Chapter Fourteen

Shelter

.

Then

"You're gonna be okay, kid…" Sam murmured, huge palms framing a boy's face contorted in pain. Seth was white as a sheet, sweat beading his brow mixing with blood and rain.

Her brother's eyes flickered open for a split second, locking with his Alpha's before squeezing shut against agony.

His body was a mangled train wreck. Both femurs broken, dislocated joints… From his labored breathing, at least more than a few broken ribs. Who knew what else?

Pack mind was stunned into a long silence. Everyone's thoughts bubbled like an angry pot of water on a stove, but nobody had anything to say. There was nothing to say. Jacob and Paul had lost the Cullen leech in the forested outskirts of Seattle. They couldn't risk chasing her any further without exposing their existence to the human population.

And the stranger bloodsucker had disappeared before Sam and the pack had reached the cliffs, fled back into the sea like the demon it was. Quil was patrolling up and down the seaboard but the scent never resurfaced.

Sam's head jerked up, locking his gaze with Jared, still wolf in the bushes a few feet away. "Paul, Jacob, come home. Set patrol around Forks." He intoned, his timbre bass registering the weight of the Order. "Jared, I'm gonna need your hands…"

NO! Leah screamed, anger and anguish exploding into a howl that tore through the sky. Her claws kicked up soil as she lurched into a sprint.

Jared flinched and Sam's jaw tightened subtlety as a delicate shudder rolled down his arms. "Leah, stay!"

The howl snipped into silence as if he'd cut it with a knife. Leah's limbs buckled automatically, and she dropped like she'd been punched.

Jagged exhales tore from her muzzle as she braced her paws into the leaves, pushing up against an invisible hand that held solid. Pain laced her limbs as her instincts fought to tug her down.

Jared whined uneasily. Everyone could feel the compulsion of an Alpha's direct order.

Stay down, they seemed to whisper as their wolves bristled at her out of instinct. Those who didn't obey would be made to obey by the pack. It was just the way of things.

"Stay…" Sam repeated softly, his low voice almost obscured under the hush of rain. He dipped his head, his keen hearing logging Seth's frantic heartbeats as he brushed the boy's dark locks back from his slick forehead. "I need you to guard Bella."

In the corners of her mind, she could hear the rest of them speculating.

They thought she couldn't do this. They knew her mind was fried and that her wolf was eating up what was left.

Well they weren't wrong. She wanted to scream and howl and fight anything and anyone who'd dare come close to her right now. She had reached her breaking point, and somehow kept going.

The sky shook angrily with thunder as if punctuating her thoughts.

Sam took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He sat back on his heels, his powerful shoulders rolling at the apex of his broad stature. Wind and rain battered harmlessly at his skin.

He looked directly into Jared's eyes. Looked past him and into her soul.

"Leah, go to Bella's and stay there until I say otherwise." He said slowly, each word coated with liquid steel.

Leah's paws shook as she pushed herself up, ears flat against her skull, tail tucked firmly between her hind legs. She wanted to yell that she hated him, wanted to smack that wooden expression off his face.

More than that, she wanted to be with her brother.

And just as much, she wanted her imprint…

Instead, her paws moved mechanically across the forest floor into a shaky trot. Away from La Push.

"Steady, Jared. We need to set the breaks before they heal. Sue's gonna be here any minute with the truck…"

His voice melted away as Jared phased out of pack mind, taking the vision of her brother and Sam with him.

Her chest buckled with the beginnings of a panic attack. Maybe they were right. Maybe she couldn't do this...

Up ahead, the glow of soft yellow light filtered through the Swan's kitchen window like a beacon in the dark. Her emotions battled against the cage of her mind like rabid animals. The rest of the pack awkwardly pretended to ignore her on the opposite sides of the flimsy office partition that was pack mind.

She knew they were all a mess like her. She was just the only one not bothering to hide it.

She stalked closer to salvation and she felt… guilty. Her baby brother was lying in the dirt, broken and hurt miles away and she wasn't there. She wasn't the one holding his hand or brushing his hair back and telling him how strong he his and that he was going to be just fine.

