A/N: Wow, am I feeling pretty damned chuffed or what? First of all the response to the last chapter was greatest I have ever had. Given that cliffhanger, I thought I would be running from flaming pitchforks, but no. Have I mentioned before that I my reviewers? Second of all, I broke the 200 reviews. Not a big deal for some fanfic writers, but it's freaking massive for me. Have I mentioned before how incredibly amazing reviewers are?
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you...you truly deserve any good that comes your way.
There were some theories as to Billy's reaction. To put quite a few of you out of your misery, I am telling you now that Leah and Jacob are NOT brother and sister. Ick.
Also, as I mentioned at the start of the last chapter, real life is going to be insanely crazy for me during the next two weeks. I will try to keep up with the once a week update (I know that I have failed several times before), but I truly cannot promise anything. I hate the idea of keeping you waiting, especially when you have been so loyal, but unfortunately I can't always be writing.
So, enough from me, and on with the chapter.
Music: Cruel Guards- The Panics, Generals- The Beautiful Girls, Silhouettic- Birds of Tokyo, Real Love- Regina Spektor
"No," Billy said. The seriousness of his tone made Jacob's stomach drop.
"What?"
"This can't happen. You need to stop."
Jacob frowned, completely confused. "I have to stop what? I am not joking, dad. I am serious."
"I know that you are not joking, Jacob," Billy replied. "And that is why you need to stop this relationship now."
Jacob stared at his father. "I don't...what?"
"You and Leah," Billy said. "It can't happen and I will not allow it to happen. You need to end this relationship today."
XXXXX
Leah burst into her bedroom, slamming the door behind her and then locking it. She wanted to fight the tears that were starting to fall from her eyes, but found that she had not the energy to do so. Drawing in a shaky breath she leaned against the wood behind her and sank to the ground.
This wasn't right. She should be yelling, she should be screaming...but she couldn't. Once again everything was out of her hands. Decisions were being made that she had no say in. She had tried to fight before, but that got her nowhere. There was nothing that she could do now, except give up.
She no longer had any control.
Forcing herself up, Leah started to make her way over to her bed, when her eyes landed on the small desk in the corner of her bedroom. Slowly, she stepped towards it. Everything was lost, she would be alone once more.
All she wanted was control of her own life. To make her own decisions and live with those consequences, and nothing else. Those thoughts continued to run through her mind as she reached out and lightly fingered the shiny blades of the pair of scissors.
Control. She could show them who was going to rule her life...couldn't she?
XXXXX
Jacob crossed his hands across his chest. "No."
"Jacob," Billy's tone was equally as forceful. "You do not have the option."
"Like fuck I don't!" Jacob spat out. "You cannot just sit there and dictate my life. This is a decision that I get to make- not you. What is your problem with Leah anyway?"
"Jacob, this is so much more than me having a problem with Leah...which I don't...personally, anyway."
Jacob frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"You cannot be with Leah, because your relationship has no future," Billy answered. "It cannot turn into something permanent."
Jacob felt his blood boil. "I swear, if you even mention the word imprint, I will phase right here and rip this place to shreds."
Billy shook his head. "This has nothing to do with imprinting...your relationship can have no future because our wolf lore dictates it so."
Jacob shook his head, confused. "And what the fuck is that supposed mean?"
Billy paused, running a hand through his hair. "You are aware that Leah is an...anomaly—"
"She is fucking more than that," Jacob broke in angrily, but stopped as Billy held up a hand.
"If you continue to interrupt me, son, you will not get the explanation that you need," he said, patiently. "It will not be the explanation that you want, but it will be understanding, nonetheless."
"Fine," Jacob threw his hands up in defeat, and slumped down on the couch. "Explain away."
"A female wolf was something that had never been documented, something that we had never heard about in all folk lore. When Leah transformed, there was panic amongst the Elders, as it was something that was a potential threat to our line."
"Leah? A threat?"
Billy nodded. "In order for the wolf line to continue, one parent must be completely human- a person who carries no trace of the wolf gene. In the past, that whole human had always been the female. That is why there is that belief that imprinting exists to ensure the continuation of the wolf line."
