Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of its characters. I am only putting my spin on Stephenie Meyer's already created world of the supernatural.

Warnings: Violence/Gore, mentions/attempt of suicide and character deaths


"Paige, grab the—"

"I've got this side, you get the other side."

Emily fell down onto the toilet, letting out a sigh of relief as she peed for the first time in three hours. It was more difficult than I thought it'd be, making sure everything was done on time and taking care of the bride. As busy as I was, Paige was twice as busy. She never let it show when Emily was watching but she'd commiserate with me when we weren't scrambling.

"I heard you went to Cali. Was that a vacation or...?"

"Kinda, I visited family. But that was actually before the bachelorette party."

Paige gave an amiable, "Oh, really?"

"Yeah, I got back on the fourth. Had a great time."

California had been exactly what I needed. It was sunshine and my uncle being sober and finally happy. There was an awkward moment of apologizing but, overall, my uncle was kinda an amazing guy now. Oh, and I learned after arriving that he'd had kids my mom never mentioned to me or Seth. Only one cousin was around my age and she was from his past marriage so I didn't see her often, but I liked her. She was an extreme nerd who was socially awkward and quiet but super sweet. Maybe I liked her so much because she reminded me of Rachel back in high school. God, I couldn't wait to see Rachel again.

Anyway, my mom had been right. It didn't fix everything but I came back with a clearer head and a better perspective.

"Ok, I'm done, ladies. Thank you so much," Emily said, reaching for the toilet paper.

Paige and I helped her back off the toilet, Paige flushing while I fixed Emily's puffy skirt. She'd wanted a big ball gown for the first wedding and so that was what she got. Thanks to diligent planning and begging others for help, it'd all turned out pretty well.

"Beau Lodge was a good choice, huh?" Emily asked me as I was straightening her skirt.

"Definitely. I love the perennial gardens."

Emily glowed at my praise, swooning as she had been throughout the day. "My boss seems to love it a lot, too. I should get the honeymoon I want, thanks to Tai."

"Tai? Cousin Tai?"

"He went through a recent divorce and you know my boss is fresh off a breakup. Rebounds work, Leah. Well, maybe not for you," she said, giggling.

My pulse spiked at the sudden and extremely unwelcome reminder. "Uh—hey, have I mentioned how pretty this skirt is? It's even prettier up close! You look amazing!"

"I know!"

She'd gotten glammed up by a makeup artist and the dress was a subtle satin number with a tiered tulle skirt. It cracked me up that she had something called horsehair trim to make the skirt prettier. Horsehair trim. It always made me laugh. You had to find joy wherever you could in this soul-sucking job.

"I've never worn so many diamonds before," Emily said after fixing her tendrils in the bathroom mirror, hands brushing down to her dazzling drop necklace. It stopped a few inches before disappearing into her sweetheart neckline.

"I know. Honestly, Em, where'd you get all this money from?"

She shrugged, turning meek then. "Savings."

"That, and murder," Paige muttered to me with a dire face. I busted out laughing, patting her back when she joined in with me. She was seriously way more fun than I thought she'd be.

"Har har, very funny," Emily said, obviously flustered.

Paige helped me get Emily out of the small bathroom door without snagging anything. We made sure to keep the white gown pristine, despite everything being outdoors. It was way harder earlier in the day when everything had still been wet from an unexpected downpour last night. But now that we were in the swing of things, it was almost like it was impossible to stop. All my thoughts came in the form of a question now: Would this help or harm the wedding?

"There's my groom!"

"There's my bride!" Sam was happy to take her from us, easing her into a slow dance. While he smiled a Paige, he didn't even acknowledge me.

Things hadn't been right between us ever since Billy and Old Quil's confrontation. And when I phased into the pack for the first time since before Finland, we only grew more distant. His guilt and his pride kept him from even trying to fix things. The rest of the pack, on the other hand, were closer to me than ever before. Even Jared stopped his bitching and followed my orders well—better than Sam's actually. I couldn't tell if the newfound respect was because of what I'd done or what I'd become. The pack didn't even seem to know but they knew they respected me, so that was all that mattered. We just had to keep moving forward as a unit, not worrying about the past. That was how you survived a life like ours.

"I'd say I want a love like theirs but I don't," Paige told me, taking a flute of champagne from a waiter who'd approached. Emily had struck a great deal with a caterer for this wedding, the staff was working for seriously low rates. "I want a woman who doesn't stare at me like I'm the only reason she's alive."

"You don't think it's romantic?"

"Do you?" Her eyes narrowed as she watched Sam and Emily slow dance together. "I find it startling. Devotion's fine but I feel like he's obsessed with her."

I made a face like I was deeply contemplating her words. "You know what? It does feel like that."

"Right? But whatever floats her boat, I guess. I'll never approve but she'll never know."

Sam looked so shocked and it definitely wasn't because Emily whispered she needed another slice of cake into his ear. Ah, priceless.

"Wanna dance?" Paige asked me as a fast-paced song came on.

"Sure."

Of course, we didn't get to dance for long. She had to go stop a woman trying to make a toast who was obviously drunk. As for me, I didn't see any fires to put out so I left the covered patio, going onto the lawn.

