Chapter Twenty
Unleashed
If the anxiety-inducing meeting with the Cullen's hadn't been rushing to meet them, Bella might've fallen asleep.
Right there, nestled in the thick pelt between rolling shoulder blades, and with her eyes closed against the sickening speed.
Leah's wolf body surged in waves that could have been the lulling bobbing of a boat on untamed waters. Her brisk loping sprint was intensely visceral and silent despite her sheer size. It really brought to mind the fact that Leah and the wolves were predators, built to stalk, fight, and kill.
No, not predators. Protectors. The real predators were still at large.
One of the wolf's ears flicked back with a comforting rumble that vibrated like thunder under her thighs. Bella reflexively threaded her fingers through the ivory fur over Leah's neck. I'm okay, she told the wolf silently with soft pats against her fur.
She smiled against her pelt. For the past fifteen minutes, every now and then, Leah had been devotedly checking in with Bella this way.
As if, at the center of all the madness of the lupine mind, there was a myopic focus on Bella herself. Despite the drastic transformation, that part of Leah hadn't changed and never will.
Bella blinked hard and squinted against the rushing wind to see swirls upon swirls of green and black whipping by; They'd woven into the shadow of Mt Olympus, the tree trunks around them growing big enough around in size they could've swallowed Bella's truck. Leah expertly bounded through the terrain, leaping over gnarls of roots and boulders covered in endless fairytale-green moss.
And through the trees, a set of glowing eyes bobbed eerily out in the dark wood, keeping pace with Leah's speed.
Bella gasped and struggled to draw the whistling air into her lungs to scream when Leah chuffed softly with a toss of her head.
Frozen in place against her wolf, Bella fisted her pelt as she gauged Leah's reaction to the stranger's set of eyes: Her wolf body was slightly stiff with what Bella could only guess was nerves, but she didn't so much as growl or turn defensively at all.
Swallowing her fear, she peered sideways as a giant wolf fell in closer from his parallel course in the woods.
Against the dusky light of the clouded moon, she could tell this one was gray, the fur on his legs and underbelly almost as light as Leah's fur. The color was stark against the deep smoky gray that splashed down his spine and muzzle, with lighter tones over a sleek lupine face.
Recognition tickled her mind. She'd never seen this wolf before, but some strange instinct told her it was Embry.
"Emb?" Bella whispered, the wind stealing her voice.
The wolf tipped its muzzle up and loosed a short doleful howl.
Bella smiled, collapsing against Leah's undulating shoulders as answering intertwining howls rose up to pull at the night. Chills raced down her spine.
They were close.
She picked her head up again as they slowed to a smooth trot, the trees around them thinning out familiarly. A velvety contented rumble awoke underneath her and wrapped around her like one of Leah's magical hugs. Bella basked in it like the last rays of sun before a cold night.
A soft yip of greeting from Embry next to them had Bella's head swiveling forward. Between Leah's bobbing pert triangle ears, Bella spotted two figures on the edge of the thinning trees. One stood at attention, feet planted, and shoulders squared, while the other leaned casually against a thick tree trunk, his big arms crossed across his chest, head cocked with a wry smile.
"Runnin' with the big dawgs?" Jacob chuckled derisively and ambled over. Leah's ears flicked toward him but otherwise she paid him no mind, her giant tongue lolled gently as she watched Embry sit on his haunches next to them. Embry watched Leah back, his big wolf head tilted slightly, and Bella figured they must be talking in their heads.
Bella tried to hide the proud smile that eventually broke free on her face. "It was her idea." She sat up straight and smoothed her hands down Leah's shoulders, glancing towards Sam. The Alpha watched the clearing with an impassive face, shuttered and serious. "Turns out I'm better at this than motorcycles."
"Ah, you're not that bad." Jacob dismissed. "It's a learning curve for everyone."
"Yeah, maybe everyone else." Bella murmured, her cheeks tingeing pink as she remembered her catastrophic first solo motorcycle ride back before Jacob had phased. "For me it's more like a learning cliff."
Jacob gave her a shit-eating grin. "Cliffs are meant for diving."
Memories jack-knifed through her brain as anxiety swept through her stomach.
"When Alice told me that you jumped off a cliff, I thought, finally, things can go back to normal. But no, you had to fuck that up too."
Bella squeezed her eyes closed to try and block out the memories, the sharp sound of Rosalie's snide voice echoing down the halls of her head.
A sharp barking snarl boiled the air and the world lunged into action, Leah's sights settled on Jacob right before he disappeared in a flurry of gray fur. Bella spontaneously froze, her fists gripping tufts of fur as she cowered into Leah's prickly hackles with a shocked gasp.
She had only glimpsed the sight of Embry's wolf, who'd bravely leapt between a suddenly aggressive, volatile Leah and Jacob–who'd stumbled back with wide eyes as Sam shoved Jacob behind himself.
Even Bella knew that was a bad idea, Leah would've attacked Sam in a heartbeat.
Embry was another story.
The giant gray wolf hunched to the ground, tail tucked, ears flattened in a show of submission Bella had rarely ever seen. Embry's soft eyes stared intensely at Leah's growling wolf in a paragon of passive aggression.
