Bella drove Paul back to my house hours later. She hadn't been at the Cullens' house when we were there, so he must have called her for a ride. Paul arrived with a folder tucked under his arm. I didn't ask what it was. Bella didn't come in to see us. I expected her to avoid me, but watching her drive away still stung.

Billy and Charlie had been scouring the logs of everyone who had been in and out of the hospital before and after the systems were hacked hoping to find my nephew. It didn't surprise me when they didn't find any helpful information.

Kim was inconsolable. She stayed by my side like she thought I was going to fall apart, but she was the one who kept breaking down. I didn't mind consoling her. I offered her as much support as I had to give, which wasn't much.

Jared was the best tracker in the pack, and he tried to chase my nephew's scent, and I assumed it wasn't working. I imagined it wouldn't be easy for him to follow a trail of a tiny baby scent masked by the powerful scents of everyone who had held him for the last few days. Me, Rosalie, Paul, Sam… The entire pack had held him at some point. It felt hopeless. Jared insisted on helping and this was the only way he knew how.

Sam reached out to us through Bella. I was angry at how he used her, furious that he didn't seem to mind that my nephew was gone. He genuinely had nothing to say that wouldn't end with more broken bones for him. It's not like any of us would answer his calls.

Eventually, Bella told Jake we couldn't hide out here forever, avoiding our pack responsibilities. She coordinated a patrol schedule with Sam that didn't include me and involved him patrolling more than any of us. I didn't like it, but we had to do something. Someone had to chase the redhead.

I couldn't get over how I felt about Rosalie. She'd promised me she'd be here, but when I needed her the most she disappeared. Emmett ignored Quil and all of my texts to Rosalie weren't delivered. I hoped she was a better tracker than Jared. Maybe she was out there looking for him. Maybe, she would be the one who found him.

Paul told us he grilled the Cullen's for hours while he was there about what happened to the baby. Carlisle swore he and Rosalie were home when they learned of the hospital's irresponsible mistake. I didn't want to believe it, but Paul did, and I didn't have many people I trusted more than him anymore.

Paul came out of Leah's room for his patrol shift and threw the folder he'd returned with on the coffee table in front of me and Kim. She had turned on a movie and I was only half watching it, so Paul had my full attention.

"Don't open that. If they come for you, try to talk your way out of it. If you can't, give that to Billy." He looked to Kim. "Call me if they come."

I hoped they wouldn't come tonight after my nephew got kidnapped or whatever happened to him, but who knows? I had no faith that anything would go my way anymore.

Jake announced he had 'big plans' for the pack once my living situation was settled. He was the rightful alpha, but Sam had taken that role as the first who phased. Until now, Jacob hadn't wanted it, anyway. After everything that happened, however, Jake said he wouldn't force us to answer to Sam anymore. His arrogance bothered me. Rightful Alpha or not, Jacob would lose if he fought Sam before gaining more experience. We all needed more training. I didn't say that, though. I listened like I thought it was the best plan I'd ever heard and hoped someone else would advise him better than I ever could.

Paul didn't make it back before we had a visitor. The goddamn lady in the pantsuit from the hospital pulled up in front of the house. I watched her climb from her car and approach the front door through a window. Stepping away from the table where I'd been talking to Kim, I wanted to remain out of the woman's sight. I tried to stay calm, but my entire body shook from the rage creeping up my spine as she knocked on the front door. For a moment my flesh burned, and I thought I'd phase there in the kitchen.

I didn't know what to do, but I couldn't face this woman without taking her face off. She could easily be responsible for my nephew's current whereabouts. How could I confront this woman now without threatening her within an inch of her snooty life?

I didn't know what to do with this kind of rage, with all of this pain. As steadily as my anger was building, I was also becoming exhausted. Kim carefully stood from the table, darted to my side, took my trembling hand, and led me back to Leah's room. We locked the door and sat against it in the dark as she wrapped one arm around me and snuggled into my side.

I shut my eyes and could almost imagine it was my sister beside me, not Kim. We'd done this dozens of times when unwanted visitors came to the door. We'd hide in her room and wait for them to leave. But, it wasn't Leah next to me, and our guest wouldn't give up easily.

