I'm so sick of being lonely

This is killing me so slowly

Don't pretend that you don't know me

That's the worst thing you could do

Now I'm singing such a sad song

These things never seem to last long

Something that I never planned on

Help me baby, I'm so sick of being lonely

"Lonely"

-McFly

Chapter 2:

Me? Wear a dress? Not on your life!

The week went by faster than I would have liked. I was really not looking forward to Forks' own personal "D-Day" as I had been fondly referring to it all week. I only called it that because it pissed Seth off. I wasn't trying to upset my brother on purpose. I was just extremely uneasy knowing how many vampires were going to be gathered together in one place. It had the makings of a really crappy horror movie or something.

We ran extra patrols just in case someone the Cullens didn't know showed up just to cause a little havoc. I never came across any of the visitors personally, but I could smell their putrid trails.

When the day of the wedding finally arrived, I was exhausted from all the extra running we had been doing. It did kind of serve as a good distraction.

"We're heading out now." My mother looked at me nervously.

I snorted, "Yeah, have fun."

She didn't say anything. She was probably hoping that I would change my mind and go with her and my brother to the bloodsucker's house for Bella and the stupid vampire's wedding.

She gazed at me pleadingly.

Not a chance in hell. My eyes probably said it all.

The only reason my mom was going was because she didn't want Seth to go alone. Well, that, and the fact that Charlie was going to be there. My mom liked Charlie. A lot. So when he called her up, asking if she would be attending his daughter's wedding, she couldn't help but to say "yes".

I must admit, it was weird to see her and Seth all dressed up. She looked gorgeous. Probably trying to look sexy for Charlie, which was sweet - and a little bit weird considering that my dad had been Charlie's best friend.

Seth looked good in his tuxedo. I felt a small knot forming in my throat as I realized that my baby brother was all grown up now. Where had the time gone? It seemed like only yesterday he was running around the front yard in his Superman underwear and wrestling with the garden hose. Now he was a fully grown werewolf wrestling with his tie, trying to straighten it.

He didn't look at all nervous that he would be surrounded by God knows how many vampires. My mom, on the other hand, looked terrified beyond belief. She had been around long enough to know how much carnage that vampires could cause.

"Are you sure you wouldn't like to come?" My mother finally got up enough courage to ask me what I knew she was thinking.

"I'd rather run through a corn field naked." Ironically, that was something that I'd had the unfortunate pleasure of experiencing once.

"Won't be the same without you." Seth frowned.

"Yep, it'll be boring, that's for sure." I shrugged. "But hey, at least you don't have to worry about keeping your big sister from starting some World War with the enemies. You can just relax and have punch…or blood, you know, whatever they're serving."

Seth rolled his eyes, "I highly doubt they'll have a giant bowl of O-positive laying out on the table."

"You're right. Too obvious. It'll probably be the frosting on the cake."

He let out a frustrated grunt, "You're impossible Leah." He paused and then added, "And the Cullens are not our enemies."

"Yet." I thought of what Bella had planned for after the wedding. I didn't want to know the details, but that didn't stop Jacob from sharing his thoughts when we were both wolves. I knew how much it pained him that Bella wanted to end her life for Edward. He could grant her immortality. And if he bit her while they were still in town, the treaty would be null and void.

It's a good thing that Jacob wasn't around, because if Edward did infect Bella with his nasty, vampire spit, we would have to fight. And I don't know if he could. It was hard enough for him to lose Bella once, but to know that he would be losing her again would probably break his heart even further…which I don't think is really possible.

Jacob put on a strong front. He had relentlessly pursued Bella, but he always knew in his heart that she wouldn't choose him. Some days it was terrible being in his thoughts. He didn't think he was good enough. He wasn't Edward. And though on the surface he appeared quite smug, in actuality, he was extremely insecure. He questioned whether or not he could give Bella everything she needed.

He was always wondering silently to himself about the fact that Edward and Bella could live centuries together. He thought that part of the reason that Bella didn't choose him over Edward was because that Edward could grant her wish to live forever. They could live forever together. Like some creepy, perverse fairytale.

I overheard him talking to Embry once about the fact that he would give everything up for her. There was no doubt in my mind that he loved her. I could see it. Hell, I could feel it.

"Oh, I forgot the camera." Seth darted towards the kitchen. A few seconds later, he poked his head back into the living room and faced my mother, "Um…where is the camera?"

"It's in the hall closet. I'll go get it." My mom shuffled towards the closet.

"What do you need a camera for anyway? You do realize that if I find any pictures of vampires in this house, I will shred them into tiny little pieces and burn them."

