Leah got ready for work, dressing carefully. She was surprised to see the bruises on her neck actually seemed darker than they had just that morning. She covered them and her dark circles with makeup to the best of her ability. She winged her eyeliner, making her eyes look even larger to counter her puffy lids. Eye Drops helped with the redness, and by the time she was done, Leah thought she looked relatively normal. She laced her shitkickers over her skintight jeans and hoped she wouldn't have to clean any blood off of them again this weekend.

From the opposite side of the bedroom door, Quil asked, "Leelee? Are you ready?"

Scrutinizing herself one last time in the mirror, she groaned. "I guess," she said and pulled the door open. Quil had dressed as carefully as she, though he was also in jeans and a t-shirt. The soft blue of his shirt brightened the green of his eyes, and for a moment, Leah found herself lost in them.

Leah teased, "Are you looking to impress Chelsea again tonight?" She chuckled as Quil rolled his eyes and walked ahead of her down the hallway. He put his sunglasses on the minute they climbed into the car and sighed.

Leah laughed and asked, "Did you miss them?"

Staring forward, Quil said, "I miss a lot of things, Lee."

An awkward silence fell over them, and Leah turned up the radio as a distraction. Quil had her drop him off a street over from the club and quietly sent her on her way. As she pulled into the lot, Leah grinned at the sight of Amara's car. Leah hoped the young woman had come to her senses and would return to work there. Assuming Hodie would eventually want to know if she was safe, Leah rushed inside to find the tiny dancer. Many of her coworkers smiled at her as Leah walked in, obviously surprised to see her. Some just waved as she strode past them and headed for Tom's office. Leah met Amara in the hallway as she walked out of the office, and the tiny woman threw her arms around Leah eagerly.

Leah hugged her back and said, "We have been worried about you. Are you alright?"

Amara said, "I'm doing better. I left him. For good this time. Where is Hodie? I hoped I would see him."

Glumly, Leah said, "Uh, Hodie left. He broke up with me, packed his shit, and left town."

Amara was clearly taken aback. She opened her mouth to speak but then closed it and smiled sympathetically at Leah. Amara said, "I'm sorry, Leah. He does that after he has been somewhere a while. He's a runner."

Bitterly, Leah said, "So I've learned."

Amara asked for Leah's cellphone to input a new phone number. She said, "I had to change this. If you hear from Hodie first, pass it along?"

Leah smiled as she shoved her phone back in her pocket and said, "Sure. I haven't heard from him, though, and since he broke up with me, I doubt I will."

Sadly, Amara said, "Well, don't be a stranger. You don't need to be with Hodie to keep in touch with me." She waved goodbye as she walked away from Leah and disappeared around the corner. The sound of a throat clearing got Leah's attention, and she turned back toward the office where Tom stood holding the door open.

Ushering her toward the couch, Tom said, "Come on in, Leah." He shut the door behind her and sat behind his desk. "Everything alright?" His face softened with genuine concern, and Leah forced a smile at him.

Leah said, "Yeah, I actually was looking for Amara since I spotted her car outside. Are you alright? How is Rick?"

Tom smirked and said, "Rick is doing fine. We're hoping he'll be back to work by the beginning of December. I am fine. I just know Hodie called me yesterday to quit and asked me to deposit his check in a specific account. Reusable debit card of some sort. He said he was leaving town and wouldn't be back." Tom waved for her attention so Leah would look him in the eye. He said, "So, again, I'm asking if everything is alright?" Leah had to bite her lip to keep it from trembling. Tom pursed his lips and nodded angrily.

Tom asked, "Is he running from the law, Leah? Is Hodie in some kind of fucking trouble again or something?"

Again? Leah suddenly wondered how much Tom knew of Hodie's history. Leah said, "He's running, but not from the law. I don't know what the hell is going on, but he broke up with me after work Wednesday night and skipped town." It wasn't a complete lie, she justified to herself, but it was not as if she could tell Tom the truth.