Bella swallowed hard in the pregnant pause, and forced her fists to relax, smoothing down Leah's hackles with her shaky hands.
"Lee, stop!" She urged in a whisper, her eyes glued to the wolf who'd made it starkly clear that if Leah wanted to thrash Jacob, she'd have to go through him to do it.
"Easy!" Sam's insistent, neutralizing voice sliced through the tension like a hot knife. "Let's all just calm down." He ordered the words at Leah as he moved slowly, deliberately, around Embry's hulking side.
He held a hand aloft as the other ruffled through the Embry's coat in absent affection and gratitude. "Bella," his dark gaze softened as he regarded her, "you see now why I wanted you to stay home." He said, not unkindly as he watched Leah bare deadly fangs at him.
Bella frowned, her focus on soothing the residual growls into rumbles as her fingers worked over Leah's sloping shoulders.
"Please back up, Sam. I got this." She murmured, leaning down and wrapping her arms around that huge neck.
She burrowed her face in Leah's thick ruff and drew a deep breath of spicy sweet wildness. Bella hummed softly, letting scent and touch wash away the world. She needed to calm down; It was the only antidote to Leah's own stress. In moments like this, it was easy to think of the Wolf and person as separate, but she understood now that they were just different parts of the being: like the heart and mind. Sometimes in conflict, sometimes unified.
"My Leah…" She whispered into her fur, the words slipping out on their own. They were the right ones, because immediately, she felt the rumbles bloom into a comforting purr that vibrated her thighs. Bella squeezed gently, smiling happily–It really was the best sound in the whole world.
"Everything's okay, honey." she crooned, her hands gliding through velvet fur.
Only when the tremors had stilled under her soft words and caresses, did Bella lift her head. She almost startled with surprise; Somehow Leah had lowered them both to the ground, laying calmly on forest moss, so smoothly Bella hadn't even felt the movement.
Her wolf's regal white head tilted to the side, one giant cinnamon eye softened to sweet as it gazed back at her. Bella smiled warmly and risked a glance around them. Sam had wisely given them a wide berth, both Jacob and a still phased Embry by his side as he murmured to them quietly.
When he noticed Bella watching, he cleared his throat. "We don't have much time." He told her solemnly.
Reality crashed down on Bella as her heart geared up to race right out of her chest, she straightened and gave him a nod, bracing against Leah as she began pulling a leg over her broad back to dismount. Her knees were wobbly, her legs felt like jello.
"You look like you're gonna throw up." Bella glanced up to Jacob slowly moving in a big circle around Leah to get to Bella's side. He expertly avoided Leah's piercing gaze as she silently followed his every move.
"I'm fine." She buried one hand in Leah's thick fur to steady herself. "So, what's the plan? Where is everyone?"
As if on cue, tandem howls, short and yipping like puppies, heralded two oversized wolves that leapt into view on powerful, mute paws. Bella stiffened on reflex, watching them weave between the trees toward Sam. If they hadn't announced their arrival, Bella just knew she'd startle half to death at their silent, sudden appearance. One was a dark, almost black in the night, with a lupine face as serious as a heart attack; The other was a silvery beast that Bella recognized immediately. How could she forget?
The huge, dark silver wolf caught her eye, and his face split into a big wolfen smile, every sharp, triangle tooth on display and his tongue lolling out. It was terrifying… or should have been if Bella hadn't known better.
Bella lifted her chin, her lips pursing. "Hi, Paul."
The wolf lifted his head with a soft whuff before bounding ahead, bumping shoulders with Embry. Bella watched Embry greet them both before sprinting past them into the dark wood. Despite his lighter color, he was gone in moments, melted into the darkness.
Bella frowned and glanced at Jacob in confusion.
"He's running an inner circle around Forks." Jacob explained, watching the two wolves take up position at Sam's sides. The three watched the clearing ahead with eerie anticipation. "Quil and Collin are running the outer borders and La Push. If the leeches try anything, they'll know. We have them surrounded on all sides."
Bella nodded, she was glad Collin wouldn't be alone out there… like Seth had been. "Are you going to phase too?"
Jacob sighed and shook his head. "I wish. Me and Sam are staying human for this one."
Bella nodded thoughtfully. "Will you guys be okay…?"
"Please, I can take 'em with one hand tied behind my back." Jacob snorted a laugh. "Besides, Jared and Paul will be with us. They're no match for the four of us. Embry will be there for backup–whether for us or Quil."
It was a good plan, Bella conceded. "Let's hope it won't come to that." She murmured, leaning against Leah's side.
"Yeah, but what's the fun in that?" Jacob grinned.
Bella rolled her eyes. Boys.
A distant howl threaded the black sky and sent a shudder through Bella's body. She curled into Leah's side as the wolf stiffened beside her.
The howl was followed by another baying cry, and then another.
"They're here!" Sam hissed, as the wolves beside him darted to the tree's edge. They practically bounced on their paws in excitement, tails going a mile a minute.
