A/N: Ta da! Sorry this took so long. And for the purposes of this story, Leah and Seth are related to, but not through, Ephraim Black. So Embry is not actually correct, though he's not that far off, either.

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Chapter 7: The Proposal

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I get to Jacob's house at eight thirty. The plan was to meet at eight, but we've left plenty of time for me to be a few minutes late. Besides, if the plan is more complex than show up, no one's bothered to tell me about it. What else is new?

When I get to the house, I find Leah's the only one who beat me. It's not surprising, since she probably spent the night, but it makes me wonder if I should have picked up Seth on the way. Kid might have forgotten. It also makes me wonder what Billy thinks, that his son has a girl showing up at their house at the crack of dawn. Or maybe not. Billy's reading the newspaper, completely ignoring us. Now I'm wondering if he ever notices anything at all, and when sticking your head in the sand got cool.

Actually, ostriches are pretty damn cool. Fast and freaky looking. You can't get much better than that.

"You're late," Leah says from the couch. She's flipping through a magazine, while Jacob gets up to greet me. The love in the room is heart-warming.

"And you're a bitch." She tries to throw the magazine at me, but it's not very aerodynamic, so it crashes to the floor. "Sorry. I thought we were having a state the obvious contest."

"It's too early for this," Jacob complains as he falls back on the couch, arm around her shoulders. I'm not sure which one of us he's chastising, exactly, but I'm pretty sure neither of us care. That doesn't stop our Alpha. "Can't we all just get along? I mean, all I am saying is...give peace a chance."

Leah groans, while I pick up the magazine and throw it at Jacob. It's definitely too early to put up with those kind of lame remarks.

I scratch my head and ask instead, "So, what's happening today?"

"We hear Sam out. It's only if he wants to attack that we have a problem and I doubt that's going to happen."

"He likes the treaty almost as much as Jake does," Leah teases.

"Just because I hide behind it constantly," he grumbles. Billy's not looking—and apparently I don't count—so he kisses her quickly before running a hand through his hair. "Do you think we have a hope in hell if he wants to fight?"

"No," Leah says cheerfully.

I have to admit... "Twelve against five? Good luck with that, Jake."

"You're both such positive people," he says.

"Fine," I allow. "You could beat Sam, no question, and as long as we could keep the rest at bay for a while it might be okay. But that's four on eleven and Jared and Paul are solid fighters, even if the kids are a little shaky. It doesn't help they're all stronger than Leah. No way she can take on more than one of them at a time." She flips me off, but doesn't interrupt, because it's true. Girls just aren't supposed to fight. "We're better, stronger, faster...but it's still ten on three."

"Want to watch me kick your ass?" Leah asks.

Jacob holds her down with one arm, easily, proving my point, though I'm not crazy enough to point that out to her. Instead, I offer, "Seth got big lately, so he might be able to hold off Jared and Paul. That still leaves me and Quil with four each. We're not going to be able to buy you more than a minute."

"That might be all he needs," she says.

Jacob is a little more realistic, looking doubtful for a second, before he smiles. "It would be kind of awesome to see how fast I could beat him."

"We haven't had a good fight in a while," I lament. "I missed it. Today might be a good day, after all."

"Twelve to five is possible," Leah contributes. "It'll just be one hell of a fight." Her eyes are bright, her lips turned up in a cruel smile—it's a good look on her and I'm not surprised when he kisses her again. They pull away quickly enough when we hear someone walking up the driveway.

It's only Quil, but Seth comes along ten minutes later. We're still greeting one another when Billy rolls himself into the room.

"Should I ask?"

"Nope," Jake says. "We're heading out. I might be late for lunch."

"Don't do anything too stupid, Jake," Billy warns. "That goes for the rest of you, too."

Seth sincerely wonders, "When do we do stupid things?"

The rest of us just try not to look took guilty as we head out the door. I happen to think we have the best of intentions, all the time. It's not our fault things happen to become more complicated than we ever imagined all the time. It's not like we try to screw ourselves over. It just happens.