Leaning back in his chair, Tom said, "Really? Huh. You know, Leah, just between you and I? I could probably help him out if he would just fucking come to talk to me."

Leah gaped at Tom suspiciously. What the hell was he saying? She laughed, holding up her hands, and said, "Listen, if you're into some mob shit, I don't want to know about it."

Tom threw his head back and barked out a loud laugh. He said, "I was thinking more like a protection detail or a lawyer, but that's a good one, Leah." He chuckled some more, tapping his desk absently.

Leah forced another smile at him as she stood. "I should really get out there," she said.

Tom stood and walked over to take her hand in one hand. He patted it with his other hand affectionately and said, "If you need to chat, my door is always open for you. And, if you hear from Hodie first, tell him what I said."

Leah scowled and said, "Amara said the same thing. Hodie made it pretty clear that I won't. It has been radio silence since he split."

Tom released her hand as he said, "That's too bad." He sat back down as she turned back to him from the doorway.

Leah asked, "Tom? That account number? I know you can't give it to me, but I really just want him to be safe. Would you send him my pay for this weekend?"

Tom leaned back in surprise. He asked, "Are you sure you want to do that? He's not your responsibility, Leah. You just said you won't hear from him again."

Leah said, "He's … really struggling. I would like to know he's not starving somewhere. Can you hold onto that number for a couple of weeks, too? Just in case?"

Tom smiled at her softly and asked, "You really loved that kid, didn't you?"

Leah said. "Do. Goodbyes don't mean shit to the heart. I can't save him from whatever he is going through, but …" She wasn't sure what to say next. Leah didn't know how to explain her feelings. She found herself genuinely wanting to take care of Hodie. Leah wanted him to be her responsibility, to protect him and make sure his needs were met. As much as she had loved them both, she had never had those urges with Sam or Quil. Leah was her own person with them. With Hodie, she felt like half of a whole. When he was with her, touching her, Leah felt complete in a way she didn't know that she could. Now, the other half was on the run, and Leah didn't feel whole anymore. The craziest part, to Leah, was that she didn't even know how it had happened. She fell for him before the imprint ever came into play.

Tom presumed, "But, you can at least help him somehow this way." Leah nodded, forcing another smile at her boss. "Go on. Get out of here, and I'll take care of it," Tom said and smiled.

Leah left the office and told the dancers she had arrived. She was surprised to find Emmett and Rose already there, seated in a dark corner with Quil. Leah smiled at them and took her place to the side of the stage.

The evening passed quickly. Leah snuck a shot or four off the table, helping keep up the illusion that Emmett and Rose were drinking. Leah was grateful that the wolves had a high alcohol tolerance as Emmett had far too much fun sending Quil drinks. Emmett's booming laugh rang across the bar more than once as Quil jabbered animatedly. Twice, Rose rolled her eyes at Leah across the bar and turned her attention back to the dancers. Leah stepped outside before the last set to have a cigarette and get a break from everyone else.

She looked around as the smell of leech assaulted her. After hours in the bar with Emmett and Rose, she was surprised to notice it so quickly. Leah looked up to find the neighbor standing at the edge of the parking lot. She waved at him, and he nodded back before stepping into the woods.

Damn. I should have run over to ask him about keeping an eye out, she thought. She knew without looking that Quil had come outside to find her when the back door banged open behind her.

Quil scowled and said, "Tell me you don't smell that."

Leah said, "It's just the neighbor. You don't recognize the scent?"

Quil asked, "Did you talk to him like you were planning?"

"Not yet," Leah answered.

Quil turned to look at her up and down, smirking. "You look good tonight. Did I tell you that?"

Leah laughed and said, "Shut up. You're drunk or something."

Quil reached up to brush a strand of hair out of her face as he said, "Nah."

"Ah, Quil, I'm sweaty," Leah said and laughed as she ducked away from him. The smile left his face as he leaned closer, moving her hair out of the way again.

Quil glared and asked her, "What the hell are those from? Did one of the fuckers you tossed out grab you?"

"No," Leah said and laughed him off. "It's fine."

