Fixing the Pieces
AN: 'Sup, my peeps? Okay, yep that was my attempt at 'cool talk'. Ouch. I promise I will never do that again. Here is another chapter for you to enjoy! Just a heads up- this chapter is about 2000 words longer than my longest chapter so... I hope it's not too boring. I should've broken it into two chapters, but, well, I didn't. Sorry!
Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter!! I appreciate it SO much! And... enough babbling! Here we go-
I had to grudgingly admit that being a shape-shifting freak had a few minor benefits when I examined my reflection the next morning. A normal human girl's face would've been totally ravanged by the flood of tears I'd cried the night before, but I looked as fresh as if I'd had a deep, untroubled night's worth of sleep. Now, as long as I was very careful with my thoughts around Edward the Brain Probe and my Pack if I phased, no one should suspect a thing. Well, Embry might, but I was starting to wonder if he had some kind of weird third-sense when it came to me and my emotions. My own personal mini-Jasper.
Yippee. Because it was really fun to have someone always know when you're being pathetic. At least he never treated me like I was pathetic. In fact, he usually treated me completely the opposite.
Just remembering how thrilled he'd been that I'd broken Sam's nose made me giggle to myself as I fixed an enormous breakfast for my family of three. Another little giggle slipped past my lips when I realized that I'd made two dozen eggs and a whole package of bacon, and I was actually concerned that it wouldn't be enough. My appetite was thriving, and not even Emmett could tease me about looking like a scarecrow anymore. I may have been lean and toned, but my curves weren't anything to laugh at. Heck, I might even fill out my bikini again!
"Somebody's in a good mood today," Seth commented when he caught me grinning like a fool at nothing in particular.
"Maybe I was just hoping you'd sleep in so I could eat your eggs," I declared haughtily as I filled my plate to overflowing and plopped down at the table. Truthfully, I was in a good mood. A great mood, actually. Somehow, that crying jag over Sam last night had eased the painful squeezing on my heart just a tiny bit. I didn't know why or how, but I felt better.
"Morning, kids," Mom yawned as she joined us at the table and filled her plate with the remaining food. "So, what are your plans for the day, Leah?"
I swallowed my last bite and scrunched up my face. Oh, yeah. I'd forgotten that she and Seth would just assume I wasn't going along to the Cullen's today. I really wished I didn't have to go, what with having to get my hand checked over- again- by Carlisle, not to mention explaining to Jacob exactly why I needed to get it checked out. But I'd promised Embry I'd be there, and I had no doubts he'd show up and haul me there over his shoulder if he had to.
"Actually, I was thinking I'd go with you to watch the game," I finally answered awkwardly. The blank, shocked looks on Mom and Seth's faces didn't help matters, and I squirmed in my seat, scowling. "What? I'm not allowed to watch baseball?"
Mom recovered first, looking flustered. "No, no. Of course you are. I just thought..."
"Awesome, Leah," Seth exclaimed as his adorable grin spread from ear to ear. "Wanna race me there?"
"Wouldn't be much of a race. I'd be there, phased, and bored before you were even half-way," I snorted disdainfully. "I'll spare you the humilation and ride with Mom."
"Gee, thanks," he replied, rolling his eyes. He rinsed off his plate, kissed Mom's cheek, and darted out the door. Mom and I smiled after him indulgently before I caught myself and swiftly started clearing the table.
Silently, we climbed into the car and headed towards the Vamp House. I used the time to scrutinized Mom as she drove. She was wearing make-up, which was a little bit surprising. For as long as I could remember, she'd only bothered with it when she was going somewhere special, or when she wanted to look especially pretty for Dad. My heart gave a funny little twist at the thought. Apparently, Embry was right, and things were pretty serious between her and Charlie. What if he was right about me driving a wedge between the two of them, too?
"So... Mom. You and Charlie, huh?" I asked casually. Yeah, that was my brilliant attempt at nonchalantly broaching the subject. I could feel my face turning five shades of red, so I studied the trees flashing by my windows.
Mom glanced at me, clearly confused. "What about me and Charlie?"
"Well... you know," I shifted uncomfortably. This was definitely not on the list of conversations I ever wanted to have with my mother. "It seems like you two are, um, getting... pretty serious."
"Why do you think that?" she asked me nervously. I guess she was as uncomfortable about this as I was.
I scrunched up my face and waved a hand at her. "You're wearing make-up. To go watch a baseball game."
"Oh," she muttered, and now it was her turn to blush sheepishly.
"No, no. I think it's great, Mom. Really, You know I've always liked Charlie," I rushed to reassure her. Darn it, I was really botching this!
"Yes, I know that. Only..." she left her sentence hanging, but I knew what she meant. His daughter is a vampire. My mortal enemy.
