Chapter 28: Leah

Jacob and I rounded a corner of the house and headed back toward the driveway hand-in-hand. The heat of his palm bathed mine in a comforting warmth, but there was that lingering feeling of his fingers on my waist and back, the nape of my neck and sides—scalding hot and encouraging so much more than what just occurred. Looking up at him, I noticed his hair was a mess, his lips a little swollen. Mine were probably the same.

Young love was crazy, as was the lust that came along with it.

Embry and Hayley were in close quarters when we approached, conversing lightheartedly. Whatever they were saying, I couldn't make it out; my head was still spinning from oxygen deprivation. Once he spotted us, Embry smirked.

"Sex hair, bro?"

Jacob shoved him in the shoulder. "Shut up."

I blushed heavily at the implication and Hayley chuckled. "Oh relax. You two aren't nearly as bad as Katie and Sean."

The names turned my stomach with guilt. How long had it been since I'd talked to them? The day of my suspension? "How are they?" I asked, changing the tone of this conversation significantly.

Hayley shrugged. "They're fine. They keep planning these double-dates with Nat and Ryan. Talk about a fifth wheel."

Embry pulled Hayley to his side, running his hand up and down her arm. She relished in the contact. "Trust me, I know all about that." He then eyed Jacob and me. If it was supposed to stir a reaction out of me, it didn't. I was more concerned with my friends.

"I guess I can't really blame them for spending so much time together," I said. "I barely talk to them anymore."

"Same," Hayley agreed, eyebrows furrowing. "Now I understand why it was so hard for you to hang out with us in the past. Things are kind of crazy."

"Things are always kind of crazy when it comes to us," Jacob admitted. "At least it's felt that way lately."

"Complicated lives and all that," Embry added. "You can either run with the wolves or…well, not."

I smiled faintly, leaning into Jacob's side. "I've clearly chosen to run with the wolves." I nodded to Hayley. "You might too."

"Maybe…" She looked up at her companion, who flashed her a charming smile. The answer was right there, in that interaction. Hayley would run with the wolves too, but she wouldn't neglect her family. I couldn't imagine her doing such a thing. She would balance everything out. She was good at it.

"Alright, I've gotta get back on patrol," Jacob announced. "Embry, you coming?"

"Actually, I'm gonna hang out for a little bit," he answered, glancing from Hayley to his Alpha. "If you don't mind, boss."

Jacob gave Embry a look at the name, but otherwise didn't object. "Sure, sure. I'll send Seth in to grab some grub. I can already smell Esme's cooking."

"Wait," I called. Jacob looked down at me. "Could you actually ask Leah to come out? I'd like to talk to her, but only if she's okay with it."

Jacob's eyebrows came together. "Uh, yeah…sure." He pecked me on the lips. "I'll check on you later. Embry, when Sarah gets done, I want you back on the trail, got it?"

"Aye-aye, captain."

Hayley and I shared a look. Memories of the morning at her house returned. I fought hard not to laugh.

Jacob jogged toward the trees and disappeared in the darkness. Hayley and Embry conversed while I waited for Jacob to relay my message to Leah. Thankfully, after only a few minutes, Embry looked toward the trees.

"Here comes Miss Sunshine," he told us, as if in warning. I tensed at the jab. Leah was still a person, happy or not.

She trotted out of the greenery, silver coat patched with dirt. She still hadn't changed out of her wolf form since joining Jacob. How did she eat? I swallowed at the thought of her actually hunting. Gross.

I approached her, wringing my hands. As much as I respected Leah, she intimidated me. The gigantic animal form she was in now didn't help things, but as a person, she had a particular air about her. You didn't mess with her. If you did, you suffered.

I couldn't help but consider that attitude was just a side effect from being around Sam. Being stuck with him, really, especially when Jacob mentioned how desperately she wished to escape her ex. Jacob picked on her, but he hadn't squealed on any bad behavior lately. Maybe she was better now that Sam no longer controlled her…

Leah looked from Embry, whose eyes quickly darted in the other direction after his comment, to me. Curiosity definitely rested in her eyes, so I decided not to beat around the bush.

