AN

Hello my lovelies!

First, as always you guys take the time to review so I try and take the time to say thank you! Also, thank you to my beta and the recent people who have added alerts, it's nice to see new readers!

I must say I'm happy with my reviews for the last chapter - Rachel isn't meant to be liked in this fic, but I wanted to give you a little insight into her logic, be it wrong or right. I also wanted a moment where there was a little more to Paul than just a being an ass.

Anyway, here's the next chapter, hope you like it.

Leah's POV

It was three hours later, and feeling tired and frustrated, we returned to Sam and Emily's.

Dusk was descending, and I stayed outside on the porch to let the guys go in (I didn't want to bear witness to their love fest with the imprints). Jake hung back as well.

"Leah . . . I . . ." He went to approach me.

"If it's not business then leave it." My voice was steadier than my nerves.

"I just want to talk. I'm sorry . . ."

I ignored him and turned away, when I looked again he was gone.

Suddenly, I heard the bushes by the side of the house rustling and went on full alert. A few seconds later, Cris and Jaden walked out.

Cris took one look at my attack posture and raised his hand in a surrender motion; "Sorry! We wanted to come in for the meeting. Is there anyone else that can cover patrol?"

I nodded silently, and they followed me into the house. We arranged for the cubs to go out. There were seven of them and whoever was stalking us was long gone. I corrected myself - for all we knew they could actually be sitting on the roof and we wouldn't have a clue, but there were enough of the young wolves to be safe.

Once Sam let them loose we all gathered in the kitchen again. Rachel and Paul had come back and the imprints stayed in the lounge.

Sam started the meeting off by kicking the fridge in frustration. He turned back to the room; "This is personal! Threatening Leah first, and then coming to my house and approaching Claire and Emily; they have a death wish!"

Cris spoke next; "What are we going to do? We can't find them, that's clear. More to the point, and I'm sorry for saying this, why is Claire still alive?" He looked at Quil apologetically.

Quil looked broken, "I've been asking myself the same thing. I should never have let her go outside alone!"

I wasn't sitting here while we played the blame game. "Come off it! It's a back yard. How were any of us supposed to know a vampire could get that close? She was two meters from the door. I think the thing to concentrate on is that they haven't hurt anyone. I think they are playing a game."

"Why?" Jared asked. "What the hell for?"

"Err, I don't know; I'm not Sherlock Holmes. Maybe they're bored, what else do you do with eternity?" I couldn't shake the feeling there was something off about this. I was here as living proof.

"Maybe it's not a vampire?"

We all looked at Seth like he was ridiculous.

"What?" Seth shouted defensively as we all stared at him. "Well, there's no death toll is there? Answer me this, why animal blood? Why not human blood? What about another shape shifter?"

"We've already checked it wasn't one of us." Jaden threw it.

"Maybe it's a new one. We didn't know about Barrow, until they rocked up here. Maybe we attracted more attention than we even know." Seth was standing his ground.

It was my turn to have a say; "I don't buy it being a shifter. We would have smelt something - either animal or human. Plus, Claire said it's a woman, and we all know how uncommon female shape shifters are. It's got to be a vampire. Claire commented on the eyes as well."

"Who honestly knows, but she's not friendly that's for certain. I don't give a shit if she was writing it in glitter; she's still making threats and pushing our boundaries," Jake snapped.

"Maybe that's it?" I said with a rush of inspiration. I felt like Jake had touched on something.

"What's it?" Cris questioned.

"Pushing our boundaries. It's the only thing that makes sense. Maybe, they are seeing how close they can get. Like Seth said, it's all been animal related and no one has been hurt. It's fucked up, but I think they are testing us. Why, I don't know."

I wasn't making excuses, or doubting the events that had happened. It wasn't right, whichever way you looked at it, and if I personally got hold of the bitch, she would wish she'd never been turned.

"So, what do we do? I know me and Jaden aren't much, but we'll help anyway we can." Cris was again offering their alliance.

"Thank you Cris. Thank you Jaden." I smiled at them both briefly. Everyone else had lost their manners in the middle of this mess, amazingly I had kept mine.

"I don't give a flying fuck what the reason is. She is pregnant for God's sake! That's my wife and baby in the next room!" Sam was shouting at no one in particular and kicking things again. The fridge now had several dents in it, and I watched on in horror as he started throwing things around as well. Finally, he threw a random pan across the kitchen and it almost hit Seth. I lost it there and then.

"Sam, we get it! The fridge gets it, the table gets it, the whole room fucking gets it. Save your energy for God's sake, and if one more flying object goes the fuck near my brother, or any of my pack, I will drag your sorry ass to hell and back myself."

I was yelling now and shaking violently. His dramatics alone were pissing me off, let alone everything else. We were well aware of what this threat meant to him - me more than anyone else. I could barely think through his tantrum though and everyone knew how protective I was of Seth.

"Go to hell Leah. I don't want to hear your bullshit right now. You don't know what this is like for me or Quil." His bitter words stung.