Since I couldn't do that to the actual vampires in town, I could settle for doing that to pictures of them.

Seth shook his head and said, "It's for Bella." Of course it was for Bella. Because she cared oh so much about pictures of her stupid family of leeches. He continued, "For a present to her and Edward, I figured I could make her a scrapbook of the wedding."

"Ha." I stifled my laughter, "Ha, ha, ha..." Seth didn't understand what I found so humorous. I giggled out, "A teenage werewolf that likes scrapbooking…"

He did not look amused. He grumbled something at me. I just continued to laugh as I fell on to the couch and flipped on the TV.

I heard a noise from outside and a few seconds later, there was a knock coming from the front door.

"Will you grab that, Leah?" Seth asked.

"Are your legs broken?" I frowned at him. He was just standing in the kitchen, probably doing nothing.

He appeared in the doorway, holding basket full of junk. "I'm looking for dad's old cufflinks."

Just the mention of my father was enough to cease my bratty attitude. I walked to the front door and opened it. I was surprised by who was gazing back at me.

"Billy?" He was wearing a tuxedo and smiling up at me from his wheelchair. How had he gotten here? I looked around and didn't see a car in sight.

He seemed to know what I was thinking, "I had a friend drop me off."

I invited him in, "Come on in." He pushed his chair across the threshold.

"I was hoping I could catch a ride to the wedding."

"Oh, you're going too, huh?" I was a little surprised that Billy Black would be even remotely interested in going to the wedding of a vampire and the girl who broke his son's heart.

"And I take it you're not?" he guessed.

"I've got better things to do with my time." I shut the door behind him.

He was grinning to himself. It looked like he had some good news, but he didn't seem willing to share.

"Sorry honey, I couldn't find it. Maybe we can do something else for them as a gift." My mom appeared in the living room.

"What, showing up isn't enough?" I questioned.

Just going to the vampire's lair would be enough to ask of anyone from our land in my opinion.

"Hello, Billy." My mom ignored my comment.

"Sue," Billy said politely. "Can I bum a ride to the wedding?"

My mom looked startled that Billy was willingly going onto the Cullen's property.

"Of course," she said, flabbergasted.

"I would have asked Charlie, but seeing as it's his daughter's wedding, he's got enough on his plate without having to worry about lugging me around." Billy leaned forward and said, "I love Renee, but between you and me, she can be a handful." Billy spoke of Bella's mother and Charlie's ex-wife. She was in town for the wedding as well.

I had to wonder how all these vampires would be able to be in the same room with so many humans. It made me nervous to think that something could go wrong, especially with my mom and Seth there.

"Seth? We've got to get going if we want to get there on time!" my mom called to Seth in the kitchen.

"Coming." When he walked into the living room, he waved to Billy. "You look great, Mr. Black."

"Oh come on, Seth, you've known me long enough to call me Billy." He rolled his eyes at my brother's unnecessary courtesy.

"Are you sure you won't come?" My mother pleaded with me one last time. I don't know what good she thought it would do to have me there. If anything, it would probably make things worse.

"Not going to happen."

She nodded at me understandingly, "Do me a favor then and get some chores done around the house."

I grunted. Why should I have to be punished because I refused to go to the stupid wedding? It wasn't going to do any good to argue with her, so I just nodded begrudgingly, "You got it."

I waved goodbye to the three crazy people who were voluntarily putting themselves into a situation with our longstanding enemies. I watched them drive away and then looked around the house to see what needed to be done.

Better to just get the chores over with than to sit on my ass for four hours with nothing to do. The living room wasn't really messy. I just straightened up a few things and then made my way into the kitchen. I did a few dishes, cleaned off the kitchen table, and swept the floor.

Only an hour had passed by the time I had finished the laundry, cleaned the counters, and dusted the shelves. I was starting to get bored.

So, I did what I always did when I had nothing else to do - I ran. I loved to jog around my property to clear my head. It was interesting to run on two feet versus four. Sometimes it was the best feeling in the world, just running with nowhere to go. No stupid thoughts in my head. No worries. And other times, I longed to just phase and run on all fours. But when I did that, I was usually sharing my quiet time with all the other wolves.

As I watched the breeze blow the trees, I realized that the sun was coming in and out of view today. No doubt the wedding would be indoors, so the humans wouldn't see those freaks for what they really were.

I sighed. I couldn't get my mom and my brother out of my head. I moaned to myself as I thought of the danger they were putting themselves in. After a few minutes of deliberation, I figured it couldn't hurt to go to the Cullen's place just to keep an eye on things to make sure nothing bad happened.

