IV.
Truth
I took a deep breath. Ethan glanced nervously at me. I hoped he knew that this was a bad idea. I can't really talk to them now, not after I know that they were making me choose. I did not look at him but concentrated my gaze in the house that stood proudly in front of me, daring me to go inside and look at the people who I know would rather not see me. My head was brought reeling back to where I was standing when I heard the vampire beside me snap his teeth. I turned my gaze at him, wondering what he was seeing that made him react like that. He was still looking at me but he was not gazing in my face but in my neck where Jacob's hands were etched as deep purple bruises.
"Who did this to you?" he asked angrily, his gentle voice shaking. He reached out his hand to touch the bruises but I recoiled.
"It does not matter. We wolves heal easily. You did not need to snap your teeth," I replied dryly. I hated being surprised like that.
"No one has the right to do that to you, even if you heal easily," he said calmly yet he was shaking. What is the deal with this guy?
"And what are you going to do about it? It's not as if I was going to die because of minor injuries. I'm stronger than I look, vampire," I replied, though I knew that I did almost die of suffocation. But I knew Jake did not mean it.
"Who did it?"
"No one. It does not matter," I replied. He snapped his teeth angrily at me but I ignored him. I let him calm down a bit before continuing. "What's the plan?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you're the one who carried me here. What are we going to do? How do you plan to solve my problems?"
"Tell them the truth."
"That's kind of hard doing. I don't know if they could ever accept me if I do that. I mean, I imprinted on a...vampire!"
"Do you want me to pretend as if I do not yet know?"
"Why are you being like that?" I asked in disbelief. He did not want to claim his powerful hold on me.
"I want to make things easier for you. I believe I have caused you great pain as it is."
I stared at this vampire in shock. I've always assumed that vampires are just cold, heartless, undead beings that would never feel the same way as the living. Though they have proved me wrong over and over again.
"What am I supposed to do?"
"I'll go to the back and you can go to the front door. I am quiet certain that your pack is here. I could smell them."
That was true. I could even smell them. I wondered if Seth was here. I wanted to talk to him first before everyone else. But there was no time to look for him in the entire forest. I sighed and nodded to what he instructed.
I crept slowly towards the house, trying to avoid slipping in the mud and tumbling over loose roots. I saw the silhouettes of the people inside. I stopped in front of the front door. I saw Charlie's police car which meant my mother must be there also. Worry crawled inside my heart. I had to face everyone and explain everything to them. I would have been more relieved if it was only my pack present. I was not sure if Ethan can control his thirst. I knocked at their door and Bella answered it.
"Leah. Your mom and Charlie are here. Please, come in," she said stunned at my appearance. I must looked deranged. I came in hesitantly and saw Jacob first before anyone else. I looked away immediately.
"Leah, what are you doing here?" Charlie asked, pleasantly surprised. My step dad wanted his family to be together all the time. He was alone for too long and now he has the chance to have a complete family, he was certainly going to grab that opportunity.
I did not know how to start. They were the biggest crowd that I had to break the news to. "I have something to tell you but I don't want to say anything unless Seth was here. I promised that I would tell everything to him," I explained, looking at Jacob but he avoided my gaze. Instead, it was Edward who answered me.
"He's coming. He saw you approach the house and he wants to know what's going on."
The door opened once again and Seth entered the room without the need to knock. Of course out of all the pack I was the only one who was awkward being here than anyone else. He looked at me with the same burning hurt that he had before I left him to take care of my car. A moment later, Ethan came in the room with a strange twinkle in his eyes but no one seemed to notice that he was there. They all looked at me expectantly, waiting for whatever it was I was going to say.
"I want to...apologize to Jake and Seth. I did not mean to betray the pack. I could not bring myself in telling you not because that I don't trust you, I just...did not know if you would be able to accept what was happening to me. I'm pleading you to understand that I did not want any of this to happen. If I could just have my own way, everything would be different. I hate not being in control of my life yet you know as much as I do that we cannot control the world."
"How could you say that we might not accept you? You're a part of the pack and of course we should stand united. You could have told me, I'm your brother for crying out loud!" Seth screamed indignantly.
"I can't be sure of that."
"Leah, we can't trust you if you can't share everything to your pack."
"I can't believe that you're making this a trust issue!"
"We will never trust you if you don't do anything to prove that you can be trusted!"
"How?! How did I make that a trust issue! I'm your sister and you can't trust me?!" I screamed as I readied myself to pounce to Seth and tear him to pieces. We were both shaking so badly that I was afraid that we were going to phase in front of everybody. The Cullens were all standing up now, ready to prevent us from hurting the humans around.
