SM owns Twilight. We just want to live in her world a bit longer.
Chapter 42
Five days after returning home from their road trip, Jake woke to find two very apologetic wolves on his front doorstep.
Jake invited them inside, where he and Bella were about to have breakfast. Jake and Bella had returned home to her place most nights but decided to stay on the Res when Jake had night patrols. They both felt safer when they were closer to each other.
"Hey guys," Bella greeted them from the kitchen. She was cooking up a big batch of scrambled eggs for breakfast. They were her favorite in the morning, with some dry toast. When she saw the visitors arrive, she threw a dozen more eggs into the pan. "You're back early?"
They both looked very sheepish as Jake instructed them to take a seat at the table.
"We decided it was best not to try and push our luck," Leah said with a shrug. "Can I help with anything?"
Bella raised an eyebrow; it was not very often Leah was seen in the kitchen. She must have been feeling guilty.
"Sure, can you grab the plate of toast and take it to the table?"
Jake helped get some orange juice for everyone. Coffee was banned in the mornings for a while, especially if he wanted Bella to cook a hot meal.
When she finished cooking the eggs, Jake brought the pan straight to the table so they could all dig in.
"You really didn't have to cook for us," Embry said.
"It's no trouble. We wanted to talk to you anyway," Bella chirped.
Embry and Leah exchanged a worrisome glance.
"It's nothing bad, I promise," Bella reassured them.
"So, I've spoken to the council about your living situations," Jake announced. "They are looking into allocating you a place for you guys to live in together."
Embry and Leah stopped eating and exchanged surprised looks.
"You know what all the vacant houses down here on the Res are like; it will need some work, but they said they would have something for you within a week. The paperwork is just being processed," Jake added.
"Are you serious?" Embry asked.
"Of course," Bella said.
"We have asked for one as well," Jake told them. "Bella and I want to live on the Res permanently. Not moving back and forth between our Dad's houses. Plus, we will need a proper place by the time the babies are here."
"Babies?" Leah asked. "As in more than one?" Jake had forgotten that they didn't know that yet. They had left so abruptly when they announced it that they didn't get a chance to mention it.
"Um, yeah, we are having twins," Bella said nervously.
"Oh, B, that's so exciting," she said genuinely. She stood up and pulled Bella into a hug. "I'm sorry I didn't congratulate you properly before."
"That's okay. I understand," Bella reassured her, retaking her seat. "You are looking better now, though. Did you have a nice time away? That lake looked amazing."
"Yeah, we did," Leah looked at Embry and smiled. Even to Bella, it was clear that they were much closer now than before.
"Um… yeah, thanks for that. It is more than we deserved after the way we treated you," Embry said apologetically.
"I've been a shitty friend, and we understand a bit of what you guys have been through," Jake confessed. "However, I do need you to hit the ground running. We haven't had any attacks since you left, but we have a couple of kids about ready to phase."
"Who?" Embry asked.
"One of my cousins, Max, and your cousin, Daniel," he said to Leah.
"Shit, what are they; thirteen?" Leah said, shaking her head.
"Yeah, I know. The council is setting up a time to talk to the boys and their parents this week. When the next vampire comes into the area, I expect that they will phase. So I am putting you two on pup duty. You are also expected at the meeting, so they can get to you know you beforehand." Leah and Embry did not look impressed by their assignment but did not voice their concerns. "I can't be holding their hands while the rest of us are fighting an attack of god-knows how many that come through the next time."
"We could force them to phase early," Embry suggested.
"It has been suggested already. Just waiting on a decision," Jake said. Embry nodded.
"So," Bella said excitedly. She was practically bouncing in her chair. "I've spoken with Sybil while you were gone. I gave her a bit of a run-down on your history and relationship so far. She hasn't given much of an answer yet, but she would like to see you in person."
"Why?" Leah asked.
"She has a way of seeing relationships. I'm not exactly sure what that entails, but she said she would be able to give you a definite answer on the question surrounding your imprint," Bella explained.
"Okay," Leah sounded nervous. "When does she want to do this?"
"Sunday night."
By the time Sunday night rolled around, Leah was an absolute mess. She was so nervous that she considered bailing on the whole affair.
"Nothing has gone right in my life so far," she explained to Bella, who was literally pushing her out the front door. "What makes you think this is going to be a good thing?"
The boys were watching her in amusement; they were not stupid enough to physically push Leah. Only Bella could get away with it.
"It's time to put your big girl panties on and face up to the consequences of your actions," Bella grunted with the effort of trying to force a she-wolf to do something she didn't want to.
Leah was taking one hesitant step after another towards Bella's truck.
"But, what if…" Leah started to say what they had all been thinking. What if it showed that it wasn't a full imprint.
Bella stopped. "I have an idea of something to try if it is the worst-case scenario, but I truly don't think it will be necessary. So now, using your words against you - pull yourself together, Lee, and get in the goddamn car. Your man needs you."
Leah looked up at Embry. He had been watching them with an amused expression, but deep down, she knew he was just as scared as she was.
After collecting her courage, she reached out her hand towards Embry, and they walked the final steps to the car together. They climbed in the back tray. There was no way three wolves and Bella would fit in the cab.
Less than five minutes later, they arrived at a small walking trail into the forest. From the scents marking the track, this was where Eva and Sybil lived. Leah could also distinctively smell Seth. He must be here tonight as well.
After a short walk through the forest, they emerged at a little cottage. They walked around the side and towards the back garden when a fire had already been lit.
"Hey, guys," Seth called out when he spotted them. He was still learning sign language and putting it to good use. Eva was not at full hearing yet, and her Grandma still required them. It was particularly hard in the dark for her to read lips.
