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 for being an awesome beta and making this story worth reading! All careless mistakes are my own.

Chapter 17: House of Wolves

Leah stood at the large window facing the forest in Esme's bedroom. She smelled a large concentration of her imprint here and it often served to calm her when the situation called for it. Now being a case in point. She was currently looking down at the scene below. The whole Cullen family had gone down to see Carlisle and Bree off and bid their farewells.

She knew she really should be overjoyed that the biggest obstacle that was holding her and Esme's relationship back was leaving but something just didn't feel quite right about how Carlisle was leaving. She knew what she needed to do and it didn't make knowing it any easier. With a great swallow of her pride and an even larger bite of humble pie, Leah slowly lumbered downstairs straight into the middle of the touching family scene. Everyone turned toward her with the same question shining in their eyes: Just what the hell are you doing? Leah met each of their stares with determination. The wolf realized she and Carlisle were pretty much one and the same and she should probably think about extending an olive branch of sorts. Fate had dealt them both an unfair hand with the former love of their lives. She told her mother that she knew what it was like to have the love of your life suddenly want nothing to do with you anymore and she wouldn't wish it on anyone. It was time to act on those words and try to come to some sort of agreement with Carlisle.

"I thought you weren't coming down?" Esme asked her in confusion. She flashed toward her mate and grabbed her hand gently.

"I've got to try and make things right Mé," Leah responded with a quick squeeze to the vampire's hand before letting it fall. She stood tall and approached the blonde doctor. "Hey Carlisle, can we talk?" She asked quietly.

The vampire looked stunned but only paused briefly before he turned and started toward Edward's car.

Leah sighed and prayed silently for strength. She was well aware of what the road to hell was paved with. She quickly caught up with him and grabbed his sleeve, preventing him from moving any further. "Hey, Dr. Fang… slow down and chill. It's just a talk, okay?"

"Forgive me for not wanting to stop when my wife's-" Carlisle started, snatching his sleeve from Leah's grip.

"Ex-wife," Leah replied automatically then internally cringed. This was not going like she hoped at all.

Carlisle took a deep breath to calm himself and continued, "My ex-wife's scent is all over you. If you couple that with the fact that we've yet to have a civil conversation since all this began you'd be apprehensive about wanting to converse as well."

The Alpha laid a hand to her chest and spoke sincerely. "I realized that I wasn't by any means the easiest person to get along with but I'd like to start over."

"You're admitting that you're willing to finally bury the hatchet somewhere other than my head?" The doctor asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Wolves aren't known for their most rational thinking," Leah said, scratching the side of her head with a self-deprecating smile. She was vaguely aware of dispelled air around her and assumed the family had gone back inside to give them 'privacy.'

"So, I see," Carlisle responded calmly after studying her for a few moments. "What is it that you wish discuss?"

Leah nearly wanted to laugh hysterically at that question. The vampire was bound and determined to make this whole process difficult. "Let me start by saying for what its worth I really didn't mean for any of this to happen." She paused for her words to sink in and continued, "We really didn't mean to hurt you, Carlisle."

"You realize that that's the cry of deceitful lovers everywhere," The blonde vampire said with a rueful smile. "From the little I do know about imprinting, I'm aware that you didn't just pick Esme out of a hat, but it doesn't mean it hurts less. None of us meant for it to happen." The doctor looked deep in thought yet again. He looked through the open door into the home he used to share with Esme where his family was pretending not to listen to every word that was being said. "I used to think that humans were the only ones that were capable of breaking up. I guess I was wrong."

"I guess there's a first time for everything." Leah joked, tried to lighten the mood. She chuckled half-heartedly before coughing into her hand uncomfortably when Carlisle didn't even crack a smile.

"Once in a blue moon it was bound to happen." Carlisle agreed solemnly and glanced at Leah. "When I figured out what was happening, I hoped it was a bad dream, that everything would be fine if I was more attentive and that we'd only hit a bump in the road."

Leah looked away unable to take his sorrow filled words. "And when did you realize it wasn't?" she couldn't help asking.

"In the clearing," Carlisle answered simply and turned, locking eyes with Leah. "I saw how much fun she was having with you, how happy she was and I knew that our marriage was well and truly over."

"So we're alright?" Leah just had to ask.

"You tried to kill me." Carlisle stated plainly as he observed her with a guarded expression. .

"And you told me that I wasn't good enough to be with her. In my opinion, that was like a knife to the heart as well." Leah replied testily.