But I wouldn't be caught dead going as a guest in some frumpy dress for someone I despised so much. I would go as a wolf and watch from the woods. I immediately started to shed my clothes.

I was just outside my property when I exploded into my silver-grey fur. The crisp air swayed my fur. And just like that, my quiet time was over.

So, you decided to go after all. Embry saw my thoughts.

I'm not technically going to the wedding. I'm just checking on my family.

Want some company? We're not that far from you. I saw from Embry's eyes that he and Quil were just a few miles out from where I was running.

No, thanks. I said coolly. I didn't want to run with anyone. I just wanted to get a good look at mom and Seth, make sure they were okay, and then go back home.

Aw, come on. We just thought that you might want some company when Jacob shows up and crashes Bella's wedding. Quil chuckled.

I was caught a little by surprise. But now that he had said something, I saw that Jacob was not that far from La Push. In fact, he was almost back to his place.

Yep, Jacob's back! I could hear the excitement in Embry's thoughts.

I didn't know if that was going to be such a good thing. He had been running for so long that his thoughts were pretty much all wolf now. I don't know how he was going to be able to maintain his composure around the girl that shattered his heart into a million pieces.

Well, whoop dee doo. I still don't wanna run with you two juvenile delinquents.

For the first time in months, I felt Jacob phase out. It was a little weird. Now he was nonexistent to the pack. It hadn't been like that in so long.

It's gonna be a hell of a show. Quil couldn't wait to see what Jacob had planned.

It's not like that, Embry disagreed. He's going because he knows how much it means to Bella. He wants to see her happy on her wedding day…even if he's NOT the groom.

It was just like Jacob to sacrifice his well-being for that two-timing vampire whore. Embry and Quil overheard my feelings on the subject and started to snicker. Sam was not amused. So I changed the subject.

Billy went to the wedding.

I know, I'm the one who drove him to your place, Sam explained. I wasn't going to go on the Cullen's land for a social call. He told me why he hadn't taken Billy out to the Cullen's house.

So, Jacob's back and Billy knew he was going to the wedding. I put everything together.

How could he not share this information with the pack? I mean, it was one thing to see Jacob's thoughts, but I had gotten so used to the surrounding scenery and wolf-centric thoughts that I was tuning him out. The rest of the pack was doing the same.

It was Jacob's decision to not say anything. He waited until it was just me and him, and then he told me what was going on. I spoke to Billy about it a few hours ago. We all understand that Jacob wanted to do this on his own. What he does after the wedding is up to him. He may not stay around very long.

He WILL stay, Embry snorted. The thought of his best friend running away again was too much for him to bear.

I didn't have the heart to tell Embry that Jacob was probably only going to share one dance with Bella before he remembered his heartache and took off again. We were a lot alike in that respect. Both of us would prefer not to face our pain. It was easier to get angry or run away. I wish I could have had the freedom Jacob had had these past couple of months.

Then again, it had to be horribly lonesome and sad. To feel like you are the only person in the world who is going to end up alone. Knowing you lost the love of your life. To really be all by yourself.

My heart softened for Jacob. As much of a pain as he was, he was hurting. And I knew what that felt like. I made a promise to myself to try and be a little nicer to him. Then I laughed, because I knew there was no chance in hell of that actually happening.

I reached the Cullens' with Jacob still in my mind. What did he have planned? Would he simply slip in, say a quick hello to Bella, and then slip away again? Or would he challenge Edward for Bella's love?

Well, whatever it was, I wouldn't stick around long enough to find out. I didn't like the rancid stench that the vampires were putting off. And the soft romantic music playing made me want to vomit.

I gazed through the trees into the gigantic house. I could see the vampires' shimmering auras surrounding the living room. I saw the tiny black haired one flitter down the stairs and stop in position. The Wedding March started and I saw Charlie lugging Bella down the stairs. She looked nervous as hell. She had a reason to be. I glanced at her husband to be.

I shook my head, trying to comprehend how a vampire can feel love. How they can feel anything. How had Bella chosen a soulless blood-sucking creature over someone with a beating heart? I felt another wave of overwhelming sadness come over me. It's a good thing I was a wolf, because sure enough I would be bawling my eyes out if I were human right now. Poor Jacob. Poor, stupid Bella.

I was reminded again how I would probably never be the woman walking down the isle.

Being alone sucks. I let my thoughts slip.

Don't I know it. I heard a familiar voice.

Jacob was on his way to have his heart broken once more for the girl he loved.