Eventually, Kim cracked the door open so she could hear, but I didn't need it to hear everything in the house. Embry answered the door and exchanged pleasantries with the lady, but she didn't humor him.

"I'm looking for Seth Clearwater," she said bluntly. "I know he's here."

"I'm afraid you're mistaken," Embry responded politely. "Seth is visiting family in Neah Bay. I'll let him know you stopped by, though." He slammed and locked the door before she could respond.

Kim got up and peeked out the window to see if she was still standing on the porch. I could tell when she finally walked away because Kim visibly relaxed, releasing a slow, deep breath.

I closed my eyes and remembered the last time Leah and I had done this. I was always the lookout, not Leah. She had made Sam mad and didn't want to face him. She wasn't afraid of him; she wasn't in the mood for an argument.

Sam would always give up fairly quickly, but our trick never worked on Paul. We'd hidden from him once, and he came directly to Leah's window to knock on it. He'd seen me peeking out, busting us.

I didn't know how I'd live without the memories I have of them in this house. It was hard to be here at first, but now I lived for these flashbacks of times I'd spent with my family here. The memories would follow, but surely they wouldn't be as vivid in my new environment.

Shortly after the vile woman left, Charlie and Billy arrived. Kim was making dinner when they got here. I had moved from Leah's floor to her bed and saw Charlie's cruiser outside. I wasn't ready for this, but I'd known I'd have to face the music, eventually.

Trying to keep them out was useless. Charlie would've broken my damn door down if Embry slammed it in his face. Paul still hadn't returned, but I had whatever was in his folder to help me. I quickly inspected Leah's room, concerned it was the last time I'd see it for a while.

Leah was thin before she got pregnant, and she'd always been tall. She hated clothes that showed her figure, though. Dad had wondered if Sam told her not to wear them, but even as a kid she preferred baggier clothes that didn't cling to her. Her favorite hoodie was hanging on the back of her closet. It was a men's jacket, and even at full term it still fit her because it was so oversized. The day she bought it Dad thought it was for him and she threw the biggest fit I'd ever seen. She wouldn't let anyone touch the thing.

I took it down from the hook and slipped it on. It was a pathetic and desperate attempt, but I needed to feel close to Leah. The hoodie still smelled like her perfume. It was almost like she was hugging me. She wouldn't ever hug me again, though.

Charlie and Billy wore somber expressions as they sat in the living room waiting for me. I thought about what Paul said. I thought about everything Leah had ever taught me. At this moment, I couldn't be Seth, the good-guy optimist. I couldn't be Seth the angry guy, either. What I needed was to be brave and stand up for myself. I couldn't let them do this to me.

Billy patted the seat next to him, motioning for me to sit there but I shook my head, burying my shaking hands into the hoodie pocket, clenching them together.

The entire pack sat around the room, staring at me standing in my sister's hoodie and defying the Chief. Paul was right. I was a protector, and they couldn't do this to me. I was ready to remind them why.

"You're not sending me to foster care," I told them. "If you send me to live with a foster family, I'll phase in front of them."

Jake dropped the glass he was drinking from, and it shattered against the hardwood floor. "Shit," he muttered under his breath, seemingly frozen in place.

"You'll do no such thing," Billy said.

"Oh, but I will," I insisted. "I'll tell them about the Cullens and give them the names of every pack member. I have lost everything, Billy. Every fucking thing I've ever had is being taken from me because leeches killed my family. If you send me away, I will make sure every person connected to this situation pays for it, even if they're innocent in the whole thing. Misery loves company, you know?"

They all looked at me like I was insane. Maybe I was. I didn't know that I'd truly phase in front of my foster family intentionally, but I'd swear to them I would. Considering my temper recently, I'd be more afraid of accidentally phasing than anything.

"Dad," Jake whispered. "Even if he's bluffing, and I think he is, he's not been in control of himself lately. What happens when he sees Emily at the store? What happens when he sees a baby that reminds him of Leah's baby? He might be unable to stop himself. Our secret could get out."

