A/N: For those of you who miss Leah and Matt, this chapter is for you. Get out your tissues, because this is going to be a rough one. A warning: this chapter contains emotional trauma and mature themes.

Thanks to Costa for pre-reading.


48

Since it was Matt's day off, he decided to spend it with Leah. They both needed time to unwind with everything happening around them.

Plus, he missed her something fierce.

Leah was sitting on the couch with her legs crossed on the coffee table, while Matt's head rested in her lap. The living room was dark due to the rain shower, but it was the perfect setting for a Netflix and chill kind of afternoon. They were watching some romantic comedy, which as it turned out was Leah's favorite movie genre.

He couldn't wait for things to be calm like they were before he knew the werewolves were after Leah. Back when she would come into Breakers and they would talk and laugh.

He remembered those days, knowing full well what she was, but unable to tell her that he knew without scaring her away.

He did that anyway with one ill-advised kiss.

Then three of her pack members were attacked, bringing them back together. He remembered when he had to go talk to Jacob, both hoping and dreading seeing her again.

After he walked into Jacob's shop, who does he see first? Leah coming out of the back office just as stunned as he was.

They hadn't left things in a good place, and she hadn't been back to Breakers after that night that they kissed.

But there she was standing in front of him, and the rest, as they say was history.

Now she was with him. They'd had a few bumps in the road, but what relationship didn't? All he needed to do was finish the bond, then she would be officially a part of his pack.

But if history had taught him anything, it was that Leah had to make the decision herself. She was strong willed which was something he loved about her, but he had to play things right or everything would be shot to hell. And that would be torture to both him and his wolf.

Right now, he was going to enjoy the feeling of being there with Leah. He wasn't going to think about the werewolves or the council or any other issues. This time was just about him and his Peaches.

God, he loved this feeling. He loved being there with Leah, her playing in his hair, then her hand resting on his bare chest over his heart.

He was so content, so comfortable. It shouldn't have been a surprise that he fell asleep.

There was blood, so much blood. It was all over the place, on the walls, covering the floor, on his hands and body.

He looked around at his surroundings. The lighting was dim, but he was able to make his way through. The crimson liquid slinked between his toes as he waded barefoot through it.

His foot hit something. Or someone.

He looked down in horror. It was Niko, his little brother, still and unmoving. More blood was flowing around and beneath him.

"Niko!" Matt kneeled down and shook his shoulder. "Wake up, man!"

Nothing. No response.

More members of his pack lay before him, all of them in puddles of blood, mingling together. He searched through everyone, looking for signs of life, but there were none.

He was an Alpha without a pack, a wolf without a family.

Then he thought of Leah.

"Leah!" he called out. "Where are you, Peaches!"

He ran into the darkness, not knowing where he was going, but knowing he had to find her. He had to make sure she was safe.

Suddenly, he was in front of a door, and his heart sank. He recognized it immediately as the door to the home he shared with Christy. He hadn't been able to step in that house since he'd lost her.

He didn't want to go inside, didn't think he could take it, so he closed his eyes and turned around.

When he opened them, he was back in front of the entrance.

The door opened on its own, creaking loudly like nails down a chalk board.

Christy, his wife, was lying on the couch still alive. Her breathing was shallow, labored. Cuts and deep gashes covered her body, blood matted in her hair and poured over the floor in a steady stream.

Matt ran to her side and grabbed her hand. "Christy!"

"Matt, I'm scared," she said with tears in her eyes. "I don't want to go. I don't want to leave you."

"I'm so sorry, Christy. I should have protected you." He kissed her hands, smearing her blood on his face.

She was bleeding everywhere. He needed to get something to stop it.

"I'll be right back, sweetheart. I'm going to get a towel."

"Matt," Christy pleaded. "Please don't leave me."

"I'm just going to get something to stop the bleeding. I promise, I'll be right back."

He ran to the kitchen to get a towel, although it felt like bricks were tied to his ankles. As he searched through the drawers, a figure caught his attention outside the window.

A gray wolf was standing in front of huge werewolf. Although bigger than the average wolf, the werewolf dwarfed her size. The gray wolf sat back on her haunches, her teeth bared, ready to strike.

The werewolf stood tall and strong, not at all afraid.

Matt knew the gray wolf was Leah, and the werewolf was the Alpha, Viktor. He moved to strike her. Leah was fast, but not fast enough. His talons clawed into her fur and she whined. Standing up to his full height, he held her up as her paws dangled helplessly.

