This chapter is dedicated to Leah my favorite wolf. Enjoy!

~B

Many wolves lost their lives in that battle, but the Quileute warriors fought on. They took out each Cold One until the monsters were forced to retreat back to the East. The fight ended, but the Great Alphas were weak. They were unable to shift forms and they were too tired to move their limbs. Q'wati swept his wolves into his arms praising them for their bravery, and together with Bayaq and the Thunderbird they carried the two Great Alphas up the highest mountain.

Her paws hit the ground in a steady rhythm. She pushed herself to run faster as if she could escape the emotions that tied her to the La Push Alpha. Her heart beat against her ribcage with such force that she was amazed that it hadn't leap out of her chest. If her pack mates were here, they would assume that her heart was beating so loud from the exercise, but only she would know what really caused it. Only she would know that it was his smile that could cause her heart rate to increase.

The she wolf shook her massive head to clear her thoughts. She couldn't risk having such thoughts about the La Push Alpha – her alpha! Leah forced herself to swerve to the right heading off the path that she usually took and forcing her further away from her pack.

It was illogical to even be fantasizing about him right now, not when he was so into the other Alpha Female. Leah's lips formed into a tight line when she thought about Asha. It seemed like no matter what Leah did there was always someone that Jake loved more than her.

Jacob slowly rubbed circles into the palm of Asha's hand watching Seth and Paul struggle to beat each other in a rather vicious round of Mario Kart. Seth finished his second lap pulling ahead of Paul causing the older wolf to curse loudly and pound on the little 'A' button with an intense fury. The two exchanged several threats before Paul managed to knock Seth off of the track in time for the older wolf to cross the finish line.

"You cheated!" Seth cried throwing his remote onto the sofa. "There was no possible way you could've won that without cheating."

"Don't be a sore loser, pup." Paul replied as he stood up. "Besides, not everyone can be as good at Mario Kart as I am."

"But I was winning the whole last lap!" Seth stood up coming at eye level with Paul.

"What's wrong, pup?" Paul snorted at Seth's furious expression. "You want a rematch."

"Hey, where's Leah?" Asha asked noticing the absence of the La Push Pack's Alpha Female. "I haven't seen her all day."

Jacob shrugged nonchalantly as Paul and Seth started up another race. "She's probably just out having some time to herself. She does that when she feels like she needs a break. I'm sure she'll will be back by tomorrow."

"That's a long time to be out alone for a wolf." Asha noted glancing towards the TV.

"Not if you're Leah." Paul cut in as he launched a red turtle shell at Seth inspiring the Beta to swear loudly. "She does this at least once a week."

"You're not concerned for her?" Asha asked looking in disbelief towards Jake. "She could be dead or worse!"

"Hey, don't worry about Leah. She's strong and she can handle herself." Jacob grasped Asha's face in his hands, so she was looking him in the eye. "Nothing will happen to her."

"How can you be sure, Jake? These are dangerous times for shape-shifters."

"Seth," Jacob looked towards the younger wolf and jerked his heads towards the back door to his house. "Go and find Leah. Make sure she's alright."

"But Jake, I'm winning!"

"Seth."

The Beta frowned, but dropped his Wii remote and headed towards the door. "You owe me, Jake."

Leah lay on her back in the sand watching the stars. She could picture Jake lying next to her both of them lying in silence as they pointed out the various constellations. It would be like how it was before Asha came back when Leah might've had a chance with the Alpha.

The she wolf sighed and closed her eyes. Life wasn't easy. She already had one love wrenched out of her arms by Fate and now when Life handed her another love Fate swept in and took that one as well. It was like she was destined to be alone for the rest of her. She might as well start adopting cats.

"Hey Lee-Lee." Leah's eyes fluttered open surprised to see her brother standing next to her. He was wearing nothing but his khaki shorts indicating that he just phased, and he was breathing pretty heavy. "You went really far this time, huh? I sprinted the whole way here. Can I sit?" Without waiting for a reply Seth settled down next to his sister lying down on his back as well.

"You never follow me when I leave." Leah whispered still trying to grasp the fact that her brother was here next to her.

"Yeah well we were all getting pretty worried. Paul, Jake, and Asha sent me because you were gone for a while."

Leah snorted when she heard Asha's name. "The Alpha of that other pack was worried about me? She seems like she would only be worried about her pack and Jake."

"She cares about us, Lee. Believe it or not, but she's a really nice person."

"Figures. She has you brainwashed too." Leah turned her head away from her brother and Seth sighed opting to change the subject.

"Did I tell you that I was going to propose to Charlie?" Seth asked quietly.

"What?" Leah rolled over so she was facing Seth. "You're only a junior in high school why the hell are you thinking about marriage?"

"Because I love her, Lee, I love her so much that it's crazy, and I want to be with her forever." Seth smiled his white teeth standing out in the darkness of the night. "I figured that once this whole rescue-Asha's-sister-thing is over I'll tell her everything."

"What if she doesn't believe you?" Leah whispered.

"Then I'll prove it, but I love her too much to let her go."

"Yeah, well, what about imprinting? What are you going to do then?"

"Well, Aden and Kato were with each other for almost two hundred years and neither of them imprinted so I asked Asha about it – don't give me that look Leah! Anyways, I asked Asha and she said that two people that aren't imprinted can become mates with this tribal ritual thing and bam no imprinting will ever happen."

"What if she doesn't accept you when she finds out that you're a wolf?"

"She will… I know she will."

"Yeah, what if she doesn't? What if she thinks you're a monster, and she won't go anywhere near you?"

"Don't-don't say that Lee." Seth closed his eyes as if he were in pain, and Leah's eyes softened.

"Just don't get your hopes up little brother. Sometimes you think things will last forever, and they won't. Maybe she's just a seasonal thing instead of a forever type thing."

Seth stayed silent for a while playing with the sand before he spoke again, "Maybe she is a forever type thing and if I wait to imprint then it's messing up a great thing I have. What if Life is giving me something and is telling me to hurry up and run before Fate comes and screws it up."

"It doesn't matter what Life hands you; Fate will always mess it up."

"Not this time Lee-Lee." Seth shook his head. "I'm making sure that it won't happen this time."

"That's funny... That's what Sam said to me before he imprinted on Emily."