He was across the small space before Leah could blink. "You aren't." He all but snarled, fisting her tank top in his hands.

Leah's eyes began to flicker and lighten. "She certainly seems to think so." She fired back without missing a beat as her fingernails extended into vampire ripping claws.

A sudden flash of hurt appeared in the Carlisle's eyes before he morphed his face into a mask of indifference. His hands unwound themselves from Leah's shirt. "That is what's important now isn't it? Whatever makes Esme happy." He looked away for a moment before staring intently at Esme through the window behind Leah. His eyes slowly becoming dark with anger. "I love her with everything that I am and knowing that means loving her enough to want her to be happy even if it's not with me." The vampire continued, leaning well into Leah's personal space, "But if you ever, ever intentionally harm her in any way I'll remove your spine without my surgical tools."

Leah was a little frightened but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of winning the staring match. She knew a second truce had been reached and they'd be fine. When Carlisle was sure he'd gotten his message across he turned to leave. "I don't know if we'll ever be on even ground but for what it's worth Leah Clearwater, I don't hate you," He said over his shoulder and flashed to the passenger seat.

"Ditto," Leah said with a small, sad smile, tracking his movements across the pavement and into Edward's waiting car. "Take care of yourself, Carlisle."

-x-

It took a little time to get used to the fact that Carlisle was no longer in the house and Rosalie liked to remind everyone of that fact everyday.

"This is weird." Rosalie proclaimed to the otherwise silent room.

"What is?" Leah asked with a sigh, looking up from the pile of college brochures in front of her. She placed yet another colorful piece of paper in the 'maybe' pile.

"Not having Carlisle here," Rosalie clarified from behind her magazine.

Emmett's eyes never left the large plasma screen in front of him as he added his own opinion of the situation. "Yeah, it's like it's not really a home anymore but at the same time it is."

"Very eloquent, Emmett." Edward teased his brother lightly.

"You know what I mean." Emmett growled petulantly over anguished grunting of his video game character.

"Why is it so difficult to pick a school!?" Leah groaned out sweeping her hand across the table. As if to mock her, the brochures peacefully fluttered to the floor landing barely and inch from the table.

"How did you pick a school the first time?" Alice looked at the wolf curiously.

Leah shrugged. "I attended the one that offered the biggest scholarship."

"You didn't have a school in mind at all?" Alice asked a little surprised.

"I'm not too big on party schools or the most popular ones." Leah said with another shrug.

"Oh, but picking a college is much more than that. It's selecting the groundwork to your future career. Your resumé is nothing without a prestigious alumnus backing it up." Alice declared as if the very fate of humanity was weighing heavily on Leah's choice of school.

"Is there anything she's not this passionate about?" Leah asked the other vampires in the room with amusement.

"Nope." They replied with knowing grins.

Leah rubbed her eyes tiredly with the heel of her hands. "Fine, I'll take this more seriously."

"It was probably much easier to ask out Esme on your first date than it is to decide on a more trivial aspect of your life," Emmett said with a chuckle, his eyes not moving from the television screen.

The Alpha was silent as she focused intently on the pamphlet in front of her face. Her eyes nearly bored a hole through it.

"Right, Leah?" Emmett asked for confirmation when the wolf didn't immediately agree.

Rosalie glanced at the silent young woman. A small, vindictive smirk graced her face when she the answer dawned on her just a few seconds before Emmett.

Emmett paused his game and looked behind him. "Oh no way. Don't tell me you haven't asked Esme out yet."

"Okay." Leah said. "Then I won't." She started to hurriedly gather her reading materials from the table.

"Whoa." Emmett was across the room in a second, grabbing her arm. "What are you waiting for?"

"I was trying to give it some time." Leah said weakly, wrenching her hand out of Emmett's hold.

"Right," He said unconvincingly, looking at the wolf with a penetrating gaze. "Contrary to popular belief, I'm not stupid."

"Look can we not talk about this here." Leah pleaded, looking increasingly uncomfortable with the Cullen offspring regarding her in unabashed curiosity.

"Alright, let's take a walk." Emmett declared before lugging Leah over his shoulder and loping off into the night."

"Put me down you fucking blood breath gorilla!" Leah's shout faded out behind them followed by Emmett's mocking monkey shrieks.

A fairly good distance away from the house, Emmett finally set a fuming Leah down. Leah shook out her hair, glaring at the large vampire. "Never. Do. That. Again."

"I make no promises. Those were some pretty inventive curse words," Emmett remarked with a smirk.