Introductions were made before everyone took a seat around the fire.
Sybil told everyone that Eva would be drinking a tonic she had made and would evaluate the relationships. While Eva should be able to visibly see all connections, the romantic ones would be the brightest. She would use Jacob and Bella's imprint and her own with Seth to gauge the strength of the bond between Leah and Embry.
With Eva already seeing auras, it should be easy, or so they were told. Leah was still very nervous and dubious that they would get a favorable outcome. Embry held her hand and gently stroked his thumb across it.
"Why didn't Old Quil do something like this for us before?" Jake asked.
"He probably didn't know it was possible. Unfortunately, this Tribe lost its sight a long time," she told them sadly.
"How do you mean?" Bella asked.
"The Quileute tribe used to thrive. We were famous for our spirit warriors. Other tribes would come from far and wide to see the men that changed into wolves. We took pride in them, and they stood proud.
"Families would parade eligible girls in front of the men in the hopes that one of them would imprint on their daughters. It was a huge privilege to be chosen by the spirits, to pass on the gene to the next generation.
"It created partnerships between tribes, strengthening our bloodlines. In addition, their girls were protected and loved unconditionally. It is hard to beat that kind of devotion.
"As times changed, people stopped believing in the spirits and the legends. They were reduced to scary stories we told children to get them to come home before dark. We stopped believing that the magic was in our blood, and the spirits stopped giving it to us, only reactivating the gene when a threat was close.
"Now our bravest warriors are shunned by most of the Tribe, labeled as high school dropouts and drug users. Our Tribe has been weakened by substance abuse, poor health, broken homes, domestic violence, and a dwindling population. All these things are impossible for the spirit warriors.
"It is not your parents' fault," she told the young ones. "This is a result of generations of bad choices. The future of our Tribe rests with you. That is why I have been training Eva up.
"And, you, Leah Clearwater," Sybil turned towards the very anxious wolf with her piercing blue eyes. "Are the first female shapeshifter of our Tribe. You have powerful bloodlines; you carry all three Black, Uley, and Ateara genes. I do not believe that you are infertile. You have been blessed, not cursed. You have a purpose; we just need to find it."
Leah was stunned by Sybil's assessment of her. She had not heard someone talk so highly of her since her father died, and she became a monster. Her mouth felt dry, and words forsook her. Everyone around the fire was looking at her, waiting for a response. She nodded slightly and lowered her gaze to the ground, not believing it herself. Not just yet.
When it was clear Leah was not going to say anything, Eva swallowed the vile-smelling brown liquid with a grimace. Then, after a quiet five minutes of listening to the fire crackle and mulling over the words spoken by Sybil, Eva suddenly gasped, "wow!"
"Is it working?" Seth asked.
Eva nodded.
"Tell us what you see, dear," Sybil said.
Eva stood and walked around closer to Jake and Bella. She signed as she talked. "I see ribbons of light. Can you guys go and stand behind the log and step further apart?" she asked.
When they had done what she asked, she stepped closer. "The ribbons are wrapped over their bodies in a criss-cross pattern. They head towards their chest, where they are braided together to form a single rope. Finally, that rope is pulled tight between their bodies."
She indicated for them to step apart further. "It stretches tighter the further they get apart." The expression of love on Bella and Jake's faces at this declaration was enough to make you want to look away from the intimacy of it.
"Very good, Eva," Sybil encouraged her granddaughter, clearly very proud of her. "How many ribbons do you see, and what are the colors?"
"Three white, one reddish-brown," she answered.
"Heart, body, soul, wolf," Sybil explained. "Now, look at your bond with Seth. What do you see?"
Bella and Jake stepped together and hugged each other as they stood, watching what was going on.
Eva frowned. "I only see two white ribbons and one sandy-colored ribbon twisted together."
"Heart, soul, and wolf, my dear. Your relationship is in a different stage to theirs," Sybil explained.
Seth smiled back at Eva. They had been taking their relationship at a slower pace than most imprinted couples, primarily due to their age.
Leah's nerves kicked up a notch as all eyes turned towards her and Embry.
Jake and Bella sat down and swapped places with Leah and Embry. They stood facing each other a few feet apart, and Leah held her breath in anticipation of the inevitable bad news.
"Five," Eva said suddenly. "I see five ribbons. Three white, one dark grey the other light grey."
Leah froze, unsure what to do with that information, and was hesitant to hope it meant what she thought it did.
"A double imprint," Sybil said excitedly. "Heart, soul, body, and both wolves. Have no fear, my sweets; you have a full imprint."
In an uncharacteristic show of emotions, Leah crumpled toward the ground and started crying. Embry caught her in an instant and held her tight against his chest.
He rocked her body in his arms, crooning soft words to her and kissing the top of her head.
Leah had finally been given something by her wolf that she wanted to keep; Embry.
When the sobs had died down, Bella handed her a tissue. She blew her nose and wiped her eyes. "Sorry about that," Leah mumbled as she tried to stand up. Embry helped her up, and she noticed he had been crying too.
Bella then hugged her while Leah was still holding onto Embry's hand. "I'm so happy for you, Leah. You don't need to run anymore," Bella whispered to her friend.
When Leah looked around the fire, there was not a dry eye there. Seth being the worst, was a blubbering mess.
"Oh, Sethy," Leah said with a smile. He lopped round the fire and hugged both her and Embry.
"Welcome to the family, bro," he said to Embry.
A/N Slightly short chapter today. But I have a BONUS chapter for you for tomorrow (although it is even shorter). I had to split it because the emotions between the two were too different to jam together. It would give you whiplash. Haha
I hope you enjoyed some Leah and Embry in this chapter :)