Leah woke early on Tuesday to the smell of coffee, Blueberry muffins, and no Hodie beside her. She dressed and padded slowly to the kitchen. Bella sat at the kitchen table with Ethan in her arms. She was bottle feeding him while also attempting to spoon-feed Sarah. Angela pulled the last batch of muffins from the oven as Leah took Ethan from Bella and sat down next to her.
Looking at Sarah, Leah said, "Hello, my little monster." Sarah grinned in response before accidentally slapping the spoon away from her mouth.
As apple sauce splattered her shirt, Bella said, "Shoot!"
Leah said, "Hey, at least it's just applesauce and not beets or something. I see you have Emily's muffin recipes."
Yeah, she'll be off for a while," Bella said. "We all know the guys can't survive without them."
Leah asked, "Have you talked to her? How are she and the baby?"
Bella glanced at Angie and back to Leah awkwardly before admitting, "She and Sam want you and Hodie to go see them today."
Leah scoffed in surprise and asked, "Where is Hodie, by the way?"
Angela said, "He said he was going for a jog about a half-hour ago."
"Oh." Leah moved Ethan to her shoulder and began patting his back to burp him.
Angie raised an eyebrow suspiciously and asked, "You didn't know he jogs?"
Leah shrugged and said, "Nope. Could just be something he decided to do, I guess." Ethan burped and promptly began falling back to sleep.
Angie took him from Leah and carried him to the nursery while Leah poured herself a cup of coffee. She silently watched Bella feeding Sarah before giving in and swiping a Blueberry Muffin from the cooling rack.
Bella said, "They are not the same as Emily's. It's her recipe. I just don't do something right."
Before taking another bite, Leah said, "Over-mixing the batter. Emily used to talk about stuff like that when she would cook. She tried to teach me stuff back then, but I didn't give a damn. I remember some things, though, and I can feel the texture difference."
"She did tell me not to overmix. I was distracted, though. Jacob kept eating my blueberries."
Sarcastically, Leah said, "Oh, he would never. I'm surprised you didn't puree one of these suckers for my little monster."
"I just didn't have time today. She probably gets too many complex foods as it is. She loves everything Jacob loves," Bella said, smiling besottedly at her child.
Leah laughed and said, "Which is just about everything. Is she over her banana obsession?"
"Seems to be. Still hates carrots, though," Bella said. "So, will you guys go see Sam and Emily today?"
"Yeah, I suppose. Might as well. Sam will have to meet Hodie at some point. Lord knows almost everyone else already has."
Bella said, "Well, he'll meet Emmett and Rose later. They're coming down for a bit. They're hoping to see you, too."
Leah teased, "Jesus, I should almost die more often. Makes me more popular, apparently." Leah thought back to the first time she had almost died in a vampire attack, losing herself for a moment in the memory.
A Year And A Half Ago
It had been over a week since she and Sam had first slept together, and Leah only felt worse as the days had passed. The intense heartbreak she had experienced when they separated came back with a vengeance, leaving her weak every time he was near. He worried she would let something slip and ordered her to keep it to herself. It had only left her hating him and herself even more. Leah had stopped saying anything around the pack at all unless it was something snide or critical. She knew her attitude was quickly wearing on the others but couldn't seem to keep herself from losing her temper over the slightest of annoyances. As usual, Paul's mouth was no help. Patrols were more difficult as Sam only seemed to irk or confuse her. If he wasn't babying her, he was overcompensating by snapping at anything she said. She avoided him when she could, yet somehow would end up alone with him. That was always when everything would go wrong. Fighting in the human form led them to fucking, and she wasn't sure how it had all changed so quickly. The last time she gave in, he had requested she meet him somewhere after Jacob went home. She left him standing in the rain that night, insisting, again, that it was the last time.
When summoned for a meeting with the tribal council, Leah went reluctantly. It was impossible to ignore her duties between Sam's alpha order and her mother willing to drag her along if necessary. As Leah walked into the lodge, Sam seemed to feel her presence immediately. She was unable to avoid staring back at him as he watched her cross the room. Leah sat as far away from Sam and Emily as possible, keeping her eyes on the council members as they addressed the situation at hand. It seemed that Princess Swan's association with the bloodsuckers had gotten her into trouble she couldn't handle on her own. The pack had all been taking longer shifts to guard Bella. Leah was unsure why Bella's safety needed to be their responsibility in the first place. Bella had gotten herself into this mess by purposely associating with known vampires. There was no reason that the pack should need to be involved. Bella was not part of the tribe nor an imprint. Aside from Jacob's obsession with her, her only connection was being distant cousins with Quil Ateara, who had yet to phase. That was if he ever did. Not everyone in the bloodline carried the particular gene. Leah's own great-grandfather had never phased, despite his brother being part of the previous pack. As far as Leah was concerned, the group had enough bullshit amongst themselves as it was. Quite frankly, the entire situation left Leah with a bitter taste in her mouth and only further increased her dislike of the girl.
