Disclaimer: Not Stephanie Meyer

Disclaimer Deuce: Writing for Human interaction

Sam's POV

It had been weeks since Emily had died. I could never have made it through it without the pack. The pack, the pack wives, and the whole community had taken up helping me. Mary never had so many caring babysitters. I reached over for the lamp knocking over an empty can of beer. The aluminium hit the hardwood floors and echoed throughout the empty house… I blinked for a moment before turning on the lamp.

Mary was supposed to be coming back tomorrow morning. She couldn't see me like this. I groaned as I forced myself out of the recliner. The whole pack was here for me… except her. Leah had avoided me like the plague for the last six weeks. It was somewhere around week three the staring and gawking began. I hadn't shaved, phased or really done anything besides take care of Mary when she was here, and drink in excess.

I maintained that Emily wasn't an accident… just a different approach than Paul. I believed there was a vampire involved, even though no scent was ever picked up. Everyone wrote me off as a crazy mourning person.

Perhaps I was, but I couldn't put a finger on it. Something in my gut told me it wasn't over. And if I was the only one who believed it, it really didn't matter, the end was coming, and we weren't prepared. My hair had grown long and unruly and my beard had become disgusting. Maybe it was time for a showwer, I hadn't had one of those in a week.

But first, Beer. I thought to myself. It made no sense why I couldn't sneak one more Busch latte in while cleaning them up. I grabbed a plastic bag and made my way to the fridge. One left, better enjoy this one slowly. I thought to myself as I could nearly feel my muscles relaxing to the sound of the can opening. As relaxation just took hold of me and I placed my lips on the metallic oasis I heard a loud pounding on the door. I will not be denied this one bit of joy. I thought as I drank the nectar of the gods.

My moment of bliss was interrupted be if possible, a more aggressive pounding on the door. I took another sip eying the door in a sense of betrayal. Before returning my eyes to the can once again and lifting it to my lips… only to realize to my horror it was empty. I didn't even enjoy the second half of it! I thought frustratedly. I set down the bag of empty beer cans on the counter after throwing my last empty into it. I made my way to the door as pounding continued.

"I'm coming, just hold on." I said steadying myself, possibly because of the alcohol, most likely because I was still drowsy. I opened the door and my eyes blurred.

"Ugh you smell like shit and you look like shit too." She said. My entire body stiffened in fear at her voice. Though I had 9 inches of height on her. I didn't respond, I didn't say anything. I couldn't. My tongue was tied.

"And beer breath? Get your shit together, you've got a daughter to raise!" I felt her hand gripping my beard and another hand on my shoulder and in a moment I was sailing through the air landing hard on my back and rolling back to my feet as a reflex.

"Everyone else is too fucking gentle to say it, but we need you back Sam. I'm so fucking sick of dancing around it. We need the Sam who led the pack against threats, not this neutered mutt who can't even manage to stay sober long enough to shave his face." I shook the cobwebs, hearing her coming down the porch rather than seeing it.

"Do you really believe it's all over? That Paul can mysteriously die, Emily can accidentally die 9 months later, and there is nothing to it?" She thinks so too?

"I… Well I…" I managed to get out.

"Oh great, the Alpha speaks." She taunted as she shoved me forcing me back a couple steps.

"No one believed me Leah!" I finally yelled. She shook her head.

"So make them believe, so lead by example! So be the Alpha you're supposed to be! If you think there will be trouble what the fuck are you doing here drinking your life away and getting the shit kicked out of you by the smallest most pathetic wolf in the pack?" She screamed at me. Those words stung. Not because I was getting beat up, but because of how she saw herself. It was my fault of course, or rather fates fault. More and more I hated fate recently.

"The Pack needs you… Embry can't lead them, they won't listen." Leah said calming down.

"Embry? Not Jared?" I asked. Leah laughed.

"Jared? Your beta? He, just like you, is wrapped around his wife's finger. The biggest surprise was when Embry knocked Jared the fuck out at the last meeting, you missed by the way." Embry was always one of the biggest wolves. Third only to Black and I but he was also gentle, quiet, reserved. This didn't sound like him at all.