People had sprawled all over the property, socializing and dancing. It was difficult to find a place where you couldn't hear the live band but it was more ambient in some spots. A few guests were still in the banquet hall, eating cake, but most were exploring. It was a beautiful place with an orchard, a perennial garden, a gorgeous pond. Not to mention the picturesque bridge I'd already taken a picture on with Seth at his insistence. It was crazy to think that this could've been my wedding if the Cullens had never returned.

I was so relieved that I said out loud, "Thank God, I dodged that bullet."

"I was about to say the same thing."

I turned from where I'd been watching the guests dancing on the wooden dance floor stretched over the grass. A supremely handsome, pale man stood in his crisp suit, a full flute in one hand, his other tucked into his pants' pocket. His stride was grace and the whole world slowed around me so I could enjoy his every step.

When he came to a stop in front of me, I asked, "Now, how's that possible? Are you a mindreader or something?"

"No, but you've been running through my mind all day."

I scoffed and crossed my arms. "Whoa there, handsome. Tempting as you are, I have a boyfriend and I'm pretty into him soooo—"

"What's he have that I don't?" He asked, appearing genuinely upset.

Giving an apathetic shrug, I said, "Me. Well—and he's super rich. That's mostly why I'm dating him."

"Harsh."

I laughed, taking his silk tie in my hand to give it an affectionate tug. "Oh man, I like you." I let go of his tie but he kept my hand, intertwining our fingers. "Havin' fun?"

Edward broke out the new, glowing grin he'd begun wearing since we started dating. "Lots. It's fun watching you run around and I've met nice people. But it's definitely more fascinating bearing witness to your third rejection of Larry, the flower guy."

"Is it really a wedding if a middle-aged vendor doesn't hit on you the whole time?"

"Not in my experience," he replied with a wry smile, drawing a snicker out of me.

Being in California gave me a chance to process things in private. I was able to sort through a lot of feelings I'd been keeping back for others' sake and make solid choices for myself. When I returned to Washington, I knew what I could live with and what I couldn't.

The day I got back, I went on my first date with Edward. I needed to know if there actually was something left between us. But I'd agreed beforehand to let him plan it, you know, like a total sucker and...yeah, he got me. He got me good. After a four-course dinner he cooked for me at his house, he led me out to an event tent in the woods that he'd filled with a field's worth of rose bushes and candles where we slow danced to music played by the four-string quartet he'd hired. That sounds great by itself, right? Well, strap in.

All the bushes were actually in discreet pots that I hadn't seen past the leaves and petals. When I woke up in my bed the next morning, he'd planted them all in my backyard. He gave me a rose garden. Oh, and tied a slip of paper to every rose stem, containing something he liked about me. Oh, and after every date, he added something new to my garden, whether it was something like a a gravel path or mystery seeds I had to wait on to grow.

This wedding was our fifteenth date since I'd come back and we had no plans of slowing down on our quality time. Things were going really, really, really well. Too well. I expected our demise to come any day now.

"You're sure you wanna come to the next wedding? You don't have to if it makes you uncomfortable."

"And give up dating you twice in one day? Unthinkable."

"It should be fine," I said, more for myself than him. "Everyone's scared of me, so the last thing they'll do is bully my boyfriend."

He raised an eyebrow. "You think they'll bully me?"

"No, I think they won't because they're afraid I'll drive their cars into lakes."

He laughed in that special, musical way. It sounded like personified gold melting out of his mouth. "I'm looking forward to hearing how they all see you." A waiter came by us with a discard tray in hand. Edward placed his untouched glass of sparkling cider on it. Waitstaff came often to check on him, those bitches. "Calm down. Have you eaten yet?"

"Not enough." He used his hold on my hand to lead me to the roofed area where the seats and tables were.

We talked as I ate, taking in the sights. Conversation always flowed between us now. We still had our silences but they were never unwanted. It was just so he could listen to the stories and adventures I'd weave for him in my head. He'd recanted on my mind being obnoxiously loud last week, now preferring it to everyone else's. It was funny, he started liking all the things that irked him when he slapped the girlfriend label on me during date nine, thinking he was so slick.

As I was swallowing my last bite of cake, he brushed my hair behind my ear and kissed my cheek. Swiftly against my skin, he whispered, "Walk with me." I resisted a pleasant shiver as I nodded.

We held hands, strolling to the orchard together which was decorated, too. Fairy lights were strung all around the trees, tiny and on a warm-colored wire. There were other decorations but they didn't complement the color of Edward's eyes so I didn't care about them. We gazed at the pond together, trading jokes and whispers as we stood as close as possible to each other.

I remarked as a few song sparrows flew overhead, "It's not so bad being a bridesmaid."

"You're kidding, right? You hate being a bridesmaid."

"Yeah, I do," I admitted with a sigh, staring back out at the pretty pond. "I guess what I mean is at least I didn't have to make a toast as the maid of honor."

"You would have made an amazing toast."

The sincerity was what made his response so endearing. "God, you actually believe that's true."

"I do," he said before leaning a bit closer and whispering offhandedly, "because I would've written it for you."

I cackled in my amusement, nudging my arm against his. "I totally would've let you—and by let you, I really mean begged you. I would've begged you. You're probably an expert at all this wedding stuff, now that I think about it. How many weddings have you been to in your lifetime?"

He didn't even have to pause to think about it. "Not counting ones my family held for themselves, I only ever agreed to attend nineteen. This one's my favorite so far."

My eyes drifted from the pretty sight to the much prettier one just beside me. "Let me guess… Is it because you're just so invested and Sam and Emily's love story?"