"What exactly did you hope to accomplish from kidnapping me and dragging me into the middle of the woods?" Leah asked as she leaned against the nearest tree.

"Maybe I wanted to take you somewhere were no one would hear the screams." Emmett said in a low eerie voice before smirking once more.

Leah rolled her eyes. "What is it?"

"You were the one that wanted to talk somewhere we couldn't be overheard. So what's your problem?" Emmett asked seriously.

"I don't know if it's too soon after Carlisle's departure that I should be asking her." Leah said seriously, looking away as she crossed her arms.

"Leah, it's been like a month." Emmett replied looking extremely unimpressed.

The wolf held her gaze on the forest floor. "Isn't a month just a drop in the bucket to vampires?" she asked softly.

"It can be." He looked like he was wrestling with something internally before he spoke again. "You don't see how she looks at you in longing but you've been in your own haze of indecision."

"Really?" Leah glanced up her eyes searching, daring him to back up his reveal with the truth.

Emmett simply nodded. The thin line of determination that creased his lips curled up into a smile as he watched Leah zoom away from him in a dead run. "Atta girl," He said and started a leisurely pace back home until he caught the whiff of a bear about fifty yards upwind. "Oh, that sucker is mine," He declared to the night air before flashing out of sight.

-x-

Leah was thankful to arrive back at the Cullen's home and see that everyone had retired into their rooms because she wasn't sure her resolve would have lasted long enough to escape the probing gazes of the remaining Cullen offspring. She climbed up the stairs slowly, giving herself a small pep talk as she reached the door of her beloved.

With one final deep breath, Leah opened the door. "So I've been thinking," the Alpha began as she casually leaned against the doorjamb of Esme's bedroom. She squeezed her folded arms tightly so her nervousness wouldn't show.

"Yes?" Esme said turning immediately from the numerous paint swatches scattered across the floor to give Leah her full attention.

Leah faltered as the intense topaz look was directed at her. "I was thinking that we haven't been on a first date yet."

Esme nodded with a small smile, waiting for the obviously anxious young woman to finish her statement. Leah looked as though she was debating internally with herself before her next words came out in a jumbled rush.

"Would you like to go out with me this Saturday?"

Esme beamed and flashed across the room, capturing Leah's lips in a sweet kiss. "I'd love to."

"Really?" Leah squeaked then cleared her throat and opted for a more casual tone. "Really?"

"Yes, really." Esme said, wrapping her arms around her mate.

"Great," Leah responded with a wide smile of her own as she held the vampire tight in her arms.

-x-

The next afternoon brought about further dilemmas in the date department. "So, you come up with a date idea yet?" Emmett asked as he plopped down next to Leah on the couch.

The Alpha was half-heartedly plucking away at the buttons on the controller. "Nope, not a one." she reported gravelly.

"You haven't even thought of anything at all?" Emmett asked incredulously.

Edward appeared at the top of the stairs with a barely veiled smirk etched on his face. "Nothing solid," he responded to his brother with his eyes dancing in amusement.

"Shut it, Cullen." Leah growled in warning.

"What is going on?" Alice asked intrigued, looking up from her latest issue of Vogue.

"I'm assuming he's laughing at my ideas. I want it to be perfect." Leah said a little defensively. "Everything I come up with is too lame and I just want it all to go right. I don't want a date from hell."

"You asked Esme out without any kind of idea on where you wanted to go?" Rosalie asked with a raised eyebrow from behind her magazine. "How did you not want this to go to hell?"

"What have you come up with?" Alice asked curiously. "Maybe we can help steer you in the right direction."

Before Leah had a chance to speak, Edward said, "The petting zoo was by far my favorite of the four."

Alice's face went completely blank before a giggle burst forth. She sobered just long enough to choke out. "Really?"

"I just didn't want it to be, you know, just dinner and a movie," Leah grumbled with a self-conscious shrug.

"That still sounds like taking her out to dinner to me," Emmett said before he and Alice high fived each other and laughed.

"Nevermind them, Leah. I'm sure whatever you come up with will wow Esme," Edward said calmly. "Just strike the Goth club poetry reading from the list."

Alice clapped her hands together with a twinkle in her eyes. "Now onto an easier subject. What school have you decided upon?"

"Ugh." Leah huffed and flopped backward onto the couch. The vampires were once again sent into hysterics. "Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up." She grumbled to herself and stood abruptly. "I'm going to cook myself some dinner then I'm off for patrol." She stepped in the kitchen and decided on just having some of the leftover chicken parmesan Esme prepared the previous night when a small, icy sensation trickled down the base of her spine. She paused for just a second and continued to prepare her dinner so nothing looked amiss. "Edward?" She called in her mind. The aforementioned vampire turned toward her calmly so as not arouse suspicion.

