Wow 60 chapters! Thanks everyone for all your encouraging comments, please keep posting them! Enjoy!

Chapter 60

The walk up to my front door seemed to take forever. Snow had begun to fall again, drifting down from the sky in fluttering little flakes. Off in the distance an owl hooted and I heard the small rustle of a rabbit hopping through the trees on the other side of my house. Kaase squeezed my hand. "You want me to stay with you?"

I shook my head. "No you go with Seth. You need to change and I need to talk to my mom myself."

Kaase sighed. "Whatever you want, Leah."

The door opened with a creak, filling the front porch with a dim yellow glow. From the doorway I could see mom sitting at the kitchen table, head in her hands. A pang struck my heart like an ax, this was my fault. Seth shut the door and mom realized we were in the house. She jumped slightly.

"Oh." She sat up and dabbed quickly at her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt. "How was the bonfire?" She looked up at us, attempting to smile through a tear stained face. Her eyes widened, focused on something behind me. "Kaase what happened to you!?"

I turned slightly and saw my imprint standing with his clothing in tatters. His medium length hair was tousled. Seth spoke up, "He got in a fight with Paul."

The look on mom's face was plain horror. "Are you alright? What happened?"

I then realized that we hadn't told mom what Kaase was, oops. "They just got in a disagreement, mom." I said, she looked at me hesitantly. "You know Paul. Kaase is a real werewolf mom, he had no problem beating the crap out of Paul."

Mom's jaw dropped. "Straight and to the point," Kaase laughed. "one of the many reasons I love you." He wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me closer. I put my other arm behind my pack and with my hidden hand motioned for Seth to take Kaase and leave.

"Well I should probably show Kaase were the rooms are," Seth adlibbed, "we'll be back."

I hopped he wouldn't be back too soon, I wanted their company but I also wanted to be alone. They darted off to my room, leaving me alone with my mascara smeared mother. Since when did she wear mascara? I swallowed hard, must be a Charlie thing.

We stared at each other for a moment, neither of us knowing what to say. I should have thought this out more before approaching her. I decided to take the first step, "Mom. . . I'm sorry."

She shook her head and took several steps toward me. "No Leah, I'm sorry. I should have thought more about you and your brother before I committed to anything. I didn't think it would hurt you so much." She paused to sigh, I could tell she wasn't done. "It's just. . . ever since I started getting together with Charlie he has made me so happy. As happy as your father did." She let out a small tear choked laugh then shook her head. "I didn't realize how much this would affect you two."

I had an urge to reach out and hug my mother and surprisingly I did. I wrapped her in my arms, holding her like she would whenever I was upset. "It's both our faults mom." I wasn't going to take all the blame when it wasn't my entire fault. "Seth and I shouldn't have reacted like we did. Charlie makes you happy," I took a shaky breath. "and that's what's important."

"Oh Leah." My mom sighed. "It's more my fault than it is yours, I don't want you feeling bad. Your responses were what I deserved. I love Charlie but I shouldn't force you two to love him also. We aren't getting married right away and won't get married at all if you two still don't like the idea."

I smiled. "We'll try for you."

"Thank you." She whispered.

We stood there, holding each other for several seconds. Judging mom for wanting to follow her heart would make me a hypocrite. I was practically leaving my family and my pack behind to stay human with Kaase. I could at least try.

She sniffed then pulled back. "You should go check on Seth and Kaase. Goodnight."

I smiled. "Night, mom."

I walked swiftly down the short hallway to my room. When I opened the door I found Seth sitting on my desk and Kaase sitting on the side of my bed. They paused in their in-depth conversation.

I sighed and sunk down on the bed, "That went better than expected." I admitted.

"Really? So what's she going to do?" Seth asked eagerly.

"She said she's not getting married right away and if we don't warm up to Charlie she'll call the whole thing off."

"Wow." Seth replied, evidently lost for words.

"We have to at least try, Seth." I sat back up, leaning on one of my hands and with the other pushed my slightly over shoulder length hair behind my ear. "She said Charlie makes her happy."

Seth nodded. "I'll try." He then chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

"If they do get married that means Bella will be our step-sister, meaning Edward would be our step-brother-in-law and Renesmee our step-niece."

I groaned turning to smile sarcastically at Kaase. "Will you still love me when I'm related to a leech?"

Kaase laughed. "Of course, Leah."

"I might not." I muttered to myself jokingly.

"I won't mind." Seth grinned.

"Of course you won't, you're practically a Cullen already."

"Hey!"

"That's enough." Kaase laughed again. "Seth tell her what we were talking about before."

I looked at Seth curiously. "What were you talking about?"

"Well you know how Paul couldn't get a bite in on Kaase?" Seth started.

I held back a shudder. "Yeah? What about it?"

"Kaase is inexperienced and he was faster and stronger than Paul who is one of the most experienced wolves in our area. How are we going to be able to stand up to Peter and his trained fighters?"

I felt fear trickle through my veins. How would they? Paul was one of our strongest fighters and he didn't stand a chance against Kaase. How would Seth stand up to Peter or one of his experienced werewolves. "What are we going to do?"

"We're going to have to call a meeting with the Cullens tomorrow." Kaase said, "Maybe they will have ideas."

I nodded. "Maybe, will you be able to stand it?" I directed the last part at my imprint.

He nodded. "It will be in the morning so hopefully I will be in better control."

"Well I need to go talk to Jake." Seth stood up. I realized how official he sounded, since I had left the pack he had been promoted to second and he seemed to be taking his job very seriously.

"Have fun." I snorted. Jake would not be happy to hear this new discovery.

"Yeah, thanks." Seth crawled out my window and dashed into the woods.

Kaase grabbed my shoulders and pulled me against the pillows with him. I sighed, resting my head on his well muscled and defined chest. He put his strong arms around me and with his right hand played with a piece of my lengthening hair.

"I say next weekend you meet my friends." He smiled.

He had never talked about his friends before. "I'm curious." I admitted.

He laughed. "No you should be afraid. Have you ever wondered why my truck is jacked up with giant tires?"

I thought of what Seth had called it that first day, the 'white trash truck.' I gulped but shook my head.

His laughter rocked the bed, "Be afraid, be very afraid."