Sporting a smirk as he looked at me, he inquired, "How'd you know? That's exactly it."

"'Course, it is. You know, I've never told you this but I'm actually a mindreader. And, yes, I do know what you're thinking right now."

Smirk turning secretive, he accused, "But that's too easy! I'm obviously thinking of you."

"Ok, think of something and I'll guess what it is."

"Sounds fun," he agreed to my little game. "Now, what am I thinking?"

"You're thinking about…the pond?"

"No."

"The wedding?"

"No."

"The pack?"

"Nope."

"Your family?"

"Not even close."

"How you're not really thinking about anything because you find it funny to annoy me when you know I really wanna win a game?"

"I would never."

"Mhm, sure." I pried my hand from him so I could lay both my palms on his shoulders as I moved to stand in front of him. "I'll let it go this once."

The beauty of his eyes, of their strange depths, and their shade of aged amber were enough to reduce me to a puddle beside the pond. "Just once?"

"Next time, you won't get off so easily," I said past the butterflies fluttering from my stomach, up into my throat. "I like dating you but not that much."

His white face gentled, turning so lovely that I couldn't have looked away to save my life. The expression went directly against the indifferent, "Eh, you're alright," he gave me.

I tried to purse my lips to stop myself from smiling but it was no use. I was grinning ear-to-ear as he snaked his arms around me, bringing me into a gentle embrace. "You hurt my feelings," I lied as I lifted my hands, using them to rub slow circles on his back.

He laughed and I relished the way I could physically feel it against my chest. "I'm very sorry." The world faded away as he whispered so only I could hear, "Truthfully, it could take years to express the delight of the past two weeks."

Paige eventually came and got me while I was cloud gazing with Edward and making him laugh as I imagined an epic battle between the shapes. The sun was setting in a crimson haze and it was already time to close out the reception.

The plan was to use supernatural means to get back to the reservation in time for the next ceremony. Emily would ride on Sam in his wolf form and Edward would run beside me, carrying all our clothes and things, while the rest of the wolves followed. There would be a lot of people from other reservations and all our families were there, waiting on the decorated cliff the pack liked to dive off of. Everyone's except for Edward's.

It was risky enough taking one vampire around potential shapeshifters, though Emily kept assuring me there were no guests in the right age range. I knew she didn't count the girls now that everyone knew I was a spirit warrior but I still did. There could be another spirit warrior for all we knew. After everything we'd been through, there was no such thing as being too careful.

"Now, the fun one!" Quil yelled as we all gathered in our agreed-upon spot to phase in the woods.

"Thanks a lot, Quil."

"It's a compliment, Emily! You spent all this time on this wedding but the second one that you only started on last month is way better. You have serious skills."

Embry came up behind Quil, slapping his hands down onto his shoulders. "Just shut up, dude."

"I liked the wedding," Brady said, smiling shyly at the beautiful bride.

"Thanks, Brady." Sam smiled, ruffling Brady's hair. He was always respectful and mindful, so even though he had a total crush on Emily, he roamed free.

The second youngest didn't have the same sense to be respectful or even think of anyone else's feelings. Collin had taken my dating Edward the absolute worst out of everyone—pack or tribe. The pack mind had been rough because of that more than anything else. I could only hope my feelings about Edward would rub off on the pack the way Jacob's feelings about Bella had. Sam sitting him down for a talk hadn't helped, so it was down to residual affection to dull the sharp tang of spite.

Edward had his hands out and waiting for the jewelry I was shedding off. Where were the makeup bags again? "I have them in place already. I moved them earlier when the sun was out for a bit, remember?"

"Right. Sorry, I'm a little scatterbrained," I mumbled as I was unzipping myself. Edward would've unzipped me if I'd asked but I just didn't want to torture Seth with any stray thoughts it might've caused.

"It's ok," he said with a winning smile. He then went around, getting everyone's garment bags as they phased. Emily thanked him for how he was being extra careful with the bag that contained her next dress.

"And just let me know if anyone hassles you, ok? I'll make sure they're spoken to."

Edward replied, "Thank you, Emily, but I'm sure I'll be fine. Please, focus only on your own happiness today."

It wasn't hard for me to phase even with how happy I was. My control had improved drastically and I never had to worry about an unexpected fury sending me into a phase anymore. I shifted the second I wanted to, breaking into a sprint Edward kept up with.

Is everyone in the pack in love? Brady wondered, trying to mute his own wave of infatuation over Emily.

It always managed to make Sam feel a little prouder, happy that others found her as stunning as he did. It was kinda sweet. Ugh, what was I becoming?

What are you becoming? Gooey, in your words. Quil brought up a bunch of memories with Edward in an attempt to embarrass me.

Isn't he great? My question was an echo responding to a memory of when Edward laid his jacket over a puddle I could've walked around just to make me laugh. Of course, I'd chosen to walk over the neutralized puddle, holding his offered hand for steadying I didn't need as an excuse to touch him.

If I didn't have to support you, I'd throw up, Paul thought.

Where's your team spirit, Paul? Maybe if I actually got you pompoms, you'd feel more—

You wouldn't dare!

Oh, please make him use pompoms. I really have to see that become a reality. Everybody in the pack mind began picturing it at Quil's begging, making various comments and filling their thoughts with inside jokes when they applied.

