A/N: Hey guys! Chapter 3 is here, and the reaction to Leah's imprint is going to be prominent in this chapter. She gets to learn a little about Isaac, and will have to face some harsh realities. Please review!

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" Hey, what's your name?" she asked, trying not to sound as desperate as she felt. The boy blushed, looking unsure that she was talking to him. "What's your name, bud?" she asked again. He gulped noticeably, his eyes darting to the ground.

In the quietest whisper Leah had ever heard in her whole life, the boy spoke.

"I-Isaac."

The party was finally over, and after all of the kids left, Claire fell asleep unceremoniously in Quil's lap after her big day. The pack was called into Emily's kitchen for a meeting, obviously to talk about Leah's imprint.

Great, she thought bitterly.

"So I don't think I really have to discuss why we are all here. Today, Leah has reached a very important milestone in her life. She found her imprint." Jake announced. Leah rolled his eyes at his sappy introduction, but was surprised at the round of applause his words triggered. Her pack mates looked at her proudly, even relieved. She knew they were happy that her bitchy miserable days were over, not that she had found her soulmate.

Oh well. She would take what she could get.

She smiled slightly, and briefly glanced over at Emily and Sam. Sam looked genuinely happy for her, and Emily looked like she could cry of happiness. Leah wanted to vomit.

"So, what's his name, Leah?" Jared asked curiously, holding Kim in his arms. Every part of her wanted to growl at him, wanting to keep Isaac hers and hers alone. But she knew he was just asking to be a good guy. "His name is Isaac." She said simply. But behind those words were the love and adoration she was already feeling. From the corner of her eye, she saw Emily's smile drop slightly. Leah wanted to ignore the change in her cousin's demeanor, she really did. All she wanted to do was bask in the happiness that her imprinting had left her in. But Emily's faltering smile was enough to set off something deep inside her.

"What, Emily? You a little sad that I'm not pining after your husband anymore?" Leah sneered. Sam growled warningly, but Leah didn't care. "Why can't I be happy for once without you interfering?! I finally have this. And you frown upon it? Who the fuck do you think you are?!" Leah was shaking now. Emily had absolutely no right to react to her imprinting at all. She should have just stayed in the background, and clapped like everyone else. But even in Leah's crowning moment, Emily had to ruin it, like she had ruined everything else. "O-Of course, I'm happy for you-"

"Then what the fuck is the problem?!"

"I-I'm just a little worried-"

"You have absolutely no right to concern yourself with this, you piece of-"

"LEAH." Boomed a voice from her right. Jake used his alpha command, and Leah reluctantly backed down. Didn't he see Leah's point? Emily was trying to tear everything apart again!

Emily took a deep breath. "Leah, I'm so happy for you. I really am. I'm just worried because of some rumors circulating around the reservation-"

"WHAT RUMORS."

Emily ran a hand through her long black hair, clearly unsure as to how to approach the matter. "Do you know about Ron Maxwell? He was in the newspapers a few years ago?" she asked tentatively. Leah was confused. Everyone remembered Ron Maxwell. An abusive alcoholic and enemy to the reservation council, some poor kid had accused him of molestation, but nothing ever happened because the kid was too afraid to testify in court. It really divided the rez, no one knew what to believe. Only a few weeks later, the kid and his family packed their bags and moved to Arizona.

"Yeah, what about him?" Leah replied, failing to see how this criminal had anything to do with her imprint. Emily released a ragged breath. "I-Isaac is his stepson."

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Leah saw red. "Are you serious?" she asked, whimpering. Isaac, the quiet little boy with the soft blue eyes was that disgusting criminal's stepson? "Isaac's mom married him about 4 years ago. I know her since Isaac and Claire play in the same park, and she's kind of unstable. Compulsive smoker and all that. She's a paleface from Oregon, which is why Isaac is the only white kid on the whole reservation." Emily explained. God, what a fucked up situation, Leah thought to herself. What kind of childhood could her imprint be having?

Jake looked at her pityingly, unsure of what to say to council his packmate. "There's been some times at the park where…" Emily started.

"Where what?"

"Sometimes…sometimes Isaac has had some pretty big bruises. I've asked his mom about them on the few times she stays at the park, since she's had some too, but she assures he's very clumsy and nothing else is happening." Emily said softly. Leah couldn't stop shaking. Her imprint, a little boy no older than 10, may be being abused?

"We don't know anything for sure, Leah-"

Paul, who straightened from his position against the wall, scoffed. "Are you kidding? That seems like pretty obvious evidence to me. Its hardly a coincidence that a known felon in the community also has a roughed up kid. Take it from me. I know." He said coldly. Rachel, his imprint, rubbed his arm comfortingly. Everyone knew that Paul's father was an alcoholic with a tendency to beat his family, before he died. Hearing about Isaac must have brought back some less than happy memories.

"Well, Leah, if you want, you can come with Claire and I to the park tomorrow afternoon. He is always there, rain or shine, and I'm sure he would like to see you again." Emily asked hopefully. Leah rolled her eyes. "I'll think about it."

Everyone, including Leah, knew she would be at that park bright and early.