CHAPTER 48

LEAH

~~BELLA POV~~

As we walked up to the porch at Emily's house, Jake informed me that Leah was there.

I sighed. Oh well… at least there were more people there this time. Angela's car was parked out front, so Embry was probably there as well. And Grammy Jo was still visiting.

When we got inside, we headed to the living room where everyone else was. Leah was seated on the couch between Emily and Grammy Jo, Kim was on the far end of the couch on the other side of Grammy Jo, and Angela was in one of the armchairs with Embry sitting on the floor in front of her. As we got closer and everyone was calling out greetings, Leah didn't even look at us, and I could practically see the tension rolling off of her. However, she stayed put and didn't make any move to leave like she had last time. Grammy Jo took her hand and squeezed it before greeting us.

I had planned on sharing the news of our engagement… Angela knew, which meant Embry knew, but no one else did. I wasn't expecting Leah to be there though, so I hesitated and looked up at Jake.

Should we wait?

It's up to you. She's going to find out eventually anyway.

Emily suddenly gasped and all heads turned toward her, but she was looking at me with an excited smile on her face.

"Bella! Is that what I think it is?" She hurried to my side and grabbed my left hand, pulling it up to her face to examine my ring. I guess we wouldn't be waiting.

I smiled and nodded, actually relieved that the decision was taken out of my hands.

Emily threw her arms around me and then reached over to pull Jake into the hug.

"I'm so happy for you guys," Emily said.

In the next few minutes, I found myself embraced by Grammy Jo and then Angela, Embry, Kim, and back to Emily before Jake rescued me and tucked me back into his side, my head spinning.

"This is certainly exciting," Grammy Jo said. "I didn't expect it quite so soon, but it's a very good thing indeed!"

Emily clapped her hands together then held them in front of her chest, her eyes sparkling. "Ooh, everyone is coming over for dinner tonight, even the elders, so we can turn it into a bit of an engagement announcement slash party, if you'd like. Bella, you should call your dad to invite him as well."

I held my hand out, waving off the idea. "Oh, you don't have to do—"

"Nonsense! Everyone will want to celebra—"

"This is ridiculous… unbelievable!" Leah shot up to her feet, her anger palpable.

My smile faded as I looked at her… the red aura around her pulsed and glowed brightly. I felt drawn to her like last time, only the pull was much stronger this time. The more I used my magic, the stronger it seemed to be getting.

"Now Leah –" Grammy Jo started to try to sooth her, but Leah cut her off.

"No! I can't believe you're all okay with this." She huffed out a bitter laugh. "Not even just okay with it, but excited about it! This is just wrong on so many levels.

"Leah!" Emily scolded.

"No," Leah bit out, "I refuse to hold this in any longer! I don't understand how I'm the only one who can see how wrong this is… how messed up."

She turned an accusing finger at Jake, and I felt him tense, but he stayed quiet.

"Why would you even want to be with her? You can spout your crap about imprinting, but you wanted this. You chose her! Even though she wanted to be one of them and she will still defend them if it comes to it. They're the reason we are this way. It's their fault we have to deal with all of this in the first place and she loves them still."

Leah had started pacing in front of the window at the back of the room, not really speaking to anyone in particular anymore. We all just watched and listened in silence, letting her get it out. I knew deep down that this is what she had been needing to do… holding it in had just caused it all to fester and eat away at her happiness.

"Not only that," Leah continued, "but she's just been accepted with open arms by everyone… even our magic. She gets it all, the Alpha, the magic, to keep her leech friends, to get married and have children someday." She paused a moment at that, with the fate of her own ability to bear children still in question since she started phasing. She quickly recovered and continued her tirade. "She doesn't care about any of it. She was willing to throw it all away, by choice, and become one of them. It's just by dumb luck that she got what she has. She doesn't appreciate it."

Tears of anger were brimming on her lashes and my own eyes were burning. Her words stung, reminding me of how close I had come to messing everything up. I had been willing to throw it all away, and I regretted that so much. She was wrong about one thing though… I appreciated everything that I had, more than it would have ever been possible if I hadn't almost lost it all.

