AN: Guys. I do not know what to say at all. Me, cjfed95 and resnessmeecarlieblackxo are so shocked with the amount of reviews we got that we had to have this chapter ready to go tonight for you guys. You're AWESOME! :D But now some news; the chapter after this one may be a few days; it is the chapter that none of you want to miss. Unless you're squeamish ;) Who knows, the days might shorten if we get close to the same number of reviews we got for chapter 5 :p Haha. Enjoy chapter 6!

Sam had to move awful quick to get to Seth, who's eyes were glowing with fire and hands were just beginning to reach around Paul's neck.

"You careless son of a bitch!" Leah's little brother yelled, elbows and fists swinging backwards in an attempt to get his Alpha off his back so he could pound his other pack mate. Jacob stepped in thankfully, grabbing ahold of Seth's wrists as well, only to have Sam shove Seth's full weight into Jake's bronze chest.

It was Sam's turn to have it out with Paul. (Though it was pretty tempting in Jacob's head, too.)

The oldest wolf grabbed his volatile brother by the shoulders and Emily gasped at the heavy sound it made as Paul's back collided with the orange wall of the house.

"Are you fucking crazy!?" Sam questioned, pulling Paul forward and slamming him right back into the wall. "You know how she gets!" To Sam, it seemed like he was only a decibel above talking normally. To Paul, and to Emily, the normally calm leader was shouting at the top of his lungs.

Paul was wide-eyed, his next sentence coming out in a stutter. "Bu-but she-"

"I don't give a fuck what she did! You had no right to do that you insensitive little prick." Sam's voice was a loud deadly hiss that froze even Seth in his need to get at Paul also. "It's a fuckin' monsoon out there, you dumb fuck, and if she gets hurt I swear to God-". Sam's teeth clenched.

Paul was shaking, and his eyes grew even wider. Sam was holding onto him so tight the Alpha could feel his muscles ripple with the shudders. Paul nearly had a heart attack as Sam reared one fist back, other hand still on his shoulder and then slammed his fist so hard into the wall beside Paul's head that it splintered the wood.

"Sam!" Emily gasped out, hands cupped over her mouth. "Stop, please!" Her voice was possibly the only one that could've made Sam snap out of his anger, and it did. Looking around, Leah's ex found himself being stared at by the whole room. Other members of the pack were poised and ready to step in; Jared had ventured a lot closer and Quil looked like he might piss himself.

"Sam, calm down my man.." Embry whispered, hands gesturing slowly to get Sam to lower the same fist he'd apparently raised, ready to strike again. (Sam briefly thought that this time he wouldn't pussy out.)

Gritting his teeth even tighter Sam let go of Paul only to have his brother nearly lose his footing from going weak in the knees. Jesus, had he really been that frightening? Looking around again as his fist lowered, Emily's hands were outstretched, as if she was contemplating reaching out for him but she was scared to (she should be; look what happened last time she got too close.), and Jake had released Seth who looked most terrified of all.

".." Sam couldn't find the words to say sorry; or even to formulate a decent sentence in his head. All he knew was that the rage that consumed him was all-burning and he didn't want them to touch him. He wanted to rip Paul's head off and chew his bones for making such a dumbass remark.

And he longed to find Leah and kiss her tears away...Leah was never supposed to cry.

"...We have to find her. This storm is supposed to get a lot worse."

Shoulders slumped in relief in the room as Sam's old wise voice returned. Seth was quick to nod.

"Yeah. Let's go now. She didn't even have a jacket." Seth urged, pulling his shirt off over his head. "I betcha she phased, went for a run. But I don't like my sis out there alone." His tone showed worry, but at the same time the relief was plain to see Paul (no matter the asshole Seth thought he could be sometimes) get to live another day. Sam nodded, arms still quivering. He felt her gentle touch then, the small caress of her fingers as she looked up at him with almost-tears in her brown eyes.

Sam just glanced at her, for the first time, and then he turned away from her as he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket.

Dialing quickly, he counted seconds in between rings and felt that eyebrow crease appear, as well as beads of sweat.

