Sam was fuming. He and Leah sat in his truck in front of her house after the bonfire. "Look, Sam, I've apologized every way I know how. I had no idea my words would turn into some kind of ORDER," she said for the umpteenth time. "I certainly wasn't trying to embarrass you in front of the pack! You know me better than that."

Forcing his hands to relax on the steering wheel, Sam blew out a long breath. "Okay, Lee, I believe you. I mean, it was obviously a complete surprise to you too. But what makes you think you can lead a pack of big shape-shifting wolves?"

Leah's eyes flashed. "And exactly what makes you think I can't? Did you miss the part where IT WAS NOT MY IDEA?" She reached for the door handle. "Look, we're both tired. It's been a long day. Let's get some sleep and talk tomorrow."

Sam placed a hand on her thigh. "I think we should settle this now."

Leah sighed. "What is there to settle? This is not a volunteer organization. The elders have spoken. You don't like it - hell, I don't like it either!" She ran her fingers through her hair. He sat in sullen silence, and she swung the door open. As she leapt nimbly from the cab, she said "I am sorry, Sam. I would never willingly do anything to hurt you."

He kept his eyes straight ahead, and she closed the door with a sigh. He drove off without another word.

Over the following week, Sam kept his distance as Leah drew up a schedule and gently coached the younger wolf boys. Leah knew they were too young to shoulder such responsibility. They were all getting used to the ubiquitous pack mind - sharing every single thought while they were in wolf form. As typical teenaged boys, they all hoped to catch a glimpse of their Alpha in the buff, but she was wise to their antics.

Jacob Black, whose tribal pedigree was second to none, turned out to be a real asset. He was eager to help without being asked and nearly as cheerful as Seth. Leah's gratitude was shaded by a haunting suspicion. She brought it to Billy's attention one day when Jacob and Seth were on patrol.

"Jacob's been a great help to me," she said. "I'm thinking he would be a good choice for Beta, actually, except for one little thing. Call me paranoid, Billy, but he's almost too helpful and friendly. You don't think...I mean...I've been wondering if he might have imprinted on me. Is that crazy?"

Billy laughed heartily. "Oh, Leah, I doubt that. Don't you know he's had a crush on you for years?"

Leah's eyes widened. "A crush? Awww, come on. I mean, he's my best friend's kid brother!"

"Exactly. That's how crushes work, as I understand it." He grinned. "As long as you were taller and older than Jake, it was just sort of a hero worship thing. Now that he's so big and more mature, you may have to deal with it eventually."

She groaned. "Well, I guess that's better than what I imagined. I swear, Billy, every time I turn around he's right there."

"He likes you, Leah. Always did. I'm sure his affection is genuine, but I don't think you have to worry about any imprint." He hesitated, then asked "Are things okay with you and Sam? You can tell me it's none of my business…"

"No, that's okay." She sighed. "We'll work it out. He was embarrassed, and frankly I don't blame him. He might make a better Alpha than I will, but I plan to give it my best shot. I sure didn't apply for the job."

"To be honest, there is some disagreement among the council. Still, they know better than to question Taha Aki's judgment." He kissed the top of her head. "Your parents and I have no doubts about you at all. You're a badass brave with a good heart, and that's good enough for us."

Leah gave him a quick hug. "Thanks. I appreciate the support. Say, is there any word on this treaty we talked about?"

"Yes, it turns out the Cullens call themselves vegetarians. They admit to being vampires, but they feed on animal blood. They've been here before. As long as they stay off the rez, we don't out them to the palefaces."

Leah shivered. "They may look harmless, but I can't forget they're the reason these innocent kids are forced to phase and patrol our lands. They'd best stay clear of the rez, Billy. If they show up in our backyard, we won't be asking questions."

"At least I won't be asking questions," she amended. "I hope the others won't have any qualms about tearing into one of them." Leah sighed. "I know you've taught them all they need to know, but I hope they won't freeze up if they are faced with the reality of a monster that looks human."

Billy patted her hand. "They're ready, Leah. Trust me." He would soon find out whether his confidence had been misplaced.

The first indication was the smell. The stranger with the long dreadlocks looked like a hiker, lost among the tall pine trees. But the smell was nauseating to the wolf's sensitive nose.

"What's this?" the man asked with a smirk. "You're no ordinary wolf, are you, my dear?" He moved much too fast to be human. Leah's growl started deep in her chest while she signaled to Jacob, who she knew was nearby.

"Jake. Vampire near the crest. Come quickly."

When the enormous russet wolf emerged from the treeline, the dead thing looked from one to the other. He was closer to Leah, who didn't hesitate to spring. She'd been taught well, and she knew they were fast and strong. Even so, when his left arm reached out to swipe her away she landed heavily against a boulder and Jacob took the initiative. He landed on the vamp's back and closed his jaws around its neck, shaking his massive head to separate the head from the body while he fought the impulse to gag.

The smell was so bad he almost dropped the thing. His eyes were burning as he recalled the impact of Leah's body against the rock. With a renewed ferocity, he clamped his jaws down and swung the body away from him with a satisfying crack as the head came loose. He spat it in the opposite direction from the body.

Leah took the opportunity to phase, quickly retrieving a box of matches from the parcel tied around her ankle. Limping slightly, favoring a broken rib, she was ready when the head hit the ground at her feet. It was over quickly, leaving nothing but a smoking pile of ashes where the undead thing had been.

Jacob phased to human form and ran to Leah. "Are you hurt?" he asked, gently moving her hand from the cracked rib.

She nodded, gritting her teeth. "It's a rib, I think. Breathing okay though." They both knew the danger of a broken rib would be if it punctured a lung. His hand, firm but gentle, traveled over the area before he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Seems to be just cracked, so it should heal quickly. At least that's what they tell us." His smile was reassuring, but he turned away when it suddenly dawned on him they were both naked. "I...uh...do you think you can phase back? You can rest here while the bone starts to knit."

"No problem." By now, the change was effortless. The grey wolf took a few delicate steps before lying down in the grass. She rested her chin on her paws. Jacob had phased as well, and he sat in front of her.

"I guess we can take a little time to regroup. Sam and Seth are due to replace us in less than an hour."

Leah looked up at him with golden eyes. "You did a good job, Jake. I shouldn't have let him catch me like that."

The larger wolf's gaze was intent. "It was the first time either of us had seen one of them. I never saw anything move that fast. It was a lesson for both of us, and we can share it with the rest of the pack. We're learning as we go. You rest a bit. I'll just prowl around and make sure he was alone."

Leah sighed and closed her eyes. Now she had a new problem. How was she going to break the news to Sam that Jake would be her Beta?