Title: Legendary Travesty

Fandom: Twilight

Pairing: Leah/Esme, established Bella/Alice (Bellice)

Author: Mirandyscrow

Rating: R

Summary: AU Leah imprints in Eclipse. We follow her as she deals with denial, acceptance and the consequences that this extraordinary event causes. This story take place about two months before the beginning of Eclipse and will be a femslash pairing. If you don't like it then don't read it. Thanks!

Spoilers: Let's say everything up until Eclipse is fair game, but I'm twisting a lot of facts and timelines to suit my story.

Archive: Sure if you really want it. Lol, it would be a surprise to me, just ask my permission first. (It's nice when people ask)

Disclaimer: Did Bella and Alice hook up in New Moon? No? Well I guess that means Twilight isn't mine. Twilight belongs to Stephanie Meyer. Any and all other brand names belong to their respective owners. I do not make any money on this story. Please don't sue; I only have a box of Easy Mac as collateral. BTW Easy Mac is the property of Kraft. :P

Author's Note: I don't have a clue where this idea came from. I was actually focusing on going to sleep and this plus five other prompts popped into my head and played around in my skull until I wrote them down and attempted to give them a fair shot at being written. Now here we are.

Big thanks to faithlessfate and snixxissnuts for being an awesome beta(s) and making this story worth reading! All careless mistakes are my own.

Special thanks to Bablefisk for being my first beta!

Chapter 9: Feels Like Home

Leah sat on a boulder looking at the stars deep in the forest. She wanted and needed to be close to Esme but she feared she couldn't be anywhere in close vicinity now. During a full moon, a wolf and their imprint would be running off hormones until a bond is consummated. If the bond isn't fulfilled by the next moon cycle, the hormones would rage higher than before until it's finally consummated.

She and Esme were playing a dangerous game and it was a matter of time before a catalyst ignited the explosive tension between them. Leah suddenly went taut as she listened to the sounds of the darkness. She heard a barely there sound of something cutting through the air, then silence. The female wolf flipped off the boulder, just seconds to an impact. She landed in a crouch on the ground, poised to attack until she saw Esme sitting casually on the boulder, facing her.

"It's really rude to run away from someone without fully explaining yourself," Esme remarked with a playful smile.

Leah hung her head in embarrassment. "I apologize for that. I had to get away from you before I ended up doing something that would have your family hating me even more than they already do."

Esme hopped gracefully off the boulder, feeling an inherent need to get closer to the younger woman. She sidled closer. "My family does not hate you," she whispered.

Leah scoffed, acutely aware of how close the vampire was getting and took a few steps backward, putting some space between her and Esme. "Well if this is not hate, I'm interested in knowing how they show their love."

"I..." Esme began, intent on invading Leah's personal space. "I want to be with you." Esme leaned closer to Leah, eyes quickly becoming dark in hunger. "Only you."

Before Leah could react, Esme shoved Leah until her back met a tree. Leah's body became a live wire. Every touch, caress, and scratch Esme made on her overheating body instantly set a course for her center that throbbed in response. Leah was hyper aware of the bark scraping at her back as she squirmed. She knew Esme could easily smell her arousal. The thought that Esme could easily detect how turned on she was, increased the wetness pooling in her shorts.

Leah whimpered, "Esme, please. I need you inside me." She clutched at the vampire desperately.

"Say that again and I will," Esme purred into Leah's ear. A teasing hand slipped into the waistband of her shorts.

The vampire's fingers were softly tracing around her clit. Leah bucked, anxious to get those wickedly cool fingers into her hot core. Esme moved her hand just out of reach.

"S-say what?" Leah stuttered out and groaned. She couldn't focus, Esme hands were becoming dangerously close to where she wanted them most. The younger woman's body was unconsciously arching up in anticipation for those hands.

Esme had begun trailing kisses up the side of Leah's neck, feeling the muscles quiver under her lips.

"My name," Esme breathed in Leah's ear before she sank her fangs into Leah's shoulder, two fingers slamming into Leah's core simultaneously.