"Pick up Leah, goddammit, don't be so stubborn and just pick up." Sam pleaded with himself, beginning to pace as the first call ended. He tried again. Still no answer.

Growling Sam began to punch keys on his phone in a hasty text message. 'Please don't do this Leah,' he thought, 'Not tonight.'

The minute that passed seemed the longest minute of his life up to date and Leah didn't text back. Jesus. This was actually really bad. Sam tried the Clearwater house phone. Nothing.

"Let's try not to panic." Jake said, placing a hand on his fellow Alpha's shoulder only to remove it when he whipped around to face him. "She's done this before yah know, stomped off all angry. Look just give her a few hours, maybe even a full day. She always comes home." Seth gulped, but against his better judgement he nodded too. He'd spent a godawful number of days worrying about his sister for no good reason. She was indeed probably fine.

"Jake is probably right, Sam. Leah will be back." Seth said. But then the youngest werewolf turned his head to look out the window, caught sight of a hideous bolt of lightning and changed his tune back to his earliest instincts. "..Although I suppose a few hours running around to look won't hurt."

The wind was howling like a bear caught in a trap and the raindrops hitting the window panes were unrelenting. It was a violent storm indeed; and if it got much worse La Push would surely be in a state of disaster after the season was over. Actually, not just La Push, but all of Washington. The newsmen called it a 'temporary monsoon season' and warned everyone to cancel any travel plans and stock up good on supplies and shit because the Washington state area could expect horrible storms almost every day of the week for a near month. The foreboding clouds that had been shadowing La Push for days were warning signs of the coming hurricane and Sam just figured Leah would pick the worst day to run off on, figuratively. The beginning of the storm.

Not that things for her had been going so well before the storm; but fuck she'd been trying, Sam knew that. They'd all been trying. It was just that being nice to Leah, for the rest of the pack especially was a hard task when they remembered all the horrible things she had said to them over time. Sam should've been most pissed of all, actually; so how come he was here worrying his balls off because his ex-girlfriend (who he absolutely refused to admit he was falling back in love with) went for a storm surge stroll? Sam Uley was now going to be a father; he had a baby to look forward to.

Leah was the last person he should've been thinking about.

As Jacob undressed to phase as well, Sam turned back to his fiancée. Emily's hands were cupped together in her lap, watching all the pack members with worried eyes. Her gaze stayed on him the most however; and fuck did it make Sam feel even guiltier. He sent her an apologetic look by accident and then tried to cover it up but it was too late.

Emily's soft hand rested on his boiling arm.

"Sam, baby.. I'm sure Leah will be fine. Let Jake and Seth go search, maybe Paul. Please, stay with me." Sam wondered how Emily could be so selfish; he knew deep down she only wanted him there because she was indeed pregnant and wanted them to enjoy the news together, but all Sam could focus on was how the more important matter at hand was Leah had gone missing. Celebrations could come later; Leah came first. Always.

Sam realized the dedication behind that thought scared him a bit as he shook his head and pulled his shirt off too.

"No. I have to go look. Paul, you're staying here. You'll be the last person she wants to see right now." Sam hoped that was true. Usually, it was the other way around.

Before long the boys had stripped to their boxers and they were out the door into the pouring rain.

"God speed." Quil nodded mutely, poor attempt at humor as the backs of the three wolves disappeared into the night.

-

An hour passed. They'd ran all the way up past Forks and halfway to Port Angeles without even a trace of Leah's scent.

'Fuck. I bet it's the wind.' Jake cursed in his head, russet nose to the wet ground but smelling nothing other than the stale scent of the rain.

'Yeah. It must've washed away her trail.' Seth agreed, small snarl escaping his snout. 'Man. Why does Leah always pick the worst nights to run off?' In his head, Seth recalled a memory of a seven year old Leah getting into a fight with her mother over having a slumber party with all guys, and then running away for a few hours the exact same day a biking gang passed through La Push. When Leah didn't come home Sue had been the most worried little five year old Seth had seen her ever, and now as a fifteen year old ten years later he found himself running through his mind the possibilities for trouble he knew his sister could get into; just like he figured Sue had ten years before.

'We'll find her. Don't worry.' Seth turned his head towards his leader.