"Do you, um…have a second to talk?" I said, stopping in front of her. "Just the two of us, no wolves or vampires involved."

She tilted her head slightly, but after a moment, she nodded. I blinked. She actually agreed?

"Oh, great! Um, let me just go grab your clothes. One second."

I scurried off toward the porch and retrieved the clothes that were—as Jacob mentioned earlier—still set on a bench. Once I had them in my arms I returned to Leah, who stood by the tree line, watching Hayley and Embry. Before I could read too much into her expression, she looked at me again.

"Here," I started, holding the clothes out to her. "Hopefully they don't reek of vampires."

She snorted in what I hoped was amusement and took them from me, careful with her sharp teeth. She trotted back into the shade of the forest, and I was left to stuff my hands in my jacket pockets. As I waited, Hayley and Embry laughed with one another. Seeing them together made me smile. The two shared a relationship that seemed so effortless now. While I knew the complications in their relationship, from afar it looked so easy—as if Embry's honesty repaired everything.

But that was only what reflected on the outside. We all knew life changes like that couldn't be accepted so easily. There would be struggles, but together they would make it.

"Sarah."

My head turned sharply toward the trees. Leah stepped out in a t-shirt, shorts, and some boots. "O-oh, right. Sorry."

She stopped next to me and looked where I had been, at the couple who were talking amongst themselves and blocking out the world. "…Don't be," she finally said. "It's hard not to admire a relationship like theirs. Or yours."

Her tone was bitter, but underneath I sensed jealousy. Maybe that was something we could talk about this morning. "Um…I guess we'll head this way," I stated, heading toward the large pond in the Cullens' backyard. It would give us enough distance from the boys and the Cullens.

Once we were there Leah settled down in the grass, wrapping her arms around her knees. She stared at the water and listened to it trickle against the pond borders. She smiled to herself, as if amused.

"It's quiet," she told me. "It's been a while since I've had my head to myself."

"Why didn't you change back sooner?" I asked, sitting down beside her.

She shrugged. "I didn't feel comfortable, not with the leeches so close." She spat the nickname, her nose scrunching in disgust. "It's not right, protecting them like this. Coddling them."

"I take it you don't agree with your Alpha."

"Hmph… Alpha." Leah shook her head slightly. "Who knew a punk like him would be an Alpha?" The smirk on her lips, and the overall vibe she gave off, didn't have me on the defensive; strangely, she said it with love. "Then again, if anybody could stand up to Sam, it would be Jake."

"Stubborn, isn't he?" I smirked. "Proud too. He hates taking orders from anyone."

"Can you really blame him?" Leah's eyes met mine. "Just imagine being forced to follow orders you didn't agree with, or to attack someone because 'the boss' said so. It's awful…especially when that person betrayed your trust."

I bit my lip, gazing at the water. The heartbreak in Leah's eyes made it hard to look at them. "…You must be pretty happy to be away from Sam, huh?"

"Thrilled," she corrected. "Grateful too. Jacob gave me a way out, one I'd been seeking forever. I'm glad he let me stay. I can't imagine going back to that…"

"That what?"

She hesitated, biting her lip. She shrugged.

"Leah," I called softly. Her eyes met mine. The sorrow was still there, but she covered it up with a mask now. She'd had a lot of practice. "There's a reason I asked you to take a break from patrol. I was hoping you'd…talk to me. You know, that you'd feel like you could talk to me…if you wanted."

She lifted an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Why not?" I countered. "It's always nice to have friends."

"You want to be my friend?" When I nodded, she snorted again, looking ahead. "Hate to break it to you, Sarah, but I'm not very good at the friendship thing."

"Why?"

"Because friends betray you," she said.

That was an answer I hadn't been expecting.

I frowned. "…Are you talking about Sam and Emily?"

Leah eyed me at the guess, but focused back on the water. "Should've known Jake would say something, or my idiot brother. Seth worries too much about me sometimes, but Jacob probably told you to explain the whole imprinting thing, didn't he?" she asked. "I thought I caught a hint of it in his head before, but he likes to keep things between the two of you private. I didn't get very far."

"…You felt like Sam and Emily betrayed your trust, didn't you?"