"The cliff doesn't seem like the safest of meeting places," Quil complains as we walk down the road. Most people have gotten used to us by now, but we still get strange looks, sometimes. Leah's the only one who's a normal person height and Leah Clearwater is still damn scary. Jake's twice as big as most people and the rest of us aren't far behind.

"Just don't stand by the edge," Leah advises him.

"And when we get there," Jacob says, "How about I'm the only one who talks?"

"Why would we do that?"

"I tend to piss people off less than you," he reminds her.

"Like that's hard," I mutter.

She talks over me, "Sam's not going to let the others talk."

"Fine," Jacob relents. It's not that he didn't want us to speak, just not to say anything stupid, which is almost but not quite the same thing for us. He clarifies this for Leah. "I'm the only one who gets to accidently get us stuck in the middle of a war."

"Okay then. You couldn't have just said that?"

She slips away before he can do more than growl at her, because we're close enough to phase. Hidden by the trees, the four of us start stripping down, piling clothes for later (dumping them in a pile, same thing), getting ourselves psyched up. A fight would start the week off with a bang, and now that we're here, I'm starting to think our chances aren't as bad. We have gotten big and its single digit odds and we have more experience. Luck, then experience, is probably the most important thing in a fight and experience is the only thing you can guarantee.

The battle with the newborns didn't end on the greatest note for us, but no one died and Jake did get to experience the joys of morphine, so it wasn't a complete waste. Plus, there's no way Leah does something as stupid this time, if for no other reason than she's not going to let Jacob almost die for her again. That puts her far too into his debt for her pig-headed liking.

A low bark lets us know she's ready and Jacob answers back, letting her know we're moving out, heading towards the cliffs. We didn't need to discuss it with anyone, but we know that Sam's coming from the other side. That's just the way it always is. The wind is coming from his direction, carrying confirmation, the scent of him and our possible destruction blowing past.

Happy thoughts, Quil reminds me.

If he asks you to go back... Jacob begins, but he doesn't get far. Quil and I are already protesting and Seth starts howling in a particularly pathetic way. Leah doesn't say anything. Her annoyance makes it clear she's already told Jacob, too many times to count, how stupid this idea is. Our illustrious, if unwilling, leader laughs. Just thought I'd ask.

Just beyond those trees, Seth guesses.

The kid's right. On the other side, we come face to face with a very large pack of slightly smaller wolves. I really hope it doesn't come to fighting.

Get into formation, Jacob orders and we do just that as he turns to Sam. Sorry if we're late.

You're right on time, Sam says, diplomatic as always. Everything I hear is a little delayed, as Sam thinks it to Jacob and Jacob then broadcasts it to the rest of us. It was a whole lot simpler when we were just one pack, but there's nothing to be done about that now. Even for easy communication, I wouldn't want to go back, to leave my family. Sam requests, Just give me a minute to get the guys settled and we'll start.

Sure thing, Jacob agrees and we watch Sam turn to face his not-quite-complete pack, doing a bit of growling. Leah could you—why the hell are you there?

What?

It's only as Jacob asks that we realize we're not where we're supposed to be. Leah's always on his right, always, except Seth's now standing there, between me and Jacob, and Leah's off to Jake's left, where I'm supposed to be. Quil's where Seth usually is and I'm where Quil should be, and it's all giving me a bit of a headache. Not to mention giving me a vague feeling of someone sticking their hands inside my belly and playing with my guts as I watch.

Don't tell me you fired your girlfriend, Quil laughs. He hasn't gotten it yet, but I'm not about to explain. Boy, you're never going to live this down.

Shut up, Quil, Jacob says. No one's been fired. I sure as hell didn't do anything to the four of you.

You told us to get into formation, Seth says. So we did.

Leah doesn't sound as mad as I expected, which is good, because it means no one is going to die shortly. She still sounds pissed, though, and I'm glad I'm not Jacob. I'm the Beta, she announces. I'm at your right.

