Leah and I ran at night or at least part of it.

I think we need to help Jake.

How so?

Dealing with his pain, instead of ours. I answer.

Long before sunrise, we felt Jake phase.

Morning, Jacob. Leah greeted.

Hey, Jake. I greeted

Good, you're up. How long has Seth been out?

Not out yet. Seth thought sleepily. Almost there. What do you need?

You think you got another hour in you?

Sure thing. No problem. Seth got to his feet and shook out his fur.

Let's make the deep run, Jake told Leah and I Seth, take the perimeter.

Gotcha Seth replies,

Off on another vampire errand Leah grumbled

You got a problem with that? I ask, I didn't care about running for the Cullens. I wasn't going to stay here much longer.

Of course not. I just love to coddle those darling leeches. Leah responds

Good. Let's see how fast we can run. Jacob states

Okay, I'm definitely up for that! Leah responded.

Leah was on the western rim of the perimeter. Rather then cut close to the Cullens' house, she stuck to the circle as she raced to meet up with Jake. I ran closest the Seth's location.

Nose to the ground, Leah. This isn't a race, it's a reconnaissance mission. Jake states.

I can do that and still kick your butt. Leah replies,

Jake gave her that one, I know.

Leah laughed.

We took a winding path through the eastern mountains. It was a familiar route, we'd run these mountains when the Cullens left a year ago, making it a part of our patrol route to better protect the people here. Then we'd pulled back the lines when the Cullens returned. This was their treaty land. But that fact meant nothing to Sam now.

Jake kept thinking more then I did, about what Sam would do.

We're getting pretty far out here, Leah states

Yeah, if Sam was hunting strays, we should have crossed his trail by now. Jake replies

Makes sense right now for him to bunker down in La Push, Leah thought He knows we're giving the bloodsuckers four extra sets of eyes and legs. He's not going to be able to surprise them.

This was just a precaution, really. Jake replies

Wouldn't want our precious parasites take unnecessary chances. Leah states, heavy on the sarcasm.

I rolled my eyes, and I listened intently on what Leah was thinking about.

You've changed so much, Jacob. Talk about one-eighties. Leah thought.

You're not exactly the same Leah I've always know and loved, either. Jake replies

True. Am I less annoying then Paul now? Leah asks,

Amazingly...yes Jake answers

Ah, sweet success

Congrats.

There was silence for a while, I wheeled and was making my way back to where I scented some mule deer. I caught up with Jake and Leah, through it felt good to stretch our muscles and take the rugged terrain. We weren't in a hurry, so Jake thought we should hunt on the way back. Leah was pretty hungry.

Yum, yum. Leah thought sourly

It's all in your head, Jake told her. That's the way wolves eat. It's natural. It tastes fine. If you didn't think about it from a human perspective—

Forget the pep talk, Jacob. I'll hunt, I don't have to like it.

Sure, sure. Jacob agreed.

She didn't add anything for a few minutes, Thank you.

For? Jake asks,

For letting me be. For letting me stay. You've been nicer than I had any right to except, Jacob. Leah thought.

Er, no problem. Actually, I mean that. I don't mind having you here like I thought I would. Jake replies

Leah snorted, but it was a playful sound. What a glowing commendation!

Don't let it go to your head. Jake states,

Okay—if you don't let this go to yours. Leah paused for a second. I think you make a good Alpha. Not in the same way Sam does, but in your own way. You're worth following, Jacob.

I agree as well. I seconded.

Er, thanks. Not totally sure I'll be able to stop that one from going to my head, though. Where did that come from? Jake asks, Leah didn't answer but she thought about the conversation with Jared about how the time would be up soon, and then he'd go back into the forest. And about how he promised that Leah and Seth would return to La Push and to Sam when the Cullens were gone.

I want to stay with you, Leah told him.

Same here, but I already told you that I would regardless of what you say. I agreed, here was the plan that Leah and I had thought of when Jake wasn't in our heads or Seth for that matter.

I stopped when Jake did.

I won't be pain, I swear. I won't follow you around. You can go wherever you want, and I'll go where I want. You'll only have to put up with me when we're both wolves. Leah states, pacing back and forth, swishing her long gray tail nervously.

My own tail swished nervously as well.

I'm happier now, as part of your pack, then I have been in years. Leah explains.

I want to stay too, Seth thought quietly, we didn't noticed that he was paying close attention to our conversation as he ran the perimeter. I like this pack.