"Yeah," she admitted. "I blame them but then I don't. Imprinting… There isn't really a way for getting around it, at least on the imprinter's side. Unlimited devotion and worship—it seems nice from your point of view, I'm sure, but from this one…" Leah lifted a hand to brush some of her hair back. "I was told not too long ago that it's like you don't have your own mind anymore, like having your choices taken away from you."

"Who told you that?" I asked, concerned. Who could view the imprinting so harshly?

Leah met my gaze with hesitance, but then looked away. That was all the answer I needed.

"Jacob…" I confirmed. Jacob said that about imprinting.

"It was before he met you," she assured me. "I promise. He wouldn't dream of saying something so stupid now." She rolled her eyes. "Hell, he'd die for you without a second thought."

"…You mean the choice to live would be taken away from him," I corrected lowly, glaring at the pond.

Leah's gaze turned hard. "That was a different Jacob," she told me. "You know that. It was before he understood, before he met the one person who mattered, who…completed him."

"How do you know that?" I asked.

"As soon as he imprinted, his thoughts were a jumbled mess, but I could grasp them," she explained. "To him it felt like coming home. All the sadness he felt with Bella vanished instantly. It was the strangest thing, witnessing his grief firsthand and then hours later he was so happy it nearly made me sick."

I couldn't help but smile a little. Leah's explanation brought back memories of that day, of when I mistook Jacob for a locker because I hit him so hard. The pain melted away as soon as I saw his eyes, though, and clearly that went for him as well.

"Don't hate him for describing an experience he didn't know," she insisted. "While I hate imprinting for taking Sam away, I don't at the same time. He's happy, and I love him enough to want that for him. Emily too. But I want to imprint for myself, so all the pain will go away."

"Being in Jake's pack helps, though, right?" I wondered. She seemed less bitter, but still jealous in a way. I couldn't really blame her. She was in a rough spot.

"It does," Leah agreed with a nod. "But sometimes it's not enough. I still miss Sam, even if there's a chance I could meet 'the one.'" She pulled at some grass between us. "Once this is all over, maybe I can leave. That could be my chance."

"Once this is all over, I'm sure Jake will let you go," I said. "I can't see him keeping you here against your will."

She smiled slightly. "Yeah… You might be right. He knows what it's like, wanting to leave. He did it. Sam let him, and I'm glad for that. There would have been a hell of a fight if he hadn't."

"You think they would have fought over that?"

Leah looked at me in disbelief. "You don't think they would have?" she said. "Jacob and Sam are the strongest and biggest of all of us. It would've been ugly. Sam was smart to let him go."

This bit of the conversation brought back memories I didn't particularly like, but they would always be a part of me. Just like Leah's memories of Sam's betrayal would always be a part of her.

"You know," I started, smiling a little, "as hard as this might be to believe, I think you're stronger because of what happened with Sam." I turned my head to see her staring, her dark eyes clouded by confusion. "All the heartache you suffered, it's made you tough, Leah. After this last summer without Jake, I feel stronger too. I realized what I missed, but I also gained a lot from the experience. So have you."

Leah stared at me for a while, absorbing the words. She soon nodded faintly and looked back to the water. While it sucked we both suffered the loss of people we loved, it was nice to be able to relate to Leah. And I hoped she could relate to me too. If we found some common ground, maybe we could understand each other more and have more chances to talk. It was nice, finally sitting down and having a deep conversation with Leah. It was nerve-wracking as hell, since she could be quite intimidating, but I appreciated the opportunity. Hopefully she felt the same.

"Maybe I was wrong," she quietly admitted, gazing up at the clouds. "Maybe this friend thing isn't as bad as I thought."

I smiled to myself, finding relief and joy in her words. I let them settle into the silence as I followed her gaze to the sky, taking in the peace while it lasted.

. . . . . . . . . .

Hayley and I spent the next hour in the house. My best friend was weary of vampires, which I thanked God for, considering how easily she seemed to take the news last night. But I knew Hayley—she put on a brave face when she felt she needed to. She didn't seem as tense when one of the boys was around, but that was because they were familiar. Now it was just me and her in Alice's bedroom as the flamboyant vamp showed Hayley her closet, a bedroom itself that I had seen months ago.