'Hey Sam?'

'Yeah?'

'..Thanks. She'd never admit it yah know, I mean, you know Leah... But I'm sure she'll appreciate you comin' to find her.' Sam almost smiled. Seth was so innocent and honest with his emotions that it sometimes seemed like the two Clearwater wolves couldn't be from the same family. It was like Leah was water; she seeped into cracks to wear away at your personality with her own biting current but whenever she was trapped, she found a new way. Seth was the fire in the family; all brazenness aside, his feelings were deep and he would always let them shine through; Seth was actually very passionate and he radiated warmth to all those who knew him; even the cold-bodied Cullens.

The large black wolf came to a stop just as his other two search mates did; his fur almost invisible in the dreary night.

'No trace at all. This is actually really unnerving.' Jake said, shaking his body and sending excess water spraying his surroundings.

'Well she couldn't of gotten too far. She was maybe half an hour, forty-five minutes gone before we left?' Sam tried to reassure. He was the Alpha, with Jacob; it was his job to stand up and make decisions and calm down his brothers (and sister) when they needed him to.

No matter how much he didn't believe in his own words.

'I get where you're comin' from Sam, but Leah's really fast.. Faster when she's mad.' Seth whimpered, nose so low down to the ground the fur around his muzzle got muddy. 'She could be halfway to Mexico for all we know..' His worried thoughts trailed off. Images of Leah missing, Leah hurt and bleeding filled the young pup's head and coaxed another wean out of him.

'Try and stay calm Seth. I'm sure your sister's fine, really. She and Paul have had it out before.' Seth growled at Sam's mention of Paul. Strangely, so did Jake.

Sam's golden eyes flicked to him wonderingly. (Jake harnessed his thoughts so carefully to shelter Sam from the kiss he'd showered on Leah earlier that day that the second Alpha thought he might end up getting a wolf migraine.)

'I just think he went way too far this time.' Jacob responded to his look, tail flicking irritably like a cat.

'Way way too far.' Seth barked, this time a picture of the youngest wolf tearing into Paul's hide aglow in his head.

'Calm down you two. Paul's an arrogant dick, yes. But he had a right to be angry, even though I don't condone the things he said..' Sam's large head turned away from them, and the rest of his body followed as he was once again forced to be the calm one, the one who could not act with his heart anymore since phasing. (He was becoming less human then the rest of them, he could feel it.)

Jake lowered his head once again when he knew Sam was right. Deep down, he knew Sam felt the same way he did when he was forced to take sides over his previous Beta because it was the norm; and most of the time, like he'd pondered earlier on, Leah brought her misfortunes on herself. It was like the girl was drowning in this deep dark abyss of pain and it was too late for anyone to pull her out because every word they seemed to say to her nowadays was another brick tied to her ankle.

Sam's sudden bark and growl scared the thought out of Jake's head and he whipped around to face his fellow leader.

'Sam? You okay?'

'I'm fine.. But everyone needs to stop thinking Leah can't heal, because I know she can. I know it'll take time, but the last thing she needs is everyone giving up on her.'

'You gave up on her.' Jake thought. Sam was going to dive for his throat before Seth, little Seth, fired a warning growl between them. Jake hadn't meant for that thought to slip out; the rust-colored Alpha could see his friend was just as worried about Leah as the rest of them were, perhaps even more and he didn't want to further aggravate him. But any time Sam thought of Leah's pain, apologized again and again ('I'm sorry' 'I'm sorry 'I'm sorry') Jake lost a bit of sympathy, and the filter between his mouth and his brain. Sam had caused Leah all of the pain she was in today. Hell, she'd lost the two men she loved most in the world in the same day, and as far as Leah was concerned she felt one loss was her fault. 'I'm sorry Sam, it slipped out.'

Sam did nothing but growl at him, turning his flank in Jacob's direction and began the walk back toward La Push. 'You're lucky I've got better things to do, more important things to worry about then fighting with you Jacob. I know what I've done.' Was all Sam said as he disappeared into the trees. Jacob and Seth traded regretful glances between following along behind.

