K is for Keeper

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Twilight character.

Keeper (n): protector

His forehead was covered in a light sheen of sweat and his breathing shallow and raspy. She could hear the irregular beating of his heart and hated herself for knowing that it was too off beat for anything to be done. She hated herself more because she lacked the hands to hold him, the vocal chords to form human speech to sooth him and the added gene that had turned her into this monster.

"Leah," Harry gasped out. She could hear Seth whimpering off in the distance and other voices, male voices all talking, yelling and growling at once. None of it mattered to her. What mattered most to her in the world was slowly dying right before her eyes. "You are a protector now – a keeper." She whimpers not wanting the responsibility or hear him to talk like this – like this was good-bye.

"It will be your job to keep watch over everyone: Sue, Seth, your brothers." His hand shaky reaches up and touched her snout. She'd never seen Harry's hand shake, seem so unsteady and unsure. "For some reason – some purpose you were chosen to bear this duty. So protect them – no matter what."

It had been Harry's parting words to his daughter before he passed, Sue standing on the porch wailing for her family as Emily held her tightly and the shrill of ambulances in the background. It'd taken an alpha command from Sam to force her into the cover of the trees as the red and white lights came down the street.

"You are a protector now, Lee-Lee," Sam had told her as she sat in the sticky leather chair, her head turned away trying to focus on anything and everything but the needle stabbing her skin. The smell of blood and ink made her feel nauseas as Paul bit down on his lip hard trying to make sure he didn't 'mess up, again'. She whimpered and stubbornly sniffed back tears as Jared took a pair of scissors and cut off three feet of her hair. The jet black locks forming a crescent of lost pride, femininity and confidence.

"I'm a keeper," She'd later whisper to herself, staring at the new Leah in the mirror of the bathroom at home.

It had all happened so fast, it was an unexpected and unthinkable act that once they had succeeded it was too late. Things had been set in motion and there was nothing that the pack could do but react: emotionally, violently and recklessly. The Volturri had returned and kidnapped each and every imprint. It wasn't that hard of a feat considering how they all hung out together and, practically, did everything together since joining the pack. Friends were a luxury that couldn't be afforded and so it only made sense for Emily, Kim and Rachel to form a tight bond, a clique of especially loved women. The three had been grabbed while out shopping in Forks far enough outside of the two pack's territory and the Cullens' hunting grounds that no vampire had needed to worry of being detected. Claire was next and she had been picked off, also in Forks, next to her own mother. It was a simple 'snatch and grab' that left both mother and child bewildered and stunned so that by the time comprehension was achieved the kidnapper was long gone. Renesmee was the last one to be taken and she was the victim of a bait and hook, lured away from the presence of her parents by a vampire girl that looked to be about her own age of fourteen.

The imprinted wolves were beside themselves with grief and with two of them being Alphas it only intensified the panic feeling of horror and dread within the packs. Fortunately, the Cullens were also feeling the weight of the loss and it was mutually agreed that they would band together to fight the threat and if needs be to finish them once and for all.

The Volturri had different plans in mind and became plainly evident that Aro's interest rested solely in the wolves. He was no longer interested, for the moment, in a psychic, mind-reader or mental shield. The idea of a 'dog' had consumed him, the idea of the perfect guard dog crafted out of a simple human who was capable of thought, emotions and loyalty, that could be reasoned with, unlike the Lycans of the late eighteenth century that had been a major blight upon the vampric world for over a millennia, trained to do his bidding. It was Edward that enlightened him into the wolves' weaknesses: an imprint, a girl or young woman that was so vitally important to the wolf that he'd betray his own people to protect her and wouldn't have any choice whatsoever but to put her above all others. An animal so emotionally, psychologically and socially weak could easily be manipulated into giving in to his demands – such a human trait.