I tuned them out when Edward stroked a hand over my fur with a soft touch and started speeding up. I wasn't trying my hardest to outrun him or anything but if I did—

He's faster than you, Leah.

So much faster.

Yeah, way faster.

I hate to upset you but it's true.

Tough luck, sis!

You're still a better second, ma'am!

I don't know. I don't think the last time was fair.

Thank you, Collin, I thought, surprised by how pleasant he was being.

Kiss-up, Quil accused.

Edward and I arrived early, no duh. I was pretty sure we were the fastest people alive, number one and two. Me and then him.

"It seems almost wasteful to even say I'm faster anymore," he said, hooking the hangers of all the bags on a tree limb. It leaned from the weight.

Red light streamed around branches and leaves to spark a brilliant hue on Edward's shining face. It'd be a beautiful view by the cliffside where I heard everyone waiting already. Too bad I wouldn't be able to take my eyes off him long enough to see it.

Gross! Quil joked, finally managing to get on my nerves. Ha! I knew I'd get ya!

I phased back, ready to leave the voices behind. Edward cast his gaze sharply upwards. "Sorry, I should've warned you."

He even went as far as tilting his head up as he said, "You're fine."

"I prefer the term 'beautiful' but that's flattering, too." He didn't even give me a response, just smiling and shaking his head, eyes closing as I passed him.

I knew which one bag was mine through careful sniffing. Both my dresses were in it, so I made sure to take out the second one. Emily insisted I couldn't wear the same dress to both because...I didn't know. So it could be even more expensive, I guessed. The second bridesmaid dress was dark brown and much shorter. Less of a gown, closer to a summer dress style with lots of lace and an open back. It was much easier to put on by myself.

"What do you think?" I asked him once I had my new earrings on. "It's very versatile."

I gave a twirl before I assumed a stance for brawling and fought an invisible opponent. He chuckled, hands slipping into his pockets so he could strike a spontaneous model pose as he often did. But he hated it when I teased him about it. "I do hate it. And, yes, it's very versatile."

"Right? I could do anything in this." I started circling him, poised to attack. "I could even beat your cute ass between weddings."

"Thank you for the compliment but I seriously doubt that." I ripped a snarl that would've scared younger members of the pack. He humored me, crouching down, though his eyes were too gentle to be threatening. "You don't want me to be threatening."

"If you're not gonna go all-out, what's the point? I want the monster."

He straightened up, shrugging off his jacket and hanging it over the tree limb with the rest of the clothes. As he crouched back down, he loosened his tie, eyes glinting in a way that was all too promising. I was still admiring him when he pounced, using his full speed. At the last possible instant to react, instinct forced me to duck and I curved around him to seize him in a restraining hold. He reacted to the hold I'd planned on, seeing it all in my head. I barely managed to duck his reaching hand out of reflex. I seized a tight hold of his arm so I could aim a quick kick at the back of his knee.

But I made a mistake in thinking about the kick instead of letting my body just do it.

There was a useless struggle on my end before he pinned me hard against a tree that rattled from the impact. "Ugh! No!"

On the verge of laughter, he replied, "Oh, yes."

I took a moment, catching my breath as I was pressed tightly between him and the tree trunk. His hair was messy, his shirt all stressed and rumpled, a few buttons undone from the fight. I could barely remember to be disappointed. "I didn't make it easy for you, though. Right?"

He flashed his teeth before letting me go just as the others came into hearing distance. "I look forward to our next battle," he said, giving me a lingering once-over.

"Careful," I mumbled through a smile, fixing my hair. He chuckled, going to get his jacket off the tree limb. We had to leave it at that, for Seth's sake.

Once the others reached us, I focused on preparing Emily as she pretended not to be bothered by my wrinkled dress. The few who weren't in the wedding party went ahead and then the rest of us walked to the ceremony as the music began playing right on cue. Edward had to sit in a chair in the back as I walked down the aisle for a second time with Quil. When I got into place by the arch, I glanced at my boyfriend, noting his stunning radiance compared to everyone sitting around him.

He winked at me. I went cross-eyed, causing him to stifle a laugh he got shushed for.

"I take this man as my own and my equal."

"I take this woman as my own and my equal."

Blah, blah, blah, the ceremony went well. It was more traditional with Sam presenting her with gifts from old, old wedding rituals. Emily looked gorgeous, vivid thread braided into her hair by me, her makeup more natural. The dress was also shorter, lacier, and had those billowy sleeves she'd always adored. Mad as she'd been to plan this wedding, I was starting to think it was for the best. This was way more true to her and how her life was and would be with Sam.

When it ended, the music immediately started. Flutes and drums sang through the night air together and a few of the guys from the pack howled into the sky. A waxing crescent moon glowed down on us and the feast. There were a few lit torches, but most of the light came from the bonfire in the middle of the circle of tables in the woods.

Some people left their plates as we gathered into a circle for the round dance, joining hands. Seth stood beside me, following my movements as the music soared all around us, the drums beating with my heart. It was so fun getting to sing and dance for the first time in years. It was especially fun spotting old friends who I knew I'd be talking to throughout the night. It'd been so long but I could still remember the sleepovers and house parties that we'd shared with each other before life hit and hit hard.

"Awooo!" Seth howled after the dance before being taken into a headlock by Paul. The two wrestled off into the distance and I went over to the bridesmaids to check on things.