Suspiciously, Quil asked, "Did … did you and Hodie get into a physical fight before he left?"

"Of course not," Leah grumbled. Quil tucked his bottom lip between his teeth and nodded. Leah hoped he wouldn't press the issue further. She flicked her cigarette across the lot as she turned to go inside. Quil gently caught her by the elbow, pulling her back to him. His green eyes bore into hers for a moment as he stared down at her mouth. Leah sucked in a deep breath, recognizing the look he wore too well. Ignoring the feelings the familiar look on his face stirred inside of her, Leah left him standing outside alone.

You can't keep sleeping next to him, Leah. He's going to get the wrong idea if he hasn't already. It wasn't that she wasn't grateful. It wasn't fair to treat Quil like some sort of substitute boyfriend while she waited for Hodie to come back to her. Hodie had only been gone for two days, and Quil was teetering dangerously close to flirting with her already. Quil had to have realized what the bruises were from. It was not as if Leah wanted to hurt him. At the same time, she hoped it had been enough to remind him that her heart belonged to someone else.

Just get through tomorrow night and talk to Jacob, Leah admonished herself. For now, his presence here was necessary, and that's all that mattered.

Leah was not surprised when Quil didn't come back into the club. He had planned to watch from nearby for a while. Rose and Emmett waved at her before leaving, intending to do the same thing. She finished her shift and helped the other bouncers with cleanup after walking the dancers out as usual.

Unsure of where Quil was, Leah walked to her car. When she opened the door to find him inside, she jumped in surprise.

Quil smirked and said, "Your tinted windows work pretty well."

Leah laughed and said, "Next time, give me a heads up."

Quil grinned and teased, "That would give me away."

They drove across town to Rose and Emmett's. Leah parked in front of the small, charming guest house and searched her console for the spare key Emmett had loaned her.

Quil climbed out of the car and asked, "This is the guest house, huh?"

Hinting at her intended sleeping arrangements, Leah said, "Yeah. It has two bedrooms, too."

Quil raised an eyebrow at her and followed her inside. Leah walked into the small kitchen and opened the refrigerator. She started pulling out items to cook with, and Quil scoffed.

He asked, "They stock food for you, too?"

Leah said, "They do when they know I'm coming. Are you hungry?"

"Always," Quil said and laughed.

He helped her clean up after eating. She offered him first dibs for a shower, which he politely refused. As she showered, Leah couldn't help but think of the strangeness of the situation. Once upon a time, she and Quil would have been thrilled to have a guest house at their disposal for the night. Now, they were actually somewhere with privacy and would occupy separate rooms.

The house was dark as Leah stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. The television playing in the living room told her Quil was still awake. She briefly wondered if he planned to sleep on the couch instead of messing up the spare bed but dismissed the thought as she shut the door to her room. Having gone dead at the club, Leah plugged her cell in to charge it and waited patiently for enough battery to turn it back on. A message from a number she did not recognize had her instantly on edge. Leah took a deep breath before opening it, whimpering with relief as she realized it was from Hodie.

U don't know how much that helps. Not sure when I can msg again.

Plz, be careful. When it's safe - ILY.

Leah didn't even realize she was sobbing until the bedroom door swung open. She was still in her towel, sitting on the edge of the bed and staring at her phone screen.

Quil asked, "Are you okay?"

Leah nodded, wiping her tears away. "He's okay for now," she said and sighed as she set her phone down.

Quil said, "You heard from him, then?"

Leah looked up at Quil and nodded. He had changed into a pair of basketball shorts and appeared very tired. Leah said, "You should get some sleep. I'm going to bed here in just a few."

"Uh, yeah. Sure," Quil said absently. Leah was full of guilt again as he glanced back at her once more before pulling the door shut behind him. The longing on his face had been plain to see. Leah brushed away frustrated tears quickly and tossed the towel into the hamper.

Leah turned down the blankets and laid on her stomach, bringing the top sheet up to her waist. She tried like hell to force thoughts of both Quil and Hodie from her mind to no avail.