"You're mine, little wolf," Viktor said. His mouth wasn't moving, but Matt heard him. It was like they were in the same pack mind. Then he opened his mouth and bit into Leah's neck. She whimpered and jerked, then he let her fall to the ground.

She shifted back into her human form. There she was, lying naked on the ground looking up at the werewolf. Blood was flowing down her neck where Viktor had bitten her. The look of fear in her eyes was evident. She tried to get up, but she couldn't. Viktor grabbed her again by the neck and tightened his hold. Leah clawed at his hand. Her face was slowly losing color as the fight within her retreated. She passed out, and Viktor threw her over his shoulder.

His head slowly swiveled to Matt. He was still in his wolf form, his eyes a menacing yellow and his fangs dripping with Leah's blood. "I told you I would get her."

"No!" Matt banged on the glass as Viktor carried her away. "No! Let her go!"

Leah's eyes opened and centered on him. "Matt."

Leah's voice was floating in his head, pulling him away from his nightmare.

"Matt," she said again, her voice soft and careful.

His eyes popped open. The first thing he saw was Leah's worried expression.

"Are you all right?" she asked, touching his arm.

He remembered where he was. He was in Leah's living room, not the home he shared with Christy. He hadn't just passed by his pack as they were decimated. He wasn't watching Christy die and watching Viktor carry Leah away. He was lying on Leah's couch.

Matt rubbed his eyes. "I fell asleep."

He was supposed to be guarding her, making sure she was safe. Instead, he was sleeping on the job.

Matt sat up quickly. "I shouldn't have fallen asleep, Peaches. I should have-"

Leah pushed him back down. "You looked tired and you obviously needed the rest, so I slipped away to my office to get some work done while you slept. Did you get any sleep last night?"

"About an hour." Matt rubbed his hands down his face.

"Matt, you need rest too. You can't do your job if you're trying to stay awake."

"I can get a good night's sleep when I know that you're safe." An image of the dream flashed in front of him. Viktor holding an unconscious Leah in his grasp. "If something happened to you…"

"I'm okay, Matt." Leah grabbed his hand and placed it on her cheek. "My concern is you. In chess, the queen protects the king. So, let me take care of you." She kissed the palm of his hand.

Matt smiled. That was one of the reasons he knew she would be perfect for his pack. She was a fierce protector.

"You were having some weird dream. You wanna talk about it?"

"About my dream?" Matt answered evasively.

"Yes, your dream or should I say nightmare." Leah held his hand.

"How did you know I was having a nightmare? Was I being loud?"

"I felt it first." Leah pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "I'm still getting used to this bond that we have. I could feel your agitation, your fear. I kept debating whether I should wake you. Then I heard you scream my name. That's when I ran in here."

"Oh God." Matt ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm sorry, baby. I didn't mean to worry you."

"It's fine, Matt. I just wanted to make sure you were okay." Leah gently touched his chest over his heart, the warmth of her hand mixing with his own. "You were talking in your sleep."

"Really?" Matt stared at her, studying her expression. "What did I say?"

Leah shifted uncomfortably. "You said, 'I'm so sorry, Christy. I should have protected you.' Then you were screaming my name and telling me to run. What did you want me to run from?"

"Viktor, the Alpha werewolf, had you. I'd just found Christy broken and bleeding and dying." Matt took a deep breath. "Then I saw that he had you too."

"Do you dream about Christy often?" Leah's tone was tentative, apprehensive.

It was strange having a dream starring both women he loved, but him talking about it in his sleep was awkward. It sounded like a bad soap opera. With everything that Leah's had been through with Sam, she might not understand.

"Babe, it's not…" He placed his hand over hers on his chest. "You are…I love you…"

Leah squeezed his hand. "I'm not mad, Matt. I know she was your wife and that you loved her very much. It's understandable that you dream about her from time to time."

"It's been a while since she's been in my dreams." Matt looked away. "It all felt so real."

It was so hard to talk about Christy, even now, he could feel the pain seeping through again.

"Matt?" Leah said. "I'm here, okay? I'm right here. If you want to talk, then we can talk." She reached over with her free hand and wiped away a tear from his cheek. "Or if you want me to leave you alone, and go into the other room, I can do that too."

Damn, he didn't even know he was crying.

"No, I don't want you to go." Matt sniffed. "Please stay."

He looked up at the sincere brown eyes of his Leah, his Peaches, the one who had helped him love again. She was so strong, courageous, and brave, yet so unbelievably considerate and caring.

Sam's words popped into his head.

Leah Clearwater is probably the best person to have in your corner.

If he was truly going to lead with her, then he needed to be honest with her, and tell her everything. But telling her everything was going to open old wounds. And he didn't know if he was ready for that.

