Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns all Twilight Saga and characters.
Leah
Something was up. My alpha looked like he was about ready to shit rocks. Edward looked off and so did Duli. Renesmee was nervous and Bella looked as suspicious as I was. Yeah, something was definitely up.
"What's wrong mom?" Harry stopped playing soccer with Chris. He had this very annoying way of knowing what I was feeling.
"I'm fine sweetheart. I just smell something funny, that's all." I gave him a wink and he smiled at me.
"Hey Harry, hurry up!" Chris called him with a soccer ball in his hand and my little miracle went running over to him to play. Sometimes I would wonder if he was real but the large scar on my body would remind me he was. I tried not to think about the past for his sake and Nessie's but ever since I was raped, I just couldn't feel safe.
As soon as I left the Cullen's house to live in my own home I felt like someone was watching me. I had nightmares that those bastards were coming back to take Harry away from me. Some nights it was them, other nights it was the Volturi and once, the first night at my house, it was Sam's pack. I almost phased when I woke up from that particular nightmare. Embry was the only one who knew and after about two weeks living in the house by myself, he moved in with me. The nightmares stopped once he was living there, but, of course, that only brought a whole different set of troubles. Now I had Seth in the house and I was living close to the Cullens but I still felt like I was being watched and for some reason it was drawing me to the skies. I would have dreams of flying all the time.
I wondered if Harry could sense my paranoia. He was always so protective of me. It couldn't be healthy for him to be worried all the time for me. Embry said that he felt the same way about his mom until she got married. I still worried though. I guess worrying is just part of motherhood. Rosalie swore that if she was human, her hair would be grey because of Chris. Those two were always getting into trouble. They were ten times worse than Duli and Nessie. They always hunted out of rage, they broke into people's houses at night. They called the police on one of the neighbors who was beating his wife. That one I didn't mind as much but they still were a handful. I think the best part of their trouble making was seeing Emmett, of all people, step up to the plate and be a parent. The dude could be scary when he wanted to be and those boys were no match for him especially when he and Jasper stood up to them together.
I was getting the feeling of being watched again, my best friend sat next to me and rested her curly head on my shoulder.
"What's going on kid? My wolfy senses are telling me that you are hiding something." She straightened up to look at me in the eyes. It was a challenge.
"I can MAKE you tell me." I threatened.
"Fine." She said with a fake pout and she put her hand on my cheek. I saw her and Jake in the water. He asked her to marry him! I actually choked on my own saliva. Nessie patted my pack.
"Geez Leah, you need to slow down when you swallow." She said sarcastically. I looked at her then at my alpha. No wonder he was fucking nervous. I wondered why Edward hadn't cut his nuts off yet. Maybe, he was waiting for Bella to do it. I heard Eddie chuckle by the barbecue.
'I love him so much! Do you think we're crazy?' She asked me with her mind. I looked at her and I swear it was as if she morphed to a little girl right before my eyes. But she wasn't a little girl anymore. She was a young woman.
"Of course I do." Nudged her with my shoulder. "But it don't mean I don't think it's awesome." She hugged me immediately. I got used to the hugging. The whole damn family loved hugging.
"Your grammar is atrocious. I can't believe you were my teacher."
"Shut up!" We both laughed as Esme announced the food was ready. We all lined up, well, those of us who ate, and we got a plateful of food before we sat on some of the picnic tables. Of course this is when my genius alpha decides to announce his engagement, when all the people who could protect him were distracted by food.
"Hey guys, before you start eating, I want to make an announcement."
"Hurry up man. I'm starving." My idiot brother announced. Edward was close enough to give swat him in the back of the head so I didn't have to get up. Nessie walked over to him and took his hand.
"I proposed to Nessie and she said yes. We're getting married." He told us but he looked straight at Bella.
"Is my niece pregnant, mutt?" Rosalie said in a growl.
"Aunt Rose! Of course not!" Ness gave her and angry look. She rolled her eyes and smiled at her.
"Momma?" Nessie said looking only at her mother. Bella's face was like a statue. It was kinda freaky. She looked at her daughter and she looked at Jake and she smiled at him. She actually smiled! She walked over to them at human speed while the rest of us stared and she hugged her daughter.
"Congratulations, baby. You will make a beautiful bride." She told her after she kissed her cheek. Jake looked like he was about to have a stroke. Bella turned to him and punched him in the arm.
"You should have at least warned me, jerk! By the way, you get my baby pregnant before she graduates and I'll let Edward castrate you, got it! I am way too young to be a grandma." Edward came over to hug and congratulate his daughter as Bella gave Jake the death glare.
"Oh come on Bells! You'd be a great grandma." She punched him again but Jake just laughed it off and then they hugged. Jake kissed the top of her head and whispered, "Thanks Bells" even though we could all hear. That was when the little pixie let out a shriek of excitement and started driving us crazy with wedding crap. It was going to be a damn long engagement for all of us!
Jacob and Renesmee left for LaPush to announce their engagement. Embry went with them just in case the Chief decided to shoot Jake though Rosalie claimed that she wouldn't be that lucky. I was home doing laundry when I heard someone knock at my door. I was surprised to see who it was.