As Leah lay there, lonely, she was tempted to ask Quil to sleep next to her again. Knowing he was in the next room made ignoring the urge difficult, though she somehow managed to push it away and remain where she was. Leah put on some music with her cellphone and laid there listening for a while, eventually drifting off to sleep.

A year ago

Leah waited in the woods, hunkered down to keep out of sight. She watched as Jacob slowly walked his motorcycle out through the side door of the garage, chuckling to himself. Embarrassed, Leah sighed with relief. If he wasn't angry, he must not have realized she had been the one on the couch with Quil when Jacob had walked in. When Jacob was finally a safe distance from the garage, Leah darted across the yard and back inside. Quil was sprawled out on the couch laughing as she phased back in front of him.

Leah said, "Quil, this shit isn't funny. We're going to end up getting caught for real one day." Quil rolled his eyes, smirking as he held his arms open for her. Leah scrambled back into them and pressed her face to his neck contentedly.

Chuckling, Quil kissed her forehead and asked, "Did you even hear what Jake had to say?"

Leah grumbled, "No. I was too worried about getting busted. My pulse was pounding in my ears the whole time."

Quil roared with laughter again and hugged her tighter as she scowled. "He said he didn't want to know who I was in here with," Quil said. "And to Lysol the couch."

Leah groaned against his neck and laughed anxiously. Quil began rubbing her back and sides languidly, sending shivers across her naked flesh. He lowered his lips to her collar bone and slowly kissed up the side of her throat. By the time he reached her mouth, Leah was practically squirming against him. It never failed to surprise her how much she wanted him. Ever since their first time together, Leah had been chasing sex with Quil like an addict after a fix. Though he was enthusiastic for foreplay, there were times when Leah couldn't wait. Then, like now, he was more than willing to let her take control. She continued to kiss him as she moved off of his lap. Quil quickly slid his shorts back down, letting his erection spring free. Leah moved back to straddle him and eased herself onto his thick member. She moaned as she clenched around him, slowly pulling him in deeper. Holding the back of the couch for leverage, Leah began to ride him.

Quil's kisses became more intense as their pleasure built, his hands caressing her everywhere he could possibly reach. Leah carefully pulled her legs forward, placing her feet on either side of his hips. She lifted herself higher and slammed down on him roughly. She moaned again as his hands cupped her ass to help support her. They were both grunting as she increased her pace, rocking against him.

When Leah was about to cum, she reached around Quil to scrape her nails along his back. The desired effect was instantaneous as he moaned and shot off inside of her. He reached between them to rub her clit with his thumb, and she damn near screamed as her orgasm exploded through her.

It was always like this when they were together. Quil knew precisely how to make her respond to his touch. He knew how to tease her in ways that made the lust pool between her legs and her inhibitions disappear. She didn't want it to end.

Unfortunately, it would end eventually. The more risks they took to be together, the higher the chances were of being caught. Leah feared the day that Sam found out, knowing full well that he would probably beat Quil within an inch of his life. Panting, she placed soft kisses around his face, making Quil chuckle and pull her mouth back to his for a deep, sensual kiss. Leah melted against him, her breasts pressed tightly to his chest as he held her close. Leah buried her face back against his neck, closing her eyes.

"I told you to be careful."

Leah instantly froze. She asked Quil, "What did you just say?" The voice that had come from him had not been his own. Quil's flesh seemed to quickly cool down, and she opened her eyes to look at him. Instead of the soft green eyes that she was used to, Leah was met with milky, distant, fading blue eyes. She screamed as she scrambled off the couch, away from Hodie's dead body that had been resting underneath her.

The next thing Leah knew, she was crouched on the floor in the corner, screaming. She was naked, her arms wrapped around her knees as she trembled from the shock of her nightmare. Mere seconds had passed, though it felt like minutes as she tried to mentally process the dream. The bedroom door swung open as a groggy Quil stepped inside the room to check on her. He scowled as he found the bed empty and quickly spotted her curled up in the corner. Quil rushed to her side and dropped to his knees in front of her. Despite her nudity, Leah scrambled to embrace him, sobbing. Quil remained silent and softly kissed her forehead before lifting her into his arms.