Can we worry about this after? he pleads.

Not if I really have been demoted.

You didn't get demoted, Leah. I still think of you as my Betasecondbest friendgirlfriendlover womanhewouldn'twant tolivewithout—the thoughts are so jumbled I can't really get a lock on anything. I bet he doesn't know himself—you're still the second in command, you're just on the wrong side. Don't worry, you're still my Beta.

Or the Alpha female.

The four of us respond in unison. We can't help it.

What?

Seth would be backing up if he was in human form, but he's not. He's standing on Jacob's right and so he has to stay there. But he does explain. It's something the Cullens came up with. Since we're not real werewolves—

Not that crap again, Leah complains. We shush her, because the kid might actually have something.

Do none of you listen when they talk? Seth wonders, easily distracted.

Not really, Jacob confirms. Now can you get to the point, Seth?

Oh, sure Jake. Anyway, they were saying that because we're shapeshifters and not Moon-whatevers that we might have adopted some other wolf-y characteristics besides the shape. Like you could have wolf-y fertility, Leah, or—

She growls so loudly whatever Seth is going to say is drowned out. Not this again. It's only the most boring thing on the planet, listening to Leah talk about her uterus. She barks at me, too, but then settles down because we are listening to Seth's lecture for her sake. I bet he copied it word for word as Edward told him. Kid really needs to get over his stupid crush. It's embarrassing.

Thanks, Embry. For once, he drops the whole cheerful thing. I would consider maybe we're overdoing the whole teasing Seth about being in love with a bloodsucker, but I still find it funny so I'm not about to stop. Anyway, they were saying all the pack stuff might be wolf related. So Edward told me about wild wolves—usually packs are lead by a breeding pair, Alpha male and Alpha female. Of course, the packs are usually made up of their children and we aren't really your children so it might not really work, but I still think it sort of makes sense. And Edward said—

Enough, Seth, Jacob tells him. My brain can't take all of this. Could you just shut up for a minute?

Shutting up.

So basically, Leah says slowly, you're saying I'm not just the Beta, I'm...his...mate?

We wait for a response and when none is forthcoming, Jacob sighs and says, You can speak now, Seth.

Okay. Uh...I guess. I don't really know, you'd have to talk to Edward. But they sort of hinted something like this might happen. Boy, doesn't it sound sort of funny calling yourself mates? Mom's totally going to kill you for getting mated without telling her first.

Shut up, again, Leah snaps. Okay. Okay. What does this mean?

Hey, Jacob says, I just asked you to get into formation. I should have known you would try and make some sort of power grab.

She does not take his attempt at levity well. At all. I'm sorry this is all some big joke to you but—

Oh, shut up, Leah. It's obviously not something we're controlling. I think it's sort of cool, he says, but it's easy to sense his hesitancy. What do you think?

It's the strangest thing ever, watching someone talk to Leah like she's a scared animal and not the most dangerous thing around, but he can handle his girlfriend however he wants. Oh, sorry. His mate.

Well, I guess if you're okay with it...she begins. I guess it's sort of cute in a stupid, you Tarzan, me Jane, sort of way.

Good. If Seth's love for Edward is embarrassing, there simply isn't a word for how little I want to be standing there feeling all of Jake's gooey warm feelings for Leah. Over-sharing is one thing, but this... Give the man a pat on the back. His girlfriend doesn't mind having the title. He doesn't have to be so damn sappy about it.

And normally Leah would agree with me, but right now she seems pretty mellow, too, for her, at least. If we were human, she'd be blushing, which is the strangest thing in the world, Leah blushing like she's a human with feelings and not evil on legs. She's happy and Jacob's unabashed over-the-moon joy is making her more happy and I really, really wish we could all just tune each other out.

Leave them alone, Seth chides me. This is sort of a big deal.

What I want to know, Quil says, Is why did the rest of us end up moved around?

Because Seth's obviously the Beta now.

