Thanks for the great response last chapter! I really appreciate you guys reviewing and trying to figure out what was wrong with Leah. A majority of you guy's got the right answer, although there were a few surprising theories.

This is more of a filler chapter than anything else; it's a mere 2000 words as opposed to my usual 4000. Nonetheless, its important to see what's up with Leah. Enjoy!

Book Three: Loved

Leah's POV

Chapter 16

I was angry.

I was upset.

I was hurt.

It took pretty much everything in me to not phase; the last thing I wanted was to be scrutinized by every one of my pack members.

Once again.

I almost wanted to laugh. Only me, Leah Clearwater, would find herself in the same situation. Maybe it was something in me that drew me to fellow shape shifters. That was the only explanation that even partly made sense as to why I for the second time in my life, I had fallen in love with a werewolf.

Even with my great eyesight, it was hard to see where I was going, and I tripped repeatedly over rocks and tree branches. It might have had something to do with the fact that my eyes felt like they were swollen from the amount of tears that were coming from from my face.

For one reason or another, my feet ended up leading me to my mom's house. There was one thing I needed to do there, and afterwards, I would leave.

I let myself in and saw my mother and Seth sitting on the couch in the living room, laughing about something. At the sight of me, both of them went silent.

"You knew," was all I croaked as I stared daggers into my mom, one of the very few people in the world who I trusted to always tell me the truth.

She stood up and walked over to me. "Leah, what happened to you?" she said worriedly. She reached for my face.

I flinched away. "You knew about…" I didn't even want to think about his name, let alone say it. "You knew he was a wolf, and you didn't tell me."

"I couldn't. It wasn't my secret to tell."

"But you should have."

"For what?" she raised her voice, seemingly frustrated. "So that you could look like this? What good would that have done?" She sighed. "I just wanted you happy."

"Happy?" What did that even mean anymore? I thought I finally knew what the feeling meant, but it was a lie.

Again.

"I was protecting you. I didn't want to see you hurt again."

"Well, great work you did."

I turned away from her and went upstairs. Throwing my bedroom door open, I rummaged through my drawers to get any clothes I could and stuffed them into a small suitcase I used to use when my dad took us on little weekend vacations.

"Leah, what are you doing?" It wasn't my mom talking behind me. It was Seth.

I didn't bother turning around. "I'm leaving. What does it look like I'm doing?" When I picked up a brush that was lying on my dresser, my hand brushed against the vase of flowers I had once cherished.

God, I really wished I could forget him.

Without thinking, I threw the glass vase against the wall, the water, flowers, and glass going everywhere and covering my wall.

I turned around, suitcase in hand, and proceeded out the door.

He stood in my way. "Leah-" he sounded desperate.

"Get out of my way, Seth. I really don't want to hurt you." The last thing I wanted was to inflict any harm onto my little brother. I already knew I was, which was part of the reason that I was going.

He sighed and went out of my doorway. I brushed past him and walked down the stairs, grabbing my car keys.

"Can you just try to be safe? For me?" I heard him call out.

I chuckled dryly. He would always look out for me. "Yeah, sure." With that, I left the house.

I went into my little Ford Mustang my dad had bought for me, but I never bothered using; what was the need when I never really went anywhere besides La Push? The last time I used it was to go to that stupid store in Port Angeles.

I pulled out the driveway, and before I knew it, I ended up on the expressway, going east to…

Where was I going?

I had no idea in the slightest, but there was no way I was stopping. Maybe if I just made it passed-

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a siren behind me.

Of freaking course.

I could have phased right then and there, I was so angry. Just for one moment, I wished who ever were supposedly looking out for me up there would just say, "Huh. Leah's having a really rough time right now. Maybe I'll cut her some slack."

But, then again, my life is never that simple.

I pulled over on the expressway, and waited for the police officer to come up to me.

I rolled down the window, and waited to get this over with. This wasn't the first time I had been pulled over –I was probably mindlessly speeding… once again –but I hadn't really been charged before. It's surprising what a few winks and giggles could get you out of. I was scared for the day when it was female cop pulling me over.

"License and –Leah?" A familiar voice said.

Oh, I was never going to get a break.

I looked over and saw none other than my mother's boyfriend staring confused at me. "Hello, Charlie."

"Jeez, Leah, are you alright? You look terrible."

I just shook my head. What could I say to that?

"Well, you were doing about eight five miles an hour around here, and it's a fifty five mile an hour area…" He trailed off. "Leah, are you okay?"

I was silent.

"Look, how about I drive you wherever you're going? I don't want you in an accident, and you're in no condition to be driving right now."