Normally, Sam wouldn't dream of saying anything like that. I knew full well he was freaking out, but I was too worked up.

"Oh yeah . . . sorry Sam . . . it's all about imprinting. I forgot! Silly me . . . it gives you the right to be a class-A cock and I just have to suck it up." My voice was thick with hate.

I didn't often rise to a fight with him, he was an alpha, but today I didn't care. Technically, I was an alpha too, and I was frustrated and pent up from getting no results. To my delight, Sam actually strolled across the kitchen in my direction shaking. I was willing him to touch me.

'Go on Sam, lay just one finger on me. Give me the reason I need to kick your sorry ass.'I thought.

He had never hit me before; right now though it didn't matter who I was. I was getting in the middle of his imprint rant.

He was inches from flying for me and I was fully ready. I sensed my pack as well, although they couldn't get involved until something actually happened. It didn't get that far though; before I could do anything Cris stepped in the way. He was chest to chest with Sam and his back was up against me. I could barely see over his shoulders, but I saw Sam looking him directly in the eyes, still quivering.

"Alright Sam. Why don't you think about this? Everyone's worked up right now, but are you really going to go through me, then fight Leah?" Cris's voice was calm, but his tone was ordering Sam to back down.

"I think we should all justcalm down," Jake added looking around the room, in particular at me.

Sam's eyes broke away and looked at mine. A sorrowful expression filled them and he backed down quietly to the corner of the room.

"Prick." I couldn't help it, the word just slipped out.

In a flash Cris was facing me, anger was still clear in his eyes and his voice was livid. "Don't you dare start any crap back up either."

I was stunned to have him speak to me like that, but before I could respond someone else silenced the room.

"I've had enough of this shit! I'm taking Claire home and staying there. I'll be phased beneath her window if you need me." Quil was making his exit. A few seconds later we heard Claire's goodbyes and the front door opened and shut.

Once he left the room calmed down and we eventually carried on debating amicably while keeping tempers to a minimum. Apart from continuing patrols and ensuring the imprints were watched at all times, there really wasn't anything more we could do. After another hour, we all dispersed, feeling useless and frustrated.

I walked outside to the back yard and waited for Seth to finish up inside. Suddenly, the door creaked behind me.

"Hi Cris," I spoke out, but didn't turn to face him.

"How do you that? You always know it's me." His voice was calm now.

"Woman's intuition." I tapped my head.

"You sure? I'm not just heavy footed? Because, you know that's really bad for a shape shifter." He was standing level with me and looking into the forest. I thought I saw the smallest grin in the corner of his mouth, but it was so quick I couldn't be sure.

"Don't worry, you're still inconspicuous. I just pay attention generally and your scent is distinct." It was true; I tried to learn ways to tell the pack members apart from a distance - scent was a large factor in this.

"Are you ok?" he asked me in almost a whisper.

I snapped my head at him to see if he was being serious after the kitchen event. I responded sharply; "Yeah, I'm just peachy."

"I would like to say I'm sorry for yelling at you back there. Except I'm not."

Clearly, he was as good at apologies as me.

"Whatever," I bit back.

"Leah, I'm always fair. I wasn't going to stand there and let Sam hit you," his voice was quiet, but sincerity was starting to seep in.

I was getting pissed. "I don't need your sexist crap. I look after myself."

Cris snorted then. "I'm trying here. If you want to be a bitch then fine. I didn't stop him because you were a girl though; I stopped him because we are all meant to be on the same team. It's the same reason I told you to cut out antagonising him. Shape-shifter tempers are fucking ridiculous."

I sniggered.

"What?" he snapped at me this time.

"Swearing doesn't suit you so much." Hearing Cris swear was like knowing when your parents were really pissed off.

"Yeah, well I don't like getting so worked up I curse either," his voice sounded tired.

My emotions were going up and down and couldn't help but snap at him again; "Why are you out here Cris?"

He took a moment before he answered, "You pick up on who's who. Well, I pick up on other things - like the fact that you're out here alone and you're not the big bad wolf you make out to be. No one can be rock solid all the time Leah."

I felt myself checking his face again. His calm exterior was back in place. "How do you do that?"

Cris's face faltered; "Do what?"

"Be so passive and observant."

I hated being unsure of things.

"I don't know. It's how I am. I always try to not get too wrapped up in things; it doesn't help me to think clearly. To me, it's part of being an alpha." He was hesitant, "Look, I didn't mean to disturb you. You helped me out with the Corey thing and I wanted to repay the favour. I meant it on the beach. I mean it now; if you ever need a friend you know where I am." Quietly, he left me alone and slipped back into the house.

For a brief moment, I was comforted by his words. I was after all, standing alone on the porch - no one else had come out to see me. It was my own fault; for years I had pushed people away until there was no one left to really care. At least with Cris's words, for one minute the world didn't feel quite so empty.

A while later, Seth finally joined me and we phased to run home together. There was no funny banter this time; we were both too caught up in our own thoughts.