As Leah continued her ranting, she paused her pacing occasionally, giving pleading looks to the others around me, before resuming her pacing. Even though her words stung, my heart ached for her, and I fought the tears that threatened, afraid they might upset her further.

"If that bloodsucker hadn't left town when he did," Leah kept going, "she'd probably be one of them by now. We wouldn't have our true Alpha or our Healer. She doesn't deserve that title or the magic. She doesn't deserve anything she has. But you all just embrace her and love her and protect her, totally forgetting what she really wanted."

Leah turned her anger on Jake again, talking furiously to him over my head. I squeezed his hand, hoping he could keep his calm at her berating him.

"You were her second choice Jake. You know that, right?"

"Watch yourself, Leah," Jake gritted out.

"No, I will not… not anymore, not about this." She gestured to me, though she wouldn't look at me. "Her first choice was gone, left her high and dry, so she just took the next best thing." She waved a hand flippantly at Jake. "Do you think she would've ever chosen you if he hadn't left? Do you think you would've been able to steal her away? You're deluding yourself if you do. You're nothing but sloppy seconds to her. She couldn't have her first choice, so she'll just settle for this guy here who is paying attention to her. He makes her feel good, so she's just gonna use him to help her get better."

She turned away again and resumed her pacing. Jake was vibrating behind me, his emotions shut off from me, but I was sure he was barely hanging on to his cool. I pressed myself into him and he moved so I was in front of him, my back to his front, and wrapped his arm around my chest in what I hoped was a reassuring gesture.

"I do envy her for that. At least she has someone devoted to her, even though she comes nowhere near to deserving it.

"And now she has us befriending them. I mean, you've been to their house," she pointed to Jake. "…you and Sam. And you've let them on OUR lands. Completely ignoring the treaty that was made to protect US and OUR people. But this little outsider comes in and says we should be friends with them and so we are. Friends with bloodsuckers. The ones who ruined our lives."

Leah stopped again and made a grand gesture with her arms toward Jake again.

"Our leaders. What do we have to choose between? Leech lovers, both of them. So, it's either the man who chose a leech lover over his people, or the man who broke my heart and didn't look back."

Leah's voice cracked and faded as she spoke of Sam breaking her heart and I couldn't keep the tears back any longer. I could feel her heartache as if it were my own and I wanted nothing more than to take it from her.

Grammy Jo glanced at my stricken face and then went to where Leah had stopped pacing in the middle of the room and took hold of her face. Leah flinched back, but Grammy Jo held firm and made Leah look at her.

"Child, you are placing blame on Bella for things that are not her fault. They're not anyone's fault. You're angry and have a right to be angry because many unfair things have happened to you. But you have looked for, and found, someone to blame, just so you have somewhere to focus your anger, but it's not right. Bella is not your enemy or an enemy of your people. She's as much a victim as you are… a victim of the supernatural that exists around us and which we cannot control."

Leah's face hardened and she opened her mouth to speak again, but Grammy Jo made a tsking noise and placed a finger on Leah's lips then continued.

"Yes, it's true that if the vampire had not left when he did, Bella may have chosen to continue down the path that he set her on, but she did not choose that path without being influenced. She thought she was acting in her own free will, but he had ensnared her in a way that he didn't even know he could.

"In some ways, she was even more a victim. You were brought into this life as a shapeshifter by the magic inside you," Grammy Jo lovingly placed her hand on Leah's sternum. It may not have been of your own choosing, but you were born with that embedded in your DNA. Bella's choice to walk the path toward becoming a vampire was heavily influenced by a supernatural being and not because it was inside of her. The biggest difference, though, is that your magic lets you choose to continue this life or let it go. Once Bella was on her supernatural path, it would have been nearly impossible for her to turn away from it while he was still present in her life."