"Im fucking naked," she grumbled, though she was unwilling to release him just yet.

Carrying her back to bed, he said, "Nothing I haven't seen, Leelee."

She quickly covered herself with the sheet as Quil crawled into the bed beside her. "I'm sorry," Leah said, pressing her forehead to his chest as he again gathered her against him.

He rubbed her back soothingly and said, "Don't worry about it, sweetheart. Let's just try to sleep."

Leah nodded against him and closed her eyes. Despite the physical ache in her body and the lust that lingered from her dream, Leah was grateful he rushed to her side to comfort her. Quil fell back to sleep as Leah lay awake at his side. It was a long time before sleep finally claimed her again.

Leah woke before Quil and carefully climbed out of bed. Her nightmare rushed back to her, leaving her trembling as she dressed and tried to hold back tears. After checking the time, she returned some texts to Bella before making herself and Quil some breakfast. Leah woke him later, and they ate together in silence. He took a shower while she cleaned up and put everything back in order.

She didn't bother to drop him off away from the club, letting him hang out in her car for a while instead. Her shift was nearly half over when Quil and Embry walked into the club together. Leah made her way over and hugged Embry.

Despite the pounding music, she knew he could hear her as she asked, "What did you do? Run here?"

Embry laughed and said, "Yep. Angie and I got everything moved yesterday. Wasn't too difficult since we don't have much stuff yet.

Leah teased, "Maybe I'll get you a couch for a housewarming gift."

Grinning, Embry said, "You're too late."

Leah asked, "Cullens?"

"Jake," Embry said. "It's one of the ones out of their living room. Bella wants one of those giant rearrangeable sectionals to have more seats for everyone."

Leah chuckled and said, "Of course she does."

Embry said, "Emmett is setting your bed up in the guest bedroom at Jake's now."

Grateful, Leah grinned at him happily. "I wonder if I can send him a live bear," She joked, knowing his affinity for grizzly blood.

Embry asked, "So, how does it feel without Hodie being here? Are you doing okay?"

"It was all I could think about yesterday," she admitted. "I have these stupid nightmares stuck in my head now, though. I keep trying to distract myself from looking for him."

"Sorry," Embry said sheepishly.

Leah turned away from Embry as two patrons began to argue, giving her the perfect excuse to end the conversation. One man was a few inches taller than the other. His full mustache and thick gray hair reminded Leah of Tommy Chong, and she had to bite back a laugh. The second was younger and heavier, with a red beard long enough to drape over his large belly. Both were dressed in dirty leather biker gear with matching patches and smelled as if they had not bathed in a week. Quil chuckled as Leah scrunched up her nose at the body odor.

She said, "Well, these two smelly fucks certainly aren't anyone we're looking for." Leah walked over to them and let out a whistle loud enough to get the attention of the whole bar. They stopped arguing, and each covered the ear closest to her, cringing. Leah pointed at the door and yelled, "Knock it the fuck off or take it outside." Each scowled at her, then at each other before quietly resuming their seats. Despite their cooperation, they continued to bicker at each other across the table, sending her dirty looks from time to time.

When she was finally sure they weren't getting physical again, Leah alerted the girls that she was taking a break and stepped out back to smoke. She was surprised to find Quil outside, leaning against the wall where she usually took smoke breaks.

Leah asked, "When did you come outside?" Surely I would have noticed him walking past or at least heard him slam down the door handle. Quil shot her a look of pure loathing and jogged away from her around the side of the building. Leah was taken aback for a moment, entirely bewildered. What the fuck was that about? She walked around the corner to see where he had gone, but he was nowhere in sight. Leah finished her cigarette and went back inside. Quil was back at the corner table with Embry, who grinned and flipped her off. She sent beers to their table and talked to a few patrons to kill time while Chelsea completed her set. Leah refused to check to see if Chelsea was looking at Quil or vice versa, which was difficult without finding other things to focus on. Eventually, Quil and Embry pretended to leave and went outside, letting Leah finish her shift in peace.