The meeting with the tribal council was over so quickly that Leah wondered why they all needed to attend in the first place. As everyone stood to leave, Leah rushed to make her escape. She glanced over just in time to see Sam give Emily a brief hard peck on the lips and tell her that he would see her at home. The half-smile on Emily's ruined face cut her deeply. She was the traitor now and a hypocrite to boot. As Sam shot a scowl in her direction, Leah instantly had the overwhelming urge to be alone and as far from him as possible. Once she got home, she tied her clothing around her ankle, phased, and ran through the trails.
It was growing dark outside as Leah changed course, heading toward the cliffside. When she reached the end of the trail and stepped into the small clearing, the sun had nearly set. Leah phased back and stepped toward the edge. She allowed all of her heartache, anxiety, and sadness to take over. She stood there sobbing, watching as the waves crashed into the cliffside below.
She was instantly alert and wiping away tears as a gentle breeze brought the distinct smell of bleach with it. The sensation of being watched turned her blood to ice in her veins as numerous howls ripped through the air. As she phased back to the wolf, Leah was immediately bombarded by the angry thoughts of the pack headed in her direction.
Leah informed them, I just caught the scent up here on the cliffside. She spun, startled at the sound of a heavy impact behind her as something dropped from the treetops.
Sam howled as he pushed himself to move faster and warned, She's close to you.
The notorious redhead they searched for named Victoria stood smirking at Leah as she leaned against a tree with her arms crossed over her chest. Leah kept her eyes trained on the bloodsucker as Sam yelled for the others to surround them. Meanwhile, he headed straight for Leah. Leah snarled at the tick, instinctively reacting to her proximity. Faster than Leah thought possible, the redhead crouched on all fours. Her movements appeared feline as she bared her venom-coated teeth in return.
Sam's thoughts were heavily laced with panic as he said, Leah, don't engage her. I'm almost there. There was no need to provoke the bloodsucker, however. She released a cat-like hiss and began slowly attempting to circle Leah. Leah darted to the left to block any attempt to move past her.
Her sweet, soft voice took Leah by surprise as she asked, "Are you ready to die today, wolf?"
Leah flexed her massive claws, digging them into the dirt as she prepared to lunge at the redhead. She could see herself through the pack mind as Sam quietly crept out of the trees behind Victoria. He froze for a moment as something snapped loudly under his massive paw. Taken by surprise, Victoria turned to face him. When she did so, Leah pounced on her back and sunk her teeth into Victoria's shoulder. The redhead screamed in rage, delivering a blow that sent Leah flying off of her. Leah barely caught the cliff edge to stop herself from going over the side. She dug her claws into the earth, scratching her back paws along the cliff wall to keep herself from sliding further.
Leah! Hold on, Sam roared in anger as he attacked, his massive jaws snapping toward the leech. Victoria barely evaded him, delivering a blow to his chest instead. She darted over Leah and dropped directly into the waves below them.
Sam was at Leah's side in an instant, pulling her back to safety. Paul, Embry, and Jared crashed through the trees as they finally arrived. They stared angrily after the blur of fiery red hair just barely visible under the surface. Leah collapsed to the ground panting.
Sam turned to the others and said, Head back to patrol, guys. We learned enough of her habits to know she won't come back any time tonight.
Genuinely concerned, Embry asked, Leah? Are you okay?
Still processing the fright of nearly plummeting over the edge, she muttered, I'm good. As soon as the others were far enough away, Sam phased back to his human form. Crouched in front of Leah anxiously, he reached out to run his fingers through the fur along her face and neck. She shivered, visibly trembling.
Sam said, "God, Leelee, that scared me to fucking death. None of us have ever gotten that close to her before. I was afraid she was going to rip you apart." Calming down somewhat, Leah phased to human and collapsed again onto her back.
How in the hell can I find so much comfort in him when I hate him so goddamn much? She asked him, "Are you alright?" A large bruise was forming on his chest from the blow he'd taken.
Sam leaned over her, again reaching out to touch her face as he said, "I am now. I don't know what I would have done if you had been hurt." He pulled away from her direct stare, slowly glancing down the length of her naked body. She could feel him getting hard against her hip and sucked in a sharp breath.
God damn it, I can't take it when he looks at me like that. "Get off of me," she grumbled and pushed him away. His face switched rapidly from worry to annoyance.
He demanded, "Where are you going?"
Leah glared back at him and snapped, "Away!" She walked over to her pile of clothing and snatched them off of the ground. She began pulling on her shirt as she walked into the forest. The scowl on his face immediately brought back the memory of their last encounter. I need to get away from Sam before I do something stupid. Leah stopped and prepared to step into her shorts. She was suddenly yanked backward and spun to face him as he pushed her back against the nearest tree. The surge of lust that shot through her was only slightly overshadowed by her anger at the audacity. Who the hell does he think he is? Through clenched teeth, Leah asked, "Do you fucking mind?"