It was a success. Somehow, both weddings were a huge success. Sam had found money I didn't even know he had to make it all possible for her. Seeing the two of them kissing by the fire, brighter than the flames, I couldn't have been any happier for their union.

After at least an hour of solid dancing and conversation, I missed my boyfriend. "Edward?" I called, moving through the people in search of him.

I found him speaking with my mom and ran over to them at a human's pace. I smoothly joined his side, grabbing his wrist to loop his arm over my shoulders.

Edward's fingers curved around my shoulder in a wordless welcome. "I missed you, too. We were actually just talking about you."

"We're trying to figure out how you can dance so well when your father was such a disaster," Mom informed me. "Why didn't you tell him you were musically talented before?"

"Musically talented? Are you serious? I'm an ok dancer and I can hold a tune. And I'm not even sure how I got my rhythm since you have none either."

Mom launched an assault on me and I was quick to evade the incoming hits. "You disrespectful girl!" Edward laughed as I used him as a shield. "You get your moves from me!"

"Is that so? May I steal a dance with you later, Mrs. Clearwater?" Edward asked, so innocent, so adorable. She would step on his toes every second she danced with him. But, hey, I guessed it wouldn't hurt, so, who cared?

"Of course."

"Ok, bye!" I wrapped my arms around Edward's waist, locking my fingers together so I could drag him away.

"Later!" She promised Edward before I got him to myself.

We joined the slow-dancing people.

I ringed my arms over the back of his neck, not allowing him to be so far away. "Was I far?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Far enough." I leaned in closer and he broke out a rewarding smile. "Are you still having fun?"

"I am, I promise. It's been enlightening seeing the others this way, not completely on their guard."

"People are too happy to be mad at a pretty little vampire." He laughed at my description. "It makes me happy that you can experience a bit of my culture. And I'm glad my mom kept an eye on you through all this. I would've been around more but—"

"You were too busy being pulled in, yourself. I understand." One of his hands left my waist to stroke up and down my arm.

"Pretty much. But it's been nice seeing so many faces from the Makah reservation, the S'Klallam res and even the Quinault. I hadn't seen some of these people since we were little kids and now they're married and have these amazing careers. We've all sorta found our places in life now."

"I hate to take you away from them tonight."

I smiled at him, shuffling even closer in our swaying. "I came to you, actually. So, apologize for being irresistible, if anything."

"Why am I being complimented so much today?" He asked me like he minded. "I definitely don't mind. I'm merely pleasantly surprised."

Since I had the choice, I decided to tease him. "It's the suit. Those cufflinks are just so damn stylish."

"Right, because you're just dating me for my money."

"Yep. Frankly, I lost my attraction to you, like, a week ago. Everything I've been doing and even thinking since then is an act." He kept up the smug grin which was impossible to stay serious in the face of. "Stop it. It's really just the money. That's it." His grin widened, crossing the line of lovely into enchanting. I gripped him by his jacket's lapels, protesting with a laugh, "Stop!"

"I'm sorry," he said, reeling me in for a brief hug before we returned to dancing with some modicum of composure. "If this is all for the money, then I guess I should ask what kind of lifestyle you plan on living. Do you want a mansion?"

"Check."

"An expensive sports car?"

"Three or four to start with."

"A huge wedding? Maybe even two like your cousin?"

I broke out of the little game to answer seriously, "No way." Emily's double-wedding had been so exhausting. It was beautiful, don't get me wrong, but, God, did I not want a wedding day like hers. "I want to pick the flowers and my dress and then let someone else do all the legwork. The only thing I want to worry about on my wedding day is whether I should have my veil over my face or not."

Edward was thoroughly amused as he said, "I would've thought you'd want more control."

"Nah, I just wanna wear a pretty dress and marry the person I love in front of my friends and family. I always thought whoever I was marrying would have stronger opinions about it than me. That, or we'd just have a justice of the peace wedding. So, yeah. What about you?"

"Almost the same as you. I want to marry the person I love with my friends and my family surrounding us. I'd like it to be a traditional wedding, proper—as in having a nice venue and a reception. But I already know I don't need a veil, my dress will be pretty enough by itself."

I tried to scowl at him, ending up smiling anyway. "I hate you."

"Mhm. Seth wants a dance, by the way. This should be good. " He spun me and I went straight into my brother's arms, missing Edward the instant he was gone.

"So, did you find her?" I asked, looking around at any teenage girls I could see. So many people were here from other reservations, it was the perfect time for someone to imprint.

He gave a wistful smile and shrugged. "Not yet." But then he perked back up. For how much spirit he used when he danced, you'd think it'd make him a better dancer. I was lucky to be fast enough to where he couldn't step on my feet. "You and Edward are thinkin' about marriage, huh?"

"No, we're taking things slow."

"But it sounded like you guys were talking about marriage. And let's say you two were getting married: Who would walk you down the aisle?" I groaned, knowing now why Edward made his little comment. "Me, right? It has to be me."

Edward had disappeared into the crowd, so I was fending Seth off completely by myself. "I don't know, because I'm not thinking about it since I'm not getting married. Please, stop jinxing the hell outta me and my two week relationship."

Paul came swooping in, dancing alone beside the two of us. "Hey."

"Not a word or I'll punch you in the eye."

Paul ignored my threat. "Can't clinch it, Clearwater? Let me give you a little tip."

"No."