But it seemed like he didn't have a choice anymore. The tide was coming.

"Peaches, I…" He felt his entire body tremble.

She moved next to him, and he turned so he could lay his head in her lap. As she ran her fingers through his hair and whispered sweet words to him, he cried in earnest.

~*}{*~

Matt's head was resting on Leah's leg, her fingers still gliding through his hair. Leah hadn't said anything, and neither had Matt. They just sat in silence for what seemed like forever.

His crying had gone from full blown aching sobs to light sniffles. And she felt his anguish as if it were her own. Leah hated that he was in so much pain, but she knew he had to get it out.

She knew better than anyone how hard it could be to open up. She was just glad that he didn't push her away.

Finally, Matt turned over and looked up at Leah. His eyes were red, and his face was wet from his tears.

"Thank you, Peaches." He grabbed her hand and kissed it three times. "Thank you for being here for me."

"Of course," Leah said. "I'm always here for you." She kissed his lips, then his tear streaked cheeks.

Matt slowly sat up and ran his fingers through his hair, tousling it around like a twister. His expression was torn, conflicted.

"You wanna talk about the nightmare?" Leah asked. When Matt's expression dropped, Leah said, "You don't have to tell me, Matt. I just thought…"

"No, it's okay, Peaches." He dropped his head in his hands, then released a heavy sigh. "The nightmare was about my inability to keep the people that I love safe. My pack was gone, including my little brother, Niko. I relived losing Christy, and then Viktor captured you and there was nothing I could do about it. I couldn't save anyone." He looked down at his hands. "It was hard enough losing Christy but losing you too…" Matt shook his head. "There's no way I could get through that. I can't lose you, not like that."

Leah touched his arm. "I'm here, sweetheart. It was just a dream."

"I know, but it felt real. God, I could feel the same pain I had when I lost Christy." He slowly looked at Leah. "I told you how we found her, but I didn't tell you that she was still alive."

Leah shook her head.

"For as long as I live, I will never forget that day. I'd had a bad feeling, but I just brushed it off. We'd been out on a reconnaissance mission. Niko found one of the places where the werewolves were squatting."

Matt breathed in deep and stared down at his feet. Leah put her hand on his shoulder to support him.

"We'd found the nest, but most of them were new werewolves. They didn't have much experience and were still getting used to their new powers and strengths. We put most of them out of their misery. The older ones fled. The feeling that I'd had earlier returned, so I called Christy. She didn't answer. That wasn't like her. She always answered when I called. Always. Matt laughed humorlessly. "She even took the phone in the bathroom, so it was near. She was worried that something might happen to me. Little did she know, it wasn't me she needed to worry about.

"When I couldn't get her on the phone, I told Niko that I had to get home and check on her. As soon as I got there, the front door was cracked open. The smell hit me hard. It was blood, a lot of it. I pushed the door open and there she was lying on the couch. Her face was swollen, and she was bleeding so much." Matt rose from his seat and started to pace.

"The bastard tortured her, beat her so bad that one of her eyes was swollen shut, her lips were cut. There were bruises all over her body. Bones were broken, and she was in so much pain. We're supernatural creatures, Peaches. When we punch something, hit something, there's a lot of strength behind it. But Christy was just a normal, everyday female. She couldn't take that beating, she didn't heal like us."

Leah had tried to keep her own emotions in check, but she couldn't. It wasn't just Matt's emotions, it was hers. She kept thinking about how much pain Christy endured, how scared she must have been. The tears slowly trailed down her cheeks.

"I called ourrr pack doctor, Steve and he came right away. After I pleaded with him to save her, he said there was nothing that he could do. So, we both stayed with her until she died. God, I thought I would die along with her. I was yelling, screaming, destroying everything! I couldn't function. It wasn't just that she died. It was the way she died, and it was because of who I was and the war we were fighting. Viktor murdered my wife just to hurt me and cripple the pack. And it worked. I was useless to everyone. I couldn't lead, I couldn't do anything."

"So that's why it's so hard for you to talk about Christy."

Matt nodded and sat back down next to Leah. "Honestly, this is the most I've talked about her since she's been gone." He wiped away the tears on Leah's cheeks. "I almost forgot my emotions affect you too."

"It's fine, Matt." She smiled weakly. "Your pain is my pain."

"After I lost her, I went into a deep depression. I couldn't get out bed, I couldn't function. Niko was leading the pack while I was out. Anytime I thought about getting up, I would see images of Christy's torn body on our living room couch."

"What happened? What helped you through?"