His black eyes cut through her, instantly silencing her. He was breathing hard in front of her, his muscles tight and tense. Leah could feel Sam vibrating with a jumble of emotions, and his wolf just barely held back. His hands were suddenly in her hair, yanking her head back to expose her neck. He lowered his mouth to the hollow of her throat. Sam teased the dip in her flesh with the tip of his tongue. She turned her head away from him as his hot, sweet breath blanketed the front of her throat. As Sam scraped his teeth along the skin above the hollow of her throat, Leah shivered, her body betraying her as she shoved him away angrily.
Leah growled and yelled, "No! I told you we can't do this again. I don't want to be your fucking side piece, Sam." Sam had always wanted marriage and his own family, but he wanted that with Emily now. Leah was the second choice, the safe and familiar option. She had become the traitor. She had also become his whipping boy, seemingly being punished for simply loving him still. It felt ridiculously comparable to being the runt of the litter, shunned and picked on by those who were supposed to love it. Sam would never dream of treating Emily or allowing the pack to treat Emily the way he treated Leah now. Emily was cherished and treated with kid gloves.
Emily is his imprint. She is the one he will always choose in the end. I'm just the one he can fuck as rough as he wants without bruising and won't get pregnant.
Incredulously, Sam asked, "Is that honestly what you think? That I just want to use you to fuck around?"
Leah snapped, "What else am I supposed to think, Sam? You broke our engagement. You chose her because your wolf chose her. You didn't even try to fight for us - for me. You told Emily half an hour ago that you would see her at home, where she fucking sleeps on my side of your bed. You ordered me to stay silent like you are afraid I will ruin your relationship or reputation when she was the other woman. You treat me like shit in front of everyone else just to come fuck me in the goddamn woods and keep me hanging on. This shit isn't all on me. Everyone around here just sees me as the bitter harpy that won't let go, but no one fucking knows that you are just as goddamned miserable as I am. You have to let me go, too."
Sam yelled, "I don't know how to let you go, Leah. How am I supposed to do that?"
Leah scoffed and asked, "Don't you think that if I knew the answer to that, I would have tried it myself months ago? I am doing everything I can to try and get over you. You were fucking everything to me. What we are doing now has only made it worse."
He asked, "You truly regret it?" His question sounded more like an angry accusation. He shook his head at her lack of response, turning away from her. Sam yelled. "Damn it." The timbre of his voice rattled her as he began to pace. His wolf was upset, too. "You could have just fucking died, Leah." He surprised her as angry tears rolled down his face. He clutched at his chest as if in pain and glared over at her. He said, "That bitch could have torn you apart. I can't fucking stand it, Leah. The thought of you being killed by one of these sonsabitches is just …"
Despite her anger, the anguish on his face right then had her moving to embrace him. Sam hugged her tight to his chest, taking deep breaths. She attempted to soothe him and said, "Hey, it's alright. The bitch didn't hurt me. It's fine."
Looking down into her eyes, he said, "It's not. I keep hurting you, and I don't know how to stop it. I tried like hell to stay away from you just like I tried like hell to stay away from Emily. I still want you, damn it. I still fucking need you somehow."
Angry tears rolled down her cheeks as Leah said, "You can't keep us both, Sam." Leah remembered she was half-naked as his hands slid to her lower back. A surge of desire jolted through her, the anger behind his eyes equally titillating and infuriating.
Am I ever going to stop wanting him? Are we just going to keep torturing each other?
Sam placed his forehead to hers, closing his eyes as he fought to urge to touch her bare flesh. Leah could smell his lust permeating the air with her own, his erection against her abdomen unmistakable. The mere thought of him being inside of her one more time had her heart pounding, her pulse throbbing against the same dip in her throat that he had teased with his tongue only a minute before. She could feel her resolve crumbling as the overwhelming need to give into him took its place. What the hell? What's one last time? Leah foolishly pushed her reservations away and crushed her lips against his. Sam responded immediately, kissing her back as he pushed her against another tree trunk. He opened his eyes to stare down into hers as he broke the kiss. Leah yanked her top back off as Sam lifted her. Again, Leah wrapped her legs around him. Like the first time, Leah reached between them and guided the head of his erection, rubbing it against her core. Warm and wet, Sam slid inside of her quickly. There was no hesitation in his movements this time. There was nothing but the same sudden, inescapable frantic need. Leah cried out with a mixture of pleasure and pain as his thrusts made her back scrape against the tree bark. She reached to grasp onto an overhead limb in her attempt to ease the rough assault on her back. Sam rammed himself upward inside of her, grunting loudly in his exertion. Her arms began to tremble from holding her weight. Sam pulled out of her and set her on her feet. He turned her around quickly and bent her forward. Sam sheathed himself inside of her from behind as she braced her hands against the tree. The sound of wet, smacking flesh filled the air as he commenced his rough, powerful rhythm. When Sam leaned down to suck on the sensitive spot between her shoulders, she whimpered, arching her back. His hand slid toward her clit, just barely stroking her. Both cried out when she came around him, and he let himself go. It was a solid minute before either calmed down enough to move.