"When a guy says words like traditional and proper, he's just trying to appeal to what you like. All a guy really wants is to have sex—plain and simple." A vein pulsed in my forehead as I glared at Paul who was way too confident I wouldn't attack him at a wedding.

I stopped clenching my teeth together long enough to tell him, "Tomorrow is the day you die." I was already thinking of exactly how I was going to do it. Slowly. Painfully. One limb at a time.

"But hey, I'm rooting for it to work. I am. I'm sure he has man parts. Let's just hope they don't shine." That was it. I was about to murder him in front of everyone—ancestors, forgive me—when Edward's cold arms wrapped around me.

"Leah," he said sharply.

I looked up at him, my nerves reacting to the anxiety in his face. "What's wrong?"

"Where did the vampire lurk the most on the reservation?"

Crap. "The outskirts. So, Jared and—"

Edward began walking and I kept in step with him, or else my feet would've dragged against the ground. Paul followed us and so did Embry. Sam whispered instructions to the rest to stay behind and act normal. I kept quiet, waving and smiling to people who called my name until we were out of the public eye.

Edward booked it then, using my mind as a map to Jared's house. When we got close enough, Jared's frantic yells became audible. His dog was barking and whimpering. His parents—they must've just gotten home from their trip, so where were they? I didn't hear any other human heartbeats.

We finally arrived on the scene, getting to the ruckus in the backyard. The dog was bleeding in the corner of the picketed fence, Jared was kicking at a white demon that was clawing his legs, trying to yank him out of the backdoor's frame he'd wedged himself in.

"Get off of him!" I roared, ripping out of Edward's hold for an instant phase.

I seized the vampire off of Jared with my teeth, slamming it into the ground. A white head with platinum blonde hair snarled up at me, her eyes a bright gold. It shocked me into freezing.

Gold? But the only other vampires who hunt animals are the Cullens' cousin coven. Embry's thoughts echoed mine.

My bloodlust dulled as logic reached around it to help me understand. Why would Edward's allies attack us?

Before I could piece anything together, she lunged for me, her murderous intent still equipped and at the ready. I tensed to dodge but Edward caught her. For the first time, with my own eyes, I saw what he looked like when he was going to kill someone. He was unrelenting, unflinching, his eyes wide and feral as his hands twisted her around, creating fractures in the perfect white of her arms.

She screamed, "Mercy! Please! Please, Edward!" It was haunting and scratchy desperation that came out of her. "No! I want to live! I have to live! Please!" She screeched as he took her head in his hands.

Edward, stop.

Leah, let him! Are you crazy? She needs to die! She attacked Jared and she'll attack again! Paul was disturbed at my intervention.

Embry's thought shouted over his, We know vampires are vengeful and she has a whole coven! We can't start something else right now!

Crud, he's right! Stop him!

"We're friends!" She half-sobbed, the chesty sound mixing with her throaty shrieking as he began to pull. "We're friends! I beg you!"

I phased back into my human form. "Edward! Don't!" I ran over, trying to pry him off of her.

His eyes met mine. Whatever he saw in them convinced him to release her. She fell onto the grassy ground, scrambling onto her back and elbows as she stared up at Edward in horror. "You would've killed me!"

"You would've killed Leah," he replied without an ounce of remorse. "You lied to us. We visited you and you knew why and you lied until we were placated. You had your entire family be complicit in your deceit just so you could come here unexpected and slaughter innocents. Children, Irina!"

"They killed Laurent!" She shouted back, pushing herself back up to her feet. "Have you forgotten? These children, this woman—if you can even call it that—"

"How dare you?" Edward tried to go toward her. I stopped him with a hand on his chest, using my other arm to somewhat cover myself. "You should leave now before I change my mind about sparing you." He pushed me gently, toward where Jared was laying and groaning.

I ran over to Jared, checking on him. The gashes and wounds on his body weren't healing well at all. Embry and Paul caught up then, coming to help me get him inside. Paul stayed in wolf form while Embry phased back. To search around the house for medical supplies, I was sure.

"What's wrong with you, Edward? This isn't you! What have they done to you?" I glanced back, catching her eyes as she sent a murderous glare at me.

Incredulous, he repeated, "What have they done to me? You've truly lost it! Leah wasn't even a wolf at the time and you know that!"

"As if it makes a difference! You shield them all! You lied to us! You said you were only allied with them for the battle but really you were in love with one of them! And that's—that's impossible! Bella was who you loved and we don't just switch who we love, it's not our way. They must have done something! These savages and their black magic—"

"Go," Edward hissed, his anger shooting back up in an instant. I worried I'd have to run back over. "Leave this place. Don't ever return. If your family desires an explanation, we'll gladly give them one. But you can trust none of us will speak to you ever again."

"My family won't speak to yours either! They actually understand loyalty! They understand that these are barbarous beasts, murderers in children's skins! They cannot be allowed to exist! It's us or them!" She bolted then, heading for the water.

As Embry was patching up Jared, Paul went outside. I used him as a shield for my modesty as he stood in a vigilant watch. "Edward, what was that? Why does she care about Laurent?"

"A question I've asked myself many times!" He cried in a sudden outburst. At my impatient mental prodding, he divulged, "Before the pack hunted him down for attempting to kill Bella, he entered into an entanglement with Irina. I'm sure you've guessed by now that she's from the Denali coven."

"Yeah, I guessed that. And I'm also guessing that's why they refused to fight with you against the newborns."