"Wait a second… This is designer," Hayley stated, holding a flirty purple dress at arm's length. "Where did you get this?"

"New York, of course," Alice revealed with a smile. "Years ago, but it's served its purpose. You can have it."

"What?" the redhead gawked. "You're giving this to me? But it's worth thousands…"

"I never let anyone in this house wear the same thing twice," the vampire declared. "It's against my own personal set of rules. Now take it."

Hayley's green eyes darted to me, wide in shock. I giggled as she thanked Alice a hundred times over. At least she was comfortable. Embry would be happy to hear that, even if he wasn't much of a vampire fan. Maybe once things settled, they'd go out on a date and she could wear it.

"What about you, Sarah?" Alice called, hands on her hips. "You want anything? I've gotten a few new blouses since you've last seen my closet."

"Oh, um…no, I'm okay," I said.

"Liar," Hayley blurted, poking her head out of the closet. "Free clothes, Sarah. Free designer clothes."

I squirmed under their gazes. "Honestly…I don't really think now's the best time for…'shopping,'" I admitted.

Both of their smiles vanished, and I instantly felt guilty for being the reason. Hayley draped the dress Alice had so kindly given her over a desk chair before finding a seat next to me on the couch. Her shoulder touched mine as she tilted her head, studying me.

"…You're scared, aren't you?" she figured.

I shrugged slightly, staring at my hands. "I don't think I can act like nothing's wrong when someone's dying."

Alice shut her closet door and walked over to sit on the other side of me. She placed a hand on my knee. "Listen to me, wolf girl," she began, the nickname making me smirk, "Bella still has a chance at surviving. The blood you donated could very well be what saves her. You never know." She smiled faintly, and it almost reached her black eyes. "I agree that the situation is dire, but…you know Bella. She'd want us to distract ourselves."

I couldn't really tell her she was wrong. Bella would insist on it, and I knew that because recently I'd seen her goodness. While she appreciated the help everyone gave her, there were moments I could see how much it hurt her to see us suffering just as she did. She was only human, so she felt for others, but she couldn't save us. But together, we could save her.

Still, the idea of 'shopping' while she writhed in discomfort didn't sit well with me, even if Alice was right.

"You're compassionate, Sarah," Alice continued. "Everyone sees that, and everyone appreciates it. Even Rosalie, despite her irritable tendencies."

"She seems kind of…icy," Hayley admitted, turning sheepish at the word choice.

"She is, inside and out most days, but deep down I know she appreciates what you've done to help, Sarah. At this point in the pregnancy, anything helps." Her smile lingered, but only for a second. Her eyes suddenly widened, her grip on my knee tightening.

I winced, sucking in a breath. "Alice," I hissed through clenched teeth.

"Oh! Oh, I'm so sorry!" Within a millisecond she was in front of us, standing in the middle of the room. "I-I just heard… Bella just…" She paused, closing her eyes as she heard what Hayley and I couldn't. "…She's broken something."

"Is it another rib?" I asked.

"I…I can't tell." She met my gaze, worry in her eyes. "Carlisle's taking her to the x-ray machine now."

Hayley moved a little in her seat. "Well maybe you should go—"

"No…no, I can't do anything for her," she muttered sadly. "And besides, the fetus… It hurts my head. If only one of your wolves was around."

"What do you mean?"

"They help numb the pain," Alice explained. "I can't see their futures, so they're like mindblocks. It's harder for the visions of the fetus to intervene if they're nearby."

I smirked, looking to Hayley. "First space heaters and now headache relief," I said. "They actually are good for something."

Hayley rolled her eyes and pulled me with her as she rose from the couch. "Since they're not here, why don't we distract ourselves again with something else? Food, maybe? I'm starving."

I became sympathetic for Alice and the Cullens instantly. We ate whenever we wanted, but they had to sit around and crave food of their own. They were so thirsty. I felt bad hanging around sometimes, being a tease. Their thirst needed quenched, but our human presences did little to help.

"Um…maybe we should go grab something in town…" I wondered aloud.

Alice approached us and gingerly took my hand. "We have plenty for you to eat here. You don't have to go…" She looked between us, as if desperate to keep us here. We were her distraction.