"Esme!" Leah cried, and fell to the floor with a thud. Sweat was beading on her forehead. She groaned in frustration, wiping the sleep from her eyes roughly as she tried to calm her racing heart. The sex dreams starring her imprint were happening much more frequently, a clear sign that the imprint bond was getting impatient with her and Esme.

Figuring she may as well burn off the excess energy drumming through her body, Leah lifted herself up on one hand and started doing push ups. She soon found a rhythm and finished a three hundred set on her left and right hands. She rolled onto her back and began doing sit-ups. Getting lost in the motions of the exercise, Leah let her mind wander. She thought about her life and how she ended up at this point and decided that if she could do it all over that she would try and be with Esme a whole lot sooner because the hormone surge she's currently feeling is driving her nuts.

Leah stood suddenly and stretched her muscles, groaning in pleasure when her bones popped. She looked into the closet and tugged on the metal bar firmly to see if it would hold her weight. Grasping the bar she hauled herself up and started chin ups.

Not too long afterward, awareness tickled her subconscious, telling her that Esme was close by. She paused in her count and looked up with mild confusion when she smelled lilies and nutmeg coming from the hallway. The wolf rushed to the door with a bright smile.

Esme looked at her with a bashful expression once the door opened. "Hey," she breathed.

"Hey," Leah replied just as softly. She watched as the vampire's eyes rapidly began to darken and realized that she had neglected to put on her shirt in her haste and was still wearing the sports bra and boy shorts she slept in.

Esme gave the wolf a smile that was nothing but pure sin as she pushed lightly, letting herself into the room with a deliberate brush against the wolf's sweat-drenched torso. "What were you up to?" she asked lightly.

"Just a bit of a workout," Leah replied a little warily at the vampire with her back to her.

"Why not just go to the gym? I could secure you a free pass," Esme offered.

"I don't like all the stares when I'm bench pressing 350 lbs," Leah said with a shrug, "And I don't want you to spend any more money on me. I've got it covered."

Esme turned finally, backing Leah against the door. "That's right. Congratulations are in order." She leaned forward, pressing herself tight against the younger woman.

"I'm pretty proud of myself," Leah exhaled quietly.

"I've brought you a present." Esme let her cool lips brush against Leah's lower jaw and smirked when she felt the answering shiver of the younger woman.

"Oh?" Leah asked dumbly. Soft lips, along with her mate's full body pressed so tightly against her, were driving her to distraction.

"I figured with you working in a bar, you're probably going to need this." Esme stepped away from the younger woman, pressing a small card into her hand.

"What's this?" Leah asked, turning the card over in her hand. She was still standing against the door, trying to calm her raging libido. There was no doubt about it, her imprint was a tease and enjoyed torturing to the brink of insanity. The wolf shook her head gently trying to clear the lustful haze clouding her thoughts. "You go me a fake ID?" she asked in surprise when she realized what she was holding. "This is a really good one."

"It was nothing really. Being alive for nearly two centuries makes you an expert at creating identities."

"I see." Leah nodded, still studying the ID. "This looks just like my driver's license."

"I was just wondering how were you going to drink when offered a shot."

"I was going to just…" Leah trailed off and shrugged. "I guess I really didn't think of it. Joe must have just assumed I was old enough to be there and never asked me for my ID."

"I'd also like to advise you that it wouldn't be wise to be drunk while working in Seattle especially with Victoria frequenting the city."

"Noted," Leah said, watching as the vampire wandered around, glancing around the hotel room. "Well, this is home sweet home." She swept her arm to the side in a flourish. "At least for the time being," She added after a beat. "So let me give you the dime tour."

She opened the door on her left. "Bathroom." And another door on the inside of the room. "Closet." She hitched a thumb toward a small coffee pot and a microwave sitting on top of a mini fridge. "Kitchen and..." she drew out the word before diving onto the bed. "Bedroom."

Esme smiled, blurring to lie next to the wolf. "You could have shown me this first," she said brazenly.

"Oh really?" Leah asked proud of herself for not letting her voice squeak.

"Yes," Esme said, and leaned in. Their lips met in a passionate dance. Leah's hands slid down the vampire's back, pulling her tighter against her. She slipped a leg in between the other woman's and rolled, placing her on top of the vampire. Esme purred in delight at the action.