God, she had to hold it together… she needed to… she couldn't…

Suddenly, Bella's back door squeaked open. And Leah's heart finally imploded.

Because all she could think was BellaBellaBella…

Now

Leah braced her palms against the slick porcelain tiles and bowed her head under the spray. She was so filthy that at first the water ran dark down the drain.

She tilted her face up, the shower head just a few inches above her head, and let the soft hush of water slip down the hills and valleys of her tautly muscled back. She wished it would wash the memories down too.

Gritting her teeth, Leah twisted the knob as cold as it would go. For a brief moment, there was enough hot water to make it the exact temperature of her body, turning her invisible. And then it became frigid.

Leah groaned as ice cold tundra pelted her super-heated skin. And it still wasn't enough. Her body was on fire. Because as soon as she'd locked eyes on her imprint in the woods behind the house, it was like a switch had been flipped. She was a rag doll tugged under Bella's spell.

It was so much more than lust.

She'd never felt like this before... Not even with Sam. It seemed like a sick joke to even put them in the same category. She'd never wanted anyone with such intensity that it could knock her off her feet. The wolf was tearing her apart at the seams to get to Bella.

Even now, she unconsciously paid meticulous attention to every breath Bella took, every light step across the linoleum downstairs, every heartbeat, every soft distressing sigh… Who was she kidding? She was very consciously doing so.

It was madness and at the same time, it wasn't enough.

Leah pushed the heels of her palms against her eyes and hissed a steely breath from the trenches of her soul.

Pushing her slick hair back, she shut the water off with a resentful jerk of the hand. There was only one towel, so she grabbed that and began to pat herself dry. Despite her turmoil, she did feel better now with the day's insanity washed away. She felt almost like a person again. Even if she did still feel mostly numb.

Knock, knock. "Leah?"

Leah's heart lurched to her throat. "Yeah?" She hurried to wrap the towel around her chest.

"I'm going to leave some clothes outside the door. I can throw yours in the wash in the meantime."

Leah's lips twitched up reflexively in response to that compassionate voice. In a single, ample step, Leah was at the door and tugging it open without thinking.

On the other side, Bella blinked up at her with melted dark chocolate eyes and a soft gasp of fleeting surprise.

Leah hadn't realized how tense she was but at the sight of her imprint, she began to relax. Despite them being in the same house, she had to physically see Bella before the wolf could settle.

Bella wordlessly lifted the bundle of clothes and Leah took it without breaking their gaze. She watched, in awe, as rosy blush filled those creamy cheeks. She was distantly aware of Bella's eyes mapping out a trail over her face and along her jaw and inevitably lower, across Leah's bare collarbones and impressive shoulders still beaded with water.

Her sweetening scent hit Leah like a drug. Alluring and delectable, it took everything in her not to throw the door open and take Bella in her arms. Her hands shook minutely with the effort of holding back.

"Thanks." Leah murmured, captivated.

Bella released the most delectable sigh, her lashes fluttering delicately as her eyes swung up to meet Leah's abashedly. Like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

"You're welcome." Clearing her throat awkwardly, Bella took a half step back, her eyes dropping as her blush grew impossibly redder. Her hand fell away from the bundle, breaking their bubble with a silent pop of reality.

"Um, I ordered pizza for us…" Bella offered, her eyes dancing every which way except directly at Leah. "Meet you downstairs in a few?"

Leah dipped her chin silently.

With a soft smile, Bella turned and made her way down the dark hall, Leah's eyes following with cagey attention. Only when her imprint disappeared around the corner did she quietly shut the door again.

Leah leaned against the door and let her head fall back with a soft thump.

Well, fuck.

.

By the time she'd dressed in borrowed sweatpants and t-shirt and started descending the stairs, the smell of vanilla and chocolate had begun filtering up the stairwell to greet her.