About another hour passed by as the threesome searched the beaches and backwoods of La Push and Forks; and still nothing. Sadly, the boys knew they had to retire sooner or later no matter how much they wanted to remain out in the cold looking. The pads of their paws would soon crack and bleed from frozen ground. Their fur had icicles, and they were beyond drenched. With sad looks between them, the boys all returned home.

Jake went home and asked Billy if he'd heard from Sue. Nope.

Seth went home and found only his mother, looking out the window with her arms crossed in annoyance. No sister.

Sam went home, tried his best to be happy and then went to bed with his pregnant Emily, still worried as fuck.

Seth woke up the next morning to just the smallest sliver of sun peeking through more heavy dark clouds. Still no Leah.

-

She sat on a log about two miles over the Canadian border and that was where she'd spent the night. She didn't sleep; who could sleep when they felt like death had wrapped it's cold grey hands around their world and stolen all the color?

Leah'd cried for hours; not because of the dangerously close lightning but because of the pain in her broken heart. Her only shelter from the destructive weather was a tree nearly barren of leaves. Her clothes were soaked through, and she knew that if she'd been any regular human being hypothermia would have probably set in telling from her white tingly fingertips alone.

She knew it was stupid running off. But being stupid was the least of her worries.

Leah had cried. Blubbered like a baby in front of her worst enemies and gave in to how much Paul wanted her to just leave. Once again, she loses more than one thing in one night; her pride, and her last remaining tie to Sam. Leah had nothing now.

She clutched at her chest and sobbed wholeheartedly. Everything she had fought so hard to control, every memory she had suppressed was raining down on her with true force. Sam's beautiful, prefect face shined before her in her mind, his expression full of pure love, solely meant for her, back when they had been together. How she resented Emily for taking away the only chance at happiness she had. She was living out her life. Leah was supposed to be pregnant with Sam's baby. The beautiful cottage -with the hideous walls- was supposed to be her's. Sam was supposed to be her's. She had given her heart to him, every piece of her now fragmented heart and in the end his promises were meaningless.

He was gonna be a daddy. If Emily was pregnant, Sam was probably bouncing off the walls right now. Briefly Leah wondered if they'd went out to look for her; or if they'd decided just to let her die alone out in the night. (It didn't seem like something to put past them; especially Paul, Sam and Emily.)

Her hair was still sopping wet even though the rain had stopped hours ago, from sheer moisture in the air alone. This wasn't even a relatively bad night considering the weather La Push was supposedly in for, and the few bushes that had been tossed around in the breeze were lying unruly in random places. Leah could hear the sea far off, the small channel of the Atlantic ocean that cut into the land in a spit. She was probably only a few minutes of a walk away from it, she could even smell the salty, fresh breeze mixed with the dirty scent of mud and upturned soil.

Now more than ever Leah wanted to make a run for the water, dive in, and sink to the bottom. The white caps would probably still be huge after such an abusive storm and they would have no trouble drowning her in their strong clutches. At least then Leah wouldn't have to return to La Push, meet the annoyed, irritable eyes of her mother (she always looked that way, especially since Leah had proclaimed her 'dislike' for Charlie Swan and his vamp daughter), the angered eyes of Paul and probably the laughing faces of Quil and Embry. (Yeah that's right.. Leah Clearwater is actually a person with feelings. She cries too.)

Pulling her cell phone out of her pocket as she felt a vibration for like the sixtieth time, she read Seth's name and felt a pang of scorn. Poor Seth.. She hadn't considered his feelings before taking off like that. But then again no one had thought about her's when Emily walked in all red from the wind and got baby mama on everyone's asses. With gritted teeth Leah shut the phone closed again and stuffed it back into her soggy pockets. 'Huh. It's a wonder it didn't get ruined. Phones these days are indestructible.' She'd even dropped it out of her mouth a few times while she was running as a wolf. And with a curse she remembered something that had seemingly disappeared.

Standing up and glancing around carefully through the ruined area, Leah's stormy blue eyes searched for her iPod. The gadget must've slipped her teeth or tumbled out of her pocket when she phased back and pulled on her shorts. She cursed.