"That doesn't change anything," I stated firmly. She turned her surprised face towards me, and I shrugged. "Really. The Cullen's are alright. As far as bloodsuckers go, anyway. So if Charlie makes you happy, then I say go for it."
We pulled up to the big, white house, and I thanked my lucky stars for the excellent timing. Mom and I climbed swiftly out of the car, relief at getting out of that awkward conversation evident on both our faces.
"Sue!" Nessie shrieked, streaking toward us from the porch in a blur of motion, Jacob close at her heels. She latched herself onto my mom and gave me an ear-to-ear grin.
"I'm glad you liked your car. Uncle Emmett said he was worried you were going to pass out when you saw it."
I swallowed hard and forced myself to give her a smile. Better start making more of an effort with the Wonder Kid since Mom loved her so much. "Yeah, it's great. It was really nice of your dad and Emmett to bring it to La Push."
"Is Charlie here yet?" Mom asked her as they headed toward the front door. Jake gave me a grin before he turned to follow them, and I got a sick feeling in my stomach again. Man, he was going to be so ticked off when he found out about-
Spiderman, Spiderman! Does whatever a spider can!
Crap, I'd almost forgotten I needed to watch my thoughts if I didn't want Edward finding out about 'The Nose Incident' before I had a chance to break it to Jacob gently. Man, I felt like a kid getting into a fight on the playground and having to tell her parents about it.
"Hey, Leah. Glad I didn't have to kidnap you to get you here this time."
I jumped and whirled around to come face to face with a grinning Embry. Well, face to chest, anyway, since my head barely came up to the bottom of his chin. Dang. I must've been so lost in trying to block my thoughts that I didn't hear him sneaking up on me. He just smirked when I smacked him on the arm, but before I could tell him off for making me jump, Quil stepped out from behind him.
"Hey, Leah. Long time, no see," he greeted casually, giving me a half-hearted wave.
I blinked at him in surprise. "Quil? Shouldn't you be playing peek-a-boo with Claire or something?"
"Yeah, well. Her mom thought she needed to be around kids her own age, so she took her to some play group thing," he grunted unhappily. He looked so gloomy about it that I couldn't stop myself from laughing.
"Aw, cheer up, man. Spending a few hours in adult company will be good for you," I told him. He scowled at me, and I smiled reassuringly. "I'll bet Jacob will share Nessie if you ask really nicely."
"Yeah, dude. Just think of it as good training for when Claire gets older," Embry agreed, though he looked a little more annoyed than amused. I guess I could understand that. It must suck to have one of your best friends desperately wishing they could be hanging out with a two year old instead of you. Quil rolled his eyes and headed toward the house, but I grabbed Embry's arm and stopped him.
"Hey, do me a favor and don't think about yesterday until we get a chance to talk to Jacob, okay?"
"What? Why?" he asked, confused.
"Well, because I really don't want Jacob finding out because Edward heard it first. I mean, it's going to be bad enough the way it is," I muttered, and Embry grinned at me.
"You know, I don't think Jake's gonna be too upset about it. I mean, he broke-"
"Shut up! Don't think about it!" I demanded in a whispered shriek, even though I knew it was already a lost cause. There probably wasn't a vamp in the place that couldn't hear our conversation, although the blaring TV might've drowned us out. But that hardly mattered, since Edward most likely had heard enough in Embry's head by now.
"Too late," Embry said sheepishly, confirming my fears. I sighed heavily and started heading up to the house. He caught up with me and poked me in the arm. "How exactly were you going to keep him from hearing it, anyway?"
"Spins a web, any size. Catches theives, just like flies!" I sang under my breath, and Embry stared at me in amazement.
"No way! You know the Spiderman theme song? You are officially the coolest girl I've ever met," he told me fervently, and I rolled my eyes at him.
"Geez, who knew you were so easy to impress?"
"Hey, Spiderman is the awesomest superhero ever, B. The spidey sense and the web-flinging, that's some crazy stuff," he insisted as we passed the front door. I just shook my head and gave him a pointed look.
"Yeah, well, if Jacob goes off the deep end when he finds out, I'm totally blaming you."
"He's not going to hear about it from me, but I agree with Embry. You should really have Carlisle take a look at your hand, especially since it's still bothering you," Edward's velvety voice said quietly from behind me.
I spun quickly to face him, grimacing. "So you heard all about it already, huh?"
"Not enough to know all the details, but enough to get the general idea," he paused and grinned unexpectedly at me. "And even though I'm thrilled you finally stood up to Sam, I'd recommend finding a less self-damaging way to do it. Or invest in a pair of boxing gloves."
"Thanks. I'll look into that," I muttered sarcastically. Embry grinned broadly next to me, and Edward snickered.
"Yes. I suspect it was definitely something to see," he agreed with Embry's unspoken thought, and I glowered darkly at both of them. How many fingers would I break if I punched Edward's nose?