"Do you hear any new thoughts?"

He nodded and went to grab a strategically placed stack of music from the table. They saw Jasper's form vault out of the second floor window and take off into the thick trees of the forest. Emmett and Edward followed a second later. Leah ran at top speed and phased just as she passed the opened back door, following the vampire's pursuit.

She howled menacingly, running through the forest. She finally caught up to the others and saw the vampire they were chasing. He had on odd long and intricate robes that screamed of some sort of royalty. He was evading each of them without difficultly so he clearly knew how to fight. "Chase him to the treaty line." Leah thought loudly before switching over to the pack link and letting them know there was an incoming.

Edward nodded in response before hissing the plan to Jasper and Emmett. They renewed their chase with purpose.

The unidentified vampire ran and launched himself across the ravine. He watched as the Cullens skid to a stop above him and let out a self satisfied smirk. His eyes suddenly widened as he saw the gray wolf get tossed over the ravine by the large muscular vampire. She twisted her body at the last second, clasping his arm in her jaws and snapping it clean off.

The vampire turned, enraged at this beast's audacity when he saw she wasn't alone. There were at least a dozen wolves snarling behind her. "You can take your chances with them or us." Jasper called down to the vampire. "We want to know why you were watching our family?"

"I'd rather swallow a torch." The vampire spat at them.

Jake and Sam charged forward, seizing him in their jaws and held him firm while Leah tore off his foot.

"We can arrange that if you like," Emmett taunted.

The vampire screamed as Leah chewed off another piece of his leg. "You filthy traitorous vegetarians!"

"I think he needs a little more convincing." Jasper hinted with an unkind gaze.

Leah and Seth slowly pulled his leg from the socket.

"Okay! The vampire yelled in agony. "We can talk, just get me out of here." He pleaded in earnest.

"Bring him to the treaty line." Jasper said, turning and disappeared. Edward and Emmett followed his departure.

-x-

The pack dragged the loudly protesting vampire through the roughest terrain of LaPush, occasionally playing the odd game of keep away with his mutilated body. After what seemed like ages to the man he was finally tossed over the treaty line to the Cullens who made no move to catch him on his descent to the ground.

He flopped gracelessly as he lifted himself in a sitting position and eyed them with no small amount of hatred.

"Why are you here?" Leah growled into his face, her eyes flashing dangerously.

"I've nothing to say to you loathsome dog!" He hissed back and spat in her face.

"That's right you don't have anything to say to me." Leah said calmly, wiping her face free of the venom. She moved away from him and gestured behind her. "But you do have to answer to him." She nodded in Jasper's direction.

The usually stoic vampire came forward with a bottle of lighter fluid. He sprayed a casual line on the ground in front of the mangled vampire.

"What business do you have here?" Leah repeated slowly.

The vampire was stuck between glaring at her in hate and eying the line of flammable chemicals in fearful curiosity.

Leah nodded her head and Jasper tossed a match to the ground, igniting the stream.

Emmett dragged the struggling vampire closer to the flames.

"Tell us," Leah demanded once more.

The vampire lifted his head in as much dignity he could muster. "If I tell you. You'll just kill me anyway."

The wolf locked eyes with Edward after a couple of seconds the mind reader nodded.

"Oh, that's not true." She responded with false sympathy. "We're going to kill you now." She declared and Emmett decapitated the vampire and threw his remains on the fire. They stood in a circle watching as the spy became a pile of ash. They threw dirt on the fire to extinguish it before making their way back home. No one said a word, the gravity of what they had just done weighing heavily on their minds.

The rest of the family was waiting for them and descended in a melee of anxious energy as soon as they came through the door.

"What's going on?" Esme asked at once, rushing forward. "Alice saw someone about to grab her and then there was nothing." Her eyes swept back and forth on instinct, checking each one of them for injuries. She frowned as she noted the dark bruise forming on Leah's shoulder.

"Why do you smell like a barbeque?" Rosalie asked her face screwed up in disgust at the acrid scent.

"We ran into a bit of trouble." Leah said in explanation, just as Esme appeared at her side with a bag of frozen peas. The wolf groaned in pleasure as chill invaded her injured flesh and soothed it.

"No, shit." Rosalie scoffed.

"Rosalie," Esme admonished quickly.