Grammy Jo sighed and took Leah's hands in her own. "I see in your eyes that you don't believe me. You're unable to imagine being ensnared by one of them because you cannot see them the way a human does… without your extra abilities. I don't know what all Bella can do for you, but you owe it to yourself to let her help you. It's our magic that lies within her, and the magic chose her for a reason. She did not seek it out and Jake did not seek it out… they were completely unaware of its existence. But the magic within her… our magic… your magic, seeks you out now. Let it help you. Don't reject it because of your feelings about the one who wields it."

I could see that Leah was uncertain now. Her aura still shown bright red with her anger, but she was trying to control it… trying to work past it.

Grammy Jo continued to try to get through to Leah. "The healing and peace it can bring you is all that matters. Stop running from it, Leah."

Her full attention focused on Grammy Jo, Leah locked eyes with her. Tears were slipping down Leah's cheeks and she was struggling to hold back the other emotions that she had kept buried under her anger for far too long. She finally swallowed hard and nodded silently.

Grammy Jo led her to one of the armchairs, keeping hold of Leah's hands as she sat. "Now close your eyes child."

Leah obeyed and Grammy Jo glanced at me and gave me a sharp nod, indicating for me to begin.

As my hand gently landed on Leah's shoulder, she flinched, her already tense body looking like it would spring away at any moment, but she stayed where she was.

At this point, the power inside of me was like a caged beast throwing itself at the confines of my chest to be set free. I closed my eyes and when I released it, the warmth and light barreled through me and into Leah. Immediately, I saw a golden band of light extending from Leah, but it ended abruptly in a jagged edge, like a bridge that had been torn apart in the middle and looked sharp enough to cut. This is what I could heal… or more accurately, take away. Her friendship with Sam would remain, but the pain of a lost love would no longer exist.

Understanding washed through me. This wasn't just about a broken heart; this was about a connection that had been destroyed because of something supernatural… that was why I could help her, why the magic could heal it. However, it wouldn't be as simple as a physical healing. The magic needed to help heal the anger in Leah, to help her let it go, because it was the anger that was blocking her ability to heal and move on from that broken relationship.

For a moment it was as though the magic were speaking to me, but I didn't understand. Finally, I realized it was asking for my permission. It wanted to show Leah everything I had experienced since the moment I first saw Edward. It was asking my permission because in order to show her this part of my life I would have to relive it all. I would have to experience all of the emotions, the love, pain, fear, emptiness… I would feel it all, as if it were happening to me all over again.

I sucked in a breath, unsure if I could handle it… what would it do to me to relive all of that? I needed to decide quickly. If I didn't do it now, I may never get another chance to help Leah… she may never let me.

Jake…

I let him in my mind so he could see what the magic was asking of me.

I want to help her, but I don't know if I can do this.

Oh baby. I'm so sorry. You're strong enough. I know you can handle this, but you're the only one who can decide. I'm right here with you… every step.

His hand was already on my back, giving me back the energy I was using. I felt his arm wrap around my waist as well, pulling me against him.

I closed my mind off from Jake again… there was no reason he needed to go through this too. I took a deep breath and gave my permission. The magic directed me to move my hands to Leah's head and then it took over.

One by one my memories were pulled out and played through my head like a movie. I could see Leah there, a spectator inside the memories. I was surprised to see that Grammy Jo was also there, watching alongside Leah. They were able to speak with each other and I knew that Grammy Jo was able to interpret some things for Leah, giving her better understanding.

But I was alone. Reliving these parts of my life I wished had never happened. They were the parts that had nearly cost me the life I was meant for.

The beginning wasn't bad. Experiencing once more the excitement and shock of discovering what Edward was and then the confusion when he was fighting himself on what he should do. Then there was the whirlwind once he decided to be with me, that he didn't have the strength to stay away. This is when I began to see new things that I had been blind to before. I could see how he unwittingly drew me in, trapping me with his beauty, his scent, his voice. He had no idea that he was manipulating me and making me love him. I would have never loved him on my own. I should have heeded his warnings to stay away when he was telling me of how he was made to lure humans in… the perfect predator. It was not meant to lure us for love, it was meant to help them feed. But because Edward was able to resist his nature and not feed on me, it made me infatuated with him and eventually fall into some form of love.