"All of them, undoubtably," he answered me with a chuckle, and now it was Embry's turn to look slightly mystified. I stalked away towards the TV, mentally shrieking the Spiderman theme song as the two of them followed after me.
"I had no idea you were a Spiderman fan, Leah," Edward said, hands in his pockets as he eyed me with amusement. "I have to say, it's infinitely better than most of your musical choices, though."
"I could always switch back to 'Henry the Eighth' if you want," I answered sweetly. Or if you keep annoying me. He smirked, but didn't get a chance to answer since Emmett caught sight of me and bounded out of his chair.
"Leah! My favorite wolf! Wanna make a bet on the game?" he asked eagerly with a wicked gleam in his eye. Guess I needed to thank Carlisle for tipping me off this week.
"Not a chance. Nice try, though," I shot back, and grinned at his crestfallen look. Suddenly, I looked around the room, and nervous butterflies fluttered around wildly in my stomach. What was I doing getting all cozy in the Vamps' living room? I hadn't promised Embry that I'd actually come in and watch the game, so what was I doing? Hesitantly, I took a step back, away from the happy atmosphere around the TV, as my skin crawled uncomfortably. This wasn't right. I didn't belong here and I-
Embry tugged on my arm and pulled me down onto the couch next to him. My wary, restless gaze landed on his deep, chocolate brown eyes, and he grinned easily at me. I just stared at him, my back ramrod straight as I perched on the edge of the cushion.
"S'not so bad, B. Just relax and watch the game with me," he murmured in a voice so low no one else could hear. I frowned as my eyes darted anxiously around the room again and fidgeted uncomfortably.
"I dunno. Maybe I should just go running or-"
"Please?" he asked, giving me his best puppy dog eyes. Who could resist him when he looked like that? Heaving a sigh that came straight from my toes, I leaned back into the soft, pale cushions of the couch next to him. He grinned triumphantly, and I nudged him playfully in the ribs and rolled my eyes.
Soon, everyone was congregated in front of the TV as the game started, and I sank into my little corner of the couch and made myself as small as possible. With Embry's enormous, reassuring bulk squeezed up next to me, I felt almost invisible. I didn't even have to move to get food, since he kept filling my plate for me. Maybe having my own personal mini-Jasper wasn't so bad after all. I could tell he understood how awkward and strange this was for me, and he was doing the best he could to make it easier for me. I wanted to hug him until he turned blue and passed out from lack of oxygen.
Because this was wonderful, this feeling of being a part of a big, happy group like this where nobody loathed my presence or wished I would just disappear. I felt so warm, so comfortable, and oh, so content.
The game ended sooner than I wanted it to, but Embry made no move to get up from the couch and I was grateful for that. It gave me an excuse to stay tucked up into my corner of the couch with my happy feelings just a little bit longer. Charlie got up to help my mom carry some of the trays back to the kitchen, and I smiled a little to myself at the way they looked at each other. They seemed like teenagers falling in love for the first time.
I glanced away and saw Jacob giving Nessie a piggy-back ride up and down the stairs, and suddenly, my good feelings were gone. Crap. Time to confess my dirty deeds. Luckily for me, the vamp doctor was talking to Edward a few feet from the couch and everyone else was scattered in other rooms of the house.
"Uh, Carlisle? Would you mind if I asked you a favor?" I asked nervously. He turned towards me, obviously surprised, but he nodded politely. Embry stopped finishing off my plate of food to look at me, and Edward did his best to look nuetrally blank.
"Could you take a look at my hand again? It's kind of sore," I muttered in a rush.
"It is? That's odd. It seemed like it was perfectly healed," he replied with a perplexed frown.
"It was. But then I... sort of hurt it again," I told him sheepishly as I put my hand into his cold, marble grasp. Embry snorted in amusement.
"Yeah. On Sam's face."
"What?!" Jacob burst out in a loud, startled voice, stopping dead with Nessie half-way up the stairs. Instead of answering him, I tried to make myself as tiny as I could on the couch. Embry just shrugged at the dark look I gave him and started stuffing his face.
"Ah, punching people again, Leah?" Carlisle chuckled good-naturedly as his fingers probed along my bones.
I gave him a half-hearted, embarrassed grin. "I remembered to tuck my thumb in this time, at least."
"What happened?" Jacob growled abruptly above my head. I shriveled into the cushions and prayed that Embry's bulk would somehow hide me. Jake's eyes were narrowed with fury when I risked a glance up at his face. Oooh, hell.
"Leah punched Sam?" Emmett exclaimed in disbelief, suddenly leaning over the couch to stare in awe. Great. Where the hell did he come from??
"Broke his nose, too," Embry told him cheerfully. "You should've seen him sprawled on his back in the dirt, man. It was awesome."