"Jacob, with me." Sam ordered, jogging up to move between the wolves. Bella's heart caught in her throat and her frantic eyes sought Jacob's, and found his gaze had gone stone-cold serious.
"Stay in the trees, Bella. We'll be between you and them at all times. If all goes well, they might not notice that you're here at all." Sam called to her, snapping Bella's eyes ahead to his calculating gaze and the empty clearing beyond. "Leah will keep you safe."
"Okay." Bella forced out between shortened breaths.
"We won't let anything happen to you." Jacob told her, his voice low as his feet began to move towards Sam.
Bella nodded, her fingers digging into Leah's pelt as her wolf began to stand, deliberately slow. A low vibration buzzed through her body, like thunder under her soles–Leah's deep continuous growl.
"Jake! Now!" Sam barked, his eyes never leaving the clearing.
Jacob sprinted ahead, reaching Sam's side in a few, long bounds. They stood together for a heartbeat, the wolves flanking both men. And then, as one unit, they all moved at the same time, marching out to meet the enemy.
Across the darkened space, Bella could see them coming. At first they appeared as white dots set into blackness. And then they glided forward, their skin glowing white and ghastly.
There was no need to, but her brain counted anyways. Two… four… six…
Six pairs of vampires. No Edward.
Bella sucked a deep breath in through her nose in an effort to quell her anxiety as Leah's muscles twitched and slithered under her fur.
Bella pressed herself into Leah's front leg, hugging the forelimb tightly with both arms. "We're okay…" She whispered, unsure if the words were for Leah's benefit or herself.
Sam, Jacob, Paul and Jared all stopped at the same time, a few paces behind the boulder that stuck up like a sore thumb in the middle of the expansive space. She remembered that boulder–she sat there once, watching the Cullens play baseball.
The Cullens stopped too, arranged in a V-formation with the uneasy stillness of statues.
Each and every golden gaze was on her.
Bella swallowed hard as her eyes flickered over their familiar features. So much for not drawing attention to herself…
Carlisle stood at the apex and center, Jasper and Emmett just behind him, flanking each side. Esme, Rosalie, and Alice falling in line behind them. It was no accident that the strongest were standing in front of the women. If things got ugly, they would be ready too.
"Samuel Uley, Jacob Black," Carlisle began cordially, drawing all the eyes away from her and onto the two Quileute men before them, "Thank you for extending–"
"Yeah, yeah." Jacob cut in with brazen, scalding decorum. "Cut that shit out."
Bella could see Sam's chin lift a bit as Carlisle's eyes widened, his lips parted in shock.
"I believe," Sam began evenly, "Jacob is referring to your mood-changing friend."
"Apologies." Carlisle recovered quickly, letting an obliging smile settle over his features and folding his hands before him. "Jasper if you wouldn't mind."
It was only then that Bella had noticed the lulling sense of safety and calm that had tugged at the back of her mind the moment the Cullens had stopped moving. When she looked at them, the only associated feelings that popped up were memories of warmer days past, baseball and chess games, dinner nights in the Cullen's fancy kitchen.
It was an illusion.
All of it receded at once. Anxiety coiled in Bella's stomach as the caustic tension jacked up viscerally on the field. Each wolf shuffled with low growls, a bassline that eerily cut off when Sam spoke next.
"We don't consent to your manipulation. You try that again, and this will be your last night on Earth." He bit out lethally. "No games. No tricks."
"Of course. We do not come seeking conflict, I assure you." Carlisle conceded wisely. The faces behind him didn't so much as flicker with emotion at Sam's words. Except Rosalie, who always looked some shade of pissed off at any given moment.
"So you say." Bella could hear the barely contained anger in Jacob's taut voice. "And yet, you allowed Edward Cullen to escape your grasp."
Bella pressed herself closer into Leah's fur as the wolf stiffened ever so slightly.
"Our deepest regret." Carlisle lowered his head solemnly. "We underestimated how far Edward would go to deceive us. I know I cannot erase the hurt my son has caused, but I feel responsible nonetheless."
Jacob snorted.
"Please allow my sincerest apologies. For him and Rosalie both." Bella's gaze lifted with surprise to find Carlisle's solemn eyes on her. "Rose acted under false information, in an attempt to protect our family. What she said to Bella was misguided and wrong."
A guttural snarl ripped through Leah's barrel chest, her huge white-coated head dipped as black lips peeled away from gleaming fangs.
Bella squeaked, clutching her foreleg in a deathgrip.
Sam stepped into Carlisle's line of sight. "You don't talk to her. You address me and me only."
"As you wish." Carlisle continued in that low hypnotic croon. "I only meant–"
"I don't care about your apologies." Sam spat. "You let Edward go. And you 'claim' to have no idea where his trail went."
Just over Sam's shoulder, Carlisle nodded brusquely. "Edward is our best tracker. He used those skills against us and disguised his trail, leading us in a different direction while he went in another. By the time we realized what he'd done, it was too late. His scent disappeared near the border of the country and we've been combing through the surrounding area since, giving Seattle a large berth of course…"
"He broke the treaty." Jacob muttered. "He should've been taken down that very day."