Just like the week before, the aftermath of her poor decision immediately shot through her. Every pulse of the member inside of her seemed to trigger another wave of both lust and guilt. Still panting somewhat, she pulled away from Sam. Her stomach dropped from the acute void she felt as they disconnected, and she blinked back tears. Leah had sent herself spiraling right back to step one, and it was her own damn fault. Her love and desire for Sam Uley were destroying her. She had no one to blame this time except herself. Instead of bothering to redress a third time, Leah rolled up her clothing and tied the bundle around her ankle.
Sam watched her silently, waiting for the words he knew were coming. He said, "Baby, please don't say it."
Leah stepped back toward him and pulled him down to her for a feathery-light kiss on the lips. She said, "I have to, though. This is over, and I mean it this time, Sam. It hurts too much, and it isn't fair. Not to any of us. I can't move on if I'm always wanting you."
Sam asked, "Do you want to move on, Leah? Is that truly what you want?"
She snapped, "Of course not. But I have to. I honestly don't know if I can possibly love or hate you any more than I already do, and I don't want to find out. It has to be me or Emily, Sam. I already know it won't be me." Leah turned away from him and phased, careful not to look back in his direction as she ran for home.
Present Day
Leah was pulled back from the memory as Bella glared at her in a warning. Bella snapped, "That's not funny. You're important, Lee. You getting hurt isn't a joke for me. I love you."
Leah immediately softened toward her sister despite the unnecessary reprimand. She said, "I love you too, Bells. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, okay?"
Hodie walked into the kitchen a sweaty, shirtless mess. "It's warm as heck today for an October in Washington. Dang," he said. "Is it okay if-"
Bella interrupted, "You never have to ask to shower in this house. There are three of them. Clothes in The Mall. Towels in the bathroom cabinets. Use what you need. Muffins on the counter if you want one."
Hodie grinned down at a beaming Leah and walked over to take a muffin. He kissed her on the cheek before taking a bite and heading toward the bedroom. Leah watched after him long after he moved out of sight.
Bella chuckled and said, "He fits in just fine around here." She was grinning at Leah mischievously.
"Bella, were you gawking at my boyfriend?"
Bella blushed and laughed, shaking her head no. She said, "He looks so much like Emmett. I can't."
Leah said, "Please, he's not actually your brother. Emmett is a handsome guy. Have you really never thought about it?" Leah laughed as Bella grimaced. Hodie came back into the kitchen a few minutes later, and Leah rolled her eyes at Bella.
Bella teased, "I wish girls could get ready that quickly." She was cleaning up Sarah's food mess. Sarah held her hands up to Hodie, who chuckled in surprise before lifting her. She squealed happily, slapping her freshly cleaned hands directly into his damp hair. Leah watched him play with Sarah for a few minutes, completely enamored. When she found herself wondering what their child would look like, she shook her head in an attempt to clear her thoughts. She stuck her tongue out at her amused sister and stood.
Leah said, "Hodie, I have been summoned over to Sam and Emily's for a bit. You're welcome to come with me if you would like, but it's up to you."
Hodie said, "I'll go. I'll meet them eventually anyway." Sarah shrieked and laughed as he lifted her in the air above his head. He laughed and said, "Bella, she's adorable."
Bella said, "My child does not know a stranger, either. It's absolutely frightening to think about. She's just like Jacob. There isn't a bashful bone in her body."
Leah teased, "You were the one who said you hoped she was just like Jacob."
Bella was carefully wrapping individual muffins in cellophane to sell at the garage. She glanced up at Leah and sighed. She said, "I sure did, didn't I?"
Leah asked, "Who is handling my portion of the bullshit while I have been out?"
"Rose. She's been hopping back and forth between answering the phone and working on the cars in Sam's place."
"I should have figured. Vampire speed and all. She's doing two jobs and probably still running circles around the boys."
Bella laughed and said, "You know she is."
From outside, Rose yelled, "I know you bitches aren't talking about me." The kitchen door swung open, and his jaw dropped as Hodie looked up at her. Leah chuckled nervously, feeling the anxiety that instantly rolled off of him. Sarah started squirming in his hands, and Bella asked him to put her in her playpen.
Rose stared at Hodie in poorly veiled surprise as she watched him set Sarah down. Finally, she grinned and asked, "Who the hell are you, and why do you look so much like my husband?"
Leah and Bella both burst out laughing as his cheeks turned red. Leah teased, "It's alright, Hodie. I tend to stare at Rose, too. She is pretty hot for a vamp, and she is a badass fighter."
