"The angel and the devil, secretly they get along. Sitting up there with me in the middle from dust till dawn. I get so confused by which way to turn. They're looking at me like decide which bridge to burn."

-Rudderless, Over Your Shoulder.

The Fox and The Yellow Moon

The room went silent at her entrance. Leah ignored the four pairs of brown eyes as she strode towards the nurse standing in the center of the ward. If her mother was surprised at her arrival there was nothing in her features to show for it, but the muscles in Sue's face were tightened with exhaustion, and there was a foreign wariness in her eyes.

'Leah, calm down.' Sue ordered, knowing her eldest child enough to guess Leah's emotional state at the news. 'She's alright.'

'Seth said it was a bear!' Leah burst out, betraying the concern she couldn't help but feel over her cousin. Wanting someone dead didn't mean wanting them to suffer apparently.

'Paul and Jared brought her to me in good time.' Sue said with the stern patience her fifteen years of work as a nurse had taught her. But her voice wavered when she turned back to the two boys standing beside her panicked husband. 'She'll need a lot of rest but she'll be alright. She'll have the best care available in Forks. Hopefully that's enough to keep him calm.'

Confused by the words, Leah followed her mother's eyes to the two massively-sized men dressed identically in jean shorts and black T-shirts. Their hair was cropped short like soldiers, and there was a thrum of danger that seemed to almost vibrate around them.

Leah narrowed her eyes in annoyance. Ah yes. Of course the druglord would send his lackeys to watch over his whore of a conniving bitch.

Leah recognized the severe faced minion as Paul Lahote, the jock with anger management issues that had bullied her best friend Julie all the way through high school for liking girls. The other she remembered as Jared Cameron, a junior she'd seen from time to time around the rez.

Seeing them brought back the memory of Billy Black's most recent cookout. The Chief had introduced Sam and his little posse of evil drug-dealing shadows as the "honorable youths watching over the tribe lands and preserving Quileute pride." The old geezer had made them sound so majestic, so grand, while Leah had fought the urge to walk across the yard and slap Sam's face, calling him out for the no-good piece of shit bastard that he was.

'You know they call themselves the Protectors?' she'd scoffed. And from across the yard she'd seen Sam glance at her as if he'd been close enough to overhear. It had been her younger brother's friend Embry, a tall boy who always showed up to such events but never stayed long enough to hold a conversation, that had shot her a grimace in response.

She wasn't the only one on the rez who distrusted Sam and his boys.

'We treated her wounds quickly so hopefully there won't be any complications or infections,' Sue said in a matter-of-fact tone that drew her daughter out of her memories. 'But you should prepare yourself for… for some severe scarring. Please be sensitive when you visit her.'

Leah's hand flew up to her mouth. Sure she hated the backstabbing bitch, but there was something so sick about thinking of Emily's beautiful face being destroyed by a wild animal. All the anger she felt in the world wasn't enough to make her wish that on her ex-best friend. Sam's Hall Monitors reacted to the news as well, their shoulders slumping and their faces falling in eerie synchronicity.

'He'll need to visit her.' Jared finally spoke up, 'He won't be able to stay away.'

'I understand. You can tell Sam she'll be allowed visitors within the next few days. ' Sue said with a quick glance to her daughter.

Oh.

All this time Leah still spent worrying about her cousin's safety and happiness... but it was clear that her cousin didn't need her at all. Maybe she never had. Leah wondered just how long Emily and Sam had been playing her for a fool. Just how many times exactly, had they laughed behind her back about what a naïve dummy she was? How many times had they lied to her face like the pieces of scum that they were? Just how many minutes had it taken Samuel Joshua Uley to go from dumping her to fucking her so called best friend? Twenty? Fifteen? How long was the drive from the beach to Neah Bay?

Leah stiffened when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder, and she turned to find her father and the two boys staring at her. She realized then that her fists were clenched, and that she was shaking. The hand belonged to her father, and his ageing face was filled with so much love, so much concern and warmth.

