A/N: Hello Lovelies! Sorry about the wait, been busy again. I have exams coming up and I've been away working and will be again next week. Thank you for your patience and I hope you enjoy this one!
Thank you 'Lil Obsessed, kiki, brightglo, RANDOM COOKIE NINJA, AppoloniaAstria, SasoLOVE111, KerynSuA, Happy2BeeMe, 3DWishes and TempusSimia for their a.m.a.z.i.n.g reviews! Love yas!
. : Chapter 14: Her Best Friend : .
~LEAH POV~
It was late. And I'd already been chipped several times for pacing and wearing a hole in Emily's floor. I snorted internally at the thought. There was quite obviously no hole. There weren't even any new scuff marks! They were just trying to get me to calm down.
Evie hadn't been lying when she said she'd be late home. It was already half past ten and I had blankly refused to go on patrol and Sam, for once, decided not to be an arse and let me off. That unfortunately meant that Black got off to. Ever since that little prat had imprinted on Evie, he'd been hounding me with questions about her.
'What's her favourite time of day? Does she like movies? Do you think she hates me that much that she'd say no if I asked her out? Does she really hate me? I swear, I have never seen anything so remotely pathetic in my whole life. He even wasn't this bad after the whole Bella and the leech thing. He was driving me insane!
I had managed to keep Evie's secrets from everyone else so far, not counting Mum. But with everyone thinking about her it was getting harder, and I couldn't betray her like that. So after I nearly killed Max for thinking about their kiss-which did get back to Black and nearly resulted in Max dying again-Sam decided that it would be for the best that I only patrol with Seth. Which was a whole lot better, but I still couldn't slip up, since Seth couldn't keep a secret to save his life.
It wasn't that hard to do though. They all say there are no secrets with us wolves, but that's not true. All you have to do it not think about it and they don't find out. Hardly rocket science, but it involves will power, something the male population doesn't possess much of. Idiots.
So now, Sam, Black and I were taking turns pacing back and forth across the kitchen floor. Tasha sat at the table, her fiftieth cup of herbal 'calming' tea clenched tightly in her hands. I don't think its working. She'd tried to make me drink some, but that hadn't ended well. Emily had also refused to go to bed and had turned her time to baking more food.
I could officially kill Tasha. She's known about the wolves longer then the rest of us have. Since her father and grandfather told her and Sam the stories long ago in case it happened. So she knew what could happen…and yet she still forced Evie to come back here, and look what happened! Jacob Black sees her and bam! Imprints! If Evie ever finds out…it won't be pretty.
Ben was a cute kid, and Black had taken Evie's cast-off words this morning deathly seriously. He hadn't left that poor kid's side all day. He guarded him like a demented watch dog, doing everything to keep him happy and safe that you'd almost think that he'd imprinted on him. Shudder at that thought. It was all to gain brownie points though, and I caught him several times trying to get information out of Ben about her.
Sam had had to use the alpha command on us then to.
Why did he have to imprint on her? Why? Hadn't life dealt her a bad enough hand so far without mixing her up in all this supernatural bullshit? And Black was going about it all the wrong way. The other guys had taken things much slower, not almost telling their imprint that they freaking loved them on what…the third day?
"Idiot," I hissed quietly. "Stupid, stupid, idiot."
"What?" Black snapped straight away, riling himself up for another fight.
"Go pop a chill pill, or thirty!" I snarled. Can you overdose on chill pills? Black can be the guinea pig and we'll find out. It would have been an understatement to say we were all a little tense, so much so that all the other baboons had fled the house. I didn't know what Evie was doing, meeting someone obviously, but that sounded oddly work-related.
Not that anyone other then Tasha and I knew this. Who knows what the other three are thinking. I'd probably kill Black if I knew. But I didn't know what was going on with her, I mean, she was off when she came down the stairs. And what on earth was she wearing? There hadn't been any mention of anything like this on her phone call to Daniel. Not that that hadn't raised suspicion among the guys. Damn our werewolf senses to hell.
And I couldn't even warn her that her conversations weren't even private! Thanks to Sam and his stupid-arse alpha order to not tell a soul about us.
"She's a big girl." Emily said, trying to sooth us. "I'm sure she can handle herself."
"That's not what I'm worried about." I grumbled. Evie was in a mood, what if she killed someone? A terrible thing to think of your best friend, I know, but this is Evie we're talking about. Can spies get off murder charges? I had no idea. She never talked to me about that sort of thing. She'd probably kill the guards and break out or something…
We all froze as a car approached and pulled up outside, the engine cut off and I was ready to tackle Black in case he got any bright ideas. Luckily for him though, he stayed put. I heard her footsteps come up the stairs and saw her easily even before she stepped into the light. I knew, without having the alcohol smell invading my nose, that she was drunk.