Leah pulled back, looking at her imprint. She took in the tousled hair and coal black eyes staring at her in lust. She leaned down, trailing kisses down her jaw and nipping softly at her neck.

Esme clutched Leah's head against her throat. "Harder," she gasped.

Leah remembered that the vampire had hard, nearly impenetrable skin so she'd have to be rougher with her touches. She opened her mouth and bit down sharply at Esme's jugular.

The vampire mewled in pleasure and bucked her hips, pressing Leah's thigh tight against her center.

Leah pulled back to cant her hips forward when a cell phone rang. "Argh!" she growled out.

"Ignore it," Esme pleaded.

"I would if I could but it's not my phone," Leah said and pulled away from her mate. She tried to take the annoyance out of her voice but she knew she was unsuccessful.

Esme barely glanced at the display before she answered the phone. The person on the other end spoke in a rapid, low toned whisper that Leah could barely even register. The conversation lasted all of ten seconds and then Esme hung up the phone. She turned around and looked apologetically at Leah.

"It's fine," Leah said standing.

"Are you sure?" Esme asked, uncertainty creeping into her voice.

Leah nodded. "I'm just going to miss you. I can't believe I'm saying this but I'm glad we stopped," the wolf revealed.

"That sounds just a bit familiar," Esme teased gently, smiling when Leah stuck her tongue out in response. "It was going too fast," she agreed. "And we haven't even had our first date."

"Is this your way of telling me you're not that type of woman?" Leah teased.

"Maybe," Esme replied coyly.

"I promise I'll take you out once all of this is settled but first you need to tell Carlisle what's happening between us. I don't know how much longer I can stand to not be near you. It immediately puts me on edge when I smell you because his scent still lingers on you. I long to mark you and drown you in my scent and it hurts me when you have to shower or go hunting to cover the smell of me up."

"It won't be long now," Esme said, turning away and averting her eyes.

Leah frowned watching her imprint intently. "What's wrong?"

"Carlisle asked me out on a date."

Leah shook and clenched her jaw. "When?" she barked through gritted teeth.

Esme turned, looking into Leah's eyes. "Sunday night."

The younger woman willed herself to calm down. Intellectually, she knew Esme wasn't going to leave her but the thought her mate being on a 'romantic' sort of anything with someone else riled her wolf.

"I'll tell him then."

"He's trying to win you back," Leah accused. "He's trying to win you back and he doesn't even know from what."

"I'll tell him tomorrow," Esme said firmly.

"I believe you." Leah pulled the caramel haired woman close and placed a soft kiss on her lips. She just held her for a few moments, reveling in the feel of her imprint's body pressed deliciously against her own. A thought suddenly occurred to her. "How did Bree get along with everyone?"

"She got along as well as to be expected. She's been through a lot of pain and is still struggling to ignore her hunger no matter how much control she has," Esme said softly. "Jasper has taken two weeks out of school to take her to our cousin coven in Denali."

"Denali?" Leah asked a little confused.

"It's a small remote town in Alaska," Esme answered plainly.

"Alaska!?" Leah asked shocked.

"Yes, where else could a house be in the middle of nowhere without people to stumble onto it for miles besides here?" Esme asked with a wry grin.

Leah shook her head lightly. "Is she still mad at me?"

"She was disappointed, yes but not mad," Esme assured Leah.

Leah nodded before her eyes happened to glance at the clock on the nightstand. "Shit! I need to get out of here. If I don't leave now then I'll be late visiting my mom and the pack."

"I'll see you later, sweetie."

"Bye, Mé," Leah said, holding her tight.

"May?" the vampire pulled back, looking at her mate curiously.

"Mé. As in, the last syllable of your name. Do you like it? Is it okay?" Leah asked nervously.

Esme gave her a beaming smile and a quick kiss. "Yes." She opened the door and looked at Leah longingly. "Soon," she promised and shut the door behind her.

Leah smiled, looking after the vampire. "Soon," she repeated to the empty room, falling back on the bed dreamily.

-x-

It was back to reality as soon as Leah finally got around to leaving for her first approved visit in La Push when she made it back to Forks. She walked into the house and was greeted by her mother's worried face as she turned from the television.