'She'll be so relieved you're here Leah Bear, she's missed you so much.'

'Yeah right.' Leah spat.

When she felt the eyes of the two men on her she felt her face scrunch up tightly, as if all the muscles there had hardened as much as her heart. She could feel their pity, but she didn't need anyone, least of all them, looking at her like a wounded bird too weak and stupid to take care of its fucking self. She already got enough of that look every time she was unlucky enough to bump into her dipshit scumbag of an ex.

'You should visit her Leah,' Sue said, 'family sticks together.'

Leah bit down her retort. Oh she had so many things she wanted to say about that piece of shit sentiment. Family didn't open their legs for their sister's men. Family didn't shack up with your ex-boyfriend only days after they left you for no reason. (Oh sorry, that reason was Emily). Family didn't do anything like what her cousin had done with Sam, and then hope to cover it up with denials and half-meant apologies.

Leah turned on her heels and left the hospital without a word, before her tongue would need stitches from the pressure of her teeth. God knew it was that hard biting down all the things she had to say about Emily these days.

Emily had every reason to believe that she was dreaming. Why else would her cousin be standing in her hospital room dressed in the black uniform that she wore when she had a shift at the local bowling ring? For Leah to be in her room her cousin would have had to take a right and not a left at Archangel Road. Her cousin would have had to part her convertible outside, and then make her way through the hospital corridors. Emily tried not to get her hopes up. Her sister's presence could just as easily mean Leah was planning to carry out a murder. And maybe, just maybe, Emily deserved it.

She felt fragile. Her body was throbbing and she was feeling the kind of cold that meant her body was missing her Imprint. The cotton bandages wrapped around her face, chest and arm weren't doing much for her confidence either, not faced with her cousin. Even scowling, Leah was still one of the most beautiful women on the reservation. And she was even more intimidating.

Emily had wanted so much to get away from Sam. To find someplace or someone else. But those dreams were ruined now, ruined by her Imprint even more than they were ruined by her face. She'd never even had a chance. It had been hard to discover she was powerless to the bond, that she couldn't breathe right without Sam Uley. She needed him in a way she'd never loved or needed anyone else. Nothing compared to the sureness, the rightness, of having him in her life. And she no longer had the strength to fight it.

But her love had come at too great a cost. Because standing across the room, looking at her with the deepest kind of betrayal and pain she'd ever seen, was her favourite person in the world, her only best friend, and she knew that she was the cause for all of her suffering. That there was no undoing what had happened done.

Emily cleared her throat. 'How long have you been standing there?'

The vulnerable look she had seen on Leah's face was gone in an instant, suddenly replaced by a mask as hard as granite. 'I didn't realize you were awake.' Leah said, sounding much like her mother, 'I'll go call the nurse.'

'No!' Emily said quickly, trying to get up though her body refused to let her. 'I mean…' What did she mean? 'please stay.'

Her cousin didn't move or say anything, but Leah's hands were in fists and Emily noticed that her cousin looked taller than she had the last time they'd spoken. Leah's face had also aged, and everything about her body screamed tough. It reminded her of the wolves.

But there was more to it. It was as though there was an invisible force of rock and ice that had hardened around Leah, so that reaching her was insurmountable. Hurricane Leah, that's what Sam had once called her, years ago. Emily finally understood what he'd had meant.

'Why did you come?'

Emily didn't expect Leah's answer to be so quick. Or so cold. 'To see if I could convince myself you deserved it.'

The scars on Emily's face hurt when her muscles moved into a frown. 'Did it work?'

'I just hate myself a little bit more now.' Leah admitted, 'For still wanting you to be happy.'

Emily tried not to give into the hope flooding her heart, but it was almost impossible. 'I miss you so much Leelee. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I never wanted this. I tried so hard to fight-'

'I don't want to hear it.' Leah snapped, the blue in her eyes frosting over to look more like snow than sky. 'Just don't.'