The Volturri had waited for the Cullens and the wolves in the same clearing where they'd all first met over two years ago, wearing their bright, blood red cloaks, dark and sinister smiles upon their faces clearly showing that they held the upper hand in this exchange. The wolves had snarled viciously, false lunging upon seeing the packs' most important members being held by a Cold One, their eyes brimming with tears that they were fighting to hold back while their faces still bore the stains of their earlier sobbing and hopeless despair. They reeked of fear and it only fed into the vampires around them, a look of pure, unadulterated lust in their eyes for the blood that was rapidly pumping through the imprints' veins.

Carlisle and Edward were, of course, nominated as the lead speakers on behalf of the hodge-podge group of warriors. Carlisle using his experience and soft-spoken tone to smooth down tensions, to try and reason with the Volturri and their guards while Edward directed him based upon the thoughts that he could hear. Bella quickly found her presence useless as Jane exhibited no interest in using her power against the Cullens or the wolves and barely paid her any attention.

"What I want is actually quite simple." Aro said with a cold smile spreading across his face. There was an unnatural look about him, his skin seemingly too tight for his face looking as if he'd had Botox, his skin yellowing just along his hairline showing signs of old age and his eyes – his eyes a rich, dark blood red color that somehow still found the ability to dance with the excitement within him. "I want a dog."

His statement, declaration or announcement was met with a mixture of gasps and deep, rumbling growls as the insult and audacity of his request struck a cord with each member of the opposing party.

"You must understand that they are not ours to give." Carlisle said trying to come across as diplomatic as possible. The underlying insult still lying just under the grain of his gentle words, that they were still nothing but dogs – guard dogs. "They have their own lives to live and wish for nothing more but to live in peace."

"Well…they probably should've thought of that before making their presence known." Caius stated coldly, his voice sounding regale and in control. A few of the wolves had grumbled in the background, a sentiment held by many but rarely voiced. Their alliance with the Cullens had put them out in the open. No longer would they ever possess the element of surprise. A look of apologetic guilt had crossed Edward Cullen's features as he looked back, his eyes having locked with particular wolves for the moment before returning his attention to the frontlines.

"But we are simply here to make an exchange," Aro finished up. "The imprints for some of the wolves." The offer is stated so simply and frankly and with the added flourish of a wrist it made the deal seem so grandiose – almost.

Fear started to roll over the wolves in waves at the idea, the thought of leaving their home to go and board up with vampires – and not the vegetarian kind. The Alphas and imprinted wolves ears perked up, their heads sitting up more alert than before as their eyes danced with worry, panic, fear, anger, sadness and horror over the only options that were open to them. They cannot live without their imprint, she's his everything: sun, moon, stars, gravity, universe, purpose, reason for living, existing.

Leah does the math in her head, four imprints for four wolves, seeing the so-called even and fair trade in the matter. No one paid her thoughts any attention as suggestions of simply fighting the Volturri are voiced, arguments of who doesn't want to go and why; the Alpha link between Jacob and Sam having been left open in their sudden wild and panic stricken thoughts over the pros and cons of the offer allowing the rest to share their thoughts and ideas.

She started to piece together what she had gleamed about the Volturri in her memories and managed to grab a few other snippets from Jacob and Seth, the two wolves closest to the Cullens. Aro is a collector of rare talents – everyone of his guard possessing some rare ability. He didn't just take anyone under his wing.

"Leah," Embry called out, his head suddenly whipping towards her and Seth quickly followed suit.

"Stay," It's the only command that she's ever issued since becoming Jacob's Beta and it carries such a strong weight with it that both wolves sit down on command. Her voice disappeared from their thoughts as she slowly began to move forward, her steps determined, purposeful and unwavering.

Everyone is so caught up in their thoughts and intermingled arguing that no one noticed the lean gray wolf's approach until she's already half way across the field. Esme was the first of the Cullens to notice and her gasp sent up an undulated wave of gasps of varying tones and pitches. Jacob and Sam looked on in confusion, each trying to reconcile the image before them with what could have transpired since the offer was made.

"Leah," Carlisle called out his voice trying to beckon her back to him. Surely there had to be some other way to resolve the matter that didn't end with the destruction of families, a pack – loved ones.