"Thank goodness you're back!" Her mother engulfed her in a hug.

"Of course I'm back. I told you I would be today." Leah glanced at the television over her mother's shoulder, seeing the scene that apparently occurred just a few hours after she brought Bree back from Seattle. She shivered with the knowledge of how close she had come to being in that commotion. "What's going on?"

"There're some odd happenings in Seattle. People going missing and a lot of unsolved murders," her mother informed her, breaking the hug. "I talked with Charlie Swan the other day and he said he's going to lend a hand with the local police there."

"Does anyone have any leads?" Leah asked.

"That's what I was hoping you could tell me."

"This is my first time hearing about this, Ma." Leah gathered her suitcase, walking upstairs to her room. "I'll go find Jake and see what's going on," she said over her shoulder. Her instincts were telling her that this situation was something other than a mass of spontaneous attacks, especially after meeting Bree.

"Leah, wait!" her mother called out.

"What's up?"

"You've barely been here five minutes and you're running off again."

"Oh." Leah looked sheepish. "I'm sorry, Ma." She came forward and plopped down on the sofa next to her mother. "How have you been?"

"I've been good." Sue got a faraway look in her eye and chuckled softly. "Very good," she repeated dreamily.

"Okay," Leah said drawing the word out. "What has really been happening with you?"

"I've uh-met someone."

Leah paused. She wasn't expecting that. Her heart dropped slightly as she looked around the room, her eyes immediately going to the picture on the wall of their family. It was taken just last year before her world went to hell.

"That's great Mom!" It wasn't fair to judge her mother or condemn her happiness. Her mourning process was her own. "What's his name? Do I know him?"

"Well you do know him. Very well, if I'm not mistaken."

"Oh god." Leah's face screwed in complete and utter disgust. "It's not one of the guys from the pack is it?"

"Oh god no, Leah!" her mother exclaimed. "I'm not a cradle robber. I'll leave that to Esme," she said teasingly.

"Whatever," Leah muttered with an eye roll.

"It's all very new, so we're keeping in to ourselves before we're even thinking of telling everyone."

"He's not forcing you to do anything illegal is he?"

Sue paused before bursting out laughing. "No. Definitely not. If it ever gets serious enough for you to meet him you'll realize why that question is completely ludicrous."

"I don't see how, when I'm only asking because I'm worried about you. This new crowd you're hanging out with is a bad influence," Leah said, with a mock serious expression.

Sue rolled her eyes with a chuckle. Her eyes became watery as she gazed at Leah. "I've missed you being here. The house is quieter with you gone, sometimes too quiet for me to bear."

"Where's Seth?"

"He's usually hanging around Jacob these days."

"I've missed you too, Ma," Leah said sincerely, pulling her mother into another hug. She held her tightly. "I'm here for the whole weekend so I'm sure you'll get tired of me pretty soon."

"Not likely," Sue replied, her voice a little muffled against Leah's shoulder.

Leah let out a loud bark of laughter.

-x-

Leah walked outside, closed her eyes and concentrated. She felt herself being pulled back into the pack link.

"Leah I need to speak with you," Sam said at once.

"Fuck off," Was her only reply to him.

"Hey Lee!" Seth called out happily and it set off a chain reaction of annoyed groans through the pack link. "You still staying the whole weekend?"

"That's the plan," Leah replied with a smile.

"Please don't use the pack link as a chat room and welcome back, Leah," Jake said.

"Thanks Jake. Where are you right now?" she asked.

"By the border, near the main road," he answered.

"I'm on my way," she said and erected her mental shield. She found him leaning against one of the trees close to the treaty line, deep in thought.

"How are you doing?" Jake asked once he noticed her approach. "With Esme and everything?"

Leah beamed at the mere mention of her imprint. "We're great," she answered wistfully.

Jake's eyebrows were nearly swallowed by his hairline. "So you two...?" he trailed off, making odd gestures with his hands out in front of him until he realized what he was doing and dropped his hands hastily with an embarrassed expression.

