The trail ends here.
Edward looked around. There was no sign of a house or any vampires, and definitely no sign of Jacob.
"How could it end here?"
Leah growled. Don't doubt my nose. It's the best of the pack.
"So you say."
The wolf's head shot to Edward. You don't have any other option. I could just leave you here, without my help.
"I apologise."
We're not going to find anything just standing here.
Edward nodded. "I'll go this way, you the other. Circle back in ten minutes."
Leah nodded.
They both went their separate ways.
Leah ran through the woods, searching for anything that led to Jacob and the leech lover.
She stopped at a clearing. It seemed familiar.
"Weren't you going the other way?" Edward raised a brow. Typical wolves, can't even run in a straight line.
I was running straight. She glared.
Edward's eyes narrowed. "Clearly."
She growled. Try it then.
Edward ran the same way Leah did, only to find himself back at the clearing moments later.
"That can't be right." He frowned. Edward ran it again.
The phrase I told you so comes to mind.
"But that's impossible." Edward murmured. "No one has had this gift in decades."
Are you saying that a vamps gift is causing us to run in circles?
"Yes, but I don't believe it myself. It's almost impossible."
Leah thought for a moment.
I'm going to shift back. I have an idea.
Edward glanced at Leah's naked form. "Don't you have clothes?"
"Aren't you devoted to your Bella?"
"Yes." He said uncomfortably. Edward gulped.
"Then you can manage me naked."
Edward shrugged off his coat and held it towards Leah. "Here."
"I don't need your chivalry."
"You need to put it on."
"No, I don't."
"Yes, you do." he insisted."We could run into humans. They would be shocked and ask questions."
Leah couldn't deny that reasoning. She reluctantly took the coat and shrugged it on. She had to admit, the coolness of the coat helped her raised temperature a great deal. She ran hotter than the guys did; it was unbearable at times. She once had to sit in the ice cold sea before she was regular temperature again.
Edward liked seeing his coat on Leah. He shook the thought from his head.
"There has to be some way around this shield. All of your powers come with some limitations, right?" Leah looked to Edward for confirmation.
"Yes. Mine is distance, Alice's is touch. Even Emmett has his limits to his strength."
"So what is this ones'?"
Edward squinted at the space in front of them. "There must be a weak spot. Somewhere we can get through."
"A door?"
"More like an area where we can push through. There has to be some visible sign."
Leah looked around the edges of the clearing.
"I can't see anything, what am I meant to be looking for?"
"A mirage, I suppose. Or a heat wave."
Leah looked. Her eyes seemed to miss an area. She tried to focus on it, but for some reason, couldn't.
"Edward, I think I've found it."
She moved towards what she thought was the gap in her vision.
"Why are you walking towards me?"
"What?"
"You're not moving to where you pointed."
"Yes, I was. I can walk in a straight line."
Edward scoffed. "Clearly."
"Fuck off." Leah glowered. "You try it, ass-hole."
"Language."
"Shove it, grandpa."
Edward grinned to himself. Leah, despite her vulgarity and eau d'wet-dog, was rather amusing to tease.
He walked to the area Leah pointed to, while placing as strong a mind block he could muster.
It was like walking through a swamp; Edwards feet seemed to get stuck in some invisible mud, dragging him back to whence he came.
"How the hell are you doing that?"
"Great mental effort." he strained. "Shut up."
Edward pushed through the barrier. Kudos to the vamp who did this, it is extensive.
Suddenly he stumbled forward, almost impaling himself on a tree branch.
"Where did you go?"
Edward turned around to see Leah searching the woods behind him.
"If this is some trick of yours then yes it's funny, but seriously stop it."
"How can you not see me?"
"Edward, you can't turn invisible. Where the fuck are you?"
"I'm in the woods, directly in front of you."
"Nope."
Edward frowned. "It must be a visible barrier. You need to concentrate to get through. Walk straight ahead."
Leah gathered herself and took a deep breath. Concentrate. Think about getting through the barrier, to get to Edward. Nothing is there, I can easily walk through. Concentrate.
Leah started to walk the same path that Edward did. She felt like her feet were dragging through cement. It was almost like hands were dragging her back to the clearing. Leah jerked forward, falling into a pile of mud.
Ew. I fucking hate mud
"Aren't you normally covered in it from running?"
"Yeah, but it's not up my nose then, is it?"
Leah snorted. I can smell Jacob
"I can smell Bella. Other vampires too, at least 16."
"We can't attack with those odds."
"I agree. We will have to wait it out."
"I sense Jacob shifting." Leah ran.
Leah ran around the edge of the woods, the connection getting stronger. She shifted when she pounced on Jacob, before he had time to see her coming.
Where the fuck have you been? She growled. I have been running for days to find you, and you're seeing the leech lover?
Leah? I thought you were with the pack?
Of course not! I had to come and find you, you fucking idiot. Don't you know how much hell has been going on back home without you there?
Well, I'm coming home now.
Leah was startled. What?
I'm coming home. I found Bella, she's fine, hell, she's happy.
"What do you mean, she's happy?" Edward appeared from the trees. "She's captive."
No, she's there of her own free will. She's fine. What are you doing here?
"I've come to have my Bella back."
Tough shit, she's moved on. A vampire called Dmitri. Seems a lot nicer than you.
"Dmitri is the tracker of the Volturi. He's ruthless."
"Well, now that's just not true."
All three looked to the man that joined them.
Edward crashed into Dmitri with such force that it sounded like a thunder crack.
"You stay away from my Bella." He growled.
"She doesn't belong to anyone, let alone a controlling bastard like you."
Dmitri shoved Edward back into the tree. "Get off of my property. Don't come back."
"Not without Bella."
A hand swiftly came to Edward's' throat.
"You will leave my property. You will not return. If I find you within fifty miles of either myself or Bella, I will tear you limb from limb. Understand?" Dmitri released him.
Edward glanced between Dmitri and Leah. He couldn't take this fight. He turned tail and ran.