"I see that one of you have come to me." Aro's voice rung out like church bells, his laughter bordering on giddiness. "But you are small – one of the smallest." There's a hint of a frown of disappointment on his face when he compared the wolf before him with the ones behind it.

The disappointment receded as the wolf raisesda massive paw, it danced in the air as if swatting some unseen object. Intrigued by the animal's act and knowledge of his power, Aro took hold of the wolf's paw, his eyes widening in awe at the sheer size and the hot, soft feeling of the fur and calloused pads. Excitement mounts over the images that passes before his eyes, his body trembled with it and gave off the look of somehow being almost erotic.

Edward relays the exchange of thoughts for those around him, his voice bordering on agony at the innermost thoughts of Leah Clearwater that she has willingly bore to the leader of the Volturri.

"He knows that she's a female – the only one of her kind. Rare," Edward supplied as heads oscillated between him and Leah. "She's feeding into his desire for rare objects."

"He's playing with fire if he expects the rest of the wolves to give in."

"There will be death on both sides if he's too greedy. He doesn't want his guards to dwindle, does he? She's the fastest in the pack."

The Cullens and wolves listened to Edward relay the exchange with mixed emotions of hope, relief, regret and dread. All of their lives are dependent upon this one female, the only female wolf in the Quileutes' history. It seemed unlikely that Leah would have even approached the Volturri with such an offer considering her track record with imprints and the damage that a wolf's attachment to one can inflict.

Edward grew quiet after offering up rapid relays, his brow furrowing and his face having taken on a look of pain – Jasper also had joined in with the stricken look.

"She – she told him that with her he won't have to worry about retaliation or anyone fighting for her. N-no one will fight to keep her."

It is at that point that Jacob had had enough. Sam's growl echoed his sentiment as both dug their claws into the moist ground beneath them. He'd growled out a command to her, ordering her back to his side but is confused when she hadn't reacted or flinched. It was as if she hadn't even heard him. Seth and Embry shared their story of what occurred prior to Esme's noticing, that Leah ordered them to stay which placed a muzzle on them and then that her thoughts were suddenly absent, nonexistent. The realization that Leah has left his pack caused a tempest of emotions to erupt within him but a cap was placed on it as Aro's voice spoke up.

"A deal has been reached," He declared with the air of authority gained over centuries of ruling the vampric world. "We will return the imprints in exchange for this lovely creature." Edward's face blanched at some thought picked up that Jacob couldn't place or figure who could be the source but the desire to fight for his Beta, his friend, his confidant had sent lava rushing through his veins. The power and outrage that he felt was quickly carried throughout the rest of the pack, Sam's included.

Seth and Embry were the first ones to react, the muscles in their legs that had tensed, ready to spring at a moment's notice once they managed to grasp Leah's plan, lunged forward, teeth bared, ready to defend their own and unwilling to give her up without a fight.

She'd reacted quickly, like the light gray streak of lightning that she was, rushing forward to trip Seth up over his own paws, sending him to the ground. Embry hadn't been so lucky and never suspecting Leah to attack was pinned to the ground, a piercing pain in his neck and his airway cut off.

Aro had laughed in delight, clapped his hands like some enamored child over a brand new toy or a trick that he taught his puppy. The pack could only stare at her stunned as if she was a stranger, a ghost of the girl that they'd grown up with. Despite all of her snarky remarks and quick snaps Leah had never outwardly attacked one of her brothers, she'd never let their comments get under her skin that she lost complete control and went into a blind rage. She'd never shed blood unlike Paul.

And that day she had.

Seth had approached his sister head hung low and whimpers escaped his voice as he tried vainly to reach out to her through the link that bonded them all as brothers-in-arms, a pack. She'd jumped back from him as if he was a danger to her, a threat. With tail tucked, ears flattened and haunches lowered in a clear sign of submission and placation he continued approaching her until she lashed out at him, her teeth whistling through the air before she sliced through Seth's face. He'd jump away letting out a cry of surprise, pain and indignation echoing around all present as he stumbled back, landing on his back before quickly scrambling to his feet and trotting away a few feet. His eyes were wide with fear, sadness and confusion, the bite mark going from just above his right eye and down across his muzzle, the skin near his canine visibly ripped open until it began to slowly heal.