Hey, now! Seth, this isn't going to be a pack much longer, Jake tired to get his thoughts together, to convince him. We're got a purpose now, but when...after that's over, I'm just going to go wolf. Seth, you need a purpose. You're a good kid. You're the kind of person who always has a crusade. And there's no way you're leaving La Push now. You're going to graduate from high school and do something with your life. You're going to take care of Sue. My issues are not going to mess up your future.

But—

Jacob is right. Leah and I seconded

You're agreeing with me? Jake asks

Of course. But none of that applies to me. I was on my way out, anyway. I'll get a job somewhere from La Push. Maybe take some courses at a community college. Get into yoga and meditation to work on my anger issues...and stay a part of this pack for the sake of my own mental well-being. Jacob—you can see how that makes sense, right? I won't bother you and you won't bother me, everyone is happy.

Jake, I'm done with high school. I don't have plans to go to college right now. I won't stay in La Push wondering about my paternal roots, because I really don't want to be the cause for even more questions about whose father was stepping out on their wives once upon a time. I explain, I know what it feels like to be all alone, trust me. You will go crazy. I did.

Jake turned back and started loping toward the west, This is a bit much to deal with, Leah, Lyssa. Let me think about it, 'kay?

We didn't talk as Jake chewed over what we just said. We hunted, Leah took down a large doe, and Jake took down a large buck and me, I had to really run after the frighten animals since they chased them before choosing one to eat. Jake let Leah into his thoughts about how to think like the wolf,

I did as well, but from my own thinking. What I learned before coming here as I torn the skin away revealing the steaming flesh within.

We ate together until we were full.

I licked my paws as Leah was wiping her muzzle on the wet grass...i didn't bother we had to swim a river to get back.

Thank you. Leah states, that wasn't so bad, thinking you're way.

You're welcome. Jake and I both reply

Seth was dragging as we hit the perimeter, Jake told him to get some sleep; Leah, Jake, and I could take over patrol. Seth's mind faded into unconsciousness just seconds later.

You headed back to the bloodsuckers? Leah asks

Maybe.

It's hard for you to be there, but hard to stay away, too. I know how that feels. Leah states

You know, Leah, you might want to think a little bit about about the future, about what you really want to do. My head is not going to be the happiest place on earth. And you'll have to suffer right along with me.

Wow, this is going to sound bad. But, honestly, it will be easier to deal with you pain then face mine. Leah and I thought together.

Fair enough.

I know it's going to be bad for you, Jacob. I understand that—maybe better then you think. I don't like her, but...she's your Sam. She's everything you want and everything you can't have.

Jacob couldn't answer.

I know it's worse for you. At least Sam is happy. At least he's alive and well. I love him enough that I want that. I want him to have what's best for him. Leah sighed, I just don't want to stick around to watch.

Do we need to talk about this?

I think we do. Because Leah and I want you to know that we won't make it worse for you. Hell, maybe we'll help. I answer

I wasn't born a compassionless shrew. I used to be sort of nice, you know. Leah added

My memory doesn't go back that far back.

All three of us laughed once.

I'm sorry about this, Jacob. I'm sorry you're in pain. I'm sorry it's getting worse and not better. Leah apologized

Leah and I thought about what was going through Jake's head, giving an outsider's view point. Leah saw the funny side of the daily irritations that came from hanging out around vampires. She liked Jake's ragging on Rosalie, chuckling internally and even running through some blond jokes. But then her thoughts and mine turned serious, lingering on Rosalie's face in a way that confused Jake.

You know what's crazy? Leah asks, along with my own thoughtless agreement with her.

Well, almost everything is crazy right now. But what do you mean? Jacob asks

That blond vampire you hate so much—Lyssa and I totally get her perspective.

I am glad we were not in biting distance.

Hold up! Let me explain!

Don't want to hear it. I'm outta here.

Wait! Wait! Leah pleaded as Jake tried to phase back to human. C'mon, Jake!

Leah, this isn't really the best way to convince me that I want to spend more time with you in the future. Jake states

"Yeesh! What an overreaction. You don't even know what we're talking about. I thought

So what are you two talking about?

Leah was then the pain-hardened woman from before. We're talking about being a genetic dead end, Jacob.

The vicious edge to Leah's tone left Jake floundering.

I don't understand.

You would, if you weren't just like rest of them. If our "female stuff"—She thought the words with a hard, sarcastic tone—didn't send you running for cover just like any stupid male so you could actually pay attention to what it all means.