She stumbled ever so slightly through the threshold and blinked and scowled at the light. When she saw us, she slumped and groaned. "Don't you people ever sleep?" It came across slightly slurred. Brilliant, just what I need right now.
"Where have you been?" Tasha demanded, leaping up from the table and darting around to Evie.
She didn't have her jacket done up like when she had left and the top she was wearing wasn't going to do Black's ever decreasing sanity any good at all. She battered her sister away and hiccuped. "Leave me alone, Tashie, for christ's sake."
"You're drunk." Sam observed, cookie to him.
She gave him the thumbs up. "Indeed-y do I am, thank you for noticing, cousin dearest."
"Come on, Evie." I coaxed gently, starting towards her. "Time for bed."
She pouted and shook her head, her eyes welling up with unshed tears. "Don't wanna, won't sleep."
"I think you will." I said, growling at Black as he shot past me and grabbed her forearms.
"Are you alright?" He asked urgently, giving her a little shake as she blinked at him in confusion. "Don't cry, Evie, please don't cry!"
She sighed and stayed limp in his hold. "I hate that question…" Hiccup. "Why does everyone ask…" Hiccup. "That question?" She seemed to realise then who had hold of her and she started squirming to get away.
Their imprint wasn't like the other imprints I'd seen. Not that I wasn't thankful, but it sure was confusing not knowing what to expect. She didn't seem drawn to him at all, and every time she did see him, she looked awfully conflicted. I didn't dare ask her about him, if she thought I was in anyway tied up in Tasha and the girls' new plot to get them together, she'd kill me.
"Did someone hurt you?" Black demanded, still torn up about the tears in her eyes-which, shamefully, I'd only just noticed. "Who'd you meet, Evie? Did he hurt you?" He trailed off as he started to shake.
Evie pulled herself away from him and walked, a little unsteadily, towards the kitchen. "He hurt me." She mumbled, sounding broken.
Black only started shaking worse and I saw Sam clench his fists as he tried to gain control of himself. I noticed then that I was shaking to. Which mongrel had dared hurt my girl now?
"When did he hurt you, Evie? How? Who is he?" Black was trying to get the information out of her but she was lost in her own thoughts.
"He hurt me today." She choked out painfully. "And yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that…He always hurts me…" She started rummaging around in the cupboards.
Day before…? Ah, Adam-enemy fuckwit number one. Did she meet Adam? What the hell was she thinking?
"WHO?" Jacob snarled and Sam yelled at him to calm down, then Emily hissed at them both to be quiet so they didn't wake Ben.
"You people are-" Hiccup. "-so weird." Evie muttered, still going through cupboards. "Steroid popping loons…freakily weird…Saaaaam?" She whined suddenly, looking up. "Where's the alcohol in this hellhole? No 'fence, Emily, it's very home-y. I just hate the whole-" Hiccup. "-thing."
Wow, so she just babbles nonsense when she's drunk? I'd never seen her drunk. Really, I'd never seen her loose her calm exterior anymore then three times, and I've known her her whole life.
"Evie, I think you've had enough," I said carefully, trying again to take her upstairs.
"Am I dead?" She asked, tilting her head to the side.
"No," I breathed, she was starting to scare me. I had never seen her eyes so blank. "No, you're not dead."
"Then I haven't had enough." She stated dryly and went back to rummaging around.
"Evie…sweetheart, is there something you'd like to tell us?" Tasha tried and I nearly growled at her. "You know Sam and I will always be here to help you…"
Evie laughed. One of those dry, empty laughs that makes your skin crawl. She leaned against the bench top and stared at us. "You couldn't help me. No one can help me. Don't you know I'm a-" Hiccup. "-lost cause? Loose cannon? Danger to myself and everyone around me?" She sniffed and rubbed at her teary eyes.
"You're not dangerous." Sam said, also coming forward. I knew it was tearing him up that he couldn't connect with Evie. She and Tasha were the only blood family he had left and he honestly did love them.
Evie scoffed. "Sammy, you don't know me. I'm veerrry dangerous, just ask 'round, they'll all tell you how messed up I am."
"Eva, I think you should go lay down." I suggested strongly, before she says something she'll regret.
She shook her head absentmindedly, getting lost in her thoughts again. "I don't want to sleep. When I close my eyes…I can't dream of him again, that day." She gave me a pleading look that melted me. "Please, Lee Lee, don't make me see it again. Don't make me watch..." Her eyes watered up again.
