch each other, laughing and joking.
I felt a surge of resolve wash over me. I was going to fight for him. I stood up and turned around, walking with a purpose this time, towards the store I had saw all the dresses in the window. I would make a play for him tonight... and he would notice me. I would make sure of it.
***
The dress I picked was black, shorter that I would normally wear. It had a halter top, which exposed my back. Surprisingly it fit me well, and I was surprised how feminine it made me look and feel. I added a pair of strappy silver heals, and I was suddenly a girl.
I still had money to spend, so I decided to treat myself to a haircut and style. The stylist cut my long, brown hair up to my shoulders, in a bob that was longer in the front that the back. It was cute, I decided, framing my face and accenting my cheekbones. I was ready to make a play for him.
I noticed the time on the clock as I was paying the stylist. It was time to meet the girls and head out to the club. I was feeling confident in my new dress, until I saw her standing there in stilettos and a red mini-skirt. My confidence wavered, and I knew it was going to be a bigger fight than I expected.
***
The club was packed, I had perched myself at the bar, close enough that I could see when they walked in the door. I wanted to get to him first, I had to. That was the only way this would work. If he saw her before me, I was done for. I was sipping some sort of fruity concoction that Carolyn had suggested. And then, out of nowhere there he was, in a pair of tight fitting jeans and a black button down shirt. I stood up and walked through the crowd, trying to reach him.
Gale handed him a drink and he took a sip, making a face. I smiled to myself. "Now or never, Leah... " I muttered to myself and I took the last few steps toward him. Suddenly he smiled really big and turned away from me.
I stopped dead in my tracks as he followed Naya up the stairs like a love-drunk puppy. Naya saw me out of the corner of her eye and she smiled. She knew she had won. I turned around, suddenly lost and self-conscious in this pulsating room. I walked back to the bar and took my seat at the bar stool.
"Can I get you something?" The bartender eyed me, trying to flirt with his eyes.
"Yeah... " I muttered, " A shot of something really strong... " He placed a small glass of a a tawny clear liquid in front of me, garnished with a lemon. I grabbed the glass, and threw the liquid back into my mouth, ignoring the fruit. It burned, the first sensation I had felt since he followed her up the stairs.
"I'll have another, please" I looked at the bartender, who smiled.