'There's things you don't understand-'

'Shut. Up. Emily!' Leah shouted, and her cousin instinctively quietened. By now, Emily knew that it was dangerous to engage with someone when they were shaking with rage.

'Shut up so I can wish you well while I still can,' Leah's face twisted into an ugly a parody of a smile. 'Because I've never been the one for graceful exits Em. That was always you.'

The room was thrown into cold silence. One that even the murmurs around the hospital and the beeping sounds of machines couldn't quite fill. It was a moment before Emily found her voice again.

'Where are you going to go?' she asked. When her sister furrowed her brows Emily sent her a wry smile. 'I know you Lee. I know that you're not planning on staying in Forks. There's a reason you're here. You might suck at goodbyes, but you always make them.'

When Leah finally sighed, Emily saw a crack in her armor that exposed her uncertainty. Leah stepped closer to her bed, and for a moment it looked like her cousin wanted to take her hand. But then the look was gone just as quickly as it had come, and Leah turned away.

'Julietta seems to be enjoying UCLA. She had a friend who needs a bartender for their restaurant, and I've saved enough to be alright for a while until I can get something better.'

'That sounds amazing Lee.' Emily smiled sincerely, though her heart was breaking too. She'd never be able to see that world Leah would get to see, never be able to leave Washington state. At least her sister would. Leah deserved everything the world had to offer, she deserved a life free from the constraints of the supernatural. 'You'll get lots of tips.'

Leah scoffed. 'Yeah I hear I give great customer service.'

Emily knew that this stale, trite excuse for a conversation was the last she'd ever have with her best friend. This bitter conversation that was loaded with jealousy and betrayal and secrets and words that could never be said. It wasn't fair.

'I want all of that stuff for you too Leah.' Emily said before Leah could flee out the door. 'I want you to go to college too. To have new experiences, to do concerts and pilgrimages and dance on tabletops and see the world. And I want you to have everything you ever wanted. I want you to be able to come back home.'

'Everything I ever wanted...' Leah ground out, not turning to face her cousin. 'Right.'

An hour later Sam popped his head through the same door, his worry over Emily's pain doing little to conceal the unconditional love and adoration in his face. He sat beside her on the bed and kissed her hand, waiting for her to tell him what had happened. She knew he could smell her cousin's scent. She knew he could tell that Leah's visit had been recent. That it had upset her deeply.

'Leah's going to Leave Forks.' She managed to say after a very long time. 'She's not coming back.'

Sam sighed, lacing his fingers with hers. 'Maybe... maybe that's for the best.'

Emily could tell from the depth in his words that there was more love in his heart than he knew what to do with. The room felt frozen around them, even the burn of one hundred and eight degrees would never heat it, and Emily wondered if Sam felt more guilty, or she.

'I wish…' she said, fighting back tears.

'Me too.' Sam said.

The girl was not quite sure why she had followed the eagle to the creek. Perhaps because it was the largest bird of its kind she had ever seen, perhaps because it's eyes were an impossible jade that was too beautiful to describe in words, but maybe, just maybe, she had followed it because she had known where it would lead. Which was ludicrous. She'd never had this dream before. Still there was something familiar about the gathering of water, about how way it swayed and reminded her of another bad dream, the kind that had happened in the real world.

Leah's eyes darted west and sure enough she saw the white shirt, shredded to bits by the edge of the creek. She immediately thought of Samuel Joshua Uley and heard Charlie Swan's voice, telling her they had found evidence Sam had been killed by a wild animal and were calling off the searches.

She recalled another dream too; one of a woman in a white dress destined to lose something that would never be returned again. When Leah realized she was dressed in a wedding dress she sighed. Even in slumber she couldn't seem to escape her heartache and misery.

She glowered when the bird perched itself on her shoulder blade. Why did you bring me here?

The bird twisted its neck to face her before pecking at her arm, it's beak cutting into her skin unlike it's talons, which felt soothing on her shoulders. When she hissed it turned its head back to the creek, and she understood the order instinctively.

Swim.