I nodded faintly and she squeezed my fingers in gratitude, being extra careful with my fragility. Without a word she led us downstairs to the kitchen, where Esme was beginning lunch. Hayley and Alice took seats at the counter, but I went around it, wringing my hands as I approached the motherly vampire.

"Esme?" I called. She turned to face me.

"Yes, dear?"

"Do you need any help?" Whenever I was here, which was every day, I rested on luxurious chairs and watched game shows on flat screen TVs. Even if they insisted I wasn't a burden, I felt like I needed to contribute again—even with another pint of blood, if necessary. Instead of taking it that far, though, I figured I could at least lend a hand in the cooking. "I've got some experience helping my mom, so I thought—"

Esme silenced me with a small hand on my shoulder. "I'd love the help, sweetheart. Thank you."

I nodded. With a few quick instructions, she put me right to work. All four of us conversed quietly in the kitchen. After a few minutes, however, Alice excused herself and zipped out of the room. Hayley picked up where she left off, talking about school this past week, something I had completely forgotten about. School didn't seem important compared to what was happening around here.

"Sarah?" Alice called, rounding the corner. She stopped in the doorway and gestured over her shoulder just as my monster came into view. "You've got a visitor."

"Jake," I greeted with a smile, his rivaling my own as I hurried to him. He wrapped me in his strong arms. "How's patrol going?"

"Fine. Nothing's changed on our end." He looked from me to the vampires in the room. "So…broken pelvis, huh."

Esme frowned a little as Alice nodded sadly. This was news to me.

"Wait, she has a broken pelvis now?" I repeated, looking up at my monster. The look on his face was enough. Jacob would never lie about something like that anyway. "Is she alright?"

"Edward just carried her downstairs. They're in the living room," Alice said. "Let's go see."

The five of us left the unfinished meal and migrated to the living room, where Edward, Bella, and Rosalie all hovered around the couch. More accurately, Edward and Rosalie hovered around Bella, not that the scene was anything new. Carlisle descended the stairs just as we entered, his expression making him seem old enough to be a doctor for once.

Jacob cleared his throat slightly. "Carlisle," he started. "We got halfway to Seattle without any signs of Sam. You're good to go."

"Perfect timing. Thank you, Jacob. There's quite a bit that we need," the doctor replied, glancing at the cup in Bella's hands.

I looked to Hayley, who figured out what was in the cup. She didn't seem so hungry anymore.

"I'm pretty sure Sam's focusing on La Push right now. You should be safe taking more than three," Jacob added. Carlisle took the advice, not even questioning it.

Damn, they must have been thirsty.

"Esme, Alice, Jasper, and I will go. When we return, Emmett can take Ros—"

"No," the blonde hissed immediately. "He can go with you now."

"Rosalie," Carlisle tried, voice gentle, "you should hunt."

She flipped some of her blonde hair over her shoulder. "I'll go when he goes," she said, pointedly glaring in Edward's direction. He didn't even acknowledge her.

A sigh passed through Carlisle's lips, and in that same second, Emmett, Jasper, and Alice flitted to the glass back door. Esme quickly joined them. Carlisle put a hand on Jacob's arm and thanked him for giving them this chance before all five of them were gone. I barely had time to blink. They had to have been thirstier than I thought.

Hayley pursed her lips. "…It's gonna take a while to get used to that," she murmured.

"Get used to what?" I asked.

"The speed," she clarified. "One second everyone's here, then poof. Gone."

"It doesn't take long," Jacob assured her, looking from the back door to the last two vampires in the room. "They're like flies. Once you think they're gone, they come back and buzz in your ear."

Rosalie turned her head and sent a piercing glare in his direction. Jacob wiggled his fingers in a wave.

I grabbed his hand and held it close to my chest. "Um…maybe we should go before someone loses their head," I murmured. The last thing any of us needed was blood on the plush carpets.

Bella turned her head against the couch pillow. "You look tired, Jake," she said.

"Dead beat," he admitted.

Rosalie laughed once without humor. "I'd love to beat you dead."

"You know, Blondie," Jacob countered, taking a step forward. I quickly followed, still gripping his hand. "One of these days you're gonna get tired of just threatening me. I can't wait for that day."