She could hear Bella humming in the kitchen, shuffling around different drawers. Her steps were bunny-soft across the kitchen.

Stepping into the comforting light, Leah crossed her arms and leaned against the door frame.

And she just watched.

The house was quiet, the sky rumbling distantly and rain hushing at the windows. But in this moment, Leah felt the most at ease than she's been the entire day.

Bella moved in the cozy kitchen like it was an extension of herself. Hair pulled up and out of the way, she reached over a plucked a spoon from a drawer and then snapped it closed with her hip. Various ingredients and a huge mixing bowl sat scattered on the counter tops. Two eggs, a half sack of flour, sugar…

Leah inhaled slowly and let Bella's intoxicating scent wash over her and smooth her tense muscles loose. Her mind was always split in two: her wolf running amok in the corners of her mind that was always thinking of pack and protecting, and the human side that struggled to contain it.

Now, both natures were content to curl up and just bask in the comfort of having her close by. Safe.

"Cookies?" Leah murmured, spotting the package of chocolate chips.

With a squeak, Bella spun to face her as her tiny heart doubled its beat.

Leah pushed away from the doorway, concern drawing her brows low over her eyes.

After a moment, Bella smiled, and it lit up the kitchen brighter than that ceiling bulb ever could.

She held out the spoon. "My sous chef finally arrives."

Snorting, Leah prowled across the kitchen as a smirk hitched up the corner of her lips. "Sous chef, huh?" She took the spoon as her eyes soaked in Bella's adorably determined expression.

"I mean, I'm executive chef, of course." Bella grinned and turned back to the counter with a sway of her ponytail.

"Of course."

"And besides, you have the most important job of all." Bella peeked up at her with a private smile.

"Yeah?" Leah's eyes flicked up halfheartedly, the smirk still playing at her lips. "What?"

"You get to mix!" Bella slid the mixing bowl over. It already held a hefty pile of white sugar.

Leah sniffed a laugh and plopped the spoon in. "I'm honored."

"I know. You're welcome." Bella hummed and continued her dance around the kitchen. She gathered various instruments: measuring cups, measuring spoons, sticks of butter…

For a split second, Leah had a vision of her doing this exact same thing… except it would be in a kitchen they both would call home. There would be no wars, no storms, no worrying. Just the two of them existing, the way it always should've been.

"Hey…" Bella whispered, breaking the reverie with the whisper of a mug sliding across the laminated counter. "You should drink this."

Leah blinked and curled her fingers around the hot mug. It smelt like the stuff her mother drank in the morning. Green tea, ginger, various other spices. Her nose wrinkled as she lifted the mug and shot Bella a grimace over the rim.

"Oh, don't give me that look, Stubborn. You need it." Bella chuckled as she began measuring out brown sugar with practiced hands.

"That's not the only thing I need." Leah huffed, a trickle of stress leaking out under the words before she could stop it. She took a sip and mulled it over. Huh. It didn't taste as bad as it smelled.

Bella was so quiet, Leah glanced over and found her adding the brown sugar to the bowl, her expression sober.

Shit.

Leah set the mug on the counter as reality threatened to crash down on the sublime scene. "So... chocolate chip, huh?"

"What happened?" Bella whispered as her worried eyes sought Leah. Leah inhaled slowly and dropped her gaze.

Here we go.

"We lost the leech." Leah mumbled in voice that felt like it belonged to someone else. "Jake and Paul chased her all the way to Seattle."

In the corner of her eye, she saw Bella lift her hand to her mouth with concern.

"That's not all," Leah forced the words around the lump in her throat, "Seth got hurt."

The words dropped like a stone, cracking the quiet peace in half.

"What? How?" Bella gasped, her arm curling around her small frame in that way Leah knew that she was trying to comfort herself. "How bad was he hurt?"

Leah began stirring the contents of the bowl slowly, staring down at it with unseeing eyes. "There was another one. A bloodsucker we didn't know. He came from the sea and caught Seth off guard when he was by himself. There was… a lot of damage..."