The words come out, just as the thought does, which is why I don't have time to put any inflection on them. Sam's coming up and Jacob walks up to greet him, leaving the four of us. The Clearwaters and the Omega wolves.

Ready? Jacob asks.

Ready?

It takes a moment, but slowly it comes into focus, the jabbering of the other pack. It's sort of out of focus, and there's an annoying echo behind it, but somehow we can finally feel them there with us. All the gang back together again—Marian made me watch Grease and I might love her, but I didn't appreciate the experience.

Jacob takes control of the meeting, because tradition says so, and the world would end if they didn't follow their stupid Quileute traditions.

I thought it best if we let you know what's going on with us first. Don't interrupt—Jake doesn't even bother to pretend he's talking to anyone but his loser future brother-in-law—and save your questions to the end.

He lays everything out pretty simply. Most of the Cullens are gone, the rest are going, Nessie is still his imprint, still the center of his world, but fucking Leah is fun on the side, so he's pretending like he's got a chance, like he's not going to end up doing exactly what everyone else before him has done. When he's finished, there are only a few questions.

So the treaty holds?

Yes.

Is Leah any good?

Ye—fuck off, Paul.

Sam echoes the sentiment. If you were to picture the most awkward feeling in the world and then cube it, you might get somewhere near the vicinity of how Sam feels, hearing people talk about the ex-love of his life this way. As it is, the feeling isn't that fun to feel, so I'm glad when he attempts to move on.

I speak for the pack when I say we're not going to violate the treaty, Sam says.

Well, that's rather anti-climatic, Leah complains. Seriously, Sam, you pulled us all out of bed just so Jacob could play professor and you could speak for you pack?

A few seconds later we get Sam's answer.

No.

Ever so carefully, he speaks. If we didn't have paws, I would have sworn there was a speech in his hands, telling him what to say. It has a rehearsed air, his carefully chosen words, his perfectly measured tone. Sam wants to say this properly. He does a good job, but I still can't believe it.

The recent events have caused me to revaluate the situation . It's against tradition to have two packs. Jacob has willingly divorced himself from the Cold Ones, showing unprecedented strength of will. He always should have been the unquestioned Alpha. I think it's about time that he takes that position permanently.

I don't think there are words for how I'm feeling, but Leah's cursing manages to capture the sentiment close enough.

What. The. Fuck?

Can Sam step down? Seth wonders. We all wonder. Hell, Jacob's a bit more than confused. He ends up repeating Leah, word for astonished word.

You were always supposed to be in charge, Sam reminds Jacob. I was just there until you grew up. I think you've proven you have, Jake. I know this is coming out of nowhere, and the five of you have gotten used to the relative peace and quiet of just yourselves, but I think it's time we brought the family back together.

It sounds like it's the end of his speech, but my luck's not that good. Sam decides to put us through the needless torture of listening to each individual member of his pack say how glad they are Jacob might take charge, as if Jake really cared what they thought. Worse, they all did it sincerely, even if they did it jokingly. Even Paul manages some genuinely honest warm fuzzy feelings.

It's disgusting.

It also really seems to be happening.

Sam steps forward once the parade of servitude has stopped. So, Jake, what do you say?

Shit, Sam. Wow. Jacob looks to us for ideas, but we're mostly just in shock. I need to talk it over with my pack first.

He and Leah take a moment to go back and forth, telling each other this is real, that it's actually happening, that it might even be a good thing. Convincing them it's true is Seth the Beta, who keeps saying how wonderful it'll be to have everyone together again, how it'll be great to be one tribe again, how big this is of Sam, how their problems are solved.

Neither Jacob nor Leah really believe him, but eventually they remember that Quil and I are alive too. We keep our answer simple—we're going to follow you. Even if that makes us idiots.

This is a lot to take in at once, Jacob says to Sam. The other Alpha nods.

Take your time. We can combine next week. That way you have some time to prepare.

A week? He pulls himself together. That sounds good. Wow. I never thought it would be that easy. I never thought you'd step down.