'Music would be so good right now..' It really would've been awesome. Anything to distract Leah from picturing Sam with that small smile as he hugged his fiancée who was soon going to be heavy with his child-

A twig snapped behind her and then it was like irony; the soft hum of music filled the still forest air, I'm Burnin' For You' by Blue Oyster Cult Leah thought, one of her and her father's favourites. Spinning around on her heel quickly, the torn and ragged Leah Clearwater came almost face to face with the smug look of Karl Flying Arrow.

In his hand, he waved her iPod.

"This your's, sweetheart?" He asked her, lowering it and smirking as Leah stepped backward out of shock. "My, my. You look like a mess, Leah Clearwater. What happened?" He asked. His voice didn't sound concerned. There was curiousity; and just something more that made Leah want to run for the hills.

She fought the instinct away and stood her ground.

"Uh." She stuttered, eyes moving behind the Alpha of the Cree pack to land on his Beta, she recognized, stepping out of the trees. What was his name? Bronson? Brandon.

And beside Brandon was Keith and his girlfriend (fucking imprint) Janice. They all tilted their heads to the side as they took in her soaked through appearance and Leah found herself crossing her arms across her bosom just out of respect for herself.

"What are you doin' all the way out here?" Brandon asked, hand shoved deep down into his pocket. The fingers were curled around something, Leah could tell but she couldn't guess what.

"I.. I went for a run last night and I got caught in the storm. Why do you care, anyway?" She muttered, eyes whizzing to meet the other four pairs in the small clearing. Minutely, she tried to use the sound of the running water from the sea a few minutes off to distract herself from Karl's freaky glare.

"I see." Keith said ignoring the question, crossing his arms. Janice glanced at him, before looking back at Leah. She looked plain; like someone bored at a stupid movie. Her eyes were set upon Leah then though and they seemed to stare right through her. A shiver shot up the shewolf's spine.

"So. You went for a run last night, when it was like holy hell outside. Not to mention you ran like five hours away. La Push is far off you know." Brandon said, eyes travelling up the goose-bumped pale legs and prompting Leah to cross them.

"Yeah. You got it." She said, hating herself for the tingle in her voice. "Thanks for bringing me my iPod. I'll have it back now..." She said, extending her hand and taking it out of the Alpha's. She shut the power off.

"No problem Leah." He said. He stood stock still, Karl, staring at her.

"Uh, how'd you know I was here?" She questioned slowly, eyes once again flicking between the four mysterious individuals and not liking being boxed in for some reason. Their appearances were fresh; they might've come far, but they mustn't of left inside till the rain stopped a few hours ago.

"We didn't." Janice said, voice high but still bored. "Until..."

"..Until?" Leah asked, cocking an eyebrow and hoping she didn't look as retarded as she felt.

"Until I smelt your blood." Keith answered, stepping up beside his Alpha and Brandon, closer to her. "It's on the ground back there by about a mile. It's weird the rain didn't wash it away." He said, black eyes coasting downward like Karl and Brandon's.

Leah looked down and oh, holy shit, her leg was bleeding. She must've snapped a branch or maybe tripped some snare wire somewhere. She didn't know where she was exactly; but she could tell she was far far away and didn't know the layout of the land here.

"Oh. I didn't even know I did that." Leah said, sinking to one knee to assess the wound. It wasn't bad; merely a scratch that would be gone in a day or two from her healing abilities. A normal person might've needed stitches, but then again Leah wasn't a normal person was she? (Unfortunately not.)

"Gotta say, Leah. For a shifter, like us, you're blood smells... Mouth-watering." Brandon smirked. Leah felt the blood still under her skin turn cold.

Creepy much? These guys were giving the leeches a run for their money.

Leah couldn't find the words to say so she said nothing and stood back up. When she met their eyes again, all of them, Janice included, wore the same evil grin.

"Actually, Leah Clearwater, all of you is mouth-watering." Brandon smirked. Karl said nothing but that Alpha's eyes made him look like kids at a fat camp eyeing chocolate cake.

"Leah, Leah, Leah." Karl stepped closer. "I take it you're all alone. Am I right?"

Leah's heart began to hammer in her chest. The rain began to pour and the wind roared in her ears; the sea crashed in the distance.

Something was not right.