"Hi Leah." Duilio stood at the door.
"Duli? Come in Little V."
"Sometimes I don't know which worst, Duli or Little V."
"You know you love them both." He smiled at me that crooked smile that he copied from Edward only on Duilio it was charming, not annoying.
"No but I know you love calling me nicknames so I let you."
"Let me! Little V I think you need to be reminded who's boss here."
"My dear, I would let you remind me any day." He gave me that panty wetting smile but it caused the opposite effect on me.
"Boy I practically changed your diapers, so stop looking at me like that." He laughed softly. It wasn't his usual laugh but I was glad he was finally joking around like he used to. He had been so weird since he got here but after reading what happened to him from Jake's memories, I wasn't surprised. Harry came over and looked at us suspiciously, well looking at Duilio. I could tell he just woke up from his nap.
"What are you doing here?" He asked Duli with his arms crossed.
"I came to hang out with you. We haven't had a chance to spend time together and its not every day I get to spend time with a half vampire half wolf hybrid, that is, if your lovely mother will let you out hunting with me."
"Mom?"
"If one hair comes back out of place, it will be your ass Little V."
"You got it my lovely Leah." Harry shoved him in the stomach.
"Stop that!" He told him almost growling. Duilio smiled at him. I could tell Duli liked him.
"Alright. Are you ready? I'll race you to the middle of the forest." Harry sped out at top speed out the door and Duli ran off after him. I knew he was safe but I was too curious so I followed them into the forest in my wolf form. Harry was showing off by pounding his fist into every surface he could find. Even though he was almost two, he was still childlike and innocent, which was odd for a hybrid. I knew it wouldn't last long though. Nessie grew out of her doll stage in less than a year. Actually, Ness only played with dolls to humor us but Harry was a little more immature than the hybrids. I didn't mind. I liked that he actually acted like a kid.
"That's pretty cool kid." Duilio told him.
"Do you like my mom?" Harry asked him. I almost laughed at the thought.
"Of course I do. But not in the way you think. Your mom and I are not meant for one another. She'll find her true mate one day and she'll imprint."
"I wish she would imprint on uncle Embry. I like him." I felt a pang of guilt when I heard him say that. We tried to hide is from him and everyone else as best we could but I guess we weren't as discrete at we thought. Embry had taken a lot of interest in Harry. He slowly established himself as Harry's father figure. He wanted Harry to have what he didn't and seeing as I was low on suitors, I let him take that role. The problem was that we also became close. He lived with me so it was easy for things to become too familiar between us. The worst of it was after we moved here and lived together in the 'wolf den' because that's when the others started to notice too. It was so easy to see the difference between my relationship with Embry and my relationship with the rest of my brothers once we all lived together. He would put his arms around me and touch me with such affection and familiarity that it seemed more like the wolf den belonged to Embry and me. Like we were an old married couple and the boys were staying over to visit. I really should have let Esme build me my own separate house but that feeling of being watched never went away and I hated the thought of living alone again. That's when it all unraveled.
Flashback...
All the boys were out with their imprints so Embry and I spent another quiet night alone with Harry. We had been watching a movie, the three of us cuddled in the couch with Harry creating a much needed barrier between us. He fell asleep spreading out between his lap and mine. It was a funny sight to see his random limbs spread out across our bodies. Embry looked down at him and smiled when he realized Harry had snuggled against his chest. It was so so clear that Embry loved my son and when he looked at him like that it made my heart ache.
"I'll go put him in his bed, and tuck him in." He took my son in his arms and he walked over to my son's room. I followed him so that I could say goodnight. I stood by the door and waited. I watched as he carefully put my son in his bed, tucked away a loose hair and then he kissed his forehead. My heart literally wanted to burst out of my chest at that moment. I walked over and I gave my son a kiss on his cheek, Embry was at the door waiting for me. We both walked out and he closed the door behind us, then he grabbed me by my waist the moment the door was closed, and he kissed me. His kiss was so passionate, warm and comforting. Not even Sam, kissed me like that. It wasn't the first time we kissed. The closeness that we developed with one another often blurred the lines between friendly love and romance.
"Embry, we can't."
"Why? Because we haven't imprinted? I'm tired of having this discussion. I'm not waiting around for an imprint that may never happen. We're good together Leah and like I told you already, I love you. I love, Harry. Please, Leah. Let's be a family."
"Damn it Embry! I can't!" I shoved him away and regretted it the moment I saw the hurt look in his eyes. Nevertheless, I couldn't walk down this road, not again.
"I know you think you love me but you really don't. You have an imprint out there and when you find her, you'll realize that all we're doing is playing house." He went rigid, like I had slapped him and then he began to shake. He just turned around and walked straight to the door and out of our lives.
Two days after that incident, Edward announced that he was getting them all an apartment and three weeks later they all moved out and it was just Harry, Seth and me again. Sometimes I wondered how much a heart could endure before it turned to slush. Mine certainly had enough. It had enough when I saw the one man that I could see myself with after my catastrophe with Sam walk away from me. It had enough when I first smelled the cheap perfume of college tramps on my very first visit to their house. And it certainly had enough when I heard him humping some whore on one of my weekly visits. Duilio was there that day and he immediately took me out of the apartment when he saw my aura. I heard Duilio got a hold of Embry after that one and threatened to castrate him. Now he always smells clean when I come visit, but I still share a mind with him and my brothers so I get to see all his conquest like I was there.
