Chapter 5: Going Home
All the air in Leah's lungs stilled. She hadn't seen Alice since the wedding. She had almost forgotten how beautiful she was. Had it really been three days since this whole mess started. Alice looked at Leah with only mild curiosity, and the thought sent a flare of pain in her chest. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Jasper wince and rub his own chest. Then Alice turned to her husband, "Jaz, you can go hunting now." Jaz left as he passed Alice he pressed his lips to her forehead, and her eyes fluttered closed. Leah bit her loop to hold in the whimper. Alice entered the room fully, and Leah finally felt the air in her lungs move again, and she realized something, "Huh you no longer smell like a rotting corpse drizzled in honey."
Alice wrinkled her nose at the image, "Ew that's what we smell like to you...wolves." Leah didn't miss the way she emphasized the word wolves, and Leah was appreciative of the effort to not call her a dog.
"So is it your turn to babysit the flight risk," Leah asked, stretching out her legs and crossing one ankle over the other. Alice sat on the edge of the bed, perfectly perched like a little bird.
"We're not babysitting you Leah, we came to see you. I came to see you."
"Oh I see, I'm not looking to ruin your life I promise. If you want me to disappear I will."
"If you disappear your brother will be sad, which would upset my mother. Isn't there any way we could get to know each other as friends. I'm sorry I can't give you more than that," Alice looked down at her hands folded in her lap.
"Hey please don't be sorry, you're happy, and that is our number one goal once we've imprinted. As for coming back, I don't know my people will not accept this especially not our Alpha."
"This is your Ex boyfriend correct?"
"Ex fiance actually. Then he imprinted on our cousin, and here we are."
"If I go back it would only be for Seth, and that is tempting let me tell you because I love that kid."
"Then come back for Seth, please I feel drawn to you," then she sighed, and her eyes immediately snapped to Leah's, "Sweet jesus, ahem sorry. We usually hold our breaths around you shifters because of the smell, but just now I you smell heavenly, your blood it um calls you me. I wonder if this is what Edward felt the first time he'd smelt Bella. You smell like petrichor and wildflowers."
"Well that's good to know," Leah said with a small chuckle. Then she noticed the constant itch that had settled in her bones ever since she left forks had stopped, and her queasiness was gone, she took a deep breath, and looked at Alice a moment the scent of jasmine settling in her lungs. For the first time in a while Leah felt contentment. It felt nice, and she desperately did not want to lose that. Plus making Seth happy made her happy, "Fine I'll try to be your friend, and maybe there is a way to reverse it who knows, though that means I'll have to talk to Sam. Ugh."
For some reason the thought of it being reversible saddened Alice, but she pushed that thought away, and smiled brightly at the shifter. "Excellent, I'll just tell the others."
Then the fairy princess takes her leave, and Leah sighed heavily, rolled off the bed, and began to gather up her belongings.
She opted to ride back in a car with Esme and Carlisle, with Seth in the back. It seemed to be the least confusing. Carlisle went back to get two cars so they could go back more in a more traditional method. Seth had been tired, and Esme refused to let him run all the way back home. He'd conked out with his head in Leah's lap ten minutes after they pulled away from the curb. Leah was running through her fingers through Seth's hair while he twitched and growled in his sleep.
"You know I don't think we've ever spoken, I'm Esme, Alice's mother," the matriarch said, meeting Leah's eyes in the rearview mirror. Leah's finger's still in Seth's hair, and she thought maybe she should have taken the other car after all, or maybe stayed with Agnes.
"I just wanted to tell you that if you need anything you or Seth we'll be happy to help in any way we can."
Leah looked at this woman a moment, nodded before going back to staring outside the window, "Now that being said, what are your plans when you return home?"
"Oh I guess I'll stop by my house, and say hi to my mom so she'll stop worrying. Then suck it up and go to Sam, and tell him everything so he can maybe be a little helpful, and I guess try to live my life to the best of my ability," Leah had no idea how to do that to be honest. She'd have to figure it out she supposes. She pushes the thoughts of her future both distant, and immediate, leaned her head against the headrest, and took a nap.
She didn't wake up until they were pulling into the driveway of the cullen house, and it was very late at night, and there was a light drizzle hanging in the air. Esme looked at the two sleeping people in the back of her car, and she felt her heart give a little pang as they began to stir awake, "Alright kiddos it's late, so I insist you wait until tomorrow to go home, we have guestrooms, and a shower that is freely yours to use."
"Oh miss Esme we couldn't," Seth said yawning and scratching his head.
"Seth please, I insist."
"Yes ma'am, but I kinda told my mom we'd be home tonight, and she's expecting us."
Leah noticed the disappointed look on her face, "We'll be by to visit soon, I have to because if I don't visit Alice I start to itch."
"Oh won't that be wonderful. very well, you two be good, and I'll see you soon."
They both nodded, and got out of the car. Leah grabs the backpack of her stuff from the trunk, but before she can secure it around her ankle it's taken from her by Emmett, "No way dude I'm holding this hostage, you want this you gotta race me on your next visit," he said with a giddy grin. HIs excitement was contagious, and she couldn't help but grin back at him.
"Sure I'll race you next time I'm here."
"Excellent, now you two go home see ya around."
Leah nodded, and turned around and headed into the tree line. Once she was sure she was hidden from view she took off her clothing, and laid them on the rock, she had a feeling Esme would come out later, and grab them for her. Maybe hanging out with the leeched wasn't going to be so bad. That was her last thought about the fact that she'd imprinted on Alice Cullen before she shifted. The wind felt great in her fur, and she had to admit while there were mostly cons to being the only girl shifter she did enjoy the speed, and then she heard it, Sam's voice. 'Leah where the hell have you been, you can't just take off whenever you feel like it.'
'Chill Sam, I had to take care of some things I'll explain tomorrow, in the meantime I need to see my mom.'
'See me after,' It was a command, and even though it wasn't an alpha order she knew she couldn't push it because otherwise it might be.
'In the morning i'm exhausted.'
'Should have thought of that before taking off for nearly a week, you have duties in the pack Leah.'
'I know that, and I promise I'll explain tomorrow, just let me sleep asshat,' Leah thought, anger starting to simmer below the surface. She couldn't go there tonight; she couldn't smell anything like the Cullens.
'Fine, first thing in the morning, and Leah don't make me come get you.'
'Wouldn't dream of it oh mighty Alpha,' Leah thought with a mighty eyeroll. Then she arrived outside her mother's house. She'd left clothing outside for her. It caused a sentimental pang of affection for her mother. She quickly dressed, and went inside. Her mother was seated on the couch. She looked up, and smiled at her, "Oh sweetie I've missed you, you can't just disappear like that."
"I know mom I'm sorry I just had to work through some stuff."
"You know Sam has been looking for you too you know."
"Yea I know we had a brief chat on the way over here I'm going there in the morning."
"I see, well what made you leave?"
"Well mom I sort of imprinted."
"You did, oh that's wonderful, what's his name?"
"You actually know them, it's Alice Cullen mom."
A/N: I think I'll leave it there. I enjoy torturing you guys apparently. Mwahahaha. I do hope you enjoy this please read review kudos. I love all those things, and please stay safe.