It wasn't mine to keep.

Jacob flinches, just a little bit; Leah pretends not to notice, clings to mate like it means something. Maybe it does. Maybe being official mistress is better than not belonging at all. Seth's tail brushes my side and I growl at him, just a little bit.

Why do I think there's more to this story? Jacob asks.

Sam shrugs, glad he's been pressed. Happy news is meant to be shared. Emily's pregnant. That's my first responsibility, not this. I hope you understand.

We can hear Leah mutter, Let's hope you don't scratch it's face off, but Jacob makes it so Sam can't. All the other Alpha hears is Seth's earnest congratulations, before the rest of us pull it together enough to echo the sentiment, even if it's less eagerly. I think I manage to do more than grunt, but I'm not sure. I'm trying not to think of other things. Leah manages to sound almost like she means it, and Jacob speaks so quickly after she does that Sam barely has time to register she's said anything at all.

It was good talking to you again, Jacob says finally. We'll see you next week, same time?

Sounds good, Sam agrees.

The connection breaks and I feel like I've been left alone in the woods, naked, for days. Oh wait. That's what my life is always like. Still, it's a disturbing feeling and it reminds me why reuniting with the others is a good idea. As cliché as it sounds, we do belong together. Sam's plan isn't just necessary to satisfy tradition; we need to combine in order to be at peace. Maybe it's a wolf thing, like Seth and the Cullens think, or something else. Whatever the reason, the feeling is there, and it's not going away.

There's not much sense in having a meeting, but we'll do it anyway, for formality's sake. The outcome is already predetermined. Sam was utterly convinced Jacob would accept his idea and he was right to be so. It's unnatural to be divided like this, we all know it. We can't help wanting to be made whole again.

Normally there would be a hesitation—can you really remake what has been broken so it's as good as new? But there's no question in us. Unity is ingrained in our very DNA. Coming back together will be painless, because it's secretly what we all want.

Well, most of us.

Leah's a little hesitant, but she'll relent eventually. Her discomfort at the thought of being outnumbered by guys sixteen to one is nothing compared with the inherent desire to have the peace that even she can't pretend she doesn't miss. If she bothers to protest, it'll just be for show. We're really going to do this.

I wonder what Sam will say when he finds out Leah decided to make herself Jacob's mate? His emotions are going to be pretty messed up—I sort of can't wait.

Why are you in such a shitty mood? Quil asks me as Sam's pack finally disappears.

Am not. We going to talk about the integration thing or not?

Do you guys want some time to think about it? Jacob asks.

He's clearly asking for his own sake, and maybe Leah's, but Seth speaks up. Even though Seth Clearwater's unofficial motto is 'can't we all just get along?' the kid dutifully says, It might be nice to have a minute. You okay, Embry?

It's the most annoying thing on the planet, not being about to think your own thoughts. Worse than the feeling of knowing someone went around and touched all things in your home while you were out, it makes me want to scratch at my skin, knowing my so-called-friends are sitting there dissecting every thought I have. There's a reason humans never evolved into a telepathic species. If normal people could hear every thought in their neighbor's head, there would be mass suicides. Everywhere. All the time. People would no longer be able to pretend that the human race wasn't completely beyond redemption, if they could hear other people's thoughts.

I phase back, tired of the endless prattle (Leah's seen everything there is to see before and she can get over herself—I can't believe the impossible female belongs more than I do). Sometimes, your thoughts should be your own. There's only so much of Seth's endless understanding that a person can take.

The giant wolves in the clearing let me pass easily enough. The pow-wow continues without me. I'm going home. I got up too early this morning.

I find the clearly where we left our clothes and start digging through the pile, looking for my pants. It's only a moment before I hear someone walking up behind me.

"What's your problem now?" Jake asks. He's distracted, asking more because he's supposed to, than because he gives a shit. I guess running the tribe requires the sort of attention I can't manage.

"I want to go home. Call me if you need me."