Rose gently mussed Leah's hair and said, "Oh hush." She sat down at the opposite end of the table, grinning.
Hodie looked Leah in the eye and said, "With you three around all the time, I don't know how the guys get anything done in that fucking garage."
Bella promptly blushed at the compliment and asked Rose, "Did you need a break from the testosterone over there?"
Rose chuckled, shaking her head no. "I came in to get Leah, actually. Emmett is outside waiting. He is really early." Bella laughed, looking up at the clock.
Confused, Leah asked, "What did you need me for?" Rose stood and walked back to the door, beckoning Leah to follow. Leah grabbed for his hand and pulled Hodie behind her after Rose.
Leah didn't recognize the new vehicle that Emmett climbed out of. The small Nissan was not something he would have chosen for himself, she knew. She yelled, "Where is your jeep?"
He laughed as he rolled down all of the windows before shutting the door. Emmett did a double-take as he looked up at them, his grin fading somewhat as he glanced over at Hodie. Emmett swallowed hard, appearing anxious for a moment as they approached him. His brow became more furrowed with the closer they came. His genuine smile returned as he focused on Leah, and he put out his fist to bump knuckles with her. He held his hand out to Hodie for the same thing.
Leah said, "Hodie, this is Emmett." Jacob walked out of the garage and approached the group wearing his infectious trademark smile.
Rose said, "Leah, I don't know how you made it home that night, especially with that long drive. We finally got your car up on the lift this morning, and it basically fell apart."
Leah grumbled, "Well, that's unfortunate." Damn. I guess I'll have to search for a new one. Probably get a loan. Shit. Leah began mentally calculating what she knew she had in her savings. She hadn't deposited anything she had made at the club yet. Jacob happily clapped Emmett on the back as Emmett slid a set of keys into Jacob's other hand. Jacob gave them a light toss to Leah. As she caught them, she thought, Why the hell is he tossing the keys to me? She looked toward the car, confused.
Jacob laughed and said, "Look at the plates, Leelee." Leah looked down to find her personalized plates on the new Nissan. Rose handed Leah some paperwork, an owners' guide, and a printout of her insurance transfer to the new car. Leah was gaping at them all in surprise.
Leah stammered, "How the hell did you guys …" They seriously replaced my car? Leah wasn't quite sure what she was feeling. Happy? Grateful? The look of genuine brotherly affection on Jacob's face decided it for her. Loved. Leah felt very, very loved.
Rose said, "Teamwork. Also, knowing the right people in the right places. Emmett and Jacob are responsible for this for the most part. I just made some calls. Forged your signature a couple of times. No big deal."
Jacob gestured toward her car and said, "You have worked too damn hard to lose all of your savings replacing that hunk of junk back there. At least in this new car, we all feel somewhat safer with you driving back and forth to Port Angeles."
Hodie said, "I don't think I've ever seen Leah speechless."
Walking up behind her, Bella said, "I'm not sure why she's surprised, actually." A teary-eyed Leah turned to look at her sister. "We take care of each other around here. She knows that." Jacob yanked Leah toward him and kissed her forehead.
She could only look around at them all dumbly for a moment before saying, "Thank you, guys. Really. I can't believe you all did this."
"Hey, there's an address saved in the GPS," Emmett said. "It's our home address. If you need to use the guest house for this other job, feel free any time. The spare key is in your glove box. You're always welcome to hang out at the main house, too. We can just throw open a window like we do here."
There was collective laughter from the group as Jacob pointed at the car and said, "Take it for a spin."
Leah scoffed. Still holding his hand, she and Hodie walked toward the car as she said, "Seriously, thank you. All of you."
The others talked and laughed amongst themselves while watching them as they pulled out. It was Emmett's anxious expression that worried her as they turned onto the highway.
Leah drove around La Push for a bit before heading back. She pointed out a few places to Hodie along the way, the last of which was Sam's driveway. She turned and carefully made her way down the pot-hole riddled gravel drive to the house. Hodie gazed appreciatively at the charming, hidden cabin. Memories of dancing around in the living room while she and Sam had been a couple reminded Leah of the dreaded discussion she and Hodie would need to have later. She scowled as she contemplated his reaction to hearing she had decided to dance for the benefit after all.
Hodie asked, "You okay?"
Leah did her best to force a smile at him and opened her car door. "Yeah, I'm fine. Are you?"
Hodie didn't seem nearly as anxious as he had been around Rose and Emmett. He nodded once and climbed out of the car, immediately walking around to take her hand. The screen door swung open, and Sam stepped out smiling, looking relieved. He grinned at Leah and said, "Glad to see you out and about." He extended his hand to Hodie, introducing himself. "Come inside. Emily is excited to see you, Leah."
Leah led the way into the house and turned toward the living room, where Emily sat on the couch cradling two babies. Emily wore the biggest smile Leah had ever seen on her cousin as Leah sat next to her.