Red was the final dancer to leave. She had filled Leah's arms with garment bags full of costumes she planned to have cleaned, or so she claimed. Leah wondered if she intended to quit, though she decided not to pry. As she helped Red load the items into her car, Quil peeked around the side of the building, scowling at her again.

What the hell is going on with his mood swings today? Leah watched him warily as he waited just out of sight, leaning against the wall.

Really fucking inconspicuous, Quil, Leah thought and wondered if Chelsea had spotted him waiting outside. Leah waited for Red to drive off before looking back up in his direction. Quil was facing her, beckoning her to come to him. Leah huffed, rolling her eyes.

Leah whispered, "I still have some shit to get done. Why aren't you in the car where no one can see you?"

Quil looked confused by the question and remained silent as she walked over to him.

Exasperated, Leah snapped, "What?" Leah looked up into his eyes and gasped. The soft green irises she knew so well were ringed with a dark red. He grabbed the front bottom of her tank top and pulled her slowly toward him. Leah looked over his face as her heart pounded in her chest. He looks like Quil, and yet …

Leah wrapped her hands around his wrists and asked, "What the hell are you doing?"

Quil suddenly raised one hand to grip the side of her face and slammed her back against the brick wall. Pain jolted through her as her head and shoulders collided with the brick.

Still gripping his right wrist, Leah let go to shove him backward. His flesh was not cold, but it was nowhere near the warmth of the man whose arms she had slept in for the last two nights. As loud as she could, Leah screamed for Quil.

The figure in front of her cringed and said, "I'm right here." Like his appearance, the voice was similar but not the one she knew by heart.

"QUIL," Leah screamed again and then growled at the figure in front of her. "I don't know who the hell you are, but you're not him," she hissed. She was shaking uncontrollably, barely holding herself together as she tried to keep from phasing. There were too many people inside, too many cars driving past, and too many potential witnesses. As she opened her mouth to scream Quil's name a third time, he slammed his fist against her left eyebrow. Her eyebrow split open immediately, and the back of her head hit the wall a second time. She swung back, connecting with his chin as blood trickled down her face and splashed the toe of her boots.

"Motherfucker," she screamed from the pain that shot across her forehead. "QUIL!"

The figure grabbed her shoulders and slammed her head against the wall a third time as he laughed cruelly. Leah's head spun.

"Leah!" Quil sounded frantic and much too far away.

Leah growled at the figure again as the real Quil screamed her name a second time. "Fuck, Embry! Where the hell is she?" Footsteps were running her way across the parking lot, though they somehow sounded farther away. She swung at the fake Quil again, clawing his face with her sharp nails. The skin split, though he did not bleed. Instead, Leah gaped at him in shock as the wounds neatly knit back together within a second. He swiped at her blood-soaked face with his index finger and licked the blood from his fingertip.

His smile was sinister, the size of his mouth grotesque in comparison to the one she knew. He said, "Did Hodie know you weren't human?"

Weren't? "I know what I am," Leah hissed as she fought to stay upright. Her head throbbed as she stumbled sideways unsteadily. He righted her quickly, chuckling. For the first time since inhabiting her body, the wolf crouched inside of her protectively, snarling and afraid. Pain shot through her as the trembling ceased, and the urge to phase quickly faded away. Her voice shaking in fear rather than fury, Leah said, "My question is, what the fuck are you?"

Before she could blink, he backhanded her right cheek, knocking the back of her head against the wall for the fourth time. Her face felt like it was on fire as the skin across her cheekbone split, soaking the right side of her chest in her blood. Leah's vision tunneled as everything went numb, and she slid limply to the ground.

"I'll be sure to tell Hodie you said hello," he said, delivering a light kick to her ribs and knocking the wind from her. He bent down to retrieve something before disappearing down the street. A pool of red spread in front of her face on the concrete but Leah could not move. Pounding footsteps were right upon her as everything went black.