Jake thought about Leah's reaction to transformation and her panic attack afterward.

You know why Sam thinks we imprint? She thought, calmer now.

Sure. To carry on the line. Jake answers

Right. To make a bunch of little werewolves. Survival of the species, genetic override. You're drawn to the person who gives you the best chance to pass on the wolf gene. I thought, with a roll of my eyes.

If I were any good for that, Sam would have been drawn to me. Leah states, her pain was enough that Jake broke stride.

My heart was already was already broken and not likely to be put back together like that. But I wasn't going to think about it.

Leah continued But I'm not. There's something wrong with me. I don't have the ability to pass on the gene, apparently, despite my stellar bloodlines. So I became a freak—a girlie wolf—good for nothing else. I'm a genetic dead end and we both know it.

I am too, Jacob. If I shown up as a human, any of the others would have been drawn to me. Seeing as I'm Quileute by blood. I added,

We do not. Jacob argued with us. That's just Sam's theory. Imprinting happens, but we don't know why. Billy thinks it's something else.

I know, I know. He thinks you're imprinting to make stronger wolves, because you and Sam are already humongous monsters—bigger then our fathers. Leah and I thought together.

But either way, I'm still not a candidate. I'm...I'm menopausal. I'm twenty years old and I'm menopausal. Leah states

nineteen and menopausal. I thought with my own bitter edge.

We could tell Jacob didn't want to have this type of conversation with us. You don't know that, Leah, Lyssa. It's probably the whole frozen-in-time thing. When you quit your wolf and start getting older again, I'm sure things will...er...pick right back up.

I might think that—except that no one's imprinting on me, notwithstanding my impressive pedigree. You know, Leah added thoughtfully. If you weren't around, Seth would probably have the best claim to being Alpha—through his blood, at least. Of course, no one would consider me...

You really want to imprint or be imprinted on, or whatever? Jacob demanded What's wrong with going out and falling in love like a normal, Leah? Imprinting is just another way of getting your choices taken away from you.

Sam, Jared, Paul, Quil...they don't seem to mind. I thought softly remembering watching them with their imprintees.

None of them have a mind of their own. Jacob replies

You don't want to imprint? Leah asks,

I halted in my patrol, waiting on Jacob's answer it seemed like imprinting was the only way for me not to be left in the dust.

Hell, no! Jacob answered

That's because you're already in love with her. That would go away, you know, if you imprinted. You wouldn't have to hurt over her anymore. Leah states.

Do you want to forget the way you feel about Sam? Jacob asks. What about you, Lyssa?

Leah deliberated for a moment. I think I do.

I want too. With those three words, Leah and Jacob winced at my bottled up emotions, I want love, I want committed, I want a family of my own. And because of being what I am, I wasn't going to get it.

Jacob sighed as he knew that Leah and I were in a healthier place then he was at now.

Back to our original point, Jacob. I understand why your blond vampire is so cold—in the figurative sense. She's focused. She's got her eyes on the prize, right? Because you always want the very what you can never, ever have.

You two would act like Rosalie? You would murder someone—because that is what she's doing, making sure no one interferes with Bella's death—you would do that to have a baby? Since when are you a breeder? Jacob asks, I felt his temper fray a bit more at us.

I just want the options I don't have, Jacob. Maybe, if there nothing wrong with me, I would never give it a thought.

You would kill for that? Jacob demanded, not letting us escape his question.

That's not what she's doing. I think it's more like she's living vicariously. And...if Bella asked me to help her with this...Leah paused, considering. Even though I don't think too much of her, I'd probably do the same as the bloodsucker.

I agreed with Leah.

A loud snarl ripped through Jacob's teeth.

Because, if it was turned around, I'd want Bella to do that for me. And so would Rosalie. We'd both do it her way.

Ugh! You're as bad as they are!

I sighed, That's the funny thing about knowing you can't have something. It makes you desperate.

And...that's my limit. Right there. This conversation is over. Jacob decided as he looped around and started heading back to where he left his clothes. The mother-hen vampire sent food and clothes to us. But the food was taking a trip downstream right now. Along with the clothes, well mostly the food.

Fine. Leah and I reply

Then he faded from our minds.

I didn't know what happened in the big white crypt. But Leah spotted Jacob driving away in a car.

Leah, where are you... I thought as I heard her plans in her head then she too faded out, going?

DarkPriestess66: This time, it's not my laziness that caused no updates. I was summoned for Jury Duty. So you all came second with my sense of duty to my state and nation.