"I understand the treaty's terms." Carlisle carefully shifted his weight. "But Edward… He is my son. Not by blood but he's been by my side for nearly a century. I thought… I had hoped it wouldn't have to come to that."
"Just like we hoped Bella's life would never be in danger! Not like it's the first time, huh!?" Jacob snapped. "All you bloodsuckers care about is your damn selves."
Bella sucked an inadvertent breath through her teeth.
Sam's head turned cuttingly towards Jacob as Carlisle tried to appease with both hands palms out.
"All human life is precious to us. Especially Bella." Carlisle professed, "Like you, we are forced into this life and hardly wish to inflict our pain on others."
Bella frowned, the phrase itself was contradictory. It was the vampire's presence that forced the wolves to their fate in the first place.
"Enough!" Sam ordered with finality. "Carlisle I'm disappointed but not surprised by your reluctance to dispose of Edward. The pack holds no such feelings. If we come across him, we will act swiftly and without mercy."
"I see." Carlisle murmured regretfully. "Then allow us to aid you in your search–"
"No." Sam cut him off again, "You won't get a chance to. I'll make sure you never come face to face with him again."
Those words seemed to finally pierce the veil of passiveness the vampires wore. Emmett and Jasper exchanged a glance, Esme's face crumpled with sorrow and Alice frowned. Rose looked… unconcerned with her brother's possible demise.
Bella blinked, a little surprised. Rosalie seemed very spirited when she confronted Bella at school the other day. What changed?
Sam's eyes roamed down the line as well. "The only reason the pack doesn't strike you all down where you stand is because of the phone call Bella received today."
Carlisle's chin dipped in acknowledgement.
"Let's cut to the chase then." Sam dictated impatiently. "Your witch told us Bella was in danger."
Carlisle nodded again, and gestured with one hand to the side, "Our Alice is gifted with clairvoyance. She sees visions of things that may happen. I say 'may' because the future is always changing. Every choice and action has a consequence." He paused, glancing at Alice before continuing. "This afternoon, she saw a female vampire by the name of Victoria make her move on Forks with around twenty newborn vampires."
Displeasure rolled through the wolves' tough façade and Sam held a staying hand out beside him. "We've already been briefed on Victoria's history with you. And her motivation." Bella could see the muscle clench in his cheek. "How many exactly?"
"The numbers change day to day. The average amount remains at twenty" A bright voice suddenly rose up as Alice skipped past the vampires' formation to stand by Carlisle. She seemed oblivious to the tension, her eyes glazed over unseeingly. "They often fight amongst themselves."
"How are they different from you?" Sam asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
"They are all very new to this life… Only months old. Like toddlers in a way. They have no skill or strategy, only brute strength and bloodlust." Carlisle explained. "Even worse, the blood leftover in their systems from their human lives makes them even stronger than the most seasoned of vampires." He nodded towards Emmett's hulking form, the closest one to the wolves' own staggering size and bulk.
Sam and Jacob exchanged a look. "And you have experience dealing with them?" Sam asked at last.
Carlisle gestured to where Jasper stood, tensed and ready. "Jasper has experience in the area. He can teach us how they fight, how they can be defeated. I'm sure you can apply this to your own hunting style."
Jacob and Sam exchanged a look, Jacob nodded once and Sam turned back to Carlisle as an enthusiastic rumble passed through the wolves.
"When will they attack?"
Carlisle turned to Alice who blinked rapidly, staring at invisible images. "Hmmm… the timeline isn't solid yet. They haven't decided. Right now, I see them coming across the mountains in eleven days. We can intercept them from there."
Eleven days. Next Saturday. Bella snorted softly. At least she'd be able to graduate that Friday before everything went to hell.
"Fine. Show us how to fight them. We'll watch and listen, but that's it." Sam told them curtly.
"That's more than enough. Thank you."
Leah's cold nose ruffled Bella's hair just then, almost making her jump. She reached up and smoothed palm over the side of her muzzle as heat billowed over the crown of her head, sending a shiver down her spine.
Bella took a deep, centering breath as bodies shuffled in front of her. The pack backed up, almost to the tree line, as Jasper stepped into the wide open space between the two parties.
Leah huffed beside her, sitting back on her haunches. Her huge head loomed over Bella and despite her size, and strength, she was the one Bella was least scared of.
"They'll fight like children." Jasper's clear voice rang over the dark. "The two most important things you'll need to remember are, first, don't let them get their arms around you and, second, don't go for the obvious kill. That's all they'll be prepared for. As long as you come at them from the side and keep moving, they'll be too confused to respond effectively. Emmett?"
The next hour passed in a blur of flashing limbs and grappling. Emmett played 'newborn' and charged his opponents, while they tried their hardest to best him.
It was extremely disconcerting.
The Cullen's would flit in and out of existence and she felt like with every blink, she was missing every major part of each fight. If she was lucky, she'd barely catch a glimpse of a fighting crouch here or an offensive spring there until, in a series of strikes and parrying, it was over with one party's gnashing teeth frozen at the neck of the other.