I cringed as she mentioned her nightmares and tensed as the others in the room jumped onto the fact that she got nightmares. They knew nothing, they had no right…"I won't…"
"Evie, please tell us what's going on. You're scaring me." Tasha whispered. "Who's this 'he'?"
"You wouldn't…understand even if I told you." She stated dryly, furiously rubbing her eyes. "And I'd shoot you if you started pitying me. You do it…'nough now that it drives me…crazy. I hate pity, hate it, don't 'ave any use for it." She swore under her breath and must have kicked the bench as she winced and swore again. "Where the hell is the booze? I haven't drowned my sorrows 'nough yet."
"I think you've had enough." Jacob said slowly, trying to wrap his head around what she was saying. Trying to figure her out. Good luck.
She looked at him, tilting her head to the side and just stared at him while the room once again fell into silence. "Your gettin' to be a real pain in the arse, you know that?" She muttered, more to herself.
Black deflated like a pin pricked balloon. I felt sorry for him, kind of. I mean, imprinting didn't lie, he and Evie were soul mates whether they or anyone else liked it or not. I felt more for her though. She wasn't ready for a soul mate, she thought she'd found him ages ago, and that turned out just so fantastically.
And imprinting…it'd kill her. She wasn't like the other girls; she didn't want what imprinting gave. She'd hate his need to be with her, to protect her. She'd kill him before a week had gone. And then she'd kill herself.
"And you're really con-confusing." She continued, still in her drunken mumble. Er speech is surprisingly good for being intoxicated. Probably something being a spy taught her. "And did Claire dump a bucket full of glitter on you lately?"
"You think I sparkle?" He choked on the word, hell, we all cringed and shuddered in disgust.
She shrugged. "You've got this…glow. Like those party glow-stick thingys…or a glow worm…" She giggled stupidly then. "You eat worms!"
I snorted on my laughter as Black tinged pink and muttered 'I was little' under his breath.
"Anyway, you're weird." Evie finalised, leaning more heavily against the bench and stifled a yawn.
"I think you should go to bed." Sam advised gently.
She pouted at him. "Don't want the nightmares, Sammy."
"You'll be fine." He assured her, smiling. "Your strong, just order them like you order the guys and they'll run away screaming."
She giggled. "I should kick their butts more of-often."
"You should, and you can start as soon as you wake up, how bout that?" I said encouragingly.
She sighed and finally relented. "Fine, I'll go to bed." She hiccuped again and wandered back around the bench and towards the stairs only to stumbled and fall-directly into Jacob's arms.
His eyes were the size of dinner plates as he picked her up. To him, even being aloud to touch her would be a huge deal, since she hits him any other time. "I think I'll carry you up, before you hurt yourself." He murmured to her. "How's your leg?"
"Whatever, 'nother scare won't matter." She muttered, laying her head on his shoulder sleepily.
Sam gave Jacob a meaningful look as he went and inspected his cousin for further injures. He tired to look at the wound on her leg but the black stockings and boots had disguised it pretty well. "Just put her to bed." He decided with a sigh. "We'll ask her in the morning when she comprehends…" He trailed off, his eyes trained on her shoulder where the sleeve of her top had fallen down to revile part of her…shit! Her tattoos!
I darted over and pulled her jacket around her to cover it all up, but he knew now and so did Black, so it would only be a matter of time before the rest knew to. "I'll come with you, go upstairs, now." 'Please don't let him have seen the scars, please oh please oh please! Have some mercy for her, she doesn't need this, let her get better.' I prayed silently, to our ancestors, to anyone listening. Thank god I wasn't in wolf form.
Jacob did as he was told easily, not taking his eyes off my sister as he carried her up the stairs and to her room. We entered quietly so we didn't disturb Ben or that demented little dog of hers.
He laid her next to her godson and took off her boots, he reached for her jacket to but I stopped him. Evie sighed contentedly and snuggled into Ben, she was so attached to that kid. Not in the creepy way, not like Quil and Claire either. I knew she couldn't have kids and I knew how much she loved them. I'll kill that son of a bitch who ruined her life. Kill him slowly and painfully and….woah, calm down girl.
I grabbed Black as he dropped a kiss on Evie's forehead and dragged him out of the room and back down the stairs. He waited until we were back with the others before he pulled out of my grip and growled. "What the hell, Leah? The only time I can be close to her and you take me away!"
I stared at him. "She's stone drunk and passed out, there's something wrong with you."
"Alright you two, it's too late for this." Tasha sighed.
"Did you see the tattoo on her shoulder?" Sam said. "I didn't know she had a tattoo…I don't think I know anything about her. What was she going on about? Who hurt her?" His shoulders were tense and his fists were clenched, he was pissed.
