Was this the best night of Leah's life? Eh, probably not—at least not for her. Ian knew what he was doing, but it took a minute for them to get on the same page. At one point, she pushed him against one of the mirrors too hard. It cracked under the impact, sending a fractal pattern webbing through the glass.

Leah didn't know how they avoided getting caught, but they did. They probably would've gotten away with it too if it weren't for Ian's smirk as they exited the funhouse.

They passed Liam and Kyle speaking to a police officer dangerously close to the tilt-a-whirl. She saw Liam handing him a folder full of permits proving they were authorized to be there. Kyle and Ian made eye contact and exchanged a knowing smirk.

Leah wanted to smack them both.

With the cops present, the frat guys were on their best behavior. All of the kegs had mysteriously disappeared and the remaining carnival equipment was currently being used as intended.

Ian and Leah returned to the dance floor. Leah scanned the crowd for Seth, but he was nowhere to be found. They spotted the Betas and joined them.

"Hey, where's Seth?" Leah asked.

"He's hiding in the woods," Kat said as she eyed the cops. As Leah glanced around the party, she realized that the crowd had noticeably thinned. It seemed that everyone under 21 had vanished.

Despite the permits, it was not long before the cops shut down the carnival.

Evidently, the Cullens had failed to secure the proper permits to allow alcohol to be served at the function.

As the cops started poking around, it didn't take them long to find the pile of empty cans that had been poorly concealed inside the ball pit.

Leah stuck around to help clean up.

Leah felt her BlackBerry vibrating in her pocket. She glanced at the screen. Bella Swan, of all people, was trying to call her.

She spared a glance at Ian before making a decision.

"I'm sorry Ian, I have to take this," Leah apologized.

Leah stepped aside to take Bella's call.

"Hello?" Leah answered.

"Leah?" Bella asked. Who else?

"Yeah, what's wrong," Leah asked. She could hear the wind in the background as Bella ran.

"I need your help," Bella said. "Jacob ran off and I can't get ahold of him."

Leah rolled her eyes. Why did the bloodsuckers have to drag her into their drama?

"Maybe you should control your kid," Leah snapped. "I don't know what she's told him, but if he's run off with her, he's never going to listen to me."

"No," Bella said before Leah could hang up. "He's alone."

"What?" Leah said in disbelief. She was sure he would've caved to whatever Renesmee wanted.

"He left and I'm worried he won't come back this time. I need you to find him so I can talk to him," Bella pleaded. Leah recalled how Jacob had run away after receiving the invitation to Bella and Edward's wedding. It'd taken weeks before he finally returned. If Renesmee pushed him away, there was no telling how long he'd be away.

"Fine, I'll be there in a few minutes," Leah grumbled. She needed to make sure he didn't do something that he would regret. She apologized to Ian for bailing during clean-up.

"No worries," he responded. "We've got this."

Leah wasn't convinced. She'd already seen one of the Thetas try to use a dry mop to sop up a puddle of beer off the asphalt. She left anyway. Their fate was in their own hands. She drove to the Cullens house and left her car parked along the road.

Bella met her by the road. "Leah! Finally."

"Yeah, I'm here," Leah growled. She shifted uneasily as the vampire got too close for comfort. Her sickly-sweet smell still burned her nose despite her familiarity to it.

Leah went into the woods to phase. She could feel the vampire's eyes on her back as she ran. She hid behind a tree to remove her clothes.

As soon as she phased, she was hit with Jacob's agony.

She was completely caught off guard by his memories. Sure, she had fully expected his conversation with Nessie to go awry, but not like that. His "goodbye" turned into angry sex. He'd walked out while she was still lying in his bed.

Memories of his final conversation with her echoed in his thoughts.

He'd gone to the bathroom to clean himself up. He had stared at his reflection in the mirror and accepted that he had to make a decision once and for all.

"Tell me to stay," he had said. He'd known she would hear him from his bedroom where she was waiting for him to return. One word, that's all it would've taken. One word and he would've walked right back into that room and never left her side. She just had to say it.

"No," she had said. Her voice sounded far away.

"I'm not kidding, Ness," Jacob growled. "I told you I was walking away. Is that what you want?"

"I told you to decide," she growled back. "I know you don't want to go."

She was right. He didn't. Every single atom in his being was screaming. Pulling him out of the bathroom and back to her. He felt like he was fighting against a bungee tethering him to her. One little word and he could stop fighting. He'd let the pull yank him back to her and he'd know he was exactly where she wanted him to be. Why couldn't she just say it?

She wouldn't say it.

He looked down the hall into his room. He could see her sitting on his bed, waiting for him to return.

Her eyes were locked on. He'd seen that expression countless times on her face while she hunted. Isn't that why she liked him from the start? He tasted the best. She was a hunter. He was her prey.

