Chapter 5: Anguish

Leah's POV:

*Two Months Earlier*

"FUCK YOU, SAM ULEY!" I yelled, while repeatedly hitting his chest.

The bastard had been M.I.A. for nearly a month, with no plausible explanation to give his fuming fiance.

"Baby, I said I was sorry-" he was abruptly cut off with a slap to the face.

"A MONTH?!" Leah asked, still seething. Sam knew not to make any more attempts at apologizing when I got like this.

'It has to be an affair…'

"Samuel, who are you fucking?" I asked, in a deadly voice.

Sam looked offended and...angry.

But I didn't give a damn. I was the angry one. I had the right-no, the privilege, of being mad. I wasn't the one who left his family and fiance without any trace of his whereabouts.

So, I wasn't going to allow him to guilt-shame me.

'I'm so not going down this road'

"How could you ask me such a thing? Dammit, Leah!" Sam said, while hitting the wall.

Now, we have even more damage done to this crumpling shack of a "home".

'Great'

Sam also appeared to be shaking, like he had the tremors. I bet he thought I wouldn't notice his sudden growth spurt, which was weird considering he was in his mid-20's. He was hotter in temperature, like scorching hot. Before he left abruptly, his temper was nearly non-existent.

'I should talk'

'But Sam was calm'

'Always rational'

"I need some air,-" Sam frustrantly pinched his nostrils, "I'll be back later".

Before he could even leave, I darted towards the brown, chipping doorway.

"WE, are not finished" I replied, while trying to make my slender frame fill exit.

"Leah, I'm so sick of your-" Sam cut off his sentence, "You know what? Move."

He then proceeded to walk up to me in 3 long strides and pick me up, moving me from the overhead.

"Uley, if you walk out of that door,-" I couldn't find it in myself to finish my sentence either.

He looked at me with a sad expression, and left.

Any 'normal' woman would probably start crying in this moment, but not me. We would be having this discussion when he got back.

'I need to talk to my cousin Emily'

Emily and I had a close bond, despite her living on the Makah reservation. I wasn't close to many, but Sam and Emily were my family.

I mean, I love my brother Seth, but he's way younger than me. Plus it's hard to capture his attention for more than 3 seconds.

Mom and Dad were too busy being mixed up with the council. The council was their family.

*3 days later*

Sam still wasn't back, nor has he tried reaching out.

"You okay, girl?" Emily asked, while laying a hand on my arm.

I had invited Emily over, because I was losing my mind worrying about Sam.

Again.

"No, I'm not okay Emily!" I snapped, standing up. I was wearing a hole in the already worn floorboard by pacing back and forth.

"That bastard-" I was cut off by someone slamming my screen door.

"Sam?!" I called out, running into the living room. He was standing next to our ugly brown lazy boy chair.

"Oh, baby. I've missed you so much!" I said, running up to him and kissing him all over his face.

It was very rare that I showed so much emotion, especially around company, but I didn't care. He was home safe and in my arms.

'We can hold out on having the conversation for now'

I heard Emily slowly making her way towards the living room. Emily and Sam had never met before, so I was excited to introduce them. My cousin/best friend and my fiance.

"Sam, this is my cousin, Emily." I said, moving out of the way. Emily smiled and waved.

"Hi, Sam. It's a pleasure to meet you." she said, still smiling. She always was so damn proper and sweet.

Sometimes it made me sick.

I wasn't heartless, far from it. I just wasn't docile.

'So domesticated'

Sam didn't say anything, just continuing to stare at the woman. I couldn't describe that look and it unnerved me. He looked like he was finally seeing the sun for the first time, like his entire being was her.

He never looked at me like that.

'Ok, introductions are over with…'

"Sam, baby, stop staring at her like an idiot," I said, plastering a fake smile on my face.

This seemed to snap him out of his daydream, and then he looked at me.

This wasn't the same look that he gave me earlier. He looked at me with resignation and a hint of sadness.

He just looked at Emily with love and adoration.

"What the FUCK just happened?" I asked, voicing my thoughts.

Emily looked downright confused, but that made the two of us.

I continued to look at Sam, expecting an explanation. Instead of responding, he slipped on this unreadable mask.

"Okayyy...Leah, I'm about to take a shower," Emily said while excusing herself.

'Yeah, whatever'

Sam's gaze followed her out the room and it looked like he was afraid to let her out of his sight.

"Jokes, over Sam," I ran my hand down his muscular chest. I missed his big strong hands on me at night. I wanted to remind him why I was his present and future.

I love this man.

"Stop," he said, grabbing my wrist in a firm hold. "I can't do this"

"Of course we can, we're engaged to be married," I replied, hoping that'll make him remember who his future wife was.

"I need to go talk to your father," he said, ignoring my words. He kept looking down the hall, towards the bathroom.

Why do I feel like the other woman? Why do I feel like today everything has changed? Why do I not feel loved?

"Go," I said.