The wooden spoon creaked in her vice-like grip. Her fist shook so hard that spoon vibrated against the side of the bowl with a continual tapping noise.

Suddenly, Bella's hand was there. It covered hers with the warm brush of silky skin and gentle fingers. Silently, Bella prodded her hand open and eased the spoon away.

Leah hissed as her body siphoned up the relish of her touch. Just like that, the jitters smoothed into calm waters.

"I'm so sorry, Leah…" Bella whispered and Leah finally looked up to see Bella's eyes brimming with unshed tears. "Will he be okay?"

Unable to speak, Leah nodded.

Thankfully there wasn't much that their kind couldn't heal from. Still... none of them had ever been hurt this badly before.

"Hey…" Bella whispered, turning her gently. Her eyes drank in Leah's troubled face before she stepped forward, throwing her arms around Leah's waist.

Leah closed her eyes, her arms automatically winding around Bella's small, slender frame. Finally.

Leah's jaw gently bumped the crown of Bella's head and she released a soft breath into her mahogany hair. As always, Leah was stunned by how delicate she was. So very tiny in her arms. Just like outside when it was her wolf wrapping around Bella, her protective instinct flared, coalescing into a comforting purr in the depths of her chest.

"Everything will be fine…" Bella whispered against her skin.

"It's not enough." Leah bit the words out. "They're gonna keep coming and I can't protect you. I can't protect Seth. Or my mom…"

"Stop it." With gentle hands, Bella cupped her jaw and petitioned for her eyes. "Look at me, honey."

Leah sighed and blinked her eyes open obediently. She had nothing to offer but her hopelessness. On the flip side, Bella's eyes offered her courage freely.

"You do protect me. You protect everyone. This is just a bump in the road, okay?" Bella stroked her thumbs across Leah's cheekbones, feather soft. "Look at me. I'm okay. I'm still here. And so is Seth, and the pack, your mom, my dad… All because of you."

Leah's swallow was audible as she nodded. They both regarded each other for a moment; Bella with her never-ending patience, Leah with nothing short of wonder.

"I can't lose you." Leah breathed.

As she said it, she realized how true that statement was. It simply wasn't an option. It never was.

"You won't." Bella said simply. Her thumbs still played at the sharp planes of Leah's face, tracing down either side of her jaw.

"But—"

"You won't." Bella set her jaw, her eyes sparkling. "I trust you. You're not going to let it happen. Right?"

What in the hell did she do to deserve her?

Leah nodded.

"No, you gotta say it." A precious furrow formed between Bella's brows. "Promise me."

Leah's lips curved in a watery smile as her eyes flickered over Bella's face. "I promise."

Bella smiled triumphantly with guileless delight, as if she hadn't just forged the broken pieces of Leah back together again for the umpteenth time.

She really had no idea. Leah would promise her the moon if she could.

"Good," Bella's fingers fluttered against the sharp planes of Leah's collarbones. Leah felt it in every single nerve ending. "Let's make some cookies."

She wiggled in her arms, and Leah had to physically tamp down the soft growl starting in her gut. No part of her wanted to let go.

All she wanted to do in this moment was push everything off the damn counter, press Bella against it, and—

"Leah?" Bella whispered gently, just a sigh in the back of her throat. Leah's hand slid up to cup her cheek, tenderly urging her face up.

"You really wanna make cookies right now?" She murmured, cocking a brow at her.

"Yes, I do." Bella pursed her lips together thoughtfully. "It helps if I keep myself busy."

Leah's head tilted to the side as Bella's blush bloomed across her cheeks. Her brown doe eyes flicked to the dark kitchen window with the smallest twinge of anxiety.

"I'm not a fan of storms…"

All at once, Leah understood.

She leaned in and traced the tip of her nose along the soft edge of Bella's jaw, a soothing gesture that melted that anxiety away easily. Leah's arm softened its grip around her, cradling instead of grasping.

Bella's eyes melted into hers and fluttered closed, her body giving into Leah's grip.