The movie went forward to James and the hunt. The ballet studio and almost dying… almost being turned. So much fear, I cried out. Distantly, I felt Leah jump beneath my hands and Jake held me tighter, but I was locked in the memory. It was so real. The pain of the gashes and cuts, my head, my leg, of the venom. The excruciating pain seared through me, and I cried out again, screaming at the burning in my veins.

In my pain, I had let Jake back into my mind, and he could see and feel what I was going through, and he gasped. I was writhing in Jake's arms, and he was the only reason I was still standing, one arm around me the other holding my head against him, still replenishing my energy. I somehow managed to keep my hands pressed to Leah's head.

"Maybe she should stop," Leah said to Grammy Jo.

Somehow, through everything I was experiencing, I was able to respond. "No," I yelled, then clenched my teeth and spoke more quietly. "I can do this."

I was pulled fully back into the memory… Jake was still there. Edward was sucking the venom out and I slowly relaxed. Carlisle was tending to my multitude of wounds with Alice and Edward helping. I could see details that I wasn't aware of before. Jasper and Emmett were in the background, tearing James apart and setting the pieces on fire. The memory faded as the morphine kicked in and my past-self had passed out.

Leah's disbelieving voice sounded distantly once more. "They were… they were helping her… they protected her."

I closed my mind to Jake again, wanting to save him from the pain of what else might be shown.

Don't shut me out baby. I want to see everything… and I want to help you go through this.

I hesitated, but it was easier to let him in and I had nothing to hide, so I opened my mind once more to Jake as the next memory started.

I was in the hospital. Edward kissed me and my body responded strongly… too strongly. It wasn't natural. My heart literally stopped beating… the monitor I was connected to confirmed it. Then he was talking like he was going to leave me, and I began freaking out. I experienced again the fear and anxiety that the thought of him leaving brought, like an addict being cut off from their drug source, my breathing was labored, and my head spun. He determined that day in the hospital that he would eventually leave me… somehow, I could see this now, in the set of his face, perhaps. He strung me on for months after that, knowing he wouldn't stay! I felt anger from Jake as well as my own hurt and anger at this realization.

The movie went forward to Prom, how he had tricked me to go, though it was ridiculous that I didn't figure it out. I was so blind to everything around me while I was with him, with such a singular focus on becoming a vampire so I wouldn't lose him. I begged him to change me that night. How could I not see? I had never fit in anywhere and was so desperate for that feeling of belonging that I allowed myself to believe I belonged with him… that I would have to die to find my place.

The summer went by quickly, slowing here and there to show how my feelings for Edward grew. He did care for me, but he continued to manipulate me, to control what I did and where I went, all under the guise of protecting me. My feelings for him were getting deeper day by day, but still unknowingly influenced by who he was… what he was.

The next memory we landed on was my birthday. More manipulation to get me to the party that finally convinced Edward it was time to leave. The paper cut; Jasper losing it; Edward losing control and pushing me into the table; Carlisle remaining calm and tending to my wounds… again.

Jake did not like having to visit this memory again.

Images flashed through fairly quickly after that to get to the day in the woods when Edward actually left me. The pain came on slowly as my past-self realized what he was saying in the memory. The confusion over what had just happened, thinking he would return for me any moment and tell me that he was wrong and could never leave me.

My body tensed and trembled as I fought the desire to wrap my arms around myself, just like I used to, when my past-self realized that Edward wasn't coming back, that he'd abandoned me in the middle of the woods, and the hole in my chest was ripped open.

Jake's arm tightened around me. I've got you Bella. It's not real. Feel me against you. I'm real, and I'm right here. Jake was holding me together once more.

Oh, the emptiness. My past-self wanted to cry but I was too numb. I had clung to the numbness, it was easier.

"Edward," I murmured his name, softer than a whisper.