Maybe he needs to clear the fog in his head, and for once I wasn't going to argue.

After Sam left, I was left to ponder my thoughts.

I needed to do some serious thinking, and go grocery shopping. Before Sam left, on his unexpected month's departure, he developed quite the appetite.

This was an unwelcome trait because they were already struggling to repair the house, on top of having wedding bills.

'SNAP doesn't offer much help'

"Emily, I'm going to the store-"

"Oh, can I come?" Emily inquired.

"No, thank you. I'll just be an hour at most," I said, lacing my boots up, and putting on my jacket.

"Oh," replied Emily, frowning down at her hands.

"No offense," I said, briskly.

Lord, knows I don't need my mother's speech on caring for family.

'Not right now, I don't'

On the Quileute reservation, there were only 2 major grocery stores. And the closest one to their home was 15 minutes away. Ugh.

Normally, this wouldn't bother me as much but driving to the grocery store every 4 days, ate away at gas.

'It would be nice to not struggle once in a while'

My parents being on the council helped a little with the bills but it wasn't much.

I've always wanted more. I pride myself on having Quileute blood but I didn't want to stay on the Quileute reservation. Forever.

Last month, before Sam left, they had been discussing moving to Forks or Port Angeles.

Normally, I wouldn't want to surround myself with the palefaces, but my Dad thought he could run Sam's and I relationship.

'Sam is marrying me, not you'

I respect my family, but I will not be controlled.

Sam was all too ready to heed my Dad's advice. My Dad didn't ever consider what I wanted.

Pulling into the parking lot, I shut my raggedy car off. At least, it blended in with all the other cars.

I grabbed a cart, and walked by a table that held heart disease and stroke pamphlets. Maybe I can give it to Dad, and then he could pass it along to Chief Swan. He and my Dad ate fish-fry every time the Mariners game was on.

'I'm sick of fish-fry'

'Although, I think Swan's diet is a little stricter, especially with his daughter being in town'

'What is her name? Isa? Bells?'

'Doesn't matter'

My Dad had no nice things to say about Charlie's daughter. I couldn't see why though. So what if she dated Cullen?

'Just a bunch of rich palefaces'

"Okay, pickles…" I muttered.

Maybe I can cook some of those "All-American" burgers for Sam. And pair it with some cheap beer. I should start being a little nicer or at least more cordial.

I wasn't mean or bitter. I just didn't put up with bullshit.

'Like my Mom'

'Or at least she used to not put up with it'

Pulling in our small driveway, I saw the ambulance and a couple of police. Confused, I ran to the person being pulled out on a stretcher.

"OH, MY GOD EMILY?!" I yelled, running alongside the stretcher towards the ambulance.

What happened? Where's Sam?

"Sam…" Emily whimpered. Her face was covered in blood and dirt-no fur? I could see that whatever had occurred, that there would be permanent damage.

'Poor Emmy'

"Emily, where is Sam? Is he hurt too?" I asked, frantically.

Emily had lost consciousness, from apparent blood loss according to the nurses

Yes, nurses.

The council decided to leave the few doctors that the tribe had in the hospital for the more "serious'' situations. It was the nurse's job to accompany the EMT's.

"Dammit!"

I ran into the house, looking around. I heard noises coming from the backdoor.

I peeked my head around the corner to see Sam coming in holding his junk.

'What. The. Fuck. ?'

"Sam, what is going on around here?" I asked, waving my fist in the air.

"Gotta-go...see my angel," Sam said, ignoring her. He was scrambling to their bedroom into their small closet.

"Who?"
Sam paused for a split-second, and looked at me like an idiot, "Emily".

I was flabbergasted.

'Since when?'

I opened my mouth to reply but my phone rang. I let it go to voicemail. I couldn't focus on having a conversation with anyone but Sam right now.

I heard my Mom's voice, "Hey, Lea'Lea. Emily is okay and awake. She wants to talk to you about something-"

I heard faint harsh whispers in the background.

"and just come see your cousin, please?"

Click.

I watched Sam's face the whole time, while listening to the voicemail. He looked like someone had ripped his heart out. He had despair written all over his beautiful chiseled face.

"See, she's fine," I said through clenched teeth.

'Emily was docile, but strong'

"Leah...I'm sorry, but we will not be getting married. I love you, but I'm not in love with you".

"SINCE WHEN?" I screeched.

I had angry tears in my eyes. I didn't understand.

"Since, I saw her…" he replied. He wore this almost lovesick expression on his face.

I knew exactly who he was referring to.

My blood was boiling.

Sam went into the living room, leaving me in the bedroom staring at the blue paint on the dirty walls.

"Leah, you can have this property...I can still help you repair some things," he yelled.

'Bastard…'

I was still speechless. My mind was jumbled with thoughts.

I heard the door slam. I was alone.

Maybe if I had gone to the hospital, then it would've prevented my cousin and ex-fiance from becoming lovers.