Leah said, "So this is what everyone is being so secretive about, huh?" Emily laughed, her eyes shining with happy tears as she stared lovingly down at her two beautiful babies. One was a great deal smaller than the other, the larger of which had his arm draped across the other.
Hodie chuckled and said, "Alice told us you had a boy."
Emily laughed mischievously. "Evan came first," she said. "He was completely hiding his sister with both his size and heartbeat. She is just over 4 lbs. Carlisle said he had seen many sets of fraternal twins like them before. She will likely always be a good deal smaller than her brother."
Leah said, "I like Evan. That's nice." What did you name the girl?"
Emily smiled up at Sam, who turned and said, "Leah."
Leah asked, "What?" She glanced at Emily in confusion as Sam chuckled at her.
Emily said, "Her name is Leah." Leah's mouth hung open in surprise. "Her full name is Leah Elizabeth. We plan to call her Beth just so there is no confusion with the names, but-"
Leah interrupted and asked, "Did I wake up in some kind of alternate universe? Why would you guys do that? I mean, naming her after me? All the fighting, all the shit we all went through?"
Emily said, "Because we love you, Leah. You're irreplaceable, you know? For Sam and me."
Leah didn't know what to say. She loved them too, in her own way. They had caused her so much pain.
Emily said, "I know what we did sure doesn't seem like it, but we both love you. We will both always love you. Everything about our situation has taken us all by storm. Nothing is what any of us expected it would be. When Beth was born, she was a complete surprise, too. We didn't name her right away because we had only expected Evan. We had never agreed on a girl's name."
Sam admitted, "When we found out you had been torn into the other night, we both freaked out. After everything that happened Saturday, the babies arrived, and then you got hurt … We did a lot of talking."
Emily huffed, "And arguing."
Sam said, "By the time we were at peace with each other again, she still needed a name. I was afraid to suggest it, but honestly, it was my first thought, too. Her name."
Emily said, "When I suggested it instead, he seemed relieved."
Sam rolled his eyes and grumbled, "If we had both suggested it when she was born like we each wanted to, it would have saved us hours of fighting."
Emily looked directly at Leah with nothing but genuine love, understanding written on her ruined face as she said, "We needed that fight, though. A lot of things came to light that night, Leelee. I just want you to know that I am still sorry. I don't fault you for anything you said or did after what we did, and I never have." At that moment, Leah knew with certainty that Emily knew far more than she had ever admitted to - and she forgave Leah for all of it. For the second time that day, Leah was speechless, nearly choking on all of the love she felt from the people around her. Hodie sat next to her, quietly observing. She glanced up at him tearfully, and he squeezed her hand.
The tiniest wail Leah had ever heard began to pour from the mouth of her namesake. The sound melted her heart instantly, and Leah could only smile down at Beth. Her squirms quickly woke her brother, who grunted his frustration. Sam chuckled and walked over to gently lift his son into his arms as Emily stood with Beth.
Still grinning, Emily sighed and said, "Time to go feed them. Nice to meet you, Hodie."
"Yeah, you too," Hodie said as she headed for the tiny spare room they had turned into a nursery. Leah knew it had been Sam's bedroom as a child, one he had wanted to build onto. Emily hoped that two growing children would finally give him the motivation to do it.
Following behind Emily, Sam said, "Leah, hang on a second. I'll be right back."
Leah called after him, "We're just gonna step outside." She turned to Hodie as she leaned against her new car and said, "This is the first time I've really wanted a cigarette in days."
Hodie smirked, wrapping his arms around Leah. "I have some in my pocket," he chuckled. She leaned into him, burying her face in his chest for a moment. They slowly pulled apart as the screen door creaked open. Again, Sam grinned at them from the doorway, leaving Leah feeling more confused than ever. She was grateful that he wasn't acting like a jealous fool in front of Hodie. Leah had never seen him so at peace as he had appeared in the living room a minute before.
Sam sighed and said, "I want to talk to you."
Her stomach dropped as she grumbled, "Oh, here we go."
Sam laughed and said, "It's nothing bad, Leelee." He cleared his throat and continued, "First, I wanted to thank Hodie for taking care of you. As you can see," he said, turning toward Hodie, "she is important around here. More than she thinks, which is a great deal my fault." Sam turned back toward Leah and hesitated as he searched for the right words.
Leah smirked at him and teased, "Spit it out, Uley."
Sam groaned and said, "Ugh. I hate to admit it, but Quil was right." Leah glanced at Hodie nervously, and Sam said, "Hodie can hear this, too. We all need to start being more honest about some things around here. Or, at least I do. You have never had any problems with saying what you really think." Leah smirked as Hodie chuckled softly next to her.
Sam took a deep breath before continuing. "I do still have love for you, Leah. Now, I can't help that. It might never completely go away for me, but I can do my best to stop hurting you and Emily both because of it. You deserve to be happy, regardless of who you choose to be happy with. Without my interference. If after everything I've done to hurt you, the best thing that I can give you is your independence back, then it is what I am going to try my hardest to do."