Charlie cleared his throat. "This is something we hadn't thought of, Seth. You've always been the calmest of the pack."

I said, "Nothing like losing everything to bring out the dark side of a person, is there?"

Kim entered the room and grabbed the folder Paul left on the coffee table. She handed it to Billy and pulled her phone out to call Paul. I heard him on the other end telling her he'd be here as quickly as he could, and it filled me with relief. Paul was all that I had now. I loved the rest of the pack and Kim, too, but none had known my family the way Paul did. None of them felt the gravity of this loss the way Paul and I did. We were in this together.

Billy shook his head as he read and handed each paper to Charlie as he finished with it. When Paul came in, Billy glared at him furiously.

Sounding too much like Charlie, Billy hollered, "Falsifying documents is a serious crime, boy!".

Paul smirked and I nearly smiled. I hadn't seen his trademark shit-eating smirk in days. "Who's to say they're false? They look authentic to me. They're notarized. Did you see?" Paul leaned toward Charlie to point at something and Billy shooed him back.

I didn't know what was in those files, but I didn't particularly care if it kept me from going to foster care.

Charlie asked, "So you mean to tell me Sue left you in charge of her boy, her house, and everything she owns?"

Paul nodded. "Until Seth turns 18, she sure did."

That couldn't have been real. If anything, she would've given that responsibility to Leah. Maybe even Sam, as much as I hate to admit it. I pulled a document from Billy's hand to inspect it.

"Signature looks real. You can say it's fake, but there's no way you'll prove it."

It was true. I'd seen that signature so much I'd recognize it from a mile away. Whoever Paul had gone to had replicated it beautifully. I didn't want to think about never seeing her handwriting on another birthday card or note taped to my door reminding me to clean my room.

Charlie told us to give them a minute to talk, and Kim called us to the kitchen to eat. I noticed Paul was smiling for the first time in days. I knew why, too. Leah would be so proud of him for what he'd done. There was no way they could take me from him now. I wasn't getting my hopes up, but the paperwork looked ironclad. I didn't know if there was a way out of this for them.

You could've heard a pin drop as the house became quiet. We ate and waited, listening to the muffled deliberating between Charlie and Billy. Every clink of our forks against our plates, every shift of a water bottle or soda can echoed throughout the room.

Eventually, Charlie stepped into the kitchen and cleared his throat as if he hadn't already commanded the attention of everyone in the room. "We're going to let Seth stay with Paul, but there are conditions. Seth, you should know. our intention was never to take you off the reservation. We planned to find a family here, like maybe Kim's, to keep you for a year."

I didn't even hear all the conditions. All I felt was an overwhelming relief. I was safe. I would get to stay in my house. My family wasn't here, but finally, something wasn't being taken from me.

Everyone else seemed to listen intently to Charlie. After droning on for several minutes, Jake helped Billy climb into the cruiser and Embry walked Charlie to the car. The second they pulled out of the driveway, the pack's excited cheers were deafening.

"Man, that was fucking brilliant!" Quil patted my back. "You'd phase in front of your foster parents? Genius."

Paul smiled big. "I told you to remember you're a protector."

I was proud of myself. I'd thought quickly and stood my ground, never imagining standing up to Charlie or Billy. These were two men I have always respected in the past. It was something that had to be done, though. I had to grow up, eventually.

Our excitement didn't last long. It was only a few minutes before Sam Uley appeared at my doorstep.

"I'll take care of this," Paul grumbled. He went to open the door, and I followed.

Sam looked different. The sadness I'd seen in his eyes at the hospital was long gone, replaced by a harshness I'd never seen from him before. When he stepped inside, I shoved him backward. He needed to know right now he was not welcome in my home.

Paul suggested we all meet in the backyard, and everyone followed him. Jake had talked a big game but was making no moves toward Sam now.

Kim followed us outside, but I didn't want her to. I wanted to yell at her to stay inside where it was safe, but I didn't. The violent urges were still new to me, and I tried to fight them. I ground my teeth while waiting for Sam to say whatever he came here to bother me about.