Sam found me, carried me home. Then, the nothingness. Day after day of nothing. I wouldn't let myself feel. The only time I felt anything was in my dreams. I gave myself the nightmares by not allowing myself to feel any other time. The full-on tantrum when my parents tried to send me to Florida. I started living again… or at least going through the motions of living. Rage when I ripped the stereo out of my truck; rage when I destroyed my CDs; everything else was just numbness, going through the motions. And nightmares.

Friends quit trying, teachers quit expecting anything from me, and Charlie was distraught, not knowing what to do.

Months and months of numb emptiness.

Tears began running down my face as I cried quietly while reliving these memories… not only for myself, but for Charlie too.

Then the night in Port Angeles. The guys outside the bar. The voice in my head.

I started to wake back up and it hurt. The only relief was the voice.

The promise. He had broken his promise and I was going to break mine!

Motorcycles at just the right time and place.

And Jake.

He saw through the emptiness… he saw the person that was still inside. He'd been in that emptiness before when his mother had died. He knew I could come back because he did.

He saw what hurt me and kept those things away. No music, no mention of Edward or the Cullens. He gave me space and brought me what joy he could… he was just there for me.

I began to smile again. Began to laugh again. The color returned to my face; the light returned to my eyes, though both were dull compared to what they'd been before… or what they were now.

Somewhere along the way, I began to love again. There was no one moment, it just grew slowly, bit by bit. Jake saw it, but I was blind to it.

The voice… always seeking the voice to comfort me. If I'd only known that I'd had the answer inside of me… my love for Jake.

Crashed motorcycles, trips to the hospital, homework, and hikes through the woods.

Then Jake got sick and quit calling or seeing me.

A new hole in my heart, right next to the still raw old hole.

Tears were streaming down my face as I held back the sobs while Jake continued to hold me up. His own sadness came through to me… and his love.

It's almost over baby.

A new memory… the meadow and more emptiness because it held none of the magic it did when I was there with Edward.

More fear as Laurent showed up, then the wolves were there and I was running through the woods, stumbling and falling again and again.

My body trembled in Jake's arms.

Another memory and more sadness at the horrible conversation with Jake in La Push. So much anger and hurt. Jake's late-night visit to my room, the dream, and then I finally figured it out… I knew what had happened to him.

Things got better, but now Jake was risking his life to keep me safe from Victoria. I hadn't needed Edward's voice in weeks, but now I did. It had all become too much.

The exhilaration when I jumped off the cliff and heard his voice again. Nearly drowning and the feeling of relief that the pain would be over. So selfish.

Jake saved me. Coming back from nearly drowning hurt, but I was even more relieved that I had not died because of what it would have done to those who cared for me if I had drowned. Jake's eyes were wet; what I'd thought was rain were actually tears. He'd been crying because he thought he'd lost me.

Alice returned and I hurt Jake by choosing to see her, when I didn't know for sure it was even her, so desperate to have some connection back to Edward. I felt guilty and torn between two people I loved who hated each other. Jake's reaction was so harsh when he came to my house two days later.

The next memory slowed down, like it was happening in real time.

My first kiss with Jake. Not just the kiss, but my thoughts leading up to the kiss and my epiphany during.

Somewhere inside of me wanted to be embarrassed, but I pushed it away to deal with later.

Every thought was replayed, every emotion and feeling experienced again, leaving me breathless and overwhelmed with those first feelings of love for Jake.

The final two memories were of Edward trying to get me to leave Jake while I was asleep in the hospital and my conversation with him in the woods outside the school, when I rejected Edward and chose Jake.

The memories finally stopped. The broken band of golden light that had once connected Leah to Sam was gone… somewhere in all of that it had been destroyed.

The warmth and light retreated back into my chest once more. My hands dropped from Leah's head, and I sagged back against Jake. Though he'd been replenishing my physical energy, I was mentally and emotionally exhausted.

It's over now baby. You did it.

Jake sank down to the floor with me, scooted back to lean against the wall, and pulled me into his lap, holding my head against his chest.