The wolves didn't seem to have the same problem she did. Every now and then, Sam and Jacob would nod appreciatively, murmur notes and observations amongst themselves, and ask a question here or there. Even Leah had stopped her glowering to watch intensely.
Everyone took turns. Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, even little Alice, who managed to best Jasper despite her size. She made it look like a graceful, well choreographed dance.
Out of all the Cullen's, she was the one Bella worried about the most. They used to be friends once upon a time. And despite Edward's actions and the fact their friendship now hung in limbo, she had still called Bella to warn her about Victoria.
Bella yawned, crossed-legged in a patch of moss and bumped the wolf laying beside her. "I bet you're not tired at all, huh?"
The wolf rumbled and laved a big pink tongue over Bella's clothed knee. Bella made a face and buried her hand in Leah's ruff.
Suddenly, the wolf's ears perked. Leah sat up, head tilted back at the woods behind them and eyes focusing on things Bella couldn't see. Bella swallowed nervously, her body poised to jump to her feet at a moment's notice.
Until she saw a gray wolf head loom out of the darkness.
She relaxed when the wolf chuffed softly, tossing his head. Leah gingerly picked herself off the ground, always mindful of Bella's small body beside her, and trotted back to who she assumed was Embry.
Checking in? She wondered idly as Leah neared her packmate.
Her mouth fell open in shock when, in a smooth, graceful transition between one step and the next, the white wolf shimmered into a human body.
Leah's tall, lean, and entirely naked form snatched something from the ground in front of Embry and drew up to her full height, every muscle quivering and flexed and magnificent.
Bella's cheeks instantly flared with heat. Her mind went blank and buzzing as Leah half-turned her way, her arms up as she pulled the oversized black t-shirt over her head. Bella caught a glimpse of what she didn't get a chance to see the last time she saw her phase: the delicate lines of her collarbones, the silhouetted curve of her breast, the hills and valleys of impenetrable abdominal muscles decorating her torso…
Bella wanted to run her fingers over them.
Holy shit… She admonished herself. Get a grip!
Bella shakily got to her feet by the time Leah made her way back over; One hand raked back her short hair and a small, knowing smile fixed on her devastating face. The t-shirt fit her like a makeshift dress and exposed those powerful long thighs.
"You uh, got a lil drool…" Leah pretended to dab at Bella's chin, her smile widening.
Bella snorted and swatted at her hand, glancing behind her to make sure nobody else saw her make a complete fool of herself.
The Cullen's were still sparring. Sam, Jacob and the rest paid her no mind.
Leah wasn't content with being swatted. Instead she grabbed Bella's hand in her gentle grip and stepped forward, her face softening.
Bella melted instantly, her fingers tightened around Leah's. She loved the wolf, but it was the human side that really drove Bella crazy. Everything felt a hell of a lot better with Leah there to comfort her with one of her welcoming hugs or magical kisses.
"Everything okay?" She asked quietly. Leah's phasing back, while a welcome change, was very unexpected.
"Better than okay." Leah murmured, grinning deviously as her gaze wandered over Bella's head.
She knew that grin. Uh oh.
Bella grabbed Leah's other wrist. "Leah don't…"
"It's okay, princess." Leah ducked her head, her spicy, wild scent washing over Bella's face, and pressed her lips to Bella's forehead. "Don't you worry 'bout a thing." She murmured, bringing her palms up to embrace Bella's cheeks in heat.
Then she stepped away.
Bella's brows buckled in confusion. Her heart thrummed in her chest as Leah strode through the treeline, towards where her packmates were listening to Jasper wind down his presentation.
With an audible crack of her knuckles, Leah's low crooning voice announced: "My turn."
All beings turned to her with surprise on their faces.
The two wolves were the only ones that seemed nonplussed, Paul yawned and Jared huffed from where he sat back on his haunches, watching with disdain.
Sam's face instantly hardened, "Leah, now is not the time." He hissed.
Jacob barked an incredulous laugh, watching Leah walk past them as if they weren't there. "I don't think you got a choice, man."
It was only when Sam moved to stop her, one hand outstretched to her shoulder, did Leah lunge around with thunder and brimstone spelled across her face. Sam hesitated uncharastically, glancing over Leah's shoulder at the Cullen's.
Jacob bumped his shoulder, snorting. "Have a little faith."
Sam rigidly dropped his hand.
Bella blinked rapidly. Was Jacob backing up Leah?
Jasper's lips quirked in private amusement as she approached. He dipped his head. "So, you're Leah." he stated, and for the first time Bella was able to pick up a hint of southern twang in his voice. "I've heard quite a bit about you."
"None of it good I hope." Leah chuckled darkly, stretching her arms in front of her with her fingers laced together, the muscles in her arms tensed and bulging.
"I'm not the rumoring type." Jasper shrugged. "I like to be my own judge of people."
"If that's true, then it makes you better than these assholes." She jutted a thumb behind herself at the pack, who rumbled with anxious dissent. "But enough chit-chat. Let's do this."
Jasper glanced at Carlisle, who looked at Sam. Sam's jaw clenched, his fists balled at his sides. "Just sparring. Nothing else. Do not go overboard."