Jacob frowned. "Then how the hell do you explain Seth and vampire baby? Have you seen it? That thing is not completely human."
"I know. We were initially worried, but we reconciled that there was no way Seth would have imprinted, unless she was capable of helping continue the line. There is also the fact that she would have absolutely no trace of wolf genes," Billy added.
Jacob brought a hand up to the back of his neck. "So that's why Sam didn't imprint on Leah..." he mused aloud. "She was concerned...thought that she was defective, because she hadn't imprinted...but if she was going to do that, it would have to be with a human, right?"
"Yes," Billy replied. "And that is why we were not concerned about her imprinting on one of the pack, but instead of a situation such as this," he said, gesturing towards Jacob.
Jacob suddenly felt another flash of anger. "What do you mean by 'situation'? Leah and I are still new- having kids is the last fucking thing on my mind at the moment. You seriously want to ruin the one thing in a long time that has made me truly happy because of something that is not going to happen for a massively long fucking time?"
"I cannot allow you to be together, Jacob. We cannot take the chance to let things develop beyond the point of getting out. You are Ephraim Black's great grandson. It is your responsibility...no, your duty to ensure that the Black line- the true Alpha line, continues."
"Well, what about Rachel?" Jacob argued. "Let her and Paul ensure that the Black blood line continues and leave me the fuck alone."
"No, no, no," Billy said, his voice getting louder. "It is not the same. You need to accept this part of your life. You cannot run from it."
"But I didn't fucking ask for this life!" Jacob yelled, standing up. "This is such bullshit. I don't even know where my relationship with Leah will go."
"Yes, you do," Billy countered. "I know both you and her. There was no way you would announcing this news unless you were serious. Unless you saw a future. You would not put yourselves under the scrutiny, otherwise."
"Fine," Jacob said, his dropping to a dangerously low level. "If you are finished, then I am leaving. And, I am going go do whatever the fuck I want, not what you tell me to do."
Billy's eyes flashed as Jacob made to leave the room. "You need to stop only thinking about yourself and your happiness, Jacob."
"All I do is think of others, dad! It's time that I got to focus on me," he replied. "I'll see you whenever I get back."
"I won't allow this, Jacob. I will stop this."
Jacob turned around, and looked his father right in the eye. "What are you going to do, Billy?" his eyes moved down to the wheelchair. "Chase me?"
He turned before he could register any change in his father's expression and walked out of the house.
XXXXX
Leah was sitting cross legged on her bed, the scissors still in her hand. She wondered where Jacob was right now. She had to assume that he had gotten the same talk from Billy as she did from Sue. Never in her wildest imagination could Leah ever have anticipated Sue forbidding her happiness. Oh, she could tell that it killed her mother to do so. To rip her own daughter to shreds, but still she did it. Chose some stupid fucking heritage over the happiness of her child.
'What is Jacob going to chose?'
Leah inhaled sharply at that thought. She wanted so much to believe that he wouldn't give up on her. After all, he was the one who fought so hard for them to begin with. It was him who truly initiated their relationship, not her. She tried so hard to clutch onto that thought, but...
He was an Alpha. His responsibility as a wolf was so much more than hers. She had no idea what sort of pull that could have on a person. Jacob was such a loyal person. The question was, where did his true loyalties lie?
Leah's heart suddenly seized with fear. He wouldn't choose her. He would stay with the pack. She could understand that. After all, what was more important- her or allowing for the protection of innocents in the generations to come? She could understand, but that didn't stop her stomach from churning at the thought.
She bit down on her bottom lip, stopping herself from yelling out. This was why she didn't want to get involved with Jacob in the first place. It was inevitable that they would be driven apart. Her mind had been telling her that from the get go. Why the fuck hadn't she listened? Why, why, why?
Tired of fighting it, Leah let out a yell and forcibly threw the scissors across the room. She watched as they drove into the wall, staying horizontal for several moments before plunging to the floor with a dull thud.
She let out a bitter laugh. She couldn't do it. What was the point of fighting for control when there was nothing worth fighting for?
XXXXX
Jacob stood at the edge of the water, thankful for the threatening clouds above. The strip of sand was empty as nobody wanted to spend time in the vicious waves today.