"Woah! Woah! Enough! Enough! Whatever it is that the... pack is having trouble with, you guys are going to solve this," Charlie said, getting between us while our eyes threw daggers at each other. Of course my step dad was all about keeping our family united and stuff. He only knows about the secret of our pack. He has no idea that her daughter and his family-in-law are vampires. If he did, then he had to become one of them to avoid another confrontation with the Volturi. All of this made my announcement even harder. My mother would be more understanding because she also know the Cullens' secret but Charlie cannot ever know.
"Charlie, we should really go," my mom said standing up. She has no idea what was going on but she knew enough that this was concerining the vampires and our pack.
"But, Sue, we can't let them kill each other. I want to solve this now that I'm in the secret," Charlie replied stubbornly.
"Let them solve their own problems. They won't hurt each other and the Cullens will keep an eye on them. Why do you think they haven't stepped in yet. Come on now."
But Charlie was not moving. He traveled his eyes around the room looking for help when he noticed another figure that he and my mother has not noticed yet but everyone knew he was with us.
"Who are you?" he asked looking at Ethan and we all followed his gaze. He looked around the room and smiled.
"I am Ethan," he replied shortly. Charlie looked at Carlisle and then Bella as if looking for an answer.
"Ethan is Edward's friend at school. His parents just died a couple of months ago and he has nowhere to go. It's the last break before their graduation and I figured he does not want to be alone. Besides, he has nowhere to go. We are actually considering to adopt him," Carlisle said convincingly looking at Ethan. He actually played the part. These vampires can get through any lie that they want.
"Let's go Charlie. I believe that we have invaded their house long enough," my mom said, pulling Charlie with her as she made to exit.
"Mom, I... fell for an... undesirable," I said finally as she touched the door. She paused and looked at me, her face was blank so I was not sure if she understood me. I was not sure if I should make the statement any clearer. Charlie looked from her to me, his face filled with a confusion he clearly did not like.
"What are you talking about, Leah? Do you know what she's talking about, Sue?" he asked.
"I'm not sure, Charlie but whatever it is that she's trying to tell us, she'll make it clearer later on. Now come on," my mom replied though she was looking at me, her face was still undeniably blank. She dragged him out of the house. A moment later I heard the rumble of the police car that Charlie uses around town and they were gone.
I felt the burning sensation as a few pairs of eyes looked at me, anticipating in what I was going to do next. Of course they were still waiting for my explanation but I was not sure if they got the message that I was trying to tell my mother. I turned around and took a deep breath.
"So Carlisle, you decided to...adopt him now huh?" I asked trying to sound casual. Seth was still standing, though the anger had faded. Jacob stood up from where he was sitting with Nessie. He crossed his arms and waited impatiently. Of course he was not going to lose his temper in fear that he would accidentally hurt Nessie.
"Would you just tell us what it is that you were keeping. Unless of course you have decided to go," he snapped coldly.
"I have decided to stay Jacob. I can't be away from my pack," I said. It was time to tell them.
"Well, we're waiting."
"I imprinted on... Ethan," I weakly whispered. Seth and Jacob looked at me, too stunned to speak. They know me enough to know that I was not lying at all. The Cullens on the other hand looked at Ethan who was now pretending to be surprised as well. Edward looked at him and nodded, I knew that he was agreeing not to say anything to the others like what we have agreed on. Ethan stood up and looked at the bruises that were barely there. He then approached Jacob and faced him.
"If you placed one more hand to hurt Leah, you'd be sorry, mongrel," he whispered deadly. For the first time, he had shown his true ferocity and that made me a bit afraid of him. Jacob stared at him just as fierce. I was not sure how the other Cullens would respond to this but they were ready to prevent any blood shed that might happen.
"Ethan, do not act based on your impulses. We cannot lose the alliance of the wolves and Jacob is a part of the family. We cannot attack our own family now, can we?" Carlisle said placing a hand in Ethan's shoulder to control him.
"I am fine, don't think that I'm weak, Ethan," I added indignantly. I was not happy that someone would assume I cannot take care of myself.
"I will never let anyone hurt you," he answered me, still looking at Jacob with that horrifying glare.
"Who are you to do that?" Seth said, approaching Ethan, his gaze had the same ferocity as the two.
"Enough all of you," Carlisle said, moving between the two boys and the statue.
Alice gasped and everyone turned their attention at her. She had the same blank gaze that she had when she saw Ethan approaching. From her expression, whatever it was she was seeing was not good. Edward growled and snapped. We looked at him for any explanation but he did not say anything but continued to growl. Alice blinked and finally saw us. She looked horrified.
"Jane's coming!"