"No!" Leah responded, looking a little bit horrified. "Not yet but it doesn't mean it wasn't mind-blowing all the same." She smiled softly at the memory of the make out session they had shared. She noticed the look Jake was giving her. "What?" she growled.

The smile on his face got bigger and smugger if that was even possible. "Nothing."

"Shut up and give me the run down of what's been happening while I was gone."

"That red-headed vamp has been back and forth," he told her. "I'm waiting here to find out what the Cullens know."

Leah perked up at the name 'Cullen.' "Who's coming?"

"Edward," Jake said simply, amused at how quickly her eyes lit up. He almost laughed at how quickly she deflated when he said the mind reader's name.

"Of course."

"Are you going to stick around?"

"Why would I do that?" Leah furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"You seem to be in better with them than I am."

Leah crossed her arms with a raised eyebrow. "They were forced to play house with me while I was sick. That's hardly an initiation to the family."

"You're mated with their mother," he pointed out.

Leah shushed him. "We aren't telling anyone just yet and the fact that I am mated with their mother is more of a reason for them to hate me," she whispered harshly. She opened her mouth again only to be interrupted by Jake's cell phone.

She cringed at his lovesick and desperate thoughts screaming at her when he pressed the ignore button yet again. She cleared her throat. "Still not talking to her?" she nodded to his now silent phone. She figured that the sappy song had to have been Bella's custom ringtone.

Jake sighed loudly. "Nope." He turned off his phone and placed it in his pocket.

The female wolf glanced at her friend. He looked like he'd just aged ten years when Bella's call came through. She knew that Esme was right and that things needed to progress naturally but that didn't mean she couldn't help things along a bit. Besides, Jake had done almost the exact same thing for her a month ago. "Jake, I think you should try to forget about Bella."

"Leah, don't start." Jake walked a few steps away from her.

She followed him. "Please don't do this to yourself. Bella hasn't given the slightest bit of a hint that she wants you that way."

"What if I were to tell you to let go of Esme, that she's never going to leave her husband for you and that she's flattered to have the affection of a younger woman?"

Jake's words cut through Leah like a knife. That had been one of her biggest fears in the beginning, that Esme wasn't fully committed to their relationship as much as she was. As if her body, mind, and spirit felt her turmoil, all the moments she spent with Esme played for her in a montage of memories. She smiled inwardly. He was wrong. "I'd say you don't know what you're talking abo-"

"Exactly!" he cut her off. "You don't know that Bella's not falling for me."

Leah looked at his angry eyes and tense posture. He truly believed he had a shot at Bella. The affectionate hugs and looks that were being passed through Alice and Bella sent up tiny red flags in her mind but she only ignored them, believing that Bella just had a physiological need to be overly affectionate with vampires. That is until Esme confirmed her suspicions the other night. She had known deep down that there was a bigger reason their scents were always mingling together besides hugs and cuddling they always seemed to do when around each other. The whole thing made sense now. Of course they were dating and the only reason Jake couldn't have noticed it was because his love was blinding him much more than she originally thought. "I'm pretty positive about her feelings for you, Jake," she started gently.

"Yeah, Ms. Love Expert and what are they?"

She sighed, trying to find the best way to say it. "You're just a…brother and friend to her."

"No," he said immediately.

"Jake…" she sighed again. She needed him to listen to reason.

He grabbed her wrist tightly, making Leah flinch. "No!" his face flushed in anger as he pointed an accusing finger at her. "It's not true." He let of her arm roughly.

"Am I interrupting something?" Edward asked, finally emerging from the forest.

Leah rotated her wrist, looking at the vampire. "Nothing at all," she hissed, glaring at Jake, though the younger boy chose to ignore her.

"So what information have you got for us?" Jake all but growled at Edward.

The vampire's expression didn't change. "Hello to you, too."

"Just cut the games, bloodsucker and tell me what you know."

Edward was silent, just gazing at Jacob silently in that odd penetrating way of his. After a couple of minutes he nodded, seeming to be satisfied with whatever he saw in Jacob's thoughts. "We don't know much more than you do."

"You must know a damn good bit more for your brother to almost cross the treaty line."