Yeah, my heart certainly had enough of this bullshit. I ran to the main house needing anything to take my mind off this shit. I walked into the front door of wedding central and settled myself between a very annoyed Bella and a very excited Pixie. At least this was a hell I could take.
"Where's Harry?" Bella asked me.
"Off hunting with Duli."
"What?! Mom can I go?" Chris asked from the other room. I was surprised he didn't sense them out there already.
"If you get in trouble I will let him go all Volturi on you, got it!"
"Thanks mom! Sorry uncle Eddie. We'll do a rematch later." We heard the door slam a second later. Alice had all sorts of magazines and cutouts of wedding dresses spread all over the floor and dining room table. Eve was helping her organize them by putting all the ones she liked in a pile. For once she wasn't with Seth because he had a test to prep for so it was just us girls. I liked Eve a lot, she was caring but fiery.
"Nessie would look so cute in this one. What do you think?" She asked Alice as she showed he the cut out.
"I love the beading on that one. Put it with the beaded ones we liked from before."
"You following all this?" Bella asked me.
"Nope. I'm just here for the food." On cue, Esme walked in with some food for me and Eve. I was busy eating and I didn't notice Alice had frozen suddenly. I only realized what was happening when Edward walked into the dining room.
"What is it Edward?" Bella asked him and suddenly the dining room was full of leeches.
"Something is happening in South America. The Volturi are sending someone over to investigate. They think it involves a hybrid or an immortal child. They want Duilio to go with them too. They will call him soon. Tomorrow."
"We should go leave then. If it involves a hybrid we want to be there before the Volturi get there."
"We should call Nahuel and Hulien. They know that area better."
"No need. They already called us." Alice said as Carlisle's phone rang.
"Nahuel, how can help you?" We all heard her response.
"Carlisle, my sister has called us frightened. She is in trouble. We are all heading to Brazil and I would like you to join us if you can. She may need medical assistance."
"Of course. Jasper is already making arrangements. You should know that Alice had a vision. The Volturi will decide to send someone to Brazil to investigate if there was a crime committed. Do you know anything?"
"Very little. Yuri called us to say that our oldest sister, Kara, is dead and Isa soon will be. I am afraid for my sisters but I am also afraid that we do not know what we are getting into."
"We will be there to assist in any way possible. You have all of our support."
"Thank you, my friend. Tanya will forward you the details of our flight." He hung up and turned to Alice.
"How long do we have before the Volturi arrive at Brazil?"
"Three days. They will be calling Duilio tomorrow night to request his presence there. They won't come here. He will meet them there, per Aro's instructions."
"We'll all go. Esme, Rose and the wolves can stay behind with the kids in case the Volturi decide to pay us a visit. Nessie and Jake should be safe in LaPush so there's no need to alarm them."
"Sorry Eddie. I can't guarantee that he won't read it in my head when I phase."
"I'm going with you, daddy. I can heal her so you need me there." Carlisle looked at his young brave daughter's determination and smiled.
"You're staying with me kid. Even if I have to tie you down and don't think I won't." She glared at me and crossed her arms. Esme smiled at me in gratitude.
"Alright then." The yellow eyed vampires were all gone within the hour and I was home alone again.
Duilio came back home with Harry around 6pm and he spent the rest of the night with me and Harry. He could tell that something was wrong the moment he looked at me. Thankfully he didn't say anything; however, he didn't stay that way for long. The next day, he came back to the main house, furious. I had never seen him look so vicious before.
"Where are they?!" He yelled at Esme. He actually yelled at her! Nobody yells at Esme!
"Watch your tone kid?"
"Forgive me if I forget my manners when I just find out that all three brothers are coming!" He said with a frustrated growl.
"What?" We all looked at each other. I was sure that my expression matched Rosalie's and Esme's. He looked at her with his eyes narrowed.
"You don't know how hard it is to be in the middle of two powerful covens." His voice was strained as if he were trying to control his rage. It was so strange to see this side of him. He looked at all of us as if he were trying to read us. "Please, where are they?"
"Nahuel called and asked for our help. There's something going on with his sister." I told him. He sighed deeply.
"Marcus just called me. He was going to send me to South America tonight but the informant that called said that the Cullens were already there to remove the problem. He is think that I have betrayed them somehow. Since I sent Grace back to Volterra, they are sure she must have told me. They have her imprisoned. They're coming here. All three of them." His voice was still stained but his expression showed concern. Esme and I both shared the same horrified expression and Rosalie was practically shaking with anger. This is not what we wanted.
"When?" Rose asked him.
"They will be here in two days. Call Jacob and Renesmee and get them over here. I'm going to talk my father again and see if I can do some damage control." With that he walked out the door, slamming it so hard I was surprised it didn't break off the hinges. We all looked at each other knowing that we were in serious shit.