"Fucking fucked fuckers!" he screamed out to the horizon. He briefly wondered what would happen if he made his way out into the waves and simply let himself go. No more rules, no more responsibility, no more restrictions...no more...
No more Leah. His eyes closed at that thought. Surely Sue would have given her the same story. A part of him feared that it would only add to Leah's fears...
Leah. Her face flashed in his mind and he turned at that instant, walking to where he should be. And there was nobody who would be able to stop him.
XXXXX
A thumping at her window caused Leah to jolt awake. She sat up with a gasp, catching a quick glance at her clock. It had been a couple of hours. She didn't even remember lying down on her bed, let alone falling asleep.
She watched as a familiar figure crawl thought the window and then straightened up.
"Jake," she breathed. "What are you doing here?"
"Why the fuck do you think I am here?" he asked, crossing the room to her bed. He sat down on the edge and then pulled her tightly in her arms.
"But," Leah pushed herself away. "Didn't Billy tell you..."
Jacob's brow knitted together in a frown. "Yes."
"But then..." Leah trailed off, unsure if she should continue.
"Leah, what are you—" he cut, his eyes widening with realisation. "You thought that I would agree with Billy. That I would give up on us because of some ancient fucked up lore?"
"Yes...no...I don't know," Leah stammered. "All I know is that Sue told me that we had to end it, and I started freaking out. I was got so scared when I thought that I might not ever see you again, and then I got even more scared at the fact that I was so scared...oh god," she paused, running a hand through her hair. "I am rambling. I don't know. Part of me really thought that this was over. You're the Alpha, Jake. I get that. I would understand if you wanted to end this."
Jacob exhaled loudly. "There is not a chance in hell that I am ending this. They can all go fuck themselves as far as I am concerned."
Leah raised a hand, placing it on his cheek. "Do you really mean that? It means turning your back on who you are, on who you are meant to be."
"No, it means turning my back on something I never chose, and being with the one person that I want," Jacob corrected. "I don't care about some stupid gene. I am not thinking about future generations right now. All I am thinking about is the person sitting in front of me."
"But—"
"Jesus Leah!" Jacob cut her off, abruptly. "Why are still questioning this? Don't you get what I am saying? All of what Billy said to me today means nothing. Nothing, nada, zip, fuck all. And it means nothing to me because I fucking love you."
Leah gasped, leaning back slightly. "What did you just say?"
"Umm," Jacob hesitated, running a hand over the top of his head. "Please don't freak out...just forget it. I don't want to scare you...I know what we were told today will probably just exacerbate the whole imprinting thing and –"
"Jacob," Leah cut him off with a laugh. "Shut up."
He blinked. "Huh?"
She cupped his face with both hands. "Shut up, you moron. I fucking love you, too."
For a moment Jacob thought that she was playing some sick joke on her. He had come to accept that no matter how serious he and Leah got, she would be unable to give herself to him completely. And he was able to understand that. As soon as he blurted out that declaration he wanted to sew his mouth shut- if there was one sure fire way to make her run...
Then she returned the sentiment, and of course it had to be a joke, right?
But now she was pressing her lips against his. "I love you, Jacob," she whispered, as if reading his thoughts, and then pushed her tongue against his.
Jacob responded eagerly, circling his arms around her. He shifted them back so that he was sitting up against Leah's pillows, with her straddled across his lap. She circled her hips, grounding them into his as her breathing intensified. She felt Jacob's hand move to the hem of her shirt, and she raised her hands expectantly.
But Jacob did not immediately remove her shirt. Instead his eyes had shifted towards her door. "What about..." he trailed off, leaving the rest of question unsaid.
"It's fine," Leah reassured, pressing down on him harder, causing him to groan. "It's locked."
That was all Jacob needed and he had her top removed in an instant. At the sight of her braless chest, he let out a low hiss and cupped them, his finger and thumb tweaking her nipples. The sensation sent a shock right to Leah's core, and she threw her head back, rubbing into him more, wanting desperately to increase the friction between the two of them.
"Leah," Jacob breathed, as his hand grasped the back of her neck, pulling her face close to his. "I need you so fucking bad."