Emmett beamed at me. "You totally laid him out? Aw, man! I miss all the good stuff."
"What happened?" Jacob growled again, louder, but I ignored him and answered Emmett instead.
"I didn't actually knock him down. He just tripped over something on the floor and fell."
"Still, you broke his nose? Seriously?" he demanded cheerfully, and Embry and I nodded. Jacob snarled under his breath, and suddenly Seth and Quil were at his sides, peering down at me questioningly. Nessie slid around the couch, and Edward swung her up into the security of his arms.
"What's going on? What happened to your hand, Leah?" Seth asked in confusion as Bella and Rosalie drifted into the room. One look at Jacob's face, and the two of them moved swiftly to stand by Nessie and Edward.
"She punched Sam in the nose," Emmett stated proudly, like I'd won the Nobel Peace Prize. My face had turned an interesting shade of eggplant by now, and I wished I could somehow hide behind Embry for the next few hours. This was so not going well. And just to make things more interesting, Alice and Jasper walked in. The room suddenly buzzed as everyone talked at once.
"Leah, you punched Sam?" "She seriously decked him? Like, in the face?" "Totally broke his nose..." "Holy moses. Emily must've had kittens!" "She punched him?"
Even Rosalie threw in a comment, which shocked me right down to my toes. "Well, honestly. It's about damn time."
Carlisle gave my hand back to me, but even he looked like he was fighting a grin. "It feels like there may have been a very slight fracture of one of your knuckles, but I can't be sure without an X-ray. However, since it seems like you don't heal quite as fast as the other Pack members, I'd suggest you don't punch anyone again any time soon, alright?"
"I think I can manage that," I mumbled under my breath. The waves of anger pouring off of Jacob had all but drowned me, and I didn't dare look up at him again. Everyone else might find this highly entertaining, but he sure as hell didn't. Embry stood up and turned to face him with me, and I was pathetically grateful for his support.
"Outside. Now." Jacob ordered tightly. I swallowed hard, but I lifted my chin and filed silently after him with the rest of the Pack at my heels. Mom and Charlie came out of the kitchen just in time to watch our little procession with confusion, and Esme flashed me a sympathetic, supportive look over their shoulders.
"What's going on?" I heard Charlie ask in a confused, somewhat amused voice.
"Leah punched Sam in the face!" Emmett replied gleefully, and I had to stifle a hysterical giggle at his wild enthusiasm.
Jacob led us several feet into the woods without saying a word. I got the idea; he was planning to shift so he could get every single detail about the Nose Incident from our memories. I had to repress a shudder as I slipped out of sight for some privacy. Thank god I could count on Embry to have my back in all this.
I let the tremors take me, and closed my eyes as the familiar heat raced through my bones. A moment later, I shook my grey fur, stretched my lean body once, and sauntered back through the trees as nonchalantly as possible. I could hear the boys' voices join me inside my head one by one and focused on keeping my thoughts as blank as possible. Jacob's seething anger had me jittery. Would this be the last straw that would finally make him send me packing?
I plopped myself down on my haunches just outside the tight group of my giant Packmates and tilted my head, waiting. Embry detached himself to shove his shoulder against mine before he laid down and placed his enormous head on his paws. He yawned and somehow managed to look utterly bored.
"Let's get this over with and go for a run. What do you say, B?"
"I say I'm pretty sure I could lap you at least twice, but whatever makes you happy," I answered him in the same casual tone. Jacob glared at us, and I swore his eyes nearly glowed red with fury. I wished I hadn't sat down, so I could maintain some distance between us in case I needed to make a break for it.
"Leah, I'm not going to attack you. Unless one of you doesn't start telling me what happened," Jake growled ferociously. I hunched my shoulders and scowled darkly.
"Okay. You really want to know? Sam came to your garage yesterday, and he pissed me off so I punched him. And then he left. There you go."
"Geez, Leah. Way to go into detail," Seth thought sarcastically. I bared my teeth at him, but Jake's snarl cut me off.
"Not good enough. Stop dodging and give it to me straight before I lose the little bit of patience I've got left."
"Relax, man. Don't jump down her throat. I'll show you what happened," Embry thought casually, but his narrowed eyes were trained on Jake's bared teeth. The whole uncomfortable incident with Sam suddenly flashed through my mind, and it was strange to see it all from Embry's point of view. I kept quiet and didn't bother to add my own version of the story; reliving it once was more than enough for me. Jacob got up and paced heavily while the whole thing played out, a snarling growl breaking past his teeth every few moments.
It was unnerving to see myself from Embry's memories; my back straight and stiff, my arms rigid at my sides as I faced Sam angrily. Seth whined and slid up to me, butting my shoulder with his head. I guess he didn't much like seeing me like that, either.