With a hum of pure delight, Leah lowered her lips to Bella's in the most delectable kiss. It was lazy and luscious and sweeter than any cookie ever could be. It stirred a fire in the belly as Bella's petal-soft lips parted for her. Leah didn't try to hold herself back like the other times they kissed. Their tongues met, building the heated embers of both of their need.

Leah's arms tightened around her, fingers digging into supple skin as Bella's touch traveled over Leah's skidding pulse and into her dark, silky locks.

She tasted too fucking good to stop. And Leah would've happily drowned in her sweetness if Bella hadn't resurfaced for a desperate breath first.

Leah chased, her lips finding the corner of Bella's lips and travelling along her honeyed jaw. Everything else was background noise.

"Leah…"

"Mmm…" She was too busy with the spot over Bella's thudding pulse. Bella shivered, a peal of giggles bursting free as Leah's lips tickled her skin. It was like cocaine straight to Leah's veins. Purring her pleasure, Leah began to nip and stimulate the sensitive spot with her teeth.

With a gasp, Bella's hand came in to grasp Leah's jaw. "Wait..."

Leah lips paused against her skin. She inhaled a lungful of ambrosia and took her time leaning back enough to meet Bella's starry eyes and flushed cheeks.

"Okay." Leah murmured as she offered one of her wry smiles. "What's next, sous chef?"

Leah released her reluctantly and picked up the spoon, internally pushing down the beast of her need with an obstinate hand. Focus!

"That's executive chef to you!" Bella huffed, breathless as she bumped her hip into Leah's. "Mix that. Next is the butter…"

They shared a smile and then Bella was moving away, back to the task at hand. Leah's gaze clung to her like a puppy on her heels.

"Yes, ma'am."

.

It didn't feel as weird as she thought it would, having Leah in her house for the first time.

When Edward had been here, Bella had felt vulnerable. Embarrassed even. What would he think of the memories on the walls or the random knick-knacks littering her room when he came from a world that didn't care for such pointless human things?

She didn't feel any of that with Leah. Everything was so different with her... But not foreign.

In the background, Fleetwood Mac dutifully drowned out most of the storm. The worst of it seemed to have passed, although the rain still raged at the windowpanes.

Time seemed to pause for them, Bella moving comfortably through the motions of measuring out and adding different ingredients as Leah compliantly stirred.

They barely spoke and when they did it was usually Bella, adding a mild quip here and there to lighten the mood. Leah was quiet… quieter than usual. Her eyes sometimes lapsed into a fog that Bella wished she could decipher.

Every now and then she would peer up to catch Leah's gaze drinking her in as if she couldn't get enough. It never failed to usher a cotton candy smile to Bella's lips and stutter in her chest.

"You're not watching what you're doing…" Bella teased, her fingers finding Leah's smooth forearm. "C'mon, stir like you mean it."

Leah snorted, her reluctant eyes dropping to the mixing bowl with a content smile. "Or what?"

"I'll have to fire you." Bella sniffed, watching the mixture slowly come together into a pale batter; All it needed now was the chocolate chips.

Bella fingertips slid up over smooth toffee skin and rested in the corner of her elbow. This close, Bella could visibly see Leah's shoulders relax, her body automatically curving to accommodate Bella's soft shape beside her.

She glanced up to catch Leah's gaze darting away again. Both of their lips curling in a private smile.

"You got a little flour…" Bella squinted and reached up to drag her thumb over the white smudge on Leah's chin.

Leah took the chance to nip at Bella's fingers and she withdrew them quickly with gentle laughter.

"And you got a lil hickey…" Leah grinned down at her as the spoon came up and splotched cookie batter against her neck. "…Right, here!"

Bella jumped back with a gasp, "You didn't!" A hickey?

Leah snickered, her arm winding around Bella's waist and tugging her back against her side. Bella swatted playfully at her, heat rushing up to her face. Charlie would have a cow if he saw!

Leah ducked, Bella's swatting hands may as well have been flower petals, and Bella barely had the chance to brace herself before Leah's moist, velvet tongue was lapping over her pulse.