My emotions were so confused. I could still feel the fear and pain and emptiness right along with the love and joy. My mind was still opened to Jake, and I was too tired to try to close it, so he could see and feel the mess in my mind.

"I had no idea you went through all that Bella," Leah said in shocked amazement, coming to kneel before us. "Why would you share that with me?"

I looked at her without lifting my head. "Because it would help you heal… the magic pulled out the memories, not me."

Jake added, "Bella had to agree to allow those memories to be shared with you though." He wanted Leah to understand that I'd chosen to help her.

"Did you know what it was going to do to you?" Leah asked. "Did you know you were going to have to experience all of that again?"

"Yes," I whispered.

"But after the way I've treated you, why would you be willing to relive that for me?"

I lifted my head this time and held Leah's gaze as I answered. "All I've ever wanted to do was help you heal Leah. From before I even met you, I knew you were hurting. You'd been put into an impossible situation after suffering horrible losses. I've known for quite some time that you were projecting your anger onto me just so you had someone to blame, and more than anything I wanted to help you get past that. This was my chance, so I took it."

Leah took my hands. "Thank you, Bella, for allowing me to see… for allowing the magic to work through you and help me to start healing. I still have a lot that I'll need to work through, but at least I won't be projecting my problems onto you now."

She turned her gaze to Jake. "I'm so glad you didn't listen to me Jake, because I was dead wrong. I can see now just how real the love between you two is and how strong your bonds are, beyond just the imprinting. I'm so sorry for the way I've treated you both." She looked back to me. "And this time I mean it."

I squeezed Leah's hands. "I had already forgiven you."

"Bella needs to recover now," Grammy Jo said, her hand on Leah's shoulder to urge her away. "Go ahead into your solitude now dear. Jake can help you sort out your emotions."

I smiled up at her and closed my eyes, pulling Jake with me as the world fell away and we were floating together. I felt distant from him at first, like I was under water, and he was drifting on top of it. Slowly I came to the surface as Jake cleaned up the mess in my mind. I wondered how in the world he knew how to do that, but it didn't really matter. As my emotions became calm and orderly, I felt my love for Jake come to the front of my mind. I opened my eyes to look at him and found him watching me. I was cradled in his arms and lap like a child.

I smiled and let out a small laugh. That was pretty crazy, wasn't it? I'm so relieved Leah finally let me help her.

Me too. I'm glad Grammy Jo was here to help convince her. How're you feeling?

Much better. Thank you for helping me through that. It couldn't have been easy for you to see some of those things.

Jake brushed his fingers over my cheek and along my jaw.

I'm glad I could help you. Some of it was hard, but I really enjoyed seeing our first kiss through your eyes… experiencing it as you realized your love for me. It was a gift.

My cheeks warmed and Jake rubbed his thumb over the blush that bloomed there, then leaned down to place a chaste kiss to my lips and pulled me against him, my head tucked up under his chin. I wrapped my arms around his middle and snuggled into his chest. He just held me, waiting for me to be ready to leave the solitude.

I'm so tired, I just want to stay right here and take a nap.

Jake chuckled quietly. Don't forget that we're sitting on the floor in Emily's living room. Everyone will start arriving soon, if they haven't already.

I sighed deep. Yeah, I had almost forgotten that.

We can come here again later, if you still need to. Jake kissed the top of my head, and I let the solitude slip away. As the world returned, the noise came with it, and it had gotten loud around us. Almost everyone had arrived, including Charlie, who was sitting on the far end of the couch talking with Billy sitting in his wheelchair next to the couch, both of them glancing over to us.

"There they are," Billy called as Jake and I stood up. "Let's hear it for the happy couple. Congratulations on your engagement."

My face, ears, neck… my entire head went hot as everyone cheered. Despite my embarrassment, it felt good to have the support of everyone. Even Leah was smiling… and this time it went all the way to her eyes. I could see true joy there as she held my gaze for a long moment before I was drawn away by Seth coming over to congratulate us.

We made our way around to everyone, showing my ring and telling the story several times. The only ones who hadn't made it yet were Sam, Jared, and Paul, but they were still on patrol, apparently.