"Christy. She came to me in a dream. She told me that I needed to get up and move forward, that my pack needed me, and that they couldn't defeat the werewolves without me. She also said that I deserve happiness too, and in order to have it, I had to get on with it." Matt laughed. "She was good at kicking my ass in gear. I'm not saying it was easy, but I was able to do it. Each day became easier."

"What was she like?" Leah grabbed a tissue from the coffee table.

"She was a feisty one. She would stand up to anyone, man, woman, wolf, whatever." Matt chuckled. "She was little, barely five-foot, curly blond hair and green eyes. But she wasn't to be underestimated. She never let anyone intimidate her because she was small. I'm sure she gave Viktor a run for his money when he showed up."

"I'm sure she did."

Matt turned to Leah and grabbed her hands. "Thanks, Peaches."

"For what?"

"For understanding, for listening, and for being here with me." Matt pulled her fingers to his lips.

"I know how hard it was to share this with me, so thank you for trusting me. I just hope I can make you half as happy as she did."

"You do, Peaches. I never thought I would find anyone after her. She was so important, so special to me. And here you are, showing me that I could love again."

"I love you, Matt." Leah touched his face. "I never thought I could say that again, but I do. God, what I went through with Sam, I wouldn't wish on anyone. But I'm glad it happened. It helped me find you." She kissed him, then said, "I want to be a part of your pack."

"Really?"

"Really, if you'll still have me."

"Of course, Peaches." A slow smile spread over his lips. "I want you by my side."

Leah stood up slowly and pulled him to his feet. "How about we finish this, make it official."

"Definitely." He pulled her into a deep and passionate kiss, one that she felt in her bones, one that made her moan deep.

She pulled away and started walking toward her room, looking over her shoulder to make sure that he was following her. And he was right on her heels. She could feel his breath on the back of her neck. His body brushing ever so slightly against hers.

Each step she took, made her more and more eager to be with him, to finish this, to become part of his pack.

After they entered her room, she closed the door and pushed him against it. Then she kissed him hard, showing him how much she wanted this, wanted him. His arms came around her, grasping at her body, molding it to his.

Then she pulled away and was floored by what she saw. The passion and the hunger in his eyes were enough to get her juices flowing, and she'd known by the way he held her that he was more than ready.

"Lay down," she whispered near his lips.

"Yes, ma'am." He kissed her once more, then laid down on her bed and leaned up on his elbows, his legs bent at the knees. His eyes flashed green briefly, then went back to hazel. It seemed like she had everyone's attention.

It was true that Matt was the Alpha of his pack, but right now, he was in her command. She was in control.

She was the Alpha.

"Watch me," she commanded.

Slowly, she pulled out the tie in her hair and swung her head around to loosen the waves. He moved to get up, but she waved her finger. "Stay there."

His hands bunched into fists. The frustration on his face made her smile.

She undressed slowly, starting with her t-shirt. She pulled it over her head, holding her arms up high, elongating her body. Then she tossed it on the floor. Then she went to her shorts, pushing them down over her legs, looking up at him through her lashes as she did so.

As his eyes scanned her body, she said, "I'm sorry I didn't plan accordingly. I would have worn something a little sexier. Or at least had a matching bra and panty set."

"Damn, Peaches, I don't care about that." Matt waved his hand. "What you have on is sexy because you're wearing it."

"Yeah?" Leah giggled as she turned around slowly. "You think?"

"Peaches," Matt whined and fell back on the bed. "You're killing me right now!"

"Are you watching me?" Leah asked, her hands on her hips, giving him an admonishing look.

"Yes, baby, I'm watching." He sat up. "Please don't stop."

She reached around her back and unsnapped her bra and let that fall to the floor. Then came her panties. She pushed those down slow, then stood up to her full height.

Once she was naked, she walked over to him and stood in front of him but didn't touch him. His eyes were on her torso and he reached out to touch her, but she pushed his hands away. Then she lifted his chin. "Take these off." He grabbed one of his belt loops and tugged it.

Matt got up quickly, and a bit clumsily. He kept his eyes on her as he undid the fly of his jeans. He struggled to pull them down over his ankles, and one pant leg got stuck on his foot.

He was completely naked in front of her, breathing heavily and waiting for her next command.

"Lay down," she said, and he obeyed, keeping his eyes on her as he did so.

Leah straddled his hips, and leaned down and kissed him deep, taking control. His fingertips held onto her waist as she kissed him.

She pulled away and lifted her body up. Lining him up, she pushed down and took all of him in with a deep moan. Matt's head dug back into the pillow, while Leah bit her lip from the mixture of pleasure and pain.