Stupid bird, she muttered.

She gathered her white dress in her hands and treaded into the icy waters as her body shivered. She must have looked beautiful, glittering under the splendor of the full moon like that, a ghoul floating over the dark lake in the moonlight. Leah remembered an old story she'd heard once about a woman who had pulled a basket out of a river. She had found a baby.

Leah frowned when she felt something swim into her, and she wrapped her hands around it, pulling it out of the water before opening her palms. It was a small, white lily. She had only a moment to admire the good omen before she noticed that there was a man standing right before her, watching her intently. He was lovely, his face strong and regal, graced with had smooth dark skin while a long, ebony braid fell over his shoulder. His ancient eyes were the same shade of impossible jade that had belonged to the bird.

The man smiled at her, a slow but sad smile, before taking flower from her hand and placing it delicately behind her ear in a familiar gesture. It was as though he'd placed hundreds of flowers behind her ear over the years. As would do so for many years still. Leah placed her own palm on his warm cheek, her heart welcoming his in a way that felt old and new, all at the same time. How long? She wondered. How long had he been waiting here in the darkness for her to come and find him?

Lifetimes, he said.

Leah dropped into a chair beside her father, grinning at the assortment of fruit, muesli and cereals. From the grimace on her father's face she knew he wasn't as happy about the healthy meal as she was.

'I miss Bacon and Cheese,' Harry complained.

'Not with that heart Harry,' Sue said sternly, dropping her sugar-free, dairy-free, everything-nice-about-the-world-free cookie batter and lifting a long, formidable finger at him. 'And if you mix your fruit right I'm sure it can taste just like cheese. Think of your cholesterol.'

Seth jogged in from the living room the very moment his father gave up grumbling and watcher as Mr. Clearwater tossed a wilted pineapple into his bowl. As usual her brother's easy, infectiously grin cast a bright warmth about the room. Leah had always known that her baby brother had the power to make the world a better place. Maybe one day he'd run for congress or something. He had a good heart, and he had the face.

'Good morning Mom, dad.' Seth said happily before giving his sister a cold once over. 'Leah.'

'Seth' his sister said just as coldly, squinting her eyes in a dramatic face off, before the two looked away from each other, chuckling.

'Judging by all the loud snoring I take it you slept well.' Seth dropped into his usual chair across for her, grabbing an apple from the table. 'No screaming about wolves, that's an improvement.'

Leah was fighting the urge to throw a grape at her brother, so she missed the look of panic her parents shared at Seth's words. 'I actually had a pretty nice dream. I think I'll make it's subject into a painting one day.'

'Ooh la la,' Seth said as Leah dragged her phone from out of her pocket and started scrolling absently through her timeline. It was only a moment, not even a minute really, before her whole world fell apart.

Seth was laughing in that charismatic way of his that made girls want to look at him. Sue had turned her back on the three and was pouring the cookie batter into a long baking pan and Harry was nodding enthusiastically to whatever Seth was saying. Leah wasn't sure how long she sat there, staring at the screen, before her mother turned around and noticed the strength of the storm incoming.

'Leah? What's wrong?'

The girl couldn't seem to tear her eyes away from her phone, from the screen where the words Things You May Have Missed were giving her a great bout of anxiety. She'd forgotten that muting contact only lasted a month, you had to actually block the person if you didn't want to see anything in which they were tagged.

So there she was, faced with the rare picture of Sam and Emily, their arms wrapped around each other in a fierce kiss while the weaved bracelet on her cousin's arm slapped her right across the face. It was a declaration of their Intentions. Of Sam's intentions. And right below it, just in case she still had any doubts, Jared had commented on the post with the word Congratulations!

'They're engaged.' Leah said, her mind doing the same thing it had done the day Sam had broken up with her. It was as though it was moving on already, flying on autopilot, while the rest of her body was stuck in a place she did not know how to move forward or backwards from.

Her father was the first to reach out to her, his fingers wrapping around hers and squeezing tightly. 'Leah, you knew that there was a possibility that this would happen.'