"There was someone here to snatch up Tink over there for whatever reason." Leah nodded to the demure vampire. "We interrupted his plans."

"The Volturi dispatched him to spy on us," Edward explained quietly. "But he had a few plans of his own regarding Alice." He revealed and looked away unable to stand the vampire's lustful thoughts.

"I have half a mind to hop on a flight to Italy." Leah added in with a growl. "What right do they have, just peeking in on anyone's lives whenever they feel like?"

"They are the supreme law to vampires everywhere." Esme replied in an almost apologetic tone. "The oldest and most powerful vampires that ever lived."

"We have to tell Carlisle." Rosalie said at once, looking at her siblings for agreement all the while trying to hold back the visceral reaction to the spies' plans for her sister. She welcomed Emmett's strong arms encasing her form.

"He's not going to like this." Emmett said to the room.

"I'm inclined to agree with him." Jasper said. "We probably should have let him go."

"Look, can we just focus for just a second?" Leah asked, frustrated with the bag of defrosted vegetables now sweating down her arm. "He came here to kidnap Alice."

"That was mostly just a cover." Edward explained. "He was supposed to spy on us and report back to the Volturi."

"What really happened out there?" Esme asked them, becoming frustrated when once again she was denied a straight answer.

"We disposed of him." Jasper, ever the diplomat, said after a tense silence.

"You killed a member of the Volturi guard!?" Rosalie shrieked in disbelief as she pulled back to look at Jasper, Edward, and Leah.

"He threatened our family." Jasper said with finality.

"No, you've threatened our family." Rosalie

"To what, report back to your lee- vampire government?" Leah corrected herself. She glanced at Esme in apology.

"It's fine, sweetie. It's just a reflex from centuries of hate." Esme said with a casual shrug.

"You're too good to me." Leah groaned, nuzzling her arm as Esme rubbed out her bruised shoulder.

"Excuse me, lovebirds. There's a more pressing matter at hand here." Rosalie sniped, cutting through their tender moment.

"Leah, you don't really have any idea what you've done, do you?" Edward asked grimly.

"What I've done?" Leah asked, pointing at herself in incredulity. "You three were right there with me chasing and torturing just the same."

"Torture?" Esme asked quickly.

"It doesn't matter now that we've drawn first blood," Edward explained, over his mother's question. "Ivan was part of the guard. When he doesn't show up to check in they'll send someone else to scout. Mostly likely someone more powerful."

"So we'll take care of them." Leah said indifferently.

"You can't kill them all, Leah. The Volturi is too massive and far too powerful even if we were to team up with your pack like we did with the newborns." Emmett said interrupting the back and forth she and Edward had.

"We can give it a try at least. They've come to our turf now and they wouldn't even think of hesitating to kill us if we were trespassing on their ground." Leah said with confidence. "How severe will the backlash be if two scouts or more disappear?" she asked seriously.

Esme was the one to answer her. "The Volturi are secretive and vindictive. They like power and won't take kindly to their control being shaken. If you couple that with the fact that you're what they perceive to be werewolves then we may have a war on our hands."

"I don't get it though, why dispatch spies if they've got to come here and check up on Bella anyway?" Alice asked her family.

"That's a minor excuse to keep an eye on our coven. They could just as easily invite her to Volterra." Edward responded.

"How long do we have until they come to 'see' Bella bear?" Emmett asked Alice.

Alice concentrated and allowed herself to be pulled into a vision. "A month unless something happens." She answered as her eyes cleared and she returned to the present.

"Like the disappearance of their scouts." Edward made it his business to remind them.

"Hold on what do you mean 'check up on Bella'?" Leah asked slowly. "What the hell are you talking about?"

All the vampires glanced at each other before bursting into hushed whispers too low for Leah to hear.

"No, no. Stop that!" Leah demanded. "What are you talking about?" she asked again. All the vampires were avoiding her eyes. The wolf turned to her mate. "Mé?" she asked quietly.

"We've been discussing for awhile now that Bella would become a part of our family after her graduation." Esme said vaguely and calmly as her eyes darted to the carpeted floor.

"I thought she was already part of the family." Leah asked in confusion.

"Permanently," Esme said finally lifting her eyes to Leah's face.

"What?" Leah breathed as the situation slowly dawned on her.

"Oh Christ! Alice is going to turn Bella." Rosalie said callously.

"You can't." Leah said softly after another silent pause.