Leah rolled her eyes. "Sure, Sammy."
Sam huffed and Jasper immediately started backing away, sinking into a defensive crouch.
Bella squeaked, her mind finally catching up to her shock, and both hands came up to cover her mouth. Her eyes were wide as balloons as they darted over Jasper's terrifying fighting form.
True, it was just a spar. But with the amount of times the pack have spurned the Cullen's, who's to say they wouldn't slip up and hurt Leah 'accidentally.'
The thought choked Bella with fear.
Jasper's keen eyes shot to Bella like a bullseye. Eerily, at the exact same time, Leah did the same thing, as if she innately sensed her distress. Ignoring Jasper completely, she looked over her shoulder and met Bella's gaze.
Her hazel browns were simultaneously upset, angry, frustrated… and determined. A thousand microexpressions clicked over her face, her yawning gaze absorbing the worry and terror in Bella's and reflecting a ravenous resolve.
Behind her, Jasper straightened, his face shell-shocked and unguarded. Bella doubted she'd ever seen him look so caught off guard. But why?
Leah turned back around with a wry hitch to her lips. "I'm not fightin' you, pretty boy."
She wandered away from him as if she were strolling the beach, her eyes roaming down the line of Cullen's. She stopped in front of where Rosalie stood at Emmett's side, their faces incredulous.
"I'm fightin' her."
Bella felt her stomach drop to her toes.
"Like hell you are." Emmett spoke up first, stepping in front of Rosalie and crossing his big arms.
"Interesting. You don't seem the type to need a big ol' man to save your ass." Leah put her hands on her hips disdainfully. "What are you scared of, damsel?"
"Oh please." Rosalie flicked her impossible sleek blonde hair over one shoulder and pushed past Emmett's big body. Without a stutter in her step, she gracefully kicked off one perfect black high heel and then the other, catching an expensive red-bottom shoe in each hand.
"I'll mop the floor with you, dog." She shoved her heels into Emmett's chest and strode towards the wide sparring space, head held high.
Leah casually followed. "Your kind can be put back together like a jigsaw puzzle, right?"
Rosalie's scowl marred her angelic features. She turned around a good distance away and faced Leah. Uncanny yellow eyes narrowed on the woman. Her perfect teeth flashed behind pink lips flush with stolen blood. "And your kind can't. That's too bad."
"I don't need that party trick." Leah shrugged, her long arm reached back to fist the hem of her shirt. "You might though. You probably shouldn't have worn designer."
Rosalie didn't wait for either of them to take on fighting stances. She didn't even wait for Leah to undress and phase.
Without any preamble at all, Rosalie snarled and threw herself forward in fury. With the blinding speed of her kind, she was inches from the woman when Leah smoothly shucked her shirt off and exploded into a huge white wolf with paws prone. The sheer force threw Rosalie's body back a good thirty feet.
Bella hadn't realized she'd screamed until she took one unthinking step and collided face first into Embry's broad wolf body, seemingly out of nowhere. She startled and scrambled to see around him.
The white wolf pounced after the vampire that landed in an aggressive crouch, one of her hands braced on the cold ground. Rosalie hissed gleefully and charged.
Leah's quick body ducked under the first swinging blow only to catch the round-house kick that followed.
Bella squeaked, cringing and grasping fistfuls of Embry's fur.
Leah caught the hit in her jaw and her body breached backwards into the ground, canines glittering in the dim moonlight. Without a moment wasted recouping from the hit, the wolf leapt up again into a sprint. She was a white blur that matched the vampires' neck-break speed, running around and around Rosalie's increasingly defensive posture.
After all, Leah was the fastest in the pack.
Out of the circling blur of white, Leah suddenly leapt, congealing out of fur and into lithe human skin.
With a battle-cry that reverberated off the mountains, she threw a sledgehammer fist into the side of Rosalie's face, her whole body thrown behind the vicious right-hook.
Bella's jaw dropped, as did several others. She'd never seen a wolf phase so quickly like that in the middle of a fight against a vampire…!
"Rose!" Emmett yelled, struggling against Jasper and Carlisle grasping at his biceps on either side.
Rosalie reeled with a screech, Leah landing on top of her.
Using the momentary distraction of surprise to her advantage, Leah sank home several punishing blows before, with an inhuman hiss, Rosalie punted the body on top of her into the air with a powerful kick. Leah flipped high overhead like an acrobat and exploded back into fur, landing gracefully on her paws a few feet away.
When she leapt next, Rosalie was ready, and they tumbled into a flurry of flashing limbs and furious growls. This wasn't a spar. This was a dirty, no holds barred fight with a vengeance. From the wide-eyed looks on everyone's faces, they all knew it too.
Still, strangely enough, neither party interfered.
Rosalie managed to get a few quick shots in, using her quick legwork to keep Leah's snapping jaws at bay.
With a snarling roar, Leah lunged again. Rosalie grabbed for her in typically newborn fashion, grappling to get her arms around the wolf's big body.
She's going to strangle her!
