I've been completely blown away by the response. Eleven reviews? You guys are amazing! Big thanks to ANGEL FALLEN FROM HEAVEN, KSave, art-is-a-bang-yeah, InanzumaNina, wolves lover, Littleheartache (I love your username), Tsuki no Yasha, Apocalypse owner, and all those who reviewed anonymously, faved, followed, and simply read my story. You're the greatest.
MariMart: Thank you! I know what you mean about crossovers feeling forced, and I'm glad you don't see mine that way. And yes, there will definitely be more Seth! Thanks for telling me the characters aren't OOC, I was really worried about Leah as I've never written anyone like her. Your comment really helped to ease my nerves, beautiful reviewer.
birdy: awww, thank you so much!
steph: I love Leah crossovers too, but I hope Emily will surprise you in this one ;)
NOTE: we all know Steve's an idiot around strong determined women he likes, and bumbles around a bit in this chapter. Doesn't mean he will forever though.
Leah visited one of the many stashes of clothes she had hidden throughout the forest after realising that controlling her temper might not be that easy. She pulled on a pair of shorts that had started off as three quarter jeans, but was nearing the end of their life as a tight pair of almost knee length shorts, as well as a t-shirt she thought she had thrown out long ago.
Coming down to where the forest gave way to the sea at First Beach, Leah collapsed on the scratchy sand.
Why did this happen to her? She'd never put much stock in the whole 'soul mate' deal. Well, she had once, but she'd learned.
And now Blondie comes along, looking perfect, proper and gentlemanly- the exact opposite of all the guys in the pack, not to mention herself. The pulling inside her was so strong, desperate, driving her mad. But she pushed it to one side and ignored it. Something she had become very good at doing lately.
She had learnt to let Paul's taunts roll off her back, but this time his words had struck hard. A guy that looked like that had to have a hundred beautiful, smart, normal girls sighing after him everywhere he went.
Leah watched the sunset slowly fade to black. She closed her eyes and let the sounds of the waves wash over her. She tried to ignore the trembling feeling inside her, begging her to go back and find the man who had lit up the diner with his beautiful eyes.
But what would the other's say? No one ever really thought that she would imprint, and most certainly not on someone with no wolf genes (that was evident, with his pale skin and hair, blue eyes, and european features).
There would be an endless supply of jokes, all at her expense.
She heard a loud grumbling, and sniffed the air. There was no rain in the air, and it couldn't be thunder. As it drew closer, Leah recognised the sound of a motorbike.
The noise cut off, and the waves rolled back in.
Soft footsteps on the sand approached, and she curled in on herself. The only one in La Push who she knew had a motorbike was Jake, who had given them to the rest of the pack before he left. She wondered who was coming to yell at her.
The footsteps paused. She'd been spotted. Though oddly, the smell wafting towards her was one of mint and cleanliness. Not the wild smell of the forest combined with sweaty socks and whatever they'd eaten minutes before.
"Are you all right, ma'am?" an unfamiliar voice asked.
Leah spun around to see the man from the diner- her imprint.
She stared.
"It's just, you ran out in a hurry, and it's getting dark. I thought maybe something had upset you."
Was that a hint of a blush on his cheeks?
"I thought it was me at first, then I realised those other guys weren't being nice and - I mean, I don't want to annoy you if you want to be left alone, I just saw you down here and thought you might want some company. But I can leave, if you want, cause, I'm a stranger, and you probably just want to be alone..." he faltered under her stare.
"I'll just go now," he muttered, turning.
Leah let him take one step before the pull towards him came to hard to resist. And she wouldn't admit it under threat of death, but she grudgingly found his awkward ramblings cute.
"Wait!" he turned, a hopeful expression on his face.
"... I could use some company," Leah said quietly.
Slowly, he came and sat down next to her, not crowding her space just simply being there. They sat there, carefully watching the night sky, weary of disturbing the silence.
"I've been in the city so long, I'd forgotten how many stars there really were in the sky," he offered.
"I wouldn't know. I haven't been out of La Push for a long time," Leah said bitterly.
As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she wanted to shove them back down her throat.
"Where are you from?" she asked.
"New York. Brooklyn," he said, blue eyes turning a stormy grey.
Leah was suprised. She had expected maybe Washington, but no. All a way across the country. Wasn't that where the attempted alien invasion had taken place?
"What brought you so far from home?" she asked, as his feelings started to flow across the special bond they shared. She was suprised how unbearably sad he was, and her longing to help nearly swept her away.
He snorted slightly at her question, and looked far out to sea.
"Hard to be far from home when you haven't got one in the first place," he said.
She clenched her jaw. She could feel the sorrow wafting off him and stood up. She couldn't deal with someone even more broken then herself.
"I have to go," she said, turning to run back into the forest.
"Wait!" he called out. Against her will she faced him, still posed for flight.
"You can't go running into the forest at night. Let me give you a ride home," he said, walking up to her, worry clear in his eyes.
"I'll be fine," as she turned, he grabbed her arm, sending a tingle all through her. Even compared with her high temperature, he felt warm. His hands were big, strong and calloused, but delicate, as if he were handling a priceless artifact.
"But there are wolves in the woods," He said, looking her directly in the eyes. They were almost exactly the same height.
"They never hurt anyone," she said, tugging her arm gently out of his grip, "I'll be fine."
"But what if there is someone in the forest?" he asked as she walked away, sounding exasperated.
"Do you think just because I'm a girl I can't protect myself?" Leah asked. Though she didn't want to snap at her imprint, this was a prejudice she had been dealing with all her life, especially since joining the pack. And no one told her what to do.
"No! I just think a pack of wolves versus one human, it's pretty obvious who is going to win-"
"Look, buddy, if I meet anything or anyone in the forest at night, it's not going to be me doing the running," she snarled, as she disappeared into the trees.
Steve stared into the shadowy trees.
"Nice going, Rogers," he hissed, hitting himself on the forehead.
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