I snorted while Tasha answered. "She's got tattoos apparently. On her other arm, there's one of a phoenix, I think. I didn't know she had others, she knows I don't like them. And I think she was talking about Adam Tyler, they were, like, the perfect couple. If it wasn't for you, Jake, I would have said they were soul mates. But they went through a bad break up about seven months ago; she can't have gotten over it."
I rolled my eyes. Tasha didn't know the half of it. Engaged, pregnant, betrayed, broken…'bad break up' just doesn't cover it. Jacob looked even more pained, probably conflicted about killing Adam for dumping her or sad that she'd loved someone other then him. Fool.
"There's something about her…" Sam said, frowning in thought. "Something different…"
Jacob narrowed his eyes at him. "There's nothing wrong with her! She's perfect!"
"She's my baby cousin! Why would I think there was something wrong with her?" Sam snapped back. "I love her to, Jacob. Don't accuse me of downgrading her."
"Would you two take your PMS-ing selves outside if your gonna throw bitch fits every five seconds?" I asked, glaring at them. "You don't know Evie, Evie doesn't know Evie. What chance do you have?"
"You know what she's hiding?" Jacob asked, looking at me with a pleading expression. "Please, Leah! Tell us what's bothering her, let me help her!"
"I won't betray her trust when it takes a lifetime to earn it these days." I said strongly. I would not rat her out, this was her secret to tell, if she chose to.
Sam sighed and rubbed a hand tiredly over his face. "I don't know what to do about her, there's obviously something different. She can hit us and not get hurt, she can beat us in wrestling…"
"When we ran to the beach, she kept up with me…" Jacob added slowly.
"You mean before you stuck both your fat feet in your mouth?" I asked, raising an eyebrow and smirking.
He glared at me. "Yeah, before that, and now she thinks I…glow?"
"Like a glow worm." I added not so helpfully, chuckling when I saw his face.
"I don't…glow, do I?" He asked unsurely, looking down at himself.
"Not that I've noticed." Sam said, his voice tinging with amusement. He turned serious again. "These are traits of werewolves…well, apart from the glowing thing." He smirked.
"But she doesn't have a temperature, she doesn't have the muscle like the rest of us do, she doesn't smell like a werewolf." I frowned, if she could tell me she was a spy, wouldn't she have told me she was a wolf to? Wouldn't we have sensed it?
"She doesn't eat like you guys do either." Tasha added.
"She is only half Quileute." Sam pointed out. "And it is the half that carries the genes."
"I just…she would have told me." I said firmly. "I don't think she's a wolf, Sam. Or, not one yet…" I winced, surely life had been cruel enough to her without making her a wolf and chaining her to this place. She'd shoot herself for sure.
The boys cringed to, not wanting that fate for her either. "My poor angel…" Jacob muttered, slumping into a chair and lazily picking up a freshly baked muffin. Sam and I looked rather disturbed and Tasha let out a little girly squeal.
Ignoring those idiots I addressed Sam seriously. "You won't be able to keep her here just to see if she'll phase. You know how long that could take! You could shackle her, lock her in a cellar and throw away the key and she'd still escape."
He sighed. "It's to dangerous to let a possible wolf roam freely all over…where ever she'll go after this."
I shook my head. "It'll kill her to keep her here, Sam. She couldn't handle it!"
"Then what do you propose we do?" He snapped, irritably.
I glared. "Am I suddenly a crystal ball? I DON'T KNOW! God!"
"Maybe we should just tell her?" Emily suggested.
We all cringed. "That would be…" Sam trailed off.
"A disaster," I deadpanned.
"She'll find out Sam and I kept it from her her whole life…" Tasha said, wringing her hands together. "She'd never speak to me again…"
"And the imprinting…" Jacob added. "She won't like that, will she?" It was more of a statement then a question.
I shook my head. "If you tell her about the imprint, you won't have to worry about me killing you. She'd never speak to any of us ever again."
"We don't tell her, then." Sam decided and sighed. "We'll just have to see where this goes and hope it turns out alright."
I looked towards the stairs as I snatched up a muffin and bit into it. Oh how I hoped so too.
A/N: Thought I'd mix it up a bit with the different POV. Eva's will be back for next chapter though :) How'd you like it? Let me know!
Just a side note-I will be away again next week for work. I leave on Sunday afternoon and probably get home Thursday night. So yeah, I won't have internet there therefore there won't be any updates until next weekend, sorry! Need the money though, story of our lives right? Lol.
Thank you for reading, pretty please review!
Love,
~Meg x x