It was no mystery why Sam felt Emily's draw more and more as time passed. While Leah was getting closer to Bella, Kim and Emily were becoming fast friends. Conversations like the one he had overheard became more regular, and with them, Emily's hope. But somehow Sam managed to stay away. He ran patrol routes day and night, reminding himself that he needed to stay in La Push in order to keep it safe, and he spent as much time with Leah as she could stand.
She, in turn, tried to maintain the rest of her life as best she could. She kept working at the community center and she patrolled. He usually tried to make himself her partner, but it wasn't always practical. He also scheduled her with Jared, but after hearing what Jared thought of their relationship, it was very awkward. And he nearly tore off Jared's head when he found out in the pack mind that he had tried to convince Leah to let Sam go. Jared had told her that she was hurting Sam, and that if she really wanted what was best for him, she would give him her blessing to be with Emily. Leah was livid, but Sam also realized that underneath her anger, there was fear.
After that, Paul was actually a better patrol partner for Leah than Jared. But he did a terrible job of controlling his lust. He snuck peeks at her body when she phased. He plucked intimate memories out of their brains and replaced Sam's body with his own. He said crude things that made Sam see red. Jared thought he had a death wish, but after a thrashing from Sam that ended with a nasty gash in his side, Paul accidentally let his guard down. He was trying to cover up his crush on Leah with lewd behavior, and Sam thought that that might be even worse.
The unexpected phasing of Embry Call inadvertently restored balance once they all got over their shock. Jared was phased when he exploded into the pack mind, and the rest of the pack quickly rallied around him. They hadn't been paying any attention to him and didn't notice the impending signs of his transformation. The mystery of his parentage became an uncomfortable but fascinating distraction, and for a short time, it dominated the pack mind. Sam was actually grateful that his imprint was no longer the most-discussed topic.
Unfortunately, his phase also confirmed something they had already begun to suspect. Though the Cullens were gone, other vampires roamed the area. Had there been no further threat to the community, no one else should have turned. Since the hiker had died, no vampires penetrated the borders of the reservation. They seemed to know where the boundary lines ran. Perhaps because of the strong scent of wolves, the trails ended at their border. On more than one occasion, though, the wolves found fresh trails in and out of Forks. The destinations were clear: the Swan residence, Forks High, the abandoned Cullen home, and Newton's Outfitters. Bella Swan was being stalked, and if the variety of scents were any indication, more than one vampire was on the hunt.
Leah spent increasing amounts of her free time with her. At first Bella was too disengaged to question her presence. Bella was like a zombie, doing as little as possible to survive, and she hardly noticed the world around her. Her homework piled up until Leah shoved assignments directly under her nose. She barely ate enough to keep herself from passing out. She went days without showering and would have gone longer had Leah not threatened to toss her in the tub if she didn't voluntarily bathe. Bella would look momentarily irritated, but Leah would just say that Bella should at least pretend to be functional for the sake of her father. Then she would plod off to the bathroom reluctantly.
Leah considered Bella's annoyance to be a good sign. It was certainly better than her attempts to totally withdraw herself from the world. But Leah never succeeded in getting a smile out of Bella; the only person capable of doing that was Jacob, whom Leah enlisted regularly for assistance, either by simply bringing him with her to Bella's house or having Charlie invite him and Billy over to watch a game. As for Leah herself, the best she could do was make Bella a little angry. Unless Jacob was around, she wanted to be left alone to wallow in her own misery, and Leah might have let her if her life wasn't so clearly in danger.
Leah kept hoping that she would catch the vampires while she was watching over Bella, but they didn't come close while she was nearby. And without having all the boys drop out of school, there was no way for the pack to watch over her at every moment. They made certain to post one or two wolves by her house at night when she was most vulnerable, most commonly Sam, who didn't have a job to attend the next day, frequently paired with Leah, whose work at the community center put food on the table.