"Everyone is on edge and they were trying to give you your time to mourn but Embry can't lead us. As much as I hate you… You weren't afraid to take charge, you weren't afraid to hurt people's feelings. Embry has been completely listless, but he's a much better beta than alpha, and your beta also like you isn't currently worth shit."

"Leah… I'm… I'm sorry." I finally said. For what I couldn't begin to say. I let it hang in the air, as if all I was attempting to apologize was for not being a better Alpha.

"I haven't been alright since Emily…" I faded off. She pushed me back into a tree and I saw it. The reflection of the beginning of a tear in her eye.

"You think I'm okay? You think I'm alright? I just lost my best friend that I lost years ago. I'm not fucking fine! But you know what? I didn't shirk my responsibilities. You're not working, you're barely taking care of your own daughter! Your life's a mess and you can't even keep your personal matience up! I can tell you haven't phased in weeks just by how you look." She continued her attack stabbing me with her pointer finger, forcing me to back up again.

"You're right…" I muttered under my breath.

"What'd you say? I didn't hear you over the sound of you being a little bitch." She said. I gritted my teeth. Nobody had the skill at getting under my skin quite like Leah.

"You're right… I'm sorry." I could see it coming but didn't stop it. I just took it. It echoed through the wooded area dn I felt it across my face, the slap that brought me to my knee.

"I don't need you to be sorry, I need you to be better. Fucking fix yourself Sam, the pack needs you." Leah said before turning on her heel and leaving. I watched her legs and she left up her back and perfect ass. Wait… Did I just check out my ex?

Gideon's POV

I sat to the side of the classroom invisible. I turned my attention across the room. Two seats in the back once again sat empty. Collin and Brady. They were at best part time seniors. And everyone loved them. The Teachers forgave their constant absences, the girls swooned over their fully developed 6'4 muscled frames, and the guys all wanted to be them.

Myself included. I could pretend it wasn't the case but pretending never made it happen. Me? I was 5'9 if I was lucky. Constantly sick, and couldn't put on muscle if my life depended on it. My social life depended on it anyway. I scanned the room back to the second row, center. Her hand raised.

"Mr. Peterson, I don't feel well I'm going to go to the office."

"Of course Andrea, hope you're feeling better soon."

Andrea Clearwater. She was kind to everyone, exceedingly beautiful and smart as well. And she, like every other girl in this school has never once noticed you. I thought frustratedly to myself.

I couldn't blame her. If I didn't have the courage to speak to her, I could hardly fault her for never going out of her way to speak to me. It was on me to overcome my weakness, my sickness, my adversity. At least I told myself that. That's why I'd been lifting for the last six months, hoping to see results. I could lift more than I could when I started, but I didn't look any better.

The bell rang in my classroom. Open period, time to get to lifting. I'd begged my dad to let me play football. He literally laughed at me, I was sick all the time and running into kids bigger than me at full speed always sounded like a recipe for hilarity… and broken bones. After a couple months of begging and persuasion I convinced him to allow me to take martial arts.

So he's afraid I'll get hurt so he literally lets me go practice punching and kicking, makes perfect sense. I smiled to myself as I laid down and took a deep breath before attempting to push out 12 reps at 100 lbs on the bench press. I hope Andrea is okay. It's literally just a cold, don't worry about it. You're awfully doting and worrying for someone who has never had more than a 10 word conversation with her.

Around seven or eight I could feel my arms getting weaker. Come on, four more, four isn't difficult, four more, you've got four, come on Gideon, you can do four more. I coached for myself. I breathed out forcing three more. Trying beyond trying to get the last one. My shoes planted after slipping on the ground and I pushed exhaled and nearly screamed to finish the set. I sat up and something caught my eye out of the weight room window. I made my way over to look and see Collin and Brady standing next to the cars talking to Andrea. What the heck are they doing here? I thought they weren't in school. I wondered. I grabbed a dumbbell as I watched all three of them get into one car and leave together. What the hell is going on?

Hello all! It's been quite a long time! Years in fact! I wanted to get back into writing fanfic for interaction during Coronavirus. I am posting this chapter as a test. If people don't seem to be picking it back up and commenting I'll just start another story and stop updating this one. If you like this story and want me to continue it please remember to leave a Review/comment/idea. I love reading and responding to each and every one. If not Well I guess I'll be writing something else. Have a great day!