Rosalie fished her cell phone from her pocket and pretended to answer it. "Hello? Yes, she's here." She extended the device to Leah with a scowl. "Leah's it's the Earth. It says you aren't the queen of it."

Leah rolled her eyes. Hard. "I meant if you spill Bella's blood the treaty will be violated. The pack will be forced to follow through on…"

"…killing us." Esme finished for her. "But you're the current Alpha. They have to listen to you."

"Mé, it's not that simple. They have to follow my orders as long as it doesn't put the pack and LaPush at risk or-"

"Violate the treaty." Emmett finished for her.

"It's very specific," Leah reasoned. "Can't you do it somewhere else?"

"How would you like to move a bloodthirsty newborn from state to state without casualties or attention?"

"Right," Leah conceded. "I can't believe we're discussing this. If Jake gets the tiniest hint of this from my mind…" she started and sighed. "I can't stop the pack from rallying behind him. They may split."

"And if they attack us? Where do you stand?" Jasper asked the Alpha.

"Do you even have to ask?" Leah scoffed.

"I wouldn't have if you didn't feel so conflicted about this." Jasper replied.

"Can't you find some other way?" Leah practically begged as she looked to each vampire in earnest.

"Don't be a hypocrite, Leah. Don't act as if Esme was mortal and you had a chance to keep her for eternity that you wouldn't do it." Alice hissed angrily as she stared the wolf down. "Oh, I remember now you already have that chance." She said sarcastically and stood abruptly.

Leah looked down her nose at the petite vampire. "When this gets out, I'll try my best to stop another war and above all else I will make sure Esme is safe."

"They'll be no more wars if you stop killing Volturi guards," Alice countered quickly. "And I don't think we can even guarantee that anymore. They're bound to send another guard."

"I still think we should call Carlisle." Rosalie repeated.

Leah tried to keep a tight reign on her emotions as the glanced at the blonde. She just got rid of Dr. Giggles, she didn't want an excuse for him to come loping back into her life and lording this mistake over her head. "For what? He obviously won't know anything. He's in the middle of a fricking tundra."

"He needs to know just in case they're watching him too." Rosalie replied as if the answer was obvious.

"Okay, how about this? We deal with the minor threats and we keep the information within the house for now. I'm going to patrol the area a bit more just in case they've already dispatched someone."

"It's fine." Edward assured her as he made a move to retreat to his bedroom.

"I just got to be sure for my own sanity." Leah said and phased just as she walked out.

-x-

All was quiet as Leah finished her final double check of patrols. She knew she was being just a little paranoid because if something was going to happen to the family directly, Alice would probably get a heads up before anyone. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, trying to filter out any new vampire threats that she may not have seen or heard. Satisfied that there was no one wandering on the land besides a few curious squirrels, she phased back and changed into the clothes tied to her leg and immediately headed for the kitchen cabinets.

She looked through each one and found nothing to satisfy the unknown craving she was having at the moment. Wandering across the house and into the garage, she intended on killing this craving once and for all with a quick trip to the store. The young woman glanced at the keys hanging next to hers and touched them briefly.

Esme had said that she was welcome to use her Lexus whenever she needed it after mentioning her recent car trouble, but Leah had yet to take up the offer. She was just too attached to her father's old truck. It was really the last thing of his that she owned all to herself and she wasn't yet willing to part with it.

"I'm going out Mé," Leah said mentally as she slipped the keys form the brass hook and climbed inside of her truck.

"Okay, I should be done with this design by the time you come to bed."

"I'll see you then." Leah sent back and put the car in gear just as the garage door opened completely. The car died instantly, the only sign of life left in the vehicle was the array of symbols that illuminated on the dashboard. "What the hell?" the wolf muttered to her self and turned the key yet again, this time pumping the gas pedal for good measure. The truck roared to life and she smiled, vowing to the give the truck an all over check up as soon as she could.

As she entered the parking lot of the all night convenience store near Forks High, Leah decided on her favorite go to snack of Butterfinger BB's. She recalled there being talk of them being discontinued online but she didn't think that would be the case as it was a truly awesome snack.

She turned off the engine and stepped from the car when she smelled it. "Déjà vu." She muttered to herself as she tossed her hair back and strode toward the store with confidence. She observed the woman leaning across the counter with an amused smile. The other woman was obviously older when she was turned but this in no way took away from her beauty. She had smooth, dark blonde hair pinned up immaculately behind her head and an unkind glint in her blood red eyes.

The cashier was so enthralled by the cleavage peeking from beneath vampire's expensive blouse that he didn't seem to notice his imminent danger.