Leah's eyes snapped back and forth between Edward and Jake in silent question. "What!?" she gasped in surprise. "You guys crossed the line?" She was hurt that Esme didn't tell her and wondered if the vampire was okay.

"Almost," Edward clarified seriously and turned his attention to Leah. "It all happened before she got back. We had to seize the opportunity before it slipped away."

"That's what the phone call was about," Leah guessed and Edward nodded.

"Accident or not, you know it's forbidden," Jake said angrily. "Emmett would be a molten pile of dust if it weren't for me."

"My family thanks you for your leniency."

"I didn't do it for you," Jake said sternly.

"I'm sure Bella thanks you," Edward started.

"Don't talk for her!" Jake cut him off harshly, taking quick steps to the vampire.

"Hey!" Leah shouted, placing a restraining hand on Jake's chest. She knew this would do nothing to stop the boy if he decided to really charge Edward, but she figured it wouldn't hurt to keep him grounded if only for the moment. "This is getting us nowhere," she said, looking at the both of them before focusing on Edward. "Do you have anything new to share that we could have missed?" she asked plainly.

"Victoria is a trickster. She has a mission that we haven't yet discovered but she's most likely out for revenge. Therefore, we are doing regular patrols for Bella and Charlie." Edward paused a second before continuing. "You can help if you like. A bit of extra protection can't hurt."

Jake opened his mouth, most likely to refuse flatly, still clouded by his heartsick anger. Leah threw a hand up to stop his response. He looked offended that she would dare to cut him off and spun on his heel, preparing to stomp back to La Push.

Leah rolled her eyes at his behavior. "I'll help but I wouldn't hold my breath on any of that," she told the vampire wryly, throwing a thumb in Jake's direction.

Edward nodded in understanding and turned to leave. "Mé suits her," he whispered, barely audible, and left for home.

Leah furrowed her eyebrows. How was she supposed to react to that? She'd consider it later because right now she had something to take care of. "Hey Jake?" she called softly to his slowly retreating form.

"What, Leah?" he demanded, walking back to her.

Leah kneed him in the crotch without warning and watched him drop to the ground with a high pitched groan. "Don't you ever put your hands on me like that again. I was only trying to help you, you idiot," she told him, walking over his prone form.

-x-

Dodging two people you used to live with on the same reservation is quite a feat. When you coupled that with the fact that one was mated to your cousin and the other was the Alpha to the werewolf pack you were a part of, some could consider it nearly impossible to pull off.

Leah was beginning to find herself pretty impressed with how well she was able to give Sam the brush off at every turn. It definitely didn't hurt that he was preoccupied with consulting Jacob with scheduling new patrol for protecting Bella and Charlie from Victoria. Jacob was pretty much just ignoring her existence beyond pack business. He was acting much like Sam was when he first became Alpha so it was business as usual as far as she was concerned.

Of course all good things must come to an end and now Leah's luck had run out. Jake had called a mandatory meeting at Emily's house, which she was currently heading towards. She cursed Jake's name with every step she took.

As Leah got closer to her cousin's house, she smelt the pungent but faint sugary scent of a vampire. That could only mean Bella was already there. She came a little closer, but paused just before she was exposed through the trees so she could observe the scene in front of her. Bella was indeed there with Jake looking as awkward and fragile as ever while Quil, Paul, Jared and Embry made small talk.

"Bella, I'm glad you're here so maybe we could get a break from Jake's obsessive inner monologue," Quil said with a smirk in Jake's direction.

"I wish Bella would call," Paul said in a mocking lovesick voice, punching Jake lightly in the arm.

"I wish Bella wouldn't call," Jared got into the teasing, mouth half full of the chicken he was eating.

"Maybe I should call Bella," Embry said.

"Maybe I should call Bella and hang up," said Quil. They all laughed. Bella smiled, glancing at Jake a little guiltily, not that he noticed through his infatuated haze.

"Okay, you can shut up now," Jake said calmly but obviously embarrassed.

Leah emerged from the side of Emily's house walking over to the group, deciding that Jake's torture had gone on long enough.

"Bella, you remember Leah," Jake said with a glare that the girl in question returned.

Bella smiled. "Yeah I do. How are you?" she asked politely.