Dread lodged another scream in the back of Bella's throat. Embry whined, dipping his head to nudge her leg comfortingly. She collapsed against his side and frantically glanced at where Sam and Jacob stiffly stood. Help her! she wanted to yell.
Leah didn't seem to need it. Instead of struggling out of Rosalie's deadly grip, she simply imploded, snapping back into her human body. As Rosalie staggered off-balance, Leah took hold of one of the vampire's arms before twisting her whole body forward with a grunt.
With momentum on her side, she sent Rosalie flying.
The force of the throw sent the blonde through the air and skidding several feet, throwing dirt and debris up in every direction. Leah dove into the phase, kicking off once with powerful hindquarters and meeting the disheveled vampire before she could come to a complete stop.
That final leap smashed and pinned the vampire's body to the ground with both massive paws.
The clearing was utterly silent except for Bella's hitching breaths and Leah's continuous growl.
Leah seamlessly phased, popping back into a crouched woman with a knee planted firmly between Rosalie's shoulder blades. Without mercy, she roughly fisted a hand in Rosalie's wild blonde hair and leaned over towards her ear.
"If you ever fucking try that shit you tried in the bathroom again– if you so much as look in her direction–I'll rip this pretty lil head off and make you watch the rest of you burn. Understand?" She hissed ruthlessly. "Bella's mine. And I'll kill anyone that fucks with her. Go an' tell Eddie."
"Get the fuck off me!" Rosalie screeched, like fingernails on a chalkboard.
"Leah, enough! This is over!" Sam shouted, his feet beginning to move.
Emmett threw both Jasper and Carlisle to the side with ease. "LET HER GO!" He bellowed.
Sam, Jacob, and both wolves at their sides jumped into action, finally. But it was too late.
Despite his size, Emmett disappeared with speed. He reached her before the pack did; His muscled body dipped down and tackled Leah off Rosalie.
Leah tumbled into the grass, a bloody, macabre smile painted over her face.
Jacob darted for Leah, shoving her behind him as the huge wolves braced and crouched at his side, snarling defensively at the coven. The Cullen's jumped in to surround an enraged Emmett helping a worse-for-wear Rosalie off the churned up earth.
"Back down!" Sam demanded, bursting in front of Jacob and giving each wolf stern look. Jared's growls quieted, ears darting backwards reproachfully even as he speared the Cullen's with an intense stare. Paul's wide maw split further into a terrifying wolfen grin, his hackles bristling down his spine.
"What was that you said?" Leah's cheerful voice lifted above low growls and spine-chilling hisses both. She pushed up onto her knees and spit an arch of blood into the grass. "Something about mopping the floor with me?"
"Leah, shut up!" Sam snapped.
"Sam, I believe me and my family should take our leave." Carlisle soothed in a serene voice from the apex of the group. "We can reconvene whenever it is convenient to you."
"I think that would be best. We will contact you." Sam growled, spreading his palms behind him. At the signal, Jacob and the wolves began to slowly back away. "You are allowed back to your house. However, you will not be permitted into the surrounding lands. The previous treaty is dead. The pack patrols Forks now. If you need to leave town, you check with us first."
"What?" A nameless smooth voice whispered flatly.
"Are we prisoner's now?" Another voice muttered.
"Why do you put up with this mutt, Carlisle?" Rosalie spat contentiously from the back of the group.
"Rosalie," Carlisle warned, his palm jerking up to silence his family. "Of course, Samuel. But me and my family do need to hunt..."
"You're allowed to hunt in the area south of your home. After the forked waterfall and before the national forest. There's a river on your property that leads there, correct?"
Carlisle nodded serenely. If he had been disappointed by Sam's answer, there was no give on his features. "Understood. We will speak soon."
At a silent cue, the six vampires abruptly disappeared, flitting across the clearing and into the trees beyond without a backwards glance.
Was it finally over?
With a soft huff, Embry shifted out of her way with an apologetic lick at her hand. Bella tripped over her feet, almost face-planting into the moss.
"Leah!" She gasped, and took off running. Leah was still kneeling, watching the last of the Cullen's disappear when Bella collided into her from behind.
"Oh my god!" Bella quavered, pressing her face into the back of Leah's neck and throwing her arms around her shoulders.
Leah's brisk, warm hands wasted no time, twisting to pull Bella's body into her lap as they slumped towards the grass together.
And then she was everywhere: warm skin, spicy sweetness, puffs of moist air pulling at the delicate skin of Bella's neck when Leah pressed her face there. Her arms were a steel grip around Bella's waist with no intention of slacking anytime soon.
She was okay. Relief thundered through Bella, and her hands slithered up the planes of Leah's shoulders and into the tussle of black hair. Leah radiated heat under her palms; she could feel her heart was beating frantically against her ribs opposite Bella's own.
"Lee…" Bella breathed, "Honey." Her hands finally found her cheeks and she gingerly grazed her fingertips over Leah's rock-solid jaw. "Let me see."
Leah lifted her face and gave Bella a tired, sappy smile. The bottom half of her beautiful face was splotchy with a darkening bruise. A line of red spilled from one corner of her swollen, busted lip. "I told you not to worry. I'm fine."