They came close to snaring a vampire on two occasions, but their enemies were clever enough not to reveal themselves unless they were in public. The shifters could not risk exposure any more than they could, and both times the vampires were able to get away before the wolves could get close. The first time, Embry was sitting in a coffee shop across from Newton's Outfitters when he spotted young woman with a ghostly pale face enter the store. He sprinted over to see the monster approaching Bella where she was arranging clothes on a mannequin. The thing sniffed the air, hissed at him when he approached, and disappeared out the back door before Bella even noticed it. But before he could slip away to chase it, Bella saw him, and in the few seconds it took him to extricate himself from a conversation with her, the vampire had disappeared.
The next time it happened was the day Bella discovered what they were. Sam was supposed to be watching over Bella with Leah, but he was too distracted. He had steadfastly ignored the pull of the imprint, but late in the afternoon his chest began to hurt, and he had to physically hold himself in place to keep from running to Neah Bay. Emily needed him and he knew it. She wasn't in physical danger, of that he was certain, because no force on earth would have kept him in La Push if that were the case. But she was experiencing emotional turmoil.
Sam wanted to go to her almost as much as he wanted to go to Leah. He wasn't sure what would happen to him if he went to Emily, but he feared he would lose himself. If he went to Leah, he was certain she would read his feelings written on his face even if they didn't phase. He couldn't bear to hurt her any more. Jared's admonishment to stop hurting her kept ringing in his ears, but he refused to break up with her. She was the only thing standing in between him and oblivion. But if he went to her now, she would look at him with sadness in her eyes, and he wanted to shove away the imprint's urges before he saw her. It was taking all his energy, and he felt exhausted doing nothing but lying in bed. He resolved to stay there until it passed.
He lay there with his arm thrown over his eyes. Minutes ticked by slowly as he battled with himself. He had no idea how much time had passed when the phone rang.
X-x-x-x-X
Across town, Bella and Charlie were eating dinner in the diner while Leah watched from the parking lot, where she sat in Harry's car. Sam was supposed meet her but had never showed. She had checked with Allison, who said that he would meet her there. She tried not to think about what he might be doing instead of sitting with her. She had seen the increasingly distant look in his eye over the past few weeks.
Bella was pushing her meal around her plate with her fork, taking in just enough nourishment to prevent starvation, while Charlie glanced at her from time to time with concern. Bella didn't even seem to realize her father was there. Leah was getting hungry watching them eat, and she contemplated going home for dinner or a nap before returning to the woods behind the Swan house for the night. Maybe she could drag Sam out to cover for her if he wouldn't come on his own. After the vampires' last bold attempt to get to Bella in her workplace, though, the pack had grown more cautious, but considering that Bella was in a public place with her father, she should be safe for a little while.
Just as she turned the key in the ignition, she spotted movement in the rearview mirror. She twisted around to see a flash of pale skin in the alleyway across the street. She swore to herself and got out of the car. The last place she wanted to be was cornered in a small vehicle unable to phase.
The scent of death reached her, and she reprimanded herself for not rolling down her windows while she waited. She had carefully explored the area while Charlie and Bella were ordering their meal and had smelled nothing; the vampire must have arrived sometime later, or perhaps it had been waiting in a car to mask its scent. She glanced between the diner and the alley. Should she follow, or would that just give the creature time to snatch Bella?
A slight gust of wind made the decision for her. It carried with it the stench of a second vampire. Leah chose to stay by the diner. If she followed the first, the second would probably approach. She quickly decided to check around the back of the diner, where she assumed another entrance would be located. But there was no sign of a vampire there. However, in the short time it had taken her to round the building, one of them made it through the front door. It was the same female that Embry had seen before.
Leah trembled but ruthlessly shoved down the urge to phase and scanned the room. It was full of customers, but Charlie was not at the table. Leah hoped he had gone to the bathroom and not been abducted. No one else was giving them a second glance, so probably nothing untoward had happened. The vampire was simply talking to Bella. Leah's hearing was good enough that she heard the conversation from yards away. She was trying to tell Bella that she had a message from Edward. Bella looked hopeful for just a second, but then her eyes widened in fear.