"Oh, no way! He said that?" Quil suddenly exclaimed when Embry got to the part where Sam insulted Jacob and the Cullen's. Out of all of us, he was the only one who still spent time with Sam, and the shock was evident in his thoughts.
"No wonder you punched him, Leah. Wish I would've been there," Seth, my sweet, friendly Seth, growled fiercely.
Embry gave a short nod, his casually indifferent facade replaced by black, simmering anger. "Me, too, dude. Would've been nice to have more even numbers."
"'Cause I don't count for much. Thanks, Tank," I sniffed sarcastically. He raised himself onto his haunches and pushed his shoulder into mine.
"That's not what I meant. You didn't think three against two were very good odds, either."
Quil shook his head, still lost in his shocked disappointment. "Man. I knew Sam was catching pressure about us leaving his Pack, but I didn't think he'd-"
"Pressure? From who?" Jacob stopped pacing abruptly with a low growl in his chest. Quil skipped back a step sheepishly.
"I don't really know for sure. It was just something I heard..." he hedged, and Jake's growl rumbled louder. "Okay, okay! Emily told me that Sam only went to talk to Leah a few weeks ago because some of the elders are putting heavy pressure on him about the Vamps. They don't like us being so friendly with them. And they really don't like it that all of us- you know, the direct descendents of the first shifters- have pretty much left La Push to stick with the Cullen's."
Jacob started pacing again, and I tossed my head with a snort. "All the wolves are direct descendents. What difference does it make to them if we're gone?"
"You guys are traceable, though. All the way back to the root of everything. You, Seth, and Quil. Jake, too, but there's nothing they can do about him now that he's imprinted on a Cullen," Embry thought quietly. There was an undercurrent to his thought, a darkness underneath that was hiding something. I glanced sharply at him, but he avoided my gaze and sank back down on his stomach. His roots would be traceable, too. If the truth about who his father was ever came out.
"Besides that, nobody in La Push really trusts the Cullen's, anyway. Especially anybody that knows the truth. I mean, remember how we all used to hate them for no reason other than being what they are?" Quil continued slowly. "You should see how much Emily worries about you guys when she knows you're over here."
"Let her worry, then. That's her problem," I thought angrily, trying to cover up the little bit of guilt that shot through me. After all, Emily had once been like my sister before Fate had twisted everything so horribly. The boys all had the same uncomfortable looks of guilt, and I knew why. Emily had been like the Pack Mother to them- feeding them, worrying about them, caring about them- just the same as Sam had once been an Alpha to us all.
"You know I never wanted you guys to leave La Push," Jake suddenly broke in, and his tone was remorseful. "None of you are tied to me. You're free to go back to Sam's Pack any time you want."
"Don't be stupid, dude," Embry snorted. "You're the only Alpha I want to take orders from."
"Yeah. It's almost like I don't have a choice, you know? After you left, Sam just didn't have the same authority for me. I'm staying." Quil agreed. Seth nodded eagerly, his thoughts in total agreement with them. Jacob sighed and turned to me.
"You know how I feel about it. I'm not going anywhere unless you make me," I stated flatly. He blew out a frustrated breath and turned away from us.
"You guys really don't make this easy, you know that?"
"I'd say we make it really easy. We're your Pack, end of story," I informed him bluntly.
"Oh, yeah. 'Cause punching Sam in the face really smooths things over for me," he snarled sarcastically back, and I ducked a little under the heavy fury coating his words. Surprisingly, the hackles on Embry's neck lifted, and he actually growled at Jake from where he was laying next to me on the forest floor.
"Back off, Jake. She punched him 'cause he insulted you. You and the Cullens. If she hadn't stopped me, I would've done a lot worse and to hell with the consequences," he snapped. "You should be thanking her, not chewing her a new one."
I was too shocked to do much more than glance uneasily between the two of them. And I wasn't alone in that, either. Quil and Seth's thoughts were uncharacteristically blank as they waited anxiously for our Alpha's response.
Suddenly, I lifted my chin haughtily. "Tank's right. I'm not going to tolerate anyone, not even Sam, insulting my Pack or my fr-friends."
I stuttered over the last thought, shocking even myself by applying that word, however circumventally, to the Vampires. Seth's huge grin stretched his wolfy face comically, and I bared my teeth at him.
"Shut it, Seth. Don't read too much into that," I snarled quickly, ignoring the way Embry's shoulders heaved with silent laughter at my side. Quil tilted his head to the side and stared at me like I'd suddenly turned bright pink. Dang, stupid, annoying...