"I know, Bella, so if you're here to torture Jacob some more, feel free to leave," Leah said coldly, giving Bella her best level ten glare.

Bella blushed heavily at the reply while everyone else just stood off to the side of the awkward moment. It was finally broken up when Emily ran down the stairs to embrace Bella fully.

The boys dispersed and Leah snuck off with them, happy to be away from the girl-bonding scene that would no doubt endure between Bella and Emily. She walked past Paul and Jared, accidentally bumping the former's shoulder.

"Hey, watch where you're fucking going!" Paul yelled, stalking up to her.

"It was an accident, just chill the fuck out," Leah said with a roll of her eyes.

"An accident, right," Paul retorted unconvincingly. "You know what, Leah? I'm tired of your shit. Just because you're always on your period doesn't give you an excuse to act like such a bitch!" Paul snapped, pushing the girl roughly.

Seth ran up to stand behind his sister. Leah turned her head to look at him. "Its cool, Seth I got this." She walked back up to Paul calmly. "It seems like I need to break another bone before you get a few things straight in your thick skull." She pushed him back.

Paul got into Leah's personal space. "Getting things 'straight' isn't something you can even do anymore, you leech-loving dyke."

Leah's eyes flashed gold for a split second and suddenly Paul was airborne. He landed a few feet away crashing onto the fence surrounding Emily's house. Phasing instantly, Paul charged Leah.

Jake stepped forward in between to the two and leveled Paul with a glare that stopped him in his tracks. "Stop it, both of you! We've got some serious business to discuss today and it can't and won't wait for you to finish your vendettas. Paul, since you're already phased you can take the first leg of patrol," he ordered.

The dark silver wolf glanced at Leah balefully before loping off into the woods. "Now that that's settled," Jake declared. He turned to the rest of the pack and opened his mouth only to be interrupted by Sam.

"All right everyone!" The former Alpha clapped his hands together loudly and whistled to get the pack's attention. "Let's shut up and gather around," he said sternly before turning to Jacob.

"Thank you, Sam," Jake said, eying him warily. "There's been news reports about so called 'random kidnappings and vandalism' throughout Seattle. We already know that this is the work of that red-headed leech we chased yesterday." He looked out at each of the pack members. "She's been getting closer and closer to the populated areas of Forks and that's unacceptable. We're going to have to up patrols," he declared, ignoring the groans coming from the group. "I know it's not your favorite thing to do, but we can't let her get through our land anymore. Forks won't turn out like Seattle. Is there any other business we need to address?"

"I have some," Sam said softly, locking eyes with Leah. "I have to make it all right." He unintentionally projected to pack.

"Sam," Leah growled. "Don't."

"Lee," he began.

"You don't get to call me that anymore! You have no right!"

"Leah I'm…"

"Stop!" Leah held up a hand. Her eyes glittered in anger. "I don't want to hear your half-assed apologies. Just stay away from me, my family, and my imprint." She moved to come closer to him but was restrained by Seth with a firm hand on her shoulder.

"Please," Sam pleaded, "I know I was wrong."

"Sam, just leave her alone," Quil said looking at him with unkind eyes.

Sam looked taken aback. He saw a quick look of understanding pass between them and frowned. "You'll forgive everyone but me?" he asked hurt.

"They were following you! You led them by command of the Alpha to hurt me. Think about it Sam. Could you? Would you even hesitate to spill my blood if I were the one to give Emily her scar?"

Sam looked away in shame. He willed himself not to look at his imprint, knowing she would be tracing the jagged line across her face self-consciously. "No," he whispered. "I would not."

"Just leave it where it lays, Sam. We can't ever be as close as we once were," She said and turned to leave when she felt a pressure against the base of her skull. She closed her eyes and concentrated. A rush of relief flooded her head when she focused on her connection with Esme. "Alice...vision...Victoria." The two words echoed inside her brain loudly. "Esme?" the wolf whispered. She heard a series of more disjointed words as if her brain wasn't tuned into the right station. Her eyes widened when she was able to finally put the message together. She had to alert the pack before it was too late.