Leah wasn't sure what to do, and she hoped Sam was on his way. She couldn't phase inside this building, not with so many people around, but she didn't think her human form was any competition for one leech, let alone two. She needed to draw the vampire outside. Although she didn't think she would expose her true nature to so many witnesses, her red eyes demonstrated how dangerous she was. When the monster explained to Bella that Edward believed he had made a mistake in leaving her, tears began to form in Bella's eyes. Her lip trembled, but when she asked Bella to leave with her, Bella shook her head no. The vampire reached out for her arm, and Leah let out a warning growl. "You ought to step away."
The vampire looked up and narrowed her red eyes. She tightened her grasp on Bella. "Excuse me. I was just having a conversation with my friend."
"She's not your friend," Leah answered.
"Sure she is." The monster grinned, exposing her razor sharp teeth. "Her boyfriend sent me."
Leah looked at Bella, who was shaking her head. "No, I don't think he did," Leah answered. Then she spotted Charlie coming out if the bathroom and waved at him with a cheerful, false grin. "Hi Chief Swan!"
"Leah, how are you? Getting a bite to eat?"
"Actually, my friend and I were just saying hi to Bella. But we're on our way out, actually. Just saw her through the window and wanted to say hello."
"I'm not sure we've met," Charlie turned to the vampire. He was clearly trying to place her; the sheriff in a small town knew all its inhabitants. "I'm Charlie Swan." He stuck out his hand for her to shake.
"It's a pleasure," the vampire answered in a silky voice.
Leah touched her elbow and pulled her away bodily, revealing her strength before the thing took hold of Charlie. "We'd better get going. It was nice to see you."
"Say hi to your mother for me. I hope she's doing okay."
"Will do, thanks." Leah was afraid her face would crack from the false smile she had plastered on it.
Bella, on the other hand, looked terrified. She didn't seem to understand that Leah knew exactly what she was dealing with and was trying to draw the vampire outside on purpose. "No, you should stay. Maybe join us?"
Charlie looked startled. His daughter hadn't shown this level of interest in anyone but Jacob since Edward left. "Oh yeah. Why don't you girls take a seat? Leah, you've been such a good friend to Bella lately. We'd love to buy you dinner."
"Thanks," she answered, "but there's nothing here for my friend to eat. She's on a special diet."
The vampire's eyes flashed. "Oh, but Leah, everything in here smells so good," she cooed. "I think I could eat the whole place up."
"Yeah. Let's order something for you guys," Bella urged. She pulled out the seats on either side of her, trying to figure out how to keep Leah from leaving.
"You guys are too kind, but we can't stay," Leah answered firmly.
Bella tried to stand. "Maybe I'll come with you, then. Girls' night out."
Leah almost laughed out loud. What did Bella think she could do? Break off the table leg and stake the monster through the heart? No. Then it hit her. She did need help; she was outnumbered at least two to one, and she still saw no sign of Sam. If Bella wanted to help her, the best thing she could do was send for backup. "Sorry, Bella. Maybe next time. But maybe you could do me a favor. I'm going to be late to meet my boyfriend. Let him or my mom know where I am?"
The vampire actually grinned at her suggestion, and she suddenly regretted saying anything. Was this some kind of a trap? Was she about her lead her pack into an ambush? She didn't know why the vampires hadn't tried to take Bella by now, or why no one had retaliated against Leah herself for mutilating Victoria's face. She could have slapped herself. The pack had gotten complacent the longer they went without being attacked. But the lack of bloodshed wasn't a sign of peace. The vampires were planning something.
She almost changed her mind about sitting down. But the vampire didn't. She felt a freezing cold grip around her own arm. She trembled with the need to phase and defend herself, and it took supreme control not to explode into her wolf in the middle of the restaurant. She heard the creature say goodbye, and then she found herself being dragged outside. Behind her, Bella was beginning to panic and was trying to convince Charlie to go after them. She hoped he wouldn't: he couldn't help her any more than Bella could.
The vampire might have yanked her into the alley if the Chief wasn't still staring through the glass at them. "Let's not do this here," she said. "He's watching."
"You don't want him to see you change, do you? That's fine by me. I was hoping for a real fight, and I don't think this particular form of yours will pose me much of a challenge. But I can definitely get the job done either way."
"What job?" Leah wanted to keep her talking. Maybe Bella could reach Sam in time to send the pack to her aid.