"If you don't want to rejoin Sam's pack, we don't have—"

"Rejoining Sam's pack would be one of the few good decisions you ever made as our leader."

He grabs his pants right out of my hand. I think if I had been dressed he would have slugged me. I guess his girlfriend isn't the only one who can piss him off. Good to know.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Who are we kidding, Jake? What have you done for us besides force us to protect the bloodsuckers? That's putting the whole community at risk and you don't give a shit, as long as Nessie doesn't have to wait for her bedtime story—"

"I never said I would be any good at this."

"—but who cares if you're remotely qualified, because your fucking great-grandfather was somebody important so you must be the right guy for the job. What a lucky coincidence, you and your girlfriend have the same ancestor."

The words are flying so quickly out of my mouth, a hell of a lot of spit comes with them. "That makes you second cousins, you idiot. Kissing cousins. Like royalty. Or trailer trash. Of course, no one gives a shit. They practically applaud you. The great and noble house of Black, aligning with the Clearwaters. How fucking European. You all make me sick."

That gets me shoved into a tree, hard, so hard I can hear the wood snapping behind me, noise like gunshots. He's in my face, but he hasn't managed to cut off my air just yet, so I keep going, "Just 'cause Ephraim Black was head of the pack doesn't mean you have any right. It doesn't mean Seth has any business trying to help you run things. It's like Dumber trying to help Dumb. Better leave town now, because La Push is screwed."

I'm on a roll now and he hasn't broken my jaw. What's wrong with him? "Like the little punk could help you. If it's not about his precious leeches, he doesn't know shit. But who cares, right? His granddaddy was important and that's all you need to know."

He lets go, thankfully, because I was feeling a little lightheaded. Maybe that was just the rage (or the hurt). Unfortunately, Jacob also manages to speak.

"This is because of Seth?"

"What?"

"You're pissed Seth is the new Beta." He stares at me for a moment and before I can tell him he's being an idiot he realizes he's right. "Shit, Embry, it's not like I picked him for the job. I'm sure he wouldn't mind if the two of you switched."

I'm the one who hits him first. It's not very satisfying, even if it does throw him backwards a step.

"I have always been there, giving you advice. I have put up with all of your Cullen crap—I spent years singing to myself so you could go on pretending you didn't give a shit about Leah. We've been friends forever. Seth's a good kid—but he's still a damn kid. He doesn't know anything. Why the hell is he the new Beta?"

"I told you I didn't pick him, it just happened!"

"And it keeps happening! Why is it always happening?"

His fingers are still feeling at the bruise on his face, but he still hasn't hit me back. He finds it more efficient to say, "He came with me first. Say what you want, but Seth was here first. He might be just a kid, but he could be good at this, once he grows up. He's good with people and—"

"Leah was the Beta and she's shit with people."

"That's because I used to be—I needed Leah then. And I need Seth now, to balance the two of us. You do the same stuff—you're just as important. Just without the title."

Bastards don't get titles.

"Just get away from me."

"No." I can't make him leave. "Listen, Embry. Listen to me. None of us get this wolf crap. We don't know how it works. I don't care. Human, you and Quil are my guys. Even if you've got me saying lame shit like that. Don't do this."

"And what am I doing?"

"Don't make this a big deal. This isn't anything."

"Funny how no one you supposedly care about means anything to you. I guess me and Nessie should start a club."

I've finally managed to get him mad. Too bad. "Embry, if you're pissed because you think Seth is unqualified and you're somehow figured your more qualified than Quil, well, I can fix that if you just shut your fucking trap. I can interview you all or something."

"That's such—"

"But if," he interrupts, "If this is all because twenty years ago some guy didn't bother telling you who your ancestors are, than fuck you. That's not my fault and it's not Seth's, so you need to stop blaming us."

He says it like it would be nothing to get over, like it's an inconvenient fact, not something that can eat away at you. I want to tell him to go to hell, I want to remind him it's probably his precious father who screwed around, I want to hit him again—

I phase instead.

...