Instinct made her head tip to the side as her muscles went lax. Goosebumps spilled down her spine as Leah cleaned up the batter with the stroke of her tongue. Every nerve ending in her body flashed alight, her only anchor Leah's strong arm around her waist.

Holy shit.

"What? Never had hickey before, Swan?"

The words seemed as if they were coming from underwater. Bella's skin buzzed as she blinked back into her kitchen. Leah gazed down at her with a devilish smirk.

"You're an asshole, you know that?" Bella said, breathless.

"So, I've been told." Leah laughed, her first real laugh since she stepped foot in her house.

Bella's left hand reached out to the bowl not-so-discreetly and she slapped a retaliating glob of cookie dough against Leah's cheek.

Bella felt more than heard a wolf's growl unfurl in Leah's chest as her eyes sparkled with challenge.

A drop of anticipation piqued Bella's stomach as she reached again to the bowl—

Only to be stopped by a brown fist around her wrist; Not hurting in the least, just restraining.

Bella grinned.

And then they were both moving—arms straining, hands clasping arms—as they each fought to get a dollop of dough on the other.

Bella laughed as Leah's muscled arm lifted her off her feet as if she weighed nothing.

"Nuh uh!" Leah tutted as she deposited her away from the counter. Her slender form moved between Bella and the bowl.

"I have to get the chocolate chips in!" Bella feigned sideways to the other side of the bowl. Leah was already there, moving faster than a person should. She grasped Bella's waist and turned her back against the edge of the counter, her arms clamped onto either side, caging her in.

Everything paused. Leah looked down at her with a grin half-caught on her face.

The air between them kept teetering from playful to heated and back again and it made Bella dizzy. She couldn't hear the rain or the soft guitar in the background, only Leah's yearning breaths as she took up Bella's entire view.

She smelled like laundry detergent, strawberry shampoo, and something else… something spicy Bella could only describe as wild.

It drove her crazy.

"At this rate, we'll never get these in the oven." Bella's voice was just above a whisper.

Leah let out a long breath. "Trust me, cookies are the last thing on my mind."

"Then what's the first thing on your mind?" Bella's fingers drifted out to touch her sides. Under the cotton, hard impenetrable muscle tightened and shuddered ever so slightly.

Leah hissed as if she'd burned her. "You know."

Bella's eyes jumped to her face. Leah's expression was intensely complicated. Her eyes flicked between Bella's like she was warring an internal battle. Oddly, it reminded her of Jacob of all things.

Leah's head jerked up, face drawing into something more focused, and Bella stiffened correspondingly.

"Pizza's here." Leah explained before Bella's heart could gain momentum.

A soothing lupine rumble wrapped around her as a heated pair of lips pressed against her hairline—at the exact moment her doorbell rang.

Bella had a hard time pulling away. Leah lifted her arm and Bella shuffled under it, her imploring gaze lingering on the taller girl.

Bella stepped out of the warm cocoon of the kitchen into the entry way. She pulled the door open and tucked her arms around herself as frigid wind rushed to greet her. It seemed to cut right through her hoodie.

A boy stood at her door, illuminated by the dim porch light. He was slightly taller than her and lanky under one of those cheap plastic ponchos. He balanced two pizza boxes in his grip.

"Delivery." His monotone was as disgruntled as he probably felt. His eyes fell on her and he smiled awkwardly. "Oh, hey Bella."

"Hi, um… Lee, right?" She recognized his face, but it took her a moment to remember his name. He had been the boy who'd fallen ill along with her in Bio II last year when they did that blood typing project. Lee Stephens... They didn't share any other classes after that, but he sometimes sat with Mike and the rest of the group at lunch.

He passed her a crumpled receipt wrapped around a pen for her to sign. Her dad had paid for the pizza like he'd promised.

She signed with an indecipherable scribble and handed it back.

"Thanks, here you go." He presented the pizzas with a goofy flourish and Bella took them.