"Jacob," Bella and I hissed at once.

He looked between us in disbelief before sighing and starting toward the door. He raked his hands through his grown hair—an act of frustration.

"...What was that?" Edward asked from his position on the couch. He eyed Bella.

Jacob turned around and lifted an eyebrow. The look on his face said it all—Edward shouldn't have had to ask that question, ever. His hearing was superb, just like Jake's.

Edward and Bella stared at each other. They both wore the same look of confusion.

"Me?" she checked. "…I didn't say anything."

He lowered himself to his knees in front of her and leaned over her belly. His expression no longer reflected puzzlement; curious was a more accurate description. Black eyes focused on Bella's face.

"What are you thinking, right now?"

She blinked. "Nothing. Edward, what's going on?"

"What were you thinking about a minute ago?" he pressed.

"…Esme's island." Bella blushed. "And…feathers."

What the hell was that supposed to mean? Hayley and I shared a look. Neither of us had any guesses.

"No, no," Edward whispered, moving a little closer to her. "Say something else."

"What do you mean? Tell me what's happening."

The vampire's face twisted. As if conflicted or pained. Even so, he lifted his hands and, very carefully, placed them against Bella's swollen stomach.

"The…" He exhaled harshly. "The baby...likes your voice."

Time stood still. Everyone in the room didn't dare to even blink. When I found myself convinced the world had frozen in place, Bella shouted.

"Oh my god, you can actually hear him?!" A second later she winced.

Edward's hand moved to the top of her belly, his fingers massaging the spot where the baby must have kicked her. "Shh, love," he whispered. "You frightened it…him."

She rubbed her stomach with the utmost care, murmuring her apologies. Despite her croons, Edward continued listening. His ear now rested atop the fabric-covered mound and his dark eyes closed.

"What's he thinking about now?" Her voice held excitement, eagerness.

"…He is…or she is…" The way he lifted his head and looked at her had my heart skipping. There was so much awe, but Edward's cynical behavior regarding the baby remained. "Bella, he's happy."

Her gasp was audible throughout the room. Even from where I stood I could see the moisture overflowing in her eyes. The tears flowed over her sunken cheeks and dripped onto her shirt. And Edward… The mad, crazy look that shone in his eyes from the moment they returned home had been replaced by fascination and wonder.

The battle was over.

"How couldn't you be happy, sweet baby boy?" Bella spoke softly. She rubbed her stomach and sniffled. "You're safe. You're loved. Oh, I love you so much already, little EJ."

Edward's eyebrows furrowed. "What did you call him?"

Under the wetness of her cheeks, a blush appeared. "EJ. Your father's name was Edward too, right?"

"Y-yes, it was. And the J?"

Bella's eyes drifted from her lover's face to my lover's face. "…Jacob."

My monster clenched his fists. With one of his hands still in my grasp, his fingers curled around mine. He made sure not to squeeze too tightly, but the betrayal overcame his sharp features too well. He'd worn the expression enough lately.

Edward tilted his head slightly. "What made you—" He paused.

"What? What is it?"

He released a single-noted laugh, smiling slightly. "He likes my voice too."

"Who wouldn't love your voice, Edward?" she replied. "It's the most wonderful, beautiful voice in the world."

Rosalie rounded the back of the couch and leaned against it, the delighted look on her face matching the one on Bella's. "What if he's a she? Do you have another name picked out?"

"Actually I do," she revealed. "I…um…played around with our mother's names. Renée and Esme. I thought maybe…Ruh-nez-may." At everyone's looks, she clarified, "R-e-n-e-s-m-e-e. Is it…is it too weird?"

Rosalie assured Bella the name was beautiful, but Hayley and I shared a look.

"Renesmee?" she mouthed, her nose wrinkling.

Jacob, on my other side, swallowed hard. It was when his eyes met mine that I knew leaving the room—even better, the house—would be a good decision. If we didn't, Jacob would tear the place apart.

I nudged Hayley with my free arm and pulled on Jacob's hand, leading him out of the room. Once we were by the door, he walked out himself. His footsteps were loud as he marched across the porch, stomped down the stairs, and kicked at the rocks in the driveway.

