Blood Moon

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to SM.

Leah Clearwater

Jacob shoved away from his car and loped quickly over to Bella, closing the distance in three long strides. As soon as he reached her, he grabbed her up in a vice-tight hug.

"Wow, Jake." Bella gasped breathlessly. "That is one enthusiastic greeting."

Jacob laughed and set her down. Bella turned to wave goodbye to Charlie, who was standing on the front porch, grinning in amusement.

"Bye, Dad."

"You kids have fun." Charlie called out. "And Jake?"

"Yes, Charlie?" Jacob asked, his eyes widened in false innocence.

"Good to see you wearing a shirt for once."

Jacob laughed again, louder than before. "Sure, sure." He agreed amiably.

"And I want my little girl home by midnight, do you hear?" Charlie added.

"Yes, sir." Jacob pretended to salute the police chief, making the older man roll his eyes.

"Jeez, I'm not a kid." Bella muttered as she followed Jacob around the Rabbit. He held the passenger door open for her and took her hand to help her inside.

"Bella." Jacob was still chuckling. "Just seeing us together makes your old man happy. That's worth a bit of teasing, isn't it?"

"Fine." Bella conceded, finally breaking out into a smile of own, giving Charlie one last wave as she settled in her seat.


"Are you gonna eat that hot dog?" Paul asked Jacob, his eyes locked on the last remnant of the huge meal the werewolves had consumed.

Jacob leant back against Bella's knees and toyed with the hot dog he had spitted on a straightened wire hanger; the flames at the edge of the bonfire licked along its blistered skin. He heaved a sigh and patted his stomach. It was somehow still flat, though Bella had long ago lost count of how many hot dogs he had eaten after his tenth. Not to mention the super-sized bag of chips or the two-liter bottle of root beer.

"I guess." Jacob said slowly. "I'm so full I'm about to puke, but I think I can force it down. I won't enjoy it at all, though." He sighed again sadly.

Even though Paul had eaten at least as much as Jacob, he glowered and his hands balled into fists.

"I think you better give it to him." Bella whispered to Jacob nervously. "We don't want him turning wolf over a hot dog, do we?"

Jacob erupted into laughter, as did some of the other pack members sitting nearby. Bella flushed red in embarrassment, internally castigating herself for forgetting all about the wolves' sensitive hearing.

"There you go, Paulie." Jacob teased. "You've got Bella to thank for that."

He flipped the home-made skewer across the circle. Bella expected it to land hot-dog first in the sand, but Paul caught it neatly on the right end without difficulty.

"Thanks, vampire girl." Paul said with a wicked glint in his eyes, already over his brief fit of temper.

Jacob scowled while Bella cringed at the sarcastic nickname Lahote had pinned on her. She knew he was doing it on purpose to rile Jacob up and get under her skin. The guy would never change, it was pointless reacting to his childish taunts, it only encouraged him.

"I'll swing for him." Jacob muttered, slowly rising to his feet.

Bella's hand shot out, catching his shoulder before he had risen halfway off the ground. "Don't give him the satisfaction, Jake. Just ignore him."

Jacob dropped back down; his expression dour. "You're more forgiving than I am, honey."

"I don't know about that." Bella sighed, looking toward the bonfire.

The flames crackled, settling lower toward the sand. Sparks blew up a sudden puff of brilliant orange against the black sky. Funny, she hadn't noticed that it was so late. She had lost track of time completely. She had enjoyed being with her Quileute friends more than she had anticipated.

Bella had to admit, she had felt a little nervous when Jacob towed her out of the forest to the clifftop meeting place – where the fire already roared brighter than the cloud-obscured sun – it had all been very causal and light.

"Hey, here's another one of our wolf girls come to join the party!" Embry had greeted her loudly, his eyes shining with mischief. Quil had jumped up to give her a high-five and kiss her on the cheek. Emily had squeezed her hand when they'd sat on the cool stone beside her and Sam.

Other than a few teasing comments about her new wolf girl status, they all treated her like someone who belonged. It was comforting, but also mortifying. She could only assume that Jacob must have been replaying their very heated kiss inside his head when he left in his wolf form to go and pick up his car, where he had unwittingly broadcast the latest development in their relationship to most of his brothers.

Oh, well, it was just something she was going to have to accept if she wanted to be with him.

Bella glanced around, taking in her surroundings. It wasn't just kids in attendance, Billy was there, his wheelchair stationed at what seemed the natural head of the circle. Beside him on a folding lawn chair, looking quite brittle, was Quil's ancient, white-haired grandfather, Old Quil. Sue Clearwater, widow of Charlie's friend Harry, had a chair on his other side; her two children, Leah and Seth, were also there, sitting on the ground like the rest of them. This surprised Bella, but all three were clearly in on the secret now. From the way Billy and Old Quil spoke to Sue, it sounded to Bella like she had taken Harry's place on the council. Did that make her children automatic members of La Push's most secret society?