Hodie glanced from one to the other silently, both very surprised by what Sam said. He was not only admitting fault for his jealous and possessive behavior. He was attempting to set her free. For a brief moment, all of the sadness and anger she had harbored washed over her. Suddenly, she was buoyed from the depths by an almost euphoric sense of freedom. For the first time since she had fallen for Sam Uley, Leah felt entirely removed from him. Unshackled.
It was ironic, considering he had just named his child after her.
Leah let go of Hodie long enough to briefly hug Sam, standing on her toes, her arms around his shoulders. It was the kind of hug she had not given him in almost three years. Sam squeezed her to him and sighed.
Leah whispered, "Thank you." There was no hurt behind Sam's eyes when he pulled away. No pain. No heartache. No anger or jealousy. Never one for overly emotional scenes, Sam simply smiled at them both one more time and walked into the house. Leah worried her bottom lip with her teeth as she turned her tear-streaked face toward Hodie. When she finally looked up at him, he grinned at her with obvious amusement. Leah scoffed and wiped her tears away.
"You are relieved," Hodie said. "I can feel it. Like a huge weight just fell off your shoulders."
Leah said, "More like being uncollared, I think. Is this what finalizing a divorce feels like?"
Hodie chuckled, shaking his head. "I don't know, Darlin. When my ex took off with my best friend, we stopped all contact right there. He's the one that dubbed me Hodie. I was Brody until I met that motherfucker."
"So why did you stick with Hodie?"
He scoffed and said, "I had been Hodie for a couple of years at that point. I was used to it, I guess. Eventually, it stopped reminding me of him. It's when I think about what they did that I remember it. I'm glad you're getting some closure, Leah. I just hope for you to be happy. To have peace. To feel loved, too." Leah looked back up at Hodie tentatively. Her hands trembled at her sides. Leah was overwhelmed, not only with her relief but with the pure love that she could see in his eyes.
Hodie pulled her into an embrace and said, "You are not disposable. You are loved, Leah." She closed her eyes and leaned into him. He said, "You are loved by your family." Hodie placed a soft kiss on one closed lid and said, "By your friends." He softly kissed her other closed eyelid and said, "By your pack." Hodie brushed his lips against hers and said, "By me."
Leah opened her eyes, staring directly into his as he pressed his forehead to hers and cupped her face with his hands. She held her breath, waiting to hear what he would say next.
"I knew there was something, some reason that drew me to you the second we met. I had a lot of time to think about what happened while you were out of it …" he paused, searching for the right words. Finally, he said, "When you changed to protect me and help your friends, it was like a sign for me. I have been in Port Angeles for three years, Leah. I haven't wanted to leave. Even though the only thing I have ever done is run. You told me to run that night, but it was the last thing I wanted to do. You were right there. I couldn't make my feet move. And, now? I just want to be where you are. I think it was you keeping me here all along. We were supposed to meet, somehow. You're it for me, Leah. I love you. Seeing all of the people who love you, too? It just reaffirms for me that you're someone worth sticking around for. Worth waiting for, if I have to."
Her heart raced and simultaneously felt so full that her chest physically ached. She finally realized why Bella would clutch at her chest when overwhelmed by Edward or Jacob. Leah fought the urge to do the same. Love hurts. Literally fucking hurts." I love you too," Leah said to Hodie. He gave her a dazzling smile and chuckled.
He teased, "Bout time you admit it."
Leah climbed into her car as Hodie walked back to the passenger side. She slowly backed down Sam's driveway. She asked, "Where do you want to stay tonight? We both have to work tomorrow. I have to work at the garage in the morning. I'll need to go get my work tank from my house. If you want to go home, I'll take you, of course. If you want to stay again, I'm sure Jake and Bella won't mind."
Hodie said, "I'd love to be wherever you want to be. Especially since I'm not sure when we'll get to stay together again." Leah wasn't sure if she was sensing his anxiety or her own. She didn't want to be separated from him yet, either. Hodie said, "Well, I'll get a lot more time with you and save you two hours of driving if I stay here. We could just go to work together tomorrow. I don't want to be the clingy boyfriend, either."
Turning into Jacob's driveway, Leah said, "If I feel like you're getting clingy, believe me. I'll tell you." Leah looked over and spotted Rick's truck at the garage. She bounced happily in her seat as she parked her car and then sprinted toward the garage, leaving a confused Hodie staring after her. She found Rick in the Lobby being charmed by Rose. His face was swollen, again wrapped in bandages. His wife brightened as Leah walked in, rising from her seat to get his attention. He turned toward Leah happily. She embraced him just as Hodie walked through the door. Hodie brightened immediately and greeted Rick with a handshake.
Rick asked, "Wha you 'ooin?" Leah both wanted to laugh and cry for him.