But the vampire wouldn't break that easily. "Oh, you don't think I'll just tell you, do you?" The hand tightened around her arm. Any more pressure and her bone would snap.
"It's not a social visit, I know that."
"No, although we could chat for a bit while we wait. You're absolutely fascinating."
Leah suddenly felt like a lab rat, and she wondered what they were waiting for. "We're waiting for some company to join us, aren't we?"
"What makes you say that?" She sounded genuinely curious, but Leah wasn't about to give anything away.
"I assume Victoria's on her way? Or you're taking me to her?"
"She's otherwise occupied at the moment. Which is the only reason you're still alive."
Leah felt herself being towed toward the alley. She looked back toward the diner. Bella was holding the phone to her ear while standing in the doorway shaking like a leaf, glancing between Leah and her father, who had stepped to the back of the diner and was speaking on his walkie talkie. The vampire raised her hand to give Bella a wave and a frighteningly cheery smile.
And then they were hidden from sight, and Leah spotted a large, olive-skinned male vampire at the same moment she exploded with a howl. She swiped her claw at the female, taking a chunk out of the female's side, but the male was already running at her.
Embry was phased and running the La Push border when she appeared in the pack mind. Shit! What's going on? I'm on my way!
Get everyone else! Leah yelled as she twisted, absorbing the male's charge into her flank. She felt a rib crack.
Where's Sam? I thought he was with you.
Fuck if I know! She ignored the pain and snapped her jaws. The male had miscalculated; he tried to punch her in the muzzle rather than wrap his arms around her neck. She took off his fist at the wrist, and he screamed and fell backward in pain. The female took the opportunity to rush at her head on. Leah spit the dismembered hand at the female's head, where it ricocheted off her forehead. Distantly she heard Embry baying a call to the rest of the pack, but he was far. Too far.
Wow, good aim! Is that your thing? Use their limbs against them like a weapon? The new voice was Paul. I'm close, just hold on for a minute. She saw through his eyes that he was in an alley similar to the one she was in. Exactly where are you?
Across from the diner. Hurry.
Leah had to resist the urge to jump away. There was almost nowhere to go in the small space, and the female vampire was coming straight at her. She held her ground until the very last second, allowing the female to think she was bracing herself for an attack. At the same time, she heard the male trying to sneak up behind her. She leapt straight over the female's head just as she felt the male grab at her tail. The vampires crashed into each other.
Leah felt the panic of Sam's entry into the pack mind at the same time that Paul disappeared. She had felt Paul's intention to come to her aid, as he was the closest, but she knew that he wouldn't to be able to get to her without being seen.
LeeLee, can you get away? Sam wanted her to run.
It didn't matter if she wanted to fight or flee. She had no choice. There's nowhere to go. She turned around and attacked the female, who had twisted to face her, slamming her against the male. He crashed against the opposite wall, knocking several bricks loose. The female thrashed underneath her, trying to get a grip on her to throw her off but only managing to get fur. She lost a swatch of fur and skin, and as she reared back, the vampire braced itself against the ground with her back and arms and kicked toward her with both feet, intending to shove her off. Instead, Leah grabbed a flailing foot with her teeth and tore. The female screamed, and for a second, she thought she was safe. But the one-handed male was barely slowed by its injury. The crash against the wall did more damage to the building than it did to the vampire. As Embry and Sam screamed in her mind, he flew back at her. This time when she tried to use the other vampire's foot as a projectile, the male vampire batted it away, and they collided.
He headbutted her in the muzzle, sending her skull snapping back, but she raked divots in his stony chest with a wild swipe. He grabbed onto her paw with his good hand, but her momentum rolled him beneath her. As soon as he landed, though, he kicked at her chest. She tried to crush his head with her teeth, but he punched at her with the stump of his arm. She tried to get back on her feet, but he held her fast. He managed to get a few breathtaking blows into her soft belly before she tore fresh wounds in his face with her claw.
She retreated just in time to see both vampires right themselves and to spot Bella Swan standing at the entrance of the alleyway, gaping at them in amazement. She didn't look half as afraid as she should have. The vampires hissed at the girl, but then their focus shifted. She heard the sound of two sets of running feet on the pavement, and Chief Swan shouted, "Bella, get out of there! Stop! Stop where you are!"