"Enough," Jacob's undeniably Alpha tone silenced us in a fraction of a second. Images, thoughts, worries, unbridled fury rolled unchecked through his brain, and my eyes widened with a sudden revelation. He wasn't furious with me. Not even in the slightest! Sure, he was annoyed that I'd been provoked enough to break Sam's nose, since that just increased the tension between the Packs, but he didn't blame me at all. In actuality, he was grimly ecstatic that I'd hauled off and decked the man. No- he was angry at Sam for messing with Embry and I, and more than that, he was absolutely furious with himself for not being there to deal with Sam's impotent 'threat'.
"Why didn't you wait for me? Why didn't you call me, shift and howl, anything?" he demanded. "This is my crap to deal with, not yours!"
"This is our Pack, too. We work together, remember? Your problems are our problems, and besides, we've got the right to defend our Alpha," I returned hotly. No way was I going to let Jake shoulder everything. Wolves functioned better in teams, packs, and I wasn't about to let him try to pretend he was still the Lone Wolf.
Jacob grimaced mightily. "That wasn't exactly what I meant, Leah. You shouldn't have to deal with Sam. Not ever."
For an instant, a vivid picture of me, shaking, ghastly white, being helplessly sick in the bushes streaked across my consciousness, and I flinched violently away from it. I wasn't even sure who'd thought about that, Jake or Embry, and I didn't care. I was livid with embarrassment and rage.
"You don't need to protect me, oh Most High Alpha. I can deal with my own issues without your help," I snarled fiercely, on all fours now, my fur on end. Embry rolled one baseball sized eye up at me in indulgent exasperation.
"Cut the drama, B. Nobody's saying you can't, only that you shouldn't have to, not while we're around. What's wrong with your friends trying to protect you, huh?"
"So that's why you broke his nose, Jake. Good call on that one, man," Quil interjected, and I suddenly got the feeling that he hadn't been completely behind Jake on that incident until he'd seen that awful memory of me. Seth whined again and shoved up against me, willing me to calm down. I sank back onto my haunches again, burning embarrassment flooding my bones.
Jacob sighed gustily. "Look, I'm not saying I'm not grateful for you guys sticking up for me, but I don't want you putting yourselves out there like that. If Sam really is catching some heavy pressure from some of the elders, then tensions between our Packs could get pretty high. I want to avoid that if at all possible, for obvious reasons-" he glanced sideways at Quil- "so the next time something like this happens, wait for me. Let me handle it, okay? That means no more fighting."
I smirked under his pointed look. "Can I punch him again if you're there?"
"Sure, sure," he replied, a hint of a chuckle coloring his thoughts.
"No fair. Both of you already had a crack at him. Next time it's my turn," Embry informed us seriously, and I laughed out loud with a short, barky laugh at his sincerity.
Quil shifted anxiously, his thoughts on Claire. "You really think things could get bad between the packs again, Jake? 'Cause I can't, I mean... I don't know how I can-"
Jake cut him off, completely in tune with where his thoughts were heading. "I don't know, man. But I can promise you I'll do my best to keep that from happening. And if it does... well, we'll all understand."
The dark look on Embry's face sure didn't make it look like he would understand, though he veiled his thoughts very, very well. But I had a feeling I knew what he was thinking, and I could hardly blame him. If things between the Packs went south again, Quil would ditch us to be able to stay with Claire. He'd bail on his Pack and his two best friends, all because of his stupid imprint.
"At any rate, I'm heading over to La Push to have another little talk with Sam. Clear the air or whatever," Jake told us, heaving a sigh.
"I'm coming with you," Embry immediately snarled, and Seth seconded that quickly.
"Thanks, but I'm just going to talk. I think it'll go over better if I don't bring half my Pack with me."
Embry snorted. "And I think you'd be an idiot to walk in there without someone watching your back. Paul and Jared will be itching for a little bit of payback for yesterday."
"Hey, I'll head back with you," Quil interjected. "I'm around all the time, anyway, so it won't make anyone jumpy, and I can still watch your back."
"Not to mention check if Claire's back from her playdate yet," I added with a quick eye roll. Embry chuckled next to me, and Quil ignored both of us.
"Alright, then. Quil and I will head to La Push, and the rest of you stay here," Jake commanded, giving us a hard glare.
I grinned a goofy, wolfy grin down at Embry. "Stay, boy! Good puppy!"
"Do I get a treat if I do?" he joked back.
Jacob rolled his eyes. "Hilarious, guys. Just do me a favor and go back to the house, okay? Let Nessie know I'll be back soon."
"Oh, yeah, sure. Like I'm going to shift until you're back here," I replied with a sarcastic roll of my eyes.
"She's right, Jake," Embry added. "If things go south, all you gotta do is phase and we'll be there."
Jake narrowed his eyes, his thoughts already arguing with us, but Seth cut him off. "I'll go back and talk to the Cullen's. Leah and Embry can just howl if they need me."
He scooped his clothes into his mouth and trotted off into the trees before anyone could argue with him. Jacob shrugged, and he and Quil headed off toward La Push.