"Jake," I called, descending after him. "Jake, calm down."

"Ugh!" he grunted loudly. "I knew I couldn't trust that parasite!"

"Trust him? What do you mean?"

Jacob paced back and forth, his chest heaving with fast breaths. "I counted on him to hate that thing just as much as I did. To hate it for killing her, but no. Now he just adores the little monster. Now they're just a big, happy, bloodsucking family!"

He struck one of the trees on the edge of the forest with his foot. The trunk dented with a sickening crack.

"Jacob, stop!" I cried.

"She's got three more goddamned days," he grumbled. "Three more days and she dies and that little demon gets to survive."

Hayley came up beside me. "Three more days?"

He spared us a glance. "Carlisle," he spat, then returning to glare at the earth.

Carlisle knew when Bella was going into labor? It must have been easy to tell from his position, being a doctor and all. The fact that Bella looked like she was about to burst probably helped determine the due date.

A brief rustle of leaves and crunching of dirt occurred before Leah came out of the woods, Seth and Embry hot on her tail. The only difference between the three of them was that she was in her human form.

"What the hell is going on?" she asked, looking between Jacob, Hayley, and I in bewilderment. She then spotted the tree Jacob kicked in. "What happened now?"

"Nothing for you to worry about," Jacob retorted. "Why aren't you guys running patrol? Did all three of you have to show up for this?"

"It's kind of hard not to when you're making such a racket," she fired back. At the glare shot her way, she swallowed her next few words, silent.

Embry approached Hayley's side and gently nudged her with his large head. She whispered that she was alright, and while he may have believed her, he still appeared concerned. His Alpha had lost his temper again, and none of them knew why.

Seth whined from his place near the trees, taking a small step forward. His posture reflected his worry.

"It's fine." Jacob took in a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "It's fine. They just…"

Leah's eyes found mine when he didn't finish. The weight of her gaze had me pushing my hair out of my face as I sighed.

"Edward can hear the baby," I revealed. "He loves it. He and Bella are practically glowing in there."

"And that bothers you because…?" Leah prompted, staring at her Alpha.

"Because," Jacob began stiffly, pinching the bridge of his nose, "I counted on that bloodsucker to be on my side. To hate that damn leech that's sucking the life out of her just as much as I did. And now he's…" He clenched his teeth, jaw flexing. "He's enjoying it."

"Well there's your first mistake: trusting them."

"Leah!" he barked. The veins in his neck stuck out against his tan skin. He struggled to keep his temper under control.

I quietly approached Jacob and lifted my hands to rest on his chest. His heart raced beneath my palm. "Relax," I encouraged gently. "Take a deep breath. Count back from ten."

Jacob did as I suggested, closing his eyes and inhaling the fresh, cool air. His hands lightly grasped my arms as he held me in place. As he exhaled I studied his face. His features softened as the seconds ticked by.

"Better?"

He nodded.

Leah's lip curled into a nasty frown. "You've got to be kidding," she hissed under her breath. She glanced between us and the house and marched toward the porch, short black hair flying behind her.

"Leah," Jacob called in warning. Seth barked a second after. "Leah!"

"I'm not just gonna stand here and let her walk all over you, not anymore!" she hollered over her shoulder.

Jacob's grasp on my arms tightened. The grip tore my gaze from Leah and forced it onto him. His temper ignited again, and there was no way for me to stop it this time.

"Excuse me," he grumbled lowly, releasing my arms and walking past me back to the house. Embry moaned but Jacob lifted his hand, silencing him immediately.

This wasn't going to be good.


A/N: Hey all. Sorry about the late update. I was visiting family and internet access was meh.

Anyway, still encouraging "reviews" and not "comments." Please take the time to leave feedback!

Also, next week (Christmas) marks the one year for this story. Crazy how time flies. Considering the holiday, there willnot be an update. Given all the family time and the hustle and bustle, who is gonna sit and read a fanfiction, right? So, I will be uploading the next chapter to Inflamed the week after Christmas. Sorry guys and gals.

Sooo, I hope everyone has a great holiday and stays safe! I'll see you in a few weeks!