"I thought they would get over this eventually. Laurent wasn't Irina's mate, Leah, she had a mere attachment to him!" He came close, close as was possible with Paul between us. "My family—we went to visit her last month, that's why we were gone. We were checking, making sure it wasn't them. But they were already against us, theirs minds clouded with Irina's putrid vitriol. They hid it—all of it. Every memory, every emotion Jasper could have recognized as out of the ordinary."

So, Irina had surveyed us as the mystery lurker vampire. She might've just gone away after a day but then she probably smelled Edward and decided to stay and watch us for longer. She could've even just heard me talk about him, that would've been enough to pique her curiosity. "You knew it was her, though. Didn't you?"

"I suspected."

"And you didn't tell us that you suspected her. You didn't even give us a hint," I said, anger bubbling up like it would try and change me. I breathed deeply through the incorporeal fire, saying, "We'll talk about this later."

His frame went rigid but he instantly replied, "Alright."

"Do we have to worry about her whole family since they've humored her this far? Should we expect them to all come here, to try and wipe us out?"

"No. Even if they were willing to try, I'd kill them all, myself, if I had to." He placed a hand on Paul's back. I guessed that Paul had thought something supportive of him. "She was traveling with her sister, Kate, as a front just in case Alice looked into her future. They decided to head home today, having come all the way to the westcoast. Only, Irina didn't. She snuck away here to seek irrational retribution. Her family would never encourage this."

"Why'd she even do this? Did she really expect to kill us all and not die in the process?"

"She's not like Victoria. She's not methodical, she's not even typically violent. Her emotions are ruling, all reason having left her when she discovered my connection to you."

"It burns!" Jared wailed from inside.

Edward tensed. "I'm so sorry. She bit him."

I ran inside, finding Embry trying to calm a delirious Jared. "Keep him still, we don't want the venom to circulate even faster," I ordered before running upstairs. From Jared's parents' room, I dialed my mom on the landline.

She was reliable as ever. "Leah? Why are you calling me when we're at the same wedding? Where are you?"

"I'm at Jared's, he was attacked. His dog was, too, but Spike doesn't have venom in his system, unlike his owner. We need you."

"Billy's is closest. I'll meet you there."

I hung up and dialed Carlisle next. "Irina—"

"Alice saw. Did they make it?"

My stomach turned and I tried not to imagine what Alice had seen. "He did but he's been bitten."

"Where should I go?"

"Billy's."

"I'll be there in thirty." We hung up at the same time.

I changed into Jared's mother's clothes. I wasn't able to find shoes before his parents' car came into hearing distance. We carried Jared out in a hurry, bringing Spike carefully with us. "Edward," I whispered as if they'd hear us from a few miles out.

"I'll clean, they won't notice a thing," he replied, leaving me and Embry to keep carrying Jared away, a car no longer an option unless we wanted to drive straight into his parents.

Paul phased back, helping us even though we didn't need it. "Paul, you should go back to the wedding and update Sam."

"What should I say?" He asked me immediately.

"Tell him Jared's been bitten. And tell him to cut the honeymoon real short—or just not to go at all."

Embry sighed and said, "Emily was so excited. I wish there was some way they could still go."

"Not unless we hid this from Sam."

"Couldn't we? I mean, what's Sam gonna do about this anyway? He didn't even do anything when Irina was lurking around here to prevent this from happening!"

Despite my feelings, I defended the alpha because I was his second. "He needs to know. He's still in charge, he still has the final say over this pack."

"I was just saying," Paul grumbled before splitting off from us, running to follow my orders. "Damn, I should've stolen Jared's pants! Now I gotta run back to mine past the wedding and then circle back! Aw hell!"

"And yet your day still isn't worse than Jared's," Embry commented. It shut Paul up pretty well.

My mom was at Billy's before us since we'd carried Jared slow and easy, already prepared with plenty of medical supplies. Edward did his best to help but I pretty much ordered him to stand and wait in the corner after fixing up Spike. His mild toxicity would harm Jared more than his proximity would help. For a while, we worked in silence, focused on Jared and his worsening condition.

"We missed seeing them off," Mom said as we were rinsing bloody washcloths together in Billy's sink. "Not that they'll get to actually go anyway."

"I hope she won't be too disappointed," Embry mumbled from his spot beside Jared in Jacob's bedroom. His mom would be livid over his disappearing when he got home.

I responded to his concern, "She'll understand. Worry more about yourself." Emily knew what she was signing up for when she married Sam.

A few seconds later, Quil came to drop Billy off back home. He wheeled in ahead of Quil, frowning at the sight of Edward. As Quil ran after the scent of Jared, going to check on him, Edward turned his head to look at Billy. He said clearly and in a very grave way, "No, you don't."

"Ok then. I'm gonna go get ready for bed and let you all handle this," Billy replied, wheeling right past me and my mom. "Goodnight."

Carlisle came speeding to us not long after Billy had finished brushing his teeth. He had the decency to knock on the front door. I opened it up for him, letting him inside. "Hello, Leah, Sue. How are his vitals?"

While Carlisle spoke to my mom, I kept cleaning. Billy came back out for a glass of water, watching me work. After taking a sip, he looked up at me, saying, "If you plan to stay overnight you should go get your things. Bring back Seth with you—or send him to Collin's actually. There's power in numbers and since I'm sure Sam will come here, Seth should be there."

