I watch as Sam leads the pack back into the woods in a quick retreat with his head bowed, knowing there is nothing he can do anymore. No matter what, the baby has safety from the pack now that she's Jake's imprint. It also likely means she's no danger to anyone if Taha Aki had chosen her to be Jacob's future mate. Sam was wrong all this time. None of that matters anymore, I'm relieved to be done with all of this.
I notice Edward can't seem to take his eyes off of Jake as everyone begin's assessing each other for wounds. Jacob is now quiet, but I can see a range of emotions on his face. He never wanted Bella to go through with the pregnancy, and yet now he's imprinted to the baby she's been carrying all this time. I can't believe this. It all makes so much sense though. This is why Jake's been so attached to Bella for so long. Why he was wouldn't lighten up on being around her even when Edward was in the picture, even was she was married and pregnant. He kept Bella safe all this time so that she could birth his imprint. It all makes so much sense. "Edward I-" Jake begins, but Edwards holds up a hand, shaking his head.
"Let's go back inside, let's check on Bella. Carlisle will you help us?" He looks to Carlisle who is quickly making his way to the boys as they take off inside.
"Is Rosalie holding up okay with the baby?" Alice and Jasper make their way back over to the porch as well.
I nod, trying to calm myself down as my nerves continue to race. I feel beaten down and exhausted, mentally and physically. "Yeah she was doing okay when I left her with the baby." My voice is wobbly and low.
Alice's beautiful features begin to frown and I watch her eyes dip below my face, scanning me. "Gwen, you're hurt!" She expresses, taking a look at my chest.
It stings but I can imagine it's only a small mark. My body is thrumming with adrenaline right now, I hardly feel a thing. I shake my head, dismissing her worries with a wave of my hand. "I'm fine."
Jasper gives my wound a pained look before rushing away, inside. I must be bleeding.
Leah and Seth have taken off into the woods to dress themselves so that leaves all the vampires to begin rushing up to me. Esme and Emmett approach me, both wanting to inspect me. I take a step back, not wanting to worry anyone. Frankly I just want to go sit down for a few moments. I feel a bit dazed. My body needs to relax. "Honey we need to clean that up and take a better look. There's rips all through your shirt." Esme shakes her head, reaching out for my hand. I hesitate but I allow her to take it, leading me into the house and towards the living room.
I carefully take a seat on the couch, feeling guilty as I might dirty it. She rushes off to get whatever she needs as Emmett comes to assess me. "I need to go check on Rosalie and the baby!" Alice dismisses herself, rushing up the stares to make sure they're okay. I can hear Carlisle, Jake, and Edward in the office tending to Bella's situation. God, I hope Bella's going to be okay. I can't imagine going through all of this just for her not to make it through. I don't even want to think like that.
"Who did this?" Emmett's voice is stern and angry, which is nothing like him at all. His eyes are narrowed as he stares at me.
I shake my head, not wanting this to be a big deal. I'm done with the unsteady relationship between the Cullen's and Sam's pack. I want there to be a treaty and a neutrality agreement. I can't keep handling this war between the two, it's becoming too much. "I don't know, it was all a blur." I lie coolly, trying to play it off. Luckily Edward isn't in the room to read my mind right now. "It doesn't even hurt." I shrug my shoulders.
Esme returns with a first aid kit in hand as she kneels down before me. "Emmett gives us some privacy please." She asks calmly, her hands going to the hem of my shirt.
He removes himself silently, I know he's not happy. I swallow, nodding at Esme to remove my top. As she does I wince a little as the fabric brushes against my wound. I finally look down, and realize it's much worse than I thought it was. It's not a little scratch at all. It's like someone scraped down my chest with four blades. The cuts work through my skin, but they're not deep enough for stitches, I hope. Blood drips from them down towards my belly as I gasp at the sight.
I'm in such disbelief at my own injuries that I don't hear Leah and Seth approach us. "What the hell!" Leah bellows, knocking me out of my own head. I look up to see her face turn bright red with anger that could kill. "I'll fucking kill him." She growls, her hands turning into clenched fists. "I'm going to fucking kill him." She shakes her head, staring up at the ceiling.
I open my mouth to dismiss her anger but I hear heavy footsteps move towards us. "What's going on, Leah?" Jake rushes to her after hearing that anger seep out of her. Leah's anger is deadly, especially her anger towards Sam.
Jake makes his way around the couch and when his eyes fall on me I watch his jaw clench. "Who the fuck did that to you?"
I just shake my head, not knowing what to say to him. I'm not going to give him a name, though I'm pretty sure they can all imagine who exactly it was. Embry, Quil, and Jared would never even put a paw on me. Paul wouldn't either, but I suppose he's more likely than them. Still, he was no where near me at any time. He was busy fighting Seth.
Seth.
I look past Leah and Jake to where Seth just stood, but I don't see him. I turn to look behind me, but still he's not there. I saw Paul hurt him pretty badly, he needs to be looked at. "Where did Seth go?" I ask, confused as to how he could disappear so quickly. "He was hurt, I saw Paul scratch at him." I explain.
Jake and Leah look around too, also seemingly confused. "He was just here." Leah shakes her head at Jake.