"Wait, your tip!" She called out as he began to turn away.

"Don't worry about it." He smiled, tugging the flimsy hood up. "Your dad took care of it."

Bella sniffed a laugh because of course he would. "Stay dry, Lee."

"Sure, see you in school. 'Yanno, we all miss you."

Her brows came together, and he chortled.

"Well, mostly Mike. The girls are… well…" He shrugged helplessly.

Bella knew what he meant. Other than Mike and the guys, the only other occupants of her former lunch table were Lauren Mallory and her bitch crusade. Ever since she started sitting with just Angela and Ben, she could only imagine the things Lauren said in her absence.

Lee mistook her silence for aversion, and he laughed in that gawking way boys did. "Ouch, I'll let him down gently." He regarded her thoughtfully for a second before grinning. "Though, there's probably no need."

"What?" was the only thing she could muster. She was utterly confused.

He waggled his brows dubiously before bounded down the steps and out to the car idling at the curb.

Bella turned into the house and shut the door with her hip, her mind wondering over the conversation.

"You okay?"

"Jeez!" Bella jumped, the boxes fumbling in her grip.

Leah caught them with her lightening reflexes. She stood in the dark nook of the entryway, the light from the kitchen just catching the edges of her raven hair.

"You should really make some noise, you know." Bella rolled her eyes, cursing werewolves and their silent steps.

Leah smiled, not apologetic in the least. "Sorry…"

"Yeah, yeah…" Bella shook her head as her heart restarted. She led the way back to the kitchen. Leah trailed in behind her and set the boxes on the counter.

They decided to forgo plates and ended up on the kitchen floor of all places, paper towels and pizza slices in hand. She'd ordered a plain cheese and a meat-lovers for obvious reasons. She was glad she'd ordered two pies, Leah had demolished half of the meat-lovers by the time she'd finished two slices of her plain.

"Do you need another pizza to wash it down?" Bella teased at Leah, who sat with her back against the wood doors. Bella leaned sideways against them, one of her legs stretched out over Leah's lap.

"Nah… I think I'll just steal yours." Leah leaned toward her and Bella lifted her pizza up and out of the way, making a small noise of protest in the back of her throat.

"Hey, paws off!" She warned with a mock scowl. "You finish yours, too bad. Don't even look at my pizza."

Leah pouted and crumpled her paper towel. "Damn, it's like that, huh?"

"Yup, just like that." Bella stuck her tongue out. Leah shook her head, smirking as she tossed her paper towel ball at the trash across the room. It made it in, of course.

Leah grinned triumphantly as Bella laughed. "You cheated."

"How?"

"Werewolf powers. It's against the rules." Bella finished off the last of her slice and wiped her hands.

"You didn't object to my werewolf powers before." Leah hummed. Her strong grip wrapped around Bella's knees and tugged her closer. Bella inhaled quickly, blood warming her face at the sudden movement.

Leah rearranged Bella's legs so they both draped over her lap. Her hand rubbed slowly over Bella's calf, sending simmering heat sparking up her leg. The gesture sang of intimacy and possessiveness.

"So."

"So…" Bella echoed.

"You and Mike, huh?"

Bella groaned and shoved Leah's shoulder. "Me and Mike, nothing!" That ship sank before it even reached water.

Leah laughed; Her hand came up to tangle in the end of Bella's hoodie drawstring. "It sure didn't sound like it."

"Jealous?" Bella goaded.

Leah's face instantly darkened, the wolf prowling in those eyes. "Nope." Leah popped the "p" as she wrapped the string around her index finger. "I know you're mine."

To anyone else, it might've sounded cocky, but Bella heard the relief in the words.

Leah's fingers slowly ghosted back and forth over her leg, soothing and—Bella realized with a flutter in her stomach—turning her on with that calloused gentle heat.

"Up until I came to Forks, my love life hadn't been too exciting..." Bella murmured, trying to shift her focus before the tide of desire overwhelmed her.