"What about my car?" I said quietly.

"I'll get someone to come get it and drop it back at your place. C'mon."

I got my suitcase out the back seat and got out the car. There was nothing left to do. What would happen if I just flat out refused? Would he write me up a ticket? Even I knew Charlie would never do that, but I didn't really want to get on his bad side. He was a nice guy, and I could see that he was genuinely worried.

I chuckled dryly for the second time that evening. I was once again hurting people just by being near them.

When I sat in the passenger seat and he got in on his side, he asked me, "Where are you heading, Leah?"

A hotel, was where I wanted to say, but I didn't have the money. There was no way in hell I was going back to La Push right now. Only one place really came to mind.

"Can you drop me off at the Cullen's?"

In the corner of my eye, I could see his expression turn skeptical. But all he said was, "Sure thing," and rode off towards the direction of Forks.

There was no where else for me to go. The Cullen's, namely the semi-home of my pack leader, was technically my land anyways; I had to protect it. Maybe the bloodsuckers would have enough sympathy for the she-wolf to let me crash in their woods.

I could only hope.

"I'll make sure to drop your car off, Leah," Charlie told me as I got out of the car.

"Thanks. I appreciate it Charlie."

He made a simple nod. Before leaving, he called my name out, and I turned to him.

"Get better soon, Leah," he said to me.

I tried to manage a smile, but I had a feeling that my face was just screwed up in every which direction.

He pulled out the driveway and off the estate.

I faced the mansion. Should I knock on the door and inform them that I'd be staying in their back yard the next couple of nights? Or should I just go into the woods and find a patch of dry dirt to sleep on?

I was full of questions tonight. And no answers lay before me.

Before I could decide anything, I heard Jacob come out of the woods. Turning to him, I could see that Nessie was sitting on his shoulders. At the sight of my face, they both seemed to pale.

Jeez, I must have looked worse than I thought.

"Leah," Nessie's little voice said. She touched Jake's face, probably sending him a message.

He pulled her off his shoulder and set her on the ground gently. "Ness, why don't you go in and play with Alice? I think she has a new outfit for you to try on."

She nodded her head simply and walked to the house.

When we were alone, I glared at him. "Did you know about this?"

He looked confused. "About what?"

"Him."

He sighed. "You need to be more specific than that, Leah. I'm not Edward. What are you talking about?"

"He…"

"Who?" A moment later, realization hit him. "Vince? What did he do?"

The sound of his name shot through me, and as a reflex, I covered my mouth to hold in the sob that threatened to escape my body.

He rushed over to me. He put his hands on my shoulders, and shook me. "Leah, what did he do? Did he hurt you?"

"He's a wolf, Jacob."

A look of sympathy went across his face. "Damn, I'm sorry, Leah."

"You really didn't know?"

"Of course not. The last thing I heard, Embry had been taking care of him. I saw him a few days ago and he looked fine. I had no idea."

"Well, Embry lied."

"He probably didn't want to phase. He knew you'd find out, and-"

"And what? Realize that I can never get what I want, because it's always someone else's to have? Is that what Embry wanted to hide?"

"Leah, it's not his fault."

"Well who's is it?" I nearly screamed. "It's not Embry's fault because he was his brother. It's not his fault because he can't control it." I looked down at the suitcase that was still in my hand. "It's my fault I feel this way."

"You can't control who you love. You and I both know that."

"I thought I could be happy again, Jacob." Fresh tears started down my face, though I would have put money on before that I would have run out by now. "I thought that he was what I had been waiting my whole life for. I would stop phasing to be with him. And we'd be together, because we loved each other. And he'd hold me and show me that he loved me. And I would love him for the rest of my stupid life.

"But he's just like Sam now," I whispered.

"Did he imprint?" Jacob asked.

God, I hated that word, "No, but he will. He'll imprint and I'll be just like before. I don't…" A sob escaped my body, the suitcase leaving my hand and my knees almost buckling as a full realization hit me. "I can't do this again, Jake. I can't go through this again. I can't do this."

He hugged me tightly to him, like he was trying to protect me from every evil in the world. Just like a big brother would.

Just like an alpha should.

"You're going to be alright, Leah," he said quietly into my hair. "I'll make sure of it."

I shook my head. There was no escaping this.

He could hold me all he wanted, but I was still breaking inside.

I can never get what I love most, can I?

Poor Leah. She seems to have it rough right now, doesn't she? Any reactions as to what'll happen when the Cullen's find out she's there (Leah doesn't seem to realize how very hard it is to hide from vampires!)

Cocoa