Leah's POV

"C'mon Jake, we have to leave the house at some point. And I don't know about you, but I would rather not have Sam come and drag us out himself." I frowned at Jacob, sitting on the couch, stuffing himself with a bag of potato chips.

"Aw, c'mon Leah. It hasn't been that long, really."

"Jacob Black. It has been two months now. Long enough time to mope."

I smile in satisfaction as he groans. I know that means he is going to give in.

"Can't we just hide out for one more day?" He smiles at me, warm and seductive, and my legs tremble.

"No." It's all I trust myself to say.

"Fine." He pouts, but he drags himself up. I can't help but admire the spread of muscles across his chest and arms. He might have been acting like a statue for two months, but it has affected nothing, his abs are still rock hard.

I am so relieved my wolf genes haven't given me a similar figure. Sure, my abs are flat (and perfect, if I say so myself), and of course I have the requisite muscles, but not glaringly obvious, like a steroid addicted body builder. Just...perfectly feminine.

He stretches, leaving me open for another enjoyable look, unfortunately this time, he catches me.

"Like what you see, Leah?" He steps closer, the heat from his body mingling with the heat from mine.

"Patrol." I spit out, embarrassed. "Got to make certain you're still up for it."

"Sure, sure." He grins. Let's make a move." He starts pulling on the waist band of his track pants. I whirl and rush into his bathroom, terrified if he exposes all I'll be lost. And we have things to do.

Leaning against the door, I draw off my singlet and shorts, leaving them in a neatly folded pile near the shower. I turn, open the door slightly and phase, nudging it the rest of the way with my muzzle.

Jake's already there.

"Damn, Leah, couldn't you have done that in front of the mirror at least?"

I growl. "Jacob Black, would you like your slow painful death now, or after patrol?"

"Can you two quit it?" Sam interrupts. "You have things to do."

"I doubt there are any vampires to bother with, Sam. The Cullens have all left, or so you said." Jake says, a trace of bitterness still evident in his thoughts.

"That's beside the point. Our duty is to protect our people. The two of you have had your shifts covered for too long, now. Time to get back to work. I want you to follow the boundary line, see if you can find anything."

I snort. "Like what, Sam? A lonely little mousey that's lost its way home?"

Jacob snickers and Sam growls. "Leah. Enough." I have no choice but to do as I am told. Stupid Alpha jerk. Thank goodness he fades out.

"Right, let's get this party started, then." Jake's wolfy face grins at me before he runs out his front door. "Last one to the boundary line..."

"Hey. This is my race, I'll choose what I want! I dive out the door after him, overtaking him before he even makes it to the trees

"Gee, Leah, you even look good from behind as a wolf!"

This comment leads to the oddest train of thought I have ever had. Do I really look that good, even like this? I guess, seeing as I am the first ever female wolf, probably not, but I wonder, has anyone ever tried doing it like this...

"Leah! Interesting idea! Want to test it...?"

"You could not be that gross, Jake."

"You thought it."

"The answer is no. A resounding no."

"Yet, still, you're wondering..."

"Jake, I will seriously leave you here by yourself if you don't shut up."

"Sure, sure."

Jacob's POV

I really have missed my wolf form, it's so much more calming than remaining human. Especially after the last couple of months...a stray thought of Leah's interrupts my own. Woah.

Doggy style, literally? Hmm.

I know she would love to slap me. That makes things even more interesting.

What's the most intriguing is the way her thoughts are leading completely towards the one thing...

"Are you feeling a lack of something, Leah?"

"Shut up, Black."

"I can scratch that itch for you..."

"Only if you make it to the boundary line before I do."

Damn. She knows I can't out run her. I am surprised though. I thought it was just me.

I stretch my legs anyway, deciding I might as well give it a go.

I am truly shocked when I skid to the end millimeters before she does.

Her mind can't hide her deception, though.

"That desperate, Leah, that you would throw a race? That's not like you at all. Not to say I'm not ecstatic or anything."

"Jake."

"Yup."

"Let me say something before we phase. Yes, phase, you are not taking your prize in animal form."

"What, Leah?" The edge to your voice is one I barely recognize, and certainly not from Leah. It's...a little lost, tinged with hope and worry.

"I'm..." I see the last couple of months in her thoughts. The nights, curled beside me, dreaming of me. Not physically, though. Romantically.

"Leah..."

"Don't judge me, Jake. It just happened. It's the last thing I wanted, trust me." Back to the bitterness I recognize. "I just...don't start anything you can't finish."

I gaze into the eyes of the wolf across from me. Is it possible I could actually love Leah? I sift through the past couple of months again, this time with my own thoughts. Leah, who stood by my side, who ripped me out of my melancholy, who sat by my side waiting for her moment...

"I don't need your gratefulness, Jake."

Then I thought of the times when I wanted to reach out and just...touch. Her warm body pressed against mine. Was that just physical reaction, 'cause Leah really is that hot?

"Thanks, but that's not what I'm after either."

I imagined a life with Leah, the one I had imagined with Bella. Marriage, babies....little dark haired mini versions of us...

"That's not in my future, Jake. I'm a genetic dead end. You should know that by now."

Could I...

"I wouldn't mind giving it a try, Leah."

"I don't want trial runs, Jake. I'm not looking for another scene like the one with Sam."

"Do you think I want a repeat of Bella? When I say try I don't mean, let's fuck and we'll see. I mean, I want to go for it all. But..."

"You're still hurting."

"Yeah."

"I can deal with that."

And with that, she rose from a wolf to a gorgeous woman, naked and waiting for me.

I phase too, bridge the single step that separates us, cover her mouth with mine.

She pushes me away. "Promise me." She begs.

"What?"

"That this can be real. Please."

"As real as the tow of us can make it, Leah. After all, it's not just me that's damaged goods."

"Well, I guess that will do. For now."

She tilts her face up and wraps her arms around my neck, pulling me back for a kiss filled with flames, the heated length of her body pressed to mine. My hands slide to her hips, pulling tightly and she moans.

I think this will take the award for my favorite patrol ever.