"Have fun whupping some booty, oh Great Alpha," I smirked, and I swear if we'd been human, he would've turned around and given me a very rude hand gesture.
"Just remember it's my turn to break Sam's nose, so keep your fists to yourself," Embry chimed in. Jacob snarled a little bit, but Quil chuckled. They raced away, and Embry and I waited in silence until they phased and their conciousness faded from our minds.
"So, how 'bout that race, B?" Embry asked me with a wolfy grin. I thought hard for a minute, flexing the muscles in my legs pensively.
"Yeah. A race sounds fun. But I want to try something. Wait here, okay?"
He stared after me in confusion as I darted away through the trees. I reached my clothes and shifted quickly, figuring Jake and Quil would be fine as long as one of us stayed in wolf-form. Fully dressed, I sprinted back to a wary Embry. His baseball sized eyes regarded me apprehensively as I came up to his side. I almost laughed at his expression. What, did he think I was going to demand a piggy-back ride or something?
"Okay, here's the thing. I want to try racing you like this. Human," I told him confidently. He shook his shaggy head with a laughing grin, obviously wondering if I'd somehow lost it. "I'm serious, Tank. I just want to try it. Just one time around the perimeter. Please?"
He shrugged his massive shoulders, his expression telling me, "it's not my fault if you feel like an idiot when you can't keep up," as clearly as if he could speak it. I just grinned at him and dropped into a sprinter's crouch at his side.
"Ready, set, GO!" I shouted, and we exploded forward through the trees. My feet flew over the now well-worn path, and I pushed my muscles to the absolute maximum. Embry strained to keep up by my side, but it wasn't long before he slowly dropped behind me. A few moments later, we blew past our starting point and Embry skidded to a halt while I disappeared into the trees to shift.
"Holy freakin' crap, Leah," Embry thought as soon as I was connected to him again. His thoughts were filled with awe, and I nearly burst with pride. I trotted up to him, a smug smile plastered on my face, and plopped onto my belly on the forest floor.
"Seriously. How the hell did you do that? I mean, we're all fast when we're human, but that was incredible. I think you could keep up with a vampire when you're not in wolf-form. When'd you get so fast?"
"Practice makes perfect," I replied casually, even though I knew he could feel my elation.
"Ah. So that's why you're doing those morning runs."
"Yeah. I've got this theory- and don't you dare laugh-" I warned him with a hard look. "All of you guys are so much bigger and stronger than me, and you just keep getting stronger. So I thought, since I've always been faster, that maybe it's to compensate. You know, a self-defense thing. So far, the more I run, the faster I get."
"And here I thought it was just because you knew you looked hot in short-shorts and tight tank top," Embry teased.
"Shut up, Tank! I'm serious!" I snapped, utterly embarrassed for some unknown reason. Why was it that I felt like I would blush hard enough to give myself a brain anuerysm whenever he said something like that?
"And who said I wasn't?" he countered laughingly, and dodged my teeth snapping at his ankles deftly.
"Embry, you are such a freak!" I huffed as I darted off into the trees. He followed me, but we both knew he didn't have a prayer of catching up, especially not now that I was faster than ever.
"Oh, really? What's so freaky about noticing that you're hot? A guy'd have to be blind not to, you know."
"You don't have to say stuff like that to make me feel better about myself, you know," I bit out. Good lord, I felt so... so... I didn't even know what I was feeling.
Embry laughed, the sound rumbling through his thoughts. "You are such an idiot, Leah Clearwater."
"Is that so? How 'bout we see how many times this idiot can lap you, then?" I snorted, thinking it was long past time to change the subject. I slowed down just enough to let him catch up with me, and then sprinted ahead through the trees. He was running flat out, but I still managed to lap him twice, although the second time was just as we crossed our starting point. Panting, we both threw ourselves down onto the forest floor and grinned at each other.
"Geez, you're really doing wonders for my ego today, B," Embry drawled teasingly, and I gave my barky laugh again.
"Maybe I'm being selfish and just working on boosting mine."
"Fine by me," he replied as he stretched himself out lazily. "So, how much longer do you think Jake's gonna be? I'll bet anything he doesn't even tear into Sam like he deserves."
I was silent for a minute, contemplating the dark undercurrent of anger and resentment that flared everytime he brought up Sam. Resting my head on my paws, I watched him intently.
"Tank, how come you hate Sam so much? I mean, everyone knows about my issues with him, but what about you? Did something happen between you two when you left his Pack or something?"
"No. Nothing like that," Embry answered slowly, but I narrowed my eyes at him. It was there again, that black shadow hiding beneath his flashing thoughts. There were things there, memories, knowledge, that he was forcing away so I could only catch random, unclear glimpses of them. It felt just like the way Sam was, those last turbulent weeks of our relationship when he was hiding his secret, and his imprinting, from me. It made me wary, skittish.