Leah walked forward, effectively interrupting his view from the unknown female. "Is the sale on your soft drinks still valid?" she spoke loudly to break the spell the vampire had weaved around him.

"Huh?" the guy shook his head in an attempt to clear it.

The wolf grabbed the small promotional sign next to the register and spoke slowly. "Soda…sale?"

"Yeah." The guy said seemingly coming out of his trance. "They're buy one get one with purchase of a large bag of chips."

"Yeah, thanks." Leah said, brushing past the vampire as if she wasn't even standing there. A couple of seconds later the bell above the door chimed and Leah smiled realizing the older woman gave up her chase early. "That poor bastard will never know what I just did." Leah shook her head and grabbed a handful of candy packets before heading for the counter.

Outside, she tore open a package with her teeth and popped a couple of chocolate pieces in her mouth with a happy groan.

"You know those candies will just rot your teeth, young one." A low, sultry voice spoke behind her with a lilting French accent.

"So, will your smell." Leah retorted and continued walking to her car.

Suddenly, the air moved around her as the vampire was seen leaning again her truck. "That is not very nice."

"I'm not usually so lenient with people drinkers. I'm more of a burn now and ask questions later kind of girl so consider yourself lucky that all you got was snark." Leah spat and shoved more chocolate into her mouth.

"I like your spunk young one." The vampire attempted to invade Leah's space but was rebuffed. "I'm Yasmine." The older woman said, offering her hand. "And you?"

"I'm none of your business." Leah said coldly, ignoring the vampire's hand. "Just stay out of my way and don't feed in Forks and you'll have no problems from me."

"Oh, but problems from you are what I want." Yasmine purred suggestively as she flitted around Leah.

"Lady, you're testing my patience." The last of Leah's statement ended in a growl as she turned and attempted to pin the woman the truck by her throat.

"Excuse-moi. I only wish to invite you to a club." Yasmine stated with faux innocence as she danced out of Leah's reach at the last second. "It is, how do you say… very exclusive." The vampire pulled the card from her pocket book and handed it to Leah. "There are many more in world like you and me than you realize young one." She practically purred as she purposely brushed her fingers with Leah's when the younger woman reached for the card.

Leah turned the card over in her hands and looked at the vampire in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Follow the card and bring you mate." She whispered before disappearing into the night.

The wolf glanced back at the stiff piece of glossy cardboard. It had a few vague scent wafting from it and a holographic imagine that changed back and forth between a peace symbol and a pair of fangs enclosing a paw print. "Maybe I finally have a date venue after all." She shrugged and looked in the direction Yasmine travelled, knowing it wouldn't be the last time she saw the woman.

-x-

Leah pushed the accelerator to the floor and forced the car up the hill. The engine roared an ungodly whine and groaned the entire ride up.

Leah smelled smoke before the dark sooty clouds came seeping from under the hood. She jerked the wheel away from the railing with all her might but it only moved just a few inches before she felt the engine seize and she lost control of the car. It served to grant her just enough time to grab her duffle bag and jump from the vehicle.

The car slid off the road and over the cliff, crashing into the frigid Pacific below. Leah leaped toward the destroyed railing, watching the bed of the truck slowly disappear from view.

"The oil and gasoline…" Leah whispered to herself and pulled her cellphone from her pocket. With shaking fingers, she punched 911 and quickly explained to the operator what just happened and sat on the side of the road until Charlie showed up.

"Mé." Leah reached out with her mind.

"What's wrong?" came Esme's immediate response.

"His truck." Leah groaned softly and swallowed thickly. "My truck is gone."

"Where are you?" Esme demanded and Leah felt her mate began to reach out all of her senses to hone in on her location.

"You can't cross the line, Mé, so don't worry about me right now. I'll hold it together just long enough to get to you." Leah assured her mate.

"I'll be waiting just on the other side of the treaty line until you get there." Esme vowed.

"There's no need. I'll have Charlie drive me to front door when this whole mess is over."

-x-

When Leah was finally dropped off by Charlie who kept tossing her odd looks every few seconds, she was engulfed in an enthusiastic hug from Esme. The vampire pulled back and glanced all over the younger woman to check that she was in fact unharmed.

"I'm fine." Leah said quietly.

"No you're not but you will be," Esme said and wrinkled her nose. "What is that scent? A vampire did this to you? Was it the Volturi?"

"No, a vampire has nothing to do with this. I met a people drinker at the store tonight. She was one of the oddest vampires I think I've ever met." Leah revealed with a frown. "She gave me this." She continued, handing Esme the small card.