Paul was on patrol but in his haze of anger he'd most likely be tempted to take on Victoria himself. She stood still and concentrated, sending a thank you to Esme. Taking in large, deep breaths but unable to find the redhead's smell on the wind, she switched back to the pack link.

"Jake." he didn't glance or acknowledge her. She tried again without success. Quil and Jared had begun glancing back and forth between Jake and her.

"What is it, Leah?" he said, highly annoyed after the tenth time she called his name. He was talking with Bella and thought maybe this time he might be closer to getting her to agree to go on a date with him.

"Fine, since you want to be an ass about it. There's a leech about 700 yards and closing in fast."

"Go check it out," he told the pack but stayed behind. "I'm going to take Bella back."

Sam paused mid-run. "Jacob, you're one of the stronger wolves."

"Sam." Jacob protested.

"Jacob…" Sam began.

"I'll take her back." Leah announced while both of the men looked at her in disbelief. Sam looked toward the direction the pack ran and nodded before he phased.

Jake phased a second later. The wolf growled a warning to Leah and leapt over Emily's fence, following Sam.

"What was that all about?" Bella asked.

"Nothing. Let's go," Leah responded.

They walked side by side back to the treaty line. Leah walked as stiff as a soldier, refusing to look or even acknowledge Bella unless she stumbled or tripped and even her helping hand was cold and uncaring as if she was being forced to help her enemy.

The tension and silence had finally gotten to Bella and she tried to make small talk. "So, you've healed pretty well. Carlisle really helped?"

"Yeah," Leah said curtly.

Bella tried her best to ignore the biting tone. "You uh…seen any new movies lately?"

"No."

"Okay, Leah what's up with you?

"Jake."

"Jake?"

"Jake and how you're treating him is what's wrong with me." Leah finally stopped.

Bella just looked at Leah in confusion.

"Oh don't look at me like that. The doe-eyed innocent look only works on vampires. You're playing with Jake's heart."

"I-I'm not."

Leah raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Really, Bella? You were dating the mind reader and he left you. You go all zombie girl for months and then jump into the ocean for kicks. Jake saves you and as gratitude you run off, apparently save lover boy and return with burgeoning feelings for his sister. He knows you're not dating Edward anymore and he thinks he has a chance now. How does that not translate into playing with his heart?"

"I never gave Jake any indication that I wanted to date him."

"You also didn't tell him that you weren't interested in him at all and apparently a lesbian."

Bella turned several shades of red, glaring at Leah. "Alice told me about the imprint. What gives you the right to pass judgement on me?"

"What gives her the right to tell you about that? I can't control an imprinting. Fate decided who I was to love and devote myself to."

"I can't explain what I feel for two people," said Bella.

Leah shot the girl a look of disgust. "That's bull, Bella. You're not in love with Jake so just end this before you crush him completely."

Bella was tired of everyone sticking their noses in her love life. "Why is it any of your concern?"

"Because I really care about him!" Leah snarled into Bella's face.

Bella stood dumbstruck at Leah's confession.

Leah paid no attention to the frozen girl and continued, "I love him like another brother and he's been my only friend through this mess! Lord knows why, but I think he may actually care about me too." She still towered over Bella. "But we haven't been talking anymore and you know why? Because of you. It's always because of you, Bella! You know he deserves better. Tell him that you're seeing Alice soon or I will." Leah looked at Bella unblinking even after she smelled the vampire approaching.

"Leah," Alice said in an unfriendly tone. There was no doubt she'd heard much of the exchange.

"Alice," Leah acknowledged the vampire. Her eyes were still locked with Bella's as she spoke. "Soon." She turned on her heel and phased, quickly running back to join the pack in their chase.

-End of Chapter Nine-

I know it's been awhile but I think it's always better late than never. I've been bidding my time and making sure that I have more chapters completed than chapters posted.

Wow, you guys we just hit over 100 reviews! I'm always amazed at how many people have review, favorite, and follow this story every chapter it just grows and surpass my expectations. Thank you so much everyone!

Welcome new readers, lurkers, and anons alike! Thank you guest(s), THEDUDE, and ImAdOcToR. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'm off to respond to your reviews!

Until next time!

~MC