He was yelling at Paul. Instead of sprinting through the streets of Forks in his wolf body, he had phased human. But he had shredded his clothes at the sound of her howl, so he was streaking through downtown. She would have laughed if the situation wasn't so deadly. The vampires did not seem to understand what or who he was, and they tried to take advantage of her distraction by leaping at her simultaneously; even with only one foot, the female was still capable of a fight. Paul ignored Charlie and the now-screaming Bella and phased into his wolf body just as he hit the alleyway.
Just as the female landed on Leah's back, Paul knocked her away, and they went tumbling. Leah was left in a tangle with the male. Beside her, Paul was making quick work of the female, who was unable to balance well enough on her remaining leg to be any match for Paul. The male was not nearly as incapacitated. His claw tore strips of flesh from her sides like ribbons. But she managed to keep him from getting a death grip on her. She bit chunks out of his shoulder and flank, and he fell off of her with a snarl. She saw Paul coming to her aid. The remaining vampire quickly realized he was now outnumbered, as his companion was in pieces. Paul went for his head, but he jumped straight up, leaving Paul to crash into the wall behind him. The vampire grabbed onto the gutter of the building and hoisted himself onto the roof. Paul and Leah were about to jump up after him, but behind them Charlie Swan yelled, "Move! Bella, get out of the way! You're blocking a clear shot!"
Neither Paul nor Leah was certain what a bullet would do to them, and they stayed where they were. But the vampire saw an opportunity to flee and took off. It sprinted to the other end of the roof and jumped to the next one.
Bella threw out her hands and pleaded with her father, "Don't hurt them! Don't shoot!"
Charlie did not lower his gun. Instead he kept it pointed forward at Leah, who was positioned between him and Paul. He would have pulled the trigger if Bella wasn't standing in the bullet's path. "Move, damn it!"
"It's Leah!" Bella yelled. "Stop pointing the gun at Leah!"
Charlie would have thought his daughter had lost her mind if he had not just seen a naked Paul Lahote transform in front of his very eyes. It was also the reason he hadn't already shot Paul. He flipped the safety back on, but he held the gun level. "Why was she attacking that guy? And what did they do to her friend? I thought she said they were together!" His eyes flicked down to the pile of body parts, and he suddenly realized that the dismembered limbs left no blood splatter. "Shit," he breathed. "That thing wasn't a girl, was it?"
"I guess Leah's not really a girl either," Bella added.
Paul actually laughed out loud. It came out more like a bark. He joked, I don't know. I'm pretty sure you're all woman, Leah.
But Sam was more concerned with her injuries. He could feel the pain of her wounds in the pack mind. Shut up, he ordered Paul. LeeLee, you're hurt!
It's just a scratch.
Embry agreed with Sam. It's dozens of wounds and at least one cracked rib!
Sam was horrified. You're bleeding everywhere. And he's still pointing a gun at you. I don't know what will happen if he pulls the trigger.
She tried to reassure him. He's not going to shoot me. The safety's on.
I don't want to take that chance. Phase back so he knows exactly who you are.
I don't have a stitch of clothing! she protested.
Crap. Embry, how far off are you?
Still a couple minutes away.
Sam was even farther behind. Paul, phase back. Tell Bella to get her something to wear. And set that thing on fire before it reassembles itself.
Paul phased out, leading a very startled Charlie to point the gun at him. He hastily pointed out the squirming mass of vampire parts and asked if Charlie had a lighter. He had lost his own when he shredded his clothes. Charlie returned to his squad car, where a flare gun sat in the trunk. They used it to set fire to the pile. Charlie also had a blanket, and Paul held it up for Leah. Sam heard her wondering where he had been just before she shifted with a cry of pain.
Just as they feared, she was covered in wounds. She almost collapsed against the pavement, but Embry arrived just in time to catch her. The newest pack member was busy trying to explain the situation to Charlie and Bella when Sam finally arrived. He took Leah from Embry and sent him and Paul to track the vampire, but they feared he was long gone. Then Charlie packed Leah into the back seat of his car, and they made their way to the reservation.