Leah said, "We are preparing to go back to work tomorrow. We were sick." Lowering her voice to whisper, she added, "Just don't tell Tom you saw us today."
Rick chuckled and winked at her conspiratorially. Leah turned to Rose and said, "I don't know what needs to be done here today, but put a note in for me telling Jake to take it out of my check."
Rose grinned and said, "You got it." She handed Rick back his debit card.
Leah pointed at Rick and said, "I told you, I got you." She waved goodbye to them, taking Hodie's hand on her way out the door. Once outside, he tugged on her hand to stop her, and she turned toward him. Hodie slowly cupped her face and pulled her to him. He kissed her tenderly, dropping his hands to wrap his arms around her waist. Leah's pulse began to race as she deepened the kiss, drawing his tongue into her mouth. He shivered when she pulled away, and Leah giggled as he took a deep breath.
Hodie laughed and said, "Damn. I was gonna tell you how damn sweet you are, but now I can't think straight." Leah took his hand again, pulling him toward the house.
She said, "I need food. And a damn cigarette."
Hodie playfully slapped her butt, making her jump. He said, "I need dat ass." She was cackling as they walked into the house.
Embry was eating lunch with Quil at the kitchen table, bringing an abrupt end to Leah's laughter.
Leah said, "Hey guys. Where is Bells?"
Embry said, "Shower."
Leah said, "Got it." Leah motioned for Hodie to follow her as she headed to the living room. Hodie sat on a couch and held his arm out. Leah curled up next to him as he laid his arm around her.
Hodie whispered, "You alright, darlin'?" Leah nuzzled tighter against him and sighed contentedly. He gave her a soft smile before staring across the room into the fireplace.
A freshly showered Bella spotted them on her way back to the kitchen and grinned at them. "God, I feel like Charlie. I wish I had my camera," Bella teased.
Leah asked, "Do you have plans for supper tonight?"
Bell grinned and said, "I do. Why? What do you have in mind?"
Leah asked, "If I go get the stuff, will you make your lasagna for Hodie?"
Embry's voice rang from the kitchen, "Yes, please!" Bella shook her head.
Hodie laughed and said, "Leah's told me about it like twenty times, but you really don't have to go to any extra trouble, Bella."
Loudly, Embry said, "You'll see, dude! Trust me!"
Leah cackled and said, "It's true. Bella once tried to say it was for special occasions only, so the pack started trying to make shit up for her to make it."
Bella said, "Now I just make it like once a month so that they'll shut up. Actually, guys, I need to get out of this house for a minute. I'm feeling kind of stir-crazy today. I need to grab stuff for lunch tomorrow, too. If you'll watch the kids, I'll go get what I need, and we both win." Leah readily agreed and handed her keys to Bella.
She said, "Take the new car for a spin. See if you still want to keep the truck afterward."
Bella laughed as she left the room and said, "Don't hate the truck."
Leah turned the tv on low, letting Hodie sift through the movie selections for something to watch.
The credits were rolling, and Hodie was sound asleep, lightly snoring on the couch when Bella returned. She peeked in to check on them, motioning for Leah to come to the kitchen. Embry and Quil had long since returned to work, and the kids remained napping peacefully. Leah began helping pull items out of grocery bags for Bella. Bella pointed to the stool nearest where she had begun working on their supper and said, "Have a seat." Her tone had Leah instantly anxious. Leah grabbed a can of soda from the fridge and sat down, waiting for whatever it was Bella had to say. Bella whispered, "Did you see Emmett acting a little off today?" Leah relaxed somewhat and took a drink of her soda.
Emmett had definitely seemed off. "Yeah," Leah said. "Do you think it was weird for him seeing someone that kind of looks like him?" The serious look on Bella's face told her that it was no laughing matter.
Bella said, "Emmett kind of freaked out after you guys left. He said Hodie looked exactly like his Dad when his Dad was a young man."
"Seriously? That is weird."
Bella said, "Yeah, Emmett was pale with dark hair like his mom. When he turned, he just got paler. He had blue eyes when he was human, too. His father was tanned from working outdoors all of his life. His hair was blonde. Sunbleached, Emmett said."
"Hodie is named after an Emmett," Leah said. "A great uncle or something. But he said the guy died young."
"Emmett did die young. In 1937. He was mauled by a grizzly. Rose found him and saved him."
Leah asked, "Are we actually discussing what I think we are?"
"If they may be related? Yes," Bella said. "What is Hodie's real name?"
Leah was hesitant to answer, glancing toward the door to the living room. She said, "I think he should be part of this discussion if it's about him,"
Bella said, "Well, I'll start the lasagna. You go get Hodie. If we're gonna have a discreet discussion, it needs to be now."
Leah climbed off her stool and said, "Okay, then." She sighed and headed for the living room, hoping the coming conversation didn't ruin the happiness that the rest of the day had brought her.