"She's ruthless as well," Aro admired as the rest of his coven nodded their silent but wary agreement.

Leah had turned her back on Seth before she could see the tears rolling down his face, the salt water mixing with the darkened crimson blood running down. She hadn't bothered Embry with any sort of sentiment or acknowledgment as he pulled himself to his paws, his tongue lulled out his mouth looking swollen, thick and fuzzy.

The decision had been made: Leah would go with the Volturri in the place of her brothers. They couldn't fight for her without meeting the same amount of aggression.

"I've always wanted a dog," Aro smirked boldly walking up to Leah and placing his hand on her head. It was a pet. The act elicited a deep snarl of disgust from the wolves, the imprints seeming to have been forgotten in this bold, unexpected and selfless act. The wolves could see and, despite the broken link, feel her disgust at the contact, her fur bristled, haunches tense and back slightly arched. With a nod of his head Leah stepped forward towards the Volturri and away from the Quileutes receiving the same attention from the rest of the present vampires sans those holding the imprints. They all held a sick delight in petting a living breathing animal, a luxury that they'd all missed out on since the beginning of their undead existence.

I am a keeper.

It's an embarrassing and demeaning display of dominance watching a creature that up until a few hours ago was proud, strong, wild and untamable become reduced to a mere pet; a glimpse into the past of the first domestication of the wolf.

"I don't like dogs." The small blonde girl, Jane, said with a look of disgust as Leah moved to walk by her.

There seemed to be some unspoken place for Leah to assume within the coven or maybe it was the wolf instinct telling her to move to back and to outer rims of this circle of vampires.

A dark smirk of mischief and spite crossed Jane's face a split second and before Leah could respond she collapsed to the ground, writhing and howling in pain. Jacob had moved to rush to her side but was stopped by Edward with a clear warning that if he moved closer they'd kill the imprints – Renesmee, specifically. It sickened him and made him feel as if was being cleaved in two, torn between keeping Renesmee safe and the desire to protect Leah. In the end, the imprints won out as the vampires that were holding them began to either squeeze them or twist their heads in a painful and unnatural direction.

The torture continued on as Leah cried out in pain, her body thrashed about violently, the younger wolves cries of pain, fear and impotence joining with hers until finally the wolf couldn't stand anymore and phased back into a more sublime form that suited Aro.

There was a collective shiver throughout the pack as Leah lay crouched before the vampires naked, shivering and vulnerable. Her hands clenching her head as if they could hold her brain inside or somehow stop the pain. Traitorous tears rolled down her face, eyes staring into a blank space before her seeing nothing and everything all at once. She stood up to her feet, legs wobbling under the weight, the world seeming to be spinning around her before finally finding solid ground. With eyes shut tight she wiped away a trail of blood from her nose, the simple fact of this injury only increasing the pack's anxiety.

The pack will never forget what happened next as it seemed as if the pain and abuse was over. With a nod of his head, Marcus sent one of the guards rushing over towards Leah and before anyone, wolf or Cullen, can issue a warning the deed is done. Leah's head is slammed into the ground, a sickening crack echoed throughout the meadow before her usually warm hazel eyes became a dull and dead brown, her body lying limp on the ground, mouth hung open, slack.

The imprints had been released during the time it took for the pack to overcome their surprise, shock and feelings of helplessness. A low command had been issued for them to not approach the female wolf otherwise they'd die. For fear of their own safety they each bolted across the field, the desire to put as much space in between them and their captors propelled them faster then they'd knew they could run. There were no warm hugs and kisses to welcome them back but they were acknowledged briefly as Leah was picked up off the ground and carried away with the Volturri. In a last ditch effort to right the wrong, both packs tore off after their fallen sister, paws tearing into the earth underneath them, noses followed the sickly, sweet stench of death and the warm, forest smell of a wolf.