I nodded, happy to follow orders if it got me away from the smell of blood and venom The scent made me nauseous after everything I'd gone through with Jacob. So, I hugged my mom before leaving and towed Edward out with me by his hand. I'd have to carry my laundry back since my car was parked close to the cliff for the second wedding and Edward's was still back at Beau Lodge. Since the night skies were clear, I wasn't too worried about it.

When I got close to home, I saw Seth was on the steps, waiting for us. I waited until we were only a few feet away from him to say, "Go to Collin's."

"But—"

"Now. We'll have a pack-wide talk about everything tomorrow."

Seth sulked but he still did as I said, thank God. Fighting with a moody teenaged boy had to be one of my all-time least favorite things to do. While I was listening to him run the most direct route to Collin's, Edward spoke up, "She won't be back. She won't go after anyone who doesn't phase, either. You don't have to worry."

I didn't respond. I only turned to face him, keeping my thoughts and emotions tightly locked away.

He swallowed roughly. "I'm sorry, more than you could ever know. Alice had no visions that could have foretold of this. Carlisle had not a single stray thought that this could happen. Irina is the most passive of her sisters. None of us knew this was possibility, not this time. The second I knew, I came and got you. This is nothing like what happened with Chelsea."

I continued to stare.

"I know, I should have told you long before this. But the day I returned from that visit to the Denali coven, you left for Finland. After that, everything happened so fast and, to be honest, I hadn't thought of them since. No one has. Since we didn't deem them a threat and the pack had all but forgotten about the vampire lurker, she simply never came up. I'm sure it sounds unbelievable but it's the truth."

I crossed my arms.

His breathing pattern changed, consisting of only enough air to where he could speak. "It's not that I forgot her, per se. I can't forget anything, obviously. But things can fall by the wayside for my kind if we have enough on our plates and Irina did for me. That's the truth."

Letting out a tiny scoff, I stormed around to the back of the house, to my rose garden. When he hesitantly followed, I sat him down on the newly installed bench he'd set up for me after our last date. He looked queasy as he settled on gazing up at me, sickness all over his pale, moonlight-ridden face. I had a lot I wanted to say, a million different things had crossed my mind long before we got back to my house. But only a few of those things mattered and were worth saying after what he'd told me.

"Do you have any other secrets?"

"No."

Towering over him, I demanded, "Be sure. There's nothing else? Nothing at all?"

"There's nothing."

"If you wanna stay together, from now on, we tell each other the second we find out about stuff like this. Swear that you will," I ordered him.

And with heartfelt fealty, he said, "I swear."

"There's absolutely nothing else you should tell me? Be sure, Edward."

He hesitated again, his gaze distracted from mine for a moment. "I suppose I have a few conversations I'd prefer to keep private but I could tell you them now if—"

"Could me not knowing about them hurt or kill someone?"

He shook his head but sustained intense eye contact then. "No."

"Then, I don't care. Privacy's fine, just not harmful secrets like these. There's a big difference between the two." There couldn't be a repeat of tonight. We couldn't keep blindsiding each other this way if we stayed together. His secrets were hurting others.

"You're right. You're completely right and it won't ever happen again. It won't," he said, his every word managing to sound like a plea. "I beseech you with all that I am. Please—...please, forgive this. It is an aftereffect of a disappeared man, a consequence of the past. I would have told you, I really just didn't think about it. All I think about is you. Please, Leah. I'm not lying."

He was transfixed, listening to every racing thought in my head. "Still, this is strike two, Edward."

"Strike two, meaning..." Despite the fact that he could read my mind, he wanted me to say it. "Yes, or I'll never believe it."

"I forgive you."

He snatched me up so quickly that by the time I flinched in surprise, I was already in his arms, on his lap. Since it was cozy that way, I settled in, hugging him back as best I could with how restrained my range of motion was. It took him a while until he could relax enough to breathe again and accept that I hadn't cut him loose. Not yet, anyway.

He swore so sweetly, severing the long stretch of silence, "I know you don't believe me, but whatever it takes, I'm not going to lose this. I won't lose you."

Maybe it was stupid of me but— "I believe you." Being in love could make anyone foolish, couldn't it? Even skeptics, even geniuses. Anyone could be someone else's fool if they loved them deeply enough.

I closed my eyes, listening to the sound of his breathing and the gentle sounds of nature. We stayed there, just like that, until I fell asleep. And when I woke up the next morning, I was in my bed, and he was gone. I stretched, staying curled in my covers before I remembered to go check my garden from the window. The new addition was worth getting up for, a beautiful start to the new day.

A small pond shimmered in the pallid morning rays, comet goldfish swimming in its depths like immortalized drops of the red sunset we'd watched yesterday.


A/N: Wakeup call! Uh oh, Irina isn't just going to go away. Is this the first sign of many that Leah and Edward can't overcome their history of deceit and destruction? Is Leah just a fool who's hanging onto an unreachable dream? They say love can change anything but can it change Edward's bad, old habits?

I've returned, dear friends. Did you enjoy this huge heaping of romance? I sure hope so! Much more to come, I promise. Also I don't really remember if I've mentioned this and I'm too lazy to check but I love the song recommendations I've been sent. I'm so grateful for them and astonished at how well they fit the story lol. I'd been blasting the Twilight soundtrack to get into the mood but now I have really great songs to listen to. Thank you! Don't forget to go ahead and forgive me for any mistakes! :)