"You're not fine!" Bella admonished and carefully patted the blood away with the edge of her sleeve. "Hold still."
But even as she did, between one swipe and the next, Leah's busted lip seemed to patch itself together before her eyes.
"See." Leah hummed, catching one of Bella's fingers playfully between her full lips. "All kissable again."
Bella shook her head minutely. Leah was just trying to cheer her up, but she was still too shaken from the ordeal. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath through her nose. Leah smelled of earth, sweat, and violence. "I was so scared."
Leah's lidded gaze caught her eyes and there caustic sarcasm stripped away from an intensely vulnerable core. Bella quietly sucked in a breath at what she saw and carefully cupped her cheek. Underneath that rage was bone-breaking pain, the thought that Bella could ever be in danger …or worse… was unbearably excruciating.
She would fight every single nightmare that even attempted to show up in Bella's dreams. Starting with Rosalie.
"Sorry, baby." Her wolf whispered in earnest and pulled Bella's body tighter against her own. Bella squeezed her in a wordless vice grip.
Mine.
Without a word, Leah smoothly unfolded to her feet, lifting Bella along with her as if she weighed nothing. Her sneakers dangled at Leah's shins.
"Jake, gimme that shirt over there." Leah murmured quietly.
Bella's heavy lids blinked back open, and a fresh pink bloomed across her cheeks. In her worry, Bella had forgotten that Leah was still entirely naked.
In fact, she'd forgotten anybody else even existed. She had been focused only on Leah.
She squirmed a bit. "Uh… You can put me down now."
Leah let that smirk unfold on her face. Bella was still pressed firmly against Leah's front when she was slowly lowered to the ground.
She felt everything. Every peak of hardened abdominal muscle and the soft, supple give of Leah's chest. She was going to combust.
Leah shuddered, a quiet, rapturous hiss sucked through her teeth.
Bella swallowed down her own sigh of content and it turned into an embarrassed squeak in her throat, her palms slapping over her face.
With a cocky, smoky chuckle in her ear, Leah carefully steadied her and stepped back as Jacob jogged back toward them with the clothing in hand. Bella avoided looking in his direction.
But good lord, Leah could be as cocky as she wanted when she looked like that. Frankly, it was all the more attractive to Bella. As the only female in a pack full of males, she didn't cower from inevitable nudity. And she definitely didn't let them ogle either. Leah didn't have to demand their respect, clothed or unclothed. They just instinctively gave it. That, or her fists would show them how.
"It's almost morning." Sam's stern rumble neared them over the sounds of whispering cloth. "Once everyone's up, I'll have a meeting with the Elders."
Bella opened her eyes to find the four of them alone and the sky a surprising shade of dim blue. Sam must have sent Paul, Jared, and Embry away while she was busy with Leah.
Her wolf threw an arm over her shoulder possessively and pulled her back into her side. Bella lifted her hands and gripped Leah's hard forearm, thankful to be surrounded by her warmth again.
Sam charged up to them. "What the hell were you thinking? I told you not to go overboard!"
Leah scoffed, dipping her head to nuzzle the top of Bella's. "Whaddya mean? It's not like I ripped off a limb."
"Your little stunt almost brought us to war." Sam's lip lifted from his canines, "We both know that wasn't just a spar. If either of us had jumped to your defense, it would have turned into a free-for-all."
"Like they stood a chance." Leah grumbled.
"Guys, stop." Jacob groaned tiredly and slapped Sam on the back. "You gotta admit what she did was smart."
"How, exactly?" Sam tucked his teeth behind the bitter line of his hard mouth. "We just tipped our hand."
Leah sniffed, the corner of her mouth curving up. Whether he wanted to or not, Sam just implied Leah's skills were worth saving as a nice surprise to their enemies down the line.
"Now they know not to fuck with us." Jacob shrugged, easy-going as usual. "'Sides, what do you think they were thinking during that whole thing?"
"That we're not a united front." Sam hissed. "It makes us look weak."
"Sure, sure, but I meant her." Jacob regarded Leah curiously. "She looked out of control. Wild and ruled by her emotions."
Bella frowned. She hated the implication; It was starkly clear to her that Leah was in complete control. She had switched forms without a single, hapless shudder in her limbs.
"But she wasn't." Bella murmured in her defense. "She knew what she was doing."
Leah's eyes hadn't been crazed, they had been focused.
"I know that." Jacob soothed. "They don't. They see a vicious wolf, switching forms out of desperation."
He met Leah's steely eyes above Bella's head as the wheels began turning in both their gazes.
"If they got it in their head that Leah was losing control… That she wasn't sane enough to keep Bella safe…" Jacob began cryptically. "If that thought were to be picked up by any mind-reader lurking nearby–maybe on the very edges of our territory…"
Bella stopped breathing, realization restarting her heart in her chest. Sam cocked his head, speechless for once.
"Then there's a chance…" Leah ground out, fire-hot lupine rage blistering in her eyes.
Jacob nodded, his gaze dancing between those relentless feral eyes.
"He's gonna get sloppy."
.
.
Heyo, review if you like! More to come