"There are scents infused on the card. Interesting. 'Sanctarium Il Pax.'" Esme read the platinum Old English letters adorning the front of the card.

"What does that mean?" Leah asked curiously.

"It's a place of peace." Esme replied, her tone nearly giddy.

"I take it you've heard of this place?" Leah guessed.

"I've only ever heard rumors. This club moves constantly so as to stay out of the Volturi's wrath. It's supposedly a place where all supernaturals can mingle without repercussions. A place to be your true self if you so choose." Esme spoke as she relieved Leah of her backpack.

"It looks like they'll be in Port Angeles until next Friday." Leah said just noticing the small print on the left hand corner of the business card. "Do you want to move our date up a day and check it out?"

"I'd love to," Esme said with a grin. "I'll admit I'm extremely curious to see such a place."

"Yasmine said that I wasn't the only one of my kind." Leah reported quietly.

"Interesting. Maybe there are many more types of shifters than we are aware of."

"Maybe," Leah said taking the card, looking at it intently. "We'll find out in a few days."

"That we will. Right now we need to get you to feel better," Esme said and proceeded to drag Leah up the stairs. She dimmed the lights and pulled Leah onto the bed.

Esme leaned in and pressed her lips gently to Leah's. The younger woman allowed the chill of Esme's body to spread through her body and she reveled in it just like the first time and it served to calm her, the heat running wild inside her. She felt the firm hands tickle a path across her back and move up her abdomen toward her chest. Leah broke the kiss with apprehensive regret.

"Mé.." the wolf began softly.

"No, this is only about intimacy. Nothing more." Esme continued to lavish her chest in soft kisses.

Esme sat Leah down at the end of the bed and crawled behind her. She began rubbing her shoulders, firmly kneading the tense muscles there. "You've had a long day."

"I've had a very, very long day." Leah groaned out. "That feels great." She moaned appreciatively.

"Being a vampire you have a long time to read."

"So you've read the book on the finer arts of massage therapy?"

"Nope, I've read several books on Reiki and pressure points." Esme said and pinched a nerve low on Leah's spine.

The wolf all but melted against the vampire's body as a large dose of tranquility and comfort seeped through her entire being.

"How do you feel?" the vampire cooed, stroking the younger woman's hair.

"Mm. I feel better than I have in a long time." Leah mumbled thickly, her eyelids drooping.

"Come on." Esme wrapped her legs around Leah's waist and pulled her back into a laying position with her. She cradled the Alpha's head under her chin and cuddled her close.

"Mé…" Leah started to protest.

"Sleep." She commanded softly "We'll deal with the rest in the morning."

"Okay, I love you, Mé." Leah whispered, already half asleep in the vampire's arms.

"I love you too, Leah." Esme whispered back to the deep slumbering young woman.

-End of Chapter Seventeen-

**PLEASE READ!**

I need everyone to be aware of something: I'm a real person with real world issues and real world time constraints. I'm not a Twilight vampire that doesn't sleep or an automaton that can just crank out chapters at the drop of a dime. I love to write and I truly enjoy that you all enjoy my little mom and pop story but please remember that when it takes me a month or so to update that I've got a life and stuff going on. This is not something I'm getting paid for so I can only I write in my free time which isn't all that much so when I get reviews/PMs like 'why are you taking so long?' or 'the update: when's that gonna happen?' or 'Are you ever going to finish this fic?' I become reluctant to post anything. Badgering me is not the quickest way to chapters. Constructive criticism, thought provoking discussions, and appreciation will get you very far with me.

That being said for the final time: I AM NOT ABANDONING THIS FIC! Repeat I AM NOT ABANDONING THIS FIC!

**End Author's Rant**

…Hold on there you. Yes, you! Did you read the above rant? No? Well, what are you waiting for?

I know the Carlisle and Leah truce didn't end in bloodshed but the characters decided there was just enough fighting. How do you think they handled the talk? What about the Volturi spy? I think there's some ultimate drama on the horizon, don't you? Send me answers, thoughts, or questions in a review or PM!

You guys this story has really and truly far surpassed anything that I was thinking when I posted the first chapters. I have over 200 hundred reviews and favorites and 413 follows. It's insane to think that at least four hundred people like my story. Thank you all for your continued interest in this story. Also, if i haven't replied to your reviews/PMs by the time you've read this chapter, just know that they are coming.

Thanks for reading! Until next time.

~MC