By the time they reached Sue's house, Billy had arrived. Billy took Charlie into the kitchen for a stiff drink and a long explanation, letting Bella fill in the gaps. Sue led her daughter into the bathroom, where she gently cleansed her wounds. Most had already begun to heal, but only the most superficial were closed. She was bruised and battered from head to toe, but what hurt the most wasn't her broken rib or mauled flesh. It was the fact that Sam couldn't look her in the eye. He had offered no explanation as to his whereabouts, and she didn't ask.
Seth cornered him in the hallway. Her protective little brother glared up at Sam with his hands on his hips. "Why does this keep happening to her?" he demanded. "How come you come back here without a scratch on you, and she looks like that?"
It wasn't possible for Sam to feel guiltier about what had happened to Leah. He didn't know what to tell the boy. "She was there and I was... She was outnumbered. It's a good thing Paul was close, because…" It actually hadn't hit him until that moment how close he had come to losing her for good. He might have, if Paul hadn't gotten there in time.
"Where were you? She said you were going with her."
Sam didn't have an answer. What was he supposed to say? That he was lying in bed thinking about the women in his life? He couldn't meet Seth's eyes. "I'm sorry. It's my fault."
"Then I think maybe you should go. If you can't help her, or keep her safe, then I'm not sure what you're doing here. So get out."
Sam could hardly believe that Leah's sweet and kind younger brother was talking to him this way. But he deserved it. He deserved far worse. And Seth had been hardened by Harry's death. "You're right. I'll just go."
But Leah heard him through the door. She called out, "No, don't go! Please don't leave."
But he had to, at least for a little while. The drive to go to Emily was still strong, but it had been overwritten by the pack's survival instincts. And as the Alpha, he knew he needed to check in with everyone else. He peeked in on Leah, trying not to look at the nasty looking slashes across her body, and he promised that he would be back soon. He had every intention of returning to take care of her once he knew that they were safe.
First he checked in with Embry and Paul. Unfortunately, they weren't surprised when the trail of the escaped vampire ended in another parking lot. The vampires had obviously learned that the wolves were tracking them by their scent, and had decided to escape in cars instead of on foot. Now there was no way to follow them. He sent Embry and Paul to patrol, while they complained that their wayward brother had never shown up to help.
He found Jared in Kim's bed. Apparently the rest of her family was out for the evening, so the couple decided to take advantage. He barged right in, since Kim's parents were not in the habit of locking their front door. The place smelled of sweat and sex, and Sam was thankful that they had finished whatever it was they had been doing. They were whispering to each other, but no other incriminating noises issued from her bedroom.
As he stormed down the hallway, he roared, "Where the hell were you?"
Kim dove under the covers when he entered her room. Jared sat up in bed with a startled look on his face, then flashed a cocky grin before Sam's grim expression registered. "Hey man, we've been busy, you know?"
"Yeah? Well, while you two were getting busy, Leah was out there fighting for her life. And you were nowhere to be found." He felt like a hypocrite even as he yelled. He was hardly better than Jared. After all, Jared had not been scheduled to take a shift with Leah.
Jared had the good sense to look alarmed. "Crap, is she okay?"
"She'll live," Sam spat, "but only because of her quick healing. She was outnumbered again, two on one, and she didn't get away without losing a bunch of blood. And I'm pretty sure she broke at least one of her ribs again. "
"Damn. She just keeps getting all the action, doesn't she?"
Sam growled back, "Because we keep leaving her alone! She's putting herself on the line again and again, and she needs us to back her up! We're her pack!"
"Of course," Jared agreed.
"So where the fuck were you when Embry howled?"
At first Jared looked confused, but then understanding dawned. "Oh, shit. I did hear something. "
"Yeah! That was Embry calling for backup! Paul got there just in time to save her life. He's still out there with Embry protecting the Rez while you're in here screwing around! Leah almost died! She almost died, and you couldn't be troubled to get out of bed?"
"Shit, man. I'm really sorry. You know how it is, I was kind of distracted."
