But fate had other plans for her. One day, as she was patrolling the border with the Cullens, she saw her. Bella Swan, the human girl who had chosen to become a vampire, the girl who had broken Jacob's heart, the girl who was the reason for the treaty. Leah felt a sudden jolt in her chest, as if someone had flipped a switch inside her. She felt a surge of emotions that she couldn't name, but she knew they were all directed at Bella. She felt a pull, a need, a desire to be near her, to protect her, to make her happy.
She had imprinted on Bella.
Leah was horrified. How could this happen? How could she imprint on a vampire, an enemy, a leech? How could she imprint on a girl, when she had always been straight? How could she imprint on Bella, of all people? She wanted to scream, to run away, to deny it. But she couldn't. She was bound to Bella, whether she liked it or not.
She tried to avoid her, to ignore her, to pretend it didn't happen. But it was impossible. Every time she saw Bella, she felt a wave of warmth and joy that made her forget everything else. Every time she heard Bella's voice, she felt a shiver of excitement and curiosity that made her want to listen more. Every time she smelled Bella's scent, she felt a hunger and a thirst that made her want to taste more. She was addicted to Bella, and she hated herself for it.
But she also loved her. She loved her more than she had ever loved anyone, more than she had ever thought possible. She loved her with every fiber of her being, with every beat of her heart, with every breath of her lungs. She loved her for who she was, not for what she was. She loved her for her courage, her kindness, her intelligence, her beauty. She loved her for her flaws, her quirks, her insecurities, her dreams. She loved her for everything, and she wanted nothing more than to make her happy.
But she knew she couldn't. She knew Bella was married to Edward, the vampire who had given her everything she wanted. She knew Bella loved Edward, more than life itself. She knew Bella was happy with Edward, and she didn't want to ruin that. She knew Bella would never love her back, not the way she loved her. She knew Bella would never see her as anything more than a friend, a sister, a packmate. She knew Bella would never be hers.
But she hoped. She hoped that maybe, someday, Bella would look at her differently. She hoped that maybe, someday, Bella would feel something for her. She hoped that maybe, someday, Bella would choose her. She hoped that maybe, someday, Bella would be hers.
She hoped, and she waited, and she loved./code/pre