"What are you thinking about so hard?" Jacob whispered in her ear. She was so lost in thought that Bella hadn't realized he had moved to sit beside her.

"Oh, nothing much. Just how nice it is to be here. Thanks for bringing me." Bella smiled at him softly.

Jacob smiled back, his gaze dropping none-too subtly to her mouth. He wanted to kiss her; Bella could tell. She felt the usual heat rush to her skin. She wanted to kiss him too, but wasn't sure how she felt about doing so in front of an audience.

"You're overthinking things again, honey." Jacob said huskily, always in tune with her thoughts. "Just relax and enjoy the moment."

It was out there now – there was no going back.

Bella tried to ignore the knowing stares of the others, she focused all her attention on Jacob instead, reminding herself how much she had enjoyed kissing this gorgeous, sensitive boy, who was right now looking at her as if no one else in the world existed. She could do this; she could be brave.

Placing one hand on his chest, right where his heart was beating, she leaned in. Jacob closed his eyes, taking several deep breaths, knowing what a monumental thing this was for Bella, making the first move in front of everyone.

Jacob covered her hand on his chest with one of his own. His palm was hot against her cool skin. He squeezed her hand gently, making her quiver, and shifted even closer to her.

And then their mouths met. Bella fancied she could almost hear a soft aww from the watching audience. They kissed, just a barely there, gentle pressure on the lips. Jacob pulled back first, ending the kiss as soon as it began, just to make doubly sure that Bella was okay with this public display of affection.

Bella blushed a little, glimpsing the many grins in the firelight out of the corner of her eyes. Jacob was fighting a smile, but his gaze remained intense, his focus on her face. Carefully, achingly slowly, Bella reached out and traced his bottom lip with the tip of her index finger, thrilling at the way Jacob's eyes fluttered closed at her touch. As though moving through a dream, she cupped his cheek in her hand, tilting his face a fraction so he had to look her in the eyes.

Jacob's eyes were heavy-lidded now, unfocused.

Bella needed no further encouragement. She leaned in again, the brush of their lips chaste, unhurried at first. Jacob's free hand came up to cup her face in a mirror image of how she was touching him. His mouth was as soft as it looked, not hard and unmalleable like Edward's had been. She felt the slight rasp of his day-old stubble against the palm of her hand.

To the tune of wolf-whistles in the background, Jacob pulled back abruptly. He shot his brothers an annoyed glare, before resting his forehead against Bella's, trying to slow the fast pace of his breathing. He shook his head minutely and then squeezed his eyes tightly shut, like he was trying to regain his composure.

"I'm sorry about them." He apologized gruffly.

All Bella could do was nod as she tried to stifle her own blush. From a technical stand point, kissing Jacob was a thousand times better than kissing Edward. Edward's hard, unyielding lips gave her none of the pleasure Jacob's plush, soft lips did. She had never experienced anything like it. Jacob still held onto her, his arms now wound tightly around her body -which was a good thing, as she found it difficult to remain upright, as her previous self-consciousness took over again.

While Jacob continued to hold her close, Bella relaxed against him, resting her chin on his shoulder. In the distance her eyes found Leah again. The older girl was sitting across the circle from Sam and Emily, her lovely face betraying no emotion, not once looking away from the flames. Looking at the perfection of Leah's features, Bella couldn't help but compare them to Emily's ruined face. What did Leah think of Emily's scars, now that she knew the truth behind them? Did it seem like justice in her eyes?

Seth sat beside his sister, grinning over in their direction. With his huge, happy grin and his long, gangly build, he reminded Bella of a very much younger Jacob. The resemblance made her smile, and then sigh. Was Seth doomed to have his life change as drastically as the rest of the boys? Was that why he and his family were allowed to be here?

Apart from the wolves guarding Charlie, the whole pack was there. Paul had left to take over from Jared, who now sat with Kim, the girl he had imprinted on.

Bella's first impression of Kim was that she was a nice girl, a little shy, and a little plain. She had a wide face, mostly cheekbones, with eyes too small to balance them out. Her nose and mouth were too broad for traditional beauty. Her flat black hair was thin and wispy in the wind that never seemed to let up atop the cliff.

That was only Bella's first impression. But after a few minutes of watching Jared watch Kim, she could no longer find anything plain about the girl.

The way Jared stared at her! It was like a blind man seeing the sun for the first time. Like a collector finding an undiscovered Da Vinci, like a mother looking at the face of a newborn child.

His wondering eyes made Bella see new things about Kim – how her skin looked like russet-colored silk in the firelight, how the shape of her lips was a perfect double curve, how white her teeth were against them, how long her eyelashes were, brushing her cheeks when she looked down.

Kim was nodding off against against Jared's chest, his arms tight around her. She looked cozy and comfortable there.

It made Bella better understand what Jacob had told her about imprinting before – its hard to resist that level of commitment and adoration.