Embry sighed heavily and looked me in the eye, which was another tactic of Sam's when he was trying to convince me of something that I knew wasn't the whole truth. It didn't reassure me very well.
"Look, Leah, my issues with Sam- well, maybe it's just a personal thing. I don't like his attitude. I don't like how he treats people sometimes. Especially you. I really don't like how he keeps hurting you over and over again."
"S'not his fault. You shouldn't blame him for it," I muttered, and he snorted, suddenly angry.
"Like hell I shouldn't. Tell me you didn't go home and cry your eyes out over him again last night. Can you look me in the eye and tell me that?"
I stared at him with wide eyes, breathing hard. "I..."
"Exactly. He rips your heart out time and time again, and still you defend him, care about him. It doesn't make any sense and it pisses me off. Someday, you're going to realize he doesn't deserve anything from you, and I hope I'm there to see it."
I couldn't find an answer for that. He stared off at a distant point through the trees, and I was too busy trying to form a coherent thought of my own to be able to sort through the chaotic, lightening-quick flash of his. Abruptly, he surged to his feet and shook the clinging dirt and leaves off of his fur. I instantly followed suite, forcing my swirling thoughts into some semblence of order so I could pick up on what brought him to his feet.
"Relax, guys. Everything's cool. I'm just heading back."
Ah, so that was it. Jacob had phased, and somehow I'd missed it. Not very good for being the Beta. Embry caught that thought and smirked at the scowl on my face.
"So what happened? Are we at war again?" I asked quickly.
"Tell me you at least took a swipe at him," added Embry.
"I thought you said it was your turn for that. No- nothing much happened. We got some stuff cleared up, but it's not going to happen all at once. At any rate, things are civil again. Well, civil enough for Quil's sake for now."
"How'd the nose look?" Embry demanded, darkly amused. An image of Sam's face flashed into our heads, and both of us grinned.
"I think it looks better that way, don't you, Tank?" I asked him seriously, even though I was grinning evilly.
He nodded. "Oh yes. Definitely an improvement."
Jacob was getting nearer every second, so I slid off into the woods to shift privately. The whole naked business was definitely a nuisance I could live without. As I neared the Cullen's lawn, I could hear Jake and Embry talking in low voices.
"... hope you told him to stay away from Leah," I heard Embry say in a low growl.
"Yeah, but that doesn't cover accidental meetings like yesterday," Jake replied. "Was it bad?"
"Dunno. Probably. I don't like it."
"Neither do I, but it's her business. She's tough, man. She's not going to let Sam bring her down forever."
Okay, I'd had about enough of overhearing that conversation. Good grief. Since when did those two become my guard dogs? It made me feel all squirmy inside, and I didn't like it. Deliberately snapping a few twigs under my feet to get their attention, I pushed through the trees to meet up with them. Their conversation cut off abruptly, and I did my best to seem oblivious to the sheepish looks they gave each other as we headed toward the house.
Alice met us on the bottom step of the porch, bouncing on the balls of her feet like they were made of springs. The urge to clamp my hands on her spikey-haired head to hold her still was momentarily overwhelming, and I hung back behind Jake and Embry as they stopped in front of her.
"What's up, Pixie?" Jacob asked warily. Something about the glint in her eyes was nerve-wracking to say the least.
"There's a thunderstorm coming tonight," she informed us brightly, as if this was the most wonderful piece of news anyone has ever heard.
"And?..." Embry prompted, eyebrows raised.
"And... we're challenging you puppies to a baseball game," Emmett exclaimed loudly, sticking his head around the doorframe to grin evilly at us.
"There's only five of us. Four if Quil doesn't come. I'd hardly say that's fair odds, bloodsucker," Jake returned, although the insult was rendered completely harmless by his friendly tone.
Emmett shrugged. "No worries, man. We'll have equal number teams. Although, it'll still be hardly fair, considering how badly we'll kick your butts."
"You're on," Jake stated confidently. He glanced back at us as if belatedly realizing he should've asked us first. Embry nodded, and I shrugged indifferently. A chance to beat the Vamps in their own game might be fun. Only...
"What does a thunderstorm have to do with it?" I wondered out loud, scrunching up my face in confusion. Alice and Emmett laughed heartily and gave each other a frighteningly conspiratal look.
"You'll see," Alice chirped, winking at us before she turned to flit into the house. "Meet us here tonight at midnight."
Jake, Embry, and I gave each other uncertain looks, obviously wondering just what we'd gotten ourselves into. Suddenly, all three of us looked up and cringed at the sight of my very, very angry mother framed in the doorway.
"Leah Suzanna Clearwater. Do you care to explain to me why, exactly, a daughter of mineis going around punching people?"
Oooh, crap.