Matt's eyes were still closed, his jaw tense.

Leah touched his face, gently grazing his lower lip. "Watch me."

Matt's eyes popped open. Then she started to move at a slow and steady pace, keeping her eyes on him. Everything felt good and right, his hands on her hips, his body beneath her. It was perfect.

She was getting into her rhythm when Matt's hands grabbed her hips to stop her movements.

"Baby, not so fast," he said breathlessly. "I want to enjoy this as long as possible."

Keeping them joined, Matt slowly sat up until he was face to face with her.

Then they were kissing, her tongue mingling with his, his arms around her body, and they were still joined at the hip…literally. Every part of them was touching.

Moving her hair aside, his kisses advanced down to her neck, grazing and nipping at the place where he'd marked her before.

Her body began to tingle.

For some reason, Sam popped in her head, which was weird and highly inappropriate. But Sam was her only real sexual experience. There had been others that were brief, but up to that point, Sam was the only one she'd had a real connection to.

While being with Sam was great, there was nothing that could compare to this moment, this feeling. In that moment, she knew that no other man would ever be able to make her feel this good.

"Matt," she said on a sigh. "Oh, God Matt."

Something was happening, something she wasn't expecting. Maybe it was the fact that they were still joined and that he was kissing the place where he'd marked her. Whatever the case, his mouth over that spot on her neck was triggering a button she didn't know she had. He didn't stop, his mouth latching on as he grazed his teeth lightly over it.

Right then and there, she fell apart, her body spasming around him. She cried out as each wave hit her, as her hips moved with a mind of their own.

Never in her life had she climaxed without some sort of movement, some touch, but here she was losing it from a simple kiss.

Leah looked up at Matt, completely perplexed. "Did you know that was going to happen?" Leah said, struggling to catch her breath.

"I know how you react when I touch there, so I figured it would do something. I didn't know it would do that." The smile he gave her was sly and mischievous.

"Huh." Leah bit her lip. "Maybe it's time I had my own hot spot."

"Yeah?" Matt shifted his head to the side, showing her his neck. "Go ahead. Bite me."

Leah looked at the space between his jaw and shoulder. It was calling to her, begging her to bite him. She licked her lips, then placed her mouth on his neck, lapping over the spot with her tongue. She kissed it few times, then ran her teeth over it.

Matt groaned impatiently, which made Leah smile. She loved having this much power.

She bit down, breaking the skin. Matt jerked beneath her.

"Mine," she said.

Matt slowly looked up at her, his eyes flashed green again. "Yours."

Leah had never drunk blood before, so this was a new experience. She should have been grossed out by it, but she was exhilarated, like it gave her energy. She licked her lips, tasted the last bit, then she pushed Matt down until he was on his back.

She started to move again, except this time, the pace was quicker, wilder. It was urgent.

His hands landed on her hips, offering her some guidance, but they were just along for the ride. Each undulation she did, each movement, brought on a brief wave of pleasure.

Matt's hands moved all over her body, from her ass to her breasts, then down to her legs.

Leah knew that the climax was going to be epic. She could feel the anticipation buzzing inside, waiting to explode. She needed that release.

Matt seemed to sense it, so he leaned up and put his mouth on to her neck, the same spot that had helped her release earlier, sucking, licking, and nibbling.

With his arms around her, their bodies practically welded together, she came. Her nails dug into his skin as her body spasmed around him. She didn't think it would ever end.

As her climax was dying down, she latched onto the spot on his neck, licking, sucking, and grazing the area with her teeth, the same movements that he did to her.

Moments later, a string of curse words flew out of Matt's mouth as he gave her everything he had, squeezing her tightly.

Leah's body was still buzzing after Matt pulled away. She kept thinking that she should get up and go to the bathroom, but she couldn't move.

"So, you're part of my pack now," Matt said, laying on his arm. "How do you feel?"

Leah turned her head to look at him. "I feel great. A little sore, but that will probably go away in a few minutes."

"Yeah?" Matt leaned down and kissed her again. "You know what would help is a warm shower."

"Eager to clean off any evidence, huh?" Leah joked.

"Actually, I had a dream the other night of taking a shower with you, and I figured now would be good time since we're all sticky and sweaty." Matt stuck out his lip in an adorable pout. "Please."

She was more than satiated, but Matt seemed giddy and for lack of better word, horny. The wolf gene did make the males virile, and Matt was no exception. It was obvious that they would be doing more than showering in there.

"Like I could say no to that face." Leah got up and followed him to the bathroom.


A/N: I'm dying to know what you all think! :)