Sam stalked toward the bed, and he used his intimidating form to lean over the pair. Kim looked terrified, and even Jared looked worried. "If you ever abandon a pack mate like this again, I will rip your throat out." He knew he was taking out his guilt on the wrong person. Jared had neglected the call, yes, but Sam had left her to fend for herself despite the heightened level of danger, and it nearly cost her her life. Silently, he promised he would slit his own throat if he ever abandoned Leah again. "Get out there. You've got Leah's shift. She was going to sit on the Swan place tonight. That girl is definitely in danger. You stick with her until I say otherwise, got it?"
Sam meant to return to Leah until she fell asleep, and then he would take over patrol of the reservation. He wasn't going to let anything else happened to her, especially not tonight. But then the phone rang.
He was already halfway out the door, thinking that he would kiss every one of Leah's bruises until they disappeared. The chains around his soul were trying to drag him to Emily, but he could resist. But then he heard her voice.
His acute sense of hearing was his downfall. She was on the other end of the phone, and she was weeping.
Sam froze. He felt himself walking back to Kim's room, while inside his mind he ordered his legs to take him back to Leah. But his body would not obey. He hovered in the hallway, where he could hear every word Emily spoke as clearly as if she was speaking directly into his ear.
Between sobs, she explained to Kim that she had unexpectedly been given the day off when the power went out in the bakery in which she worked. She had decided to surprise her boyfriend with a home-cooked meal; he was apparently always raving about how good her food tasted. She had spent the day making a feast but had not called him to let him know she was coming. She wanted it to be a surprise. When she knocked on his apartment door, a slim blonde answered wearing only one of Mark's shirts. Emily was devastated.
She told Kim that she should have thrown the food in his face and left, but he somehow convinced her to stay and talk after the blonde slapped Mark and stormed off, swearing to Emily that she had no idea he was dating someone. Then Emily and Mark spent the next couple hours arguing. Mark had made all kinds of protestations, denials, excuses, and then finally justifications. Eventually Emily found the strength to leave, but she was already having second thoughts and was thinking of going back. In the midst of his pleading, Mark had asked her to move in with him. She knew it was foolish, but she was thinking of staying with him. Maybe it would bring them closer together, she said. Maybe it was just what they needed, she argued.
Kim talked her down, and while Emily was wondering why she couldn't get a hold of Leah, whom she had been trying to call before she dialed Kim's number, Kim glared at Sam and mouthed, "Go to her!"
And Sam went. He screamed at himself in the chaos of his divided mind, but there was nothing he could do. He approached Leah's house and tried to find a way to go in, but his body would not let him. He heard a hiss of pain from her bedroom window, and he wanted desperately to take care of her. Instead the imprint dragged him to his own home. He bypassed his mother and went straight to his truck. He was too ashamed to phase; Paul and Embry would want to know why he was abandoning their recovering pack mate and leaving them to patrol by themselves.
What he didn't remember was that Jared was now phased and would tell them. Just as he exited the reservation, a silver wolf appeared in the middle of the road. Paul was growling at him. Sam wanted Paul to stop him. Maybe the other wolf would stop the truck's inevitable progress with his own body. Maybe Paul would yank him through the window and toss him into the Clearwater house. Sam wished he would.
Instead, his foot shoved against the gas pedal, and his arms yanked the wheel to make the truck swerve. He heard Paul's snarl as he whipped by.
The farther he got, the less he thought about Leah. The imprint was slowly smothering him. He was losing himself, he was losing her, and he had no idea how to stop it. He felt a drop land on his leg and realized it was a tear. He couldn't remember the last time he had cried, but he was weeping for his LeeLee now.
By the time he pulled up in front of Emily's house, his eyes were dry, and his true self was buried. The house was dark, and it was quiet except for the soft sound of Emily's sobs. Sam crept to the window, and when he could see her, she had stopped crying and was staring at him with huge eyes. They just looked at each other for an indeterminate amount of time.
She slid open the window. "You're here," she breathed. "Why?"
"You needed me," he answered. He climbed through.
X-x-x-x-X
A/N: Thanks again to Babs81410, who is not to blame for the nasty cliffhanger.