"I need you, too," she murmured before forcibly crushing her lips into his. The next few moments were spent with the two of them frantically fumbling to remove each other's clothes. When they were finally in a on the floor, Leah could not help but moan at the feeling of Jacob's hot skin against more. The intensity between them was brimming- there was so much more at stake now. And it only made her want him more.
"Leah," Jacob whispered as he trailed his lips along her jaw and down her neck. He found a pulse point and focused on that, sweeping his tongue around and sucking it. He grinned, keeping his lips in place, as he heard Leah's sighs. Her hands circled around his head, her fingernails scraping through his hair. As he moved his lips back to her mouth, he trailed a hand down her stomach and sliding it in between her wet folds.
Leah shifted her hips, moving with his finger as it rubbed against her clit. "Mmmm," she sighed, her nails digging pleasurably into his scalp. She pressed her lips harder into his, curling her tongue around his, wanting to savour the taste. For brief moment she wondered how she ever could have doubted Jacob wanting to be with her, and then the thought was gone forever.
Jacob pressed his thumb against her clit, and poised a finger at her entrance. But before he could slide it in, Leah pulled her mouth from his, and grabbed his hand with one of her. "No," she shook her head. Jacob took a moment to take her in- with her mussed up hair and swollen lips, she was the most incredible thing he had ever laid eyes on.
"What is it?" he asked, trying to move his hand towards her, but she stopped him.
"All of you- I need all of you," she replied, shifting her hips upwards. Jacob complied and moved his hands to her hips, to help guide her down onto him. Leah let out a moan as she felt him fill her. She moved her hand back to his neck, pulling him closer. Resting her forehead against his, she started to move, up and down, circling her hips, wanting to feel as much of him as she could.
Jacob exhaled deeply, gripping her hips, feeling her walls tight around him. Her skin was starting to feel slick under his grip, as a light sheen of sweat built up. Her hands behind her neck kept their faces together, so close that they were sharing the same air as their breathing grew more laboured and erratic.
"Don't stop," he moaned, as she continued to manoeuvre her hips around him. He released one hand off her hip and ran it up her back, fisting it in her hair. "You are fucking amazing," he said, and then ran his tongue along her neck, tasting her sweat, before crushing his lips hungrily into hers.
Leah groaned into his mouth, slamming down harder, wanting him as deep as possible. She could feel that delicious coil in her stomach tightening and knew that it would not be all that long until her release. "Jake," she whispered, keeping their lips together. "I'm gonna—"
"Me too," he grunted. "Don't fucking stop." He pulled her head back slightly, so that they could look each other in the eyes, and then thrusted upwards to meet her motions.
The coil deepened, sending sparks all over her body. Leah fought the urge to close her eyes and throw her head back, wanting instead to watch Jacob. Watch him as she came, and then watch him do the same thing.
"Jake...Jake...oh..." she panted, their eyes never separating.
"I know...I know..." he murmured, and then moved one of his hands between them, pressing his thumb against her clit. That single movement sent shock waves through Leah's entire body.
"Fuck yes," she hissed, increasing the movement of her hips. Jacob continued to rub against her clit, watching as her breaths grew shorter and shorter, until she suddenly cried out and clamped down over him. "Jake...oh...yes...ugh!"
He thrusted upwards several more times as she tightened and pulsed around him. He pressed his thumb, adding pressure to her clit and causing her to jolt. It was all his needed for his own release.
"Oh...fuck yes!" Jacob let out a loud guttural moan, circling his arms around her back to keep them as close as possible. He moved against her a few more times, enjoying the trembles it caused through her body.
"Jake," Leah sighed. She moved herself up slightly, allowing him to slide out of her. Keeping his arms around her, he pulled them both down, so that their heads were on the pillows, the rest of their bodies a tangle of limbs. As Leah pressed herself tightly up against his side, he grabbed the covers, throwing them over the two of them.
"I love you," he murmured, pressing his lips onto her forehead, which was damp with her sweat.
"I love you, too," Leah replied, already drifting off to sleep.
Jacob knew that there were things they were going to need to discuss and figure out. But for now, he was content to just lie and fall to sleep, with the girl he loved in his arms.
He knew that they had to savour these moments, because they had absolutely no idea what was around the corner.