They lost her close to Seattle, none of them fast enough to keep up the Volturri and Leah's burst of speed was greatly missed. The wolves spent weeks, vainly, searching for Leah and the Volturri, a sad hope welling up inside of them believing that they were still in the states. However, the imprinted wolves could only keep up the search for so long before the pull of the imprint drew them back to La Push carrying the rest of the wolves with them.

He often thinks about her when he's alone at night, Jacob. He misses his friend, her snide comments, reluctant bursts of giggles, how when she'd think no one was around or looking she'd roll around in a pile of aspen leaves in the fall. He wasn't aware of it until recently but he'd begun to notice how beautiful she was, again. Fall and winter was her favorite time of the year and his too because he got to see her truly happy, carefree. See her walk around wearing some scarf and pair of jeans as if she was normal because the cooler temperatures meant that she could wear layers: a bra, camisole and blouse but still layers in their terms. They had made plans to race up to the mountains at the first snowfall and have a snowball fight.

He was still imprinted and he was becoming whatever his imprint wanted him to be – a brother, a close friend, everything but a lover. Had he known then what he knows now there is no doubt in his mind that he would've joined her. Not let her go off alone. Wolves are social animals and needed the interaction of their peers. It's what finally drew him back home prior to Bella's wedding. It wasn't because he missed Bella or the pain had subsided but simply the pack. He missed his brothers and sister. Now, he especially misses his sister-in-arms.

Alice cannot offer any insight to her current state as the Volturri have now become a blind spot. In a way, that is a good sign – it means that she is alive but what kind of life could she live with the vampires? What kind of life would he have had with the Cullens? How different could they be, if at all?

Looking into her room, the room that has remained untouched since she was last there Jacob promises to find Leah and the others. The imprint had left him powerless to stop the Volturri and the rest of the vampire world from destroying the lives of the Quileutes. Leah had only been the first of many to have been taken. The wolves were easy targets with the fear for their imprints. Girls, boys, babies and mothers had all been taken in hopes of them becoming wolves. The boys that did not phase were killed and the girls were hit-or-miss, some were killed, drained of their blood or worst, never found possibly meaning they were changed. Mothers' bodies found strewn all over the state, their stomachs ripped open and the baby missing. The disappearances have been chalked up to suicides and a serial killer but the wolves know the truth.

Standing in the doorway, he shuts off the light, a stuffed khaki travel bag slung over his shoulder. Walking down the stairs he is met with dark and angry eyes of his pack. Some are willing to follow him while the rest are resentful and envious. He knows what they are thinking, they believe that he will bring the wrath of the Volturri down upon them, the imprints will be killed, Leah's sacrifice will have been in vain and worst of all she made her choice. There are no words exchanged as those willing to follow their Alpha and take back what was theirs, walk out the door leaving the rest to wallow in their own self-loathing, dread and impotence. The werewolves had been wiped out of Europe because the Volturri feared them but the shape shifters have become mere pets and Jacob knows it is time to set the record straight.

They are protectors – keepers. He failed in protecting his sister but he is going to right that wrong.

A/N: Alright, so to be honestly this was a completely unrelated one-shot that I wrote one day while in a dark, dark and crappy mood. If I recall correctly bourbon and some gin was involved and I happened upon it, read it and thought – holy smokes this would work for Keeper. And voila there you have it.

Honestly, the story had ended with Jacob thinking back on how the Volturri have returned multiple times stealing more and more tribesman. The pack still unable to do anything in fear of their imprints getting hurt or worst killed. But now that I'm sober and not in such a 'Kei-should-eat-the-whole-world-and-shit-it-in-a-universal-toilet' kind of mood, figured I'd at least have some kind of 'glimmer' of hope. You're welcome. Hahahaha.

And now I must bid you all adieu because…do you hear that? That's the sound of my bed calling me. Thanks for all the reviews, alerts and peeks. Really appreciate the interest you all take into my random stories.