And the thought made her stiffen as her eyes flicked immediately back to Leah, who was still staring preoccupiedly into the fire.

Jacob felt her tense in his arms. He drew back, his features drawn into an expression of concern. "You okay, Bells?"

"It's getting late." Bella murmured, withdrawing further from his embrace.

"Don't start that yet." Jacob whispered back – though certainly half the group there had sensitive enough hearing to hear them anyway. "The night isn't over yet. The best part is coming."

Bella remained distracted; her anxious gaze still riveted on Leah. "What's the best part?"

"We didn't come here just to eat through a week's worth of food. This is technically a council meeting. Its Quil's first time, and he hasn't heard the stories yet. Well, he's heard them, but this is the first time he knows they're true. That tends to make a guy pay closer attention. Kim and Seth and Leah and you are all first timers, too."

"Stories?"

Jacob scooted closer again. He put his arm over her shoulder and spoke even lower into her ear.

"The histories we always thought were legends." He clarified. "The stories of how we came to be. The first is the story of the spirit warriors."

Jacob's soft voice tickled Bella's ear. She tried to relax again, but she couldn't get Leah's preoccupied face out of her mind. She suddenly had an urge to speak to the older girl, if only to express her condolences about Harry.

"Jake, can you give me a minute?" Bella whispered, placing a hand on his knee. "I just want a quick word with Leah."

"Leah? What? Why?" Jacob exclaimed in surprise, clearly wondering what on earth they would have to say to each other.

"I just want to say sorry about Harry – to all of them." Bella corrected herself, realizing how weird it sounded when she only said Leah's name. "I won't be long. You stay here." She patted his knee and climbed unsteadily to her feet.

"Bella, I don't think now is the right time." Jacob cautioned.

"Harry was my one of my dad's oldest friends. I need to do this." Bella ignored both his proffered hand and his warning as she made her way over to the tightknit little group at the head of the circle.

The fire crackled, sending another explosion of sparks glittering up into the night as Bella passed.

Leah, her face still a beautiful and emotionless mask, watched Bella's approach with a hostile light shining in her dark eyes. It was almost like she had overheard every bit of her conversation with Jacob, but that couldn't possibly be true, Bella thought.

"What do you want, Swan?" Leah asked curtly when Bella stopped in front of her.

"I just wanted to tell you how sorry - "

"Stuff your fake condolences. I don't need or want your pity!" Leah snapped.

"Lee Lee!" Sue chastised her daughter in a low voice. "Bella was just being kind."

"Really?" Leah sneered. "You may fool my mother and the other idiots around here, but you don't fool me. I know an ulterior motive when I see it. What do you really want, Swan?"

"Please, Lee, not here." Seth pleaded with his older sibling. His happy grin was missing. Now he looked both sad and frustrated.

As for Bella, she was beginning to wish she had taken Jacob's advice. "I'm sorry." She apologized profusely. "I'll go."

"No!" Leah snapped, rising gracefully to her feet. "You came here for a reason." She reached out and grabbed Bella's hand none-too-gently. "If you're too embarrassed to spit the truth out here, then we'll just go somewhere more private and talk."

"Leah!" Sue remonstrated with her daughter again. "Stop this behavior right now. You're causing a scene!"

"Like I care!" Leah retorted bitterly. "We're way past that! Don't you think so, mother?"

Sue winced and turned her head away at her daughter's sarcastic rebuttal, repressed moisture shining in her eyes.

Billy reached out his hand to comfort her. He stared up at Leah with a grave expression. "Can't you see you're upsetting your mother?"

Leah had the grace to look slightly ashamed, but she didn't apologize. Her pincer like grip on Bella's hand was beginning to stop the blood flow. "I didn't start this."

"But yet you are the one causing the upset." Billy continued firmly. "Just let Bella go back to Jacob and sit back down."

"You're not my father!" Leah hissed, tightening her hold on Bella's hand. "She came over here to me."

"Leah!" Billy tried again.

"Hush, Billy." Old Quil's quavering voice made their gazes all swing in his direction. He sat hunched over in his lawn chair, his ancient eyes under the thick thatch of white hair sparkling in the firelight. "Let's not interfere. If the girls want to go and have a chat, let them. The stories can wait for another few minutes."

"Quil!" Billy whispered harshly. "What are you doing?"

"Just go girls." Old Quil waved them away with a flip of his hand. "Otherwise, we will be here all night debating the issue and young Jacob will flip his lid if you keep Bella away too long. Just get it over with. This is a conversation that needs to happen. Am I right?" He said, looking astutely up at Bella.

Bella felt the familiar heat burning her cheeks. It was like the ancient elder could look inside her mind. She didn't respond, only managing a weak nod.

"See, I was right. She came to me for a reason." Leah declared, her triumphant gaze sweeping across the elders. She marched off, without waiting for an answer, dragging a reluctant Bella in her wake.

A/N-thanks for reading!