She had never looked more beautiful. And she had never looked more monstrous. The image of her victim was seared into his head. It wouldn't end—not if he returned to her. If he stayed and she killed again, it would be his fault. It had to end. He had to leave.

There was a brief moment, as he left the bathroom, when a victorious grin crept at the corner of her lips. He looked away before he could see the smile fade when she realized he had been headed to the stairs.

Now, he was running away. He didn't have any direction in mind, he just had to get away. He had to be anywhere but here. It went against every fiber of his being to push himself away from her, but he refused to give himself any other option. He couldn't stop running, if he did, he'd return to her.

You did the right thing, Leah said, pulling him back to the present.

How could I walk out on her? Jacob lamented.

She didn't give you a choice, Leah pressed. She forced your hand.

I did, though. She told me to decide, Jacob cried. Leah could feel the crack in his resolve.

No, Leah pressed. You know why you can't do that.

Leah trotted back to Bella.

"Are you talking to him? Where is he?" Bella asked.

Leah looked at her like she was crazy. How was Bella expecting Leah to answer?

"Woof," answered Leah.

Bella furrowed her brow.

Her mate emerged from the house. She scowled without turning to look at her.

He held his hands up in surrender, "Would you like me to translate?"

"I don't even want to hear your voice right now," Bella growled.

Edward sighed. "Love, you have no idea how sorry I am."

She turned to glare at him. "How could you? How can you turn your back on our daughter?"

"There was nothing I could do. Carlisle doesn't compromise on human life. You know that," Edward said.

"So you're expecting me to abandon my daughter?" Bella scoffed.

"Of course not," Edward said. "We'll follow our daughter. I wouldn't expect you to do anything less."

Leah growled. She didn't leave Ian to watch a couple of mosquitos work through their marital issues.

"Jacob can't bear to stay," Edward explained. "She's relying on him for validation and he doesn't want to be the reason she keeps killing."

There was an edge to his voice. Leah suspected he didn't approve of Jacob's inability to resist her advances. Fortunately, Edward did not relay any information regarding what Jacob and Renesmee had been up to before he found the strength to walk away.

"Jacob," Bella whispered. "Don't go. Not again."

Jacob's footsteps slowed to a trot. He felt guilty that Bella assumed he was running away again. He didn't know where he was going, but he knew he wasn't leaving for good. Not this time. He just needed to put some space between himself and Nessie. It was easier to think without her presence clouding his thoughts.

He wasn't a teenager anymore. His life may seem like it was falling apart around him, but he knew the world kept turning. He had bills to pay and his father to take care of, not to mention his pack.

He turned around and started heading back in their direction.

Leah sighed in relief.

"He's coming back," Edward assured his mate.

"Thank goodness," Bella sighed. She froze in place, turning into a statue until Jacob returned.

He walked numbly into the clearing.

"Jacob!" Bella raced over to him and wrapped him in a hug.

Leah shuddered. Through Jacob's mind, she could feel Bella colliding with him like a glacier.

Jacob didn't protest. He rested his large head against her back and let out a soft whine.

"We'll get through this," Bella promised. "We'll get our girl back."

Jacob gruffed in agreement.

You're not alone, Leah reminded him.

I know, Jacob said. Gratitude flooded his thoughts.

"The Volturi guard will be returning to Volterra tomorrow," Edward said.

Nahuel too? Jacob perked up.

"Yes," Edward confirmed. "Felix will inform them that there is a Child of the Moon in the area and they will return in two weeks with a hunting party. As far as we can tell, none of the hybrids will be with them, but it's hard to know for sure given the holes in Alice's vision."

Will they find it? Jacob was worried about leaving Renesmee unprotected with the creature nearby.

"We don't know," Edward said. "We don't think Alice can see the Children of the Moon."

Leah wasn't surprised but Jacob still seemed disappointed.

We can worry about that when it gets closer to the moon, Leah said. For now, you need to stay away.

Jacob reminded himself that Nahuel would be gone in a day.

"We'll talk to her again once he's gone," Bella vowed.

Leah was glad that Jacob was back, but it was clear she was no longer needed. She headed back into the woods to phase back.

"Thank you," Edward said.

Leah shifted uncomfortably. Don't mention it.

She still didn't fully trust the Cullens, but she knew Jacob was in good hands. He trusted Bella had Renesmee's best interest at heart. As long as Bella was at his side, she'd be able to keep him from doing anything irrational.

Chapter Playlist:

Clean Up - Barney - Theta

Vampire - Olivia Rodrigo - Jacob

Say Don't Go - Taylor Swift - Jacob

When There Was Me and You - High School Musical - Jacob