Leah nodded slowly. A wedding was good, right? A wedding meant he'd think twice before hurting Emily like he had hurt her. It meant some good had come from this. It meant everyone was moving on, hell she had moved on, in a month she'd be in a different city, in a gorgeous place, living la vida loca. And maybe in a year she'd be in New York, New York!. Or anywhere else. Anywhere else but here. A wedding meant blessings, it meant families would be coming together to share in the celebration of a union that would happen before the Creator. The union of Sam and Emily.

Sam and Emily.

Sam, whose brown hand had once looked so at place against her teal locker. Whose face had been prettier than any painting she'd ever drawn, eyes lit up like the fourth of July when he'd watched her running towards him at their favourite spot.

'All we can do is be happy for them.' Sue said.

Leah nodded through the haze of red clouding her eyes, but the image of Fork's lit up under the stars swam before her eyes. That cabin had been the last place she'd shared her body with him, before calling her best friend Emily to share every fucking detail.

'She's your cousin Leah,' Her father said softly. Seth had gone quiet, but Leah could feel his anger, she could sense the righteous and protective fury that her parents should have also been feeling. But instead Harry Clearwater said, 'I know you want her to be happy.'

Leah nodded because she did. She really did.

But how could it have happened so fast? How could they have moved on so easily from what they'd done? How could her own parent be looking at her so calmly, not equally as outraged as she was? Sam had looked her father right in the eye and made promises for years. Years! There was always the possibility that this would happen, her father said. How?

Leah started shaking. 'When?' She barked, her voice menacing and ugly and like something out of a horror movie.

'When what?' her father asked, gentle but slightly panicked.

'WHEN?' She repeated, feeling heat like she'd never felt before flush over her. It was as though she were ripping apart and stitching back together and ripping apart again, so that the pain and rage and bitterness coiled her into something that was uglier then every curse and fear she'd ever faced in any dream. Even the one that had haunted her for months, that fox and that moon that had polluted her mind.

'When did this become a possibility dad? Because last I checked Sam and I weren't together for three years practicing for his marriage to Emily!'

'Leah…' Sue stepped closer, as though to calm her.

'Of course I want them to be happy. That's all I ever wanted for them, to be happy. But like this? At my expense? They said they loved me. They both said that they loved me. And they just-'

Her body hurt everywhere, everywhere, and all she could do to stop from feeling the depth of her pain was rage on, burn and rage and burn because if she stopped, even for a second, she knew she would break. No not break, shatter. She would not cry, not for Emily. And definitely not for Sam. She would not let them destroy her like they were obviously hell bent on doing. Enough for Sam to string her along for three years, publicly so, and then drop her after turning her into Tuesday's neighborhood gossip. Enough for Emily to smile at her face and deny the rumors, all the while fucking him. And Leah had believed her! Leah had defended her cousin's virtue to the point of alienating and estranging Julie!

'And the worst part is you knew!' she shouted. 'You knew! It's all over your faces. Everyone knew except boo boo Leah the fool! I was out in that forest for three weeks, looking for him, because I believed that he was going to come back to me! I was the idiot who believed him when he said he wasn't selling drugs, I was fifty shades of stupid, trusting him, when he said he was going to marry me! We were supposed to have kids mom,' her voice broke, and Leah felt the wetness gathering in her eyes. 'We were supposed to have kids and grow old together and –'

The tears that she'd been holding back for months, that she had refused to let spill over for far too long, finally poured out. But no one was staring at Leah because of her tears. Sue screamed a shrill piercing sound just as Seth tumbled backwards, his chair cracking with the weight of his sudden fall. Harry Clearwater pressed his hand to his chest, the most horrific look distorting his handsome face. And Leah screamed a horrible, blood curdling sound as her body cracked, snapping apart with a vengeful blaze.

In another world, the one she visited when she was asleep, a man with a long ebony braid and green eyes gasped.

The fox and the yellow moon laughed.