"How in the hell did you end up with Cullen?" Leah breathed.

Bella drew her lip between her teeth, mulling it over in her head. "You really wanna know?" Her eyes darted up to gauge Leah's expression.

She watched her with open curiosity, not anger like Bella expected. Leah dipped her head.

Bella took a deep breath and started at the beginning.

She spoke in hushed pastel tones, revisiting moments and feelings that felt tattooed into her consciousness. Leah listened with rapt attention, her fingers gliding absently over Bella's legs. Bella drank in the comforting touch, leaning on her gentle strength when she got to the hard parts.

Like the parts about James… Or the time she got cornered in Port Angeles with that gang, or her disastrous birthday last year in the vampire's den.

At those times, Leah's hand would freeze, gripping Bella's shin like a lifeline and her wide eyes glued to Bella. For the most part, she never interrupted as Bella's story culminated with her trip to Italy and meeting the Volturi.

Her joints had started to cramp from sitting for so long, but Bella was too focused on Leah, still and quiet beside her. Too still. Too quiet.

Bella swallowed her anxiety and shuffled a bit. Leah seemed to remember herself, and they reluctantly got to their feet and started clearing the boxes in silence. For a moment, the only sounds were the dirty baking utensils being added to the sink and the soft rush of the tap. The music stopped a while ago, the Pandora app on her phone quieting itself in that way it sometimes did from lack of attention.

Bella peeked at Leah as she put the extra slices into one box and stored it in the fridge with the cookie dough. Leah seemed lost in thought, her expression soft and open as she stared down at the sink, her hands mechanically washing.

She must have questions… who wouldn't? But whatever they were, she kept them to herself. For now.

Blushing, Bella picked up their forgotten mugs and began shuffling toward her.

"There's something else I think you should know." Leah's soft, raspy voice threaded across the space to her.

Bella's head jerked up to find Leah watching her, brows drawn low over her cinnamon eyes.

"The leech… the one that attacked Seth…" She ground out, "Jacob recognized his scent. It was the same one that they found in your house. The stranger leech."

Bella leaned against the fridge heavily. Oh, god. Her head swam, her eyes closing. Who was he…?

Spicy sweetness enfolded her. Warm hands withdrew the mugs from her grip before they ended up shattered on the floor.

"Shhh…" Leah soothed in her ear. Bella sucked in a lungful of her scent and fisted the material of her t-shirt as Leah drew her in. Just that touch, it sedated her mind and loosened her muscles.

"The others didn't want you to know." Leah growled. "They thought it would only stress ya out more."

"I'm okay." She whispered into Leah's shoulder. Lying didn't come easily to her and this lie fell flat.

Leah tilted her head, lips twisting together doubtfully.

"I am." Bella repeated, Leah's embrace lending a strength that she reflected in her words. "I know I'm safe."

Leah hummed in agreement. Her face lowered into the crook of her neck; The feel of full, perfect lips pressing against the tender skin of her pulse threatened to undo Bella.

Between them, so many words went unsaid. Questions about enemies and demons, love and lines. About the feelings eating them both alive. Would they even make it out of this nightmare long enough to know the answers?

Bella's eyes fluttered open. Her cheek was pillowed on Leah's shoulder as the wolf gently swayed her in the comforting quiet. Their heartbeats cantered in perfect sync.

It was impossible to feel hopeless when she felt so… content.

Her unfocused gaze landed on the glow of the digital clock above the stove. 11:43 pm. Where did the time go?

Bella tugged her head back, relishing the feel of Leah's solid strength against her cheek. Leah's eyes were trained on her over the plains of her sharp cheekbones. Her scorching palm slipped up to cradle the back of her head. Always so gentle.

"C'mon," Bella whispered, without any hesitation at all. "Let's go to bed."

.

Hey all, been a while huh? I could type a whole novel about where I've been (so many life changes! a lil rough at first but it's all smooth sailin' now) so I'll settle for saying that I missed you dearly.

Please consider sending me a review! I really appreciate each and every one!