Seated on the couch between Charlie and Jake as we were finishing eating, Charlie had some questions about how everyone was tied together. I explained about the elders (which he pretty much already knew about) and that Emily, Angela, and Kim were all other imprints. Jake hadn't told Charlie about the Dreamers, so I didn't either, just saying that Grammy Jo was visiting and knew about everything as well.

"For something that's supposed to be a secret, there sure are a lot of people who know."

I chuckled. "Yeah, that's mostly because the pack is so large. Most of these guys' families have no clue, though."

Jake plucked Charlie's and my empty plates off our laps, pressed a kiss to the top of my head, and went into the kitchen. As I watched him walk away, I spotted Sam, Jared, and Paul beside the kitchen table and the restless look about them caused a kernel of unease to unfurl in my belly, but when Charlie continued, my attention shifted back to him.

"That must be hard for them. So, do they all look like Jake when they, ya know," he cleared his throat, "become wolves?"

I laughed, amused at his curiosity. "Not completely. They're not all the same color and their sizes vary a little. Jake is definitely the biggest and the only one who is that red-brown color. Sam's fur is black and the rest of them are different shades of browns, grays, and silver, some solid and some with markings."

He nodded as he took it all in. "This is a really great group of people you've got here Bella. I can tell they all care about you and Jake."

I looked around the house at all the smiling faces then looked back to Charlie and shrugged. "We're a family. And you're a part of that now too. We all look out for each other."

I glanced back toward the kitchen in time to see Jake and Embry heading toward the front door with Sam and Jared. Before I could react, Jake paused to look back over his shoulder at me.

We've gotta go check something out and we're trying not to draw too much attention.

I nodded and he was in motion again, disappearing out the door.

We shouldn't be gone long. I'll let you know if something changes. Can you tell Angela for Embry?

Alright, I can do that. Be safe.

Always.

After answering a few more questions for Charlie, I excused myself and went to find Angela. She was at the kitchen sink, getting started on the dishes.

"Would you like some help?" I asked.

She looked up at me as she scrubbed a plate. "Aww, you don't have to do that. Just enjoy your impromptu party." She glanced around. "Where's Jake?"

"Well, he and Embry had to go check something out with Sam and Jared. He asked me to let you know."

She lowered her hands to rest on the edge of the sink, the plate and dish brush hanging limply in her grasp. "I hope everything's okay. I wonder if this has anything to do with Emily's vision."

"Emily had a vision?"

"Yeah, while you were recovering from helping Leah." She went back to scrubbing the plate in her hand. "That was pretty cool what you were able to do for her, by the way. How're you feeling?"

"I'm doing pretty good, just a little drained." I took the plate from her when she handed it to me, settling into the familiar routine while we talked. "I'm probably going to sleep pretty hard tonight. Do you know what Emily's vision was about? Or where she is?" I glanced around the house but didn't see her anywhere.

"She and Grammy Jo went outside as soon as they were done eating. And, no, I don't know what the vision was about. Sam and Jared had just gotten back from patrol when it happened, then they grabbed Paul and the three of them left without another word. She didn't want to say anything until they got back. The only reason I even knew anything was going on was because she dropped a knife when it happened and cut her finger, so Sam called me over to help."

"I wonder why she didn't say anything to me or Jake."

"Well, I don't know for sure, but I can think of a few reasons. By the time you two came out of that um trancy thing you do—"

"Our solitude?"

"Yeah, that. By the time you came out, Sam's pack had already gone, everyone else was here, and dinner was ready. Since this was sort of your all's night, she probably didn't want to concern either of you until Sam found out more."

"I guess that makes sense."

We worked on the dishes in silence for a minute then Angela changed the subject, though I couldn't completely pull my thoughts from what Emily's vision could have been about. That kernel of unease that started earlier from seeing Sam's pack so restless began to grow. Maybe it was nothing, but that was unlikely and there was only one conclusion I kept coming back to, and it was not a pleasant one.

At least one new vampire was back in the area.

9