"Get the hell on with it, Uley." I snapped. "I don't want to look at you any longer than I have to."

His nostrils flared, and his eyes locked with mine. He was trying to intimidate me, but I wouldn't back down so easily. "It'd do you well to remember who the alpha of this pack is. That goes for all of you."

"Well, alpha, get the fuck on with it," Paul growled.

I didn't know if the pack knew Paul had imprinted on my sister, but at that moment, I knew Sam did. I would tear him to shreds to protect the only semblance of family I had left, though.

"I got informed this afternoon that I have an uncontrolled wolf on my hands." He looked directly at me. "You will stay away from Bella Swan, Seth."

I should feel hurt, but all I felt was anger. I screamed for Kim to get in the fucking house, and even Jared didn't argue with me. Looking more skittish than I've ever seen her, Kim rushed past us and into the house, slamming the door shut behind her.

I couldn't wrap my head around it; Why would Bella go to Sam? She should know she wouldn't be able to reason with him. She didn't respect me enough to talk to me. She could have gone to Billy or Paul and instead chose the one person she knew I currently loathed the most. I'd received her message, loud and clear. I wouldn't contact her, but it had nothing to do with Sam's order.

Paul snapped, "I don't give a fuck what the leech lover told you, you can't interfere with an imprint."

Part of me wanted to go straight to Bella just to spite Sam, but I wouldn't. It would not surprise me if Paul did, though.

Sam chuckled darkly. "Where was your courage when I was sleeping with your imprint?"

That did it. Paul didn't have the chance to get to Sam, because I did first. Sam didn't stand defenseless this time, he phased and fought back. It seemed everyone had underestimated me because of how young and small I was, but I could hold my own. Anger is a powerful thing and the level of rage I felt was beyond measure.

Paul phased, too, but I didn't let him separate us. I didn't care if Sam killed me, I wouldn't stop. The two of us went around and around. At least one of my legs ended up broken, but I fought through the pain. Nobody could snap me out of it, and nobody could separate us. Not until I heard Bella shrieking behind me.

Fuck. What the fuck was she doing here? Bella distracted me long enough for Sam to get the upper hand. He stood over top of me with one of his paws smashing down against my throat. Her screams did nothing to stop him. For a moment I wished he would kill me, but Paul knocked him off of me just as I started losing consciousness from the lack of oxygen. I phased the moment he was off of me.

Bella ran to my side, and her touch felt like acid burning my skin. How could she go to Sam? How could she betray me like this? The spirits had to be wrong about us. How could I love someone like this? How could my perfect mate be someone who wouldn't help me or my nephew when we needed it, and then went to Sam the moment my back turned?

I didn't acknowledge Bella as I stood and walked inside the house. We kept a basket of shorts on my porch and I grabbed a pair, not caring who saw what as I stepped into them.

When I entered the house, everything felt different. I knew Bella was right behind me. I walked straight to the bathroom and locked the door. I didn't want to talk to anyone, let alone Bella. Not while surrounded by memories, and certainly not after she'd gone to Sam behind my back.

'The shittiest part,' as Leah would have said, was that memories of Bella surrounded me here, too. She was Leah's friend too, and the Pack considered her one of their own. How could I live like this? How could I live in this house without my family, with Sam right down the road? And how was I supposed to stay where Bella could show up at any time and decide to turn my world upside down again?

I needed a change. I heard Bella knock on the door softly and knew how to solve at least one of those problems.

In a worried tone that would have broken my heart a week ago, she cried, "Seth, please, come out and talk to me."

I'd talk to her alright. Hardening myself against the imprint pull, remembering the devastation she caused me when I had nowhere else to go, I opened the door and came face to face with my imprint for what would hopefully be the last time.

"Go home, Bella." I nearly choked on the words. "You're not good for me. Go home, and don't come back. See the pack all you want to, but stay, the hell, away from me."

I didn't wait for her response. I slammed the door shut in her face and locked the door. Listening to her sobs and shuffling footsteps slowly disappear, I sank to the floor and cried.