"He's not in the house." Jake frowns before turning to Leah, a look of panic falling on his features for a moment. "Do you think-"
Leah doesn't give him a moment to talk as she turns and heads towards the door. "What going on?" I ask, feeling a sudden bad feeling wash over me. "Is he okay?" Why does it feel like they're having a silent conversation without me in it. "Where are you going?" I yell to Leah as she makes it to the door.
"Stay here!" Is all she calls back before slamming the door shut.
My attention turns to Jake who looks deep in thought. "I'll be back." Jake says before storming out the door, same as Leah. I look to Esme but she only gives me a small smile, warning me I may feel some pain before she starts cleaning my wound.
I hiss and whimper through the whole process, my skin feeling more and more tender as time goes on. I suppose the adrenaline is beginning to wear off now, so the pains setting in. She cleans each scrape thoroughly before applying a cream and bandaging me up. Everything she does is carefully done, with a light hand. She doesn't rush through it and she pauses every time I sound worse off in pain. "I'm going to get you something for the pain and Carlisle can take a look at the cuts in a few hours to make sure they're looking better." She says gently, patting my leg before walking off towards his office.
I lean back on the couch, letting out a slow breath. Fuck this day.
Leah's POV:
Jake and I are fast as we may it to Sam's property line in search of Seth. We both have the same understanding of where he went, he's coming after whoever hurt Gwen. I can't say I'm not proud, but I am afraid he's going to find himself in an unfair fight. I can't imagine anyone would stick up for Sam, but I also can't imagine Sam hurting Gwen. Angry heat swarms over my body and through my veins as I think about it. She shouldn't have been outside, but she's so selfless she'd risk her own life to help the baby. Even as a human Gwen has more bravery and courage than most people ever would.
The trees thin out and my eyes land on Seth and Sam rolling around Sam's yard while the pack surrounds them. Jake and I pick up the pace as we go running towards the fight. The pack all looks confused, likely not expecting or understanding Seth's anger.
My brother is rarely angry, but when he is he knows how to pack a punch. For all everyone brings him down and downplays him, he's just as strong and powerful as the rest of us. If anything he's more dangerous because he's passionate and caring, so if you cross his lines it's over for you. He seems to be holding his own just fine, even against an Alpha. Quil and Embry are trying to break the two up, but they're not doing a good job of it.
Jake and I push past the boys and work to pry him off Sam, though it's not easy. Seth is lost in his anger, I don't even think he knows what he's doing as he continues swinging and swinging at Sam, likely just hopeful some of the punches land somewhere on him.
We manage to pull him away, all three of us falling back on the grassy earth. Seth's panting and writhing as he tries to get us off of him, but we're both firmly holding him down. "It's done Seth, it's done." Jake tries to level with him. He'll tire soon, he'll run out of the energy soon. Quite frankly I wouldn't mind seeing him throw a few more good hits in, or maybe I could have a turn. I take notice of my brothers own wounds from the fight. He has claw marks reaching from his stomach to his back that aren't looking so great, they're definitely hurting. Paul got him good.
My list of reasons to hate Sam Uley just keep piling up. He's easy to hate. He's easy to make your blood boil inside of you until you're ready to burst.
Sam pants from a few feet away as he wipes the blood off of his nose with his arm.
"What the fuck is going on?" Paul demands, moving towards us. Seth just begins trying to fight out of our hold harder. "We retreated, what is the issue?" He stands before us, looking angry we crossed into their territory looking for a fight.
To my surprise Seth finds his words. "He hurt Gwen." He says it with a scarily low voice, kicking at the ground, trying to break free.
Paul's face drop and he turns to look back at his Alpha. Sam remains on his knees, his head bowed a bit. He doesn't deny it, doesn't try to defend himself. He just remains silent, releasing a breath. He swipes his nose again, shaking his head.
"Is that fucking true, Sam?" I'm sure the last thing Sam wants is to make hot-head Paul angry.
Sam turns his head and spits out blood. He's quiet for a few seconds. "I did not mean to hurt her, it was not my intention." That has everyone in the pack making there was over to the situation.
"What the fuck did you do to her?" Embry insists, getting closer to his Alpha. "She's a harmless human, she couldn't have done anything to anyone and yet you managed to hurt her?"
Seth begins shaking us off. "Let me go, I'm good." He continues to shake us off. I share a look with Jake and we both slowly let go, allowing Seth to get to his feet. We follow his motions, standing in a line. "If her body scares from this Sam, you're a dead man." He points at him before turning and heading off into the woods again.
Sam slowly gets to his feet, his nose not looking quite right. I hope Seth managed to break it, I would be so damn proud of him if he managed that. "It was a mistake, I only meant to hold her down so she wouldn't be in the way-"
He doesn't get to finish as Quil's fist comes out of no where, planting on Sam's nose.
Well, if it wasn't broken before it definitely is now. Triumph pours through me as I see the man I once loved finally lose the respect of his pack. His pack that he isn't meant to lead, it was never his right to be Alpha. Jake is the only Alpha I'll ever have. Even if everything is over and the peace treaty is signed, I won't return to this pack until Sam's leadership. I can't go back. For the first time in months I feel like I can breath. I feel like I'm a living person everyday.
I don't resent phasing or being a wolf anymore. I get to explore my powers and I get to protect innocent people without the expense of my own joy.
Sam's eyes lift to mine and I can see the guilt inside of them. Probably guilt for so many things. "You'll get what you deserve someday, Sam." I say before turning and heading back, Jake close behind me.
